Good lord it has been a while hasn't it people? Sorry about the late update, but I've just been busy with life. School is wrapping up, and with the birth of my sister's child, well Uncle duty has its up's and downs. However hopefully now with just work I can get more writing done. I've also gone through major writer's block so to alleviate that I made this story a honest to God opening theme. I have it up on YouTube right now.
Let's see, good chapter (I hope) Meet Sui-Feng, and more fighting and insights into powers. Also the beginning of the first Arc finally begins, for all of you who say I needed plot, which I agree. Its been awhile so I won't do review responses this round, if it was major, you got messaged already.
Now before we get started, head on over to YouTube and throw this bit of code behind the YouTube URL "/watch?v=wtuE0ygSH3s". Its about 4 minutes long, but hopefully worth the watch. After that get on a reading, and remember to review as well. My payment is your satisfaction! Enjoy!
"It's all in the wrist, Shirou!" I groaned in annoyance as the toothed blade came back into its normal position in my hand. Before I had time to rest, Zabimaru came barreling at me with the astounding speed. Throwing up my hand, Kanshou was in my hand in a heartbeat causing the other Zanpakutō to arc upward and miss me. The fight wasn't over. I brandished Nanika, who had once more assumed the form of Renji's Zanpakutō, and flared it myself.
"How long are we going to keep at this, Renji?" Our training had been dragging on for a few hours since I had awoken. "I still have my studies with Captain Ukitake and I finally am going to try my hand at Kidō." Truthfully I been rather apprehensive about using the Shinigami magic, but after seeing Renji's attempts at it, I figured I'd give it a go.
"Every time you ask me that is another round we go, Shirou!" He punctuated that by extending his sword once more toward me, but I coiled Nanika around myself and the twin blades crashed. "Why are you so eager to learn Kidō? Between your copycat Zanpakutō and your own powers, you should be more than enough enemy for most anything that comes at you." I uncoiled Nanika and sent her flying toward Renji as he withdrew Zabimaru from the field to 'heal.'
"Nanika is only as good as I use her and my powers are useful, but with the entire political backlash I'm getting from the Central 46, it's just a wise move to practice in the 'sanctioned arts," I replied dryly. In the last week, 46 had been becoming quite aggressive in my apparent treason. However, Jūshirō had been able to do something with the Captain-Commander to dissuade them somewhat. No matter where you went there was always some kind of red tape. I took advantage of Renji's downtime to launch a strike from Nanika.
I had been drilling with Renji for the past three weeks ever since I first obtained Shikai and by extension, the ability to wield Zabimaru. Personally I loved this blade. It was a good style in its own right, but paired with tracing to make up for the moments of healing Nanika after she had used the stretching strikes it was a style I hoped to make good use of. I also gave Renji a mocking smirk. "Besides if I learn Kidō, it's one more thing I can beat you at. I've already perfected your style." That seemed to help it.
"Really now? I've had Zabimaru for over a century, and you think you can build upon it just like that?"
"Actually I do, that's what my true power is based around. Replicate and improve." Well not entirely, I deduced long ago that I could, in theory and with enough practice, create anything at will. However I just seemed to be drawn to swords. Now it was time to put something else to the test. "Would you mind if I try something else I've been working on recently?" I hoped Nanika was up for this.
"Yeah, did you want to try something else with Zabimaru, or one of your other swords?" Renji seriously had no idea how much fun this was going to be for me. I couldn't stop myself from grinning slightly, and he cocked a brow. "Yo, what are you planning Shirou?"
"Oh well about a week ago I was conferring with Nanika in my inner world and we discovered something she could do. You see these?" I gestured to the three runic marks on her hilt. "Apparently not just for show, they signify something about her powers."
"Yeah, what's that?" I held Nanika in front of me, and one of the runes disappeared. Nanika returned to the sealed state of Zabimaru then into the Asauchi that looked halfway between a katana and her sealed liuyedao form. Renji looked on in curiosity and apprehension as he raised Zabimaru, preparing for my obvious attack.
"Well it seems that she can shift between forms she has acquired, although it's only three until we probably get more training in."
"What other Shikai have you managed to gain since then?" This was going to be great.
"Remember the day your Captain decided to try and deduce how Nanika worked, by having me transform her into Zabimaru?"
"Yeah…what are you getting at Emiya?" Wordlessly I rose up my blade in front of myself and took in a deep breath. It felt like…satisfaction. Calmly I looked at my sparring partner.
"Well before then, Captain Kuchiki kindly announced his Shikai before striking my still sealed Nanika. Well suffice to say, when I conversed with her after the fact I was giddy with glee. Let me show you why. Scatter, Senbonzakura." Renji's eyes went wide. "Now then, shall we?"
"H-how did you get the Captain's Zanpakutō?"
"Same way I got yours. Dumb luck and practice, now come at me." Nanika's blade slowly dissolved into thousands of tiny blades with a pink glow. They reminded me of sakura petals. Renji actually smiled at that before he lashed out with Zabimaru. What was this about now?
"I still doubt you have any idea how to use the Captain's blade as effectively as he can!" The blade was about to crash into me, but a chunk of the tiny blades flew in front of me and blocked his strike. Too close for comfort though. Each blade seemed to have its own reiatsu signature to it and even managing to direct two different sections had proved taxing during my earlier practices.
"I can use it well enough." I demonstrated the fact by sending two different sections of Nanika toward the Lieutenant of the Sixth. Renji blocked them with the same coil-shield I had used earlier with ease. The speed and power behind my Senbonzakura was laughable compared to Byakuya's. I withdrew the flitting blades as they hovered around me, waiting to strike. Renji poised to launch another attack and I gathered the flowing blades around myself to form a shield, as I had seen the elder Kuchiki do during our session. Zabimaru struck the storm of blades and easily broke through. The teeth of the blade managed to slice my side, but it was bearable. I sealed Nanika and she reverted into the liuyedao. I sheathed her blade and then traced a new sword. Renji had stated he wanted to go up against something he hadn't seen so I figured I'd entertain him.
