Screaming. Shouting. Panicked shrieking . . .
Was this really the center of the Shinigami's information network?
Askin shook his head as the members of the 12th Division buzzed about. They were absolutely swarming, like a colony of ants after their hill was disturbed. What a disappointment.
The Quincy army was disciplined and orderly for the most part, but that was due to Haschwalth's domination. It was easy to see that those that required less of his power tended to be more unruly and disorganized. Many of the Sternritter came to mind. Askin had hoped that the Shinigami would be different. That they would be a respectable military force.
But alas, here he stood amidst chaos and uncertainty. Tragic.
Oh well. He was looking forward to what a true war between forces armed with immense spiritual power would look like, but it apparently wasn't in the cards. A shame, but such was the nature of these momentary distractions that piqued his interest.
He stalked through the halls undetected, seeking something to occupy his time. He had thought that the hub for all surveillance and information in the Seireitei would be the perfect place for intrigue. He had forgotten, however, that their communications would be interrupted.
Chickens with their heads cut off. That was a much more appropriate analogy.
Leaning against a wall in a particularly busy room, Askin observed. This was clearly a center for command with the number of instruments and personnel, but much like the rest of the facility chaos was abound. The people here frantically worked at their consoles, ran about with messy stacks of reports, and seemingly refused to so much as blink lest they miss their systems coming back on-line. There was no order to it.
A man with small horns protruding from his forehead tried admirably to keep his fellows in line, an officer perhaps, but his words fell on deaf ears when they weren't met with outright hostility. A strangely egg-shaped individual shouted back at the horned officer after every attempt to restore order. It was such a mess, Askin almost felt pity for them.
He never did, of course. He disagreed with His Majesty's decision to use Haschwalth's power to maintain discipline, but it was necessary to ensure their forces fought as one. It was a dirty, immoral trick that would need to be buried once the new world was established. He was willing to stomach it for just a little longer if it meant avoiding what he saw here overtaking the Quincies.
He could destroy this place. It would be easy, really. A quick application of his Gift Ball would bring this place to its knees in a matter of moments. But then, what would be the point? They were already in a frenzy, trapped in a loop of impotent attempts to establish contact with the rest of their forces. Did he need to kill them? Many of his colleagues would have conniptions if they could hear his thoughts. The Shinigami were a scourge to be eradicated, so of course he should kill them.
Their lives would end either way once His Majesty accomplished his goal, though. Askin was merely trying to kill some time before he was needed, but acting here seemed more like a waste of time than anything. It would be much more interesting to fan the flames of disorder.
Askin stepped away from the wall, making his presence known. The suddenness with which the room fell silent was incredible. All eyes turned to him, some shocked, others angry. Most, however, were terrified. He smiled, "Did I come at a bad time?" He waited, but nobody so much as breathed. It was a little unnerving, like they really were walking corpses.
Finally, a voice rose from somewhere amongst the monitors and consoles, then another, and another.
"Who is that?!"
"How did he get in here?!"
"When did he . . . ?!"
Askin clapped his hands, silencing the shocked inquiries. He held up a finger, "One: I am Askin Nakk le Vaar, a Quincy and member of the elite Sternritter. Two: I used that door over there," He pointed to the set of doors through which he entered the room, pausing to give everyone time to look, "And three: I've been here watching for some time. You simply did not notice me." Seeing the realization wash over each and every one of them was oh so satisfying.
"That's quite a frightening expression, Quincy." A voice filled the room, but Askin couldn't place its origin. It wasn't anyone here, so it must have been coming from all around. An array of speakers would fit this place's image.
Askin tilted his chin. If there was nobody to look in the eye, he'd speak up into the air. "I'd like for that to be so, but by your tone, I don't think you are frightened at all." He wasn't hiding his power, so the person he was speaking to couldn't be any of the Shinigami he'd seen around the facility. Nobody that weak should be able to control their nerves when faced with a gap that wide.
That would mean that either the speaker was somewhere distant, unable to sense his power, or it was a Captain or Lieutenant. And seeing as how there weren't any Spiritual Pressures of that level in the building, it would have to be the former.
"So, mysterious Shinigami, is it the distance between us that makes you so brave? Or are you simply an imbecile trying to act tough? I'd really like to know." Askin carefully scanned the room, raking his gaze over each and every researcher. He wasn't bloodthirsty, but his fingers itched to loose an arrow.
A quiet humming came through the speakers. "Wrong on both counts, I'm afraid. I am neither distant, nor am I an imbecile." The Shinigami spoke as if he were seriously answering the question. "Under normal circumstances, I would be offended at assertions of cowardice and idiocy such as these. However, considering that you are a Quincy, and are therefore clearly impaired in regards to intelligence, I am willing to give you a pass." The staticky cackling that followed made the itch much worse. Askin rubbed his fingers together.
A new possibility presented itself. What good would provoking a distant foe do? Why, when he was in a position to annihilate the base of the 12th Division, would this Shinigami attempt to rile him up? The answer was so simple Askin wanted to kick himself for not realizing immediately.
He was being observed.
Askin snapped his fingers, dispelling the itch. "You were close, Shinigami. Or should I call you 'Captain'?" It all made sense now. The Captain of the 12th Division was said to be a ruthless cur; the type of man who would sacrifice his subordinates for the slightest edge. He wanted Askin to lose it and kill everyone here. Doing so would reveal information about his abilities that the head of the Seireitei's research department could analyze and use. "I won't be goaded so easily. I'm too careful. I'd be happy to show you my strengths face to face, though."
