10 - Introduction To The Enemies - Rivalry From The Start

It was cold as it always was.

Las Noches seemed to always be thrown in a perpetual state of chilling reality that froze Miku. She hated its cold nature, and wished that someone would have been able to warm the place.

Miku's fingers twitched as she walked down the halls. Her modest clothes hung on her body, slimming, and beautiful. The white clothing fell around her like silk, forming a silken white vest with a black tight shirt under it, contrasting each other as the Espada uniform often did. On her arms, arms warmers rested against her frail looking skin, not hiding the hole in her right elbow. This followed suit and had a black tight arm warmer, with a less tight white silken looking arm warmer over top. The vest that was formed fell until it reached her lower waist, where black pants wrapped her, until her thin legs reached her feet, where small back slip on shoes covered her. The pants were also black, and like the other black material on her, clung to her skin tight.

The over all affect made her look more serious and less concerned about how she looked, while still maintaining her normal beauty.

Miku's purple hair fell past her shoulders, not contained in any sort of tie. It fell freely down her back. Two purple ribbons were woven into her hair like extensions that fell past her hair, and tied themselves to the sheath of her sword, holding it there, suspended at the level of her lower back.

Her steps were silent.

The black part of the arm warmers covered her hands in half finger gloves, leaving the back of her palms uncovered. Her Espada number rested there, on her right palm – number 8.

Miku's steps fell silent, the silence of her walking almost covered by the daunting silence of the huge castle. No one was in sight along the long and winding corridors of Las Noches. It was rare for Hollows to be in this part of the castle. It was restricted to all but the current Espada.

Arrancars of high levels were not even allowed here, and neither were past Espada that had been replaced.

Because of this, it was often left empty.

She had been walking the long pathway silently for about five minutes now, and boredom started to take over. Her held up sword, Hyouton, lightly touched her back with every step. She could feel her energy pulsating through the hall, like ribbons falling from the air, in jagged motion – like the snake like reflection of water against empty walls, moving like lightening.

She had arrived.



The hall way ended with one last turn, and there was a metal door. It had a reinforced lock on it. The lock had no key hole, only a small hand shaped indentation on it where a member of the Espada could place his or her hand, and unlock it with their spiritual energy.

She did so, putting her hand into the hollowed out shape, her own palm much smaller than the given hand. Immediately the lock shifted, and Miku heard the complex inner workings of the door slide and clink until the entire surface moved, sliding back into the wall.

A putrid smell erupted from the door, and with it, the loud noises of the fallen and convicted hollows that had once been Espada before the era of Suzume. As the door stopped sliding open, and the screeching stopped, the men and women in the cells stopped their noises.

She could feel the intense glares of other on her as she entered. The door behind her began to close once more, much quicker than it had opened, slamming shut as it did. Once more, the intense clicking and tinkering of the inner working of the door locking itself could be heard in the awkward silence.

Miku met the stairs of one of the members of the old Espada.

“You weak shit!” the man screamed at her. Miku paid no attention to him. Continuing walking.

“Fucking kiss ass!”

Miku closed her eyes, and frowned.

These members used to be such powerful and honored members of the Espada as she had been, and now they were reduced to nothing. Such was the chain of command as Suzume had it.

One of the jail cell members ran at the bars of his cage, punching the metal as hard as he could, screaming curse words at her.

Miku stopped, turning slightly, her eyes just barely open as if she was not paying much attention to the man.

As he came in contact with the bars, a blue lightening like field erupted around him, and he was sent flying back to the other end of the cell. Steam pushed its way around him, and he slumped over. Silence ensued.

No one dared talk or let their anger take hold of them.

Miku turned once more, and sent a glare at the members ahead of like a warning not to follow the example of the man before.

Miku reached the other end of the room, and placed her hand on the door at that end as well, with the same lock system as the door before.

It opened in the same fashion, and Miku stepped through the doors.

As before, sound hit her ears, and she stepped forward.

Before her was a huge arena that held many slumped and staggering people. She counted twenty. The arena was surrounded by a huge cliff like wall that Miku was on, looking down at the fighting people. These men and women were some of the strongest hollows, arrancars, and even past Espada that had to live their life like this. It was like a gladiator arena.

