So, out of a combination of boredom, and inspiration, I decided to make a little plot-line to go along with BRPG and its players. As of right now, Im only using a few characters. But as the writing develops, I may use more people in it. The best way to become part of it, is to become well known. I wont be putting names in here that players wont recognize, there wouldnt be any point to it. So if you want a personal mention, or a role, be active in the socials and on the battlefield, after all, you have to be well known to both sides~
*Note*
This story has nothing to do with any actual plans/plots/twists of BRPG. Its a story, plain and simple. And I made it because I felt like it.
So, without further ado, here is part 1, already up in the Captain 2 orders if you want to read it there as well:
The computer screen blinked the same word over and over again, each time more condemning than the last.Warning, Warning, Warning. She gave a sigh, hanging her head in despair. There was no more planning, no more time. The perimeter was breached and the fight was coming.
"What now?" She asked, pushing the chair away from the computer console, and turning to look behind her at the two shadowed figures who stood waiting. They had seen it all.
The one on the left spoke first, their voice quiet and calm. "Now, the war begins. Both sides have been rising in power since day one. There is no longer any stopping them. They will certainly destroy one another."
With a pained expression, she looked to the other, as if expecting a different answer. What she heard instead, send a chill up her spine. as the figure on the right gave a broad smile. "Now? The fun begins..."
They walked down the hallway, three abreast, all rather quiet. Naught but their footsteps echoed down the long corridor. She felt sullen, downcast, and even regretful as thoughts raced her mind. There wasnt much that could be done at this point. For help, they would need to ask another. One they rarely dared to speak with.
"Do you think he'll listen?" she asked softly, breaking the silence.
"Not a chance." Came the certain reply.
A twinge of pain shot through her chest and she stopped in her tracks, the other two stopping as well, and turning to look at her. "Then what do we do, if he refuses? Nothing?"
"Thats what he would expect." said the other, and she frowned.
"But not what we're going to do." Came the smug response of the other, and her hopes rose.
With a renewed sense of energy, the trio started forward again, and walked into the room of the one rarely spoken to. On the far side of the room he stood, and turned to face them when they entered.
"Jenova, Dharkeon and Rain. What has caused you to approach me?"
Her breath caught in her throat, and the next word took her breath away. "Takeda..."
"No. I forbid it."
Rain clentched her fists at the blunt reply. Such stubborness and thoughtlessness sent anger through to her core. A hand laid upon her arm startled her, and settled her for a moment as she looked at Dharkeon beside her. His calm expression at the situation, and Takeda's cruel words amazed her.
"Sir, if you would simply look over the-"
"I said no. I will not repeat myself" Takeda cut short Dharkeon's words with a sour reply and her comrade fell silent.
Jenova, with his hands in his pockets, didnt look as discouraged as the other two clearly felt. He had presented the case to Takeda, but didnt seem too interested in debating the matter. His confidence only succeeded in fueling her anger once again. Did none of them care?
"I dont see how you can sit back, and let them destroy each other!" she raged, yanking her arm away from Dharkeon. The three men all slide their gazes to look at her. "After all the work we've put in, you cant just let it all go to waste." she growled.
"There is no discussing it. The conversation is over." Takeda stated.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared, and with a look of betrayal over at her comrades, she turned and whirled away, storming out of the room, muttering under her breath. "Then I will do things myself."
Storming down the hallway, she tried to keep her emotions under control. Even with how angry she was currently, she had to stay logical, professional. She wanted a solution, not more problems.
Down the hallway, the door on the very end was in her sights and she slowed her steps to allow more time to compose herself. Her hand lingered on the knob for a moment, and she heard the voices on the other side of the door. It was time to seek help elsewhere, if her comrades and higher ups refused to act. She was already fully aware of what consequences could result from this. But she didnt see any other option any longer.
Ready, she pushed open the door.
Inside the lounge room, the four girls fell silent. Rain only stared at them for a moment, before realizing she hadnt come up yet with anything to open her request with. She had spent the entire trip down here trying to calm herself, and she still wasnt fully calm.
Finally, one of the girls, who had been leaning against the wall, pulled away, and stood ready, and almost eager.
"Whats the matter?" Shiika asked, her observant eyes not missing a beat.
Rain was surprised. Was it that obvious something was wrong?
"Its outside, isnt it?" Saksuka said suddenly, from her seat on the couch next to Shori. "We can hear them from here."
Finally snapping back into her confident mode, Rain nodded. "Yes, things have gotten worse. Past the point of no return, Im afraid."
Chisame got up from the table, her hands in her pockets, and tilted her head to the side. "Past the point of no return? What are Jenova and Takeda going to do about it?" Rain felt the corner of her lip twitch. "Ah, nothing." Chisame said, not seeming too surprised.
Rain looked around the room, glancing at each of the girls in turn. "However..." she started.
Shiori grinned, and bounced up off of the couch with such energy and eagerness, than one could be almost jealous of her vitality. "You have a plan." The girl said with a gleam in her eyes. "How can we help?"
And with those words, Rain felt hope swell up inside her again.
"Come," she beckoned to the four trusty comrades. "we must start immediately."
"Dont talk to me." Rain snapped, and tightened her grip on the glass to the point of it shattering. Shards of glass fell from the table, and pinged against the floor. Across the room, Dharkeon simply shook his head, as if disappointed, but he remained silent.
Rain wiped her hand off on her robes as water dripped from the table steadily. She was still extremely cross, and preferred to bite her tongue now, rather than spew words she may regret later.
"Tsk tsk...you still have your anger problems, I thought you said you'd gotten better about that?" Came the voice from behind, and Rain stiffened. Takeda reached from behind her, and set a new glass on the table before her, before walking around to sit opposite her. "Try not to break this one."
She let out a long huff, as she stared across at the man who had angered her so. So many things she wanted to say to him. Yet again, she held her tongue.
"Say it." He said with a grin, and her anger spiked.
"Why wont you do anything?" she snapped, even though her mind told her that silence was the better route.
"You wouldnt understand. Its how things have to be. We must stay within our own guidelines." His calm words seemed so cold.
"Those guidelines are there to ensure things keep running. If we do nothing, then soon there wont be anything left to run." She hissed, snatching up the glass so violently, that water spilled onto the table.
"Still your anger." Takeda said softly. "It will do you no good."
"Its not my own good Im concerned about."
"clearly."
She blinked, and paused. "What do you mean?"
"You are being far too rash, its dangerous to yourself, and others."
She took a drink to choke back her next words before she said something dangerous, and gave herself a moment's time to think. "Im trying to do whats best for everyone." she finally said, lowering her voice.
"So am I."
Rain winced. "I dont understand. Everyone is going to die. Everything will be gone. How is that best for everyone?"
"You fail to see the big picture." he said simply, folding his hands on the table.
"Enlighten me." She said bitterly, feeling her head cloud up once more.
"Such a thing would take too much time, and we've wasted enough already."
"If you simply informed me, I could help you." Rain muttered groggily. Her emotions were no longer restrained, and her mind felt fuzzy from it. She wobbled in her chair a little, and leaned forward to steady herself.
"You do not trust that I have things under control already. And I must say, that reflects rather badly on you." Takeda said sharply, and over his shoulder, she could see Dharkeon sigh, and slip away, out of the room.
"I cannot trust what I cant see." She mumbled, and felt her mind spin.
"Odd that you should mention that."
"Huhwhat?"
He rose from the table smoothly, and she went to follow, but found that her body failed to respond. She could feel herself sliding from her chair, and the floor rushing up at her.
"Goodbye Rain." he said bitterly, and the glass fell from her fingers to shatter on the floor as had the prior one. It suddenly clicked in her mind what had just happened, but she was beyond able to do anything about it.
She saw his back turned as he left her there on the floor, as her eyes slowly closed, and her heart stopped beating.
Everything hurt. To even consider moving made her inwardly cringe. Voices were fuzzy and distant around her, as the world came back slowly, unwilling to release its grip upon her just yet.
Even opening her eyes seemed to take great effort, and she forced herself to blink several times before the images before her took shape. Two familiar faces peered down at her as she lay upon the cold floor, and one of them cracked a smile.
"You're awake, good." Said Jenova, patting a hand upon her knee as if rewarding her. Rain could only manage a grunt in reply.
