Bleachitp Episode 21: The Execution Day Arrives! Does this mean Shirubaru's Death?

[Quinsar]

She ignores the others, just staring at Shirubaru.
But Cecilia-kun...
She said...
Carmen really doesn't want to dishonor Shirubaru's wishes, but she really doesn't want to let Cecilia down...

[Zarah]

Every eye in the vicinity was glued to the pillar of flame shooting into the sky just before the scaffold. Slowly, it began to deform and rebuilt itself into the shape of a bird and a moment later, the soukyoku's released form was soaring high above all those watching. Brilliant, orange flames rolled off the phoenix as it seemed to stare down Shirubaru, making every second feel like a short eternity. Finally, it let out a graceful shriek, then spread its wings across the sky and began moving.

It would all be over soon.

But from the edge of the hill, behind all the awe-struck Shinigami, a lone figure charged toward the site at an unbelievable speed. A long, brown cloak covered his face and flowed behind him as he made every step. His reiatsu hidden by the material, he rushed straight forward, hoping he could go unnoticed long enough to make it in time.

As soon as he breached the crowd, the Shinigami began taking notice of the intruder. He didn't even bother looking to see who was who, he just simply kept running. It didn't take long before the others had their swords drawn. One swung low, but he simply jumped over it, then slid under another as they swung it in a wide arc. So far so good.

When he finally reached the bottom of the scaffold, he was sure that every person from the thirteen squads was right behind him, so he didn't have time to think. He grabbed hold of his zanpakutou with both hands, letting it burst to life in an instant. As he channeled everything he could into his legs, he bent close to the ground and waited. He could feel the others closing in on him, swords drawn and ready to stop him from taking another step. Luckily for them, he didn't need to.

The second one of the Shinigami was in range, he unleashed all the energy he had, leaping from the ground with a magnificent explosion and leaving a large crater in its wake. Like a bullet, he shot straight upward, right toward Shirubaru's body suspended in the air. The soukyoku continued to close the gap, and for a single moment, it looked as if all their hope was lost.

Shirubaru's eyes closed and braced for whatever was coming.

However, what he didn't see was the figure of a boy leaping before the soukyoku and slamming his massive zanpakutou into the beak of the phoenix. The impact created a huge blast of flames to erupt from both parties, glowing orange and red as they flew in every direction and giving entirely new meaning to fighting fire with fire.

When everything had cleared, everyone could see that the soukyoku had been stopped dead in its tracks. The destructive power of a million zanpakutous had been halted by a single boy. As Shirubaru opened his eyes, he saw the figure of a familiar kid. His cloak had mostly been blown away, revealing his short, messy black hair and devilish grin.

"M...Masato?"

Another small explosion of fire burst from Masato's zanpakutou, sending him into a backflip and landing softly on the scaffold right behind his Master. The soukyoku reared back and screamed at the sudden intrusion. Masato, still grinning as he always seemed to be, simply said,

"Yeah."

[Innis Cabal]

"Would you look at that? Looks like in the end, justice is done. Or something"

Vasae picks up his brother, smirking


___________________________________________

The explosion can be seen even out into the woods, causing Abishai to grin further

"Harder...you say? Very well...are you prepared to die? Like your Captain?"

[Ganurath]

Taniko looks up from her paperwork, perking a brow.

Kessen tilts his head. "Now?"

[Anyr]

Kessen tilts his head. "Now?"

Kiljaeran nodded.

"Now."

He smoothly drew his sword and leapt forward, aiming for the figure atop the stands. From the reiatsu coming from this mysterious intruder, it seemed that the real attack had begun.

[Quinsar]

Kiljaeran nodded.

"Now."

He smoothly drew his sword and leapt forward, aiming for the figure atop the stands. From the reiatsu coming from this mysterious intruder, it seemed that the real attack had begun.

Carmen jumped, drawing her zanpaktou. She tried to intercept Kiljaren midair with a blade slice.

[Ganurath]

Kessen draws his zanpaktou, holding the pommel up to his mouth like a microphone with a two-handed reverse grip. "Units 1 through 20, converge on my position and subdue intruders. Calculate, Takusen."

The blade shifts in his grip as he shunpos into the thick of the 11th squad forces, at which point he'll get the most out of his foresight while using nonlethal strikes to subdue those around him. Better not to get in the way of the Captains, and technically SOMEONE had to deal with the small army of brawlers.

[H. Zee]

11th Division members will draw their swords and attempt to non-lethally keep back anyone who tries to interfere.

