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.
Tallinn is old by any account, possibly the oldest living arrancar his work shop is considered to be almost myth. A tall wooden door connected to a cave in the windiest parts of the white dessert. The workshop itself seems unremarkable from the outside, simply a wooden door with a slide so someone can look out. Deep within the underground cave Tallinn sat in deep meditation his mind lost in memories long past. The floor is coated in a thick heavy fog that rises about a foot from the ground. From the back room the roar of a fire can be heard from the forge, and in the center is a large winding stair case that leads to the surface.
Tallinn took a deep breath, a scent hitting his nostrils he smiled a bit it's been awhile since anyone had visted him, or survived the journey to him. Yet now someone is coming.
Gillroy Umizake only heard rumors of this mythical arrancar named Tallin. Gillroy looked down on his gloved hands that had black burn marks. He was in the white dessert at night in search for this old man. Gillroy's sword stole the moon's light and reflected it away. The sword shined as Gillroy held it. His hand cgrasped the sword with power and his fingers curled around it with force. He had just defeated many hollows including Adjuchas classed. After all Gillroy was a former Vasto Lorde. The blazing heat breezed past Gillroy. He sighed. This was nothing compared to the extreme temperatures he could create himself. He was unique in the fact he could not be burned or feel heat. He sat down on a brown rock that was surrounded by pure white sand.
Rumors had told him that this man ws 8000 years old. Gillroy was still at his prime at 500 years, but thought to himself he could gain wisdom. Gillroy frowned. This Master-Apprentice relationship thing was something he had before. Right before he became a Vasto Lorde his master was killed by no other than the icey, cold Hitsuguya. Gillroy felt a chill got through his body. He set his sword in it's sheath. The dessert was vast and Gillroy did not know where to proceed. He was merciless and a perfectionist and if this man is not worth traveling to, he would kill him on the spot.
He got up and glanced at a cave. His vision was blurry, but he could make out some sort of door. He had been looking for this man for days and now he had a lead to finding him. As he got closer the wind started to get harsher. The sand danced as the wind pushed it, and Gillroy trudged along. As we walked he told himself that it's probably a myth. An old man who lives in a cave and has socialized with the deceased Lord Aizen himslef. he set his sights on just killing the man and telling everyone of his accomplishment. He then remembered the real reason he came. He wished to become an espada and this man was supposedly the best. He made it to the door. He hesitated before knocking multiple times.
"I have Sake for you. And Gin for me. How about we sit down and talk?" Gillroy yelled, waiting for the man to open the door. Gillroy pulled out two bottles of each kind of drink from behind him. Rumors, of course.
Tallinn slowly stood taking a full five minutes to gather him self before walking up the long spiraling stairs to the door of his abode, the entire trip taking roughly ten minutes. Sliding open the peek hole he stares out into the windy plains calling out in his normal scratchy wheezy voice.
”Ehhh… who’s there? What do you want?”
The old arrancar takes a deep whiff of the air a smile forming on his face as the sent of sake wafts into his nostrils. Leaning close to the hole so he can see out he pays no attention to the man behind it instead eyeing the sake he creeks the door open slightly putting his hand out he says.
”Well whipper snapper lets see what sort of sake you brought.”
"I have Daiginjo-shu for you and Old Tom Gin for me," Gillroy said as he looked at the crazy man's eyes peeping through a small slot. Gillroy never smiled, and never grinned. He had a straight face, almost no emotion. This excluded when he was drunk. He still didn't smile or grin but he becomes a senseless fool in a sense. Gillroy clenched the pricey liquor with his hand. He was careful not to drop it. It was his bargaining tool after all. His grey hair danced in the breezey wind. He was a bit tired, but was sure not to show it. He was walking with his heavy training belts around his waste. He noticed the crazy man had put his hand slightly through the door.
