>>2576535
>>I don't think WE do... maybe you have an alternative, Tatsuki. Your powers are fairly broadly applicable.

>>2576535
>If I knew of a way to do it I'd try to destroy this room, but to do it from the inside without reiatsu seems impossible.
house wrecking is better. destroy the controlled environment, we destroy a scientist's most crucial form of control.

>>2576535
>>>I don't think WE do... maybe you have an alternative, Tatsuki. Your powers are fairly broadly applicable.

>>2576535
>This is the only plan I see that's worth pursuing, since Sode no Shirayuki is the only thing that seems to work.

>>2576535
>>If I knew of a way to do it I'd try to destroy this room, but to do it from the inside without reiatsu seems impossible.

>>2576535
>>I don't think WE do... maybe you have an alternative, Tatsuki. Your powers are fairly broadly applicable.

>3d10, best of three
>dc 18, critical 23

Rolled 2, 2, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>2576575

Rolled 4, 10, 10 = 24 (3d10)

>>2576575
ouch. this ain't good.

Rolled 10, 9, 7 = 26 (3d10)

>>2576575

File: 1453955575683.png (539 KB, 1920x1080)

539 KB PNG

>>2576575
“Short of destroying the entire room I cannot conceive any way that we could improve our situation,” you admit.

Ichigo nods sagely to himself. “I like that plan.”

“You and whose reiatsu?” Tatsuki shoots back, immediately pointing out the flaw in the plan forming in Ichigo's mind. “We'd have to do it from the inside.”

“Not necessarily,” you admit. “We just don't have anyone on the outside.”

Tatsuki blinks slowly, staring at you quietly. Then she seems to come to a conclusion.

“I'll be right back.”

And then, after some prodding, she walks through the nearest wall.

You exchange a confused glance with Ichigo, who exchanges a confused glance with Renji, who glances at Sado. For his part Sado merely shrugs.

Several minutes later Szayelapporo returns from wherever he was re-dressing.

“It seems one of your friends abandoned you,” he smirks, adjusting his glasses on his nose. “She had the right idea if you ask me.”

“Well, she clearly had an idea,” Renji grumbles, and Ichigo elbows him in the gut.

“Now that's been taken care of,” Szayelapporo continues to smirk, “would you prefer to keep swinging away at me for a while, or would you rather let me take a turn?”

>Go ahead and attack us. It would help to have something to respond to.
>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.
>If the others pin him you can beat him using the Third Dance.
>Otehr?

>>2576607
Dammit Rukia, that shoulder you're showing off looks too sensual.

>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.

>>2576607
>>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.

>>2576607
>>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.

>>2576607
>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.

>>2576607
>Lead with your own zanpakuto, try and give the others an opening.

>3d10 best of three

Rolled 4, 1, 1 = 6 (3d10)

>>2576673

Rolled 8, 8, 9 = 25 (3d10)

>>2576673
rollan

>>2576675
wow

>>2576676
I could say the same to you.

Rolled 1, 2, 5 = 8 (3d10)

>>2576673

>writing

>>2576719
“I'll take the lead,” you insist, raising your sword and charging towards the arrancar. You see him grin for a moment just before he uses sonido to evade your incredibly obvious line of attack, and you immediately counter with a shunpo as he tries to attack you from behind.

You turn your blade and point it at the ground. “Some no mai: Tsukishiro!”

A massive column of ice rises into the air in the same instant that Szayelapporo dodges, and instead of waiting around to see what he does next you swing your right heel around and slam it into the column. The shattered chunks of ice ranging from snowflakes to the size of boulders fall all around in a drifting shower, and your opponent weaves his way through into an opening.

“Cer...” he begins charging a deep violet energy blast, only to be blindsided by a spectral snake's head, its jaws opened wide.

“Gotcha!” Renji crows as he slams the arrancar into a wall and slides him across it in a shower of debris. The damage isn't as dramatic as the show however, and Szayelapporo quickly slices through the head and pushes off the wall.

“You've done it no...” he begins only to be interrupted again as Ichigo hooks Zangetsu's head around behind the arrancar's neck and uses it to throw him forward.

His foe having been put off balance, Ichigo drives his knee into the arrancar's spine. “You were saying!?”

Even Sado gets in on the action, falling from on high as Szayelapporo skips across the floor. “La Murete!”

The blow shatters stone all around where it connects, though the arrancar is back on his feet almost immediately after having sent Sado flying with a bala.

“I've had...” he begins yet again, only for you to interrupt this time.

“Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!”

A wave of ice advances towards Szayelapporo, seemingly encasing him. But unlike when you first started out with these techniques, you've learned to feel out your opponent's reiatsu in moments like this... and you can tell that while the arrancar has been hurt he's far from dead.
>1/2

Rolled 5, 3, 10, 7 = 25 (4d10)

>>2576758
After a few moments Szayelapporo breaks himself free with a blast of reiatsu.

“Alright, enough of your interruptions!” he shouts. “I was going to bring in my fracciones to fight you, but now I am going to kill every last one of you!”

He raises his sword, and his tongue rises from his mouth to meet its tip. “Sip... Fornicaras...”

He then proceeds to swallow the blade whole, moaning uncomfortably the whole time. The metamorphosis is a slow one, starting as his body bulges up to many times its mass, then slowly reduces back down towards something more remotely resembling a human's body. From a mass of purple tentacles that reminds you a little of a wet mop. Finally, you're left staring at something that looks remotely similar to Szayelapporo... aside from the lipstick and the four tendrils growing from his back. Little red bulbs hang down from them at regular intervals.

“Come!” he barks.

A trio of arrancar who barely even look humanoid arrive through gaps in the walls which appear at Szayelapporo's command, and he glares at you. “Now then, let's see... oh, I know! How about we start with this...”
>3d10, DC 20, critical 26

Rolled 9, 2, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>2576799

Rolled 3, 8, 10 = 21 (3d10)

>>2576799
that dice roll. I dearly hope it's for an ally.

Rolled 6, 10, 1 = 17 (3d10)

>>2576799

>>2576799
Your opponent leans forward, and a violet-glowing black goo explodes from his back and turns slow arcs in the air before falling back down like a thick rain. You immediately know that you can't let this stuff touch you.

“Don't let it touch you!” you shout, dancing your way through the falling globs.

A large drop hits Sado's shoulder, and Ishida has to sidestep to avoid Ichigo and ends up stepping on a puddle of the liquid that has already fallen to the tile floor. Renji just suffers from a momentary lapse of concentration. Near the end of the deluge you're forced to raise your hand to blast away some of the mystery liquid with a Sōkatsui.

From each of your friends who was struck a figure emerges, a near-exact copy of their body. It seems that you and Ichigo were the only ones who avoided all of the liquid.

He glances around, before his eyes fall on you. “Was... that supposed to be hard or something?”

“Oh well,” Szayelapporo sighs, taking a seat atop one of his fracciones who has bent over to serve as the seat of an impromptu throne. “I can compensate for that easily enough.”

From each spatter of reishi liquid a clone arises, all copies of Renji, Sado, and Ishida.

“I'll allow you quincies to manipulate reishi in this space,” Szayelapporo tells you with a snap of his purple fingertips. “However, you should remember that I'm still immune to your reiatsu... I'd like to see you fight against your own copies until you're killed, and it would be far less dramatic if you couldn't fight back.”

>Try to pick out which Renji and Ishida are the real ones, start eliminating the spares.
>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with.
>Continue attacking Szayelapporo, anything that gets in your way is an enemy.
>Other?

>>2576859
>>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with.
Stick with the obvious non-clone and work from there.

>>2576859
>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with

>>2576859
>>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with.

>>2576859
>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with

>>2576859
>Band together with Ichigo, he's the only other one without a clone to confuse him with.
Always have to everything ourselves...

