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

Arc reacted as quickly as he could to the sight of the surrounding gillians firing a powerful barrage ceros at him. He drew his zanpakuto and poured out all his spiritual energy to defend against the impending blow. He succeeded, but the force from the blast sent him hurling towards the sand below. Sand flew high in the air, swirling around the impact with the wind, creating a sizable dust cloud. He had a change of heart in that moment, realizing the errors of his rushed actions. This was a very serious mission with very serious consequences. All it took was a good beat down for him to get his priorities straight. "Scouting complete!" Arc yelled in a pained tone. "Bunch of gillians, go get them. I'll just -" he coughs from the enormous amount of sand swarming around him - "I'll just lay here for a second and recover my strength." He inhales some more sand and breaks into a coughing fit.

"Now! Stand strong and stalwart, Shashari!" Krix bellowed as Arc was blasted back, moving between him and the source of the blast. While he spoke, Krix brought the sword onto his forearm where it glowed with energy until it changed into it's bladed shield shikai release form. Raising the barrier between himself and the gillian ready to reflect the attack possibly back at the attackers, Krix turned his attention to the downed reaper.

"Bakudo number thirty nine, Enkosen," Krix then said, making the hand gestures to direct the shield of reiatsu so that it was protecting Arc while he recovered. With the barrier set up around Arc, Krix then turned back towards the hollows. "I'll draw their attention, take them down while they're distracted," he called out before proceeding onwards right up to the spot where Arc was blasted away. There he released more reiatsu hoping to keep the Gillians attention and possibly get them to use another cero blast so he could try and reflect it back at them while the others hopefully took advantage of his actions.

Sword saw the Cero, and traced it to its origin point, a group of Gillians who'd either combined their ceros or a stronger hollow hiding amongst them. It mattered not. It would be easier for him to deal with the whole lot of them at once whilst the captain shielded the others. He extended his hand towards the mass of hollows, and spoke. "Beyond the end of a thousand hands, the hand of darkness out of reach, the archer in heaven that goes unseen. Road that lights the way, wind that ignites the embers, converge where I point... 10 balls of glowing pink energy assembled around Sword as he spoke his incantation. "Bullets of light, bodies of eight, rays of nine, treasures of speed, wheels of immensity, and cannons of grey. The bow is drawn and fades in light... The group ahead would feel a massive spike of spiritual pressure as he completed the incantation. "Hado 91! Senjū Kōten Taihō!" The ten bullets of light shot forth at the group of Gillians, upon contact detonating in a devastating explosion.

Sakura reacts immediately to seeing Arc blasted out of the cut in reality and the energy following him out, bringing Cherryblossom up to the square. She takes a step to a side, out of the arc of Sword's incredibly powerful hado while still vaguely in front of him. She places her palm with fingers closed against the lower part of her zampakuto.
"Thrust down into stone splitting the earth the blade is stalwart against its foes."
She spreads her fingers and moves the palm up to the mid-blade, two lines of violet energy appearing that reach from the ground to just above her head.
"The hand is grasped tightly upon the razor edge to draw blood and cut the air itself and spirit."
She wraps the fingers around the blade to the cutting edge with her middle finger resting against the flat back and directly in front of her, a third line of violet energy appears stretching higher, the two other lines rising to its level.
"Blood stains edges wiped clean by spirit onrushing and broken upon razor edges by water, parted."
She runs her hand up to the furthest extent of her reach and the three violet lines seem to rise into the sky, the two that were even with the third moving behind her.
"Bakudo 44! Bunkatsu Kurisutarushīrudo!"
A sheet of crystalline violet energy connects the three points and creates a shape that, from the top, would appear to be a massive projection of a katana being held vertically with its tip upwards. Any cero energy or any backlash from the massive destruction of the Gillians would be parted and deflected to either side like water running around a rock, flowing around her and also around Sword.

Storm drew Moeru yōnazōo and jumped into the air as Arc fell. He moved close to the shield Krix had set up. "Bakudo number 26 Kyokko" He said directing the spell at the barrier hiding it from view. He then set off again, keeping clear of the attacks of the captains an lieutenants as he rose towards the hole in the sky. "Get ready my friend, we're in for a world of pain." He muttered to his zampakuto as he concentrated. When he was ready he jumped through following behind Krix to help him distract the enemy. He would have preferred to cast that kido on himself so that he could keep the element of surprise but he wanted to make sure at least one person made it back and a strong undetectable shield was a pretty way to do that. "Might need to call the seireitei for a medic when this is  done." He said to himself as he prepared to attack the remaining gillians.

