Calm Before the Storm [Zarpa Social, R, Closed]

[Deleted]

SPOILER: Click to show

{A Little Music}

There was a certain equilibrium in nature before catastrophe struck. Utter silence, because any living thing capable of movement was either hiding, or had long fled. A stillness to the air, as every creature held their breaths in a collective hope that whatever danger was passing through would pass by peacefully, and leave the existence they had grown accustomed to over the years relatively intact. Those who couldn't move went around their normal business, pretending that nothing unexpected was happening. Perhaps if the problem was ignored, it would go away, like a bored and sated bear. These tendencies are repeated throughout history, by all creatures large and small. Small woodland creatures, or great human empires, all of them sought to ignore problems that they couldn't run from or fight against. It was a part of the living condition, a natural reaction to horrific disasters that were better to not comprehend than to try to face.

The Escudo had been one of those dangers. To who? Well, they weren't exactly picky. They'd squared off against members of Soul Society, but the Zarpa were assigned members of Las Noches core force as targets. Bring on the enemies, the armies, the unstoppable waves of foes. Bring them all on, and have mass graves ready for when the four Arrancar demolished them. But despite their great destructive potential, they'd been quiet thus far. A time bomb whose ticking had been replaced with a silence so quiet, those around could hear their own heart beats. They didn't need to intentionally terrify people, their mere presence did that well enough. And yet, despite this, there was a factor that would soon spur the group into motion. Boredom, a desire to carve out one's destiny in the world they lived in. The four couldn't have more different goals for themselves. One desired a simple meal to sate him until the end of eternity. One wanted a rival that could actually force him to try. Another wanted to create a paradise in a place of desolation. The last wanted world peace, by any means necessary. Boredom wasn't a thing for the world to fear, or at least it wasn't, until these four grew bored.

Although presently, the Zarpa had been given plenty of time to act on their own, technically speaking there was an organization that they all belonged to. They did have tasks that they needed to complete, as individuals or groups, and regulations they needed to follow. Traditions, if you will. A tri monthly meeting, that lasted the majority of the day. Although there weren't any specific things that needed to be accomplished during the meeting, it was a time set aside for the four to talk, discuss current affairs, and, on occasion, scheme. It was a time for new foes to be assessed, and for old foes to be reevaluated. Priorities were discussed, and personal vendettas were revealed. It was a time for the four to communicate in a way that seemed less like a group of stone cold killers, and more like a dysfunctional family. Possible meals were recommended, ideal napping spots were suggested, and art of all kinds was shown between those interested in that sort of thing. The four were coworkers, certainly, but there was something slightly more than that. They understood each other in many ways that others could not. The tri monthly meetings were an important time to gather ones thoughts, and acquaint oneself with the tasks that lay ahead.

Allen enjoyed the tri monthly meetings, both as a chance to see his comrades, and as a chance to talk. He was guilty of hogging the focus, and rambling about semi-relevant things until someone politely asked him to shut his babbling mouth about the deeper meanings of Zanpakutou spirits and Quincy bows. But given that the meeting hadn't started yet, he was taking a moment to close his eyes, tipping back his chair so his feet lay on the table. He wasn't at risk of falling over right now, but wasn't entirely safe. The table was long, and had a seat on each of the heads, and one on each of the sides. Four seats, spaced evenly from each other. He'd arrived on time according to his wrist watch, or fifteen minutes late according to the actual time, and had taken the opportunity to take the seat at the head of the table farthest from the door. The room was fairly large, and sparsely decorated. Besides the chairs and table, there was a clock on the wall furthest from the door, behind Allen's head. Along the western side of the room, several large bookshelves were located, stocked with books of all kinds. Finally, there was a couch next to a window on the eastern side of the room. The couch had on it a rather fluffy pillow, colored a very pleasant shade of blue.

[Col Arana]

tap. tap.



The sound of footsteps emanated from a corridor on the southern end of the room. A chill swept through the air. Were the beings in this room not who they were, they might have felt feelings of anxiety and fear at the sheer power of this presence. But these were the Escudo. A force far greater than any seen in Las Noches. Evidence of the pure devastating power of the arrancar. The epitome of the strength hollows might achieve. The Espada called themselves the mightiest arrancar alive. They deluded themselves, and allowed such beings as Cierro Muerte into their ranks. Such beings were as ants before the boot of the Escudo. Only the greatest of the Espada-- Zeruel, the Tercera, Kuroi, the Segunda and Adalo the Primera, could ever hope to so much as pressure a member of the Zarpa. They were as sheep, hunted by wolves. And like sheep they would be devoured.



The mere presence of one of their peers would hardly perturb even the lowest of their number.



And then the door opened and he appeared. Garbed in his long black coat that concealed his entire body, save for his hands, which were pale and slender, and his face-- crimson eyes peering through the gloom, and silver hair resting naturally upon his head. The hint of a fang slipped through the corner of his jaw. This was Col Arana, Zarpa 36 of the Escudo. Tasked with the destruction of the Tercera, Zeruel and the Sexta, Asuka.

SPOILER: Click to show

"Good evening gentlemen." He said as he found his seat. As usual, there was a silver goblet of red wine placed at his seat. Col took it in hand as he sat down and sipped at it quietly, observing the others in the room. As his eyes fell to Allen, his brow furrowed in what seemed to be irritation. Col had once glimpsed into the heart of Allen's soul, and found it most disconcerting. His own great power had muffled the horrific presence of his peer's soul, but it had still brought him great discomfort to behold it. Since then he actively suppressed his powers of perception in Allen's presence, so as to avoid the uncomfortable experience. As with himself, he suspected Allen likely caused lesser beings than those in this room to go positively mad at the merest glimpse of his soul. But the Escudo were made of sterner stuff that that.

Col placed the silver goblet back on the table for a moment. "Have we business to discuss on this occasion?" He inquired of the other Zarpa. His manner was polite and formal, and yet there was a disquieting air about Col. A strangeness in how he beheld the others, as though his eyes searched them for their every weakness. And Col knew there were weaknesses to be seen in his comrades. Though perhaps comrades was too strong a term for the feeling Col sense. He did not know a sense of comradery amongst the Escudo. They were allies, yes. But they were not friends. Col had no friends, for he was the solitary planner and plotter. As his gaze hovered on the seat of each Escudo he paused for a moment in contemplation.

