This Ain't a Scene [NDE Adventure, R]

[Marcus Cole]

“Do not act on your own discretion.”

Gold stopped counting down. Her gaze would meet Anarchy’s, but instead of revealing annoyance, frustration, or even anger, Gold’s pink eyes were as calm and alluring as ever. Pretty and comforting, they seemed to be telling Anarchy that everything was okay. He was scolding her, but her eyes forgave him. ”Your boss assigned you as my backup, my help, if I’m not mistaken. This would mean that I am to take leadership on this mission. You will take orders from me while we’re here and complete this mission according to my tactics.” Behind that mask, Gold smiled. She forgave him, but she wasn’t sorry.

And then it hit her. Anarchy’s sudden use of gravitational pressure turned her legs to jelly, forcing her toward the ground. She was barely able to catch herself on one knee and both her palms. Anarchy would hear here heavy breaths pulling as much air in as possible, like she was about to go underwater. That’s how it felt. Anarchy, like Anarchy was drowning her. She struggled to lift her head, looking back up at the masked Bount. Her eyes remained just as comforting, but this time, there was a cold edge behind her pupils.

”You may lead the way.” The mercenary told Nathan in a much more friendly tone than he previously had with Gold. Nathan could tell that Anarchy was simply going with the more strategically beneficial option. He knew of their compass that would lead them to their enemies’ headquarters, but Anarchy chose Nathan instead, despite the difficult request Nathan made of him. The child could sense much good inside the Bount’s heart. He would honor his promise to the best of his ability, and that’s all Nathan could ask for. I can’t promise that I won’t break them instead…and I can’t promise you I would be able to restrain that woman from killing them. The child smiled. Don’t worry, I’ll help keep her from doing bad things too. Thank you, Mister Jin. You’re a good man.

When Anarchy released Gold from his pressure, she took a long deep breath and rose to her feet like nothing had happened at all. ”I apologize for that.” Gold seemed to find those words funny, for a light chuckle left her lips. “Don’t apologize when you’re not sorry. Girls don’t like weakness or liars.” ”We will do things my way, and that involves not killing any of the men from the gang we’re about to face. I hope you’ll understand. I wasn’t paid to kill these men, so I will not take their life today.” Gold nodded her head. “Whatever you say, boss. Just get the job done and we can both bring Douma some good news and you’ll get what you wanted.”

---

As Hotaru found herself face-to-face with a new powerful enemy and Zeich would be stuck in battle against the human twins known as Plan Z, things weren’t looking too good for Team Soul Reaper. If this fight continued, they’d certainly lose due to their numbers disadvantage. But both would notice new reiatsu signatures nearby. Zeich would frown and seal his zanpakuto, deciding to flee from the scene as quickly as possible. Had he run? Did he give up and leave Hotaru to fight not one but three enemies all on her own as more were on their way?

While Zeich ran away, he did so out of his own defense. As a Vizard, he’s wanted by the Gotei 13, and the group that were closing in on his location were none other than a squadron of shinigami led by Himitsu Miute, Vice Captain of Squad 6. He felt that something fishy was going on with Hotaru’s mission, and he was right. Along with him were five or six soul reapers from multiple squads, though most held positions between sixth and tenth seat. The most notable of the group, other than Himitsu, was the new fourth seat of the 11th Division, Yetsuna Yishnir.

“Everyone, go clear out all of the local civilians. Make sure no one gets hurt. If any are injured, take them to safety and call Squad 4 officers. Yetsuna, you stay with me. We get to do the heavy lifting.” Himitsu approached the lot that used to hold a tavern. However, Plan Z left no trace of the building. It was all destroyed. The bald twin was no longer spinning, and therefore, the cyclone he created had faded away too. They now faced Himitsu and Yetsuna. “Make this easy for me,” he told them. “Turn yourselves in and I won’t have to hurt you.”

The two men fell into a brief fit of deep laughter. “Hehehehe, you’re a funny soul reaper. I like you,” said the giggling bald man. His brother was just as amused. “But not enough to let you live.” The bald man through a straight punch, which launched a gust of wind toward Himitsu and Yetsuna. They wouldn’t be able to see the attack, but they’d knew it was coming. Himitsu used shunpo to dodge to one-side. If Yetsuna didn’t get out of there quickly, she’d be knocked back with enough force to break half the bones in her body. Himitsu and Yetsuna might even notice after a few seconds that the bald man didn’t just created a gust of wind. He made an entire current that could sweep them off their feet and send them flying if they got too close to it.

“Watch out for that current,” Himitsu warned Yetsuna. “We know that one of them uses wind, but I don’t know the other’s abilities. You go in and I’ll provide support and ranged help with my kido. Be cautious.” Those were Yetsuna’s orders. She was to jump into a 2 v 1 fight against some pretty strong dudes with gold gauntlets. Himitsu wouldn’t send her in if he wasn’t confident that he could defend her from afar, right? Or maybe he was under the impression that she was strong enough to handle them with only a little bit of help. Regardless, the ball was in Yetsuna’s court. It was up to her to make the first move.

Himitsu’s Stats and Skills

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

Strength - [100] Points (50)

Speed - [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [300] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points (800)

Light Aura - [90] Points

Dark Aura - [10] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [150] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

Total SP: [1400] Points

Abilities

• Mental Incantation Level 3

• Leadership/Charisma Level 1

• Weapon: Staff Level 3

• Battle Analysis Level 3

• Battle Skill: Kido Level 3

• Strength of Will Level 3

Himitsu’s Reiatsu Remaining: 2950/3000

Plan Z Class 2 Bakkoto Post Count: 3/3

---

Nathan began leading the group along the forest, leaving the circle large Gillian hollows behind him. As he moved, he would talk to Anarchy telepathically. Don’t worry about those white faces. They used to be really scary, but I learned that they’re good people. And seeing them hurt each other was really sad, so I taught this group to be a little nicer. What’s the word… rehabilitation? Well, they’re a lot better now. All I gotta do is take them to some place where the soul reapers are so they can be purified. For now, though, they won’t hurt a soul, so don’t mind them at all.

About ten minutes into their walk, Nathan would suddenly stop. Hmmm, there are some mean white faces are over there. Let’s gooooo…. that way! He adjusted their path about forty degrees to the left and continued walking. A few minutes of silence would pass in the middle of their journey, which might strike Anarchy as odd since Nathan seemed to always have something to say up until that point. It was then that Nathan’s voice appeared in the Bount’s head once more. I’m sorry for reading your mind, Mister Jin. People don’t always like it when I do that, and I hate being mean. So I’m not going to read your mind anymore unless it’s an emergency. Instead, can you tell me about yourself? Oh, and feel free to ask me about anything too! Friends are supposed to know each other super well.

After about forty total minutes of walking, giving Anarchy plenty of time to respond, Nathan would point at the ground. “The place you're looking for is under there,” he said, this time out loud for Gold to hear as well. Anarchy’s energy sensory told him that there were about three individuals about fifteen feet below them. Gold’s sensory could provide more information. “There are three hollows below, each not much more powerful than Gillian. Then, there’s a tunnel. I don’t sense any traps, so we should be clear. But about two hundred meters away is a heavy door with lots of spiritual energy contained in it. I can’t tell what’s on the other side. You’re strong enough to blast through it, but it’d be risky for me to try. We don’t know what type of enchantments could be defending that door. You decide how we progress. After all,” Gold winked at the Bount. “I’m just your backup.”

