The First Step [DP/Marik]

[Raphael Laurent]

There was nothing, and yet there was everything. In the flitting moments of pure, lucid, thought Raphael could discern the blood and the bodies. Then he'd find himself unable to see again, could only hear the beating of his heart in his ears, the blasts and explosions, the punching and clawing and tearing. He could barely percieve something screaming in his head, someone shouting his name... He was gone, he was fighting, he was undergoing what he needed to do. He blinked and held himself again. He stood atop a pile of bodies. Hollow bodies. Masks torn free, limbs chopped off, bodies mutilated...

He breathed hard, and stepped down slowly, still standing as he recovered, once more. More energy drawn to him, as it had been the last time. Looking about, he pondered. Something had drawn him back to the surface of his own thoughts and he took in a deep breath. Raphael. Can you hear me? He nodded slowly, and ucidly. Good. You went farther than I planned. You're nearly at the sixth hour of your experience. It is almost time for you to return. This is dangerous, Raphael. We need to make our way out. You might've attracted attention with this display. They'll dissipate on their own, in time.

"Attention?" he couldn't help but question allowed. "What kind of attention would this attract, beyond normal hollows? They were already there!!" Hollows of all kinds and strengths surged past him, as he leapt from crystal branch to crystal branch. He couldn't look back, nor could he really brrow himself back out and onto the sand. It was concerning. How in the hell would he get back?! He glanced around, looking frantically for anyway to escape the forest. He knew how far he'd gone, he knew how to get back to the portal, if he could get out of here.

Perhaps this had been a bad idea. Learning to live, move and fight like a hollow was a horrifying experience; there was so much fighting and so much death. And yet, as he considered, he could see a kind of "beauty of nature" to it all. The fighting was horrific, yes, but it also garnered a kind of strength, both in oneself and, when one could trust others and found them, in allies. Hollows were creatures of distrust and disorganization, for the most part, and yet some had come to his side willingly, though he'd chased them off. What caused such alliances and daliances? Raphael didn't quite know.

There was so much that didn't make sense, and yet in the same instance there was so mch right with it. But still, he had to get away from this place, he had to go back to his place, he had to get back to where he belonged... There was always time to analyze the feelings and the ways of everything later.

SPOILER: Click to show

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength: 145

Speed: 200

Reiatsu Strength: 350 (700 w Type)

Spirit Pressure: 260 (520 w Type)

Instinct: 150

Senses: 100

Energy Sensory: 150

Light Aura: 60

Dark Aura: 40

[Maria Ashwin]

Just  A  BOY   Trying   TO  SLEEP S o  l  e a v e  me   B e  4 paragraphs  4 paragraphs total so far

1.) The smell of iron hung heavy in the air as marik sheathed his blade , his emerald eyes surveying the darkness that surrounded him. ‘Yet another batch unworthy of the espada , yet another day the espada ranks remain unfilled’ he would think to himself in frustration. With a sigh he would take his right hand cutting through the filth and the grime on his face wiping away the dryed blood and sand , “kohai lax attitude twoard our ranks being nearly empty isn’t anything out the ordinary, but why am i the one hunting for new lap dogs!?” he would shout, grabbing his hair and pulling as he growled, gritting his teeth.

2.) Taking a deep breath he would attempt to calm himself , thinking of all the junk food and sleeping he could indulge in….alone…..with a sigh he would stick his hands within his pockets and begin walking once more. Striding over the bodies of those who had fallen before him , several questions bouncing around within his skull , mainly the drop in hollow density. It would be almost unoticable to someone who didn’t live in the realm , but marik had found several vast swaths of dead hollows within the forest which wasnt the odd part it was the lack of missing mass.

3.) If a hollow was responsible for this mass purge then they would atleast devour the other hollows to fuel their evolution , but this….was….not killing for survival , this was more killing for fun or sport. Giving the count of bodies he had seen he could estimate this creature had kille droughly two hundred thousand hollows give or take , “not enough mass destruction for a vasto lordez…an adhujas maybe?” he would mumble to himself as he made his way through the trees on foot in no rush to head back to las noches.

