Part 1

After a couple more buildings were destroyed, the Captain Commander decided this needed to be taken elsewhere, and she started to lure the Arrancar out of Seireitei. Mitsukinori left rather quickly as the damage was starting to become a bigger problem.

Suddenly the air felt lively again, as though something wasn't trying to destroy everything. Even with the impending doom of so many hollow, those two spiritual pressures were gone and that's all that mattered. Meanwhile, Sinthia's skin was still glowing a bright color. Who knows when she'd wake up?

Her eyes shot open and she screamed, a phantom outline of the markings suddenly hovering over her skin before being filled in, kind of like a projection. They clamped down onto her skin and then the markings and glowing all vanished in an instant. She was panting heavily as she looked toward Atsūmi and Natsuki. She then looked down, and her thoughts were racing.

One, her upper body was pretty much open and exposed.

Two, she did not look the same.

Three, she didn't really care.

"Likin' what ya see?" she asked with a smile to Atsūmi. She grabbed her zanpakuto after wrapping the covers around her body. Her clothes were so torn up that she would need to get new ones. After a few steps toward the door, her limbs locked up and she fell forward. Had she not reacted quickly and thrust her zanpakuto forward, she wouldn't have anything to balance on.

What the hell?! she thought as her knees gave way. She lowered herself to the floor, the pain swelling across her body. Her heterochromic eyes stared forward as she tried to move, but she couldn't. All of her muscles were undergoing a vast amount of stress from the seal. Her make-shift dress moved slightly out of the way and her right leg became visible up to half above her knee, kind of like a low-cut dress.

The glowing was back.

Sinthia wanted to scream, but she couldn't. All she could do was lay in agony as the glowing spread. So much pain, another layer of the seal.

Then she passed out as the seal compacted.

"Yeah...you know i joined this squad so i could lay around all day, but as of late we've been working more than sleeping. I want overtime." Atsumi said, sitting down. Natsuki smiled. They locked eyes. "If you wana go you can. If you do go just don't die again or I'll kill you."

She laughed, glancing towards the door as Mitsukinori left. Did she want to risk going out there? Dying again? Oh great, now I'm a cowa-

A scream filled the air and Natsuki jumped, dropping her zanpakuto on the floor. She cursed, her eyes shooting over at Sinthia. The markings were doing a thing, but they vanished quite quickly. She was looking around, perfectly conscious.

"Likin' what ya see?" She said to Atsumi. Natsuki raised a brow and put a hand over her mouth to stifle hysteria.

This was not the Sinthia she was used to. It wasn't bad, though. Not yet. She brought herself up and started walking, but then she simply fell to the floor.

"Sinthia... you should probably be careful..."

The markings were glowing once more. She looked very much in pain. She fell over unconscious.

"Well, then." Natsuki said, pursing her lips together. She picked up her zanpakuto and sheathed it, noticing the calming outside.

Sinthia's screams filled the air around them. It didn't really bother Atsumi that much, you could say she was getting used to it. Either way she was awake now.

When the screaming stopped it seemed she had noticed she didn't exactly have anything covering her chest. She didn't seem that bothered by it.

"Likin' what ya see?" 

Atsumi looked at her chest examining everything about it. Then she looked other to Natsuki's then her own. Compared to those two her hills were mountains. 

While she did this Sinthia had wandered off and passed out again. "Well, then." she heard from Natsuki. 
Atsumi sighed before speaking. "If you're going to flirt with me at least stay up long enough for me to react."

With this she walked towards Sinthia, pulling her arm and lifting her onto her back. Piggyback time. "Let's find player over here some clothes...and you two, though, I'm enjoying the view around here" she said looking at Natsuki before letting her eyes wander down. Side boobs are nice. Wait...DOES THIS MEAN I'M A PEDOPHILE?! Trying to stop thinking about breasts she pulled Sinthia in a bit to make sure she didn't fall off.

~squish

A single tear dropped from Atsumi's eye. Little 'ol Sinthia is all grown up now, ad i'm going to hell because of it.

Sinthia's eyes twitched rapidly as she slept. Her mind was fighting against the seal, but it was relentless. Another layer formed over her and she screamed again and started to crush the closest thing to her: Atsūmi. Mitsukinori appeared with many hollows surrounding him, and he was dashing through them as the continued to swarm him, his Bankai active and destroying everything around him. He looked unconcerned, but the ice on his skin seemed to be live with excitement. He didn't need help.

Another explosion from the room over, and several hollow were inside of the facility. Three dead Shinigami healers lay on the floor in the room opposite, and the roars of hollow filled the air, and it became stale from the mere amount of spiritual pressures in the area. Another shinigami was in the center of seven hollow, and he seemed too scared to move. The hollows all attacked and tore him apart, killing him in an instant.

Sinthia stopped screaming, and the fourth layer of the seal compiled onto her skin, vanishing shortly after.

Then an Adjuchas appeared directly in front of Natsuki.

Poor timing, to be honest.

