Pet Projects (Joint Training | NDE | R) OSEN ACTIVE

[Garret]

Daybreak. The light of that majestic body of the sky peaked across over the horizon. With the illumination came warmth and security. Like the curtain being pulled slowly from the window, the light began to brighten the land. The grasslands that spread forth no doubt welcomed the light, as the animals would awaken and the plants feeding. It was the sort of sight that an artist would no doubt use as inspiration. But as the light continued to crawl, beauty soon became gore. The grass was painted with a combination of blood and bits, ripped from the corpses of the nightmarish beasts that littered the landscape. Of various sizes and shapes the pale beasts disintegrated beneath the sunlight, becoming nothing more than rising black particles that vanished into nothingness. There had to have at least been a dozen of the monstrous, but the numbers continued to grow the further the light crept.

Finally though the light unveiled a mound of the beasts, all piled atop one another like some sort of hill of gore. Sitting at the base, leaning against the leg of one of the Hollows was a cloaked individual. His body hidden behind the fabric, only his head was left visible as he rested. A man with unruly white hair. A man with a rough face, who wore an eye patch over a removed right eye. Blood that had once been trailing down the side of his face had now hardened, forming a red crust atop his skin. His eye closed, the man seemed to be at rest. Beside him, submerged slightly in the ground, was a weapon that could be called a sword. But was it? It was far too large to be called a sword, its edges clearly too dull, and from the looks alone it appeared to be too heavy to be wielded. It resembled iron more so than steel. The weapon stood there, engaging the light of dawn, the still wet stains of demon blood glistened off of its body.

A sound escaped the man, a grunt of annoyance, as his single eye opened. Dark bags had formed under his eye, one of the many signs of his visible exhaustion. But this was nothing new to him. The light meant another day. The sun meant another battle won. The day meant another night conquered. With a groan he pushed himself to his feet, placing one of his massive hands on the underside of the weapons blade, gazing off into the sunrise. He frowned, swinging his head in one direction to let out a series of cracks from his bones. He had been adjusting rather well to these night time brawls. In the earliest days things had been rough. The fighting at night, the numbers, the exhaustion, Garret just had not coped. But now? His body was stronger, as was his endurance, and his sleep cycle was now used to this. He was more awake in the evenings and nights now than he ever was. These battles had even begun to restore to him the swordsmanship he once possessed.

He began to take a step forward, reaching up and grasping the swords hilt when a sound behind him caught his attention. Turning to inspect the source, Garret blinked when he saw the mound he had been resting on moments before begin to move once again. He then heard the growls and groans, watching as one pale hand grasped at the top corpse. Garret watched as a hacking Hollow pulled itself to the top, staring down at him. Despite its shattered mask, and the fact it was missing parts of the left of its body, it was still alive, though with a large amount of bleeding. "Not yet...I am not dead yet! The scent is gone...but I will not die until you are dead!" The Hollow hissed, blood escaping from its mouth as it spoke. Garret simply "hmph"d, rather impressed the creature had survived with such injuries. Maybe he had only knocked it unconscious? He didn't know.

But, one thing was certain. Garret would not be allowing it to live any longer. The swordsman tightened his grip on his sword before ripping it from the ground. Resting it against his shoulder, Garret sighed. "You might have lived had you only remained hidden." He said, before digging his left foot into the ground. With a roar he swung his sword down, and within that same moment a light came into existence between them. The light flew forward, slicing right through the other corpses before slicing through the still living Hollow. It blinked for a moment more before fading out, replaced then by fresh blood being flung into the air. The Hollow made no more sounds as its two halves fell apart, the swordsman at the bottom simply turning away from the mound. When next he saw Nycha he needed to thank her for her tutelage.

As his curse became stronger, so did the Hollows that were drawn by it. They had personality, intelligence, and worst of all their own unique abilities. While his own promised powers still remained hidden from him, dormant behind some barrier he still knew not how to overcome, Nycha had taught him a few things. Shinigami techniques, spells of movement and one of destruction. Sakugen was the techniques name, and it had seen much use by the swordsman following his acquisition of it. Until his own abilities worked, these given techniques would serve him well. Placing his sword onto the hook on his back, the man began to walk. He would travel some distance before stopping to sleep, followed by walking again to find his next battlefield.

But as he walked though, he saw something. The sky lit up though not blindingly so, as something that resembled a eastern style door appeared above him. Garret recognized it, having seen it when the woman Azumi Kasumi'oji escorted him from the Rukongai and back into the World of the Living. Was it her again? If it was, then he would be happy to ask her a few questions regarding his supposed abilities. But if it wasn't, and this thought did come to mind, what did they want? He did owe Azumi a number of favors, as it was her words that repelled the idea for Garret to simply be put to death. The nature of his curse had not been understood, and so there was no way of knowing if his death would cause the curse to spread to the environment.

Of course they could not simply keep Garret into the Rukongai. The curse that activated each night still lingered in the environment after each use. If activated again in these areas, it would only be stronger. Garret would bring hordes of Hollows to the Rukongai, numbers that would eventually cause the destruction of numerous districts. It was best, then, he sent to the World of the Living. Better to sacrifice a wasteland than hundreds of spirits it seems. And so the swordsman stood there, his eye locked onto the door in the sky waiting for whoever it was coming to visit him to come out.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Strength - 300 Points = 450

Speed - 100 - Points

Spiritual Pressure - 200 - Points = 260

Reiatsu Strength - 50 - Points = 35

Light Aura - 20 - Points

Dark Aura - 80 - Points

Instinct - 70 - Points

Senses - 80 - Points = 60

Energy sensory - 0 - Points

Healing Expertise - 0 - Points

Total SP: 800 Points

• [Weapons: Greatswords] {2}
  
  
• [Strength of Will] {2}
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] {2}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {2}
  
  
• [Lack of Fear] {2}
  
  
• [Damage Recovery] {2}
  
  
• [Bleeding Tolerance] {2}
  

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

The sounds of keys being pressed, machinery being operated and tests being run filled the air inside the cavernous Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Day and night, countless experiments were being performed, all with the common goal of improving the Seireitei, of giving the Shinigami an even greater edge against their opponents. Or at least, that’s what they told people. Most of the researchers, if they were honest, would admit that their research and experiments, from the most mundane to the most diabolical, were all to satisfy their own curiosity. Sure, good things sometimes came of it, but all they were really interested in was the science. They really didn’t care what it was used for.

So it was with Taihō Kasumi’Oji, head of the Kasumi’Oji family and Captain of Squad 8. Though leader of the Financial Squad, Taihō had always had a great love of science, and the laboratories inside the Kasumi’Oji manner rivaled, and sometimes surpassed, those of Squad 12 and the SRDI. However, there were some things that even the Kasumi’Oji family, with all of it’s wealth and resources, couldn’t easily acquire which the SRDI had easy access to, and as such it was a fairly common occurrence to see Taihō Kasumi’Oji there performing her own experiments, often simply to satisfy the curiosity of her severely twisted mind. Like many of the researchers, she really wasn’t interested in the real-world applications of her studies. She was just interested in the science. That, and hearing people scream.

That was why Taihō was at the SRDI when alarms suddenly began blaring, and people began horridly running towards one of the SRDI’s main computer terminals. At first, Taihō ignored the commotion, as she was too interested in her experiment to be bothered. After all, one of the SRDI’s other main functions was the monitoring of spiritual activity in the Land of the Living; more than likely they had just detected Hollow activity, and would soon be dispatching Shinigami to handle the situation. No need to involve a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen. However, one of the researchers stopped near Taihō’s station and, with no small degree of unease, spoke up.

