Episode 38: The Fruits of Training
Episode 38: The Fruits of Training
Sunset could feel her eagerness burning brighter and hotter than her fear, even as she as her friends charged up the stairs out of the sewer exit, but she wasn’t prepared for the sheer chaos that greeted them. The sewer exit was little more than a small stone square built into the forest ground right between a placid blue lake surrounded by thick emerald forest, and a series of long, one story buildings of distinctly Japanese architecture.
And everywhere Sunset looked there was battle.
Men and women in near identical black Soul Reaper robes clashed all around, fighting tooth and nail against each other. Some kept their Zanpaktou sealed, flashing about with high speed movement and sparks kissing the air with each strike of spirit forged steel. Others had already released their Shikais, dizzying Sunset with the sheer array of odd sword shapes she saw, each one utilizing its own unique powers. In just a casual glance Sunset thought she saw at least two or three different swords using elemental powers, while she saw another that looked as if it was expelling a glue-like substance that was immobilizing its opponents, while yet another sword was extending and whipping about like it was more a dancing ribbon than a blade. To top things off, other Soul Reapers were making liberal use of Kido spells, causing all manner of beams, spheres, and blasts of energy to criss-cross the area, filling the air with the cacophony of explosions.
In just seconds Sunset realized one major problem with the idea of just jumping into the center of this madness. She and her friends had no way to identify friend from foe. All the Soul Reapers were dressed the same, with nothing clearly defining who belonged to the Thirteenth Division and who belonged to the Eleventh.
“Whoa, this is crazy!” said Rainbow Dash, blinking in confusion at the cauldron of bubbling battle around them, “Who the heck are we supposed to punch first!?”
“Whoever is defending the buildings is probably on our side,” said Ditzy Doo, “Also anyone who hasn’t released their Zanpaktou is probably with the Thirteenth. Some of them are raw enough to not know how, while the rest are probably following Celestia’s example of not using Shikai without need.”
“Without need!?” Applejack asked, ducking as an errant Kido spell flew overhead and exploded a tree behind them, “I’d say there’s a’ pretty dang clear need!”
“Either way, the Eleventh are combat specialists. Chances are they’re the ones who are winning and the Thirteenth are the ones getting pushed back. There, look! The flow of the fight is moving across the lake towards the barracks! That’s where we should go.” Ditzy said as pointed towards the buildings. Sunset had trouble making sense of the chaotic flow of the battle, but after a second realized what Ditzy was talking about. Once she let her eyes cease trying to take in every detail and just look at the larger picture, she could see it.
There was a clear distinction between the Soul Reapers who were fighting with less certainty and skill, half of whom hadn’t released their Zanpaktou, and the more aggressive ones who were pushing those other Soul Reapers back. The line of battle was gradually moving back towards the buildings, though it hadn’t reached there yet. She also noticed several other things, now that she was looking at the bigger picture. There were several Soul Reapers not fighting, but instead tending to wounded, their hands glowing with healing Kido. These Soul Reapers didn’t draw their Zanpaktou and ignored the fighting other than to drag wounded away from the worst of the combat to start healing injuries.
The other thing she noticed was that she didn’t see anyone wearing a white Captain’s overcoat. Letting her spiritual senses reach out, she tried to feel out where any Captains might be, but the confusing mass of conflicting spiritual pressures made it all but impossible to home in on one particular reiatsu. Ditzy seemed to sense what she was doing and said, “I’ve got shaper senses. There’s at least two Captains out here, along with two Lieutenants, and a number of seated officers. This here is just a small skirmish, the main fight is about four hundred meters further out.”
A skirmish!? This crazy mess!? This looked like total, violent insanity to Sunset, but Ditzy was saying this wasn’t even the main fight?
“Wow, so there’s an even bigger, meaner party elsewhere? Yikes, we’d better wrap this up fast then before it gets worse,” said Pinkie Pie, and immediately her body exuded the gleaming pink mist that formed into Pinkamena, who stretched and licked her lips as she eyed the fighting.
“Oh good, lots of playful snacks running around, just like I hoped. Can I finally cut loose a bit, Pinks?”
Pinkie Pie nodded enthusiastically, her body still glowing pink, “Yup, it’s hammer time!” The glow continued to engulf her until she became a pink stream of energy that transmuted into the large, ornate hammer that spun in the air several times before Pinkamena caught it. Pinkie Pie’s voice came from the hammer, chipper as ever, “Just follow the rules Mena, and only take little bites, okay?”
Pinkamena flipped her straight hair and showed her teeth in a manner that was less smile, and more wolfish snarl, “What about one or two medium sized bites? Like, if I have to treat all these guys as McNuggets can I pick out at least one to be my Big Mac?”
“Big Mac?” asked Applejack, eyeing Pinkamena speculatively.
“The burger, not your brother,” said Pinkamena, then a bit of drool dribbled out of the side of her mouth, “Although he’d made for a meaty mouthful. Mmm... Big Mac...“
“Alright yer gonna stop fantasizing whatever it is yer fantasizing ‘bout my brother right this second or I swear I’ll-” Applejack began, but just then the group was finally spotted.
“Hey!” shouted one burly looking fellow, taller and broader in the shoulder than most people Sunset had seen. He had a dark skinned complexion and plain black hair, along with a oddly tired and depressed expression even as he shouted and pointed at them. “Who’re all of you? You ain’t all Soul Reapers. Which Division are you fellas supposed to be with?”
Next to the big man another Soul Reaper, a short, scrappy looking fellow with blue hair, gave his compatriot an elbow, looking excited, “Troubleshoes, I recognize them lot from the reports! Its them Ryoka girls! The humans with the freaky powers that started this whole mess!”
“Huh,” the big man, Troubleshoes, scratched his nose, peering at them, “You thinking so? I suppose it would just be like my luck to run into a bunch of trouble just when this flanking attack was going so swell. Oh well, just my lot I guess. Figure we might as well capture them before they do something to make things worse, otherwise Captain Kenpachi will give us an earful.”
Sunset’s memory was tickled by the name ‘Kenpachi’, and she glanced to Ditzy. “Hey, isn’t that the title the Soul Reapers mostly know Applejack’s mother by?”
Ditzy Doo nodded, “Yup. These yahoos must be from Tenth Division.”
Rarity had a curious look as she asked, “And whatever do they mean by ‘Ryoka’?”
“Kind of a blanket term for outsiders considered to be aligned against Soul Society.” Ditzy said waving a dismissive hand, “So, you know, pretty much everyone who isn’t a Soul Reaper or kow-tows to Soul Reaper rule.”
“So these fellas know my ma, eh?”
Nearly the moment the words left Applejack’s mouth, Sunset felt a massive burst of spiritual pressure next to her, followed by a blast of air that radiated outward in a gust strong enough to actually make a number of nearby fighting Soul Reapers pause in their clash to suddenly look and take note of the group of strangers in their midst. Even a big man like Troubleshoots took a step back, blinking in mute startelement.
The source of the intense spirit pressure was of course Applejack, whose body had become wrapped in a solid gold aura. The forms of her metallic boots had taken shape, extending in white and bronze plates up to her upper thighs now, but the golden energy now also suffused Applejack’s arms and shoulders, streams of solid gold light wrapping around those limbs to then snap into the shape of form fitting yet thick metal gauntlets and shoulder guards. Much like the boots, the gauntlets were seemingly made from a combination of white and bronze metal, and just like the skull motifs on the knees, the knuckles of the gauntlets took shapes reminiscent of skulls. Also like the boots there were small nozzle-like holes situated at points around the wrists, elbows, and the back of shoulders that Sunset knew full well would exude spirit energy in the same rocket styled manner that the boots did. And if the intensely pounding and potent nature of Applejack’s reiatsu was any indication, Sunset knew those rockets would be much stronger than they’d been before.
But if Sunset needed proof, Applejack provided it without a moment’s hesitation the second the gauntlets had formed. In a move that gave Sunset’s best Flash Step a run for its money, thrusters of gold energy shot from the back of Applejack’s shoulder guards and she was instantly in front of Troubleshoes. The big man’s hand started to raise his Zanpaktou, a simple affair with a horseshoe shaped cross guard, but Applejack’s right hand closed around his face with a tight squeeze, lifting the huge fellow off the ground, much to his shocked expression.
