Recon in Antarctica (Mission, Xiao)

[Kurosawa Ryou]

Sitting there on a plain of white, a figure who was filled with darkness watched out through the pools that shielded away his own personal hell. It was certainly one thing the Shinigami liked about missions. No longer did he had shield himself so much, not that there was much of a shield anyway… it was simply that Ryou was smart enough to know he was a monster. The only thing he was scared of in the entire world, besides failing to protect his mistresses… was simply for that monster to be seen, by those whom he considered family. Only In’ei had seen that monster, because in a way… she was that monster, but he simply wanted to make sure it was left at that. This place was so peaceful, and indeed quite beautiful. The cold and yet seemingly sterile nature of it all made it seem that way, but this place was not sterile. No not by a long shot… and it was these animals that only added to its beauty. What made it such an amazing place in Ryou’s mind was a lack of people, just him and In’ei. Of course they were not here for a normal site seeing tour, and this was the reason that he crouched just inside a cave on an ice out cropping. The one thing that he didn’t like about this place… too few shadows.

The man soon decided to move again, and pulled the white heavy cloak close. Ryou as usual thought for stealth, even in the sense of being seen by the normal eye. Withier or not wearing white would help, he didn’t care… every advantage that could help you to hide should be taken. So clinging his coat close to his body Ryou ran quickly against the wind looking for anything out of place. Xiao had asked for someone to scout out the Arctic region. While it was not habited by humans, the young Shinigami knew that he would have to watch out for other threats. He knew the Captain Commander would have sent him out here for no reason. The 4th seat was able to find another cave to hold up in for a moment and examine his surroundings. His large black eyes constant observing every detail of the large ice crags, to find some place maybe were a base was being carve in or maybe a hollow. His breath was like a mist in front of his lips as he stood there thinking. The Shinigami had to try and get a grasp on what he could possibly find out here in this snowy desert. The ‘Dark Toymaker’ had to figure that out, in order to be ready for whatever might come… as well as to protect his Mistresses.

The ‘Mad Dog’ could sense the storm which lied ahead. He had to shield his ‘Mistresses’ form whatever might come. Was he really strong enough? Did he know enough? His mind started to wonder down that dangerous road and suddenly he heard In’ei voice sternly speaking to him, “Enough my darling. Concentrate on the mission… if you want to protect to them, then do you job. I promise… I won’t let you fail them, if you do your part.” As they always seemed to do, the three personalities of his sword thought in unison during missions, yet for their own distinct reasons. Sukai seemed to be getting a quite anxious annoyed with the monotony of it all, “When are we going to see something different. All there is white everywhere, and frankly who would have a base all the way out here.” Despite being the most violent… Sukai was actually the smartest, which was symbolized by the fact she wore glasses and was usually reading. Ningy of course was just complaining like she usually did for these types of missions, “Ryou when are we going to back home… I am bored… I want to play with you. Come on it is boring out here. Let’s go back and have a Tea Party.” The girlish part of his Zanpakuto seemed to pause for a moment before she suddenly said, “We can stalk Tiacho around.” His mental silence was deafening even for them… the trio who were used to having there master respond with something.

Ryou took his job very seriously, and he had to find out what could possibly be out here. Also if he could… he would destroy it. The Shinigami knew that he was the only one whom he could trust with the safety of his mistresses. As he started to travel again, Ryou was very careful about using his ability to fly… and only did so when he was next to crags of ice. He had made sure his hair was also covered and even tied back in a ponytail. This was a recon mission and so the ability to see would be quite important when it came to looking around. Also the ability to avoid a blizzard for the moment would be useful, but at the same time Ryou was heading in this direction and tried to keep his movements in this direction for a reason. The Shinigami had prepared by trying to gather weather reports and according to them a blizzard should be coming in this general direction in the next couple of hours. A blizzard would certainly help to cover the ground with shadows, and so if he was attacked, the man hoped to try and use it to his advantage. Other than that, he would have to hope he was just well prepared enough to take on or escape, form whatever came after him.

