A journey coming to a stop.

Starving, he looked starved... Sarai pinched her own skin, the contrast between the two quite telling. She wasn't entirely soft though, so there was that at least. Poor Lucian seemed like he needed to eat a whole feast himself.

The blushing was that strong? Saraiyu only stopped her undressing for a few brief moments to watch the man stumble around before shrugging and finishing her stripping. Whatever his propriety was, it wasn't hers. She wasn't going to look at him or touch him...

Her poor thrall backed up, making sure it was clear of being stepped on. No need for it to die due to flustered shy men.

"How am I the pervert? Its just a naked body, I'm not the one thinking its dirty." Saraiyu rolled her eyes and brushed her curling teal locks over her shoulder as she stepped down into the steaming water. The pleased smile on her plump lips told all of her happiness at such things. She had just wanted the bath, nothing else.

"...You get in the water, it washes away the dirt and the heat is relaxing." She pointed out with her lashes brushing her cheeks as her eyes closed. The teal curls floated around her in a soft almost cloudlike consistency in the water, seemingly shining a bit more now that they were in their natural habitat once again.

Water slid through his fingers and splattered back into the pool while he simply stared down. Eyes had widened and his form tensed up for just a moment before he crocked his head. She actually had quite a good point - no? If the both of them were washing themselves what was truly perverted about it?

Yet he could not keep the flush away from his cheeks and as she welcomed him in the water, so that was how it worked!, he did so with a huff. The clear liquid immediately stroked along scarred skin and relaxed him slightly even as he kept his face away from her and lips formed into a pout.

Strangely enough he felt like a brat.

"...Thank ya."

At least he was a polite one.

"Welcome." Sarai wanted to say she was always glad to show someone the amazingly wonderful niceness of baths, but felt it was too soon. Instead she kept her eyes shut to be polite to the shy man and leaned her head back against the edge of the bath.

He was prickly, but it wasn't like she cared. Prickly was fine. She was prickly herself... "So since you are staying, any thoughts on what you'd be able to do? I guess skills. What kinds of skills do you have that aren't immensely secret and vital that I never hear of?"

The Corona needed to know where to place him to make the most of whatever he could do, though she wanted to keep this amusing man a bit by her side as well. She always needed fraccions, especially since Elly had finally become strong enough to take up a mantle as an Espada... Her amusing adopted daughter was just growing up so fast it almost brought a tear to her eye.

She wasn't that sentimental though and just kept these thoughts to herself as she waited. It was bath time, time for relaxing and not caring...

He did not react to the welcome any longer. For now he enjoyed the warmth that brushed against his skin and for once relaxed his muscles that he even slid a little further into the water and closed his eyes.

He must have dozen off, even though it had been only shortly, for her voice sounded far away and was more like a buzz stroking along the shell of his ear.

"H-huh?" He blinked startled and finally turned his head again to glance at the relaxing woman. This was strange, unusual even. You ate or were eaten. But here she was, pulling him along and offering him not only a place to stay and a bath but also a purpose.

He was not the type to trust, but what would he have to lose? Either he gave her something back or she just finished him off and he could finally leave this god forsaken world.

He could only win.

With a sigh his elbows came to rest against the edge of the pool and his eyes drifted away from her once more. A flicker of his wrist then, his index finger twirling in the air before a bar of soap, which the puppet had laid out for them earlier, lifted up in the air and then knocked against the back of Sarai's head.

He had never said he would make it easy however.
And that he would not have fun while doing so.

A small smirk curled in the corner of his lips as he looked back down at her.

One striated teal eye opened as she turned it towards the startled man arrancar with the speed of midwinter molasses, whatever that was. Their eyes met briefly before he moved as she tried to figure out what he was doing... Saraiyu watched the man lift himself up out of the water, her other eye finally opening as she realized he must be doing something fun if he wasn't going to say something.

His focus on something else, she looked at his fingers twirling just before she turned in the bath to feel something thunk against her head. She blinked, and blinked...and blinked before slowly turning and sighing. "Really?"

Her soaking curls clung to her face and body as she turned around entirely and set her elbows in a matching pose to the man's. Soap bar? The smirk told her all she needed to know, he was definitely playing with her and she picked up the bar before examining it carefully for any traces of something having touched it odd...

No marks, nothing telltale and she waved the bar in Lucian's direction. "So you have telekinesis? The lifting of things with your mind? Toss more things at me and I'll dunk you and scrub behind your ears. Toss things at them instead."

Her thumb jerked to the two fraccion still dozing in the baths, her smile turning a bit devious as her eyebrow raised. She wanted to see this power in action, whatever it was.

