[Szayel Aporro, Open]

[octavanotensai]

Date: April 21, 2010
Location: A mall!
Summary: Szayel is out collecting specimens for his research.

Comments

[leekspin]

Orihime's debt to the Ishida family, in her mind, was one that could never truly be repaid. But that didn't mean she couldn't make a valiant effort to show her gratitude for all they'd done for her. It was risky enough just taking her in as they had, but neither had uttered a single complaint. Even the elder Ishida had saved her life! She wanted to do something for them. Something really special, something that would definitely convey to them just how much she appreciated their kindness.

But until she found a way to do exactly that, small gifts purchased with the money she'd saved up on her paper route would have to suffice.

She wasn't entirely sure what to get them. Uryuu at least would be easy, she knew he enjoyed sewing. Some good supplies would definitely be well-received! But she knew so little about Ryuuken. He seemed like the type who would appreciate an old, leather-bound book of some sort. Maybe a diary journal. The best way to find out, she decided, was to take a stroll through the mall and see if anything in

[octavanotensai]

Szayel ran a hand over the bench he was sitting on as he regarded the passing humans. Several of the mundane sort had the nerve to attempt sitting on him. These he quickly brushed off with a carefully directed burst of reiatsu. They stumbled away looking confused and frightened, but were oblivious to the true meaning of what had just happened to them.

After collecting a fifth, spiritually-aware specimen, Szayel uncrossed his legs and prepared to rise. That was until he noticed just who was coming toward him in the crowd. Perfect lips stretched into a less than friendly smile, Szayel pointed at the girl.

[leekspin]

There! A punctuated burst of reiatsu! Orihime's head whipped around, her eyes squinted to better pinpoint the source. Something was definitely going on here.

~There are payphones here,~ she realized. ~I'll use one of those, just as soon as I see what's going on.~ It would have been embarrassing to ring up her friends for help if it turned out to be something trivial, like Pesche being...well. Being Pesche. Besides, they would need to know just what they were up against.

But as fate would have it, the crowd abruptly thinned at just the wrong moment. While it allowed Orihime to get a full-blown look at the culprit, it also allowed him to see her directly. So much for subterfuge.

Her eyes widened as she realized just who it was. An Espada! That one would be here of all places was very bad news. There were so many people! If either of them initiated combat, someone was certain to get hurt. Orihime couldn't allow that. She froze as he leveled a slim finger at her, and a quick glance to the side showed her one of his

[octavanotensai]

Szayel watched his Fraccion miss the girl with a sigh. He allowed it a few more moments to redeem itself, standing only when Aizen's pet triggered an alarm. With a perfunctory wave of his hand, he dismissed all his Fraccion. The two nearest his collection container began to pack it up, specimens and all. Szayel was by the girl's side in another instant.

"How nice of you to drop by," he said, his tone dry as he reached inside his outfit for the reiatsu-inhibiting cuff he had prepared for just such an occasion.

[in_a_china_shop]

Szayel wasn't the only Grantz trolling for a victim in the mall, though Il Forte's motive was far more simple. Lunch. There were so many tasty-looking humans, and every single one of them was too weak and stupid to put up any fight. Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to attack them here; the last thing he needed was putting up with some idiot shinigami trying to kill him.

He could sense his brother was nearby, and he was highly tempted to simply ignore him. That plan fell through, however, when he caught sight of what exactly his sibling was doing.

"Really, brother? Is this your version of a bug collection?" Il Forte laughed, motioning to the mock-store with a scoff.

ttly my bad, I accept full responsibility

[octavanotensai]

Szayel sensed Il Forte long before he saw him. He was surprised his brother would willingly approach him, but did not show it. He ignored Il Forte until the Numeros spoke.

"For once, an accurate observation. I'm surprised, brother." Szayel provided him with the applause he deserved. Humans were like insects when compared to Hollow. That was saying nothing about Arrancar, Espada, and, of course, the perfect being.