"Alright, I guess we can finish this with a new sword." I held out my hand and traced a blade Renji hadn't seen yet. In my hands flashed the blue and silver hilted spiral sword. I don't know where on earth Archer had come upon the original blade, but sometime after he had frequented using this one as one of his arrows. I traced the enormous bow that I had seen EMIYA use before and knocked the sword. Renji gave me as stupefied look and then laughed.
"So this is what Rukia meant when she thought you were a Quincy. Are you really going to try and shoot a sword at me?" I allowed myself a small smirk and nodded simply. I applied Reinforcement to Caladbolg II and it shifted into a blue and gold arrow with a wicked looking edge. Renji stopped his mocking and then eyed me.
"Renji this is still just training; so I'm not going to attack you with this…" I didn't' want to kill the man, just simply show him something new. I looked around at our surroundings – the wide open field we had taken to using for our spars when I demonstrated some of my Noble Phantasms – and then turned around. I flooded the arrow with energy; however this time I poured both od and reiryoku into the sword. Noble Phantasms were tools of war that were meant to handle the amazing amounts of power from their wielders, but everything had a breaking point. I flooded until in my bow was knocked a Broken Phantasm and then I fired it away from us.
"Why didn't you just shoot me instead, I can block any arrow…" Renji started until something shook the air slightly. Then an insurmountable amount of spiritual pressure descended upon the area in an instant. That must have been from pumping the reiryoku into a Phantasm. I hadn't been sure it'd accept full spiritual energy so I poured it in with my prana and it seemed to work. Then the pressure subsided and a giant explosion of energy shook the air. That's what I had been waiting for. Renji blinked. "Oh."
"I'd make a joke about how that'd wake the dead, but that seems a little redundant," I commented, and Renji gave me a deadpanning look. I just rolled my eyes and then allowed the od to disperse from my constructs. Renji sealed Zabimaru and strapped it to his side once more.
"You know I gotta say, Shirou, that was pretty impressive, but how is your defense?" I quirked a brow in response. "I mean you know can't you create shields or armor or something else besides swords?"
"I suppose…why?" I entertained his question.
"Well you know if you ever piss off the wrong people a shield might save you a lot more effectively than simply blasting their attack with your own. I've just never seen you create anything defensive is all."
"I haven't had the need to really use my defensive powers here as I have yet to be actively sent into battle. All I receive are spars that are meant to hone my bond with Nanika. I could easily summon my shield and armor, but they are far fewer in number compared to my blades, and they put nearly three times the amount of strain on me to create them than a blade with passive defensive abilities. There is only one shield I can summon as though I summon a blade, but I haven't much use for it aside from those backed into corner situations." Renji put his hand to his jaw and rubbed it thoughtfully.
"You know Shirou; you don't have to skirt around your powers with me. Aside from Rukia and Ichigo, there aren't a lot of other people I hang around with here too often. I've been trying to get a futbal squad going but the only other guys willing to join are four seated officers from the Sixth Division. I want you to trust me, Emiya. I know there's something you're not telling me about you, but I won't force you to tell. However, I do want to see some of these defenses you have. I want to know what I'm up against if I'm going to be even stronger than you!" I laughed aloud at that.
"Really? You're going to be stronger? Alright, well then come at me with something worthy of my defensive Phantasms and I might just humor you, Abarai!" This man saw me as a friend. I normally am not the type to give into sentimentalities while still on the battlefield, but that struck home. During my time in the Soul Society there weren't many who I could count among my friends, allies maybe, but not friends. Jūshirō was my mentor but I called the man a friend. Rukia and I had a neutral truce, but she'd come around. I hadn't seen much of Kurosaki, maybe twice after our initial meeting, but he was busy in the world of the living. Besides that, Renji was the only one actually taking time to help me hone Nanika.
Had I even mentioned this idea to Rukia's elder brother he probably would've either killed me on the spot or declared I had damaged his noble pride by even thinking of wielding the same Zanpakutō as he, and then killed me. "Well then, Renji, come at me!" The red-headed man grinned fiercely and I felt his reiatsu spike.
"Howl, Zabimaru!" The katana extended into his Shikai once again. I don't think his Shikai was worth calling out the Aias, but it didn't look like he was done just yet. "You know Shirou, you can still back out now!"
"Not on your life! I've taken worse hits than what Zabimaru can deal out."
"I'm not going to attack with my Shikai. There's one more step in the release of our Zanpakutō. Allow me to show you that. Bankai!" A massive amount of reiatsu poured out from my friend as an explosion of red reiryoku formed around him. I heard a loud hiss pierce the air and then I saw it. A giant snake head with a red fur at the base of its neck erupted from the smoke caused by the explosion. It coiled around Renji many times, the segments of its body resembling the pick-like protrusions from his Shikai state. "Hihiō Zabimaru!" Well I'll be damned.
"Okay, I'll admit it, I'm impressed."
"Damn straight you are!" He whipped the blade and the giant snake lurched forward and began rushing towards me. This would be easy enough to block. I traced Enesbit into my hands. The sky blue blade flashed in the sunlight as Zabimaru rushed toward me. I willed my demands upon the blade and the ring held within glowed gold. Zabimaru crashed into Enesbit and slid off the blade like it was nothing. Renji frowned as his Bankai bounced off my sword. "That's the sword that can do anything isn't it? The one that sealed away Sode no Shirayuki too, am I right?"
"No. The falchion can only do one thing at a time. Durendal was the sword I used to seal away Rukia's Zanpakutō, and while I favor it for its ability to never dull in battle and its indestructible nature, I try not to rely too heavily on the miracles it can perform anymore."
