Knight's Errand [Joint Training]

[Amare Mori]

(This is a Joint Training thread between Amare Mori and Luca Castabella)

Today was a quiet day in the town of Karakura Town. Birds were singing. Flowers were.... not blooming because it was winter, and damned cold. Maybe that's why it was so quiet. Early snows were hitting the town, and though it wasn't thick on the ground, it was present enough to leave small footprints when one walked upon it, marking the paths of those who had gone this way and that, turning commonly trodden footpaths into wet, slippery slush. There was a bit of a wind, adding a sharp chill to the air, which cut right through the unprepared like a razor's edge. Traffic was slow, and many parts of the area had gone quiet. Quiet and calm.... In fact.

Too quiet and calm in the opinion of one self-proclaimed Knight of Karakura.

With heroic stride and poise, he dashed through the streets of the city. Majestically clearing park benches, and bike posts with huge stride. Scarf billowing out behind him as he ran like some grand adventurer of old! Amare Mori swept from street to street, with a burst of speed that pushed him to the limits of human ability! This silence could not be natural! It was clearly the work of some villain! Karakura was a bustling hub! Clearly there was some vile conspiracy at worst! But the citizens of Karakura needn't fear! For Amare Mori, The Knight of Karakura was on the case! He had completed new training at Uzaki Enterprises with the help of the CEO, and a new comrade, Irina, and was eager to test his new skills. The wannabe hero sprang over a sidewalk curb, planting both feet firmly on the path beside the road-- and promptly slipped on the muddy slush, and went right down on his ass.

"Ow!....I mean... I meant to do that!" Amare declared loudly to anyone that might have been paying any mind to the bizarre display he had been putting on. "Ow. That's gonna leave a bruise." He grumped as he got up, rubbing his posterior. It seemed his aimless wandering heroic journey had taken him to a park. A hill stretched up above Amare to a small soccer field, and behind that, a small playground with a swing set and climbing gym. As well as a number of benches and picnic tables. Amare doubted that there'd be many using it today, but that was alright. His hero senses had brought him here for a reason! Clearly there was something sinister afoot!

The Fullbringer went to dash up the hill-- and promptly slipped on some snow again, and went down once more. Clearly this is a villainous trap! Well they have fooled me twice, but there will be no third! Amare thought to himself as he scrambled back up and climbed the hill to the soccer field. A bit more cautiously this time, so as to avoid a third embarrassing tumble. Ah yes-- here was no doubt the lair of the wretched villain who was lurking in Karakura today! He was sure of it! And this time he was certain it was no stray cat that had clawed him up something fierce when he had tried to apprehend it as a spy for the evil werecows or a harmless guy on his lunchbreak. Nope, nope, nope! Amare was certain that today he was going to finally find something that would let him prove himself worthy of joining the proper defenders of Karakura, and actually be assigned proper combat missions, like Uzaki Enterprise's other elite member, Luke.

Amare was so swept up in this idea of finding some sinister villain, and proving his own heroic qualities, that he completely failed to see that he was not alone in the park.

[Akira Hinosai]

Even a light dusting of snow was something utterly foreign to Luca, even if cold temperatures weren't. Of course, he'd seen it on tv, yet to feel it fall on him and to hear it yield beneath his steps was so pleasing he felt it warranted a walk. It appeared the idea seemed to be completely original, as the residents of Karakura all appeared to want to wait out the freezing temperatures, and the snow that everso lightly fell from the dark grey sky. Luca stopped to grab a handful of it, only to quickly realize it was far too cold for him to handle. Cold and wet, he discovered as he tried to wipe off the trace amounts that accumulated on the shoulders of his olive-green overcoat only for the heat of his hand to melt it. It wasn't long after that Luca began to realize why he seemed to be the only one walking through the streets on such a day. If snow could paint the land into a fairy-tail wonderland, there was little proof of that here. It was a bitterly cold day, with not enough snow to accomplish much of anything besides tracking snow into the house, or at least it would if it weren't customary to remove one's shoes at the door.

It didn't bother him too much, however. Even if the first snow he experienced proved far less than popular culture had led him to believe it would be, the empty streets in broad daylight presented an opportunity, one he was not like to pass up. As a mere transfer student, he was not afforded much room and was less than willing to test the patience of his host family. Even if they had proved friendly, or rather, especially because they proved to be friendly, Luca deemed it too great a risk to practice his combative abilities in his room. As small as it was, he could barely go through the motions without fear of stabbing a wall or breaking the window. Yet, it simply wouldn't go to grow soft and wait for a hollow to finally make a move against him. On a day like this, the park seemed as good a place as any to practice with little fear of being bothered or stopped by some concerned parents fearful of the danger Luca posed to their children.

Maybe, if he was lucky, something would finally happen. He came to Karakura for the sole reason of learning more of the strange powers he seemed unable to develop, the powers that defined everything he was. Yet, even here it seemed he would have no more luck learning more about them than he did back home. He wasn't about to give up, though. He was Luca Castabella of the extraordinary world, and he would be damned if he resigned himself to mediocrity. Quitting was for people who weren't him. He just had to stay true to himself, and something would happen. Something had to happen.

Maybe some hollow would sense him alone in the park and make a move, only to be beaten back. Having seen the vague shape of the manifested weapon if only once, Luca found it prudent to train with pikes and other such bits of metal on long sticks. Yet what he brought with him to practice today was a simple collapsible shovel. As far as weapons he had practiced within HEMA clubs or in the manuals he read, it was far from ideal, but it was easily concealable, and not illegal to carry around, or at least he hoped it wasn't. Whatever little he knew about spirits, he figured he wasn't like to learn more in a jail cell.

