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  1. In one of the districts within Rukongai that lied not too far and not too close to the Seireitei, there was a family known as the Maneki. They were not a noble family, though most of the elders sworn that at one point their predecessors belonged to one. Granted there are no records that would substantiate these claims as anything else than baseless rumors, but they stuck to it nonetheless. The family was able to trace their lineage to beast clan that had managed to survive solely on the form of texts. Their lineage had been diluted heavily to the point where the only bestial trait that survived was that of black cat ears that perked up nicely atop their heads. The members of the family typically possessed black hair, and an overabundance of cats around their living quarters of all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes.<p>
  2.  
  3. To that family, a beautiful girl by the name of Astra Maneki was born towards the very end of the 18th century. Every member of the family had, to some extent or another contributed to the Seireitei by either providing members to its ranks or helping in other ways that were of benefit. Usually family members were taken into the 2nd Division since they were typically gifted in stealth, hand to hand combat, and the use of bladed weapons. While kido wasn’t frowned upon, their bodies and teachings tended to lean heavily towards a pursuit that was far more reliant on physical skill. Most of their zanpakuto were actually of the sort that lended themselves either to stealth or purefly physical endeavors. The family had a secret technique which allowed its members to change into the form of a black cat, starting somewhere during puberty.<p>
  4.  
  5. Growing up, Astra was taught how to best care for cats as well as the basic skills necessary to be competent either with the use of a sword or her body. It was never meant to be an overly extensive or advanced training, but rather something that would set her apart from the rest. The training usually paid off since members of the Maneki were typically more skilled in the use of a blade and hand to hand combat upon entering the academy than the average student. During that time she was also taught how to transform into a black cat, the signature ability of her people. It didn’t do much combat wise, but it allowed to them get into tight places, talk to other cats, and it looked pretty cool too.<p>
  6.  
  7. As she got a little bit older it was clear that like the rest of her family, Astra possessed very dense levels of energy with the potential to do a lot with it. Like the rest, she had to be enrolled into the academy just a couple of years earlier than the norm. It wasn’t at an age that would be unheard of, specially with some of the prodigies that had studied there, but they were younger nonetheless. The family really had no choice but to send their kids to study there when they did. Due to the power they possesed, refusing to do so would result in individuals that grew up with far too much energy they couldn’t control, and causing unneeded trouble and danger to those whose energy could not match up to theirs.<p>
  8.  
  9. As expected, Astra performed pretty well at the academy. Her best subjects were, without surprise, those that revolved around physical aptitude, whether it be agility, the use of her fists, or that of a weapon. Her area of expertise seemed to be with the blade however, as she was naturally far more skilled with it than anything else. In fact, while she could keep up in terms of speed and hand to hand combat with some of the better students, she was unmatched in her graduating class with a blade.<p>
  10.  
  11. Upon graduating, the girl joined the 2nd Division just like all members of her family had. There were even a couple of cousins far too many times removed that had seated positions within the squad. In the division Astra was able to push her body further than ever before. The kind of techniques and skills she learned became invaluable during her missions. For as helpful and useful as the techniques and skills she learned at the academy were, there was nothing quite like the experience of those that had fought and lived long enough to teach.<p>
  12.  
  13. The girl was sent on several assignments that ranged from simple scotuing and spying to dangerous assassinations, or the subduing and imprisonment of powerful targets. Due to the dubious nature of the division, and how some of their tasks tend to skirt the gray areas of morality, not all assignments were spoken about. Some were, from her point of view, downright deplorable. But the Shinigami at her level were not expected to question the decisions of the superiors but rather to carry them out diligently. Nonetheless, occasionally she would question the moral backing of some decisions that led to what perhaps was wrongful imprisonment or undue harm to potential threats.<p>
  14.  
  15. Through her time in the squad, the girl became far closer to her zanpakuto. She would spend several hours of the day talking to it and meditating. When not out on missions or performing her duties, Astra could be found sitting with her blade, meditating among numerous cats. With time she managed to meet her zanpakuto spirit, who looked like a giant mechanical cat. It was difficult to gage its size, but Astra was largely dwarfed by one of its paws, with her height being roughly half of one of its ears. It didn’t look like an obvious robot, but rather a gigantic cat lord with a gray metal looking skin that gave away its nature.<p>
  16.  
