[BiTPR2] Renewed Revolution: Spirit World III

[ImpSyndrome]

[Hollow Heart in the Valley of Ash]

While the Hollow is fast, it has no method of high-speed movement like Satoshi. It quickly ambles up to the young Shinigami and rears for a punch!

Looks like the Hollow is as fast as it is resilient. Too bad Satoshi happens to be faster. Preferring to reserve his more advanced abilities for times of greater need in this fight, he simply throws himself out of harm's way, quickly tumbling to his feet and steadying himself for his next move. He makes sure to stay out of the Hollow's reach but remain close enough to exploit an opening if one should reveal itself...

[Draken]

[Senkaimon Yard]

With the great portal open, the group presumably steps in.

[Dangai - The Ghost King's Prison]

The doors of the Senkaimon steadily open, and this is a cue for Argos to conceal himself in the shadows of the ceiling.

The vast, round room remains illuminated only by the eerie green light coming from the hole at the center of the iron hatch that makes up the floor. Twelve shinigami mummies grip the hilts of twelves asauchi driven through the ground at the edges of the iron circle, one is fallen, the sword unattended. The blades and the walls are lined with chains of rusted links. Countless prayer strips bind the plates of the hatch, each one a wish begging for evil to be cast out of the worlds for all time.

This is a place of pregnant silence, of turbulent peace, a venerable place older than Seireitei and with an air mired in the damp weight of myth and legend.

[Kuroimaken]

Yet Koutarou watches the site like a place to work upon.

"I'm on overwatch. Set up a perimeter and see what you can discover about the seal and how it works. Do it quickly. We don't know if they didn't set up alarms of some sort."

___________

Satoshi quickly figures something else out - the beast isn't very flexible. Unlike a biped, it cannot rotate a half-step in a given direction. If it swings wide, he can probably use the opportunity to get onto the other side.

It also telegraphs its moves quite nicely. The punch that follows after its miswing might as well have been spoken of in advance. But Satoshi can tell from even the miss that the Hollow he faces is VERY strong. He does not want to get grabbed by this thing!

[KnightDisciple]

[Dangai - The Ghost King's Prison]

As soon as they're in the prison, Harada gets to work and is all business.

"Daiki-san, would you be so kind as to check if there's anything interesting about the composition of the mummies or the prayer strips?

Vern-san, I'd suggest you try to see what you can detect about the active Kido in the room.

I'm going to try and record everything for analysis later."

Indeed, even as he speaks the SSI researcher is moving around the room with a high-quality digital camera that's hooked into his wristcomp. It's a very powerful camera, but his wrist unit has absurdly high capacity.

He seems to be switching between wide-angle shots to try and take in the pattern (if there is any) of the prayer strips, and close-in shots of the various prayer strips, ausachi, mummies, and possibly wall carvings for Kido.

His hope was to understand the underlying structure so it could be repaired or, worst case, recreated.

[Draken]

The mummies are the remains of long-dead shinigami. A proliferant spiritual power prevents their composite reishi from dispersing.

There is a massively potent bakudõ woven between the hatch, the chains, the strips and the walls of the room. It is thinner around the hole in the center, but still a barrier of tremendous power with traits of the power restrainer embedded in the Senkaimon network, among other things.

There are carvings on the outer walls, for sure, but there is no kidõ about them, and the green light is too poorly angled and dim to make the words properly visible. The camera does help somewhat.

"The four of them who held back His innumerable children ennobled their Houses above all others."

[strawberryman]

[The Ghost King's Prison]

Daiki kneels down (or rather over) the mummified shinigami, analyzing the prayer strips. "I'd tell ya somethin' about this is fishy, but then I'd be statin' the obvious."

[Spacewolf]

[Dangai - The Ghost King's Prison]

Vern lightly taps the embedded blades with his sword to get a feel for what they were being used for from the vibrations. Then sets about trying to find out what was stopping this place collapsing back into nothingness.

[ImpSyndrome]

[Hollow Heart in the Valley of Ash]

Satoshi quickly figures something else out - the beast isn't very flexible. Unlike a biped, it cannot rotate a half-step in a given direction. If it swings wide, he can probably use the opportunity to get onto the other side.

It also telegraphs its moves quite nicely. The punch that follows after its miswing might as well have been spoken of in advance. But Satoshi can tell from even the miss that the Hollow he faces is VERY strong. He does not want to get grabbed by this thing!

