Hello There

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

She felt herself rise from the snow. Looking outwards towards the Arrancar as she took a deep exhale. He asked her. How many times could she keep up her assault? Her bloody assault? That was an excellent question. However. She sharply retorted. "And what of you?...Attacks like that are draining. Aren't they?!" She shouted upwards. Though before long, he launched his next assaults towards her. The first of which was an assault she was incredibly familiar with.

However. For the first time, she had launched an attack in return. Split. As the pillars came, she leaped upwards, and with it, her blade extended long, and split into five long pieces. Ripping into and shattering the chains and pillars with ease. Dragging through and along them as they did before crisscrossing. Watching the pillars shatter and fall apart into many tiny cubes around her. Before then. She felt the reiatsu absorbing into her blade. As she observed him firmly. Her arms were heavy. She felt numb as she pushed on.

"Is that it?...Do you think this battle is done?" If Col was observant, he'd see that by the end, the blades were longer. Nearly two feet longer after hitting his Kido head on. With it, the tendrils of her blades lingered, as she looked up at the Arrancar. "If I can't beat you through brute strength. Then..." There was no other option. No choice but this one then. Wasn't there?

The blades open, and with it, Senshi uses a Shunpo. Closing the distance between her and her Arrancar adversary, standing right before him, the tendrils split open like a flower, before then looking to converge them straight towards the center, to slash Col the Arrancar from five directions. The difference being. In the event he tried to step backwards? The blades would suddenly grow much longer. Over fifty feet in length, almost instantaneously as they came inwards. the blades long, and thin as the weight sought to crush him, Senshi balancing the weight with both hands. 

"Haaagh!" She shouted, as the tendrils would rapidly flail looking to exploit even a single cut on Col. What had happened? She sacrificed the blade's power temporarily to increase its length. A power that seemed evident at first glance, but at the end of her barrages of assaults, she wondered if even Col would be fearful. For it was clear that the reiatsu in the blade was for more than just power. What was even more fearful. Was that the blade's length and sharpness could adjust at any time. All it took...Was but a mere instant.

SPOILER: Click to show

Reiatsu Remaining: 125

-150 Split
-50 Shunpo

+About 400 Reiatsu from each blade striking Bakudo #75.

Moved 2000 reiatsu from OS buff to length buff, making the blade around fifty feet in length. 

[Col Arana]

Col merely smiled placidly at Senshi in answer to her retort. "I'm afraid my reserves are somewhat greater than yours. I could perform such attacks for days on end if need be." He replied, with utter, unshakeable confidence in his tone. He was moderately interested with the ease in which her Zanpakuto cut apart his Gochutekkan, but more notable was the subtle surge in power as she did so. As if she were draining the strength of his attack, to fuel her own reserves. If that is true... How irritating. Col thought as Senshi raised her weapon against him. He'd have to be more careful in his use of reiatsu. Which was an annoyance, given Col's preference to unleashing immense amounts to overwhelm his opponents. Precision would have to be his weapon of choice here.

"This battle was over the moment we drew our blades. This is merely a bit of theatre before the curtain closes." Col replied idly, allowing Senshi's determination to wash past him, unfazed. She seemed determined, but it would take more than that to best the former Zarpa.

Shunpo was fast, faster than Col, but she'd gotten too close. Five blades converged on Col's position, and, as Senshi anticipated, Col dodged backwards, but he didn't just dodge backwards. The arrancar's center, left arm flexed at the wrist, and a bolt of webbing flew at Senshi's face, aiming to cover it, blinding and suffocating her. Col dearly enjoyed seeing fear fill his target's eyes but he saw now that this one would be more difficult to break. He could bide his time with her if he had to.

