[Log] 02 - Mission Interrupted
Date: 10-20-07
Characters: Aizen, Gin, Izuru, Kensei, Momo, Renji, Shuuhei, Ulquiorra, Yoruichi
Summary: A routine Hollow hunt goes very wrong.
-=[City Park - Karakura]=-------------------------------------------------------
The City Park is an area outside of the school grounds where kids can go to play rough; it even contains a baseball diamond.
A few trees litter the wide expanses of green grass and provide shade from hot days and perfect places for picnics. There are pieces of equipment for children younger than twelve to play on stationed away from the baseball diamond along with benches. There is a dirt pathway leading through the park into a more secluded area slightly more dense with trees. It eventually brings the walker to a small pond and a few more shaded benches.
Thank -you- for joining us, Abarai-san," Shuuhei replies. He turns towards all of them now, offering nods of greeting to both Momo and Izuru. Back in the Soul Society, when amongst friends, Hisagi does tend to loosen up a bit. However, out here in the field and while in a mission, he's all business. "Here's what we know so far," Shuuhei begins with the report. "Three Hollows have been sighted in this area, however previous attempts to confront them have been unsuccessful. Two of them should be no trouble, the third one... It seems able to exert some control over the temperature in the area around it." There's a brief pause.
"I'm not entirely sure I trust the reports on the other two. There's the question of why they are going around together, but I think it's more likely that we just don't have enough intel." Another pause and he arches an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Any questions so far?"
The light breeze that has been caressing the area seems to pick up a bit.
A brief smile is offered to Izuru and Renji in turn as they arrive, but after that, Momo pays strict attention to Shuuhei as he begins to speak. She tries not to think about how long it's been since she's done this. She tries not to think about anything but Hisagi's report. At his question, she merely shakes her head once; not needing any further elaboration.
The brave facade Izuru had been maintaining crumbles for a moment as Renji arrives. But he gives no response other than a slightly whiney scolding. "Abarai-kun..." However, there is no time for scoldings.
Izuru's serious expression returns and grows even more stern as the report is given. His hand closes around his hilt, clenching it tightly but not drawing the blade yet, the only sign that he is feeling just as nervous as Hinamori. He only offers a firm shake of his head, having no questions, either.
A brief roll of his eyes and frown are given to Kira as he starts his whining. Hands move into the pockets of his hakama as he listens to Shuuhei's report quietly. "Nope, looks like we all got it." Renji speaks for the other two as he acknowledges their head movements.
"We'll split into two teams for the recon. If you find the targets you are to contact the other team and lure them to this location. Kira-san, you're with me. Hinamori-san, you're with Abarai-san." He waits for an additional moment to see if there's any more clarification needed. That done, he nods at Izuru and starts heading to the west.
The breeze around the area remains, for the most, constant. To the east nearby some trees, something seems to move... and of course, being in the opposite direction Shuuhei is leading Izuru to, the Vice-Captain of the 9th Division completely misses it. However, it's unclear what exactly was moving around those trees.
As he leads Izuru away, Hisagi remains serious. It's obviously that he's completely focused on what's going.
As Shuuhei dispenses the final orders, Hinamori replies with the usual brisk, "Yes, sir!" She waits for a moment, watching him walk off with Izuru, before turning to Renji and giving him a little smile. "Well, looks like we're going this way, Abarai-kun." She turns her head in that easternly direction opposite Hisagi's path and just catches the hint of movement. "So soon..." she comments, placing her palm on Tobiume's hilt, but only for comfort. In her mind, she's already running through kidou incantations.
There is a momentary flash of surprise that breaks Izuru's far too stern expression, followed by the beginnings of a tiny smile. "Hai, Hisagi-san." He is more than happy to be paired with Shuuhei rather than Renji, who could be quite a chore to work with more often than not, especially for Izuru. So in his eagerness to catch up to Hisagi, Izuru also fails to notice the strange movement near the trees, falling into step beside his former sempai. He takes a moment to mumble under his breath, "Thank you." He would have been miserable with Renji!
Renji spares a glance toward Hinamori when Hisagi assigns the teams. A brief nod offered while speaking, "Good huntin', Hisagi-san, Kira." A smirk shown on his expression as he wishes them luck, watching them move off. Turning back to Hinamori, he finds her already on the move. "Right!" Renji manages to reply while swiftly turning on his heel and headed after her.
Eyes send a wandering glance across the surroundings, finding that brief movement but losing it just as quickly. "Tch, they all are always in such a rush to get their defeat spoon-fed to'em." The comment slips after hearing Hinamori speak at the acknowledgement of the movement. Hands never reach for his hilt, not yet. Putting your hand on your zanpakutou so soon may be a careful decision but it also shows that you might be a little on edge.
There's movement again as something crosses Renji and Momo's field of vision all the way over by those trees. Whatever it was, it was fast, though and seems unwilling to stay put for too long. It would require someone to get closer in order to get a better sense of what's going on.
Meanwhile at Hisagi's side of things, the Vice-Captain of the Gotei 9 just offers a small nod in reply to Kira. He continues moving for a few more paces and then comes to a stop, gesturing for Kira to follow suit. For just a moment, the air seemed to... swirl not more than ten feet in front of them. Shuuhei squints, trying to figure out what that was all about.
The breeze picks up some, and it carries the cold in it.
Hinamori's eyes widen as they pick up another blur beyond the trees. Taking her hand off her zanpakutou, she points needlessly. "There!" Just in case he'd missed it. "Let's go! Abarai-kun!" Without waiting for his reply, she advances toward the treeline at a swift yet cautious pace. If it doesn't want to come out, she'll just give it a reason to. Already the adrenaline has begun to wash away her anxiety, making her remember her training and hard work.
The cool breeze brings out a slight shiver in Izuru. Though he tends to think of himself as the somewhat paranoid type, somehow he does not think this ill feeling is his imagination. His hand has closes firmly around Wabisuke's hilt and though he does not yet draw the blade, he is prepared to at even the slightest provocation.
Despite any claims of confidence, Izuru has already inched a bit closer to Hisagi-san, eyes wide as they dart from place to place in the dark. "Hisagi-san... what was...?" He fails to complete his thought, though, not wanting to seem as if he were somehow unstable. He had promised himself that he would follow Hisagi-san's lead no matter what and not give his friend even the slightest chance of assuming the worst from him.
"Eh?!" Is the only response Renji could muster before Hinamori was already headed for what she spotted. "Damn it." He mumbles as he chases after her. His pace slows only slightly when he catches up with her, staying right by her side and ever cautious.
"You can't just go runnin' off like that... How do you know it isn't allowing you to see it 'cuz it's luring us into a trap, huh?" If she keeps running off, she might get them both stuck in an unwanted situation. But if he wasn't as high on his toes as her, he might slow her down.
Then... finally... the creature hiding in the trees comes out!
And it's a puppy.
Yes... a puppy.
It very non-threateningly looks at Momo, his tongue hanging out as he seems to be pleading for her to pick him up.
It's then that the breeze stops being a breeze and becomes a wind. The wind becomes a gust, and it suddenly lashes out at Renji. This feels like no wind, though, as it hits the Shinigami hard. Slowly a figure materializes. It's body seems twisted into the shape of a tornado and of course, it wears the telltale mask of a Hollow. "Pretty breezey... eh, Shinigami?" The last word said with complete disdain.
Meanwhile at Let me Touch those Arms of our Lives...
Hisagi shares Kira's misgivings. Suddenly, the air swirls again, this time just slightly behind Izuru. Suddenly, Shuuhei becomes a flurry of movement. "Watch out! Kira!" He cries out and attempts to flash step to intercept... except, the ground over Hisagi suddenly explodes and sends the Vice-Captain flying back. He usually would be dextrous enough to recuperate from such an attack, except the earth and dirt pushing him back to the ground shifts and adjusts to Hisagi's movements. Finally, Shuuhei is slammed against the ground.
While the party of Shinigami are so completely involved with their targets, a fourth hollow has crept slowly onto the scene. Unlike it's much more windy counterparts, this hollow moves at a crawl, pressed nearly flat to the ground. With all the commotion caused by the tornado, it is able to creep nearly on top of its target without notice. However, once it draws near, the small creature strikes out quickly at Hinamori, clawed hands slicing through the wind towards her. Despite the success or failure of its strike, having gotten the girl's attention, the creature ducks low to the ground once more and scurries off at a remarkable pace, away from the park and towards Karakura Town.
"Abarai-kun... would you rather stand back there and stare at it all night?" Momo shoots back, a little hurt by her friend's seeming lack of confidence in her instincts. "Even if it is a trap, you should be happy that I have such high faith in our combined abilities." Her scolding, however, is cut short as the source of the movement presents itself. "...oh. It's...cute! See, it wasn't a trap after a-!"
What a fiend, using an adorable puppy to take someone off their guard like that! "Abarai-kun!" Immediately, Hinamori turns an angry frown onto the hollow. Granted, as soon as it attacked Renji, this became his fight, and she shouldn't interfere now. But she can give it a dirty look.
That look, however, is also short-lived, as Momo finds herself victim to sudden attack. "Ah! What...?" Turning away from Renji and the first hollow, she narrows her eyes, spotting the other retreating one. Oh, no you don't. "Abarai-kun! Please do your best! I'll take care of it and come back!" With that, Hinamori leaves Renji to his fight, and runs off with a slightly shredded hakama leg to her own. She's not bending the rules, right? Right.
God, the warehouse got boring sometimes.
