Rampage of the Great Sage
Characters:Son Goku, Skyler, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, OPEN
When: Friday, Dec. 19
Where: An abandoned warehouse, then across the Safezone and more?
Rating: R(language and gorey stuff)
Summary: Goku and Skyler seek answers and find trouble instead.
Goku approached the building warily. He made a second glance at the PCD screen. Sure enough, these were the coordinates he had been given. He looked down at Skyler. "Looks like this is the place."
"So this guy said he thinks he can help you out right?" Skyler was a little unsure about the choice of location, but if it would help a friend with a problem similar to his, than he would go along with it for now. "Where is he?"
"That's what he said." He stuffed the PCD in his pocket, making his way to what appeared to be the entrance to the warehouse. The door was slightly ajar, and he poked his head through, knocking on the doorframe. "Uh...hello?"
Kurotsuchi, feeling someone approach - more than one something? - moved to the door, forcing it open the rest of the way, despite the protest of its hinges. He didn't reply immediately, instead taking in the sight of the visitors, staring blatantly. A boy and an animal of some kind?
He sized him up, quickly. Though it was true that the past few weeks had put a strain on his patience, he didn't think he was hasty in judging that the boy couldn't pose too much of a threat if he became uncooperative. And what could a small animal do? "Ah, so you found it here."
Goku was slightly shocked by the man's appearance, but it didn't faze him for long. He had seen much, much worse. "Ah, yeah, didn't have too much trouble. I don't think I got you're name, but I'm Goku. This is Skyler, a friend of mine." He motioned down to the Chimchar. "Hope you don't mind that I brought him, but he wanted to help, too."
Skyler climbed onto Goku's shoulder to see Mayuri better. "I had to help out somehow," he said. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't."
Eyes darting down to the monkey, his expression didn't shift from one of blank watchfulness, even when the creature jumped to the boy's shoulder. "Kurotsuchi Mayuri," he answered, while wondering why he always tended to run into subjects who were careless enough to not even learn who he was before becoming involved. Well, it made things simplier.
"If he doesn't interfere, I don't care," he replied bluntly, turning away to walk towards the interior of the warehouse - just a hollowed out wreck of a place - gesturing with a pale hand for them to follow. "What exactly have you been trying to remember?" he called out behind him.
Raising an eyebrow, he followed along behind Mayuri, checking out the place at the same time. It was pretty nondescript, and seemed like it was just your average, run-down, abandoned warehouse. "Well, everything I've been trying to remember is from several years ago. I can remember as far back as 6 years or so, but everything before that makes my head hurt."
"And I had a vision of something from his past, but when I described it he still didn't remember it," the Chimchar piped up. "So we thought we should ask someone." Mayuri made him a little uneasy, but there didn't seem to be any danger concerning him.
"Some kind of block, I assume," Kurotsuchi replied, stopping to turn back to look at them once they were a good ways into the building. "That can happen if someone undergoes a great deal of trama... though I hope there's more to it than that. Eh?" The concept of a vision seemed to suggest that, however. He shook his head slightly, gaze lingering on the sight of Goku's diadem. He remembered the conversation he'd stumbled across; magic objects weren't precisely a focus of his, but when they related to other things... well.
Subtlety wasn't a talent of his. "Could it be connected to that gold artifact you have?"
"Huh? This?" Goku brought his hand up to his diadem, his fingers just barely brushing the cold metal. "Uh...I'm not really sure. It might, but...I think it's too dangerous to mess with."
Skyler kept quiet on this, though he was curious about the thing Goku wore on his forehead. The thought that if it was dangerous it should be less noticeable because it drew attention.
"Too dangerous?" That was just inviting his interest, and he didn't even consider hiding it. He took a step towards them. "Memories are dangerous too. What makes that worse?"
He suddenly felt very nervous about this whole thing. He shifted his weight, and his hand fully covered the visible area of his diadem. "Memories might be dangerous, but this thing is a whole 'nother world of it." He kept his eyes trained on Mayuri's face, as if studying him. "It doesn't come off. Do anything else, but this stays."
Skyler frowned deeply, also studying Mayuri closely now. Goku was uneasy and that made him tense although he hid it well. "What other ways are there to learn about his memories?"
Soothing his subject didn't occur to him as an option, and Kurotsuchi's gaze stayed fixed on the now-covered object. Then the rest of Goku's words caught up to him, and that was practically an invitation to be properly studied. His eyes barely flickered to the Chimchar.
"There are a great many methods I could use. But let's start with the easiest. Scratch out," his fingers wrapped delicately around the hilt of the katana he wore tied in front of him, pulling it slowly from its scabbard. "Ashisogi Jizo." The weapon faded, dissolving into mist, before reforming into a three-pronged golden shape, imprinted with the face of a child on one side.
