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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Dec 29, 2015 23:53:28 GMT -6
"Bait":(continued) Silence surrounded her. An eerie silence at that. Not a sound was heard. No wind or creatures not even a whisper of a hollow as she looked at the dull gray walls around her. Not even the clamor of the ones in the courtyard were heard from inside the Maze. She did not look back as she reached up taking hold of Shiroi Tsumujikaze, a quick gasp on her part as her powers rushed back to her as the collar deactivated just as the Vessel had told them it would. She smiled brightly as she unsheathed her blade and gazed upon it.
"I have missed you old friend. I do hope they are treating you better than they are treating us." She whispered to her zanpakuto.
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Post by Ichigo Kurosaki on Dec 30, 2015 0:44:43 GMT -6
Ichigo and Renji burst through the gate on each other’s heels, both set of eyes narrowed and seizing their zanpakutos. Ichigo’s look dropped from Renji as his collar shocked him and Zangetsu’s tired voice whispered in the back of his mind. He rubbed at the nasty thing. “That hurt, damn it. It’s not my fault I have been away from you guys.” He waited to receive a snide remark from his hollow side… and frowned at his silence. He didn’t like any of the implications of that.
He looked out at the calm of the maze and tightened his grip on his zanpakuto, drawing it slowly.
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Post by Lt. Renji Abarai on Dec 30, 2015 0:55:05 GMT -6
Renji felt his anger cool as his zanpakuto’s voices offered a couple choice words for his ‘snit of an attitude’. In fact, he still really wanted to set things right, but that was it. With his weapon in hand, he’d calmed to focus on doing just that. His emotions had settled in the back of his mind. As his captain had taught him.
“Howl, Zabimaru.” The blade coiled around him. “Let’s go, Ichigo, there’s….” He started. “Wait, isn’t that- ”
Ichigo nodded, hand turning the ebony blade on his arm. “My quincy powers are still sealed. That’s why I felt the shock.”
“Well that’s rude!” Ichigo’s face was grim. Renji chuckled. “Maybe they’re afraid of you.” He swung his zanpakuto’s hilt over his shoulder. “Think you can keep up as your old self?”
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Dec 30, 2015 1:10:38 GMT -6
A familiar laugh echoed around them as a red-headed, fiery eyed friend walked from around a wall facing them. His hands were shoved in his pockets as he looked at the two males in front of him, then to the female Captain. He grinned at her stepping even closer.
"You want to get close to the Vessel do you?" He stopped at the tip of her blade as she lifted it pointing it at him. Vacanze slapped at the end of the blade knocking it out of his way. "Even if you get out of here you got to get through Tervaden to do that."
"Don't you mean Ichimaru?" Nori questioned her blade rising against him again.
Vacanze laughed combing his fingers through his hair. "Kita dump that lost cause a few days ago. She now spreads her legs for Tervaden." He shrugged his shoulders, "It least that's the word I got from the freak in the lab."
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Post by Ichigo Kurosaki on Dec 30, 2015 1:24:11 GMT -6
“HEY!” Renji snapped. “What’s with that laid-back mouth? You’re supposed to be sick of that mad bastard!” His eyes narrowed. “Or did you forget everyone when you followed your first love out of the court?!”
Ichigo grabbed his arm before he could start forward. “Wait,” he murmured. As Kairo entered the gate in silence, the Substitute looked to their friend standing on the enemy lines. From the hands buried in his jacket to the burning eyes. His mind processing the cool voice. “What are you doing here, V-man? Is Kita with you? You followed Aizen out to follow her, remember?”
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Dec 30, 2015 1:36:30 GMT -6
Vacanze chuckled again, "Yeah! I remember that." He groaned stretching his arms out then bringing them over his head. "I never felt better. No worries, no concerns. None of that human emotion bullshit. By the Gods I never want to do that shit again. God, it feels great to not give a shit any more."
His hands dropped quickly as the four of them quickly went into their stance. Vacanze laughed shaking his head. "I am not on the hunt yet. You're safe for now, but get ready. I don't take well to losing."
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Post by Ichigo Kurosaki on Dec 30, 2015 1:44:36 GMT -6
Ichigo’s eyes narrowed. “You say that, but I’d say you already have.” The red eyes flashed. “It’s the V-man from Karakura who laughs like that, our friend. That’s not a trait from your old self. It proves that you can’t discard your old hopes, wishes, and heart as easily as that.” His stance changed again. “But I will demonstrate that when you join the hunt. There are others who will suffer my determination today.”
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Dec 30, 2015 2:14:54 GMT -6
Vacanze huffed, "You know nothing about me before Kita. I was only silent because the Bastard I hunted with was a stick in the mud. Give me someone worthy to talk to and and I can sit down and have a rather decent conversation with them. How the hell do you thing I got so attached to Kita."
