The Shifting Tides

[Deleted]

This thread is for the purpose of recruitment. Alma De Los Lobos, a regular Hollow, will meet Lucian De 'Mont, a Zarpa, and be recruited into the Escudo as a Sarro. Alma has the first post.

[Deleted]

Amidst the rolling sand dunes of Hueco Mundo, a lone Hollow trotted along, her face low to the ground, searching. Her fur was a dull shade of gray, like ash, sprinkled here and there with a few specs of white sand. She looked to be nothing more than a wolf one could find in the Land of the Living; albeit, her wolfish, white mask and relatively large size set her apart from any regular wolf. As it were, she was searching for prey, trying to find a scent before the wind scattered any trail that was there. As she searched for any trace of a meal, she would occasionally lift her head, scan around, before resuming her search. She had no destination in mind, or a place to go to for that matter. All she cared about was finding a meal to settle the pit of hunger inside her.


Like a raging inferno, her hunger burned at her insides, as if threatening to consume her at times. Sometimes, the pangs of emptiness would grow so great that she would whimper to herself and howl, a sorrowful cry. It was almost unbearable. However, she each time the hunger grew, she would steel herself and continue on, determination lining her movements. She would not die. Finding prey in the infinite plains of Hueco Mundo was a challenge, despite the great magnitude of Hollows. Most of the time, when she had to bide her hunger with the small creatures that hid and scurried underneath the sands. But they were measly meals in reality, and did little to sedate her pain. But it was something at the very least. However, again, she searched for something bigger, something that could end her pain.


After what might have been hours, or even days for all she knew, Alma allowed herself a break to stare up at the moon above. There was a certain feeling she got whenever she looked at the moon; a feeling of belonging; a feeling of safety; almost as if it were watching over her, like a mother. It was a natural feeling, instinctual, in fact. In that moment of repose, she decided to act upon an innate urge. She picked her head up high, almost completely perpendicular with the ground, and let at a long, deep howl. Her call was aimed at the moon, almost as if she were beseeching it. Of course, there came no answer, like the dozens of times before; only her own echo amongst the dunes. The sound from the howl would travel far, alerting anything in the immediate area of her presence. The question was, would anything answer her call?

[Lucian De'Mont]

SPOILER: Click to show

The moon shone down on the glittering sands of Heuco Mundo, lighting up the desert wasteland like waves of muted gems, each grain reflecting the pale light from the orb above. Deep blue eyes stared up at the risen moon that glowed so brightly in the skies of the land where Hollows roamed, while a smooth-skinned hand reached up gently to brush a lock of brown hair from the owner’s face. Strands of gentle pink highlighted the soft brown, giving it a slightly delicate shell pink tint to the darker earthen tone, and each strand flowed smoothly around the man’s fingers, free of knots or tangles as he pushed the lock of hair behind his right ear. It settled into its perfect place just as the man desired, but of course it would; with how he cared for his body and particularly his hair, it was hard not to find perfection in his style.

Lucian De’Mont, Zarpa of the Escudo Faction, was taking a short rest on his walk through Hueco Mundo. The Arrancar was on another of his many trips through Heuco Mundo, exploring the beautiful world of shifting sand and eternal moonlight even as he spread his own brand of beauty throughout it. Marking the path behind the Arrancar was a trail of dark black roses sprouting up from the sands of the desert, growing without difficulty despite the harsh environment. Thorned stems grew without any form of nourishment or sunlight, growing only because of the fact that they absorbed the latent spiritual energy that filled Heuco Mundo, and they supported lush black buds that blossomed into beautiful blooms at the top.

These roses were the byproduct of Lucian’s power; as an Arrancar, he had developed an extremely high amount of spiritual energy that was concentrated into his personality. His body found a way to release it that was passively shaped by his thoughts and desires, however; his Reiatsu formed seeds that were left wherever he walked or anywhere he touched, unless he made a conscious effort to suppress it. Those seeds flourished and grew in seconds, sprouting up from the ground and drawing in Reiatsu to support themselves before blossoming. Even where he was sitting, a tall rock jutting up from the sand, Lucian was surrounded by a small patch of roses that twined themselves across his lap and around his sides, framing his silhouette with their beauty.