  17. The two had a fascination for very similar things, which included but were not limited to cats, fish, strings, laser pointers, and milk; despite the logic, the techno cat could actually eat normal food. The inner world was also something out of a dream. It was a vast open space, with very green and well kept grass. There was a handful of trees, a sunny sky, the sound of birds, and tons of cats. To a far corner of the world, a lonesome but huge factory like building seemed to take care of all needs the kitties could possibly need. Ranging from veterinary work, cool little houses, and even techy gadgets were made there.<p>
  18.  
  19. Once the two had hung out with each other for quite a lot of time, and after several visits, her zanpakuto spirit deemed her ready to face the trial needed to know her name. The trial would involve a battle that was far different than anything Astra had attempted before. In their inner world they set out excessively large amounts of breaded and fried fish, and countless bottles of milk; some were plain, and some were chocolate or strawberry flavored. After dividing the enormous banquet evenly, the task was to try and eat it all as fast as they could. Whomever finished first would be crowned the victor, and if one couldn’t finish their meal they’d lose automatically. The test was indeed strange and unorthodox, but as Astra would discover eventually, her zanpakuto would fit both characteristics well.<p>
  20.  
  21. The race was on as the two downed plate after plate of yummy fried fish. It tasted amazing at first; not too salty, a little bit crunchy, and with a certain feel that made her go, [i]wow[/i]. After about 15 minutes or so of eating fried fish though, the bites started to become sluggish and the taste began to fade some. That’s when lemon juice came to the rescue, saving the taste and delaying the inevitable for a few minutes more. Once that was done, drinking the yumm milk became far more difficult regardless of whether it was flavored or not. The two had consumed so much already, and they were so full that it was quite a daunting challenge. With all the excitement and self encouragement she needed, Astra pushed herself to eat faster until she finished first, effectively winning the challenge.<p>
  22.  
  23. Her zanpakuto spirit’s name was Yoru no Senshi, or Yoru for short. The actual zanpakuto Astra displayed thereafter would be the cause of awe and surprise, as she was the only one within the Maneki family to possess a constant release shikai. Like with the rest, the blade did not possess any fanciful abilities or anything too extravagant, but simply a number of functions that made ideal to her strengths and fitting to what had been commonly expected of shinigami within her family. With the discovery of her shikai Astra progressed further into her training, overcoming tasks, obstacles, and individuals she had only dreamed of before. Individuals that had once been a challenge to even last against during sparring sessions had become common and recurrent partners. In time, her efforts and success were noticed and rewarded accordingly.
  24.  
  25. Due to her loyalty to the squad, the dedication she had shown, and the skill she possessed, the woman would eventually be promoted to as high as the 3rd seat. With that level of authority came a certain level of trust, respect, and duties that went well beyond what she had done before. The amount and the danger of the missions she was involved in increased exponentially. The sort of opponents she dealt with when out in missions were generally those that could posed great danger to her men and her. The young woman had brought pride to her family as despite their great potential and affiliation with the Gotei, only a handful of them had ever gone as far as to attain such a position; certainly none had gone further. Astra was the hope and the chance that a member of the Maneki could ascend into position of true power.<p>
  26.  
  27. During one of her many missions to the world of the living, her group ran into an unforeseen complication, likely as a result of faulty intel. The amount of Hollow present in the area had been grossly underestimated. Another key player in the form of an Adjuchas was also missed somehow on the report. The encounter resulted in the team losing the element of surprise, and being ambush instead by a force that nearly matched in power but far exceeded them in numbers. The group fought valiantly despite the large and increasing number of injuries they were sustaining. With no choice but to orchestrate a temporary retreat, the group would need to fall back and strategize before being able to return, likely with reinforcements.<p>
  28.  
  29. Their attempts however were jeopardized by a group of Hollows that refused to let them leave. As her duty being the highest in command within her group, Astra stepped up to the situation, ordering her group to fall back and bring reinforcements while she held the Hollows back. It was a dangerous gamble, but it was hardly suicidal. Despite the power the Hollows possessed, Astra knew she was stronger. Fending a number of them while her group left was easy enough a task. However as she sliced down the last remaining beast and watched her comrades get to safety, an unexpected and cheap tactic got the better of her.<p>
  30.  
