Chapter 4: Murders, Missions, and Mountains

"Another murder? That makes six this entire week!" Tairos cried out as he finished listening to the Hell Butterfly perched on his finger. "If the killer isn't caught soon one of us might be next!"

"Doesn't matter," Jaice called back as he parried one of Baiten's blows with his machete and wheeled around for a strike of his own, "I'd kill him before he could touch any of us."

"Just because you can do Shikai doesn't mean you own Seireitei," Tairos stated.

"Sure it does!" Jaice yelled as he knocked the katana from Baiten's hands and pointed his machete at his Cellmate's neck. "I win, and I didn't even need to use Shikai. Good effort though." Jaice turned away and began to wrap Sangren in a strip of black leather before tying it to his back. Baiten walked over to where his zanpakuto had been knocked and sheathed it.

"I guess we'd better stay inside like our captain suggested," Baiten interjected. "Like you said, Tairos, any of us could be next on the list."

"The reason I say that is because there is no correlation between the murders," Tairos continued. "Two have been from the 2nd Squad, three from the 6th Squad and one from the 7th Squad. Then again, no member of a higher rank than 4th Seat has been killed…yet."

"I don't think an assassin would want to target a vice-captain or captain," Baiten said. "I doubt they want to risk long drawn out battles; he or she probably favors one-hit-kills, which is why weaker squad members are targeted."

"Then again," Jaice said, "maybe they are killing the weaklings just to make the captains overconfident and not watch their backs."

"It's possible I guess," Tairos answered, "We shouldn't be so nervous though; if we are tense we might just start going crazy. I'm gonna go make some tea, anyone else want some?"

"Sure," Baiten answered.

"I'm in," Jaice added.

Tairos walked into the kitchen of the homestead and put the kettle on the stove to boil. He began to remove the ceramic cups from the pantry along with the tea bags when his mind began to wander. Why the sudden killings? Would he be one of the next slain? How about his friends, were they safe? Would the murderer ever be caught? What are the motives? Why now, of all times?

The whistle of the kettle forced Tairos out of his thoughts. The Shinigami removed the kettle from the stove and added tea leaves to each cup before pouring in the scalding water. He exited the building to the courtyard where Jaice and Baiten sat at a wooden table, deliberating over a game of Shogi.

"Tea's here," Tairos announced, handing a cup to each of his comrades. "Wait a sec before you drink, it's hot."

"Thanks," Baiten said, nudging Jaice under to table with his foot.

"Yeah, thanks, whatever, just let me concentrate on the game!" Jaice shot back before moving his bishop forward. "Check."

Baiten moved a piece and then began sipping his tea. "Good work, Tairos."

Jaice gulped down some tea before throwing the cup to the ground. "What is this shit? It tastes worse than your cooking if that's even possible!"

"Shut up, at least I try unlike some lazy bastards around here," Tairos shot back.

"Look who's calling who lazy! You never even train! That's why you can only use Kidou well!" Jaice growled.

"You're just jealous, because…" Tairos was cut off by Baiten stepping between the two aggravated Shinigami.

"Jaice, Tairos does go to a lot of trouble to prepare meals and snacks for us, so you could at least give him some courtesy. Even if you dislike what he makes, at least be calmer so you don't hurt his feelings and lead us into mindless fighting." Baiten began before turning to Tairos. "And Tairos, please respect Jaice's choices. He'd starve to death without you and he knows it, so just try to not take it so hard."

"Fine then, truce," Jaice said, extending his hand which Tairos shook. Suddenly, a Hell Butterfly flew down and landed on Baiten's finger.

"Let me guess, another mission?" Tairos groaned.

"Bingo," Baiten replied. "We're heading back to Montreal; apparently another Hollow has invaded."

"I hope they make us resident Shinigami and we can guard the city twenty-four seven!" Jaice said excitedly. "Nothing is more fun than carving up Hollows…except beating you two!"

"Enough boasting, let's just go and get this over with," Tairos let out one long, drawn-out sigh as he raised his zanpakuto, stabbed it into the air, and turned it, opening a door to the mortal world which the three Shinigami stepped through.

The sun was setting as the Shinigami exited the portal; they had emerged atop Mount Royal, the famous mountain that overlooked the city that bore its name. Snow coated the ground, and they stood amid a copse of conifers.

"HOLLOW! SHOW YOURSELF SO I CAN CUT YOU UP!" Jaice called out into the darkness, his cry echoing into the night.

"Idiot, we don't want it to know where we are and ambush us!" Tairos yelled at Jaice.

"Your yelling doesn't help either!" Jaice shot back.

