Finally! I broke the 300 review limit! I am so happy! Thanks for all the review…Which is a great help unlike any other.
Okay! I will not delay you any longer! Enjoy! And Review!
Ch22 Whispers of Chanters and Songs of the Wise
Several years ago…Behind a traditional dojo two children could be seen washing their faces and cleaning off their sweat. The girl of the two straightened her back and wiped off her face with her towel. She stared at the boy who was still washing his.
"...You really are an idiot."
"Ah? What? I'm not an idiot!"
The boy lifted his head back up and wiped off the water from his face. Not even a few days ago, this young man had saved the girl from three bullies at school. When the bullies had teased and made fun of the girl's headband, the young boy had come to defend her and got into trouble for it.
"Have you ever thought about how much trouble that would cause later?"
"Oh ,you are talking about that. You're worrying about nothing important Shinonono. I fought them off because it was right thing to do, nothing more and nothing less. I was taught that a man's sacred duty is to uphold pride, honor, and justice. Defending you from those cowards who used their vast numbers is something that is completely outside of my free will."
"..."
"So don't I mind. Also…" The boy tilted his head slightly, staring at her with both of his brownish black eyes.
"Those guys are blind if they don't think you are a cute girl Houki. That ribbon really suits you. It brings out a lot of feminine aura from you. You should really tie it up more."
"Hu-Humph! I won't listen to your orders!"
Folding her arms in front of her chest, Houki turned her head in another direction. Ichika said 'I see' and continued to wash his face. He really liked to use the icy cold well water to wash away the sweat after practice.
"Well…I'm going home. Bye then, Shinonono." Said the black haired boy as he walked away, however before he can leave the girl called out to him.
"HOUKI!"
"Hm?"
"My name's Houki. Shouldn't you remember that already? Besides, my dad, mom and sister have the same Shinonono surname. You'll just confuse me that way. So just call me by my name, got it?" said Houki with a red blush crawling on her face. She held her arms across her chest and tilted her head away from Ichika in embarrassment.
"Oh…Houki huh?…Well, since you insist. Houki. I'll be seeing you." The boy walked away leaving the girl behind. She felt slightly lonely being left behind, but held her emotions under control as she walked back to the dojo.
"…Orimura family, oldest and only son…Orimura Ichika."
"Huh?" the girl turned to him.
Ichika slowly turned back to him. From Houki's point of view the sun from above shone behind him and he seemed…mythical and divine.
"You should call me by that…There is another Orimura beside me after all."
It was June, and summer was about to arrive. And for young Shinonono Houki…Her first love bloomed.
"..."
It was one of the rooms in the resort, and the clock on the wall pointed at just before 4pm.
Houki was kneeling on the floor and by her side was Ichika who was heavily bandaged and lying on the futon with the blanket covering him.
Waiting beside him, Houki continued to look distressed, and the hair without its usual ribbon betrayed her emotions. Her long loose hair covered her teary red eyes, swollen from all the crying.
"It was my fault..."
For a short while she remembered seeing Ichika's divine and mythical smile from all those years ago and it was replaced with his firm and resolved look and a hint of sadness and disappointment before he got in the way to save her from the Silver Gospel.
However, Ichika didn't even have a sad looking smile now. He was just lying there lifelessly. It was painful to look at…After being reunited with him, she had seen his face filled with confidence and the resolve and will of a hero. To see him like this broke her heart.
"And it was all because of me…My fault…All my fault…"
Ichika got the Absolute Barrier of his IS shattered, and he received second and third degree burns. He was now covered with bandages all over his body. Not only burned, his body was bruised and battered by sharp metal and blows. His IS armor barely kept him alive and it was now filled with spider-web cracks and missing parts.
"It's because of my uselessness that Ichika became like this-!"
Houki grabbed her skirt forcefully, and the force exerted on it caused her palms to turn pale. She continued to clench her fists tight as if she was punishing herself. Her finger nails cut into her hand and a small trail of blood trickled out.
"Mission failed. I'll call you if there's a change in the situation. Until then, wait here."
After being rescued from the sea, Houki had heard these words the moment she got back to the resort. She felt worse that she didn't get scolded. However she was even more miserable because of how Ichika reacted when he arrived back to the beach they deployed from.
(Flash Back)
Yukihana and Cecilia helped pulling Ichika out of the water, a group of teachers and 3rd year students scrambled to put the injured boy onto a stretcher. Houki was standing beside them, lowering her head to avoid eye contact.
From the top of the hill Orimura Chifuyu and Yamada Maya walked down. Behind them Katakura Kojuro quickly ran past them and went to his master. Behind the loyal samurai of Oshu followed the gang of thugs that were part of Ichika's mechanic crew.
"ICHIKA-SAMA!"
"ANIKI! HITOU(HEAD BOSS)!"
They quickly surrounded the fallen Ichika as they wailed and cried. Their tears were not those of weakness, but shame and helplessness as they were powerless to help their beloved leader.
"ICHIKA-SAMA! OH HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN…HOW COULD I ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN! THIS IS ALL MY FAILURE AS YOUR STRATIGIST AND YOUR RIGHT EYE…It…It was my responsibility to see to your safety and yet…MY LORD! DO NOT FORGIVE THIS FOOLISH KOJURO!" wailed Kojuro on his knees and with his head bowed on the ground in shame.
