Everything stood at a stand still.
None of the usually loud children piped up.
The only sound being the faint gargled growling of the kaiju in front of them.
Even movement was something they didn't commit to; standing as still as possible as the silent standoff continued for what felt like hours.
Perhaps they hoped that the thing could only see motion since it wasn't charging at them and reducing them all to a bloody pulp. Just being next to it made Rukia sure that the thing could do it. Probably only needing to barge into them in order to reduce them to crimson paint on the occasional stone-brick walls.
At least that was the case until that malformed creature - straight out of their childish nightmares - finally began to slowly move forward. That was enough to at least break Renji and her out of their rut. Turning to each other as they wordlessly came to an agreement that there was only one thing they could do.
"RUN!"
Both of them instantly turned on their heels as they ran towards the little ones, lowering their bodies as they sprinted, practically tackling some of the kids before hoisting them up onto their shoulders. Likely winding the kids they grabbed due to the force at which their shoulders impacted them. However, neither had the time to care about that and they doubted the kids would.
Not stopping for even a second.
The two of them grabbed the weakest links of their group and fortunately the survival instincts of the other brats meant they followed soon after. Nobody even dared turn around to check on that beast. Only daring to use their ears to guess how much danger they were in.
That monster didn't initially do anything after they started to sprint. It was confusing to all of them yet they also weren't about to immediately question it; best not to look a gifted horse in the mouth. Unfortunately their head start was just that - a head start before the real chase began.
Soon a roar as malformed as the creature it came from rang out through the district. The beast that had, until that point, made barely any progress towards them suddenly rocketed forth. Any thoughts that its disjointed body would hold it back seemed but a poorly throughout dream as it finally took action.
Its feline lower body showcasing the agility that was to be expected from cats - something Rukia felt like she knew quite well despite not remembering ever meeting a cat.
"It's catching up!"
"Then run faster, munchkin!"
"But the weaker kids are starting to fall behind also I'm not short!"
Their newcomer screamed at Renji as the two argued amongst themselves. Rukia didn't even have the energy left to cut between them, not wanting to waste anything on not ensuring they all got away, gritting her teeth to look behind. Something she struggled with due to the kids on her shoulders but she managed.
First thing that caught her attention (other than the obvious) was that their white haired shortie had taken a note of their book. He was too small to repeat the exact shoulder manoeuvre that they had yet he did his part via holding their hands instead. Dragging them along to help them move as fast as possible.
Surprisingly, he was also very fast.
Sadly nowhere near as fast as the kaiju catching up behind them; both her and the new boy staring in horror as it charged forth.
Its cat claws were fully extended as it carved through the floor while practically throwing itself toward with the torso above waggling about. Soon it began using its tentacle-filled arm to grapple the surroundings to help keep itself as low to the ground as possible. Enhancing its speed as it went.
Almost as if…
She knew she had no time to explain, she just had to hope everyone was going to listen, as it got more efficient at utilizing the forward moment. In mere moments it would likely reduce them to red pattys on the floor. Gritting her teeth as she took one deep breath before bellowing out as loud as she could.
"Quickly turn right!"
Closing her eyes as she screamed while following her own instructions.
Opening her eyes as she turned - managing to catch the sight of a strange figure - smiling at her with crimson threads in their skin forcing them to keep that same smile. They wore a set of clothes she recognised as being more western. Including a strange bowler hat that they held in place with a fingers that were each adorned by long metal claws that had fanciful etchings.
A shiver travelled up her spine that she promptly ignored due to the guilt she felt as the rumbling of that monster echoed out behind her. Just as she turned the corner she screamed out again. Even more as she saw a few of the kids continuing on straight while looking at her with confusion.
"GET OUT THE WAY!"
Sadly tearful screams were not able to stop a monster; it did try to turn towards her and those that followed her instructions yet dexterous it was not. Momentum carrying it forward as it soon tumbled through the streets before collapsing out of view. Though she held no illusions about those in its path.
Tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she forcibly clenched her eyelids shut to prevent them from falling before reopening them with renewed conviction.
"Let's not waste the head start we've gotten and get into Crow territory."
"..."
"..."
Both of them boys turned between themselves with uncertain looks.
"They…"
"We don't have the time to check and it's likely eating her up even more than for us…"
"Shit…"
Clicking his tongue as he regretted his own weakness, something all three of them likely were experiencing at this moment, as he followed behind Rukia. Renji just looked back for a moment before forcibly tearing his gaze away. Under no illusions that that monster was down for good.
A silence between the three of them as Rukia made sure to take advantage of her newly gained knowledge by weaving through the streets. Her lips silently quivering as she forcibly bit down. Not wishing to part them in case the emotions she was feeling finally managed to break free.
