In Search of an Old Friend [FINISHED]

Kiriko exhaled slowly, her concentration focused down to a pinprick as she moved through a kata with deliberate delay. It took more strength to move slowly with perfection than to act with the greatest of speeds. She was learning this more of late and it was a painful lesson. Those books and journals she had read in the Kido Corps secret library had flooded her mind with new knowledge. Kiriko had always been skilled with her body but it was another thing to take an average fighter as she considered herself and give them access to the master's work. After reading those pages, after learning the secrets of the past Nibantai, Kiriko had grown even more intent on molding herself into something stronger than before. She could never achieve what Tsukimiya-taichou had, that had been her old thinking, but now... Now Kiriko wasn't so sure. She had the information, she merely had to put it into place. Kyousuke was one man, with years of experience. But she now had the knowledge of many people's years of experience, the hard won details of true fighting. If she could put it into application she might stretch tall and brush the feet of her Captain someday.

Kiriko had always wished, deep down, that she could have improved enough for him to take notice. To comment. To do anything really. Only that thought wasn't quite true, what Kiriko had really wanted, forever and always, was for Tsukimiya-taichou to teach her. To test her merit. To take Kiriko's form and infuse it with bits of his own. She wanted desperately to learn from him. Not by watching and slowly picking up information, but from real comments, real spars. She had never been able to articulate that desire, and with her Captain still missing Kiriko had been forced to realize how much she wanted. Determination was a word that she had never liked, it implied that you were not perfect enough to achieve your goal in the first attempt. It spoke of past failures and belied your nature as efficient. But lately Kiriko had decided that perhaps it wasn't such a bad word after all, if it meant change. If it meant improvement.

She had come to earth for that reason. When Tsukimiya-taichou returned he would realize that Kiriko was not the same person. He would see her improvements, the strides she'd taken as a leader, as a fighter, and as a subordinate. When that happened, she was ready now to ask him for his guidance. If she had to be blunt, well, Kiriko had learned how to be blunt. Taking a page from Kachekiwa's book insistent was now part of her descriptor. So she had to be ready for his return, really ready. Kiriko wasn't the weakest link anymore, she wasn't the worst Lieutenant in the Gotei like she used to be. And she wanted to impress him, to show Kyousuke her maturity and strength. He had given her this chance, to become what she was now, and Kiriko wanted to let him know that she had taken full advantage of that opportunity.

So she was out on the hunt, escaping her desk for the thrill of patrol. Kiriko had never done much work in the human world, it was a realm of foreign and exotic places and people in her mind. She hated this burst of technology, the creep of modernity. It was far too confusing for her, and Kiriko knew without a doubt that she was never going to entertain thoughts of going rogue simply because this world was not anywhere near to her liking. She couldn't breath beneath the towering skyscrapers or the crackle of cell phone towers.

That sparking noise, the static shock, it slowly grew louder until it was nearly a roar and Kiriko came to realize that it was not her imagined cell phone reception but instead the presence of an incredibly powerful Hollow. Peering down through the dark sky she spotted an old and traditional looking building carrying all the hallmarks of a dojo. Perfect was her only thought, glad to be away from the slate of gray and metal that seemed to be all that was present in the human world. Dropping rapidly she perched on the wall that enclosed the dojo, the wooden lathes standing tall beneath her spiritual weight.

Eyes casting about, her attention focused on the blast of force that resulted in a door crumpling to the ground. Out of the building stepped a hulking Hollow-breed, sheathed in shadow like the swaddling of a baby, there was nothing to be made out except for those gleaming eyes. The creature reared back, speaking to someone else but Kiriko could sense no other presence. She watched with clinical detachment as a piece of white cloth fluttered to the ground, illuminated in the starlight like the plastic of a discarded bag. Arrancar? How curious this was becoming. Kiriko had more dealings with Hueco Mundo than most, being the Lieutenant of the man who oversaw the occupation. But even she still had a wary respect for that title. Arrancar meant strength, an angry power that couldn't be explained. Just because the Shinigami army had conquered Hueco Mundo didn't mean the monsters still didn't lurk under the beds of anyone who came into contact with them. She no longer believed in the superiority of her race, not after the damage Tova had wrought in Seireitei.

Dropping to the ground like a cat, she stood up lithely, having no desire to hide her presence. This creature was intriguing and Kiriko had another desire that wormed its way up into her thoughts as she stared. What if... What if her Captain was still in Hueco Mundo? Would this Arrancar know about him? Would this being have any idea what was taking him so long to return? It was an interesting proposal, considering her contact with that other realm had been cut off only just recently.

Stepping lightly across the distance between them, Kiriko alighted in front of her target, the blade of Aneue softly jabbing at the creature's tender throat, “Kyousuke Tsukimiya. Do you know where he is?” her voice was quiet and controlled, soft like flower petals, almost conversational despite her gentle threat. In the darkness Kiriko smiled, leaning forward towards her quarry, “I believe that you know a great many things Arrancar-san, perhaps we should share notes.”

WC: 1068 | GP: 21 | Total GP: 21

“She’s already here?” Shushana looked about, left brow raised in distrust. “I don’t see anyone! Where?” The tall Arrancar scratched at her scalp in an attempt to rid her conscience of an itch. Strangely, she’d been prone to them since her Arrancarization. Having a full set of hair was such a nuisance. “Wait,” she blurted out, confused. “She? What do you mean she? I thought this thing was a he?” Eyes closed to mask her boiling rage. “This must be fun for you. Mocking me. Reducing me to nothing more than a whining cur.” Her voice echoed with deceitful softness.
 
Look behind you.
 
And Shushana would have, if not for the swish of a sword cutting through the cool night air. With a single glance forward she saw the glistening edge of the blade pointed straight to her throat—she didn’t swallow, not even as much as make a noise. Violet eyes trailing down the center of the blade, she caught sight of the worn fingers gripped around the katana’s thick handle. The strong arm of the hand holding the blade led her eyes to fall on sturdy shoulders, and the shoulders to the pale face of an average looking woman.
 
Earth was full of surprises.
 
Shushana squinted, attempting to focus onto the newcomer’s face—attempting to calculate her next two steps. Though in all of her action, Shushana couldn’t help the rage-induced snarl tugging away at her lips. This thing, this Shinigami! A Hollow damned Shinigami! And one that hid behind the mask of a snake? Those eyes! Those snake-like black eyes! They reminded Shushana of him, and all she desired was to swat the blade away and ram her fist through the woman’s exposed throat.
 
Until his name came straight out of her mouth.
 
Any blazing desire to murder was washed away by the cool tide of her mind, her once aggressive disposition swathed by the remembered oppression of Kyousuke’s presence. She stood stricken—still as a rock—dilated eyes staring past her enemy’s raven-black hair. “Kyousuke Tsukimiya?” she replied mindlessly, words spoken slowly. Any previous effort to mask her thoughts was now left open to the Shinigami’s discretion.
 
Strange question.
 
Indeed it was, Shushana couldn’t argue that. What in the world possessed the square-looking Shinigami to ask such a question to an Arrancar? Especially an Arrancar so far from home! There were a lot of assumptions underlining the Shinigami’s question and Shushana wasn’t blind enough to not notice their similarities.
 
“You’re Shinigami, right?” She knew the answer. “And I’m sure you somehow grew fond of this Kyousuke Tsukimiya, right?” She knew the answer. Her previously absent eyes refocused, gunning straight for the woman’s venomous glare. How she wanted to wipe away the bitch’s smile. “You’ve come all this way alone, inquiring the whereabouts of a fellow Shinigami to your greatest known enemy. That’s a little too forward, especially for someone of your talent.” Her Russian accent accentuated the manner in which she spoke commandingly. “Your stance. Your posture and scrutinizing eyes. They’re unmistakably similar to what I’ve seen from your kind before.” She didn’t speak his name. She wouldn’t give up any more information than was necessary. “You’re supposed to be an assassin. A snake that slithers unnoticed and moves in the shadows. Yet you’ve done the complete opposite.” She crossed her arms, not giving two shits to the threat of a pointed blade. “So,” she continued, giving the woman a humor-me expression. “What the fuck made you so careless? And most importantly, get that sword away from me before someone gets hurt.”
 
This was unprecedented for the Behemoth! She’d finally gotten a taste for deceit and it was exhilarating! Too bad it didn’t remedy Shushana’s impulse to watch her enemy choke on bloodied teeth.
 
Hollows were Hollows, it seemed.
 
WC: 632

On the one hand, Kiriko had figured that after her little run in with the Hollow King that she had a good grasp on Arrancar culture. It seemed however that she was rather lacking in that department as her decision to use neither force nor secrecy won her nothing other then the flash of recognition that raced across the Hollow-breeds face when she mentioned Tsukimiya-taichou's name. Now that the second hand was coming around to clock her in the face she started to think. Arrogance was as much a part of her now as cowardice had been before, but she was not yet skilled in managing these types of thoughts and often now Kiriko got into trouble for being far too audacious then should be. Realizing that she had overstepped but not willing to back down, she began to recalculate her approach and this particular Arrancar.

The woman, or at least female bodied creature, was a sight to behold now that Kiriko was close enough to pierce the veil of the shadow left by the dojo's overhanging roof. A body covered in scars, some so large and grotesque that it was amazing the woman before her had recovered. Was this the rumored regenerative powers of a Hollow of such age and maturity? Whatever it was the body's shaping was in an alluring way pleasing to the eye, something that made Kiriko itch inside as the beast growled and threatened. Who was this Arrancar to have known her Captain? Why did she deserve any time with that man at all? It truly had to be the worst of Gilgamesh's decisions to make Tsukimiya-taichou the occupational commander of Hueco Mundo. All that time away. All that time stuck with these people. It made her blood boil.

