Beauties and the Beasts[Africatastrophe Act II]

There was no longer any doubting Klein's words. As skeptical as Amaranta was at first, when given a front row seat view of all the action, all semblance of doubt had been emphatically cast aside in favor of preparing for the battle. Of course, the leonine woman found the terms of a surprise attack somewhat disagreeable, certainly something she didn't prefer in the slightest, but perhaps resorting to such tactics would instill the opposition with some fighting spirit. They held no qualms at attacking her at random. Why not offer the same sentiment in return?

That would be ideal. For that reason and that alone, Amaranta descended from above, clad in a shroud of fiery spiritual pressure. It was as if her fighting intent was being spilled forth onto the battlefield to declare that she was here for a confrontation for the ages. Offering no warning except a powerful display of an entrance, Amaranta crashed onto the ground, forcing the debris around her to fly around indiscriminately, alerting those present to her presence. Anyone alerted, of course, would have contend with the blazing spiritual pressure and their balance being altered as a result of the rocks flying in multiple directions. A fierce grin spread across ebony features as the lioness burst forward like a crimson bolt of lightning, as though her body were a swift arrow loosed from a mighty bow. Roaring out to all of those present, the Burning Lioness demanded a battle worth it's weight in gold.

"Come on! Come on! Come on! Show me what the Gotei has to offer! Let's have some fun, shall we!"

Klein, unlike his eternally ferocious companion, was not exactly one to relish combat. On the contrary, he preferred to live a relatively quiet life, where he could fight when he felt like it and otherwise relax with the company of a few nice ladies and something good to eat. This hole situation, though, was far too good of an opportunity to pass up, and he knew that perfectly well. The idea of actually working alongside so many people usually wouldn’t have been much up his alley, but that was a small price to pay, given how much he could theoretically get out of this. Strong things to study, maybe an underling or two... Hell, if Sabre was anything to go by, he oughta start getting some of these big hollows to rip their masks off more often.

Oh, seemed like Amaranta was right in the fray already. Well, he’d been pretty much expecting that. He was willing to let her draw all the attention, considering how much she liked to fight, but he wasn’t going to skitter around behind the scenes just yet. Crushing the juicebox he'd been sipping from, Klein hopped off the rock he'd been sitting atop and went to work on the battlefield himself. He maintained relative range, firing off arrows of blood-red reishi from his fingertips to pierce through any weaker shinigami that came his way. At least a battlefield like this would be a good place to draw out a whole lot of ambient energy, so maybe he’d be able to flex a little bit.

In the meantime, though, he was willing to let Amaranta be the one who actually charged in and got all the attention. After all, she had a much bigger spiritual presence than he did. She was a louder presence, more vibrant on the battlefield. Klein was plenty willing to wait and see what bigger fish turned up to take that bait.

This last location came under the watch eye of hyper laid back ebony warrior lately. A full week now watching and listening for the good part. Other than that guarding the area, Tento, Kaminari, and the others dealt with. Clean up, moral reinforcement, a few sparing of the like. But a heavy amount of research in the end. Well…. the people stationed as a whole were. Tento just helped anyone who asked or needed it.

Not an expert like his counter part in the trip. He was more there for any unfortunate combat popping off. And as well to be an annoying cheerleader in his own way. His energy and eagerness being somewhat helpful in keeping people's spirits up a little. Who knew being laid back and goofy had such an effect eh?

Well maybe one lady knew. Kaminari was with Tento this full week. A talent Shinigami with a sharp eye equal only to her mind, he was more than happy to be assigned to a place with her. The two a duo on this mission would have to spend a bit of time together. However, as always in down time with a pretty lady. He haaaad to flirt. Not always but more than enough to make a wonder if he was just trying to enjoy attempts making her blush, his natural way of acting around woman, or if he was seeking something out. It was either that or being extremely laid back. Just his still in this moment of peace.

As he was about to let loose another corny joke as he and Kaminari were around other comrades the sounds of combat flared. Another attack! Turning to the rush of spiritual energy Tento drew his Zanpakuto. Heat feeling the air before… what the heck? Amaranta was here and part of this? Seeing her a very different expression came as well with an annoyed sigh. The woman wanted to join in these mysterious peoples attacks? Or was this some hot ride action. If so she had a worse taste for jokes than he did!

