The Past Sucks [PG13, NDE, Easy]

[Zou ۞]

Name: [The Past Sucks] - The Adventure Name

Participants: [Shinigami and Hollows only, 2 RPC participants maximum] - Who can participate?

Location: [Human World - Yokohama, Japan] - Where does this take place?

Difficulty Level: [Easy] - Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme. How difficult is this adventure?

Setting: [NDE] Is this DE or NDE? Death Enabled or Non Death Enabled?

Plotline: [Life isn't very good for Hollows these days. Shinigami are quite strong lately, especially given the current Captains who have made revolutionary advancements in the technology used to combat Hollows and perform Konso on pluses. It was bad enough when the 33rd Captain Commander of the Gotei Thirteen took charge nearly nine hundred years ago, but in the past couple of centuries, some real contenders have shown themselves. That said, when hungry, one has to eat.

That's typically how most Hollows end up where they are, at any rate. They need to eat. In Japan, where the isolation from the rest of the world creates an environment where food is scarce, the clever Hollow thrives due to the lack of competition and Shinigami interference. In Yokohama, Japan, near a sea port, a particularly delicious scent of reiatsu has been detected. It seems like it might satisfy the hunger for a few days, and so perhaps it is worth checking out. Or perhaps not. Some Shinigami might be drawn to it as well for the level of power that it is at.] - Explain the plot of your adventure.

Estimated Enemy Strength: [8-4] Estimate the strength of the NPC's people will fight in this adventure. Class 7-1, what is their strength on average?

Estimated Time Until Completion: [3 pages] - How many pages do you think this adventure will run for until it is over?

Starts: [Now] - When does the adventure begin?

Special Conditions: [This takes place 150 years ago, meaning that any character who enters must keep in mind that they will be wherever they were during such time frame. Most characters who enter probably did not hold the rank that they do now when the events of this thread took place.] - Any special conditions, limitations, or other things.

[Zou ۞]

OOC: Not putting up a cinematic for this one. Go ahead and post.

[Deleted]

(OOC: for the purposes of this thread, Alma will be reduced to Class 6, so her stats will be reduced accordingly; moreover, since this takes place so long ago, she will not be in the Escudo either.)


Silence: it filled the air, even as the midday sun stretched over the canopy of the forest, not quite able to penetrate all the way through. Even the soft, but methodic padding of a wolf did little to satiate the somber quiet; as it was, the wolf had probably scared off most of the wild life with her mere presence. This, of course, served only to drive a stake through her mood. With coarse, ashen fur and scarlet highlights, the wolf was massive, being seven feet tall, and had no equal in this environment. Even her claws, retracted as they were, could maim and eviscerate most of what they encountered. However, for all the good her body and instinct did her, any sort of prey eluded the huntress. Alma, the namesake of this Hollow, was, for lack of a better word, quite displeased with her venture to the Land of the Living.


The wolf, still young and virile, had stalked a few larger Hollow in Hueco Mundo, and had followed them for a few days. Of course, they knew she was onto their presence, as members in their group began disappearing when left alone or behind, so in an attempt to escape, they opened a Garganta into the Land of the Living. But, did them little good, and the wolf caught up with them and ate them so afterward; Alma made sure to play with them a bit, of course, before her fangs sank into their fleshy throats. Now, however, she found herself regretting her decision. Without another Hollow to open a Garganta for her, she was stranded in her ancestral world, and the lack of food and people made her testy… in hindsight, she should have kept her last prey alive, if only to have some fun in this sea of boredom and hunger.


Eventually, with her keen senses, she picked up a scent; it was delicious in aroma, and it left a savory taste in the back of her throat. Already, the void within her snapped at her with fangs of hunger, causing the wolf to shudder, if only momentarily. Her desire had been peaked. Not only was the possibility of a meal before her, but an even greater one at that. With this scent of reiatsu, it could mean that whoever or whatever it belonged to could be strong. While the huntress ravished the thought of a meal, the shadow of the glorious hunt scent shivers of ecstasy throughout her body. Maybe, just maybe, she would have a challenge. So, with an eager caution that befall all hunters on the eve of a kill, she traced her path through the woodland she was in and neared the source of reiatsu at a steady pace. All the while, her skill in stealth and her need to stay in the shadows, would keep her out of sight and mind of anyone who try and get in the way of her hunt.


“I might have some fun after all…” Alma whispered to herself, lust dripping with every word. The wolf grew closer and closer to the source, until her path brought her to the brink of some sort of settlement. She stayed out of view, in the security of the shadows, her fur blending in with the surroundings. This place was entirely made up of wooden rickshaws, shacks, and other humbler buildings. Moreover, the stench of humans clouded the air; obviously this was some sort of human settlement or city. Their soft and vulnerable kind always tried to make claim wherever they ventured; the same was true in the arctic, where the wolf had lived in her time as an animal, and the same could be said of this place. The weak did as the weak always did. They congregated and hoarded themselves up in their own mechanizations. Little did they know, however, that to those of the great hunt, they were merely making themselves easier to track… and kill.

