Arc 2: Canon 16: Shed No Tears [Complete]

[Zou ۞]

Name: [Shed No Tears] - The Adventure Name

Participants: [Shinigami, 3 maximum.] - Who can participate?

Location: [Buffalo, New York] - Where does this take place?

Difficulty Level: [Hard] - Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme. How difficult is this adventure?

Setting: [DE] Is this DE or NDE? Death Enabled or Non Death Enabled?

Plotline: ["Surely, you must know by now. It was inevitable that something would happen. This is it. Some threats cannot be thwarted. In learning what I have just told you, you must have come to the same realization as I. You cannot defeat them. Zouma is too powerful. If you do not give up and run away, his darkness will consume you as well." The words of Kaigengoseki stand firm, and true in the minds and hearts of those who received them. Now, in Buffalo New York, there has been a tragedy. Amid the sheets of heavy rain crashing down on it, Shinigami arrived to find a great disturbance. Someone lays dead, sliced open with blood everywhere, pale and washed away by the heavy rain. Barely visible because of it. The dead man is Ka-Ek, formerly known as Ogatago #1. Traces of Zouma's Reiatsu are all around him. Zouma killed Ka-Ek. Follow those traces. Zouma cannot have gotten far. Confront him.] - Explain the plot of your adventure.

Estimated Enemy Strength: [1] Estimate the strength of the NPC's people will fight in this adventure. Class 7-1, what is their strength on average?

Estimated Time Until Completion: [Unknown] - How many pages do you think this adventure will run for until it is over?

Starts: [When Canon 15 ends] - When does the adventure begin?

Special Conditions: [None] - Any special conditions, limitations, or other things.

[Hope Ichidou]

OOC: Reserved ;D

[Zou ۞]

OOC: Use English, I just used Japanese because it sounded cooler. Besides, it's assumed that our characters are speaking Japanese even if you use English.

SPOILER: Click to show

Chi... The voice resounded over and over again. [OOC: Chi directly translates to mean Blood.] Chi... The voice was tiny, insignificant really. No better than the voice of a child. Watashi no ketsueki... The child's voice echoed throughout the area as the rain continued to beat down. [OOC: Direct translation: My blood...] The rain was already washing away the crimson red, even if the body was on the ground, a silhouetted figure that had been beaten, broken. Blood continued to drift out, seeping into and diluting the puddle water even at that moment. Even minutes later, blood continued to flow out. It was spilling, all of it. Every last drop of the crimson red substance. Pale eyes looked up towards the sky, unable to blink. Those pale eyes were empty. Naze watashi no chi ga dete kuru nodesu ka? [OOC: Why is my blood coming out?]

It wouldn't stop spilling. The eyes went empty as a figure stepped over the corpse, looking down at it. "You idiot." he said. "You didn't have a chance in Hell." The figure slammed his boot down on the face of the corpse, spraying out red mist, a large burst of blood as the skull shattered, and the head was destroyed. The figure started walking away, the rain already washing his boots, and the area around. The thick sheets of rain made everything in it for even a split second soaked to the bone. As he disappeared, the Senkaimon that opened up in that area suddenly released people out of it. Those people were the ones that had felt some strange reiatsu here. The body of the dead one was still there. The body of Ka-Ek was just waiting to be discovered.

[Hope Ichidou]

As the Senkaimon opened Hope's eyes widened. He turned white and seamed startled. It was a terrible sight, he was just speechless at what he saw. His jaw was open. "I KNOW you don't expect me to go out there. Just look! It's raining! Not only is it could, but it's raining! This is why I don't usually go on these trips because the location is always something terrible that isn't comfortable and just makes me miserable." Hope ranted. He put his hood over his head and stuck his hands into his pockets of his hoodie. It was surprising that there wasn't steam rolling off of him when the rain hit him he was that fuming about it. "This better be worth my time because not only am I in a terrible location but no one i'm with has style. They all dress alike and its boring. They need originality. Don't even get me started on their hair sty- Hope Focus."[/color] He thought to himself. Just then his spine tingled. He knew this reaitsu. He had encountered it before. Hope looked forward and he saw a body laying on the ground. Quickly he rushed over to it. Hope didn't touch it but he looked at it. "Hey guys what's this? You know him?" Although he knew whose reaitsu he sensed he didn't mention it to the others, it was obvious they should have known right away as well.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [200]1/2 Points

Speed - [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [100] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [340]1/2 Points

