Desert Battlefield

Hmm....well I could actually help you with your hollow powers. The first stage would be Cero, which will be using nothing but the hollows power, unlike other special abilities given to you from the hollow.

ok.....
so what should we do?

do we do that here or at the vizard hide-out?

The Vizard hideout will do. I'm already training Roan there, but I can handle multiple trainee's at once...

mmm

I'm gonna be there soon

*Sogyo enters through a Senkaimon.*
"Hmm, they probably noticed that. Maybe I can leave in time, before anyone gets here, they probably aren't that quick."
*Takes a look around the enormous desert.*
"This place isn't anything like I imagined, it's huge."
*Sogyo starts walking through the enormous desert and writes down anything special he sees. Trying to analyze the structure of Hueco Mundo. and a little attempt towards making a map.*

Aren't that quick, ne? ^^

*Raizen walks from behind him, having both hands in his pockets*

I would hope you weren't referring to me. XP

Ah, what's that? *leans forward and looks at the piece of paper*

Hmm....would that be a map? O.o

*Looks up and sees the arrancar walking up from behind. Sensing his reiatsu Sogyo kept his guard high.*

"Well not that quick, I never expected you guys we're so organized. I guess that's my fault."

*Looks towards the arrancar.*

"Well a map, I'm actually looking for a reason behind several strange hollow activities that occured in the Living World. I was hoping to find an answer here. But to hear it from the main source itself is even better. Now tell me the reason behind this arrancar."

*Raine appears out of the desert shadows in her Espada robes. She bows before Vasto*

Lord Raizen it seems there is some unrest to the North, I would advise you to stop dawdling and proceed there post-haste.

*She looks over to Sogyo*

Hmm, what brings a Shinigami to our midst...

*Sogyo sees the newly appeared arrancar and her presence gave him a weird feeling. Unlike the first who's presence was different. He looked at her and searched through his mind to find an answer, the feeling that he saw or heard of her before couldn'T dissapear.*

"Well I need information about the appearence of hollow in the Living world. Their powers and appearances are different, I need an answer arrancar. I can't leave this world without one. Tell me what the part of the Arrancar is in this plan."

*Sogyo slowly moved his hand towards his zanpakutou not knowing what for reaction he could expect.*

*Raine froze for a moment. Of all the Shinigami to wander their way into HM... it HAD to be my Fiancé's Vice... fantastic She sighed as she thought to herself*

There's no need to brandish your weapon here Shinigami, I don't believe anyone here has the intention of drawing against you.

*She carefully speaks as not to hint at her knowing Sogyo*

I'm sorry to have to tell you this but we are not responsible for any strange hollow appearances. As you know we do try to limit their presence as not to completely throw off the spiritual balances...

*Her gaze narrows*

However we too have been getting strange reports of hollow sightings where the hollow in question is as you said 'different.'

*She relaxes a bit*

I was beginning to think the Soul Society had something to do with the perversion of some of our hollows... a short time ago I was attacked by one of my own who greatly surpassed a normal hollow's standards. My only conclusion was SS meddling with our kind, mutating and experimenting on them. But your presence here makes me wonder.

*Amazed by her words he lifted his hand from his zanpakutou's hilt.*

"You can't possible think that Soul Society would ever start any hollow related experiments after the mess Aizen left us behind."

*Sogyo looked at her again, she seemed to speak the truth but it sounded so unrealistic he had to know more.*

"But how is it possible that you Arrancar, who know the secrets behind the hollow mask don't know what is happening. So what can you tell me about the origin of these hollow. Where do they appear? I can't leave here without knowing more about this. We can't afford another crisis just after recovering from the previous one."

*She smirked slightly*

On the contrary, wouldn't this be the best time? You Shinigami looked down on Lord Aizen's work until he proved that his creations far surpassed all of your kind... Now that you've learned from his promising findings there was no hesitation to continue on with newer more perverted experiments of your own for your own selfish needs...

*Her gaze narrowed as she took on an air of sorrow*

Best of all it could be carried out in secret, but if it ever got out you had Aizen to blame.

*She looks to Sogyo angrily*

And not a single one of you would batt an eyelash in question! You've turned a brilliant man into a scapegoat for your own sick, selfish gain...

