PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 17, 2022 20:32:30 GMT -5
LOCK DOWN
Type: Courier (PvP) (Repeatable) Level: 2 Description: Deliver specialized kido restraints to Shinigami in Hueco Mundo who have captured a Vasto Lorde. - Stay until the restraints have been applied.
- Do not interact with the Hollow.
“ Huh?” The look of mild confusion on Koshou’s face only grows larger as the small Hell Butterfly that’s landed on his hand continues to relay its message to him. His free hand comes up to scratch somewhat nervously as he continues to listen to the mission that’s being docketed for him. As the Butterfly concludes the delivery of information, a small flapping of void-black wings lifts it up from the Soul Reaper’s hand and off into the sky once more back to wherever its next destination is. After a minute or two of what seems like a brooding expression, the frown on Hattori’s face shifts into a more resolved demeanor as he nods to himself. Pulling out the pouch he always keeps on himself, he grabs himself a smoke and tucks it into the corner of his mouth. ‘ I know who can help me with this’ the Shinigami thinks as he strikes up a match and puffs the end of his cigarette to life. Once, twice … that soft exhale comes along with its plume of smoke and he sighs along with it. Then he’s shifting and turning to run toward the Division Eleven Barracks, to collect a few things. ******** In the Living World, Koshou finds himself atop a familiar rooftop as he waits with some impatience. He’s not manifested himself into true physical form here, rather already ready to make his departure at a moment’s notice. Dressed in Shihakusho, he carries with him a large bag slung across his shoulder as well. " C’mon …" he mutters, as he waits to see if his message will have been delivered in time.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 18, 2022 0:04:22 GMT -5
He had just gotten off work when his spirit phone chimed in his pocket, the idea that he might have to work overtime elicited a deep sigh from the Quincy as he exited the corner store, some pork buns in hand. Eagerly munching away, he plucked the phone from it's spot and flipped it open to read the message, brows drawn together for a moment as he read. They rose from their drawn position, his chewing slowing to a halt as he chuckled to himself, the message coming from that Shinigami he had run into twice before. Given the nature of the message and what it entailed, he was tempted to just ignore it entirely and go on about his day, but it meant a possible favor in return, so it was too good a chance to pass on. Scarfing down the pork bun, Lazarus would open his senses to the world around him, a moment passing by as he locked onto the location of the man in question. A handful of rooftops later and he found himself standing opposite the Shinigami, tossing the other pork bun he had bought towards him as a greeting.
"Got your message, though it was a bit much to read in one sitting, please tell me you're exaggerating about what you need help with."
While the message happened to mention a powerful hollow, he couldn't imagine the Shinigami accepting help from a Quincy in the matter of anything as strong as a Vasto Lorde. From the sound of things it was likely already weakened, but a weakened hollow was a dangerous hollow, and one on the level of Vasto Lorde was nothing to trifle with unprepared. He hoped that whatever was in that bag on the others shoulder was enough to get the job done, otherwise they might be in for a real bad time.