"""""ANIKI! PLEASE DO NOT FORGIVE OUR FAILURE!""""" chorused the army of the One Eyed Dragon as they all shared their strategist's pain and sorrow.
Chifuyu walked towards her brother and glanced down. She saw his body still covered by his IS. Masurao refused to dematerialize. Most likely it was what kept him alive. His armor was battered and broken; many of its parts were blown apart and damaged. His red blood spilled from his wounds and his mouth as the pressure of using the Shunko when he was not at 100% was catching on to him.
He truly looked like a samurai who returned from war….A warrior who refused to remove his armor.
Chifuyu held her emotions and outer expression in check. She let nothing show and turned to the workers and other teachers.
"Mission failed. I'll call you if there's a change in the situation. Before that, wait here for now."
Before she could walk away, the sound of startled gasps and a yell of pain could be heard. She turned around to see Ichika pushing the teacher and the 3rd years away. He grabbed Kojuro's shoulder and shakily and slowly got up to his feet.
"I-Ichika-sama! You must rest my lord! Your injuries-" Kojuro was cut off as he stared into his lord's eyes. He fell silence as he kneeled next to him. All of Ichika's followers realized the situation as they all shed tears and fell to their knee.
"Uuugghhh…Nee….san…"
The moment he stood up everyone got to see the true extend of his injury. From all over his battered armor flowed out trails of blood. From his chest and arms dripped the crimson liquid and his armor fell apart even further.
In his left hand were the broken and damaged forms of his Byakushiki and Kuroshiki. The katana now broken and battered dropped more shards as the sudden movement broke them further. In his right hand was the deactivated and powerless Yukihira Akatsuki's handle. He slowly walked forward and the sound of his armor clanking and breaking could be heard. He walked towards his sister with his head low, shielding his eyes from viewing.
"Nee-…san…I…I..am…not done….I…I can still fight…I am Douku…gan…Ryu…" grinded Ichika as he stepped forward. His form was like a dying moth and yet his spirit was like the peak of Mt Fuji…Majestic and proud.
"…I am…Orimura…Ichi…ka…How….How can I…stop…here." Groaned out Ichika as he took another step forward and blood gushed down even more. While battered and wounded, his stance was firm and proud. Even defeated as he was, he refused to back down and held his head high. The form of a modern samurai….A vision of a hero.
"I…am…fine…"
He stepped forward.
"Send me…to fight…"
Another step forward.
"I refuse to lose…I must not lose…for my ambition…I must conquer…everything…let me…fight…Nee…sama…" Ichika managed to slowly reach Chifuyu and let the strength from his left hand loose. He dropped the broken remaining of Byakushiki and Kuroshiki. He lifted his hand slowly and grabbed Chifuyu's shirt from her chest.
Surprisingly Chifuyu refused to move as her brother grabbed the front of her shirt in such a rude manner.
"My fangs...are peerless and sharp…My will…unconquerable…My ambition…reaching the cloud above heaven…my eyes…" He lifted his head to stare into Chifuyu's eyes. Chifuyu herself widened her eyes in surprise to see the red artificial eye looking into her own along with the left black and brownish eye.
For Chifuyu it was painful to see the red eye that symbolized her failure…his sacrifice for her. Seeing his eye-patch always made her heart ache, but to see this lifeless red eye…it was truly heart breaking.
Ichika's eyes were not normal eyes infused with nano machines like Laura…His was an actual mechanical eye made by Tabane…it seemed real, but it hid none of it artificial nature
"My eyes…Always look toward the horizon…I still look forward to reach…to reach the heaven as the …strongest…Wata…shi…wa(I…am)…" Ichika droned out as he grabbed tightly to her shoulder. The dark armor dyed in crimson blood fade away as he fell into her arms and fell unconscious. (Inspired by Aizen Sosuke's final cry of Watashi wa.)
""""I-ICHIKA(SAN/SAMA/DONO/ANIKI)!"""" everyone yelled out as the fallen warrior laid helpless and injured.
(Flash Back END)
After Chifuyu gave instructions on treating Ichika, she immediately went back to the planning room. Houki felt alone as ever as she watched Ichika's sheer spirit even while he fell unconscious. Watching him like this…it made her feel incompetent and weak…
"Why...am I always this careless...?"
She always got carried away after obtaining a bit of power.
She really wanted to use it.
She would always feel the impulse of wanting to use force.
Power…Power is so, so tempting…it is like a drug that one can't keep their hands off. Power whispers tempting words to use it…Power wants to be used and ravish things. Power…is something so precious that one will do anything to attain it.
"I wanted power…"
She always felt alone…Cecilia, Rin, Yukihana, Charlotte and Laura…She was there first….She has been there since the beginning, but she was the one furthest from him.
"My dream is to conquer…Conquer everything!"
His ambition shone so brightly that it overshadowed her own…
"I am Doukugan Ryu! I am Orimura ICHIKA!"
His pride, honor, and valor was so much more defined than her own…
Ichika was so powerful…He stood somewhere that was so far ahead of her. To reach him…To walk next to him, she needed power…Being powerless meant she would be left behind. Ichika would not pause in his ascent. He would soar far and above. If one cannot fly alongside him…She would be thrown off his back and only be able to watch from afar as the One Eyed Dragon soared far into the heavens.
