[BitPR2] Renewed Revolution: Spirit World II

[Draken]

"I don't know. Maybe we retreat into Hueco Mundo once again to resume our research. Maybe we will bury the hatchet and work together with you and Jehoel to bring our worlds to glorious new heights. Maybe we will even restore Izanami-no-Okami and have her resume her cataclysmic path across the unknown cosmos."

"The last one is very unlikely mind you, Izanami was a good friend but a terrible leader."

"I simply cannot know what my dear husband will wish to do with his spare time. I personally am more than happy to resume our daily routines as they used to be."

[Kuroimaken]

"I have absolutely no idea what your husband is even like. Just talking to you and the likes of Izanami is enough to make my head spin - definitely goes beyond anything I'd expected to happen in my lifetime."

[Draken]

Reene brings a finger to her mouth in thought.

"Well. He is a curious specimen indeed. Quite the catch. Good humor, excellent father, cultured, very understanding, intellectual, attentious..."

She blushes and stops talking, hiding her face with her hands.

[Kuroimaken]

Koutarou tries his best to suppress a chuckle.

Here he was - talking to the Queen of All Hollows, and somehow getting her to blush like a schoolgirl over a passing mention of her husband. It was enough that, for a moment, one might take this out of context and forget who these people were talking about entirely.

"I'm... I'm sorry. That was uncouth of me." Koutarou offered with a bow. "And... for what it's worth, I'm also sorry all these things happened. I mean... a week ago? We wouldn't have even considered a situation like this. Right now, we're trying -- I'm trying, really -- to keep an open mind. Trying to let go of centuries of indoctrination. Considering what's best for everyone.

But even if we did set you free, even if you chose not to exact revenge on those who imprisoned you, I don't think there's anything we could possibly do to make up for that. I don't have the slightest idea why Izanagi-sama chose to imprison you and your husband. Even if I did, I'm not sure how that would help.

The truth is, I don't really have the right to ask for your help. I'm doing it mostly to buy enough time to think of a way we can put all this hatred behind us."

For a moment, Koutarou's visage looks a lot like the expression of "the boy who hated to fight". Of his younger, weaker self.

[Draken]

Reene wastes no time regaining her composure.

"Now, now. If you act like that you will make me feel bad for painting a false picture. I did serve under Izanami-no-Okami for centuries, just as you served under Izanagi-no-Mikoto, none of us are saints."

"Quite the opposite, in fact. But I suppose you have not had to do anything extreme in order to uphold the balance of souls in your lifetime. Back when Izanami began her rampage, the Rukongai was a dreadful place, because you never knew when souls would come flooding in and the Seireitei would have to begin culling excess souls."

"And I suppose there are many more reasons why we were all sealed, besides your general's aforementioned comment that they simply wanted our secrets. She's wrong in believing that you learned nothing else from us, however. The earliest roots of your swordsmanship and unarmed combat were absorbed from one of my knights. And even your demonic arts were reverse engineered from another."

She flicks her hand aside, beckoning the larva on Koutarou's shoulder to suddenly sonido back to her lap.

"Well. No need to keep this conversation going with such a crass threat looming on your shoulders, I suppose."

Reene takes her time scratching the hideous skeletal spider's back. It is not particularly expressive in regards to this. Probably because it is a mindless construct of spiritual matter only vaguely reminiscent of a partially formed autonomous soul.

[Kuroimaken]

"Honestly, by now I had completely forgotten it was there." Well, he could still feel its weight. But he hadn't been afraid of it, since he was sure nothing untoward would happen to Reene.

"That I did not. The worst I've had to do was to comply with a comrade's request to bring the wounded back while he asked to remain behind and delay a group of enemies. Even so, most of the time I would try and take his place - my responsibility as a member of command.

I understand there's no such thing as war without casualties, but I've always tried to keep them to an absolute minimum. Still... I've never had to make truly drastic decisions, like the one concerning Jehoel's offer."

At this point, he pauses. Something seems to nag at the back of his mind, but he dismisses it, almost as if afraid Reene could read his thoughts.

"One thing doesn't add up. If they wanted your secrets, how come Izanagi-sama was apparently the only one who even knew the cells existed - or... perhaps more to the point, how come we don't know more of them at this point? Reverse-engineering shouldn't be necessary if they had any success in prying those secrets at all. From what I've been able to tell, you hadn't seen a Shinigami for several centuries before Izanami opened your cell."

[Delusion]

[Las Cuevas de la Muerte]

Alicia

The second the wall falls away Alicia sonidoes behind Larcone. Not giving him time to regain iniative, she shoots a bala from her left fist, aiming at the back of his knee, while slashing at him with her sword held in her right.

"Quit toying and fight."

Ransha

A feint or no, Ransha goes into the opening with an attack that doesn't care if he is hit in return as long as it reaches its target.