*Not wanting to turn the issue into one of personal problems she sighs, her features softened*

Even with all my Espada wisdom I am far from knowing all secrets Shinigami... I was hoping you could tell me about that beast I saw. He appeared on the very outskirts of the plains, due south of here. I can't tell you much other than the fact that even though you see our kind as evil, mindless beings of destruction there is an air of nobility and finese to the hollow culture...

*Her injury from the estranged hollow threatened to open up as she grimaced*

This, thing... it truly was the epitome of darkness... anger and rage... I'm sorry I can't help you more Shinigami.

*Sogyo neglected the other words he heared after he heared the Espada praise Aizen. Raged he looks towards the Eapada. His intention of hiding his reiatsu completely dissapeared and he had trouble controlling himself*

"I can not believe that you truly see this matter in this way. That you dare to talk about that dog as a brilliant man! A man who didn't avoid killing his loyal subordinates just for his mad idea of being a god! Our task is to maintain the balance between the world of the dead and the world of the living. The balance that makes the existence of both possible, Aizen neglected that task and almost destroyed the Shinigami for his own need. I've seen friends dying to protect that balance. Dying right in front of my eyes. Don't you dare to call those sacrifices needless. He wasn't a scapegoat! He was the creator of an idea that could destroy everything, a mad narsistic murderer. Espada, I don't know what your thinking but if you refer to him like that one more time I don't see a way to avoid confrontation. I don't care which number you are but I'll risk everything to destroy those who mock the sacrifices that other shinigami made in that war."

*Sogyo moved his right hand towards his zanpakutou and pushed a small part of the blade out by pushing the handguard upwards with his left thumb.*

*Raine's gaze narrowed as she sonido'd behind Sogyo her blade already at his throat*

How dare you come to my land and say such things, and ignorant things at that. You sound just like all those other self-righteous bastards in Soul Society. When honestly you know nothing of the man...

*She increases the presure to the point where she could have drawn blood*

I warn you Shinigami, I have no intention of taking your soul... but if you continue on this path I will have no choice. You came here in search of answers...

*She sheathes her weapon and moves away from Sogyo.*

Just because you don't like the ones I give you doesn't warrant a battle.

*Raine paused*

In no way did I refer to your comrades death's as needless, nor did I dispute the fact that Aizen did such things to achieve what he did. But you Shinigami can only see things from your own Soul Reaper point of view, as narrow as the view is regarding Aizen. He did many things even an Arrancar would become nauseous at the mere thought of. But as we've seen in history there have been many brilliant men with impecable leadership and power that had chosen to abuse it...

*Raine frowned slightly*

I say all this because I knew Lord Aizen very well, better than any... and no one else could ever understand. I'm not asking you to understand Shinigami, but you'd best acknowledge the fact that you are speaking to Master Aizen's prodigy...

*Nochalantly she holds up 2 fingers*

And the Second Espada.

*Sogyo remained calm as he noticed he had hit a painful spot. As soon as the Espada sonidod towards him he replied.*

"A threat like that doesn't frighten me Arrancar. I have reached a point where I don't look into Death's eyes with fear anymore. I simply replied on the subject you introduced, our opinions are different but I'm not here to solve that problem.

*As soon as the arrancar shunpoed away again blood dripped down his clothes from his throat.*

Her speed is impressive. She could have killed me easily there, what in the world would have kept her from doing that!? Whats for certain is that she's a complicated being. Her opinion about Aizen, her mercy. She's different then the arrancar that invaded Soul Society.

*Just as she finished speaking the only words that she spoke that kept running throuhg his mind where: Aizen's prodigy and 2nd Espada. Sogyo was immensely surprised by the fact that the one he met was not only the 2nd strongest Espada in Hueco Mundo but also Aizen's prodigy.*

I can't leave here now. The fact that she let me know that there was a person who would carry on Aizen's will could mean she's going to end it soon enough. I have to be the first one to act. I'll show her that the one she's facing isn't a scared one who runs when he hears those words.

"Well Espada, the one you are facing is the Fukutaichou of the 8th Division. Hijikata Sogyo. I'm sure that introduction doesn't make the same impression that your words did on me, but I can't enter a fight without letting the opponent know my name."