Soon Tento felt the kido wrap around his being his feet shuffling in a mid guard stance. This was bad, her energy seemed to go up from last time in that play around spar. What else changed?

As Tento had his thoughts running he heard Kaminari voice. The order bringing him a gleeful smile. Casting kido before the battle and giving out orders to get movement of troops started for the stragglers before he even could. Most certainly indeed a comrade he respected. "If you are alone get with people. Watch each other's backs!!", Tento added on as the first Arrancar landed. If any chose to come to Amaranta he really doubted it would end well for most. With the question of who else could come or if any hollows would slip out from the hollow being a major concern immediately at this point.

Shifting his eye at the second appearance. A child? No, an Arrancar. Old but small. Lower energy but a threat still. Tento knew that for sure if Amaranta was coming here with him. A knowledge he wished others knew for the ones that charged at him first due to this partial narrative lead to them being shot down with a marksman skill. Two down…

It was uneasy. With both here who would truly be the major threat? Tento eyes stacked them, only shifting un a moment to catch Kaminari's glance before giving a reassuring nod and shifting back to the two Arrancar. His partner was strong in her own right. Smart and crafty. Observant. If they played this right they could drive them off at the least. Either way Tento was gonna wanna bend Amaranta over his lap for pulling this crap!!!

Taking a breath and hissing. Tento's mind and body focused as he loweed his stance waiting. "Yeah…let's go".

Those who avoided facing her were fairly irrelevant in her eyes. As far as she was concerned, she held no desire in facing off against anyone but the select few who were truly worthy of defending themselves. If those of inferior and lesser skill wished to survive, the lot of them would notice that it was exceedingly beneficial to stay out of the woman's way altogether.

Blazing a path through the ground, leaving a trail of fiery reiryoku in her wake, her sapphire gaze would settle onto two distinct spiritual pressures - one familiar, the other less so. Tento, eh? Little surprise, there. She respected that the man was fighting on the frontlines. Amaranta was impressed. She had an interesting impression of the man from their meeting prior, but to meet him here... fate certainly had a way of pulling certain individuals back together, eh?

Any warrior worthy of her respect earned their weight in battle! The moment her eyes locked onto them, Amaranta bolted forward until her tall form vanished and reappeared before Tento and Kaminari, claymore in hand. Her beastly grin widened further as she bore her fangs. Like a starved apex predator with meat being held before their eyes, Amaranta eyed them with a gleeful expression as she approached Tento in particular. Klein could handle that woman. Her opponent had already been chosen.

"Long time no see, Tento! I see you've found yourself on the frontlines! Fighting out here the big boys has increased my respect for you quite considerably, but don't think I'll go easy on you because we're friends. First things first, though, get your men and women out of my way so we can battle. I don't need any excuse for why you lose here today, got it?"

With blade in hand, she settled into an offensive stance. Once he prepared properly, there would be no mercy shown. If anything, this was but a continuation of the test she laid out before him from before, and she sincerely hoped he would answer her expectations in resounding fashion.

Hm. Seemed like someone on the other side liked playing the hero, huh? Twirling a bit of his hair idly around one finger as he watched people flee, Klein stared at the bakudo with an air of casual annoyance, as if he'd just been told that he'd need to wait a few extra minutes for a scheduled dinner reservation. He had no doubt most Arrancar might have found this to be a bit of a problem, including that lovely lady of his who seemed to already have found herself a proper sparring partner. Well, that was fine. Most Arrancar weren't as special as Klein was, or as smart.

"Listen up, pretty lady. You're gonna have to shake things up if you wanna keep people safe from someone like me."

He pointed his finger toward the Danku confidently, a cero charging as if he intended to simply break through the impressive Bakudo. His expression had grown similarly confident, an amused expression dancing across his lips, but none of that was because he actually expected the cero to work. As he fired off the cero, knowing fully that it would bounce ineffectually off the barrier, a second cero had already begun forming far to the side, even held outward by a shell of externalized hierro, by all accounts seeming scarcely any different from Klein himself. This sort of misdirection was just the sort of thing Klein did, but it had always worked out for him. The second cero fired off quickly afterward, but the hierro shell remained, even smirking confidently as if it were the real thing.