The speakers were quiet for a time. Askin couldn't help but smile. How must this devious Captain feel to have his plans laid bare? He must have been pulling his hair out!
He ignored the researchers in the room. They weren't important anymore. The only thing Askin was interested in now was how a Shinigami Captain would react in this situation. What would his response be? How would he proceed?
There was a loud click. Loud enough that it didn't sound like it came from the speakers, which started producing a staticky noise at the same time. The Captain's voice filled the room, "I think I'll take you up on that offer, Quincy." A soft hissing sound came from the side. All of the researchers turned their heads as a bright light appeared from the far wall of the room.
No, it wasn't coming from the wall. There was a door there where one wasn't before. Asking stared into that blinding portal, not daring to shield his eyes lest he miss something crucial. The Captain's voice filled the room again," I've really been spoiled lately with all of these volunteers, haven't I?" It didn't come from the speakers.
Askin swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry. Before he knew it, two figures had emerged from the light . . . no, that was wrong. The light came with the figures. They were both cloaked in luminous clothing that seemed to challenge the sun itself to a duel of brightness.
They looked ridiculous.
"You said you were a member of the 'elite Sternritter', Quincy? That would make your rank something akin to our Captains, I should think. So why do you look so shocked?" The Shinigami flashed a toothy smile that somehow outshone the cacophony of his clothing, and Askin realized his mouth was slightly agape. An easy fix.
Askin pursed his lips into a smirk. That flamboyant entrance threw him off balance, but he would not be fooled. "If I am shocked, it is because I am. Not by your appearance, no." He shook his head, shrugging, "You've been here the whole time. You are standing right in front of me, and still I cannot feel a shred of Reiatsu from you. I thought the Captains were supposed to be the most powerful Shinigami. Yet here you are with less presence than the rest of this rabble." He tilted his head to look down his nose at the weakling masquerading as a leader.
The Shinigami blinked. The thick black bars painted on his face exaggerated his perplexed expression. The room was still until the absurd man snickered. "My apologies. I forgot about your chronic mental deficiencies for a moment. Of course you wouldn't recognize this technique."
"Technique?" Askin asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yes. Technique. Well done following along." The Captain began to crack his too long fingers. He didn't break eye contact or blink. 'Unsettling' barely sufficed to describe this man. "It should be familiar to you. You were just using it yourself, were you not?"
A technique that he was using? Askin thought back through his tour of the 12th Division. He hadn't used anything that could qualify as a technique since leaving the Wandenreich. Unless . . .
Askin's eyes widened as the beacon of a man snapped his fingers, removing the cloaking that hid his presence. The wave of pressure that washed over him forced Askin back a step. Beads of sweat surged from his pores, dripping down his cheeks. This man was powerful, easily on the same level as most of the Shutzstaffel, but that wasn't the most terrifying part.
That was the concealing ability that the Wandenreich had developed. There was no mistaking it now that he was aware. But how?!
"My, my," the Captain's lips parted, slowly pulling back into a face-splitting smile, "you really shouldn't be so surprised. Your people have infiltrated our territory twice before with this same technique. Your intrusion marks a third. Don't tell me, you didn't think we could figure out how you were doing it?"
Concealing one's presence like that was something only possible for more powerful Quincies. It was like Blut in that way, so there shouldn't have been any way for them to steal the ability from a captured enemy no matter how many they took. "You're bluffing. There's no way you could have figured our technique out." He spoke evenly, but irritation was wrapping around his chest. He'd start wavering before long. "Beyond that, it requires the ability to draw Reishi from the surroundings. A Shinigami utilizing something like Reishi enslavement is impossible. It defies logic.
"I think you'll find that I quite enjoy defying logic." The Captain's smile widened even further, as if to prove his words true.
Troublesome.
Too troublesome.
Way, way too troublesome!
+ Break +
The scythe-like blade whipped past Quilge's face, trailing its black chain. A trickle of blood stained his chin where that same blade had nicked him earlier. The other Shinigami dove down like a missile aimed at his heart, her heel as dangerous as any sword. He escaped into the air, leaving both behind.
The muscles in his face twitched and spasmed uncontrollably. How dare these underlings make a fool of him!
He'd underestimated them at first. That was a failure on his part, but now that he was aware of their strength, they could have at least had the decency to roll over and die for him. He swung his saber, generating a wave of blue-white arrows that assaulted the Shinigami from above. One scrambled out of the way and started spinning his oddly shaped blades in a tight circle. The other had the audacity to strike the arrows with her bare fists, shattering them. Quilge clenched his jaw, furiously grinding his teeth.
The mop-haired weakling, he could forgive. Despite his miniscule power, he made an admirable effort at surviving. His constitution was nothing short of miraculous. The other one, though . . . Quilge spit. The very sight of her filled his mouth with a rancid taste. He thought that Hollows and Shinigami were on roughly the same level in terms of repulsiveness. But this . . . thing, was a crime against nature.
She leaped up at him, spinning so fast that her features were a blur, and he raised his sword. The edge of the blade slammed into her filthy boot, forcing him back. His muscles trembled under the strain of holding her. "You disgusting creature . . ." He glared at the insectoid mask covering her face and growled.
The hybrid laughed, and the sound made his hair stand on end. Quilge's Reishi wings flapped, pushing him away from the monster. He pointed the tip of his blade at her and unleashed a nearly continuous stream of arrows. No matter how far ahead he led his shots, though, she managed to avoid them.
