Catching Up (Hageshii and Tenma)

Tenma walked across a field under the starry sky with his thoughts. His zanpakuto hanging at his side as a reminder to those who saw him that he was a shinigami. He got about halfway across the field when he felt a sudden field of reiatsu cover the clearing. He looked around confused before he pinpointed a Garganta above him in the sky. "How did the~?!" was all he got out as a hollow swooped down and attacked him. He rolled aside and drew his zanpakuto quickly, the black and crimson blade shining slightly in the moonlight, a huge number of hollows poured out of the garganta and he didn't know how long he'd last against them. "There's too many..The best I can do is fire a signal and try to hold them off." He said as he looked straight up into the night sky and pointed two fingers up "Hado number 4 White Lightning!" He called out as he fired a blast of lightning into the air, hoping someone would see the stark color contrast in the night and come to his aid.

He then turned to the large group of hollows and readied himself. "I've gotta defend until help arrives, they won't take me or anyone else out while I'm here!" He called as a hollow tried to slash a claw at his stomach and he spun the blade around the slice the hollows arm off. He spun the blade around over him and stabbed the hollow down through the skull and brought it back up to defend against the rest of the assault. The rest of the creatures were watching him warily after what he'd done to their ally. "Since when do hollows show hesitation in this form?" He asked himself as he waited for the next attack.

Hageshii was just patrolling about lazily with a book in one hand when he felt the Hollows amass nearby. He hopped up onto a roof top and pinpointed them instantly. He watched as they rained down onto an unsuspecting shinigami. Upon further inspection that shinigami was Tenma Yamato, unseated member oof the first division. Hageshii chuckled inwardly. "That's what happens to people who want to be the best. They're faced with hardship." Hageshii glanced around hoping someone else was within sight as a single hollow charged Tenma. When he was sure no one else was around he looked back to see a portion of them glancing in his direction as well being rather weary of Tenma. He assumed that they were worried about Tenma casting another kiddo, specifically White Lightning. Again he laughed, this time aloud. He heard Tenma ask why hollows were so hesitant and chastised Tenma in his head for not being able to make the obvious conclusion.

He rested his left wrist on his Zanpaku-to's sheath and stood somewhat to his side so as to appear as a smaller target. "They are hesitant because of this." He called out to Tenma "Hadou Number 4! White Lightning!!" He yelled it to catch the hollows' attention as he pointed dead center of their ranks blasting through at least four of them. He hopped off of the roof and stalked slowly, menacingly toward the hollows. "Be grateful Tenma Yamato," Hageshii said sarcastically "Help has arrived." Hageshii didn't want to fight. He hated combat. Should he have had a choice he would have been reading his book, which he left up on the roof, under lamplight relaxing peacefully gather more information on the topic of his research. However, he wasn't given a choice no one else was within immediate sight so no one could respond as fast as he could and he wasn't about to be removed from his books in a jail cell for not helping out during a direct invasion. They, being the heads of Seireitei, were daft if they thought he'd let them or anyone come between him and his research.

Tenma heard the kido fire out and looked up to see Hageshii stalking towards the hollow. "If you're here that means I can stop playing defensive!" He called as he changed his stance with his zanpakuto and smirked at the hollows. He then charged forward and flourished his blade, slicing through a hollow trying to slash him from the side. He then ducked under the arm of another hollow and thrusted his blade up through it's mask as well. Each time his aim was absolutely precise, he shunpo'd himself into a better position and aimed a hado down their ranks "Hado number 3 Crimson Strike!" He called as blast of crimson energy shot forth and blasted a few of the hollows.

He then rushed forward and thrust his blade into the skull of a charging hollow and smirked as he back stepped. He ran his hand across his blade and spoke softly "Bask in the flurry of combat Ryu Tensen" He said as he slashed down and struck down another hollow. He was waiting to use shikai for when it was needed. He wouldn't randomly activate it unless it was necassary, and he had Hageshii here to watch his back. He spun around a slashed a hollow that was trying to attack Hageshii in half and then thrust his blade behind him between his arm and chest to kill another hollow.

Hageshii was rushed the moment he got within range and onslaught began. He didn't need or want to draw his sword he simply blasted through the few that ran his way with Hado numer 5, fireball. He didn't need incantations, he just kept shooting like his life depended on it. It did depend on it, but that was a trivial matter to Hageshii at the moment. He was being backed into a corner and was saved at the last moment by Tenma. Hageshii was capable of doing it himself but he gladly accepted the extra effort on Tenma's part. It meant less work for him. He drew his sword reluctantly and began his counter attack. He just barely avoided a strike to his ribs and eased up into the hollows face "Hado number four, White Lightning" he said blasting through yet again a group of at least four hollows. He began using his sword as a defensive object rather than it's intended offensive purpose and blasted Hado's four and five relentlessly at anything that came into his line of sight, let alone his path.

Tenma noticed Hageshiis love of kido and decided it was time to show him what he'd learned. "Cover me!" He yelled as he sheathed his zanpakuto through the skull of a hollow in a doward fashion and into the ground in front of him as he charged green reiatsu into both of his hands. "Hado number 30! Green Fire Exectution!" He called as he slammed his hands together and blasted every hollow in a straight line in front of him with the attack. All of them were incinerated by the attack and Tenma quickly picked up his sword and swung behind Hageshii to kill another allow that was attacking his flank. He then spun around and shunpo'd toward another group of them. He threw his blade like an old ninja knife right ahead, then yanked back on the tassle, killing a hollow that was just out of range.