Here, on the battlefield with more experienced Shinigami, he got the feeling he'd have to try a little harder. But that didn't mean he was going to go all-out from the get go.

Keeping his stance lowered and his feet grounded with a light touch in the ground. Tento waited as he felt the lioness' fiery spiritual energy close in on him. A sensation he had expected to be with eagerness and desire the next time they had met. But now it was different and completely opposite of his desires. His own spiritual pressure grew from a calm stillness to burning flames in response to her pursuit of battle. Her trail leaves a burning crescent in the earth to appear before him and his partner with her giant claymore in hand. The shuffling of modelers to have Tento and Amaranta square off, and Kaminari match up with this young child like looking Arrancar.

Taking in her form. Ebony glory with bouncy assets and strong curves. Ah did he miss it but. LORDY WAS SHE PACKING SOMETHING AT THE BACK. He didn't remember her having that last time. Normally he would have greeted her nicely. A flirtatious smile, a compliment or slightly pursuing comment about getting a hug or kiss on the cheek after not seeing each other in such a long time.

However with her decision to be here and do this of all things... Well, the smile on his face was a bit sharper, predatory even in the way of being a snake waiting to bite, or a lion building up a fierce confrontative roar. The warrior was here with the goofy persona mask still present. As his deep brown eyes met her blue azure glaze. He had hoped with his growth he would have been closer to give a worthy fight in his present form when they next met. Alas….

"Go help the others, some of you aid Kaminari", Tento said in a soft calm deep voice that held a frightening amount of serious in comparison to his normal deposition as Amaranta walked up closer to him; singling him out. A tone that might haven even jolted Kaminari who had gotten nothing but the flirty, goofy, laid back joke loving man for the last week and previous interactions in past missions. The members of the fourth stationed with him quickly moved at their comrades' behest.

Tento wanted to be the one to be her focus here. He knew she would leave the weaker ones alone if they didn't come at her. He wouldn't let people he knew couldn't face her in his division charge towards death unnecessarily. Their potential deserved more than that. And his respect for them and their ability to give aid was more than simple fodder for little to no gain. "My friend wouldn't come here to attack. Nor would she be a warrior to threaten innocent lives for some cheap thrill of combat when it can be done better. Bad kitty, I'm disappointed…".

His voice held a rough disapproving authoritative tone of will waiting to press down on Amaranta. His eyes burning with a warrior's passion to meet her gleeful hunting look. "But more than happy to correct this behavior by you, by force it seems. Give me your all. Cause I want to beat that naughtiness out of you". She was right though. It was true that his focus would be split if many people would try to fight here. Their safety would greatly be in jeopardy. And if she was here for more than the chance to crack heads and make bruises. Well…many would just end dead.

An unacceptable thing for him.

With a booming voice that seemed to shake and crack the ground, Tentos spiritual pressure rushed to the surface as his hands gripped his Zanpakuto and a wave of wind expanded out of him causing a momentary fog of view. "Soar! Shiōmaru!!!", with the expansion and burst of wind rushing out. Knocking the debri away caused by the Arrancars' approach, Tento stood with his Zanpakuto transformed. A pitch blade sickle attached to a fan through a chain. The fan is decorated in shades of green, black. And red. Feathers attached, eight in total.

With a few rotations of his sickle through a chain, Tento let the wind die down before tossing the weapon to Amaranta in a sudden sharp motion. The strike threatened to bash her torso. After throwing the strike Tento would flash step after pulling the sickle back, winding it in a rotation that threatened to slash at Amaranta if she approached him.

"What the hell are you going on about, boy? Innocent lives are already being threatened here. If you guys were more capable, this hole would have been closed. Simple as that. Of course, if you wish to put this lioness in her place, you're more than welcome to try!"

What an adorably heroic man. There was a genuine level of respect regarding his tenacity, even if she regarded his expression with a purposefully mocking grin. Cheap thrill? She couldn't imagine a more ideal battlefield than this hellish landscape.

