Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): Bleach - Chapter 1: Beginning the hunt

[Justin OOC]

The team of Shinigami knew that there was something about Karakura town that wasn't natural, there were simply too many hollows. Sometimes there were a dozen attacks a night.

Perhaps most notably, the area around the school drew the most attacks, necessitating them going undercover as students or Faculty in Jiro's case.

Today though something was strange, there were no attacks. Life seemed to simply be normal.

For Jierumi, things went quietly, the day a regular monotanous day, and Lunch saw the usual fare.

For him he could feel an odd pressure, rising as he neared the shinigami, and they could feel it too when he neared them. It had never happened before, and no one knew why it would now.

[Jeremy]

Jierumi took some soup, as he sat down at an empty table, but the tray clattered as he put it down. The sensation was almost like static, the sort of feedback when there was too much of something in one place. And he stayed still for a minute, eyes closing, as he thought hard and realized with shocked clarity that he was not the only one creating this effect.

And he could tell who it was. The new janitor, a new student named Tetsu in his History class... Kaori Aoyama? Strange enough, aggravated by the fact he couldn't tell the quality of the pressure they seemed to be putting out. It wasn't human, but if they were 'Swordsmen', as he chose to mentally nickname those strange visitors, he wouldn't know, having not dared to close the distance and question the Swordsmen yet.

But at this moment, it was not advisable to get any closer. Perhaps he could talk to Kaori, or one of the others later. At this point, he didn't want to inadvertently attract Critters to the school, if that would be the result of this buildup.

Sighing, Jierumi took his napkin and wiped up the spilled soup, before lifting his tray and heading outside for a quiet space under a tree to sit at, and hopefully alleviate the pressure that was rising here.

Click to reveal..

Soul roll for greater Sixth Sense detail

2d6+8=18

[Galahad]

Tetsu felt the odd pressure from where he was sitting at the lunch tables, hands clasped before his face, elbows on the table, staring at the not very appetising food sitting on the plate before him.

He knew he needed to eat it to keep the gigai responding properly, but he was struggling to make himself do it. Thankfully the crash of the tray allowed him to snap his attention away from the plate.

He watched as the human cleaned up the mess he made then make his way from the lunch room, his shoulders seeming to ease their tightness the closer he gets to the door.

Tetsu looks around to find Kaori, who as was a recent trend here, was surrounded by humans. The polar opposite of Tetsu. They seemed to stay away from him. Maybe it was his height, his gaunt almost skeletal face, or the fact that whenever someone tried to talk to him he scowled at them. This wasnt intential, it was just the way he looked. He didnt see it as much of a downside though.

Thankful for an excuse to leave the 'food' where it was he stood, pointed in the direction of the 'fleeing' human for Kaori to see, and then slowly started making his way to the doors.

[SalmonMax]

Across from the trees Jierumi chose to sat was the blacktop area where the hardtop sports were played. Painted onto the asphault was a basketball court as well as a squared area suitable for stringing a volleyball net over, or badminton.

And sweeping off that blacktop at his usual unhurried pace was the Creepy Janitor with his wide brimmed hat and his long-handled push broom. He hummed a song to himself as he pushed dust across the smooth pavement over to the edge of the grass and then swept it over.

For a moment he looked up and Jierumi caught a look at his face under the hat's brim. The janitor was looking over at him. When he saw he'd been noticed he nodded, dropped a wink, then turned to get on with his cleaning.

Though, it seemed a little odd to sweep the blacktop when there was no trash, and no leaves on it.

[Kaori Aoyama]

Silent as Death's stride Kaori played her part, falling in behind Jierumi at a healthy pace, much to the dismay of her fan club (although thrashing them all was what she'd rather be doing). She didn't pay Jierumi him much mind, and hadn't since his senseless display of violence on her first day. He was a brutish thug, and nothing more, much like the salivating rapists-in-training everyone called her 'admirers'.

She stopped and stood next to Tetsu, her arms folded and a scowl plastered upon her brow. "And the point of us spying on this slack-jawed, knuckle-dragging, meat-slapper is what?" She asked calmly and in her typical monotone.

