Step Two

As promised to Gage, Theocelese spent his short time away from Las Noches not only dealing with the disturbed echoes of his past, but setting out to re-unite a broken faction. The "Black Templars", was Jeremy's name he wanted for their little militia, Joan was fine with "Templars", but at the time the two budding spiritual fighters deigned to just follow the costume design of their once proud order's uniform. It was nothing more than two quick phone calls, and both parties found it alarming they were contacted on their own personal numbers. Theocelese had his ways, and his contacts were paid handsomely for their efforts.



'Hello Jeremy. It has been many years.' Theocelese spoke into the phone.



'Who the Hell is this?' The voice that spoke back did so through gravel and tar.



'You know exactly who this is, Gunslinger friend.'



'That's not fuckin' possible! Who is this?!'



'In the few years we shared brotherhood, did I ever lie to you? Malakia...I hear you have gone down a dark path. No more. If you thought I would not find out about the terrible things you were doing, you are far more stupid in your older age than when you could outdrink me. You will cease these abominable projects, put aside whatever conflict with Joanie you have and come back to Karakura. Your world needs you, now more than ever.'



It was hard for the human on the other end to take in all that was said. The voice speaking to him sounded like the old Greek, swore in that language and knew about subjects none other knew. Jeremy still felt disbelief, the sudden contact cracking the shadow looming over his soul. Theocelese could hear his old friend lighting a cigarette, and chose to do the same.



'I saw you die--heard you die! I read your obituary, went to your funeral and helped Lex through your passing. No fucking way this is you, Kousta.'



"How much more do I have to say before you finally believe me, Jeremy? She's gone, you know."



"Who, Joan?"



"No. Lex.  I failed to keep her."



"...How did she--"



"We will discuss this soon enough. Remember what this used to be about. I would have died from the cancer sooner or later anyways and it was up to you two to keep our realm safe. Not devolve into in-fighting like this...I will speak selfishly, Jeremy. I have met a man who yet may be able to give me my family back. Do you remember we tried looking for months on end for some old mythological book? Some spell? Some ritual? Peace is no longer out of my grasp...but I must have you, Joanie and your forces to meet with us soon."



"Want me to bring everyone?"



"No. The bad blood between your factions is known to me and I will not chance a fight breaking out. Let everyone know what is happening. I will call you again soon, Jeremy."

Theocelese hung up the phone, and dialed the other numbers. The conversation, at first, played out much the same as he expected. If he were in their shoes, it would have been hard for him to believe that an old friend, once dead, had now come back after so many years.



"I tried to come back and help you, Kousti. Jeremy wouldn't let me." The woman on the other end said, her aged voice deep and shaky.



"I stayed so you could return to your family. Better for one to die so two could live, but we both know I was on borrowed time. Joanie-mou, things are far worse off than you understand. I will call you when it is time to meet." Just as he was about to hang up, the woman spoke up quickly to interrupt him. Anyone having known Theocelese in his human years, especially towards the end of his life, knew of the prospect of a new life with the very woman he spoke to now. She loved him, at the cost of her own marriage.



"Did you ever find the bastards who took her from you?"



Theocelese did not speak at first. "Yes...but there is one more skull I must claim before my wife can truly be avenged." Not willingly to go into the circumstances or details, Theocelese said his goodbye and turned the call off. Never did he think he would be calling these two, thinking perhaps their own personal crusades against one another pushed all other things out of the way. In a way, he was glad to not have to physically return to America and no doubt, come to blows with these two people he once entrusted the future to.

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Theocelese returned to Las Noches not too long thereafter, having collected his new weapon from Seran it was carried with him at all times at the prospect of using it on some Quincy bastard. After a long shower and a hot meal, Gage's voice could be heard through the intercoms. With one last drink from his whiskey, Theocelese descended into the depths of Las Noches to meet with the human, anticipation fluttering in his stomach knowing that for once, someone could make use of so much information he could not make sense of. When the doors opened and the Arrancar came through, he looked around at the mess and frowned. Gage would be scolded another time.



"What is needed to proceed?"

This was a nice change of behaviour. A burst of excitement meant results, results meant they would be that much closer to achieving the goals set before them. The Eighth Espada approached Gage, listening to him and watching what he was doing. The self-harm caused to fill the beaker illicited no response from Theocelese. Not a blink, not a gasp. Nothing. "I see." Theocelese spoke, looking to his own hand and raising it. "You are yet still a mortal. Be careful not to drain yourself empty." Having not much experience in the alchemical arts, many of the terms thrown around are lost on the Arrancar. What does come to mind that is not beyond comprehension are the need for the materials Gage spoke of when this subject matter happened to be originally broached. "So you need the metals for to act as a holding area for these souls...Hm..." He spoke more to himself than to Gage, but with a shrug, nodded for him to continue doing anything that needed to be done.



"I would prefer if no damage is done here. We take this outside if it is to get too erratic."



He walked off after saying this, going to the forge room. On a single pallet, Theocelese stacked the wooden crates filled to the brim with the metal ingots. Atop of this, the final box of the silver Gage needed to do all of this. Loaded on the jack, he hauled it off back to where he last left the human working.



"All ready to be unpacked and arranged to your specifications."

