FicWad

The buzzing hum of a sonido announced Shiro's return to the battlefield. He reappeared in the sky overhead, gazing calmly down at the fights that had broken out in his absence. "I must admit I'm a little insulted you didn't send more after me, Commander." He said, "You seem to have plenty of troops to spare."

Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryuusai stood several yards away, facing the Hollow King. "I knew you would be back." He replied with a shrug. "No man who calls himself 'King' would allow himself to miss out on the main battle of a war."

Shiro turned to consider the old man curiously. "And if I had simply gone to the central tower and destroyed the heart of Seireitei while you waited patiently for me here?"

Yamamoto opened his eyes slightly, "If you ever were Kurosaki Ichigo, then you already know the answer to that question." The Arrancar smirked at the statement, "The Heart of the Seireitei is not some collection of buildings. It is the brave men and women who defend it!"

With that he threw back his arms, causing his draped Haori to fall away from his shoulders. He tucked first one arm, then the other through the sleeves of his kimono, allowing the garment to fall down around his waist and baring his impressively well built, and incredibly scarred chest. He then held forth his staff, the wood seemed to unravel itself, revealing a Zanpakutō hidden within. Even as he drew the blade it began to glow and burn with reiatsu, "Reduce all creation to ashes. Ryuujin Jakka." Massive flames burst to life around the ancient Shinigami as he released his Zanpakutō.

Shiro let out a small whistle. "That thing really is pretty damned impressive old man." He smiled, drawing his own black blade as he spoke. "I'll be honest. I almost don't want to kill you... almost." He chuckled, holding his blade at the ready, "But then I think about how much dammed fun this is going to be!"

"Enough talk." Yamamoto stepped forward, "It's time to teach you a lesson in humility, whelp." With that, he flashed forward in a remarkably fast shunpo, bringing his flaming sword crashing down at the pale skinned Arrancar's head.

The Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, and the King of Hueco Mundo clshed in the skies above southern Seireitei in a massive explosion of reiatsu that literally rocked the rest of the world. A giant burst of flame heralding the start of the battle.

*

"Kokujo Tengen Myo-oh!"Komamura Sajin swung down, the massive giant that formed his bankai mirroring his movement and slashing with devastating force at his opponent.

Visal Mars laughed happily as he rolled aside, watching with fascination as the enormous blade of the giant smashed into the street, laying dozens of hollows to waste in it's failed attempt on his own life. "Oh this is glorious!" He shouted, grinning like a madman. "I could not have asked for a more enjoyable opponent! You have my sincere thanks for this, Squad Eight Captain."

Komamura snarled, turning his blade and swinging it horizontally. Once again the giant mirrored him, smashing it's blade into the Espada before he could react. Mars was smashed through several buildings as the sword continued it's arc back up into the sky. "You are far too much like Captain Kenpachi." He said, watching the large man rise once again. "This world can barely survive one of him. Two must not be allowed to continue to exist."

"Eh? Zaraki Kenpachi you say?" Mars grinned again. "Perhaps I should just kill you and go find him then. He sounds like a fun one to fight."

Komamura frowned, preparing another strike. Where the hell is that madman anyways? He asked himself quietly. Even he should have had no problems finding this battle, and we actually need his help this time. At that moment, a massive explosion of reiatsu and fire ripped the sky apart. Komamura and Mars both looked up in shock, Commander Yamamoto-dono? He recognized the reiatsu instantly, That means that his opponent must be...

"Oooh! Shiro-sama! The King engages in glorious battle!" Komamura looked back to his enemy. Mars stood tall and proud, his sword hand held the hilt of his Zanpakutō across his heart, blade pointed towards the sky. "Oh mighty King, Shiro-sama." The Espada suddenly intoned, he sounded almost like he was completing a ritual. "We who are about to die, salute you!" He swung his sword up to point towards the battling King of Hueco Mundo in salute.

Komamura watched this with a certain fascination. "How curious..." He said, "You are expecting to die then?"