Lucian De'Mont. Hmph. Col knew not what to make of the man. His adherence to physical perfection was truly admirable, but Col thought perhaps he took it too far. Indeed the man wove flower petals into his hair? There was such a thing as overdoing things and in Lucian's case, Col thought the man to be straight up gaudy at times. Regardless of all of that however, Col did admire Lucian's pursuit of perfection in all things. It was a worthy cause to strive for such a laudable goal. Though at the same time, Col disdained Lucian's ambition. Whilst all the other Zarpa had assigned to themselves one of the stronger Espada, Lucian had settled for Espada's 7 and 8. Certainly to others, taking on the 7th and 8th strongest arrancar was something to be witnessed, but as before-- they were not other people. They were not lesser arrancar. They were not Shinigami or Quincy. They were the Escudo. And Col had hoped for greater ambition within the Zarpa than that.

Axis Recio. A lazy slothful fool, Col could find in himself no respect for the demeanor and manner in which Axis carried himself. Unlike Lucian, whom Col found overbearing, but at least could acknowledge, Axis carried all the grace and elegance of a sleeping boar. Notably one that probably snored. But once again, he was Escudo. He was Zarpa. And though utterly lacking in refinement, it was unwise to provoke a boar unnecessarily, lest one be gored by it. Yes, he was strong. They were all strong. Axis had set it upon himself to take one who proclaimed himself the strongest of the Espada; Kuroi Naito. Yes, it seemed that the Segunda proclaimed himself greater than the Primera. Col could appreciate the sentiment, however, of toiling in obscurity, so that one's rivals might fix their gaze on those they believed to be your betters. Col had felt Kuroi's power once, and had deemed him too daunting an adversary. Not that Col did not believe he could best Kuroi-- for he was Escudo, and Kuroi was merely Espada. But indeed, Col acknowledged that Kuroi was powerful enough that such a battle would be a great toil. And while there was, perhaps, a song of glory to be sung of one who emerged from battle, scarred and bloodied by a worthy adversary, Col much preferred the elegance and grace of besting a foe, whilst suffering minimal injury to himself. Still. To oppose such a being earned Axis Col's respect as a warrior, even if he had lost it as a person.

Allen Adams. An alliterative name. A face that seemed stitched together from others, Col vaguely considered the novel "Frankenstein", when he beheld the man. How many corpses and lives had been given for the creation of this abomination? Hmm. Col's lip curled slightly. An abomination. That's what the shinigami would have called him. Perhaps humans and Quincy as well. Col did not care. Allen was powerful. That twisted soul, although discomforting to Col was also something Col could relate to. Ah, Col knew what it was to have such conflict and spoilage of the soul. His own soul was a twisted ruin, torn between his bestial hollow instincts, and his higher cognitive reasoning. Being in this room, with all these powerful individuals had the hollow in Col positively foaming at the mouth in ravenous hunger. But externally, Col was quiet, composed, refined and, most importantly-- elegant. Still. Col did not consider Allen one with whom he might enjoy a conversation on a regular basis. Lucian was the only member of the Escudo who deserved that honor. Oh it wasn't Allen's fault that his soul was so distorted and twisted. But it still made conversing with him a markedly disturbing proposal-- if an amusing one.

Having finally finished the wine in his goblet, Col placed it down one last time, and folded his hands in his lap. Eyes half closed wandered back to the table before him, his cursory sweep of the room completed. Col even closed his eyes a moment in quiet contemplation-- nearly as though meditating, as he awaited one to give him response. And to give this meeting a purpose, that he might entertain himself awhile.

[Axis Recio]

Play this start song

"Shit, this is good...For once, I'm grateful to be awake..." Wise words spoken by Axis Recio, the strongest of the Zarpa, and most powerful Arrancar in Hueco Mundo. No, seriously. Undefeated, too lazy to even commit to real combat because of that, and just that damn powerful, how could Axis be anything but the best? But considering all that, he wasn't quite a hardened warrior or anything. At least, if he was, he didn't seem like it, because all he did was sleep. No training, rare combat, and often no regard for manners.

Hell, at that moment, Axis was eating chicken nuggets from McDonald's. Well, who could blame him? He was hungry. Arrancar had to eat too, and Allen had decided out of the goodness of his heart to bring happy meals for everyone. Fuck yes. Okay, so it was fattening and bad. They could fucking sue him. Axis had about sixty chicken nuggets, and was going to eat them all. Doubts? Why? If anything was true of those with extreme power, it was that their bodies consumed a lot more calories, so they needed to eat a lot more. Axis needed food.

"It's good when you come back, Allen...You always fuckin' bring food..." Axis said, and then he burped. He was almost done with his chicken nuggets when the next guy showed up. Col Arana, the spider. This guy had a larger appetite than Axis did, but he was a bit of a coward. They'd traveled briefly together in Hueco Mundo, and had gone on a couple of missions together too since joining the Escudo organization and becoming Zarpa. But he didn't bring happy meals or other food, only unnecessary formal manners. So, obviously Axis preferred Allen to Col. Chicken nuggets...or the word 'gentlemen'? What do you think?

And there was Col, speaking of, asking if they had actual business. Have we business to discuss on this occasion? he asked. What? Dude, the rest of the Zarpa aren't even fucking here yet. Cmon. At least wait a moment. Actually, it was just Lucian that needed to get there. He was late. Probably prettying himself up again. Axis had actually been the first person there, not because he was timely, but because he'd fallen asleep there the day before, and just happened to wake up to the meeting, which had commenced when Allen arrived technically first, bringing with him happy meals.

"Eh? Lucian ain't even here yet..." Axis replied to Col. And then a cocky smirk lit Axis's face and he looked at his two fellow Zarpa. He started to wonder a little bit about what they'd been doing lately. Technically, the Zarpa were all thieves, so he wondered if they'd stolen anything lately. Axis didn't steal very many things, because usually it wasn't challenging and therefore wasn't fun, and the combat sucked too. Sometimes he made exceptions, though. He'd just recently stolen a nuclear missile from some human world country called North Korea or some shit, and that was in their Escudo museum now. That wasn't very fun, to be honest.