Letting out a gentle sigh as he adjusted his silk shirt, Lucian found himself staring over the sands below, resting his cheek atop his hand gently. He didn’t know where he was going or what he intended to do in the end; for the moment, he was simply wandering, enjoying the vision of beauty around him and imagining how he could only improve it. Lucian’s goal was to one day make Heuco Mundo a beautiful moonlit paradise to rival the other two worlds in its wonders, and every day he wondered what he could do to create such a scene. His steps through the sand brought a small piece of that beautiful image, leaving flowers trailing him in small patches, ones that could eventually spread into larger fields as the flowers released pollen and seeds to allow them to spread. But it was far from the beautiful world he one day wanted to see.

A howl broke through the air and broke Lucian’s daydreaming, causing the Arrancar to stand and look about carefully. His ability to sense energy around him detected several small Hollows, though one stood out as more powerful to him by a small margin compared to the others. Wondering which of the Hollows had made that sound, as it was akin to a wolf’s, Lucian set out in the general direction he determined it had come from. The Zarpa was absolutely smitten with wolves, as they were beautiful and majestic creatures, and the thought of finding a Hollow with a wolf’s form was too tempting to pass up. Lucian had been without direct subordinates for too long, after all, and a beautiful, wolf-like creature would be a good place to start. It would require some training, of course; heaven forbid the Hollow snap up poor little Bluebell, the kitten that the Zarpa kept in his rooms back at home.

Crossing a ridge, Lucian paused as he spotted the very Hollow he was looking for. Soft gray fur that might have been white if properly cleaned and treated shone dully in the moonlight, and that alone pleased the Arrancar; he absolutely adored arctic wolves for their beautiful white pelts! The creature seemed on the hunt, likely for smaller Hollows to consume in order to grow in strength, as all Hollows did. Lucian himself had only conquered his own hunger upon becoming an Arrancar, so he knew far too well what it was like to follow that mindless urge to feed. Fortunately, with a little training and self-improvement lessons, Lucian felt that he could teach this Hollow to be something better, to grow into more than just a mindless brute and instead become something beautiful to befit its species.

“You there!” Lucian called out briefly, crossing the desert sands towards the Hollow. It was obvious who he was addressing, as the wolf Hollow was the only other being immediately present. “Remain where you are; I wish to speak with you.” Soon the Arrancar had closed the distance between the two of them, and he stopped a short distance away, keeping enough of a distance to avoid feeling like a threat. Once he was at a sufficient distance, Lucian brushed back his hair once more before clearing his throat and speaking again.

“My apologies for the abrupt approach, but I heard the howl of a wolf and could not help myself at the sight of such a beautiful and majestic creature. If you are capable of speech, would you be so kind as to give me your name? I have a proposition for you that you may be very interested in…”

[Deleted]

She smelled the man before she even heard his call. The smell of flowers was pretty hard to come by in the barren plains of Hueco Mundo, after all. “You there!” said the stranger as he approached. She immediately started backing away, her teeth barred, but no sound escaped her throat; a silent threat if anything. However, he was faster, considerably, by the way he made it near her so quickly. Running away, it would appear, was not an option in this situation. “Remain where you are; I wish to speak with you.” He kept his distance, which was smart, considering she had no idea what to make of this man. Was he a human? He certainly looked like a human. But that didn’t make much sense at all. It wasn’t natural for a human to be in Hueco Mundo, the land of the Hollows. What was this thing before here then? She had never met an Arrancar, having been born only a few days ago, so she was at a loss.


Even with her confusion, she did not attempt to go near the stranger. While she couldn’t explain it with her new mind, the air was heavy; it was pressing down her frame; but what was causing this feeling? She didn’t feel this pressure before meeting this man, so it was reasonable to assume he had somehow brought it on. While the pressure in the air was something strange, the trail of flowers behind the man was even stranger. No life bloomed in Hueco Mundo; only death and avarice flourished in this god forsaken Hollow world. She found so many questions running around in her mind, all unanswered. However, her curiosity would have to wait; the man before her still posed a danger no what he said were his intentions. Nonetheless, in compliance with his orders, she held her ground, her muscles tense and ready to lunge, whether to attack or flee, it was not certain.