King

His arm finally free, the king turns to face the attacking Espada. He tears the black spike from the ground and block the bites with, crystal shattering to pieces under Valentina's jaws.

There is split second of hestitation in King's eyes after seeing the strenght of the attack, but recovers quickly, retreating to the side to gain distance while trying to stab her with his sword.

[strawberryman]

[Soul Society]

Chouko speeds into the recon bay on a wheelchair, her eyes uncovered, but a device on her wrist blaring annoyingly. "Okay, which deaf moron is responsible for these alarms since Hideki left? Isn't this your job? Geez, I bet he sent this to me just because he knew you guys would sit on your thumbs."

Before the flustered recon team has time to respond, Chouko is already rolling to the central equipment for broadcasting messages.

A few moments later, most of Seireitei can hear the mechanic's voice blaring over multiple radio channels and installed intercoms.

"Yo. Response teams. We got a problem in another one of those tomb sh- ...eh? Hold on, there's a senkaimon- ...oh sh-"

There's a sudden howl that resonates over the whole of Seireitei.

Pushing through a steadily warping senkaimon, Gillian after Gillian enter soul society. Though they have by now long destroyed their "bait", the shinigami and pluses around are more than enough to rouse their limited intellect. One by one, they split, stomping around and razing buildings with ceros.

Alexandra steps out amidst the Gillians, her form blurry.

"Retribution calls... it's almost awe-inspiring." For now, she just watches the destruction.

[Draken]

Senkaimon Plaza

Clovis hops up next to Alexandra, sitting on a unicycle..

"Woah. Seireitei. I did not expect this at all. Tricky, tricky, Alex."

But he looks west, feeling a subdued reiatsu.

---------

Black Dragon Gate

Reene turns to face east as she feels Clovis' reiatsu enter the Seireitei.

"Well, vice-commander, I believe my time with you must now end, if you will excuse me."

She rises to her feet and heads for the building's exit.

[Kuroimaken]

Senkaimon Plaza

Clovis hops up next to Alexandra, sitting on a unicycle..

"Woah. Seireitei. I did not expect this at all. Tricky, tricky, Alex."

But he looks west, feeling a subdued reiatsu.

---------

Black Dragon Gate

Reene turns to face east as she feels Clovis' reiatsu enter the Seireitei.

"Well, vice-commander, I believe my time with you must now end, if you will excuse me."

She rises to her feet and heads for the building's exit.

"Not unless you'll tell me where you're planning on going. At the very least."

[Draken]

Reene smiles at Koutarou.

"Well, I believe my jester is in town, and he is simply too amusing to pass up after all these years... From there, I suppose I will join him and my knights wherever they happen to be living now. Ta-ta."

With a wave, Reene disappears in a blur of Sonido and a gust of silver sand.

Her subdued reiatsu can be felt not too far away, near where her zanpakutou is being held.

[KnightDisciple]

[Soul Society]

Masaru had just finished a meeting with the other Squad leaders of the Pack when he felt the presence of multiple Menos-class Hollows in the very heart of the Seireitei. He immediately snapped out orders.

"Guerilla Squad! Observe, Contain, and Evacuate, Plan Alpha-Niner-Gamma-Two! I'm heading for the enemy forces directly to Contain and Engage!"

As the dark-clad Guerilla Squad sprinted into action, Masaru streaked away, a dark comet on a sunny day, his reiatsu's slight flares showing his anger at this intrusion. This...violation.

Ancalagon called for blood. And Masaru agreed.

Within 30 seconds he was on a rooftop, directly in the path of one of the towering Gillian. His eyes filled with an inner black flame, and his voice rang out.

"Blot out the sun and drink up the stars! Crush the mountains! Burn the sky and boil the sea! Ancalagon!"

And suddenly he was holding his broadswords, and suddenly they were larger than they had any right to be, and he was flying through the air toward the nearby Gillian, blades already flashing in a pattern that would likely reduce the Gillian to many small pieces before the purification finished the job.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Harada was outwardly calm, though internally he was...perturbed. He stood in the SSI Crisis Command Center, one of the few Senior Researchers already on top of things.

"Right, let's set up some artillery teams. At least two barrier specialists and three Hado specialists. They're to stand back and watch for the Gillian to get further than these quadrants; we need to let the more powerful combat-oriented members of our organization take the lead. Against this many Gillians...that's our only chance to properly contain the destruction."

[Kuroimaken]

Masaru's phone rings.

Caller ID says Koutarou.

Assuming he picks up (or puts it on speaker, whichever comes first), Koutarou will call out.

"Masaru! Reene is headed towards her Zanpakutou! I need you to tell Izanami that if she does get it, she's going to go away forever. Do you understand me?!"