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 20, 2022 8:33:53 GMT -5
" Not just that. We're going there." The words come along with a rummaging about in the Shinigami's bag that he's brought with him. Lazarus will soon find a spare Shihakusho being thrown at him through the air, and the opening of the back will give the man a glimpse of what look like a set of specialized restraints or cuffs and chains of some kind at any rate. With the assumption that the clothing will get caught, Koshou is already reaching into the inside of his own kimono to retrieve his ever present cigarette pouch. Getting one, he tucks it into the corner of his mouth and lowers his chin - dipping his head so he can strike a match against his thumbnail. That telltale puff comes from the man as he gives a once and a twice before exhaling a small cloud of blue smoke. " Put that on. You told me some really useful stuff, and I intend on learning a whole lot more" come words muffled around the butt of that cigarette as he speaks without ever moving it from his lips. " and with your particular mindset ... this should be a pretty informative little field trip. You know how to suppress yourself down, right? Fsshh, 'course you do. C'mon .. " It's not like the Soul Reaper is really giving his newfound ally a whole lot of room here, his hand dropping to the hilt of his Zanpakuto. Not like that, though! He draws the sword carefully, before turning to stab it into the air, which causes the blade itself to disappear! He turns the hilt of the sword like the turning of a key and slowly but surely the shoji doors begin to waiver and shimmer into view as he starts to open the gate that will lead them onward. " Those are just for blending in, we're not expected to be on the offensive here but there's gonna be a lot of hustle going on plenty to stay under the radar." He shrugs his shoulder briefly, shaking the bag he's still carrying with the slight gesture. " All we gotta do is get these to the right people, and then blend in with the rest. Given what we saw before .. " There's a rough catch in the Soul Reaper's voice as he takes a moment to consider. " Upticks in activity between the Vasto seem to be well-timed, or ill-timed either way. You ready?" Lazarus Jeager |
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 21, 2022 17:48:17 GMT -5
The idea of ever putting on an Shinigami uniform might invoke rage in a Quincy loyal to their ruler, however Lazarus had given up that life, even he felt slight discomfort in touching the fabric itself. given the circumstances however he would have to let it go, opting to make quick work of changing into the attire and neatly fold his own clothing up and tuck them away on the rooftop some where the wind wouldn't blow them away at. He held no weapon, and his Quincy cross would be wrapped snuggly around his upper forearm to keep from being seen, didn't want to let the cat out of the bag with a simple hand wave. He watched as the Shinigami performed the ritual that allowed for travel between realms, raising a brow at how conspicuous it was to anyone spiritually aware. It wans't exactly the most subtle way to travel, but then again the people who were able to witness it and or intervene probably weren't the subtle types themselves.
"I don't understand how you get around in such baggy attire, do they have some sort of class to train you in how to move in this get up? I suppose I'll have to pretend to be a Kido user if things get hairy, wouldn't want to out myself by summoning a weapon out of thin air..."
He kept his reiatsu close, forming something of a 'second skin' with it to keep himself as under the radar as possible. He motioned to the doorway with a nod, stepping closer to it as he double checked the cross on his forearm before speaking.
"Lead the way."
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 22, 2022 3:57:29 GMT -5
Koshou cannot help but give a bit of a laugh at the question that comes from Lazarus as he leads him through the gateway that will take them on their way. He doesn't offer any explanation on it for now, but the Quincy will surely note almost immediately that the garments are woven from Reishi true enough, but tightly so. It won't take him long to puzzle out the potential for defense this seemingly simple cloth garb can provide, and he won't have a great deal of time to think about it because they're on the move! Stepping through the gate, it allows Koshou and his companion passage through it, the butterfly leading the way as it flutter its way out of the folds of his own Shihakusho. Fortunately, their stop would be relatively one way this time. 'Only way I could bring him anyway. They probably suspect something like what I had in mind, but as long as I keep my nose down it should be okay ..'
*****
Arriving in Hueco Mundo, Koshou and Lazarus step through the gate and sandaled feet land on the dusty dry sands that seem to stretch on into infinity under the pale light of the ever-present moon that hangs heavily up above. It's not hard to sense the amassing levels of spiritual pressure that have gathered in the distance. Even though the varying strengths of each individual aren't much in the great scope of things, collectively they act as an easy beacon for the pair of them to follow. Despite feeling somewhat close, looking around in that direction doesn't provide any true visual confirmation of their destination.
"So .. now we're here I don't think I have to say, but keep our heads down, hrm?" Koshou turns his attention more completely onto Lazarus as they start making a fast beat toward the sense of Reiatsu that leads them on toward their eventual destination. The sands of Hueco Mundo speed buy soon enough in a faint blur as the pair of them exchange words. "I assumed that you probably didn't have a whole lot of opportunities to actually come here, and given what we saw before? Well .. a pair of eyes overall that aren't devoted to the teachings they drill at us might not be a bad thing." Closer and closer the pair of them will come to the place they're speeding off to, cresting up over a large dune of sand to reveal a sight some ways off into the distance but in eyesight.