“My apologies for the abrupt approach, but I heard the howl of a wolf and could not help myself at the sight of such a beautiful and majestic creature. If you are capable of speech, would you be so kind as to give me your name? I have a proposition for you that you may be very interested in…” A name? She had never had a name before. As a living wolf, things like scents and fur pattern were used in place of something like a name. But now that she could actually process thoughts and information, maybe she should have a name as well. It took her only a few short moments for her to decide what it would be. She was the only one of her kind in this new world for all she knew. She needed to embody what she stood for; what her existence stood for. The words were easy to find now that she an idea of what she was looking for.


“My name is Alma… Alma De Los Lobos. The soul of the wolves.” Her voice was clear, smooth, and obviously feminine. It was young and fresh, like a young girl, which might be some indication of her actual age, which was actually three. Although she had never spoken before until this instance, she found that it was easy to do so, as if she had done it all her life. After a pause, she continued, “What are you? You aren’t like me, and you’re not human, so then what? What do you want from me? Do you wish to devour me like all the others?” Her voice seemed calm and unwavering with the fluidity of those words. But apprehension gripped her body. If this man truly did want to eat her, then she would have to decide whether to take her chances and try to kill him, or make a desperate break for it away from him. She wasn’t scared, per say, but she just didn’t want to die. Not while she could still hunt that is.

[Lucian De'Mont]

How fascinating… Lucian could practically feel the wariness emanating off of the Hollow, and knew that his unusual presence was probably making it uncomfortable, and so he took another polite step back to try and increase the distance and thus the creature’s comfort level. A gentle smile formed on his lips as well, a confident, yet unassuming expression; there was no dominance or power in the man’s smile, only a feeling of self-reassurance. Lucian knew he could handle himself should the Hollow prove hostile. Judging by its reliance on smell and the body language, not to mention what seems to be almost natural instinct… was this Hollow once an actual wolf? I can’t think of the last animal spirit I’ve run into that became either a Hollow or otherwise…

When the wolf spoke, Lucian found himself delighted once more; the voice that emitted from the Hollow’s throat was that of a beautiful young woman, one in the prime of her life. That was particularly thrilling, as the Arrancar was a bit of a lady’s man. Of course, he wouldn’t dream of romancing a woman in wolf’s clothing, but he figured that should she develop into an Arrancar given time and the proper nurturing, she could be a fine specimen. After all, wolves were already such beautiful creatures, what was to say that an Arrancar born from such an animal could be any less? The prospect of tending this Hollow to find out what she could become as an Arrancar certainly sounded worth the time investment.

When questioned about his race and his desire to devour her, Lucian’s smile remained patient and unperturbed. It was fully reasonable that this Hollow—Alma, he reminded himself, as it was only proper to address a beautiful young woman by her name—did not know much about the hierarchy and the evolution of the Hollow Races, as she resembled a lower-class Gillian. Obviously she was a new creature, one that had little chance to learn the ways of the world of Hueco Mundo. Many uneducated Hollows died in such a harsh environment, and Lucian very much detested the idea of losing the young woman that Alma could be when all it would take was a little care and protection along with some training to make her into something truly beautiful, both in spirit and in appearance.

“What I am, little one, is a creature called an Arrancar.” Lucian’s attitude was gentle, if a little patronizing, though he did not intend to be such. “An Arrancar is a Hollow that has evolved to the highest level by breaking one’s mask, either through one’s own means or through those of another. I am an example of one who has broken my mask, leaving only the fragments behind.” With that statement, Luican gestured to the bone rose that sat just above his left ear, where it was barely obvious that it was attached to the skin. “This is the remains of my mask, though I had it carved into something far more beautiful. I also took some of the fragments and carved them into this rose, as well.” He indicated the one on his chest, which was carved to surround and partially conceal his Hollow Hole.

Taking a tentative step closer, not willing to scare Alma away, Lucian continued to speak. “An Arrancar is a humanoid being that is far more powerful than any other, one that takes orders from few. However, little one, we are not a group of lone wolves in the desert sand; we are a pack, banded together in an organization called the Escudo. We are a pack that lives together, supports one another; it is not very different from a wolf pack. We even have strict leaders, alphas, and a similar hierarchy to yours. I am what you would probably call a beta; I am influential and have a lot of say, though I am not a leader, yet.” Realizing he had spoken quite a bit and had given a lot of information, Lucian fell quiet for a moment, let the information sink in.

