Patrol (open)

He was already half way through the woods when it occurred to him that this was the first time he went out the walls protection. This was what his years of training prepared him for, but he expected something more exciting.

It was actually quite boring with their leader and four other armed soldiers, nothing of 'Grave Danger' as what the king would say awaited them, nothing like the tales the visitors told when they passed the town. It was nothing dark and mysterious either, nothing special.

It was only when they reached the first checkpoint that things picked up, first there was a loud noise that caught all their attention followed by screams not far away, it came from deeper inside the west side of the woods, Spark waited for further orders from their leader but he stood unshaken, infact he ignored it like it didnt exist.

"What is it this time?" He asked the guard. "Pirates?"

"A ship sunk a few days ago, a few survived and took refuge at the beach, we are observing them, but maybe its one of the survivors."

"Another? Don't they ever learn..."

Spark turned away this time his leader eyeing him, he didn't intend to listen on the conversation, but weren't they supposed to help them, as Quincy wasn't that the right thing to do.

"Let's proceed with the patrol." He smirks moving forward. "Newbies." He complained under his breath but enough to be heard by all of them, whatever those screams were, it was definitely something to be wary about.

Ave Maria wiped the blood dripping from her lips in a slow savoring manner making a few of her companions squirm. In the situation given, she didn't have much choice. She jumped over the opponent and just started sucking the life out of them. She didnt necessarily need the human party she was with, but she came to love this beings in her own way, now that her cover was blown she wondered what her foster sister would think of this, she shrugged dropping the hollow head on the ground.

She searched through her bag and searched for her blackberry. She immediately snapped it open dialing a special number which connected the call instantly. (even without signal)


"Uhm yeah, hello, we have a little problem... uhm, yeah, you see, they saw me devouring this weak little fellow." She paused closed her eyes frustrated somehow. "NO, it was an accident, so,I need one of those 'men in black' things you shinigami use."

She kept on speaking until finally they came to an agreement, she snapped the phone closed turning to the rest only to find them gone.

She sighed, now how does she explain a bunch of humans missing to her sister. She sighed tracking them now.

In a rather undisclosed location of Spiel Wald the air seemed to fluctuate slightly. A sign that something was slowly forcing itself into the area. Before long two sets of four fingers slowly seemed to form in the air as they gripped above and below. Slowly the air began to open, falling away as the hands moved up and down creating a sort of door. A cloaked figure stood waiting, green eyes peering ahead from beneath a straw hat as it stood in a swirling vortex of black and gray. It slowly progressed into the field of black pines and with a quick glance and snap of fingers closed the portal behind it before glancing forward once again while adjusting it's collar. "Never been here before... Maybe this is where that man hid it..." He said, glancing to the side of his body which lacked an arm while also glancing down to his weapon on his side which missed a side of the hilt.

"Very interesting... Seems to be inhabited by a few hollow..." He said, his eyes closed as he felt for the energy of those around him. Along the boarder with him he felt different energies ranging from hollow to human and the likes. With a quick sigh he pulled his hat a little further along the back of his head and stamped his foot in the dirt as he allowed a small amount of his spiritual energy to spike. Might as well try to draw in anything while he explored. He began to slowly walk ahead, spiking little bits of spiritual pressure to try to draw in something. Maybe he would be lucky and run into something or someone that didn't bother him with stupid thoughts.

3... no.. 5...

It's about the fifth time they heard yells coming from the woods that their commander ignored, it was not only spark who grew restless but the other three, but they were not restless because they wanted to jump at the first sign of danger, no, they wanted to head back to safety clearly hypnotized by the kings words.

Another scream shocked them, but this time it came from just in front of them.

A creature stood two story high, it was visible yet not, something hollow and dangerous. The four shivered in fear, two waited no orders a ran back from the fear.

Spark could only focus on the humans expression, a desperate voiceless yell shot through his eyes before it was devoured whole by the creature.

Spark fell on his back being pushed by his superior, he said something inaudible before forming what look like a bow on it's hand, aiming it at the creature and shooting it.

The creature was then no more, then after that darkness.

The humans scattered all over the place, Ave Maria could only sigh searching for them, weeding the dark forest for any signs of life. For humans they were quite good at hiding them selves, even at running at that.

Or maybe it was her lack of interest in anything nowadays, ever since she took over Claire's body she's been so bored, her favorite thing to do was torment Claire, and now that Claire's gone, she's missing her.

Their relationship is a love hate thing, she loves to hate Claire and the other way around, but somehow Claire's been silent, far too silent for so long.