”Ah, Captain Kasumi’Oji. You…may want to see this.” Taihō paused for an moment, turning to glance up at the researcher. Though her expression was just as blank and featureless as ever, and much of her face was hidden by her oversized trench-coat, the researcher paled any way. Taihō’s love of violently vivisecting people was well known here at the SRDI, and it was understood that the Captain would gladly flay anyone who got on her bad side. As such, the young researcher, who had most likely been volunteered by his co-workers, seemed to tremble unconsciously as Taihō turned her gaze on him.

”…Very well. I can always resume my experiment later…” As she spoke, raising to her full, somewhat impose height, the researcher breathed a small breath of relief, his fear seeming to evaporate into the ether. At least, until Taihō spoke again, saying. ”…With a fresh subject…” With this, and without sparring the young researcher another glance, Taihō made her way to the terminal, which was no surrounded by a rather large crowd. The researcher, his skin an ashen grey, stood trembling, as another of his number joined him.

”Tch…nice knowing you, buddy.” was all he said, patting the unlucky researcher on the back.

***

As Taihō approached the monitor, a hole opened up in the crowd to allow her through, partly out of respect for her rank, and partly out of fear for who held tha rank. When she reached the monitor, she found herself watching a powerfully built man in a city in the Land of the Living, battling a great number of Hollows. She immediately recognized the Bakkoto in his hand, since it was her own family which manufactured and sold the highly illegal and dangerous weapons. Secretly, of course. Taihō watched disinterestedly as the man engaged a seemingly impossible number of Hollows, and for a time he seemed doomed. However, no matter how many of the beasts attacked him, he never once faltered, and it soon became clear that he would, in all likely hood, survive the night.

”His name is Garret. Not much is known about him, but your sis…I mean, Azumi Kasumi’Oji had been interested in him.” Taihō’s eyes narrowed slightly, and for an instance an almost palpable aura of malice rippled off of her flesh. Azumi had been recalled to the Zero Division some time ago, before disappearing completely following the assassination of the Vandenreich Emperor. Many of her projects had been moth-balled, or abandoned completely. It would seem this “Garret” was one such project.



Taihō had held no great love for her sister Azumi. In fact, it was more accurate to say that she had wanted her sister dead. However, the wellbeing of the family had always been the greatest priority for Taihō, and so she had supported her sister whole-heartedly. After Azumi’s recall, however, Taihō had been forced to take over as Head of the Kasumi’Oji family. It was a position she had once desired, but now knew she was ill-suited for. However, that was a matter for another time. At the moment, this Garret had caught Taihō’s interest.


Without another word, Taihō turned and left, making her way to the Senkaimon. Ordinarily, even a Captain had to have a very good reason to be allowed passage to the World of the Living, but Taihō quite simply bullied her way through the door, intimidating just about everyone who tried to stop her into submission. And so, as the sun rose overt the Land of the Living, Taihō stepped through the Senkaimon, in over the remains of a battlefield. And standing at the center of it all, was Garret, looking up at the doorway the sky expectantly.

Taihō dropped down to the ground with the casual grace of a true badass, using air ground to slow her dissent just enough to avoid damage. She landed in a slight crouch, then stood and faced the man in question. He was powerfully built, slightly taller than Taihō herself, but Taihō wasn’t in the slightest bit intimidated by him. She simply stood before him for a moment, in her massively oversized Captain’s Haroi, watching him, reading his soul with her advanced Energy Sensing skills, all the while keeping her own Reiatsu tightly suppressed, so that there was nothing at all for the man to read coming from her. Finally, after a tense moment, she spoke, her voice as soft and cold as a lone wind through a frozen night.

”I am Taihō Kasumi’Oji. Are you the one they call Garret the Wanderer? If so…I believe we have much to discuss.”

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{The Stats and the Skills}Type: Spiritual Genius, Level 4

Strength - [150/3=50] Points

Speed - [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [150*3=450] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400*3=1200] Points

Light Aura - [0] Points

Dark Aura - [100] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Energy sensory - [250*3=750] Points

Healing Expertise - [150/3=50] Points


Abilities
[Weapon: Swords] [3]

[Illusion Resist] [3]

[Battle Analysis] [3]

[Stealth] [3]

[Strength of Will] [3]

[Garret]

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC} Short / Bleh post, sorry. Works been kicking my ass since we had 3 people suddenly quit over dispute with the manager so...yeah you know how that goes.

A scowl painted itself across his rugged face as he looked upwards to the woman standing in the sky. His single eye narrowed slightly, focusing in on her as he tried to recognize her. He had honestly expected it to be that woman, Azumi, since she seemed to be the only one who really knew about him. But this one was different. Sure, her hair was the same color as Azumis but everything else was different. The swordsmans eyes followed her decent to the ground, keeping his body hidden partially within his cloak. The man didn't know why this woman was here, for all he knew she could be an enemy. So he remained guarded as she inspected him.

Looking her over at this distance, Garret was sure that this wasn't Azumi. Unless his memory was bad, her hair was in a completely different style than the last time that he had seen her. But he was convinced this wasn't Azumi, considering the fact that her facial features were completely different. But he could be wrong, he could be remembering incorrectly. After all the last time he had seen Azumi had to have been at least seven months ago. Speaking of, he was having trouble remembering when the last time was he had even seen another person. If that was the case, then he was doing something right in regards to his desire to avoid people and civilization. But today's events would reset that clock.

As the captain inspecting the swordsman with her advanced energy sensory capabilities, she would be able to feel the condition of Garrets soul. A soul that was fractured, one that most resembled a raging inferno eager to consume everything it came across. There was much anger in the swordsman, rivaled by a pain that always plagued the man. His soul carried a noticeable wound, one that never seemed capable of healing. But there was more. There was something wrong with his soul. If Taiho chose to look deep enough there was an anomaly with the swordsman inner being. A corruption, like a foreign substance woven so deeply in the bindings of his being it would be impossible to remove. Looking in that deep though, Taiho would see brief scenes from the swordsman's life, like the pages of a picture book being flipped through too quickly.

And finally an introduction. Maintaining eye contact he narrowed his eye the man spoke back. "I didn't know I had a title. It's Garret. Just Garret." His voice carried with it his body's exhaustion. The swordsman wanted to get whatever this was over with so that he could find someplace to rest. But, his question got answered without him asking. This wasn't Azumi. Rather, this was Taiho Kasumi'Oji. She carried the same last name as Azumi had, something that Garret picked up on. "Kasumi'Oji? You're part of the same family as that other woman then? Well? What is it? What do you want? Or is it what does she want? I thought she said that I would be left alone." Garret concluded, speaking his mind with that usual foul attitude of his.

He most certainly came off as rude, but could you blame him? He had just gotten done fighting through the night against monsters trying to eat him, and now he wasn't being allowed to leave the area to go sleep due to some woman wanting to waste his time. He crossed his arms, looking down at her as he awaited the answers to his own questions. He actually had no idea who it was he was talking to. He had barely any knowledge about the rank and file of the Shinigami so he didn't recognize the haori that Taiho wore across his body. For all the Rogue knew the woman before him was just some lower on the tree family member that Azumi sent instead of coming herself. But then that raised the question of why was Azumi even bothering him? There was an agreement between them that he would be left alone. His curse was too problematic to be allowed to exist in the Seireitei, so he was released into the World of the Living to do whatever he wanted. Azumi had given him his weapon, and that thing, and was told they would give him powers but still he couldn't figure out how to unlock them.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

Ah…he obviously doesn’t know what’s been happening lately. Oh course, he wouldn’t have had any contact with Soul Society after Azumi vanished. As she thought this, Taihō took a moment to read the man before her, peering deeply into his soul. She felt his exhaustion, the endless nights of battle. His was strong, not out of vanity, or some thirst for power, but out of necessity; the moment he showed weakness would be the moment he died. Beneath that, she felt…something. Some sort of anomaly in his soul, like a cancer that was ravaging his spirit. This, then, would be what had drawn Azumi to the man. A malady like this would have proven irresistible to her.