Taking his place deep in the park, he had hoped none would bother him as he practiced feints, parries, and strikes with his poorly balanced weapon, though the sound of footprints in the snow proved him wrong. As if by reflex, he puffed out his chest and tried to look like he was supposed to be there as he turned to face the source of the noise...

[Amare Mori]

Hmmmmm!? Something.... Something was amiss! Amare could feel it in the air. He looked this way and that! That way and this! Thence way and-- hey was there someone over there with a shovel? Amare paused as his eyes slowly fixated on Luca. Play it cool A-man, play it cool.... Then he paused, as if in thought. A-man? Ew. That is really uncool. Gotta think of something better to call myself in my mind. Umm... let's see.... Hero? No, even if that's true, it sounds condescending somehow when I think it. Uhh... uhh.... Bigshot? No, same deal as hero.... Defender? No.... Amare pondered this dreadfully difficult question as he began to approach Luca. He.... wasn't well dressed for the cold, at a glance-- although Amare was wearing long sleeves, pants, a scarf and gloves, all four items of clothing were of the wrong type for the snow. Only Amare's boots, which resembles hiking boots today, even remotely resembled something suited to this kind of weather. The youth was wearing a fairly casual, light, long sleeved shirt, and track pants. The scarf around his neck was clearly quite light and thin as well, although it was certainly long, and could probably be bundled up well around his neck if Amare didn't seem intent on having it billow out behind him as if in the wind. This was something he'd practiced a lot after learning a bit about Soul Command! He couldn't wait to show Asuka! He'd practiced this in the mirror hundreds of times already-- yes, if Luca was capable of seeing or sensing spirit energy, he'd actually see that Amare was actively using his reiatsu for no other reason than to make his scarf billow dramatically, as if in a wind. And those gloves on Amare's hands? Fingerless. If not for Amare using his spiritual energy to stay warm, he'd probably be freezing at this moment.

"Hail stranger!" Amare proclaimed cheerfully. "What nefarious-- I mean, what brings you here today! It's so quiet out. Quite unusual, don't you think!?" He proclaimed. Genius, guardian-- hey that one's not bad. Hmm... I'll put it aside for later consideration. Amare thought, walking towards Luca. It looked like Luca had been doing something with a shovel. Burying someone perhaps!? *Gasp* The horror! There was need for a hero against such nefarious villains as these! But Amare would have to be careful he didn't apprehend an innocent person like last time. Though this villain's crime was clear to him, it might not be as clear to the police. Besides Japan was kind of against heroes vigilantes and the brand of justice they brought. Amare had to be sure. He had to prod this man carefully!

"That's strange don't you think? It's so nice and calm and peaceful out today!" He was finally quite close to Luca and extended a hand. "I'm Amare! And you are?" He asked, with a smile on his face. Something definitely felt wrong here. Amare wasn't very good at sensing spiritual energy but.... something was up. And although Amare's suspicions were on Luca, he couldn't have been more wrong today. Amare, as per usual, was barking up the wrong tree, his suspicions and what passed for guesswork in his very strange, unusual head, completely off base.

Luca was not the cause of the disturbance Amare felt. It was something else today. Something far more sinister.

Like a creeping shadow, it slithered from building to building. A black, bloated shape that clambered along the walls. A pale, tusked mask rested on the things head, and dozens of clawed hands grasped at crevices as it slipped up the wall, showing surprising dexterity and grace for something that huge. It stayed in the shadow of the building away from the sun. Unlike Amare, the Hollow could easily detect spiritual energy. It could sense Luca and Amare for what they both were-- Fullbringers. Easy, tasty, weak Fullbringers. The perfect meal for a Hollow. Red eyes lolled in their sockets as they searched towards the park. It could sense something happening, but the creature was cautious. It had evaded the justice of Uzaki Enterprises for some time, as well as the patrolling Shinigami. It had also avoided that... terror that had taken up residence in Karakura not so long before. It wanted to make sure these two were truly alone before it made its move. And so, with a long, fleshy tongue licking the beast's fangs, it watched, and waited to see what would happen between its two prey.

[Akira Hinosai]

Great. I've drawn the attention of a moron. Even so, it couldn't be something worth worrying about. With any luck, Luca could quickly come up with something to satisfy what petty curiosities he might have. Ever the eye for fashion, it took a deal of effort to stifle the laughter from looking at the man's outfit. Yeah, nice outfit, dork. Yet as he drew closer and spoke, something about him seemed off to Luca. He wasn't sure what, and he wasn't sure why, but something wasn't right about this one.

His scarf...there’s no wind to blow it like that! Luca's heart nearly burst from his chest as he realized the possibility that whoever this was wasn’t just some ordinary schmuck. Could this be some kind of spiritual entity? Is he trying to get in close while my guard is down? Luca's mind raced with questions upon questions, yet very few answers. This guy couldn't be a hollow or soul reaper. He was nothing like either Luca had met, as small his sample size was. Then what was he? Whoever he was, he could be a threat, and Luca Castabella wasn't about to go down like some weakling.

Luca knew he didn't have much time to think as soon as the hand was offered and his name was asked for. At least I've got this guy's name. That might be...useful. Think, damn you! Think!. In a split second, Luca's body began moving before he had even fully accepted a decision. He moved his shovel over his shoulder, the way he'd seen some fighters do in old training manuals. So caught up in the moment, he didn't stop himself before he curled his lips into a crooked grin "The name's Luca Castabella. Charmed, I'm sure." Making sure not to grab the hand offered to him, he instead pointed at Amare's scarf. Trying his best to sound as sure of himself as possible, he dripped every word in confidence as he spoke it. "Help me out here, and maybe I'll tell you why I'm out here in the freezing cold. Sound fair?" Luca didn't pause to let him answer. "So, how exactly is it that with no wind, your scarf's moving like that?" 

