I Need An Adult [Mission]

Kiriko frowned, the expression etching dark lines alongside her mouth as she stared gloomily down at the thin paper report in her hands. It was the last one on her desk which had been meticulously cleared of all other paperwork over the course of the last few days but this small document had seemingly migrated to the bottom of the pile. Kiriko hadn't noticed it earlier but now that her desk was empty of other distractions she looked down at the red seal with a sudden bubbling fear. There were several different types of codes that Kiriko had created for the information system that she took over, one of those was a color based hierarchy. Red was never a good sign. The ornate kanji symbol inked in crimson could only indicate one type of report. Missing in action.

Kiriko slid her fingernail beneath the seal and pried the waxen signet loose. The delicate paper crinkled in her tight grip as the young Lieutenant scanned the missive, neatly scrolling handwriting describing a rather dire situation. Saito Arata was a newly promoted recruit who had shown a lot of promise, both on the field and off. He had last reported in a week ago before going off on an undisclosed mission in Rukongai. The area was what caught Kiriko's attention though. Sixty-Eighth, that was pretty far out there. But it wasn't any fear over unruly spirits that caused the sensation of icy water filling her stomach, it was a deeper and darker fear altogether. Hadn't there been talk in the covert channels about that district? Something about a Fourth Division experiment that had caused an increase in Hollow appearances? Not just any Hollows either what with the reiatsu that had been reported...

Kiriko pulled over one of her filing cabinets and flicked through the thick files inside until she located the one she was looking for. Sliding out a piece of paper heavily redacted she read the scant information about the proposed mission to this sewer area that seemed to be the origination of all the disturbances. Two third seats were already headed there. That should have been enough to satisfy Kiriko, but her lips curled up subconsciously as she read their Divisions. Fourth and Fifth... So one was likely a non-combatant researcher and the other a headstrong brawler. That didn't fill her with any confidence, not when someone as promising as Saito-san was mixed up in all of this.
 
Kiriko sighed and put the paper back before rereading the report still on her desk. It just didn't add up. Saito-san wasn't one to skip out on protocol, if he wasn't reporting in then something was very wrong. And with that problem occurring in the very same district... She just didn't think it was all a coincidence. Despite having mountains of paperwork to attend to at all hours of the day Kiriko's job was not primarily clerical and she trusted in her own judgment to take action when needed. This was not such a simple case that she could call in another member and send them off, for more than one reason. The first being this could potentially be a very dangerous altercation and the more important fact that anyone who was sent out would be interfering with an official mission. She was the only one here who had enough rank to call and who the Captain would back without question, the answer then was rather simple.

It only took Kiriko a few seconds to prepare as she left a note on her desk in case the Captain needed her. Sending off a messenger to the Third to give notice of her actions Kiriko set off at full speed for Rukongai. The trip was filled with anxiety as Kiriko tried to imagine what kind of situation she was running into blind. It was one of her stupider moments but there was nothing for it. Saito-san didn't deserve to wait while she ran through the proper channels to get all the new information and members behind her that were really needed for this mission. What he needed was speed, and it was lucky for him then that Kiriko was rather quick with her Shunpo because it didn't take all that long for her to arrive at the sewage system in the Sixty-Eighth district.

The area was deserted at this time of night which was to her advantage. There had been no sign of Saito-san's reiatsu on her way here but if he was underground it could conceivably be muffled. That was the line she fed herself anyway as she lifted up the manhole and dropped down into the sewer tunnels. She landed in something wet and slimy and the stench that had been disgusting enough above ground was now almost overbearing. Breathing through her mouth Kiriko cursed in her head as she listened to her heavy breathing echo around in the dark cavern. That wasn't going to work. Cursing even more colorfully, she began breathing normally through her nose as Kiriko decided to just head in deeper in the hopes of acclimating as quickly as possible. There was no point in dipping her feet in after all, why not jump all the way under?

The dim inky blackness was almost a blessing because it disguised the rather distasteful scenery but soon even that was no longer safeguarding her as her eyes adjusted. Skirting the disturbing liquid that Kiriko didn't even want to guess at its origins she raced down the narrow path ignoring the slithery ground beneath her feet along with whatever was dripping from the ceiling into her hair.

After seconds of silence she began to pick up a faint light ahead but that was not the only thing of note. The cloying scent of blood was impossible to ignore, it even overpowered the sewage smell which was an impressive feat that was under appreciated as Kiriko realized it could only mean one thing. For there to be enough blood to create such a heady scent it had to be pooling in mass quantities... She sped up and came upon the two Shinigami that had been assigned to this mission. Stepping out from the darkness Kiriko came upon them from behind, looking over their shoulders to spot the macabre décor of this inner chamber. Bodies.

Skeletons.
 
Aneue chittered in the back of her head, the sword spirit's cackling rising up in a crescendo of horror as Kiriko looked upon the half devoured bodies. The magnitude of what she was looking at was just too much and she felt bile rise up in her throat. Kiriko was a fighter, a killer, a murderer even, but she'd never been this close to such immense death. It was an image that was forever painted into her skull, the blood dried on the pavement, the grisly bones twisted and broken with the flesh still clinging in the shape of an arm here or a face there. It did not take her long to overcome the terror that kept her eyes fastened onto the face of a child. Aneue had shown her worse pictures in her dreams, it was just different to be breathing in the scent of decomposition on such a level.

The giggling in her head stop and there was a moment of sharp inquisitiveness before Aneue asked coyly, “Oh... Would you like it better if there were scents next time? Don't worry, your Big Sister will take care of you! Next time you won't even have a gag reflex at something so paltry as this, just wait!” She tried to ignore that statement because there were bigger things to worry about but Aneue just laughed again and went silent, the soft rattling of bones a constant reminder of the psychotic spirit that resided in the sword at her side and inside her head.

Stepping forward Kohaku kept her face completely blank as she brushed past the two lower ranking Shinigami. "Sakuya-san, Kuronai-san, I apologize for the interruption. I am Lieutenant Chinda Kiriko of the Second and I will be accompanying you on this mission,” there wasn't really much that needed to be said on that point but Kiriko bowed in greeting nonetheless before glancing around with a heavy gaze. “Kuronai-san, please begin to remove the bodies. We will need to figure out who they are and thus they will be a liability down here. Once you have them secured catch up with us.” Kiriko's orders were concise and sharp and she turned away from the man with the assumption that he would listen without question. Staring at Sakuya she tried to gauge what she had to work with here but decided that speed was of the essence, “Let's move on.”

As an afterthought Kiriko glanced back once at the Fifth Division Shinigami and said, “Do not worry, I will watch over Sakuya-san for you.” Kiriko thought that that would be his only reason of protesting so she set off again heading off deeper into the sewers with Sakuya. Finding Saito was important but if he was amongst those bodies back there then she couldn't help him now. The only thing Kiriko could do now was to move forward and defeat the monster who had done this. To get revenge for all those who had died. It didn't matter if Aneue wanted to make the sight of bodies so familiar to Kiriko that she no longer balked at them. It would never happen because it wasn't just gore that created that reaction, it was anger. An anger that boiled and seethed behind her collarbone as she walked, an anger at all of the innocents who had lost their lives, at all of the spirits who would no longer be alive, at all of the pain and terror that had been inflicted on their tiny bodies. An anger at her own inability to prevent something like this from happening.