“Where’s my ma?” Applejack asked, putting a remarkable amount of menace into such a simple question, and the light glittering in her green eyes was, Sunset had to admit, a tad frightening.
“The hell!?” the shorter Soul Reaper next to Troubleshoes had his own Zanpaktou drawn, and rushed Applejack, sword flashing towards her arm. Applejack didn’t even look his way or loosen her grip on Troubleshoes as she kicked out with her right leg with enough force to create a pressure wave. The kick slammed the short Soul Reaper squarely in the chest, making his eyes bulge as he was shot like a cannonball into, and through, the nearest tree.
“Yeash AJ, and you call me a showoff?” said Rainbow Dash, wincing.
Troubleshoes, for his part, had recovered from his shock and now slashed hard with his Zanpaktou, striking Applejack’s arm that gripped him. The blade hit the gauntlet in a burst of sparks, doing next to no damage, but the strike did force Applejack to let go and stumble back a step. Troubleshoes used the moment to Flash Step backwards a distance, rubbing his jaw.
“I don’t rightly know who your ma is, girl, but it's just both our bad luck you’re spoiling for a scrap.”
“Everyone, we have more trouble coming our way.” pointed out Fluttershy as she nodded towards where an entire portion of what Sunset guessed was the Eleventh Division had broken off from their individual fights and were now rushing towards them, anywhere from ten to fifteen Soul Reapers in total. Sunset noted that despite that, her friends weren’t looking scared. Even Fluttershy had a calm air about her.
Ditzy Doo cracked her knuckles, “Well let’s get to it. Applejack, can you take care of the big guy while we clean up the incoming flunkies?”
Applejack, never once taking her eyes off Troubleshoes, nodded. “I got this.”
“Actually, Miss Doo, if its okay, can I handle this?” Fluttershy asked, nodding towards the incoming cluster of Soul Reapers. Ditzy glanced sidelong at Fluttershy, then grinned and shrugged.
“Sure, knock yourself out.”
Rainbow Dash groaned, “Aww man, c’mon. Why’s everybody trying to outdo me today!? Flutters, are you sure you can handle them?”
Fluttershy began to calmly walk forward, turning to smile serenely at Rainbow Dash, “I’ll be okay, but if you want, come save me if I get in trouble. But I don’t think you’ll have to.”
“I’m never gonna get to eat anyone, am I?” grumbled Pinkamena.
Sunset looked at Fluttershy with a hesitant glance, but decided to trust her friend’s judgement and said, “Show ‘em what you can do Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy had a calm and sweet smile as she nodded to Sunset and resumed a slow walk towards the onrushing Soul Reapers, who were just ten meters away now. At the same moment Applejack rushed Troubleshoes, and Sunset lost track of both of them as their clash pushed both of those combatants back deeper into the forest. She could still feel Applejack’s reiatsu, however, so Sunset wasn’t worried of losing track of her friend in the battle, and her eyes were too glued to Fluttershy at the moment anyway.
As the enemy Soul Reapers started to surround Fluttershy, seeming to think her a quick and easy target, Fluttershy’s body became wreathed with a gentle white and blue light. Her spiritual energy rose, just like Applejack’s had, but rather than feeling like a forceful burst of power, this felt more like an exceedingly calm and uplifting breeze. It reminded Sunset of home, of the vast and green Equestrian fields where a strong but gentle spring breezes would blow.
Fluttershy’s pink hair rose like a curtain, as if uplifted by a smooth wind. Her third eye flowed open in a luminous blue light, but at the same instant a circular halo of blue energy formed behind her, easily four feet in diameter, with needle-like points of energy flowing off it’s glowing edge like rays from the sun. A white cloth took shape from the halo and wrapped around Fluttershy’s shoulders like a shawl, nearly transparent, and continuously shifting as if under a stiff breeze. Fluttershy’s stance became loose yet fluidly ready, her legs and arms shifting into a stance reminding Sunset of some soft-form martial arts she’d seen.
The Soul Reapers surrounding Fluttershy seemed momentarily taken aback by the changes in their intended target, both in terms of appearance and reiatsu, but these were members of Eleventh Division. They didn’t intimidate easily, and were all combat veterans, even if none of them were seated officers. Their hesitance only lasted all of a second before they rushed in at Fluttershy. They weren’t foolish about it, trying to dogpile in a uncoordinated mass. Instead these expert warriors came at Fluttershy in well timed, staggered waves of two or three at a time, always from different directions. Many already had their Zanpaktou released to Shikai, ensuring that a number of different shaped blades were being brought to bear, each containing powers of their own.
Not that any of it made an immediate difference against Fluttershy and her newly evolved Fullbring.
Her motions were minimal, just slight shifts and twists that belied their critical and completely efficient timing. As Soul Reapers slashed and stabbed for her flesh, Fluttershy seemed to become a bending blade of grass amid a storm of steel. Blade edges passed within bare inches of striking, but always seemed to find only air as Fluttershy moved aside with calm, relaxed movements. And every time a Soul Reaper passed by, many with shocked and disbelieving looks on their faces, Fluttershy’s arms moved in swift yet careful, even gentle motions. She wasn’t using fists, but rather striking with the palms of her hand, barely touching each Soul Reaper that tried to strike her. Yet for every light touch of her palm, a Soul Reaper simply staggered back... then sat down. Sunset could see that every Soul Reaper Fluttershy touched gained a glazed, relaxed look in their eyes as they simply dropped their weapons and sat down, completely passive.
In the span of a mere fifteen, maybe twenty seconds, half the Soul Reapers that had surrounded Fluttershy had fallen in this manner; weapon dropped, sitting down, eyes placid and empty of all aggression, or indeed any seeming conscious thought.
The remaining Soul Reapers were understandably unnerved by this, many of them suddenly backing away from the small, pink haired girl they’d just moments ago surrounded.
“What the damn hell is this!?” one of the Soul Reapers growled, “What kind of ability is she using?”
“Guys!? Why are you just sitting there!? Get your asses up! Hey!”
Fluttershy shook her head, smiling calmly, “They can’t hear your voices. Only mine. They won’t be harmed, and neither will you. Please surrender. This violence serves no purpose.”
One of the Soul Reapers grunted and put a hand to his ears, “Ugh, be careful, she’s doing something weird. I can feel her in my head!”
“It's easier now, when I touch someone,” said Fluttershy with a sad sounding sigh, “I still have to use effort at a distance. Please, surrender. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“Arrgh!”
Several Soul Reapers went to their knees, clutching at their heads as Fluttershy’s power washed over their minds. Sunset had to confess to herself it was a bit disturbing to see. She wasn’t sure how hard Fluttershy was trying, and there was a hesitance in the girl that suggested to Sunset that Fluttershy wasn’t even going all out yet. It might be because Fluttershy was worried about doing some kind of mental damage to anyone she controlled through exerting too much force. Regardless, with several of their comrades just struggling to maintain their own minds, the remaining pair of Soul Reapers both went after Fluttershy at the same time.
One, a woman wielding a Zanpaktou that had taken the form of a dagger, rushed Fluttershy from the front. Meanwhile the other Soul Reaper, a man carrying a blade that had split into two prong-like blades, stayed back while maneuvering towards Fluttershy’s back. The woman with the dagger Zanpaktou swung for Fluttershy’s head, and the dagger suddenly extended like a spear. Fluttershy bent backwards and twisted to the side, the sudden strike managing to take a few strands of pink hair, but Fluttershy stepped forward and caught the woman with a solid palm strike to the chest. As the woman staggered back, eyes glazing over with the effects of Fluttershy’s power, the man with the prong blade aimed at Fluttershy’s back and a sphere of what looked like concentrated sound waves formed between the prongs, which then fired off like a bullet.
