Training Gone Horribly Wrong (Elise)

"For this exercise, you will be returning to Earth."

The rookies of Squad 8 were standing in a small room, each one quivering - some with fear, some excitement. When they had been summoned from their beds in the middle of the night, they had feared the worst. Now that they were awake, albeit only just in some cases, their mentors - Weiss caught a glimpse of Shiro looking smug - had broken the good news. At the front of the room paced an older shinigami, looking to be at least 40 in human terms. It appeared to Weiss as though he oversaw the training of the newest squad members. He was evidently used to giving these instructions, for he had paused to allow them to whisper excitedly for a moment.

Earth! How long had it been? Weiss could remember it as if it was yesterday; the smells, the sights, the sounds. Returning to Earth already, even if just for a training exercise, was enough to push even his sensibilities out of the realm of calm and into pure excitement. Beside him Kitty, his temperamental partner, was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Settle down," he murmured. She glared at him, but was muted when the shinigami who was instructing them echoed his words. Silence passed over them and their further instructions were given.

"You will be visiting Rome. We have received reports of spiritual activity in the area. You will be split into pairs and each assigned an area. Your duty is to scout this area for anything unusual. If you see a Hollow, you are not to engage. Simply report back to us and we will deal with it." Nods from everyone except Kitty, until Weiss elbowed her in the ribs. She nodded, reluctantly.

"Good. Follow me."

---

"What do you think it is?"

Kitty had been talking constantly since they had been assigned their areas. Weiss was currently leading the way to the Trevi Fountain, although they were taking the rooftops rather than the streets. Rome wasn't empty, even at night, and it was safer to avoid the general public if they wanted to spot anything unusual.

"If it's a Hollow, I think we should be allowed to take it. It's not fair to bring us out here just to watch. Not real experience, is it? I could take a Hollow easily-" Weiss turned and clamped his hand over Kitty's mouth.

"With the way you're shouting, you'll scare off everything this side of the Atlantic," he whispered. "This is a scouting mission. They want to see that we can be quiet, stealthy, alert, and most importantly that we can follow instructions. Do you want to get shipped back out to the Rukongai?" Kitty frowned. "I didn't think so. Be. Quiet." He emphasised this last word with a hiss. When he withdrew his hand, Kitty stuck her tongue out but wisely remained silent.

There. The fountain was now directly below them. Weiss lay flat on the roof, his eyes scanning the area. So far it seemed clear; he couldn't sense any unnatural amount of spiritual energy. It made sense to use low level shinigami to find the cause of unusual energy; higher level ones would be far too noticeable with their energy output.

He motioned for Kitty to watch the east side of the bustling area below them. He set his gaze on the western half and set his hands on the rooftop to steady them. At least, he mused as he watched, they had one of the more attractive venues to scout.

"We'll wait an hour here," he said in a low whisper to Kitty. "This seems like an attractive spot for anything sinister. After that, we'll cover the alleys, then report back." She nodded, sharp eyes darting back and forth as she took in the sights below. Weiss watched to make sure she was paying attention, then resumed his close scrutiny.

Rome. Once, in a life that was near forgotten, Elise had dreamed of visiting the ancient city, of strolling along its beautiful boulevards and perhaps enjoying the simple joy of sampling the famous cuisine in the company of that special someone. Yet now she gazed upon the Trevi rione with eyes that saw the world differently; with eyes coloured by hate and hunger, with eyes that saw none of the beauty of the city or its inhabitants. Poisoned by four hundred years of hatred, she saw only a city full of prey, a feasting ground within which she could harvest the spiritual energy she so desperately sought.

But where to begin? Such was always the problem, was it not? When presented with a banquet, which dish did one sample first?