The hollows never tried to attack outside of the the cero blastes that they tried to use to defend themselves, but never had a chance to fire. The blast destoryed all the gillains that had attacked Arc. The spiritual pressure spiked slightly due to the presence of another hollow and then a small figure peaked down from the hole in the sky. It was strange since when most of it's face had been covered the regular white mask hollows wore while the upper left corner of its face was green. It thing waved down at the Soul Reapers down below. Soon, it leapt down the hole and soon landed on the invisible floor and held it's arms up in the air and would slowly walk down towards the main group of Soul Reapers as if going down a giant staircase.

It's small size limited the hollow to being only a Vasto Lorde and with its mask broke it also made the creature stronger. But, how it broke was a mystery though since doing so was nearly impossible for a hollow to do and if done was be extremely painful. Whatever the reason it seemed as if it was trying to do things peacefully.

It's mask had looked like a lion's face with the exception of a horn protruding from it. The face of the creature being a little strange because of the pony part of its face and its hollow face. It had razor sharp razor and hard white skin. The thing would only like at the others a little strange if he got down without being attacked and stayed silent for a little while. "So, thats the guy that got blast?" He asked as he pointed at Arc.

The massive explosion from the high level Hado caught him more off guard than the hollows or their preparations for the next attack. Though he was slightly thankful for the additional defensive Bakudo provided by Sakura and then was nearly cursing again as Storm charged ahead of him. At least with the Gillian all wiped out by Sword's Hado, he didn't have to worry about another blast from them, or so he thought.

Krix looked at the new arrival with obvious skepticism, but the lack of instant hostilities caused him to lower his shield but not enough that his guard was completely gone. He threw a quick glance back at the others, hoping that they wouldn't instantly start with the offense, but wasn't holding his breath on it. "Yes, but he's with us, and we're just passing through though if it's all the same," he said calmly smiling but somewhat dismissively while beginning to move past the new arrival and seeing if it's provoke any hostilities.

The roaring winds generated from the force of Sword's hado easily blew away the dust cloud of sand surrounding the area Arc was in. With the sand settled, sight of the small crater created from Arc's impact with the ground was clear. He grunted and groaned his way out of the pit, struggling to move in the shifting sands. Once out of his crater, he noticed the hollow in front of him. Arc jumped to conclusions, convinced the strange looking hollow played a part in the disappearance of the group of soul reapers his group had been tasked to search out. He then drew his zanpakuto and uttered the words, "Make a splash, Mizuchi." His zanpakuto turned blue, taking on a thicker, broader form similar to a western longsword. A thin veil of water formed around the edge of the sword, droplets floated off the blade at intervals, some dropping to the sand at his feet.

Arc slowly walked towards the strange new hollow, wary of the threat he most certainly will prove to be. Arc gently swung his sword from side to side as he walked, splashing water onto the ground and wetting the sand around him. The seemingly pointless gesture was actually a carefully laid trap should a fight occur, which he was sure was inevitable. Arc stopped several yards away from the hollow, "Who, what are you?" he asked with a dangerous look in his eyes.

{I sense a great swell of stupid... oh, nevermind. Now I see a great swell of stupid.}
You have no eyes.
{I have yours and don't change the subject. I advise that you drop 44 but hold it ready. No incantation this time... too much time and if this hollow speaks and comprehends..}
...it's more dangerous than hollows typically are. Sakura nodded slightly. Shikai?
{No, it's too soon for maximum effect. That fool has called forth his shikai and the foe may look for other such displays and have a moment to consider them. No, we must stay our hand until it can be done swiftly, before the attack can be considered.}
The first strike must be the last.
{Precisely. Let the stallion near us be the great and terrible fist, breaking the enemy with hado while we wait for the moment. Shield him, use him, and we will all be victorious.}
A shame you don't have a heart. Sakura grins as she lets the bakudo dissipate, holding a no-incantation version ready in case of need.
{Why?}
Because I enjoy imagining your monologues accompanied by a racing heart and slightly flushed cheeks.
{...You realize that your flights of imagination are visible and audible to me?}
Yes. Why?
{...it can never be un-seen...}

Storm watched as the hado struck the Gillians and quickly pulled his legs up to his chest, not having time to properly stop. He held his sword vertically in front of him with his head bowed and his left arm bracing the blade from behind to protect the majority of his body while keeping his sword between him and any incoming attacks. He weathered the shock wave and quickly checked for any remaining enemies. Finding none, and feeling slightly inadequate due to the captains display, he turned and noticed the strange hollow near the group.