Immediately, Goku was on the defensive. His hand dropped down, and in the other hand, a shimmer of air could be seen, and Nyoibou materialized in his hand. He held the pole slightly upwards. "Sorry, if you're plannin' on attacking me with that thing, you've got the wrong idea!"
Skyler's entire body tensed, his flame-tail blazing a little brighter. He was prepared to fight, if need be, as well.
There was a brief moment of indecision. He could convince the child - and the animal too, he supposed - that there was some memory-retrieving trick to his weapon. Some simple lie, since the subjects didn't look particularly smart to begin with. He watched with more curiosity, and nodded slightly at the appearance of Goku's weapon. That was also a nice skill.
"Very nice," Kurotsuchi said, as if he hadn't heard. His mind decided in a moment, he flash stepped to close the distance between them, hoping the movement - too fast for a regular human to follow - would catch him off guard. He aimed a slash for an unprotected side, though any part would do, he only had to draw blood.
Goku barely caught the movement in time. He shifted his weight at the last minute, turning to the side. Had he waited a moment longer, he could have been seriously injured; as it was, Mayuri's weapon cut through the side of his shirt, but thankfully had not landed a hit. He raised Nyoibou in both hands. "Skyler! Watch yourself!"
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Skyler shifted so he was crouching on Goku's shoulder, on hand resting on the back of his friend's head so he could easily switch shoulders if needed. Mayuri wasn't aiming for him so he wasn't worried about his own safety right then. "You watch yourself."
Kurotsuchi cursed, inwardly, though he was a little impressed with the boy's reflexes. Actually crossing weapons was something he cared to avoid. He flash stepped back, trying to work around him, not wanting to give him an opportunity to recover, or start taking the fight seriously.
Or have it turn into a fight at all. As far as he was concerned, he was merely collecting another specimen. He let the golden zanpakutou arc towards Goku's back.
He started to turn and follow Mayuri's movement, wondering in a panic just what he had gotten himself into. He was trying to move where Skyler wouldn't get flung off his shoulders, but it was fairly difficult to do so while dodging attacks. Too late, he turned, and instead of catching him in his back, the blade knicked his bicep, tearing right through his shirt sleeve and biting into the flesh below. "Nn, shit...!"
Skyler lunged at Mayuri swiping at him with his claws, arms blurring into his Fury Swipes. "Leave him alone!"
It didn't matter that the boy moved, that he turned what could've been a serious wound into a glancing blow - the weapon touched blood. That was enough, and Kurotsuchi quickly retreated to the side - or tried to, as the Chimchar suddenly decided to attack, the creature's claws tearing through the sleeve of his haori, leaving light lacerations on his arm before he could step aside, hissing quietly.
But Kurotsuchi made no move to continue attacking once he was free, though he didn't resheath his weapon either. Barring further interference, things were going almost to plan, and he watched with an expression of slight satisfaction.
Goku's hand moved to hold his arm, the pain from the cut stinging harshly. "What the hell! You lure me here and offer to help me, and all the sudden you try to ki--" His sentence was cut short. Suddenly, his whole body became rigid, as if his muscles were disobeying his commands for them to move. Just as suddenly, his muscles relaxed, but too far; he couldn't will his arms or legs to move at all. His legs gave out, and he toppled to the floor like a sack of bricks.
"Goku!" Skyler was at Goku's side in an instant shaking him shoulder. "What'd you do to him?!" he demanded, glaring at Mayuri while moving protectively in front of his friend.
This would be easy now, Kurotsuchi was sure. He walked more casually towards where Goku had fallen. "Ashisogi Jizo's ability is nerve paralysis," he commented helpfully. "It disrupts the signals sent to the brain. Now then," he peered down at the boy, wondering if he should just pick the child up and cart him off, to dissect at his leisure back at the lab.
But curiosity was prickling, and if the diadem really did have some dangerous power... better to test it out here. His attention slid to Skyler, who'd moved in his way. "I'm not interested in you. Move aside."
He growled, the side of his face mashed against the concrete. He had never felt so defenseless in his whole life. Nyoibou had landed close to his arm, but he couldn't even get his muscles to cooperate enough to grab for it. "Skyler...get outta here! Get help!"
Skyler seemed to ignore Goku, glaring defiantly at Mayuri. He wasn't about to leave Goku to an unknown fate, he did however consider his PCD. He could use that and still fight if neccesary, he wasn't sure if Mayuri knew that.
Help? Kurotsuchi didn't consider why anyone would help, really. After all, he wasn't doing anything different than he'd always done, and he'd operated close to a century before with little outside interference. He took a step closer to the angry beast, expression impassive.
"Move aside," he repeated, hefting his zanpakutou with his right hand, though he fully intended to use kidou if he didn't get cooperation quickly.
Skyler inhaled through his nose, focusing on the warmth in his body and channeling it to his mouth, then he waited with his PCD in hand until Mayuri had stepped close. Then he spat a series of small flames in his direction.