"For the most part, anyway." Dharkeon spoke up next to him, and shook his head.
She groaned. Did they have to whisper so loudly? Her mind was still trying to remember all that had happened. It was coming back to her slowly. The talk with Takeda, the mind numbing feeling, feeling her mind drift off as her body failed her. Questions crammed her mind though, how was it she was even still here?
"How...?" She croaked out.
Jenova glanced towards Dharkeon, who quickly turned his head away to hide his face. "Thank him." Jenova said bluntly.
Rain blinked. How did he..? She paused, and let the memories tumble back, as she remembered him slipping from the room. Had he really foreseen what would happen, and gone to get the one person who could help?
She forced herself into a sitting position, supporting her weight on her elbows as she looked at her two comrades.
"Thank you" she said softly. Dharkeon simply kept his gaze averted.
"So stupid.." he muttered quietly. "Why would you go and push him?"
"Takeda?"
"Yes."
"What else was I going to do? Let him do nothing?" she hissed.
"Did you not trust that we had everything under control?" Jenova asked flatly, and she hushed up. "Or did you think making a scene would fix everything?"
She kept her gaze on the floor now.
"Lets just hurry." Dharkeon said suddenly, getting to his feet. "We dont have much time left anyway."
"Indeed." Jenova agreed, and the two boys each grabbed Rain by under an arm to support her, much to her surprise, and started hurrying her out of the room.
"Where..?" She mumbled as she blinked to restore her vision.
"To the citadel." Dharkeon answered curtly.
"Huh? Whats up there?"
Jenova turned to grin at her. "Everything."
Up the winding stairs and through the door the three comrades hurried, Rain being half dragged until her feet managed to support her weight. Jenova pushed open the door and bright light spilled forward, making her turn her head and squint her eyes for a moment, lest she be blinded.
The first thing she noticed, was the noise.
Roaring, screaming, swords clashing and explosions. Opening her eyes again, she could see from the wide view on the wall, all of the destruction down below. Dharkeon and Jenova released their grip on her arms to let her stumble forward and catch herself on the wall's ledge. With wide eyes, she took in the scene below.
Hollows and Shinigami alike, made battle in the scarred ground before the monumental structure. Shouts of "Bankai" and release commands drifted up from below, as powerful enemies tried to lay waste to one another. Since as far back as she could remember, the two sides had always done battle.
But not like this.
This was a full scale, all out war to the end. The screams of pain, and death below assured her that there would be no victor in this fight, the sides were just too evenly matched. Even her computer calculations seemed off...there was far more violence and mayhem going on then even her sensor sweep could pick up.
With a worried look, she turned back to look at the two boys who stood just outside the doorway, and who both gazed over the battle below without the slightest hint of remorse.
"You really have a plan that can stop this?" She asked softly
Jenova walked up beside her. "That depends." He said casually
She was about to question, when a noise made her look away for a moment. Farther down the walkway, she could see the four figured of robed girls, who she knew all too well. They had come, just as they said they would. And they were ready too.
Heart thumping a little louder, she glanced back in hopes the boys hadnt noticed. No doubt she could catch hell for this, is any of them came out of this alive.
"Yes, we're going to have to talk about that." Dharkeon said flatly, and she winced.
"Dont blame them." She said quickly.
"Oh, we dont." he assured her
She quickly turned her gaze away from the girls. "Ive got a plan.." her words faltered for a moment
"We know."
"Wait, what?"
"Im going to help." Dharkeon said in a cold tone, and she blinked. That was certainly not what she expected to hear.
She looked back to Jenova, who had both a hand and a foot placed precariously on the wall. "Your plan..?" she questioned.
He looked back from the battle below, to her, and gave such a grin, that she felt a small sense of dread in the back of her mind. His mouth smiled widely, but his eyes showed no hint of humor or amusement. Then, without a word, he leaned forward and swung his other leg over the wall, dropping down directly into the fray below.
Her eyes widened and she leaned forward once more to look down, but there was no chance of seeing him amid the destruction below. Fire and explosions erupted from the war-grounds, and she stepped back once more.
"He's insane!"
"He's always been like that." Dharkeon said in a factual tone. "Now come, lets not keep them waiting."
He didnt wait for her as he started walking briskly down the stone walkway to the four girls who awaited them. Rain hesitated for just a moment, before hurrying after her comrade.
"You're really going to help?"
"I wouldnt be here otherwise." he said simply.
"If Takeda finds out.."
"Dont you worry about him." The harsh way he said it startled her. She was ready to question, but he gave her a cold look, and she shied away from her curiousity. He seemed rather angry, she hadnt ever seen him be so cold before.
"A-alright then." She babbled out as Chisame stepped out to greet them. "Lets just inform Dhark of what we're going to-"
"I know already."
Once more, she stopped. Now rather frustrated, she growled at the boy. "How?"
Shiika twisted a boot on the stones and averted her gaze. Rain only stared.
"Be glad." Dhark said with a shrug. "She's the one who convinced me."
Rain was torn between a slight feeling of betrayal, and that of relief.
"Everything is ready, lady Rain." Saksuka informed her, as she laid a hand on Shiika's shoulder reassuringly.
"We're not all going as one large battle-force, are we?" Shiori asked worriedly.
Rain shook her head. "No, if Dhark is willing, Id rather split into two teams. We'll work much quicker that way." She gestured for them to follow as she moved towards the wall's ledge. "Chisame, Shiori, you're with me. Dhark, you take Shiika and Saksuka. You take the Shinigami power, We'll take the hollow side."
"Will destroying them really render everyone useless?" Chisame asked, already stepping up and willing to follow.
"Quite." Dharkeon answered for her. "Without their regen, they cant do a thing. Taking it out will force them to sit and behave."
"Just everyone be careful." Rain said sternly and seriously. "Keep an eye out for Takeda, and if you see him-"
"I told you not to worry about him." Dharkeon snapped suddenly, and all of the girls jumped at his words. Why was he so angry?
Before any of them could ask, an earth shattering explosion suddenly rocked the entire area, and Rain grabbed the wall for support. Spiritual pressure in the air thickened suddenly, and a foreboding sense of power lingered even after the sound-waves from the explosion had dissipated.
In the center of the battlefield, he stood, eyes ablazed and ready. Takeda surveyed the scene, a look of destruction upon his face. Silence fell upon the warmongers for a moment, as everyone took the time to stare in either fright, or awe.
In shock, Rain could only stare as well, the feeling of her hopes starting to already crumble away, falling heavily on her heart.
Then, the silence broke, as a voice called out in a confident, taunting way.
"Flashy entrance. Its about time you showed up"
Dharkeon turned his head away from the scene, wifts of hair falling before his eyes, as Jenova stepped from the crowd to stand before Takeda, his sword swung casually over his shoulders.
"Ready to dance?"
Her mouth felt dry, and her mind started to numb up. What was he doing? Takeda was so powerful, there was just no way this could end well.
"What's going on?" She asked hoarsely, as her eyes stayed locked on the upcoming battle. Behind her, she could hear Dharkeon's soft reply.
"I told you..not to worry about Takeda.."
"We've got to help him, that idiot is going to get himself killed" She declared, and placed her foot up on the wall, ready to jump down onto the battle scape as well.
A hand roughly grabbed her arm above the elbow, and she looked back to see Dharkeon's stern face. "You think he doesn't know that? Show a little faith."
She hesitated "But...he'll die.."
"If he does so, its by his own choice" Dharkeon glared. "You know as well as I do, that there is no changing his mind once he's made it up."
"You knew about this, didn't you?" Shiika asked Dharkeon quietly, and the boy closed his eyes, releasing Rain and looked away. He seemed in pain, and the girls realized this must have been harder on him than they originally thought.
"Lets just begin" He said quietly. "They can only do battle for so long. We have to deactivate the Racial power cores."
Silence was the unspoken agreement.
A crackle rippled through the air like electricity, followed by a powerful shock-wave that blew Rain back off of the wall, and into Chisame behind her. Above the battlefield, Takeda and Jenova rose off the ground to stand in mid air above those down below. On the same plane as the two of them, spiritual pressure swamped so thick, that the air itself seemed heavy.
