Shattered [PRIVATE]

Figured you might like this song four more words 1200

Hueco Mundo was good for a few things, if pressed on this matter, Theocelese would have to admit this. When the world one lived in was a literal infinite expanse, there were no limits to where one could go when in need of a good walk to clear one's own mind. Granted, the scenery was rather drab and one could hardly be gruntled by nothing but the sight dunes of white sand and the occasional dread tree limb jutting out from the Menos Forest below. There were often spectacles Theocelese witnessed out in the desert, usually it was the variety of winner-takes-all, Hollows fighting it other in ruthless fashion in an effort to consume one another to grow in power and sate the hunger of being a monster who thrived on souls. Today was one such day that was originally Theocelese walking the desert of Hueco Mundo bearing his sword, shield and satchel filled with various items. One of the many things was a notebook, leatherbound and having seen many years since it looked worth more than it did now. Cracks ran up and down the front and back of the book, the middle of the book's spine would flex outwards as it opened and a sane man would toss it in favor of something not in dire of repair. Theocelese was not such a man, even though he called into question his own sanity from time to time. This notebook was special, one that held accounts of his life since he first put his lot into the matters of the Spiritual Worlds. Over half the writing was from his perspective of a human, detailing his encounters with Hollow from the ones who were responsible for him being where he was today, as well as weaknesses and the evolutionary layout of the Hollow.



There were also sections of the Gotei, all second hand information back then told to him by Shinigami when he could call many of them friends. From how the Soul Society functioned, what it did as a functioning military force and how each operated...well, perhaps that bit was skewed and misleading, as no Shinigami would have probably told him more than the basics of each squad. There was also a list of each captain and their names, as well as what a Shinigami was capable of doing in terms of combat. All forms of their martial arts, hakuda, zanjutsu, kido, shikai and bankai. All of this information gained at a time when Theocelese did not go by that name. As to his humanly affairs, there was a detailed list of names of the people he encountered and fought with, though most, if not all, of those names were covered by a single line. Either they wanted out and left Karakura, not wishing to be bothered by the likes of him, or they were dead. Some pages ahead was a list of things he learned as human, specifically certain ways to harness his own power. Could he relearn these? Potentially. Though if he found a human worthy, he would see fit to make copies.



The next section were ramblings about his rise to power, his meeting of Aizen and eventual captivity as well as the events after Aizen. From there, Theocelese used the notebook to entertain his thoughts or to plan out a future endeavor, and quite an endeavor ahead there was. He held two possible allies to bring with him, not counting Seran, but suffice it to say there was a literal army in Hueco Mundo, ready to be broken from their tribalistic ways and brought to the surface to conquer. Such was today's reasoning for Theocelese to be wandering. He thought about the Vasto Lorde, Inigo, and the Adjuchas class Hollow, Terra, she called herself. Each one held their own reasoning for taking him up on his offer of brotherhood, but from what the Blind Prophet spoke to him in the caves of the Menos Forest, he would need more to venture in the Underdark. He had found a rather tall dune to have a seat and light up a cigarette. For a few moments he mired the oldest pages of his book, a finger running across the account of the Hollow race, what they took from him and what those very same beings took from him again not long ago. If it were not for the noise of combat that erupted that interrupted him, Theocelese would have found himself digging back into a pit of fury that would have lasted for who knows how long. The last time his vision tunneled, he was gone for four days time and saw fit to lay waste to the Menos Forest.