It seemed the world had come to a standstill as he spoke. Even after the last words left his tongue, a femtosecond felt like the passing of eternity. If Luca was scared, he didn't show it, or at least he hoped he didn't. The coin was tossed in the air. All he could do now was wait and see how it would land. 

[Amare Mori]

Ah! Luca Castabella! ....Damn that was a good name. Shoot, he's got a way cooler name than I do, damnit![/color] Amare lamented in his mind. A cool name was practically vital to being an epic hero! You didn't hear about the great hero Bob or Jim. It was always heroic names! Like Arthur, or Jason, or Gilgamesh. Impressive, strong sounding names. And now Luca was also a strong name! But hold on... there was a way to justify this! Sometimes villains had cool names too! In fact wasn't Luca the name of a villain from some criminally underrated JRPG from 1998 who may have been faceclaimed by a certain Espada? Nevermind! There was work to be done! Difficult, impressive, hero work! "Y-yes! Pleasure to meet you Mr. Luca sir!" Amare said buoyantly, quickly rebounding from his dismay at Luca's name. But the man didn't shake Amare's hand. Instead he indicated Amare's scarf, fluttering in the non-existent wind. Crap, has he already worked out that I'm a trained member of Uzaki Enterprises!? Amare thought briefly, but regathered his thoughts, after quickly dismissing the likelihood of such a conclusion.

"Hmmm.... Help you out... Fine! If it will get you to answer that question! But, as a member of Uzaki Enterprises, I can't be caught up in any misdemeanors or villainous acts!" Amare said-- immediately revealing the very fact he was concerned about. Not that it would likely mean much to Luca. Uzaki Enterprises was, at the surface level, a perfectly legitimate business. It was only behind the scenes that they performed their work in the spiritual world, after-all. Work that Amare was slowly easing his way into, now that he had begun to master the basics of Fullbringer combat. A fact that he was incredibly proud of, and continued to push to prove himself. Which was why he was out and about today, anyways.

Back into the present moment and out of the, frankly, probably very absurd place that was the inside of Amare's cranium, Luca had just asked Amare how his scarf was moving with no wind. Amare started, as if amazed that Luca had figured this out. "Oh! You've got really sharp eyes!" He said. Worked it out just like that? How uncool.... He thought despondently. "This sort of thing is a technique I got taught! Anyone should be able to do it with enough practice!" Amare crossed his arms and the fluttering of his scarf amplified in what actually did look like a fairly classical hero pose. And well it should-- Amare had spent way too long in front of a mirror practicing his hero poses after all. Not a muscle out of place! Haha! One day when he was a real hero like Kazura, or Asuka-sensei or Luke, he'd have his poses ready to go! "But... it did take me awhile to learn it. I still only partially understand it myself." He admitted, breaking his superhero pose, to rub the back of his head. "It has a lot to do with controlling my inner power. Like you know Ki or Chi from those martial arts anime and manga? Kinda like that, except real." He informed Luca. "I can do a lot of other stuff with it too!" He would have demonstrated right then and there, but he got the feeling that if he was trying to avoid trouble with the police, a madman perfectly ordinary citizen waving around brandishing a sword in the park was probably not the way to go about it.

"Hmm.... I'm surprised you can't see it for real though... Wait. Tell me if you can see this. Or feel this." Amare asked, as he let his reiatsu blaze to life. For the spiritually sensitive like Luca, a blue halo of energy would flare around Amare for a fleeting moment. For some with more experience, it would look pitifully weak, but to someone without anything else to gauge by, Amare's display would actually appear somewhat impressive, as his reiatsu burned around his body like a brilliant azure flame. It seemed especially concentrated in his scarf, in fact, and the scarf no longer fluttered, but flew straight up, whipping and snapping above Amare's head, as if caught in an updraft. And then as quickly as he had done so, Amare's reiatsu faded and his scarf fell limp around his shoulders in a surprisingly neat and organized pattern. "Did you see that then, Mr. Luca?" He asked, seeming to have forgotten his suspicions of Luca in his desire to show off. Hey, Amare was an in-the-moment kind of person, alright?


In the dim shadows, the Hollow's eyes burned with sudden anger. One of its stupid prey had let its reiatsu flare. Reiatsu that potent, and yet that weak... It would be like a giant signal beacon to every Hollow in the area. Its prey was going to be snatched away if it didn't do something now. The creature growled lowly to itself, and begun to slink out of the shadows, its lengthy, misshapen bulk skulking across the ground, hidden for the moment by intervening cars. But very soon it would be impossible for the creature to hide itself from either Luca or Amare. It had no choice now though. It was hungry, and the prey was ready to be devoured....

Amare paused for a moment, a chill creeping up his spine. He wasn't good at sensing reiatsu. But he could tell he was being watched. "Say, Luca.... do you feel that?" He inquired.

[Akira Hinosai]

It was no sooner that Amare began to speak did Luca realize what he said could have been interpreted as a threat. It was not his intention, but all this talk of heroes from Amare reminded him it wouldn't be out of place coming from some enemy lying in wait to attack. He was glad it hadn't been seen that way, though. He did need what Amare knew. It wasn't an opportunity he'd pass up regardless, but Luca was glad it didn't result in violence. Not out of any love for this Amare, but prying the information from him during some brawl wasn't exactly something Luca reveled in. Especially because he seemed so willing to divulge information already. I could take him though. Spirit knowledge be damned, if all he can do is move his scarf, he's in for a rude awakening if he underestimates me. I could totally take him. Even in his mind, the words rang hollow. 