Conflict, wonderful. Kurotsuchi flash stepped out of the way, annoyed that the small creature was too close to his new subject; he couldn't risk using offensive magic. And he didn't want to get himself caught on fire either.
"Bakudou 61, Rikujokoro," he gestured quickly with his free hand at the Chimchar, golden pillars of light materializing to fly towards his midsection, to try to hold him in place.
This was unfamiliar to Skyler and the only thing he could think of to do was duck and hope that whatever it was missed him.
That was the problem with a small target; they were hard to hit with anything. Cursing at the delay, Kurotsuchi gave way to impatience, and flash stepped forward, trying to cut him directly instead.
Skyler was a little too slow on this and tumbled over backwards, the blade making a shallow cut in his stomach as he went. Coming back onto his feet, he quickly dropped onto his rump as everything tensed and relaxed almost faster than his brain could register. Finding that he couldn't move, Skyler began to panic inwardly. He couldn't do anything like this!
"Shit!" Goku clamped his eyes shut, cursing himself inwardly. Why didn't Skyler listen!? "Skyler...god dammit!" He couldn't even reach his own PCD now. This was hopeless. He idly wondered if that voice Sanzo always complained about hearing would be calling for help right about now.
The scientist stepped over to the fallen Chimchar, glancing briefly at him. Yes, the zanpakutou had dug in, the animal wasn't just faking being affected, and the man relaxed almost entirely. It was probably a careless feeling, but it was nice to have things working out amiably. Maybe he'd take back the little fire beast too; there were always things he could test on creatures like that.
Now for the boy, however. Kurotsuchi turned his attention back to him, stepping over to his side, and knelt by Goku's head. "My my... you need to train your pets better." With his free hand, he touched the other's head, fingers skimming over the edge of the diadem. There was something to it, he was sure - the child hadn't been making it up - but it wasn't something he was familiar with.
Goku growled at Mayuri, wishing for all the world that he could just lift his arm and punch the guy in the mouth. When he reached down and touched the brunet's diadem, he began to panic. "No! No, don't you DARE!"
Skyler willed his muscles to work, but of course it wasn't working. He was helpless to do anything but watch and glower and wait. He didn't know how long he would be unable to move, but he needed to be able to soon.
The panic seemed real. That was good, the more Goku demanded he leave it alone, the more he needed to remove it to understand why. Gripping the metal firmly, and without a hint of hesitation, the scientist pulled it smoothly from the boy's head.
Almost instantly, his vision went white. He was vaguely aware of screaming. His whole body felt on fire, like he had been thrown into the sun, and he could feel a strange, almost stretching sensation in his nails and his ears as they grew longer. Flitting around in his subconscious was that ever-present image of the man in white. That was the last thing Goku could remember before he sunk into unconsciousness, and Seiten Taisei took over.
Skyler's eyes widened in fear and amazement. Still paralyzed he was stuck sitting directly beside what was becoming an obvious danger.
A good reaction, and an interesting one - that was Kurotsuchi's first thought, though it quickly settled into surprise at the waves of spiritual pressure emanating from the boy. It was expected that it'd be of a type unfamiliar to him, but even so, there was something... off, about it.
Off, and very very strong. Was the diadem some kind of limiter, then? Kurotsuchi stood up, but didn't retreat, even while Goku's appearance shifted. Curiosity was more important than safety, and he ignored the repeated warnings in the back of his mind telling him to be more careful.
Goku began to stand, his now-long hair falling down his back. The paralysis was wearing off, and quickly. He stood unsteadily for a moment, and after finally becoming steady, his head turned, his now cat-like golden eyes boring right into Mayuri. An almost feral grin, fangs and all, spread across his face. In an instant, he was gone, suddenly standing behind Mayuri, his leg already moving in a kick aimed for the man's head.
The movement was so fast Skyler hadn't seen it. Still paralyzed he could only wait to see what happened.
It was very interesting, Kurotsuchi thought, when the boy managed to stand, somehow negating his weapon's poison. Whether it was healing, or simple negation he didn't have time to consider, before the boy was gone from his vision.
Even accustomed to users of flash step, he couldn't dodge it, was only dimly aware of the attack before it hit, barely able to even brace defensively for it. Pain briefly overwhelmed every other sensation, and he was suddenly on the ground somehow, not even recalling how he'd landed, a flash of unease going through him at even the brief blackout. He'd somehow maintained his grip on his zanpakutou, though he couldn't do anything through the disorientation.
Goku was on him like a flash. Grinning like a maniac, he pinned Mayuri to the floor, pushing a knee sharply into his stomach. He raised a hand, clawed fingers splayed and ready to strike, and aimed a blow at Mayuri's side.
"Goku stop!" Skyler shouted desperately now struggling to stand unsteadily. The effects of paralysis were extremely temporary to a Pokemon after all, but not enough for him to be ready to move quickly yet.