4.) The neon green haired espada would stop in his tracks as he felt something hollow like , yet warped on his radar….’hmm half a mile off and its going in a straight line , i can probably catch it feels like a solid candidate for the octava position’ though that stood to be seen. He would begin heading toward the moving target , leaping up jumping from tree branch from tree branch slowly gaining on the thing ‘lets see what type of monster we have here’ excitement bubbling up in his thoughts.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength: 200->[200]
Speed: 400->[1200]

Spiritual Pressure: 400
Riatsu Strength: 400->[500]->[1500]

Light Aura: 100
Dark Aura: 0

Instinct: 200
Sense: 200->[300]->[150]

Energy Sensory: 100
Healing Expertise: 400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items on Hand}R-Siphon (Class 1)
Copycat-tatoo (Class 1)
Burden (Class 1)
Rat Bullets (x10)
Beat Stick x2 (Class 1)

1 (1200->1300):
Corrosive E.(100)
Release E. (N/A)

2 (1200->1200):
Release E. (N/A)

A Propper Uniform (Class 1)
Bionic Voice Implant (Class 1)
Gonzo Tart (x2)
Taro Card: Chariot (class 1)
Decoy Zan (Class 1)
IP: 1100

Artificial Zanpukto (class 1)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techs Used}N/A
4000/4000

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael felt like he was making good time, though he was completely lost and had no idea how to get back to the surface, beyond blowing another hole in the sand. That did seem like a bad idea, given that he had no idea if there were others hunting him above. His head twisted and turned, as he looked through the mask, pondering and plotting his next move. And yet, he couldn't shake Sonzai's words, that he very well could've attracted attention to himself. That was the concern. He didn't know enough about Hueco Mundo and it's structural heirachy, other than the evolutionary life of the hollow...

That was when something struck his sense, right at the very edge; something strong was heading for him. As he landed on the branch of the nearest crystalline tree, he paused for a moment, thinking. "...whatever that is, it's too fast. I won't be able to outrun it, even with Bringer's Light..." That wasn't good. This thing, whatever it was, was far faster than Raphael was and was also, potentially, much stronger.

There was a brief moment of nothingness, before he heard the answer. You have two options: Run or confront it. Raphael nodded, and weighed his options, in the few seconds he had. Well, running from my problems was never really my style, was it? All that does is delay things... Might as well face it head on. There was a single grunt of approval, at his decision. But he was getting used to that, kind of. It was still difficult to wrap his mind arond the thought that this stuff was in his head, but he couldn't really do much about it.

He stood there, on the branch of the crystalline tree, his body tensing and almost seeming to be ready for a fight. The calcifications along his hands and feet growing along his legs, more and more. Were it not for the fact that his jacket barely had any such growths, and the lack of a hole in his chest, he could've easily been mistaken for a hollow. He didn't know, quite what it was that was coming for him, but he knew that he woldn't be able to outrun it. He could sense they were far stronger than he was, at the moment.

He couldn't fathom, however, what it was that was on its way... perhaps an adjuchas? Or a vasto lorde? There was strength, great and powerful, though he'd felt much the same in both Shizuka and even Kazura. He turned to face it, claws upon his feet digging into the quartz of the tree that he stood on, feeling the strength as it coursed through him. He would, at the very least, face whatever it was that was coming after him.

[Maria Ashwin]

Just   A  boy   who   wants   to    sleep 3 paragraphs 7 paragraphs total so far

1.) Marik would find himself before his target as he appeared within the area , a burst of wind heralding his presence. A confused look would cross his face as he looked at this THING , that was suffused with holow riatsu it had a mask and....where those claws? so a hollow or a failed vizard just great all he needed was another monster fucking up his home.

2.) As he landed on a branch standing roughly twelve meters from the beast he would pull his hand out his pocket , revealing his bandaged arm(s). His movements slow and deliberite (400 speed) , when he stopped moving he was aiming a clenched fist at the man. And in the next moment a flash of neon green would blur twoard the man's right shoulder.