“My apologies, little one; I got ahead of myself. I am inquiring if you would be inclined to join my ‘pack,’ as one of its members; you’d be a low delta or perhaps even an omega because of your strength, but given time, you could—ah, well I’m getting ahead of myself once more.” Lucian gave another broad smile, and waited patiently, folding his arms before him. He decided it would be best to let Alma digest all of the information just given to her.

[Deleted]

As this stranger revealed to her what he, an Arrancar, truly was, Alma watched him silently, never interrupting. Her body, little by little, began to relax as she took in all this information. It intrigued her to find out about the “highest level” of evolution a Hollow could achieve – that Alma could achieve. She knew she was weak in comparison to others of her kind; that she had not eaten enough to push her to the next stage. It was an instinctual feeling, the urge to evolve, but she had never quite put it into thoughts or words. The feeling was just there, guiding her actions in the hunt. But now, she had some clarity as to what it meant to evolve; what it meant to eat and devour others in order to gain strength. It was to reach this final point of evolution before her.


She understood most of what he said. From his description of an Arrancar to the organization of the pack he belonged, she intently followed along. It seemed that even in this barren wasteland, Hollows could also band together to form alliances and families. Although she couldn’t quite place it, his description of the Escudo made her think if she once had a pack of her own. Maybe she did, and they were waiting for her to return. Maybe they had left her, and she was now alone here in this world. Either way, she was alone to scour the sands, so it didn’t much matter at this point. She would get strong, and answer all these questions eventually. If she became an Arrancar, like this man, then she could have the power to answer the questions herself, given enough time.


“My apologies, little one; I got ahead of myself. I am inquiring if you would be inclined to join my ‘pack,’ as one of its members; you’d be a low delta or perhaps even an omega because of your strength, but given time, you could—ah, well I’m getting ahead of myself once more.” So there it was; the reason why he didn’t choose to devour or kill her. He wanted her to join his group, his pack. Alma, however, was not so sure as to how she should proceed. What would she truly be gaining by joining them that she wouldn’t already have access to on her own? Was finding a pack really that important when the majority of her kind preferred solitude? Moreover, it chafed her somewhat to be considered as low as a Delta or even an Omega in his pack. She was a huntress, not a lowly mongrel cowering in the back, waiting for its betters to finish eating the meat only to be left the bones.


No, she would not be swayed to join a pack so hastily, not until she knew it was to her own benefit. If this man truly did want her to join, then he would have to prove to her that it was worth her time – and her life. She took a few steps forward, cutting the distance between them by a third. Her confidence was brimming, it would appear. Her voice was still soft, smooth, but it carried a bit more strength now, more power. She didn’t sound meek by any regard; her voice, in fact, showed that she was interested. “What would I gain by joining this ‘Escudo’ that I wouldn’t otherwise get on my own?” She paused, locked her amber eyes on his, and corrected herself. “What would I gain by joining YOU, stranger?” Alma was basically asking what her allegiance meant to this stranger. He had come looking for her, not the Escudo. HE was the one who wanted her; not the rest of the Escudo.


The stranger had said it himself; he was only a Beta in this great pack of his, which undoubtedly numbered in the many. And deep down, Alma knew that a Beta was never quite content with only being second best. Although she couldn’t place it, she felt as if she had had the same some sort of experience with this before. It made sense to her now; why would he go to the trouble of hand picking her when he could obviously get someone beneath him to do it for him? It was quite obvious, the stranger wanted her to serve him, not the rest of his so-called pack. And now, Alma was calling this stranger out on this. How would this person, who hadn’t even revealed his name yet to her, respond to this?

[Lucian De'Mont]

As he spoke, Lucian was very well aware of Alma’s body language. He watched every motion she made, the twitching and settling of muscles as the wolf Hollow slowly began to relax. His words were given with the intent to lull her into comfort, to make her more open to reason and understanding without frightening her off, yet at the same time Lucian was a bit relieved to see his companion relax a bit. She even drew nearer as the two of them continued to converse, and the Zarpa let his own body language relax as well, his shoulders loose, his arms hanging almost limply at his side; he was sure that he could win over this beautiful creature given a bit of charm and effort, and it all started with a positive impression.

