#virtuous-absolute

Mishil practically kicked down the door after returning to the base she resided in--it was unusual certainly, but she currently lived with a lycan and a witch. Given her occupation, it looked even more unusual at first glance, but they all had unique circumstances that brought them together. Rangiku greeted her, in her hands a tome and her smile welcoming. ❝ Ami-chan, welcome back! How was the job?❞ Mishil eased off her coat with a grimace, ❝ I had to hunt down some strigoi, got bit in the arm--.❞ With her jacket off, her strapless-leather tunic revealed, a bandage wrapped around her arm was exposed. She set her crossbow on the hook of the wall, and her bag dropped beside Rangiku's cauldron.

The blonde glanced at the bag curiously and Mishil waved her hand, ❝ Got you some more parts for your brewing, figured you could find some use for them.❞ Rangiku opened the bag after hefting it to the nearby table, and cooed in delight. ❝ Ohh, saves me a shopping trip--Oh don't get too cozy there's another job for you!❞ Mishil glanced back, brows furrowing. ❝ Can I get a shower at least? Jeez, I just got back.❞

Rangiku offered a sympathetic smile, ❝ Sorry Ami-chan, it sounded pretty urgent. Clean up, but Hitsugaya is back too, so maybe you two can team up? There's a missing person involved.❞ Mishil rested her hand on her hip, ❝ Fine, a shower and a feed. Then you can explain the job.❞ Moving up the stairs, Mishil began to unfasten her blade belt, seeing Rangiku wave her off. She knocked on the door, peering him, ❝ Hitsugaya? I'm back. Ran says there's another job we can do? If she's briefed you let me know, I'll be in my room.❞

Continued from [x] with @virtuous-absolute

She was trying to stay calm, and simply nodded when he took his cigarette out. She came here for information, and Nunnally figured out it would not be wise to quarrel about something as simple as a cigarette. Especially that the man in front of her was trying to be polite, not breathing the smoke out anywhere close to them. But Nunnally hated the smell of cigarettes. She took a step backwards. The smoke still caused her to cough, but she managed to suppress it.

( “Come on, Nunnally. Endure it. Your mission here is important! “) 

“I guess you are right. You are in a trap. One wrong move and you might get imprisoned. Perhaps even killed. But I am not your enemy…” – ( “Would he believe her?” ) – “…at least not know. But I need to know: how deadly, how poisonous that thing is? And how difficult is it to make it?”

Her speech was interrupted by another attack of cough…

“You see I know some. But I need to know more. To stop it. Help me. I know you did not have much choice.”

And then it was too much. Nunnally started to cough. Violently…

Heat sizzled from her bronze skin, the surrounding ground scorched from recent fire attacks and chunks of ice razed over the area. A few areas here and there melting into puddles of water. She grasped the red hilt of her Zanpakuto, gasping at the steam that flowed around her. Her reishi was a furnace, her hair appearing redder than before as she tried to steady her breathing. Everything burned. She could hear Houou hissing in her mind, bringing a golden glow to her eyes as she steadied herself.

Her shihakusho had changed with her bankai, wrapping around her in blacks and reds, a long dark skirt flowing past her waist as she moved and straightened. ❝ Captain?❞ Her voice strained and hoarse. Beads of sweat rolled down her jaw as she squinted, trying to see past the mist conjured by the clashing of fire and ice.

She felt so thirsty, but the ice and cold haze helped steady her movements. She'd been practicing how to better control her Zanpakuto and her limitations---she was grateful to her captain for his help, and his patience with her caution to unleashing her abilities. When he did not reply, she took a step forward and more of the cold air hissed, and evaporated as she drew closer. A sharp zing made her arm twitch, and her eyes widened as she saw gold-looking lines--veins?--seemed to glow from her skin, spreading up her arm as she gasped. A hand caught her wrist, immediate ice hissing in contact to her heated skin, and the pain eased.

She focused on her breathing, her Zanpakuto resting on her lap. In her minds eye, she could feel the field of reeds swaying in the breeze. A familiar voice calling to her, Master, my dear Master they crooned. A clawed hand swept at the hair of her cheek, the weight of their build leaning into her back as they enveloped their arms around her shoulders. How cruel Master... Ignoring us now?

Mishil inhaled sharply, jaw tensing. ❝ I'm not...❞ Not intentionally, she wanted to say. The voice laughed, the sound low and soft yet high and excitable. Are you still... afraid? A spark flickered, suddenly landing on one of the reeds. It caught onto another, spreading quickly until flames surrounded her. She saw the bodies of her comrades, bloody and broken--Mishil snapped out of her trance with a sharp gasp, coughing as if she'd inhaled the smoke. Or was it that her reiatsu flaring out? She wiped at her brow, now dotted with sweat.