On the way out, Koutarou transforms. Speed being of the essence, he zooms towards where Reene is headed with his swiftest form...

[5a Violista]

Las Cuevas de la Muerte
King: Check

Valentina's Hierro isn't strong enough to deflect the King's blade. She's agile enough to make it not a fatal blow, but it still glances through her.

With that mostly-superficial cut, Valentina bleeds, her blood starting to mix with the black liquid covering her. As it happens, she obliges to put a sword-and-a-half length of distance between them.

Her jaw-claw reopens as the crystal turns to dust. A glow appears in this claw, signaling a charging Cero. "What, no witty banter, no clever retort? I'm disappointed."

The pale red Cero fires at the King, much weaker than you would expect from an Espada's Cero.

[strawberryman]

[Soul Society]
(Chaos)

After the initial wave of gillians run through and the battered-wide senkaimon closes, Alexandra slowly begins to replenish the forces, huge masses of white oozing through garganta, taking horrific shapes. "This is only the first act. The finale will be grand indeed."

--

Caught by surprise, the Gillian's mask, it's entire head, even, is cleaved in twain.

However, unfortunately for Masaru, his leaping attack leaves him open to the ponderously approaching second, which lets loose the cero it was charging at the Pack warrior.

[KnightDisciple]

[Soul Society]
(Chaos)

Caught by surprise, the Gillian's mask, it's entire head, even, is cleaved in twain.

However, unfortunately for Masaru, his leaping attack leaves him open to the ponderously approaching second, which lets loose the cero it was charging at the Pack warrior.

For a split second, Masaru's face shines with a vicious grin of victory. That grin didn't last long as he saw the Cero.

But Masaru wasn't on Guerilla Squad just because of his dashing good looks. In that split-second moment before the Cero was loose, he slashed the air in front of him...and the shadow-blades off his swords created a domed shell of shadow. It wasn't much, but his control over shadows let him push off the dome at an angle, putting him out of the Cero's firing line.

Just like that, he was squirreled away in the shadows of the half-wrecked buildings.

Masaru's phone rings.

Caller ID says Koutarou.

Assuming he picks up (or puts it on speaker, whichever comes first), Koutarou will call out.

"Masaru! Reene is headed towards her Zanpakutou! I need you to tell Izanami that if she does get it, she's going to go away forever. Do you understand me?!"

On the way out, Koutarou transforms. Speed being of the essence, he zooms towards where Reene is headed with his swiftest form...

The phone was thankfully on vibrate as Masaru stuck a sword in the ground, fumbled for his wireless headset, and all but shoved it into an ear before hitting the "answer" button and promptly receiving Koutarou's earful. He re-gripped his sword as he answered in a hush, glancing out at the second Gillian's position.

"I'm a bit busy trying to kill the hoarde of Gillian in the middle of the Seireitei, Koutarou. If she randomly shows up here sure I'll mention it, but I can't well fully retreat from the fight at this point. Hang on."

The Gillian had wandered close enough now. He concentrated, and suddenly the Gillian's own shadow rose up and wrapped around its head, yanking on it enough that its aim for the Cero was restricted.

A moment later, his right-hand sword was stabbing up through the shadow, hopefully bisecting the beast's mask.

"Anyways I'm kind of going all lone commando at the moment. Guerilla Squad is working to contain, but these beasts are pretty fierce. I'll see what I can do, but we can't leave these things unchecked."

[Kuroimaken]

"Alright, I'll see if I can delay her, but things will go belly-up if I fail. Izanami may be a crazy little brat, but she can arm-wrestle with the giants, I need her prattling ass on this! Koutarou out."

[Terry576]

And then Masaru's shadow stirs, and she roars out of it, twenty seven and beautiful and in elegant red as she dances onto the battlefield, her needle skewering a Gillian with ease.

"Little wolf! You should always invite me to your fights, I find them hilariously underwhelming! Interrupting my nap for this is a bit rude though, I must say!"

With a flick of her wrist, her needle flies, gouging through the head of one Gillian before it appears in her hand again, as she does an elegant spin, reiatsu forming on her hand, a simple binding spell freezing a Gillian in its tracks as she pierces through its face.

"Easy easy easy, little wolf, you are really underwhelming me today! Did you honestly need something, or did I wake up..." She lets out a small little gasp of shock, looking at him with pitying eyes, "For nothing!?"


-------

{Alexandra}

Sora walks next to her and whistles in awe. "S'lookin' spiffy alrigh' but what'm ah s'pose ta do? Jes stick close ta ya an' make sure nobody touches ya while yer werkin'?"

[Demidos]

[Party in Soul Society! -- Gillians everywhere!]

Spoiler

Show

Momoka is a frail-looking woman appearing in her twenties, so they will probably get along well!