"Oi, guys..." Axis suddenly suggested. "I'm swapping Espada numbers...Anyone wants the Segunda can have him. I dunno when it happened, and might even have been years ago and I'm just hearing about it now, but I heard the Segunda lost to Soul Society's Squad 6 Captain...Ain't no way a Soul Reaper could challenge me, so I'm thinkin' the Segunda wouldn't either...I'm gonna replace him with the Primera and become Zarpa 1-0, and then donate the number 2 to one of you guys. That sound gucci to anyone?"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Two songs in an intro post!}

Fun fact. Axis's goal was to find the strongest adversaries. In his human life he'd tried sports, and become too good at those, so he'd gone to fighting. Been too good at that, so he died, and when he became a spirit and a Soul Reaper, he tried actual high level combat. Well, that became too easy too, so he used Saigo, then tried being a human again, but died quickly and became an Arrancar. Tried combat again, and still too easy. Axis really couldn't catch a break, when it came down to it.

At any rate, sports weren't even exhilarating anymore anyways because they just weren't as high intensity as combat, so even if he found a sports challenge (not that he ever lost), it wouldn't be fun. And that meant that since combat was the only entertaining thing anymore, he had to find a challenge in that. Except unfortunately, that wasn't very challenging either. Basically, Axis wasn't even able to find a way to challenge himself, so he was always bored. Seeking out the most powerful and lethal enemies was the best that he could do.

And even then...it was no good. However, the Escudo Leaders, the Mozo, had promised Axis that his time would come and he'd find someone to give him a good fight. He didn't quite believe it, but it was the only sliver of hope he had left to find someone that could at least, in some way, be at least an equal...He'd even take slightly inferior, and settle on it. It was his last hope, because everyone else was just too godamn weak...He'd heard Cain, the Cero Espada, would be tough, and looked forward to that.

He'd heard Kuroi would be tough too, but apparently at some point in time, Kuroi had lost to a fuckin' Soul Reaper. The hell? Axis had briefly battled a guy with the name 'Kuchiki,' and a Captain at that. The guy hadn't been a match for Axis at all. The fight had lasted around fourteen total seconds, if not less, before the other guy was on death's door. And really, that wasn't his fault. He was strong, but not on Axis's level. No one was on Axis's level...Hence despair...Maybe the Primera, Adalo, could be a challenge...MAYBE.

I have no rivals...There's only me... That single, isolating fact was what gave rise to loneliness, resentment, and anger. And those three simple, isolating emotions gave rise to despair. Despair isn't the darkness you force upon someone else's life. Despair is the void of hopelessness that life itself engulfs you with, often without the need for assistance from other people. Despair isn't something that you can control. It's something that exists to force you to adapt and grow, or to stagnate and indulge yourself in self pity.

[Lucian De'Mont]

A full moon rose above the evening sands of Las Noches, a moon that was always present, shifting only in its phases in the night sky. The Lady Moon, as the figure observing her glow called her, was never consistent, always changing with each new “night” in the eternal black of the Hollow home world's sky. Yet this inconsistency, this ever-shifting lady in the sky, was an intriguing and mysterious woman, one whose beauty captivated her viewer night after night, never the same two evenings in a row. And so Lucian found himself admiring the only constant woman in his life, the one that hung out of reach yet never left the skies above. It was a captivating practice, yet an enjoyable experience every time he sat among the sands of Las Noches and stared up into her pale visage.

Of course, tonight was different; instead, Lucian stared at his moonlit mistress through a thin veil of glass as he reclined against a soft sofa set into the wall of the Escudo's chosen meeting room. The Zarpa absently stroked one hand along the arm of the couch, his fingers gliding gently along the silken cover as he gazed out the window nearby. Most of the room had been Lucian's design, from the thick, tightly-woven carpets to the shade of blue used for the sofa beneath him. Oh sure, there were a few things in the room that were not part of his artistic imaginings; the table, for one, was an ugly squared shape, rather than something more gracefully elegant; the hard points were a direct contrast to the soft and flowing nature of the room. The chairs of rich mahogany around them, by comparison, were fluid shapes, curved lines of wood twisting into symmetric shapes that lured the eyes in whorls of well-polished beauty.

But of course, not everyone appreciated Lucian's fine tastes in the manner that he had hoped; indeed, one of his associates was leaning back in his chair, ignoring the beauty of it and using it as nothing more than a recliner so that he could prop his feet on the table. The Zarpa cared little for the latter, as it was a work that clashed with his design, but the chair's grace being subverted by his companion's callous nature was a minor annoyance that briefly creased lines of irritation across Lucian's flawless, perfect skin. They were smoothed away scarcely a moment away, perfection restored as the man's expression shifted to one more neutral. No, it would not do to let little things frustrate him; instead, the man simply pushed himself up from the sofa and strode across the room, his gait more of a gliding step that simply flowed with a practiced elegance. Perfection in step, just as with everything.

Lucian walked up behind Axis even as the man spoke, raising an eyebrow at the man's statement. He wasn't here? Lucian had been the second to arrive, after Axis, who had a bit of a head start. Sleeping in the actual meeting room did wonders for punctuality, after all. The Zarpa shook his head before gently reaching over to ruffle the man's hair briefly, hopefully gaining his attention. It was difficult to say with Axis; the man tended to fall asleep at the strangest times and wake up in even stranger places, so it wouldn't be unusual for him to doze off even after finishing his sentence. Nonetheless, Lucian's actions should have garnered his comrade's notice as he leaned forward, over Axis's shoulder.

“Not present? Surely you jest, my constantly comatose companion... you can ask the others, I've been in the room for some time. It's good to see you awake for once, though, even if your brain still seems asleep.” The Zarpa's tone was light, playfully mocking in the form of a jab between associates. Lucian glanced across the room at the other two, meeting Col's gaze briefly. A smile tilted the corners of his mouth as he met his fellow Zarpa's eyes, and Lucian gave a brief nod. “Col, you appear to be eating well. I hope you've found something to sate that appetite of yours.” Continuing around the table, Lucian finally took his seat, the last one left unoccupied by the current members of the Escudo's Zarpa. His deep blue gaze slid across the table, finally settling on the last of the three companions that he had yet to greet. “Allen...”

“...Please stop reclining in that chair; it's a very delicate mahogany that is particularly prone to stress fractures, especially with the build of the legs and the back. I'd rather you not damage that one, if you would be so kind.”

With that minor chastisement, Lucian brushed his pink-tinged hair backwards, letting the bangs settle behind his ears and the rest flow down his back. His posture was elegant, refined; he did not slouch, as Allen and Axis did, and he ignored the... food... that had been brought for him. No, the Zarpa had eaten before he had come, his distaste for American foods evident; the grease and fat on them did horrors to his skin, and the food lacked the quality he had become accustomed to. No, he would decline the offered meal, passing it along to Axis, who seemed to enjoy it. If it meant that his fellow Zarpa would remain conscious at least long enough to eat, Lucian had no objection with sharing the food that he had no stomach for anyway.