"Well I still have yet to see you actually be forced to take up a shield rather than the sword, so here I come!" Zabimaru whirled around Renji and then launched at me. I threw Enesbit in front of me and the once again the furred snake bounced away. Renji whipped the Bankai back to its previous position of circling him. "Hikostu Taihō!" Zabimaru opening its giant maw and a red ball of compressed reiryoku began forming. I dismissed Enesbit and called forth my shield.
"Rho Aias!" The seven petal flower of a shield emerged in front of me just as the beam of reiryoku slammed against it. Instantly one petal disappeared as Zabimaru poured on the attack. Renji grinned as he finally thought he had me. Another petal disappeared. "How are you still sustaining this?" I called out to him.
"A lot of training; don't tell me you're ready to give up!" The beam actually doubled in output as the Aias began to buckle further underneath the strain of the reiryoku beam. Two petals disappeared that time. Renji frowned as he could tell he was slowing down and I knew that I couldn't keep this up either. One more petal fell and that left me with three to go. I saw the Lieutenant sweating under the strain of his attack and I began flooding the Aias with od. The three remaining petals began to glow brightly before they exploded in a violent fashion.
The attack ceased and then something unexpected happened. Zabimaru exploded into about a dozen different segments and they all fell to the ground. My eyes widened. What the hell had I just done?
"Renji, oh hell, what just happened?" I asked him worriedly. Renji glared at me in rage.
"What do you think just happened, Shirou? You destroyed my Bankai! First you seal Rukia's Zanpakutō and now you destroy mine, what's with you?" the red-head roared. "I'm sure Central would just have a heyday with this, so why don't I tell them?"
"What?" Was he serious? It had been totally accidental. "This was you're idea in the first place, Abarai! You can't blame me for all of this." I saw Renji's eyes gleam with something…glee? Suddenly I felt his reiatsu totally encompassing me, seconds before the shattered remains of his Bankai were floating around me in a red aura. Oh dammit all. "Really?" I deadpanned. It had been a damn setup.
"Really." He replied with a wicked grin on his face. I am the bone of my sword. As the emblazoned pieces of bone crashed down on me with a tremendous force, I barely had time to summon a defense. I felt my Circuits burning with the sudden flow of energy. I may be able to handle obscene amounts of prana now, but without doing it very often it's like overusing a muscle. This defense was near divine and took a mammoth amount of my od to be able to fuel and rein it in.
"Gildor Anárion!" I cried out activating the shield's powers. The piercing bone shards of Hihiō Zabimaru deflected as my shield exploded outward in size. This was Auriel, a shield wielded by an Elven goddess of the same name. The shield may not be as robust as Rho Aias, but it had many anti-energy guards on it, as well as I could expand it around myself in a dome, where the Aias was only stationary in one direction. Renji's attack subsided finally and I let the od flow from my construct. "Are you happy, now?"
"Just wait until I get even better control Emiya! Some day when we actually duel, it won't be so easy." Renji boasted. This rivalry of his was going to get out of hand soon. I waved it off.
"Listen I have other things to do. Catch you around," I replied. He nodded and then Shunpo'd away. The flash step was still something I hadn't entirely mastered yet, but a skill I had acquired during my travels with Ciel and the Church had us working alongside with a few agents in the Middle East, namely one Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, a practitioner of ancient Judaic Mysticism.
He had ended up teaching our group a technique known as Kefitzat Haderech, which if I recall correctly means 'folding of the path.' Unlike Shunpo, Kefitzat folds space upon itself in a higher dimension and lets you take one step to transport instantaneously. However, I have tried to use it to leave my universe before to no avail, and from what I was told, it can only be used on one plane, so I couldn't use it to leave Soul Society. I channeled od into my Circuits and felt my Magic Crest warm up as I activated the spell for Kefitzat. "Ovíli, gradus, procul." I was gone.
Thirteenth Division Barracks
A few seconds later
My quick leap deposited me within my room, so I was out of sight from any onlookers. Opening the door of my room, I walked down the hall of the barracks, and exited out onto the grounds. I saw Captain Ukitake sitting next to the koi pond, writing out something on a piece of parchment. Walking over to the Captain, I bowed to him.
"Hello Captain, are you feeling well enough to begin instructing today?" Jūshirō's health had been worsening more frequently. The Captain smiled and shook his head.
"Ah, Shirou, hello to you as well; I am well enough to proceed with our training as scheduled. Also, I would like you to have this." Jūshirō pulled a modest looking parcel from within a bag he had sitting next to him and handed it to me. It was wrapped in red and white paper with a Santa Claus sticker on it. I quirked a brow at the gift, and decided to unwrap it. It was full of candy and other treats one would expect to find in a stocking on Christmas morning.
"Eh…thank you, Captain. What is the occasion?" Ukitake smiled warmly.
"You have proven yourself so far, that, and because we both have 'Shirō' in our name." Really? I suppose we both did even though I had taken to spelling my name in Romanized form after being forced to pick up English as my primary language.
"Well, eh-thank you, Captain. It is well received. Now then, should we continue with the training? Jūshirō got up from his seat, and looked at me sternly.
"I also wanted to talk to you about something that happened. Earlier, a massive explosion of reiatsu was detected near the Seireitei, followed by a huge expulsion of an unknown energy. I happened near the Research and Development building by Captain Kurotsuchi insisted it wasn't any of his people, even though that man has seemed off lately."
"That was actually due to a little sparring match between Lieutenant Abarai and me. I was just showing him some of my other skills and things got a little out of hand is all. I was pretty sure nothing was destroyed though."
"You are correct, nothing was harmed. The powerful release of reiatsu was startling though, how did you managed to exert so much, I did not think you were capable of managing that." I shook my head to his question.