3.) Marik had loosed a simple bala and telegraphed the attack , he wished to gauage this things ability to react to his attacks from there he would see. A part of him just hoping this thing was worthy enough to join the ranks of the espada , kohai was growing restless the espada ranks needed powerful hollows.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength: 200->[200]

Speed: 400->[1200]



Spiritual Pressure: 400

Riatsu Strength: 400->[500]->[1500]



Light Aura: 100

Dark Aura: 0



Instinct: 200

Sense: 200->[300]->[150]



Energy Sensory: 100

Healing Expertise: 400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items on Hand}R-Siphon (Class 1)

Copycat-tatoo (Class 1)

Burden (Class 1)

Rat Bullets (x10)

Beat Stick x2 (Class 1)



1 (1200->1300):

Corrosive E.(100)

Release E. (N/A)



2 (1200->1200):

Release E. (N/A)



A Propper Uniform (Class 1)

Bionic Voice Implant (Class 1)

Gonzo Tart (x2)

Taro Card: Chariot (class 1)

Decoy Zan (Class 1)

IP: 1100



Artificial Zanpukto (class 1)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techs Used}N/A
Bala-50 Riatsi Spent (bala moves at 1600 speed , Os for attack is 75% of his RS that being 1125)

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4000/4000
-50
+500 from r-siphon
4000/4000

---

Combat Post: 1

[Raphael Laurent]

Momentum. Continue. Forward. Another moment of lucidity and pure thought, which immediately made Raphael want to speak. But he was here for a lesson. His eyes, took in everything about him, analyzing as best he could. The sand, the quartz trees... Then the very feeling of the hollow power around him. He drew upon it in a way that he'd not done in the world of the living, and yet, as he did, a great part of him felt like he'd come home. Perhaps that was why he'd felt so odd when he and Luca had gone to the Soul Society. His power came from this place, from the creatures that roamed the sands above and forest below.

Then came the burst of air pressure, the explosion following an incredible amount of speed and studied the individual before him. Neon green hair... white outfit with black trim... Felt so oddly reminiscent of the shinigami outfit, just reversed in color scheme. He wasn't sure quite what it was that was going on, but the man looked...bored? Tired? It was a bit difficult to gauge ennui from looks alone, but he seemed like he wished he was taking a nap. Not that Raphael couldn't sympathize. The last several hours had been... well, as tiring as they had been exhilerating.

Yet, this faceoff felt so peculiar. He'd burst onto the scene in a speed that Raphael couldn't have possiby hoped to match, even with Bringer's Light, and stopped on the branch not too far away. They were nearly a dozen meters from one another and were now just staring each other down. Neither one of them said anything or made sudden movements. What he found odd about it was that, while he was certainly tense, he was also excited, and moved himself to prepare for what this man...hollow, would do.

The man pull a bandaged hand from his pocket and held it forward, in a closed fist. He blinked, not quite certain what it was that his mysterious visitor planned to do with just a fist, especially when his sword was still sheathed. His senses bristled, energy gathered and then something fired at him, at an incredible speed. But he wasn't there. The moment that he'd felt that bristling on the back of his neck, he'd engaged Bringer's Light, kicking off and away while leaving only a green pillar, as he moved.

"Whoa! That was insanely fast!" His voice warped and distorted a bit as he spoke. "I wonder what that was... I haven't seen anything like that before..."

SPOILER: Click to show

Bringer's Light: 2000 speed

SPOILER: Click to show

5020 - 50 = 4970 reiatsu remaining

SPOILER: Click to show

New Stats:
Strength: 145
Speed: 200
Reiatsu Strength: 350 (700 w Type)
Spirit Pressure: 260 (520 w Type)
Instinct: 150
Senses: 100
Energy Sensory: 150
Light Aura: 60
Dark Aura: 40

[Maria Ashwin]

Just   A  boy   who   wants   to    sleep 5 paragraphs 12 paragraphs total so far

1.) As the neon green bala sailed through the air at breakneck speeds marik would take notice that his target had long since left his previous location , a pillar of green light now in the place the man once stood. ‘Teleprtation? No i felt him move so this must be a new form of high speed movement’ he would think to himself as he removed his other hand from his pocket.

