Post by Col Arana on Jan 4, 2014 0:27:29 GMT -5
-Opening-
Password 1: [Midgets Can't Dunk]
Password 2: [Kuroi's Shoes]
Type: Prodigy version 2
Affiliation: [Escudo]
Rank: Zarpa 36
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-Basic Information-
Name: Col Arana
Age of Death/Rebirth:13
Real Age/Age of Appearance: 348
Birthday (Month/Day): [10/09]
Blood Type: A positive
RP Sample (Optional): [Insert Here]
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-Appearance-
Height/Weight: [5’9/66 kg]
Physical Description: Col is not especially tall, standing around 5’5 in stature. His hair is wispy silver, and flows lightly about his head, neatly kept, with a few stray strands strewn about here and there. His eyes are a wine red, and the pupils can sometimes be rather difficult to see unless one can get very close (this is, understandably, a rare occurrence). These eyes constantly hold a look of apathy, though they will be moving almost constantly, straying to examine the room, at all times, with that dull stare. When Col opens his mouth one can usually detect fangs within his jaws. A mask fragment covers his left brow, though is difficult to tell what it is. The only thing particularly distinguishable about it is a small slot, where something round might have fit. Col's face, however, is unmarked by any semblance of scarring, a surprising feature in one so pronounced in combative ability, and with his sort of past.
Col’s skin is extremely pale, almost vampiric, in fact. Col commonly wears a black longcoat as opposed to the standard arrancar garb, his Espada Ropera often sheathed and concealed beneath it, in a glossy black sheath. Col wears his Estoc like a gentleman, the sheathed blade carefully clipped to the arrancar’s hip. Col clips the nearly four foot blade to his right hip, despite the fact that he is predominately right handed. Why? Why clip it to the hip that he would draw with his non-dominant hand? Well, it's mainly due to the fact that Col is quite adequate at using his left hand to duel with. Although not NEARLY as proficient with his left hand as his right, Col is ambidextrous, for the most part, and can fight quite adequately with either hand. So, if he can do that, why bother putting it on his right side at all? Because of Col's very combative nature. To deceive and trick his opponent. Draw your sword from the right side, in your left hand and he will think you are left handed. This will throw him off guard when, at Col's discretion, he switches to his right hand and attacks with his full skill and proficiency! Col also wears a plasma blade on his left hip, to be drawn with his right hand, for if he deigns to fight with two blades. However. This plasma blade is merely there as a diversion. If Col is to use a Plasma blade, he will use one of the five hanging on the inside of his jacket. All five are clipped to the inside of the jacket, but all five can be removed in an easy and single motion for someone who has trained to do so. The plasma blade on Col's hip is there merely to keep an enemy's focus on it. Of course, they may not even know what it is! And for those who do, when watching for Col to draw a second weapon, they will likely focus in on that, and therefore be taken by surprise when Col procures one from inside his jacket instead!
Col often adopts a very laidback pose, shoulders slouched and his face is usually set in a perpetually bored expression. This may change however, to reflect the Zarpa’s true nature. At the sight of blood, or someone Col may treat as prey, his demeanor shifts. He holds a much more assertive pose, and often can seem quite imposing to his “target” when he does this. His eyes will also light up, losing their apathetic dullness, which is replaced by a sinister gleam. It’s the look of a predator stalking its prey. Col himself is not physically intimidating. His thin frame, and smaller stature does not lend the image of a terrifying individual. Nonetheless, he can exude an unsettling aura through his mere mannerisms. He is not the terrifying monster in the room (at least until he releases or starts eating someone). Col is scary in the same way the creepy kid in the corner is scary. He's unpredictable and you're not quite sure what to make of him-- all you know is that you're probably better off keeping your distance.
Col's preference, with regards to outfits, is largely gothic clothing. Black is a color he quite enjoys. Black, white and red. Also dark gray's a thing for him too. As mentioned above, Col is usually wearing a long black jacket, over a white shirt. He favors dark colored pants, usually of a dark gray, and dress shoes. And honestly? If Col happens to be inhabiting a gigai or something similar in the human world, it's not a whole lot different. That's still the sort of outfit he'd wear. He's not opposed to a dash of color in his outfit-- a dark blue or red would suit him just fine. Indeed, he has red and blue shirts in his wardrobe and even a dark red jacket for when he's a little tired of his black one. Simply put though? Col likes the dark gothic colors, that make one think of darkness and violence.
Col's torso is unmarked by any significant musculature, leading to him looking frail and weak at times. No six pack, no bulging pectorals, but no excess weight either. He's not quite anorexic, but he is especially thin. Col’s frame is fairly slim and almost wiry, but is deceptive as it hides Col’s considerable physical capabilities well. His body is unmarked by any form of wound or scar, save for two small bite marks on his lower neck, adding to Col’s vampiric image. Indeed, the simplest manner to describe Col is that he looks like a vampire. When you take the whole package, pale hair, red eyes, and equally pale skin, complete with fangs in his mouth? He looks like a vampire, an idea that amuses the arrancar to no end, for although he does not see the similarity, there is an undeniable one in every aspect of his being, from his demeanor, to the savagery with which he feeds.
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-Personality-
Dislikes:
Being hungry: So dissatisfying. I’m so hungry… all the time…. It’s really inconvenient.
People who just rush into battle without thinking: They’re looking for an early grave. Of course if they come to face ME without thinking, I suppose I won’t complain.
Losing: If I am defeated it means I did not prepare adequately enough, or my judgement was flawed. Both of which are simply unacceptable.
Watching others being happy: Really, why should they be permitted to feel joy, when all I can feel is this insatiable hunger?
Arachnophobics: Spiders are a marvelous creature. How can anyone dislike such an intricate being, for as silly a reason as their appearance?
Men: Their flesh is far less tender than the opposite sex. It’s tolerable, but hardly preferable.
Barbarians: Uncivilized, crude, and no concept of elegance or art.
Perverts: Woman are for eating or mating. And nothing more. It matters not what they appear to be.
Single weapon users: We have been given two hands. Why waste two hands on one weapon?
Ramshackle buildings: Who would ever wish to live in such a hideous domain? Simply repulsive.
Bravado: What the uneducated and foolish would call bravery or courage is mere idiocy. To charge in with no chance of victory is to throw yourself into deaths arms. Far better to retreat and win another day.
Blunt force instruments: Distasteful. To use such an instrument as a club is to compare oneself to a neanderthal. All manner of these weapons are alike. Sticks, stones, clubs, hammers? Simply thuggish in nature. There are odd exceptions to this rule, but as a general rule of thumb, Col looks down more than usual on people who use primarily blunt force weapons, as opposed to cutting or piercing weapons.
Likes:
Eating: When I devour my prey, for a single instant, my insatiable hunger is stalled, and it is for that moment that I thrive.
Killing: The moment at which the life drains out of Col's adversary’s eyes causes a certain satisfaction to emerge from within him. It is the feeling of a mission accomplished, no matter how small.
Chess: It’s a surprisingly intellectual game, which can certainly pass the time. It is the game of intellectuals, and thus, appropriate to the image Col seeks to cultivate.
Go: As strategic as Chess in its own way. A game of subtlety and manipulation, as well as strategy. Hmm.
Spiders: They are such misunderstood creatures, and yet they can spin such art. And there is such majesty in their form as well. Perfection of form and of action.
Women: They are essential for procreation, and they have far more succulent flesh on average than men. Far superior to the male gender in such regards. They are useful for so many things....
Youth: The flesh of the young is far more tender. It toughens as they age…
Civilized conversation: It is a rare pleasure to encounter someone who can actually carry a conversation about matters unrelated to violence, pillaging or murder. Perhaps someone to discuss the fine arts with. The fine art of swordsmanship technically counts in this instance, or of martial refinement.
Classical Music: Rock, Heavy Metal or Country is hideous, but there is nothing quite like a well put together piece of classical music. It is elegant and refined-- well thought out, as opposed to the ramshackle mess that is the alternative.
Torturing the weak: I take pleasure in their pain, and seek to extend it as long as I can. It is the penalty of weakness.
