Post by Shukumei Onigata on May 22, 2009 7:25:08 GMT -5
(This thing is huge and color coding it would take a month longer. By now we should all know who talks like what and such. I only used Ryouji and Shukumei for the battle since I didn't want to take a chance and misuse a charrie. So it worked out best this way. Enjoy it)
Today was the big day as some would refer to it. The birthday of Ryouji and Shukumei. Shukumei dreaded birthdays because she hated the thought of getting older, Ryouji never cared for them because well to him it was just like any other day, but since they were Shinigami, they age incredibly slow so all in all it didn't matter.
Having fell asleep last night after doing his homework, Ryouji crawled out of the bed and yawned while scratching his cheeks. He turned his head and stared at the alarm clock, noticing it was only eight in the morning. It was always weird for him to fall asleep but it was something about the school work that made him exausted.
He crawled out of bed and stretched before stumbling into the bathroom to take care of his hygene. While brushing his teeth he glanced back into the room and noticed Azumi wasn't there with him. He narrowed his eyes wondering where she could have gotten off to but it didn't bother him. He didn't enjoy being smothered by her anyway, regardless if they were married or not.
After he finished brushing his teeth he walked out of the bathroom and into his closet to put on some clothes. Usually something dealing with a black T-shirt and jeans before walking into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Just as he sat down he heard a loud bang coming from the kitchen area. He didn't have to check, it was Chef Azumi cooking breakfast or something. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down.
Out of nowhere Azumi explodes from the kitch and jumps right onto his stomach before squeezing the dear life out of him.
"Good Morning Honey!!! Do you know what today is?"
After catching his breath and sitting up, he glanced at her and noticed that her eyes were lit up like the moon at night. Ryouji stared at her oddly which wasn't necessarily out of the ordinary. He always stared at her weirdly. Mostly wondering how someone can be so full of energy all the time.
Ryouji shook his head before rubbing it slightly wondering if there was anything special about today. He knew it was his birthday but since he didn't care for them he played dumb.
"Not...really? Was there something special about today. Don't tell me...its our anniversary isn't it...uh well uh happy anniversary Azumi...here is to a dreadful eternity with the happiest person in all of shinigami history."
He raised his hand as if he was holding a glass which in this case he wasn't. Azumi stared at him and shook her head. She knew that Ryouji was being overly sarcastic.
"No you silly boy, its your birthday!! Happy birthday Ryouji!"
It was strange how for nearly two hundred years or so, Azumi has remembered his birthday, but she doesn't know what yesterday or tomorrow will be. She only knows if its day or night when she's out side. She was always weird like that. As badly as he wanted to give a sarcastic answer, he opted not to say anything because to her, Ryouji's birthday was special to her.
"Now don't lay around all day we're going to see Kisuke and Master Tessai. I delivered all the food and the birthday cake while you were sleeping so don't think you're going to run off and hide like you use to in the Sereitei. You're going to come with me and you're going to enjoy your birthday party or I'm going to kick you"
Azumi was a truly terrifying person when she was angry or serious. Someone who is happy and smiles 90% of the day being angry can scare even the strongest willed person. He had to agree or fear the backlash and her anger and her willingness to hold grudges until the end of time itself.
"Ugh...there is nothing special about today. Its just another day. What boggles me is that every year you remember the seventh of April. You don't remember your own birthday. For being the mistress of time, you have no sense of it. I will go because I don't want you to get mad."
Azumi patted the top Ryouji's head before getting off of his stomach and walked back into the kitchen. Ryouji sits up and rubs his stomach before standing up. He walks from the couch over to the window while thinking of his sister. He wonderes if she was taking better to it being their birthday than he was.
Meanwhile on the otherside of town. Shukumei was freaking out in the worst way possible. This was far worse than boys coming on to her, she was getting old and she didn't like it one bit. She hated her birthday. She hasn't slept at all. She was superstious about birthdays and getting older and she felt that if she slept she might fall into a coma like all old people do at some pont or at least thats what she's read about.
"I hate my birthday...I swear if any of you are planning something, I'll get out of this Gigai and kick all of your young butts."
Yes she was acting over the top but she's always been this way on this stupid day...why do birthdays exist, why must people age, why can't they just stay young and beautiful for all eternity. Sure she aged slowly being a shinigami and all but that wasn't going to last forever.
"Shukumei its just a birthday, a celebration of sorts, besides you don't have to think of it as a day when you age, think of it as being another year that we can all spend together, fighting hollows. Besides being that its your birthday I get to take lots of pictures with this new camera, are you always like this. I hope Captain isn't like this because I don't anyone can handle both of you being this way"
Shukumei huffed and folded her arms across her chest before staring into a vacant part of the room.
"What the hell do you know anyway. You're still young, you're not five days away from getting crows feet and your chest sagging. I'm going to get wrinkles and shrivel up like an prune and then no one will want me. I can feel my beauty taking off like a freaking bird in a thunderstorm. Its horrible getting old, before you know it, I'll end up like Captain Yamamoto."
Just the thought of being old is terrified her. She wanted to cry she even began to sniffle. Which prompted stares from Yuri, Ronin and Nori. Naturally the three of them were staring at her in a odd way. Beauty was everything to her, she was grace and elegance personified into a tall slender figure with wonderful hair and great legs.
At this point of course it was pointless to reason with her.. She has been overly dramatic since returning to the human world. Yuri stood up and shook her head before grabbing Shukumei by the collar of her shirt and dragging her to the Urahara Shop.
"I told you I'm not going!! Let go of my collar Yuri. This behavior is unbefitting of a Captain ranked shinigami."
Yuri rubbed the back of her head with her free hand and chuckled a little bit. Shukumei grabbed on to the door frame and held on for dear life. She began to kick and scream and fight for dear life before eventually being pulled free by Yuri with Ronin and Nori following close behind in case she tried to run free.
"I hate you all!! Celebrating my becoming an old woman is not what friends do. Thats it I'm abandoning our mission and I'm going back to the Sereitei to retire. My brittle bones cannot handle battles anymore!"
Ronin shook his head, he couldn't believe how badly she was whining about this, it was no big deal it was just a stupid birthday.
"Captain would you calm down, jeez you haven't aged one bit since we first met."
Shukumei's eyes had begun to sparkle. That was the nicest thing anyone has said all day. She clasped her hands together while staring at Ronin.
"Do you really..mean that Ronin?! Do I really look the same as I did back then. Am I still beautiful?!!"
Ronin nodded "For someone your age, you're very beautiful"
Shukumei's glee turned to anger within a split second. Her stare of hope and wonder had turned to one hatred and anger. Never in all of her life has she felt so betrayed. She growled and folded her arms as Yuri continued to drag her toward the Urahara shop.
"I'll remember that when you're review comes up here in a few weeks. Have you any jokes now soon to be eighth seat Ronin Demon? I'll have you filing papers until the day you enter the Soul Society the real way. Does that sound fun to you mister honorary shinigami!? Pfft..I hate you all"
Of course she didn't mean it but she wanted to, being dragged to a birthday celebration she really didn't want to go to but its not like she had a choice in the matter anyway, if she did she wouldn't be getting dragged at this moment in time. She probably would be somewhere hiding herself.
It wasn't to long where the four of them had reached the Urahara Shop. Once they were inside and the door closed, Yuri released Shukumei's collar and she shot up like an arrow to a standing position. She dusted off her skirt before sighing. How she would love to unleash a few kido spells to punish them, but it would do no good.
"Where is the married couple. If they aren't coming, I am most certainly not staying. If I have to suffer during this ridiculous celebration, Ryouji does to. Oh well I guess they aren't coming so I guess I'll just go...
As she started to walk off, the door shot open and in walked Azumi with Ryouji in tow. Shukumei frowned up and sighed. Naturally she was hoping she would be able to get away but Azumi who posesses absolutely no sense of time managed to stop her plans for escape almost ironically.
"Oh great...wonderful timing Azumi, what kind of sister-in-law are you. You ruined my plains for escape."
Azumi turned and faced Shukumei before giggling. but the giggling stopped immediately after and one of those serious and scary looks appeared on her face thereafter.
"I didn't stay up all night baking your cake for you to run away Shukumei. I didn't spend twelve plus hours with absolutely no sleep or break involved making a mountain of food for you to eat, for you to simply run and hide. I know you don't like birthdays but I slaved over a hot stove to try and make this birthday celebration the best one you and Ryouji have ever had. So you aren't going anywhere, you are going to sit down and you are going to have yourself a good time whether you want to or not...-insert random eye twitches-...okay?!"
Shukumei and Ryouji backed away slowly and rushed to sit down. Azumi's is one of the scariest people she has ever met especially when it comes to something she's worked hard on or she's obsessing over. Either way it scared the living hell out of her. So Shukumei and Ryouji sat there, having to endure whatever this was supposed to be. The two turned and looked at each other before sighing.
Yuri stepped forward and noticed how quiet both of them were being especially after all the fuss Shukumei had put her, Ronin and Nori through.
"Sorry we are a little late, Shukumei put up a fight big fight and she fussed the whole way here. I wish you could teach me how to do that. It would have been helpful."
Azumi turned and glared at Yuri and she ran over and pinched her cheeks as hard as she could. She said the s-word which Azumi told her to never say when situations were out of her control.
"What did I tell you about saying sorry for something you aren't in control of. I figured that the pain from me pinching your cheeks would have helped you stop, but I guess not!"
Azumi twists Yuri's cheeks causing her to scream in pain while trying to get away. Eventually Azumi let her go and sighed before smiling and giggling. She walked into the kitchen area and came out with two cliche birthday hats and put one on Ryouji head before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Then one on Shukumei's head before clapping and jumping up and down in a happy manner.
"Aww you two look so cute with your birthday hats on. Now its time for the cake."
She squeeled before running into the kitchen. Both Ryouji and Shukumei shared a rather morbid expressionless face. Both twins sat with their arms folded across there chest and were probably thinking how stupid and ridiculous this was..
Azumi and Tessai came out minutes later with a rather large birthday cake with candles hundreds of candles everywhere on the cake. and on the top due two all of the candles burning, sat a huge blazing flame. Shukumei's mouth fell open upon noticing how many candles that were actually lit. She felt like she wanted to die. There was no way in hell she was that old already. Ryouji on the other hand narrowed his eyes and wondered why in the hell the flame at the top of the candle was so huge.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Shukumei and Ryouji!!!"
Ryouji sighed before resting his head on his hand. This had to be the most embarassing moment in his entire life. Shukumei on the other hand was still concerned that the number of candles were incorrect. She could not be that old...there was just no way in hell all those candles represented her age to see how huge the flame the candles produced, not to mention the sight of all the candles she could and couldn't see, she wanted to cry and not in the good suprised way.
"Now you two make a wish and blow out the candles before the gets to hot and melts or something"
There was no possible way that they were going to blow those candles out. There were just way to many. It was then Shukumei had an idea and a rather evil one at that. She began to grin devilishly before standing up. She used her Spirit badge to exit her gigai and enter her normal Shinigami form.
"Azumi I hate to say it but Ryouji and I can't blow all of those candles out, so I'm going to use Tatsumaki to help me do it"
Reaching back. Shukumei gripped Tatsumaki's hilt and pulled it free from the sash she used to keep it stationed at her lower back. Now always in a released state, Tatsumaki was completely different than before. She lifted the blade above her head and the spirit cloth unwraveled itself from around the blade. She attempted a verticle slash, but Azumi hopped in front of her with her arms spread out widely to her sides to stop Shukumei.
"Oh no you don't!! I'm not going to you let you destroy this cake. Blow out these candles the right way so we can all enjoy the cake. If you live up to your alias cake will be everywhere rather than on plates. Now get back in your gigai and do it correctly. We're all going to help!!!"
Shukumei grumbled before slipping back into her Gigai as Azumi told her to do. Now everyone took a deep breath and blew the candles out together. This was officially the worst day of their lives, and there was no way to escape from it. Shukumei and Ryouji's heads both turned one way when they noticed the mod souls and the stuffed animal bodies they inhabited
There was one mod soul in particular Shukumei never quite cared for. Ryouji didn't like any of them because they were pretty much useless. The one in particular Shukumei could not stand was Kon...for some reason he always wanted a hug. She never quite understood why. Why did it have to be her? Yuri and Azumi were both women, why didn't he attempt to hug them. She was certain if Kon asked Azumi for a hug, he'd get one.
"Shuuuuuuuuukuuuuuuuumeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Kon ran gracefully and slowly ran toward Shukumei. She just stood there watching him run. He had a truly blissful look on his face but she still to ths day did not understand why and no one else ever told her why either; that was until today. Ryouji on the other hand decided to have a little fun of his own. He leaned over toward Shukumei while grinning.
"You know why Kon always wants to give you hugs don't you? Its because you have...."
His grin turned to one of grimace. He just had to stop right there because the thought alone sickened him Ryouji could only turn his head away from Kon and Shukumei because he didn't want to see what Shukumei was going to do to him when she realized it for herself.
"Shuuuuuuuuuuuuukuuuuuuuuuumeeeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Kon jumped into the air while holding out its arms.. Before he even got close enough to hug her. Shukumei reached out and grabbed Kon by his head. She stood up from where she was sitting and walked over toward the front door and opened it. She raised her arm as high as she could before releasing Kon. She drew back her right leg and was prepared to kick him out, litterally, before her foot made contact. She stopped moving completely.
The Reiatsu she felt,was familiar to her, she didn't know why or from where or how it felt familiar to her but it did. She turned to Ryouji who was staring back at her.
"Ryouji do you feel anything? Familiar like?" she asked wondering if he was getting the same mixed feeling as she was. He shook his head, he didn't feel anything. It did how ever make him wonder what exactly she was feeling.
"What is it that you are feeling? Is it a hollow?"
Shukumei lowered her head before shaking it from side to side. It was more than just a mere hollow. It was its presence that grabbed her attention. It was hard to explain. It was just familiar to her for no reason. She wanted to go check it out. It didn't feel like Shiva or the other Arrancar, it made her heartbeat faster than usual. She need to know why.
"I am going to go to meet with whatever it is that is causing me to feel such...discomfort. There is no need for all of us to go, Azumi worked so hard on everything. I will return when this is over and we can enjoy the rest...of umm this? Yeah."
Using her combat pass, she was freed from her Gigai. She glanced back and waved before vanishing from sight leaving everyone behind to deal with whatever it was that was causing her to feel so uneasy. With continuous flash steps, Shukumei followed her senses to the point where she felt most of the reiatsu was coming from. Upon reaching the area she stopped. She glanced around but ony for a moment before narrowing her eyes and huffing. There was nothing out of the ordinary going on here whatsoever. However she did noticed she was being followed.
"You can stop hiding Ryouji. I don't need to feel reiatsu to know its you. I can feel you out remember? Being a twin does have its advantages wouldn't you say?"
She turned her head to the side slightly and watched as Ryouji appeared standing next to her. He was wearing his custom black Haori, with his old Shinigami Uniform. He turned at her and chuckled slightly before looking around.
"It sucks because I can never sneak up on you. Not that I wanted to or anything, but I wasn't going to allow you to have all the fun. Its been so long since Shinkuoremasu has battled. I wasn't going to allow this to slip away."
She shook her head before sighing and goes back to searching for the familiar reiatsu. A shiver went down her spine as that same reiatsu increased drastically. Ryouji turned his head slightly, glancing back as he to felt it.
"I know I've felt it before, I wish I could only remember where it was from."
Three figures appeared behind them. Shukumei stared. The disfigured hollow mask that sat attop one of the figures heads made it all the more clear as to who it was exactly. Ryouji however kept his composure, staring as always with a serious disposition on his face.
"The hollow...that almost turned you into a hollow Ryouji, the one that was trying to turn us both into monsters. Its the one that turned you into what you are."
Shukumei took a deep breath for apparently the very hollow whom they figured was purified by Retsu Unohana had infact lived and was no longer a mere hollow, but now it was an arrancar, with its own fraccion.
The smallest off the three figures stepped forward. It was really a she, and a small child like Arrancar to say in the least. She ran over to Ryouji and clung to him while nuzzling his cheek. While clinging to him, she began to squeeze tightly, crushing him, though not on purpose. Shukumei stumbled forward before watching. Ryouji began to gasp for air while trying to free himself. From the outside it looked really silly.
"Oooh its you guys!!! I missed you!!! Kay?"
Shukumei's expression changed from one of shock and grief to one of absolute confusion. It was that hollow from so long ago but it missed them, was she actually hugging Ryouji and not attempting to kill him? The Arrancar continued to nuzzle Ryouji's cheek while hugging him tighter.
"I missed you especially you cutie you. About that whole devouring your soul chain...that was well an accident. You see I was hungry and the chain hanging from your chest looked so tasty. I couldn't resist...so I took a bite and I just kept eating but before I finished completely that Shinigami appeared and struck me. Ooh its been such a long time!!! Yes I missy missy missy missy you!!! Weeeee"
Shukumei's began to remember how terrified she was of such a enormous creature and how it seemed like it was trying to kill her and then Ryouji protected her and became like a hollow because of it. Ryouji's eyes had begun to glaze over and drool began to run from his mouth.
"Let him go, you are going to kill him because of your silly little game!"
The little arrancar turned to the bigger arrancar and pointed in shukumei's direction. The way Shukumei was speaking to her had begun to anger her. In a fit of rage. The tiny Arrancar stuck out her tongue and blew a Raspberry.
"Kill the old lady...she's mean to me for no reason! I was just trying to make friends. Now I don't need friends. Besides she's a shinigami captain! Kill her and bring me her Haori, I could use it as a bath robe!"
Shukumei's eye twitched upon hearing the word old and lady in the exact same setence. Now the childish arrancar was calling her old. In her anger she extend her left and right arms and cuped them to gether at the wrists.
"Hadou eighty-eight: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho"
From the Shukumei's cupped hands ripped an enormous wave of spriual energy hurled into the ground where the Arrancar was clinging to Ryouji. Upon the impact it created a huge explosion as a reaction, Shukumei flash stepped and appeared in the air high above ground. Using the reishi that was being released from the three arrancar, she was able to use it to form a invisible platform to stand on in the air. It was only after she did this did she realize what she had done. She completely for got that the little arrancar was holding on to Ryouji.
"Oh god I think I killed my brother...on our birthday no less"
Shukumei covered her face with her hands. She uncovered her face shortly after noticing that Ryouji was standing right beside her, on a reishi platform of his own. She narrowed her eyes before slapping the back of his head for having made her worry like that. For a split second, she really thought she had killed him.
"Don't forget, I never go into a battle without checking it out first. You should be careful of that attitude. Next time it might actually be me down there instead of a shadow."
The little arrancar was enraged at the moment that was interrupted by Shukumei. She began to flail her arms around angrily before sending both of her Fraccion members after her. Shukumei reached back slowly and gripped the hilt of her Zanpakuto and pulled it free from the strap that kept it centered on her lower back. The spirit fabric which kept it sheathed unwraveled itself and danced behind her.
Ryouji narrowed his eyes before turning to Shukumei. He jumped in front of her and used the scabbard of his Zanpakuto to stay both fraccion members swords. He quickly glanced back at Shukumei before nodding.
"Leave these two to me, take care of the little brat."
Ryouji used a flash step to vanish from the area, baiting the two Fraccion members into following him, leaving Shukumei to deal with the little arrancar that caused her to feel fear for the first time. She wondered however how such a scary looking creature which she now knows to be hollows could be so scary and upon going through shinigamification could be so child-like an immature.
"I don't like you no more old lady. I can remember how terrified you were of me when we first met and then I only wanted to be your friend, but now I ish gonna kill you and spend all eternity hugging onto him and there is nothing you or anyone else can do. weeeehehehehehe. So tell me granny...are you still terrified of me"
Shukumei's left eye began to twitch again upon being called old lady and granny this time. In response to the little brat's question however, the answer was one she wasn't going to like hearing much. Though it was true, while she may have scared and frightened Shukumei so many years ago...the Shukumei of today was not the same individual.
"Not at all. In fact its quite the opposite. I'm more excited than anything. I will at long last be able to extract my revenge on the individual who first caused me to experience such fear."
Shukumei's lips curved into a smirk before she raised her Zanpakuto slightly before gripping it in the inverse direction. The little arrancar used her Zanpakuto which resembled something like a tiny wand. Both Shukumei and the brat chagred for each other meeting with swords crossed.
Meanwhile Ryouji was standing there listening to the Fraccion talk about how strong they were. A rather grim look...more or less from boredom appeared on Ryouji's face. He wanted to be in action not have to hear about it. His short attention span when it came to anything boring made him kind of sleepy.
"Now we're going to kick your ass, mister dark and mysterious! Lycha...lets go!"
Ryouji didn't budge an inch while he sat there waiting for something good to happen. He could feel their reiatsu...but it was rather disappointing. Perhaps he should have let Shukumei deal away with them while he delt with the girl. Then again she would probably do nothing more than cling on to him like she did his shadow earlier. The thought alone made him want to take several showers...in a row. The first Arrancar charged at him. At the last second Ryouji slamed his scabbard into the Arrancar's shin. With the the momentum he used to charged, it caused him to flip over. As he was midflip. Ryouji gripped Shinkuoremasu by the hilt and used it to quickly slash through the Arrancar before Sheathing his Zanpakutou again just as quickly.
Ryouji's fighting style is a balance between defense and raw offense. Rather than wait for an opening in an opponents attack, he creates his own for quick and deadly attacks. It helped a lot that this arrancar had to be one of the weakest enemies he's ever come across. In turn that only left this...Lycha Arrancar.
Lycha however didn't act so recklessly, The Arrancar unsheathed his Zanpakutou while smirking. Ryouji however kept his composure. The confident smirk the Arrancar told Ryouji that he was stronger than the Arrancar Ryouji finished off quickly.
"Shinigami what say we really enjoy this battle. By the way you battle, I can tell you are easily a captain level shinigami. What say we release our Zanpakutous and fight at our full strength. Once I've finished with you, I'll banish you to a place of eternal darkness"
Ryouji lowered his head slightly before shaking his head slightly. It didn't matter either way, the end result would still be the same for the arrancar. It was kind of funny, not in a laughing matter, it was that the Arrancar was certain that he would do away with Ryouji so easily and banish him into this darkness.
"Banish me to a place of eternal darkness?"
Ryouji tossed his sheathed Zanpakutou into the air quickly. He brought up his right hand and ran his fingers through hair quickly causing it to spike. Shinkuoremasu had begun to fall from the air and when it neared Ryouji, he caught it. The arrancar however used the opportunity to beat Ryouji to the punch
"Submerge, Serpiente"
A orb of water surrounded Lycha as the transformation had begun. Ryouji watched and was intrigued. It wasn't very often he actually got to see a water based release be it zanpakuto or arrancar transformation. After a few moments. Lycha stood completely renewed. A serpent head, with snakes for arms and a snake lower body. The Serpent's mouth opened and Lycha's face appeared from within with a rather satisfied smirk.
"It is your turn, Shinigami"
Ryouji looked at his Zanpakuto and sighed. He really did not want to, but the Arrancar was so sure of himself, he figured that he would at least humor Lycha before getting boreed or aggrevated and putting this battle to a end rather quickly.
"Ban...kai!"
A wave of pitch black Reiatsu in devoured Ryouji whole. With the release of his Zanpakutou, also came the formation of his hollow mask. It combined with the strength of bankai would prove that he would be a formidable opponent for Lycha. The Serpent Head, closed, giving Lycha protection. Upon completing the final release of his Zanpakuto, Lycha noticed almost instantly that his reiatsu had completely changed..
"Your Reiatsu is exactly like a hollow, Are you a hollow!"
Ryouji sighed heavily before raising his head slightly, and his eyes shot open to reveal that his eyes had changed color. His eyes were completely black aside from the iris' which were a golden yellow color. Ryouji. Upon hearing Lycha's comment Ryouji chuckled a bit before taking a more serious tone. With his distorted voice he answered.
"Something like that..."
