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(( By the way, Hatsu, check out the art thread! (Unless you have already done so, of course) xP ))

Hinata briefly closed her eyes in resignation, before flicking her zanpaktou to the right in a sign of the commencing battle. She checked her teammates’ positions, her narrowed eyes darting around the clearing, measuring distances and calculating angles. Crouching on a branch nearby was Rei, evidently content to stand by and observe until she could devise a sensible plan to attack Mashiro. Beside her, Hatsume braced herself, the phoenix that was her zanpaktou’s materialised shikai form soaring gracefully between the narrow trees. Hinata almost had to duck as the flaming tail feathers swooped past her- the mere appearance of them denoted that she would burn if she came too close.

“Eh-? Seriously. Your shikai is so flashy, it’s putting ours to shame,” the female shinigami commented amusedly, eyeing the plume of golden feathers resting on Hatsume’s shoulder. “Maybe we should match,” she added, holding out a palm to receive the small clump of crystals that had come streaming out of her blade, and forming it into a miniature replica of the phoenix. She sent it gliding over Mashiro’s head, watching his reaction with the all the glee of a four-year old discovering a new toy. Seeing no change in expression, she desisted, breaking apart the bird and leaving the fragments hovering casually over her hand.

“Well,” the female shinigami cocked her head to the side questioningly. “At this point, should I say that you get the first move, considering you’re outnumbered? Or does your sense of honour not allow that?”

(( Sorry guys for taking so long. Between school, and I just got WoW back. Its kinda hard to be in three places at one, but Ill make it through))

Mashiro was indeed impressed by Hatsume's zanpakutou. She showed great strengh with it and it showed by the bird's graceful moves. However, this was a weakness and Mashiro knew it. Perhaps he would be able to distract the women or even the bird itself. Mashiro remembered when he was saved by that same bird a few months before. Now it was time to be put to the test, has he really gained a new found strength while trainning with his zanpakutou?

Hinata was obiously transfixed by the bird, guessing it was her first time seeing Hatsume's Shikai. Her own power was something to be recongnized. However, like Hatsume, there was a weakness to her own power. Sure Mashiro has his weakness too, everyone, even a Captian, has a weakness. But for this knowladge it pays to know the exact weakness that a person has to bear. Mashiro had not taken his eyes off Hinata as she sent a replica of Hatsume's bird at his head. The miniture had some strengh behind it, but Mashiro knew this was just a pre-equiset to the fight. With a verticle slashing motion, Mashiro took out the crystal bird using just a hint of his reishi to power the hit.

As for Rei, he did not know where she had went. He could feel her Reistu but it was being blocked by the combined power of Hatsume and Hinata. She had her opritunity to supprise him, if even possible, and he knew this. Perhaps she will prove her worth and give Mashiro the wake up call of his life. ' I give you credit, Rei, just use your opritunity wisely....' Mashiro thought in his head. Now it was time to get into this battle.

"AmenoMarukumo, and Harikaze. Both elemental zanpakutou. Ame, dealing with fire using a combination of Hatsume and the phoenix's power. I have long wanted to face this blade in battle. You and I are not so different, Hatsume, You can paint the very sky red if given the chance, and it is a power worth mentioning. As for Harikaze, using wind as a fighting power, a rare and beautiful technique I must say. Being able to form crystals, and by my guess, with your reishi to attack an oponit will keep even an experianced shinigami on his feet. However, for all its strength there is one flaw.... you are limited to your element.... Allow me to demistait.... Shuukai Batsû'