Tova was an exceptional specimen of his breed. An elite and enlightened being. This bitch probably was too, somewhere beneath all that yowling. Despite her building disdain and shaping hatred Kiriko could admit that the Arrancar was an impressive agent of her own race. That didn't make her like the girl anymore, certainly not after her eyes had gone all soft at Kyousuke's name, and especially not after she refused to provide any information after dangling the connection so physically in Kiriko's face. In fact, she rather wished she could just shove her blade right through the woman's throat, but that would be escalating things a bit too quickly. And Kiriko still wanted the Arrancar to be capable of making speech.

That left the problem of how to deal with this unfolding situation. She was inclined to force speech from the woman's mouth, but with a Hollow that was easier said than done. Humans at least had simple motivations and simple fears. They were easy to interrogate. Most Shinigami as well. There were just too many unknowns with a Hollow-breed, you could never tell if they were just going to giggle as you gutted them because they actually enjoyed pain or something insane like that.

Aneue was mostly silent, off in a huff because Kiriko was focusing her attention on her Captain rather than her touchy sword. The blade was cold in her hand, stead at the woman's pulse. “I am forward because I have the luxury of ease but not of time. Cease with all this complaining Arrancar-san and perhaps I won't slice you open when I'm done with you,” she spoke stiffly, her pride on the line now, and belatedly Kiriko realized everything she said was more threatening then her better side had wished for. It came out without thought, her overbearing presence changing little in the human world.

“Speak! I know you have information pertaining to him,” her demand was insistent and diamond hard, the blade never wavering at the beast's throat as Kiriko showed her own strength by maintaining the same exact amount of pressure as before throughout these long drawn out seconds. Chances were this would all explode into actions and attacks within her next heart beat, but at least then Kiriko would know what to do. Instinct after all was a bitter mistress. Maybe she shouldn't feel so natural in the middle of a serious fight, but there was no other place to call home that Kiriko could think of.  

WC: 710 | GP: 14 | Total GP: 35

“Slice me open—?”

Shinigami were such wonderful creatures—to eat. Through all of her interactions thus far, she hadn’t met a single agent of Seireitei that she cared not to completely mutilate. To be fair to the possibility of ever liking one of their rank—a Death God, as they prefer named—she hadn’t yet encountered many. Kyousuke Tsukimiya— whereabouts unknown. An unnamed Occupational Shinigami—consumed with gusto. And now the yet unnamed and surprisingly curt harpy threatening Shushana with one of the sharpest blades known to her memory—soon to fulfill the only purpose she knew they existed for.

Their existence was something truly otherworldly, a reality that escaped the boundaries of logic. It was a concept that moved farther and farther away in the presence of climbing thought-put, and for a creature of much less complexity than a cheese-crazed rat, it was miracle enough that her mind was capable of self-diagnosis.

It was strange, the situation Shushana found herself in. From the blood-drenched teeth of her brethren she’d heard details of the Shinigami—their pathology, mannerisms, principles and motives. As much as she tried to award them respect, she couldn’t. There was no explanation supporting her conclusion, all of it derived from a gut feeling seemingly passed on to her by instinct. They were a threat to her and anyone who posed as an enemy was branded accordingly. There was no discrimination, no bias in her desire to experience the thrill of despair. And to her recent insight, the nastier they were, the louder they cried.

That was surely one of the prominent aspects of the abrasive Shinigami that Shushana found herself most allured. The black-robed dwarf hadn’t backed down, even after Shushana made aware the all-too real consequence brought on by ignorance, and that alone caused her to feel a sort-of-distant attachment. And the more Shushana felt attached, the greater was her reward.

That was why she wished to find him. He was to her like the last meal was to a doomed inmate. She desired Kyousuke not for him, but rather to experience his hopelessness. To watch with delight his inescapable fall to ruin. To taste his final breath!

Though, the more she thought of him, the more infuriated she became! He wore his black hair in styled buns, for Hollow King’s sake!

How emasculating! Hahaha!

And his square frame! How could someone of his supposed talent be so bland? Born so unoriginal? He looked like a man!

Hahaha!

Those snake-like eyes, too! Venomous by mere sight and surely by contact too!

Maybe they resembled the taste mortals refer to citrus? Haha!

Oh, how Shushana craved those eyes!

She’d devour the black pupils and all!

And that lovely nose too! Oh yes!

Maybe even bits of the brain?

Yes, yes, yes! And the ears?

She’d chew on every part!

Toes and fingers too!

YES! YES! YES!

“—When you’re done with me?”

Shushana’s intent to kill burst forth from her pores, though not from bloodlust, her desire to mutilate the arrogant Shinigami born solely from aggravation. Without as much as a single hint of warning—save for the simultaneous release of her spiritual pressure—Shushana pushed herself back, simultaneously kicking at her enemy’s chest with her left leg and thrusting her right arm in an attempt to swat the blade away.

This was a staple of Jeet Kun Do—attack and defend at the same time. And best of all, Shushana’s head was no longer in line of fire, effectively protecting her most precious possession.

Nevermind. Shinigami were such pieces of shit.

WC: 600

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: None

Personal Actions:

ATTEMPT to ATTACK Chinda Kiriko's chest with a kick of the left leg at 69 Attack Strength and 89 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda)]. Striking with Hardened Area: Feet. Consumes 1 Combat Action.

ATTEMPT to SWAT AWAY Chinda Kiriko's Zanpakuto with right forearm at 69 Attack Strength and 89 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda)]. Consumes 1 Combat Action.

Stamina

111/113 [-2]

Kiriko studied her opponent closely, watching the twitch and play of her facial muscles along with the tense posture of her body. The towering Arrancar was somewhat hard to read, but the impassioned reaction wasn't too difficult to catch. As powerful as the woman was, she was still just a Hollow. And it seemed powerful emotions were never too far from her. That was both useful and dangerous, as fighting with such rage made combat rather tricky. Kiriko wished for once that the fight would just be simple, but then again that would only be boring. It was in those tense moments when you didn't know whether you would live or die that she truly had the most fun.

The woman seemed to grow larger with time as her wrath built up into something rather fearsome. Kiriko had discarded her fear long ago, but as the Hollow-breeds reiatsu exploded all around her and she felt the push of that energy and pressure she felt the beginnings of a telltale emotion. It was stupid not to be cautious, that was what she told herself. But deep down Kiriko realized that as strong as she got she never seemed quite strong enough, perhaps this was a time for Aneue's intervention. Except there was nothing around the two of them except for emptiness. Her Shikai would be useless in this instance.

Kiriko didn't have to rely on that power anyway. She wasn't that weak. This was her chance to prove to Tsukimiya-taichou that she was a formidable opponent. By beating this Arrancar that clearly knew him and throwing her name around later. It made her blood boil, the taste of acclaim. She moved fluidly as the Hollow-breed burst into action, unimpeded by that harsh pressure of the creature's reiatsu. It did give her a gauge however, a metric system to see what kind of opponent she was facing today. Kiriko was impressed, but not overly so. She could take this woman. There was no other acceptable alternative.

Spinning carefully on her heel, Kiriko shifted her body to the outside of the kick, her hands coming up alongside the Hollow's joint and thigh to help direct the strike to its full extension. Her ability to turn quickly was nearly overcome by the force and ferocity of the attack, but Kiriko's superior knowledge seemed to come into play as she relied on muscle memory to carry her into position. Letting her sword get knocked out of her hand, the blade skittering off into the darkness near the wall, Kiriko used her now free hand to jab intensely at the Hollow's knee joint, the enemy's force now playing against itself as Kiriko's attack aimed for an overextended body part.

She could already see that this was too close to an even match with just Hakuda. She might have a bit more knowledge but this creature was strong – too strong. The way the air whistled as her kick passed perilously close to Kiriko's chest was intimidating and she had to do something about it. Instead of pressing her advantage with another attack, Kiriko focused inward and released her own reiatsu spike. This laden with spiraling Kido energy that swooped around her body in a crackling aura. Shunkou, a style of using Kido to strengthen your physical attacks. It was something she'd only gleaned mentions off in those diaries in the Kido Corps secret library, but after so much trial and error she had finally managed to bring it out.

For a second the reiatsu sparked out, flickering perilously, but Kiriko focused all the harder on the energy flowing through her veins and soon it regained strength and ceased to weaken. Elation filled her chest with air as Kiriko released a savage grin at her opponent. Finally, after all that training, she had a reason to use this technique. She almost felt thankful, a real battle was just what she needed to perfect her style.

WC: 657 | GP: 13 | Total GP: 48

Kiriko utilized Tai Chi Chuan: Cloud Hands to block the kick and return a strike empowered by the force of Shushana's attack. 39 point difference is disadvantaged defender however Hakuda at Master versus Shushana's Advanced gives an additional rank bringing it up to equivalent. Hardened area of hands means no damage check. The counter attack aimed at the knee joint hits at 70 speed (50 + 20 from Hakuda) and the attack hits at 80 damage (50 + 30 from Cloud Hands). The requirement for blocking is raised by one rank due to Master Hakuda. This took one action.

The second action was spent activating Shunko.

