The Shadows Above

[Otahu]

The black sky of Hueco Mundo held a love within the Arrancar girl that few would ever understand. High above the White Desert is Sombre. Black eyes turned upwards to the permanently dark skies.

To those who could sense reiatsu, there was nothing above the sands. No tickle of senses or any kind of sign that Sombra was even present. Her reiatsu was perfectly quieted. Only if by chance someone were to looked upwards would they be able to make out the figure of Sombre standing within the air. Staring at the moon that hung there as if it were the most beautiful thing she's seen in her long years.

Her thoughts drifted along as if there were a breeze, flitting from memories to dcisions she had made. Her head turned then to look towards the dome that was now Las Noches. Sombre had preferred the open ceiling and lack of walls that the one King had held. Until the SHinigami came.

Her hands drew up into fists as she remembered the day and remembered the glimpse of the three Shinigami men before she fled the area under the cover of her own perfected stealth.

[temple]

Ulquiorra trudged through the course sands of Los Noches, his pale face failing to convey the immense discomfort of wading through the white dunes.

He had always hated the sand here, and would have much preferred to live in Las Noches, or return to his cave in the Menos Forest. And as preferable as that seemed, he only had one shot at his defection, and that was by utilizing her.

Ulquiorra had never told Aizen two things. One, his Ressurecion had two stages. Whether that put him above the other Espada, he didn't know. 'Nor did he care. Such struggles of power were meaningless, and the only one out of the top Four that cared about their number was Barragan.

The second, would be that he could see through illusions. This had at one time led him to believe what he could not see with his own eyes, was not real, neglecting the fact that the very things he said did not exist, he held inside himself. Truly, he had been foolish.

With this second ability, he had found tracking Sombre to bee quiet easy, as he could see right through her ruse.

Looking up into the sky, he saw her small form floating in the black eternal night of Hueco Mundo. With a quick buzz of Sonido, he appeared before her.

"Interesting power." he commented dryly, his piercing emerald eyes locking onto her completely black ones.

[Otahu]

Lost to her own thoughts, she didn't notice the approach of another until it was far too late. Those black eyes widened as one of the Espada appeared before her. Impossible! She knew what happened to those who left the safety of Las Noches...she knew the hunger of the new elite.

The muted sound of static was his answer as her form disappeared from before him. Sadly, her Sonido wouldn't be able to outmatch his, she was well aware of this but she would make him sing for this supper. Assuming his intent is to make a light snack of one of his sisters as the tanto is pulled from within her sleeve.

She was already 'quiet' as she called it. Her reiatsu was nothing on the sands of the desert now under her feet as she looked back, the blade pointed towards him as her chin lifts. That siren sweet voice sounding, "You will not make an easy meal of me, Espada. You might have me in power but I've lived an age longer than you."

She sounded so confident, ah, but his Eye sees all. She was scared of the fact he was Espada, and for good reason. None of the Espada were especially known for love of their siblings, after all. Scared, but still standing strong.

[temple]

Ulquiorra closed his eyes in irritation. He supposed that after having lived life on the run, one would be jumpy at the appearance of anyone resembling an Espada.

But that period of his life--or was it un-life--was over.

Matching her Sonido with his vastly superior one, he once again appeared before her, his green eyes opening again to bore into hers, his face seemingly passive to the obvious threat of the tanto.

"You're misinformed. I gave up my title of Espada long ago."

[Otahu]

Those black eyes narrow. How does one tell if this man was lying or not? The black blade of the tonto still pointed at him, though she made no move to strike. "What does that have to do with me? If you're not an Espada then why are you still in Hueco Mundo at all? Won't they come looking for you?" Well, she wasn't completely dull and she considered that she just answered her own question.

Sombra slid the tonto into the sleeve and watched him carefully. "Considering you could have killed me straight off, I guess I shouldn't be so...quick to judge." Said with a light sniff. "The others won't be so...we shoud leave the open of the desert before they decide they rather your head on a spike and I get caught up in it."

