Bleach Hereafter RPG

Sachio was pleased to see that Bosake could keep up. The large insectoid man was shaping up to be a great rival. If they kept running into each other they would definitely compete for strength. The reasons why they wanted strength was one that came to Sachio's mind. He's purpose was clear for now, but what of his large acquaintance? Sachio started to ask, but just then the other two soul reapers came up the mountain.

haaa, haaa, haaahh 3rd seat Miura! We've arrived!!! Haaaah. W-what is the situation?

R-reporting for duty, 3rd seat Miura!

Munechika couldn't hide his exhaustion, but Jishiro did his best. It was rather convincing. Glad you both made it. You two will stand guard out here. If the hollow leaves before us do not let it escape I will shout for you if you are needed in the cave. Sachio smiled under his scarf. These two would not be useful as they were and Bosake had already volunteered to see to traps.

If you'd be so kind Bosake. I will follow you about 20 paces back. I will come to you at once if you call. I imagine that the hollow has an accomplice or traps set up as you surmised. Sachio took a deep breath.

Commence the operation.

As Munechika and Jushiro arrived minutes later, evidently winded from exhaustion, Sachio had laid out the instructions for them to stand guard outside. It was a smart idea seeing as how the odd pair could barely handle the sprint to their location, they would surely slow down the group if they were to tag along for confrontation. It was also clear in the same vane that neither he or Sachio could afford to let the hollow leave before them, as Munechika and Jushiro would not be able to stop it on their own. Perhaps the large shinigami was being unfair with their assessment, but either way it was the safest choice for the success of the mission.

“Let us take our leave then.” Bosake replied after Sachio’s commencement of the operation, descending like a large cannonball from the air before landing heel to butt before the entrance of the dark and murky cave. With his scarabs close the large soul reaper would enter, noting the large footprints of the hollow impressed into the damp soil. He would scan the area, keeping his wits about him as the visibility dimmed. Before long Bosake trudged his way through the winding bottleneck entrance and into a much wider area near the center of the cave, the stalactites above much more pronounced and hydrated with beads of water.



“Hmm…?” The large shinigami uttered as a loud reverberating crunch emanated from beneath his giant basket woven sandal, easily echoing for Sachio and anything else in the immediate vicinity to hear. As he lifted his foot, the powder and broken sediments of an odd white tablet were revealed. At first it seemed like nothing, but then the quails of small lower level hollows became audible as the glow of several pairs of red eyes pierced through the darkness all around him.

“Hollow Bait!” Bosake exclaimed with his thunderous baritone, attempting to alert Sachio of the situation as he drew his zanpakuto. The first few lower level hollow that attacked met their swift demise from a pair of the giants sword slashes. The other hollow frenzied in a gang like charge, meeting the timely armored shells of his scarabs, which gave Bosake enough time to counter and defend. The 7th Division recruit would fend the minor hollow off for a time, hoping his lithe comrade would join the fray to help turn the tide of the assault.

Sachio nodded as Bosake made his way into the cave. Sachio counted the steps and followed in soon after. The cave was dark and dank. It felt like wading into a shallow pool of darkness. The spiritual pressure of the Hollow was as plain as the heavy footsteps it imprinted on the ground.

For a time the trip into the dark below was uneventful. Sachio was on edge even with the slow descent. There was certainly a bit of apprehension in him regardless of his spoken confidence. There were reports of some hollows have parculiar powers even if they weren't strong. Sachio was ready for the unexpected.

When he heard an echoing crack he paused ready to spring into action. Bosake's cover had been blown. Not that they were sneaking, and seeing what sounds came next would determine if he was going to come barreling in.

Hollow Bait! He heard reverberating through the carven, and so he ran. He squeezed his way through a bottleneck in to a large opening to see Bosake struggling with a large amount of hollows. He would fire off a unspoken Byakurai to clear a few of the weaker hollows and make himself a path to repel the rest.

Sachio appeared in front of Bosake, and recited an incantation as a single hollow's fangs reached him. ...rebuff mine enemies! Kyomon! A perfectly square barrier surrounded both Bosake, and Sachio and seemingly impaled them leaving all of the lesser hollows stunned and injured. With a quick draw of his blades Sachio took care of about half of the lesser hollows leaving the ones behind him to Bosake.

The feral screeches of the lowly hollow bounced off of the cavern walls creating the sonic illusion of a small legion due to the caves deep echo. By his count there were probably about fifty or so hollow, not counting the few dozen he had slain immediately after crunching the hollow bait tablet. The large shinigami was partially frustrated with himself for triggering such an avoidable trap, but logically he was a giant in a nearly pitch black narrow cavern, it would have been a miracle for him to have avoided it otherwise.