This wasn't right, this was - not impossible, but he couldn't deny the stronger rush of unease. Something about that pressure wasn't... Kurotsuchi gasped unwillingly, unable to move away from any attack, though he tried to stab his zanpakutou into the creature in return, though he knew himself the effort was weaker than usual because of his positioning.
He completely ignored Skyler. His attention was focused solely on his prey below. He dug his claws in deeper, revelling in the feeling of fresh meat. Mayuri's weapon did manage to catch him in the shoulder, but he didn't even flinch, and just ground his knee even harder.
Mayuri was a jerk and not to be trusted, but he couldn't just let this happen. Staggering a little he rammed Goku in the back. "Goku stop it!"
That sort of strength wasn't normal, it wasn't even animalistic - animals were at least natural. His body twitched, hard, when the claws went in deeper, and it wasn't any consolation to be able to name what muscles the monster was tearing - or crushing, considering the force of the other's knee. Half-snarling himself, and beginning to lose his own grip on sanity, the scientist desperately tried to dig his zanpakutou deeper against Goku's shoulder, the weapon shifting back into its unreleased katana form, trying more to work him away, than to do damage.
All the added force managed to do was to cause him to grunt and slide back just a little. It did, however, let up on his knee a bit, and his claws were pulled from Mayuri's side. This did not seem to make Goku happy. He snarled, and bit down on the hand holding the katana, pulling away sharply in a tearing motion.
Skyler was getting desperate. There had to be a way to stop his friend turned monster. Scrambling up, his friend's back he flopped over his head with his hands blocking Goku's face.
His world suddenly went dark. Goku howled in a fit of rage, bringing a bloodied, clawed hand up and harshly grabbing Skyler from his head.
Skyler yelped as he was snatched off, but didn't fight just yet. Trying anything right off was pointless despite him being terrified by the claws that held him.
Kurotsuchi didn't scream when he was bitten - for one thing, he was too furious to do so, even as he lost sensation in part of his right hand, realizing almost immediately that the reason was because he'd lost part of his hand. His weapon fell to the floor with a clatter, and it was only when he raised his other hand to try to push Goku off, did he notice his left hand was empty. The diadem was gone. He must've dropped it... not that Kurotsuchi was concerned with stopping him. Killing, right now, sounded preferable. He barely even noticed when Skyler was suddenly on the monster's face, though he didn't hesitate to take advantage once he was distracted, and pressed his intact hand to the other's chest, snapping, "Hadou four, Byakurai!" Anger fed the lightning-based spell.
The spell knocked Goku backwards, flinging Skyler from his hand in the process. He hit the floor on his back, skidding a couple of feet before coming to a complete stop. After a couple of seconds, he slowly began to get to his feet. The only evidence of the spell was a singed area of shirt material on his chest, which was currently smoking. He turned to look at Mayuri, his eyes narrowed and fangs glinting.
Skyler was relatively unharmed as he skidded into the wall. Stunned he sat for a moment trying to orient himself.
Negligable damage. Not unexpected by this point, but he was beyond trying to do little bits of injury at a time. Reaching over, he snatched up the hilt of his zanpakutou in his left, still-intact hand, barely working himself up to his feet before losing his patience entirely. Ever since he'd arrived in this damned city it'd been one problem after another, one inconvenience, one insult, one giant mess.
That was it. He was finished. Holding the blade in front of himself, he hissed, not without some kind of eager pleasure, "Bankai."
Over him, a creature materialized, the true shape of his zanpakutou. A mottled-green caterpillar body with a distorted child's head, golden - the creature's body stretched out nearly the length of the warehouse, and its head could've brought down the ceiling if it tried. Poison breaths escaped its mouth as, without a word, it decended like a hideous train towards what had once been Goku.
Goku grinned evilly at this new creature barrelling towards him. He didn't seem to even be fazed by its size. His nose caught the smell of something, and if possible, his grin grew wider. His gaze flicked towards Mayuri then, and he held up one clawed hand, licking the blood from one finger like it were some sort of strange delicacy. Just before the strange creature got to him, he disappeared, reappearing in front of the man and jamming his claws into his stomach hard.
Skyler watched in ashtonishment as Goku was unfazed by seemingly anything. Leaping into action he once again leapt onto Goku head this time latchhing onto the back of his head while his body blocked the demon's eyesight again.
In his attack, Kurotsuchi had ended up leaving himself entirely undefended. Although - if he considered it honestly - considering how fast the other could move, it might not've made a difference at all, even if he'd prepared for it. Goku's claws were digging into him, already tearing open, tearing out... far too much. Even with the other animal's interference, it was too late.
He was dying, that much he was certain of, no matter that it had happened so quickly. But it was that awareness that brought some remnant of logic back to him. If he tried to medicate himself now, it wouldn't work quickly enough. Which meant...
Cursing everything in existence, he impaled his own neck with his sword. He barely had enough time to choke out more blood before the effect activated, and what was left of his body exploded into an unpleasant green liquid.