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

The green haired shinigami followed the catain of squad 6 as they rolled out towards the 34th rukon district, blades in hand. Exact mission details were in sort supply all she and the other seated officers knew was that they were there in a combat support role. She could see their operating area just head, clouds of dust and a bit of smoke rose from the ground. Has they got closer Vice Captain Himitsu told the other seated officers to clear the area, it seemed the two of them were gonna be the ones on the front lines.

There were few other ways Yetsuna would have preferred it, she had the ability to fight, and because she had that ability she planned to use it, even if it was against stronger opponents. She wasn't oblivious to what she was walking into, spiritual energies were flaring and she knew hers was a decently amount smaller than her opponents; she was confident she could fight those opponents and win, but she wasn't going in half cocked.

As the vice captain finished issuing his first round of orders Yetsuna drew her right arm back and threw at blade at the ground, accompanied by a single word, spoken in a calm voice "Sunder." To any unfamiliar with her release it would have seemed like she had just discarded her weapon, but in reality it was her shikai. As the blade reached the ground rather than impaling the stone and becoming stuck it disappeared into the soil like water. 

A moment after the blades disappearance a large stone hand would rise out of the ground and go for the green haired shinigami, wrapping around her. With a crushing motion the hand would fall away and Yetsuna would be wearing her release, a suit of form fitting black armor. Yetsuna added the final piece of her preparation with the materialization of a sword in her right hand. To anyone at a distance without a keen sense of vision the blade would seem like a ordinary sword, but closer examination would reveal it to be made of stone, made with the shinigami's reaitsu. As her hand wrapped around the blade she said a name, "Ishio"

Upon landing the two of them were brought face to face with their opponents. Size normally didn't bother the shinigami, she had fought bigger in the past, but something about those guys made them different. Maybe it was the fact that their size obviously wasn't just for intimidation, or maybe it was just the sheer muscle mass each of them possessed. Regardless of what it was, Yetsuna had no intentions of backing down.

The vice captain asked in vain for the two surrender peacefully, which caused one of them to laugh. They each said a line to the shinigami, but as they each finished their piece the bald male threw out a straight punch and causing some sort of wave to form. The projectile it self had no physical form, but its effects were easy to see and therefore not too difficult to dodge. With a quick shunpo the shinigami dodged to the side opposite of Himitsu , keeping the same distance between her and her opponents and began to think.

Her best guess was the bald guy had some sort of control over the wind, which one normally wouldn't think would cause a problem for someone in armor, but seeing as he decimated a building with minimal effort she was willing to bet that he could likely send her flying without much issue either. She used what time she had before they might attack again to gather any other details, when she noticed the extent of the bald mans control. The air continued to swirl around him, meaning she likely couldn't get in close without some serious risk. 

At the same time that she deduced this Himitsu was relying the information to her, likely as a case of over communication than any doubt that she would miss the details. Yetsuna appreciated the effort on his part, she preferred partners who communicated, it reduced risk to both parties and ensured that they were on the same step, making it easier to attack in unison, though the latter may not come into play much based on the fact the captain was telling her to go two against one.

Keeping her eyes on the enemy she replied to her orders, "I didn't think that vice captains liked the back lines very much," she said with a small hit of playful sarcasm, "but I don't mind, makes it that much more interesting." She was being a bit cockier than she should have been given the situation, but her pride in her battle prowess was something she couldn't afford to doubt, at least not now.

Shifting her full attention back to the enemies before her she addressed them, "How do you guys want to do this? Both of you at the same time? no, you guys seem more like the type to take turns fighting opponents, am I right?" she asked mixing a semi-mocking tone with a half rhetorical, half real question. Chances were that they would both likely try to attack her at once, and she was waiting for them to do so, but that didn't mean she didn't at least one to try and take them on on more even terms, after all she was confident, not stupid. Even with a vice captain as back up there was no need to expose herself to unnecessary risk.

Reaitsu: 4820/5100 (200 for release, 30 for weapon generation, and 50 for shunpo)

Shikai: 1/10

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}
Type: Solider

Strength: 150
Speed: 230
Spiritual Pressure: (340 x 1.50) 510
Reiatsu Strength: (130 x .7) 91
Light Aura: 80
Dark Aura: 20
Instinct: 100
Senses: 100
Energy Sensory: 50
Healing Expertise: 0

SKP: 11/16 (0/8)
Pain Tolerance - 2
Martial Arts: Muay Thai - 1
Strength of Will - 2
Weapons: Swords - 2
Damage Recovery - 2
Battle Analysis - 2

[Marcus Cole]

"I didn't think that vice captains liked the back lines very much, but I don't mind, makes it that much more interesting." Himitsu raised an eyebrow in her direction. He didn’t know Yetsuna personally, but she seemed to be very comfortable in her skin. Confident was good. Cocky was bad. Hopefully, she had the skill to back up her courage. “You should be thankful that I took the backlines or it would be hard for me to make sure that you get out of this alive.” Himitsu was a little annoyed, but not mad. She would learn with experience, and it was his job to protect her.

Yetsuna then directed her sass toward Plan Z. "How do you guys want to do this? Both of you at the same time? no, you guys seem more like the type to take turns fighting opponents, am I right?" Her words only made them giggle even more. “Little Shinigami thinks she can beat Plan Z? Hehe, you’re not too smart, even amongst Shinigami.” The bald man laughed. “You can play with her, brother. But not for too long. She is waiting.” Both twins got serious for a moment, but the heavy atmosphere was gone as quickly as it had come. Both were grinning like hooligans a second later.

The man with brown hair suddenly sprung forward with a shunpo, appearing right in front of Yetsuna. All of a sudden, she would feel his intimidating aura surround and pressure her, speeding up her breath and heart rate. Simultaneously, his right hand was propelled upward at his full speed of 150. The man twisted his right foot and hip to enforce his uppercut, and if it hit, the punch would send Yetsuna flying. But she was faster than the Rogue, and Himitsu was watching from the back with care, prepared to defend his ally at any moment. But for now, he was watching to see if Yetsuna could defend herself.

Brown-Haired Plan Z Reiatsu Remaining: 1050/1500

Bald Plan Z Reiatsu Remaining: 1100/1500

Bakkoto Class 2 Post Count: 1/3

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

“You should be thankful that I took the backlines or it would be hard for me to make sure that you get out of this alive.” Yetsuna smirked slightly at Himitsu's response, it seemed she had accidentally struck a bit of a nerve as she heard the tone is his voice shift slightly. "Hahaha, I never said I didn't appreciate the support did I?" she said in a teasing tone, again making light of the situation she was in. It seemed Plan Z didn't seem to be thinking much of the situation either as they replied to her taunt, “You can play with her, brother. But not for too long. She is waiting.”

