~Going in blind.~

Mikiru relaxes at Kurai's words noticing the the 'statue'. "... ah... I see.... ok... fine.." he relaxes and watches intently.

"I'm okay"

shin answered looking at his left arm then faces shiro.

"Wha?! Man, how'd you get here if you're still blindfolded?"

Blinded by anger Altria remains focused on the Hollow only,stopping near its pinned form.It laughs mockingly."What now twerp?Nothing you do will bring them back to life." Lifting her left hand she gathers spirit energy around it,"Be quiet!Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo #9-Geki." The Hollow gets engulfed in a red light,completely paralyzed. Tsukiyomi's voice echoes in her mind.'Use Kiyomemasu.It is a fitting punishment for it.I'll help.' Nodding silently in agreement Altria lifts her zanpakuto and plunges it deeply into the Hollows chest. "Kiyomemasu (purify),Tsukiyomi." The blade glows brightly,silver runes slowly beginning to turn black.Her spirit energy rises up,pouring into the zanpakuto,for a moment there's an outline of someone standing behind her then it's gone..Bound by kido the Hollow can neither move nor shriek,slowly it begins fading from view,disappearing in a bright flash as the last rune turns black.Standing still for a few moments she turns around and heads towards Shiro and Shin.

Shiro gets up nodding at shin when he says he's fine, and then turns to face Altria's direction, "..... what... just happened? the hollow was... just .... what??" he seems confused. *and still hasn't taken off his blindfold*

She reaches out and pulls off Shiro's blindfold,looking at him blankly."No point to wear this now." Wobbling slightly she takes a seat on a boulder."I purified it.It's Tsukiyomi's special ability.If the blade is cutting into anyone with Hollow reiatsu he'll try to purify them.Normally,it only causes pain but if I boost it like just now..it can completely purify a Hollow.It's not worth it usually,takes a huge amount of spirit energy.But,"she looks a the statues grimly,"that thing deserved pain for doing this."

"..." Shiro looks down then goes to sit down next to Altria. "... I'm sorry.... for the other shinigami.... who weren't so fortuneate." He winces in pain, his shoulders are still burning. "nhg..."

"My,my,that is certainly a very interesting ability you have there." There's a shimmer around a statue of a Hollow and it disappears,Akkei sitting on big rock showing in it's place.She smiles,looking extremely happy for some reason.Lifting her hat she does a mock bow before putting it back on."Greetings,little shinigami."

Shiro jumps up and stands infront of Altria defensively drawing his kunai, as if expecting an attack. "What do you want?!" he winces again as the burning now spreads to his back.

Altria nods silently,wincing.Her zanpakuto glows and reverts to
unreleased state,having no more energy to sustain shikai.At Akkei's voice she jumps up,raising her blade."You!What do you want!"

Mikiru seems a bit surprised to see Akkei, but then Tatsutahime glows again this time brighter. "Tatsu-san....." He tries to get the scythe to stop glowing but it refuses to dim. "damn it...."

"My,that's no way to greet someone." Akkei waves her hand,"You can relax,I didn't come here to battle." Looking at where Mikiru and Kurai are she sighs before raising her voice."You two had better have a good explanation this time!"
~Kurai~
Kurai chuckles,"Guess our cover's blown."

Mikiru steps out and goes to stand near Akkei. "my apologies.... i have no excuses." He glances over at altria, and his eyes widen. "oh.... it's you again...." he smirks. *note his reiatsu is acting up with the occasional hollow reiatsu tinting it*

"How long have you been here Mistress?" Kurai walks out,stopping near the boulder Akkei's on."Just a little less then you two.It didn't take long to notice your absence.""You said to keep an eye on,which is exactly what I did.Besides,you can't expect poor Mikiru-kun to remain sitting still.Cut him some slack." She looks at him inquiringly,"Oh really?I do believe I also added something about staying put.Do you know how irritating it is to have your work interrupted by a babbling,hysterical nurse going on about you two disappearing?Well,no matter." Still smiling happily she waves one hand,"I'll let it go.No,I should even be thanking you."

At the sight of Mikiru her reiatsu flares brightly to life.Though depleted,silver strands wrap around her hands.Stepping reflexively in front of Shiro she looks at Mikiru with angrily sparkling,narrowed eyes."So you're still alive,trash.I was hoping you dropped off dead after running off."

halfway done healing himself. shin stops and stands up and draws his zanpakuto.

"Of all times, huh?"

Shiro seems somewhat confused but somehow something about Mikiru seems to jog something in his memory. "ung!" Shiro seems pained and puts his right hand to his forehead, "uhg... why... what.. are these... visions.. uhg!" a burning pain rushes through Shiro's body, almost causing him to black out.

Mikiru laughs mockingly at Altria, "HaHaHaHa! You honestly think you'd be able to kill me? Ha!" *his reiatsu changes and is beginning to appear more hollow like* He smiles evilly at Altria, " I'm surprised you're not crying like a little kid anymore.... finally realized he's gone?" he snickers slightly, his left right eye is beginning to darken slightly.

Glancing back at Shiro in worry she glowers at Mikiru,clutching Tsukiyomi tightly."I don't need to think it.You were the one running of like a coward!Little kid?It's called having a heart."

"coward?" he laughs again in a mocking tone. "Heh heh.... at least.... I didn't stand on the sidelines and let my comrade die.." he laughs again, his right eye turns darker, and tatsutahime begins to glow a pale pink color. "It must be hard.... knowing that... he died because of your own inability to yourself and those around you.... as I said before.... He died.. saving one pathetic shinigami, for nothing." he smiles malevolently and snickers.

A furious expression flickers across her face before it goes blank."Say what you want,in the end you know and understand nothing.Must be hard,being empty trash."

Mikiru is unfazed by Altria's comment. ".... heeeeeeeeeeh.... in your heart.... you know those words to be true..... heeeeeeeeeeeh...." *his reiatsu is now mostly hollow, and his right eye is now black and the color part dark amber*

seeing mikiru's appearance and changes..

(in thought)
"He's more different than before..but..there should be something I could do this time..can't let things happen twice"

"In my heart..what would you know of it." Altria rubs her tingling right eye,smiling coldly. "Yes,I was weak.I could not help niisan then and I couldn't save Shiro now,no matter how hard I tried.But,"she lifts Tsukiyomi higher, resolve showing in her eyes."Whatever we wish,the past cannot be changed, only the future.I will not allow those things to happen anymore." Noting his changed eye she smirks mockingly,"Of course,you know all about weakness and being pathetic yourself.Allowing that thing to take over like that and fight your battles."

Half listening Akkei seems to be considering something.'This girl,it was her spirit energy mixed into Mikiru's wounds.It's all starting to make sense now,why didn't I see it sooner?I've found the catalyst and most importantly,I found the missing key.It's all a matter of changing the structure of the formula now and applying it to practice.' Noting Mikiru's changing reiatsu she sighs."Now,now,children.Let's not fight so,it's quite petty." Jumping down from her perch she lands between Mikiru and Kurai."Mikiru-kun,may I borrow your right arm for a moment?"

Mikiru glances over but doesn't seem to notice Akkei. "hmph...."