A Destructive Sacrificeby Dirty BitChaptersCapitulo UnoCapitulo DosCapitulo TresCapitulo CuatroCapitulo UnoCapitulo Uno A Chance Meeting "It is said that everything is not what it seems...I've come to learn this particular saying firsthand when I was under unfortunate circumstances..." _____ It was a fine spring day in Canterlot, with everything going about the same way it had the day before, not that the citizens found anything wrong with it. There were certain ponies of upper class enjoying their brisk walks while simultaneously basking in their haughtiness as their noses were high in the air. Luxurious establishments were bustling with activity in a more collected fashion than any neighboring cities. It was a perpetual cycle of action, and anypony wouldn't trade it for the world. Of the many citizens going about their own business was none other than the most important pony amongst the locals: Fancy Pants. He was seen in his fine black tuxedo outside of a cafe sipping tea with his wife, Fleur De Lis, who chose to stand rather than sit down. After finishing his latest sip, Fancy Pants faced Fleur with a content smile. "Such a pleasant air this day, would you not agree, Fleur?" He asked as he watched Fleur extend her left hind leg backwards while placing her right foreleg behind her head, merely giving off an 'mhm' in reply as she arched her back. Fancy Pants only chuckled in amusement at the sight. "I know you possess a penchant for poses, but must you do so during our conversation?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow at Fleur. "You know that it's the only way for me to gain proper exercise while on the go. Besides, you've never commented on it before, have you?" Fleur replied with a sly smile as she struck another pose, though she briefly wiggled her flank at her husband and winked. "Touche, my dear. You do look rather stunning when you're 'working out', as it were." Fancy Pants quipped as he sipped his tea. While he did so, his right ear twitched, bringing him to pause mid-drink before lowering his cup and looking around in bewilderment "Strange...I thought I'd heard something out of the ordinary for a moment..." "Oh? What troubles you, dear?" Fleur said as she took a break from her poses, noticing Fancy Pants' change in behavior. "I'm not certain...But it felt as if-" Fancy Pants was silenced when a small tremor rocked himself, Fleur, and the civilians around them. When the tremor subsided, everypony looked around, murmuring amongst themselves over any potential dangers that may have befallen their peaceful city. What made it worse was that some ponies could not help but feel as if a presence were around the area; a presence that filled them with unease. "What in Equestria is that?" Fancy Pants whispered as he looked around. "I-...I'm not sure...Are we in any peril? Is this a sign?" Fleur asked as she trembled, her former mood vanished. "Even I am uncertain to the answer, my love...But I do know who can help us in our time of need," Fancy Pants said as he tried to locate the source of the tremor. _____ "I never thought I would owe my life to such interesting creatures, let alone the one that had rescued me from such a cruel fate..." _____ Canterlot, as a city, was glorified in its own way, but it did not hold a candle to the castle that belonged to the diarchy that governs over all of Equestria. Canterlot castle was a symbol of Equestria's pride and joy, and the many citizens of Equestria near and far would find solace in the help of their rulers, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The two sisters were busy with their scheduled hearings from their subjects in the throne room over varying matters, some of which were tedious in their own way, giving whomever would speak to the princesses an open ear. They were currently listening to a brown stallion's proposition that involved expanding his hayburger business towards Ponyville. Celestia smiled warmly at the stallion before her. "Your proposition is very appealing indeed, Mr. Patty Pat. I will permit you to construct one of your restaurants in Ponyville." "Thank you so much for your approval, Your majesty!" Pat took off his chef's hat and bowed in genuflect with a grin on his face, "I won't forget this act of kindness. I'm sure Ponyville will enjoy my life's work!" Before Pat could feel like performing a victory dance, a royal guard burst through the throne room doors, galloping towards the princesses and stopping next to the burger chef. "Majesties, there's word of an unknown disturbance that has caused distress in the city. We desire your presence immediately." "A disturbance?" Luna asked inquisitively "What has happened that requires our attention?" The guard looked up at Luna with a frown. "We're unable to discern the source, but according to our report, some of Canterlot's citizens were met with a small quake, followed by a feeling of somepony close by, though we do not know for sure," He hung his head again, "The guards stationed to patrol the city streets have searched high and low for anypony in particular, but we have no leads whatsoever, and the citizens are growing restless," Celestia and Luna stared at each other before sharing a nod and looking back at the guard. "We're on our way," Celestia said in determination before turning to a grey mare wearing glasses, "Postpone any further hearings until this matter has been resolved," She said authoritatively. "Yes, your majesty," The mare replied as she bowed. Celestia and Luna rose from their thrones and followed the guard outside of the castle. _____ "It was my aspect and mine alone, yet there he was..." _____ Nervous murmurs filled the air as the citizens around the tremor's area could not shake the feeling of a being in their presence. Some darted their heads about in hopes of avoiding a possible ambush while others tried to muster the courage to leave. Whatever it was, they felt it robbed them of any instinct to run away, making them think they would be open for attack if they had done so. A wealthy couple held each other as they shivered in fear. "What do we do, dearest? I'm uncomfortable with the position we're in," Upper Crust mewled to her husband. "N-Now now, sweetheart. We have to be strong..." Jet Set gulped as he shivered, "That's right...strong...Like the guards that patrol our fine city..." He said with faint reassurance. "But they're just as afraid as us..." Upper Crust pointed out. "...Oh dear..." Jet Set whimpered. "The princesses! They're here!" A noble cried out in desperate joy, eliciting a swarm of relief from nearby citizens as they saw the approaching images of Celestia and Luna. Celestia and Luna were looking around as they approached the crowd of distressed ponies, wondering if it were possibly Discord pulling another prank on the citizens. Both of them were miffed just dwelling upon the possibility. "Sister, what compelled you to release Discord knowing that he wouldn't change his demeanor entirely?" Luna asked irritably, "We would be lucky if he did not choose to disrupt any neighboring nations and thereby initiate conflict between us." "It was a good idea at the time, but I'll admit I regret ever coming up with it. But we have to be sure it is him so we won't have to deal with any further-" Celestia stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widened in surprise as she looked forward. "Sister? Sister, did you find Discord? What has he done?" She followed her sister's gaze and let off a low gasp at what was seen. "What? What's happening?" One of the ponies asked "What do you see?" He asked as he tried following the princesses' gazes. Sadly for them, what the princesses saw, they could not. It was better that way. In Celestia and Luna's vision were two foreign and battered figures coated in copious amounts of scars and blood in the middle of the crowd. There was a bipedal creature with peach skin and blue hair, wearing tattered white garments and was on his knees and gasping for air as one of his green eyes were closed. A skeletal jaw piece rested on the right side of his face. A katana-shaped blade was seen on his waist. On his back was another figure, though its face was hidden and its arms were slumped over the former's shoulders. its skin was darker and its hair yellow, and appeared to be wearing the same color of garments. The gasping figure stared up at the princesses once he noticed their eyes were locked on him. "Hey...If you two can actually see us, I'm gonna need a favor from you both..." To be continued... Author's Note Well, here we are; yet another story on my platter of mediocrity Let's see where this goes, shall we? Enjoy the chapter. Peace! Capitulo DosCapitulo Dos A Hollow Greeting Celestia and Luna continued to gawk at the mysterious sight that was exclusive only to them, leaving their many subjects bewildered beyond belief. Meanwhile, the conscious figure continued catching his breath as he looked back at the two princesses, only for his open eye to narrow. "Well, what are you waiting for? Are you gonna help us or watch us die?" He snapped, despite his current condition. Both sisters were surprised at the sudden shift of behavior, but Celestia decided to handle the situation