Her cell rang and she almost dropped it on the ground, she was just about to pick it up when an arrow was shot just behind her. A quincy bow, she turned angered. She liked humans, but quincies were another thing, except for that one girl ofcourse, the one from the rebels, but she couldnt remember her name no matter how hard she scrambled through Claire's memories.

She dodged and ran further into the shadows the wind blowing through her face the leaves flew every step.

It was like this for several minutes before she ran over... well someone....

Someone like her at that.

She rolled over the bush hit her head first before slamming into several trees, the wreck looked disastrous but it wasnt really painful, just annoying as she couldn't stop her self from tossing and turning and hitting and smashing.

Finally after what seemed forever, she landed on a pond, soaking wet with leaves still stuck in her hair she caught sight of IT from a distance. "YOU! WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?!?!?!" Just then there she sounded just like Claire. But it couldnt be helped, she happened to really like what she was wearing today and it's all ruined because of HIM. It's just your everyday frilly dress, dark ruffles, she looked like a puddle in heels. Ave Maria has weird taste.


OOC: BTW HIRO-KUN, Your who I ran over, hope you dont mind ^_^

Rue

Senetue was slowly meandering, his eyes locked ahead as he tried to locate some form of life that might be able to point him towards any ancient artifacts. Multiple times has he ran into the fact that over the years pieces of his weapon were put up in museums for their age. Contrariwise it was probably the most annoying thing ever since human 'law enforcement' was annoying with their little metal pinching devices. His eyes darted left to right as he came to a rather small clearing. He felt a familiar burning sensation on his face and when he touched his face he felt the warm liquid leaking from the cuts in his face. "Strange... This only tended to happen when...-" He was quickly cut off by the sensation of some one smashing into him. His body went limp suddenly, body slamming into his back, the sensation of feet stamping the back of his body and the sight of ground quickly slamming into his face.

He groaned softly as he heard some one wiz by, his face kissing the ground at mach five and blood promptly splattering all over the place due to the leaking cuts. His hand slowly pressed against the ground as he slowly lifted himself with a quick twitch and grimace as he saw the small pool of blood. He must have went unconscious for a brief second as he heard a familiar sounding voice yelling out at him from the distance. At least he believes it was directed to him. His eyes slowly looked towards the sound as his neck twitched slightly and he was standing once again with a soft groan. "Son of a-... What the hell..." He began to move towards the sound. One step, two steps and then suddenly he appeared within twelve feet of the figure who had yelled. The motion looking much like he was touching down from a jump as his cape fluttered open and his hat tilted back on his head. Green eyes looked towards the girl, blood dripping from three deep looking gouges in his face. "You must be the one who ran into me... You seem rather... Familiar... Though that doesn't save you from the fact that you smashed into me."

Ave Maria squinted her eyes and gritted her teeth. She eyed the bloody mess she left IT as she called the obstacle she encountered earlier. It looked to her that she had the better end of the deal having no real injuries except a ruined dress and drenched all over with a few bruises here and there. But she chose now out of all time to be Claire-like, if the term even existed.

"It was your fault for standing there!" she pointed behind him stomping on water at the process, she probably meant where he was standing earlier before he lost consciousness for several seconds.

But thinking about what he said, his presence felt familair, she shuffled through Claire's memory to look for clues, but it was as if Claire had put a fire-wall up her brain, the information wasnt available at the moment, this frustrated her even more.

She was so infuriated that she forgot one vital thing, the reason why she was running to begin with.

It was only when an arrow slammed into a tree and making it burst to shreds that she recalled. Another arrow was headed for IT and her hand moved faster than her mouth, throwing a card at the arrow and made it miss target hitting something else.

The card flung stuck on the tree just next to IT. It was one of Claire's trade mark moves, and this was clearly her weapon, but what would he think of it?

Senetue's green eyes remained locked onto Ave Maria, never once wavering for a blink or too gaze at the surroundings which drew the eyes. His hand remained limp at his side as he took another step forward as she pointed and blamed him for standing where she had promptly smashed into him. He sighed softly as he gazed over his shoulder in the direction that she pointed before turning his gaze back onto her. "Technically I was walking... Contrariwise you were the one who ran into me. I don't believe I am so massive that it would be hard to avoid me." He said, his hand flapping his cloak open to reveal his suit like clothing beneath before once again fluttering to stillness against his body. Sure he was rather tall but he wasn't so much wide as he was tall.

