Chapter 25: Cold Ardor in Flor Roja
*We've reached the milestone chapter, sweet. This one is going to focus on Chad & Isane's budding romance, Orihime becoming precariously mentally unstable and Hisagi well just him in general (the guy needs more love). Oh and TemaxShika forever Naoko and Yumichika may or may not be getting back together. You'll just have to keep reading this story and find out.
Plus I'm totally guessing at the abilities of Isane's zanpakutuo. But enjoy anyway.
Please review and thank you to those who do! You're the reason I keep writing. Thank You Seirein-taichou! I love your reviews! Thank You! :D And making her debut is Seirin! The OC who belongs to Seirin-taichou.
Seirin: What's up people!
Naoko: Sweet I get a new co-host.
Gin: Yeah now we can be a trio!
Seirin: *fan girl squeals* GIN! *tackles*
Gin: Aww~ I like her, she's affectionate plus she likes to cuddle.
Naoko: Riiight
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just the OC's.*
The desert sky was streaked a deep pink, orange, yellow and red giving it a beautiful artistic look. The setting of the sun was not only beautiful but it heralds the dropping of the degrees to something more comfortable. Hisagi slid off his black and grey horse and stretched his muscles. He turned and helped Orihime slid off the horse.
"So," He said turning to Chad and the others who were slipping off their steeds as well. "Are we going to make camp here?"
"Yeah," Chad said as he unhitched the supplies from the pair of horses and the donkey that followed.
The group had been traveling for almost two days. They received word from one of the Mexican Branch Soul Reapers on a Hollows nest, a very large one at that. But the nest was located quite a ways away. The group could've traveled by Senkimon Gate, opening one and stepping out of one closer to the nest. But the Hollows and their base weren't going anywhere so they decided to travel by foot or rather hoof.
The Mexican Branch helped them in securing supplies, communications and transportation. Since the group was told the nest was large but filled with weak Hollows they should be fine. Some offered to come along but Chad and the others declined saying they had done enough for them and didn't want to be any more of a burden.
So Chad, Orihime and the lieutenants headed slightly north and then east to a small area between Durango and Guadalajara. The terrain was dusty, hard and rocky with buttes and plateaus of red and orange rock around them. A few trees could be seen dotting the landscape. The group made a camp atop a flat hill with a large rock ledge that could be used for shelter should the tents not hold up.
Isane and Orihime set up the tents and tied the animals off while Hisagi started on dinner and Chad started the fire. The meal was simple but satisfying and thankfully stayed down mostly because it wasn't Orihime who prepared it.
Speaking of the young woman Chad had begun to notice a few changes about her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but she seemed happier but it was forced. Her laughs and giggles had a sharper edge to them; her eyes held an unusual mirthless glint and she tried to avoid any conversation about Ichigo or Uryu.
Something's off...He thought. But I don't know exactly what...
Chad gazed up at the ink black sky coated in glittering dots and a large ever shining silver moon. He took the first watch shift while the others slept. Since they were much closer to the Hollow's nest it was best if one of them remained awake and alert at night. The actual nest wasn't too far off; it looked like a small mound on the horizon. But there wasn't any activity, nothing going in or out.
"Uh...Chad?"
Chad turned his head to see Isane, in her gigai, standing behind him fiddling with her fingers.
"Yeah Isane?" She perked up and blushed when he addressed her. He actually found that very cute so he addressed her directly often.
She sat down next to him still fidgeting with her fingers. The two sat in peace before Isane worked up enough courage to speak. There were times when Chad wondered just what on Earth had made her so shy and reclusive. It wasn't that he was complaining merely wondering.
"So...anything happen yet?" She asked softly.
Chad shook his head.
"Oh," Isane reverted back to her quiet state before mumbling. "I hope Nemu and the others are doing okay."
Chad gave a definite nod. Just before the group departed they had received word from Ichigo and the others in Europe, things had taken a downward turn involving murder, Naoko slipping into a coma of sorts, tensions between everyone rung a bit high and the whole mysteries involving the town called Himmel Feld.
