Visible Mask, Hide the Crow (Training)

[Mr. Butterfly]

Part One


Being a Vizard is like living in the perfect dysfunctional family. Everyone's got your back. Your family is made up of people just like you in many ways, who have faced the same trials and hardships. They will always be there for you, no matter what.But best of all, they all show their darkest part where everyone can see it. It's who we are - it's why we have the honor of being the Masked Army.

So...why am still worried?

Barda Kaazaki's foot left the last step of the basement stairs with almost no sound at all. With a crain of his neck he looked around slowly, his glistening golden eyes seeing no one around - for now, anyways. Barda let out a breath, the stopped hiding his reiatsu, letting it flow out naturally. It was maybe 20 percent of what he was capable of, in this relaxed state. Though, relaxed isn't the right word...more like nervous, even worried. He took in another breath, his short, teenage body tensing slightly. The ex-shinagami's snow white hair was a little scruffier today than usual, and his clothes were different too. His white undershirt, normally cleaner, was ruffled and seemed hastily thrown on. The blue denim overshirt, more like a jacket, was being taken off by the Vizard, tossed to the floor - the barren ground of the training area. His black pants were at least the same looking - just a little wrinkled. Barda's face seemed different too - tired looking. Tired of fighting. Tired of fighting for control - of himself.

He took a few steps forward into the area, popping his neck slowly. He let out a shallow breath then extended his right hand outwards, the tips of his fingers seemingly crushing the rocky landscapes in the distance. He felt reiatsu focus upon his wrist and hand, then muttered the small spell.

'Sprinkled on the bones of the beast!...
Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring...
Move and become the wind,
stop and become the calm....
The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle."

Then it occured - the surge of reiatsu gathered right at his palm, almost ready to leap from his hand and destroy the distant view, yellow in it's appearance. The moment his palm opened slightly it lurched forth with another slight word from Barda.

"Hado #[63]-Thunder Roar Cannon"

With a VWOOSH it shot forth, like a cascading yellow tidal wave combined into a single focal point, rocketing through the sky. Almost instantly the rocks in the back ground imploded within a smoky haze, bits and pebbles scattering within the atmosphere around the area of carnage. Well, less carnage, more of an explosion. Barda sighed. That was pointless - or so it seemed. In reality, he knew that things like that made his demon want to come out. He needed him to do so - lately, Barda's dreams were plagued with the night of his first Hollowization process. Hence, he had tried to stop sleeping, with no avail. Then the dreams shifted - to him in the current day, but not himself. It was as if the darkness within him had consumed the light and merged with it all together. The creature that had Barda's physical appearance was slumped, dragging around a drawn zanpaukuto. It's clothes were ragged and torn, and a malevolent, purple-black reiatsu coated it's form. With each step it's face became clearer and clearer. When it finally did it was like seeing his inner fear and evil itself - it was a cruel depiction of Barda, though with the one thing he never wanted to see on himself. It had black eyes, with yellow a yellow iris. And then it's maniacal laugh resounded within the black hole of his nightmare, and he would awaken in a cold sweat.

Barda shook himself. This wasn't right. He shouldn't be afraid. Not of the thing he feared - Kyoumen, his inner hollow.

"Hey, you."

Speaking of the devil himself, there was the voice of the Hollow himself. Barda stiffened, then sullened. He knew what he needed.

"Kyoumen....we need to talk. Now."

And with that the current view of the room swirled like the flushing bowels in a toilet and it vanished. The next sight to enter his eyes was that of the forever grassy plain where Garasu Tooboe Akatsuki lay, his zanpaukuto spirit. She was nowhere to be seen, but the two moons in the sky were - both shining down light like sunlight, giving the sky it's blue look. Barda himself was on one of the hills, and beside him was Kyoumen. An arm draped itself around Barda's shoulder, identical to his own by white with a black sleeve. On his other side Kyou's face appeared, grinning, holding out a hand in front of him as if to gesture superiority.

"Hey, controller. Yah...what do ya need from me, eh?"

Barda's face was surpringly calm, though he knew he did still worry. Having this manefestation of cruelty this close to him worried him.

"Kyoumen...we need to settle this. I can't have you doing this to me..your behind the dreams, are you not?"

The grin might have grown wider, and something like a humph came out.

"Maaaaaaaaybe - whatcha gonna do about it, eh, host?"

And with that both of them dissapeared with speed, Shunpo's each, and soon the clashing of steel resounded out, each of then striking then disapearing, zanpaukuto's both thirsting for each other's to fall.