Satoshi is quick to dodge once more, this time escaping from the Hollow's reach by jumping backwards. He comprehends the Hollow's low flexibility and predictable maneuvers and tries to use them to his advantage. He tries to circle around to its flank and shouts to get its attention, remaining on the defensive for now. Success may mean getting the beast to change tactics and use wider-range attacks, which he might be able to exploit...

[Draken]

[Dangai - The Ghost King's Prison]

Vern lightly taps the embedded blades with his sword to get a feel for what they were being used for from the vibrations. Then sets about trying to find out what was stopping this place collapsing back into nothingness.

The asauchi are one piece of the binding. Nothing really prevents the chamber from collapsing, but the chains do keep the walls from shifting around, and this area is outside of the routes of the cleaners.

Similarly, the prayer strips are part of the binding, strings of spiritual power course between the objects and form a shell...

... About an inch under the surface. Quite peculiar.

[Kuroimaken]

[Hollow Heart in the Valley of Ash]

Satoshi is quick to dodge once more, this time escaping from the Hollow's reach by jumping backwards. He comprehends the Hollow's low flexibility and predictable maneuvers and tries to use them to his advantage. He tries to circle around to its flank and shouts to get its attention, remaining on the defensive for now. Success may mean getting the beast to change tactics and use wider-range attacks, which he might be able to exploit...

Satoshi may be disappointed to find he's underestimating his opponent's cunning. While the Hollow attempts to mantain fairly close reach, its swings grow shorter. With no warning, a smaller blob of acidic spittle flies towards the novice Shinigami, followed by two others...

[KnightDisciple]

[Dangai - The Ghost King's Prison]

Harada makes a quick but smooth circuit around the room, taking pictures as he goes. Once that round is finished, he pulls out an attachment for the camera and begins the circuit again.

It appears to be a special flash that uses softer, constant light to prevent possible damage to older subjects of photography. It wasn't perfect, but he hoped it would capture the inscriptions more completely.

Them, and the patters and seals on the prayer strips.

If possible, he would try to use airwalking to move to the middle of the room and take pictures in all directions.

[Draken]

[The Ghost King's Prison]

It is entirely too easy to airwalk in an environment so thick with spirit particles and so lacking in troublesome encircling walls of tons of deathstone.

And there are so many interesting tidbits of lore to read on these inscriptions.

"That warlock died so many times. Each time he fell was a trove of vicious wisdom. Still he roams free, the vilest sorcerer."


"A mountain stood before the gates to their decrepit hive, where that once gentle Queen bred the nightmares that took the faces of our friends and family. Each hand heaved with the land and each sword reaped death at the root. How to end our very own master in the arts of war?"


"We chained the peacock in the isles east of China, where those mortals who paid him fealty had taken to think him a crow god. By that power were good men and women seared forever from the cycle, more shall be."


"They played with mortal lives in the banks of the Nile and all around the Mediterranean Sea, the mad gods venerated by those shores, beasts and lunatics. The muzzled crocodile will have to be sent to where he cannot flow free."


"The tallest peak was spit by her tormentous song. It did not sunder us."


"Don't look down on clowns, they have the full attention of their masters."

There is a particularly interesting inscription around the central hole, should Harada look down from his vantage point when shooting a full picture of the seal. One can wonder if he will notice.

"The weaker among us took their sight so as to not lose their hearts to his dread. His pale glare bound their souls to dying flesh forever instead."

Of course, that is predicated on Harada paying attention to anything other than the huge threefold eye glaring from beneath, the source of the emerald light. The source of a paralyzing fear as potent as the mightiest binding spells.

"Oh my, how terrible of me to remain silent while I have guests. Welcome to my humble corner of the world's own forsaken ends. Pardon me if I have no drinks to offer."

[KnightDisciple]

[The Ghost King's Prison]

It's a good thing there's a program on the wrist-comp that helps make sure photos get taken no matter what, because as soon as he looks down and sees that horrible, terrible, no-good Hollow eye, Harada freezes in place, his own eyes going as wide as physically possible in a combination of fear and shock.

"Vice-Captain Koutarou I have suddenly found myself terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought or any movement at all. Please help."

Everyone else probably can't see what's got the man spooked but it's clear he's frozen in fright despite being unusually articulate. That's eccentric geniuses for you!

[5a Violista]

[Hueco Mundo]
Las Noches district

Valentina shrugs. "Probably not."