Light Aura - [90] Points

Dark Aura - [10] Points

Instinct - [150] Points

Senses [100] Points

Energy sensory - [150] Points

Healing Expertise - [125]1/2 Points]

Total SP: [1365] Points

[Xaifer Regneis]

"Ohh boy. . ." a voice said from within the Senkaimon. Another figure stepped out beside Hope as he turned white. The figures eyes widened and rushed over to the figure on the ground. The figure was unmistakable. This was the man who had tortured the Seireitei and the other races so much. This was the first of the Ogatago. Ka-Ek. And now he was dead. The figure who had gone to his body was Zanken Gairan, Vice Captain of Third Division. Zanken went white for an entirely different reason than Hope did. Zouma had killed Ka-Ek. Zouma had killed an Angel of Death. That could only mean he had awakened some of the Eight Blade of Abhorrence's power. The unknown power of Teliki. What on Earth was it? It was so great. . . it had felled an angel.

"Hey. . . guys. . . this is. . . this is the body. . . of Ka-Ek. . ." Zanken said in shock. Fear was on his breath. Zanken's eyes were wide open, wide as dinner plates. Zouma had killed an Angel. . . The power of Teliki, just what exactly what was it? What kind of monstrous, evil power did it posses? And now they had to go track down the man who struck down this angel. Somehow they needed to find and, possibly, bring Zouma in. This was a suicide mission. It would be a miracle if they got out alive. However, they were here now. No turning back. Bravery wasn't the lack of fear, but the strength to move on in spite of it. Even so, Zanken was so shocked he couldn't move right now.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [100] Points

Speed - [250] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [250] Points

Reitsu Strength - [200] Points

Light Aura - [75] Points

Dark Aura - [25] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [50] Points

Energy Sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

Total SP: [995] Points.

[Zou ۞]

As the sheets of rain continued to beat down, and the traces of Zouma's Reiatsu began to fade slowly, it became apparent that following him was necessary. And yet, when both Hope and Zanken failed to do so, someone else, watching them, spoke. She spoke in a calm, emotionless voice. She truly lacked emotions it seemed. This one was around 15 or 16, wearing a black sailor outfit with red neck tie, and chained to a little toddler girl wearing a black sailor's outfit as well. Red eyes stared forwards at them, but due to the rain, the two would not notice until she spoke. From out of nowhere, she was there. They were there. Miss Zero. Perhaps, because so many years had passed, it would be difficult to remember this girl. The strongest of the minions of The Game Master, and the one that had in fact been a double agent for Husk. She was here now, and observing Zanken and Hope.

"Do you feel fear?" Aijou, the teenage girl, asked in her emotionless tone. "Or do you feel despair?" The little toddler girl, Ojou, asked. Aijou was staring down at them with nothing but a cold lack of emotion, while Ojou was grinning happily. The way that she stared at them...it was unnerving. Her reiatsu was incredible, that much was obvious. Whatever happened, in reality Aijou had always been stronger even than the Game Master. In a full on confrontation, she could obliterate almost any opponent. Perhaps in the face of C-weapons, of people like Kyousou Ningen or Shauna Melody, she might not be the strongest known organism anymore, but she was close. Perhaps Zouma should also be included in that high up list, having been able to kill an Angel of Death. It was actually uncertain what Aijou was. She had a zanpakuto, but no hollow hole. Ojou could shoot Cero, but she had no hollow hole or zanpakuto. They were most likely different beings, connected only by something no one understood as of yet.

[Zieg Revolver]

SPOILER: Click to show

Zieg stepped out of the gate along with Zanken, staring in silent disbelief and shock of what he was seeing. It has been over 30 years now since the Ogatago had been defeated and The Game Master defeated, but now it seems the past has reemerged with the present and revealed to them the now dead body of Ka-ek. Quite literally, the body only, but even without the head it was still recognizable whom this body belonged to. He could vaguley sense the aura and reiatsu of Zouma, so it was easy to put two and two together and know what had occurred here. He approached the body gradually, looking down at it as his thoughts raced. "Why... why now...? Did Ka-ek confront Zouma...? Did Zouma deem Ka-ek as a threat..., or was it simply a warning and display of power to us...? He asked outloud in a low, confused tone to the others. Then, his thoughts were immediately shattered when an eerily familiar voice made its presence know to them. Her voiced echoed into the deepest and darkest regions of Zieg's mind, reawakening an image that he had vaguely forgotten due to recent events. The image was clear though, two girls, a chain attaching them together, cold evil resenting in their eyes. There was no mistaking it when Zieg finally forced his head up to look forward, seeing in disbelief the beings of what made Miss Zero. His aqua blue eyes were fully widened with several different emotions easily visible in them.

