Manda had enough of being in her room and walking around Los Noches. She felt she needed a break from it all, even if just a small one. That was what had brought her out to the desert. She quietly walked around, keeping an eye out for anyone who may want to challenge her, or just plan get in her way. She was not in the mood to be bothered by anyone. That was the case lately. She just seemed like she was in a foul mood all the time and that upset her even more. Figuring she might use this time to calm down she continued on her walk. As she walked she thought back on her past and how she made it to where she is now, the number 8 Espada. She had always liked the number 8, but now was also growing tired of people above her thinking they knew it all as well, except for Cross. He had always treated her with respect. She shook that thought out of her mind as she continued walking.

Cross laid upon a sand dune in the desert, laughing and giggling. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So Relaxing." he said, ina slightly huskey childish tone. Rolling around in the sand, he rolled down the dune as he steps up to wipe himself off. Looking over the area, he knew Manda was here from her reiatsu coming near him. So he ran to the top of a dune and crouched down, looking down at her as she walked by. Holdign his reiatsu from being felt, he jumped, Spreading his arms as he held onto Manda's back. "mannnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-cccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

Manda nearly attacked Cross at first before she realized who it was that jumped on her. She then just grew fustrated. She takes a few deep breaths as she grabs Cross. She the places him down on the ground before speaking to him. "Cross. It is you who has come to terrorize me. Nice to see you as always. I don't think you came all this way just to scare me half to death however. Why are you out here? Out to relax like me?" she asked him. As she spoke she didn't seem mad or fustrated. She stood quietly and waited for Cross to respond. "Just don't take too long to reply. I'm trying to blow off steam here. Your prank helped a bit, but I'm sure you don't want me to wander away for a few days. If you wanna say something, say it now." she eventually said, getting fustrated a bit more when he didn't respond right away.

Cross paced in the sand around her, having a serious look upon his face. "Well dere is somethin i need to talk to ya about." He said, still in his husky child voice. He stopped as he looked at her. "but first, tell me wat is wrong withchu. I don't understand dis angur." His big red eyes pierced through his red hair, looking up the Manda's face. "I can try and help out?" He commented, folding his arms as he leaned to the left. blinking multiple tiems as he looked up her dress towards her number.

A garganata opened up not too far away, but the person who stepped out had their rietsu completely hidden; such was his custom from so long in the human world. He wiped away the tears from his eyes and held out his right hand in the air, two swords materialized and he grasped them like old friends in a handshake.
Ah, nemuri... Semasu.. it's been too long since i last brought you out of hiding; I'm afraid we might have to do battle soon. Such a bad reunion Im afraid... Hm? Who are they-

He continued to watch Cross and Manda from a distance; hoping they hadn't noticed him yet... he wanted to know if they were hostile or friendly. Though they would likely see him as a threat- being a new face around and all. The young boy seemed to either have great control over his rietsu or no rietsu at all; the girl however, she had a fair amount of rietsu and something seemed to be troubling her.. Anamist tied his two swords to his waist with his belt and gave them a good tap like old days.

Manda started to get dizzy as she watched Cross pace around her. He had become a little annoying now that he was a child. Manda delt with it though since she knew it was just who he was. She did have to giggle a little bit due to the way he talked. "Well, I felt cramped just being in my room or even walking around Los Noches. I felt maybe if I took a walk that might help. Not only that it seems like more and more there are some who just wanna fight me. It's making me mad. When I try to calm down I find I can not and that just fustrates me more. I also feel that maybe I was not cut out to be the Octava Espada."

It was at that moment that she realized that Cross was looking up her dress. "Now Cross, just what do you think your doing under there? I know your young looking and all but that does not mean you can go and peek there anytime you want." she said, grabbing him and pulling him out from under her dress. "Now, you can help me out by telling all those fools who keep trying to fight me or run my life to leave me alone. At least that last Sexta Espada will not be bothering me anymore. Thank goodness for that. Now, you said you had something you needed to talk to me about?"

It was around that time that Manda did feel that something was not right, but blew it off as a passing thought. She turned her attention back to Cross whom she had not let go of yet. "Now tell me what it is you wanna talk about or I will not let you go." she said. She didn't even realize that another Espada had joined the two of them.

