Shadows and Flames

Eiji Maruyama ran quickly through the woods, the tree tops flying past his head as the moonlight pierced through the leaves in the nighttime sky. There had been reports of a disturbance at the edge of Seireitei and Eiji was sent to investigate. Up ahead, the trees began to part and led him to a clearing where the ruins of an old temple still stood. There was a partially destroyed wall surrounding the large area, while a large temple with a collapsed roof stood at the center. Eiji leaped into the air, first landing on the wall and then leaping once more to a roof of one of the several huts that surrounded the temple. It was very quite, except for the low cricket noise he heard in the background. A few fireflies lit up near old bhuddist statues, casting soft green luminescence on their stone faces. Eiji peered around the site, trying to discern any recent activity.

Rozeluxe Meitzen heard the siren of Hama Town go off causing him to leave his training a bit early to go into town. "I will be back soon Satonaka-sama. Thanks for the help and training, I'll try to make a good use of it. " Running towards the outskirts Rozeluxe through out a small ball causing a senkaimon gate to open into the Soul Society. After travelling for some time, he appeared near the far end of the Sereitei looking around before spotting a strange figure in the distance. "Could they be the cause of the disturbance?"

Eiji suddenly felt a shift of spiritual pressure off in the distance. Not wanting to be seen out in the open, he quickly jumped down and hid behind the hut. He pressed his back against the wall, gripping the sheath of his sword. He inched closer to a spot in the wall that was cracked and a piece missing. Eiji slowly peaked through the hole, towards the direction of the spiritual pressure, making sure to remain unseen. "I hope they didn't see me..." he thought to himself.

Walking foward toward the opening of the broken temple Rozeluxe looked around the empty carapace of what looked to be once a grand shrine. "Hm. I could've sworn that I saw a figure standing around in here. But now there's nothing." He sighed as he leaned down picking up a rock before tossing it into the brush across from him. "Hm. Then why can I still feel spiritual energy but can't see who is producing it. Odd."

Peering through the crack, Eiji watched as the figure came into sight. He didn't recognize him, nor did he recognize the man's clothing. He didn't bear any markings of a shinigami or squad division. "Who is this guy?" Eiji thought to himself. Still gripping his sword, he placed his other hand on the handle. Eiji slowly stepped closer to the corner of the building, keeping his back against the wall. He carefully placed each foot in front of the other, trying not to make a sound. When suddenly, Crack. A small branch covered by shadows snapped in half. "Oh... crap," he whispered to himself as he closed one eye and paused instantly.

Looking toward the direction of the noise Rozeluxe stood as he began inching his body foward in an attempt to spot the source. "I definitely know that someone is there...but who?" Smiling to himself Rozeluxe grabbed a hold onto the hilts of his blades. "I know how to shed some light on the situation....hopefully." Taking in a deep breath he began shouting "I KNOW YOU'RE THERE!! JUST COME ON OUT ALREADY!!"

"Way to go, Eiji.... idiot." He rolled his eyes at himself. "Maybe if I stay very still and not do anything, he won't check it out." He felt a sudden sense of relief which was immediately followed by disbelief, "Really, Eiji? THAT'S going to happen?" Eiji continued to argue with himself in his head, apparently losing track of his immediate surroundings.

Walking around the area Rozeluxe stopped as he noticed a figure moving behind a wall. "Oh ho ho. What do we have here?" Turning along the wall, then hopping on top of it where a slight part of it had crumbled away, he looked down at the stranger speaking to himself. "So you're the disturbance in the area. I don't know what you're up to but could you cut it out?"

Startled, Eiji quickly looked upwards towards the young man staring down at him. There was no sense in trying to hide anymore. Eiji just closed his eyes and smiled, "Well, I guess you found me." He took a few steps out into an open area to better see the newcomer, crossing his arms across his chest. "I don't know what games you're trying to play here, stranger, but I ask that you kindly leave this place."

"Leave this place? So you can go crazy and let loose? i don't think so." Rozeluxe took a seat upon the top of his stone perch as he placed as he placed his hands upon the hilts of his blades once more. "I heard an alert from my town and was led to this place. Then I find you here, that can't be any mere coincidence. If you look at all the signs, its obvious to see that you're the cause of it. So just give up the act already ok?"

Eiji continued to smile, "Yet I could say the same thing about you." and he let out a little chuckle. "I was sent by the Gotei 13 to investigate this place after hearing reports of hollow activity here. So as much as you want to play innocent here, I have they're backing, and as such, duties to uphold." Eiji rested his palm on the hilt of his blade. "I would rather not resort to any sort of violence... but at the same time I can't have you running freely here. So what do we do?" Eiji asked calmly, looking up once more at the man sitting on the perch.

