El Color Rojo (Diablo and Ashlei)

Hueco Mundo: the deserted wasteland and home to the hollows; no matter how much time passed, this barren expanse of a world hardly reflected any change of the times. Of course, today's tale takes place in an even more desolate location; the subterranean expanse known as the Forrest of Menos. Over one hundred feet below the surface, this underground world could be thought as the true base to Hueco Mundo; supported mainly by the fact that all the large trees down here were merely the bodies of the skeletal trees which speckled the white desert. Because it is encased by the main desert floor of Hueco Mundo, it received none of the already dim light from the sole moon that lit the domain of the hollows. And yet, somehow, there seemed to be some sort of ethereal light the burned dully through the entire area. Granted, there wasn't much to see down here anyways; most of the higher level hollows tended to stay in packs, and are only seen prowling when the need for sustenance grabs them. It was quite honestly a sorry space, even the "strongest" of hollows "trapped" down with these quartz roots was only there to hid from the strong. They were like cockroaches truly, scuttling around in the dark, running to hid as soon as the light of the outside world hit them. And yet, this was the typical existence of a hollow, the balance of fear and the desire to devour the weak creates a sneaky and devious breed. However, most of the residence of this dark pit did not have the mental awareness to even realize the true state of their own existence; save for the strong who knew how to manipulate it. Of course, today, there existed a being completely different from that which inhabited this place.

This "unusual" presence, however, was not truly that new to the Forest of Menos; in fact, the being whom it belonged to had made a habit of coming down to the subterranean layer. Of course, the mere magnitude of it's reiatsu made the identity of this presence clear to all who knew Hueco Mundo this well; belonging to the Segunda Espada, Diablo Cortar. For a while now the Segunda Espada had traveled to the "forest", using it as a place to escape from his "fellow" Arrancar that made up the Espada as well as their allies. For a being such as Diablo, the fewer other lifeforms around the better. He was one who preferred to be on his own; unable to feel emotions, the purpose of forging bonds was lost on him. Of course, whilst in the Forrest of Menos, Diablo had nothing to fear from the natural inhabitants which were usually drawn to high levels of reiatsu. Over the years, even dating back to the days when he was a hollow, Diablo had become a sort of feared legend throughout Hueco Mundo, especially to the hollows. The titles "El Diablo" and "The Cutting Devil" had been given to him out of fear, and they served as more than mere words. While he did not throw his life on the line meaninglessly, Diablo did not hesitate to strike down those who stood in his path; nor those who got on his nerves. Naturally, his qualities did not make him popular with the majority of the Espada, yet somehow, the Cero Espada Ashlei had found him fit to be the Segunda Espada. While Diablo did not understand her motives, the mere title of the "Segunda Espada" worked well for him to deter some enemies; and it was in his best interest to follow her commands. And yet, it was almost as if Diablo followed the atypical Arrancar leader for more reasons than just his personal benefit; as if this person was himself in a sense. Of course, this was nothing more than a slim possibility at the time being, and Diablo had yet to actually feel, well, anything.

Today, however, Diablo's mind was not on such trivial matters as why he followed Ashlei's command, or even what his "fellow" Arrancar had done to make him want and absence from their presence; if there even was one. No, Diablo merely paced slowly through the dark expanse, his mind holding no thoughts save for his own survival. When it comes down to it, a place such as this really seemed to fit Diablo. Without pain, he was restricted from all of the "human" emotions that stemmed from it; never knowing what it truly meant to either fear or love. Even though he does not seek interaction, others already avoid him. He belonged in a sorry place where emotions had no meaning but the root of fear; seemingly the embodiment of the creatures fears. And yet, even for a being like him, there is still the chance that one might come along and be able to help him understand the emotions he lacked...

As Diablo continued his slow pace deeper into the Forest of Menos, he soon began to sense the presence of another Arrancar, likely on his level or higher, emanate from close to where he too had entered. While his first reaction was obviously to further the distance between himself and this new arrival, his intentions were altered once the Arrancar's presence became more familiar to him. Halting his movement, Diablo knelt down to the ground and placed his left hand upon the ground; the stance he used for his Pesquisa. Once he used this ability, Diablo was able to pinpoint the presence of the other Arrancar, as well as to determine who the presence belonged to; the Cero Espada Ashlei. This, of course, changed his internal reaction to the appearance, as well as his course of action; though externally he showed no reaction, just as emotionless as usual. Unlike the rest of the Arrancar or Espada, Ashlei did not seem to annoy Diablo; a rare occurrence for those who knew him. Not only that, but Diablo was also seemingly able to tolerate her presence, another oddity for this antisocial Arrancar. While most Arrancar may not seem the type for gossip, some believed that the Segunda Espada had a "soft spot" for the Cero. For a being such as Diablo who was numb to most all emotions, such a concept would have no meaning; it wasn't as if he could say that he "cared" for her. And yet, Diablo could "feel" that there was something unique about Ashlei; something that separated her from all the others that just seemed to annoy him. Alas, as he was now, Diablo knew not what any of these "premonitions" within his mind meant. Without the emotions to truly understand such concepts that these "feelings" held, all Diablo could do was to follow them; so long as his life was not the cost of his inquisition.