The dune they're standing on is relatively high, and so it gives them a better vantage of the sight beyond. Clearly a battle's taken place among the sands off in the distance, a number of streaks or burns into the sand that have left glass and in some cases gore behind. Remnants of the initial battle aside, the Soul Reapers haven't stumbled onto this opportunity without their own pains. Blood and a few bodies are scattered about as well, but the easiest sight to see is the reason that they've come. A large group of Shinigami encircle a single Hollow that stands at least eight feet in height not accounting its horns. Most of them are already holding specialized tethers, bindings, chains, and ropes all designed to restrain high-reishi targets but the struggle is still ongoing to some degree.
"The report said that Squad twelve had reports on two forces moving out here ... which as you can see, is fairly rare." Gesturing around them, apart from the battle and its leavings, Lazarus won't need a rocket science degree to realize the obvious - there's not another Hollow in sight for figurative miles. "Best guess is two Vasto Lorde and their followers ended up clashing here, either by chance or by design they don't know. That one was the only one left alive out here. Weakened enough, they're going to capture it and study it. I'll be right back." With a swift move, Koshou is off and rushing down the hill toward a smaller group of Soul Reapers that are gathered some small distance off and outside the large circle of Soul Reapers currently trying to reign in the Vasto Lorde like a stubborn bull. From the top of the dune, the Quincy can easily see the smaller sight of Koshou passing off that shoulder bag to one of those gathered in the smaller group. For a few minutes, he will converse with the others before making any move to head back, giving Lazarus time to observe the Soul Reapers, the Hollow, or anything else he wishes for a few moments without being under anyone else's 'watchful' eye.
Lazarus Jeager
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 23, 2022 17:39:09 GMT -5
the travel through the gateway was a silent one, his mind pondering what it was like to move about in the clothing when it dawned on him, it was made from tightly wound reishi threads. The fabric itself was easy enough to manipulate if he put time and effort into it, but for the most part it held a place in the back of his mind as they exited the other gateway into the sands of Hueco Mundo.
Having never been to either Soul Society of Hueco Mundo, this was the first time Lazarus had set foot in such a reishi dense environment, almost instantly realizing how much more powerful he might be from the limitless supply of energy around him. He had to keep himself from testing the theory, knowing it would too easily get them both in trouble, though if things got too hairy he had a means of escape. A chuckle of his own rang out at the mention of his mindset on the subject, though he appreciated Koshou trusting him enough with something like this. Their travelling across the landscape of the hollows realm was in deed rapid, though he kept behind the Shinigami a few paces in case they crossed paths with an exiting party of Shinigami, not wanting to be the one they confront first.
As they crested the largest of the dunes, his eyes fell on the aftermath of the battle Koshou was now explaining, a raised brow was all he gave in exchange for the information. He'd nod his head to the other as he left his side, staring at the landscape with a calculated gaze. The part about there being two Vasto Lorde's clashing didn't settle in his mind right, especially considering the number of Shinigami and no sight of any hollows around left the impression that this wasn't a natural occurrence. Given what he'd read about them back at the office, there should at least be the remnants of a body or two, the restrained Vasto looked injured sure, but there was nothing he could see from this vantage point that alluded to it feeding before this. Amber eyes scanned the battlefield slowly, often times going over the same spot a handful of times to try and determine the angle of attack, his eyes narrowed as he attempted to work out what could have come from the Vasto in question, and what everything else was. A beacon of power this large would scare off most hollows too weak to compete, but for there to be no remnants of another Vasto Lorde here, things weren't adding up.
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 23, 2022 18:27:09 GMT -5
The minutes pass by in silence as the Quincy observes his surroundings and looks about, trying to piece together in his mind the events that took place here. As he continues to watch the scene, small bits of ghostly images can begin to coalesce and take form in his mind's eye as he tries to replay this battle back. He can see it now .. two forces of Hollows that have trampled the space between these dunes down to almost a flat land. The lanes between these mounds and hills of sand that the Shinigami have used to get here weren't downtrodden by them, but the legions that came before. It's true there aren't much in the way of bodies around but for a few Shinigami who've already fallen to the weakened Vasto Lorde that even now continues to be tethered and restrained.
