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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 13, 2022 18:57:12 GMT -5
It had been some time since his last expedition into the world of the living, partly due to the lack of interest, but more so the fact that his kind should do best to keep a low profile. This didn't stop the lone quincy from making an impromptu visit to the realm, although the tongue lashing he might receive on his return home might make it less than worth it in the long run. He had found himself a pleasant city building to stand atop of, keeping away from the edges as to not disturb or cause concern to the humans below. The evening sky was a glow with hues of amber and crimson as the sun began cresting under the horizon, beautiful couldn't quite describe the landscape painted before him.
Lazarus looked about the rooftop to ensure there were no doors which a human might come bother him from, knowing it would take some miracle to get out of explaining who he was and why he was on the roof of a building without sounding completely insane. Concluding the fact there there would be no unwanted intrusions from the mortals of the realm, he would turn his eyes to the sky, scanning the ever changing sky for would be miscreants. He wasn't looking for anything or anyone in particular, though it would become troublesome for a shinigami to cross his path. He could sense a hollow or two in the area, though they weren't in his range of concerns, and what they did to the lost souls of the world meant nothing to him. His comrades blatant disgust and hatred for the creatures was lost on Lazarus, more so considering them a part of a never ending cycle of rebirth, a link in the chain that binds all souls to this realm and the next. A sigh would escape him, brows furrowing slightly as he spoke to himself, wondering aloud.
"Doesn't this realm hold anything more interesting than a sunset..."
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 13, 2022 19:35:51 GMT -5
"That would depend entirely on what you like to do" A higher pitched voice would say, a child's voice. It held something of a slavic accent as the words were accompanied by the *tap tap* of two shoes on the rooftop. He can come upon the building rather quickly, deciding that the energy signature of a quincy was far more interesting than the territory scrabbles of two of his far-flung kin. His red eyes saw the man on the roof but looked beyond him as the pleasant sight of red and orange on blue. "For instance...a sunset is a wonderfully beautiful thing to me...there are no suns in the white sands...after all"
Slowly, and perhaps too calmly, the arrancar moved to the lip of the building, looking out across the area they were in. "Humans have created so many wonderful things...and yet they still desire more and more" He shook his head before looking finally at the fellow being on the roof. "So, if you're looking for something that more interesting for yourself...what do you like...and can I help?" A smile formed on his lips as he stared at the man. Ever since he had become an arrancar life had gotten so much more interesting...and at the very least if this person didn't find what he was looking for, entertainment he supposed, then at the very least Nezuel would.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 13, 2022 21:03:28 GMT -5
It was rather unsettling to have someone creep up on you when you least expect it, Lazarus had to stop himself from flinching at the sudden surprise of having another person join him on the roof. Though the individual in question was something of an enigma to him, as he had thought hollow couldn't bear children. The thought of a child not only dying young, but also falling into the throws of a hollows lifestyle brought a touch of sadness to his heart. Though the idea that a child would not only survive that wasteland known as Hueco Mundo, but thrive and become an arrancar was far more interesting than how he got there in the first place. He would turn his attention to the ledge the boy had so calmly waltzed up too, pausing for a moment before joining him, feet just shy of hanging over said edge.
"While it is true that humans have achieved great things, how they got to those achievements should be called into question, nothing is ever achieved without a cost."
Lazarus himself stood a regular 5'10'' next to the boy, his crimson locks pulled back into a loose and messy bun. Amber eyes watched the ant sized specks as they moved from one street to another, some vanishing into buildings, others stopped in pairs or groups for one reason or another. While they seemed less than interesting creatures, the boy beside him piqued the interest of the quincy, a sideways glance cast the others way. Taking a few steps back from the would be cliffside of the building, Lazarus raised a counter question to the arrancars, a single brow raised as he pointeda slender finger in the boys direction.
"I like many things, a fine example being what it is that makes people tick, what convictions does a person hold and what would they sell their soul for if given the chance. I can only imagine the stories you have to tell, so i ask, would you be interested in spinning a yarn or two about how you came to end up this way?"
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 13, 2022 21:29:14 GMT -5
"Something I am rather curious about" The arrancar would say as he observed the quincy. "Is if you have an actual physical body" he moved his head slightly, pointing his chin out over the city. "You might want to be careful or I don't think we...you, will be alone for long." he gave the man a small smile before his feet moved over the edge and his ass hit the roof floor. He began to let his legs dangle over the edge, occasionally hitting the side of the building.
The quincy had a good point, so much obtained but the price was not always within sight. Looking out around them he could only guess at how many people this place contained, how many more people was upon this world than he dared count...how many more compared to his own time. He had wandered from battlefield to battlefield, war to war, places of death and destruction where suffering was held. He had been hungry and in pain, seeking comfort in his own hollowness by eating the same from others. He could lie to himself and say that he spared them that pain but even now he could hear their screams of pain and torment...they were sealed now but one couldn't ever forget such things.