That was fine. After all, she would run out of stamina eventually while he had an endless supply of power to draw from. These foolish Shinigami still didn't understand that the Soul Society was an ideal battlefield for the Quincy forces. Quilge would have laughed if he wasn't so frustrated.
His face was frozen in a rictus sneer as his arrows drew closer and closer to their target. She was slowing, just as he'd predicted! Almost there. Her speed lagged, putting her directly in the line of fire. This was it! Quilge drew in power from his surroundings to boost his power. He was going to make sure there was nothing left.
Then the creature vanished. The stream of arrows pierced thin air.
Quilge's face burned. He'd burst a blood vessel at this rate. He would not suffer such an embarrassment at the hands of these mongrels! He drew his sword back, but before he could generate another barrage, a black chain whipped through the air, threatening to wrap around his neck. A trap? They were trying to trap him? He did laugh this time, spittle shooting out into the air.
With the enhanced speed granted by his Vollständig, Quilge easily slipped his saber between his neck and the chain. As the dark links tightened, he swung, drawing the makeshift noose up and away from his body. Such a simple strategy would never work on someone as elite as-
"Now, Kuna!" The weakling's voice reached his ears.
Barely a moment later he caught the distorted sound of the hybrid shouting, "Mashiro~!" Something hit Quilge's shoulders, "Drop Kick!" An incredible force smashed into Quilge from above, sending him plummeting towards the ground. He landed in the blink of an eye, the force of the blow transferring through his body, shredding the street beneath him.
He laid there, gasping for breath in a crater. He recovered his wits quickly, focusing on the pain radiating from his nearly dislocated arms. If it weren't for the power of Vollständig, that attack might have put him down for good.
Shame enveloped him, sprouting like wildflowers in the field of his mind. And from those innumerable loathful stalks, fury bloomed.
Quilge drew in the power of the world around him, heedless of the catastrophic destruction he might cause. He'd absorb the entirety of the Seireitei, consequences be damned! The paving stones evaporated, followed by the foundations of nearby walls and buildings, and finally the Reishi rich earth itself. All of it was broken down into its base components. Quilge took those particles of power into himself, greedily drinking them in.
His wounds and aches vanished and he felt a renewed strength in his limbs. Then he began to change. The bones in his legs stretched and the muscles formed around the new mass before hardening. One of his arms inflated, growing many times larger than normal. New, inhuman muscles mingled with the familiar ones, meeting at the base of the beastly claw that used to be his hand. His jaw cracked and sank, growing longer and more narrow. One side of his face began to melt.
Quilge breathed out, pinching off the intoxicating flow of Reishi. Power pulsed within him like a new heart, making him feel more alive than ever before. He wanted to keep going, pull in more and more and more. But if he consumed the Seireitei now, His Majesty's ambitions would never be able to come to fruition. He had to control himself.
He flexed the claw that used to be his sword hand and sighed. He wouldn't be swinging his blade any time soon. The transformation was so drastic that he wasn't sure when it would wear off. If it ever did. That was a concern for another time.
Smiling, Quilge basked in this newly acquired strength. He saw more clearly and heard more keenly. Did his wings and halo glow brighter than before? He thought so. Surely, this form would become the ideal in the new world!
He rose gracefully out of the now much larger crater like a messenger from God, and he saw doom. This world was soon to be wiped clean and sanitized. The Shinigami, the Hollows, the very system that they perpetuated would cease to exist.
It was beautiful.
Quilge spread his wings and raised his face to the sky. This was divine punishment, administered by a vassal of the soon-to-be new God of this world. He raised his new arm and held it high, waiting reverently for a sign.
A sickle-shaped blade slammed point first into his twisted sinew, digging deep. He barely felt it. Still, he lowered his eyes to cast a pitying gaze upon the heathen monsters. The shaggy Lieutenant stood there, connected to Quilge by the dark chain in his hands, but where was the other one?
Ah . . . he raised his gaze once more, and sure enough, the disgusting hybrid was shooting towards him like a comet. That was as good a sign as any.
Quilge lowered his arm, the sensation of his claw tearing through this corrupted world filling him with ecstasy. A jagged blue-white gash opened in the air in front of him. He breathed in and let the swelling power wash over him. Releasing it was simply euphoric.
A torrent of arrows unlike any he'd ever unleashed surged forth from that shimmering scar. They fired down, demolishing structures and bombarding a wide area. They fired out to the sides, slicing through the open air. They fired up at the filthy half Hollow, bathing her in holy light. His arrows were as the light of the sun, radiating from their source and falling on everything. It was glorious.
When he finally deigned to end the flood of power flowing out of him, he was met with devastation. His arrows did not just strike a target and stick there. No, they pierced and shredded. Buildings crumbled and walls barely stood, riddled with gaping holes. The headquarters of the 1st Division still stood strong, but even its surface was pockmarked and battered.
The Captain-Commander was still in there, trapped by the inescapable Jail, as was the Captain who commanded the two Lieutenants. What fun it would be to return and thrash that cocky Shinigami while his leader watched impotently from within his prison!
Simply leading with such a brutal act of violence would be unbecoming, though. He needed something poetic. Something that could add a layer of pain beyond the physical wounds he would inflict. He searched the rubble before him and quickly found what he was looking for.
The mop-headed Lieutenant was somehow still alive, buried in stone and chains. A lucky one indeed. It was somewhat irksome, actually. He picked up the dead weight gingerly between two claws and held him at arm's length. Now, where was that dirty hybrid?