It was one of those nights where there just wasn't anything to do. When your primary method of entertainment consisted of sitting around a dilapidated warehouse, though, those became more and more frequent as time passed by. And so, Muguruma Kensei decided to go for a walk. Not the funnest idea in the world, but hell, whatever got him outta there for a while. He kept his reiatsu good and muffled, stifling it down in the event that anyone was bein' nosy tonight, and traversed the general area outside the town square by way of jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
Eventually, much to his chagrin, the rooftops would run out in the direction he wanted to go, and he ended up right in front of the city park. It was standing there, though, that something caught his attention; spirits, and a lot of 'em. Weren't normal, either. More than one Shinigami, more'n one Hollow, all down in the same area. "Huh. The hell is goin' on down here? Shinigami patrols ain't s'posed to have this many of 'em." Kensei crouched down on the corner of the rooftop, then took alight again. After a brief trip through the air, he landed amongst one of the lower-hanging trees, then settled atop the branch to get an idea of just what was going on.
Things were about to get a little more complicated, very shortly.
The air suddenly splits in a thin horizontal line perhaps several feet before the red-haired Shinigami, accompanied by an abrupt peak in reiatsu levels. The line cracks along the edges before splitting apart, a yawning, flat-toothed maw that tears through the very fabric of worlds. The figure on the other side stands in stark contrast to the swirling background behind him, a white shadow with half of a helmet perched on the left side of his head.
A black foot strapped in white steps through the gateway, Garganta sealing behind him after the Arrancar has fully exited, the spiritual pressure tapering off slightly into something more capped and controlled. He doesn't want to draw too much attention, after all. His instructions were simple and clear. Lifting his head slightly, those piercing green eyes fixing upon Renji Abarai, not a glance spared towards the Hollow. Not a word is wasted in pointless greetings, but when one is greeted by an Espada, would they really want one?
"Hisagi-san!" Izuru turns sharply, though his proximity to Hisagi made sure that his own footing was set off balance as well. Not nearly as dexterous as his friend, Izuru attempts to scramble backwards from the exploding ground, but his efforts do little good. He is caught even more strongly than his partner and sent stumbling to the ground. However, he is quick to regain his footing, scrambling somewhat awkwardly to his feet and drawing his sword in a near single movement. There is clear worry in his eyes, though it has not escalated to panic just yet.
However, the sudden surge in reiatsu from nearby causes him to nearly lose his precarious control. "Wh-what is that!"
"..tch, it's just a pu-." His words were cut short when a blast of wind literally knocks the wind from his own lungs. Renji hits the ground, almost skidding to a stop. Arms squirms to pick up his upper torso before he's brought to a kneel. Sending a glare over his shoulder towards the hollow. "Bastard..." The words were grumbled while a hand reaches for the hilt of his zanpakutou, drawn as he gets to his feet and turns to face his opponent.
Renji offers Hinamori a brief nod, keeping his eyes on the hollow at all times. Once she's gone, hands bring the sword up, edge pointed towards his opponent. "What a cheap shot, but it's the last sucker punch you'll g-." Eyes widen as he feels the extremely high reiatsu suddenly appear. Slowly eyes cast a glance towards the closing rip in space, an Espada stepping from inside. "...What're you doing here?" Brows furrow in disgust as he speaks to Ulquiorra, all while trying to keep attention on the hollow.
This wasn't going to turn out good at all.
The usually cool Hisagi looks... spooked. Or perhaps, that's not the right word. Worried isn't either. Simply put, memories rush through his head. Things he had thought he was done with. The past comes clashing on him and it takes a moment for Hisagi to shake it of. He hears Kira's voice as he jumps back to his feet and out of the way. From the ground just where Hisagi was laying at, a large head raises it head... It's of course, wearing a Hollow mask. "Tasty Shinigami," it blurts out. Then, suddenly it disappears into the ground.
Hisagi can feel the reiatsu surge alright, but... "One thing at time," he calls out to his friend. Reaching for his zanpakutou, Hisagi waits. When the ground under him suddenly shoots up, this time, Hisagi is prepared. A faint blur as he steps out of the way is all the proof he was just standing there. This is followed by another blur, steps in. He slashes. Blur, slash, blur slash and the creature now finds itself unable to retreat into the ground.
"Kira!" Now it was up to his friend to finish it off. As for Shuuhei, his behind the creature, cleaning his zanpakutou.
As the Arrancar appears, Windy, our friendly Hollow bothering Renji decides that this is a good time to... find a new vacation spot.
"My cue, kthx bai," the creature states, becoming a wind gust that tries to leave by rushing past Renji.
Knees bent, fingers gripped the branch as Kensei crouched there, and a slow smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Seems the trip down here was hardly worth the time, save for the fact that a group of Shinigami were touslin' with some no-name Hollows. None of the reiatsu particularly quirked his curiosity.. oh, but then the Garganta opens. The sudden spike causes his eyes to widen, and the grin to spread across his face. "Oh, this could get interesting in a hurry.."
While he wasn't perfectly familiar with the Espada, the reiatsu alone was enough to cause him to lift from his crouch, then stretch both arms over his head. Back arched, fingers spread wide, Kensei twists his head sharply enough that his neck pops in sync with his back. He hops off the tree branch, then, moving across the park towards the gathered group.. he doesn't quite join in, choosing to land atop the arched fencing that provides a backstop for the baseball field. Ulquiorra just arrived, though, it's far too soon to announce himself... Kensei keeps the stopper on his own reiatsu, barely putting out enough energy to even cause a blip on someone's radar, if that. And there, he simply stands and watches.
Ulquiorra's gaze flicks over at the quickly departing hollow, but he refrains from allowing a small snort in disgust. Instead, he looks at Renji again, remaining as he stands, in a perfectly casual position, his hands slipped in the pockets of his hakama. He allows his eyes to shift in the general direction of the other two Shinigami, and as he glances back at the red-haired vice captain, he pauses for a moment, but it takes not long before Renji once again gains the Espada's full attention.
"No answer I could possibly give you would be one you would find acceptable," he replies, finally deciding to answer Renji's question. His form blurs, and he all but vanishes from the front, only to reappear right behind Renji, pivoting on a heel as he brings the other leg up and swinging towards the Shinigami's side.
The moment the hollow spoke and planned on leaving, Renji slid a hand across his blade. "Hoero Zabimaru..." He speaks at a less that his usual tone. Blade glows before forming into that segmented sword. Sights returns to the Espada for a brief moment before he turned at the feeling of the gust passing by, arm swung the sword down, segments stretching out in direction of the fleeing hollow. The last segment reaches out just far enough to go over the head of the monster.
Renji pulls back on the hilt hoping for the long, sharp pick protrusion along the last segment of Zabimaru to clip the hollow's mask. This hollow was one thing he really didn't need right now, especially with this Espada on the same ground as him.
"...shit." Is all that he could spout when realizing the Espada had moved location. The segments of Zabimaru are drawn back the moment Ulquiorra's leg meets his side, sending Renji in a loss of balance and flying a few good feet through the air before meeting the ground. Once body make contact with dirt, a sudden groan escapes lips. Hand grips the hilt of Zabimaru tighter as he leans up, attempting to get back on his feet.
Nearly completely distracted by the sudden huge reiatsu, Izuru nearly misses the appearance of his own attacker. It is only Hisagi's shout that calls his attention back to its target, already efficiently crippled by Hisagi's attack. Thankfully, there is little need for effort, or even for his release, because Izuru is in no condition to concentrate.
He turns quickly, darting towards the creature's head, Wabisuke held in a white-knuckled grip. It takes only a single, well placed swing to finish off the hollow and Izuru wastes no time in watching its demise. In an instant, he is sifting gears and turning once more towards the source of that massive reiatsu. It was coming from the east... "Abarai-kun! Hinamori-kun!" Without waiting for Hisagi, Kira takes off into the night towards the huge reiatsu.
When he arrives, zanpakutou still in hand, eyes grow wide in shock and near panic. What was that! It couldn't be...
"Damn it," the words are but a whisper leaving Hisagi's lips. This was supposed to be a somewhat easy mission, just enough to get Izuru and Momo back in the game. But now, now everything was going to hell. "Damn it!" he replies again, a bit more forcefully. Himanori... He had heard Izuru calling Momo's name. There's not much time for thinking, as Shuuhei launches himself after Izuru and towards Renji. There's a telltale blur, with Hisagi reappering just next to Renji.
"Where's Hinamori?" Shuuhei asks, as he offers to help the other Shinigami up with one hand, while the other holds his sealed zanpakutou.. If there's fear in his heart, his face shows nothing as he notes the Arrancar. The whole thing was a bust, and he wasn't sure how things were going to go down anymore.
As for the Hollow trying to flee the scene, Reiji's cut is successful, poor old Windy... is no more.
Hmm.. Hmm, hmm, hmm. What to do. The Arrancar was here to cause trouble. Now, Kensei would never claim to be a fan of the Shinigami in the first place, but there was something distinctly wrong with the way that Ulquiorra felt from here. He cocked an eyebrow as Renji went sprawling from the force of the kick, then a brief little chuckle rolled past his lips. "Fast. Strong little bastard, too." His shoulders rolled a couple times, then he rolled his neck again before sighing to himself. "You know what, to hell with it. I ain't had any fun in way too long. Boss can yell at me later."
A moment later, anyone in the park can feel the sudden explosion of reiatsu from the direction of the baseball field. What may have been a blip on the radar five or so seconds ago suddenly shifts into high gear, and the Vizard perched on the backstop is enveloped in a bright, rather angry-looking aura of blue energy that flares in pulses as it increases. Kensei removes the proverbial stopper, letting his spirit energy flow freely now. "Damn, that's better. Think I was gettin' a cramp from keepin' it stowed away for so long."
Several Shinigami, and of vice captain status to boot. This would prove a bit of an annoyance. Ulquiorra watches Renji, but he holds back in continuing his attack as the pulses of the other two reiatsu near, heralding Kira's shouts and the eventual arrival of the other two Shinigami. His left hand has already made its way from its pocket, but the hesitation in doing anything further comes from the new presence that suddenly makes its appearance.
