If you need an explanation

[soundfivebitch]

Things had been fucking weird since Orochimaru's death. The Palace had been a weird place to be; Tayuya answered to Kuja now, and that was weird enough. Kuja had always been the damned prettyboy she didn't have much to do with, except for mocking Kadaj for taking after him. Now she had to report to him, take instruction from him...

They'd had to clear out Orochimaru's labs, too. That had been really fucking weird. There'd been a few samples to terminate and dispose of, and lots of research notes to either move, or destroy. L had claimed some, Kuja had, of course, been given everything relevant to the Sound Five....

There'd been some stuff on the Arrancar. Orochimaru had kept some data records from his encounters with some, like Ulquiorra, and Nel, and lots of data on Wonderweiss. Tayuya hadn't told Kuja about that, she knew what politics in Khamja could be like. She'd considered destroying it, at first, but then.... There was only one person that really should have data on the Arrancar, and she knew that most of it probably wouldn't be new, but some of the stuff on Wonderweiss at least, and the procedure he'd been put through might be helpful.

She'd taken it to Aizen, quietly, and somewhat sullenly, telling him that she wouldn't want it to get into the wrong hands. Kuja wouldn't have any use for it anyway, not that she'd asked him, but whoever was taking over the labs, and it clearly wasn't Szayel because he'd bitched loudly about that fact when he'd found out, might have, and they probably shouldn't have it.

She wondered if it had influenced the later decision to allow her, Grimmjow, and Yylfordt out together. Kadaj's absence in their little party was still being felt, at least by her. It was odd just hanging about the Palace. The rest of the Sound Five, Four now, since Kimimaro had taken the peaceful out offered to him, had got over their anger with her for being friends with the Arrancar. It wasn't her fault Nnoitra had got involved, and anyway, it wasn't like she was friends with Nnoitra. Sleeping with him once didn't make them fucking buddies.

Yylfordt had used the excuse of wanting to stop by Rush Valley and pick up some supplies. It was as good an excuse as any, and clearing it with Kuja was easy enough for her once Grimmjow and Yylfordt had been given the okay. Apache wasn't allowed, though; maybe it was because she wasn't actually part of Skite, or maybe Aizen just didn't want too many of the hotheads going out together. Tayuya was hotheaded too, but Aizen hadn't seemed to make much grumble about her joining them. Of course, she was part of Skite, and wasn't under Aizen's control, but maybe handing over that data had got her in Aizen's good books for a couple of days.

She'd asked Kuja if she could get out of the Palace for a while. He probably knew, or at least suspected, that part of her reason for wanting to get out was to see if they could get in touch with Kadaj, even if he wasn't prepared to come back home yet, but she wasn't about to admit that to Kuja. Still, monkeyboy wasn't dumb.

Yylfordt had done his shopping in Rush Valley, and then they'd moved on to the desert around, killing time before heading back, and picking on some of the local wildlife. Tayuya, at least, was finally feeling a bit better, especially after she'd called on Ifrit to murder some really unfortunate things. Working with her Aeons made her feel better in general, and Ifrit was her first, so he was always special.

Killing things helped too.

She'd dismissed Ifrit and was wearing a wicked grin when the absence of the Aeon's reiatsu allowed another one to creep across her senses.

"You have gotta be fucking shitting me," she said, turning towards where it was coming from. She couldn't see anyone there yet, but she could feel it there. They weren't trying to hide their presence, so they were probably on a hunt, or doing the same as them and letting off steam by murdering things that didn't deserve it.

She'd felt the Ryoka berserker's reiatsu enough times to know it by now.

Comments

[gotitmemorised]

Axel got to his feet.

Aeons were a problem, he decided. He narrowed his eyes at the beast and considered his options. It was immune to Fire, so his natural abilities were useless, and it was large, so basic physical attacks weren't likely to have much effect.

Black Sky was a possibility, but he didn't want to risk damaging Saix or Aerith, not when the former had the upper hand for now. It would likely take out the Al Bhed and debilitate the blue-haired enemy, but it wouldn't be enough to finish off the Aeon or the Summoner.

For one crazy moment he considered using Charon, but he squashed that thought as soon as it came to him. It might not be enough and, if it wasn't, it would leave Saix alone to face the Aeon and his own enemy.

He scowled at the girl pulling the Aeon's strings and raised a hand to cast.

