The measure of a man
“Hold up wouldja.” Kaien's feet landed on the sturdy branch, the Shinpou had already winded him and his thigh ached from the exertion. Rubbing the aching now red mark to work the feeling out he tried to catch his breath.
Miyako landed softly, her keen balance allowing her to stand perched on the same branch, watching her Fuku-Taichou carefully “We can turn back after all aren't you on Light duty at the moment?” He crossed her arms his brow knitting in concern.
Taking a long slow deep breath Kaien stood “Hey, good to get out and move around you know. Otherwise you get all sorts of stiff and useless, Defendantly not the Shiba way!” He grinned
“No.... no it certainty isn't. I don't think we have too far. I would suspect that we should slip in deeper to the forest, perhaps stick to the trees for the shadows it provides.”
“There's a little moon out tonight, it'll be enough. If we cant see them, more then likely they wont see us. Tuck in your ties, less white we show the better.” Kaien nodded agreeing with Miyako's assessment
Kaien shivered a little, it wasn't the crisp air or the darkness, but an odd itch in the back of his spine that wiggled its way up. The trees were just dark looming forms casking speckled blotches of black agisnt the moon's silver puddles of light upon both forest floor and spot on the trees lucky enough to see the light. Leading the way he kept to the higher parts of the trees crouching and carefully picking his way. IT felt like a game from his childhood, playing or in someways, training with the young Yorichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara. Those two trouble makers along with Kukaku made playtime more of a difficult challenge then any of the academy's tests.
Miyako was silent enough to slip up behind Kaien and keep her profile low, only a soft vibration of the branch alerted the Senior officer to her presence. The air seamed to become thick and heavy despite it's cool temperatures the further int hey went. From branch to branch, deeper still into what always looked the same, shadows only shifting lightly, speckles disappearing and shadows shifting as the soft wind blew through.
A Hand on the back of his ties kept Kaien from falling as the world seamed to tilt onto it's side. Miyako pulled Kaien closer to her almost pressing him down against the branch, leaning over him whispering “You do not look well, even in this light you're complexion is pale as death, lets head back.”
Kaien shook his head, the light of the moon falling across part of his face the sweat dripping lightly across his brow “No, we haven't found anything....yet”
Miyako reached forward and pulled at something settled across the side of Kaien's face interrupting him briefly. It appeared as nothing but as the light caught it just right a very small delicate thread sparkled in the moon light. Her face grew serious as she looked around cautiously listening and observing their surroundings. Pressing herself against Kaien's back she whispered softly in his ear “There's no sound Kaien, no animals and no insects. What does this mean?” As she moved to brush more silvery webs from Kaien's shoulder she paused drawing her arm up into the light to reveal the same silvery threads. “is it just me or the further we go the more, triad we feel.”
“Dont play with me Miyako....”Kaien's sharp eyes looked back at her anger masking uncertainty “But you're right, I almost wonder...” Kaien brushed a few of the webs off his arm, the silvery tendrils seaming to disappear in the shadows. He closed his hands about the webs and closed his eyes concentrating. Kaien jerked going over the edge of the tree branch.
“Kaien!” Miyako grabbed for her Fuku-TAichou barely missing the edge of his sleeve.
With a bit of a crack kaien gripped for the tree branches as he fell past. One finally gripped firmly in his hands. It bowed under his weight and with an echoing snap, threw him the short distance to the ground. Landing with a crouch, his hand on the blue laced hilt of Nejibana he cautiously looked about the monochromatic scenery. “Stop.....do not touch the ground.”
Miyako, who'd been quickly following her Fuku-Taichou's fall gave an agile little twist and lithfully landed on the lowest branch, the soft swish of the pine needles echoed hollowly against the forest's silence. She looked down, seeing it now in a different light, the almost faint pulse of the little silver web like threads that fell across her Fuku-Taichou's figure and wove themselves over the ground and even upon the branch she perched in. “Kaien, we need to get back, NOW.” If anything were to happen...
“Yeh... Go, strait back without stopping Go! Keep to the trees!” Kaien made sure to folow behind Miyako casting a cautious glance behind him feeling that same shiver of cold water down crawl up his spine.
Blindly she ran, it would have been faster, easier to touch the ground but even as she lept from branch to branch the light now gave away the strange webbing cast like Christmas garland over both ground and trees. With a quick gesture she swept some of the silver thread from her shoulder dodging under a tree branch. Into the darkness she fled listing for Kaien's steadily slowing steps as he staggered to keep up with her. In the blue casted pools of light and the dark forms of trees the slow red beady eyes appeared flickering with a large paled grin. With a sharp intake of breath Miyako tried to slow uncertain if the eyes were approaching or waiting. The child like laugh echoed in the silent forest.