The sudden sobering of the two men's mood wasn't lost on Yetsuna, and it did peak her interest, but she knew she wasn't going to get information about this "she" freely so she didn't bother wasting the air asking, though she did have another taunt, "If you're in a rush I'll try to make this quick." As the two of men returned to normal the brown haired male used a flash step to close the distance, but he was slow and easy to perceive. He ended his shunpo in front of her, his heel dug into the ground as he attempt to uppercut her. 

It didn't take a genius to figure out that what this guy lacked in speed he more than like compensated in raw strength. She could think up a half dozen ways to counter than man without even having to move, but they all involved her using her powers, and she didn't want to divulge what was in her wheelhouse just yet, it was too early and she didn't know what the brown haired male was capable of either. She opted for a simple shunpo instead, basic but effective. Has the man twisted his ankle to strengthen his strike Yetsuna would use her own shunpo to get behind the rouge, her blade mid-swing poised to cut the mans back from his right shoulder to his left hip.

The cut, if it landed, wouldn't likely result in death, or even knocking the guy out of the fight if his size was anything to go by, but it would still hurt like hell and likely inflict a fair amount of muscle damage, but that was also if her blade made contact and actually cut into his flesh. The chances him getting injured that easily seemed low, he and his friend were too cocky to let her draw blood this quickly.

Reaitsu: 4770/5100 (50 for shunpo)

Shikai: 2/10

[Marcus Cole]

Yetsuna was quickly able to evade the brown haired twin’s uppercut with a short step technique to get behind his back. It was a clever move. With her speed advantage and his commitment to the attack, Yetsuna would have ample time to get behind him and make her own attack. As her blade swung down, however, it would suddenly be caught. Out of nowhere, crystal armor formed all around her target, extending one foot off of his skin and trapping the upper portion of the blade inside of it.

And as it was caught, Yetsuna might find herself in trouble once more. The bald man’s energy spiked momentarily as his brother caught her weapon in his crystal defense. If he couldn’t escape quickly enough, a powerful wave of wind would catch her from behind, slamming her into the brown haired man and crushing her ribs as well as a handful of other bones in her body. It would make physical combat impossible for the remained of her fight. However, she may not have the strength to pull her sword out of the crystals. If she attempted to break her sword free and failed to do so in the brief second that she had, Yetsuna would be out of the fight.

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

Yetsuna's speed played to well to her advantage as she easily got behind the large brown haired male poised to strike, but as always, things went wrong at the last second. About a foot away from the man's skin her blade came to a halt, seized by some crystal-like armor coming off of the man she had been trying to hit. While the green haired shinigami hadn't really anticipated the man coating himself in crystal as a counter to her attack, she was far from surprised that he was ready for her.

As her blade got caught in the crystal she noticed the bald man's reiaitsu spike. She couldn't tell what he had done, with her back now to him, but her initial guess was that he had launched some attack. She had a limited number of options to work with given her position so she opted to abandon the sword and take a step back. With another shunpo Yetsuna would get clear of the bald man's attack and take up a position a few yards in front of Himitsu, "So I take it were doing two on one then?" she would ask sarcastically.

As she asked she took up an unarmed fighters stance, she was going to let the two of them think they had managed to strip her of her weapon, at least for a moment, she had a more interesting surprise in store for them. As she finished settling into her fighting pose she would flash a smile at Plan Z and say in a happy tone, "I can do that." A moment after she finished her statement the ground underneath both men would open wide.

The holes were both substantial in radius and depth, having more than enough of both to swallow the men should they not be able to react fast enough and fall in. While the holes left little chance of escape should Plan Z fall in they would have a split second to react to try and escape. Should one or both of them fall in the hole would compress and crush them, likely resulting in them being crushed to death or at the very least severely injured to the point were combat would be impossible.

If either one, or even both of them, managed to dodge the holes they would be met with a reaitsu spike a large stone fist would attempt to make contact with them; if hit the fists would impart close to a 510 striking force on them. 

[Marcus Cole]

OOC: I'm gonna hold off on posting until Hotaru and Jin throw up a response just so this doesn't turn into a Yetsuna vs Plan Z PvP, so bumpity bump bump

[Jin Yamada]

The Bount mercenary followed the young boy silently as he began to lead the way. His eyes flashed across the Gillian standing around them, cautious of their intentions despite the aura surrounding them. It was telling him that everything was okay. That aura was telling him not to be afraid and to calm down, but his instincts were overriding that aura’s directions. That was when he heard Nathan speaking into his mind directly once more. I’ll make a note of that… Of course, Jin knew that Gillian, who were hollows as well, were originally the souls of individuals who had died. As a result of their grief and fixation on a life that had been unfulfilled, these poor souls were chained to the world and turned into the monsters that were known as ‘hollows’. What Nathan told him came as a surprise to him. To think that those lost souls could be rehabilitated before gaining sentience as Arrancar. I didn’t think it was possible.

They were led by Nathan through the white desert and directed away from a group of Gillian Nathan deemed to be “mean.” It appeared that he hadn’t been able to rehabilitate that group. From there, the group continued, going around the group via a different route in order to reach their destination. As they walked, Nathan’s voice spoke once again within the Bount’s mind. Had it been someone else, this experience would have been very uncomfortable; however, this was not the case for the Bount. Having had Husk communicating within his mind for years, Jin remained unfazed by this form of communication.

Tell you about myself, hmm? There’s a lot to tell… At first, Jin didn’t want to tell Nathan about his history. He didn’t want to relive the pain associated with some of the memories he had of the past. He didn’t want to relive those memories, but at the same time, he didn’t want to let the young boy down. I suppose I’ll start from the beginning. Go ahead and read my memories as I talk, and see for yourself what I’ve been through... Nathan was just a child, after all, and it didn’t seem like he would harm Jin. He had already read his mind to find out his true identity and he still chose to help them. I wasn’t always a Bount, ya know? I grew up as a human, but thinking back on it, I think the experiment I went through only activated my dormant Bount powers. I was in prison when a Shinigami approached me about gaining powers that would help me escape. I took his offer, and he turned me into what I am now. I learned what I was from someone that died long ago, and that same person taught me how to use these powers. I’ve fought in many wars trying to free others like myself and give them a chance to live. We’re hunted like dogs by the Shinigami, so I just want other Bount to have the chance to live as people should. Yuurei passed his mantle to me the day he died, so I’ll do whatever it takes to save my race. I am their will, their hope, and their desires…

As the Bount spoke, the young boy would obtain glimpses of Jin’s memories. So powerful were they that they appeared within Nathan’s mind without his intruding. So powerful were these memories that they could be passed on without Nathan’s active intrusion. The young Failure would be able to glimpse the Bount’s life as it played back almost like a movie. Nathan would see Jin’s life before he had been sent to prison, and the oppression he suffered as a Catholic living in a Protestant society. Flash forward and Nathan would see Jin in prison, subjugated to the harsh tortures that the other prisoners went through despite being so young. He would see Jin undergoing the experiment which had activated his dormant powers, and then he would see Jin learning about those powers and growing stronger. Nathan would also see the torture Jin endured as a Bount at the hands of the Shinigami. He would see the oppression and the harsh treatments Jin endured for his race. From one life to the next, Jin had always been a victim of oppression. Even before then, Jin’s ancestors had been oppressed and turned into slaves. It was this oppression, which played such an integral role in the Bount’s life, that gave rise to his indomitable spirit, a spirit that would never give up.

