Post by Shade Kawada on Jan 18, 2012 0:55:36 GMT -5
{Listen to this song}
A few months passed after Shade had learned his sword’s true release phrase and squad 11’s vice-captain spot became vacant due to Zieg Revolver accepting a promotion. With no Squad 3 captain to head the squad, and because he had not yet acquired the bankai necessary to become a captain himself, Shade moved back to Squad 11 where he became its new lieutenant. This suited Shade much more than Squad 3 since it once again surrounded him with strong combatants looking for a fight. The soul reaper set his eyes on his next goal, which was attaining bankai. This was the next necessary step in his transformation into the perfect shinigami. Shade began meditating night and day in hopes of convincing Buraindo Kira that he was indeed ready to wield the zanpakutou’s full power, but it seemed that Buraindo Kira wasn’t letting go of the reigns so easily.
“Buraindo Kira...” thought Shade as he sat cross-legged atop his cot, “I need to speak with you... Buraindo Kira...” The zanpakutou rested horizontally across the soul reaper’s lap as he attempted to enter his sword’s inner world. Shade sat still, surrounded by four gray walls with little decoration or furniture in the room. In one corner was a bookshelf lined with textbooks, journals, and other various manuals on a variety of different academic pursuits and physical activities. It was clear that Shade was not into reading for its entertainment value but rather for its practical uses. In the opposite corner of the soul reaper’s room was a sink and mirror which Shade used to groom himself every morning and before bed every night. Next to the shinigami’s bed was a night stand with an alarm clock and a trash can next to it. The wastebasket was constantly kept empty as Shade obsessively made trips to the dumpster when even the smallest scrap of paper was thrown into it. The only other thing in the room was a dresser next to the bookcase which was full of approximately four changes of shinigami robes. This was all that the lieutenant needed as he did his laundry on a regular basis. It was clear that Shade was not used to entertaining guests, much less enjoying his free time.
But the state of the lieutenant’s room didn’t matter, for Shade had already left the plain apartment behind him and entered his sword’s inner world. Darkness was all around the shinigami as he stumbled aimlessly through the caverns of Buraindo Kira’s home. A thick, soupy liquid filled the caves in which the spirit lived and covered half of Shade’s calves as he trudged through the blackness. This sludge was actually very similar to what you would get if you put people into a huge blender for half an hour or so. It was stinky, It was distasteful, and it dirtied the soul reaper’s clean robes and sandals. Stalagmites riddled the ground and would cause Shade to stumble every so often in the darkness that surrounded him. The soul reaper was in search of his zanpakutou spirit who resided within the dank tunnels and corridors that spread out in front of Shade.
The soul reaper thought about calling out for his zanpakutou spirit but decided against it. Likely Buraindo Kira wouldn’t answer him anyway and he’d simply think him weaker for relying on his eyes so much. The last thing that Shade wanted to appear right now was weak. That would not be to his benefit, especially with what he intended to ask his zanpakutou. Shade would have to find him in the maze of catacombs that stretched before him without any help. The soul reaper’s steps made noisy sloshing noises within the empty inner world and the echo accentuated sounds that Shade made. After around forty-five minutes of walking and after tripping on stalagmites at least four separate times, Shade looked absolutely awful. His drenched, black hair clung to his white skin as blood rushed over his face and dripped off the end of his nose and chin. Chunks of organs clung to the soul reaper’s clothes and hair and he smelled absolutely awful.
This was no way for the future head of the Kawada family to look, yet Shade seemed to ignore everything as he continued his long walk towards the unknown. None of the soul reaper’s many items were able to follow him inside his inner world and the only thing Shade possessed was Buraindo Kira’s empty sheath on his left hip. Anyone else would feel absolutely helpless in this situation as they were thrust into a pitch-black world, all alone, and without any way to defend themselves. The silence was deafening, but still Shade pushed forward through the muck and blackness. Further and further into the caves the lieutenant went, unsure of when he’d ever find his zanpakutou spirit or if Buraindo Kira would even speak to him. But Shade had no choice. He had to do this. This was what his whole life had led up to. Today was the day that Shade would demand that his sword acknowledge his strength and surrender his bankai to him.
{Listen to this now}
Shade’s eyes narrowed with focus as he pushed himself further a few more steps before bumping into something that caused Shade to stumble into the blood yet again. Shade wiped away the grime from his face with his hand and pulled himself out from the disgusting sludge as he observed the object which he tripped over. Strangely enough a dim light filled the cavern as he stood, revealing the object to be what looked like a corpse floating face-down in the bloody concoction. Shade wasn’t sure how long the light would remain, so he glanced over his surroundings and made a mental picture of them. The body had gray, decaying skin and what appeared to be short spikes that jetted out from its flesh at every angle. Shade knew quickly that this was the sword spirit he’d been searching for the entire time. “What brings a tasty little snack like you...” said the zanpakutou spirit as he lifted his face out from the muck, “...INTO MY HOME?!?” The sword spirit yelled at Shade at the top of his lungs in a raspy, disgusting voice. There were no eyes on Buraindo Kira’s face and his nose consisted of only two nostrils just above his mouth. The sword spirit’s mouth was huge and took up most of his head’s room. It was lined with sharp, yellowish teeth that looked crooked and rotten. The sword spirit’s decaying body smelled worse than the body-part stew he was swimming around in and as he stood up, blood ran down his flesh and off of the many spikes protruding from his skin.