Coming towards a large ice crag that stuck up, the Shinigami saw a large over hang that created a good shadowy area. Ryou landed there and crouched down as he continued to look around, and noticed out of the corner of eye a large chunk of ice falling off into the ocean. The male made a soft sound of annoyance at the sight. The humans were ruining their own world, and frankly he wondered if his new home would look the same one day… it would certainly be a sad day indeed and was something he couldn’t protect his mistresses form… progress… at least not without being much stronger. His hand constantly remained on his Zanpakuto while deep in thought. The Shinigami was almost in a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ mood, but that was simply because there was little reasons for anyone to be here. That wasn’t supposed to anyway… Ryou had done his research on current ‘human’ endeavors very thoroughly, so he was sure of that. Looking around as he crouched there, the man continued to wonder exactly what it was that he was going to find.

[Deleted]

The arctic; A solemn quiet unending field of frozen water at her beck and call. Ever since her battle with Hitsugaya she had come here and trained melting the ice after dislodging large portions causing large landslides toward herself. Her greatest challenges came when she would stand upon the frigid water and cast icebergs toward herself and try melting them in an instant.

This training released a massive burst of reiatsu as for her to do this over and over again in rapid succession was to release her true form. So there she was standing on the water about twenty yards or so from a nearby glacier as another nearby falls into the water. A slight smirk on her face as she thought about how the humans of this world where so oblivious to what they where doing to it, and how oblivious they where to her and her allied armies.

Closing her eyes she pulled her blade off her back and unzipped her jacket. Aiming the blade down she closed her eyes and spoke her release.

"Ute; Tiburon."

As she spoke the shield of water spun around her and in an instant she was released from within in her now unrestricted form. Her reiatsu poured out over the infinite wastes of Antartica so far from any shinigami patrol that she would have hours before one would appear. Raising her blade up she charged her sharks tooth and swung it down in a large cutting cero. The cero would impact the glacier shearing it off the ice face and sending it plummeting toward her.

Raising her weapons he pointed it at the skyscraper sized piece of ice and focused as it began to melt around her. Slowly at first and then with a sudden explosion of water it surged past her and she smirked watching as the water moved past her and into the oceans of the world.

[Kurosawa Ryou]

It was as the man stared off into the distant, that he felt it hit him like freight train. The feeling almost made him reach for his Zanpakuto by reflex, but he held himself in check. Just the feeling of immense waves of reiatsu that began to touch his body sent chill's down the Shinigami's spine. The power that he felt, seemed to be above that of his Tachio... and he wondered if it was closer to the Captian Commander herself. Yet Ryou knew that this was no Shinigami, it certianly didn't feel like one... no... this was an Arrancar. For that to be the case though, it meant that it had to be an Espada. Only an Espada could be producing reiatsu in this large of an amount, though which of the three had yet to be determined. The 4th seat simply hoped that for his own sake that it was the less likely to want to kill him of the three. For a moment the Shinigami considered calling for help, and trying to escape, but if it was the less threating of the three Espada... then saw no need to cause trouble. Ryou didn't even move a inch as his eyes began to scan around to look out into the distant feilds around himself. It was then that he finally caught a vision of a flash of light from a Cero. The sight itself was one that made it obvious that the Espada he was looking for was in that direction.

His body was trembiling, though not out of fear. It was out of a sort of excitment of seeing the Esapda up close, because he had a feeling it didn't yet know he was here. Ryou had a certian respect for the creatures because of there strength, and worthiness as potential oppenants. Still though two of them where grave threats to his Mistresses, health and safty. So the 4th seat knew that he would have to try and use this moment to maybe glean whatever info he could. Especially if it was out here to train or somthing, then maybe he could figure out some tatics. It was at that point that finally Ryou was able to bring himself to move as he crawled slowly across the snow. The Shinigami taking his time as he moved in the direction of the intense power which only grew stronger as he got closer. Then suddenly it seemed as though that power had grown even stronger, as he reached the top cliff which seemed to now have an extra piece cut off he suddenly saw it as though looking down the barrel of the gun. The 'Mad Dog' didn't even pause as he quickly flash stepped side ways, and wondered if he had been seen. Though the instant he was able to confirm what he seen... the 4th seat knew that if she had seen him. He would be dead. It was indeed Hanibel-sama... the fastest of the Epsada if he remembered.

