[BitPR²] Mortal World V

[Draken]

"I'm sure."

Naito pinches the bridge of their nose in irritation, but eventually does step inside.

"Yeah, fine. Whatever. Breaking things is a waste of time, I'm sure."

Naito can feel the presences of Chuck, Katsuo and Shinji as soon as she crosses the door.

But the spiritual presences on the outside all vanish.

There are also many, many other presences in the manor. But they are very distant. So are Naito's friends, of course.

"Hmm... Let me see..."

The butler walks over to a nearby wall and opens a door for Naito.

"Left tower, upper aisle. Have fun. Ah, they want to escape, but don't bother using the door again."

[strawberryman]

[Tokyo, Japan]
(Von Geister Manor - Chapel)

Katsuo stares down in shock at his aunt. For a few moments, he can't process anything to say. "...Atsuko oba-san?" No answer.

"Oba-san...?" No answer. Katsuo starts shaking, tears freshly born from his eyes rolling down his cheeks. He can't hear Shinji, and he doesn't move.

"Ob-oba... oba..." He can't even choke it out, his face twisting in pain as he feels something break. For a moment he's silent.

Then he screams, a ragged cry of pain that turns into a sorrow-filled roar as Katsuo's spiritual pressure echoes outward, a force weighing with the force of a mountain. There's traces of something in the weighing force that Chuck and Shinji recognize in its nascence that might terrify them. Out of the chapel, as Naito steps in, even he can feel the massive force, and being as he's experienced it before, knows that Katsuo has only let out the full weight of his spiritual pressure in one other occasion.

You have your mother's face, you know... you remind me a lot of her. She was... very strong.

The power dies down as the cry cuts out, then... Katsuo lets out another, this one half-composed of rage, jumping into the walls and tearing into him with his bare hands. And they are invoking their full fullbringing capacity to find the weakpoints and emphasize Katsuo's monstrous strength. It's a mindless, berserk fury that drives him to tear into the walls now, looking for the monster that severed his remaining link to his family. His mother.

Felicia, meanwhile, laughs hysterically. "That's the spirit, pretty boy! Break! Let the real world in!"

[KnightDisciple]

[Tokyo, Japan]
[Von Geister Manor - Chapel]

Shinji... actually takes a moment longer to respond than he probably should. He seems, for a moment, distracted. Looking elsewhere.

His hand reaches out, and a greenish-blue flame collapses into it before it forms into a large gem of the same color, which he tucks away into his robe.

He then follows his friends' call, rushing to their side.

"We have to get out of here. Now."

Chuck is about to respond when Katsuo cries out. He grunts, the sheer weight of his friend's power and grief pressing down on him. He grunts, leaning over Atsuko. He stares at Katsuo's mindless fury, some sort of primal fear settling into his very soul.

But as wise men say, Courage is not the absence of fear, it's action in spite of fear.

Chuck turns to Shinji, moving over and handing Atsuko over to the young priest.

"Not without Katsuo. Do what you can with her, and find us a way out. Naito and I will take care of Katsuo."

Without waiting for an answer, Chuck blurs and appears next to Naito.

"Naito. Do you remember how we helped you, against Alpha-1? How we saved you? I'm doing it again. I need you to try and keep Katsuo contained. I'm going in."

If Naito agrees, Chuck will wait for the young Hybrid warrior to move in on Katsuo before himself diving for the crazed powerhouse. Hopefully this will work as well as it did last time...

[Dorizzit]

Naito, for once, seems almost impassive upon entering the chamber and seeing everything that's happened, moving only to hold up both arms to mitigate the force of Katsuo's blast of spiritual pressure. When Chuck approaches, Naito glances at Katsuo, but nods almost immediately.

"He's not focused on us. You first, I'll counter if he tries to get you off."

Despite the circumstances of the situation, there's no fear in Naito's tone. Apparently, this is actually Naito's idea of the best plan available.

[Kuroimaken]

Shinji makes only a token, singular effort to pretend he's not being blasted back by the pressure. It is meant to disparage Felicia more than anything as he moves to collect Atsuko's fallen body.

"Jigen. Take her to the sanctum."

At his behest, a singular shadow tears a rip in space-time itself to fulfill Shinji's order.