SPOILER: Click to show

Alma De Los Lobos: Hollow: Level 1, Soldier

Strength – [50]
Speed – [100] (150)
Spiritual Pressure – [50] (35)
Reiatsu Strength – [50]
Light Aura – [0]
Dark Aura – [100]
Instinct – [100]
Senses – [50]
Energy Sensory – [0]
Healing Expertise – [0]

Total SP: 400


Abilities

Battle Analysis {2}
Analyzing {2}
Calm Mind {2}
Learning {2}
Pain Tolerance {2}
Bleeding Tolerance {2}
Stealth {2}

Total SKP: 15 (1 Unused)

[Pasmar Vinnom]

It felt odd..to come in this world again. Not any feeling of sadness or overjoy overflowed him, but an alien feeling most people get when tread when they stepped in unknown territory. While most fear the unknown, Pasmar wasn't longer; he had become a part of it after all, a Hollow, a monster clouded by that darkness of unknown. But yet the monster had feelings, or at least he thought he had. Otherwise the would just be thinking of them.

Pasmar made all his thoughts as he laid near the sandy beach, at the top of a grassy hill, peering searchingly towards the city. While his mind was focused into these abstract thoughts, his body was not. His gaze was focused at the city, his hollow eyes, if those two empty holes could be considered as eyes, yearning for food. And whatever was that food, it was so delicious that he had picked up its scent from miles away.

He wanted very much to find the source of it, but he knew very well that he was not alone in today's hunting. After all, he himself didn't come alone in today's feast. He followed a Gillian type Hollow all the way here, following it from the Garganta it created. For what reason, he didn't even knew but he knew that it would be a good reason and...a delicious one once he looked at the Gillian's mouth, full of drool, like someone about to eat a very tasty meal. As far as he knew, Gillians didn't eat anything else apart from souls. Though he was fond of the thought of eating something different than souls. Pizza would be good.

At any rate, he tried to keep himself busy with those serious but somewhat retarded thoughts to anyone else who could hear them. Nonetheless, his body wouldn't obey to the will of his mind. Little by little it glided towards the source of the smell. I..WILL...NOT...SUCCUMB..unless it is pizza he thought jokingly but with some seriousness as well. Unknowingly, he started drooling as well, his drool looking like a little river running from his mouth

"The hell with this, it may be pizza.." Pasmar said as he surrendered to that delicious smell. With one move, he lifted his chest up and headed towards the source of smell. He glided so fast on the ground, as if he pushed by some godly force. In order to advance more swiftly, he kept his upper body leaned enough so he could proceed in the designated area in no time.

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats

Strength - [50]

Speed - [100]

Spiritual Pressure - [90] (63)

Reiatsu Strength - [100] (150)

Light Aura - [45]

Dark Aura - [55]

Instinct - [75]

Senses - [50]

Energy sensory - [35]

Healing Expertise - [0]

[Zou ۞]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play this}

There were no ships, and only a series of docked wooden boats. It was an old docking area, made of the same rickety, soggy wood as the half-eaten boats that the fisherman took out to score the night's dinner each and every day. It was the sort of ugly, monotonous spot in the world that may have seemed beautiful at first, when gazing upon the sunset there, but which if seen day in and day out became nothing but just another monotonous scene to abhor. On the other hand, Hollows probably would not understand the nuances of such an idea, and would most likely find themselves drawn to it simply because it smelled good. It was a different kind of smell than Hollows would be used to. It was not an ordinary Plus, for it was far more potent. It was the most intoxicating of aromas, of the sort which made it difficult or impossible to breathe without becoming aroused or even more hungry. The smell was overwhelming in every single way.

It could very well have been compared to a Shinigami's scent, but the sheer potency of it suggested otherwise. It could not be a mere Shinigami. The smell was so good as to suggest to any beholden to it that they would never be hungry again if they were to devour the source. That was the kind of smell that was wafting through the air, filling practically the entire region. Many Hollows would surely be attracted to it before long, though trouble for them, the ones in that local area would be getting there first to devour their tasty snacks. It was almost always a race with Hollows. Who could get there first, devour, and then get out? Fighting other Hollows did no good. The combat itself generated a scent which would only bring more Hollows, and eventually those new ones would be fresher, stronger, and less injured with more energy left to fight, and would make a great meal out of those who had foolishly weakened one another.

A deep, booming roar broke the silence of the night. It was so fierce as to even be faintly audible to the living, and the non-spiritual awares. Even basic, petty humans might have heard something of it. The roar was loud, indeed. It was a sound even more monstrous than any Hollow's. Soon, however, the sounds grew more faint, and far weaker. They began to die off, until they became squeals crying for help, and finally died. Some horrific creature had died. Upon arriving at the scene, anyone to appear would see two cloaked figures standing before a small blue fire at their feet. It was nothing impressive, and was unique only in that it was blue. The two cloaked figures wore thick, heavy gray coats with hoods up to conceal their faces. Both had tremendous reiatsu, unlike anything which would have been detected previously by anyone arriving in that isolated, god forsaken area of monotonous fishing and ghastly life.

"Troublesome..." one of the cloaked figures said. "It was not expected for this one to die so easily." The two stood there, the first speaker in wonder, bewilderment, and haughty disappointment. The second one to speak, however, seemed far more collected and thoughtful in voice. He had a deep voice which commanded confidence, warmth, and absolute certainty as to every single word which left his mouth. "Indeed, I had expected him to persevere." the second man said. The second one bore a cold smile, visible only from a certain angle, as he spoke. "I suspect that we will need to travel to Hueco Mundo itself to gather viable test subjects." Whoever they were, they were suspicious, and the two arriving Hollows could either engage them in conversation or combat, because of how good they smelled, or could simply lay in hiding and watch the two cloaked figures. There was no telling how either action would go.

