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[Nowe]

"Am I to assume that fighting would be futile?" Commented Keiichi, "It would seem our strengths are matched and our battle strategies are exactly alike. This battle is meaningless."

"Nevertheless," replied his shadow figure, "This battle must be fought if you wish to pass this place with your life. You say our strengths are matched, but that is not the case. In the darkness, I will be the victor. Interesting though, that you would suggest our battle strategies are exactly alike, I will hand that one to you. Yes, you are right in assuming that fighting is futile - for you. Raiken, Shinkanrashi!"

The blade at the shadow figures side exploded with a shock-wave that shook the entire arena. The force of the shock-wave merely caused Keiichi's haori to flap in the breeze. "Impressive, I will give you that. Your reiatsu far exceeds that of the captains. However, reiatsu is not enough alone to win a fight. Raiken, Shinkanrashi," said Keiichi solemnly.

The arena was filled with another shock-wave, almost as powerful as the first. The two blades gleamed in the dimly lit room. "You say that in the shadow, in this place of darkness, that you will defeat me. Yet, as you are well aware, ours is a blade of lightning, able to lift the shadows and reveal all in the darkness. I am the light within your shadows, you will not win."

"Tsch," the shadow figure said before launching himself towards Keiichi. He was fast, faster then Keiichi himself in this altered state of Shikai. Keiichi shunpoed to the side and dodged the attack, barely lifting his blade to deflect the shadow figure's attempt at a thrust. They were matched in power almost exactly. However, Keiichi couldn't tell if the shadow figure was playing with him, or that they were truly clones of each other.

Keiichi swept Shinkanrashi around, releasing five streams of lightning in its wake. The shadow figure quickly did the same, and the five streamers of electricity met in the middle of the arena, causing an explosion. This gave Keiichi the distraction he was waiting for, "Hado no Sanju-San! Sokatsui!"

Blue fire flared from his hands, only to be met in the middle of the arena with a similar blast of energy. Another explosion, more smoke covered the center of the arena. It was an even match. If I want to win this, I will have to change my fighting style, Keiichi thought, Yet if I do that, he might anticipate such a move and change his fighting style in turn. I wonder, would that work?

Keiichi launched another hado into the center of the arena, and it was instantly met by a likewise burst of energy. He is anticipating my attacks. Reading me, perhaps?

Keiichi darted around to the left of where the smoke was and saw the shadow figure rushing towards him in the same way. Their blades met, causing an ark of lightning between the two blades really quickly. Both Keiichi and the shadow figure jumped back and launched several arks of lightning at each other, each coalescing into an explosion in midair. The fight continued like this for several more seconds. "It's futile, you know," said the shadow figure, "I can predict your every move."

"Perhaps, but that is only because you are a copy of me, however," said Keiichi just as he saw several arks of lightning swing in behind the shadow figure, "That would only be if I was fighting the same as I usually do, no?"

The shadow figure's eyes widened and he turned around just in time to deflect the incoming attack from his back side. Keiichi took this opportunity to rush in past the other's guards and attempt to slam Shinkanrashi into the figure. Luckily, he had predicted the figure's next move, and shunpoed to the right just in time to avoid a returning ark of lightning from the shadow figure's sword. Shinkanrashi flashed through the air, creating a great gout of lightning that emblazoned the entire arena in light just before it struck the shadow figure. "How...?" was all the figure managed to get out before the attack struck.

"How?" Keiichi's eyebrow rose, "You are not me, and could have never anticipated how I would strike in such a situation. You knew that I would work out that we fight exactly the same under normal circumstances, and that under such circumstances you could predict my movements. However, these were not normal circumstances, and as such my fighting style changed. You were unprepared for the trap that I had created during the first two explosions. You went right into the position I knew you would and that you had expected me to enter as well. Your trap was a little too late to be of any use or help to you, because you could not have known that my trap was already in place. As such, you lost. I apologize, I believe I would have liked you had we not had to fight like this."

The shadow figure collapsed to the floor, disappearing into the darkness. The battle done, the shadows all faded, the field collapsing back behind Keiichi. When he felt himself pass through the veil again, he found himself in the outer hallway from where he had entered, and Shinkanrashi was still at his side. Thank you for small favors, Keiichi thought, It is good to have you back, Shinkanrashi.

Same to you, old friend, the sword replied.

Keiichi would now have to wait on the others to get done. He sat against the wall across from the veil and leaned Shinkanrashi against his shoulder. Even with the Sekiseki stone around them, he was glad to have his blade back.

