Bleach: End of an Era ((Open 9/28/12))

[Orcus Fieres]

A quick glance over his shoulder revealed the retreat of his fellow Arrancar to Ossman. He stepped back, away from Diego who still had the fire of war and blood lust in his eyes. A sonido toward the portal landed him right beside Takeshi. "Mi hermano. He's not budging; we can't leave him here." He half spoke to Takeshi, though with little interest. Ossman's gaze was fixed upon Diego and his attention faltered as he slowly thought of stepping through the portal. Ossman's wings swung around, making sure not to hit anything as they followed his hands. They cupped just as the hands did and a yell escaped Ossman. "Hermano! We have to go! Vamonos ahora!"  

[Silas Parrish]

Diego's head whirled around, his teeth clenched painfully.
"No me mande!" he roared. "I'm not finished!" A tongue of flame whirled just past his cheek, vaporizing a small piece of his icy armor. He shook himself forcefully, willing the bestial rage to subside. With some difficulty, he banished his Resurrección and resealed his Hollow powers.
"Forgive me, aprendiz. My Resurrección -- it can be hard to reign in." Diego used his Sonido, and appeared panting alongside Ossman and Takeshi. A wicked grin appeared upon his face, and he whispered something to the wind.
"Aojo... numero noventa y nueve: comience a sellar."

"Are you alright, Kai?" Daisuke asked, after flash-stepping to stand beside the Arrancar. Akihime moved to join them, watching her father intently, and becoming more and more uneasy as she felt the creeping presence of Drekovec. Chouku had already vanished through the portal.  

[Ty Gwynnia]

Kousuke stabbed one end of Ookami no Keiji down into the ground, the flames sputtering as they fought to stay lit, and smirked at Diego's retreat. Inside, he was beyond glad that the fight was at its end. A few moments ago the icy blades that had hit him hadn't done much damage. Now that he realized it, thin cracks spotted the areas they'd touched and underneath his body ached with the cold. One slight movement of his shoulder hid the marks from view with the dark cloak on his back. "Ah, running away are we?" A little shock ran through the captain's spine as he realized it was not his voice speaking. "A pity, I enjoyed seeing one of the former Espada flourishing. A nice little reunion brings a tear to my eye, if only Higlark could be here too...But that's just as well because you two have overstayed your welcome."

Kaizeloye gave Daisuke a confused glance. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Good, now that we're all here, let's leave. I'm sure that this portal can't stay open much longer." Takeshi absently ran a finger down the blue cross tattoo on his face as he spoke. "After you."  

[Silas Parrish]

Daisuke gave a grim smile.
"I was only asking. Battlefields have a way of forging bonds that few others can match. I imagine it must be difficult to face your former allies in combat this way."

Diego's eyes flashed lapis lazuli, and his spell was cast. He took care to ensure no one would hear the incantation.
One down. Four to go.
He ignored Drekovec's remarks, finding it laughable that the once-fearsome Arrancar's powers were at the mercy of a Shinigami Captain. The soft-hearted fool had served his purpose. Already Diego's mind was racing of its own accord to find ways to take advantage of his former master's partial return to the living.
He would think of something -- a moment before he needed it, likely as not.
The Fullbringer girl was silent, as she marched ahead of him into the Soul King's domain. He fought to constrain the grin that threatened to split his face. She was hurt, confused, and in need. Perfect.  

[Strider Wolfheart]

Finally Diego came through the portal along with the full bringer. "Welcome to Tana Hari. Land of the Sun." Meiso then turned back to the portal. "Your friend coming?"  

[Ty Gwynnia]

Kousuke entertained the thought of rushing after his enemies for a moment, to make sure that they never came back. Surely he could cut them down when he was not around those who disapprove. But...no, that would ruin the brief peace that had returned. He scowled, an expression that became a smirk on his face, and glanced down at Odio in his hands. It was a great drain to take Drekovec's form and to have the zanpakuto still out, something he'd noticed distanced him from the Arrancars. Normally, they're weapons disappeared yet both of his were still out. For a second fear filled him at the knowledge of how weak he would be once he released his hold on both that and Ookami, regardless if he waited in between those times. "I guess that's the end of that for the time being." He mumbled, and he yanked his glaive out of the ground. With a thought, the tethered wolves dissipated and he felt the first onslaught of exhaustion. " 'Guess I'll go do some paperwork now."

"Oh." Kaizeloye looked at the spot that his former comrade had disappeared at, casting his mind back to the past. "Not really, I never knew Diego well and I have no clue about the other one, although he seems pretty bold. But that one--" With a turn of his head, he directed his gaze to Kousuke. "--is a different story."

"Of course he is," Takeshi said as he appeared through the portal behind Diego, certain that Ossman wasn't far behind him. He rolled his shoulders and a small sigh escaped him. "I kind of wanted to see what that guy was made of, but oh well. Who's making the portal to where, then? My promise only extends to the grass that your feet are stepping on right now."  

[Silas Parrish]

"It looks like Father's regained control," Akihime remarked with relief. Daisuke nodded.
"What of that one, Kai? Can we trust your old master to behave himself, do you think?" Daisuke pointed toward Kousuke's hunched form. "It's not that I don't trust the Captain -- but Drekovec is a wily one."
"That reminds me," said a third voice. Captain Manaki appeared among them. "There's something I need to speak about with you. Later."
"Nice of you to show up, Captain," Akihime quipped with a sly grin. He gave her a grim nod in return, and flash-stepped away to Seireitei.