"Asking a Hollow to tell their story...is a rather offending notion" he would say, bringing a hand to clasp on the bone cross around his neck. "Although it is of no fault of your own, ignorance is your fault but not a hindrance in this conversation." He continued to look across the city. He knew the price for their progress...the fields of blood that had been sprouted, seeped, drained. Even now he didn't see the people around him as nothing more but more casualties of such wars...future or past. "I could be persuaded to tell my tale...part of it...but what do you offer in return for such a precious thing?"
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 14, 2022 17:31:47 GMT -5
His mind sat on the idea of all the wars and advances in technology that brought the humans, it was a troubling though, but not one he couldn't understand. The only true way forward in life is through the mud and the muck, wading through corpses until you find yourself on the other side of it, better off than when you started the trek. The weak are often lost to the onslaught of battle, whether due to their incompetence or just a lack of something needed to take that next step was anybody's guess. Taking into consideration the boys words about being alone, and after a moment his reiatsu would fall to that of a normal humans, maybe a tick higher, as he suppressed it to keep from prying eyes and senses.
" they do say ignorance is bliss, but I'd argue that ignorance is just a pitfall waiting to happen. As for what I can offer you, well I don't have much, I've a few tales of my own, though I can't imagine they compare..."
He spoke no lies, if the boy wanted to hear about Lazarus' life, who was he to deny that trade, though there wasn't much else in the way of compensation he could offer. To illustrate this fact he pulled his pockets out, revealing that they were in fact void of any items or treasures. Although it was in his nature to try and read an individual, Lazarus kept that temptation at bay, not entirely sure what might come of trying to poke and pry an answer from the boy so soon. Instead he simply made his way back to the edge, opting to side cross legged to the boys right, staring down at the ants as they lived their dull lives.
"As for this body, it is very much a physical form, nothing much I can do about that unfortunately..."
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 14, 2022 22:20:11 GMT -5
"Then a different price to pay, for while you wish to know my own story I know the story of a human...Quincy as you might be. You will live, fight and die..and if you do not do so at the end of a Quincy's blade then you will continue that story in one way or another. I know that is how the story goes for it is the same that I lived." he would let out a long breath. "So, in exchange for this story you will offer me a favor, a single day of your help, a few hours if that is too high a price to pay. If you do not like this price then do not listen to this story, close your ears and blind your mind to the words."
A sad smile formed on his lips as he thought back through his life, the pain he had endured...had caused others. "I lived in what is called Europe, a soldier in Christendom. My people were oppressed, defenders against the invaders of a foreign culture and religion. My father was a dragon...but even his order couldn't stop them...and when they took the children they took me and my brother as well, hostages. Yet within their lands we learned to fight...my brother converted. When we were released, I took it upon myself to protect my people by any means, turning to truly barbaric practices to stop the enemy....and it wasn't enough."
He thought about that scene, the tree, the chopping block, the sunset. The world had seemed so much more vibrant then, in the last moments. Perhaps he had simply clung that sharply to life...fighting against the eventual death.
"Then, when I died, I retained my being....at a cost of course" he brought up a hand, touching his face before absently moving it to touch the cross made of bone near his hollow hole. "I consumed souls...then as hollows do I moved up to cannibalism...eating and gouging until finally my mask was broken....near 600 years of war, torture, and hunger." He turned to look at the man, wondering if he was listening after all.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 15, 2022 9:57:08 GMT -5
Depending on the situation, he could probably made that deal work, though he wasn't entirely sure what this Arrancar would be up against that he might need the help of a Quincy. the boy wasn't wrong, despite his past being a bit more tedious than some others, Lazarus wasn't stricken with a waring country or an attempt on his life. Deciding the benefits outweighed the risks, he would listen to the others words, images flickering through his mind as he tried his best to imagine what this boy was describing. He had assumed the boy lived through strife, however what was described was far worse, taken so young as well. Lazarus couldn't fathom what it would be like to live under enemy rule, to be hostage to invaders foreign to his own land.
His mind lingered on the part about having a brother convert over to the other side, a truly awful thought all thins considered. He was without siblings so he didn't even have an idea of the relationship they might have had before such atrocities occurred. His heart was heavy with sadness at the story the boy laid out for him so far, his head turning to meet the gaze of the younger ones. Amber hues help not pity nor sadness, but a touch of respect for having survived through something so horrible.
"A favor owed then, please, continue."
