Traversing the Desert

Arturo strode confidently through the sand, the dunes not hindering his progress at all. A line of footprints trailed behind him as far as the eye could see. Unlike many who wandered the White Desert, Arturo had a purpose. After a hundred years of hiding and biding power, he was finally re-entering the world of well-known Arrancar. He was traveling to join the Espada in the castle of Las Noches.

He stopped for a moment and looked off into space, the wind ruffling his blue-green hair. His pale turquoise eyes were unfocused. He was considering how boring this trek was proving to be. If just one Adjuncas or Arrancar tried to get daring, he would be able to break his boredom. He was too proud to start a fight with such lower beings, so he would have to wait until one of them found him. A pity. He just needed a little fight.

"Things get so dull around here.." The man said as he rubbed the back of his head rather lazily..slightly hunched over as he walked through the white desert with his fraccione..who was truely his second half, "Lilynette..what should we do.. The new Espada order may have brought us back..but they didn't give us anything to do yet.."

The green haired smaller girl was keeping pace beside the taller man and frowned when he started asking what to do, "What we do is we go around and test the strength of all our new comrades! see if they are as good as the old espada were! Naturally!"

"But that seems like such a big hassle..can't we just go relax and wait for orders to come? what if we're wrong and they are so weak that our presence kills them.. we haven't met any of the new espada yet.." He said as he stopped and rubbed the back of his head once again..having sensed a new presence nearby and heading straight in their direction, "I suppose it doesn't matter.. we are about to find out.."

"Good! You were always the strongest espada! Everyone should know you and repsect your power Starrk! Thats just how it should be! You really shouldn't be so laid back and nonchalant about all this stuff either!" She said as she stopped with him and started lecturing him for the upteenth millionth time since they had come to know one another that fateful day. She usually stayed out of the way unless they needed to become one for full power..knowing her power was less than Starrks on such a level that the only reason other Fraccion didn't mess with her in the old espada was because of Starrk being the Primera..which he still was.

"Alright alright.. We'll say hello..and let things run their own course.." He said with a small sigh..not really wanting to do this but figuring it was better than listening to Lilynette lecture him for the next few years if he didn't. The thought of her lecturing made him smile inwardly..but his face didn't show it..he loved having her around..it just didn't change his laid back attitude..as the other presence came within sight..Starrk waved over at him lazily and said, "Hello there.."

Arturo was suprised to see another Arrancar as he crested a dune. He looked down at him for a moment, ignoring the greeting. This man looked familiar...Arturo made a point to know every major player in Hueco Mundo, and so he was sure he knew this one. After a moment, the name came to him. It was strange that he wouldn't recognize the Arrancar immediately. This was obviously Starrk, the Primera Espada. It galled Arturo that anyone would be judged stronger than him, but this man did seem to have an enormous Spiritual Pressure. Perhaps this would actually be a worthy opponent for Arturo, rare as those were. Even so, it would not do for Arturo to start a battle. He had too much pride for that.

Only after all this consideration did he address the man. "Greetings. If I am not mistaken, you would be Coyote Starrk, Primera Espada. This, I presume, is your Fraccion, Lilynette? It is a...pleasure to make your aquainence." The cold voice he used to greet the man undermined the cordiality of the greeting. He was about to go on, when there was a flash of purple and a Cero blast swept through the air between the two Espada.

Arturo's expression hardened. Who would dare fire a Cero at the Primera and Tercero Espada? In anger, Arturo Sonido'd in the direction of the blast of energy and made to grab the offender by the collar and throw the foolish Arrancar back to where Starrk was standing. He finally had an excuse to fight someone. He hoped they were worth it.

"yep..I'm Starrk and this is Lilynette.. you are exactly right. Glad to see you know us..it might avoid unnessicary problems.." However it seemed fortunate was not with Starrk because right after saying that he felt the load up and discharge of energy coming for them and simply took a step back while his hand out to make Lilynette take a step back as well. When he watched it pass by the arrancar before him disappeared somewhere and try to grab and toss the offender who fired the cero at them.