The wind from the strike tossed her hair, the fine little droplets of water dripped cooly upon her cheek as she watched the tassels of Nejibana settle in the idle blue light. The ground shook as the large bony arm slowly pulled itself from the wet ground. Kaien crouched, heavily panting form gripping Nejibana which was arched behind his back ready for another strike. “Not- not so Soon. Kaien- dono, you shouldn't bring your shikai out so soon! You're still recovering!”
“Psh I'm standing aren't I? That's recovered for the Shiba!” He looked over his shoulder with a smirk “Remember? Stiff and rusty.”
The sound of children laughing echoed from the location of the glowing beady eyes. It curled back as Kaien swung Nejibana's water filled attack forwards once more. As the water receded the large gangily arm pushed the cleanly cut tree trunk to one side. The new found light illuminating it large monstrous bulk. It's skull shaped mask housed two deep set eyes, floating multiple red glowing irises in each eye. A large grin surrounded by spidery like fingers curled as if gesturing to come near. Pale arms grew from the position right behind the neck before the large bulky abdomen. A red mark across the for head and abdomen shimmered like polished rubies.
“How delightful how delightful! You're still standing after having so many of my webs over you! You'll be a delicious prey indeed!” The children's voices giggled from the massive Hollow as it slowly curled forward the spider like legs made form human arms easily finding a way to slip back up partly into the shadows.
Miyako covered her mouth momentarily,brows knitted in disgust. “I suspected as much. Kaien-dono, we need to withdrawal.”
“For once I'll agree. Don't think this will be easy.” Kaien scowled crouching to conserve energy.
“No escape no escape! Our webs are everywhere.... we will always find you, will always be draining your life away, one web one web at a time!” The Hollow giggled with absolute glee.
“Guess that means I'll just have to stay to babysit a little. I have two younger siblings after all, this will be a piece of cake.” Kaien snorted watching as the hollow scuttled back and forth from the shadows back to the light as if trying to figure out which direction to attack from.
“My ass.” Miyako received a blink from Kaien as she pulled her Zanpakutou “Awaken the clouds, Illuminate Tian- Mu!” The light flickered across her Zanpakutou morphing it into what appeared to be a Chinese Jain with the blade split and separated down the center. The hilt curled like two clouds as a hand Gard, a yellow gold charm dangled from the end of the Shikai seaming to flicker with its own light. The edges of the blades flickered like two long mirrors.
“I don't think that's the best idea Miyako-san...” Kaien swallowed looking down to his feet standing against the water soaked ground.
“Oh? Really I think its rather brilliant Fuku-Taichou. Let the little spider bring it.” She remained where she was in the tree keeping herself close to Kaien and posed offensively.
“Hurray hurray! Two! Two Shinigami want to play!” the laughter and tiny voices sounded gleeful as it scuttled its large form between the trees slipping in and out of the shadows nonsensically.
Kaien sent attack after attack as Miyako continued to perch like a little bird waiting watching. The ground slowly soaking, the mud at Kaien's feet sloshed as the man shifted trying as if to reposition himself as if it would assist with his attack which slowly were becoming weaker less water flowing from Nejibana. “Miyako-san.... don't wish to rush you...BUT WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING ALREADY?!”
The hollow giggled turned and came in for an attack. Miyako placed a foot upon Kaien's shoulders “Hold on tightly to Nejibana! Tian-Mu Flash!” with a flick of her wrist lighting dance up the pronged weapon like a Jacobs ladder arching out and bitting with sparks and hisses across the water soaked ground. The light crawled its way up the eight spindled arms of the hollow forcing the children's voices to scream out and the hollow to come to a crashing halt upon the ground.
“Itayiya!” Kaien switched Nejibana to the other hand shaking off the tingles after the lightning crawled up his legs and shocked against the metal weapon. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the charm attached to a chain buried into the ground. Miyako smirked at Kaien's nonsensical exclamation of discomfort. “Nasty trick! I approve.”
“Best to keep yourself Grounded against me Kaien-Dono” She winked.
Shaking his head Kaien shook Nejibana off, the pole arm shimmering down to it's original Zanpakutou form. A curled finger rested against the hilt to help Guide Nejibana in but as he attempted to slide the weapon in his arm yanked back by the wrist shaking Nejibana from his grasp.“Wha...”
Kaien's gaze cut over to the Spider like Hollow as it slowly raised with little snickers and giggles echoing from behind its hollowed mask. “They fell for it! they fell for it!” The form slowly stood up the faceted eyes blinking into view as it slowly crawled forward a hand appearing to grab at nothing instantly pulling Kaien off his feet and dangling him in the air by his wrist.
Miyako stepped down blade poised flashing in a warning standing to protect her Fuku-Taichou. The hollow scuttled backwards over the wet ground continuing to giggle “Shinigami are so much fun! Yessss fun! They both fell for it!” Miyako flicked her wrist sending another arch of lighting across the way, watching as the lighting struck her target but The Hollow barely flinched.