[Deleted]

Day slowly faded, leaving room for night to come and take its place; like a shroud, the wolf moved along the rickety and wooden human settlement, every step fluid but controlled. The tantalizing smell grew stronger with every step she ventured. Whatever had attracted her there was certainly something new indeed; even in Hueco Mundo, the mass of Hollows she encountered were nothing more than fodder for the endless depths of her appetite. Like trying to empty the ocean with only a bucket at hand, her efforts to hunt did little to sedate the mass of hunger that was her existence. Now, she was on to something far more… tantalizing. More than that, there came the opportunity for the hunt; the thrill of testing ones mantle against the ravenous grips of nature and life itself. All this combined sent chills of excitement up and through her spine – an ecstasy only a hunter could relish.


From the depths of the light sprinkled darkness came a sound of carnal force; a roar, boisterous and indignant ran its call through the nighttime shadows. Immediately, the Wolf brought her frame low, hugging the ground, testing the air with her keen snout and steadfast ears. She was close, and by the sound of that roar, so were others. Was it a Hollow, or was it something that was stronger, bigger… tastier? She wasted no time, however, when nothing came at her through the darkness. Alma raised herself off the ground and proceeded forward, past old houses and near an area of platforms at the edge of the sea. Humans were always trying to overcome their innate roles as prey, so they dabbled with nature to try and make themselves more than what they were. However, just like the ant cannot help to stand against the coming storm, they were doomed to fall under the crushing weight of reality.


Alma hugged the side of the walls, holding true to the shadows to keep any weary eyes and souls at bay. She moved as one muffled mass of blackness. Without any significant sources of light, she moved easily, from shadow to shadow, following the delicious scent and the sounds of conversation that followed them. Upon reaching the scene, she found two cloaked men, standing over the withering fangs of a blue flame. Her body was a torrent of anticipation. These men were not ordinary humans; no, they were nothing of the sort. However, the Hollow did not know enough to judge them as Shinigami at the moment. To her, they were something new, interesting, and, dare she say, seductively delicious. Her fangs and claws, honed to ravenous points by the hunt, begged her permission to move on their own accord. Just as the rest of her body pleaded for the excitement and thrill of another hunt.


Others were undoubtedly near, whether her brethren in hunger or others of the same cloth as these men. They had given themselves away and had made themselves targets with all the noise they were making. Logic dictated that she stay in the shadows and bide her time for the right opportunity to strike. However, she was a wolf; a huntress born of nature but honed by avarice. Alma delighted herself in the hunt, not the kill; the journey itself was the true price of the quest. After the second man finished speaking, the Hollow, a mass of gray in the dimness pulsed forward from the depths of wood and shadow where she had been watching them. She moved forward, delicately, the tips of her paws planting themselves stoutly on the wooden boards. As she neared them, she slowly rose to half of her full height, her body tense and ready to pounce.


“The sky is beautiful tonight, is it not?” She asked, her voice light and easy. “Not quite as beautiful as you two, I might add.” The wolf stopped a handful of meters away from her current entertainment, she began again, her voice dripping with ecstasy, “The beauty in the your scents… is ravishing. Unfortunately, I need to quell these feelings that are stirring inside me, and you two are the answer to the problem that is my hunger.” Her tone was the same throughout her arrival, light and full of kindred emotion; the wolf was both cynical and sinful as it were. She enjoyed playing with her food, she could muse with feelings she never had as a living wolf. For now, she was playing; it was up to the two before her to decide whether they wanted to confront her in hostility or join in the play as well. Either way, she quite content with herself at the moment.


Remaining Reiatsu: 350/350

[Zou ۞]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play this}

Their attentions caught, the two figures turned to the wolf-like figure. Neither seemed surprised by their presence, and it was as if they had expected her. Rather, given that their effort to conceal themselves had been minimal, it was more than likely that they had expected a Hollow or two to pick up on them and approach. If anything, the only surprise which they would have felt was at the boldness of any Hollow, to approach not one, but two who were potentially Shinigami and who were simultaneously present. Perhaps the Hollow had not yet found for herself an adequate judgment of their strength levels, or simply could not tell. Either way, both figures seemed quite unperturbed by the large wolf, and neither showed any signs of panic, nor did what little of their faces, the mouths alone, that could be seen show any sign of distress or pressure. No, neither hooded figure felt any reason to be threatened by the she-Hollow, the wolf whose goal was to play with and eat the two of them. The whole scenario, in essence, might even have been expected.

"A Hollow?" one of them asked, turning to face Alma. He reached into his robe, and his lips, dark with a dark skinned chin, showed beneath his otherwise overshadowing hood. Reaching into his robe as if to grab forth a weapon, most likely drawing a sword, as he might presumably have been a Shinigami, his lips curled coldly. He showed haughtiness and disdain, and a willingness to fight. His demeanor was instantly hostile, and almost protective of the one next to him. The one next to him, the taller of the two, was presumably the established leader. "Shall I slay it this instant?" the man with the dark skin asked. He was presumptuous, assuming an easy kill like that. Or perhaps not, given that his power level, as it turned out, was incredibly difficult to read. It was actually very difficult to achieve an adequate measurement of his power. It was as if all of the reiatsu in the area was blurring together, which made it a truly difficult thing indeed. It was unusual for it to be so difficult to sense one's power like that.