Natsuki's body froze as a presence squirmed through her body. It was as though she couldn't control it anymore, and a pain exploded through her limbs as the seal on her chest started to glow and expand more and more, now reaching her stomach and the sides of her back, as well as up to her chin and halfway to the elbow on both arms.

Sinthia began screaming. Atsumi's ears began to cower thanks to the fact that her head was resting on her shoulder. Then her body tensed up. Sithia's arms clamped down on her neck and Atsumi began to choke. Thinking she was awake Atsumi began to rapidly tap Sinthia's arm. LET GO! LET GO! LET GO! YOU'RE CHOKING ME YOU FUCKING CUNT!

She calmed down again, allowing Atsumi to breath. Mitsukinori was doing his thing, slaughtering hollows with his Bankai. Medics where on the ground. Dead. A Shinigami was devoured by seven hollow. Well then...thing are looking bad.

She spoke too soon.

An Adjuchas appeared between them and Natsuki. Fuck.

Atsumi motioned for a kick but failed. She couldn't fight with Sinthia on her back. She also couldn't put her down else she'd risk not being able to get back to her. All she could do was keep her guard up and hope that Natsuki could make a move of some sort. She stared at Natsuki. Why was she freezing up like that? "Natsuki move." she said, her voice cold and harsh. They wouldn't last if people were freezing up just by seeing an enemy. That was when she noticed the glowing light coming from her. Shit again? Would have been nice if the Commander gave us information about this.

She didn't have much of a choice now. She grabbed Sinthia by the leg and threw her at Natsuki. It would hurt but they'd have to deal with it. She positioned herself between the two and the Adjuchas. She would have to beat it along with any other hollow that would show up. She spoke to it "Would it be possible for you to act like you didn't see us?"

The look on it's face didn't seem to change. Again with people not answering.

"Let's find player over here some clothes...and you too, though, I'm enjoying the view around here." Atsumi said, eyes wandering. In response, Natsuki contorted her face that grew redder by the second.

Just as she was about to adjust the scarf to be a better shirt, Sinthia let out a scream. Once more, Natsuki jumped at the sound of it, her eyes full of surprise and concern. She became even more concerned when the young girl's hands wrapped around Atsumi's throat.

"H-hey! Sinthia!" Natsuki exclaimed, panic surging through her. What the hell is going on!? What's happening to her? She was about to run over and help when she saw that Atsumi could breathe again. Relief flushed over her. She glanced around, and managed to spy Mitsukinori fighting of hollows outside. "There's still mo-?"

An explosion cut her off. She sensed the hollow that were now roaming about inside, the deaths of the healers. She lowered her brows in anger. A break, please!? The screaming of Sinthia cut off. There was an eerie silence.

Then...

There was a person in front of her. A-adjuchas? The first thing Natsuki could do was simply stare. Why was it taking so long for her to react? She tried to move, but found she couldn't. She couldn't speak. She could only stare at the thing that was probably about to fatally wound her. Kill her. Again. PLEASE

Something stirred within her, and all of a sudden she was crying out. A strong pain shot through her limbs like they were exploding. She couldn't see the seal glow, spread. She could only see the back of her eyelids.

Was that Atsumi's voice? It didn't sound like her.

IneedtomoveIneWHATISHAPPENINGTOME Her thoughts screamed in her head. A body suddenly knocked into her, successfully taking her to the ground. Fire, throbbing, sharp and deep. "...jeesh..." She managed to squeak, her eyes glistening.

Sinthia was sleeping, jerks.

The Adjuchas lunged toward Atsūmi with the force of an animal, but the skill of a trained warrior. Then another Adjuchas appeared, no two more. One blocked Atsūmi from Sinthia and Natsuki, while the other grabbed Natsuki and lifted her in the air. The seal layered and concealed on Natsuki's skin, and everything about her was back to normal. The hollow was motioning to bite off Natsuki's head.

Meanwhile, the second Hollow that was attacking Atsūmi lunged forward at the wrong moment and ending up knocking directly into the other one and knocking them off course, however it was enough to distract Atsūmi, as they were both heading straight for her. Another seal started to layer on Sinthia: a fifth?!

The Adjuchas dashed towards Atumis. It was fast but there was more to it. More Adjuchas appeared around her, one cutting her off from Natsuki and Sinthia. A hollow picked up Natsuki and motioned to bite off her head. FUCK!

The hollow that was charging her ran into the other. A chance! She was about to move when she heard Sinthia screaming. She looked over to see another seal forming. You fucking kidding me? How many seals does she need?!

It was a dire situation. She'd have to try what she had been thinking since the encounter with Lucy. 

She curled her body inwards and her reiatsu seeped out. It was dense sure, but nowhere near enough to disturb an Adjuchas. Suddenly, Atsumi's limbs flung outwards and she screamed. A huge wave of spiritual pressure expanded outward from her. Now that would at least gain their interest. That wasn't all. Tiny holes appeared throughout Atsumi's body, some ripping through her clothes, and shot out blood in all directions. Each holes blood shot was three inches long and 3cm wide. This would injure all surrounding friends and foes. Although, she was just able to keep almost all of it from hitting Sinthia and Natsuki. 