Green eyes widening slightly though not in shock, Ulquiorra moves only his gaze in attempts to track the new arrival. This reiatsu... it bore similarities of another, and yet was distinctly different from what he had been exposed to before. The Espada looks back towards the trio of Shinigami, although hardly pushing the Vizard's presence from his mind. He'll deal with this potential threat if it comes. For now...
"...." Wordlessly, he extends his left hand in front of him, black nailed fingers spreading in an almost casual gesture towards Shuuhei, Abarai and Kira. The blasts that follow are hardly anything to ignore, forceful and fast as they come. And the nice thing about Bala is that it's much quicker to fire off than a Cero.
Open hand firmly grabs hold of Hisagi's, pulling himself up to his feet. "She ran off towards the town after a hollow, I got held up by this guy." Renji promptly answers him. Brows furrow, sending a horrible glare at the Espada. There was something fishy going on here. Why would an Espada show up, on his own to just kick the shit out of a shinigami?
Soon all little guessing games roam from his mind as another sudden jump of reiatsu appears, followed by a glow. "...'the hell is that?" A brief glance is cast over in the direction of the blue glow before quickly coming back to the Espada. He couldn't take an eye off this arrancar, he did once and he ended up in the dirt. "...Someone should go make sure Hinamori is alright. But we can't leave this bastard free to roam." Renji mumbled to Hisagi.
Eyes widen when the arrancar's hand raises and fingertips glow. "Watch out!" Shouting the warning was an attempt to draw any day dreamers or shocked..(Kira) out of that state. Legs pumped and heels pushed him at a quick pace to avoid the blasts. Sweat runs down his face, his mind muffled by thoughts and decisions. Should he go and find Hinamori so they can escape, or should he stay and make sure Kira and Hisagi don't get caught up in horrible danger?
Kira was already finding it difficult to bite back his fears, but he manages through sheer will alone. Leaving Hisagi to offer Renji aid, Kira takes a few steps foward, putting himself between his fallen comrade and the danger ahead. On his own, he knew quite well he would be out of his league, but perhaps with their combined efforts, there was still a chance for victory. Even an arrancar did not have unlimitted strength!
"Omote o agero, Wabisuke!" The blade in his hands moves sharply, warping into its familiar hooked form. However, Kira never found his chance to test its strength. That sudden blaze of reiatsu from yet another mysterious source left him once again gasping and nearly paralyzed with shock. It is only Renji's cry that wakes him again, and only just in time.
There is a quick blur, a shunpo carrying Izuru out of the immediate danger from the Bala, but leaving him now at a greater distance from his opponent than before. Not good...
That reiatsu... what's going on here. That question just haunts Shuuhei. Yet, Hisagi's eyes never leave the figure of Ulquiorra. One thing at a time he had told Izuru just moments earlier, and that's the way he had to handle this situation here as well. He then considers Renji's answer and mutters. It was that answer that told Shuuhei what he had to do. With the Bala coming his way, instincts immediately take over.
"I'm going. Kira, Abarai, you handle him," Shuuehi tosses out the words. After all, Hinamori was in a way his responsibility and the more he thought about this attack, the more sense it made...
And he didn't like where things seemed to be going. The next thing Hisagi does is to try and shunpo his way in the direction Momo went.
Questions, questions, and more questions. That is indeed the point of all of this, after all, to stir up confusion. To keep prying eyes away from where they ought to be. But what good is that when people stop blindly wondering what is going on, and start using their brains? It's troublesome, that's what it is.
As if there weren't enough going on in the vicinity of the park already, the sky again splits open as Hisagi dares to take his leave. At first, the toothy maw reveals only more white, giving little idea who might stand behind it. But the Reiatsu and the voice that follows with it ought to be more than familiar enough to those gathered, as Ichimaru tsks chidingly at the 9th vice captain.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Hisagi-san," he says, stepping from the rift as it disappears once more, only to swiftly appear just in front of the shinigami's path.
Ah, it really feels good to stretch the ol' proverbial wings out a bit. Kensei's aura continues to flare for a good few seconds, then it snuffs out as quickly as it appears. The strength of the reiatsu remains, however, leaving a rather bemused-looking grey-haired punk kid standing atop the baseball diamond's backstop. "Bala? Don't see that very often. Wonder just who that is." One gloved hand reaches up, running through short spiked hair while he watches the antics... until Garganta opens its gap-toothed maw once again.
This reiatsu.. oh, even Kensei knows this one, and it brings a sharp laugh to his lips. "And I thought I was gonna be /bored/ tonight.. Ichimaru goddamn Gin is here.." Both gloved palms smack together now, rubbing his hands together before popping his knuckles. "What to do, though.." This thought brings a sudden stop to Muguruma's amusement. "Let's see here.." He holds up both hands, palm-up. "Left hand represents carin' about the Shinigami.. right hand is carin' about the Arrancar..." He looks at his hands for a moment. "Both empty. S'what I figured." More a rhetorical statement than anything. Sigh. So conflicted, even in apathy.
Perhaps he would have been more disappointed with them if they'd allowed themselves to get hit, but nevertheless, it would have made things easier for Ulquiorra had the Shinigami not all dodged. No matter. He's already on the move even before the Bala have missed their marks, Sonido aiding his steps, closing the distance between himself and his targets within split seconds. The only problem here is that they've all moved in different directions, and one has decided to abandon the other two in search of their final comrade.
Ulquiorra is saved the trouble of having to go after Shuuhei, sensing the new Garganta rift even before it fully manifests. He easily switches targets. Hopefully by the time Renji realizes the Espada has vanished again will be too late to realize that Ulquiorra is now beside him again, a hand aiming another Bala shot at his chest.
"Just hurry!" Renji shouts in Hisagi's direction as he skids to a hault once avoiding those Bala. He and Kira weren't going to hold off an Espada on their own for too long. Soon Renji goes on the offensive, charging a few paces towards the Arrancar with Zabimaru tightly gripped in his right hand. Drawing the sword back, he soons tosses his arm forward, sending the segmented blades in Ulquiorra's direction. Kira had no chance to get close enough to use Wabisuke on him, so Renji was left alone to try and weaken the arrancar... or atleast hold him back.
This little mission to let Kira and Hinamori's feet get wet turned into letting all of them drown. It was a horrid conflict Renji wouldn't want to happen in his worst nightmares especially at the appearance of a well known traitor. One he has heard more than enough about from his friend. When eyes look away from the direction of the arrancar to peek at the the new arrival, Renji never realized that Ulquiorra was already after him.
Zabimaru could never be drawn back fast enough to save him from this close range. Instead Renji tossed his sword weilding arm straight for the arrancar's face, sure to drag Zabimaru's blade whipping after it. Hopefully it will send Ulquiorra calling off the attack... but it's only a wish.
Never had Izuru dealt well with pressure well, and this was no exception. Having escaped the Bala attacks by the skin of his teeth, Izuru shifts in order to launch an attack at the arrancar. However, he never makes it more than a step forward. There was no mistaking that reiatsu, that voice... Immediately his entire body seems to freeze and only his eyes are able to move, wide and shocked until they land on that unmistakable, grinning figure. "Ichimaru-taichou..."
"Ichimaru..." The words leaving Hisagi's lips are pretty much a hiss. They're followed by a quick switch to a defensive stance, zanpakutou out and everything. He seriously doubted he would be able to do much of anything here, but, he wasn't about to just retreat without getting Momo. Several scenarios play in Shuuhei's head, and all of them end in pretty much the same way. The solution itself is simple, but implementing is the hard part.
They need to escape.
Question of course is how. Silently muttering to himself and quite aware of the effect Ichimaru was going to have on Kira, Hisagi decides that a change in tactics is in order. After all, there's still that other reiatsu out there, that hasn't revealed itself to be friend or foe. "I guess, that asking you nicely to let me by won't do the trick here, Ichimaru-san."
The friendly manner that Gin keeps up is the same as it always is, even as he leans to the side to look past Hisagi, as if it wasn't even a threat that the man had drawn his blade. He offers a wave towards Kira. Did he just now noticed the others were there? Even with all the fighting going on. "Hello! Just dropped in t'see how things were goin'," he chuckles.
But he doesn't draw his own sword. It's like he's just discussing the weather. For a moment he considers the 9th's question with a finger to his chin. "That's askin' nicely? You go drawin' a sword on someone every time y'ask 'em a question?"
The strange Reiatsu nearby is noted, in the back of his mind, but he keeps his apparent focus on those before him. Keeping them there is what is important.
...this was boring. There was as much talking as there was fighting. Here Kensei was, in the middle of a park full of Arrancar and Shinigami, and not one worthwhile fight was breaking out. The fight between Renji and Ulquiorra was hardly holding his attention at the moment, and Gin was just standing there, talking.. sigh. The night was shaping up to be a bit of a wash, after all. And just as suddenly as that, the unusual reiatsu was gone from atop the backstop..
... only to appear in the air, just above the gathering of Gin, Izuru, and Shuuhei. Where he was standing before, now he sits cross-legged, hands resting on his knees as he floats above the group. There's a bit of a scowl on his face, eyebrows furrowed. "The hell. You lot are goddamn boring." Fingers drum along his knees as he leans forward to peer down towards the ground. "Only people fightin' are that armadillo-hat and the pineapple-haired guy, 'n his reiatsu ain't barely worth paying attention to. The hell is a guy supposed to go to find some decent entertainment, this time of night?"
Kensei might have a different opinion were Ulquiorra to let his reiatsu flare to its fullest, and the resulting might even have been useful in that it could possibly stun the other Shinigami. However Ulquiorra is not here to pick fights with the intention of really finishing them. If a Shinigami or two were killed during this distraction, then fine. As it is, the Espada isn't really putting an effort into his attacks, but going just far enough as to get the job done. His current target of interest might be thinking otherwise.