In the end, he settled on Demi.

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith opened her eyes, feeling muzzy headed and off-balance.

Where were they? It was like waking at some odd hour of the night, in some odd location, unsure of what time it was, or which bed you were in, like her first nights in Rabanastre had been.

Urgency washed over her when she felt, and spotted, the Aeon. Lea was badly hurt, Saix was doing a little better although Regen had worn off, but Lea was facing an Aeon that was his opposite element.

Lea wouldn't know, she realised. He wouldn't know how Aeons fought, how careful he had to be against one. The girl, the Summoner, didn't look concerned for any damage her Aeon had taken, which meant that Lea was in more trouble than even he knew.

She gathered her chakra, and cast NulTide on them all as Lea used Demi. His wounds would be the least of his concerns if the Aeon used its Overdrive on him.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya growled at the turn of events. Echo was wearing off, which meant the mage was back on her feet, and that presented a problem. She could send the mage back to sleep and command Bismarck at the same time.

"Yylfordt, get the girl," she spat, just before Bismarck was hit with Red's Demi spell.

Boost had done the trick--

"Cocksucking little shitweasel," she hissed, audibly. NulTide was not what she wanted to see come into play.

Fuck fuck fuck... Now she had a problem. She could spend time negating the Nul spell with water spells, but Bismarck was hurting and she didn't want to waste that kind of time and let this guy continue attacking. As long as the mage was back on her feet, she'd only reapply them anyway.

She glanced over at Grimmjow. He was in worse condition than the Berserker, although that didn't mean he couldn't win.

She needed to heal Bismarck, and take out the girl for good. But that left Red free to attack....

Fuck it she didn't want to lose this fight.

"Heal with Waterga," she instructed.

[palehornedprince]

Tayuya drew his attention to the white mage. Her being back on her feet meant the fight was going to turn against them again quickly. It'd turn even faster if he couldn't take the girl down before her Limit was triggered.

He still felt sick, and weak, and he was mostly on his feet through force of will. He also had to get past Red to get to the girl

"This is not a good day for me," he grumbled, readying himself to make a dash for it and take the girl out while Tayuya healed her Aeon.

He was bowled over by a blast of non-elemental chakra he hadn't even seen coming, and landed on his face in the sand.

[innatelunacy]

Saix leapt back, half dodging his opponent's attack, half deflecting it with the claymore, which knocked a chunk out of the claymore. His feet skidded in the sand.

He was keeping one eye on Axel's fight, and opponent, and was preparing to send a blast of chakra at the Aeon, when he spotted the blond one getting ready to re-enter the fray. He didn't notice the Nul spell that landed on himself, signalling Aerith's return to the fight, and instead smacked his claymore into the sand, sending a plume of black and blue chakra towards the blond fighter. Axel had enough problems without trying to deal with that as well, and the blond was weakened already.

Saix turned his attention back to his own opponent quickly. If he was driving Saix back with ranged attacks, he was about to do something Saix wasn't prepared for him to do.

[jawmask]

Grimmjow took the brief let-up created by Saix's attack on Yylfordt as an opportunity. He held his sword one-handed, hilt out, and dragged his nails down the blade, setting off a blue glow along its length.

"Grind, Pantera!" He snarled, shielding his eyes from the swirling sand as his Chakra levels increased and the release transformation began.

[gotitmemorised]

Axel glared at the Summoner, braced himself to be hit with a Water spell and was relieved when it didn't come. The Aeon had healed itself, though. That was ... bad.

He didn't risk a glance at Aerith. She was back on her feet, but Saix had taken out the Al Bhed, so there was nobody to cause her any problems.

He narrowed his eyes and hurled his Chakram at the Aeon. It might not be effected by the Elemental properties of it, but it should still be hurt by a spiked metal wheel flying at its hide.

[hearstheplanet]

With NulTide applied, Aerith set her attention to the important task of healing the boys.

She concentrated her chakra into the most potent curative spell she could cast before letting it loose on Lea. He was the one in most urgent need right now.

Although Saix was hurting too. He'd been using too much chakra, she realised, and his reiatsu was feeling a little ragged. While she could heal him, she couldn't replenish his chakra for him.

Which Saix's opponent called out, she felt his power surge, just like that woman had done last time, when she'd nearly killed Lea.

