Which One is the True Animal

[Qaletaqa]

Thread Title: Which One is the True Animal
Participants: Grodd vs Qaletaqa
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: The sixty eighth district of west Rukongai. A series of run down decrepit buildings that are more like rotting shakes comprise this district. The streets are dirt and there are some vendors out in the street trying to sell supplies.
Special Conditions: N/A
Circumstances: Qaletaqa is walking throughout the district after hearing about how a Beast had gone into it and hadn't returned for the last few days. He has assumed the worst that the Beast was captured or slain by a Shinigami. So taking it upon himself to find out he goes to the district only to encounter his answer.

[Qaletaqa]

The sun in the sky illuminating everything that could be seen by the feral eyes of the otter. It was a hot day one that was clouded with humidity so thick that the normal spirits that lived in the district were all suffering more so than normal. This wasn't a pleasant area Qaletaqa the large otter knew that much. He had been to these districts before not this one from what he could tell, but a few that looked just like it. His mate Zahra was the one that took more interest in this sort of area he was just here to find something out.

It was actually quite simple his reasoning for being in the "Civilized Area" of the furless that wore black fabric. He had been out in the wilderness earlier in the morning trying to make himself more powerful when a small Beast that was some sort of rabbit had approached him. Qaletaqa didn't know why she had done such a thing without a second thought. There were many Beasts that he had killed that would have eaten another Beast just the same as a normal animal. So how she knew he was different he couldn't say.

What she approached him about was simple. Her mate had gone missing a few days ago and had yet to return to their den. Qaletaqa at first didn't know how he could help at all. He didn't have the ridiculous degree of senses that many of their kind could utilize so tracking this missing Beast was probably impossible for him. However, it seemed that tracking his location wouldn't be a problem because she knew where he had been when he went missing. Apparently for whatever reason the Beast had gone to this district in search of food that he could acquire through trade.

Qaletaqa knew that things like that normally did happen between both the furless that wore black and the ones that wore rags and the Beasts. However, this one seemed to go bad though as her mate didn't return which meant either he ran away which was unlikely or he had been attacked. She told Qaletaqa that her mate wasn't all that strong and she was even less so she couldn't try to save him herself and needed help. Qaletaqa couldn't turn her away knowing how it would feel if Zahra was missing.

So he had told her to wait where she had found him and that he would try to find her mate and bring him back as best he could. He had meant what he said for Qaletaqa was a kind Beast one that saw what he believed to be the true nature of individuals and groups as a whole. The female rabbit was kind and caring who was being torn apart by worry and guilt. She needed her mate and he was going to get him back so that the bunny would be ok. Not only that, but his own personal hate for the furless that wear black gave him enough incentive to search for the mate out of the desire to kill one of the furless.

So now as he walks on his back legs throughout the dirt covered streets of the District Qaletaqa looks down at most of the furless that pass him. Most are either disinterested or scared to see one of the Beasts in the district while others simply stay away or try to see if he has things to trade. Qaletaqa couldn't smell anything out of the normal scent of furless so it seemed he was hitting a wall on this mission. How would he find the mate of the rabbit?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}
Strength: 200 (250)
Speed: 350 (525)
Spiritual Pressure: 120 (60)
Reiatsu Strength: 50 (25)
Light Aura: 50
Dark Aura: 50
Instinct: 150
Senses: 100
Energy Sensory: 0
Healing Expertise: 0

Intimidation: 2
Martial Arts: Street Fighting: 2
Strength of Will: 2
Battle Focus: 1
Pain Tolerance: 2
Bleeding Tolerance: 2
Damage Recovery: 2
Stealth: 1

[Beast]

"Investigate Reports of Possible Dangerous Beast Clan Invasion in Rukongai." The mission for Grodd was straightforward, or at least it should have been if he knew what a Beast Clan was. Was it a gang? A person? A different kind of Hollow? The Third Seat had no clue and he was too stubborn to write down such an inane question to one of his subordinates or even worse his superiors. So he just sucked up what little pride he had and moved to scout out the Sixty Eighth district of the Rukongai. It was a nice jog away out of the stuffy Seireitei, so he welcomed that if nothing else. And who knows? He may actually have a little bit of fun along the way.

