Package Deal

"Ira Holyfield! Glad to help!"

Ira's introduction was much briefer, naturally on account of the extreme situation currently ongoing, and he followed after Mizu relatively effortlessly. He wasn't a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, but he could more or less keep up with a shinigami of Mizu's caliber. As they reached the destination that Mizu's radar had pinged them toward, Ira kept his attention on the area around them, his gaze only briefly flitting toward the injured man slumped over. He'd have liked to help, sure, but this was a pretty suspect situation.

"Hey, uh, buddy, you alright over there?" Maintaining his tense stance as he spoke, Ira then muttered more quietly to Mizu, his voice a bit quieter than that first call, "Careful if you check on him. Might be a trap."

Dead set on rescuing her ally Mizu was unperturbed by the cloak of darkness and silence laid over the town. Her only concern was her duty as a Shinigami. Still, she continued analyzing the situation as events around her evolved; why, she wondered, did her Denreishinki's Hollow scanning function appear to be on the fritz? Why was the environment shrouded in an almost unnatural darkness? Could her prey, or perhaps predator at this point, possess the ability to hide in shadows? She needed answers.

One question Mizu had would be answered gruesomely as the duo came across her barely-alive partner collapsed beneath a street light. Ira's warning was something she had been considering as well. Still, she could not stand idly by as someone bled to death before her. With her voice forcefully steadied by a strong sense of determination to help her friend Mizu gave her reply "If he is to be used as bait then I shall gladly take it! If the worst should occur, learn from what happens to me." With no care for her own safety Mizu rushed forward to Kumagaya, intent on using healing magic to do what she could for his wounds.

The other Shinigami lied still, even as Mizu approached, his arm leaking that continues ruby stream still. He'd make no sign of even being conscious, even as she pried at him, and even with the looming sense of dream, nothing occurred at first. Mizu found herself able to treat his body and check his person for anything. However, if she pried for too long, she'd notice something fall from his uniform, something that looked like a tooth. Yet, it appeared jagged and colored a pure black that radiated Hollow energy.

Both of their sensors would flare, the whole screen lit up with bogies. The streetlamps flicked behind Ira, darkness overcoming them before they flicked back on, revealing a large set of citizens behind them. They stood there, their faces masks, each armed with some mild form of weaponry, ranging from bats to frying pans.

"We don't like your kind here," A man in the front spoke, his eyes a dark red, his cheeks shallow and boney.

Ah, man. This was the pits. Coulda been worse, he supposed. It didn't exactly seem like these people were too well-trained, but Ira didn't quite like how they moved, and he certainly didn't like their attitude here. "Listen, that's great, but you could probably handle it a little better than this." His voice was a bit tense now, but he didn't really want to set these people off right away.

"So, uh, you guys got a plan now? No way you're thinking of just letting some shinigami go missing, right? There'll be an investigation for sure."

Admittedly, Ira was just buying time talking. He had to assume any organization like that would probably be concerned if people disappeared, but he had no idea how that was actually handled. He just sorta hoped for the best here.

The tooth-like object was strange for a number of reasons. Besides the fact the Shinigami didn't have bite marks on what remained of his body, it's black sheen was surprising given Mizu would have expected a tooth from a Hollow to be white. Still, multicolored Hollows weren't that rare. But there was nothing simple or expected about this scenario so it was definitely out of the ordinary. Regardless she did her best to staunch the man's bleeding using healing Kido, a warm green glow radiating from her hands as she knelt down beside him.

Upon the appearance of the masked "citizens" Mizu stood and faced them, a sudden uncharacteristic fury blazing in her usually-calm eyes. The spiritual pressure of Hollows lingering in the air set her mind back to the funeral of her beloved brother who'd perished fighting against one of the monsters many years prior. Though usually a calm, collected, and empathetic person Mizu found herself now struggling to control a flood of emotions as anger and grief filled her mind. In a flash she drew her Zanpakuto and held it in an aggressive stance, her wrath barely held at bay by her not wanting to further endanger Kumagaya and Ira. "Stay back! I cannot guarantee your safety if you do not!" Though not mighty in power, what spiritual pressure Mizu had flared out and made her feelings apparent to all.