Axis's announcement drew a raised eyebrow from Lucian, and he was the first to respond to it, evenly. “I have no objection to your change of numbers, Axis, though I do not believe we should underestimate Soul Society quite so easily. At least, not their upper echelons.” The Zarpa ran his thumb and pointer finger beneath his chin thoughtfully. He knew that, as the weakest among peers—though still significantly stronger than most spiritual beings—his suggestion might not be taken seriously. Still, it was a point that needed to be addressed, and he had no problem doing so; Lucian was never one to shy away when it came to speaking. “The majority may be weak, but there are some gems amidst the trash, and we cannot discount the possibility that things are developing while we sit idle in the world.”

Lucian folded his hands on the table in front of him, looking from person to person. Ready to get down to business, the Zarpa spoke calmly. “But I digress. We'll discuss that when we get to it. Since we are all here, I suppose we can begin the meeting. Perhaps we should put the topics we want to discuss on the table one at a time, and go around until we've answered all of our questions? I certainly have one to consider, for a start, if you all are interested.” With that, Lucian looked around the table, counting in his head. One, two, three, and he made four. That meant, simply... “The Escudo's Zarpa has been short by one member for some time. Have we had any candidates approach us to fulfill the last slot? Currently we have Allen, Zarpa 4/5; myself, Zarpa 7/8; Col, Zarpa 3/6, and Axis, who is now Zarpa 1/10. That means that currently, Zarpa 2/9 is being sought, unless anyone has plans to change their number?” He let both questions hang. Had they discovered someone to take the place of their missing member? And what would that member's rank be? Would any of the others step forward to change their number?

With that, the meeting between Zarpa had begun.

[Deleted]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Allens Theme}

With a sigh, and an air of exasperation, Allen swung his feet off of the fine mahogany table, and let the chair touch all four legs back down to the ground. Typical Lucian, giving all sorts of orders to people, all in pursuit of his idea of beauty. But it was tolerable, because more often than not, it was stuff that either took little effort to do, or should be done regardless. Of course, Allen had been heavily insulted by the time that Lucian suggested that he stop eating so much greasy food, but nothing had come out of it. The Zarpa didn't fight amongst themselves, but rather settled disputes with games where their destructive capabilities wouldn't interfere. Rock Paper Scissors, Card Games, Video Games, simple Dice Roll Offs, any contest of luck or skill that the participants could mutually agree upon. Why? Because two Zarpas fighting would entail similar collateral damage to all out civil war in Las Noches. Besides, they all knew they were powerful, fighting physically proved nothing. So instead, any time two Zarpa had a dispute, the first one to refuse to back down would select a game, and the two would play it to settle the argument. It was a simple system, and hard worked effectively thus far.

Overall, Allen liked his compatriots. Although Lucian bothered him, it was in an almost sibling manner. He doubted the other man would feel the same, but Allen took his constant chidings as that of a overly prim and proper older brother, one who certainly couldn't have his respectable outfit and dominion besmirched in any way. Not that Allen considered Lucian himself a brother, but just his manner that of one, if that made sense. Lucian was the oddball in a team of deviants, with a goal that Allen respected on some levels, but still thought pointless on others. Similarly, Lucian took two targets that Allen thought were easy beyond belief, although Lucian had stated several times that his dislike for those two individual Espada was high enough to justify taking them as targets. Allen had accepted that answer, on some level he really wasn't one to talk. Rio and Kalte were strong, but still nowhere near a level that would challenge him. Maybe both at once could cause him some distress, but nothing permanent.

Allen's relationship with Col was a little more strained. Whereas Lucian's energy sensory capabilities stalled out at a low enough level that he was not disturbed by Allen's slightly less than pleasant soul, which was a godsend given Lucian's thoughts in regards to ugly things, Col had the ability to see Allen's true self, and that hadn't gone well when they'd first met. Col wasn't the sturdiest of minds, not that Allen could really talk, so his reaction to it had been...suboptimal. Since then, repairing a friendship into existence hadn't really been a feasible option, but at least they were on speaking terms for the most part. And Allen's goals didn't interfere with Col's, so that made things better. Allen had it as a personal goal to bring Col any potential foes who would make for good meals, as a way of brokering peace between the two. Thus far, that hadn't worked out so well, and he wasn't allowed to bring living Akki into the headquarters anymore.

Axis was the one who Allen was on best terms with, for a plethora of reasons. They were the two strongest Zarpa, at least thus far, and both enjoyed crushing their foes with Hakuda. Both had a very human interest in pop culture, as well as sports (Axis refused to admit that Allen was simply better at basketball than he was, a point that had caused a great deal of frustration and argumentation between the two). And of course, Axis slept through, and thus tolerated, most of Allen's monologues. They were a pair made in heaven, and their constant working together proved that. Allen was the one who always retrieved Axis whenever he woke up somewhere awkward, from Soul Society to Kouhai's throne. And of course, Allen provided Axis with plenty of foods that were horrible for him, partially out of the goodness of his heart, and partly out of an attempt to sabotage his basketball playing skills.

Allen noded along softly as Axis justified his dropping of Kuroi Naito as an opponent. Although he played off as cool, internally his mind was racing. Kuroi Naito, the Segunda Espada. Allen had joined the Zarpa without a personal preference for his opponent, and had gotten assigned 4/5 as a default. He'd been fine with that, of course, until he read through the files of Axis' two opponents, while Axis was unconscious with the two dossiers lying open in front of him. Allen had assumed that Axis had tried to read them, and had fallen asleep halfway through. In any case, Cain's dossier was more like a dictionary, and so Allen set that aside, uninterested. However, Kuroi's had snagged him right off the bat, by listing his birthplace. The fucker had been a Japanese World War Two soldier, and thought his country was doing the fucking right thing. It had stirred up a bunch of unpleasant memories, memories of death and pain, twenty two times over. It had taken a considerable amount of effort to let Axis stay there, still asleep, instead of waking him up to beg for that target. And now, the opportunity presented itself.

