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| This article, Hunger and Greed: Herding Wolves, is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal, which continues on from the opening segments of the site's former Fanon Canon project. Use of this page's contents is determined by the author of this page, unless otherwise specified. |
This article, Hunger and Greed: Herding Wolves, is the second chapter of the Hueco Mundo arc, which is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal. It sets the stage for the first community RP of Bleach: War for the King's Seal. Ashido and Gundinger are the main characters, with the latter as the POV character, whilst Averian returns as the main antagonist.
I knew I should never have got myself involved with those Shinigami! I haven’t had a single day of peace since. The first kid hounds me for training, and the second kid gives me a look like I’d drowned her favourite pet whenever I came to speak to her. Funny bit? That second kid tried to kill me; she almost succeeded too, had it not been for the first kid. Hell, I even tried to kill Akira, and still he persisted. With kids like that running around after me, how could I expect to have any kind of peace?
Maddening!
At least Ashido is quiet, most of the time. He might scribble away in that old journal of Akira’s, but at least you can forget that he’s there.
That said, I’m actually happy that he’s scribbling away within eyesight, right now. You see, Ashido and I are being hunted by this so-called “Averian” creature, and he’s beginning to close the net in around us. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that this entire situation is nothing more than a game to him, because he certainly seems to delight in keeping us trapped within the Forest. We had a face-to-face meeting with him yesterday; he hurled his scythe at Ashido, and I knocked it aside. That got quite the reaction, let me tell you. An Arrancar, defending a Shinigami? Averian even looked shocked! Enough so that we managed to escape, and he didn’t pursue. This time.
I can’t say I’m not surprised myself. Not too long ago, I would have found the idea ludicrous myself. In fact, I’d have happily skewered Ashido myself. Those blasted kids too! Now, I’d give my life for him, and them, and I know for a fact that Ashido would give his for mine. Strange thinking for an Arrancar? Maybe so.
“Hey, Gundinger?” Ashido asked.
“Yes?”
“... This area of the Forest is quiet. But any large battle will draw attention, especially from the Menos. If Averian were to force a confrontation now, can you keep the Menos from interfering like you have before?”
“In theory, yes. Averian appears to have similar influence over the Hollow as I have, however. I won’t know how the scales will tip until we’re faced with the situation, but I imagine they’d follow him over me. Power speaks volumes, and Averian is stronger than I am. If we face him, we’d be better off hitting fast and hard, to distract him, and then flee.”
I saw the reply die on Ashido’s tongue.
What was that Human expression? Speak the Devil’s name and he’ll appear? A growing hunger settled in our stomachs at the same time the weight of Averian’s reiatsu settled on our shoulders.
“Well, it appears we’re going to find out. He’s coming to us. We’ll go with your plan, alright?” Ashido asked.
“Agreed.”
We had little time to prepare, even though we had the bare minimum of a working plan. If it could even be called that. Averian, dressed in flowing robes of white, appeared very Shinigami-like had it not been for the colour scheme he favoured. As he appeared before us, about thirty meters from us, I caught myself thinking just how impossibly fast that Sonido was. My Pesquisa was good: the best amongst my generation of Espada, in fact. I could gauge a foe with a look and follow them wherever they went within my sensory perception. Yet this Averian stressed my sense to the limit? Frightening. The fringe of his long white hair fell over his left eye, partially obscuring the remnants of his Hollow mask; a thin circle not unlike that of Loly and Menoly, albeit not as thick, and nor did it obscure the eye from view. Those golden eyes were narrowed to slits and appeared almost like that of a feline eyeing its next meal.
Which, I suppose, we were in this creature’s mind? Lovely thought.
“Still here, hmm?” He said, almost snarling. “That must be annoying for you both.”
Ashido drew his Zanpakuto.
“... It’s not so bad,” I answered, making a point to leave my own weapon sheathed at my waist. What I intended didn’t call for a weapon. “You get used to this place when you’ve been here as long as we have. Right, Ashido?”
