Post by Alain Merrick on Sept 16, 2017 10:51:36 GMT -5
Alain had just returned from the living realm after his fifth encounter with the cloaked and hooded figure and for the fifth time, they had run circles around him. In this instance, he had been knocked threw a building before they escaped. Though if he were being honest, could he really call it escaping when they left willingly. Merrick wasn’t a prideful man, but these chance meetings were really starting to annoy him. It wasn’t an issue with the fighting despite his distaste for physical confrontation. No, the problem was with how the mysterious assailant was toying with him again and again. In Alain’s opinion, they had crossed weapons seriously on one occasion and he had nearly died. Their recent exchanges had begun to place doubt in the man's mind that even the one time had been taken seriously on their part. As a result, Merrick, an intelligent being who was always in control, was being made to look like a fool and he couldn’t stand it. He wouldn’t stand it. Something had to change or the status quo would remain. So as much as it pained him to admit, he needed help and there was only one person whom he trusted enough to ask.
Knowing what needed to be done was the first step. Accomplishing the task would be much harder, not to mention, time consuming. Due to his obligations as a Shinigami of Third Division, he would still be limited to training in his spare time. However, the focus would be shifting and the chances were good that he would be exercising all of his skills in this next endeavor. As such, nothing would lag behind in their development. Thus, after his most recent shift at the hospital, he made the trek to Josephine’s home in the Ninth District. It had probably been two months since his last visit. Ever the multitasker, he began with his customary appraisal of the grounds. He nodded to himself, pleased with how well his mother’s friends continued to take care of the property. Then he moved inside the house, stopping by the library to add another full notebook to the shelves. His collection had grown quite extensive after three decades. What had begun with the purpose of curing the mysterious Rukongai illness, now encompassed so much more. It was part of the reason why he needed his own private facility to safeguard his accumulated knowledge. A project long overdue.
After completing a hasty inspection of the rest of the interior, he locked up. Then he exited the front gates and found a secluded spot in the forest which surrounded the home of his youth. As it was essentially an extension of the property, he didn’t have to venture far from the stone walls enclosing the estate. He selected a smooth patch of grass in a small clearing and took a seat with his legs crossed and folded beneath him. Next, his zanpakuto was unsheathed from its scabbard and draped across his lap. As his sky blue eyes fell closed, he attempted to contact Aleith’Sor, his other half. Once his breathing had slowed and he had adequately cleared his mind, he began to hear and feel gentle winds as well as the occasional shifting of sand. He began to soak in the warmth upon his skin as he slowly adjusted to the new environment. Perhaps only seconds had passed before he heard a familiar, boisterous voice behind him.
“It has been awhile Alain Merrick. I thought that you may have forgotten about me.” Alain glanced over his shoulder to see an altered version of the familiar angelic figure. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, she was taller than he remembered. Likewise, her ethereal wings were larger and now tinged in blue at the tips. The wavy blonde locks were longer and shined more brightly. Lastly, her white ankle length dress had been replaced by one of vibrant blue. When he rose to his feet to greet her properly, he noticed that she was now taller than him by at least six inches. This form of his spirit had always cut a striking figure, but now they were also presenting an imposing visage.
Alain inclined his head to a respectable degree. “Never forgotten. I have merely been busy. My fault, but one which I intend to rectify immediately. That being said, I am sure that you know why I am here, yes?” He looked down at his left hip to see if the zanpakuto was hanging there. He had to check because he didn’t always have it upon arriving within his inner world. I wonder if I should take that as a positive sign.
“Of course I know. We are one, are we not?” Ever the foolish child.
“We are, but it does not always feel that way.” Did he really know what it meant to be a part of something? He had held himself apart from others for so long and even when Josephine was alive, he wasn’t the most sociable of individuals. These days, he simply didn't have the time for others and few people made the attempt to truly get to know him anyway. However, he was here to discuss more important matters. “When we last spoke, you said that something was holding me back. I did not say you were wrong then and I do not say it now, but I fear I am out of time. My world grows more dangerous with each passing day and I have been found wanting.”
There was a mischievous glint in the woman’s eye. “I am aware of the dangers Alain Merrick, but so what?”
“I need your help in order to survive.” How had he failed to notice Aleith’Sor close the distance between them? He had been looking at her the entire time. “I still do not have an answer for what is holding me back, but if we wish to remain around to explore the topic, then your assistance is necessary and I am humbly asking for it.”