The Bount’s indomitable spirit was what allowed him to carry on, even when all hope was lost. It had allowed him to carry on after losing Kyoukan. It was what allowed him to carry on after being defeated multiple times at the hands of the Kuroi Naito. It was that indomitable will which had allowed him to strengthen himself during those twelve years of absence in order to protect his race. As they continued walking, Nathan would obtain new memories from the Bount, memories that were more joyful and much warmer than the previous ones. Nathan would see a city, magnificent and beautiful. The city, with its tall towers, appeared very technologically advanced. He would see this city and the people inhabiting it. Men, women, children of all colors. He would see them all enjoying themselves. He would see their smiles and their happy faces. The images changed, and he would now see a man seated atop a tall, magnificent and radiant tower. The image grew closer to the man, and immediately, Nathan would recognize the one seated there on a majestic throne atop that tall tower. Beaming brightly, the Bount Leader himself sat on that throne, overlooking the people of that city. This is my dream…a city where Bount can live peacefully, free of their fear of being hunted. This is…Oase. With that, the images and feelings disappeared and Jin once more closed off his mind to Nathan. Before he had, Nathan would have seen what it was that drove Jin’s actions as Anarchy. He would see why Jin fought so hard for his race. It was all so that Oase could become reality. A haven for Bount, that was what Oase would be.

Just as Jin’s memories came to an end, and Nathan was able to learn what drove the Bount, the three of them had finally come to their destination. With a finger pointed towards the ground, the Bount and his ally were told that their destination was just below them. Jin immediately focused on his surroundings and extended his senses around him. What he found with his limited energy sensory were three reiatsu signatures awaiting them, all hollow. This was confirmed by Gold, who had also tapped into her energy sensory; however, it appeared that Gold was more skilled in detecting reiatsu than Jin, for she had even been able to detect a tunnel that led to a heavy door. She had even been able to sense past that heavy door, where she detected a large spiritual presence awaiting them. She’s good… The Bount turned his head in the woman’s direction upon her acknowledging that he was the one to call the shots. Good. It was good that she had come to understand this. He didn’t want to have to remind her again. And now that he had established this, he could more easily keep her in check and fulfill his promise to Nathan.

”I’ll go first and check out the area ahead. If there are any traps laying in wait, I will destroy them before giving you the signal to follow.” the Bount stated. He spoke authoritatively, taking command of the situation as the leader between the two of them. Gold might wonder why it was that the Bount wanted to enter alone, without her aid. While it was true that he could handle himself, Jin was no fool. It would be suicide to walk in blindly, so that was why he was going to have someone else survey the area for him before the two of them went in. He had said he would go in first, but Gold didn’t know that with Ijat Rein, he could be in two places at once.

Very suddenly, golden reiatsu emanated from the Bount’s body and his reiatsu spiked for just a moment. If Gold couldn’t sense the true nature of his reiatsu before, she would surely sense it now. And now she would know the race that Anarchy truly belonged to. After the initial spike, his reiatsu suddenly diminished, and Gold would note that it felt as though it had split. With her incredible energy sensory, she would feel his reiatsu [i[cut in half[/i]. At first, she might wonder why before the answer appeared before her. Anarchy’s body was literally splitting in two. An extra pair of arms, legs, and a head formed on the Bount before tearing itself from his body. Within seconds, a second Anarchy was standing before them, appearing just as real as the first. Having formed his clone, Jin turned away from this copy of himself and faced Gold. If the hollow were beneath them, they would need a way to get underground. He didn’t want to release Hitze and risk having his identity revealed, so he would have to rely on Gold to create a hole big enough for the three of them to enter through. ”Do you have a way for us to get down there?” the Bount asked. ”Unfortunately, I can't get us underground…” he lied.


Jin #1 Remaining Reiatsu: 1700/4000 (-600 for Ijat Rein)

Jin #2 Remaining Reiatsu: 1700/2000

SPOILER: Click to show

{New Stats for Jin #1 & #2}

Strength - [100 (50)] (25) Points

Speed - [300] (150) Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] (200) Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400 (1000)] (500) Points

Light Aura - [35] Points

Dark Aura - [65] Points

Instinct - [200] (100)Points

Senses [200] (100) Points

Energy sensory - [100] (50) Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1700] Points

[Marcus Cole]

OOC: Hotaru’s dropping out of the thread, so we’ll continue with just Jin and Yetsuna. I’ll pull Hotaru out of the story soon, when Jin and Yetsuna’s plotlines merge. For now, she’s just in the background.

While Hotaru and the Arrancar engaged in a heated battle distant from Himitsu and Yetsuna’s own fight, the Fourth Seat’s two-part attack certainly Plan Z to take the defensive, at least for the time being. Earlier, Yetsuna fought like a front-line melee combatant, focusing more on using her blade than her release abilities. After she distanced herself from the crystal man, she completely switched roles, instead fighting much like an elemental mage. She manipulated the ground around Plan Z so that a hole formed right under each individual’s feet.

However, the two men were not so dumb that such an up-front trap would catch them. The crystal man simply made a small platform of air-ground right when the hole formed, allowing him to jump 10 feet into the air where he could safely land behind the trap. The other man simply made a current of wind beginning at his feet and flowing upward to keep him hovering over the hole safely. Since he was closest to the ground, it only made sense that the Yetsuna’s stone fist would target the wind man first, only to explode into tiny fragments an instant before it collided with him. Yetsuna might feel a powerful gust shortly after her attack was halted as well, signifying that the wind man could compress the air around him into a powerful barrier-like defense. Maybe that ability could be used for offensive purposes too? She did not have enough information about what the two men could and could not do to be sure.

While the other rogue reached his peak height, he pointed his crystal-coated right arm at Yetsuna. Suddenly, the crystals erupted into fragmented shards that flew at Yetsuna with a force and speed of 700. She might be prepared to summon a defense, but before she could execute, Himitsu’s voice sounded from right behind her. “I got it.” Over Yetsuna’s head, an impressive ball of fire as tall as Himitsu himself collided with the biggest body of shards, resulting in a small explosion. Yetsuna would be out of harm’s way, but the explosive force successfully sent the remaining shards off course.

“Push the offensive,” Himitsu instructed Yetsuna. It seemed like he was passively barking orders, but if Yetsuna glanced at the battlefield, she would see that the opposite was true. As the crystal man fell toward the ground, he was suddenly caught by a 10 foot tall tidal wave, temporarily trapping him. With his crystalline armor, his mobility was limited, so he was vulnerable to attack. On the other hand, the wind rogue had been caught by six pillars of light that Himitsu’s spell Bakudo #61: Rikujokoro created. It would only slow him down, temporarily, but for the time being, both members of Plan Z were locked in place. How would Yetsuna take advantage of this situation?