When: Friday, Dec. 19
Where: An abandoned warehouse, then across the Safezone and more?
Rating: R(language and gorey stuff)
Summary: Goku and Skyler seek answers and find trouble instead.
Goku approached the building warily. He made a second glance at the PCD screen. Sure enough, these were the coordinates he had been given. He looked down at Skyler. "Looks like this is the place."
"So this guy said he thinks he can help you out right?" Skyler was a little unsure about the choice of location, but if it would help a friend with a problem similar to his, than he would go along with it for now. "Where is he?"
"That's what he said." He stuffed the PCD in his pocket, making his way to what appeared to be the entrance to the warehouse. The door was slightly ajar, and he poked his head through, knocking on the doorframe. "Uh...hello?"
Kurotsuchi, feeling someone approach - more than one something? - moved to the door, forcing it open the rest of the way, despite the protest of its hinges. He didn't reply immediately, instead taking in the sight of the visitors, staring blatantly. A boy and an animal of some kind?
He sized him up, quickly. Though it was true that the past few weeks had put a strain on his patience, he didn't think he was hasty in judging that the boy couldn't pose too much of a threat if he became uncooperative. And what could a small animal do? "Ah, so you found it here."
Goku was slightly shocked by the man's appearance, but it didn't faze him for long. He had seen much, much worse. "Ah, yeah, didn't have too much trouble. I don't think I got you're name, but I'm Goku. This is Skyler, a friend of mine." He motioned down to the Chimchar. "Hope you don't mind that I brought him, but he wanted to help, too."
Skyler climbed onto Goku's shoulder to see Mayuri better. "I had to help out somehow," he said. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't."
Eyes darting down to the monkey, his expression didn't shift from one of blank watchfulness, even when the creature jumped to the boy's shoulder. "Kurotsuchi Mayuri," he answered, while wondering why he always tended to run into subjects who were careless enough to not even learn who he was before becoming involved. Well, it made things simplier.
"If he doesn't interfere, I don't care," he replied bluntly, turning away to walk towards the interior of the warehouse - just a hollowed out wreck of a place - gesturing with a pale hand for them to follow. "What exactly have you been trying to remember?" he called out behind him.
Raising an eyebrow, he followed along behind Mayuri, checking out the place at the same time. It was pretty nondescript, and seemed like it was just your average, run-down, abandoned warehouse. "Well, everything I've been trying to remember is from several years ago. I can remember as far back as 6 years or so, but everything before that makes my head hurt."
"And I had a vision of something from his past, but when I described it he still didn't remember it," the Chimchar piped up. "So we thought we should ask someone." Mayuri made him a little uneasy, but there didn't seem to be any danger concerning him.
"Some kind of block, I assume," Kurotsuchi replied, stopping to turn back to look at them once they were a good ways into the building. "That can happen if someone undergoes a great deal of trama... though I hope there's more to it than that. Eh?" The concept of a vision seemed to suggest that, however. He shook his head slightly, gaze lingering on the sight of Goku's diadem. He remembered the conversation he'd stumbled across; magic objects weren't precisely a focus of his, but when they related to other things... well.
Subtlety wasn't a talent of his. "Could it be connected to that gold artifact you have?"
"Huh? This?" Goku brought his hand up to his diadem, his fingers just barely brushing the cold metal. "Uh...I'm not really sure. It might, but...I think it's too dangerous to mess with."
Skyler kept quiet on this, though he was curious about the thing Goku wore on his forehead. The thought that if it was dangerous it should be less noticeable because it drew attention.
"Too dangerous?" That was just inviting his interest, and he didn't even consider hiding it. He took a step towards them. "Memories are dangerous too. What makes that worse?"
He suddenly felt very nervous about this whole thing. He shifted his weight, and his hand fully covered the visible area of his diadem. "Memories might be dangerous, but this thing is a whole 'nother world of it." He kept his eyes trained on Mayuri's face, as if studying him. "It doesn't come off. Do anything else, but this stays."
Skyler frowned deeply, also studying Mayuri closely now. Goku was uneasy and that made him tense although he hid it well. "What other ways are there to learn about his memories?"
Soothing his subject didn't occur to him as an option, and Kurotsuchi's gaze stayed fixed on the now-covered object. Then the rest of Goku's words caught up to him, and that was practically an invitation to be properly studied. His eyes barely flickered to the Chimchar.
"There are a great many methods I could use. But let's start with the easiest. Scratch out," his fingers wrapped delicately around the hilt of the katana he wore tied in front of him, pulling it slowly from its scabbard. "Ashisogi Jizo." The weapon faded, dissolving into mist, before reforming into a three-pronged golden shape, imprinted with the face of a child on one side.
Immediately, Goku was on the defensive. His hand dropped down, and in the other hand, a shimmer of air could be seen, and Nyoibou materialized in his hand. He held the pole slightly upwards. "Sorry, if you're plannin' on attacking me with that thing, you've got the wrong idea!"
