With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
It was another boring day in Las Noches. Typical arrancar avoiding most of the awkward social encounters at all cost, trying to out do one another, but that was just too mean. No one was more concern with the fact that no one was getting along than Jeronimo Cubbit, better known as Hatter.
He had tried in the past to gather his fellow espada to his quarters for tea, but met with mixed results. This time however, shall be different. He arranged for not only his fellow Espada in joining the tea party, but also a few other commander positions in Las Noches as well. Mainly Jeanne of the Exequias and Matanza of the Vida y la Muerte. He even stated that they can bring along anyone that they feel would benefit from such a formal party.
This time he was certain that people would come, after all he promised to keep himself under control. That was Alice's job, his trusted most loyal fraccion. She had gone out of her way to type out the invitations and even deliver each one by hand to every invited party.
So the two waited inside the tower of his own design, where the elongated table was set and ready. He had arranged for proper sitting with the names of who he hope would come. Of course the names on the settings had the nicknames he called his friends from the White Queen to Cheshire. Though he doubted that Nekoruru could make it to his party, she still had a spot for her.
Alice waited by the door, the actual door to leave and enter. There were hundreds of doors leading to places Hatter only knew. He waited with restrained excitement as he stared at the door at the head of the table. It was his table after all, he gets the honor of sitting at the head.
Post by Rebel Raven on Jun 6, 2012 21:23:09 GMT -5
It was probably unexpected, but Matanza was the first to walk into the door. She seemed to be wearing some kinda backpack latched on to her with funny, wide, brown straps.
Funnily enough, she didn't look pleased either. Like something of immense annoyance was on her mind. Well, more on her back.
“BoooOOoooobies! Hyuk hyuk hyuk!” came a voice from behind her. It's likely the mad man knew this voice what with the whole hat incident, and the embarrassing 3ft floppy purple Zanpakutô that came along with it.
Nekoruru's head poppped up from over Matanza's shoulder to gnaw on her shoulder, and then chewed it into a bubblegum like substance. This caused Matanza to sigh miserably, though she didn't seem to be pained.
Nekoruru's eyes glowed red, and then she leapt off Matanza onto the table, then pointed at the mad hatter.. sorta, what with her great mitteny hands obscuring any sort of digits she might have. “HAT!!!” was all she said then sprawled out on the table face down with a flop. She then stared at him with a great crescent smile of triangular teeth. And stared at him... AND STARED AT HIM!!!
“Finally,” Matanza muttered as she composed herself, and reshaped her shoulder. Normally she wouldn't take this sort of thing, but she had the misfortune of learning just how powerful the bratty kitten was, and that she had little choice in the matter. She could've given up her 'pride' but she simply refused to just to get the cat offa her. She doubted it would have worked anyhow.
What happened between them before their arrival? Long story, perhaps best left for another time.
Matanza looked around and crossed her arms lightly. She wasn't too familiar with this madman, save by reputation. She wasn't aware of what, exactly, to do here.
She walked in a bit further, realizing she just kinda barged in, but she needed the monkey off her back, and as this was the only method, she was eager to act on it.
His first, but hopefully not last guest have arrived. He was all smiles when Looking Glass and Cheshire in a hilarious fashion as a back pack. The sweet cat girl must be rather hungry to be nomming on poor Looking Glass but as soon as she saw her number one fan, she was at him like white on rice.
He smiled down at her as she stared up at him with those crimson eyes. No one in his mad mind could better fit the name Cheshire then her and that was the end of that debate. "Cher sire-kun, I'm elated that you could come. I got bug party plans for my guest, including you." All smiles, maybe as wide as her own crescent moon smile, Hatter then greeted his next guess.
Standing, he motioned to a dark blue seat, pillowed with goose down or maybe memory foam he had prepared for her. "Welcome, Looking Glass. I'm also ecstatic you could join us." Alice appeared beside the curvaceous woman to escort her to her chair.
Mean while, it appeared that the next guess had arrived. Not waiting to be let in, a foot kicked open the door once more with two figures standing in the door way. One was the young looking Lilynette with her hand on her hip as the right leg came back down. Starrk had his ready to knock at the door and seemed almost unaware or not shocked at what had just occurred."I guess they know we're here?" A rhetorical question as Starrk looked in the room.
He had never really been invited to tea at any of the others towers and this Hatter guy had a reputation at doing some odd things. He would have rather have just stayed back in his room, but Lilynette had dragged him out here.