This was originally his escape plan. It will not work a second time - the house will definitely not allow it.

"Felicia. I am not sorry to say you will fail to accomplish anything of real note here.

Your plan lacked any subtlety or real point. You are merely a capricious twist of nature given sentience. And I will eventually see you dead, purified, or both before my end upon this Earth.

For today, I will content myself with undoing your evil and keeping you from injuring my friends any further."

[KnightDisciple]

[Tokyo, Japan]
[Von Geister Manor - Chapel]

Naito, for once, seems almost impassive upon entering the chamber and seeing everything that's happened, moving only to hold up both arms to mitigate the force of Katsuo's blast of spiritual pressure. When Chuck approaches, Naito glances at Katsuo, but nods almost immediately.

"He's not focused on us. You first, I'll counter if he tries to get you off."

Despite the circumstances of the situation, there's no fear in Naito's tone. Apparently, this is actually Naito's idea of the best plan available.

Chuck nodded, the motion not quite lost in his hood.

"Roger that. Appreciate the backup."

In the midst of everything, Chuck offers a quick fistbump to Naito. Then he blurs into motion, crossing the room in a couple of eyeblinks. His armored arms wrap around Katsuo, with one of his hands seeking to end up on the side of his friends head. Immediately, Chuck seeks to syncrhonize their spiritual power as best he can, to help himself mind/soul-dive his friend.

"It's okay, Katsuo. We're here. We've got you."

Eeriely calm words, considering the situation.

[strawberryman]

[Tokyo, Japan]
(Von Geister Manor - Chapel)

Felicia snickers maliciously at Shinji's commentary as Chuck jumps Katsuo. It's mostly surprise in that moment that allows Chuck to latch on long enough to meld, as Katsuo gives a wild bucking, flailing madly and turning to the others. His eyes, still dripping tears have started to turn black.

That can't be good. He starts to turn back to the wall before seeing... something. Naito sees it too, a small collection of ooze darting around their feet. There's not a half second of hesitation before Katsuo roars again, bringing a fist down on Naito, his fury unabated.

Spoiler: Katsuo's Mind

Show

Chuck awakens to find a forest. Grand and wild, it is nonetheless beautiful for its untouched serenity. Flowers, twisting trees with full, great leaves and great buds upon their branches. Above, great forms fly, and on closer observation, they seem to be butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects of a non-pest nature.

What's more, Chuck immediately notices that everything seems alike to an ink drawing, all in stylized lines, with some parts of the forest less colored, revealing a parchment-like surface. Even he seems to have assimilated into this drawn state. What's more concerning, however, are the noises of fighting deeper in the forest.

"Always have something to say, don't you? Well, just so you know, I got -exactly- what I want. I wonder, do you have the heart or ability to take down your friend?"

[Kuroimaken]

"Good to see you still aim low." Shinji replied.

In the blink of an eye, he was close to Felicia. There was something... strange about the aura around him. He wasn't shining, but looking at him was an exercise not unlike staring at the sun. Being this close was not unlike being baked on a rock in the desert summer.

Put simply, Shinji was radiating undistilled purifying power.

"You've caused Katsuo grief, that is true. You've caused my friends pain. But at the end of the day, Katsuo will be well again.

Tell me, Felicia. Do you know what my father is most famous for?"

[Dorizzit]

As Chuck reaches for the fist bump, Naito reciprocates, although Chuck knows Naito well enough to tell that there's no heart behind it.

Naito keeps an eye on Katsuo with the same eerie calm, noting the collection of slime at the same time Katsuo sees it. There's a momentary blur as Naito moves just to the side of the attack, avoiding it with the bare minimum of effort.

"Shinji. Find a way to get us out of here and keep Felicia off me."

Reaching one hand up to their forehead, Naito makes an almost gentle motion downwards, summoning up a mask and gauntlets. All three components are now made of the same material, a dark but glossy metal. Naito assumes a fighting stance, totally focused on Katsuo.

[King539]

Rome, Italy

The Hollow screams as Senshi's katana bisects it. After performing Konso on the spirit it had been attacking, Senshi carried on walking, enjoying the sun. Rome was great this time of year.

