Game: The Investigation ((Adv., Gore, Anthro))

Storm stepped through the portal instantly pushing his spiritual pressure deeper inside himself to hide it reducing the chance that he would attract hollows, not that it mattered he was probably the weakest there so hiding his own power probably didn't do all that much. He pushed off from the floor jumping high into the air to get a better vantage point as he surveyed the area, both trying to find the scout camp and watch for approaching hollows.

Arc was the first through the opening portal, leaping in as soon as the Captain of Squad 12 gave the okay. “Let’s get this operation started!” he cried out as he fell to the desert below the portal. The vast desert of Hueco Mundo was like any other desert in the real world apart from the perpetual dark skies above and the roaming hordes of Hollows throughout. “Now which way do we go?” Arc questioned as he scanned the surrounding area with his hand shielding his eyes from a sun that wasn't there.

Sword nodded, and stepped through the portal with the team, remaining relaxed and composed as he scanned the desert visually, then searching for hollow spiritual pressure in the immediate vicinity. He didn't bother to conceal his spiritual pressure, whatever wiped out squad 2 had been stealthy enough to handle the stealth forces, so he figured it'd be better to take a more direct approach. Nothing but a adhuchas would have the power to damage them, and even then each shinigami here should be able to handle one adhuchas. "Hmmm...." Sword mused to himself as he continued to observe their surroundings

The portal behind them closed slowly as they jumped through with the Captain eyes starring at the vast desert in front of them. As for the reason no one could know, but it seemed like the stallion wanted to jump into the portal himself. A mare with a red coat stepped over to him and pulled on his sleeve tearing him from his trance. He turned finally and didn't look back at the world as his Lieutenant pulled him away.

The world acted as if it was calm and peaceful. Nothing moved outside of the gentle breeze of over the massive dunes that filled the desolate land. But, there massive craters in some of the giant pillars and giant chucks off the sand that were taken from the dunes. It seemed as if the fight had extended longer than the Captain had thought.

The place gave of a weird spirit energy which was unlike anything like a Hollow or a Soul Reaper, but something else entirely. There were a few traces of the of a soul reaper spirit energy though it was faint.

Kitsune looked around quietly, ready for anything as she just dropped her bored facade, grinning madly. "Finally free of that boring barracks." She rolled her shoulders, idly placing a hand on the handle of her blade as her spiritual energy slowly flared back out from it's hidden state. She seemed to tranform from bored and indifferent to excited and happy at the moment the portal shut. She took out the phone they had been given, looked at it, then slipped it into her robe once more.

Krix didn't follow suit as he continued to feel out the strange energy. It puzzled and worried him that something like this was here. Krix thought about drawing his own sword and releasing more of his spiritual pressure, but then thought it'd be better to keep what surprises he could held back.

"Don't get too comfortable, lieutenant, we are in hostile lands on a mission," Krix warned with his calm smile to show he was about half serious. Then Krix began walking in the direction the mystery pressure had gone, hoping a destination of some sort would reveal itself and break the monotony of the bleak desert.

Arc trudged through the desert sand, slowly adjusting his footing to the new environment. He walked several paces forward, far enough to put a small amount of space between himself and the group. He felt the strange spiritual energy force it's way around him, tingling at the sensation. It was different from any hollow or soul reaper he'd encountered, he grinned from the thrill of the unknown. A moment passed before Arc could tear his attention away from the strange new spiritual energy. He looked back at the group and said, "This isn't right, something is-" he paused to think of a better word to use than different, "-different." He couldn't think of a better word.

"I can feel it to, captain." Storm said as he dropped back to the ground nearby and continued walking up to Arc on the ground. "This place feels wrong. Shouldn't it feel more like a hollow? This is where they come from isn't it. So what is this spiritual pressure?" He asked, a worried frown beginning to form on his mostly obscured face. The faint spiritual pressure of the scouts and the amount of damage done to the terrain began to make Storm think that this was not going to be a rescue operation after all. Which caused his frown to deepen. "What could have done this?" He muttered to himself.

{Long battle. I speculate an adverse balance of numbers or the late arrival of a greater power to end a long stalemate.}
I concur. Sakura looked around the desolate area. Its feng sui is unpleasant and in conflict. Also, do you feel the spiritual energy? It's not that of a soul reaper.
{Nor is it Hollow.}
A new player. Sakura's grip tightened on Cherryblossom.
{Or at least an old player that's learned something new. I hate it when my paranoia is justified.}
I certainly more than you, dear friend.
"Long battle," she said to the others. "Adverse numbers finally overwhelming them, or something came into the fight to trump them, either faster than they could call upon their shikai or bankai, or something that could simply shrug such attacks off. Either way, the danger may be greater than we believed."

