Awakening of the White Devil

Clearing a Path
The darkened skies of Rukongai shadowed the futuristic land below; blanketing the land in pitch-black. Spanning as far as the eye could see, there were only flickering lights providing illumination. Of course, that wasn't all—the raven clouds lingering in the night began to glow viciously, before emitting a crimson burst of light, from which descended from the heavens, heralding the arrival of a overwhelming foe beyond comprehension. From deep within the void arrived the Dragon, the Omega; everything opposite that the devil woman once represented.

Bursting forth from the abyss was a young lady in her mid-late teens, with a slender figure, sizeable bust, and dark blue eyes. Her hair was blond, and reached down to her waist in length. It was kept free, and was rather wavy. Her fringe was kept just above her eyes, and she had three sets of bangs; first going down to her upper-jaw, second, upper-neck, third, chest-length. Her attire was a green and peach coloured dress, with the top being a dark green that has gold lining on it, and being sleeveless, as well as revealing a considerable portion of her cleavage, covered through a veil of sorts. She had a ribbon on her neck, which was red in colour, and had detached upper-arm portions of her dress' sleeves and had frilled gloves on her hands.

Gazing out upon the hapless city, the woman declared to the world before her, "Greetings, fools! Welcome to a new age…the Era of the Dragon! God helps those who help themselves. That is not only a very pious phrase, but a very just one. For one cannot assume that the higher beings exists to help people who are too cowardly and too lazy to help themselves and think that a higher beings exists only to make up for the weakness of mankind. They do not exist for that purpose. They have always, at all times, blessed only those who were prepared to fight their own battles...And I am that higher being."

"On the day that Soul Society was united under that devil woman's rule I recalled that you once gained immense victories. Then you became ungrateful, disunited, sinned against yourselves; it's essentially in your nature to be self-destructive. You all deserve your current state. If you forget yourselves again, if you think that you can shake off all honour and all good faith, I can do nothing but teach you all a hard and bitter lesson. But even at that time you were convinced that once you found yourselves again, once you again became industrious and honourable, once each individual being stood up for your dimension first and not for yourselves, once you placed the interests of your world above your own personal interests, once Soul Society again pursued a great ideal, once you were prepared to stake everything for this ideal, the hour would come when I would put an end to you."

"As you know, the Rising Phoenix takes residence within Rukongai. And if he were here, he would tell you that 'heroes' bring balance to the world. But, he is wrong. The only thing these 'heroes' have brought to the world, is suffering. It has been the cause of every war in every era; the source of the cycle of despair from continuing to spin. But that is about to change. Since the beginning of time, Ensura have acted as guardians of Soul Society, and they have spoken to me. They say that such 'heroes' have failed you all. That is why the Ensura have chosen me to usher in a new era of stability. They have granted me a power that will make my rule a true utopia. The power to take a person's spirituality away. Permanently."

"Today I will be a prophet: While you live in the bliss of ignorance, bringing you happiness, hand in hand with happiness are the sins of sloth and corruption. No one knows what true pain is and those that do are shunned. They are treated as nothing more than trash. When you're precious peace and equality are gone there will be nothing left to consul you demonic people. I shall save you from the comforting light and send us into the abysmal darkness—the icy terror of blackness and nothingness. I am your messiah, that time is now, and I am the reaper."

All the onlookers could do was watch on in fear; praying for a saviour that would snatch them up from the throes of despair and slay the dragon; bringing this dark era to a close as quick as it started. Seemingly from nowhere, a horde of eldritch creatures spawned; most certainly something beyond the comprehension of normal beings. Their features were beyond recognition, though judging by physical appearances alone, they appeared to formerly be Shinigami. Without a second thought passing through their minds, the innocent bystanders began to flee, only to be ensnared within their forbidden grasps. All looked grim as despair overwhelmed the populace, their fear was subjugated.

…*SLICE!*

Standing before them, a figure cleaved through the darkness, bringing light and hope to them. Their brunette hair was splayed out in all directions at the ends, reaching down to their waist. Several large clumps of hair stuck out, some curling away horizontally. Their bangs framed their face, though they had two 'layers', with the behind layers falling to rest upon their chest. There were a few locks of hair kept in the middle of their forehead; there was a slim curled forelock of hair at the top of their head. The wind gently blowed their hair, while everyone was watching him.

