Cheshire stopped paying attention to the crowd of mortals who only just realised, with the intervention of that monstrous bastard, that their companions made a dam of death around her.
Their bodies weren't purposefully placed yet there were so many of them falling over one another that it had grown difficult to even approach her. It took a second of realisation as fear began to settle in as they understood just how out of their element they were. A brown mud filled street now dyed crimson.
At this point Cheshire & the bastard just stared at one another - Cheshire spinning her weapon in hand while her opponents tapped his shoulder with his own. Those terrified humans took full advantage of the pair's lack of attention. Backing away until they flat out turned tail to run.
Meanwhile the cat who just stood behind Cheshire couldn't help raking her claws through the mud. Her eyes narrowed as she made sure not to miss a single action either of the two took; all the while feeling as if she was completely useless. Forced just to watch as two titans duked it out on a plane far above her.
"So… We gonna do this or~?"
That monster raised one of his blue brows as he made sure to drag out his question as long as he possibly could manage with it still being understandable.
"I do have better things to do-"
"Shush I'm tryin' ta listen to this'n!"
Her sudden interruption caused his raised brow to raise a little more in genuine confusion before he suddenly became deadly serious. Not wasting any more time as he leapt off the roof while swinging his sword forth. Sending his hurtling through the air like a saw aiming to cut through that old cat.
Using the weight of his weapon plus his inhuman body to put as much power behind his attack as he could unfeasibly manage to. All topped off with an inhuman amount of that powerful energy that filled his blade to make him a chaotic crimson beyblade. One that Cheshire didn't hesitate to dodge immediately.
In her place a literal explosion erupted with the force sending the old cat flying back.
"Bit moody, ay?"
*snap*
The power caused his sword to snap yet he didn't even let that keep him down; refusing to give the cat a second to lead their dance.
What once was the end of the sword flew through the dust cloud that the monster left after his attack.
Cheshire managed to dodge it by simply tilting her head; however it did cause a few strands of her unruly mane to fall to the floor. A fact that did little to stop her face from being graced with a massive grin. Not hidden despite the medical mask covering her face.
She didn't even have time to make a snarky comment before his foot came flying out the dust, sending that cloud away with just pure strength, forcing her to hop backwards out of his reach. Not far enough as he then proceeded to throw the other half of his sword. Making her hurriedly lift her sword to parry it.
Even then she didn't get through it untouched as the blade was simply too heavy while having been thrown with too much force.
Her upper arm being the thing she chose to sacrifice in this case.
A gash appeared in her clothing as they soon became dyed, especially the white lab coat, with the black blood leaking out from her fresh injury
Nevertheless, she wasn't one who'd take such a beating while sitting down. Returning in kind as her free hand took a scalpel from her belt before trying to throw it into his abdomen which most would think should be the result. Afterall, he had no weapons while his balance should have been off with that earlier kick.
That was wrong.
A flick of his arm resulted in a brand new bastard sword slipping out his billowing sleeve and which he promptly used to bat the tool aside. Slamming his foot into the ground then using the momentum of it to swing his body forward. Thrusting his newly revealed sword at the same moment.
Once more she backed away however that malicious monster actually let go of his sword then striked the pommel with his palm. Sending that sword flying towards her chest. That old moggie having no choice but to once more try dealing with a far heavier blade with her inferior level of strength.
This time she raised her blade to meet that bastard sword; actually jumping and letting that sword send her flying away thus giving space to breathe.
Of course, if she realised this then there was no way the far smarter Cheshire hadn't, despite clearly being pushed back she only exude more confidence with every weapon he threw at her.
"I know something you don't want me to~♪"
She even took a note from his book as she taunted him in a sing-song voice.
Even then his smug smirk only grew as hers did; flicking his wrist as a throwing knife fell right into its place in his palm allowing him to quickly throw it at her.
This time she far more easily parried the blade (helped by the fact it was far lighter than its predecessors) as it flew aside without hurting her. He hurled himself forward while removing another great sword from one of his back sheaths. Taking it in both hands as he swung horizontally toward her little neck.
However things went differently this time as she actually ducked under the blade to ram her sword towards the bastard's abdomen once more.
In response he lifted his knee upwards to slam into the bottom of the blade to send it harmlessly clang against something located inside his robe.
Didn't take a genius to figure out what.