The half-helmed Espada Sonido-shifts back, eyes flicking to the side towards the blur of the segmented blades that come whipping towards him before he lashes out his left hand towards the foremost, striking the flat of it to send it flying in another direction. Simultaneously he leans forward to dart towards Renji again, coattails flapping wildly behind him. About midway he kicks in the use of Sonido once again, intent on getting right up in the red-haired vice captain's face so that he won't be able to pull his weapon back in time. That hand snakes out again, plunging towards Renji's stomach, green gaze cold and unblinking as they lock upon the Shinigami's.
Zabimaru is sent back after the block given by the Espada. Renji grumbles as he attempts to pull the segments back together with the hilt, but it proves pointless. Time appears to slow down when Ulquiorra is all he can see, those emotionless eyes staring into his own.
A sharp pain is immediately felt in his gut, sending Renji to bend over attempting to flee the hand before it breaks through flesh. Only, he stumbles backwards. Seeming to try to catch his balance, he falls to his knees, unable to feel his legs anymore. Only feeling the excruciating pain in his abdomen, his hand loosens his hold on Zabimaru's hilt.
Izuru was unsure what finally snapped him out of his shock. Perhaps it was the pressence of that strange reiatsu floating above him and calling out smartass remarks. Or perhaps it was the desperate battle behind him between his best friend and an Espada at least twice his strength. Or perhaps it was finally receiving that acknowledgement from Ichimaru-taichou. Whatever the cause, Izuru's shocked expression had melted away and was replaced with a fresh determination.
"Hisagi-san," he speaks in a cool, calm tone that shows a confidence he had lacked as of late. "Go help Abarai-kun." Though he speaks to Shuuhei, his eyes never leave Gin. Hidden beneath his hakama, his legs tremble wildly as he takes one reluctant step after another, but he pushes it from his mind. Instead, he strides forward, clutching Wabisuke's hilt as if it were a life raft. As he draws nearer, the strange look in his eyes becomes clearer, a mix of despiration and anger. "Why are you here?"
Sprinting back from the direction of the schoolyard, Hinamori skids to a halt on the grass when she comes upon the scene in the park. This...isn't what she left. "Abarai-kun!" she yells in concern, but her attention is quickly drawn to Izuru and...
"Ichimaru!" Raw anger and bitter hatred twist the girl's face as she swiftly unsheathes her zanpakutou with a metal scraping sheen and runs in that direction. But first... "Hadou 33! Soukatsui!" Bypassing the incantation, Momo holds out her left hand, releasing reishi in the form of a violent blue flame. "Ichimaru!!"
"Just the ones I'm not too fond of." That's his response to Ichimaru. The temptation is there. In Gin, Hisagi has to admit he sees his own demons. Tousen... Yet, he's quite aware of the futility of his actions. But then, there was Momo, whom he had to find... and Kira. Before he had a chance to make his decision, though, Kensei made his entrance. And there it is, the missing reiatsu. Hisagi squints his eyes. "You've got a point." Shuuhei is about to move in, when he then hears Kira's voice. There's a second of hesitation. The idea of leaving Izuru alone with Gin is not something he enjoys... but perhaps it's something the other needs.
With a quick nod at Kira, Shuuhei shunpos over next to Renji. His eyes never leave Ulquiorra, however instead of attacking he uses one arm to try and hold Renji, while the other holds his unsealed zanpakutou, pointing it at the Arrancar. His own reiatsu begins to build up as he prepares himself to face Ulquiorra. Before he let anyone else in the group be hurt, they'd have to hut him first. After all, he was the one dragging them all here, it was his fault they were in this predicament.
Perhaps Ulquiorra's reiatsu was impressive... perhaps Kensei's was imposing, but really, such levels of reiatsu were merely a drop in the bucket compared to the full potential held by those of real power. For the third time, a great maw opened in the sky and admitted the final player onto the chess board. Aizen Sousuke, glowing brightly in all his glory, made his presence known. And the pressure was crushing. Those who posessed considerable reiatsu could perhaps stand against it, but even then the weight was suffocating. And for those who had the strength to raise their heads, they would find the traitorous captain himself standing high above, piercing gaze cast down at the insects below as if his eyes alone could crush them... Perhaps they could.
Finally, the pressure subsides and those on the ground are given room to breathe. The man who would soon sit upon the empty throne in the sky cast his disapproving gaze over those who stood against him, lingering a moment longer upon the Vaizard. This was a warning for the boy and his friends. Aizen made no move to strike, but all the same, the warning was there. Maintain your distance or suffer the consequences.
"Gin. Ulquiorra." No further words, but the orders should be clear. Their business was done; it was time to go.
What a mess this had turned into, hm?
Just as Renji's knees hit the ground, there would come a blur hinted most notably with a stream of bright orange. Arms came to grasp the pineapple-headed shinigami before he could completely topple over as the woman's form seemed to have landed out of nowhere, crouched right in front of him. A swift motion would have guided Renji's motion so he slumped easily over her waiting shoulder. Only then would those golden eyes cut just over her shoulder not bearing Renji's weight, allowing a brief glance to be given to the Arrancar.
And just like that, she was gone. The Goddess of Flash would have seemed to vanish in thin air, despite heaving around the big oaf. Of course, she had used shunpo; a reasonable amount of distance would now be made up between herself and Renji, and the rather stoic Arrancar. Crouching again, she would have allowed herself to set Renji down in a sitting position, though her gaze never left the Espada, "Hope you don't mind me stepping in here.. But if you were doing any worse, you'd be dead." That usual grin would be at her lips, despite the seriousness of the situation.
Ah, so many people wanted his attention! First there was Shuuhei, and all his spite. And Izuru and his many questions. What /would/ Gin have to say to that? But then the sudden arrival of the Vizard tears his attention away, and with a glance upwards at the complaining man, he almost frowns a little. Why come poke his nose in if he didn't like it?
It's almost enough to distract him completely as Momo comes rushing back. The only thing keeping the blast of kidou from taking him by surprise is the cry of rage from the angry girl. It narrowly brushes past Gin as he quickly sidesteps, a hand flying to his own Zanpakutou, drawn to meet and halt her own.
Never has it been his intention to start a fight this night, although it might be inevitable in making a good distraction. So thanks be to Aizen that when the orders come to leave, Gin darts backwards in a flash step of his own, pushing off of the Reishi to take to the sky. To all the questions he was asked, he can only smile and shrug, before turning to follow back into the Garganta to his home. Sorry, but questions will have to wait.
At least he's saved a dry-cleaning bill. Ulquiorra straightens as Renji goes falling backwards. He could have pressed his assault, could have easily crushed this Shinigami into the ground. He doesn't. Instead, he halts his attacks completely, even with Shuuhei moving to Renji's aid and the appearance of the Cat. His eyes only look over those within his vicinity, but they hold his attention for not very long as he soon shifts his gaze to look upwards into the skies, just as that immense spiritual pressure builds and is released with Aizen's arrival. He stands his ground rather well, any strain in the presence of his master's reiatsu carefully masked by his usual expression of indifference.
Once the pressure subsides, Ulquiorra nods silently at Aizen's unspoken command, and after leveling a final glance towards the Shinigami he had been facing, the Espada leaps into the air, disappearing briefly before he is next found beside Aizen and Ichimaru to make their return to Hueco Mundo.
When face didn't meet dirt, Renji's eyes opened to see who it was who stepped in. Brows furrowed, locking his sights on the orange blur. When clear sight was granted back to him, he would struggle to get to his feet. "Oi... no one asked you to step in, Yorui-san." Renji called out, finally getting to his feet and attempting to keep balance. One arm wrapping around his abdomen, the other hand gripping onto Zabimaru at his side. Only he manages to keep on his feet for a brief moment before the crushing reiatsu pushes him back into in a kneel.
Head raises to glance upwards at the departure of traitors and arrancar. "Damn cowards." Words were grumbled in disgust when looking at the group. Now Kira and Hinamori need to deal with what Hisagi was trying to wipe from their minds.
At Aizen's appearance, the reiatsu just threatens to completely overwhelm the Shinigami. Hisagi goes to one knee and grunts. Glad that Hinamori is back, Yoruichi is here and the Arrancar are leaving, there is something else quite heavy assaulting Shuuhei. In a way, this was all his fault. He probably had done more damage to his friends than any help he had hoped his little trip would do. Hisagi bows his head to mask the boiling emotions. When he looks up, the cool headed Hisagi is back in control of himself. "I'm sorry," he does whisper.
Meanwhile... blocks away, a certain small canine is running back to the area. The poor puppy had left the moment the first Arrancar showed up. But now he was on his way back... WITH A VENGEANCE.
The fact that her kidou was simply sidestepped only fuels Hinamori's rage. But as Ichimaru's blade crosses with hers, she only gets the chance to press into with all her strength for a short time before that familiar reiatsu in such a large dose squeezes all of the air out of her lungs and puts an equally tight hold around her heart. Her eyes widen in shock and disbelief, and though she tries to lift her head, she can't even move to take her sword away from Gin's.
It is only when Aizen eases the pressure and Ichimaru has already begun his escape that Momo is able to lower her right arm and look up. "...Aizen-taichou...?" she murmurs in confusion. "Why...? Why! Aizen-taichou!" Tobiume hangs loosely in her fingers as she stares up at him. Why would he save them when...? "/Aizen-taichou!!!/" All her anger drains from her body, leaving her cold. Then it hits her. This is just /his/ doing again. The hate fills her features as her focus shifts back onto Gin. "ICHIMARU! I'LL KILL YOU!"