“Buraindo Kira...” said Shade as he gave what was supposed to be an imprint of his very soul a serious look. “What the FUCK do you think you’re doing, Shade?!” screeched the zanpakutou spirit as he leaned in close to the soaking, grimy soul reaper, “I suggest that you leave unless you’ve come to let me devour your entire soul...” Buraindo Kira reached out towards his master’s face and brushed his long, bony fingers across Shade’s cheeks as if he was attempted to grab the lieutenant’s face very slowly. Shade solidly batted his sword spirit’s arm away from his face and glared deep into the zanpakutou’s blind face, “I have come to collect what you owe me...” Shade’s face lacked any emotion but it was obvious that he was determined. “Owe you?” questioned the spirit as he recoiled from his master’s strike with a smile on his face, “I don’t owe you shit...” As he spoke his long, gray tongue escaped from his mouth and began wiping his forehead where a piece of dead flesh remained from floating face-down in the liquid below.
Shade took a step closer to his zanpakutou spirit, “Whether you are prepared to pay or not is irrelevant... I want my bankai...” Buraindo Kira cocked his head in Shade’s direction. If the zanpakutou had eyes he’d be looking in Shade’s general direction, but a little off to the side. A huge grin crept across the sword’s face as the soul reaper spoke these words. “KAHAHAHAHAHA!” laughed Buraindo Kira in a raspy voice, sounding like someone with a terrible sore throat, “Bankai?! You- you want BANKAI?!?” Shade stood there, silent as he waited for his sword spirit to finish with his outburst. He knew going into this that Buraindo Kira wasn’t the type of zanpakutou spirit that would so easily surrender his most powerful abilities. “Like shit you’re getting bankai...” said the zanpakutou as he calmed down, “Now go away... I’m thirsty and it’s about time you fed me... Go cut somebody... Or yourself... I don’t care...”
The soul reaper didn’t budge, and instead continued his malicious glare that would only fall on blind eyes. “I have nearly reached the apex of what I can accomplish with only shikai... To further progress, bankai is required... This day has always been approaching and you have no right to deny me what is rightfully mine to claim,” said Shade with conviction. Buraindo Kira’s annoyance was apparent as he snarled at his master. His teeth bared with anger, however Buraindo Kira’s annoyance slowly turned into a devious smile. “Fine then... I’ll let you play for your bankai, however if you fail to convince me that you’re worthy of wielding my ultimate form, then I will devour your entire soul and take your body for my own...” the zanpakutou smiled devilishly as he waited for his master’s response.
“That won’t be the case...” said Shade with confidence, “How should we fight?” Buraindo Kira smirked as blood seemed to seep out from the spaces in between his teeth and run down his chin. “Take that weapon,” said the zanpakutou spirit as a sword emerged directly in front of Shade from the blood and guts below. The soul reaper pulled the weapon out of the sludge by its hilt and instantly got a feel for its weight, length, center of gravity, and material. The weapon was a scimitar constructed of what felt like bone. It was quite obviously a slashing weapon and wasn’t one that Shade was used to fighting with. On top of that the entire blade was riddled with small holes that went directly through the wide blade. It looked like the sword was made out of Swiss cheese. Shade glanced over his weapon, and then at Buraindo Kira. He had no complaints. How could he? If he stated any hesitation then Buraindo Kira might call the whole thing off. This was the closest to bankai that Shade had ever gotten and he didn’t even care that his life was on the line. It was impossible for him to lose a fight this important.
{Listen to this song}
{Buraindo Kira’s Stats}
Strength - [200] Points
Speed - [300] Points
Spiritual Pressure - [200] Points
Reiatsu Strength - [200] Points
Light Aura - [0] Points
Dark Aura - [100] Points
Instinct - [100] Points
Senses [400] Points
Energy sensory - [0] Points
Healing Expertise - [0] Points
Total SP: [1,400] Points
Strength - [200] Points
Speed - [300] Points
Spiritual Pressure - [200] Points
Reiatsu Strength - [200] Points
Light Aura - [0] Points
Dark Aura - [100] Points
Instinct - [100] Points
Senses [400] Points
Energy sensory - [0] Points
Healing Expertise - [0] Points
Total SP: [1,400] Points
“You rely on your eyes too much, Shade...” said Buraindo Kira after the vice-captain had finished examining his weapon, “...which is why, during our fight, you won’t be able to use them.” The shinigami had already finished memorizing his surroundings and could reproduce the entire area flawlessly in his head, so he was unworried when the light disappeared. Now he and his zanpakutou were fighting on even turf aside from him being armed and Buraindo Kira being bare-handed. Shade sunk to a defensive stance as he awaited whatever it was that Buraindo Kira would do. All he had to go on was his sense of hearing and smell. Luckily the entire ground was covered in sludge and he would likely hear any approach as long as he didn’t move himself. Shade waited, but heard nothing. Had Buraindo Kira moved? Was he waiting for him to attack? What was he planning?