"...Hmmm..." Sword murmured as he felt the odd spiritual pressure. "Neither hollow or soul reaper... perhaps..." Scanning the area, he searched for projectile impact spots. "Perhaps a Quincy? Who knows how many are left in hiding. If you find bodies, look for large volumes of projectile wounds. Otherwise I don't have a clue what else could be out there. Just a theory. And..." Noticing the captain begin to walk off, he sighed, flash stepping in front of him. "Hold up a minute Captain. You seriously just going to follow that pressure without a plan?"

The spiritual energy moved over to the west of their position and so did the energy of a Soul Reaper as well making it seemed like a few managed to get away from the attack. There was also a lingering feeling ahead of them, but was faint. It was probably the Soul Reapers being pursued by whatever that had attacked them since the thing or things reiatsu could be felt in that direct as well. The sands shifted under the small gust of the wind to reveal a zanpakuto without its owner which was found as Krix followed where the reiatsu led to. It had the blood of what could be assumed was its previous owner though the wielder’s body was no where to be see.

Kitsune calmed as she saw the zanpakuto. She stared for a moment before flash stepping near it, kneeling beside it. She stared at it. "Hm…Who are you?" She muttered, reaching out slowly and picking it up, standing silently. She examined every detail of it, then looked to the others. "Seems we will definitely have to be careful." She held onto the blade, wanting to hold onto it to give back to the Squad it's owner belonged to, but was unsure.

"That is the plan, to find out what we're dealing with and possibly what happened," Krix responded simply and still holding onto his calm smile. Though he was sure to make sure the others didn't get too far off from him.

Krix let out a sigh as he saw the blade, but with Kitsune claiming the weapon before he'd even begun to reach for it, he just stood back and let he do what she did. Then the presence shifted and the familiar sense of a soul reaper appeared, causing his ears to swivel to that direction first, and then the rest of him. "Looks like the answers are on the move and we'd be wise to intercept. Shall we?" Krix asked before beginning to flash step in that direction, knowing that with how slow his flash step was, he'd probably need the head start so they'd get there at roughly the same time. He drew his sword as well, but didn't release it at the moment because he still wanted to know exactly what was going on.

"Strange, I thought zanpakuto disappeared when their master died. Maybe they aren't dead and just had to drop it." Storm said, mostly to himself. he looked up at Kitsune. "Keep it safe lieutenant Kitsune. It needs to be returned to it's master, wherever they are."

"That pressure." Storm said as he noticed the shift in the spiritual pressures of the soul reapers and the other 'thing. "I have to help them." Storm said quickly as he grabbed his zanpakuto and jumped into the air so that he could get a better vantage point, giving him a better view of where he was going and hopefully allowing him to surprise whatever it was attacking his squad-mates. He drew his sword angled himself towards the moving spiritual pressure and flash stepped.

A zampakuto without an owner...
{It is... very odd and very unsettling. But do you feel that pressure, Sakura?}
I do. Sakura squints in the direction of the reiatsu, watching Storm go and Krix move as if he was planning to. Shall we?
{Best speak of your intentions first.}
Of course. "Fellows, I propose that we follow our brother in arms and go to the aid of the soul reaper whose spirit we can still faintly feel," she announces to the rest, bringing Cherryblossom up to a more ready position as she prepares to follow Storm.

Arc focused on the discarded Zanpakuto, tracing the spiritual energy that protruded from it. Within moments the faint echo of a souls reaper's spiritual energy west of their position resounded against his senses. "No use wasting time thinking of a plan now, we can think of one when we see the danger we're facing first hand." Without waiting for the others, Arc dashed westward in a frenzy to find whoever was still alive from the team of soul reapers who they had lost contact with.

"Oh for fucks sake...." Sword muttered, starting after them, hand on his primary blade as he did so. "These impatient twits are going to get me killed..." Still, he could work this to his advantage. Sword decided to lag a little behind the group, compressing his spiritual pressure inside of him, concealing it while he tailed the group.

When the others rushed to follow the remaining trails of spiritual energy, the first feeling of a Hollow appeared. Like the rest of the reiatsu it was days old and had a hand in the battle with the Soul Reapers and the mysterious being or beings. Strangely this was the only feeling of a hollow in Hueco Mundo so far, something that should have been impossible for the world that they lived in. The power of the Soul Reapers had dropped dramatically and seemed as if there was only two left because of how much energy that was left and overpowered the others.

This was also the the place where the mysterious spirit pressure seem to end, but had seemed to increase while something about it seemed to change about its feeling. It was obviously more familiar than it was and yet it was still different, it felt like a Soul Reapers power yet it wasn’t. Whatever had attacked them seemed to simply vanish without a trace which left the question, where the things defeated or had the simply decided to leave?

If they looked around they could see a large Hollow mask that had been left on the ground wwith a large crack in it. There was also a giant crack in the sky and led to the upper level of Hueco Mundo and showed the pitch black sky above. It was also where the last two remaining Soul Reapers had gone along with the Hollow.

Kitsune slipped the zanpakuto into her robe, it disappearing from sight. She began following the others at a slower pace like Sword, and was actually nearby him, though she was scanning the area silently. She held her hand over the pommel of her blade, ready to draw as she kept track of every spiritual signature in their area, hidding her own as best she could. She heard Ludus let out a yip, sighing as she realized she was getting a bit edgy.