No sooner than Lucian had asked the question than Allen interrupted him. "I call dibs on the fucker. I'm throwing Kalte back in the pool, the guy's a joke compared to my powers anyway. Kuroi on the other hand could maybe actually challenge me, the two of us  like dragging people down before beating them senseless. Besides, if I'm packing the second most firepower out of us, I may as well have the targets to match it." Depending on how well the other Zarpa knew Allen, they'd realize that he clearly had other motives. Although Allen was powerful, he wasn't the type to force it in other people's faces. Especially not people he considered equals, like the other Zarpa. But some twisted sense of pride kept him from mentioning the grudge that he held against the Segunda, not because of the Espada's actions as an Arrancar, but rather his actions as a human.

After making sure there were no complaints, Allen leaned forwards and folded his hands on the table. "Now that that's out of the way, next order of business. Chilling in Hueco Mundo is fine and dandy, but sitting so close to Las Noches might bite us in the ass eventually." Not because the Espada would be able to hunt them down, but because if that happened the Zarpa would burn through a large amount of opponents in a short amount of time, which wouldn't help the aforementioned boredom. "Anyone have alternative suggestions for location? Any preferences? This isn't a priority issue, easily tableable if we want to get onto other discussions." At his core, Allen didn't care, he just wanted to get away from the prior conversation of targets. 

[Col Arana]

So. Axis was switching Espada numbers? And Kuroi had been bested by a Shinigami. This truly meant little to Col, however. Kuroi was not his target. He had seen Zeruel and Asuka, and despite their power, they were weak. A paradoxical statement? Perhaps, but they were the sort that Col preyed upon best. They were the ones that would tremble in terror before him. They were the ones that would scream before the end. From his profiling of the individuals, Col could see in his very mind, how each Espada would meet their end. Cierro would see it, pleading for mercy, asking for forgiveness. To let him scramble away another day. Scrambling away. A pitiful sight. Indeed, Col had considered taking on Cierro, but Lucian had claimed the number before him. Besides. Cierro was too weak to sate Col's appetite. There was the Septima, Myza-- no. That one had disappeared without a trace. But Asuka? Oh yes. Col could see her, screaming in bloody terror as he slowly consumed her body. Her succulent flesh sating his hunger-- bite by bite. Or perhaps to simply swallow her whole, her body seasoned by terror and fear. ...Hmph. The Quinta Rio Demoniogalgo would give him no such pleasure. That one was the boisterous, oafish warrior type. Absorbed in his own bravado, he would rush to his death with a grin. A snarl of fury at best. Anger, and rage was no good if it was directed at one's own situation. It made the flesh tough and unpleasant. Kalte had not been among the Espada when Col had chosen his-- and it seemed he was presently taken in any case. No point in pondering. Zeruel was a pacifist. Pathetic cretin. An idealist too. Col would grin to see his face as his ideals and dreams crumbled into dust. ...Kuroi may have been bested by a shinigami. But he was still powerful. And besides which the reserved man Col had seen at Las Noches was not the sort that seemed likely to crack. An impenetrable armor of pride surrounded him. Oh, Col could shatter that armor, he was certain. But that very armor would prevent Kuroi from showing his fear and horror as Col devoured him. Trapping and locking the flavor of his fear and despair away from the Zarpa. And Adalo.... that man had a soul much like Allen's. No, certainly not. Col would not wish to devour that one.

"Ah. 3-6 has a nice enough ring to it." Col finally said, looking about the table almost longingly. Not at the chicken nuggets that had been brought, for Col had no interest in those. What he wouldn't give for a proper meal. Perhaps a nice brisket? Hmm. With potatoes and a light salad. The Escudo truly needed more sophisticated cooks. It cost an arm and a leg to even get good wine and tea in here-- the cooks arm and leg that is. They had been delicious. Perhaps that's why the cook avoided him. Alas. Col found himself deprived of the finer things in life. He had to go to the human world if he wanted that. A pity. Lucian commented about his appetite himself. A taunt? Or a genuine icebreaker? Col did not dwell on it long. "How long today, Lucian? Preparing yourself I mean? Five hours? Six?" Col responded in a neutral, even light, tone.

At least Lucian seemed to share Col's views on Axis.

However, Lucian then directed the conversation towards candidates for the last Zarpa. Col shook his head. "Despite our own circumstances, we do not simply look for candidates for our ranks." He chastised Lucian. "...If one is of sufficient merit to join us, then we would not 'scout him out' he would already be here." He stated plainly.

Allen himself seemed impatient and wishing to escape from Las Noches. Col's eyes shifted to the twisted man. "Afraid?" He queried Allen. "Our proximity to Las Noches is an asset. For one, if Sonken Kouhai-- who stands the only one of Las Noches to pose any real threat to us, does not know our place, he may search far and wide. It is most often that a man watches the horizon that he misses the danger in his own back yard." He stated. "Furthermore. This opts us a good position to track the movements of Las Noches. If our quarry should stray too far from their ivory palace, they are easily disposed of, where no one may hear them scream. We may be close to Las Noches, ser Allen, but we are not so close."

[Axis Recio]

OKAY, no objections. Axis got to take Adalo De-Mona, with that horrifying ass soul and fucking ridiculous legendary powers, and Allen would take Kuroi, and Kalte was back in the pool. Pretty easy number switch. Sometimes, Axis couldn't help but wonder to himself about these power levels, though. Like, come on. He'd acknowledge that Kuroi might be relatively strong, possibly enough to challenge and defeat a couple of his Zarpa brethren, but not enough for Axis. Proof was in losing to a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers, who inherently were a race inferior to Arrancar. Sure, they could get strong compared to other small fry. But not compared to a Zarpa.

Psh, Lucian and his "gems" thing. What? No way. Axis had faced Soul Reapers before. He knew the limits of their power not only from his brief time as one, technically in a past life, but from his battles against them. There'd been one Captain who faced and was no match for Axis. A Captain not far from Sozen Kuchiki in terms of ranking of power. Well then again, maybe this Sozen Kuchiki was the "gem" spoken of by Lucian. Or maybe Lucian just thought the guy was pretty. Axis had heard Sozen was another gaudy, decadent, laughable pretty boy. Psh, nobles. He remembered Sozen Kuchiki's son, from the academy...Souza Kuchiki. Well, Axis had never thought Souza could beat him, but had to admit, if anyone could, Souza would have gotten the closest...

