Heihachi hadn’t been idle even though he’d held back from the direct fighting. He could tell from the way they moved that Jushirou and Madarame were much more skilled at it, and even they were having trouble finding an opening to take Toshirou down without hurting him too badly. Instead he’d been biding his time, watching Toshirou’s movements and trying to think of some kind of alternative.
He hadn’t exactly been short of ideas either, but the stakes were a little too high for his usual method of setting something in motion and seeing how it turned out. He couldn’t take the chance that toppling one of the minor masts wouldn’t crush the boy rather than simply distract him, or that using the thick steel cords of the sail cables to sweep across the deck wouldn’t slice him in half instead of just knocking him off his feet. Toshirou deserved better than his usual sloppy tactics.
And he’d noticed that Toshirou wasn’t paying a lot of attention to him. Didn’t see him as enough of a threat - for good reason, because releasing any kind of magic in Heihachi’s direction would be like squashing the figurative fly with a mallet - but it had allowed him to move around the perimeter of the fight unseen and when Toshirou released his dragon on the others he wasn’t watching his back.
He couldn’t land a blow on Toshirou himself without getting close enough for the boy to notice (or without using the bladed end of his sword which he refused to do) but Heihachi’s aim wasn’t to wound, but to maim, and hopefully through Toshirou right off balance. He’d been studying the shape of the thick, icy wings that had formed on the young man’s body. Ice, like wood, had a grain that flowed in the direction it grew, and anything with a grain had a cross-section of weakness that Heihachi knew well enough to exploit. His aim was precise, the tip of his sword piercing Toshirou left wing near the base, and immediately a network of cracks sprung forth from the trivial seeming cut. A sharp twist of the hilt and half the limb instantly shattered, leaving him without a shield on that side and hopefully also without flight. It was the best he could do to give the others a shot at ending this before something unforgivable happened.
In amidst of the chaos, no one noticed the golden haired woman that boarded the ship a few moments ago. She came from the desert, walking lazily towards the Silvana with such serenity in her step. Before boarding the vessel, she felt a strong reiatsu flowing from above the imposing vessel. It was when she spotted the enormous beast that looming above the ship that her languid pace quickened ten-fold. She dash right up the gangplank like a streak of lightning, running out towards the top deck where she spotted the others. The woman lingered away from the rest of the fighters, observing them all briefly.
There were two swordsmen battling against the ice dragon with such skill she has not encountered until now. Their auras certainly felt power but not enough to strike down the gigantic beast that threatens the ship. Despite how vigorously they battled, none of them desired to hurt the boy who acts as that ice dragon's wielder.
Matsumoto took comfort in knowing that despite the boy now looked so battered and bruised...
There were others there, another swordsman who was lingering away from the violent fray along with a female swordsman, a Quincy and a dog. Her gaze lingered upon the Quincy for the longest for he made the most progress battling the powerful 'Hyourinmaru', the name of the vicious ice dragon. His ploy to drain the boy of his reiatsu seemed to have failed but Matsumoto could tell it was not the case. With one of the gigantic ice wings missing and the Hitsugaya's shoulder dislocated by a well placed dagger, it wouldn't take long to end this fray.
She only hoped that this would end with a happy ending...
"...what were you thinking, ne?" The blond woman sighed just as her hand curled around the pink and white hilt of her blade. Sliding her zanpakutou out of it's sheathe, Matsumoto whispered lightly as she finally opted to join this skirmish.
"Unare, Haineko..." Instead of a blade forming at the other end of her guard hilt, a powdery cloud-like form resembling ash, formed once she uttered those words. The ash remained grouped together forming this peculiar long whip of a million tiny particles swarming about like a long trail of dust. Despite the fact she did release her 'shikai' just now, Matsumoto did not attack right away.
Instead, she waited to see if her former pupil still recognized her...
The young man snarled as he saw the attack was diverted by Ryuuken's arrow. He was just about to fly at the doctor when something ripped through one of his wings. Cursing he whirled around raising his blade to strike his attacker, only to stop in mid swing as he saw who it was. "Heihachi......" Why was his friend here?! How much more would he end up hurting the other man before someone finally stopped him.?
