~Going in blind.~

Letting out a small laugh Kurai smirks a bit."Oh was I?I could have sworn she said "keep an eye on",which is exactly what I'm doing."

Glowering at the dimness of the cave at what sounded suspiciously like a cough,Miyuu hesitates before flickering her tail in agitation and continuing on to quickly catch up with Altria and Shiro,summoning a slight breeze around one hand just in case they were about to get jumped,there's quite a scent of Hollows in the air.

finally getting in the cave just searching for them.

There's another rumble.A dark form moves from the deeper parts of the cave.Taking a defensive stance she wills the ball of light higher,spilling light on most of the cave.The dark form is revealed to be a Hollow.With upper body like that of a human and lower of a snake,long green locks frame the white mask painted with green patterns,there are sharp long claws gracing her hands."How wonderful,new piecesss for my collection jussst walking in." At those words her hand tightens around Tsukiyomi,silver strands of reiatsu flaring up."So you are the one responsible for..this?" She furiously gestures at the statues,trembling with anger.The Hollow chuckles,making a sweeping gesture."Yesss,issn't it magnificent,my art?I'll make you a part of it too."

"Hadou # 4 Byakurai"

an unexpected attack, a white lighning, strike the hollow's shoulder. shin appears behind everyone breathing deeply.

"Whew, I thought I won't manage to caught up with you guys."

"S-Shin!!" Shiro seems surprised to see Shin appear out of no where, "w-what took you?" he winces as the burning pain in his shoulders begin to intensify.

~with Kurai~
Mikiru snickers, "heh heh. oh well... It doesn't matter reall- Oh? lookie here... that's an odd hollow." he points at the serpent-like hollow. Tatsutahime begins to glow a pale blue emitting a dim light. "!! Tatsutahime! you're going to give us away.." Mikiru strokes the side of the blade causing the dim glow to fade.

~With Mikiru~Kurai~
"Too true,we're going to get chewed anyway so might as well have fun." He chuckles quietly as Tatsutahime glows blue."It would appear your lady is excited?Or just hungry?" Taking a quick look at the Hollow Kurai looks surprised for a moment before it's replaced with his usual amused expression."My,my,this is rather unexpected.How very unfortunate for them to be facing that adjucha."

"Shin,you caught up at last." She glances at him before turning to see the effect his attack had on the Hollow.It seems to be examining a small scorched mark on the shoulder that is healing rapidly.Looking up at them it opens its mouth,a red glow of Cero charging before firing at them.

Shiro turns to see the cero charging. "Al-Altria!! Shin! move!" He grabs Altria by the arm and Shin by the sleeve and flash-steps out of the way of the cero.

As the Cero flies by and explodes into a wall she let's out a relieved sigh."Thank you Shiro-kun." The Hollow appears behind them with a low chuckle.Smacking its serpentine tail into Altria it sends her flying into the nearby wall, simultaneously doing the same to Shin with one clawed hand.At the same time it strikes at Shiro with the other hand in a downward motion,sharp claws glistening with a metallic sheen in the flickering light.

"Ack-gah!" Shiro is slammed hard on the ground, three large bloody claw marks are visible along his back, as well as a long diagonal scar. some blood trickles from his mouth as he coughs, and manages to get up and draw his kunai. "you.... bastard!" he suddenly whips out a bunch of shuriken and throws them at the hollow scoring direct hits on the hollow's faces and eyes.

smashing on the wall, shin can't move his left arm.

"Tsk. Nice one!"

he draws his zanpakuto following through shiro's attack, shin tries to cut off one of the hollow's arm.

"You owe me an arm! Take that!"