The Septima Espada lowered his sword and once again faced his opponent. Komamura felt his blood freeze at how calm the large man suddenly looked. "All life dies, Komamura Sajin." He said with a happy smile, "The mark of a true warrior is how many times he can beat death's jaws back before the end. But he must still always be ready for that death to come." He pointed his short gladius Zanpakutō at the fox like captain, "You have been kind enough to show me such a wondrous bankai. So it would be an insult to a warrior such as you not to reply in kind. Salute! IMPERETOR!"

A heavy blast of reiatsu rushed out of the large man as he released his Zanpakutō. Dust and heavily concentrated reishi particles swirled around him, shielding him from view. After a few moments, the dust blew apart, revealing the Espada's true form. He seemed to have grown another couple feet, and a long cape fluttered at his back, but the biggest feature, was his lower body. His waist was fused into the body of a large Roman-style War Chariot, four massive hollowized horses stamped at the ground from the front of the chariot, eager to charge into battle. Mars held the reins in one hand, and his Gladius in the other. Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyes, locking gazes with his enemy. "Now come, Komamura Sajin! Glory awaits!"

Komamura felt his fur bristle at the sight of the man's transformation. This will not be an easy battle. He dropped into a ready stance, holding his sword above his head, and his bankai mirroring his movement.

Mars snapped the reins in his hand, coaxing the massive horses into a full on gallop. The hollow steeds crashed across the stones of the Seireitei street for a dozen paces before leaping into the air and galloping up, into the sky, the chariot wheels solidifying reishi particles beneath them as they rolled. Once airborn, the massive Espada brought the chariot around and began charging at his enemy's bankai, clearly intent on dealing with the larger threat first. "Vivat Rex!" He roared as he charged, charging a cero at the end of his sword.

Komamura frowned swinging his blade up above his head, and then bringing it crashing down in a massive overhead slash, however the chariot turned away, rumbling out of the way of the attack in a wide arcing turn. The Shinigami then reversed his strike, swinging up and around, attempting to hit the racing Espada. Unfortunately, despite the large size of the man's released form, the chariot was surprisingly nimble in the air, and was able to dodge most all of the strikes.

As he dodged one final strike, Mars grinned, "Time to strike back I think." He pointed his sword at the giant bankai and unleashed the cero that he'd been charging.

Komamura felt his hair bristle as the blast rumbled towards his bankai. Shit! If that hits... He tried to raise the giant's sword in defense, but it was too late. The cero took the giant full on in the chest, hitting with enough force no knock the massive construct over, and denting it's chest armor. Komamura's world went black with pain as the damage was mirrored onto him by the same connection that allowed him to move the giant. He felt as though a meteor had just smashed into his chest, as he was knocked from his feet, suddenly struggling to breathe.

Mars watched the unexpected effect his attack had on the fox-man with surprise. "Oh? You take the damage that your bankai does eh?" He asked, watching the captain violently cough up blood from where he lay. "You wade into battle regardless of the threat, prepared for the worst to happen." He nodded approvingly. "My respect for you has grown once again, Komamura Sajin."

"I-I... do not... fight for your respect... or approval...Visal Mars." Komamura gasped as he struggled to rise once again, his Zanpakutō propping his weight up. "I... fight... for the Soul Society!" He stumbled forward a step, using the momentum of the movement to bring his sword up and around in a deadly arc.

"Shit!" Mars swore as the blade of the giant crashed in towards him. I can't dodge! The massive sword caught the chariot along it's side, smashing it towards the ground, the horses screaming horrified shrieks as their course was unexpectedly and violently changed. Mars crashed to earth hard. Slamming into a building with explosive force, he felt several bones fracture and heard his steeds cry out another pained scream. When his vision finally cleared, he looked about. He was inside an old storehouse, the chariot on it's side, at least one of it's wheels had broken in the fall, with him connected to the construct, that left him virtually unable to move. One of his horses was sprawled out, a large piece of the wooden rafters stabbed through it's chest like a spear, while the other one flailed violently, it's back leg broken.