The memory replied in his mind, for he only caught a brief glimpse of what had happened at that time. Zieg had just defeated his monkey-like opponent, it seemed victory was near for the shinigami and arrancar forces. Ojou had her hand over Dimitri's heart while Aijou simply stood and looked on with no emotion. Dimitri helpless and unable to do anything to stop his inevitable death. Time for Zieg now had seemingly frozen for him, seeing the killers of his first friend/rival in the Gotei 13. His freezing fear was now combined with a burning rage, ever fiber of his being needing to be used to restrain himself from attacking the two that were facing him and the others. Zieg, wordlessly, approached the two girls slowly, standing with his back facing the others and about a foot away from them as he simply stood there, fixated on the pair infront of him. Blood was dripping from his balled up fists from how tight he had them closed, wordless anger flowing out of his body. He now stood directly in middle, Hope and Zanken behind him, "Miss Zero" infront of him, now a blast from the past.

Reiatsu:1650/1650

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [150] Points

Speed - [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [165] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [250] Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses [100] Points

Energy sensory - [60] Points

Healing Expertise - [10] Points

Total SP: 1035 ]

[Zou ۞]

A hand suddenly reached out, grabbing Zieg's shoulder. It wasn't forceful, nor was it aggressive, or hostile. It was calming, expert. Someone was trying to calm his anger. The figure stepped out in front of Zieg, Hope, and Zanken. Strangely, though this was a minor detail, Aijou and Ojou weren't getting wet. It was as if their power was so great, that they could bend weather. It was as if the rain purposely avoided them. It probably did. The man in front of the three had on a blue tank top, and black jeans with white sneakers. His hair was medium length, spiky and brown. His eyes were set in confidence, and yet they were shocked. Not at Ka-Ek's body. The man did not once gaze at Ka-Ek's stilled form, at the corpse below. It did not even acknowledge the existence of the deceased Angel of Death. It stared not even at Ojou. It was Aijou that was this newcomer's attention.

Arashi Manako was here for some reason, and he was soaked already, even in his shabby clothing, from the downpour of rain. The sheets continued pounding, soaking everything, soaking through everything. Generally, the places that Zieg, Zanken, and Hope went to didn't have such massive rain. As a result, they were being pounded and soaked to the bone by the sheets of rain that poured down like infinite buckets, a flood from the sky. Arashi was staring forwards at Aijou. He glanced back at Zieg. "Let your anger go. You're not strong enough to face them." he said to him. He took his hand off of Zieg's shoulder, fully facing Aijou. He disregarded everyone else. "I've been searching for forty years. Ever since I heard from Zouma in Ka-Ek's Shadow World, so many years ago. I guess it was true. I never thought we'd meet again, at least not under these circumstances, Aijou." Aijou remained blank in tone, staring at Arashi. "How did he put it in you? He lived long before you." Arashi asked. Aijou graced him with a response. "He is omnipresent in time. At the time, he was confined not to that moment alone." Arashi exhaled. "Alright. I figured as much." he said. Aijou continued to stare at him blankly. She spoke once more. "It'sgood to see you, Nii-San."

[Hope Ichidou]

"Why is life size barbie here? Who invited this bitch? And why the hell is she not getting wet from the rain?! I don't want to be hit by the rain. I hate the rain." Hope remembered her from prior events. Although he didn't think about her strength at the moment. He was caught up in the rain missing her. Hope's face cringed at the sight of Arashi. "That tacky attire, and calm voice. It's him. His outfit needs so much work it truly is a disaster. I cannot take the man seriously when he approached us in this." Hope thought to himself. "Okay. Okay, What is going on now? This cannot all be coincident. Because those do not exist. Let's move on the family reunion and chase after Zouma, I can sense him and I do not intend on letting him get away. Not while his reaitsu can be traced. It's also fading So I suggest we hurry this charade up."Hope said getting to the point.