As for the oncoming blades, Col brought up five of his limbs to intercept Senshi's blades. Enhanced steel crashed against Col's hardened carapace, scoring the durable bonelike armor which covered his forearms. There was damage, and perhaps another few blows might have broken through, but against this initial assault, Col's defense held, though the blades drove him backwards, only his evasion preventing him being driven into the ground. The arrancar tried to spring away to break free of the blades' chase. It must take some expenditure of her strength to extend her blades while maintaining this level of power. I won't be undone by this brat... Col thought. His free arm, which had shot the web bolt at Senshi's face, now whipped horizontally across his front, sending another long strand of webbing to snare Senshi, attempting to catch one of her arms and bind it to her torso, limiting her attacking options. Unlike Kido, Col did not suspect Senshi could draw reiatsu from his webs, and even if she could, she might find the flexible webs a challenge to cut idly. It was a cautious attack all the same, probing for weakness. Probing for a viable means of attack. Senshi was prey still, yes, but she had proven herself dangerous prey all the same.

A spider still had to be wary of the wasp's sting, even as it wound its prey in its trap. So too was Col carefully evaluating Senshi. To draw out the venom, and render her sting impotent now, before going for the killing bite. He wished he could savor the battle, to take his time, but Senshi was dangerous. Worthwhile prey to be sure, but now one Col might have considered more irritating and troublesome than her worth. Still. She had wounded Col's pride thus far, and the arrancar was not about to let that insult go unanswered. He would draw out due recompense... oh yes. He would make sure of it.

As Senshi attempted to follow up with her threshing flailing blades-- something Col was certain she could do even with a bound limb, Col responded with a crackling Sonido to lunge forty meters to the right, well clear of Senshi's blades. At long range, Col launched a number of web strands from each of his six arms, stringing webs below Senshi between the houses, while two more strands launched towards her to try and catch her legs. If either hit, Col would then yank on the web to pull Senshi off balance and launch additional webs to try and bind the Captain's legs together and immobilize her in spider silk. For now he was keeping up his probing attacks from a safe range. Indeed this was Col's next tactic when he was deprived of overwhelming offense. To rapidly switch between combat stratagems to take his opponent off guard. From an aggressive, close quarter onslaught, to a long distance sniping attack. He'd have to determine how to change up his attacks from here, but that would depend on Senshi's response to his web attacks.

Resurrecction: 2/16
Reiatsu Remaining: 2225/3400 (-1400 when release ends (1200+200 for Sonido)

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

"...Then I look forward to that end. I've been waiting for so long for it to end." She spoke with a coldness in her tone. The redheaded reaper leaned inwards for their engagement. Only to find with a flick of a wrist, to find sticky webbing deeply coating her face. A momentary shock as she saw it come, though, that surprise was only momentary, especially when she saw her blades connect. Sinking. Perhaps not cutting deeply into the carapace, if at all, but she connected.

That was an accomplishment. Another whip, and soon, her left hand was stuck to her torso, leaving her in a state of blindness. Yet. That was as far as she'd allow him to go. Before then, the blades digging into his carapace would begin to...vibrate. Spark, and crackle with the power of electricity from her Kido. Tsuzuri Raiden. The crackling electricity looking to spark and ripple through each of his five limbs then, using the vibration or involuntary movement of the Zarpa's muscular contractions to dig ever so slightly deeper into him. 

Before then her reiatsu ran low, beginning to close inwards from their split. Meeting back at Senshi's center, as she took as deep of a breath as she could. Assuming he continued his step, to clear from her, cautiously assessing the threat, closing inwards, looking for that moment of vulnerability from the small Shinigami woman? She found herself standing there. Contemplating this situation she found herself in. Before conceding her weakness.

As webs dug in all about her surroundings, she found herself using the last of Shonin Joka's flexibility to slice upon her face, to try to disturb and open some opening to see. Though if unable, she proceeded to momentarily rip her own sleeve with her tugging motion, to allow some...limited arm movement, as she clenched and unclenched her right fist. She might as well fight hard. It wasn't over until it was over? Right? So. Realizing her option were close to expended? She waited.