I never took you for a desk jockey...or whatever it is they do at Uzaki. The question distracted Luca for a moment. He'd heard talk of it, and it had seemed a little strange there was a company as with as much clout as the name implies in some backwater section of Tokyo. By the time Luca refocused himself on the conversation it had already shifted, and he had missed his chance to unleash the quip. Oh well. A guy like this is bound to give me plenty of material to work with. Yet thoughts of his own wit turned to almost childlike excitement the more Amare spoke. Whoever he is, there are others like him. Even if he is a beginner at all this, he could still be my ticket to meeting them, to learning about...all of this. If that really was the case, Luca would endure any amount of this show-off's posturing. Even so, there were surely worse people to meet than this Amare, even if he wouldn't have been Luca's first choice...or second, or third for that matter. 

As Amare continued his little demonstration, Luca saw something around him. It was hard to make out at first, even if he was not standing far away. It was as though blue flames had encircled him, though they did not seem to burn him. If there had been any doubt in Luca's mind before, the energy around Amare destroyed it. Luca chuckled quietly. It was finally happening. Even if his first meeting in Karakura was with someone like this one, he may well have been the hero he seemed to enjoy blabbering that he was. Luca could finally learn about his powers. He had met someone spiritually aware. Despite it all, Amare was still the first person since Takumi Higa and the other soul reapers who he could truly relate to. Not to imply, however, this would mean Luca would play nice with him. Au contraire. As soon as I get over this mushy stuff, you better watch yourself, pal.

"Feel what?"  Luca had no indication there was anything to feel. Yet if that were so, why did he feel like something was very wrong? There was something off, yet the surrounding area in the park seemed as calm as it had before. Yet the rationalization did little to ease his nerves. It almost feels like...No, it couldn't be. Before he knew it, he was grinding his teeth. "I don't feel anything."  Luca tried to not sound as unsure of that statement as he truly was. 

[Amare Mori]

Luca Castabella was not wrong that Amare would undoubtedly give him a lot of material to work with in the future. Amare was 100% the "speak first, think later" kind of guy. Well. Sort of. He definitely did think before he spoke, but his thoughts were never anything any rational person would consider "normal". No, no, no. Amare had jumped that post long ago. He lived more or less entirely in the realm of fantasy. It was good that he had people like Kazura around to ground him, or he'd be completely off his rocker entirely. But that was beside the point entirely. Point is, if Luca wanted to snark at Amare, he'd have his chances.

Amare, however, was pleased to see the acknowledgement in Luca's eyes. "Yes! You can see it!" He praised. "If you can see this, it means you're capable of doing this as well. You too could be a Broccoli Person!" Amare declared cheerfully. ....Broccoli.... Person? Well. This was what happened when someone like Amare was trained by someone like Asuka of the Espada. The Arrancar of Las Noches had been Amare's sole frame of reference for the spiritual world from the beginning, and, for better or worse, Amare had adopted her terminology, and had been utterly insistent on it ever since. This included her tendency of referring to humans with spiritual power as broccoli people. Which unfortunately included himself. Not the most glamorous name for a group, but on the other hand, if Asuka said it, she must be right. She knew a lot more about this sort of thing than Amare did afterall! The Fullbringer stood there looking far too pleased with himself, before he allowed his aura to flicker out.

"That's just the beginning of what I can do as well." Amare said. "I can do a lot more if I want to. But right now I just don't want to. You know?" He stated. "I'm still learning myself, from some really amazing people, and going much further than that tires me out pretty quickly. But!" Amare interjected into his own speech. "Only for now! I'm on a hard endurance training course to build up my stamina so I can fight at full power as long as I want!" Amare said again, before at least pausing to feel the subtle hint of danger in the air.

Luca seemed to miss it though. Amare frowned. "I think..." He trailed off, then started again. "...Mr. Luca. Can you fight?" He asked. "Because I think you're about to have to." Amare sharply warned. At that moment, a heaving black bulk reared up over the hill and lunged at the two. The Hollow looked like a twisted amalgation of a snake and a caterpillar, its long, bloated, wormlike body, with dozens of small, twisted limbs that reached out, scrabbling at the air, each tipped by a small clawed hand. On its face was a grotesque, tusked mask, that split at the jaw and opened wide-- almost wide enough to swallow a human whole.

Amare didn't hesitate. At the Hollow attacked him, jaws gaping, he threw himself to the side, forced to roll across the ground, as his foot slipped in the snow, and he tumbled aside, and back to his feet, somewhat unsteadily. "At last I've found you, my quarry! You're the one responsible for all this! Your reign of terror ends today!" Amare grabbed his scarf, and in a single motion it unraveled from his neck. If Luca had evaded as well to a place within view of Amare, he'd witness his next strange occurrence of the day. As Amare's scarf flew from his neck, it extended, tightened and straightened... and then in an instant, Amare was not holding a scarf, but a double edged sword. A golden crossguard glimmered above his hand and the young Fullbringer raised it up. "Let's see what you're made of monster! Luca! Are you alright!?" Amare barked out, checking the other man's condition.

The Hollow twisted in place, saliva drooling from its maw. Its large head stared at Amare, then at Luca, as though attempting to discern which one seemed the easier prey. Amare had demonstrated some mastery of spiritual arts already, and was appearing to have the potential to be quite the thorny meal. Luca... could he make himself seem as much a threat as Amare?