STA: 115 - 6 = 109

Technique used:

Name: Tai Chi Chuan: Cloud Hands | 2nd Hakuda Technique
Relevant Skill(s) & Ranks: Hakuda Intermediate
Stat(s) Involved: Strength
Flavor Description: When faced with an attack the user shifts their weight and turns to the side while bringing up one arm and placing it alongside the outside of the attacker's arm or leg. Their other arm comes up beneath the attacker's limb to allow for a repositioned strike to the armpit/groin or soft elbow joint/knee. This attack comes from the side and below while the opponent is still expending their force on the attack and thus it takes advantage of the extended muscles to deal real damage that can result in a broken bone if successful. The true power of this technique is that the guiding hand is used to come back down on the limb from the top, further allowing the user to direct the attacking limb away and apply force at a weak point. Being positioned to the side of the attacking limb means that there is no room for the opponent to strike with their opposite arm or leg.
Effect: User adds up to 30 of their Speed stat to their Strength for the purpose of the block check however they cannot go below 10% of Reiatsu. This attack takes on the force of the opponent's attack meaning that for every 10 Strength in the opponent's attack this technique becomes more powerful as the enemy's own force provides an opening for over extension. Every ten points of Strength in the opponent's Strength power adds an additional +5 Strength power to this technique's damage. When Shunko is active this technique can be used on spiritual based attacks.
Casting Time: Single Action
Duration: One Combat Action.
Limitations: N/A
Cooldown (if any) : 2 turns
Stamina Cost: 1 + X where X is 1 STA for every 5 Strength/Spirit Power added to the technique.

Why is everyone so quick?

In her base form—the only form of herself she knew existed—Shushana wasn’t the quickest combatant. That fact had been made abundantly clear during her ordeal with the Swordbreaker, making her seem as slow as a slug in the wake of his absurd agility. She’d taken her sluggishness to heart and during that singular instance of self-loath, she hadn’t known the right manner in which to deal with the feelings.

Feelings? How ridiculous.

Unquestionably ridiculous! And to compound matters, self-hatred was an emotion typically absent from the clusterfuck of fury and insanity that plagued her kind. She didn’t know how to respond to her innermost deficiency and countless kin she’d slain because of it. Only once had she gotten close to overcoming her hatred for the self during an encounter with a Hollow who wasn’t completely unredeemable—unfortunate that Shushana devoured the poor thing without discretion. Shushana was a beast, a monster, her thirst for bloodshed insatiable. No amount of purity or innocence could change her murderous intent.

She was an emotional monster—the worst kind.

Infuriated eyes watched as the most masculine woman moved out of her kick’s path, blocking Shushana’s heel-and-toe with strength unbecoming for someone so puny. But that wasn’t all! The little bitch continued her inexcusable act, striking with deadly force at Shushana’s knee, and her eyes flared even brighter.

She let loose a teeth-full grunt, the fury of a thousand wailing Hollow’s escaping from the recesses of her damned soul. She landed on her aching knee, tongue numbed, and Shushana struck twice with her fists the freezing floor, her rage causing dust to rise in her immediate vicinity.

Open.

A warm sensation spread within her, filling her veins and fueling her limbs. Violet and vile, her spiritual pressure poured out of her, applying unseen pressure on the entirety of the dojo. It was an involuntary act and her intentions—murderous as they were—were not meant to crumple the many dragon-looking sculptures scattered across the courtyard.

She was more focused than that.

An intense yet harmless pulse of purple energy expelled from her core, passing over debris and dust alike as it expanded outward. As if tailing her own shockwave, Shushana darted with all her might toward the object of her sole seething hatred.

It wasn’t the Shinigami’s capacity to fight back or the creature’s fluctuating spiritual energy that angered her. The blatant display of attempted dominion through flexing of one’s control of the spiritual was enough to send Shushana off her rockers, and that fact was expounded by the bitch’s ridiculous grin.

As Shushana neared her self-assured enemy—right fist raised to breast-level in preparation to strike—she couldn’t help look away from the savage taunt posed by the woman’s bared teeth.

Focus.

Dirtied toes falling into her final step before impact, Shushana’s unusual rage-induced tunnel vision vanished, revealing to her once more the rest of the world. She caught glimpse of her surroundings, behind, left and right, up and down, but it was too late. No matter how much she wished to retrace her steps, to think twice of her actions, she couldn’t, for her fist flew straight toward the Shinigami’s disgusting grin.

It was unlike her to act so recklessly without the influence of bloodlust and the knowledge of her own impulsiveness acted to compound her anger.

I hate her grin.

Shushana’s fury etched over her face. She snarled.

I really do.

WC: 600

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Shushana's knee with Tai Chi Chuan: Cloud Hands for 70 Speed Strength and 80 Attack Strength.

Personal Actions:

TAKE Tai Chi Chuan: Cloud Hands at 80 Attack Strength.

DEFEND with 110 Defense [100 + 10(Hierro)].

Verdict: Advantaged Defender! Receive MINOR wound, reduced to SUPERFICIAL wound by Hierro.

Damage Taken: Bruise at the knee.

Retaliation: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Chinda Kiriko's mouth with right fist with 109 Attack Strength [69 + 40(Reckoning) and 129 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda) + 40(Reckoning)]. Consumes 1 Combat Action.

Powers Unlocked: Reckoning First Gate.

զարթոնքի (Gate of Reckoning: Awakened)
Damage Requirement: A single Superficial Wound or equivalent
Gate Benefit: May increase Strength at a cost of 1:10. Defense and Speed at a cost of 1:5.
Lost Sense: Taste

Stamina

104/113 [-4(Reckoning) + -3(Hierro)]

She felt awash in confidence. This was her first time using Shunkou, but after working so hard to devise its creation she was wholly certain in its power. Shunkou was the missing piece in her combat style, the final ability that would allow her to transcend average skill and mark her place in this world as a remarkable fighter. She was going to carve her name in the clouds if she had to claw her way up this slope piece by piece, one day even Tsukimiya-taichou would respect Kiriko's ability. One day he wouldn't be the only master around.
 
And this creature was just a stepping stone, an easily placed one too. She was finally giving Kiriko the chance to try this out. To push herself to her limits. She'd managed to create this aura passively in training before, but never in combat. It was still a secret after all. But here unobserved in the human world Kiriko felt safe to really let loose. What was the worst that could happen? It wasn't like Gilgamesh cared what his peons were doing. That was the message she'd received after the Massacre when he hadn't even stepped in to protect his lovely “possessions.” She had free reign, and she intended on using up each inch given to her.
 
The exhilaration of a real fight was almost enough to make her laugh, giddy with intent she smiled for the first time in a long while. A real true smile, not that arrogant smirk she used for manipulation. This... This would be fun. And in the process of learning more about Shunkou she would be able to destroy this beastly Hollow-breed who'd dared to know her Captain. Once her boot was on the girl's throat she was sure she could be convinced to talk. To spew the words Kiriko so desperately needed.
 
Her opponent wasn't sitting idle though, that explosive anger became physical as a purple energy cut through the air around the Arrancar. Like a flat disk of light the reiatsu rippled outward until it washed over Kiriko's body, causing her hair to rise on end and goosebumps to prickle at her exposed flesh. What... was that? The feeling had been... bestial, animalistic, primal. As if something deep and old had just been awakened in her foe.
 
Without any preparation for the change in the woman's speed and force Kiriko was suddenly assaulted with an unbelievably fast forward lunge. Without even inhaling the beast was in front of her, arm outstretched in a viscious club maneuver as if she was going to bash out Kiriko's brains. Only the Kido aura around her own body saved her from being smashed to bits as the energy flowed inward and outward augmenting Kiriko's body to its peak performance level. She felt as if time had slowed down to perfection, each liquid second dripping by ever so slowly. Raising one arm in front of her face, forearm out, she angled towards the punch, feeling it strike her flesh with stinging force as the blow was directed off to the side. Her block was strong, and other than the numb tingling of deflecting such a n attack Kiriko still felt confident as she focused her energy into her fists.
 
Small spurts of reiatsu formed along her knuckles and fingers, edged downward into triangled blades of energy as she swung her opposite hand towards the woman's throat that had been so nicely offered up in her range. The crackle of her Shunko aura was a sweet sound indeed as Kiriko focused her energy on piercing the renown Hollow's Iron Skin. She realized only a second too late that if she was successful this wouldn't be a very long talk after all.  
 
WC: 622 | GP: 12 | Total GP: 60
 
First action taken: Kiriko blocked the punch. 100 Spirit puts her at disadvantaged Defender against 129 Attack Strength (29 point difference) however Master Hakuda versus Advanced Hakuda brings her to Equivalent which allows her hardened area of forearm to negate the damage check.
 
Second action taken: With Shunko active Kiriko uses one of her techniques, Chink in the Armor, to attack Shushana with a blade of reiatsu that bypasses an armor. In this case Heirro. To function it requires a skill check of Hakuda versus Hierro, which succeeds as Hierro is only at Advanced versus Mastered Hakuda. Thus the attack would hit Shushana at base Defense without the effects of Hierro. This attack hits at speed of 120 (100 spirit + 20 Hakuda) and damage of 100. Due to Shunko the damage severity upon successful hit is increased by one. The requirement for blocking this attack is raised by one due to Mastered Hakuda. 

STA: 109 - 5  = 104

Technique used:
 

Block.

Reiryoku spike.

Retaliation.

Those were the measures taken against her onslaught, occurring in quick succession within the timespan of mere fleeting moments. To her watchful eyes the actions of her talented opponent were read in the slowest of motions—an invaluable skill acquired from the subconscious will for analytics.

Talented?

Was her present enemy talented? Certainly! There were no doubts ringing within her fury-born mind that the dwarf of a Shinigami—preparing to shortly sever Shushana’s capacity to breathe—was a skilled combatant. There were too many similarities with him to ever fall into delusion from believing otherwise. The broad-shouldered woman moved with a feline swiftness learned by so very few, more than likely taught by the King of Theatrics personally. She really was breathtaking.

