With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
Akaharu blinked. That girl seemed obsessed with getting her sheath, even enough to--she shuddered--get hit by that blast. Why did she want that sheath so badly? Akaharu couldn't begin to fathom a reason. Well, she'd attacked before, using the sheath no less. But why struggle like that?
And it truly was a struggle. Kaki had gotten blasted out of the air by a cero, and fell onto the ground, struggling to her feet. She'd propped herself up on her elbow just in time to see the arrancar in front of her sheath. She still stood, remaining silent, breathing through her mouth at this point. A hint of despair could be seen in her crimson eyes.
When he finished speaking, she had taken a step, only to find he'd used Sonido to dash behind her. Not to mention he'd kicked her, sending her falling to the ground.
Oh just give up and use me. Besides, you know giant-jade-spider can't help you here. Pick him up later, just use me. It'd be so much easier!
Kaki's eyes closed tightly, her teeth were gritted. She clenched fist-fulls of sand as she tried to pull herself to her feet, though it was slow.
This was painful. Akaharu glanced over to the sheath, and ran for it. She had no means of fighting this guy, but she could help the little girl--right? She'd barely gotten close enough to use it, but she coiled a web of reiatsu around the sheath and pulled it to her. She looked at the jade sheath in her hand, and back to Kaki.
"I won't," Kaki murmured aloud, refering to her hollow. "Not again. Never again. I'd sooner die."
She didn't see the sheath in Akaharu's hands. All she saw was the inside of her eyelids. She probably seemed insane to the others.
Stour could feel the reiatsu inside the girl, it was shuddering, spiking, plummeting, plateauing, and then repeating. The girl was gonna flip out if he kept this much pressure on her. He wasn't sure that was what he wanted. He'd never seen it, save for people who could control it. He was curious, but that had its limits. There was no saying how out of control and self-destructive this one could be. It was slightly nerve-racking, as he didn't intend to kill her, and that transformation starting would force a release. He knew his combat skills were limited, hands and chains could only cause so much harm when bludgeoning stops being effective.
He thought about doing it, just for the effect it'd have on the girls. How scared would they be? The drastic change in tone, and spike of reiatsu... Things wouldn't be so light-hearted anymore, that was for sure. His changes were evolving, and becoming more drastic as time moved on. He knew why. He knew what his sealed blades represented. Chaos. A terrifying element in itself.
He sighed as he saw the other girl run into position to snag the young girl's sheath. How pointless, even with any abilities she had that she might want to use, Stour hadn't even begun to fight yet. He was toying with them both, and that stupid older girl didn't seem to understand still. Stour looked at her, his eyes narrowed momentarily, before reopening into gems of emotionless crystal. "You know, maybe I was wrong about you," He said, slowly stalking forward, looking somewhat like a hyena, circling a weakened meal, just about to drop. "Maybe you do understand, but you're just too childish to accept it outside of your head. Maybe you know all too well what powers surround you... And you're scared. Scared to accept it."
Stour walked closer to her, now almost entirely ignoring the younger girl, whom he had left staring into her own eyelids, as she struggled with her demons. He was close enough to strike her, with ease. Close enough to deal all sorts of damage. But he didn't. He walked just short of her, relying on her not expecting this to hold her still. "Maybe you just need a hand to guide you," Stour said, reaching for her hand, and grasping it, looking into her eyes. He was still toying with her, of course. He wanted her as confused as possible about this situation. Especially if that girl was about to become a 'monster', like he expected her too. On the off-chance that happened, how would this girl react when the only one who could save her was himself, a real monster. Inside his head he laughed. These games were the most fun. Games of chance.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Akaharu glared at the man as he walked forward, not saying anything. The girl? She had absolutely no idea what was going on there. She was probably insane. Akaharu was probably insane too. Well, that arrancar, she didn't trust him to not do something involving violence, so she was rather surprised when he didn't. Though, her response to him grabbing her hand was, "Don't touch me."
In Kaki's mind, she saw that clone of her, taller, completely black eyes, skin paler than the moon... it was intimidating, but Kaki wasn't really scared, not completely. Dying was the least of her worries, and losing control wasn't something she would do. She just hated that hollow. Hated her with all her soul. "I won't use you. I don't care if I'm going to lose, I'll lose with my own strength, not with some hollow's. I don't need you. You killed them."
"Oh, don't be such a whiner. If you hadn't been so weak, it wouldn't have been so easy for me." "And why do you think I won't use you now?" The pale girl blinked. "If I rely on you, my power comes from you. If I rely on myself, you're not in control. I am. At least, that's the way I see it."
"Alright then, whiner-sama. Go then, show me this power you're convinced that you have," the older girl taunted.
"I'm not convinced that I have anything. I'm convinced that I'm not using you." Her crimson stare met with the hollow's pitch-black eyes, and the world slowly faded away.
Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at the man who was taunting the girl. Not wasting a second, she charged forward, sword in hand.