SPOILER: Click to show

{The Hollow's Stats}
Strength: 140
Speed: 40
Reiatsu Strength: 40
Spirit Pressure: 40
Light Aura: 0
Dark Aura: 100
Senses: 50
Instinct: 50
Energy Sensory: 0
Total: 380

[Akira Hinosai]

The unease Luca felt was replaced by confusion.  Broccoli people? Without a doubt that may have been the dumbest string of words Luca had ever heard. Despite that, Luca could think of nothing to say in response to it. For once he was completely at a loss for words. Oh God, please tell me all of them aren't like this. Luca exhaled deeply as Amare continued. Well if he's right, we have the same kind of power. So his people really can help me. Must be some kind of organized group of them. Whatever happens here, I've got to figure out how to get myself an introduction.  "Look, I d-" Luca stopped himself as Amare seemed to notice something again. The serious tone of his voice told Luca this wasn't some pointless joke. 

"Of course I can fight, y-" Luca's voice failed him. Within the blink of an eye, a hollow had appeared out of nowhere and was attacking Amare.

Luca's body moved on its own. Sprinting to a tree he saw nearby, he jumped behind it. He peaked out with baited breath. The hollow had seemingly passed Luca up for Amare. Yet before Luca could so much as consider helping him, Amare had pulled a sword from his scarf... That wasn't it. The scarf had become the sword! Luca knew better than to stop and question it at this point. As Amare called out to him, the Hollow seemed less sure about his choice in prey. Luca was scared, unsure if he should attack or just run. Yet a line of thoughts cut through the fear. This was his chance to prove himself, he realized. This hollow-fighting debut in Karakura. It was clear the monster judged Amare to be the greater threat. Amare probably underestimated him too. No matter how scared he was, Luca wouldn't be some helpless weakling to be saved or devoured. Time to show them all! Luca forced a smile. He could do this even without having to hide and kite it around! Already the hollow was hesitating. The brief moment it took to decide which human to eat first was all Luca needed. In battle, hesitation is death.

Shovel in hand, Luca ran at the hollow thinking of a plan along the way.  What his shovel lacked in range, it made up for in versatility. He could easily bash, stab or slash with it. Whatever was required. Seeing the hollow's masses of soft, unarmored flesh, Luca knew the best course of action. If he could impale his shovel in its side, Amare would be open to attack with his sword. A tactical masterstroke. So long as it was damaged and they weren't, they had the advantage. I can win this! I WILL win this! Luca steeled himself as he got near and prepared himself to strike. 

[Amare Mori]

Luca charged in bravely against the Hollow. The immense creature turned its head toward him as he struck with his shovel, and its eyes seemed to sneer at him as he did so. The weapon struck against the squishy bulk of the monster. Luca would feel the shovel sink in, a solid blow that left a small cut on the Hollow. But the creature almost seemed not to notice, beyond a flinch of irritation. "Agh.... Not used to fighting a Hollow are you, child?" It hissed in a tone that was almost melodious. "Attacks like that will not stop me. They're little more than pinpricks!" It hissed as it reared up to attack Luca. It shifted its bulk to the side and a pair of clawed limbs shot out from beneath its bulk to grapple at anything they could reach. Fortunately its reach was not great, so Luca would likely be able to avoid if he stepped back, leaving the arms slashing and snatching at the air.

But Luca had succeeded in distracting the Hollow for but a moment, and a moment later it let out a much louder, and harsher cry of pain, and jerked away in Luca's direction. Amare had attacked it from the other side, taking advantage of its momentary lapse of focus. His sword had scored a more formidable blow, and a deep cut had been carved into the Hollow's opposite side. "Hey Luca! Focus your spiritual energy! Reach deep inside yourself. Feel your inner power. Let it come out!" He exclaimed. "Draw out your strength and you can do this too!" He ushered, eagerly trying to help Luca survive the encounter. "Then direct that power into your shovel there! If you're a Broccoli Person like me, you should be able to do it. You have to reach deep, and then will your weapon to hurt this thing!"

The Hollow spun about. "Broccoli Person? What madness has taken ahold of you?" It snapped. The creature threw its bulk at Amare aiming to crush him under its vast weight, but Amare threw himself aside again, dodging around it, and when a group of arms came to grab him, his blade flashed. Once. Twice. Three times. The Hollow snarled in pain and its limbs retracted, two of them wounded, and one hacked off at the wrist. The Hollow lifted itself again, and slammed down again, this time between Amare and Luca. This time it crashed down with enough force that there was the briefest of shudders in the ground, from its weight being forced downward by its great strength. The snow under Amare's feet slipped at this, and Amare went down. "Not again!" The Hollow whirled, more quickly this time. "I'll attend you later little one. I've an irritant to deal with." It said, turning its head to look at Luca, almost gleefully, before turning back to Amare, and lunging at him, jaws gaping. Amare's sword cut up, and crashed against its open jaws, but he was forced flat on his back, and it was clear that any resistance he was putting up would be fleeting at best. It was clear that between the Hollow's weight and might, Amare was outmatched in a contest of strength. He had maybe seconds before the Hollow forced his arms back far enough that it could take a great bite out of his torso.

"Tch... Now would be a good time to be a hero yourself Luca! I don't want to have to use my Trump card on something like this thing." Amare growled out. "That would be really, really uncool dammit." "But try anything child, and you'll have me to contend with. Maybe you can take this chance to flee?" The Hollow offered as it battled with Amare. Its tail lifted slightly exposing a number of its arms again, that doubled as its legs, seemingly poised to strike out if Luca tried to close in on the creature.

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca jumped back, only narrowly avoiding the reach of the hollow. "Damn it!"  The blow he'd been so sure of barely seemed to phase it. Focus my power? That was easier said than done. Luca had tried to replicate the brief glimpses into powers he had yet to unlock, but each time was disappointed. He spent hours focusing on the raw emotions he felt when he thought of the old friend who had given him his lighter. He always tried to force his power out of him, but Amare's method made sense. The power he had was a part of him, so if he worked against it, he only held himself back. Luca tried to visualize a well of power within him. He did not try to force it to flow, but rather imagined he was helping it flow through him. He imagined it flowing through his arms, and to his shovel. For the first time, Luca felt something change. He simply accepted it. Whether it was real or just a delusion was irrelevant. It was not a question Luca would entertain. If I believe it will work, it will.