The sigh mattered not. The smirk neither vanished nor widened but his head turned enough that he was able to fully glance at her. Really? Really.

"Somethin' the matter?" he purred and he too curiously looked down at the bar of soap. What was she trying to look for? Was there something on it?

However before he had a chance to really meet her she spoke up yet again, confusing him enough to have him glance up in something close to surprise. "Huh? Tele-fuck-what?"

A shake of his head as he pulled away. "That somethin' nasty? I dun think I can do nasty nah." He sighed and leaned back against the edge of the pool once more. "I can't really toss around all that much. This one was easier cuz it is small but ah- nah." A shake of his head and his finger twirled yet again. However nothing came tossing her way. Instead she was slowly being lifted out off the water until she was loading above it.

"Is hard giving the things direction, but I guess I can make 'em fly?" His head tilted as he looked back at her nude body which was shimmering of the water that dripped back down again.

"Alright, I admit, that is kinda perverted now."
And even though his cheeks flushed a smirk settled on his lips again.

"I just question your thoughts on tossing soap at me. Shouldn't you toss it towards yourself? I mean I am much cleaner than you." Sarai pointed out as she continued her examination. Definitely no marks or residue... interesting.

"Mind powers, lifting things with your mind and moving it. I bet it could be used for nasty things. But you mentioned tossing is hard?" Wondering why that would be if he had such powers, the only real thoughts on what they could be hinting towards such things. The finger twirled and Sarai felt her body raise from the water slowly but surely. Her hair clung to her as best it could, floating in the air with her as she twisted her body.

Eyes bright with curiosity, she turned this way and that as she looked around her for signs and marks of anything with the largest smile. "Now this just got more interesting. This is almost like flying, more like you are disabling gravity it seems..."

The Corona paused in her rather amused movements around, eyes darting to Lucian and noting the tinted color as he spoke. Her smile turned into a matching smirk but she did nothing to hide her body. It was just a body... if he looked he looked. "...You are the one having those thoughts. I wonder how much you can lift at a time, I'm not a small female by any means..."

Her voice shifted back from teasing to thoughtful as she allowed herself to float. Whatever this power was, it looked like it could be fun. Gravity nullification...

He was not that dirty - was he? The man huffed and pushed his lower lip out into a pout but did not bother to comment on this any further. So fuck yeah, he could have tried a bit harder but it was not all that easy keeping clean out there. At least now it seemed like he had a chance of a daily bath.

The tall male continued to muse on her words while his eyes finally settled stubbornly on hers - he was not perverted enough to keep staring at her nude frame. "Mind things." he mumbled thoughtfully. "Gravity." His head tilted slightly before he nodded. "Yeah that's more like it. Gravity. The further I want somethin' to move the more I gotta ummmm I dunno. Switch off?" He had never really looked into his powers that much. He had used them to survive and not bothered to question them.

"I can move larger things than ya." He carefully lowered her back into the water, did not want for her to become cold while being wet and out of the water. "Where the limit is however I dunno. I just know that the larger the harder it becomes, ya know? The smaller, 'specially when I'm like this, the better."

Both hands were lowered back into the water while his eyebrow arched. "'n' while 'm being so talkative ya could give somethin' in return? What're yar powers?"

Sarai snickered as her comment found its mark, amused at the pouting over his state. She waved the soap in his direction, not sure if she could toss it or not due to her floating. "Eh? I take baths everyday, I'd obviously be cleaner than someone living out in the desert. No need to be all wounded over that."

Staring in return, she gave him a respectful tilt of her head at his words. Seemed the gravity part made him feel more likely it was so? Sarai's grin grew into a genuinely pleased one and she chuckled. "Well well well, that is a fun power. Maybe later we could test it out a lot more, potentially unreleased once you are settled? I think it'd be a fun experiment, see the absolute limits of this gravity nullification."

Almost missing her gently lowered state, Saraiyu adjusted her body quickly to being in the water again and settled against her seat as she sighed. This was pleasant, nice and warm and relaxing and she didn't seem at all bothered by having been lifted. His question got a rather surprised look in response before she shrugged and began to try and explain.

"Not like its any big secret, I'm a mermaid. Erm, its a part fish part human being that well if you don't know I can explain but I'd rather not waste my breath otherwise. My powers are complicated... I can take control of others minds and make them mindless slaves with my singing voice. I also don't need to breathe underwater? And well I have other powers when I unseal them." Sarai wasn't used to outright explaining her powers, but if he was to work under her it'd be best he wasn't kept in the dark. She lowered herself in the heated water, teal eyes peering up from under the water with no difficulties as her hair shimmered and floated around her.