She stared into his eyes, her own eyes narrowed to slits. She felt something, she knew it was coming: her uncle. She knew he wasn't here yet, he was coming. Even though the two would probably have a shouting match within seconds of his arrival, it still made Akaharu smile as she pulled her hand back in an attempt to free it. "You may think I'm an idiot, but you're the one who didn't try to stop me from calling Oji-san. And y'know, watching your back might be helpful. She doesn't look too happy with you."
About then, she had launched a kick at Stour's jaw."Surprise!"
--Elsewhere, on the wrong side of the coffee shop--
"Kami, what the hell did she get herself into this time," Saito groaned, walking down towards the beach, feeling a strange combination of reiatsu. The ex-boxer knew this couldn't be good, and he swore, he'd never resented his niece's sarcasm as much as he did now.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
"Tsk," Stour said, as the kick connected with his jaw, his body snapping stiff, and his neck rising an inch more than it normally did as the blow stretched it out. He stumbled to the side and closed his eyes. He was pissed. "So, it didn't work? You're better than that, huh?"
Stour spun out of his stumble, aiming a quick punch at her throat, and pulling his chain back into both hands, while jumping backwards. "I'm not sure, really, why you think I should be worried. The way I see it is you're stuck with me here. You can't run away, and no silly little human can stop an arrancar. I could easily show you why, if you wish. I could show you why you should bow. And then, I could make you. And this girl here, the one you think is insane, would have to show you how much like me she is," Stour grinned at the end of those words, not a happy grin, just his lips curling up in what would be a smile if he were actually happy. "And I think that I want your little friend to show up. I'll make him my example. And it'll be your fault. You called him to his demise."
Stour grinned again, this one actually happy. He was looking forward to meeting this person, he'd carve him good. Maybe even show this girls Chaos before he left. Carve them all, perhaps.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Kaki turned her head before the punch could land, letting it strike the left side of her neck as opposed to the throat. Been there during a sparring match, done that, don't want to bring it up again! The shortness of breath was far worse than the chance of breaking bones, because at least this way she could breathe and continue on. She felll back into the sand, taking a sharp intake of breath before she jumped back in a defensive stance, back leg bent, front leg straight. "You're going to sink... so low?" Kaki questioned the arrancar. "Coward."
"Chotto matte, what the hell is going on here?" Saito demanded, storming down the beach, waving his arms above his head. He saw Akaharu, and the other little girl. A shinigami? No, not quite. She was too much like a hollow, reiatsu-wise. Of course, if Akaharu had managed to piss yet another person off, the man wouldn't be surprised. "Akaharu, what the hell did you do this time? No, don't tell me, I don't want to know. No, I already know. You said something, don't tell me what it was because I've dealt with enough of this garbage already, people got pissed off, and now you called me because you want me to help you. Kami, Akaharu!"
"Yeah Saito, cause you're such a fucking genius. So you automatically know everything. For your information, I didn't say something, I threw sand in this guy's face. THEN I said something. Happy now?" Akaharu replied sarcastically.
Saito pinched the bridge of his nose. "I take back everything I've said comparing you and your father. You're worse."
"And I started so much earlier! Imagine what it'll be like when I'm your age! Not to mention I'm prettier, smarter, and all around better," Akaharu mocked in a high pitched voice.
Kaki broke out of it, the shouting match was rather funny. She started to shake, letting out a few small giggles. Her mouth was but a squiggly line that showed she had no control, she would laugh. But not yet.
"Why did I come here?"
Akaharu stared at her uncle. Cracking a smirk, she replied, "Because you're hoping in the middle of the night someday you'll be able to come up with a better retort than me, and then you'll try to kick me when I'm down. Sadly, that isn't the case yet, nor will it ever be."
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
Stour stared as the man came storming up the beach, paying almost no attention to him as he ranted about the annoying girl. Stour stared as the girl he was fighting began to laugh. He had a new target, now. This was the one the girl had mentioned. Stour walked slowly, wrapping his chain around his belt, and pointing his finger at the man.
"You're the one she threatened me with? She has a big mouth, poorly disciplined. Speaks worlds of yourself," Stour said, rather plainly, his voice not ringing its usual pleasant touch. "And I think she intended you to stop me. So, let's see it, then. Stop me. I'm tired of your antics, all of you."
Stour quickly snapped his hand so his fingers were all facing forward, and rushed his hand forward and jabbed it towards the newcomer like a blade. "You'd do better to not be distracted right now. A lot better. And once I'm done with you, I'll carve the other two up nice and well," Stour pulled his lips into a frown, and added; "Maybe I'll save you for last, so you can see it with your own eyes.."
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Not paying much attention until the arrancar spoke, he had turned his head to see, and the stabbing motion that mirrrored what one might attempt with a blade, well, he had stepped to the side, feeling the fabric on his sleeve tear and a small trickle of blood drip down his arm. He wasn't as quick as he had been when he had first started boxing.