Fluttershy started to turn away from the sneak attack, but there was a sound like crashing thunder and suddenly the sphere was deflected by a cobalt bolt of lightning. This was followed instantly by a gleaming blue form flashing into the Soul Reaper with the prong blade, Rainbow Dash’s knee smashing into his face and sending the man flying amid arcs of electrical energy. He landed face first in the dirt, quite unconscious.
Fluttershy frowned, “Rainbow Dash...”
“What? Hey, don’t give me that look, he was totally trying to backstab you! Er, back shoot. Back something. Look, point is he was playing dirty and I stepped in. It wasn’t at all because I was getting too antsy to just stand around watching anymore.” Rainbow Dash put her hands squarely on her hips, not quite meeting Fluttershy’s eyes. She had, of course, transformed as well, both her large metallic wings and the new lightning wings spread out around her and generating an electrical aura that crackled around her athletic figure.
With a third potent reiatsu on battlefield almost all of the fighting in the immediate area between the Eleventh and Thirteenth Division had tapered off as more Soul Reapers paid attention to the girls. The fact that one of them had all but single-handedly taken down over a dozen Eleventh Division members, seemingly without breaking a sweat, gave just about every Soul Reaper present some pause. Except for Troubleshoes, if the nearby crashing noises and falling trees was any indication. Sunset could feel Applejack’s reiatsu clashing with Troubleshoes’, even if they two were no longer visible.
“Alright,” she said, cracking her neck, “I think the exhibition bit is over. Let’s all get in there and take these guys down!”
“About time!” growled Pinkamena, gripping the Pinkie hammer tightly and letting her teeth show in a wide, drooling smile. “I was about to start gnawing on you guys if I had to wait a second longer!”
With that Pinkamena jumped, her legs literally stretching like taffy as she went flying into the air, crossing a good fifty meters of distance to land among a group of combating Soul Reapers who all looked at the strange girl with surprised eyes, which then grew into terrified eyes as sharp toothed mouths sprang open all over Pinkamena’s arms, legs, and chest.
“So which of you yummy looking morsels is going into my belly first?”
“She’s just kidding guys,” said the Pinkie hammer, “She’s not really going to eat you. I’ve got her contractually obligated to only take small bites. Er, I don’t know if that applies to fingers and toes. None of you are horribly attached to those, right?”
“Nom! Nom! Nom!” was Pinkamena’s less than eloquent response as she lashed out with her left arm, snapping the many fang filled mouths along its tentacle-like length at confused and horrified Soul Reapers, while she used her right arm to swing the hammer around, smashing the ground like playing a game of whack-a-mole. Each strike that landed on a Soul Reaper was accompanied by a loud, electronic dinging noise and an actual floating set of point numbers.
Rarity looked at the scene with an exasperated shake of her head, “I will never understand how such a slobbering beast stems from the mind of our dear Pinkie Pie. Oh well, since everyone else is busy showing off I suppose I ought to get into the spirit of things as well.”
The change that came over Rarity was more subtle than the other’s transformations. As blood flowed from her skin, not staining her clothes but instead solidifying with a wash of crimson energy into the shape of her armored dress and thin, red crystal rapier, there remained a faint blood-red aura around her. She raised her left hand, and a bracelet took shape, a full hand’s span wide. It was formed from the same red crystal as her rapier, and bore a similar rose motif engraved in swirls of thorned vines wrapped around a central blooming rose. Through the bracelet was the only real visible change, there was a undercurrent of buzzing power radiating from Rarity as she joined the rest of the girls as they started to charge towards the Eleventh Division Soul Reapers.
Sunset had taken the lead, flanked by Clover and Rarity, while Fluttershy stayed side by side with Rainbow Dash, all of them together heading for the largest clump of Soul Reapers on the battlefield, not far from where Pinkamena was wreaking havoc.
Ditzy Doo was hanging back, and Sunset cast her a questioning glance, to which Ditzy said, “This is your guy’s show. I’ll only jump in if I’m needed, but I think we both know you girls got this.”
Sunset grinned in response, heart alight with eager fire. Damned straight they had this! She gripped her Zanpaktou tightly.
”Ignite, Hokori!”
As her sword blazed to life, flames taking shape into the form of both broadsword and shield, Clover also brought her sword to bear.
”Seek, Chishiki!”
Then like a comet smashing into a tidal wave, the girls hit the line of waiting Eleventh Division Soul Reapers. Sunset shield slammed the first Soul Reaper in her path, sending him flying into his fellows with enough force to knock around like bowling pins. She immediately jumped into a swift Flash Step that took her behind two others, a pair of quick slashes cutting sword arms that had them dropping their Zanpaktou and clutching bleeding wounds just long enough for Sunset to follow up with a shield slam and spinning pommel strike that laid out both men unconscious on the ground in mere instants.
Clover, less aggressive, but no less potent, caught one Soul Reaper’s blade in the ring on one end of Chishiki and disarmed him with one spinning motion that also had the shaft of the staff slamming into his gut. She then turned around and gestured with her hands as she spoke a fast Kido invocation.
“Bakudo Number Four; Haniwa!”
A glowing yellow rope of energy flew from her outstretched hand, wrapping around and immobilizing another Soul Reaper that had been preparing to charge at Sunset, who in turn gave Clover a nod of thanks.
Rainbow Dash was little more than a blue flickering blur, leaving a trail of lightning in her wake as she flew and struck with such speed that Sunset couldn’t even keep track of where her friend was aside from witnessing the way enemy Soul Reapers fell in twitching heaps, electricity still playing over their bodies.
Most of the Soul Reapers fighting them didn’t even seem to notice Fluttershy, as she moved much more calmly and slow amid the battle. For every Soul Reaper she struck with flashing palms, she also knelt to see to those already wounded, trailing behind Rainbow Dash and passing gentle hands over the fallen, leaving them unconscious, but with their electrical burns reduced to faint marks as her spirit energy flowed into them and healed the wounds.
Then there was Rarity, who seemed to have taken it upon herself to deal with the entire left flank of the fight. She strode into the fight with her usual elegant flare, flipping some of her purple curls from her face with her bracelet clad hand.
“I do abhor the crude nature of this kind of fighting, but since you all have chosen to be brutes, I think it will take a lady’s touch to properly discipline you louts.”
One enemy Soul Reaper spat to the side and raised her own Zanpaktou above her head, which had taken the form of a spiked mace in its Shikai.
“Discipline this, you skinny tart!” the female Soul Reaper sneered, slamming her Zanpaktou’s mace head into the ground. Immediately an eruption of jagged stones started to rush towards Rarity in a deadly line.
Rarity just made a small “Tch” sound and raised her left hand, snapping her fingers. The rose bracelet glowed with flowing red energy, and then from the petals of the rose a sudden flood of blood exploded outward. It was like a living whirlpool of blood, although Sunset noted the crimson liquid did have a glittering, crystalline sheen to it. At Rarity’s gesture the blood flowed over the incoming rocks, and instantly solidified into huge chunks of crystal, stopping the miniature earthquake in its tracks.
Before the Soul Reaper could respond to that, Rarity gestured again and the living whirlpool of blood flowed up into the air, swirling around faster and faster until it started to disgorge dozens of small goblets of the red liquid. These floating spheres of blood then immediately glowed and transformed into a floating field of gleaming and artfully ostentatious blades not unlike Rarity’s rapier.
Then with another snap of her fingers, the blades descended in a flying barrage upon the surprised Soul Reapers. With the speed and precision of a swarm of attacking wasps the crystal blades stabbed into arms and legs with equal ferocity, yet moved with stylish flourish as Rarity gestured in the manner of a conductor leading an orchestra. A number of Soul Reapers did managed to deflect some of the blades coming for them, including the woman with the mace shaped Shikai. They rushed Rarity, who held her rapier up in a fencer’s pose, then jumped towards the oncoming Soul Reapers in a twirling move not unlike someone performing ballet. She thrust her rapier forward, and as if the weapon was a channel a fresh wave of blood red liquid sprang out and instantly transformed into a wave of jagged crystals that hit the advancing Soul Reapers like a wall. Most were caught on the spiked crystals, limbs painfully but not fatally pierced, but the mace-wielding Soul Reaper was fast enough to leap over the wall and came straight for Rarity.