the best way possible. With a deep breath, she turned to the frightened ponies of Canterlot. "My little ponies. While this sudden happening may appear ominous, even to my sister and myself, we now see that what we're dealing with can be handled with ease. There is no further need to panic." Celestia said regally, successfully lessening the anxiety shown by her subjects. Luna eyed the mysterious creature carefully, trying to figure out why it remained tangible only to Celestia and herself. "Don't worry. We'll help you." Luna whispered as her horn began to glow. The battered creature and its unconscious companion were then wrapped in a magical aura and slowly lifted into the air. His irritation was replaced with surprise as he looked down. "What the hell?" He uttered as the two were carried into the air. Meanwhile, the panicked civilians were staring at the aura surrounding the supposedly invisible mass, intricate shapes and all. Luna feared that if they were to walk away with their impromptu guests, they would rouse further suspicion. Closing her eyes, she charged her magic and caused the two creatures to wink out of existence. "Fear not, dear subjects. My sister and I shall look into this sudden matter accordingly. In the meantime, please know that you are all out of harm's way now." Luna chimed with a forehoof laid on her chestplate. The many civilians, though still shaken about what had transpired, slowly eased up before going back to their usual tasks, albeit slightly tense; the guards resumed their own duties with more alertness. Celestia and Luna, feeling that they have accomplished their goal in subjugating their new guests and calming the ponies involved with their arrival, decidedly returned to the castle by themselves. "Which room did you send them to?" Celestia whispered without looking at Luna. "It was heat of the moment, but I've relocated them to my room. I would have chose the infirmary, but we couldn't afford a secondary shock from inside the walls." Luna whispered back with a calm, but fixed expression. "Yours was possibly the most wise decision. We shall extract information from them in secret before deciding on treating their injuries." Celestia replied as the two reached the castle's gates and navigated through the castle upon entry. They were approached by a group of confused ponies that they recognized as those that were promised a hearing from the princesses. "Excuse us, your highnesses." One of them, a construction pony spoke up with a curt bow "We heard about what was going on in the city. Is alright if you told us what happened?" Normally, Celestia and Luna would expect more irate remarks aimed towards them upon cancellation of their scheduled hearings, but they counted their blessings that the group in front of them appeared more patient about their decision. "An unknown disturbance has plagued our city, and my sister and I seek to get to the bottom of it." Celestia responded evenly "For those of you that still seek a hearing, please know that your respective requests will not go unheard." A hoof on her side made Celestia look over to Luna, who flashed a knowing and confident smile. She would have returned said smile, had it not been for what she was planning. Surpressing a sigh of defeat, she looked back at the group. "To not only assuage our current situation, but to make up for this interruption, the hearing shall go along as scheduled with myself hearing out all of you whilst my sister shall gain a headstart in our personal investigation." Luna gave a small nod to the gathered subjects, who voiced their approval of Celestia's presented compromise. "I owe you one, sister." Luna mouthed, to which Celestia merely snuck a small firm glance that read 'You sure do' before guiding the subjects back to the throne room. Luna was then alone in her path towards her bedroom, where she had hoped the blood of her new guests hadn't stained her carpet too much. She had shuddered upon recalling her first encounter with them, despite it being recent. Upon reaching the door to her chambers, Luna hesitated, thinking about how to best approach her new guests before taking a deep breath and slowly opening the door with her magic. There, she witnessed the two of them next to her crescent moon-themed bed, slumped together in a sloppy sitting position. The blonde creature was still unconscious, but Luna had gotten a better look at their facial features and deduced that they were a female. Meanwhile, the blue-haired creature was seen with a baleful glare in his open eye. "The hell was that about? Where are we now?" He growled in a mixture of irritation and pain. Luna paused, not amused by the sudden shift in behavior, but chose to continue for the sake of enlightening the mysterious creature before her. "You're in my room, in mine and my sister's castle." She responded professionally before she laid a calculating eye on the battered guest "Forgive me for questioning you in your current condition, but who or what are you?" The creature briefly sneered before scoffing to himself. "Grimmjow. Grimmjow Jeagerjacques." He replied with blatant annoyance in his voice "So, you brought us here. Now what?" Luna looked over at the unconscious creature. "But wait." She pointed a hoof "Who is the one next to you. Surely, they must be important as well." Grimmjow looked over at the prone form next to him. "She's the reason I came to this place, wherever this is." He sniffed before he tried moving his body, grunting as he did so. Luna instantly tensed herself. "Wait! You mustn't move with so many injuries!" Luna called out, to which Grimmjow growled. "Stop whining! I'm just testing my mobility is all. I'll live." He said as he slowly stood up on his two legs, revealing his many wounds and more of his tattered garb. Upon further analysis of Grimmjow's form, Luna was quick to assume that he might just be what her friend Twilight Sparkle refers to as a human, according to her research and notes. She began to wonder if he came from the crystal mirror that was kept in the Crystal Empire. The princess of the night watched Grimmjow rest his digited claws in the pockets of his lower clothes. She was hesitant in her mental claims when she got a better look at the gaping hole seen on his stomach, suppressing a wince at the sight of it. "So you can stand." Luna pointed out "But you and your friend down there-" "We're not friends." Grimmjow snapped in interruption, leering at Luna, who met his gaze before clearing her throat. "You and the unnamed female below you need proper medical attention. I don't know what we can do for two humans, but we-" "Now you're just pissing me off." Grimmjow bared his teeth in agitation "It's one thing to think the two of us are friends, but we're certainly not fucking humans." Luna cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Then what, pray tell, are you supposed to be? You certainly resemble them in structure." Grimmjow brought his head up, looking down at Luna as he brought out one of his arms from his pockets to point a thumb at his chest. "I'm a hollow; an arrancar. I'm leagues above some stupid human!" Luna, feeling that there was much left to be answered, decided to prod further. "So you're both hollows. Is there a reason why you appear invisible to ponies other than myself and my sister?" Luna inquired. She snuck a glance at the unconscious female next to Grimmjow and wondered if it was even wise to continue with her line of questioning. "We're technically spirits, so obviously those ponies out there didn't notice us coming into this world. It's not exactly rocket science." Grimmjow answered rudely. Luna narrowed her eyes at the blue-haired arrancar. "That just leaves one more important question: Why did you come into this world specifically?" Luna asked with curiosity thick in her tone. Grimmjow met the princess' glare before looking away with gritted teeth. "So our wounds didn't give it away, huh?" Luna paused before Grimmjow's question began to sink in. There was only one reason that two foreign beings would pop into their world unannounced in such a state of injury: They were being followed, and their pursuers will undoubtedly find them in Equestria in due time. To be continued... Author's Note As you can tell from this update, I plan on taking a page from Tatsurou's book and making each installment compact, but with enough tasteful contents for my viewers. I hope you all don't mind, since I've got so much to do as it is. I simultaneously hope you all will enjoy this story and that I would make it to your liking. I owe you all for already meeting my mark of +75 upvotes on this story. Enjoy the chapter. Peace Capitulo TresCapitulo Tres A Ruler's Plight Luna often entertained the thought that there was life beyond Equestria, or perhaps their own world entirely. There were parts that were yet to be discovered due northeast of the world, simply deemed as 'The Unknown'. But seeing a pair of injured creatures enter her and her sister's world requiring assistance from a powerful threat was too much to take in. Moreso, now she began to wonder if this Grimmjow character and his unconsious associate could even be trusted. With that, she narrowed her eyes at