With another curse Toshirou knocked the older man aside with his remaining wing and concentrated. It was a lot harder to do as what energy he had left was still being drained. The severed wing reformed until it was whole again. And then something happened Toshirou hadn't counted on. A very familiar voice rangout across the deck shouting his name.
Eyes wide in disbelief he turned. "Matsumoto?!" Why were all the people he cared about showing up now?! Didn't they understand that this was the only way for him stop hurting eveyone? His hand shook slightly, but he tightened his grip on the blade, tightened his resolve.
Heart breaking and the pieces being ground into dust, the young man lifted his blade over his head. "DAIGUREN HYORINMARU!" He wondered who would strike him down first, or would they all strike at the same time?
Behind him, the Dog watched in consternation as Hitusgaya's wing regrew, and even more so as he seemed to be resuming the attack. Again? Was the kid never going to give up? Did he want to get himself killed, not to mention everyone else?
Barking furiously - not infused with any sort of magic, she just hoped to divert the boy's attention from his attack - she leapt at him, teeth bared, going for his upraised arm. If she could sink her teeth into that, it ought to stop him using the sword. If he evaded, at least it would take his time and attention.
Hyorinmaru flew from his blade straight up into the air just as something like a vice clamped down on his sword arm. Crying out as sharp teeth sunk into his flesh, he tried to fly away but just ended up dragging the Dog with him. They went down just as the giant ice dragon slammed into the ship again. The impact sent a wave of ice and water out in all directions.
Toshirou rolled trying to free his arm, barely maintaining his grip on his sword. Desperate to get the Dog off him, he struck at it with the spikes on his tail.
Ryuuken cursed inwardly. Someone had to stop this stupid boy, and it looked like that was up to him. He raised his bow once more, this time taking aim at the boy himself. He'd just have to treat these injuries later.
With surgical precision, he loosed an arrow at Toushiro's uninjured shoulder. It had been weakened, so as not to rip his entire shoulder off, but instead would penetrate and prevent further movement.
He would go for the legs, next, if he had to. But Ryuuken would much rather not have to heal unnecessary injuries. This boy was trouble.
A gasp came from her once she realized that Hitsuagaya continued his assault against the ship. She almost couldn't believe that the boy she once called her 'sensei' was now actually trying to fight her. It was a sobering reality for her to bare but once she heard him scream those words, the hesitation she had previously vanished. The boy is in trouble, he released the true power of his zanpaktou too early! She couldn't just stand aside and allow himself to prematurely release such a power without taming it first. If this battle continues on, all of them would surely die by the fangs of that ice dragon.
"WATCH OUT!" She screamed towards the others as she dash right into the fray. Using her Haineko, she managed to block the incoming wave of water and ice from crushing the fellow warriors. Matsumoto was able to create a makeshift shield out of the magical mist of dust of her oddly powered zanpaktou.
The Dog let out a pained whine through her teeth as the spikes on Toshirou's tail sliced down her side, but she didn't let go, instead clamping her teeth tighter. Right now she was about the size of a small Shetland pony, and thrashing about with her attached to him should wear the boy out fast enough.
Ryuuken's arrow ruffled her fur as it flew at Toushirou, and she rolled her eyes around to look at him, the boy's blood dripping from the side of her mouth where her teeth were still set firmly in his skin.
This was getting ridiculously out of hand. At this rate, those supporting him in his efforts to calm Toshirou would either KILL the boy or BE KILLED by him. He could not simply sit by and wait for either to happen...and his determination grew one hundred fold. The ice that still trapped his arms shattered into dust as he began to focus his energy. This would be a now or never...either he would succeed or he would die.
But Toshirou was worth that much to him. He knew that now. And nothing would stop this but that very fact. It was time to end this madness.
"Everyone clear out!" he cried, the manastones on his Sogyo no Kotowari glowing violently. The full release of Sogyo no Kotowari's power was necessary here, given they were facing off the full release of Toshirou's own.
"NITEN SOGYO NO KOTOWARI! BANKAI! he cried out, unleashing the necessary power...his twin pike blades transforming into something else entirely...
The blades seemed to grow in the light, but in truth had become pure, fully electrified water. The energy pouring into them made it seem as if they were made of actual luminescence, and yet they seemed to move like fluid as he moved them into the attack position.