"Are you just going to take that Starrk!? That guy fired at US..at US! Your the Primera! he should fear you not fire at you!" Lilynette said in her childish and immature manner as she usually did when lecturing Starrk about something, "Go show him what a baka he is for doing that. Show him your more powerful and deserve respect!"

"Calm down..we don't even know if he fired it at us on purpose..he may just be pissed off about something else and we might have just been in the wrong direction at the wrong time." Starrk said as he put a hand on Lilynette's head to keep her from marching over there and causing a big ruckus. It could get her hurt after all..this guy was stronger than she was..but not stronger than Starrk..

"I don't believe I know either of your names.. Mind telling me them without trying to fire another cero at me..?" Starrk rubbed the back of his head and sighed..Though he was Primera still..he didn't know any of the new Espada by name and rank yet. Not because he forgot..it's just that he didn't even bother asking..he had been procrastinating on the matter for a while now.

The crystalized path shimmered a brilliant display of color as the light of the cresent moon above illuminated its wild illuminessence. Struck by its new born beauty the man's anger suddenly subsided and he stood there admiring this new creation. As he stood there in awe of this beauty created by chaos he felt a presence barreling towards him as if it were following the path he had forged. Suddenly the presence took on a form as the Silhouet of a male rocketed over a near by dune causeing sand and debris to blast into the sky as he peeked the dunes horizon.

Wide eyed and startled the man took a lateral step as he noticed the male reaching for his colar then swiped at the males out streached hand to avoid his advance. As the male passed the man quickly turned to the males location with a stern grimace, his hand out streached and poised to launch an attack. "What is the meaning of this!" he then shouted out in an angered tone before feeling anothers presence slowly makeing its way towards the two. Pausing for a brief moment the male looked to his left and noticed two silhouettes cresting a dune. One of a large thin male and the other of a petite female before returning his fouces to the one before him.

"Need your friends to help you out I see." The man then said in a disappointed tone for he knew he would be no match for the three of them by himself. The male before him was strong but the man knew he could stand toe to toe with him but the other male was even stronger and poised a threat if he were to get caught up in battle with him tho the female accompanying him seemed to be of the Numeros level maybe his fraccion. Just then as the two neared the male spoke. "I don't believe I know either of your names.. Mind telling me them without trying to fire another cero at me..?" Hearing this the man tilted his head slightly in confusion before realizing. "Yukio Kuroi, Noveno Espada. And that cero was blindly fired and not ment for anyone." He then said still keeping his hand aimed at the one who attempted to grab him.

(OOC:Grand is well enough hidden that even Arturo would not recognize him for this thread. All for the sake of sneaking in and seeing how his crew reacts. Something like this will probably never happen again )

A man walked into the scenery. He was a bit tall, average size for a full grown adult, and was skinny. He wore a bit raggedy clothing and had the tattoo 90 upon his neck. His hair was so dusted with the white sand it looked almost white. He had his spiritual pressure suppressed so low he would easily be mistaken for a weakling among the three standing. He wore large boots, he also wore a dusty cloak over him covering the rest of his body. He walked it crunching on the crystallized sand. “whats going on here” his accent was very thinned with french, but also very husky and scratchy like a water deprived man. “fighting among comrades shouldn't take place” he smiled obliviously. Almost like he knew his advice was gonna be wavered off. He walked up closer to the man named Yukio. “maybe you shall keep your rage better hidden as well” he grinned.

He looked over to the other to arrancar, Starrk's energy was very relaxed, Yukio's was still flaring, and the other one was questionable. He looked up at the night sky then. Not moving from his spot. “lovely day, huh” he kept his smile. He did have some intelegence behind his eyes. This man was an amazing actor, and this was all a show.

Arturo whirled around to glare at the Arrancar. Starrk was following slowly behind, much less consered about this attempted attack. The other Arrancar introduced himself as a fellow Espada, Noveno. He claimed the Cero was not intended to be an attack, but Arturo was still quite suspicious. He was about to say something when a man appeared from over a nearby dune. His riatsu was well hidden, and though Arturo felt like he should know the face, he didn't. It was some how familiar...