"Hopefully Ichigo and Rukia aren't fighting so much that they won't be able to come up with a plan. But even if that does happen Ichigo always finds a way to come out on top with his friends," Chad said calmly. He turned to Isane, "I'm sure Nemu and the others are doing fine."
Isane blushed and smiled at Chad for reassuring her, she even looked more relaxed and at ease. She leaned back on her hands and looked up at the sky. The twinkling masses of stars painted a picture that no artist would be able to recreate and it just plain fascinated Isane.
The two sat in contented peace until a large wave of Hollow reiatsu hit them almost bowling them over. Hisagi and Orihime were also awakened and bolted out of the tents. Hisagi and Isane jumped out of the gigais and held the hilts of their swords ready to draw them out. Orihime and Chad also readied themselves.
As if out of thin air a heard of Hollows appeared all led by a human sized Hollow with white segmented scaly armor with spikes protruding from its back, arms, legs and a few on its head. It wore a helmet like thing with large black orbs that Chad supposed were its eyes. Its hands and feet and short sharp claws and its teeth were fang shaped. The Hollow looked quite a bit like a Chupacabra, the mythological goat sucker.
"Chad!" Hisagi called. "That doesn't feel like a normal Hollow or even an Arrancar. I think that's a Vasto Lorde."
The creature smiled a malicious glee filled smile, "You are correct Soul Reaper. Now you and your pathetic comrades shall perish like all the others before you by my hand and that of my Adjuchas armada!"
"Damn it, maybe we really should've taken up their offer on the back up," Hisagi muttered as he drew his sword.
"Too late now," Chad murmured as he summoned his arm.
"That's right," The Vasto Lorde hissed. "It's too late...for all of you!"
"Tsurara no ame!" Isane cried as she swung Itegumo. Icicles rained down from the arc her blade made and shot into the masks of the approaching Hollows. Said offending creatures dissipated into the night air.
Chad rammed his armored fist into viscous fat Hollow. Its slimy gelatinous body finally crumbled under Chad's fifth fist attack, its mask and body broke apart.
Hisagi and Orihime were back to back. The ninth lieutenant swinging and whipping Kazeshini and Orihime calling out her shield and only offensive technique to break the masks.
Becoming frustrated Hisagi cried out, "Hyapporankan!"
A single crystal rod appeared in his hand. He threw it at the Hollows and as it flew it doubled exponentially. The rods pinned down six Hollows altogether. He heavily swung the reaping weapon through all the demonic beasts. Slowly the team was reducing the numbers meanwhile the Vasto Lorde leader waited and observed painterly.
He didn't care if his army was being decimated they were nothing more than useless pawns, peons nothing more. But his interests were being drawn to the dark skinned teen with the armored hands. The kid's powers felt like a Hollows yet he was human.
How interesting...The stronger Hollow mused.
The creature rose from his perch and wrapped his spindly fingers around the crimson and black hilt of his sword, Demonio Cabra. A smile stretched across his partially masked face revealing rows of sharp fangs. The last of his Hollow army was being taken down by the team.
He stepped down onto the ground below as the last of the Hollows was dissipating, "I'm impressed well not really they were just a bunch of measly peons."
"Who and what exactly are you?" Hisagi demanded.
"I am the Vasto Lorde of this area, Sangre Vantosa. I'm also here to end your worthless lives," He hissed as he drew out his blade.
He held it parallel to the ground and called, "Ram them down Demonio Cabra!"
The sword began to glow a deep red and shifted into a long thick crimson and black battering ram. The front end was a large carved goat head with black horns and fangs, red eyes and the rest being white. Sangre grabbed hold of the thick obsidian black handles and charged forward towards Chad.
"Hyoukai!" Isane cried as she swung her sword down. A large arc of water cascaded out of the blade and hit Sangre. When the water came in contact it froze him immediately.
