The Edge of Soul Society

[ShadowNIN]

Chiba came out to walk around and i was escorded by Luna to see the new additions that were made to the grove sense my last visit. The attack really distroy some very important parts of our grove but like nature always does it rebuilds itself. I have been trouble by the most recent aggrestion that have been taken agaist my village. but i am not here to do anything there for informing me would not be on there list of things to do. I wanted to bring the attention that this attack are on purpose to the soul society. But why should they hear the words of student. No i still have to become stronger so that we dont need there help. As i was lost in my own thoughts Luna nuged me and we look up at the oldest tree in our grove. She said, "You know u could come back at any time." She started to blush a little, "You really dont need to do this academy thing just because they want u doesnt mean u have to go." I look at Luna her beautiful face and fair skin. I never saw her in this light she was alway my best friend and nothing more. I responded, "Like our Ancestors before us we must all protect the grove in our own way. Right now with the power we have i can do nothing to help. I must better myself to become worthy of the honor of protecting the grove. I have no honor now. No, everyone might accept me back but i could bare the disgrace i have already endurered here with out the Strength to do this job right."
I looked down at my feet and had nothing else to say. Luna said, "does the past really scar u that much, there really wasnt anything..." I yelled, "im sick of hearing that... i know i could do anything that just makes it worst...I just want to be strong so i cant fail everyone again...." I feel to my knee and Luna held me in the moon light.

[ShadowNIN]

IN the morning i started to make my way back to SS i knew that i need to go back so i wished everyone the best of luck and left. I knew that a time will come when i life will lead me to stay again but i knew i couldnt stay anylonger my training was calling. I made my way back there was a few of my clans warrior escorting me.
they just wanted to make sure i left with out an insident. I told them i was fine and left each tree passed and i look around stopping to gaze upon some animal doing was animals do. Some where hunting others were eating. I stood there and took up the sight because i knew i was returning to life at the academy and i wouldnt see much of nature till i came back with that i left.

[.:Tai:.]

Nightfall,
and Tai was just about ready to stop.

There were ruins in the distance...
The stone temple he was oh so fond of, now covered in vine.

Tai could feel his weights growing old.

He came before the ruins of this old stone city,
The same one he'd hoped to never come across again.

There were a few old buildings still intact..
Tai could still inhabit them for his stay...

A campfire was set up just outside his new house.
He sat near it with mordecai resting on his lap.

He looked up at the sky and then down at the flames dancing infront of him.
It made him wonder how Hin was holding up.
If he would even be coming back from the Human world....
If Tai would even be coming back from this place....

He let himself rest before tomorrow.
For tomorrow would be the first day of the
biggest moment of Tai's life in Soul Society.

[.:Tai:.]

Tai's right hand was planted flat on the fround below him,
Surrounded by the Kanji Characters meaning "To Seek the Truth"
Tai held himself up in his classic meditation stance, attempting to clear his mind...

His left hand placed to his chest, index and middle fingers pointed towards his head.

He tried calming himself through this oncoming storm.
The skies were gray, and the rain was cold and bitter.

How suited it was for this moment....

The first drop of rain from Tai's brow dripped off and headed for the ground.
Slowly, Gently...coming to a hault just before impact.

"..I was wondering when you would show up..." Tai muttered keeping his eyes closed.

"So you were expecting me then..." Mordecai returned in a deep calm voice...
He stood perfectly on Tai's lifted feet, with his right hand directly up as if he were holding himself up on thin air....

So which one was supporting the other?

Tai smirked.

Mordecai's face was still covered by the shadows that fueled him....

The sky slowly grew darker...

[.:Tai:.]

Tai opened his eyes...

Swept into this dreamworld....

A Dark City with nothing but It's few neon signs to keep it lit.

The sky was infected gray with bolts of lightning crashing down here and there.
The rain never stopped here.....

He found himself still holding himself upright at the edge of a skyscraper.
His baggy clothes waved along with the gusts of freezing wind.

"..So this is where it's come to..." Tai muttered, observing the area.
Mordecai remained ontop of Tai.

"Welcome....to my home..." Mordecai spoke clearly, a flash of lightning lit up his right side, yet not enough to reveal his face..

Tai clenched the side of the building.

"..It's beautiful.." He whimpered, another spark of lightning reflecting in his black eyes.

Mordecai seemed to loosen a bit.
Tai closed his eyes tensely
"...Now tell me what has been happening." Tai demanded, opening his eyes in a stern way.

Mordecai's head turned a bit as if it would help him speak to Tai more efficiently.
"..You and I both know that's not why we're here."