*Sogyo unsheathed his zanpakutou.*

"I'm afraid that this is the only way. I can't let you go unharmed and you can't let me leave here alive with that knowledge. I'm sorry Espada but this was unavoidable. I guess my intentions where worthless after all."

*Sogyo dashed towards her with his zanpakutou raised above his head while he spoke his release command.*

"Spread your wings, Seiryuu!"

*Immediately after his shikai appeared he shunpoed behind her and started the battle with a horizontal slash towards her throat in an attempt to cut through it.*

*Raine shook her head*

Foolish Shinigami...

*She side-sonidod out of harm's way as she sighed*

Or rather I am the foolish one.

*She takes up a neutral stance as she awaits Sogyo's next move*

Here I was assuming we'd both be fighting for the better good of our 2 worlds and yet you draw your sword. It seems you've missunderstood my intentions. Gomen

*Raine bows her head*

But if you seek to follow a road of destruction then I can certainly assist you...

*Her body is coated with a thick reiatsu. She extends one of her arms as the spiritual pressure increases dramatically and her energy crackles angrily*

"The sad fact however is that when we both try to fight for the better good, intentions seem to be different. The wrench in this case is Aizen. You call him your master, I call him a murderer. It really is sad Espada believe me. My first inention wasn't to draw my blade, but my insticts and loyalty to those who died say otherwise."

*Sogyo focuses on his much stronger opponent. Her reiatsu pressed on him, he hadn't experienced such power since the last war. As lits his left hand from the hilt of his zanpakutou he pointed it at her and said the kido command.*

"Hadou #63 Raikohou!"

*The yellow energy ball raced towards the Espada. Not knowing what to expect Sogyo took a defensive stance.*

*Raine raises an eyebrow*

Tell me Sogyo, are you so stuck on the fact that I was once one of Aizen's pupils?

*She intercepts the ball of energy in her palm as her reiatsu eats away at it and dismisses it*

It's true I was his greatest success yes, the one to follow in his footsteps... but what you don't seem to grasp is I plan to continue his work strictly by my own means. I have been his successor since the day he died Shinigami, and yet how many genecides have you suffered by my hand, ne?

*Raine scoffs*

Aren't you the one asking me to take a life rather than act upon saving them?

"Do you want to tell me your actions would be different from his? Well as a prodigy I would think you would follow in his footsteps. And the thing that questions me the most is, do you care if I know that your his pupil? You act like you don't, which confuses me. You are complicated Espada, a true mystery. I know that your his pupil. I have the possibility to alarm Soul Society, which would lead to an enormous attack on Hueco Mundo but you act like if you don't care what happens. What or who are you exactly Espada?"

An enigma

*She smirks*

A paradox if you will.

*She calms her reiatsu*

Tell me Sogyo, do you believe I would have made mention to my connections to Aizen if I didn't wish you to know? As I have said before, I am proud to call myself his pupil. He bestowed upon me all his knowledge and abilities. I gained my infinite knowledge of hand to hand combat and swordplay from him as my Master. Though threw it all I never acquired his lust for power. I was content to simply be his student and run things here in Hueco Mundo as he gallavanted about SS.

*Raine looked to the distant city thoughtfully*

I wished only to care for my other tormented souls, not create more.

*Flashes Sogyo a look of sincerity*

So yes Shinigami I can honestly say my actions would be, and like I pointed out earlier, have been different from his. You can take these statements, believe them if you wish, but ultimately it is up to you to decide what to do with this information.

*Sogyo looks amazed.*

"Well if you really don't search for battle, I won't give you one. You truly are interesting Segundo Espada. I'm sure we'll meet again. Goodbye now."

*a Senkaimon opens and Sogyo steps in.*

*Raine watches in wonder as Sogyo dissapears*

I wonder if I did the right thing...

*She lets out a great sigh*

I need to remember I'm an Espada first and Shinigami second, but I can't bear the thought of fighting with the likes of Dio'd VC... he would never forgive me.

*Raine vanished from the grounds and headed for Las Noches*

Scrye lands onto the ground, causing a crater. He slowly gets up, dusting off the sand from his arrancar robes.

"Man, I need to find a second pair of robes."

Scrye looks around.

"I challenge the first arrancar to face me! One on one!"