Winning: The moment I am victorious over my foe, it is evidence that my strategy and planning was superior to their preparation and tactics. And that is a worthwhile pursuit indeed.
Surfing the Web: ….He’s a spider. What did you expect? This is here purely for pun value.
Strategy: This is a love of Col. He loves delving into strategy. To know he proved victorious over a foe through outmaneuvering them, not merely overpowering them.
Burrows: A burrow is simply cozy and warm. It’s safe. Not the most glamorous of places but it is simple and pleasant.
Elegance: Elegance is such a fine thing to Col. Something that should be strived for in all aspects of life. To live a life of elegance and grace. For to do something elegantly is to do something easily, and is that not the pinnacle of skill? To apply that skill to any situation with ease and... well. Elegance?
Grace: Pretty much the same as elegance, as the two words can, occasionally be synonymous.
Flaws:
Cowardice: While not fearful, Col is not particularly bold. He will rarely attempt to fight someone if they are at full strength, and if they are, he will seek to turn the situation to his own advantage. He will readily flee if he does not think he can overcome an opponent, but will attack a wounded foe (or ally) without hesitation. It’s their fault for getting caught while they were not in a state for battle afterall! He has no issue attacking someone at full power if he thinks they’re weaker than he is though. Their fault for getting caught!
Hunger: Col’s hunger can drive him into fits of insanity if he has not eaten in a long period of time. When this happens, Col’s “gentlemanly” demeanor vanishes, making way for a demonic bloodlust, at which Col will attack anyone, friend or foe, and attempt to devour them. This makes him an unstable and dangerous ally at the best of times.
Release Happy: Col is surprisingly release-happy for an arrancar. While most arrancar will conserve their release for a dire circumstance, Col will rapidly release the near instant he deems an opponent worth consuming. This means that he tends to have lesser stamina over long battles as his release runs out much earlier.
Habits:
Hanging Around: Col quite literally hangs around a lot. Many times, if he is not eating or drinking (and sometimes even then), he will opt to travel via wall or ceiling instead of along the floor. He will even hold conversations in this manner, using Hierro-enhanced fingers to dig into the walls and ceiling for a hold, and speaking down to the other with whom he is conversing, from above.
Hissing: Col tends to hiss anytime he is displeased or angered. A very sharp “SSSS” will utter forth from him in such circumstances, whether they be social, combat or in hunting. This does make it quite plain whenever Col is angered or annoyed with a circumstance. It can also add to his intimidating image, or make him more comical, depending on the individual he is faced with. It does complete the spider imagery when he is released, however.
Fears:
Cain: Col doesn’t so much as fear Cain, but it’s about as close as it gets to fear of an individual. Col fears and despises Cain as an enemy. An enemy that will not die. That’s what really gets to Col about Cain. That he is a potential enemy that cannot be killed. It does, to some degree make Col curious about what would happen if he ate Cain, but has no desire to solve that curiousity.
This extends to any “immortal” though. Col despises and fears anything that cannot die. It doesn’t matter if you’re stronger than him or not, as long as you can die. This would therefore extend to Lucifer in Hell, as well. Though, as Col does not associate with Lucifer, or have him on his hitlist, he does not associate Lucifer as much with this fear, as he does, Cain. Therefore, Col does generally associate his hatred and apprehension of immortals with Cain.
Guilt: Col has done horrific things. He knows it, but has simply taken it in stride. He’s never really been forced to think about it, and when he does, it’s simply a matter of “survival of the fittest.” In short, he doesn’t care. However, Col is intelligent enough to recognize the magnitude of the things he’s done, from the views of others, and how abhorrent those actions are. His greatest fear, therefore, is that he may someday lose the apathy he holds over those actions, and begin to care. He fears that, if he learns to care, then the guilt of those actions will destroy him in the most horrific manner possible. A death of the spirit, than of the flesh.
Goals:
Sate his hunger: Col actually despises the constant state of hunger he is in, and so it is his endless goal to try and sate it. To finally cease to be hungry again. Everything he has done is to achieve that goal. Including joining the ranks of the Arrancar, and the Zarpa. Col believes that if he is able to devour someone powerful enough; someone, perhaps like Sonken Kouhai, or stronger still, he will no longer have to face his agonizing hunger. This is really Col’s ultimate goal, and he holds it above all others.
Overcome his nature: Col acknowledges that at his absolute core, he is still a beast. Due to his disdain for the barbaric types, he seeks to fully become the gentlemanly nature he initially exudes. In part, he believes that this is related to his primary goal of sating his endless hunger. He hopes that if that may occur, he may be able to suppress his monstrous true self, and become the mask, essentially. His disdain even reaches himself. He does his best to ignore his true self, which still thinks very much like a hollow, and pretend that he is a civilized gentleman at his truest. Ultimately, someday he hopes he will overcome his primal nature.
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Aspect of Death: [Fear]
Overall Personality: Col’s personality can best be described as simply off-putting. He has an unsettling atmosphere about him,that often throws others off. On the surface, Col can be mincingly polite, and analytical, but often speaks in a condescending tone. He generally sees others as little more than prey, even those who are stronger than him, and speaks in such a tone that reflects that. He dislikes using more effort than is necessary and can appear lazy upon first glance.
However behind that, is an incredibly twisted and sadistic personality. Col enjoys watching other people suffer immensely, and finds quick deaths disappointing. He especially loves it when others beg for mercy that he is all too happy to withhold from them. As such he likes tormenting his victims when he has the chance, and loves the prospect of fighting weak opponents so that he can truly exercise his craft upon them.
Ironically despite this, Col keeps an honour code and will not kill weak foes most of the time. Provided they do not enrage him. If that happens, then god help them. While he greatly enjoys tormenting weaker opponents, he will often leave them alive so that they can grow more powerful, and so that if he encounters them again, he will gain more out of killing and devouring them. In addition to this, Col can string out the battles longer and torment his poor victims throughout the battle. He can work his craft to scar their very minds, and it would be a waste to simply kill one that he has put so much effort into breaking.
And thus we stumble onto one of Col’s central themes. He is a glutton. He delights in devouring his foes, sometimes while they are still alive. He will reserve this “honor” however, only for powerful foes, as he will gain a large portion of their strength in doing this. Despite being an arrancar, he maintains the hunger he held as a hollow—an emptiness within him that he can almost not bear. As such he continues to devour sentient beings, even if it is often looked down upon by other arrancar—such arrancar very commonly become next on the menu. Col plays no favourites in what he chooses to devour. He will devour humans, hollows and shinigami alike, provided they are strong enough. Col’s standard is usually that of a Gillian class Menos, though if provided sufficient quantities, he will sometimes make an exception. As a result it is not uncommon to see him gorging himself on the corpse of even a normal hollow, especially with many others dead or dying around him.
Col has a great respect for those he sees as fellow predators, and he is unusually keen at picking up a predatory instinct in others. Such people are the only ones in which he will convey a tone of respect towards. Fellow predators. Strength is not enough to garner Col's respect. In Col's eyes a great warrior is no different from a whimpering child. Both are little but food. A master swordsman and janitor are on the same level, and thus, deserve to be looked down on. They do not possess the instincts of a predator. They are not of Col's world, they are below it. But oh-- if he does have the fortune to encounter another predator, all who witness him will know it. It will be one of the rare occasions that Col can speak with someone as an equal, rather than... well. As a spider talking to a fly, so-to-speak.
Col is a believer that the ends justify the means, and as such, he will stoop to extremely low standards in order to accomplish a goal, if need be. He feels little shame in doing so as well. This is not to say Col does not have morals himself, but more than he is willing to go against them if it means he can achieve a greater goal. As mentioned previously Col does enjoy a general code of honor, and while his fighting style is eccentric and unorthodox, he takes no great pride in fighting dirty. But, for the good of the mission (his own survival) he will cast these things aside if he deems it necessary. He will not necessarily take joy in fighting dirty, or breaking his code of honor, but he will do it. Because that is not what is most important to Col. The ends-- his survival, sating his hunger and growing in power, are ultimately more important than his morality. And it is this quality above others that can render Col a despicable individual.