Suddenly, a black tentacle shot out of the ground and grabbed Baiten, pulling him underground; Tairos and Jaice, still arguing, were oblivious to their comrade's plight. After a few minutes, Tairos noticed.

"No one is stopping our argument….where's Baiten?" Tairos said, turning away from Jaice to start searching.

As if in answer, another tentacle burst from the ground and grabbed Jaice from behind, wrapping his arms making him unable to strike, and covering his mouth so he couldn't cry out for assistance. Tairos whirled around, only to see Jaice had vanished also.

"Ha ha, very funny guys, seriously knock it off," Tairos called out. "Any second now you two are gonna jump out and say 'Boo' or something, I'll jump in the air, and you two will get a good laugh. Grow up." Tairos drew his zanpakuto. "Come on guys, show yourselves already." A black tentacle crept up behind Tairos, but he turned just in time to see it. He swung his sword with all his might, but the tentacle slammed the weapon and pushed Tairos into a tree.

"So I guess this Hollow is mine alone," Tairos sighed. "I guess this will be some good practice." Tairos jumped into the higher branches of the tree, just in time to avoid a tentacle that was launched at him. He narrowly avoided another which crashed through the limbs, causing pine needles to shower the Shinigami. Tairos sheathed his zanpakuto and extended his right arm with his left arm bent and his left hand place on the joint where the forearm met the elbow of his right arm. "Destructive Art 4! White Lightning!" A beam of electricity shot from Tairos's right hand and cut through one tentacle, severing it. Tairos fired a second blast of the lightning destroying the second tentacle. If I keep destroying these things, eventually the Hollow will have to surface, and that is when I make my death blow, Tairos thought.

Tairos was proven correct, as the ground began to shake and a Hollow that resembled a lizard with tentacles for arms emerged. The Hollow's mask was white with yellow curves around the mouth and nose holes. It had six remaining tentacles, two of which held an unconscious Baiten and Jaice. The two tentacles Tairos had severed rose from the ground and inched their way back to the Hollow's body, reattaching themselves.

Tairos rushed away from the tentacles that pursued him. "Destructive Art 4! White Lightning!" he declared again, this time severing the tentacles which held Jaice and Baiten. His two friends dropped to the ground, still knocked out, but temporarily safe from the crushing tentacles.

The Hollow's tentacles seemed to reach Tairos wherever he rushed. "These things just keep growing!" He growled, turning past a rocky outcropping and temporarily cutting a tentacle with his kidou. I could probably kill him in one hit if I could quickly cut off all eight tentacles and send a single Shot of Red Fire at him, Tairos thought. Three of his tentacles are already down, but they are moving to reattach. I can't waste time or reiatsu incinerating the tentacles; I need to risk it.

"Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, March on to…" Before Tairos could finish the incantation, two tentacles buffeted him. He deftly drew his katana, luckily managing to sever one and block the other. By this time, sadly, the three severed tentacles had reattached.

I can't do it, I just can't do it, Tairos thought, his mind racing. I can never sever them all and have time to chant! I am going to die! Jaice and Baiten are going to die too! I am too weak! Why didn't I train when they asked me?

"ARG!" Tairos yelled in anguish. Power seemed to surge inside Tairos, as he raised his zanpakuto before him. "Balance, Librar!" The zanpakuto transformed as its shikai activated; the blade elongated and became wood, and in moments the sword had become a staff. A bronze statue in the shape of a frog rested on one end. Something inside Tairos began to speak to him, telling him that he could fire his kidou.

Without chanting? My Shot of Red Fire will be harmless to such an immense Hollow! He said to himself.

Not with Librar's power in your hands, the response came.

Even so, I don't have enough reiatsu to use it, Tairos said inwardly.

Librar can help with that as well.

A white beam siphoned from the Hollow and shot towards Librar, moving up through the staff and then into Tairos himself. The Hollow seemed to slow, its tentacles becoming sluggish. "I stole its reiatsu!" Tairos gasped. He then pointed his staff at the monster's mask. "Destructive Art 31! Shot of Red Fire!" The blast of crimson flame erupted from the end of Tairos's staff and shot straight at the Hollow. The creature summoned the last of its strength to raise its tentacles to block the blast. The attack's power, however, was too great, and the tentacles were incinerated along with the Hollow's body.

Tairos's staff returned to being a normal katana which he sheathed as he rushed over to Baiten and Jaice. "I did all the work for once," he grinned as the two awoke.

"Whatever, let's just head back…" Jaice moaned. "I need a nap…"

"I agree…" Baiten groaned, staggering to his feet. Tairos nodded and drew his sword, turning it again to re-open the gate which the three Shinigami, two stumbling, one strutting, walked through.