Sachio’s byakurai appeared in a timely fashion, clearing out a line of hollow that were preparing to dog pile Bosake and his scarabs. While the masked soul reaper had held out for a short while, he had prepared to rough it for at leas a few more minutes to give Sachio time to make up the twenty pace deficit. His scarfed comrades appearance to the scene in such short notice served as another testament to his speed.

The barrier Sachio erected thereafter put a favorable dent into the horde as he cleared his half of the remaining hollow, reaping through them gracefully with his dual zanpakuto. Finishing his end of the bargain the giant shinigami powered through the last of his assigned hollow, sundering them in powerful broad strikes until they were no more.

“Much appreciated, though we should keep moving…” Bosake uttered to Sachio with a nod as he took lead out in front once more, tracking the large footprints further into the dwelling. Before long the cave spilled open into a clearing exponentially larger than the den they had just fought their way through.

The tracks stopped up ahead as the hollow they had been so deserpately pursuing was facing them in a seated upright position similar to that of a dog even though it was clearly bipedal. It towered over them pushing about twenty feet in height with an ivory mask that resembled that of a bull. The most peculiar part about it was that it was not immediately aggressive, seeming to stare right through them as if awaiting orders.

“How do you want to handle this?” Bosake inquired of Sachio as he pushed up the hilt of his zanpakuto with his thumb, preparing for battle at a moments notice.

Sachio was pleased that Bosake was quite capable as a fighter. Finishing of the last of the lesser hollows. "Well done Bosake." Sachio commented as he lowered his blades and they continued onward.

Once they came across their quarry sitting at attention, Sachio felt something was off. Usually a hollow was violent immediately or would at least acknowledge the presence of souls as tasty as a soul reaper's.

Bosake questioned what they should do, but to Sachio this seemed obvious. There was obviously someone or something waiting and watching them. They weren't going to make their move until the pair of soul reapers did.

In a whisper, Sachio said Watch my back... Then with an overly magnanimous gesture he would begin to act as if he noticed nothing wrong. He announced loudly to Bosake: It seems that our hollow friend has been cornered. There is only one thing left to do then Bosake!

Sachio turned to the hollow and drew his blades. He leapt up to it's mask and started to swing both downward. Be, Purified!!! He yelled, but his eyes where shifting around waiting for response.

Just as Sachio was about to land the finishing blow a blue bolt of reshi came sailing in from his right from the darkness. Sachio reacted bringing his blades up to block the attack. As the reshi dissipated an unfamiliar human voice ordered the hollow. Now!

With Sachio's flank exposed the hollows about to swing its massive arm and swat Sachio from the air. A clever plan... Sachio thought, but he wasn't worried the capable Bosake was there and ready.

The feral hollow sat still, although with an angst of bloodlust that was palpable around its spiritual energy. Bosake kept its gaze through his insectoid maw, focused on its red piercing irises that felt more like orbs of burning despair. If he were alone on this mission he would have probably charged in alone, banking on his stout endurance to save him from the obvious trap that laid before them. Luckily he wasn’t alone and things could be a little more strategic, he was happy to have Sachio at his side, as the lithe soul reaper shared a similar capability and level of awareness.

“On it…” Bosake replied as he was already clocking the hollow as well as the rest of the environment. He was prepared to hold up his end of the bargain as a shield, determined to keep the leader of their makeshift squadron unharmed.

The large shinigami watched Sachio’s boisterous display, putting on a rather good performance for whomever was watching them as he jumped directly towards the sitting hollow. For a moment it appeared that he might actually land a critical strike as his dual zanpakuto drew closer and closer, but at the final moment their ploy had finally drawn out their target. With a swift shunpo Bosake dashed up from beneath Sachio’s shadow, covering his six with an intercepting slash, severing off the hollows forearm in a single stroke and thwarting its surprise attack.

The ground shook as the massive limb fell lifelessly to the ground of the cave followed by a shriek of pain from the minotaur like hollow. In retaliation the hollow attempted to swallow Bosake whole, trying to chomp down on the large shinigami with a heavy rage filled bite. With a loud reverberating clang Bosake lodged his zanpakuto horizontally against the hollows upper canines, using his large basket woven sandals to keep its bottom jaw ajar, jockeying strenuously against its great strength to keep from being devoured.

“I’ll …handle… the hollow. Find…it’s master!” Bosake exclaimed between labored breaths are he continued to defend against the hollows feral attack.

Sachio wasn't surprised that Bosake had been the perfect shield. He performed his duty just as expected which delighted Sachio. With a smile Sachio acknowledged Bosake's request. Alright I'll be back soon. Don't become hollow food while I am gone. Sachio said a rare joke. Now that the enemy's trap had been sprung the rest was all clean up.

Sachio had seen this blue reshi attack before in one of his first outings in the world of the living. A qunicy...