"Gotei? Is that some kind of police force? Bah! All of that is a bunch of humbug to me. How do I know you aren't an arrancar?" Rozeluxe jumped down from his seat as he began drawing his blades. "If you're the enemy then I really don't have much choice and I'm going to have to cut you down. I'm sorry but Satonaka-sama requires I do that, and I refuse to let him down. So just state the truth or prepare yourself for combat." He shrugged as he continued to draw his blades and point them at Eiji.

"In one ear and out the other, huh?" He closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, letting out a deep sigh. The smile never leaving his face. "I'm not one for fighting, but if you keep persisting then I will have no choice but oblige you." Eiji fell very silent after that last statement, but remained with a laid back expression on his face. He made no movements to grab his weapon, nor ready himself in any stance.

Releasing his blades slightly, and crossing his arms Rozeluxe had a puzzled look on his face. "Hm? You're not one for fighting? Then why carry those blades in the first place? And the fact that you were hiding with your hands on its hilt clearly show the mark of someone that fights." Smiling as he sighed Rozeluxe raised his swords once more. "Well if you aren't going to explain yourself then I suppose we don't really have a choice in the matter." Walking toward Eiji, Rozeluxe prepared to launch the first strike.

"This blade is a weapon, yes, but it's also an instrument used to defend oneself and the values that they uphold." Eiji continued to stand motionless, making no gesture to grab his blade, waiting to see what his opponent would do.

"Values to uphold huh? That sounds like a lot of effort to me." Rozeluxe shrugged as he coontinued on "Well how about this? Why don't you just leave this area and we act like this whole thing never happened. Sound good? That way I can go take a nap and you can go do whatever it is you do. Hahaha"

"Now, now. No need to be rude." Eiji said shaking his head. "I can see that neither of us are going to leave this place by our own accord. So why not resolve this the way you can understand." With that, Eiji brought one foot back and gripped the sheath of his sword with his left hand, which rested on the left side of his hip. He casually placed his right hand on the handle. He gazed steadily at his opponent and bent his knees slightly. "Wait... Before we go any further. What is your name? I find it disrespectful to not know the name of my opponent. Even if they are my enemy."

"A fight huh? Now that I might actually be able to get into. My name...hmm...well you can call me Yun. What would I call you, intruder?" Rozeluxe grasped a hold upon the hilts of both of his blades as he sidestepped slowly to the left of his upcoming opponent in order to size him up.

"You can call me Eiji." he said with a smile, his eyes watching each step Yun made. "So who shall make the first move?" Eiji asked aloud. He flexed his fingers on his blade, thinking of possible attack patterns in his head, or proper counter attacks.

Smiling Rozeluxe shot foward with his blades drawn in an attempt to cleave Eiji's chest in two. "I guess this would answer your question huh?"

Eiji instinctively lept up into the air to avoid the attack, twisting his body until he was upside down directly above Yun. He gripped his sword and in one fluid motion, drew his blade in a wide arc aimed at Yun's neck.

Leaning back Rozeluxe swung his second blade towards Eiji's causing a shockwave to echo through the area as their zanpakutos collided. "Not bad stranger...you seem to have some skill with the blade. Sad you had to be someone I have to take care of. But I'm sure whatever organization you're working for is glad to have you along."

While still pressing his blade against Yun's, sparks flicking off their surface, Eiji landed on his feet and pushed against Yun. "Two swords, eh? And I see you have some skill in using them. Phew, You're going to be awfully tricky to fight." Eiji said aloud calmly. Quickly he grabbed his sheath with his left hand and drew it out of his sash in an attempt to strike Yun's midsection.

Suprised by the technique, Rozeluxe sucked in some air to brace for the impact as the sheath hit him quickly yet firmly causing him to fall to the ground. "Gwah." Looking up with a smile Rozeluxe rose to his feet as he pointed his blades back at Eiji. "You aren't bad yourself stranger, come at me again. I can promise you that you won't take me off my guard again. Engarde!"

Spinning the sheath in his hand to grip it like another sword, Eiji watched his opponent carefully, trying to judge which attack and direction he should go for. He raised both hands, pointing back at Yun. His smile continued on his face and he took a slow step forward. With each step, his speed increased until he pounced on Yun. Eiji fired a volley of sword strikes and sheath strikes from multiple angles to keep is opponent on the defense.

Blocking each swing with one of his own Rozeluxe started to smile a bit as the battle intensified. "Looks like things are finally starting. I needed a bit of a warm-up this time around. Heh. Oh well." Rozeluxe swung his second blade around Eiji's sheath using a fencing technique he learned from his teacher."Looks like that came in handy after all." Rozeluxe used his momentum to shift his body back around Eiji's glancing his oponent's shin with his blade.