The Sin Rostro is, in fact, easily lifted onto Mikael's shoulder. It wriggles at first as it's being lifted, but soon goes limp and motionless as before, and will likely remain that way...so long as Mikael doesn't squeeze too hard.


"If you're not careful, though, it could easily hurt you," she says.

[Frozen_Feet]

Mikael laughs. "Hurt, as in cause me pain, or cause me injury? Because those two are very different things." He carries the Sin Rostro effortlessly as they continue their little tour around the city. "Don't do the same mistake as the old man back on Earth. I'm not human. My mind and my body are not that easily damaged. If they were, I wouldn't have come here with so little concern."

[Kuroimaken]

[The Ghost King's Prison]

It's a good thing there's a program on the wrist-comp that helps make sure photos get taken no matter what, because as soon as he looks down and sees that horrible, terrible, no-good Hollow eye, Harada freezes in place, his own eyes going as wide as physically possible in a combination of fear and shock.

"Vice-Captain Koutarou I have suddenly found myself terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought or any movement at all. Please help."

Everyone else probably can't see what's got the man spooked but it's clear he's frozen in fright despite being unusually articulate. That's eccentric geniuses for you!

Koutarou walks up to Harada and unceremoniously yanks him off the edge of that precipice of fear.

"Take five to regain your composure and resume your duties, Harada. If you can't, we'll request your extraction."

"Every second you spend fearing him more than he does you, every minute you spend believing we have no means to hurt him, every hour you buy into his delusions of grandeur, is a moment during which he holds control over you."

The Vice-Commander thought this time might come. He may not understand much of the sealing processes of his forefathers, but there was one thing about all prisons - you need to be able to watch your prisoner, lest he escapes and you remain oblivious all the while.

Li's words somehow brought him comfort. In the wisdom of his superior, he found that one thin string that brought his determination to bear.

"We'll excuse you the rudeness this one time. I don't think we left you any leaves."

In this position, one might feel the impression that the prisoner was harmless. Helpless in its shackles.

Koutarou dared not make that assumption. But at the same time he didn't let his respect for caution sift through.

"I trust you remember me, from voice if not from appearance. Two masks causes a lot of muffling.

I spoke to your wife, Reene Lucaster. As I once tried to offer her, so do I offer unto you.

We do not wish for conflict. We do not thirst for blood. If you'll allow us to permanently take away your power so that you are no longer a threat to us, we might allow you to leave this prison.

Your lackeys have quite a lot to answer for. If they surrender peacefully, we promise their penalties will likewise be light.

If you should refuse this offer, we shall keep you sealed until such a time as you reconsider. If you should escape, we will see to it that you are exterminated.

You're free to offer a counter-proposal, but this is as best as I'm personally qualified to offer you.

I'll give you five minutes to think about it. Only after that time shall we take your response into consideration."

With that, Koutarou turns around and steps away from the hole to resume overwatch.

[strawberryman]

[Ghost King's Prison]

Daiki steps up slowly but guardedly, putting a hand on the hilt of his zanpaktou. He doesn't show his fear quite on the cuff as Harada does, but his stance suggests some fear, at the very least.

He mumbles something into the radios. "Yeh don't really think he's gonna take that offer, do ya?"

[Kuroimaken]

"That goes for you too, Daiki. Focus on the job."

[Draken]

[Dangai - Prison of the Ghost King]

"I do remember you, not exactly seeing things through some third party. I just got a finger out. Eyes, ears, such simple structures to craft. That was... Seven hundred terrestrial years ago, give or take."

A massive disembodied hand erupts from the central hole, crackling with lightning from the stretched seal, bone plated, five-fingered but clearly missing a sixth, beady black eyes lit by a green fire from behind popping and vanishing into the skeletal flesh.

Just as suddenly as it erupted, it is balled into a fist and goes back under.

"And listen to the big fella. That is the worst deal in the grant history of terrible deals, child. And I will say, I offered some truly lopsided contracts in the past."

"No. I do believe that just like my beloved Reene, I will pass on this deal. But I do have an alternative."

The ground churns and whitens, becoming a thick layer of white bone-like material, a single larva erupts from it in front of Koutarou.

"And there we have it. What do you think of this as a counterproposition?"

[Kuroimaken]

"You'll forgive me if I don't make an offer based on an honor system. It has been millennia since you have been imprisoned and our memories from back then are kind of fuzzy."