The crowd did not stir as Mizu's anger grew. In fact, the faces of many seemed to twist slightly at the sudden influx of energy in the area. The man who had spoken up focused his attention to Ira. He stared at her, his head slowly turning to the side, a sudden twitch of his nose. Though, like truly understanding the situation, his face contorted with emotion. His lips curled upwards until he flashed all his teeth at the woman, a smile so wide and full of malice, only a man stricken with great madness could ever hope to replicate it.

"Oh~ Who said anything about going missing? In fact, you all will make perfect hounds~ Isn't that right, Kumagaya?"

Stirred, like a dying man on his last legs, the body Mizu had healed began to rise. Hunched over, his body snapped and twisted until it stood upright, soulless eyes focused on the two women before it. There seemed nothing in his gaze, but then, he blinked once, and again, and once more. Suddenly, life filled his body, his attention snapping to Mizu as if recognizing her.

"Mizu..." He spoke, his words slurred, but with his one remaining arm, he unleashed his Zanpakuto and launched himself at her, blade raised, ready to take her life away with a single stroke.

Ira had any number of snappy little remarks at the ready, and he could have certainly made an immediate retort. But this wasn't the time for that, and as he heard the fallen shinigami lunging toward Mizu, Ira's leg shot out toward the man, heel slamming into his midsection with all the force he could muster.

"Think nobody's gonna notice something's off? Listen, pal, I'm not the smartest fella around, and even I noticed. Anyone who knows us is gonna figure it out. But if you want it to go this way, by all means."

Ira didn't actually have any real ranged methods of attack, but judging by the people surrounding him, that wouldn't be immediately necessary, either. For now, he was still on the defensive.

Mizu truly did not like the look of the man at the head of the fiendish mob. The real problem for a dutiful Shinigami like her who properly obeys the number one rule of the Gotei to protect human life was she couldn't be sure whether these people were evil or simply being controlled by someone or something in the shadows. One thing that stood out to her, besides the man's obvious taunt, was the word 'hounds'. Hounds? Do they have a way to infect and change us?

Her thoughts were interrupted at her friend's name being hissed by the creepy man and Mizu immediately sensed something was wrong. Mizu swiveled on her heel and raised her Zanpakuto to block Kumagaya's attack as Ira also struck her target she used the opening as an opportunity to lock down her fallen comrade "Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō". Upon saying the spell's name six flat beams of yellow light which would converge upon Kumagaya's body and lock him in place, preventing all further movement should it prove successful. If so, Mizu would then turn her gaze back onto the crowd of aggressors and spoke threateningly to them "I will give you one opportunity to surrender. If you do not, I will be forced to do what I must!"

It was all too simple to contain Mizu's friend, being he had only just gained motor function. Nigh death has a way of limiting one's ability to fight, but that did not silence his mangled gargles as he tried to speak with his damaged throat. The ease of how the two handled the situation didn't seem to disturb the one man who spoke for the mass. Instead, he merely clapped his hands, congratulating them for not falling prey to one of the easiest schemes in the book. However, one could not take such praise without feeling the haunting nature of it.

"With time, you will be as perfect. Now then, let us begin."

On cue, the mass of people behind the man charged, all of them prepared to rip the two women to shreds.

Welp, looked like there was no gettin' out of this one in a friendly manner. Damn shame, but Ira wasn't putting himself or the friendly little lady in danger just because he wanted to act nice. As the nearest people charged, Ira hardened his body tremendously, stepping forward with a firm stomp before using that footing to hit the mass with a strong shoulder tackle, using most of his side and a good portion of his back as well. He'd been practicing with that one, definitely came in handy.

"Looks like it's us or them, little lady. Do what you've gotta!"

Following up on the tackle, Ira quickly whipped himself around in a wide wheel kick, fully intent on striking as many of these people back in one go. He wasn't out for blood here, but he also couldn't afford to take things easy.