The loud crash of the hollow interrupted Luca's focus. He saw Amare draw its attention and knew he had to do something. If I did it before I can do it again. Just hang in there, Amare! No matter how annoying or show-offish Amare seemed, Luca wasn't about to let him get eaten by the likes of this scum. Luca retraced his footsteps from his last attempt, focusing on Amare's words. He felt his power flow to his shovel, strengthening it. Yet as Luca prepared to strike, the hollow addressed him. The hollow was ready for him, but it was also willing to let him run away while it tried to finish off Amare. 

An idea popped into Luca's head. He had no intention of running away, but the hollow didn't know that. If he could trick it and strike while its guard was down...
Luca's expression softened. Just then, he looked unsure, as though fear was overwhelming him. "You'd really let me live? I'm sorry, Amare." Luca turned around, taking steps away. Again, he focused his power through his shovel. It didn't take as long this time, but Luca didn't complain. Time was of the essence. Turning to face the hollow again and doubling back, he jabbed at the hollow, this time with his spiritual power aiding him. If his eyes weren't deceiving him, he could almost see a faint green slow radiating from the shovel head as it entered the hollow's side...

[Amare Mori]

Luca's attack drove true, and with the green shimmering light around his spade, his blow pierced through the Hollow's flesh with far more effectiveness than before. The creature bellowed in pain, flinching back from Amare from the briefest of instances. Amare's eyes flashed with excitement. "Nice job!" The Hollow had let off of Amare for the briefest of instances, and the young man's blade snapped at the Hollow's face. The beast recoiled away from both of them, snarling in pain and fury, as black blood sprayed from a gash in its mask that Amare's blade had just cut, as well as the prodigious gash in the beast's side, courtesy of Luca. The Hollow sprang away from them as quickly as it could-- which was not particularly quickly, especially compared to Amare, but it moved back all the same, and tried to face them both. Now wary. The prey that had supposed to be such an easy catch was proving far more difficult than it had anticipated. "You..." It bubbled angrily. "You will regret that..."

Amare moved to stand back beside Luca, brandishing his sword. "See! You're learning well! Keep that up and this beast will be slain in no time at all!" He grinned triumphantly, like some knight of old battling a great dragon. Well, a pair of Knights now, he supposed. Back to back badasses. Like a boss. Amare thought happily. This is so cool! I get to be a mentor! Oh but wait.... Shit! Doesn't the mentor usually die!? He dies after he passes on everything he knows! Ah crap, that's not good! Is there any cases where the mentor survives? Amare wracked his brain, trying to think of some examples of media or tales where the wise mentor did not meet an ill-timed end shortly after passing his knowledge on. He wasn't coming up with anything. AAAHHH! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die and it'll be at the hands of something gross like this!? No way! I want a way cooler death than this! I'm not gonna go that way! Nuh uh! No way! Not happening! I'm gonna kick this things ass and I'm gonna live, and have a great dinner tonight! It seemed even the threat of imminent death wasn't enough to get Amare's mind to truly focus on the task at hand. But at least it motivated him. That had to count for something. ...Right?

"If you keep this up, we might uncover your Fullbring pretty soon as well!" Amare suggested, a little shaking in his voice as he tried to keep his composure despite the narrative clearly calling for a heroic sacrifice sometime soon. The Hollow picked up on Amare's hesitation. "Afraid, boy?" It asked, its eyes leering. "Well you should be. You two have wounded me dearly. I won't let you leave with your lives even if you beg for them now!" It proclaimed, and its jaws opened wide. An orb of red reiatsu began to form, and Amare noticed it. "Oh shit.... Luca DODGE" He exclaimed, raising his sword to parry, as a Cero exploded out of the Hollow's mouth and streaked toward the two. Amare, to his credit, didn't immediately dodge. He held his ground, making sure that Luca got clear as well. The Cero wasn't especially massive, but to someone who wasn't expecting it, it could still be considered a formidable attack to avoid. Amare knew he had a backup plan if Luca couldn't get clear. He could afford to stall a minute. But he kept his eye on Luca.

Amare drew back his sword, and if Luca was paying him any mind, instead of getting out of the Cero's path, he'd notice that that same blue, flaming aura had become concentrated around the sword, as Amare prepared to release his next level of Fullbring. Only if Luca didn't avoid however. If he did, Amare too would spring aside to get out of the way of the Hollow's attack, dodging to the opposite side as Luca, before rushing in at the creature. But it was Amare's opinion that a real hero didn't let people die! They stood their ground and proved victorious without letting their wards suffer! That was the way of a real hero. To defeat the foe, and to preserve life. The life of the guardian. That was the life that Amare believed fellow Uzaki Enterprises staff Luke led, and he aimed to still fight alongside Luke's side one of these days. His weapon was braced and ready, but he was also willing to let Luca lead the attack this time, at the now-wary Hollow that laid coiled before the two.

[Akira Hinosai]

Although Luca's jump was competent, his landing proved much less so. The pain was negligible, which was good. Before he picked himself up, he looked back at Amare to see he had only then jumped out of the way. Took you long enough... Luca had never seen a hollow do such a thing before. Fortunately, he knew enough from playing video games that it was best to avoid any attack that was powerful enough to have a cast time. He can only surprise me with it once. The hollow was desperate, which would only be the case if it was on death's door. All the while, the hollow looked open for another attack. We survived the worst it has to offer. We're home free now!

