Beauty and Books. (Akira/Sabriel)

In some ways, his group of literature lovers did not seem all that different from Sabriel’s own band. Yes, the Arrancar was rather more firm when it came to claiming ownership but the basics were there. She could appreciate the appeal of grouping with others of a like mind though and hoped that he and his particular band would continue to be successful in their future endeavours. There was always more room for literature lovers, after all and considering how often the human world seemed to be at war, the protection of knowledge was more important than ever. Her knowledge concerning history was decent and it did not seem that the people of the human world could go five minutes without one country attacking another. It was more active than even Hueco Mundo at times or at least seemed to be.

“Who knows? Maybe you will find your own Lirael when you least suspect it.” She replied with a smile, taking a positive view of what could have been seen as a rather unfortunate circumstance. Sabriel believed in forming bonds with others, literal and figuratively, having come to appreciate the pleasantness that such relationships could bring.

His question was a curious one and Sabriel spent a few moments thinking back on her long life before coming up with a suitable answer. “I suppose you could say that when I first became an Arrancar, my life was constantly one where I was caught off guard. It is a strange experience to find yourself evolving but only to discover that you have become weaker in the process. That is how it is for a Menos becoming something more at first. Enemies that I could defeat with a simple cero as a Gillian suddenly were able to overpower me. A disturbing state of affairs and one that took some time for me to get to grips with. I was forced to rely on my charm rather than my power but thinking back, it is an experience which has helped me in the long run and made me into the Arrancar I am today.”

The smile on her face would indicate that she was flattered by his words although that was the limit of her reaction. She was not intending to be rude, simply that the dark haired woman did not like tooting her own horn too much, so to speak. There were times for such things but now was not one of those. The evolution of a Hollow was a difficult process, one where change was indeed a constant thorn, which broke many who attempted the multiple transitions. It required an iron will but also an understanding of one’s ego and how to keep it in check. Arrogance was the core of many beings who walked Hueco Mundo and resulted in the death of many. A wiser and cooler head did wonders for survival, a fact that many did not appreciate.

His declaration of wishing to see her capabilities was met with a thoughtful look from the Arrancar. “Nine out of ten Arrancar would probably jump out of this chair and release at the mere notion of showing off their powers but it is not something that I personally do on a whim. It is true what you say though and we have a unique set of abilities that allow us to match up well against those of other races. Hierro is the name of the ability that you are describing, one that allows our body to become an armour of sorts. It can be cut by a powerful enough enemy but if trained properly, can make for a potent defence. As for our release forms, the abilities we gain are different for every Arrancar but generally we revert somewhat as to how we appeared as a regular Hollow when it comes to appearance. Some changes are more drastic than others and mine is rather distinctive. I confess that it is much harder to lure in my targets when in that form personally though, as not everyone appreciates the…uniqueness of my new appearance.”

All that being said, he was respectful with his request and she replied after a little more thought. “I suppose I can indulge you one day if you truly are interested though. It is always good to stay sharp, after all.”

She then asked after a few moments, chuckling. “You have yet to speak about your past. I feel it is only fair that I ask, given how open I have been about mine.”

It was apparent that there was more to his backstory than he was letting on and Sabriel would be lying if she said that she was not curious as to delving further down that particular rabbit hole. Yet, given the abruptness with which he encouraged her to change the subject, that was clearly not on the cards. Unfortunate but the Arrancar was willing to push her curiosity aside and instead simply ponder his words to herself, letting her imagination run free. It sounded like he had once been a member of something far greater than he was now although Sabriel could understand his desire to break away and find his own place. There was a rigidness to regimes that the Arrancar despised and she considered herself fortunate that Hueco Mundo had very few of those now. Oh, there had been in the past but now? There was far more wriggle room for one to follow their own path.

“I will refrain from asking any more about it then, if it will cause discomfort or awkwardness.” She replied, willing to be reasonable. “Perhaps I could ask about the origins of your beloved library then, if that does not trouble you? I confess that your sheltering of those who seek knowledge is rather commendable. How did you become a shepherd of lore, so to speak?”

It was an insightful response and Sabriel pondered over it for a few moments. In a way, his description only further confirmed the similarities between his group and her own. It appeared that he had managed to do in the human world, what she had done in the Hollow one. Her knowledge of both the Shinigami and Quincy organisations were decent enough and it did not surprise her to learn that there were beings who did not fit into either bracket. Both the Gotei and the Quincy were rather unbending when it came to methods and Sabriel was not particularly keen on either of them. Oh, she would try and twist members of either organisation into letting her in, so to speak but she supposed that she was pretty much an enemy of both through her race alone. Hollows were not exactly fast friends with either race, after all.

“So you managed to create a location where all could flourish, regardless of who or what they are. Quite a feat considering the circumstances and state of this world. Impressive indeed and I do hope that both you and those who call it home continue to thrive. It is not always easy to run such a group and vigilance is always required but I am certain that you are already well aware of that.” She replied with a small smile. “I hope that you take some pride in what you have achieved, deliberate or not, you have created something quite special.”

The Arrancar could see the similarities between Akira’s group and her own as well although she would admit that the harmony that his band possessed was not always the case for her own. Squabbles happened, fights occurred and there were days where Sabriel was forced to bring down the hammer, so to speak. A banding of Hollows was not exactly natural and the dark haired woman had been forced to be creative in order to make it work. Still, it was all worth it and the centuries old creature had to admit that she did take some pride in her accomplishments.

“Mmm. I confess that you may well have an easier time of handling your visitors than I do. Hueco Mundo is a treacherous place at the best of times and while my group tends to listen to me most of the time, they rarely do when it comes to each other. I am uncertain as to whether the bigger threat is those outside of my faction or those within some days. Lirael is a godsend in that regard though and she is rather skilled at manipulation, as I am. Together, we are usually able to hold dominion over our little corner of the realm.”

A chuckle escaped her at that point. “You are quite right about the need for holidays. There is only so much drama that I can take.”