"Vacations are the best."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Italy; Rome]

Senshi maybe ought to not be so relaxed. After a moment, he gets a feeling he's being followed. But if he turns around, there's no-one to be seen. Well, no-one out of the ordinary, at least. Nor is there any out-of-place Reiatsu.

Yet, if Senshi stops to listen, he might hear an extra footstep, just barely off-beat with his own. As if someone unseen is walking almost on his heels.

[King539]

[Italy; Rome]

Senshi maybe ought to not be so relaxed. After a moment, he gets a feeling he's being followed. But if he turns around, there's no-one to be seen. Well, no-one out of the ordinary, at least. Nor is there any out-of-place Reiatsu.

Yet, if Senshi stops to listen, he might hear an extra footstep, just barely off-beat with his own. As if someone unseen is walking almost on his heels.

Once Senshi determines that someone very stealthy is following him, he immediately turns and begins to head out of the city. Probably going to somewhere where collateral damage doesn't matter.

Eventually, he reaches a place far outside the city, the only things of significance some crumbling stone walls and arches. Senshi leans against a tree and waits for his foe to reveal themselves.

[Frozen_Feet]

The off-beat footsteps keep following Senshi most of the way, but then vanish at the edge of the city. The feeling of being stalked doesn't go away, though. Minutes pass as Senshi leans on the tree. As the end of the hour draws near, he might get the feeling that he could wait here untill nightfall without anything happening. Whoever is stalking him, if there is indeed someone stalking him, is very patient.

[King539]

Senshi groans and walks out to the centre of the area. He then fully unleashes his spiritual pressure. A wave of fear spreads across the glad, as all the nearby small animals flee in terror. The silence is broken by an annoyed voice.

"Would you please just come out and attack me already? My vacation ends in two days, and I want to make the most of it. This waiting game is a waste of time for both of us."

[KnightDisciple]

[Tokyo, Japan]
[Von Geister Manor - Chapel]

[Tokyo, Japan]
(Von Geister Manor - Chapel)

Felicia snickers maliciously at Shinji's commentary as Chuck jumps Katsuo. It's mostly surprise in that moment that allows Chuck to latch on long enough to meld, as Katsuo gives a wild bucking, flailing madly and turning to the others. His eyes, still dripping tears have started to turn black.

That can't be good. He starts to turn back to the wall before seeing... something. Naito sees it too, a small collection of ooze darting around their feet. There's not a half second of hesitation before Katsuo roars again, bringing a fist down on Naito, his fury unabated.

Spoiler: Katsuo's Mind

Show

Chuck awakens to find a forest. Grand and wild, it is nonetheless beautiful for its untouched serenity. Flowers, twisting trees with full, great leaves and great buds upon their branches. Above, great forms fly, and on closer observation, they seem to be butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects of a non-pest nature.

What's more, Chuck immediately notices that everything seems alike to an ink drawing, all in stylized lines, with some parts of the forest less colored, revealing a parchment-like surface. Even he seems to have assimilated into this drawn state. What's more concerning, however, are the noises of fighting deeper in the forest.

Spoiler: Katsuo's Mind

Show

Chuck stood up, finding himself back in his "normal" form, before taking stock of the situation. He blinked at the way everything looked, but accepted it as part and parcel of Katsuo's mental landscape. His own stylized form didn't really feel any different, which was probably because "something something souls".

He heard the noise of a fight off in the distance, and took off running as fast as he could. He silently morphed into his Vollstandig form, and raced even faster...

[Frozen_Feet]

[Rome]

Nothing happens for a few minutes after Senshi's outburst. Then he might notice a black-clad figure approaching from the direction of the city, walking leisurely with hands behind its back.

"Attack? That's not what I'm here to do. I'm here to arrest you for a treaty violation", the figure calls out. "You Shinigami are not supposed to purify Hollows except as defense of self or others. Especially not when on 'vacation'." The figure does air quotes around the word "vacation".

The figure has a point. It is also obviously lying. It is not wearing any uniform or insignia of Las Noches, if anything its black robes resemble Gotei's uniform. Its appearance is weird in other ways as well. It doesn't seem to have a typical Hollow's mask, but its face is not human either, having horns and too many eyes and mouths. Its hair is made of skeletal snakes and there are two larger snakes on each of its shoulders.