Tai's expression relaxed, and a bit confused...perhaps astonished in the slightest bit..

"Then why are we here?" He asked Mordecai, hoping that maybe he would hear real answers for once.

Mordecai's head went back to a civil-like position.
"We're here...to finally settle our age-old conflict..once and for all."

Tai closed his eyes again.

"..How we're to do that...well...that's your decision."

Tai opened his eyes once more.
"..fine." He said, bending his knees and launching Mordecai high into the air.
He pushed off his right hand into a spin until his feet met the side of the skyscraper...

"Then we'll settle it the only way you've taught me." Tai said quickly to himself before sprinting down the building....

He reached for his weapon....
But there was none...

His eyes shot open.
* What?!!!*

Mordecai hovered high above the skyscaper...
Lightning sparked as he raised his Scythe.

[.:Tai:.]

Mordecai flew down towards Tai, his robes flailing behind him.

Tai planted his right foot on the side of the skyscraper and turned to face his zanpakutou.

Mordecai raised his scythe as he inched closer to his prey.

Tai began to fall, as well as panic....for the first time in...years.
As Mordecai's Blade swung down toward's Tai's chest, Tai crossed his arms, now covered in white reiatsu.
The impact caused a bright explosion of black and white.

Tai tumbled backwards down further to the ground.
Mordecai continued chasing Tai through the clearing smoke.

Another slash at Tai's torso,
Tai dodged right and grabbed Mordecai's unguarded back.

Flipping himself ontop of his own zanpakutou, Tai kicked off, sending Mordecai to the ground along with a white blast of reiatsu.

Tai grabbed the sided of the building and waited.

Before he knew it, the side of the building began to collapse.

Tai leaped to a clear area, looking out for his opponent.

Mordecai remained silent, hovering in the air, dark as ever with his scythe pointed towards Tai.

The Lightning flashed brighter.
The thunder boomed much louder.
And the Rain, rained like never before..

The ground was already flooded about an inch.

Tai looked up to Mordecai and thought how exactly he was supposed to fight him now...

[.:Tai:.]

Tai leaped from building to building
Mordecai chased after, readying his attack

Acting fast, Tai jumped off one of the tall buildings and turned to Mordecai waiting for him to come after.

Mordecai appeared beneath Tai and rammed the top of his scythe into Tai's back.
The pain was insane.
Tai needed to figure something out soon.

"..why are you giving such little effort?" Mordecai asked with Tai bent backwards on his scythe.

Tai coughed as another lightning bolt struck down.

"..Why is it that I'm overpowering you so easily?"

Tai winced as Mordecai then grabbed him by the neck.

"..why are you holding Back!" Mordecai heaved, throwing Tai to the ground.
Rubble flew everywhere.

Tai crawled back to his feet.
He looked around carefully....
"..where are you.." He exhaled deeply, Almost hoping Mordecai doesn't show.

Soon the debris cleared and Tai was left in the rain and his own crater.
He quickly disappeared and reappeared over and over again until he stood in a long street which at the end had the largest skyscraper of them all.
His sides completely populated with tall buildings and neon signs..

Lightning struck once more, and Mordecai appeared before Tai just down the road.

Tai readied himself.
Mordecai stayed still.

Reiatsu charged and swarmed over Tai's arms.
He lifted them up, his arms now flexing, then immediately swung them down.
A large burst of reiatsu surrounded Tai's being.
His hair flared up.

He looked like a celestial being, covered in white.

"..what do you suppose you are going to do now, Tai?" Mordecai asked, still in the same relaxed position.

Tai looked up to Mordecai and artistically moved himself into another stance.

"....I'm going to take you down." Tai spat, his eyes tensing and his fists clenching.

Mordecai raised his scythe.
"Very well then."

Tai blasted forward to Mordecai

[.:Tai:.]

Tai threw his right fist to Mordecai's face,
Everything slowed down for a moment...

With Mordecai bent backwards,
and Tai drifting over him with his fist out and legs behind him.

It all suddenly sped up again.

A barrage of punches and kicks flew at Mordecai endlessly, but none making Impact.
Mordecai continued dodging, flailing his scythe around aimlessly.

Tai pushed mordecai back far with his advance,
Giving him the advantage.

Mordecai attempted to strike with his scythe,
but Tai saw through it and knocked it aside with his left hand, and forced his right palm to Mordecai's torso, pumping a gigantic blast of reiatsu to him, sending him back countless yards...

Tai charged after him.