Himitsu’s Reiatsu Remaining: 2650/4000

Wind Rogue’s Reiatsu Remaining: 850/1500

Crystal Rogue’s Reiatsu Remaining: 925/1500

Bakkoto Class 2 Post Count: 3/3

---

With Nathan guiding the group through the Menos Forrest, Jin would only see the back of Nathan’s head as he conveyed his past to the child. Not once did the failure look back, nor did he speak at all for well over a minute after Jin finished. But he saw it all. Even more than that, he felt it just as Jin had. The pain. The remorse. The betrayal. As Jin recalled those emotions, Nathan experienced them as well. But the feeling that struck the child most was the loss. Nathan experienced the disappearance and death of all those Jin remembered, and not just the Bount. The shinigami too. Souls from all races. There was so much death and bloodshed that it was overwhelming for Nathan to experience at once, and so he didn’t talk. Not immediately.

But after a long moment, Jin would hear Nathan’s voice again. I’m sorry, the child whispered into Jin’s mind, an apology so sincere and untainted that Jin might actually think for a second that Nathan was somehow connected to the tragedy he faced. I’m sorry for the life you were forced to live. I wish it could have been better, Mister Jin. You deserve better. The world deserves better. While Jin could not see Nathan’s face, he might take notice to the droplets falling from Nathan’s jaw onto the dry dirt below his feet.

Nathan was aware that Jin’s suffering produced his impressive steel will and ambition. Nathan admired the Alpha Bount for his pursuit of the vision he displayed to Nathan of an awe-inspiring metropolis with Jin himself seated on the throne. However, he didn’t seem to want the position for the power and glory. He visualized the throne as the seat of the city’s defender. It was an idealistic dream, the creation of a perfect city for Bount to live in peace, but Nathan supported the idea too. Oase… I like it. I want to help you with Oase. But my dream is a little different. I don’t want Oase to be a city. I want the world to be like Oase, and not just for bount either. For everyone. People used to tell me that there are good guys, like the shinigami, and bad guys, like the hollows. But when I came down here, I didn’t find any bad guys. I found lost people that needed help, and when I helped them, they could be happy. People are always mean for a reason, Mister Jin. Nobody is a bad guy for no reason. I want to save the bount with you, but I also want to save everyone. I hope you believe in my dream like I believe in yours.

Jin would not have time to respond to the child before they arrived at the location. However, he was free to communicate with Nathan as he carried out his mission. Gold acknowledged his request to enter first with a nod. She was certain that Anarchy could handle himself, so if he wanted to go ahead, she wouldn’t argue. Gold did not react when Anarchy split into two. At least not visibly. Maybe she was unsurprised, or perhaps Gold hid her true response behind her mask.

”Do you have a way for us to get down there? Unfortunately, I can't get us underground.” It was not clear whether or not Gold was aware that Anarchy was lying, but regardless, she stepped beside Nathan. “Move back,” she told them. Nathan began walking briskly away until he covered about 50 feet. When all was clear, Gold raised her knee to her chest before bringing her foot crashing down with all her might. Normally, this would create an immense crater, but instead, the ground gave way, sending her and the rubble around her falling 15 feet into a new opening. She managed to collapse the tunnel beneath them, drowning the hollows below with earth.

However, the hollows could not be killed so easily. It seemed that they were quite strong, and with their might, they began lifting the rubble off of them. Gold began to move toward the shifting stone, intending to finish the job. However, Nathan would not allow it. ”NO!” he shouted while running toward the opening in the ground, his adolescent voice somehow summoning an authoritative tone. However, Gold was not perturbed, forcing Nathan to fire a thin red beam from his finger at Gold’s back.

However, Douma’s executive detected the spell, twisting her body so that she could just narrowly avoid the beam. “You little-“ Suddenly, the tiny ray of light expanded into the size of an ordinary cero, engulfing Gold within it. For a few seconds, she was trapped. “Don’t touch them,” Nathan ordered angrily. “They’re hurt and they can’t do anything to slow you down. Please let them be. I'll make sure they don't dig themselves out anytime soon.” While Gold was frozen, her eyes looked to Jin. He would make the call, but the fury behind her gaze was clear. Regardless of how Jin handled Nathan and Gold, he might see that while Basilisk collapsed almost the entire tunnel, she did land right by the end of the underground passage. Therefore, only a little bit of rubble buried the gate, and the shiny metal peaked out amongst the stone. Gold got the job done. It was his turn.

Nathan Reiatsu Remaining: 6825/7000

[Jin Yamada]

Quite an interesting turn of events. Within only a few seconds, the situation had escalated. While Gold had succeeded in creating a tunnel for them, she had also buried the hollows underneath all of the rubble. In an attempt to try and finish them off while they were weakened, Gold moved to attack the creatures. What happened next surprised the Bount mercenary. Despite his small size, Nathan showed an impressive amount of resolve in the face of that woman. The young boy fired a thin beam of reiatsu which suddenly expanded and consumed the woman, freezing her in place. What was that? the Bount wondered to himself. His brown eyes watched what was going on closely. The power behind Nathan's attack was incredible. The Bount was certain now that Nathan was more than just a child. The powerful, unstable reiatsu and the glowing eyes gave away the origin to Nathan's powers. The boy was a Failure. That would explain the powerful reiatsu he was able to spread around the area. Is he using his flood to read my mind? Or is he using some kind of technique?

There was not much time to ponder the question, as Jin noted that time was running out. Not specifically for him, but for those hollow and for Nathan. That freezing technique would not last long, so he would need to move quickly so that Gold could focus her attention on breaking something else instead of Nathan or the hollow. Be careful. I'll do my best to protect you when she escapes your technique, but my strength is limited until my clone returns to me. I'll have it scout ahead quickly. With that, the second Anarchy leapt down into the hole and landed beside Gold. From above, the first body watched the woman closely. The eyes of his second body gazed upon the gate standing before him, which allowed his initial body to view the gate in detail as well. Anything that was seen by the clone was also seen by the main body. The two shared a mental connection that ran deeper than just exchanging thoughts. The two could also exchange senses, minus any pain, and techniques and reiatsu supply. Despite the large reiatsu cost to use the technique, Ijat Rein was still a very useful technique.

"Do not harm any of them." the Bount said authoritatively, addressing Gold from the body watching her from above. "The child will free you once I find out what lies behind this gate. If you attack him before he does, you will have to deal with me..." he continued, this time speaking from the second body. The clone of Anarchy stepped forward
and assessed the rubble surrounding the gate. He wouldn't be able to open it without using Hitze to destroy it, but he would risk killing whatever was behind the door. It was best to enter in a different way and try to see if he could open it from the inside for them. The second body stepped towards the gate, planting its feet within the shadows created by the gate and the rubble surrounding it. Instantly, the body turned black and Anarchy sunk into the shadows of that gate at 150 speed. With Schatten, he would be able to travel through the shadows to reach the other side of the gate. From there, would be able to use a controlled Hitzewelle to destroy the door from the inside.