Col has a particular taste for women in two ways. Powerful women, he especially loves to see squirm in battle, and takes great pleasure in torturing them to death and devouring them. This works as a double standard, however, compared to how he treats weaker women, whom he actually treats relatively well, seeing them as something to be pitied rather than tormented. Perhaps it is that he sees them as already so tormented he need not add to it.
With all this said, there is one final quality that defines Col. Unpredictability. Col has the capacity both for patience and calm, but also great violence and brutality. His treatment of women, his honor code, his respect towards other predators, all this can change in an instant under the right circumstances (or "wrong" circumstances as it may be). Col can be volatile and dealing with him is a lot like handling raw nitroglycerin. Make one error in doing so and it will explode in your face. Col's personality can change gradually, or on a dime, but that danger is always there. And this is the most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with Col. He is unpredictable, and that makes him extremely dangerous.
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-Powers-
Fighting Style: Col is a patient, tactical and pragmatic fighter. He prefers to pace out a fight so he can enjoy it (and his opponent’s suffering) to the fullest. He actually has differing strategies, depending on his opponent. Weaker opponents will see Col adapt a more extravagant style, toying with them in order to break their spirits. This may take various forms such as permitting his opponent to take free shots, or Col may be fighting with a handicap. This is not done out of any sense of sportsmanship, however, merely to cause more despair in his opponents when they find it makes no difference.
As a general philosophy of combat, Col prefers to adopt a generally aggressive strategy in battle. If one is to assume a basic image of Col’s fighting style, they might see it as a radical, wild aggressive style employing flourishing strikes and multiangular, randomized attacks, to create a fiercely offensive, but unpredictable style. Col finds efficiency in the unconventional, and although he is comfortable with standard swordplay, he will quickly switch to something else if it does not work. Col’s possesses a myriad skillset to deal with a large variety of situations, from combating long range fighters or multiple opponents, though his preference is for single, close range combat.
Col relies far less on overwhelming skill to defeat his opponents and more on a basis of rapid adaption and flexibility. If he fails to attain results quickly with one method of attack, he will quickly switch to another—relying largely on unpredictability and improvisation to win his battles rather than skill. While content to initially rely on standard techniques and manoeuvres, if these fail to give him an advantage quickly, then Col will quickly move to new tactics, possibly as far as releasing his zanpakuto.
Against more formidable opponents, Col wastes no energy on such toying about, as he would with weaker adversaries, devoting his focus to defeating his foe as efficiently as possible. He often employs the use of psychological warfare during a battle, using taunts and jibes to control an opponent. Depending on his evaluation of a foe, he may aim to infuriate them, so that they will make mistakes, or make them despair so that their will to fight is reduced. In some cases, he can even strike fear in their hearts, driving his foes into a panic.
Technically, Col is quite proficient with his Espada Ropera, using various European sword techniques, such as half swording, sometimes adopting very foreign tactics against his typically Japanese attuned foes. To even a master of kenjutsu, many of the techniques Col utilizes with his blade, or is capable of utilizing are alien to them and may often take a foe off guard. Col is experienced in fighting opponents using the katana, and uses the systematic weaknesses of the katana's designs against them. All swords have pros and cons in their designs and Col considers the Espada Ropera well suited to combating the katana, using frequent snap cuts to counter the katana's shorter effective reach. Col will oftentimes counter an opponent's slash by simply intercepting their cut with his longer sword, quickly attacking their hand as they cut down. The small handguard of the Katana generally renders this extremely effective, and his opponents are unable to do the same to Col, due to his own sword's more pronounced handguard. Col is a master of his blade and can also employ strikes with the pommel and guard to catch an opponent off guard.
As far as the actual fighting tactics he employs, Col’s method of attack is methodical and well paced. He utilizes primarily thrusting blows with his blade, often attempting to mislead his enemy with various feints, or by suddenly switching strategies. He may sudden feign being forced to the defensive in order to study an opponent’s attacks and identify a weak point, before suddenly switching to a furious offensive, overwhelming a foe with the sudden, unexpected onslaught. This allows Col to have a large amount of flexibility in his battle plans, though does mean that misleading his impressions of a foe can also have a naturally disastrous effect on his fighting capabilities.
Due to his proficiency with Ceros, Col is comfortable at fighting at a distance as well as close quarters, although the lack of versatility that a shinigami bears, due to the many different types of kido may render him at a disadvantage. Therefore, coupled with Col’s somewhat lower resistance to kido, when facing a shinigami well versed in the kido arts Col makes it a priority to close the distance and pin his foe down.
While it is not his forte, Col is also an accomplished hand to hand combatant, and a proficient user of Wing Chun Kung Fu. This style of Kung Fu emphasizes constant aggression, simultaneous attacks and blocks, efficiency of motion and control of an adversary’s central line. Col matches all of these traits with perfection, relentlessly attacking an opponent with flurries of attacks. Every block he makes with his hands will transition into a strike, and such is his efficiency of movement that even people of comparable speed will only see blurs as he attacks, creating the illusion that Col is moving faster than he really is.
Upon releasing his zanpakuto, Col’s strategies change. While he is not characteristically aggressive in his tactics prior to his release, he takes on a particularly aggressive strategy after. In order to take full advantage of his multiple limbs, Col will attempt to rush into close quarters and overwhelm an opponent with a torrent of blows from various angles. He will also make exceptional use of his mouth based attacks—Ceros, Ballas and webs, which he will use on particularly skilled foes. While they are distracted by his flurry of blows, he may blast them at point blank range, or web them, should he determine they are worthy of being devoured. If consistently forced back in his released state, he may become easily aggravated, and may resort to his Ochocero particularly quickly.
However, there is another side to Col. He is a fan of using alternate weapons in his released form. As a blade master, Col favors using sword-type weapons in his hands, using his freely rotating wrists two whirl his blades in a dizzying display of swordsmanship, distracting opponents as he relentlessly attacks with up to twelve blades at once! His whirling blades act as feints and distractions, faking opponents out as he attacks from a variety of angles, maintaining that rapid pace of attack to overwhelm his opponent. Few can withstand Col’s relentless assault for long.
Col is not a team player. He works alone. He will ignore his allies in battle, and will outright assault any ally that tries to steal his prey away from him. He is not, however, above kill-stealing and will happily swoop in and kill an enemy that an ally has wounded. Col fights , motivated by his belly. If it will sate his hunger, he will use it.
Another important feature about Col is that he is not afraid to fight dirty with taunts, or other means. While he isn’t a team player, Col will use his allies for intimidation purposes. He will ambush enemies to gain an upper hand, look for superior footing, kick sand in someone’s eyes, go for weak spots, you name it. Col fights dirty, because he’s found that when honorable fighting isn’t working, to keep fighting honorably will only end in your defeat.
Col will often battle verbally as well during his fights. He will mock, and insult, and ridicule his opponents, in an effort to damage their morale during battle. Even if an opponent proves evenly matched with Col initially, a hesitation or moment of weakness due to an insult may be all it takes for Col to seize the upper hand.
Zanpakutou Appearances: In its sealed state Tarentella is an Espada Ropera. A longsword with a three foot, double edged blade. It resembles a thrusting sword, like a rapier, but is in fact, quite an adept slashing weapon as well, easily capable of slicing a man in half with a single swing. It is light, flexible and quick, and Col considers it the perfect sword. The blade gleams a brilliant, shining silver with a pointed tip. It is well balanced, though slightly heavier towards the hilt, than the tip, allowing for easier draw cuts. The hilt itself is somewhat ornate, being a basket-hilted sword, with the basket hilt being shaped like a silver spider, its eight legs creating the hand guard. The fabric covering the hilt is colored a lovely red, but otherwise is not especially ornate.