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 16, 2022 13:15:22 GMT -5
There was a myriad of reasons he would want to have a quincy in his pocket at a critical moment. Just the fact that the two of them were still talking meant that diplomacy could exist between them in a similar was that it existed between him and the shinigami...although to be fair that was something more between individuals than organizations. While he knew of Soul Society and the squads the comprised it he knew very little, if anything, about the Quincy and their organization. He could ask the man before him...but would that set off the timer for his own request...one that could result in help at a crucial time rather than some information?
"You want to know what its like being a hollow?" he would ask the quincy, curious as he had asked him to continue. He had concluded with his life as a hollow...true...he supposed his story wasn't over...though there were parts he didn't wish to think about, let alone put into existence by speaking them. "Very well...The masks, you see are our very being, we hide our emotions behind them, the pain of once being human being too much to bear, driving many of us insane. The holes that we have in ourself represent the ever constant hunger and desire for more...many of us barely more than beasts. Yet when my fate was sealed behind that mask I instead embraced the pain I felt...letting it out. I do believe it drove me insane...in a way, but it mostly meant that I kept my memories and mind intact."
He would go silent for a time. "But...I think that is the extent of my story I can tell...I ate hollows and survived until I ripped off my mask and took the form you see before you." he would shrug, at a loss for more words.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 16, 2022 13:51:21 GMT -5
It was strange, hearing how the boy described being a hollow, it resonated with something in the back of his mind. Perhaps an untapped animosity or some sort of instinct that lay deep below the surface of consciousness. While it was sad to think about, there was solace in knowing that suffering had come to a conclusion of sorts with the breaking of the mask, or at least that's how he understood it. there was so much to learn about the Arrancar and hollows alike, let alone the Shinigami and other sub species of races. his mind sat with the information he had been given, digesting it for a handful of silent moments before he spoke, staring up at the sky as it started to fade from blue to black, the sun falling under the horizon more and more each passing minute.
"I do have to wonder what the difference in power among the races is, given the fact that you, from the moment of your rebirth as a hollow, have been fighting for survival up until this point. I'd imagine that natural instinct for combat might give hollow and Arrancar the edge in some way or another. then again I suppose it all comes down to experience at the end of the day..."
through all of the words the other had uttered, a single fact had jumped to the top of his list of quandaries, and it more so came out as a flabbergasted question than anything with eloquence.
"You're over 600 years old?!"
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 16, 2022 18:04:15 GMT -5
"Yes...quite." he would say with a nod, letting out a breath as he watched the sun begin to disappear underneath the horizon. He turned to look behind him at the sky, looking to see if the moon was out yet. For every second that passed now this place felt more and more like his home in Hueco Mundo. "This form doesn't look like me when I died...and it certainly doesn't resemble what I looked like as a hollow." his hand would move to the small fragment of his previous mask hanging on a bone chain around his neck, the cross there. "I don't know why I was forced into the form of a boy...its rather annoying" That was something of a lie, admitingly...he could guess why he had taken this form...he just didn't like the answer and the questions it brought up.
"In Hueco Mundo lesser hollows are able to exist simply by breathing..while larger and stronger ones need to eat and survive. As we evolve, we grow stronger, change form, and require more and more food. By the end of it I would say that any being at the top of the food chain designed to weed out weakness must be among the strongest being in existence...of course I'm sure there are exceptions..for instance I head the leader of Soul Society is over 2000 years old...and a founding member. Perhaps age, technique, and skill could surpass raw power." Of course that was assuming he didn't have that in spades as well.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 16, 2022 20:37:20 GMT -5
Now that was an interesting tid bit of information, as far as he was aware, Shinigami retained their original appearances from death and being sent to their realm. To consider the idea that a hollow would go through a metamorphosis in terms of size, shape, and over all appearance opposite of its original soul form was one he hadn't even considered. then again his knowledge of the race as a whole was limited, this could have very well been common knowledge to everybody but himself. Yet another piece of information not given to him by the higher ups, the age of the commander of the Shinigami, even more baffling to him that it wasn't just a rarity designated to a lucky few. He know of his Majesty and the age different there, though he was more or less an infant in comparison, the thought of a battle between such entities sent a chill down his spine.
"Well I would have to agree with that statement, battle prowess trumps raw power nine out of ten times on average. Though there are some times when raw power is such that it may be too much to handle for even the most veteran of warriors, if the gap is wide enough that is. It doesn't take much to whittle down the spirit of someone who has even a hint of uncertainty in their heart, and those are the moments when one hesitates."
there was a long pause from Lazarus as he watched the last vestiges of sunlight vanish from the now night sky, stars slowly coming into view as they spoke. He would let out a sigh of his own, followed by a light chuckle, a hand coming up to cover his face before sliding down.