"Tch..." He marveled at the devastation that the giant had wrought with a single successful strike. "Most impressive Captain." He knew that his opponent would be closing in to finish the job soon, he could feel the rumble of the earth, heralding the giant's approach. "So... is this where I meet my end?" He glanced up, seeing his gladius laying a few feet away. He reached, straining for the weapon, If I am to die today, He thought as his fingers clawed at the hilt of the short sword, Then at least let me die with my weapon in hand!

A massive shadow fell across him as Komamura's bankai appeared overhead. As it raised it's sword to deliver what would surely be a killing blow, Mars snarled one final time, lurching forward and closing his hand around the hilt of his Zanpakutō.

The giant's blade descended, falling to earth like the hammer of an ancient, wrathful god. Just as it hit however, a massive cero blast roared forth.

Komamura coughed, seeing the bright crimson hue of blood fall from his lips. His vision blurred, and he felt his senses dim. Visal Mars... He couldn't even speak, I regret that we were enemies... You would have made an excellent comrade. He fell backwards, his bankai mirroring his movements one last time, a giant hole blasted through the center of the armored torso.

In the destroyed ruins of the storehouse, the Septima Espada lay, his chest bleeding from where the giant's sword had almost cut him in half, his blade raised to the sky in one last defiant salute, and a smile on his lips. He coughed violently, resealing his Zanpakutō, causing the chariot and horses to vanish, his arm finally falling to his side. "Well fought... K-Komamura... Sajin..." He pulled himself along the rubble strewn floor to the closest remaining wall, and pulled himself into a seated position against it, and felt the world go dark as his consciousness faded.

*

Near the wall of the Seireitei, a very odd battle raged. The two combatants continually threw a single cero back and forth between themselves, the massive attack growing stronger and stronger with each reflection.

Oh this is just getting ridiculous. Nel thought with a huff of frustration as she once again spat back the Cero Doublé at her white haired opponent. One of us is going to give out sooner or later... But Shiro-sama is watching me! I can't allow some damned Shinigami to get the better of me!

Ukitake Junshiro had to admit, he was duly impressed by his opponent. Not only can she absorb a cero couter-attack, but she's able to increase the power of the follow-up. He thought as he once again stopped the cero with his blade, absorbing it into the Zanpakutō. He then held off releasing the blast for a few moments, the spell tags on the rope that connected his twin swords igniting one by one as he thought. Even breaking the tempo like this does nothing to slow her down!

Nel watched the man with an annoyed expression. Tch... damn Shinigami... that pause between him absorbing the attack and redirecting it seems to almost be random... But it's not. He's able to hold it back... but for how long...? He eyes suddenly widened in realization, "That's it!" She grinned, just as Ukitake hurled the cero back at her once again. This may hurt...

She stopped the cero, inhaling and absorbing it again. This time however, she didn't spit it right back. With a grimmace, she lunged forward, bringing her Zanpakutō up to clash with Ukitake. The captain's eyes widened in realization, even as he brought his blades up to block the lethal strike. As their blades locked, Nel pushed down, exposing her opponent's face, then with a wrathful roar, she unleashed the cero at point blank range.

The effect was devastating. The attack had been empowered so many times within the past several minutes that it's strength now resembled a Grand Ray Cero. Ukitake was hurled away with the force of the attack, and another swath of land within the Seireitei was demolished.

Nel stood alone for a few moments, breathing heavily. "Shit." She coughed, "That's gonna give me indigestion for weeks..."

*

Sun Shira coughed as the blade dug deeply into his stomach. "Well... That's a pain in the assh... How did I not dodge you...?" His mind reeled as he thought over the past few moments. The strange blonde haired man had released his Zanpakutō, it had spun around on it's weird circle hilt thing, and then he'd slashed in. But when Shira had tried to dodge backwards, he'd moved forward instead, right into the slash.

"Sakanade." Shinji said calmly, stepping back and spinning the Zanpakutō around his index finger casually. "It reverses all of your directional senses. Up is down, left is right, back is forward, and so on. You can't win when you need to completely relearn how to move Espada. You may as well just let me cut your head off now."