Col’s Primera Etapa gives him a nightmarish new look. His entire body becomes covered in a white-bony carapace that resembles the material of a hollow mask. Although exposed at the joints for movement, Col’s carapace covers his arms, shoulders, torso, and legs. The sides of his head and forehead also become covered with this material, and on his forehead, lie four additional eyes. These are simple eyes, and though they can see far, have weak vision, that can only detect motion, and cannot see something (or someone) that is standing still. A particular trait that most people will notice first is that in his released form, Col now has six arms. Each arm ends in a three fingered claw, composed of two “fingers” and a “thumb” each one tipped with a venomous talon. Col’s wrists are capable of rotating up to 720 degrees at a time, giving him unbelievable dexterity when attacking. Additionally, concealed within the carapace above each wrist is a retractable blade, about two feet in length. With a simple flex of his wrist, Col can shoot these blades out—a surprise weapon in a pinch, that he wields like a short-sword, with great skill. As a final product of terror, Col has a second mouth. This mouth is concealed in his torso, and is much larger. At will, Col is able to “split” his torso open vertically, tearing open the Carapace protecting his torso to reveal a massive secondary maw. This has little practical use, though Col can use it to fire an additional Cero, and is more for both intimidation, and for swallowing his prey whole. Because Col is a lazy eater, that’s why. Vicious and savage, but hell, if he can just gulp his prey down whole instead of carving it into bite-sized pieces then that’s what he’ll do. Preferably with it still alive, so he can hear it scream and lament their fate.
Zanapkutou Release Names:[/b] To release his zanpakuto, Col simply calls out the phrase: “Dance Tarentella!”
Overall Ability: If Col’s release form could be summed up in a word it would be “predator”. That is the general theme of his power. Col’s form in his release is clearly reminiscent of a spider, one of the most dominant predators in the insect kingdom (though it is not an insect itself), and a creature that is able to adapt to new circumstances and new prey with surprising ease. In form and practice, many of Col’s powers can be derived from arachnid origins, but his power goes beyond simply the powers of a spider. What separates the line between predator and spider though?
It is principle. Spiders are a predator, and Col’s powers reflect this. He is able to utilize his spider-based origins to let loose strands of webs to entangle foes, and many of his abilities are clearly based on the spider. But this is a mere coincidence of the overarching theme. Predators excel at capturing and devouring prey. That is their strength. To subdue prey without the prey being able to adequately fight back. Does a lion need fear a gazelle’s combative prowess? Is the Marlin’s nose any defence against the great white? No, the very principle of being a predator implies that the prey cannot defend itself, and cannot prevent its ultimate consumption, at the hands of the predator, and Col’s powers revolve around this principle
To this effect, most of Col’s powers revolve around minimizing an enemy’s ability to fight back against him. His armored caparace makes his prey incapable of mounting a successful counterattack against him, and endangering the predator. He possesses virulent toxins that can force his prey into submission, and he can spray forth great nets of webbing to prevent his prey from escaping him, and further impeding their attempts to fight against him. All to set his prey up for the moment in which he devours them.
Speaking of devouring them, that is ultimately the goal of a predator, and it is the goal of Col’s powers. To ultimately consume and devour the foes. Predators are strong. This is their nature. A predator can be cunning, and devious, but they are strong. Mice do not hunt owls. They are too weak. To be a predator, one must be able to overpower their prey. So too, do Col’s powers reflect this in the most ironic and sadistic of ways possible. A predator is rewarded for hunting its prey down and devouring it with sated hunger. Col too is rewarded for hunting down and defeating his prey, as their power is added to his own. To say that Col assimilates his prey into himself is wrong. He makes true in his power what is true in nature—the weak sustain the strong. He does not assimilate his prey, by devouring them, he makes their power his own, growing in strength and power—becoming a more efficient and dangerous predator with every meal.
Primera Etapa Overall Ability: In his Primera Etapa, as mentioned above, Col’s power theme is “Predator.” In addition to the naturally powerful body his release provides him, Col has powers designed to trap his opponents so that they cannot stop him when he devours them. Col is capable of shooting webs from any of his six wrists, or his mouth. These webs are sticky, like a spider’s, flexible, but incredibly strong, capable of binding the strongest foes. And once Col has bound his prey in his webs he is freely able to consume it at his leisure. And this is where his most powerful ability comes forth. Col’s Primera Etapa stores the power of those the arrancar has eaten! By devouring his prey, Col’s own power grows. This is the terror of the Zarpa’s might. The ever evolving predator, that grows in strength with every foe he devours.
Segunda Etapa Overall Ability (Optional): N/A
Zanpakuto Techniques:
Webs—Col is capable of propelling large volumes of sticky webbing from his mouth or from the underside of his wrists—spiderman style. These webs are extremely durable and very flexible as well. The webs will instantly stick to any matter they touch, organic or inorganic, save for Col himself, who can move and manipulate them as if they were silk. The webs are incredibly strong, and nobody with a strength stat inferior to Col’s Reiatsu Strength will be able to break them. The webs are impervious to reiatsu, and will absorb any reiatsu form of pure reiatsu that hits them, without being damaged*. Their powers of absorption are so great that they will actually sap reiatsu from an individual directly if reiatsu is attempted to be used while entangled in Col’s webs. In short, if Col’s prey is in contact with his webs, all reiatsu spent will be in vain, unless they can remove the webs first.
Col is capable of launching webs in a variety of means. He can shoot web “bullets” from his mouth or wrists or long strands. This is a relatively versatile power, as Col can use these webs to rappel up walls, bind opponents, blind them, trip them up, or lay traps for them. He can even use them as shields to block attacks, and can, in general use them for battlefield control.
*Although they absorb reiatsu, it IS possible to overload the webs and destroy them. This requires either the use of a Class 1 or Class 0 technique, or the one attempting it must possess a spiritual pressure or reiatsu strength greater than Col's. Additionally, any technique that uses more reiatsu than Col's reiatsu strength (eg. If Col has 400 reiatsu strength an attack that uses 500 reiatsu), can also overload the webs and destroy them. Additionally if an opponent is two classes above Col, any attack they make can destroy the webs.
Poison—Col exudes a dangerous hemotoxin from his very body when he fights. He produces this toxin from three specific points, those being his claws, his fangs, and from the blades protruding from his wrists. Once injected into his targets bloodstream it will begin to cause a numbness throughout their body that will eventually result in complete paralysis. Accompanying this will be stiffness and a sluggishness in motion, preceding the paralysis. With every post, starting the second post after injection, someone afflicted by Col’s poison will lose 10% of their maximum speed with every post. After ten posts, the target will become completely paralyzed. Col is able to accelerate this by repeatedly injecting the poison. With every additional injection, whether it be through bite, blade or claw, it will require one less post to reach full paralysis (so, for example, if someone is wounded by one of Col’s wrist blades twice, it will take 9 posts to reach full paralysis, if wounded three times, then 8, and so on and so-forth).
A 1 in Poison Resistance will increase the amount of time it takes to become fully paralyzed by 2 posts, and an afflicted target will stop slowing down after they have hit 1/3 their original speed. A 2 in Poison Resistance will require 15 posts for full paralysis and will stop slowing down once they have reached half their original speed. Someone with a 3 in Poison Resistance cannot be paralyzed by this ability, and will stop losing speed at 75% of their original total. Any individual with a 2 or higher in Poison resistance or an equivalent skill will find the poison wear off two posts after it fulfills its full effects.
Carapace— Col’s body is now covered in a powerful and hard carapace that acts as literal armor, strengthening Col’s defences to be nearly impregnable against a foe. By doing this he is able to focus all of his efforts on destroying his foe instead of attempting to protect himself. On-site this is represented by doubling Col’s reiatsu strength and physical strength stats in regards to taking damage (NOT inflicting damage). So for example, if Col has 200 in Reiatsu strength, and he was slashed with a zanpakuto, his Hierro would count as though his opponent were attacking someone with a reiatsu strength of 400. Likewise, if Col had 100 in strength and someone struck him with an attack that would normally ignore his Hierro through greater strength, Col would take the blow as though his strength was 200. This does NOT, however, affect his offensive capabilities. So if Col has 200 reiatsu strength, and fires a Cero, it’s still treated as a 200 Reiatsu strength Cero. Likewise for his punches, they are treated as having equal strength to Col (albeit they are covered in an extremely hard substance which may modify the damage a little, but not THAT much). Unlike Hierro this defence does NOT degrade over time, if Col is struck by an attack. However, the Carapace, while powerful, is not indestructible, and can be damaged over time. As it serves, effectively as armor, hitting parts of Col that are not protected by the carapace such as his face, or through "chinks" in the armor, will ignore the carapace bonuses completely. It CAN be damaged destroyed, over the course of a battle, just like any armor, though doing so is difficult, and would require multiple blows to break through it. The Carapace can be damaged by any attack that overcomes its Hierro. Mere superiority, however, will require dozens of blows to actually destroy it. If someone has an offensive stat equal to double Col's boosted Hierro strength, however, they can smash through and destroy his armor in a single attack.