Rarity parried the Soul Reaper’s swing, her crystal rapier swiftly morphing into a bladed whip to twist around the mace. With a deft spin and twist Rarity landed gracefully atop the crystal wall she’d just made and yanked the Soul Reaper down to impact the ground with a startlingly strong crash, knocking her opponent out completely. Looking quite pleased with herself, surveying her handiwork, which now consisted of a fair number of Soul Reapers disabled on the ground with useless limbs, Rarity snapped her fingers again and the whirlpool of blood that still hung in the air flowed back to her bracelet. She then jumped off the crystal wall and with a simple gesture created a series of crystalline bindings that rose from the ground and entrapped the wounded Soul Reapers, fully immobilizing them.
“There now, see how much more smoothly things become when we all sit down and behave ourselves, like properly sensible people rather than all this barbaric violence?” Rarity said, dusting herself off.
Sunset shook her head with a helpless laugh, a hot flash of energy surging inside her as her pride demanding she step things up, if only to match Rarity’s impressive showing. Of the Eleventh Division Soul Reapers still on their feet in the immediate area there were only ten or so left, and Sunset went after them with a vengeance. She had to be careful with her fire still, but her precision control of it was much better than it had been when she’d first obtained Shikai. Her shield having taken a few hits she had more than enough energy to unleash a decent sized blaze, sweeping her broadsword in an arc that unleashed a concentrated wave of fire upon the closest bunch of enemy Soul Reapers.
The flames hit hard, burning away uniforms and scorching flesh, but Sunset’s control of her flame allowed her to pull the flames back before they could do the kind of harm that couldn’t be healed. However the pain inflicted would be devastating, and a part of her kind of regretted having to go even this far. Taking down Hollows was one thing, but it was hard to relish hurting these guys and Sunset wanted to keep this fight clean if she could. Granted Hokori was less caring, more just eager to show off her power, and Sunset could feel her blade all but bursting at the seams to unleash more fire, but she forced Hokori to hold back.
The burned Soul Reapers, the few that remained standing, were dropped rather quickly by Rainbow Dash’s flickering form, moving so fast that Sunset only saw a few cobalt afterimages of her friend before Rainbow finally appeared next to Sunset, all but bouncing in place with hyperactiveness that’d put Pinkie Pie to shame.
“Was this all of them? This was way too fast.” Rainbow Dash said, looking almost crestfallen, “And easy.”
“Oh don’t worry about that,” said Ditzy Doo, giggling with silent shakes of her shoulders, “This was just a fraction of Eleventh Division. There’s a lot more out there, and we’ll have seated officers to deal with. Not to mention Captain Hurricane.”
Sunset nodded, but eyed the Soul Reapers in the area who were either part of the Thirteenth Division, or part of the group that was just healing the injured. Most were looking at her and the girls fearfully, or at the very least with the tense eyes of those unsure if they were looking at friends or foes. That was hardly surprising. Even if Sunset and her friends had only targeted the Eleventh Division, a bunch of strangers had just showed up and steamrolled a large number of Soul Reapers in what was supposed to be their secure home territory. Sunset would be suspicious too if she’d been in the Thirteenth Division’s shoes right now...
“Wait... shoes... oh crap! Applejack is still fighting that Troubleshoes guy!” Sunset exclaimed, trying to sense Applejack’s reiatsu to confirm if her friend was alright.
“I wouldn't worry about her,” said Ditzy Doo, looking surprisingly serious all of a sudden as she looked off in the distance, as if her gold eyes could pierce through the forest to see the fight between Applejack and Troubleshoes. “Applejack isn’t about to lose until she meets the person she came here to meet. That poor Troubleshoes guy has no idea what he’s up against.”
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The tree trunk shattered into a shower of splinters as Applejack’s foot tore through it, landing squarely into the side of Troubleshoes, who’d been using the tree as cover. The more than seven foot tall man went bouncing like a pinball across the ground, landing upside down against another tree. To Applejack’s continued amazement Troubleshoes remained conscious, and she saw him spit out some dirt and grumble, “This is about how I figured this’d go.”
“Gotta admit yer a right tough sunuvagun,” Applejack said, walking towards him while pounding her gauntlet clad fists together, “But ya can’t keep this up. Just tell me what I wanna knew ‘fore I gotta git serious.”
Troubleshoes moved like a boulder made out of molasses and rolled to his stomach, then slowly pushed himself to his feet. He still held his Zanpaktou in his right hand, and raised it as he stood. “Nothing doing missy. I don’t care who you think your ma is, I ain’t taking you to meet Captain Kenpachi.”
“Her name is Sweet Cider!” Applejack yelled, jets of energy from her shoulders rocketing her forward into another kick. This time Troubleshoes managed to catch it on his blade, but all that did was barely slow Applejack as both she and him went crashing through the tree with a loud crack, then dug a deep furrow through the ground beyond, ploughing an explosive trail of dirt and dust into the air as they went.
Applejack kicked off of the man’s Zanpaktou, jumping up into the air, only to spin an then cock back her right arm. Thruster energy poured from her elbow, propelling both her and her fist down like a missile. Troubleshoes, laying on the ground, just barely managed to Flash Step away from the attack, evading Applejack just in time to avoid an impact that was so strong that it cracked a series of fissures through the ground for dozens of meters around, unbalancing and toppling several more trees and distorting the forest floor.
As Applejack removed her fist from the ground, Troubleshoes, who appeared behind her, slashed down at her back. Applejack spun and caught the blade, gripping it hard in her now metal clad fist.
Troubleshoes didn’t seem too perturbed, or rather no more so than he already was with a constant dour frown on his face.
“If your ma really is the Kenpachi, you’ve got worse luck than me,” he drawled, pressing down with both hands on his blade, but Applejack held fast against him, her one hand seeming more than a match for all his strength.
“How’s that?” she asked, pulling back her other hand, ready to punch.
“She won’t remember you. Or no one else from being alive. That’s pretty much the norm for souls.” said Troubleshoes, sighing heavily, “Just sad is all, coming all this way for someone that won’t even remember you.”
Abruptly his Zanpaktou began to glow with soft green light, and Applejack felt the Soul Reaper’s spiritual pressure jump upwards.
“Still, can’t let you get in the Captain’s way. Sorry, but your luck is about to get even worse. Dry up, Kusatta-Un.” (Rotten Luck)
Upon the utterance of the Zanpaktou’s release phrase it instantly transformed, shifting from a blade into a smooth, round iron ball attached to a long chain that wrapped around Troubleshoe’s arm. The moment the transformation finished he jumped back, yanking hard on the chain. Applejack still had her hand on the iron ball and tried to keep her grip on it, but for some reason she suddenly lost her footing as the broken up ground beneath her shifted. She dropped to a knee, off balance as Troubleshoes spun the iron ball above his head and then launched it at her chest.
She tried to block, and should have been able to, but at just the wrong moment her foot seemed to slip on a loose rock and she was just a fraction off balance, enough that the iron ball slammed into her just before she was able to get her arms up. The blow was a hard one, knocking the breath out of her tossing her on her back a dozen feet back, but it wasn’t near enough to put her down. Applejack kipped up to her feet and faced Troubleshoes, eyes flashing the anger steaming inside her.
“Alright, no more playin’ around!” she shouted, and aimed a fist at Troubleshoes. She felt the gauntlet heat up as she poured her spirit energy into it, and the eye holes along the skull engraving on the back of her hand flashed as a nozzle opened up within the skull’s mouth. Then much like with her kicks, she fired a wide, golden blast of energy from the skull’s mouth. The blast had enough power behind it that it actually forced her to skid back a few inches despite bracing her legs for it.
Troubleshoes barely Flash Stepped out of the line of destruction, still getting his left arm and shoulder caught in the blast that cut an explosive path through a quarter mile of forest. Applejack could see a clear path burned right through the thick trees, smoking from the intensity of the beam. Troubleshoes himself appeared above her, his arm and shoulder bare and burned, but he seemed to just grit his teeth through the pain as he swung his iron ball down at her with surprising force.
