Envious Desires [Veralia/Sabriel]

"Desire gives way to sin, does it not?"

Veralia mused, her blood-red gaze drifting across the endless white sands below. Perched atop a gnarled tree, she contemplated her existence as an Arrancar – a being that embodied humanity's darkest sins. Her emerald aura wrapped around her like a comforting blanket against the stark coldness of Hueco Mundo, a familiar solace amid the weight of her own tumultuous emotions.

To pull herself out of these more existential thoughts, Veralia took a leisurely sip from a bottle of wine in her grasp. The human world was filled with many riches; so she made sure to take that treasure in the form of a box filled with an assortment of different wines. The rich, sweet flavor eased her nerves; melding with the starkness of her environment. The woman let out a content sigh, savoring the warm flavor against the cold night.

But, just as one gets comfortable: uncertainty presents itself.

Hearing the crunching of feet against the sand, Veralia's sense of awareness kicked into gear as she quietly braced herself for an encounter. Anything could happen in Hueco Mundo, so her body was trained to take off at a moment's notice. In this heightened sense of awareness, her sight narrowed toward a woman surfacing from the dark as Veralia's posture remained still and perched.

"Friend or foe?"

As Veralia called out to the woman, her voice echoed ever so subtly against the vast expense around them; her question filled with a blend of caution and curiosity. At that moment, the night held its breath; waiting for the other Arrancar's response.

“I can be either one or both. That is entirely up to you.” The woman replied, closing in on the tree at a slow and casual pace. A familiar presence amongst the sands over the centuries, although one that had recently been exploring the human world, Sabriel had once again found herself on her endless hunt for those who she could attract into her circle. She travelled the realms, forging bonds with those she took interest in, creating a web of influence that was forever growing. Her little band of Hollows was growing, its hunting grounds increasing as more members were brought under her control, manipulated by her gentle words, soft white skin and when necessary, a more direct approach.

Dressed in an attire that was rather suitable for the sands of Hueco Mundo, Sabriel would hone in her gaze on the female who was sitting in the tree, a small smile crossing her features. She felt no fear about approaching the stranger and the Arrancar gave off a rather casual visage, her lavender eyes full of whimsy rather than anger or fear. The woman above her was intriguing, it was written in her words, aura and body language. The dark haired Arrancar could not help but get close, almost wanting to climb up the tree and sit beside her. Yet, she was able to fight off the temptation for the time being, coming to a stop at the foot of it, gaze still focused on the woman above her.

“What do you desire me to be?” She asked, her tone of voice rather sensual but containing no malice.

Veralia didn't detect any sense of malice or hostile intent. She picked up a more sensual nature to her aura, which caused her to loosen her muscles and ease her gaze gradually.

"Friend. There's no shortage of enemies in Hueco Mundo to fill a human’s lifetime several times over."

Her remarks carried a frank, unguarded edge as she settled back into a more relaxed posture. After rolling her shoulders, Veralia's gaze lingered with a sense of contemplation on the stranger. There was a gentleness to her she couldn't quite put her finger on, but her instincts told her that the soft exterior could just be a mask to be resilient in a world as harsh as theirs.

"I doubt you are as soft as your appearance seems to be walking through a place like this. Judging from initial impressions, you don't strike me as one who'd wander into the Forest of Menos without cause."

She mused aloud, her words tinged with a blend of curiosity and cautious respect.

"Which begs the question: what brought you out tonight?"

Her inquiry was direct, yet there was an undercurrent of genuine interest as if piecing together a puzzle that had unexpectedly presented itself.

Sabriel smiled slightly as the woman decided on a non confrontational relationship. That was honestly the Arrancar’s preferred approach and there was still nothing in her body language that would show any aggression. There were more than enough creatures around who displayed such a front and frankly Sabriel was rather sick of seeing it. Perhaps that was why she spent so much time in the world of the living. Oh, there were violent humans as well but in general, they were far more amenable. So much so that the Arrancar had managed to find herself in a few enjoyable encounters.

