The aimless river [OPEN]

In light of the recent events having been taken place, and much interactions with the human Gage, there is one thing that stood out to the Arrancar. Whatever spiritually aware humans he could encounter and have interactions with, he would. Not just for the sake of simple conversation, but to warn them of the troubles ahead and what they could do to play their part. The Human Realm needed staunch defenders, and while he could supplement these forces with good fighters, men and women alike, Las Noches needed occupants as well. It needed generals, leaders, and people willing to shed blood and fight wars, if need be. Of course...there were varying factors to whether or not he would spout something akin the propaganda. He could choose to meet these people in the guise of a human, which would make things less complicated at the start...but later? Not this time. Better to show himself up front, but in a presentable manner, to keep tensions eased.



This human sat upon the bridge of the river. Theocelese always liked the water, and having learned what it was that made him smile at it so often, it made sense. Not many else these days could claim they were the son of a sea nymph. The realization she is a child makes him frown, and instantly dissuades him from seeing her as soldier material. Still, she needed the warning and those her age tended to be rebellious in nature. He could help prepare her for the future but...Theocelese needed to see how the initial conversation went. With a cigarette pressed between his lips, the Arrancar approached. He did not wear the "traditional" garb given to him by his captors but rather, wore clothing more of an ancient design. The royal blue fabric of his tunic reached down to his knees, the lining made from silks of gold and silver threading. His pants, made of similar fabric and sported the same design were just as simple as the tunic. Wrap pants, baggy and loose, save for being tied comfortably at the waist. The long strands of his dark brown hair are woven here and there in braids, charms and trinkets hang from them and hang over a red bandana, which given some scrutiny...looks as though it were torn from a dress. Around his right shoulder and hanging at the left, a large and old looking, black leather satchel. Worn on his back is a large shield and at the right of his hip, a medium-length blade secure in its scabbard. This may have been an initial deterrent, but the weapon protruding from underneath the shield, a weapon meant to cause terror in the strongest willed opponents. Noxa, his most favored two-handed instrument of war, is a chainaxe. Massive in stature, far taller than the human, the axe's teeth are yet clean, not having been given the chance to properly feed. His sandals, much like his clothing, represent a time that came and went in the blink of an eye. Theocelese, by appearance alone, looks to be some sort of warrior king, and he made no display or stealth.



He wanted to be seen, but perhaps to the human's own mind, the question would be why?


"Good evening. You should heat those up, you know. A little salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil would be far better than cold and out of a can." He spoke, turning to face the water. His bearded face lit up as the cherry flared into life.

The young girl's first reply brings a frown to his face. This statement implied homelessness, which didn't sit too well with him. A sidewards glance noticed Shiro standing and...taking that rediculous stance. Theocelese tugged at the cigarette, the smoke exhaling quickly with a slow and deep chuckle. "Do not feign courage in front of me, girl. I would rather see it genuinely coming from you. It is okay to be unsure and afraid of the unknown, but when you speak of Shinigami, Hollow, and the other terrors running around in the spiritual realms...be quick to violence, if need be." As the tobacco gave way to filter, the Arrancar stubbed the cherry out and immediately went for a new cigarette, suddenly feeling the need to get a cup of coffee. The stick was lit, and he blew the smoke well away from Shiro's direction.



"But to be clear...I am...a hybrid of both. More Hollow than Shinigami. I am an Arrancar, a Vasto Lorde to boot. I am the most dangerous of my kind. Just as there are Vizard, hybrid who are more Shinigami than Hollow." A hand was put up, as if to ease any sense of anxiety. He smiled softly. "Do not have cause for concern. I sensed in you your spiritual presence, you know not how to hide it yet. I am here to give you information, so that you may be prepared for the future." The situation caused him to suddenly laugh. How many times had he done this before, not but a decade ago when he wore the golden cross on his tabard, the necklace of the aquila and the face of the lion on his greaves? At least back then, he was still just a man. A dying man, but a man none-the-less.



"If you wish to walk away now, I understand and I will not stop you. However, there are battles in the making and it would be best if you removed yourself from these potential conflicts, or ready yourself for them. My name is Theocelese, by the way. Or you may address me as Mr. Rose."

"As was I. Come, child." Theocelese said, and through the maddening rage that was a constant swelling in the meat of his mind burned his paternal instincts. One last puff of the cigarette before it was flicked into the river. It was a sudden movement, but Theocelese took Shiro in his arms and hugged her tightly. "It is fine to grieve, Koukla-mou, to cry. I do so every night for my daughter. I am sorry for the loss, the pain and suffering my kin have given to you. It is important for you to understand here and now, they were after you. They will never stop. Your soul has sparked, and whatever powers you are capable of can only grow from here." The embrace was a fatherly one, the spiced oils which cleansed his skin were more noticeable, but the other-wordly man smelled like a dad ought to smell. When the girl seemed content, and the tears were nothing more than just stains on her cheeks, he would let her go and take a single backwards step before dropping to a knee.