Sachio didn't know much about them in their first meeting, but the idea of human protectors that fought against the hollows in the world of the living intrigued him. He had spent some limited time in the library of the 5th division reading up on the subject. It seemed that they were once very plentiful, but not as much anymore. All Sachio knew about them really was that hollows were poisonous to them, and that they did not return hollows to the cycle of rebirth like the soul reapers did.

Sachio did wonder why a quincy was teaming up with a hollow, but he would simply have to ask the quincy responsible.

Sachio was able to reach the ground safely thanks to Bosake, and this gave him access to movement options once again. Even though the quincy, changed position, and timed the next arrow to loose and meet its target, Sachio, right as he landed, the young soul reaper was ready. A shunpo as soon as he feet touched the ground allowed him to dodge the attack.

He was also able to get a judge for the strength of this adversary. They couldn't be much strong than the quincy he had encountered before if at all. If this was Sachio from months ago then perhaps the arrows would have posed a serious threat, but at this point they were not a problem.

With flourishes of his blades, ducks and dives. Sachio was able to keep up with and even avoid the attacks of the quincy adversary. Sachio was slowly closing in on his target.

The tonsils of the hollow were cold and black, presenting as an endless black hole that the large shinigami was desperate to avoid. While Bosake colored himself as a rather physically strong individual, he was being pushed to the brink by the hate filled bite force of his hollow adversary. With a vibrant release of his reiatsu, Bosake pushed through with his full might, forcing the hollows jaw wide open with enough time for him to escape its grasp.

“You needn’t worry, I shall fulfill my duty!” Bosake replied in a serious tone to Sachio’s quip, finding himself incapable of surmising a quick witted rebuttal under the current circumstances. As Bosake descended from his escape of the hollows maw, it followed up with a clawing strike from its only working arm, with which the heavy soul reaper was able to block last minute with his zanpakuto.

The resulting force however expedited his descent, causing him to hit the ground with enough force to loose balance upon landing. It was in this moment the hollow had brought around its bullish tail, effectively whipping Bosake in the gut and slamming him into the cavern wall with a force that would shake the immediate vicinity and encourage loose sediments to rain from the ceiling.

While the unexpected strike had connected, it did not manage to sunder the giants overall armored constitution, allowing him to remain composed and hold on to the tail as the hollow brought it back around to its original position. As Bosake swung from the tail he used its momentum to launch himself back into the air, high enough to perform a two handed tomahawk slash down through the vertical length of the hollows shoulder and torso.

The beast would let out a frantic roar of pain as the resulting slash caused it to stumble and fall back up against the cavern wall. As Bosaked descended back towards the ground yet again, he could not help but notice the flashes of blue reishi against Sachio’s zanpakuto in his periphery, wondering who or what exactly his comrade was up against.

Sachio was doing his best to get up to the shooter. As he got closer the shots became more and more accurate, but still the difference in reiatsu was clear. Haaaaaa! The man yelled increasing his output of blue reshi arrows as Sachio ascended to his position upon an upper cavern wall. However it was all for naught. With a few swings of his blade the teen's shots were only deflected. Sachio had learned to use his reiatsu to his advantage more and more. Simple reshi projectiles fired by a neophyte would no longer phase him.

Sachio, now on the same elevation, and with adjusted eyes, could now see his opposition clearly. It was a teenage boy with long black bangs and messy hair. A living human!? this complicates things...

D-don't come any closer! Who are you and why are you after Krampus and me? He asked drawing yet another arrow.

We, are Shinigami. It is our job to cleanse hollows and protect the living. It seems you are the hollow's master then? Sachio inquired.

The boy fired, but Sachio was ready a quick shunpo and he was behind the boy. Easy. Answer my questions and you will live. Sachio said with the blade inching closer to the boys neck.

O-okay! I just really hate Christmas! It never worked out for me so I was threatening this hollow to help me take gifts from everyone around Tokyo! That would really ruin all those couple's moods! I was acting righteously!

Sachio let out an exasperated sigh. It was just a shitty prank on couples from a young a single dude with a modicum of spiritual pressure. You're lucky we aren't suppose to harm humans...Hakufuku! He said making direct eye contact with his target from a very close range.

Sachio imagined that he saw a vision of cherry blossoms before fainting and collapsing into his arms. Alright then on to Bosake. He picked up the boy and started making his way back to where he was fighting the hollow. Bosake had ended up with the harder fight, but judging from the wail of the hollow Bosake would be done shortly.

With the hollow wounded it seemed to be losing strength as it appeared to be held up only by the grace of the cavern wall at its back. The sound of its pain filled wailing continued to reverberate throughout the vicinity as the bull faced hollow did everything it could to gather what was left of its bearings. However, the beast would have little time to focus on its injuries as the hulking soul reaper who caused it was quickly approaching. As Bosake charged the accursed hollow, he had his zanpakuto poised to end its suffering and return its defiled soul back to the natural cycle.

