A Little Mischief (Anadwen)

[DaGlobster]

Smed felt alive, he felt great. The sack of valuable bumping against his back, and the smell of burning building carried by the wind sent lances of satisfaction into his brain as he ran through the late afternoon streets. That was exhilarating, Smed. Burning it was a nice touch... The demon bound to his soul said, reveling in the destruction they'd just caused. Smed looked at the two other goblins with him, excitement plain in their beady little eyes. Somewhere behind them, someone screamed "Fire! There's a fire!"

It was a simple hit, something done more out of boredom than actual necessity. Break the windows, steal things, burn it down. It was almost like a mantra. The goblins ducked into an alley to review what they had stolen, picking through the various pieces of silverware and stolen jewelry. "What do we do now, boss?" One of the goblins asked, trying on a comfortable looking wool cap. "Simple, Skitz." Smed said in his voice, which was deep for a goblin's. "We find someone else to rob, then get out of here." He said, and the other goblins nodded. "Who?" Another asked, picking his teeth with an elegant fork. Why don't we find ourselves a nice lady? the demon in Smed suggested, and Smed nodded. "We're going to find ourselves a nice little canary to keep us company." He said, a sharp-toothed grin spreading across his face. The other goblins smiled as well, the anticipation visible in their beady little eyes.

They slunk off into the alleyways, searching for quarry.

[Anadwen]

"W-wait! Don't leave me here-" Isako shouted after her siblings, running away through an alley, but they were already far too gone. Her hand, reaching after them, sunk back down.

"-alone." She sighed, and looked down. Don't get hurt, they said... There's a spirit, they said. So stay here and stay calm. They always left her somewhere behind!

She stepped towards the wall, and holding her shoulders, she leaned onto it with her back. The veil of her long black hair hid her eyes, and she watched the cobblestones underneath her feet. When will they return? Hope they don't get hurt... Ah, but why leave her in a street like this?

The sound of footsteps reached her keen ears before she saw their source. She sprang back to her full height - which wasn't impressive, but combined with her small, doll-like figure, it was enough. A few steps towards the corner of the alley... She looked around.

"Hello?" her voice echoed through the empty street.
"Is... Is there anyone?" she called out again, holding her hands together, and staring into the emptiness of the alley before her.

[DaGlobster]

Smed held out his arms, and the two goblins following him bumped into them and stopped moving. "You smell that, boys?" He whispered, and the two other goblins sniffed at the air, smiling when they found the scent. "Smells like a woman..." Smed whispered, placing his hands against the wall of the alley, and they rounded the corner. From Isako's point of view, she'd see three sets of beady little red eyes appear, and they were soon joined by three sets of smiling, sharp teeth. The set of teeth in the middle started speaking.

"What do we have here, a lost little bird?" Smed said, an evil twinkle in his eyes.

The goblins stepped forwards out of the shadows, forty feet away from Isako. Smed had Anklesnagger and Footcleaver drawn, the goblin to his left was using a axe sized for people as a two-handed weapon, and the other had a small crossbow, pointed at Isako. "All alone out here. What are the odds?" The goblin with the crossbow said, a scratchy chuckle coming out of it's mouth.

[Anadwen]

Isako let out a loud, long, and very high-pitched scream, stumbling back. "SEEEEEIKIIIIII! SHIIIIINOOOOBUUUU!" she shouted over and over, too frozen in horror to run. Being robbed in a backstreet... She'd rather die by the hand of some ghost! At least that would be some honor...

At last, she found the strength to pick her feet up from the ground, and stumble back, keeping her eyes on the goblins. Oh, hope they don't attack, hope they don't attack... Even though her katana was at her back, she didn't trust herself with it, nor would she be confident enough to use Kido...

Unless there'd be an emergency, off course!

[DaGlobster]

When she screamed and fell backwards, the goblins all laughed. The goblin with the crossbow decided a crossbow wasn't any fun, and put it back onto his back, drawing a small dagger and tossing it from one hand to the other. "What should we do boss? If she squeals like that again, the Guard'll come runnin'" The goblin with the axe said. Smed smiled. He noticed she was armed, and didn't want to take any chances. "Well, then make sure she don't squeal anymore." Smed said, and the goblins slowly started walking forwards. "Boys! Stack up!" Smed yelled, and in one swift motion, the knife-wielding goblin jumped onto the axe-wielder's shoulders, and then Smed jumped on top. As one, they were now as tall as Isako. The column of goblin rushed forwards, weapons brandished and sharp teeth glinting.

[Anadwen]

With an even louder scream, Isako climbed up at her feet, reaching after the handle of the blade, sheathed on her back. She turned on her heel, and started running as fast as she could, hearing her wooden sandals clattering loudly on the stones of the street.

"SEIKI! SAVE ME, SEIKI!" she shouted. Her eyes were opened wide with fear as she drew her katana. Her hands entwined around the blade, wrapped by a lavender-purple thread. Oh, all spirits help her, she didn't want to die!