WC: 1653 | GP: 33 | GP Total: 33

Chiaki had been so enveloped in the grisly spectacle before her, that she hadn't even noticed the taller Shinigami approach. In the soft light of her floating wisps, the woman danced along the line between pale and light complexion. Piercing, almond-shaped obsidian eyes betrayed her discomfort the moment they came to rest upon the festering pile of mutilated bodies heaped haphazardly on the blood-soaked concrete. The woman had an angular, spritely face that made Chiaki a bit uneasy. The appearance of a Lieutenant, especially from the Ninbantai, should have made anyone nervous, especially one who could have possibly caused the nefarious situation that warranted her abrupt appearance.

There, in the shadows, the fair-skinned newcomer, a trained-assassin, would likely be in her element. After all, Second Division shinigami were denizens of the darkness, clinging to obscurity and striking in silence. In truth, the entire idea of the division, while disconcerting to most, was, in fact, intriguing to the pink-haired researcher. Mostly because there were a lot of similarities that were easily drawn between the two heavily information based Divisions. The Second simply required far more... violence.

There, in the presence of so many fallen comrades and innocence, Chiaki mused idly on her preference. Funny thing was, surrounded by death and secluded from the safety of her lab, her preference seemed to shift. Something about being entrenched in the bitter reality of the violent spiritual world made it easy to see the usefulness in her natural duplicity. Her considerable talents as a master gatherer of information were just as necessary in the less couth assassination Division. Machi and Gatta's incessant giggling in the back of her mind clearly highlighted the opinion of her Zanpakutou.

Chiaki was nothing if not militant, and though she was of a completely different Division, the Fourth Division Lieutenant-Adjutant was the head researcher in charge of the Healing Spring project. As such, she had no issue with relinquishing command of the mission to the black-haired officer. Offering a curt nod to Kuronai, she followed the hasty Lieutenant further into the black, a cautious hand resting lightly on the hilt of her Zanpakuto. Her fingers were slick with perspiration; she gripped--and re-gripped--her weapon nervously, sweeping her gaze back and forth across the damp hallways as the fluttering lights revealed more and more of their surroundings.

She wanted to speak, to offer up obligatory, albeit instinctive, commentary on the hard-to-believe consistency of terror that enveloped the dank labyrinth. There were no more large piles of bodies, yet discarded bones, picked over for most of the bloody flesh, were a constant, and disgusting, decor. Crimson stains adorned the walls in swipes as if the beast, or beasts, responsible were simply testing color swatches in the darkness. The blood grew brighter as they advanced, a sign that the kills were becoming increasingly fresh.

They were getting close... to something.

"Did you hear that?" Chiaki whispered in a hushed tone, careful not to alert anyone to their location. The two lithe femmes paused momentarily, listening intently into the shallow abyss ahead. A low, guttural, gurgling sound bounced lazily off of the stone walls, amplified in the heavily acoustic sewer tunnels. "Whatever it is, it's still hungry."

Word Count: 533
GP Total: 33

The dampness of the underground tunnel was almost worse than the smell. She could feel the moisture in the air as if it was a second skin, bathing her face and clothes in foul liquid that would take forever to get out. It was revolting, that feeling, the warmth of decaying waste coupled with the humidity that reached out and touched every part of her exposed body. She couldn't escape it, the sense of violation. This was not just an offensive arena but actually sickening in its encroachment. It felt as if this filth was trespassing into her very soul, leaving behind tainted sludge and bloody streaks.

It was hard not to feel that way, what with the ever so faint clicking noises that reverberating inside of Kiriko's skull. The constant reminder that Aneue was back there finding great joy in Kiriko's new environment. Part of her revulsion was fueled by that inner joy, the knowledge and sensation of Aneue's elation as they stepped past ragged bones and the remains of bodies smeared across the walls. It was hard not to feel conflicted, hard not to start thinking that if these disgusting thoughts were inside her head wasn't she somehow responsible for them? They were so subtle, such a soft overtone of festivity that it seeped through and she began to smile slightly. Catching the expression at times it would swiftly vanish, but the reaction was still there. The feeling was still there. And that was the true violation, the true transgression. How could Kiriko be so lax? How could she let those emotions come so close, as if they were her own? There had to be something wrong with her! Something dark and nasty for those feelings to feel so natural, so normal, so good.

No. It was just manipulation again. Aneue trying to force her way into Kiriko's heart, trying to twist and warp her thoughts because the crazy sword spirit wanted Kiriko to be more like her. She tried to shut it all off, distancing her mind from the other that shared her mental space. As if Aneue was in some apartment far below her, locked up tight, and only Kiriko had the key. It wasn't as effective as she had hoped but Kiriko had long learned the novel skill of ignoring and denial. She forced her thoughts to return to what should be the more pressing issue. That noise... That stench... Those screams. They were female in timbre, and Kiriko knew it wasn't Saito-san from that alone. But that didn't mean whatever soul was being tortured didn't deserve their attention or their efforts at a rescue. It might be too late, probably was, but the soul deserved the right to die with dignity.

Kiriko held up her hand, a nonverbal order to halt. Pausing in the silence on their end, she focused her attention on those noises up ahead. It was difficult because of the echo in the tunnel with noises being reflected off the ceiling. This was something Kiriko was rather proud of though, her ability to deduce information when the situation was rough. She'd honed it on many a mission that seemed too dangerous to be successful and now it was coming to help her once again. The noises were unmistakable even distorted as they were by the echo chamber – laughter. Such a deep timber that it sounded male, though with Hollow it was hard to tell accurately. Distance? Several hundred meters, the tunnel seemed to twist before them before it opened up into a larger chamber.

Tactically this was very bad. One route in towards the enemy who clearly knew they were there and only one escape route known at the moment. The narrow passage meant that they likely couldn't fight at full capacity in here so luring the Hollow to come to them wasn't going to work which threw out any ability for an ambush. That really only left a charge and with one member of the team of undetermined fighting ability she was the only person fit for the job. That sinister laughter didn't serve to solidify her stance as Kiriko's feet slipped in the slime that coated the ground, but her own anger, ever simmering at Kiriko's cowardice and already lit from her resentment of Aneue's meddling served explosively to egg her on. A coward might be what she was but her image had to be maintained, and that image didn't have a fearful bone in its body.

She turned to Sakuya-san before gesturing again in silence, unwilling to give further indication to the Hollow how far away they were. With her hands she used the complicated message system that was often utilized in combat, praying that Sakuya was knowledgeable of this even if she was just a researcher. Indicating with her hands the distance up ahead, Kiriko informed her that she would take the lead and try to ascertain the situation. Given an opening Sakuya should enter the fray but only if she was capable of doing so without danger to herself. Sakuya had a higher mission here, it was Kiriko's job to fight the Hollow. There wasn't any ability to plan further so Kiriko steeled her nerves and crept closer in utter silence. Even her breath seemed to fall still as she snuck deeper into the sewer system.

She was trying to get close enough for a visual but without alerting the Hollow as to her arrival. It was a tricky dance of movement and stillness as Kiriko inched forward slowly. She felt naked and alone without the presence of a squad mate or even just someone capable of holding the flank. It didn't matter though, this was her job and she was going to succeed. Her perfect mission score would not allow for a failure.  