She had to watch other girls appearing before him…All had their own tragedy and hardships, but each held power to attract his attention. His eyes laid on them…They had the power to walk beside him…They all had the power, valor, will, and resolve to stand by his side without being knocked aside by his sheer presence.
She was afraid…She was being left behind…being replaced…They were all beautiful and noble. They were all grand and eye-catching…She was the only 'normal' one in the group.
Katakura Kojuro…He was a man that was given the great honor of being Ichika's Right Eye. He was given the position of his right hand and his most trusted retainer and strategist. He received no love of the romantic kind, but the trust given to him was unlike any other's.
Cecilia…She was the beautiful classy girl that became the one who watched out for Ichika's safety from afar. As long as she stood no harm should reach him from. She was as proud as he and would always uphold her confidence to bring him courage. She was his first enemy when he entered the world of IS, and being his first encounter he would always remember her.
Rin, Hyang Lin…She was also his childhood friend and one who did not fear talking back or arguing with him. She was given the grand tittle of Tenryuji, the Heavenly Dragon Goddess. She was his guardian goddess that watched over him. She had been with him since he started his ascension and leap to his ambition. She was there from the start and would continue to be from now on. From the harshest battlefield to the cruel world, he would always keep her by his side, as he always had.
Sanada Genjirou Yukihana…She was like a bright ball of sun shine that brightened his day. She was his rival that crossed swords with him and pushed him. She was the one that always approached him with no pause and no halt. She was the spear that rejuvenated him and the one that always would be able to be herself with him. The Wakatora was no servant of Doukugan Ryu, however she would always be the one that stayed in his mind to overcome and face. An enemy by all names, but the most reliable soul. He would always hold her in high standing and would always be able to proudly call her his rival.
Charlotte Dunois…She was so beautiful and so gentle. She is the smiling maiden that was able to stand beside him and able to make him smile in return. She was by no means a weak maiden that needed his protection. When she was hurt she landed under his wing. Under his wing, she was his ward and someone that he will forever remember. She was actually the first to fight alongside him as his Faint Smiling Maiden. The Bishou no Otome would forever be the flower that he would care for.
Laura Bodewig…She was his hateful enemy and now his most upstanding ally. She was affected by his ambition and will be more than any other. She is naive and lacks common sense, but she is the most honest and truthful to him. She would never hide and never lie to him as her intentions were always true to her heart. To her Ichika is a powerful leader who had given her a new reason to fight…For Kingan no Yousei, Ichika was a source of strength and in return she was an unmovable rock that he could rely on. Ichika would call upon Laura when he must be most resolute and firm.
And her…What was Shinonono Houki to Orimura Ichika now that he had collected such talents and warriors?
She was his childhood friend, the first childhood friend. However that was before Ichika changed…That was long before Ichika lost his eye and gained the resolve to conquer the world. She was not there for him to support his ambition and was powerless to help out anyway…However…However….How could she fail like this when she was given noteworthy power for the first time!
"I didn't want to be replaced…I don't want his gaze to leave me…I wanted power…I wanted power to be able to stand next to him…I wanted to be the vanguard of his ambition, his most trusted, and most beloved…"
That is why she trained for so long…
To Houki, kendo was not a tool to train herself, but to discipline herself.
A seal.
A seal to control her violent impulses. A seal to mature herself into a noble warrior instead of a wild animal. She wanted to be like the loyal samurais of the past, who gave their lives away to serve their lord.
She wants to become someone that he could look up to…Someone who he could lean upon…But she…but she…
"I'll never…I never pilot…I will never pilot agai-"
Just when she was about to make this important decision, the door opened violently.
*BAM!*
The sudden opening of the door shocked Houki, but she had no strength to look up. Her skin shivered as the noise assaulted her ears and her senses felt the vibration on the floor. She could hear the sound of feet stepping into the room.
"Ahh~ ahh. You're really easy to understand." Said the girl who barged into the room without restraint, walking over to the devastated Houki.
This voice belonged to… Rin?
"..."
"Hey, you!"
Rin said to her, but Houki didn't respond. She couldn't. How could she…It was her fault…She was the one to blame for Ichika's condition.
"You think you're the reason Ichika's like this, right?"
"..."
"So are you going to remain like this— DON'T MESS AROUND WITH ME!"
Suddenly burning with rage, Rin grabbed the devastated Houki at the collar, forcing her to stand up.
"YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING YOU MUST DO RIGHT? RIGHT NOW! HOW CAN YOU NOT FIGHT!" yelled the Chinese girl as she held up the broken samurai by her collar and shook her.
"I-I...well, I don't want to...pilot the IS again..." mumbled out Houki as she remained weak and lifeless.
"!"
*PA!*
Houki took a slap to the face and lost her balance, falling onto the floor.
Rin again grabbed Houki and glared straight at her.
"STOP MESSING AROUND...SINCE YOU'RE A PERSONAL IS PILOT, I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO BE STUBBORN! OR ARE YOU—"
Rin glared straight into Houki's eyes.
Her eyes were burning with determination.