It also acted as a training area for the current Espada that wanted to test their power on the members of old.

Miku had never done that. She felt bad for these men and women. But respected Suzume, and his reasoning far too much to try and change anything he had ever done.

Her finger twitched again as she felt the presence of another rieatsu, across the arena from her.

It was Niiki.

She was one of the most complex members of the current Espada, and one of the most terrifying as well. Ranked at number six, Miku was the inferior in combat at this point.

Niiki had noticed her as well. Niiki noticed when anyone came into the same area as her. She was always on high alert it seemed, able to sense something before it happened. In fact, this was such the case that, although other members of the Espada, Miku included, had arrancars that tried to attack her for her place in the Espada, Niiki had never had someone try and take her place by force. No sneak attack like that worked on the girl.

Miku still did not understand much about the dark girl – only that the relationship they had was not one of mutual friendship. At all.

And another thing, when in doubt, you could come here to find the woman, watching as the men slayed each other, fighting to survive a day longer.

Miku raised her eyes in order to look at Niiki. She was opposite her, on the other side of the arena. A huge gap of blank space separated them. Perhaps that was better. Miku had a certain fearful feeling when in close proximity of the woman.

But she had no choice, she was to collect Niiki and bring her back in to report to Suzume. He had work for them to do. Something that apparently only they could do.

Miku loved an opportunity to do something, and suddenly, thing were becoming more and more exciting among the Espada headquarters. Suzume searched in order to expand his small elite force of Espada, while also looking out for his goals.

Miku, as well as no one, knew what these goals were, only that Suzume had never failed on them before, and that the gap between his power and any member on the Espada's power was far to great to even describe. There was no choice but to follow him.

Regardless, Miku followed him out of respect, knowing that she might very well just be a pawn for him. She did not care. She was glad to at least be that.

And Niiki. Well. Miku had no clue of her intentions, and motivations.

That was all a mystery.

She was a mystery.

Niiki watched the enslaved members fight for their lives from the elavated balconies. She glared down at them with her irredecent blue eyes, lost in they're world.


She loved watching them. She loved watching them rip their old companions apart to ensure their own survival. She loved watching the fear, the chaos, the desperate expressions. Watching these people suffer and claw for their lives below her gave her the sensation she craves more than anything. Power.


Her perfect features remained motionless as she focused intently on the battles below. Her obsidian hair reflected the white light of the colorless room as it cascaded in thick locks down her back, stoppping only a few inches about the tatoo on her lower back: the V in the back of her dress framed a small "6" signifying her status amoungst the Espada.


Niiki's peaceful observing was interupted by the impending presence of a certain raitsu. She detected it long before the person entered the arena and reccognized who it belonged to immediatly. It belonged to a girl whom Niiki had known and worked with for sometime. Miku.


Niiki disliked Miku for many reasons but the thing that really irked her was Miku's ability to steal attention because of her stability and poise. Niiki hated it. She had grown to convince herself that Miku's sickening perfections were all a visage and, deep down, she's as weak and pathetic as an insect caught in a web.


Niiki slowly lifted her eyes from the battles to the door on the other side of the balcony as Miku entered. Niiki watched her walk in, studying her manorisms with disgust. She knew why Miku was here. She knew that Miku wouldn't come find Niiki unless she was ordered to. Although Miku did not take her eyes away from the battles Niiki knew she had detected her presence. Niiki closed her eyes then begrudgingly used sonido to get to the other side. Niiki stood directly behind her, glaring down at her. Her voice was soft but had a venomess undertone.


"What do you want?"

Miku's entire body reacted to the sudden presence of the dark girl. Her slender voice slipped out, and almost in a passive aggressive way threatened Miku.

Miku analyzed everything, feeling the hostile emotion, taking note at the almost impossible speed of Espada six's sonido speed. It was one of the fastest among the Espada. And she was only six. It made no sense to Miku. Her teammate's sonido was much faster than her own. Of course. Miku was a lower level than Niiki. She accepted that.

“What do you want?”

