So it seemed 6th division's original head detective was beginning to get serious, at least to some degree, flexing his spiritual pressure in all its glory and quickly choking the surrounding area in a thick red-black fog. This did not seem like any ordinary fog though, just as it quickly began to choke out the light from the sun, it also made movement difficult, as if the smog itself had significant weight to it that was increasing with every second that they remained within it. This was Lieutenant Shusuke’s display, and even without using his Zanpakuto, what a display it was, Sora could see why Captain Yasu had chosen him as her Lieutenant. Though the gap it left in 6th division had been felt even throughout his 100 year absence, Sora had done his best to better himself to ensure their division was led properly. Since he had joined, there had never been a Captain or Lieutenant for 6th Division, their leader was none other than Shusuke and he led them both pride and honor beyond what most measure up to. Since Hideaki’s sudden departure 100 years ago and Shusuke’s promotion, 6th division looked towards Sora to fill that leader vacuum until the Gotai had deemed promoted someone else to the position. Sora wasn’t sure he could fill the roll as well as the man before him had, as how could Sora compare to this, this display of power from Shusuke that smothered the whole grounds and perhaps further beyond for all Sora knew. How could he fill the shoes of the one before him when the gap in power and skill was so obvious?
Sora didn’t have time to continue his thoughts as the last bits of light that shined through the ever thickening fog presented Sora with a silhouette in the air, in motion as if getting ready to throw something, though it was impossible to tell what was to be thrown through the heavy obscurity, showing only a vibrant red glow through the smoke. Sora thought it was Shusuke at first, but once the second silhouette had appeared, well Sora had thought maybe Jatiri had caught up to Shusuke but it seemed this obscured duo was working together, not against. With the bright red orb hurling in Sora’s direction, velocity increased dramatically with the help of the second silhouettes release of a shockwave, Sora had little time to react. At first he thought it was sent hurling directly at him, but this was not the case, instead the two mystery shinigami had aimed this projectile towards the ground just in front of him and gave it enough force to hit the ground and send chunks and shrapnel of both tile and the earth beneath flying in Sora and Hideaki’s direction. Eyes widened past what most had ever seen, Sora mustered as much power as he could in the split seconds he had to react, positioning his hands in the center of his chest as a blue light began to take shape between them. Extending his arms out to each side as if he was trying to rip the blue light apart and chuck it’s pieces in opposite directions, the light instead began to expand, covering Sora and Hideaki from the shrapnel and the ensuing shockwave that came with it. With the light dimming and revealing the pale blue, elastic barrier that Sora had erected, attaching it at several points to the ground and the walls nearby. Though it would protect them from the bulk of the attack heading towards them, the elasticity of this Kido would only serve them so well.
”Bakudo #37, Tsuriboshi!
As the overly weight marble hit the ground and sent with it dozens, if not hundreds of little bits of shrapnel flying in their direction, most of which would be caught in the Tsuriboshi as Sora himself did what he could to backstep into a Shunpo, a more difficult take than he had previously thought. It seemed Shusuke’s smoke was going to make things much more difficult. Sadly this backstep, while getting enough distance to ensure he wasn’t bludgeoned by the leftover force from the shrapnel that was caught by his Kido, the shockwave coming his way was something that could not be completely avoided. Yes, Tsuriboshi would break the path of the shockwave that was heading in their direction, but it wouldn’t stop it completely. Pushing past and around the current 6th divisions head Kido, the shockwave the second silhouette launched had much of its power absorbed, but still possessed enough to push Sora back several meters, sending him rolling across the ground, growing battered and bruised beyond what would be normal of such an injury thanks to the effects of Shusuke’s weighted fog.
Things had so quickly escalated without almost any warning. It took Sora a second to realize those two new individuals were probably the ones he had seen perched on the wall, wanting to get in on the action in such a way and so quickly.. well, few other divisions were so bold, and brute strength beyond these two’s attacks. This was almost certainly squad 11, there was room for error but not much, nor did it matter as it really only narrowed down that these two were probably combat specialists excelling in close range and not to be taken lightly. Even if this wasn’t 11th, it would serve Sora best to assume this mystery duo was not to be taken lightly, especially after their most recent display which would have done some serious damage if Sora hadn’t acted as quickly as he did, only taking light scrapes from the few tiny scattered fragments that were pushed by the pursuing shockwave.
Sora had just begun to realize the full effects of Shusuke’s spiritual pressure, it didn’t just choke out the light, but sound as well. He had only barely seen the figures beyond the smoke as they acted while the smoke had been filling the area and rising, and had only seen the attack they launched thanks to the red glow that had to get fully swallowed by the growing smoke. But never had he heard these things, not even hearing the words come from his mouth as he cast his Bakudo. Sora could no longer see his surroundings nor hear those around him, and he assumed it was the same for everyone else who found themselves trapped in this black mist, all except one of course. A strong tactic for one with such potent spiritual pressure, separating his enemies from their allies so as to make it easier to take them down, though it's safe to say Shusuke was not expecting the new duo to arrive.