“Humbly? You do not sound humble, but very well. Though I think that a different approach is needed. I will assist you, but I hope that you realize there will not be immediate results because of issues which still linger within your heart and soul. I may be able to push you closer to the door, but you alone will need to walk through it.” Then the woman flapped her wings and slowly rose from the ground. Seconds later, her entire body began to glow in a blinding white light. Merrick had to cover his eyes with one arm. After the light had faded, Aleith’Sor remained hovering in the air, but now she was attired in a suit of silver plate with golden embellishments. In her right hand, she held his zanpakuto, their zanpakuto. “Shall we begin?” Uttering the familiar release phase, the katana morphed into a lengthy silver spear with two smaller, horizontal blades located at the base of the spearhead.
He couldn’t contend with a spear minus his zanpakuto, but when he glanced down at his left hip, it still rested securely within the sash. Pulling the weapon free, he followed spirit’s lead. “Shihai Shiro, Mushiki Konborishi.” In a bluish-white glow, the katana morphed into two medieval style one-handed swords. Before he could say he was ready, Aleith’Sor had already dove towards him with the spear aimed at his chest. Swinging both swords into the air side by side, he caught the spear at the right angle joint formed by two blades. Unfortunately, any attempt at a counter attack was prevented by the force of the blow and the soft sand in which he now sunk. Pushing the spear to one side, he made a dash for the nearest outcropping in order to obtain some secure footing. All the while, he was constantly harassed by Aleith’Sor’s thrusting spear work. She maneuvered it with surprising alacrity, allowing her to knick Merrick a few times on the arms and legs with the horizontal blades before he could reach the rocks.
“I can see how this mysterious figure gives you trouble if you cannot keep up with me.” The reach of her spear was simply too great. He had to try something else. In another bluish-white flash, the swords morphed into something smaller, a pair of semi-automatic handguns. While they were strong enough to function as a damage dealing weapon, he was using them defensively to keep Aleith’Sor at distance and buy time to think. A hit, even a lucky one, would have been ideal, but his zanpakuto spirit proved up to the task. She either evaded the bullets entirely or blocked them with the improvised shield formed by spinning her spear at incredible speed. Nevertheless, he had to implement his next plan quickly because his ability to generate ammo was almost spent.
While continuing to fire the guns, he began to form rods of glowing energy around his body. Flicking his wrists, the hundred or so rods were propelled toward his spirit. “Bakudo #62 Hyapporankan.” While the elongated projectiles soared through the air, he switched weapons a third time, creating a spear of his own, though minus the secondary blades. Flash stepping on the heels of his bakudo spell, he sought to impale one of her wings on the tip of his spear. She could see him coming, but didn’t seem to care. Instead, she wrapped the winged appendages around her body as they took on a steel-like exterior which was impenetrable as the glowing rods simply bounced off the surface. Unbound, she was able to block his spear with her own, but at the same time, she used the sharpened edges of her unfurled metallic wings to slice Alain’s abdomen.
1630/1630
Knowing what needed to be done was the first step. Accomplishing the task would be much harder, not to mention, time consuming. Due to his obligations as a Shinigami of Third Division, he would still be limited to training in his spare time. However, the focus would be shifting and the chances were good that he would be exercising all of his skills in this next endeavor. As such, nothing would lag behind in their development. Thus, after his most recent shift at the hospital, he made the trek to Josephine’s home in the Ninth District. It had probably been two months since his last visit. Ever the multitasker, he began with his customary appraisal of the grounds. He nodded to himself, pleased with how well his mother’s friends continued to take care of the property. Then he moved inside the house, stopping by the library to add another full notebook to the shelves. His collection had grown quite extensive after three decades. What had begun with the purpose of curing the mysterious Rukongai illness, now encompassed so much more. It was part of the reason why he needed his own private facility to safeguard his accumulated knowledge. A project long overdue.
After completing a hasty inspection of the rest of the interior, he locked up. Then he exited the front gates and found a secluded spot in the forest which surrounded the home of his youth. As it was essentially an extension of the property, he didn’t have to venture far from the stone walls enclosing the estate. He selected a smooth patch of grass in a small clearing and took a seat with his legs crossed and folded beneath him. Next, his zanpakuto was unsheathed from its scabbard and draped across his lap. As his sky blue eyes fell closed, he attempted to contact Aleith’Sor, his other half. Once his breathing had slowed and he had adequately cleared his mind, he began to hear and feel gentle winds as well as the occasional shifting of sand. He began to soak in the warmth upon his skin as he slowly adjusted to the new environment. Perhaps only seconds had passed before he heard a familiar, boisterous voice behind him.