"I will make you quiet as I am." It was a show of trust, but she didn't have much of a choice at hand. He would kill her or he would draw those who would wish to. She had to hide them from the senses of others. Sliding the dark blade from her sleeve again as she looked to the blade.

"Cae la sombra y llevar tranquilidad a mis enemigos, Perfecto Silencia." The change was quick and Sombre reached out with her Vacia to include Ulquiorra within it. "Do not use Sonido...else you will become visible again." Her voice echoed with surreal qualities. Those white eyes staring at him unblinking.

[temple]

The only acknowledgment he gave Sombre was a slight nod of his head. He really didn't have time to flit around Hueco Mundo after her, and he could plainly see that she wasn't willing to risk getting caught by something worse than him.

Intelligent. He liked that.

"I am defecting." he began to explain, his deep monotone filling the void in reitsu. "Aizen has returned and while he's away I am seizing my opportunity."

He closed his eyes as he got to the hard part. She would likely need to be coerced into following through with his plan. But what other choice did he have? Just warning Kurosaki about the impending invasion wouldn't help matters. He needed someone to report back and tell exactly where Aizen was going.

"However, I need a spy in Hueco Mundo to report the movements of his Arrancar."

[Otahu]

Sombre seemed content to simply stare at him while he spoke. Blinking once he says he needs a spy. "You're asking me to serve you? To be your spy within Hueco Mundo? What are you offering me for this? You know what will happen if they manage to catch me. I'm not stupid...while I can quiet myself it does not render me invisible. If one of the Espada chances upon me...my life is forfeit one way or another."

The shadow of Sombre tilted her head to one side. She wasn't going to ask what he would do should she deny him her services. She knew the answer he would give already. It would not be a pleasant one and she's not yet sure she would be able to best him with the blade were she to use her true quiet. Not to mention it tended to draw attention.

"You are asking not only for my loyalty but a willingness to risk my life for you. You had to have expected me to ask a price, Once Espada. You don't strike me as fool enough to assume otherwise." Those white eyes turned away to scan the desert, "You're asking me to stand against Aizen and his Espada, after all."

[temple]

"I have nothing to offer but freedom from hiding and being on the run." he shot back quickly, his voice retaining its detached tone.

"Besides, I only need you to spy until Aizen makes his move upon Earth. After that you may do as you please." he stated nonchalantly, slowly floating back down to the desert surface.

"Report to me in Karakura town the second Aizen any other Arrancar leave Hueco Mundo, after that, fell free to live or die how you wish."

[Otahu]

Sombre can't help the laughter that bubbled up as Ulquiorra's plight became almost a passive command. "You may have turned your back on the Espada...but you still well sound like one. Don't offer what you can't give, Once Espada. You can't offer me freedom." Watching him carefully as she looks away and continues almost impassively, "Name me your Fraccion and I will agree to this." Since if she was his Fraccion he would have more of a reason to defend her if she got in over her head with this.

"Not only that, but I will give you the ability to move to and fro from the Human World and Hueco Mundo without being observed." Her Silent Garganta was one of her best secrets, and likely the most useful to Ulquiorra at this point.

Reaching out her hand and touching the air with her fingers as the maw of the Garganta opens without a sound or even the slightest of reiatsu flutters. "Not even the most sensitive can track my Garganta, you would be able to move freely and under my quiet if you needed it." Smart enough to make the deal sweeter than just attaining a spy and perhaps even make an ally of this mess.

It was a mess, too. He could find her through her quiet then she might be as good as dead if she does nothing or betrays him. Not like she held any love for Aizen and his cronies, in any case. Watching him and waiting for him to make his decision.

[temple]

Ulquiorra allowed the corners of his mouth to twitch up slightly. This woman certainly knew how to make a deal, and perhaps would make a useful subordinate after all.

"Agreed."

And with that, he stepped through the Garganta, heading for Karakura town, and hopefully his new allies.

[Exit thread]