Takeda drew his sword, unamused by Jevova's remark, it seemed. He was all business. His job was to follow orders, keep the rules. At any cost. Even the cost of his comrades.
"Foolish words"
He drew his own blade, and those down below, stepped back, not wanting to be even close to such a fight. The bumping and jostling down below, however, soon triggered up old battles once more, and the ignorant hollows and shinigami began their fight for blood once more.
Chisame helped Rain back to her feet, and she mumbled a thank you. They had to be quick, there was no set time for how long these two powerful beings could last in a fight against one another.
"Alright, Chisame, Shiori, lets go. We're off to the hollow racial power. Dharkeon, Shiika and Saksuka, you're the shinigami power."
"I do wonder though.."Dharkeon said, as he stepped up beside her, and the 6 team mates prepared to jump down into the battle below. "How did you plan to deactivate the shinigami power, without my access code?"
Oh. So Shiika hadn't told him everything then. Rain grinned. "I'll tell you afterward."
"Assuming we're alive then."
"Yes, assuming that."
"Ready to die?"
"You're such a pessimist."
"Lets go." he commanded, and all four of them jumped down, the raging, blood battle rising up to meet them as they fell.
She landed softly on the worn dirt, and heard the soft 'thuds' of everyone landing around her. Passing through the strip of air that Takeda and Jenova fought on..so thick had it been with spiritual pressure, that it was actually tangible enough to slow their fall.
Looking up, she could still see them doing battle, and even the thought of going near that immense energy made her insides churn. There was no way that any of them could cross through that plane and get to the racial powers in time before the fight ended badly. They'd have a quicker shot at just surging through the battle on the ground. They were more powerful than most of the hollows or shinigami here, even knocking some heads shouldn't slow them down too much.
She looked to those around her, the comrades she had known for so long. She felt she could count on them, and trust them with her life. Now it was time to put that to the test. Looking at each in turn, she spoke softly, but with such authority, that she surprised even herself.
"We come back alive." she commanded sternly. "No matter what, we all come back alive."
"The powers come first" Dharkeon reminded her in a factual tone. "Or else no one will be coming back alive."
Her heart skipped a beat at the truth in his words. "Regardless. We'll all meet back here once we've finished. No exceptions."
They each nodded, though for a moment, she saw the four girls share a knowing look. Such a look sent worry through her mind, and she glanced at Dharkeon, who simply shrugged. He either didn't know, or didn't care.
Time to go.
With a salute, and the promise to return, both groups split up, Dharkeon, Shiika and Saksuka all dashing towards the large pillar across the battlefield that represented the powers of the shinigami. Whereas opposite them, Rain, Chisame, and Shiori all ran for the pillar that contained the power of the hollows.
Feet pounding on the earth, she lead her partners through the battle, trying to avoid the worst of it. She refused to draw her blade unless she needed to. They could not afford any distractions. And yet, somehow life always seems to know just when to make things worse.
A shadow fell before the three girls, and they skidded to a stop before a familiar face. Before them grinned a bloody, battle ready hollow of immense strength, and a blood-lust known infamously to both sides.
Between them and their goal he placed himself, eyes ablaze with the hunger of death and destruction as he readied his claws for battle. He did not care of friends and foes, only to kill and grow stronger.
The three girls took an involuntary step back, eyes wide at the enemy that now refused to let them pass.
"Chainkiller..." she whispered
He laughed. An empty, emotionless laugh of a monster who had killed countless. On both the hollow, and the shinigami side, such a beast was feared and respected. And as she fingered the hilt of her blade, Rain knew that alone, she could never defeat this obstacle.
Stepping forward, his foot sent dust and black blood into the air around him. His heavy breathing proved he had been in battle for a long while already, but his sleek, unmarred body stood testament to the fact that he had killed each opponent that faced him.
An arm was thrust out before her, and startled, Rain turned to look. Chisame stood glowering, her eyes only for the monster before them. From the other side came Shiori, and she drew her blade without hesitation.
"Go." Shiori spoke to Rain, and her voice held such power, that the white haired girl was at a loss for words.
"We can hold him. Get to the hollow power" Chisame added without a shred of remorse or fear.
"But-"
"Go!" both girls shouted, just as Chainkiller lunged forward.
They caught him with their swords, holding his teeth and claws at bay, if only for a moment. Hissing, snarling, and eyes ablaze, the beast fought to break through.
No longer able to hesitate, Rain dodged around the battle, stumbling over uneven ground left by the footprints of the monster. Behind her, she could heard the clash of metal on bone, and the resounding shouts as both her comrades unleashed their final forms.
She swallowed hard as she ran, refusing to look back. She knew that even in their unleashed states, and working together, the chances of her friends surviving was minimal. She had to be quick, before everything she knew fell apart before her eyes.
A battered and bloody shinigami stumbled out before her, and she gave a giant leap, clearing their sword with ease. Only after she touched down on the ground, did it click in her mind that she recognized that figure. Scoapimp dragged himself forward, his left arm nearly torn apart, his right limply clutching his blade, as he continued to fight off the enemy hollows that moved to surround him. And again, Rain left behind someone she knew to certain death, as he eyes fell upon the pillar drawing nearer.
--
Across the way, Dharkeon shoved aside a hollow to make way for the girls that trailed behind him. He was making good time, of that he was certain. But he didn't slow his pace in the least.
Around them, hollows and shinigami fell, and screams rang out amid the battle cries. But they didn't stop, didn't hesitate.
Not until..
"Arrrgh!" A familiar cry rang out behind them, and the trio turned to look. Shiori knelt, both hands in the dirt, as the mighty form of chainkiller, locked his teeth into her shoulder. Beside him, Chisame ripped into his sides with her claws, attacking in an enraged state to free her friend.
Dharkeon stared as his comrades faced the well known beast. Before he could utter even a word, Saksuka was gone, sprinting across the battle-scape, sword drawn, and such a murderous look in her eyes, that no one, shinigami nor hollow, dared to stand in her way.
Close behind, Shiika followed, unwilling to let her friend go into battle alone.
Dharkeon turned away. It was good that the four of them should work together. It would give them all the best chance of survival. Whats more, he could make it the rest of the way to the shinigami power on his own.
He started forward again, when another voice caused him to stop dead in his tracks.
"Back again?" asked the feminine coo.
Power. It crackled in the air around him like a living being, weighing heavily on his shoulders and swamping around his ankles. His sword has never felt heavier than it did on this day, nor had his heart.
The wind swept his hair as well as his robes, making the dark colors flutter ominously above the bloodshed below. Already, the weighted feeling of weariness threatened him, but he simply rejected it, standing rigid, gun-blade held steady and prepared. He kept his cold gaze leveled, eyes only for his opponent. To hesitate even for a moment was to condemn himself to death.
"You realized from the start you were going to die, didn't you?"
The voice was left behind, unable to catch up to the speed of Takeda as he shot forward, sword held out to the side evenly, aimed to slice Jenova directly half from the waist. Upon his face was a grim smile, as if he seemed annoyed that he was getting such enjoyment out of this.
Upon pure instinct and skill, Jenova brought his gun-blade down and leveled to block the incoming weapon. His own face held no expression, unwilling to unveil any of the emotions that sought to plague his mind. For this, he was devoid of any and all feelings.
"Indeed." was the only reply he uttered, not letting it show in his voice just how difficult it was to continue to keep Takeda's sword at bay.
"You'll receive no mercy, nor forgiveness from me." Hissed the belligerent warrior, withdrawing his sword for another attack. Side-stepping smoothly, he attempted to move behind his adversary, and land a blow on his unprotected back.
"Ive never sought either."
Jenova whirled to keep up with the astounding speed of his foe, and brought his gun-blade up to take aim at the sword that shot towards him, unhindered. Without hesitation, or regret for his choices leading up to now, he pulled the trigger.
--
Blood spilled onto the dirt. Crimson flooded around the knees of the hollow who was rendered helpless to the jaws of Chainkiller. His claws sunk deep into her sides, despite the efforts of Chisame. The brave fighter had scaled the back of the mighty beast without fear, and tore mercilessly at his face and eyes, the only points of weakness she could find on the killer machine.
