‘The human world’ Eva groaned in her head. It was so very noisy. Full of food, yet so few were worth anything at all. Then there were those nasty ones, who wore black and carried the pointy metal. She hated those most of all. Still it would suffice for now, if only she could find a meal that is.
She moved forward toward the nearest concentration of spiritual energy she could sense, in no real rush given the setting sun. Darkness would only be a home advantage for her, so avoiding a commotion went hand in hand with taking her time.
She paused.
Something smelt good. It was distinctive, perhaps a human with latent spiritual powers. She changed course, heading towards the source, which seemed to be under the large bridge. She smirked to herself greedily, already envisioning taking her time to devour the tasty morsel.
Diomedes of the 1st Division was on Earth, it was such a strange thing to be back. There was humans everwhere, living, breathing humans. None of them could see him, for he was a Shinigami. He knew this was the way of things, watching the people move about their lives would have brought him a great sense of serenity if it wasn't for the fact he was on Earth with a very important task.
Protecting these people from the many dangers that beset them, dangers they couldn't even see. Eventually he became aware of one of those such threats. A hollow. He was no master Hollow slayer just yet, but there was only one way to become one. Putting some distance between himself and the city center he made his way ever so slightly to the outskirts, less people were be at risk.
It was under a bridge that he took his refuge, waiting to pounce from the spot like a crouching tiger. Then....it got close. With a military precision practiced oh-so-much in his mortal life he wanted until the last possible moment before springing. One hand shot out, a pair of fingers pointing towards the incoming quarry.
"Byakurai!" roared the 1st Division Shinigami, as a beam of lightning exploded from under the bridge towards the snaking beast of a hollow.
The white-blue lightning came out of seemingly no where crashing into Eva who flinched in her vain attempt to dodge. Her skin seared from the blow, she wailed out loudly. It burnt!
She bolted forward, darting around one of the pillars away from the shinigami, only to swing around the opposing side from as high as she could. She came crashing down upon him her claws ready for a vicious strike. She aimed a rapid slash for his mid section.
Clever enough not to allow herself to become fully committed to fighting a bladed enemy, she just as hasitily snapped back towering over the shinigami, looking down on him with anger, her skin still smouldering and stinging. She brought her trail around the other size of the pillar, the spikes which coated it turned black and grew a little. She rose the tail between them threateningly. Her teeth gritted she testily waiting for the next movement before making her own.
The beast's ear ache inducing wail was all he needed to know he had heard it, but his own eyes witnessing his lightning strike true was something he was glad enough to have seen. But hallow's were so rarely willing to roll over and die, if one did not destroy it then it would come at him again. Surely enough it did. The fiend came down upon his like a wicked wave with its claws out to bear.
Both instinct and training kicked in and the Soul Slayer moved to avoid, it was a less then acceptable attempt however. Had he been any slower it was likely it would have torn his gut right open, he was lucky to get away with a mere graze to his gut. Even worst, his attire would require mending. There was a task he hated.
With teeth gritting in frustration and a wince of pain just leaving him his hand took the handle of his oh-so-familiar weapon of choice. The silver bladed katana was drawn and ready to be put to lethal use. "My, my....you're an ugly one. I've walked away from a toilet and left better looking things then you." His thumb flicked at his nose for a moment and he smiled a taunting smile at the thing before springing back into the attack.
He was as talented with his hands as he was his sword, so with a series of slashes hoping to throw the Hollow off itself, he hoped to disarm the thing for a moment so he could aim a strike at its face.
Eva allowed herself a smirk at the trickle of blood she saw emerging from the gap in his clothing. He had stung her, now the favour was returned, and she loved it. She eyed the weapon carefully, being witness many times to why it was called a zanpakutou. She had not the toughness to withstand a slash if she was caught directly.
“Eh?!” she stammered at his insult. But had no time to remain offended as he quickly followed up the insult, with an assault. She screamed in fury shooting her pointed tail at him directly having just bolted back from a slash toward her body. She then quickly weaved to the opposite side make another slash hoping her tail attack would distract him from his other side, or otherwise preoccupy him enough for her manoeuvre to be successful, or perhaps at least without dire consequence.
Again, utilising the knowledge that remaining in striking range of the bladed foe would result in her demise, she continued her movement, moving diagonally from his right from where she attack to his left out of the range of his angry metal. Her long tail followed but curved around to his right, if she could trap him between herself she would survive, if she got luck maybe even an exceptionally tasty snack.
The Hollow was a frisky thing, dodging his attack more successfully then he had managed to avoid its claw. The first division Shinigami wouldn't be allowing it anymore leeway, fun and games would get him nowhere with this creature. Its tail came down upon him with killing intent, but as ready as it was for him so too was he ready for it. Leaping backwards from his feet Diomedes arc through the air, one hand free of his soul weapon came to the ground and pushed away. He sprang back to into the air and back further still.
The weapons of the enemy were many, even a single foe could unleash a wide variety of natural weapons when one was faced with a Hollow. He had no intention of allowing this fiend to encircle him with his primal flanking tactics. He had been a soldier in life and he was a Shinigami in death, he would be no easy prey. If it would not afford him the luxury of of a fixed position to strike from then he would need to fight a mobile battle. Hit and run. Diomedes could do that.
His springing backflips came to an end having put some distance between the thing and itself before the blonde Shinigami broke into a charge towards the Hollow, a zig zag rush. The light bounced off his weapon as he spun it around, twisting and curving around his form as he hoped to distract the beast. He would not give it the luxury of running back into striking distance of its scorpion like tail attacks.
His sword was put to its sheath as he came close to the beast, hands striking a number of well practiced poses, fingers outstretched and fist to palms before he jumped not towards the things but to vault over it. As his upside down form arced over the Hollow his hand extended towards it and he growled out "Byakurai," once again the blue and white lightning erupted from his finger tips and eager came down towards the beast. He had hoped for it to come down on its head, its face if it followed his movements intently. As he sailed over however, he prepared and landed in a position of one dropped knee. His hands frantically running through a series of motion based components before "Seki!" escaped his dry mouth.
A round shield formed around the Shinigami and he returned his attentions to the Hollow, not that it had ever lost them. It had thus far relied on physical strikes, hopfully it would follow up and find itself a victim to his paralyzing and repelling Hado.
Eva snapped backwards to avoid the mans confusing assault. The zig zagging motion was an unseen approach, so she dare not risk an interception. She found herself at the as far back as her tail would permit without sacrificing balance. Distracted by this she did not see him bolt past her tail leaping above her. Her eyes widened as she recognised the hand gesture. Growling with indignant rage he would try it again her wings flared, creating a weak barrier between the two, her eye locked intensely with his before the red curtain separated them.
Taking iniative herself this time she dropped, and swung her entire tail with all the force she could muster at where he was due to land. The familiar blue/white light filled the area, though it’s direct blinding aspect was negated by her wings, she was again feeling a painful sear on her body. Smoke steaming from her wings. Growling menacingly behind her tightly gritted teeth she poured her anger into her oncoming tail attack.
She noticed himself consumed by a strange shield of sorts. But she was acting on pure rage now. Intent on smashing through it she only made the effort to swing even harder. Her black thorn-like tail primed to inflict maximum damage to the nasty little man.
Immediately after the attack she intended swing back and away, to investigate the result of her attack and to maintain a distance from him.