Small hips, white long legs and thighs, and a nice curved rear. There were several impossibly attractive women in Earth, Soul Society, and Hell, though this person's body was far more beautiful than all of those, from past, present, and future, even though he was a guy. It could be classified as art; a body with perfect shape. It looked like a nude body painting or statute on display at the museum. Truly, the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid known as Gai Nagareboshi possessed unearthly beauty that was on a cosmic scale. Gai wore a tight black jumpsuit with red linings that clung to his body. In addition, Gai wore a white scarf that reached down to his knees. Giving the bystanders a brief aside glance, the one known as Gaillardia Nagareboshi declared with vigor, "Gaillardia Nagareboshi. Son of Masato Nagareboshi. Ultimate Life Form created by Soul King Kazuma Nagareboshi. The Rising Phoenix. Clearing a way for the future!"

Showdown
Racing through the streets, Gaillardia Nagareboshi smirked to himself, "Ha, are they saying they want to go for it?" He spoke as if smiling as light amassed and converged upon his palm, before it expanded and solidified into the form of a giant broadly bladed sword with carvings and a hollow middle; the weapon's blade's edge displayed two phoenix wings, and its hilt bore two angel wings, contrasting the bat wings that comprised Aitashoshin's handle. The pommel was fashioned in the shape of the Kanji for "light" (光), corresponding to Aitashoshin's kanji for "darkness" before declaring triumphantly, "Yatte yaruze, Gaikaōtori!"

Someone slowly came into view. The lightly treading shadow that appeared without making a sound, it was a middle-aged man who would have belonged anywhere. His blank face and empty eyes paradoxically let Gai sense that this was a dangerous person, trying to attack straight away. Like some puppet being controlled by its strings, without any warning. But Gai easily killed him. One person. Two people. Three people. Four people. He killed the beings of darkness who with an easy grace that makes it look like he was dancing. There were no useless motions in that dance. Before long the streets were full of corpses. For the first time—with a face full of hatred Gai ran, stepping over the corpses of the crowd he had murdered before advancing down the street.

When he came out to the corridor, there were already five or so people on the ground. As if instinctually, Gai was cutting down beings like nobody's business. It was overwhelming. For some reason these didn't seem like they came the heavens, but they didn't move slowly like the zombies you see in movies. With a human-like quickness they leapt towards the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid. Regardless, Gai didn't bat an eyelash and easily took care of them. The sole reason they weren't bleeding was because they weren't normal. Killing people without spilling a drop of blood, Gai looked like a white god of death as he opened a path to Kaede.

Reaching the citadel, the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid met up with his allies; especially a young man who had grown rather well. He was now a slim young man of average height with rather messy black hair, which almost reached down to his shoulders, along with some strands pointing upwards on top of his head and a prominent tuft obscuring most of his forehead. He had red eyes with slit pupils like a snake's.

He wore a long, greyish cape reaching down to his feet, with lighter edges, a much lighter collar circling his neck, and a prominent, pale light bluish ribbon hanging down on his chest. Such cape bore a light symbol on it, almost in correspondence to his left shoulder. Below it, he donned a plain dark shirt, with prominent light cuffs and what looked like a large metal band circling each of his biceps. From a light sash circling his waist hung a distinctive, light-coloured cloth waist guard, consisting of four long pieces of cloth reaching down below his knees. Each of these pieces was adorned by a large, dark cross with fan-shaped arms. Below such waist guard, he wore a pair of armored boots, which, on the front, bore plates bearing the very same motif which appeared on the waist guard. Gai gave this young man a brief, flirtatious glance, remarking "My, my, Gunha. You've grown rather cute. You're so handsome now; no wonder the ladies are all over you! Even I'm rather enthralled…"

Gunha crossed his arms, responding with a slight blush, "Aww, come on Gai…I'm not that attractive…" All the while, he gazed around, attempting to shake his embarrassment. Gunha felt lucky; Gai was more than supportive of his relationship with Hizashi Yoshi, the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid's ex-lover, always asking when they were getting married and the like.