Atsumi panted for a couple of seconds, color draining from her body. She moved again. She wasn't done. Just as she shot the nails out, she pulled them back in, passing through those who got hit by it again. When they passed through each target again it pulled a liter of their blood out with it. Not wanting to be contaminated by hollow blood she forced their blood onto her hand while bringing her blood back inside of her. With a final motion she slammed the Hollow blood into the ground and made it disperse into a fine bloody mist.

Taking the opening she had created she moved backwards and used some of her own blood that was seeping out of the many holes in her body to form a blade. She cut clean through the Hollow hand that was grasping onto Natsuki. She caught her and scooped Sinthia off of the ground. 

That worked pretty well! I should name that something...now what?!

She was still in a tough situation. Sinthia was showing no signs of waking up. Natsuki seemed fine but who knows when she'll go into another seal formation. 

She took Kiyoko off of her shoulder and tossed him over to the side along with Natsuki and Sinthia. In sync with Atsumi, it took the mist around the hollow that had control of Natsuki and formed a bubble around the two. It had enough give to deflect most attacks, though it wasn't going to last for forever. With the hollow now able to see she needed to act fast. She thrust her arm into the hollow and began to work her magic now able to control its blood. This didn't stop it from retaliating. It punched Atsumi in the gut. The pain was immense and the blow was too fast for Yuuwa to prepare for the attack, making her take full damage. Her mouth opened as she flew upward and blood spilled out of it as though it were vomit. Just before he hand exited the Hollow's body she was able to move the it's bodily fluids outwards. This caused an explosion of bile, blood, saliva, and many other things.  I did it!

She landed on the ground and looked at the Adjuchas she had just exchanged blows with. It wasn't dead after that but it was close. Natsuki would have to finish off before it recovered. Yukiko sensed this and shoved Natsuki out of the bubble. While this happened Atsumi used whatever focus she had on keeping the other two Adjuchas occupied in the mist. We need something to happen here soon or we're done for.

Upupup she went. One had her!? Wasn't there just one?

Natsuki was surprised and relieved when she found out she could move again. She struggled in the Adjuchas grasp as it attempted to bite off her head. She was overcome with happiness when its hand was sliced off by a rogue blade formed of blood. She fell into the arms of Atsumi and offered a smile. "Thank you, hero." Then she was tossed to the side. Whee

She rolled over and saw that a bubble was forming around her, Sinthia, and a little thing. She pulled herself onto her knees and watched as Atsumi thrust her arm into one the hollow, of which punched her. Blood flew from her mouth.

"Atsumi?" Natsuki cried. Is she alright?

From the hollow blasted a explosion of blech-y stuff.

She's okay. However, so was the hollow.

Atsumi fell to the ground and Natsuki saw that she wouldn't be able to finish it off before it finished her. Could she get out of this bub-

She slides out from the bubble. Okay, okay. She grabbed onto her zanpakuto and lifts herself onto her toes. She pushes herself up and spins around, unsheathing her sword and holding it up high enough for it to hit the hollow right at the middle of its neck. Its head falls to the floor.

Natsuki stops spinning and jabs her blade into the floor to catch her footing. She felt a little funny. Her eyes wander to the mist that held the other two Adjuchas and then to Atsumi. "You okay?" She asked quickly. "Come on!"

She believed with all her being that they could easily defeat these things together. If the brunette was okay, of course. She narrowed her fiery eyes at the hollows, the corners of her mouth turning up.

Reiatsu was flooding the room as several more Adjuchas entered the room. Sinthia's eyes cracked open as she looked through whatever she was in. The Adjuchas, there were too many now. Sinthia's eyes widened, she couldn't die now. She had to do something before they were all dead. After all, she couldn't just let her friends die.

Friends? Such an obscure word to Sinthia's mind. She felt energy pulsing through her, and she pushed herself up with great effort, barely making it. Reiatsu was starting to seep out, and then another seal formed. The pain, again. Not again. She kept pushing herself forward, more and more reiatsu bursting around her. A second layer formed above the first, and the pain became even more excruciating.

Then, she lost sight of Atsūmi and Natsuki. In her mind, if she was thinking of pain, she wasn't anymore. Her friends were in danger...

Friends?

"Stop! Get away from them." she screamed, pushing herself further. "GET AWAY FROM THEM!"

A total of five seals was hovering above her skin as the bubble dissipated. She picked up her Zanpakuto and ran forward. A hollow turned to her and she smacked it in the face with her fist.

A sixth layer.

She winced, but didn't stop. She continued, and down went three of the Adjuchas.

A seventh layer.

The pain in her body was too excruciating for her, and she passed out in shock again.

I don't want to die.

Then don't.

Her eyes shot open again as a dark reiatsu exploded into the room, and a total of fifteen layers was hovering around her now, the last on thicker than all of the rest. Sinthia's hand raised to Natsuki.