"Good to formally meet you, Naganori. I recall you amongst the SSI before I was imprisoned. I hear things have not been going well in that time. But, nonetheless, I am here to offer what assistance I can in my diminished state."

She turns back to Setsurou, giving a slight nod.

"Hishikawa. I believe from here I am in capable hands. I'm sure I'll see more of you, but my thanks for escorting me."

[Soul Society]

Chouko speeds into the recon bay on a wheelchair, her eyes uncovered, but a device on her wrist blaring annoyingly. "Okay, which deaf moron is responsible for these alarms since Hideki left? Isn't this your job? Geez, I bet he sent this to me just because he knew you guys would sit on your thumbs."

Before the flustered recon team has time to respond, Chouko is already rolling to the central equipment for broadcasting messages.

A few moments later, most of Seireitei can hear the mechanic's voice blaring over multiple radio channels and installed intercoms.

"Yo. Response teams. We got a problem in another one of those tomb sh- ...eh? Hold on, there's a senkaimon- ...oh sh-"

There's a sudden howl that resonates over the whole of Seireitei.

Pushing through a steadily warping senkaimon, Gillian after Gillian enter soul society. Though they have by now long destroyed their "bait", the shinigami and pluses around are more than enough to rouse their limited intellect. One by one, they split, stomping around and razing buildings with ceros.

Alexandra steps out amidst the Gillians, her form blurry.

"Retribution calls... it's almost awe-inspiring." For now, she just watches the destruction.

Earsplitting alarms pierce the air, and screams and shouts go up all over the place. Igarashi sighs, then startles back at the sight of the Gillians spreading through the city.

He swears under his breath, and then turns to look at the until-recently-prisoner Momoka. He appears to think for a moment, then opens his mouth.

"Are you any good with Kido? Well, actually, you are a former SSI member, so you must be good enough that it doesnt really matter.

One moment."

He puts his hands together and makes several swift gestures.

"Bakudo #59: Chikyū no Shidō -- Guidance of the Earth!"

Then he reaches over and unclips her handcuffs.

"I was instructed to keep you restrained for as long as possible, but it seems that we have an emergency on our hands, and it seems that Setsurou trusts you. Therefore. I have placed a temporary tracking Kido on you. Assist me in stopping these Gillians, and we will discuss your situation at length once it is resolved. Good?"

If she answers in the affirmative:

Several Shunpo's later, Momoka and Igarashi appear near a clump of Gillians. Igarashi waits to for Momoka to do something. Hopefully, she is still powerful enough to defeat one of these things. Hopefully, several.

[Cuevas de la Muerte]

Spoiler

Show

Hueco Mundo

Kyoki starts to look frustrated as Tymin continues to keep dodging her attacks. Sensing his chance Ragunaroku slowly makes his way out of Kyoki's back. Using her back as best he can he starts charging a powerful Cero between his hands. Waiting for the right moment Ragunaroku peeks his head around her back to watch Tymin. When he thinks he has a clear shot he shoots the energy from between his hands at his target with a shout of, "Surprise b*tch!"

Hueco Mundo
Cuevas de la Muerte

At Morrin's statement, Randii chuckles. Which turns into full laughter.

Listen, sweet cheeks, I never said that. One of my, uh, companions might have, but I didn't. I was itching for a fight from the moment I learned about all this.

Still... Randii puts a finger on her lip as she looks over Morrin. I suppose we could use you...maybe. She shrugs. So, wanna turn on your buddies, then? Hm?

[Las Cuevas de la Muerte]

Alicia

The second the wall falls away Alicia sonidoes behind Larcone. Not giving him time to regain iniative, she shoots a bala from her left fist, aiming at the back of his knee, while slashing at him with her sword held in her right.

"Quit toying and fight."

Ransha

A feint or no, Ransha goes into the opening with an attack that doesn't care if he is hit in return as long as it reaches its target.

King

His arm finally free, the king turns to face the attacking Espada. He tears the black spike from the ground and block the bites with, crystal shattering to pieces under Valentina's jaws.

There is split second of hestitation in King's eyes after seeing the strenght of the attack, but recovers quickly, retreating to the side to gain distance while trying to stab her with his sword.

Tinja

With an acrobatic flip to the side and a full rotation twist of her body, Tinja barely avoids the full out thrust while she pulls her chain back towards Ransha's suddenly fully outstretched and exposed arms, the sharp spikes angled so as to catch and loop about them.

Tymin

Tymin's small body is blasted back into a pile of rubble. A cloud of dust goes up about him, and in the crashing, yelling, and screaming in the battle around, his next words are barely audible.

"Choke, Ceniza."

Morrin

Morrin's eyes narrow momentarily, and then he smiles, a thin smile. "Buddies? Las Noches must indeed be all that I have heard it is, if Arrancar have friends in such a place. No, these are not friends, merely an alliance of convenience."