What worried Storm was the fact the group had allowed what looked like a Vasto Lorde so close. He jumped into the air once again. He switched hands now holding his sword in the left hand, he placed the flat of the blade against his right palm as if he was giving up the zanpakuto to someone. "Storm from above Moeru yōna zōo." He said quietly while making sure his spiritual pressure was hidden as well as he could. The sword reacted by lengthening to form a rope, a fairly large weight hanging from the right. His Zanpakuto's Shiki would be more useful in this situation. He flash stepped to a point a little above and away from the hollow, within his own reach but outside the reach of most.

Seeing a Vasto Lorde, or at least what he though was a Vasto Lordes, he'd never actually seen one before, much less a hollow with its mask broke, he flash stepped to Sakura's side. Since she'd kept her cool and not showed her shikai yet, he figured she'd be the best person to stick by for the moment. "Glad to see someone is keeping their cool." He comment casually, adjusting his overcoat slightly as he pointed his palm at the Vasto Lorde, his right hand resting on the hilt of his zanpakuto. "I've a feeling if I use kido against him, I'll provoke him to either close the distance, or use a Cero. I could counter his Cero with hado 88, or if he gets close, perhaps you could bind him with bakudo. You have a suggestion miss?" He muttered while keeping his eyes locked on the Vasto Lorde, unwilling to let himself get caught off guard.

"I suggest that we wait and watch," Sakura replies softly, trying to reply while moving her mouth as little as possible lest the movement catch the attention of the unusual (and thus likely dangerous) hollow. "At least one idiot has already called forth shikai and made himself a threat by it. So let him be a useful idiot, the obvious danger, while the soul reaper with mastery of hado up to 91 at least stays silent and harmless." She turns her head slightly so he can see a smile. "But for the moment, it speaks and maybe if we encourage it, it'll tell us something useful and important. If it offers us violence, however... we're close enough that Hyapporankan could pin it long enough for a full incantation hado to stagger or kill it. Acceptable?"
{I'd certainly hope so. It's a classic combination: one kido to hold the foe while the other kido takes off its head.}
Hush, talking to the only one here who doesn't seem to be an idiot.
{Oh, so the one with that beautiful 91.}
Well... yes, I suppose it was.
{Vast overkill, suddenly, without permitting any response. I approve. Perhaps you should consider higher bakudo to ensure he has enough time to use it again in case we can't gain anything useful by this vasto.}
81?
{As good of an idea as any. Perhaps... 88?}
Are you up for it?
{I'd have hardly suggested it if I wasn't. Just keep it in your mind in case the situation calls for it. Make sure the not-idiot doesn't get dead... I'd have to find a way to weep if he got dead.}
You and me both...

The hollow glanced over to the two releases and seemed worried about the fact of the spiritual pressure raising again. “I don’t want to fight you, even though you killed my gillans.” The creature looked a little annoyed by that fact. The Vasto Lorde looked over at the desert and it seemed as if he might actually find something in the barren wasteland. “But, I don’t want anyone to be caught by the hounds. So, if you all be so kind and go into that hole in the sky?” It said as it pointed to the hole that it came from. Then, the mysterious spiritual pressure reappeared as a howl was let loose from behind them.

If they looked behind them they could see small dots race their way towards them, but had been about ten miles away. Nothing could be seen of the creatures outside of the fact they were low to the ground, suggesting they were on all fours, and the black smoke that lingered over their bodies. “Let’s do it quickly as well.” He said as he took a step back.