[Kamikaze_X]

OOC: I'm grateful for the posts everyone! Here's mine.


The two figures stood at opposite ends of the dark, stone arena. The only reason Yoshiro could spot his doppleganger through the darkness was due to the small flicker of the torches surrounding him, and the ominous aura that seemed to envelope the shadow of himself. He stood, an evil smile upon his marred face. Yoshiro's normal, easy-going attitude had disappeared. He was serious now, he had to be. After all, it wasn't every day that you fought yourself... an equal by all standards. He gritted his teeth.

"Who are you!? Show yourself!" Yoshiro yelled, his hand still hovering over the hilt of his zanpakuto.

"Who am I? Fool. I am you, and you are I. I am your downfall, alpha and omega. Creator... and destroyer." The shadow said cryptically in a menacing, low voice.

"Tch, you're just a shadow. An empty husk, is more like it." Yoshiro said, for some reason he felt some bit of fear. It wasn't normal. "There's room for only one of us in this world!"

Dropping his hand from his hilt, he charged. It was at that exact moment that his shadow did the same. Gathering his reiatsu at his knuckles, Yoshiro made to defeat this specter without bothering to use his blade. Deep in his soul, however, he knew it would be futile. His fist connected, his spiritual pressure exploding from his fist as he slammed it into the shadow's gut. But as he anticipated, he received just that punishment in full force from his opponent. Like rag-dolls flipping through space, both were shot into the air from their mutual impact. It occurred to Yoshiro, with a tinge of fear, that his Shadow's punch was a bit stronger than his own.

Finding his footing in the air by concentrating spiritual pressure around his feet, he regained his composure. It was too late however, for as he glanced back down to the arena, he was met by the glimmering of his Shadow's sword only inches from his face. Yoshiro's eye's widened, and with only seconds to spare, he half-way unsheathed his own sword, just able to guard against having his head lopped off.

The impact of his opponent's sword was like a sledgehammer to a fairly weak door. He found himself flying backward, as when his back smashed into something hard, he knew he hit the wall of the arena. Falling to the ground in a heap, Yoshiro grunted with pain. A flash told him that his Shadow stood nearby, seemingly waiting for Yoshiro to pick himself up from the ground. Doing so, Yoshiro decidedly drew his blade, readying himself for imminent battle.

"Bastard...." Yoshiro swore beneath his breath, trying to think of a plan to combat this menace. Unfortunately for him, he had no prior planning in fighting himself. Or rather, a superior self. "Shiroikami, lend me your aid..."

Both clashed again and again. Yoshiro made a supreme effort to block his adversary's attacks. It wasn't easy. It was almost an even match, but as he had assumed before, his opponent was indeed stronger. As daunting as the battle before him was, Yoshiro stood stalwartly. He had fought tougher battles before. Aizen, for one... but then again he was defeated a bit quickly for his liking, and Ichigo Kurosaki finished Aizen, essentially showing everyone in the Seireitei that the Captain's needed to train harder.

Again, their blades clashed, filling the arena with the noises of metal on metal. Yoshiro sidestepped and made a high-slash at his Shadow's head, finding the blunted side of his opponent's blade. Parried and sent to the side, he anticipated a kick to his midsection, yet received instead and downward thrust by his enemy's blade. Backpedalling, he avoided being skewered, however it only took a moment to see that his enemy stepped forward, spinnning his blade around with blade facing up, and slashed upward. Yoshiro bellowed as he leaned back hastily to hopefully avoid another slash to the bottom of his chin - he was a bit too late. Warm blood ran down the cleft of his chin as his enemy's blade slashed through his skin - it was deep, but not too deep. The power behind the blow could have fractured his jaw if he had been half an inch closer.

Yoshiro had enough. Shunpo'ing behind the Shadow, taking him by surprise, he spun his sword around and made a stab through the back. Unable to completely dodge or block Yoshiro's attack, the Shadow moved only just enough to avoid a blade through his spine. Sliding his sword out, Yoshiro made a spinning roundhouse, connecting with the Shadow's neck and sending him to the ground.

"I'm growing impatient." Yoshiro said with annoyance as he swiped his blade through the air in a silver arc. "If one of us needs to die, there's no reason to not go all out!"

Yoshiro had never been more thankful for the absence of the Sekiseki Stone. His reiatsu exploded from his being. Stabbing his blade into the earth below his feet, he put both his hands onto the pommel of his zanpakuto. His eyes seemed to emit a silvery light as he narrowed them toward his Shadow, who looked at him from his position on the ground.

"BANKAI!"