Prosia

Prosia growls, amused. "Are you scared? Is that the best you've got?"

Spoiler

Show

No idea whats going on here. Creon, save me!

Larcone

Larcone Sonidos away, but not fast enough. A small trickle of blood runs down his leg as he stands there, his face slowly darkening with rage.

"Ungrateful girl. You shall pay for your betrayal!"

Pulling forth his Zanpakuto, he comes at Alicia in a hail of lightning fast blows. He is clearly a very competent swordsman.

[Spacewolf]

[Soul Society]
(Chaos)

Castus had arrived at the scene of the devastation so was currently helping the barrier squads move people out of the area and contain the devastation. Occasionally one of the Gillians would send a Cero towards his squad which would quickly disappear before a yellow energy blast shot back towards the Gillian destroying it.

While this was going on Castus was keeping in contact with Harada in the control room.

"Harada, see if you can raise Li, if that Jehoel set this up they might be planning to ambush the team sent to the mortal world. Oh and this sector is nearly fully evacuated."

[Cuevas de la Muerte]
Prosia

Somewhat supprised he hadn't been able to take her to the floor Creon kicks up his sword from the floor into his free hand and as soon as he grabs it begins his release.

"Typhon strike and devour."

Almost instantly his forearm becomes to bulky for Prosia to keep a hold of and once it's free each pincer grabs once of Prosias arms and begins to stretch her while his stinger jabs at her face.

[strawberryman]

[Soul Society]

The Gillian is no match for Death, skewered instantly, and the needle she throws easily dispatches the third sneaking up on the area.

--

Alexandra nods to Sora. "If you must entertain yourself with destruction, be sure to stay near Clovis." Another four faux gillians are formed, with twisted masks and masses of tentacles for arms.

--

Momoka raises an eyebrow. This was almost too easy. But for now...

"It has been some time. But let us see if my contemplation has amounted to anything."

Following Igarashi, she observes the situation as two gillians, or rather, one gillian, and something else with the shape of the gillian, but an impossible maw of teeth composing its head, stomp around, turning to the new arrivals. As they charge their cero, the ex-prisoner just... smirks, and begins a chant.

"Disintegrate, black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Sōren Bakudo 9: Geki!"

With a flash, the creatures are both paralyzed, the energy gathered harmlessly dissipating. But such a low-level kido wouldn't hold--

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado 33: Sōkatsui!"

Aiming upwards, the blast of blue flame utterly consumes the upper half of the beasts. As it fades, Momoka wipes her brow, sweat beginning to trickle down. The legs of the gillians standing behind could almost be considered comical, as they begin to fade.

"One moment, please."

[KnightDisciple]

[Soul Society - Gillian Party]

And then Masaru's shadow stirs, and she roars out of it, twenty seven and beautiful and in elegant red as she dances onto the battlefield, her needle skewering a Gillian with ease.

"Little wolf! You should always invite me to your fights, I find them hilariously underwhelming! Interrupting my nap for this is a bit rude though, I must say!"

With a flick of her wrist, her needle flies, gouging through the head of one Gillian before it appears in her hand again, as she does an elegant spin, reiatsu forming on her hand, a simple binding spell freezing a Gillian in its tracks as she pierces through its face.

"Easy easy easy, little wolf, you are really underwhelming me today! Did you honestly need something, or did I wake up..." She lets out a small little gasp of shock, looking at him with pitying eyes, "For nothing!?"

Masaru doesn't even miss a beat. A barrage of shadowy crescent blades arcs toward another nearby Gillian even as he moves up near Izanami.

"My friend Koutarou wishes me to pass along the fact that Renee is running for her sword right now. She's likely to snag it and keep running away. And not come back here. Ever. You know her fairly well; do you think she would perhaps try just running away as soon as she could?"

The casual tone is kind of undercut by the continued violence, but, hey.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Soul Society]
(Chaos)

Castus had arrived at the scene of the devastation so was currently helping the barrier squads move people out of the area and contain the devastation. Occasionally one of the Gillians would send a Cero towards his squad which would quickly disappear before a yellow energy blast shot back towards the Gillian destroying it.

While this was going on Castus was keeping in contact with Harada in the control room.

"Harada, see if you can raise Li, if that Jehoel set this up they might be planning to ambush the team sent to the mortal world. Oh and this sector is nearly fully evacuated."

Harada had been assisting with coordinating the barrier/artillery squads, but at Castus's words he simply nodded and walked a bit away. He tapped a few buttons on his wrist-comp, and very quickly a call went over the dimensional distances to speak with Commander Li.

"Commander Li, Soul Society is under attack by a force of Gillian Menos. The timing is less than ideal. Be prepared for possible ambush scenario."

