The 8th and 8th

 Of course the man would be right there, and in turn, making the Arrancar look like blissfully unaware idiot. He did smile though, and with a jump from his position, Theocelese landed sitting down across from the Captain. Not a plate was dropped in the process, nor a crack in any of the three bottles. "A pleasure to be able to meet you in an informal setting, indeed Kyoraku. I hope I'm not wedging myself between your duties and your squad." He said this as both plates were set down between them. Clearing his throat, Theocelese reached into his satchel, pulling out a blue pack of cigarettes and from the box, placed one between his lips. He offered the open pack to the Captain, if the man felt inclined to join him.



"I've not been given any grief, thankfully. I know a lot of the Gotei are...unsure of an Arrancar siding with them. Mostly off-handed glances, and people clearing to get out of my way. I heard rumor Renji made the comment that he's glad I'm on this side." He couldn't help but to laugh at that potential fact. Maybe there were other Shinigami who felt the same way but didn't say anything, though the red-head Lieutenant was something different. Whether this rumor was true or not, well, Theocelese was wanting to visit Renji sooner rather than later. "Tradition in my culture dictates that I bring gifts for being received in one's home. Dolmades...a bit plain but I wasn't sure whether you were a picky eater or not. Just rice and a mixture of ground lamb and beef. I've also brought Melomakarono, a celebratory cookie with chopped walnuts and a honey glaze. Please help yourself." As he spoke, the Arrancar's lips formed into a wide grin. One. Two. Three bottles were pulled next from the satchel.



"I also have with me a sweet red wine, made by yours truly from the grapes on my property in my home village, a much stronger brew for when you decide you might need to risk going blind, and traditional Ouzo. Store bought, unfortunately, but the quality is astounding. These are for you, thank you for having me on such short notice."



With the formalities out of the way, the Arrancar produced an old looking zippo from his pocket, the faded image of a Remington 870 shotgun still visible and apparent, but maybe another decade and the image would need to be redone. Finally, he lit the peppermint scented cigarette and blew the smoke off to the side.



"I've been...managing." The words were a bit somber, and his eyes dulled slightly. "This whole situation...I wish it did not have to come to something of this magnitude for us to finally be able to work together, you know?" There had been three other times the man before the Shinigami attempted some sort of closing of hostilities with the Shinigami and all three, failed. The small affair with Shunsui was the third, and he thought, final attempt. "Much weighs on my mind regarding the war, and other problems that have come to light recently. I'm not an officer here, but..." He flashed the number 8 permanently etched into his forearm. The Captain would easily tell just who had marked him with that number. "The men and women in Las Noches look to me like the ones do to you, here. It is quite the burden to know every body felled is subjected to complete oblivion. I've heard the losses suffered here as well, my friend. My condolences." Theocelese took a long drag from the cigarette, his eyes leaving the Shinigami's for a brief moment.



"Enough of the dreary talk, yes? How have you been since we were last able to sit down together?"

 "I'm sad to admit that not many would feel inclined to trust the Shinigami within the walls of Las Noches, either. My kin have befriended some of the rogue Gotei before, as well as Vizard, but none still loyal to any division." Once again, Theocelese pulled objects from his bag. Two small drinking glass, which he filled with the wine. One of the glasses was set before Shunsui, while the Arrancar raised his own, a toasting gesture. "To our dead, and to our victories to come." He said with melancholic smile. There would be time for vengeance, Theocelese was sure of that, and then the thoughts of burying Noxa's teeth into some Quincy's gut while the weapon and her master roared in fury came and stuck. Mentally, Theocelese shrugged the picture off. All in due time.



Now what came to his mind was how much he should have indulged the Captain's question but...if he couldn't be honest with a man who was once rather welcoming to him, a man whom the Arrancar was going to call battle brother sooner rather than later, then why was he even here? To Theocelese, this little sit down was more than just asking questions. He wanted to bond with those who would be fighting with him against the Great Enemy. "Hueco Mundo is more quiet than usual...it is both refreshing and discomforting. We repelled the Quincy and sent them running with their tails between their legs, that was funny." He hadn't mentioned before the fight could even consider being half-way done, that something took over him, and he became one of the things that he detested. It took one of the Arrancar who managed to keep up in his killing spree and not get cut down as a result several attempts to lull Theocelese out of his blood-drunken state.



"I've officially organized my forces into three divisions of our own, if you would. Separated by strength and their true powers, I more or less have my bruisers, my skirmishers, and my artillery. Ranks are still to be solidified, but I have the Lieutenants and the like within each of these three groups. That has been the bulk of my time away from here. I know Yamamoto had his decree about my official joining but...well, I hope you can understand that I can't just abandon my people. Bah..." Theocelese laughed, waving his hand. "I need to refrain from that mind set! We're in this together!" This was an interesting segue into one of the few topics he actually wished to discuss. He pulled at the cigarette, letting the smoke be blown off to the side so as to not disturb his host. Another drink of the wine was taken, and this time, the flavor savored before swallowing. "As for the Human World...as much as I try to be active there, it seems to be free from being considered a battlefield and to that, I am relieved. Any souls willing to learn to defend themselves from the Quincy, or even feral Hollow, I have been willing to teach too. I actually acquired an active pupil not too long ago. Good kid...but too young to see the fires of war. I'm hoping she will pick up where I leave off, and aid her fellow mortals." He was talking about the young Shiro Inazuma. Maybe he'd bring her here on one of his trips.



The Arrancar stretched a bit, and yet again, sipped at his wine. He hadn't need to mention the capturing of Tia Hallibel to Shunsui, as the man no doubt heard the plans to rescue the woman from the Quincy's clutches. "Can I ask you something...a bit more relevant to the past?" He asked, but it was one of those questions that someone asked, but would continue to pry. No, it wouldn't be anything too close to the Captain's personal history, but more related to the Arrancar himself. "Tia said you and your brother captain, as well as two Vizard took down Stark. Well, you did. Mighty impressive, if I must say so myself...Tell me..." Theocelese trailed off, cigarette resting between his lips now. He cradled the drinking glass with both hands, thumbs running along the edge of the crystal glass. "Did he at least die with honor, did he give you pause and did you at least feel threatened by him? Did Barragan? The other Espada who have perished...detestable...but those two, and Tia Hallibel, I felt much with them. I even tried to get them to rebel against Aizen with me, but as the Fates decided, it did not come to pass."


Even with the words that were said, there was some...conflicting emotions there. Even in Theocelese's golden eyes at this very moment, it was present. Having failed to persuade his fellow Arrancar to rip the chains from their throats, placed there by an unwanted master, Theocelese's first attempt to garner some sort of shaky agreement with the Gotei 13 came with an offer that he and his men would fight against the Espada and their Fraccion, so the Shinigami could deal with their own kind. The offer was declined. Harshly. Shunsui, in this moment, could tell that Theocelese wanted to be there, if not to fight the other Espada, than to at least see them to their next lives.



"...and if I may be so bold, Taichou, I hope to be allowed the privilege to see how my brother fell. Not now, but soon enough." The somewhat sorrowful expression in his face gave way to a more mischievous grin, and he rose the wine glass, tilted slightly at Kyoraku's direction. "I just want to make sure my new comrades can hold their own, after all!"