Like a volcano finally letting loose the power of nature, Yoshiro erupted. In only seconds, the entire arena was frigid cold, and through the mist that gathered, in the very center of the arena, a great crystal of gleaming ice stood. Fracturing and exploding into millions of pieces, the crystal disappeared, revealing Yoshiro, caped and scarfed standing in the middle with a new blade. It was longer than his sealed-state zanpakuto, with a thinner, smoother blade, silver chain attached to pommel, and for the guard - a silver wolf's head with ruby-encrusted eyes. The blade protruded from the open jowls of the wolf, like a horrifying tongue of steel. Yoshiro's eyes gleamed from where he stood. The air around him was well below freezing point. The Shadow's smile faded when he realized that Yoshiro was no longer playing around. "Rin-Kokushu Shiroikami. (Frigid King, White Wolf)"

"Release your Bankai." Yoshiro said sharply. "It will be the moment when our blades clash that the difference in our power will be obvious."

The Shadow said nothing, however it did as it was told. Soon, their immense powers clashes against each other in battle before their bodies even moved. Their next strike would decide the victor, it was kill or be killed. Their feet spread over the icy floor of the arena, both preparing for their charge. Yoshiro looked unblinkingly at his enemy, the intent to kill was a strong as his spiritual pressure. It was the breaking of a shard of ice that sounded the charge, like a gong to war.

"Dai Go Arashi: Kaimetsu" Yoshiro bellowed just before their blades met.

The entire arena flashed, both figures of the fighters were burned out in the bright light that came from their attacks. A crator at the center of the arena formed from the force of a sword-stroke. And all at once, the ice had started to fade away, dissipating into the air. The temperature started to rise, and the unnatural heaviness lightened. Yoshiro stood over the body of his enemy who had started to slowly fade away into the darkness.

"H-how... did you..." The Shadow had started to say.

"How did I win? It's because as much as you would like to think you're me, you aren't. You may know my techniques, my skills, and my way of fighting, but you lack something that can make or break a warrior." Yoshiro said as he sheathed his zanpakuto before turning in step, walking away.

"You lack emotion, ambition, and most of all... a reason to persevere."

The arena started to finally fade around him, and as everything swirled and fluctuated around Yoshiro, he suddenly found himself standing in the hall outside the cellblock. The veil faded behind him into a solid Sekiseki Stone wall, from which he felt the immediate effect of its draining power. Yoshiro looked at himself in the veil before it disappeared - he was cut all over, bruised, and battered. His robes were also torn up from his battle, and yet the glimmer in his eyes remained. He wished that his Shadow had a similar look about him - for Yoshiro, his enemy had represented every negative facet of his person that a Shinigami naturally pushed to the back of their mind; doubt, fear, indecisiveness, regret...

Sighing, he scratched his head before looking back to the wall. The veil was gone, and he wondered how his comrades were fairing. Momo and Makoto still had to go through their own private hells. It wasn't long however until Momo appeared. She looked about as well off as Yoshiro did - her robes were torn up, her hair that had been in a bun, was loose and ragged. Her face was bruised along with the rest of her body, but she was alive. A bit of the weight upon Yoshiro's heart lifted as he saw her.

"How did you make out?" Yoshiro asked, already knowing what she would say. She gave him a curious look for a moment, then to his surprise embraced him tightly, burying her head in his chest.

"It's over now... It's over now.." Yoshiro consoled her as he rubbed her back. Whatever her opponent did, he wasn't sure, however he could see that the damage wasn't merely skin deep to Momo. As if her past struggles weren't enough, this was like another kick to the face.

As soon as Makoto emerged from the wall in similar conditions, Yoshiro knew they had to hurry up and find the others. As they made their way down the hall, Yoshiro's hand close to his zanpakuto, being quite cautious as he was, he waited to see another veil somewhere, as it could be another cell block where their friends might be. Hearing sudden footsteps in the distance, Yoshiro stopped, beckoning his comrades to do the same.

"Keiichi!" Yoshiro called out, seeing the man's familiar figure. His heart was beating rapidly, hoping dearly that it wasn't a Cloaked One. As he looked upon his fellow Captain's person, he saw that he had also received a bit of a beating himself - obviously everyone had undergone the same type of challenge. "You look like you've been through the ringer." Yoshiro tried to grin, but somehow couldn't even force himself to do so.

[Nowe]

"I would wager that you've been through some form of trial as well," Keiichi responded, "I suppose we should wait on the others to get through this veil. I sincerely hope there are no more of them in our way out. At the very least, Mototori-taicho, we recovered our zanpakutos."