In an instant a gust of wind filled the tunnel and blew past from behind Shade. “I’m downwind!” thought the shinigami, instantly realizing the danger as he leapt to the side. “TOO SLOW!!!” screeched the sword spirit as he passed Shade mid-dodge, scratching the soul reaper’s left leg with his enormous claws as he did. Shade attempted stabbing in the creature’s direction as he carved his claws into Shade’s leg, but Buraindo Kira was gone as soon as he’d come. Shade looked around to no avail. There was no light available and the only clue he had on Buraindo Kira’s location was the sounds his feet made in the blood after passing him. This was enough for the lieutenant to go on, and he was eager to launch his own counteroffensive. The soul reaper used his impeccable memory to reproduce the entire area in his head. He recalled three stalagmites between him and Buraindo Kira that he could jump on to reach the zanpakutou spirit. Using this knowledge, Shade leapt out from the sludge and onto the first stalagmite before propelling himself to the next one. After jumping on the second one Shade continued to the third and finally leapt straight at where Buraindo Kira was undoubtedly located.
The shinigami slashed his sword horizontally. Surely Buraindo Kira would be unable to defend. He possessed no weapon and his hands would only be cut through like paper. This was the end. Shade knew for a fact that his zanpakutou was in this very spot. Air-ground didn’t exist in his inner world and he hadn’t heard Buraindo Kira move since he landed in this spot. It was impossible to move without trudging through the muck and sludge. “This is where you submit to me... Buraindo Kira...” thought Shade as he swung his blade. A full swing was completed meeting no resistance whatsoever. Shade’s eyes opened wide. Buraindo Kira hadn’t moved from this spot, so why didn’t his swing hit its mark? It didn’t take long for the lieutenant to realize what had happened. Shade looked down instinctively. Buraindo Kira had to be crouched or floating in the shallow muck again. That was the only explanation! In an instant four scratches appeared on the soul reaper’s chest as Buraindo Kira launched himself upwards, scratching him with his sharp talons and tearing through his clothing. This fight was not going well. Shade swung vertically forwards, but unfortunately it was easily dodged by the sword spirit as he sprinted past the soul reaper, pulling him down into the sludge by his robes. This kept Shade from hearing where Buraindo Kira moved to as his head was completely submerged in the muck. This was bad. He wasn’t used to fighting under such pitch-black conditions and was getting trashed by Buraindo Kira who was fighting in his own habitat.
Shade pulled himself out from organ stew and flipped his disgustingly drenched hair out from his face. Little chunks of body parts still clung to the shinigami’s forehead and clothing and he reeked of death, but he didn’t have time to care. Buraindo Kira was looking to kill him and eat his soul. Meanwhile the zanpakutou spirit’s long tongue licked his fingers as he enjoyed the taste of his master’s blood while he prepared to commence attacking. As soon as Buraindo Kira was ready yet another gust of wind filled the tunnel from the same direction as last time, sending Shade’s smell in the zanpakutou’s direction. The soul reaper’s eyes opened in realization. Finally, there was some information he could use. Shade knew exactly what was going to happen as he heard a sequence of splashes getting ever closer to him with each one. Buraindo Kira was coming to attack, because no doubt he’d pinpointed him simply be scent. Shade swung forwards horizontally as soon as the creature came into his range, but oddly enough Buraindo Kira dove to the side, avoiding the blade completely. The soul reaper converted his momentum and slashed to the side where his zanpakutou spirit had dodged to, but it was too late. Buraindo Kira was incredibly fast for his size and seemed to be able to move around at extreme speed in pitch blackness.
Shade was naturally more sluggish due to not being able to see and not being used to fighting under such conditions and it was no great surprise to him that Buraindo Kira possessed the capability to dodge his attacks. However, what Shade couldn’t comprehend was how his blind zanpakutou spirit was sensing the incoming strikes. Swings couldn’t be smelled like he could be and they were utterly silent. Buraindo Kira avoided Shade’s second swing by dropping to the sludge once again while sticking his entire hand into Shade’s right side, utterly destroying one of his kidneys and ascending colon in the process. This was not Shade’s real body, but the pain he felt was as close to real as it could get. The lieutenant’s eyes widened with surprise as he threw up blood and dropped to one knee. Was this it? Was he going to have his soul devoured by his blade? Would he fail in becoming the ultimate shinigami? This wasn’t fair.