From amidst the gargoyles atop the Palazzo Poli, an ancient palace at the heart of the Trevi rione, the winged Hollow let her gaze wander hungrily across the piazza below. The streets were busy, cramped and crowded as scores of mortals made their way through the city. Most such mortals were beneath her notice; they were ants, and had little enough spiritual energy that even the weakest Hollow would likely ignore them. But some, a small fraction of the crushing crowds, were aglow with spiritual energy, and Elise eyed these scarce few individuals carefully, knowing that she would have to make her choice wisely; once she seized one, the others would scatter and flee, terrified by her monstrous aspect. Who to pick, then? The dark haired man in the open shirt? His energy was certainly impressive. But what about the women on the scooter he was so clearly watching? She too resonated with energy. Or the girl who stood in the shadow of the Palazzo, staring at a map in evident bewilderment? This last one was easily the weakest of the three, yet somehow her energy seemed by far the sweetest. Perhaps it was because she appeared to be living out the dreams death had denied Elise, or perhaps it was that her energy was fresh and untainted. Whatever reason, she was the one; the Hollow's chosen prey.

Rising to a crouch, Elise flexed her wings, readying herself to spring from her place amidst the gargoyles, only to freeze in place as a spike in spiritual pressure flashed through her awareness.

What...?

Whirling, the Hollow fixed her gaze on a not so distant rooftop. That had been the source, she was sure of it. But what did that mean? Was someone watching her? Or was it just another Hollow stalking for prey in the ancient city? Neither option was particularly appealing; hungry as she was, Elise desired neither conflict nor competition, merely the opportunity to consume the spiritual energy of those mortals unlucky enough to stray into her path. Still, she couldn't simply continue as though she hadn't sensed the energy. No, fate had offered her the gift of awareness for a reason, and she wasn't about to squander that gift. Which her only option was to confront the unseen watcher.

So it was that, without another wasted moment, the Hollow shifted herself and lunged forward, launching herself into the void above the piazzo. It was time to meet her uninvited guests.

Nothing. He watched as people arrived, tossed coins into the fountain, laughed and joked, met their friends, proposed, broke up. It was bustling with life, and for the briefest moment Weiss was jealous of them. He would have loved the opportunity to bring Alba some place like this. She would have splashed in the fountain, tossed all the coins he had, run riot through the crowds and thoroughly enjoyed. There was a small girl down there now, chasing her brother across the road, and he smiled at her fondly.

"All quiet," Kitty said, sounding grumpy. "Typical."

"We've not been here long," Weiss said, rolling his eyes at her impatience. "What exactly would you do if you came across a Hollow, anyway?"

"I'd kill it, obviously!" Kitty leapt to her feet, oblivious of his shushing motions, shaking off his arm as he attempted to pull her back down. "I'd slaughter it!" She began making slashing motions in the air, dancing across the rooftop. Weiss' palm hit his face.

"Kitty, you're going to attract every Hollow in Europe with the noise you're making!" he hissed. "Stop that!" She did, though she pulled a face at Weiss.

"I'm bored," she whined. "I want some action. Some adventure. Not just... people watching! We're shinigami, we should be killing Hollows, rescuing souls!"

Weiss sat up. He opened his mouth to answer Kitty, but frowned. Something wasn't right... He looked back down at the fountain, but the people seemed content. Nothing was amiss there.

"Koenig?" Kitty leant over his shoulder, following his gaze. "What's wrong?" Weiss contemplated telling her the translation of his surname in order to see her face when she realised she kept calling him king, but the strange fluctuation in spiritual energy distracted him again. He stood up and surveyed the fountain. Slowly his gaze rose, taking in the buildings, the rooftops, and then at last the sky, where a shadow was slowly descending.

"Hollow!" he screamed, wrapping his arms around Kitty's waist and flinging them away from the edge of the building and out of the Hollow's path. They rolled over into the shadows. Weiss pinned Kitty to the ground, secured his hand firmly over her mouth, and watched as the beast descended.

It was the first time in many a year he had seen a Hollow, and he couldn't prevent the shudder that ran through him. It was grotesque, humanoid but with exaggerated, gaunt limbs that meant it could never pass for the human it may once have been. Its mask was white, though a black substance leaked from its eyes, and as he studied it Weiss noted the skin, too, was sticky with this black liquid. It was the wings, however, which commanded his attention; skeletal wings with the remnants of feathers that arched above its disfigured form.

"Kitty." His voice was barely a breath on the air. "We need to get out of here. If it looks away, we run." She tried to twist up to stare at him incredulously but he kept her firmly pinned to the floor. The last thing he needed right now was her antics. All he needed was a chance, a brief moment of distraction on the Hollow's part so that they could run.