>3d10, DC 18, critical 24

Rolled 10, 6, 6 = 22 (3d10)

>>2576934

Rolled 3, 5, 9 = 17 (3d10)

>>2576934

Rolled 6, 4, 9 = 19 (3d10)

>>2576934

Rolled 5, 6, 7 = 18 (3d10)

>>2576934
Goo clones begone

>>2576934
You somehow manage to pick your way through the sea of clones to find Ichigo: the one person you know for a fact has no clone.

“Ichigo!” you bark. “Stick close to me, we'll coordinate our moves!”

“Got it!” he shouts back. “But... how do we figure out which one is a clone and which one is real?”

“If it attacks you or me it's a clone,” you point out. “Beyond that we'll have to figure out as we go!”

Though, it rapidly becomes apparent to you that there's a problem: Renji had his Bankai released when he was cloned, and now you're having to weave through his attacks. And unlike his old 'false' Bankai, these attacks are much more powerful than your shikai.

“Hakuren!” you shout, freezing a trio of clones solid so that Ichigo can strike at them with his guan dao.

Fortunately, the Renji clones seem to rapidly revert to shikai... either because they can't keep up with the reiatsu demand or because Renji himself reverted to shikai, you can't be sure which. But it comes at absolutely the right time, as two of the Renji clones had nearly trapped you between oversized fangs and a massive skeletal fist, each of which could have put you down for the count.

If only you could use your Bankai in this situation.

>Keep close to Ichigo, thin the herd of clones while searching for your 'real' friends.
>Head for Szayelapporo, team up with Ichigo and try to puzzle out a solution to his powers.
>Stall for time as best you can, Tatsuki is still out there somewhere working on the problem.
>Tell everyone else to flee. It may be a desperate gamble, and you've never actually USED it before, but your Bankai might just work.
>Other?

>>2577013
>Head for Szayelapporo, team up with Ichigo and try to puzzle out a solution to his powers.

>>2577013
>Tell everyone else to flee. It may be a desperate gamble, and you've never actually USED it before, but your Bankai might just work.

>>2577013
>Head for Szayelapporo, team up with Ichigo and try to puzzle out a solution to his powers.
Time to be proactive I guess. Tatsuki gonna do what Tastuki does for now.

>>2577013
>>Head for Szayelapporo, team up with Ichigo and try to puzzle out a solution to his powers.

>>2577013

>Keep close to Ichigo, thin the herd of clones while searching for your 'real' friends.
>other: do clothing damage on everyone! That arrancar seems vain, he might spend the extra effort to make the clones look nice...which also reveals who our 'real' friends are.
Keep in mind that said arrancar spent 10 minutes on a wardrobe change. He might have that kind of OCD personality when it comes to appearances.

>>2577013
>>Head for Szayelapporo, team up with Ichigo and try to puzzle out a solution to his powers.

>>2577013
>Keep close to Ichigo, thin the herd of clones while searching for your 'real' friends.

>3d10, DC 19, Crit 25

Rolled 7, 6, 1 = 14 (3d10)

>>2577054

Rolled 2, 7, 9 = 18 (3d10)

>>2577054

Rolled 8, 2, 1 = 11 (3d10)

>>2577054
We got this. I hope.

Rolled 7, 4, 3 = 14 (3d10)

>>2577054

Rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>2577054

welp. we ded.

Rolled 5, 9, 9 = 23 (3d10)

>>2577054
Sorry I'm late, I'm doing shit in the garage. And I think my internet is flagging because captcha is taking ages to load.

>>2577056
>>2577059
>>2577060
Well shit. I hope Tatsuki has a plan because this is not going well.

>>2577071
Speak of the devil...
>3d10 for Tatsuki, best of three

Rolled 1, 6, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>2577082
and the devil is stumped.

Rolled 2, 4, 6 = 12 (3d10)

>>2577082
please help us Tatsuki

Rolled 9, 6, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>2577082

Rolled 8, 4, 10 = 22 (3d10)

>>2577082
Yeah no I'm for sure lagging now.

>>2577089
I hope this is enough, otherwise...

>>2577082
You and Ichigo try to push your way towards Szayelapporo only to be swamped by clones: the clones of Renji and Sado manage to slow you down and restrict your movements while the clones of Ishida pelt you with arrows, a volume of projectiles that you literally can't counter.

“Enkosen!” you eventually shout, raising an oval shield to try and block the incoming blasts to the best of your ability. Ichigo is having more trouble blocking, so he's trying hard to keep moving instead with some success.

The impacts force you to separate from Ichigo, though both of you continue trying to fight towards the arrancar... at least until the world suddenly seems to fall apart.

It starts with a rumble, like distant thunder in the distance, and the noise builds until it seems like the entire chamber you're in is shaking itself apart. Then the roof starts to cave in, massive chunks of stone crashing down onto Ishidas and Renjis and Sados which burst into inky black goo under the weight of the collapsing building.

Szayelapporo is practically beside himself. “No! What have you damned invaders done!?”

His screams are drowned out as the building continues to come apart, and for several minutes you're left struggling on your own to avoid being crushed to death by the debris. Eventually the dust begins to settle, and the sounds of destruction fade. There's one last final thud.

“Okay, not what I was trying to do,” you hear Tatsuki's voice, coughing from the dust in the air. “Is everyone alright!?”

“I am,” you cough as well. “Ichigo, where are you?”

“Still standing!” he shouts from somewhere to your right. “Chad?”

“Here,” the tall boy declares.

“Renji?” you shout. “Renji!?”

You find your old friend unconscious from a heavy blow to the head, sprawled out amid a small pile of rubble.

“Damn,” you mutter. “At least the clones are all gone.”

“Clones?” Tatsuki asks curiously. “The hell? I leave for like five minutes and you all get into some weird shit.”

With another loud crash Szayelapporo throws a massive piece of ceiling off of himself, coughing as well. It seems like he's been roughed up somewhat from the collapse, though that quickly changes. He grabs hold of the nearby corpse of one of his fracciones and collapses it into a small ball of glowing black reishi... which he proceeds to eat.

“And now you've destroyed my home,” Szayelapporo grumbles. “Are you happy? Because now you have my full, undivided attention.”
>Calling it here for the night, I have an early morning tomorrow and I still need to prepare Claymore

Thanks for playing along, sorry for the weird schedule, and I'll post to Twitter when I have a good idea when the next update will be.

>will continue with an update or two around noon PST

>>2577187
You're somewhat horrified when you see that Szayelapporo has apparently escaped without a scratch, and that all of Tatsuki's efforts ultimately amounted to nothing more than an inconvenience on that front. But now at least Ishida can use his powers, and unless you're very much mistaken Ichigo has a way to possibly harm the arrancar now that he too can draw on the powers of his quincy heritage.

Round two of this desperate battle is about to begin.

>Work in unison with Tatsuki. Trying to communicate a plan to Ichigo just tips your hand.
>Attack by yourself. Seeing that will get Ichigo to attack as well without having to coordinate.
>Call on your friends to withdraw. You don't want them close when you try Bankai for the first time.
>Other?

>>2582269
>Call on your friends to withdraw. You don't want them close when you try Bankai for the first time.

>>2582269
>other: RUN AWAY!

>>2582269
>>Call on your friends to withdraw. You don't want them close when you try Bankai for the first time.
Fuck it just go Bankai. No doubt he has some kind of counter but whatever.

>>2582269
>Work in unison with Tatsuki. Trying to communicate a plan to Ichigo just tips your hand.

>>2582269
Wait hasn't she bankai'd before?

>>2582409
no. shikai the whole time. she was tempted to try bankai against cang du but went with third dance instead.

>>2582412
Weren't we saving Bankai?

>>2582269
>>Call on your friends to withdraw. You don't want them close when you try Bankai for the first time.

>>2582269
>Work in unison with Tatsuki. Trying to communicate a plan to Ichigo just tips your hand.

Since this is a big and possibly contentious decision I'll give it a while longer for people to trickle in, then I'll call it in about an hour.

