And I give you.. The next chapter, finished on Christmas morn, so Merry Christmas to all my faithful and ever-patient readers.
Many thanks to my reivewers - lonewolfgirl-sademo588, SilvermistAnimeLover and Fukuko-chan - who kick my muse into shape when she's procrastinating or just being lazy and can't be bothered to work with me^^
Disclaimer: As ever I don't own the animes, only the ideas for this particular story.
And I don't think this chapter's too bloody but it's been a while since I wrote the first parts so I may be forgetting something. Enjoy
(My computer being annoying made me write this out about seven times, if I don't update for ages it's probably because I kicked it too hard^^)
Chapter 15 - The First Clash Part 2
As they were pushed away, Allen's eye picked up the presence of four stronger arrancar closing in. He looked to Asura, who nodded, acknowledging the increase in opponents.
"Can you handle this?" The hunter spoke softly, not letting their opponent hear the conversation. Allen nodded, gesturing for his companion to go. Asura leapt into the nearest tree and headed swiftly towards the newcomers, finding himself joined by Lulubell in her cat form, the wound in her side closed and healing.
The female hunters lay in wait, sensing the demonic energy of the Espada that approached. Datana crouched on a tree branch, hidden by golden and red leaves as a soft breeze whispered through the points of her hair, poised to throw her Krug-Lezvie, circular blades with a celtic cross design in the center. Her sister waited in the undergrowth at the base of the tree, whisps of crimson hair floating around her head in the wind, her hands idly tracing the wolfen guard of the sword at her side, Nâu-Lobo, a heirloom from the days when demons walked where they pleased and hunters were few but very strong.
AN - weapon names created by Fukuko-chan(cause im awesome kesesesesese)
"Come out, humans, your sneak attacks will have no effect when I know you're there." The seventh Espada paused, standing in the centre of a well-worn deer track, not even bothering to look towards those he addressed. Zanki rose from her hidden position, a quick, easily missed or seen as unimportant hand movement signalling her sister to stay where she was, even with the hollow's knowledge of where she was, as a ranged fighter, a high more concealed position was better.
"A child? How pitiful that such weaklings are all this world has to offer." Before Zommari could say more, the red-haired hunter attacked, icy eyes burning with a cold hatred that could rival the look of any demon. The sword bit deep into a shoulder, arrogance preventing the hollow from moving. Datana's Krug-Lezvie flew from the trees, carving a path through the other arm. The Espada threw the hunter away from him, the force slamming her into a tree and knocking the breath from her lungs. Her sister quickly withdrew her weapon before the enemy could destroy it.
Zanki stood shakily, bracing herself against the tree until she was stable again. The hunter gripped Nâu-Lobo, blocking the quick attack from her opponent. Her sister's Krug Lezvie flew again, barely missing the dodging arrancar. Zommari turned his attention to the girl in the trees, sonido speed taking him there in moments. Datana dropped to the forest floor, the Espada following, forgetting the second hunter who had concealed her presence in shadows, in the same manner used to remain unseen by demons.
Zanki thrust Nâu-Lobo into the hollow's back, ripping the blade up and out to cause the most possible damage. Blood sprayed out, soaking the hunter and blinding her to the cero fired from her falling enemy. Datana shouted a warning to her sister so she could dodge, preventing the cero from hitting her full on but it still burned the arm that wielded her sword, causing it to drop to the floor. The shorter-haired sister pulled out one of the four rounded blades of Krug-Lezvie and tore through the arrancar's mask remnants, thwarting his attempt to enter his released form and turning him into dust. She dropped to the ground by her sister, pulling bandages from a hidden pack in the bushes and quickly cleaned and bound the wound, little more possible to do where they were.
The longer-haired hunter rose carefully, brushing aside her sister's concerns, insisting she was fine, and tested the strength of her wounded arm, the burn ached but was bearable. The pair paused, sensing the approaching energies, stronger than the one they'd just defeated. They felt some of the others moving to confront them and did the same, Datana occasionally casting a worried eye over her sister but was content to leave her be for now as the wound seemed to cause her no trouble.
Ichigo leant against a tree, Zangetsu beside him, waiting for Grimmjow to approach, not bothering to try and hide due to his lack of ability to hide his reiatsu, his hollow mirroring him on the other side of the small clearing.
The cat-like arrancar finally stalked from the trees, settled into a fighting stance to continue their interrupted fight from before.
"Too scared to fight me alone, Shinigami?" the Espada smirked at the pair, drawing his zanpakutō as they did the same.