___________________________

This looks like it's going to be fun, says Kusato, drawing his sword. Now put me down, O psychotic brother of mine.

____________________________

Masato, repeats Shirubaru, in a half-annoyed, half-proud voice. He looks back at the Sokyuko. It recovers itself and dives back towards the two of them, screaming, its flaming body searing the eyes of those watching.

Sh**. That thing's going to kill off the both of us now.

Masato no doubt readies himself to fend it off once again, but Shirubaru is quicker. He breaks free of his bonds without apparent effort and pushes in front of Masato, raising one of his Hollow arms - the one that reads "Shield" in Kanji.

The entire roaring fury of the Sokyuko crashes down towards them, and Shirubaru looks tiny as he waits for it to hit, one fist raised. With the other arm, he reaches up and flips down his mask.

The resulting reiatsu shatters every single window in Seireitei.

The Sokyuko hits. There is a roaring, twisting, moment where the entire world seems to dissolve in fire, thunder, and overpowering reiatsu. And then - silence. The Sokyuko spirals down into Shirubaru's arm with a final screech, before blinking into nothing. There is a moment of shocked silence.

And then fire begins to trace its way up Shirubaru's Hollow arm, filling in the strange patterns and engravings on the white bone, until one of his arms is entirely wreathed in flame. Fire burns in one eye of his Mask, too. In the eye-socket where Shirubaru's true eye is supposedly missing.

Shirubaru stares at his burning arm in shock.

I think I just absorbed the Sokyuko. Shirubaru sounds fairly shocked, and there is an edge of terrible, thrumming power deep in his voice.

[Quinsar]

Carmen landed, she considered going after Kiljaeran again, but decided agains it, the rest of the squad needed her.
She rushed towards Kessen.
Hey! Stop!

[Innis Cabal]

Vasae shakes his head

"No. Its time to dance. Nii-san"

Vasae will then drop Kusato, and tango into the fray, kicking and throwing his brother into anyone stupid enough to get in their way

[Anyr]

Kiljaeran had smoothly dodged Carmen's earlier attack without any apparent effort and continued forward. He released some reiatsu as a warning that she was out of her depth, but otherwise ignored her completely. His eyes were still almost fixed on Masato...

Until, that is, the Soukyoku attacked. He skidded to a halt and shielded his eyes from the tremendous blast of the great weapon. When he opened them again, he expected to find that the would-be rescuer and his charge had been utterly destroyed.

Instead the sight was something almost unbelievable. He blinked a few times and openly stared.

"He...absorbed it?"

[Ganurath]

Kessen responds by grabbing the sword arm of an attacking unseated that tried to come at him from behind, twisting into a wristlock, and throwing the opponent at Carmen. His own sword arm is commited to deflecting a zanpaktou in shikai into blocking attacks from three other shinigami. He seems unphased by the consumption of the Sokyoku. "Complaint: Predictable."

Taniko, meanwhile, jawdrops. There's no way he can win...

[Quinsar]

Carmen catches the shinigami, sliding back a bit.
She sets the shinigami on the ground, then charges Kessen, swinging non-lethally at him.

[Revlid]

"He- It- What?"

Data readouts don't lie. Sokyoku was gone, absorbed into the condemned ex-Captain's Hollow arms. Why they hadn't removed them when the had the chance... Kinkuzo scowls, drawing his zanpaktou.

"Spark, Funkenstock!"

Lightning crackling around the head of his tesla-mace, Kinkuzo activates the innermost layer of his traps, a ring of lesser kido-cannons springing out of the earth, cousins to the massive world-destroyer elsewhere in Soul Society. They point directly at the holding point of the Sokyoku, their appearance further disrupting the already-scattering crowd.

"Fire! Lesser Kido-Cannons one through twelve!"

A dozen identical blasts of spiritual energy rip through reality, heading straight for Masato, Shirubaru, and anyone else fool enough to be on the execution stand.

Elsewhere, rings of mines, horo-jaws, remote-janitors, yokai-flytraps, metaspiritual mesh-nets and battle-gigai drones activate, making any further approach or exit of the Execution Grounds on foot a much more dangerous prospect. Planning permission could bite Kinkuzo's shiny metal ass.

[Draken]

"The power of a Vizard.

I can't say I am impressed by power steeming from the tainting of one's soul. I think I will have to carry this execution on myself.

Intensify, Hado 33, Sōkatsui."

With Onmyōji pointing up, to Masato and Shirubaru, Hideki released a veritable storm of blue fire into the sky.

