Chapter 11 A World without Her

[Wilfora]

Time: Unbeknownst
Place: Kyoto/Hueco Mundo

Brigon’s howl finally ceased, his anger and hunger not vanquished one bit. My stomach hungry, my females dead; he turned back to find one measly hollow, who just stood there. At least one of them survived.

Ckriss hovered there, the edges of Kyoto blurring together. His vision changed with that of his aura, making it impossible to see straight now. She’s… Kawaii’s gone… Why… Why did she save me… and not herself?! He wondered, unable to see Kyoto anymore, just the molten red and golden hues that surrounded him.

He didn’t see Brigon wave a hand in his face. Brigon sighed and a Garganta opened a short distance away. From within, a hollow stepped down.

“I take it your hunt went well?” the hollow asked, looking from Brigon to Ckriss. The Garganta remained open.

Brigon recognized the hollow as Kronos the 6th Espada. His hair a sleek black interlayered with dull streaks of red that matched that of his eyes as they scanned the sky. His coat tattered and worn, the hollow kept the traditional pants and color of the Espada. Though it seems that he doesn’t get the fact that he should be wearing a shirt, Brigon noted to himself. Looking at the hollow directly was always a challenge, since Kronos’ hollow hole was located where his heart would have been had he been a shinigami or human.

“Brother,” Kronos called. “Come out already. It’s only Brigon and a Gillian. Shira isn’t here.” From the Garganta, Brigon watched as one of the hollows from the Dark Moons stepped out.

The only reason Brigon recognized him as a Dark Moons hollow, was due to the black moon, filled in with intricate designs that interlocked, enriched with a lime green, located on the lower jaw, where the fang curved down and almost touched.

It was the same hollow that had asked Shira’s name at the assembly. Upon stepping out, the Garganta closed and the smaller hollow suddenly plummeted towards the streets of Kyoto.

“Concentrate!” Kronos yelled at him. The other hollow's reiatsu flared a bit, and he came to an uneven stop. “Now come back up,” Kronos said looking down at him. The teal haired hollow looked up at Kronos, and shook his head.

Kronos sighed and slowly lowered. “This is why we came to Kyoto, dear brother.” He grabbed the other by the shoulder and shot back up to level with Brigon. “Don’t drop again. I’m not bringing you back up from now on.”

The younger hollow nodded, clinging tightly to a loose sleeve that dangled around Kronos’ arm. After a moment, he let go, now able to stand on the air alone.

“Go on back Brigon. I think the lil’ Gillian needs some attention from the King,” Kronos said, steering his eyes away from Ckriss. “We’ll be back after bit. I wish to see how he’s improved. If at all that is…” he mumbled turning away from the hollow at his side.

Brigon caught the faintest glimpse of anxiousness cross the younger hollow’s face, before all traces of emotion were gone. Brigon looked closer and asked, “Who--?”

“My brother,” Kronos said, with a glare, cutting Brigon off mid-sentence.

“As you wish,” Brigon sneered as the Garganta flickered into existence behind Brigon. Ckriss hovered looking forward, the aura having subdued to wrapping his skin tightly.

Brigon grabbed hold of one of the flimsy ‘ears’ that were attached at the very back of Ckriss’ head and dragged him through the Garganta back home. Behind them as the Garganta closed, Brigon heard Kronos faintly,

“You don’t have to act so bloody weak—” Kronos’ voice was cut off as the darkness of the Garganta closed on them. Only Ckriss seemed to give light in the dreaded enclosure that had no end on either side.

The other end opened as Brigon placed his foot down, but not upon solid levels of Reiatsu but on thin levels of dead air. Brigon tried to regain his footing but to no avail, for Ckriss’ body decided to tip forward, pushing Brigon towards the ground. Both took a tumble down one of the sand dunes in Heuco Mundo.

Brigon was infuriated. He picked up Ckriss roughly by the nape of his neck and proceeded to throw him in the direction of Las Noches Palace, or what remained of the building.

Much of the building had changed over the years. Some due to fights between the hollows and others from decay on the old sections where Shira now resided. He had made his home there due to one reason: Aizen, a shinigami, had made the rest.

Many of the younger hollows and arrancars had found home in the older building where none of the stingy old hollows came. Those types of hollows had been killed in the Great War. Some still howled in agony, caged in the new building unable to be free, their powers slowly decaying as they returned to controllable Gillian.

Dead trees, lined the path that led up to the archway of Brigon's home, his cage that, once he entered it, clipped both his wings and his freedom to leave. He heaved the younger hollow over his shoulder, put on a straight face and walked inside.