”The other woman? Ah, you must mean my sister, Azumi. Yes, she did say that, but…she’s dead now. I am head of the Kasumi’Oji family now.” She paused, letting that bit of information settle into his mind, before continuing in the same ghostly calm voice, ”Before her death, my sister had been working on understanding you’re…affliction. She seemed to think there was some way of removing it. When I learned of this, I felt compelled to complete her work. That is…if you are interested?”

It was, of course, a lie. Just knowing that this man had been associated, however briefly, with her sister made Taihō want to pull his throat out. However, the opportunity to examine him outweighed her personal dislike for the man. Yes, that was the soul motivator for Taihō at this point. Curiosity. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that whatever was wrong with his soul was likely what was attracting the Hollows to him, and Taihō was intrigued by this phenomena. What were its limitations? It’s parameters? Could it be weaponized? Could it attract Arrancar? Could it lure them into a trap? Into their death? These were the things that Taihō was interested in, but more than anything, she just wanted to know how it worked. At the end of the day, any practical applications of Garret’s condition were secondary to just understanding it.

That was what Taihō really thought. She almost didn’t see Garret as a person; rather, he was just a another lab rat. While she offered him a cure, it was just bait. She didn’t know if curing garret was possible. In fact, what little of Azumi’s research Taihō had located before leaving all indicated that it was impossible to cure, and would only grow stronger over time. But Taihō didn’t care. She didn’t care if it was impossible to save him. She didn’t care if she crushed his spirit, or mutilated his body with her experiments. His own wellbeing was secondary to Taihō’s curiosity.

After giving Garret a moment to consider what she had said, Taihō continued helpfully, ”Of course, I understand if you need time to think about this. You must be exhausted from your battles. If you prefer, we can reconvene in the evening.” Taihō’s tone barely altered, but she gave of an air of sincerity as she spoke, meeting Garret’s gaze unflinchingly. It was a reasonable offer. After all, the man had just finished fighting dozens of Hollows. He deserved a chance to rest and recover. Especially if it encouraged him to cooperate.

(OOC: Basically, if you want, we can time-skip to the evening. If not, we can continue like normal.)

[Garret]

"So...she's dead, huh?" Garret asked, the news of such events actually stunning him briefly. The man's scar covered face softened slightly, his expression turning into one of momentary sadness. He had not known Azumi for long, only a few days in fact, but she had at least been truthful to him. She had been the one to bear the news of Cassandra's death to him, it was she who explained his affliction to him, it was she that gave him the tool necessary for survival, and it was because of her that he was able to leave the Rukongai at all. "That is unfortunate to hear" Garret continued "I owed your sister quite the debt." He finished, looking at Taiho once again. The Captain didn't even need to look at his soul to see the exhaustion on his face, the dark coloring beneath his eye and the way he stood should have been enough of a tell.

But it was what Taiho said next that caused his face to return to scowling. The man narrowed his eye, questioningly tilting his head just slightly. The news of her trying to figure out some way to remove the curse that plagued his soul sounded both uplifting and yet suspicious. "Your sister claimed that my affliction was incurable. What was told to me was that it was something never documented before, but from some...analysis it was something wrong with my very soul itself, that not even death would separate me from it." Garret explained, probably throwing a hitch in Taihos plans. The swordsman frowned, looking at her for a moment as he pondered what had been said. If such a cure did exist, or was in the process of being created, did he really want to squander it? The swordsmans frown deepened as he thought his decision over. Well, he might as well hear her out.

"But." He began. "If you do know a way to remove it, I am all ears." Garret stated, crossing his arms as he stared back at her. When she gave the offer to meet again later in the day, he just nodded. "That would be best. I can't stay in the same general area that my affliction has affected, it makes the effects stronger." He explained, unknowingly giving Taiho a nice juicy bit of information. The sound of his feet pushing off the grass was then heard as he walked past Taiho in the direction the plains stretched. "Find me at least two hours before sunset. Then we can talk." He explained, before hushing himself and reserving to walking. Even if Taiho said something the man would continue west, heading towards the horizon.

Can it...actually be removed?

Hours later Garret was somewhere else. He seemed to still be in the plains he had been walking in earlier, but the scenery had changed. Mountains were now visible in the distance, boulders and dead trees littered the landscape as well, and a forest was also visible. The evening sky was cloud free, giving the swordsman an unobstructed view of the sun. Sitting down in the field with a boulder to his back, Garret was rather preoccupied with something. With a grunt he pulled the meat from his meals body, the slender form of the serpent letting the meat peel right off. Both its severed head and peeled scales lay beside the swordsman, the unneeded leftovers from his quick meal. His hands bloodied from the peeling, he almost looked a madman chewing raw meat. But the fire he sat in front of provided warmth and a good place to cook his food. With a gulp he finished, tossing the bones and organs aside as he took a few gulps from his canteen.

With that, he leaned back again, making himself comfortable against his stone seat. Since he had last seen Taiho his mind had been filled with the offer she had presented. Could his Osen actually be removed? His eye looked skyward yet it did not focus on what it was seeing, his consciousness being focused on the question in his mind. He slowly blinked, trying to come up with some reasoning behind the possibility of his ailment being cured, when even death wouldn't free him from it. The curse was so deeply connected with his soul that separation should have been impossible. With a sigh he readjusted himself, pulling one leg in while leaving the other out extended. He had walked many miles today, having already slept the needed amount. His body was used to it by this point, a rhythm that many others wouldn't be able to handle. He was grateful for his spiritual body and its hardiness, coupled with his incredible endurance and recovery talents.

Can it actually be removed?

He asked himself yet again, raising his left hand up and looking down onto it. His single dull gray colored eye gazed down at himself, wondering yet again at the possibility of being "cured". He imagined it; nights that were no longer battles. He imagined that he would no longer stand amongst the corpses of monsters, drenched in a mixture of his and their blood, covered in injuries, his hand bleeding from chaffing against his swords hilt. He gazed at the thick calluses in his palms, the result of a lifetime, and an afterlife's time, of combat. He could have peace again. The swordsman's gaze softened again as he pondered that word, peace. Could he actually experience peace again? He closed his eye, his mind drifting back to times long past.

The Rukongai stretched out before him. He felt the dirt against his feet, between his toes, the sounds of conversations, work, and wagons. A smile was across his face as he walked with someone beside him with her own arms wrapped around his. A woman of unimaginable beauty leaned against him with a smile on her face. Long raven black coupled with bright blue eyes, her appearance stunned him each time he saw her. "Hey Garret, you remember what we have planned tonight...right?" She asked, her gaze shifting upwards with a playful look in her eyes. The man chuckled with a response "Yes, I remember. I won't forget to pick up the fish on my way home. Kakashi would lose his mind if I forgot the eel. "

It was a simpler time. His life in the Rukongai was when he was the most happiest. Cassandra had been the one who kept him from forgetting his past, though he honestly doubted he could. His life had been hard. A life full of bloodshed and war. A traumatic experience, something he could never forget.