Lazarus can imagine the pair of hosts clashing into each other, Hollows ripping into Hollows and Vasto Lorde clashing with one another .. there must have been hundreds of them to a side, following in the wake of the greater leader they'd chosen to follow in hopes of finding their own growth. But it's true that the scene doesn't begin to add up in Lazarus' mind, no matter how he tries to play it out in his head there doesn't seem to be any explanation for how this Vasto hardly seems to be damaged or showing any true signs of such a battle, apart from what the Soul Reapers had managed to do ... no. The only explanation that made any sense to him would be that this Vasto Lorde either wasn't involved in the large scale fighting ... or happened upon the leavings of that fight shortly before the Soul Reapers discovered the opportunity. But that wouldn't explain how this one came to be so weakened then, would it?
The sight and sound of Koshou breaking away from the smaller group of Shinigami will do its part to help shake Lazarus out of his own personal thoughts. The smaller group seems to go toward the larger ring, adding their own strength to the effort and in doing so they seem to help push the advantage more firmly into the hands of the Soul Society. Trudging his way up the hill, Koshou will soon find himself rejoining the incognito Quincy back atop the crest of the largest dune of the surrounding area.
"Well, that part of this business is done and over with" the Soul Reaper announces, as he finally comes back into speaking distance and taking a moment to catch a brief breath after making his way back up the hill at full speed. "Crazy, right? This kind of activity is basically an unknown ... those Squad Twelve guys down there are all freaking out about this!"
Off in the distance, the pair of visitors here will not yet note the strange occurrence that begins off amongst the big group of Soul Reapers. While they speak, the censure that has been ringed to the blade at the end of the large Vasto Hollow's tail begins to swing and sway from the effort of the struggle and with the motion it begins to release an incense-like smoke. Unnoticed at first even amongst the Shinigami who try to bring it down, the invisible mist will begin to permeate its way through the area.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 25, 2022 9:27:07 GMT -5
His concentration on the battlefield wavered as he noticed his Shinigami acquaintance making his way back, nodding to him as he once again took to the side of the Quincy. Lazarus would return his attention to the remnants of battle, a deep sigh escaping him as he spoke about what he thought might be the case, openly opposing this 'Division 12th's' statements on the matter.
"I'm not so sure this went the way they reported it too, sure there's been a battle of some kind here, likely between hollows, but that Vasto Lorde looks mostly intact. Hollows go for the kill with every single attack they make, unless they otherwise have a nature that makes them want to play with their food. At the level of Vasto there is little competition outside of another, and unless this one was vastly stronger than the other it clashed with, it would be far more injured than what we can see from here.
Something about all of this doesn't feel right, there are pieces of the story that don't quite fit together, more so like someone jammed a puzzle piece where it doesn't belong. We're also in 'enemy' territory as it were, everything that exists in this realm would sooner aim to kill us than stop to ask us why we are here, I can't imagine a Vasto with only that amount of damage being docile enough to be captured. Keep your eyes open and senses sharp, with what I've seen in the past, given the right motivations even hollows can become organized. I doubt that's what this is, but I've been wrong in the past, and being wrong now could get us killed."
His sense of the spiritual would expand, stretching to it's utmost limits to blanket the area in a sonar like sweep, though no new signatures appeared outside of the two of them, the Shinigami below, and the beacon of power that was the Vasto Lorde.
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 25, 2022 13:47:50 GMT -5
There's a thoughtful, worried expression that comes across Koshou's face as he listens to Lazarus provide some of his thoughts on this situation, regardless of what the official report might read. And in part that seems to be one of the reasons that the Soul Reaper has risked some sense of retribution here to bring the Quincy along. That pair of fresh eyes that are willing to look past some of the blinders that he himself may not be able to or willing to in the current conditions. He's listening to the words coming from the man, and even dipping his chin in the beginnings of agreement with him when the first screams suddenly echo out from down below them. Whirling about before he can say anything in return to his partner in observation today, his eyes grow wide even as his hand drops to the hilt of his Zanpakuto by reflex. Down below in the gorge of sorts, the Soul Reapers that have been struggling to bring down the Vasto like a stubborn bull have suddenly taken a turn for the worse.