Skyler's entire body tensed, his flame-tail blazing a little brighter. He was prepared to fight, if need be, as well.
There was a brief moment of indecision. He could convince the child - and the animal too, he supposed - that there was some memory-retrieving trick to his weapon. Some simple lie, since the subjects didn't look particularly smart to begin with. He watched with more curiosity, and nodded slightly at the appearance of Goku's weapon. That was also a nice skill.
"Very nice," Kurotsuchi said, as if he hadn't heard. His mind decided in a moment, he flash stepped to close the distance between them, hoping the movement - too fast for a regular human to follow - would catch him off guard. He aimed a slash for an unprotected side, though any part would do, he only had to draw blood.
Goku barely caught the movement in time. He shifted his weight at the last minute, turning to the side. Had he waited a moment longer, he could have been seriously injured; as it was, Mayuri's weapon cut through the side of his shirt, but thankfully had not landed a hit. He raised Nyoibou in both hands. "Skyler! Watch yourself!"
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Skyler shifted so he was crouching on Goku's shoulder, on hand resting on the back of his friend's head so he could easily switch shoulders if needed. Mayuri wasn't aiming for him so he wasn't worried about his own safety right then. "You watch yourself."
Kurotsuchi cursed, inwardly, though he was a little impressed with the boy's reflexes. Actually crossing weapons was something he cared to avoid. He flash stepped back, trying to work around him, not wanting to give him an opportunity to recover, or start taking the fight seriously.
Or have it turn into a fight at all. As far as he was concerned, he was merely collecting another specimen. He let the golden zanpakutou arc towards Goku's back.
He started to turn and follow Mayuri's movement, wondering in a panic just what he had gotten himself into. He was trying to move where Skyler wouldn't get flung off his shoulders, but it was fairly difficult to do so while dodging attacks. Too late, he turned, and instead of catching him in his back, the blade knicked his bicep, tearing right through his shirt sleeve and biting into the flesh below. "Nn, shit...!"
Skyler lunged at Mayuri swiping at him with his claws, arms blurring into his Fury Swipes. "Leave him alone!"
It didn't matter that the boy moved, that he turned what could've been a serious wound into a glancing blow - the weapon touched blood. That was enough, and Kurotsuchi quickly retreated to the side - or tried to, as the Chimchar suddenly decided to attack, the creature's claws tearing through the sleeve of his haori, leaving light lacerations on his arm before he could step aside, hissing quietly.
But Kurotsuchi made no move to continue attacking once he was free, though he didn't resheath his weapon either. Barring further interference, things were going almost to plan, and he watched with an expression of slight satisfaction.
Goku's hand moved to hold his arm, the pain from the cut stinging harshly. "What the hell! You lure me here and offer to help me, and all the sudden you try to ki--" His sentence was cut short. Suddenly, his whole body became rigid, as if his muscles were disobeying his commands for them to move. Just as suddenly, his muscles relaxed, but too far; he couldn't will his arms or legs to move at all. His legs gave out, and he toppled to the floor like a sack of bricks.
"Goku!" Skyler was at Goku's side in an instant shaking him shoulder. "What'd you do to him?!" he demanded, glaring at Mayuri while moving protectively in front of his friend.
This would be easy now, Kurotsuchi was sure. He walked more casually towards where Goku had fallen. "Ashisogi Jizo's ability is nerve paralysis," he commented helpfully. "It disrupts the signals sent to the brain. Now then," he peered down at the boy, wondering if he should just pick the child up and cart him off, to dissect at his leisure back at the lab.
But curiosity was prickling, and if the diadem really did have some dangerous power... better to test it out here. His attention slid to Skyler, who'd moved in his way. "I'm not interested in you. Move aside."
He growled, the side of his face mashed against the concrete. He had never felt so defenseless in his whole life. Nyoibou had landed close to his arm, but he couldn't even get his muscles to cooperate enough to grab for it. "Skyler...get outta here! Get help!"
Skyler seemed to ignore Goku, glaring defiantly at Mayuri. He wasn't about to leave Goku to an unknown fate, he did however consider his PCD. He could use that and still fight if neccesary, he wasn't sure if Mayuri knew that.
Help? Kurotsuchi didn't consider why anyone would help, really. After all, he wasn't doing anything different than he'd always done, and he'd operated close to a century before with little outside interference. He took a step closer to the angry beast, expression impassive.
"Move aside," he repeated, hefting his zanpakutou with his right hand, though he fully intended to use kidou if he didn't get cooperation quickly.
Skyler inhaled through his nose, focusing on the warmth in his body and channeling it to his mouth, then he waited with his PCD in hand until Mayuri had stepped close. Then he spat a series of small flames in his direction.