"PfftThey would never had heard that light knock anyways?" She walked in with Starrk following, looking around the door filled before she focused her attention at the table. The names in them were of no one she ever heard of, a weird chick was on her back looking at an equal weirder looking sitting at the head of the table, and that psycho doctor. Ok, she was a bit upset that Starrk refuses to take that arrogant Grimmjow down a peg and reclaim his rightful position, so don't get too mad at these people. As long as they don't say or do anything to imply anything stupid.
Starrk, hands in his pockets just like Lilynette, had looked around as well. The decor was to be desired and he couldn't help but wonder if those doors actually lead somewhere. He didn't remember seeing doors on the outside of the tower.
"Where do we sit?" She asked holding a tag on a plate that said Walrus. The thought of a walrus actually coming crossed her mind with a cartoonish thought bubble.
Hatter, again with controlled enthusiasm greeted his newest guest. "Oh, don't worry about seats. Alice will sit you post haste."
Meanwhile, outside the tower, crossing the bridge, Jeanne was taking her time. Her iron maiden on her back, she was rather excited to be having tea. She kept a calm demeanor of course and she had heard mixed rumors about this particular Espada but she was never the one to judge by silly rumors.
Celia didn't normally attend gatherings if she could avoid them. She understood that it was important to learn more about her...comrades...but she didn't particularly like them. Oh, she didn't particularly like anyone. She favored Neva, but she didn't particularly like her.
Despite this, she was willing to indulge Adela's impulse to go and visit Hatter. The girl had recovered well since their incident in the human world, though she'd been significantly less violent.
"Where do we sit?"
Celia entered, the two fraccion following closely behind her. "Where indeed."
"Oh, don't worry about seats. Alice will seat you post haste."
Celia glanced about as she entered - Stark was here, along with his fraccion. Matanza was by as well. And, perhaps more intriguing, a girl - Celia assumed it was a girl - dressed as a cat, and smiling rather widely at the hat-wearing man.
"Hola, Hatter!" Adela shouted, finally stepping out from behind Celia. Neva remained behind. She would stay at her master's side until invited elsewhere.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
Post by Rebel Raven on Jun 8, 2012 20:34:46 GMT -5
“Party? Plans? OoOOoooOoo” Nekoruru said smiling, watching him expectantly. She then started to stare at him blankly with a triangular mouth as if her mind just shut off.
“Looking glass... riight,” Matanza said blandly, perhaps a bit too serious for this, “It's good to be here,” she said calmly to be polite. She dared not risk leaving with the possibility of that.. cat thing following her. She walked with Alice, and sat down where directed, then said, “Thank you, dearie,” she smiled at her a bit, then settled in.
Even the door being kicked in didn't phase Nekoruru as she laid on the table staring at Hatter... but something made her take notice. She sat up, and looked at Starrk, “Doggie?”
Matanza offered a simple wave to the espada, and his Fracción, and Celia, and Adela, and the rest.
The rest included Halibel, and her Fracción as they entered without making a show of it, amazingly. No shouting, no headlocks, no wedgies, they arrived quietly behind everyone else.
Halibel looked at the amassed people, and simply nodded with a brief noise of acknowledgment, and waited to be seated calmly.
Her Fracción seemed to be on their guard. Tense. Not hostile in the least, but it's rare that there's such a large gathering of arrancar, and... what the hell was that cat person? … er anyhow, these things may not go well, and they simply refused to let Halibel dirty her hands unnecessarily. They were in bodyguard mode, basically.
Alice looked blankly at the small arrancar who kicked the door in and entered. After she seated Matanza, who had more manners then most guest, she motioned for the new guest to follow her. "This way."
With a swing in her step, she escorted everyone present to their seats. Starrk and Lilynette seats were close, Starrk looked at his nickname without a care. He was called the Red King, though he had no idea why. Lilynette on the other hand was very upset with hers. Holding the name placer in her shaking hand, the vain on her head throbbed. "Knave of Hearts?! What kind of bullshit is this?" She pointed at Hatter but the man wasn't there.
Where did he go off to, well that was a simple answer. He went to greet his favorite twins. Appearing behind Neva, he gently nudged her out from her hiding spot. "Now, now Tweedle Dum, you mustn't leaver your sister's side. Come, come. Your seat is this way." Making it to Adela and escorting them personally to their seats. Of course he put Celia near them, between them in fact.