The black-robed serpent raised an arm with hidden quickness, redirecting her strike masterfully, and Shushana thought she’d caught the glimpse of a satisfied smirk on the woman’s standard face. Was this situation fulfilling a dark desire wedged deep within the Shinigami? Did the radiating Death God enjoy fighting? Did she enjoy the suffering of others? Shushana parted a sincere smile. She always seemed to give out certain gestures during the most inopportune moments.

Do you enjoy this as much as I do?

And that was quite the revelation, if it were true. To have a creature naturally born as a solution to another’s existence was a wrench of mind-numbing complexity, an external force driving the mindless actions of millions. But to think that one of them—a Shinigami—cared as much as her to bask in the hopelessness of his enemy. That was bliss. That was overwhelming! An ideal that caused her breathing to quicken! Veins to pump with newfound fervor!

Materializing raw reiryoku in the form of physical energy was an otherworldly feat, and Shushana’s well-equipped opponent continued to surprise. With relative ease the tiny thing formed downward-arcing nails of pure, blistering plasma, and with the noticeable focus of spiritual energy at a single point of the body, the beast swiped at Shushana’s throat.

“Beast.” The word rolled off her dried tongue, chapped lips trembling from the adrenaline. “You’re such a beast!” And a beast this Shinigami resembled! So magnificent! So animalistic! So similar!

Not under the craze of bloodlust—and thankful for that fact—Shushana calculated the many outcomes of her next action. Shushana’s eyes narrowed with understanding, her right arm still in the process of traveling through its redirected trajectory. There was only one path available to her. And the thought of it raised her frown to a full grin.

Like the roar of a thousand thunderstorms whistled the dwarf’s clawed hand—the speed of the thrust beyond mortal sight—and sharp pointed talons seeking to dig into her throat upon contact.

But they didn’t.

Shushana’s recently unlocked strength sought for immediate preservation, and the action was signaled by an instantaneous surge of inner energy fortifying the entirety of her body. Someone able to view the world through spiritual sight would surely witness the true nature of her defiance, and for just a brief instance, the physical presence of her grotesque reiryoku weighed down on the court like a blanket of heightened gravity.

Open.

A cold shiver ran down her spine, a second shockwave of violet energy exploding out from her soul. Like before, it was a display of harmless transition, a demonstration of her ascendance in strength! The sensation was remarkable, as if her veins pumped with the purest of life-source!

Sheen claws of solidified energy bounced off of her neck—the sound of steel striking metal echoing over the cracking walls surrounding the pair—and without a moment’s hesitation, Shushana went for the serpent’s deflected wrist with her recovered arm. Her intent wasn’t to harm the warrior, and if she did, then all the better.

“You’re something else, you know that?” she admitted as her hand flew to restrain her enemy’s arm, voice cold and even. “How long did it take you to master the manipulation of energy like this? I mean,” she took a second glance, eyes shifting back and forth hastily. “I’ve never seen such craftsmanship. And best of all, such a skillset adds to your already formidable talent with the fist.” She glanced up, attempting to lock eyes with her enemy. “Not even Kyousuke showed me something like this.”

The Behemoth was in a strange state of mind, far from the berserker that she knew she was. So unbecoming of a Hollow, and yet, she cherished every second. Her mind was the path to greatness. Hollow King forbid she fall to recklessness, but she knew that flipping her switch was only a single breath away.

She took in the cool air of the night through her nose, but interestingly, she no longer smelled the burnt wax of candles. Actually, she couldn't smell at all.

WC: 809

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Shushana's neck with Chink in the Armor for 120 Speed Strength and 100 Attack Strength. Chink in the Armor ATTEMPTS to bypass Shushana's Hierro.

Personal Actions:

TAKE Chink in the Armor at 100 Attack Strength.

DEFEND with 120 Defense [100 + 20(Reckoning)]. Instant.

Verdict: Advantaged Defender with Hierro bypassed and wound severity increased by one rank due to Shunko! Receive MODERATE wound!

Damage Taken: Bruise at the knee. Slight fracture of neck.

Retaliation: ATTEMPT to RESTRAIN Chinda Kiriko's wrist with right hand for 129 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda) + 40(Reckoning)]. Consumes 1 Combat Action.

Powers Unlocked: Reckoning Second & Third Gates.

աճող (Gate of Reckoning: Risen)
Damage Requirement: A single Minor Wound or equivalent
Gate Benefit: May increase Strength and Speed at a cost of 1:10. Defense at a cost of 1:5.
Lost Sense: Smell

օրհնված (Gate of Reckoning: Ascended)
Damage Requirement: A single Moderate Wound or equivalent
Gate Benefit: May increase Strength, Defense and Speed at a cost of 1:10.
Lost Sense: Hearing

Stamina

98/113 [-2(Reckoning) + -4(Reckoning)]

Her pleased grin shifted so swiftly it was like a summer storm, ugly gray clouds and all, as she glared angrily at the Arrancar. “Beast? Beast? Look who's talking Hollow-breed,” she spat, her face morphing into an ugly expression of distaste. How dare this ingrate call her that? Kiriko was in control, she was strong, she was capable. She wasn't some lowly creature who depended only on instincts. Here in the fight she strove with perfection, each move carefully calculated and precise. What did some monster know about excellence, about professionalism? She was fighting for her own enjoyment sure, but not with abandon.
 
Kiriko was a strategist! She hadn't thrown all intellect to the winds in order to have fun. She was highly insulted that the woman was even implying something like that. As if Kiriko could lose control over herself as easily as some Arrancar could. No! She was better than that, better than her. And she would show that crowing idiot just how much of a fool she really was... Calling her a beast? What was the girl insane? Especially when she sounded so happy to be proclaiming that ugly title.
 
This was the difference between monster and man. Kiriko respected her counterpart's strength, and she thought the world of Tova, but he had transcended something above this woman's lowly domain. Tova at least knew how to think while this Arrancar was wrapped up in some sort of animalistic desire for the fight. Was that really all there was to her? Instinct? She'd never gotten so close to a Hollow like this before, not close enough to actually see the flaws in their beings. The hole in their personalities.
 
The woman's whole tactic so far had been stupid, idiotic even. Brace for a hit and then punch straight forward. As if she wasn't even thinking just acting like a stupid beast. Like an animal. Kiriko knew how to refine her own instincts, to use her mind to temper her bodies' movements. She had perfect mastery the whole time, she hadn't lost herself like it seemed this creature had. Was she even trying to control her behavior? Or did Hollow-breeds like this really just... exist. As empty holes filled with anger and vitriol?
 
Her bladed hand slashed forward like a knife as she aimed to pierce the woman's throat and trachea and jugular vein. She grinned with satisfaction, knowing that this technique was honed for effect and that the beast wouldn't even know what was going on before she went down. Better to put her out of her mysery before she made a fool out of herself. Stabbing upward her arm went sliding as the blade of energy skidded when it met the Arrancar's flesh. Something hard and blunt caused the blade to skitter sideways, there wasn't even a drop of blood to show for her attack except for a swiftly forming bruise.
 
Hopping backward, Kiriko stared at the woman and her own hands that had betrayed her so blatantly. What! What had just happened? Replaying the action over again in her head she realized that another burst of that oppressive reiatsu had leaked from the creature. Perhaps like before when she suddenly got faster and stronger this was some way of making her Hierro more durable? There had been a shriek as if she'd hit metal or something like it earlier. Damn it! What the hell did that mean? That this beast could just keep making herself tougher and tougher?
 
The monster reached out lightning quick, fingers grasping roughly for Kiriko's lifted wrist. So intent on the monster's words Kiriko was preparing to pull back, but that last sentence started the slow burn of an appalling rage inside her stomach. Showed her? Showed her? What the hell had Tsukimiya-taichou shown this bitch? And where did she get off being so familiar with his name! She didn't even notice when the creature grabbed her wrist because she was already lunging forward with an illiterate snarl as her other hand slammed towards the Arrancar's face.
 
For once she had lost her tact. All Kiriko wanted to do was dig out those beady little eyes. She threw her all into the attack, fingers arcing for the woman's eyes and face, but again her strike met some sort of resistance and slid away. Standing there, caught up in the monster's grip, Kiriko honed her focus so that her reiatsu released with such force that it was like a blade aimed at her enemy's heart. She glared as if she could melt the Arrancar with acid simply by looking at her, her full murderous intent bare for all to feel.
 
A soft exhalation. A slight restraightening of the spine. Kiriko glanced very slowly at her hand encapsulated in the beast's massive hold. Her focus casually drifted back to those hated eyes as Kiriko deadpanned, “Speak your part if you're so intent on shrieking.” She was filled with a deadly calm. Her chance for death had lapsed, she could not kill this creature as she stood right now. Kiriko understood that innately and paused to regroup. As it stood the behemoth of a mountain was incapable of hurting Kiriko, whether from lack of finesse or from attacks that were just to straightforward even if they were blisteringly powerful. The opposite was true for Kiriko. She could strike and hit the Arrancar, but her blows were not fierce enough to part that ugly hide and sink deep. They were at an impasse. Perhaps it was time to talk.
 