[innatelunacy]

Saix grit his teeth and cursed. He wasn't in a position to face his enemy's powered up form right now, and betting that he'd reach his own limit before he accrued too much damage was a gamble with a lot at stake.

He raised his damaged claymore and moved in to attack, not wanting to let his enemy have a moment. He didn't need any further advantages.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya cursed too, but for different reasons. With Yylfordt down, there was no one free to take out the girl, and if what the others had said was true, then her super special limit was broken by hurting her allies, which they'd have to do to get to her.

Fuck.

"Grimmjow! Fa lyh'd feh fedr dra raymehk pedlr pylg uh ran vilgehk vaad. Ev fa rind draca yccrumac duu silr, cra'mm dnekkan dryd vilgehk suja cra tet dryd vnaygat ajanouha uid mycd vilgehk desa, yht drah fa'na dah tevvanahd lumuinc uv vilgat. Yylfordt'c tufh, cra'mm hakyda yho Aeon E pnehk uid, yht drana'c hu fyo draca telgraytc yna kuehk du mad ic kad hayn ran. Fa'na tuha. Fa'na kuehk du ryja du vilg 'as ib aqdny rynt haqd desa ehcdayt."

She didn't want to admit to the reasons they were beaten in a way they'd be able to understand, though. She still had some pride.

[jawmask]

Grimmjow felt the surge of power that accompanied his release and bared his teeth at his enemy even before the sand sent up by his Chakra boost had settled.

He felt stronger, faster and more capable in this form. It made him look half an animal, but the speed and strength boost coupled with the regenerative powe--

The pain hadn't abated.

He felt the movement of his opponent and roared, sending a wave of energy at him so powerful it could put Bismarck to shame. He looked down and touched a black, clawed hand to the burn on his chest in the moment's pause it gave him. His release hadn't healed him, not fully. The mark was still there and it still hurt, for all it wasn't open and exposed any more.

He snarled at Saix, furious, ears pulling back in his anger. He could have lost it then, but Tayuya's voice cut through his anger like a knife.

She had a point. He was the only one that had witnessed the mage's limit first hand and experienced the effects of it.

He swore, his nose crinkling as he bared his fangs again, snarling "Bimm pylg!" loudly enough to get though to Yylfordt.

[gotitmemorised]

Axel, still panting, was glad of the cure spell from Aerith. It made him feel stronger, better, more able to continue.

He straightened in time to hear Saix's opponent shout something and then flood the battlefield with his reiatsu. It was like last time. He steeled himself, preparing for a harder fight... but scowled when the Bard called something in Al Bhed.

He didn't understand a word of it. It was too fast.

[innatelunacy]

Saix tried, and failed, to maintain his footing in the face of his opponent's retaliation. His feet slipped under him in the sand, and even using Lunatic to shield himself didn't stop him being blown backwards as the ground shifted under him.

He picked himself back up when it was over, prepared for a further onslaught, and holding his claymore defensively.

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt felt like shit. Every movement ached, and he felt weak, but he heard Grimmjow, and he understood what that command meant.

He staggered, weakly, to his feet, standing like a man on his last leg. The way he carried his sword certainly didn't suggest he was about to attack anyone.

He couldn't even concentrate to release, that was what sucked more than anything. Although releasing in a weakened state like this was probably a bad idea anyway.

He looked at Grimmjow, and then at the Ryoka, before taking a couple of halting steps backwards.

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith sent a cure spell in Saix's direction. Whatever the Al Bhed exchange meant, she didn't really follow it. She didn't speak much Al Bhed, and it was said so quickly that she couldn't catch anything she did understand.

Lea was doing all right now, she wasn't as concerned about him. Saix was really starting to flag, especially after that last attack.

Strange though, that they didn't seem to be following up with more attacks yet. Something was wrong.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya spat into the sand, angrily. She hated losing, hated it, but sometimes you had to know when you couldn't win so you can come back and beat someone to a pulp next time.

She glared at Red. "Don't think you've fucking won," she snarled, "but you should leave while we give you the chance."

She didn't dismiss Bismarck, yet, but she didn't give him any further instructions, either. She just stayed, slightly behind her Aeon, giving Red looks that would have had him nailed to the ground with kunai and his balls slit open, if only they had the power. She wasn't going to dismiss Bismarck until she saw someone on their side putting away their weapons.