"Here you go," Gillroy said as he handed the man the fine Sake. A chill went Gillroy's spine as he stood there waiting. Would he like it? Would he hate it? Gillroy was not the one you wanted to test patience with. The old man seemed like he had alll the time in the world. He thoguht to himself, that he would make a good apprentice. He listened and he could drink a few shots with the old man every once in a while. Gillroy looked down at the two bottles of Gin in his right hand. His grip was lose and at any moment he could drop the liquor. His left hamd which was holding the Sake was in no better condition. His hands started to shake and he was afraid it would soon fall as well. Gillroy looked up at the door hoping the man would open it soon, or the liquor would crash on the rocks underneath him trailing from outside the cave.
Tallinn flings open the door snatching the second bottle of Sake from Gillroy's hand quickly looking over the arrancar as he does. Turning around he makes his way down the stairs past a long rack of beautifully made and ornate blades including Tallinns serrated blade before heading down into the pool of darkness towards the torch lit room. As he walks he calls back,
”Don’t forget to close the door, leave your sword and weights on the rack by the door and wipe your feet don’t track sand.”
Tallinn makes his way back to his chair, a large pillow in the middle of the room. Setting his massive gourd down next to him he sits down, uncorking the first bottle of sake and poring it into an ornate carafe, the see through glass laid with silver talons tingeing slightly yellow as the liquid fills up the container.
Careful not to track sand Gillroy wiped his feet viciously. Gillroy noticed the rack and drew his sword from his sheath. The red and white blade shined as it peaked over the sheath. He gently placed the sword in an empty spot. It seemed the old man like the sake, because he was already drinking it. Gillroy was not foolish though. He did not trust the man. He kept the staff on his lower back attatched making it seem like part of his jacket. If this man was not what he claimed to be, Gillroy would make quick work of him. Gillroy looked up. The structure was quite nice and seemed to have much thought and time put into it.
He almost forgot to close the door. He turned around and shut the door as it made a creeking sound. He also lifted the slot so no one could peak inside. As if anyone could get here past the Adjuchas hollows, he thought to himself. He slowly made his way down the stairs. His hands recovered from the black burn marks, he thought to himself as he looked at his gloves. His staff trailed behind him. If the old man would have known anything about him, he would've known that his zanpakuto came in two. The sword on his back and the staff behing him. He made his way to the torch lit room. It was a bit too dark for his liking. Gillroy placed the two bottles of Gin on a table nearbye. Gillroy sat down in the chair he presumed Aizen sat at, if Aizen had really been there. His Gin was out of reach so he didn't bother. I'll save it for later, he thought to himself. Gillroy brushed his grey hair with his gloved hand.
"I have come, with gifts, in order to ask you, if you are the great arrancar everyone says you are. Oh...yeah and to ask for you to allow me to be your apprentice if you are," Gillroy said as he stood up and got on his right knee to show respect to his elder. He bowed his head slightly as well, waiting for a reply.
As Gillroy walked in Tallinn eyed him suspiciously, he was never a fan of guests to his home, especially those that didn’t listen. Being a master weapon smith, Tallinn quickly noted the staff hidden within Gillroy’s jacket. Standing as Gillroy finishes speaking Tallinn walks around him slowly every now and then lifting his arm or tilting his head with the end of his walking stick. From the room to the right a half growling half hissing noise can be heard along with screams of pain from sort of animal.
”Chester keep it down in there don’t make me come in... You (turning back to Gillroy) I like your style whipper snapper. Not that often you find a yougin with some respect. Most of them are too busy seeking some sort of artificial strength. proper respect got to be admired these days, not to mention from those with fine Sake, HA HE HE HE. However I have no use for an apprentice that doesn’t listen, and I told you to leave your weapons by the door.”
Tallinn finishes his statement taking a deep resounding swig from the sake bottle in his hand. As he drinks he muses over Gillroy’s request, not having actually denied it yet the young arrancar smelled of vasto lord and reminded him a bit of a less blood thirty young him.
Gillroy kept his head down as the man inspected him. After the old man lectured him, Gillroy slightly raised his head, still on his right knee. The old man had said put your sword on the rack, not weapons, but now was not the time to be a smart ass. He would from now on show loyalty along with respect. not respect alone.