“It has been awhile Alain Merrick. I thought that you may have forgotten about me.” Alain glanced over his shoulder to see an altered version of the familiar angelic figure. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, she was taller than he remembered. Likewise, her ethereal wings were larger and now tinged in blue at the tips. The wavy blonde locks were longer and shined more brightly. Lastly, her white ankle length dress had been replaced by one of vibrant blue. When he rose to his feet to greet her properly, he noticed that she was now taller than him by at least six inches. This form of his spirit had always cut a striking figure, but now they were also presenting an imposing visage.
Alain inclined his head to a respectable degree. “Never forgotten. I have merely been busy. My fault, but one which I intend to rectify immediately. That being said, I am sure that you know why I am here, yes?” He looked down at his left hip to see if the zanpakuto was hanging there. He had to check because he didn’t always have it upon arriving within his inner world. I wonder if I should take that as a positive sign.
“Of course I know. We are one, are we not?” Ever the foolish child.
“We are, but it does not always feel that way.” Did he really know what it meant to be a part of something? He had held himself apart from others for so long and even when Josephine was alive, he wasn’t the most sociable of individuals. These days, he simply didn't have the time for others and few people made the attempt to truly get to know him anyway. However, he was here to discuss more important matters. “When we last spoke, you said that something was holding me back. I did not say you were wrong then and I do not say it now, but I fear I am out of time. My world grows more dangerous with each passing day and I have been found wanting.”
There was a mischievous glint in the woman’s eye. “I am aware of the dangers Alain Merrick, but so what?”
“I need your help in order to survive.” How had he failed to notice Aleith’Sor close the distance between them? He had been looking at her the entire time. “I still do not have an answer for what is holding me back, but if we wish to remain around to explore the topic, then your assistance is necessary and I am humbly asking for it.”
“Humbly? You do not sound humble, but very well. Though I think that a different approach is needed. I will assist you, but I hope that you realize there will not be immediate results because of issues which still linger within your heart and soul. I may be able to push you closer to the door, but you alone will need to walk through it.” Then the woman flapped her wings and slowly rose from the ground. Seconds later, her entire body began to glow in a blinding white light. Merrick had to cover his eyes with one arm. After the light had faded, Aleith’Sor remained hovering in the air, but now she was attired in a suit of silver plate with golden embellishments. In her right hand, she held his zanpakuto, their zanpakuto. “Shall we begin?” Uttering the familiar release phase, the katana morphed into a lengthy silver spear with two smaller, horizontal blades located at the base of the spearhead.
He couldn’t contend with a spear minus his zanpakuto, but when he glanced down at his left hip, it still rested securely within the sash. Pulling the weapon free, he followed spirit’s lead. “Shihai Shiro, Mushiki Konborishi.” In a bluish-white glow, the katana morphed into two medieval style one-handed swords. Before he could say he was ready, Aleith’Sor had already dove towards him with the spear aimed at his chest. Swinging both swords into the air side by side, he caught the spear at the right angle joint formed by two blades. Unfortunately, any attempt at a counter attack was prevented by the force of the blow and the soft sand in which he now sunk. Pushing the spear to one side, he made a dash for the nearest outcropping in order to obtain some secure footing. All the while, he was constantly harassed by Aleith’Sor’s thrusting spear work. She maneuvered it with surprising alacrity, allowing her to knick Merrick a few times on the arms and legs with the horizontal blades before he could reach the rocks.
“I can see how this mysterious figure gives you trouble if you cannot keep up with me.” The reach of her spear was simply too great. He had to try something else. In another bluish-white flash, the swords morphed into something smaller, a pair of semi-automatic handguns. While they were strong enough to function as a damage dealing weapon, he was using them defensively to keep Aleith’Sor at distance and buy time to think. A hit, even a lucky one, would have been ideal, but his zanpakuto spirit proved up to the task. She either evaded the bullets entirely or blocked them with the improvised shield formed by spinning her spear at incredible speed. Nevertheless, he had to implement his next plan quickly because his ability to generate ammo was almost spent.
While continuing to fire the guns, he began to form rods of glowing energy around his body. Flicking his wrists, the hundred or so rods were propelled toward his spirit. “Bakudo #62 Hyapporankan.” While the elongated projectiles soared through the air, he switched weapons a third time, creating a spear of his own, though minus the secondary blades. Flash stepping on the heels of his bakudo spell, he sought to impale one of her wings on the tip of his spear. She could see him coming, but didn’t seem to care. Instead, she wrapped the winged appendages around her body as they took on a steel-like exterior which was impenetrable as the glowing rods simply bounced off the surface. Unbound, she was able to block his spear with her own, but at the same time, she used the sharpened edges of her unfurled metallic wings to slice Alain’s abdomen.
1630/1630