The doors at the end of the main hall were cracked open. Brigon took his time, determined, to see who was on the other side of the door. Voices drifted out, one belonging to Shira and the other, a female.
"So it's settled. I'm to take half the forces to the Turning Grounds, and to return with as many new arrancar as possible."

"Yes, yes." Brigon could tell it was Shira, as there was the faint tone of giddiness. Only a child or teen hollow would give that pitch. Shira being one of the youngest hollows of their rank, was at the end of his teenage hollow years, which was around year 110-140. "Go now Stray. I have another matter to attend to it seems."

The door creaked open as Shira's hand came into view, the levels of reiatsu pulsed for a moment, and soon after Stray came into view as well. Today Stray had opted for a pair of loose pants that were black. The seams had been ripped apart and adorned with a think blue thread that Stray would deny was ribbon. It now held the pants together at the hem. And yet her top remained that same old black shirt, which stopped just before her rib cage did. Not that it didn't match her.

Shira glanced Ckriss over, then frowned turning away. "Oh good Brigon. You brought us a defect hollow." Not... You have no idea, do you boy? he continued in his head. He gestured for Stray to leave. She nodded and Sonído'ed, reappearing at the door.

"I leave you. Be good Brigon, I'd hate to have to heal you again." Her hand disappeared as the door closed behind her. Brigon stared at the place the hollow he called Stray had been and blinked; then shivered.

That will never happen Stray. Ever. He snapped his mind away from his wandering thoughts and shifted his vision back to Shira. "I brought you what?"

"A defect," Shira said staring at the hollow for a moment. He lifted him up in the air with his mind. A neon orange glow surrounded Ckriss's already red and yellow aura, melting to seem a golden red. Shira moved his hand ever so slightly and drew Ckriss near, as he could not fully use his mind to move things as he wished.

"Well... I guess, he could be. He did let one of our few female hollows die right in front of him. He just stood there." Brigon sighed. "They would have made lovely adjuchas as well..." He glared at Ckriss mulling over a thought of why he was a molten gold and red.

"Then again, ze one he loved? Hah! She was ugly. I say good riddance. Probably a weakling since she died without a fight. That, and look at him! She caused this, Shira; she made him what you call a defect." Brigon ranted. Honestly he couldn’t care less about Ckriss. He just couldn't stand that the two females were dead and one was because of the hollow before him.

Ckriss on the other hand heard every sneering word. The words which were not hurled towards him, but Kawaii. His eyes narrowed, anger flared and washed over him, taking the pain of his loss of Kawaii away. Nobody …! Nobody shall speak of her memory so…!

Shira watched, from atop a short spire, as the Gillian’s aura flexed, the reds and golds melding further, creating a molten hue that leaped away from Ckriss’ body, flaring recklessly out of control. Brigon didn’t take notice and began to walk to and fro, the words spilling out of his mouth.

“Tsk. Seems she wasted her life for nothing. So like a little Gillian head over heels in love.” He sneered with a gagging sound. “Makes me want to kill them all. Should’ve seen it when they showed up together.” Brigon laughed, “But it’s over now. There will be no more little snakey gillian.” Brigon turned to face Ckriss. “She’s been murdered by her own lover,” he mocked.

Response was immediate. Shira snickered as Ckirss’ aura skyrocketed, the reiatsu levels out of control. The once lifeless hollow raised his head and the once shadowed eyes roared a brilliant red. Mhmm, as I thought. I wonder if he’ll make it… Shira asked himself, as he rocked back and forth on his spire, watching as the Gillian rose to his feet.

Ckriss stood, no longer on four feet but two, facing Brigon, who stared at the Gillian aghast. “Do you have to ruin… my last thoughts of Kawaii… The only female who cared about me!” Ckriss’ words wouldn’t flow correctly, and the sentences came out in fragments. “Shut the hell up you bastard!!” he screamed. “I won’t let you talk about her like that!!!”

Reiatsu crashed down, the pressure making Brigon’s knees lock. Shira was not affected, and looked rather pleased. The molten aura enveloped the hollow, creating a cylindrical tower around him. From within, changes began to appear.

Ckriss’ legs elongated, gaining muscle and stability. Plates of molten red bone segmented and cracked across his body. The flimsy ear-like pieces of hollow flesh, hardened and moved down Ckriss’ neck to his upper spine. They seemed to then expand and extend, unfurling themselves to reveal great wings of gold and scarlet red.

The fire burned itself into him, creating a mane, alight and blazing. Crackling came from the lightning that intertwined with his mane, which the breeze, his wings had created, amplified the sound. Ckriss hung in the room, flying in place. His tail barely brushed the ground, where the fire sputtered and crackled, against the mosaic tiles.