>>2582269
>Call on your friends to withdraw. You don't want them close when you try Bankai for the first time.

>>2582269
>>Work in unison with Tatsuki. Trying to communicate a plan to Ichigo just tips your hand.

>>2582269
>>Attack by yourself. Seeing that will get Ichigo to attack as well without having to coordinate.

>>2582269
>>Attack by yourself. Seeing that will get Ichigo to attack as well without having to coordinate.

>>2582269
Bankai barely wins.
>3d10, best of three
>Hope for a high roll, because this is really quite dangerous

Rolled 4, 5, 6 = 15 (3d10)

>>2582864
Expect failure.

File: why_me.gif (376 KB, 500x264)

376 KB GIF

Rolled 7, 6, 8 = 21 (3d10)

>>2582864
Let the record show I voted against this...

Rolled 3, 9, 9 = 21 (3d10)

>>2582864
Share some luck Noel

Rolled 5, 4, 6 = 15 (3d10)

>>2582864
ten bucks Claymore ate all our luck.

>>2582879
>>2582877
a 20+ roll. a good benchmark. for the bare minimum in Rukia's bankai.

>>2582881
Hey! She shared two nines. That's pretty generous.

File: 272.jpg (36 KB, 640x480)

36 KB JPG

>>2582864
“Everyone stand clear,” you declare, raising Sode no Shirayuki. “You should not be too close to this technique when I use it.”

“And what do you think you can achieve?” Szayelapporo demands. “In case you haven't noticed your little ice tricks haven't managed to kill me yet.”

“He has a point,” Renji grumbles. “If we're going to win this shouldn't we be working together for once?”

“No,” you insist sternly. “I can do this... but only if you are all out of range.”

Ichigo nods, grabbing Renji by the shoulders and dragging him away. “Got it. Come on, Renji.”

Ishida and Sado both withdraw as well, and Tatsuki hangs back just long enough to glance over her shoulder before following suit.

Once they're far enough, you begin.

“Ban...”

Caught off guard, the tendril-arm which hits you completely envelops your body almost instantly. Damn... you were too focused on your friends to notice that he was preparing to use sonido!

After a disorienting experience the tendril spits you out again. When you reorient yourself, you see that Szayelapporo is holding what looks like a doll version of yourself.

“Bankai!” you repeat. “Hakka no Togame!”

You're honestly a little surprised when you can feel the technique actually work for the first time... you were almost certain that it would, but for years Sode no Shirayuki has been very much insistent that it was “too dangerous” for you to use and refused to teach it to you until you pointed out that without it you were likely to be killed anyway.

You have to be excruciatingly careful right now... a single wrong move cold kill you for good.

“You changed your outfit,” Szayelapporo smirks. “What of it? What ability could that sword of yours have given you that can shift the battle in your favor?”

The arrancar twists open the doll he made of you, and pulls out a colorful piece. “How about the kidneys? Yes, that should do.”

With that, he crushes the colorful bit of unknown material between his fingertips... and the resulting pain is nothing short of excruciating. He literally just crushed your kidney, no wonder he wasn't concerned about your Bankai.

But he's being too arrogant, he thinks he's figured your powers out. He doesn't believe that you could possibly be capable of surprising him given his purportedly superior intellect.

Proving people wrong is your Division's specialty though, so he has a surprise in store for him. Just a few more seconds.

“You withstood that well,” he muses, a cruel smile on his face. “So calm, so stoic... I hate it. I think the lung next... take your pick, left or right.”

“Too bad,” he taunts you, crushing another colorful piece that cases you to cough slightly, blood dribbling down your lips and freezing there. “I picked left, by the way.”

“You're a fool,” you tell him.
>1/2

>>2583085
“How do you figure?” he counters. “I've defeated all of your techniques with my intellect and skill, and I have you at my mercy. What part of that is foolish?”

“You took us for fools,” you continue, as ice begins to collect around his feet. “I'd say that makes you pretty foolish.”

“What is this?” he demands, a trace of panic creeping into his voice as he realizes he can't move his feet at all.

“You thought you understood my powers,” you continue. “Sode no Shirayuki does not produce ice using reiatsu, it lowers the temperature in an area which causes ice to form. That is why her abilities worked on you at all.”

“And your Bankai?” he presses as the ice climbs up his legs, “what is this trickery?”

“No tricks,” you counter. “I am simply lowering your body's temperature... all the way to absolute zero.”

Before his arms freeze causing him to drop the doll, Szayelapporo manages to crush your stomach as well. But eventually the doll rolls out of his reach. “Why isn't this affecting you!?”

“It is,” you insist, “but my body is already frozen solid... technically, I'm dead. So crushing my organs will hurt later, but right now it won't accomplish anything.”

“How can you already be dead!?” he demands. “How can such a technique exist!?”

“Because my living or dying is not important to me,” you admit, “at least not primarily. What is important is that those who trust their lives to me survive... and that sort of determination would never make sense to someone like you.”

“It's not very scientific, nor does it make sense from the perspective of survival, but all the same it has a power to it. And that is what you underestimated.”

“Goodbye, arrancar. I hope that your next life treats you more kindly.”
>2/3

>>2583088
>>2583085
Damn, Rukia's bankai turns her literally into a Yuki onna

>>2583088
>We have a lieutenant, and three seated officers that can use Bankai.
Who even needs other Divisions?

>>2583088
And with one last scream, Szayelapporo is left frozen completely solid.

“Don't touch me!” you snap at Ichigo, not even turning to face him as he moves to give you a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. “Touch me and I will end up killing you by mistake.”

“What do you need?” Renji asks, clearly concerned at your condition.

“Time,” you tell him. “I need to warm up slowly or I could cause myself even more harm than Szayelapporo did.”

“Go, move on without me. I will catch up.”

Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida leave... but Sado and Tatsuki remain nearby.

“What are you doing?”

“Staying with you,” Tatsuki insists, as if you must be an idiot not to understand that yourself. “We're both almost out of reiatsu.”

“I'm out,” Sado corrects Tatsuki.

“And I'm not leaving you alone,” Tatsuki continues. “I know how badly hurt you must be after that fight, with your organs having been crushed like that. You'd try to take care of me too in this situation, right?”

You consider the question. “I would.”

“I'll make sure you survive this,” Tatsuki declares. “So you just do what you have to.”

“... thank you.”

>>2583187
And this is where I'm calling it for the evening.

I'll post to twitter when I know my chances for updates tomorrow or Wednesday.

>>2583187
You are Kurosaki Ichigo, and while you don't enjoy having to leave someone behind you have to admit that Rukia's plan makes perfect sense. You're also happy that at very least Tatsuki and Chad stayed behind to make certain that she thaws out safely.

“We need to head up!” Renji declares, already searching out the easiest path upwards through the icy fortress. “There's gotta be some kind of pathway here.”

“What, do you mean like an elevator?” Ishida asks.

“Don't be stupid,” Renji grumbles. “What makes you think there'd be something like that in a place like this?”

Ishida points at a sign nearby with an obvious arrow, reading “AUFZUG”.

“Perhaps the giant sign that reads 'elevator' in German?” Ishida suggests.

“That does seem pretty obvious,” you admit. “If you speak German that is.”

“Your parents didn't teach you?” Ishida asks incredulously.

“NO!” you snap, taking extreme exception to Ishida's tone. “I live in Japan, dumbass! Asking why I haven't learned any German's almost as dumb as asking why I haven't learned any Swahili, when the hell would I ever use it!?”

You take a moment to consider your options... on the one hand the elevator seems like a golden ticket, it's exactly the sort of thing you were looking for. On the other hand it's really, really obvious where it is, which means it might end up being a trap. But on the other other hand, you can't really sense any strong fighters that way, so it really could be a case of Aizen and his flunkies having left an obvious route to the top of the fortress unguarded.