He ended the call (though the line wasn't closed) and moves back up to the display screen. After contemplating things a moment, he nodded and issued some more quick orders, shifting squads a bit.

[Delusion]

[Cuevas de La Muerta]

Ransha

Most would have tried to dodge out of the way of the chains, but perhaps Ransha knows he is not fast enough for he presses to attack with a quick, onehanded stab that lacks the power or precission to do much damage should it hit, while managing to pull the other hand away.

Then the chains snap around that very same hand, the spikes penetrating the hierro in multiple places.

Alicia

Alicia knew Larcone was good with the sword. He would have chosen another target had she though otherwise. But he was waisting his talent with his tricks and gimmicks.

Besides. Alicia was pretty sure she was better.

She met him attack for an attack, sparks flying as their swords met again and again. She kept constantly trying to circle around Larcone, taking advantage of his wounded leg.

King

The king parries to Cero, counting on his Hierro to protect him as long as he doesn't take a direct hit. As it happens his Hierro was weakened earlier and the sprays of energy from parried Cero scorch his skin causing him to stagger backwards.

"I didn't take you for one who would enjoy such things," he says, icy polite. Then he fires a cero at a nearby pillar, causing a horse sized block of stone to drop on Valentina.

[5a Violista]

[Cuevas de la Muerte]
King

Valentina narrowly dodges the stone.

In fact, it was so narrow that it actually hits her and lands on her foot. Ouch, that smarts! Guess she's much less mobile for now. Pain.

La Sexta Espada looks around and decides what she can do now. Either she can shatter this large stone on her foot, or...
...or she can lure the King closer to her. Valentina can put the King in "Check".

She spies the black symbols that she painted all over the ground, earlier. Pointing her Claw at the ones behind the King, "A fight in silence is just...missing something." A brief release of Spirit Energy, followed by a measured amount of Cero is fired at each symbol.

In order, those symbols on the ground explode in a massive release of Spirit Energy. It may seem Valentina is just aiming wildly and poorly, but she's actually trying to force the King to come closer to her and attack her in plain melee.

[AnimeKid]

Cuevas de la Muerte

Kyoki has to practically strain her ears in order to hear anything in case her opponent did something while obscurred by the dust cloud. Hearing her words she knew she made the right decision as she called out hurriedly, "Provoca el Final! Ragunaroku!" With that her back bulges as black blood rips it's way out and forms the top half of what looks like a traditional European dragon. The battle was just beginning.

Soul Society-Facing the Gillians


Like Masaru Naijeru was responding once word of the attack had reached them in the meeting. Alright men! This is what the Brute Squad was made for! Engage and Destroy the enemy with overwhelming force, Attack pattern Epsilon! Take the heat off of the other divisions!"

Naijeru would then head into battle with Masaru. He would be damned if he was hanging back while his men were risking their lives. Which was how he made his way here into the thick of combat with Masaru and now Izanami, hot blood pounding in is ears and his fighting spirit roaring in challenge of this threat. He slices another Gillian to pieces before slamming his Odachi back into it's sheath and chants. "Drag them to Davy Jones Locker! Gurētokurāken!" Where there was once a sword there is now and anchor and chain.

Spinning the anchor on the chain Naijeru used his new weapon as a projectile to slam into far away Gillians. Any who came too close would find that it could be wielded in close quarters just fine. Occasionally a burst of gravity would slam into a Gillian, caving in it's chest."Masaru! Is it just me, or do these things just keep coming?! Gillians should not be have the intellect to mount an assault like this!"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Soul Society
Gillians Ahoy!

Arianna wasn't here when the attack started, but she is now, taking command of the Recon troops present. She's having them form a perimeter around the area the Gillians currently occupy and hold the Hollows to this area. She wants the strong offensive to be left to the Pack, since that's their area of expertise. The Recon troops are only to keep the Gillians from leaving the area by whatever means necessary.

Arianna herself is up in the air at the moment, looking for any area that might need immediate assistance.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hueco Mundo
Cuevas de la Muerte

Randii chuckles, then shrugs. Not so much friends. More of...people that I know won't randomly stab me at any given moment. I mean, I don't like most of them. But they ain't gonna jump me, so I learn to deal with them.

She turns back to the fights going on. Well, guess I'll just wait till the mess is over before I tell the rest of my gang to not attack you on sight. She gives him a curious look. While we're waiting, know anybody else that would wanna join up with us?

Randii's decided that she might as well start recruiting for this army that Tinja's planning on building.

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Black Dragon Gate

Reene smiles at Koutarou.

"Well, I believe my jester is in town, and he is simply too amusing to pass up after all these years... From there, I suppose I will join him and my knights wherever they happen to be living now. Ta-ta."