[Galahad]

Tetsu shrugged, the effect sending shivers to any looking. And he could feel the looks too. He knew everyone thought his pale skin and gaunt features made him look skeletal, and they disliked the way he seemed to associate with Kaori the way they all seemed to want to. But they just couldnt really make themselves want to be his friend, something seemed to drive them off. And he knew no matter how Kaori tried to achieve his ability to repel humans that she would never perfect it.

"I felt something... odd... strange... before. And at the same time he seemed to have some sort of reaction. He timed it too well for it to be just coincidence."

,,

Click to reveal.. (this'll do for now)

http://img200.imageshack.us/i/tetsu1z.jpg/

[Justin OOC]

Almost as one, the three Soul Reapers' phones rang, presenting them with orders. The Science department had detected a disturbance six blocks away, something was coming through from Heucho Mundo, and They were ordered to be on-hand to deal with it.

[SalmonMax]

Jiro read the text on his phone's display, then clicked it shut and pocketed it again. He glanced over at the boy from under his hat again, and decided that some discretion was in order. He had no idea if the spiritually powerful student could perceive anything beyond his world...it didn't seem likely...but it was easy enough to leave his sight before eating the soul candy.

Whistling, he turned and headed around the cafeteria. When he was out of eyesight from the boy, he reached into his pocket and popped the small green orb there into his mouth.

Being displaced from a gigai was always a little disorienting at first. Jiro shook it off and told the artificial soul that now inhabited his 'body,' "Clean around campus. Avoid students and faculty when you can. Play dumb if someone tries to talk to you."

The gigai with his face grinned widely and flapped a hand to reassure him. "Hai hai," it agreed vapidly, and turned to start sweeping aimlessly over the blacktop. Artificial souls were not, as a rule, bright. One reason Jiro had crafted his janitor persona to be distant and unresponsive in the first place was to make sure that an artificial soul wouldn't mess up the performance.

Now strength flooded through him as he was no longer encumbered by the phony body he'd had to wear. In less than an eyeblink he was on top of the cafeteria, looking out in the direction of the call. Then he leapt in an impossibly distant jump, sailing out over the trees and landing on the athletics field in a dead sprint.

If they want us all to be there, it must be a powerful presence coming through...

[Justin OOC]

for Jierumi, he felt a slight explosion of power as Jiro left his gigai, and a sinister force tugging at his soul, coming from the direction the hollow report.

[Galahad]

Tetsu really couldnt be bothered going anywhere for the forced soul rip. He was worried though about what the replacement soul would do. He had tried to get one that was aloof and tried to stay away from people, but instead he had been sent one that was a glutton, eating everything in site.

He looked at the pez dispenser with disgust, then popped the candy.

He was disorientated for a moment as his power flooded back to him after being in the gigai. But then he caught himself and grabbed the gigai by the shoulders.

"Do not go back into the building, run somewhere else. I dont care if you skip school, not learning anything useful there anyway, but just stay away from the cafeteria!"

The glutton soul nods at him with a smile and then runs off, going to play hooky. Tetsu shakes his head. He knew when he went looking for him later he'll be surrounded by buckets of something, either chicken drumsticks or icecream, all empty, and him sleeping with a full stomach. It would take him forever to get rid of the taste from the gigais mouth. He'll need to procure as much mouth wash as he could, that or sake. Yes, sake, that would clean up the taste. At least the sake in this place was good.

He stood there waiting to see what Kaori was going to do.

[Jeremy]

Jierumi felt the tugging of what he surmised to be Critters. Well, if they were coming into town, he had the time to stop them. But what was the other burst coming from the janitor? That was settled swiftly, as Jiro came down through the sky, so he... and possibly the other two students, were part of the Sword-Wearing Brigade of Monster Killers.

Although feeling another burst of Tetsu's quality made him decide to assume so. But he could always ask them later, presuming they weren't hostile. Already up, he turned towards the direction of the sinister force and shot off, running towards it.

[Kaori Aoyama]

Kaori's gigai received its instructions. They were detailed, but not beyond what the gigai was capable of. Dutifully she stepped off to meet with Tetsu, watching his gigai run off absently. "You draw too much attention to us. Many will wonder why you suddenly ran off without cause, tardiness leads to expulsion, and we are ordered to remain in school until our investigation is concluded."