For a few moments, the Arrancar was silent, watching the spinning Zanpakutō quietly. Then, much to the Vizard's surprise, he began to laugh. Spinning his staff around his neck twice, he rolled backwards and propped himself up onto it like a seat once again, still laughing as he did so. Finally he recovered his composure to speak once again. "Well, well..." He grinned down at the strange Shinigami, "You may actually be fun to fight after all. Alright, then. If I can't move normally, I'll just have change up the rhythm. Thrash and Go Wild! Mono Dios!"

The air exploded with a heavy reiatsu spike as the Espada released his own Zanpakutō. As Shinji's vision cleared, he gaped at what he saw. The Arrancar's body was covered by a thick coat of brown fur, and a long tail flicked lazily back and forth behind him. He seemed to resemble a large, long limbed monkey. His kung fu outfit had been replaced by a suit of flexible looking armor. He still held his staff in one hand, in the other he held an almost comically over sized gourd, which he immediately raised to his lips and drank from deeply.

He drank for almost a solid minute, Shinji beginning to feel more and more awkward as he stood there, wondering if he should even bother attacking. Finally, the monkey-like Espada let loose a happy sigh and lowered the gourd. "Haaah! That hits the shpot..." He said drunkenly, stumbling and swaying slightly as he spoke. "Yosh! Noveno Eshpada, Shun Shhira, ready to kick yer assh!" He stumbled backwards a few steps before lunging forward with unexpected speed, bringing the massive gourd swinging up to batter the Shinigami away.

Shinji blinked in surprise as the Arrancar lunged at him. What the... How is he moving that easily with Sakanade's ability still working? His confusion nearly cost him as the heavy strike swung in. He managed to roll to the side at the last second, feeling the displaced wind whip against his face as the gourd passed through the space his body had been a mere heartbeat before. Tch. Fine then. Dropping the ring shaped hilt of Sakanade down around his wrist, he began spinning the blade around faster and faster, until it nearly disappeared in a blur of motion. Then, summoning up his hollow mask, he leaped forward, flicking his arm forward and around. The blade cut into Shira's fur several times, droplets of blood spraying out as the Zanpakutō acted almost like a buzsaw.

Shira simply laughed drunkenly before falling away from the spinning sword, pausing to lash out at Shinji with a pair of thrusting, shotgun-like kicks. When Shinji dodged to the side and avoided those, Shira flipped up onto his head and spun around, bringing his staff sweeping around to smash into the Vizard's knee, and knocking him to his side.

"Yeh really sshouldn't'a let me have that lasht drink there, Shinigami boy." Shira chuckled, as he came to a stop, lying on his side facing Shinji. "Doshn't matter how much ya messh with my mind. The drunker I get in my realeashed shtate, the crazier my movements get anywaysh. Sho throwin' off mah internal compash don't mean sshit anymore" He grinned wildly rolling up to his feet once again, Shinji also recovering his footing and bringing his blade up in time to block the inbound staff strike.

Lisa watched from a dozen feet away, unable to believe what she was seeing. He's fighting Shinji to a standstill... She thought, truly amazed. I can hardly follow his movements. She managed to suppress her gasp of surprise when the monkey-like Espada suddenly rolled away from Shinji and popped up right in front of her.

"Heheh. Hey there doll. You gonna jusht sit here staring, or you gonna jump in an' make this fight a bit more fun?" Shira's grin was lit by the tell-tale glint of the absolute insanity that could only possibly come form being completely hammered. Lisa felt her teeth grit together as she tightened her grip on her spear shaped Zanpakutō and swept it up and around in a cleaving strike just as Shinji appeared behind her target, lashing out at his mid back.

Shira's grin only widened. He kicked his staff backwards and up, bringing it into Shinji's path, meanwhile, he brought his foot up and stomped down on the flat of Lisa's blade, forcing the point down to pass harmlessly below him. "There we go. Now maybe you guy'sh'll have a chance."

The three of them vanished into a blurring series of strikes, parries, dodges, blocks and blows. Shira seemed to be impossible to pin down, every minute or so, he'd take another heavy swig from his gourd, and his movements would continue to grow more and more erratic. Finally after a while, the Espada kicked himself away from the two Visard,dropping his staff as he moved.

