Throwing Bait
Cirucci, Mila Rose and Hisashi had spent a few days travelling to the destination of their missions, but to Hisashi's surprise she seemed to be acting no different than usual. Which meant cold, dismissive and belligerent towards him at every chance while trying to talk with and fawn over Mila Rose to try to get into her good graces.
He didn't care about her mistreatment of him as long as it remained at just words. Do you get mad when a small child jumps up and down in front of you and insults you or do you just shake your head judging it a silly child? Cirucci might think she stands towering over him, but even without becoming an Arrancar she was still quite a bit weaker than him. On top of that if he did react to put her in her place that would only put a greater spotlight on himself as being powerful in the eyes of the others in Las Noches which was the last thing he wanted.
Hisashi looked at her suspiciously. 'Strange, is she really not planning on something?' He wondered to himself.
He had felt some malicious gazes staring at them from the distance every so often. All throughout the trip he had been feigning weakness, acting like Mila Rose was the strongest one out of the two of them letting her take on the strongest Hollows they came across and acting like he could barely keep up at times when facing multiple enemies. All in hopes of baiting out some kind of response, but nothing had happened yet.
They had left the sandy dunes of Hueco Mundo's surface and were dashing between the trees in the Forest of Menos now. They had been tracking some traces they found hours before.
"Do you think the Adjuchas will agree to join Las Noches?" Mila Rose asked. She sounded reluctant.
Hisashi chuckled. "Worried you won't get the fight you've been craving?" He asked.
Mila Rose shrugged. "I've been growing restless cooped up in Las Noches. Although some peace is nice it sometimes feels wrong," she said.
Cirucci frowned. "Does it even matter? They'll just be a bunch of weaklings. They always are," she said dismissively.
"I just hope they can at least put up a little of a fight, I don't want it to be over without being able to let loose a little," Mila Rose said.
"From my experience they almost always refuse at first so you'll probably get your wish. Given how this one has been collecting subordinates and building his own faction I doubt he will submit without a fight. Maybe even that won't be enough. I'm fine either way. As long as you have fun," Hisashi said.
The thing that had been bothering him was he was feeling stifled. Between Cirucci's presence and whoever's gaze he kept feeling. He had to hold back at all times and act like he was much weaker than he was just in case they might notice and report it back. He couldn't wantonly kill and consume whenever other Hollows attacked their groups to fuel his growth.
'Why can't they just grow a pair and attack?' he wondered.
Cirucci sneered.
They heard the scream of a Gillian. It tried to charge a Cero, but one slash of Hisashi's arm sent off an energy blade that cleanly sliced the giant in half before it could even finish charging the attack. They didn't even slow down or comment on it. At their level it was no different than stepping on an ant that happened to walk in your path.
Mila Rose smiled. "I hope you're right," she said.
"So who is going to do the talking?" he asked.
"As the highest ranked it should obviously be me," Cirucci said arrogantly.
Hisashi shook his head. "If we do that I can guarantee it'll be a fight," he said.
Cirucci narrowed her eyes while glaring at him.
"Oh! Let's let her do it then!" Mila Rose chimed in.
This seemed to distract Cirucci. "If you think that's for the best," she said.
Hisashi shrugged.
He stopped running and crouched down by some tracks. "These tracks are still quite fresh. We must be getting close," he said.
"At least he isn't totally useless," Cirucci said.
Mila Rose frowned.
They continued following the tracks until they came to a large clearing. There seemed to be a rudimentary temple and throne that made Hisashi roll his eyes. Arrogance and delusions of grandeur weren't all that uncommon amongst the Hollows once their consciousness grew stronger after moving past the Gillian stage.
There was a large bulky gorilla-like Adjuchas with deep blue fur sitting on the throne. Its mask looked like the skull of a some kind of monkey. It was surrounded by many other Adjuchas.
The moment they walked into the clearing the Adjuchas went quiet. They looked at the newcomers curiously.
The gorilla Adjuchas stood up from his throne towering over those below. "Who are they?!" He asked.
His subordinates were looking at each other murmuring trying to figure out if anyone had brought them.
The gorilla Adjuchas slowly walked down from the temple. "Depending on how strong you are, maybe just maybe you can join us," he said.
Hisashi looked at Cirucci. "Isn't it your turn now?" He asked.
Cirucci frowned. "Don't tell me what to do," she bit back.
Despite her shorter stature than the gorilla she still gave off the feeling of looking down on him with her sneer. If his expression was any indication he wasn't a fan of it.
"You should be happy, we're here to give you miserable rats scurrying around the corners of Hueco Mundo a shot at being part of something greater. Our master Aizen has seen it fit to extend his hand and offer you the opportunity to join Las Noches," she said.
The gorilla clenched its fist slowly approaching her.
She wore a self-satisfied smirk. "All you have to do is kneel and submit," she said.
'That'll do it,' Hisashi thought.
-X-X-X-
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