"No." the second of the two replied. His chin was strong, more broad than the dark skinned man's, and his lips were kindly, like a schoolteacher, and twisted into a knowing smile. "Don't attack. I am interested in this specimen." However, like the dark skinned man, even the tall man was presumptuous, in that he referred to Alma as no more than a "specimen." Still, she was not necessarily anything more, either. Depending on who it was that she faced, some may indeed regard her as just that. Merely a specimen. As per earlier, the taller of the two men still had a distractingly powerful voice which seemed to resonate from the chest, and into the hearts of those that heard him speak. It was as if every word that he said was important, and everything that he said could become meaningful, or else hurtful as well. It was a wonder why the dark skinned man seemed protective, as the tall man with the strong voice was clearly not only the leader, but certainly the more powerful of the two.

"It is indeed a fine night." the tall man agreed with Alma. "And though I am flattered that you would hold my reiatsu on the same level, I must disagree. Any single individual's reiatsu is incomparable to the beauty of the night sky, filled as it is with thousands of stars. Did you know that each and every star up above is simply another sun, belonging to another world? They are all so far away that we cannot tell, however many of these small dots of light are not only bigger, but brighter and greater than our own sun in this world. That being said, it is my honest hope that you do not make the mistake of attacking either of us. I could certainly find some use in you." He was cordial with her, immediately to the point and very engaging of the topic, as if he delighted in the opportunity to have a conversation with Alma. Still, it was an eerie time. Alma may have overstepped her bounds, simply on the premise of approaching when there were two who might be Shinigami. To begin with, regardless of level, she was outnumbered. There might be a problem.

[Pasmar Vinnom]

Day gave in gradually into the darkness of the night. But little did that matter for him, as his mind was focused elsewhere. 'Focused'? It certainly was not the right word to describe the state in which both body and mind were. On the other hand, 'pulled' was just the right word with which someone could explain why Pasmar was sliding so furiously towards the little human settlement; as if a string was attached to his body and an invisible hand dragged him that way. His body was the one controlling, the mind rather obeyed the will of the body. In his mind he pictured various imaginary situations in which he grabbed the source of that smell and started tearing it apart, consuming little by little parts of its body so he can savor the taste to its fullest, like an exquisite meal which needs not to be eaten all at once , but slowly so one can relish it's taste.

The night's black cloak covered the skies. Pasmar was probably on the premises of the town, or a dock, or just--at any rate, he didn't care much about naming it. He entered the town with staggering speed, forcing himself to go even faster. But suddenly, he stopped. A roar ,enough to make someone stagger, froze his whole body, but that wasn't what made him worry. It was the fact that this beast's, probably a gillian menos, loud and threatening roars were replaced within a matter of few seconds with diminishing and dying cries, like those of a wounded animal nearing its end, before finally silence reigned upon the land. Tread with caution..his mind warned as it returned back to its senses and imposed itself upon the primal need of the body; hunger. But truth being said, it wasn't his logic that dictated him to do so, but rather another primal need that conflicted and emerged eventually victorious against hunger; that of survival.

He continued to slide, but now with more caution and in a more controlled manner. He had hoped that whatever brought him that way was just another ordinary huge plus, like a pizza. A very, big, pizza.. A fool's hope nonetheless, as many have before him have tried to take it..but yet it remained there. As he drew closer and closer, he started to distinguish it's origin; it clearly was not a plus(or pizza he thought dejected), but neither a hollow. It was close to being identified as a shinigami but yet something was off with it. He stood a mere of hundreds meters away from it. Now the question was another; should he rush in or just observe? As the serpent behemoth glided closer and closer, a mere of 50 meters away from it, the answer was given; observe.

It was dark, but he could make out some forms in the deep darkness. Two indinstict forms that looked vaguely humanoid in appearance, as if they were drawn by a very bad artist or a toddler, while a form was running towards them. As it came closer and closer, the form started to overshadow the other two until it stopped and stood just a couple of metres away from them. It looked like a humongous stray dog ,from afar, with red fur. Pasmar came closer ,as silently as he could, but he couldn't moderate the sound his body generated as it rubbed the ground. As his eyes began to get used to the thick darkness, he could see them more clearly. It was a wolf. A hollow wolf. A hollow wolf and two hooded, humanoid forms, in the night. It was all clear. Those two humans(?) were taking their pet hollow wolf a walk , while they having a picnic with their friends.


...At any rate, Pasmar decided not to dwelve any deeper; he stood just 20 metres away from the two humans and the hollow wolf. He decided to hide behind an old wooden house, whose boards were worn away by time and exposure to salt water. Since his height could easily surpass that of the house, he lied on the grassy floor behind it, so the house could conceal him whole. Nonetheless, he knew that would be a trivial thing to do since they would have already sensed him, but he counted on the thought that they would think that he was of little importance. He would wait for the opportune moment to strike. The wolf looked strong, at least enough strong to wear them down. But, on the other side, he knew that it wouldn't stand a chance against both of them, with their reiatsu taken into deep thought. In addition, they have slain all these hollows so far.