How was he supposed to handle this!? Shusuke controlling the battlefield and division 11 barging in on full assault. Hideaki, Jatiri, and Sora had no cooperative experience to speak of between each other and not only was it obvious the new duo had some amount of known cooperation through their combined attack, but Shusuke had cut them off from not just their comrades, but their Zanpakutos as well. The fog, despite possessing no tangible walls or pathways, was no less a maze meant to disorientate its captives and make them feel lost and alone, no light see or sound to hear, except the distant clap of thunder. Thunder? Yes, thunder could be heard far off in the distance, but this was strange. Sora should be unable to hear thunder, being cut off from the sounds both within and of course beyond the fog that smothered him, but yet he could hear the distant rumbling booms and the ensuing vibrations in his chest. There was something different about this though, drawing his attention and focus on the strange phenomena, he could hear a second sound masked by the intensity of the thunder. No, not masked by it, this second sound was causing the thunder. The cry of a bird. That is when Sora realized the thunder he had been hearing was not from the outside, but from within him, it was Arashi Setsudan, Sora’s Zanpakuto calling to him. The moment the realization hit him, Sora quickly moved in the direction he heard Setsudan’s call, or as quickly as he could, having to immenate his own golden glow to ward of as much of the effects as possible, but not without its struggles. He couldn’t see where he was going, only feel where Setsudan was leading him, but soon stumbling across the lonely Zanpakuto layed on the ground. Sora could have sworn he handed his zanpakuto to a 6th division member, one that was nowhere in sight, probably having left the moment things started getting wild. Sora didn’t blame the guy, but still.. Was getting irritated that his friend had been tossed around from that shockwave, only lucky enough to not have been blown completely out of the division barracks. Even still, with each step he made towards his Zanpakuto, another strike of thunder, another call of excitement could be heard shaking in Sora’s very spirit. That was until he finally placed his hand upon his friend once again, what had only been a few minutes had felt so much longer within the fog, but that connection seemed to make all-time cease to matter, as, in the blink of an eye and a flash of light, Sora no longer found himself surrounded in blackened fog, but light rain.
BABOMMMMmmmm!
Looking around almost in shock as the sudden transition of scenery almost always took Sora by surprise, the young Shinigami now found himself upon a massive plateau that stretched hundreds of meters into the sky, surrounded by an endless ocean on all sides bellow, and a perpetually clouded sky that stretched on just the same, coating the whole world in a neverending soft and gentle downpour. Sora looked towards the sky and felt the cool water on his face, washing away his doubts and clearing his head as it always had, watching the stream of golden lightning dance its way through the clouds, getting closer and closer until it was finally upon him. Shooting down to meet Sora in the form of a golden falcon, half tangible and half composed of nothing but arcs of electricity, leaving trails of the golden lightning around Sora as it danced around him, making several passes before Sora held his arm out, letting Setsudan make its own little perch of his master's arm. He didn’t speak words but conveyed his thoughts to Sora through emotion very clearly, and Sora could prominently feel two strong emotions from his little friend. Confidence and Restlessness. Having picked up on Sora’s slow descent into self-doubt, Setsudan knew he needed to be that morale boost, showing him that he was not alone, there was no reason to get worked up over what was supposed to be just a simple game, and they could handle this situation and any other that comes their way. Then there’s the restlessness, something Setsudan had always been privy to, being an impatient and rather excitable spirit, and one that had been waiting for long enough.
”You’re right, everything’s fine, Shusuke just got the better of me for a minute, and I wasn’t exactly expecting the other two to jump in, not sure anyone was. But that just means more fun for you right? I believe I have had you waiting long enough my friend, and you deserve the fun. Let’s see what our friends are capable of, let’s really have fun.”
Making a last second of eye contact with the golden bird perched on his arm, giving a warm smile and gentle nod to his friend as Setsudan took off into the clouds, growing bigger and bigger until he had entirely transformed into gargantuan vaguely birdshaped entity comprised of violent and powerful arcs of golden lightning.
BAABOMMMMMMMMMmmmm!
As if everything that had just transpired happened within the single blink of an eye, Sora found himself once again choked by the thick black smoke, barely being pushed back by the little bit of strength that Sora could previously muster. But that was about to change. Sora gripped his Zanpakuto tightly and focused all his spirit energy into his body and his blade, slowly pulling his friend from the sheath he had felt so contained in, speaking quietly to the world around him.
”Cleave the Heavens, Arashi Setsudan..”
BABOMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm!!!!
The golden light that had lightly cloaked and protected Sora had expanded like a flashbang, pushing back all the smoke that had surrounded him with a sudden burst of spiritual pressure, and the crack of thunder that could be heard echoing throughout the Seireitei. Now standing unshrouded by Shuske’s mist but instead by his own darkened grey fog that swirled around his body, obscuring everything bellow his shoulders as the thick fog began to slowly expand. Sora merely looked foward with his ever gentle smile and the occasional twin arcs of golden lightning being the only things that were unobscured by the dark clouds, taking in a deep soothing breath of release as the first rain drops began to fall upon 6th division.