[Mr. Butterfly]

Part Two

And whilst the sun sets in the sky, the night waits. Like helpless prey the light wanders away, seemingly happy and carefree. However, the darkness is still there, watching, waiting, ready to strike. The moment the sun has gone down to sleep it's fill the darkness strikes, echoing about the sky, forever trying to strike down the lights, stars and the moon itself. Forever, it's hunger to be complete will resound. And so long as one flame lasts, the darkness with have something to aim for - something to take out.

So why do I feel consumed already?

Barda parried another blow, feeling the pressure behind it, shifting his footing to keep up with this display of power his foe showed. As he did he let his hand drop to the hilt and flip it up, the tip of the blade grazing Kyoumen's shirt, cutting into it. Then another flash like lightning and both of the had reapeared a few hills over. Another blow - this time, Barda was assaulting, with a complicated flick of his wrist cutting upwards and away, while his inner hollow sidestepped and struck out with his knee, hitting Bardain the side. A slight pain was felt but ignored, and he let his own elbow ram Kyoumen in the chest. A grunt, then they were off again. This time, instead of clashing, both of them popped up on opposite sides of the hills they clashed upon.

Barda took this chance to take in a few breaths and observe his injuries. Nothing serious, just a few bruises and a single cut along his cheek. However, he felt tired. And then Kyou's voice rang out, the harsh, cruel rasp that at the same time held some form of sophistication.

"So...host. Tell me something. Why are you so opposed to me taking over?"

Barda blinked. He didn't expect that, but at the same time knew it was coming. He had no response - instead, he held onto his steady gaze, shifting slightly, holding his zanpaukuto tighter in his grasp.

"Well, Host....think about it. We could attain so much more! You're always holding back - your friggan' afraid to use my power for your own! If I was in control, I'd tap into every single reserve of energy you hold in your entire being. I'd crush anything in our path, simple as that. It would be easy."

At his last word he shumpo'd to dead in front of Barda, zanpaukuto raised, ready to strike down upon him. Barda reacted, and their swords clashed heavily with Kyou's words echoing in the background.

"It would be as easy as queltching a flame's thirst for air!"

Then another flurry of blows, both of the combatants moving back and forth, neither gaining to much ground, but both of them eager to end this. Barda made the first determining move by striking, then backpedaling suddenly.

"Fly with Pride! Garasu Tooboe Akatsuki!"

Shikai activated, his sword flashed, and became longer, thinner, more elogant. As Barda lashed out with it, Kyou wordlessly released his own, and the two blades met, fearsomely scraping each other and then the brawlers skid past each other for the meerest of seconds. As both of them turned, reiatsu became visible on their blades, and suddenly a miniature explosion hit between them both as the Zekkyou Umou's clashed, destroying the hill between them. Neither would have noticed as the we back at it, both of them trading blows far above the smoky residue of their previous attack, under watch of the twin moons.

[Mr. Butterfly]

Part Three

A midnight sun forever defies the twilight moon. The eclipse of the stars will forshadow the Lunar God's boundaries into mortality. And as the sea's tide changes, so does the hearts of man. All of this can be changed by the simple stroke of Destiny, unless the darkness truly consumes all, from the quickest of Fates to the darkest Midnight sun...

And yet all I see is the moon.

The gash on his shoulder was bleeding while the Vizard struck back with his own cutting move, the blade of Garasu slicing through Kyoumen's face, leaving a shallow cut across his forehead as he ducked back. Barda dropped back in the sky slightly. He took in a breath, feeling his side burn, the large cut right below his ribcage still bleeding, staining his white shirto n his side. Kyoumen was better off, most of the Hollow's wounds being papercuts in comparison. Barda kept his released blade at the ready, though blood trickled into his left eye from the cut on his forehead, causing him to blink, and wipe it away while Kyou watched, still grinning.

"Host, your not looking to well. Maybe you should just stop, eh? Let's face it -you can't beat me. Just go ahead and let me take over for a bit. Or permanently."

The hollow cackled at his last remark, almost like a hyeina on steroids. Barda didn't take this kindly, and he actually let his emotion get the better of him, lunging forward and stabbing out, catching his foe on the side, cutting into his ribs. He missed everything vital however as Kyoumen cut back, though Barda dodged. However, ducking the sideswipe was exactly what his opponent wanted a a foot connected with his face and he rocketed downwards, crashing into the hill below.As Barda stood up shakily, He heard Kyoumen above him somewhere.

"Embrace it, host! We shall become one if you give in! You've seen it in your dreams! Do not fear it! We can crush all! You need not these ties you feel for your comrades! Destroy them for more power!"