Do...I want it removed?

"Garret...it's alright." She whispered, resting herself against his trembling back. Another nightmare. A remembrance of that moonlight battle, of a hundred versus two. The battle that cost not only gave him the title of Hundred Man Slayer, but the same that cost both his life and his uncles. The guilt he felt over his uncles passing still tore at him, something that Cassandra sought to overcome. She closed her eyes, pressing herself into the skin of his back. Face hidden in his hands he trembled, heavy breathing as he sought to calm himself down. Garret.." She whispered, catching his attention. "You've told me the stories countless times. You've told me about all the people you've killed, how their faces haunt you now that you've laid down your sword. I understand why you're scared, why you feel guilty. But Garret...I want you to remember something." She whispered, resting the side of her face against his back. "Remember that I'm here. All your pain, your fears, you guilt. I'm here. Let me help shoulder your burdens, my love. Let me in, let me mend your pain, don't push me away. You and I are together, now and forever. Let me help you let it go. So please...don't let it consume you."
...

...

"GARRET!!"

His palm met his face, pressing inwards as his rage came forth. The swordsman eye changed, from a look of relaxation to something of pure fury. The tips of his fingers dug into his skin, his vision blured and his body racked with tremors. His breathing became snarls, gasping like an animal as he remembered it. He remembered why he fought. He remembered why he hated. He remembered why he lived. All around him small animals fled their homes, running across the plains away from him in terror. The bloodlust released from him was inhuman, more like that of some monster. "Peace?" He asked himself, his eye widened between his fingers as he stared down at the ground seeing nothing but red. "How...how can I know peace?" He asked as some of his nails pierced through his skin. The scene played in his head over and over. The scene that haunted his memories. His right eye began to hurt, he pressed his jaws together with such force that a glint of crimson appeared between his teeth. "When I'm still not over this! How could I ever get over this?!" He shouted, swinging his arm backwards and from his face. "The last thing my right eye saw...how could I??"

His fist collided with the boulder behind him, not only breaking it but causing it to explode away from him. He sat there, leaning forward, gasping as a savage smile painted itself across his face. My curse is what brings them to me, those who took her from me! I promised to kill them all! Every single one of them! His reiatsu was flaring, his murderous intent could be felt from nearly a mile away. His anger, the fury, the fire that was inside him had awakened yet again and sought to consume everything. He wanted Hollows. He wanted them now. His sword needed their blood. He needed to kill them, less this fury would not stop. His right eye was in pain, that thing was moving again. But before he did something, anything else, he remembered something. A single sentence came to mind.

So please...don't let it consume you."

He sat there for a minute, his breathing slowing down. The murderous intent died down as well, as remembering the words that his lover had told him calmed him down. The thing in his eye stopped stirring as well, thus dying down the pain. He sat there, staring down at the ground as he remembered what it was she told him. This wasn't what Cassandra would have wanted for him, but he had no choice anymore. He was fighting for survival, and for revenge. He wouldn't stop until every single Hollow had been erased. Maybe then, and only then, he might find peace. But. That wouldn't have been what Cassandra had wanted. She would have wanted him to let it go, to live on with her memory in his heart. She didn't want him to pick up the blade again, to return to being the Hundred Man Slayer. But...did he have a choice. So he rested, sitting there and waiting for his new acquaintance to arrive. He would listen to what she had to say before making a decision. And besides, there was a possibility that she might have known how to active that thing in his eye.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

For a long, breathless minute, Taihō listened to Garret recite to her all of the reasons Azumi’s notes said curing the man of his affliction would be impossible. For a moment, she worried if she had stepped to far, pushed too hard, and lost her quarry. She prepared herself for the man’s rejection, already concocting new ways of acquiring his consent. Indeed, her thoughts progressed to the point where she decided, with alarming calm, that the best course of action would be to remove Garret’s limbs. Surely, that would make him more amicable to her plans. There would obviously be a loss in research material, but what remained would be more than enough, if Taihō’s calculations were correct.

Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. Though Garret would never know it, he had dodged a bullet by agreeing to meet Taihō later in the evening. As Garret turned and walked away, Taihō nodded her head in agreement, and went her own way. Truthfully, she did not wander far, only to find a tree under which she could sit. In the partial gloom under the tree, Taihō removed a small notepad from within her robes, and began taking her own detailed notes of Garret. She recorded what she read from his soul, as well as what his general attitude and bearing seemed to be. She designed elaborate experiments and tests to perform on him, ranging from the benign to the sadistic, and considered what resources she would need in order to perform these experiments. Her notes were cold and clean, describing with the same professional tone everything from simple observational studies to complete vivisection. Everything she had planned for Garret was recorded in that notebook.

As she wrote, Taihō made sure to track Garret’s position via her Energy Sensory. Her range was considerable, enough to accurately keep tabs on individuals who were several miles away. Though she couldn’t peer into Garret’s soul at this distance, she had already learned everything she needed to know about him in the few short minutes they had spent speaking. Now, all she needed to do was decide on what to do next.

As the sun approached the horizon, Taihō noticed that Garret had remained stationary for a significant amount of time. For quite some time, nothing happened, and Taihō wondered if he were sleeping. However, there suddenly came a spike of Reiatsu from his direction, a surge of murderous intent that rose like a palpable wave and washed over the country side. For an instant, Taihō worried that Garret had been attacked. However, she quickly realized that it was Garret himself who was producing this wave of energy, and that there were no other energy signatures near him. Unless a being of truly horrendous power, something which occupied a realm even Taihō could not sense, had decided to assault the man, then he was not likely to be in danger. Considering the absurdly low percentage of this occurring, Taihō ruled it out almost at once.

Instead, it seemed that something else had precipitated this sudden outburst of emotion and energy. Had it been a nightmare? An old memory rising to the surface of the conscious mind? Perhaps he was less mentally stable than he appeared? Taihō spent some time considering these possibilities, before deciding that, whatever the situation may have been, there was only one way to uncover the truth. Waiting a moment for Garret’s Reiatsu to die down, Taihō vanished via Shunpo, and arrived a few feet in front of the man. She noted at once the debris left behind by his assault on the boulder, indicating he possessed truly formidable strength. Although Taihō was unconcerned by this, she did make a mental note to avoid physical contact with the man, should hostilities break out.

”I noticed your outburst. Are you alright?” Although this was a seemingly selfless and kindhearted question, anyone who knew Taihō would know better than to think something like that. She wasn’t really interested in how he was feeling, or what had happened. She just wanted to confirm that her potential research subject wasn’t damaged. However, Garret would have no way of knowing this, and would likely take the question at face value.

After hearing Garret’s response to her question, and anything else he might have felt compelled to say, Taihō decided it was time to get to the matter at hand. While she would clearly have to bring Garret back to Soul Society in order to perform any detailed examinations, she doubted even she could get such a thing approved, given Garret’s condition. For now, she would have to content herself with field tests, which still promised to be very informative, if a little bit boring.

”I can only assume you are eager to hear what I have to say in regards to curing you of your affliction. However, I have a few questions I would like to ask you first. I’m afraid many of my sister’s notes were lost, or are incomplete, and I would like to confirm that I have an accurate idea of what, exactly, is occurring before we continue.” She paused, to let this think in, before continuing in the same cold, almost mechanical tone, ”For the record, what, exactly, is the nature of your affliction? What stimulates it to activate? Have you found any reliable ways of preventing it from activating?” Taihō had more questions to ask, but felt these would do for now. While she was already reasonably confident in her understanding of Garret’s curse, it never hurt to double check one’s information. More than that, however, his answers could provide valuable insight, and would help to inform her future experiments, thus expediting the research process.