WC: 968 | GP: 19 | GP Total: 52

From her brief time in the Sereitei and the endless compilation of irrelevant data intrinsic to a dataphile, Chiaki had determined that there were four basic types of souls that pledged their lives to the Gotei Six. 
 
The first was filial duty, the least common reason for a young, spiritually aware soul to join the good fight. With very few exceptions, the great majority of these recruits were born into one of the four noble families of the Soul Society, their fates as Soul Reapers decided at birth.
 
The second was a sense of duty, justice, or honor, and the need to fulfill oneself in one of those regards. The Soul Society had existed to keep the balance between mortals, souls, and hollows for thousands of years. Blessed was the soul that lived out their entire life within Rukongai never having encountered tale of the not-so-mortal enemy of Shinigami and the souls they protect. To many, gaining the ability to protect the human world, and by extension their own, through the mystical, military might of the Sereitei was the single most important thing one could hope to do with their lives in the Soul Society. Children fantasized about the whimsical abilities of zanpakuto, played games with friends emulating their favorite Captains. Soul Reapers were real superheroes, what child wouldn't want that at some point?
 
The third, a far less glamorous reason for enlisting, was simply because life inside the Sereitei was much more appealing to some than life in Rukongai, especially for the less fortunate plus souls who live in poverty--or worse, in filth. Districts like North 68, where every day was not one for enjoying life, but for avoiding death. Guaranteed housing, a paying job, and a way to stay the hunger pains, required or not.
 
The Ninbantai, Chiaki assumed, was the most likely Division for a recruit whose primary motive for becoming a Soul Reaper fell under the fourth reason for enlisting as a Shinigami. For a legal reason to kill. An output for aggression, unaccepted desires, and sick obsessions.  Some experienced a natural urge rip the life from an enemy and experience the unfiltered, indescribable rush of watching that enemy expire from the world. Those who fell under this category, yet were unsuited for service, generally were the ones found imprisoned within the Maggot's Nest.
 
Still, these motives were far from concrete, and while Chiaki was of the firm belief that everyone fell under one of these four categories at first, she was also more than capable of understanding the effect time can have on ones opinions, intentions, and self-evident truths. Chiaki had accepted her call as a Soul Reaper, initially, because life in Rukongai was a downward spiraling hell, and enlistment was the only logical escape. Since her time within the towering walls of stone, a sense of pride and duty had grown healthily in the soil of her fragmented soul.
 
Chiaki found herself pondering the possible motives of Lieutenant Chinda as she watched her creep alone down the narrow, filth-ridden corridor toward the cackling sound in the darkness. The thk-thhk sound of her soft footsteps reverberated off of the curvature of the sewer walls. A sheen of slime still coated the surface of the concrete, undermining the assassin's attempt at an ambush, shifting the chance of success from unlikely, to impossible.
 
Kiriko's silent orders were clear enough: Stay here, don't approach without my signal. More than acceptable, as far as the pink-haired Shinigami was concerned. Ranged combat suited her perfectly, and she could definitely do an excellent job of keeping Kiriko safe, more so than the raven-haired assassin probably knew... Or did she know? All things considered, Chiaki wouldn't have been surprised if the Division had a complete dossier on every Shinigami--no, not every Shinigami, every relevant shinigami within their walls.
 
We're definitely relevant.
Definitely.
 
For once, I agree with you.
 
As the courageous Kiriko, approached in slightly marred silence, obviously confident in her ability to handle herself alone against whatever beckoned from the shadows, Chiaki turned momentarily to cover her own ass. She pressed a gentle finger into the grime-laden stone walls behind her, leaving a spiritual imprint with each touch. The process was simple, quick, and effective. After a cursory final sweep of her blind spot, she returned her attention to Lieutenant Kiriko further down the hall.
 
The woman was intriguing, to say the least.
 
The more Chiaki pondered the situation, the less sense it made for Kiriko to move forward alone. The cramped terrain was a logistical nightmare. The layout gave both women virtually no improvisational freedom; if her superior found herself overwhelmed, the distance between them afforded them no strategic benefit--in fact, if anything it only hampered Chiaki's response time. Eventually, the only logical reasoning the pig-tailed pistolero could reasonably deduce, hinged completely on Shikai abilities having a great influence on the tide of battle.
 
She clearly is aware of our abilities.
Why else would she leave you behind at a time like this?
 
Or maybe it's her power, not ours, that she's confident in.
 
Chiaki left an idle hand at the hilt of her zanpakuto hanging taut, horizontally crossing the small of her back. The other removed the gas mask and replaced it inside her shihakusho. The ensuing rush of nausea caused her eyes to water uncontrollably, though after a few minutes of quiet re-calibration, the feeling passed.
 
Let's hope she knows what she's doing.

Word Count: 905

GP Total: 51

Kiriko ran through the scenarios in her head, each one growing more and more outlandish than the next as she left Sakuya several meters behind her back. She was with little to no support with an unknown number of enemies and no way of telling enemy strength. Certainly the Hollow were strong enough to kill other Shinigami as discerned by the bodies back in the central chamber. The only other indicator was the reiatsu pressure that had been sensed from this area, which had been unnaturally high if she recalled correctly. All in all it wasn't the most rosy of pictures that Kiriko was painting in her mind of what she was creeping into. Saito might be ahead or her or one of the bodies behind her, either way his fate drove her on. Kiriko was Saito's Lieutenant. His superior officer. She was supposed to protect him until he was strong enough to protect himself and she was supposed to take care of him. The fact that he was a new recruit only made this worse. She had failed him by not noticing his disappearance earlier, that was something Kiriko had to accept as a truth without denial. Her own role in this affair was clear, what she managed to do to make up for that was the only thing in question. There was bravery in suicidal charges – not that Kiriko ascribed to that kind of idiocy. But courage was the means through which someone regained honor and she knew that there wasn't any real choice in the matter either. Either she turned that bend up ahead and entered the next chamber to whatever fate awaited her or she turned and ran like a coward...

Her stomach twisted and soured at those thoughts even while her instincts screamed for a retreat. There was even an argument, so sweet and thoughtful that Kiriko considered it for a split second – Turn back, run away to get more help. Why waste your life when you could come back with your whole Division? Why kill yourself over someone like Saito who wasn't even ingrained into the group yet? It was that thought that disgusted Kiriko, the curdling knowledge of her own depraved fear so sharp a blade that she felt totally alienated from her fear-based instinct. Fight or flight? Screw that, Kiriko had a thinking brain that ruled over such petty and base logic. She had a duty here, she had a comrade here, she had a potentially brave and heroic act to commit here. Those things should overpower any dregs of fear that clawed at her heart.

The pain was that they didn't. Even while Kiriko told herself those very facts, listing bullet point after bullet point as to the reasons why she had to go ahead, she still found herself creeping along at a very slow pace. Slower than was necessarily needed for safety. Her body balked at the inherent ignorance of her situation. Her feet tiptoed along but there was a lag, a hesitance, and Kiriko could feel it in her very bones. This body of hers was afraid. Afraid of injury, afraid of the dark, afraid of what she would see ahead. And damn it all but that made more sense than honor, made more sense than duty, made more sense than camaraderie! She was nothing but a low down fish afraid to swim in case the bigger fish came along to eat her up.