As Alma drew near and asked her questions, Lucian’s smile shifted ever so slightly, but it was a positive one, a relaxed one that said he was comfortable with the questions. Before answering, however, the Zarpa’s hand dipped into a side pouch for a moment. The motion was slow and obvious on purpose, one that would not cause Alma to be cautious as it was easily telegraphed and noticeable. After a moment of digging around, Lucian’s hand came up bearing a thick comb, one that was meant for his own long hair when he was out on field missions like this, as well as a small bottle of rose-scented conditioner. The items would likely be a mystery to Alma, being a natural wolf as she was, but again Lucian moved with utmost slowness to ensure the Hollow that he meant no harm.

“Easy… I’m just going to untangle your fur a bit, bring out some of its natural shine. A beautiful creature like yourself should let that natural spirit shine in the marvel of what is bound to be a marvelous coat…” Lucian brought the comb down at the Hollow’s neck, still moving with deliberate gentleness, dipping the teeth of the grooming tool into Alma’s thick, but coarse fur. The Zarpa continued to speak as he combed out some of the tangles, pausing occasionally to rub a little of the conditioner into the wolf Hollow’s mane and coat to give it a bit more body and shine. An unfortunate side-effect would be that the smell of roses would become a little stronger; Lucian manufactured all of his body care products from the black roses he grew at his garden back at the base. “Forgive me, I lack any water, so your fur will feel a little odd since I can only rub the conditioner in rather than washing it all the way out. Still, it will do marvels…”

“Anyway, let’s see… both of your questions are very good, very perceptive, though of the two it is obvious you want the answer to the second one.” Lucian’s eyes were on his work as the untangled Alma’s fur, removing the grit and sand and bringing out the red undertone that meshed with the grays quite well. It was obvious that he had been mistaken when he had viewed the hollow from a distance; she was not an arctic wolf, but was perhaps one of the red wolves whose distinct fur highlights gave them their name, and the color was becoming more obvious the more he worked at Alma’s coat. “Well, the pretext is that I am the one inviting you on behalf of the Escudo, but the truth of the matter is that I have a bit of a personal reason for the invitation, as well. Let me tell you a story.”

“Not long ago, there was a Hollow, a Vasto Lorde, who was very ugly. His mask was a twisted deformity, and his body was always hidden behind a shell created by a closed blossom covered in thorns. He hid within the shell to hide his ugliness, both that of his face and that of his spirit, which desired nothing but the devouring of souls.” Lucian’s voice was quiet, his tone intent even as he continued to work at Alma’s fur subconsciously. The wolf’s coat was starting to take on a slight sheen, the fur brimming with new vitality thanks to the Zarpa’s careful touch. “Long and hard he had tried to conquer this hunger, this craving within him, but nothing could be done. It was a void that could not be filled in this Hollow’s soul, and he became more and more miserable by the day as hunger threatened to drive him mad.”

“Looking at his reflection in a pool of water, the Hollow wondered just how something so ugly, so horrific, could exist. Something in him told him it just wasn’t possible for anything to be as ugly and twisted as he was; there had to be something more than the mask that he saw staring back at him. In anger, he tore at his mask, hoping to reveal something better beneath, to give lie to the face that continued to reflect in the pool before him. It hurt, it felt as though he was ripping away his very soul, yet he hesitated for only a moment; he could not stand his ugliness, either inside or out, any longer, and hoped that this pain would end it, even if it killed him.”

Lucian paused briefly, his hands stopping mid-stroke through Alma’s mane of fur. A glance would show his eyes were distant, his thoughts elsewhere at the time. “Despite the pain, the Hollow endured, fought his way through the dregs of horror that cloaked his body. A snap came, and suddenly the mask crumbled. Scrambling to the pool again, the Hollow looked into it and saw a face reflected back in it, a human one; skin pure as snow and eyes of a gentle blue stared back at him, and after a moment, a smile spread across that new face. With it came a strange… satisfaction. Though the hunger still remained, the cravings still present, they were severely muted, easy to ignore with little effort. The Hollow, now an Arrancar, realized that he was free of the ugliness that haunted his soul, and with those chains shed, he was free to be both beautiful inside and out.”