So engaged in blood lust and rage was he, that even blinded, he refused to release his prey. Oblivious to pain, he cared only for the kill that was so tenderly trapped in his grasp. He could feel the life leaving his victim, and even as blood spilled from his useless eyes, he relished in the moment.
Shiori felt dizzy, her mind spinning from blood loss and fatigue. Her vision swam before her eyes as her arms started to give out. The ground slowly rose to meet her as shadows crept into her vision. The fuzzy feeling of her memories escaping took away the pain as the black shadows finally blocked out her vision.
--
They saw her fall. Face first, into the dirt, she slumped, lifeless and un-moving. The candle flame of her spirit energy snuffed out in but a moment, as if it had never been there.
Saksuka howled in rage, readying her sword for battle, with Shiika just behind her. The two girls prepared to ambush their comrade's killer, and aid Chisame, even at the risk of their own lives.
Suddenly, from above, descended a large shadow. Having crossed the distance in a single large bound, the hollow slammed down on the earth before them with a rather intelligent, but still sadistic grin. Both girls were forced to stop at the new enemy in their path, blocking their backup for their friend.
Yet another challenge to face, another hardship, another impossibility.
The air around them crackled with the vibrant spirit energy of the combined pressure of two such powerful hollows in their midst.
"Not even a hello?" Taunted the grinning hollow, known as Mno, as he drew his blade, preparing to end the lives of the girls who could now, only stare in shock.
"How about a goodbye?"
She circled him slowly, maliciously, with a devious grin upon her face. Dhark stood, undaunted, with his arms at his sides. He refused to turn and face her, nor allow his eyes to wander to her circling figure. He made no move for his sword, no pose to flee. Only a calm, uncaring expression.
"Never left" Was his curt reply.
From behind him, she whispered, laying a hand upon his shoulder. "Oh but you did..why did you leave us, Dharky? For them? Are they better? Do they make you happier than we did?" the softness in her voice held darkness and shadows, shrouding the concealed weapons behind it.
"Happiness has nothing to do with it" He kept his gaze strait ahead, giving her no satisfaction of any sort of reaction to her toying.
Laughing quietly, she withdrew her hand from his shoulder, and walked back around to stand face to face with him. She moved close, in a fluid motion, suddenly right up against him. Her chest brushed his own, and her face hovered just before him, eyes gazing upon his features. Reaching out, the fingers of her right hand brushed his cheek as she cooed to him once more.
"Come back to us, Dharky. Come and be happy with us."
He felt her fingers, her chest, and her gentle breath that whisked against his face. His eyes met hers, and he spoke clearly, and without hesitation.
"No, Fuku. I will not."
Her eyes darkened immediately. Her fingers withdrew from his face, and a sharp pain bit into his stomach. He looked down with no sense of urgency or surprise, and gazed upon the dagger her other hand had thrust into his belly, his dark robes quickly becoming darker, and wet with blood. Waves of heat rolled from the wound, and he placed his hand gently upon her wrist, guiding both her hand, and the dagger clasped in it, away from his body.
Upon the blade's exit, more blood spilled to stain his robes, though he showed no reaction to any sort of pain. And when he spoke, his words were quiet, and almost remorseful.
"I do wish you hadnt gone and done that.."
--
She sprinted across the battle field, refusing to look back when she felt the life of her comrade snuffed out. were she to turn and look, she would lose sight of her goal, and logic warned her not to risk that.
The hollow power in sight, Rain ran on, her heart pounding in anticipation. She just had to shut it off. One code, one switch, thats all it would take. And then all this mindless fighting and dying could end. She could still save the remainder of her friends. Chainkiller could not harm them without his source of power.
Save who you can, shed tears for the fallen later.
Such words felt cold to consider, but she knew in her heart that they were true. And so she focused only on her goal.
The pillar rose near, and as she happened upon it, she slowed her pace. The keypad awaited her only several feet away, and her fingers twitched in longing for the buttons. She took another step closer, and suddenly stopped dead. Rebounding backwards, she felt as if she had hit a solid wall, and yet, there was nothing in view that blocked her path.
Until..
"Betraying your fellow hollows?" Came a voice she had not heard in the longest of times.
She froze, a cold sensation running down her back. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, to the point where her knuckles became white from the pressure.
From around the pillar he walked, drawing his leaning body away from its leisurely position. The rebellious look upon his face was the same as she'd always remembered it. And even in his long absence, she had not yet risen to his level of power. Mouth dry, she fought to keep her voice steady, and prevent her tumbling emotions from conveying her thoughts in her tone. Instead, she cracked a smile, and tilted her head, in an attempt to appear undeterred.
"Well now, you know I missed you, KidSess."
Pain shot through his back and exploded outward through his body like a cruel deadly flower of poison. Above him the sky was black with the result of all the fighting and chaos that now surrounded him. Screams sounded nearby, but he blinked away the cluttering, dizzy feeling from his mind, and struggled back to his feet.
Swords clashed once more as Takeda swooped down, ready to spire him where he had lain. Gunblade leveled, Jenova steadied himself, and held the enraged opponent at bay.
Watching the line of blood trickle down over Takeda's left eye from this close distance, he could see the crimson line frame the fury in his eyes.
Ever since he'd landed several well aimed blows, Takeda had been nothing but a state of rage, putting all his effort into every single attack, and not bothering to calculate or plan out a battle strategy.
"You will die where you stand" hissed the fury stricken man, withdrawing his blade to prepare for another assault.
"So you've told me, yet, here I am" Jenova goaded with a forced grin, taking great care and effort not to release the sentence in a heavy breathing manner, unwilling to let this man see just how close to his limit he really was. The pain in his back still gnawed away at him, and he was certain several bones in his ribcage had shattered from prior blows. Breathing alone was a difficult task, he could feel something internal digging into his lungs each time he inhaled.
"For your insolence, I will make sure you suffer until your last moment." Takeda vowed, and slammed his blade down against the earth with all the force he could muster.
Jenova felt the color drain from his face the moment he realized what was about to happen.
--
He whirled around, bloody and useless eyes scanning the battlefield even
though it proved worthless. Chisame stumbled, and clung to the giant crest on his head, nearly falling off from the sudden movement. It seemed he had finally remembered she was there.
Inside her chest, her heart cried out for her fallen comrade, but she knew that she had no time to grieve. Chainkiller brought his claws up and ripped at his own head, trying to grab her, pull her down, murder her as he had just murdered Shiori.
Wildly, she lashed out with her talons, striking his knuckles and drawing blood. From her perch above his head, she had the advantage, and couldnt afford to lose it. Those mighty jaws could make quick work of her.
Pain suddenly coursed up her right leg, and warm, wet blood spilled from her tattered robes as her opponent raked his claws against her right side. Her hands faltered but for a moment, yet it was enough. Next thing she knew, he had his claws sunk deep into her leg, curling like vicious fishhooks, as he ripped her from the back of his head.
Chisame remembered seeing red blur across her vision as she was yanked from her safety. Blood..her own blood. Then her back slammed into the ground, and a mighty roar of triumph blotted out everything else.
--
Mno walked smoothly, his footsteps soundless upon the worn ground. Dust curled around his boots as he kept his fingers light upon his sword. Such a calm confidence radiated from this strong being, it was enough to make even Shiika and Saksuka cringe slightly.
Shiika moved first, unwilling to waste time as she slashed for Mno, eyes ablaze and full of determination. He blocked her, however, with such ease, that she could not help but gasp aloud. Her sword skidded off of his like the metal had been greased. Stumbling forward, she nearly lost her balance.
Saksuka saw his movement, his sword moving for Shiika's exposed back. In her mind, she saw again and again the look on Shiori's face as she had fallen face first into the ground. The ripping, tearing feeling in her chest as Shiori's energy had been snuffed out.
When she moved, it was purely upon instinct, her body reaction on impulse, to save the life of her comrade, and to prevent that agonizing feeling of watching someone else die, yet again. Metal clashed and rang out loudly as her sword blocked the mighty hollow.
And time seemed to stand still for a moment. She could see Shiika, turning to look over her shoulder, wide eyed and shocked. She could see Mno, his face still calm and full of confidence, only inches from her own, blocked only by their struggling swords. She could feel the individual heartbeats in her chest, as each one dragged on painfully slowly.