The puppy arrives and pees on Renji, then leaves.
Characters: Aizen, Gin, Izuru, Kensei, Momo, Renji, Shuuhei, Ulquiorra, Yoruichi
Summary: A routine Hollow hunt goes very wrong.
-=[City Park - Karakura]=-------------------------------------------------------
The City Park is an area outside of the school grounds where kids can go to play rough; it even contains a baseball diamond.
A few trees litter the wide expanses of green grass and provide shade from hot days and perfect places for picnics. There are pieces of equipment for children younger than twelve to play on stationed away from the baseball diamond along with benches. There is a dirt pathway leading through the park into a more secluded area slightly more dense with trees. It eventually brings the walker to a small pond and a few more shaded benches.
Thank -you- for joining us, Abarai-san," Shuuhei replies. He turns towards all of them now, offering nods of greeting to both Momo and Izuru. Back in the Soul Society, when amongst friends, Hisagi does tend to loosen up a bit. However, out here in the field and while in a mission, he's all business. "Here's what we know so far," Shuuhei begins with the report. "Three Hollows have been sighted in this area, however previous attempts to confront them have been unsuccessful. Two of them should be no trouble, the third one... It seems able to exert some control over the temperature in the area around it." There's a brief pause.
"I'm not entirely sure I trust the reports on the other two. There's the question of why they are going around together, but I think it's more likely that we just don't have enough intel." Another pause and he arches an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Any questions so far?"
The light breeze that has been caressing the area seems to pick up a bit.
A brief smile is offered to Izuru and Renji in turn as they arrive, but after that, Momo pays strict attention to Shuuhei as he begins to speak. She tries not to think about how long it's been since she's done this. She tries not to think about anything but Hisagi's report. At his question, she merely shakes her head once; not needing any further elaboration.
The brave facade Izuru had been maintaining crumbles for a moment as Renji arrives. But he gives no response other than a slightly whiney scolding. "Abarai-kun..." However, there is no time for scoldings.
Izuru's serious expression returns and grows even more stern as the report is given. His hand closes around his hilt, clenching it tightly but not drawing the blade yet, the only sign that he is feeling just as nervous as Hinamori. He only offers a firm shake of his head, having no questions, either.
A brief roll of his eyes and frown are given to Kira as he starts his whining. Hands move into the pockets of his hakama as he listens to Shuuhei's report quietly. "Nope, looks like we all got it." Renji speaks for the other two as he acknowledges their head movements.
"We'll split into two teams for the recon. If you find the targets you are to contact the other team and lure them to this location. Kira-san, you're with me. Hinamori-san, you're with Abarai-san." He waits for an additional moment to see if there's any more clarification needed. That done, he nods at Izuru and starts heading to the west.
The breeze around the area remains, for the most, constant. To the east nearby some trees, something seems to move... and of course, being in the opposite direction Shuuhei is leading Izuru to, the Vice-Captain of the 9th Division completely misses it. However, it's unclear what exactly was moving around those trees.
As he leads Izuru away, Hisagi remains serious. It's obviously that he's completely focused on what's going.
As Shuuhei dispenses the final orders, Hinamori replies with the usual brisk, "Yes, sir!" She waits for a moment, watching him walk off with Izuru, before turning to Renji and giving him a little smile. "Well, looks like we're going this way, Abarai-kun." She turns her head in that easternly direction opposite Hisagi's path and just catches the hint of movement. "So soon..." she comments, placing her palm on Tobiume's hilt, but only for comfort. In her mind, she's already running through kidou incantations.
There is a momentary flash of surprise that breaks Izuru's far too stern expression, followed by the beginnings of a tiny smile. "Hai, Hisagi-san." He is more than happy to be paired with Shuuhei rather than Renji, who could be quite a chore to work with more often than not, especially for Izuru. So in his eagerness to catch up to Hisagi, Izuru also fails to notice the strange movement near the trees, falling into step beside his former sempai. He takes a moment to mumble under his breath, "Thank you." He would have been miserable with Renji!
Renji spares a glance toward Hinamori when Hisagi assigns the teams. A brief nod offered while speaking, "Good huntin', Hisagi-san, Kira." A smirk shown on his expression as he wishes them luck, watching them move off. Turning back to Hinamori, he finds her already on the move. "Right!" Renji manages to reply while swiftly turning on his heel and headed after her.
Eyes send a wandering glance across the surroundings, finding that brief movement but losing it just as quickly. "Tch, they all are always in such a rush to get their defeat spoon-fed to'em." The comment slips after hearing Hinamori speak at the acknowledgement of the movement. Hands never reach for his hilt, not yet. Putting your hand on your zanpakutou so soon may be a careful decision but it also shows that you might be a little on edge.
There's movement again as something crosses Renji and Momo's field of vision all the way over by those trees. Whatever it was, it was fast, though and seems unwilling to stay put for too long. It would require someone to get closer in order to get a better sense of what's going on.
Meanwhile at Hisagi's side of things, the Vice-Captain of the Gotei 9 just offers a small nod in reply to Kira. He continues moving for a few more paces and then comes to a stop, gesturing for Kira to follow suit. For just a moment, the air seemed to... swirl not more than ten feet in front of them. Shuuhei squints, trying to figure out what that was all about.
The breeze picks up some, and it carries the cold in it.
Hinamori's eyes widen as they pick up another blur beyond the trees. Taking her hand off her zanpakutou, she points needlessly. "There!" Just in case he'd missed it. "Let's go! Abarai-kun!" Without waiting for his reply, she advances toward the treeline at a swift yet cautious pace. If it doesn't want to come out, she'll just give it a reason to. Already the adrenaline has begun to wash away her anxiety, making her remember her training and hard work.
The cool breeze brings out a slight shiver in Izuru. Though he tends to think of himself as the somewhat paranoid type, somehow he does not think this ill feeling is his imagination. His hand has closes firmly around Wabisuke's hilt and though he does not yet draw the blade, he is prepared to at even the slightest provocation.
Despite any claims of confidence, Izuru has already inched a bit closer to Hisagi-san, eyes wide as they dart from place to place in the dark. "Hisagi-san... what was...?" He fails to complete his thought, though, not wanting to seem as if he were somehow unstable. He had promised himself that he would follow Hisagi-san's lead no matter what and not give his friend even the slightest chance of assuming the worst from him.
"Eh?!" Is the only response Renji could muster before Hinamori was already headed for what she spotted. "Damn it." He mumbles as he chases after her. His pace slows only slightly when he catches up with her, staying right by her side and ever cautious.
"You can't just go runnin' off like that... How do you know it isn't allowing you to see it 'cuz it's luring us into a trap, huh?" If she keeps running off, she might get them both stuck in an unwanted situation. But if he wasn't as high on his toes as her, he might slow her down.
Then... finally... the creature hiding in the trees comes out!
And it's a puppy.
Yes... a puppy.
It very non-threateningly looks at Momo, his tongue hanging out as he seems to be pleading for her to pick him up.
It's then that the breeze stops being a breeze and becomes a wind. The wind becomes a gust, and it suddenly lashes out at Renji. This feels like no wind, though, as it hits the Shinigami hard. Slowly a figure materializes. It's body seems twisted into the shape of a tornado and of course, it wears the telltale mask of a Hollow. "Pretty breezey... eh, Shinigami?" The last word said with complete disdain.
Meanwhile at Let me Touch those Arms of our Lives...
Hisagi shares Kira's misgivings. Suddenly, the air swirls again, this time just slightly behind Izuru. Suddenly, Shuuhei becomes a flurry of movement. "Watch out! Kira!" He cries out and attempts to flash step to intercept... except, the ground over Hisagi suddenly explodes and sends the Vice-Captain flying back. He usually would be dextrous enough to recuperate from such an attack, except the earth and dirt pushing him back to the ground shifts and adjusts to Hisagi's movements. Finally, Shuuhei is slammed against the ground.
While the party of Shinigami are so completely involved with their targets, a fourth hollow has crept slowly onto the scene. Unlike it's much more windy counterparts, this hollow moves at a crawl, pressed nearly flat to the ground. With all the commotion caused by the tornado, it is able to creep nearly on top of its target without notice. However, once it draws near, the small creature strikes out quickly at Hinamori, clawed hands slicing through the wind towards her. Despite the success or failure of its strike, having gotten the girl's attention, the creature ducks low to the ground once more and scurries off at a remarkable pace, away from the park and towards Karakura Town.
"Abarai-kun... would you rather stand back there and stare at it all night?" Momo shoots back, a little hurt by her friend's seeming lack of confidence in her instincts. "Even if it is a trap, you should be happy that I have such high faith in our combined abilities." Her scolding, however, is cut short as the source of the movement presents itself. "...oh. It's...cute! See, it wasn't a trap after a-!"
What a fiend, using an adorable puppy to take someone off their guard like that! "Abarai-kun!" Immediately, Hinamori turns an angry frown onto the hollow. Granted, as soon as it attacked Renji, this became his fight, and she shouldn't interfere now. But she can give it a dirty look.
That look, however, is also short-lived, as Momo finds herself victim to sudden attack. "Ah! What...?" Turning away from Renji and the first hollow, she narrows her eyes, spotting the other retreating one. Oh, no you don't. "Abarai-kun! Please do your best! I'll take care of it and come back!" With that, Hinamori leaves Renji to his fight, and runs off with a slightly shredded hakama leg to her own. She's not bending the rules, right? Right.
God, the warehouse got boring sometimes.