"Don't attack. I am interested in this specimen."Pasmar heard as he weighed his options, while his mind was focused on the shadowed figure. "It is indeed a fine night. And though I am flattered that you would hold my reiatsu on the same level, I must disagree. Any single individual's reiatsu is incomparable to the beauty of the night sky, filled as it is with thousands of stars. Did you know that each and every star up above is simply another sun, belonging to another world? They are all so far away that we cannot tell, however many of these small dots of light are not only bigger, but brighter and greater than our own sun in this world. That being said, it is my honest hope that you do not make the mistake of attacking either of us. I could certainly find some use in you.".

An attack is imminent, that's for sure..he thought to himself, perhaps wrongly, as he in the end decided to stay down and just hear the conversation. Was it out of interest, or was it the sense of an impeding danger that kept him from appearing in the open? It didn't matter one way or the other. He would just lay down for a while, but that didn't mean he would loose for even a second. His body was tense and ready to prepare for any kind of attack while his mind was focused for the time being on the conversation. It wouldn't be for too long though, as he felt that his hunger was returning more consuming than before...


Remaining Reiatsu 630/630

[Zou ۞]

OOC: Skip my post. Let's see Alma's reaction, since Pasmar is hiding.

[Deleted]

The wolf gazed at both men with amber eyes, soaking in their garb and features as best she could despite their coats, in the dim lighting. Despite the danger, Alma found the whole situation curious, comical even; her initial assumption was that both men would come at her in an attempt to end her existence, most likely. Though, she would have scoffed at such an attempt, it was still a possibility, one that she never put out of her mind. Now, however, one of them was actually engaging her in conversation. This, in itself, was a rarity amongst the prey she hunted. Even so, the partner of the taller man still wanted her to die, which was something that she could respect at least. If things turned bad… or fun, as Alma liked to think of battle, she would enjoy grinding his bones against her serrated teeth. The thought of losing, or even death, was something that never registered as more of a blip in the radar that was her mind. Instead, she relished the opportunity to pit against strong, or stronger opponents; this was the only true way a hunter could hone themselves in the Great Hunt.


For now, she listened with a poised mind, almost child-like, almost as if she were in rapture with the knowledge. As a wolf, life had no greater meaning other than the Great Hunt and the thrill of the kill. The day to day fight for survival against the fangs of others and the sharper fangs of the cold left little time to such grand ideas. However, as a Hollow, her mind was new and fresh, like a child’s – Well, a sadistic, bloodthirsty one, but still. With no immediate attempt to confront her found, the wolf cajoled both men by slowly, almost lavishly, setting herself on her chest, paws splayed, and listening to them. Things were getting more and more interesting it would seem. The lights in the night sky were more than just that, lights. They were apparently “stars” that were greater in size and brightness to the giant mass of light that shown on this world every day. It was a strange idea to take in, things like stars were, and her initial guess was that this man, who spoke so well for being nothing more than food, was lying to her, trying to buy himself or his partner some time to plan or run. This idea brought forth even more, spectacular questions about the world around her. However, the pangs in her stomach soon quieted those like so many times before.


In time though, she would verify if what the man was telling her was true or not at some later time; for now, she played along, her mouth curling inward into a seductive grin, if one could even call it that. Unlike her appearance, her voice actually pleasant; it was that of a young girl’s – if anything, it showed how young the Hollow was, in both mind and age. She had died, cheated, a frozen wolf in the tundra at age three, after all. “Oh my, you are a gentleman.” She said teasingly. Her tail, thick and swift, moved back and forth as she spoke. “Most would try to kill me by now.” The thought of her dying brought a small chuckle from her throat. She continued, her voice a bit more pleasing, “Instead, I get treated like a lady, well, by one of you at least. It makes my heart quake with emotions I never even knew I had." She joked. "Alas, you ask me not to make the mistake of killing you both, even when the mistake could very well be the opposite of that. You have to understand things from my perspective. What would I gain by helping you?”


As she asked that question, the wolf brought her two front paws forward, underneath her chin, which she then used to rest on; she looked as if she wanted to listen in on whatever he had to say. The claws underneath her chin extended a few fractions of an inch; the air was electric, well, at least to her it was. Her body was a mass of excitement and ecstasy. The whole time, she anxiously waited for the slightest sign of movement by either of them. Oh, how she wanted to quell her hunger, but things were too fun as it were. The thought of playing with these two longer was something she did not want to pass up. Alma was proud, cynical, and vain – a combination that left no room for self-doubt. She could not sense reiatsu, not to a great degree, and frankly, she did not care whether both men were warriors or even chickens for that matter. All she cared for – all that mattered in life – was the thrill and joy of the hunt. Her destiny, like a thread, was meant to intertwine itself with the fabric of death; whether it was hers or another’s, it was not important. For now, she waited, grin broad and seductive for a reply from either of the men.


Remaining Reiatsu: 350/350

[Zou ۞]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play this}

"Ah, you are still young..." the man with the smile said. His voice was deceptive, and warm. Never once had it become cold or hostile. It remained cordial and friendly the entire time. However, the warmth in his voice was deceptive. It was surely a lie, for his reiatsu was not warm. Despite his politeness and his demeanor, his aura was like ice. It was menacing, and would feel as if a cold steel blade constantly grated against the skin. He seemed, as well, to be very mocking in his smile, or at least amused. Perhaps amused would be the better word, though depending on the spectator, one could also interpret it as mocking. The cloaked man indeed seemed very amused by the conversation that he was having with the Hollow, whose young eyes never once met his, as a result of most of his face being covered by the hood. He did not seem particularly inclined to remove it, whether out of not thinking to do so, or for some other, unknown reason. Still, his mere presence was something else entirely, and contradicted every single thing about his reiatsu.