  31. While the woman made sure her comrades were safe, the Adjuchas used that opportunity to strike. He used the last fallen Hollow to obscure her sight before slashing deeply into her back, with such force that it made her wince in pain at the moment of contact. Even several moments later she could feel the gashes on the wound of her back pulsating almost as if the waves of pain were digging, clawing, inserting deeply into her being. Enraged, Astra would try to shrug off the pain momentarily, fighting the Adjucha until it too was cut into pieces and out of sight. Once she finished, her next course of action would be to get away from the zone of conflict, and get into contact with her squad to let them know of her well being. But once the girl had made it about half a dozen miles from the area, her body collapsed and her mind went blank, almost as if everything was shutting down around her.<p>
  32.  
  33. The next thing she knew, the girl was in a wide open area that closely resembled her inner world… save for the darkened night sky and the moon that replaced the bright day and the sun. Yoru was nowhere to be seen, prompting Astra to believe she was either asleep or purposely placing herself away from whatever madness had unfolded. Right behind the woman, a sultry voice would speak out in a foul and rude manner the likes of which only children and delinquents spoke.<p>
  34.  
  35. [b]”About time you showed up, slut,”[/b] said the figure as she came into view. [b]”I like this place, I think I’ll stay, permanently.”[/b]<p>
  36.  
  37. The figure had just about every defining feature of Astra’s, almost as if she was her. Her skin was far paler though, almost as if someone had covered them in chalk. Even her hair was white too. The eyes were a rich yellow color, far different than the soft golden hue of Astra’s iris. For a few moments the girl was confused and uncertain as to what any of that meant. She had a couple of fair hunches but the ideas were so wild and so ludicrous it wasn’t worth entertaining the possibility. Everything was eventually laid out and explained in a single movement as the pale girl extended her hand, firing a rich purple blast that resembled a cero in both look and sound. Before Astra could react or even say anything she awoke. Luckily for her, it seemed to have only been a dream.<p>
  38.  
  39. When she awoke she found herself within an old warehouse, likely a place that had been used once to store vehicle parts. A human with the ability to see spirits had brought her in after finding her blacked out right outside the building. From her clothes he had recognized her as a shinigami, and helped her. The man was kind but had his own problems he asked her for assistance in. One of his younger children had recently died due to an illness he had contracted. The child had unfinished business with his dad due to the close bond they shared and had been unable to move on. The man’s request was to grant him just a few days to spend with his child, to share a few more laughs and find closure before she performed konso on him. Astra accepted the request without question. She had decided not to call into her division until she had figured out for certain what happened to her.<p>
  40.  
  41. Perhaps she had just collapsed due to her injuries, though they had not been life threatening. Perhaps she had blacked out due to the physical and mental strain, but there was still the matter of that dream. There was a chance it meant nothing, but the area she was in resembled her inner world far too much. More importantly the look of that being and the power it displayed were far too similar to that of a Hollow. Her mind tried to avoid coming to a conclusion she would regret, but everything would go downhill moments later as a voiced ringed within her skull as if someone had rung a bell right inside.<p>
  42.  
  43. [b]”Wakey wakey eggs and bakey!”[/b]<p>
  44.  
  45. The voice came from inside her head, but even then Astra looked around, as if hoping it had come from anyone else hiding in the background. The human was long gone, and she couldn’t see anyone else within the warehouse. With every second and every bit of information the more frightened she became. She wasn’t scared of whatever creature was speaking in her head though; Astra wasn’t a stranger to danger and was taught to thrive in it. Instead she was scared as to what this could mean for her life. If she was right in her assertion, it could potential mean the end of her career as a shinigami. Before she could regain her composure and decide on how best to approach the situation, the voice would speak and force its words into her mind yet again.<p>
  46.  
  47. [b]”I said wakey wakey, bitch!”[/b]<p>
  48.  
  49. With the words came a sudden rush of euphoria and pain all at the same time. She could hear laughter echoing in her mind, and even Astra began to laugh in the very same way. Right away, the semblance of a white and red Hollow-like mask began to form over one side of her face. Bringing herself back into focus, she tried to push back, using her willpower and resolve in order to fight. The progress of the mask halted before receding until it completely vanished. The laugh would echo for just a few moments longer before it too faded into obscurity. The presence of whatever had threatened her in that lapse of control seemed to recede back into whatever confine of her mind it had clawed out of, but not before echoing an eerie warning.<p>
  50.  