“And now, that former Hollow, who understands the hunger, the emptiness, looks for those who also seek a release from their inner ugliness, that monster that gnaws at them from the inside out. Believing in beauty, he— no, I, look for those who have the potential to be something greater both inside and out, and work to save them from the emptiness within.” Lucian’s eyes were somewhat sad as he finished his story, but he gave Alma a smile even as he finished the last few strokes of the comb, stepping back when he was done. His gaze still seemed distant despite his attention being focused on the present once more, as if he was still shaking off the cobwebs of old, best forgotten memories.

The difference in Alma’s appearance was strikingly obvious; all the tangles and snarls were gone, the flow of her fur suiting the shape of the wolf’s body and giving her a sleek appearance. The colors, which were once muted and faded thanks to the harsh sands and the constant striving for survival, were now present in all of their glory, giving a beautiful iron-gray streaked with hints of sunset and rust to bring out the most wondrous hues. Lucian, proud of his work, finally snapped out of his thoughts and gave a pleased smile to the wolf, kneeling down once more while he cleaned the clinging curls of fur from the comb so that he could get a better look at her from all angles.

“As you can see, a little work, a little effort on the part of another, and beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. I have great hopes for you, little one, and believe that you have such potential beneath the surface just looking at you now. I want to extend my invitation so that, like the Hollow from the story, like myself, I can save you from the hunger you feel, the pain and emptiness that cannot be washed away no matter how many souls you devour. I want to free you from the ugliness of a hollow soul, and release you to feel the freedom of living free of that terrible hunger. So please, consider my offer so that I may help you to experience that joy.”

With that, Lucian raised one hand, and a closed rose formed within the center of his palm, a bud whose black petals seemed ready to burst forth with new life. Grasping the stem gently, the Zarpa closed his eyes and concentrated, willing the thorns to fall away from the rose. As they did, as the painful exterior vanished, the rose began to open, to spread its petals and release its soft scents over the area. “Like this rose, I believe that you can blossom into something beautiful, and I wish to help you reach that. Alma de Las Lobos, the soul of the wolves, would you accept my invitation to join the Escudo under my supervision, so that I may lead you to that beauty?”

[Deleted]

“Easy… I’m just going to untangle your fur a bit, bring out some of its natural shine. A beautiful creature like yourself should let that natural spirit shine in the marvel of what is bound to be a marvelous coat…” Alma watched him curiously, unsure of just what to do in this situation. One moment they were discussing alliances and packs, now he was offering to clean her fur? Strange, but she obliged the man anyway. She felt, for the most part, that the danger was no longer there; at any moment, he could have made his move and tried to end her life, but didn’t. So there was that. However, there was also the fact that she’d be damned if she refused an offer to have her fur cleaned. Managing her fur was one of the great banes in her life; no matter how hard she tried, keeping her fur completely clean and devoid of pests was a daunting and infuriating task. So, Alma let him brush her fur.


The brush sifted through her hair with a repetitive, but tact, motion; Alma could literally feel the sand and pests in her fur fall off with every motion. Her mind was filled with elation, knowing that she was finally going to get cleaned. Alma did not really mind that he was using conditioner without any water; partly because she was happy just to have her fur cleaned; and partly because she had no idea what conditioner even was. Already, the smell of flowers was in the air, coming from her of all creatures. She liked the smell, but wondered whether smelling so ‘frilly’ was a liability. She would have to hunt, after all, and in Hueco Mundo, smelling like flowers did not make stalking a Hollow any easier. She would have to find some way of getting this aroma off of her later; but for now, she welcomed the soft feeling of her cleaned fur as the man began the conversation again.


He spoke of a Vasto Lorde, the pinnacle of power for a Hollow, and his ugliness. Alma paid close attention to his tale, since; she did not quite understand why he thought it related to their situation. He mentioned his fight with hunger and the bane that was his own ugliness. Then, he spoke of how he broke his mask in order to shatter his old self to reveal the beauty he held inside. For the most part, Alma listened along, intent on his words, trying to figure out how it all fit into the bigger picture. Surely there had to be some point to all this and the story of this Vasto Lorde? And she understood it the moment the moment the man revealed himself to be none other than the same Hollow in the story. It started to make a bit more sense; maybe this was leading to his own motivation, or goal, after all. Either way, all the pieces were coming together now.


