Thunderous Tidings

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio stood at the ruins of the palace of the Primera Espada. Its structures torn down and desecrated. Blasted and turned to dust. Great leaders of Las Noches had once resided here. Great warriors. Cero, the lady of poisons. Sokujin of the diamond skin. Adalo, the only arrancar to have bested Kuroi Naito. Kashmir, who may have actually been Adalo, transformed by his experiences in the wastes of Hueco Mundo. Centuries of history, crumbled away, by its newest recipient, the Primera, Marik.

"Shit, and I thought I was rough on the place." The Espada snarked at the wreckage that had been the Primera's demesne. Frustrations had been building within Rio and that was not a safe thing for Las Noches. The Quinta's rage was probably the most well known thing about him. Of all the Espada, who had ever served under the dome of Las Noches, few had ever matched their Aspect of Death as well as Rio "Aspect of Destruction" Demoniogalgo. The Devil Hound of Tartarus. The Quinta's rage and perchance for destruction were well documented. Where he battled, ruins were left. It made him an ideal agent for any kind of engagement where rampant devastation was the goal, for even if the Espada was defeated, it was never without cost. Though Rio would deny it, even when completely outmatched, such as he had been against Captain Ludwig of the 13th Division, the Captain had failed to subdue Rio before a large amount of the surrounding Rukongai district had been levelled to the ground. Whether the civilians had survived, Rio did not know, nor car, but if they had, they no longer had homes to go back to.

Mindless, rampant destruction, and now Rio was here at the Palace of the Primera, and recognizing a force of destruction that even he had been unwilling to inflict upon his own domain. What made the Primera do this? A small part of Rio was indeed curious. But he had set those thoughts aside, or chose not to follow the thread. Marik was the Primera Espada, that was all that mattered. Rio needed assurances that the dome of Las Noches was in good hands, and so he came to seek out the new Primera. For what purpose? He wasn't sure.

[Maria Ashwin]

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Lazy people are efficent

Our way of life affords us the ability to get things done quickly

1.) A gentle breeze would blow through the hallowed halls of las noches, much had changed with the passage of time, torches passed, power shifted and great unrest fell upon the ivory citadel. Marik Ashwin once a false numerous infiltrator now made into the loyal primera espada, it was almost humorous how the arrancar who once tormented las noche's hollow forces in the menos forest was now serving as one of kohai's favored servants.



2.) The neon green-haired arrancar would sigh as looked out over the desolation he had wrought, he couldn't help but second guess himself. At this point, though there was no turning back he had invested far to much time in the destruction of his predecessor's dwelling, erasing not only the structure but the history and legacies of those that came before him.



3.) Their actions just like these mounds of rubble and ash would serve as the foundations to a new stronger las noches, one where the Espada are feared and the mere thought of invading las noches seems tantamount to a suicide mission. He would be pulled from his thoughts sensing a new spiritual pressure approach his domain, 'curious' he would think to himself as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and began making his way toward the approaching force.



4.) Marik would arrive just as rio began observing his handiwork, marik would take in the sight of the Quinta Espada an imposing man whose wrath was the stuff of legends. 'if he's here to start a fight there wont be any stopping him short of trying to put him down...lets hope he's here on a social visit' he would hope and pray to himself not wanting to deal with another fight after he just finished healing from fighting cami.



5.) "Can i help you with something?" was all marik could think to ask as he locked eyes with rio , after all what could the primera truly do if rio decided today was the day he wanted to climb up the ladder. Las Noches was a storm of ever changing power the only true pillar being the espada and kohai.

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio smelled Marik's approach before he saw it. Canid-level sense of smell and all that. As he heard Marik's heartbeat, and could hear the Primera's footsteps, he turned as the Espada grew close. Were it a mere Numeros, Rio wouldn't have bothered to turn to face him, but this was the Primera. Mightiest of the Espada. Mightiest of the mighty. The strongest being in all three worlds, aside from Sonken Kouhai, and that caveat burned at Rio's soul whenever he thought of it. Which is why he wasn't doing that right now. Point was, he was afforded some measure of inherent respect by virtue of that position. Long had Rio languished in the position of Fifth Espada. Powerful enough to hold the spot, but new talent oft came along and surpassed him. As long as they were Arrancar, he really didn't mind.