The words hit the back of Miku's head, unexpectedly. It took another moment for the wind of the passing girl to hit her, swaying her clothes. Miku opened her mouth, but something gripped her. Something synonymous to fear, but not the same. She was not afraid of Niiki, but afraid of her intent. It was not hidden in a way that Miku could not see. A certain mistrust, and lack of friendship stood between them. They were the least likely to find together by free will.

“Suzume wishes us to be gone. We are to to go to the real world. Follow me. We have to get the details.”

Miku's small voice trailed off completely at the end, as if muttering to herself. She hated having to be the one always being paired with Niiki. Suzume favored them as a pair more than he favored any other it seemed. It was unfortunate. Niiki followed her own agenda, not liking taking orders from anyone. It even seemed that she hated being commanded by Suzume, but this might just simply be her hate of being commanded by Miku – some she most definitely saw as weaker.

Turning slowly, she faced the beautiful girl. Miku had seen it many times. It was irritating. She held the perfect features. It was almost too much for one member of the Espada too have. And she had it. Her flowing uniform fell like a beautiful dress that slimmed her, and wove around her curves, like the trickle of water down a flat surface.

She moved her eyes, and Miku walked past, out of the small viewers box that she was in, and back to the door where she followed her own protocol and opened it with her reiatsu. It slid open, and once more, the shouts began of the prisoners that were not fighting at the moment. The bars held back and constrained their spiritual energies so as not to frighten anyone that walked through.

She heard Niiki walk behind her, like a silent spider that crept on a web to its pray – Miku. The feeling made Miku feel constricted, and she wanted to look back to see what was happening behind her. The prisoners laughed and jeered at them, some of them whistling at them. Miku knew it was directed at Niiki. Her breasts were over flowing from the dress she wore, and her entire look was based on sensuality it seemed. Such nonsense was foolish to Miku. There was no need to dress like that, especially when it might be of nuisance while fighting.

But Niiki never had a problem with that. And she did not have anyone fighting her most of the time. She was a relatively new member as well. Then again, so were they all. Ever since Suzume took over, they had all been replaced.

However, the prisoners were more tame then before.

Miku had never seen it, but heard that when Niiki did not like someone, they did not live. It was a widely known fact, and it kept opposition against her to a minimum, even from the higher Espada. Miku did not know whether to believe Niiki killed off members of her own team or not. It was something she would rather not think about.

Silence hung over the two. Awkward comradeship.

Opening the next door at the end of the room, and walking out into the long hallway, Miku waited for Niiki to pass before her to close the door. This was her way of being generous and curteous – but she had alternate motives. She hated the feeling of knowing that Niiki was behind her. And now she could remain behind Niiki.

“After you. Niiki-san.”

Her small voice trailed off again, smiling at the dark haired girl.

The walk continued.

They walked for five minutes before they reached the end of the hall, their quickened walking due to Niiki's long spider-like legs that allowed her to walk with a certain sway that Miku did not have. Miku did not try to have this ability however.

She had never cared about beauty. She thought it distracted people from what was really important. It destroyed peoples life. Smarts were much more useful in a real life scenario. Unfortunately Niiki was smart as well. Smart in a different way.

Miku felt the large amount of bone that covered her face. Her mask fragment did not allow her to have a care about beauty. Without a visible face, no one could thrive in beauty.

She did not care. It provided protection, and that was more important in this world. The mask had peculiar painting on, that was permanent. It was the markings that her reiatsu left on her mask. It was not a common occurrence. And the markings changed when she released. Not much else changed though.

Looking up, Miku watched the back of Niiki.

Her mind wandered. What could a girl like that liken to in her resurrection form? Niiki never released. Often didn't need to. When she got involved in squabbles, her opponents would fall before she released. She was powerful.

Maybe a snake? Her features allowed for the snake like beauty of defined features. But her figurative poison was different. It was more dreadful. Spider?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a snickering. At the end of the hall, a man stood there, his shirt open, and his baggy pants not allowing any shape to his legs. His toned body fully covered in light brown tattoos and highly exposed due to slim clothing was well known to Miku. Espada number 5 – Esei Coto.

“Hey girlz.”