The only problem was that the Hollow seemed to be looking for them. Weiss cursed. It had probably sensed them, and he again wondered at the sense in sending complete amateurs to scout for Hollows. Was it their intention to have the rookies draw out the beast?

Well, he thought, pressing himself back against the wall and hoping the shadows masked them, it worked.

From the skies, it had been easy to spot the source of the spike in spiritual pressure; a pair of black clad figures, a man and a woman, caught up in something of an argument by all appearances.

Shinigami.

There could be no mistaking their nature, for each of them wore the simple black kosode robe and had blades sheathed within the crimson sashes that tied their robes closed. Had they been waiting for her? Could it possibly be that the Shinigami had learnt of her presence in Rome and consequently dispatched agents to force the true death upon her? Surely this couldn't be; she'd done little enough to earn their attention, and even if she had earned their ire, why would they send two Reapers? Still, such questions were irrelevant now, for in launching herself into the heavens she had revealed herself; focused upon their argument as they were, it could surely be only a matter of time before one chanced to glance skyward, and then she would be discovered. After that, it would be just a matter of moments before the Shinigami summoned more of their foul kin. No, she had to kill them before they had that chance.

Her decision made, Elise let herself fall into a steep dive toward the pair, eyes flashing scarlet as she streaked through the air toward her intended victims. Alas, fortune had not yet played out its hand, and one of the Reapers, the man, turned from his partner, apparently tired of the argument. As he did, his eyes flickered up to her, widening in horrified surprise as they caught sight of the monstrous creature bearing down upon them.

"Hollow!" he bellowed, catching his companion about the waist and throwing them both aside even as Elise slammed into the rooftop with bone jarring force, her claws gouging chunks out of the ancient stone whilst ichor splattered across the sun-baked stonework.

Hissing with undisguised fury, the winged Hollow straightened from the half-crouch she had instinctively fallen into upon landing, shaking her talons free of the clinging traces of blood-stained stonework as she turned her hateful gaze upon the Shinigami. From up close, they seemed little different to humans. They had the same fragile frames, the same weak forms. All that was different was the aura, the shimmering glow of spiritual energy that surrounded each of them. In truth, they seemed... almost appetizing, and Elise found herself wondering if perhaps fate had offered her a gift; already she had feasted upon the soul of another Hollow - who could tell what benefits would come of consuming the soul of a Shinigami so soon afterward?

Intrigued by the thought, the Hollow let her gaze linger on the two, wondering which of the two would be best to devour, and which should simply be broken and cast aside. The man, with his cool, calm energy? Or the woman, with her blazing fury?

Oh, decisions, decisions...

Weiss cursed under his breath, surprising Kitty - it was usually her foul mouth that came to the fore, after all. He had hoped to hide in the shadows and escape, but as the Hollow, a grotesque angel, reared up and turned its blank mask towards them, he knew it was futile to hide. He let Kitty up slowly, keeping an arm protectively in front of her. Kitty, despite her usual bravado, was silent and trembling.

"Are we going to die?" she whispered fearfully. Weiss shook his head.

"Not if I can help it," he whispered back. "Listen, the others will feel the pressure here. We just need to survive until they arrive. If you get a chance, run."

"And leave you here?"

"I'm certainly not leaving you here alone." Weiss' hand moved to the hilt of his zanpakto now that he was sure Kitty would behave. It seemed that, faced with a real Hollow, this horrible twisted creature, her fighting spirit had fled. Weiss, to the contrary, could feel the adrenalin pumping through his veins. It was like his death, except that this time, he could fight back. He curled his fingers around the elegant hilt of his rapier, ready to strike if he needed - though instinct told him that drawing on this beast without a need would surely spell their downfall.

"What are you doing here, Hollow?" he asked bravely, ignoring the terrified squeak from Kitty. Of all the times for her to go chicken... "This is no place for your kind to be. Go back to Hueco Mundo, and you might survive the night." Beside him he felt Kitty clutch his arm, and noticed her other hand on the hilt of her zanpakto. Good. She was frightened, but not so much so that all sense had abandoned her.