Mordecai spun himself in mid air, horizontally until he regained balance.
He flipped around his scythe and hovered in a relaxed position.

Tai didn't bother to slow down.

"..Such power you've obtained over the years Tai..." Mordecai said aloud, booming with the thunder.

Tai shyunpo'd before Mordecai and launched an uppercut to Mordecai's jaw.
Mordecai flew up into the air as if he had just let Tai hit him.

He quickly readjusted himself and awaited Tai once more.

"...But where exactly did you get it from?"

Tai appeared once more infront of mordecai, sending a side kick to his ribcage.
Mordecai grabbed the leg and held it, slowly putting more pressure.

"...Was it your righteous?." Mordecai asked, grabbing Tai by the collar.
He pulled Tai closer to his shrouded face.
"..Or was it your wicked intent to destroy me?"

Tai's eyes tensed more and more.

Mordecai threw Tai back into a building.

Rubble and debris spat everywhere.

Tai fell out of his crater and tumbled to the ground..

Mordecai took flight and drifted to the top of a skyscraper.

After a moment's struggle, Tai was able to manage to get up.
He looked up after Mordecai.

A white glow emitted from Tai's hand..
It elongated and took the shape of a katana, then materialized into his Zanpakutou..

Tai looked puzzled,
But there was no time for games.
He readied himself once more with his weapon.

[.:Tai:.]

Tai sprinted towards the skyscraper Mordecai awaited on.

Cutting his weights loose, one by one.
His speed increased immensely.

Just before the base of the building, Tai bent his knees and shot directly up, soaring through the air like nothing until his feet hit the side of the building.
He began running upwards to the top.

Focusing reiatsu into his legs, he shyunpo'd here and there.

Once the top was in sight, Tai quickly grabbed the nearest ledge above him and threw himself upwards in one fluid motion.

He flipped onto the building into a kneeling position with his weapon held out behind him.
His eyes shot up to Mordecai whom was hovering around the area, waving his scythe around aimlessly.

Tai stood up, swinging his sword around himself in a formal way.
His eyes soon caught something else of interest..
There was a large hole in the sky, swirling around like a vortex, eating up all the clouds that got near it.

But before Tai could realize the situation he was in,
Mordecai had already appeared before him with his scythe up high, ready to strike.

Tai woke the hell up and put his sword up in a defensive position whilst Mordecai's scythe swung down.
They made contact, sending an insane amount of force outwards.

Tai pushed Mordecai back and got to his feet.

"..Have you forgotten what you've done to me?" Mordecai asked, dropping his guard.

Tai slowly untensed his muscles..
A flashback of that horrifying day occurred.

He could see himself from a distance, destroying each and every one of the shadow figures.
He could see his own hate burning inside him even when those were the times he could not feel.

It was almost upsetting.

But then it happened.
He saw himself attacking Mordecai head-on, slicing diagonally across his face.
White light bursted from Mordecai's mask.

Tai came-to and put his sword to his side, his eyes dropping to the ground.

The rain felt weaker.

"...You finally remember what happened that day..." Mordecai spoke aloud.
"..but do you remember....why you did it?"

Tai's eyes shifted back to Mordecai

"...I wanted to get rid of you..." Tai began in a softer tone.
"..I wanted to prove I didn't need you...or anyone else.." His voice began more forceful.

Mordecai hovered around a bit.

"..and now?" Mordecai chimmed, giving a small gesture with his left hand.

Tai's grip on the sword tightened.
"..I'm going to finish what I started."

Tai realized his answer to the previous question.
Unfortunately, it made him more scared than ever before in his career as a shinigami.

[OD Funk]

"Hahahahaha!" A dark laugh was heard about the shadows of a small woodland area, yellow eyes where all that could be seen, along with a menacing grin, the rest of the beings figure was barely even visible, shrouded in the darkness of the surrounding tree's.

"So, This is where the funs at eh?" A cold metalic blade was revealed, as small spells of light creeping through the above tree's shone off of it, another laugh was heard, and a figure rushed out from his shadowy cover towards Seretei.

[.:Tai:.]

The two danced through the air,
Slicing and slashing at one another, yet no contact was made.

Tai spun and attacked in artsy fashions while Mordecai plainly counter-attacked, showing his calm state of mind.

This was too odd.
But Tai's head was too clouded with the burning intent to finish this war.

They hit the ground,
roughly twenty feet from each other,
Mordecai's robes filled with air and blew out around him, still uncovering nothing.
Tai flipped to his knee, then immediately shot forward, spinning clockwise and throwing his sword straight for Mordecai's chest area.