Then, she saw his smile, slow and deliberate, as it spread across his face. Then pain exploded in both her arms, and she felt herself falling back, back, towards the ground, as the sky up above glared down at her mockingly. But all she felt was pain.
*Note*
This story has nothing to do with any actual plans/plots/twists of BRPG. Its a story, plain and simple. And I made it because I felt like it.
So, without further ado, here is part 1, already up in the Captain 2 orders if you want to read it there as well:
The computer screen blinked the same word over and over again, each time more condemning than the last.Warning, Warning, Warning. She gave a sigh, hanging her head in despair. There was no more planning, no more time. The perimeter was breached and the fight was coming.
"What now?" She asked, pushing the chair away from the computer console, and turning to look behind her at the two shadowed figures who stood waiting. They had seen it all.
The one on the left spoke first, their voice quiet and calm. "Now, the war begins. Both sides have been rising in power since day one. There is no longer any stopping them. They will certainly destroy one another."
With a pained expression, she looked to the other, as if expecting a different answer. What she heard instead, send a chill up her spine. as the figure on the right gave a broad smile. "Now? The fun begins..."
They walked down the hallway, three abreast, all rather quiet. Naught but their footsteps echoed down the long corridor. She felt sullen, downcast, and even regretful as thoughts raced her mind. There wasnt much that could be done at this point. For help, they would need to ask another. One they rarely dared to speak with.
"Do you think he'll listen?" she asked softly, breaking the silence.
"Not a chance." Came the certain reply.
A twinge of pain shot through her chest and she stopped in her tracks, the other two stopping as well, and turning to look at her. "Then what do we do, if he refuses? Nothing?"
"Thats what he would expect." said the other, and she frowned.
"But not what we're going to do." Came the smug response of the other, and her hopes rose.
With a renewed sense of energy, the trio started forward again, and walked into the room of the one rarely spoken to. On the far side of the room he stood, and turned to face them when they entered.
"Jenova, Dharkeon and Rain. What has caused you to approach me?"
Her breath caught in her throat, and the next word took her breath away. "Takeda..."
"No. I forbid it."
Rain clentched her fists at the blunt reply. Such stubborness and thoughtlessness sent anger through to her core. A hand laid upon her arm startled her, and settled her for a moment as she looked at Dharkeon beside her. His calm expression at the situation, and Takeda's cruel words amazed her.
"Sir, if you would simply look over the-"
"I said no. I will not repeat myself" Takeda cut short Dharkeon's words with a sour reply and her comrade fell silent.
Jenova, with his hands in his pockets, didnt look as discouraged as the other two clearly felt. He had presented the case to Takeda, but didnt seem too interested in debating the matter. His confidence only succeeded in fueling her anger once again. Did none of them care?
"I dont see how you can sit back, and let them destroy each other!" she raged, yanking her arm away from Dharkeon. The three men all slide their gazes to look at her. "After all the work we've put in, you cant just let it all go to waste." she growled.
"There is no discussing it. The conversation is over." Takeda stated.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared, and with a look of betrayal over at her comrades, she turned and whirled away, storming out of the room, muttering under her breath. "Then I will do things myself."
Storming down the hallway, she tried to keep her emotions under control. Even with how angry she was currently, she had to stay logical, professional. She wanted a solution, not more problems.
Down the hallway, the door on the very end was in her sights and she slowed her steps to allow more time to compose herself. Her hand lingered on the knob for a moment, and she heard the voices on the other side of the door. It was time to seek help elsewhere, if her comrades and higher ups refused to act. She was already fully aware of what consequences could result from this. But she didnt see any other option any longer.
Ready, she pushed open the door.
Inside the lounge room, the four girls fell silent. Rain only stared at them for a moment, before realizing she hadnt come up yet with anything to open her request with. She had spent the entire trip down here trying to calm herself, and she still wasnt fully calm.
Finally, one of the girls, who had been leaning against the wall, pulled away, and stood ready, and almost eager.
"Whats the matter?" Shiika asked, her observant eyes not missing a beat.
Rain was surprised. Was it that obvious something was wrong?
"Its outside, isnt it?" Saksuka said suddenly, from her seat on the couch next to Shori. "We can hear them from here."
Finally snapping back into her confident mode, Rain nodded. "Yes, things have gotten worse. Past the point of no return, Im afraid."
Chisame got up from the table, her hands in her pockets, and tilted her head to the side. "Past the point of no return? What are Jenova and Takeda going to do about it?" Rain felt the corner of her lip twitch. "Ah, nothing." Chisame said, not seeming too surprised.
Rain looked around the room, glancing at each of the girls in turn. "However..." she started.
Shiori grinned, and bounced up off of the couch with such energy and eagerness, than one could be almost jealous of her vitality. "You have a plan." The girl said with a gleam in her eyes. "How can we help?"
And with those words, Rain felt hope swell up inside her again.
"Come," she beckoned to the four trusty comrades. "we must start immediately."
"Dont talk to me." Rain snapped, and tightened her grip on the glass to the point of it shattering. Shards of glass fell from the table, and pinged against the floor. Across the room, Dharkeon simply shook his head, as if disappointed, but he remained silent.
Rain wiped her hand off on her robes as water dripped from the table steadily. She was still extremely cross, and preferred to bite her tongue now, rather than spew words she may regret later.
"Tsk tsk...you still have your anger problems, I thought you said you'd gotten better about that?" Came the voice from behind, and Rain stiffened. Takeda reached from behind her, and set a new glass on the table before her, before walking around to sit opposite her. "Try not to break this one."
She let out a long huff, as she stared across at the man who had angered her so. So many things she wanted to say to him. Yet again, she held her tongue.
"Say it." He said with a grin, and her anger spiked.
"Why wont you do anything?" she snapped, even though her mind told her that silence was the better route.
"You wouldnt understand. Its how things have to be. We must stay within our own guidelines." His calm words seemed so cold.
"Those guidelines are there to ensure things keep running. If we do nothing, then soon there wont be anything left to run." She hissed, snatching up the glass so violently, that water spilled onto the table.
"Still your anger." Takeda said softly. "It will do you no good."
"Its not my own good Im concerned about."
"clearly."
She blinked, and paused. "What do you mean?"
"You are being far too rash, its dangerous to yourself, and others."
She took a drink to choke back her next words before she said something dangerous, and gave herself a moment's time to think. "Im trying to do whats best for everyone." she finally said, lowering her voice.
"So am I."
Rain winced. "I dont understand. Everyone is going to die. Everything will be gone. How is that best for everyone?"
"You fail to see the big picture." he said simply, folding his hands on the table.
"Enlighten me." She said bitterly, feeling her head cloud up once more.
"Such a thing would take too much time, and we've wasted enough already."
"If you simply informed me, I could help you." Rain muttered groggily. Her emotions were no longer restrained, and her mind felt fuzzy from it. She wobbled in her chair a little, and leaned forward to steady herself.
"You do not trust that I have things under control already. And I must say, that reflects rather badly on you." Takeda said sharply, and over his shoulder, she could see Dharkeon sigh, and slip away, out of the room.
"I cannot trust what I cant see." She mumbled, and felt her mind spin.
"Odd that you should mention that."
"Huhwhat?"
He rose from the table smoothly, and she went to follow, but found that her body failed to respond. She could feel herself sliding from her chair, and the floor rushing up at her.
"Goodbye Rain." he said bitterly, and the glass fell from her fingers to shatter on the floor as had the prior one. It suddenly clicked in her mind what had just happened, but she was beyond able to do anything about it.
She saw his back turned as he left her there on the floor, as her eyes slowly closed, and her heart stopped beating.
Everything hurt. To even consider moving made her inwardly cringe. Voices were fuzzy and distant around her, as the world came back slowly, unwilling to release its grip upon her just yet.
Even opening her eyes seemed to take great effort, and she forced herself to blink several times before the images before her took shape. Two familiar faces peered down at her as she lay upon the cold floor, and one of them cracked a smile.
"You're awake, good." Said Jenova, patting a hand upon her knee as if rewarding her. Rain could only manage a grunt in reply.
"For the most part, anyway." Dharkeon spoke up next to him, and shook his head.