Filled to the brim with pandemonium as it was, a natural born chaos like this, with several monstrosities descending upon the fractured plains of Africa like the genesis of an apocalypse, Amaranta would have found herself drawn here no matter what. After all, Survival of the fittest was a tenet she lived by as though it were indisputable law of her existence. If any of these bastards wanted their companions to survive, if they truly wished to emerge from this nightmare - then the only thing left to any of them was to fight.

An eyebrow rose as interest painted her curious expression. He finally discovered his zanpakuto, eh? That was good. That was so good! A booming roar of laughter, heard through the battlefield, echoed from her lips as the sickle of the blade threatened to clash against her side. Parrying that oncoming blade with relative ease, Amaranta paused momentarily, pointing a finger at Tento as a manic grin formed along those feral lips.

"It seems you've come to the party with a new companion. Give you my all? Don't get too ahead of yourself, now, boy. It seems you've misunderstood something here, though, so let's get one thing straight... Fan the Flames, Rebelión!"

Lifting her sword upward, Amaranta uttered the release phrase to her zanpakuto. In the blink of an eye, a vast heat wave within a forty meter radius of the area expanded around her, her body wholly enveloped within a golden array of incandescent spiritual power. Stepping forward, the claymore was no longer present in her hand.

It was now one with the leonine woman's body, her appearance resembling every facet of her title as Abrasador Leona. Burning Lioness. Fists shrouded in flame, a scorching mane floating along the air, an enflamed tail whipping around in playful patterns. Give him his all? Pfft. Time to remind him of the way things were going to go down here.

"You're little more than an appetizer, Ten. A lively and entertaining appetizer, sure, but still nothing more than fun preparation for a real meal. A light snack, if you will. Therefore, this kitten is going to show you the divide that exists between us, toying around with you until you wave the white flag. Enough talk, though. It's time to enjoy my snack."

Propelled forward like a mighty arrow loosed from thunderous bowstring, Amaranta darted along Tento's radius, forming an array of afterimages that made it difficult to tell where she truly was. Normally, under different circumstances, she would have charged in headfirst, but past battles had slowly turned her onto the idea of strategizing first before enjoying her meal.

He could wind it around as much as he wants, Amaranta was more than prepared to respond in kind. Actually, now that she thought about it, this was the ideal time to showcase some new tricks she learned herself! Positioning her finger forward during her stride, in a fashion reminiscent of holding someone at gunpoint, the leonine woman fired a crimson beam of energy every time she crossed paths along his personal space, mixing that respective energy in with the flames she could freely manipulate as a boon granted by her release state.

"Cero Gun!"

Klein simply shrugged as Kaminari spoke back to him, her disinterested attitude at least kind of appealing. Not that it really mattered too much right now. If he could swing the pretty lady, great, but there were definitely more important things to focus on right now. His cero had been dissipated, but he'd expected that from the get go. It wasn't like he actually cared very much about Cero.

"Well I'll tell ya what lady, that guy might not be worth your time, but I am. Last thing you'll have to worry about's babysitting me, and I'm sure not looking for marriage."

As the kido fired toward Klein, he smirked once again, countless hierro replicas of himself quickly forming in front of him as he moved out of the way of the impact. He fingered the Hollow Cross around his neck for a moment or two, not quite sure whether he ought to release just yet. He actually had to win this one, he knew that. If he just played with her and let Amaranta handle it... No, that wasn't a good option here. With a melodramatic sigh, he grasped the Cross more firmly, yanking the chain off his neck before jamming it into his chest.

"Feast, Lämmergeier!"

His spiritual presence all at once plummeted, the energy within his body quickly externalizing itself as a thick, blood-red mist. It was all him, and his body had no greater spiritual presence within it than any other part of the mist. If she wanted to fight him, then he was perfectly fine with that, but he wasn't gonna make it easy. While he simply stayed back and hid, several hierro clones all moved through the mist, cero firing toward Kaminari. Of course, he wasn't concerned with if they did anything. He was still just saving the real attacks for whenever she took the bait.