She strode past him, barely acknowledging his presence. "We are not here to 'learn', we are here to investigate. Place our orders before your boredom in the future. Quickly now, to Heucho Mundo."

[Justin OOC]

The Gigai all did as they were told, and in and The soul reapers all arrived to find a tear in middle of the park. Thankfully no humans were around. A dozen hollows were already present, all of them mantis types. Each was starting to move off in a different direction of the city. There was still more coming through the tear.. and an ominous pressure was coming from it.

(Ok guys have some fun)

[Kaori Aoyama]

The thick heel of Kaori's boot clicked down on the bike riding trail and her eyes narrowed at the sight before her. Mantis Hollows, scouts most likely, had come through first but that only meant more would be through soon.

A spectral breeze fluttered her pleated skirt about as she gave the Hollows the opportunity to notice her and the Reapers. At her side were Kage and Rai and she was thankful to finally feel them once again.

"Let us make this quick, I have a history exam next period." She said coldly in her mono tone.

Like a lightning bolt she was off and running towards her first duty. Halfway there she gripped her blades and unsheathed them. Kage's dark matte finish swallowed the gleaming sunlight and licked a coiling darkness up Kaori's left arm. Rai's gleaming electrum finish drank deep of the sun vitality, shimmering brilliantly in the noonday rays coiling bright jolts of blueish-white lightning up her right arm.

The Mantis Hollow raised its natural weapons high in preperation for Kaori's assault but she was by far smarter. Its claws slammed into the earth, digging deep, but it was too slow. The Reaper had already passed its attack and fell to her knees. She slid across the grass, leaning back and slid underneath the Mantis Hollow belly. With her blades out to her sides they cut deep and bit hard into Hollow flesh, slicing it's legs out from under it. In a swift motion, after traveling the full length of its body, she snapped up to her feet and leapt backwards in an impressive arch. The sound of metal dragging on metal made a loud "shing" that echoed as her blades scissored the Hollows head as she cam to the end of her arc, landing gracefully back in front of her opponent.

She turned and walked toward her next opponent as its head bounced to the ground behind her. "My power is absolute." Kage flared with dark power as its aura engulfed the left side of her body. "These fools will learn their place or their pain will be legendary."

[Galahad]

Tetsu shrugged.

"Thats why I told him I didnt care if he skipped. Nothing useful to learn here anyway. I'll just make it up with some extra duties or something."

He follows and is shocked at the scene he comes upon.

"This isnt right. Theres already so many here and yet there are still more coming through the rift? Oh well."

He draws his katana slowly and delibrately.

"Be good to me today Pesuto. I have a bad feeling about this."

With his katana in hand he crouches behind the others, waiting to see what they are going to do while he tries to discern what this weird feeling was. But it seems his mind was distracted by the thoughts of his Gigai stuffing its face with sweets.

Click to reveal..

Critical Failure Sixth Sense!

[Akiko]

Akiko had not been at the school that day. She was sitting by a river looking disappointed at the sketch she had spent all morning on. There was just something off with it. When the phone went off she contemplated ignoring it. Let the other shinigami handle just another hollow attack. She would never admit it but she was feeling a little bitter. She had been protecting this place well for some time and suddenly others showed up. It was most likely a general alert for one or two hollows. It didn't feel quite right to just ignore a hollow though. Her sense of duty won out and she opened the phone and frowned. That seemed a bit larger than a couple hollows.

Are you just going to sit there and not do something about this?

Now her Kyuukyoku Kiden wanted her to go an engage. With a frustrated sigh she popped the small candy in to her mouth and with ease that came with months of doing it over and over again came clean of her gigai. "Return home please." With that simple command she was off.

When she arrived on the scene and saw what was happening she felt almost gloomy. A dozen weak hollows with possibly another dozen or so preparing to come in. Were she the only one there it might have been somewhat challenging just to face that number. However she already saw the other three soul reapers. One hollow was coming in her direction. She leaped in to the air and drew in one fluid motion. The hollow dissolved as she landed gracefully, her sword already sheathed again. She would not insult the other half of her soul by awakening it to deal with such weaklings. Instead she stood back and examined the others, she had yet to have the opportunity to measure their fighting abilities.