Conflict, wonderful. Kurotsuchi flash stepped out of the way, annoyed that the small creature was too close to his new subject; he couldn't risk using offensive magic. And he didn't want to get himself caught on fire either.
"Bakudou 61, Rikujokoro," he gestured quickly with his free hand at the Chimchar, golden pillars of light materializing to fly towards his midsection, to try to hold him in place.
This was unfamiliar to Skyler and the only thing he could think of to do was duck and hope that whatever it was missed him.
That was the problem with a small target; they were hard to hit with anything. Cursing at the delay, Kurotsuchi gave way to impatience, and flash stepped forward, trying to cut him directly instead.
Skyler was a little too slow on this and tumbled over backwards, the blade making a shallow cut in his stomach as he went. Coming back onto his feet, he quickly dropped onto his rump as everything tensed and relaxed almost faster than his brain could register. Finding that he couldn't move, Skyler began to panic inwardly. He couldn't do anything like this!
"Shit!" Goku clamped his eyes shut, cursing himself inwardly. Why didn't Skyler listen!? "Skyler...god dammit!" He couldn't even reach his own PCD now. This was hopeless. He idly wondered if that voice Sanzo always complained about hearing would be calling for help right about now.
The scientist stepped over to the fallen Chimchar, glancing briefly at him. Yes, the zanpakutou had dug in, the animal wasn't just faking being affected, and the man relaxed almost entirely. It was probably a careless feeling, but it was nice to have things working out amiably. Maybe he'd take back the little fire beast too; there were always things he could test on creatures like that.
Now for the boy, however. Kurotsuchi turned his attention back to him, stepping over to his side, and knelt by Goku's head. "My my... you need to train your pets better." With his free hand, he touched the other's head, fingers skimming over the edge of the diadem. There was something to it, he was sure - the child hadn't been making it up - but it wasn't something he was familiar with.
Goku growled at Mayuri, wishing for all the world that he could just lift his arm and punch the guy in the mouth. When he reached down and touched the brunet's diadem, he began to panic. "No! No, don't you DARE!"
Skyler willed his muscles to work, but of course it wasn't working. He was helpless to do anything but watch and glower and wait. He didn't know how long he would be unable to move, but he needed to be able to soon.
The panic seemed real. That was good, the more Goku demanded he leave it alone, the more he needed to remove it to understand why. Gripping the metal firmly, and without a hint of hesitation, the scientist pulled it smoothly from the boy's head.
Almost instantly, his vision went white. He was vaguely aware of screaming. His whole body felt on fire, like he had been thrown into the sun, and he could feel a strange, almost stretching sensation in his nails and his ears as they grew longer. Flitting around in his subconscious was that ever-present image of the man in white. That was the last thing Goku could remember before he sunk into unconsciousness, and Seiten Taisei took over.
Skyler's eyes widened in fear and amazement. Still paralyzed he was stuck sitting directly beside what was becoming an obvious danger.
A good reaction, and an interesting one - that was Kurotsuchi's first thought, though it quickly settled into surprise at the waves of spiritual pressure emanating from the boy. It was expected that it'd be of a type unfamiliar to him, but even so, there was something... off, about it.
Off, and very very strong. Was the diadem some kind of limiter, then? Kurotsuchi stood up, but didn't retreat, even while Goku's appearance shifted. Curiosity was more important than safety, and he ignored the repeated warnings in the back of his mind telling him to be more careful.
Goku began to stand, his now-long hair falling down his back. The paralysis was wearing off, and quickly. He stood unsteadily for a moment, and after finally becoming steady, his head turned, his now cat-like golden eyes boring right into Mayuri. An almost feral grin, fangs and all, spread across his face. In an instant, he was gone, suddenly standing behind Mayuri, his leg already moving in a kick aimed for the man's head.
The movement was so fast Skyler hadn't seen it. Still paralyzed he could only wait to see what happened.
It was very interesting, Kurotsuchi thought, when the boy managed to stand, somehow negating his weapon's poison. Whether it was healing, or simple negation he didn't have time to consider, before the boy was gone from his vision.
Even accustomed to users of flash step, he couldn't dodge it, was only dimly aware of the attack before it hit, barely able to even brace defensively for it. Pain briefly overwhelmed every other sensation, and he was suddenly on the ground somehow, not even recalling how he'd landed, a flash of unease going through him at even the brief blackout. He'd somehow maintained his grip on his zanpakutou, though he couldn't do anything through the disorientation.
Goku was on him like a flash. Grinning like a maniac, he pinned Mayuri to the floor, pushing a knee sharply into his stomach. He raised a hand, clawed fingers splayed and ready to strike, and aimed a blow at Mayuri's side.
"Goku stop!" Skyler shouted desperately now struggling to stand unsteadily. The effects of paralysis were extremely temporary to a Pokemon after all, but not enough for him to be ready to move quickly yet.
