[PM] [1st/8th/11th/12th] Week 199: This Is Supposed To Be A Scouting Mission

[Nekomata]

Note

This thread is for Team One from Picking Teams.

An enormous wooden gate, its interior glowing with white light, appeared in the endless night of Hueco Mundo. Between one breath and another, a black-clad figure stepped out of the light- and nearly fell on her face in the soft white sand.

I am so glad I decided to come through first! Ilsa had known Hueco Mundo was full of sand, of course, but the sudden transition from the hard ground of the First Division’s Senkaimon courtyard to loose sand was disorienting to say the least. The Amazonian blonde shinigami walked a few steps away from the gate and turned to face it so she could see the rest of her team coming through.

Maruyama Ilsa, vice-captain of the First Division and now in charge of a scouting mission to Hueco Mundo. If someone had told her about this last year, she would have brought them to the Fourth Division to get their head checked. Forcibly, if need be. And yet here she was.

She shook her head. Stop woolgathering. You’ve got a job to do. Should she release Hinometori now or wait for the rest of the team? If she released her shikai now, it could be construed as a sign of weakness. On the other hand, she had told everyone that one of Hinometori’s abilities would be a vital part of the scouting process.

Soonest begun, soonest done. Ilsa drew her zanpakutou with a faint swish of steel on leather and held it upright in both hands. With a familiar flash of white-gold light, the katana stretched and lengthened in her hands. When the light went out, the vice-captain was holding a glaive made of transparent crystal, an impossibly detailed bird in flight etched within its wickedly sharp one-sided blade. Stark white moonlight glittered off the polearm’s angular shaft.

“Washi no Ome.”

A bird made of the same light as Hinometori’s release formed within the blade and shot up into the midnight sky. With a mental snap, Ilsa saw the world around her from the construct’s point of view, a kilometer up in the air- and through her own eyes. It was a peculiar phenomenon, yet it felt perfectly natural.

She didn’t see any Hollows through Washi no Ome... yet. They could always come up out of the sand, or have some type of camouflage. Still, it was a good sign. The vice-captain shifted her glaive to one hand, watching the Senkaimon.

404/404​

 

[Albinocur]

Zakeriah stepped from the glowing gateway into the night cast sands of Hueco Mundo breathing out a sigh of cigarillo smoke. The moon hung solitarily in the black sky with no stars to accompany the satellite. Zak wondered if this world actually had space and a great planetoid hanging in an eternal night or if it was some sort of projection. The second thing that came to him was how like his inner world this place was with the skeletal trees and all. The third thing that came to him was the fact that Ilsa, who had entered the gateway first, had her sword out and released. The blade's glow was like a small elongated sun that cast an unfamiliar light over the white sands but was fading. The Templar's hand found his own blade in an instant and slid it from its sheath. It was a gut reaction and he glanced around the rolling dunes but saw nothing that obviously presented an immediate threat.

He glanced back to see that the Vice-Captain of the First had a more serene look on her face than he would imagine if she was preparing for a fight. "Damn it." Zak muttered. "Itchy trigger finger." While he did not sheathe his blade he lowered it and waited for the others to arrive from the great gateway. Looking over the horizon he took another drag from his cigarillo. "Welcome home Iblis."

[238]

 

[switch5]

As Amaya's feet came to rest in the increasingly familiar sand of Hueco Mundo, she took a moment to constrain her reiatsu, a practice born of her last visit to the wasteland. Both of her hands came to rest on the blades that hung at her hip, and her eyes shifted around to her comrades. Her fellow Third Seat had already drawn his blade, and the Vice Captain they were following had destroyed any chance they would go undetected before she could even say otherwise.

We're off to a good start... she sighed internally. Taking wide strides in the sand Amaya made her way to the Vice Captain. “Do you think it's wise to set off a signal of reiatsu like releasing your zanpakutou before the rest of your team can even come through the portal?” She raised her eyebrows, at the woman, and gestured to those behind her still appearing on the alabaster sands.

“These sands may seem empty, but they're out there, waiting for the perfect moment.”

Her eyes shifted around the dunes, wondering for just a moment if her third time in Hueco Mundo would be her last.

[193/193]

 

[Shadowthread]

The first thing Shizuka's eyes caught on were the endless dunes of sand and after that even more sand. It seemed that Hueco Mundo was nothing but a big desert. The sand felt odd to her feet, having been used to the stone walkways of Seireitei.