Lycha charged forward with the intent of ending this battle as soon as he possibly could. Ryouji remained stationary. Beneath his helmet he smirked..but he wondered if he should allow the Arrancar become confident by beating on him. Doing so would unleashe Shinkuoremasu's berserker mode and that could do more harm than good. He wasn't sure exactly how strong the brat was and if Shukumei would have trouble dealing with her. Lycha's serpent head had begon to open and once close enough Ryouji thrusted his arm into the mouth, Grabing Lycha by his face which was being protected. The serpent head clamped down on Ryouji's arm
Lycha began to laugh loudly upon having caught Ryouji in his clutches.
"You stupid Shinigami...when in my hollow form, I can inject whatever I bite with a venom. This battle is over for you. The venom will begin to liquify the inside of your body, and before you know it, your entire body will shut down causing a very slow and painful death. Have you any final requests?"
Ryouji could feel his body going numb as the venom began to spread throughout his body through his blood streem. His armor had been easily broken through by teeth of all things. It was a flaw in which he has never really overcome. If he exerts to much energy, his armor would weaken leaving him vunerable.
"Shukumei!!!"
Upon hearing her name, she whipped around not only seeling, but feeling that Ryouji was weakening. She hurried toward him. Before she could completely check on him, she founder self being told to stop. Using the reishi she skidded to a stop and waited.
"The level ninety hadou spell...use it on me and the arrancar"
Shukumei stared at Ryouji oddly. Wondering why, but if he said to much he could easily give away what he was truly after. She raised her hand with both her middle and ring finger pointing toward the air. Before she could even begin unleash the power of Kurohitsugi, the little teeny hollow came over to break up the party.. Ryouji Pushed Shukumei aside and grabbed the face of the one responsible for being what he is today.
"Do it!!"
Shukumei 's right hand crackled without wasting much time she did what her brother instructed.
"Hadou number ninety...Kurohitsugi"
A enormously box shaped form of spiritual energy enveloped the three of them. As quickly as it appeared, it soon vanished. Ryouji had begun to bleed through his armor before releasing both the tiny Arrancar and Lycha. The Serpent head released Ryouji's arm and the three of them fell down toward the ground.
Shukumei still couldn't figure out Ryouji instructed her to do such a dangerous thing. She attempted to catch Ryouji but as she got near him she stopped herself upon feeling a change in the ammount of spiritual pressure that was being released. It was so sudden, it even through her for a loop. Then she remembered...their fight in Hueco Mundo...
"Berserker..."
It was Shinkuoremasu's secondary ability. It would allow Ryouji to fight with out worry of pain and without fear. Ryouji stopped him self from falling and formed a platform of Reishi undernearth his feet. He knelt down on the platform and just sat there doing nothing. Even the Arrancar found themselves wondering exactly what he was up to after they themselves recovered from the rather powerful hadou technique.
Lycha figured that the poison had begun to weaken Ryouji and he laughed in confidence. In his mind he knew it was over. He walked over toward Ryouji slowly, his snake arms slithering ever so gracefully. As he neared Ryouji. Shukumei felt within her heart that the Arrancar was going to attack and she could not let it happen. With her Zanpakutou in hand, she flash stepped forward and closed the distance between her and Lycha upon appearing a second time she was thrown back from the release of a rather large amount of reiatsu. It felt like her head was being split in two without even being touched. Was this Shinkuoremasu's true power...Ryouji raised his head slowly and glared at Lycha, his iris' had changed from yellow due to his hollow transformation, to red. Ryouji stood up slowly and in a rather lanky matter. He was growling rather loudly it was as if he had completely snapped.
The serpent head which protected Lycha's face and most of his original body snapped shut quickly in response as a matter of protection. Even the ammount of spiritual pressure that flowed from Ryouji worried him.
"Wha...what in the hell is he"
Clinching his right hand tightly into a fist, Ryouji rammed his hand into the teeth of the serpent head, shattering some of the teeth protecting Lycha. Using his left hand Ryouji placed his hand on the bottom of the serpents mouth and began to pry it open with brute strength.
Shukumei watched as The beserker's raw power was used. There was no telling if Ryouji was truly in control or if he within his own mind while doing this. Lycha attempted to fight back by doing all he could to keep the serpent mouth protecting most of his upper body to close but it just wasn't happening. With a burst of strength. Lycha had begun to groan loudly from the pain of having the serpents jaw forcefully stretched open.
With a roar and a enormous release of reiatsu, Ryouji tore the serpents mouth back, breaking its Jaw.. The serpent released what seemed to be a shriek of pain after having its jaw forcefully torn open. There was nothing left protecting Lycha, his defense had been broken, leaving Ryouji to do whatever he saw fit to do with him. Ryouji slowly wobbled his way over toward Lycha., snarling and growling the entire way. Just as Ryouji neared him, Lycha extended his snake head covered arms forward. The left Snake head bit into Ryouji's neck while right snake hand bit into Ryouji's right shoulder.
"Die Shinigami..."
Regardless of how mystified Shukumei truly was, she could not stand back and watch her brother be bitten the way he was. It was as if she herself was being bitten. She quickly hurled herself toward Lycha and Ryouji. With with seemed to be either extreme prejudice or anger, Ryouji used his sword and sliced through Shukumei's shoulder. Blood squirted from her shoulder and stained her haori and the tape white tape that covered her upper body. She placed her hand over her shoulder and applied pressure to the wound before glaring at Ryouji.
Upon being bitten, Ryouji's body mass increased. She also remembered something else she noticed. Whenever he got angry..he got stronger. Perhaps this was his plan all along. Even so he didn't have to slice into her shoulder that way. It was a clean cut and precise. He didn't cut deep enough for it to render her arm useless, only enough for her to get the hint to stay back..
Shukumei glanced down at her body, noticing that she had to much tape to keep her movements restricted so she tour some from the bottom half of her torso, exposing her stomach and used it to wrap her shoulder and arm to keep herself from losing any more blood. She turned her head slightly and watched her brother standing there out of the corner of her eye. He's was definitely up to something. He was just as caculating as she was. It was then she watched him drop down to one knee. How much venom was this snake like arrancar pumping into his veins? Being cut again or not, she wasn't about to watch her brother die.
Before she could get involved however, the little brat as she has been branded since their fated meeting interfered and blocked Shukumei's path. The little brat pointed her index and middle finger at Shukumei and fired a enormous Cero at Shukumei. Using a Flash step she managed to dodge it but it also moved her further away from her brother who at this point was begining to slump over.
"I'm not letting you near him granny!! He's all mine hehehe!"
It was then the little brat began to windmill both of her arms one after another and began to fling small bullet-like forms of reiatsu at her, better known to hollow and Arancar a like as 'Bala'. As they came, Shukumei had no choice but to continue to dodge them. They were coming at her so fast she couldn't get in closer. The Arrancar played their game well. Keeping her at bay while focusing on Ryouji.
"Damn her, I can't get closer without timing it perfectly...its hard to time them properly when they are coming at me so fast"
Lycha watched as Ryouji stopped struggling. He had even dropped his Zanpakuto. Using the snake arms he lifted Ryouji into the air and brought him closer. He was motionless just like he would have hoped. His entire body was completely numb.
"Not even you can escape my venom Shinigami it seems your released Zanpakutou did you more harm than good. Nothing more than a brainless brute. "
Lycha had begun to laugh loudly at his victory. He was quite satisfied with the end result of the battle. His laughter and his feeling of comfort was short lived as Ryouji's hands shot up grabing both snake heads. He pulled them free from his armor. Lycha attempted to free himself from the grasp but he could not.
"But how..."
Ryouji produced a Shadow of himself which flash stepped and appeared next to Ryouji, he then produced a second and a third. The first Shadow moved himself behind Lycha and wrapped his arms around the arrancar. It was something of a reverse bear hug. The seocnd and third Shadows drew their blades respectively and each slashed through one of Lycha's arms. Ryouji dropped the snake heads as and watched as they disintegrated since they were no longer attatched to their hosts.
"You should be dead Shinigami. My venom kills anything I bite!! Why do you still exist!!!"
Ryouji folded his arms across his chest before floating over to Lycha who was still being held tightly by his shadow. The question was a rather simple one to answer. He was growing tired of Lycha's constant bragging and knew that the time had come to put an end to this battle.
"My armor is much like an arrancar's Hiero. It harden's significantly when Shinkuoremasu enters its berserker state. With all spiritual pressure I release, it toughens, While you managed to pierce the armor, it did not break through my skin. You gave yourself away to soon, your confidence told me everything I needed to know in order to formulate a proper defense and create an offense. I had my sister use the Hadou spell because I hate it and I knew it would make Shinkuoremasu angry thus sending us into this 'brainless brute' like state.
Ryouji pointed downward and the shadow that was originally holding Lycha flipped over and began to fall down toward the ground while continuing to hold on to him. The remaining Ryouji and the remaining two shadows used a flash step and appeared, surrounding Lycha on all sides, With the shadow holding him in back. The remaining two shadows on Lycha's left and right side and with the real Ryouji in the front All three of which had their arms crossed over their chest. The cape of the shadow holding Ryouji wrapped itself around Lycha further preventing him from escaping.. The very same shadow had begun to rotate while continuing to free fall and eventually it along with Lycha crashed into the ground headfirst, leaving the other three shadows to continue falling.. Eventually they stopped. The second shadow narrowed its syes. With its vision locked onto the fourth shadow and Lycha , it projected a vortex underneath both of them.
The mysterious thing about the vortexes Ryouji creates allows him to slice anything caught in between the vortex and his field of vision could be slashed with his sword regardless of how far away they were from him. The only catch was he actually had to see the enemy in order for it to work. Being that Lycha was unable to move, there was no possible way to avoid it. With blinding speed the Shadow unsheathed, slashed and sheathed sword several times over. The clanking of the sword re-entering the sheath grew louder each time He completed a slash until the shadow stopped slashing completely. The third Shadow flipped over the second and unsheathed its sword and released and enourmous black colored getsuga and sent it hurling toward the ground, where it crashed into the forth shadow and Lycha himself.
Ryouji himself dispersed the shadows leaving only himself and a heavily wounded Lycha. Ryouji unfolded his arms from across his chest while continuing to watch Lycha as he remained in small crater. Ryouji raised his right hand slowly while shifting his focus to the hand he raised..
"You wanted to banish me to the darkness? I...am darkness"
Ryouji extended his index and middle finger before pointing down to where Lycha continued to lay. Without word no warning, Ryouji unleashed a black colored Cero which hurled into the ground causing an explosion of sorts. Now there was only one problem remaining the little brat. With a quick flash step, Ryouji appeared behind the little arrancar and noticed that she was firing bala to keep Shukumei back. Was she so wrapped up in her little world that she didn't notice him. Or was she really having fun? It didn't matter, he had to stop her.
Ryouji balled his right hand into a fist and raised it as high as he could before thrusting the bottom part of his hand into the top of the little arrancar's head forcing her to fall downward, from the impact. Before she got to far, the little Arrancar performed Sonido and appeared in between both Shukumei and Ryouji.
"That hurted you meanie!"
The little arrancar began to sniffle as she placed her hands on top of her head to attempt to ease the throbbing she was getting. from being hit on her head but it wasn't working. eventually she started crying.. The whining grew louder. Eventually the screams got so bad that they were begining to affect Ryouji himself. He covered his ears. The sounds felt like his brain was being pierced into. The platform Shukumei created once the dodging stopped thanks to Ryouji's interference had shattered causing her to fall.
Ryouji on the other hand was forced to revert back into his normal state even though his hollow mask had not yet been shattered..Eventually the Arrancar ceased her screaming allowing Shukumei to create another reishi platform to stand on. Ryouji's mask at that point had begun to crack away before dissolving completely. Upon seeing Ryouji's face, the arrancar was had gotten excited and used sonido to close the gap between herself and Ryouji. Once reappearing she stopped and looked at him Ryouji lowered his hands and opened his eyes only to notice that she was right there. It was then that the Arrancar 'face hugged' Ryouji.