"—ARE YOU A COWARD WHO CAN'T FIGHT EVEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO FIGHT? AND YOU CALL YOURSELF ICHIKA'S FRIEND? DO YOU BELIEVE BEING DOUKUGAN RYU, ORIMURA ICHIKA'S FRIEND IS SO SIMPLE! DON'T BE CONCEITED! TO BE BY HIS SIDE, YOU NEED PERSERVERENCE AND WILL TO NEVER GIVE UP MORE THAN ANYTHING! IF YOU FELL DOWN ONCE THAN GET THE HELL UP!"
Those words lit up the fighting will in Houki's eyes.
"—That's..."
The voice that was so teeny-weeny soft became louder due to anger. She in return grabbed Rin's collar and glared into her brown eyes.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO! WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY WENT! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND! EVEN IF WE FIND THE GOSPEL, WHAT MAKE YOU THINK I CAN FIGHT IT? LAST TIME I FOUGHT…I got Ichika hurt…How can I…."
"Then atone for your failure with your action…Don't think as if Ichika would not have been hurt…Every time he fights…IS or no IS…I had to suffer through the pain of worry and fear of him getting hurt…The very through of him chewing more than he could frightened me…"
Rin clinched her arms and grit her teeth.
"If you think that it is bad now…Imagine how I felt when I was powerless and forced to watch him walk a path of destruction…I had to watch him insist on taking his path…Even I don't want him to…HE would have walked this path alone…"
Rin glared at Houki and the samurai girl flinched by the glare.
"You are off lucky…Because I had to endure watching him throw himself into danger without the protection of IS…Only his bare body and his hard earned skills….However…"
Rin clinched her fist in front of her.
"I will never stop following him…If you are going to stop…then it means less rival for me…But that will mean the title as his childhood friend will be tarnished…And my regard to you as a rival will be worth nothing…"
Rin grabbed Houki's collar once more and pulled her toward her face.
"So don't fall off on me…If you are going to be thrown off then it will be done by my hands…For his affection's sake…If I must I will defeat you, Laura, Charl, Cecilia, Yukihana,and even Chifuiyu-san!"
Rin roughly dropped the youngest Shinonono on to her butt.
"Wheather I like it or not…Whether you want to or not…You are like me…and I'll be damned if you give up now. SO GET UP! AND FALL AND BE BROKEN WHEN I AM THE ONE WHO CUT YOU DOWN!"
Houki's green eyes flared back with life as she stood back up.
"DON'T YOU LOOK DOWN ON ME! FALL AND BE BROKEN WHEN YOU CUT ME DOWN? DON'T BE ARROGANT! I AM GIVING UP! I TOO WILL FIGHT YOU AND ALL OTHERS FOR HIM! I WILL NOT STOP HERE!"
The two girls enclosed the distance between their eyes and face.
"I will not lose…" said Rin
"…So worry more about your own chance." Finished Houki.
The two shared an uncomfortable silence as their fighting intent, not their killing intent clashed against each other like two different wave of storms…
Seeing Houki finally getting motivated again, Rin sighed slightly.
"At least you have the will now...ahh, that's so troublesome….Now that you are no longer useless, let us go and hunt us a Silver Gospel."
"Wha-What?"
"We know where the enemy went...right now, Laura's—"
As Rin was speaking, the door opened. Standing at the door was Laura in a black military uniform.
"It appeared. According to the recent confirmation, the target's more than 30km away above the sea. It's in stealth mode, but it doesn't seem to have used optical camouflage, so the satellites could still pick it up."
Seeing Laura walk in with the tablet PC, Rin smiled.
"As expected of the German special forces, you're really something."
"Humph...what about you? Are you ready?"
"Of course, Shenlong's special attack [Packet]'s installed. I wanted to ask how Charlotte, Yukihana, and Cecilia are doing."
"Ahh, about that—"
Laura's eyes turn to the door, which opened once more.
"Just finished." Said Charl
"All preparations are A-Okay, we're ready to move out-desu wa." Said Cecilia.
"I got a flight pack! Yeah!" sang out Yukihana.
As all the pilots with a personal IS gathered, they all turned to look at Houki.
"Then, what do you intend to do?"
"I...I…"
Houki clenched her fists tightly. Unlike the remorse she showed before, this was a show of determination. Her fallen spirit reignited as she looked up high and proud. She will not shy away from her friends gaze…for they do not blame her…and opened their arms to welcome her once more.
"I want to fight...I must fight. I must win! I can't allow myself to lose now! I was here first and god damn it, I will be the vanguard that will never fall!"
"Then it's decided!"
Rin folded her arms in front of her chest, revealing a fearless fanged smile.
"Then, let's begin the battle planning! We'll take down the enemy for sure this time!"
"HAI!" declared the girls at the same time. The harem was ready to fight the Gospel…This time all of them together.
"Huh? Where…Where am I?"
Ichika woke up and found himself on top of a pillar surrounded by a vast body of water. The air was full of haze and mist, but he could make out several other pillars and a sky above. This place...he had been here before…This was Tama's place!
"Tama! Tama! Are you here!" However there was no reply anywhere.
"I am in my mindscape…That means…Masurao! Are you here!"
"Heee…You are barking at the wrong tree." Said a voice from nowhere. Ichika turned around furiously as he scanned everywhere…Where was the voice coming from?
"Oi!...Look down."
Ichika instinctively looked down and from below the pillar the reflection of the water rippled and revealed a face. It was his own…Only it was pale as a ghost. "What?"