He entered the Rukongai to see a very different sight than the Seireitei that he had gotten used to in the past few years. People were living in the dirt, just living their eternal hunger-less lives in mediocrity. They weren't powerful enough to be Shinigami, so they had no need for food. They just lounged in the dirt without much care for anything. What good was eternity if eternity was just okay and could never get better? Souls didn't move up the districts almost ever. It just wasn't done. So these souls were committed to an eternity of just average existence. It was almost sad for Grodd, but he couldn't put a finger on why. He didn't understand what he saw, he just observed the outward appearances of it all.

Grodd turned to the mission. Investigate Dangerous individuals of some beast like qualities, or something. He took a few looks around but didn't see anything but average souls. Just when he was about to move further into the district and check out the border to the wilderness he heard a scream off in the distance. "Monster!" Taking off in a sprint, the Shinigami headed towards the woman's scream. If she was screaming about a monster that had to either be a hollow or something related to his mission. Either way it was his job to deal with it.

Grodd came into the street in a hurry where Qaletaqa was walking, responding to the lady's distressed call for help. He couldn't find the woman, most likely because she had run off, but he found Qaletaqa pretty easily. After all, a Beast Clansman stood out even in a crowd, much more a less populated area. With fur, quills, and a large tail, the Beast Clansman was Grodd's first thought of a target of his mission. Bending his knees and raising his right fist towards his face, the Shinigami just pointed at Qaletaqa in a universal gesture of general rudeness and challenge.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}



Strength - [100 x1.25 (125)] Points

Speed - [100] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [80 x.75 (60)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [100 x1.25 (125)] Points

Light Aura - [35] Points

Dark Aura - [65] Points

Instinct - [100 x.75 (75)] Points

Senses - [50] Points

Energy sensory - [20 x1.25 (25)] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [550] Points

Abilities

• [Boxing] {2}
  
  
• [Hakuda] {2}
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] {2}
  
  
• [Strength of Will] {2}
  
  
• Damage Recovery] {2}
  
  
• [Cold Tolerance] {1}
  
  
• [Mental Incantation] {1}
  

[Qaletaqa]

Qaletaqa moved throughout the dirty streets of the Rukongai District that he had been told that the rabbit Beasts mate had gone into in hopes of finding him. At first the normal spirits that lived in the district paid him no attention as it wasn't uncommon for a beast clan member to come through a district so far away from the big white stronghold of the furless that wore black. Qaletaqa had only ever been in that area once and when he had somehow he had passed through something that brought him some place else.

Qaletaqa after that decided that until he was strong enough to take down the truly powerful furless that he was told about by other beasts in passing that he wouldn't get so close to their stronghold again. It seemed that all of the spirits that lived in this district weren't accustomed to seeing a beast though as a woman turned onto the street that Qaletaqa was walking through and immediately started to scream and yell and run just like she would if he were one of those white faced monsters.

She even was rude and hurtful enough to loop him together with them by calling him a monster. Qaletaqa while slightly more intelligent than other beasts around his own age and strength still didn't take kindly to being called such things and didn't have good control over his emotions when such things tended to happen. It was saddening to be referred to as a monster just because he was different than them. "Tsk" came the sound from his large mouth as he continued to walk throughout the crowd of people which now were stepping away from him in fear.

It seemed that while the normal spirits were getting away from him due to the screaming of that one woman a new spirit was coming towards him. Qaletaqa heard the sound of foot steps moving fast and in then saw a furless in black appear from between the normal spirits. The furless looked different than the normal ones though. This one had much more muscle and looked more furry. He seemed stronger for some reason and then he put up his fists and Qaletaqa felt annoyed.

"Me here doing nothing, but looking for beast that you people take away. You stop me from rescue. Tsk. Me end you so beast can be happy with mate if you don't move." Qaletaqa would wait for a moment having warning the furless that if he didn't get out of his way he was going to kill him so that he could find the rabbit's mate. Qaletaqa figured out though why this furless seemed so different. He looked like a beast without fur. However, that wouldn't be any reason not to get him out of the way so after a few moments Qaletaqa would step forward and then extend his right hand out as if he'd punch the furless in the face.