“It's something I invented. He wouldn't have shown you because he's never seen it before,” Kiriko spoke softly, with intent. It was nearly the truth but also nearly a lie. She wasn't sure if someone had done this before, she'd never heard of it but the idea had come from the journal of someone's in the Kido Corps Library. Whoever had written that journal, they'd known what was possible. It wasn't unimaginable that this had been done before. She was just the first of her generation perhaps. Certainly Tsukimiya-taichou had never talked to her about Shunko, and he might have if he'd known as it fitted her fighting extremely well. She was hesitant to speak the man's name, not wanting to give away her relationship to her Captain when this beast wasn't even telling her anything important yet.
 
Kiriko still felt satisfied. She hadn't wrecked her opponent, but Shunko had proven invaluable. A masterful tool. If this was her first test she couldn't help but imagine the progress she would make in the future. This feeling was too wonderful to ignore. “What about you? You're using energy manipulation as well, aren't you?” she poked crossly, her tone displeased that the Arrancar was having fun at Kiriko's expense when she herself used something so similar to Shunko. Why pretend to be surprised like that? Was she mocking her?
 
WC: 1150 | GP: 18 | Total GP: 83
 
Wrist successfully grabbed by Shushana. 
 
First action taken: Chink in the Armor is still active and used to attack Shushana with a blade of reiatsu that bypasses an armor. In this case Heirro. To function it requires a skill check of Hakuda versus Hierro, which succeeds as Hierro is only at Advanced versus Mastered Hakuda. Thus the attack would hit Shushana at base Defense without the effects of Hierro. This attack hits at speed of 120 (100 spirit + 20 Hakuda) and damage of 100. Due to Shunko the damage severity upon successful hit is increased by one. The requirement for blocking this attack is raised by one due to Mastered Hakuda. (Assumed similar response as last time.)

Second action taken: None

STA: 104 - 5 = 99

What intrigued her greatly—fostering a tip of her thick brow—was the outburst spoken from the aggravated tongue of her prize. In her own fucked up sense of respect, one based on awarded titles, being proclaimed a beast was of the greatest regard. It was an honor given to the most cunning of warriors, and very few at that! Actually, the ungrateful wench was the first to be listed on Shushana’s combative hierarchy.

But it didn’t bother the grossly tall Arrancar too much. Not the Shinigami’s words, not the distaste-ridden expression of the woman’s structured face and certainly not the saliva splattering all over Shushana’s nose-crossing scar.

Finally! It was an unrepresented pleasure to have achieved her intent to secure the woman’s wrist, and try as she might, Shushana couldn’t help the pride swelling within her empty chest. She swiped away the spit on her nose with a single index finger, unshaken eyes studying the creases of the woman’s rage. Under this new light—one that outshined the blackness of night—Shushana spotted true beauty. It wasn’t a physical revelation, even if her enemy’s facial gesture was the clue handed to her. It was a an allure of the illogical kind, no rules of the common mind able to shackle the severity of the enlightenment.

You are a beast.

She eased, face softening beyond the capacity attributed to her from birth. It all made sense. That ugly mask made sense.

We’re all monsters.

The dwarf’s snarl was accompanied by a futile attempt at her eyes, warn fingers unable to damage Shushana in any manner physical. And out of nowhere, the robed beast’s inner power surged, weighing down on her with invisible force.

Then, in that single moment of slowed time, a sharp pain struck at her neck—exactly where her enemy had attempted to claw. Blood spurted out from the three thin lines forming across her neck. She wanted so badly to cover the wound with her free hand, and she would have, if not for the bone-shattering force seeking to puncture straight through her chest. With a heave of her thick breath she skid back several meters, toes kicking up dust as her feet rose at the heels.

She hadn’t let go of her opponent, and so, the Shinigami went along for the ride, holding her up high enough for the woman’s feet to be dangling above dirty tiles. Her surroundings silenced, and she attributed the loss to her body’s attempt at recovery. The pain eating away at the center of her chest was unbearable, though only so because of her intolerance. She hated pain and the wetness soaking her torn shirt wasn’t the icing on the cake. There was no fucking cake.

Shaking her agony away, Shushana glanced up in time to catch her stranded enemy’s lips parting. Had the woman said something? By the expression on her face, Shushana couldn’t be wrong in believing as much. Words had been spoken, and for one reason or another, Shushana hadn’t heard them.

“Speak up,” she commanded, though her pitch remained relatively low.

Open.

That voice spoke those words yet again, and like twice before, another surge of energy flowed through and out of her. This time, her eyes bulged out, the sensation unbelievable!

“Are you going to talk—?”

Again she witnessed the square Shinigami moving her condescending lips, but nothing came out of them. Shushana shook the girl, annoyed by the theatrics. “Stop toying around with me!” A hint of anger crept its way into her voice. “Come on, spit it out! I know you’re toying with me!”

And the woman continued to ignore her heed. So much blatant disrespect! Maybe she had this little harpy all wrong. Maybe the little shit wasn’t worth Shushana’s time. She wedged a free index finger into her ear in an attempt to clear her drums and through pure instinct Shushana tossed her prize aside, giving little care to the whereabouts of her greatest enemy.

Was there something wrong? She’d never before lost the ability to hear.

WC: 676

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Shushana's chest with Chink in the Armor for 120 Speed Strength and 100 Attack Strength. Chink in the Armor ATTEMPTS to bypass Shushana's Hierro.

Personal Actions:

TAKE Chink in the Armor at 100 Attack Strength.

DEFEND with 120 Defense [100 + 20(Reckoning)]. Instant.

Verdict: Advantaged Defender with Hierro bypassed and wound severity increased by one rank due to Shunko! Receive MODERATE wound!

Damage Taken: Bruise at the knee. Slight fracture of neck. Stab wound at center of chest.

Retaliation: ATTEMPT to THROW Chinda Kiriko at adjacent wall for 129 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda) + 40(Reckoning)] and 109 Attack Strength [69 +  40(Reckoning)]. Consumes 1 Combat Action.

Powers Unlocked: Reckoning Third Gate.

օրհնված (Gate of Reckoning: Ascended)
Damage Requirement: A single Moderate Wound or equivalent
Gate Benefit: May increase Strength, Defense and Speed at a cost of 1:10.
Lost Sense: Hearing

Stamina

92/113 [-2(Reckoning) + -4(Reckoning)]

She waited, a second's pause as the Shinigami fully expected her return to fluid coherence to have a similar response in her opponent. After all, the onslaught of attacks had ceased and they logically had come to a cease fire, it was only stupidity to keep throwing punches when the outcome was a stalemate. Somehow she had underestimated the true extent of a Hollow-breeds idiotic tendencies however as her attacks revealed themselves to have done more than originally thought. That rough iron skin had protected the creature just enough that she hadn't immediately started to bleed but now ragged cuts appeared on her body. It mattered little to Kiriko that the monster managed to deflect her attack doward towards the chest, she didn't need the glory of an eye gouge anymore. Not now that she was realizing how embarrassing her little loss of control had been a mere breath ago.
 
Really, if Aneue was beside her the sword would be mocking in full strength. Was she a little bit animalistic herself after all? Damn, but Kiriko didn't want to accept that labeling even as it settled like a pithy stone in her stomach. She was beginning to wonder about her asumptions though as the Arrancar just stood there, without responding, and then suddenly the beast was jumping backwards and dragging Kiriko along in her wake. Shoulder socket burning as her body was pulled through the air she tried to disengage but that grip would not budge. She didn't have much maneuverability like this. Though Kiriko attempted to swing her legs around to kick the monster what she managed was to flop around and painfully wrench at her arm. Deciding that was not so smart after nearly dislocating her shoulder Kiriko found herself pulled upward, her toes the only thing connecting her to the ground.
 
This indignity wasn't the last of them however as the Arrancar used her superior height to play games. Mouthing angry words as if she couldn't hear what Kiriko had just said. What the hell! She really was mocking her. If this went on Kiriko wasn't so sure she was going to remain as calm as she had become, perhaps the bitch was actually just deserving of some more bloodshed. Even if all Kiriko was doing was barely scratching that body she would just have to keep at it until the poor thing fell over from blood loss. That at least would be the same with any body, Hollow or human. It would be the satisfying thing to do at least.
 
Before Kiriko could make up her mind to attack again, the wretched creature tossed her aside like a rag doll, that burst of purple reiatsu rippling across her back as she toppled through the air. With her stomach in her throat Kiriko realized that she'd never really trained for being thrown, well not thrown with this kind of force. She knew how to land with a combat roll and how to regain balance after a shoulder throw but in this scenario she was well and truly flying. Inspiration struck like the dawning of a light and Kiriko applied reiatsu to her feet to make a platform beneath her body, bouncing downward before managing to stand properly on the air. This was one perk of the human world, something she rather enjoyed after being deprived inside Seireitei.
 
Hopping up a step as if on an invisible staircase she looked down her nose at the tantrum her opponent was throwing. She was out of easy reach now if that beast tried to grab her feet, though she supposed the Arrancar could just chase her into the air. She didn't seem smart enough for that though, so Kiriko hoped her vantage point would end this back and forth. “Come on woman, you're being childish!” she called down, arms crossing in irritation.
 
Somehow there was no look of understanding or even registration on the Hollow breeds face. Kiriko was well versed in these things, she had made it an art form to watch expressions and body language and there was something blatantly missing about the Arrancar's features after she had spoken. Kiriko hadn't noticed before due to her ignoble lark through the air, but in this case it was clear on some level that the monster either didn't hear her or had somehow lost all comprehension of speech. She didn't seem that dumb though so she had to have lost her hearing somehow. Hopefully. Unless all of Kiriko's expectations for Hollow-breeds were just really really high, even with someone as powerful as this... That would be painful though, for everyone involved. And really, for Tsukimiya-taichou's sake she hoped it wasn't true. If he had to deal with true idiots like this all the time she didn't wonder why he was still missing.
 