"I'm not, that was actually one of my weapons. When the sword detonated, I had infused both prana and reiryoku into it, which I think is what led to the massive output of pressure before the blast. Was there anything else unusual about it?"
"A nearby hill was nearly destroyed by the blast by the blade that did that." Of course it had. Caladbolg was famous for its power to decimate hills. "But whatever had happened, it is done with now. Now are you ready to begin with Kidō? First you need to focus only your reiryoku for this exercise." I silenced my Circuits to a near standstill and felt my spiritual energy flowing within me. It was a bit more foreign to me, but I had been using it more regularly as of late, and felt I could direct it well enough using my knowledge on prana.
"Alright, so exactly what can I use this for? I've only really used my reiryoku to give Nanika power and I've been attempting to use it so stand in the air, but that doesn't usually work so well for me."
Jūshirō laughed slightly. "Yes, well Kidō is broken down into two main groups. Bakudō is the side of Kidō that deals with mainly binding spells, but also spells of defense, communication, and the like. Hadō is the side that pertains to all offensive spells. Most beginners start off learning Sai and Shō, the basic bind and attack spells of Kidō."
"How would I go about activating these?"
"Kidō is a lot more basic at lower levels than some would let on. It truly becomes difficult at higher levels. The mechanics are always the same, but higher level spells always utilize more power and need more control. But even if you and I both uttered the spell for Sai, it would depend totally on our power level and control to see whose was more powerful. So now I want you to try and attack me with one of your swords, Shirou." I traced a two-handed claymore into my hands, nothing special, and moved to strike my instructor. "Shō."
A small gleam of light came from Jūshirō's finger and I felt a tremendous thrust hit me in the gut. I went flying backward, and landed on my side. The claymore was still next to me, and I attempted to grab it, but then I felt gravity multiply and my hands instantly moved by themselves to my back. This one I was a little more familiar with. I tried to absorb the Captain's reiryoku in the Sai spell, but unlike when Rukia had performed this on me, I could not absorb Jūshirō's spiritual energy.
The bond was suddenly lifted from me, and I got up and dismissed my claymore. "Now then, Shirou, why don't you give it a go? Simply point your finger at me, and try the first Hadō." I shrugged and complied. I raised my hand and pointed my index finger at my teacher, and uttered the spell.
"Shō," I whispered, and my finger gleamed white. Jūshirō was knocked off his feet instantly and was sent to the ground. I tried not to put a lot of power into my first go, considering in Magecraft that was usually deadly. As the man was getting up, I pointed at him. "Sai." He became bounded in place, and I felt a small smile form. That is until he unbound his hands like it was nothing and then actually gave me a devilish look. What was he up to?
"So, Shirou you think you can pull a fast one on an old man?"
"I wouldn't say you're old. You mustn't be a day over 1200," I joked, and the man laughed.
"I graduated the academy 2000 years ago, and was here for a good while before that, but that doesn't mean I've lost my step. I hope you don't think that."
"I never said that, Captain. I know that I would have to extremely stupid or desperate to attempt to fight you. I may have come into more power in my later adventures, but in terms of battle experience, you outclass me any time. However, I could still put you through your paces," I teased my mentor, and Jūshirō gave me a sly look, before he raised his hand. What?
"Sajo Sabaku!" Instantly a golden-white chain formed around his raised hand, and it shot out at me. The links twirled and twisted into the air, and when they found me, they latched around the nearest tree and I felt an amazing amount of resistance from them. "What were you saying, Shirou?" Jūshirō chuckled.
"How I could still put you through your paces. All I need is divine magic and I'm free."
"From one of your swords, but your hands are bound Shirou, I will let you down if you just take it back," Jūshirō teased. I grinned, this was too easy. It was child's play to simply summon Rule Breaker and undo these chains. I had figured out that external reiryoku, such as Kidō, was brokering a contract between the wielder and the world, or something to that effect. I traced Rule Breaker a meter or so away from me and launched it towards the chains. The rainbow dagger struck the chains and I fell to my feet. "I'm not even going to bother asking at this point, Shirou."
"Give me something higher level in Hadō and Bakudō and we'll call it even," I suggest. Jūshirō put his hand to his face and rubbed his jaw.
"Alright, but until you gain better control, use the full incantations, alright?" I nodded. "Alright, I will show you Tsuzuri Raiden, a level eleven Hadō, and Hōrin, a level nine Bakudō, and the little brother of the Kidō I used to bind you a moment ago."
"Fair enough, but I would like to learn them now, before I go onto my lessons with Suì-Fēng. It is the second time she has taught me, but I may as well consider it the first, since she was summoned away on a mission barely fifteen minutes into our lesson." The Captain nodded, and relayed the incantations to me. I thanked him, and went to my room to change into something more fit for Suì-Fēng's training.
Junrinan District, Rukongai
A few moments later
After quickly exiting from the Kefitzat Haderech, I took in my surrounds. The name Junrinan did this place little justice, as the forest was one of the largest I had ever come across in my life. I looked around for Suì-Fēng, as the last time we met; I was ambushed by her and took a sore beating. She was insanely fast and her hand-to-hand skills were some of the best. Although, I suppose she had to be considering she led the stealth division of the Gotei 13. I heard a rustling in the trees above and quickly dove out of the way as something rocketed toward me. Ah so she was here.
As the dust settled from the explosive entrance, I felt reiatsu pour over the area as Suì-Fēng made herself known to me. She was wearing the usual Captain's uniform with her white haori over her uniform, however I had seen in the past she wears a backless battle garb, supposedly for some technique that one of her officers had hinted at, before she quickly attack the man for 'revealing her secrets.' One thing I could tell about the woman is that she was all business. Though, I had my suspicions that there was more to her than what she put out for the world to see. Both Rin and Saber had done that as well, and Suì-Fēng seemed just as strong as they did when it came to character.
