Solitiary Confinement

In a meditative pose at the top of a large rocky mountain, Hyōsube was practicing the art of. His Zanpakutō, spread across his lap, he began to commune with the blade's spirit. Fire quickly surrounded him and the ground below Hyōsube faded to a coal black. "Hyōsube-kun... how the mighty have fallen" a voice chimed from the flames.

"I'm not here to listen to your quips Ihai..." Hyōsube remarked, his eyes closed. Dark bags sagged under his eyes on his once handsome face. His sanity had dwindled and madness had overcome his entire existence.

"Then why do you attempt to harmonize with me?" asked Ihai, still refusing to take physical shape. The flames roared around Hyōsube but maintained a serene composure. A face could be made out, one with a frown of sadness.

"I continue to grow stronger... If I'm goin to have it all, I need your complete power" Hyōsube said. "You refuse to let me use your Bankai, If you won't let me then I will force it" Hyōsube continued. The flames seemed to halt from their blaze as these words left Hyōsube's mouth.

"You damn fool..." the fire quickly rose upward, taking the form of a column. Stepping from it was a tall man with skin that was pitch black. Red lines ran down the side of his head and arms. A wicked smile seemed to be connected to his face. "I should smack you around a bit, takin that kind of approach with me" Ihai said.

Hyōsube remained in his meditative pose and simply opened an eye at his Zanpakutō. "To be graced with the presence of Ihai, truly is an honor" Hyōsube quipped.

Letting out a cackle, Ihai leaned over so his face was at Hyōsube's. "Don't play my games kid" he sneered.

"Our games are one in the same Ihai, 'cept I am the game master... you are the game piece, so wise up and get in line" Hyōsube said as he stood up, his blade gripped tightly in his hand. Hyōsube knew this would infuriate Ihai and he waited for the reaction.

Not even moving, Ihai remained quiet. "So... that's how it is kid" Ihai said as his eyes locked with Hyōsube. "You want my powers, fine I'll give in... but just so you know" he continued as he began to fade into dust. "If you play with fire, you're gonna get burned!" he finished just as he disappeared back into the blade.

Ihai shrugged the comment off and sheathed it back into its sheath. After that annoyance, Hyōsube didn't feel like communing with Ihai anymore for the day. Turning to see a group of large boulders, stacked in a large pile, Hyōsube dropped his blade and his cloak. Removing his shirt, he lifted up both of his fists in a "fighting" pose.

Spiritual energy surrounded his fists as he lunged at the boulder. He began to beat on the biggest of the boulders, slamming his fists into the center dozens of times. A few grunts and sneers slipped out as his knuckles began to bleed and finally he let loose. Moving from punches to slams with the flat side of his hand, blood poured from his hands as he let out a chilling scream.

His sanity, pushed to the farthest corner of his mind, sat in solitude... but not a willing solitude. Forced to sit and wait for a "true hero" to come and bring Hyōsube back from this descent, his sanity sat in what could be related to a prison. Left to rot, this would be the deciding factor of Hyōsube's future.

Hours passed and Hyōsube laid his head against the busted and blood soaked piece of earth. Not wanting to move, he simply closed his eyes and let his body fall against the rock. In the midst of his moment of serenity, light echo's rang through his head. What appeared to be the sounds of hundreds screaming in agony, Hyōsube quickly clenched his head. "Get out of my head!" he yelled, moving into a fettle position on the floor.

In the distance, Ihai laid across the floor inside of its blade. Inside, the spirit of Ihai watched on in sadness. "How the mighty have fallen" he repeated to himself the same comment he said to Hyōsube before. A loud yell from behind Ihai caused him to turn from his place in his inner world.

Floating in the air was a large gray-skinned being with long orange hair and a wicked grin. "That little punk thinks he can just take me as his own!" called the wild "animal". He locked eyes with Ihai and said "Da fuck are you?" before watching Ihai disappear.

Appearing behind the wild and rude being, Ihai called out "Todome". Chopping the being in the side of his neck, it flew downward and slammed into the ground.

"F-Fuck... how dare you do that to the great Diablo!" he called, standing up. Ihai noted what Diablo had said.

"Oh, so your the thing that the kid killed... he got greedy and absorbed you" Ihai said, turning from Diablo and going back to his thoughts.

Sneering at Ihai's lack of praise for Diablo, Diablo leaped through the air and went to kill Ihai. "DIE DIE DIE" he yelled as he flew through the air. Freezing right before impact, Diablo tried to wriggle free. "Da fuck is this!" he yelled.

Ihai, without turning, said "This is my world, I control everything... its the kid who manifests it".

Diablo just blinked his eyes and let out a snort. "I like you! Your cocky!" Diablo said.

Ihai didn't listen to Diablo and simply dropped him. Diablo moved next to Ihai and saw the faded image of Hyōsube, sprawled out across the floor. "Tch, whats the matter with'em?" Diablo said, his insanity seemed to have suppressed.

"Alot..." Ihai didn't even know how to describe what he had witnessed since earlier in the day.

"When he absorbed me, he took my abilities and my bloodlust... my wild-side is still with me, but barely" Diablo said. "Without that dreaded emotion... I can see a little clearer now. If I can give you one word of advice, it would be to grab'em by the neck and pull him from the darkness" Diablo said, sounding sophisticated for the first time in his life. He saw as Ihai turned to him.

"If only it was that easy..."