"So you're our head now, huh?" He commented, and his eyes scanned Marik over. Took in the sight of the Primera Espada. "Not what I expected. Kashmir and Adalo were bigger than you." He said, in an apparent criticism. But simply shrugged. "But it does sound like you've been doing the spot respect. Heard how you pummeled the Shinigami pretender. Taught a lesson to some of the upstarts around here. So it's clear to me you're strong." Rio stated. "All that matters in the end, right?" After-all when you were strong, you were above reproach. Nobody could tell you what to do without the risk of the reprisal. When you were strong you set the rules.

"I show up 'cause I heard you leveled the place, and I haven't met you yet. Some no-name Hollow shows up one day, and then blasts his midget ass all the way up to Primera, and does enough shit to hold the spot, I'm gonna take interest, obviously." Rio added, finally answering Marik's question. He wore his arrancar uniform loosely, his jacket open to expose the "5" on his stomach, making introductions completely unnecessary.

"Levelin' it don't do it justice, you annihilated this place. Course it's your palace, so I don't actually give a fuck, but not gonna lie, I am wonderin' why you did it. If you wanted a good view 'a the sky, you could make a skylight ya know." He snarked in a vague attempt at humor.

[Maria Ashwin]

Marik would listen intently to what Rio was saying but above all else he was eyeing that massive five on his mid-section, ‘he flashes his rank so brazenly? Where is the damn mystery but then again I guess Rizer wasn’t completely lying about the Espada situation’ he would think to himself as his eyes rose to meet Rios.

The neon green-haired primera would shrug at Quinta’s question, “found an exquias tunnel in my wall while i was showering , killed the spy and from there i kept finding tunnels so i just destroyed it” he would say with a light yawn as he scratched at the mop of neon green hair atop his head.

At ryo mentioned that bit about the skylight, he would look up and seriously consider it for a moment before looking back to rio a small smile on his face almost unnoticeable but it was there. “Mind if we walk and talk for a moment i’d like your opinion on a few things”

Rio was the oldest living espada despite how people felt about the man being a barbarian there was wisdom to be earned from him , he had weathered the storm and beyond all the shifts in rank he had been a constant , a boulder that would not allow the passage of time to remove him.

The quinta espada represented the old ways of war , of blade and fang and this was what marik needed at his side if he was ever to elevate las noches beyond a simple fragile house of cards, This was not the lions den but a den of dragons and it should be treated with the reverence and fear that brought.

Yet invaders strolled in as if nothing had stopped them at all , “tell me about some of your most recent fights and how they ended if it not to much trouble” he would ask hoping to get rio talking about himself he wanted to see how he reflected on those battles.

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio laughed, a deep, hearty, but thoroughly unpleasant sound. "Roach infestation huh? Got it." He replied in hearing Marik's reasons for destroying his palace. Well couldn't be pests if there was no building! "Sure, works for me, not like there's much in the way of places to sit down in the shade here anyways." Rio replied, gazing over the rubble to make his point. Rio decided to walk alongside Marik, a regimented, forwards march that seemed at odds with the Espada's chaotic disposition. A boulder huh? That was an appropriate description for Rio. The Espada had all the subtlety and tenacity of a massive stone. You'd see him coming a mile away, but whether you saw it or not, you'd know there was no stopping him either. Seemed the Primera had something he wished to discuss, and Rio was more than willing to hear him out. For Rio, it was a genuine pleasure to walk and talk with the strongest Arrancar alive. In a culture defined by strength, that meant Marik was the one most suitable to be King in Rio's mind. Marik, not Kouhai.

Of course that mentality was loyalty to Marik's rank, not the man himself, and regardless of how well their talk went, if Marik found himself slain and another bearing the "1" on their body, then Rio would turn to them just as quickly. That wasn't to say that Rio was a suck-up or anything of the sort. But he was loyal. And he had respect for Marik's position, and by extension, Marik himself.

A shame then, that Marik led with such an unpleasant topic for the Espada, and Rio's face became a scowl. "Fuckin' hell." He growled. "Fought off that Hellion that busted in here awhile back. Sounds like he fucked off, not that I knew it at the time, I was down for the count afterward. We might have chased the fucker off, but he did a number on me, and it took me awhile to recover from that." Indeed, the battle with Kitai had shredded two of Rio's four released heads in his released form, and turned his legs into bloody strips of flesh, barely hanging off the bone-- damage that had persisted into his sealed state. In the aftermath of that fight, the Espada had four bloody messes of limbs, and a part of his face, and spine had been torn to shreds. It had taken him time indeed to recover from such grave wounds.

