God Yet Lives

Sab took a second to lay on the floor in pain before stumbling to her feet. As Sab did this Mortal lost her cool entirely and released her Segundo Etepa, though it was missing a gauntlet, a significant chunk of the torso, & half of the sword. Driven only by pure intent to kill Mortal rushed Keter with attack after attack and would not stop unless she was killed, or Mortal lost all means of attack.

--

"The only alternative is that I'm going crazy." Noctis replied, when she couldn't find anything she continued, "Though, in all honesty, it wouldn't really surprise me right now... this hasn't been a good week, and finding out I'm crazy would be the perfect way to end it." She let out a small sigh before relaying her surveillance, "I can't find anything out of the ordinary."

Atsuko's eyes widened as she read the words over Venezuala's shoulder, "This is an old manor that was owned by the Kuchiki family, before the last member was killed by an Arrancar... it seems that it was never repaired. We should probably just go around it... I don't have a good feeling about this place now."

"Well, I can't sleep. If you want you can go back to sleep," Kira mumbled as he stood up. "I'll take a walk around the barracks and get a message to my Division."

"I'm not going to go to sleep after having just voiced concerns about leaving Nel unguarded."

*Noah gives him a look like "How the fuck did you ever become a Captain?"*
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"What, are you afraid of ghosts, or something?"

*Behind them, all of the plants turn into blue energy, which flies off towards Sokyoku Hill.*
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"No...I...I didn't mean to imply...I'm sorry, I just don't want to consider the possibility that that HORRIBLE Hollow is still alive."
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*Keter blocked each strike before flinging Mortal back.*

S"What if I told you I wasn't aiming at you?"

K<What?>

*Keter turns in time to notice a Senkaimon opening behind her. Inside of it, what looks like a train speeding at her. When it impacts her, both she & the Senkaimon disappear in a pillar of impossibly bright white light.*

N<Whelp, guess that's our cue to exit.>

H<We can't flee here! What manner of coward are you?!>

N<Shut up, kid.>

*He grabs Binah & Hod & disappears into a Garganta to Hell. Once she disappears, the forest below turns into blue energy & disappears into the portal with her.*

"Well, technically we are ghosts, but that's not what I meant."
When she saw the forest disappearing, she looked towards Sokyoku Hill and raised an eyebrow.

Kira frowned, "I'm not going too far away, and these enemies of ours don't seem to be the sneaky type anyway."

Kite: <That's nice. Come and get me! Bakudo #9, Horin!>

*Kite hurls his wheel up and it sends down fire whips to ensnare Gevurah along with the energy chain.*

"Tch, I didn't get an answer to my questions."

S"That's probably because she was ignoring you."

*Lilith gets up, dismissing her Hollowfication & heading for where the Garganta previously was.*

S"And where do you think you're going?"

L"Where do you think? To where they took my mom, of course!"

S"And how do you mean to get there? You can't open Gargantas, & even if you could, you wouldn't know where to open one TO. It's not as though you can just clap your boots together 3 times & magically go wherever you want."

*She whirls around.*

L"I'm sure you know! You could take me!"

*When he doesn't answer, she draws her Zanpakuto, releases her Shikai, & points it at him.*

L"I'll MAKE you take me!"
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*Light engulfs Gevurah's feet & he rushes past all of that, swinging his sword at Kite's back & sending an arc of fire at him. Nearby, the forest disappears in a torrent of blue energy heading skyward.*
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*Noah's look deepens, but he says nothing.*
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"So, these Kuchikis were pretty rich, huh? You think there's still anything still inside?"

"Calm down. If you act irrationally it'll do more harm than good."

Mortal was about to get up and continue the assault, but Keter was plowed by the cleaner, leaving her with nothing but anger and nothing to take it out on. As her concentrated anger began to fray and lose focus Mortal lost control of her Segundo Etepa and reverted back to normal. She turned to Sab to see her laid out on the floor with one of the soul reapers over her using some green kido. Not knowing what she was doing Mortal dragged herself over to the two of them and put a hand around the back of Atae's neck. "What are you doing to her?" She asked wholly exhausted.

"I'm doing my best to heal what wounds she has," Atae answered without stopping. "I'll get to you next once I'm done with her."

Mortal released Atae, and sat down next to Sab, who had seemed to pass out. After a moment Mortal stood and looked for Aroma to make sure she was well. It was at that time she noticed Lilith, "Listen, no one is letting them get away, I can assure you that. Chasing them right now though will only get everyone killed. Besides, do you think you could kill your mother, because she is on their side, whether you like it or not."

--

Noctis waved her hands in an attempt to calm Euryale, "Its alright, I didn't mean to make you upset. I agree, believe me I agree... Still, I can't see anything, and I only thought I heard something, which could have been anything." She said. Noctis walked over to their room and turned to Euryale from the doorway, "I'm gonna go watch TV, I need to calm down."

"If you're suggesting we loot what's left inside their manor then I suggest you reconsider," Atsuko sighed as she turned her head from the sight of the forest disappearing. "I would think it's against the law, which would mean I would have to arrest you... or someone else would."

Kira stood up and left.
"Stay up and guard her then," he called over his shoulder in an agitated voice. "The forest seems to be disappearing and I'm heading back to my barracks."

"No one's going to miss it. And no offense to her, but Taiyo lives in a shack. She could use the money."
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"Very well."

*After he walked for a while, a blade shot towards him out of some half-demolished house.*
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*Lilith goes straight into her second Hollow form & opens her mouth, charging a Cero at Mortal. Senthose jabs her in the back of the neck, & as she loses consciousness, the Hollowfication dissolves.*

S"Alright, that's enough of that."

