Scribblings over tea [Ailene | Social]

[Deleted]

The night sky presiding over a city that slumbered was finally clearing, bringing in the next sunrise. Some of Karakura Town's denizens would be out and about, either to get a headstart on their day or because they were some of the unfortunate ones to work during a weekend. Now that spring had finally arrived and the weather was slowly improving, the last remnants of those who had chosen to party that night would be dragging themselves home, hoping to make it there safely. Over all this, a tiny sliver of heaven shattered into what could only be described as broken glass, revealing a darkness behind that led to Hueco Mundo, home to all sorts of monsters and malevolent beings. In fact, what came out of it might have merited a quick response from Soul Society. An Adjuchas, the second level on the Menos evolutionary chain, just one incredibly long step away from becoming a Vasto Lorde. In normal circumstances, they would've needed to send at least a high seated officer to deal with the creature before

In normal circumstances.

The Hollow that emerged from it was tiny, incredibly tiny, even though it was still powerful. They were not surprised by the sudden altitude: they had come to expect as much from Kumon after their past experiences, such as the time it landed them in the middle of the ocean alongside with Celes, or when they had literally fallen from the sky before reuniting with Akira. As the creature stepped on air ground, looking at the city above and the sun that was shyly peeking over the horizon, all those memories seemed like they didn't even belong to them, like they had happened far too long ago.

But of course, it actually been quite time since Caballero had last allowed themselves to go anywhere near Karakura Town, or outside of Hueco Mundo for that matter. The tiny being had lost control and become a mindless Gillian for a period of time during which they were not only unable to act as they wanted, but also fully aware of everything that happened. After dealing with those bugmen, Caballero had decided that they would be far less dangerous back in their natural home, where they would not be able to hurt anyone they cared about if they ever became a prisoner in their own mind again.

Now, however, they had triumphed over the myriad souls that formed their being. Their spirit had trampled over the bloodthirsty, ever hungry Hollows they had previously consumed, shutting their voices until they were but a mere afterthought following the occassional reminder that they needed to eat. An afterthough that they could very well ignore and suppress through their willpower for extended periods of time, as they had found out. Only knowing this had they finally decided to go back to the place that they considered to be their only home, where their fondest times had taken place, even if there was no way to reclaim them. Ever since evolving, the cloudy haze that had always been there, keeping them in blissful ignorance, had all but lifted. They now saw themselves as the monster they were.

Silently, for they had no need to breathe and no voice to speak, the Adjuchas let themselves fall toward the ground, using Air ground at different intervals to break each consecutive fall. The rags they still draped themselves in fluttered with the wind, as the air itself was cut by its jagged horns, the main distinctive feature that separated this form from their appearance as a Stray. Eventually, they landed on top of the safety rail covering the edge of one of the taller buildings, atop of which they regarded the sunrise. The last time they had seen it was before nearly murdering a Shinigami in cold blood... and even then, he hadn't seem to harbor any contempt toward Caballero afterward. That memory sent a jolt of pain through the tiny Hollow. How had they allowed that to happen? After that, they were sure their friends would all but despise them.

Lost in that thought, Caballero jumped from there toward another building, again using some air-ground as a stepping stone. Whereas they mostly operated by instinct before, they were now fully and consciously confident that their strange physiology could take the landing without issue. With their combat experience, Caballero had learned that they did not really operate in the same way as other beings. Being stabbed through the chest could be fatal for a Shinigami, but that same injury would only slow them down a bit in comparison. The pain was still there, of course, but they were able to power through it.

In any case, the tiny Hollow didn't really know why they had returned to Karakura. They had just wanted to see the town once again. Call it nostalgia, call it being lost and wonder what to do now that their purpose in life was long gone. For a while, they'd remained in Hueco Mundo, killing more and more Hollows, but that alone would not make them become a Shinigami. And, as they continued to watch the city, one question continued to plague their mind: now, what else was there for them?