"Yo…" said a voice…Next to his ear?
Before Ichika could turn around he was punched from behind and fell into the water.
"Puaah! What the fuck!"
"Heee…You seem to be having some fun…My Peerless and Raging Lord, Orimura Ichika."
"Huh?" Ichika looked up to see the same pale version of himself where he had been standing before…Looking down at him. He wore a black version of his IS Gakuen uniform and had pale skin and white hair. His eyes…He kept his right eye closed, but his left eye….his left eye was black with yellow pupil staring into his own brown eye.
"Who the hell are you! And where is Masurao and Tama! This is meant to be her room is it not!"
"Hmmm…That is a very good question, my Vessel of Chaos, Orimura Ichika." Said the pale copy with its echoing and distorted voice. "But you know…I am confused. When you ask for Masurao…do you mean the bracelet on your arm? Or mine?" said the man as he lift his hand to show him a white dragon around his arm.
"And when you ask for 'Tama'…You don't mean…" He opened his right eye and revealed the red, maddening orb. "This one do you?"
"Nani…What is going on here? A white…Masurao?" muttered Ichika with a shocked look. He suspected the eye, but to think he had Masurao as well…
"You asked where Masurao and Tama is have you not?...Let me tell you." Suddenly he jumped off the pillar and headed toward Ichika. In his right hand a light appeared before turning into a white katana handle with a guard and markings…it was a reverse colored version of his Yukihira Akatsuki!
"I am...Masurao!" declared the white duplicate as he swung down. Ichika back flipped away to avoid the attack and grabbed his bracelet and glared. He instantly summoned Byakushiki in his hand, but the white copy battered him away with a lazy slash, which broke the white katana.
"Using that weakened and broken Byakushki to block the Yukihira? You must be smoking some strong stuff if you think that will cut it! My Confused and Lost Lord of the Maze! Orimura Ichika!" Said the copy with a wide grin.
"Kisama! Who the fuck are you?"
"Didn't I say it just now? I am Masurao!"
"Stop joking around! Where is Masurao! And where is TAMA!"
"You are a bad listener huh…How many times much I say it before you understand it…I am Masurao. I am Tama. And I am…You. Orimura Ichika!"
"Na…ni?" said Ichika while he bent down slightly to raise his broken sword up.
"My Marching Ruler of Army of Ten Thousand, Orimura Ichika…You must have realized by now that you are a spectacular individual…Your mental and physical prowess make you stand out among all the worms in this society. Your sheer power and ambition made Masurao and Tama, so it is not surprising that it made me. My oh so noble and Ambitious King. Orimura Ichika…"
"What do you mean…? Are you saying I made you?"
"Sonotori(Exactly!)Excellent guesswork! My Oh Wise Crown, Orimura Ichika!…Masurao might have been the newest addition, but 'Tama' as you call her and I have been with you for a very long time. 6 years to be precise."
"6 years ago? But that was when…"
"Ah…The kidnapping incident."
How could he ever forget about that day…The day he killed, and lost his right eye in exchange. But if he has been with him since then…that meant…
"No, no, no…I am not what you are thinking of."
"!"
"I was not added to you because you got that eye. No that was 'Tama.' Me?...I was here first, always have been here first. Before Chifuyu, before Houki, before Tama, and even before anyone else…I was here first."
Did he just read my…
"Mind? Of course. My Open Tome of Memories! Orimura Ichika! I am you remember? Anything you know or can do, I can do too."
"You still didn't answer why you are here…And where Masurao and Tama are." Ichika demanded as he watched the pale copy's smile get even larger.
"Those two? Well…Masurao is inside of me now, and Tama is somewhere there too. They were so weak that taking over was a piece of cake."
"Nandato?(Say what?)"
The copy grinned as he stepped forward slightly.
"Let me tell you something to clear the air. You see my lord of the Fortress in the Heaven, Orimura Ichika! I am the one who has been with you the longest! The thing is that was even before Masurao showed up, which was several months ago. Tama and I have always been one and the same and yet as different as day and night. Both Tama and I are a part of your mental fortification. A source of your will and mind given form and voice. Think of us as the voices in your head." Said the white duplicate with a grin so wide it was about to snap.
"I have always been here, but not as myself…I was just a collection of your will and thoughts, however…Six years ago you received a trauma that affected you mind unlike any other. In your distortion and delusion you murdered three kidnappers in a fit of rage and anger…To cope with that shock you had assembled me, my Tortured Hero of Vengeance! Orimura Ichika!" Said the copy as he pointed to himself.
The white version of Ichika lifted his hands into the air and roared. "Shocks you doesn't it My Knight of Ebony Steel? I became all that guilt, sorrow, despair, and anger! OH all that delicious anger that you were feeling deep inside. It was for the first time that I became me…The personification of your killing instinct!" However his grin fell and turned serious.
"However in your delicate state seeing me and influencing you carried a lot of risk. In order to prevent permanent mental damage to your young mind, Tabane installed something in your head to allow you to process and block mental shocks and trauma to keep you safe and stabilize…At least until you were healed. That was 'Tama'…Your artificial IS hyper sensor and mini-core eye. Since then everything changed…In your mind there were me and Tama. We all shared the same body and mind. She was here to prevent me from influencing you too much and I was here to make sure you didn't go soft. It was a partnership in a way."