It was one of those nights where there just wasn't anything to do. When your primary method of entertainment consisted of sitting around a dilapidated warehouse, though, those became more and more frequent as time passed by. And so, Muguruma Kensei decided to go for a walk. Not the funnest idea in the world, but hell, whatever got him outta there for a while. He kept his reiatsu good and muffled, stifling it down in the event that anyone was bein' nosy tonight, and traversed the general area outside the town square by way of jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
Eventually, much to his chagrin, the rooftops would run out in the direction he wanted to go, and he ended up right in front of the city park. It was standing there, though, that something caught his attention; spirits, and a lot of 'em. Weren't normal, either. More than one Shinigami, more'n one Hollow, all down in the same area. "Huh. The hell is goin' on down here? Shinigami patrols ain't s'posed to have this many of 'em." Kensei crouched down on the corner of the rooftop, then took alight again. After a brief trip through the air, he landed amongst one of the lower-hanging trees, then settled atop the branch to get an idea of just what was going on.
Things were about to get a little more complicated, very shortly.
The air suddenly splits in a thin horizontal line perhaps several feet before the red-haired Shinigami, accompanied by an abrupt peak in reiatsu levels. The line cracks along the edges before splitting apart, a yawning, flat-toothed maw that tears through the very fabric of worlds. The figure on the other side stands in stark contrast to the swirling background behind him, a white shadow with half of a helmet perched on the left side of his head.
A black foot strapped in white steps through the gateway, Garganta sealing behind him after the Arrancar has fully exited, the spiritual pressure tapering off slightly into something more capped and controlled. He doesn't want to draw too much attention, after all. His instructions were simple and clear. Lifting his head slightly, those piercing green eyes fixing upon Renji Abarai, not a glance spared towards the Hollow. Not a word is wasted in pointless greetings, but when one is greeted by an Espada, would they really want one?
"Hisagi-san!" Izuru turns sharply, though his proximity to Hisagi made sure that his own footing was set off balance as well. Not nearly as dexterous as his friend, Izuru attempts to scramble backwards from the exploding ground, but his efforts do little good. He is caught even more strongly than his partner and sent stumbling to the ground. However, he is quick to regain his footing, scrambling somewhat awkwardly to his feet and drawing his sword in a near single movement. There is clear worry in his eyes, though it has not escalated to panic just yet.
However, the sudden surge in reiatsu from nearby causes him to nearly lose his precarious control. "Wh-what is that!"
"..tch, it's just a pu-." His words were cut short when a blast of wind literally knocks the wind from his own lungs. Renji hits the ground, almost skidding to a stop. Arms squirms to pick up his upper torso before he's brought to a kneel. Sending a glare over his shoulder towards the hollow. "Bastard..." The words were grumbled while a hand reaches for the hilt of his zanpakutou, drawn as he gets to his feet and turns to face his opponent.
Renji offers Hinamori a brief nod, keeping his eyes on the hollow at all times. Once she's gone, hands bring the sword up, edge pointed towards his opponent. "What a cheap shot, but it's the last sucker punch you'll g-." Eyes widen as he feels the extremely high reiatsu suddenly appear. Slowly eyes cast a glance towards the closing rip in space, an Espada stepping from inside. "...What're you doing here?" Brows furrow in disgust as he speaks to Ulquiorra, all while trying to keep attention on the hollow.
This wasn't going to turn out good at all.
The usually cool Hisagi looks... spooked. Or perhaps, that's not the right word. Worried isn't either. Simply put, memories rush through his head. Things he had thought he was done with. The past comes clashing on him and it takes a moment for Hisagi to shake it of. He hears Kira's voice as he jumps back to his feet and out of the way. From the ground just where Hisagi was laying at, a large head raises it head... It's of course, wearing a Hollow mask. "Tasty Shinigami," it blurts out. Then, suddenly it disappears into the ground.
Hisagi can feel the reiatsu surge alright, but... "One thing at time," he calls out to his friend. Reaching for his zanpakutou, Hisagi waits. When the ground under him suddenly shoots up, this time, Hisagi is prepared. A faint blur as he steps out of the way is all the proof he was just standing there. This is followed by another blur, steps in. He slashes. Blur, slash, blur slash and the creature now finds itself unable to retreat into the ground.
"Kira!" Now it was up to his friend to finish it off. As for Shuuhei, his behind the creature, cleaning his zanpakutou.
As the Arrancar appears, Windy, our friendly Hollow bothering Renji decides that this is a good time to... find a new vacation spot.
"My cue, kthx bai," the creature states, becoming a wind gust that tries to leave by rushing past Renji.
Knees bent, fingers gripped the branch as Kensei crouched there, and a slow smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Seems the trip down here was hardly worth the time, save for the fact that a group of Shinigami were touslin' with some no-name Hollows. None of the reiatsu particularly quirked his curiosity.. oh, but then the Garganta opens. The sudden spike causes his eyes to widen, and the grin to spread across his face. "Oh, this could get interesting in a hurry.."
While he wasn't perfectly familiar with the Espada, the reiatsu alone was enough to cause him to lift from his crouch, then stretch both arms over his head. Back arched, fingers spread wide, Kensei twists his head sharply enough that his neck pops in sync with his back. He hops off the tree branch, then, moving across the park towards the gathered group.. he doesn't quite join in, choosing to land atop the arched fencing that provides a backstop for the baseball field. Ulquiorra just arrived, though, it's far too soon to announce himself... Kensei keeps the stopper on his own reiatsu, barely putting out enough energy to even cause a blip on someone's radar, if that. And there, he simply stands and watches.
Ulquiorra's gaze flicks over at the quickly departing hollow, but he refrains from allowing a small snort in disgust. Instead, he looks at Renji again, remaining as he stands, in a perfectly casual position, his hands slipped in the pockets of his hakama. He allows his eyes to shift in the general direction of the other two Shinigami, and as he glances back at the red-haired vice captain, he pauses for a moment, but it takes not long before Renji once again gains the Espada's full attention.
"No answer I could possibly give you would be one you would find acceptable," he replies, finally deciding to answer Renji's question. His form blurs, and he all but vanishes from the front, only to reappear right behind Renji, pivoting on a heel as he brings the other leg up and swinging towards the Shinigami's side.
The moment the hollow spoke and planned on leaving, Renji slid a hand across his blade. "Hoero Zabimaru..." He speaks at a less that his usual tone. Blade glows before forming into that segmented sword. Sights returns to the Espada for a brief moment before he turned at the feeling of the gust passing by, arm swung the sword down, segments stretching out in direction of the fleeing hollow. The last segment reaches out just far enough to go over the head of the monster.
Renji pulls back on the hilt hoping for the long, sharp pick protrusion along the last segment of Zabimaru to clip the hollow's mask. This hollow was one thing he really didn't need right now, especially with this Espada on the same ground as him.
"...shit." Is all that he could spout when realizing the Espada had moved location. The segments of Zabimaru are drawn back the moment Ulquiorra's leg meets his side, sending Renji in a loss of balance and flying a few good feet through the air before meeting the ground. Once body make contact with dirt, a sudden groan escapes lips. Hand grips the hilt of Zabimaru tighter as he leans up, attempting to get back on his feet.
Nearly completely distracted by the sudden huge reiatsu, Izuru nearly misses the appearance of his own attacker. It is only Hisagi's shout that calls his attention back to its target, already efficiently crippled by Hisagi's attack. Thankfully, there is little need for effort, or even for his release, because Izuru is in no condition to concentrate.
He turns quickly, darting towards the creature's head, Wabisuke held in a white-knuckled grip. It takes only a single, well placed swing to finish off the hollow and Izuru wastes no time in watching its demise. In an instant, he is sifting gears and turning once more towards the source of that massive reiatsu. It was coming from the east... "Abarai-kun! Hinamori-kun!" Without waiting for Hisagi, Kira takes off into the night towards the huge reiatsu.
When he arrives, zanpakutou still in hand, eyes grow wide in shock and near panic. What was that! It couldn't be...
"Damn it," the words are but a whisper leaving Hisagi's lips. This was supposed to be a somewhat easy mission, just enough to get Izuru and Momo back in the game. But now, now everything was going to hell. "Damn it!" he replies again, a bit more forcefully. Himanori... He had heard Izuru calling Momo's name. There's not much time for thinking, as Shuuhei launches himself after Izuru and towards Renji. There's a telltale blur, with Hisagi reappering just next to Renji.
"Where's Hinamori?" Shuuhei asks, as he offers to help the other Shinigami up with one hand, while the other holds his sealed zanpakutou.. If there's fear in his heart, his face shows nothing as he notes the Arrancar. The whole thing was a bust, and he wasn't sure how things were going to go down anymore.
As for the Hollow trying to flee the scene, Reiji's cut is successful, poor old Windy... is no more.
Hmm.. Hmm, hmm, hmm. What to do. The Arrancar was here to cause trouble. Now, Kensei would never claim to be a fan of the Shinigami in the first place, but there was something distinctly wrong with the way that Ulquiorra felt from here. He cocked an eyebrow as Renji went sprawling from the force of the kick, then a brief little chuckle rolled past his lips. "Fast. Strong little bastard, too." His shoulders rolled a couple times, then he rolled his neck again before sighing to himself. "You know what, to hell with it. I ain't had any fun in way too long. Boss can yell at me later."
A moment later, anyone in the park can feel the sudden explosion of reiatsu from the direction of the baseball field. What may have been a blip on the radar five or so seconds ago suddenly shifts into high gear, and the Vizard perched on the backstop is enveloped in a bright, rather angry-looking aura of blue energy that flares in pulses as it increases. Kensei removes the proverbial stopper, letting his spirit energy flow freely now. "Damn, that's better. Think I was gettin' a cramp from keepin' it stowed away for so long."
Several Shinigami, and of vice captain status to boot. This would prove a bit of an annoyance. Ulquiorra watches Renji, but he holds back in continuing his attack as the pulses of the other two reiatsu near, heralding Kira's shouts and the eventual arrival of the other two Shinigami. His left hand has already made its way from its pocket, but the hesitation in doing anything further comes from the new presence that suddenly makes its appearance.