Where before her colors and tones were not dull ones by any means, her body and hair and eyes shone almost with a luster now that she was fully submerged. It made her looks before dull in comparison now that there could be some.

He huffed and averted his eyes shortly while a pondering look crossed his features. Showing everything immediately? He did not mind giving her a taste for all the things she at least seemed to be doing for him right now - he was aware that she could bore quite easily again - but everything? "We'll see." he finally murmured as his eyes found hers again.

For a moment he was startled at the brightness that suddenly seemed to surround her. No, no that was not truly it. Earlier he had not fully realized this due to having his eyes all the time on her but now - such saturation in her colors that- "Huh?"

His eyebrows narrowed as he tried to make sense of this. Part fish? PART FISH!?!?!!? "Um- um nice I yeah." Why waste his brain on that? It was who she was - so be it. "Kinda a ton of powers for one single person, eh?" he murmured instead. It made him worry if she had not already been using them o her? Did he still have his own mind or was he already bowing to her will?

"Obviously we have different ideas of fun." Allowing a bit of a playful pout into her voice, Sarai felt herself relaxing more around the obvious man, her head poking above the water after her little show. Her colors were dimming from that, but she didn't mind as she settled back on the seat and stretched with a groan.

Handing over the bar of soap, she leaned her head back against the edge of the bath and closed her eyes. "Eh? Wanna see~? I can tell you now it'd be a bit painful for both of us... But fairs fair. I won't ask for something from you without giving you something else in return."

One eye peeked over and glanced over at the stick-like man, a smile still on her lips. "Yes, its kind of why I'm in charge. I have a lot of powers and a huge store of energy to power them with, keeping those below me from rebelling. And no, you'd be able to tell if I was influencing you, you wouldn't be able to fight it, but you'd know. You're strong enough to at least feel it." Saraiyu held in her chuckle, the real worry obvious to someone who dealt with people finding out about her powers all time. Everyone always worried, but her power... wasn't too subtle. That was the price she paid for the strength she had.

He snorted in amusement. "Maybe it's good that we have a different sense of humor." he drawled and leaned back in something akin to a relaxing pose. His muscles tensed ever so slightly - the man still ready to jump into action if needed. "Adds to the spice or somethin' like that." He shrugged while an easy smirk curled on his lips while his dark green hues still sized her up. Not that she looked very threatening right now, but old habits died hard.

"Anyway." he added at long last while he still stared at her. "It would not matter if I know yar usin' yar power on me. Yar overpowered anyway." He shrugged. Truly, if he felt it or not - there still would be no chance to escape it. And that was in the end the real problem. "But yeah, I dun mind a taste. Dun fear, 've got a huge pain level."

"Ahah, you're learning quick what makes me tick. Spice of life." Saraiyu chuckled, eyes taking in that the man was relaxing more and more. How nice, she didn't need him all uptight or anything. Lucian was relaxing and she found herself more than a bit amused by him. Those smirks of his, his blunt way of speaking and more than anything just his general disregard for her were amusing as all hells.

Her eyes met his and her head tilted as she wondered what he wanted. Was it her body? If so she would have to warn him more about her lack of interest in sex. He definitely wasn't her type for romance either so there was no hope there. A slow smile broke across her lips as Lucian finally spoke back up, wondering what treasures he'd bestow upon her now.

"Ahaha, I am! Too overpowered for my own good. You ready for this then?" Sarai waited a brief moment, but knew if he was offering she was being given an opportunity to show. Her mouth opened and from those perfect lips flowed an equally perfect voice and song. It wormed into the ears of those around, the voice urging one to give in and accept this being into their minds.

It pulled and tugged like a relentless tide, trying to find cracks and entrances as it fought for control of their mind and won... It wanted their love and adoration and it wanted them to give in... To just give in and accept their fate as her newest toy, to do whatever they could to make the being smile and pleased... Before it cut off as she yawned and leaned back. That beautiful singing gone, it depended on the person how long it would linger... However she hadn't used a 'lethal dose' and one could recover with either time or willpower.

"Told ya its like a jackhammer, not a subtle thing at all."

His lips curled further upon hearing her reply but he did not add one of his any longer. That'd just be pushing something after all. Instead he continued to stare at her, sweep along her smooth skin and every curve of her body - every muscle that layed underneath. He neither had any sexual urges, certainly not about her. But he would be ready if she decided to change her mind and lash out. Old habits died hard after all - even though his will to live had dropped over the last few years. It was just so... boring to go on.