"Then that makes two of us," Krix continued while lowering his shield a little more, but still not reverting back to the base zanpakuto. He then threw a glance at the incoming creatures, the strange spiritual pressure intriguing and worrying him. Then he thought back to the arrangement of Gillian, how they had simply shot at the first thing to get near the hole rather than trying to hit them when they were farther away. This wasn't hunting aspect, this was defensive, falling back and setting up defenses, and if these 'hounds' were powerful enough to force a Vasto Lorde into this, then it was needless to say they'd pose quite a threat.

"Yes, let's move," Krix started to everyone. "But do not expect trust, I'm certain more than just I will be keeping eyes on you," Krix said as he moved the remaining and somewhat short distance on up to the hole. Hopeful to be the first one through just in case it was a trap, figuring he'd at least stand a decent chance of getting back out of it and being able to warn the others.

Sword turned to face the approaching hounds, their distance giving him all the time he needed to stall this group for a long long time. Pulling one of his zanpakuto from his belt, he held it in front of him, letting it go while it began to spin in place. While it spun, he clenched his hand in a fist in front of him. Wind that courses in the center of the storm, Flame that gathers in the maw of the beast, Entreat ye to gather where I command, Build and rage to consume all The wind picked up around him, swirling around him whilst his clenched fist lit aflame. "Torrent and swirling vigor, the surging flame consumes the earth, Now spin, and blow the sky away! Erupt, and light the world ablaze! He grasped his spinning Zanpakuto. "Hado 58: Tenran! Hado 83! Chikyū no Kakaru Kaenryū"

From his hilt and flaming fist, an enormous tornado roared forth, blasting up a huge wave of sand and grit, blowing this created sandstorm towards the hounds. At the same time, an enormous eruption of flame roared forth into the vortex, a giant blast of annihilating flame shaped like the maw of a dragon that coursed throughout the sand, melting it into shards of hot glass as it rocketed towards the hounds.

Sakura transfers Cherryblossom to her left hand as Sword begins chanting, turning to face the same direction he is.
{I think he intends to use Hado 58. Excellent medium for projecting four or 63.}
He has a penchant for overkill. I might as well attempt to do the same.
"Serpent snaking quickly over ground." She declares, spreading her fingers as a rope of reitsu flashes into being and dances between the tips.
"Tiger striking through moving grass." She holds her hand up, pointing the palm more or less in the direction of the oncoming "hounds" with the rope still dancing between the tips of her fingers.
"Grass waves in stripes of amber and blue."
"Bars cross portals thrice and two."
"Black hoods bind sight true."
Just as Sword finishes his incantations and calls the names of his Hado, she adjusts her aim very slightly to align with his. "Bakudo 4: Hainawa! Bakudo 63: Sajo Sabaku!"
She sends the reitsu rope and then the chain of binding reitsu at the whirling tornado, aiming to catch the edge and imbue it with the binding properties of the two restraint spells, bands of violet energy forming in the funnel of wind.

Inner turmoil caused Arc to hesitate for a moment and he resisted the urge to cut down the enemy. Their objective was to find the missing squad of Shinigamis, and although cooperating with the Vasto Lorde to get through the crack in the sky was their best chance of finding the answers they needed, Arc was against working with the enemy. Arc was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions ranging from seething rage to complacent indifference, he didn't know what to act on. So he waited, staring intently at the Vasto Lorde with a violent sea of uncertainty reflected in his eyes.

Storm watched from the corner of his eye the lieutenant and 3rd seat cast their kido. "Three kido above level 50? That's probably overkill for a group of muts." He thought  to himself, frowning slightly at their apparent disdain for secrecy or restraint, releasing such large amounts of spiritual power it was surprising the whole of Hueco Mundo wasn't trying to devour them.

He refocused his attention on the Vasto Lorde, ready for any sudden moves. He went through the different ways he could attack quickly in his head. "If the vasto down there moves I can trip him with Moeru yōna zōo, and if he gets too close I can use Shunkō." He muttered to himself, the scarf covering his face muffling the words further. he decided to wait and watch the Vasto Lorde, if it did attack he wouldn't be able to kill it but he would probably slow it down. He pondered the creatures words now that he'd reassured himself slightly. "What are those things and what do you know of the Soul Reaper patrol that was stationed here?" He called down to the creature.

“Alright stupids lets go!” The Vasto Lorde said to those still on the ground as he rushed towards the hole, vanishing a few times before escaping into the hole.