the battered arrancar. "Grimmjow, was it? I expect a full summation of your plight before my sister and I would act properly in lending your aid." She stated firmly, to which Grimmow merely scoffed at Luna's demand. "Who the hell died and made you queen?" He shot back. Luna merely smiled coyly. "To be fair, my sister and I are princesses, not queens. Furthermore, were you not the one who came to us in the first place?" She jibed. In hindsight, Luna could have acted more mature, but she felt it best to lighten the notably heavy mood if it meant she could focus properly. Grimmjow, for his part, growled as his body trembled in rage. "Don't you fucking start..." He would make his rage all the more clear, but relented when he remembered that Luna raised a good point, much to his chagrin. Grimmjow sneered at the princess of the night "Long story short, we bailed from our world and somehow ended up in yours by accident. I honestly never thought this world would exist, but a part of me thinks those bastards will find us eventually." Luna perked up "Wait, by accident, you say? How could the two of you ending up in Equestria be nothing short of chance?" Luna asked incredulously. "Hell if I know!" Grimmjow snapped "We're here now, and that's all there is to it!" "Fair enough..." Luna muttered "So, simply put, you wish to keep a low profile here in our world? I won't deny this entire situation came out of left field, but we'll do what we can. However, there are three factors left in all this." "And they are?" Grimmjow crossed his arms, ignoring his injured form. "First of all, you must remember that my sister and I are princesses, bound to our respective duties towards both our subjects and our lands. Secondly, there's still the matter of the injuries the both of you sustained and if our medicinal methods would even have any positive effect on you." Grimmjow briefly inspected himself before glancing neutrally at Luna. "Yeah? And what about the third?" Luna's gaze became more serious after Grimmjow's question. "What should be most considered at present is if either of you - prone forms or not - can be trusted..." She stated warily. Silence and tension loomed in the air as both Luna and Grimmjow stared each other down. The latter bared his teeth after he felt too much time was wasted. "Normally, I wouldn't give a rat's ass about whether or not any of you trust me, but as it stands, my hands are tied. I never really anticipated landing in a world of freaking horses-" "Ponies." Luna corrected firmly. "Whatever!!" Grimmjow snarled "The point is, we got nowhere else to go, especially at this point..." The arrancar gritted his teeth as he stood his ground 'And I sure as hell am not gonna crawl back to those assholes for help...' "Regardless of your brief explanation, it doesn't nothing to assuage your position and whether or not my sister and I should trust you!" Luna shot back with a glare. They stared each other down before a female murmur was heard. Perking up, Luna and Grimmjow looked down to see the other arrancar stirring from unconsciousness. With a tired moan, she opened to reveal her aqua eyes as her blurred vision gradually faded, adjusting to her new surroundings. Currently in her sight was a blue pony in onyx regalia that stood in front of her, inside a rather ornate room. Despite the baffling appearance, the arrancar was in too much pain to display it properly. "Where...am I?" She uttered groggily. Every part of her body ached, most notably her head. The arrancar was unable to gently rest one of her hands on her temple to at least attempt to ease the pain she was feeling. "Ah, you're awake." Luna stated, satisfied that she had someone else to talk to besides Grimmjow. She carefully approached the wounded arrancar and looked down at her with a calculating, albeit concerned glance "How you and Grimmjow are capable of sustaining such damage and surviving is a commendable feat in itself." The arrancar widened her eyes. "Gri-...Grimmjow?" She whispered as she attempted to look around. To her right, she found the arrancar in question standing beside her and looking down at her with an indifferent glance, though she noticed the damage he had sustained as well "But how? I don't understand..." Grimmjow's expression did not change. "Don't overthink it. You're safe now, and that should be enough for you." While the phrase would sound warm coming from anyone, Grimmjow's words were laced with the same cold tone she was familiar with back when the both of them were espadas. Despite this, the wounded female focused her attention back on the pony in front of her. "I don't know who you are, but you have my sincerest gratitude for taking us in." She grunted as a sharp pain briefly coursed through her body "We just need some time to convalesce before we'll be on our way." "As much as I would desire to treat you both, I'm not certain it would be an easy feat, not only due to your respective natures as anomalies to our world, but because your associate is not helping your case as trusthworthy creatures." Luna explained firmly. Grimmjow barely restrained an irritated growl. "Screw you!" He snarled "I already told you my hands are tied! If I weren't in so much pain, I'd kick the crap out of you right now!" Luna glowered at the rude hollow and almost felt obligated to put him in his place. "Please, wait..." Luna looked back down at the female arrancar "I ask as ruler of Hueco Mundo to please excuse any and all ramblings of Grimmjow. His is but a fierce and arrogant nature." "I don't recall letting you speak for me, bitch!" Grimmjow said, his temper rising. "I see." Luna said, oddly at ease upon the wounded female's words "You say that you are the ruler of the world that you two hail from? Pray tell, from one ruler to another, what is your name? I am Princess Luna of the night." The arrancar closed her eyes. "I am Tia Harribel. And let it be said that I would be grateful if you would tolerate our presence further. I can tell you in confidence that you can trust us to be on our best behavior." She managed to say professionally, despite her prone form. Luna herself was impressed at this. "Well-said. Although, we cannot risk sending you two to the royal infirmary, on account of you both being invisible to other ponies." Luna informed with a curt bow. "I see...Perhaps you could help us, then?" Harribel asked, to which Luna donned a warm smile. "Though this day has taken such a drastic turn upon your arrival, I see of no other reason to help someone in need." Luna said as her horn began to glow, catching the eyes of Harribel and Grimmjow. To be continued... Author's Note It really is refreshing to post shorter chapters at times, even if my mind's been here or there a majority of the time. War Criminals is hell to update for some reason That, and I need to remember to finish up Los Lobos since there's not much chapters left of that either. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Peace! Capitulo CuatroCapitulo Cuatro A Friend In Need Celestia found herself inwardly drained after she had handled the lion's share of her duties while Luna was away with the mysterious visitors. Duties such as hearings, paperwork, and the occasional court meetings was easy enough before her sister returned to her back then, but the work had piled up greatly since then, especially with her student being a princess. Requests for new equipment for construction, better books for the local library, and imported materials from other reaches of Equestria for fashion purposes. These were three examples that were reasonable for the betterment of Canterlot in a whole, but were taxing to achieve regardless. As she mulled over her quota of visitors today during her brief moment of reprieve, she was met with the throne room opening once more, this time to reveal her sister, along with the two visitors, who looked slightly better than before, save for their tattered garbs. She got a better look at the gaping holes seen on their bodies and suppressed a wince. "Ah, Luna. It's good to see you with our mysterious guests in better shape despite the workload you foisted upon me earlier." Celestia said cheekily. Luna scrunched her face. "Believe me, sister, I shall seek to repay you for that injustice, but right now, it's time for proper introductions. Wouldn't you agree?" She turned to Harribel with her question, who nodded before stepping forward and bowing curtly to Celestia. "Please allow me to introduce myself, Your Majesty. I am Tia Harribel, ruler of Hueco Mundo." She waved a hand behind her towards her acquaintance, who looked away with an indifferent glance "This man behind me is known as Grimmjow Jeagerjacques, one of my strongest warriors." "A pleasure to meet you both. I am Princess Celestia." She smiled down at the two guests "I see you are already acquainted with my sister Luna. I hope she has treated you all well." "Well, my ass." Grimmjow spat as his eyes narrowed. Harribel looked back at Grimmjow with a stern gaze. "Grimmjow," Harribel started warningly "I would kindly ask you to be more well-behaved in the face of royalty. Especially those who were kind enough to take us in rather than dispose of us the moment we arrived." "Then