Many thanks to reviewers, Fukuko-chan and SilvermistAnimeLover.
Apologies for the time taken to get this up, exams a couple of weeks ago sucked all inspiration from me but my muse is still alive and working to ensure her continued existence (it's not like I threatened her or anything *coughcough*)
Anyways...
I own neither animes (Much as I may wish to)
And on with the Chappy.
Chapter 16 – Enemies and Allies
Nnoitra swiped his blade at the flying candles, getting annoyed at the repetitive attacks. HIs irritation distracted him from the other Noah, advanced Teez transformed into a black blade on his forearm. The black blade sliced through Nnoitra's left arm, his quick reactions just saving the arm from being removed retaliation was paused as the combined reiatsu of the top four Espada was felt, the deaths of their allies causing them to re-evaluate their foes and enter the battlefield themselves.
"Go, Tyki. I can finish things off here." Road shooed her companion away, a genuine smile gracing her features before she turns back to her enemy, eyes hardening with a calculating glint, a sadistic smirk directed at Nnoitra as Tyki left her to fight alone.
Tyki ran swiftly, finding himself alongside the black, wolfen form of Aeshma, heading in the same direction. The pair dipped their heads in acknowledgement of the other as they moved, the demon slowing his pace to stay with the Noah, keeping track of where their allies were and how many were moving towards the new arrivals.
The four Espada separated, each to take on their own foes. Datana and Zanki stayed together, following one of the new auras, Lulubell and Asura angling towards another. Aeshma altered his course to reach the strongest of the four, leaving Tyki to take care of the other one.
Saeko mentally paced in her hiding place - the remaining four Espada having recently departed, she was still wary that Aizen would return - worrying for her friends and desperately trying to think of a way to send them home.
A new set of auras approaching paused her mental pacing, thankfully before it developed into full-formed pacing. She hopped off her tree branch, sinking into the ground slightly with her insubstantial form, and headed towards the familiar energies. The girl emerged from the deep forest onto a small deer track the group was following, startling them into a prepared stillness.
"Saeko? What are you doing here? Are you alright? Lenalee and Orihime hurried towards the girl, doing a good impression of a pair of mother hens that stilled when their hands passed through her dream-form. Before their questions were voiced, Saeko gave a quick overview of the situation. It was decided Chaoji and Orihime would go to Saeko, Lavi and Nel's camp as they weren't good fighters and Krory would accompany them to help Lavi with any attacks that may be set upon the non-combatants. Saeko led the three away after giving the other six - Renji, Kanda, Rukia, Chad, Uryuu and Lenalee - directions for a shortcut through the forest to the fighting and giving Aeshma a brief telepathic message to tell of their arrival.
The girl left her three new companions with Lavi, noticing Nel snuggled up to her real body's side, asleep, and swiftly made her way towards Aizen and the Millennium Earl, planning to give Aeshma an extra warning, besides his own senses, when they chose to join the fight.
Aeshma growled warningly, noting the wolfen scent around the pair that were one before him. Coyote Starrk and Lilinette stilled the lazy, first Espada silently acknowledging the challenge. The demon padded silently into a patch of sunlight, lack of noise unnatural for the size of the creature. The warm autumn sun gave the black fur of the demon highlights of burnished bronze, golden eyes glinting like the actual metal.
Greetings, fellow pack Alpha. It seems you are less inclined to violence than your allies, perhaps this fight is unnecessary. The demon's voice held a well concealed note of hope that was picked up by Starrk's sharp senses, though Lilinette was less observant. Aeshma felt a certain kinship to this Alpha, who was not a true wolf either, which dulled his will to fight.
"Perhaps, Demon. I have no wish to fight, especially one so similar to myself." The wolf nodded and settled onto the leaf covered ground, prepared to retaliate should the hollow attack, but content for now to merely watch.
Aizen's moving. He displeased with the Espada's power so is approaching himself. The Earl's with him. Saeko's voice echoed around the demon's mind through their telepathic link.
My thanks, child. Now return to your true form, there is no more you can do and you shouldn't exhaust yourself. Aeshma rose his senses already picking up the approach of the Arrancar's leader.