It was all coming together. Luca was finally starting to learn how to use his powers. Not only that, he knew what his power was called, if his assumption was correct. Fullbring sounded far cooler than broccoli person. Luca couldn't help but laugh as he got to his feet. If only Tom and Takumi could see him now. Not long ago, when he tried to fight a hollow he had nearly been killed. This time, there was hardly a scratch on him. Even if he hadn't been able kill the hollow alone, he certainly liked to think his support in the battle was essential to that end. The catharsis of it all was nearly intoxicating. 

Even so, the hollow was not dead yet, and there was no time like the present to make sure it was. Luca's wolfish grin must have made him look like a serial killer, as people loved to tell him. Though whatever ordinary people thought of him didn't matter now. And they never will, never again! Luca glanced at Amare and determined he was letting  him take the lead for what very well could be the final attack. "Hey, Amare, what do you say we make this bastard regret ever crawling out of the gutter?" This was it. Luca would have to make this count. He ran across the snow, holding his shovel like a lance as it began to glow sickly green once more...

[Amare Mori]

Amare was extremely relieved to see that Luca had evaded the attack from the Hollow, but knew it wasn't over yet. "Keep your guard up! Hollows usually have some kind of innate ability. That energy blast is called a Cero; it's a very common power among them! This one probably has at least one other trick up its sleeve." The Hollow hissed out a chuckle in answer to Amare. "You seem well informed about us." It said. "How unusual in a Human... Are you a Shinigami in disguise?" Amare paused for a moment, as if confused. "Shini...gami?" He asked, as if uncertain of the statement. The Hollow's eyes narrowed. "I suppose you haven't met one yet. So, you are just a well informed human." Amare grinned. "Of course I was! I was taught by the best! I know all about Hollows, Arrancar, Werecows and Sparkle Wizards!" He stated proudly. The Hollow stared, dumbfounded for a brief moment. "Who on earth did you learn from!?" It snarled at him in frustration as it found the discussion and its attempts at taunts slamming into a brick wall of Amare's stupidity. It looked over at Luca. "Tell me I'm not the only one who recognizes this one as a buffoon."

Amare grinned. "Asuka Hitotoki! The Sexta Espada of Las Noches! She taught me everything I know about your world! And after so many battles with her... I'm not about to die to the likes of you!" Amare declared as he shifted into a wider stance and brought his sword up above his shoulder, angling his point towards the Hollow, seeming for an instant, like some predator about to pounce on its prey. Hey, that wasn't a bad delivery. I'll remember that one! He thought to himself as he prepared to make his next move. As Luca proposed they finish the job, Amare nodded with a grin. "I agree!" He said, and joined Luca in his charge.

The Hollow, however, had a different emotion that flickered across its face. "A-An Espada!?" It roared, seeing Amare and Luca charging it. The beast hadn't anticipated that. Of all the rotten luck, it had to fight against someone who'd been trained by a bloody Espada? ...What were the Espada doing, training people in the Human World, anyways!? It didn't matter in the end. The beast had picked this fight, and now it had to end it. It reared up away from Luca and Amare. "Stay back you vermin!" It snarled, and, this time without warning a quartet of red balls of energy suddenly exploded from its scrabbling claws, two at Amare and two at Luca. These were much faster than the Cero it had fired previously, and there was no charge time to warn them.

"Shit! That's a Bala! Watch out Luca!" Amare exclaimed, his sword whirling to intercept them, It barely caught the first one, and the Bala exploded against the blade of his sword. Amare had a strange look as it did however, right before the second one caught him full in the torso. However, aside from being staggered, and his shirt being torn by the blast, Amare looked largely unharmed. "You call that an attack!?" Amare crowed back at the Hollow. Indeed, Bala were much faster than Cero and lacked the charge time, but they were much weaker in turn. In this case, the Bala were not unlike hardened "punches" of reiatsu. ...Punches thrown with the Hollow's 40 strength. To someone with Amare's physical strength it did little more than slow him down, as he charged the Hollow head on, his blade now flashing left and right as he hacked away at the arms under the Hollow, aiming to give Luca an opening to drive home his own attack. The limbs recoiled away from Amare's sword, which now gave Luca a clean shot at the Hollow's exposed torso. True, it would mean getting underneath the creature; close enough for the Hollow to attempt a body slam. But at the same time, the creature seemed reluctant to fight so close to the two Fullbringers now, with Amare slowly getting more and more into the swing of things. His footwork was improving and it seemed he was finally getting used to fighting in the slippery snow. Luca had his chance, but would he go for the money shot, or would he attempt a more cautious assault?

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca ground his teeth. "Cero and some innate power..." Luca muttered under his breath. Damn it! I guess this thing is stronger than I thought. Can't afford to get cocky now. Luca listened to Amare's conversation with the hollow, up until the mention of werecows and sparkle wizards. For a brief moment, Luca and the hollow were in agreement on Amare's stupidity. Hoping Amare wouldn't notice, Luca shrugged as he flashed a knowing smile. Espada. Arrancar. Asuka Hitotoki. Those at least sounded like proper names. Judging from context, Luca could guess that whoever this Asuka was, she was quite strong. Also, at one point she was taking on pupils. Guess that's another option to explore after all this...

Luca's curiosity was awakened by the mention of names he had never heard before. I really will have to pick this guy's brain after this. Though for the time being, there was little that could be done besides kill the hollow, and pretend he knew what Amare was talking about. The hollow proved more durable than Luca would have thought, but that didn't mean it was invincible. Far from it. At maximum, a few more good hits, and it would be dead. Best case scenario, one more attack could do it in. It could be as simple as one last charge. Two fullbringers working in tandem: an all out attack. It was a nice thought, even considering how stupid Amare had the potential to be.