With a wave, Reene disappears in a blur of Sonido and a gust of silver sand.

Her subdued reiatsu can be felt not too far away, near where her zanpakutou is being held.

Reene might be near her Zanpakuto... but whether either she or Koutarou know that is a different question.

The sword-whip is downstaits, in arms room built in the basement of the inn, placed inside a steel safe behind a painting of Sokyoku hill, and still sealed inside an airtight, magnetically locked sekkiseki box. As a side-effect, it's impossible to sense its exact location. It's like trying to track a cell phone placed inside a Faraday's cage... not that Reene is expected to know what either of those things are.

And yes, it's a side-effect. It's not like Li went out of way to make it hard to find. Had Li wanted to do that, Li would've transferred it to the biohazard containment bunker, the alchemical gardens, or thrown it into the Dangai. Li was prepared to just give it back to Reene personally, had the deal with Jehoel worked out.

In any case, the arms room is otherwise empty. The other guests are allowed to carry their weapons with them, and have not opted to leave anything here.

---

SSI communication center

"Commander Li, Soul Society is under attack by a force of Gillian Menos. The timing is less than ideal. Be prepared for possible ambush scenario."

Li's voice rattles through the line: "If they're wanting to ambush me, they're doing a piss-poor job. I'm standing five feet before Yurius. The rest of my team is already on the way back. I'll remain to negotiate possible help from Las Noches. I'll get back to you shortly."

[Draken]

Soul Society
Black Dragon Gate

Shinigami, always so focused on the flashy things, reiatsu detection, release stages. Very prone to ignoring the simplest of facts.

For instance, the very distinctive smell of an individual, certainly lost on the weak noses of human souls, but what about an inhuman spirit? Could a small, blind, bone spider-thing track by scent? It most certainly can.

So following the trail of the carriers, Reene and her larva reach the storage room without any incident. And once in there, she looks back towards the door.

"Young vice-commander, I hope you don't plan to interfere with my wish to retrieve what is mine."

--------------

Med&Log Senkaimon

Hideki arrives at Seireitei through Med&Log, heading somewhat calmly to the outside of the building.

--------------

Central Senkaimon

Clovis watches the going ons of the Seireitei through a pair of opera binoculars.

"Ho, ho, my. What a spectacle. You want one, Sora?"

There are two more of the little binoculars on a stick sitting on a small round table next to him.

[Kuroimaken]

Soul Society
Black Dragon Gate

Shinigami, always so focused on the flashy things, reiatsu detection, release stages. Very prone to ignoring the simplest of facts.

For instance, the very distinctive smell of an individual, certainly lost on the weak noses of human souls, but what about an inhuman spirit? Could a small, blind, bone spider-thing track by scent? It most certainly can.

So following the trail of the carriers, Reene and her larva reach the storage room without any incident. And once in there, she looks back towards the door.

"Young vice-commander, I hope you don't plan to interfere with my wish to retrieve what is mine."

--------------

Med&Log Senkaimon

Hideki arrives at Seireitei through Med&Log, heading somewhat calmly to the outside of the building.

--------------

Central Senkaimon

Clovis watches the going ons of the Seireitei through a pair of opera binoculars.

"Ho, ho, my. What a spectacle. You want one, Sora?"

There are two more of the little binoculars on a stick sitting on a small round table next to him.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to, Lucaster-san.

I don't want to have to fight you. Not before I've exhausted all avenues of negotiation. But I also have a duty to uphold.

Please. Return to your room. I will see to it that you are reunited with your husband if you do."

It's an offer Koutarou hoped he wouldn't have to make.

__________________________

"Not really my cup of tea."

Out of nowhere comes a voice - a very simple, nonchalant voice - calling out to the jester. "Nowhere" turns out to be pretty damn close to the pair. Setsurou is watching the whole thing through a pair of binoculars of his own.

"I'm partial to the Nibelungenlied myself. This thing is missing a soundtrack. And as it is it looks like a Michael Bay film. Me no likey."

[Demidos]

[Soul Society]

Spoiler

Show

[Soul Society]
Momoka raises an eyebrow. This was almost too easy. But for now...

"It has been some time. But let us see if my contemplation has amounted to anything."

Following Igarashi, she observes the situation as two gillians, or rather, one gillian, and something else with the shape of the gillian, but an impossible maw of teeth composing its head, stomp around, turning to the new arrivals. As they charge their cero, the ex-prisoner just... smirks, and begins a chant.

"Disintegrate, black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Sōren Bakudo 9: Geki!"

With a flash, the creatures are both paralyzed, the energy gathered harmlessly dissipating. But such a low-level kido wouldn't hold--

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado 33: Sōkatsui!"