"Leave, now," he commanded, his tone imperious despite the fact that he really, really didn't feel it.

Within the span of but a few short moments, it became readily apparent that the white haired man was the leader of the pair. Whilst his companion shrunk back against the shadowed wall, obviously wishing that the shadows would engulf her, he dared take a step forward, hand pressed against the hilt of his zanpakuto as he admonished her, demanding that she depart the mortal realm. The arrogance was astounding, and Elise allowed herself a muted laugh as she stalked toward the pair. However, his imperious words did trigger something within her, a thought that might otherwise have slipped by unnoticed.

"I am not leaving, little Shinigami," she whispered, fixing her glare upon him, "But you... you I have no need for." Words such as those were rare from a Hollow, and must surely have seemed liked a gift from the fates to the terrified reaper who was still endeavouring to blend into the wall, at least until Elise continued, "Go. Leave your friend. Her life shall be the price you pay for survival." Cruel words, and ones that Elise had little hope of succeeding in persuading the Shinigami to leave. But overt persuasion was only a fragment of their purpose, for the Hollow spoke the words with the hopes of planting seeds of suspicion and distrust between the pair. Would it work? It was impossible for her to know that, for she knew nothing of the bonds between the two, yet still she knew the effort had been worth making for she had lost nothing, and potentially gained so very much.

"Come now," she continued, raising one clawed hand in readiness for the conflict that would come regardless of the Reaper's response, "Cast aside your ethics, and do what you must to survive. You know it's your only hope."

Only hope? Weiss couldn't help but grin at that. It would seem that she knew nothing of the other shinigami in Rome, the students or the higher level ones who were supervising the training mission. All he had to do, then, was stall. It was harder to deal with two targets than one, and if he could just keep her distracted for long enough... It was a long shot, but he had little choice.

"Leave her?" He spared a fraction of a second to look over at Kitty, then looked immediately back to the twisted angel. "Hmm. It's a tempting offer, and most generous of you, to be sure." He made sure his voice was mocking. Kitty taught him every day that emotions such as anger and fear could tip the balance in a fight. He doubted the Hollow would fear two trainee shinigami, but anger; anger was something he could hope for.

"Weiss, what the bloody hell are you doing?" Ah. Anger, from Kitty, too. That was better; she was more useful this way, though he still had to prevent her from attacking the Hollow. She would surely be slaughtered if she attempted it.

"I was taking a moment to appreciate the generosity of our unwanted visitor," he said, his voice changing from mocking to cold in an instant. "I think, however, I will have to decline. My companion and I will both be leaving here in one piece." Kitty had drawn her zanpakto, the damn fool, and Weiss stepped forward to ensure she stayed behind him.

"I cannot, however, say the same for you." Keep it cool. Keep it together. Just survive, he chanted silently, his mind screaming out for the other shinigami to feel the presence of this horrific mockery of the messengers of light. Surely they would come. Keep the Hollow unaware of their presence, and stay alive. Two simple sounding ideas, though in reality they were anything but. His eyes were trained on the weeping angel, waiting for her next move.

Ah, there was the refusal, just as she had expected. But with that mocking refusal, the shinigami had let the seeds she had sown take root within the heart of his companion; Elise had seen the spark of hurt and rage that had flickered through the girl's eyes as her companion had made a mocking pretense of considering her offer. Now, with the white-haired Shinigami standing between her and the Hollow, the girl watched uncertainly, the tip of her zanpakuto trembling in the breeze. The doubt in her eyes was beautiful to behold, and Elise found herself biting back a laugh as she stared down at the man.

"Your refusal is foolish, little Shinigami," she murmured, voice little more than a sign on the wind, "But worry not, for I am generous. When you realise your mistake, I will allow you to beg for your life." Her words were insidious; she knew they would twist and turn within the girl's ears even as the man dismissed them. To her, they would carry implications he wouldn't even begin to consider, suggesting that even now her partner might choose to abandon her in order to preserve his own worthless hide.