Ok. Take care. A small feeling of emptiness filled Aeshma's mind as the connection broke off.
"It appears we no longer have the option to be peaceful in this battle." Starrk's voice held a slight hint of regret that was easily picked up by the wolf demon.
"It would be an insult to meet your strength with less than my all, so I shall not hold back. Kechirase, Los Lobos." The demon slipped into a prepared stance as the Espada released his form, Lilinette disappearing to rejoin the two soul halves into one. He dodged the blue cero that was fired from an ornamental looking pistol. A dull red glimmer flickered through the wolf's eyes, as he launched his own attack at the arrancar.
Grimmjow, Ichigo and Hichigo paused, various superficial cuts bleeding sluggishly, only a couple of wounds deep enough to even acknowledge. Sword and claws clashed again, the ginger shinigami occupying his enemy's attention as his partner bows his head, Cero charging between his horns. The red energy flew, burning the left side of the blue-haired hollow. Small rivers of blood flowed freely down the man's side, most of the wound already cauterized by the Cero.
The Espada growled, lunging at the other hollow, barely dodging the swing from Ichigo on his way. Hichigo laughed, blocking the other's attack, distorted voice making the laugh that much more insane.
Five green darts flew at the white-haired hollow, point blank range preventing him from dodging. Blood flowed freely for a few moments before the hollow's high-speed regeneration kicked in. A black Getsuga Tenshō tore between the two hollows, Grimmjow jumping back to avoid further injury. He switched targets, one clawed hand clashing with the Shinigami's blade as the other dug into a shoulder. A white katana through his own arm drew him away, a foot kicking Hichigo, sword leaving his arm as the other flew back.
He returned his attention to Ichigo, snarling as the ginger stabbed into his side, barely missing any vital organs. The Shinigami quickly shunpo-ed behind the Espada, a solid hit to the back of his head with Zangetsu's hilt knocking him out.
Before Hichigo could think of finishing off the cat-like hollow, the pair felt the overwhelming reiatsu belonging to Aizen. They left the Sexta incapacitated and headed out towards the stronger opponent, Ichigo's shoulder healing slowly from the residual power of his hollow.
Tyki approached the Espada he had been left with. Its form was that of an old, scarred man, a large battle axe wielded in one hand.
"Ah, one of the defectors. You don't look like much, it can't have been much of a shame to lose you." The Espada's voice sounded as old and gravelly as he looked.
"Your manners leave something to be desired, Espada-san." The Noah stood in a casual-looking stance, prepared should the other attack. The hollow gave him a glare, but it had nothing on Allen's Hichigo-esque death-glare. The axe was swung, the force enough to fell the trees behind Tyki, although he was left unharmed, his choosing ability saving him from finding himself in two pieces. Baraggan looked at him curiously, previously unknowing of any of the Noah's powers.
"It seems you're not so weak as I thought, just a coward who won't face my attacks properly." A smirk graced the Arrancar's features as he swung his axe once more.
Tyki ignored the comment, sending his Teez to swarm the enemy, preventing the Espada from seeing his movements. Baraggan sliced through the black butterflies, the survivors scattering to the relative safety of the trees. He paused as the strange sensation of a hand within his chest was felt, looking at the Noah before him. The hand clawed at blood vessels, causing the most possible damage before withdrawing, the hollow enraged and trying to hit the insubstantial Noah.
Ignoring the pain that burned through his nerves, the arrancar held his axe before him, axe-head facing the ground. The words 'Kuchiro Arrogante' where quiet, yet the silence around them made them sound like shouts. The large axe became slimmer and darker in colour, a spike now emerging from the middle, it appeared to be shackled to the Espada's arm with four golden chains. The hollow's flesh disintegrated, leaving a skeleton behind, draped in a robe with black fur lining the collar and hems.
The new axe form swung, lightly slicing the dodging Noah. A small rivulet of blood trickled down Tyki's arm, a look of mixed surprise and curiosity crossing his face. He retrieves the black blade of his advanced Teez once more, swiftly charging at the Espada, still unaffected by the other's Senescencia, even though the released axe could touch him.