"You have not yet learned how to gauge your enemy." the cloaked man continued, his voice not accusing, but rather, understanding. It was as if he was analyzing her, rather than mocking her. In fact, one might even accuse him of being instructing, as if he was a teacher, telling her how she might do better. "Perhaps your ability to sense the reiatsu of others is limited, or perhaps you simply have not yet matured enough to comprehend the necessity of secondary evaluation. Regardless, there is an enormous difference in our power, and you would have everything to lose if you were to attack me. Rather, I suspect that you will die." He was being honest with her of his opinion, telling her that he felt that not only was he significantly more powerful than she was, but that he would kill her if she attacked him. However, given that Alma really did lack the ability to sense reiatsu, determining for certain what he could do and was capable of would certainly serve to be difficult.

The man pulled forth from the folds of his robe a blade, which slid out effortlessly, gracefully. It was quiet, and no hostile movements were made. The movement was very deliberate. He was not attacking. He was showing off, and made this very clear by how deliberate his movements were. Eyes fixed on Alma, and with Pasmar watching the encounter clearly, with a good, uninterrupted view, the man in the cloak continued to smile. He turned his blade upside down, so that the tip pointed at the ground. "Shatter...." he said. Suddenly, an explosion occurred behind him in the sea, causing water to splash up with a mighty roar, so loudly that the name of his blade, which was by this point clearly defined as a Zanpakuto, was not heard. He was clearly a Shinigami, at least, though his Zanpakuto took no changes, and the name was not known. Rather, he stood there with his blade lowered at his side, and his smile ever continuing.

In the ocean behind, a massive sea creature style hollow with tentacles had appeared, presumably for the same reason as Alma or Pasmar. In an instant, the dark skinned man jumped into the air with a deliberate, slow movement which even Alma could keep up with, and landed before the sea creature Hollow, slashing at it. The Hollow moved to the side, but would suddenly be surprised to find that it had been split in half anyway. Something was wrong in that event. The Hollow died, yet it had clearly been missed. The slash had clearly not hit, yet there stood the dark skinned man, standing on water, with his blade covered in blood. That Hollow had been weak, weaker than Pasmar or Alma, and the man had not displayed anything unusual save for that trick. He was not exceptionally skilled or powerful based on preliminary evaluation, though perhaps sometimes such could be deceiving.

[Deleted]

The wolf, try as she might to compose herself – which was not much at all – could not help but laugh, her tail moving back and forth in excitement. Fangs, which were mainly hidden behind a layer of lip fell up and down in her boisterous, albeit feminine, laughter. This man, whoever he was, belittled her yet again, which she thought, obviously, as nothing more than a joke. The huntress – beaten and honed by nature to be the greatest – was being talked down to by a lesser being. This human, or whatever was, thought himself better to her in every way, what with the way he spoke and threatened her. Thus, with her appetite peaked, Alma stood, her legs extending from their splayed positions, and rose to her full height. The whole movement, to anyone watching, seemed threatening, however, her whole outward appearance was that of confidence and calm. Her voice came out, smooth, but with the lightest touch of sneer, “You’re… amusing.” She began sauntering, one paw after the other, toward the cloaked man. Confidence lined every step that the wolf took as she approached.


Despite the death of the Hollow not a few moments prior, the wolf was unfazed; she had never in her life had a cause to fear her enemies, which were many indeed; even these two new figures would soon fall under the same label that so many before had been stamped under: food. Thus, her claws extended, fully, a six-inch blade underneath every toe, and she lowered her frame as if to pounce. “Forgive me, darling, but a girl has to eat, after all.” However, with the way she said those words, it was obvious that it did not bother her in the least bit. If anything, she played if off as playful. Alma enjoyed playing with her food, and in failing that, or getting too bored to care anymore, she nonetheless rejoiced in the taste of their flesh underneath her serrated teeth. As confident as she was, the wolf nonetheless knew that she was outnumbered, but the solution to that was quite simple. Kill one first, and then the other. There, problem solved, or so the wolf thought behind the haze of lust and ecstasy that always clouded her mind before a kill. Logic was not her strong suit, but she had lived under the guide of skill and instinct for this long, so there was no point in deviating now, despite the threats.


Without faltering, the wolf lunged forward to the right of the cloak man who had proven such an eloquent speaker beforehand, her full speed coming into play, pivoting on two front paws as she did so. Alma, then, her body quick and agile, moved to make a pass at the man who only minutes before she had called a “gentleman”. Her left paw went wide, claws exposed, in an attempt to bisect the man by the waistline. In making the pass, the wolf would not stop, but keep her momentum going, in the event that the attack failed or the other cloaked man make an attack on her. She would round, paws beating a staccato on the wooden planks, to make another pass if necessary. As she moved, the wolf’s body was surprisingly quiet and quick, despite her size, but the wood underneath did not make for a hunter's friend, so she was not without sound. Nonetheless, as she moved, the wolf, despite the danger, felt exhilarated and excited with the prospect of the hunt, and by extension, the kill. In her mind, failure never registered, and the thought of this being anything less than a meal, a hard-fought one maybe, but a meal nonetheless never left her mind... or her stomach.