"Woah..." He panted, breathing heavily. "You guysh don't messh around do ya?" He grinned widely, "Then it'sh time ta end thish." He raised the gourd to his lips once again, and threw his head back. His entire body arched backwards as he drank, and drank, and drank. Realizing what was likely about to happen Shinji's eyes widened and he lunged forward, Lisa right behind him, trying to strike while the Arrancar was vulnerable.

As the two struck, the monkey-like Espada vanished, leaving only the gourd to plummet to the ground, empty. A heartbeat later, Shira reappeared in between them, lashing out a brutal, blurring triple strike to Lisa's stomach and chest, and kicking her away, before turning and unleashing a barrage of strikes at Shinji.

The blonde Vizard tried his best to keep up with the attacks, but the drunken Espada's movements were almost impossible to follow. Eventually Shinji's defense broke down entirely, and Shira was simply pummeling his foe mercilessly. After a few moments, Shira stopped, instead reaching forward and closing his extremely powerful hands around Shinji's neck. "Well bud." He said with a drunken grin, "It'sh been fun. But I gotta jusht kill ya' now-" His words were interrupted as Sakanade was rammed into his chest.

"W-was... waiting for you... to... do something stupid..." Shinji coughed as the Espada's grip tightened in pain. "LISA!"

Lisa returned in a flicker of shunpo, stabbing towards Shira with her spear, the blade aimed right for his heart. Shira's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was about to happen.

The spear tip rammed into Sun Shira's back, forcing a blood-filled cough from his lungs. However, his eyes glittered with triumph, even as he fell forward. Because as the pain of the Zanpakutō had pierced him, another sound had filled the air. The sound of a snapping neck.

*

Raiche Luraunt looked up, a look of disappointment on his face. "Shira-san lost to that rabble? How pathetic."

Kensei tried to take advantage of the Espada's momentary distraction, lunging forward and punching with all his might. Luraunt managed to twist away at the last second, flicking his rapier out once again to open another bright red line along the man's chest. "Dammit!" The Vizard swore. "Hold still you little shit!"

"Well when you ask like that..." Luraunt laughed as he skipped backwards, "It just makes the whole idea sound so appealing."

A shadow fell over him as he moved. Looking up, he saw the petite, deadly form of Mashiro spinning down towards him for a brutally devastating kick. The blow connected solidly with the crown of the Espada's head, smashing him into the ground. "Yay!" Mashiro cheered bubbly, her voice echoing from within her hollow mask. "I win Kensei!"

Kensei appeared beside her, frowning and looking down at the smoking rubble of the building where Luraunt had landed. "You should take off your mask for a little bit." He said seriously, "Even you're gonna get tired out fighting a twisty little fuck like this guy."

"Eh? What're you talking about Kensei? You remember how long I can keep this thing on for right?!" Mashiro looked almost like she was telling off a naughty child as she explained herself, "Fifteen hours! I could keep going like this al-" She was interrupted as a rapier blade punched into the lowest corner of her mask, crushing through the bone-like material and opening a cut along her cheek and up past her eye.

Mashiro howled in pain as she leaped backwards trailing blood. Luraunt meanwhile flicked the blood from his blade and rounded on Kensei, letting loose a series of jabbing thrusts and stabs. There was blood trickling down his face from where his hat covered his eye, but he still bore that same, insane grin that he'd had the entire fight. "Aahhh... You people are most enjoyable to battle against!" He laughed as he continued thrusting at the large white haired Vizard.

Kensei dodged the stabs easily enough, finally, he grit his teeth and brought his bankai up to knock the rapier aside and counter attack. Again, the Espada was able to twist himself away expertly, though it was a much closer call this time. "Dammit." He cursed again, letting loose a flurry of brutally powerful punches.

After a few moments, the two broke apart once again, Kensei flickering over to check on Mashiro, while Luraunt simply stood there, breathing heavilly. Flicking the blood from his face, the Espada smiled widely, holding his arms outstretched, "Aahhh, this is what life is truly all about. This enjoyment... But alas, I believe it is time to bring this act to a close. Forgive me my strange Shinigami friends, but with Shiro-sama fighting above us, and that drunken idiot Sun Shira dead, I need to end this quickly." He saluted with his rapier, before making a quick flourish with it in the air, "Create, Imaginarium."