{Play this song now}
Meanwhile, back in the Soul Society, where Shade sat meditating, something strange began to happen. The sealed blade that rested upon his lap entered its shikai state and Shade’s right hand grabbed on to its hilt. It would be obvious anyone that something weird was happening because as this happened the veins in Shade’s right arm bulged as if a foreign liquid was being pushed up from his hand into his body through his blood vessels. The soul reaper’s eyes snapped open to reveal that they had become clouded and glazed, almost like he was blind. Without a word, Shade stood up and a wicked smile crept across his usually emotionless face. Shade’s body was being controlled by the greedy spirit and he could do nothing as he was too busy with the fight within his sword’s inner world. Just how was Buraindo Kira taking over though? Had the winner been determined or was there still hope for the vice-captain? Either way, Buraindo Kira controlling Shade’s body took a few steps forward and blew a whole through his quarters and into Squad 11’s dormitories. A wicked laugh escaped the shinigami’s mouth as he imagined the slaughter that he was preparing to commit.
It wasn’t long before some people came out of their rooms, wondering what the commotion was about, and they’d be mortified to see Shade Kawada, their vice-captain, with a devilish smile plastered across his face and his gruesome shikai in his hands. As soon as the zanpakutou spirit became aware of their presence he set after the nearest shinigami, laughing like a maniac as he did. Buraindo Kira’s swings were wild and powerful and though the first soul reaper was able to block the strike, his sword sunk directly into the massive shikai’s form and disappeared completely. The soul reaper fell back, shocked and unsure what to do when two other soul reapers, both seated leapt directly at their vice-captain with fire in their eyes. They didn’t know what was going on, but they needed to stop Shade from destroying the entire barracks.
Buraindo Kira’s laugh, which was raspy and deep, got louder as he swept his huge shikai and knocked both seated officers through two walls. Where was their captain? Surely not even the entire squad was enough to stop a rampaging Shade Kawada if the captain wasn’t present. By this time every single person who had been either resting or in their room for some other reason had filled the hallway with their zanpakutous unsheathed. This didn’t even slow the soul reaper as he mowed through the entire group of both seated and unseated shinigami, stealing weapons with every swing and sending shinigami flying through walls left and right. It was clearly an impressive display of strength and what fighting like an animal could accomplish. This continued without Buraindo Kira saying a single word as he massacred everything that he came near.
{Play this now}
Meanwhile, back in Shade’s inner world the zanpakutou spirit stood above Shade with a huge grin on his face. He’d won. Shade’s soul, his entire body, would finally belong to him. This was the day he’d been waiting for. With his sharp talons at the ready, Buraindo Kira lifted his hand back as he prepared to deal the death blow to the injured shinigami. If the sword spirit didn’t know any better, he’d say that his master had given up or fallen into a depression, but Shade was merely thinking. What could he do with the information he’d gained? The choice was obvious. An instant before the sword spirit could deliver the killing blow Shade mustered all of his strength he could and dashed forwards, avoiding the blow at the last second. No... It wouldn’t end like this, not while Shade had just thought of a way to take advantage of Buraindo Kira’s weakness.
The soul reaper placed himself a good thirty yards away from where his zanpakutou was before he allowed himself to stop and turn around. He was now standing upwind of the sword spirit. Buraindo Kira had only demonstrated the ability to send a gust of wind through the caves in one direction. He hadn’t used the wind when Shade was on this side of the arena before, so the lieutenant determined that the reason was because he couldn’t. If his hypothesis was correct then as long as he remained quiet and upwind, he’d essentially be invisible to Buraindo Kira. This would be a huge advantage and could possibly win him the fight if things went as planned. It wasn’t long before Shade’s suspicions were confirmed. Wind filled the tunnel again, from the same direction as it was twice before. The lieutenant remained upwind and it would be impossible for Buraindo Kira to smell him.
If his calculations were correct, which they usually were, then he was now completely undetectable to Buraindo Kira unless he made some noise. Now the tricky part was figuring out a way to fight his zanpakutou without making any sort of sound. This is what the soul reaper was in the middle of doing when he heard Buraindo Kira rapidly approaching him. Did Buraindo Kira keep track of where he last heard a splash of muck? Was the zanpakutou guessing Shade’s position? This made the most sense, but it didn’t matter because he was upwind of Buraindo Kira and had a longer reach than him. As soon as Shade heard the zanpakutou spirit enter his range, he swung downwards, hoping to cleave his zanpakutou spirit in two. The blind spirit would be unable to avoid since Shade had made sure that he was unable to be smelled and was doing his best to make as little noise as possible, but the most frightening thing happened just as the scimitar was bout to cut into Buraindo Kira. At the last second, Shade heard the spirit step off to the side and evade his swing. Not only had the sword spirit been aware of the swing, but he knew exactly what way it was going. How was this possible? Shade couldn’t take much more punishment so before Buraindo Kira could deliver yet another hit on Shade, the lieutenant disappeared by using a flash step.