"Are you alright Chad?" The fourth lieutenant said a little worried.
"I'm fine Isane and thank you," He said.
Sangre broke out from his icy entrapment in a few moments. He seized his weapon and slammed the rams head into the ground.
"Cuernos de Piedra!"
Large sharp spikes shot up from the ground and raced towards the group. The team couldn't move fast enough and they were catapulted into the air and landed harshly on the ground. The Hollow slammed the battering ram onto the ground again causing spikes to shoot up once more.
As the group scrambled to get back up Orihime was cut deeply on her leg from one of the spikes, Hisagi was almost skewered from below, Isane was thrown off and hit the ground again and the tip of a spike lodged itself in Chad's shoulder.
"You know you guys are pretty pathetic! I'm surprised you're the ones who've been taking down the Hollows I let roam in Flor Roja," Sangre taunted.
Hisagi dashed around the protruding spikes and swung Kazeshini at Sangre. The chain part wrapped around a few times around the thick weapon. Both men played a brutal version of tug of war, both trying to get the advantage.
"Fine you want to so bad take it!" Sangre hissed with madden glee.
He gave the ram a sharp tug and then when Hisagi tugged back Sangre released his weapon. The battering ram shot towards Hisagi who had to drop his weapon in order to evade the projectile.
Taking advantage of the enemy being temporarily weaponless Sangre charged up a blood red Cero and was about to launch it at Hisagi.
"Sajo Sabaku!" Isane cried as rows of gold glowing chains host out from her hands and tightly coiled around Sangre.
Orihime and Chad helped Hisagi up meanwhile. But Sangre started struggling against the chains, he pushed and pulled and squirmed until the bindings started to crack. Finally after another heave the bindings shattered.
"You'll pay for that you bitch!" He screamed as he charged up another Cero and shot it straight at Isane.
The Cero hit but when the smoke cleared it revealed Chad using Brazo Derecha de Gigante's shield to protect both him and Isane. The Cero was powerful enough to leave a bleeding burn mark on Chad's shield. The silent teen looked down at Isane who was cradled between his arm and chest.
"Are you alright Isane?" He asked.
He took that attack...to protect me. Isane blushed deeply and gulped, she nodded, "I'm fine Chad."
"Che, lucky bitch," Sangre hissed.
"Hey Hollow!"
The Vasto Lorde turned to who it was that called him and that was Hisagi.
"It's payback time!" Hisagi hollered as he appeared beside Sangre and rammed the blades of Kazeshini into him.
He pulled Sangre off the ground and flung him into the air, Isane took this chance to call upon the strongest offensive Kido she knew.
"Sōren Sokatsui!" She cried as twin blast of blue spirit energy crashed into Sangre. The creature slowly dissipated as he fell.
"We just took down a Vasto Lorde..." Hisagi stammered in disbelief. "No one back home is going to believe this."
Isane, supporting Chad, and Orihime all laughed lightly at his comment. It was true for they hardly believed what they just accomplished.
Seirin: Well that chapter kinda sucked huh? I mean that was lame battle scene and Orihime did like nothing. And was that guy like a Chupacabra or something?
Naoko: Yeah like usual. But it wasn't that bad of a chapter, EmpressSaix just isn't used to writing about those specific characters. She's more used to writing about my brother and I. And yes that's what the authoress was going for.
Seirin: True
Gin: Uh...? Seirin-chan? Are going to be letting me go sometime soon?
Seirin: *tightens grip around Gin* Nope
Naoko: Hey you wanted someone who would cuddle with you. So you brought this upon yourself. The next chapter will or should be a humorous lighter chapter. You'll see, don't forget to review while you wait.
A few translations:
Sangre—(Spanish) Blood
Ventosa—(Spanish) Sucker
Cuernos de Piedra—(Spanish) Stone Horns
Demonio Cabra—(Spanish) Demon Goat
Tsurara no Ame—(Japanese) Icicle Rain
Hyoukai—(Japanese) Icy waters