Shadow Reapers

Audra

I was still, frozen in shock and terror. It was so quiet, too quiet. Was Kai okay?

Then I heard it; Jidanbou's shout of surprise. Kai's answer. Kai answered! He was okay!

I sighed her relief, looking at Kes and the others. Without thinking, I put my hand against the stone wall, pressing against it firmly, as if I could make myself pass through it and touch Kai.

God, keep him safe. I know, through You, he can win. Please.





***Not much, but it's all I've got until the fight is over.***

*I agree with the others, it's beginning to feel like all we can do is agree with what you're saying Dynamo, seeing as we don't know what the outcome of everything is supposed to be... I don't have anything to post now 'cause I don't know how the fight goes...*

(Yeah, I guess I've been getting a little carried away. As soon as the fight's over I'll try to make it a little more free. And just so you all know, I may be posting less frequently on YWS for the next three days or so. I've got two major projects due on Wednesday and I need all the time I can get to finish them. Just letting you know in case you guys don't hear from me for a few days. I'll post the finished products of my assignments in the Art and Photography section when they're finished so if you feel like looking at them you can.)

Jidanbou stared at Kai for a few moments, then began to laugh. His loud voice echoed through the entire district when he did. "You're pretty gutsy," he said when he was finished. "Good! It's been decades since someone stopped my thrust. Today, I get to give it everything I've got! Among those who tried to pass through here these past three centuries, there have only been three, including you, who were able to stop my first strike. However..." He started to lift his axe over his head again. "...no one has been able to stop my second thrust!"

Kai braced himself as the axe came crashing down. He tightened his body as much as he could to block the attack. The second blow was at least twice as strong as the first, but still Kai was able to block it with one arm.

"Hmm... Good, you're still standing," Jidanbou said. He lifted his axe again. "I'm gonna keep coming! Take this!" He brought his axe down again, shouting, "One!" Kai was able to block this one as well. He lifted his axe yet again and brought it down, shouting, "Two!" Again, Kai blocked it. The ground shook as the giant attacked repeatedly, throwing all sorts of debris all over the place. He counted each strike as he attacked. The others watched, half in horror, half in awe, as the giant continued his onslaught.

He stopped when he got to ten, holding his axe high above his head. "Now it's time for the finisher!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he swung his giant weapon horizontally at Kai. The axe passed through the crude wall he had made to keep Kai's friends out of the battle.

Large bits of rock and stone were tossed in every direction. Audra constructed her triangle shield above everyone's head to protect them from the raining rocks. They looked back toward the battle when everything settled down, still only seeing Jidanbou's head over what was left of the wall. Shock and amazement rolled into one was plaster on the giant's face. "W-What...!?" What was left of the wall crumbled to bits, no longer obstructing their view of Kai.

Kai was still standing. He had blocked the attack by holding his sword parallel to his body with one hand on the handle. The flat edge of the blade rested against his other arm. There were no signs of strain in his body as he held back the giant gate keeper's attack.

"W-Why...Why are you...still standing!?" Jidanbou asked. He was now sweating like a pig.

"He's standing!" Ishida said, amazed. "Okami is still standing!"

I get it, Kestrel thought as she continued to stare at the event in front of her. What Kai learned from Urahara wasn't about stamina or guts, or even the secrets of fighting. She remembered Urahara once telling them that Kai's spiritual power was beyond that of a normal Death God, but that he was still clumsy at wielding it properly. What he lacked when he confronted those other Death Gods was experience. And once he got that...

"Are you finished?" Kai asked. He brandished his sword and got ready to attack. "Then it's my turn."

Jidanbou looked as though he was starting to panic. "Not yet! Not yet! I'm not...finished yet!" Her reached under his robe and pulled out another axe. He lifted both of them over his head. His face started to turn red as veins protruded under his skin. The muscles in his arms suddenly flexed, causing his armour plate to shatter. Kai wasn't at all fazed as he watched the bits of metal fall to the ground. "Try this! My final lethal attack!" With all his strength he swung his two axes down at Kai's body.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to destroy those axes," Kai said just before impact. He swung his sword just as the axes came down, shattering both of them in one blow. Everything seemed to freeze for a few seconds, then a gigantic shock wave shook everything. Audra was able to summon her shield again to protect everyone as the remaining rocks surrounding the two fighters were all thrown a great distance. Jidanbou, however, had no way to protect himself. The shock wave threw him onto the ground and made him slide head first into the Seirei Gate. Everyone stare at Kai with amazement. Just how much had Urahara pushed him during his ten days of training?