Anamist continued to observe them; it seemed his continual training and ability to hide his rietsu was enough to fool nearly anyone. Even so, hehad to be careful- He didn't know if these were foes or allies. they seemed friendly enough, for arrancar anyways. The female regarded the young boy politely in her brisk tone even when she held him suspended in the air, Anamist guessed that the boy was likely the strongr of the two; and he enjoyed the females presnece.

Comradre was rare between hollow or arrancar, their inherit natures must have been that of co-depdendant beings who seek happiness in one form or another- as such, he guessed that they valued life more than death; at least for the innocent. Possibly they would be allies? He needed allies who were familiar with the current heiarchy of of Hueco Mundo; he needed to know who was kindred spirit to him... and who, he would have to eliminate for the greater good of all the races. All of this for Rui, precious litle Rui.

A stray tear ran down his right cheeck, he quickly brushed it away; he had been in the human world too long, he likely smelled like one too and would be mistaken as one. But he was a monster, and monsters didn't cry... they didn't deserve to cry... couldn't cry. it had to be that his eyes were just readjusting to Hueco Mundos over-powering soul presence.. that had to be it.

Damn eyes watering up again, wait for me Rui.. I'll be back soon.

Cross struggled around in the air. "Lemme go! Lemme go!" He roared, cried out. He was just acting more like a kid now. His reiatsu came to full finger as it blasted and covered his body, running up Manda's arms. The parasites in his reiatsu slowly ate away at Manda's own Reiatsu. "Drop me! NOW!" The last rush of reiatsu covered a 200 foot radius around him. His eyes glowing more red as his hair spiked up. Hopefully if would be enough for Manda to Drop him. If he fell to the ground, his eyes would still glow red. Rolling his neck, He placed his hands infront of him in a prayer postion, his adult and child form, swapped images rapidly, his reiatsu gathering at his hands. HIs adult form was temporary as it walked towards Manda, Lifting up her leg beside his waist, pressing his hand onto her number as it burned it away. The pain should be massive to her. Since it his his reiatsu parasites eating away at his skin. He then presses his index finger into her skin, drawing a number on her leg. The blood dripped down her thigh onto the sand. back away, an explosion of reiatsu happned as his Kid form came back into play. "Dere we go!"

As Cross's reiatsu crawled up her arms and the parasites begin to eat away at her own reiatsu, Manda does indeed drop Cross. She actually almost throws him down as she tries to stop from losing her reiatsu. Once she felt the reiatsu get stronger around Cross she looked to see Cross in his adult form. She began to wonder what he was up to when he grabed her leg, causing her to fall. She was about to protest when she felt the burning right where her number was. She cried out in pain as the number was burned away. She was about to say something about taking away her number when he drew the other number right where the number 8 used to be. This hurt just as bad, if not worse, than when he burned off the number 8 since it was in the same location. Once he was done and her leg droped she called forth a bit of water and washed her leg off. She then looked at Cross and spoke. "Damn. I forgot how much that hurts. Next time a little warning Cross. Now, what the hell was that all about?" she said.

Anamist watched in quiet contemplation; unsure of just exactly was happening, but the rietsu from the boy was enough to tell him that he didn't stand much of a chance to stop him. he was a little embarrassed watching and seeing Cross replace her old tattoo on her leg, but it made sense to him now..

#6 huh... Ah, thats great- this little boy seems to be #1 if the tattoo on his face is correct- Still I need to test and see how strong this generation is compared to mine.

He drew Semasu from its scabbard and stood up, the wind blew somewhat stronger from his direction and the prayer beads & cross at his neck blew in the winf towards the two espada.

But how should I go about this? If I appear and say i just want to test then; they won't take me seriously... on the other hand- If I attack without warning, it would be hard to explain andget out of the battle unscathed if that boy really is #1. I guess I don't have much of a choice- I will have to attack and hope #1 is honorable and won't kill me without knowing my name- So I won't give it when i attack.

Just as the female espada wiped the dirt from her leg and stood upto brush herself off; Anamist dashed from his resting spot a little aboce them and appeared infront of the female. With his foot, he disbalanced her legs and as she started to fall forwards, he pushed her violently with his free hand- Sensing her flying some distance away; so that she would not get caught up in the fight or hinder the boy's capabilities.

Her swung Semasu in an arching-downward slash at Cross.