[Ailene Haschiro]

Nighttime was usually a rather eventful time for Karakura. Bars and clubs opened up, college kids stayed out late and all manner of debaucher was possible. Unfortunately, the night had quickly become home to a new blight that befell Karakura. Countless bodies lay lifeless in remote alleyways. Most were practically unrecognizable, having been reduced to ashy remains or just bloody scraps. Most believed that some new, demented serial killer had made their home in Karakura. However, the more superstitious told stories of a forlorn spirit. A specter who took the form of a young woman and was haunting Karakura.

The streets were fairly quiet tonight. Public unrest was at an all-time high given the frequent killings. Only the bravest, or the foolish, would find themselves on the streets at night. Fortunately for them, the culprit didn't feel in the mood to hunt. Walking through the rowdy shopping district was a lone figure. She had wild, blonde hair and fair skin. She wore a grey crop top, a black leather jacket, skintight leggings, and boots. Her hands idly rested in her pockets as she walked with heavy footfalls.

This was none other than Mélusine. Her head held high, the spirit was practically daydreaming. Even a glimpse into her surface-level thoughts revealed dreams of carnage. Pride and ego. A burning desire to dominate the weak and strong alike. Such was the life of a Hollow. More than that, it was the life that Mélusine missed more than anything. She grumbled just beneath her breath, "I used to be an Espada. The elite of Las Noches. No! Of the three realms. Now look how diminished I am..." Needless to say, Mélusine was quite bitter about her current state. 

Content to just enjoy the cool air, Mélusine continued along the sidewalk. In the distance, the girl could hear music. It drummed loudly throughout the night. Lights filled the streets as she passed by a club. Even from outside she could hear shouting and people singing along to the music. The last thing she needed at the moment is to be among the sheep she killed for sport. As she passed by, she looked up at the stairs which led to the entrance. A young guy stood there with a cigarette. For a brief moment, as they locked eyes, he smiled at her. Mélusine only scowled in return which garnered a light chuckle from the guy. Flicking away his cigarette, he called out to her, "Hey there. Lonely night?" Still, no response. Mélusine wasn't in the mood. Perhaps he'd take the hint?

Unfortunately, her disinterest only seemed to encourage him. Jumping off the stairs and chasing closely behind, he grinned at Mélusine. "Come on. The night is young. What's your name, pretty lady?" Mélusine simply turned her head, one eye covered by her golden hair and practically hissed at him, "None of your fucking business, asshole. Leave me alone." She was willing to leave it here. Unfortunately, he was persistent and foolish. "Ah. So, the looks not just for show. You got some bark, don't you?" Then, he'd make the biggest mistake of his life. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure I could cool that temper back at the club." Just like that, a burst of spiritual energy erupted from the girl. It was dark. Dangerous. Hollow-like in nature. Even though he couldn't sense energy, something deep down told him that he fucked up.

Bringing her right hand up, she gripped his arm and whipped it back to the side. It was almost as though a bear had picked him up and tossed him to the side. As his body crashed into the nearby building, leaving a few bricks to fall to the ground, Mélusine cracked her knuckles. She'd approach him as he groaned a little. "You just couldn't let me go, could you? I'm going to teach you a lesson that you'll take to the grave." As he stood back up, his knees shaking wildly, he'd yell out, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Mélusine simply stared at him for a moment. If looks could kill, he'd be dead seven times over. 

Without another word, she rushed forward and smashed her hand into his cheek. As she sent him into the building again, her leg came up and kicked him in the side of his torso. He cried out loudly and spat up blood. Mélusine wasn't fighting for honor. She found it worthless. Those who were weak deserved to be on the ground. Leaning down, Mélusine gripped the collar of his shirt and stood him up effortlessly. Pushing him against the wall, she began to pound him with her bare fists. It was a brutal and barbaric display. Nobody from the club would come to help him as his screams and pleading were drowned out by the music. Teeth clattered to the floor, bones cracked, blood sprayed. All the while, Mélusine yelled out at the top of her lungs, "Try not to die too fast, bastard!" After several dozen hits, he fell to the ground. He was beaten to a pulp. His chest rose and fell with stuttered movements. However, Mélusine wasn't done. This man was still alive. Kneeling beside him, she spun him onto his chest and gripped his chestnut hair. She then, callously, beat his face against the floor. Each hit was more brutal than the last and eventually, his body gave out. 