Jidanbou pulled himself up into a sitting position, a look of pure shock plastered on his face. "W-What!?"

Ishida was the first to say, "Okami...what did he just do? That giant went flying!"

Jidanbou blinked a few times before shaking his head and getting back to his feet. He smiled and said, "Hah! Man, that was close! I slipped and fell on my butt!" Kai just looked at him. "Huh? What's with that look?" Jidanbou asked. "I'll bet you think I went flying. Hah! What're you thinking? I can't be blown away, never happen! That's why country bumpkins are such a pain. Just wait, I'll use my axes again and..." That's when he finally noticed the state his axes were in. His hands began to tremble as he stared at their sorry state. "M-My...axes...?"

Kai waited for a few moments for the giant to do something. When Jidanbou just stood there, staring at his broken weapons, Kai said, "Hey, say something."

The giant said, "M-My...axes..." and started to cry. Tears flowed from his eyes like rivers as he banged his fists against the ground over and over again, saying, "They're broken! They're broken! My axes are broken!"

(Is anyone going to post anything, or should I just double post...again?)

There's really not much we can post at the moment...

(All right, I'll post something later.)

***I'll post. Then I have to get a shower. Feel special I put you before hygien. ***

Audra

I heard the sobbing, the pounding of fists on the ground. I felt the tremors through the earth, shaking the wall. I exchanged baffled looks with my comrads; we all shrugged.

I began to walk, heading for the edge of the wall. It didn't block my path. Finally! Seeing my freedom granted, I sprinted around the corner and looked for my boyfriend. And there, standing amidst the destruction, he was unharmed. The giant however... I bit my lip to keep from laughing. He was crying his heart out over broken weapons!

I ran to Kai's side, leaping at him. "You did it!" I embraced him, glad he was such a great fighter. Maybe, just maybe, we could succeed in this!




***By the way, Dynamo... I love you siggy. ***

(Hah, thanks. I quoted it off of a comedy group called Monty Python's Flying Circus. kitty15 might know who they are since they're a very popular British group.)


Kai didn't notice Audra until she threw her arms around his body. He was a little pre-occupied by the balling giant in front of him. His cries rang through the city like giant sirens. The others came to his side next. Just like Audra, they were amazed at the amount of damage Kai had done. But that amazement soon changed to awkwardness as they watched the gate keeper crying his eyes out.

Kai finally decided to say something. "Uh...hey...Sorry about breaking your axes. I didn't have to break both of them, I know... My bad..."

"Y-You're...not bad," Jidanbou said between sobs. He raised his face to look at Kai. "You and I are enemies, but you're concerned for me, the loser..." The giant reached out to Kai. Audra let out a small yelp as she jumped to one side. Jidanbou's giant hands wrapped gently around Kai's body. "What a big heart...you're really great!"

"Ehh...Well, n-not really..." Kai said. "It's kinda hard to ignore a grown man crying..."

Jidanbou released Kai and got to his feet. "Meanwhile, I'm acting like a kid over mere axes...I'm an embarrassment as a man!" His shoulders slumped when he said, "It's...my loss!" He suddenly threw his arms into the air. With a big smile, he yelled, "A complete loss! As a warrior...as a man...I lost to you completely!" He started to wipe away his tears as he continued, "It's been 300 years since I became the guard of the White Road Gate. I've never once lost! You are the first man to defeat me." His smile widened when he said, "Pass! I, Jidanbou, grant you permission to pass through the White Road Gate!"

Kai's eyes widened in surprise. "R-Really?"

Audra came back to Kai's side. "You really mean it? We can all pass?" she asked, excitedly.

"Yes. I lost to your leader fair and square," the giant told her, "I have no right to stop you."

"What!?" Ishida shouted, "Okami is our leader!? No way!"

Stella sighed and shook her head. "Gees, he's letting us pass. Quit complaining."

"Your name is Okami?" Jidanbou asked.

"That's right," Kai answered, "Kai Okami."

"Hmm... That's a cute name."

Kai's brow twitched with anger. "Hey! Okami is Japanese for wolf! It's not cute!" The girls all started to giggle at his reaction.