The customary reiatsu spike was accompanied by a flash of dark blue light that flooded the area around them. The two Vizards were joined by Lisa, and Rose as they stood on guard, waiting for the released Espada to reveal himself. What emerged from the mist like reiatsu was... unexpected, to say the least. Luraunt's hat was still there, however the section that reached down, covering his eye usually was now gone, revealing a glimmering ruby-like gem. Instead of the rapier, he held a long, feathered ink quill, and a large book, and four creepy looking, almost tentacle like arms reached out from his back, each of them also held an ornate feather quill.

He looked up, noticing the two new comers. "Ahh, fresh subjects for my ink to capture in memorium." He smiled warmly. "Wonderful."

Kensei looked towards Lisa, noticing her expression. "Shinji?"

She couldn't bring herself to answer. She simply lowered her gaze, biting her lip and shaking her head slightly.

"Shit." Kensei felt his grip tighten on the handles of his punching blades. "Ok... We'll deal with that after we kill this son of a bitch. Get ready, we don't know what he does."

Luraunt simply stood there, gazing at his enemies across the gap between them. "Now then..." He tapped his lip thoughtfully. "How should I capture this moment? Hmm, I think you are not needed for this picture my curly haired blonde friend." He locked eyes with Rose, the tentacle-like arms on his back moving to the open book in his hand and flickering across the page, swiftly drawing something. "Please leave my sight, forever."

Rose opened his mouth to say something, but never even got the chance, his eyes widened in shock and pain as a red gash appeared across his throat, blood spurting forth. The blonde haired Vizard gasped, clutching at his throat before falling away from the others.

"ROSE!" Lisa screamed, lunging down to catch her falling friend. As she rushed after him, a blade seemed to materialize from thin air, piercing Rose's heart. Lisa stopped moving, feeling her heart stop at the sight of yet another friend dying right in front of her. "YOU BASTARD!" She rounded on Luraunt in pure fury, leaping at him and summoning her mask as she stabbed towards his heart.

Luraunt let loose an insane laugh as he dodged to the side, "Yes! Hahaha! That's it my dear! That despair is perfect! Oh such a wonderful subject for my artwork." As he dodged and weaved away from the enraged woman, his tentacle arms continued their mad scrawling across a new page of his book. "Yes... Yes... and then she'll..."

As he spoke, Luraunt dodged to the side, just as Mashiro's leg cleaved through the air where his head had been. The brutal kick from the green haired woman collided with the blade of Lisa's spear, blood pouring forth as the tip of the weapon dug into her foot. Mashiro let loose another howl of pain, as Lisa shrieked in shock, trying to apologize.

"YES! PERFECT!" Luraunt laughed as he skipped backwards. "Oohh these scenes are turning out even better than I had hoped!"

Kensei suddenly appeared behind the Espada, loosing a brutally devastating punch that successfully collided with Luraunt's cheek. "You little fuck." The mighty Vizard's voice was cold and deadly. "What the fuck did you do to Rose?"

"Hmm?" Luraunt spit out a mouthful of blood, as he recovered slowly from the punch. "I would have thought the name of my Zanpakutō explained it all..." He shrugged, "Imaginarium. Whatever I draw within this book, becomes a reality. For example..." He flicked a page or two backwards, and showed it to Kensei. It showed a sketch of Rose with a bright red line across his neck, and what looked like blood flowing forth, then another image of him being impaled as he fell with a sword.

The air around Kensei began to swirl and the former captain's eyes turned dark. "You're dead." He said simply, locking eyes with the Espada before him.

"Ooh?" Luraunt smiled cruelly, "I like those eyes... they're so fierce... All the better when that becomes true despair." His tentacle arms were already drawing as Kensei lunged forward. The Vizard's punch came up short however, when suddenly, Mashiro was between the two.

"Mashiro, get the fuck out of my way!" Kensei snarled, his fist stopped an inch before his former lieutenant's face.