Gold and Nathan would see a pair of red eyes peering out from the shadows of the gate and rubble. Those eyes were there for a brief second, and then they quickly disappeared. With Schatten, Anarchy slipped through the shadows and moved underneath the gate. Red eyes would become visible once again, but this time from the shadows on the other side. From the shadows of that gate, Anarchy peered out at what lay behind it. For now, he would remain within the shadows until he could tell if it was safe to come out. In the shadows like this, he was safe. In the shadows like this, he could survey what lay behind the gate.


Jin #1 Remaining Reiatsu: 1700/4000

Jin #2 Remaining Reiatsu: 1600/2000 (-100 for Class 5 Schatten)

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

Both the men managed to dodge her little impromptu trap, not that she was really surprised by any means. It was a fairly straight forward attack and they seemed too skilled to get caught by something so simple. What she had not anticipated, though, was the wind man's trick that more or less disintegrated the stone fist she had sent flying in his direction. He was likely gonna be some trouble until she could find a way to get around his abilities. For the moment she was a little more focused on the crystal guy, she knew less about his powers then she did his brother, but she had feeling he might be easier to deal with.

As the crystal encased man dodged her attack he countered with his own by launching some spikes at her, nothing fancy, but they were fast. The green haired woman had almost executed a defense when the voice of her ally caused he stop as he launched a giant fireball
at the shards causing the attack against her to fail. She had been about to say something witty/smart-assy to Himitsu as a thank you, but before she could he executed a follow attack and gave her some instructions.

While she didn't have the time to really appreciate his work in depth Yetsuna was heavily impressed by her ally's handiwork. Hell he had done more to both of them in two seconds then she had done to one of them the whole fight. She actually felt a bit jealous. Typically she would have cracked wise in some way, but Himitsu had lined up a good shot for her and she didn't wanna waste it.

The moment she saw the crystal man get engulfed in water she had an idea, a little cruel by her standards, but it was the most viable option. Suddenly a earthen coffin would form around the man, trapping him in with the water in an attempt to drown him. The walls of the stone were thick, about 10 feet each way. Yetsuna hoped that the added bulk would help keep man trapped inside, though whether or not it does will have to be seen.

Immediately after encasing his brother she turned to the wind guy. He was caught in a six bars of light spell. There was no immediately obvious course of action for him and she didn't know enough about his power to try and rush to beat him down personally so she went to her fall back option; overkill. Just as before a mass of earth would spawn, though this time it was above the wind man. It was large in every dimension, totaling around 40 cubic feet, and was ready to drop on his head. As she willed it to fall could only impart around 510 force herself, but gravity and it's sheer mass would let the stone contact with far more.

Any smart remarks were gonna be saved until she saw if her gambits worked..

3770/4770 approx 1000 blown on stone

Passive Stand Strip post 1/2

Earth Reserves: 0 

[Marcus Cole]

Be careful. I'll do my best to protect you when she escapes your technique, but my strength is limited until my clone returns to me. I'll have it scout ahead quickly.

Nathan did not directly acknowledge Jin, but the bount would feel the child send him warm sentiments telepathically. They weren’t words, just pleasant feelings. It was Nathan’s more intimate way of saying thank you. However, Gold was not as kind. "Do not harm any of them. The child will free you once I find out what lies behind this gate. If you attack him before he does, you will have to deal with me..." The woman flexed her muscles, shattering the paralysis effect of the red light. “The boy has no power over me. Neither do you. You know where my allegiances lie, so don’t pretend otherwise.” The flirty girl disappeared behind this new fiery anger. However, Gold did not continue her previous attack. Now, it was unnecessary. The hollows didn’t matter.

Now that Jin controlled the situation between Gold and Nathan, he was free to slip past the metal door with Schatten. However, the second he did so, he had a fun surprise waiting for him. The very moment that he slipped under the door, he would hear a sharp note echo through the tunnel. Beep! After one second, it was quickly followed by another. Beep! And then, an explosion of intense flames would erupt from right behind the door. Their source was a small bomb the size of a penny that reacted to a foreign spiritual presence, and that presence was Jin. Even from the shadows, he was in the blast radius. The only benefit of the bomb was that it would blow the metal doors open, but would it do so at the cost of Anarchy’s body? Unless he evaded, he would be subject to heavy burns blackening his entire body.

“Ah ha!” a cheerful voice exclaimed through the dust and debris floating through the air. After the smoke cleared, Douma’s team would see a young woman standing before them, only about 20 feet beyond the door. Her long black hair was tied in pigtails that ran down to the small of her back. Her sapphire eyes contrasted her short crimson dress in an almost alluring way. “I had a feeling that we were going to get some company tonight. That’s what I’m here for, anyway.”

The woman spoke into a watch-like communication device on her wrist. “Hey, come back home boys. I’m a little short-handed.” She looked back up at the attacking party that consisted of Anarchy, Gold, and Nathan. “I’m gonna give you… friends the chance to turn around and run away. I don’t wanna hurt you guys, but that doesn’t mean I won’t if you make me. So either skidattle or tell me what brings you to this little secret place in the middle of nowhere? And if options A and B don’t sound good, there’s always option C.” Anarchy would feel her reiatsu suddenly extended around her menacingly. Her spiritual power wasn’t particularly strong, but she did have a notable presence. However, what might interest most this woman was the quality of her reiatsu. It was distinctly that of a bount.

---

Himitsu was pleased with Yetsuna. He only had time to briefly skim through her profile, which did not have that much info. She was relatively new to the Gotei 13, but the description of her zanpakuto did vaguely reference its destructive abilities. Still, he was happy to see how accurate her profile was. She’s not bad, he thought to himself. But there was no time to compliment her handy work. It was good, but it wasn’t good enough.

The crystal man was trapped in Yetsuna’s stone, unable to access air as Himitsu’s water threatened to fill his lungs and drown him. The combo was excellent, and had they only been fighting one member of Plan Z, it might have granted them to opportunity to end the fight. However, the wind man would draw their attention. By the time Yetsuna’s mass of earth formed over his head, he had shattered Himitsu’s bakudo, giving him the opportunity to punch toward the sky, creating a gust of wind that threw Yetsuna’s bolder up toward the clouds. It would eventually fall on some poor civilians in the distance, but Himitsu and Yetsuna could do nothing to save their lives. Not with a second gust of wind speeding toward them.

The air currents were invisible, making them hard to pinpoint. Other than Plan Z’s reiatsu running through it, they were nearly undetectable. Therefore, Yetsuna and Himitsu would feel the attack coming, but not see it. But there was another issue too. The other rogue’s reiatsu fluctuated simultaneously, an act that was followed by his crystal armor breaking up into separate small chunks and blasting through Yetsuna’s trap, many of them flying right toward Himitsu and Yetsuna. It was a shot-gun style attack, so dodging would be difficult with crystals shooting out everywhere.

Himitsu took care of the defense. He created a large golden barrier that curved around the couple, halting the gust and the projectiles. They were safe. However, that wasn’t the case with everyone. As Hotaru’s battle moved toward civilian areas, the Arrancar took advantage of Hotaru’s heroic obligations, forcing the captain to deal with a crystal coating around multiple buildings with the same properties of cero. Unless she got the civilians out in time, the crystal could explode into a blast that would kill them all instantly.