He gasped and attempted to do everything within his power to free himself but it just wasn't going to happen. The arrancar squeeled happily as she hugged onto Ryouji's head and face. She continued to squeeze and hug him in her own glee even though she was practically strangling him.
"I am never ever going to let you go muahahahahaha!!!!"
Shukumei watched in disgust, thats no way for a woman to behave. She was so child like to the point that it was embarasing for Shukumei to watch. What could she really do? She couldn't attack without possibly harming her brother, and she couldn't get close without getting screamed at.
"She's so wrapped up in Ryouji, perhaps she won't notice me after all, I have to be careful, I don't want to hurt Ryouji now that he's reverted from his final release."
Shukumei extends her left arm out in front of her slowly, She clinches her hand tightly into a fist before revealing her palm with all of her fingers pointing upward toward the sky. She then placed her right hand on her left forearm
"Hadou thirty-one...Shakkaho"
A ball of red colored energy was fired from Shukumei's left hand and was sent hurling into the back of the little arrancar who immediately released Ryouji from her face hug of doom. Upon being able to breathe, again Ryouji took a deep breath before dropping down to one knee. He was out of breath. He nearly blacked out and for some reason he saw fit to take it out on Shukumei.
"What the hell took you so long! Do you have any idea how disturbing it is being face hugged by a little arrancar brat thing!!! I could have died wrapped up in all of that!"
Shukumei sighed in relief, at least she didn't hit him, but with how he was complaining she almost wished she had. The little arrancar turned her attention to Shukumei and pointed. Now she was truly angry and was about to pay Shukumei back for ruining her moment.
"That's it, I'm tired of you inteference Granny...No more ruining our love!!!"
Ryouji's expression changed from one of a grimmace and disgust to one of sheer shock and disbelief. He couldn't believe such a small thing would say something like that, there was no way that would ever happen, not on his watch, beside he was already spoken for.
"What love!?! I don't even LIKE you. What would my wife say if she heard that. Lets wrap this up, I need to go home and boil my face in water."
Shukumei lowered both of her arms before reaching back and grabbing Tatsumaki by the hilt. The spirit fabric that kept it bound to her lower back unwraveled itself from around her stomach and from around the blade and fluttered in the wind. The Arrancar giggled. She new that it was playtime and she was going to enjoy it fervorently.
"Its time for you to go to sleep granny. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Marciela Juarez. Before I kill you granny, why don't you tell me your name"
Shukumei held her Zanpakutou in the inverse position before straightening out her stance. It amazed her how quickly Marciela changed her tone it was far more serious. She could very well be much stronger than she's letting on, in which case she needed to finish this quickly before it got out of hand.
"Shukumei Onigata, Captain of Squad Five"
Marciela giggled before gripping her wand like Zanpakutou. She spun it around like a baton before pointing it at Shukumei. Finally she was going to be able to use her Resureccion without worry of anyone else getting in the way. Truth be told she honestly did not like this Shinigami which was probably why all of those years ago she attempted to devour her soul before Ryouji got in the way.
"Echo...El Clamar"
A burst of Reiryoku thickened in within the immediate area. Shukumei narrowed her eyes by how strong it really was, who would have guessed such a small arrancar would have so much spiritual pressure. It was rather suprising.
When the transformation had ended, she stood there in what looked to be a ballerina's costume. the remnants of her hollow mask had grown larger on the top of her head, resembling something simliar to a hair bow.
Shukumei didn't know if she should be worried or not. She's always learned to never under estimate her opponent, by the feel of the reiryoku she knew that she was a lot stronger than she originally thought. Perhaps it was best to use her final release so Marciela will know she too was taking this battle seriously. Without the limiter in place, and the spirit chains which held a great deal of her strength back gone, she could now truly fight in full form without worry. Shukumei smirked slightly before tossing her Zanpakuto straight into the air. Before it escaped her sight completely, she grabbed the spiri fabric that was attatched to the hilt and served as its new grip and started to swing it in a large circle over her head.
"Bankai"
Just as Marciela did before, Shukumei herself had begun to transform, being swallowed up by a tornado of reiryoku. It was thick, and very heavy and before it was all said and done, Shukumei stood in her Zanpakutou's final form. a white Qipao with four harisen dancing around her.
"Takedakeshii Amatsu Tatsumaki" (Ferocious Heavenly Tornado)
Shukumei extended her right finger and pointed at Marciela. As her arm fully extended huge gust of wind followed pushing Marciela backward. Unfortunately Ryouji was still standing behind her and was immediately thrown back as Marciela crashed into him. Upon lowering her finger. The first Harisen that stopped and opened up revealing a unique symbol. It positioned itself above Shukumei's head, while the remaining three continued to float and dance around her. Marciela recovered after being thrown into Ryouji she turned toward Ryouji and attemped to hug him again but he pushed her off and jumped backwards before she had the chance.
He watched as his sister did her thing and honestly he wondered, if the chains that bound her so long ago really made that much of a difference in how much strength she wielded. She really did remind him of Aizen in every possible way including in the strength they both posessed. They even had the same smirk.
Marciela used Sonido and appeared directly in front of Shukumei which caused Shukumei to narrow her eyes, she new exactly what she was attempting to do especially since she's already seen it before. She was going to scream and attempt to disburst the reishi she needed in order to maintain bankai.
"Danku"
Shukumei waved her hand and as the Marciela screamed, a large mirror lilke barrier appeared in between the two of them. As she continued to scream the barrier had begun to crack and when it finally collapsed, a second harisen opened up revealing yet another unique symbol. Marciela takes the opportunity to use her ability and touches Shukumei, transporting herself and the shinigami to a dark place. Shukumei glanced around and saw absolutely nothing, she could say nothing, smell nothing. The only thing she could do was hear.
"This is El Clamar's special ability, if I touch someone while in this state and can transport them here. You can see nothing and smell nothing. You can still hear quite well and you can feel everything around you, but even thats not enough to save you. You're going to die here granny. This place amplifies sound. If I scream at the right angle, I could kill you instantly, but I'm going to enjoy watching you crawl on the floor in agony."
Shukumei knew that what Marciela said was true. The right pitch at the right angle could kill her instantly and she had no defense for it what so ever.but she did have a trump card up her sleeve. One that Marciela completely ignored or just forgot about completely. That trump card was Ryouji, regardless of how far the two were apart from one another, they could always feel each other out. She had to get out of this quick or this would end badly for her, that was for certain.
Marciela giggled and with the echoing and sound amplifcation of the place she was in it sounded a lot more like nails on a chalk board. She covered her ears as best she could but it was over shortly after. Marciela screamed and the sound pierced Shukumei's hands, on the inside of her head it felt like her brain was going to implode. It brought her down to her knees instantly and struggled to keep her composure. Meanwhile on back in Karakura Town, Ryouji was just standing there on the reishi platform he created. Shukumei was nowhere insight but he could still feel that she was there.
"Who would have guessed that the little pervert Arrancar posessed such an ability. Even still, she made me what I am and I'm not going to let Shukumei have all the fun"
Reaching on the inside of his Haori, Ryouji pulled out what seemed to be a stamina pill. Used by Shinigami of the forth division to help other shinigami recover. He glanced at it and saw Retsu's face before sighing. He did not like how things ended up between them, but he still owed her a debt since it was she who rescued both him and Shukumei. Ryouji popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it and was instantly revitalized. His reiryoku was restored to its normal state which would help Shukumei find where he was.
Back on the inside of El Clamar's special dimension, Shukumei was being kicked and tossed around by Marciela. She still had her sense of touch which was really the ability to feel but she could not figure out away to use that to her advantage. Then it hit her. The wind she could produce could tell her where Marciela was coming from and if she was close. She could not make it to obvious, so being careful was her best option for survival at this point. with the two remaining harisen roatating around her, she forced them to rotate a bit faster, creating something close to a gentle breeze the only thing she could do was wait.
Marciela saw it all, watching as the harisen moved about much faster than they were at first made her wonder what exactly the shinigami was really up to. It didn't matter, Marciela knew that Shukumei was going to die in this dark dimension and that was all that mattered. Marciela went to slap Shukumei's face, but from the movement Marciela made, the direction of the wind that was being created by the harisen had changed. By that small change, Shukumei could figure out where Marciela was coming from and struck first with a well placed elbow to the head. It was that instant, where the elbow made contact that Shukumei gained her sense of smell, but lost the sense of feeling. This was becoming more and more confusing. She could no longer feel the wind she was producing, but she could smell pefectly. Was this another ability that El Clamar posesed?
With each strike she made she would regain one sense and lose another. This puts an entirely different perspective on what Marciela was truly capable of. Hollows and Arrancar had a unique scent to them, so it wouldn't be hard to figure out when she was near, she just had to time things just right and if she kept connecting blows with the arrancar, she could possibly regain her sense of sight back and really put things into perspective. It was also true that she could completely rely on her bankai state to help her. Whenever she lands four attacks, the four harisen will open up which would allow her to use trap her opponents in a prison of razor sharp wind which there is no escape. With the elbow, that made three attacks landed thus far. The third harisen fan opened up revealing the third unique symbol.
The only problem she had was knowing exactly where the arrancar would be at the right time with how the dimension is set up sounds bounce all over the room to overwhelm those trapped here, so she could not use her hearing to help her out.
"You think you're pretty smart don't you granny...each individual I've brought here has died and you are going to join them, then nothing will stand in my way of being with him. muahahahahaha!!!!!"
Shukumei stood up and stumbled around in complete darkness, she needed to make a plan up quickly in order to escape this hell hole or get the forth fan to open up so Tatsumaki's wind would trap Marciela and free her. What could she possibly do, she wouldn't know if she was fatally wounded or not, not without her sense of touch or feeling. Such a terrible predicament and for once she had no idea what she was going to do.
Marciela stomped on the ground with all of her might and the sound rang in her ear causing her to scream, but without a voice no sound was emmited.. If the sound was horrifying for Shukumei, then if she was able to emit any kind of sound. Then again would it actually affect the little brat. She felt so alone. It was like when Ryouji faked his own death to ensure their safety from the Hueco Mundo...she didn't like it.
"Aww are you giving up already granny? You're no fun at all! You're no better than you were back then. A scared wondering soul and now I'm going to do what I should have done back then. I'm going to devour you. Imma nice girl and I want you to see it coming. I want to see your feer and I want you to feel my sword piercing your flesh. and I want to hear you scream hehehe"
Using the rather mysterious power, Marciela brought herself and Shukumei back from the dark hollowed dimension. Shukumei dropped down onto her knees. The light from the sun was much to bright and she found it hard to adjust. Marciela giggled before turning around.
"Now where is that cutie...CUUUUTIE!!!"
In a blindingly fast flash step Ryouji appeared in front of Marciela and with one slash of his Zanpakutou he opened a deep wound across her stomach before flash stepping and appearing behind her. He walked along reishi platforms until he stood in front of his sister. He sheathed Shinkuoremasu before lowering his hand, offering it to her to help her stand. It wasn't to long before her eyes were able to adjust and she took his hand to stand.
"Little brat is a lot stronger that we both originally assumed. I thought I had this wrapped up but apparently I couldn't cut her down after all."
Shukumei huffed, what Ryouji said was almost believable aside from the obvious sarcasm he seemed to use a lot when he wasn't being serious. Of course the current predicament brought an idea to mind. Something that they'ee tried on several different occassions but never really pulled it off properly.
Marciela screamed in frustration and disbelief. She could not believe he would actually wound her, what about their eternal love. What about them spending eternity together? Were her hopes and dreams really collapsing. All the year she's planned and waited...only to have him to commit such a travesty was heartbreaking for her. A single tear rolled down her left cheek as she turned to face the twins.
"I...could have given you everything. We were going to rule the Hueco Mundo...you and I. We were meant for each other....and you do this to me. Now...I am really hearbroken."
Ryouji turned his head back slightly and glared at Marciela out of the corner of his eye. The seriousness in his demeanor had returned now that he no longer needed to lie about not killing her on purpose. There was nothing that she had that interested him...that was for certain.
"You could give me nothing. Everythiing I could ever want is right here in this city. I will defend it from any hollow and arrancar threat that includes little dillusional weaklings like yourself and your flunkies. You made me what I am...no you made us what we are and we will thank you by purifying you and sending you back to where you belong."