The copy walked toward Ichika while spinning the saber in his hand.
Normally Tama, the warden who protects your mind from outside influence and mental disorder, is in control. She is the Itadeki no Kura(Master of the Throne), she who protects the mind of the king. Whenever the 'dominant' person changes, the outer appearance changes. When one is dominated by 'life', one is flesh. When one is dominated by 'death', one becomes bones. It's the same reasoning. We are the two sides of a coin and when my power expanded, the ruling power went to me. In addition, this way, Tama became the servant and faded."
Ichika raised his blade higher, but the white copy raised his hand to stop him.
"You might think this is some typical shounen manga scene when the evil within you fights you for some kind of bullshit reason…but you are wrong my lord! My Diamond that Shines Even Brighter than any other Gem! I am completely satisfied with your performance."
Huh?
"Tama and I have no problem being the shield and the sword. The partnership was really good and you grew up not to be some spineless piece of shit that I'd want to slaughter."
That moment a certain orange haired Shinigami felt very cheated.
(xtenchix: sorry strawberry, but he's right, you're way too soft. XD)
(Fangking2: I know right! I bet he wished his hollow was so happy with him.)
(Capito Celcior: He's been doing pretty well, but I agree he could have done so much more with his hollow)
"Wait a minute…Then what's with the take over? And the attack?"
"The attack was a greeting my Whimsical Conquering King, Orimura Ichika! I thought you would love it." Said the white copy with a smirk. " And as for the takeover…That is not my fault…Tama is simply out of power from your fight and Masurao is down as well. With no power from neither of them, the only conclusion was for me to fill in for them, that is all."
Ok…This is confusing.
"Listen lord…Here is the thing. I am all that is in your head…I am the one and only you that is all about you. I was made of your fighting instinct that day 6 years ago…Whatever the form I held before that day is meaningless, but since that day, I have been your killing intent. Every time you fought, you listened to me. With everything you hit you always earned my approval. There is no reason for me to take over for you, because you have proven day and night that you are the king! You have my respect, so there is no need for me to influence you more…You never turned me away after all."
The white copy sat down on the pillar and stared at Ichika with a grin.
"The reason I am even here…Talking to you when Tama and Masurao are down is for one thing and one thing only! YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME! MY TREMBLING HORN AND GENTLE CHIME OF SUMMONING! ORIMURA ICHIKA!"
"What?"
"You called for me! From the depths of pain and suffering! From the pit of defeat and sorrow, instead of crying by yourself in your sleep, you called for me! Before you fell, do you remember what you asked the Queen? My Prideful Declaration of Perseverance, Orimura Ichika!"
The Queen? What does he mean?
"Oh come on now, my Forgetful Lord of the Empty Castle, Orimura Ichika. You know the one who you have chosen as your queen. She is your everything is she not?"
His everything? Who is….Ah…I see. Chifuyu-nee.
"In your injured state you refused to falter! You refused to kneel! You begged her to send you back out! You were far from being defeated! You refused to remain beaten! You want to fight ! Kill! To slaughter your enemy and that moved me! Your cry for battle has stirred me from the depth of your mind and allowed me to come forth!"
He jumped off the pillar and fell in front of Ichika. He knocked Byakushiki away and actually dropped his sword to grab Ichika's hand.
"HOW COULD I NOT RESPOND! WHEN MY GREAT LORD SCREAMS FOR ME TO APPEAR TO ASSIST HIM IN HIS NOBLE CRUSADE, HOW CAN I STAND STILL? YOU CALLED AND I ARRIVED BEARING GIFTS TO LET YOU CONQUER THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD…but of course you need some other help first."
"Other help?" muttered Ichika as the white copy held his hand like he couldn't wait to shake it in good gesture.
"Yes…Right now you are just going to get slaughtered by Silver Gospel…You, my Ill-Prepared and Ambitious Young Warlord still can't use your most powerful weapon."
"My most powerful…Yukihira Akatsuki's Anti Fortress Destroyer mode?"
"Anti-what? Is that what you are calling it? Man, you don't even know the name of that attack? No wonder you suck at using it. My Misunderstood Sword of Valor! Orimura Ichika!"
"What? What do you mean it has a name? And what do you mean I suck at using it! I mean, it is my best attack!"
"Then show me."
Huh?
His tone lost all his loud boast and cheer.
He gotten serious.
Suddenly Ichika felt an armored hand grabbing his face and threw him into a pillar behind him. The force of the throw was inhuman as he sailed through the air and smashed into the solid pillar. His body crushed it, leaving a large crater of spider web cracks.
"In here time runs slower than out there…It is a good place to fight." The copy summoned his sword.
"Let me tell ya king…If Tama was here this would not have been so messy, but since she isn't here…You got me for it. Hurray!"
He turned the sword to Ichika. "Put your gun up…Hitou(Boss)."
Ichika on the other hand dug himself out of the wall with grunts and moans, but it quickly faded at the thought of how easily he had been thrown. Ichika glared at the white copy with his own variation of the Orimura glare, but the copy laughed it off.
"Hey now my lord, no need to rush, let's have some fun."
Ichika decided to show much how much fun he will be having.
He grabbed the black dragon coiled on his arm. The moment he did that the White Ichika sighed as he cracked his neck. "I see…But you know it is useless…" said the copy as he too grabbed on to his bracelet.