The four ribbons around Mashiro's finger guard coiled around the blade. Once complete covered, Jou-shirû, gave out a large blast of pure kidou. However, instead of it attack Hatsume, Hinata, and possibly Rei imediatly, if went straight up like a pillar in the sky. Once the mass of kidou started gathering, it made a dragon. Not just any type of dragon, and Mountain Dragon. Red was its color, as a product of Jou-shirû, and its wings spanned across the very heaven. Its face told an old story, as too did its massive teeth. This was no ordinary dragon, or conjur, it was by all means Mashiro's spirit. The dragon bowed its head to look at the shinigami, before lunging at Hatsume, and Hinata. " Dragons and Phenixes will never get along. In old times stories where told about great battles of supremisy. Now the other ones alive are before us today.... attack...." the Dragon lunged itself at the three shinigami. Its wings tore through the dead trees like water on rock. Sure this was no the most powerful thing in the Seireitei, and could surly be parried, even blocked by the females, but it was a sight to see.

“Hasty, are we?” Hinata commented as Mashiro launched his dragon at them almost as soon as it had formed. “Seriously. You might talk tough but you’re making a simple error-” she smiled wryly as crystals began to stream from her raised zanpaktou, forming a huge mass behind her. “-Never charge in without evaluating your opponent first.” With her words, she darted with ease around the huge figure, her speed having been increased threefold from her shikai release. She had spotted the dragon’s disadvantage when it had charged at them, ripping the trees from their roots. Being big, it was powerful, but manoeuvrability was a whole different matter.

However, the shinigami could not allow herself to relax. She was still unaware of Mashiro’s true power- whether the dragon was its limit, or if he had other tricks up his sleeve. Therefore, instead of initiating a full-on attack at him, she spun quickly to the side- a blur of motion to the untrained eye- seeing if he could follow her movements. Having never fought Mashiro before, she began to wonder if his swordsmanship matched his kidou skills.

“Let’s see how you take this one, Mashiro-san.” With a devilish grin, Hinata leapt from above, battering her opposition with a rain of slashes and jabs, almost untraceable except from the occasional glint of metal. Simultaneously, she commanded the river of crystals, which had followed her discreetly behind the wall of trees, to separate into a spherical formation around her and Mashiro. Without hesitation, she ordered the sphere to contract inwards- surrounding her adversary with no means of escape. She herself leapt out of the way just in time- and unless Mashiro possessed deadly speed, he had no defence except to block.

“Heh. I wouldn’t fancy being him...” she watched from a tree nearby, as the razor-sharp points shot towards said shinigami’s engulfed figure.

(Enter, from Squad Four)

After his long hiatus in the Squad Four area, it was only natural for Alder to walk in one a large scale shinigami battle. His body shook as he let out a deep, relaxing sigh. "We're all...spunky and active today, aren't we?" Alder said to himself, before walking casually up to the group. He noticed a newcomer in the tree, the likes of which had most likely arrived during his stay in Squad Four. For the first time, he saw Hinata's Shikai, and was rather taken aback by the large dragon flying around. He drew his rapier with a wide grin on his face, demonstrating boldly his eagerness to return to the battlefield. He was rather disappointed that he wasn't able to use his Shikai, due to Mock's disappearance from the Seretei, which had yet to be explained.

"So, who am I teaming with, if at all possible?" Alder shouted, as an open ended question. Unfortunately, he was within a good fifteen feet of Mashiro at this point, so he was in the radius of the crystals heading towards Mashiro. They soared towards him, but met no avail. "Hadou number four...Byakurai." He said, firing a bolt of white lightning at the ground where the crystals were. The explosion knocked a portion of the crystals away, allowing him to slip through the open hole unscathed. "Not cool, Hinata!" He said with a loud, cheery laugh.

From her position in the tree, Hinata unfortunately did not see the newcomer, Alder. As a result, she was shocked when her crystals appeared to blast away without Mashiro even doing anything.

She then became aware that Hatsume was shouting something at her, and listened hard amongst the roar of wind and dragon's claws.

'Harikaze...?' Hinata questioned in her mind, as her zanpaktou spirit went through a phase of irritation at being asked to team up with someone, then resignation as she realised her owner had her mind set.

"Fine. Do what you want."