There wasn't much to really see from the upper part of Hueco Mundo with the exception that the moon shone beautifully across it along with a few pillars standing like skyscrapers. There was a faint hint of a two spiritual pressures nearby and was obviously that of two Soul Reapers from the top of one of the pillars. It was strange though since there was suddenly a dramatic number of hollows that could now be sensed, but were obviously far away from the area.

Meanwhile, the hounds slowed a little to move into a huddle as the attack headed towards them, easily moving themselves to be wrapped in the bakudos. Then, the blast caused the sand to shoot up into the air, the air burst out into all directions and sent sand to fly everywhere. Once, the dust began to settle the first thing to be seen was glass. It slowly parted more and more to reveal what happens to the hounds, but instead of being seven or more now it was only one.

It hardly looked like the dogs from before as it stood on its hind legs and fought against the binds it had. Its spiritual pressure rose dramatically and soon the kido broke apart within a moment or two of restrantance. The strange smoke around it was still there, but its body had some how managed to fit its new upright position as it was a regular diamond dog. A few tendrils hung off its back and its eyes glowed blue.

The area below slowly began to feel cold as the beasts energy began to increase even further and further. It was only the feeling the dog’s pressure gave since there was no way possible for it to make the blazing desert cold. The thing growled lowly as it made its slowly approached any of the Soul Reapers still there or simply watch them if they all had made it through already.

"Hmmm....." Sword mused, ignoring the Vasto Lorde's call. It didn't react much to my kido... then again, I didn't direct the flame dragon directly at it, and expended most of its energy to melt the sand. Perhaps....no.... He tapped his fingers along the length of his primary Zanpakuto, considering how to best handle this new threat.

"When you need me, you need but only call on me....

Pausing for a moment, he let out a low chuckle. Shrugging his shoulders, he removed his overcoat, revealing the punishment squad uniform top beneath it,  and tossed it at Sakura. "Hold my coat for me." he called to her, focus tightening as he flash stepped to the ground. hand firmly grasping the hilt of his blade now.

"After all...."

Drawing his Zanpakuto, his spiritual pressure flared out, signaling the eminent release of his shikai.

"I am the bone of your sword."

"Conduct, Merodi no Rekuiemu." Sword released his shikai, drawing his blade, the secondary sword following out of its sheathe as well. The odd thing about his shikai would be that the Zanpakuto didn't drastically change form. Instead, the blades had a clear, hollow look to them, while the guard was now a ornate treble clef. Concentrating, Merodi flash-stepped 50 yards behind the odd hollow, while Sword became a blur of sand and fury, barreling towards the creature at breakneck speed, blade raised now for a two handed strike once he got within range.

{That thing just shrugged off some fairly powerful kido...}
Of that, I'm vividly aware.
So, what do you say to a tactical retreat? Live to fight another day and all when we're have better knowledge of our foe and...
It's at this point in the internal dialogue that Sword throws his coat at Sakura and tells her to hold it before he goes into battle. She catches it automatically and stares.
Did he just say what I think he just said?
{That depends upon whether you think he just threw his coat at you, told you to hold it, whereupon you caught it.}
More or less.
{Thought as much. Now, I should hope you don't choose to sully my edge by...}
Sakura runs the coat through and lets it slide off her blade-up sword to increase damage.
{I hate you.}
I'm comfortable with that. Sakura flash-steps fifty yards to the side of the hollow and when she sees that Sword has gotten close enough to strike, she flash-steps into range and strikes virtually simultaneous with he and Merodi.

Feeling the power of the release and hearing what he did with his canine ears, Krix had to let out a low pitched chuckle. Heh, now who's the impatient one, he thought to himself as he felt rather than observe the lieutenant and 3rd seat's sudden flight into close combat and after such a display of exceedingly powerful kido. He just hoped that displaying all this power didn't have some unforeseen drawback, but then again it was a lieutenant with a third seat, they should be able to handle themselves.

"Storm," Krix said with a forceful tone, though it could easily have been just the natural baritone of his voice, "I want you to go check on the soul reapers up on those spires. Assess their condition and learn from them what you can depending on their state," he calmly commanded before turning towards Arc. "Arc, I'd appreciate it," he started in addressing the other captain with the warranted respect, "if you would either guard this opening while offering ranged support for the third seat and lieutenant, or go with Storm to assess the state of the surviving soul reapers," he suggested rather than ordered the other captain, in hopes that it wouldn't spark an argument.