My companions' response was a cautious glance in my direction, with ever-the-same expression. You could mistake the man for emotionless. In truth, it was quite the opposite. He just didn’t get excited or overwrought when engaging in battle or conversation.
“We?” Asked Averian whose eyebrow rose high in question. “No true Arrancar would consort with the hated Shinigami. You should be enemies.”
Is that why he had spent so much time studying us, rather than attacking us? An Arrancar and a Shinigami working together? Thoughts for another time. There was a matter of pride to be settled, whether Averian or Ashido realized it.
“No true Arrancar? We’ll see about that...!”
I had to admit to having my pride somewhat prickled by that statement. I couldn’t care less about consorting with Shinigami, or consorting with Shinigami who had done the opposite of we Arrancar and gained Hollow powers, either. We Arrancar happened to be Hollow who had naturally acquired Shinigami powers, after all, unless you were some of those unnatural things Aizen created.
And beyond that, I was one of the first. An Espada, the Cautro! I would not have my honour impugned by anyone.
“Ashido, I’d get down, if I were you.”
The warning left my lips in the same instance my reiatsu surged! I registered the look of surprise on Averian’s face, the hasty movement of Ashido as he ducked to the side, as I lifted my right hand.
Everything within the immediate area either moved or was reduced to ash! My Cero, shining red and spinning like a razor, impacted Averian with force sufficient to massively damage the great fortress of Las Noches itself! The plume of smoke, the shower of debris, and the booming sound that resulted threw up an effective smoke-screen, and in the moments immediately following my display of power I found a familiar light enfolding my limbs, even as a shimmering golden chain snaked its way through the cloud in the direction of Averian. Given the extreme ego we had seen in him over the last few days, Averian had likely stood his ground rather than flee.
In fact, I was hoping for just that. His ego was a weakness; one of the few I had discerned in him. And it was a weakness that I was more than prepared to exploit.
“Still here, then?” I asked of Ashido.
He didn’t respond.
Rather than flee, Ashido had remained, and had enfolded himself and me in a triangular Kido barrier, effectively suppressing our reiatsu, whilst effectively lessening the effects of outside reiatsu as well.
“My Kido won’t hold him long, and he’ll soon get through this barrier, too. We need to get word to Akira. Now.”
“Agreed,”
And this time, even though Averian tried to collapse my Garganta with his reiatsu as he had done countless times before, failed. Whether by injury or distraction I did not know, but I was content enough to withdraw, in either case. Averian had likely planned for a battle; he never expected us to cut his sport so short by running, so early in the meeting. And we wouldn’t get another chance to flee either, now that he knew what to expect from us.
“Let’s go.” Ashido, as calm as ever, said.
We solidified our footing inside the swirling blackness, reiatsu pouring from the soles of our feet, and descended into the blackness whilst setting our gaze firmly on the World of the Living.
Averian, meanwhile, was left alone, golden chains entwining around his body, holding his limbs tight against him. Gundinger’s Cero had certainly left its mark -- he was scorched and bloodied, and a tad winded, but otherwise unperturbed. With a flex of his muscles and a surge of reiatsu he broke the chains and dispelled the smokescreen, revealing a menacing golden-eyed stare. The smoke and debris was removed in time to show our gateway winking closed before his eyes.
“Run away, if it pleases you. More time for me to savour the hunt… and the kill!”
An impressive Sonido, the sound of his movement echoing through the damaged Forest, took him from the scene of battle. There was nothing now to hold his interest in the Forest, and his gaze now turned topside. It was time to whet his appetite on these new Espada and meddlesome Quincy. Unfortunately for those self-same meddlesome Quincy, there was another small group of Soldat nearby, likely drawn by Gundinger’s powerful display. Out to investigate their missing patrol, most likely. Averian didn’t care. He cut down through them, his wounds knitting closed rather than his reiatsu swelling, until only his scorched clothing remained as evidence of Gundinger’s assault.
For Averian, though, the respite from his unending hunger was over all too quickly...