[Sucrose]

((Sorry for the delay; today's been a busy one for me. I'll leave it to the others to describe their actions.))

And thus it was that the cavalry arrived, late as usual. Or, given the amount of opposition, perhaps not.

"YA-HA! Come and get some!"

Toward the front of the group, Siegfried ran through the growing melee, his zanpaktou used only to block what would be hard to dodge; his off hand and feet were all the offense he needed against the unseated he'd run over thus far.

Hopefully, the ruckus and wave of fallen shinigami he was making would draw some of the enemies off of Masato and Shirubaru.

[Ganurath]

OOC: One last one before deadtime...

IC:
Kessen seems preoccupied with pushing back the giant sword he had worked into blocking the other attacks. He suddenly yields as Carmen comes at him, however, causing the swordsman to swing uncontrollably in a manner so that his sword connects with Carmen's nonlethal strike.

Kessen lands behind the three the big sword had been used to block. The two further ones are knocked out with the flat of Kessen's greatsword before he jerks the blade back, knocking out the third man with his pommel while just managing to avoid a stab from behind.

[Quinsar]

Carmen is knocked back a bit. She gets up and continues help her division. Fending off anyone coming at them.

[Fan]

Vince stands up, the air around him being charged with electrical energy that caused even his own body to feel charged, and ready. He had been waiting for this, and had developed a few new techniques after that evolved Hollow bastard shanked him in the ribs, and he planned to put them to use,

He raised one arm, hand grasped around the guitar neck, eyes burning with Azure reaitsu as he said.


"Ride the Lightning Sono Myu-Jishan."


as his guitar shifted into it's Shikai form, the notes streaming out of his guitar with steady, perfect rhythm, azure serpents of electrictity forming behind him from the energy, and lashing out towards the Ryoka with deadly precision.

[Innis Cabal]

"Don't take this the wrong way, but your killing the buzz dude"

Vasae is suddenly in front of the massive lightning blasts, the energy striking his tonfa, and sparking before disappearing"

"Not even as strong as a cero huh...your going to need to try harder. No hard feelings though...we're not against you per say, but we're not against them either. Right Nii-san?"

[H. Zee]

Yeah, we've beaten up a few of the 11th Squad but they're too easy, ya know?

Kusato is standing behind Vince with a lazy grin.

Besides, after seeing Shirubaru absorb that thing, and feeling the reiatsu of these ryoka, we figure there's a good chance they'll actually win out in the end. Particularly with the number of Captains sympathetic to Shirubaru.

And the Brothers Grim always back the winning team. No offence, matey-boy. You're a nice guy. Really. Well, not really. I was just saying that to make yourself feel slightly better about all this after we kick your arse. Shatter, Firano.

Kusato snaps his glass sword, and broken glass ripples over the entire area. A large number of 11th Squad members yelp as shards shoot up through their feet.

Told you this'd be funtimes, brother O brother.

[Fan]

The point of the blasts was not to do damage. The blocked blasts disapate upon contact, suffusing themselves into any metal, including his Zanpaktou, that may be on or outside of Vasae, drawing his Zanpaktou inevitably towards his body through the power of the 7 super magnets that his body just turned into with that block. (It was intended to be a slight danger for multiple people, now Kasae is having his blade pulled into Hara Kiri.)

[Sucrose]

Realizing that Kiljaeran won't be phased by Shirubaru's absorption for long, and that he was a Captain could actually be approached quickly, Siegfried grins and vanishes, just as an unseated stabs at his back.

He reappears directly behind Darius, his cheerful grin still attached, and a roundhouse kick aimed at the captain's head.

"Ohayou, Kiljaeran-taicho."

[H. Zee]

I would advise you to let go of my brother, Vincey baby, says Kusato menacingly, the broken glass all around them beginning to shiver and shake as if getting ready to leap into the air. Lest we decide to start fighting for real and end up tearing you into small sad ribbons. I advise you not to up the ante. I advise you not to be such a d***, although I realise this might be an inborn trait of yours.

{{OOC: The broken glass covers a much smaller area than usual, so as only to affect Vince and a few random 11th Squad members nearby. Vince has broken glass shards sticking up into his feet, by the way, and might want to react to that. }}

[Anyr]

Realizing that Kiljaeran won't be phased by Shirubaru's absorption for long, and that he was a Captain could actually be approached quickly, Siegfried grins and vanishes, just as an unseated stabs at his back.

He reappears directly behind Darius, his cheerful grin still attached, and a roundhouse kick aimed at the captain's head.