Gai giggled at such a reaction, responding, "Now, now. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're truly a stunning article, you know that? You know, if I wasn't taken I'd just eat you up." All this while he licked his lips, causing Gunha to inch back, the scarlet decorating his body becoming brighter. "But for now, let's focus on our objective." The Mototsu-Seishin hybrid glanced forward, pointing at the woman who was floating above, remarking, "Let's make a show of this, shall we?"

From all around of them, a horde of shadowy beasts manifested from the ground causing Gaillardia Nagareboshi and Gunha Teishin to brace themselves, standing back to back. Gai smirked, "Think you can handle this many?"

Gunha kept his confidence, responding with a growl, "Well…It may be tough if one more shows up, don't you think?"

Gai's eyes sharpened, focusing upon the hordes of foes before them, retorting with a smile, "Then that's definitely the one I'm taking care of."

Gunha replied while rushing forward, "…Wait, you're fighting too?" It began to rain as more shadows emerged from the ground where the two stood. The neon lights of the city buzzing in their ears, the rain sizzling off their hot cores. In a flash of light, the shadows fell to their deadly blades, though they continued to appear. Leaping to the base of the skyscraper, Gai glanced up. Kaede stood atop the building, over the large flickering video screen. Gai leapt to the side of the building and dashed up the length of it, striking down more shadows as they followed him upwards relentlessly. In an instant, Kaede dived down to meet her foe, she and Gai passed each other over the large video screen. Gai reached the top of the skyscraper, glancing down upon the ground. More shadows emerged around Kaede, who clutched her head; a shadow lunges for her, but she struck it down. Gai leapt from the top of the building, turning towards each other before hopping backwards.

Gai smirked, facing his foe, "Well, well. Guess it goes to show that old phobias die hard. Tch…I hate you dragon bastards. But that's beside the point. You face me now, acting like you're a god? Come off it, lady."

Kaede rested her left hand upon her lips, responding bluntly, "No. I am god." The air was full of hostility and danger as the two circled one another.

Gai clicked his tongue in exasperation, "…Tch. So you want to rule over us that badly!?"

Kaede broke from her composure, declaring fervently, "If I don't, then you'll all never end your fighting, perishing in the flames of time! I am your god!"

Gai snapped, now thoroughly annoyed, "So…you don't wanna walk alongside with the rest of us? You don't want to understand us?"

Kaede broke into speech, "You all placed yourselves in the position to be herded like animals. Besides…If I overcome you, someone who is the White Devil, my rule shall become solidified!"

A ferocious grin erupted from Gai's face that showed no emotion but teeth. "Well, then…Your ego's distorting Soul Society. I'll eradicate any chances of rebirth you create any and every time." Without hesitation, Gai shot forward like a bullet at his foe.

"That's fine determination!" Kaede responded, as their blades clashed.

Rising Phoenix
Gai began to run. His speed was incredible, despite the horrific torrent of rain and violent wind. It didn't take any more than three seconds to reduce the distance between them from ten meters to zero. Enough time to bring Kaede's body to the ground and stab her in her heart. But even that speed couldn't match the speed of sight. Gai had to close in on his target while Kaede only had to look at her target. For the two, that difference of three seconds was too long. As Gai shot forward like a bullet, Kaede merely stood in place, declaring, "A being like me…I'm meant to rule this world as its god. That's right; I am a superior being, absolute and perfect. I can't stand me being treated as though as I am as lowly as you pests. Let me show you the real difference in our powers."

As Gai remained silent, Kaede's eyes glimmered. The left eye for a rotation to the left. The right eye for a rotation to the right. Taking Gai's head and left leg as the fulcrums, she twisted. A strange sensation occurred instantaneously. The moment Gai felt the invisible power upon him; he jumped explosively to one side. But the power on Gai did not weaken. Kaede's psychic powers were not projectile weapons. Even if Gai escaped one round, it was impossible to get completely away from it whilst in her vision. "It would be a problem if you think you're the only one who has psychic powers. That is certainly the force that will guide this world!"

"…Tch!" Gai realized; Kaede's power was far stronger than he thought—he ran, as if to escape from Kaede's vision, he darted around in a circle around the Dragon Tenjōgekido. "Ohohoho! Do you honestly think you can evade—" Kaede declared, before becoming astonished. Her foe most certainly did get away! Unbelievably, Gai had jumped off the skyscraper, down to the ocean. The sound of a window shattering resounded throughout the air, as Gai's incredibly athleticism enabled him to leap off the skyscraper and into the parking lot behind him.