His hand that was holding the grip of his still sheathed Zanpakuto was trembling, though it was not fear, but that sense of excitment. The sense of stupid ideas running through his head... Ideas that he could save his Mistresses any pain, by pulling a supirse attack here and now. He almost opened his mouth to speak his Shikai's release when he heard the only voice that could have reached the growing monster in his head. It was In'ei screaming at him, "Don't be stupid you fool! She will shrug off your piteful attack and strike you down in a instant! You may pride yourself on your speed love, but hers is beyond anything you can do and you know it!" Still Ryou seemed almost like a lost causes as his hair was hanging down now that he had removed his hat to the side. Letting it fall in front of his face in that usal manner of his. "Well what am I sssupposed to do you stupid ssword this might be my last chance to protect them form her." The voice that answered was calm and motherly, "Just be calm and reasonable my love. Wait and see what happens... ok..." Only In'ei could have pulled him out of the pit he had accidently almost slipped into. She was like a goddess and the 4th seat was her one and only worshiper... her worlds gripped at his heart like law as he crouched there. Wacthing, and not really sure what was going to happen, but he was going to make sure he was ready.

It was around this time ithat Sukai chimed in, "Maybe we should make a Warren and escape if we make smart use of a shadow created by the coat? Though we will need to be fast engough to jump in..." Ryou just shook his head, now that he was thinking calmly about the whole situation, "No Hanibel-ssama is too fasste and will cacth me before I ever have time to get inside. No what we will have to do isss to simply wait, and see for the moment." The young man wondered though exactlly how dangerous this one was... form what he knew, wasn't this the more neutral of the three Epsada... or at least the one closest to the middle.

[Deleted]

Standing upon the water she felt a surge of satisfaction. Her power had grown and had been tested since the battle with Hitsugaya and now she felt she would be ready for another battle with the white haired taicho. Suddenly a small flash of reiatsu would perk the very edge of her senses brought her back to reality. :: Stupid move Hallibel as this will draw the attention of the shinigami... Seems that someone got her faster than I thought... ::

Lowering her large blade down she felt the signature try to hide itself from her gaze. It was funny to her as the shinigami seemed to shrink and hide from her in an attempt most from within Heuco Mundo would be able to find them rather easily. Chuckling to herself she weighed the options of what to do within her mind. It did not take her long to come up with her solution to the situation.

A ripping noise would be heard as she would Sonido down and behind Ryou. She placed the tip of her shark's tooth upon the ice she was standing on. Speaking up she announced her presence to the shinigami.

"So shinigami what brings you out to these frozen wastes? Come to keep an eye on me have you? Perhaps the shinigami should of sent me the one I fought with the Ice powers. Now I will give you this opprotunity. Tell me what I want to know and I may let you live..."

[Kurosawa Ryou]

(OOC; I had wrote my entire last post based on her being close to the water Certian missed that by a mile... )

Then suddenly the Espada was gone... all it had taken was one blink and Ryou had lost her. Yet it did not take the young Shinigami long to realize that he had intend been caught. The sound of Hallibel's sword hitting the ice behind him made the 'Mad Dog' freeze. Yet it was not fear, but a sense of curiousity and preverse excitment... as he was about to get a chance to converse with an Arrancar. Ryou presonally held nothing against the creatures. In fact if he didn't think it would be thought treson he would have expressed that hollows like them be left alone. Since they had reached a certian level of sentiance... that they where no longer like there wild animal breathren. Of course it was an opinion that he had never expressed before, and had always gone on doing his job as his Tiacho mistress said. A Cheshire like grin passed over his face, as he wondered exactlly what it was that the Espada wanted to know. It was not like he could fight her in order to try and get away. The Arrancar would be able to cut him down in a instant if he tried to do somthing like that. He wondered though if he could get away with deploying his Shikai? No... at least not yet... Hallibal was too fast, and he was sure such a potential sign of agresstion would get him cut down instantly.