Physiologically nothing Kiriko had done should have harmed the Arrancar's eardrums. She was no healer either so she wasn't sure what to do about this. That last pulse of energy had her edgy, each time the beast had released such a reiatsu wave her power had grown exponentially. But if Kiriko just bid her time up here there was no way she was going to get her answer about Tsukimiya-taichou and she refused to let this woman slide.
 
Well even if the thing couldn't hear she could still be struck at. Once Kiriko had subjugated the beast she would see about fixing those ears and getting her to talk. The aura around her hands was supposed to last for several minutes but Kiriko realized that amongst all of the turmoil she had inadvertently released her control over the energy letting it dissipate into the air. Displeased with her own lack of control Kiriko decided to use a simple tactic. She seemed to deal a lot more damage with Shunko, maybe it was time to actually be tactical about this and use her knowledge of fighting to her advantage.
 
Dropping like a rocket Kiriko landed in front of her opponent, rapidly chambering her body in a twist as she lashed out her foot towards the woman's kidneys. A direct hit would be painful, Kiriko wasn't positive with that Hierro that she could do much but aiming for a vital sign was a lot more effective than merely swiping away, claws or no claws.  
 
WC: 1054 | GP: 21 | Total GP: 104

First action taken: Block attempt. 129 versus 100 is a difference of 29 which is disadvantaged defender. Master Hakuda brings it to equivalent. Block attempt successful on throw, momentum stopped. No damage check because the throw wasn't completed. 

Second action taken: Kiriko uses her technique Lethal Strike to aim a blow towards Shushana's kidneys. The attack hits at speed of 120 (100 spirit + 20 Hakuda) and damage of 100. A successful attack gains an extra rank in severity due to Shunko and then another rank due to Lethal Strike. The requirement for blocking this attack is raised by one due to Master Hakuda. 

STA: 99 - 8 = 91

What the fuck was wrong with her? No matter how much she tried to fix her hearing—multiple fingers and a handful of palms at her ears—nothing was working. There had been no directed trauma to her ears. Sure, the short Shinigami had attempted to gauge out Shushana’s distracted eye, an absurdly ridiculous notion, but the bitch had failed—miserably at that.

Shushana hunched over, head bowed as she tried to clear her right ear the same way she had her left—again, nothing. What was up with this? This was the first time something like this happened, something so severe. Was she truly not invincible? Was her stalwart physical form not as durable as she believed it to be? Was her body not as powerful as she desired it to be?

Shushana pushed farther, and she winced, pain tracing the wrinkles of her fine face. “Fuck,” she whispered, unable to hear her own words. Her heart began to pound against her chest, the once trickling wound opening ever so slightly, adding crimson to the already drenched shirt she’d taken from the corpse of an enemy’s past. “I’m sick of this! Come on work! Work! Work!” Her outburst was accompanied by a series of self-strikes, the palm of her hand directed at the side of her head. She didn’t care if the act of hitting herself caused any lasting effect, for the only thing she cared about was regaining her sense of hearing. Fuck taste. Forget smell.

And then she came into sight. That little weasel! Shushana didn’t have the time or patience to deal with the boulder-heavy Shinigami. There were much more important things on her mind. One’s personal health was the most important concerns in life, after all—even for a berserker.

Shushana couldn’t believe her eyes! She couldn’t wrap her mind around her enemy’s utter disregard for the proper! Who would seek to strike a distracted enemy? Who would go for the kill when the enemy was already maimed, lying on the ground helpless?

You.

Large white teeth shined laughingly under the guise of the radiant moon, a mark of understanding from the confusion of not so long ago.

It didn’t matter if she was unable to hear the words of her enemy.

Fuck it!

It didn’t matter if she couldn’t smell the roses.

Fuck it!

It didn’t matter if she couldn’t taste the flesh of—!

Panic struck her, eyes widening like a deer caught under headlights. She’d forgotten that she’d lost the ability to taste! All that time ago, her tongue had gone numb, and now the consequence donned on her!

She’d never again quiver from the delight of consuming the flesh of her victims! Taken by immediate rage, Shushana focused her inner strength at her fist, and threw out her right arm through the cloud of dust raised by the dwarf’s landing, her pale white knuckles aiming to strike the Shinigami’s knee. It was a blow acted with surprising precision, attempting to maim her enemy for good. And it would be difficult for her enemy to dodge Shushana’s fist, still being in the process of attacking herself.

It was a counterattack, and Shushana was well aware blows would be exchanged. But she wasn’t expecting the amount of pain that swelled at her side. She hadn’t calculated where that dirty foot would strike.

Winded, the sheer force of the dwarf’s kick pushed Shushana back, and by the time she’d stopped, she was bent over on her knees attempting to regain her breath. She glanced up, gasping heavily, the pain at her side growing by the breath. She wanted to get back onto her feet and smash that harpy’s skill in, but her body didn’t want to respond. It wanted to sit in stand-by and recover from the many aches agonizing her existence.

“Can you fucking hear me?” she spat. “Because I sure as hell can’t hear you! Don’t get me wrong,” she stopped to swallow. “I still want to see you suffer. Maybe not at this very moment!” She cuckled, but halted shortly due to the pain. “I mean, I want to rip your face off right this moment, but as you should be perceptive enough to note, I can’t hear shit!” Was Shushana being diplomatic?

Impossible.

Dire situations took drastic measures.

“And if you want to know about your dear little Kyousuke! Well, I’ll start talking once you figure out a way to fix me!” She looked down at the dusty floor, the tips of her thick hair dirtying. “And a piece of you would be appreciated too.” Hopefully the little shit had heard everything she'd said. Being deaf wasn't easy.

Shushana was a creature of her word, but fuck, if she saw an opportunity to feast, she’d go back on her promise any day.

Especially when that promise was toward a Shinigami.

WC: 800

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Shushana's kidney with a mix of Lethal Strike and Shunko for 120 Speed Strength and 100 Attack Strength. Lethal Strike ATTEMPTS to increase Shushana's wound by one rank.

Personal Actions:

TAKE Lethal Strike at 100 Attack Strength.

DEFEND with 120 Defense [100 + 10(Hierro) + 10(Reckoning)]. Instant.

Verdict: Advantaged Defender! Receive MINOR wound, reduced to SUPERFICIAL wound by Hierro, then increased to MINOR wound by Lethal Strike and then MODERATE wound by Shunko!

Damage Taken: Bruise at the knee. Slight fracture of neck. Stab wound at center of chest. Moderate trauma to one kidney. Minor blood loss.

Retaliation: ATTEMPT to ATTACK Chinda Kiriko with Doombringer for 129 Speed Strength [69 + 20(Advanced Hakuda) + 40(Reckoning)] and 109 Attack Strength [69 +  40(Reckoning)]. Consumes 1 Combat Action. Doombringer's bypassing effect against Shunko is UNSUCCESSFUL due to equivalent rank in Shushana's Hakuda and Chinda Kiriko's Shunko Skills.

Powers Unlocked: Doombringer.

נושאת אבדון Traedor de Muerte or Doombringer
Level of Release Required: Sealed+
Relevant Skill: Hakuda
Affected Stats: None
Flavor: From her awakening, Shushana has remembered a most devastating technique! Founded by ancient Hebrew warriors, Doombringer has but all been forgotten since the past several centuries. The inherent properties exhibited by practitioners of this technique is not unlike those of ancient Asian and Eurasian peoples; Chi. Utilizing Doombringer’s foundation, Shushana has reconstructed the technique to pierce through her enemy’s defenses. By forcing her reiatsu to focus, Shushana has the capacity to direct all of her strength into a single strike. When utilized by mortals, Doombringer roars at its enemies backed by two tons of force. Imagine then the destruction wrought by the Behemoth. So powerfully does Shushana strike that both physical and spiritual defenses buckle under her might.
Effect: Launches an unarmed attack backed by bone-shattering force, breaking the first Physical or Spirit-based defense or barrier encountered, whichever one is applicable. If no Physical or Spirit-based defense or barrier is encountered, then the severity of the inflicted wound is increased by one rank (Stackable with Hakuda’s Grandmaster Proficiency).
Casting Time: Single Action
Duration: Instant
Limitations: Shushana’s rank in Hakuda (with all Skill increases taken into account) must be higher than her opponent’s rank in the pierced technique, power or ability’s governing Skill. May only pierce one Physical or Spirit-based technique, power or ability.
Cooldown: 1 Round
Stamina Cost: Equal to the pierced technique’s cost plus an additional 8 Stamina. If no technique is pierced, then 8 Stamina.

Stamina

79/113 [-1(Reckoning) + -4(Reckoning) + -8(Doombringer)]

As she went down for the attack Kiriko's keen eyes picked up the rapid movements of her opponent. Who seemed to have finally gone fully insane as she smacked at her head and writhed around in despair. It was almost enough to make Kiriko pull back on her attack, but not quite. Though filled with regret at the last second she was also willing to push past such kind hearted ideals because this beast needed to get put down. And fast. Who cared if the thing was out of its mind, that would just make this easier. Those were her thoughts as her foot lashed out with a punch of power greater than Kiriko could ever achieve without her Shunko aura. Like so many times before the lumbering beast didn't even try to block or dodge, simply standing there like an idiot as Kiriko plowed her foot into the Arrancar's side.
 