Koutarou's arm moves without him turning. It is only really perceptible as a sort of trick of the light. The larva ceases to, for lack of a better word, 'breathe' with life.

It is already dead. Its cells need only finish realizing that fact. The larva slowly dissolves back into nothingness.

"I understand it is a heavily stacked offer. The alternatives, however, are life in prison or oblivion. So all told it's actually a better deal than most would consider offering you in the first place.

But I won't begrudge your decision, Von Geister.

I don't know you well enough to make judgement, but you have just demonstrated you have not sat pretty in your cell resigned to your fate. 'That is not like you' is an educated enough guess.

You are cancer given sentience. Manipulating life is what you do, even your own. Being a deadly disease, cancer is antithesis to a good, long life.

I am not trying to mock you, intimidate you or anything so petty as that.

I am legitimately trying to reach an understanding with you. Find some manner of agreement that will allow the Shinigami and your own followers to live on, separate and in peace.

So, tell me. What would it take for that to happen?"

[Draken]

The Ghost King's Prison

The larva goes back to being slurry on the floor, before being absorbed back into the body surface.

"You have some guts to talk to me about a healthy, long life, Koutarou. I do believe you are a death god? I do know you fine dandies did not change that little bit. And I resent what you speak of disease, not for myself, but for my dear daughter. Diseases, you see, are simply another living thing seeking to thrive."

"And I do take offense in such accusations of being 'a cancer given sentience' I am as much a conglomerate of thinking reishi as any of you, denser and more successful as a predator and generally as a being as well are cannier and better designed from an anatomical point of view, but you are hardly to blame for such shortcomings on yourselves."

"And surely, an agreement to that effect could be found. Except your folks are woefully unwilling to compromise on a number of pertinent subjects."

"But, I am quite sure you aren't, and in fact, you are so clear on it as to slay my children without remorse as they are born. As such... Well..."

Another larva pops in front of Koutarou.

And behind him. And by either side. And the same for Vern, Daiki and Harada. And along the walls. And around the gate they came from. And a mass of tendrils with glowing red eyes descends from the center overhead. The Ghost King whispers lightning into the minds of the group.

"Scream for me, death gods. Scream like the newborns you are and take the second breath of new life."

Von Geister closes his eye, and the room goes dark. And then the larva surge forth, in the wake of Argos' lashing tentacles in the dark.

[Spacewolf]

"Hadō #12. Fushibi"
Vern snaps his fingers causing an orange web spread outwards along with the sound into the darkened room ensnaring any larva it encounters along the way, once the all the larva have been caught he reaches up to the nearest branch of the web and uses another spell
Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden
Once Vern has finished speaking lightning races along the strands to destroy the trapped larva.

Now with some clear floor space he jumps back towards the others.

"So do we have a plan for what to do now?"

[Draken]

The mass of tendrils at the head of the assault pushes open paths in the web, keeping masses of the chittering larva safe from Vern's attack.

The ground beneath the feet of the shinigami secretes an adhesive substance, much like the leaves of a drosera.

[KnightDisciple]

[Dangai - Prison of the Ghost King]

As the floor erupted in...something...Harada had enough sense of mind to start air-walking about 6 inches above the ground.

Even as Vern was casting spells, Michael was speaking his own words of power.

"Shout, Raikouhime!"

His cane sword transformed, and he was holding the odd razor-like form of his Shikai.

"Everyone, try to airwalk. We need to blitz for the exit, we've got all the data we can get."

His sword flashed to and fro, slicing down or pushing back larva and tendrils. Then, he turned and faced toward the Gate into the facility.

"Sing, Raikouhime!"

An arc of green energy, surging with electrical power, ripped forward from his sword as it swung through the air. It should clear at least some of the path before them. Barely missing a beat, he turned and placed the end of his sword a bit behind the group.

"Emerald Lightning Shield! Emerald Lightning Shield!"

Twin barriers sprung up between the four Shinigami and the larva and tendrils surging from the prison grate. Not nearly enough to entirely shut them out, but enough to divert them for precious seconds, give them critical breathing room.

"We need to move!"

[strawberryman]

[Ghost King's Prison]

Daiki whips his blade from his sheathe before the darkness takes over. "Break the shore, Watatsumi!" There's a sudden rush of water that floods away the drones around Daiki and anybody nearby, as he stabs one into the ground with the trident now in his hand. His boots have already been pressure-washed of the sticky substance.