Consumption: Col’s Consumption power is the very essence of a predator. Predators adapt to the prey they hunt. This is nature. The cheetah’s prey is fast, so it evolved to be faster. A lion has to be powerful to hunt Water Buffalo so they evolved powerful muscles. And so on and so forth. This is Col’s greatest power. Consumption allows Col to evolve and adapt to become stronger than his prey!
Consumption is activated by Col devouring his enemy. There are a few rules for this however.
-At least 50% of the target’s body mass must be devoured. If too much of the target has been destroyed for this to be possible, sucks for him, however, in the case of high speed regeneration this does mean it is possible for a target to survive the experience (ie. If Col rips off and devours a target’s arm enough times that it would constitute more than 50% of their mass it would work).
-Although the target may be alive when devoured, if the target has been dead for more than one hour, Col gains nothing from eating it, beyond filling his belly. Their power has dissipated and floated away into the nether.
-If Col has not devoured anyone in rp (history does not count), this ability does nothing.
-Any individuals devoured during solo-rp does not count.
-Full-out skills cannot be replicated by this power—eating a master boxer will not give Col the boxer’s skill though it may impart his knowledge.
-Col can only retain the power of five individuals. If he wishes to devour a sixth individual and take their power he must select one of his current victim’s powers to abandon in favour of the new one.
When Col devours his prey he gains their most notable power, and adds it to his own. This could be a “tangible” power, such as speed or strength. In this way, when Col devours a foe that relies on immense strength, he will become stronger in his released form. When Col devours a foe that relies on lightning fast movements, he will become faster in his released form. But it can apply to intangibles as well. Things such as combative knowledge or ability can be consumed if it is the target’s greatest strength. By devouring a combative genius, Col himself will gain that genius in combat. Devouring someone who’s greatest strength is experience will imbue Col with the combative knowledge of that individuals entire history. This even extends to minor abilities, such as the ability to produce a shockwave, produce an inspiring or intimidating aura, and even perceptive abilities—such as the ability to notice the most minute of details.
If a character’s greatest strength is statistical (ie. Speed, Strength, Reiatsu strength, etc.), then Col will increase that stat by 20% of that of the individual devoured while he is in his released form—permanently (ie. Absorbing the strength of someone with 400 strength will increase Col’s released form’s own strength by 80).
However, the world of the predators is harsh, and if better prey can be obtained, then lesser prey is abandoned. Thus, if Col devours someone of similar “strengths” to someone he has devoured in the past, but greater in potency, then he essentially replaces his lesser power boost for the greater one. It is even possible for Col to mimic a specific technique of an individual by devouring them—even if that technique is reserved, but only if that technique itself is the individual’s greatest strength.
NOTE: What a character’s greatest strength is can be subjective, and may require PM’s or PC’s on the topic if it is not immediately clear. In order to use his newfound abilities through devouring an enemy, a Character Update must be posted and approved to Col’s profile.
Drawbacks: After devouring his first victim, Col’s release cost increases 50% (to 600 Reiatsu, instead of 400). Additionally, if Col sustains life threatening, or otherwise incredibly severe injuries during his Resurrection form, it becomes possible for the wills of those he has consumed to interfere with him and disrupt his thought processes. Though they cannot take control of him, they can disturb him enough to considerably disrupt a strategy and distract him during battle-- a potentially costly endeavor.
Other Techniques: Techniques marked with a * are mastered
*Cero
*Hierro
*Bala
*Sonido
*Gargantua
*Pesquis
*Cero Obscuras
*Cero Durmiente
*Bala Obscuras
*Sonido
Hado #1: Sho*
Hado #4: Byakurai*
Bakudo #1: Sai*
Bakudo #9: Geki*
Bakudo #26: Kyokko*
Bakudo #62: Hyapporankan*
Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro*
Bakudo #75: Gochutekkan*
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-History-
Birthplace: [Vienna, Italy]
Current Residence: [Las Noches]
Memorable Figures: [The Mozo]
Born in Vienna Italy to a pair of scientists, Col did not have a normal childhood. In fact, it is a life he scarcely remembers, and has strong feelings of hate tied to it. While he was not neglected, he remembers, from his young perspective, his parents placed a strong emphasis on their research and work, putting him as a secondary priority whenever possible. He was encouraged to assist them in their experiments whenever possible. His father was a botanist and his mother an arachnologist. Due to his aiding of his parents from a young age, he was ostracized at school, for his perturbing knowledge about spiders and plants. Not exactly popular topics, but he had few opportunities to explore new topics and ideas, to broaden his horizons.
As a result, as he approached teenhood, Col began to resent his family, for restricting him as much as they did. This, coupled with the onset of hormones caused Col to become angry with his family, and enter a rebellious stage. But Col was deceitful, and more subtle than most rebellious teens. He did not rebel openly, but he did mess with his parents’ research. He would write in falsified reports when he was forced to help them, and when his mother came into possession of a new species of spider, Col allowed the specimen to escape when nobody was looking.
This was by far the most foolish thing he had done in his life, and ultimately proved to be Col’s undoing. Had he waited for his mother to complete her research on the specimen, Col would have learned that it was an extremely poisonous species of spider, and that letting it escape was not the smartest thing he could have done. Of course, being filled with raging hormones, the logical part of Col’s brain was not going 100% and he very likely would have done it anyways. Once again emphasizing that he did not act particularly intelligently. And in a manner that would come back to bite him—no pun intended.
Col died at the age of 13, still a young teenager. The spider he had freed bit him in his sleep. When he began to sicken, he attempted to self-medicate to no avail, and died three days later. His confused emotions became twisted in death, and no shinigami came to his aid. His chain of fate deteriorated and he ultimately transformed into a hollow. The first act he performed as a hollow, in his rage, was to devour the parents who had neglected him in life, and in his thrashing throes of fury, destroyed his home as well.
Col’s weak mind was not prepared for the Hollow’s hunger, and he became much akin to other hollows. A mere mindless beast that thought with its stomach. He fed gluttonously, but was eventually cornered by shinigami, and wounded. It was here, out of necessity, that Col discovered the ability to open Gargantua and escaped the shinigami, scuttling away into the depths of Hueco Mundo to nurse his wounds.
But Col was not waylaid for long. The reishi thick atmosphere of Hueco Mundo strengthened him, and allowed him to heal faster. He recovered from his wounds more powerful than before, and, once he had regained his confidence, crept back into the human world. He was still too weak to battle against the shinigami, so he moved in packs with other Hollows. On particular group of them grew to quite a substantial number. Over a hundred of them. They were a chaotic mess of a group, and there was ample infighting. Col distinguished himself as one of the most powerful of the group, and devoured any who opposed him. They made their way to the human world, and inhabited an island off the coast of Japan. Whenever they were in need of prey, they would simple skirt off to the mainland and attack whoever they pleased, before retreating to the safety of their little hollow colony.
This was a pleasant little paradise for a few weeks, but inevitably, such a massive concentration of hollows attracted the eyes of Soul Society, and a group of seated officers from Squad 7 were deployed to eradicate the colony. In short order Hollows were dying in droves, and Col realized that the colony was doomed. Even a hundred hollows of their power were no match for three seated officers. However, one of the shinigami became trapped in his webs, and Col attacked him quickly. He snared the officer and dragged him away before his comrades could retaliate, where he devoured the hapless shinigami in darkness.