U<I was unaware you knew the Cleaner's schedule.>

S"There are many things I know that you do not. I highly doubt that the Cleaner finished her off for good. We will need to figure out a way to destroy her, & then probably invade Hell. Do you know where Urahara is?"

*Aroma pulls on his sleeve.*

S"Oh, right, I suppose I should also ask you to heal Mortal."

U<I am afraid I cannot help you with either of those. Some wounds, unfortunately, cannot be healed by Kido.>
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"Umm...do you mind if I join you?"

"I... well, I can't stop you, but I won't help you."

Kira tore out his own blade and deflected the attack, "Who goes there?!"

"Tsk, figures." Mortal responded. Taking a seat, Mortal asked, "How do you think we're going to get into hell? I've never been there, but I can't imagine that it is a hospitable place. Also, is anyone else wondering where Ven and Nel are in all of this?"

--

Noct looks at Euryale for a few seconds before replying, "If you want to, I guess."

*Another blade seems to separate from the deflected one & slash into his arm. He hears footsteps running away in the house.*
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"Umm...on second thought, maybe I'll just go for a walk."
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"Alright, let's do this!"

*She trots into the mansion. Inside, the bannisters on the stairways are all broken, & the roof is partially caved in, with a support beam sticking into the ground in front of them. There is only a thin stream of light coming in from the roof, everything else is pitch black. Atsuko hears some hissing & sees a snake slithering away from where Ven almost stepped onto it in the darkness.*
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U<Captain Odersvhank was injured in battle. She is currently being guarded by Captain Deluge.>

S"It is likely that, excluding the Unforgivens themselves, only Urahara knows more about Hell than I do. That is why we need to find him. As for Venezuela, I can feel her Reitsu off in the distance, she is a little banged up but otherwise alright."

Noct furrows her eyebrows, "Alright, I guess you didn't want to."

--

"I know, I can sense her as well, that is my point. Why wasn't she here trying to fight these bastards too? I swear, some people grow so lazy during times of peace."

"Maybe she was fighting her own battle? Wait... Nel? As in Neliel Tu Odersvhank? She's a captain here?" Yue sealed his release.

Maybe I should pay her a visit... maybe she can answer some of my questions...

"Would it be alright if I visited her Miss...?" he asked Unohana both if he could see Nel and for the 4th division captain's name.

*Euryale tries to say something, but just hangs her head & stands there. Noctis hears the voice again, this time realizing that there's something familiar about it.*

<That's right, you know she doesn't care about you. No one ever did. Least of all that harlot.>
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U<HEAD CAPTAIN Unohana. And I'm afraid not.>

"It is unlikely she knew much of anything about the situation until the forest dissolved. With that said, Urahara should eventually head back to the Squad 12 barracks. That is where I will be going."

U<You should go with an escort. Or else you will probably be attacked.>

*She whips out the manta ray again.*

Noctis furrows her brow even deeper, "Well, say something. Do you want to go?" When she hears the voice she is entirely resigned to the fact that she has gone insane, especially now that it sounds familiar, though she cannot place where. "If you want me I'll be in our room." She said turning, and walking into the room. While slamming the door would have made for a better exit, she didn't want to shut the door.

--

Mortal takes this time to look for Aroma to see if she was alright.

Kira winced and took a step back, gripping the fresh wound.
"Sokatsui!" He yelled, blasting the blue fire into the front of the house. "Identify yourself!"

Atsuko shivered, "I don't like snakes... I don't like being in here. Do we have to do this?"

"Head Captain Unohana then, I want to ask her some questions... about..." Yue pauses.

"What I should do."

*Euryale goes over to a cabinet & digs out a binder marked "Precious Memories" because it's cliche. Going over to the couch, she flips a few pages--there aren't many photographs in it. She turns to a picture of her & Noctis in front of her house. She puts a hand on the photo, & then the page begins to glow. Still looking confused, she flips a few pages back & repeats this process with a picture of of a dark-skinned Asian man with short, dishevelled red hair & a flat-chested middle-eastern woman with & shoulder-length, brown hair holding a baby.*
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U<I do not see how she could possibly answer those questions.>

*Seeing her, Aroma approaches.*

A"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help. Are you alright?"

S"(Of course. At every turn, the touchy-feely crap delays my agendas.)"

U<(And what will you do, once there's no one left to hold you back?)>

"Because she's an arrancar who fights for a reason... I... I don't have a reason to fight. Ever since I became an arrancar I've been plagued by it. This nagging sense of doubt. I don't feel the need to eat souls anymore. What is my purpose? Why should I fight? I want to ask her those questions. I feel like she might have the answer or at least can help me find it."

Noct sits in bed, and flips on the TV. Her arms are folded and she has a scowl... well, a worse than normal scowl. Still, every few seconds she looks at the open doorway, hopefully. When she doesn't see Euryale come through she refolds her arms and goes back to watching TV, only to repeat the process.

--

Mortal smiled, and shook her head, "Its alright, you didn't need to do anything." She said, "And yea, I'm fine." She could hear Sab calling her a liar in her head.

*Unohana starts to say something.*

S"That's moronic. You're a moron."

A"We should find some place she can rest. Does this Squad 12 place have anything like that?"

S"Barracks? No, probably not."

*He rolls his eyes.*
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*She closes the album & slides it back in her place before heading into the kitchen. Where she proceeds to make 2 mugs of hot chocolate & carry them to the bedroom.*

Noct looks at Euryale, waiting for her to say something.

--

"I told you, I'm fine, but I should probably take Sab home."