Hardly visible to the eye, a purple-red kind of mist has begun to permeate the area, and from their vantage point up on the sand dune, Lazarus and Koshou can see it as it sits like a blanket hovering waist-height among the large group of Shinigami. All of them that were holding onto the leashes of these specialized tethers and restraints are now kind of all standing about in a stupor or a daze! Another scream comes echoing out and one of the Soul Reapers fall as the tall Vasto Lorde's tail comes swinging about with a vicious sense of speed. Whipping through the air, it spreads out that strange miasma-like mist and the blade of the appendage cuts down another of the kimono-clad swordsman.
"W-what?!"
It's the first time Koshou has felt something like a true sense of fear in a long time, and it shows on his face. A sense of uncertainty and indecision that seems to take a hold of him and grip him tightly, refusing to let him move from that spot. He looks ready to move, jump, run at a moment's notice but for all that he tries to do anything except begin to watch what's happening down below like a frozen statue. It takes him another moment or two to realize that it might be something more than simply the fear or the feel of that level of power and strength that still easily comes from the Vasto Lorde that holds him in place. More and more, he seems ot be losing that mental connection with the rest of his body, until it's quite all he can do simply to stand there without accidentally doing something that will teeter him over. He's not quite rigid or petrified, but thoroughly paralyzed all the same!
Lazarus may feel the beginnings of this insidious effect beginning to seep into his own bones, but for whatever reason whether that be because he's a Quincy or simply a random factor of luck the mist from the Vasto's censure doesn't seem to be affecting him quite as significantly as it the others right now. While the pair of them come to these realizations, the Hollow below doesn't stop from cutting down Reaper after Reaper, cutting a path through the ring of them almost at a leisurely pace. True to the suspicions or worries of Lazarus, this Hollow doesn't try to eat the fallen bodies of the Shinigami or devour their spiritual energy at all. In fact, in that moment Lazarus might finally note that the Hollow itself doesn't have a mouth to bite or eat other Hollows! This seems to be the rarest factor of all, but that thought will get quickly buried under the more immediate needs of escape, and survival.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 25, 2022 14:30:42 GMT -5
It was worse than what he had imagined, though not by much, as he witnessed the display going on down below. Worry shifted into concern as his eyes widened, already feeling the effects of whatever this miasma was that was coming from the lantern like structure on the Vasto's tail. Given the diminished effect it seemed to have on him compared to the others around him, it could have been two possible reasons, either his higher reiatsu levels kept it from effecting him as strongly, or the fact that his reiatsu was pulled in so close, acting as a form of barrier with how tightly it was wound around him. Whatever the reason, it would have to wait as he looked to his side to see a frozen Koshou, once wide eyes narrowing as he cursed under his breathe. Turning to see the hollow still occupied with the Shinigami below, Lazarus turned on his heel and crouched low enough to have his shoulder meet the waist of his acquaintance. A solid push off the sand combined with a Hirenkyaku, his arm coming up to wrap around the others waist and heft him over his shoulder, and in the blink of an eye they were now barreling down the dune back the way they came.
"Fuck this, not dying today!"
the subtle flicker of reishi around his heels could be seen as he kept up the pace, aiming to get as far away as possible from the monstrosity that had just laid waste to likely most of the Shinigami trying to capture it. Koshou had been smart to bring him along, had he gone it alone there was no telling what might have become of him, and while he was a relatively fresh face, Lazarus considered him an ally. There were too few to go around and he would need as many allies as possible if he was to survive in the human realm, having a Shinigami or two to help back you up in the face of danger was always good, but none of that was currently on his mind. the most immediate thought outside of survival was to get this Shinigami far enough away that he might be able to open up a gateway back to the human realm, hell he'd even take a gateway to the Soul Society if it meant they got to live. His senses were still open to the area around him, wanting to make sure that if it was in fact more interested in them than the dazed Shinigami back there he could accurately avoid or otherwise try and outrun it.