"Mashiro Kick!" A sharp impact dug into Quilge's back, causing him to stumble. It was so sudden he almost dropped the trash. "Drop him, creepy!"
Quilge clenched his teeth. "I am shocked to see such camaraderie from a lowly beast. I am truly moved, you disgusting monster."
"I only see one monster here, pal! Now let's go! Round two!" The hybrid certainly could run her mouth. Bouncing around like that . . . she was really, really starting to piss him off.
"Round two, is it? Fine." Quilge hoisted the limp body pinched in his claws and reared back. "Let's consider this the starting bell!" He swung his arm and launched the unconscious Lieutenant like a rocket. His body collided with the other Shinigami, sending them both tumbling.
Silly. She could have avoided that easily. Shinigami are simply too soft to leave alone. He wanted to return to the Captains and show them some manners, but leaving these two alive would only be a bother later on.
Smiling-as if he could do anything else with the way his jaws were shaped-Quilge took a deep breath of Reishi, causing the surrounding rubble to dissipate.
This was for the good of His Majesty's dream. It had nothing to do with satisfying his own desires..
Nothing at all.
+ Shift +
Kensei stepped back, taking a breath. He'd been giving this cage a good beating for a while now, but no matter how he looked at it, nothing was changing. The surface was as solid now as it was on the first hit.
He couldn't say he was surprised. The Captain-Commander hadn't managed to break himself out, so this thing was obviously durable. But still, he thought if he stuck to his fists, it would give his Lieutenants a chance to finish off the Quincy. He hadn't intended to give them so much time. Judging by the Quincy's surge in power and that bombardment a couple of minutes ago, though, they needed it. Sighing, he pulled out his Zanpakuto.
Even with Tachikaze's power the prison refused to budge. At this rate, he'd have to come up with an excuse to justify the more intense training regiment he had planned for Shūhei and Mashiro. Was he going to need Bankai for this?
That was unlikely to do any good. Trying to break this thing was like using a toothpick to chip away at solid rock. Was he really going to have to wait for his Lieutenants to defeat this barrier's creator?
Another series of explosions rocked the 1st Division headquarters, drawing Kensei's attention to the hole in the wall that he'd launched the Quincy out of before. He could wait, or he could get out there and finish this himself. Spinning Tachikaze on his finger, Kensei started walking.
They'd had plenty of time.
He leaped out of the hole just in time to see Mashiro getting swatted like a fly. She hit the ground with a crunch. Shūhei was nowhere to be seen. Kensei could still feel his Reiatsu, so he wasn't dead at least. He'd need a good scolding once this was over.
Kensei dropped down to where his Lieutenant landed, placing himself between her and the creature that was once a Quincy. "I'm tagging in, Mashiro," he said , not giving her any time to argue before he charged into the fray.
He'd known a number of fools in his time who enjoyed the process of a drawn out fight. They'd go in with what they assumed was the least amount of effort needed to survive and slowly apply themselves more and more throughout. Predictably, that mindset got most of them killed.
"Bankai." Tachikaze expanded, wrapping itself around Kensei's arms like a ribbon before hardening into a thin, flexible shell. His Zanpakuto properly released, he collided with the Quincy at full speed, sending them both crashing through several buildings.
"Your timing is impeccable, Captain. I was just about to finish off those pathetic underlings of yours!" The Quincy's distorted voice boomed, but if he was trying to be intimidating, he failed. Most Hollows Kensei had fought were pretty compared to this thing, but an ugly mug only got you so far. It took power to instill fear, and this guy didn't have enough.
Kensei said nothing. Instead, he closed in and replied with a few quick jabs. His goal was to test the monster's defenses, but that was proving difficult as the thing was deceptively fast on his feet. He bent and twisted his body every which way to avoid being hit. If he were facing a fighter with typical Shinigami training, then that might have been all he needed.
Unfortunately, Kensei wasn't afraid to break the rules. Stepping in, he reared back for an obvious haymaker. The Quincy shifted his weight leaning back in anticipation.
Predictable.
Kensei stomped down on the monster's still human foot, pinning him in place. This disgusting transformation gave him an edge in terms of speed, but fast as he was, he couldn't pull away. All he could do was raise that freakishly large arm to protect his body.
And that was just fine. Kensei unleashed a flurry of blows that shook the earth beneath their feet. He beat on that log of flesh the Quincy called an arm until the disfigured muscles turned to jelly. Satisfied at the destruction of the limb, Kensei let his punching bag go with one final punch.
The Quincy flew back with a wail, rolling to a stop outside. His luminous wings lifted him off the ground, but his arm fell limp at his side. "You . . ." he hissed through eerily elongated teeth, "You dare tarnish my angelic form with your filthy hands?! I'll kill you!" The broken arm writhed as the liquefied muscles beneath the skin squirmed. With a series of cracks and pops, it regained its proper shape. The Quincy wasted no time swinging it in a wide arc.
A wall of energy, like a tear in the air, opened along its path. That was a powerful attack, whatever it was. Kensei would have been wise to dodge, but times like these presented certain opportunities. He pushed forward as a dense spray of blue-white arrows erupted from the tear. They struck his arms, legs, and body, exploding in small bursts on impact, but he did not waver. He didn't even blink.
Avoiding such an attack was the right thing to do. Anyone would think so, including the one launching the attack. So, in order to throw his opponent off balance, Kensei would charge straight through.