Thankfully, Gage was able to the work that Theocelese thought was meant for him. Instead of having to dig each ingot out by the armload, they were...psychically lifted and assorted. The sand turning to glass was also another interesting thing to witness as well. He'd seen the effects of his sparring partners, enemies and allies alike do such a thing before, though having not seen it in some time...It was a little entertaining. Standing a bit away while Gage worked, Theocelese tugged away on a cigarette, disregarding the notion that the very toxic substance he inhaled was once the thing that killed him. Or rather, would have killed him. He did find Gage's lack of reaction to the news about his calls the day before somewhat odd. It reminded Theocelese of Seran, and honestly himself as well. He hadn't been excited for a project any time recently, more so the prospect of bloodshed and the promises of vengeance consumed him.



"My Cero?" Theocelese asked in reply, taking another drag. If he needed the metals heated to such an extent after that abuse, why not just heat them in the forge and quickly transport them here? Would have taken a great deal longer than either probably wanted. "Probably hot enough to turn these ingots to dust if I held them, and at full power." He said this as he walked to the levitating mass of hot steel--and if he was plucking an apple or an orange from a tree, snatched a single ingot. Never had he thought to apply the use of a Cero before to super-heat metal. Maybe he liked the smell of coals and the heat against his mind-shattering thick skin. For a second or two, he looked down at the ingot as smoke left from his slowly roasting hand. He tossed the piece into the air, as if he hadn't noticed or even cared about the charring of his skin. With the same hand, Theocelese aimed upwards. Waiting. When the metal climbed high enough, a burst of red energy left his hand, quickly engulfing it and blanketing the white desert in a blood-red glow. The energy dissipated and following this, the static BZZZT of Sonido. He'd left the ground and shot higher in the air where no doubt the piece of steel glowed much hotter. He grabbed and tossed the ingot back down towards Jade.



"Does this suffice? Half-strength seemed to do the trick." Theocelese called down.



All in all, that was honestly a pretty fucking cool idea. Whatever Muse whispered into Gage's ear had the right idea of doing this in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

"I understand. It is imperative that you make sure your footing is set. Would bode ill for you were you to get hit by this...but don't get upset if we lose all of that." In truth, a Gran Rey should have been far more than enough to do the job but something told Theocelese that Gage wanted to see something...with greater destructive potential. For some strange reason, the Arrancar felt inclined to humor the human. Raising his hand towards the collected mass of metal, and rather than a red orb forming this time, it was black and white. A reflection of Hueco Mundo's savage nature itself, this Cero the second-most powerful in his arsenal. The light from the Hollow World's permanently hanging moon dimmed, and the landscape turned almost as dark as the ever-dark sky. What fired from Theocelese's hand could kill many foes, or be considered overkill on a single opponent. The sand dunes in the line of fire turned into crystaline semi-circles, nothing left but smoke and ash.

"Cero Oscuras, it is called. I trust that you will not choose to be on the receiving end of this." His gaze shifted over to the collection of ingots and his cigarette holding hand rose to take the last drag off of the smoke. He hoped the metal hadn't been eradicated...but it was the human's desire to see this. But then, Theocelese was not stupid. This viewing held a dual purpose. One, to heat the metal, and two, to gather more data on the new found ally.

"No. Only few among us were capable of producing such an attack. It takes a certain level of..." How could he explain what was accomplished through instinct and feeling? "Hmm..Suffice it to say, 'darkness'. Perhaps not the correct word to use. I think Tia may be able to do this. The Arrancar I spoke of earlier, Schiffer, I saw him once use it. I gave it my own try a few times, but like most things my kin and I are capable of, it tends to happen when it needs to." Theocelese said with a shrug, arms crossing. His eyes met Gage's and never left, nor did it appear they intended to. He was sizing the human up, letting his lips go loose to see whatever would come to the other man's face. If he gave the human an inch, would he take a mile? Maybe. "I've created more than my fair share of Cero and Bala. Each have their own use.



Truthfully, I dislike them both. I do not take kindly to the use of ranged weapons, it is so...impersonal. So...weak. I can understand the use of ranged combat for strategic purposes, but to fight purely in such a manner makes for a weak warrior." Oh this was a topic that Theocelese wasn't even sure why he brought it up, but by Gage's demeanor there was time to kill. If this man wanted an alliance, then surely he wouldn't have minded actually getting to know his new Arrancar brother. "No powers either. If one wishes to seek my respect at its most genuine, he or she must come at me with their blade and skill alone. No releasing of Zanpakutou, no Kido. Nothing. But this is merely in terms of combat." Theocelese grinned. "There are always other ways to earn respect. You've done this already, young man." That said, if Theocelese hadn't respected Gage's wishes to see a better garrisoned human world, they would not be here. Yet for future efforts, there could be no amount of gratitude shown.



"I'm unaware of how much time we need to wait now...but I can...explain to you how to make a Cero of your own. It was one of my strongest attacks when I still breathed the life of a mortal."

 Theocelese watched intently as Gage did his best to get the proper mechanics down. At first, the Arrancar thought that his new-found friend would have gotten a better grip of this than what he showed. He knew the signs of a misfire, and leaped into action the moment half of the discharge fired off. With the use of Sonido, Theocelese stopped to scoop both Gage and the unstable orb in his momentum of using the Arrancar Stepping. Behind them, but safe enough away from the ritualistic arena, the glob exploded into the sand. He set the human back down on his feet, and the Arrancar frowned. He supposed it couldn't be helped. After jumping back several meters, his hand clutched the handle of his sword.



"I am starting to wonder if you must learn as I did, knowing your life is in danger. If you suppose we have the time and you think this will not infringe upon your ability to complete or practice this ritual, we will do this my way." He said, taking one final pull from his cigarette before spitting it out into the sands. "If you would rather not, I must implore you to have more caution if you try to do this."