Watching, waiting, Ikkaku had stepped back for a moment, trying to think of something that would be more effective against the boy than simply trying to hack away at the frosty dragon that threatened to scuttle the ship entirely. True, though it might be fun to try and destroy it, it would take too long, and damn if it was starting to feel awfully cold; in that, it just didn't seem like it would be enjoyable enough to fight it.
There was also the idea of using his full release...but the ship might not survive that either. His abilities weren't exactly surgical or precise.
Jushirou, then, solved his dilema by calling everyone out. Ikkaku, standing in a defensive position with his naginata angled in front of him, eyed Jushirou with a raised brow, then let out a gruff, forced little laugh. "Hmph!" he snorted. "Go ahead then, Jushirou."
Fully trusting his comrade in arms, Ikkaku began to walk away, the long, smooth shaft of his weapon suddenly flashing, then changing back to the shape of a more traditional sword. "Make sure you do the right thing," he added, disappearing back into the ship.
Matsumoto managed to deter a majority of the ice away from the ship using the 'Haineko' but she knew that this act alone is not enough. If the water isn't returned to the ship, the Silvana will not be able to sail. She knew that the boy was draining the water levels of the ship and worried that perhaps once this battle is over that the Silvana might be stranded here with the Montague. That would spell disaster for both the crew of this vessel and the rescued survivors from the crashed airship.
'Everyone clear out!'
"Ne?!" The blond glanced over towards the white haired man worriedly once she felt the reiatsu around him grow at an alarming rate. Judging by potency of the mana crystals upon his blades, this unknown man is yet another who possesses the unearthly power of a zanpaktou. Never in her life did she ever thought she so many wielders would be present upon a single ship!
"B-bankai?!" The woman stuttered as she tried to shield her eyes away from the brightness that emanated from Jushirou's twin blades.
"He is going to fight him alone...?" Glancing over at the departing figure nearby, Matsumoto knew she wasn’t about to leave her faith with this unknown man or his magical blades.
Toshirou was just raising his tail to strike at the Dog again when something pierced his right shoulder. The young man gasped and looked down at the arrow. He could still feel the pain from where the dog was clamped onto his arm, but he could no longer move it. Cursing the doctor and everyone else the young man screamed, all the pain and rage coming together building up until it felt like he was going to explode. Hissing in pain, Toshirou grabbed his sword with his left hand, and almost dropped it as his left wasn't much more use than the right at the moment.
At least he could still use his wings and tail, which he used to stand up. As he was unable to lift his sword, he drug the tip on the ground, pulling the Dog with him as he faced Jushirou. Ignoring everyone else his eyes locked on his friend/mentor. Somehow he managed to lift his blade by manipulating the ice that covered his arm. Toshirou gritted his teeth from the pain that shot through his body. "Daiguren..................Hyorinmaru!"
Having taking the time to steady herself after Ikkaku had helped her to the side from Jushirou's attack, Tear could feel herself hesitate, suddenly uncertain of just what her aim was - to kill the helmsman, or to knock him unconscious? Yet, with his vehement tenacity, she wasn't sure if the latter was even achievable. Then what was she to do instead?
At last, Jushirou cried out, telling everyone to clear out. As his words registered within her mind, a pang of worry rippled through her. Although she did not doubt his capability of handling Hitsugaya, there was a possibility that he wouldn't be able to make it out completely unscathed. Briefly casting a glance over at him, she continued to stand there, her mind struggling to wrestle with logic and emotion. As thoughts continued to swirl through her head, her hands clenched tightly into fists, her body quivering by a fraction. At last, as she had expected, logic had taken residence over emotion, and she shifted away, beginning to stride after Ikkaku.
Her footsteps were muted as they had clicked against the icy ground, barely audible through the present pandemonium. Anxiety continued to undulate underneath her skin, like the dizzing rip current of the ocean, unable to be abated from simply her trust in the silver-haired swordsman. Or, perhaps it was because of that respect that she couldn't help but care about him, for if he were to sustain even a single injury...it was an idea she didn't even want to consider at the moment. After all, if Jushirou had said he would take care of Hitsugaya, then he would. He wasn't a fool in the slightest - he knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn't anything to trouble herself about at all.
As Tear reached the doorway, she paused, stopping to gaze over her shoulder for the last time, at least, what she had presumed to be the last time.