As Taihō awaited Garret’s response, she noted the sun reaching toward the horizon. Night would soon be upon them. If Garret’s curse worked the way Azumi’s notes said it did, that would mean that, come nightfall, Taihō and Garret could very well be swimming in Hollows. But, Taihō casually brushed this notion aside. She doubted there would be any Hollows capable of threatening her, a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen. And not just any Captain, but one of the strongest currently alive. She was mighty, in ways that Garret would likely not understand until he saw them for himself. He may have been dreading the coming of night, but Taihō was actually looking forward to it; she had always been a creature of darkness, and besides; it had been too long since she killed something last.


OOC: May as well track Reiatsu costs, just in case a fight does break out.
Reiatsu: 4500-50=4450

[Garret]

His session of self pity ended when a sudden sound caught his attention, blinking with surprise when the Shinigami from the morning appeared before him. He recognized the sound of the Shunpo technique, meaning that she must have used it to come to him. But did that mean she was spying on him nearby or had she travelled such a vast distance using her technique. Regardless, she was here now. The woman then asked him a question that he read as being kind, to which the swordsman simply averted his gaze before answering with "I'm fine." Was all he chose to say. With a grunt he pushed himself to his feet, standing to his full height and looking down on the woman. This Shinigami, this woman, who promised him a freedom from a curse that not even death could free him from. How would she do it? He was suspicious, for sure, but decided he would hear her out.

He frowned slightly as Taiho claimed that many of Azumis research and notes on him had actually been lost. Had she been attacked? Murdered by a raiding party? Or did she take the information to the grave? Anyways, Taiho wanted to ask some questions about the Osen? He responded with a disinterested shrug, giving her non verbal consent to continue. And so the questions came. What was the actual curse, what stimulated it, and did Garret have any luck disabling it. The swordsman was quiet for a moment, pondering over both the questions and her. Did she just want to confirm some things that she already knew? It wasn't like he couldn't answer the questions, it's just he almost didn't want to.

"No. I've had no luck with preventing its activation, even when in a place Hollows couldn't reach." He explained, turning from Taiho and walking a few steps away. Facing towards the setting sun, he continued to answer. "After I had been attacked and left on deaths doorstep, I was brought into the Seireitei for healing. I was told that two days after being brought in, the Shinigami caring for me saw something wrong with my soul...something she couldn't explain. That was when your sister took notice...and I wish it had just been her. Around the same time was when the first Hollows began appearing in the Districts closest to where I was staying in the Seireitei. At first, from what I was told, it was only a few. But then the next night it was a dozen, then three, then more and more. Soon the nearest Districts became a battle ground, with more Hollows appearing each night." The man explained, taking a moment to catch his thoughts.

"I was in the Seireitei for six days. Two were spent in recovery; the next four were when it began. There were many lives that were lost in those Districts, just from my being there. Even though the Hollows couldn't breach the walls and...invisible shield thing they were still drawn to me." He explained, continuing to watch the sun. "What was told to me is that when my curse activates my spiritual energy emits a scent, or something, that lures in Hollows every night." Garret continued to explain.

With that, her question must have been answered, correct? The man looked onward to the evening sun, knowing that they only had under two hours before the night came. He was quiet for a moment, as if waiting for Taiho to continue asking questions. But the man had some of his own. As he turned to face the Captain he asked his question as he reached behind him "I have my own question, though." Gripping the hilt of his weapon he pulled it free from the hook and strap on his back. The weapon should have been inconceivably heavy, carrying such weight that Garret shouldn't have been able to pull it free so easily.

The man then brought that weapon that could be called a sword down, holding it horizontally between him and Taiho. "This." he began in reference to the sword "Your sister called it something...a Bakkoto if I remember correctly. Not only that, but she put something inside me along with it...so what I'm asking is what, exactly, is this sword? It's unlike any I have ever seen. It doesn't chip, it doesn't rust, it doesn't get dull." Maybe if he learned more about his weapon, then maybe he could figure out how to release the hidden power within it.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

Taihō remained silent as she listened to Garret’s response, absorbing his words without offering any reaction to what he said. His story, which some may have found tragic, or at least deserving of some sympathy, proved only to illustrate to Taihō how potent this man’s affliction was. To turn the Rukongai into a battle ground after just a few nights was…impressive. Already, gears were turning in her mind, as thoughts of possibly weaponizing this curse began to crystalize in her mind. Something like that could give Soul Society a distinct advantage in the on-going struggle against Los Noches. However, she would have to learn more about this curse before any research in that direction could be performed.

When he was finished Taihō nodded quietly, then said softly, ”Thank you. With that, I think I have a complete understanding of your affliction.” She was about to say more, when Garret indicated that he had a question of his own. Well, it was only natural that he would have questions, so Taihō waited expectantly for his inquiry. Her expression remained impassive, hidden behind the high collar of her haroi, as Garret drew forth his massive Bakkoto, holding it between them. Ah…he wanted to know more about his weapon? Leave it to Azumi to give a man a living weapon, and tell him none of its secrets. Garret clearly didn’t know that what he held in his hand was a living being given the form of a sword. However, he happened to be speaking to just the right woman to set him straight.

Mood Music

”Yes…that is called a Bakkoto.” Taihō confirmed, her tone softening by an almost imperceptible degree. Her family had been making the Bakkoto for a very long time, and in many ways, they could be considered the ultimate legacy of her bloodline. To Taihō, the Bakkoto were more than just weapons; they were almost family. ”However, I must correct you on one point: The Bakkoto is no meager sword. It is a living being, forged into a weapon. My family has been making them for generations” For once, Taihō gave a straight answer; telling this man about his weapon posed no risk to herself or the family, and indeed, it would likely improve his chances of survival considerably. And if Taihō were going to perform the research she had planned, she needed Garret to stay alive for as long as possible. He needed to grow strong, and for that, he needed to know as much as he could about his weapon. Of course, there would always be some things he would have to find out for himself. No two Bakkoto were ever the same, and while Taihō could teach him about the weapons in general, he would need to uncover his sword’s potential on his own.

”Some consider the Bakkoto to be a parasite, however, it is actually a symbiotic organism. It feeds upon your life force, and in return, it will grow stronger as you do, evolving into the ultimate weapon. The sword you hold in your hand today will, in time, become a weapon of almost unlimited potential.” She paused, turning toward the slowly setting sun, as she gave Garret a chance to digest this information. Then, she continued softly, ”Truthfully, I cannot tell you what your Bakkoto will become. No two are ever the same, and as they grow they often develop strange forms and abilities. However, I can promise you that as long you carry the Bakkoto, it will serve you faithfully in all of your struggles.”

However, even when she told the truth, Taihō was still a liar. A lie of omission was, perhaps, the worst lie of them all. What she had said was true; Garret’s Bakkoto would grow stronger as he did, eventually becoming a weapon that could rival some of the most powerful Zanpakuto wielded by the Captains of the Gotei Thirteen. But what she hadn’t said was just as important: To wield the Bakkoto was to gamble with one’s life. Ordinarily, the Bakkoto only sipped at Garret’s life, taking just enough to sustain itself without harming it’s host. However, as its power grew, and as Garret used that power more and more in his fights, the Bakkoto’s hunger would grow. Eventually, the sword would devour every last drop of life in Garret’s body, leaving nothing but a dried up husk. And then the sword would sleep, until it found a new victim. This was the truth of the Bakkoto: More than just weapons, they were monsters.