Diego glanced around at the warm, welcoming surroundings, and suppressed grimace.
Boring! He cast an eye over to the one called Soul King, and then to his hot-headed assistant, and finally to the Quincy.
"You're an unusual one, Quincy. You don't like those fancy arrows? Or sleeves?" He kept his voice light and jovial, despite his still-quickened pulse. His power had been resealed, but the mental effects would wear off a bit slower than the powers. He avoided the gaze of the Fullbringer girl, knowing full well that he could not hide his slasher's smile if he looked upon her.  

[Orcus Fieres]

"Of course I am." Ossman looked over at Meiso in response as he stepped through the portal after Diego. "I just wanted to make sure that I would be able to see mi hermano again, is all." His Resureccion just finished fading away as he stepped through the portal as well. A green tinted aura flowed off the shards and then dissipated into the atmosphere. Just as everyone got situated, or at least took a moment's notice off each other, Ossman placed a hand on Diego's back for his attention. "If you would please speak to me later, hermano, whenever possible." He left it at that and paid more mind to the one who had opened the portal in the first place. "What now?"  

[Silas Parrish]

"No time like the present." Diego excused himself and used his Sonido.  

[Ty Gwynnia]

Kousuke watched as Zero appeared at last before leaving, although he didn't think much of the other captain's absence because his thoughts were elsewhere at that moment. Leaving was a good idea though. He breathed in deeply and felt the cold muscles of his side stretch painfully. Rest was also a good idea. "I'll see you all later as well, two battles in one day is surprisingly not good for me right now." The captain chuckled ruefully in Drekovec's voice. "Later we can all talk about what just happened and why those two were even here." With that, he sighed and followed Manaki's example, using sonido to get back into the city.

Kaizeloye frowned. "It doesn't feel exactly like him..." He mumbled, rubbing the dark number on his arm. "I don't think we have much to worry about unless he has other motives than lending a helping hand."

Takeshi shrugged and grinned at Diego. "Yeah, I'm not like the other Quincies." The sides of his mouth fell for a half a second before rising up again, the tattoo on his cheek crinkling as they did so. He almost let his good mood fail him. "I prefer to get up close and personal with my opponents, far more honorable than shooting from a distance. And the sleeves...eh, I like to show off."

((I'm putting that anyway. =P ))  

[Silas Parrish]

((So...do we RTB, then?))  

[Silas Parrish]

Without wasting any more time, the group used a combination of Sonido, Flash-Step, Hirenkyaku, and Bringer Light to return to Soul Society to rest up, and recover from various injuries. One week after the battle, all the captains and a few others gathered around Drekovec's tomb.
"So," Daisuke began. "These newcomers are obviously after something. They might as well have shouted it to us. Any ideas as to what it might be?"  

[Orcus Fieres]

Ossman Sonido'd back alongside Diego and rubbed out some kinks in his neck with a quick position shift so that he could place himself slightly beside Diego rather than directly in front of him. "Hermano, you went crazy back there." Otherwise jaded eyes were filled with concern as he looked on at Diego. "I hate to admit it, but I thought of stepping through that portal without you. Just as well, should you have not snapped out of it when you did, I hate to think that I would have." Only respect sounded in Ossman's voice, but this type of worry was uncommon even in him and so it seemed out of place. "It isn't my place to tell you what to do or where to go, but I worry for your well being when your Resureccion takes over you." He stood more assertively. "Y por si acaso, do you believe you would have been able to take on all of those bastardos on your own?" A flush of light anger swept over Ossman, he quickly restrained it and he looked off into the distance with a sigh rather than keeping his eyes on Diego.  

[Strider Wolfheart]

"Meiso, how have our guests acclimated to my home? Have they found our constant day...'amusing' yet?" Reddo was sitting in his throne room for once. His condition being good today."

"May I speak honestly?" Meiso was standing directly next to Reddo, constantly on guard.

"Of course."

Meiso let his guard down and turned to Reddo. "I don't trust them well enough to ask them. I try to avoid them if at all possible." Meiso immediately returned to his original position and put up his guard again.

Reddo smiled. That was the Meiso he knew. "You worry too much I think."  

[Silas Parrish]

Diego rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and allowed his expression to become blank.
"I understand your concern, hermano. However, I do have a plan." He felt a grin beginning to spread. "Don't you trust me? I admit that my Resurrección can get away from me, but it is a necessary evil, to achieve our ends. Believe me when I tell you that my zanpakuto's release is the least of our troubles. However... are you familiar with the term Segunda Etapa?"
((For now, I'd like Diego to be the only one who can do this, if that's okay. =3))

Chouku used her Bringer Light to bring her closer to the mysterious pair who had allowed them passage, thanks to Diego's weaseling. She felt certain that neither of them trusted her, but that was fine with her. She didn't trust them, either, any more than she trusted Diego. However she liked all of them more than the Shinigami. She wandered over to the two men in conversation, and leaned against a ((tree? column? dinosaur skeleton?)) to listen to them. She made no attempt to conceal herself.
He's like me, isn't he? His power feels so familiar.