That was irritating. No! It was more than that, it was infuriating! Who was she to be so damn mousey and craven? Wasn't there someone depending on her? Who was Kiriko to take fright and run off? To leave someone to die just because she was a great big coward? Damn her! Damn her and her spinelessness to the bowels of Hell! Her breathing grew ragged as her ire rose. Kiriko's anger at herself grew and grew and she knew what had to be done. If there was any justice in the world it was that her self-hatred in that moment egged her on. Pride demanded action. And Kiriko wasn't some timid weak-kneed baby, right? Right!

She leapt around the corner, forgoing all attempts at secrecy for the miniscule benefit of shock. That benefit slipped away to nothing as she peered about the darkened room, unable to make out much of anything except the slumped over body in the corner. Eyes scanning the tunnel with a crazy sort of panic as she continually failed to spot the target Kiriko was therefore almost relieved when something launched itself towards her from the wall. Motion blurred even her trained eye and all she saw was white bone and spindly limbs. Kiriko lashed out on instinct, internally congratulating herself on the hard earned muscle memory of non-stop combat training. Her fist went flying out towards the Hollow's incoming face as she aimed to shatter bones and punch the creature out of the air. In that heady moment all her fears had disappeared, slinking away to the back of her mind in defeat. This was her moment. With blood rushing and her pulse pounding, this was Kiriko's moment. Battle always had that effect, even on the most fearful of people there was a rush of adrenaline and an almost eerie happiness as people took pride in their martial skill. Having trained her whole career to fight Hollow this was the moment of true happiness that every Shinigami ideally went through. When all of that work and effort came to the fore and you simply acted. To purify Hollow. That was her duty.  

WC: 924 | GP: 18 | GP Total: 70

Combat Details:

Reiatsu: 185 
Stamina: 86 - 1 = 85

Strength: 70
Defense: 25
Speed: 50
Spirit: 40

Status: Kiriko punched out at the Hollow with her fist, hitting at 90 Strike Speed (+20 from Hakuda) and 70 Strength. The requirement for blocking this attack would be one rank higher than normal due to Mastered Hakuda. 

It's laughter was not a testament to its amusement.

Instead, it was excited. While nothing like the strength of its master, it could easily sense the approaching reiatsu of the shinigami that were foolish enough to venture into its space. Its laughter echoed off the cavern walls, dying down as its mouth opened in anticipation of feeding its hunger. That never-ending hunger for more. More flesh. More blood. More souls.

More fear.

Oh yes, the hollowed soul could feel the fear. The increased heart-rates. The scent of sweat beginning to break the surface of their skin. When the woman made her appearance, the hollow did not move from its place in the shadows right away. Were there not two? Perhaps this was some strange tactic they were planning to use in order to...oh, never mind that! All this thinking with perfectly fresh waiting soul just waiting to be consumed. As that empty hole at the center of its chest begged to be filled, the hollow was too happy to oblige by attacking, flying from the wall and unleashing a high-pitched hybrid of a roar and another primal laugh as it reached out with clawed hands at its first meal.

It barely had the time to react before a small fist came flying towards its face. Still cackling, it reached out to grab the fist, underestimating the pure force this small woman was capable of exerting. Its hand missed and the her fist collided with its mask with a force that sent it reeling backwards in the air. Even still, through the pain, and the crack that her fist left in its left cheek, it continued to laugh its strange laugh. It was the red glow gleaming from its mouth, lined with rows of teeth and those strange black, upwardly curved spikes, that signaled what was to come. As crimson as blood, the cero exploded from its mouth, the force pushing it backwards down the corridor as the tremendous force of raw spiritual power burst towards the shinigami.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Base Strength: 80

Base Defense: 40

Base Spirit: 35

Hakuda Skill: Intermediate; Hardened Area 1 = Hands.

Technique used:

90 Speed VS 115 Speed Counter-strike w/ tech

BUT! This hollow has no ranks in Pesquisa! This gives Kiroko +20!

110 Speed VS 115 Speed Counter w/ Tech = Equivalant.

Kiroko's Master Rank in Hakuda requires an Advantage to block successfully. Block Failed! 

Kiroko's strike @ 70 Strength (versus 40 Defense) would typically inflict a Major Wound as a direct hit. The attempt reduced the damage by two ranks, bringing it down to a Minor wound. Slight cracks in the mask.

Cero launched at close range @ 55 Spirit from mouth

The feral beast, gurgling and hissing in the darkness, leapt into view and was met with a well-timed fist, confirming, in Chiaki's mind, the Lieutenant's fighting-style. Her action was reflex, yet elegant and purposeful at the same time. The beast recoiled, attempting to lash out and grab the incoming limb, yet was not quick enough, and Kiriko's attack exploded into its cheek. It howled in frustration, its seething anger palpably reverberating through the sound waves.
 
The battle had begun. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, Chiaki released her zanpakuto, transforming her cold steel blade into dual pistols, colder still. The beast's reiatsu was swelling. She could feel it, even through gutteral screams that bounced off of the stone sewer walls in every direction. The hollow's spiritual pressure felt, looked, even smelled noticeably different from that of shinigami. It was dark, suffocating, and angry. Filled with hatred, and the more she focused, the easier it was to decide on a way to crush their opponent. 
 
It was furious.
 
It was... Laughing?
 
The soft red glow washed over the pale-skinned assassin, flickering as its massive jaws shook from its cackling. Its mouth was filled with the crimson volatile spiritual power, and just as it released the blast, Chiaki forced a surge of reiryoku through her pistols, loosing a string of portals in the path of the beast's attack. The beam appeared to refract and jump forward, seeming to speed even faster towards Kiriko before being swallowed by a vibrant blue portal and reemerging from a sister portal, shimmering with red light, directly above the Hollow.
 
Except now the cero was bigger, and significantly faster.
 
The powerful, blood-red vortex of energy rocketed toward the hollow from above, imbued with a new reiatsu signature that was much stronger than before. Pink wisps of crackling reiryoku pulsated from the center, lashing out haphazardly like flailing tentacles, latching onto whatever surface it could find: the walls, the ceiling, even the ground, tearing up bits of concrete and stone and converting it to dust in an instant. Exodus had magnified the attack, drawing upon Chiaki's essence and turning the generic cero into a whole different monster.
 
She kept firing, sending two more blasts of powerful reiryoku hurdling through the blackness, unwilling to give the monster a chance to regain its composure from her vicious counter attack. Hollows, while powerful, were no match for two highly-intelligent ranked officers of the Sereitei.
 
Especially one with a power as unique as Exodus'.  
 
"Don't let it regain its composure, Lieutenant Chinda! Crush it!" Chiaki shouted, emptying blast after blast into the hollow as she screamed. The time for stealth, at least for the moment, was over. After watching the hollow laugh after taking a direct hit to the face from the Hakuda master, the pinkette was less inclined to give the disgusting monster any opportunity to bounce back into the fight.
 
Word Count: 480
GP Total: 60

Action Modifiers: Tengoku

Passive Modifiers: +40 to Attack from Intermediate RP vs No Pesquisa, +20 to Attack Speed from Master Zanjutsu, +1 Tier to Dodge Requirements

What Happens: Portal attempts to block 55 Spirit Cero with 70 Spirit. Because it is successful, Chiaki may redirect it.