"Take care, Kai," Jidanbou said. He turned and began to walk toward the gate. "I don't know why you want to get into Seireitei. But on the other side, they're all strong."

Kai smiled and said, "I know that."

"All right, as long as you know. I'll open the gate, so stand back." Everyone took a few steps back as Jidanbou dug his fingers under the bottom of the gate. He warned them, "Don't be scared. I'm going to give it one good heave." He grunted as he pulled with all his might. His face started to turn red with the effort. Slowly, but surely, the gate began to raise. When it was almost as high as his shoulders, the giant heaved and raised it over his head.

Everyone awed in amazement. "A-Amazing!" Kestrel said. "I never thought that thing could be lifted..."

Kai noticed something, though. Even though the gate was open, Jidanbou did not move from his spot. He seemed to be frozen in place, holding the gate over his head. Kai went to his side and asked, "What's the matter? Why're you standing there like that? Did something happen?"

Jidanbou was staring straight ahead with wide, horror stricken eyes. His bottom lip quivered as he made small scared noises in his throat. Kai turned to see what he was so scared about and saw a single man in a black Death God robe and white overcoat approaching them. His hair was white and his smile made him look like a fox. "who's that...?" Kai asked.

"Th-Third Squad Captain... G-Gin Ichimaru..."

(Don't post anything yet, everybody. I have a way to make the storybook feel a little more free. I'm going to PM you all scripts of what happens next in the original anime so whoever posts next knows what's going on. Make any changes that you want, as long as the end result is the same.)

Kestrel

"Oh, this isn't good," Gin said in what was very clearly a pleasant, almost friendly tone. His face was wrinkled into a strange smile and it gave Kestrel the creeps. His spiritual energy was high. Light flashed through Jidanbou's left arm and suddenly a wound was there, spurting blood like a hose. The man's eyes went wide and his knees buckled, throwing him to the floor, his other hand still grasping at the gate, holding it up as it dug deeply against his back.

"Jidanbou!" Kai exclaimed. Kestrel swallowed nervously and scowled at Gin whose hand rested on an unsheathed sword. But it was him.

"Unacceptable," he said, Releasing his sword and standing up straighter. "A guardian of the gate isn't supposed to open the gates." Kestrel frowned harder, displeased by the illogical statement and she tensed as Yoruichi crouched at her side, clearly worried.

"Ugh...I lost! Opening the gate is what is expected of a gatekeeper who has lost!" Jidanbou countered, grunting painfully. He shifted the wait across to his shoulder slightly, his injured arm hanging limply underneath him.

"What are you saying?" Gin stepped toward Jidanbou and Kai. "A gatekeeper who lost isn't opening any gates. When a gatekeeper loses... it means death." Kestrel let out an involuntary gasp and made as if to spring forward but Kai beat her to it, rushing angrily at Gin, his sword swishing toward the captain's head but it was blocked and deflected easily. He backed off a step and they faced each other, prepared to fight.

"K-Kai!" Yoruichi protested. Audra worriedly took a step toward him.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Kai demanded, his sword extended towards Gin's throat.

"That's my line!" Yoruichi said.

"Don't just show up out of no where and try to butt in, fox-face! I'll strike down anyone who would try to attack an unarmed person!" Kai continued, his anger gaining momentum and building into a fuming furnace. But Gin was un-phased, speaking with the same irritatingly pleasant tone:

"Heh. You're a funny kid. You're not scared of me?"

"There's no way I could be afraid of scum like you!" Kai reiterated the words with a shake of his blade and a flaring scowl.

"Hey! Stop it Kai! We will retreat for now!" Yoruichi interceded. The name brought a smile to Gin's face, one that Kestrel found sickening: what could he be thinking?

"What are you talking about? I'm only getting started! There's no way I'm just going to walk away after what this guy just did! Don't worry, I'll just end it-" Kai was interrupted by Gin:

"So you're Kai Okami..." He smiled again. Kestrel stepped a little closer to her friend and Audra and Stella followed suit, the group closing in.

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, just as I thought." Strangely Gin turned and began to walk away.

"Huh? Hey! Where are you going? Come back here, I'm not finished with you yet!"

"All the more reason why I can't let you pass." He stopped walking and pulled his sword from its sheathe. He held it out, his arm completely straight and he brandished it at Kai.

