His eyes bore into her, Nanao staring him down. Despite his strength, it doesn’t feel like there’s any danger here. If he was going to attack, then he could have done ages ago. The mention of her captain raises an eyebrow, more or less confirming what she suspected. So this is him. He’s a footnote in a book to her. Significant because of her captain. In her head, she’d pictured with far more muscle, far less slender.
“I’m the lieutenant of the 8th division, yes.”
She adjusts her glasses, examining him more closely now. He’s a curious one, if his reiatsu wasn’t so strong she’d attempt to come closer. Her gut says he wants something out of this, although what it is, Nanao can’t possibly guess. Information on her captain perhaps? Although even that doesn’t make much sense.
“and you are Coyote Starrk, correct?”
It strikes her as odd to see him alone. She’s read the reports from the battles and knows he has a companion. Or at least had a companion. She’d ask but it’s the least of her concerns right now. Especially once he asks the question, genuinely surprising her.
“We don’t have to do anything” she says, caution returning a little “I am here on a survey mission and you’ve simply crossed my path. You’re right, I have no intention of fighting” her hand drifts subconsciously to where a sword should be, wondering if he really knows just how much of an imbalance there is here “you could just stay here and, I’ll be on my way”
She suspects that’s not why he’s asking. There’s something here she’s missing and can’t put her finger on. She could just leave him here. It’s the easiest option. It’ll bug her though, if she doesn’t find out. He’s an odd link to her captain. He’s a former opponent who’s lived to tell the tale. That makes him interesting.
“Although, I might be in need of a guide, if you’d be amenable.” she tries to take a deep breath, the weight on her chest reminding her of one very obvious problem “If you can dampen your reiatsu, that is. ”
Starrk closed his eyes momentarily, and willed the flow of energy from his body to lessen. It was something he had learned to do after becoming an Espada.
“Yes, I am Coyote Starrk,” he answered simply. “At least... a part of him. Or perhaps he was a part of me.”
He didn’t elaborate. It wasn’t something he thought he could even voice if he wanted to.
Her offer to have him as a guide made him pause, and he stared at her with even more suspicion. Despite her lack of aggression, she was still a shinigami. As far as he had been made aware his entire existence should be abhorrent to her.
And as the man who’d almost killed him was her superior, Starrk was even less inclined.
“Why would you trust me as a guide?” he asked quietly, his voice soft but cold. “Is it not your duty to destroy me? Or are arrancar now trusted among the shinigami?”
The last bit was asked with a hint of sarcasm, although he put no bite into it. The beastial, survival part of his brain flinched back at the idea.
The lonely side, however, hoped she had an answer.
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