The spirit breathed rapidly as she looked upon her work. Her clothing and hands were drenched in blood. There was still a bit of life left in him, but he'd need rapid medical attention. In an any other circumstance, Mélusine would've murdered him. As she rose to her feet, however, she just groaned. "Great... now I don't even feel like killing him." She sighed and grabbed his body. Leaning it against a nearby door, she pounded on the door. With that, she began to leave the premises and head back to Rēgīna. She was too pissed now to continue her stroll. 

[Deleted]

While the depressed little bean continued to bask in the overview of the town they had always called home, they were in a slight daze, ignorant on their surroundings. Of course, that would change if someone came to attack them, since they had pretty good instincts for that, but this would not be the case this evening. Unfortunately, Caballero did not have the sharpest of senses, with them being more or less equal to that of a human's. They were completely unable to sense energy too, save for the most basic form in which they could at least tell that an opponent was above or below them in terms of overall combat strength. Those two facts meant that the tiny knight almost completely missed the brutal beating that, a few stories below, Melusine, --a... friend? Acquaintance? Caballero would rather go with 'friend'--would dole out on one of the more scummy humans that prowled the streets of Karakura, who was in search of young victims.

His sick intentions involved doing unspeakable, downright horrifying things to them, things that Caballero had neither the physiology nor the orientation to understand, nor the context of the entire interaction. Hell, they weren't even aware of that man's existence. As such, they were completely clueless to the brutal yet righteous beating that the angry spirit delivered in self-defense. Again, they may have lacked knowledge of that event, but even if Caballero didn't hunt humans, they probably would have understood her reasons had they been there.

However, they did become more aware of the disguised dragon's presence when she yelled out at the top of her lungs: "Try not to die too fast, bastard!". Caballero, who fancied themselves a connosieur of fine silences and finer low sounds, was shocked into almost falling from his air ground by the fractured Fullbringer's sudden shout. They stumbled backwards, wobbling their tiny arms up and down in an attempt to regain balance while somehow forgetting that they could just... create more airground below them. A bit anxious, the incredibly small Adjuchas would look at the streets below, trying to find out exactly where the noise had happened. Of course, they weren't able to see the almost-corpse resting under the threshold of one of the homes, but after some searching, they did catch a glimpse of the most likely source behind it.

For a moment, the voice had sounded familiar, although it was hard to tell since it had come and gone in a split second. Curious, the little Hollow fully turned toward an angry woman who was stomping down the street, positively fuming. They didn't need to be an expert communicator to know what her gait was concealing. Once again, curiosity beat the tiny being's depression at their Hollow nature, and set them on a quest to find out the identity of the mysterious, raging spirit who was either far too angry to know where she was going, or had the route fully engraved in her mind.

Caballero jumped down a few stories until they were almost street level, and then let themselves fall onto the streets. Their tiny feet tapped down on the ground, and they didn't really bother trying to be sneaky--they'd never been too good at it--, so Melusine would be able to hear soft 'tap, tap, tap' sounds as Caballero almost buzzed around her. As usual, their aura was overwhelmingly positive, with zero ill-intent behind it, so that would hopefully clue her into the fact that they were no enemy. Once the little guy managed to catch a better glimpse of her, only then did they see it. She was covered in blood! This immediately set them off to alarm, making them turn to their surroundings. No Hollows, right? No, not that night. They were safe. In that case, perhaps she killed one, hence the red splatters over her?

They needed to know if she was alright, and to do so, they began excitedly jumping up and down after getting a bit ahead in her path, meaning to say hello. As usual, their little display of youthful energy was meant to capture her attention, as they really had no other way to get it. They could not verbally greet her, they could not send messages, they could not write anything. In fact, up to this point, Caballero was largely unaware of what those crazy symbols found around the world of the living meant. They only had the vague feeling that some of them related to specific things, as the many food stalls in Karakura usually pointed to the very same things; however, the typography confused them far too much.

Of course, the Adjuchas would wait to see her reaction. Hopefully she would let her approach; after becoming an Adjuchas, they had learned just how scary they could be, as many of their kin would run on sight.