"Afore that, fought some big cat thing in the Soul Society's Rukongai. Fun fight, but the thing eventually was trashed by me." Not a truly accurate telling of events-- Rafael had been bested not by Rio, but forced to flee by the Captain that had arrived on the scene, Ludwig of Squad 13. But since Ludwig took first and foremost in that day, Rio honestly had forgotten many of the details of his battle with Rafael, and now earnestly believed he'd defeated the cat with only some trouble, before turning his eye on Ludwig.

"And then there was that fucking Captain of the 13th." Rio growled out, his face serious, his eyes burning with anger. He breathed in.... then exhaled. "Captain Ludwig. ...He's strong." He added in a low tone that had all the intonation of a bear snarling, and holding back a furious roar. "He beat me. Not fair 'n square, but he beat me all the same. I got no excuse. I don't fuckin get it. Where the fuck do these Shinigami get their power." He looked at Marik.

"You and me know what it was when we were Hollows. Skulking the sands. The fighting. Killing. The victories, the losses. The blood that we shed, and that we made others shed. Every battle, every scar etched into our beings, until we got strong enough to break our masks and ascend." Rio looked at his fist. "So how the fuck is it, that some guy can swing a sword in a comfy, air conditioned building for a few years, have half a dozen fights in less than a decade, where half the time he's ganging up on his enemy with six of his buddies.... and come out even half as powerful as either of us." He growled, clearly a matter that was angering and frustrating the Espada deeply.

[Maria Ashwin]

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Lazy people are efficent

Our way of life affords us the ability to get things done quickly

1.) The neon green-haired arrancar would listen intently to his compatriot as they strode through the sands into the droll winding halls of las noches, the only company for the two being the sound of their conversation and the tapping of their shoes within the halls of las noches. Marik would sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb.

2.) in an attempt to stave off a headache at the mention of Kitai whom Marik has made various dealings. His friendship was something Marik had come to cherish, but to say Kitai was anything less than an eccentric-hearted maniac fighting boredom...would lessen the man's reputation.

3.) "I vaguely remember that fight, I had just become a numeros when that happened... so a week after I shattered the left hand... well ex left hands spine and his skull" which raised a very perplexing question in his own mind, he had dealt many killing blows to quite a few opponents and left them for dead some consumed by cero's reduced to ash.

4.) Yet somehow someway these bastards persisted and kept coming back to life. 'I need to find out the reason that is, because it's becoming tiresome to see people I've killed wandering so freely' he thinks to himself as Rio began the second part of his statement.

5.) In truth Marik had to think about a response on the matter, he had pondered these very same things that Rio had once with the same rage but now with curiosity. "I have a working theory on that actually, I've been to Soul Society once, and well after picking rizers brain it all came down to a few deciding factors on why they can surpass us" he would say with a light yawn as they approached a set of stairs that led into the bowels of las noches. "First let's discuss zanpakuto, this is the basis for most shinigami powers, I've come to classify them a few ways, Power types your rudimentary hit you hard stick with a few quirks, easy enough to deal with but are a pain in the ass if you're outgunned" he would say stretching his hands upward toward the ceiling his shoulder popping.

6.) "the other two classifications are Fundamental Reality and Aspectos, a reality warper is something I can give no advice on as I have yet to find a way to counter someone who can fundamentally change the way reality works as I know it" his tone a bit more serious on the matter as powers like that confused him, and the only way to learn more is to face them head-on.

7.) "while aspectos are simply that zanpakuto that govern an aspect of reality to some degree, tricky things but easy enough to counter once you've picked apart the way the function from there you either counter or find a way to remove the blade from the play" the way he said this made it sound like some easy feat anyone could do, but in truth, Marik knew the struggles of landing a blow against a Shinigami.

8.) As they exited the steps they entered a massive chamber with hundreds of doorways, "..which way was it to the outside again ah this way" he would say heading towards what appeared to be a random door but given Rio's high sense he could probably also smell the fresh air wafting through it. "Rizer is a perfect example of a power type, his ability to make swords and channel kido through them, basic and powerful, it only served to heighten his destructive power and covered none of his weaknesses which I came to exploit and seize victory" a small smile on his face as he spoke almost sounding fond of that fight.