Col could sense that his comrades were dying rapidly however, so after making short work of his meal, he scuttled away and escaped back into Hueco Mundo, where he could gather his strength. It was here that Col became aware of his growing strength. Other hollows were nothing but fodder to him, and he fed upon their flesh and continued to grow in strength. He felt them inside him though. A vast number of minds fighting for dominance. He squashed their attempts effortlessly and became a Gillian class Menos. With his domination complete, he continued to feed upon those that could not stop him. Decades flew by and Col began to evolve into an Adjuchas. Like his original hollow form, his adjuchas form was spider-like in form, with a great many bony legs. Col built himself a great den in the sands of Hueco Mundo, not quite three hundred miles from Las Noches. Hollows and even weaker arrancar learned to fear his den, but Col was quite careful to avoid the emissaries of Las Noches that came to recruit him.
Still there were those bold enough to think they could defeat him, and Col was all too happy to prove them wrong, snaring them in his webs and devouring them alive. Decades slipped by… and then a century or two, and Col became a Vastolorde. Bloated from his ravenous eating over so many years, Col finally crept out from his burrow, and slipped further into the darkness not of Hueco Mundo, but of the Gargantua, and back into the human world.
His past long forgotten by his hunger, Col nonetheless felt a draw to the land of Italy, and so he returned there, to hunt. After a matter of days, a Shinigami was dispatched to kill him. Col devoured him. Then three shinigami were dispatched. Col devoured them as well. Ultimately, no less than six seated officers were dispatched to eliminate him. After a fierce battle that lasted six hours, Col finally slew the last of them, and devoured them.
Soul Society had failed to realize their folly however, and continued to send shinigami after Col. More powerful shinigami and more of them. What they did not realize, was that Col possessed an ability remarkably rare in Hollows. All hollows gained power as they devoured their prey. Col gained a remarkably greater amount of power as he devoured others, proportional to the strength of those he ate. In short, the more shinigami that were thrown at Col, and the stronger they were, the stronger Soul Society was making him. Though he was still a mere hollow, Col’s power had exceeded that of most arrancar, and was comparable to an Espada at this point.
But still his belly howled and snarled for further sustenance, and Col, cursing in anger, returned to Hueco Mundo and created a new den. The deaths of so many shinigami, however, had attracted a new eye. That of Las Noches. Sonken Kouhai sent a few emissaries to Col’s whereabouts, but none ever returned. Col saw to that personally. Finally, as the ranks of Espada strengthened Kouhai sent Col a new message. In the form of his Primera Espada, Cero Azalea.
It took little time for the Primera to hunt down Col. Though she was intended to give him an ultimatum, the sight of the immense hollow, bloated with the flesh of his kills, disgusted her, and she decided that it would be far better that he simply ceased to be. She attacked Col in a devastating long range bombardment, with a flurry of Bala. These struck the hollow, and burned him, but did not defeat him. With a hissing screech, Col fired a massive cero at the Espada, who deftly evaded it.
Col scurried across Hueco Mundo’s sands to attack her, at close range, but as he neared, she instantly drew her zanpakuto and slipped around him, scoring a blow on one of his legs, though his carapace blocked the attack. From his spinnarets however, Col unleashed a spray of webbing that coated the ground ahead of Cero, who became trapped in it. Seeking to draw out the kill, Col attempted to slowly skewer her on one of his razor tipped legs. He was repaid as the Espada released her zanpakuto and easily took off the tip of that leg.
As Cero worked to free herself from her web, Col retreated with an angry hiss, noting the significant blood flow from the relatively small cut. He noted Cero producing a venom that dissolved his webs allowing her freedom of movement. In astoundment he was beset by a furious barrage of blows. Though Cero’s might was too weak to topple the arrancar she inflicted several wounds which burned like fire. Col’s howls of pain echoed throughout the sands of Hueco Mundo, as he continued to retreat towards his den. Sensing victory, Cero continued her offense but was caught off guard by a sudden Cero that grazed her arm, burning it severely.
Col thrashed at her, kicking up a tremendous amount of sand, and blinding her. Cero’s venoms, though painful were not debilitating to the colossal arrancar. Even her lethal necrotic venom proved incapable of causing significant injury to Col. The two reached a stalemate in their duel as they battled. Cero was unable to cause Col significant harm, but Col could not lock down Cero to slay her. His webs failed to completely snare her at any time, as her poisons melted it away.
Their battle raged for days, on end, without a victor in sight. Col and Cero were both becoming weary with fatigue, and Col’s movements became ponderous and sluggish, whilst Cero’s movements became sloppy and weak. Even Cero’s Segunda Etapa had failed to create a noticeable gap in power, though with its aid she had slowly been taking the lead. But fatigue was claiming them both, and Col had become patient and defensive. If both of them completely wore themselves out, he knew he would have the advantage of his colossal bulk and size, whilst Cero would have nothing, her vaunted speed, with which she had been evading him for so long, having long been used up.
Cero recognized this as well. In a final move of desperation she feigned weakness, tricking Col into moving in for the kill. With a furious onslaught of blows she struck at Col’s face with all of her might, cracking and breaking the Vastolorde’s mask. Col shrieked in utmost pain and terror, as his mask shattered. The pain was unbearable. A thousand burning knives were piercing his his face. His reiatsu fluxed and flared, such that the very air became too thick to breathe. Cero’s blade hacked into Col again and again. Blood flashed and his flesh rotted and melted against her venoms.
Then in an instant, Cero’s strength was spent, and her release sealed itself from her exhaustion. Shrieking in agony, however, Col’s own form was shrinking, and becoming more human in form. Cero had inadvertently forced his transformation into an arrancar. With a cry she aimed to pierce through the newly born arrancar’s heart with her blade, as Col continued to writhe in pain on the ground. Her blow struck true!
And her zanpakuto shattered against Col’s skin. An irritant, nothing more. Col glared up at her, his eyes full of a wild and untamed fury, and he set himself upon her. A sharp toothed maw tore into Cero’s flesh, and it the two screamed in unison, both in agony and pain. Cero stopped screaming first, as Col tore out her throat with his teeth. And he did not stop. Like an animal, Col tore, gnawed, and ate the Primera Espada, until not even her bones remained. Then, covered in their blood, flesh still sizzling from Cero’s poisons, Col Arana rose from the sands of Las Noches, reborn as an arrancar.
For the arrancar of Las Noches, Cero had simply left one day, and disappeared. Some thought she’d abandoned Las Noches, others didn’t care. She would be eventually replaced by Sokujin, who would in turn be replaced by Adalo. A cutthroat society Las Noches, in which the position of most powerful was always coveted. One Col had no intention of joining.
Though Cero’s disappearance was a mystery to those in Las Noches, save perhaps for Sonken Kouhai, who may have guessed her fate, Col’s feat of power had not been missed by all. The Escudo had taken note of Col’s prodigious talent, and his slaughter of the Primera Espada. To have matched such a figure as a hollow alone was substantial enough and the barbaric ease with which he had butchered her after his transformation was likewise similar.
Col hid himself away for a time in his den again, as he recovered from the wounds Cero had inflicted upon him. His flesh was scorched, melted and scarred by her venoms, and his face still burned and bled from his mask being torn away. He spent his days in agony, and pain. And hunger. His hunger seemed so much worse than it had then. It may have been said that the rumbling of Col’s belly could be heard even as one approached his den, warning them of the danger. In short, the next month of Col’s life was nothing but pain.
Seeking to escape his pain, Col fled into the human world, thinking he might find solace there. He ventured amongst the living for awhile, and for a time, was able to quiet himself, within the storm of society. What fragmented remains of his human mind that were left took hold, and gradually pulled themselves up out of the darkness and hunger that he had fallen slave to as a hollow. Col attempted to make amends for the life he had led. Not, of course, by swearing never to kill again. Oh no. That would not do at all. No, Col was a killer now. He accepted that as part of his being, and no part of him felt remorse for the lives he had ended. His remorse was only regarding the barbaric nature by which he had done so.
