I am no Queen, yet a Sovereign Weeps (Open)

Where the intersection of cause and event happen, when momentious occassions spring from the ether, it called to a being whom has walked this world long. A being who's seen the rise and fall of countless empires, and the evolution of this nascent race of beings. Whom has nothing but time to watch them shift and change in an oh so delightful way. Of all the places that brought him great joy there was an almost primal enjoyment which came to this place. It reminded him of the world in the beginning, a fresh slate of chaos and negativity which something like him thrived. So when the skies opened and it rained upon the sands corrupted souls, a toga wearing man would be among the crowd.

His hand holding a piece of the toga idly, stepping onto sand with an easy smile and crimson eyes. Despite being surrounded by monsters of varying caliber he seemed entirely at peace, his presence nearly unnoticable as he watched with weighted interests the Arrancar. For among the crowds of Hollows he seemed almost to appear too human, bearing no hollow markings or hollow hole. But the distinct dread of negative energy which radiated from him was enough to indicate he was but a mere demon. The white sand beneath his feet crunching with every step, as the crowd of demons parted in an almost subconscious way.

For with every step he took a building of pressure was felt, first only a mere trinkle. But as he approached towards the center of attention which was Tier, it built steadily. Growing from a stream into a rushing river, before finally a waterfall of demonic energy. As the easy smile on his lips seemed utterly peaceful, yet eyes sharply aware of every movement around him. Notable every hollow around him almost seemed to freeze, not from any spiritual pressure, but rather his mere presence. For those with wills unlike Tier's, who she herself could feel this partially, was a distinct whisper in their head. As if something was speaking to them in the most soothing of voices, beckoning them to be calm.

As the black hair'd individual arrived to the front of the crowd, one side of his body covered by the purple and white cloth, he'd lift his gaze slowly up to Tier. In his blackened scelera, and crimson irises, should she bother to look, she would see an ancientness to them. Eyes which had saw the rise and falls of petty kingdoms and great empires, of Vasto Lordes and Captain-Commanders. Eyes which bore witness to the first steps of this world, before it was overcrowded with her kin. And within those depths, a power and enmity which extended to parts unknown.

He opened his mouth to speak, his voice flowing like velvety and mesmerizing. But distinctly carrying with it a natural authority, a natural grace.

"I fear, O' Shark of The Sands, that you will not find the purge you seek." He'd say, as his voice took on the tone of soft sadness. For he was truly saddened by such an event, to know that none would stand against the sovereign. "I, certainly, at least have no intentions of standing against you." His lips closed with a concealed smile. As he turned to face the mass of hollows behind him, they froze. This presence, almost keeping them in place not by any spiritual power but something far.. greater perhaps.

"However, I must profess my deepest apologies for interrupting your.." He pauses to think over the word, looking away thoughtfully, before stepping once more towards her platform. His eyes directly going to meet her. "Crusade. I merely wish to speak, be it here or in private. I'm sure no one will mind."

His lips curled back into something resembling a smile. Not even the deepest darkest depths of Hunco Mundo would remotely however refer to it as a smile.

"A noble sentiment, surely."

The smooth baritone would remark as he tilted his head to the side, the creaking of bone and stiff joints releasing. It had been far too long since he had been to the corpse which was this world. If there ever was such a realm which reminded him of the beginning, of his true home, it was this graveyard. Not that he felt any true sentiment to it, but more akin to a faint remembrance such as the tombstone of a loved one. But as he watched her perform the nominal act of power with little interest, as if the impressive display of ability was but another drop in the bucket.

As mixed irises fell upon the sands, and retreating hollows, he did not answer her statement about his amusement. It was quaint to believe that he derived any real joy from this proceeding. It was only the raw bravado of the Shark Sovereign which brought him so measure of entertainment. But he supposed that she may even take problem with that. So be it, it was his nature just as it was the Hollow's to feed their hunger. So with but a step, and a sweeping of his eyes across the field he watched them instinctively cower themselves.

Of course, they where already departing with the word of the single strongest hollow in the area.

"I would never claim the plight of your people as my amusement, I do not wish to see myself placed in front of your teeth." He'd admit offering but a light shrug, as he took some steps forward as to not shout. Instead walking within an approachable distance, before stopping. His crimson irises glowing in contrast to the almost humanlike emerald iris he also possessed. "It is, you see, my nature, to take interests in the grand happenings in the worlds. I am but merely the Danava of Catalysts and Hinderances, so please, do not think I intend to debase myself in this momentous event."

He hoped she could understand in some ways, that for in the nature of Hollows to hunger- it was in his nature to be sustained by events such as this. The proclamation of the Queen no matter what she said held great sway over the events of Hueco Mundo. A deep breath was taken, as his head tilted up to the moonlit sky of the world.