When Krix arrived on the spot under the hole in the sky, he looked at it with a critical expression. "*Sigh*, this is going to be troublesome," he said to none in particular before beginning to move towards the hole in the sky. Again, he was taking into account his slower speed, trying to time it so he'd arrive at roughly the same time as the others if not before them.

While Krix had his sword drawn, he began to release noticeable amounts of spiritual pressure, hoping to possibly lure the hollows that were pursuing the surviving squad members away and towards him. Krix tightened the grip on his zanpakuto, whispering, "be ready Shashari, something's not right here but there's other soul reapers to aid. You know we must," hi finished while continuing to move to the fleeing reapers and their pursuers.

Sakura shrugged as the group began moving forward without actual consultation and followed slightly behind them, albeit not to the same degree Sword is.
{It occurs to me that we're rushing forward with very little idea of what's at work here.}
I sort of noticed.
{It occurs to me, therefore, that lagging even further behind could be an asset. Allow the more eager and foolish to absorb the enemy's attack before we step in.}
Cherryblossom! Is that conniving I hear?
{Why, yes, I do believe it is.}
Well.. I'd say 'good girl' or some variant thereof but you're... She pauses thoughtfully, her pace slowing. Well, your presence is female so I supposed it would work.
{No, it really wouldn't. We've spoken about this before: my presence is female because yours is. Having chosen you, I reflect you to a certain degree.}
The edges of Sakura's muzzle quirk upwards. Is that so...
{Yes, that is so.} A pause. {I'll be very cross with you in a moment, won't I?}
As always, you talked yourself into it.
{If I've told you once, I've told you thousands of times: the voice you hear in your mind has a slight purr sound because...}
...incompatibility between the contemplations of a weapon intelletus and the mind of a soul reaper. So you say. What does that even mean?
{I haven't the faintest idea, but it's better than your theory.}
I like my theory more.
{...I'm cross with you now...}

As Storm arrived in the new location and saw the hole in the sky a thought struck him "The captain would probably kill me if she saw me blindly rushing into battle." He muttered to himself. "This is probably why I'm only third seat." He paused for a second and felt the spiritual pressure again. "Only two left?" He asked saddened that so few had survived. "How did this happen? They couldn't have been taken by surprise, so they must have been over powered."

He brooded for a second on that troubling thought before noticing the hollows spiritual  pressure, the hollow mask and the other strange spiritual pressure. "I need to know what that is, it doesn't feel like anything I have ever felt before." He dropped down to look at the mask better. "A hollow mask disappears when the hollow is killed so why didn't this one? And why is this the first we're seeing of them?" He looked up and saw Krix near the hole. "What's through there?" He wondered but stayed where he was remembering his captains words and this time paying attention to them. "If your comrade is being defeated, you should see it as an opportunity. Rather than standing in the way, you should stab the enemy in the back. And if the enemy is so far above your level that you cannot even manage that... then you should let your comrade die. That is the way of the Stealth Force." he recited, he hated the thought of not trying to help a comrade in trouble but he saw the sense in it for an assassin. He watched Krix carefully, this way his enemy might reveal itself to him without him doing the same, he was sure Krix would be able to take at least one hit.

Arc briefly stopped as he sensed the shift in spiritual energy when he approached the large crack in space visible in the sky. He felt the end of the strange, foreign spiritual energy that he first sensed upon his arrival. He then felt the faint spiritual energy of the missing souls reapers they had been pursuing just above, through the crack in the sky. At the same time he felt a hollow's spiritual energy that was emanating from the same area. He dashed into the sky towards the crack, oblivious to the cracked hollow mask resting in the sands below and oblivious of the actions of his teammates. Arc was solely focused on reaching the missing soul reapers.

Sword watched the group gain ground ahead, apart from Sakura, who seemed to be taking the middle ground. Feeling the Captain begin to release his reatisu, he decided to take to the sky, watching the group from far above, wondering if any hollows would actually be dumb enough to take the bait. Unlikely... whatever wiped out squad 2 wouldn't be dumb enough to attack a group of high ranking soul reapers out in the open... would they?

Arc for a brief time could see the moon in the sky along with a few giant pillars. This new desert was unlike the one below. It didn't have the heat and the tan colored sand, but instead was cool and its dunes were a pale white, nearly grey. There were also a giant spike in spiritual pressure and a ring of gillains preparing their ceros.

The sight was soon replaced red. The ceros had combined into a single large, red cero blazing it's way down onto the Soul Reaper, easily knocking him back into the desert sand. The cero was something oblivously much stronger than a gillian produce and something along a adjuchas or above. Arc would land onto his group if they did not move out the way.

The spiritual pressure quickly dropped back down as soon as the cero had been fired. There was also no way to tell if the cero was done by gillians or simply a menos above that class, unless Arc told them.