[Xaifer Regneis]

Zanken was still shocked when Miss Zero spoke. "A little bit of both I think. . ." Zanken said in a weary voice, responding to her question(s). Then, a familiar Reitsu appeared. It was familiar to Zanken because he had encountered this Reitsu on one specific mission before. It was the Reitsu of the Hero of the War, the Sealer of Azeru Cho. It was Arashi Manako. But what was he doing here? What were his purposes? Zanken was getting up, battered by the rain but ignoring most of the cold, when Aijou said something. Something that hit Zanken like. . . like. . . (picture of a guy in the middle of a street getting dumped by his girlfriend and then getting hit by a late bus) something like that.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Zanken said in shock, falling over anime style. What the heck!? This was possible!? She was his SISTER?!?!?!? Then what Hope said kicked in and Zanken remembered why they were here in the first place. "Cripes! We can't stay here and dwadle! Zouma is getting away! As much as I want to stay here and see what happens, we have to go quickly!" Zanken said quickly. They needed to go, now! "Hope! Zieg! Lets go! Its obvious we aren't meant to be here and we have a mission to do!" Zanken said, taking off after the fading signal of Zouma's Reitsu.

[Zou ۞]

"You can go." Arashi said solemnly to Hope, Zieg, and Zanken. "I have business here." With that, Zanken, Zieg, and Hope were all sent off on their way, back after Zouma. And, meanwhile, Arashi stared down Aijou. "Why did you agree to it?" Arashi asked. Aijou looked down at him with her cold, red, and emotionless eyes. "For power, of course." Aijou said simply. "I crave and enjoy power. Because of it, I am strong. Had I been strong, Azeru Cho would not have sent me to Hell. I suffered there. I suffered because I was weak, I was a victim. Because of my strength, no one will ever victimize me again. Because of my strength, I am the inflicter. It is my turn to create the victims." Arashi stared at her in shock. His eyes were wide, and the rain continued to pelt him as he stood perfectly still. No one had gotten a word out of her, really. Not more than one or two sentences. Here, she had finally shared her feelings.

Meanwhile, Zouma had come to a complete stop, and this was how Zanken, Hope, and Zieg managed to catch up to him. He looked behind him, glancing at them. "You're probably wondering why I killed him." he said. A dark smile came to Zouma's face, a smile that most had once sworn would never come to that face of his. "That's because he was the Master that trained me these last two years. It was only right that to prove myself, I surpass and destroy him." So that was it. In this world, corruption and darkness had truly taken hold. Zouma and everyone else had become evil. it was fact now. Everyone hated each other. Shinigami and Arrancar, Hollows and Vizards. Quincy and Bount. Not much was left unstained by hate.

[Zieg Revolver]

Zieg tensed up, not expecting for someone to touch him out of nowhere. He glanced at the hand on his shoulder, then glanced back to see, in his surprise, that it was the hero Arashi. "Arashi..?" Zieg gasped, clearly not expecting to see him out of all people to show up. Now, there was a dead body of a angel of death, two beings that were known as one and now the hero of the war. Who else was going to show up? Zieg did not say anything as Arashi spoke to him, listeining to his words and understood them, a wave of calm quenching his anger as he opened his hands up loosely. Indeed, he knew that deep down, no amount of rage and hatred will bring back Dimitri and it was foolish to try and avenge him, since afterall the shinigami had won the war in the end against the game master. Zieg however, couldn't shake the feeling he ,at the very least, had to socialize with Aijuu and Oijuu. Before he could get a word out though, Hope had reminded them why they were here and headed off after Zouma, Zanken soon following off behind the mod soul. Zieg was the last of the three to chase after Zouma, looking to the side at his fellow shinigami heading off to complete then mission then returning his focus on Arashi and Miss Zero. "Perhaps we can talk another time then, Arashi,..." Zieg stated lowly, his focus returning fully onto the two girls that were there. "You..." Zieg coldly stated, his eyes half closed as he met Aijuu's, then Oijuu's gaze then sprinted off after his two allies. When he finally reached Zouma with the others and heard his words, shock came over him as he stated his answer. "Your mad... true, you proved your power for killing a being that was once stronger then you but to dishonor him with crushing his skull!? How does that make you any better then us!?" Zieg roared in question to the Vizard leader.

[Zou ۞]

Zouma laughed, raising his head for laughter. "You really don't know anything about him, do you...?" he asked. "I crushed his skull because he drilled that urge into mine. It was his decision that I kill him. He trained me to take revenge on you, and he helped me perfect Tenkai. His Final Test to me was this battle, in which I broke him. The crushing of his skull was my symbol of power..." He laughed again, an evil laugh. Zouma was still high on the thrill of his victim, of his mighty kill. He suddenly took on a serious look, glaring at Zieg, Zanken, and Hope. His eyes trailed from one to the next, scanning them one by one, back and forth. His eyes were black, filled with a deep hate. If they looked at him, they'd notice that blood was dripping from his eyes like tears, barely noticeable because of the rain wetting him down. "I'm better than you because I didn't betray anyone. He wanted this to happen. I'm better than you because I'm not a traitor, and I'm not weak..." The tears of blood were running. It was probably Teliki's side effect. Had it corrupted his soul and mind a bit as well?

