Mortal Inferno [Aina/Safira]

Aina was taking in a lot of information to absorb and chew on. After living such a secluded life so far, the notions of the society that expands beyond herself were not on her mind. So to consider herself a statistic meant to be culled was a rather morbid thought she hadn't considered until this point. But, rather than interrupting, she let the woman speak even if she had her own eyebrow raised in response to some of the things she had spoken of.

What was more interesting was that Safira spoke of wanting to choose your death. Is it preferable to lose yourself to the essence of a hollow or become another shinigami and keep the cycle going? It was hard to say which Aina would choose since she already knew whatever she was before had died and become this form through the twisted nature of The Valley of Screams. To keep mutating her soul so soon wasn't exactly a thought Aina wanted to entertain, but a real thing that could occur if she didn't get stronger.

So, after taking a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes and spoke her mind.

"I've lived a secluded life recently. Perhaps you could even call me a recluse as I've considered myself an individual and cut off from the world, so I've never thought about the large-scale ramifications of this world since my soul has already been reincarnated in a way."

Nodding, Aina kept on:

"Which means I can't say either option seems desirable for me. Perhaps being a hollow could be fine if I could better understand the people closest to me, but I'm certainly not in a rush to do so. The entire system on a large scale seems...like shit, so I try to stay out of the way."

Aina seemed conflicted momentarily, as it was a heavy sentiment to consider for someone such as herself.

"I don't know; it doesn't seem to matter if you are a human, shinigami, or hollow. It seems the world only responds to power. But is that the only way to live? To be stuck in an endless loop of life and death, pursuing after such a thing? The world is madness the deeper you think about it, and I...try not to. I just want to live my peace and be happy."

Sounds to her like someone who thought they were oh so smart and had everything figured out. Power this, power that. Madness and chaotic. The world was just a series of systematic processes that if they could be understood it all fell into place. That's what it was to her and nothing else, if cause happened then this effect would follow, just basic maths and critical thinking. It's why she was able to bend it to her whims, it was not because she was powerful but that was a nice little boon right?

"To live is to suffer, you exist in a cycle of endless death and rebirth. To reach a state of ataraxia is to gouge out your eyes, deafen yourself and hide away in the dark."

It was a little fun to whisper the realities into Aina's mind. A snake sinking its teeth into prey and injecting its venom. Twist a person to a state of despair and they will become malleable, sink them in helplessness and she will become dependent, deprive them of freedom and they will be content in their secure prison.

"Is it really so saddening to accept reality, drop of water in a river?"

There was a long pause when Safira started speaking to Aina about the realities of keeping herself sealed away as she had been doing. To deafen and blind herself to the world is the only way to achieve peace through the eyes of the hollow, but was that the reality she was living? It was hard for her mind to process at that moment as she figured she had a decent grasp of reality but wanted to focus on her own personal world since that's the only thing you can truly control in her mind.

A few more moments passed, and she decided to keep speaking her mind since they were this deep into this conversation as it was.

"I've kept my eyes closed for my own sanity's sake. So perhaps it is better to be able to have serenity even in the midst of darkness."

After glancing at the sea momentarily to think of something, Aina continued.

"When in truth, I guess there is no choice but to accept reality. Whether it be voluntarily or forced, reality comes through in some form or fashion."

Turning back to Safira, a stoic look came across the woman's eyes. At least her nerves were more relaxed than before, as she just accepted the situation as it was.

"Still, even if living is a struggle, I want to retain my happiness regardless of the suffering and despair that the world has in it. There is no harm in being adaptable."

"Oh, well suit yourself and live in the dark. Band together with others like a sheep praying that the wolves take one of the others and not them. We no longer live in a world controlled by sheep so perhaps you might want to consider just how adaptable, you are."

Safira mused, how the weak once ruled the world before the spiritual world collided and infected their ignorant reality that death was at their heels. Powerful beings that could crush them were set loose with the restraints taken away. It made her just a little delighted to think about that, she hated the idea of weaklings thinking that they were anything more than the fair subjects or prey of the minority that could achieve greater things by themselves.

How adaptable was Aina? It was a curious question that warranted some pondering.

....

Aina paused for a moment to reflect on that. It was true that this world was filled with beings that had either the power, influence, or resources to alter it. It wasn't as clear-cut and dry as it was before the world of supernatural warfare. So, Safira wasn't wrong in that, but it was a harsh reality to contemplate. And it didn't help that she felt something more sinister was behind the Arrancar's words. If nothing else, the brief recollections of Algos's memories made her on guard. It took a snake to sniff out a snake, eh?

"If the world really is that foul, and it's wolves VS sheep, then why have you not slaughtered me now?"

Looking Safira dead in the eye, there didn't seem to be much hesitation at this point in her words. The time had passed, and she seemed to have done away with the sniffles at least.

"I can sense the difference between the two of us, so what exactly are you trying to sell me here? I don't mean to be insulting or rude to you, but I'd be more receptive if I didn't feel some sense of deception. Why focus this much effort on changing the mind of someone you hardly know who was almost on death's door? What do you get out of that?"

