Diosa Arc: Death's Scent on the Wind

It was quiet. Night had long since fallen, the full moon floating high in the heavens. No one at all would expect what was about to happen.

"AAAAAGGHHH!" A bloodcurdling scream split the night, and slashing sounds were heard. Blood splattered onto the ground, and the blood's former owner fell to the ground with a thump. The silhouette of a man was visible, sheathing his sword.

"It's been far too long..." He thought.

The calm, stern voice of another sounded in his ears.

"Are you having fun going a little rogue, Grimmjow?"

It was the voice of Shikaku, his figure standing a few ways off from behind him. He had his arms folded within his sleeves. Through his glasses, his eyes were leveled in a glare towards the Arrancar's direction. Slowly, he began to step forward, keeping his stare leveled at Grimmjow. As he got closer, the wind seemed to pick up, seeming to awaken upon his actions. Or... was that his spiritual pressure? Was it exerting itself in a manner that made it seem so natural? One thing was for sure, though; it radiated of a growing irritation.

Grimmjow's job had been only to monitor the situation.

Shikaku's job? Keeping a leash on him.

"Oh, it's you old man." Grimmjow looked away from his kill to look at the "older" Arrancar. "I thought I ditched you sometime back."

"You know very well Diosa wouldn't set you loose just like that...." Shikaku answered calmly, turning to walk past Grimmjow and towards the corpse. He bent down to a squatting level, inspecting it. "Do you have any idea what you've just done? I blame this poor fool for being out so late, but you had no business in his demise. You were supposed to be scouting this area, not murdering anyone you please!"

"He was...in the way." Grimmjow sad lightly. "Besides, as long as I'm out, I'll do as I please. Diosa said scout the area. She never said I couldn't enjoy myself while I was at it."

Ugh.... why did she have to pick this man, of all people?

Shikaku stood back up. "Enjoy yourself? Well, this little bout of fun is over." He answered, turning away from the body to fix his gaze back onto the former Sexta. "You can start cleaning up this little mess."

"And if I refuse?"

Defiant to the core. Shikaku had to give him credit for his stubborn nature. But did he not realize who he was talking to? He extended a hand towards the man. His face was now contorted with a a mild exasperation, tired of the man's defiance. "Punishment, of course. But, as of now, I'll only have to give you a... small... fraction of what's to come if you refuse to follow my orders." All he had to do was close his eyes....

...and focus that spiritual pressure carried within his body upon Grimmjow's.

Grimmjow's eyes squinted for a second, and a grunt escaped him under the force of the spiritual energy. But this was nothing compared to what Aizen's had been before. He hissed. "You're going to have to do better than that geezer." His tone was defiant, despite the apparent strain the spiritual pressure was putting on him.

"You've got nothing to fear, you brat. I'm just getting started...."

With that, Shikaku continued to increase the pressure on him, his spiritual pressure becoming even more prominent. The increase was only just slow enough to be considered torturous, even to Grimmjow's Hierro-hardened body. At his will, the Sexta could be completely crushed, his organs flattened, and his body nothing but crushed skin, blood, and bone. It would be like steel plates being pressed onto a trapped victim's chest, the torture method of pressing all over again.... but Diosa would possibly be angered at him for killing one of her tools....

And that wouldn't teach him the lesson needed.

In order for his insubordinate to learn it, he had to remain alive.

"Shi.." But before the spiritual pressure could take it's intended effect, Diosa herself appeared, in the middle of the two of them.

"May I ask, what is going on?" Her tone was cold.

A frown came across Shikaku's face. "A lesson for this violent adolescent." He answered smoothly, letting up onto the pressure completely in order to concentrate on Diosa. His gaze remained even. "He committed an unauthorized killing, and refuses to destroy the evidence after I clearly ordered him to. The boy just doesn't learn when one asks nicely..."

Diosa looked over at the body Grimmjow had mutilated. "I see." She sighed. "While Grimmjow was definitely out of line, but I can't have you destroying his body yet Shikaku. I need him for this task."

"Oh, rest assured, I intended not to destroy." Shikaku simply folded his arms within his sleeves, his eyes drifting towards the fallen Grimmjow. "But, very well."

"Bastard." Grimmjow hissed, forcing himself to his feet. "I'll rip you to shreds."

Diosa tsked. "Not now Grimmjow. The both of you can settle this later. Now, I have to ask you, is this the first time you've done this since I sent you on patrol?"

"No." Grimmjow replied. "This is the second kill I've made."

A moment of silence.

Then, Shikaku promptly pulled out a hand from his sleeve to slap to his face. "Second....?" He repeated, the aggravation clear in his voice. A low growl resonated within his throat. "You are walking on thin ice, boy!!" Had Diosa not been there, he would've gladly taken his sword and ended his life right then and there. But, as she said, he had a purpose.... though he could only imagine what...

A distance away.... a little spy was keeping watch.

A soldier, lying prone on his stomach and hidden on the roof of a nearby building, was keeping a close watch onto the three. He was using the scope of his sniper rifle in order to record every action and movement, and a piece of his equipment were amplifying the sounds they made so that he could hear them clearly. He raised a hand to click onto his earpiece. "This is Tomahawk reporting in to the Commander, do you read?"

"I read you loud and clear...." A voice from the other end said. "You've got the targets?"

"Roger. They're at section D4 of the city." Tomahawk reported. "And they're standing right by a fresh kill....they don't look too happy about somethin', either...."

Diosa sighed. "The second? I see..." She frowned. "If that's the case, and you didn't destroy the evidence, they could very well know that we, or at least you, are here. That could prove to be problematic."

"Yeah..." Tomahawk continued to speak into the headphone. "It sounds like the white-haired girl and that old man're calling the shots here... nearly got my ass crushed by all of that pressure they were exerting."

"That's why we're choosing not to engage them head-on, and why you're not performing an execution mission instead of a scouting mission. If those two are the leaders, then they're going to be your targets. Aim for one of your choice and plant a tracker." This caused the sniper to nod, bringing his eye to look down the scope of the rifle in order to aim.

"Grimmjow, you will be punished for this, but not is certainly not the time." Diosa said, her hand in her hair. "And, Shikaku, kindly refrain from injuring the troopers until the operation is over."

Shikaku huffed, promptly turning away from Grimmjow to look upon Diosa once more. "As long as you wish, he will be spared pain." He answered. "Hopefully by then, he will know his place..."

Grimmjow growled, but Diosa held up a hand to silence him. She flicked her finger towards the body Grimmjow had killed, completely erasing it. "Shikaku, Grimmmjow and I will be leaving. If you don't mind, could you clean up the rest of the trash?"

"Sure."

POP!

Tomahawk had taken the shot.

Pulling the trigger, he discharged what looked like a small orb heading at bullet-speed towards the girl. It landed within her arm, immediately sinking towards the surface. "Got 'er." He whispered.

"Good job. Head back to the rondevous point."

Grinning in satisfaction, Tomahawk prepared to get up--

WHAM!

Before he knew it, a weight slammed into the side, cracking several of his ribs. He lost ahold of his rifle, eyes widening in shock and in pain as he tumbled alongside the ground only to crash into one of the house walls. "G...gah!!!" Instincts kicking in, he attempted to force himself to stand, only for his attacker to pounce on him. Grabbing him by the neck, the strange figure raised a fist in the air and swung it into the man's head.

His world went black, and red splattered the ground once again.