There was a fair amount of accuracy in the horned woman’s words and Sabriel nodded in response, before replying. “Walking around with a face like thunder all the time only gets one so far. I have learned that sometimes a smile and an ounce of charm is far more effective at handling a tough situation.”

Deciding to answer the other woman’s question, she would then continue to speak. “You would be right. I certainly do not make a habit of walking through this forest but my desire for the day is to acquire a few more Hollows for my collection. There is an area of Hueco Mundo which I suppose I claim as my own, where myself and my favourites roam. Through charm or by force, I have claimed each and every one of them as my own. A utopia of sorts.”

She neglected to say precisely what the relationship between herself and her subjects were but for the time being, that did not seem to be important.

"True. Sometimes, sweetness can yield more results than force. Love, just like hate, holds its own formidable power.."

There wasn't much disagreement to be had there as Veralia's tone held a relaxed cadence as she took a leisurely sip of her bottle of wine; her posture further relaxing and easing into the conversation.

Veralia started to ease up until she heard something....off.

It caused her right eyebrow to raise with a look of mild disbelief behind her expression. She could understand using charm or force to get your way since they were creatures of sin. The intrigue and confusion came when the word "utopia" was mentioned. Veralia sincerely doubted such a thing could ever exist in any form in any realm; much less Hueco Mundo of all places.

"Utopia, eh? I don't believe you, but entertain me: how is it a utopia?"

Her tone was laced with a mix of skepticism and a genuine desire to understand this peculiar perspective. So, to make herself comfortable, she indulged in another sip of her wine to get ready for this conversation. And upon doing so, her blood gaze looked in the box at her side.

"Oh, and heads up."

Pulling out another aged bottle of wine, she tossed it towards Sabriel, a subtle gesture to perhaps ease the edges of their conservation and get to the bottom of this tribe's business.

The lavender eyed Arrancar was not all that surprised by the other woman’s scepticism and felt no anger or spite that she felt that way. Sabriel knew that her desire was one that might well have seemed impossible but if she had learned anything in her five centuries of life, it was that making the impossible possible was a great source of pleasure for her. Those without a vision could never make it a reality, after all. She had started with just a few Hollows that she had forced into her service and now? Well, it had become rather more than that.

Catching the bottle of wine that came towards her, Sabriel would open it without much hesitation and take a sip. It was well aged and the Arrancar had always been rather fond of the liquid, a favourite of hers for many years.

As she finished her sip, she would then answer the question posed to her. “There is no struggle for dominance, no petty bickering, no ego bashing. It is a community built entirely to my specifications and what I desire it to be. When I say it is a utopia, I refer to it as being my version of it. Those who are accepted into it worship me and in return, I make their lives easier. Desire is my aspect and what I desire most is to be adored. My community gives me just that.”

After a moment, she would add offhandedly. “Having a beautiful Arrancar or two at my beck and call certainly makes life more enjoyable.”

Veralia continued to savor the wine in her grasp as she took a long, leisurely sip while the words of Sabriel washed over her. As this sweet nectar eased into her veins, it smoothed the lingering envy within her soul. And in this state, she had her blood eyes assess Sabriel with a mix of curiosity and skepticism behind them.

"Sounds more like a dictatorship than a utopia."

The tone of Veralia was blunt, but there wasn't venom behind her words either. It was an observation of an outsider. To Veralia, the lustful Arrancar before her painted a picture of influence and control under the guise of benevolence. Despite that takeaway, there was no judgment held in her voice or gaze as her stare continued to linger.

"The benefits are clear for those under the sway of your charm or force, but that doesn't change its nature. It's a dictatorship, by another name."

This was a land of sin to her, so it made sense that Sabriel would use resources, strength, lust, sweetness, or anything to leverage the skills in her favor. Veralia wasn't much different herself; though she usually opted for more force as that seemed to be a greater equalizer.