His hand moved into a peace sign above his face, that saluted them. His muscles moved and flexed as he pushed himself off the wall, and into a standing position. His shirt did not cover anything but the top of his pectoral muscles, and was tightly framed, allowing him to show off his muscle tone. His sleeve covered arm fell back down.



“We have business to do Esei-san,” Miku said with an unmoving tone that had no hint of emotion attached to it.

“I see, being called into Suzume's office are ya? As am I,” He said that jokingly, with a hint of tease at Niiki.

Miku remembered now that he was one of Niiki's biggest fans. He was always following her around, or admiring her from afar. But even he did not like to fight the girl. He was stronger, but there was a different game that she could play on her opponents. It took a different skill to attack her.

“Yes.”

Miku's voice changed to sharp.

“Heh heh, alright alright. See yaaaa.”

his voice wore off as he turned and walked past them in the direction they were going, only much faster a pace then either of the women. This was the most Miku had ever seen that hallway being used.

It took another five minutes of walking through the uneventful castle of Las Noches in order to reach Suzume's door.

The enormous amount of reiatsu that flooded out made Miku's senses tingle. He had that affect on everyone.

Leaning over, she knocked on the door.

This was fear.

Her hand froze before she could hit the door, and she faltered.

There was no mistaking it. This was nothing like what she felt about Niiki.

Suzume had an air that was tame, but also the most dangerous energy of any and all the Espada members combined. He was the most powerful of them all easily, and kept them alive in order to have them do his bidding. Miku was aware of that truth. She was a pawn. She did not mind.

Her hand hit the door.

“S-Suzume...?”

A silence ensued, and then his voice came.

It was deadly and handsome, like a sharp diamond, able to pierce anyone's heart, and leave it bleeding, but with a beauty that was not able to be found anywhere else.

“Come in.”

It was dark.

Then the tall figure surrounded by nothing flipped the switch.

Light poured into the room from the bright and artificial lights above installed in every room in Hueco Mundo due to the impending darkness.

The room was rather small, and almost completely filled by a single large table, and ten chairs that were evenly dispersed throughout.

Suzume walked over to the table, the side nearest the door, and placed his hand on it, a complex and muscular well build hand that passed over the surface of the smooth white table easily. In fact, everything in the room was white. It was simple that way. It was all clean, everything was clean.

His finger moved from one seat to the next, and so on and so forth until he reached the other end of the table. This side had a slightly move fancy chair that rose higher than the rest. This was the head of the table. This was where she sat.



Suzume turned as he heard the mew of his Yin behind him. Suzume smiled at the young kitten. His solid snow white fur blending in with the room. A small grinning smile lit up Suzume's face. It seemed that these were the only beings capable of inspiring such emotion in Suzume. Yang jumped up on the table just after, his black fur contrasting with the room ever so greatly. It was the perfect combination. Yin and Yang.

“I like to see you smile, Suzume-san.” Yin spoke.

“We all do, Yin-kun,” Yang replied, looking at him and the back at their master, Suzume. If cats could smile, they would be.

Suzume watched them curiously, and the turned away, smiling, and avoiding answering that statement.

They were the only ones that bewitched him to do so.

Suzume's memory flashed back to the last time all three of them were in this room. Yin, Yang, and Suzume had all come in with Byakura. They had had the fight that night. That was the night that Suzume had taken over Hueco Mundo. It seemed so long ago now. It seemed like he had always been leader. Perhaps this was because of his indirect hold on Hueco Mundo through manipulation far before he had gained official ruling.

Suzume looked out the window into the world beyond. This room too was under the artificial day time that was painted and animated onto the ceiling of Las Noches. The entire castle was build under a dome that had a day time light blue sky painted on it. It looked too real to be fake. And yet it was fake. A wonderful mimicry.

But it was not to fool anyone. Any resident of Hueco Mundo had seen the night stricken deserts that went on forever.

It had been a long time since he had joined Hueco Mundo. Although he had never gone through the same process that all of them had gone through. That made him special. He was special.

Turning again at the feeling of another three peoples reiatsu, Suzume looked at the door opposite him. He could distinguish them all by their energies. He knew them all.