However, just as his hand would get close he'd shift his body to the left bringing his long tail around in an attempt to smack the furless across the right side of his face with 150 strength enough that he'd more than likely be sent onto the ground without being killed. If it worked he'd definitely have a few fractures unless he had some type of power like a beast, but he'd know that Qal was being serious and wanted him out of his way. Qaletaqa didn't have time to deal with to many of them and he knew that if he killed this one more would come and he'd have to give up his rescue.

[Beast]

The Beast spoke in a broken dialect, which completely confused the Shinigami. He was puzzled, trying to make sense of what Qal could possibly have meant when the beast moved on the offensive and began to attack. Still trying to figure out what the word Mate even meant, Grodd prepared to defend himself. The Beast's right hook would have been easy enough to deal with if it weren't a feint, seeing as Grodd's fist was already protecting that side of his head, but Qaletaqa twisted his body to send a quick tail whip to Grodd's left side.

The Shinigami had enough time to at least shift his weight to prepare for the blow to the face, but it still wouldn't be pretty. Even holding back, Qal still had a lot of force behind his attack and would lift Grodd off the ground and towards a market stall on the side of the road. Grodd slid to a stop and prepared a counter attack as soon as his ear stopped ringing. Mentally casting the only Bakudo he was proficient in, the Shinigami grabbed a loose brick with Horin and swung the improvised whip at the back of Qal's head. That would teach him to mess with a Shinigami.

Reiatsu: 575/600

[Qaletaqa]

Qaletaqa remained standing tall as he extended his hand outwards and watched as the furless moved his hand with every intent to block his arm from getting to him. Just as Qaletaqa had planned though he was able to spin around and bring his long tail against the furless and send him flying backwards. Qaletaqa didn't have any time to deal with killing a furless simply due to the fact that if he did that he wouldn't have time to find the Beast that he was looking for.

More furless would come after him if he killed this furless who seemed to be all talk. While this furless was weak Qaletaqa knew that other furless were not and some of them were strong enough to defeat him. He couldn't be beaten though. He had Zahra and being captured or killed by a furless wouldn't only put an end to his plan, but it'd also hurt her more than anything else and as her mate he couldn't have that so he couldn't kill this furless. No matter how much he despised them all.

He had already started to move away again trying to find the Beast that had been taken from it's mate when suddenly something hard hit the back of his head and Qaletaqa felt a jolt of pain throughout his body. His vision got blurry and he began to wobble on his feet struggling to stay upright. He turned to see the furless was back on it's back legs starring at him. Down at his paws was a stone with blood on it and Qaletaqa realized that this furless must have thrown it at him.

That was why Qaletaqa felt strange for the moment why his sight was messed up and why he felt slightly more cold. This furless had thrown this stone at him and hit him in the back of the head. His head was bleeding now and he was angry. His face contorting into a snarling expression of savage fury as he began to growl towards the furless. "Attack me?! I let you LIVE!" Qaletaqa's vision was now back to normal and he began to charge the Furless. He'd more fast enough roughly at 350 still holding back yet not nearly as much as he had been.

He'd get in close so that he'd be able to lung at the furless. It'd look like he would be attempting to attack the legs as he extended his claws, but in truth Qaletaqa would reach the ground a foot or so in front of the furless grab the ground and roll forwards. Both of his legs were extended so that if the furless moved to either side to evade he'd more than likely be hit. The true threat though was his tail once again which was brought downwards right above the furless and would carry the force along with his legs of 150. This was over he didn't have time to deal with this furless.

[Beast]

Grodd's improvised whip worked, surprisingly. The Beast clansman had started to walk away like he won the fight already, only to be hit in the back of the head and have blood drawn. Shocked that it actually worked, the Shinigami released the Bakudo and the brick fell to the ground. Recovering quickly from the attack, Qaletaqa turned on Grodd in a fury, screaming at him. "Attack me?! I let you LIVE!" With a sprint, the Beast began closing in on Grodd again. The Shinigami readied himself for the close combat again, trying to pay attention for any feints again this time. He didn't want to be caught off guard twice when it could cost him his life.