"Awaken."

Sinthia passed out and all of the seals condensed in an instant, no trace of reiatsu coming from her.

Natsuki, however, exploded with power, a hollow mask forming on her. This masks goal was to eradicate anything and everything in its way.

Hmm. Those Adjuchas sure look tasty, don't they?

...nevermind...

She glanced around the room at the new crowd of Adjuchas. Too many. Toomany. Natsuki side-stepped towards Atsumi, thoughts racing. Sinthia was safe, right? They needed to get in the shield and hoped it could hold.

"Stop! Get away from them." Her eyes shot towards the sound of Sinthia's voice. It didn't sound like her at all. She was up, walking... angry? "GET AWAY FROM THEM!"

She was covered in seals and knocking down Adjuchas left and right. Natsuki wasn't sure if she should feel worried or thankful. They could easily overpower her, but she was getting rid of a number of them without even trying. She fell to the floor. "Sinthia!"

The Adjuchas were closing in. Could Mitsukinori help? No, he was busy. This isn't good! Her grip tightened on her zanpakuto and she was more ready than ever to strike something with it.

A movement. Sinthia's hand raised, aimed at her. Does she want help u-

"Awaken." Her eyes widened. What?

There was a numbing sensation and her vision blurred, became dark around the edges. She slumped slightly. She saw that her limbs were moving on their own. What was happening? Why was it so dark?

~

Silence filled the air as the newly masked Natsuki straightened.

The mask conformed to the shape of her face and resembled a comedy mask. Eye holes revealed eyes yellower and brighter than usual. Small slits came down from the eyes and over the cheekbone. Sharp teeth filled the smiling mouth, red lines continuing up her cheeks even when the mouth stopped to create a Joker-like affect. A single red circle sat in the middle of the forehead.

Her body tensed. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene. Her head cocked to the side and she raised her sword. Her shoulders shrugged as she sheathed it. Once more, she looked around. She took a step forward, stretching her arms out in front of her and cracking her knuckles.

Then, a small, inhuman chuckle escaped her throat as she shot forward and round-house kicked an Adjuchas' head off. She shot to the side, grabbed onto another's neck so tightly that another head fell to the floor. "Oops."

Atsumi was breathing heavily. The damage done by the Adjuchas was too much for Yuuwa to heal quickly. Not only this but the fact that she was keeping the mist stable mad the process even slower. Her perception of time slowed. She remember Akira and the few times she trained with him. It felt similar to this. She could do nothing but look at the Hollow in front of her. She heard screaming but couldn't understand it. Slowly something entered her field of view. It look angelic. It decapitated the hollow with ease. Her vision blurred as she lost focus. When it had come back everything was blurry and the angel was trying to communicate with her, though it all sounded like gibberish to her.

Do they all sound like they're drowning? No...wait I think...she couldn't finish her train of though.

Hearing a scream she moved her head over to where her bubble was. A small smudgy thing appeared from it. It was screaming about something. It was moving towards the angel and held its hand out to it. The only word she heard from there on out was "Awaken."

Her vision cleared for a moment and saw Natsuki adorning a hollow's mask. Everything in her body moved, forcing her to stand up against a wall. Memories of what had happened before when she heard those words flooded her head again. 

NO! IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN! I'M NOT LOSING THEM!

She leaned against the wall as it was the only way she could support herself. By the time she managed to take a step Natsuki had slain two Adjuchas. Where was she getting this power?! She had said something but Atsumi couldn't understand it. She felt tears trying to force their way out, her throat was tightening and her breathes were becoming jagged. She was hit with a sudden wave of pain, both physical and emotional. Though she could trade hits with just about anything she was never of any use when battles continued. Someone always had to do the job for her and she began to loathe herself because of this. Just like before she wasn't strong enough to win the battle outright, and because of it history was repeating itself.

Yuuwa's healing became weaker and weaker as Atsumi spiraled. Sadness, rage, self-pity, emptiness, they were all breaking through the walls of her mind. They were flooding into her head and she wasn't able to shake herself out of it like before. 

Blood rushed up her throat and out of her mouth again. She couldn't feel her limbs anymore. She fell to the ground only able to watch what was happening. All she could do was stand witness to Natsuki. Soon only Ntsuki and Sinthia were in her mind. Every thought led back to them. All she wanted was for them to be okay.

Yuuwa and Kiyoko's voice rang from deep inside her at the same time, becoming one familiar voice. 

"Do it..."

Do what?

They swarmed now. So many of them, and just one Natsuki. However, that shouldn't matter as long as she stays hollowfied. Mitsukinori burst through the frame work and, with Natsuki's hollow, destroyed all of the Adjuchas. He then grabbed onto Natsuki's shoulder and with great strength ripped the mask from her face, forcing the hollowfication to end. She'd awaken a bit shaken but otherwise without fault. He then continued to fight the flow of Adjuchas so that the three of them would be safe, and his zanpakuto was howling with laughter.