Niiki. Only he had seen her released form. The hideous creature she became was far different than her natural beauty. Although in some ways, the same. She carried herself with a certain kind of egotism. But Suzume saw through it, her ego came from lack there of. She hated herself, and her appearance. Once stuck in that kind of life, no amount of beauty is enough. Comparison will tear one apart of that living style.

She was complex, and it was hard to read her. Harder than others at least. But in that complexity, there was a certain simplicity, and that came from their similarities. He looked over her harder than all the other Espada. Her ability to manipulate reminded him of himself, and that could be problematic. That is why he had to keep her close at hand, but not too close.

Miku was almost the entire opposite from Niiki. While Niiki's obsession was in beauty and manipulation, Miku had no interest in either. Miku simply wished to serve and did not care for beauty. She was a faithful servant, and a total tool for Suzume. But a useful tool, and a favorite tool. And she knew it. That was the best part. He did not have to hide anything from her. That was what made him give her his trust. At least as much as he would allow.

That being said, Niiki was a mere tool. Every member in the Espada was. He had no feelings if they lived or die. As long as he could have his revenge settled. As long as he could make a point.

Suzume but his lip.

Then there was Esei.

He was a generic warrior. He was always going off to train, one of those train hard until you die. A simpleton. He was more than easy to manipulate. Suzume had noticed and admired his power from the start, and thus given him the title of Espada five, one of the more powerful Espada. His ability to use the sword without even releasing rivaled that of a captain in Soul Society. But other than that, there was nothing special to him than that. A mere protection an action tool.

“Here they come Suzume-san.” Yin spoke, taking a pause from licking his paw.

“I know Yin-san. I sensed them a while ago.”

“Of course you did. Yin, you should know now that whatever you can sense, Suzume has already sensed it.” Yang spoke as if teaching a lesson to a younger sibling. But neither was older. Ordinarily, Yin was the smarter and more strategical one of the two, while Yang was slightly more powerful in actual battle situation. But it was only about the difference in power between to Soul Society captains.



Knock. Knock.

They were here.

Suzume did not answer for three seconds, and then his face set to neutral.

“Come in.”

Yin and Yang scattered to the table side near Suzume, and sat at the same time he did, one at each side of him.

Suzume leaned back, and bent his fingers into each other, holding his hands together as if to think as the members of the Espada entered.

He could feel their feelings through the different pulses of their reiatsu. Miku was scared. Niiki was eager. And Esei was neither.

The shadow of the door spread across the entire room as the door slid open, void of any noise such a squeaking.

Yin looked at Yang and giggled, his small voice echoing in the room despite its petite volume.

Suzume looked at Yin as if to silence him kindly.

Yin finished his giggle, not intimidated by Suzume, and then quieted himself.

The white clothing that Suzume wore folded over itself as he sat, his muscular and slimmed body resting until he had to speak.

Niiki sensed Esei's obnoxious presence long before he came into sight. In fact she'd noticed him many times troughout the past couple months, stealing a glimps of her every so often, passing winks and suggestive smirks obviously in adrimiration to her flawless beauty. She'd been carful not to give him too much attention. She new his type. Playing hard to get seemed to excite him even more. But recently she'd been more generous with her attention, pulling him closer with subtle hints of interest, yet still keeping him wanting more.

Men like Esei were easy prey for Niiki, so easy to manipulate. So one-demensional. Unlike Suzume. He was far from one-demensional. His deep complexity and powerful presence gave Niiki a thrill unlike any other. Something about him was irresistably intriguing; his mysterious charm, cunning inteligence, and god-like power was unlike anything she'd ever witnessed.

Esei on the other hand could not be more opposite. Pretentious, simple-minded, eager. Perfect for certain intensions.

"Hey girlz."

Niiki pretended not to notice him until he spoke so that when he did she could act pleasantly surprised at his sudden appearance. Her character completely changed, even her energy shifted as she silently interacted with the higher ranking espada. She made sure he noticed her admiration of his toned body as his mussles as they moved and flexed with his every movement.

“We have business to do Esei-san,”

“I see, being called into Suzume's office are ya? As am I,” He looked at Niiki with a teasing smirk. She smiled seductivley and looked away playfully.