"Do you have no where to go?" He asked, but continued. "Have you no one to teach you the ways of the spiritual realms?" His golden eyes glowed with genuine concern, but beneath them lay a terrifying madness; a promise of violence to come. In a low growl, he asked finally. "What of this Hollow who caused you distress? Were you able to defeat it?"

Shiro was not the first one to tell him this tale. There were many he spoke to years ago, even to this date who told similar stories. Granted, not all were complete orphans and this being a rather rare case caused his teeth to grind together slowly. The rising tide of rage became apparent, but clearly not aimed at the girl. Somehow, Theocelese retained the ability to be the calm of a storm. He raised a hand, brushing away a stray tear and putting his hand to her cheek. "Each Hollow is unique in his or her own way in both appearance and the energy signature they leave behind. Some are also as stronger than others, I am proof of this." Theocelese explained. Internally, his gut felt like it was knotted so hard he could vomit. Should he tell her what fate came to them? He breathed deeply, the conflict still being fought over in his mind.



"Know no fear, girl. Take me to where this incident occurred, and together we shall address this injustice." He spoke plainly, no emotion written upon his face but yet, his eyes still burned like embers. Suddenly, Theocelese stood up, reaching behind him to withdraw the massive chain weapon. "I cannot lie to you as to the fate of what happened to your parents. This Hollow who took them more than likely devoured their souls. It is the nature of the Hollow, and as cruel as it sounds, it is the natural order of the Spirit World." Just then, the Arrancar took his weapon and moved it forward. The axe was hefty, but not so heavy the girl couldn't lift it or swing it. If her powers awoke, she could wield Noxa. "Vengeance, Koukla-mou. Taste this word, and take satisfaction in knowing retribution is at hand."

 She didn't take Noxa...which confused Theocelese slightly. The Arrancar chalked it up to the prospect of violence to come. She couldn't help it, he supposed. Back in his dying days, his readiness to take on allies and students overrode much of what remained of his life. "Think of it as...an animal scent. Except you don't smell it, exactly. It is something you feel, or sense out." Theocelese explained as the best as he could, walking beside the girl. He couldn't help but lock eyes onto the wooden sword and grinned. At least she started out smart. Him and his crew went straight to blunt metal for training...then again, they were living in far more dangerous times. The Quincy, having gone on their killing spree, reduced much of the Hollow population. The Lion supposed being killed by either one of them--well, perhaps not Theocelese, but more so the girl, was a far better fate than being permanently eradicated. Hefting Noxa up on one shoulder, Theocelese reached into his satchel, pulling out a wallet. The old, brown leather looked as though he had it for several decades, but it still served its purpose. From within, he pulled out several large currency notes, equal to roughly three-hundred American dollars.



"When we get there, I will need to investigate further. How about you fetch us some ice cream?" He thought for a moment, then frowned. "Get yourself something more substantial for dinner first, then you can get ice cream. Ah...What the hell...get whatever you want, girl, we've both had a rough day." In truth, he was looking to split Shiro from his vicinity. If she stayed around him for too long, whatever Hollow initially attacked her would not approach. No doubt, this beast knew of Theocelese, Lorde of Destruction, The Nightmare of Hueco Mundo, The Lion and former Eighth Espada. Any Hollow intelligent enough to form somewhat decent battle plans knew of the carnage he reaped upon Aizen's loyalist faction. However...if Shiro was alone...they stood a far better chance of getting the creature to get out and into a position it would regret being in.

 "Yes, I am sure...and keep the change." Theocelese said as he put the wallet away. "If you stand your ground against this Hollow, I may feel inclined to give you more for a job well done." Regardless of whether or not she was able to do such a thing, Theocelese was going to shell out whatever was needed. Her parents were not just dead, but gone until that Hollow was purified or exterminated. Part of him considered bringing her back to Las Noches, and he began thinking of his connections to keep her from being thrown in some awful foster care system, but then he thought about the incredible amounts of danger she was already in for just being near him. There was nothing but an ill fate even for those who kept a moderate proximity. As the house was pointed out to him, Theocelese's head declined once before rising. "I see it." He said, stopping at the street corner. With what looked like the movement of walking up several stairs, Theocelese climbed into the sky. He could sense the faint presence of the Hollow. This was not too long ago. He remembered the spiritual scent, lips curling into silent snarl when Shiro was out of seeing his face.



"Miss Inazuma, purchase whatever you like the most. I am not a picky eater. I want you to think about the beast who robbed your family from you. I know you will get angry...but hold onto that anger. Temper it. You will need it soon."