Her eyes were instantly drawn to the blonde-haired woman, the dog, Heihachi, and the doctor, all of which had yet to leave. In fact, she wasn't even certain if they had any intentions of departing.
Her gaze flickered from Hitsugaya to the others, as she took several steps back, distancing herself as much as she could without actually being out-of-sight. If there were those who insisted on lingering, then there was a chance they would be harmed, especially if it happened to interfere with Jushirou's plan. Thus, that left her one final reason to stay, one she likely had assumed all too readily at the prospect of being able to assist Jushirou if he should receive any injury.
Seeing the helmsman raise his sword, she hastily shut her eyes, her lips parted as the words of another hymn flowed from tongue. It was in the same, foreign language as the other, but the lyrics were different, as were the fonic artes imbued within the melody. Then, as if out of thin air, octagons composed of material that strongly resembled glass, suddenly began to form around the doctor, Heihachi, and the blonde-haired lady, taking up a large amount of area behind Jushirou and Hitsugaya. It was a shield, capable of resisting most attacks, which left the two individuals - as well as part of the ship - under adequate defense. However, the sphere would only remain for as long as she sang, and if the woman, Heihachi, or Ishida decided to leave it, then they would not be able to return.
Hopefully, her song would not alter Jushirou's plan. If so, she silently reminded herself to apologize for it later.
The Dog swung off Hitsugaya's arm, trying to drag him back, but to surprisingly little effect. Swinging from his arm by her teeth - and it would be only thanks to the ice armouring his body if that didn't break or dislocate it - she twisted to thrust her weight at his torso. That ought to knock him off balance, which would buy both her and Jushirou a little more time.
Wrenching her teeth loose from the boy's arm, she let the momentum of her swing send her skidding across the icy deck, coming to rest, panting, off to one side.
Outwardly, Ryuuken appeared most unimpressed with Ukitake's display of power. He pulled back and took cover, but was careful to pick a vantage point where he could still see the fight, and step in if need be. He had no qualms in leaving this to Ukitake.
There was a long, dark pause as the others on the field of combat slowly, or quickly, withdrew. The silence was almost suffocating, save the sounds of the blades of both Jushirou and his student resonating with the energy of their respective mana output. Jushirou had his blade cleanly marked against Toshirou, not flinching in the slightest. His gaze locked with that of the helmsman, and his stance was resolute. If anyone questioned whether or not he would be able to do this...they only need look at him to find their answer.
"Toshirou...if this is what it will take...," he spoke, his words amazingly soft for the look the man currently had. "Then I will show no mercy. If you place me in a position where I have to kill you..."
He hadn’t exactly been short of ideas either, but the stakes were a little too high for his usual method of setting something in motion and seeing how it turned out. He couldn’t take the chance that toppling one of the minor masts wouldn’t crush the boy rather than simply distract him, or that using the thick steel cords of the sail cables to sweep across the deck wouldn’t slice him in half instead of just knocking him off his feet. Toshirou deserved better than his usual sloppy tactics.
And he’d noticed that Toshirou wasn’t paying a lot of attention to him. Didn’t see him as enough of a threat - for good reason, because releasing any kind of magic in Heihachi’s direction would be like squashing the figurative fly with a mallet - but it had allowed him to move around the perimeter of the fight unseen and when Toshirou released his dragon on the others he wasn’t watching his back.
He couldn’t land a blow on Toshirou himself without getting close enough for the boy to notice (or without using the bladed end of his sword which he refused to do) but Heihachi’s aim wasn’t to wound, but to maim, and hopefully through Toshirou right off balance. He’d been studying the shape of the thick, icy wings that had formed on the young man’s body. Ice, like wood, had a grain that flowed in the direction it grew, and anything with a grain had a cross-section of weakness that Heihachi knew well enough to exploit. His aim was precise, the tip of his sword piercing Toshirou left wing near the base, and immediately a network of cracks sprung forth from the trivial seeming cut. A sharp twist of the hilt and half the limb instantly shattered, leaving him without a shield on that side and hopefully also without flight. It was the best he could do to give the others a shot at ending this before something unforgivable happened.
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There were two swordsmen battling against the ice dragon with such skill she has not encountered until now. Their auras certainly felt power but not enough to strike down the gigantic beast that threatens the ship. Despite how vigorously they battled, none of them desired to hurt the boy who acts as that ice dragon's wielder.