Aiming upwards, the blast of blue flame utterly consumes the upper half of the beasts. As it fades, Momoka wipes her brow, sweat beginning to trickle down. The legs of the gillians standing behind could almost be considered comical, as they begin to fade.

"One moment, please."

Igarashi waits for a second, unsure as to what he is waiting for. He stays ready in case the former prisoner has gone wild and turns on him, although he remembers several notes from the file detailing that the prisoner had been locked away for dangerous research only, and not for anything approaching betrayal.

[Cuevas de la Muerte]

Spoiler

Show

[Cuevas de la Muerte]
Prosia

Somewhat suprised he hadn't been able to take her to the floor Creon kicks up his sword from the floor into his free hand and as soon as he grabs it begins his release.

"Typhon strike and devour."

Almost instantly his forearm becomes to bulky for Prosia to keep a hold of and once it's free each pincer grabs once of Prosias arms and begins to stretch her while his stinger jabs at her face.

[Cuevas de La Muerta]

Ransha

Most would have tried to dodge out of the way of the chains, but perhaps Ransha knows he is not fast enough for he presses to attack with a quick, onehanded stab that lacks the power or precision to do much damage should it hit, while managing to pull the other hand away.

Then the chains snap around that very same hand, the spikes penetrating the hierro in multiple places.

Alicia

Alicia knew Larcone was good with the sword. He would have chosen another target had she though otherwise. But he was waisting his talent with his tricks and gimmicks.

Besides. Alicia was pretty sure she was better.

She met him attack for an attack, sparks flying as their swords met again and again. She kept constantly trying to circle around Larcone, taking advantage of his wounded leg.

King

The king parries to Cero, counting on his Hierro to protect him as long as he doesn't take a direct hit. As it happens his Hierro was weakened earlier and the sprays of energy from parried Cero scorch his skin causing him to stagger backwards.

"I didn't take you for one who would enjoy such things," he says, icy polite. Then he fires a cero at a nearby pillar, causing a horse sized block of stone to drop on Valentina.

[Cuevas de la Muerte]
King

Valentina narrowly dodges the stone.

In fact, it was so narrow that it actually hits her and lands on her foot. Ouch, that smarts! Guess she's much less mobile for now. Pain.

La Sexta Espada looks around and decides what she can do now. Either she can shatter this large stone on her foot, or...
...or she can lure the King closer to her. Valentina can put the King in "Check".

She spies the black symbols that she painted all over the ground, earlier. Pointing her Claw at the ones behind the King, "A fight in silence is just...missing something." A brief release of Spirit Energy, followed by a measured amount of Cero is fired at each symbol.

In order, those symbols on the ground explode in a massive release of Spirit Energy. It may seem Valentina is just aiming wildly and poorly, but she's actually trying to force the King to come closer to her and attack her in plain melee.

Cuevas de la Muerte

Kyoki has to practically strain her ears in order to hear anything in case her opponent did something while obscurred by the dust cloud. Hearing her words she knew she made the right decision as she called out hurriedly, "Provoca el Final! Ragunaroku!" With that her back bulges as black blood rips it's way out and forms the top half of what looks like a traditional European dragon. The battle was just beginning.

Hueco Mundo
Cuevas de la Muerte

Randii chuckles, then shrugs. Not so much friends. More of...people that I know won't randomly stab me at any given moment. I mean, I don't like most of them. But they ain't gonna jump me, so I learn to deal with them.

She turns back to the fights going on. Well, guess I'll just wait till the mess is over before I tell the rest of my gang to not attack you on sight. She gives him a curious look. While we're waiting, know anybody else that would wanna join up with us?

Randii's decided that she might as well start recruiting for this army that Tinja's planning on building.

Morrin

"No. Selfish and conceited to the last drop, one and all. Except the kid. But...you wouldn't want the kid on your side anyway. He's creepy."

Tymin

Kyoki's worries are confirmed as the dust cloud continues to rise, and then slowly begins to move towards Kyoki, the whole mass of swirling sand moving as one, consuming those unfortunate Hollows who fall, screaming, into its depths. There is no sign of Tymin himself.

Prosia

The spreadeagled Prosia is caught full-on by the stray force of Valentina's explosions, and Creon's stinger bites easily into her skin, scoring a deep wound on her left shoulder. Prosia falls limp in Creon's grip.

Larcone

Larcone is pushed back by the dance of beauty and death that is Alicia's swordplay, clearly outmatched. While his skills allow him to hold her off, it is clear that it will not last for long. Another light gash on his knee appears, and he wrenches himself free of the engagement for just long enough.

"Flicker, Espada del Sol y de la Luna!"

Tinja

The stab hits Tinja, penetrating much farther than Ransha might have expected for an envoy of Las Noches. Apparently, her Hierro is rather underdeveloped. It is that or she is fighting at her full strength already. In either case, it doesn't look good.