It seemed that this glaive that Maruyama-fukutaichou held was her shi kai, that held some of kind of important ability for this mission. She realized that it would be better for her to draw her blade in case some hollows would show up, after all having only one arm had its disadvantages. Sliding Hangyaku out from its sheath, the metal shining in the pale moonlight of the shifting sands.



[115/115]

 

[Cad]

Ito Kurohashi’s dark figure sped through the white light of the senkaimon and came to a sudden halt as his feet hit the dull sand. The solitary member of the Third for this team welcomed the stagnant air that seeped into his lungs. Rolling his head to the side, the shaded man looked up to the clear sky, illuminated by a distant, jasmine moon. The pristine world of the damned welcomed each visitor as they spewed forth from the living spirit world.

The bejeweled girl was right about her assessment of the purgatory-like dimension: anyone releasing their sword’s spirits might as well open a bleeding wound in shark infested waters. Kurohashi had come to learn, though, that the barren land was far larger than anyone could imagine and the likelihood of being targeted by more than a handful of hollow was slim to none. The problem they would face, which he couldn’t have experience alone, was how much of a smoke signal their combined spiritual pressures would send to the damned that roamed the ethereal world. The trouble would compound even moreso once the two groups found each other....assuming they would do so successfully.

Kurohashi, letting his eyes nearly roll to the back of his head, took a deep breath, kept a tight grip on his blade’s hilt, and awaited his orders.


222

 

[Code of the Noble]

"And here we are," said the Lieutenant of the Enchanted Blades.

It was like he had stepped off of a colorful pop-up story book and into a still, flat, lifeless land of eternal darkness. Even though the sky was pitch black, it was almost as if the very light source in Hueco Mundo was the bone white sand. Seitaro placed his right hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou as a precaution and walked the pale sands with the Vice-captain of the First Division.

"Not that I am questioning orders, Vice-Captain Murayama," he said only in earshot of the amazon, "but what exactly are we looking for on this mission?" He kept his voice to a low key but confident tone while addressing the woman.

 

[Nutella]

The petite shinigami stepped out of the Senkaimon, her almond-shaped auburn eyes filled with wonder and anxiety as the sunless sky of Hueco Mundo greeted the young Arcanist. Her nimble feet stepped on the fine, alabaster sand that stretched beyond the horizon, and she tried her best not to lose her footing. The stale air caressed her cheeks, and an odd stench greeted her the moment she stepped in – the stench of death, and the air of lifelessness lingered everywhere. The hollow world, in fact, seemed more ominous than the books and the rumours suggested – but despite all their descriptions, it was no more than a word … until now.

A brick-sized device hung in her obi, and a black cord hung on the right side of her obi. The leathery bandolier hung diagonally from her left shoulder, which held the folded tripod on its long pocket. It was quite heavy, but not something she couldn’t live with.

Kamenashi Yuurei was designated the task of carrying the communication device for their team in this scouting mission. Save for her amethyst clips and her golden necklace, her colour was as monotonous as the world around her – her ebony tresses stretched to her waist, with two locks of hair falling loose to the length of her shoulder blades, framing her extremely pallid visage. Her role in this mission as the device carrier seemed pretty minor, compared to those who would head out to the front lines should an encounter happen – yet very crucial. They may be able to use Tentei Kuura and their denreishinki to communicate with people within Hueco Mundo, but if Yuurei fails to operate it well, it will cut off their team’s communication from Seireitei.

With careful steps, Yuurei walked towards the Amazonian Vice Captain of the First, in case she had more commands for her.

[ 307 ]​

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[swaswj]

The pristine sands stretched on as far as the eye could see. Like a white ocean, with eddies and swells, the desert of the hollow world glimmered in the silver light, shifting on the night's wind. Like buoys in the waves, petrified trees and alabaster boulders rose about the white-out.

A blanket of purest blackness stretched overhead, interrupted only by wispy clouds and the gleaming moon. Whatever feelings of familiarity were evoked by that distant satellite were tarnished by the sense of something dark about the scythe of silvery light.

The world spoke of eternity, of infinity. The sands stretched on endlessly in every direction, with no clear boundaries or landmarks in sight. Solitude, and all its accompanying feelings of sorrow, of fear, of isolation, settled down onto the visitors to that unnatural realm. Within mere feet of their companions, it felt like miles.