  51. [b]”This will all be mine…”[/b] whispered the voice in a semi cynical tone to her voice. [b]”I’m in control, and I’ll make you bend to my will.”[/b]<p>
  52.  
  53. There was no doubt that the assignment and her encounter with that hollow had tainted Astra in the worst of ways. Through some ill fated method hollow essence had seeped into her being, creating the inner hollow that now threatened to overtake her until only its will remained. She couldn’t call her division. Her peers and her family would shame her and be extremely disappointed; Vizards were scum and an abomination. She figured she would find a way to gain control and cure herself, despite no real cure being being known or available. The girl had to believe everything would be fine, and that if she worked diligently she could turn the situation around and go back to her normal life.<p>
  54.  
  55. Her inner hollow seemed to become agitated and far too lively whenever she did. For that reason during the next month or so she eluded combat and the search parties that had been sent to find her. She couldn’t allow herself to be found on that state. Keeping a low profile proved relatively difficult. She was able to find a gigai in the black market, allowing her to interact and be seen by normal humans in an effort to get everything she needed. She had to take the necessary precautions and avoid being labeled as a spiritual being or something of the occult, so she wore a black bow on her hair that helped hide her cat-like ears. However, the girl would soon make a mistake that would cost her dearly.<p>
  56.  
  57. The man that had saved her was ready to have his son sent to the afterlife, and she did as promised. Unfortunately upon doing so, a sort of signal had been sent, marking her location with certainty and her identity, making it clear she was alive. The girl wasn’t aware of this and wouldn’t be until later that evening, when a group of three shinigami from her division broke into the warehouse she had been staying at. They weren’t just ordinary members but the fourth, fifth, and sixth seat of her squad. The men demanded her return, and for her to answer to the powers that be as to why she had refused to contact them when she was able to. The girl couldn’t confess the truth. She knew that admitting it would be cause enough for punishment, but presenting the idea that she wasn’t in control could be grounds for execution. Instead, she tried to plead for some time away, to rethink her priorities after her last mission had left her unable to see things right. It was the best that she could come up with when pressed with time, but it wasn’t good enough.<p>
  58.  
  59. When she was still with the 2nd division, a lot of her missions had tasked her with either apprehending and jailing or assassinating targets that were deemed dangerous or that posed a threat to the security of the Gotei. The targets weren’t always guilty of a crime, but the knowledge or experience they possessed posed far too big a threat. The same was true in her case as she was well acquainted with secrets and knowledge that would get anyone else killed. Her doubt was seen as a potential cause and seed for treason, and her close involvement with the Gotei before as more than enough reason to act. With their orders, the group moved in to subdue her and bring her in, and if they failed, they had the green light to kill her.<p>
  60.  
  61. Of the three men, only the one of them had unlocked his shikai, but the other two were very powerful even without it; their position wasn’t just for show. While Astra was stronger than any one of them individually, against all three at once, the odds of winning had plummeted. Besides, to even be able to have a chance at getting them to stop would require her to strain and push herself, something that would inevitably bring out her inner hollow. That was something she couldn’t allow to happen since it could either get her comrades killed, or if they survived it would surely end any chance she had of ever coming back. Unfortunately her peers no longer saw her as a comrade despite everything she had done for them, and everything they had gone through together. Her doubt and their idea that her mind was clouded was enough to try and throw her in jail to await some form of judgement.<p>
  62.  
  63. With her shikai, but trying to hold back and maintain her composure, Astra had to go on the defensive. She wasn’t doing too bad, but she wasn’t doing that well either. Once the fourth seat released into his shikai form however, things started to look even worse. If she lost she would be captured, ridiculed by her peers and her family, and with the lack of control she exhibit over her inner hollow, she would probably be killed too. She couldn’t allow that. Pressing on into the fight, she started being a bit more serious, fighting back against to the group to the best of her skills until she was essentially in a sort of stalemate. Everything seemed to be faring well until a certain warmth began radiating from her inside.<p>
  64.  