[SalmonMax]

Jiro flickered and vanished as a hollow's claw buried itself in the pavement where he'd been an instant before. In the heartbeat that the hollow found it's weapon stuck, he bisected it from above and landed just beyond it as it faded to black and disintegrated into ash. However, his target was not principally the hollows. From the moment he'd arrived at the park, he made a beeline towards the rift itself.

And if a few hollows got in his way? Well, he wouldn't let them past. But since he had so much backup, he felt it was important to see what could be done to seal the rift itself.

The black oval hovering near the swirly-slide radiated the same boundless, malevolent hunger that hollows themselves did. It had a sense of depth, as if one could fall into it even though there was no particular pull towards it. It was a bridge between the world of the living and 'Hueco Mundo,' the world of the hungry ghosts. Jiro stood before it, scratching the stubble on his chin as he looked up at it.

It had to pass through the boundary dimension, which meant it could only stay open until the 'Cleaner' came. But that should have happened by now. Did hollows have some other means to move between worlds?

He had a sinking feeling that whatever was holding this gate open was probably on the other side. The only way to close it would be to cross over and destroy it...which would trap whoever went in Hueco Mundo. Or, if these hollows were its minions, then perhaps it would show itself if they killed enough.

"Iyadeh," Jiro lamented to himself as another death-masked hollow lumbered out of the portal. "I suppose there's no help for it then." A slash in its midsection didn't kill it, but caused it to double over in pain. With its head in easy reach, Jiro sent its ashes back to Hueco Mundo with another slash, then leapt back from the gate to give himself a bit more reaction time to emerging hollows.

[Justin OOC]

They managed to thin out the hollows fast, but the little ones did their job. They could all feel it, as the Menos Grande emerged from the garganta.

(Initiative rolls everyone)

[SalmonMax]

Even the normally unflappable Jiro was visibly taken aback as the monstrous mask of the Menos poked through the hole in space. In moments it had pulled the portal open farther, and was stepping out...a grotesque parody of the human form that towered overhead like a skyscraper, but with ludicrously thin arms and legs, and a scrawny body covered in a long charcoal colored poncho.

"Hit its legs and knees!" Jiro called. "Force it down so we can get at its neck and mask!"

Init: 24

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2961360/

[Jeremy]

Jierumi finally managed to get to the scene, and his eyes were transfixed on the Menos Grande that emerged. "Fuck... big critter."

Click to reveal..

Initiative roll

2d6+14=21

[Akiko]

Akiko felt fear grip her at the sight of the Menos. As quickly as it rose up in her something else beat it down. It was her other half. She was quickly infected with her swords eagerness to take on something so powerful. The two of them together could not be defeated by any hollow no matter how big it was. This time she drew her sword in earnest and brought the guard up to her forhead.

"Charge the Heavens, Kyuukyoku Kiden!"

Electricity started bouncing around the blade, only a jolt here and there but growing, until the entire blade constantly had energy running up and down it, turning it almost translucent.

Hearing one of the others calling out a tactic she quickly added on.

"And what ever you do, don't stop moving, don't give it a target!"

Click to reveal..

Initiative 264 = 4+4 = 8 + 13 modifier = 21

[Justin OOC]

The Menos appeared fully, and true to form, set about eating and absorbing the smaller hollows that were still alive first.

(OK, first up is Jiro, then Jierumi and Akiko, the others can come in after that..."

[SalmonMax]

Think about this, Jiro! Do you really want a giant Hollow falling over on top of a school?! The tactics you use in the field have to be adjusted! Control where it falls!

He whickered up into the air to stand at the same level as the monster's ankles and held his zanpakto before him in a two-handed grip. Lime-green energy erupted into being around him as he focused his power into his sword...or maybe the other way around.

"Spread your wings, Hagane no Taka!" he bellowed, and the energy flashed brightly, momentarily obscuring him. When it cleared Jiro was holding a pair of shorter swords, one in each hand. Each one had five blades arranged like a fan with the middle blade being the longest, and progressively shorter edges moving out to either side. There was a silvery chain that had each end connected to the bottom of a sword's hilt..linking the two together.

