Nel's Playfulness
The desolate expanse of Hueco Mundo stretched before Silas.
He was here for Nel. Her peculiar powers were not something to lightly pass up.
Days were spent traversing the wastelands, his senses attuned to any trace of Nel or her fracción. His first thought was to travel somewhere outside of where they were thrown out. However, it was clear they weren't there.
The silence mocked him, broken only by the howling wind and the skittering of unseen desert creatures. Disappointment gnawed at him. He needed her, and he wouldn't leave empty-handed.
Then there was a faint flicker of someone's spiritual pressure. It wasn't at all strong, but his honed senses caught it quite a few distances away. It was a residual trace of Halibel's spiritual pressure, more specifically, one of her fracción. Recognition sparked in Silas's mind.
Francheska. This specific Adjuchas wasn't Nel, but perhaps Silas could use her for something else.
He followed the faint trail, his steps silent on the sand. When she found her, she was huddled within a crumbling cave, her frame clearly searching for something. Perfect.
"Francheska," Silas said, his voice cutting through the stifling silence. The Adjuchas whirled around, their eyes widening in stark terror.
"Who… Who's there?" she stammered.
Silas calmly answered, coming into full view, "Deliver a message to Halibel."
"Ichigo?! You startled me…" Francheska then scoffed, wondering, Why should I do anything for you?"
Silas's blank demeanor vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness. Before Francheska could react, his hand shot out, quickly closing the distance. Fingers brushing against her locks, he said, "Don't make me repeat myself…"
A sickening crunch echoed in the cavern, and Franchesca's vision blurred. The world seemed to implode, crushing her under an invisible weight. Agony, searing and absolute, consumed her.
Then, just as abruptly, it stopped.
The weight vanished, leaving behind an unknown emptiness. She gasped, her eyes flashing open. She hadn't died. How? Was it an illusion or a terrifying trick in her mind?
Silas was already gone, having left behind footprints to indicate that he was indeed present at one point. Leaving was a form of mockery.
Panic clawed at her throat. She stumbled out of the cave, the memory of the crushing sensation making her legs wobble. What had happened? Had he killed her just now?
The thought wouldn't let go. But there was no wound, no sign of struggle. Just a chilling sense of violation.
Remembering his words, "Don't make me repeat myself", a cold sweat slicked her skin. She had completely forgotten about his immeasurable power. Francheska knew then what she had to do.
Tears streamed down her face as she trekked through the harsh desert. It was clear in her hurried pace that the message received was a heavy burden.
It was much more than a simple message—a warning to comply or else.
Their one encounter finally registered something in Francheska's head: a coming storm was going to plague Hueco Mundo one day. She of all people, began to understand why Silas had visited Halibel that day. It was a declaration of war, a silent challenge to the power structure of Hueco Mundo.
Fear propelled her forward. She had to find Halibel to both tell her and warn her of the danger that was Silas.
Silas himself was high in the air, watching from afar with a blank expression. What he had done was nothing short of an illusion. He had truly destroyed her body, healing her almost instantly before her death. It was so quick that she only managed to feel a portion of that pain.
Of all the things that made Hollows even follow someone, regardless of race, it was fear and power. They were simple creatures, without a heart to love. Though they could mimic those emotions, Silas knew how to manipulate even the most stubborn of Hollows.
Leaving the area, it wasn't long until he finally sensed who he was originally looking for. The desert moon cast its light on Nel as she chased a particularly plump sandhopper across the dunes.
Her giggles echoed across the barren landscape. He watched from afar as Nel's fracción, Pesche and Dondochakka, lumbered after her, their faces full of worry because of her loudness.
Silas needed a more direct approach.
Nel, in her childlike state, wouldn't be much use to him. However, he was not going to turn her into her older self now. So he strode towards the group with caution.
Nel, ever the social butterfly, squealed with delight at the sight of a new face.
"Hey! You look like you're bathing in the moon's light!" she exclaimed, pointing a chubby finger at him.
"That so?" Silas spoke with a deep baritone in his voice. He was more than calm; he was not impressed.
There was no doubt that Nel, or anyone in Hueco Mundo, could sense his spiritual pressure. Yet, in her eyes, she saw his inner appearance—a glowing figure whose aura alone could blind others.
"You can call me Ichigo, Nel…"
Pesche and Dondochakka exchanged panicked glances. Their heightened senses couldn't detect this newcomer's spiritual pressure. On top of that, he knew Nel's name, a cause for immense concern.
Nel, oblivious, bounded towards Silas, her big, curious eyes peering up at him.
"What brings you to Hueco Mundo, mister Ichigo?" she chirped, tilting her head.
Silas knelt with a light smile. Even though he had just stated her name, she didn't seem all too shocked that he knew it. In addition, she was friendlier than he remembered.
Softly, he patted her head and replied, "Looking out for capable fighters. Heard there might be trouble brewing."
The fracción's eyes widened. It wasn't every day that they'd come across someone who seemed harmless. Pesche, ever the impulsive one, blurted out, "Trouble? Who'd dare mess with us?"
"The one who did this to you," he said, tapping Nel's head lightly. "You two should know they won't stop if they find you."
Nel's eyes were buried in confusion. She had no memory of her past, let alone of what happened to her mask. However, Pesche and Dondochakka's faces were drained of colour. They knew exactly what Silas was talking about.
After all, they had sworn a pact—a secret oath Nel couldn't know about—to protect her at all costs after Nnoitra's attack.