"As if, cat," Hichigo scoffed at the other, "we are the same person you fought before, just split into two parts." He lunged, ending the little chat. His thrust was blocked, Grimmjow swiftly turning to let the other's momentum carry him past, and out of the way as the shinigami followed his counterpart's lead a moment later.
After trading a few blows, leaving little trace of any interaction, the albino sliced through his opponent's arm, barely dodging the pain and rage fuelled response. Another furious stroke came, knocked away by the ginger shinigami who immediately set forth his own attack, dodging the occasional cero sent his way. The three made the fight appear as a dance, trading blows, dodging and parrying in a way that seemed graceful.
Realising nothing would happen continuing in such a standoffish way, they separated, barely panting, swords raised. Simultaneous cries of Bankai and Kishire Pantera echoed around the clearing before it was flooded with waves of reiatsu that smothered all sound and feeling, stirring up the fallen leaves from the ground to also block out sight.
The resettled leaves revealed the fighters, Ichigo in his Bankai uniform, Tensa Zangetsu held firmly, facing the arrancar nearby. Hichigo mirrored the shinigami in monochrome but for his waist length hair, his clothes and sword inverted, black and white mask with angular horns hanging loosely in his off-hand.
Grimmjow watched the pair carefully, his feline tail twitching back and forth, longer hair floating slightly in the breeze.
The stillness lasted a mere moment before the first move was made, Ichigo lunged at the feline hollow, his own hollow quickly donning his mask before joining the fray, taking Ichigo's place when he was knocked away. The shinigami dragged his partner from the path of several cero, receiving only mild burns for his efforts, and throwing a Getsuga Tenshō at the source. He was given a curious glance from Hichigo before he charged once more, hollow following quickly curiosity replaced with maniacal glee at the joy of the fight.
A brief pause was given at the entrance of the stronger Espada but they were soon forgotten as blades and claws clashed again.
Road Camelot leant, bored, against Tyki Mikk, wishing she could have stayed with Allen, her spiky hair waving softly in the light breeze that blew through the trees. An approaching presence snapped her out of her daydreams, the 'natural Akuma' drawing closer and giving her something to concentrate on, saving Tyki from her moping in the process.
"Look Tyki, it's a spoon!" At the appearance of the hollow, Road, childish as she was, couldn't help but laugh at the hood of his coat, more giggles erupting as she got a look at his curly toed shoes. Tyki blinked owlishly at her before sighing,resigned to waiting for her to finish and detach herself from him as he was all that was keeping her from rolling on the floor.
Finally the laughter slowed, just as the Espada's giant, dual-crescent blade flew to the pair's position. Road flipped herself over Tyki to escape the attack, the other Noah simply choosing not to be touched by the weapon, throwing a bored look its wielder.
A circle of pointed, stripy candles materialised, slowly circling the arrancar, points facing him. Nnoitra pulled his blade back, slicing through several of the candles as he did so, causing a quick barely discernible pout to form on Road's face for a moment. The remaining candles halted in their slow movement, hanging, suspended in the air before their suddenly flew speedily towards the enemy inside their circle. Said hollow dodged easily, sonido speed being far greater than that of the candles. With his mind occupied by the child-like Noah he didn't notice the other sneak closer until a hand was easing into his back. A quick swipe with his blade passed through the slightly smiling man as he quickly backed away.
More candles materialised, circling the whole clearing the three fought in, accompanied by a host of black butterflies that flew with a purple glow around them. The Espada eyed the insects warily, not knowing their abilities yet, however he ignored the candles, knowing they were to slow to hit him and that they may not even penetrate his hierro even if they hit.
The Teez flew at the arrancar, they weren't fast but sheer numbers quickly had the hollow surrounded, making his speed redundant. However, this didn't faze him as he merely sliced through their weak bodies before they could touch him.
"Is this all you have, Noah? To think Aizen thought you such powerful allies." Nnoitra taunted the pair, confident his strength was much greater than theirs. Twin sadistic smiles erupted on the pair's faces.
"All? No, that was merely the opening act. Let's move on to the main feature." Road giggled twirling a candle on her finger tip, giving a Hichigo-esque maniacal grin.
Tada! Finished. Please review, I'm tired, I'll be posting the chapter sometime later as where I am it's three o'clock in the morning and my brain won't allow me to do anything else now.
Your Tired-but-happy-she-finally-finished-the-chapter-as-her-muse-was-being-annoying author
Kouseki