2.) An act that for most was nothing short of a trivial meaningless act , but for this inpaticular soul it meant that the primera espada has chosen to engage them in hand to hand combat. A skill set that he rarely gets to excersise in a world driven via spiritual force , and one he intended to relish for however long this creature intended to entertain him.

3.) The area would be bathed in a bright neon green light as the bala exploded upon contact with the crystalline tree , sending shrapnel in all directions killing a few stray hollows that had wandered onto the battlefield. Their shrill crys filling the battlefield as marik used the ensuing chaos as a chance to sonido through the spray of rock shrapnel.

4.) closing the distance between him and the beast almost instantaneously. The tree branch he was on prevoulsly would now be sporting a crater riddled with cracks, a testament to the amount of force needed to achieve those speeds the primera was known for amongst the espada. As soon as he appeared in front of the beast he would be in the motions of throwing a punch.

5.) planning to throw a simple right handed haymaker at the beast’s jaw. He wasn’t sure how durable that mask was but he was planning on finding out. The creature had proven it had the ability to dodge and marik had just showcased he could chase it weather or not they wanted to keep playing cat and mouse or face him down was another thing all together.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength: 200->[100]

Speed: 400->[1200]



Spiritual Pressure: 400

Riatsu Strength: 400->[500]->[1500]



Light Aura: 100

Dark Aura: 0



Instinct: 200

Sense: 200->[300]->[150]



Energy Sensory: 100

Healing Expertise: 400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items on Hand}R-Siphon (Class 1)

Copycat-tatoo (Class 1)

Burden (Class 1)

Rat Bullets (x10)

Beat Stick x2 (Class 1)



1 (1200->1300):

Corrosive E.(100)

Release E. (N/A)



2 (1200->1200):

Release E. (N/A)



A Propper Uniform (Class 1)

Bionic Voice Implant (Class 1)

Gonzo Tart (x2)

Taro Card: Chariot (class 1)

Decoy Zan (Class 1)

IP: 1100



Artificial Zanpukto (class 1)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techs Used}N/A
Sonido - 100 Riatsu Spent (Marik's Sonido is sonidoing at x5 speed not wishing to use excessive amount of power  , Os for punch is his strength stat being 100 he isnt utilizing the weapon ip of his hand wraps)

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4000/4000
-100
+500 from r-siphon
4000/4000

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Combat Post: 2

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael came to a stop, right as whatever the energy that the strange man had used, impacted the tree he'd been standing on, detonating and destroying it. Chunks and pieces went flying everywhere, the screams of a few unfortunate hollows having been drawn to the battle echoing into the night as they died. Truly it was a fascinating ability. It was extremely quick and, even more so, compressed. He needed to know what that was, how it worked. How was the energy compressed to rid itself of most of its explosive force and instead make a concussive one? It seemed almost impossible.

The results however spoke for themselves, and Raphael's attention was drawn away for a moment, just a moment and that was all it took. As he came to a stop, his opponent was on top of him, right in his face swinging a haymaker at him, though it seemed that his personal physical strength wasn't anything amazing. But he was aiming at the mask it seemed and Raphael was so surprised by how quickly he was there that he didn't have time to move out of the way. Before he knew it, the strike had hit him, landing square in the center of the mask. Yet it held out, cracking a bit at the center, though even that seemed to quickly seal, returning to its original form.

He'd been far too surprised to counterattack, the man's speed was insane. But that didn't mean that he was anywhere close to throwing in the towel. You are not human, Raphael, not here. Here you are a hollow. You will not blink. You will not retreat. You will fight as you are meant to. You will watch your opponent and study them. You will learn of them. You will destroy them, as best you can. Raphael took a single step forward, swinging a fist right into the man's chest, his every intention on seeing him dead and destroyed. He wanted to prove himself superior to this man.