Mordecai quickly threw himself back and to his left...His head following Tai's blade soaring into the shadows behind him.

His head turned back to see Tai's hair flairing up, his arms once more covered in white reiatsu...

The sky opened as the Sword of Heaven dropped to Mordecai's location.

Tai began to shyunpo all around Mordecai, making sure he didn't move..

The sword fell down hard, directly for Mordecai's head.
He raised his right hand
The sword stopped immediately on impact...
A blaring white light shot outwards.

Tai needed to prove that something like that wasn't going to stop him.
He appeared by the hilt of the sword, gripping it tightly and forcefully spinning himself counter clock-wise with the sword held upside down, soon slashing horizontally at Mordecai with the gigantic sword.

Mordecai's expression could not be seen, but it was evident he had panicked, just barely dodging the tip of the sword, jumping backwards.

Tai in continuation to his previous attack, lunged for Mordecai with the sword held right.
He swung when he was just about 8 feet away from his opponent.

Mordecai, in the matter of a half a second, flipped his scythe around and held it in a defensive position.
The attack was blocked with no disturbance made to Mordecai or his weapon.

Tai forced more reiatsu into his arms, attacking much faster, scraping the blade against the buildings around them.

Rubble kicked up dirt and dust until nothing could be seen.

Mordecai hovered out of the mess soon after, waiting for Tai with his scythe down.

The sword shot out fast and hard to Mordecai's chest.
Acting quickly, Mordecai had sent both his hands out to defend, slowing the blade down just before hitting, but not stopping entirely.
Mordecai continued attempting to stop the Sword.

Tai had soon come out of the rubble and appeared before the sword's hilt, launching a kick to the sword, sending it and Mordecai through the side of a building.

And out the other side he went.

The building collapsed.
Tai hopped off of each chunk of stone tumbling to the ground, soon making his way to the other side where he hoped Mordecai was finally finished.

He landed on the ground with the clusters of stone, glass and rain left behind him.

Down the road he saw his sword, still, pinned against the side of another building...
..Mordecai was caught in between.

Tai walked slowly to the scene, finding his sword on the way.
Mordecai's hands were weak, trying to wedge the blade out of him.

"..This is familiar to you Tai?" Mordecai asked, still in a somewhat calm voice.

Tai's expression did not change. It stayed emotionless as ever.

"..You understand so little after so long...Tai.."

Tai saw that Mordecai's scythe was laying beside him, the blade shattered into bits.

"You're only making this so much worse.."

Tai grabbed the sword of heaven by the hilt

"..For yourself..."

His grip tightened.

"..For us..."

The sword dissipated into thin air..

Blood, or what seemed like blood hit the ground and mixed with the rain..
It was black...pitch black.

A white glow emitted from Mordecai's wound and soon healed in an instant.
"..Do you not remember, Tai?"

Tai jumped back into an offensive position.

"..This is my home."
Mordecai's blood emerged from the rain water and joined together, floating before Mordecai....
It took the form of a scythe...
Tai's scythe......
.... Mordecai....

"This was my gift to you...even after you had attacked me." Mordecai said aloud...
The scythe moved towards Tai

"..You need to think about the past...connect the events...piece this puzzle together...and you shall understand everything.."

Mordecai's scythe whipped back to his hand as he hovered high in the air once more, beyond Tai's sight.

Lightning struck as Tai grabbed his Scythe..

He thought to himself..
Since day one Mordecai had only appeared as this demonic being, haunting his every step...until he was strong enough to take control of the situation and show Mordecai his own strength...

His words...

Were they only support?

Throughout their time together, Tai had only wanted to become stronger...to settle the struggle between him and Mordecai...
But who was Mordecai exactly?

Friend? Foe? or something else....

Maybe....
...Perhaps Mordecai wanted Tai to have a sense of insecurity even towards his zanpakutou..........because it was the only way he would have been dedicated to becoming stronger...
Even through the spite, they've bonded bit by bit.

Mordecai hasn't been the dark side of this fight....

...it was Tai.


"AHHHHHHH" Tai punched the building wall where Mordecai had been pinned, breaking through the brick and cement.

It was all coming together..

"WHAT THE FUCK?!!!!?!!?!?!" Tai yelled, thrusting each fist into the pavement, sending the rain water up into his face.

It was nearly all too much to take in..

"I..." Tai stopped and put his face to the ground.

"..I..have to finish this..."

But ..the only way to finally end this tragic battle...
Was to figure out who Mordecai is, and how or why this is all happening...
..and the only way to do that...was to prove his strength to Mordecai...