why don't you have some pride for once, O powerful ruler!?" Grimmjow snapped before pointing a thumb at Luna "This one here didn't think to trust us at first until you bent your bruised ass over for her!" "We're naught but foreign entities in an undiscovered land, unaware of how powerful its inhabitants are, let alone its rulers. I demand your compliance." Harribel shot back calmy, ableit with restrained irritation. "Whatever! Just try to show some more backbone, huh!?" Grimmjow sneered, unabashed in his rudeness. Celestia merely observed the argument between Harribel and Grimmjow, taken aback by Grimmjow's blatant vulgarity and misbehavior, as well as how he was willing to berate his own ruler while she herself commanded him to act properly. Aside from wondering about who they are and why they were in Equestria, Celestia was curious about their culture and customs to present themselves in such a unique, but unprofessional display. After their brief spat, Harribel faced away from Grimmjow and took a deep breath before regarding Celestia with an even glance "Pardon our altercation. Please rest assured that your sister has treated us with the utmost care that she could offer to us. For that, we're in your debt." She punctuated her gratitude with a curt bow. "Please, there is no need to stand on ceremony." Celestia replied warmly before her expression shifted to curiosity "Although, I'm left to wonder as to how and why you're both here at this time. You and your...retainer?" She tried to brush off Grimmjow's glare "The two of you appearing spontaneously has left my sister and I rather curious." "Though they have not stated it flat out," Luna piped up "I've reason to believe that they-" "Put a sock in it, princess. I'll say it, myself." Grimmjow rudely interrupted, much to Luna's chagrin. Taking a few steps forward until he stood beside Harribel, the male hollow looked up at Celestia, although he bared his teeth in a sneer tinted with ire and what Celestia surprisingly noticed as embarrassment. "Our world, Hueco Mundo, is currently under siege by these pretentious bastards known as Quincy..." _____ Harribel knelt in her holding chamber as two chains held up her arms, her head hung in a mixture of anger, pain, and shame. Ever since the empire known as the Wandenreich mysteriously appeared and laid siege to her land, Hueco Mundo had been in a state of disarray. She had cursed herself for failing her fellow hollows as their new ruler ever since Barragan's passing. She could already hear that infuriating boast said by her captor not too long ago after she had left her alone to wallow in pain. It echoed in her mind and thereby expanded her shame. Her subjects used as pawns for this Yhwach person? Reprehensible. Harribel already dreaded about the well-being of her Fracción despite them managing to escape from the Wandenreich's clutches. Normally, she would not worry over such things, since the Tres Bestias were more than capable warriors that were loyal to her, but the Quincy proved to be very powerful, and she could only wonder where her comrades were at present. She could have sworn she heard a faint explosion as she was being held, but the hollow queen only dismissed it as more carnage outside of her she went back to resigning to her fate. A part of her wondered what would happen if Soul Society were to decidedly intervene or not, considering the Soul Reapers and the Quincy both share a common enemy in hollows. Another explosion - followed by slashing noises - reached Harribel's ears as she tried to entertain herself with thoughts of an otherwise grim future. She decidedly lifted her head as she heard them growing in volume, wondering what could possibly be happening outside of her prison. Her eyes widened when she noticed the doors exploding inwards to reveal a familiar face carrying several injuries on his catlike form. His face was locked in an expression of bestial fury, biting back the pain that shrouded his entire body as he leapt at Harribel and slashed at the chains with a growl, cutting off both with ease as her arms slumped to the floor. "Grimm...jow..." Harribel uttered as she was quickly hoisted up onto his back. Grimmjow muttered a curse when he saw three Quincy blocking his only exit and readied his right elbow, pointing it at his obstacles. "Garra de la Pantera!!" He shouted before five dark green darts from his elbow, prompting one of the Quincy to quickly fire at them all, causing a massive explosion that knocked everyone present back, Grimmjow and Harribel included. Despite the pain that wracked his body, Grimmjow was somehow able to recover with Harribel on his back, lunging towards the entrance and passing the other Quincy as they gave chase. As Grimmjow descended into the next room, he caught a glimpse at a moustached man sitting on his throne with a look of boredom. He had half a mind to go over there and wipe that irritating expression off of his face, but the former espada had different plans: Escape with the ruler of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow heard promises of capture and referrals of 'Your Majesty' behind him as he continued to retreat from the Quincy base. Meanwhile, Harribel's exhaustion from both her capture and Grimmjow's rescue were causing her to fade into unconsciousness. "Grimm...jow..." She uttered once again. "Shut up! I'm trying to get us out of here!" Grimmjow snapped as he dodged several energy projectiles. He grew increasingly frustrated as the pain was catching up with him, gritting his teeth as he mustered more energy to move towards what he could percieve as the exit. A quick cero to the doors confirmed that they had managed to step back into the ivory sands of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow, for his part, was actually happy to step back into his native land, rather than the contemptable stronghold that he stormed. Nothing else was on his mind, but a hasty retreat, as much as the thought compelled him to kill something. Sadly, the same Quincy that pursued Grimmjow and Harribel were still hot on their trail, not letting up in their assault. Knowing they were the only ones after them, Grimmjow wondered if he should thank any human-created god that there were no reinforcements to make things even worse for him. He decided to curse any human-created god when his Resurrección wore off. "Son of a bitch!" Grimmjow growled as he did his best to keep both his running speed and Harribel secured on his back. As he dodged more projectiles coming his way, he grew furious and wondered if there was a way to lose them. he perked up when he realized that he still carried a memento from Las Noches, specifically his former leader. He reached into the pocket of his hakama to pull out what looked like a small, black cube as he glanced at the Quincy behind him from the corner of his eye. He knew that the Caja Negacion was only meant for Fracción and the occasional arrancar of average strength, but he did not have much else to lose aside from what was left of his dignity, the arrancar on his back, and his very life. 'Only got one shot at this...' He thought to himself, not happy with his situation at all. The plan was simple: Make a Garganta, then launch the Caja Negacion back at the Quincy gaining up on him. Letting out another growl, he followed through with his plan and opened a rift in the air while simultaneously tossing back the only item that could assist him. He was confident that his plan would succeed until the impossible happened. One of the Quincy shot an energy projectile at the Caja Negacion, quickly guiding it towards Grimmjow and Harribel, causing the former to instinctively dodge. Grimmjow's eyes widened when he noticed how both the cube and the projectile launched at it expanded with their respective energies directly in the growing rift of the Garganta. The three energies then melded together, and where Grimmjow and the Quincy expected an explosion of massive proportions, there was only a bright light that engulfed the two arrancar and blinded their pursuers before it subsided into itself and blinked out from existence, leaving behind a trio of confused soldiers. _____ Celestia, Luna, and Harribel shared looks of utter shock as Grimmjow concluded his tale, and the latter could only gaze back at them all with an indifferent glance before a scoff escaped his lips. "So yeah," He broke the silence "That's pretty much our situation. Unless we find a way out of here, or if those bastards find us, we're totally fucked." To be continued... Author's Note Lemme tell you: This was the only thing I could possibly come up with as their method of travelling to Equestria. It was an asspull, but it was a funny asspull. Sometimes, I remember how much I hate folks like Aizen and Yhwach and how they rarely lift a finger because they have so much assets on their side, whether it's strength, ludicrous amounts of planning, or the ability to predict (and change) the future. You think the ending to Bleach could've had more substance, but I suppose Tite Kubo just wanted to get it over with. Anyways, here you are, and I hope you all enjoyed it more than (or, at least as much as) the ending to another series we've read/watched for years. Enjoy the chapter. Peace!
