[Closed] Silent Cloudscape

[Akiyamasan]

Things were getting so sporadic that it was as if the whole world itself had decided to go Topsy-turvy recently. Hollows appearing in large groups while Arrancar had begun to pop up everywhere, even the Quincies and Vizard seemed to be on the move in the recent year or so. It wasn't Hitomi's prerogative to question the orders of her superiors, but something about getting sent to Kyogoku in response to claims of Vizard sightings didn't sit right with the patrolwoman. If that was the case, and these Vizard were supposedly powerful enough to deal with Squadron Zero, why on earth would the Soul Society send her out here alone? There was no use for her to plan ahead here, especially if she didn't know what she was even going to be dealing with. Just get in, confirm the existence of whatever lives here, and get the hell out before something figured out she was here.

Her spare time before the gate had opened gave Hitomi just enough time for a short burst of introspective thinking. Tch, guess people who aren't in squads are pretty expendable anyways. With her gaze intently directed toward the tiny black butterfly that lay perched upon her finger, the patrolwoman stepped through the senkaimon gate that was opened for her, and allowed herself to be swept through space and time. Moments later she would step outside of a similar gate again, and into a place known among Shinigami as the Valley of Screams. An inviting blue and cloudless sky hung overhead the shinigami, but the absence of anything resembling a sun made the place feel rather cold. As if to add to that imagery, the area that Hitomi had stepped into was little more than a wide and desolate canyon, with mountains that could be seen in the horizon but very likely not reached any time soon.

Almost immediately after observing her surroundings, the shinigami released the hell butterfly and took in a deep breath of air. Upon exhaling, she noticed that her perspiration was visible, and cracked a small smile. "That cold huh?" The shinigami muttered to herself before straightening out her collar and placing a firm grip upon the sword she wore at her waist. "Okay then."

Taking her time to take one last look at her present surroundings before she headed out, the shinigami silently steeled herself for what she suspected was going to be a tough assignment. With how urgent the mission seemed back at headquarters, she once again had to reassure herself of how important it was to stay alive, and just like that was finally able to stroll off into the crevasse before her. Not five steps into this place and she was already beginning to regret this assignment.