“Come, we are needed. Time to return.” Without saying a word, Plan Z suddenly retreated back to the Arrancar, who created a large Garganta to take them back to Hueco Mundo. They began to disappear behind it, and the battle looked like it was over. They had forced a withdrawal. The Gotei 13 had won. Just prevailed. It was over.

”No! Listen to me, we are NOT letting them get away!” Himitsu’s personality shifted completely. Just a moment ago, he had been calm and in control. Now, he was a different person, one fueled by the desperate desire to win and end his opponents. With a step technique sped through the garganta as it began to close. They aren’t getting away. Today, their wrongdoing ends.

Yetsuna had just a second to decide. Does she follow her superior and continue their battle with one less ally beside them or does she stay in Soul Society? The decision is hers to make, but she must make it quickly.

(( OOC: I want you to know that Yetsuna’s still got stuff to do in Soul Society if she decides to stay. She can still stay in the adventure if you want. Do what’s most IC, and it doesn’t have to be having her follow Himitsu to Hueco Mundo. I just wanna make that clear.

Also, switched the color of the Arrancar’s speech. Sorry bout that, hope it’s not a big deal. I’d just hate having two identical reds. ))

Himitsu Reiatsu Remaining: 2950

Wind Rogue’s Reiatsu Remaining: 450

Crystal Rogue’s Reiatsu Remaining: 425

Class 2 Bakkoto: 1/3

---

If Jin looked behind the Arrancar in front of him, he’d notice that the short tunnel led to a small platform that overlooked a much larger underground warehouse. That facility was capable of holding a massive amount of illegal products, especially artificial zanpakuto. His objective was very close. But just a few moments after the Bount in front of him spoke, he would both feel and see a garganta open up within the warehouse, where the Arrancar, Plan Z, Himitsu, and possibly Yetsuna would emerge. Now, shinigami were present. The situation had escalated very rapidly.

It was a three-way clash.

“The shinigami has come to die.”

“Hehehe.”

“This will be sooooo much fun.”

“Ooh, more guests.”

“This is interesting.”

“You’re going to pay for your crimes.”

“No, no, no… please don’t fight. Please....”

[Jin Yamada]

Beep! Beep!

Within the shadows, the Bount’s eyes widened upon hearing the two beeps. A trap?! Within seconds, there was a powerful explosion that rippled across the entrance. So powerful was that explosion that it ripped the door right off its hinges. Intense flames erupted before him, blasting apart the door whose shadow he had just used to enter into the cave. Had he not hidden within the shadows with Schatten, he would have been burnt to a crisp by the explosion. Hiding within those shadows, the Bount found himself safe from the trap that he had set off. When the smoke had cleared, his red eyes could be seen peering out from the comfort of those shadows. He could now clearly see the woman standing before them, the woman who he could only assume had set off the explosion.

Suddenly, the woman released her reiatsu in an attempt to intimidate the three of them. Well, the four of them since there were currently two of him. Her reiatsu…there was a vaguely familiar sensation to it. Something…something similar to his own. Wait, it was exactly like his own. She’s a Bount…? There was no doubt about that. The Bount Leader could easily pick out a Bount’s reiatsu from any other reiatsu. While naturally, Bount had the ability to hide their reiatsu, the woman was currently releasing hers, so it was easy to sense. And now that he knew she was a Bount, things were going to be much more difficult. Damn…I don’t want to have to hurt her…

The Bount was prepared to show himself when he suddenly felt the reiatsu of a few new players. An Arrancar, and four reiatsu signatures that felt like they belonged to Shinigami. The Bount’s patience with the entire situation was growing short. How was he supposed to obtain the shipment and make sure that he didn’t kill any of the people who got in his way? How was he supposed to make sure he kept his promise to Nathan? How would he keep Gold from keeping that promise? This was something he would need to figure out before revealing himself. Without any planning, he could end up killing one of them. When that happened, he would lose the boy’s trust. Wait, why was he so worried about gaining Nathan’s trust anyway? He didn’t care about anyone else but the Bount he served. So then why did he care so much about hurting Nathan’s feelings? Why did he care so much?! He’s rubbed off on me..

The Bount mercenary would have to approach the situation differently. He couldn’t go in with full force. Using Hitze would result in more deaths than necessary, but at the same time it would allow him to weaken anyone who got in his way without hurting them too much. It was true that obtaining the shipment was time-sensitive, but he couldn’t treat this like one of his mercenary assignments. He would need to treat them the same as he had treated Asmoskon, the young Quincy he had once fought. Only then would he be able to avoid killing his prey. Yes, that was it. He would play with them He was going to play with his prey and drag out the pain. If he inflicted enough slow, agonizing pain, he could get his prey to surrender. Then, he could easily walk out with that shipment of artificial zanpakutou. If this doesn’t work, then I’m sorry, Nathan. I might have to break my promise. Those artificial zanpakutou are the first step to Oase becoming reality. I can’t let anything get in my way…

”Mind sharing some of your stolen goods…?” Anarchy’s modified voice asked from the shadows he hid within. That voice of his no longer carried the serious, authoritative tone it once had when commanding Gold. Instead, it was lighter and more playful. It was lighter, more playful, and more creepy. And as he spoke, the woman would find a large black disc shooting towards her very suddenly from the very shadows that voice had came from. While whirring quickly through the air, sharp blades popped out along the edges, blades which would cut into her face and draw a large amount of blood from the gash. As that bladed disc flew towards her face, the Bount mercenary rose from the shadows where the disc had originated from, revealing himself to the female Bount.

She would recognize him instantly. She would recognize the mercenary known as Anarchy because of his status in the underworld market. She would recognize him instantly despite the mystery surrounding him. There was no mistaking the black hooded cloak and white porcelain mask upon which a red letter A was etched into the forehead. ”You should step aside now, while you have the chance…” he said in that modulated voice of his. With that, he launched towards her at full speed (150), following behind the yoyo in preparation to launch a second attack when the woman dodged or countered his first attack. He was already gripping a second black disc in his left hand, but this one was smaller than the one he had connected to the vambrace on his right hand.

Meanwhile, the original Anarchy relayed information to both Nathan and Gold. ”I need your help up ahead. Besides that woman, there are five other enemies past that door. I’ll need your help with the other five.” he informed the two. Upon saying this, he turned to face Gold, to give her his next command directly, in a tone much less playful than the one his clone had used. ”Try your best not to kill them.” he commanded. Then, he leapt down into the cavern, rushing towards his clone in order to assist once the other five jumped in. He would not let any of them stop him. He would not let any of them stop him and prevent him from forming Oase. He would not let them destroy his dream. Oase would become reality. He would see to it that Oase would come to fruition.

Jin Remaining Reiatsu: 1700/4000

Jin Clone Remaining Reiatsu: 1600/2000

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

Just as Yetsuna willed her stone to come down on the bald man's head he managed to break Himitsu's bakudo, something that was likely no small feat considering what she had seen of her ally thus far. She saw him wind up to try and punch the boulder she summoned and immediately she changed plans. Just before the stone would come into contact with his fist it would disintegrate into sand and travel over to the shinigami and begin to amass behind her. Before she could launch an attack, however, the wind man, and his brother, made their own.