Those strange barred eyes and uncanny jaws opened wide as he broke through the tear in the air. The Quincy tried to knock him back with his big arm, but he was already too close and the limb's bulk prevented him from countering. It was a rookie mistake that many newly born, large bodied Hollows made. How were Mashiro and Shūhei unable to beat this guy?
Kensei planted his foot, crushing the paving stones, and pulled his fist back. He was going to send this creature flying and he was going to make sure it hurt.
The Quincy's normal arm flashed and a sudden impact stopped Kensei in his tracks. A steady stream of blood ran from his side down the edge of the Quincy's saber. "A valiant effort, Captain. I was genuinely worried for a moment. Now, I hadn't intended to resort to this originally, however you've left me no choice." His deformed face wrinkled and twisted in a snarling grin, "I'll be taking you, body and spirit."
With those ominous words, Kensei felt a tugging. He breathed in sharply, bracing himself against the sudden draining sensation. This bastard was trying to eat him . . . or close enough to it. His Reiatsu was being drawn out of him at an alarming rate. If this kept up, he'd be sucked dry in no time.
Only one thing for it.
If he was being drained, then he just had to act before all of his power was gone. Kensei grit his teeth and clenched his fist. He took a single step, pushing against the blade piercing his body. The pain was intense, but it was hardly the worst he'd experienced. At this level, it was nothing more than an irritant. It was like an itch you had to scratch no matter what.
He drew his fist back, channeling a tremendous amount of Tachikaze's power. "You want my power, huh?" He took another step, planting his feet once again. The air trembled as his grip grew tighter and tighter. "How about I give you a heaping helping? On the house!" Kensei buried his fist deep within the Quincy's gut-a powerful enough blow in its own right-but he didn't pull back for another. Nor did he let his opponent get blown away.
Playing his trump card so early in the game might have been a mistake, but Muguruma Kensei wasn't really in the mood to care.
Tachikaze assaulted the Quincy over and over, using the point of contact between Kensei's fist and the monster's stomach to repeat the initial attack. That repetition would continue as long as they were touching, and Kensei intended to hold there until this thing was a splattered mess on the ground.
Dark sludge spilled from the Quincy's mouth like blood. It might actually be blood if his insides were as warped as the outside. The draining feeling began to fade as his eyes bulged, and in seconds he lost strength in his legs, causing him to lean on Kensei's fist. It was over.
". . . Fil . . . Filthy . . ." The Quincy somehow managed to speak despite the beating he was receiving from Tachikaze's ability. Maybe this transformation made him more durable. "You . . . Filthy . . . Heathens!" Gasping, his eyes rolling, the Quincy raised his oversized arm and fruitlessly swung it over his head before it fell limp again.
Just a little while longer and . . .
The air above their heads split open, casting everything in a soft blue glow. Kensei looked up, eyes widening at the size of it. He didn't think the tears could grow much larger than the width of the Quincy's disfigured claw, but this one was well beyond that scope. Even if he moved as fast as he could, he wasn't sure he'd be able to escape the power about to burst forth. He broke off his attack anyway and retreated, pushing his shunpo skills to their limits. The arrows fell before he could take two steps.
Explosions that were exponentially larger than the ones he pushed through earlier ripped through everything; buildings were violently demolished and scattered, walls were disintegrated where they stood, and large swaths of ground vanished in eruptions of dirt and stone. Kensei braced himself in the middle of this destruction, aided a great deal by his Zanpakuto's armor-like second release. The fresh wound in his side acted as a glaring chink in his armor, however, and he collapsed in pain before being flung through the air by a series of thunderous blasts.
He tumbled through the air, grazing the toppled remnants of buildings. He hit the ground seconds later, rolling end over end until he finally came to a stop. Lying flat on his back there, he tentatively opened one eye, wary of falling debris, and then the other. Tensing his muscles revealed that he had made it out with all of his limbs attached. The wound in his side felt like it was on fire, though. He'd need to get that patched up quickly if he had any intention of returning to the battle field any time soon.
"Are you still alive, Kensei?" Mashiro leaned over him, pouting like a spoiled child. Her injuries looked rough, but she acted as if they weren't even there. Shūhei, who was slung over her shoulder, looked pretty bad too.
Kensei pushed himself up, "For the time being, yes. How's Shūhei?" He gasped, putting pressure on his wound as he stood.
"He's alive, but he probably shouldn't be. He took one of those big arrow barrages in the face, you know. And he's still in one piece!" She shook her fellow Lieutenant like an old rug. "Isn't that super crazy?"
It was. Shūhei deserved his spot as Lieutenant, but even a Captain would be down for the count if they took the brunt of an attack like that. Calling it miraculous would have been putting it lightly.
"Take him to the 4th Division. I want him back in fighting shape as soon as possible."
Mashiro planted her free hand on her hip and started pouting again, "And what about you? That stab wound looks pretty nasty."
"I need to make sure that Quincy is dead first, then I'll go." Kensei started walking. He was only slightly hindered by the pain in his side. Mashiro fell into step beside him. "What do you think you're doing?"
"If you can put off getting healed, then so can we. Isn't that right, Shūhei? 'It sure is, Miss Super Lieutenant, Ma'am'!" She waved his arm around and did an impression of him, but Kensei wasn't convinced. Of course he wasn't.
They needed rest and she knew it, so why was she being so annoying? Still . . . if that Quincy was still alive and ready to fight, he probably wouldn't be able to take him on alone in this condition. Having her along might be safer overall. "Do what you want."