"However, I shall speak my true business. As you mean to protect your home, and seek no greater glory, I find myself in the same place." Even as a Demon, he spoke the truth. Rarely did he lie about such things plainly, perhaps through subterfuge or otherwise, but in this moment not a singular lie was uttered. It was as if all his will was being focused into that truth. "And I fear that the continuous involvement of Hollows and Demons, shall result in a union which serves neither. Two creatures whom are self-destructive such as we, cannot remain linked, without one consuming the other or mutual destruction." His eyes which where to the sky, fell upon her now.

"What be your thoughts on my words?"

It was perhaps strange he asked her opinion. For many whom where in his position may continue onward, speaking of grand designs and plans. But for him, he simply presented an opinion. One which was formed by the events which shaped both people, and the results of which resulted in the tragedy which was Las Vegas, World 'War' 4, and countless other needless battles. Ones which did nothing to improve Hollows, and belittled Demons.

Another garganta formed just behind Hallibel, perhaps a hundred yards from the two creatures conversing. It didn't seem to do anything at first, simply hovering there in the air, held open by the will of some creature neither could see or sense. But there was a sense of held breath hovering around that portal, that someone on the other end was making some sort of preparation before appearing. It stretched on for three or four long breaths, before Hallibel even had time to response to the proposal made, and then the silence broke.

The sands of Hueco Mundo suddenly seemed to fill with stars. Or at least that was the first thing most of the creatures present would've thought, as dozens upon dozens of pale white flames, each in the shape of a perfect circle, began to drift silently from the portal, spreading outwards into a circle. It cast rough, strange shadows across the sands, shadows that didn't match the circles or the creatures whose light it touched. The sands of Hueco Mundo suddenly felt far more crowded, every flame feeling as if it carried within it a soul, gently combusting.

Every hollow present could feel that sudden similarity, the parallels between this and another moment, so fresh in the minds of immortals that it may as well have happened yesterday. And before any of them could bother to say or even think the words on their tongue, a clawed hand pressed against the opening to the portal, as if stabilizing it. The flames all quivered and flickered in some strange dance that could convey ecstasy despite a complete lack of tongue or face.

The hand was followed quickly thereafter by a face of complete alabaster, looking like it were crafted from the bone of some creature unfathomable in size, large enough to dwarf even mammoths. It had several large horns jutting back from its head in a shape that could generously be called a crown, if one were in the mindset. It didn't speak with any gaudiness like many kings' adornments, but simply rested there, an immutable fact of the world: this was a creature that was worthy of both parts of the title that rarely got spoken anymore.

Vasto Lorde. He was both regal, and grand in stature. Yaksha Dokuja, the hollow who had sought to rebel against a king, was back. His wings began to unfurl as he finished stepping out from the garganta he'd just created. He let out a wordless sound very similar to that of an enormous dragon stirring in its den, his entire body suddenly flaring into bright red depictions that hurt the eyes; it looked as if an invisible calliography brush was running across his body at lightning speeds, painting some pictograms that only he understood. He finished his stretch, and began to walk towards the two others holding council.

Unlike the other two, there was something strangely soothing about this man's presence; the hollows and arrancar in company seemed to relax as if they had just had a heavy weight taken off of their shoulders, and the impact was immediately apparent; the hollows who had just a moment before been waiting like deer stuck in headlights, frozen in place in the hopes it could change the inevitable, were now beginning to grow restless, clearly wanting to ask themselves or any of the entities present what exactly this meant.

It had been a long time since this many creatures had all adorned the land where the sun didn't shine from so many walks of life, and the last time it had happened, the carnage was near-indescribable.

"Your call is heard. I fear you are all substance and no style, Ms. Hallibel. While I would go so far as to say your guest is all style and no substance. Let me be the first to break the ice here, then. How have you -been-, dear? I've been...well, as you can see, not dead. Which is better than can be expected given the circumstances."

"Very well then, I see you merely wish for your kind to exist within the sands without grave danger."

The Patriarch would remark with a thin smile on his lips, and with that he had gathered the information he so sought. For all those concerned he seemed to not be taking any offense to what Yaksha had said. How he could make an assumption most be born from the fact he had little knowledge of Mat. Which was fine, it was best if these creatures did not know too much of him. Being the unknown factor among them would certainly make future dealings all that much easier. So as he gained his answer, he'd merely offer a nod to the two major players here, turning to depart.

"I'll leave your kind to your discussions. I believe we may all cross paths once more." He'd comment looking to Yaksha over his shoulder, than to Harribel. A brief hum leaving his lips, as he mused something, before beginning to walk away. "Should you require an ally in your endeavors, inquire for me. It won't take long for it to reach my ears." The vagueness of his answer wasn't lost upon him. It only implied that Hollows within this vast endless desert may yet hold connections to him, or that he held some type of intelligence here.

The words left the demons mouth in some strange dialect, speaking power into the air. As the spiritual energy around the air would condense in front of him while walking, until a thick wooden door would appear. He placed his hands upon it and opened, a distinct feeling of negativity permeated the air. A connection between hell, and this world, was established for a moment. Opening the door, he'd walk into the inferno before closing it behind him. The door would slowly disappear, as the influence of demon magic would leave the realm.