Tai exhaled what seemed to be smoke....

His scythe didn't quite feel like the zanpakutou he knew and held onto through his shinigami years...
But it was the only way...

He knew it was the only way...
Mordecai knew it just as well

But maybe Tai needed to understand the situation before continuing the fight....

He stood up

It would all soon become the the most amazing experience in Tai's life.

He ran his hand through his hair....

"..it's time.." He whispered to himself, climbing up the building using Mordecai as a pick here and there.

He was going to truely put his mind to rest....


The top of the building came into view.

[.:Tai:.]

He felt the adrenaline rush through his body, reaching to top of the building.

The rain became cold as the storm became much more intense.

Tai pointed his scythe to Mordecai
"...I've come to realize our situation.."

Mordecai hover back and forth..
"..Have you?.."

Tai's arm flexed.
"..You made me believe you were evil....you made me believe that you wanted to corrupt me..."

Mordecai put his scythe to the ground like a walking stick.
He remained silent.

"..But even that was a lie..." Tai said, his voice slowly softening.
"...Knowing me...and who I am..you figured that at the time, I did not trust anyone but me...and I did not accept help."
Tai lowered his weapon.
"..but how exactly would you know who I am...since the day I found you..."

Mordecai kept still and silent..

"..either way, it led to me striving to become stronger...."
Tai looked down at his scythe.
"..stronger than everyone..."
His eyes shifted back up to mordecai.
"..Stronger than you.."

"..The only problem with that...back when you played this game before I recieved shikai....was that I was incapable of feeling..."

Mordecai's robes blew along with a gust of wind..

"...after that day...I was over come with emotion...and I couldn't control them well....leading to me becoming drunk with hate..."
Tai lifted his scythe back up.
"..And then I ruined your plan.....
...you wanted to show me your comforting side..."

Tai's arm tensed again.
"But by that time you had realized I had been lost in darkness once more..."

He swung his scythe around in various ways, getting into a defensive wushu stance.

"..so..You finally called me out..so that you can show me the Truth through the only way you had taught me..."

"..All that's left now...."
Tai dashed forward.
"..Is to find out who you are and how we end this."

Tai spun in the air clockwise bringing his scythe diagonally down to Mordecai's left shoulder...but there was to block.

Tai's scythe had sunk in deep through Mordecai's shoulder.

Mordecai lifted his own scythe.
"..Then prove to me that your ready"
Mordecai swung down hard to Tai.

Tai ripped his scythe out of Mordecai and dodged backwards...

"HRAAAAA" Tai cried, charging into battle.

[.:Tai:.]

Back and Forth they went across the rooftops

Their scythes splitting rain drops in two,
They moved swiftly.

Tai was running wild, but he still thought deeply to himself

His fighting style had always been reckless when in these kind of situations...
But whenever Mordecai was at his side...
Especially during shikai...
Tai was calm as ever...

The fight slowed down for him...
It was like breathing for the first time

He would become one with the fight, and everything dealing with it.
The setting, the story, the strengths, the weaknesses, the opponent...everyting...

Tai pulled his next attack, closing his eyes and standing still while Mordecai's scythe came to Tai's neck.
He stopped before decapatating Tai...

Inhale....
The sound of the rain softened, slowing to the beat of his heart.
His scythe suddenly became light in his hand, along with his head.
His feelings flashed before him within each lightning strike,
Each of a different compilation of colors...

He then saw himself sitting with his knees up,
It was the old him,
With black and red spiked hair..
His head turned...
*..can you reject yourself?* He asked Tai...

Exhale...
Tai opened up his eyes to see the scene of his death once more.
A bit upset at first...but it soon faded.

He saw himself, weak, powerless, unwilling to do anything..
Just laying there, awaiting his death..
He could have gotten up.
He could have lived if he wanted to...
But...he just gave up...

Tai turned his back on himself, walking into the shadows behind...

He slowly came back to the Tragic City...

Mordecai hovered a few feet infront of him..
"...I see you've found another piece to the puzzle.."

Tai looked up at Mordecai slowly...
His black eyes slowly emitting a glimmer of white...
From his finger tips, ran white reiatsu up to his shoulders

"...There's only one piece left..." Tai said in a soft, yet rigid way..

Mordecai lifted his scythe.
"..Then come get it.."

Tai darted to Mordecai, throwing a series of attacks with his scythe..
Mordecai countered and attacked back.

Tai's face was emotionless,
This was the point where Tai could fight best...
Without Fear, without love, he could focus on the battle, and nothing else.

The rooftop began to become darker...