"...knew darkvision'd come in handy." Idly, he throws a bottle at the ground, and with the crash, the flood of water heads towards Argos' tentacles.

He is probably able to block it, in fact, it really feels no different than a (albeit powerful) wave.

[Draken]

[The Ghost King's Prison]

Argos coils his tentacles and glares a rain of laser-thin bala at Daiki's wall, before pulling back up and striking from a different direction with hooked claws bared.

A larger green eye opens along the wall close to the Senkaimon, followed by a second, a third and a fourth, and finally the sound of a great hoof stamping the floor. It takes a deep breath and silver lines glow along it, revealing a bipedal hollow with a great crocodilian head, four taloned arms and cloven hooves on its feet, a long tail and covered in white plates, no hole anywhere to be seen.

"Reene left some of her own when she came to visit."

The menos growls, followed by the same sound around the room and the smashing of hooves on the ground as another three of the creatures emerge from the walls.

"You can remain yourselves among my children, you know? My most beloved boys and girls were those who gave themselves gladly to our family. Oh such wonders we have wrought..."

[Kuroimaken]

"I should have guessed. All along, this was a trap."

Koutarou's seemingly calm demeanor belied great anger. The erupting situation around him had the man stunned for critical seconds, throughout which his companions, in their fright, had acted much faster, and much more responsibly than he did.

What a joke.

"Harada, Vern, see what you can do about keeping some of these chittering little bastards at bay. Daiki, I want you to check the Senkaimon behind this guy.

The big one is mine.

KOKURAI!"

Koutarou forces himself off the ground, beating at it to disperse some of the stickiness left in his boots. A double blazing trail of lightning signals the runway for the Rider's trusted bike. It materializes seemingly out of nowhere; the appearance suggests a portal, but none of the usual signs of a portal technique are present. Regardless, as it speeds forward, Koutarou settles on the seat, and proceeds to attempt to run over the massive obstacle to their exit.

[5a Violista]

[Hueco Mundo]
A Las Noches District

"Injure," Valentina responds. Single word.

She continues walking, but doesn't explain what anything is for a few moments. Then, she speaks up: "I'm just worried that your overconfidence will lead to the same fate that happens to most Hollows."

Shortly afterwards, she'll continue explaining the buildings and the residents and their purposes.

[ImpSyndrome]

[Hollow Heart in the Valley of Ash]

Satoshi may be disappointed to find he's underestimating his opponent's cunning. While the Hollow attempts to mantain fairly close reach, its swings grow shorter. With no warning, a smaller blob of acidic spittle flies towards the novice Shinigami, followed by two others...

Satoshi scarcely manages to avoid getting hit by the acidic projectiles, though it requires some very quick thinking and a desperate maneuver to one side. As he scrambles to re-establish his defenses, he inwardly laments, (That figures...I can't do anything at long-range like this. Of all the days to have forgotten my weapon...Well, I guess it's time to figure out if Urameshi-sensei's training has paid off.)

Finding himself in front of the Hollow, Satoshi slowly closes the gap between them, very nervous but ready to react to an attack. Remaining stalwart in the face of such an intimidating foe will require every ounce of courage and determination he's got, and having never faced a live Hollow in combat before, it'll be a daunting feat...

((I'm thinking Satoshi needs to get smacked around a bit before the tables turn; he's dodged a few too many attacks in a row for my liking.))

[Frozen_Feet]

[Hueco Mundo]
Las Noches - Valentina's district

"Oh, you're worried about me? You're so cute I could kiss you", Mikael remarks snidely. "What fate would that be? Breaking my heart? Already had that happen four years ago. Burned my home while at it. Being eaten by someone stronger than me? I have to say... that thought has never scared me. It's just the cycle of nature." Mikael glances up. "Before I realized my inhuman resilience, I thought, once I'd be old and weak, I'd go trekking into a forest. Find a bear, or maybe a wolf, and fight it to death. Always struck me as a better way to go than wasting away in a hospital somewhere and getting buried in a plot of wasted land."

Mikael turns to look at Valentina. "Or do you mean, destroying all that I once loved? You heard the old man, right? I only care for myself." At this point, all humour, spiteful and otherwise, drains from the man's voice. "There's nothing I love anymore. Thus, the only thing I'm likely to destroy with my carelesness, is myself. It'd hardly be a big loss."