No. It was more than simply proving his superiority. For once in his life, he had a sudden ambition; a new desire that he wanted that reminded him of Luca's desire for the powers of shinigami. Raphael wanted to push himself, wanted to find himself in this place. He could feel his soul swell, he wanted more, now. He wanted to become what he could be from everything that he currently was. This. This was the spiritual stimulation that Sonzai had wanted him to experience, the growth that one half of himself wanted him to experience. It was here that he would be forged anew.

"Come!! Show me everything!!"

[Maria Ashwin]

Just   A  boy   who   wants   to    sleep 6 paragraphs 18 paragraphs total so far

1.) As mariks fist made contact with the mask the corners of his lips would upturn almost unoticably into a smile , though his expression outwardly remained bored. As the cracks spidered across the bone like structure a look of surprise would be painted across his face as the mask began REPAIRING ITSELF.

2.) ‘i'm not sure what exactly this thing is but high speed regeneration in any capacity shows the ability to go further than one's peers’ he would think to himself the world seemingly moving in slow motion as the creatures fist collide with marik’s sternum , he would lurch forward slightly upon impact.

3.) Something his enemy would soon learn was mariks skin though well kept for and soft looking , was as hard as the steele of a shinigami’s zanpakuto. This ability of the arrancar was known as herrio , via pooling riatsu into their skin the arrancar’s skin would harden millions of times over to the point they could fight a bladed opponent bare handed should the user be competent in the application of the technique.

4.) Marik himself would remain unmoving as the punch landed the force of the blow causing his clothes to ripple lightly , in the same instance as his opponents fist slamming into him his cheeks would puff up as if he was about to spit upon the thing. What left his mouth was no wad of spit or lugi but a small marble sized black pellet.

5.) this pellet was one of mariks bread and butter techniques as a hollow, a high speed , high yield explosive meant to catch foes off guard. The projectile itself was spat out and flew at a speed of six hundred (600) , normally it would hold the same destructive force as mariks own riatsu strength but he had relegated the effects to measly two hundred (200) as he didn’t wish to harm himself or outright kill his combatant just yet.

6.) Should his attack land both he and his opponet would be caught in the explosion of the attack , and then bathed in burning napalm like spirit energy. having showcased his hierro's strength he also wanted to let this beast know he not some cannon fodder even holding back he was to recloned with.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength: 200->[100]

Speed: 400->[1200]



Spiritual Pressure: 400

Riatsu Strength: 400->[500]->[1500]



Light Aura: 100

Dark Aura: 0



Instinct: 200

Sense: 200->[300]->[150]



Energy Sensory: 100

Healing Expertise: 400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items on Hand}R-Siphon (Class 1)

Copycat-tatoo (Class 1)

Burden (Class 1)

Rat Bullets (x10)

Beat Stick x2 (Class 1)



1 (1200->1300):

Corrosive E.(100)

Release E. (N/A)



2 (1200->1200):

Release E. (N/A)



A Propper Uniform (Class 1)

Bionic Voice Implant (Class 1)

Gonzo Tart (x2)

Taro Card: Chariot (class 1)

Decoy Zan (Class 1)

IP: 1100



Artificial Zanpukto (class 1)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techs Used}N/A
judan- 75 Riatsu Spent (Shot a class 5 judan at his chest)

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4000/4000
-75
+500 from r-siphon
4000/4000

---

Combat Post: 3

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael's hit had struck home and yet, as his fist impacted the man's skin it hadn't even budged him and it almost felt like he was punching iron with his bare hand. Immediately his mind went into overdrive, trying to analyze what, exactly, had just happened, as there was something he was missing. He watched as the man's clothes seemed to ripple from the impact of Raphael's fist against his skin. What had just happened? His eyes darted, simply glaring at where his fist had impacted. Slightly, he wondered if this had to do with reiatsu or other such energy. He'd figure it out, as they continued.