Attack Power  = 135 Spirit

Cero @ 55 Spirit + 40 Spirit (Tengoku) + 40 Spirit (Reiatsu Perception Offense Bonus)

Attack Speed = 150 Atk Speed (Capped)

Cero @ 55 Spirit + 40 Spirit (Tengoku) + 40 Spirit (Reiatsu Perception Offense Bonus) + 20 Atk Speed (Master Zanjutsu Bonus)

Stamina Cost: 13

Action 2: Basic Attack (x2)

Passive Modifiers: +40 to Attack from Intermediate RP vs No Pesquisa, +20 to Attack Speed from Master Zanjutsu Bonus, +1 Tier to Dodge Requirements

Attack Power: 110 Spirit (Base 70 + 40 Spirit bonus from Reiatsu Perception)

Attack Speed: 130 Spirit (Base 70 + 40 Spirit Bonus from Reiatsu Perception, +20 Atk Speed Bonus from Master Zanjutsu)

Stamina Cost: 2 

91 Stamina - 15 = 74 Stamina Remaining

Her fist connected with a very satisfying crunch and for a moment Kiriko felt the surge of confidence fill her up to the brim like an empty cup placed under a churning waterfall. In only a moment that cup began to crack before shattering fully under the force of what her eyes were showing her. The Hollow had jumped so eagerly for her flesh and yet even hitting at her full strength with its momentum behind its body Kiriko's tight fist failed to smash that leering mask to pieces. The skull was still intact, the face still covered in ivory bone, those eyes still glowing eerily in her face. In fact the thing didn't even flinch, it just started laughing, a high pitched screech that caused goosebumps to race up her arms. What the heck was this thing? And why was it shaking off her attack as if she'd lightly patted it on the face instead of swinging with as much strength as she could muster?

That question startled Kiriko. She knew that she wasn't the strongest Lieutenant but she was still not used to having such little effect on an opponent. In sparring with her comrades usually her form made up for whatever slightness of shape that limited her muscle mass. It was a setback of her female body that she truly hated, that the strength to pulp faces with a single punch did not come as easily to her as it did to her male counterparts. Kiriko hated that weakness, that softness, and even more then that she despised the other women of the Gotei who could truly shatter rock with the lightest of taps... It wasn't fair that Kiriko, who really needed that showy power to give credence to her rank, was lacking in explosive brawn. It wasn't fair that her stupid Zanpakutou couldn't even be useful and give her a power that would enhance her fighting. It wasn't fair that her prowess for Hakuda was so lacking when she couldn't even punch a Hollow and expect it to disintegrate.

What really was not fair was that she felt so at ease with Kido, with throwing up barriers and blocks. What was she, some little weakling that needed to hide behind a strong shield to stay uninjured? Kido wasn't a bad skill, just more flamboyant and less flexible as something like hand to hand combat. The thing that really irked her though was that she couldn't even hone that innate knack for the Demon Arts into an offensive ability. She had to be skilled with manipulating reiryoku but utterly incapable of using that to blast someone through a wall! What kind of image did it make when the Lieutenant of the Second was so at ease with forming a barrier to block an attack rather than a Hado blast to prevent the opponent from attacking in the first place?!?

Damn, this was getting out of hand. The frisson of fear at her own inability had just begun to thicken and congeal below her collarbones as the Hollow looked straight into her eyes and released a glowing Cero. The air seemed to sing with burnt ozone and she felt momentarily thunderstruck. Not only did her punch not obliterate the opponent but now she was being faced with an attack that she had no way of dodging! And all with the fate of both Saitou and Sakuya resting on her shoulders along with many more if this Hollow managed to survive and continue wreaking havoc on Rukongai and the Shinigami who were sent here. Damn it! Damn it! Where was her power? Where was her rightful strength? Was she really so weak? So ineffective?

Kiriko prepared her body for movement, trying to ready herself for a last ditch attempt at throwing herself out of the path of the incoming Cero, but before she could do so something strange and amazing happened. A wide swath of glowing energy opened up in front of her just as the Cero drew near. The Hollow's blast disappeared into the circle as if it was a hole or pit in the fabric of the air with such force that her clothes were blown back at the meeting of energies. And in that same second a new scar was rent in the air above the Hollow and out blasted what could only be described as a swarm of reiryoku, so dark and cutting that she shivered at its very presence. Two more bangs resounded in the air and Kiriko glanced over her shoulder momentarily to see the source of all of this magic.

It was none other than Sakuya, armed with two guns that were still smoking after releasing such strong blasts towards the Hollow. Over the din of the battle Kiriko heard the girl who she had written off as a liability call out with such confidence and faith that she couldn't help but be inspired. Yes! She could crush this monster! She had the weight of responsibility and if her punches were too weak to do anything then she could just have to punch harder! Kiriko took the few steps inbetween herself and the enemy before circled slightly to the left, trying to get around the Hollow to prevent its range of movement. Then she aimed a lightning fast double strike towards the beast's lower back and side, hoping that its internal organs were in roughly the same area as most basic Hollow.

WC: 852 | GP: 17 | Total GP: 87

Combat Details:

Reiatsu: 185

Strength: 70

Defense: 25

Speed: 50

Spirit: 40

Status: Kiriko punched the Hollow twice more, hitting at 120 Strike Speed (70 base + 20 Hakuda + 30 RP) and 100 Strength (70 base + 30 from RP). The requirement for blocking these attacks are one rank higher than normal due to Mastered Hakuda. 

Chiaki sprinted forward as the hollow melted into the ground, somehow avoiding both her blasts of reiryoku and Kiriko's well-timed fists. Instead, her projectiles slammed into the muck-stained concrete wall in the distance, sending debris and shrapnel flying in all directions, and leaving behind a lingering cloud of smoke and dust large enough to enshroud half of the room. The ground the monster had faded into was torn asunder by Kiriko's rapid strikes, sending more pieces of rubble and stone into the air, yet bringing them no closer to victory. The beast had become intangible, at least for the moment.
 
Still, the desperate screams of agony echoed off of the solid walls, reverberating through the cavern, and sending chills through Chiaki's spine. The beast had taken a magnified cero head on, and from what she could tell, it had torn away a good chunk of its arm. What the hell was that technique? Somehow, the monster had rendered itself intangible, burrowing its way into a pool of darkest black, veiled in shadow. 
 
At least for now, all that mattered was breathing, focusing, preparing for any contingency. The hollow, much like the rest of its brethren that she'd run into during her investigative treks to the healing springs, had rushed in headlong and found itself thoroughly outmatched. This, however, was the first time one had escaped an initial attack, escaped defeat, and had time to regroup for a second onslaught.
 
They had to be prepared.
 
There in the hollow darkness, with but the slowly fading sound of the hollow's guttural screams and the slightly erratic breathing of the two female shinigami, Chiaki trained her mind on the faint traces of the wounded beast's spiritual signature. It seemed to be omnipresent, and despite all of her attempts to focus, she couldn't quite pinpoint the source.
 