With a click of his tongue, Saito stepped forward, throwing an underhand punch with his good arm, his left, towards the arrancar's stomach. "Yare, yare. You mean to tell me you've been fighting with Akaharu and a little girl?"
His violet eyes narrowed, those eyes that matched Akaharu's, though steelier. Well, that was the end of boring man, he was going pro-boxer, ready to kick some ass. Well, punch some face, but who cares?!
"And you'd do well to not be so hotheaded," Saito commented, throwing a right hook at the man's throat. He remembered boxing, there were a few places you weren't allowed to punch. And he knew he was breaking that rule in both self defense and the defense of others. He wanted this to end quickly.
"Ne, ne, mister!" Kaki chanted frantically, having finally gotten over the hilarity she found in the rant. She didn't remember the man's name, so she just called him a generic "mister". "Watch out for his right hand! He fires ceros from it!"
Akaharu folded her arms over her chest. She wondered if the arrancar knew her uncle was on even grounds, if not stronger than him at this point.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
"Mm, quick moves," Stour said, his right hand reacting immediately as his eye caught sight of the man's hand moving. He brought his own hand up to his neck, and jumped backwards instinctively, almost stumbling on the landing. "Ever fought someone who sees everything? I doubt it." Stour smirked as the girl mentioned his firing ceros. He decided that maybe, just maybe he could have some fun here. Use a little chaos.
"Don't know that I'll be able to win a fist-fight with you, you're quick, about as quick as I can move in this state. Luckily, I have a nice trick that I could simply... Use.." Stour said, pulling his chain, so a blade was in each hand, and the chain set across his shoulders. "Or, I could see how well your hands do in a knife fight?"
Stour immediately brought the chain from his left, swinging the chain and blade across where the man's chest would be if he stood still, no longer aiming for grazing blows. Stour immediately spun the right-hand blade around his wrist, wrapping the chain around it as a cero charged in his palm, preparing to blast like a shotgun at point blank.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Another attack from the arrancar, this one aimed to slice him across the chest. It didn't hit, he stepped back just in time for it to barely miss him. Saito seemed annoyed at the fact that it created a slight tear on his clothes, and his eyes narrowed, once again. "If you see "everything," I'll just fix that."
He had stepped forward, despite the hand that had stuck out. He stepped around it, his left arm reaching up to shove the arrancar's wrist away and hold it there, his right foot slamming forward in an attempt to hit the arrancar's foot, as he threw a punch at the arrancar's left eye with his right hand.
Akaharu blinked. Well, she hadn't seen her uncle like this. Hell, she knew he'd been a boxer at one point. Hell, she knew he was supposed to be good. She just didn't expect him to... well, be so agressive. It wasn't so strange to see her elder throw a punch, but it was quite strange to see him be this agressive. Especially with such a blank expression.
Or maybe it only seemed blank from where she was standing. She still held the little girl's sheath in her hand, but she didn't seem to notice it. She was dumbfounded. Struck dumb. Speechless.
Kaki, however, began to tug at Akaharu's arm, wanting her sheath back. She had quite a serious expression on her face too. Well, she was thinking she'd want it in case...
Well, in case the arrancar sunk lower than he already was in Kaki's mind. She noticed Akaharu had a loose grip on her scabbard and she slipped it out of her grasp, slipping it back onto her sword.
She looked up at the violet-eyed girl, studying her expression. She doubted this girl knew of her uncle's evident skill when it came to fighting. But, should worse come to worse, she didn't want this girl to stay if anything got truly violent. Silently, she vowed to drag the girl away herself if necassary.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
Stour laughed, as the man grabbed his arm, and swung. He could easily move, he had skills with speed that a human couldn't match. But he decided to do something quite different, he let the cero rip off in a random direction when his arm was grabbed, let the punch meet his face, though not his eye, snapping his head back, and let his foot be stomped. He stumbled backwards shaking his head, and smiling. Smiles were always bad when Stour fought, his usual contemplative and plain demeanor struck away by enjoyment. "It's my turn, again," Stour spoke calmly, swinging the chain in his right hand, and holding the chain in his left, so the blade was pointed downwards. "I could do something so terrible to you... So utterly disgusting, that the thought keeps recurring. 'Why not do it?' It says, and I reply 'Because he is too weak. They are all too weak.' And it agrees, and retorts 'Why not do it?'."
Stour grinned, truly thinking about Chaos, but instead arced the right-hand blade outwards, and followed the blade swing by beginning to charge the cero, so while the blade swung in an arc from his right, he turned quickly, letting the cero rip, which he then aimed right where the two girls were standing.
Still ringing in his mind was that ever-incessant voice. Sooner or later he'd have to give in. The issue with chaos was its unpredictability. Stour enjoyed that his blade was so aptly named after such a trait. Hell, he was thinking about releasing just to see if the man could stand toe-to-toe with him. It's not like he had to tear him into shreds by releasing, he could always just have a fist fight with him... Again, he grinned.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!