At least she was giving him a chance now.

His attention immediately settled back on her as she continued to speak. A mere nod, of course he was ready, and then his eyes filled with curiosity.

Lucian felt it, the gentle stroking along his very being. It was sensual, soothing and quite relaxing. However it was there and he was not too fond of letting anybody in. His eyes hardened, but in this very moment he would not fight. Not when he wanted to see what she could do.

Not when he tried to learn to adapt - to find a way out of her sensual songs.

Eyelids closed and with a deep breath he relaxed further, letting her past his borders and thick layers of walls to settle within his mind.

It was alien, unwanted, but he remained like this until he felt a soft pull. She removed herself and his eyes opened again to look back at her. He still felt a silky layer of her being draped over his, could not shake the webs off yet, but at least she was no longer present.

"Not subtle. But it does not change the fact that one cannot escape." he murmured quietly.

A very dangrous being she was.
He wouldn't want it any other way.

"It doesn't." Sarai gave him a grave nod in acceptance of his words. Lucian and most others would have no way to fight off her power if she chose to exercise it. "And I bet my word I won't use it on you means shit right now. So I'll just hope my earlier logic lets you at least accept for now I'm not inclined to ruin a perfectly good mind."

He had been effected, that had been obvious though at least she hadn't delved through his mind at all. She picked up small feelings but ignored them as it was rather rude to treat things she shouldn't have felt or seen with any degree of notice on her part. At least that was her moral stance on it, whatever morals something like her had.

Sarai smirked at her own thought before moving to stand, her hair clinging to her in wet curls right against her body before stepping on the ledge and getting out of the bath. "Stay in as long as you like, since you have decided to stay I guess you can serve directly under me. You'll live in this tower, but you are free to go as you please as long as your work is done."

"I can teach you that portaling technique, though your instincts should kick in once you figure it out." She smirked and raised an eyebrow as water dripped from her body onto the tile next to the bath. "We are monsters after all~ Our instincts are all we have."

At least she wasn't bothering to sugar coat it - it was something he treasured. She was quite aware that it was hard to trust others, maybe that made him trust her to a degree. "It doesn't matter." he murmured with a shrug while his head turned to glance up at her as she stood. "Ya brought me here 'n' I followed willingly." No matter what real reason he had behind that. "If I shit my pants cause I dunno what ya'd do to me I'd not have followed." He was a simply mind after all.

"Servin' ya I can live with." he murmured, quieter so, while pulling his eyes away from her again to stare down at the water instead. Indeed. He had no clue how and who those others were she had spoken about. However she was easy to get along with - had power that made him shiver and did not bother to make things seem nicer than they really were.

Besides - she had found him, brought him along and gave him a purpose. The least he could do was remain loyal, was it not?

He looked back up at her, the smirk back on his lips to reveal sharp teeth. "Yeah, that we are. Is this my new pet barn?" His fingers tapped the edge of the tub. "Or where else 'm I supposed to stay?" Natrually, there were other things he had on his mind. How should he treat the others? What exactly should he do for her now that he worked for her? Hell, what was there purpose anyway? Though he figured he would not jump her like an eager puppy and let those things be cleared up in their own time.

Sarai's smile morphed into somewhat of a pleased smirk as the arrancar seemed to give in entirely. Lucian had a good point, he had come willingly and it wasn't like she'd hidden her energy entirely. He had known, somewhat, the risks and had still followed.

"Welcome then." His eyes had fallen from her and the corona reached for a towel as she began drying off, her hair shedding almost as much water as was in the bath it seemed. Oh well, it would dry quickly, she didn't care where it went.

"Well you'll have your own rooms and can design or set them how you like. They'll be down the hallway a bit or if you'd prefer farther I am fine with that." Dropping the first towel once it was soaked, another towel went to the top of her head to attempt to dry it more as she continued. "I suppose your job while here I can explain more in depth later, since I'll need a firm grasp of your skills. Pretty much you are one of my direct workers, you go and do things I need doing that I can't do myself or are too busy to. Or just don't want to. Whether its taking down hollows who disobey my rule or delivering warnings or even just taking orders to my Espada when I need it. There are other things, but you don't seem the scholarly type."

He turned his head to take a look at her again. His expression was bored, however his eyes were still curious as he took in what she said. Along her speech he reached up, rubbing his cheek in thought before nodding at long last.

He would find a room then that does not seem occupied and claim it as his own, even though he doubted he would do a lot of decorating. He would not know what to put where after all.

"Yeah." he finally murmured. "Guess I ain't all that bright." At least he could neither write, nor read or count. Or maybe he had just forgotten? He would not know. "But I can do that. So I am like yar personal servant?" There really was worse and he did owe her.

