001: Video

[acardic]

[The characteristic reiatsu emanating from the field is probably enough of a giveaway of who has recently arrived for those who are particularly attuned to detecting it. It precedes the post by about half an hour.

The denizens of Siren's Port are treated to an nondescript view of fences, and then a person whose pallor is a far too anemic to be considered healthy or even compatible with life. Ulquiorra frowns as if to preemptively dissuade unnecessary discussion, and he speaks in a tone all at once dryly thankless and vaguely threatening. Even as he asks for information, the act distinctly comes across as an order.]

It would be wise if somebody were to inform me of where I am, and who is responsible for bringing me here. The trash from SERO, and AGI were most uninformative.

[After that pleasantry, the tone levels off into a much more business like demeanor.]

Should the other Espada be present, we have much to discuss.

Comments

[Reaction | not here]

[soul_scatter]

[He was enjoying a nice quiet afternoon... Then he is up on the roof, his sword at hand, his reiatsu pulled in tight, looking toward the baseball diamond.

... There goes the neighborhood.]

Action

[that_is_asecret]

[Xellos just sort of appears on a bench nearby, you may notice a bit of contained energy. He is licking an ice cream cone, casually]

From the new batch of Newcomers, hmmmm?

Action

[acardic]

[In contrast, the only thing that can be said to be "casual" about Ulquiorra is the way he slips what looks like a white sphere (his NV) back into his pocket. The technology had been unfamiliar, but what a "video" is, doesn't take rocket science to figure out. He glances over his shoulder, at the male and his... frozen food item, with a healthy amount of disdain.]

You're a native.

[It's a question, but his tone doesn't make it sound like it.]

Action

[that_is_asecret]

[He licks it delicately, just sort of taking his time with things, not really concerned]

Mmmmmm nope!

[And just going to continue sitting there working on the ice cream cone, your presence is certainly interesting. He has heard talk about your kind, but never had been this close. The energy coming off him was interesting to say the least]

[acardic]

[Whatever the creature Is, Ulquiorra is unable to place it. His brow furrows, not in dislike yet, but in contemplation. The male is clearly not afraid of Ulquiorra, but the Espada does not feel the need to correct this. Underestimation comes at the price of the enemies hands, not his. Nonetheless, in the face of a potentially dangerous entity, Ulquiorra will grant it the respect of a face to face conversation. He turns, but there is no deference in his voice.]

What are you.

video

[blackmoonrising]

[He felt the reiatsu, and then the voice and the face on the NV confirm it. Ichigo's switching on his feed immediately, expression, pretty seriously surprised to see him.]

You're back?

Re: video

[acardic]

[There's a flicker of surprise and recognition; no more than a fraction of a raised brow. A most expressive deviation of expression for the Cuarta.]

Back.

[Though his steadily flat cadence doesn't give it away, Ulquiorra is thrown off by Ichigo's presence. He presses on. Not to mention his ridiculous assertion.]

Explain, Kurosaki Ichigo.

video

[blackmoonrising]

[Well, looks like Ulquiorra's in the same boat he was in when he arrived. That doesn't make Ichigo any more relaxed though; if anything it puts him even more on his guard.]

Long story short, you were here before. Twice. I'm guessing you don't remember.

video

[acardic]

[Ichigo, unlike Ulquiorra, had never been particularly good at guarding his expressions. Ulquiorra reads that shift in temperament easily, but his reaction to what is admittedly very puzzling news, is much more difficult to read. Ulquiorra doesn't dismiss it as a lie as he doesn't see why this would benefit Ichigo, but he doesn't believe it either.]

No. That is impossible.

[Curt. It leaves no room for debate on what Ulquiorra feels is an obvious point.]

Explain yourself.

1/2 [Reaction]

[fightswithpurpose]

[Nelliel's eyes light up when she senses that reiatsu. She's missed Ulquiorra and she's glad for his return.