Holding one sword in his left hand, Jiro spun the other one by the chain, letting its circle grow larger with each revolution. With a shout, he released it, sending it on a long, broad looping course to try to capture one of the Menos' ankles!

Attack 1: 20

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2999070/

Attacks 2 and 3: 22 and 22

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2999082/

57 damage per hit, piercing 12 armor. Hagane no Taka has Flexible 1 in shikai, so defenses are at -1 against it. Jiro is attacking from 10 meters away...his maximum range with his zanpakto.

Due to Tangle attribute, if the Menos fails to defend against these attacks, then its movement and actions become limited. -3 to attacks, no defenses. The tangle has 5 HP and must be specifically targeted to affect.

I can't find a rule, but I want to know if multiple attacks add to the tangle effect's HP or not...

[Justin OOC]

(I will rule that they do, though against a menos, it makes it waste an action to free itself. )

The menos was entangled, but it wouldn't hold the titanic hollow long. It was enough to create an opening though, for the others to get in a good hit.

[Jeremy]

Jierumi's eyes narrowed as the massive Critter began to topple and fight against an unseen restraint. So ye strange visitors, we'll have to have a chat about what's going on.

"Kuroi Te." He hissed, invoking the dark fire of his soul. The black flames ignited around his hands, and he launched them towards the Menos' masked face. Three balls of flaming dark, darting outward.

Click to reveal..

HP: 265 EP: 115

Attacks:

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 1+5+14: 20

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 5+3+14: 22

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 2+1+14: 17

Damage: 144 per hit

Defenses:

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 4+5+14: 23

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 5+4+14: 23

Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 4+1+14: 19

[Justin OOC]

Though it's foot was ensnared, the massive Hollow could still move it's head, and it's seemingly mindless movements let it dodge one of the attacks, but the other two hit just below it's mask, illiciting a howl from it.

[Akiko]

The Menos was held but not for long. Suddenly she thought of how this would be the perfect opportunity. One good slash up the mask and who knew how many souls would be freed to go to soul society. She felt the urge to just ignore all the risk and go for it. Her Zanpukto nearly screamed in her mind for her to go for it. In a heartbeat the internal struggle was over and she steeled her self for what must be done. She quickly moved next to the giant creature, slashing across its leg as she passed. Just as she reached the end she quickly made another pass striking twice more. As her sword swept through the hollow electricity jumped from the blade and like veins spread across the area.

Click to reveal..

Action 1: Move to the hollow, have steady hand so unless she has to move fast enough to normally incur a -3 penalty should have no penalty.

Action 2: Attack #1 Davenrell *rolls* 2d6: 6+2+13: 21

Action 3: Attack #2 Davenrell *rolls* 2d6: 5+1+13: 19

Action 4: Attack #3 Davenrell *rolls* 2d6: 3+1+13: 17

Not fully clear on rules about crits and such. Base damage is 117 with 24 points of armor and force field ignored, with critical strike if any of them crit the damage is capped at 200.

[Justin OOC]

The hollow howled again, as the strikes hit home, It's leg a mess of black-fluid bleeding slashes. Another big series of hits and it would go down, possibly lose the leg.

(Kaori, Tetsu, you're up. I'm going to give you guy until tuesday.)

[Kaori Aoyama]

"Now would be an adequate time, dear sister." An angelic and calm feminine voice echoed within Kaori's mind, soothing her battle fury.

"Finally! A true test of strength! Let us not waste time my sisters! Bring this beast down and let us claim this glory as our own! This creature is nothing to our might. A dark and confident woman echoed clearly in Kaori's mind, drowning out the soft, calm tones of the voice before it.

"Kage, be silent! Let us not disturb sister's focus." The voice chastised.

"Rai!" Kaori shouted to the sky raising her blade high. A brilliant blast of lighning shot down from the heavens and struck the electrum blade, encasing it in a brilliant blue light. Kaori's chest emitted a soft light that originated from her heart and coiled up her arm to the hand where Rai's absorbed the heavens.