[gotitmemorised]

Axel glared back at Tayuya, green eyes narrowed, their unnatural glow lost in the light of the desert sun, and gave a stubborn nod.

They were done, as much as the others were and Axel knew they were at a stalemate. No matter which side won this fight, there'd be casualties on both sides if it went any further. Saix couldn't hope to win against the blue-haired man he was fighting and he was weak to the Aeon's element. The thing could probably defeat them with physical attacks alone, even if Aerith negated its Elemental fury again, besides.

He straightened up, still breathing hard, and pulled his chakram from the sand. The other would need to be replaced, but that was fine. It was easier to replace a weapon than a team member.

"You got it," he said, words edged.

[jawmask]

Grimmjow backed off away from Saix, tail lashing angrily, his growl too low to hear. He looked to Tayuya and Red's conversation and used Sonido to get near Yylfordt. He was their weakest member, right now.

"Fa'na uid'v rana," he said quietly.

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt nodded, weakly. He felt like he desperately needed a lot of sleep, and a lot of food, and maybe after that some more sleep, and then his brain might be functioning properly again. Everything was muzzy.

Getting your ass kicked sucked.

"Cunno, pnu," he muttered.

[innatelunacy]

Saix stood up straighter when he realised no further attacks were coming. His opponent had powered up, entered another form, and was now backing away.

Saix scowled, keeping a grip on his weapon, and watching. The burn across his opponent's chest was still visible, but he hadn't done anything to make his enemy turn tail; he was sure of that.

A tactical retreat then, rather than an accepted defeat. Saix trusted it about as much as he'd trust Xigbar, and for much the same reason, which was why he kept Lunatic at the ready, but he didn't advance any further attacks.

He spared Axel and Aerith a look, ensuring they weren't too badly hurt. Axel had been in a bad way, but Aerith had been quick to act once she regained consciousness. Saix was relieved at that, although he'd never admit it; he'd thought, for a while, that he risked losing him again.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya backed up a little further, before she dismissed Bismarck. The Aeon was hurting, still, but he was, at least, in no danger. Tayuya hated losing an Aeon in a fight; it stung, and not just because of the loss. There was a bond when you were a Summoner; it was like losing a friend.

"If you even think of following us," she warned, keeping her eyes on Red as Bismarck sang a note and departed, "I'll fuck up both your girlfriends, and make you watch."

[gotitmemorised]

Axel glared at Tayuya, reiatsu flaring.

"Like I'd follow you," he snapped, backing off to join his group proper.

Why would he? He, alone, and half healed against a Summoner bard immune to his Chakra Element and her newly powered up team mate? The Al Bhed was done for the day, but he'd never be able to take out both of his opponents alone even if he had a shot at one of them.

"Let's go," he said, looking from Saix to Aerith.

Saix looked a little worse for wear, but Aerith seemed mostly unharmed.

[jawmask]

Grimmjow watched Red back away and put an arm around Yylfordt to keep him on his feet. He needed an Antidote, and bad. Tayuya likely had some on her, those, and potions, or something, so they'd be able to crawl back to Rabanastre if nothing else.

He felt strong enough after releasing, but not enough to take on Red and Blue together.

"Tayuya," he said, low and short, beckoning her over with a toss of the head.

He had considered using a Garganta to get them away from the area, but they were way too close to a common travelling route for that, never mind the city that they'd have to come out close to. The last thing he needed was some savvy traveller informing the local Gotei 13 that there was a powerful Hollow in the vicinity.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya flashed her teeth in one last, angry grimace at her enemy, and then turned sharply and headed towards Grimmjow.

Yylfordt was in a bad way. She knew Yylfordt was in a bad way, but that last blast from the berserker had done him over.

She was already searching for the antidote she had stashed before she reached them both. Yylfordt was having to lean on Grimmjow for support. If she wasn't already in the first stage of release, being close to Grimmjow right now would be taking its toll on her, too.

"Take that," she growled, shoving a bottle into Yylfordt's chest, and flashing another venomous look over at their enemies.

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt was glad of the steadying hand from Grimmjow. Funny how the ground seemed really soft when you were feeling crappy and drained.

He took the bottle thrust at him by Tayuya in one hand, and had to concentrate a little too hard to open the thing. Once he had, he downed the contents in a couple of quick swallows, and then chucked the empty bottle aside.

It at least made his amazing crappiness stop getting worse. "Dryhgc," he said, softly.