Remaining Reiatsu: 350/350

[Zou ۞]

OOC: Pasmar can intercede and post at any time at this moment.

IC:

Alma's claws tore cleanly through the first of the two men, and would undoubtedly be accompanied by the sensation of claws meeting flesh, tearing in, and of blood spilling. The sounds, smell, taste, and sight of the kill were all there. Everything which made a kill seem fluid, and perfect, was present. The second of the cloaked men made no movements as his ally was fluently cut down by the she-Hollow, the wolf whose starvation could never be truly sated. However, if she went to take even a single bite from her kill, she would find that the hunger did not dissipate at all, and that her appetite was nowhere near satisfied. It would be as if she had taken a bite out of nothing but thin air. Still, the kill lay freshly at her paws, a body cleaved in half with a puddle of blood beneath it. The hood had been peeled back to unveil a shocked face, belonging to a man whose physical body was roughly in his late twenties or early thirties. He had loosely fallen, neat brown hair, shocked eyes, and rectangular glasses over his face. He could not have appeared more surprised, and perhaps this might give some satisfaction to the she-wolf over her kill. Said satisfaction was only momentary.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play this}

And then suddenly...it was gone. The body suddenly dissipated into steam, vanishing away. Both halves were gone, and even the blood was gone. Any blood which had been dripping from Alma's paws was also gone, and any which had splashed onto her was gone. All traces of flesh were gone. Everything had vanished. To Pasmar, if the second Hollow was watching, there would be no discernible difference either. It would appear as if Alma had been successful, but then everything had disappeared. The moment of confusion lasted only a moment before being joined by another, longer moment of confusion, in the form of an enormous gash which suddenly exploded across Alma's back and chest. A huge slash wound materialized, creating a massive gushing of blood from a wound deep enough to immobilize her in one single, swift blow from some sort of bladed weapon, perhaps a sword. It was not enough to kill her, but it was certainly enough to end any sort of combat for the she-wolf right then and there, perhaps even making it difficult for her to stand because of the shock of the strike, the pain of the wound, and the continued and ongoing loss of blood.

There had been no warning of attack. No sound. No disturbance in the environment. Nothing to see. Nothing to feel. Nothing to hear. There had been nothing. No sign whatsoever of any sort of attack. Alma had struck, her prey had vanished, and suddenly she had been found with a huge gash on her body. "How regrettable..." the familiar, gentlemanly voice from before said. "I missed. I had intended to sever you in two. Perhaps my accuracy needs work." If Alma were to glance back, she would be able to see him, standing there, hood back up, and with a cold smile on his face. The gentleman whom she had supposedly killed was standing directly behind her, perfectly intact, and totally uninjured. His blade, however, was covered in blood. Her blood. A downwards flick of his weapon caused the blood to flick off as well, splashing across the ground and leaving a stain there for Alma to gawk at. There was no logical explanation at all for what had just transpired. Only moments before, victory had been absolutely certain, and yet now that would seem to be a distant, nearly forgotten memory, or perhaps even a dream.

His blade lowered calmly, the gentleman took a step around Alma, getting back to the front of her. He looked down at the beaten Hollow, and spoke to her. "You won't live long." he informed her. "With that wound, it will be only minutes before you bleed out. Therefore, perhaps we can now converse more politely, without interrupting one another." The smugness and mirth of the gentleman's voice were obvious. He had not held any punches, and simply took care of business very easily. Alma, of course, had been immediately overwhelmed, for she had greatly underestimated her prey. "This is an opportunity." the gentleman continued to her. "If you assist me here, I will heal you and save your life." He was offering to heal the wound on Alma that he himself appeared to have inflicted, in exchange for her services. He was either very arrogant, or exceptionally bold and powerful to be able to do this, considering that most Hollows would have just taken the healing and attempted to betray this gentlemanly benefactor, and try once more to kill him. If he was offering to heal her, then surely he was very confident in his ability to put her down if such a betrayal occurred.

[Pasmar Vinnom]

Pasmar listened carefully to the conversation that unfurled before him, his ears (he didn't had any, but the location they were supposedly located) intent on eavesdropping the pecular discussion. The wolf had showed guts before those two men ,as he discerned from their voice and their vaguely masculine shapes, but this bordelined a bravery that could turn into danger very easily. The hollow faced two opponents at the same time, who both have proved how deadly they can get if they wish to. She, he deduced from her tone and manner of speaking that she was a female hollow, had overestimated herself in thinking that she can deal with both of them at the same time. They were clearly able to overpower her easily two versus one. This would turn pretty ugly if it continued like this..

The man's answer made the underlying conflict finally surface, but also his identity; he was a shinigami and Pasmar thought the same about his partner. No other race had such a dinstict release. The hollowolf was in grave danger and with it, his chances of eating both of them. Despite of the revelation of their identity, Pasmar ,nonetheless, still craved for their souls. They were just too alluring to let go, just like that. But in order to do that, he had to fight them along with the hollowolf, otherwise he would perish as easily as she would if he left her alone against those shinigami. But as he made this thoughts, another event abruptly interrupted them. A huge hollow emerged from the sea, drawn by the delirious smell that emanated from the shinigami. The shinigami who was talking with the hollowolf immediately responded to that 'disturbance' and went to cut it himself with his sword. But he missed. And all Pasmar's problems were solved; one shinigami was ready to be devoured by the enormous hollow, the other one would be engaged in combat with the hollowolf. It is sad but one would suffice too.. he thought to himself.