“What? How is this possible? The wind was and still is coming towards me. I am upwind of Buraindo Kira, yet he seems to be able to sense my every move... Just how good is his hearing?” thought Shade, racking his brain to think of every possibility. Shade needed to use his brain to come out on top here, for he couldn’t seem to trust his senses. Or was there another reason that Buraindo Kira seemed to always be aware of his location? Shade was given little time to think as Buraindo Kira kept up the offense, rushing up to him and delivering a barrage of slashes, some of which scraped into the shinigami’s flesh. The fight was certainly not going in the lieutenant’s favor as blood burst from forearm and cheek. The pain felt all too real even though it wasn’t actually happening to him. Just how far was Buraindo Kira going to go? Would he die right here?
Having memorized the entire arena in the light and keeping track of his position, Shade was able to leap over a stalagmite and place the stone pillar between him and his bloodthirsty zanpakutou. This caused the sword spirit’s hand to scrape harmlessly over it and covered the vice-captain’s retreat as he landed on top of the rock formation. “It seems that the pieces of the puzzle are all spread out before me... I simply need to figure out how they fit together...” thought Shade as he closed his eyes in concentration. “The darkness... The disgusting slop covering the ground... Every single stalagmite and stalactite... They are all constants. The wind... Our positions... Everything on my person... They are the variables. Somehow, with the information I’ve been given, It is possible to solve for the answer. For victory... For bankai...” pondered Shade as he raised the sword he’d been given.
Buraindo Kira smirked as he thought, “Shade... you’re so stupid sometimes... Don’t you know? I can sense your every move, and not because I can hear your basic bodily functions at work. No... I sense you because you’re just so stupid...” The zanpakutou shot his arms out to the left and right, curling his fingers so that his talons faced the shinigami’s direction. Wind once again filled the tunnel from behind the zanpakutou spirit and Buraindo Kira smiled a wicked toothy grin. He may not have possessed the ability to see, but in an arena such as this one, the ability to see was irrelevant. The other senses are what determined the winner, and Buraindo Kira had the nose and ears of a true beast. “It sounds like Shade just leapt a few feet to his left...” thought the sword spirit as he listened to the splashes of the sludge, “However, he probably landed on top of a stalagmite, cause there was no second splash... That fucker... What’s he trying to pull? Doesn’t he know that he’s good as dead?”
The sword spirit pondered what the sounds he was hearing meant as he prepared to dash forwards. It didn’t matter what Shade was trying, Buraindo Kira could tell where he was at all times no matter what! The wind made sure of that! “DIE!!!” thought the zanpakutou spirit as he dashed forwards in Shade’s direction. Buraindo Kira wasn’t even attempting to hide the noises his footsteps made as he approached. He was going to put it all into this final attack. This would end things as quickly as they began and finally he’d acquire full control of the soul reaper’s body. “He’s not moving?” thought the zanpakutou spirit as he got closer and closer to his target, “Has he given up? Does he even care that I’m about to stick my hand through his chest?” Oddly as the sword spirit got closer, the lieutenant didn’t seem to budge. “NOW BURN IN HELL!” yelled the zanpakutou as he got in range and thrust his clawed hand forwards.
{Play this now}
*Thunk*
“What the fuck?!” thought Buraindo Kira as his hand connected with one of the many stone stalagmites that riddled the ground. This was obviously not Shade. How had the soul reaper fooled his senses? He was supposed to be right here! Why wasn’t Shade skewered on the end of his arm right now?! Where was Shade?!? The zanpakutou spirit’s questions were quickly answered as a mighty fist connected with Buraindo Kira’s face, sending the sword spirit flying into the hard, stone wall of the cave. “Ugh...” groaned the sword spirit as it slumped over in the crater created by the impact, but Shade wasn’t done there. In the blink of an eye the lieutenant was directly in front of his sword spirit, covering the exit to the crater that he’d made. Shade was blocking the only exit that Buraindo Kira had. Another fist collided with the sword spirit’s face as the crater increased in size and depth. Shade wasn’t letting up as he unleashed a barrage of blows to Buraindo Kira. Each one caused the sword spirit to spit up blood while bones and teeth were easily cracked as a result of the vicious onslaught. “How... In the hell?” thought the sword spirit as he could do nothing to defend himself against the strikes that were delivered to him. Every attack that Shade made connected with the blind spirit and Buraindo Kira didn’t see any of them coming. There was no possible way for him to hear the punches that Shade delivered and react to them before they connected. He could only curl up and await for his master to finish beating him.
“Shit! Shit! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!!!” screeched the sword spirit with every punch that enlarged the crater that Buraindo Kira was up against. The lieutenant was like the hammer that was pounding a hole through a board by slamming against a nail repeatedly, and his unwilling nail was Buraindo Kira. Finally Shade delivered the final punch that sent his zanpakutou spirit plummeting through the wall of the cave and down into another cavern completely. This room was much larger than the one they were fighting in and a few dozen yards deeper. Shade stopped at the edge where he’d pushed Buraindo Kira through and stared down at the black cavern without a word. Light began to return to the inner world and slowly Shade saw his own zanpakutou spirit skewered on a stalagmite below him. Buraindo Kira had fallen just right so that a sharp formation of rock had stabbed him through his back and out his stomach. “FUCK!” shouted Buraindo Kira as he writhed in pain, “YOU COCKY LITTLE SHIT!!! HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO IT?!?”