At this it finally dawned on Barda what losing would mean. Not only would he subject himself to eternal torture, but his family would suffer as well as anyone else that ran into him. He would need to be stopped at any cost, even if it meant his fellow Syndicate members striking him down. He couldn't let that happen to him - or let them go through the turmoil of them doing it to him. However, his thoughts were cut short as with a slightly yelp Kyouemn dove at him from above, zanpaukuto above him for an overhead slash.

"It's over, Host!"

The blade came down, a flash of steel aimed right for Barda's shoulder to cut to his heart.

No.

It's not over.

Blood splattered the ground around them, trickling down Kyoumen's blade. However, it was not the heart's blood, but something else - blood from the palm of Barda's hand. His golden eyes stared down Kyoumen's black ones, and his voice was resolute.

"Kyoumen...no. It's not over by a long shot!"

Another flash of steel, this time Barda's, and Kyou's abdomen was sliced open hoizontally as he let go of his blade. Blood spewed forth and Kyou's face was that of shock. Barda kicked him in the face, knocking him back off the hill in a roll. It was not that easy, however, as Kyou flashed away to the opposite hill, huffing, gripping his new wound. Barda's confidence remained.

"Kyou...we end it now!"

"..Agreed....host."

Both of them slowly raised their blades at each other, mirror images in every way. They were breathing at the same pace. Both of them had the same goal in mind. Both had something to fight for, and something to lose. Then both of their reiatsu flaired as they both echoed to same words.

"BANKAI!"

[Mr. Butterfly]

Part 4

A crow's sullen howl will wake the dawn, and the rooster's urgent call makes it rise. Darkness scatters, letting it's servants, the shadows, rest in it's place, hiding where light cannot reach them, spies of the night. However, pure light will destroy the shadows, and rid all of the neverending night of fantasy.

And so the light triumphs.

Explosion upon explosion continued to echo around the center of the fight. Large reiatsu blasts that were barely dodged continue to fill the landscape with the barrage of damage. The air itself grew hot, but was quickly flapped away by two sets of wings, relieving them with cool air. High into the sky they fought, trading blows and energy bursts. With both of them in Bankai - Ro-yaru Garsau Chishio Niiro Tooboe Akatsuki - they were at maximum combat strength. Long edged blades alight with kido energy, blades almost 6 feet in length each, clanged against each other, cutting into each other's shoulders. Grunts from both of them, then Zekkyou Umou's, burning into Barda's shoulder as half of it grazed into him, whilst Kyou recieved a rather bad wound to his thigh on that one. both backed away a few feet then rushed each other again, steel echoing out. Barda spoke this time to Kyoumen, instead of the sadistic hollow voicing his opinion.

"So, Kyou, what was all that talk about being consumed before? The tables have turned, my friend."

Kyou cursed, trying to push Barda's blade back but failing. He was slowly pushed back.

"Host...shaddup! You think you can do it all on your own! You haven't even fathomed how much stronger we could be!"

Barda added more push, feeling reiatsu course into his arms, ready for another attack to be launched. Maybe he could end it here. He lit his blade and shoved the energy out of it, and Kyou vanished in an explosion of energy, like a giant crater in the sky. The explosion drowned out all sound and Barda remained aloft above the light of the blow, still wary.

He heard a sputtering cough and in the smoky residue below him he saw a figure. It was his inner hollow - badly beaten from that last blow. His bankai was broken away, the zanpaukuto missing except for the hilt. His black clothes were stained darker with blood. Kyou's breath was deep and ragged. But as it looked over, his hand raised and a malevolent energy gathered at it's center, swirling round and round in an orb shape. At the same time he began to dissapate, His feet crumbling like chocolate crust on a pie. The more energy in what was obviously a cero, the more his body crumbled. Barda looked upon him with a mix of shock and empathy.

"Host! I will...never give up! NEVER! I will consume you one day!"

By now his waist was gone, and the cero larger than his fist. Suddenly it flared to a much bigger size and his chest disspaeard, his arm halfway gone, his face almost dissapating. The cero fired off as the last bit of his finger vanished. It was of fearsome speed, rocketing towards Barda with huge size and strength.

From a distance it would have looked like a train hitting a small fluffy golden kitty cat, though the cat was capable of defending itself. With a last mix of reiatsu and addrenaline he manage to keep the majority of the blast off of himself, though he was about half a mile farther into the sky than he started off. Before the blow vanished Barda's view of the world vanished with it.

Barda found himself back in the basement. Prompty after a sigh and body check, he laid down, and took a nap instantaneously. He didn't dream - or have a single nightmare.

[GoldenKitten]

Moved to Dead RP's.