"You're too ridiculous, lady." Gai sneered. Gai most certainly did get away; even though Kaede managed to witness Gai's right arm until the end; she witnessed Gai's white trenchcoat twist—Gai's right arm was rendered useless. However, Kaede knew that she was leagues stronger than the Rising Phoenix as she made her way down to where Gai was, aiming to conclude this right here, right now. Darkness engulfed the parking lot. Visibility was bad, making it hard to walk. It felt as if she were in a miniature town. The metal poles and the stacks of materials were arranged like buildings. A few minutes after following Gai down here, Kaede regretted choosing this place as the battleground.

Kaede's psychic powers, Clairvoyance and Distortion had to have the target in her vision to set the fulcrum of the twist. Even if Kaede knew that Gai was hiding behind a metal pole, if she couldn't see Gai, then only the pole could be twisted. In that slight instant on top of the skyscraper, Gai understood Kaede's power. That was why he fled, here, the place where he possessed a chance of winning. In spiritual terms, Kaede was stronger; but in physical terms, Gai would eliminate her in a span of a few moments. If she couldn't perceive Gai, she'd just have to destroy everything blocking her view. Kaede took every metallic pole that possessed the outcome to get in her way and twisted them.

"You really are ridiculous." Gai's voice echoed through the darkness, causing Kaede to turn in the direction of the vice. The stack of materials Gai was hiding behind was instantly obliterated. At that instant... a white figure shot out of the wreckage like a bullet. Kaede's eyes focused upon the Rising Phoenix; the young man in the black form-fitting suit and the white trenchcoat rushed towards Kaede, holding his right arm out. Without hesitation, Kaede bended; with a cracking sound, Gai's right arm broke. His neck was next, but when Kaede blinked, Gai was already within range. The path that his blade chose was like a flash of light; a brilliant swing that left a lingering trace within the blackness. The sword that struck without hesitation, however, did not make contact with Kaede—Kaede ducked, avoiding the swing that was aimed at her neck.

"…Damn." Gai readied his blade once again, as Kaede frantically gazed at Gai's body; the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid's movement was faster than Gai's scream as Gai dashed into the darkness without hesitation. Kaede was breathing heavily as she cautiously checked the darkness surrounding her; unknowing of whether Gai would leap out of it again. Kaede felt her neck; there was a slight scratch from Gai's previous attack—a wound of about six millimeters that wasn't bleeding, even though her breathing was strangulated. All the while, Kaede was absolutely confounded; 'why didn't Gai stop even when his arm was broken', unable to suppress the fear in such a question. She couldn't forget that moment; those stunning yet fearsome azure within magenta eyes of his that illuminated the night as he still rushed at her after having his arm broken.

"That was a close one…" Hiding behind a stack of debris, Gai muttered to himself. The arm had no power when it was twisted. Since it was useless, he decided to use it as a shield and rely on one decisive strike; but the plan failed because of the fact that Kaede was more cowardly than Gai thought she would be. Quickly, Gai removed his trenchcoat for a moment and cut off the right sleeve; wrapping the cloth around his right upper arm to halt the bleeding; such a crude treatment. There was no feeling in the arm that was twisted; it would probably never move again—realizing that, a chill ran down the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid's spine as he felt his consciousness slipping away.

"Let's go. I can see the trick to your magic show now." After shaking his head clear of the effect of the blood loss, Gai scrambled to his feet; gripping Gaikaōtori tightly in his left hand, muttering, "Bankai. Chōetsu Gaikaōtori!" In an instant, the Rising Phoenix slowly appeared in this new form; Kaede couldn't believe her eyes, Gai was directly in front of his foe, and a long distance away, too. "With you always clinging to their old ways, hurting others for the sake of it, you can never change! In an age of reformation, both the obsolete and the wicked must be thrown away."

Kaede glanced at Gai, bending as her vision distorted. The fulcrums manifested on Gai's head and leg rotated in opposite directions and twisted Gai's body like a ragdoll. "…For instance, those individuals with an old fashion mindset, who take wealth and power for granted and look down on the masses even though they're of the same kind…Whether you like it or not, time will leave you behind - similar to the way that your beauty will wither away with time. In order to cling to the glorious past, people achieve peace by hurting others. People know it isn't the right thing to do, but they are unable to stop any of it. With you resisting changes, somebody needs to teach you the right path! I am the only one who can perform such a task!" Kaede fervently finished her rant.