Her flirtatiousness was effortless. Almost habit. But why Esei? She didn't necessarily like him. She knew his simple mind would be easy to toy with and in the end she would get what she wanted: to put his delicious body to use.

Before he turned to walk away Niiki snuck him a "meet me later" kind of smile embelished with a subtle wink.

In the five minutes that it took for the three members to travel down the hall Niiki thoughts pondered the impeding situation. Coming face to face with Suzume.

Suzume usually kept to himself. He didn't call for company of others unless he needed them for somthing important, exculding his fractions. He kept them closer to him than anyone or anything. The few times that Niiki had come into his presence the intensity was overwhelming. Addicting. She's tried many times to make a move, to inspire a reaction, to try to read him like she can so effortlessly with others. Nothing. As soon as she thinks she has something he turns her manipulation on herself. She's had an extraordinary attraction to Suzume sense day one. Because of this her experience with revealing her true form to him was humiliating.

A few months ago, just days after Suzume took over the Hueco Mundo, all the espada were forced to demonstrate the extent of their abilities including their release forms. Niiki despises her true form. It disgusts her to think that she was to degrade herself to such a horrific creature. She had never shown her true form before or after that event.

Knowing that Suzume has been the only other person who's witnessed the monstrosity, killed her. She hated it. She hated herself for being so volnerable to him. She hated that he had the upper hand, not only in placement but in every other aspect as well. All the areas Niiki thought she was undefeatable in: manipulation, premenition, inteligence, speed. He was better. He had her on a leash, dangling helplessly from a single weak strand or broken web.

Although as much as Niiki hated it, she still had a strange addiction to it. The volnerability, the helplessness. She wanted it. She wanted the compitition: a mind that surpassed her own. She was so bored with the simplicity of people. She wanted him.

"Come in."

His smooth voice resonated through the white room as they entered. His statuesque figure posed intently in the chair at the head of the table.

Like clock work, all of the following Espada filed in. First Miku, then Niiki, and lastly, Esei.

The energies of each was so different. Niiki had a venomous energy that threatened all others in the room. Suzume did not feel threatened by her act however. Miku simply complied to Suzume's call, and Esei was curious as ever, not knowing what the mission would call for.

Suzume let out a grin. Some were scared of his every facial expression. They had reason. He was not so nice to members of the Espada and arrancar that he did not care for. And that was every single one.

Instead of speaking his greeting, Suzume nodded to each one, his eyes closed. It simply showed his inability to fear such lower life forms.

Yin and Yang stiffened as the others entered the room and took their seats. They both very actively looked everyone over. Esei sat very relaxed in the chair that he claimed as Espada number five's chair. His slouched posture only flexing his muscles in different areas. He stared at Niiki, and then at Suzume, as if he could not make up his mind as to which he would rather pay attention to.

“So.”

With that one word, Suzume released the slightest bit of spiritual energy, opening his eyes.

The air was almost visibly affected by the enormous weight of his energy. Everyone snapped to attention, and Miku even placed her hands firmly on the top of the long white table, her eyes wide. The entire room went rampant, and then, as soon as it started, it stopped.

“I see you all came. Good.”

Looking around the room, making eye contact with each member that was in the room, Suzume spoke again, introducing the topic of this meeting.

“I have something important for you to do. But it will not be an easy task.”

Yin moved slightly, uncomfortable, but residing in a noble and statue like position. Yang did something similar, only more of a combination of the posture Esei took and the noble one that Yin took. He was not comfortable sitting on the hard table, and neither was Yin. However Yin loved to see the meetings and the reactions and personalities of each and every Espada more than focus on the uncomfortable table.

“I have hand picked each of you. You each have a great purpose. As you know, I am starting the Espada from scratch, and as such we are incomplete. It is of top priority that we do not leave this weakness open for too long.”

Suzume took another break, and moved from his chair, moving gracefully out to a standing position, his posture straight and noble.

His black and white clothing falling down to his ankles. The white overcoat hemmed with thick black markings that split into a large V neck, and only connected in one space around Suzume's waist. The under garments were similar, with a smaller V neck that had the same thick black hem work. The high color of his overcoat rose to his mid neck, and came around. A night black cloth wrapped around his waist, contrasting with the white of his attire.