She groaned. Did they have to whisper so loudly? Her mind was still trying to remember all that had happened. It was coming back to her slowly. The talk with Takeda, the mind numbing feeling, feeling her mind drift off as her body failed her. Questions crammed her mind though, how was it she was even still here?
"How...?" She croaked out.
Jenova glanced towards Dharkeon, who quickly turned his head away to hide his face. "Thank him." Jenova said bluntly.
Rain blinked. How did he..? She paused, and let the memories tumble back, as she remembered him slipping from the room. Had he really foreseen what would happen, and gone to get the one person who could help?
She forced herself into a sitting position, supporting her weight on her elbows as she looked at her two comrades.
"Thank you" she said softly. Dharkeon simply kept his gaze averted.
"So stupid.." he muttered quietly. "Why would you go and push him?"
"Takeda?"
"Yes."
"What else was I going to do? Let him do nothing?" she hissed.
"Did you not trust that we had everything under control?" Jenova asked flatly, and she hushed up. "Or did you think making a scene would fix everything?"
She kept her gaze on the floor now.
"Lets just hurry." Dharkeon said suddenly, getting to his feet. "We dont have much time left anyway."
"Indeed." Jenova agreed, and the two boys each grabbed Rain by under an arm to support her, much to her surprise, and started hurrying her out of the room.
"Where..?" She mumbled as she blinked to restore her vision.
"To the citadel." Dharkeon answered curtly.
"Huh? Whats up there?"
Jenova turned to grin at her. "Everything."
Up the winding stairs and through the door the three comrades hurried, Rain being half dragged until her feet managed to support her weight. Jenova pushed open the door and bright light spilled forward, making her turn her head and squint her eyes for a moment, lest she be blinded.
The first thing she noticed, was the noise.
Roaring, screaming, swords clashing and explosions. Opening her eyes again, she could see from the wide view on the wall, all of the destruction down below. Dharkeon and Jenova released their grip on her arms to let her stumble forward and catch herself on the wall's ledge. With wide eyes, she took in the scene below.
Hollows and Shinigami alike, made battle in the scarred ground before the monumental structure. Shouts of "Bankai" and release commands drifted up from below, as powerful enemies tried to lay waste to one another. Since as far back as she could remember, the two sides had always done battle.
But not like this.
This was a full scale, all out war to the end. The screams of pain, and death below assured her that there would be no victor in this fight, the sides were just too evenly matched. Even her computer calculations seemed off...there was far more violence and mayhem going on then even her sensor sweep could pick up.
With a worried look, she turned back to look at the two boys who stood just outside the doorway, and who both gazed over the battle below without the slightest hint of remorse.
"You really have a plan that can stop this?" She asked softly
Jenova walked up beside her. "That depends." He said casually
She was about to question, when a noise made her look away for a moment. Farther down the walkway, she could see the four figured of robed girls, who she knew all too well. They had come, just as they said they would. And they were ready too.
Heart thumping a little louder, she glanced back in hopes the boys hadnt noticed. No doubt she could catch hell for this, is any of them came out of this alive.
"Yes, we're going to have to talk about that." Dharkeon said flatly, and she winced.
"Dont blame them." She said quickly.
"Oh, we dont." he assured her
She quickly turned her gaze away from the girls. "Ive got a plan.." her words faltered for a moment
"We know."
"Wait, what?"
"Im going to help." Dharkeon said in a cold tone, and she blinked. That was certainly not what she expected to hear.
She looked back to Jenova, who had both a hand and a foot placed precariously on the wall. "Your plan..?" she questioned.
He looked back from the battle below, to her, and gave such a grin, that she felt a small sense of dread in the back of her mind. His mouth smiled widely, but his eyes showed no hint of humor or amusement. Then, without a word, he leaned forward and swung his other leg over the wall, dropping down directly into the fray below.
Her eyes widened and she leaned forward once more to look down, but there was no chance of seeing him amid the destruction below. Fire and explosions erupted from the war-grounds, and she stepped back once more.
"He's insane!"
"He's always been like that." Dharkeon said in a factual tone. "Now come, lets not keep them waiting."
He didnt wait for her as he started walking briskly down the stone walkway to the four girls who awaited them. Rain hesitated for just a moment, before hurrying after her comrade.
"You're really going to help?"
"I wouldnt be here otherwise." he said simply.
"If Takeda finds out.."
"Dont you worry about him." The harsh way he said it startled her. She was ready to question, but he gave her a cold look, and she shied away from her curiousity. He seemed rather angry, she hadnt ever seen him be so cold before.
"A-alright then." She babbled out as Chisame stepped out to greet them. "Lets just inform Dhark of what we're going to-"
"I know already."
Once more, she stopped. Now rather frustrated, she growled at the boy. "How?"
Shiika twisted a boot on the stones and averted her gaze. Rain only stared.
"Be glad." Dhark said with a shrug. "She's the one who convinced me."
Rain was torn between a slight feeling of betrayal, and that of relief.
"Everything is ready, lady Rain." Saksuka informed her, as she laid a hand on Shiika's shoulder reassuringly.
"We're not all going as one large battle-force, are we?" Shiori asked worriedly.
Rain shook her head. "No, if Dhark is willing, Id rather split into two teams. We'll work much quicker that way." She gestured for them to follow as she moved towards the wall's ledge. "Chisame, Shiori, you're with me. Dhark, you take Shiika and Saksuka. You take the Shinigami power, We'll take the hollow side."
"Will destroying them really render everyone useless?" Chisame asked, already stepping up and willing to follow.
"Quite." Dharkeon answered for her. "Without their regen, they cant do a thing. Taking it out will force them to sit and behave."
"Just everyone be careful." Rain said sternly and seriously. "Keep an eye out for Takeda, and if you see him-"
"I told you not to worry about him." Dharkeon snapped suddenly, and all of the girls jumped at his words. Why was he so angry?
Before any of them could ask, an earth shattering explosion suddenly rocked the entire area, and Rain grabbed the wall for support. Spiritual pressure in the air thickened suddenly, and a foreboding sense of power lingered even after the sound-waves from the explosion had dissipated.
In the center of the battlefield, he stood, eyes ablazed and ready. Takeda surveyed the scene, a look of destruction upon his face. Silence fell upon the warmongers for a moment, as everyone took the time to stare in either fright, or awe.
In shock, Rain could only stare as well, the feeling of her hopes starting to already crumble away, falling heavily on her heart.
Then, the silence broke, as a voice called out in a confident, taunting way.
"Flashy entrance. Its about time you showed up"
Dharkeon turned his head away from the scene, wifts of hair falling before his eyes, as Jenova stepped from the crowd to stand before Takeda, his sword swung casually over his shoulders.
"Ready to dance?"
Her mouth felt dry, and her mind started to numb up. What was he doing? Takeda was so powerful, there was just no way this could end well.
"What's going on?" She asked hoarsely, as her eyes stayed locked on the upcoming battle. Behind her, she could hear Dharkeon's soft reply.
"I told you..not to worry about Takeda.."
"We've got to help him, that idiot is going to get himself killed" She declared, and placed her foot up on the wall, ready to jump down onto the battle scape as well.
A hand roughly grabbed her arm above the elbow, and she looked back to see Dharkeon's stern face. "You think he doesn't know that? Show a little faith."
She hesitated "But...he'll die.."
"If he does so, its by his own choice" Dharkeon glared. "You know as well as I do, that there is no changing his mind once he's made it up."
"You knew about this, didn't you?" Shiika asked Dharkeon quietly, and the boy closed his eyes, releasing Rain and looked away. He seemed in pain, and the girls realized this must have been harder on him than they originally thought.
"Lets just begin" He said quietly. "They can only do battle for so long. We have to deactivate the Racial power cores."
Silence was the unspoken agreement.
A crackle rippled through the air like electricity, followed by a powerful shock-wave that blew Rain back off of the wall, and into Chisame behind her. Above the battlefield, Takeda and Jenova rose off the ground to stand in mid air above those down below. On the same plane as the two of them, spiritual pressure swamped so thick, that the air itself seemed heavy.
Takeda drew his sword, unamused by Jevova's remark, it seemed. He was all business. His job was to follow orders, keep the rules. At any cost. Even the cost of his comrades.