Until the webs hit her legs, wrapping around her. That. That was an opportunity. As they wrapped around her, pulling her off her balance, she falls, and with it, she twists her body. Twists as fast as she could and spins inwards, almost like wrapping the spider silk like cotton candy, wrapping it firmer along her entire body, and in a way, to tug back on him as well, and luckily, she now knew where he was. With her blade now rapidly extending, transferring it all to its length, in an attempt to cleave and slash the spider.

If not to harm him, then to connect, and make him aware that she knew. To dig her blade into his clothes. To have it connect again, so she could feel the satisfaction of the blade again on his carapace. This was Shonin Joka. Shimazu. It served her well, and it really was an extension of herself. She felt unfulfilled. Damn. Was this all she could do? 

SPOILER: Click to show

Reiatsu Remaining: 75/3000

-25 Tsuzuri Raiden. 

[Col Arana]

Although it was not plain on his face, and certainly not visible to Senshi who'd been blinded by the webs on her face, but the hint of a frown entered Col's eyes at her statement. That wasn't any fun at all. Grim resolve was one thing. A Shinigami who recognized they were going to die but would still try and make a heroic last stand, and face the reaper with resolute determination, or even a winsome smile. Not Col's favorite thing, but still. A Shinigami absolutely desperate not to die was even better. But this? This depressive acceptance-- no, hope. That's what it was. Hope. And the kind of hope that Col could not snuff out. Senshi wasn't just expecting him to kill her. She wanted it. She was hoping he'd end her suffering. "Put them out of their misery" was a phrase Col had toyed with in the past, but had not expected it to be so literal. In an astonishing turn of events, it was actually killing his appetite.

A hunger pain lancing up through him gave him pause. Well, not exactly. But he now somehow found the idea of devouring this Shinigami unpalatable. As if he'd legitimately be giving her what she wanted. As if she'd have won some kind of philosophical victory over him. Played him into doing what it is she wanted him to do from the start. The frown in Col's eyes turned to anger. Senshi's Tsuzuri Raiden was walled by the Arrancar's carapace armor for the most part, though Col did experience an unpleasant jolt surge through his body. Still, his defensive carapace ate most of the pain such that it was lessened to little more than an unpleasant sensation, akin to his arms falling asleep. Pins and needles prickling beneath the skin.

Then her blades retracted, no doubt in preparation for the next strike. "For someone so eager to die, you're fighting against it quite ferociously." Col answered as Senshi cut away the webs binding her face. In the same moment Senshi drew away her defenses to cut at her improvised blindfold, one of Col's other limbs shot a bolt of webbing to bind her right arm as well. Rapidly beginning to bind Senshi up like a fly in a net. He still couldn't get too close to her, and it irked him. All it would take is a single cut. But the idea of those blades piercing into him and then opening like a blossoming flower. Shredding his internal organs and making his insides into a slurry like a blender. No, no. He needed to neutralize this threat completely before the coup de grace. Senshi would have her sight back, but at the cost of her right arm being bound. And if she dropped her blade to cut the bindings there, Col would likely target another spot. What then was she going to do? Col was firing only a single bolt at a time right now, but he had six limbs. He could fire more bolts of webbing than Senshi could cover with her single blade.

Her answer was a full on banzai, kamikaze attack against the arrancar. Whirling and spinning through the air, binding herself in Col's webs even worse. A desperation attack if Col had ever seen one. She had her eyes, but that was all. Col vanished in a burst of static, and Senshi would feel a tremendous jolt transfer through her arm-- one that would threaten to dislodge Shonin Joka from her grip as her weapon collided with the Arrancar's shoulder in mid-Sonido. A calculated risk. At the same instant, Col's lowest taloned hand would rake across Senshi's side to slash open a wound, before his momentum carried him past Senshi and beyond the reach of her sword-- hopefully before she could adapt to the sudden transition in circumstances.