"It's not gone, we should be ready for a second attack," Chiaki warned. With subtle pontification, the pink-haired girl sent the four floating orbs into the far corners of the room, instructing them to float several feet off of the ground and illuminate a greater portion of the cavernous mock-battleground. "When it appears again, I'll do my best to keep it still, but..." Chiaki hesitated. Everything she'd discovered about the hollows feeding on the unstable Sokyoku Hill energy sources suggested the idea of 'retreat' or 'calculated attacks' were completely unlikely. Each and every encounter with the beasts had been demonstrations of poor restraint and reckless attacks. Why was this one different?
 
"Stay on your guard, Lieutenant Chinda."

Word Count: 422

GP Total: 8

There was a flash of light, lighting and burnt ozone singing the air as the reiryoku based attacks zipped and clashed on their path towards the Hollow. If that hadn't been the strangest thing she had seen so far today, that tiny little Fourth Division girl pulling out a pair of old-fashion pistols and opening what had to be some sort of portal in midair, Kiriko might have balked at seeing the Hollow coating itself in dark energy as it seemed to shrink and melt into the floor itself. She dashed forward, intent on making at least one hit in this crazy melee, but the creature's bizarre power was too much for Kiriko and her fists only met the stone floor rather than flesh.

Her strike had been strong though and the ground seemed to crumble beneath her knuckles as a plume of dust and debris burst out around her, momentarily hiding everything from sight and obscuring even her visual contact with Sakuya. Tender hooks of tension slid into place along her spine as Kiriko envisioned a sneak attack from behind in this mess, but soon the material settled back on the cavern's floor and she could make out both the other Shinigami and the Hollow-less room. That incessant shrieking was one indicator that the creature hadn't totally disappeared, but had somehow... what? Melted into the floor? Become invisible? What was that dark energy from before, shadow matter?

There were too many questions here and not enough answers. Wasn't that why the Fourth was here, to figure stuff out? Staring intently at the blank walls Kiriko spun in a slow circle as she surveyed the room. The noise echoed, but preternaturally, as if the sound was coming from somewhere else and not actually being spoken inside the chamber. How could that be though? This was a Hollow, by all appearances it shouldn't have an amazing ability like this. Unless Kiriko had stumbled upon a mission of far greater importance than she had first realized. What was going on here?

The quiet sobbing over in the corner, that of a voice run ragged by pain and terror, drew her attention and Kiriko strode towards the mangled body of the young woman who the Hollow had been chewing on earlier. Clinical eyes looked over the injured party, but that poor spirit was already too far gone. Even if they got her help right this second the wounds were incredibly severe, laying in her own pool of blood there was nothing that could be done for the woman. That is, nothing happy.

Kiriko knelt, reaching out with soft hands to push the hair back from the woman's face. Gently she stroked the forehead and cheeks, fingers moving down towards the chin and then shoulders as she massaged the woman's neck. As she worked, Kiriko spoke quietly to the woman, staring straight into those wide panicked eyes as she tried to calm her down. Gathering the required information, more a babble than a concentrated stream of conversation, Kiriko learned the woman's name and family information. With that achieved, she kneaded her fingers into the tense flesh until the woman closed her eyes in relief – in that second Kiriko's grip grew tight and she jerked to the left. With a loud snap the woman's neck was broken and the spirit returned to the mercy of darkness.

Standing up Kiriko wiped her hands against her hakama and turned her back on the body. The last thing the two Shinigami needed was an injured spirit getting in the way of their battle. She had done the right thing, a mercy killing even, but despite that Kiriko was unable to quell the disgust that rose up inside her, like scalding acid against her stomach. She knew the woman's name now, would be able to give her last words to her family, that was more than the spirit would have gotten if she'd left her to be eaten by the Hollow.

And damn that Hollow! Creating such a mess and then disappearing before Kiriko could properly vent her rage on the thing's hide. Next time it showed up she wouldn't give it room to move, next time she was going to break its bones in one strike. Except... Except... That wasn't what she had been doing, huh? So far it was the third seat from the Fourth, the Fourth, who was dealing all the damage here. That said a lot for Kiriko, didn't it? Damn it all to hell, this was not the kind of mission she had been expecting at all!

What was wrong with her? She couldn't punch hard enough and yet when Sakuya sent those blasts of reiryoku Kiriko had felt the hair on her arms rise up as they passed by, that power, that strength, she didn't have that either! Kiriko was mediocre on both levels, unable to hit someone with her body and equally as unable to strike with her spiritual energy. She was just ordinary. Undistinguished. And that was not alright! Kiriko represented the Second, she represented the powerful, the strong, those with so much finesse they just oozed it from their pores goddamnit! So why was she the weak one? Why did she have to be the one who didn't specialize in any area and just happened to be acceptable in all of them!

There had to be something she could do! There had to be an alternative, an intelligent reaction to her circumstances. Right? Right? It had to be out there, Kiriko just wasn't sure what it was yet. Some way of melding her two abilities into one. If her punch wasn't strong enough on its own, maybe she could create a kido that would help? But who had ever heard of Kido that were close range? That were used in conjunction with the body? That was crazy, everyone knew that Kido was always projected. Dejected, Kiriko set the topic aside for the moment as she tried to probe the air for any indication of where that creature would come out from. Readying herself to shift and move in a moments notice Kiriko stood poised on the balls of her feet.

“You as well Sakuya-san, whatever it was that you did before we will need to be better coordinated this time. Since you seem to have more mobility than I do with your attacks you should aim to augment my own strikes. We need to box this thing in with such speed that it cannot escape again,” Kiriko spoke adroitly, her back to Sakuya as she slowly scanned the now thoroughly empty room. The moment that monster came back... The moment it showed its ugly face... She was going to pounce. 

WC: 1120 | GP: 22 | Total GP: 109

When she put it on, she thought it would keep her safe, this magic contraption of fabric and glass that shielded her from the world, let her breathe her own air, there but a world apart. And it did, for a time. The little things she could ignore. But here, now, with the imaginary stench rising in her nostrils, watering her eyes from memory alone, this simple piece of plastic was insufficient, transparent, like a bare phantom of a facade, as insubstantial as the ghost she was.
 
It was like there was nothing there at all.
 
The crunch of the dying woman's neck, cradled in the cold hands of the pale-skinned assassin, refuted the longevity of the soul, echoed the fragility of the half-life, and ushered the girl toward reincarnation. Chiaki tensed, the macabre sound of the finality of death a cruel reminder that without a clear mind, her own might not be far off.
 
Her gaze trembled, hiding beneath her mechanical mask, yet she missed nothing, unwilling to leave their flanks uncovered for even the briefest of moments. Already, so many had perished at the hands of these merciless denizens of the darkness who dared to dwell in the blindspot of the Sereitei. Was all of it her fault? Were each and every one of these casualties on her hands? Surely intentions had to matter for something. Surely these foul beasts, these realm-worn, hedonistic transients were to blame for... everything? The idea of her carelessness being instrumental in the deaths of so many ate at her, gnawed at her, chewed away at the shoddy patchwork her short time in the Sereitei had done to heal the atrocities endured by her mind in the endlessly spiraling hell that was the slums of the Wandering Soul city.
 