“As you can see, a little work, a little effort on the part of another, and beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. I have great hopes for you, little one, and believe that you have such potential beneath the surface just looking at you now. I want to extend my invitation so that, like the Hollow from the story, like myself, I can save you from the hunger you feel, the pain and emptiness that cannot be washed away no matter how many souls you devour. I want to free you from the ugliness of a hollow soul, and release you to feel the freedom of living free of that terrible hunger. So please, consider my offer so that I may help you to experience that joy.” He said. Alma turned her head and watched him closely. Would she forsake her life and join this man in his quest? He was offering her power, and chance to evolve past this lowly stage of her existence, and thus reach the same level that he had reached. The chance of a lifetime was before her.


The man offered her a black rose, with all the thorns removed as a gesture of their pact. It was symbolic, and to Alma, it represented what could otherwise be her future serving him. Like the rose, she could be more than what she currently is; she could be different and beautiful as a hunter. “Like this rose, I believe that you can blossom into something beautiful, and I wish to help you reach that. Alma de Los Lobos, the soul of the wolves, would you accept my invitation to join the Escudo under my supervision, so that I may lead you to that beauty?” She paused for many moments; her eyes were locked on his the whole time. She did not know if she would ever get another opportunity like this; the chance of power and greatness were there for the taking, if she just bid her time and grew quickly enough. There would be no turning back after this…


“Yes, I will join you.” She accepted, her voice a bit more gentle and amiable. Everything had fallen into place now. Alma turned around to face the man completely, catching the scent of herself as she did so. Her fur was clean now, revealing streaks of scarlet here and there now that the sand and grime was scrubbed away. It was a novel feeling being clean was. She asked, “So what may I call you now…” She paused then added “Master?” She had not yet gotten a name from him, and she wondered when he would oblige her with it. There was no sense in holding out now. Nonetheless, whatever his answer, she would continue, “Where do we go from here?” She wondered where her new life would take her now that she was a part of the Escudo; maybe she would get to meet the rest of the pack, or maybe her Master had other plans for them. Either way, as long as her own desires were met, she would be content with this new life hers.

[Lucian De'Mont]

Lucian’s smile grew warmly as the invitation was accepted, though he did pause briefly at the term “Master.” Quickly, the Zarpa shook his head, raising a hand and putting it to the wolf’s nose to silence her for a moment. “No, no, no… first lesson for you, Alma dearest. I am no one’s ‘Master.’ I am your superior in rank, but I see no reason for you to be subservient. You are as important as anyone else. Please, refer to me by name.” With that, Lucian paused and pressed a finger to his lips softly, a thought suddenly occurring to him. “Oh my, how rude of me to never give my name to a woman, be she wolf or not.”

With a brilliant flourish and a bow, one arm tucked in front of him while the other was extended out to the side, Lucian gave his most winning smile. The flowers about his feet seemed to explode with vitality, roses blossoming with thick petals. “Allow me to introduce myself then, my dear. I am Lucian De’Mont, Zarpa of the Escudo, and the embodiment of male beauty in a living form. But you, Alma, may simply refer to me as ‘Lucian.’” Straightening once more, the Zarpa brushed back a few loose strands of hair before tucking away the comb and bottle of conditioner into his pouch. The latter was nearly empty, but it didn’t faze him in the least.

“Now, as for our destination, Alma; for the moment I am simply traveling, moving about Heuco Mundo to spread a little life and beauty—” He indicated the flowers blossoming at his feet, spreading their seeds on the winds already, “—But seeing as you’ve now formally accepted my invitation, I do believe a trip back home is in order. We have to find you a room on my wing of the base, and then I’ll have to do some customization to make sure you’re comfortable, but we’ll worry about that when we get there.” Lucian smiled as they turned to set off, already making plans in his head; there could be a skylight, one that presented an always-present image of Heuco Mundo’s eternal moon, and of course doors would need to be altered for a wolf-like being…

((OOC: Short post is short, but thread is now ended. Alma is now recruited to be part of the Escudo. PM Zou to make sure he changes your Affiliation and Rank))