Shade closed his eyes as he realized the battle’s end. “It was simple...” he said in a monotone voice, “I realized that since I’d made certain you couldn’t smell me, you had to be hearing me, and since you were dodging my sword swings I was led to believe you could somehow hear the movement of my sword. Then I remembered the holes in the blade you gave me. They emit a tone that normal ears can’t hear when wind blows by them... Don’t they? I was unable to hear the sound the blade made, but you could, couldn’t you?” Buraindo Kira gritted his teeth in disgust, “Tch... You cocksucker...” Shade continued, “After realizing this it was a simple matter of making it appear as if I changed positions and then catch you off guard with blows that would undoubtedly cause less damage, but had a greater chance of hitting... You lose... Buraindo Kira...”
Turn off any music
Back in Soul Society, Shade had essentially ravaged the entire barracks and left every single soul reaper of Squad 11 beaten behind him as he rampaged. His shikai was a perfect match for many of the seated officer’s physical-based shikai and his superior skills took care of anyone that possessed a different type of zanpakutou. Just where was their captain? Shade still possessed a sick smile on his face and had just knocked the final soul reaper unconscious when he turned to leave the barracks. This was bad, if Shade went outside while in a state like this, he’d instantly be considered a threat to the peace and likely would fall to the responsibility of Squad 7 to eliminate, which they no doubt were capable of, but just as Shade reached the sliding door, he stopped. His shikai disappeared to be replaced by a katana. However, one would notice that his sealed blade was in fact, not bleeding as it usually did.
Shade stood for a few moments as his eyes returned to normal and rolled back into his head. The bulging veins on his arms receded and the lieutenant fell to the ground helplessly, leaving the entire barracks in ruin. Who would have guessed that the vice-captain was capable of single-handedly taking on an entire squad save for the captain. There was nothing remaining of the sparring room aside for collapsed bodies, blood, broken walls, and a broken floor. Reconstruction would definitely be necessary, but Shade had the type of financial backing to cover any expenses. But the important thing was that whatever violence had been happening a few moments ago, was now over as Buraindo Kira lost any control he had over the lieutenant’s body.
Meanwhile in Shade’s inner world the vice-captain stood over his zanpakutou spirit with a heartless look in his eyes. “Hey... Sh-Shade... Get me off of this...” said the zanpakutou, “P-p-please... You can’t leave your zanpakutou like this...” It was clear that the zanpakutou was in pain and was letting his will to survive trump his pride. “Give me what I want...” said Shade without skipping a beat. Buraindo Kira growled for a second before conceding, “Fine... Just get me off this...” Shade was hesitant to trust his blade, but he didn’t really have a choice and lifted the zanpakutou off of the sharp stalagmite. “Now... Give it to me...” repeated Shade as soon as he’d set the zanpakutou on the ground. Oddly enough, Buraindo Kira’s wound closed as soon as he was placed in the blood below them, but this was now the least of Shade’s concerns, “Give me my bankai...”
Buraindo Kira’s beaten face curled up into a smile and before long the zanpakutou spirit was filling the cave with an eerie cackle. “You just don’t get it, do you?” said the sword spirit, “You’re not like other shinigami, Shade. You’re much better than other shinigami. Do you know why that is? Do you know what sets you apart from the others, Shade?” Buraindo Kira’s long, bloodied finger was pointed in the vice-captain’s direction as he spoke. Blood covered nearly every inch of Buraindo Kira’s flesh and his teeth pointed in every direction as he spoke. “I’m better because I am of pure blood. The head of the esteemed Kawada family who chooses not to engage in the mundane activities of common-folk...” replied Shade with almost rehearsed quality. “NO!” shouted Buraindo Kira, nearly interrupting his master, “You are better because you lack what makes everyone else merciful... and weak...” The zanpakutou got close to his master’s ear as Shade listened with a calm gaze. “You know what I’m talking about. The same thing that makes others leave people alive on the battlefield. What makes others sad, happy, furious, jealous, and worst of all... in love...” he whispered into Shade’s ear.
Buraindo Kira shifted to Shade’s other ear as he continued to speak to the statuesque shinigami, “Your emotions Shade... You were blessed enough to be born without them, but that would have fixed itself given time... Oh yes, you would have healed... Luckily you found me before that happened...” Shade observed his zanpakutou with the utmost scrutiny. He didn’t trust Buraindo Kira, but he had always felt as if there was something about humanity that he didn’t quite understand. He felt it every time he talked to someone and it irritated him. Seeing the difference between him and other shinigami made Shade strive not to ever become like one of them. They were weak. They took pity on things. They let their “emotions” cloud their judgement. The last thing that the vice-captain wanted was his emotions back, so if there was one thing that Shade could thank Buraindo Kira for, it was keeping them at bay. “I am not interested in acquiring weakness, Buraindo Kira. I am in pursuit of my bankai... Nothing more...”