Yet what else could she do, crouched in acrid filth, awaiting the onslaught of death, if not be consumed by her thoughts? As the saying goes, 'you are your own worst enemy', an abject truth, especially for Chiaki. A moment didn't pass, creeping low in the shadows with the Second Division's Second-in-Command, when Chiaki didn't ponder the true meaning behind the Ninbantai's involvement. Were the deaths in Rukongai, now spreading into the ranks of the Sereitei, more than just unfortunate collateral to her superiors? Had her mistakes caused her to be called to answer for her failures?
 
Kiriko was an assassin, a covert Sereitei operative tasked with making problems disappear that require a more subtle touch. Was it necessary that Chiaki expect danger from her superior as well as the fiends that loitered in the sewers? Her reverie was, again, interrupted by the other girl's tactical suggestions, a welcome retreat from the unending, insidious thoughts that plagued her conscience.
 
"Of course, Lieutenant," Chiaki started, restrengthening her grip upon her pistols. "These Hollows are not like one's we've faced before. They've been feeding upon an energy source we've been testing in these caverns. Up until now, the side-effects have only served to make them mindless ragebeasts. This one, though," she paused focusing on the spiritual pressure in their surroundings. "This one doesn't seem to be anything like the monsters I faced in previous districts. Perhaps it has yet to be exposed...? Yet to be exposed... as much?" Her voice trailed off, and a low, rumbling sound could be heard from everywhere at once.
 
"Either way, he's definitely not learned his lesson."

Word Count: 566

GP Total: 19

The tension was like a string drawn taunt, stretching ever thinner between the two Shinigami. When would it snap? That was the only question as the Hollow continued to screech with wild abandon but Kiriko found herself still unable to find a solid body to strike at. Whatever that black energy had been, it had effectively removed the Hollow from this room. But if that was the case why could they still hear it? The sound was completely unlike an echo, it was not coming from further down the tunnel nor behind them. It seemed impossible to imagine that the Hollow had melded into the wall or some such thing, not that Kiriko understood the mechanics of such fantastical abilities but it would seem as if you would have a hard time whispering let alone shrieking if your mouth was all mixed up with stone.

Confusion was not her normal mindset. Kiriko hated to be uninformed. She had a vast intelligence network at her fingertips, perhaps the best in Seireitei, and yet here she was in an incredibly dangerous situation with not even the slightest idea of what was truly going on here. She didn't even know if Saitou-san was here or not, if he was already dead or if he still lived further down the sewer's tunnel. That lack of knowledge, that inherent unease, it ached in her bones. She felt queasy, as if a thin oily film covered her body and each time she moved the shift in air and perspective gave her a headache as Kiriko tried to calculate and plan.

She was never without a plan. But in this moment, with the amount of information she had at her disposal, Kiriko was basically up against a wall. Feeling cornered would certainly make her a more ferocious opponent, but not if she couldn't even find the Hollow she needed to slash down! Trying not to get angry, not to let her wrath slow her reflexes or her mind, she continued to turn counter-clockwise, keeping a careful eye on each corner of the chamber. Where was it? Where? She strained her eyes as if they could pierce the walls themselves but nothing seemed to change.

Then Sakuya spoke up, muttering something or other about feeding and previous encounters. Her voice was sharp as she called back to the girl, “What do you mean? You've dealt with this issue before?” Thousands of questions raced through her head, foremost among them was how she could have been so sparse in her preparation for this trip as to not know about previous work. Was this some strange experiment that she hadn't been privy to? When she spoke next, her voice was like the cracking of a whip, harsh and cutting as she fully expected to be filled in now that they apparently had nothing to do but stand here in preparation, “Explain.”

WC: | GP: 9 | Total GP: 118

OOC: Didn't really have anything to write right now, so sorry if this was a bad post I didn't want to take very long because of our time constraints.

Gradually, the distorted screams of a wounded creature slowly died out and gave birth to a pregnant silence as wounds were licked. The rage of the shadows grew and with it's strength they seemed to thicken, almost becoming tangible. Surrounding the pretty little girls with a black wall of eyes. As it stifled it's own shrieking the beast watched the dainty little things talk amongst themselves. Had the hollow a mind to go mad it would probably have been sent insane by the excruciating physical pain of its injury and the ever growing agony of the gaping hole that it constantly tried to fill. It was almost too much for it to keep itself in check, to resist the urge to launch a suicide attack in a vain attempt strike down both of them without being struck down itself. But, even it's limited mind could weigh the odds, it waited, even as the hunger threatened to break it apart from the hole outwards, it waited. Eventually something had to give way, whether it was the nerves of the shinigami or the self control of the hollow, one of them had to break.

Then it happened. The pretty little thing with the tiny yet powerful fists, the strain of the situation was practically flowing from her in waves as she turned to her partner, an expression a mixture; confusion, anger, fear, all of them glorious upon her beautiful features. Features that would soon be made ugly by blood and bare bones and her own innards plastered around her like some kind of demented ornamental fixture. Her voice, her voice snapped at Chiaki and her words served as the starting gun for the second assault of the murderous monstrosity in the shadows.

As female faced female, black gave way to white as the mask of the hollow shot from the shadows in a blank blur, powerful black toothed jaws surround the meager frame of Kiriko Chinda. The hot, sticky hollow breathe washing over her for a mere second, the large disgusting tongue almost caressing her back before the hollow saw fit to clamp it's jaws down. All the while it released that now familiar and demonic laugh. It's prize was within reach, there was no stopping it now!

It happened quickly, but not quickly enough. From the faded shadows emerged the wounded hollow, gurgling with hunger, permeated with rage. It's spiritual signature gave it away as it rose above Kiriko's lithe figure, its jaw widening with anticipation. Rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth reflected the pale glow of Chiaki's encircling spheres of light, the final signal for the pink-haired shinigami to loose another stream of tracer fire. The bolts of energy were quick, muted, and accurate. Before it could close its jaws, enveloping its prey, savoring the Lieutenant's subtle flavors, Exodus melted its mask away as if it were nothing more than spun sugar in a rainstorm. Its reiatsu faded away into the darkness with its screams, and Chiaki lowered her pistols.
 
"Yes, of course," she started, referencing the pale-skinned shinigami's demands for answers. Part of her had been dreading this moment, dreading her compatriot's reaction. Her experiment had the full backing of her Captain, Kiriko's Captain Commander... Still, she couldn't help but feel like her miscalculations would earn her some sort of reprimand. So she explained everything. She told Kiriko about the mysterious source of energy they'd found in the ruins beneath Sokyoku Hill, about the numerous test sites, and about the sudden appearance of hollows and their increasingly savage demeanor.
 
The two Soul Reapers traveled carefully, exercising their skills in reiatsu perception to the best of their abilities as they rounded each corner, perused each dead end. This mission was no longer simply one with scientific objectives. They had to purge this sewer of Hollows; it was for the safety of the citizens of Rukongai. The state of this area could not be allowed continue any longer.
 
"If you don't mind me asking," Chiaki paused for a moment, feeling out Lieutenant Chinda, unsure if she was in the mood for questions. The slender woman seemed a bit guarded; something was clearly bothering her. "Why did you get sent out here? It's just that... It doesn't really seem like something the second division would get involved in."
 