"Kage!" The matte black blade was pointed low to the earth where vile pit of inky ooze bubbled up from the grass like crude. Sticky strands of living, amorphous evil lashed out and clung to the sword wrapping it tightly in its tarry embrace. From the pit purplish wisps of what one could mistake as souls escaping the underworld judging by the contorted faces that appeared within them danced along the blade giving it a sinister aura. From Kaori's hear spiraled a purplish light that coiled downward and infused itself with the weapon.

In a violent flash the show was over and in Kaori's hands now were two impossibly large scimitar blades whose weight would be far to great for her delicate (although ample) frame to wield effectively. Despite that she held them with ease. Each looked similar to how they did before, just more 'vibrant'. Rai constantly had lightning coursing through it that coiled up and around Kaori's arm while Kage was darker and more sinister with a serrated edge and manacing purplish aura.

"Come sisters. Let this beast learn its place by our hands." Kaori didn't run she literally slid across the ground at a break neck pace until she reached her victim. In a whirl of speed that left an electrical and purplish blur her blades went to work on the injured leg as she spun and stepped about in a glorious dance to use the weapons own momentum to her best advantage. It was obvious that even for a woman so young she was a master of swordplay.

After a volley of strikes she slid back and flipped forward with blinding speed into a series of spins that made her look like an aerial saw blade before she crashed into the ground chopping both blades downward into the creature's leg.

Click to reveal..

Attack On-Hand:2+6+15= 22

Attack Off-Hand:6+4+15= 25

Attack On-Hand:5+1+15= 21

Attack Off-Hand:2+6+15= 22

Attack On-Hand:4+3+15= 22

Attack Off-Hand:3+2+15= 20

Each On-Hand (Rai) strike is 117/hit + Penetrating, Piercing, and Incapacitating.

Each Off-Hand (Kage) strike is 120/hit + Aura, Continuous, Penetrating, Piercing, and Vampiric.

Defense 1: 4+3+15=22

Defense 2: 3+6+15=24

Defense 3: 4+6+15=25

[Justin OOC]

Kaori's strikes connected, and the menos howled in pain. It's leg was in tatters, bleeding profusely. The monster was till moving but not quickly. It lowered it's head and everyone could see the Cero building in it's mouth, as it looked down at Kaori, the last to hurt it, and most greviously. The Cero shot forth, singeing the robes of all the Soul reapers nearby, an nearly catching Kaori, missing by less than a foot. The heat from the blast burned away most of her uniform's left side. It kicked out freeing itself from Jiro's blade and sending him flying back, though it didn't hurt him. The big monster was raring to fight, but it was badly hurt.

[Justin OOC]

(max you're up again, as I'm skipping Tetsu.)

[SalmonMax]

"Right then," Jiro said grimly. "Time to get serious about this, I see."

He soared up in a leap and held his fanned blades before him as his blue eyes burned with concentration. A fire of spiritual energy blazed around him as he began to speak in a rhythmic cadence...

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!"

His spiritual pressure flared, and the aura around him pushed out as he pulled his right hand back...

"Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!"

"Hado thirty-three...SOKATSUI!"

The spirit chant took precious seconds to perform...he was putting his faith in the squad, that they would finish the creature off if this failed...for he would have no time to dodge or duck if it lived.

The results, however, were impressive. His aura exploded and whipped forward in a titanic blast of pure spiritual energy; a rushing torrent that blazed a path directly for the Menos' mask! To those who could see it, for a moment the entire park was bathed in blue light that washed all other colors out as if a firework had gone off just overhead.

Then it guttered and faded, leaving Jiro standing in midair, visibly depleted in power...helpless before the towering Menos Grande.

[Justin OOC]

The attack was enough, the Menos had come close enough to having it's mask broken that it riped open a garganta and exited the world, leaving the other one open, though it was slowing starting to close, even as other minor hollows began to emerge from it now that the menos was gone.

(Main combat's over, the garganta will close at the end of this round, there's roughly a dozen hollows emerging into the world. You can kill them off as you see fit.)

[Akiko]

Rage filled her sword and threatened to overtake her senses. She felt the push to go after it. So close to releasing all those souls. She had to focus on keeping her emotions in check and tried to shed some anger by dispatching a couple more of the smaller hollows before jumping up in to the air with Jiro.