"Hell, I'd almost assume that off-handed comment was a flirtatious one about me."

Her lips curled into a half-smirk at Sabriel's offhand remark, amusement flickering in her eyes.

"Flirting or fishing for allies? Your game's got layers."

The chuckle that followed was low and knowing. In Hueco Mundo, alliances were as fluid as they were necessary, and Veralia was no stranger to the dance of power and persuasion.

“Well, they could have a far worse dictator than me in charge if that is the case.” Sabriel answered with a smile, hardly denying Veralia’s words, before taking another sip of her own bottle of wine. It was rather delicious and she could help be curious about just where the other Arrancar had acquired it from. Still, that was none of her business and while she did love a good pry now and again, the dark haired Arrancar did not feel like stirring the pot so soon. She had no idea what the woman above her was capable of after all and right now, Sabriel did not feel like finding out.

Her smile widened slightly, lavender eyes once more focusing on her fellow Arrancar as she commented on Sabriel’s attempt at humour. “You are most certainly beautiful but I doubt that you would be as easy to handle as the rest of my little band.” Her tone was sincere enough, referring to her previous thoughts, thoroughly amused. “For all I know, you might be the one who would end up in charge.”

She laughed at that point and added. “It always helps to have multiple strategies at hand when playing. Keeps things from getting stale too.”

Figuring it was about time to ask a question of her own, she would pose the same one that Veralia had at the start. “So what led you to having a drink in this tree?”

"True. Some dictators don't have to give you anything if they got the strength, power, and backing to make your life hell."

Speaking in a matter-of-fact tone, that just was the nature of Hueco Mundo as far as Veralia was concerned.

"And of course, we both can sense the danger the other potentially presents."

Veralia seemed to pause for a moment before reflecting and speaking further.

"But strength isn't so one-dimensional as to rely solely on spiritual power. It's a complex interplay of raw power, resilience, resources, techniques, abilities, control, and knowledge. In a clash, any of these factors could tip the scales."

After taking another swig of the wine, she let the taste fester in her mouth as she chewed on the words of Sabriel. Soon, a smirk played on her lips.

"Though even in saying that, your damn right I'm a tough customer."

Relaxing, Veralia let out a contented sigh. She gazed out into the barren landscape around her, lost in thought. It was then that it clicked as to the reason why she was even out in the middle of nowhere to begin with.

"Sometimes solitude can be peaceful. Envy is my sin, but even too much of a good thing can be harmful. It's nice to be alone sometimes as there is nothing to compare myself against."

With the wine loosening her inhibitions, matters of the heart could slip far more easily. So, as she looked down at Sabriel from her perch in the tree, her words trailed on and lingered.

"If ya want, feel free to come up here. I ain't got a psychic mind, but it's hard not to sense your aura."

Listening as her fellow Arrancar spoke, Sabriel would smile. It was not often that she found herself conversing with another in such a forthright way, in Hueco Mundo anyway. The only member of her group who spoke to her as an equal was her favourite, Lirael, although that was generally because the red headed Arrancar knew that sooner or later it would end up with them rolling about in each other's arms. The two were close and Sabriel would not waste a moment in destroying anyone who threatened her. A rare example of wrath from the normally amenable woman.

“I consider myself fortunate that I am not in your crosshairs tonight.” Sabriel replied, acknowledging the woman’s power. “In a perfect world, I would be able to handle all of my confrontations in a far more pleasurable manner than combat.” Her meaning was not all that difficult to figure out so she did not see the need to have to get into specifics.

Taking the offer to sit beside the other Arrancar in the tree, Sabriel would do just that, using her rather barebones skill with Sonido to place her beside her drinking companion. She then mused briefly about what Veralia had said, before remarking on the woman’s aspect. “A difficult aspect to control and one that must be rather irritating for you to have to deal with in general I assume.” She commented, taking a brief sip of her wine. “Do you find yourself becoming envious of all you meet, regardless of whether they actually have anything that you desire or not?”