"Please forgive me Mr. Arellenzeck. It seems no one can be safe now a days. Shinigami strutting around like they own everything. Aizen's death. Stark and the fourth espada returning to Las Noches. There is too much, of nothing. Argueing, complaining, the young dying like Tousen," Gillroy said lookign at Tallinn who was now drinking. Gillroy had done research on the man. Learning his skills and last name. The library only told that much however. Gillroy was also curious to find out what exactly Chester was. Questions, however, he knew would annoy the man.
It was almost foolish trying to smuggle his staff after all the man was the best of the best when it came to smithing. He was also supposedly asked to become an espada. This old man had to be much stronger than appearances make Gillroy pressume. Still on his knee Gillroy slipped the buckles off his staff that connected it with his jacket. He then offered the staff to Tallinn. Giving your weapon to the opponent was one of the japanese ways of showing I surrender. Gillroy was big on japanese culture even though he was born in spain. He bowed his head back down.
"If it makes a diffrence, I can do all the housework and build my own shelter. Allowing you not to have to do the work yourself. Only if you would like, of course," Gillroy said with his head still bowed down.
"There is no rush to answer my question. We can drink it over," Gillroy said assuring the old man he had patience when he needed it.
Tallinn took the weapon holding it in his hand while he examined every peace of it with the care and dedication that only comes from years behind the forge. He inspects every single centimeter of the weapon rubbing the any dirt off with a silk rag he seems to have simply pulled out of the sleeve of his robe. As he examines it, he speaks keeping a stern and focused tone but never looking away from the weapon barely even acknowledging Gillroy’s existence.
”Well then you want to be my apprentice hmm? Interesting indeed, your strong, I can tell just by looking at ya, but are you tough? Chester boy come over here I want you to take a look. Now stand still boy you’d do best not to anger Chester, no movement and don’t speak unless I ask you something!”
When called a rustling can be heard from the other room, a cloth curtain is pushed aside as an eleven foot Komodo dragon pushes through the curtain, a member of Tallinn’s reptilian pets from earth. The dragon moves slowly and lazily towards it’s master flicking it’s tongue it turn’s it’s head slowly towards Gillroy staring at him. The creature flicked its tongue twice moving towards Gillroy and stopping in between him and Tallinn letting out a protective hiss.
”First question and don’t you lie to me boy, this one is easy are you tired?”
Gillroy decided it best not to think it over. Let the truth come out, he told himself. He would answer the question as simpley as the man had asked it.
"No, I am not tired," Gillroy said without emotion with his head bowed. He knew the man had already disliekd him not putting his staff away he would be careful not to make the same mistake twice. It was the truth however. Even though it was a few days, now that he looked back he had slept fine in the dessert filled with hollows. He had brought supplies such as food and water.
(OOC: Flashback) He remembered the last day in the dessert before finding the man's house. Gillroy had been traveling for days now and looked at his water. He flipped it over and only a single teardrop of water came out. He hurled it behind him sending it crashing into a rock. The glass container shattered and rain fell like a rainstorm. He grabbed another container of water. It was his last. If this ran out he would be forced to go back using garganta. He took a few small sips and layed down on a rock. The dessert was filled with hollows so he was forced to hide in small cave spots where it was dark and dirty. He slept soundly until the floor beneath him shook. He lifted his head looking at the provisions he had brought in a bag. He made sure the Sake and Gin was still in one peice. Which it was. It seemed some Gillian had decided to stomp around Gillroy's shelter. Gillroy frowned. He walked otuside to see a giant black hollow that had a rat's face. Gillroy was not in the mood to play games. He didn't even bother to take out his weapon.
"Incinerar, El Toro," Gillroy said as he lifted his left arm and flames engulfed the hollow. He turned around while ashes danced in the breezey wind. What a pathetic creature, Gillroy thought to himself as he layed back down in the crevice. he slept soundly untill daylight and continued his search for Master Tallinn. He finished his food and water that morning and threw the bag away. He kept the liquor in his jacket behind him.
(OOC: End flashback) Gillroy was satisfied with his answer now. He had just eaten, drank, and slept simpely a hour before he came. He was far from tired. He could even fight.