Okay, so...maybe Axis should do battle against Sozen. Maybe it'd relieve his boredom for a few minutes. Ugh, he needed an opponent...Someone who could, even for a short while, be his equal. But it was impossible. He'd thought Kuroi might be able to, after hearing rumors that the Segunda specialized in increasing his own strength and lowering the opponent's. But if that hadn't been good enough for a Soul Reaper, then what good would it do against Axis? Well, maybe Sozen and Kuroi simultaneously could face Axis... That was an appealing thought. A Soul Reaper with cunning, as Sozen must surely have had to bring down Kuroi, and an Arrancar who could weaken his foes and strengthen himself, as Kuroi could do. Together...just maybe...they'd entertain Axis a little bit.

Ugh, shit, and now they were discussing something stupid like strategy. Seriously? Come on. Fucking strategy? They were the Escudo. Could anyone really challenge them? Yeah, okay. Lucian would lose to Kuroi or stronger. Col, unless he ate someone good recently, would too. Allen might, if he approached Kuroi or stronger the wrong way. But that was their minimum. Kuroi. Their minimum was Las Noches's most efficient soldier. That meant there were hypothetically only around four of value in Las Noches. They could crush everyone else. And, that wasn't even mentioning the Escudo leaders, who could assist them quite a lot.

Come to think of it, where the fuck were the leaders? If this was supposed to be a strategy meeting, why the hell weren't they here? Or, maybe this wasn't a strategy meeting. Maybe it was just a meeting for the fuck of it. Actually...the more Axis thought about it, how the hell did he even hear about this meeting? Hmmm...He just kind of knew about it at some point...And he didn't even really know the purpose of it. He just knew about it, and then woke up one day and found that it was happening around him. Wait, actually...When did all these people get back to the base? Weren't all of them on like...trips or something before this? Alright, Axis was confused. Okay, wait. Enough fucking thinking. Fuck that.

Time to be arrogant. A kind of loud scoff from Axis, which devolved in a few seconds into a cough, which came back into a super cocky grin, would get everyone's attention. Ignore the fucking coughing. Axis just accidentally swallowed down the wrong pipe. He got over it in a split second because of his crazy awesome healing expertise. Useful, AmIright? Okay back to cocky. "Get far from the enemy this, stay in the enemy's backyard that...It doesn't fucking matter..." Axis suddenly said. "Enough of strategy. Our base should only factor in what's fucking aesthetically cool, and we don't even need to give a damn about strategy. It doesn't matter how the enemy comes at us..." Axis was sort of surprised he knew a word with as many syllables as aesthetic.

There was suddenly a huge hole in the wall farthest from Axis. The hole was larger than an enormous carrier truck, and was steaming with raw power and reiatsu. More importantly, two Hollows that had been sitting unsuspectingly outside of their base, which now had a huge hole in the wall that led to the outside, were decapitated and dead. Axis was still sitting in the same place, and it would look as if all of that had been spontaneous to the untrained eye. But, to those who had paid attention (hypothetically only really Lucian should have been able to observe that motion directly), would have seen just what happened.

Axis had stood up, materialized a Bala in his hand, and disappeared with speed enhanced by another technique. The Bala he had dribbled on the ground once, before using it to burn through the wall and make a hole, and then flicked it with tremendous speed and accuracy through the two unsuspecting Hollows. He had then gone back to his previous position, and sat back down, lazily, and yawned. Col and Allen would be able to witness a blur of it, but Axis's enhanced speed had allowed him to make it extremely difficult to see it. Lucian, with his good senses, would have seen the whole thing perfectly. And that wasn't even a very impressive feat among the Zarpa, even if it only took a second, or less. It was just an average, yawning feat for any of those four.

"There isn't anyone in Las Noches that can fight us...We're the strongest..." Axis declared boldly, fully believing that, in fact, fuck yes, he could take on Kuroi, Adalo, Cain, Guujin Karai, and Sonken Kouhai. Yeah. Not a single one of them could match him. And for the record, no, he didn't have to fight them 5 v 1, because they still had other Zarpa, and the Escudo Leaders. Though, secretly, Axis did have fucking dibs on Sonken Kouhai. That guy should be a lot more interesting than any of his fucking Espada. Oh, wait, back to bragging. "We would crush all of them in an all out war..." And then a thought returned to his mind. I have no rivals...There's only me...

Oh wait, new idea. "Hold up," Axis suddenly cut off his arrogant speech. This place was dreary, boring, lame, dull, and like a shitton of other adjectives that Axis didn't actually know, because, plot twist, he wasn't very good at vocabulary. Also during his time as a Hollow and then Arrancar, he'd forgotten how to read. Illiteracy sucks. Just saying. You always have to order the same thing as your buddy at restaurants, so you don't get caught. Wait, back on track. "This place is fucking depressing. Why the hell are we even here right now? We only gather once in a while. Let's open up a Garganta and go to the fucking mall or something right now."

[Lucian De'Mont]

“Only three, I'm afraid, Col. I wouldn't have wanted to be late for this lovely meeting.” Lucian's reply came with another playfully mocking smile, hints of condescension in his tone that were mostly friendly jabs as always. He didn't care much about the taunt, as it was mostly accurate; Lucian knew he spent a good deal of time each day preparing himself and his perfection, and it was only natural for the others to be jealous and make remarks about it. Perfection was so difficult to achieve, after all. The man's blue eyes roamed from one Zarpa to another as they spoke as Lucian idly toyed with a strand of hair, waiting politely for the others to finish before he spoke up again. After all, this was a meeting of equals, of comrades; they had enough respect for one another to hear the others out and consider their words before making their own heard. Well, most of them; Allen could be a little... raucous at times, but he meant well.

The request for Allen to change numbers was a bit of a surprise as well, at least to most in the room. Lucian had done some research on the man's past, and though there was a surprising amount of past to cover—Col had once explained about their companion's twisted soul, something Lucian could only be thankful he was not able to see—there were some possible “whys” to his decision. Unfortunately, with as much ground as had to be covered, particularly the number of past lives that could not be traced to a single “dominant” individual within the man, it would be impossible to narrow down; Lucian could hazard a few guesses, but being wrong on such a sensitive matter was such an ugly outcome, and so he remained quiet. Whatever the reasons, Allen had made his decision, and the others would respect it unless they, too, were gunning to take the Segunda as their target. Seeing as Axis had given Kuroi up, while Col and Lucian had no objections, things worked out splendidly.

