Shane walked back to the store and went in side. Urahara waved him over to the table. Shane sat opposite Urahara and Yoruichi.
"So what do you have for me?" Shane asked. Urahara set a small box on the table and pushed it toward Shane. Shane gave Urahara a questioning glance and reached for the box. Before he opened it, Shane said, "I have a quick question for you Urahara,"
"Oh? What's that?" Urahara asked.
"Is it possible for a shinigami to loose their Soul Slayer? And I don't mean misplaced the sword, but for it to be taken away, loose their powers, that sort of thing," Shane asked.
Urahara waved his fan and said, "I'm not sure what you mean."
Shane blew out an exasperated breath. "Since a shinigami's Soul Slayer comes from the bond between the shinigami and the spirit of the Soul Slayer, is it possible for the sprit of the Soul Slayer to take away the Soul Slayer?" he asked.
"I don't see why not," Urahara said after a moment's thought.
Shane gave Urahara a stupid look. "That's not quite the answer I was looking for," he said. "Anyway, how do I get it back?"
"Oh? Why are you asking me?" Urahara asked. "I can't do anything to help you."
"So Tsukuyomi is gone forever?" Shane asked. A frozen ball of fear materialized in his gut, causing him to shiver. "Never have Tsukuyomi again?"
"That is up to you," Urahara said. "Getting your Soul Slayer back is entirely on you."
Shane stood up and left quietly. When he was gone, Urahara sighed. "Was that necessary?" Yoruichi asked.
"If he wants his Soul Slayer back, he needs to do some serious soul searching," Urahara said smiling and added, "No pun intended."
Shane didn't know where to go or what to do. HIs mind was reeling and he stumbled around town in a daze. What do I do? Will I have to stop being a Death God? What will happen to me? What will the Captain say? Thoughts like these raced through Shane's mind. He felt a slight pressure in the back of his skull, like the beginnings of a headache. Shane's thoughts became jumbled together and he began to loose the ability to think and reason clearly.
not fair not fair to us lost hopeless don't know fear why confused why this happen don't know head hurts too much thinking...
Shane's eyes glazed over and his pupils became dilated. He had regressed from higher brain functions and succumbed to acting on basic feelings and instinct.
no one sees us no one cares no one cares about us alone so alone sad why are we alone mad mad that no one cares getting angry want to smash feel better...
Fortunately, a hollow chose that instant to appear. Shane's mind couldn't comprehend why he was supposed to kill the hollow, other than the fact that the hollow was in his way, and objects in the way must be eliminated.
"Eh? What's wrong with you, Death God?" the hollow asked, narrowing its eyes.
Shane didn't answer, but reached up and grabbed the hollow by its mask and effortlessly threw it to the ground. The hollow began to whimper as Shane towered over it.
kill it no use to us kill it weakling no match for us
Shane lifted his foot and brought it down on the hollow's head, crushing it. Blood and ichor spattered on the ground as the hollow's body dissolved into blue spirit particles. Shane continued on his pointless journey.
Eventually, the sun started to sit lower and lower in the sky and night began to fall. Shane was standing atop the hill in the cemetery overlooking the city. In his simple state of mind, Shane didn't have words to describe what he was seeing, only emotions mixed with colors. The moon began to rise and Shane's fractured mind became at ease.
light good makes us calm light like this light not the other light too bright this light nice calm...peaceful...quiet...
Shane blinked his eyes rapidly and his eyes came into focus. He scratched his head and looked around. "Where am I and how did I get here?" He tired to remember, but his memory was hazy. "Somehow, I remember feeling...annoyed? What's that all about?" He sat down and tried to think it out, but succeeded in making his head hurt. He sighed and lay back in the grass and looked at the stars.
"I like the night time," he thought out loud. "Everything is peaceful and quiet." He looked at the moon and suddenly became sad. "The moon reminds me of Tsukuyomi," he said. Shane closed his eyes and fell asleep.
In his dream, Shane was walking in darkness. He could see his body clearly, as if he were glowing, but nothing else. He looked around and called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" Silence. He sighed and started to walking. Every so often he would stop and call out again, but received no answer. "I guess I'm alone," he said sadly. A small dot of light appeared and began to grow bigger. Shane had the sensation of traveling at high speed. There was a brief flash and Shane found himself standing in a vast plain covered in gray powder. The terrain was flat in all directions with small hills and peaks in the distance. The sky was black, but Shane could make out several points of light.
"Where am I? What is this place?" he asked himself. Everything faded away and Shane was surrounded by darkness again.
Shane sat up with a start. It took him a second to realize where he was. He sighed and rubbed his face. "Why am I having these weird dreams?" he asked. He lay back and was soon sleeping again.
This dream was different. He was in a dojo, sitting in one of the corners. The mat was well lit, but out side the ring was dark. He was wearing a regular white karate uniform and he was feeling impatient but didn't know why. Out of the darkness, a person appeared. Shane was shocked to find himself staring at...himself. Shane stood up and walked to the center to meet his clone. They bowed to each other and stepped back. After a brief pause, the Shane attacked. The clone easily sidestepped and twisted Shane's arm around in an arm lock. Shane grimaced as his arm was bent in a way it wasn't designed to bend. The clone steadily applied pressure and Shane could feel his shoulder beginning to strain. With a slight touch and a sickening pop, Shane's shoulder was dislocated. His vision exploded with white light and torrents of pain shot up Shane's arm and overloaded his brain. Shane tried to cry out, but the clone quickly shifted his hold and began to systematically break his wrist and elbow. His vision grew fuzzy and his mind numb with pain. The clone let him go and Shane's right arm hung useless by his side.
Shane was soaked with sweat and breathing heavily. He tried to stand up, but the slightest movement sent waves of pain shooting through his body. He looked at the clone of himself. The face was expressionless and the eyes were wide and unfocused, the pupils dilated to pinpricks. The clone reached out and grabbed Shane by the hair and gave Shane the worst beating of his life. Shane tried to beg for mercy, but his voice was drowned out by cries of agony. After a while, it was like having an out of body experience. Shane could see himself getting severely beaten, but he felt nothing.
Shane's body lay broken and bleeding at the clone Shane's feet. The clone stood over the body and grabbed Shane by the front of his shirt and pulled him close so their faces were inches apart. After a brief pause, the clone Shane said, "instinct. desire. willpower. without these you are nothing. we are nothing."
"Wh-what are you?" Shane asked though a broken jaw and bleeding lips.
Clone Shane stared at Shane for a second, then replied, "you." He dropped Shane to the mat, where Shane was finally embraced by unconsciousness.
Shane opened his eyes and sighed.