Green eyes widening slightly though not in shock, Ulquiorra moves only his gaze in attempts to track the new arrival. This reiatsu... it bore similarities of another, and yet was distinctly different from what he had been exposed to before. The Espada looks back towards the trio of Shinigami, although hardly pushing the Vizard's presence from his mind. He'll deal with this potential threat if it comes. For now...
"...." Wordlessly, he extends his left hand in front of him, black nailed fingers spreading in an almost casual gesture towards Shuuhei, Abarai and Kira. The blasts that follow are hardly anything to ignore, forceful and fast as they come. And the nice thing about Bala is that it's much quicker to fire off than a Cero.
Open hand firmly grabs hold of Hisagi's, pulling himself up to his feet. "She ran off towards the town after a hollow, I got held up by this guy." Renji promptly answers him. Brows furrow, sending a horrible glare at the Espada. There was something fishy going on here. Why would an Espada show up, on his own to just kick the shit out of a shinigami?
Soon all little guessing games roam from his mind as another sudden jump of reiatsu appears, followed by a glow. "...'the hell is that?" A brief glance is cast over in the direction of the blue glow before quickly coming back to the Espada. He couldn't take an eye off this arrancar, he did once and he ended up in the dirt. "...Someone should go make sure Hinamori is alright. But we can't leave this bastard free to roam." Renji mumbled to Hisagi.
Eyes widen when the arrancar's hand raises and fingertips glow. "Watch out!" Shouting the warning was an attempt to draw any day dreamers or shocked..(Kira) out of that state. Legs pumped and heels pushed him at a quick pace to avoid the blasts. Sweat runs down his face, his mind muffled by thoughts and decisions. Should he go and find Hinamori so they can escape, or should he stay and make sure Kira and Hisagi don't get caught up in horrible danger?
Kira was already finding it difficult to bite back his fears, but he manages through sheer will alone. Leaving Hisagi to offer Renji aid, Kira takes a few steps foward, putting himself between his fallen comrade and the danger ahead. On his own, he knew quite well he would be out of his league, but perhaps with their combined efforts, there was still a chance for victory. Even an arrancar did not have unlimitted strength!
"Omote o agero, Wabisuke!" The blade in his hands moves sharply, warping into its familiar hooked form. However, Kira never found his chance to test its strength. That sudden blaze of reiatsu from yet another mysterious source left him once again gasping and nearly paralyzed with shock. It is only Renji's cry that wakes him again, and only just in time.
There is a quick blur, a shunpo carrying Izuru out of the immediate danger from the Bala, but leaving him now at a greater distance from his opponent than before. Not good...
That reiatsu... what's going on here. That question just haunts Shuuhei. Yet, Hisagi's eyes never leave the figure of Ulquiorra. One thing at a time he had told Izuru just moments earlier, and that's the way he had to handle this situation here as well. He then considers Renji's answer and mutters. It was that answer that told Shuuhei what he had to do. With the Bala coming his way, instincts immediately take over.
"I'm going. Kira, Abarai, you handle him," Shuuehi tosses out the words. After all, Hinamori was in a way his responsibility and the more he thought about this attack, the more sense it made...
And he didn't like where things seemed to be going. The next thing Hisagi does is to try and shunpo his way in the direction Momo went.
Questions, questions, and more questions. That is indeed the point of all of this, after all, to stir up confusion. To keep prying eyes away from where they ought to be. But what good is that when people stop blindly wondering what is going on, and start using their brains? It's troublesome, that's what it is.
As if there weren't enough going on in the vicinity of the park already, the sky again splits open as Hisagi dares to take his leave. At first, the toothy maw reveals only more white, giving little idea who might stand behind it. But the Reiatsu and the voice that follows with it ought to be more than familiar enough to those gathered, as Ichimaru tsks chidingly at the 9th vice captain.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Hisagi-san," he says, stepping from the rift as it disappears once more, only to swiftly appear just in front of the shinigami's path.
Ah, it really feels good to stretch the ol' proverbial wings out a bit. Kensei's aura continues to flare for a good few seconds, then it snuffs out as quickly as it appears. The strength of the reiatsu remains, however, leaving a rather bemused-looking grey-haired punk kid standing atop the baseball diamond's backstop. "Bala? Don't see that very often. Wonder just who that is." One gloved hand reaches up, running through short spiked hair while he watches the antics... until Garganta opens its gap-toothed maw once again.
This reiatsu.. oh, even Kensei knows this one, and it brings a sharp laugh to his lips. "And I thought I was gonna be /bored/ tonight.. Ichimaru goddamn Gin is here.." Both gloved palms smack together now, rubbing his hands together before popping his knuckles. "What to do, though.." This thought brings a sudden stop to Muguruma's amusement. "Let's see here.." He holds up both hands, palm-up. "Left hand represents carin' about the Shinigami.. right hand is carin' about the Arrancar..." He looks at his hands for a moment. "Both empty. S'what I figured." More a rhetorical statement than anything. Sigh. So conflicted, even in apathy.
Perhaps he would have been more disappointed with them if they'd allowed themselves to get hit, but nevertheless, it would have made things easier for Ulquiorra had the Shinigami not all dodged. No matter. He's already on the move even before the Bala have missed their marks, Sonido aiding his steps, closing the distance between himself and his targets within split seconds. The only problem here is that they've all moved in different directions, and one has decided to abandon the other two in search of their final comrade.
Ulquiorra is saved the trouble of having to go after Shuuhei, sensing the new Garganta rift even before it fully manifests. He easily switches targets. Hopefully by the time Renji realizes the Espada has vanished again will be too late to realize that Ulquiorra is now beside him again, a hand aiming another Bala shot at his chest.
"Just hurry!" Renji shouts in Hisagi's direction as he skids to a hault once avoiding those Bala. He and Kira weren't going to hold off an Espada on their own for too long. Soon Renji goes on the offensive, charging a few paces towards the Arrancar with Zabimaru tightly gripped in his right hand. Drawing the sword back, he soons tosses his arm forward, sending the segmented blades in Ulquiorra's direction. Kira had no chance to get close enough to use Wabisuke on him, so Renji was left alone to try and weaken the arrancar... or atleast hold him back.
This little mission to let Kira and Hinamori's feet get wet turned into letting all of them drown. It was a horrid conflict Renji wouldn't want to happen in his worst nightmares especially at the appearance of a well known traitor. One he has heard more than enough about from his friend. When eyes look away from the direction of the arrancar to peek at the the new arrival, Renji never realized that Ulquiorra was already after him.
Zabimaru could never be drawn back fast enough to save him from this close range. Instead Renji tossed his sword weilding arm straight for the arrancar's face, sure to drag Zabimaru's blade whipping after it. Hopefully it will send Ulquiorra calling off the attack... but it's only a wish.
Never had Izuru dealt well with pressure well, and this was no exception. Having escaped the Bala attacks by the skin of his teeth, Izuru shifts in order to launch an attack at the arrancar. However, he never makes it more than a step forward. There was no mistaking that reiatsu, that voice... Immediately his entire body seems to freeze and only his eyes are able to move, wide and shocked until they land on that unmistakable, grinning figure. "Ichimaru-taichou..."
"Ichimaru..." The words leaving Hisagi's lips are pretty much a hiss. They're followed by a quick switch to a defensive stance, zanpakutou out and everything. He seriously doubted he would be able to do much of anything here, but, he wasn't about to just retreat without getting Momo. Several scenarios play in Shuuhei's head, and all of them end in pretty much the same way. The solution itself is simple, but implementing is the hard part.
They need to escape.
Question of course is how. Silently muttering to himself and quite aware of the effect Ichimaru was going to have on Kira, Hisagi decides that a change in tactics is in order. After all, there's still that other reiatsu out there, that hasn't revealed itself to be friend or foe. "I guess, that asking you nicely to let me by won't do the trick here, Ichimaru-san."
The friendly manner that Gin keeps up is the same as it always is, even as he leans to the side to look past Hisagi, as if it wasn't even a threat that the man had drawn his blade. He offers a wave towards Kira. Did he just now noticed the others were there? Even with all the fighting going on. "Hello! Just dropped in t'see how things were goin'," he chuckles.
But he doesn't draw his own sword. It's like he's just discussing the weather. For a moment he considers the 9th's question with a finger to his chin. "That's askin' nicely? You go drawin' a sword on someone every time y'ask 'em a question?"
The strange Reiatsu nearby is noted, in the back of his mind, but he keeps his apparent focus on those before him. Keeping them there is what is important.
...this was boring. There was as much talking as there was fighting. Here Kensei was, in the middle of a park full of Arrancar and Shinigami, and not one worthwhile fight was breaking out. The fight between Renji and Ulquiorra was hardly holding his attention at the moment, and Gin was just standing there, talking.. sigh. The night was shaping up to be a bit of a wash, after all. And just as suddenly as that, the unusual reiatsu was gone from atop the backstop..
... only to appear in the air, just above the gathering of Gin, Izuru, and Shuuhei. Where he was standing before, now he sits cross-legged, hands resting on his knees as he floats above the group. There's a bit of a scowl on his face, eyebrows furrowed. "The hell. You lot are goddamn boring." Fingers drum along his knees as he leans forward to peer down towards the ground. "Only people fightin' are that armadillo-hat and the pineapple-haired guy, 'n his reiatsu ain't barely worth paying attention to. The hell is a guy supposed to go to find some decent entertainment, this time of night?"
Kensei might have a different opinion were Ulquiorra to let his reiatsu flare to its fullest, and the resulting might even have been useful in that it could possibly stun the other Shinigami. However Ulquiorra is not here to pick fights with the intention of really finishing them. If a Shinigami or two were killed during this distraction, then fine. As it is, the Espada isn't really putting an effort into his attacks, but going just far enough as to get the job done. His current target of interest might be thinking otherwise.