After all, you kinda get the feeling all this is just a distraction anyway, a reason for you and Riku to commit to someplace that's not Karakura town.

>Head for the elevator. Too good a chance to pass up even if it does end up being a trap.
>Slow and steady, even if it does take longer and leaves you more exposed to patrols.
>Put it to a vote.

>>2584714
>Put it to a vote. wait. that'll leave just you as the tiebreaker, which makes voting a moot point. You're fine with letting them present their arguments on their votes though.

>>2584714
>>Head for the elevator. Too good a chance to pass up even if it does end up being a trap.

>>2584714
>Slow and steady, even if it does take longer and leaves you more exposed to patrols.

>>2584714
>Put it to a vote. wait. that'll leave just you as the tiebreaker, which makes voting a moot point. You're fine with letting them present their arguments on their votes though.

>>2584714
>Head for the elevator. Too good a chance to pass up even if it does end up being a trap.
Why not?

I wonder what Riku and Yoruichi are up to? Their fights probably would have concluded a while ago.

>>2584773
searching for the kids, they are the chaperones on the Quincy City fieldtrip afterall.

>>2584714
>>Put it to a vote.

>>2584714
>>Head for the elevator. Too good a chance to pass up even if it does end up being a trap.

>will update after I take care of a few chores

>>2585047
“So, let's put it to a vote,” you suggest.

“I say we use the elevator,” Ishida replies.

“I agree,” Renji adds. “So... that's it then?”

That... wasn't what you expected them to say. “You sure you don't wanna talk about this? Argue a little maybe?”

“No, the options seem pretty clear,” Ishida shakes his head. “I favor the quicker option with less chance of being intercepted.”

“I'd just rather not walk,” Renji shrugs.

“Well, let's go then,” you agree, happy that for once in your life things haven't devolved into a shouting match. It's actually a nice change of pace, running down a dimly-lit tunnel to where the elevator shaft deep inside the fortress should be.

At least for a while it's nice.

“I thought you would come through here,” a deep voice greets you from the darkness. The sensation that goes with it is that of an arrancar's reiatsu.

“I'll handle this,” Renji declares, drawing his zanpakuto. “You two keep going.”

“But...” you protest, only for Renji to cut you off.

“Shut up and go!” Renji orders. “You came here to save your mothers, didn't you? Don't waste your time here when we're so damn close!”

>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this.
>Thank you, Renji. We'll be back.
>Be sure you catch up with us, pineapple.
>Other?

>>2585182
>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this.
>To borrow something from that stupid game Keigo got me to play once, “Never split the party.”

>>2585182
>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this.

>>2585182
>>Be sure you catch up with us, pineapple.

>>2585182
>other: Alright, alright, I'm going... to beat the shit out of this asshole.
>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this.
>To borrow something from that stupid game Keigo got me to play once, “Never split the party.”

>>2585182
>>Be sure you catch up with us, pineapple.

>>2585182
>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this.

>>2585182
>No, I'm tired of leaving people behind like this

File: Ep76MakiIchinose.png (263 KB, 640x480)

263 KB PNG

>>2585182
“You must not have been paying attention earlier,” you growl, drawing your own zanpakuto and letting your reiatsu flare. “My mom would kick my ass if I saved her by putting my friends in danger. That's just the kind of person she is.”

“Well I guess there's no arguing with that,” Renji sighs as your opponent draws closer: a tall man with an even taller mask covering his face, and a zanpakuto at his hip with a guard in the shape of a rectangle with two raised arcs meeting at its for corners.

“All three of you wish to remain?” the stranger muses in a deep voice.

“Seems that way,” Ishida admits.

“Then I should introduce myself,” the stranger replies in an oddly higher, almost nasally tone.

He reaches for his mask and removes it, revealing a surprisingly human face and a third, very different voice. “My name is Ichinose Maki, pleased to make your acquaintance.”

>>2585411
And that will be where I leave things for now. I intend to update again tomorrow, so keep an eye on Twitter and hope to see you then!

>>2585411
mother fucker. Espada No.10 nommed Ichinose.

>>2585411
Ah, I was wondering what happened to that guy.

>>2585411
Ichinose! Noooooooo! Was hoping he was still alive somehow. Guess the 10th Espada got to him. Damn, that's a shame.

>>2585905
Well, that or Aizen actually managed to turn a Soul Reaper into an Arrancar, which would also be a shame. Probably the numero diez though, since it hasn't made an appearance yet.

>>2585411
“How is this possible?” Renji demands. “You can't really be Lieutenant Ichinose.”

“Do you doubt me?” the man replies, holding out his hands. “We may not have been the best of friends, Renji, but we were comrades weren't we?”

“Why should I trust you?” Renji shakes his head. “You went missing, we all assumed you were dead. So how can you be here?”

“Just because people assumed something doesn't mean it's true,” Ichinose scoffs. “And if we're gonna be precise about it, I am dead.”

“What does that mean?” you demand.

Ichinose turns to face you. “You would be Kurosaki Ichigo? Renji, since when are we working so closely with the invaders?”

“None of your concern,” he shoots back. “You need to explain this situation to me right now.”

“Well, Aizen had me eaten alive by a hollow,” Ichinose explains. “It... was unpleasant. The whole point was that when this particular hollow eats something it gains the abilities of whatever it ate. So eating a Lieutenant and then becoming an arrancar gave it massive powers.”

“What Aizen failed to realize was that my personality would become the dominant one. I've been biding my time ever since, waiting for my chance.”

>A chance to do what?
>I don't believe you. Renji, you can't trust this guy.
>Then come on. We're here on a mission.
>Other?

>>2587490
>I don't believe you. Renji, you can't trust this guy.

>>2587490
>A chance to do what?

>>2587490
>other: Aunt Riku would be sorely disappointed in you if she saw you right now.
>If you wanted to redeem yourself you should've escaped back to Seireitei the first chance you've got.

>>2587490
>Then come on. We're here on a mission.

Seems pretty clear this guy wants to re-join soul society given how he still views Renji as a comrade.

>>2587506

And to add onto this, do we really need to waste more time fighting instead of heading to save our mom? Seems more intelligent to add more fighting power and conserve our strength instead.

>>2587490
>>I don't believe you. Renji, you can't trust this guy.

>>2587490
>A chance to do what?

>>2587490
>>A chance to do what?

>>2587490
>>Then come on. We're here on a mission.
Clearly he's seen the error of his ways and wants to rejoin the good guys.

Roll me a 3d10 for renji, best of three

Rolled 10, 5, 2 = 17 (3d10)

>>2587775

Rolled 1, 4, 8 = 13 (3d10)

>>2587775

Rolled 4, 2, 3 = 9 (3d10)

>>2587775

>>2587775
“I have trouble believing that,” you admit, glancing at Renji. “If you were really who you say you are why didn't you try to return to the Seireitei?”

Renji seems to frown. “Come to think of it weren't you once one of Captain Kusajishi's subordinates? If you'd returned she would have fought tooth and nail for you, you know that.”

“I couldn't return,” the man claiming to be Lieutenant Ichinose insists. “Aizen was keeping such close watch on me... this entire place is designed as one big surveillance apparatus. I had to pretend that I was Aaroniero Arraruerrie, Espada number ten, in order to escape his suspicion.”

“That checks out,” Renji sighs. “I'm not totally convinced... but to the extent I ever follow logic?”

“It sounds implausible,” Ishida offers. “But not impossible. We've seen plenty of arrancars who were totally capable of reason, and so simply having doubts hardly seems reason enough to call him a liar.”

“Well then, the elevator is that way,” you say, gesturing down the hall. “We're here to rescue the two quincies Aizen had kidnapped from the living world.”

“It sounds like a worthy goal,” Ichinose nods in understanding. “But are we sure that is more important than the battle in Karakura town?”

“It is to me,” you contend.

“Well, since we're all here we might as well see it through,” Ichinose shrugs. “At least that's what I think Captain Kusajishi would say.”

