Covetous Shores [Veralia/Kurai]

Gazing into the visage of the morning sun, Veralia's blood-eyed stare took in the beautiful sight with a gentle smile. As she sat in the lotus position with the warm sand against her feet and legs, the woman reflected and took in the lush colors of the earth. Compared to Hueco Mundo, this was a realm of light and beauty as Hueco Mundo had endless, gray darkness.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, appreciating the rare moment of peace. There wasn't anyone around to piss her off right now, which was a blessing and allowed her to think. Scattered thoughts of her brewing kingdom back in Hueco Mundo, her budding relationships, and her quest for strength flowed in her mind, causing her eyebrows to furrow as she wasn't sure what the next move would be, and sometimes just being in silence helped.

Eventually, Veralia sighed and closed her eyes as if waiting for a sign or someone to show her where to take this day.

Veralia's eyes promptly opened, turning like a hawk to meet Kurai's gaze. Given the lack of hostile intent, there was no need to react violently. However, she was always a trigger finger away from throwing hands if needed.

"Not here to cause trouble, huh? Well, like I said to you last time, you look like a magnet for trouble."

Seated in the sands, Veralia's eyes scanned Kurai from head to toe. She nodded slowly.

"But yeah, good morning I guess. The hell are you doing out here? I can't imagine it would be sightseeing."

A small chortle escaped her lips before her gaze went back to the rising sun and the oceanic waters, which were still maintaining their beauty in spite of this—little surprise.

Veralia was skeptical, suspecting no good would come of it, yet she permitted the woman to remain, against her better judgment. As she rolled her shoulders to release the tension, the Arrancar's voice, gruff with a casual edge, broke the silence.

"Do what you want."

After her decision was made, Veralia then continued to gaze forward at the ocean, noting the birds flying, the fish jumping in the waters, and the gentle breeze of the cool morning sun. Hueco Mundo lacked things that many people on this planet take for granted from her point of view. Eventually, she turned her head back to Kurai and raised an eyebrow.

"So what's the deal with your aspect of death anyway? It's not like I forgot our last little get-together. Seems a helluva lot more complex than whatever I got going on with mine."

A chuckle escaped her as she recalled a recent encounter with a peculiar ginger-haired girl named Catherine, who bombarded her with probing questions as if she were dissecting a specimen. With a casual flick of her wrist, Veralia continued

"But it's fine if it's some secret. Not like it's a smart idea to tell someone who was once smashing your face in how you operate."

Did this bitch have multiple personalities or something?

That was a passing thought that Veralia had when she heard Kurai mention that her focus alters depending on which sin she observes. It prompted her right eyebrow to quiver upward with an intrigued expression behind her eyes.

"So your vibe and mood changes based on what sin you observe? And here I thought my aspect of envy was a pain in the ass."

After she snorted in jest, Veralia took solace in the fact that while envy was troublesome to manage, she too would be exhausted if every sin altered her focus.

"What happens if someone's prominent sin is lust? Do you get horny or something? Same with the other sins: if someone is slothful, do you laze about on your ass and take a nap?"

Despite her blunt tone, there wasn't an ounce of disrespect behind her words. More curiosity than anything else. However, she remained quiet for a few seconds when the questions were turned back on her. Letting Kurai gather her senses, Veralia looked back at the sea and pointed her right index finger toward it.

"Don't you see it? All the color before our eyes is why I'm here. It's far more beautiful than Hueco Mundo."

Veralia's gaze was as sharp as a razor's edge as Kurai turned to her. With a begrudging nod, she grumbled out loud.

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it."

As she turned back to the sunrise, Veralia loosened her expression and closed her eyes. Listening further, it became apparent that if what Kurai was saying was the truth, then the weight of her aspect of death was tiring.

"Ain't that the fucking truth? That's part of the reason I wanted to kick your ass, as mine flared up since I thought you were flaunting that shit at me or something."

Brush and uncaring at this point, it wasn't as if Verlaia had anything to lose. So, her eyes opened as she placed her right palm under her cheek.

" So what, do you think coming to Earth is a good idea? There is enough sin here to make the devil blush. I'd wager even more than Hueco Mundo itself."