(To be continued in next post)
Today was the big day as some would refer to it. The birthday of Ryouji and Shukumei. Shukumei dreaded birthdays because she hated the thought of getting older, Ryouji never cared for them because well to him it was just like any other day, but since they were Shinigami, they age incredibly slow so all in all it didn't matter.
Having fell asleep last night after doing his homework, Ryouji crawled out of the bed and yawned while scratching his cheeks. He turned his head and stared at the alarm clock, noticing it was only eight in the morning. It was always weird for him to fall asleep but it was something about the school work that made him exausted.
He crawled out of bed and stretched before stumbling into the bathroom to take care of his hygene. While brushing his teeth he glanced back into the room and noticed Azumi wasn't there with him. He narrowed his eyes wondering where she could have gotten off to but it didn't bother him. He didn't enjoy being smothered by her anyway, regardless if they were married or not.
After he finished brushing his teeth he walked out of the bathroom and into his closet to put on some clothes. Usually something dealing with a black T-shirt and jeans before walking into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Just as he sat down he heard a loud bang coming from the kitchen area. He didn't have to check, it was Chef Azumi cooking breakfast or something. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down.
Out of nowhere Azumi explodes from the kitch and jumps right onto his stomach before squeezing the dear life out of him.
"Good Morning Honey!!! Do you know what today is?"
After catching his breath and sitting up, he glanced at her and noticed that her eyes were lit up like the moon at night. Ryouji stared at her oddly which wasn't necessarily out of the ordinary. He always stared at her weirdly. Mostly wondering how someone can be so full of energy all the time.
Ryouji shook his head before rubbing it slightly wondering if there was anything special about today. He knew it was his birthday but since he didn't care for them he played dumb.
"Not...really? Was there something special about today. Don't tell me...its our anniversary isn't it...uh well uh happy anniversary Azumi...here is to a dreadful eternity with the happiest person in all of shinigami history."
He raised his hand as if he was holding a glass which in this case he wasn't. Azumi stared at him and shook her head. She knew that Ryouji was being overly sarcastic.
"No you silly boy, its your birthday!! Happy birthday Ryouji!"
It was strange how for nearly two hundred years or so, Azumi has remembered his birthday, but she doesn't know what yesterday or tomorrow will be. She only knows if its day or night when she's out side. She was always weird like that. As badly as he wanted to give a sarcastic answer, he opted not to say anything because to her, Ryouji's birthday was special to her.
"Now don't lay around all day we're going to see Kisuke and Master Tessai. I delivered all the food and the birthday cake while you were sleeping so don't think you're going to run off and hide like you use to in the Sereitei. You're going to come with me and you're going to enjoy your birthday party or I'm going to kick you"
Azumi was a truly terrifying person when she was angry or serious. Someone who is happy and smiles 90% of the day being angry can scare even the strongest willed person. He had to agree or fear the backlash and her anger and her willingness to hold grudges until the end of time itself.
"Ugh...there is nothing special about today. Its just another day. What boggles me is that every year you remember the seventh of April. You don't remember your own birthday. For being the mistress of time, you have no sense of it. I will go because I don't want you to get mad."
Azumi patted the top Ryouji's head before getting off of his stomach and walked back into the kitchen. Ryouji sits up and rubs his stomach before standing up. He walks from the couch over to the window while thinking of his sister. He wonderes if she was taking better to it being their birthday than he was.
Meanwhile on the otherside of town. Shukumei was freaking out in the worst way possible. This was far worse than boys coming on to her, she was getting old and she didn't like it one bit. She hated her birthday. She hasn't slept at all. She was superstious about birthdays and getting older and she felt that if she slept she might fall into a coma like all old people do at some pont or at least thats what she's read about.
"I hate my birthday...I swear if any of you are planning something, I'll get out of this Gigai and kick all of your young butts."
Yes she was acting over the top but she's always been this way on this stupid day...why do birthdays exist, why must people age, why can't they just stay young and beautiful for all eternity. Sure she aged slowly being a shinigami and all but that wasn't going to last forever.
"Shukumei its just a birthday, a celebration of sorts, besides you don't have to think of it as a day when you age, think of it as being another year that we can all spend together, fighting hollows. Besides being that its your birthday I get to take lots of pictures with this new camera, are you always like this. I hope Captain isn't like this because I don't anyone can handle both of you being this way"
Shukumei huffed and folded her arms across her chest before staring into a vacant part of the room.
"What the hell do you know anyway. You're still young, you're not five days away from getting crows feet and your chest sagging. I'm going to get wrinkles and shrivel up like an prune and then no one will want me. I can feel my beauty taking off like a freaking bird in a thunderstorm. Its horrible getting old, before you know it, I'll end up like Captain Yamamoto."
Just the thought of being old is terrified her. She wanted to cry she even began to sniffle. Which prompted stares from Yuri, Ronin and Nori. Naturally the three of them were staring at her in a odd way. Beauty was everything to her, she was grace and elegance personified into a tall slender figure with wonderful hair and great legs.
At this point of course it was pointless to reason with her.. She has been overly dramatic since returning to the human world. Yuri stood up and shook her head before grabbing Shukumei by the collar of her shirt and dragging her to the Urahara Shop.
"I told you I'm not going!! Let go of my collar Yuri. This behavior is unbefitting of a Captain ranked shinigami."
Yuri rubbed the back of her head with her free hand and chuckled a little bit. Shukumei grabbed on to the door frame and held on for dear life. She began to kick and scream and fight for dear life before eventually being pulled free by Yuri with Ronin and Nori following close behind in case she tried to run free.
"I hate you all!! Celebrating my becoming an old woman is not what friends do. Thats it I'm abandoning our mission and I'm going back to the Sereitei to retire. My brittle bones cannot handle battles anymore!"
Ronin shook his head, he couldn't believe how badly she was whining about this, it was no big deal it was just a stupid birthday.
"Captain would you calm down, jeez you haven't aged one bit since we first met."
Shukumei's eyes had begun to sparkle. That was the nicest thing anyone has said all day. She clasped her hands together while staring at Ronin.
"Do you really..mean that Ronin?! Do I really look the same as I did back then. Am I still beautiful?!!"
Ronin nodded "For someone your age, you're very beautiful"
Shukumei's glee turned to anger within a split second. Her stare of hope and wonder had turned to one hatred and anger. Never in all of her life has she felt so betrayed. She growled and folded her arms as Yuri continued to drag her toward the Urahara shop.
"I'll remember that when you're review comes up here in a few weeks. Have you any jokes now soon to be eighth seat Ronin Demon? I'll have you filing papers until the day you enter the Soul Society the real way. Does that sound fun to you mister honorary shinigami!? Pfft..I hate you all"
Of course she didn't mean it but she wanted to, being dragged to a birthday celebration she really didn't want to go to but its not like she had a choice in the matter anyway, if she did she wouldn't be getting dragged at this moment in time. She probably would be somewhere hiding herself.
It wasn't to long where the four of them had reached the Urahara Shop. Once they were inside and the door closed, Yuri released Shukumei's collar and she shot up like an arrow to a standing position. She dusted off her skirt before sighing. How she would love to unleash a few kido spells to punish them, but it would do no good.
"Where is the married couple. If they aren't coming, I am most certainly not staying. If I have to suffer during this ridiculous celebration, Ryouji does to. Oh well I guess they aren't coming so I guess I'll just go...
As she started to walk off, the door shot open and in walked Azumi with Ryouji in tow. Shukumei frowned up and sighed. Naturally she was hoping she would be able to get away but Azumi who posesses absolutely no sense of time managed to stop her plans for escape almost ironically.
"Oh great...wonderful timing Azumi, what kind of sister-in-law are you. You ruined my plains for escape."
Azumi turned and faced Shukumei before giggling. but the giggling stopped immediately after and one of those serious and scary looks appeared on her face thereafter.
"I didn't stay up all night baking your cake for you to run away Shukumei. I didn't spend twelve plus hours with absolutely no sleep or break involved making a mountain of food for you to eat, for you to simply run and hide. I know you don't like birthdays but I slaved over a hot stove to try and make this birthday celebration the best one you and Ryouji have ever had. So you aren't going anywhere, you are going to sit down and you are going to have yourself a good time whether you want to or not...-insert random eye twitches-...okay?!"
Shukumei and Ryouji backed away slowly and rushed to sit down. Azumi's is one of the scariest people she has ever met especially when it comes to something she's worked hard on or she's obsessing over. Either way it scared the living hell out of her. So Shukumei and Ryouji sat there, having to endure whatever this was supposed to be. The two turned and looked at each other before sighing.
Yuri stepped forward and noticed how quiet both of them were being especially after all the fuss Shukumei had put her, Ronin and Nori through.
"Sorry we are a little late, Shukumei put up a fight big fight and she fussed the whole way here. I wish you could teach me how to do that. It would have been helpful."
Azumi turned and glared at Yuri and she ran over and pinched her cheeks as hard as she could. She said the s-word which Azumi told her to never say when situations were out of her control.
"What did I tell you about saying sorry for something you aren't in control of. I figured that the pain from me pinching your cheeks would have helped you stop, but I guess not!"
Azumi twists Yuri's cheeks causing her to scream in pain while trying to get away. Eventually Azumi let her go and sighed before smiling and giggling. She walked into the kitchen area and came out with two cliche birthday hats and put one on Ryouji head before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Then one on Shukumei's head before clapping and jumping up and down in a happy manner.
"Aww you two look so cute with your birthday hats on. Now its time for the cake."
She squeeled before running into the kitchen. Both Ryouji and Shukumei shared a rather morbid expressionless face. Both twins sat with their arms folded across there chest and were probably thinking how stupid and ridiculous this was..
Azumi and Tessai came out minutes later with a rather large birthday cake with candles hundreds of candles everywhere on the cake. and on the top due two all of the candles burning, sat a huge blazing flame. Shukumei's mouth fell open upon noticing how many candles that were actually lit. She felt like she wanted to die. There was no way in hell she was that old already. Ryouji on the other hand narrowed his eyes and wondered why in the hell the flame at the top of the candle was so huge.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Shukumei and Ryouji!!!"
Ryouji sighed before resting his head on his hand. This had to be the most embarassing moment in his entire life. Shukumei on the other hand was still concerned that the number of candles were incorrect. She could not be that old...there was just no way in hell all those candles represented her age to see how huge the flame the candles produced, not to mention the sight of all the candles she could and couldn't see, she wanted to cry and not in the good suprised way.
"Now you two make a wish and blow out the candles before the gets to hot and melts or something"
There was no possible way that they were going to blow those candles out. There were just way to many. It was then Shukumei had an idea and a rather evil one at that. She began to grin devilishly before standing up. She used her Spirit badge to exit her gigai and enter her normal Shinigami form.
"Azumi I hate to say it but Ryouji and I can't blow all of those candles out, so I'm going to use Tatsumaki to help me do it"
Reaching back. Shukumei gripped Tatsumaki's hilt and pulled it free from the sash she used to keep it stationed at her lower back. Now always in a released state, Tatsumaki was completely different than before. She lifted the blade above her head and the spirit cloth unwraveled itself from around the blade. She attempted a verticle slash, but Azumi hopped in front of her with her arms spread out widely to her sides to stop Shukumei.
"Oh no you don't!! I'm not going to you let you destroy this cake. Blow out these candles the right way so we can all enjoy the cake. If you live up to your alias cake will be everywhere rather than on plates. Now get back in your gigai and do it correctly. We're all going to help!!!"
Shukumei grumbled before slipping back into her Gigai as Azumi told her to do. Now everyone took a deep breath and blew the candles out together. This was officially the worst day of their lives, and there was no way to escape from it. Shukumei and Ryouji's heads both turned one way when they noticed the mod souls and the stuffed animal bodies they inhabited
There was one mod soul in particular Shukumei never quite cared for. Ryouji didn't like any of them because they were pretty much useless. The one in particular Shukumei could not stand was Kon...for some reason he always wanted a hug. She never quite understood why. Why did it have to be her? Yuri and Azumi were both women, why didn't he attempt to hug them. She was certain if Kon asked Azumi for a hug, he'd get one.
"Shuuuuuuuuukuuuuuuuumeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Kon ran gracefully and slowly ran toward Shukumei. She just stood there watching him run. He had a truly blissful look on his face but she still to ths day did not understand why and no one else ever told her why either; that was until today. Ryouji on the other hand decided to have a little fun of his own. He leaned over toward Shukumei while grinning.
"You know why Kon always wants to give you hugs don't you? Its because you have...."
His grin turned to one of grimace. He just had to stop right there because the thought alone sickened him Ryouji could only turn his head away from Kon and Shukumei because he didn't want to see what Shukumei was going to do to him when she realized it for herself.
"Shuuuuuuuuuuuuukuuuuuuuuuumeeeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Kon jumped into the air while holding out its arms.. Before he even got close enough to hug her. Shukumei reached out and grabbed Kon by his head. She stood up from where she was sitting and walked over toward the front door and opened it. She raised her arm as high as she could before releasing Kon. She drew back her right leg and was prepared to kick him out, litterally, before her foot made contact. She stopped moving completely.
The Reiatsu she felt,was familiar to her, she didn't know why or from where or how it felt familiar to her but it did. She turned to Ryouji who was staring back at her.
"Ryouji do you feel anything? Familiar like?" she asked wondering if he was getting the same mixed feeling as she was. He shook his head, he didn't feel anything. It did how ever make him wonder what exactly she was feeling.
"What is it that you are feeling? Is it a hollow?"
Shukumei lowered her head before shaking it from side to side. It was more than just a mere hollow. It was its presence that grabbed her attention. It was hard to explain. It was just familiar to her for no reason. She wanted to go check it out. It didn't feel like Shiva or the other Arrancar, it made her heartbeat faster than usual. She need to know why.
"I am going to go to meet with whatever it is that is causing me to feel such...discomfort. There is no need for all of us to go, Azumi worked so hard on everything. I will return when this is over and we can enjoy the rest...of umm this? Yeah."
Using her combat pass, she was freed from her Gigai. She glanced back and waved before vanishing from sight leaving everyone behind to deal with whatever it was that was causing her to feel so uneasy. With continuous flash steps, Shukumei followed her senses to the point where she felt most of the reiatsu was coming from. Upon reaching the area she stopped. She glanced around but ony for a moment before narrowing her eyes and huffing. There was nothing out of the ordinary going on here whatsoever. However she did noticed she was being followed.
"You can stop hiding Ryouji. I don't need to feel reiatsu to know its you. I can feel you out remember? Being a twin does have its advantages wouldn't you say?"
She turned her head to the side slightly and watched as Ryouji appeared standing next to her. He was wearing his custom black Haori, with his old Shinigami Uniform. He turned at her and chuckled slightly before looking around.
"It sucks because I can never sneak up on you. Not that I wanted to or anything, but I wasn't going to allow you to have all the fun. Its been so long since Shinkuoremasu has battled. I wasn't going to allow this to slip away."
She shook her head before sighing and goes back to searching for the familiar reiatsu. A shiver went down her spine as that same reiatsu increased drastically. Ryouji turned his head slightly, glancing back as he to felt it.
"I know I've felt it before, I wish I could only remember where it was from."
Three figures appeared behind them. Shukumei stared. The disfigured hollow mask that sat attop one of the figures heads made it all the more clear as to who it was exactly. Ryouji however kept his composure, staring as always with a serious disposition on his face.
"The hollow...that almost turned you into a hollow Ryouji, the one that was trying to turn us both into monsters. Its the one that turned you into what you are."
Shukumei took a deep breath for apparently the very hollow whom they figured was purified by Retsu Unohana had infact lived and was no longer a mere hollow, but now it was an arrancar, with its own fraccion.
The smallest off the three figures stepped forward. It was really a she, and a small child like Arrancar to say in the least. She ran over to Ryouji and clung to him while nuzzling his cheek. While clinging to him, she began to squeeze tightly, crushing him, though not on purpose. Shukumei stumbled forward before watching. Ryouji began to gasp for air while trying to free himself. From the outside it looked really silly.
"Oooh its you guys!!! I missed you!!! Kay?"
Shukumei's expression changed from one of shock and grief to one of absolute confusion. It was that hollow from so long ago but it missed them, was she actually hugging Ryouji and not attempting to kill him? The Arrancar continued to nuzzle Ryouji's cheek while hugging him tighter.
"I missed you especially you cutie you. About that whole devouring your soul chain...that was well an accident. You see I was hungry and the chain hanging from your chest looked so tasty. I couldn't resist...so I took a bite and I just kept eating but before I finished completely that Shinigami appeared and struck me. Ooh its been such a long time!!! Yes I missy missy missy missy you!!! Weeeee"
Shukumei's began to remember how terrified she was of such a enormous creature and how it seemed like it was trying to kill her and then Ryouji protected her and became like a hollow because of it. Ryouji's eyes had begun to glaze over and drool began to run from his mouth.
"Let him go, you are going to kill him because of your silly little game!"
The little arrancar turned to the bigger arrancar and pointed in shukumei's direction. The way Shukumei was speaking to her had begun to anger her. In a fit of rage. The tiny Arrancar stuck out her tongue and blew a Raspberry.
"Kill the old lady...she's mean to me for no reason! I was just trying to make friends. Now I don't need friends. Besides she's a shinigami captain! Kill her and bring me her Haori, I could use it as a bath robe!"
Shukumei's eye twitched upon hearing the word old and lady in the exact same setence. Now the childish arrancar was calling her old. In her anger she extend her left and right arms and cuped them to gether at the wrists.
"Hadou eighty-eight: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho"
From the Shukumei's cupped hands ripped an enormous wave of spriual energy hurled into the ground where the Arrancar was clinging to Ryouji. Upon the impact it created a huge explosion as a reaction, Shukumei flash stepped and appeared in the air high above ground. Using the reishi that was being released from the three arrancar, she was able to use it to form a invisible platform to stand on in the air. It was only after she did this did she realize what she had done. She completely for got that the little arrancar was holding on to Ryouji.
"Oh god I think I killed my brother...on our birthday no less"
Shukumei covered her face with her hands. She uncovered her face shortly after noticing that Ryouji was standing right beside her, on a reishi platform of his own. She narrowed her eyes before slapping the back of his head for having made her worry like that. For a split second, she really thought she had killed him.
"Don't forget, I never go into a battle without checking it out first. You should be careful of that attitude. Next time it might actually be me down there instead of a shadow."
The little arrancar was enraged at the moment that was interrupted by Shukumei. She began to flail her arms around angrily before sending both of her Fraccion members after her. Shukumei reached back slowly and gripped the hilt of her Zanpakuto and pulled it free from the strap that kept it centered on her lower back. The spirit fabric which kept it sheathed unwraveled itself and danced behind her.
Ryouji narrowed his eyes before turning to Shukumei. He jumped in front of her and used the scabbard of his Zanpakuto to stay both fraccion members swords. He quickly glanced back at Shukumei before nodding.
"Leave these two to me, take care of the little brat."
Ryouji used a flash step to vanish from the area, baiting the two Fraccion members into following him, leaving Shukumei to deal with the little arrancar that caused her to feel fear for the first time. She wondered however how such a scary looking creature which she now knows to be hollows could be so scary and upon going through shinigamification could be so child-like an immature.
"I don't like you no more old lady. I can remember how terrified you were of me when we first met and then I only wanted to be your friend, but now I ish gonna kill you and spend all eternity hugging onto him and there is nothing you or anyone else can do. weeeehehehehehe. So tell me granny...are you still terrified of me"
Shukumei's left eye began to twitch again upon being called old lady and granny this time. In response to the little brat's question however, the answer was one she wasn't going to like hearing much. Though it was true, while she may have scared and frightened Shukumei so many years ago...the Shukumei of today was not the same individual.
"Not at all. In fact its quite the opposite. I'm more excited than anything. I will at long last be able to extract my revenge on the individual who first caused me to experience such fear."
Shukumei's lips curved into a smirk before she raised her Zanpakuto slightly before gripping it in the inverse direction. The little arrancar used her Zanpakuto which resembled something like a tiny wand. Both Shukumei and the brat chagred for each other meeting with swords crossed.
Meanwhile Ryouji was standing there listening to the Fraccion talk about how strong they were. A rather grim look...more or less from boredom appeared on Ryouji's face. He wanted to be in action not have to hear about it. His short attention span when it came to anything boring made him kind of sleepy.
"Now we're going to kick your ass, mister dark and mysterious! Lycha...lets go!"
Ryouji didn't budge an inch while he sat there waiting for something good to happen. He could feel their reiatsu...but it was rather disappointing. Perhaps he should have let Shukumei deal away with them while he delt with the girl. Then again she would probably do nothing more than cling on to him like she did his shadow earlier. The thought alone made him want to take several showers...in a row. The first Arrancar charged at him. At the last second Ryouji slamed his scabbard into the Arrancar's shin. With the the momentum he used to charged, it caused him to flip over. As he was midflip. Ryouji gripped Shinkuoremasu by the hilt and used it to quickly slash through the Arrancar before Sheathing his Zanpakutou again just as quickly.
Ryouji's fighting style is a balance between defense and raw offense. Rather than wait for an opening in an opponents attack, he creates his own for quick and deadly attacks. It helped a lot that this arrancar had to be one of the weakest enemies he's ever come across. In turn that only left this...Lycha Arrancar.
Lycha however didn't act so recklessly, The Arrancar unsheathed his Zanpakutou while smirking. Ryouji however kept his composure. The confident smirk the Arrancar told Ryouji that he was stronger than the Arrancar Ryouji finished off quickly.
"Shinigami what say we really enjoy this battle. By the way you battle, I can tell you are easily a captain level shinigami. What say we release our Zanpakutous and fight at our full strength. Once I've finished with you, I'll banish you to a place of eternal darkness"
Ryouji lowered his head slightly before shaking his head slightly. It didn't matter either way, the end result would still be the same for the arrancar. It was kind of funny, not in a laughing matter, it was that the Arrancar was certain that he would do away with Ryouji so easily and banish him into this darkness.
"Banish me to a place of eternal darkness?"
Ryouji tossed his sheathed Zanpakutou into the air quickly. He brought up his right hand and ran his fingers through hair quickly causing it to spike. Shinkuoremasu had begun to fall from the air and when it neared Ryouji, he caught it. The arrancar however used the opportunity to beat Ryouji to the punch
"Submerge, Serpiente"
A orb of water surrounded Lycha as the transformation had begun. Ryouji watched and was intrigued. It wasn't very often he actually got to see a water based release be it zanpakuto or arrancar transformation. After a few moments. Lycha stood completely renewed. A serpent head, with snakes for arms and a snake lower body. The Serpent's mouth opened and Lycha's face appeared from within with a rather satisfied smirk.
"It is your turn, Shinigami"
Ryouji looked at his Zanpakuto and sighed. He really did not want to, but the Arrancar was so sure of himself, he figured that he would at least humor Lycha before getting boreed or aggrevated and putting this battle to a end rather quickly.
"Ban...kai!"
A wave of pitch black Reiatsu in devoured Ryouji whole. With the release of his Zanpakutou, also came the formation of his hollow mask. It combined with the strength of bankai would prove that he would be a formidable opponent for Lycha. The Serpent Head, closed, giving Lycha protection. Upon completing the final release of his Zanpakuto, Lycha noticed almost instantly that his reiatsu had completely changed..
"Your Reiatsu is exactly like a hollow, Are you a hollow!"
Ryouji sighed heavily before raising his head slightly, and his eyes shot open to reveal that his eyes had changed color. His eyes were completely black aside from the iris' which were a golden yellow color. Ryouji. Upon hearing Lycha's comment Ryouji chuckled a bit before taking a more serious tone. With his distorted voice he answered.
"Something like that..."