Suì-Fēng looked over to me with a glance of mild interest. From what I've heard from Jūshirō and the others, she was extremely steadfast in her duties and loyal to a fault. This woman would lay down her life and expected the same if not better from her underlings and comrades. She would even throw her subordinates to the way side to finish the mission or if they stood in her way. One life to save ten, ten to save one-hundred. Seems we carry similar ideals as well. I noticed that her brows were beginning to twitch slightly as I just stood there in probably the stupidest fighting stance she had ever seen.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked me calmly, even though I could feel the tension from her voice. My hand-to-hand combat wasn't very well formed, granted I did resort to punching from time to time, but swords were always at hand, so I never bothered. Most of my lessons had come from big sis Fuji or going to watch sumo with her grandfather. I actually did have quite a few hand-mounted weapons at my disposal, but something told me that wouldn't be a wise idea with this woman.
"I was preparing for combat…" I muttered. I didn't know what our exercises were going to be like but I knew I had to be ready if she was anything like Kenpachi.
"Not like that you're not," she snapped, "This may be hand-to-hand, but I know you've been dealing with blades most of your career, so use any close quarters weapons you have, but no swords. Daggers are acceptable." Oh, well this would be fun then. She then unsheathed her katana with her right hand. "Sting all enemies to death!" The katana began to glow white and then shrunk and the light enveloped her forearm. Her Zanpakutō had now taken on the form of a black and gold gauntlet, with a small chain linking it to a stinger-like blade on Suì-Fēng's middle finger. Oh so she got one too.
"And what exactly is this training going to cover? I know I am nowhere near as fast as you, so Hohō would seem a bit redundant. Is this just swordplay then?" Suì-Fēng nodded.
"I am only looking to get a feel of your potential. Zaraki is the one training you in wielding your Zanpakutō, and Jūshirō is training you in Kidō, as such you will not be using either of them in our exercises. You are only allowed your innate powers limited to close-quarters or speed, such as the trick you used to get here so quickly." Damn I was sure I had been clear of any onlookers, but she wasn't head of the stealth division for nothing. "Am I clear?"
"Yeah, no big swords and nothing ranged, got it. Defensive items alright?" I ventured. She let out an amused noise.
"Why, don't think you can take me?" she prodded. Ukitake had mentioned she liked to mock her opponents. I didn't rise to the jibe, and simply extended my hands. Trace on. Luckily my powers extended to letting me know how to wield these weapons. In my hands flashed a pair of Emei daggers. Each one was essentially a thin metal rod with sharpened ends used for stabbing. They could spin on the axis of the ring that attached them to my hand, but this was used more for flair to distract opponents. I reinforced them and looked at Suì-Fēng. She nodded wordlessly and then disappeared. Looks like she's not going to leave on the training wheels, so I decided to dash, moving with all the speed that reinforcing my body to superhuman limits would have done, which was still laughable compared to Shunpo. I couldn't utilize Kefitzat Haderech instantaneously like a Shunpo either. As I rushed for a tree, Suì-Fēng appeared behind me and stabbed out with her Zanpakutō. I twirled the dagger in my left hand to hold it like a large pen and parried her strike.
She lashed with her blade again, and I spun the Emei onto the back of my palm and gripped it between my middle and ring finger causing it to snap up and deflect her blade. She followed up with a roundhouse kick to my side which sent me flying to the side. I tumbled but flipped up onto my feet and dismissed the Emei. I traced a pair of tonfa into my hands, but these tonfa had a bladed edge to the outside portion on the stick, and the portion next to my hands was sharpened to a fine point. Suì-Fēng looked at my weapons, and quickly Shunpo'd behind me, and let out a swift kick to my back. I lurched forward but kept my balance, and slammed one of my tonfa at her, which she easily deflected with her Zanpakutō. I wasn't doing a damn thing to this woman. I traced a pair of three Black Keys into each of my hands, and used them as claws.
I swiped at her countless times, but she moved too quickly for me to even land a hit. This was getting annoying; nothing I was doing was working. I decided to try and even this out. Each Black Key comes with five inscribed Holy Sacraments, which only those with some knowledge of Thaumaturgy can use. I activated the Sacrament of Dokhma which would dehydrate anything it came into contact with. Jūshirō could get sick, so why couldn't Suì-Fēng get dehydrated? I flung all six Keys toward her and she managed to dodge the first bout, but one actually managed to hit her in the leg, and she instantly fell to her knees. Well then, that was unexpected. She got up with an apparent effort, and looked over to me.
"What did you do to me?"
"It just a dehydration spell, should ware off in a bit." I let the Key's energy go and it faded from her leg, and I saw that it brought some relief to her features. "So, are we still going?" Suì-Fēng seemed to have recovered in that short moment, and then Shunpo'd behind me and nailed me in the back with her fist. I went flying forward, but righted myself, and decided to get creative with my weapons. I traced meteor hammer into my hands and spun it and directed it toward a tree I was going to pass. The hammer locked into place, and I used my momentum to spin around the tree and deliver a follow up kick to the woman. She Shunpo'd above me and kicked me in the abdomen. I hit the ground hard, but sprung back up to my feet and traced Kanshou and Bakuya into my hands, shorts swords are close-quarters enough. I ran for Suì-Fēng and attempted to slash her, but she parried with her Zanpakutō, and pulled her fist back and tried to strike me.
I blocked her left hand with Kanshou and sliced at her with Bakuya, but it only grazed her. She then rushed me and started flailing me with punches. I was forced to black with my twin swords and slowly she pushed me up against a tree. She launched a roundhouse kick, which I barely managed to duck under, and her leg cleaved the tree in one strike. I kicked off the section that was still standing and dismissed Kanshou and Bakuya, and traced multiple shuriken around my person before they started launching at Suì-Fēng. She weaved in and out of them and she suddenly appeared behind me and slammed my with an axe-kick which sent me into the ground, yet again.