Qal jumped at the Shinigami, seeming to aim for his legs, but stopped quite a bit short and somersaulted into another tail attack. Grodd would have reacted to the feint, but in his mind he was going to let the beast go for his legs if it meant he had a prime angle to attack the head some more with his fists. So he did need to bring his attention back above him instead of at the ground, which made things harder to react to. Instinctively the man threw his hands up to protect his face, catching Qal's tail with the palms of his hands. Grodd may have been weaker than Qal, even though the Beast clansman was holding back, but Grodd had a Kidou on his side that would help prevent this situation from ending in a Shinigami pancake.

Grodd twisted and moved to pick the Beast up off the ground and throw him. Alone he might not have had enough strength, but when he fired two Sho out of his hands to give Qaletaqa a boost up and away it should result in the creature being tossed away from the Seireitei walls towards the Wilderness. Sure, it might just be a few feet of travel, but it still would be negative progress in Qal's mission to get further into the district. Which meant positive progress for Grodd's mission to keep him out. It would come at a cost though. Grodd's muscles would already ache from being thrown, and putting a lot of force on them in opposing Qal's strength wouldn't be easy on them either. The third seat tried to shake himself out and recover, but he could only do so much in the middle of battle.

Remaining Reiatsu: 525/600 (-50 Sho x2)

[Qaletaqa]

Qaletaqa was rushing towards this furless in a fairly powerful surge of fury that was controlling his actions. While that was still a fact there was also the fact Qaletaqa wasn't dumb enough or lacked experienced enough to show his true strength already. That's why at least for the moment he wasn't rushing towards the furless with his utmost speed. He wasn't sprinting at the moment, but he was moving far faster than he had previously and now would appear to be more than likely a blur to the furless.

While all of that was more than likely true Qaletaqa could see that this furless wasn't lacking in how to improvise or experience whichever allowed him to stand his ground and get ready. He didn't fear what was about to happen like most of the furless that Qaletaqa had come across in the past he just seemed like a Beast ready to contend with the threat head on and beat it down. As Qaletaqa lunged at the furless he watched as the furless didn't seem to be ready for his flip forwards.

This furless had been thinking more than likely that he was going to attack his legs just as he had made it seem and instead now his long tail was coming down right on the head of the furless. It had a fair bit of Qaletaqa's strength enough that the large furry Beast was confident after seeing the furless get sent backwards from the last hit that this would finish him off leaving him on the ground with no way to continue. However, it seemed that he was wrong as he felt the two hands of the furless grab his tail.

Qaletaqa was very protective of his tail knowing that it was his most valuable appendage in terms of combat giving him his balance and various other methods of attack and defense that these furless couldn't accomplish due to lacking one themselves. So as the furless shifted himself and pulled on Qaletaqa's tail the lower appendages of the Beast went to work just as the upper appendages of the furless did the same. The furless would be able to cast his strange spell that Qaletaqa felt as if a younger Beast had just shoved him.

It felt as if he had two hands on his back for a brief moment that shoved him away with moderate force enough that Qaletaqa wasn't sent just a few feet away, but roughly ten as he went through the air after the furless had released his tail. However, the furless might have ended up worse off as Qaletaqa's right foot had been swung as Qaletaqa was being thrown. Qaletaqa hadn't held back the speed of his kick yet had still held off enough of his strength that he wasn't likely to kill the furless. He was aiming to hit the furless across his face and if the furless didn't manage to evade somehow it was probably going to be successful and take a fair bit of what the furless had left in him.

Qaletaqa regardless would land on the ground after being sent backwards by that strange spell that in fact he didn't know what a spell. He landed on his paws all of them and looked at the furless for a moment. "How push me? Only two arms?" Qaletaqa thought for a moment trying to figure out how this furless had just shoved him away when both of his hands had been holding onto his tail. Perhaps he was stranger than a Beast or a white face and had more arms. "You leave now or me leave you on ground last warning."

[Beast]

Grodd succeeded in flinging the Beast clansman away from the Seireitei, but he didn't have the instincts to be able to react to the lightning fast claw attack to the face that came from Qaletaqa. He felt his skin rip open in multiple places all alongside his face and felt hot blood run down the side of his head. If he could scream out in pain he would, but all he could do was collapse to the ground and hold the side of his head. Anger began to swell up in him and his vision started to become tinged with red as his eyes became bloodshot due to the bloodlust he was so close to entering. The taste of his own blood was on his lips and his tongue which would normally send him into a wild fury.