The charge ended almost as soon as it began. Luca only barely avoided the first Bala thrown at him, only to step right into the path of the second. He didn't remember falling, but he had. A pained gasp escaped his mouth. Removing the hand that instinctively clutched his side, he saw his overcoat took far more damage than he did. This wasn't remotely fatal, but that didn't mean it wasn't painful. When he tried to hold himself up with his other hand, it only then occurred to him how the snow seemed to cut through all layers of fabric he wore. Picking up his shovel, he quickly rose to his feet. He looked over to see Amare had already launched a fresh assault against the hollow. The beast's attention was diverted, that much was clear. Almost as if... Luca had a clear shot. It would be risky getting up close to it, even if Amare was distracting it. Come on, there has to be some smarter way to do this...

When no answer immediately popped into his head, Luca knew what he had to do. If he had a chance to score a serious hit, he had to take it. Luca didn't fear pain or injury. He'd avoid them if he could. Yet the path to power wasn't for the faint of heart. Fortune favored the bold. Those were the kinds of phrases that echoed in his mind as he ran at it again. This is the smart thing to do. There's not much other option. I've gotta show Amare I'm no weakling. Charging it like this is a smart decision. A million justifications in fractions of seconds flooded his mind, yet as he got closer a vague feeling of fear loomed in him. He didn't pull back. He still ducked down to strike it from under, but the feeling remained. It was as thought though heaviness in his chest trying to whisper to him "What if this doesn't work? What if you lose?"  Whether it was, whether the strike would land, only time would tell.

[Amare Mori]

The ground was growing littered by clawed talons, as Amare's blade flashed in front of him. The Hollow was slowing down a little bit, and Amare was getting into his groove, such that the beast could no longer completely clear its limbs in time before his sword bit into them. Combined with the damage they'd already taken and Amare was beginning to completely remove some of the dozens of limbs, making the Hollow even less mobile, as the bits doubled as legs for the creature, and left a clear line of attack for Luca now. One that Luca was indeed planning on taking advantage of. Amare saw Luca begin his charge out of the corner of his eyes. It's not the most heroic thing to be an assist but I'll help him out this one time. Amare thought, as he focused his attacks into the section of the Hollow that Luca was aiming for. Black blood flew in the air, and the Hollow screamed, cringing back, trying to draw its defenses towards Amare. If the coast had been clear before, now it was as if there were runway lights leading to the Hollow's vulnerable point for Luca to follow.

Luca's spade struck true. Armored by his spiritual energy, it punctured the Hollow's belly like a dull spear, and pushed through. No bones to impede it, the shovel buried its entire blade in the Hollow's gut, and the monster howled in agony. "Y-you filthy brat!" It snarled. It reared up, trying to pull away from Luca. With his shovel embedded inside of it, it was possible that Luca would be pulled in by this. There were no arms grabbing at him this time, as Amare had cleared them away by now, but it seemed the Hollow had one last card to play. Amare had mentioned that most Hollows had innate abilities, and it seemed it was ready to reveal its own.

As if the creature couldn't become even more monstrous, a rift split up across the creature's abdomen. "I'll devour you and dissolve you into nothing!" It snarled. The rift widened and opened up, and the flash of white fangs could be seen as the monster's entire abdomen seemed to split into a cavernous maw. Yellow strands of saliva drooled from the gnashing jaws, splattering onto the ground near Amare and Luca, and hissing and burning the ground. They were clearly acidic, and it was clearly a bad idea to let it touch them. From within that maw, the Hollow seemed to be making a gurgling sound, as if hacking up phlegm-- which if the burning was any indication meant an attack was incoming.

"That is disgusting." Amare groaned. "And I'm not getting hit by that!" Amare lunged backwards, away from the Hollow, and his reiatsu flared. "Luca! Try to get clear! I'm going to try to get this thing down! When it goes down, go for its mask! Something this big isn't going to be killed by conventional attacks, but a blow through its brain will kill just about anyone, am I right!?" He asked. Amare's reiatsu began to focus down until it surrounded just his sword in a halo of power. "Here goes.... Alright then. RENDING WAVE!" Amare, screamed. He slashed the air, and the reiatsu that had built up in his sword exploded outwards into a fang of power that tore diagonally through the air at the Hollow. At a glance, it almost resembled a Cero of Amare's own. But the result, as it crashed against the Hollow demonstrated a different outcome. The monster shrieked, its attack interrupted as its flesh seemed stripped-- no.... cut? Maybe not even cut, but ground away, as if running it over a field of blades, stripping it down to the bone in moments. The monster toppled, crashing down, this massive scar ripped across its body. Perhaps if Amare's spiritual power had been greater, this attack may have even split the Hollow in half, but the scar it had left was not small, and the beast would doubtlessly be left out of commission for a moment or two.

"Finish it! Quickly! I can't do that again." Amare wheezed out, now planting his sword in the ground and leaning on it to support his weight. Rending Wave was a useful attack in Amare's arsenal, but it was one that taxed almost his entire spiritual reserves. It wasn't something he could use carelessly, and he'd been hoping to not have to use it against the Hollow. But here it had come out, and now Amare had to count on Luca to finish things. He'd need a few moments to catch his breath. Both he and the Hollow were incapacitated, but Amare doubted that condition would last for long as far as the Hollow was concerned. As for him? ...Yeah, Amare would need a minute or two to catch his breath after that. He could probably keep fighting if he had to, but it would not be anywhere near as effective as he had previously been doing. This battle was on Luca. He hoped the other neophyte Fullbringer was up to the task. Judging by the blow with his shovel, he probably could. Amare watched onwards with bated breath, as the Hollow groaned in agony.

Caliburn: 1/10

Reiatsu Remaining: 100/500 (-200 for Rending Wave, -200 for releasing Caliburn)