The bald Plan Z launched another wave of air at her and her ally. She couldn't see the gust itself, but she could feel it and see its effects on the environment, which made dodging it fairly simple, but that wasn't her main concern. At the same instant the crystal coated man broken free of her prison, it seemed neither of her attacks managed to hit their marks. As he broke free he launched another wave of crystal at the two shinigami. Two high powered attacks at once? Didn't seem like a big issue.



With all the earth Yetsuna had summoned to her side to take both of those attacks would have been fairly simple, even if they were stronger then her stone the sheer amount she had would have stopped them. Before she could act though, Himitsu stepped up and took care of the defense again, rendering both of the attacks inert. A voice rang out to the two men she was fighting calling for them to retreat, which they did without a complaint.



"Awww come on things were just starting to get fun," Yetsuna whined sarcastically as they began to move towards the garganta the arrancar had made. Suddenly, and surprisingly, Himitsu bolted out after them hollering at Yetsuna as he did. The sudden change in his disposition wasn't lost on Yetsuna, but considering the circumstance she didn't have much time to contemplate what had cause it, she just saw an ally moving towards a three on one battle which likely wasn't going to end well for him.


Yetsuna took off after her ally dragging as much of her sand with her as she could, unknowingly leaving the captain behind to try and evacuate the area. She had noticed the weird crystals that arrancar had been spreading about, but she did not know that they basically were solidified ceros, if she had she would have remained behind to assist in clearing out the area. Himitsu knew the risks of chasing after enemies recklessly and he signed up to fight, the people in rukongai didn't.

Unfortunately her ignorance might end up costing some people their lives, but, even without knowing it, she had plans to avenge them as she followed Himitsu through the garganta. When she reached the end she could only assume she was in hueco mundo, not that it mattered much right now. She and her ally had just walked into an area with a lot of unfriendly looking faces, and she was feeling just a wee bit outclassed by the reaitsu signatures in the area.

"Well.......this'll be interesting," Yetsuna said as she cracked her knuckles through her armor. She knew she was out gunned, but she had no intention of letting that get to her, stronger didn't always mean better. She began to amass whatever sand she had managed to drag with her, hopefully all of it, behind her, ready to react instantly if she needed it. "We doing ladies first?" she asked Plan Z with a taunt, "If so, your up."

Sand Strip: post 2/2

Stone Reserves: 25/25 cubic feet.

[Marcus Cole]

If this doesn’t work, then I’m sorry, Nathan. I might have to break my promise. Those artificial zanpakutou are the first step to Oase becoming reality. I can’t let anything get in my way…

Jin might feel a foreign emotion form in the side of his mind, one that evoked the same sentiment as a hand on the shoulder – Nathan’s hand on his shoulder. Don’t apologize, Mister Jin. You haven’t done anything wrong, and you won’t do anything wrong. I trust you. Nathan had nothing but complete confidence in his new friend. Jin was a good man, and he trusted good men to do good things. While Jin moved forward, Nathan stayed at the opening of the tunnel. He needed to protect himself, for if he suffered an injury, his explosion would kill everyone nearby. Manami nodded at Anarchy's request for assistance inside the compound. "I'll take care of them. As soon as there's an opening, I'll get inside." As long as Alice blocked the entrance to the underground warehouse, the mission would rely on Anarchy.

Alice mimicked the playful attitude of Anarchy’s tone. She wore a mischievous smile on her face, even as the yoyo hurtled toward her from the shadows. She did not budge in response. However, she did speak. "Ziege Dich." Her reiatsu suddenly spiked, and tiny glowing blue specks began to swarm around her, spreading throughout the tunnel. If Anarchy had the time to inspect them closely, he’d realize that they were fireflies. However, he wouldn’t get the opportunity to do so instantly. After all, his yoyo sliced through one of the fireflies on its way to Alice, causing a large blue explosion to suddenly engulf the yoyo, Alice, and the fireflies around it. The yoyo would be sent flying straight back at Jin with a force of 1200 from the explosion.

At first sight, it would seem that Alice was destroyed by her own ability. However, after the smoke cleared, Anarchy would see the woman standing unharmed. The explosion did no damage to her, only to the yoyo. Furthermore, she didn’t seem to recognize him at all. His appearance meant nothing to her. He was just a stranger. An obstacle between Alice and her paycheck. “Nice try, big guy, but I got a question to ask you.” She sent a wink his way as her right arm pulled out a small pistol. She raised the gun, pointing it at Jin. Time seemed to stop for a moment. Even as the fireflies darted randomly throughout the tunnel, Alice only seemed concerned with the single man in front of her.

Her eyes trained on his mask, Alice asked “What does the A stand for?” Immediately afterward, she pulled the trigger. It didn’t matter if Anarchy hadn’t moved or already began darting toward Alice. She would simply follow him with the gun before firing. As the bullet moved toward Anarchy’s chest, it would first pass through a couple fireflies. Five more explosions would fill the entire tunnel between Alice and Anarchy. Even if Anarchy dodged the bullet, it would hit two other fireflies behind him, creating more explosions. Furthermore, the glow of the fireflies eradicated all shadows within the tunnels, so he wouldn’t be able to sink into the darkness again. He would have to find away around the bullet and blue flames.

“Is it A for Ashes?”

Alice Reiatsu Remaining: 3100/3500 (-400 for summoning the doll Leuchtkäfer)

Alice’s App

---

Himitsu and Yetsuna would hear the explosions from Alice and Anarchy’s skirmish. However, they had their own set of problems. The Arrancar commanding Plan Z turned to his subordinates. “Eliminate these two, and do it quickly. I will assist the Bount against the other invaders. Join us when you finish.” He then left, moving up toward the platform that held Alice. Down below, the Plan Z grunts giggled like hooligans. They had no more words. It was time to fight.

“Take the guy with the crystals. I’ll handle his friend.” Himitsu held his hand up, pointing his palm forward. Two things suddenly happened. First, a wave of water like the one he summoned earlier leaped from the ground like a geyser. It was only present for a moment. Almost immediately after he cast the spell, his reiatsu surged once more, forming a large fireball as tall as he was within the water. The result was an explosion of steam that filled the room. It would get 15 degrees hotter, and the air they all inhaled was full of his steam. The crystal man hardened his armor around him to block the mist and the wind man spun briefly to keep the mist off him completely. However, when he finished, he would find the Lieutenant sprinting toward him at full speed. It only took Himitsu two seconds to breach the gap between them, and when he did, he threw a right hook with all his might right toward the bald man’s face.

Yetsuna might be tempted to watch and see the result, but she had her own enemy to fight. The crystal man, coated in his armor, cackled as he watched her from fifteen feet away. But he didn’t make the first move. He didn’t care what his boss had to say. Yetsuna was his toy, and he wanted to play for as long as possible.

Crystal Rogue’s Reiatsu: 325

Wind Rogue’s Reiatsu: 350

Class 2 Bakkoto: 2/3