Capitulo UnoCapitulo Uno A Chance Meeting "It is said that everything is not what it seems...I've come to learn this particular saying firsthand when I was under unfortunate circumstances..." _____ It was a fine spring day in Canterlot, with everything going about the same way it had the day before, not that the citizens found anything wrong with it. There were certain ponies of upper class enjoying their brisk walks while simultaneously basking in their haughtiness as their noses were high in the air. Luxurious establishments were bustling with activity in a more collected fashion than any neighboring cities. It was a perpetual cycle of action, and anypony wouldn't trade it for the world. Of the many citizens going about their own business was none other than the most important pony amongst the locals: Fancy Pants. He was seen in his fine black tuxedo outside of a cafe sipping tea with his wife, Fleur De Lis, who chose to stand rather than sit down. After finishing his latest sip, Fancy Pants faced Fleur with a content smile. "Such a pleasant air this day, would you not agree, Fleur?" He asked as he watched Fleur extend her left hind leg backwards while placing her right foreleg behind her head, merely giving off an 'mhm' in reply as she arched her back. Fancy Pants only chuckled in amusement at the sight. "I know you possess a penchant for poses, but must you do so during our conversation?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow at Fleur. "You know that it's the only way for me to gain proper exercise while on the go. Besides, you've never commented on it before, have you?" Fleur replied with a sly smile as she struck another pose, though she briefly wiggled her flank at her husband and winked. "Touche, my dear. You do look rather stunning when you're 'working out', as it were." Fancy Pants quipped as he sipped his tea. While he did so, his right ear twitched, bringing him to pause mid-drink before lowering his cup and looking around in bewilderment "Strange...I thought I'd heard something out of the ordinary for a moment..." "Oh? What troubles you, dear?" Fleur said as she took a break from her poses, noticing Fancy Pants' change in behavior. "I'm not certain...But it felt as if-" Fancy Pants was silenced when a small tremor rocked himself, Fleur, and the civilians around them. When the tremor subsided, everypony looked around, murmuring amongst themselves over any potential dangers that may have befallen their peaceful city. What made it worse was that some ponies could not help but feel as if a presence were around the area; a presence that filled them with unease. "What in Equestria is that?" Fancy Pants whispered as he looked around. "I-...I'm not sure...Are we in any peril? Is this a sign?" Fleur asked as she trembled, her former mood vanished. "Even I am uncertain to the answer, my love...But I do know who can help us in our time of need," Fancy Pants said as he tried to locate the source of the tremor. _____ "I never thought I would owe my life to such interesting creatures, let alone the one that had rescued me from such a cruel fate..." _____ Canterlot, as a city, was glorified in its own way, but it did not hold a candle to the castle that belonged to the diarchy that governs over all of Equestria. Canterlot castle was a symbol of Equestria's pride and joy, and the many citizens of Equestria near and far would find solace in the help of their rulers, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The two sisters were busy with their scheduled hearings from their subjects in the throne room over varying matters, some of which were tedious in their own way, giving whomever would speak to the princesses an open ear. They were currently listening to a brown stallion's proposition that involved expanding his hayburger business towards Ponyville. Celestia smiled warmly at the stallion before her. "Your proposition is very appealing indeed, Mr. Patty Pat. I will permit you to construct one of your restaurants in Ponyville." "Thank you so much for your approval, Your majesty!" Pat took off his chef's hat and bowed in genuflect with a grin on his face, "I won't forget this act of kindness. I'm sure Ponyville will enjoy my life's work!" Before Pat could feel like performing a victory dance, a royal guard burst through the throne room doors, galloping towards the princesses and stopping next to the burger chef. "Majesties, there's word of an unknown disturbance that has caused distress in the city. We desire your presence immediately." "A disturbance?" Luna asked inquisitively "What has happened that requires our attention?" The guard looked up at Luna with a frown. "We're unable to discern the source, but according to our report, some of Canterlot's citizens were met with a small quake, followed by a feeling of somepony close by, though we do not know for sure," He hung his head again, "The guards stationed to patrol the city streets have searched high and low for anypony in particular, but we have no leads whatsoever, and the citizens are growing restless," Celestia and Luna stared at each other before sharing a nod and looking back at the guard. "We're on our way," Celestia said in determination before turning to a grey mare wearing glasses, "Postpone any further hearings until this matter has been resolved," She said authoritatively. "Yes, your majesty," The mare replied as she bowed. Celestia and Luna rose from their thrones and followed the guard outside of the castle. _____ "It was my aspect and mine alone, yet there he was..." _____ Nervous murmurs filled the air as the citizens around the tremor's area could not shake the feeling of a being in their presence. Some darted their heads about in hopes of avoiding a possible ambush while others tried to muster the courage to leave. Whatever it was, they felt it robbed them of any instinct to run away, making them think they would be open for attack if they had done so. A wealthy couple held each other as they shivered in fear. "What do we do, dearest? I'm uncomfortable with the position we're in," Upper Crust mewled to her husband. "N-Now now, sweetheart. We have to be strong..." Jet Set gulped as he shivered, "That's right...strong...Like the guards that patrol our fine city..." He said with faint reassurance. "But they're just as afraid as us..." Upper Crust pointed out. "...Oh dear..." Jet Set whimpered. "The princesses! They're here!" A noble cried out in desperate joy, eliciting a swarm of relief from nearby citizens as they saw the approaching images of Celestia and Luna. Celestia and Luna were looking around as they approached the crowd of distressed ponies, wondering if it were possibly Discord pulling another prank on the citizens. Both of them were miffed just dwelling upon the possibility. "Sister, what compelled you to release Discord knowing that he wouldn't change his demeanor entirely?" Luna asked irritably, "We would be lucky if he did not choose to disrupt any neighboring nations and thereby initiate conflict between us." "It was a good idea at the time, but I'll admit I regret ever coming up with it. But we have to be sure it is him so we won't have to deal with any further-" Celestia stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widened in surprise as she looked forward. "Sister? Sister, did you find Discord? What has he done?" She followed her sister's gaze and let off a low gasp at what was seen. "What? What's happening?" One of the ponies asked "What do you see?" He asked as he tried following the princesses' gazes. Sadly for them, what the princesses saw, they could not. It was better that way. In Celestia and Luna's vision were two foreign and battered figures coated in copious amounts of scars and blood in the middle of the crowd. There was a bipedal creature with peach skin and blue hair, wearing tattered white garments and was on his knees and gasping for air as one of his green eyes were closed. A skeletal jaw piece rested on the right side of his face. A katana-shaped blade was seen on his waist. On his back was another figure, though its face was hidden and its arms were slumped over the former's shoulders. its skin was darker and its hair yellow, and appeared to be wearing the same color of garments. The gasping figure stared up at the princesses once he noticed their eyes were locked on him. "Hey...If you two can actually see us, I'm gonna need a favor from you both..." To be continued... Author's Note Well, here we are; yet another story on my platter of mediocrity Let's see where this goes, shall we? Enjoy the chapter. Peace!