Baraggan's delayed reactions lost him an arm, his faith in his ability to decay all that came near him leaving him open to attack. Another attack came, this one just managing to be dodged but causing the skeleton's crown to fall to the ground. His axe moved again, not making contact as the more prepared Noah escaped, movements fluid as he changed from dodge to attack in an instant. Tyki paused in his movements as a black-purple miasma began to spread, the foliage decaying into dust as it touched. The miasma washed over him, merely causing an odd feeling rather than the advanced aging shown by the local wildlife. He took advantage of the hollow's surprise and confusion over his lack of normal response, and charged again.
The miasma faded as the Espada's head went rolling, body disintergrating and leaving not trace of the beings existance save for the dead plants and small slice on a Noah's arm.
Tyki quickly tore a piece of his shirt to bind the wound and sat for moment before heading off. He could sense the presence of the Millenium Earl, and wished to help his allies against his one time leader.
Nnoitra glared at the young-looking Noah, who evaded his dual-crescent blades again. A look of boredom was thrown his way, as the girl came to rest a few feet away.
"Oh, is that all you can do, Natural Akuma. I was hoping for something a little more enjoyable." Road pouted, her voice laced with with disappointment. She darted forward so her face was mere inches from the other's, a grin working its way onto her features.
"How about we play a game then? " She flipped away from the blade that attempted to slice into her, her grin unfading. Her smile widened as the Espada's movements came to a stop, his mind drawn into a dream of the girl's making.
The autumn forest with hues of red, brown, orange and gold was replaced by a strange room, checked walls and floor in unending black and white, the ceiling high above and hidden in shadow. The only light was cast by a few odd candles scattered around, hovering in mid-air. The room was bare except for an empty throne of ebony wood, stylised leaves curling up the arms and back.
Nnoitra peered cautiously at the pointed, stripy candles, in case they were like those from before, yet they remained stationary but for the slight bobbing up and down as if they floated on an invisible sea only they could feel.
The Espada jumped away as a blade, much like his own, was swung towards him. He whirled around to see his attacker and paused at the sight that met his eye. Facing him was an almost identical copy of himself, merely with more normal shoes and no spoon around his head. The copy gave him a smirk before launching itself at the original, furious speed of attacks only just being blocked or evaded. Nnoitra finally got a return hit at his enemy, but it left him open to the other's attack, leaving them both injured, the copy with a slice through the side, original loosing the use of one arm.
The giggling of a young girl interrupted the combatants, the pair turning to see Road lounging on the throne. She waved for them to continue, ignoring Nnoitra's attempt to attack her as he was soon distracted by his clone slicing into his side to mirror the wound he had inflicted on said clone.
A swipe at the head sent the replica rolling away, blood streaming from a shallow wound, accompanied by a mocking clap from the Noah. The imitation Arrancar stood once more, pulling his precursor back into battle.
More blows were traded, neither of the pair giving any ground or taking any serious damage. Road drummed her fingers idly, becoming bored with the repetative fight and lack of any proper wounds, her sadistic side was calling for blood which she just wasn't getting. Wanting to move on, to more interesting prey, she created another clone behind the authentic Espada, a simple broadsword in its hand making swift work of separating the head from the body.
Road wandered back into reality, just in time to see a wall of energy smash into the shell of the fifth Espada, her sadism rejoicing at the sight of blood that rained on the clearing. She looked to the one who sent the wave that brought blood to see a teenage boy with an unusual white and red left arm. He stood in shadows, as if hiding, but did not move when the Noah approached. She gave the boy a smile - reigning in her sadism to keep such emotions hidden - and thanked him for his assistance. Sensing there was little she could do but get in the way of the current fights, she took to the sidelines, pulling the quiet boy with her as company.
And there you go, another chapter done, be happy.
Review please, if you want you can constructively criticize, just no outright flames please.
Your pushing-the-cat-off-the-keyboard-because-it's-really-not-helpful-for-typing author
Kouseki