"Foolish words"
He drew his own blade, and those down below, stepped back, not wanting to be even close to such a fight. The bumping and jostling down below, however, soon triggered up old battles once more, and the ignorant hollows and shinigami began their fight for blood once more.
Chisame helped Rain back to her feet, and she mumbled a thank you. They had to be quick, there was no set time for how long these two powerful beings could last in a fight against one another.
"Alright, Chisame, Shiori, lets go. We're off to the hollow racial power. Dharkeon, Shiika and Saksuka, you're the shinigami power."
"I do wonder though.."Dharkeon said, as he stepped up beside her, and the 6 team mates prepared to jump down into the battle below. "How did you plan to deactivate the shinigami power, without my access code?"
Oh. So Shiika hadn't told him everything then. Rain grinned. "I'll tell you afterward."
"Assuming we're alive then."
"Yes, assuming that."
"Ready to die?"
"You're such a pessimist."
"Lets go." he commanded, and all four of them jumped down, the raging, blood battle rising up to meet them as they fell.
She landed softly on the worn dirt, and heard the soft 'thuds' of everyone landing around her. Passing through the strip of air that Takeda and Jenova fought on..so thick had it been with spiritual pressure, that it was actually tangible enough to slow their fall.
Looking up, she could still see them doing battle, and even the thought of going near that immense energy made her insides churn. There was no way that any of them could cross through that plane and get to the racial powers in time before the fight ended badly. They'd have a quicker shot at just surging through the battle on the ground. They were more powerful than most of the hollows or shinigami here, even knocking some heads shouldn't slow them down too much.
She looked to those around her, the comrades she had known for so long. She felt she could count on them, and trust them with her life. Now it was time to put that to the test. Looking at each in turn, she spoke softly, but with such authority, that she surprised even herself.
"We come back alive." she commanded sternly. "No matter what, we all come back alive."
"The powers come first" Dharkeon reminded her in a factual tone. "Or else no one will be coming back alive."
Her heart skipped a beat at the truth in his words. "Regardless. We'll all meet back here once we've finished. No exceptions."
They each nodded, though for a moment, she saw the four girls share a knowing look. Such a look sent worry through her mind, and she glanced at Dharkeon, who simply shrugged. He either didn't know, or didn't care.
Time to go.
With a salute, and the promise to return, both groups split up, Dharkeon, Shiika and Saksuka all dashing towards the large pillar across the battlefield that represented the powers of the shinigami. Whereas opposite them, Rain, Chisame, and Shiori all ran for the pillar that contained the power of the hollows.
Feet pounding on the earth, she lead her partners through the battle, trying to avoid the worst of it. She refused to draw her blade unless she needed to. They could not afford any distractions. And yet, somehow life always seems to know just when to make things worse.
A shadow fell before the three girls, and they skidded to a stop before a familiar face. Before them grinned a bloody, battle ready hollow of immense strength, and a blood-lust known infamously to both sides.
Between them and their goal he placed himself, eyes ablaze with the hunger of death and destruction as he readied his claws for battle. He did not care of friends and foes, only to kill and grow stronger.
The three girls took an involuntary step back, eyes wide at the enemy that now refused to let them pass.
"Chainkiller..." she whispered
He laughed. An empty, emotionless laugh of a monster who had killed countless. On both the hollow, and the shinigami side, such a beast was feared and respected. And as she fingered the hilt of her blade, Rain knew that alone, she could never defeat this obstacle.
Stepping forward, his foot sent dust and black blood into the air around him. His heavy breathing proved he had been in battle for a long while already, but his sleek, unmarred body stood testament to the fact that he had killed each opponent that faced him.
An arm was thrust out before her, and startled, Rain turned to look. Chisame stood glowering, her eyes only for the monster before them. From the other side came Shiori, and she drew her blade without hesitation.
"Go." Shiori spoke to Rain, and her voice held such power, that the white haired girl was at a loss for words.
"We can hold him. Get to the hollow power" Chisame added without a shred of remorse or fear.
"But-"
"Go!" both girls shouted, just as Chainkiller lunged forward.
They caught him with their swords, holding his teeth and claws at bay, if only for a moment. Hissing, snarling, and eyes ablaze, the beast fought to break through.
No longer able to hesitate, Rain dodged around the battle, stumbling over uneven ground left by the footprints of the monster. Behind her, she could heard the clash of metal on bone, and the resounding shouts as both her comrades unleashed their final forms.
She swallowed hard as she ran, refusing to look back. She knew that even in their unleashed states, and working together, the chances of her friends surviving was minimal. She had to be quick, before everything she knew fell apart before her eyes.
A battered and bloody shinigami stumbled out before her, and she gave a giant leap, clearing their sword with ease. Only after she touched down on the ground, did it click in her mind that she recognized that figure. Scoapimp dragged himself forward, his left arm nearly torn apart, his right limply clutching his blade, as he continued to fight off the enemy hollows that moved to surround him. And again, Rain left behind someone she knew to certain death, as he eyes fell upon the pillar drawing nearer.
--
Across the way, Dharkeon shoved aside a hollow to make way for the girls that trailed behind him. He was making good time, of that he was certain. But he didn't slow his pace in the least.
Around them, hollows and shinigami fell, and screams rang out amid the battle cries. But they didn't stop, didn't hesitate.
Not until..
"Arrrgh!" A familiar cry rang out behind them, and the trio turned to look. Shiori knelt, both hands in the dirt, as the mighty form of chainkiller, locked his teeth into her shoulder. Beside him, Chisame ripped into his sides with her claws, attacking in an enraged state to free her friend.
Dharkeon stared as his comrades faced the well known beast. Before he could utter even a word, Saksuka was gone, sprinting across the battle-scape, sword drawn, and such a murderous look in her eyes, that no one, shinigami nor hollow, dared to stand in her way.
Close behind, Shiika followed, unwilling to let her friend go into battle alone.
Dharkeon turned away. It was good that the four of them should work together. It would give them all the best chance of survival. Whats more, he could make it the rest of the way to the shinigami power on his own.
He started forward again, when another voice caused him to stop dead in his tracks.
"Back again?" asked the feminine coo.
Power. It crackled in the air around him like a living being, weighing heavily on his shoulders and swamping around his ankles. His sword has never felt heavier than it did on this day, nor had his heart.
The wind swept his hair as well as his robes, making the dark colors flutter ominously above the bloodshed below. Already, the weighted feeling of weariness threatened him, but he simply rejected it, standing rigid, gun-blade held steady and prepared. He kept his cold gaze leveled, eyes only for his opponent. To hesitate even for a moment was to condemn himself to death.
"You realized from the start you were going to die, didn't you?"
The voice was left behind, unable to catch up to the speed of Takeda as he shot forward, sword held out to the side evenly, aimed to slice Jenova directly half from the waist. Upon his face was a grim smile, as if he seemed annoyed that he was getting such enjoyment out of this.
Upon pure instinct and skill, Jenova brought his gun-blade down and leveled to block the incoming weapon. His own face held no expression, unwilling to unveil any of the emotions that sought to plague his mind. For this, he was devoid of any and all feelings.
"Indeed." was the only reply he uttered, not letting it show in his voice just how difficult it was to continue to keep Takeda's sword at bay.
"You'll receive no mercy, nor forgiveness from me." Hissed the belligerent warrior, withdrawing his sword for another attack. Side-stepping smoothly, he attempted to move behind his adversary, and land a blow on his unprotected back.
"Ive never sought either."
Jenova whirled to keep up with the astounding speed of his foe, and brought his gun-blade up to take aim at the sword that shot towards him, unhindered. Without hesitation, or regret for his choices leading up to now, he pulled the trigger.
--
Blood spilled onto the dirt. Crimson flooded around the knees of the hollow who was rendered helpless to the jaws of Chainkiller. His claws sunk deep into her sides, despite the efforts of Chisame. The brave fighter had scaled the back of the mighty beast without fear, and tore mercilessly at his face and eyes, the only points of weakness she could find on the killer machine.
So engaged in blood lust and rage was he, that even blinded, he refused to release his prey. Oblivious to pain, he cared only for the kill that was so tenderly trapped in his grasp. He could feel the life leaving his victim, and even as blood spilled from his useless eyes, he relished in the moment.