"Please put down your weapons, turn around and put your hands behind your head, so we can over this quickly and without making a mess. No need to be violent."

[King539]

Spoiler: Spoiler for length

Show

[Rome]

Nothing happens for a few minutes after Senshi's outburst. Then he might notice a black-clad figure approaching from the direction of the city, walking leisurely with hands behind its back.

"Attack? That's not what I'm here to do. I'm here to arrest you for a treaty violation", the figure calls out. "You Shinigami are not supposed to purify Hollows except as defense of self or others. Especially not when on 'vacation'." The figure does air quotes around the word "vacation".

The figure has a point. It is also obviously lying. It is not wearing any uniform or insignia of Las Noches, if anything its black robes resemble Gotei's uniform. Its appearance is weird in other ways as well. It doesn't seem to have a typical Hollow's mask, but its face is not human either, having horns and too many eyes and mouths. Its hair is made of skeletal snakes and there are two larger snakes on each of its shoulders.

"Please put down your weapons, turn around and put your hands behind your head, so we can over this quickly and without making a mess. No need to be violent."

"My purification of that Hollow was in defence of a human soul it was attacking. I believe that qualifies as defence of others. In addition, even if that was a treaty violation, I don't believe you have the authority to arrest me for it, seeing as you don't appear to be an Arrancar or a Shinigami. I therefore see no reason to comply with any of the instructions you have given me.

Senshi furrows his eyebrows, slightly confused.

"By the way, what are you?"

[Frozen_Feet]

The figure stops about five meters away from Senshi. "That is a good question", it responds, offering no elaboration whatsoever. "Let us ask you one: if you're on a 'vacation' and only stopped to fight that Hollow to protect a human... why are you still here?"

[King539]

The figure stops about five meters away from Senshi. "That is a good question", it responds, offering no elaboration whatsoever. "Let us ask you one: if you're on a 'vacation' and only stopped to fight that Hollow to protect a human... why are you still here?"

Senshi appears to be confused. "What do you mean by that?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"Earth is contested terrain. Coming here for a 'vacation' is a stretch to begin with. But let's accept that's what you're here for. Based on your actions, you noticed you were being followed a while ago. If off-duty, you likely don't have all your gear with you nor anyone actively watching your back. The smart thing to have done would've been to immediately open a Senkaimon and return to Soul Society, then alert one of your on-duty comrades to take care of it for you."

The creature lift its hands up and shrugs. "But instead, you just loitered around. Almost if you want to fight. More, almost as if you want to fight alone. Makes me think you fighting that Hollow wasn't a coincidence either. You didn't just happen upon a human soul being attacked, you've been looking for a fight from the start. Isn't that why 'vacations are best'? It wouldn't surprise us if you didn't even have permission to be here."

[King539]

"I've never been known to be particularly smart. Opening a Senkaimon would probably have been the best idea, but I didn't do it. Why, you ask? Simple. I was curious. I wanted to find out who was following me, and why they were doing so. I do not deny that solving all of my problems with a weapon is enticing, and I have struggled with it. However, rest assured that I do not fight for pleasure, and that I was not seeking a fight with the Hollow.

"Now, I would like to repeat my questions: Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"Those are not repeat questions. Neither is the same as you asked before", the creature remarks. At the same moment, the sky cracks open and a pillar of transparent yellow energy descends to trap Senshi. If was awake during Academy lessons, he'll know it's Negacion and if he gets caught by it, then there might be no way to get back from the other side.

"But I suppose you were honest saying you've never been known for being particularly smart."

[King539]

"Those are not repeat questions. Neither is the same as you asked before", the creature remarks. At the same moment, the sky cracks open and a pillar of transparent yellow energy descends to trap Senshi. If was awake during Academy lessons, he'll know it's Negacion and if he gets caught by it, then there might be no way to get back from the other side.

"But I suppose you were honest saying you've never been known for being particularly smart."

Senshi tilts his head and thinks for a moment. "Huh. I suppose you're right."