Something definitely was amiss here. From what Chiaki could surmise, either the second was brought in to clean up a mess that needed to be kept secret--a bit unreasonable, considering the far-reaching affect of these mass murders already--or there was something worse, possibly much worse. The pinkette shuddered to think of the possibilities. Did the Captains know something about this area? Maybe it housed something awful, something secret that needed to be kept safe. Did she stumble upon something she wasn't supposed to know about? All of this speculation didn't sit right with the young Shinigami. Secretly, she hoped Kiriko's answer was something much simpler than her fears were manifesting.

Word Count: 451

GP Total: 9

Kiriko scanned the area once more, her body tingling with a mix of adrenaline and anticipation. The Hollow had ceased its screams, indicating quite clearly that something was up. She did not have to wait long though before everything revealed itself, including the empowered Hollow-breed which launched face first from the nearest wall. A stupid motion if she'd ever seen one, but then again this thing couldn't exactly be praised for its intelligence so far. Already in a battle ready position her own reflexes allowed Kiriko to subtly twist and shift, muscles flowing fluidly as she spun like water around the incoming attack. The Hollow's body passed mere inches from her skin, the heat and rage reverberating across her flesh, but her instinctive desire to dodge had not completed Kiriko's actions. She was just going in for another strike when the other woman deftly pulled up her pistols and shot.

The burst of energy that was released from her guns flew straight and true and in a second it was all over. A direct hit to the Hollow's injured body and it was decimated with ease. Flicking her sleeves back into place after the concussive force Kiriko felt irritation flood her body now, the feeling of wasps angrily buzzing in her bloodstream not dissipating as she did a full revolution to ensure the room was clear. How was this Third-Seat from the FOURTH having such an impact on the Hollow when Kiriko herself couldn't even put a dent into them? Where in the worlds was this fair? It was one thing before in the heat of the battle to see the power of Sakuya, but to have their opponent disappear in one shot from the other girl when all Kiriko could do was dodge out of the way was more than a little insulting and harmful to her pride.

Struggling to repress the anger that raged through her at these basic facts, Kiriko forced her face into blankness, erasing the creases from her frown. She would not be caught out here. Not by some research-division girl. If she couldn't actually do anything with her attacks, so be it, she would have to improvise and do better. Kiriko refused to allow someone below her rank to show her up like this. It was a matter of more than her own image though, the image of the Second Division was at stake here. And after all of the work she had put in, all of the sweat and blood, she was not going to stand idly by and allow her Division to put in a bad showing. She owed it to her Captain and to her division mates to do better, to be better. Why was she so weak?

Once positive that the room was empty of enemy combatants, Kiriko and Sakuya moved on further into the Hollow's lair. They walked in eerie emptiness, silent except for Sakuya's explanation of the factors leading up to this entire debacle. And what details there were! If Kiriko had thought she was angry before it was nothing compared to her feelings now. Straight backed she stalked in front of the Shinigami, questing for another opponent to unleash some of her emotions onto. Kiriko felt like she was boiling over. Who had given the Fourth the right to do something so incredibly stupid? And why hadn't they called in more help when it was apparent that things were getting out of control? Trying to hide their own mistakes? Cover it all up? Well Kiriko wasn't appreciative of that, especially when it looked like one of her own was caught up in their miscalculation! Damn their arrogant minds!

She wasn't sure if she should be chastising Sakuya or not, but in the end it didn't matter because they were on a mission and she was not directly responsible for the girl's delusion. Letting her silence be indication enough of her displeasure, Kiriko continued to edge forward, eyes intent on any shadow that so much as flickered. What these new empowered Hollows could claim as abilities she didn't know yet, but one with shadow powers was enough to make her paranoid. Again and again she cursed in her head, wishing she had been able to call in more strength at her back. This was not something that should be handled by two Shinigami.

The tentative question from behind her was also not something that could be avoided, and Kiriko spoke softly so that her words would not travel too far ahead and alert anyone or anything to their presence here. Not that she thought it would do much good after the explosions from earlier, but there was no reason to be sloppy. “I am missing an operative. I believe his disappearance is in conjunction with your mess here. I've come to find him,” she spoke concisely, though her words had that slight edge that made it apparent her own feelings about the trouble the Fourth had heaped upon her and Sakuya in particular. Kiriko was nothing if not professional though and her own wrath was hardly discernible if it weren't for the verbal ques that shed a faint light on the emotions coursing through her body.  

WC: 868 | GP: 17 | Total GP: 135

OOC - Sorry if this was rushed or bad, I wanted to get a post up for you before I head out today. 

Chiaki flinched at the callous undertone in the Lieutenant's words. She was upset, and rightfully so. Perhaps it was foolish of them to think they could control such an enigmatic source of energy based on such an unfounded hypothesis. Perhaps they should have kept the test sites within the Sereitei. Then again, she was operating under her Captain's orders, under their Captain Commander's orders. So why did she feel so at fault?
 
"I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Chinda..." What else could she say? Should she blame herself? Should she offer up a half-hearted promise to help find her subordinate? Wouldn't it all be baseless and hollow? This project had always been a source of pride for Chiaki, a way to enscribe her name in the history books of the Sereitei as the lead scientist who was responsible for the greatest stride in Sereitei infrastructure in a century. She wanted to relieve some of the workload off of the third, and be instrumental in the first steps of re-establishing the Kido Corps. Now, that all seemed just as unlikely as ever. "If he's here, we will find him."
 
Good one, Chiaki thought.
 
BD-THM-BD-THM-BD-THM
 
All around them the walls began to shake, and the unmistakable sound of pounding footsteps droned on in their direction. It was massive, whatever it was. A low, guttural moan, gurgling and fierce, echoed through the caverns, the splish-splash of filthy muck being kicked upwards and cascading down the walls in between each pounding footstep.
 
Now this is more like what I remember.
 
The pink-haired soul reaper snapped her fingers, and three of the four lights shot forward down the hall, hugging the walls, attempting to illuminate the oncoming threat. Within moments, the floating spheres of reiatsu peeled back the darkness, revealing a four-legged behemoth, it's mask a large shield clearly meant for ramming the two shinigami mercilessly into the first wall in its trajectory.
 
"SHIT! It's not stopping! HIT THE WALL!"
 
The path was narrow, and the behemoth took up most of it. Chiaki quickly dove out of its way, hugging the wall, motioning for Kiriko to take the opposite wall. The lieutenant flattened herself against the far wall, and Chiaki braced herself on the nearest, preparing her pistols to attack as the beast charged by.
 
BD-THM-BD-THM-BD-THM
 
It roared, and the blast of hot air that exploded from its massive jaws melted whatever composure Chiaki had surrounded herself in. This thing was going to demolish them, and the pink-haired girl closed her eyes, clinging to the walls as hard as she could, praying it would pass by. There was no strategy, there was no escape, there was no hope. The closer the beast got, the less she felt like there was any chance of salvation. Her limbs locked up, the fear was unbearable.
 
Then it was upon them, and for a moment it seemed like it was, indeed, just going to charge by. 
 
Chiaki didn't see it happen, her eyes were closed. If they were open, she would have seen the beast jerk its head to the right before its gigantic mask slammed into her chest, crushing her into the wall and dragging her along for several meters before she slid off into the muck. The pain was so intense she blacked out, hitting the floor and rolling down into the middle of the path.
 
Exodus sealed as she fell, and the clanging sound of her katana hitting the rocky floor reverberated through the caverns.
 
The beast never stopped charging.

Word Count: 584

GP Total: 11