A/N: Thanks to everyone who read the last chapter. Just to remind everyone I am taking Oc applications for Cain's organization. The crazier the better when it comes to ideas. Thanks again to Xx13deathsxX for the Oc Crow who I am using in this and for the reviews. You all are the reason I keep writing. I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter.
Cain plunged his left hand into a bucket of ice water, the burns from his attempt at a Cero were healing faster than a normal person's but were still far slower than a hollow's High speed regeneration, no doubt it was a watered down version but the burns still stung like hell. His foot was currently in a bucket of its own, turns out that after the adrenaline rush wore off it hurt a hell of a lot more than it did originally. If he ever got the chance to learn basic Kaido when he got the chance, it might be useful to be able to heal both himself and others if he was going to go through with his idea of an organization.
"So, you're telling me that those two were Arrancar. In other words, they are Hollows that have discarded their masks to gain both shape and powers similar to Shinigami." He was currently in Urahara's shop as he had wanted to talk to the shopkeeper after his confrontation with the two individuals. "And you say that they called this tough skin of theirs Hierro?"
He received a nod from Urahara, that infuriating fan in front of his face waving back and forth, the man had attached several nodes to him to try and get a reading from around his skin. Cain supposed that this was payment for the buckets of ice water, although the mad scientist was also in the middle of looking at Crow, who had taken a position behind Cain, much to the latter's annoyance. "So the bug guy I fought was an Arrancar, well that explains the hole in his chest, although I think I could have taken him out." He looked at his burnt hand that was resting in the bucket of ice water, "Although that cero, it's a lot harder to do than it looks. I thoroughly analyzed its structure and it really is just nothing more than a high density ball of reiryoku that is sustained into a ball and then shot at the opponent."
"You really messed up your hand boss," commented Crow from behind him, "and that foot of yours looks pretty swollen to me." He patted the hybrid on the back, "Better luck next time though boss!" he erupted into laughter.
"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from you, you're the one who didn't warn me about the denser skin that the guy had. You ate that arm didn't you?" he glared at the bount right behind him, which was in and of itself a feat worth mentioning because both his hand and foot remained inside the ice water.
"I thought a guy like you would've been able to tell, after all you were the guy that cut off the arm in the first place." Crow shrugged, "I figured that you already knew, plus, if I remember correctly, you told me to, and I quote, take care of the people that could be taken care of."
Cain, recognizing a hopeless fight when he saw one decided to change the subject of the conversation. "I see you gave me a little present in the underground training area you made." He stated to Urahara, "what is it, and more importantly what does it do?"
Urahara sighed, but responded, "it is a device I created a long time ago called the Tenshintai, it is a device that forcibly materializes a zanpakuto spirit and is used to achieve bankai in three days." He folded his fan and took on a serious expression, "I'm not going to sugar coat it, there is a potential that those two aren't the only two in Aizen's army, chances are they aren't even the strongest, if you want to continue to be a part of this battle then you are going to need Bankai." Cain looked at the man, he was never serious but in this case he was as calm and collected as anyone he had met.
"Well then there is only one thing I need to do then isn't there?" he stood up his fully healed and his foot un swollen, "I just have to go get my bankai then."
He walked out of the room and started back towards his own place, Crow following behind him, as they walked towards their warehouse Crow decided to ask a question of Cain, "Say, Boss?"
"What is it Crow?" Cain had given up trying to correct the Bount; it was an exercise in futility.
"That Urahara guy said that it would take at least three days to achieve bankai, what if some Arrancar decide to invade the world of the living before then?" he was honestly curious as to the answer Cain would give, knowing him it would at least be interesting.
"If that happens then you will have to give aid where it is necessary Crow, or you could just go wild. I don't really care either way just make sure that the normal humans are safe," Cain shrugged "Hell, you could even see if you could get a meal out of it." They reached the Warehouse that Cain had decided to occupy and began climbing down the ladder that led to the underground training area. "Just don't bother me for three days. OK?"
"Got it boss, go wild in the event of an Arrancar attack. You go do that bankai thing and leave everything to good old Crow." He gave Cain a rather disturbing smile "Scythe is in need of a workout anyways" he closed the door above Cain's head and went towards the roof of the building.
Underground training area
Cain looked around the training area, it was a wide empty desert for the most part, on the wall behind him Urahara had been nice enough to include both a healing spring and a cave for him to sleep in. not that he had any intentions of sleeping. The first thing he had to establish was which of his zanpakuto were going to let him achieve bankai.
"Youngling you will need my power in the coming struggle. To this end your other spirits and I have decided that you shall use me to attain your initial bankai." The unmistakable voice of Kikōō rumbled through his mind its authoritative tone unmistakable for anything else.
"If you are sure then, I would greatly appreciate your assistance." He drew the sword that held the spirit of the fire spirit, and drove it into the human like Tenshintai. The results were astounding, a column of fire sprung up from the doll, expanding and revealing the phoenix shape of the fire spirit.
"Shall we begin Youngling, I shall not give you bankai easily, you must prove your worth to me." The phoenix spread its flames across the length and width of the entire training area, "Find the source of your fire before the time runs out, only then will you be worthy of hearing my full true name."