Lycha charged forward with the intent of ending this battle as soon as he possibly could. Ryouji remained stationary. Beneath his helmet he smirked..but he wondered if he should allow the Arrancar become confident by beating on him. Doing so would unleashe Shinkuoremasu's berserker mode and that could do more harm than good. He wasn't sure exactly how strong the brat was and if Shukumei would have trouble dealing with her. Lycha's serpent head had begon to open and once close enough Ryouji thrusted his arm into the mouth, Grabing Lycha by his face which was being protected. The serpent head clamped down on Ryouji's arm
Lycha began to laugh loudly upon having caught Ryouji in his clutches.
"You stupid Shinigami...when in my hollow form, I can inject whatever I bite with a venom. This battle is over for you. The venom will begin to liquify the inside of your body, and before you know it, your entire body will shut down causing a very slow and painful death. Have you any final requests?"
Ryouji could feel his body going numb as the venom began to spread throughout his body through his blood streem. His armor had been easily broken through by teeth of all things. It was a flaw in which he has never really overcome. If he exerts to much energy, his armor would weaken leaving him vunerable.
"Shukumei!!!"
Upon hearing her name, she whipped around not only seeling, but feeling that Ryouji was weakening. She hurried toward him. Before she could completely check on him, she founder self being told to stop. Using the reishi she skidded to a stop and waited.
"The level ninety hadou spell...use it on me and the arrancar"
Shukumei stared at Ryouji oddly. Wondering why, but if he said to much he could easily give away what he was truly after. She raised her hand with both her middle and ring finger pointing toward the air. Before she could even begin unleash the power of Kurohitsugi, the little teeny hollow came over to break up the party.. Ryouji Pushed Shukumei aside and grabbed the face of the one responsible for being what he is today.
"Do it!!"
Shukumei 's right hand crackled without wasting much time she did what her brother instructed.
"Hadou number ninety...Kurohitsugi"
A enormously box shaped form of spiritual energy enveloped the three of them. As quickly as it appeared, it soon vanished. Ryouji had begun to bleed through his armor before releasing both the tiny Arrancar and Lycha. The Serpent head released Ryouji's arm and the three of them fell down toward the ground.
Shukumei still couldn't figure out Ryouji instructed her to do such a dangerous thing. She attempted to catch Ryouji but as she got near him she stopped herself upon feeling a change in the ammount of spiritual pressure that was being released. It was so sudden, it even through her for a loop. Then she remembered...their fight in Hueco Mundo...
"Berserker..."
It was Shinkuoremasu's secondary ability. It would allow Ryouji to fight with out worry of pain and without fear. Ryouji stopped him self from falling and formed a platform of Reishi undernearth his feet. He knelt down on the platform and just sat there doing nothing. Even the Arrancar found themselves wondering exactly what he was up to after they themselves recovered from the rather powerful hadou technique.
Lycha figured that the poison had begun to weaken Ryouji and he laughed in confidence. In his mind he knew it was over. He walked over toward Ryouji slowly, his snake arms slithering ever so gracefully. As he neared Ryouji. Shukumei felt within her heart that the Arrancar was going to attack and she could not let it happen. With her Zanpakutou in hand, she flash stepped forward and closed the distance between her and Lycha upon appearing a second time she was thrown back from the release of a rather large amount of reiatsu. It felt like her head was being split in two without even being touched. Was this Shinkuoremasu's true power...Ryouji raised his head slowly and glared at Lycha, his iris' had changed from yellow due to his hollow transformation, to red. Ryouji stood up slowly and in a rather lanky matter. He was growling rather loudly it was as if he had completely snapped.
The serpent head which protected Lycha's face and most of his original body snapped shut quickly in response as a matter of protection. Even the ammount of spiritual pressure that flowed from Ryouji worried him.
"Wha...what in the hell is he"
Clinching his right hand tightly into a fist, Ryouji rammed his hand into the teeth of the serpent head, shattering some of the teeth protecting Lycha. Using his left hand Ryouji placed his hand on the bottom of the serpents mouth and began to pry it open with brute strength.
Shukumei watched as The beserker's raw power was used. There was no telling if Ryouji was truly in control or if he within his own mind while doing this. Lycha attempted to fight back by doing all he could to keep the serpent mouth protecting most of his upper body to close but it just wasn't happening. With a burst of strength. Lycha had begun to groan loudly from the pain of having the serpents jaw forcefully stretched open.
With a roar and a enormous release of reiatsu, Ryouji tore the serpents mouth back, breaking its Jaw.. The serpent released what seemed to be a shriek of pain after having its jaw forcefully torn open. There was nothing left protecting Lycha, his defense had been broken, leaving Ryouji to do whatever he saw fit to do with him. Ryouji slowly wobbled his way over toward Lycha., snarling and growling the entire way. Just as Ryouji neared him, Lycha extended his snake head covered arms forward. The left Snake head bit into Ryouji's neck while right snake hand bit into Ryouji's right shoulder.
"Die Shinigami..."
Regardless of how mystified Shukumei truly was, she could not stand back and watch her brother be bitten the way he was. It was as if she herself was being bitten. She quickly hurled herself toward Lycha and Ryouji. With with seemed to be either extreme prejudice or anger, Ryouji used his sword and sliced through Shukumei's shoulder. Blood squirted from her shoulder and stained her haori and the tape white tape that covered her upper body. She placed her hand over her shoulder and applied pressure to the wound before glaring at Ryouji.
Upon being bitten, Ryouji's body mass increased. She also remembered something else she noticed. Whenever he got angry..he got stronger. Perhaps this was his plan all along. Even so he didn't have to slice into her shoulder that way. It was a clean cut and precise. He didn't cut deep enough for it to render her arm useless, only enough for her to get the hint to stay back..
Shukumei glanced down at her body, noticing that she had to much tape to keep her movements restricted so she tour some from the bottom half of her torso, exposing her stomach and used it to wrap her shoulder and arm to keep herself from losing any more blood. She turned her head slightly and watched her brother standing there out of the corner of her eye. He's was definitely up to something. He was just as caculating as she was. It was then she watched him drop down to one knee. How much venom was this snake like arrancar pumping into his veins? Being cut again or not, she wasn't about to watch her brother die.
Before she could get involved however, the little brat as she has been branded since their fated meeting interfered and blocked Shukumei's path. The little brat pointed her index and middle finger at Shukumei and fired a enormous Cero at Shukumei. Using a Flash step she managed to dodge it but it also moved her further away from her brother who at this point was begining to slump over.
"I'm not letting you near him granny!! He's all mine hehehe!"
It was then the little brat began to windmill both of her arms one after another and began to fling small bullet-like forms of reiatsu at her, better known to hollow and Arancar a like as 'Bala'. As they came, Shukumei had no choice but to continue to dodge them. They were coming at her so fast she couldn't get in closer. The Arrancar played their game well. Keeping her at bay while focusing on Ryouji.
"Damn her, I can't get closer without timing it perfectly...its hard to time them properly when they are coming at me so fast"
Lycha watched as Ryouji stopped struggling. He had even dropped his Zanpakuto. Using the snake arms he lifted Ryouji into the air and brought him closer. He was motionless just like he would have hoped. His entire body was completely numb.
"Not even you can escape my venom Shinigami it seems your released Zanpakutou did you more harm than good. Nothing more than a brainless brute. "
Lycha had begun to laugh loudly at his victory. He was quite satisfied with the end result of the battle. His laughter and his feeling of comfort was short lived as Ryouji's hands shot up grabing both snake heads. He pulled them free from his armor. Lycha attempted to free himself from the grasp but he could not.
"But how..."
Ryouji produced a Shadow of himself which flash stepped and appeared next to Ryouji, he then produced a second and a third. The first Shadow moved himself behind Lycha and wrapped his arms around the arrancar. It was something of a reverse bear hug. The seocnd and third Shadows drew their blades respectively and each slashed through one of Lycha's arms. Ryouji dropped the snake heads as and watched as they disintegrated since they were no longer attatched to their hosts.
"You should be dead Shinigami. My venom kills anything I bite!! Why do you still exist!!!"
Ryouji folded his arms across his chest before floating over to Lycha who was still being held tightly by his shadow. The question was a rather simple one to answer. He was growing tired of Lycha's constant bragging and knew that the time had come to put an end to this battle.
"My armor is much like an arrancar's Hiero. It harden's significantly when Shinkuoremasu enters its berserker state. With all spiritual pressure I release, it toughens, While you managed to pierce the armor, it did not break through my skin. You gave yourself away to soon, your confidence told me everything I needed to know in order to formulate a proper defense and create an offense. I had my sister use the Hadou spell because I hate it and I knew it would make Shinkuoremasu angry thus sending us into this 'brainless brute' like state.
Ryouji pointed downward and the shadow that was originally holding Lycha flipped over and began to fall down toward the ground while continuing to hold on to him. The remaining Ryouji and the remaining two shadows used a flash step and appeared, surrounding Lycha on all sides, With the shadow holding him in back. The remaining two shadows on Lycha's left and right side and with the real Ryouji in the front All three of which had their arms crossed over their chest. The cape of the shadow holding Ryouji wrapped itself around Lycha further preventing him from escaping.. The very same shadow had begun to rotate while continuing to free fall and eventually it along with Lycha crashed into the ground headfirst, leaving the other three shadows to continue falling.. Eventually they stopped. The second shadow narrowed its syes. With its vision locked onto the fourth shadow and Lycha , it projected a vortex underneath both of them.
The mysterious thing about the vortexes Ryouji creates allows him to slice anything caught in between the vortex and his field of vision could be slashed with his sword regardless of how far away they were from him. The only catch was he actually had to see the enemy in order for it to work. Being that Lycha was unable to move, there was no possible way to avoid it. With blinding speed the Shadow unsheathed, slashed and sheathed sword several times over. The clanking of the sword re-entering the sheath grew louder each time He completed a slash until the shadow stopped slashing completely. The third Shadow flipped over the second and unsheathed its sword and released and enourmous black colored getsuga and sent it hurling toward the ground, where it crashed into the forth shadow and Lycha himself.
Ryouji himself dispersed the shadows leaving only himself and a heavily wounded Lycha. Ryouji unfolded his arms from across his chest while continuing to watch Lycha as he remained in small crater. Ryouji raised his right hand slowly while shifting his focus to the hand he raised..
"You wanted to banish me to the darkness? I...am darkness"
Ryouji extended his index and middle finger before pointing down to where Lycha continued to lay. Without word no warning, Ryouji unleashed a black colored Cero which hurled into the ground causing an explosion of sorts. Now there was only one problem remaining the little brat. With a quick flash step, Ryouji appeared behind the little arrancar and noticed that she was firing bala to keep Shukumei back. Was she so wrapped up in her little world that she didn't notice him. Or was she really having fun? It didn't matter, he had to stop her.
Ryouji balled his right hand into a fist and raised it as high as he could before thrusting the bottom part of his hand into the top of the little arrancar's head forcing her to fall downward, from the impact. Before she got to far, the little Arrancar performed Sonido and appeared in between both Shukumei and Ryouji.
"That hurted you meanie!"
The little arrancar began to sniffle as she placed her hands on top of her head to attempt to ease the throbbing she was getting. from being hit on her head but it wasn't working. eventually she started crying.. The whining grew louder. Eventually the screams got so bad that they were begining to affect Ryouji himself. He covered his ears. The sounds felt like his brain was being pierced into. The platform Shukumei created once the dodging stopped thanks to Ryouji's interference had shattered causing her to fall.
Ryouji on the other hand was forced to revert back into his normal state even though his hollow mask had not yet been shattered..Eventually the Arrancar ceased her screaming allowing Shukumei to create another reishi platform to stand on. Ryouji's mask at that point had begun to crack away before dissolving completely. Upon seeing Ryouji's face, the arrancar was had gotten excited and used sonido to close the gap between herself and Ryouji. Once reappearing she stopped and looked at him Ryouji lowered his hands and opened his eyes only to notice that she was right there. It was then that the Arrancar 'face hugged' Ryouji.
He gasped and attempted to do everything within his power to free himself but it just wasn't going to happen. The arrancar squeeled happily as she hugged onto Ryouji's head and face. She continued to squeeze and hug him in her own glee even though she was practically strangling him.