While all these thoughts were well and good, there was still the fact that the Cero Espada had come down to the Forest of Menos. As she did not pose a threat to his safety and, as stated above, was tolerable to be around, Diablo decided to turn back and find her. Of course, it was not just these two reasons that swayed Diablo's decision, but the fact that, well, Ashlei was known for her very "unique" personality. At times, she would seem nothing more than an oblivious child, and at others she seemed to be a bloodthirsty monster. Because of these different and shifting personalities, it was not uncommon for Ashlei to get herself into some...odd situations. While Ashlei was more than capable of "dealing" with them if she were to just use her powers; someone like Diablo knew that such methods only ever seemed to cause problems. On more than one occasion, Diablo had been known to come to Ashlei's aid when this happened; something rather odd given who he was. When it came down to it, Diablo did seem to be somewhat "protective" of Ashlei, at least in the sense that he would get her out of trouble. Then again, it wasn't like she could get herself into too much trouble down here, right? Then again, knowing here, there was no telling what could happen. With what could be most accurately compared to an internal sigh, Diablo continued on his way back to Ashlei.

Diablo could tell that he was getting close as the hollows that had been avoiding him out of fear were now distancing themselves from another location. As he arrived at where he had sensed her, Diablo looked around a moment when he was unable to see any other beings. Of course, not being an idiot, Diablo made sure to check above himself and, sure enough, was able to spot the Cero Espada sitting upon a branch. By now, as he was not trying to hide his presence from her, Ashlei would have been able to sense him; though that would be beside the point if she had actually seen him approach. Before any words would have been spoken, however, Diablo used sonido to appear up on the branch alongside Ashlei; standing directly to her right instead of sitting like her. "Greetings...Señorita Mischevang" Diablo spoke in his emotionless tone; addressing her as he always did. As usual, Diablo's speech was peppered with words and phrases in his native language, Spanish. Of course, the word "señorita" was not only the Spanish equivalent to "miss", but, it also denoted that the speaker found the female to be young and attractive. "...If I may ask...¿por qué estás aquí?" he asked, following up his greeting with the same lack of emotions. Of course, this wasn't meant in a "bad" way, as if Diablo were aggravated by her being there, he was simply asking out of curiosity.

~Diablo's Fun Translation Time!~

"¿por qué estás aquí?" = "why are you here?"

As the two "blood users" of the Espada stood (and sat) side by side, the similarities of what effects their powers had on their bodies could easily be seen. Because of their powers, both Ashlei and Diablo were rather slim, Diablo himself being rather underweight, and each of their skin tones were more on the pale side due to the blood loss. Of course, there were a few physical traits that these two shared that were completely by chance; namely their red eyes and hair. However, because Ashlei had the odd ability to change her age within a range; her appearance also reflecting the change. Oddly enough, nobody ever really seemed to notice these similarities, or at least nobody ever said them to their faces. This second one might be the more logical, seeing as Diablo rarely ever talked to anyone, and Arrancar usually didn't usually have such casual talks. Of course, as Diablo looked down at the Cero Espada, and their blood red eyes met, Diablo didn't really pay much attention to if they looked alike. That being said, he did notice that she was currently in one of her younger forms; most likely between 15 to 17. Of course, unlike some other males, of any race, Ashlei's appearance never really seemed to effect him. Granted, because he never showed any emotions, nothing ever seemed to phase him; so this wasn't really saying much. Still, it did not mean that Diablo thought she was unattractive; otherwise, why would he constantly refer to her as "Señorita Mischevang"? Then again, seeing as Diablo was essentially a "blank slate" when it came to emotions, it would take a lot of work, or maybe a special someone, to get him to any point where he could even realize what any of his "inner thoughts" really meant.