She jumped to the side, only to find a loose tree branch from one of the fallen trees catching her legs and tripping her up. It slowed her just enough for the iron ball to clip her side painfully as she rolled away.
“Argh, what’s goin’ on!? I know I ain’t this clumsy dagnabbit!”
Troubleshoes landed a few paces away, spinning the iron ball of his Zanpaktou above his head. “That’s my Kusatta-Un. Normally I got the worst luck outta anybody in the Gotei 13. Nothing ever goes much my way. Only good thing about it is that when I release my Zanpaktou, all that bad luck, well... it goes right to my enemies.”
“Oh, that all it is?” Applejack said, regaining her balance and turning around to face him. “If bad luck is the best ya can throw at me, then believe you me,” her eyes narrowed to emerald slits, “I can take it.”
Troubleshoes had the presence of mind to look worried as Applejack started walking towards him. He spun the iron ball around and launched it at her, and unlike before, Applejack didn’t try to block or dodge. Why bother, if bad luck would just mess up the attempt? Instead she took the blow head on. Literally. She headbutted the iron ball. She felt the impact like a car wreck, but her evolved Fullbring did more than just amp up her strength and give her shiny gauntlets. It provided an outlet for all of her spirit energy in a protective aura around her body. It was why she could jet around at breakneck speeds without hurting herself. She suspected Rainbow Dash’s Fullbring did something similar, and probably Rarity’s too. Maybe all the girls, even if moving fast didn’t seem to be Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie’s particular shticks.
Regardless, it meant Applejack could take a lot more punishment than she could before, her body hardened by her reiatsu. Which in turn meant that while Troubleshoes’ Zanpaktou packed a wallop, it wasn’t enough to stop Applejack from advancing on him with measured, determined steps.
“Well now ain’t this just a right pickle?” Troubleshoes muttered as he swung his iron ball about again and again, smashing it into Applejack as she continued to advance. But despite the mounting wounds, including a bleeding scalp, Applejack just kept coming.
“Lemme tell ya somethin’ Troubleshoes. Ya might’ve figured a bit o’ bad luck could stop me, but if ya know my ma, then you ought’ve also known,” when she was just a step away from him she stomped her right foot down hard enough to crack the ground and upend it underneath them both, causing Troubleshoes to topple backwards, “Apples don’t need no luck!”
Golden energy thrust out of all the nozzles along the back of her right leg, propelling her into a spinning kick that smashed solidly into Troubleshoes’ face and knocked him straight down into the ground like a railroad spike. Dirt was thrown up in a bursting cloud, and took minute or two to settle.
Applejack winced as she wiped blood from her face, and stretched painfully, checking her wounds. It wasn’t as bad as it felt. No cracked ribs, and only a few bruises. She flexed her legs and gauntlets. “These puppies sure do the job, don’t they? Figurin’ I oughta name ya at some point. Seems all these fancy schmancy powers got names. Heh, bet Rarity’s already got somethin’ fro-frooy all picked out for hers. Now then...”
She knelt down and picked up the fallen Troubleshoes by the back of his head, examining him. He’d let go of his Zanpaktou, which had transformed back into its sealed blade state. He was still breathing, but was completely knocked out, with a growing lump on his head. Applejack sighed. “Guess I shoulda held back just a touch. Now I gotta go lookin’ fer ma the old fashioned way. Dang.”
She set him back down and after walking a few paces away she looked around, adjusting her stetson on her head.
“Now where did all them girls git off to?”
Closing her eyes and concentrating, Applejack spread out her spiritual senses. She could admit that she wasn’t as good at doing this as some of the other girls were, but she was able to get a general idea of what was around her. With a sharp breath she felt the massive, but still distant spiritual pressures that were likely the two Captains leading the attack, one of which was her mother. Her blood boiled with the urge to go directly towards that area, to finally after so many long, painful years to see the face of the woman who’d brought her into the world.
But to do that without the rest of the girls to back her up would be straight up crazy. Applejack was stubborn and brash, but not stupid. She’d lost her cool with Troubleshoes, but now with that particular fight done she could think a bit clearer. She had to link up with the rest of the girls first.
Taking a deep breath, Applejack stretched her arms and legs, limbering up her muscles. What she was about to do was a technique she hadn’t practiced nearly as much as she should have, but with these Fullbrings half of the trick seemed to be following one’s guts as much as training.
“Right then, if the fella wit the fancy armor suit can do it in them big budget superhero flicks, then I can pull it off too.” Applejack told herself, right before placing her gauntlet clad hands palm down towards the ground, then with a golden explosion of light she fired thruster-like energy out of both her palms and the bottom of her boots.
----------
“So let me get this straight,” said the young lady with the straight brown hair, eyeing Sunset and her friends with no small amount of trepidation as they all gathered together in front of the cluster of Thirteenth Division Soul Reapers who’d been defending the barracks, “You bunch are the Ryoka that Captain Celestia was trying to protect when she turned herself in? And now you’re here to free her and Captain Luna?”
“That’s about the size of it.” Rainbow Dash said, placing her hands casually behind her head as she grinned.
The brown haired girl blinked, seemingly disbelieving. “Can you guys actually do that? I mean, you’d have to defeat all the other Soul Reapers guarding headquarters, including the Captains.”
“Look,” said Sunset, “Um, what was your name?”
“Fine Line. I’m Captain Celestia’s 5th Seat officer. 3rd Seat Inkwell put me in charge of protecting our lowest ranked recruits while everyone else went to confront Captain Hurricane and Captain Kenpachi.” The young lady seemed nearly hyperventilating, her eyes wide and frightened, “M-most of us haven’t even been in a real fight until today. Oh no, Inkwell must be in trouble by now! She’ll need help!”
“Relax,” said Ditzy Doo, “I can still sense Inkwell’s reiatsu. She’s hanging in there, along with a decent amount of those that’re fighting beside her.” Ditzy Doo’s eyebrow quirked up as she glanced off to the distance, “Huh, I’m also sensing Nocturn’s reiatsu out there. Did the 2nd Division show up to help?”
“Yes! We’ve been hiding members of 2nd Division here ever since the trial. Not all of them, though. Some are still hiding in different parts of Seireitei.” Fine Line spoke quickly, her fear showing in almost every nervous twitch of her body. Sunset put a reassuring look on her face and held up a calming hand.
“We’re here to do all we can to help. If you can trust us.”
“I...” Fine Line looked around furtively, eyes dancing between the girls and the various battered members of her own Division that were mostly looking to her for leadership. Fine Line swallowed and stuttered, “I think so. Captain Celestia trusted you all enough to risk her life to protect you. We’ll do the same! But what are we going to do? There’s two Captains on the battlefield. Nobody has the strength to face them!”
Suddenly there was a sound like a screaming jet fighter, and everyone turned up to the sky to see a gold and orange form flying their way at high speed. Sunset’s eyes shot wide as she saw it was Applejack, using golden energy from her Fullbring like thrusters to fly through the air. It was a shaky, awkward flight too, but Applejack seemed to have it under control. Within seconds she flew across the lake and curved down into a hard landing just a few paces away from where the girls were talking with Fine Line in front of the first of the barracks buildings. Applejack stumbled a bit in her landing, nearly tripping onto her face, but was caught by Rainbow Dash, who looked at her friend with a wide smile.
“Whoa, look at you fly girl! Heh, looks like I won’t be the only one cruising the sky now. Totally. Awesome. And hey, looks like you beat that Troubledork. Learn anything useful from him?”
“Only that I ain’t so good at pullin’ my kicks. He’s taking a nap fer awhile. He said my ma won’t remember me none, but I can’t...” Applejack shook her head, grimacing, “I can’t let myself think like that. I gotta be able ta git through to her. Which is what I’m fixin’ ta do right now if we’re done cleanin’ up the mooks here.”
Rarity cast a concerned glance towards the Soul Reapers who were tending to the wounded. “Are they just going to keep looking after the injured? We can trust them to not try anything funny?”
Fine Line gave a nerve wracked laugh, “Oh we can definitely trust the Fourth Division. They’re solely dedicated to healing.”