"Come back to me Koshou, need you to get on opening a gateway out of this hellscape before we become it's next playthings!"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 25, 2022 14:50:16 GMT -5
"Oooph! Ugh-"
The shoulder gets crammed into the midsection of Koshou as Lazarus is definitely choosing flight over fight in this instance! There's a danger there, that using his own Reishi to make use of the high-speed technique for escape might draw the very attention he's trying to avoid, but it's a risk he has to take. Speeding down the other side of the dune, the weight of the bigger man rest heavy on the shoulders of the Quincy as they run, and even now in the distance there's the occasional scream or grunt that seems to carry too well across the desert sands of Hueco Mundo. They don't come in troves though, and even in the haste of retreat Lazarus will be able to recall later how discerning or perhaps choosy the Vasto Lorde was, not killing indiscriminately.
"H-hey! No! Let me go!"
The sudden kicking in of Koshou's consciousness really comes at an inopportune time as Lazarus reaches the other side of the dune, down the steep decline and beginning up the next, the struggling from the Soul Reaper causing the both of them to go tumbling down into the sand. It's clearly still a struggle for him, but the Shinigami is trying to scramble to his feet as his battle instincts are screaming at him to go back and to try and save his fellow Gotei members. The nature of their tumble makes it a tangle of limbs and a struggle as the both of them are no doubt trying to get their feet back under them. He clutches at his sword, fumbling and in an actual state of panic. Lazarus doesn't know the man supremely well as of yet, but certainly the fumbling at the drawing of his own sword seems to be off-kilter for the Soul Reaper for sure.
"They're gonna die!"
The exclamation comes, but Koshou still has trouble moving his body, and even so his steps can't do anything but hesitate as they try to push his frame back toward the 'front line' of things.
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 25, 2022 16:11:33 GMT -5
Of all the times to suddenly snap out of a stupor, Lazarus felt more than saw himself careening back into the sands behind them, toppling over himself and Koshou alike a number of times before landing with a groan. He felt the panic in the Shinigami's voice and saw it in his actions, but he couldn't let it effect him as he found his footing just a hairs breathe after the other. His arms came up as he used hirenkyaku to get in front of Koshou, his palms landing square on the shoulders of the larger man. If it wasn't clear before, Lazarus would make it abundantly clear now that there was a difference in power between the two of them, as he used a good majority of his strength to keep the other in place.
"Listen to me, if you go back there you die, you'd be carelessly throwing your life away for reasons I probably don't understand. There is no way of beating that thing as we are now, even I was starting to succumb to the effects of whatever that miasma was, you'll just be walking into it's trap again."
He paused a moment to try and think of an excuse he could to get the Shinigami to turn around, though it was difficult to say how he might get through the panic that the other was feeling. his mind raced between a dozen things before settling on his next choice of words, his mind still open and sensing any change in the area.
"Look, somebody has to get back to Soul Society with a report about what happened, if not they might send dozens more from that squad out here to meet the same fate. There is no saving the ones back there who are caught in its mists, but you can get word back to your people and have a better chance at taking this thing down another day, but only if you live to relay that information!"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 25, 2022 16:33:49 GMT -5
It's more the lack of movement forward, than the fact it's a person stopping him that really brings Koshou around to realizing he's not exactly getting anywhere pushing forward at the strength that's not letting him move any further. The sound of speaking comes to the man's ears but it takes some moments, terse seconds where his teeth are bared in a feral, rictus snarl toward Lazarus without thought for anything until those words turn from garbled warbles that are incoherent begin to warp themselves into words that begin to reach the burly man's mind. With a sudden shift in momentum and motion, Koshou is planting his foot and jumping backward to create a little space between him and the Quincy who's only speaking good old fashioned common sense.
"You ... you ..."
The thought tries to form itself within the Soul Reaper's mouth but it's a hard thing for him to do. More than simply a hankering for battle, or battle lust in the traditional sense Koshou seems to struggle with a more raw and primal kind of call to do violence or maybe it's a struggle of that same instinct to force himself to back away from the challenge that's presented itself in such a deadly manner. There's further moments of tension that come ticking by in tense silence as he clutches at the hilt of his sword with an intensity that causes his grasp to go white-knuckled. With a sudden motion and a lighting flash, he draws the Zanpakuto from its scabbard and with a motion that comes faster than most could even follow the slice cuts through a stray Hollow that had chosen this moment to try and leap out at distracted prey, either an onlooker or perhaps even a rare survivor of the previous battle, but not for long as the cut fells the thing in two. Lazarus on the other hand, has the skill and power to see the cut coming, but it's apparent in that moment that the attack isn't meant for him. Still, the act of cutting SOMETHING down, seems to help appease that struggle within Koshou.