Of course, seeing as Diablo was who he was, none of this was really on his mind at the moment as he stood next to the Cero Espada. He could tell, mainly judging by the form she was in as well as just how she sat, that Ashlei was at ease; not even expecting any attacks. Then again, with both the Cero and Segunda Espada's in the same area, any being would have to be completely mindless to so much as approach them. Then again, there was one more reason as to why Ashlei would not have to worry about any attacks; Diablo would move to protect her while they were together. This was quite odd for the "Cutting Devil", seeing as he only ever seemed to care about his own person; but when it came to Ashlei, something about her allowed Diablo to protect her at his own risk. It couldn't really be said that he "cared" for her, seeing as he did not have such emotions yet, but this was a clear sign that; given the right circumstances, Ashlei could be connected to his future emotional development. Of course, it was still way too early to know anything yet, so most of this was simple speculation on what possibilities the future could hold. As Ashlei spoke, answering his question, Diablo kept his emotionless gaze upon the girl, though behind that gaze were no "ill" intentions. Her answer, of course, did not surprise him, as Diablo had already concluded that Ashlei had been "relaxing" so to say by her lackadaisical demeanor. Still, a small part of Diablo's thoughts did bring up the possibility that it was more than coincidence that they were both down here at the same time; but seeing as how he actually "got along" with her, this thought did not bring any caution. "...I see" Diablo said, without emotion and with his slight Spanish accent in response to Ashlei's answer.

As Ashlei began to yawn, Diablo did not think much of it until he saw her actually slide off of the branch both of them were supported by. Unfortunately, because of his position, Diablo was unable to prevent Ashlei's fall, but seeing as the Cero Espada had a pair of wings for flight, Diablo knew not to act; as she would catch herself. As she fluttered back up to his height, Diablo once again showed no real reaction when she moved closer to him; though this was expected. Still, as Ashlei ask him why he was here, Diablo did take a moment before answering her; though this was mainly just his usual speech pattern. "I was merely...looking for some...tranquilidad" he responded, though Ashlei was the only exception to this. While Ashlei probably already knew this, Diablo answered anyways. Of course, this whole situation all seemed a little too...planned to Diablo; not as if Ashlei had any "plot", but as if she had come here because of him. While this really did not effect Diablo one way or the other, Diablo felt he might as well see if Ashlei had actually come here for a specific reason. "So...Señorita Mischevang...¿hay algo en tu mente?" Diablo asked, though his tone was still devoid of emotions. It wasn't as if he were interrogating her or anything, he simply got the feeling that Ashlei was here for more than just a stroll.

~Diablo's Fun Translation Time!~
"tranquilidad"="peace/quiet"
"¿hay algo en tu mente?"="is there anything on your mind?"

Although it may not have seemed like it, Diablo actually was paying close attention to what the Cero Espada was saying to him. Of course, this was a common mistake others made when talking to the Segunda Espada. Because of his personality (or lack therefor of), Diablo was always quiet and emotionless, and people often mistook this as him not paying attention. Then again, Diablo was as antisocial as he seemed to be; so most of the time, he did not even want to be in a conversation like he appeared. For Ashlei, however, the case was different as well. Despite how he always appeared, when it was Ashlei speaking, Diablo always listened attentively to her. Part of this was because she was the Cero Espada, and ignoring her would likely be suicide, but it was also mainly because of the unique... "relationship" they shared, if it could be called that. So, unlike what she might think, Ashlei did not actually have to try hard at all to get Diablo's attention; as he always gave it to her. Getting him to respond with more than a few words, however, would be difficult even for her.

As Ashlei spoke, the fact that she did not understand Spanish returned to Diablo's memory. Because it was a part of his usual speech pattern, Diablo never seemed to remember at first; but after a few words, the fact that the Cero Espada could hardly understand him was always brought back. If one were to give it some thought, the fact that the Cero Espada did not understand Spanish was actually kind of odd, but then again, it was definitely not the only odd trait about her. Had he more emotions, or was not "fond" (if it could be called that) of Ashlei, Diablo would have probably sighed and left her, but luckily for her (and him), he put up with it. "...si" was all he said in response to Ashlei's confusion over the word "tranquilidad". For her confusion over his next statement; if it weren't for the fact that he knew her better, would have probably made him suspicious. But, since she did not have the strongest grasp on the Spanish language, he knew it was nothing. Of course, by now, he had decided in his thoughts to make a conscious effort to refrain from using Spanish; save for the very simple words that most anyone understood. "...that is...good" he said in response to her slightly incorrect answer.