"Weaklings, weaklings, WEAKLINGS! Give us a challenge why don't ya?!" it screamed, and Mitsukinori sighed while they continued to fight and combat. "Shut up, we need to end this."

"Don't boss me around!"

"Then act accordingly!"

An Adjuchas lunged toward them and their hand moved with inhuman speeds to grab the head, crushing it instantly.

"Fine, but let's do this with a bit of Synthesis. It gives me more fun."

Mitsukinori laughed. An odd sight to see when he's in Bankai.

"Synthesis it is."

Now, let's fight as one again. they chanted to each-other. Their movements increased in speed and power as they moved as one, and they made decisions together. Both of them were analyzing the situation and communicating with one another, an unstoppable combination.

Heads rolled, the hollow remaining quiet as she tore the Adjuchas apart. Just as she was about to turn her attention to the shinigami that were hers for the taking, a strong hand clamped down on her shoulder. A deep growl escaped the hollow's throat as the Mitsukinori tore the mask off.

~

Everything sharpened suddenly, everything a little too bright. She saw Mitsukinori in bankai. When'd he get there? Glancing around, she saw an unconscious Sinthia and an Atsumi that appeared to have something wrong with her. Confusionandshock

There was a weird feeling on her skin. She stumbled away from the incoming Adjuchas and towards her friends, her hands placed on her cheeks. She wanted to scream. She didn't ask for any of this. One new thing after the next...

If what she thinks just happened just happened...

Awaken.

Monster.

She plopped onto the floor between the two girls. She glanced at Sinthia, her lips tight. She did it. How? She listened to Mitsukinori and his bankai bicker and dropped her hands into her lap, where she examined the tree on her palm. She wanted to sleep.

Suddenly she remembered Atsumi. Her eyes shot to the side, concerned. Blood was coming out of her mouth. Natsuki crawled over to her silently. "Atsumi?"

"Do it...just do it."

What are you two even talking about right now? You two are being hella cryptic right no-

Her hearing was returning while her train of thought was disrupted by Mitsukinori. He appeared, ripping off Natsuki's mask. She felt a wave of relief...but now there was less of a group and more of an army of Hollow around them. Mitsukinori was ready to fight them all. Even if he was strong enough to take them all on would he be able to deal with their numbers? 

"Synthesis it is."

Synthesis?

His movements were fucking crazy. He was completely different from before. He was doing things with his body that looked impossible. But he was absolutely demolishing the Adjuchas. Actually, demolishing was too soft of a word for what he was doing. With this it felt like the tide of the battle was turning. 

It's about time shit goes our way for once. 

There was a bit of hope behind her thoughts. With this new found hope Yuuwa began to slowly work at Atsumi's wounds.

"Atsumi?"

It was Natsuki's voice. It wasn't weird and twisted like before though. She seemed like she was back to normal, and without to much damage done either. She seemed worried about her. To try and reassure her Atsumi opened her mouth to speak but Yuuwa scolded her. Something about letting her concentrate on the "mess of flesh" that was her insides. So she closed her mouth again letting out a "hmmm" noise. She took this as an opportunity to ask Kiyoko about what the two mean by "do it." The hell are you talking about? We didn't say shit. Turning her attention back to Natsuki. She waved her hand to signal that she'd be alright. Then she heard a loud noise and her eyes darted over to Mitsukinori. The guy was cleaving through them like they were nothing. If she didn't know better she'd say he was a hollow too.

I'mma have to talk to Sinthia about this shit.

They wouldn't need any abilities for now, as long as--

Oops.

Mitsukinori passed out, and his Bankai reverted back to sealed. He had used up too much energy. The Adjuchas were starting to surround them. They wouldn't make it if this kept up, and Sinthia's eyes slithered open slightly. She looked outside to see hundreds, no, thousands of hollow.

Then Yuriko appeared and took over the slaughter.

She was as fast as Mitsukinori, but only in sealed.

What is with these monstrous entities?

There wasn't a response for a bit. Natsuki glanced over her shoulder, seeing that Mitsukinori was steadily slaughtering the flow of hollows. He was super powerful. How long could he keep that up?

Hmmmm She looked back towards Atsumi, unsure what "hmm" meant. Just as she was about to press the issue, Atsumi signaled that she was okay. Natsuki gave a curt nod, hair bobbing, and pulled herself onto her feet.

Where's my... She glanced around the floor. She must've dropped her zanpakuto, right? She patted at her sides and found that it was sheathed. ...okay... She drew it, unsure if she should offer support to Mitsukinori. She didn't want to take the chance of losing her head midst a tense battle where she wouldn't be paying attention to his fists. But...

He suddenly dropped, his Bankai sealing within his sword. The hollow simply continued pouring in, body after body. They were soon surrounded. Spiritual pressure was building up and Natsuki glanced at her friends. Were they even in the shape to fight?

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to gather her thoughts. There were so many things she could do - powers and knowledge that she had received only within the past few hours and didn't even understand yet - and she was getting a little overwhelmed. A lot tired. It was hard to think. She was taking too long to react. I...