At first Theocelese watched the event begin to unfold. It was one versus many, something he could find a deep sentiment for that single Arrancar, who would not retreat and would stand his ground until he was either dead, or all before him fell. If the decision was made to just watch the outcome, and in the event the Arrancar fell, Theocelese would honor the body by bringing it back to Las Noches on his shield, for the nameless Arrancar fought no matter the odds with honour and pride. It was that thought that gave Theocelese his decision. Such a spirit his eyes had not born witness to in some time, that was what he needed in the future. Theocelese let his satchel fall to the ground and took one long, final drag of his cigarette before readying his Zanpakutou and drawing his blade. He was gone in an instant, a blur of dark blue and black before the Arrancar's own eyes as he intercepted one of the many attackers coming in from the side to get at a weak spot. His aim was true, a solid thrust into the beast's midsection and ran down, cleaving it in half at the groin. Theocelese did not stop for idle talk or words of encouragement, there was killin' to be had, and the Nightmare of Hueco Mundo needed to get in his fill for the week. The newcomer in this sortie did not take to the defense, but instead continually pushed outwards into the fray, hacking and stabbing with his sword as well as using his shield in a mixture of offense and defense. Should the Arrancar to whom Theocelese found himself coming to aid perished, so be it. He arrived to help, but would not stop his assault until everything before them was killed or run off.



Theocelese's own hopes were that the outnumbered Arrancar would bear witness to his merciless onslaught and in turn, feel the rush of adrenaline that would extinguish the burden of fatigue so that he may either go his own path to victory, or take it by Theocelese's side. All people—Hollow, Rogue Shinigami, Vizard and Arrancar, Theocelese saw fit to test them in his own way. This was Shiro's test. Victory was so close and almost inevitable, he but merely needed to push himself once more to reach out and grasp it.

Through movements and body language, this would appear to be something any warrior would enjoy. Combat, no matter the time, no matter the setting, no matter the opponent, that was where people like Theocelese and Shiro belong. When it was all said and done, there were but a mere few who were slowly dragging themselves away, yet the look on his face remained the same. It was one of sheer drudgery. It was nothing more than the fact it came down to this was just a fight he took his place in time and time again in Hueco Mundo. Savage beasts could only swell the yearning in his core to fight someone, or something, that would give him a proper challenge. Even outnumbered, it was the same, and to Theocelese, once you fought one mindless group of permanently starving monsters, you had essentially fought them all. From conception as a Hollow, until one reached the point he himself obtained, you didn't just fight against others, you fought yourself as well. These Hollow here were no challenge, could never be one to him, but he was here for another. One that, in his mind, did not deserve to fall to a gang of ambushers. It could have also been this Arrancar's resemblance to another he was close to, though the species was a polar opposite, the similarities were there. The canine features of this one, as well as the look of revelation were only taken notice once Theocelese came out of the heat of strife, and it was in that moment the frowned lips and narrowed brows softened to a neutral position.



The still silence, broken by the groans of the little remaining survivors still in their attempts to get away, would not find no sanctuary. Still facing Shiro, Theocelese's body turned slightly, his sword arm stretched out and his wrist turned, the tip of his bloodied blade aimed behind him. A red luminescence painted the landscape entirely; a crackling ball of red energy appeared at the tip of his blade. Not soon thereafter, a Cero fired off opposite of the two Arrancar's direction, leaving nothing in its wake but a semi-circle trail in the sand that went for a great distance. With a low sigh, his arm came forward and dropped down, the Cero causing his blade to glow with a tinge of red exploded with heat against his leg. It was then Theocelese's golden eyes met Shiro's, the former Eighth Espada's mind contemplating what the next step should, no, would be. He should have broken the now-still air with words, but for whatever the reason the other Arrancar rose to continue fighting, Theocelese wanted to see more of that. He would continue to press the other man, for now it was less a test of overcoming wounds and fatigue and could be surmised as a test of the man's heart and mind. Granted, he may have not actually had a heart, but that was just a figure of speech. Shiro may not have known it, but the possibility for a better future was just over the horizon. This would not be long and drawn out, as Theocelese guessed, in his own mind, there was little fuel left keeping the other Arrancar standing. He intended to use up that last remaining bit, no matter how great or small it was, to see how it would be used.