Meanwhile, Aijou and Arashi were continuing to stare at each other. Tears were streaming from Arashi's eyes, though this was impossible to know because of the rain. Impossible for anyone except Aijou. "Why are you crying, Nii-San?" she asked calmly. Arashi lowered his head, choking back his sobs. He looked back up. "Aijou...this monster you've become...it's worse than if you died anew..." Arashi whispered. Aijou was suddenly there, Ojou crying out as she was yanked by the chain connecting her to Aijou. Arashi flew back, slamming into a tree with just enough force to snap the trunk. As he hit the ground, it collapsed in the opposing direction. Arashi struggled to his feet, puking out blood. Aijou looked down at him. "If you were stronger, you wouldn't feel this emotional or physical pain." she said. "Power is everything. There isn't anything worth living for except for power. Money, love, family. They're useless."

[Hope Ichidou]

Hope turned his head to Zanken. "I surely hope you are not giving me orders. Since, I clearly outrank you." Hope hated being bossed around. He could stand it to a certain point, but when those under him did it it infuriated him. Hope's eyes were cold on Zanken. Then without signal Hope rushed off following the reaitsu towards Zouma. Hope had no interest to stick around and see what was going to happen with Arashi and Miss Zero. And on top of that Arashi told him that he could go. Since Hope was already wanting to leave when he heard this he was not going to hesitate. Hope had caught up to Zouma when he stopped. Hope didn't speak. He didn't care why Zouma had killed that guy, he didn't even know who he was. His eyes scaned Zouma. Watching him. Then he saw what appeared to be blood coming out of Zouma's eyes. "Is that bloo- No, I can't see it anymore it must have been just a reflection of light somewhere."[/i] Hope thought to himself. Since there was so much rain hope didn't jump to conclusions or make assumptions just yet. Hope hadn't known what to say yet. The power emanating from Zouma had him speechless. He had thought about this moment over and over again in his head ever since their first encounter. However now that it was time to actually do something he didn't know what to do. "Abominating.. hair.." Was all that he could manage to get out.

[Zou ۞]

Zouma continued to look at the Shinigami. The tears of blood continued to pour from his eyes. But as Hope had noted in thought, the blood was difficult to see. The rain was constantly washing it away, even if it continued to come out. He was looking at them coldly. But, Hope had mentioned something about his hair. Zouma ignored the comment completely, as most people would. Well, not most. Anyone as serious as he was. If anything, Hope should have made a comment about Zanken's tacky pants, or Zieg's stupid looking knuckles. They both looked rather uncool, since these were the two Vice Captains that got beat up a lot due to making poor judgment decisions on missions.

However, Zouma continued to stare, as if nothing at all was happening. He looked from Zanken, to Zieg, to Hope, and back again. "Why are you here?" he asked at last. He continued to watch them. "To what ends would three such as you come here? You are unnecessary in this situation." And meanwhile, other things were happening elsewhere. In that one place. With that one thing. That one person saying that one thing at that one time in that one story in that one setting.

Arashi's tears were streaming with the rain. "I didn't realize that...you'd been so corrupted." Arashi whispered with a hoarse, icy tone. He didn't know what to really say, clearly. Aijou didn't even bother to speak as Arashi got his breath, standing fully upright and drawing out his sword. Aijou regarded him, before at least speaking. "You cannot defeat me, Nii-San. I am stronger even than Zouma." Arashi sighed. "I'm not a good listener, Aijou. You know that too well." She didn't respond at all.

"Before we fight, tell me why. Tell me what's so appealing about power that you can't use to protect." Arashi said at last. Aijou stared at him as if he was retarded. "Power used to protect? This is a foolish concept. You cannot gain power without being self serving, and without being cruel. You became strong in the name of protecting your loved ones. And where did that get you? You let me down. If you'd been stronger, Azeru Cho would not have sent me to Hell. If you'd been stronger, you could at least have sent him there with me, instead of sealing him. And not because he was a threat, but because he took me away from you. It was Satsujun that sent him to Hell and gave him what he deserved, and it was he that freed my mind and spirit with power attained in the correct way."