As the large shinigami closed the distance from the ground the hollow desperately attacked, slamming its tail harshly onto the cavern floor in succession, looking to lash Bosake before he could get any closer. However the hollows strikes were filled with panic, and for what they had in strength they lacked in accuracy, allowing Bosake to easily weave and maneuver through unscathed. After the last tail whip had missed wide Bosake shunpo’d in an upward leap, making himself nearly eye level with the frantic hollow. In a last desperate attempt the hollow tried to swallow him again, but this time missing the large shinigami with its maw.

“Huuuaaaaaahhhhh!” Bosake exclaimed as he counter attacked with at two-handed horizontal reiatsu filled slash, relieving the bull hollow’s head from its shoulders. Fragments of the hollows matter would begin to disintegrate as Bosake would make his descent back down towards the ground. He would land heel to butt on the cold caverns floor with a heavy sigh indicative of his trying efforts.

“Don’t tell me that boy is our culprit?” He inquired genuinely as Sachio approached with what seemed to be a young human in his arms.

It seemed that even though the hollow known as Krampus had been strong it was not strong enough to best the likes of Bosake. Well done Bosake! Sachio had a smile that would have been enough to fool anyone into thinking he had mountains of reserved energy left, but in reality he was starting to feel the effects of this eventful night.

Bosake had inquired about the boy in his arms. As much as Sachio was reluctant to admit that this whole thing was a mere prank by a spiritually enable teen he explained as much to Bosake. The situation was not as I anticipated, but all is well that ends well. Sachio loafed the teen onto his shoulder and extended Bosake a hand.

He looked to the mountain of presents that the pair and their lesser hollow compatriots likely had already collected.

We'll have to return these as well... Sachio was starting to come around To Bosake's idea of christmas. Who needed christmas anyway?

A Jigokucho left his scarf and made it's way out to mouth of the cave beckoning the other two soul reapers to come jogging in to answer the summons.

Their no rest for the righteous. We will return each of these gifts I hope you all still have your delivery sacks. Sachio said with a light chuckle. It was going to be a long night still.

According to Sachio’s findings during his skirmish with the hollow, this whole operation was far less sinister than they had expected. In the grand scheme of things it was a positive note, but within the immediacy of their efforts it seemed like an overuse of their resources. The boy over his shoulder was no ordinary human, but a spiritually enabled a one, a quincy at that. He had heard the tales of the quincy from his time at the academy and during the occasional off handed conversations around the Seireitei, but this was the first time he had ever encountered one.

“Certainly not how we imagined, but our mission has been a success.” He replied as he reciprocated Sachio’s extended hand with a well met handshake. The only other concern at hand was the heap of presents that were piled up in the corner of the cavern. His scarfed comrade suggesting the extra mile of them returning each one to its rightful owner was the right thing to do, but another strain upon their endurance after the events of the mission. While Bosake had managed to best the hollow, even he was feeling a bit worse for wear, although ultimately nothing he couldn’t manage as a heap of presents were far less formidable.

As Jushiro and Munechika came running into the cave after their summons, one could tell that they had a sense of franticness about them. Although the coast was clear it was hard to really know for certain if anything else was lurking, but the odds of that to this point were slim to none. After everyone had regrouped and readied their sacks they would split the horde of gifts evenly and prepare to take their leave for one last run of deliveries.

“I believe we are ready to head out.” Bosake stated with a gaze toward Sachio, awaiting the squad leader to take point on the last lag of their mission.

With that Sachio and the rest hefted their newly filled sacks of presents and set about the task of playing faux saint nick to the Tokyo metropolitan area. The deliveries were less of a hassle than before with the threat of a hollow lurking much lower.

The group went around delivering each present to their addressed locations. Sachio's knowledge of his jurisdiction was quite helpful here. He even thought to check the boy's wallet for some form of identification.

After the group delivered the presents and the boy to their rightful locations, The grouped up for return to the Seireitei. Once again Sachio twisted his sword hilt and opened the Senkaimon. Good work everyone. While this mission wasn't as dire or urgent as some others it was still good of use to keep the peace of this slice of the world of the living. I'll leave a glowing review in my report. Mission complete, and happy holidays. Sachio mention to the elation of Munechika and Jushiro. He watched as they walked through the Senkaimon first.

Bosake, great work. Today I fell as if we make a great team. Would you ever consider a transfer to the 6th division? There is much of japan that could use a competent Shinigami like yourself. Sachio was earnest having a friend closeby within the division would be nice. It did feel like all eyes were on him. The 6th division men hadn't come aroudn to his appointment, and his half siblings were more of prison guards then family.

Bosake didn't seem to have lofty expectations, a hatred, or animosity towards him, and he was good. Well, do think it over. He quickly added. Sachio wouldn't pressure him regardless of how he responded. He walked through the senkaimon next ready for a warm bath in his dwellings.