Matsumoto took comfort in knowing that despite the boy now looked so battered and bruised...
There were others there, another swordsman who was lingering away from the violent fray along with a female swordsman, a Quincy and a dog. Her gaze lingered upon the Quincy for the longest for he made the most progress battling the powerful 'Hyourinmaru', the name of the vicious ice dragon. His ploy to drain the boy of his reiatsu seemed to have failed but Matsumoto could tell it was not the case. With one of the gigantic ice wings missing and the Hitsugaya's shoulder dislocated by a well placed dagger, it wouldn't take long to end this fray.
She only hoped that this would end with a happy ending...
"...what were you thinking, ne?" The blond woman sighed just as her hand curled around the pink and white hilt of her blade. Sliding her zanpakutou out of it's sheathe, Matsumoto whispered lightly as she finally opted to join this skirmish.
"Unare, Haineko..." Instead of a blade forming at the other end of her guard hilt, a powdery cloud-like form resembling ash, formed once she uttered those words. The ash remained grouped together forming this peculiar long whip of a million tiny particles swarming about like a long trail of dust. Despite the fact she did release her 'shikai' just now, Matsumoto did not attack right away.
Instead, she waited to see if her former pupil still recognized her...
"Hitsugaya Toshirou!"
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With another curse Toshirou knocked the older man aside with his remaining wing and concentrated. It was a lot harder to do as what energy he had left was still being drained. The severed wing reformed until it was whole again. And then something happened Toshirou hadn't counted on. A very familiar voice rangout across the deck shouting his name.
Eyes wide in disbelief he turned. "Matsumoto?!" Why were all the people he cared about showing up now?! Didn't they understand that this was the only way for him stop hurting eveyone? His hand shook slightly, but he tightened his grip on the blade, tightened his resolve.
Heart breaking and the pieces being ground into dust, the young man lifted his blade over his head. "DAIGUREN HYORINMARU!" He wondered who would strike him down first, or would they all strike at the same time?
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Again? Was the kid never going to give up? Did he want to get himself killed, not to mention everyone else?
Barking furiously - not infused with any sort of magic, she just hoped to divert the boy's attention from his attack - she leapt at him, teeth bared, going for his upraised arm. If she could sink her teeth into that, it ought to stop him using the sword. If he evaded, at least it would take his time and attention.
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Toshirou rolled trying to free his arm, barely maintaining his grip on his sword. Desperate to get the Dog off him, he struck at it with the spikes on his tail.
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With surgical precision, he loosed an arrow at Toushiro's uninjured shoulder. It had been weakened, so as not to rip his entire shoulder off, but instead would penetrate and prevent further movement.
He would go for the legs, next, if he had to. But Ryuuken would much rather not have to heal unnecessary injuries. This boy was trouble.
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"WATCH OUT!" She screamed towards the others as she dash right into the fray. Using her Haineko, she managed to block the incoming wave of water and ice from crushing the fellow warriors. Matsumoto was able to create a makeshift shield out of the magical mist of dust of her oddly powered zanpaktou.
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Ryuuken's arrow ruffled her fur as it flew at Toushirou, and she rolled her eyes around to look at him, the boy's blood dripping from the side of her mouth where her teeth were still set firmly in his skin.
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But Toshirou was worth that much to him. He knew that now. And nothing would stop this but that very fact. It was time to end this madness.
"Everyone clear out!" he cried, the manastones on his Sogyo no Kotowari glowing violently. The full release of Sogyo no Kotowari's power was necessary here, given they were facing off the full release of Toshirou's own.
"NITEN SOGYO NO KOTOWARI! BANKAI! he cried out, unleashing the necessary power...his twin pike blades transforming into something else entirely...
The blades seemed to grow in the light, but in truth had become pure, fully electrified water. The energy pouring into them made it seem as if they were made of actual luminescence, and yet they seemed to move like fluid as he moved them into the attack position.
"Leave Toshirou Hitsugaya to me."
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There was also the idea of using his full release...but the ship might not survive that either. His abilities weren't exactly surgical or precise.
Jushirou, then, solved his dilema by calling everyone out. Ikkaku, standing in a defensive position with his naginata angled in front of him, eyed Jushirou with a raised brow, then let out a gruff, forced little laugh. "Hmph!" he snorted. "Go ahead then, Jushirou."