Because Diablo was always so silent, it was actually rather impressive that Ashlei was still there talking to him. Because he never actually "held up" a conversation, most people never really got past "what's up?" when talking to him; and because Ashlei was known for getting bored easily, it was even more surprising. Of course, as Ashlei sighed before talking, Diablo's gaze came down upon her again; assuming the sigh to signify that there was an issue. Because of his emotionless features, though, it could hardly be called "looking concerned". Nevertheless Diablo listened to Ashlei's words even if it seemed like he did not care. "...if that is what you wish...then I shall...follow your order" Diablo responded in his emotionless tone. While it may have just seemed like a generic answer, there was actually some meaning behind it. Because of his personality, Diablo was always the very last person one would expect to volunteer for, well, anything; let alone a full on assault. It simply went against his main interest of self preservation. That being said, should Ashlei order him, Diablo would go against that main interest. "...however...simply attacking head-on...would pose great risk" Diablo added, voicing the thoughts he had on the matter; a rare occurrence. While it was not much, this last statement actually opened up the possibility for further conversation if Ashlei took it. Not only that, but it was rare for Diablo to ever actually voice the thoughts that went on in his head. So, if she actually took it and tried to delve deeper into his words, Ashlei could actually get what could be considered a conversation from Diablo. While it may have seemed like mere tactical advice, Diablo's words were actually his own... thoughts on the matter; showing his hesitance towards the Cero Espada's suggestion.

Diablo was not surprised by Ashlei's reaction to him actually responding to her; although even if he were it would have been impossible to tell. Diablo knew pretty much what others thought about him, though he gave little care, and knew that no one would ever expect him to actually respond to a conversation. While rarely speaking was just a part of Diablo's personality, he also knew how to use it to keep others from even attempting to speak to him. Yeah, while it may not seem like it, Diablo was a very intelligent and calculating individual. All the time he was not talking, Diablo spent thinking. Diablo's silence wasn't because he had nothing on hi mind, but because he preferred to keep to himself. "...no... I am perfectly fine" Diablo responded when Ashlei asked if he was ill. Of course, even when Ashlei was only a mere 3 inches away from his face, and even when she poked his forehead, neither his facial features nor tone changed at all; still emotionless as usual. Normally, getting this close to Diablo would have been suicidal, but for Ashlei, he did not mind. It all went back to the fact that Ashlei was different than all of the other Arrancar (at least in Diablo's eyes), and he was willing to actually deal with her.

As for Ashlei's next words, Diablo hadn't really expected her to pick up on the fact that he had dropped the Spanish for her. It wasn't as if he looked down on her, but he knew that on a normal day, Ashlei wasn't always the "sharpest tool in the shed." Still, Diablo showed no sign of surprise, and as for the rest of her statement, Diablo had already expected it. "...you are the Cero Espada... and... special..." Diablo responded, answering why... well, he was actually answering her. Though his tone was still devoid of any emotions, the last part of his statement verbalized the fact that Diablo viewed Ashlei differently than the other Arrancar and thus was willing to communicate with her. "As for my... native tongue... I dropped it for... your benefit..." he added, still without emotion. Of course, while it did not seem like much, this statement signified even more that Ashlei was a special case to Diablo. Normally, he did not care whether or not the other person understood Spanish, and would only repeat himself in English to make them go away. Of course, all this being said, Diablo was still Diablo, and while he would answer Ashlei, it would be foolish to expect an entire "conversation" out of him. Though he was speaking more than usual, Diablo was still going to be saying less than the average person. As stated earlier, it wouldn't be because he had nothing to say, but simply because it was his nature not to say too much.

With her little disbelief apparently out of the way, when Ashlei spoke, Diablo listened; actually contemplating her words (though his facial features did not show this). Once again, Diablo hadn't really been expecting the hints of deep thought in her words, though he had already assumed that this would be her topic of choice. Of course, for Diablo, an answer to this question was not really such a simple thing. After she finished speaking, Diablo took a moment before answering; though to anyone watching him, it would just seem like his usual emotionless and uncaring demeanor. "...honestly... I do not care about the Shinigami... or their... leaders..." Diablo answered, and though his tone did not change, he was being honest. Unless a Shinigami were to actually attack him, Diablo did not care about their existence and as with pretty much any being, would not be the one to initiate a fight. It wasn't that he was a coward, Diablo just preferred to not to fight. All he cared about was his own existence, and since fighting could jeopardize that, he simply stayed away from it. In fact, the only time Diablo ever actually fought of his own will was to wipe out someone who may, in the future, pose a threat to him. "...I do not go... looking for fights... but if you ordered... I would follow..." Diablo continued, his tone unchanged. Though he was obviously strong (seeing as he was the Segunda Espada), Diablo was not one to flaunt his strength. Any rumors spread about him were from those who watched him fight and survived. Because he never really talked, nobody really knew this about him, so really, Ashlei could be the first to figure out this little fact about him. That was, depending on how she took his words.