From there, the conversation shifted quickly. Allen wanted to move away from Las Noches, a point that Lucian had little concern for; whether they moved or not, things would not change for the well-kept man. Again fiddling with his hair, he let the others debate it back and forth, and surprisingly found himself relating to Axis most in the end. Lucian cared little for their location, as it mattered little; between the four of them, they were powerful enough to create a large threat, and short of every single member of Las Noches coming for them, there was little potential for risk. Even if Kouhai knew about their position, he would be hesitant to strike and cause conflict on a scale he could not control. No, the only thing that mattered to Lucian was the aesthetic beauty of their location, the point from which the paradise he intended to create would flow. As long as that was suitable, he would not care a whit for where they were.

Suddenly, a flicker of motion drew Lucian's attention, and the Zarpa's blue eyes narrowed as he watched Axis move in a fluid step, creating a Bala that blasted an enormous hole through the wall and two Hollows outside. The man's lips compressed slightly in distaste; he hated these raw displays of power, especially when they damaged the room. The Hollows outside got a mere look of disdain for their mangled bodies, but they were hideous to begin with; no, Lucian was more upset because Axis's Bala had destroyed the sofa that he had been lounging upon earlier. He had taken so much time to find just the right shade of blue, the perfect texture of silk, and the placement of the furniture within their chosen meeting room. Now all of that effort was promptly wasted, and the carpets along that massive hole were scorched and blackened, ugly by comparison to the rest; they would have to be cut away and replaced anew, much to Lucian's annoyance.

Letting out a soft sigh, the first sound that he had made since the others had started debating, Lucian leaned back slightly in his seat, putting a hand to his forehead in exasperation. “Axis... if you would be so kind, refrain from damaging the delicate works of art. The wall I care little for, but that carpet was... exported, from a fine palace in London, and I had personally commissioned that sofa for the luxury I had hoped we would enjoy. Your demonstration obliterated the sofa, something I can do nothing about, but that horrible marring of the carpet is going to be an eyesore and will have to be replaced; ash and burn marks will never come out of the material.”

Another scolding from Lucian, but this was to be expected; he held his companions to high expectations, regardless of their personal appearances or attitudes, and expected each of them to care for and treat the beauty around them as though it was a part of themselves. It was a lesson that was hard to stick, as proven by both Alllen and Axis today alone, but Lucian was patient; he would eventually see to it that they understood the value of the beautiful things around them. In the meantime, however, he would just have to deal with the carpet when he had a moment, and just have to keep his eyes from lingering on the blackened area left by Axis's “attack” on the wall. It was difficult to do, and it was clearly obvious to the others that Lucian was struggling to look anywhere but at that point. Quickly, he spoke up, hoping to distract himself.

“Others have expressed disdain at my choice of targets in the past, and I understand your concern; we are Zarpa, meant to be powerful and display that power through the choice of targets we take. Previously, I cared little for that, as we are each powerful enough to fear little from most targets; instead, I went for the ones who offended my sense of beauty most.” Lucian's eyes narrowed; both Myzaphiston Synderfell and Cierro Muerte had been chosen for their inner ugliness as much as their outer appearances, the former being particularly offensive to him. However... “But the Septima, Myzaphiston, has disappeared, leaving me with but a single target. As Allen has so graciously returned Kalte to the table, I will take that target, leaving me as Zarpa 4-8 now.”

With that being said, Lucian pushed himself away from the table, rising from his seat and striding towards an open space in the room. A simple raise of his hand caused a crack to appear in the air before him, and it slowly widened into a portal, the Garganta opening like some kind of gaping maw ready to consume any who stepped within it. Oh, how Lucian wished he could travel more elegantly, but the Garganta was all that was available at the moment. “I agree with Axis's sentiment, however. Why don't we adjourn this meeting, and resume it somewhere less dreary? I could use a little sunlight, as much as I love the Lady Moon; any rose would wilt under such depressing circumstances. Lead the way, gentlemen; the Garganta's destination is up to you.”

[Deleted]

Afraid? Did the goddamn spider just ask if he was afraid? Allen couldn't help but laugh at Col's remark. "So, Col, how are those target's of yours coming along? Oh, right, you don't fight people who have the tiniest chance of hurting you. I'm sorry, I forgot for a second, because you were almost acting like you were the brave one in our merry band." He shook his head with a smile. "Remember, eight legs, people who live in glass houses should shut the fuck up." Perhaps he was being a little unnecessarily harsh on his ally, but Allen wasn't really a fan of hypocrisy.

And then his attention was disrupted slightly by Axis blowing a giant fucking hole in the wall.

He really had to stop doing that when he got frustrated.

Now, of course, Allen wasn't capable of following the motion of the attack, especially given that they weren't in a combat situation and he was more or less at rest. However, the aftermath was pretty clear, and the reminder was an important one. When comparing themselves to each other, the Zarpa were good. WHen comparing themselves to the outside world, they were gods amongst mere mortals. Col and Lucian were easily Captain level, Allen was likely high Espada level, and Axis was, without a doubt, the single strongest Arrancar in Hueco Mundo. Of course, that was because the Mozo weren't Arrancar, but rather forces of nature. Calling them something as simple as Arrancar was insulting, and Allen didn't want to bite the hand that fed him.

Allen snapped his head back away from the giant hole, and focused on his compatriots, and once Lucian was done with his lecture, he resumed his train of thought. "I concede the point, since all three of you have clearly expressed disinterest. Personally, I'm just getting sick of this stupid desert. Axis' reminder of our power does basically remove my secondary point of 'But it's dangerous', I suppose. It's a little bit hard to remember that sometimes. I mean, World of Cardboard, amiright Axis?" He flashed his companion a grin, hoping that he would understand the reference.

Axis followed pop culture, as if fascinated by it, and Allen had trouble leaving the human parts of him behind. Of course, their interests overlapped strangely at times. Allen read the books for Game Of Thrones, whereas Axis watched the show. One of Allen's near death moments occurred when he had spoiled the end of the first season. In Allen's defense, the books had been out for over a decade, and beating a man with his own kneecap was probably a disproportionate reaction. However, Allen walked it off, and accepted the punishment as a vaguely fair one.

In any case, he agreed with Axis' suggestion for a change of scenery. "Dude, I'm so down for a cheeseburger right now. What's a good mall that has one? Oh, and a Cinnabon. I really want a Cinnabon." A mall trip with the Zarpa sounded like the perfect natural disaster, but Allen wasn't really thinking of the consequences on the world. Right now, he was picturing shopping (consumerism!), a burger (fattening!), and shitty mall music (something to bitch about!). Truly, this Mall visit would be one of the most American things imaginable.