Reacting too late she gets slammed into the wall,there's a distinctive crunch."Ugh.." Grimacing tasting blood she pulls up into a sitting position.Pain when breathing informs her of a broken rib,a small cut on the forehead is bleeding right into her eyes and there's a long gash running along the right arm from landing on some sharp rocks.Wiping the blood from her eyes with the good arm she checks to see how Shin and Shiro fared,narrowing her eyes at the sight of their injuries.'We all got hurt and I want to finish this quickly.Moreover,we still don't know how it turns others to stone..' Staggering up she slowly twirls her zanpakuto by the chain,biting back a noise of pain as the wound widens."Fight to survive,destroy to protect,kill to live.Shout in defiance and show them hell,Tsukiyomi." Her spirit energy rises,wrapping around in silver tendrils,in a flash her zanpakuto changes into its shikai form.Biting her lip Altria points it at her own chest."Fukkatsu Shiro,Mikazuki." A silver glow envelopes her,when it fades the wounds are gone.She takes a deep breath.'Much better.Next,Shiro and Shin.'
~
Two shuriken hit it directly in the eyes,lodging deep while the rest bounce off.The Hollow shrieks in pain,clawing at its mask trying to pull them out, suddenly blinded.Only hearing Shin's approach much too late it doesn't move quick enough, letting out a roar of rage as his sword cuts the arm almost completely off,it hangs by a few strands of muscle and nerve.Clutching the injured hand and enraged it coils it's tail,using it as a spring to leap away, landing on one of the shinigami statues.Using the good arm it pulls the shuriken out,they clatter to the ground,facing in their direction with unseeing bleeding eyes."Foolsss.You will pay for that!!" A horizontal mark in the middle of its mask begins to glow,opening to reveal a glowing green eye.

Having been wracking her memory for where she has seen this adjucha before this whole time Miyuu utters a curse,finally remembering.Seeing the glowing green eye on its mask open her eyes widen.Uttering another curse she yells a warning to the others,quickly shutting her eyes."Quick!Close yer eyes now or it's all over fer ya!!"

Shiro pulls out a blind fold and ties it over his eyes preventing the hollow's power from affecting him he murmurs to his kunai, "Fenikkusu.... through this darkness... be my eyes..." his zanpakuto glows and grants shiro heightened senses. He detects the hollow's quivering jerky movements and pulls out three more shuriken. (in thought) 'There!' he throws them straight into the hollow's glowing green eye.

Startled by Miyuu's shout she quickly closes her eyes,moving towards Shiro carefully since his familiar spirit energy is blazing brightly.
~~~~
The shuriken turn to stone before they reach the eyes,clattering to the ground and breaking.The Hollows laughs."Sssoon,I'll add you to my collection."

"oh you wish... I don't need to see to fight." he makes a slight movement and seems to be everywhere, he pulls out more shuriken and begins flash stepping all over the place throwing shuriken from every direction at the hollow.

~
The Hollow whips its head around trying to keep track,many shuriken fall to the ground as stones until one gets through and lodges into the glowing eye.It let's out a shriek,clawing at it.
~Wincing at the shrieking Altria tries to figure out what's going on."What just happened?"

Mikiru watches the fight and decides to make a move. ".... We can't have them turning to stone.... besides.. That boy with the shuriken is most interesting." he glances at Kurai with an eager expression to fight.

Shiro lands on the ground near Altria, he's breathing deeply from exaustion. "heff.. heff... " his wounds are bleeding heavily and looks about to fall over.

~Kurai~
"No,wait Mikiru-kun," he places a hand on Mikiru's shoulder."I think something interesting is going to happen,otherwise she wouldn't be there observing.We might spoil it by interfering." Kurai stares at one of the Hollow statues near Altria and Shiro intently,a knowing smile playing on his lips.Absentmindedly he adds,"if you wish,later we could find the other one.There were originally three of those adjucha's.Two after Yasei run into one."

Risking a look Altria stares at the shrieking,writhing Hollow surprised."Shiro?You did.." Turning around she falls silent at the sight of his injuries.Moving closer quickly she points Tsukiyomi at his chest," Fukkatsu Shiro,Mikazuki!" A silver glow envelopes him,the wounds are gone after it fades.There's a clang of metal hitting the ground and a rush of air.She turns around just in time to block a swipe of claws."Ssshinigami!!I'll tear you all to piecesss!" Using her spirit energy and zanpakuto Altria pushes the Hollow back."Tell me something,why didn't anyone return to normal?Your stone powers source was destroyed!" The Hollow chuckles,"Sssilly twerp! My power isss not reversssible.They'll remain stone forever!" Narrowing her eyes she moves towards the Hollow."Is that so?Then you are of no use.Bakudo #62-Hyapporankan." A rod of energy flies at the Hollow,disintegrating into numerous short rods which pin it to one of the statues.With an angry look in her eyes she advances on the pinned Hollow.

shin stays back a little. focusing his reiatsu in his right hand, he desperately tries to use a healing kido to his left arm.

(in thought)
"It's no use going into shikai if i can't even use my left arm. I should heal it while I have time."

Shiro staggers to his feet and then goes over to shin, "hey.... are you ok?" *note Shiro is still wearing his blindfold*