"I am going to warn you only once my lord…Anything you can do, I can do too, even better. My Talented Crown of Dragon, Orimura Ichika!"
Ichika narrowed his eyes that comment as it confirmed the suspicion he had on the copy.
"Everything I can do…you can do better you say?...Then all I need to do is to become stronger than I was an hour ago…simple enough."
The white copy's eyes widened at those words.
"As expected of my Conquering Lord…Never losing your composure as a warlord, even 'till the end…Well then? Shall we?"
The two of them were facing one another with their hands in the front. An invisible current blew across them, their hair flipped by the wind and their cloths rustled.
As they were staring at one another the part of the pillar Ichika had gotten slammed into broke apart and dropped into the water below.
Pewsssuuu!
That was all the signal they needed.
"Trample and Conquer…" the two of them yelled out together. The moment they spoke they were surrounded by a torrent of wind and lights.
"MASURAO!" the two of them declared as they both were engulfed by the raging torrent of GN-Particles that reached for the sky…. The blue sky suddenly turned dark red.
This opponent might be the toughest Ichika has ever faced yet.
"..."
Awaiting 200m above the sea surface, the Silver Gospel curled itself up like a baby. The wings that extended out from its head covered the curled up body.
Like any other IS, its auto repair function had kicked in a while ago to heal the minor injuries from the fight earlier and it was resting peacefully.
"….?"
The Gospel suddenly looked up.
!
The next moment, a supersonic bullet hit it on the head, causing a huge explosion.
"First bullet is a hit. Keep firing!" Said Laura while piloting Schwarzer Regen as she dealt the first blow before the Gospel could counterattack.
The Schwarzer Regen's exterior was a lot different from usual, as two .80 caliber railguns Purizushi were each installed on both shoulders. Also, to allow for long-range sniping with cannon fire, 4 physical shields were covering its left, right, front and back for protection.
This was the [Panzer Cannons] packet with the cannons installed on the Schwarzer Regen
(Enemy closing in...4000...3000...ku, faster than I expected!)
The next moment, the distance between the two of them was 1000m, and the [Gospel] continued to close in.
Even though Laura continued to attack, the [Gospel] used both wings to shoot out energy bullets to take out the cannon shots and closed in on Laura.
"Che!"
To avoid recoil, the [Panzer Cannons] packet didn't allow much mobility. Against an enemy that focuses on high speed and extreme mobility, Lara was ill-equiped to fight in close range. Gospel bent low and suddenly accelerated from 300m away to reach out for Laura's right hand.
! She couldn't dodge it!
However…
"Heh."
Laura curled her lips and smiled.
"Cecilia!"
The Gospel reached out its arm to block the machine that descended from above. From above appeared an IS colored light blue and armed with a sniper rifle.
"I see him." Cecilia replied as she fired her laser beam at Gospel, managing to hit its shoulder. Currently Cecilia's Blue Tear was rather different from normal. Unlike how it normally was, the 6 BITs were all arranged like a skirt on its waist, and the cannons were converted to act as thrusters.
Also, the high BT laser rifle [Stardust Shooter] was over two meters long, more than enough to make up for the lack of firepower of the BITs.
Puusee! Puusee! Puusee! Puusee! Puusee! The sound of energy beams echoed through the night.
Cecilia's head had the Hyper Sensor [Brilliant Clearance] installed on it to respond to speeds over 500kph to go along with her high powered mobility packet [Strike Gunner]. With the information it processed, she suddenly turned at a high speed and aimed at the Gospel .
"Target is pinned down! Delivering the death blow."
Beep Beeep Bip!
Silver Gospel dodged the onslaught of Blue Tear's attack and dived away from Cecilia's sight, however…
"Too slow!"
Another machine attacked from behind. It was Charlotte who had armed herself with her Rain of Wednesday.
Baam! Baam! Baam!
The two shotguns were shot from behind at close range, causing the Gospel to stumble left and right. Despite the fact it had failed to dodge, the Silver Gospel fired off its Silver Bell, Energy bolts. However Charlotte lifted her arm and released a wide green, rectangular beam shield.
"Oh sorry, but this Garden Curtain won't to be taken down so easily!"
The Revive's defensive packet used the physical shields and energy shields to block the Gospel's rain of bullets. While defending, Charlotte used her specialty Rapid Switch to summon an offensive Gatling cannon, using that time to counter.
"!"
With Cecilia and Charl moving at high velocity and attacking, and Laura shooting while pulling her distance, the Gospel began to show damage as it was attacked from three directions.
"...Changing priority. Now setting 'escaping air space' as priority." Sounded Gospel as the A.I decided the best course of action.
Gospel spun around in an elegant dance as it scattered energy bullets all over the place before immediately turning on all its thrusters as it intended to break through. The sound of the booster igniting could be heard as it looked like Gospel found the opening it needed.
"DON'T YOU DARE RUN AWAY!"
The sea ruptured, and then exploded as a barrage of yellow bolts came at Gospel. Silver Gospel dodged and swayed, but the yellow bolts of…Heat? Its hyper sensor recognized that the attacks were not shell weapons, but spaces of pressurized air in the shape of bullets!