”If you were interested, I could help you in your journey. My family has influence even here in the World of the Living; we can assist you in finding safe places to rest, and in acquiring supplies. It would also make it easier for me to help you master your Bakkoto. And of course, it would only expedite my research into curing you of your affliction.”[/color] Taihō looked back toward Garret expectantly, waiting to hear what he thought on the matter.

[Garret]

The swordsman was quiet, lowering his sword back down to the ground as he allowed Taiho to speak. The reveal that his weapon was no mere sword, but was in fact a living breathing creature, came at quite the shock to the man. He turned his gaze down to the mass he held onto, looking at it like one might give a stranger. No longer did it seem to be the weapon he knew so well, the weapon that he counted on so much. It was alien, different. In fact, the realization it was alive almost made him sick. Had it been any other weapon, one that failed to serve him as well as it did he would have thrown it away. But, even alive, this was his sword. Even though it was alive, it never communicated with him at least. Taiho continued, explaining that her family, the Kasumi'Oji, actually manufactured these things. It made sense now how the late Azumi was able to collect it for him.

What she said next though, caused the swordsman to blink. The sword was feeding on him? He blinked, looking at the woman as he digested what was said to him. It now made sense, how ever since he implanted that thing into his eye socket and began carrying that sword he felt...drained in a way. Never enough to hinder him, but enough that he noticed. Like a form of slight exhaustion that he could never get rid of. So in return for its strength it fed off of him, off of his life energies. He frowned, not liking the sound of that. But then again did it make a difference? It had saved his life many times, allowed him to survive countless nights. And according to Taiho, the more it fed the stronger it would become.

So long as he continued to wield it, both he and the Bakkoto would become stronger. With barely any effort he lifted the weapon up and behind his shoulder, sliding it back into its strap and onto it's hook, freeing his arm and thus allowing him to cross them across his chest. Taiho, now facing the evening sun, explained that no two Bakkoto were the same. Their forms and abilities were unique to their wielder. But, at the same time, the swordsman felt like something was...missing. His frown deepened, turning into a scowl as he eyed the woman before him. Must have just been his paranoia messing with him. Why would Taiho keep the truth from him if she wanted to cure him?

"No point in lying, it's worked wonders so far...even if whatever power it's got hasn't been released yet.." Garret commented, turning his own gaze away. It was then that Taiho began again, this time with a different topic. He blinked slowly, drinking in her offer of an alliance of sort, between him and her family. What she was offering was safe places to rest, assistance in acquiring supplies? What need did Garret need of those? He avoided civilization, as Hollows did not venture into the wilderness. If they did, then what was there for them to eat? So long as he remained in the wilds, he had no fear of resting. Animals avoided him out of fear, and he was easily able to kill anything he needed to eat by releasing his own pressure. He needed not fear disease, as his spiritual body was immune to such perils of the living.

However, the tidbit about his Bakkoto and the constant bait of being cured had him interested. But what was she seeking from this? The chance to study him? Garret narrowed his eye, not quite content on simply agreeing to something before he heard what his own end was going to be. He was about to deny her, when a thought came to his mind. What if I need her? Could he unlock his Bakkotos mysteries without her? He wasn't having any luck so far, but then again had he actually been trying? It had only been a few weeks since he had learned to use his reiatsu. He still needed to learn, he was lacking knowledge in a good number of fields.

Not only that, but if he continued to bumble around then his curse would overtake him. It would get stronger without him, luring in even stronger Hollows that he might not be able to take care of. The thought of them caused his lip to twitch, just slightly, into a snarl, and for his grip to tighten on his arm. All of them.. Thinking on her offer, he reminded himself he was running low on medical supplies. He was on the last of his bandages, and he had ran out of medicine some time ago. He turned back to her, deciding on how he was going to answer. "Fine. I accept the offer. I'm not in a position to be turning down help anyway. What is it, though, you want from me?" Garret asked.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

OOC: Short post is short. Sorry

IC: Taihō felt a small shiver of pleasure race down her spine as Garret agreed to her proposition. Not that his compliance was, strictly speaking, necessary; it was simply preferable for Taihō that he join her willingly, without her having to “coerce” him. However, while she was pleased by his response, it was unlikely Garret would notice, as her expression barely changed, remaining almost glacially cool. Things like joy had difficulty piercing the shell of psychosis wrapped around her heart, so while she felt it, she almost never expressed it. While this had the unfortunate effect of alienating her from others somewhat, there were also positives to it, as well.

For instance, Garret would not be likely to notice as Taihō’s feeling of joy abruptly plummeted following his question. She had hoped he would accept her seeming generosity at face value, but it seemed he was smarter than she had given him credit for. Or perhaps, it was just the instinct of a man forced to survive on his own? Could he sense that, in some way, this situation was too good to be true? That there had to be a catch? If that were the case, Taihō realized she would have to set his mind at ease, reassure him that this really was for the best. However, trying too hard could backfire spectacularly, possibly risking this rare research opportunity. Fortunately, while Taihō wasn’t as infamous as someone like Sozen, she was perfectly capable of being subtle and manipulative when the need arose.

”All I require from you is some of your time. I may have to preform observations on your from time to time to learn more about your affliction, and of course I will have to test my work to determine if I am approaching a cure. Under normal circumstances, I would invite you to stay at my manner in Soul Society, but I think you understand why that would not be possible in this situation. Instead, I will have my supporters here in the Land of the Living contact you when I need to see you, so that a meeting can be arranged. I will, of course, endeavor to make this meetings as unobtrusive for you as possible. Other than this, I require nothing from you.”

[Garret]

So, in return for her services he would be required to give her some of his time? Garret didn't see any problem with that. Sure, he was still rather skeptical about this whole thing, but he didn't see an alternative that worked out quite so well for him. He could have denied it, of course, but how would that have helped him. "Fair enough." He commented, turning his attention back to the setting sun. It wouldn't be long now, maybe only half an hour before the ball of light dipped down below the horizon. He narrowed his eye slightly, knowing what was going to happen once the light was gone. The man turned from Taiho, heading back to the spot that he had been resting before picking up his traveling bag.

As the twilight began to end, Garret looked at the Captain once more. What was she going to do? If the Kasumi'Oji wanted to see Garrets affliction in action, then she would need to stay. But, at the same time, staying meant she would be endanger herself. But, for her, where the Hollows really a threat? The Rogue drew his weapon, planting the blade in the earth so it was ready when he needed it. His gaze planted on the horizon, as the light began to fade. "I'd advise you to leave." He commented, giving a moment for that sentence to sink in before he began again.

"Unless you can fight it won't be safe, and despite our agreement I'm not going to go out of my way to protect you. It's nothing personal...it's just I'd rather you not be in my way. Their numbers generally vary each night, but for the past two nights their has been more than usual. " Garret explained, turning his attention to Taiho again. His mind drifted to back those nights, how the Hollows were getting...stronger. Many of them spoke, came with their own unique set of abilities.