He shrugged. "I can live with that. Should I just come for ya or will ya call for me if ya got new things for me to do?" The rest he would figure out himself.

"Hm? You seem bright enough. There's all sorts of brightness my dear fraccion. I think you'll shine just well if I give you the right work..." Sarai chuckled at his words, pausing in her drying for a moment to glance over and peer at Lucian with piercing teal eyes. She continued speaking after a moment, closing her eyes as her hand wrung out her hair once she was ready.  "You are, the top one actually once you are settled in and I assess your skills. Don't worry, I don't need an odd butler type to wait on me at all. I need someone useful."

"I'll call for you, you are free to do whatever you want otherwise. But if you want to stick around today you can see what kinds of things I do? I don't mind having tagalongs most of the time." Saraiyu continued to drip but she paid it no mind as she began to redress herself, starting with her undergarments and working her way up. Metal bracelets and anklets, the cuffs of her pants and belts snapping back on with small clicks as she worked through the countless items she preferred to wear.

Again he was caught staring, however the faraway look within his eyes was indication enough that he was thinking about what she had said. At long last he again nodded before slowly standing up within the water. He shivered gently as droblets rolled down his heated skin, not one being too fond of being tickled, and then stepped out of the water with a sloshing sound.

His fingers immediately took hold of a towel and he too started to dry off while looking back towards her. "No butler then. Is even better." he drawled while a smirk spread over his lips. "Though I think I will come along for now." Better go snooping around when the boss was around to give him the okay.

And so he reached up with the towel, messily tousled it through his hair and then tied the white, fluffy cloth around his hips. "Let's head out then." he murmured while kicking his clothes into the water. He'd pull them out and put them back on once they were actually clean.

"What's a fraccion then?"

"I have those types up to my ears." Sarai scoffed softly, double checking to make sure she was properly attired before giving Lucian a once over glance herself. He'd kicked the clothes into her bath, probably to get them washed... Rolling her eyes and stifling a grin, the Corona waved her fingers vaguely in the direction of the soaking items. "...Do you have a fondness for those or can I get you to wear something else?"

If he wanted to wear the towel around it wasn't like it bothered her, but there were definitely clothes he could steal until he was set. Since he wanted to follow, follow he would have to and thus Sarai headed towards the main entrance to the steaming room. She walked past the marked off areas that seemingly the steam wouldn't pass, a section devoted to large screens that kept the eyes from seeing what was inside within the barrier.

As she walked, she explained things. "It is the term we use for those who serve directly under me or my men. I am an Espada and my fraccion answer to me quite directly, whereas other arrancar or hollows will just serve in a general way. I don't really need twelve different terms for each type of fraccion, so a catch all term is best. You'll need to learn my portal technique, garganta, as well as others but I am sure you can pick those up in no time."

"This tower is home to a few other Espada, temporarily, as they soon will have their own lands to watch over for me. They have fraccion as well, but you do not have to answer to them entirely since you are my personal one. However being polite is a general rule of thumb and if there is an emergency they might know better what to do, so listening first might be to your advantage." Might as well explain the pecking order while she was at it. The large domed room wasn't hard to get across and she quickly reached the large doors, pushing them open.

He reached up and rubbed the back of hsi head, ruffling up his long, wet hair, as he stared down at his clothes. Before he had however the time to lower himself on his knees and give them a washing Sarai addressed them again.

Had she talked to him moments before? Now that he thought about it... She probably had. No chance, or urge for that matter, to ask for a repetition however. Instead he turned enough to look back at her. "Of course I can wear somethin' else." he murmured and took a step away from the tub. "I just got nothin' else?"

His eyebrows were furrowed and even his lower lip pushed out into a small pout but he soon realized that he would have to leave the clothes he actually owned behind. She was ready to show him the ropes right now and he decided it was better to please her.

It would pelase him in turn.

"Hmmmm I actually get it." he murmured as he followed her still, his dark green eyes already taking in their surroundings once more. It was always better to know where you were. Or what could be used as a quick weapon.

"Espada 'n' Fraccions belong to ya. But the Espada are more like yar knights while yar Fraccion is yar um... bodyguard slash servant 'n' the Fraccions of others do not really belong to ya." He could see them still following her orders but their loyalty would probably lie with their own Espadas int he end.

He would have to get to know those especially.
Missing loyalty was always dangerous.

"I'll behave however." There was a slight edge of amusement in his voice and as he turned back to face her his lips were pulled into a wide grin. "As much as I can~"