9.) "an example of an aspect is the left hand after him who defected, Camilla, when we fought she had mastery over blood, but, once I picked apart how her powers functioned after a few exchanges I decided to get serious and began picking her apart in close quarters combat. Her bankai had granted her armor that regenerated yet slowly lost its integrity the longer she fought, by far the longest fight I've had to date although my not releasing cost me that fight we ended in a draw after she made an all-or-nothing attack after I split her into four pieces..." he would pause as they came up on two massive stone doors, placing his hands on either door he would push them gently channeling his spirit energy through both limbs augmenting his strength causing the doors to rush open revealing the night sky of hueco mundo

10.) "regenerated herself instantaneously from a floating arm chunk of chest talk about wacky. but a tie is what I get for holding back" his smile still persisted he was after fond of the not-so-little gremlin anymore, she had made him happy in the heat of battle though...part of him felt bad for showcasing such a combination of techs against someone in a friendly spar; then again he was having a shitty week when cami had shown up. "then you have kido, hakudo, zanjutsu and hoho vs cero it's a matter of years of built of versatility vs years of raw power" he would say as he began walking once more "Then take us Arrancar, for example, starting with you rio"

11.) "based on rumors of the battle against the hellion who invaded, you fall under the power category massive cero's, shockwaves, and that quirk I spoke of all power types having that green mist of yours that seemingly melted the invader for a time if I'm wrong correct me" he would wait a moment to see if Rio had anything to say if all about his observation, if not he

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio's laugh at Marik's comment was boisterous and loud. Rio was not one who snickered or chuckled under his breath. His enjoyment of hearing how Marik had pulverized Rizer was music to his ears. "Fucker had it comin', heh." For the most part it seemed that Marik was fine listening to Rio's furious ranting, and finally was able to address it. His discourse on types of abilities seemed a bit too academic and rambly for Rio who was usually much more focused on the practicality of something-- or at the very least, the ability to simply punch something. While he had the mind to understand what Marik was saying, he wouldn't have had the interest if it were anyone but a higher ranked Espada saying it.

As Marik asked about the way out, Rio gestured vaguely in a direction with a short grunt of acknowledgement, still listening to Marik's theory. "I guess if you want to put it that way." He replied, agreeing with Marik's assessment of his abilities. "What about it?" For Rio it was a simple equation. If you had enough raw power, then versatility didn't matter. You could simply smash down any wall in your way. If your opponent went left, you went left faster. If your opponent blocked your blow, you broke their defenses. If they struck you, you weathered the blow or stopped it yourself.

"Besides, that's what bugs me. Versatility and whatever that shit is. It's never mattered in the face of overwhelming power. Not for me, and not for those I've crushed." Rio stated. "Even Kouhai, at the end of the day, for all his tricks has that overwhelming might to back it up when his tricks fail." He glowered. "I've sharpened that strength, pushed it further than anyone else. And yet... these fuckin' Shinigami can keep up with it. Can match it. I don't get it." He growled out.

However, he was certain Marik was going somewhere with this, so he kept further observations to himself. Granted, Ludwig had also employed a certain degree of versatility in their battle, but Rio was convinced that wouldn't have mattered. The deciding factor in that battle had been that Ludwig's constructs, entities created from the Shinigami's own power, were strong enough to match the Espada, even in his released state. The same went for Kitai. His dopplegangers were annoying but that's all they'd been. Or rather... that's all they would have been had they not been able to nearly match Rio blow for blow, when Rio had desired to crush them like an ant before a steam roller.

Rio was not entirely convinced of Marik's position just yet, but he was sure the Primera was going somewhere with this, so he let Marik continue.

[Maria Ashwin]

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Lazy people are efficent

Our way of life affords us the ability to get things done quickly

1.) marik would scoff lightly as he came to hault standing at the edge of a massive crater , five hundred meters across with a bottom so deep it was shrounded in shadow. Most would think that marik had brought them here to kill them but in truth , he rarely shared this place with anyone.

2.) not even his closest friends knew the significance of this hole. One could look down and see the menos forest beneath and further beyond that they could see into a deep swirling abyss the crys of hollows and battle raged on below. Thousand of hollows fighting in savage fashion around the holes edge some flinging themselves over the edge , grasping thier foes seeking to drag them to a dark oblivion just like the one they had fated themselves to.  "mentioning kohai and power in the same sentence is a shit joke" he would yawn out for the first time ever letting his disdain for kohai slip out infront of rio.