Only the lonely wanderers of this desert land could possibly understand the true desolation, the pallid contrast of the vast, empty dunes and valleys, shifting endlessly, constantly scouring away at any unfortunate stones and vegetation that lifted above the surface. In the end, there would be nothing left, could be nothing but the sands themselves and the cursed souls that dwelled among them.

No truer name could exist for this dimension than Hueco Mundo, the Hollow World.

Kyuto dropped down into that pristine wasteland. The brunette girl had shed all her adolescent awkwardness: instead, she stepped confidently forward, her grey-violet eyes scanning the surroundings. Here, there would be no playing around, no mistakes. It was a side of the girl few ever saw, and one that none among the small group had: Kyu the sword-ace, the warrior.

Short as she was, Kyu possessed a strong presence. Her sleeveless white jinbaori billowed lightly in the breeze, her overly long bandana and belt tails floating on the wind. Walking slightly ahead of the others, she felt at the back of her belt, checking that Aka was in easy reach. Seen from behind like that, in the white vest with the One on its back, she almost looked like a miniature captain.

"What are you all worrying about?" she asked sharply, though with an eager edge to it. Turning back toward the others, Kyu had an encouraging grin on her face. "Last time we came here was a hundred times more dangerous, and we're all standing here now!" Faltering, she shrugged apologetically at Yuurei. "Well, everyone 'cept you, but don't worry, that's why we're here!"

Whipping out her zanpakuto in an underhanded grip, she brandished the short, guard-less weapon heroically. Looking over the rest of her companions, her eyes lingered on Mitsuyo at the back where he dropped in. "With the Lucky Seventh Seat of the First Division, the one and only Kyuto Tounyuu on your side, you have nothing to fear!" she declared loudly, flashing a cocky grin -- proving that even a serious Kyu is still, after all, Kyu.

"So let's go find whatever the heck it is we're supposed to find!"

[505/505]

 

[Nutella]

Yuurei gulped when the Seventh Seat made mention of their past encounter in Hueco Mundo. A hundred times more dangerous? She gritted her teeth and restrained herself from asking something. The Vice Captain did not stop her from joining in the mission, but that was only half the answer to that inquiry. She wasn't strong enough, but perhaps not weak enough to be shunned away, like that other woman in the conference hall.

The brunette was extremely boisterous, and her words seemed as if it were pulled straight out of an epic. No, that seemed simply too formal to describe her. It seemed like Kyuuto was ripped straight out of a comic book. Her words were big, but it seemed like a ray of sunshine in the sunless world, and washed Yuurei with a sort of warmth in the otherwise cold realm.

Her actions seemed showy, as if she were trying to leave an impression -- an unforgettable one, of both good and bad. Although it showed a kind of immaturity of sorts, surely the brunette wouldn't bother to brag if she did not have any bragging rights in the first place. That given, Yuurei managed to somehow ignore the manner in which it was spoken, and she tried to at least trust on what the brunette could do. After all, she's not a Seventh Seat for nothing.

[ 228 | 535 ]​

 

[Nekomata]

Ilsa couldn’t quite stifle a chuckle at the Seventh Seat’s antics, even though she herself hadn’t been in Hueco Mundo the last time. Looks like Kyuto forgot that little detail. Once the last members of their team came through the Senkaimon, the vice-captain spoke up.

“I have no idea exactly what we’re looking for, other than the fact that it produces extremely large pulses of reiatsu at irregular intervals.” She shrugged. “That’s why we’re here, to find out.” Her expression turned grim. “Hayashi made a good point earlier, which is that large amounts of reiatsu- such as us- will attract Hollows. I don’t think it’s a question of whether we’ll have to fight, it’s a question of when. That being said, there isn’t a single Hollow within a kilometer of us right now unless it’s under the sand or very well camouflaged.”

The tall vice-captain gestured to her crystalline weapon. “Hinometori here gives me a bird’s-eye view of the area within a one kilometer radius. I’ve been using that ability since I got here, and there’s no sign of any movement.

“So, let’s get this show on the road! I want a diamond-shaped formation with myself, Kamenashi, and Mineto in the center.” She turned to the red-haired Eighth Seat. “If I see something through Hinometori and want to focus in on it, I won’t be able to see what’s around me. I’ll let you know when that happens. It will be your job to watch my back and support anyone who needs it with long-ranged kidou." Ilsa nodded to Yuurei. "The part about kidou goes for you as well.

