10:45 to Saguache

The Cala currently in control of their body had had a good stint being in control for a bit now, going from sparring with Arianda to their journey to Africa, and they had to admit even they were growing more accustomed to the living realm. They did not have the preference for it their other half did over Hueco Mundo, save Aina's home being here, and so they had begun to travel more openly as an Arrancar in their time controlling their joined body. It should not have been a surprise, then, that they would have garnered at least some attention based solely off of what they were. Unlike in Hueco Mundo, however, in the living realm Cala was currently of both minds that it mattered a lot less who knew of their existence of the moment.

As Cala traveled, stopping by an old, run-down dustbin of a town after leaving Ari's, they took the time to site-see and ponder at the oddities on display. Some horribly stitched-together amalgamation of living realm animals, fit to be a hollow itself, sat glassy-eyed in the window of an old taxidermy store manned by only one old man with a gun across his lap. Gently teetering back and forth in a rocking chair the old man, of at least somewhat Hispanic descent, spot into a copper pot and lazily looked over Cala as the Arrancar had been staring at the jacka-were-basilisk-lope for a good three minutes now. Extremely puzzled by the odd beast and eventually reaching the conclusion that it was not, in fact, a creature actually in the living realm.

Turning away from the taxidermy store their interest drifted outward, along with their Pesquisa, to flood over a good portion of the town as they fought something else to possibly entertain themselves with. They could sense.... something vague and small nearby, though pinpointing exactly where was a bit of a challenge. Their head had only begun to turn in the direction Hijiri was hiding when the rotted wood gave way, definitely revealing the Shinigami, and Cala hummed idly. There were no eyes, necessarily, to stare at Hijiri once the dust cleared, only a noticeable pin-point weight of a very potent Pesquisa bearing down on him, studying him.

As Hijiri reached for his blade Cala's expression hardened, their self-defense instincts kicking in, and they nearly began gathering energy for a Cero to blast the rotting building away before... they paused. Remembering their conversation with one Tento and their other self's friendship with one Hana, they decided to not react too violently to the Shinigami's obvious threat and instead pointed a finger to fire a Bala of black-and-white energy into the dirt beside the Shinigami. A warning shot, as it were, and Cala would rest a hand on Ceniza as they spoke in a neutral, distinctly grey, tone.

"Come out of hiding, we can sense you, and we will defend ourselves."

Cala could not help a reserved amount of distaste entering their mouth at the equivalency drawn by their opponent. Their entire existence at risk for.... this individual's job? How utterly heartless. Now that Hijiri had revealed himself following his Flash-Step with their Pesquisa was child's play for Cala. Indeed it seemed the Shinigami in question was notably slower than themselves. A fact that Cala was.... at least a tiny amount proud of. Beginning to overcome those that would be sent to hunt them. Though Cala was far from a proud individual it at least made them feel satisfied that there WERE threats in this world they could contend with.

For the briefest of moments Cala tilted their head, noting the gathering of energy at the tip of Hijiri's fingers, and earnestly thought the Shinigami was just levelling some very odd speech or insult at them until the stream of energy emerged and they were reminded of their encounter with another Shinigami who had thrown... magic at them. Cala's teeth grit in a bit of rejection at being called a dog and, preparing themselves would have their own Sonido carry them to the same rooftop behind Hijiri. Making use of the one advantage Cala knew they possessed Cala would hiss at the Shinigami.

"You call me a dog, yet you are the one sent to hunt like one......"

With that said Cala would open their fanged mouth, a Cero charging between their teeth with a pitch black core and a corona of white light around it, before they would fire off a Cero of Lost Potential at Hijiri from comparatively close range. This Cero, oddly enough, did not true physical damage to Hijiri should it strike him. Instead Cala would use it as a vessel to inflict their aspect onto Hijiri, draining away at his Strength, and weakening him physically. Should this be unsuccessful Cala would begin to gather Bala at their fingers at launch a follow-up spray of them at Hijiri to maintain the offensive. If it was successful in striking Hijiri Cala would strike out with Ceniza at Hijiri's weapon, looking to take advantage of Hijiri's weakened state and physically disarm him of his weapon.

As Cala's Bala unintentionally gave their enemy regress Cala simply halted in their assault, hoping the fall had dissuaded the horrid Shinigami, willing to kill them for their day-job. In a way it was almost more monstrous than another Hollow trying to eat them to survive, though Cala had no time to ponder on that, as they heard through the hole their Bala had made another incantation from their enemy. They could sense this individual was quite a bit weaker than the blonde-haired woman who had resorted to them same tricks, but even so, they did not risk staying in the same place as they heard that incantation begin.

Instead of remaining on the collapsed roof Cala leapt upward, plunging into the hole Hijiri had just vanished down, Ceniza drawn and ready into a downward plunge attack from directly above their enemy. As such Cala did not land where those menacing horns were pointed and was, instead, coming from directly above Hijiri. The only warning of that attack being the brief flicker of darkness from above as Cala's form blocked the sunlight streaming in through the hole.In the likely event Hijiri dodged or sought to intercept Cala with those horns Cala's Hierro was monstrously powerful for their level of spiritual energy, and Cala would drive Ceniza toward the joint between Hijiri's dominant arm and his shoulder. Looking to make the limb useless should their stab land.

In the event their downward plunge missed Cala would land crouches, Ceniza buried into the wooden floor, their other hand braced on the floor, before they gathered up a Cero and, not having to raise their eyes towards Hijiri to know where he had moved, looked almost as if they were going to shoot the Cero into the ground beneath them before Cala raised their head at the last second before releasing their Cero directly at Hijiri. This Cero was nothing deceptive and tore up the floor beneath it as it traveled in an beam taller and broader than Cala and Hijiri themselves just by it's passing. A lance of obsidian corona'd by white flaring with energy toward their enemy.