3.) marik himself had always seemed atleast partially pro-kohai but in truth he saw the man as a petulant child. An incompetent despot who simply needed his ego stroked , as kohai himself hadn't provided any evidence to counter mariks theory on him thus far. "in a battle of raw power if me and koahi clashed id kill him , i dont doubt there would be struggle but in a battle where he uses his tricks and i use mine i lose outright" marik would say a small smile on his face.

4.) "and with you holding kitai at bay as long as you did im sure youd win a pure contest of might against him as well" he would say covering his mouth as he yawned , "but then again dont you fight koahi like every third wensday? have you gotten close to injuring him even once? im genuinly curious about those fights maybe i should take a swing for the throne since you do it so much" he would chuckle lightly at his own jest " my rambling aside those shinigami have resources that we just dont have , you have your past life and this desert they have thier past life , teachers , allies , culture, military, magic and fucking zan spirits and the freakishly strong ones have inner hollows"

[Rio Demonliogalgo]

Rio narrowed his eyes at Marik's comment. "Look." He growled, in a voice filled with obvious resentment and frustration. "If you think you can take Kouhai, get on with it, the fucking shit's been sitting on that throne too long. Arrancar fates should be in the hands of the Arrancar. I'd hoped Kuroi would have killed him for awhile but he just kept bending the knee." He replied. As Marik continued his explanation, Rio's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Power is power." He replied. "And a win is a win. Having only one trick doesn't matter if that trick's good enough to beat everyone who fights you." At the mention of his clash with Kitai, Rio scoffed briefly. "I got half my face ripped off by a fucking Hellion. A third rate shit who couldn't stay in the fucking game." He growled out, his irritation at his own performance plain to see. The fights with Kitai and Ludwig had definitely stirred something up in Rio. Something that was boiling him inside, with frustration. The Quinta, who had always been accustomed to being one of the most dangerous people in a room, was getting outmatched. Slowly but surely he was being left behind, and that was intolerable for him.

Not that he was about to go out and say that to the Primera Espada of course.

"Tch, I haven't tried to fight Kouhai in some time. As much as I despise him, he's stronger than me. By the laws of Las Noches that gives him the right to rule." Rio stated. "But if you think you can kill him, go right the fuck ahead. I'd like to see someone else there. It's just.... Not going to be me." That last line was spoken so lowly and angrily that it was almost inaudible.

As far as the comments about Shinigami, Rio just growled. "It's bullshit is what it is. I didn't suffer, and nearly die thousands of times just to be beaten by some fuck who swung a wooden stick in an air conditioned room. And those Inner Hollows, the Vizards? They're just cheap knockoffs of the real thing. Hollow and Arrancar.... it's not just our blood it's our experiences. That's why we deserve to stand above everyone else. Because none of those other little shits have struggled like we have to get what we have now." He growled in answer.

[Maria Ashwin]

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Lazy people are efficent

Our way of life affords us the ability to get things done quickly

1.) marik seemed to mull over rio's words a sad smile on his face as he thought of arrancar , shinigami and kohai. the whole things felt like some farce he would sit down at the pit's edge the sound of carnage and bloodhsed coming from below. A tired smile dressed upon his face as he looked over at rio "three weeks"

2.) those words where said with certainty and a ting eof regret , marik had no one left whom he could call friend. He existed as a weapon for a despot who cared nothing for him with lions closing in on all sides , marik belived if he served kohai well he would be noticed rewarded , look at all he had done in the name of las noches.

3.) marik would do as rio had asked , he would destroy kohai and all of las noches alongside himself and kohai. the vultures could fight over the scraps left behind "in three weeks i will face down kohai....there will be naught of him left when i am through" he would say as he turned his gaze back to the whole , his mind made up in that moment. he would kill the despot soon and if he couldnt kill him he would take him and all of las noches to hell with him.

4.) "i've kept you from las noches long enough , think about what i said" he would say as he closed his eyes , there was nothing more for them to talk about. rio had opened his eyes to the simple truth,,,the truth of mariks aspect...kohai didnt care...marik didnt care. all would fade into dust and be forgottenn and he no longer had the heart to keep trying to be remebered for the first time in his life as a hollow the hole in his chest stopped acheing he had accepted the way the world was. He was going to burn down kohai and all those around him