>3d10, DC 20, critical 24

Rolled 7, 8, 5 = 20 (3d10)

>>2588028

Rolled 9, 8, 5 = 22 (3d10)

>>2588028

Rolled 1, 9, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>2588028

Alright, I'm getting tired and my allergies are killing me. I need to wrap up Claymore, swallow a fistful of pills, and go to sleep.

See y'all later.

>>2588059
>I'm getting tired and my allergies are killing me
>>2588059
I understand your pain

>>2588059
The elevator itself is large enough for a group several times the size of yours, and the doors and walls are all gold-plated. The floor of the elevator is marble.

“Nazi similarities continue,” Ichinose mutters, gesturing for you to enter the elevator car. “Tacky, I know. But it's built too deep into the fortress to remove.”

“That's... unfortunate,” Ishida replies, trying to at least seem conversational.

The elevator slowly whirs to life, carrying you upwards through the fortress for what feels like several minutes. The four of you are left standing in awkward silence, having nothing really to talk about. Finally the doors slide open and you take the lead, running towards the large structure you saw atop the fortress from afar.

Only to meet very sudden resistance.

You sidestep instantly, only to watch a cage of glowing blue reishi entrap Ishida, Renji, and the man claiming to be “Ichinose”.

“It seems I missed one,” a newcomer muses to himself. He wears the typical white uniform of the quincy here, save for the tinted glasses that look like he stole them off an SS officer's still-warm corpse some sixty years ago.

The three inside the barrier are plainly shouting, although you can't hear them, and Renji has taken to beating against the inside of the cage. But it seems that it's of no use.

“Who the hell are you?” you demand.

“Quilge Opie,” the newcomer introduces himself. “Though the more relevant name here might be the Jail.”

>So you and this arrancar were working together, is that it? Then why'd you trap him too?
>Release my friends and make this easier on yourself.
>Attack him head-on. His relaxed attitude clearly shows he's underestimated you.
>Other?

>>2589716
>>So you and this arrancar were working together, is that it? Then why'd you trap him too?

>>2589716
>other: I FUCKING KNEW IT

>>2589716
Huh. So is Ichinose actually the dominant personality, or is the Espada just bullshitting? The fact we had to roll for it seems suspicious, but the fact that I liked Ichinose for the brief time we had him, and the fact that he so casually dropped his actual name makes me want to believe him.

>>2589716
>Release my friends and make this easier on yourself.

>>2589716
>Attack him head-on. His relaxed attitude clearly shows he's underestimated you.
Still not sure Ichinose's a traitor, let's eliminate this guy and then sort things out.

>>2589738
>So you and this arrancar were working together, is that it? Then why'd you trap him too?

My guess is that Ichinoose THINKS he's the dominant personality, but in reality is just a memory made puppet by aaroniero.

>>2589716
>Release my friends and make this easier on yourself.

>>2589716
>>Release my friends and make this easier on yourself.
Hoping for villainous monologue on how awesome his Jail power is to give Ichigo a clue.

>>2589716
>>Release my friends and make this easier on yourself.

>>2589716
“How about you release my friends and make this easier on yourself?” you challenge the Sternritter, who merely chuckles.

“For a half-blood such as yourself to threaten one of the holy warriors of the Sternritter is an act that takes true temerity,” he replies. “It's quite unsightly.”

“So I take that as a no,” you growl, drawing Zangetsu from the sheath at your waist.

“Very perceptive,” Quilge Opie commends you, drawing a saber from a sheath at his own waist.

“So this was your plan?” you demand. “What's your angle locking your ally in that cage too?”

“My ally?” he repeats. “What do you mean by that?”

“He led us straight to you,” you point out.

“I would not consider a common animal to be an ally,” Opie sneers. “You may as well suggest that a lion make friends with a flatworm.”

“You're a real piece of work.”

“I won't deny it,” Opie concedes the point. “However you'll find that Aaroniero only serves Aaroniero. That is the sort of depraved being he is... surely you did not think that just because he wears the face of a shinigami he can be trusted?”

If you're being honest no, you don't particularly trust him and this just gives you a reason for that mistrust.

Behind you, the cage suddenly shatters.

“Ah, so the boy was a quincy after all,” Opie muses. “That was quick.”

>Renji, deal with Aaroniero. Ishida, let's fight this Sternritter.
>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.
>Aaroniero and I need to sort some things out. Now.
>Other?

>>2589991
Can't we just give Ichinose the benefit of the doubt? He hasn't even done anything yet. Keep a wary eye on him, and don't just expose our backs to him or anything, sure, but let's not just turn on him right away.
>"You're a humble piece of work at least, calling yourself a flatworm like that."
I want to piss him off.

>>2589991
>>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.
Not really interested in trusting the word of an enemy. Even if he's right Aaroniero would be playing a long con.

>>2589991
>>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.

>>2589991
>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.

>>2589991
>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.

>>2589991
>>We'll deal with this Quincy then sort everything out later.

>>2589991
>Aaroniero and I need to sort some things out. Now.

>>2589991
“We're free, Kurosaki,” Ishida declares. “Seems my seele schneider was effective.”

“Something on your mind?” Renji asks.

“I don't trust you, Aaroniero,” you declare, glaring sharply at the arrancar. “But that's gotta wait. First, we deal with the enemy in front of us.”

“Is that wise?” Opie smirks. “Leaving an enemy behind you, I mean?”

“He has a point,” Aaroniero points out. “Are you sure...”

“It's either that or take the enemy in front of me at his word,” you interrupt him. “So if it comes down to listening to this asshole or trusting that somewhere behind that face of yours there's a guy my aunt used to trust I'll take the gamble.”

The arrancar's expression is difficult to read, but you don't even try. Instead you turn your attention back to the sternritter. “That fine with you, mister holier-than-thou?”

“I'm sure I can live with it,” Opie smirks. “You, I'm not so certain of.”

You charge him, bringing the head of your weapon down on his shoulder. He swiftly raises his brassy guard to parry, smacking the blade aside before angling his point to thrust at your chest. You sidestep, and he responds by sweeping his blade to the right and dragging it across Zangetsu's haft. As much as Ishida would make you question how good any quincy is in close combat, this guy's not bad at all.

In fact against your shikai it seems he's just a bit quicker than you are, but not quite as strong.

His hirenkyaku helps him dodge a surprise attack from Zabimaru, and by the time Ishida is ready to pummel him with a barrage of arrows his sword is back up and on guard to block them.

“Come now, surely the three of you can do better than that?”
>3d10, best of three
>QM rolling

Rolled 9, 7, 8 = 24 (3d10)

>>2591161
I SAID
>QM rolling

Rolled 8, 2, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>2591161

>>2591163
fugg dude

Rolled 1, 3, 2 = 6 (3d10)

>>2591161

Rolled 7, 4, 4 = 15 (3d10)

>>2591161

>writing

>>2591161
In response you renew your attacks, coordinating carefully with Ishida and Renji the whole time. However Opie's reactions are immensely quick, and he doesn't have to coordinate with anyone but himself: the result is that no matter what combination of your sweeping strikes, Renji's hammering blows, or Ishida's volleys of arrows seems to really work. For his part Aaroniero seems to be at a loss for how to join you.

He makes a few movements like he's going to use a cero, or attack with his sword, but each time it's like he sees something that stops him from committing.

Finally, it seems like he's had enough.

“Shine brightly, Nijigasume!” he shouts.

In a bright flash of light everyone and everything around you disappears, and you can hear a howl of pain. When the light fades you can see that Opie's body has three shallow cuts on it, each staining a small part of his white uniform red. But in exchange, Aaroniero's skin is steaming and red in places like he's been scalded.

“All that for so little effect,” Opie sneers. “How tragic, number ten.”

“Shut up!” he snaps. “Shut your damned mouth you arrogant son of a bitch!”

“Language, number ten.”