His ears twitched slightly as he heard something, his eyes turning towards the arrow as it grazed by and completely obliterated a tree close to them. Before long another was on it's way towards him. He was about to react, his hand nearly darting for his sword just as the card collided with the arrow and sent it off in a different direction. His eyes tracked the card, seeing it stick itself in a tree as gears ground in his head about the familiarity of this person and apparent weapon. Yet the fact that he was being aimed on caused him to move. He was rather quick appearing in front of Ave Maria as he scooped her up onto his only armed shoulder and held onto her with his arm as he leaped away from the area.

"Rather curious... I have a few questions about you... Just who you are... Familiar in a sense that you give off a certain air. Also an answer as to why I am being targeted by these arrows." He said, his voice loud enough for her to hear but soft enough to put out the sense that he was rather neutral with everything. As he moved he leaped, jumping from spot to spot on the ground while bounding off of trees to change trajectory and hopefully lose the one firing the arrows.

She instinctively stepped back from his sudden appearance, one moment he was there the next he was in-front of her, she bared her teeth, hearing the every step the Quincies took, this was their territory after all, and they were trespassing that she had very little choice. "They are Quincy, they shoot whatever they deem evil and call it just." she hissed a little on the end before avoiding an arrow this time aimed for her head. She then disappeared into the woods yelling at him. If you survive. Find me I'll explain everything."

Her sinister laugh echoed the woods coming from different directions, there was no where to track her now.

The Quincies appeared out of nowhere now seeing the first sign of threat before their eyes, they've switched targets. "Look over there! That TALL guy."

They aimed and shot at him.

Now the only clue left as to who she really was lies on the very card which was still stuck on the tree.

{Sea Shore}

It was that dream again, dark gray skies floating in an endless world of sea. He calls for help but his voice reached no one, he swam for hours but fatigue catches him. He allows the current to take him hitting his head over something, he turns to look and see's his reflection, he touched it and looked closely. It was no coincidence he was here, he was put here, and it was not by accident, it was done on purpose, it was not a place he could escape, it was a prison, a giant fish bowl where he should live under the mercy of who ever put him there.

He woke up sun stinging his eyes, short breath, thick sweat coating his skin. Something stung his head, he touched it and it was covered by a makeshift bandage (banana leaves). The smell of blood made him feel nauseous only then realizing he was at the beach.

He was lost, he has never been here before, he then wondered if his team was just near by, but if they were where were they. He attempted to stand but was unable to do so, for some reason his body felt twice as heavy, he felt sick to his stomach.

He lies on his back fighting the urge not to barf. But he was also hungry and thirsty, he wondered how long he was out and had so many more things in mind but his eyelids felt heavier than everything else, he allowed himself to slip into the dream world, hoping the nightmares wont hunt him again.

He sighed as she spoke to him, his green eyes locked onto her as she explained the quincy which whom he knew plenty about already. In his mind they were a bunch of self-righteous humans who believe they can just eliminate anything they want and chalk it up as justice. His eyes tracked her as she moved, disappearing into the woods while leaving him a message off needing survival to be told more. His eyes turned towards the sounds of footsteps, watching the figures appear from the endless woods that surround them. They seemed to target him as he was the only on in the location that could bear any sort of threat towards anything that decided to wander by him. Before he knew it a few arrows were launched his way which he promptly kicked himself into the air. His cloak ripping open to reveal underneath the black and purple suit he wore underneath which bore the number 4 atop a right breast pocket which appeared to contain a pocket watch.

In his mind he knew he stood every chance in fighting these Quincy until the higher ups would decide to come out for fun. Yet he couldn't bring himself to do so with so many questions in his mind. He clicked his tongue as he pushed against the very air under his feet and launched forward. His hand swiped the card up from the tree as he flew by. Landing merely feet in front of the pursuing Quincy, he pushed off once again only to soar over their head and into the opposite direction from which they came. He quickly seemed to fade from sight, leaping from branch to branch, stone to stone with little sight to stop. In his breast pocket along with his pocket watch rested the card as he sought out the crazy girl who he had just met. The only trail being left behind being that of droplets of blood which would surely draw the attention of more than just the Quincy in the woods.

-Afternoon the same day-

Out of options Ave Maria stepped out of the forest back to the beach where she had promised to meet with her sister earlier this day, she had been running non stop, those Quincies were relentless when it came to the likes of her. She only then wondered what had happened to the stranger she met earlier, did IT survive or did IT fall under the arrows of those monsters. She sighs recalling the horrors of having arrows swoon too close to comfort, it was dangerous to play with them, and even more amusing to her to think of it as one at that. A ghost of a smile was visible on her lips as she entered what her sister called the 'safe zone'.