A happy sheen entered Fluttershy’s eyes as she said, “I like that notion. It's good there’s such a group among you, who won’t add to the suffering. Perhaps I should help them with the injured?”
“Hmm,” Sunset’s brow creased in thought, “We might need everyone to take on the Captains, but if you’d rather take care of the wounded, that might go a long way to creating some goodwill with these people.”
“I know you want to help, Fluttershy,” said Ditzy Doo suddenly, eyes taking on a hard seriousness, “But the Fourth Division has the injuries well in hand. Fighting a Captain head on is going to be hard enough with all of you working together against one of them. Your friends are going to need you, including your power to heal.”
“So are we going to talk about it all day or are we going to go play with the giant, tasty reiatsu I’m smelling out there?” asked Pinkamena, bouncing the Pinkie hammer in one palm, which proceeded to giggle. Sunset found Pinkie’s giggling a tad unnerving given that Pinkamena had some bloodstains on her from the fight. She hadn’t eaten anyone, near as Sunset could tell, but more than a few of the Soul Reapers Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie had fought had bite marks on their limbs and torsos that were reminiscent of shark attacks. Mild shark attacks, but still...
Sunset turned to Ditzy Doo, “If me and the girls are taking on a Captain, can I guess that means you’re tackling the other?”
“That’s the notion,” said Ditzy, casting a hard gaze towards Applejack, “And it’s Sweet Cider I’ll be fighting, understand?”
“What!? Why!?” Applejack shouted, “I’m here ta see my ma! Why should I let you fight her instead o’ takin’ her on myself!?”
Fine Line’s eyes turned to giant moon-shaped pools, “Wait, the Kenpachi is you’re mother!?”
Ditzy Doo ignored Fine Line’s remark and crossed her arms firmly, “You’re letting me fight her because if you girls do it, you’ll likely be killed. You won’t have the sense to run if it comes to it, and with Sweet bloodyKenpachi Cider, it will come to that. Don’t you get it? The title ‘Kenpachi’ isn’t there for show. It belongs to the strongest warrior among Soul Reapers! As in stronger than Hurricane. So yes, you’re letting me fight her. If I win, you can have your chat then. If I lose, well...” Ditzy sighed and shrugged with a helpless grin, “I won’t be around to tell you ‘no’ anymore so you can feel free to do what you want.”
The grim tone in Ditzy’s voice seemed to give Applejack pause, and she gulped, saying, “So don’t lose. Guess that means we’re stuck delin’ with Hurricane.”
“Plus any seated officers they have with them.” Clover said, “Although I can probably deal with one of the Lieutenants myself, if they interfere. Which they will, because that’s how our luck has been.”
“No more point talking about it then,” said Sunset, already taking swift steps in the direction she felt the two massive spiritual pressures that had to be the Captains, “Let’s go.”
----------
Holding back didn’t come naturally to Sweet Cider. It took all of her restraint and self-control once her blood was riled to keep from simply splitting her opponents in half. Even so, she was leaving a trail of bloody fallen behind her as she advanced through the throng of Thirteenth and Second Division members that tried to overwhelm her with numbers.
Some struck with Zanpaktou, others threw Kido at her, while some of the Second Division who were well trained in unarmed techniques came at her with fists and feet charged with spirit energy. Little of it could scratch her body, fortified with her massive, near boundless well of spirit energy, and that was assuming she didn’t cut them down with swift, brutal strokes of her sword before their attacks even touched her.
She didn’t want to kill any of these idiots, but she wasn’t at all sure just how many would survive even casual, pulled hits from her. Every swing of her near blunt blade created shockwaves that tore apart the ground and felled trees.
And all the while she kept bellowing, “Surrender ya dang fools! Drop yer weapons an give it up already! Ain’t none of ya gonna be able ta stop me!”
But of course none of them listened, the stupidly loyal bastards. One moron came at her from above, some fellow whose Zanpaktou took the Shikai form of a katar.
“For Celestia!” he shouted, trying to stab at her neck.
Sweet Cider just tilted her head, letting the blade strike her shoulder, and felt the impact as a slight jarring motion as the katar was stopped dead on her skin, not even breaking it as raw spirit energy flowing around her body canceled out the attack. With a contemptuous growl she grabbed the fellow by the face, her red hand squeezing his surprised visage.
“Ya damn fool!” she roared, slamming him into the ground at her feet with enough force to make a small crater. “Ya wanna help yer Captain, then don’t throw yer life away wit a fight ya can’t win!”
“Whether we can win or not has yet to be decided,” said another man, this one a tall fellow with midnight black skin and dark blue hair, bearing a Zanpkatou also already released to Shikai, this one shaped like a pair of long, curved claws extending from a black glove.
Given his tight fitting black body suit, hood, and mask this was one of Luna’s people, probably one of her officers. Sweet Cider couldn’t remember many of the officers below Lieutenant level in the other Divisions. Not that it mattered. Even if Luna’s Lieutenant, Cheerilee, were here it wouldn’t make a difference to the outcome. No one had the strength to stop her and Hurricane.
“Look ya thick-skulled pajama wearin’ haybrain, I don’t wanna hurt none of you fools but yer not leavin’ me much choice! Just surrender an’ I can make sure ya’ll are treated fair n’ square.”
“As Captain Luna was treated fairly? As Captain Celestia was? No, Kenpachi. Strong as you may be, you cannot offer fairness to us,” the man said, taking on a wide martial artist stance, feet spread, blade arm cocked back, “As Captain Luna’s 3rd Seat officer I will gladly lay down my life in her service.”
Before he could move to attack, there was a nearby explosion from what sounded like a fairly high end Kido spell by Sweet Cider’s reckoning, and Inkwell appeared from the trees and landed beside him. Inkwell was clearly badly wounded, with half of her black ropes torn, and a bloody line tracing her chest. Her own Zanpaktou had also clearly been released to Shikai, bearing the form of a thin bladed straight sword of Chinese design, a jian, with a white tassel tied to the hilt.
Breathing hard, Inkwell glanced at her compatriot with a tired, weak smile. “Nocturn, hello. You look nicely uninjured. Having a better time of it than I?”
Nocturn coughed, politely, “Yes, well, I was about to face the Kenpachi in a hopeless one on one duel. I imagine my uninjured state wouldn't last much longer beyond that.”
Inkwell glanced at Sweet Cider, blinking, “Ah, yes, well, I suppose you always did want a poetic death in one on one combat, didn’t you? I regret to tell you, but Captain Hurricane has largely crushed our flank. I’ve ordered my people to start falling back while I try to buy time. It-”
There was a fierce rush of air, like wind, as Captain Hurricane arrived, Flash Stepping casually to stand next to Sweet Cider with a jovial air about him. Inkwell sighed.
“-hasn’t been going well.”
Hurricane laughed, loudly and uproariously, “What did you expect? This has been fine enough sport, but as I imagined you and your fellows could only put up so much of a fight against battled hardened Eleventh Division soldiers. And with the flanking attack Captain Sweet Cider and I sent out earlier those you sent to fall back to your barracks will just be walking straight into more of our people.”
Inkwell’s face sunk to a crestfallen sag, “You... blast it, Fine Line won’t be able to handle a surprise attack for long. Damn you Hurricane, do you take pleasure in harming your fellow Soul Reapers!?”
“I take pleasure in putting my skills to use for Soul Society, regardless of who my opponent is. I’m a soldier, Inkwell. Nothing makes me happier than fulfilling my orders to the letter while enjoying a good fight at the same time. Speaking of which, are you and your darkly clad friend there going to come at us, or should we come to you?”
Inkwell grit her teeth and Sweet Cider could tell the woman was at the desperate end of her rope, and she saw Inkwell’s blade start to drip with a dark, tar-like substance. No, not tar. Her nostril twitching as she sniffed the air, Sweet Cider realized the black substance was actually ink. How on the nose, given the name of the Zanpaktou’s wielder.