[Col Arana]

Col found Axis's mannerisms deplorable, but agreed with the man's central point. Indeed. Their power was great enough that in anything less than an all-out war, Las Noches would be crushed. An all out assault was their only hope, for although Myza had vanished from the ranks of the Espada, the Zarpa ranks were not quite complete themselves, and Las Noches outnumbered them greatly. Quantity had a quality all of its own. Col believed that the Zarpa's best hope of destroying Las Noches, should it come to it, was in smaller engagements. One on three or five, should be manageable if only one or two of that number were Espada. But Col suspected that even were all four men here to join their forces, defeating the entirety of the Espada, as well as the Exequias and the Espada's Fraccion in a single battle would be beyond their limits, though they would undoubtedly leave more than a few openings in the pecking order of Kouhai's army. But that was a paltry price if they died in the process. The old Escudo had been wiped out. Col did not intend to repeat their mistakes of thinking they could defeat Las Noches in an all-out war.

And then Axis blew out the wall, in a fruitless show of power. How pathetic, Col mused. He knew the value of flaunting one's power of course. Intimidation and undermining an enemy's morale before the first blow was even struck was of considerable value. If an enemy believed themself to be fighting at a disadvantage it could be turned into your own advantage-- to break their spirit. But here? The Zarpa knew well enough each other's strength. There was nothing to be gained by wrecking their palace. Col gave an exasperated sigh at Axis's theatrics. "Ah yes. The mighty Axis. May no wall ever make the mistake of standing against you." He remarked sarcastically. And then Allen responded with a statement Col couldn't forgive. The Escudo's eyes narrowed at the scarfaced man. "Are you calling me a coward, Allen?" Col said, slowly rising to his feet. With poise. He reminded himself. Always with poise and elegance and grace in his motions, but his wine colored eyes glared at his fellow Escudo member.

"I would gladly demonstrate my powers on you." He hissed at him, with a venom as potent as any spider's in his tone. "But I'm afraid that would not disprove your statement as it would require me to face a man who has the slightest chance of causing me harm." He insulted, his eyes hard and angered. Bipolar was a good way to describe Col, for behind the facade of a gentleman that he tried so very hard to become, there was the savage hollow that still resided within him. Not a day went by he did not curse Cero of the Espada for cursing him with this form, and hoped that some fragment of her continued to live on within him-- suffering perpetually inside of him for all eternity. Perhaps he would allow Allen to join her, if he felt so inclined. The offer of a change of location flew over Col's head now, his eyes boring into Allen, as if threatening him to back down from his challenge.

The very atmosphere of the room had changed, though Col had not bothered to flare his reiatsu. As he had just chided Axis on the notion, Col felt no need to flaunt his power at Axis. He knew Axis possessed a potent enough reiatsu, but so did he. Now was not the time for intimidation. At present, Col wished for nothing more than to carve his cohort up with his beloved Tarentella. To slice Allen into bite sized chunks. And then possibly to devour him afterwards. Elegantly of course. Col even overlooked Lucian's acceptance of his new rank of Zarpa 4-8. It didn't matter. What mattered was that Col slid a knife between Allen's ribs, or the opposing Zarpa backed down.

[Axis Recio]

Oh, fuck, they were squabbling. Axis didn't really care about how cocky it was of Col or Lucian to hit him with sarcasm, because both of them put together were still weaker than he was, but he was annoyed that Col thought he was good enough to be sarcastic to one stronger than him, and then to threaten someone and taunt someone who was also stronger than him. You know, choice of targets has something to show for strength. Zarpa 2-5? That's one number higher in two categories than Zarpa 3-6, meaning Allen was probably stronger. Also, let's be real. Allen had just taken a target that Col feared, Kuroi. Don't even try to talk down without balls. It's uncanny.

Actually, it was funny to see this, though. While when the Mozo were present, the other three were more cooperative (Axis didn't get any more cooperative), it was also still true that the Zarpa anyway weren't very in line. They didn't do well in teamwork. They were one of those teams of people so powerful that they could ignore teamwork, and might even work better if they each selfishly played to individual strengths. Anyway, even if the Mozo tried to form them up better, Axis was stronger than they were anyway. Age and statistical values made no difference before overwhelming ability, which was possessed by the only one to take such massive targets. Axis Recio. Zarpa 1-0.

But, no, it wasn't funny because Axis was stronger. The disheveled teamwork of the four Zarpa was funny because of another team that Axis had once been a part of. As a spirit in Soul Society going by the name of Kenpachi Recio, Axis had been one of The Five Prodigies, a mighty group of students who had very high ambitions. Only because of his overwhelming power had Axis decided that staying in that world was not in his best interest. But, he had to admit respect to Souza Kuchiki, who, were he also a Zarpa or an Escudo member in general, would probably have been able to keep them all in line and force their submission. Teamwork, for Souza, was one of the most important tenets to keep up with.

Axis could practically hear the Kuchiki Heir. It went something like Are you all worthless foot soldiers? When did I give you permission to bicker? Or something like that. Didn't Souza have a catch phrase that Axis had really liked? Oh yeah. It went something similar to being always correct because of always winning. Success was virtuous and failure was despicable, so whoever won was right and whoever lost was wrong. Axis sort of liked that. Maybe because he always won, so it also meant that he might also always be right. It probably wasn't true objectively, but circumstantially. Alright, too much thought for one moment. Time to do something else.

Axis spoke up, not because he cared that a fight was breaking out, but because he really did want to go to the mall. "I don't really care either way..." Axis told his fellow Zarpa. "But if you get caught fighting here, you're going to die." Forget that one of the Zarpa rules was "Zarpa do not fight one another," but Axis was also making reference to the two Mozo, one of which would be exasperated, the other of which would be displeased. The displeased one would probably try to kill Col and Allen for fighting each other, because that was a serious transgression. Or maybe they'd just be cut into pieces, kept alive, and healed later after a lecture so boring as to be worse than death.

That boring part was what Axis would dread, not that they could kill him, or cut him into pieces, or force him to stay there and listen to the lecture. But, you know. It was probably a good idea to go to the mall, so Axis opened up a Garganta to some random giant mall in the human world, in Japan, and pointed at the Garganta. It opened up into the sky overhead in the human world, above the mall. "Anyway, when you're both done, let's go already. I have shit I need to buy," Axis told them matter-of-factly. No, really, he needed some new Beats by Dre headphones, and maybe another magazine to read when he wasn't sleeping. Headphones first, though. Headphones first.