It took a few moments for Yaksha to react to Tia's commentary, his entire body seeming to freeze in place as Mot disappeared as swiftly as he came, seemingly uninterested in the extreme with arguing his point any further. Whether because another party had come or because he only expected to hear a reply from Hallibel, the outcome was the same; he arrived for the span of time it took to speak a few sentences, hear a few in reply, and then disappear. An entity trying in the extreme to act like he was an enigma, or to play some manner of psychological warfare.

Yaksha couldn't help but be just a little amused. Demons seemed to have such a penchant for the theatrical, from what he'd seen of them lately; few of them were satisfied to just make a point and then move on, when they could hammer that point home hard enough to leave splinters behind. Splinters he was still idly picking out of the Americas, at this very moment. He'd heard extremely little from the time he arrived, but the context was clear; another alliance was in the works. And luckily, Hallibel had given the most diplomatic answer without realizing it. Yaksha had planned to be far less pleasant if the demon had stuck around.

After about ten seconds of silence, Yaksha's shoulders twitched, and with them his wings; they began to unfurl ever so slightly, starting to expand out behind him, and casting yet more monstrous and strange shadows around them. He blinked two, three times, as if noticing Hallibel for the first time, before he bothered to reply. She had looked him dead in the face, without a bit of emotional reaction, and started speaking. Probably in a way she was certain would show how serious and composed she was.

"What goals are worth attaining without a bit of showmanship, dear? The defeat of a rebel? Hardly worth mention in the end. You stab them in the chest, let them bleed out? It changes nothing. No, you crush the rebellion underfoot, without a chance. You allow them to throw the greatest trump card they have at you, and stand firm against it. You show everyone there is no rebellion in the only way that matters. The saving of an innocent? No one will remember. You bring low those who sought to destroy them, until they are left begging those they once sought to destroy for mercy. In all things, there is a roundness to be observed. An art to telling a story that makes it feel larger than life."

He looked over her shoulder as he noticed a bipedal figure dashing towards them, clearly intent on joining in on this conversation. He rose a single finger, in a strangely polite gesture that brought to mind a teacher or a parent asking their child to be patient for just a single moment as they finished their train of thought. But as he lifted the finger, the air around it began to ripple and weave, suddenly distorting...as did the air just before the adjuchas. It spontaneously ripped forward into a garganta, and at the same moment Yaksha formed a second portal with his other hand, on the opposite direction of them; had Vrael not reacted quickly, he'd find himself shooting past them entirely without explanation.

"You are so remarkably curious, Hallibel. You ask why I am here, after you invited me? You called for enemies, and found an ally. Now you seem reluctant to accept that one who would hear the words that 'I intend to wipe all memory of the blind idiot god from the minds of my people' would hear and think...yes, please. More of that. And then, after you go to all of the trouble of summoning all of these people, you go so far as to say you refuse to speak for them? And that I am the only one here who matters? My god, if this is your idea of reaching your goal, then I would've hated to see you when you were serving Aizen! Have some -tact-, dear. Have some -diplomacy-. And most ironically of all, especially since it's me saying this? Have a heart. Look around you, at just how many creatures hang on your every word, whether or not you want them to."

He gestured with a free hand towards the sands surrounding them; though no one could hear the exact nature of their conversation, the broad strokes of it were clear enough to be painfully obvious, easily ad-libbed. Hallibel had no interest whatsoever with the creatures gathered here, and Yaksha had a great amount of interest. He stared down at the arrancar, his expression giving off patience and just the smallest bit of disappointment as he folded his hands behind his back, and took a step away from her, bowing his head slightly.

"Since you do not feel comfortable in doing so, allow me. I am the Lorax, and I speak for the trees. They say that thank you very much, but freedom is a mighty scary thing for us who as of yet have not learned how to live and let live. They say that you would benefit greatly from reading some Hobbes. And they say that the king or queen rules by the consent of the people. They trust you, Hallibel. And they need you. They say that if you wish to protect your home, you must first start by acknowledging your neighbors."

His eyes glinted with mirth and faint smugness, as one of the two green flickering flames in his eye sockets winked out for a split second; the closest he could get to a wink in his state. He rose once more, letting his hand rise, and sweep out to encompass the entire area.

"Barragon proclaimed that his kingdom encompassed everything under this moon. Aizen sought to make this place the shoulders on which he would stand on to reach the giants. Nagato expressed his interest in making this his first of many kingdoms. What of you, Hallibel? Where is your home, dear? We are all here dying to know. Are we to leave you to your devices completely? To bake you a cake and welcome you to the neighborhood? Will you be starting a homeowners' association? You may never have intended it this way...but it is what you have got. A home, and now a neighborhood. Don't think of yourself as a queen. Think of yourself as...family."

"Tell me, Hallibel. Do I need a reason to come see my cute kouhai?"