She doesn't even bother to check her NV. It does, however, occur to her that he might not remember his previous time in Siren's Port. That's happened with others.]

2/2 [Action]

[fightswithpurpose]

[The easiest way to determine what Ulquiorra remembers is to go there. If he doesn't remember his time in Siren's Port, then he'll need explanations.

She's there less than a minute later.]

Ulquiorra...do you remember your time here before?

[Action]

[acardic]

[The reiatsu, is of course, familiar, but distantly so. Ulquiorra stares at the former Tercera, now Privaron, acknowledging her presence, as well as her former rank with a discerning expression.]

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.

[A neutral tone for a neutral observation. But eventually, Ulquiorra inclines his head lightly. Her question corroborates what Ichigo had said earlier, and the implication of that is not one that obeys logical reasoning. It irks him already. He straightens up quickly.]

I do not. [And here he'll wait patiently for an explanation to his implicit question. No doubt, in contrast to the insight given to him on the situation by Ichigo's limited powers of observation, the former Tercera's information ought to provide greater clarity.]

[Action]

[fightswithpurpose]

The Core is the reason you were brought here. It can take people from different worlds and different times. For example, Grimmjow and Luppi were both here once and taken from the times when they were the Sexta Espada.

[Preventing in-fighting had been one of her jobs. This was what happened when one's rank was re-instated.]

Aizen-sama was even here for a time...but that was over a year ago.

[Video]

[itsatrep]

I can't wait to hear what you have to discuss with me, Cuarta-san.

[Video]

[acardic]

[Ulquiorra did not mourn the prospect of never seeing Luppi again when Grimmjow had decimated him. Both his expression and tone are dry like desert sand. Straight to the point with this one.]

Your report, Luppi Anterior.

[Video]

[itsatrep]

What do you want to hear about first? The trouble Szayel's gotten in to? My job at a sex club? The time you almost showed the entire city your pale ass when you woke up in bed with Nelliel?

[He figures these early moments when Ulquiorra is trying to figure out his new situation are his best chance to push without being incinerated in a cero blast. Not that the potential for instant death is always a good deterrent to his taunting anyway.]

[video]

[sequincy]

Hm. You can't seem to stay away.

[video]

[acardic]

[His tone is humorless.]

You speak as though I had a say in the matter, Quincy.

[He doesn't bother looking to see if Ishida has both arms. The woman did seem rather preoccupied with Ichigo to notice that her so-called nakama was missing one.]

The company of trash is not company that I covet.

[video]

[sequincy]

Something we have in common. [deadpan.]

Unfortunately, it keeps showing up.

video;

[athermercy]

I was going to offer the basics, but people already did that right?

[Just a total normal girl here.]

video;

[acardic]

[There's a slight delay before Ulquiorra responds. He spends that few seconds of silence staring rather imperiously at the woman who responded.]

Cursory explanations. None satisfactory.

[He doesn't ask this person to provide an explanation, because he doubts she has one.]

video;

[athermercy]

[She doesn't give them either. Destiny should be more generous if he's in the mood.]

Most people wouldn't know what it's coming on since the corporations withhold information all the time. I'm sure not even they know it all. Or the Core will be fixed by now.

[Video] //fasionably late

[scienceshow]

Ah, Cuarta. So kind of you to decide to return to us again.

[I'm sure you TOTALLY wanted to see him, didn't you?]

[Video] //no worries!

[acardic]

[Yes, can you tell how excited he is for this lovely reunion? Ulquiorra is the most grateful for the Core for making this possible. Just look at this disdain. He'll just go ahead and ignore that pointless pleasantry, and cut right ahead to that tidbit offered to him by that first bizarre entity he spoke to.]

Your affiliation with SERO. Explain it.

[Video]

[scienceshow]

Nonexistent; they're a little... annoyed with me.

[And... that's as much as he's going to say. Nelliel's already turned him into a football once. He doubts Ulquiorra would be quite so generous.]