Suddenly a voice spoke up in his head, "My dear let's make sure to show politeness and respect if we want to get out of here alive. Plus she may not expect that form a Shinigami. Ryou she was right, plus it was what he had already decided that he was going to do anyway. No use in being uncivil to the Espada since it seemed at the moment that all she wanted to do was chat. The young Shinigami didn't move at first when he started speaking, but as he did... the 4th seat would get up and turn around to face the Espada, Ah Hallibel-ssama... It sseems that you have caught me sspying on your training sssession here among these frozen wasste. What a pity... it wasss a instersting demonstration I have to ssay. Tucking back his hair, the young man knew that it would be useless to hide anything in this situation. As there would be nothing to gain form that, and on his face was one of his wide Cheshire like grins. In his eyes was a certian curious respect... that also reflected the maddness deeper within. He wondered for a moment if it was really a smart idea to tell her he had stumbled on her by accident. That would mean that his death, would seal his lips, but there was somthing he felt he could say to counter that fact. Plus there was the fact she wanted to gain some knowlegde it seemed... and personally Ryou was willing to give it as long as he didn't think it would lead to any of his Mistresses coming to harm.

"I wasss sent out here persssonally to recon these waste for anything out of the ordinary Hallibal-sama. To tell the truth I only happened to ssstumble on your training sesssion by chance. The detection of such power out here in an abandon area of the human world... isss not common. Asss for the Tiacho that you ssspeak... well you see he is pre-desposed for the moment. Plusss I Hallibal-ssama as I said before... you being here wass not the reasson that I was told to come out here." He seemed quite willing to talk to the Espada, but nothing that he was telling her would really hurt anything in his mind. Plus his end goal was really only to protect his 'Mistresses' yet if he were dead, then he knew that would no longer be possiable. After giving her the information that she had asked for Ryou looked at the Espada and said, "Is there anything else you would like to know Hallibal-sssama? All that mattersss to me is protecting that which I care about, ssso frankly as long as you don't assk me anything that endangersss them. Then well... I believe we can have a civil coversstion without all that sssilly fighting." The look in the Shinigami's eyes showed he wasn't bothered by the idea of death, and that was why he seemed to show only respect and not fear in this moment.

[Deleted]

Hallibel smirked at the shinigami. She had not been expecting such cordial manners nor such actions from a shinigami. Especially since all of her interactions with them in the past have been 'Your evil time to die.' moments. Raising the sharks tooth to her shoulder she stood there and listened to him speak. There was something about his grin that unnerved her, It was like he knew something and was not letting her know.

"So you where sent out here. To the middle of nowhere to search out what? To sate some curious desire of yours or one of your beloved captains? Which was it that asked this? Was it the ill tempered one? The psychotic scientist? Or was it the captain who is as cold as the surrounding ice? That insignificant little whelp of a man..."

Anger twinged her voice as she spoke on Hitsugaya. It was evident she hated the captain and would gladly fight him without hesitation. The anger was manifest as the snow swirling the two of them was slowly turning into a spinning mass of water surrounding them.

"If you wish to talk I have but one question for you. Where are those assassins you and your quincy allies are going after? That is all I wish to know..."

[Kurosawa Ryou]

Ryou realized the instant he saw the smirk apon the Espada's face... that he just might make it out of here alive. He could tell by the way she seemed to relax a bit, that Hallibal realized he ment no harm. Not only that, but his polite nature had at least gotten him a sort of acknowlegdement form her. A sort of unspoken understanding. While he wasn't sure if the respect was mutal coming form her direction, he at least figured she appreciated meeting a Shinigami that didn't want to kill her for once. At the same time that made him curious because he was certianly starting to find her presance to be... instersting to say the least. Plus the fact that she wasn't striking first and asking questions later herself. It made him wonder for a moment what would have happened if the Espada had been under a better influance so many years ago. Also one had to ask, if Soul Socity wasn't a place that had traditions which were hard to break.... maybe... just maybe. So much death in future could be avoided. Yet such things had happened for centuries, and it was nearly impossiable to erase blood that had gone that bad. It was at that point that Hallibal started talking, like before it turned into her quizing him. Which was indeed somthing that Ryou found amusing, since it gave away the weakness of the Arrancar's information network. Yet he didn't really plan on telling anyone... he would get in trouble about the other things he had said.