However none of this happened. To Pasmar's surprise, the man with the drawn sword lived and the enormous hollow died. This business just got trickier. He was sure that the man missed his blow to the hollow, but yet the hollow was cut, without even itself realising that it was sliced by the dark-skinned man. The little light that radiated from the stars showed the man's blood-covered blade. His zanpakuto was not a powerful but a deceiving one. Pasmar had a hint of the zanpakuto's ability, but for now, he decided to observe it more, not willing to rush himself. Though he was on the verge of bringing out his weapon, the death of the hollow made him think about it twice. And what would follow would make him think thrice.

“You’re… amusing. Forgive me, darling, but a girl has to eat, after all.”. She was gonna attack them. But he wouldn't, or at least he convinced himself not to do so. Though it wouldn't hurt to bring out his weapon, just in case a chance presented itself. ((WARNING READ THE FOLLOWING AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION))Like a beast waking from its slumber, Pasmar raised his head a little while still maintaining a lying position. Without any requirements, such as eating a nasty food or putting his hand on the mouth, he puked on the grass in front of him..he put his right hand hand on the purple gooey substance(I don't remember eating that.)..and pulled out from it. His fist was clenched as if it was holding something tightly. As he pulled out, the purple gooey substance regressed into a more solid form, forming a black metal shaft near the area of his hand. As he started pulling upwards, a polearm eventually formed itself from the gooey substance, almost as big as his size, which he kept close to him.

All this took approximately 10 seconds and by this time, a fight had ensued as it seemed. But meanwhile, he had lost the most important part. The hollowolf apparently had attacked the man who killed the huge sea hollow previously but he had come unscathed from any hits. And he had taken the initiative. He had succeeded not only injuring her, but also bringing her down for a while. Pasmar was ready to intercede, raising his upper body a little by putting force on his hands but then stopped. "With that wound, it will be only minutes before you bleed out. Therefore, perhaps we can now converse more politely, without interrupting one another. This is an opportunity , if you assist me here, I will heal you and save your life.". Pasmar was quite perplexed at that point. Why would a shinigami let a hollow away, hell, even healing it? Apart from the fact that he hit her, which apparently was done to put her down for a while, but in the same time, making clear who is the one in charge, why would he do such a thing? Didn't he know that perhaps he wouldn't be very lucky next time she bites or sends him off with one of her paws? One thing was sure though. This man's motives weren't pure. Pasmar, for the time being, would stay down for a little longer, but whether he attacks or not, would entirely depend on the girl's answer.
Total reiatsu 605/630

[Deleted]

The wolf moved from her pass, leaving a fresh trail of blood and sinew behind her; the first of the two men had fallen, easily, to her dismay. The man had offered nothing in the way of an actual fight, and the wolf, despite the impending meal, was dissatisfied with the lack of action or battle. Alma thrived on the hunt, and to have her opponent fall so easily left a sour note at the back of her throat. Maybe the other man would prove a better challenge? She continued to walk, this time, approaching the second man at a steady pace, like a hunter does to any cornered meal. Her fur was sticky with blood, and the smell left her feeling slightly intoxicated with a wistful feeling of lust. As she approached the other man, her mouth went wide, teeth, a hideous collage of knives, splayed out in pale white. She said, her voice sarcastic, yet playful, “Now that you’re friend is dead, we can have some fun of our own. How does that sound to you? I’m sure you’ll be a better pla…”


Her voice cut short, as a ribbon of blood – her blood – shot across her back, leaving a deep gash in its place. Her body faltered in surprise, yet she did not fall. Although her feet wavered for a few seconds, the Hollow, with her tolerance managed to keep herself upright. The spray of blood slowly dissipated until only a fraction of what was released slowly dripped from her wound. Alma’s breathing, at first, had been ragged, as the shock of something she had not even detected sent her body into high alert. Nonetheless, the wolf, despite her will and tolerance to fight did not have much in her to launch into a break neck run. Instead, she heard the voice from before – the voice that belonged to a dead man – and she managed to turn herself around to find him standing there with fresh blood on his blade. “You…” She said, a sense of contempt rising in her. She coughed a bit, then continued, “You were supposed to be dead. What have you done?”


The wolf, despite her efforts to maintain her composure, soon realized that her body would not be able to maintain combat if she pursued. She could fight past the pain, and handle the loss of blood for quite a while, however she would not be fighting at her fullest. Against two opponents, one who she could not even follow for whatever reason, her chances were not as great as she had once thought before. The wolf listened to the man speak about his offer to save her or whatever, and gave her the option of deciding what her fate would be. They both knew what her answer would be. The wolf, ignoring the pain, smiled vainly, and lowered her head somewhat. “You drive a hard bargain… of course, I would be glad to accept your offer. No hard feelings, right?” Her voice was thick with sarcasm, or her best attempt at it. Alma was forced to accept his offer if she would have a chance of continuing her existence, so she would have to put with this man for however long it took to sink her teeth into her flesh once again. This time, without any sort of surprise afterward.


Remaining Reiatsu: 350/350