"I-I can't move..." Mashiro's eyes were wide as she tried desperately to understand the situation. "Kensei... I can't move!"

"Of course you can't my dear." Luraunt laughed sadistically, just behind the green haired woman. "You cannot move because that is how I have drawn you. And until the page is turned, this is your reality."

"You fucking coward!" Kensei tried to lunge around Mashiro, but the girl's body simply shifted to always be between him and his target. "Fight like a real man!"

"Hmph. Foolish neanderthal." Luraunt snorted, continuing to draw on the page, " A real man fights with everything at his disposal. And I have one other weapon at mine." As he spoke, Lisa suddenly appeared before Kensei, her eyes wide with fear, her body seemingly moving on it's own, as her spear lunged towards his eye. "Checkmate." Luraunt grinned wickedly.

Kensei threw himself backwards, just managing to dodge away from the blow in time. Tears were streaming down Lisa's face as her body once again lunged forward on it's own, working to enact the Espada's twisted vision of what reality should be. Meanwhile, Mashiro screamed obscenities at her captor, struggling to escape the hold that he had over her.

Kensei continued to dodge, his mind racing. This fucking power... He thought, There's got to be some kind of limit to it... Think Kensei, think! He said that whatever he draws, is what happens, that means that if I can get rid of those damned arms, I can shut him down. Also... why hasn't he tried to catch me in one of these stupid traps of his...? Could he not be able to influence people who are strong enough...? But if that were the case, then how did he kill Rose so easily? As he tried to work it through in his mind, his eye drifted back to the Espada. The cold, cruel smile that he saw on the Arrancar's lips made his blood run cold.

Suddenly, Lisa stopped moving, and Mashiro seemed to slump forward. "I can see the gears working overtime in your mind trying to figure out my ability." Luraunt's voice sounded from just behind Kensei. The Vizard turned, preparing to strike, but felt himself freeze up as he faced the Espada. "While it's true that my ability does indeed have limits," The Arrancar continued, "I'm afraid that you, Vizard-san, fall well within those limits. Especially since Shiro-sama gifted us with his might." As he spoke, his tentacle arms continued drawing, "Shiro-sama explained to us what you all are. Shinigami who have a hollow within your soul. It's fascinating material, so close to us Arrancar... and yet so fundamentally different. Still, it's close enough for my purposes."

Kensei suddenly felt a ripping pain tear through him as something punched through his back and into his chest. He managed to look back over his shoulder, his eyes widening in shock. "Ma...shi...ro...?"

Mashiro was just behind him, her arm buried in his back, and her hollow mask pulled over her face. Kensei managed to realize, as his vision began to go dark, that the hollow mask seemed to have completely encased her head, instead of just the face-mask that she normally wore. He also noted Lisa a little further back, struggling to try and rip her own mask off as it slowly encased her whole head.

"Yes." Luraunt stepped forward, pulling Kensei's gaze back to him, "I'm afraid that your friends' 'inner hollows' as you call them, have just become far to powerful for either of them to contain, or control. As such, I'm afraid that your friends, are now, my friends."

"Y-you... bas...tard..." Kensei tried to force his body to move, maybe if he could just kill this bastard, maybe at least Lisa and Mashiro could escape.

"It's ok, I promise, I'll treat them well. After all, they're going to be my new lab assistants." The Espada walked around to Mashiro, caressing her mask gently, "And I always take good care of my lab assistants."

Mashiro made a little cooing sound from behind her mask, her head tilting to consider the man before her. Kensei meanwhile swore once more before falling away from the group, blood falling from the gaping hole in his body. Ma..shiro... he tried to speak, but couldn't, landing in a crumpled heap, far below.

"And now, the final page." Luraunt grinned, his quills scribbling across the page of his book, "Where the beautiful new assistants swear their unwavering loyalty to their new master Raiche Luraunt, and their unending fealty to the mighty King Shiro-sama."

Unable to resist the power that had arrayed itself against them, Lisa and Mashiro both fell to their knees, their heads bowed in submission before the Octava Espada.