The zanpakutou’s hand was now grasping Shade’s right shoulder and Buraindo Kira was standing behind him as he spoke. “I’ve kept the return of your emotions at bay until now because it made you an effective killer, but if you force me to submit to you by taking my bankai, then I will lose the control of your mind that I need to continue,” said Buraindo Kira, “You cannot have your bankai without regaining your feelings, Shade... Do you want to be as weak as the scum that’s ruining Soul Society? What of your aspiration to become the perfect soul reaper?” Shade’s brow narrowed as he thought. His life could either stay as it was, or change dramatically. He’d never experienced a feeling like emotion before and wasn’t too keen on the idea. How weak would he become with the drastic change? Shade looked down at the blood below them as Buraindo Kira’s smile widened. “You see, Shade? I was keeping you from attaining bankai for your own good... I need you to be the heartless, cold killer that you are... You’re the main source of my meals, after all...”
Buraindo Kira chucked and turned to leave with a wicked smile plastered across his face, “So I guess that’s that... You see now that you can never attain my bankai...” A drip of sweat ran down the zanpakutou’s forehead. Was the great and mighty Buraindo Kira nervous? He no longer held any power in his partnership with Shade. He was completely at the vice-captain’s mercy and could only rely on his silver tongue to escape now. Of course he was scared. Shade’s finger twitched and his head turned to glare at Buraindo Kira over his shoulder. “I must keep moving forward...” he said with intensity, “I have defeated countless opponents... I will defeat my own feelings as well...” Was there emotion in the soul reaper’s eyes? No, that couldn’t be right. For a person that had been cold for years upon years, the concept of emotion was not yet grasped by the soul reaper. Was he willing to embrace the new lifestyle? Things seemed to be leaning in that direction.
Shade threw his hand out to the side as he turned to face the zanpakutou spirit that had been walking away until now, “Now... Buraindo Kira... Surrender your bankai unto me...” “No... NO... NOOOOOOOOOO!!!” screamed the zanpakutou spirit as his hands and legs were forcibly locked in a crucifix position by some unseen force, “YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE?!?!? YOU’VE RUINED EVERYTHING!!! GOD DAMMIT, SHADE!!! IF IT TAKES ME 1,000 YEARS I WILL EAT YOUR SOUL!!!” The zanpakutou spirit was slammed against the wall of the cave, his arms and legs still held straight out. As soon as the zanpakutou’s body hit the nearest stone wall of the cave, rusty chains seemed to burst from the cave wall and wrap around the zanpakutou’s entire body, keeping him in place. “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!” shouted Buraindo Kira as the last piece of his imprisonment materialized before him. Slowly, the muzzle inched closer and closer to Buraindo Kira’s face. It was made of what appeared to be leather, and it covered the entire lower half of the sword spirit’s face and kept his jaw mostly shut. There was enough give so that Buraindo Kira could talk, but opening his mouth all the way would be impossible for Buraindo Kira as long as this remained on his face. The sword spirit’s shouting got much quieter once the straps snapped behind the zanpakutou spirit’s head. Shade now had complete control.
{Play this now}
The soul reaper awoke in division 4 on a steel gurney. It seemed that someone had stopped by Squad 11 and noticed the amount of unconscious bodies and called for a squadron from the fourth division to tend to their wounds. Shade, possessing only minor cuts and bruises, wasn’t being tended to by anyone for the moment and was laid in the corner of the large hospital room. Injured bodies filled the room on their own cots. Some of them had broken arms and some were bleeding, but all were frightened when the vice-captain awoke. Shade’s face seemed to have a different look about it. It was something no one had ever seen before. Shade, for a brief moment, appeared frightened, but that all went away as it hit him. In less than an instant the shinigami’s soul was flooded with an entire spectrum of the emotions he’d failed to feel for over four decades. The feelings that Buraindo Kira had been holding back came to Shade all at once and his eyes rolled back into his head, making his eyes appear completely white.
The vice-captain sat up as straight as humanly possible as his muscles tightened to unbelievable tensity. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” he screamed, filling the entire building with his pained shouting. “OH GOD!!! OH GOD!!! NO!!!” Shade screamed as he thrashed around in his gurney, knocking himself onto the ground as he had muscle spasms and seemed to be having dry heaves in the middle of screaming. His mind drifted back to all the times he’d reacted so coldly. “Nami... Nami Ketsuki...” he thought, recalling his ex-captain’s execution. It was as he held this thought in his mind that the shinigami burst out in tears unbefitting of his usual demeanor. “I’m so sorry... I’m so sorry... So sorry...” muttered Shade between sobs feeling guilt for the first time in his life. Then Shade’s mind drifted back to the arrancar he’d fought. Rio Demoniogalgo... Kuroi Naito... He was one step closer to ending both of their lives. There it was for the first time. This wasn’t merely irritation. This was pure anger.