But this time, there was someone on his side in the moment. As his knees were pressed into the dirt, cheek burning from the wound, he could almost feel the touch of fur on his hand. His head lurched to the side only to see a golden monkey perched on his shoulder, tail quivering with anger and sadness in her eyes. He calmed at the sight of his Zanpakutou spirit and the blood drained from his eyes. She withdrew her paw and began to sign to him in the language only the two of them knew. Use me. Learn from the girl. Give my blade strength. Grodd recovered quickly from the pain and stood up to face Qaletaqa. "You leave now or me leave you on ground last warning."

Grodd reached underneath his loincloth and withdrew his Zanpakutou from its resting place at his thigh. The short three inch dagger was a puny weapon, especially for a Boxing practitioner, but Grodd trusted the monkey. He had to take training more seriously. He had to protect his life and the life of others. He had to grow stronger and he needed to force out this threat. In his mind, he spoke a short incantation. "Arise god of thunder! Awake mother of storms! Unleash the lighting on the sinners! Hado #4: Byakurai!" A bolt of lightning shot out of the tip of his blade, headed straight for the Beast in an attempt to pierce his heart. Byakurai, the Pale Lightning. It was a simple strike, but Grodd's most offensive. Carrying almost 150 Reiatsu Strength, it wasn't exactly a weak attack either.

Remaining reiatsu: 500/600 (-25 Byakurai)

[Qaletaqa]

Qaletaqa was still positioned all the ground the dirt between all of his paws and beneath them all as he was hunched over like a normal animal starring at the furless before him that was doing what appeared to be everything he could to keep Qaletaqa from getting closer to their stronghold. Qaletaqa was getting more and more angry at this furless though for being so persistent. All he was trying to do is find another Beast that had gone missing this wasn't the time when he wanted to take down that giant stronghold of theirs and he had made that perfectly clear he thought.

He could see that his back paw had been successful though it grazing across the head of this furless as he now was on the ground holding his head with one of his hands. Qaletaqa had a good enough view to see that this furless had blood leaking out from his head and it was running over his hand. So his claws had been enough to cut into his flesh or skin as it was on his head and bring a fair amount of pain he bet due to knowing how much getting cut on the face actually hurt.

As the furless got back onto his feet though Qaletaqa sneered at him as he spoke and afterwards this was pointless from what he had seen there was no way that this furless could defend him. Although he didn't know what this furless had done to push him aside it hadn't done enough to actually hurt him. For whatever reason though this furless seemed to keep on getting up as if he had a chance to defeat him and sent him back into the wilderness where he'd have to accept the fact he wasn't strong enough to save one of natures children. He wouldn't allow such a thing to happen whether it meant leaving this furless gravely wounded or killing him if he had to as a last resort.

The furless was back on his feet now and was starring at Qaletaqa. It didn't seem like this furless was going to charge at him so what was going to happen? Qaletaqa knew better than to keep charging in on an opponent all it would do is give him enough chances to get it right. Thankfully Qaletaqa didn't have to think for very long though as the furless grabbed something from under his own loincloth which was actually quite similar aside from the color to the one that Qaletaqa was wearing and wore most of the time.

After a moment the furless pulled out a blade similar to the ones that he normally saw these furless and his mate Zahra wield so that they had something else to hurt foes with aside from their body. Qaletaqa sneered once more though as he looked at the weapon that was being held out at him as a threat. "Tiny tool make no differen-" right as the sparks began to reveal themselves at the end of the blade Qaletaqa knew something unnatural was happening. Lightning only came from the sky not from furless. He was cut off and leaped to the right just in time that the lightning struck the ground where he had been a moment ago.

Qaletaqa had to get away he didn't know what had just happened this furless had just done something he had never seen before something that should be impossible. It was as if he commanded nature itself for his own use something impossible yet fact now that he had seen it. Qaletaqa would take off on all four paws rushing out of the street that the both of them had been fighting on into an ally that led to another of these main streets. None of these buildings were sturdy enough to hold his weight so Qaletaqa knew that jumping onto them would be out of the question. He still had to find the other Beast and yet now it seemed he had to figure out how to handle nature as well.