In one rapid motion, Theocelese's form dropped into position. He moved to close the gap between the other Arrancar and himself, letting the tip of his blade leave a line behind him. When the attack was made, it was an underhand slash that would ultimately be aimed at the Arrancar's mid-section. The way in which the only attack Theocelese would make here was full of openings. His entire right side was open, though that would not stop his ability to move his shield to cover the majority of his form. All he need do was turn his body and either lift or lower his arm to greet the retaliation. The expression worn on Theocelese's face shifted once more to one of modest curiosity. The way in which his action was delivered was one that would be hard not to see coming. Everything about it was out in the open, there was nothing hidden. Shiro would know this was coming, and where Theocelese took his aim at. That, however, was the end of the Achaen's ability to take it as easy as possible. The very threat and danger of his bladed attack, if ever asked in the future, was all too real. At the distance of delivery, only the top few millimeters would be dealing damage, but it was enough to carve the other Arrancar up nice and good.



Truth be told, this was Theocelese's own personal way of showing what the future may hold for Shiro. It was one of the ways he trained those who wished to learn under him, he continued to push and press his student's body, mind and heart one session after another. Granted, there were times when slow and more informative training was necessary, but bleeding and suffering for your mistakes were the best way to teach someone. That was how he taught Cross, and the few times Solinex could have been pulled from his grand masterpieces, he was put through the same trials and tribulations. Now it was Shiro's time to get the invitation, and his reply would be in his actions. Theocelese was of the mindset a counter-offensive would be made, and hadn't thought the other Arrancar to be one to just stand there and wait for the deed to be done. The latter would have made Theocelese sorely upset, and as a result, stop his physical attack and trade it in for a much harsher, verbal one.

Theocelese stared at the giant arrancar, his face grown more curious to the point of a jagged grin. So, whatever was left in the arrancar was enough to push him into the use of his zanpakutou. It was the one thing an arrancar could do to staunch his wounds and reignite the sparks of fury within himself. And yet there was so much more revealed than form and approximate power, more information about the arrancar himself. He was a wolf, and fought with savage instinct of one. On a personal level, Theocelese took this as a challenge. Shiro had some grain of respect from him, but like all animals he would be domesticated in his own way. It was just a combination of time, discipline and affection. To some extent he saw Shiro as the savage and canine version of Solinex, and that would only serve to give the wolf a greater advantage when it came to future interactions. Now to many this would be seen abhorrent in thought as far as his motivations went but when it was all said and done, Shiro would be allowed freedom to go and do as he pleased. As Theocelese mired in his own thoughts, he kept behind his shield as the shockwaves firmly pressed his feet into the sand.



"Ah death, what big ears you have!" Theocelese spat back his ridicule at Shiro with the intention to rile him up even more. "Make them sleep in peace, Alacos Thanatos" Theocelese spoke with an ever widened grin. The explosion of wildfire energy gave way to the ground beneath him, a veritable canyon of sand created with not but a sentence. When transformed, Theocelese's form took a drastic appearance change but one to be anticipated. Armored mostly from head to toe, Theocelese was now sporting coverage on his head, forearms, chest and from his knees down. The material looked less bone, and more metal in appearance. Shiny and black, with gold inlay that matched a billowing black and gold cloak connected to his armor. In his right hand, a six foot spear that could be utilized for stabbing and slashed and attached to his left arm, his shield. The circumference and dimensions were exactly the same, the only thing different was the emblem. On the front of the shield, a pink rose with three long, overlapping petals. Beyond the black-plumed helmet, Theocelese's eyes burned in illumination, so much so that they would leave trails as he moved.



“Behold, Death, the Nightmare of Hueco Mundo!”



The tone in which the Arrancar spoke became much lower than before, and seemingly double-pitched as if two were talking instead of one. The smoke around his form from the transformation took the shape of a pair of wings that stretched six feet in either direction. Perhaps this was a glimpse of him in a form that he once was, but that story was all in the sheathed blade at his left side. He stared down Shiro, lowering himself with bent knees before disappearing in a static buzz. Theocelese appeared before the wolf Arrancar, well within spear range and in such a position, thrust the weapon outwards aiming for Shiro's foot. In his current range and stance, he could safely afford to make that attack with almost little to no chance for his opponent to make a successful strike. The situation was also even more so fortunate for Theocelese, as a thirty-foot tall opponent would be a lot easier to hit than someone of similar size.