I pulled myself from the dirt and she was still flying toward me. I rolled backward up to my feet and called forth a Phantasm, she really wanted to see what I could do. Man, I have a tendency to get carried away in these fights. I summoned a long chain into my hands with a golden, pointed end. I threw it toward the woman. "Enkidu!" The chain instantly replied to my call and it began wrapping and weaving around the forest and Suì-Fēng. She reacted instantly and Shunpo'd out of the way, but the weave found her again and snapped tightly, binding her in place. I nodded in satisfaction. She struggled against the Chains of Heaven, but still actually nodded her head, which confused me.
"A wise tactic, to bind what you cannot hit; however I did not think you were the type of man to chain up women you barely knew out in the forest. Where no one can hear us." The Captain of the Second mocked me. I felt my face get hot, but realized what she was trying to do.
"That's not what this is and you know it." I released the od in Enkidu and Suì-Fēng fell to the ground on her feet. She instantly began running to me, and I knew I shouldn't have let her go. As she closed the gap, I traced several bolas around me and launched them, but the spinning weapons missed her. She was about to pounce me and I backpedaled, tracing a horseman's pick as I went. The long war hammer appeared in my hand and I used it to actually pick up Suì-Fēng and fling her over my back. That was the plan at least.
The woman was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the nearly three foot long weapon in between us. I attempted to hook into her uniform but she ended up grabbing the head on my war hammer, and I decided that was close enough. With a bit of force, I flung the Captain over my shoulder, however she did not let go. She in turn landed on her feet, and pulled the same maneuver on me. I dismissed the hammer mid flip, which caused her to stumble forward at the sudden loss of the weapon and the force had to go somewhere. I landed on my feet surprisingly, but as I recovered my balance, Suì-Fēng barreled into me and we both landed in a heap upon the ground.
As I once again regained my bearing, I used my hands to push myself up, and heard a feminine grunt as I did so. I looked to my left and saw the Captain on the ground and then I followed the trail of my arm and noticed it was digging into her person. More specifically…an intimate area of her person, those only lovers should know. She lifted her head and by the look dawning on her face, I feared she had come to the same conclusion as I had. I quickly removed myself from the ground and scooted back a few meters from the Captain.
"So you are that type of man?" She asked me. I shook my head vigorously, before she got up and adjusted her uniform properly. I got onto my feet.
"That was not my intention, simply a cruel joke played by physics," I offered up. That didn't seem to do it. Suì-Fēng looked at me with an odd look. It wasn't the 'I'm going to destroy you' look I was expecting. The edge on her features lightened very slightly, and I quirked a brow at her, which seemed to snap her out of whatever she was thinking.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" I again shook my head. "I could kill you for this, and no one would question me. That's the power I hold." I actually clenched my palms, was it this serious?
"And what will you do?" I asked her seriously. Both she and I set our postures, poised to strike. The only problem was she could easily back it up without much problem. I, on the other hand, would have to get very creative with my powers. Then I saw it. The mirth in her eyes, as she began to chuckle softy, which also eased the tension I had as well.
"I suppose letting you live wouldn't be the biggest mistake I've ever made."
"You're all heart, Captain," I replied dryly. The woman suddenly Shunpo'd next to me, causing me to jump slightly.
"Oh come now, Emiya, surely you can't think so little of me. I am your favorite mentor, aren't I?"
"Are you now?" I responded. The Captain of the Second punched me in the arm forcefully. "Ah I mean, yes you are." Suì-Fēng nodded, and I decided that it was time for me to go. "I still need to converse with my Zanpakutō this evening. Am I free to leave?"
"Yes, you did well, even though you did break my rules. I'd advise you to stick to them or it will get twice as hard the next time. Got it?" I nodded, before I decided to sneak my own jab at her.
"Don't worry though Captain, I'll only use one weapon when we fight, just for you and me?"
"Oh, and what's that?" She asked, causing me to smirk as I activated my Crest for Kefitzat Haderech.
"Enkidu, I know how much you enjoyed those chains, Captain." She clenched her fists.
"What did you say?" She shouted, but all I did was laugh. "Emiya!" She pulled out her Zanpakutō, but I winked away into the fold of space.
Thirteen Division Barracks
Moments later
I entered my room and collected a few things. Normally when I performed the Jinzen I did it in the privacy of my room, but Nanika had expressed interest in talking outside. I didn't really understand the difference, but I complied anyway. I had located a surreal hilltop that overlooked a good section of the Rukongai, and had planned going there to meditate.
I quickly gathered a few slices of bread I had picked up after my training with Renji, along with some of the candy Captain Ukitake had given me. I grabbed a straw mat, and then exited the room. Time to try my Shunpo. I focused the reiryoku under my feet and began running through the air. This was easy for me, but the flash step was the issue. I began accelerating, taking long leaps in the air, and of course it was a lot faster to one who was standing still.
After a few minutes, I arrived at my destination and touched down. Unfolding the mat, I grabbed Nanika and placed her in my lap. I focused my senses and then was whisked away into my mindscape.
Inner-world
I opened my eyes and was sitting upon the hill that Nanika had laid claim to in my mind. I saw my Zanpakutō bustling about doing something, until she caught sight of me and rushed over.
"Shirou!" I was plowed into the ground by the force of her hug/tackle. As we both sat up, I looked at her.
"Nanika, I'm glad to see things are well here. How have you been doing since my last visit?" I asked the sword spirit. She smiled brightly.
"Amazing! When we used Senbonzakura this morning that was the biggest rush I've ever had! I was everywhere, and yet it still felt like you were holding me, but it wasn't as controlled as when I became Zabimaru, why was that?"