[DaGlobster]

The column of goblins was keeping up with Isako, but not gaining or losing on her. The goblin at the bottom huffed and puffed, but kept up his speed. Smed realized they were getting nowhere with this, and he looked down. "Catapult!" He barked, and the goblin at the bottom leaned back, and the column leaned backwards as well. the goblin in the middle, grabbed Smed's ankles, and the goblin on the bottom yelled as he pulled forwards again. The column snapped back up, and Smed went soaring past Isako, landing on his feet in front of her, and baring his teeth. He jumped forwards, swinging Anklesnagger in an attempt to catch onto her robes.

[Anadwen]

Isako let out a scream so loud it resonated even in her own ears. She stopped running, instead pointing her katana at Smed. "Step back, or I'll slice you!" she shouted. The dark blade of her Zanpakuto, even though quite short, was incredibly sharp.

At the swing of his blade, she jumped away, pressing her back onto the wall. "I said... STEP BACK!" she yelled.

All of a sudden, a shimmering wall of energy sprang up around her, protecting her from any blows at least for a moment. A great force - and a great deal of spiritual energy - would be needed to break it. Maybe little Isako wasn't as much of a doll as she seemed...

[DaGlobster]

Smed felt Anklesnagger bounce off of something, and snarled at the magical shield. The two goblins that were still stacked up ran into it and fell down rather comically, but they quickly got back onto their feet. The one with the crossbow threw a stolen spoon at it, and it had just about as much effect as one would expect. The goblins all started circling it,  looking for openings. Manifest me! Cut me loose! resonated in Smed's mind, and the goblin smiled. He twitched, and his eyes started glowing red, along with his entire body. A sickening smile splayed itself across his face as he rushed forwards, snapping his jaws and swinging his weapons like a madman. He ran right through the barrier, causing it to crackle and fade out. The other goblins were content to watch, knowing that getting near Smed while he was like this was generally bad for your health.

[Anadwen]

In utter horror from seeing her shield collapse, Isako swung her katana at Smed, right after turning on her heel and running away as fast as she could, but she soon realized this wasn't going to work. She was stumbling and tripping on loose stones, and simply couldn't run fast enough!

And then she ran straight into something. She fell onto her back, letting out a short scream... Right before a wide smile spread across her face.

Above her was nothing else but the tall, dark figures of Seiki and Shinobu, with the glinting blades of Blood-red Blossom and Snow Crescent in their hands.

[DaGlobster]

Smed didn't stop, running right into the wall as Isako broke away to run. He laughed and bit at the air, looking around for her with a feral intensity no intelligent creature should posess. The other two goblins were paralyzed, looking at the two new figures like deer caught in bright lights, all looks of confidence on their face gone. Smed stumbled over to them, muttering "where'd she go? Where?"

He bumped into one goblin, and it glanced over to him. Smed snarled at it. "What're you looking at, you gits?" He asked, staring it down. The goblin that he bumped into lifted an arm, and pointed at Seiki and Shinobu. "Them two, boss." It said in a flat tone. Smed looked over, and snarled at them as well. The demon inside faltered, and with that, he was back. His expression went from one of ferocity, to a half-hearted growl. He knew a fight he wouldn't win by himself when he saw it.

Fortunately, there was one thing goblins were good at.

"SCATTER!" Smed yelled, and the goblins immediately turned tail, taking their turn to run this time. Smed himself jumped into a house's back window, entering the building it belonged to.

[Anadwen]

"They tried to mug me..." Isako, grabbing onto Seiki's robe, sobbed, nodding her head at the escaping goblins.

Shinobu and Seiki looked at each other. She shrugged, and he gave her a nod. They didn't need words to communicate, and right now it was pretty sure what they're going to do. Shinobu pulled Isako up by the shoulder.

"Guess we chase them, then." she growled. And they all moved forth, fast and silent like shadows with their blades revealed.

[DaGlobster]

As soon as Smed's feet touched the finished wood floor of the building, he continued running towards the door, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw what it was. This house must've belonged to someone paranoid, because it was barred with padlocks on the inside. We need to leave, Smed. Those were spirit hunters. SPIRIT HUNTERS! the demon said, pushing Smed onward in an attempt to break through the door. Apart from making a dull noise, it didn't accomplish any more than you would expect from a two-foot goblin. Smed looked towards the windows. They were barred as well. He wasn't panicking, yet, so he turned around and started clambering up the stairs.

[Anadwen]

In the middle of a street, Seiki suddenly stopped running. He froze with his sword in his hands, and slowly turned his head towards the house. Shinobu stopped beside him, and peered into the window.

"The strongest one went inside. I can sense his presence." he exclaimed, and pointed at the broken window.
"We go in..." Shinobu growled.

Seiki stepped towards the window. The hole inside was too small for their tall figures... In less then a second, Blood-red Blossom flashed across it, leaving a large triangular hole inside, and returned to its sheath. Even though Shinobu watched it carefully, she couldn't record when her brother moved his arm.

He entered the house, and followed the mark Smed left in the very air around. There was something unusual about this being's spiritual energy... It was unusually strong, and resembled an evil spirit incredibly closely. There was only a little difference in it...