  65. [b]”Time to kill precious,”[/b] said a giggling voice with unnerving exhilaration before yelling out the top of her lungs forcing Astra to do the same as they said in unison, [b]”Begin the reaping!”[/b]
  66.  
  67. Half of her face was covered by a white and red mask. The sclera of her eyes had turned pitch black, and her iris presented a far brighter yellow look reminiscing of a hollow; her inner demon had assumed control. She seemed to get stronger and faster as did the power of her swings, but more notably was the unorthodox and purposefully erratic way in which she moved. In that state the woman seemed just intent on delivering as much punishment to her enemies, placing great value on attack patterns that would make it easier to kill them. She placed very little interest in her own security, willing jumping into an attack so long as she could benefit from it by delivering a stronger and far deadlier blow.<p>
  68.  
  69. In almost no time she had turned the tables of the fight, going on the offensive and even managing to slice at her opponents, wounding them by the legs and shoulders. At one point the real Astra managed to peer through, seeing her former comrades in the floor, with wounds that made it difficult for them to move, and just as they were about to be killed. In a moment of mental struggle she managed to stop, creating great strain and painful sensations as she brought her hands to her face before forcefully ripping the mask off. The action seemed to take a toll on her, causing her to breathe heavily and quite obviously winded. She was nonetheless in a far better shape than her former friends. They were badly hurt, but they would live. For certain reinforcements would arrive soon and tend to them, but if Astra stayed there, she wouldn’t live to see another day.<p>
  70.  
  71. The woman skipped town that very same day, going as far as she could, and running away from the Gotei. What little hope she ever had of returning was gone. They had labeled her as a traitor before they even had a chance to weigh in everything she had done for them. The fact that she resisted her former comrades and left them alive to tell the tale meant she could no longer return as she was. The girl would be hunted down for the next few decades with the intent of being brought back by force, alive or dead. It also meant that the groups that were sent to the locations of her last sightings were either far more numerous or far stronger than the one she had faced.<p>
  72.  
  73. This meant that the girl had to remain largely on the run. She didn’t stay at any one place far too often, and she tried her best not to use konso on souls. It was only done as a last resort, and fully knowing she’d have to leave before the Gotei caught onto her. It still didn’t make sense to her. She had done nothing wrong. She was simply struggling with a condition that occurred because of her work and her line of duty. Everything had happened because she had stood her ground and did her job protecting her men. Despite her efforts and her dedication she was repaid like that. The Gotei didn’t really care about what she had done before, they only cared about the secrets she could divulge and the threat her knowledge posed. In time it became clear to her that perhaps she was better off alone. But, it was also obvious she couldn’t stay on the run forever, as sooner or later she would be caught or killed.<p>
  74.  
  75. A much bigger problem was the inner hollow she possessed. The further she allowed herself to get lost into the feel of combat, the easier it became for it to gain control. Despite her better efforts, combat was something the girl still saw with a great degree of frequency. Either due to her energy as a shinigami or the amount of hollow energy she had within, the hollow kind would continuously be drawn to her. Her energy must have seemed confusing at first. Most of them were not friendly which let to more than a few violent altercations, often with the inner hollow taking control before she forced it back down temporarily.<p>
  76.  
  77. Unlike with her zanpakuto, meditation did not work. Her inner hollow refused to talk, only choosing to insult her and berate her. Granted Astra wasn’t any better as she’d just shout back at him whenever they started arguing, but it certainly didn’t help her. While she had made some progress in delaying the inevitable when the hollow wanted control, simply relaxing and talking to it wouldn’t get her much further. Her meditation did help her find Yoru though. She was okay, but had rather step aside from the madness in her mind until the girl had resolved her struggles.<p>
  78.  
  79. At one point however, a large enough group of fairly powerful hollow had decided to band together to take her down. While killing their own kind was commonplace in order to evolve, not many of their kind could lay claim to have devoured a shinigami. With as rare as they were, fewer still could claim to have devoured a vizard. The odd mix of energies made Astra far too tempting a treat to sample. Whether her soul ended tasting amazing or not did not matter, the fact that such a succulent option was even available was all that mattered. At the time Astra had been hiding away in a hut by Siberia, thinking a relatively lower population would mean less likelihood of being found or sought after, but she was wrong.<p>
  80.  