That had been the reason why Garret was so interested in unlocking the secrets of his Bakkoto. As the Hollows grew stronger, his chances of survival decreased at the same time. As the last bits of light vanished, there was a silence. Garrets grip tightened around his weapon, before he ripped it from the earth with a sudden pull. Shortly afterwards, both of them would hear the howls. They were coming from all around, off in the distance, followed by the sound of crushing foliage. It was obvious they were coming from the woods around them, but how many? Garret looked around him, thankful that tonight the moon produced enough light for him to see

SPOILER: Click to show

{ooc}
Blah. Horrible post, I blame the cold. Anyways, it's that time again. Garrets Osen is now active, meaning that Hollows and Arrancar Classes 4 and under are allowed to invade the thread. NPC Hollows played by members can also now invade. You do get points for your participation.

[Adrastos]

OOC: Received special permission from Ray to enter into the thread. Here goes nothing.

IC:

Roaming the lands of Las Noches was boring to say the least. The weak filth that lingered about the presence of the beast king held little to no entertainment that use to spark the tyrant's interest let alone to quench his hunger. Aside from what the twins had promised the beast managed to fill his appetite to an extent but now with his presence acknowledged among the other Adjuchas and smaller Hollows they dare not to venture close to him. The dreary world of Hueco Mundo posed no real interest and no real threat to his Kingdom out in the White Desert since there were little who took interest in it. That faint annoyance definitely spoke volumes in the back of the rampant beast's mind. This particular struck a cord to the ancient Greek spirit that lingered within, something was missing.

Foot steps left cracked imprints on the cold hard floor that led the beast to where he was meant to met with the two Arrancar girls, but seemed as though he arrived a few moments early. May or may not but having to wait did little but irritate him even further. The creature couldn't help but thrash about against the stone pillars that held the corridor together. Those firm towers began to crumble under the weight and strength of the beast, not to mention its size. Among most of the Adjuchas that Adrastos encountered he was one of the largest predators out in Hueco Mundo. None thus far had ever challenged his might or tenacity. That changed very quickly after another moment passed.

Seemingly from out of no where Hollows began to manifest into the area. Surprisingly how fearless that many of the Hollows stepped into his area. Adrastos wondered for a time but quickly faded from his thoughts when digging his fangs into a pitiful dog of Las Noches. Literally, the Hollow was a dog when it was whole and without the deep gashes that his fangs left behind. The poor pooch find its own demise quickly before a lion like hollow found the same fate. Three other Hollows came into view shortly after the Lion was swallowed whole. The bloody chucks of flesh and bone slid down the wide marrow of the beast's throat when he eyed the new intruders. Just as the Adjuchas was about to sink his teeth into another morsal a Garganta gate split open from behind him. The jaw like ridge tore itself open from the pair of Hollows formed from their power.

Those Hollows appeared out of their regular mind set which Adrastos deemed ominous. Like zombies being lured by fresh meat they wandered into the Garganta without hesitation or thought. Adrastos wasn't going to allow such impudent weaklings walk away without recognizing his presence. What better way to go about that then sinking his fangs into the leading Hollow while feeling the second sink beneath the weight of his foot. The cougar was partially through the gate when the large snout snapped the Hollow from its footing and back into the back. Were not for the other Hollows pushing from behind the King of Beasts wouldn't have gone through the Garganta. While the bones and flesh collapsed under the natural strength of his jaw the Adjuchas looked about at the new terrain, noting that it wasn't anything spectacular. That aside from the two humans that stood before him.

His footing found its way beyond the gate and into the new world, blocking the trio of Hollows that attempted to force their way in. A quick swipe of his tail shoved the others back into the void after taking in a whiff of the stench that the air carried with it. Something about it strange, and alluring. Looking back at the pair he could make out a man with an eye patch and the other.... Shinigami. By no means he couldn't mistake that attire for any other. A snarl at the woman's figure, followed by the constant flow of saliva that trinkled down the opening of ragged teeth. "SHINI...GAMI." the creature howled out from its snout. Then after his attention drawn back to the male human, who for some reason had an aroma that was quite.... intoxicating.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats, skills}

Berserker Stats

Strength - 350 Points Increase by 150% = 875

Speed - 200 Points Decrease by 50% = 100

Spiritual Pressure - 200 Points Decrease by 50% = 100

Reiatsu Strength - 150 Points Decrease by 50% = 75

Light Aura - 20 Points

Dark Aura - 80 Points

Instinct - 100 Points

Senses - 200 Points Decrease by 50% = 100

Energy sensory - 50 Points Decrease by 50% = 25

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP Points = 1250


1. Battle Skill - Physical Intimidation - [3]

2. Battle Skill - Pain Tolerance - [3]

3. Mind Skill - Strength of Will - [3]

4. Mind Skill - Battle Focus - [2]

5. Body Skill - Poison Resistance - [2]

6. Mental Skill - Lack of Fear - [2]

7. Utility Skill - Charisma/Leadership - [1]

OOC: In case if anything else happens for reference.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

OOC: Terribly, terribly sorry for the delay. Things got really, really hectic for me, and I honestly forgot about this thread for a while. I will endeavor to post more regularly from here on out.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Music}

IC: Ah, sweet victory. Taihō felt a small smile spread across her lips as Garret consented to her offer, and had to suppress a small chuckle, the only outward signs of her sheer elation. Of course, hidden as it was by her high collar and shrouded by her psychosis, Garret would be unlikely to see how pleased she was; instead, he would only see her calmly bow her head slightly, a simple gesture of acknowledgement and thanks. After raising her head and re-establishing eye contact, Taihō would then say, ”I am glad you chose to agree. I will be in touch, soon, so we may begin.” It was then that Taihō noticed that night had fallen, and Garret said something which she found rather unusual.

So, it seemed Taihō was to get a live demonstration of Garret’s power in action. Garret advised her to leave, unless she could defend herself, noting the increasing number of Hollows that had come to him as of late. Taihō listened to this warning, and actually laughed softly. It was a light, melodious laugh, which lasted only for an instant. Here she was, a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen, and he was questioning her ability as a warrior? To be fair, he likely didn’t know much about the workings of Soul Society, but the thought still made her giggle slightly.

”I fear your concern is misplaced.” She stated in her normal cool monotone, seemingly oblivious to the Garganta forming in the jungle not far from her side, ”I may be a scientist, but before that, I am a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen. I have killed things far worse than Hollows. You needn’t worry about protecting me; if anyone needs it’s protecting, it’s my enemies.” As she said this, the Garganta opened completely, and almost immediately, a large, cougar like Hollow stepped out of the portal, ready to feast upon flesh and souls. Or at least, it had been, before a massive, dinosaur like Hollow caught it in a massive maw, biting it clean in half.

Taihō turned her gaze upward toward the beast, and raised an eyebrow as it spoke a single, hate-filled word: Shinigami. However, it’s gaze was almost immediately diverted to Garret. Interesting…the Hollow clearly had some measure of sapience, but it was still attracted to Garret. Taihō used the beasts moment of distraction to probe it with her Energy Sensory, subtly stripping away layers to see what it really was. She felt it’s hunger, typical of a Hollow, but there was also pride, and a malign, predatory cunning. This was a powerful creature, and it knew how strong it was. However, After just a moment, Taihō judged the Hollow to be beneath her in power; she doubted she would need her Shikai to handle it.

Pointing idly at the beast, her finger still hidden by her massively oversized sleeve, Taihō murmured a single phrase under her breath; not a Kido Incantation, as the Hollow might expect, but something even worse: ”See no evil…”. In an instant, a thin white beam snapped from her extended finger, passing through the cloth of her sleeve, and flew at the large Hollow at a speed of 800. However, it would do no damage if it contacted the beast, but it would do something far more insidious; this was one of the infamous Kasumi’Oji Mind Hana, which allowed the Kasumi’Oji Clan to temper with the minds of their enemies directly. In particular, this particular spell allowed the user to seal one of the victims five senses; Taihō decided that sight would likely be the best thing to remove from the Hollow in question. Some would call it cruel, fighting a blind enemy; Taihō called it amusing.