"I am never ever going to let you go muahahahahaha!!!!"
Shukumei watched in disgust, thats no way for a woman to behave. She was so child like to the point that it was embarasing for Shukumei to watch. What could she really do? She couldn't attack without possibly harming her brother, and she couldn't get close without getting screamed at.
"She's so wrapped up in Ryouji, perhaps she won't notice me after all, I have to be careful, I don't want to hurt Ryouji now that he's reverted from his final release."
Shukumei extends her left arm out in front of her slowly, She clinches her hand tightly into a fist before revealing her palm with all of her fingers pointing upward toward the sky. She then placed her right hand on her left forearm
"Hadou thirty-one...Shakkaho"
A ball of red colored energy was fired from Shukumei's left hand and was sent hurling into the back of the little arrancar who immediately released Ryouji from her face hug of doom. Upon being able to breathe, again Ryouji took a deep breath before dropping down to one knee. He was out of breath. He nearly blacked out and for some reason he saw fit to take it out on Shukumei.
"What the hell took you so long! Do you have any idea how disturbing it is being face hugged by a little arrancar brat thing!!! I could have died wrapped up in all of that!"
Shukumei sighed in relief, at least she didn't hit him, but with how he was complaining she almost wished she had. The little arrancar turned her attention to Shukumei and pointed. Now she was truly angry and was about to pay Shukumei back for ruining her moment.
"That's it, I'm tired of you inteference Granny...No more ruining our love!!!"
Ryouji's expression changed from one of a grimmace and disgust to one of sheer shock and disbelief. He couldn't believe such a small thing would say something like that, there was no way that would ever happen, not on his watch, beside he was already spoken for.
"What love!?! I don't even LIKE you. What would my wife say if she heard that. Lets wrap this up, I need to go home and boil my face in water."
Shukumei lowered both of her arms before reaching back and grabbing Tatsumaki by the hilt. The spirit fabric that kept it bound to her lower back unwraveled itself from around her stomach and from around the blade and fluttered in the wind. The Arrancar giggled. She new that it was playtime and she was going to enjoy it fervorently.
"Its time for you to go to sleep granny. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Marciela Juarez. Before I kill you granny, why don't you tell me your name"
Shukumei held her Zanpakutou in the inverse position before straightening out her stance. It amazed her how quickly Marciela changed her tone it was far more serious. She could very well be much stronger than she's letting on, in which case she needed to finish this quickly before it got out of hand.
"Shukumei Onigata, Captain of Squad Five"
Marciela giggled before gripping her wand like Zanpakutou. She spun it around like a baton before pointing it at Shukumei. Finally she was going to be able to use her Resureccion without worry of anyone else getting in the way. Truth be told she honestly did not like this Shinigami which was probably why all of those years ago she attempted to devour her soul before Ryouji got in the way.
"Echo...El Clamar"
A burst of Reiryoku thickened in within the immediate area. Shukumei narrowed her eyes by how strong it really was, who would have guessed such a small arrancar would have so much spiritual pressure. It was rather suprising.
When the transformation had ended, she stood there in what looked to be a ballerina's costume. the remnants of her hollow mask had grown larger on the top of her head, resembling something simliar to a hair bow.
Shukumei didn't know if she should be worried or not. She's always learned to never under estimate her opponent, by the feel of the reiryoku she knew that she was a lot stronger than she originally thought. Perhaps it was best to use her final release so Marciela will know she too was taking this battle seriously. Without the limiter in place, and the spirit chains which held a great deal of her strength back gone, she could now truly fight in full form without worry. Shukumei smirked slightly before tossing her Zanpakuto straight into the air. Before it escaped her sight completely, she grabbed the spiri fabric that was attatched to the hilt and served as its new grip and started to swing it in a large circle over her head.
"Bankai"
Just as Marciela did before, Shukumei herself had begun to transform, being swallowed up by a tornado of reiryoku. It was thick, and very heavy and before it was all said and done, Shukumei stood in her Zanpakutou's final form. a white Qipao with four harisen dancing around her.
"Takedakeshii Amatsu Tatsumaki" (Ferocious Heavenly Tornado)
Shukumei extended her right finger and pointed at Marciela. As her arm fully extended huge gust of wind followed pushing Marciela backward. Unfortunately Ryouji was still standing behind her and was immediately thrown back as Marciela crashed into him. Upon lowering her finger. The first Harisen that stopped and opened up revealing a unique symbol. It positioned itself above Shukumei's head, while the remaining three continued to float and dance around her. Marciela recovered after being thrown into Ryouji she turned toward Ryouji and attemped to hug him again but he pushed her off and jumped backwards before she had the chance.
He watched as his sister did her thing and honestly he wondered, if the chains that bound her so long ago really made that much of a difference in how much strength she wielded. She really did remind him of Aizen in every possible way including in the strength they both posessed. They even had the same smirk.
Marciela used Sonido and appeared directly in front of Shukumei which caused Shukumei to narrow her eyes, she new exactly what she was attempting to do especially since she's already seen it before. She was going to scream and attempt to disburst the reishi she needed in order to maintain bankai.
"Danku"
Shukumei waved her hand and as the Marciela screamed, a large mirror lilke barrier appeared in between the two of them. As she continued to scream the barrier had begun to crack and when it finally collapsed, a second harisen opened up revealing yet another unique symbol. Marciela takes the opportunity to use her ability and touches Shukumei, transporting herself and the shinigami to a dark place. Shukumei glanced around and saw absolutely nothing, she could say nothing, smell nothing. The only thing she could do was hear.
"This is El Clamar's special ability, if I touch someone while in this state and can transport them here. You can see nothing and smell nothing. You can still hear quite well and you can feel everything around you, but even thats not enough to save you. You're going to die here granny. This place amplifies sound. If I scream at the right angle, I could kill you instantly, but I'm going to enjoy watching you crawl on the floor in agony."
Shukumei knew that what Marciela said was true. The right pitch at the right angle could kill her instantly and she had no defense for it what so ever.but she did have a trump card up her sleeve. One that Marciela completely ignored or just forgot about completely. That trump card was Ryouji, regardless of how far the two were apart from one another, they could always feel each other out. She had to get out of this quick or this would end badly for her, that was for certain.
Marciela giggled and with the echoing and sound amplifcation of the place she was in it sounded a lot more like nails on a chalk board. She covered her ears as best she could but it was over shortly after. Marciela screamed and the sound pierced Shukumei's hands, on the inside of her head it felt like her brain was going to implode. It brought her down to her knees instantly and struggled to keep her composure. Meanwhile on back in Karakura Town, Ryouji was just standing there on the reishi platform he created. Shukumei was nowhere insight but he could still feel that she was there.
"Who would have guessed that the little pervert Arrancar posessed such an ability. Even still, she made me what I am and I'm not going to let Shukumei have all the fun"
Reaching on the inside of his Haori, Ryouji pulled out what seemed to be a stamina pill. Used by Shinigami of the forth division to help other shinigami recover. He glanced at it and saw Retsu's face before sighing. He did not like how things ended up between them, but he still owed her a debt since it was she who rescued both him and Shukumei. Ryouji popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it and was instantly revitalized. His reiryoku was restored to its normal state which would help Shukumei find where he was.
Back on the inside of El Clamar's special dimension, Shukumei was being kicked and tossed around by Marciela. She still had her sense of touch which was really the ability to feel but she could not figure out away to use that to her advantage. Then it hit her. The wind she could produce could tell her where Marciela was coming from and if she was close. She could not make it to obvious, so being careful was her best option for survival at this point. with the two remaining harisen roatating around her, she forced them to rotate a bit faster, creating something close to a gentle breeze the only thing she could do was wait.
Marciela saw it all, watching as the harisen moved about much faster than they were at first made her wonder what exactly the shinigami was really up to. It didn't matter, Marciela knew that Shukumei was going to die in this dark dimension and that was all that mattered. Marciela went to slap Shukumei's face, but from the movement Marciela made, the direction of the wind that was being created by the harisen had changed. By that small change, Shukumei could figure out where Marciela was coming from and struck first with a well placed elbow to the head. It was that instant, where the elbow made contact that Shukumei gained her sense of smell, but lost the sense of feeling. This was becoming more and more confusing. She could no longer feel the wind she was producing, but she could smell pefectly. Was this another ability that El Clamar posesed?
With each strike she made she would regain one sense and lose another. This puts an entirely different perspective on what Marciela was truly capable of. Hollows and Arrancar had a unique scent to them, so it wouldn't be hard to figure out when she was near, she just had to time things just right and if she kept connecting blows with the arrancar, she could possibly regain her sense of sight back and really put things into perspective. It was also true that she could completely rely on her bankai state to help her. Whenever she lands four attacks, the four harisen will open up which would allow her to use trap her opponents in a prison of razor sharp wind which there is no escape. With the elbow, that made three attacks landed thus far. The third harisen fan opened up revealing the third unique symbol.
The only problem she had was knowing exactly where the arrancar would be at the right time with how the dimension is set up sounds bounce all over the room to overwhelm those trapped here, so she could not use her hearing to help her out.
"You think you're pretty smart don't you granny...each individual I've brought here has died and you are going to join them, then nothing will stand in my way of being with him. muahahahahaha!!!!!"
Shukumei stood up and stumbled around in complete darkness, she needed to make a plan up quickly in order to escape this hell hole or get the forth fan to open up so Tatsumaki's wind would trap Marciela and free her. What could she possibly do, she wouldn't know if she was fatally wounded or not, not without her sense of touch or feeling. Such a terrible predicament and for once she had no idea what she was going to do.
Marciela stomped on the ground with all of her might and the sound rang in her ear causing her to scream, but without a voice no sound was emmited.. If the sound was horrifying for Shukumei, then if she was able to emit any kind of sound. Then again would it actually affect the little brat. She felt so alone. It was like when Ryouji faked his own death to ensure their safety from the Hueco Mundo...she didn't like it.
"Aww are you giving up already granny? You're no fun at all! You're no better than you were back then. A scared wondering soul and now I'm going to do what I should have done back then. I'm going to devour you. Imma nice girl and I want you to see it coming. I want to see your feer and I want you to feel my sword piercing your flesh. and I want to hear you scream hehehe"
Using the rather mysterious power, Marciela brought herself and Shukumei back from the dark hollowed dimension. Shukumei dropped down onto her knees. The light from the sun was much to bright and she found it hard to adjust. Marciela giggled before turning around.
"Now where is that cutie...CUUUUTIE!!!"
In a blindingly fast flash step Ryouji appeared in front of Marciela and with one slash of his Zanpakutou he opened a deep wound across her stomach before flash stepping and appearing behind her. He walked along reishi platforms until he stood in front of his sister. He sheathed Shinkuoremasu before lowering his hand, offering it to her to help her stand. It wasn't to long before her eyes were able to adjust and she took his hand to stand.
"Little brat is a lot stronger that we both originally assumed. I thought I had this wrapped up but apparently I couldn't cut her down after all."
Shukumei huffed, what Ryouji said was almost believable aside from the obvious sarcasm he seemed to use a lot when he wasn't being serious. Of course the current predicament brought an idea to mind. Something that they'ee tried on several different occassions but never really pulled it off properly.
Marciela screamed in frustration and disbelief. She could not believe he would actually wound her, what about their eternal love. What about them spending eternity together? Were her hopes and dreams really collapsing. All the year she's planned and waited...only to have him to commit such a travesty was heartbreaking for her. A single tear rolled down her left cheek as she turned to face the twins.
"I...could have given you everything. We were going to rule the Hueco Mundo...you and I. We were meant for each other....and you do this to me. Now...I am really hearbroken."
Ryouji turned his head back slightly and glared at Marciela out of the corner of his eye. The seriousness in his demeanor had returned now that he no longer needed to lie about not killing her on purpose. There was nothing that she had that interested him...that was for certain.
"You could give me nothing. Everythiing I could ever want is right here in this city. I will defend it from any hollow and arrancar threat that includes little dillusional weaklings like yourself and your flunkies. You made me what I am...no you made us what we are and we will thank you by purifying you and sending you back to where you belong."
(To be continued in next post)