Cain looked around the room, "Well, you know what they say; nothing worth doing is ever easy." He sat down in a meditative pose and began to think about the entire situation.
A few hours later outside the training grounds.
Crow was bored; he had been sitting on top of the roof, waiting for something exciting to happen, it had already been hours since the Boss had gone to the underground training area, "damn, the boss always gets to do the exciting things," he took out a black doll, it resembled a scarecrow, on the head of the scarecrow was a bount crest, symbolizing its status as not just a doll, but a bount Doll.
"Why do you even hang around with him anyways, he never lets us cut things up." The voice of the Doll spoke to him, "If you're bored just find something else to do."
"We can't just leave him," Crow explained to his doll, "I have a feeling that if we stick with him interesting things are just bound to happen," he sensed several large Reiatsu emerge from nowhere, signifying the arrival of the Arrancar. He could also sense a gigantic one among them, it wasn't as big as that Ulquiorra guy that he had felt earlier that day but it was still gigantic. "Well Scythe" his eyes gained a crazy look to them, his smile just as crazy, "Shall we go greet our visitors?"
"It's been ages since I cut something to ribbons, you've been to tame as of late," the Doll's eyes flashed a dangerous red, "But yes, let's go, I am dying to cut these Arrancar."
Above Urahara's shop
The Arrancar had just thrown away a beaten and bruised Ururu, blood trailing from her body. He resembled a bull, horns pointed forwards and had a huge body. He was moving forwards to crush her when an someone interfered and grabbed the falling body of Ururu.
"Who are you? Another one of this Shinigami's associates?" the giant bull like humanoid inquired. Ready to destroy another one of the obstacles in his way, however, he couldn't feel any reiatsu coming off of the newcomer.
"I'm afraid I can't let you continue with your existence Mister Arrancar," the figure of Crow stood up from where he had placed the prone body of Ururu, and from the inside of his trench coat he drew the black scarecrow doll. "Zeige Dich, Scythe!"
"Finally!" From the black scarecrow doll an image projected itself forth; it took the shape of a scarecrow, the color of which was shiny black obsidian. The moonlight shone off of the arms in particular, from the sleeves of the scarecrow were wicked looking blades, they were as black as the rest of it save for the sharp edges of the blades which were a blood red.
"Shred him to pieces!" came the command from Crow, a disturbing laugh following the command.
"did you even need to tell me that?" the Doll flew at the released Arrancar, who was caught off guard at the speed the Doll possessed, it was undeniably quick, "I'm going to rip that arm of yours off first!" the blades on the Doll's arms began spinning, as the arm descended into the Arrancar the blades let out a bloodcurdling shriek as they tore through the Hierro and severed the arm, and cut deep into the Arrancar's chest. The Arrancar let out a loud bellow as the Doll spun itself around, the second arm of the Doll digging itself into the other side of his body, eliciting the same bloodcurdling screech that had accompanied the loss of the other arm, the blades cutting deep into the Arrancar's flesh.
What shocked the Arrancar the most however was when the person himself suddenly appeared in front of him, the hood of his trench coat thrown back in the sudden movement, his face was pale, just like the rest of him, however, as he opened his mouth it was revealed that every single one of his teeth were pointed, like a shark's.
"Thanks for the meal Mister Arrancar!" he said in a crazy voice, almost reminiscent of a hollow's, the Arrancar tried to move, but the Doll prevented him, the Reishi that comprised the Arrancar started to flow into Crow's open mouth, the blood flowed most freely and the severed arm had already completely been absorbed by him.
"What…What the hell are you!?" the rapidly disappearing Arrancar screamed as he felt his body decompose into reishi particles.
"Me?" Crow asked, the reishi flowing into him despite his mouth having moved, "I am a Bount, and I hunt hollows for my meals. You had the misfortune of the boss being indisposed, he would have at least giving you a clean death." by the time that he had finished his sentence the Arrancar had disappeared up to its neck the horns having been one of the first things to disappear head was being absorbed from two sides.
He looked at the Shinigami floating nearby it looked like he was just as shocked at what had happened as the Arrancar had been. Crow dispelled Scythe the Doll returning to the scarecrow doll that Crow had. Then Crow left the area, not wanting to get seen by the captain he was sensing, after all, members of his race had just recently invaded the Seireitei. So, disguising himself in the shadows he left, trusting in his natural ability to remain undetected from the reiatsu sensing abilities of others. Sometimes being a Bount was a very useful thing.
Meanwhile in the training area.
Cain shot up from where he was sitting. He had been thinking over the riddle of his test and had come to a solid conclusion. He was glad that his test had been a mental one instead of the much more common combat type tests he had heard of. "I understand. Kikōō, none of these flames here are the source of my fire."
"Oh? Then tell me youngling, what is the source of your fire?" the phoenix asked of Cain, smirking at the young hybrid.
"That was what was so easy about your test, it was so simple that I overlooked the possibility as too obvious. However," he placed his right thumb over his heart, "My own conviction is the source of my fire, my resolve is reflected in your flames."
"Wonderfully done youngling, you have passed the test." The flames from around the training area rejoined the Phoenix, "Call me when you need the power of my bankai, My name is…"