Shiori felt dizzy, her mind spinning from blood loss and fatigue. Her vision swam before her eyes as her arms started to give out. The ground slowly rose to meet her as shadows crept into her vision. The fuzzy feeling of her memories escaping took away the pain as the black shadows finally blocked out her vision.
--
They saw her fall. Face first, into the dirt, she slumped, lifeless and un-moving. The candle flame of her spirit energy snuffed out in but a moment, as if it had never been there.
Saksuka howled in rage, readying her sword for battle, with Shiika just behind her. The two girls prepared to ambush their comrade's killer, and aid Chisame, even at the risk of their own lives.
Suddenly, from above, descended a large shadow. Having crossed the distance in a single large bound, the hollow slammed down on the earth before them with a rather intelligent, but still sadistic grin. Both girls were forced to stop at the new enemy in their path, blocking their backup for their friend.
Yet another challenge to face, another hardship, another impossibility.
The air around them crackled with the vibrant spirit energy of the combined pressure of two such powerful hollows in their midst.
"Not even a hello?" Taunted the grinning hollow, known as Mno, as he drew his blade, preparing to end the lives of the girls who could now, only stare in shock.
"How about a goodbye?"
She circled him slowly, maliciously, with a devious grin upon her face. Dhark stood, undaunted, with his arms at his sides. He refused to turn and face her, nor allow his eyes to wander to her circling figure. He made no move for his sword, no pose to flee. Only a calm, uncaring expression.
"Never left" Was his curt reply.
From behind him, she whispered, laying a hand upon his shoulder. "Oh but you did..why did you leave us, Dharky? For them? Are they better? Do they make you happier than we did?" the softness in her voice held darkness and shadows, shrouding the concealed weapons behind it.
"Happiness has nothing to do with it" He kept his gaze strait ahead, giving her no satisfaction of any sort of reaction to her toying.
Laughing quietly, she withdrew her hand from his shoulder, and walked back around to stand face to face with him. She moved close, in a fluid motion, suddenly right up against him. Her chest brushed his own, and her face hovered just before him, eyes gazing upon his features. Reaching out, the fingers of her right hand brushed his cheek as she cooed to him once more.
"Come back to us, Dharky. Come and be happy with us."
He felt her fingers, her chest, and her gentle breath that whisked against his face. His eyes met hers, and he spoke clearly, and without hesitation.
"No, Fuku. I will not."
Her eyes darkened immediately. Her fingers withdrew from his face, and a sharp pain bit into his stomach. He looked down with no sense of urgency or surprise, and gazed upon the dagger her other hand had thrust into his belly, his dark robes quickly becoming darker, and wet with blood. Waves of heat rolled from the wound, and he placed his hand gently upon her wrist, guiding both her hand, and the dagger clasped in it, away from his body.
Upon the blade's exit, more blood spilled to stain his robes, though he showed no reaction to any sort of pain. And when he spoke, his words were quiet, and almost remorseful.
"I do wish you hadnt gone and done that.."
--
She sprinted across the battle field, refusing to look back when she felt the life of her comrade snuffed out. were she to turn and look, she would lose sight of her goal, and logic warned her not to risk that.
The hollow power in sight, Rain ran on, her heart pounding in anticipation. She just had to shut it off. One code, one switch, thats all it would take. And then all this mindless fighting and dying could end. She could still save the remainder of her friends. Chainkiller could not harm them without his source of power.
Save who you can, shed tears for the fallen later.
Such words felt cold to consider, but she knew in her heart that they were true. And so she focused only on her goal.
The pillar rose near, and as she happened upon it, she slowed her pace. The keypad awaited her only several feet away, and her fingers twitched in longing for the buttons. She took another step closer, and suddenly stopped dead. Rebounding backwards, she felt as if she had hit a solid wall, and yet, there was nothing in view that blocked her path.
Until..
"Betraying your fellow hollows?" Came a voice she had not heard in the longest of times.
She froze, a cold sensation running down her back. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, to the point where her knuckles became white from the pressure.
From around the pillar he walked, drawing his leaning body away from its leisurely position. The rebellious look upon his face was the same as she'd always remembered it. And even in his long absence, she had not yet risen to his level of power. Mouth dry, she fought to keep her voice steady, and prevent her tumbling emotions from conveying her thoughts in her tone. Instead, she cracked a smile, and tilted her head, in an attempt to appear undeterred.
"Well now, you know I missed you, KidSess."
Pain shot through his back and exploded outward through his body like a cruel deadly flower of poison. Above him the sky was black with the result of all the fighting and chaos that now surrounded him. Screams sounded nearby, but he blinked away the cluttering, dizzy feeling from his mind, and struggled back to his feet.
Swords clashed once more as Takeda swooped down, ready to spire him where he had lain. Gunblade leveled, Jenova steadied himself, and held the enraged opponent at bay.
Watching the line of blood trickle down over Takeda's left eye from this close distance, he could see the crimson line frame the fury in his eyes.
Ever since he'd landed several well aimed blows, Takeda had been nothing but a state of rage, putting all his effort into every single attack, and not bothering to calculate or plan out a battle strategy.
"You will die where you stand" hissed the fury stricken man, withdrawing his blade to prepare for another assault.
"So you've told me, yet, here I am" Jenova goaded with a forced grin, taking great care and effort not to release the sentence in a heavy breathing manner, unwilling to let this man see just how close to his limit he really was. The pain in his back still gnawed away at him, and he was certain several bones in his ribcage had shattered from prior blows. Breathing alone was a difficult task, he could feel something internal digging into his lungs each time he inhaled.
"For your insolence, I will make sure you suffer until your last moment." Takeda vowed, and slammed his blade down against the earth with all the force he could muster.
Jenova felt the color drain from his face the moment he realized what was about to happen.
--
He whirled around, bloody and useless eyes scanning the battlefield even
though it proved worthless. Chisame stumbled, and clung to the giant crest on his head, nearly falling off from the sudden movement. It seemed he had finally remembered she was there.
Inside her chest, her heart cried out for her fallen comrade, but she knew that she had no time to grieve. Chainkiller brought his claws up and ripped at his own head, trying to grab her, pull her down, murder her as he had just murdered Shiori.
Wildly, she lashed out with her talons, striking his knuckles and drawing blood. From her perch above his head, she had the advantage, and couldnt afford to lose it. Those mighty jaws could make quick work of her.
Pain suddenly coursed up her right leg, and warm, wet blood spilled from her tattered robes as her opponent raked his claws against her right side. Her hands faltered but for a moment, yet it was enough. Next thing she knew, he had his claws sunk deep into her leg, curling like vicious fishhooks, as he ripped her from the back of his head.
Chisame remembered seeing red blur across her vision as she was yanked from her safety. Blood..her own blood. Then her back slammed into the ground, and a mighty roar of triumph blotted out everything else.
--
Mno walked smoothly, his footsteps soundless upon the worn ground. Dust curled around his boots as he kept his fingers light upon his sword. Such a calm confidence radiated from this strong being, it was enough to make even Shiika and Saksuka cringe slightly.
Shiika moved first, unwilling to waste time as she slashed for Mno, eyes ablaze and full of determination. He blocked her, however, with such ease, that she could not help but gasp aloud. Her sword skidded off of his like the metal had been greased. Stumbling forward, she nearly lost her balance.
Saksuka saw his movement, his sword moving for Shiika's exposed back. In her mind, she saw again and again the look on Shiori's face as she had fallen face first into the ground. The ripping, tearing feeling in her chest as Shiori's energy had been snuffed out.
When she moved, it was purely upon instinct, her body reaction on impulse, to save the life of her comrade, and to prevent that agonizing feeling of watching someone else die, yet again. Metal clashed and rang out loudly as her sword blocked the mighty hollow.
And time seemed to stand still for a moment. She could see Shiika, turning to look over her shoulder, wide eyed and shocked. She could see Mno, his face still calm and full of confidence, only inches from her own, blocked only by their struggling swords. She could feel the individual heartbeats in her chest, as each one dragged on painfully slowly.
Then, she saw his smile, slow and deliberate, as it spread across his face. Then pain exploded in both her arms, and she felt herself falling back, back, towards the ground, as the sky up above glared down at her mockingly. But all she felt was pain.
Last edited by ShadowInTheRain on Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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