The impact jarred her leg and she was pivoting to bring it back down when the monster launched her own counterattack. Their battle played out like an old Noh play, each action easily read ahead of time as they repeated themselves over and over again. It was boring almost, but tense. Any slip up would result in Kiriko being struck with a truly mind rattling hit, and she wasn't so sure she could withstand that kind of strike. Body moving like a well oiled machine, each shift and play of muscles choreographed a long long time ago in training, Kiriko utilized her simple block from moments before.
 
The Arrancar really liked punching and she'd made a note of that. It was nice because punches were so straight forward most of the time, they could be relied upon to be easy blocks usually. She pulled up her left up, flexing the forearm muscles as she tilted her arm at an angle so that the punch would hit and slide off to the right of her face once again. The pain of that glancing blow was enough to cause Kiriko to hop back a step instead of lunge forward as she should have, and while she berated herself heavily the Hollow-breed started yelling.
 
She couldn't easily ignore that kind of plea, insulting as it was phrased. And that teasing tendril of information, so obnoxiously thrown in there, it was enough to force a halt in her onslaught of attacks. Kiriko peered at her opponent, bloody and dazed not more than a meter away. If she had pressed her attack she might have beaten the wretch, but... This was there was a sure avenue towards answers. Holding her hands up in front of her in that universal sign of a ceasefire Kiriko sighed as she rubbed at her tingling left arm, the muscles knotted from that blow.
 
Fix the Hollow-breeds hearing? How was she supposed to do that? Kiriko didn't know the first thing about Kaido and as her sword was so apt to remind her she was built for destruction not healing. Certainly not healing. For once she wished she had backup, someone like Kohara even though that smug bastard would have been annoying to be around. At least he knew something or other about this stuff.
 
Running through her list of Kido spells Kiriko realized with a dropping stomach that she couldn't do anything to help the Arrancar. But it was so weird. She hadn't injured the beast's ears in any way, so why had they stopped working? There didn't seem to be any explanation, but Kiriko was well trained in picking up the most minute of clues, and she realized after some thought that the woman's hearing had gone out right after one of those bursts of reiatsu. Could they be related? Only one way to find out.
 
Kiriko wasn't so lowly as to find a stick and write letters in the sand, so instead she called up more Kido energy into her fingertip and began writing glowing letters in the air in front of her. Hopefully the creature could read at least, otherwise this would be a true pain.
 
“When did you lose your hearing? Was it after you released your reiatsu to get stronger? Did you lose anything else?” she spoke as she wrote, on the off chance that the woman's hearing came back to her now that they had paused in their battle. She wanted to push further, write her ideas and conclusions, but this was a precious monster to deal with. The thing could barely stop throwing stupid punches even when she kept getting injured in the process and here Kiriko was with not a scratch on her. If she went at this pace maybe the beast would slow down and take a deep breath instead of rampaging some more. That was her hope at least.
 
WC: 801 | GP: 16 | Total GP: 120
 
First Action Taken: Block attempt. 129 versus 100 is a difference of 29 which is disadvantaged defender. Master Hakuda brings it to equivalent. Block attempt successful on punch. Damage check ignored due to blocking successfully with hardened area.

Second action taken: N/A

STA: 91 - 0 = 91

Hands?

What did they mean? As Shushana studied through pained irises of violet her snake of an enemy, she couldn’t help but stress the intent behind those non-threatening hands—powerful as they were. As old as she was, and still not old enough, Shushana had yet to come across such an accurate combatant. Sure, the dwarf wasn’t the most representative of her trade—the shadows being unused as they were—but the woman’s talent with the art of Destruction.

Shushana took her last, long breath, finally wresting back control of her once broken body.

Not even the Swordbreaker comes close to you.

And that was that. No amount of verbal declaration could take away her belief that the tiny bitch in front of her—tending to an itch with a most reluctant of faces—possessed a higher talent for killing than that maggot of a weasel. Where the Captain acted upon crude brutality, the dwarf glided with graceful dexterity.

She smiled, licking her dried lips. “It hurts a little, doesn’t it?” she asked, eyeing her enemy’s left forearm. “I don’t recall you deflecting my fist from your knee.” She returned to glare straight into the mini-snake’s black irises. “You’re pretty quick for someone so boxy.” Shushana didn’t mean—Oh, whom was she kidding? Of course she meant harm. Insults were as integral to her being as was the very act of murder.

Hmm?

All attention was thrown at the sudden rise of inner energy surrounding the short Shinigami in front, and she crawled back a few dusty tiles in reaction. Right hand still pressed against the wound at her chest—of which had graciously stopped bleeding—Shushana tensed as glowing letters began to form in the thinness of the empty air. It was a remarkable sight, something she’d never thought capable from a creature like a Shinigami. To her, the world was built on the tangible, the reachable—things she could grasp with the touch of her bloodied fingertips.

In her world, there was no room for sorcery. She’d fucking make sure of that.

“Released my reiatsu to get stronger?” she repeated aloud and obviously absentmindedly. The Behemoth wasn’t the brightest of beasts—not yet, at least. “What does that even mean?” she again asked aloud, but this time with less distraction.

What did it mean? Released reiatsu? She’d never heard of this reiatsu thing. But release? She probed her mind deeper and deeper until she remembered three exact incidents where she’d released—

“Reiatsu?” she shouted, globes widening with understanding. Yes, indeed, she’d lost something at every release. Sure, she’d felt stronger—became stronger—with each explosion of purple, but she’d also lost something in the process. Initially it was the loss of her tongue, and then of her nose—and now of her ears. “Yes,” she finally replied, returning from her minute long self-reflection. She took the opportunity to rise to her full height, though she kept a bit slouched due to the somewhat-severe pain pounding at her side. “I’ve also lost my sense of taste and smell. And as you already know, my hearing’s been absent too.” She paused, unsure of her counterpart’s understanding. Hopefully Shushana’s words were coming out proper. She looked down at the dwarf curiously—almost imploringly. “Is there nothing you can do to return them to me?” The tone of her Russian voice echoed a bit too brash, and this time, they truly were unintended.

But fuck if she knew.

Knowing there was no available cure to her ailments, Shushana looked away to somewhere inconsequential. She just needed to recollect herself, and looking straight into the eyes of her greatest enemy would do the exact opposite. “You’re quite good at this.” She swung her free fist around in an attempt to convey that she meant the act of fighting. “Did you learn from him?” She continued to stare at the far wall. “And that manifestation of your inner strength, how did you learn to control it?” She glanced back in the dwarf’s direction.

Don’t.

“Could—“

Don’t.

“—You—“

Don’t.

“—Teach—“

Don’t.

“—Me—“

Don’t you dare!

“—How to wield such power?”

How dare you sully my name?

“And in exchange,” she continued through the most baleful grin. “I’ll tell you everything I know about the Swordbreaker.”

WC: 718

Her opponent raced along an emotional track that was hard to follow. One second growling and intensely angry and the next a perverse sort of glee or was that even respect on her face? She took such delight in the most basic of things, in the idea that she had harmed Kiriko even a little bit, or in the idea that her opponent was strong enough to put up a good fight. It was alarming. It was also familiar. Kiriko hated the creature rather more when she caused her to feel this way, as if there was some nostalgia about their whole meeting. Something recognizable amongst all that mess.

Kiriko was never one to favor an even playing field and she had no desire to complement the beast back in return for those off hand remarks about her own prowess. It was just the truth, honest and real. After fighting Tova Kiriko had seen the blinders she'd put over her own eyes and she had ripped them away, now she was better than ever. Rising swiftly towards perfection, or at least that was what she liked to gloat to herself on some days. But perfection or not Kiriko had gained real confidence in herself because she knew herself to be good. To be skilled, to be capable. Gone were the days of festering in weakness and cowardice. The Kiriko of today could handle anything, she no longer had to act to be in control.

For all those reasons and more she stood there silently as the behemoth wandered from topic to topic with childish curiosity. Standing still and tall while her words faded from the air in front of her, the last of the light playing across her face like an old sparkler about to die. At first, when the woman seemed to not understand what even reiatsu was, Kiriko felt an overwhelming sense of despair. What the hell did they teach these people in Hueco Mundo!? How could someone get this strong without even understanding their power source? Damnit, what was she going to do now? But the massive creature soon displayed a wide range of emotions, dawning understanding shifting into anger and a weird sort of desire crossed with eagerness.

Sighing internally Kiriko lifted her hand to write again but the beast kept on talking, imploring her with the strangest words she had ever heard before. Teach a Hollow-breed? Teach a Hollow-breed how to use her own secret techniques? The idea was ludicrous! Preposterous! It made her want to laugh in derision. She paused, reigning herself in, and really looked at this poor creature in front of her. This thing that couldn't even manage to control its own power. What the hell! Who would know if she did teach the beast about controlling energy like this? Certainly no one could pin it on her when the creature already had a similar power.

But she hadn't missed the catch in the conversation, this slimy shift in endings. Writing quickly, Kiriko inscribed more glowing characters into the sky, “I thought that was it. This is your own power. When the purple energy flows from your body it is a release of sorts, something builds up and unlocks more power within you. That is why you have been getting stronger and faster. That is also why I have gotten stronger and faster,” Kiriko gestured to the blue-white energy that wreathed her form. Bringing her hands together in a mudra of concentration she focused on pulling that energy inward instead of leaving it external. Slowly the aura flickered and died out. “I focus and recall my energy, bringing it back inside of my body. That is how I end my power – for you, we will have to experiment. Can you feel the free flowing energy in your body? Can you try and return to how you felt one stage before, when you had only lost your touch and sense of smell?”