He looked around, several of the others were still missing. They would obviously have to wait on them, then find a way out of this labyrinth. Keiichi hoped that this labyrinth wasn't as extensive as he thought it was. At that, he already knew it was going to be made almost entirely out of seki-seki stone. They had to get through it though, they would.

[Lyon]

There's something elegant about the art of the duel. No words are spoken, save by the singing of the blades. No retort is made but the riposte, no answer but--agh, DAMN IT! That hurt! Toru fell back a few steps, sending out rays of light to cover his escape. He touched his right shoulder with his left hand, which came away bloody.

"A fine trick, that one," he said aloud, trying to pick out his enemy's movements through the lattice of light. "Let's see if you can do it again." He stepped into the light, leaving a doppelganger of himself in his place, while he himself was fully concealed.

His enemy moved almost too fast for him to see, slicing through the doppelganger. "Also a good trick," said Toru, his voice seeming to come from everywhere. "A pity that I moved..." Acting on instinct, he flung himself flat as his enemy's sword flashed through where he had been standing. Nakamura rolled to the side as the katana stabbed down, barely missing him.

Their blades clashed as his enemy continued on the attack, forcing him back. Toru waited until he had been forced nearly against the wall of the arena, then suddenly changed his tactics. He jumped into the air, pushing himself off the wall with both feet, and swung his sword at his enemy's head. Although he missed, he was able to convert his momentum into a forward roll, ending in another swing.

I suppose that if this continues, I'll have no choice but to use my Bankai... Nakamura smiled slightly as he and his opponent circled. He feinted, causing the enemy to step back, and jumped back a pace himself. He began chanting quietly as the circled. "Veni, Lux Ultima. Veni, Lux Ultima. Veni, Veni, VENI!"

His sword elongated, glowing with holy fire, and he extended it towards his dark enemy. He thought that he could see fear in his enemy's eyes. The Shinigami's smile was devoid of any amusement: in the light of the burning sword, it looked unnatural and predatory. He spoke only one word. "Vale."