"Manipulating your powers as Captain Kuchiki's Zanpakutō is more difficult, because I have to sense the miniscule reiryoku signature of the thousands of blades that make up that form, and then get them to move in harmony. It's not hard when I handle them as a whole or even two sections, but any more and it gets tricky."
"We can always practice! Anyway, we should have gotten that woman's Zanpakutō, Shirou." I shook my head.
"Suì-Fēng's Zanpakutō is probably insanely powerful, but your other two forms so far focus on range, which is an advantage I need over these other Shinigami. I've been asking Captain Ukitake about some of the others' Zanpakutōs and he filled me in on a few. In all honesty going after Rukia's would be the best move, because the only other way we can obtain them is to randomly challenge Shinigami to matches, which doesn't seem like a good idea, and I don't think I could force Jūshirō to enter Shikai state."
"Well, as long as it's me you use, I'm okay! Even if you have to use that other white…thing," Nanika spat.
"You mean Kanshou and Bakuya?" Nanika nodded.
"I don't understand why you use them. They aren't even that powerful alone and –" but I put my finger to her lips.
"They were the first blades I ever created. My mentor used them until his very death, dedicated himself to learn them to the very core. I bear them in his honor," I replied quietly. Kanshou and Bakuya just felt right. They were just bladed extensions of my arms. Nanika pouted.
"Then Shirou, let me become them," I looked at her in surprise. "Not like you think I mean, but just as your mentor dedicated himself to those swords, dedicate yourself to me. You've told me of your mentor in the past, you can do what he did. You've told me yourself he didn't solely use the twin blades, he used whatever was right for the situation. I understand that I can't be that right now all the time, but with enough time I feel that any and all Zanpakutō we encounter will become ours forever."
"I can never get rid of Kanshou and Bakuya, there's too much sentiment in them for me give them up," I began. Nanika's face fell at that, and she shuddered. I lifted her chin and looked upon the young sword spirit. "But I am not he." I would never be EMIYA. "I can dedicate myself to learning an even better blade, and still wield them in his memory. I've seen how you're doubt has been slowly fading as we battle together more. Soon enough, we'll be swinging the Captain-Commander's Zanpakutō and no one will stop us!" Nanika laughed.
"We'd have to make a whole lot of people angry before the Captain-Commander ever unsheathed his Shikai in our direction, Shirou." I nodded.
"Hopefully it will never come to that…" I trailed off and I looked in the distance. Something had happened; there was something odd with the flow of reiryoku in the Rukongai. Nanika sensed it too. Wordlessly she nodded, and I exited my mindscape.
As I awoke from my meditation, indeed something had gone wrong. There was a substantial amount of reiatsu being put off, but I couldn't tell by whom. I quickly entered Kefitzat Haderech and transported to the barracks of the Thirteenth. The sight I came to was utterly shocking.
The walls surrounding the place had been decimated, and the building wasn't looking much better. I bolted inside to look for Rukia or Sentarō, but no one was around. Quickly exiting the building, I couldn't feel Jūshirō's reiatsu nearby, so he must have been called away already, so I ran out of the main gate and into the streets of the Seireitei. The place was in shambles, and an odd white substance was covering many of the building, but then I felt the burst of reiatsu again, coming from the west.
I turned and saw the giant towers of the Research and Development Institute covered in the same white substance, albeit substantially more, and it appeared that a good number of the Gotei 13 were battling it. I folded the space around me.
Shinigami R&D Institute Tower #7
As the Haderech deposited me near the tower, I saw Jūshirō fighting one of the snake heads and it was quickly over taking my mentor, as he coughed. His health must have been taking a toll on his combat skills. I quickly traced Kanshou and Bakuya in my hands and threw them at the head. They met at its neck and cleaved the snake's head clean off. Jūshirō looked down at me, and stared. I ran up to him in the air.
"What's the situation, Captain Ukitake?" The Captain glanced at me, but then answered.
"Something has begun to assault the SRDI and we need all hands around Tower Seven until this passes. I nodded wordlessly and pulled Nanika from my back.
"Never Waver, Nanika!" Jūshirō looked on in intrigue, which bugged me, since he had seen this before. "Howl, Zabimaru!" Nanika instantly shifted into the picketed-blade wielded by Renji. I was about to rush off to fight, but Jūshirō placed his hand on me.
"How is that possible?" He muttered quietly. What was with him?
"Captain, you've seen this before, but no time now. I got to go down there and help." Ukitake nodded slightly and I bolted away. Really what had been with him? As I accelerated to the battlefield I noticed a long tendril made up of a few snake heads about to attack a rather busty looking woman and a short white-haired Captain. That must be Captain Hitsugaya, and one of his subordinates. I extended Nanika and whipped her, causing the teeth in her blade to chew through one of the snake heads as she recoiled back to her solid form. I tossed Nanika into the air, and traced Kanshou and Bakuya and sliced off another one of the thing's heads. Nanika fell back into my grasp and I coiled her around me before slashing at the third head. It cleanly down to the earth, and I looked over to the pair of Shinigami.
"Who are you?" the Captain asked me.
"Just an ally, keep fighting this thing back!" I suddenly heard a loud yell from above. I saw Captain Zaraki slam into the Tower and then the snake creature began to focus its attentions there. I noticed a large mass of the white substance forming at the base of the tower. Quickly I traced my bow and the Caladbolg II. Applying Reinforcement to the blade, it shifted into a deadly looking arrow, and I flooded it with prana. It began to glow dangerously, and I shot it.
A few seconds went by, and then a giant release of energy exploded from the impact sight, utterly decimating the substance around the tower.
"I'll ask you again, just who are you?"