Feeling bare without her protective Kido energy Kiriko made sure not to twitch or otherwise indicate weakness. An animal like the one across from her would be too tempted to pounce if she saw weakness like that in her prey. This was going to be tricky, the thing didn't even understand that she had been releasing her own energy so getting her to grasp pulling it back in or locking it back up was not something Kiriko was looking forward to. But she wouldn't forget either, this playing nice and pretending to teach the steps to her own power, it wasn't going to last long. The beast had promised that if Kiriko got her hearing back she would tell her about Tsukimiya-taichou, and Kiriko was going to hold her to that promise. No matter what. Now she just had to get there. 

WC: 801 | GP: 16 | Total GP: 136

Had Shushana said something out of the ordinary? It wasn’t like the immediate—and very real—scenario unfolding before the witness of both Heaven and Hell was any less outrageous than the words exchanged between two cutthroat enemies. The dwarf seemed almost dumbfounded, like there had been some new revelation fated for the ages, as if what Shushana spoke would be etched on paper for new generations to interpret with misguided pride.

She couldn’t help the blatant irritation convulsing across her dirtied face, but she knew better. She wouldn’t jeopardize what would soon come her way. The opportunity to increase her personal strength was on the top of her hierarchy of needs—worst of all, power was but a means to her greatest end. The thought of influencing despair by the strength vested in her fingertips was intoxicating. Oh so blissful, to an extent enough to calm her otherwise boiling blood.

“Yes, I’ve already arrived to that conclusion,” she mocked, the venom in her voice purely intentional. “Visible energy escapes from me and in turn, I become stronger.” She took a moment to follow the dwarf’s hand gesture, and with interested eyes watched as the outlining blue-white energy flickered. And then, like everything else in the world, it was gone. “What did you do?” she went straight to the point. “That right there. That energy of yours was there—I could both see and feel it—and then, without even a moments notice. It was gone! That is what I seek to learn.” And of course, if Shushana were just slightly less impatient, she’d not have seemed like such an idiot when the little thing attempted to answer her question. Her eyes shifted left to right, rereading every word as each new one was written in the midst of plain air.

How would one pull back their energy? She’d never thought of pulling back. It wasn’t something the Behemoth ever cared to do. Her desires were to expose malevolence to her surroundings and the concept of backtracking was counterintuitive to her cause.

Used to be counterintuitive.

With all her will she attempted to restrain herself, and her effort was shown through the most convulsed complexion known to Arrancar history. Holding her breath—an instinct just as natural for Arrancar as it was humans—Shushana urged her insides to obey. What she got out of it was a tightened stomach, engorged veins and a creeping headache. It was a strange desire, but at that very moment, with the entirety of her being aching from pains both familiar and foreign, all she wanted to do was lose the ability to feel.

Watch what you wish for.

Realization struck her, though so too did the most excruciating agony in her lifetime. She fell to her hands and knees at the speed beyond light, the tiled ground beneath her buckling under the immense—and seemingly focused—surge of gravity. She cried out like a weakling, presenting her enemy with the greatest opportunity. Her limbs shook with fatigue, and her dark hair fell over the tiara of a mask fragment as she brought her pounding head to the floor. What was going on? She had so suddenly experienced a bout of complete immobility—tiredness unspeakable.

But the whistling of the wind registered against her eardrums. So too the hoot of an owl. And the snickering rats. And the rustling leaves! And the—!

Shushana lifted her head with a pride unforeseen of her painted across her strong features. The blood helped with that a bit, too. “I can hear!” she exclaimed, the familiar sound of her crazed laughter tickling her ears. “This is remarkable! To think that one can posses such mastery of their inner strength!” She coughed some of the fatigue away. “This,” she continued as she eyed her own twisting hand with awe. “I can most definitely get used to.” Shushana took the time to lift her ground-born gaze. “That energy of yours, the one that strengthens your physical form, teach me how to harness mine the same.”

Her stomach hurt so much, Hollow King she wanted to rip her innards out. Strangely, with all that pain, she let nothing show.

Shushana knew the basics of negotiation. It was time for her to toss in a little bait. “Kyousuke Tsukimiya, the Swordbreaker, I last saw him in Las Noches not thirty light-cycles past. Our wills struggled against one another, and after a time, he bested me.” Her words spat with a particular kind of disdain. “Then he disappeared. Though I found him again, sitting in the Cuarto Espada’s chamber.” If only she cared enough to know what the Espada were. “And after a period of what he mentioned was an awkward time, he took the jacket of his Captaincy off of my back and vanished once again, leaving me alone and naked.”

She bit her lip due to a sharp pain at her side.

“He’s the personification of darkness.”

WC: 825

Combat Data

Range

Chinda Kiriko: Melee

Hostile Actions

Chinda Kiriko: None

Personal Actions:

Shushana becomes debilitated due to her attempt to close the Third Gate of Reckoning! All of her Statistics are reduced by 50% until her next post!

Powers Foregone: Reckoning Third Gate.

օրհնված (Gate of Reckoning: Ascended)
Damage Requirement: A single Moderate Wound or equivalent
Gate Benefit: May increase Strength, Defense and Speed at a cost of 1:10.
Lost Sense: Hearing

Stamina

79/113 [-1(Reckoning) + -4(Reckoning) + -8(Doombringer)]

 Kiriko felt her eye twitch at the beast ranted before she could even finish writing. Of course she already understood her energy release was the problem, but that didn't mean that Kiriko was going to stand here writing incomplete sentences just to speed up the process! Didn't the woman understand the right way of writing? It seemed she could actually read so there had to be some ability in there for inscription. Kiriko shuddered to herself, imagining their roles being reversed and this beast trying to explain anything through written word. She wasn't even patient enough to read first before yelling, how could she be patient enough to write out a full sentence let alone ten?

She stood there silently, letting the glowing letters light up the space between them like she had seen television screens do in the living rooms of humans. It was a bluish light casting long shadows that stretched beyond her feet. The woman apparently understood her explanation because she stopped screeching about whatever new complaint she had and instead forced a look of intense concentration on her face. Eyes bulging and face turning red she looked for all the world like a balloon about to burst under pressure. Kiriko didn't dare laugh and break the beast's concentration though, so she stifled her humor and merely watched. At first there was nothing apparent, and unlike her own Shunko the woman's aura wasn't visible to the eye. But she could sense it, the reiatsu, as it pulled back and dampened. The woman's fierce pressure lowering to a more moderate burden. In the process though the poor creature fell to the ground, her body contorting in horrible pain, but she still crowed all the same that her hearing had returned.

Kiriko stared at that exposed neck for a second too long, later she would regret not taking her chance at ending the behemoth's life when it would have been so easy. Instead she stepped back several paces while the thing slowly got up to her feet, having put a bit of distance between them Kiriko smiled as the monster spoke such informational words. The content didn't matter much, she refused to lose her control again just because the thing was trying to prod her into anger by mentioning such situations with Kiriko's Captain. Instead she realized that her question had been answered, and that and the invigorating battle was all she had been looking for here.

There was no reason to teach this beast anything at all. She no longer had anything to offer to Kiriko. But it was best to leave the avenue open in the future because this Arrancar might just prove to be useful again some day. “I have fulfilled my side of the deal, I got your hearing back. We never made a deal for me to teach you anything other than what I just did. If you want more you'll have to offer me something in return, and I'm no longer satisfied with information on Tsukimiya Kyousuke.”

WC: 504 | GP: 10 | Total GP: 146

The pain finally subsided, and she was able to straighten to her full height. The difference in their vertical size was made abundantly clear as Shushana’s disappointed eyes lowered to match those of her enemy’s. Something about the dwarf had changed, the Shinigami’s signature emanating a sort of I-don’t-care-anymore feel, and it had shifted as quickly as a light switch. Shushana’s intuation—however much she had of it—told her the little shit was just putting up a front.

“The way you say things,” she replied with the most voluntary smile. “You make it so easy to see you care about that man.” She shrugged as she bent her face acknowledging. “And I don’t blame you. He’s quite dreamy, and one can learn a lot from merely observing him. He knows things,” she paused, her lips curling up further. “Invaluable things.” Two could play the game of feigning disinterest, so Shushana too shifted the conversation. “But you no longer care to speak of the Swordbreaker, so let’s talk about you. What exactly are you after, besides some good bruises?” She’d seen the dwarf’s bloodlust first-hand. There was nothing that could persuade the Behemoth otherwise. “What would you be interested in, then? I’d very much like to learn what you have created.”

Shushana took this time to jerk her head to the side, and her long thick hair followed in suit, draping over her entire right shoulder. With her unfettered right hand she swiped at her still bleeding neck injury, her fingers staining red with the blood of her life source. “It’s quite a technique,” she continued through a mouthful of bloodied fingers. The taste of her blood left a very irony after-taste, which surprisingly, she liked. “If it did this to me, it’s got to be something extraordinary.”

So, what would the dwarf do? What was the little shit’s next move? Shushana highly doubted the Shinigami would continue the struggle, not after letting that spiraling power wither into the blackness of the night. Unless Shushana’d read the situation completely wrong, and this was just another of the snake’s veiled strategies. Should she then instead take the opportunity to make the first move?

Studious eyes shifted from limb to limb in search of a weakness, something Shushana could take advantage of in the very possible exchange of fists soon to come. Bargaining with Shinigami was such a pain in the ass. Then again, bargaining wasn’t something Shushana cared to do. She’d always taken what she wanted, killed at a whim for the sake of fulfilling her deranged pleasure to see the weak squirm.

The last thing she did in wait for a response was run her swollen fingers through her long hair, unraveling knots in the hopes that her enemy would be dumb enough to teach her to wield that power.

WC: 470