"Ohayou, Kiljaeran-taicho."

Having been the target of moves like this throughout his career, Kiljaeran's reaction was practised and calm. He swung around and intercepted the attacking limb with his blade.

"Pathetic. Surrender if you want to live, lieutenant. I'm in no mood to play games."

[Innis Cabal]

The point of the blasts was not to do damage. The blocked blasts disapate upon contact, suffusing themselves into any metal, including his Zanpaktou, that may be on or outside of Vasae, drawing his Zanpaktou inevitably towards his body through the power of the 7 super magnets that his body just turned into with that block. (It was intended to be a slight danger for multiple people, now Kasae is having his blade pulled into Hara Kiri.)

Vasae drags his feet into the ground, screaming and whining

"NO! THIS ISN'T FAIR! WHAT WILL I DO!! WHAT WILL I DO NII-SAN?!?!"

This of course, is said in his typical flat voice, his face clearly displaying the latest predicament isn't so bad as he stops, his arms trembling to keep ahold of his weapons

"Kidding. Up the voltage dood. This is like wrestling with Tani-chan."

[Fan]

Vince grimaces as the abnormally sharp glass sticks into his feet, but continues playing, the reaitsu strings plucking themselves as he raises his hand like a puppet master drawing his marionette strings, as he says, eyes closed in focus.

"If anyone here is a d*** it's traitors like you who want to let a murderer go free. Half Hollow or not, he admitted to his crimes, and was convicted. I've rarely been on the right side of the law myself, and have seen where it can go wrong, but those people who died deserve their justice! Do you really think I can be stopped by the likes of you?!"

His eyes flare with the azure Reaitsu underneath the lids, the air around him still charged as the song reaches it's crescendo the lightning forming up for another magnetic attack, serpents with wicked, and jagged grins cut into their electrical maws as they soar up in a spiraling pattern, weaving together into a massive electrical monster the size of a semi truck.

"Now you'll see Sono Myu-Jishan's true form. Years of rushing through the refinement process, years of striving towards nothing but bankai were for naught. Now even after the intense, but short, practice of these three days I realize were I went wrong all along, why I was always so much weaker then all the other captains despite having ban-kai.

Now.

YOU"LL SEE TOO!"

He raises his right hand again, open palmed at first, before clenching it, the massive beast now diving towards the Brothers Grimm, the air around it ionizing, and burning leaving a trail of smoke behind it, as it spirals towards the two.

(I set this by Byakuya's shikai level... It seems fair considering some things, namely the stationary nature.)

[Sucrose]

Having been the target of moves like this throughout his career, Kiljaeran's reaction was practised and calm. He swung around and intercepted the attacking limb with his blade.

"Pathetic. Surrender if you want to live, lieutenant. I'm in no mood to play games."

Siegfried, having delivered attacks like this throughout his career, calmly parries the counter with Ingakumo, spinning too far away to deliver the kick, but landing on the ground unhurt, and catching the blade in his sword breaker's teeth. The smile is gone now, perhaps having served its purpose.

He proceeds to either lock Kiljaeran's sword arm, or force his blade from his hands, with a twist of his dirk. In the former case, he then tries to strike at the side of the sword arm's elbow with his off hand, a blow that could shatter the fragile bones therein.

"If you refer to me by my rank, at least have the decency to stay updated, Kiljaeran-taicho. I achieved the rank of Captain before saving Masato. You would be wise to remember it."

[H. Zee]

Kusato stares, eyes wide, at the massive behemoth descending upon them.

How delightfully terrifying. Quaint, in its way. Old school. Shall we partake of our bankai, brother?

Let's, growls Vasae, eyes fixed on the descending creature.

They open their mouths as one. They speak as one.

Ban. Kai.

The two twins' reiatsus merge, from black and white to a single all-encompassing grey, as strong as a Captain's.

Suddenly, the broken glass scattering the ground begins to shine brightly as sunshine gets trapped within it. The glittering glass arcs up in an enormous shimmering crescent, forming a lethal, razor-sharp barrier in front of the descending electric monster.

Kusato is already gone from his position, confident that the barrier will slow, rather than stop, the monster. It was never intended to stop the mondster, though, just to allow Kusato time to get out of the way. Vasae was perfectly capable of the whole "stopping" business.

Kusato "surfs" on a wave of broken glass towards Vince, raising his hands in the air and raining more lethal shards down on the 10th Squad Captain.

[Quinsar]

Carmen is still helping defend the remaining 11th squad from members of other squads.
Al lot are unconscious or injured.