The half-helmed Espada Sonido-shifts back, eyes flicking to the side towards the blur of the segmented blades that come whipping towards him before he lashes out his left hand towards the foremost, striking the flat of it to send it flying in another direction. Simultaneously he leans forward to dart towards Renji again, coattails flapping wildly behind him. About midway he kicks in the use of Sonido once again, intent on getting right up in the red-haired vice captain's face so that he won't be able to pull his weapon back in time. That hand snakes out again, plunging towards Renji's stomach, green gaze cold and unblinking as they lock upon the Shinigami's.
Zabimaru is sent back after the block given by the Espada. Renji grumbles as he attempts to pull the segments back together with the hilt, but it proves pointless. Time appears to slow down when Ulquiorra is all he can see, those emotionless eyes staring into his own.
A sharp pain is immediately felt in his gut, sending Renji to bend over attempting to flee the hand before it breaks through flesh. Only, he stumbles backwards. Seeming to try to catch his balance, he falls to his knees, unable to feel his legs anymore. Only feeling the excruciating pain in his abdomen, his hand loosens his hold on Zabimaru's hilt.
Izuru was unsure what finally snapped him out of his shock. Perhaps it was the pressence of that strange reiatsu floating above him and calling out smartass remarks. Or perhaps it was the desperate battle behind him between his best friend and an Espada at least twice his strength. Or perhaps it was finally receiving that acknowledgement from Ichimaru-taichou. Whatever the cause, Izuru's shocked expression had melted away and was replaced with a fresh determination.
"Hisagi-san," he speaks in a cool, calm tone that shows a confidence he had lacked as of late. "Go help Abarai-kun." Though he speaks to Shuuhei, his eyes never leave Gin. Hidden beneath his hakama, his legs tremble wildly as he takes one reluctant step after another, but he pushes it from his mind. Instead, he strides forward, clutching Wabisuke's hilt as if it were a life raft. As he draws nearer, the strange look in his eyes becomes clearer, a mix of despiration and anger. "Why are you here?"
Sprinting back from the direction of the schoolyard, Hinamori skids to a halt on the grass when she comes upon the scene in the park. This...isn't what she left. "Abarai-kun!" she yells in concern, but her attention is quickly drawn to Izuru and...
"Ichimaru!" Raw anger and bitter hatred twist the girl's face as she swiftly unsheathes her zanpakutou with a metal scraping sheen and runs in that direction. But first... "Hadou 33! Soukatsui!" Bypassing the incantation, Momo holds out her left hand, releasing reishi in the form of a violent blue flame. "Ichimaru!!"
"Just the ones I'm not too fond of." That's his response to Ichimaru. The temptation is there. In Gin, Hisagi has to admit he sees his own demons. Tousen... Yet, he's quite aware of the futility of his actions. But then, there was Momo, whom he had to find... and Kira. Before he had a chance to make his decision, though, Kensei made his entrance. And there it is, the missing reiatsu. Hisagi squints his eyes. "You've got a point." Shuuhei is about to move in, when he then hears Kira's voice. There's a second of hesitation. The idea of leaving Izuru alone with Gin is not something he enjoys... but perhaps it's something the other needs.
With a quick nod at Kira, Shuuhei shunpos over next to Renji. His eyes never leave Ulquiorra, however instead of attacking he uses one arm to try and hold Renji, while the other holds his unsealed zanpakutou, pointing it at the Arrancar. His own reiatsu begins to build up as he prepares himself to face Ulquiorra. Before he let anyone else in the group be hurt, they'd have to hut him first. After all, he was the one dragging them all here, it was his fault they were in this predicament.
Perhaps Ulquiorra's reiatsu was impressive... perhaps Kensei's was imposing, but really, such levels of reiatsu were merely a drop in the bucket compared to the full potential held by those of real power. For the third time, a great maw opened in the sky and admitted the final player onto the chess board. Aizen Sousuke, glowing brightly in all his glory, made his presence known. And the pressure was crushing. Those who posessed considerable reiatsu could perhaps stand against it, but even then the weight was suffocating. And for those who had the strength to raise their heads, they would find the traitorous captain himself standing high above, piercing gaze cast down at the insects below as if his eyes alone could crush them... Perhaps they could.
Finally, the pressure subsides and those on the ground are given room to breathe. The man who would soon sit upon the empty throne in the sky cast his disapproving gaze over those who stood against him, lingering a moment longer upon the Vaizard. This was a warning for the boy and his friends. Aizen made no move to strike, but all the same, the warning was there. Maintain your distance or suffer the consequences.
"Gin. Ulquiorra." No further words, but the orders should be clear. Their business was done; it was time to go.
What a mess this had turned into, hm?
Just as Renji's knees hit the ground, there would come a blur hinted most notably with a stream of bright orange. Arms came to grasp the pineapple-headed shinigami before he could completely topple over as the woman's form seemed to have landed out of nowhere, crouched right in front of him. A swift motion would have guided Renji's motion so he slumped easily over her waiting shoulder. Only then would those golden eyes cut just over her shoulder not bearing Renji's weight, allowing a brief glance to be given to the Arrancar.
And just like that, she was gone. The Goddess of Flash would have seemed to vanish in thin air, despite heaving around the big oaf. Of course, she had used shunpo; a reasonable amount of distance would now be made up between herself and Renji, and the rather stoic Arrancar. Crouching again, she would have allowed herself to set Renji down in a sitting position, though her gaze never left the Espada, "Hope you don't mind me stepping in here.. But if you were doing any worse, you'd be dead." That usual grin would be at her lips, despite the seriousness of the situation.
Ah, so many people wanted his attention! First there was Shuuhei, and all his spite. And Izuru and his many questions. What /would/ Gin have to say to that? But then the sudden arrival of the Vizard tears his attention away, and with a glance upwards at the complaining man, he almost frowns a little. Why come poke his nose in if he didn't like it?
It's almost enough to distract him completely as Momo comes rushing back. The only thing keeping the blast of kidou from taking him by surprise is the cry of rage from the angry girl. It narrowly brushes past Gin as he quickly sidesteps, a hand flying to his own Zanpakutou, drawn to meet and halt her own.
Never has it been his intention to start a fight this night, although it might be inevitable in making a good distraction. So thanks be to Aizen that when the orders come to leave, Gin darts backwards in a flash step of his own, pushing off of the Reishi to take to the sky. To all the questions he was asked, he can only smile and shrug, before turning to follow back into the Garganta to his home. Sorry, but questions will have to wait.
At least he's saved a dry-cleaning bill. Ulquiorra straightens as Renji goes falling backwards. He could have pressed his assault, could have easily crushed this Shinigami into the ground. He doesn't. Instead, he halts his attacks completely, even with Shuuhei moving to Renji's aid and the appearance of the Cat. His eyes only look over those within his vicinity, but they hold his attention for not very long as he soon shifts his gaze to look upwards into the skies, just as that immense spiritual pressure builds and is released with Aizen's arrival. He stands his ground rather well, any strain in the presence of his master's reiatsu carefully masked by his usual expression of indifference.
Once the pressure subsides, Ulquiorra nods silently at Aizen's unspoken command, and after leveling a final glance towards the Shinigami he had been facing, the Espada leaps into the air, disappearing briefly before he is next found beside Aizen and Ichimaru to make their return to Hueco Mundo.
When face didn't meet dirt, Renji's eyes opened to see who it was who stepped in. Brows furrowed, locking his sights on the orange blur. When clear sight was granted back to him, he would struggle to get to his feet. "Oi... no one asked you to step in, Yorui-san." Renji called out, finally getting to his feet and attempting to keep balance. One arm wrapping around his abdomen, the other hand gripping onto Zabimaru at his side. Only he manages to keep on his feet for a brief moment before the crushing reiatsu pushes him back into in a kneel.
Head raises to glance upwards at the departure of traitors and arrancar. "Damn cowards." Words were grumbled in disgust when looking at the group. Now Kira and Hinamori need to deal with what Hisagi was trying to wipe from their minds.
At Aizen's appearance, the reiatsu just threatens to completely overwhelm the Shinigami. Hisagi goes to one knee and grunts. Glad that Hinamori is back, Yoruichi is here and the Arrancar are leaving, there is something else quite heavy assaulting Shuuhei. In a way, this was all his fault. He probably had done more damage to his friends than any help he had hoped his little trip would do. Hisagi bows his head to mask the boiling emotions. When he looks up, the cool headed Hisagi is back in control of himself. "I'm sorry," he does whisper.
Meanwhile... blocks away, a certain small canine is running back to the area. The poor puppy had left the moment the first Arrancar showed up. But now he was on his way back... WITH A VENGEANCE.
The fact that her kidou was simply sidestepped only fuels Hinamori's rage. But as Ichimaru's blade crosses with hers, she only gets the chance to press into with all her strength for a short time before that familiar reiatsu in such a large dose squeezes all of the air out of her lungs and puts an equally tight hold around her heart. Her eyes widen in shock and disbelief, and though she tries to lift her head, she can't even move to take her sword away from Gin's.
It is only when Aizen eases the pressure and Ichimaru has already begun his escape that Momo is able to lower her right arm and look up. "...Aizen-taichou...?" she murmurs in confusion. "Why...? Why! Aizen-taichou!" Tobiume hangs loosely in her fingers as she stares up at him. Why would he save them when...? "/Aizen-taichou!!!/" All her anger drains from her body, leaving her cold. Then it hits her. This is just /his/ doing again. The hate fills her features as her focus shifts back onto Gin. "ICHIMARU! I'LL KILL YOU!"
The puppy arrives and pees on Renji, then leaves.