By this time Shade had been surrounded by various members of Squad 4 and they were trying to calm him down, but it was to no avail. Shade was experiencing over forty years of emotion in a single moment. He was sobbing while he laughed. He was cursing as he apologized. There was simply no way for Shade to comprehend what was happening to him all at once. He thought of the possibility that this might be what normal people felt like at all times. This scared Shade right to the core. He couldn’t live like this. He wanted the comfort of Buraindo Kira’s protection back, but at the same time he knew he wanted bankai. There was no way he could have both. The soul reaper surrendered to the feelings and fell to the ground, closing his eyes and trying to remember what he felt like before he’d conquered Buraindo Kira, but he couldn’t. Like a child looking for safety in his mother’s arms, Shade tried desperately to cast away his feelings, but he couldn’t. This was an entirely new beginning for Shade and he’d be forced to slowly relearn how things worked. The world was no longer black and white for this vice-captain.
{Play This}
After the emotions began to calm the soul reaper slowly stood up and stared at the ceiling, a tear running down his cheek. “I’m sorry...” was all the lieutenant managed before he left Squad 4 much to the protest of the doctors who didn’t know what was going on with him. Little did they know that he was the only one right now who understood just what had happened. Sure he would have to explain for the ruckus he caused, but there was a simple reason behind it and no one had been fatally injured. With his political influence, Shade would likely get off the hook after paying for the damages. It also helped that it happened in squad 11 since fights broke out in the division often, granted this was on a much larger scale than any other fight. None of that mattered to Shade right now. There was someone he needed to see after all these years. The woman that had suffered through so much to bring him into this world.
Shade arrived at the Kawada manor outside Seireitei in no time at all. He burst in the door and was greeted by many servants who had come to fear his arrival, but they would see something different in the soul reaper’s eyes. What had before been a cold, uncaring gaze was now stricken with what appeared to be worry. A frantic tone was in his voice as he spoke to the nearest butler, “Mother, w-where is she?” Shade grabbed one of the servants by his clothing and spoke hurriedly. The poor butler didn’t understand what was going on and searched for the words to say, but they escaped him. Luckily a maid chimed in for him, “Kawada-sama is upstairs on the balcony...” she said, astonished by the change that Shade had gone through, “Is everything okay?” Shade stopped in his panic and placed his strong hands on each of the servant’s shoulders. He gave them a weary smile as a tear ran down his cheek, “Thank you... For all you do for my mother...”
Needless to say the servants weren’t understanding the change their master had gone through. He certainly wasn’t like this when he left for the Shinigami Academy. But it didn’t matter if they understood or not, because the important thing was that Shade was finally realizing good things about the emotions he’d so despised in other people. The bonds that comrades felt for each other were making more sense and Shade could finally fit his head around the concept of things like love. If there was one thing that hadn’t changed about Shade, it was that he loved understanding things, and finally he understood just how meaningful others were. Yes, with emotions came things like sadness, but the positives balanced out such negative aspects. At least that was how Shade felt now. Maybe things would turn out for the better. Shade turned to leave the stunned servants and ascended the stairs, hurriedly heading towards the only family he had in this world.
Another physical change that would be noticed by those who had seen his zanpakutou before was the fact that his blade was no longer emitting the blood-like substance from his sealed zanpakutou. Buraindo Kira had been completely locked away and would only show his face when the soul reaper needed him. Life had become absolutely miserable for Buraindo Kira. He’d spend his days chained to the dark walls of his inner world with a muzzle affixed around his face so that he only ate in regulation. Only during bankai would the monster’s chains break open and allow him to be free. Buraindo Kira cursed and struggled against his binds, but it was hopeless. He’d been bested by Shade’s power and was now a servant to the heir of the Kawada family name. This was a fate that didn’t suit the bloodthirsty zanpakutou one bit. He vowed revenge and promised to rip Shade apart for what he did to him. There would be no forgiveness as far as the zanpakutou spirit was concerned.
Shade finally reached the balcony and opened the sliding paper doors to a beautiful sunny sky with birds chirping and a green garden below. There was a pond with frogs and lily pads in the Kawada’s garden and even rabbits hopped around inside the well kept environment. Gardening had become somewhat of a hobby for Shade’s mother ever since his father died, and she was as skilled at tending plants as she was in sewing or cooking or doing all those other things that mothers seemed to be good at. “Mother...” said the lieutenant seeing his mother for the first time since he left for the academy. Tear’s welled in Shade’s eyes as he reunited with the only family he had left. “I... I am so sorry, Mother... All those years...” he said as his mom looked up from her book and into her son’s eyes. “Shade...” she said, holding her arms open, “You don’t need to say anything...”