"That Hado was masterfully done. A double incantation and very well controlled. Quite impressive for a tenth seat. Jiro isn't it?"

Lowering her power she coaxed her sword back to its sleeping state and sheathed it.

[SalmonMax]

Jiro slapped the two conjoined fanned blades of his shikai together, and they merged back into the single katana of their sealed form. He watched the gargantua portal slide closed, disgorging the last handful of hollows into the world. Hollows that they would finish off with little trouble.

Then he looked over at Akiko and beamed at her with sudden effusiveness. "Why thank you! Such praise from an 8th seat...I believe I'm blushing." With a boyish grin he dropped Akiko a wink, "A full incantation like that is still quite a strain, but its good to push one's limits, yes?"

He leaped down to the ground and looked around.

"I suppose everything worked out in the end though."

[Jeremy]

Close... but the Janitor and those others unseen still had the lion's share of the work. Jierumi was content to confront them after school, but the smaller Critters needed to be dealt with, so he moved in on the edges, firing off black blasts at two which went down easily.

[Kaori Aoyama]

She was nothing short of a whirlwind of death on the battlefield. Kaori moved with fluid grace and made short work of anything that was foolish enough to get in her way. Stopping on a dime she sheathed her blades and stood before Akiko and Jiro.

The heat of the battle had left her unaware that a decent amount of her clothing had been scorched from her petite yet ample frame. And boy was it 'ample'. The remnants of her uniform revealed the straight-laced Kaori's hidden vice: satin lingerie. Today it appeared to be white satin, exposing more of her bum and breasts than was certainly legal no matter what part of the world you were in. Jiro tried not to notice the 'bounce' that punctuated her sudden stop, but Kaori, especially in this state, was certainly hard to ignore (Guy Magnet, App 3), if not impossible.

Suddenly Jiro found Kaori in his face, close enough that he could have mistaken her for coming on to him. Her sharp, but perfectly manicured nail from her index finger poked into the bottom of his chin. Eyes UP mister. Eyes... up." She growled in a manner that very was much un-Kaori like.

The remains of her uniform fell over her, preserving some of her modesty (not that it helped much). "There," Kaori pointed to Jierumi who was busy handling his own affairs. "The idiot from our school. He must be behind this, he can see us. See them. He fights to protect himself from an evil that he summoned that has now turned on him. He must have done this."

Click to reveal..

It's difficult for me to describe anime expressions but I'm sure Jiro would get the point... large angry mouth with grinding teeth, bladed eyes, flushed cheeks, beady pupils... a huffing, ragged, rage filled voice that might spew fire.

That's what you get for being a pervert Jiro...

[SalmonMax]

"Easy there," Jiro cautioned Kaori, his hand still held up to his face in apology...and to help hide the younger shinigami's state of undress. "Jumping to conclusions just makes the real answers harder to see. The hollows started arriving before he was ever here. And not even he has the kind of power to bring a Menos here. They care nothing for mortals or Plusses..."

"At any rate, we should speak to him and see what he has to say."

He took off his hat with a swoop of his hand and waved it at the young student who had been hurling some kind of energy blast at the Menos. "Hoy! You over there! What's your name?"

[Jeremy]

Jierumi sighed and rolled his shoulders to shake off the burn as he settled down. One left, a frog-headed Critter beginning to charge at him. Then he heard the janitor calling for him... figures now that the fight is over, he could sense them now. "Jierumi Anya, not that you couldn't have asked Aoyama-san, seeing as she's probably here with you. I should ask the same of you."

A hand raised and the last one was baked in a bath of black energy. Jierumi was about to turn around, but stopped as he smelled something- "Do I smell burnt clothing? Whose is it?"

[SalmonMax]

"Since you can see us, it's best you don't turn around," Jiro said with a grin at 'Jierumi Anya.' "Your cheek will thank me for this advice!"

"I'm Jiro. As you've probably guessed, I'm not just the groundskeeper of your school. I am very curious though, about your strange power to see what cannot be seen. Has it been troubling you for very long?"