+ Shift +
"Spread the word. We need to find Jūshirō as soon as possible," Shunsui said, stepping over the broken stone and wood that littered his floor. Whatever that catastrophic explosion was outside, it released them from the cage. He could still feel Muguruma, so maybe it wasn't that much of a catastrophe.
Reaching the hole in the wall, he looked out over the destruction. Devastating didn't even begin to describe it. Entire blocks were flattened, and the roads were absolutely obliterated. And this was just one small section of the Seireitei. One small section that had been demolished by a fight with a single Quincy.
The Central 46 were not going to be happy. Well, they could lose their tempers all they wanted once this was over. For now, it was still Shunsui's problem, and he had to deal with it.
He caught sight of Muguruma and his Lieutenants. The Captain of the 9th Division was holding something. It looked like the claw of some beast from this distance. Shunsui turned away, returning to his desk. They didn't look to be in any sort of hurry, so the immediate threat was probably past.
Jūshirō needed to be his focus now.
Nanao acted quickly, establishing contact with a number of scouts around the Seireitei. He'd need to commend Kurotsuchi for finding a work around for the Quincy's jamming, but for the time being, he waited with bated breath.
He had a bad feeling, and he was sure it wouldn't go away until he spoke with his oldest friend. No, it might not go away even then.
This job was going to make him go gray for sure.
+ Break +
The world was exploding. Buildings, roads, people . . . It didn't matter. Everything was fair game, and Bambi wasn't about to let anything escape her wrath. Not after she was left behind by her so-called friends. Just thinking about their stupid faces made her want to Explode.
"Don't think you can hide from me! I'll blow up the entire Seireitei if you don't get your asses back here! Right now!" How long was she talking to herself? When did they leave? How many people saw her?!" Candy! Lil! Gigi! You too, Meni! I'm going to find you and make you pay for making me look like an idiot!" Bambi channeled her embarrassment into a massive burst of Spiritual power. Her Reiatsu seeped into everything around her.
And then it all exploded.
A large swath of facilities erupted, catching friend and foe alike in the blast. Not that it mattered. The Shinigami were going to lose and disappear anyway, and the Wandenreich's grunts were basically puppets. There wasn't much of a difference between making them explode and blowing up a rock or tree.
Bambi shouted until her throat was raw, "I'm the leader, remember! You can't just embarrass me like that, damn it!" Forget the Seireitei, she'd demolish the Wandenreich itself if they didn't show up and beg for her forgiveness soon. If they still didn't come out then . . . well, she didn't want to blow up His Majesty's new world, but they weren't leaving her much of a choice. "I'll give you to the count of three before I vaporize this whole area! One-"
"You'll do no such thing!" A vaguely familiar voice called out to her. At the same time, a large Shinigami crashed down nearby. He was tall and he wore armor unlike anything she'd seen others of his kind wear. The helmet looked like an overturned bucket. What lame fashion sense.
"Wait . . ." That Spiritual Pressure was definitely familiar. If she was right, then, "Is that you, Doggy? What's with the bucket?"
"It was a gift."
Bambi barely kept herself from laughing. He said it so seriously, like a natural comedian. "Well, whatever. I can just blow that stupid thing away. Pets shouldn't hide their cute faces from their owners!" She gathered her Reiatsu to a point and took careful aim. The Explode was capable of making targeted attacks, but it was unwieldy by nature. She had to be very precise if she wanted to get that thing off without blowing up the doggy's head along with it.
"Oh, so he's your pet now? That's pretty demeaning, lady." Somebody said from behind her. If he was trying to surprise her then he succeeded, but she wasn't so undisciplined that she would jump or scream.
She turned just enough to see the newcomer out of the corner of her eye, and was surprised again. He'd snuck up on her, so she assumed he was some weakling with so little power that he didn't even register to her senses. But that was a Captain's cloak, no mistake. "And you are . . .?" She asked, taking in his appearance. Crappy haircut, grossly oversized teeth, nasty, beady eyes. Yeah, this guy was a creep.
"You can call me Shinji," he said perched on a busted slab of wall. He was spinning his sword on his finger. Even his weapon was creepy! "Oh, and this is Sakanade. Pleasure to meet ouy."
"Huh?" Bambi stumbled. It felt like the ground was sliding out from under her feet. The world around her distorted, winding around itself. She was suddenly very nauseous. "What happened?"
"?taht s'tahW ?mmH" The creep was completely flipped around. He was sitting on a rock in the air, but upside down. His words were jumbled. Was his sword in his left hand a second ago? Was that really his left hand? ".doog os kool t'nod ouY"
She tried to take a step, but she ended up further away. Or that was how it felt. She moved her foot forward, but it felt like she moved it backward. It wasn't even the right foot. I'm gonna be sick! "What did you do to me?!"
"I'm sure you know about Zanpakuto. Well, this is mine." The creep's voice reached her ears undistorted and she latched onto that tiny shred of normalcy. He continued in an infuriatingly condescending tone, "Sakanade inverts your perceptions. Left and right, up and down, forward and back, even inside and out. Your whole world is topsy turvy, ain't it?"
"Don't sound so smug, buck teeth! A trick like this won't-" She tried to face him, but her body became tangled on itself and she fell. She couldn't fix the idea that she'd fallen down in her mind, but at least the stinging from her scraped knees wasn't twisted.