"Why are you standing so far back? Are you going to throw your sword at me or something?"

"This is not just some regular short sword. This is my Zanpakutou," Gin explained. He moved but the movement wasn't caught by any eye and the next moment he was crouched, one foot in front of the other and his sword held parallel to his shoulders, his free arm crossed above the blade. Kestrel thought he looked almost like a martial arts teacher but with a weapon thrown in for extra deadliness. And spiritual power too. And then the wind leapt forward, summoned from some awful depth of hell and it was alight with the spiritual power of its owner, darting forwards.

"Impale, Shinsou!" Gin commanded. He thrust his sword forward, the blade shining white and then it began to extend, flourishing to a new length. Kai moved quickly to block the attack with the side of his sword but the force of the blade pushed Kai off the ground and into Jidanbou's stomach. They were both hurled back through the gate and smashed into the wall of a nearby house, bringing down the walls like a detonator. The gate began to close. Gin's sword retreated, slipping under the gate and was sheathed once more as Gin grinned happily at them.

"Bye bye!" he said, as if to close friends. His hand waved back and forth as the gate fell shut.

"Now what do we do?" Stella wondered.

(Sorry I haven't posted anything for a few days. I've been finding it difficult to pry myself from my new video game. I'll try to post when I'm not feeling so distracted by it. Other than that, how did you feel when writing your last post, kitty? Did having a script to refer to make it less awkward and a little more freer knowing you could diverge from the original story a little?)

***And I'll post when I'm not worn out exhausted from the chaos of a performance day (yesterday) and when I've recovered from my bad loss of a temper (also yesterday). Later!***

It felt nice to be able to write a longer post but it generally wasn't mine, you know? It was more me adding Kestrel's view to one of your posts which I could have done before after you'd posted it.

(Hmm... well, that's the best I can think of at the moment. For now, all I can tell you is not to be afraid of putting in your own interpretation in the place of the script. When I said change it however you like so long as the end result was the same, you could have written anything you wanted as long as Gin forced Kai and Jidanbou out of the gate. You could have even had Kestrel join the fight as long as she ended up on the same side of the gate as everyone else when it closed. I want the scripts I'll send you from time to time to be references, not actual scripts. Hopefully this'll make the story feel a little more freer until we can employ a better method.)

"Kai!" Audra ran to her boyfriend's side, the others following behind her. Kai lifted a large piece of wood off of his body before plopping down on the ground. He rubbed his head a little painfully when Audra came to his side. "Are you all right!?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Kai's eyes went wide when he remembered about the gate. He looked past Audra and Kestrel to see that it had closed. "Dammit..."

"It seems you're all right," Yoruichi said as he strode toward the group.

"Sorry...the gate closed because of me..." Kai appoligized.

The cat shook his head. "No, your opponent was Gin Ichimaru. It couldn't be helped. Be glad that you weren't hurt."

Kai sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them up a few moments later, movement to his left made him turn to look. The people of the Rukon District who had been hiding up until now, had gathered outside of their houses. They were all staring at Kai and the others.

"Hey, look," Kestrel said, "I wonder why they've stopped hiding?"

"I still don't really understand why they were hiding from us in the first place," Stella said.

"We were feared," Yoruichi explained, "Souls who illegitimately arrive in Soul Society without the aid of Death Gods are called Ryoka, and are said to be the cause of all kinds of calamities."

"They think we're enemies?" Kai asked.

Yoruichi nodded. "Most likely." The group of people began to advance toward them. Everyone braced themselves, ready to attack if the need arose.

"Please wait," an old man among the people said as he stepped forward. He bowed his head and explained, "I am the elder of the Rukon District. I witnessed everything that happened just now. We want to welcome you as Jidanbou's saviours."

(Hopefully this'll give you guys an idea of what to post next. Ayumi and kitty15, I'm having trouble keeping enough attention to even get started on finishing the stuff for VG Rumble 2. I may not have it done until the end of the Christmas break. But if you want, I can give you the link to the site I'm working on so you can both see what I have so far and start thinking of what classes you'd like your characters to be.)

(Should I send you all scripts again so you know which direction we're supposed to be going?)

No, I'll get a post done in a day or two. It's not stuck on ideas this time, it's time. Sorry!