Starrk was already seated, though not sure what he was to do here. He was used to going to the meetings when it was required of him and Aizen did serve tea, but those were nothing like this. He kept looking over at the strange cat girl who looked at him. "yawn"
Lilynette sat down, cursing under her breath at the name that was given to her. She'll fix that guy for sure.
Jeanne managed to make it to the room, just in time to to witness Alice seat Halibel and her girls. This gathering was something, what's the word? Different. All were familiar but one she could actually talk to. Matanza was a definite surprise but a welcomed one. When Alice came over to show Jeanne to her seat, she followed without question. She was very glad that her seat was across from Matanza, at least she'll have someone to talk to. "I see that you've decided to come here as well."
Celia nodded calmly to Matanza, and glanced at Neva as Hatter led the young woman away. Amusingly, he sat them with a seat between them, and Celia realized that the extra seat was hers. She raised an eyebrow but played along, taking her seat between the two.
Adela pouted - probably because Hatter had ignored her again. She rested her head on her fist, scrunching her nose. "Si, si, la princesa es el favorito."
Celia shook her head, and glanced back to the others. Hatter, Matanza, Stark, and now a little white-haired girl. She recalled that this was the exequias commander, Jeanne.
"I see that you've decided to come here as well," she said, looking to Matanza.
So the woman knew Matanza as well. That made sense to Celia. She would have to remember to establish some sort of dialogue with Jeanne later; this would be a good time to simply observe. There were things that one should know about their allies, after all.
"Adela, stop making that face," Celia said, not even glancing at her fraccion. She didn't have to - Adela had been making an expression as if she'd smelled something foul since sitting down.
"Es esos tres. No gustan. Especialmente esa chica con mangas largas," Adela said with a scowl. Celia squinted - why couldn't Adela just speak the same language as everyone else?
Neva was quiet, even as she explained, "She doesn't like Halibel-sama's fraccion."
Post by Rebel Raven on Jun 19, 2012 17:43:36 GMT -5
Nekoruru blinked her red light eyes at Starrk. Starrk, rather, Doggie, as he was dubbed, ignored her? … … … She stared at him … then smiled more, and started chomping her teeth at him a few times. “DOGGIE!” she practically demanded his attention now as she moved over the table on her hands and feet, then chomped her cartooney teeth at him. She didn't seem threatening about it, though.
“I'd say something,” Matanza said to Starrk quietly, and rubbed her shoulder as she spoke, “I remember that … look of hers,” she muttered quietly. It was that look given to her before that … thing made a backpack out of herself. She knew who he was. His position. She knew he was powerful, but she didn't know if he could handle that … cat if she wanted to rouse trouble. The miserable brat of a cat wasn't someone to underestimate. Matanza hated that she was fooled by the cat, and wrote her off. Fact of the matter was she didn't want trouble here. At least not while she was around. She looked around, subtly, mind you, to see if there was a crack in the floor or something to escape through.
Halibel raised an eyebrow as she watched the interaction. She recognized Matanza's concern. She couldn't read the details off of the mysterious medic, but she knew Matanza feared some danger... which was obvious. She remained silent, naturally, but she was paying attention to it. Especially in the absence of their host.
Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, and Apache sat near Halibel calmly. They weren't too thrilled to be cooped up with so many other arrancar. Especially powerful arrancar. It wasn't all that long ago in the grand picture, that arrancar fought for seats, and positions. None of them spoke. They just watched the room.
Matanza looked at Jeanne, and muttered, “I didn't have as much choice as I'd have liked,” she uttered then glanced at the cat on the table, who in turn glanced back and tee-hee'd at her which, in turn, might've taken the neko's attention off Starrk.
Neva's explanation didn't go unnoticed. Apache snorted, “Yeah, like we care? Maybe we don't like her either, huh?” She crossed her arms arrogantly.
“Calm down,” Sun-Sun said quietly to Apache from behind her sleeve, “Don't make Halibel-sama have to say it,” she added knowing full well she spoke Halibel's mind before Halibel had to.
“Hmph,” Apache replied to Sun-Sun.
Apache then looked at Adela, “Just watch it,” she muttered. If it were a different time, and a different place, it might have broken out into a fight, but she knew that Adela was the last of her problems.
Sun-Sun sighed, then looked at the gathering, “Ladies, gentlemen, we needn't like each other but, for the sake of each other, we should strive to get along during this gathering.”