"Senseless violence is so unsavoury. Do you want to be slaughtered or something? It's not like eating you will give me any benefit at this stage, you're barely a drop of water in a glass with how weak your spirit is."

She seemed a little disgusted at the idea that Aina could have such a weak ego that she'd happily accept being snuffed out like a candle in the darkness, what's more that she thought she was worth the effort to slaughter. Livestock were slaughtered but if she wanted to be livestock then she could arrange that, then maybe she'd earn the privilege to be slaughtered like sheep.

"Oh, I'm not trying to change your mind or anything. What would be the point of that? I'm just amusing myself right now. For example-"

Safira cut herself off to turn and grab Aina in one fluid motion. The twist of her body being continued to launch the soul into the air over the water almost fifteen metres high to get her blood pumping a little bit and maybe shock her system. The threat of death always brought out the most interesting parts of people.

"If you don't die and are entertaining then maybe a sheep like yourself could prove to have the potential to be something more. Otherwise, I'm sure the life of a hollow driven mad by hunger might be an amusing end to you."

Aina scoffed for a moment. This woman took everything too literally at times. However, it tested her patience, and a more irritated expression washed over her face.

"It was just a question, no need to answer with so much venom."

For a brief moment, the woman felt a thick darkness come over her as that sense of anger was growing in her, and it was a familiar feeling, even if she couldn't quite put a finger on it. But, when she started to say something else, she soon was hurled up in the air.

This sudden shock brought the woman's powers to the forefront as her fight or flight instincts activated, and her soul seemed to pick fight as the response. A flare of scarlet and crimson light surrounded Aina. Yeah, the sudden throw and speed that Safira gave her shocked the shit out of the woman, and she certainly felt terrified for a moment, but her energy seemed to have a mind of its own and started to slow down the descent, and she gained control as her breathing increased.

Sweating, angry, confused, and shocked, Aina tightened her fist and pondered what to do with this feeling. It wouldn't be wise to pick a fight she couldn't win, but at the same time, she couldn't not say anything. There wasn't exactly anywhere to run to, after all.

So, after smashing back down to earth with a loud thud, a dense aura of debris and plum auras scattered about before the woman looked at Safira with a scowl:

"Don't ever do that again, and keep the fuck away from me. I get your damn point already. I loathe this feeling, but I'll need more power to keep myself safe from assholes like you."

With a deepened, angered voice, the woman's energy seemed a lot more hostile at this point. But, if she were to die here, she would at least stand her ground.

"Making demands you can't enforce is so vain."

She retorted and once more advanced, her sonido cackling in the air as the tall woman's silhouette reappeared close enough to Aina so that she could gently tap her on the sternum. A gentle touch from her though could do more damage than a bullet though. Not that she wanted to blow a hole in this little soul, where was the fun in that? It was just enough to send her flying another few metres along the sandy beach like a sack of potatoes.

One bounce, two bounces. A stone being skipped across the water.

"So what's the plan then, you know, to acquire enough power to keep yourself safe from the big mean bullies?"

Safira mused at Aina.

Well, at least this time, Aina was expecting it. When Safira approached her, a circular shield of plum energy ignited, and she could feel a familiar sense of energy control come to her. As in this exchange, a wave of scarlet and violet energy would at least try to leave a mild burning sensation on Safira, given its heated contents. It's doubtful if it would harm her. Still, if nothing else, she swiftly came to a halt, and at this point, the woman was considering her options.

Option one was to fight her and end up dead. That wasn't a wise option. Option two was straight-up flee and find her way off this island. It certainly seemed better than entertaining this sickening engagement. And option three was to humor the woman, but it seemed the time for that was more than over.

Feeling a familiar sense of irritation and rage, Aina felt herself becoming consumed by it before breathing out and exhaling. She could feel the bleed over from that demon's memories, so no good would come from relying on that feeling. Composing herself for a moment as she closed her eyes, got a grip, and looked at Safira.

"Just help me get off this damn island so I can leave, end this conversation, never see you again, and be on my way. Fight and get it over with, or just plain leave me alone, and I'll find my own way out of here. I'm not here for anything else, and I don't want to talk about anything else."

"Hey hey hey, Safira, you playing with your food again? That makes it taste worse, you know."

Coming out of a garganta sitting on one of her pylons, Kizuna looked down at the current little back and forth with a 40 ounce bottle of malt liquor in one hand. Despite the intensely unrefined air about her, the Arrancar's gaze was sharp, analytical, like a doctor studying disease. It was surprising to see her serpentine gal pal even bothering with someone this inconsequential, but that piqued Kizuna's interest in its own way.

"Besides. She's already lasted this long, I bet she's got more gas in the tank than that. Not everyone can kick it with the big dogs, or the big snakes, whatever. Point is, don't be too hasty."

Just because she was opposed to killing this purple-haired girl didn't mean it was for any moral reasons. Kizuna just hated to see potential go to waste.