Not Quite Dead, Not Even Alive

He was back to his former glory, or as his mind remembers, nothing changed. Short black hair hung over crimson eyes, a Maltese cross dangling around his neck. His boots crunched the grass beneath his feet, his spiritual energy freezing the blades as he walked. If anything, Shade Kagekyo was a new Demon, that much was true. He had been on his way home, but decided to stop at Hama Town to relax.

Sitting under a nearby tree in town, Rozeluxe was taking his daily nap as he eased himself gently in the breeze. "Today is a great day. The sunlight is just dim enough where I can seemingly grab it in my palm. Ahhhhh its days like these I love to rest."

Shade walked up to a nearby tree before placing his hand on it. Not knowing there was someone up against the tree, he had a wicked inspiration to freeze it. With the skills honed of nineteen years of being a human iceberg, he focused a wave of icy Reitsu into the tree, turning it into a solid mass of glistinig, unmeltable, ice. He muttered something about how he should have checked behind the tree.

"OI!!!!! What the hell do you think you're doing Van!?" Raze jumped up from behind the tree with his hair swaying in front of his face, before removing it and spotting a man with black hair and developing a confused look on his face. "Wait a sec..." Placing a hand on the tree he felt its cold temperature and turned back to the man. "This is ice...not crystal? Who in the world are you and how did you do that?"

Shade jumped in shock. "Sorry, didn't see ya back there, I was testing my power and well..." he began pointing behind him at the frost covered path he trod to get where he was. "Anywho, the name's Kagekyo, Shade Kagekyo. Now then, who are you?"

"Er....you can call me Yun, strange ice bringer. Why are you treadng through town freezing the area as you go? Do you not know how to control your powers?" Raze questioned as he shook his head looking at the trail of glistening pieces of nature frozen in the horizon.

Shade chuckled. "Oh of course. I've had them for nineteen years. Problem is, they like to get stronger, so I wanted a practice run, just too see how strong the've managed to become. I'd say the tree learned quite well. Now Yun, you were going to blame Van for this. Where is the bugger anyway? Haven't seen him in a while."

"Hm? You know Van? Then I take it you had some run-ins with each other then." Shaking his head for a moment he stopped. "Wait a sec. You can't just go utilizing your powers and freezing various objects. That's dangerous. If I were any closer to the tree then I would be frozen as well."

"Of course I know Van. I saved his life for Bael's sake. And I would have just unfroze you eventually." Shade said, trying to imagine anyone frozen inside his ice. "You know what? I haven't seen Shiro in a while. I miss getting called Ice Mutt honestly."

"Er...Shiro? Shiro Kujo? Well the thing about him is that he died a while back in the Soul Society. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to say your farewells." Raze looked grim before turning back to Shade, "But how did you save Van?"

Shade remained silent for a moment as news of his rival's death sunk in. "Did you know Shiro was after him for a while? Van and I met in the middle of the town me and my family were hiding in, fought for a bit and then he came to my place with Atsuya and Kanata. Long story short, Kujo showed up and started a fight. Ever since, me and Van have worked together on a few things, and Kujo became my rival, always we'd fight and it'd end in a draw."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Van never told me about any of that, though he always did get angry whenever someone brought up the name Kanata. That would explain the picture he has in his home. Hmmm....if you faced off with Captain Kujo then you must be pretty powerful in your own right huh?" Raze smirked as he tapped his blade

Shade smiled. "Yep. Although I did technically lose that first fight. I think it was my lung he hit. I always said he was better than me simply because of his abilities." he said, holding out his hand. With a sudden rush of cold air, a ice-blue sword appeared. "You first."

"Oh? I see you waste no time. I see why the two of you were rivals. Heh." Raze smiled as he drew a chained sickle-like weapon from his kimono. "Well then, let's do this." Swinging his weapon, he launched it toward Shade.

Shade blocked it with the flat of his sword before pushing it to the side. Once he thought the coast was clear, he ran in, sword raised high. When he got into striking range, he brought the sword down hard.

Smirking, Raze tugged hard on the chain causing the sickle edge to come back towards Shade's rear. "I see why you two were rivals now." Raze said as he blocked with the chain causing him to be brought down hard to the ground.

Shade was impressed with his opponent's moves before the sickle edge gashed his leg, almost cleaving the bone. He pulled back and fished it out of the flesh, a small growl escaping his lips. Thanks to his Demonic healing the wound wasn't going to hamper his fighting. He tossed the weapon aside. "Looks like I need to reveal to you something. Reveal to us your sacred light, Shinjitsu Zai-no." Shade said as his eyes turned ice-cold blue. In his free hand, he created a chunk of ice with a sharpened tip. "Now, don't mind me, but chill out." At his utterance, the air became frigid.

"Tch. So these are your powers huh?" Raze spoke as his breath became chilled as soon as it left his mouth. "Too badmy scythe there prevents healing, otherwise that wound would be nothing for someone like you." Drawing his zanpakuto, Raze breathed in deep. "Envenom, Kurage."

"Well, I recovered enough to where I can fight without any problems, not enough to brush it off like nothing. I do hope you enjoy the weather I created. Personally, I HATE the cold. I dispise it with the very fiber of my being." Shade said as he threw the shard.

Slashing forward, Rozeluxe smiled as he a wall of snakes suddenly bursted free from what seemed like nothing. "The cold? I rather enjoy it. It helps me sleep at night hahaha." Spinning to avoid the shard, Roze was surprised when it cut through the fabric on his arm. Thinking to himself he sighed. "Looks like this guy is more than just some random idiot."

Shade smiled as he used his unholy speed to warp behind Raze with little warning. He lazily tapped his enemy on the shoulder before warping up to the tallest branch of the frozen tree. "Lucky you. I'd rather burn than freeze. It's faster that way. Plus death means nothing to me." he admitted before creating a massive quantity of shards and tossed them like daggers.