He jumped off the slab and started walking toward her. At least, she thought he did. It was hard to tell if what she was seeing was in front of her or behind her. God, that made her head hurt. "People learn how to move in their bodies by living in them for years and years. Do you think you can adjust to a completely new world in just a few seconds? I can make you sdrawkcab sgniht raeh as well. If you get used to it, I'll just invert it again. You don't stand a chance."
No way. That was so stupid! How was anyone supposed to fight against an ability like that?! Bambi ground her teeth. First her friends embarrass her, and now some creep makes a fool of her in front of her doggy. Why was she being pushed so hard today? What did she do to deserve this?
Whatever. Screw it. She wasn't in the mood to play games.
She screamed, forcing down the bile threatening to add to her shame, and gathered her Reiatsu. The Explode was powerful enough in its base form, but she was beyond pissed.
Her Reiatsu surged past the threshold and she was enveloped in a tremendous blue-white pillar of light. Her wings sprouted, glowing with a faint orange tinge, lifting her up from the ground. She couldn't see the glow of her halo because of her hat, but she knew it was there. This feeling couldn't be inverted, no matter what that creep said.
"What is this?" he said, pleasantly unsettled, as her transformation finished. She couldn't really make out his face, but she could imagine. Her mood was looking better already.
She could explain Vollständig, but what was the point? He was going to die soon either way, so she'd just be wasting breath. Still, she wasn't a total sadist, so she gave him a small warning. "I can't even open my eyes without getting dizzy. In that case, I guess I'll have to blow everything away!" If he didn't realize he should dodge then he deserved what he got.
Bambi bristled with beads of Reishi. She brought them right to the cusp of release, but didn't let them go, allowing more to build up. This was a first. She'd never let so much gather all at once. There would be no way to aim something like this.
It was a little exciting, actually. Though, Doggy would get caught in the blast too. If he managed to survive, she'd have to give him a lot of treats to make up for it.
In a moment of pure ecstasy, she let it all go. Countless beads of Reishi shot out from her body and entered everything around her. Including that creep Shinji. There was a moment, just one half-breath of a pause, and then the dirt, the buildings, the people, and even the air itself; Everything exploded!
The inversion of her senses ended, and she clearly saw the buck-toothed Captain soaring through the air, trailing smoke. She couldn't hear the thud when he hit the ground on account of her ears ringing, but that was fine. She knew that there was one and that was what really mattered.
Feeling refreshed, Bambi strode over to where he'd fallen, taking a deep breath of singed air. She stood over him, alive but unable to move, and laughed. "Did you really think some stupid illusion could beat The Explode? It doesn't matter if I can't make out what's around me if I can just blow everything around me up, idiot!" Cackling, she took to the sky, dropping larger bulbs of Reishi from her wings as she flew.
The area was already devastated beyond repair, but she wasn't concerned with destroying the Seireitei anymore. She needed to blow off a little more steam, and carpet bombing an already blasted field was perfect for that.
It was a shame about the doggy, though. She wanted to take him home with her and brag to the others about how cute he was. Now they'd never believe she found a pet all the way-
A massive sword chopped through the air towards her, interrupting her train of thought. She drifted to the side and the blade passed by before vanishing. Wasn't that . . .?
It was! Bambi scanned the devastated wasteland below her and sure enough she caught a glimpse of the armored figure through the smoke and fire. "Doggy! So you were alive after all! I'm so relieved. It's too bad I'll have to punish you for attacking me like that, though." She launched a cluster of bulbs at the beastly Shinigami. He raised his arms to guard against the coming explosions. So, he still didn't get it.
The bulbs of Reishi made contact with the doggy's gauntlets and chest plate, entering them. There was a pause, and then the doggy's armor exploded. "Pretty smart of you to protect your head like that. Too bad a guard of any kind if pointless against The Explode!" She laughed, anticipating the look of despair and resignation on that adorable fluffy face.
The Shinigami stood, arms and chest trailing smoke, and Bambi's laughter faded. That he was still able to stand wasn't so much a surprise-they were taught to expect resilience from the Captains-it was the armor pieces she'd hit that darkened her mood. They were damaged, not destroyed as they should have been. The metal was cracked and splayed open in places, but it was still in place and could still offer protection judging by the looks of it.
That wouldn't do. It just wouldn't! Bambi gathered a tremendous amount of Reishi in her wings and spread them wide. She wanted to funnel everything she had into that cocky armor and demonstrate the full force of her power, but that would give the doggy an opportunity to dodge. So she settled on the next best thing.
She released a barrage of bulbs so dense and far reaching that someone as bulky as the doggy could never escape, Captain or not. That armor made a mockery of The Explode, so she was going to obliterate it! If the furry Captain died in the process . . . well, that would be unfortunate. But her duty was to destroy the Shinigami in the end, so it was still a win.
The ground beneath the doggy's feet erupted, enveloping him in pure devastation. It served him right. Pets were meant to be adorable, cuddly accessories for their owners to flaunt and brag about. A doggy that got too big for its collar was just asking to be put down.
Looking down at the smoldering crater that used to be a courtyard of some sort, Bambi knew he was still alive. His Reiatsu surged as if to affirm his continued existence. That was good. "Do you get it now?" She called, eyes fixed on where he was standing when the explosions started, "You can wear as much armor as you want and block all that you'd like, but it won't do you any good. I'm not attacking you with Reishi bombs that can be neutralized. The Reishi I fire enters whatever it touches and that thing becomes a bomb!"