This wasn't right, this was - not impossible, but he couldn't deny the stronger rush of unease. Something about that pressure wasn't... Kurotsuchi gasped unwillingly, unable to move away from any attack, though he tried to stab his zanpakutou into the creature in return, though he knew himself the effort was weaker than usual because of his positioning.
He completely ignored Skyler. His attention was focused solely on his prey below. He dug his claws in deeper, revelling in the feeling of fresh meat. Mayuri's weapon did manage to catch him in the shoulder, but he didn't even flinch, and just ground his knee even harder.
Mayuri was a jerk and not to be trusted, but he couldn't just let this happen. Staggering a little he rammed Goku in the back. "Goku stop it!"
That sort of strength wasn't normal, it wasn't even animalistic - animals were at least natural. His body twitched, hard, when the claws went in deeper, and it wasn't any consolation to be able to name what muscles the monster was tearing - or crushing, considering the force of the other's knee. Half-snarling himself, and beginning to lose his own grip on sanity, the scientist desperately tried to dig his zanpakutou deeper against Goku's shoulder, the weapon shifting back into its unreleased katana form, trying more to work him away, than to do damage.
All the added force managed to do was to cause him to grunt and slide back just a little. It did, however, let up on his knee a bit, and his claws were pulled from Mayuri's side. This did not seem to make Goku happy. He snarled, and bit down on the hand holding the katana, pulling away sharply in a tearing motion.
Skyler was getting desperate. There had to be a way to stop his friend turned monster. Scrambling up, his friend's back he flopped over his head with his hands blocking Goku's face.
His world suddenly went dark. Goku howled in a fit of rage, bringing a bloodied, clawed hand up and harshly grabbing Skyler from his head.
Skyler yelped as he was snatched off, but didn't fight just yet. Trying anything right off was pointless despite him being terrified by the claws that held him.
Kurotsuchi didn't scream when he was bitten - for one thing, he was too furious to do so, even as he lost sensation in part of his right hand, realizing almost immediately that the reason was because he'd lost part of his hand. His weapon fell to the floor with a clatter, and it was only when he raised his other hand to try to push Goku off, did he notice his left hand was empty. The diadem was gone. He must've dropped it... not that Kurotsuchi was concerned with stopping him. Killing, right now, sounded preferable. He barely even noticed when Skyler was suddenly on the monster's face, though he didn't hesitate to take advantage once he was distracted, and pressed his intact hand to the other's chest, snapping, "Hadou four, Byakurai!" Anger fed the lightning-based spell.
The spell knocked Goku backwards, flinging Skyler from his hand in the process. He hit the floor on his back, skidding a couple of feet before coming to a complete stop. After a couple of seconds, he slowly began to get to his feet. The only evidence of the spell was a singed area of shirt material on his chest, which was currently smoking. He turned to look at Mayuri, his eyes narrowed and fangs glinting.
Skyler was relatively unharmed as he skidded into the wall. Stunned he sat for a moment trying to orient himself.
Negligable damage. Not unexpected by this point, but he was beyond trying to do little bits of injury at a time. Reaching over, he snatched up the hilt of his zanpakutou in his left, still-intact hand, barely working himself up to his feet before losing his patience entirely. Ever since he'd arrived in this damned city it'd been one problem after another, one inconvenience, one insult, one giant mess.
That was it. He was finished. Holding the blade in front of himself, he hissed, not without some kind of eager pleasure, "Bankai."
Over him, a creature materialized, the true shape of his zanpakutou. A mottled-green caterpillar body with a distorted child's head, golden - the creature's body stretched out nearly the length of the warehouse, and its head could've brought down the ceiling if it tried. Poison breaths escaped its mouth as, without a word, it decended like a hideous train towards what had once been Goku.
Goku grinned evilly at this new creature barrelling towards him. He didn't seem to even be fazed by its size. His nose caught the smell of something, and if possible, his grin grew wider. His gaze flicked towards Mayuri then, and he held up one clawed hand, licking the blood from one finger like it were some sort of strange delicacy. Just before the strange creature got to him, he disappeared, reappearing in front of the man and jamming his claws into his stomach hard.
Skyler watched in ashtonishment as Goku was unfazed by seemingly anything. Leaping into action he once again leapt onto Goku head this time latchhing onto the back of his head while his body blocked the demon's eyesight again.
In his attack, Kurotsuchi had ended up leaving himself entirely undefended. Although - if he considered it honestly - considering how fast the other could move, it might not've made a difference at all, even if he'd prepared for it. Goku's claws were digging into him, already tearing open, tearing out... far too much. Even with the other animal's interference, it was too late.
He was dying, that much he was certain of, no matter that it had happened so quickly. But it was that awareness that brought some remnant of logic back to him. If he tried to medicate himself now, it wouldn't work quickly enough. Which meant...
Cursing everything in existence, he impaled his own neck with his sword. He barely had enough time to choke out more blood before the effect activated, and what was left of his body exploded into an unpleasant green liquid.