“Hayashi, you’re on point.” According to Kyuketsu, she was very experienced, and certainly had the reiatsu to deal with anything unpleasant flushed out by their passage. “Tounyuu, you’re on the right. Kurohashi and Kinugasa-san, you’re on the left.” Hopefully the vice-captain would be able to keep a lid on Kurohashi when they spotted Hollows. “Zakeriah and Sanzu, you’re our rearguard.”

She waited for everyone to arrange themselves, then consulted the map on her soul phone and pointed north. “Let’s move out!”

350/754​

 

[Code of the Noble]

"Yes ma'am," he acknowledged.

Seitaro waved to the man that towered over him, "Let's go Kurohashi."

 

[Albinocur]

Zak smiled at the energetic brunette and blew smoke from his nostrils giving a second gaze to the rolling white dunes of this place. At their commander's orders he began walking to the back of the group keeping Iblis in his grip. He was quick on the draw but had no idea what to expect here, Ilsa had said the area was clear of obvious opponents but he couldn't help but think about creatures that may well be hiding beneath the dunes. He remembered bandits and thugs doing such things during his life in the desert, a blanket over their head and some sand and they were practically indistinguishable from the rest of the odd mounds of sand resting all around. Something like that would be far more mundane as well, not burning the energy an invisibility cloak or something of that nature would require. No, the Templar had no intention of being taken off guard here.

[395]

 

[switch5]

Amaya immediately strode to the front of the group, her feet barely making an impact on the white sands as she walked. She took a moment to look back at the group to make sure they were alright, before reaching into her robes to pull out a hand rolled cigarette from alongside another pair left over from her last visit to the human world. She had given up the awful habit upon joining the academy, but her last mission had caused her to pick up the habit again, and since she was in the desert realm for a third time a craving had swept over her. Lighting the tip with an old match, Amaya inhaled deeply once before starting the groups march forward.

“Let's get this finished and get home...” Amaya muttered, while glancing around nervously.

[136/330]

 

[Shadowthread]

Nodding as a sign of adknowledgement, the female shinigami took her position in the formation, keeping Hangyaku in hand. Shizuka felt confidence within, since having Hangyaku on her side, she could easily avoid most strikes, after releasing him. But within that trust, a feeling of worry had begun to creep in, they were in the world of the hollows. There was no guarantee that they would face weak hollows, for all she knew they could even face a Menos.

Do not fear, my dear, Hangyaku spoke, For if you fear, you won't be able to harness my full power, the spirit finished.

”Thank you,” Shizuka replied out loud and a smirk could be seen on her face.

[118/233]

 

[Cad]

Kurohashi listened intently to the young girl’s words. As her orders were given, the looming reaper steadied his breathing and heart rate from the thrill of being steeped in the world of tantalizing prey. After the confident member of the Eighth called to Kurohashi, he nodded while his eyes still gazed at the brilliant moon and tread to form his edge of the barrier.

64

 

[Eidolon]

In the distance, far and away from the scope of normal eyes, something stirred. A chitter, a click, a shudder of the ashen landscape upon a mound of the dead ashen flesh of this realm's denizens. It arose from its burrow, white sand sliding away from the muscular whole of its body. Oily mandibles pawed at the air before its mask, and the beast turned its powerful shape towards the group of violators who had enough courage, or insanity, to come to the domain of demons.

With a frenzy of motion, powerful claws dug and tore at the ground before it, sending up plumes of sand far into the sky for any to see.

[114]

 

[Albinocur]

Zak exhaled another cloud of smoke into the cool but stale air of the hollow world. He didn't have the most acute senses when it came to detecting hidden reiatsu but the giant plume of sand in the near distance wasn't hard to miss. "Movement." He announced to the group and nodded in the direction of the commotion. "Something big by the looks of it."

He tightened his grip on his zanpakutou, the leather-wrapped handle creaked softly beneath his grip. Here it was, not even a hundred yards into Hueco Mundo and they were already about to have their first encounter. His mind went to the bulky phone the young shinigami carried, if nothing else they would have to keep whatever this hollow was away from that fragile device.