  81. The group consisted of about five common hollow and two powerful adjuchas. When the first five attacked, Astra had no difficulties fending them off effortlessly. At first she didn’t even need to use her blade to hold her own, though using it made sure to slice them cleanly in seconds. For as dangerous and troublesome as her inner hollow was, the amount of battles she had been made to go through after obtaining him combined with the experience she had before had made her into an even more formidable opponent. Once the two adjuchas stepped up, the girl knew she likely wouldn’t be able to fight them and keep her hollow at bay, but this time, that was okay.<p>
  82.  
  83. There were no innocent people in her vicinity, and she needed to defeat the beasts. Each of them were roughly on par with a relatively new or not too seasoned lieutenant of the Gotei, which meant she was in for a challenge. One of them resembled a far more monstrous form of werewolf, while the other had far longer and thinner limbs, and a paler gray look that made him fit of a horror movie. Despite her better skills with the blade and her speed, the girl was only able to keep them at bay. While not having to go fully on defensive mode, a testament to how much her power had increased, she couldn’t fully take advantage of her offensive maneuvers either.<p>
  84.  
  85. As she pushed and strained herself further, the beast inside began to claw its way out; [i]about dam time[/i]. Unlike in previous encounters, Astra didn’t stop her but actually encouraged her to come out to play. There was something within the girl that was highly curious to see if her power with that of the hollow was up to the task of taking on such a foe. It was the first time she had willingly given temporary control to the hollow, but she figured she could just wrestle it back later as she always had. In that state, Astra was able to go on the offensive, delivering powerful swings and strikes that hammered down her opponents. She received a couple injuries of her own due to carelessness, but she nonetheless managed to kill her two opponents. One had been stabbed right through the head, and the other right through the torso before her weapon had been made to contour to a shape that mutilated his insides.<p>
  86.  
  87. With her opponents defeated, Astra couldn’t help but find a certain level of pride in her work. Despite all the negatives her inner hollow had, perhaps there was some positive to be had from it. Any positivity went out the window however as soon as Astra tried to get back control. Unlike before, no matter how certain she was or how strong her force of will became, the hollow would not budge. It was almost as if it had clawed deep into her brain and it didn’t let go no matter what. Unlike previous times, the mask began growing far beyond its typical half section. The internal struggle brought Astra to the ground, in mental pain as she fought a losing battle for control. When it seemed like it was all over a tall figure stood next to her, giving her commands on what to do, what to say, and how to fight. There was no reason to trust that person but the woman was out of choices. Following the advice Astra continued to fight until she managed to push the hollow back into her subconscious for the time being, passing out from the strain moments later.<p>
  88.  
  89. The young girl would awaken, likely several hours later tied to the floor, with a very tall hollow standing over her. The being was completely different from any she had faced, as she could feel her power was well beyond that of an adjuchas. Her first instinct was to fight, as a power of that caliber would have easily killed her if she had wanted to. Without thinking, Astra allowed some of the influence of her inner hollow to seep out, but a bit more regulated this time. It looked like the more she relied on the influence of her hollow, the more willing and apt she became at wielding that very same energy. Little did she know that at the same time, the more space she gave her beast to roam free, the more its presence would begin to encroach on her very existence.<p>
  90.  
  91. There wasn’t any doubt that Astra had grown to be extremely powerful during the last couple of centuries. The sheer skill and power would be on full display as she did battle against the hollow. In her mind, she assumed that whomever that beast was, it looked like she was a Vasto Lorde. That sort of hollow had thus far been just spoken of as rumors, and she had never heard or seen any with her own two eyes until now. With the power Astra was displaying, and by using everything she had at her disposal, she did manage to push back her adversary somewhat. The look of surprise and amusement in her opponent only helped to illustrate how much of a good time she seemed to be having. However as soon as her opponent started using the vast majority of her power, the battle changed completely. Astra was forced on the defensive, using everything she had to try and defend against mighty blows, and find the means to avoid potential attacks. While she managed to step away from some, the girl was certainly hit and beaten down by far more. The hollow never did have a chance to truly take over as the girl was beaten to the point of being knocked out beyond the point of prompt recuperation.<p>
  92.  