"I am Shirou Emiya, Captain. I don't currently have a Division, but since achieving Shikai I've been studying with Captains Ukitake, Suì-Fēng, and Zaraki to hone my skills, instead of the traditional academy."
"Well whatever you just did, certainly stopped that…thing," Hitsugaya replied. His eyes then widened substantially. "How are you wielding Zabimaru?" I thought Ukitake had told all the Captains.
"My Zanpakutō, Nanika, has the ability to replicate any Shikai she comes in contact with, a rather coincidental offshoot of my own powers," I admitted. I resealed Nanika and strapped her to my waist. "I must go find what's going on, stay safe." I Shunpo'd away, slowly.
I tried looking for Captain Ukitake but that was a bust, and all my other comrades were busy as well. I wondered if anyone had attempted to reach out to Kurosaki yet. I decided to head back to the barracks and sort things over. I passed over many buildings and the entire Seireitei was in ruins.
As I arrived at the barracks, I found Suì-Fēng standing there with Captain Kuchiki and Renji. I approached the trio, and nodded to Renji, who gave me a glaring look. Byakuya leveled me with a bored, yet dangerous look. Suì-Fēng looked ready to kill me. Renji suddenly lashed out and grabbed me by my collar.
"Why do you Zabimaru?" He demanded of me. I pushed him away. Byakuya stepped in front of his Lieutenant.
"I believe what my Lieutenant is trying to say, is how you were able to mimic his Zanpakutō?"
"All three of you already know the answer to that question. It's Nanika's Shikai ability." That didn't seem to satisfy them at all.
"You honestly expect us to believe that some unseated Shinigami has access to a Zanpakutō as well as a Shikai?" Suì-Fēng asked. "I haven't been able to pull a damn thing up on you."
"What are you talking about? We were sparring only a few hours ago," I told her and I turned to Renji. "You and I were too a few hours before that!"
"What? I don't even know you!" Renji yelled at me. What the hell was happening? I looked at Byakuya.
"And why are you still here? Shouldn't you be with Rukia?" All three looked at me.
"And who, pray tell, is that?" Captain Kuchiki asked me. I wanted to strangle somebody. I looked at him with a stupefied look.
"Your sister!" Suì-Fēng looked at me incredulously.
"The Captain has never had a sister, and we don't know you. As far as I'm concerned you're just an intruder, and probably responsible for what happened at the SRDI!"
"I helped fight that thing!"
"Probably just a cover to take suspicion off," Renji voiced. I turned away and started to walk. I had had enough of this. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To get help, obviously you all want to point the blame at me, and Byakuya doesn't even remember his own sister. I need to find Kurosaki." Before they could do anything, I folded the space and left.
I exited out near the Grand Senkaimon which I had entered the Soul Society when I had died. I saw a dozen Shinigami near it, but I needed to use it, since I couldn't use Nanika for this task. I also didn't have a Hell Butterfly, but I bet one of them did. I would need to be fast. Luckily for me, all of guards were relatively close.
I snuck quickly to the guards, and traced the Chains of Heaven. "Enkidu," I called out, and the chains quickly bound up the guards. That had been easier than anticipated. One of the struggling guards attempted to kick me. "Okay, I guess it's you. Give me your Jigokuchō and you live."
"You think you can threaten the Kidō Corps and then leave the Soul Society. More of our agents are on their way," the guard growled.
"All the more reason to hurry up, before I slit your throat and take it," I replied calmly. The guard then noticed that Bakuya had snuck its way into my hand and next to his throat. He ground his teeth and indicated to a small pouch next to his Zanpakutō. I opened it and a small black butterfly wandered onto my hand. I poured reiryoku into the Senkaimon and it opened. Hopefully Kurosaki was home. I jumped into the Senkaimon and was whirled away.
Karakura Town
A half-hour later
It had taken me nearly an hour to find Kurosaki's home town, but with the way his reiatsu poured out, it hadn't taken long to find him after. Luckily for me he was in his soul form, out patrolling. I ran along the sky and searched for him and then I heard an explosion. I followed the sound and saw Kurosaki with Zangetsu battling a large Hollow. I quickly unsheathed Nanika.
"Never Waver, Nanika! Scatter, Senbonzakura!" Nanika's blade shone with a brilliant violet color, and then transformed into thousands of sakura-like blades. I sent the mass of blades flying towards the Hollow. Kurosaki looked up into the air.
"Byakuya?" was his natural response, but as I entered into the light of the street lamps, his eyes widened. "Emiya, what are you doing here, and how did you get Senbonzakura?" The Hollow attempted to get up, but I slammed it with Nanika's flitting blades. I reformed Nanika and deactivated her form. I preformed the Konsō on the soul that was the Hollow, and sent it away.
"I can answer that later, but right now the Seireitei is under attack, and apparently you're the only one that remembers me. Byakuya's forgotten about Rukia too." Kurosaki's eyes widened at that.
"I did for a moment as well a few hours ago…but Kon snapped me out of that. Come on, we can talk about this more at the shop, we need to get you a Gigai too."
"A Gi-what? " I asked. Kurosaki shook his head, and then started walking away. I followed him as we proceeded into town.
After walking for a while, we eventually came to a two level building. It was rather run down, and as we approached it a man in white hat with vertical black stripes came out to greet us.
"Ah welcome to my humble shop," he welcomed. I nodded indifferently.
"Ichigo, who is this young man?" The shop-owner indicated to me.
"Ah this is Shirou Emiya; he's a newly trained Shinigami who was accidentally killed. He's come here hoping we can help. There's trouble in the Seireitei." The shop-owner turned to me, and smiled.
"Anything that you need, I will be happy to try and help. My name is Kisuke Urahara, and it sounds like we have much to discuss, Shirou Emiya." I nodded wordlessly, and Urahara ushered Kurosaki and me into his shop, before closing the door. Much to discuss indeed.