Arturo raised his eyebrows at the new Arrancar but spoke to Noveno instead. "Yes, perhaps you should make sure your superiors are not in the direction you fire a Cero. I am Arturo Plateado, Espada Cuarto." Only now did he turn to the newcomer. "And you. Who might I ask," he said, making plain that he was not asking, "are you?" He wondered who would be foolish enough to interrupt a meeting of three Espada among them, Espada Primera among them.

"Man oh man...Why does things seem to get more and more into a hassle.." Starrk rubbed the back of his head and sighed as he closed his eyes. He was pretty laid back considering the fact he had nearly got hit by a stray cero and this man..who introduced himself as Espada #9 was completely pissed off. He didn't like it..but it wasn't really a major problem.

The other man who show'd up only brought a slight smirk to Starrk's face. He knew exactly who it was..but decided since he was playing hide and seek..that he wasn't going to ruin the game.

Unfortunately Lilynette didn't seem to get the hint as quickly as Starrk. She pointed at the man, made a gawking sound and was about to spill the beans when Starrk hit her over the head playfully and covered her mouth. She struggled childishly in vain but once Starrk shook his head at her she calmed down and stopped.

"Starrk is that?" she said in in a hushed manner and he nodded slightly just enough to only she would have noticed. He was still smirking just a tiny bit. Something she hadn't seen in a while. It was super infectious and Lilynette quickly started acting like a little child again.

He was just going to pay attention closely and figured what would happen would happen..

The man chuckled to himself. “Now I see for certain why you are Noveno” he looks over at the loud mouthed arrancar. “You need to control your urges for battle, and not threaten those around you of your own race. Should save your energy for shinigami if you want to murder so bad” he let a wide grin appear across his face. Three Espada all in one place, a battle here would not be the best of events. This man wouldn't let something big start. “ You wish to be a higher rank then train yourself against shinigami. They are the ones trying to kill us and deprive us from precious food source, yet you start yelling and blowing off steam to one that could defeat you quite fast”

The man was looking the loud mouth right in the eyes as he spoke every word, it would probably just bounce off the hot headed man, but he was curious of the result of this action. He wanted to know what made these people react. The older man glanced at Starrk for a quick second before reacting to the other mans question. "Me, I'm just fool with a thought" he smirked. So one knew who he was and the other started thinking. He wondered what would happen soon.

When Starrk got to them, he kept his silence even when the strange other man appeared. The look he gave the man, though, did seem to suggest that he knew who he was. Damn it. Who was this? It wasn't one of the espada. Could it be a famous rouge? He gave up when Noveno retorted to his comment. Arturo's only response was a chuckle. Such a simpleminded, lesser creature this Arrancar was.

He nodded at everyhing the stranger said. Then the man responded lightly to Arturo's question. Though he said it with a hint of humor, Arturo took it seriously. "Yes...a fool is an adiquate description. Either that or very strong indeed. Only one of the two would risk walking into a chance incounter between three Espada. That would be very foolish..." and regardless of what Arturo might say, this mane certainly didn't look like a fool.

"A fool wouldn't say things that sound like wisdom..making those that call him a fool the true fools." Starrk said as he rubbed the back of his head, "Regardless..he is a comrade..something you should both either learn to get used to.. or learn to cherish more than you obviously do." For Starrk..who had been alone for a long time before he created Lilynette. These words were very very true. You need to cherish people around you at least a little..because being totally isolated is very depressing..

"Starrk?" Lilynette looked up at him with a good guess on what was going through his head at the moment..which kind of saddened her too, however, now she was here and she was never going to leave Starrk alone ever. EVER! However instead of saying that she pointed at the other espada and made a snobby face, "You should all have more respect than that! For eachother and all that! Shameful! BAKAS!"

Starrk kind of facepalmed when she started calling the other espada stupid..but he didn't really make a move to stop her. After all..she was his more precious person in this life..and he was far faster than these men and their cero's..should they try anything...he would stop them. Until then he'd just relax..and let Lilynette be herself.