She opened her eyes only to see Yuriko appear. She started destroying the Adjuchas with ease. I hope I can fight like these guys someday... She thought. She inhaled sharply and glanced down at her zanpakuto.

I should probably shikai. What could go wrong? It doesn't look like they're stopping. "Be reborn, Hou-ou."

The familiar eruption of fire from her hand, the shaping of her katana into two serrated half-feathers. Out of the corner of her eyes - one red, one gold - she saw that her hair was quickly growing longer.

Energy seemed to surge through her, as though she wasn't sleepy just moments before. A smirk crossed her face as her fiery eyes shot around the room. "Let's try this puppy out..." She said, giving her weapon a spin. The sound it made as it cut the air was satisfying.

She ran forward and tried to thrust one end into an Adjuchas' midsection. In the end, though, she spun around quickly, avoiding a blow, and swept the weapon around. At such speeds, the blade easily rode the air. Probably would've hurt if the enemy wasn't an Adjuchas heh. She stopped short when the hollow lurched forward. She sidestepped, wondering how to use the cool abilities stored within Hou-ou. Hopefully they were powerful enough that she could prove useful.

If her jaw was able to drop it would have at the sight of Mitsukinori passing out. 

So much for that.

She struggled for a moment, trying to get up, but couldn't. She was still recovering from all the damage the first Hollow did you her. However, with more and more Hollow flooding in the situation might warrant her pissing off Yuuwa and going back into the fray.

That was until Yuriko appeared. She was slaying them by the masses, in sealed form no less. Are Captains really this much above us? 

Natsuki arose to her feet and released her shikai. Did he hair just grow? She attacked dodging the Adjuchas with skill. Better than me that's for sure.

I can't let them do all the fighting. Atsumi was hit with a wave of determination. She didn't feel like being left behind while everyone else advanced. This probably wouldn't have happened if it weren't for Natsuki and Mitsukinori. Yuuwa's healing sped up the more determined Atsumi became. She'd be able to join them soon, but she needed a strategy to not get instantly knocked out of the fight again. 

"Do it...stop pushing it off and do it" the familiar voice rang again.

Just fucking tell me what it is already.

Sinthia was lying unconscious still, no sign of reiatsu or life coming from her body, yet it was moving from her breathing. Her zanpakuto also made no indication of being a zanpakuto, more so it was like a normal sword. Yuriko held her dual zanpakuto upside-down, and then dropped them to grab the blades, slamming the hilts together.

"Gochisō, Kageken." she says, and suddenly a shadow falls on everything, yet the sun and sky still shine bright as day. Yuriko is holding what appears to be a nodachi and a wakizashi. She looks over the battle-field that she has created for herself, all emotion and life removed from her posture and appearance. She hovered from about a foot off the ground until she touched the ground.

Then she was gone, the shadow engulfing her, and suddenly.

"Shitsuryō Kage Ansatsu." a voice echoes across the fifty foot diameter of her abilities reach, and suddenly hands grab out and latch onot anything they can find within grabbing distance.

Shadows were her domain here.

Suddenly she appears next to one--no, many--of the hollow, and her blade slices through them in an instant. The ones she didn't catch, her shadows tugged at some more.

One of the Adjuchas was actually pulled in half. She was never seen whenever he feet touched the shadowed ground, it was as though she became invisible when touched by it. The shadows were still grabbing onto people, and one of the shadows fully formed into a silhouette of Yuriko, dragging Sinthia into the nothingness.

However the shadow appeared to be sliced in half.

So were the ones still dragging at the other two.

As the last of the Hollows fell, more piled in, and Yuriko's zanpakuto sealed. She didn't want to waste too much of her energy with just the Adjuchas. What if that thing came back? She looked at Natsuki and then Sinthia. Maybe if she could harness...

No, not a good idea. Very bad idea.

That, and she didn't think Sinthia had much left in her. If anything at all.

As if on cue, Sinthia's eyes started to blink open slowly. From her normal, everyday bloodlust her hand was already grabbing for the sword.

She tried to pull it out of the sheath but it wouldn't budge.

"What the hell...?"

"Oh my god..." Natsuki huffed, frustration evident in both her tone and her posture as other adjuchas approached, attention on her. I won't be able to do anything. She thought, her feet bringing her backwards. Why was she so weak? She wanted to be able to help like Mitsukinori did and Yuriko was now. She couldn't. She wasn't strong enough, trained enough.

If she did have one strength, though, it was her speed. She'd put that to use.

"Bye~" She whispered, turning around and running just fast enough to keep out of their reach. She found that running was easier in this form, for whatever reason. It felt strange when her hair floated behind her. She led them around the bodies of her friends.

Suddenly, everything turned dark. Her eyes shot around and landed upon Yuriko. As soon as she touched the ground, she disappeared. Umbral hands began to pop out and grab everything and anything. She appeared and disappeared, her swords slicing the adjuchas with ease. Eventually, even the ones that were after Natsuki fell. For a second, the room was empty.