Light, unbearably bright, swallowed his dark nemesis whole.

~~~

Nakamura limped out of the portal, adjusting Lightbringer at his side. "I love you," he said conversationally to the katana. The hummingbird spirit's voice in his head was disapproving. You may not want to say that in front of Maebara-chan. She might get the wrong idea.

"So, how is everyone?" said the Third Seat, ignoring his zanpakuto. "Good day for an escape, eh? What's the plan, captain? Or captains, I suppose."

[Kamikaze_X]

Yoshiro gave a sigh of relief as Toru limped out of a portal nearby. His hand seemed to be lingering too closely to the hilt of his inactive zanpakuto for his comfort. Though his powers lay sealed because of the accursed Sekiseki stone, his blade was more than sharp enough to take down an enemy... or rather, any enemy aside from the Cloaked One. Unfortunately, Yoshiro's confidence in his swordsmanship was outweighed by the worry of their supreme enemy's appearance; if the Cloaked One were to appear at that moment, their vulnerability would mean their untimely end. He knew this, and he knew that Keiichi knew this.

"We need to wait for the others to--" Yoshiro started in reply to Toru's question. He was soon interrupted by a small cry nearby.

A portal had opened down the hall, they could see the telltale shimmer of the veiled door. Yoshiro knew immediately who's voice it was. Running toward the door, a hand lingering by his sword, he made his way for his comrade.

"Ayane! Are you alright?"

___________________________

Blades clashed, producing sparks and the sound of steel against steel. Ayane Maebara flew back through the air and hit the wall behind her. As she fell to the ground in a slump, she vomited up a bit of blood. Her ribs were fractured, as well as one of her arms. Looking up with tear-filled eyes, she looked upon her mirrored image. The specter before her stood in her likeness. Ayane gritted her teeth out of severe pain and defiance. Oh how she loathed this new enemy.

It stood before her as a testament of all her ill-feelings. All her insecurities. The darkest pieces of her soul stood before her, embodied as a shadow copy; her own darkness doppleganger. With every strike the Dark Ayane made against her, she heard its cold voice pierce her soul. It cursed her childish naivete, her ignorance of how the world truly worked. She was weak, oh so weak in her Shadow's eyes; she was useless, and everyone knew it.

Despite her hatred for this cruel shadow, its words affected her. She started to wonder if its words had some semblance of truth behind them. Did the others find her useless? Was she merely a burden to their cause? She was weaker than her Captain, weaker than her Lieutenant, and likely weaker than the other Shinigami on their investigation force. But was she that much weaker than the others? Perhaps she was the reason that hindered their progress. These ill-thoughts ran through her mind like an infectous disease, tearing away her resolve and defiance little by little. Surely, in this case, words were more lethal than the sword.

"It would be best if you were to lay down and die like the dog you are." The cruel voice of her Shadow whispered in her ear.

The Shadow brought his sword back behind, poised for a death slash to her head. Ayane looked back up weakly. Just as the Shadow Ayane gave off a horrendous cry, everything suddenly stopped. The world around Ayane froze, and though she had closed her eyes, waiting for her end to come, she knew something happened when it didn't.

Opening one eye, she saw her Shadow, still standing above her, the blade mere inches from her neck. Why did it stop? A calm, sing-song voice suddenly enveloped her like a warm, bright light.

"Ayane, were you always so helpless?" The voice said.

Ayane said nothing, he eyes glanced around the dark stadium, searching for whom the voice came from. She saw nothing.

"Do you not know who I am?"

It took Ayane a moment to realize to whom she was speaking, but it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Akikaze... it's you..."

"You're so meek, Ayane. Here you are, locked in battle with yourself, and you're merely putting down you sword and waiting for an end to come? You're a Shinigami. You have the ability to defeat anyone with the right amount of diligence and resolve and you know it! Why are you just giving in to your negative thoughts?" Akikaze asked curtly.

"Because I'm useless. I can't even call you out whenever I really need you, Akikaze... I can barely win a fight, even when my life depends on it!" Ayane yelled back, tears welling in her eyes. "I've let down everyone... Mototori-Taicho, and Toru-san..."

"You're not useless, Ayane. You have the power to overcome and you know it." Akikaze retorted.

"No, you have the power. I'm just the host." Ayane shot back with frustration.

"Silly girl. I am you, and you are I. Haven't you figured it out by now. Just look within yourself, your soul, and you will find your determination." Akikaze said, her voice was started to fade.

Ayane had stated to sob. Her tears were running down her cheeks as she looked back to her Shadow self, still in its killing pose. She noticed it was starting to move again. Akikaze had disappeared, leaving her back to her doom.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" Ayane screamed into the air, ignoring the pain welling in her chest.

"To win!" The remnant of Akikaze's voice thundered through her head.

A sudden wind swept around her, and for the first time ever, Ayane felt her power unleash. The cage that held her back seemed to shatter. The blade that still remained a few inches away regained its speed as her Shadow came out of its frozen state. Ayane ducked from the blade and with extreme effort, picked herself off the ground and threw such a punch into the Shadow's face that she sent it hurtling for the opposite wall. It was the power of the wind, it was calling for her.

"Enzen Kaze ga, Zengen Naku. Akikaze!" Ayane commanded.

Her zanpakuto immediately changed. Her mind was clear now, and her doubts and insecurities were quashed beneath a new sense of understanding and resolve to win. She didn't want to die, not now... not ever. She had to live; for her Captain... for Toru, and for all the rest of her comrades. Spreading her feet on the ground, she slashed her blade back, a gush of wind sending her forward with speeds nearing the level of Lieutenant leveled shunpo. Her Shadow form hit the opposite wall with a horrible crash, and before it could even react, Ayane was feet from it.

"Dammit! Where did this power come from! You're supposed to stay weak!"

"I'll let the wind carry you away back to the abyss that spawned you!" Ayane cried as she began her own barrage of attacks. Her Shadow had no time to react. It was finished.

A flurry of wind slices and a final impaling stab through the Shadow's chest finished it off. Her darkness started to fade, and a veiled portal appeared at one end of the colosseum. The way out was before her. Ayane's moment of strength allowed her to defeat her toughest opponent yet, however the full weight of her wounds were finally taking their toll. Clenching her hand around her zanpakuto, she attempted to use it like a walking stick, slowly moving for the exit.

The silken quality of the veiled exil engulfed her as she fell through. Tearing through some type of space like a ragdoll, she found stillness finally, reaching the other side. Falling to the cold, hard floor with a cry, she closed her eyes tightly shut from the pain of landing on her broken ribs. Coughing up a bit of blood, her vision blurred for a moment. She willed herself not to fall unconscious.

"Ayane! Are you alright?"

Through her blurring vision, her eyes fell upon a familiar figure. She felt herself being propped up in their arms, her head lolled weakly to one side, but her eyes became clear for a moment. Clear enough to see that Yoshiro was alright, as well as Momo, Keiichi, Makoto, and Toru.

"Thank goodness...." Ayane said, a small smile lighting up her face.