Capitulo DosCapitulo Dos A Hollow Greeting Celestia and Luna continued to gawk at the mysterious sight that was exclusive only to them, leaving their many subjects bewildered beyond belief. Meanwhile, the conscious figure continued catching his breath as he looked back at the two princesses, only for his open eye to narrow. "Well, what are you waiting for? Are you gonna help us or watch us die?" He snapped, despite his current condition. Both sisters were surprised at the sudden shift of behavior, but Celestia decided to handle the situation the best way possible. With a deep breath, she turned to the frightened ponies of Canterlot. "My little ponies. While this sudden happening may appear ominous, even to my sister and myself, we now see that what we're dealing with can be handled with ease. There is no further need to panic." Celestia said regally, successfully lessening the anxiety shown by her subjects. Luna eyed the mysterious creature carefully, trying to figure out why it remained tangible only to Celestia and herself. "Don't worry. We'll help you." Luna whispered as her horn began to glow. The battered creature and its unconscious companion were then wrapped in a magical aura and slowly lifted into the air. His irritation was replaced with surprise as he looked down. "What the hell?" He uttered as the two were carried into the air. Meanwhile, the panicked civilians were staring at the aura surrounding the supposedly invisible mass, intricate shapes and all. Luna feared that if they were to walk away with their impromptu guests, they would rouse further suspicion. Closing her eyes, she charged her magic and caused the two creatures to wink out of existence. "Fear not, dear subjects. My sister and I shall look into this sudden matter accordingly. In the meantime, please know that you are all out of harm's way now." Luna chimed with a forehoof laid on her chestplate. The many civilians, though still shaken about what had transpired, slowly eased up before going back to their usual tasks, albeit slightly tense; the guards resumed their own duties with more alertness. Celestia and Luna, feeling that they have accomplished their goal in subjugating their new guests and calming the ponies involved with their arrival, decidedly returned to the castle by themselves. "Which room did you send them to?" Celestia whispered without looking at Luna. "It was heat of the moment, but I've relocated them to my room. I would have chose the infirmary, but we couldn't afford a secondary shock from inside the walls." Luna whispered back with a calm, but fixed expression. "Yours was possibly the most wise decision. We shall extract information from them in secret before deciding on treating their injuries." Celestia replied as the two reached the castle's gates and navigated through the castle upon entry. They were approached by a group of confused ponies that they recognized as those that were promised a hearing from the princesses. "Excuse us, your highnesses." One of them, a construction pony spoke up with a curt bow "We heard about what was going on in the city. Is alright if you told us what happened?" Normally, Celestia and Luna would expect more irate remarks aimed towards them upon cancellation of their scheduled hearings, but they counted their blessings that the group in front of them appeared more patient about their decision. "An unknown disturbance has plagued our city, and my sister and I seek to get to the bottom of it." Celestia responded evenly "For those of you that still seek a hearing, please know that your respective requests will not go unheard." A hoof on her side made Celestia look over to Luna, who flashed a knowing and confident smile. She would have returned said smile, had it not been for what she was planning. Surpressing a sigh of defeat, she looked back at the group. "To not only assuage our current situation, but to make up for this interruption, the hearing shall go along as scheduled with myself hearing out all of you whilst my sister shall gain a headstart in our personal investigation." Luna gave a small nod to the gathered subjects, who voiced their approval of Celestia's presented compromise. "I owe you one, sister." Luna mouthed, to which Celestia merely snuck a small firm glance that read 'You sure do' before guiding the subjects back to the throne room. Luna was then alone in her path towards her bedroom, where she had hoped the blood of her new guests hadn't stained her carpet too much. She had shuddered upon recalling her first encounter with them, despite it being recent. Upon reaching the door to her chambers, Luna hesitated, thinking about how to best approach her new guests before taking a deep breath and slowly opening the door with her magic. There, she witnessed the two of them next to her crescent moon-themed bed, slumped together in a sloppy sitting position. The blonde creature was still unconscious, but Luna had gotten a better look at their facial features and deduced that they were a female. Meanwhile, the blue-haired creature was seen with a baleful glare in his open eye. "The hell was that about? Where are we now?" He growled in a mixture of irritation and pain. Luna paused, not amused by the sudden shift in behavior, but chose to continue for the sake of enlightening the mysterious creature before her. "You're in my room, in mine and my sister's castle." She responded professionally before she laid a calculating eye on the battered guest "Forgive me for questioning you in your current condition, but who or what are you?" The creature briefly sneered before scoffing to himself. "Grimmjow. Grimmjow Jeagerjacques." He replied with blatant annoyance in his voice "So, you brought us here. Now what?" Luna looked over at the unconscious creature. "But wait." She pointed a hoof "Who is the one next to you. Surely, they must be important as well." Grimmjow looked over at the prone form next to him. "She's the reason I came to this place, wherever this is." He sniffed before he tried moving his body, grunting as he did so. Luna instantly tensed herself. "Wait! You mustn't move with so many injuries!" Luna called out, to which Grimmjow growled. "Stop whining! I'm just testing my mobility is all. I'll live." He said as he slowly stood up on his two legs, revealing his many wounds and more of his tattered garb. Upon further analysis of Grimmjow's form, Luna was quick to assume that he might just be what her friend Twilight Sparkle refers to as a human, according to her research and notes. She began to wonder if he came from the crystal mirror that was kept in the Crystal Empire. The princess of the night watched Grimmjow rest his digited claws in the pockets of his lower clothes. She was hesitant in her mental claims when she got a better look at the gaping hole seen on his stomach, suppressing a wince at the sight of it. "So you can stand." Luna pointed out "But you and your friend down there-" "We're not friends." Grimmjow snapped in interruption, leering at Luna, who met his gaze before clearing her throat. "You and the unnamed female below you need proper medical attention. I don't know what we can do for two humans, but we-" "Now you're just pissing me off." Grimmjow bared his teeth in agitation "It's one thing to think the two of us are friends, but we're certainly not fucking humans." Luna cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Then what, pray tell, are you supposed to be? You certainly resemble them in structure." Grimmjow brought his head up, looking down at Luna as he brought out one of his arms from his pockets to point a thumb at his chest. "I'm a hollow; an arrancar. I'm leagues above some stupid human!" Luna, feeling that there was much left to be answered, decided to prod further. "So you're both hollows. Is there a reason why you appear invisible to ponies other than myself and my sister?" Luna inquired. She snuck a glance at the unconscious female next to Grimmjow and wondered if it was even wise to continue with her line of questioning. "We're technically spirits, so obviously those ponies out there didn't notice us coming into this world. It's not exactly rocket science." Grimmjow answered rudely. Luna narrowed her eyes at the blue-haired arrancar. "That just leaves one more important question: Why did you come into this world specifically?" Luna asked with curiosity thick in her tone. Grimmjow met the princess' glare before looking away with gritted teeth. "So our wounds didn't give it away, huh?" Luna paused before Grimmjow's question began to sink in. There was only one reason that two foreign beings would pop into their world unannounced in such a state of injury: They were being followed, and their pursuers will undoubtedly find them in Equestria in due time. To be continued... Author's Note As you can tell from this update, I plan on taking a page from Tatsurou's book and making each installment compact, but with enough tasteful contents for my viewers. I hope you all don't mind, since I've got so much to do as it is. I simultaneously hope you all will enjoy this story and that I would make it to your liking. I owe you all for already meeting my mark of +75 upvotes on this story. Enjoy the chapter. Peace