But then the time for trickery and wordplay was gone; the Shinigami was too close, and ever advancing with his zanpakuto held ready. A few more steps and he would be ready to strike, an act which Elise could hardly allow to occur. With but a thought, she conjured up a sphere of hellfire - a small one, perhaps a quarter the size of her usual, but potent enough for what she intended - and held it aloft between herself and the Shinigami. "Do you fear what you do not understand, Shinigami?" she inquired, smiling beneath the smooth, impassive surface of her mask, "You really should, you know."

With those words, she unfurled her wings and launched herself skyward, whilst one vicious clawed hand thrust forward to cast the blazing sphere not at the the shinigami, but at the ground between the two, where it might fall to form a blazing barrier.

Fire! It hurtled towards them, reflecting eerily off the Hollow's mask. Weiss and Kitty were quick to dive out of the way of the fireball; unfortunately they had chosen different directions, and a wall of fire sprung up between them. He could barely see Kitty through the flames, just about making out the gleam of the fire in her katana.

"Kitty!" he called, and began to cough almost immediately due to the smoke. "Kitty! Are you okay?"

"What do you care, asshole?" She was fine, then, though coughing too. Weiss had drawn his zanpakuto now. There was no time for games, and when your opponent could fly, it wasn't safe to wait for them to make the first move. Weiss turned his gaze upwards to the Hollow, and moved as close to the flames as he could.

"Run, Kitty!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him above the crackling and spitting of the fire. "Get out of here! Get somewhere safe!" He could see the top of her head now; she had moved away from the fire, and was precariously balanced on the edge of the roof. He wondered if he'd be able to run through the fire.

"I'm not leaving you here to take all the glory!" Kitty screamed back, and Weiss could practically feel the anger rolling off her. "Just stay out of my way! Run away yourself, if you're so scared!"

"Kitty, you're being completely unreasonable!" They didn't have time for this. The Hollow could resume the attack at any moment. If Kitty was so determined to stay, then he had to find a way to get to her. "Fine! Just... don't do anything stupid, okay? Keep yourself safe!"

Her response was lost, but having heard it begin with a fu- Weiss could guess what it was. He was trying desperately to come up with a new plan, now that the roof was on fire. If he could simply get Kitty off the roof and out of harm's way. Come on, he mentally pleaded to Shiro and the other instructors. Come and investigate the fire, please!

"It won't work, Hollow!" he called up to the flying figure. "I won't leave her! You'll have to take down both of us, if you want either!"

Defiant even in the face of impending doom, the white-haired shinigami screamed up at her. But mere words were futile, and Elise paid the man but a sliver of attention, focusing instead on the cursing girl. She too was wasting precious energy on furious words, though hers were focused upon the male shinigami, just as Elise had intended. In time, of course, they would both realise that wasting energy on words was a fool's choice, and the duration of the searing flames was most assuredly finite.

No, her time was limited, and if she intended to consume a Shinigami she would have to strike quickly.

So it was that, without another wasted moment, she flapped her tattered wings and sent herself sweeping down toward the girl. She made no attempt to strike from above; thanks to the wall of roaring flames, space was too limited for such an attempt. Instead she limited herself to landing lightly on the sun-kissed stone, keeping her eyes fixed squarely on the girl all the while. Rising to her full, formidable height, she took a slow step forward, only to pause as the girl stumbled away, raising her zanpakuto into a wavering guard as colour drained from her features.

"Are you ready for death, little one?" Elise murmured, her voice almost gentle as she resumed her advance, "Are you ready for your soul to be consumed?"

"No!" Weiss let out a scream. It was typical of his luck. Of course the Hollow would have chosen Kitty; she made a far more appetising target. He'd tried to attract her attention, but to no avail. Now the fire was between them, and as if in slow motion, the Hollow was advancing. Kitty was paralysed with fear.

"I won't let you do this!" he screamed, finally losing his famous control. "You can't have her!" Memories flashed before his eyes, flickering into one, that of a small girl in danger, one he couldn't save. He would not fail again!

"Kitty!" Weiss took a few steps back, covered his nose and eyes with his sleeve, and ran. He threw himself bodily through the fire, feeling the intense heat surrounding him, catching at his clothes. He landed and rolled, extinguishing the flames as he did so. There was no further time to waste; he leapt to his feet and placed himself in front of Kitty, his zanpakuto steady in his hand as it pointed at Elise, trying to halt the Hollow's advances.