“There is a catch however, and as many missions will be, this is a dangerous mission. You will be going to Soul Society directly. Only the three of you. That is why I chose Miku for this mission. With her ability to snub out reiatsu you should have no trouble acting without being seen. Niiki, you and Esei are fighter types, and should easily be able to handle any shinigami that would attack if Miku fails to do her part. Regardless, failure in this location of the mission is not an option.”

Suzume turned back out towards the window, his back facing the rest of the Espada.

“The mission objective is simple. There is a girl in Soul Society. She is training to become a shinigami. However, we have reason to believe that she is one of the rare Soul Reapers that has the innate ability to remember her part. At least part of it. That alone would make her an interesting test subject for certain... areas of study. However there is another reason I would like to have her. She is connected to Shuunske-sama, one of the most esteemed and legendary captains of Soul Society, and has gone through death and rebirth into the same body and same mind 4 times in total, each time retaining the same zanpakutou abilities, and memories.”

Suzume took a pause, placing his hand on the window frame.

“Her name is Yuki. Yuki Mizuko. She is currently in division 11's care and protection. Getting through their defenses without being noticed is up to Niiki and her more inconspicuous attacks.”

Suzume gave Niiki a look, referencing her spiders that not many people knew about. It was also a point earned in their on going game of throw and fetch. He knew more about her than she would ever know about him. And certain things that he did to rub it in just allowed him to remind her of that.

His look was dead serious.

“Esei-san. If she fails, you will be there in order to defend against the measly shinigami while Miku takes Yuki. I make failure a light topic here at this table, however, if I hear that any of the three of you have failed in any way, I will make sure that you are decommissioned, and placed in the holding cells for the arena, where you will be marked as ex Espada, and only fit to fight for your life until death in the arenas.”

Suzume looked directly at Niiki, a smile erupting on his face. However this smile was not the friendly smile, and most members of even the Espada feared this smile with their life, knowing that it meant that he would do worse things than he said.

It was almost a crazed smile.

“You have two days of allotted time to fulfill this mission's time requirements...”

Suzume removed his glare from Niiki.

“Oh. I almost forgot.”

Suzume offered another smile.

“Niiki-san, I have some bad news for you. I no longer see you fit for Espada position six. Therefor I am denouncing you to the rank of Espada 7. Miku-san, you shall take her place. You have only impressed me. Esei, you are dismissed. You will wait until Niiki-san and Miku-san have also been dismissed.”

Esei nodded, and pushed back his chair. His eyes placed on Suzume, then Miku, and finally Niiki, studying the shock that was in her eyes.

It was an interesting choice to make, allowing Miku to be a higher ranking that Niiki. And doing so in such a blatant way. Niiki was clearly the stronger of the Espada. Both were strong, but Niiki was stronger. And with the system as it was, Niiki could kill Miku for her ranking back. Was he trying to have Niiki kill Miku.

Esei grinned, and marched out of the room, thinking he knew Suzume's intentions. He was no where close however.

As soon as the door closed Suzume spoke again:

“Furthermore, Miku-san, I am dissolving your teammate bond with Niiki. You will now serve under me, and act as my own personal subordinate. Do not get this confused with your rank. I simply see you fit to act with me in combat and strategical situations alike.”

Suzume faced Niiki as he spoke again.

“As for you, you will have another teammate soon. I have someone in mind already. Please, do not worry about that. He will be a very... fun addition.”

Turning back to miku, Suzume grabbed her hand gently, and pressed his own palm against the back side of her own.

“From now on, you are Espada 6.”

As he removed his hand, the tattoo on Miku's hand had changed from 8 to 6. It was quite the advancement. Giving her one last look he let go his grip on the girl. Walking forward, he smiled, and very quickly touched Niiki's back where the tattoo was located. The black number of 6 shifted and molded into the number 7. She was now an Espada rank under Miku.

Suzume grinned as he thought of all the confusion and embarrassment and damage to her immense ego that this was doing.

The quick touch ended, and he moved to the door, opening it.

“You are dismissed.”