Miyako wavered looking from the hollow back up to her struggling Fuku-Taichou, Kaien wasn't about to take it hanging around, but she cautioned against taking her eyes off the hollow. “Chikuso... Hang in there Fuku-Taichou.”
“Gauh another one of those and I'll have to hit you myself.!” Kaien had twisted and contorted himself to wrap one leg about the bounded arm trying to reach into his Kimono tops.
“Tian-Mu's power.... I... I hit it with all that I had... I'm not...?” Miyako staggered mentally stepping back near Kaien, a dazed look on her face.
“Hey.” Kaien kicked the air a bit and dangled upside down still in the awkward position grumpily scowling at Miyako. “That's not it. You know it. This thing seams to be rather adaptive, smart.... it's rather powerful itself. So don't go bitching and moaning about how piss off your powers are, cause that's nothing but shit. K?” Miyako blinked a few times at Kaien watching him suddenly smile “Ano.... think you could do me a favor? I have a small pouch that's belted to me, it's inside my shirt but slipped just past the reach of my left arm, grab that for me?”
She sheathed Tian-Mu pausing as she put a hand on his robes. With a sharp intake of breath she shoved her hand into her Fuku-Taichou's Kimono and felt around. She swallowed hard, a strawberry red color flickering across her cheeks. “What do you have in mind?”
“There are fireworks in there, All children are startled by loud sounds and sudden flashes of light, that or completely fascinated by it. If we light the fireworks it'll give us enough time to cut lose and escape.” Kaien smirked.
Miyako pulled the belt and pouch out from Kaien's shirt frowning. “I don't think that Fireworks are going to Aiiieeee!” Miyako's feet were yanked beneath her. With loops of silvery web wrapped about her ankle she was dragged backwards towards the giggling Hollow.
“Miyako the Fireworks! Shikaho!” Kaien posed his hand out sending a shot of red fire, the attack skimmed off the Hollow's mask only leaving a partial black scorch, it did pause the many irises floating around to pause looking at Kaien as the man hung still awkwardly posed looking red faced and ill. “Wait your turn wait your turn! Will eat you soon enough!”
The distraction well placed as Miyako pulled four little round bombs flickering at the light stick. The wicks lit up in an amber glow hissing steadily.
“Dont throw them yet....wait for it...”
“Kaien.....”
“Waiiiiit...”
“KAIEN SHIBA!”
“Ok now!”
Miyako throws the little balls at the on charging Hollow. Immediately the fireworks exploded into brilliant colors of light with loud whistles and pops. The Hollow recoiled with a scream hand going to to protect itself from the flashing lights and color dropping Miyako to retreat into the deeper shadows. “Scary scary loud too loud loud, scary” it whispered to the darkness like a child would to it's mother.
Miyako Quickly pulled Tian-Mu cutting at her bounds making it to her feet before the hollow pounced one large hand upon Miyako's back pinning her to the ground. Its voice lowered in ton hissing angerly “naughty naughty Shinigami, master said to eat all shinigami.... master said to eat!” from the mask it spat a woven net about Miyako, the finger like extremities by the mouth started to roll her lacing her in the webbing as fast as it could.
Kaien tugged his hand out as he called forth “Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!!Raikōhō ” the Yellow lightning flashed Striking the Hollow with barely enough force to knock it back a few steps. He uncurled and hung by his wrist panting feeling his head spin. Kaien found himself being gripped by one of the massive hands slamming into the three's trunk with enough force to send the bark scattering everywhere. Kaien choked the air knocked from his lungs. The looming head of the hollow staring as the irises floated independently about the eye swimming to get a better look at the nuisance.
“Dessert dessert will she be. You are dinner.” its massive mask opened wide.
A familiar voice called out, smooth orders given with a kind but authoritative voice. Kaien felt himself involuntarily trembling a little as if in the presence of some powerful Riatsu. A Flash of light and he was released falling into familiar arms.
“I've got you Fuku-Taichou!...” Sentaro's goatee face peered closely at Kaien. Receiving a small lopsided smirk from his Fuku-Taichou 'late...' what was Kaien was able to choke out. “He's not doing well Sir!”
Kaien's world lowered, felt Sentaro's hands on his shoulders. As he looked up he watched as the light from Sogyo no Kotowari cast a powerful blue light upon the forest. Kaien tried to look past the large shoulder, struggling to at least sit up and watch Taichou in action, but he had neither the strength to do so with Sentaro keeping him down. “Just Rest Sir, Taichou's got it.”
“You will not take a step further I'm afraid. ------ Who is your master?” Kaien caught only Ukitake Taichou's voice as he struggled to keep contentiousness. “Forgive me, but I have no time for Children's games..... Bankai!”