"Seiki, there's a spirit somewhere here... I can sense it..." Isako's voice resonated in the building behind him. She and Shinobu appeared behind him, and searched through the room.
"It isn't a spirit." Seiki corrected her.
"It is your attacker."

And without any other words, he followed Smed's trace up the stairs, moving almost casually despite his incredible speed.

[DaGlobster]

Smed clambered up into the attic once he reached the second floor, spurred onwards by the sounds of the spirit hunters entering the building. He ran towards the attic window, and promptly jumped through it with a crash, coming to a rolling stop on the roof of the building next to it, which was relatively flat. He turned to keep running, and was immediately presented with a wall. Smed was going to find who ever put this three-story building there, and wring his neck. For now, he sheathed his weapons, and started attempting to climb the wall, doing little more than jumping up and making little scratch marks as he futilely jumped up and down. Smed, I get the feeling we can't run from this one... The demon said in a concerned voice.

[Anadwen]

When he reached the attic, closely followed by Shinobu and Isako, Seiki could already see the goblin running out. Jumped out of the window... And met with a wall.

He enlarged the hole again to get his tall figure through, and followed the trail of the creature, just as noiselessly and fast as before. Two silent thuds informed him that Shinobu and Isako did the same behind him... Very well. Against all three of them, only the most powerful spirits had a chance.

They all stopped a few feet away from Smed.
"I guess we caught it. Now, what is it?" Shinobu inquired.
"It doesn't matter. It committed an offence." Seiki replied calmly. The fact that his blade was still sheathed meant nothing. "And that means there is a need for a punishment. Besides, it bears the presence of an evil spirit."

[DaGlobster]

Sorry if I'm being a bit sudden, Smed. But I'm going to need your mind for this one. The demon said, and Smed looked puzzled for a few moments before he suddenly started jerking to the side. Black lightning jumped from his eyes towards the ground, tearing up the roof paneling, and he started twitching madly, releasing small grunts of mixed pain and pleasure. A dull glow started building up in his red eyes, and an unseen force propelled him backwards, slamming him against the wall with enough force to crack it. His skin started to darken and harden, and the claws at the ends of his hands lengthened into scythes, along with his teeth. The glow started coming out of his mouth, and he dropped down to the ground, landing on his feet.

Smed was still now as he looked up at the spirit hunters with the malevolence of an extremely powerful demon, small horns sprouting from his skull. "Well then...now that we have that out of the way... Smed growled, a voice that wasn't exactly his coming out of his mouth. He released another one of his goblin screeches, and broke into a maddened run towards the spirit hunters, moving blindingly fast as the wild swings of his claws tore up the roof and the air as he went for a blistering offensive.

[Anadwen]

The three of them watched how the goblin suddenly changed into something unnatural without a word. As the creature charged towards them, they broke into two, with Shinobu and Isako on one side, and Seiki on the other.

Isako shouted something, and a wall of energy appeared before Smed. If the goblin would bounce off its incredibly hard surface, it would be aimed exactly at the ready weapons of Seiki and Shinobu.

Those two took attacking stances on the sides, and a couple of razor-sharp Zanpakutos slashed after the goblin in a stammeringly fast motion. They were everywhere, creating a sharp wall off steel around.

But there was something unusual about this spirit. It was trapped within a mortal body...

Seiki threw himself to the side, pushing Shinobu and Isako out of the way. Their eyes widened, but right after, they moved back. What he was going to do would be a sure death if they got into the whirlwind his next action would create.

He raised the blade up to his face, holding it vertically, and laid his right hand straight onto the cold steel.

"Scatter." he commanded it, and the hand pushed it forth. In a moment, something incredible happened. The blade cracked in half, taking on a blazing white color, and cracked into thousands of shards, whirling around Smed as a storm of incredibly deadly petals.

[DaGlobster]

When the whirlwind of blades hit Smed, it had the intented effect. Smed was caught up in the whirlwind for a few moments, before a wave of energy pulsed from his body and scattered the pieces out into the air, making them inert. He was still in one piece (mostly), and he staggered about, ribbons of flesh dangling off of his horribly cut up body. He let out a hoarse laugh, and the wounds started knitting themselves back together. A dull glow started to build up in his mouth, and he let out a massive gout of black fire which blew right through Isako's barrier. Her skills as a spirit hunter were decent, no doubt, but the demon inhabiting Smed was apparently beyond her level.

He charged at them again,  the wild swinging of his claws forming a barrier of his own.

[Anadwen]

Seiki's eyes widened. The shards were picked up again, commanded by the moves of his hand, but this time, they arose. He swept Isako behind himself, hiding her and Shinobu in the small safe area around himself.

The shards took the appearance of a thousand swords.

He flashed around, turning to Smed's other side in less than the flash of an eye. And then, the swords collapsed.

It wasn't a thousand, it was more than that. Thousands upon thousands of blazing swords of light crashed right at Smed, leaving no blind areas around. If Blood-red Blossom's first form was deadly, this one was even deadlier. At a speed that would challenge even the sword's wielder, they fled down at the goblin.