The ink bubbled upwards form the blade as Inkwell went into a series of flourishing movements, somewhere between swordplay and dance. Her Zanpaktou traced the air like a brush, the ink flowing as if it were alive to take the shape of a two dimensional picture; that of a large tiger. The picture of the tiger then became animate, roaring with life-like realism as it started to charge Hurricane. He didn’t seem concerned, just glanced at Sweet Cider.
“She’s been entertaining me with these pictures since the fight started. I’ve indulged her, but still-”
The tiger jumped at him, inky black claws and fangs flashing, but Hurricane swiped his Zanpaktou in a harsh arc and the creature exploded in a shower of lifeless ink.
“-I’m getting tired of the same trick over and over again.”
However Sweet Cider could tell what Inkwell had been doing. The tiger had been a distraction. While Hurricane had focused on destroying the tiger, Inkwell had drawn an entire flock of black crows with her sword. Now those drawings of ink, that hung in the air as if sitting upon an actual canvas, burst to life in a swirling cloud of flapping wings. The crows obscured Inkwell and Nocturn for just a few seconds, but it was long enough that by the time Sweet Cider swung her sword with enough force to cause a shockwave to disperse the crows, the two rebel officers had already Flash Stepped away.
Sweet Cider let out a grumbling sigh. “Gettin’ as tired o’ this as you are Hurricane. C’mon, after ‘em!”
“Of course, they can't’ get far, not with the wound I’ve already given Inkwell,” Hurricane commented dryly as they both also used Flash Step to give chase. Sweet Cider could sense Inkwell and Nocturn’s spirit energies easily, and had little trouble keeping up with their swift movement through the forest. Neither had actually gone far.
They ended up in a wide clearing, where it seemed a number of Thirteenth and Second Division members had gathered to reform their defensive line. Eleventh Division Soul Reapers were forming up on the other side of the clearing, preparing to charge, but had hesitated with the appearance of Inkwell and Nocturn on the other side. Sweet Cider saw Silverstar with a dozen or so of her own Division’s troops, and upon seeing her they rushed over. Silverstar’s face was shadowed by a deep frown as he approached and gave a terse bow.
“Captain ma’am, we might have a’ problem.”
“What kind o’ problem?” she asked, her voice taut as a bullwhip.
“Troubleshoes hasn’t reported back. Told ‘im ta flash us a Kido signal once the flanking attack hit the barracks, but so far nothin’.” Silverstar huffed, mustache twitching, “Bumblin’ or not, it ain’t like ‘im ta take this long.”
Meanwhile Lieutenant Posey had emerged from among the Eleventh Division troops and taken a spot next to Hurricane. “Sir, aside from whatever is left at the barracks I can confirm these are the last of the rebels. Should I, um, give the order to attack?”
Hurricane rested his Zanpaktou on his shoulder, “Not yet. Let’s be gracious and give them one last chance to surrender.”
Sucking in a breath, he shouted across the clearing, “Inkwell, last chance! Throw down your weapons and the rest of you won’t be harmed!”
Inkwell glared at him with narrowed eyes, the wounded woman’s blood still seeping to stain the ground. Despite that she held herself tall and proud, chin upraised. A mimic of Celestia’s stance, Sweet Cider realized. That woman really did seem to imprint on her subordinates.
“I do not believe I or those who stand with me are prepared to surrender, Captain Hurricane, but we will gladly accept yours if you have the foresight to realize the error your actions.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse your generous offer,” Hurricane replied dryly. Inkwell nodded grimly at that, and turned her attention to her fellow Thirteenth Division members standing beside her.
“I told you to fall back to the barracks. I distinctly remember giving that order. What are all of you still doing here?”
“We couldn’t just leave you out here ma’am. Everyone wanted to wait for you.” replied one of the Soul Reapers, someone that Sweet Cider noticed looked barely out of the Academy, yet despite obvious fear was standing stalwart and ready to fight. Sweet Cider couldn’t help but admire their courage, if not their brainpower. There wasn’t a single Soul Reaper among the Thirteenth Division that wasn’t clearly battered, wounded, and tired from the fight. Yet they simply weren’t willing to give up.
Inkwell closed her eyes painfully, tears edging out as she shook her head at her comrades, “Fools. All of you.”
“Well, nothing for it now,” said Nocturn with a short shrug, glancing at the remaining Second Division Soul Reapers, “It looks as if we have no choice but to make a last stand. Dramatically appropriate, at least. If only I had a pen to try my hand at a haiku to capture the moment. Oh well.”
Hurricane chuckled darkly, and looked ready to attack. Sweet Cider held back a sigh, at least comforting her growlingly annoyed mood with the knowledge that this fight was all but finished.
However just as Hurricane was raising his blade to order the charge that would likely break the last of the Thirteenth and Second Divisions’ resistance, everyone on the field felt a sudden approaching set of potent spiritual pressures that flooded the battlefield. The momentary lull in the battle had likely cleared the air of conflicting reiatsu enough that these new spirit pressures could be clearly felt, or at least that’s what Sweet Cider assumed otherwise she wasn’t sure how she could have missed sensing these auras!
It was hard to tell exactly how many, but there was a whole group of them, and each reiatsu was incredibly strong. At least on par with Lieutenant’s level, if not stronger.
“What n’ tarnation?” she wondered aloud, while other Soul Reapers among the ranks muttered nervously.
Hurricane looked briefly confused, “Who could this be? They’re not Quincy, or Hollows. How did they get inside the Seireitei’s wards?”
“Whoever they are, here they come!” shouted Silverstar, pointing to the sky.
Sweet Cider had to blink a few times at the unusual sight that greeted her eyes. A blue skinned girl with what looked like wings of both metal and lighting soared through the sky beside an orange skinned girl whose arms and legs looked armored and projecting rocket thrusters. Each bore a passenger, both pink haired, one a soft yellow color and the other as pink as her neon head of puffy hair. The winged girl, whose hair Sweet Cider noticed was a neon spray of rainbow colors, dropped down with bolts of lightning arcing from her electric blue wings in a flashy display as she landed, carefully dropping off the yellow skinned girl. The other flying girl with the armored limbs just dropped the pink girl, who transformed mid-drop into a hammer of all things. Sweet Cider expected the hammer to smash into the ground with a huge impact, but instead it seemed to bounce like it was made of rubber and spun around until a fine pink mist flowed from it, taking shape into another girl. This girl could have been the other’s twin, if not for the dourly straight hair and purely mad gleam in her shining blue eyes. She caught the giant hammer just as the armored girl, who Sweet Cider was just now noticing also wore a stetson hat, landed with a impact hard enough to throw up a cloud of dirt that obscured her from view for a few seconds.
In the meantime more strangers showed up. One was a gray woman with bright blond hair and wearing a orange and black bodysuit that was very similar to the Second Division’s uniforms. Hurricane made a sharp, hissing noise when he saw her, causing Sweet Cider to glance at him for just a second, but soon her attention was arrested back towards the newcomers. Two of the group were dressed like Soul Reapers, and their reiatsu felt like it too. One was a green haired girl with dark gray skin, and Sweet Cider’s memory was tickled enough to think this was a member of Starswirl’s Division, but she couldn’t be sure. The other had a distinctive reddish orange and yellow streaked head of wavy hair, and light orange skin. Both her and the other Soul Reaper already had Zanpaktou out and at the ready, both obviously released to Shikai. The one with the staff ending with a ring blade seemed unremarkable, but Sweet Cider was curious about the other girl’s Zanpaktou. She’d never seen one that took the form of a sword and shield before.
The last member of the group was a pearl white girl with hair so well cared for that it immediately made Sweet Cider want to punch her. The girl was clad in an entirely too... too... froo-frooey dress, even if it was partially armored and blood red, Sweet Cider’s favorite color. This girl was armed with a crystal red rapier that looked more suitable for sewing than battle, but there was no denying that like all of her companions the girl radiated strong spirit energy.
Then the dust cleared from the girl who’d landed with the armored limbs and Sweet Cider got a good look at her.
A shock ran through her and Sweet Cider didn’t know why. Her brow broke out with sweat and she couldn’t understand what was causing it. Even her heartbeat started to speed up, as if in excitement. There was a feeling of strain behind her eyes, like her mind was suddenly trying to think of something and she couldn’t recall what.