“Yeah, okay, it's true,” Aaroniero admits to nobody in particular. “I'm not Lieutenant Ichinose. I'm just a hollow with his memories, among thousands of others... but I can't stand Aizen and his damned flunkies any more than you people can. He implanted me with memories of being loyal to his enemy, he gave me a zanpakuto whose power is my body's weakness... he toys with people's lives and for what!?”

“I don't know which set of memories wants to kill that bastard and stop whatever he's got planned, and honestly I don't care! I'll do it with or without your help!”

“Yeah, sounds like you could be a Commando,” Renji chuckles to himself. “The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.”

“That's not how it works at all,” you observe.

“The brat's right, Abarai,” Aaroniero agrees.

“It hardly matters,” Opie shrugs. “Ichinose or Aaroniero, right or wrong, enemy or ally... you are all going to die here, and Lord Aizen will reshape the world in his image. That is what fate has decreed: you who would stand in the way of fate are fools and nothing more.”

>Welcome to the squad, Aaroniero. Can you cause a distraction?
>So does anyone here know any kido... not you, Renji. We know you don't.
>Seems like we can all attack at range. Let's try to overwhelm him.
>Other?

>>2591607
>So does anyone here know any kido... not you, Renji. We know you don't.

>>2591607
>Welcome to the squad, Aaroniero. Can you cause a distraction?

>>2591607

>Welcome to the squad, Aaroniero. Can you cause a distraction?

>>2591607
>Welcome to the squad, Aaroniero. Can you cause a distraction?

>>2591607
>>Welcome to the squad, Aaroniero. Can you cause a distraction?

>>2591607
>>So does anyone here know any kido... not you, Renji. We know you don't.

>>2591607
>So does anyone here know any kido... not you, Renji. We know you don't.

>writing
Session will begin in about an hour and a half.

File: 497452924.png (316 KB, 1920x1200)

316 KB PNG

>>2593730
You are Captain Kusajishi Riku, and your most recent fight has just ended. With you is Captain Shihōin Yoruichi, who after having been freed of the perverse mind-influencing powers of “the Love” finally had her long-awaited fight against Grimmjow Jaggerjacques.

Well, you call it a 'fight', but really it was more like watching a kitten try to pounce a fully-grown tigress. Since then the kids' reiatsu has reappeared, along with something else: something you didn't think you'd ever sense again.

“Is that who I think it is?” you ask, coming to a stop and glancing at the top of the fortress.

Yoruichi stops as well, straining to feel out the reiatsu that you've sensed and immediately recognized... or at least you think you recognized it. “What am I looking for?”

“There's Renji, Ichigo, and Ishida for sure,” you list the three you know. “Rukia, Tatsuki, and Chad seem to have fallen behind. But there's a fourth power with Ichigo's group, one that feels vaguely like someone I knew once.”

“Who is it?”

“It feels a little like Lieutenant Ichinose.”

You take out your denreishinki and place a call to Rukia, hoping that she remembered to bring hers. After ringing twice it's Tatsuki who responds. “Who is this?”

“Riku,” you tell her. “What happened to Rukia and Chad? Why aren't you with Ichigo and the others?”

“Rukia is recovering from using her Bankai,” Tatsuki reports. Bankai... so she pursued that training against your orders, then? You're not sure whether to be pleased or frustrated with her... you'll decide when this is all over.

“And did any of you run into a shinigami while we lost track of you?” you press.

“No,” she tells you. “Why?”

“Just asking,” you sigh. “I was hoping you'd make it simpler, but I'll just figure this out on my own then.”

“Thanks for the update.”

You close the denreishinki, and glance at Yoruichi. “Seems we have a mystery on our hands.”
>1/2

>>2593898
You are Ichigo Kurosaki, and you've got a mystery on your hands. The arrancar you ran into at the base of the elevator buried deep within the fortress of the Schattenbereich claims to have the memories of a shinigami Lieutenant, and one who served under your aunt at one point at that, but has admitted that he's not who he claimed to be at first. And you still don't know why he tried to lie to you, why he changed his mind just now, or what his real motives are in all this.

But he hasn't stabbed you in the back so far, and though he had to be backed into a corner first he eventually came clean with you about who he was... and more importantly who he wasn't.

He's not acting like your friend, but he's not acting like an enemy either. If anything you'd call him an ally of convenience.

“Welcome to the team, whoever you are,” you sigh. “Can you manage another distraction?”

“I can,” he nods. “I'd rather not use Nijigasume again though, not just now.”

“Alright, we're counting on you.”

“Renji!” you bark. “Ishida!”

“Right!” Renji shouts back. “Howl, Zabimaru!”

“A silver rod strikes the five-fingered stone bed!” Ishida chants as Renji uses his whip-sword to force Opie to reposition himself and avoid it. “Gritz!”

Ishida fires the gintō at Opie from behind, forming a dome-like silver barrier around Opie. Before he disappears you see that the sternritter sports an amused expression, like he finds the use of such an old technique 'quaint'.

Then it's Aaroniero's turn. “Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel... with light, divide into six!”

As Opie slashes away at his silver cage, the bakudō spears slam home. “Bakudō 61: Rikujōkōrō!”

>3d10, best of three
>DC 20, critical 26

Rolled 7, 10, 5 = 22 (3d10)

>>2593930

Rolled 1, 7, 8 = 16 (3d10)

>>2593930

Rolled 3, 9, 4 = 16 (3d10)

>>2593930

>>2593930
You charge your helpless foe, turning Zangetsu around your body and releasing blue reiatsu in a powerful, swirling trail. This is gonna hurt someone, and it seems from his expression that Opie's finally realized it's gonna be him.

“Kaiten Tenshō!” you roar, releasing the spinning vortex of sharpened reiatus at the sternritter.

He swiftly sweeps his own sword at the kidō binding him in place, cutting through the golden light.

“He broke my bakudō!?” Aaroniero shouts in alarm.

The blast still hits, shredding Opie's right arm before he gets the chance to dodge. The limb hangs limp at his side, dripping blood past the grip of the sword still clutched in that hand.

“That was quite rude, Aaroniero,” he sneers. “I guess that means you're serious about rebelling against his Majesty? That you've thrown your lot in with the rabble?”

“Damn,” he curses. “I guess despite my reiatsu I can still only use them at the proficiency of a Lieutenant...”

“Hey, I'm a Lieutenant too,” Renji grumbles.

“I'm aware,” Aaroniero shoots back. “Believe me, I'm not happy to lump myself in with your kidō skills.”

“Would you please focus!?” Ishida shouts, finally having had enough of the bickering. “Believe it or not we're fighting a deathmatch here!”

“You're right,” Quilge Opie agrees, adjusting his 'I-am-a-Nazi-scientist' glasses with his left hand. “I should be taking you all more seriously than this. My apologies to his Majesty, I will try this again.”

With a massive burst of reiatsu, Opie enters his own ascended state. “Vollständig.”

>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.
>Hold back, wait to see if you can figure out what his new form actually does before committing.
>Use this chance to regroup and reposition, try to ensure that wherever Opie attacks you can counter.
>Other?

>>2593978
>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.
Remember what Auntie Riku did to you when she told you to try and put on your hollow mask. Now do the same thing to this Quincy Nazi wannabe.

strangely empty this thread. memorial day it must be.

>>2593978
>>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.

>>2593978
>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.

>>2593978
>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.

>>2594001
That and people may well have gotten used to the schedule I've been keeping lately.

Also I forgot it was memorial day. We don't really do it on the same day over here.

>>2593978
>>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.
Free actions don't exist in a fight asshole.