The smoke was clearing and she caught a glimpse of the Captain's imposing shadow. "So? Feel like giving up yet? I'll give you plenty of treats, but you'll only get two bowls of food a day. We wouldn't want you getting fat!" Finally, she was able to inspect her handiwork. What she saw gave her pause, though.
That ugly armor was completely gone, as expected, and the Shinigami robes underneath were in tatters. But . . . "That's not the cute face I remember." She inspected the man who knelt where the doggy should have been, looking for any sign that she'd been tricked. Was the Captain using this guy as a decoy so he could launch a sneak attack? Did he flee, leaving this substitute to cover his escape? Had she been fighting the doggy at all? That would explain the silly bucket helmet, but then why pretend?
She met his eyes, and she knew. This wasn't some decoy or substitute. He was the genuine article. That glare, and the Reiatsu emanating from him-though slightly different-were distinctive enough to rule out any other option.
"Hey, what gives?! What happened to your fur and that adorable snout? I can't lead some old man around on a leash. My friends will think I'm a freak like they are!" She could see it now. They're understanding smiles and affirming nods. Gigi would probably pat her on the shoulder like they were close comrades or something! That almost made her skin crawl as much as the smug look she'd get from Lil! "Explain yourself, you damn mutt!"
He just stood there, glaring at her and offering no words in his defense. Did he shave all his hair to make her look like a fool? Was he working with the others to make her feel like an idiot?! They would do something so catty.
The Captain shifted his weight, lifting his sword, and Bambi's focus snapped back to the present. Upset as she was, she wasn't about to let such a powerful enemy make a move without preparing a counter attack. She began gathering Reishi as his voice reached her.
"Bankai," His lips moved strangely and he slurred his words.
"Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō," A giant emerged from the ground behind him as it did when they first fought, but there was something different about it. Like its master, the giant wasn't wearing any armor, revealing a frightening, ghoulish body.
"Dangai Jōe."
+ Break +
The Quincy stood inspecting Mayuri, mumbling to himself, and Mayuri waited. This man was powerful despite his unreliable appearance, so it would benefit the 12th Division's research if he responded to provocation with force. He could take all the time he wanted to decide as long as he gave them the data they wanted.
"Hmm . . . Hmm . . .?" He twisted this way and that, holding up his fingers and continuing his inspection through the box he made with them. He scratched his chin and stretched his back, making all manner of exaggerated faces. This Nakk le Vaar fellow was certainly indecisive.
Eventually, he clicked his tongue, "Nuh-uh! Not happening!" Mayuri blinked. After all that? "Fighting you here would be absurd. Beyond reason!"
"Absurd?"
"Yes, absurd! This is your home turf. Not only that, you are on the list of Special War Potentials. I'd be an absolute fool to even consider fighting you here and now." He shook his head, making flourishes with his cape. "Find someone else to tango with. Good day!"
That list of War Potentials piqued Mayuri's curiosity, but he held back. It was unfortunate that he wouldn't be able to collect any data from this enemy, but it wasn't worth risking the entire research department over. So, as the Quincy sauntered away, slowly, Mayuri watched him leave.
Nakk le Vaar lingered, however, clearly stalling as he made his way for the door. He barely made it halfway across the room before he turned back, uncertain. "You . . . aren't going to stab me in the back?"
"Not at all. You can go."
"Are you sure? I'm a pretty big deal in the Wandenreich, you know? A surprise attack would be a great way for you to deal some serious damage to the enemy's forces."
"It certainly would be. Good-bye now." Mayuri shooed him, but the high ranking Sternritter remained. If this is what passed as subterfuge to a Quincy, then he may have overestimated them. He smiled, "You'll have to try harder to provoke an attack from me. An obvious invitation like that is just begging me to be cautious.
Nakk le Vaar turned to face him, eyes sharp. "You've seen through me, then. I suppose I should have expected that. Oh well," he shrugged, looking pleased for some reason, "I'd say this was a valuable use of my time regardless."
Mayuri watched for any subtle movements or hints to his motives, but he was certain he'd already figured it out. Reports indicated that the more powerful Quincy, these Sternritter, possessed abilities akin to a Shinigami's Zanpakuto. In all likelihood, this particular enemy had a power that required he take damage to activate. Whether this power would reflect, negate, or simply analyze an attack was up in the air, but it was clear enough that attacking recklessly would give him an edge.
Deviously similar to Mayuri's own tactic.
"I must say that I am pleasantly surprised," Nakk le Vaar said, running his fingers through his hair. "I never expected to find something so interesting on this little field trip. I look forward to seeing you again. Farewell, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Captain of the 12th Division." With one final flourish, Nakk le Vaar vanished into thin air.
Quite the impressive feat. Mayuri couldn't pick up even the faintest hint that the Quincy had been there at all.
It was inappropriate in the current situation, but he couldn't help but be intrigued. Askin Nakk le Vaar . . . he'd have to keep an eye on that one.
Mayuri smiled wide. He wanted to ensure the Soul Society's survival, but nobody ever said he couldn't have fun with it. He swept the Sternritter from his mind and shifted gears. "Akon! Is our guest's new uniform ready yet?"
"Wha-? Oh, umm, almost, Captain." The 12th Division's 3rd seat scrambled to gather data for a proper update, but he slid into this new direction smoothly. Reliable as always.
"Wonderful! I expect it in my hands by tomorrow morning. And I expect the last of our communications to reestablished within the hour." Leaving a stunned Akon behind, Mayuri retreated to his lab.
There was another variable to account for, so he set to work making the appropriate adjustments.