With all his will, Col strove for a new era for himself. An era in which he would conquer the pains and hungers within himself, and lead himself into a more civilized age. Col manifested his zanpakuto at this time, and it reflected his intentions, in the form of the elegant blade, the Espada Ropera—a sword utilized by the Spaniards as they attempted to colonize the Americas.
With his newfound sentience, Col found himself able to enjoy the simpler pleasures of life amongst humans. He was, for a time, able to control his urges to feed, and dwelled amongst the humans peaceably for a time. He visited art museums, washed windows, and studied the art of swordplay, as he considered the art of the sword the art of gentlemen. Yes, he washed windows. The sword school in the city, in which he observed classes and learned by theory (for, being an arrancar, normal humans could not see him), had absolutely filthy windows that were impossible to see through. So he cleaned them, until they sparkled, no doubt somewhat alarming the individuals who trained there when their windows were mysteriously cleaned.
Col picked up the art of swordplay alarmingly well, despite merely observing, and soon got a chance to test his metal. He had ultimately been detected by shinigami, and they had sent a group of seated officers to eliminate Col. Col had just left the training academy when they ambushed him, locking him in a powerful Bakudo spell, and managing to land a blow against him. Unfortunately, their blades failed to work through his Hierro, and Col broke the bakudo without effort, flexing his immense reiatsu, and shattering the zanpakuto of a shinigami who struck him. Col drew his own sword and engaged the shinigami in a sword-duel. One of them blasted fruitlessly at Col with kido, which failed to harm him, due to the shinigami’s frankly inferior reiatsu and he effortlessly cut down two of his six assailants, the second one attempting to parry his strike—but Col’s zanpakuto merely sliced right through his. Recognizing the strength of his reiatsu, the other shinigami drew out a new weapon. Shining hilts, somewhat like a large handled laser pointer. Each ignited a blade of pure energy, some differing from blue to green, and one red. They attacked Col with these new blades that were able to resist his zanpakuto’s cutting effects.
Col used this duel as a chance to test his swordsmanship, executing cuts and strikes he had learned over the course of his months in the human city. Sadly two of the remaining four shinigami could not hold up to his strikes and dropped easily. And then Col got an idea. Lifting up the plasma blade (though he did not know its name) of one of the fallen shinigami, he ignited its red blade and attacked with two swords, experimenting with the feel. After some time and experimentation only one shinigami was left. Well aware he was outclassed, he nonetheless stood his ground against the arrancar, who decided to release his zanpakuto. Seizing the plasma blades of the other dead shinigami, Col unleashed a five bladed offense on the shinigami, butchering him, and taking the last plasma blade for his own. Unfortunately, the sight of such gore and bloodshed reawakened Col’s animalistic urges. He felt something shift beneath his carapace, and it tore itself open, to reveal a gnashing maw of exceedingly large size, in his own abdomen. He sated his hunger on the corpses of the shinigami.
Yet appalled at his actions, Col returned to Hueco Mundo, to return to the solitude of his lair.
It was here that he found someone waiting for him. A figure concealed in the shadows, it offered Col the opportunity. It told Col, he had been watching him for some time. Any other time, Col would have attacked, but his reason stayed with him, and he listened intently, though he observed this individual closely. The individual informed Col it was impressed with the power he had demonstrated and wished to offer him a place in its organization. They were train Col, and give him the means to control and tame his insatiable hunger. With little deliberation, Col accepted the offer.
Thus Col entered the ranks of the Zarpa. Whilst in the Zarpa, he trained himself and developed the skills he had begun to accumulate in the human world. Relying on that base ferocity and animalistic rage within him from his hollow side, and tempered by human reason, Col developed a ferocious and aggressive fighting style, that developed his bladework to what he believed to be their peak. Though not the most sophisticated blade master, he was nonetheless skilled with them—a master at any rate, though perhaps not a master among masters.
Still Col developed his skills, and finally the leader of the organization he had joined—the Mozo told him of their purpose. They were the Escudo. The countermeasure to Las Noches. Col was well aware of Las Noches, having eaten many of their emissaries in the past. The Mozo informed Col that it was the slaying of Cero Azalea that caught their eye. The Primera Espada was not one to be done in easily, especially by a hollow. The Mozo told Col that it was now his task to select two of the Espada of Las Noches, to which he would be a “sheath” to.
To decide this, Col ventured through the sands of Hueco Mundo, to Las Noches itself. He entered the great hall of the arrancar, witnessing it in person. He wasn’t impressed. Many of the arrancar within seemed frightfully weak, though Col did his best to mask his power, so as not to stand out among them. Col’s eyes and ears swept the halls of Las Noches, listened to every rumor. Every story. Ultimately he decided his marks. But it had taken him some thought. He knew this was not a decision to be made lightly, inferior as the Las Noches Arrancar were.
First, of course, he considered the most powerful of the Espada, Adalo De-Mona. He had recently risen to prominence, slaying the former Primera Sokujin in a single blow. A testament to Sokujin’s weakness more than Adalo’s strength, Col scoffed to himself. Nonetheless, his rank reflected him as the mightiest of the Espada. And indeed, Col had devoured the former Primera. Perhaps Adalo would be his mark? But he must select two, and in that case, why not 12? To be the hunter of Kuroi Naito and Adalo De Mona?
Oh, Kuroi’s name echoed in the halls. One who had fought with all the Espada, and matched Adalo with equal strength. Indeed, he was powerful. And yet despite that, his powers were wrapped in mystery. How powerful was he really? None who had lived to tell of it were willing to speak of it. Even the surly and foul mouthed Quinta Espada, who proclaimed to have lived through a battle with Kuroi, told Col nothing more than that Kuroi was “strong” (before striking Col through several walls and causing the arrancar to flee, for fear of revealing his true power too early).
Hmph. Strong. These pathetic creatures didn’t know what power was. But Col would show them. Oh yes. Still. Rio’s words remained with Col. Kuroi and Adalo were nearly equal in strength. If that was the case, then perhaps he would seek easier prey. Some semblance of a predatory instinct remained in Col, and if easier prey was available, perhaps he should seek it out first? Kuroi and Adalo would serve as backups, if Col was left wanting, of the other 8 Espada. And the next on his list was Zeruel, the Tercera.
Zeruel was frustratingly difficult to find information on, even moreso than Kuroi and Adalo. He was a newer member of the fold, even newer than Adalo was, so perhaps that was to be expected. But it took Col some time before he found enough information on Zeruel to be satisfied. It was said Zeruel possessed immense reiatsu, and that he was immortal! Oh immortal? How interesting. Col would very much enjoy putting such a claim to the test! But Zeruel was pacifistic. That he did not find joy in battle. Col could understand such a thing, but to outright avoid battle and killing? No, no, no. That was an attitude unbefitting of an Espada. A sign of weakness!
The Cuarta position had been left unoccupied, and thus there was the Quinta. By far the easiest of the Espada to learn information on, Col learned of Rio’s violent reputation (and had suffered it firsthand). Oh yes, Rio was a powerful Espada, indeed. Strong, experienced, and stalwart, he’d be a worthy Espada to choose as his mark, Col conceded. Yes, there would be no shame in placing the number 5 in his name, Col thought to himself. And perhaps those weaker than Rio were not worth his time, for compared to Col, he smirked, Rio was weak indeed. The gap between them dwarfed that of heaven and earth.
Asuka Hitotoki, the Noveno Espada! Col sensed her great power and potential, and his mouth salivated at the thought. Plus she was a woman, and he had found in his long life that they tasted far better than men. Col paused a moment and shook his head. No, he should not think like that. He was civilized now. He was no longer a beast. Nonetheless, Asuka’s potential could make her a worthy mark of someone like Col. He would remember her, and consider her further.