He then spun his blade in a circle by said tassle and sliced through another group of them, catching the hilt of his blade and cutting through another who got to close. Eventually however enough of them attacked that he saw the need to call upon his sword. "Rend your enemies asunder Ryu Tensen!" He called as his zanpakuto transformed into a longsword with a motorcycle like gear-shift on the handle. He spun his blade down and cut through a few more hollows before thrusting behind him once more. Each one of his strikes killed one of the creatures and their numbers were begining to dwindle.

It was then however that he became overwhelmed. As he struck out at a hollow that had attacked him another struck him from behind, the wound was deep enough to be a problem later, but for now he'd manage. He raised his hand to the sky and called out "Oh the crescent moon of the lunar , where one of the purist of light and the shadows of darkness, show me your holy light! Hado number 21 White Lunar Spear Shot!" He called as he fired the reiatsu into the air. After a second or two the reiatsu fired down like a spear into a group of hollows as Tenma slashed through another nearby hollow with Ryu Tensen.

Hageshii took note of Tenma's shout and leaped over a hollow bring his sword up from it's chest through it's skull. He flipped mid air and dropped down hard on a hollow attempting to flank Tenma. "Oh no you don't" Hageshii blasted a fireball through it's face and began to grin. He had become sickeningly engrossed in the combat. He heard the chants of Tenma and paid them no mind. He was having fun, but was oddly confused. How could he, who was so reluctant to join the first place have so much fun in so much bloodshed. He became engulfed in uncertainty but never let his blade faulter. Something got past him and ripped into Tenma. Just as it did so Hageshii cut it down.

"This is really aggravating." Hageshii said as the lunar shot reeked havoc on a large number of Hollows. "Very Impressive" he said sliding past Tenma into a group of hollows. He cut through half of them before one got his sword arm with it's teeth. "Son of a bitch! That's my reading arm!" He screamed as he blasted it in the face with a fireball. He switched from his sword hand to his off hand and chuncked his blade like a spear into a charging hollow. Yanking back on the tassel he withdrew the sword from the hollows chest and then began to spin his sword like helicopter blades.

"YOU BASTARDS!!! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU F*** WITH MY RESEARCH!! UURRRRAAAAAAHHHH" He began screaming and shouting and grunting violently as he cut and blasted through hollows without any regard for his own safety. Spinning his blade, basting hado's 4 and 5, and always turning around to cover his own flank he worked his way around in a semi circle until he got back to tenma's flank where he took a rather aggressive defensive position behind Temna. He saw a visible dwindle in their numbers but he began to grow tired from his over exertion. He knew if he kept up at this pace he'd be dead unless they could wipe out the rest of their opponents in one final go. "I've only got enough energy for one last push! You think we can manage?" He called over his shoulder to Tenma

"Handle everything in front of you." He said simply as he charged up another Hado 21, he fired it into the air and charged the familiar green energy once more. He had reached the peak of it's power as the lunar crashed into a group of the few remaining hollow and Tenma then thrust his hands forward "Green Fire Execution!" He yelled as he blasted the level 30 hado down the line in front of him. It obliterated most of the hollows on his side and he drew Ryu Tensen and walked toward the rest. He slashed downward and killed one of them with a quick strike, he then ducked and slashed across the mask of another. He then turned and launched a white lightning hado at one more and then turned to see Hageshii's progress.

He heard Tenma's response and thought back to his book. Oddly it gave him renewed vigor. How dare these wretched hollows interfere with his reading time. He was on his way back to his home to read anyhow. Before they showed up. He cursed them aloud even more and began his final push. He baited as many hollows he could by stepping forward hesitantly until he was almost surrounded. "Well?" He asked, "I'm not going to die of natural causes here." They jumped at him at once and he fell to his back. Spinning his sword above him. It caught in the mask of one hollow and he wretched it free by launching a fireball straight into everything that was above him. The hollows scattered like charcoal pieces after a grill explodes. He rolled sideways avoiding a few of the more luck hollows that escaped his blast and managed to hop up onto his feet again to take a defensive stance. Three hollows were all that were left in front of him but he didn't have enough energy to take more than one down. He stopped spinning his sword and replaced it's hilt into his off hand. He turned and ran toward a wall sprinting as fast as he could. he glanced back to see they were somewhat in line behind him. "idiots." he chuckled as he reached the wall. He stepped onto it and spun kicking the first one in the head and catching the last two with White Lightning. When he land he vaulted onto the first hollow and removed it's head with his blade. When he stood again it was shakily. He managed to walk over to Tenma without having to use his sword as support. He sheathed his blade and plopped down. "Call a medic, would ya." he said examining his wounded arm. "Damn, this is going to make reading that much more difficult." he said through labored breaths.

Tenme nodded and blasted another white lightning into the air. He then fell back and passed out. His last thoughts were invaded by the sounds of medics from squad four lifting him onto a stretching and running him and Hageshii to their barracks. He breath was labored but more from exhaustion then any injuries. He finally lost conciousness right as they entered the barracks.

Hageshii was annoyed by the fact that the fourth squad guys almost forgot his book. As he rested on ones shoulder he was walked to the barracks with a bit of help and was examined. They refused to let him leave after he was bandaged so he read until his eyes grew troublesomely heavy and fell asleep on his cot.