The aura around Ckriss merged itself into his new form, and from behind the talons a new face was visible. Ckriss reared back confused but full of power. I… have power… Kawaii… gave me a chance. I must use this and destroy… he thought, feeling the new power that welled within him. Ckriss launched himself forward, wanting to catch the hollow off guard. The who had regarded Kawaii as nothing.

Brigon’s face went from a state of calm to that of fear in a split second. But Ckriss didn’t get but a couple yards in front of where he started before Ckriss could no longer move. Shira pushed off his spire holding his outstretched hand in the direction of Ckriss. Good job little one. I knew you were going to make it. Now allow me.

“That’s enough Brigon.” Shira’s feet tapped down upon the mosaic-tiled floor. Brigon gave him an odd look, but relaxed his figure, still fuming internally. Shira tilted his head to the side; keeping his hand fixed on Ckriss, and spoke sternly. “Empieze a un estado nuevo, Recpión!” [Begin a new state, Repression!”]

True to the words spoken, Ckriss lost size and mass very rapidly, a royal purple glimmering in the air before him. His wings dissolved, the mane shifting into that of his hair, bleaching itself blond and ending at his shoulders, where it seemed to feather out. To accommodate for the lightning bolts that had been flowing through his mane, bolts of black wrapped around his arms and lower legs.

While the hollow was white, the coat which he wore was lightening white, paler than that of the hollow’s skin. It wrapped around him, free to roam but enough to keep the cold hollow warm while the fire was locked away within him. The mask seemed to be the only thing left of his released form. The tattered and feathered oval crown rested atop his head, where the feathers blended and joined his hair.

“Welcome… What is your name little one?” Shira looked over at the new, now, puzzled arrancar. Ckriss realized what was being asked of him.

“Ckr—”

“Lust” Brigon cut in. “His name is Lust.” He smirked, as Ckriss glared at him.

“My Lord, do not listen to him! My name is—”

Shira lowered his hand, silencing him. “I heard you the first time. Brigon does seem to differ as to what your name is though. And honestly, I think it’s time that you abandon that of your old name. Love for the one that you killed is why you are alive now. Lust you will be named for the reason of being in love. You will remember what you have caused to happen, and so that you remember the one you loved too. So that for the duration of time that you live among us, you will remember."

“Why would I want to do th—”

Reiatsu pressurized upon Ckriss, forcing him to kneel, streaks of white reiatsu bared down around him. Shira glared at the hollow who knelt at his feet. Accept it. You have no choice!

“I… accept this name. I will live by the name Lust, as the form of Ckriss is dead and forever part of the past. In order to remember his faults, I will carry this name.” Lust said, the words sinking in as the reiatsu released its hold on him.

“Then Lust, it is time that you take your place among your new brothers. Fraccion 6 is without a commander. You are now it.” Shira turned away from Lust, rising in the air to sit upon his spire again. He flicked his wrist at the door, and it opened with a clatter. Brigon turned to see Kronos and the other hollow, who was riddled in shadows, behind him.

“Ah… right on time as usual Kronos. You have a new Fraccion Commander.” Shira said pleasantly, steering a finger towards Lust,

Forgetting about Lust, Shira drew his eyes to the hollow cowering behind Kronos. Same hollow as before. Why is he just as scared as when he asked my name? He asked, taking in the hollow’s appearance for later use in finding him.

The striking feature about the little hollow that Shira would never forget about him was his blue grey eyes. They seemed to shimmer and glow in the moon’s rays that rebounded off the floor. The rest of his face was in shadows due to the hoodie that was draped around him. The zipper and sleeve having been burned off at a point, the hoodie cut off halfway down his ribcage. Green hair with tips of crimson blood flowed down his back and seemed to spike a bit at the top where the hood met hair.

Kronos stepped in front of the hollow, blocking Shira’s view. “My lord, may we be going? I have much to teach Lust before long and I wish to return this one rather soon. It will be easier if Lust knows how to control the others while I am gone after all.” Kronos tried to explain, keeping the other hollow that Shira had no name for hidden.

“Alright, fine. Be off with you. I have no further need of you for a while. I will call for you when I need you.” Shira waved them out, turning to face the window that he had managed to form in the image of a crescent moon. Kronos beckoned Lust over, who complied and followed him out, while the unnamed hollow clung to Kronos’ side, with Kronos’ arm wrapped around his shoulder, squeezing tightly.

“You too Brigon. I wish to be alone for a while.” Footsteps and shortly after, the closing of the main door, signified that Shira’s room was free of other prying eyes and ears. A single tear trailed down Shira’s cheek as outside, the moon aligned with the window. And Shira watched, letting the old image set in, remembering what had happened that day.