Col would skid away from Senshi, the carapace armor on his right flank shredded by the full-on impact with Shonin Joka, and a thin rivulet of blood trickled from his side. It was a shallow wound, but combined with the force of Col's own Sonido, it had been sufficient for the enhanced strength and sharpness of Shonin Joka to injure the Arrancar. For Col it was worth it. A risky gamble after his very defensive plays. The arrancar always believed in rapidly changing his tactics, so he hoped the suddenly overly aggressive move on his part would take Senshi by almost as much surprise as her kamikaze attack had taken him. Because all he needed was that wound. The injury, and time. If his talon had successfully wounded the Captain of the Gotei 13, then his win condition was now in play, and he could take some time to wait out her demise.

Resurrecction: 3/16
Reiatsu Remaining: 2225/3400 (-1600 when release ends (1400+200 for Sonido)

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

Senshi tried her best. As suicidal and reckless her charges were at her opponents, nobody could deny that she didn't try to uphold her duties. Even when things got hard, and she got tired. She was diligent. That was the kind of girl Senshi was. She was outmatched and she was defeated. As she found her eyesight freed, only to be bound in both arms, she looked upwards. Strands of crimson hair falling with torn web, as she twisted. She was bound. Though she'd landed several strikes on the Arrancar. The Spider.

The fact it didn't kill him merely showed her resolve was weak, she supposed. As his taloned hand rips into her side, she hardly recognized it. As blood dripped from the wound, she seemed as if it didn't hurt, or at the very least gave no betrayal of the pain. Slowly, as she found herself entangled in webs across her body, and seeing a part of her side torn into, she gave a deep exhale. Because she felt in a sense, she could be at peace. She closed her eyes, and with it, she felt a curve upwards of her lips. 

Because she felt as if it was coming. As the warmth dripped out of her, she didn't feel fear, or terror, or contempt, or anger. Instead, she felt a sense of serenity, as she held her blade in hand. She smiled, because she knew it was going to be over soon. All the anxiety, the grief, the depression, the feeling of inadequacy. Everything. She sometimes fantasized what she might reincarnate as if she died. Or if she'd suddenly find herself forgetting everything, in the consciousness of another body with memories that weren't hers. Senshi came to find herself asking?

If her next life would be much happier than the last. She in some part felt so much relief, because she was sure that if she were to pass away right now, there wouldn't be anyone that would grieve her. There wouldn't be a feeling of great sorrow, or loss. She'd be a footnote, and that was the thing that gave her so much relief. That despite the way she lived, with all of these insecurities, agonies, and tortures, both internal and external? She wouldn't antagonize or hurt anyone else. She closed her eyes, waiting desperately for the next strike. Hoping perhaps it might be the last.

Perhaps she did wish that it would be less painful, but another part of her wanted it to hurt tremendously. Senshi was likely a type of prey Col had never experienced, because there were likely very few prey that willingly flew into the Spider's web. She took deep breaths in and out, and she had honestly never felt more serenity in her entire life. "I just wanted to make you work for your food." She said softly, and with it, she stood there. "Now finish it. End me. Please." She found herself looking at him, sounding almost pleading. Almost desperate. 

"Please." It should be easy for him now. Tied up as she was. The sword wasn't likely able to hurt him surely. Not anymore. "I fought. I lost. Now I rest. I deserve at least that much. Because I'm just so tired. Do it. Do it!" She closed her eyes again, and it was as if she was in prayer, as if their roles were reversed. As if he was the death god that would come reap her soul. Though. It never occurred to Senshi that this was a parallel of their first meeting. Where she never considered that help might come to liberate her. Or rather, pull her back into the hell she was. 