Finally there was Cierro Muerte and Cain. Cierro was easier to discover information on than even Rio. The nuisance of Las Noches, many regarded him as unworthy of the position of Espada. Col found that information interesting. Cierro was very fast. Oh yes. Very fast indeed. But he was not a capable fighter, rather he was adept at avoiding fighting. How interesting. Col could well understand those that said he was unfit to be an Espada. He certainly did not seem to fit the mold with a mindset like that. Cain, Col dismissed nearly immediately. There was nothing to be proud of, stating that you were tasked with killing the weakest of the Espada. No pride at all.
And thus, Col had his marks, that he would consider.The newly appointed Tercera Espada, Zeruel—he was a pacifist. Despiser of fights, and flimsy and comical. Weak. The Octava Espada, Cierro Muerte. By far the weakest of the Espada. The Noveno Espada Asuka Hitotoki. Impressive potential, but her mind was not up to par. Weak.
Of those three, Col deliberated on his way back to the Mozo, and made his decision as he returned. Cierro was weak. Too weak. There was no sport or pride in killing him. Asuka… she was strange, and unskilled, but she had some raw power. And Zeruel… he too was weak, but held enough power to be considered the Tercera. Yes. To kill the Tercera and devour him would be a great asset to Col’s own drive.
At this the arrancar paused. To eat? Biting his lip in frustration, Col recognized that barbaric part of him still had not left him. Why? It had left him for a time when he had devoured Cero. Why had it returned? Perhaps it was, he mused, that he had not devoured someone strong enough to permanently sate his hunger. Perhaps if he devoured someone of enough strength, his hunger would be sated. Very well then. Zeruel and Asuka it would be, he decided, as he returned.
Thus, Col selected his marks, and became the first Zarpa, under the Mozo. He continued to develop his power, as the Zarpa’s ranks filled. Col was privy to knowledge beyond that of any other arrancar. Techniques developed by shinigami, for instance. Kido. Col took quite a liking to binding kido, as it allowed him to create a feeling of helplessness in his adversaries.
There was a momentary spat of unpleasantness for him, however, when the Noveno Espada vanished from Hueco Mundo. In frustration, Col left to try and hunt her down, but ultimately failed to locate her. Hueco Mundo was a big place, and she had left no signs that pointed to her destination. Col searched for several months, and killed and devoured several hollows, on his journey.
During his hunt, however, Col was faced with a rather irritating quarry. A cheetah hollow that dwelt in the far sands of Hueco Mundo. For lack of a better word? A troll. He was not particularly powerful, nor intimidating. He had two things though. He was very fast, and very cunning. He taunted Col for several days, mocking him and then fleeing. Col was powerful, and by the standards of most individuals he was quite fast, but this arrancar was especially quick. From Col’s studies of Las Noches, it was doubtful that even Cierro, the Octava Espada, (and one Col had deemed unworthy of being devoured) would have been able to keep up with this individual.
So Col pursued this quarry. Asuka’s trail had gone cold, so he deemed to rid Hueco Mundo of this nuisance. Mainly out of personal irritation than anything else. He pursued this hollow for four days, but at each day, the hollow lost Col in the sands. Over these four days, however, Col determined the hollow’s territory, which was vast, but not so vast to an individual of Col’s speed, let alone this one’s. Over the next two days the hollow continued to irritate Col, going so far as to attack him with Cero from afar, and then fleeing into the desert. Such feeble attacks failed to so much as lay a single scorch on Col, but he was nonetheless infuriated.
His original spider instincts returning to him, Col crafted, within the sands an immense burrow—that the hollow in question collapsed on top of him. Infuriated, Col created another with the same effect. Col lashed out in a rage at this individual, who once again skirted away and fled from him, Col’s skill and power utterly proving futile against a foe who refused to fight him. Col understood now, that he would have to force his foe to confront him on his own terms. To force such a confrontation.
To this end, Col strategized and planned, and created the beginnings of several false burrows, and then concealed himself in the desert sands. Sure enough the hollow emerged to irritate and frustrate him further, destroying the burrows and caving them in. Col nearly caught him by surprise and succeeded in wounding the hollow badly, with a surprise attack, using a Bala. Such was the power gap, that the hollow screamed in shock and in pain, as its arm was blasted away, and fled once more into the sands. But this time, it left a trail, its mangled arm bleeding as it fled. Easily tracked. Col pursued it at a steady pace, hunting it at every turn.
Col understood that the hollow would continue to flee from him. So Col took some detours, and used his release to lay great webs beneath the desert sands, to snare it as it fled from him. He resumed his pursuit and eventually saw it. The hollow fled from him, but Col subtly directed it as he wanted it to move. He forced his foe to flee from him for almost an entire day, before forcing him into his trap. At last, his prey blundered into the webs that Col had strewn throughout the desert and was snared. His speed was futile, and his pitiful strength could not hope to break the webs. He mocked and taunted Col even as the arrancar closed in. Taunts Col would put an end to, soon enough.
Col took on his released form, a terrifying sight to behold. His clicking limbs and fangs shuddered in anticipation as he went to work on his trapped prey. He bound the hollow more thoroughly in his webs, binding first his legs, then his arms, and then everything except his head. He then, easily and quietly, bit into remaining arm, ripping free a considerable chunk of flesh. The hollow was clearly in pain but grit its teeth and futilely attempted to bite Col in return. Col began work on another burrow. He wanted to drag this out as long as he could.
For that entire night, Col toiled away, constructing a large burrow in the ground, just as he had once as a hollow himself. He took his new prey and dragged it within, where he cut it free. By this time, however, Col’s venom had worked its way through his system and he was hopelessly paralyzed. Col strung him up within the burrow, and slowly carved him. As if making a pierce of art, with blade, fang and claw, Col carved the Hollow, being careful to avoid any vital arteries or organs. After several minutes it finally let out its screams of pain. Screams that, over the next hour, faded to whimpers and pleading. By the time Col finished, six hours later, it was begging the arrancar for death.
But Col wasn’t interested. This creature was beneath him. It had no power. It was undeserving of being properly devoured and added to his power, hungry as Col was. But Col’s malice and hatred of this creature, for DARING to mock him, was greater than his hunger. He wished for this creature to suffer. And so it would. But not at his hands. No, Col merely was preparing it. With his blood so intertwined with Col’s venom, over such a long period of time, and trapped in his webs, it would be a very long time indeed, until this Hollow would be able to move again.
Col slipped away into the shadows, leaving the miserable creature to whimper in darkness. Leaving it to the other hollows of which it had annoyed and tormented for so long. Col was confident one would find it eventually, and put him out of his misery. He was not worth being slain by Col himself. No, Col had better things to accomplish. He would continue his hunt of the Noveno Espada. Perhaps he could even devour her out here. Certainly, abandoning the Espada, none would come looking. And her Fraccion too. The thought made his mouth water, and a smile crept across his features.
But, fortunately for Asuka, and unfortunately for Col, his search was ultimately fruitless. Though he searched for over a month, devouring some Adjuchas and Gillian class Menos along the way, he was unable to pick up her trail. Col, with some disappointment returned, first to Las Noches, to see if he might select a new Espada, and then to the Zarpa headquarters. He had originally intended to choose Cierro, but upon returning home, he found Cierro had been already selected by another Zarpa—Lucian.
Fortunately, this problem was solved for him. After several years, Asuka returned to Las Noches, and quickly claimed the position of Sexta Espada. Col’s rank within the Zarpa changed to reflect this, becoming Zarpa 36, from his previous rank of Zarpa 39. While Col’s skills developed within the Zarpa, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal, however. That maddening hunger that drove him to psychotic rages. To vanquish and conquer it. That was his goal. Col learned to put on an outer façade of calm in the wake of this, but it folded only too easily when pressured.
Col ate, and ate, but never satisfied his hunger, and he did wonder at times if it would be worth it to devour the Mozo at some point—though he decided against this. But his mind wandered to Las Noches, and wondered if perhaps, Sonken Kouhai would make better prey. But Col was not bold or courageous. Nor was he stupid. As powerful as he was, he know Kouhai was stronger still. He would bide his time. Perhaps someday he would find that Kouhai’s guard was down and make his strike then. Until then, Col was content to wait in his hunger, as a spider watches a tasty fly, buzzing just beyond the reaches of its web….