He had literally been pulling weapon after weapon from under his loose fitting robes so neither cat was surprised that he had one located in front of his upper torso. From there he tried to bring his pommel down to crush that little cat's head. Although he and everyone else expected her to hastily retreat once more.
She didn't.
Instead she took another scalpel from her belt to ram it as hard as she could into his wrist.
What happened was also against the expectations of the spectating cat; reality itself seemed to grow unfocused & confused to the point where any injury he should have had couldn't be seen.
Pretty abruptly he retreated for the first time without bothering to retaliate despite appearing to be completely unharmed. Ironically it was the one who was still bleeding abyssal blood who let out a menacingly loud laugh that filled the blood stained street. Truly making her seem deranged.
"I knew it, you can hide it as much as you want, I've figured out your little secret~♪"
Throwing her arms out wide with her smile growing so wide under that mask that they unconsciously thought that the medical mask that hid it may tear.
"You greedy bastard, Navy Indigo, couldn't help yourself and chose to have more than one of those special blades due to your unique bodily constitution. It grants you far more strength than anyone before you but you still have the body of a mortal man. You can't handle it, can you~!"
Her head flying back along with her body as she seemed to be laughing at the heavens themselves.
"You obtained that secret ace of yours yet still have the same weakness… An automatic defence that makes you truly immortal but drains you of your energy!"
Navy just shook his head while lifting his hands up in a shrug - caring not for the massive sword that slipped out from his hand to dig into the ground. He didn't even seem bothered yet also didn't deny the words of the cat. Just letting out an exaggeratedly drawn out sigh.
"Makes sense you'd figure it out as only you were aware of this power."
"Only one that everyone knew chehehehaha~."
"Well everyone needs a secret gang or two to get up to mischief with~♪"
At that point Navy seemingly thought she was done as he moved his hand to rest atop the pommel of his half-buried great sword to slide down the smooth surface. Leaving his hand to perfectly fit around its grip due to it being a benign sword literally made for him. But that cat was far from finished.
"Bu~t wait; there's more!"
That caused him to pause his movement.
"Based on your earlier reaction you know exactly who is trying to speak to me which leads me to believe it has to do with something in this realm that you know and we don't. That could only be this sword. You have already proven a lack of knowledge when it comes to the behind the scenes~!"
Wagging her sword around like an elder telling their child to study more.
"Usually I reckon you wouldn't mind me getting a powerup from this child which then leads me to believe you are in an even bigger crunch than usual. You should have come to this place after us yet magically you appear older~? Chehe~ fat chance; you likely aged yourself rapidly~!"
"Oh~ and why would I do that~?"
"Time has never been on your side when it comes to a battle; you know that you can't defeat us at our best so you thought to get the jump on us. Although everything has a cost. If you could do it for free it begs the question of why you never did it before… because it reduces your stamina~!"
His jovial nature took the better of him as he did nothing to stop her monologue.
It would be rude to interrupt.
"Your abilities are effective but when used in battle they take more stamina than your mortal vessels can handle so you've always been aggressive or non-confrontational with no inbetween. Simply put, you don't have any time to waste. So you couldn't let me figure out how to unlock the sword's power~!"
Finally she tilted her head to look behind Navy and towards the cat who didn't have the ability to intervene in the fight against the two. That grin on her face was unsettling even when behind a mask. Still the little black cat refused to turn her eyes away from her fellows.
"That also means Rukia is likely still alive."
With just that, the cat felt as if gong had been rung inside her head, all her focus completely turned to the silver haired cat-woman.
"He didn't have time to waste on trying to secretly kidnap a girl, who we are always with, under our noses when we may not even fall for his ambush anyway. Why get the real thing when he can get another who looks similar enough. All he needs to do is make sure we don't know the difference~."
"I'm still here, you know."
Her eyes wide and (even if she couldn't speak out loud) Cheshire easily read the meaning of her gaze.
"I always have a plan but I need to know if you're willing to risk it all on a gamble~!"
That free hand slipped into her sleeve as she waited for a single sign of agreement from the little black cat that soon came with a nod.
At that precise moment her hand suddenly flew out.
Navy wasn't willing to risk it so stepped aside only to catch the sight of the blood coated throwing knife he had used on that one thug earlier fly past him. Finding its target soon enough… Right between the eyes of a certain little black cat.