[Beast]

Grodd's Byakurai attack was dodged nearly effortlessly by the Beast, but strangely enough there was no counter attack or response of that nature. Instead, Qaletaqa turned and ran down a side alley. The Beast was still trying to get closer to the Seireitei, which Grodd was adamantly against at this point due to his stubbornness. He was just here to investigate, but now it was personal. The claw marks on his face were proof of that. So Grodd took off in a run, leaping up into the air to get a better view of the situation. He knew that he was slower than the Beast Clansman, so he needed to use what little wits he had to overcome the disparity.

If Qal looked up, he would see Grodd running towards him on thin air. Grodd had worked hard to master Advanced Air Ground which allowed him to force reiatsu to his feet and create a temporary platform to run on, even in the soul society where the air was not supportive of such techniques like in the Land of the Living. As he ran towards Qal, he still didn't really know what he would do if he caught the beast. He couldn't put him in a choke hold from behind because of the sharp quills and he would easily be overpowered by the creature. All he could do was attempt to use his Kidou to his advantage. He hadn't learned much, though... So he continued to just run at Qal and plan as he went.

Remaining Reiatsu: 475/600 (-25 Advanced Air Ground Mastery use)

[Qaletaqa]

Qaletaqa was continuing to run throughout the street that he had only just gotten into in this section of the run down district of Rukongai. This furless was somehow able to fire out lightning from the metal weapon that Qaletaqa had learned was called a sword. These furless always carried those metal weapons with them and Qaletaqa knew that they were able to cut into him very easily yet he had never seen a furless command anything from nature like lightning. Such a thing belonged only to nature and only nature itself had the power to use it. That had been what Qaletaqa had always believed and yet he had just witnessed proof that he had been wrong the entire time.

Somehow the furless was able to shoot out lightning as an attack from a distance. The lightning was fast, but it was small and Qaletaqa was fast enough that he had been able to dodge it. The problem was though he didn't have any clue how this furless had done it, if he could do it again or if he could command the other elements of nature as well. That had been most of the reason why Qaletaqa had run away from the furless trying to find a different way to get closer to the stronghold of the furless and find the Beast that had gone missing for his mate.

Qaletaqa was still only moving at a speed of 300 believing that this furless wouldn't be able to keep up with him at this speed and knowing better than to tire himself out while he was in the middle of dangerous territory. He had to find a place where he could think of something to do and right now there happened to be a place just in his vision. Qaletaqa turned right all of a sudden and went down another alley even further away from where he and the furless had been fighting roughly a minute ago. Only a few feet into the alleyway and Qaletaqa turned left into a shake that looked to be and was in fact empty.

Once he was inside Qaletaqa looked around seeing the dark grim filled shake that contained little to no resources or hope in it. It looked as if no one had lived in it for years however Qaletaqa knew this area at least enough to know that such a thing wasn't true and there would be some that would stay here instead of outside in the cold. Getting up onto his back legs Qaletaqa stood at his full height catching his breathe and resting for a moment. "No sense it makes. How he do that? What else he do? Find the Beast I must even if kill him I have too." Qaletaqa spoke to himself quietly while trying to think of some way that he could get closer to the stronghold while loking for the beast and not drawing the attention of the furless.

[Beast]

It was very difficult to keep up with the beast, even though the Shinigami didn't have to duck and weave through alleys and buildings. Grodd was just far too inferior in speed and Qaletaqa may have been holding back but was still incredibly faster than Grodd's max speed. The Third Seat would exhaust himself quickly if he continued his aerial pursuit at max sprinting speed so he had to reign himself in and just try and detect the Beast Clansman through his paltry Energy Sensory. Even that was coming at a loss, so he dropped to the ground to catch his breath.

Calming his mind, despite the blood still dripping from his facial wounds, Grodd visualized the forest in his soul and called out to his Zanpakutou Spirit by striking one of the trees with a branch. The knocking echoed through the forest and the golden monkey quickly arrived. They quickly began to sign. "The foul Beast Within is awake, isn't he?" "Yes. He just keeps laughing. He repeats the same line over and over. 'Stronger... Blood... Stronger... Blood...'" "I'll try and finish this Beast Clan, then, so I can put the Beast Within back to sleep. Are the two connected somehow?" "No, very different."