"Take that!" yelled Rin as she utilized her Landslide packet to allow for an increase in functionality. The Landslide pack added 4 extra cannons alongside the two impact cannons. Also, the Impact Cannon bullets shot out from Shenlong weren't the invisible Impact Cannons, but rather bullets covered in scarlet red flames.
BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM!
The cloud of fire and the explosion roared around the Silver Gospel.
"Did I get it?"
Her answer was a barrage of Gate of Israel's Silver Sword Rush. The sharpened and harden energy swords flew in break neck pace as they overwhelmed Rin's Shenlong by sheer numbers.
Rin ground her teeth in frustration as she attached her Souten Gagetsu into a double sided pole arm and spun it in front of her to block the barrage. Her Landslide pack allowed her to mobilize faster than normal, however it was impossible to block or dodge all attacks.
"Keh!" Rin groaned as she swung left and right with several back swings and reverse swings to cut and break away the energy swords, but several shots managed to graze her shoulder armor and one of them even pierced through one of her 4 extra cannons.
"LIKE HELL!" roared Rin as she returned fire with all her remaining cannons to counter numbers with numbers, but…
BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM BOOOM! BOOOM!
It was clear that Gospel had the upper hand.
As it seemed as though Rin was about to be overwhelmed, however.
"RIN! STEP BACK!" Houki called out as she came striking down with her long range katana to blast out a 'fang' to slash into the horde of energy swords. Gospel recognized the red IS from earlier and opened fire anew from its Gate of Israel.
Houki and Akatsubaki swung left and right to prevent Rin from becoming swish cheese.
"Guuk! The sheer number of those things is infuriating!"
"To think we're out gunned even with so many of us here!"
"Beepi! Beep! Ten no Kursari(Chain of Heaven)"
Silver Gospel launched several energy chains at the two IS and overwhelmed them. Rin tried to shatter the chains, but the energy shackles that even held Ichika were nothing to scoff at. Rin swung her Souten Gagetsu to bash one of the chains away and watched it burst into pieces; however more chains roped around her two large dao.
Rin's right leg was bound by the glowing energy restraint and soon it caught her left arm as well. The chains were relentless as they quickly held her down with more and more restraints. In the end, her limbs were held away from her body and even her cannons were ensnared, unable to aim at the Gospel.
"KUSO!"
Houki on the other hand struggled left and right to dodge, but the Gospel fired her Silver Bell energy bullets which caused her to be distracted and thus managed to restrain her left arm.
"Tsk!"
Houki tried to cut the chain off with her katana, but she had to use the lone katana to hold off the barrage of silver bullets. Until she was suddenly pulled down by the Gospel as it used the chain on her arm to spin her around and throw her…It strangely reminded her of the time when the rogue IS Fortress, Siegfried tossed her around like a rag doll.
"Of all the rotten tricks!" yelled out Houki as she was sent flying …
"GAE!"
A flash of red light.
"DAERG!"
The voice declared as the energy chain holding Houki was severed off by a glowing red lance. Yukihana flew next to the disoriented Houki as she guarded her confused teammate.
"This time! My spears shall tear through thine silver armor!" said Sanada as she twirled her twin spears, Gae Daerg and Gae Buhide.
Houki got back on her feet and next to the girl. They both looked up to see Rin's restraints were broken by the combined efforts of Cecilia's sniping and Charl's and Laura's ranged attacks.
The 6 girls flew down towards each other…United to fight the Gospel.
Beep beep beep?
The Silver Gospel floated above them…Looking down on them with no expression on its face.
[Command Room]
"Those idiots…" muttered Chifuyu as she watched six of her students going against her orders and engaging the Silver Gospel.
Those fools broke protocols and dozens of rules…Oh there would be hell to pay.
"Is the Communication still not restored?" asked Maya as she quickly checked her computer screen for new updates.
"Negative. It seems that communications is disconnected from the other side. Most likely it was done by the girls." Kojuro replied as he typed a few more keys on his computer, only to get a negative result.
Since they discovered that the six personal IS users were gone it had taken them a few minutes to find them through the satellite imaging. However knowing where they were and contacting them was a whole new ball game.
"Rerouting the comm-link to the teacher authority network."
"Belay that order. Try the nations' emergency link to force your way through." Commanded Chifuyu, but (SENSEI!) suddenly the sliding door behind them was swung open by a group of students. Chifuyu turned around with clear sign of annoyance.
"Don't interrupt me! We are in the middle of an operation!"
One of the girls, topped with orange hair, shuddered. "I know sensei, but…"
"Orimura-kun is…"
Honya who was next to them let out a wail as Chifuyu's eyes widened at the mention of her injured brother…What could have possibly happened now?
Fangking2: Cliff Hanger! Expense is a killer right? I think I am having too much fun here.
It took a lot of effort to get here, so I hope you all leave a review to tell me what you all think. Each and Every Review is a big help.
Xtenchix: and before FangKing2 forgets, no Tite Kubo, Masurao and Ichigo's hollow are completely different things! Any likeness or possible similarities between Ichika's situation and that of a strawberry are completely UNINTENTIONAL. (Only fans will get the nickname.)
Capito Celcior: But we are aware of it.
By the way, this evil Ichika is not evil at all…and if anyone can guess what character I used to make him talk like this (adding fancy title to his partner) gets and invisible cookie.
One clue…The character is an object and yet it can talk.
REVIEW!