"You're right" the man growls toward the Quincy, closing his eyes for a split second - enough time to take a breath and try to more consciously take control of himself. "Not that I like it .. More killing is going to bring more Hollows, eventually." There's another pause before a more gruff, "Thank you" is tossed toward Lazarus before a more silent gesture suggests that he lead the way. "We have to get back to where we came in. The gate's only going to work from there."
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Post by Lazarus Jeager on Nov 26, 2022 8:26:11 GMT -5
He had sensed the hollow as it entered the perimeter of his spiritual awareness, but given how weak it was he had chosen to ignore it, though just as he was about to give it attention it would seem his Shinigami companion had taken care of it, an impressive strike to fell the monster clean in two. It would appear that the other was coming back to his senses, and the prospect of escape was more so on the front of Koshou's mind now after having taken a few moments to collect himself. Lazarus let out a deep sigh as his body relaxed a bit, just enough to loosen his tight shoulders, his mind still searching for any dangers. He was more on edge than he'd been in a good long while, but with a nod he'd make his way forward towards their entry point into this realm, wanting nothing more to do with this place.
His mind replayed the scenario of the battlefield out in more detail now, the new information filling in blanks in his imagination as the pieces started to fall into place. That miasma seemed to effect everything, though it depended on multiple factors as to how strongly it took hold of in individual. It would explain the massacre and the lack of real damage on the Vasto Lorde, though the fact that it had no mouth to eat with sent a chill down his spine. It likely evolved to be in that state, though the concept of a creature evolving into a state where it would halt it's own progress, just so it might further enjoy its kills, a haunting thought...
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 26, 2022 17:27:32 GMT -5
As the pair of pseudo warriors climb up the other side of the dune in front of them now, continuing to try and push toward the place where they'd entered this endless desert without any further issuance. The feel of power from somewhere behind them hasn't gone away but not has it moved. The air has grown eerily silent, now still rather than filled with the screams of dying Soul Reapers. Surely they hadn't hearn enough for them all to be dead, but still the air has fallen quiet. Pushing further, Koshou remains silent himself as his own thoughts likely range in similar directions to the facts that bring concern and worry to Lazarus as well.
"What do I say ..."
The words are soft and quiet as the two of them continue to move as if their lives depend on it, and perhaps they do. Up the dune, and down the other side with naught but that flat stretch of seemingly endless desert that moves out before them now. Still moving, the Shinigami and Quincy both are moving as fast as they can without giving up the perception of the world around them. Moreso now than ever perhaps, the keen and sharp awareness of their surroundings that screams of survival instinct and danger-sense. Up ahead the small metal posts that mark the incoming place for their Senkaimon gate can be seen and even this doesn't really penetrate through the flight or fight sense of survival. There's no sense of relief that comes with the method of their escape in sight. As the draw closer, Koshou is already drawing his Zanpakuto and there's a harsh spray of kick-up and sand as the Soul Reaper skids himself to a halt once they've come close enough for him to feel the energy that tells himi they are in the right place.
"Come on .. I didn't think this would -"
There's a cut-off of the man's words as his eyes turn behind them for the first time. The Vasto Lorde has indeed been following them though with some sense of following them, for surely it could've caught them at any point thinking about it. Koshou's look back notices the tall form of that Hollow standing atop that first dune off into the distance, just ... watching them. Even from this distance, the slight mist or smoke that ebbs from the censure swinging from the thing's tail can be seen kind of collecting around the figure though it doesn't seem to be making any further motion to catch up to them. There's a hurried motion, that strange fumbling again as the Soul Reaper takes his sword and stabs it into the air, letting the blade disappear into nothing.
"Let's go!"
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