Keeping his Zanpakutou dagger clutched in his right hand, Grodd returned to reality and continued to creep through the alley, paying close attention to his surroundings and his sixth sense. However, he wasn't getting anywhere. There were too many Pluses in the Rukongai that drowned out Qaletaqa's weak energy signature. The strength and quantity of the Beast Clansman's energy was just not large enough for Grodd's puny Energy Sensory to detect. So he just put his mind to exploring each of the doors in the alleys that he came across. Parting each curtain that acted like a door, eventually Grodd would find Qaletaqa...

[Qaletaqa]

The small shack that Qaletaqa had found that was empty at least for the time being wouldn't give the shinigami any sort of clue that the large otter was inside of it for it looked virtuallh no different than any of the others right beside it. This section of the Ruckongai was one of the many that was ill treated and left to rot away as if the people that lived here didn't matter at all. Just another part of how the furless handled things in a way that Qaletaqa didn't understand. Keeping their own people out where they could be killed so easily wasn't the way a true leader would act.

He had just been running for a few minutes only after fighting at a moderate level so his samina was fine, but Qaletaqa throughout all of his years fighting off other creatures knew his limitations. He still had to find this Beast that had been taken or just gone missing at this point he didn't know which would be more likely. So since he had no clues he more than likely would have to keep fighting his way closer to their stronghold. Knowing this Qaletaqa sat down on the dirt to rest for a breif time so that his stamina would return completely.

A minute or so passed and Qaletaqa realized that however the furless had pushed him away he couldn't feel any sign of it now. Before there had been a slight sting now he couldn't feel anything so perhaps resting was the right call. Qaletaqa didn't know where the furless that had been fighting him was now, but sense he waited roughly three minutes and the furless hadn't found him he figured that he had lost him. So Qaletaqa stood once more and made his way out of the shack. After that he would resume his walk closer to the stronghold while looking for any sign of the Beast.

[Beast]

Grodd continued searching the "houses" in this Rukongai district, but he seemed to be striking out. On the plus side, he had caught his breath from the exertion in the previous scuffle since he was just walking, but he wasn't about to quit his first official Seated Officer job just because he couldn't find the target... The Shinigami needed to get to a higher vantage point in order to see where his opponent had gotten off to. He climbed whatever he could find that would support his weight in an attempt to see Qaletaqa. He climbed light polls, small trees, and a variety of other sturdy structures until he found the Beast who was searching for another Beast.

Once again, Qaletaqa was moving closer to the Seireitei, which was unacceptable in Grodd's mind. Sure, there was security there, but with the whole "theft of the walls" incident there was a lot less stability and safety inside it. The Third Seat could not allow a Beast Clansman to just walk into the Seireitei and cause trouble. There was a problem, though. Grodd wasn't sneaky, was much slower than Qal, and would have a lot of trouble if he tried to go on the offensive too early. The Beast was physically dominating in comparison to the Shinigami, so Grodd figured he needed to goad Qaletaqa into attacking... somehow...

Byakurai would work. Grodd couldn't get a good shot at the Beast from here, due to the twisting alleys and innocents that were still around, but he had trained hard after he fought to a draw with an unseated officer. He had worked hard to master multiple techniques, Byakurai being one of them. The man jumped down from his perch to land in the same street as Qaletaqa was walking. Energy crackled in his hand as he summoned up a Byakurai, but he wasn't letting it launch out in a beam like the standard way of using it. He was letting it gather up in more of a ball than a beam. The lightning arced and cracked and then the Shinigami released the Kidou, but not very forcefully.

Instead of shooting out anything really dangerous, the lightning dissipated outwards from the orb that Grodd had built up in his hand. Nothing would be hurt by any of the passing electricity, but the noticeable effect was the clap of thunder that emerged. The Shinigami had taken the natural sound of lightning and built it up instead of releasing the harmful electricity. It wasn't a particularly loud clap as this was the first time Grodd had ever tried something like this, but it would be akin to someone yelling "Hey!" over a crowded street. As the Beast Clansman had seen Grodd wield lightning, it could be assumed that a clap of thunder on a cloudless day would get his attention immediately.

Remaining Reiatsu: 450/600 (-25 Byakurai)