After that, Taihō extended her right hand, as if waiting for a sword to simply appear, and it did; her Zanpakuto, Mikadzuki, all seven feet of it, was there in a flash of black lightning, glimmering darkly like the weapon of destruction it was. Without another word, Taihō vanished with Shunpo, appearing just to the Hollows side, near the foot still planted on the ground, and not on another Hollow. Almost casually, Taihō slashed at the Hollow’s ankle from back to front, aiming to maim it, if not remove it’s foot entirely. Blinded as it was, Taihō doubted the Hollow would be able to respond adequately to her attack, and even if it had somehow managed to avoid her Mind Hana, Taihō’s Shunpo was far too fast for it accurately track and react to.

That being said, it wasn’t a lethal blow, though it might as well have been. Even if Taihō failed to completely sever the foot, the Hollow would still be crippled; after all, Hollows were still bound, at least somewhat, by natural laws, and having the tendons in the back of the ankle cut would make it impossible for the Hollow to move it’s foot properly, not to mention agonizing to put any of its considerable weight on the foot. After completing her attack, Taihō vanished again, this time returning to basically her staring position, to avoid a possible counter attack, or if nothing else the Hollow falling on her. Taihō may have thought little of her foe, but never underestimated an enemy, and prepared to react to anything it might try, no matter how futile it’s actions might be.

Reiatsu: 4450-50-400-50=3950

[Garret]

And so it began. Yet another night. Another night devoted to battle. Another battle where he would either survive or die. Things had already begun, as Hollows began to become visible in the distance. Beasts of various shapes and sizes, some bearing resemblance to normal day animals and others...not so much. Narrowing his eye and resting his blade against his shoulder, Garret awaited their approach. He preferred to let the monsters come to him, to let the foolish and fastest approach first. He looked up as he heard the commotion above, watching with a mixture of interest and hate as one singular Hollow chowed down on another and knocking back the others that followed it through the black void in the sky. It spoke with such hatred to Taiho, and yet turned its attention right back to Garret. Typical. He wasn't surprised.

But before he could make a move, Taiho and began hers. From within her sleeve she released a beam of light aimed directly at the speaking Hollow, something that Garret had automatically assumed to be Kido. It might have come as a surprise to, well, any Shinigami, but Garret did actually have a knowledge on Kido. It wasn't in depth, nor did he actually possess any of the spells himself, but during his education on reiatsu he had seen magic at work. Nycha, the name of the living instability that had taught him, was a master at Kido herself despite not being a Shinigami. The brief thought of her brought a tinge of guilt to the swordsman, but was quickly washed away by the situation at hand.

It was then that Taiho brought forth her blade, one which was actually longer than the behemoth that Garret carried. He estimated it to be about seven feet in length, something that surprised him. He found it difficult to imagine a woman of her stature wielding such a thing, at least a woman from his time. He had to remember that she was a Shinigami, one who, by her own admission, was quite experienced with combat. Not only that, she was Shinigami, a being who wasn't exactly a normal being. Regardless, her sword lacked the weight and mass his own possessed. Yet, despite that, he had no doubt it was a formidable blade.

As the Captain moved against her own target, Garret decided it best to not simply stand around. The fastest Hollows where nearly upon them, one in particular out speeding the rest. It's large body, propelled forward by four trunk like legs, aimed to gore Garret upon a singular horn protruding from the base of its snout. Garret wasn't sure what sort of animal it was supposed to look like, honestly it made him think of a overgrown pig, but even that wasn't quite right. Regardless, the Hollow was aiming to ram right into him. If it made a connection, the swordsman had no doubt it would cause some serious injury. So why not use it's own attack against it?

Lifting his blade from his shoulders, Garret bent his knees just slightly and kicked off the ground, vanishing from the Hollows sight through the use of a Shunpo. Reappearing to the Hollows right, with enough distance that the Hollow wouldn't be able to simply thrust it's head at him, the swordsman let out a roar as he swung that mass of a sword through empty space. Iron met flesh, the latter ripping right through the beast through a combination of power and weight. Blood splashed into the air as Garrets sword carved a deep gash through the Hollows body, the beast itself letting out a howl of pain as it tripped, coming to a stop after a few somersaults.

It's horn broken and innards exposed, Garret was a little impressed it began to get back on its feet. It seemed to lack the intelligence to speak, driven only by its hunger despite it's grave injuries. Though wobbly it managed to get onto it's feet, glaring at Garret with one of hatred and desperation. "That it?" Garret taunted, a smirk painting its way across his lips. The Hollow roared, and if Garret had any Energy Sensing capabilities he might have been able to respond to what happened next. The Hollows body became covered in a yellow light, followed by it, quite literally, flying at him like a cannonball. His eye widening in surprise, he barely had the time to pull his sword up, the flat facing the Hollow, and desperately attempt to shield himself from the attack.

The attack sent him to the side, tumbling across the ground with a serious of grunts and oophs as he jumped to his feet. Arms trembling from the impact as he watched the glowing Hollow slam itself into the ground, its injuries keeping it from being able to correctly end it's own power. A sound behind Garret, though, caught his attention and prompted him to quickly turn and swing his blade upwards. The weapon cut through a numerous amount of, what appeared to be, tendrils that were reaching out for him. The Hollow they originated from appeared like a living mass of these tentacles, it's yellow eyes only visible beneath the wriggling beneath only visible by their glow.

Chasticing himself for getting to preoccupied with the other Hollow, Garret backpedaled as more of the creatures limbs reached out, quickly replacing the ones Garret had sliced. Looking back behind him, Garret noticed the other Hollow was now on its feet. Suddenly an idea came to mind. But, he was gonna have to get it right. Looking back the tentacled Hollow, he jumped up, using airground to get above the tentacled mass. Sure enough, it began to reach up for him again, but Garret was ready. Sword held high above his head, the muscles in his arms beginning to bulge from the building power, he swung before they could reach him. An invisible force was released from his blade, smashing away the limbs before slamming directly into the Hollow. An explosion of blood and tentacle bits filled the air as Garret landed behind the stunned monster, swinging his blade parallel to the ground and releasing yet another shockwave. Whatever was supporting the creature, or just its base, was struck by Garrets attack and sent off its feet, collapsing down on its side.

Just in time, actually, as Garret heard the same sound from before. He caught a glimpse of the light, before using Shunpo to go up, vanishing as the Hollow from before slammed right into tentacled monster and ripping right through it. It let out a gurgled cry of pain, as the other Hollow actually, to Garrets own surprise, began to take bites out of the expiring one. Same as the Hollow that Taiho was dealing with. Why was that? Regardless, Garret held his sword high above his head and dropped. With a roar, and once close enough, swung downwards at the base of the Hollows neck, decapitating it with an explosion of blood and gore.

Standing up, he glanced around as at least a dozen more Hollows were getting closure. Looking around, he noticed he had actually gotten a good distance away from Taiho during his own fighting, spotting her if only to confirm she was still alive. Regardless, he needed to focus on his own fighting right now, as he said he would. If she could take care of herself then he would trust that she would. He meant what he said, he wasn't going to help. It would endanger himself if he fought to keep her safe. Lifting his sword up again and raising it to his side, he prepared himself for the next confrontation.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

95 Paragraphs = 475 TP