That overwhelming feeling of failure weighing down on her, wanting to hold her back, yet she forced herself forward regardless.
She owed it to them.
Both those with and those… Who chose the wrong direction.
Meanwhile the two boys following her knew nothing they said could help at the moment and felt no better about how things happened. If anything the new boy may have been feeling even worse. Hands tightly clenching the smaller ones as he couldn't help blaming himself.
Some may think it isn't their fault due to their ignorance however he was not like those sorts. Instead he felt it was that very ignorance that caused all of this - if it wasn't for them helping get him out of trouble would they have been here? If only he wasn't such a coward then those kids…
"Tch."
Clenching his eyes shut which allowed him to just barely hear it.
Snapping his eyes open as he panickedly looked to the other two people who he had quickly grew to consider comrades due to their kindness and this fucked up situation.
"I think it's catching up again across the rooftops!"
"Why is it following us specifically?!"
It was an obvious question that nobody could find the answer for; there was no plausible way that monster hadn't run into anyone else while it chased after them. So why the hell was it still following them? The white haired boy couldn't help ponder it as he ran through all the knowledge he'd recently gained.
Whether it be due to the guilt over his previous ignorance or something else - he desperately tried to think about why that thing was chasing them.
"Renji!"
"What now frosty tips; is it on us?!"
"No but you talked about me possibly becoming a soul reaper - why were you so sure I even could?"
That caused him to tilt his head while the gears in Rukia's head slowly began to turn as she silently listened in on their conversation.
"Well because you were stealing food?"
Genuinely confused over the question.
"How does that prove anything?!"
"Well only those with at least somewhat decent spiritual energy reserves still feel hunger."
"That must be it then!"
Letting go of the kids he had previously been dragging along with Rukia letting her own down in a hurry while Renji soon slowed down. Look at his two friends (one old and one very new) in bewilderment. He hadn't known the shortie long but knew Rukia wasn't one to abandon the kids so just asked.
"What are you doing?!"
"IT WAS US RENJI!"
Her outburst caused Renji as well as the younger brats to stumble back while looking at her with shock and horror…
One that the pointy white haired boy didn't share.
Instead he clenched his fists while unable to meet anyone else's eyes - tears in his eyes as he silently trembled with blood seeping out between his lips as he bit.
"Our spiritual power… Is probably what is attracting them… Something only the three of us probably have and why is that thing ignoring everything else…"
His voice forced out while Rukia just covered her eyes with her forearm as she tried to control her breathing that was unorthodox; not due to tiredness or at least not physically. Renji himself seemed to be stunned at first. Keen to deny it as he shook his head with a lack of true conviction behind his voice.
"T-that can't… That can't be… Because…"
He didn't finish but they all still heard the unfinished words clearly.
Because then it was their fault that those kids died.
"We need to make some distance; if this is right then these kids should be able to get back safely on their own now."
Quickly taking control of the situation as she turned on her heels.
Some of the kids wanted to stop, say something about how they weren't willing to abandon the two who had basically protected them, but were met with a harsh glare. One that Renji too delivered as all three of them soon looked amongst themselves. Nodding silently despite softly trembling.
All three of them were afraid of getting caught by their monster - none of them wanted to die in whatever cruel fashion that thing would deliver. They were scared of death. However they also knew fine well that they couldn't live with themselves if more of those brats died due to them.
"Well I apparently died once so I guess a second time wouldn't be so bad…"
"Hahaha but you didn't even realise you were dead, munchkin!"
"Oi I don't want to hear anything from you - every second I've known you has been a second when your own foot is in your mouth!"
"Hey!"
A soft smile graced Rukia's lips as the trio began to run without daring to look back.
Since looking back at the kids may make them second guess their choices or finally break; so instead they acted like nothing was wrong. At least then they wouldn't add extra pressure to those who had made the same hard choice as them. So they charged forward with no real route in mind.
Soon enough they found themselves running into a strange clearing that possessed nothing. There were no signs of any people, no kind of greenery and absolutely no sign of what it could be for. It was just an empty space that had been made out of stone with stone walls on all sides preventing escape.
"W-what?"
"Hell is this place?!"
"So safe to say this isn't normal?"
His comment left unanswered as a familiar roar screeched out as that monster landed in front of them as if someone had simply dropped it down from the sky in front of them. It somehow ending up in front of them was baffling to say the least. Yet they were offered no time to ponder as it began to move after a noticeably delay.
That feline body pouncing forward with tentacles spewing out to try to wrap around them - all of them way too on edge to be caught so easily. Diving to the side as the thing landed. Immediately it turned towards the white haired boy who found his back against the wall.
