Chapter 2: Mobilise Squad 7! Menos Threat in Rukongai?
4 Weeks have passed since Lloyd took the position of Captain. Over the past month, he has been trying to win the support of his subordinates, who find themselves unable to trust him. Some members of the Squad already accept him, while others are outraged at the fact that some nobody can move up the ranks so quickly, and believe that Marina should have received the post instead. Incidentally, Marina is no warmer to Lloyd now than when they met. She is often seen daydreaming and doesn't talk much. Lloyd has not been able to find out much about her, so in an attempt to learn more about his squad, he organised a training exercise. However, he was interrupted by a message carried by a Hell Butterfly
"Attention! Hollows detected in Rukongai District! Squads 4 and 7 are to be deployed!" it said.
Hastily, Lloyd, Marina and several others grabbed their Zanpakutou and got ready as they hastily made their way to the Rukongai district outside of Seireitei.
Upon arriving, they found the 4th Squad already healing the injured and making attempts to engage the Hollows, but with little success due to their nature as support. The number of casualties was only rising. However, Rashid, Squad 4's Captain, remained composed as he tended to the injured, unlike his Lieutenant, Nina, who was rushing to and from patients while freaking out herself.. The dark skinned man's natural medicines worked fast, but he refused to let those who had been treated go back and fight, as they would be headed to their deaths.
"Alright! Everyone, split into groups of two and engage the Hollows. No one takes on any alone or you will surely die!" said Lloyd as he and Marina ran straight into the thick of the battle. The two drew their Zanpakutou and began to fight.
Lloyd's skill with a sword was impressive, as he managed to carry it around as if it were a twig, despite its weight. He hacked off the limbs of one Hollow before driving his blade into its head, causing it to disintegrate. Marina was no slouch either, using highly athletic manoeuvres to dodge the Hollow's attacks and leap up onto its back, then slashed at its head, causing it to also disappear.
No matter how many Hollows were destroyed by Squad 7; their numbers didn't seem to decrease. In fact, when one Hollow was destroyed, two more seemed to take its place.
"Ugh…They just keep coming…" muttered Marina, starting to feel the strain of her fatigue take it's toll.
"No use…We'll have to release our Zanpakutou and take them out faster…" said Lloyd as he ran his
hand along his blade, holding it parallel to his body
"Break Free! Waraemekonpaku!" he called as his sword glew. When the glowing stopped, the sword didn't seem to have changed much. However, on closer inspection, there was now a second blade running parallel to the first. This new blade was black, while the original was stunningly white.
"Please! Getsueihime!" called Marina as her Zanpakutou, shorter than most, split into two beautiful Butterfly knives.
Lloyd took up a stance as if he was going to make a wide, arcing slash at the massive group of Hollows before him
"Raikoukami!" he roared as he swung at the group, sending a blast of Lightning at them, obliterating all in its path. However, just as before, more Hollows quickly arrived to take their place.
"Goddamn it...Where are they all coming from!" asked a frustrated Lloyd while Marina continued to struggle.
Marina tossed her pair of Butterfly knives at a group of Hollows. The knives went carking through their masks, destroying them. The knives turned in an arc and flew back to Marina, similar to boomerangs. Ass soon as she had a grip on her weapons again, she did a back flip to avoid an attack coming from behind, and tossed her knives into the back of the attacking Hollow's head. She landed safely on the ground as her knives few back to her. She looked up and suddenly froze. She was staring up into the face of a Menos Grande.
"C-Captain! It's that! They're being attracted by that Menos!" she called, pointing over at the towering hollow. To the Menos, they were nothing but ants.
"What! A Menos! Here?" said Lloyd, but couldn't spend any more time thinking about it due to the rash decision of Marina
"I'm going to try and take it out!" she said as she ran towards it without any real plan.
"No! Don't do it! You can't fight something like that!" roared Lloyd as he ran after her, cutting down any Hollows in his way. Suddenly, a red ball of energy formed at the Menos Grande's mouth, the sign of a charging Cero. Upon seeing this, Lloyd sped up, determined to save his Lieutenant from the attack, but it was too late. The Menos fired a thick beam of red energy straight down, and then aimed it at Marina. The energy not only destroyed the shoddily made houses of the Rukongai district in its path, but also a large number of the Hollows.
Marina froze in her tracks as she saw the tower of red energy rushing towards her at an amazing speed. She shut her eyes and held her arms up to protect her, as if it would do any good.
However, she didn't die. She managed to open her eyes to see what happened, to find her Captain blocking the beam with his sword. His sword was coated in electricity, the second function of it's Raikoukami being to increase the sword's power and reach.
"Raikoukami!" roared Lloyd for a second time as he pushed against the beam, deflecting it with a second lightning blast
"Marina…Are you OK?" he asked, turning around to look at her. She was too shocked to reply, so Lloyd turned back to the Menos
"Damn…Only one way to kill that thing,…but we weren't given permission, and I'd rather not use it anyway…" he muttered to himself. He debated with his conscience on what to do, and finally came to a decision.
"Marina…things are about to get really scary" he said, sweating slightly "You'd best get away from here or I'll end up killing you too" he said. Marina took her time to nod shakily, before running back the way she came. When Lloyd decided that she was far enough away, he knelt down, with his sword pointing into the ground as if he was bowing to a king
"Alright…I'll let you out, but don't even think of attacking any of my friends!" he said sternly, talking to himself. "…Bankai! Hateshinakuwaramekonpaku!" he roared as he was sourrounded in a shell of black feathers…
To Be Continued…
Zanppakutou Translations:
Waraemekonpaku – Split Soul
Hateshinakuwaramekonpaku – Eternally Split Soul
Getsueihime – Moon Princess