Fully trusting his comrade in arms, Ikkaku began to walk away, the long, smooth shaft of his weapon suddenly flashing, then changing back to the shape of a more traditional sword. "Make sure you do the right thing," he added, disappearing back into the ship.
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'Everyone clear out!'
"Ne?!" The blond glanced over towards the white haired man worriedly once she felt the reiatsu around him grow at an alarming rate. Judging by potency of the mana crystals upon his blades, this unknown man is yet another who possesses the unearthly power of a zanpaktou. Never in her life did she ever thought she so many wielders would be present upon a single ship!
"B-bankai?!" The woman stuttered as she tried to shield her eyes away from the brightness that emanated from Jushirou's twin blades.
"He is going to fight him alone...?" Glancing over at the departing figure nearby, Matsumoto knew she wasn’t about to leave her faith with this unknown man or his magical blades.
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At least he could still use his wings and tail, which he used to stand up. As he was unable to lift his sword, he drug the tip on the ground, pulling the Dog with him as he faced Jushirou. Ignoring everyone else his eyes locked on his friend/mentor. Somehow he managed to lift his blade by manipulating the ice that covered his arm. Toshirou gritted his teeth from the pain that shot through his body. "Daiguren..................Hyorinmaru!"
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At last, Jushirou cried out, telling everyone to clear out. As his words registered within her mind, a pang of worry rippled through her. Although she did not doubt his capability of handling Hitsugaya, there was a possibility that he wouldn't be able to make it out completely unscathed. Briefly casting a glance over at him, she continued to stand there, her mind struggling to wrestle with logic and emotion. As thoughts continued to swirl through her head, her hands clenched tightly into fists, her body quivering by a fraction. At last, as she had expected, logic had taken residence over emotion, and she shifted away, beginning to stride after Ikkaku.
Her footsteps were muted as they had clicked against the icy ground, barely audible through the present pandemonium. Anxiety continued to undulate underneath her skin, like the dizzing rip current of the ocean, unable to be abated from simply her trust in the silver-haired swordsman. Or, perhaps it was because of that respect that she couldn't help but care about him, for if he were to sustain even a single injury...it was an idea she didn't even want to consider at the moment. After all, if Jushirou had said he would take care of Hitsugaya, then he would. He wasn't a fool in the slightest - he knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn't anything to trouble herself about at all.
As Tear reached the doorway, she paused, stopping to gaze over her shoulder for the last time, at least, what she had presumed to be the last time.
Her eyes were instantly drawn to the blonde-haired woman, the dog, Heihachi, and the doctor, all of which had yet to leave. In fact, she wasn't even certain if they had any intentions of departing.
Her gaze flickered from Hitsugaya to the others, as she took several steps back, distancing herself as much as she could without actually being out-of-sight. If there were those who insisted on lingering, then there was a chance they would be harmed, especially if it happened to interfere with Jushirou's plan. Thus, that left her one final reason to stay, one she likely had assumed all too readily at the prospect of being able to assist Jushirou if he should receive any injury.
Seeing the helmsman raise his sword, she hastily shut her eyes, her lips parted as the words of another hymn flowed from tongue. It was in the same, foreign language as the other, but the lyrics were different, as were the fonic artes imbued within the melody. Then, as if out of thin air, octagons composed of material that strongly resembled glass, suddenly began to form around the doctor, Heihachi, and the blonde-haired lady, taking up a large amount of area behind Jushirou and Hitsugaya. It was a shield, capable of resisting most attacks, which left the two individuals - as well as part of the ship - under adequate defense. However, the sphere would only remain for as long as she sang, and if the woman, Heihachi, or Ishida decided to leave it, then they would not be able to return.
Hopefully, her song would not alter Jushirou's plan. If so, she silently reminded herself to apologize for it later.
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Wrenching her teeth loose from the boy's arm, she let the momentum of her swing send her skidding across the icy deck, coming to rest, panting, off to one side.
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His bow remained out and ready.
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"Toshirou...if this is what it will take...," he spoke, his words amazingly soft for the look the man currently had. "Then I will show no mercy. If you place me in a position where I have to kill you..."
He took in a deep breath.
"I will."
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