Capitulo TresCapitulo Tres A Ruler's Plight Luna often entertained the thought that there was life beyond Equestria, or perhaps their own world entirely. There were parts that were yet to be discovered due northeast of the world, simply deemed as 'The Unknown'. But seeing a pair of injured creatures enter her and her sister's world requiring assistance from a powerful threat was too much to take in. Moreso, now she began to wonder if this Grimmjow character and his unconsious associate could even be trusted. With that, she narrowed her eyes at the battered arrancar. "Grimmjow, was it? I expect a full summation of your plight before my sister and I would act properly in lending your aid." She stated firmly, to which Grimmow merely scoffed at Luna's demand. "Who the hell died and made you queen?" He shot back. Luna merely smiled coyly. "To be fair, my sister and I are princesses, not queens. Furthermore, were you not the one who came to us in the first place?" She jibed. In hindsight, Luna could have acted more mature, but she felt it best to lighten the notably heavy mood if it meant she could focus properly. Grimmjow, for his part, growled as his body trembled in rage. "Don't you fucking start..." He would make his rage all the more clear, but relented when he remembered that Luna raised a good point, much to his chagrin. Grimmjow sneered at the princess of the night "Long story short, we bailed from our world and somehow ended up in yours by accident. I honestly never thought this world would exist, but a part of me thinks those bastards will find us eventually." Luna perked up "Wait, by accident, you say? How could the two of you ending up in Equestria be nothing short of chance?" Luna asked incredulously. "Hell if I know!" Grimmjow snapped "We're here now, and that's all there is to it!" "Fair enough..." Luna muttered "So, simply put, you wish to keep a low profile here in our world? I won't deny this entire situation came out of left field, but we'll do what we can. However, there are three factors left in all this." "And they are?" Grimmjow crossed his arms, ignoring his injured form. "First of all, you must remember that my sister and I are princesses, bound to our respective duties towards both our subjects and our lands. Secondly, there's still the matter of the injuries the both of you sustained and if our medicinal methods would even have any positive effect on you." Grimmjow briefly inspected himself before glancing neutrally at Luna. "Yeah? And what about the third?" Luna's gaze became more serious after Grimmjow's question. "What should be most considered at present is if either of you - prone forms or not - can be trusted..." She stated warily. Silence and tension loomed in the air as both Luna and Grimmjow stared each other down. The latter bared his teeth after he felt too much time was wasted. "Normally, I wouldn't give a rat's ass about whether or not any of you trust me, but as it stands, my hands are tied. I never really anticipated landing in a world of freaking horses-" "Ponies." Luna corrected firmly. "Whatever!!" Grimmjow snarled "The point is, we got nowhere else to go, especially at this point..." The arrancar gritted his teeth as he stood his ground 'And I sure as hell am not gonna crawl back to those assholes for help...' "Regardless of your brief explanation, it doesn't nothing to assuage your position and whether or not my sister and I should trust you!" Luna shot back with a glare. They stared each other down before a female murmur was heard. Perking up, Luna and Grimmjow looked down to see the other arrancar stirring from unconsciousness. With a tired moan, she opened to reveal her aqua eyes as her blurred vision gradually faded, adjusting to her new surroundings. Currently in her sight was a blue pony in onyx regalia that stood in front of her, inside a rather ornate room. Despite the baffling appearance, the arrancar was in too much pain to display it properly. "Where...am I?" She uttered groggily. Every part of her body ached, most notably her head. The arrancar was unable to gently rest one of her hands on her temple to at least attempt to ease the pain she was feeling. "Ah, you're awake." Luna stated, satisfied that she had someone else to talk to besides Grimmjow. She carefully approached the wounded arrancar and looked down at her with a calculating, albeit concerned glance "How you and Grimmjow are capable of sustaining such damage and surviving is a commendable feat in itself." The arrancar widened her eyes. "Gri-...Grimmjow?" She whispered as she attempted to look around. To her right, she found the arrancar in question standing beside her and looking down at her with an indifferent glance, though she noticed the damage he had sustained as well "But how? I don't understand..." Grimmjow's expression did not change. "Don't overthink it. You're safe now, and that should be enough for you." While the phrase would sound warm coming from anyone, Grimmjow's words were laced with the same cold tone she was familiar with back when the both of them were espadas. Despite this, the wounded female focused her attention back on the pony in front of her. "I don't know who you are, but you have my sincerest gratitude for taking us in." She grunted as a sharp pain briefly coursed through her body "We just need some time to convalesce before we'll be on our way." "As much as I would desire to treat you both, I'm not certain it would be an easy feat, not only due to your respective natures as anomalies to our world, but because your associate is not helping your case as trusthworthy creatures." Luna explained firmly. Grimmjow barely restrained an irritated growl. "Screw you!" He snarled "I already told you my hands are tied! If I weren't in so much pain, I'd kick the crap out of you right now!" Luna glowered at the rude hollow and almost felt obligated to put him in his place. "Please, wait..." Luna looked back down at the female arrancar "I ask as ruler of Hueco Mundo to please excuse any and all ramblings of Grimmjow. His is but a fierce and arrogant nature." "I don't recall letting you speak for me, bitch!" Grimmjow said, his temper rising. "I see." Luna said, oddly at ease upon the wounded female's words "You say that you are the ruler of the world that you two hail from? Pray tell, from one ruler to another, what is your name? I am Princess Luna of the night." The arrancar closed her eyes. "I am Tia Harribel. And let it be said that I would be grateful if you would tolerate our presence further. I can tell you in confidence that you can trust us to be on our best behavior." She managed to say professionally, despite her prone form. Luna herself was impressed at this. "Well-said. Although, we cannot risk sending you two to the royal infirmary, on account of you both being invisible to other ponies." Luna informed with a curt bow. "I see...Perhaps you could help us, then?" Harribel asked, to which Luna donned a warm smile. "Though this day has taken such a drastic turn upon your arrival, I see of no other reason to help someone in need." Luna said as her horn began to glow, catching the eyes of Harribel and Grimmjow. To be continued... Author's Note It really is refreshing to post shorter chapters at times, even if my mind's been here or there a majority of the time. War Criminals is hell to update for some reason That, and I need to remember to finish up Los Lobos since there's not much chapters left of that either. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Peace!
Capitulo CuatroCapitulo Cuatro A Friend In Need Celestia found herself inwardly drained after she had handled the lion's share of her duties while Luna was away with the mysterious visitors. Duties such as hearings, paperwork, and the occasional court meetings was easy enough before her sister returned to her back then, but the work had piled up greatly since then, especially with her student being a princess. Requests for new equipment for construction, better books for the local library, and imported materials from other reaches of Equestria for fashion purposes. These were three examples that were reasonable for the betterment of Canterlot in a whole, but were taxing to achieve regardless. As she mulled over her quota of visitors today during her brief moment of reprieve, she was met with the throne room opening once more, this time to reveal her sister, along with the two visitors, who looked slightly better than before, save for their tattered garbs. She got a better look at the gaping holes seen on their bodies and suppressed a wince. "Ah, Luna. It's good to see you with our mysterious guests in better shape despite the workload you foisted upon me earlier." Celestia said cheekily. Luna scrunched her face. "Believe me, sister, I shall seek to repay you for that injustice, but right now, it's time for proper introductions. Wouldn't you agree?" She turned to Harribel with her question, who nodded before stepping forward and bowing curtly to Celestia. "Please allow me to introduce myself, Your Majesty. I am Tia Harribel, ruler of Hueco Mundo." She waved a hand behind her towards her acquaintance, who looked away with an indifferent glance "This man behind me is known as Grimmjow Jeagerjacques, one of my strongest warriors." "A pleasure to meet you both. I am Princess Celestia." She smiled down at the two guests "I see you are already acquainted with my sister Luna. I hope she has treated you all well." "Well, my ass." Grimmjow spat as his eyes narrowed. Harribel looked back at Grimmjow with a stern gaze. "Grimmjow," Harribel started warningly "I would kindly ask you to be more well-behaved in the face of royalty. Especially those who were kind enough to take us in rather than dispose of us the moment we arrived." "Then why don't you have some pride for once, O