The girl’s eyes were a brilliant shade of green, and her hair as yellow as fresh straw. For some reason Sweet Cider could smell the aroma of recently cut hay and fresh baked apple pie, so sharp and real she thought she was standing next to a farm. The laughter of a little girl danced around her ears for a second before fading away.
Before she could wonder what was happening, she then felt a massive surge of power from her Zanpaktou. It was like her blade was vibrating in her hand, energy pouring out in an invisible torrent. Not just energy, but emotion. Her Zanpaktou was giddy, and its eager intent flowed through the blade and into Sweet Cider, making her struggle to maintain her self control. She couldn’t guess at why, but her Zanpaktou was making its desires clear, and it wanted to fight that strange girl. She’d never felt her Zanpaktou feel so alive in her hand, almost as if the girl's very presence was sharpening her blade.
And, oddly, the girl was staring right back at her, her emerald eyes wide with... recognition?
“Captain?” Silverstar whispered, clearly worried, and waiting for orders.
Before she could respond Hurricane took the initiative and stepped forward, eyes like stormy cloud as he said, “It's been a very long time Ditzy Doo. What are you and this band of Ryoka doing in Seireitei?”
Ryoka? Sweet Cider thought about it for a moment, remembering the reports she’d half read about the situation in the living world and the city Celestia and Luna had been overseeing. Wait... so these girls were the ones in those reports!?
The girl with the light gray skin and blonde hair, Ditzy Doo, laughed and waved, “Hiya Hurricane you overblown windbag! How’s life? Oh, right, being a bully to everyone weaker than you. So, same old, same old. Posey, how do you put up with this blowhard?”
Posey just looked confused, “Um, well, he’s not all that bad, really, Lady Doo.”
“She’s an exile Lieutenant. You don’t need to giver her any title.” Hurricane said, leveling his Zanpaktou at the group of Ryoka, “And your even being here is a crime against Soul Society. In the name of the Gotei 13 I order your immediate surrender.”
Suddenly the girl with the flame-colored hair smirked and stepped forward, mimicking Hurricane’s motion by pointing her Zanpaktou back at him, all but oozing bravado. “Sorry buddy, not happening. We’re here for one reason and one reason only!”
Thick flames burst to life across the girl’s broadsword, making it look like a vaguely blade shaped shard of magma more than a sword.
“To save Celestia and Luna!”
Then with a single, hard swing, the girl unleashed a concentrated, flowing pillar of fire that turned the ground to char as it rushed straight at Captain Hurricane.
The girls are here to do two things, one of which requires bubblegum, but Pinkie Pie forgot to pack any. Actually she probably has some, but she's not sharing right now. Mostly because giant gag hammer's don't dispense bubblegum... or do they!? 
Next up, all out battle royale versus two of Soul Society's strongest Captains? Well, yes, but we might also take a peek at what's up with Twilight and Adagio. Thanks to all you fine folks for reading and hope you all continue to enjoy. And if you've got anything to say, be it comment, question, or a critique, I'm highly appreciative of the feedback.
'Till next time.
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Why isn't there more?!
Excellent chapter.
We finally get to see the girls in full action, though Sunset and Clover haven't been in the spotlight just yet to show what they've learned. Really looking forwards to the next chapter.
I think this chapter really had a good handle on the pace of a battle, even if it was called 'just a skirmish', it was still deeply immersing.
You might want to check out my userpage, vex. I think you'll like what you see.
Yes, yes, yes!
Even more amazing battles this time. One can never get tired of reading your action scenes, your pacing and length are exceptional.
Can't wait for the big clash against the captains.
Thanks for writing.
What a good story. Ain't nothin more than that to say.
Probably not, but I can imagine Pinkie (or Mina) turning into a gum cannon. Maybe a Bazooka.
This was a fucking awesome chapter! And clearly Applejack should disregard the plan and fight her mom, Bond Through Battle and all that. Mommy will be so proud.
And I had an idea about Applejack's hollow dad( whose name I can't remeber
).
). At first I thought he should be Ulquiorra( mostly because Ulquiorra got a lot of screen time) and maybe even remember his life but not care because of the nihilism thing( if you wanted to go really heart breaking). But then Katrina showed up as the #3 and as cool as she is, Applejacks's dad should be better, Number 1 even. And thats when it hit me how perfect Starrk was for AJ's dad. Starrk's Resurreccion has the wolf motif, EspaDad can have Timberwolves. Starrk's aspect was Loneliness and he created Lilynette. EspaDad can recreate his family: AJ, Big Mac, even Sweet Cider.
Clearly he should be an Espada( EspaDad
It might seem a little weird to recreate his wife from himself, but my idea is that he would use a seed from within himself containing a piece of Sweet Cider's soul. The Dresden Files books series has in one book talked about soul energy, how it's replenish-able and even shareable. I imagine Aj's parents to be soul mates, so they would carry apiece of each other with them. And in the Bleach series, at the end of the Grand Fisher fight, didn't some of Ichigo's mom's soul survive inside Grand fisher for years, and give a final message to her son? So i feel like that a piece of Sweet Cider would be able to survive inside the man that loved her.
And the Recreations could have twisted names. I don't know what AJ's and Big Mac's would be, but Sweet Cider's Recreation could be called Hard Cider. And in Resurreccion they also change into guns. Recreation AJ and Big Mac would be dual pistols. And Hard Cider would be a shotgun, cause there is no denying the love between a man and his shotgun.
Oh it's on like Donkey Kong.
points of energy flowing off it’s glowing edge like
even if they two were no longer visible
Taking down Hollows was one thing
with half of her black ropes torn
1. Its.
2. The.
3. Extra spacing.
4. Robes.
Luck really isn't a factor when it just comes to brute force just like how Troubleshoes just learned. Sweet Cider really is an Apple to the core because even if she can't remember the surface memories, those deep down are going to really dig their way out and shed some light on things. Assuming she can get past Ditzy. As for Hurricane... let's see... the girls plus Clover becomes seven to which equals seven fighters stronger than Lieutenants. Versus a Captain. Definitely going to be a hectic fight with them having to go all out. Assuming Hurricane doesn't Bankai. Shikai I can imagine all of them fighting really hard against but with Sunset though... I wonder how quickly Hurricane will realize Hokori's ability? I can imagine Hurricane being a head first sort of guy but needing some side attacks as a battle hardened veteran would undoubtedly understand but how many and for how long can he use them till Sunset wisens up to it?
Hmm... now that I think about it, AJ showing up and fighting Hurricane might prove to be a catch 22. Sweet Cider could be distracted just enough to lose to Ditzy when she goes full on Vizored or she could still win with her single minded determination to fight her own daughter. Both are very possible outcomes but Sweet should also know she can't hold back much against a Captain let alone someone like Ditzy who in Bleach terms, is a powered up Captain.
Flails because he needs moar
Blast it all just as it was about to go up a notch (bam!) Now to wait might as well see what the real world has toa offer
Anyone else think AJ's new gauntlets were inspired by Yang's from RWBY?
Grab your popcorn peoples! This is about to get fun.
Things are going to be more and more awesome!
Now I'm just imagining AJ eventually learning how to extend her Fullbring into a full suit of Iron Man style armor.
I swear if the next chapter doesn't contain a joke of pinkie hammer creating bubblegum I'm going to be sorely disappointed
Only problem I have with this chapter is that Rarity doesn't go "Tsk", she goes "Tsh'k'pf'ft'k". Other than that, this has been brilliant.
I was always curious, did she mean that in a sexual way, like a Ghoul (Tokyo Ghoul) would look at a human, or both ?
11093957
It's Pinkamena, I think it's safe to assume she meant in the literal sense of devouring him like a Hollow would a human. I mean she makes similar comments regarding most people she meets.
Pinkie in the show was also hinted to be related albeit distantly to the Apple Family (though this wasn't confirmed) and by extension Big Mac, making it unlikely that she meant that in a sexual way.
Or at least it would be weird if she did.