"Weiss?" Kitty breathed. Weiss pushed her firmly back behind him.

"You will not get her!" he exclaimed, his stance defensive but ready to attack if she took a single step forward. Never again would he lose a soul through being defenceless. Never.

Not once in four centuries had a soul, alive or living, willingly exposed itself to Elise's hellfire. They couldn't; there was just something primal in fire, something indefinable that warned the human soul away. So Elise's surprise when Weiss burst through the flaming barrier was absolute, and she couldn't help but take an involuntary step back as she Shinigami threw himself between them with his Zanpakuto held ready.

"You will not get her!" the reaper exclaimed, determination steeling his voice and gaze as he glared across at her.

Meeting his gaze, Elise was silent for a long moment. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was impressed by the shinigami's resolve. It took a certain amount of drive to force yourself to ignore the limitations of your body and mind, drive that she had seen in few others beyond herself. There was no point in denying the worth of one with such drive, even if, ultimately, they were little more than prey. And sometimes, just sometimes, it was worth offering a pittance to ones of such worth.

Besides, the Hollow was starting to think that the male would prove the more satisfying meal.

"Very well, Shinigami," she remarked, her tone flickering between mirth and mockery, "I shall spare her for today. Instead, your soul shall sate my appetite."

Weiss didn't have a moment to rest or think about what was happening. Battle was inevitable, and Weiss couldn't afford the luxury of time. Had he some to spare, he would have been gobsmacked at his own audacity. Leaping through fire was not the action of a sane man, yet here he was, unscathed. He couldn't say the same for his clothes though. Still; there were far more important things than that, like Kitty. Like the other shinigami in Rome who would undoubtedly be the Hollow's next targets should he fail.

"Weiss, we should leave." Why was it that now, of all times, Kitty found her sense and survival instinct? He shrugged her off.

"You should go, Kitty. Run away and be safe."

"Not without you." Loyalty was a damn fool thing at times like this. Weiss wanted to physically throw her from the rooftop, but they were trapped between the fire and the Hollow. Only one option could possibly remain, and that was to fight. Weiss lifted his zanpakuto in a mocking salute as the Hollow spoke.

"Very well, Hollow," he answered coldly. "My soul is yours... if you can take it!" With that he launched forward, bringing his sword in an upwards stroke towards the monster's foul, distorted, dripping arms.

Driven by pride and a misplaced sense of honour, the Shinigami attacked, his slender zanpakuto slicing upward. His speed was impressive, but far from enough to surprise one who had fought, albeit briefly, against a Vasto Lorde, and Elise countered swiftly, swatting the blade aside with the talons of one hand, before stabbing forward with the matched set on her other. The shinigami backpedaled hastily, his blade snapping back to guard against a follow through strike that never came.

Briefly, the two were still, their forms bathed in the dancing light of the reflected flames whilst they considered one another. Thanks to the raging fire, neither had space enough to employ complicated techniques or tactics, and this same lack of space ensured that the female shinigami didn't dare enter the frey for fear of becoming an obstacle. So it was talons against blade, twisted bone against tempered steel. A difficult situation to judge, but for the fact that the Hollow held twice as many weapons as her prey.

Springing forward, Elise brought one hand slicing downward, aiming to cleave Weiss from collarbone to pelvis, only for the shinigami to instinctively parry. Despite the perfect parry, the force of the blow was enough to bow the Reaper's knees, and Elise allowed herself a laugh as she wrapped her claws about the blade, ignoring how the pristine steel cut into her already bloody flesh, and began to drag it out of the shinigami's hands. And if she managed that... well, it would surely be over.

He was fast, but the Hollow was faster. She matched his first blow almost lazily, batting his zanpakuto aside as if it were a gnat. It was embarrassing how pathetic his blow had been. Weiss took a moment to assess her. She had the advantage on every front - speed, agility, flight, reach. And he? He was a rookiee shinigami with an unpredictable partner and no ability to escape the fire. Weiss steadied his nerves using a quick two breaths, his gaze never wavering from the Hollow.