Natsuki almost smiled, but then she saw more come in. W-where?

Yuriko sealed her zanpakuto and glanced back at Natsuki and Sinthia, who still lay on the floor. Almost as though Yuriko's gaze gave life, Sinthia stirred, her hand instantly grabbing at her sword. It didn't seem to want to come out of the sheath. Natsuki watched, her eyes flickering between her and the piling number of adjuchas.

Yuriko let loose a spectacular array of attacks. However, even with that the Adjuchas were still pouring in. Sinthia had passed out but woke up shortly after Yuriko sealed her Zanpakuto again and glanced in her general direction.

Atsumi attempted to speak but her tongue was force out of her mouth when she was speaking; causing her to bite down onto it. She couldn't pull her teeth apart for some odd reason. She kept trying and, eventually, succeeded.

Her jaws loosened and her mouth opened wide. She was trying to scream out in pain but a strong flow of Reiatsu was pouring out of the newly formed Grand Canyon in her tongue. They area around her was tinted red along with her own body becoming completely surrounded by her Reiatsu. Am I going Super Sayian?

Soon the storm of Reiatsu that was coming from Atsumi was over. She was panting; beads of sweat were falling from her face as it looked downwards. What was th-- Her eyes rolled upwards into her skull as an even stronger outburst of Reiatsu shot around her again. You could say that the moment of calm was just here being in the EYE of the storm. Just like the eye of the storm the worst was coming now.

The only question is for who.

Her eyes returned to their initial position and she was in control again. She felt like a god of sorts. She felt as though she could crush mountains. She pushed forwards, forming a small crater where she once was, and was in front of the enemy in a splitsecond. It wasn't a shunpo. It was just her pure, uncontrolled speed. One Mississippi. She coiled her arm inwards and hurled a punch into the abdomen of the nearest Adjuchas. It's stomach caved in and it lurched fowards before shooting back into the crowd. Two Mississippi. Around four Adjuchas rushed her. She probably could have moved but she thought she could block their hits; she wasn't wrong.

She blocked two with both of her arms and one with her knee. She didn't sustain any damage from them like before. The last managed to bite down onto her shoulder. It managed to penetrate about 3mm of her skin. She was staggered for a moment. Everything grew double--triple. She opened her eyes widely; forcing her eyes to focus again. Six Mississippi.

Yu and Kiyo rang simotaniously in her head again. "Get back to THEM before ten.

Hah?

One roundhouse kick, which also sent the four Adjuchas flying backwards, followed by a back step and she was back at Natsuki and Sinthia. Eight Mississippi.

That was easy. I didn't even take any damage.

Nine Mississipi. Her eyes shot open. She was shocked. Exactly ten seconds after she gained all that power and put a beat down on the Adjuchas she was overcome by a tidal wave of pain. Her skin literally vanished off of her body. Several of her organs twisted, nearly rupturing, along with her left bicep being completely torn from the bone.. She screamed bloody murder. "You're lucky we managed to spread the damage over your whole body and not just the impact area. You'd be dead so endure this" Yu said as though she were scolding Atsumi. Along with the pain of having all of her skin ripped off of her at once the power she had gained vanished.

She tasted blood in her mouth from her tongue. Why didn't she taste this before? Did she just not notice? Either way Yu healed Atsumi's tongue first so that she wouldn't die from blood loss.

Even through all the pain Atsumi was still, kinda, in a defensive stance.

I-I'm not going down again.

Their voices rang again. "When that happens again make sure you make it back in time."

Sinthia was ignorant of everything happening around her, she was more distracted by her inability to wield her own weapon, let alone the silence coming from it. What is happening? She tried to push with all of her strength and reiatsu, but she didn't feel anything. No reiatsu even existed from her spot. What is happening?! Her eyes widened and she pushed herself up. Constantly, she put more and more effort into pulling her zanpakuto out but nothing happened, and she looked around.

She was weak, useless. She couldn't do anything and was therefore living for nothing. Why live when she can't even do the one thing she lives for? Her eyes darted around to the others, and that's when she sees Yuriko staring at her for a short time before entering combat, keeping the hollows off of them. Why why why?! She was frantic now. Her hands clawed at the hilt, the sheath, the guard. Everything. She just wanted to use it. She NEEDED to use it. In anger she threw her zanpakuto to the ground in hopes that it would pop out of its sheath or magically fix itself, but nothing happened.

An Adjuchas jumped through Yuriko's wall of death that she was maintaining, and it was bounding straight for Sinthia.

"Oh my..."

Sinthia was glued to the spot as the hollow closed was closing the distance, Yuriko too preoccupied to do anything. Her eyes darted to the zanpakuto on the floor and she grabbed it quickly, and with quick reflexes it was between her and the Adjuchas: a large creature that seemed to be a mix of a spider and a wolf. It bit down aggressively on the zanpakuto, and Sintiha smiled happily that she still had the ability to deflect attacks.

That smile broke faster than her zanpakuto.

