Setting the Sea on Fire (Tier/Ignacio)

Tier Harribel was a name that inspired fear or respect in the minds of most any Arrancar, as far as Ignacio knew. He was certainly one that fell firmly in the camp of the latter, so when it had been decided that she would travel with them then Ignacio had offered little comment or complaint. He had that implicit trust in her abilities that placed her well above the comparatively unknown Lilynette in terms of reliability on this mission.

Hawaii was not a location familiar to him, not that he was intimately familiar with much of Earth's geography after all the changes that it had gone through over the past centuries. An island paradise in the middle of the ocean was rather inconspicuous, so there they had agreed to meet. About what, he did not exactly know, but that was no reason to decline a chance to talk. So, with the familiar crackle of Sonido following in his wake, Ignacio arrived on the secene.

"Tier Harribel."

He did not bow or offer further ceremony, that much was not needed nor deserved. They were loosely associated, thus the level of their relationship had already been established. Just two former Vasto Lorde, standing side-by-side on the beach, looking off into the horizon.

Turning at her greeting, Ignacio faced down Tier with a typically guarded expression. He was hardly an expressive man at the best of times, it was during the bad times when one might see his emotions running wild anyway. It was curious to watch the water lap at the sand so close to their feet, he had never even seen this much water before if he were being honest.

"As well as one can be on Earth. This whole place puts me a little on edge."

Seeing his companion appear somewhat at ease, had a similar effect on Ignacio. He did not crack a smile of his own or anything so warm, but his gaze did lose some of its former intensity. That was as tolerant as he could be, after all.

"Ichigo is my vessel as much as I am his, on this quest. If I deem his actions to be just then I will give him what he wants, if not then it will likely come to violence."

Ignacio was far from familiar with Tier's concealed mannerisms and thus remained in the dark about the exact nature of the intricacies to the expressions that the upper half of her face offered. Not that he particularly minded, it was good to be reserved about matters in his professional opinion. Keeping a level head on your shoulders was perhaps the easiest way to keep your head on your shoulders anyway.

"I know of his mission, even if I do not know this woman's significance to the wider world. It is by his means that I will gauge. This is his operation, and so I will follow him until he is no longer worthy of following."

His gaze was even, utterly unflinching in the face of the possibility of having to leave the company that it was almost like he had come to accept it already.

"But what is your reason for accompanying us? Do you also wish for the power of the rings to achieve some goal of your one making?"

"Then you and I are not so different in one regard, I suppose. Rare are those who would turn down the power of the rings, rarer still are those that would fight to protect them from falling into the hands of the misguided and the malign."

At that revelation came the slightest of smiles from the Arrancar, so narrow that it might well have been there all along and masked by the breeze rolling in from the ocean that surrounded them. There was a time for raw emotion, and it was not now and not here. He had intended to assess Ichigo's choice in companions from the beginning, and so far they had proven questionable, but this was a welcome addition. Something that felt reliable, dangerous too but in a withdrawn manner.

"Curious is it not? A band of Arrancar trying to save the realms from wanton corruption and devastation? I do not imagine there will be tales told of our quest, even if Ichigo is victorious. "

"I dare say that is for the best. This is a burden that I would wish upon no other, for the Rings are frightening in scope and ability even to one such as I."

It was hardly a boast on Ignacio's part, just a statement of fact. The less she wanted to do with the rings themselves the better, as long as she was prepared to help Ichigo up until the point that he went too far. If that point ever arose.

Just as Tier launched outward at the water, so too did Ignacio strike forwards with his own foot. Though it was less of a kick and more of a targeted prod. The feel of the liquid against his toes was actually an alien one, not exactly unpleasant but certainly a novel experience. There was no nostalgia for the flaming Arrancar, this was a new experience for him and unlikely to be the last during his time on Earth.

"But I would like to carve my own tale from this venture, the trials that must be overcome on our journey together. A great odyssey that we can share even in none else may care for it. I had confined myself to isolation once, perhaps this is my last chance to escape that exile."