Pulling it's clawed arm backwards before thrusting it forwards; he threw himself aside just as the claw suddenly sprang forward to deliver a truly earth shattering blow that caused a loud snapping noise.
That entire wall being completely erased along with quite a few buildings after it.
The white haired kid thought as he clutched his ears.
All of them were disoriented by the sound which made it so the usual delay in movements of the monster didn't matter this time. Those tentacles reached forth to try to capture Renji.All he was able to do was tumble slightly before Rukia made what she quickly considered a dumb move.
Using her body weight to shoulder barge the red haired lug and sending him toppling to the floor thus out of the beast's way. This in turn put her in it's way of his tentacles. Quickly slithering around her limbs to prevent her from moving despite obviously trying her hardest to break free.
""RUKIA!""
Both screamed out as she was brought up in front of that monster where the rancid smell of spoiled meat filled her nose.
Looking at the creature with disdain as she spat out.
"Smell as terrible as you look!"
At which point the creature stood still as it took another moment to consider things, a strange delay that had allowed them to live this long, but she didn't see a way to get out of this one. Both the boys charged up to the creature to try shoving its lower body. Sadly that did very little to shake it.
But… Just as that beast opened its mouth (seemingly finished deciding what to do next) Rukia noticed a strange figure standing atop its head.
Just from a casual glance she instantly recognised them.
A being covered from head to toe in a long black coat that had no holes for their limbs as it trailed across the floor leaving only their face visible. Even then the face was not truly visible. A long shadowy "beak" escaped from the abyssal hole where a fact should be as two glowing white eyes looked at her.
If white glowing orbs could even be called eyes.
"A crow…?"
She had never seen one up close but she had certainly heard about them; many of the kids under her had found themselves saved by them. Still she didn't understand what it was doing there. Unable to comprehend how it had just appeared out of the shadows cast by the eye stacks on the wolf head.
Tilting its head curiously as it silently "looked" at her with the innocence of a child yet the eeriness that would have scared her if not for having met the kaiju first. It was only thinking of the kaiju that managed to make her break out of her stupor. Afterall there was no way she could imagine anything overcoming the raw power to level entire blocks with a casual punch.
"Run, you don't stand a chance!"
Of course the warning was ignored.
That monster moved its other arm above its head so that the claw was right next to the crow - knowing what was coming next she clutched her eyes closed. Hearing that bang echo out once more. A few seconds later she opened her eyes, ringing still present, expecting to see the crow gone.
Yet it was still there.
Not only that but the kaiju found its piston claw cracking as a clawed hand escaped from the cloak to catch the claw. Abyssal tendrils of its own, each an inky limb of flowing darkness, exploded out to wrap around the muzzle of the beast. Preventing it from biting down on Rukia with a level of effortless ease that completely left her bewildered.
Yet it was clear that the beast was not allowing this to happen willingly, white powder seeped out of its maw, remnants of its teeth falling to the floor like snow. She never understood it to have anything but an unending hunger before. However she somehow felt fear in those soulless black eyes.
*SNAP*
Just like that it was dead.
Body jerking before going limp which resulted in Rukia herself falling to the ground as those tendrils lost whatever will had let them become taught. That terrifying monster, now with a broken neck, sank into its own shadow like it was some kind quicksand. The crow was still standing atop its head.
Silently looking at her without ever breaking eye contact even as the beast had fully sank into the darkness and it too began to sink. Completely unconcerned as it just… Stared. Leaving her bewildered even as her allies came to help her stand again.
"We… We need to be stronger."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Well everything went as you planned mom… Not very chaotic…"
"Why are you even disappointed when this was the obvious result, dear~?"
Those two brats flirted like usual as Munzumira slovenly lay back in her seat with one hand having the neck of a glass resting between her fingers while the bowl comfortably sat on top. Swilling the deep crimson fluid that refused to stick to the sides. Showcasing it to be a very high quality wine with little water content present.
Meanwhile the other hand had the glove removed to reveal her arm covered in tattoos of eyes with galaxies within them. Though one was most definitely not a tattoo as the one on her palm projected the sight of the little chase. A satisfied smirk across her rosey lips as she chuckled.
"Of course everything is going according to plan; it was my plan."
Clenching her palm closed as those tattoo eyes all closed.
"With this all except the Gambler will be gathered together in one place."
Taking a long satisfied sip from her glass as her twin zanpakuto spirits lavishly bathed her in applause that she openly soaked in without shame.
"Why tho?"
"... Enough of that, tidy up now, we have guests coming soon~."