This was all the invitation Hinata needed, as she leapt into the fray, landing neatly beside Hatsume. Her crystals soared over with a wave of her hand, positioning themselves in a defensive ring around her and her partners. Only then did she acknowledge Alder's appearance.

"Hn. It seems that we're now two against three," she chuckled slightly, remembering the last male-versus-female match she had participated in. In the end, the group had abandoned all skill and had resorted to cat-fighting. "Let's hope you're as serious as us, Alder-san."

The pigtailed shinigami then focused on her and Hatsume's plan. She didn't see where Rei fitted into this, but the fact that she would be safe for now was all she needed. She could still feel Rei's reiatsu, somewhere amidst the trees behind them. Clearly, she was waiting for some form of signal.

"Hatsume-san," she said calmly, not taking her eyes off her opponent. "When I release my crystals, you burn them as much as you like. I'm not quite sure they're flammable, but-" she turned and smiled, "-we'll see, shall we?"

"Hn. It appears that you'll have to defeat the dragon to get to Mashiro and Alder..." Harikaze stated blandly.

'I know that. But it seems to be made entirely of Kido. Can it really be defeated? Well, we'll have to find some way of breaking it apart, hm?'

With this, Hinata yelled: "GO!" and waved the crystals back into a long line, which streamed into Hatsume's range for her to burn them, and out towards the dragon.

"Well..." Alder said with a smirk, as reiatsu enveloped his hand. "Looks like I've gotta do some fancy swordplay....too bad I don't have a Shikai yet." He said, with a light chuckle, as he lunged headlong into the crystals, battering, parrying, and countering with intricate yet rapid slices of his rapier. From another point of view, he would seem to be dancing. Of course, even with this impressive display of speed, he wouldn't be able to eliminate all of the crystals. A third at his very best. He turned, and let Mashiro deal with the rest, while he faced their three opponents. "I've always been close range...Hinata knows that, just as Mashiro does." Alder said, as an open ended statement more than anything. "Hatsume, if I do recall, you saw me fight our Captain, correct? Surely you know how close range I am." He continued. Alder, like everyone else, could use every kido from levels one to ten. He, however, had solely relied on Byakurai. "Hadou Number Four....Byakurai." He said as he fired a bolt in between Hinata and Hatsume, hoping to split them. If this failed, the cloud of dust between the two would limit their capabilities. Alder, taking the sun into account, leaped into the air towards Hatsume and Hinata, his shadow forming in the cloud of dust due to the sun's position, giving both Shinigami the impression that he was going for a head on attack. However, he landed behind them, and pointed a single finger at Hinata's back. "Bakudo Number four, Hainawa." He said, while leaping at Hatsume, slicing twice at her backside under the cover of dust.

(Sorry for the short post. Just to keep this going along.)

"I'm glad I just got back from the fourth Squad. I never imagined I'd have so much energy in my body. This is plenty for a while using kido." Alder thought happily to himself. His next chant, he whispered so quietly that not even the ears of a Kitsune could pick it up. "Hadou number four....byakurai." He said, firing a bolt at the ominous shadow now looming towards him, which turned out to be Rei's tree. It shattered in half, one piece flying far back, the other, straight back at Rei. Alder continued with his lunge towards Hatsume, bent on taking all three of them on with one coordinated attack.

I really should have stayed on the tree.... Rei thought to herself as she dogded the piece of broken wood flying towards her. She already had some experience with byakurai while fighting Mashiro, and even though it may not be enough to give her the knowledge of how to fight back, she could predict that it basically goes in a straight line.
Without stopping to inspect on the other two shinigamis since Rei had a feeling that they will be better off without her being there, useless in the open, Rei quickly retreated onto the orinigal tree where she stood overlooking the battlefield not so long ago. Her zanpaktou still unsheathed at her side since anyone could attack her right then, Rei hoped that Ame No Marukumo was still in the trees, waiting to carry out whatever Hatsume had planned.