"To think I'm in my late twenties, sitting next to someone almost twenty five times my age..."
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 17, 2022 12:01:20 GMT -5
"If you plan to continue in this world" The arrancar would say, moving a hand over to the quincie's shoulder and patting him lightly on the back. "Then you will often find yourself outclassed by those far older than you. If there is one thing I have learned, however, is that age and time has a way of smoldering the flame of ambition that reside in all things. As a hollow we are constantly moving, growing, and evolving. In the end I turned into what you see before you, a new stage, a new plan, a new flame. A sufficiently motivated individual could, given time, outgrow even that old shinigami."
He would remove his hand from the quincy...the contact making him a little uneasy. This was supposed to be his sworn enemy...a being who could destroy his very soul, they couldn't mix very well could they? "Also, if you ever want some combat experience I will be available, perhaps it could do me some good to figure out how to fight a quincy, likewise it could help you figure out arrancars." He smiled, perhaps that was a trade he could make, though he hoped that sparring was all they did, he didn't want something unfortunate to have to happen.
"I don't know how long you'll live, quincy, human but if you're destined for the long path through this life then perhaps you can show the same kindness to others that has been shown to you, teach new people, life a good life, get old and crusty...but always remember to find a way to evolve."
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 17, 2022 12:51:06 GMT -5
While the pat on the shoulder would seem a kind gesture, something within him would recoil instinctively, outwardly nothing would change, but Lazarus knew what that sensation was. Hollows were literal poison to Quincy, so it would be only natural that physical contact would elicit some primal response deep in his very soul. Despite this he would gift back a soft smile, amber hues holding a gaze with ambition all but bleeding out of them.
"to be honest my short lived life has been nothing but an up hill battle, so its par for the course I suppose. That's never been a road block for me before though, if anything it's been the driving force to keep me moving forward, well that and the fact that I'd have no place to return too if I just went and gave up."
He pondered what a match between the two would amount too, though he wasn't against the option, he would need all the help he could get when it came to battle prowess and experience. He reflected on the last of what the other had said, mulling a handful of things over in his mind before speaking again.
"I do hope I can live such a life as what you speak of, who knows how easy that'll be to achieve though. It also occurs to me I've not properly introduced myself, Lazarus Jeager by the by. I do have to wonder though, why did you happen to come and simply have a conversation?"
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Player
Continuing to slaughter, kill, take. Life is to constantly sin. Life is evil itself.
nezuel
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Post by nezuel on Jul 17, 2022 13:02:00 GMT -5
There were, as it was, a couple of reasons Nezuel had come and talked to the quincy before him. He had been releasing riatsu and Nezuel was curious as to why. It could have resulted in a fight, but hadn't...and he was curious of the quincy. While having met one before the meeting had been brief, the conversation non existent, and it had left more questions than he knew what to do with. Still, there was another reason he had talked with the quincy besides those, a humorous one that, despite the improbability, still had merit.
"You suffer through adversity, it is an admirable quality. I must wonder if, though trials and tribulations, you might become more like a hollow than you realize." He'd laugh softly, a quincy and hollow hybrid, what absurdity. "Do you quincies have a home, a place away from the material world, like Hueco Mundo and Soul Society is seperate from it?" he was honestly curious, not knowing all that much about the bow wielding warriors.
"Ah, my name is Nezuel, no family name" he'd reply curtly. He'd given up any semblance of being human when he...well, stopped being human. "As to why we're having this conversation, I suppose you could say its because of one of two reasons. "Firstly, you didn't attack me or fled, stopping to talk." He turned to look at the man as he spoke the second, giving him a wink. "And secondly, I like the color red and you're kinda cute."
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Jul 17, 2022 17:09:51 GMT -5
He toyed with the idea of what it would be to become more 'hollow like' in mind, it was a mentality that he could almost wrap his head around, though it would have to stay on the back burner for the time being. That in mind, he paused a moment before responding to the question at hand, considering his words a touch more carefully as the subject was one he could catch a lot of heat on if rumor got out.
"Well we do have our own home, though the specifics of that I'll have to say are strictly...classified."
He didn't want it to sound like he was shutting the question down, but they were teetering on a dangerous tight rope of information give and take, and one false step would have one or both of them hurtling towards a not so great situation. Though that train of thought would be quickly derailed by Nezuel's next bit of information. if there were ever a moment when he was caught completely off guard it would be this one, the mental cogs all but grinding too a halt at the Arrancars words and actions just then. There was a long pause as he attempted to gather his thoughts, eyes a bit wider after hearing what he would take as a compliment. He had to remind himself this being was over six hundred years old, and that it could very well be a joke of sorts.
"Well thats the first time I've heard that one before."
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