  93. The next time she awoke, the same situation would play out. The vizard was on the ground and the hollow right before her. If Astra chose to fight, then there wasn’t any doubt that the same would play out again. Whomever her opponent was, was much stronger than her at the current time, and the girl should’ve been thankful her life had been spared. Before Astra could say anything, her thoughts were shut down by the words of the hollow whom she’d come to call Flur. The hollow had seen her struggle against the adjuchas and her own plight against her inner demon and found her case interesting. She figured the Gotei was likely after her to take her life and any knowledge she had on them, and as such proposed a very simple deal with a rather jarring ultimatum. She could serve her and as a repayment Flur would teach her how to dominate the hollow. If she refused, she would be killed. If she was weak, she would be killed. If her skills and power disappointed her, she would be killed.<p>
  94.  
  95. It was a dangerous deal but there wasn’t much she could do; she didn’t really have a choice. Refusing would end with her being killed, and it wasn’t like she could outfight her just yet. At the same time, she had already been labeled as a traitor by the Gotei. Granted working for the hollow kind would only serve to encourage their way of thinking, but she had to do it. Astra couldn’t delude herself into thinking she was any closer to controlling her inner hollow, but quite the contrary. She didn’t have anyone else to guide her or help her as to what to do to get out of the situation. Flur in the other hand likely knew very well how her kind thought, and she seemed to understand how to best combat it. More importantly as a vasto lorde she possessed far more brains than the large majority of her race. In the end, saying yes became an easy choice.<p>
  96.  
  97. For the next century Astra would remain at Flur’s side. The girl acted as both spy, scout, as the herald of the devourer, and her right hand. Essentially she had become the hollow’s fraccion. Although the notion might have seem absurd at first, Flur more than paid off in return. The hollow did as promised and taught the woman how to subdue her hollow. It consisted of not just projecting a stern mental superiority but quite literally beating her inner beast into submission. It helped that as powerful as her inner hollow was, Flur was mightier and far less forgiving.<p>
  98.  
  99. The two would train repeatedly, with Astra’s master pushing her to the brink of death almost every time. It helped her to become far more ready and willing to beat down opponents whose skill once surpassed her, and whose will tried to encroach on her own. By the time she was done with her inner hollow, the girl had essentially pushed in into a corner of her mind where it answered her call when she wanted, and how she wanted. Astra became able to draw power from it when she desired without the repercussion or fear it would try and take over. Nonetheless, the strain cause by the repeated or lengthy use of the mask was still limited to a finite amount of time though.<p>
  100.  
  101. As Yoru returned to her inner world, eventually Astra would allow her inner hollow, whom she came to name Meru, to wander about there too. Of course, by then Meru was completely tamed to the point she knew better than to lash out or be tossed further into obscurity. In the real world, both Flur and Astra had broken through new thresholds of power. Her master had successfully claimed the position of Sexta Espada, and the vizard stood as her loyal fraccion. Also during that time, it became clear that her past life had disconnected much further than she had thought.<p>
  102.  
  103. In one of her recognizance missions, Astra actually ran into two of her family members, both of which still served the Gotei under the 2nd division. Astra had long been deemed a traitor; a vizard scum that had allied with the hollow kind and the arrancar. Her name had brought shame to the family and they had long disowned her. A battle would have ensued, but it never made it that far. Despite denying her the ties to her family, Astra had not fallen so far as to beat them or kill them. Instead she used her far superior skills to outmaneuver them long enough to escape.<p>
  104.  
  105. Her former organization and her family had denounced her. The only thing she had left was herself, and to some extent, Flur herself. Even among the ranks of the arrancar, the girl would find some very clear difficulties. Despite being a vizard, the fact that she was part shinigami was not looked upon well. Frankly Astra didn’t really care. So long as her master had a use for her she would remain. While her power had risen enough to potentially challenge some of the other forces that rivaled Flur, the girl didn’t have any incentive to do so. She owed her master a lot, both for helping her to subdue her hollow and saving her life, to offering the means to have a reason to live the latter. Her main goal had become to fulfill her master’s plans, to continue to become stronger so she would never cease to be a challenge for her, and to squash any force that dared threatened or tarnish her name.<p>
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