That Cheshire cat like grin never left his face at this point, because frankly... Ryou was enjoying himself in a twisted sense. So he listined closely to every word she said, and noticed that Hallibal really seemed to have an obession with the Captian of the 10th Division. Ryou really had no idea were to find the man, and he was quite sure that if he did... he wouldn't tell Hallibal anyway. Though not for Hitsugaya's sake, but for Hallibal's. Since the Captian was still probably somewhere in Soul Socity, and any such venture would only get Hallibal killed... the Espada was a rare and beautiful creature after all. It would be a shame for her life to be taken. Again her questions were quite harmless when it came to his Mistresses, so he knew they were ok to answer, "Yesss Hallibal-sama I was indeed ssent out here, but the problem isss that I am just asss much in the dark as you. What they sssent me out here to find...well I wassn't told exactlly." There was truth in his words. While it was hard to tell when Ryou was lieing, it was very esay to tell when he was being honest. There was that innocent nature in his eyes that encourged a beilef in what he said. Despite the madness that simmered under it. Plus his words seemed quite egear... not as thought he was happily giving false info, but in that he was enjoying the coversation.

Her next question was still just as easy as the first for the fourth seat. He felt no danger in answering that ethier, of course he could sense the steadly rising anger in Hallibal's voice. The anger was soon reflected by action, and Ryou found himself surronded by swirling water. The Esapda would notice that Ryou was softly trembling, but at the same time... he looked into her eyes with a look that reflected his name as 'Mad Dog'. It was obvious this one wasn't scared of dieing... no... there was somthing else about it. It was fear because he knew he wasn't strong engough to stand against this wind if he one day had to. Yet quickly he reganed his composure, but had still given Hallibal plenty of time to see through him to his more fragile side. His eyes returning to that cordial innocent nature he said, Well Hallibal-sssama I can tell you that it wasss not the whelp of a captian of whom you speak that sent me. The words rolled off his tounge in a way that made it obvious the Shinigami wasn't simply insulting the 10th Division Captian for her pleasure. He could care less about some weak willed man who couldn't hold it together and do his job. Ryou was always very decated to his job. In fact it wasss none of those Captiansss, but instead my ordersss come right from the top. From the Captian-Commander herself... though I am really not sssure what it is they expect to find."

Of course that was when Hallibal words quickly reminded him of a potential reason... and the grin that was on his face suddenly reappered. It was this time, that one had to wonder could ever be wider. With a bit of an amused cackle he gently hit himself on the forehead with the base of his palm. "Hallibal-sssama it seems I am an quite the fool... Plusss it seems you have just answered your own quesstion." With a swepting hand motion he said, "I believe that is what I am searching for... Assassians." He knew about Nanao-chan's volunteering there division to lure them out, but he wondered if that was what this was? Of course he decided on that note he should say somthing to the Espada, "Uhmm Hallibal-sssama... in all fairnesss, I thought I should say. My division isss going to be invovled in luring them out... so I just wanted to warn you that I might be getting usssed as bait for them at this moment without being told. And I really wouldn't want you to get hurt or anything Hallibal-sssama." The words were completely geniune. It was almost as though Ryou lifted the viel over his nature, by lifting his hair form over his face. The Shinigami realized though he had not answered her orginal question, and figured that she would still wanted to know the answer.

"Well Hallibal-sssama the only place I could think of would be Kurakra town." He realized though that he had probably over stepped his bounds and placed Donna in danger. But the forces of the Espada were no where near the same strength as before... so he felt that things would be ok. It was then he asked somthing so random and curious, that it almost seemed out of place... yet he spoke his words again with same geniune concern, "So how are your Fraccion doing? I do hope there ok." There was no hidden motive behind it, the Shinigami was just curious.

[Deleted]

Hallibel watched him closely. Her eyes never fully leaving him as she still did not trust the shinigami enough to not let down her guard. Seeing the grin on the shinigamis face she let an inward sigh escape her as she thought. :: Why must I run into the shinigami that has seemingly lost all his faculties... Though he might still prove useful so I will have to deal with it for now... ::

Then came his words about being in the dark and that his orders came down from a female captain commander. Her eyes quirked at the news and she narrowed them at Ryou. "The captain commander of your pitiful Gotei is a male and very powerful and yet merciful one. So try again shinigami and try to not patronize me..."