>3d10, best of three
>DC 20, crit 23

Rolled 6, 7, 2 = 15 (3d10)

>>2594022
SUFFERING INBOUND

Rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>2594022
Let's fucking go

File: diplomacy.jpg (79 KB, 250x368)

79 KB JPG

Rolled 1, 5, 4 = 10 (3d10)

>>2594022

File: Mildly Peeved.png (1.15 MB, 921x647)

1.15 MB PNG

>>2594023
>>2594024
>>2594028
We suck 19 different varieties of donkey wang

File: as expected. a vast emptiness.png (484 KB, 808x548)

484 KB PNG

>>2594028
>>2594024
>>2594023
this hurts. the jobbing is real. where is the luck?

Rolled 8, 6, 1 = 15 (3d10)

>>2594022
Rolling what might have been.

>>2594023
>>2594024
>>2594028
Uh oh

>>2594018

i just read through the whole story, took me days and i loved every second of it


>Attack immediately, try to take advantage of his transformation to land as heavy a blow as you can.

>>2594022
You try to take what Riku taught you and use it against Opie: that you should never, ever just stand there like an idiot watching your opponent go through their transformation technique. Since you don't have kidō to cast in the time it takes him to use his own move, the only option you have is to attack head on!

With a roar you wind up for a point-blank Getsuga Tenshō, sliding to Opie's right side where his arm was disabled by your previous attack... only to find that he's stabbed you in the side with his sword.

“That was a good plan,” Opie admits, drawing the edge out through your left side with a spurt of blood. “And you should be commended for being the only one to take action rather than allowing me to transform.”

“As for you, Ishida-boy, I confess my disappointment,” the sternritter continues, taking a swift hirenkyaku-step away from you. His transformation left him with something like a star-shaped halo over his head and wings that look less like they're feathered and more like a rag mop, with a bracer of some sort around each wrist.

“I was concerned you might have used that flashy transformation to cover for ransōtengai,” Ishida counters. “It would seem I was right.”

“Consider my faith in the living quincy restored,” Opie shrugs. “Though it will not help you much, allowing me to transform out of an overabundance of caution.”

“You coulda warned me,” you grumble.

“It isn't my fault you charged in,” Ishida adjusts his glasses... does everyone who wears glasses really feel the need to do that so often?

>Renji, why aren't you using Bankai yet?
>Best to stay back, figure out his abilities before closing in again.
>Aaroniero, you're a hollow... right? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
>Other?

>>2594071
lovely to see someone new who archive binged.

>>2594073
>other: why aren't you using Bankai yourself Ichigo?

>>2594073
>Best to stay back, figure out his abilities before closing in again.

>>2594073
>>Best to stay back, figure out his abilities before closing in again.

>>2594077
i am somewhat of a glutton for stories, especially fantasy/science fiction and/or shonen stuff
so it was a real treat
happy to be here, not sure how active i will be, but i at least lurk

>>2594073
>>Best to stay back, figure out his abilities before closing in again.

>>2594073

btw is there a discord that i can join?
to be better able to participate when you are running

>>2594085
Queen's got Claymore Quest ongoing too. it's similar in terms of Fantasy/science fiction and shonen stuff.
check it out. http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Claymore
>>2594095
There is a discord. Just don't let the discord stuff spill into the 4chan thread. people hate it when it spills over.

>>2594095
I'll drop a link at the end of the thread, but yeah. Other anon has the right of it: I prefer to see Discord as clearly optional, a way to shitpost and do clearly off-topic stuff when the threads are up, discuss when the threads aren't up, and to have one more way of updating people on my schedule.

>>2594073
>>Aaroniero, you're a hollow... right? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

>>2594102
>>2594108

ok thank you
and i am already part of a discord of a another quest, i get the "rules", 4chan is anonymous and the quest is /qst/ all separate from the discord

>3d10, best of three
>DC 19, crit 24

Rolled 9, 4, 10 = 23 (3d10)

>>2594143
the suffering continues.

Rolled 8, 3, 3 = 14 (3d10)

>>2594143

Rolled 3, 7, 4 = 14 (3d10)

>>2594143

Rolled 6, 1, 8 = 15 (3d10)

>>2594143
RAGAGAGALALOOOOO

>>2594146
Nearly a crit!

>>2593978
You decide to hold back for now, watching carefully to see what your opponent's new form allows him to do.

Renji and Aaroniero however decide the opposite.

“Bankai: Sōō Zabimaru!” Renji shouts, releasing his 'true' Bankai as he charges Opie heedless of any new danger. He summons a giant arm of bone and fur that follows the path of his own left arm, swinging it with lethal speed towards the sternritter.

Meanwhile Aaroniero begins to charge a cero, then uses sonido to release it from what must be a blind spot behind Opie's wings. He intends to have his blast meet at the same time as Zabimaru's giant hand does... which should just add to the impact of both.

Or at least that was the plan, you think. In practice things don't go that well.

Your eyes widen as the arm Renji and Zabimaru manifested blocks the cero as Opie turns his body, but not because it's Renji that's blocking. The arm is somehow following Opie's movements instead.

“Quincy...” you realize too late. “Back off now!”

“How the hell is that possible!?” Renji demands, staring in shock at what the sternritter has just done.

“He stole your Bankai's reishi!” you shout the explanation you worked out in your head.

“Of course not,” Ishida snaps. “That's... actually correct, Kurosaki. Sorry to doubt you, it's just... forget I said anything.”

“That's correct,” Opie bows with a flourish of the stolen spectral limb. “My technique is called sklaverei, and it's the only quincy technique that can steal a Bankai while retaining the ability to use Vollständig.”

“Too bad, Lieutenant,” he sneers. “But your cladding-type release just makes it that much easier to enslave to my superior will.”

Then the sternritter turns towards you. “Now then, will you make the same mistake, shinigami brat?”

“I don't have a Bankai,” you admit. “Not anymore... I'm still re-learning.”

>But I do have quincy powers of my own.
>But Ishida has some seele schneiders.
>But I do have hollow powers.
>Other?

>>2594170
>But I do have hollow powers.

>>2594170
>>But I do have hollow powers.

>>2594175
This exactly this
With a sly grin

>>2594170
>>But I do have hollow powers.
Time to fuck this guy up. Hopefully.

>>2594170
>But I do have quincy powers of my own.
>other: Try and manifest Old man Zangetsu.

>3d10, best of three
DC is 18 to manifest your ACTUAL quincy powers for the first time in combat. A roll of 26 will result in a critical.

Rolled 6, 8, 6 = 20 (3d10)

>>2594223

Rolled 1, 8, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>2594223

>>2594223

wait didnt we vote for hollow?

Rolled 1, 1, 7 = 9 (3d10)

>>2594223

>>2594223
You are correct. Revised DCs to 18 and 23.

Rolled 3, 3, 6 = 12 (3d10)

>>2594232

Rolled 7, 5, 2 = 14 (3d10)

>>2594232
Here we go.

Rolled 5, 4, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>2594232

do you take the roll we did already, or do we have to roll again?
i roll anyway

>>2594241
I'll be taking your success, since you didn't get the critical option anyway and I don't wanna take away the success you got legitimately because I got my lines crossed.

>>2594251
That is very fair. You are the best Queen!

>>2594251
so we tried using Hollow but accidentally got Quincy instead? Is that how I'm reading things from the bones that have been cast?

>>2594256
that would be hilarious

I: "No, but i have hollow powers! WATCH THIS"
everyone is silent
ichigor roars
manifests quincy bow
everyone facepalms

>>2594251
“But I do still have hollow powers,” you smirk, placing your hand at the spine of Zangetsu's blade and charging it with a cero. The head pulses with power, cloaked in shadowy reiatsu that hardens around its edge.

“Rebana de la Luna.”

After a shunpō you sweep Zangetsu up from your left side, crossing your chest past your right shoulder and releasing a crescent-shaped arc of jet-black reiatsu. The blade slices cleanly through the manifested arm that Opie stole, snaps his raised sword near the hilt, and carves a deep gouge into his blut-hardened torso. His right wing comes off entirely, fizzling and dissipating before it hits the ground.

With a crash Opie takes out a nearby building.

