Shinigami were regularly sent out on missions in mixed groups, sometimes to distant, unpatrolled areas of Rukongai, but more often to the World of the Living. Thanks to special 12th Division devices, it was possible to predict the appearance of Hollows from Hueco Mundo. The accuracy of the location was close to 100%, but the time of appearance was not as accurate, nor was the number of Hollows. Therefore, when predicting the imminent appearance of a strong group of Hollows, a prefabricated squad of all available shinigami is assembled. And this time, that group was quite interesting - Soi Fong, members of the Ishiken squad, and Officer Kuchiki Rukia.
Soi Fong and Rukia were already in the world of the living, at the point of the predicted opening of the passage to Hueco Mundo (on the roof of a skyscraper), and the Ishiken Squad had just joined.
Ishiken smirks a bit as his team arrives. The number and strength of those assigned to this mission likely could be overkill, but it just as easily could barely be enough.
"This could get interesting, depending on what Hollow's leading this little invasion."
Liltotto and Giselle were to the right of their squad commander, Giselle sporting her usual smile while Lil seemed to be in thought about something. To Ishiken's left stood the former Primera Espada Starrk and his other half Lilynette. The shihakusho surprisingly didn't look out-of-place on Starrk. The final of his squad, Shiki, stood slightly behind Ishiken and Starrk. Shiki was a thin girl, with silvery hair running far down her back in two braids and a pair of glasses resting on her face.
The captain of the 2nd Division turned toward Ishiken and nodded in greeting:
“You've arrived just in time. Good. Garganta's earliest predicted opening time is in 15 minutes. The chance is minimal, but it's still there. Prepare for a possible battle. Estimated threat level is Adjuchas with a group of at least 15 Gillians and an unknown number of other Hollows. Our forces should be more than sufficient for a quick elimination without collateral damage to the World of the Living.” Soi Fong thought for a moment, then turned to Liltotto and the rest of the preds, including Rukia: “If you think you can eat the targets without endangering yourself, the other shinigami, and the World of the Living, you have full permission. But only if you're sure you can continue the battle afterward if there are targets left.” However, judging by the look in her eyes, Soi Fong was not addressing Liltotto, for whom devouring the enemy was the primary method of combat, nor Rukia, but the rest of the girls in the Ishiken squad.
By the way, although Soi Fong, with her towering figure and huge hips was already familiar to many, Kuchiki Rukia was not that familiar to the Ishiken Squad. It had been some time since Rukia had become a predator, and the shinigami had already managed to round out her chest and hips quite nicely. But the most noticeable thing was the huge belly, almost bigger than Rukia herself, which was noisily churning and bubbling with the contents of Kuchiki's stomach. And judging by the girl's easy movements, this gigantic belly didn't bother her at all.
Giselle nodded, giggling a bit. She wasn't much of a predator, more comfortable with controlling enemies. Shiki herself... tended to just stay back during fights. Partially because of Jezs and her more reckless fighting-style, and because Shiki wasn't that skilled a fighter. She was a much better support. Lilynette just smirked, licking her lips.
"This should an easy lunch." Despite her big talk, Starrk's other half hadn't actually ever eaten someone of decent strength before. More often than not, it was Lily getting eaten. Liltotto looked up at Soi Fong's words and noticed Rukia.
"Sure you got room left, Rukia?" A little teasing never hurt, right?
Rukia smiled proudly and shook her huge belly, making it jump up and down heavily. Actually, it looked as if this orb of flesh weighed more than the rest of Kuchiki's body, yet it was as if she didn't notice its weight.
“Don't worry, Liltotto-san. All the preys I ate have long since been in digested form, so it has become somewhat smaller than usual. And I'm more than capable of swallowing a few Gilians and a few dozen Hollows without losing my ability to use sword and kido. In turn… - Rukia chuckled slightly. - Please be careful around me. While I certainly won't even try to swallow any of my comrades, I'm afraid swallowing someone with my old figure would be like swallowing a fly - completely unnoticeable until the fly gets comfortable in the form of a puff of fat on my thighs" Kuchiki patted her chubby buttock - nothing really special, especially compared to Soi Fong's mounts, but on Rukia's petite figure such chubby thighs are especially noticeable. The captain of the 2nd Division herself only rolled her eyes at the teasing - young predators are all like that. However, as long as they don't try to actually eat each other on a mission, it's no big deal.
"Don't act like you're any safer, I can snap up a Gillian in one bite. And with the training I've done with Captain Unohana, if I got you by accident no one would be able to tell." Lil pats her stomach, insinuating she could keep it looking flat even if she swallowed all the incoming Hollows. Was the two teasing each other likely to result in one of them actually eating the other once the mission was over? Absolutely, in fact Ishiken's squad had made bets on which of the two would get eaten. All but Lilynette and Jezs believed Lil would get a meal.
Ishiki chuckled, walking up beside Soi Fong with Starrk. The three of them undoubtedly the strongest in the gathered group. If anything stronger than an Adjuchas were to appear, it'd fall to one of them to deal with it.
"How accurate would you say the expected Hollows count to be? Not easy to gauge how many are coming until they open the Garganta."
"Impressive, Liltotto-san. I know that learning belly concealment is not the easiest of predator techniques. - Rukia patted her spitting belly. - But I myself prefer to fully feel the weight and mass of my food. No matter how small, or conversely, massive, it is~"
Soi Fong half-listened to the conversations of the recent predators, and turned her head down to Ishiken.
"One Adjuchas and about two dozen Gilians - confirmed. The number of simple Hollows, on the other hand, has proven impossible to count. Therefore, it will be necessary to launch a powerful strike immediately after Garganta's opening, preferably with the destruction of their leader. Then finish off the rest." Soi Fong looked at Ishiken's squad and Rukia. - "With the amount of combat power we have, there shouldn't be a problem with that."
Ishiken nodded. If anything, the group's combine combat power might be overkill for what they're expected to take on. The lesser Hollows' numbers would be more an annoyance than a problem.
"What I don't get is what would be here in the World of the Living that an Adjuchas feels it needs an army to go after? It'd have to be important if it's risking reverting back to a Gillian itself. Just doesn't quite add up to me."
"Unknown. It could be anything from a trivial raid on the World of the Living, but trying to challenge Tia Harribel's authority in Las Noches.'' - Soi Fong thought for a moment, then said louder for all to hear. - Adjuchas leave it to me! I'll eat him, and I'll study his memories later, our 2nd Division has ways to do that."
Some more time passed, after which Soi Fong sighed: "First time point missed, Garganta didn't open. Expectedly, there was about a 5 percent chance. The next time point is in 35 minutes." - Whereupon Soi Fong turned to Stark, ''So you are the former Primera Espada? Impressive..."The arrancar in front of her was tall (though Soi Fong was taller anyway), and possessed a very impressive reiatsu.
In the background, the others continued to chat, or rather - tease each other.
"Yeah. Think I remember seeing you fighting Barragan. If I can be honest, wasn't really expecting you and your lieutenant to survive." Starrk scratched the back of his neck. It was true too, if Barragan's own ability hadn't been used against him, Soi Fong and Marechiyo wouldn't have made it. Ishiken looked behind himself, as if he'd sensed something.
"...I think the Adjuchas might have gotten a late addition."