[Col Arana]

Col looked down at Senshi with utter disdain. No amusement. Not even anger. He heard her words, but he was scarcely listening. This was sad. "Pathetic." He hissed. "I expected better of you when I fought you all those years ago. Back then you had promise. Potential. Squandered. You could have been so much more. Worthy prey." His voice rasped in disgust. He'd wounded her with one of his talons, so his venom would be setting about to work. Senshi, were she able to move despite her bindings, would begin to feel her movements grow sluggish. It would be more difficult to move her body as her muscles seized up and fought against her. The effect would be mild for the time being, but in an active battle, it would grow with each passing exchange ultimately and eventually resulting in full paralysis. It was normally then that Col would end the battle.

"Instead you've become this." He shook his head in disappointment. "You were stronger the first time we fought." He replied. "I should have devoured you then. How incredibly disappointing. I thought to let this feast ripen, and instead it has spoiled." Col turned on his heel. "I don't even feel like killing you. I am not in the mood to indulge the whims of someone like you." He added. Col was beginning to walk away from Senshi now. "When we started tonight I called you brave. I take back those words. There is no courage in what you are doing. It is a wonder that the Seireitei let you hold a sword, let alone command the rank of Captain. Congratulations girl. You're off my list. You will lie here for several hours. When you finally have motion back in your body you are welcome to scurry off to whatever dark recess you call home, and soak in the adulation of the pitiful insects that have the shame to call you Captain." Col breathed, his disappointment palpable.

"Maybe one day, you will find that spark you had. Perhaps then I will kill you. But I'm not holding my breath. Writhe in torment, girl. I would call you Shinigami. But I rather think that's an affront to the Shinigami. The Shinigami are arrogant and blind, true, but they have some semblance of dignity. And I see none in you." Col stated. There was the sound of static. Then Col was gone and there was naught but silence that filled the air.

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

"Kill me." She said, before beginning to slowly look upwards, feeling that sense of dread as he began to move away. "Kill me! KILL ME! KILL ME!" She shouted louder and louder, beginning to squirm hysterically against her binds. Adulation he said. It was true, she held power, and there were those others within her division that sought her for training or guidance. Yet, she lived her day by day pursuing death, as if there was a plateau. Her sword sought for her to improve and soar to heaven.

Yet, she found herself groveling in dirt and hell. "Don't you dare walk away and leave me here!" She found her eyes closing, as she began screaming, inconsolable to the feeling of despair she felt. She looked at the carapace monster, and with it, how was she supposed to feel then? That even a monster thought of her as a failure? She was stronger back then he said, and yet, she only felt a desperation to survive for the sake of helping others. Because she was oblivious and ignorant, thinking that she could grow so much stronger and accomplish so much more. 

How many had died she wondered? Because she was too weak and lacked the power? How many times had she been maimed and put down because she lacked understanding. That power was the ability to manipulate and change the environment of things. That was something Senshi lacked in so many ways. She felt utter anguish, as she began to actually cry to herself, grasping at the threads and screaming like a child. When lesser Hollows or other monstrosities came to seek her, she'd only scream out like a banshee, they'd be crushed to death by the weight of gravity.

It was only at the end, when she was alone, and she felt herself fall to the ground, did she slowly stand. Clenching her hands to her head, tugging on her hair, as she kneeled on the ground. Releasing a fresh new wave of tears and anguished cry that sounded like borderline laughter did she come to slowly stand. Slowly, did she leave the area, as something fundamentally snapped in her that day. How couldn't it? She struggled on how she was feeling. How she was supposed to feel.

She vomited when she went back home. Vomited harder than she ever had in her entire life, and found herself bedridden for a few days. She felt it hard, if not impossible to eat or drink. It was almost as if she was catatonic for a while. Spoiled. She was spoiled meat. Tainted meat. She looked at herself and reflected on all of her wounds, and scars, and found herself in an odd state of being. Though. Slowly, she'd come to a gradual solution. 

[Kitai Yoru]

Senshi: 54 paragraphs, 540 TP awarded
Col: 42 paragraphs, 420 TP awarded plus 100 for victory