Natsuki began to make her way over to Sinthia as the kid continued to struggle with her sheath. Why wasn't it coming out? Why couldn't she feel her rei-

An unexpected wave of reiatsu suddenly traveled the air, one that was sudden and strong. Her eyes shot to the source. "Atsumi?" She was enveloped in a haze of red, looking as though she was possessed. As seconds passed, the reiatsu grew stronger and stronger. Then, she shot forward and began destroying the adjuchas.

At this point, Natsuki sort of just nodded and continued on her way. Whatever works. Sinthia was on her feet now, looking a little panicked. Suddenly she threw her zanpakuto on the ground, as though getting frustrated would make everything better. "Hold on-"

A weird looking adjuchas broke through Yuriko's defense and ran straight towards Sinthia. She didn't have her sword. Natsuki cursed under her breath, anger and urgency filling her being. Letting one through was enough to get a NEW RECRUIT killed. Especially one who was currently unable to draw a weapon. She wasn't that far away now.

A piercing scream broke her concentration. She glanced over her shoulder to see Atsumi, skinless, but still standing. Her stomach lurched. What the heck happened? Oh jeeze... She looked back over to Sinthia, who was now fending off the rogue adjuchas with the still-sheathed zanpakuto. "Gogogogo!" Hou-ou, it'd be really useful if you could-

There was a whisper as a reply. It was better than nothing. She couldn't damage it with weapon alone, not with her strength. Sinthia was in a bad place at the moment.

The situation worsened even more when Sinthia's sword broke. "Hold on!" Natsuki bellowed. Please. Would it be enough? "Jūrensha!" Her winged blade became golden with heat and fire billowed upon each end of the feather. She took aim and just went for it, thrusting one end forward before letting go of the hilt. It floated midair for a split second, her hand ready to catch it if it fell. Then, it began to spin at high speeds, releasing a line of good-sized golden fireballs right at the adjuchas. After releasing five or six, Hou-ou fell into her hand once more. Whatever the damage was - little or a lot - that the fireballs inflicted, she was already racing towards the hollow to try and inflict some more damage.

I'm not going to lose anyone else.

It was quite the odd sensation. She could feel Yuuwa stitching the muscle in her right arm back onto her bone. It felt like little worms were burrowing into her very core but only without the pain. On that same note it was obvious that Yu was focusing on allowing Atsumi to function instead of worrying about easing her pain.

"Jūrensha!"

Atsumi turned to the direction in which Natsuki's voice was exploading from and saw a sight to been seen. A chain of fireballs were launched at the Adjuchas. IT would no doubt at stun it or at least cause it to flinch. But what was the Adjuchas doing back there? Her heterochromic eyes scanned the area around it. It took a moment before it clicked. Sinthia was around there. She finally understood why Natsuki was going at it.

Atsumi dashed towards it. The pain from having her raw flesh hit the ground again and again made her want to stop. But that wouldn't be her style now would it? She didn't stop but she was definitely slower than usual. Natsuki would get there first and most likely land a couple of hits like before she would get there.

When Atsumi arrived at the Adjuchas she thrust her hand into it prepared to dodge whatever attack came at her. It's really weird feeling your own flesh rubbing against anothers. She Made all liquids shoot out like before, only with a lesser impact. It could have been that this Adjuchas was just stronger than the one before or that she was just in a weakened state. Maybe it was the latter. It wasn't enough to take it down that's for damn sure.

She grabbed onto one of its limbs and swung around it once. She clotheslined the other limbs as she went by. This caused to to lose its balance; even if only temporarily. She then grabbed onto what would be its neck and rotated partially around that as well. She was finally on top of its neck. She reached over it and pulled on its mask with all of her strength. It wouldn't rip it off but it would expose its neck. Again she had to trust Natsuki; more so this time as if Natsuki cut too deep she would also cut Atsumi.

Please tell me she was studying to be a surgeon

Sinthia stood there, and all she could do was feel helpless.

And then she felt it, as they all would have: A surge of reiatsu powerful enough to put Yuriko to her knees. A faded whisper could be heard all across Soul Society in the vague voice of the Captain Commander. Sinthia blacked out instantly, not having any spiritual pressure to compete, and she fell to the floor limp. Yuriko was suddenly on her knees and hands, trying to keep herself from falling to the ground.

"Bankai."

The world felt as though it split as the words were spoken, and technically that's what it was doing. The ground ruptured all around, and buildings were collapsing or cracking all around. Lava started to seep from the veins of the world and bubble into the air, little spikes of magma started to form, and then all at once they jetted out in a stream toward every hollow in the area. This power was insane, and the only thing protecting Sinthia from destruction were the seals on her body as the lava tried to eradicate her, sensing a presence of hollow. The spikes bounced off and back onto Sinthia, but never actually affected her.

A surge of more reiatsu as one of the seals broke, but Sinthia was still safe. How long would she be able to last against the surge of power?

Another spike was also trying to get to Natsuki, but Yuriko had managed to push herself into a defensive position and the spike was being constantly deflected, albeit rather slowly.