As the Negacion closes down on him, Senshi Shunpo's toward the creature, his swords out. As soon as he arrives, his paired swords unleash a flurry of steel. Or whatever Zanpakutos are made out of.

"Please try to understand. We were having such a lovely chat, but then you had to try and attack me. It would be a breach of my duty to let you continue to exist."

[Frozen_Feet]

When Senshi jumps out of the way, the Negacion falls apart behind him as quickly as it was set up. The black-clad figure draws its sword in reaction to Senshi charging forth and the air is filled with the sound of steel meeting steel. "We told you already. We came neither to chat nor attack you", the creature says flatly, "we came to arrest you."

Around Senshi, black-clad figures descend from the tear in the sky - humanoids, wearing black uniforms and wielding black swords similar to those of Shinigami, but their faces covered in skull masks of Hollows. "You are resisting arrest. It would still be easier if you just put your blades down."

[King539]

Senshi doesn't back off. "I'll surrender when you can convince me that you have the actual authority to arrest me. You and your agents have identifying characteristics of both the Gotei and Las Noches, thereby making it probable that you are aligned with neither."

[Frozen_Feet]

The snake-haired figure keeps parrying or dodging Senshi's blows, moving minimally from its spot. Oddly, it makes no counter-attack and pursues no opportunity created by its parries. It's like a wordless statement that it's not actually interested in harming Senshi, just stopping him from harming it.

The other black-clad figures, four of them to be exact, are circling them, roughly ten meters distant. A fifth one is walking on air above Senshi.

"Authority? Who here give's a rat's ass about authority? Certainly not us", a voice comes from above.

"Yeah. When they say it'd be easier, they mean it'd be easier for you", another Hollow answer from the side.

A third one looks at the second, then at Senshi."When you get right down to it, we don't really care about what you choose. It's all fair game to us", it chimes in. "Just letting you know in case you care."

[King539]

After hearing the Hollow's responses, Senshi disengages from the snake-haired creature, landing about ten feet away. "Emulate, Subete no Burēdo!"

A wave of spiritual pressure emanates from Senshi as his swords collapse into plain metal bracelets, before one of them takes the form of a massive, two-handed flamberge. After this, he leaps at the Hollow above him, putting all his strength behind one slash.

Spoiler: Flamberge be like...

Show

The diagonal one, except a bit bigger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D...y-Sword.04.JPG

[Frozen_Feet]

As Senshi disengages, the snake-haired creature grabs the handle of its sword with both hands. It alights with a menacing red glow. The Hollow above him just crouches, palm of its right hand pointing down on Senshi. "Barera de Negacion", it utters at the same time as Senshi recites his own release.

And then, he leaps... and his sword hits a transparent surface, stopping seemingly inches away from the grinning Hollow's mask, but in truth it might as well be worlds apart. The air flickers with sickly yellow light emanating from the point of impact, revealing a ten by ten meter square barrier between Senshi and his target. "It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground", the Hollow gloats through the barrier, leering down on Senshi. At his sides, Senshi can see a second Hollow putting up another barrier... then a third...

They're boxing him in.

The snake-haired creature jumps up to grab Senshi's ankle and throw him to the ground.

[King539]

Senshi frowns, then kicks off from the Barera de Negation in front of him, propelling himself downward toward the snake-haired creature. The flamberge he is holding becomes a naginata on the way down. Senshi yells as he stabs toward the creature.

[Frozen_Feet]

Senshi's sudden change of direction puts the snake-haired creature in an awkward position. It has to halt and sidestep in midair to avoid the stab, and it doesn't quite manage. Senshi can see his weapon punching its shoulder and... there's a loud clang, as if he'd hit metal?

The creature slides backwards, the left shoulder of its shirt torn, revealing a stretch of deathly pale skin. There's a bruise and a long, thin scratch where the blade of Senshi's weapon hit the creature and was deflected. A trail of black, inklike blood is clinging to the wound.

Senshi doesn't get to look long before the scene before him acquires a yellow tint, and then rapidly begins to darken. He and the snake-haired creature are inside a rectangular barrier now, its floor a ten by ten meter square of ground and the ceiling at the height of five meters. The walls are turning pitch-black. Soon, the only glint of light inside is the snake-haired creature's red-glowing weapon and eyes.