At least I have strong will. It was little comfort. He had no time for further thought, except for a panicked Parry!. She had lunged, his rapier met her talons, and he was driven to his knees by the power of the blow. Things grew worse when those wicked talons wrapped lovingly around his blade and started to pull.

"No!" He held the hilt so tightly that he was forcibly pulled towards the Hollow. "I- won't let you win!" He pulled back, but the claws allowed no quarter. Instead he was pulled closer; closer to the edge of the roof... closer to the dripping eyes and blank mask of the Hollow.

"I hope I make you choke!" he ground out. He had no intention of being eaten today. So long as Kitty was safe... he would have done his job.

A pair of hands closed over his wrists. He half-turned his head to see Kitty there, face set, as she leant her strength to him. Feeling renewed determination he put all his strength into resisting the Hollow's attempts to steal his zanpakuto. They remained locked for a few moments, neither able to gain ground, until...

"They're here!" Weiss was so relieved that he let out an exclamation of joy as he felt the spiritual pressure in the area increase dramatically. Figures could just about be made out in the skies, fast bearing down on the blazing rooftop. Weiss, with a second burst of adrenalin, pulled back his zanpakuto from the Hollow's clutches. He fell backwards into Kitty, knocking the pair of them to the ground. He looked up at the Hollow with a victorious grin.

"It is time for you to die," he said with satisfaction as the shinigami gathered about the fountain.

Fate, it seemed, was averse to offering a Hollow a fair chance; first the girl - Kitty - cast aside her doubts and caught hold of her companion's Zanpakuto, helping to tear it from Elise's grip, and then, whilst she was still just managing to hold her own against the pair of shinigami, the man let out a triumphant cry. Elise too had sensed it, the wave of power washing through the area. Time, it seemed, had run out; other shinigami had arrived, drawn to the area by their conflict. The sight offered the reapers renewed vigour, and they finally managed to tear Weiss' blade from her grip, slicing chunks from her palm even as they did.

Stumbling backward, clutching at her wounded hand, Elise spat bile-filled curses at the pair as they sprawled across the rooftop, the zanpakuto held triumphantly between them. Even wounded as she was, it would have been the worked of but a single moment to end them now, but a moment was more time than she had to spare; already she could hear the shinigami drawing closer, and could feel the waves of spiritual pressure radiating outward from them.

No, this day was lost, and if she wished to survive to enact vengeance on another day there was but one option left.

"We will meet again, shinigami," she promised, before whirling around and slicing her talons through the air, opening the gargata gateway back to Hueco Mundo. A heartbeat later and she was gone, leaving the shinigami alone on the burning rooftop.

A heartbeat, and the Hollow was gone, only pausing to vow her vengeance. Weiss silently vowed the same as he rolled off Kitty and collapsed, not even caring that the flames were flickering closer. He could see feet land next to them, and then the flames slowly began to die.

"Weiss? Weiss, you bastard, you'd better still be alive!" Kitty was fine, from the sounds of it. He was so relieved that he barely noticed she seemed to have finally learnt what his first name was. Hands grasped him and he was hauled unceremoniously to his feet to be confronted by Shiro and the shinigami supervising the exercise.

"What happened?" he demanded. Weiss winced; he had a massive headache now.

"We arrived to scout out the area," he explained patiently. "The Hollow spotted us. As you can see, it had us cornered. We tried to stall until you arrived."

"Why didn't you run for help?" the nameless shinigami snapped. "We would have gotten here much sooner!" Weiss closed his eyes and Shiro intervened, much to his relief. Weiss allowed himself to collapse again, this time against his mentor.

"There will be time for questions later." Shiro cut across the other shinigami. "Let the poor boy rest. We have discerned the cause of the spiritual activity and can dispatch squad members to locate the Hollow, although now it has been discovered I sincerely doubt it will remain here." Weiss was grateful for the strong arms that lifted him. Although they had not battled physically he was exhausted mentally, not to mention he had not entirely escaped the fire unscathed.

Next time, he vowed as he allowed himself to be carried away, next time I will defeat you. This was the incentive he had been waiting for, the reason to become stronger. So he could defeat Hollows, and protect souls. He looked back down at the rooftop, scorched from the fire. Next time...