[525]

 

[Nekomata]

The scouting team hadn’t got very far when a plume of sand caught Ilsa’s eye. Washi no Ome’s eye, to be exact; it was right on the edge of her bird construct’s vision. The tall shinigami stopped in her tracks. "Everybody stop. Mineto, cover me while I take a closer look at this thing.” Gray eyes went blank and unfocused as she concentrated on what her shikai was showing her.

It was a Hollow, of course. What else would it be in Hueco Mundo? But what Ilsa wanted was details. "It’s a Hollow, which I think we all guessed. No wings, thank the Mother for that. Big claws, mandibles in front of the mask. Pretty muscular. This Hollow doesn’t look human enough to be an Arrancar, but you never know."

Ilsa’s eyes cleared as she zoomed out, bringing back the double vision of her shikai’s normal setting. "Okay, I’m back now. It’s still quite a ways from us, but coming fast. Get ready.”

She hadn’t wanted to use her other shikai ability this soon. Tenrai Chikaku could be... addictive. Ilsa hadn’t truly realized that aspect of the sensory enhancement until the new regulations made it harder to release her zanpakutou. With so many other shinigami around, she might not need it, but why take chances?

"Tenrai Chikaku.”

It felt as if a thick veil had been lifted from her entire body. Everything snapped into razor-edged clarity; the moonlight sparkling off the white sand, the sound of her teammates’ uniforms rustling, the scent of sweat and various soaps and perfumes (somebody had been using a wonderful forest-smelling cologne or scented soap), the feel of her own uniform and the sand in her tabi. Ilsa frowned at that last. The sand had been bad enough before, but now it felt like someone was scouring her feet with pumice. Luckily, Tenrai Chikaku went both ways. She dulled her sense of touch to something more normal.

The vice-captain looked out over the dunes through the faceted crystal orbs that had replaced her eyes. She had a large team of powerful shinigami. Hopefully this would be a short fight.

Hopefully.

355/1109​

Note

Since Van didn't say which direction his Hollow is coming from, I'm going to say that it's coming from the southwest. Between the left team (Iggy and Sene) and the rear team (Zak and Thready).

Tenrai Chikaku

Tenrai Chikaku (Divine Perception) – Tenrai Chikaku heightens or decreases Ilsa’s perceptions as she wishes. While this ability is active, Ilsa’s eyes become faceted crystalline orbs, similar to the crystal of which Hinometori’s released form is made. She can see in the dark as if it were daylight, shoot into battle with greater accuracy, and perceive incoming attacks much faster. By paying 5% reiatsu all illusions that cost less than this are pierced by this ability; Hinometori will not abide anything that is not the truth.

When Ilsa uses the opposite side of this ability, one or more of her senses is deadened to some degree. Even if she is decreasing her senses, Tenrai Chikaku still pierces illusions. She may use both sides of the ability at once; for example, sharpening her vision and deadening her sense of touch.


Ilsa is paying the 5% reiatsu kicker to pierce illusions.

 

[Nutella]

A chill ran up her spine as plumes of sand rose up from afar. A hollow so soon? Could it have detected our presence the moment we stepped in? Or did it hear out voices, by any chance? Yuurei frantically questioned herself, although she knew well that she did not have a sufficient response to her own questions. In fact, she had many inquiries about these odd creatures -- but she knew she had to reserve them for another day.

She stood on the center of the diamond-shaped formation, and stood her ground in case she would need to protect whatever she was holding. Yuurei listened to her companions -- most of them were experts in facing hollows, and she did not doubt their judgment.

Something big indeed ... else it wouldn't be sending dunes that high up the ground, she frowned as her auburn eyes continued to stare at the direction of the commotion, waiting for the creature to show itself to them.

[ 163 | 698 ]​

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[Shadowthread]

Shizuka even though she had encountered many hollows in her career as a shinigami, the female shinigami had learned to, what could be said to be some form of respect for these beasts. Especially big ones like the one heading straight for them. The spell-sword could discern all this information about the hollow's size from the splash of sand.


Her grip on Hangyaku tightened, and she wondered about the possibility of this thing being an Arrancar. Truth be told, she didn't know that much from them, except that they were much more stronger than normal hollows. The wait for the hollow was anxious, adrenaline slowly beginning to course through her veins. The spell-sword mentally recited her kidou incantations in preparation for the upcoming combat.


[124/357]