"Keiko! You're finally back!" a loud mouthed woman with wild hair greeted her, she had wild hair tamed into a ponitail, she looked like someone who hadnt bathed for days, or so maybe she didnt, she also wore thick framed eye glasses which she occasionally pushed up with her dirty index finger. "So, are we on the right place?" she asked with a half giggle.

"Yeah, I guess we... err... are... Uhm..." Ave Maria, or as her sister called her, Keiko looked strangely uneasy as she eyed her sister head to toe. "Uhmmm... What's with that get-up?"

Her sister gave her an 'I dont know what you're talking about look' before clapping her hands together. "Alright then, I can inform everyone about them, and maybe we... they can ask for help." then her voice deepens into a cold stoic tone. "Then we can proceed to our mission."

The day seemed to wane as he continued to move through the forest, slithering from branch to branch and ground to ground. A few times he had ran into small groups of quincy who instantly began firing arrows at him when he was spotted which only led him to leaving. He finally came to a halting stop inside one of the many trees which seemed to consume the landscape. His back to the wood as he shifted uncomfortably for a bit before reaching into his vest pocket. From it he produced the card, a familiarity overtook his senses as his eyes merely scanned the card slowly for anything. Something about that girl felt familiar, a nagging sense in the back of his head told him that he knew her. Yet when he tried to remember anyone quite like her he couldn't really come to him. Though with how distant he has been with most things lately it was surprising he even remembered Kyouga. Though the ability to remember him came primarily from pure annoyance.

He sighed when he realized that the card wasn't going to exactly start talking to him and revealing any secrets to him any time soon. With that realization still deep in his mind he merely slipped it back into his vest pocket. His cloak closed in around him, hugging his body tightly as he slowly shifted back into a standing position and resumed his journeying. He resolved to finding her, much as she had told him to do at one point. He began to scan along the woods without much realization that he was skimming along the outskirts of the forest and along the boarder of the beach where the girl was. No one ever did say that he was smart and or had any good sense of awareness.

It was already dark when the 7th district commander summoned him. It appears there were intruders on the island, that of which the higher ups were already aware of, but there were also other things. "Hollows that look like humans?"  He repeated himself dumfounded by the statement. He's never heard of such a thing, of course there were those things they read in books, but to see them here, unless they came here, its almost impossible. "Speil is a controlled environment, there shouldn't be things like those that you say." he shook his head.


But there was another thing, the commander was too silent. "There's something more General." he said.

It struck him how he already knew before he was told. "It appears you nephew has gone missing, together with several others who went on patrol earlier."

Of course, what else could there be. Angrily, the general called his two men and exited the tent, he marched straight out of the gate and into the dark woods. "Don't be hostile, they have him." He warns the two who silently followed him, the Crowe brothers.

From a nightmare he awakens. The sky was dark and not far away he hears voices, conversation exchanged in hush voices, the world was spinning around him as he sat up, there was someone watching him, big curious eyes and a blank expression. Immediately Spark sensed the difference between them, she looked human but more wild, like an animal, she gave him a coconut shell, mouthing the words "Drink" in the most distracting manner possible.

There was something about her, like gravity pulling him towards her, a black hole that closed off everything else. Everything about this encounter was so wrong and his instincts tell him to run, but he doesn't, instead he drinks.

"Thanks." he mouthed still a little confused.

She gave him a faint smile before handing him a sliced mango. Spark took it and feasted on it, he was so hungry, so thirsty he didn't bother checking if it was poisoned or not.

"Thanks" he says again, and for another moment their eyes lock at each other before another woman joins them. "So he awakens."

As he moved along he began to pick up the faint and brief sound of voices which seemed to filter through just a few layers of the woods. The voices caused his eyes to quickly glance in the direction in which they were muttered before quickly darting in a tree. His body completely cased in darkness he merely peered out, half expecting another group of Quincy to wander by. Yet as nothing came he began to wait as he knew voices came from something and what ever or who ever it was might end up being beneficial to him. So he waited, eyes peering in the direction of the beach as he allowed his seemingly death tainted aura to slowly seep into the wooding around him. A feeling of dread to sort of throw off anyone who got a little to close for comfort to him. Though of course stronger beings probably wouldn't be as effected and if they resisted the feelings the aura would make it easier to pin point him. With that note he merely waited, his eyes glued on the card which he had pocketed earlier. Maybe if he was lucky it would be the girl who wandered by eventually. Though he believed it was going to be more likely that a group of quincy would more than likely be the ones to happen by him.