powerful ruler!?" Grimmjow snapped before pointing a thumb at Luna "This one here didn't think to trust us at first until you bent your bruised ass over for her!" "We're naught but foreign entities in an undiscovered land, unaware of how powerful its inhabitants are, let alone its rulers. I demand your compliance." Harribel shot back calmy, ableit with restrained irritation. "Whatever! Just try to show some more backbone, huh!?" Grimmjow sneered, unabashed in his rudeness. Celestia merely observed the argument between Harribel and Grimmjow, taken aback by Grimmjow's blatant vulgarity and misbehavior, as well as how he was willing to berate his own ruler while she herself commanded him to act properly. Aside from wondering about who they are and why they were in Equestria, Celestia was curious about their culture and customs to present themselves in such a unique, but unprofessional display. After their brief spat, Harribel faced away from Grimmjow and took a deep breath before regarding Celestia with an even glance "Pardon our altercation. Please rest assured that your sister has treated us with the utmost care that she could offer to us. For that, we're in your debt." She punctuated her gratitude with a curt bow. "Please, there is no need to stand on ceremony." Celestia replied warmly before her expression shifted to curiosity "Although, I'm left to wonder as to how and why you're both here at this time. You and your...retainer?" She tried to brush off Grimmjow's glare "The two of you appearing spontaneously has left my sister and I rather curious." "Though they have not stated it flat out," Luna piped up "I've reason to believe that they-" "Put a sock in it, princess. I'll say it, myself." Grimmjow rudely interrupted, much to Luna's chagrin. Taking a few steps forward until he stood beside Harribel, the male hollow looked up at Celestia, although he bared his teeth in a sneer tinted with ire and what Celestia surprisingly noticed as embarrassment. "Our world, Hueco Mundo, is currently under siege by these pretentious bastards known as Quincy..." _____ Harribel knelt in her holding chamber as two chains held up her arms, her head hung in a mixture of anger, pain, and shame. Ever since the empire known as the Wandenreich mysteriously appeared and laid siege to her land, Hueco Mundo had been in a state of disarray. She had cursed herself for failing her fellow hollows as their new ruler ever since Barragan's passing. She could already hear that infuriating boast said by her captor not too long ago after she had left her alone to wallow in pain. It echoed in her mind and thereby expanded her shame. Her subjects used as pawns for this Yhwach person? Reprehensible. Harribel already dreaded about the well-being of her Fracción despite them managing to escape from the Wandenreich's clutches. Normally, she would not worry over such things, since the Tres Bestias were more than capable warriors that were loyal to her, but the Quincy proved to be very powerful, and she could only wonder where her comrades were at present. She could have sworn she heard a faint explosion as she was being held, but the hollow queen only dismissed it as more carnage outside of her she went back to resigning to her fate. A part of her wondered what would happen if Soul Society were to decidedly intervene or not, considering the Soul Reapers and the Quincy both share a common enemy in hollows. Another explosion - followed by slashing noises - reached Harribel's ears as she tried to entertain herself with thoughts of an otherwise grim future. She decidedly lifted her head as she heard them growing in volume, wondering what could possibly be happening outside of her prison. Her eyes widened when she noticed the doors exploding inwards to reveal a familiar face carrying several injuries on his catlike form. His face was locked in an expression of bestial fury, biting back the pain that shrouded his entire body as he leapt at Harribel and slashed at the chains with a growl, cutting off both with ease as her arms slumped to the floor. "Grimm...jow..." Harribel uttered as she was quickly hoisted up onto his back. Grimmjow muttered a curse when he saw three Quincy blocking his only exit and readied his right elbow, pointing it at his obstacles. "Garra de la Pantera!!" He shouted before five dark green darts from his elbow, prompting one of the Quincy to quickly fire at them all, causing a massive explosion that knocked everyone present back, Grimmjow and Harribel included. Despite the pain that wracked his body, Grimmjow was somehow able to recover with Harribel on his back, lunging towards the entrance and passing the other Quincy as they gave chase. As Grimmjow descended into the next room, he caught a glimpse at a moustached man sitting on his throne with a look of boredom. He had half a mind to go over there and wipe that irritating expression off of his face, but the former espada had different plans: Escape with the ruler of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow heard promises of capture and referrals of 'Your Majesty' behind him as he continued to retreat from the Quincy base. Meanwhile, Harribel's exhaustion from both her capture and Grimmjow's rescue were causing her to fade into unconsciousness. "Grimm...jow..." She uttered once again. "Shut up! I'm trying to get us out of here!" Grimmjow snapped as he dodged several energy projectiles. He grew increasingly frustrated as the pain was catching up with him, gritting his teeth as he mustered more energy to move towards what he could percieve as the exit. A quick cero to the doors confirmed that they had managed to step back into the ivory sands of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow, for his part, was actually happy to step back into his native land, rather than the contemptable stronghold that he stormed. Nothing else was on his mind, but a hasty retreat, as much as the thought compelled him to kill something. Sadly, the same Quincy that pursued Grimmjow and Harribel were still hot on their trail, not letting up in their assault. Knowing they were the only ones after them, Grimmjow wondered if he should thank any human-created god that there were no reinforcements to make things even worse for him. He decided to curse any human-created god when his Resurrección wore off. "Son of a bitch!" Grimmjow growled as he did his best to keep both his running speed and Harribel secured on his back. As he dodged more projectiles coming his way, he grew furious and wondered if there was a way to lose them. he perked up when he realized that he still carried a memento from Las Noches, specifically his former leader. He reached into the pocket of his hakama to pull out what looked like a small, black cube as he glanced at the Quincy behind him from the corner of his eye. He knew that the Caja Negacion was only meant for Fracción and the occasional arrancar of average strength, but he did not have much else to lose aside from what was left of his dignity, the arrancar on his back, and his very life. 'Only got one shot at this...' He thought to himself, not happy with his situation at all. The plan was simple: Make a Garganta, then launch the Caja Negacion back at the Quincy gaining up on him. Letting out another growl, he followed through with his plan and opened a rift in the air while simultaneously tossing back the only item that could assist him. He was confident that his plan would succeed until the impossible happened. One of the Quincy shot an energy projectile at the Caja Negacion, quickly guiding it towards Grimmjow and Harribel, causing the former to instinctively dodge. Grimmjow's eyes widened when he noticed how both the cube and the projectile launched at it expanded with their respective energies directly in the growing rift of the Garganta. The three energies then melded together, and where Grimmjow and the Quincy expected an explosion of massive proportions, there was only a bright light that engulfed the two arrancar and blinded their pursuers before it subsided into itself and blinked out from existence, leaving behind a trio of confused soldiers. _____ Celestia, Luna, and Harribel shared looks of utter shock as Grimmjow concluded his tale, and the latter could only gaze back at them all with an indifferent glance before a scoff escaped his lips. "So yeah," He broke the silence "That's pretty much our situation. Unless we find a way out of here, or if those bastards find us, we're totally fucked." To be continued... Author's Note Lemme tell you: This was the only thing I could possibly come up with as their method of travelling to Equestria. It was an asspull, but it was a funny asspull. Sometimes, I remember how much I hate folks like Aizen and Yhwach and how they rarely lift a finger because they have so much assets on their side, whether it's strength, ludicrous amounts of planning, or the ability to predict (and change) the future. You think the ending to Bleach could've had more substance, but I suppose Tite Kubo just wanted to get it over with. Anyways, here you are, and I hope you all enjoyed it more than (or, at least as much as) the ending to another series we've read/watched for years. Enjoy the chapter. Peace!
