The return of a Warrior

"Tomix, old friend..." Kaimei smiled a sad smile and spread his arms, revealing his tired and beaten body. "You might not know this, but to begin with, I am not the fastest runner. And to that... Well... My body is not in the best state right now. I could but crawl away in this state. But, I am curious," Kaimeis look turned more serious as he looked in the eyes of his former comrade. "Why is it that you want to destroy the Espada? You never told me that. I am curious... Why is it that you hate the group that created you?"

This was good. At least, it sounded like Tomix was ready to listen to him right now. This would probably not continue forever, however, Kaimei only needed very little time. If he could have that, maybe he could reach a much more interesting solution than simply dying here in the dessert without a fight. Running was not a solution, it was simply not possible for Kaimei right now. He could only hope that Tomix wanted to speak to an old friend more than he wanted to kill him.

Tomix stared at Kaimei. He wanted to know why he wanted to kill the Espada...

"The reason those bastard Espada are going to die...is because they murdered my family. My dad...my mum...my sister...my girlfriend. Everyone I cared about was killed. I was then inducted into the Espada, as I also died..I was made the 8th Espada. Aizen then revealed he ordered the 9th Espada...my brother...had killed them. I later killed the 9th Espada. I wandered the desert for two years, until I joined Korosu. Another reason I will kill the Espada...is to protect someone."

Kaimei looked at Tomix, nodded at some places during his tale, then sighed, a sad look on his face. he was going to tell the truth to Tomix, all of it, right now.

"I was born, not as a human, but as an animal. I remember but a single image from my living days... The beautiful coast I lived on. I have no idea where it was, but I lived a good life. Yet..." Kaimeis look began to grow distant. "Yet my life had no meaning. 'Why am I here?' was my only thought. That was the thought that developed my all the way from a simple, mindless hollow all the way to being a Vasto Lorde. It was a strange life I led back then... Wandering this world, looking for purpose. I never had a family like you did, no mother, no father, no lover... All I had was my search for purpose."

He raised his vision to look Tomix in the eye.

"Aizen-sama gave my life that purpose, the purpose I had been looking for. I became even stronger than before, we are given powers beyond our wildest imagination. And then, those damned Shinigami came and took it all from us. Killed Aizen-sama."

Kaimei balled his hand into a fist and crushed a few small stones in his hand in the process. Just talking about the hubris of the Shinigami made his blood boil.

"And now... Now Las Noches is nothing like the place it was before. The only thing left as it was is Ulquiorra. Everything else has changed Tomix." Slowly, Kaimei rised and looked Tomix in the eye, placing his hand on Tomix' shoulder.

"To me, the Espada was purpose. To me... The Espada was my family. And I seek to reagin that family."

Pausing for a bit, Kaimei truely hoped that Tomix listened to his words. It was a matter of life and death.

"So Tomix... Why are you still on this vendetta? Noone in Las Noches had anything to do with the death of your family, all of those who killed them are all but dead. I am the only one left of those Espada, and I had nothing to do with the deaths of you or your loved ones. So I ask you now, is it really the Espada you hate? Or is it the idea of the Espada? Who is it exactly you are going to kill to get revenge?"

Tomix looked at Kaimei, a serious look on his face as Kaimei spoke of his past.
"An animal...Intresting. You DO have an extensive past..."

Tomix's expression changed to one of anger when Kaimei began to speak of Aizen, and hating the Shinigami.
"You shut up! Aizen was the one behind my family's death! He was a killer, a madman! And as a matter of fact, the Shinigami are not bad people! One of the captains...she is the person I care about more then anything else!"

Tomix's expression did not change as Kaimei continued. He listened, and he began to yell when he had finished.
"Why!? WHY!? Those Espada are planning to assault Soul Society, and kill all the Shinigami! I will not stop until I have killed every last stinking Espada off the face of the world! A-And...Their leader said he will kill everyone close to me; I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM KILL YUKI!"

On the inside, a smile widened on Kaimeis lips. Tomix was angry, he had no control of his emotions now. This was a good thing, but only because his anger was aimed towards someone else than Kaimei.
Kaiemi raised his other hand and grapped Tomix' other shoulder, looking him straight in the eye.

"Tomix! Tomix old friend, listen to me! I hate the leader of the Espada as much as you do. He is weak, arrogant, not worthy of his title or his powers. I wish for his death as much as you do. But dont you see? Going against him on your own will not help you. You are going to get yourself killed in there."

His strength was slowly returning, and he held Tomix' shoulders tight with his strong hands. His look was dead serious and his eyes were honest.

"Tomix old friend, we should not fight. We want the same thing. An end to the war. We should fight togeather! Fight to take down the arrogant leader of the Espada, change the Espada from the inside! Let us show them that we Arrancar should not fight each other, let us show them that there is a better way!"

Tomix was still angry, all his evil energy threatning to burst out. When Kaimei put his hands on his shoulders, Tomix violently pulled them off.
"All you want...is power. I'm not going to join you...not a chance. Maybe I don't want to kill the Espada anymore...maybe I just want to protect her."
Tomix let his anger cool, and he looked up.
"Kaimei...Get out of here. Now. You're still not strong eough to beat me in this state. And I'll call in my solider to help me."
Tomix was deadly serious.

Kaimei sighed as Tomix pulled away. What a shame. So Tomix insisted on taking the hard way, not only for Kaimei and the Espada, but also for himself. No matter. Kaimei had made a chance to get away, to keep his life another day. Looking at Tomix with serious eyes, he nodded and then grapped the hilt of his sword. Gripping the cyan metal and leather tight, he pulled it from the sand slowly, then whiped it into the air, cleaning it of sand. Then he put it on his back in a slow motion. He turned around, towards the way he had been going. Looking out over the dunes, a sligth breeze chaught his hair and pants, making them wave sligthly,

"I hoped that it would not come to this Tomix. I do not wish to be your enemy... And you do not want to be mine. You would might be surprised to know just how much different my goals are than what you think. I hope that I will leave here as your friend. My offer still stands. I shall take my leave now, as you wish, and not seek you, not threaten or hurt your loved ones."

Putting his hands in his pockest, he slowly started walking down the hill they were standing on.

"My offer still stands. Seek me out if you want to change me, change the Espada, change yourself... And protect your friend better. Let us change things, Tomix. Togeather, we can change this world."

Walking on, Kaimeis figure still got smaller and smaller on the horizon, before his contures were too far away to make out. The warrior was returning home with grief in his heart. And a plan.

(EXIT, unless Tomix wishes to stop Kaimei.)