Vacanze turned with another huff as he glanced back over his shoulder a slight shake of head. "What Kita saw-- No. Whatever I saw in the bunch of you has me beat." Vacanze was about to sonido off he heard Ichigo speak again.
"V-man! Did you take Yuzu?"
Vacanze only laughed his figure disappearing from their sight. "Watch your ass, Sub-man. There is no such thing as a friend in the Maze." His words trailed behind as he ran deeper into the Maze.
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Post by Lt. Kairo Namori on Dec 30, 2015 15:20:33 GMT -6
In the silence that followed that proclamation - or warning - Kairo drew both of his katanas and summoned both of the fox spirits that resided within them. His form darkened as Shiroi wrapped illusions around him at the same time as Kuroi created a large, curved scimitar for his use. Setting the blade behind him, Kairo snapped his fingers and five versions of himself appeared around him, all in the same pose.
“Shall we find out if he is right or if he is playing some kind of game on us?” he asked, blue flame appearing in his hand.
Renji shook himself. "I never get used to the tricks your zanpakuto conjures."
All of the dark lieutenants gave a small smile in reply. "You're not supposed to." Three of the five faded into the background, dancing along the longer shadows of the two that remained.
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Dec 30, 2015 15:46:07 GMT -6
Nori shook her head, "I don't care how many copies of yourself you send out, Kairo. We stay together. This is the first attempt for any of us to venture into the Maze to see what it has to offer." She paused recalling what the Vessel had told them. "There is strength in numbers and if we lose are way and get stuck in here it is best to be together then lost on our own without powers." She looked off down a long path in the Maze. "I would like to make it back to the others in one piece."
She turned looking at the three men. "Use your head. There is no such thing as a one man assault team. We work together we get out of here faster." She looked to Renji. "Stick that pride in your hip pocket. Don't take on an opponent that is stronger than you, getting yourself killed. Learn to rely on others to help you." She looked to Ichigo then Kairo next. "Is that understood?"
When they nodded, she look to Kairo. "Use your clones to map out the Maze and memorize it. So not passing through walls unless absolutely necessary. Byakuya and myself were talking about making a miniature replica of the Maze as we learn it. That way we will have a map."
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Post by Lt. Kairo Namori on Dec 30, 2015 16:00:54 GMT -6
Kairo nodded. "I will do what I can. The Goddess' powers are making it difficult to pass through walls, even if I wanted to, and they do have to stay a certain distance from me, but hopefully, they will alert us of whichever Espada comes out first." He paused. "I don't mean to be rude to any of us, but with the shape shifter, will we be able to attack him if he wears the Commander's form again?"
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Dec 30, 2015 16:10:04 GMT -6
"You attack and kill your own mother if she shows her face in here. Nothing is real in this Maze and that is what you need to get into that head of yours. Trust no one. Not even the ones you came in with if you get separated from them. The shape shifter is smart, but if done right he can be seen through. Just remember what we know about the one standing before us."
Nori paused looking at each of the men. "You know--it might even be safe to have a safety word for us, if all else fails." She stopped and thought for a moment looking around her as she tried to think of something no one else might.
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Post by Ichigo Kurosaki on Dec 30, 2015 16:47:19 GMT -6
Ichigo grabbed Kairo's wrist. "Give me a piece of paper. No one from this dark corner will think of this." Kairo reached into his kimono and pulled out a scrape of parchment and pen. Ichigo swiped both and leaned down. "I don't think he asked that because he doubted any of us, Mutsu-san, I think it's more... it's not pleasant to cut up your friends even if they're fake. It dulls your blade."
He handed the piece of paper over to her. "Here."
The paper read....
"Purple, polka dotted, peanut butter, chocolate mint gummy bears."
Ichigo cracked a smile as she blinked and went cross-eyed. "Orihime. And trust me, you won't get the words perfect every time. The slip up is part of the passcode."
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Dec 30, 2015 16:52:29 GMT -6
Nori looked at him shaking her head, "So your saying you want us to mess up in repeating it? Only the ones that would get it prefect should be consider the enemy?"
Ichigo nodded. He looked around as the others looked at the phrase before them and then back to the female captain. "Do you think it will work? It's more than a simple passcode, and it may stop any mind-reading."
"Well then. I guess Byakuya will be the first to die." Nori stated as she looked at the word scribe in the piece of parchment. The group gave her a confused looked as she shook her head again and chuckled softly with a warm smile. "What do you say to something a little more complex but easy to remember?"
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Post by Lt. Renji Abarai on Dec 30, 2015 17:09:11 GMT -6
Renji raised his eyebrows. “And why would that make my captain die first?” he muttered, smashing Ichigo’s piece of paper. “He’s as smart as a whip. He’d see through any of the games added in this mess.” He flicked the piece of paper down into the darkness.
One of Kairo’s clones snatched the ball and faded away again.
He turned back to the wind captain. “What’s the complicated but simpler one?”
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