Eiji flipped his body, using his blade to hold himself up as he cartwheeled away from Yun. After another flip, he jumped up to the roof of a nearby hut. "Whew, that was a bit too close." Eiji said as he tucked his sheath back into his sash. "I guess I should probably take this more seriously, huh?" and Eiji brought his other hand to grip his blade. "Normally I prefer to hold back and not have to kill my opponents if it can be avoided. But you seem like someone who I shouldn't underestimate, so...." and with that Eiji vanished instantly. He reappeared on Yun's right side launching a powerful wide arc aimed at Yun's midsection.

Rozeluxe sidestepped and instinctively placed his left blade in the path of Eiji's swing. "Have you forgotten that you're dealing with two blades? This won't be as easy as you think. You want to kill me? Well all I desire is for you to just leave allow me to get back to my training. If that isn't good enough for you then I suppose I will have no choice but to cut you down." Rozeluxe then flipped his right blade behind him as he pulled it across in an attempt to strike Eiji's chest.

Eiji brought his blade to block the attack, but the force knocked him back, causing his feet to slide on the ground. "Never said it was going to be easy. I said I wouldn't underestimate you." and Eiji quickly raised his left hand, pointing at Yun. '''Bakudō # 9. Hōrin' (崩輪, Disintegrating Circle'') and an orange hued tendril with spiraling yellow patterns fired from the tip of his finger in an attempt to entangle one of Yun's blades.

Rozeluxe had his eyes closed as he smiled "Its called a joke pal. Learn to loosen up a bit." Charging foward to attack, Rozeluxe was yanked back causing him to open his eyes to see that his blades have been trapped in a binding spell. "Feh..." He sighed as he tried cutting at the kido to no avail. "Oi! Why don't you drop this spell so I can continue fighting you? Wouldn't it be better if I had two blades instead of one?" He smirked as he continued tapping the binding spell.

Eiji yanked on the spell in an attempt to pull the blade out of Yun's hand. "As much as I do enjoy a good fight, I was still given a task to do. And I would rather you come back alive to answer some questions."

Rozeluxe kept ahold of his blade by holding onto the chain that kept the two together. "Come back for questioning? Hm...I'm not sure how much help I can be to a group of evil doers but nevertheless you will have to beat me first."

Eiji gave out a little chuckle and smile. "Beat you, huh? Well I'll give it a shot." And he placed his blade on the kido rope. This would be the first time he actually tried to combine these two Kido spells. '''Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden' (製本雷, Bound Lightning'') and an electric current surged through the orange hued tendril, mixing with its's yellow arcs of energy as it rushed towards Yun.

"AAAARAARAGH!!" Rozeluxe let out a scream of pain as he was electrocuted throughout his entire body. Wobbling, he used his sword to prob himself up and keep steady. "Heh. You sure know how to get to a man."

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Again, I would rather not fight so how about we call this a draw and try to resolve this misunderstanding through discussion?" Eiji asked politely as he waved his hand to disperse the kido spell. He flicked his blade before sliding it back into his sheath.

A white haired figure suddenly appearead between the two men as he smiled and sighed "Now now. Why have you two interrupted my meditation?"

Eiji instantly gripped the handle of his sword and readied himself. "Jeez, another one? I guess this is a popular place." Eiji felt something different about this man. His spiritual pressure was far more intense, like claws digging into his very being. This was probably the cause of the disturbance. Great... Eiji thought to himself as he widened his stance to be ready for anything. "Who are you?" he asked the white haired figure calmly.

The man shrugged as he looked quickly at both people in front of him "Who am I? You intrude on my land yet don't give your own information? I sense a hint of disrespect coming the both of you. I prefer not to fight but if you don't leave I will be forced to cause you harm."

Rozeluxe loked over the man with intense focus "Tch. This isn't you're run of the mill guy here."

"What's with everyone and giving ultimatums?" Eiji said aloud as he stared at the man. "But you're in luck. Me and that guy over there just happen to be two very stubborn guys. And we've already tussled over who gets to leave, who gets to stay, blah blah blah." Eiji said as he continuously made a talking gesture with his right hand. "So I suppose harm it'll be." he said grinning at the white haired man.

"Eh....you sure? I'd much rather slee-er..meditate than fight right now." Moving his hand the number 3 could be een briefly. "But if its a fight you desire I'm afraid that you may die."

Jumping to EIji's side Rozeluxe whispered "Hey Eiji. That's the tercera espada. That guy is as serious as can be about trying to kill us. Heh. I say we can take him. What about you?"

While focusing on the tercera espada, Eiji whispered back to Yun. "Fight against the tercera espada with someone who was trying to kill me about a minute ago? Sure, how could this NOT be a good idea." Eiji said sarcastically. "But taking on the espada alone would be suicide." Eiji began stepping to the side, "...so I guess we go with your plan for now. Ready?"