Fascinating... What do you think this thing is? It's a hollow form, that much is apparent, though it feels somewhat like a shinigami. Hard skin and a weapon... Raphael's mind went ito overdrive as he tried to think. Yet they were so close He was pretty sure that, with a more work, he could find a way to defeat this guy, whatever he was. It's impossible. Could this thing be a... Raphael, do you remember? Your old lessons with your mother? Arrancar?

Raphael stared at the man, grinning behind his own mask, and readied himself. Yet, he was a bit unprepared and was far too close to be able to accurately evade what would come next. His opponent suddely spat something at him and he did his best to move with bringer's light, and yet at the distance the two were at, it exploded long before he'd gotten away from the blast radius. As he came to a stop on another brach of a nearby tree, he started patting himself trying to rid himself of the fire that raged across him. This seemed to be some kind of spiritual flame however.

"Gah! Sneaky little trick... Alright then..." Raphael rose to his normal height, as a purple energy surrounded him and he held up his palm, a purple sphere, no bigger than the marble that Marik had spat was. And after a second of cocetration, Raphael threw it like he was throwing a stoe. It flew at Marik a bit slower than his own ability, at about 400 speed, and would draw close to him. Then, without warning, it would suddenly expand to three meters, and consume everything in its vicinity, ripping things apart on a reishi level, before compressing back inwards and vanishing.

SPOILER: Click to show

4970 - 50 (Bringer's Light) = 4920
4920 - 400 (Disintegration Class 3) = 4520

[Maria Ashwin]

Just   A  boy   who   wants   to    sleep 5 paragraphs 23 paragraphs total so far

1.) There where a great many things marik could do , dodge made the most sense for all creatures. To evade harm but marik had a feeling this creature was banking on this slow moving attack to finish him off and marik himself wasn't so overconfident as to wait and see what the results of that attack would be.

2.)Raising his hand and pointing at the beast he would respond in turn by charging up a ball of neon green , that would cause the air and surrounding area to tremble for abrief momonet. His mastery of the skill cero had cut its charging time down to near instant , which was enough for him all things considered.

3.) As he released the cero it would rapid grow in size as he dialated the size of the cero from a closed pinched beam to an outpouring of spirit energy. Creating a wall of all consuming destruction that was currently rushing at this strange creature if it couldnt survive a basic cero he couldn't truly speak proudly of its worth to the espada.

4.) 'if this was enough to kill him he wasn't worth our time in the first place' he would think to himself , as the cero came in contact with the disentergration attack. brifly shining abright purple as it was consumed by marik's cero and vastly reducing the power of mariks attack in the process as per the techniques nature.

5.) "i guess he had some tricks after all" he would mummble to himself as the cero died down awaiting the scene hoping to survey the damage , while the cero was going off his front visual would be cut off as he's be relying entirely on his es and sense's to detect weather or not the man somehow escaped.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength: 200->[100]

Speed: 400->[1200]



Spiritual Pressure: 400

Riatsu Strength: 400->[500]->[1500]



Light Aura: 100

Dark Aura: 0



Instinct: 200

Sense: 200->[300]->[150]



Energy Sensory: 100

Healing Expertise: 400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items on Hand}R-Siphon (Class 1)

Copycat-tatoo (Class 1)

Burden (Class 1)

Rat Bullets (x10)

Beat Stick x2 (Class 1)



1 (1200->1300):

Corrosive E.(100)

Release E. (N/A)



2 (1200->1200):

Release E. (N/A)



A Propper Uniform (Class 1)

Bionic Voice Implant (Class 1)

Gonzo Tart (x2)

Taro Card: Chariot (class 1)

Decoy Zan (Class 1)

IP: 1100



Artificial Zanpukto (class 1)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techs Used}N/A
Cero- 200 Riatsu Spent (Shot a class 4 cero , having 1500 os i believe disitergrating shaves off 700 after its been beat out leaving the cero thats coming at him at an OS of 800 and moving at a speed of 800)

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4000/4000
-200
+500 from r-siphon
4000/4000

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Combat Post: 4