Post-Meeting

The outrage was expected, and in turn, Theocelese pulled deeply from his cigarette. One would expect narrowed brows to form on the Arrancar's face...but that did not come to pass. Rather, he stood there and he waited, finding himself taken slightly aback at the shortness of what was said to him and how those final words came out so...quietly. The silence in the following moments were thick, like the air around them were choked in smog. His eyes searched Emilia's, waiting, hoping the anger was only in temporary recess. The smoke slowly billowed out of both nostrils, and he flicked the cigarette off to the side, not caring about whoever had to clean it up at the moment. The rest came out in a rush, rather than whirling wisps at either side of his masked face. He felt it again just then, tearing open his mind and through the self-made mental blockades.

"I left because I was forced to, Emilia." Theocelese said, wanting to put a hand on her shoulder, but he knew better than that right now. Where, and how to continue and begin now? There was no way those eight words would suffice and his self-control was slick with the oils of his own fury.

"I cannot speak for your father, though his reasons will always be his own, he would understand in earnest what I am about to tell you. That night you unleashed that...monster...I let myself be someone that I am no longer. An old part of me took over, one that is centuries old, and in losing myself, I lost someone else. My daughter was killed in the crossfire...do you understand? Not just her, but people I considered to be friends and neighbors. People who came to visit me when my cancer was at its most malicious. I let them die. My only child, the one person in all existence that mattered most to me." He knew all the others meant nothing to Emilia, but as a daughter to someone that commanded a considerable amount of respect in the Arrancar's eyes, he hoped the girl would at least accept this. "The Hirashi woman will help me find my child if I aid them against the Quincy." At the mention of the honour-lacking cowards, and the way he said the name of their people, it was as if switch flicked in his mind. The intent in his eyes grew far more hostile than before.

"There is so much more at stake than you understand, girl...Much beyond your comprehension!" This slew of words did not come out as calm and collected. Instead, these were growled out between gritted teeth. In a fraction of a second, the Arrancar's demeanor shifted. He looked agitated, no, something far beyond that. Hands twitched and fingers were lit with spasms, and the features of his face jerked back into a scowl. By all accounts, this had not been the jovial man Emilia always knew. He stepped in closely, and aggressively. He'd changed, or something about him did drastically. "You think I hate the Shinigami? No, I hate their insolence. It reminds me of that supposed "King" Agamemnon...so high and mighty, nothing without others to do the dirty work for him...and if it wasn't for that Sorceress, or for you, I would not be here. I fight for no one but the return of my daughter and my wife!" Now, Emilia was the one subjected to a crooked finger aimed at her. Theocelese only ever mentioned his formerly mortal wife a couple of times, but from what was said of her, the woman was dead. Had been dead for a long time. If Emilia could keep her own composure, and not feed the Arrancar's own sporadic and sudden flames, she would understand there was a great deal he was not telling her. And if the right questions were asked in the right way...maybe his temper would let loose the answers to those questions.

"We have our reasons Emilia, for everything we do. I'd be a hypocrite to fault you for that." He said, absent mindedly tugging away at his smokes as they walked. "Hallibel will have nothing to do with the Gotei, for that I am sure, but her and I are well acquainted. She is one to listen to reason, especially to the one who helped secure her status within Las Noches. From a strategic standpoint, it is best to attack the Quincy from multiple directions. Another general on another front will do us well." He said, a sly grin forming on his face. "And a looker, to boot. You have good tastes." A brow rose, curious to see the reaction from what was said. There'd been those odd moments of tension between Theocelese and Tia. They were extremely rare, and even more brief, where the two had just stared at one another with mugs of tea in hand. Nothing ever came from those times, and thankfully so. Theocelese could not call Las Noches a permanent home forever.



The idea of the Second Divison quarters not having suitable to his size was odd. To this, the Arrancar was genuinely curious. "Does this former squad of yours not have fighters as big as myself?" And now, the man scanned over his own form. He was tall, and broad shouldered to be sure...but the very notion was perplexing. If anything, he'd string a hammock up somewhere and sleep outside. It wasn't the first time he'd done such a thing, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Though, another topic came to mind that clawed at his brain. "What can you tell me of the Gotei Captains? I've heard Zaraki is a force to be reckoned with, and Kyoraku is a pleasure to relax with. Do you think it possible I am able to test their strengths?" What he was really asking was, could there be a way to coax them into duels? Non-lethal ones, of course, but Theocelese was not just a man who wanted to shed blood for no reason. At least, he never used to be. The little flickers of rage were beginning to contradict what went on behind those golden eyes. It was more a strategic plan, to see what these people were capable of. There was no reason to fight with, or on behalf of these people if they could not, or would not be able to fight themselves. There was glory and vengeance to be had, but him and Emilia were just two people. Even the foes they faced would have to out number them at least five or six to one respectively, but Theocelese was not in this for a beautiful death. There was much waiting for him beyond the fires of war.