Of course Hatter was well aware of the hostilities that certain members may have against each other, he was pretty smart when it comes to reading people. Well, he was really smart about everything actually, but when it came down to it, he was trying to get these people to get along. What they lacked in social interactions amongst their own kind, Hatter can make up it up for all of them ten fold.
Taking his seat, Alice would sit next to him calmly. He liked how Nekoruru was getting along with everyone, he was a bit afraid that she might have eaten someone by now, but by the way she was looking at Starrk, that might be a possibility any minute now. He noticed that Adela was being a bit moody. That would not do, so he pulled out a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and turned it into a paper airplane. Throwing it at her from across the table, he waved at her rather goofy like. The note? Why it was just a crude drawing of Celia with mouse ears and whiskers.
Starrk would have avoided eye contact with the strange cat girl, but with her face near inches away from him chomping away with those sharp teeth. Matanza spoke some advice, the possibility of her being right about were high. She might have suffered a bite of her own by the way she rubbed her shoulder. "Um, hi." Not the best thing to say but a situation like this never really happened with him.
Lilynette wasn't happy, go figure, about this girl just staring at Starrk. "Hey, get out of his face weirdo." She demanded, as she pointed at Nekoruru with the empty tea cup that was in front of her. Things might get out of hand if nothing was done soon.
Jeanne was getting annoyed at the girl's antics and the fact some other girl was about to cause more trouble. For people of high rank, they sure lack discipline in their followers. "Yes, I can only imagine." Jeanne looked over at the giggling cat girl, who now was ignoring the former Primera for now.
Sun-Sun had become the beacon of light in Hatter's eyes as she tried to settle the hostiles with a grand, yet short speech. A single tear came to his eye as he gave her a standing ovation. "No truer words have ever been spoken, my dear Bishop." Once he was done with his applause, maybe the only one, and decided to stand on his chair to make his plans known to all.
Coughing to clear his throat so that everyone at the table can hear him clearly. "Friends, I have asked you here today for something far greater than a simple gathering," Arms behind his back as he began to pace down the middle of his table. Sure, it was a bit weird, but he never has been accused of being normal. "this is a chance to get along, something our kind fails to do amongst other outside our own circles. But I hope this would make that a thing of the past." He went a bit dramatic when he squatted next to Nekoruru, placing a arm over her shoulder, and waved his hand slowly from left to right.
Yeah, Jeanne was not that impressed with this. Starrk remained indifferent about it, his usual bored face, and a yawn coming on. Lilynette looked a bit dumbfounded at this guy's weirdness and for once, without a thing to say.
Coming back up, he cartwheeled back to his chair, and stepped to the floor. "You might be asking yourselves, 'But Hatter, how do you intend to do such a thing?', well I'll tell you how. With this." He presented with his arms behind him, but nothing happened. For a moment he starred at it, waiting for something to happen. Then he motioned with his eyes at Alice, who was sitting quietly for the entire time. She got up, not very excited about his plan, but she would follow it none the less.
Alice pushed a switch and the doors in the room started to move around randomly at incredible speed before two stopped where Alice stood. "Behind one of these doors, is an activity that we will all have fun with it, but I do suggest we vote. Door one or door two, which do we go with?" Now this was a bit odd, but those who knew him would expect nothing less then this.
"I apologize," Neva said, looking to Apache and Sun-Sun. She glanced briefly at Celia as if to ask for permission, but was instead waiting for a protest of some sort before looking back to the Bestias. "Adela is not at all bright."
"Eh?" Adela said, glaring at Apache. "Piss off."
"Ladies, gentlemen, we needn't like each other, but, for the sake of each other, we should strive to get along during this gathering," the long-sleeved arrancar said. Adela's brow twitched - Neva quite liked this one. Very level-headed. Diplomatic, compared to the others.
"Quite," Celia muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Celia listened contently to Hatter's speech - wryly raising a brow when he displayed the doors. Behind one of those doors was an activity that they would enjoy? Knowing Hatter, Celia would not enjoy it. She found Hatter rather annoying. Adela, however, had a child-like excitement brimming in her eyes.
"The one on the left!" Adela shouted in response.
"Hatter, while I understand you have...good intentions...I'd prefer not to spend my day dodging whatever bizarre obstacles you place in my path," Celia said, shaking her head. "If you'd excuse me - Adela, Neva, come."