"Now Hollow, why don't you and I discuss the situation while my companions test the strength of this new enemy," Krix went on turning back to the Vasto Lord after finishing the trip through the hole himself and standing near the hollow. "Why don't you start with you name, perhaps the one of this new threat as well, and possibly what you know of what happened here. You have the captain of squad thirteen's attention rather than the edge of his weapon, a rare opportunity to say the least. In the spirit of good discussion though, I will bring forth a token of peace for the occasion," Krix continued while reaching into his coat to withdraw a bottle. "Saki?" he asked with a slight grin.

Krix was confident with this series of actions. He had the 3rd seat of squad two checking on the other reapers, which might warrant discretion as well as a quick escape. Two things he felt very sure Storm could accomplish. The other captain Arc had hesitated, but the majority of his attention had been on the Vasto the moment he appeared so rather than risk increasing tensions, he wanted Arc distracted from what could prove to be a valuable source for a few things. That and it was always good to have a captain watching over the lower seats if either spot got into trouble, giving the reasons for Arc's 'suggested' placement. That left him to talk with what could still prove to be a massive threat, but again Krix was confident in his defensive ability as well as simply being able to take a heavy hit and still function on the field should talks with the Vasto break down into fighting.

Disgusted at himself for his hesitation and indecisiveness, Arc was compelled to listen to the sound words of his fellow captain. Arc did as best he could to calm himself, speaking to Krix in the same respect the captain had addressed him with. "It is imperative to our mission that we make contact with these two surviving soul reapers, I'll go with Storm to assess the situation." Arc moved to where Storm was and beckoned for the 3rd seat to follow him as he then moved into the spacial crack in the sky. He took a moments glance at the battle with the giant monstrosity behind him, he could only have faith that his teammates would prove victorious.

"Yes captain." Storm said nodding to Krix. Storm took a deep breath and forced his Zanpakuto back to it's sealed state.

"You should not do that." said a voice inside Storm's head, anger radiating through every sylable, what little of Storm's spritual pressure that could be felt changed to becoming much more violent and angry and feeling like the flames of a funeral pyre.

"You aren't needed yet the others can take care of themselves. If there is nothing that needs doing we'll come back and fight. We're in Hueco Mundo it won't be hard to find a hollow or two." He said back mentally, his spiritual pressure returning to normal. Storm followed Arc through the crack in the sky, flash stepping once more to reach the trapped soul reapers quicker.

The creature simply watched the two move towards it and simply let the blades try to cut. The attacks failed to do any damage to the creature. It only stared down at the Soul Reapers with its black eyes as its tendrils slowly moved and pointed themselves at the two. The motion was done shakily and seemed as if it brought great strain to do so. The hound's eyes slowly turned to white for a small time, but quickly faded back to black. It had spent a good deal of time to do this and would prove a good deal of time to either attack or retreat. Soon, it let out a giant howl and increased it spiritual power dramatically, reaching levels that were higher than any Captain and its smoke grew as it did so.

The hollow looked over at the others as they moved into the hole. He soon turned his attention to the further parts of the desert as if thought he would spot anything there, but then Sword's spiritual pressure increased. "Idiot." He said while he watched the stallion and later the mare attack. He moved his attention over to Krix and sighed. "Let me give you a few pieces of information. First, I already know that thing is way beyond me and anything else I've seen. Second, if they try to fight it they will lose and turn against all of us. It happened with the last group anyways." It said as the two Soul Reapers failed to do damage with their blades.

While the confrontation began, Storm would see the two remaining Soul Reapers seemed to sleeping peacefully. They looked completely though there were a few cuts in their kimonos and a few purple bruises across their bodies. One, was a fairly sized black stallion and lacked a mane to speak of while the other was a mare that had a bright orange coat and brown mane with grey streaks. They were the fourth and fifth seats of Squad Two, Black Gale and Storm Blower. It was also reported that the Lieutenant had also been sent for the mission, but he didn't seem to have made it. He could still feel the spiritual pressure, but was weaker than what the others had felt simply because he was much further for he source.