“What the hell was that!?” you hear, or rather you have three variations on that general theme hurled your direction all at once.

“What, you thought getsuga was all Zangetsu could do?” you shrug. “The real power is its head holds a charge. I used it to focus a cero into a hardened slash, like getsuga but with greater cutting power.”

“So... you can use that with kidō?” Aaroniero wonders aloud.

You scowl. “I mean... if I could do kidō... maybe?”

“Not half bad,” Opie congratulates you, stepping out of the rubble bloodied but very much alive. “That was a spectacular attack for a shikai. But I'm afraid you're overlooking something.”

“And that is?”

Without explaining, Opie draws Zabimaru's severed arm back towards himself and reorganizes its reishi, essentially regenerating the whole limb. His body seems to be stitched back together with reishi as well, keeping his blood loss to a minimum. Even his own ragged wing regenerates, drawing reishi literally from the rubble behind him.

“All the reishi in this place is mine to command,” he asserts. “Even the reishi of your spiritual bodies if I so desire.”

“What is it you Japanese say? 'Thanks for the meal'?”

>He didn't absorb your attack, or Aaroniero's before. Maybe he can't absorb from hollows?
>He said nothing about reiatsu. Reiatsu and reishi are two different things.
>Maybe... maybe for some reason he can't absorb YOUR attacks specifically? It'd be strange...
>The Seele Schneider and your own Quincy abilities seem like a really good idea right now.

>>2594282
>>Maybe... maybe for some reason he can't absorb YOUR attacks specifically? It'd be strange...

>>2594282
>>He said nothing about reiatsu. Reiatsu and reishi are two different things.

>>2594282
>>He said nothing about reiatsu. Reiatsu and reishi are two different things.

>>2594282
>He didn't absorb your attack, or Aaroniero's before. Maybe he can't absorb from hollows?

>>2594282
>He didn't absorb your attack, or Aaroniero's before. Maybe he can't absorb from hollows?
Well all quincies are allergic to hollows. Maybe Opie has severe allergies to Hollow reiatsu or hollow reishi.

>>2594282
>>He said nothing about reiatsu. Reiatsu and reishi are two different things.

Rolled 7, 6, 10 = 23 (3d10)

>3d10, DC 19, Crit 26
>best of three
Calling it here, since the two options that are tied are equifinal at this point anyway. A crit will allow Ichigo to discern a little better what's going on.

Rolled 4, 7, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>2594339

Rolled 4, 4, 2 = 10 (3d10)

>>2594339

Rolled 2, 4, 10 = 16 (3d10)

>>2594339

Rolled 10, 1, 4 = 15 (3d10)

>>2594339
made dc, hoping for crit.

>>2594340
Thank god you succeed as my roll was terrible

>writing, btw

>>2594364
You start to put something together in your head... either he can't absorb your powers because your powers are too close to those of a hollow, or he can't do it because it's reiatsu rather than reishi: energy rather than matter.

What sucks is you don't think you have an easy way to tell.

“Getsuga Tenshō!” you shout, releasing a brief pulse of blue reiatsu then moving with shunpō to release a second pulse from a different direction. You keep doing it from various angles, always keeping the sternritter on his toes lest they get cut off from his foot.

Then Aaroniero swoops in behind Opie, hand raised. “Cero!”

The blast knocks Opie off his feet, but the arm he stole from Zabimaru seems to have taken the brunt of it for him. The arm swiftly regenerates, pulling material from the ground again like the sternritter's wing before. Strange... if he could take control of reiatsu he could have used your Getsuga to do it, couldn't he? But then again Zangetsu's power is inherently 'tainted' by your own hollow heritage.

Same story with Aaroniero's cero.

Ishida struggles to set up... something, you're not really sure. But Opie seems pleased with himself that he disrupted it.

“Sorry, Ishida boy,” he smirks, “but I'd rather you not use that technique.”

“His basic skills are sharp...” Ishida grunts, taking a sword across his side but sacrificing his manifested reishi bow to keep himself from losing an arm.

During a rapid exchange of fire between Ishida's bow and Opie's sword, which has manifested a blue basket-hilt that seems suspiciously similar to Ishida's bow, it's surprisingly Renji that settles the outstanding issue.

“Hey, jackass!” he shouts. “Suck on this!”

“Sōkatsui!”

You have to admit, it doesn't look pretty but it's obviously got a lot of power behind it.

Opie is blasted off his feet, rolling across the ground until he can eventually stand and slide to a stop.

“And here I had you pinned as a complete moron,” Opie admits, taking a moment to catch his breath. “You four are just full of surprises!”

>That settles it. It's reiatsu he can't absorb: have Ishida fall back while you, Renji, and Aaroniero do your thing.
>Renji may not be able to replicate that success with kidō, focus on cooperating with Aaroniero.
>Ishida still has one technique he can use: Seele Schneider might strip Opie of that pesky arm he stole from Zabimaru.
>Other?

>>2594402
>>Ishida still has one technique he can use: Seele Schneider might strip Opie of that pesky arm he stole from Zabimaru.

>>2594402
>Ishida still has one technique he can use: Seele Schneider might strip Opie of that pesky arm he stole from Zabimaru.
PASS THE BANKAI

>>2594402
>>Ishida still has one technique he can use: Seele Schneider might strip Opie of that pesky arm he stole from Zabimaru.

>>2594402
>>That settles it. It's reiatsu he can't absorb: have Ishida fall back while you, Renji, and Aaroniero do your thing.

>>2594402
>That settles it. It's reiatsu he can't absorb: have Ishida fall back while you, Renji, and Aaroniero do your thing.
>Ishida still has one technique he can use: Seele Schneider might strip Opie of that pesky arm he stole from Zabimaru.

>>2594402

>That settles it. It's reiatsu he can't absorb: have Ishida fall back while you, Renji, and Aaroniero do your thing.

>3d10, best of three
DC 19, crit 24

Rolled 6, 6, 8 = 20 (3d10)

>>2594455
rip

Rolled 5, 4, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>2594455

Rolled 3, 8, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>2594455

Rolled 4, 4, 3 = 11 (3d10)

>>2594455
This time we got this.

>>2594455
It's clear that however this works you, Renji, and Aaroniero all have ways to do damage to Opie despite how things seem. But Renji may not be able to do it reliably... and you get the feeling that Ishida's seele schneiders will also help even if his abilities aren't directly useful.

So you begin to concoct a plan.

“Aaroniero!” you shout, spinning Zangetsu with a mad twirl of your fingers. “We're up!”

Paired with the arrancar, you manage to nearly encircle the sternritter with arcing waves of blue and smaller, fast-moving balls of violet. Few hit, and those that do are smashed away or pummeled by a volley of spiritual arrows, but it does give your other allies time to position themselves.

“Gotcha!” Renji shouts, dropping down from above with a sword in his right hand that looks like a meaner version of his shikai. “Orochiō!”

“Fool!” Opie gloats... failing to notice that Ishida is in motion as well.

“Ishida!” you shout, and your classmate tosses you a seele schneider of your own. The two of you use simultaneous steps, your spiritual blades meeting in the middle of the manifested arm and slicing it free. In an instant it rejoins with Renji, leaving Opie with nothing more than his own sword and a surprised look on his face.

The serrated blade takes Opie's left arm off cleanly, but before you and Ishida can finish the job he moves again.

“As if that could slow me down!” Opie scoffs, though he's breathing heavily.
>3d10, taking the highest of three

Rolled 2, 7, 9 = 18 (3d10)

>>2594524

Rolled 1, 6, 7 = 14 (3d10)

>>2594524
quick! we need a 20+

Rolled 9, 4, 6 = 19 (3d10)

>>2594524

Rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9 (3d10)

>>2594529
ok

>>2594527
>>2594529
>>2594531
So average. We haven't had that good roll that could turn the fight to our advantage proper. We are winning, but it is going to take time and wounds.

>>2594563
and i have made my offerings to RNG