Her body language was starting to become more evident that she was annoyed with him but she would listen to him speak about the assassins and the shinigamis plans. Hearing about their attempt to lure them out she smiled revealing a portion of her mask to the shinigami. "Quite good... Sound plan for the division to lure one or more out and then try to capture them... But what would happen if say a wild card shows up in this?"

At the mention of her fraccion she looked at hims with narrowed eyes. "They are fine, but as if the shinigami really care about the health and well being of the arrancar..."

[Kurosawa Ryou]

This time... his reaction to her words was quite a bit more visable than before. The tilt of the Shinigami's head, with that curious look, and the raised eyebrows as though he was supirsed he was of being accussed of doing somthing wrong. So... the Espada didn't know of the previous Captian Commander's death? That in itself was certianly a very very telling piece of information within itself. Though it was not supirsing that the Arrancar would not be able to such infromation through a spy network. The idea seemed a bit hard to pull off for them... and so he decided to let her know, and this time he did his best to not sound patronizing, "I am sorry Hallibel-sssama, I ment no disrespect. I just asssumed that you already knew of the passsing of the previous Captian-Commander who ssspared your Fraccion. Yet recently the postion has been taken up by another, and it was ssshe that sent me out here on this mission." He rubbed one hand over the back of the other as he talked about the whole thing for a moment, and looked at Hallibel with that same smile. His eyes wacthed her more closely, because he could tell that he was starting to become a bit of a bother to the more powerful spiritual being. Still the coversation excited himself like few others that he had had in awhile.

The Shingami could feel the tension in the air at this point. Kurosawa had learned long ago when he was starting to annoy someone. Normally though the fourth seat just used this peice of information to keep pushing the persons buttons. Yet in this situation, he knew that if he wanted to live, then that might not be so prudent. Still, he could not wipe that grin off his face as the Espada spoke of another variable... it seemed she had played her hand a little openly. Certianly a tactical mistake if he reported it back, along with the for mentioned knowledge that the Espada seemed to be behind when it came to updates on Soul Socities current events. The Arrancar's word's had only heightened the danger of the situation, especially if she suspected he might give away her plan. It did make him curious, and left the young man with a certian desire to try and tease a bit more out of the situation, "Well Hallibel-sssama, I am not really sssure myself. Though I do believe that someone very powerful will be intervening at some point to lock the jaws of the trap. So I can only assume other renforcements will alssso be standing by..." The 4th seat wasn't exactlly sure how accurate he was with his information, but he didn't let on. Again he kept himself hidden behind that smile of a poker face. "Plusss... it probably would depend on what exactlly this wild card was..."

He tilted his head and looked at the Espada curiously. The fourth seat could feel himself becoming more relaxed with the situation as the moment went on. It came with the fact that it was easier to just realize that his choice in how this encounter ended, depended completely on Hallibel's whim. So being calm about everything, and simply accepting that he might die... well... it brought Ryou a certian level of peace. Still he would much rather walk away in one pecie if possiable, "Why should I not care Hallibel-sssama?" Their was a note of what almost seemed like confusion in his voice, as his face seemed to grow a bit more stoic. "Some Shinigami may hold sssuch sssilly genocidal tendenciesss, though I don't count myssself my to be among them." Reaching up and scarathing the back of his head, Ryou let out a sigh as he said, "As I sssaid before, all I care for is the sssafty of that which I want to protect. Outside of that really..." The shrug of his shoulders was the only answer that was needed. Of the entire coversation it was the only moment were Kuroswa didn't seem to have that nature of insanity about him. The young Shinigami seemed quite serious in his words, but one had to wonder how much of a chaotic variable those ideas made Ryou. "Besssides Hallibal-sama... the only real information I have to go on, that sssays your sssomthing which is evil, comes form the group that sssees you as a threat. So when you asssk me why I care, it is because you haven't given me a reassson not to."