At that moment, light gathered and roared around Gaikaōtori's blade, as white feathers surrounded the blade. His eyes sharpened, focusing upon Kaede. The white feathers converged, before immediately hardening. "Shining…ONSLAUGHT!!" A loud *BOOM!* echoed throughout the atmosphere, as Gai Nagareboshi unleashed a spinning, cross-shaped blast of feathers at Kaede; Kaede should have twisted Gai; whose right arm was bleeding profusely, but Shining Onslaught nullified Kaede's distortion upon mere contact; no…it killed it. "It's hard to see that without form, but you used your power too many times. Now I can finally see it. Your power is a helix of scarlet. It's really…beautiful." Gai's grin widened as he closed in at high speeds.

Shooting forward, Gai remarked, "Everything in existence has an Achilles' Heel. Especially humanoids, but even in air, will, and time. It's only natural to have an end if it has a beginning. With my psychic powers, I can witness the death of everything. They're special, like your own psychic powers." Gai glanced at Kaede with his ominous magenta within blue eyes. "That's why…I can even kill gods."

De-Power
The Mototsu-Seishin hybrid closed in at an incredible velocity, dashing as gracefully as if he were walking. However, much to his surprise, a devilish grin crossed Kaede's face as she emitted some sort of incomprehensible force, knocking Gaillardia Nagareboshi off his feet, sending him barreling across the pavement. Before he could react, Kaede leaped on top of him with a *thud*; the woman straddled him as he trembled. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Kaede extended her hand in order to touch Gai's face; causing him to jerk back, though Kaede bent her wrist so that she grabbed Gai by his chin, forcing him to look at her, eyes full of fear. "My, my…You've done well to stand against me holding back, Gaillardia Nagareboshi."

Kaede remarked, "To you, this is the first we've met. But that's not the case for me. I first met you five thousand years ago. Yes, right here. In this hellhole of a town where foolish beings were fighting each other. And on it, one boy desperately running for his life. I was watching you, from the vantage point of that skyscraper." A smirk crossed her face as she continued, "But that's not the point here. Haven't you noticed? The world has used its knowledge for conflict and repeatedly risk its own extinction. Though great leaders appeared at times, they reach the end of their lives in a few decades and the world always return to a state of chaos…You never learn anything from the past."

"Right now, the entire of Soul Society is watching this, Gaillardia Nagareboshi. Let this be a demonstration of my might." Without any hesitation, the Dragon Tenjōgekido thrust her hand forward, into the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid's stomach, grasping at his soul. "Hmhmhmhm….Your power, it's the most cherished thing you possess, right?" All this, with a smirk forming upon her face; Kaede became basked in a mystical azure light, also shrouding Gai within this demonic light.

"Strip away your precious power, gazing at your very core, what's left? That's right. …So friendship is the core of your soul, eh? No, there must be more. Let's go deeper… deeper…" Kaede's smirk erupted into a grin which displayed no emotion but teeth, all while Gai began to scream. "Why, look! Discrimination... abuse... betrayal and hatred. It would seem you actually hate everything…Hahahaha…." Powerful flashes shot through Gai's mind, overwhelming him with negativity; as if forcing his mind to shut down. All the while, the Mototsu-Seishin hybrid felt his mind being eaten away at by rabid dogs.

Gai squealed, "Ow... it hurts, it hurts! Please, stop! I... I never did anything to anybody, so why... why does everyone hate me?! I was just... just...Stop…! D-Don't take away what's most precious to me…!" It was as if an alien hand had reached right inside where no hand had a right to be, and wrenched at something deep and precious. Gai felt faint, sick, dizzy, disgusted, and limp with shock. It wasn't allowed. Not supposed to touch.

"Pain... violence... loneliness... par for the course... aha, but what's this...?" Kaede cackled as more and more negativity overwhelmed Gaillardia Nagareboshi, it felt as if Kaede has cornered him, wrapped him tight and brought him close.

"Don't! Please... not that...!" Gai screamed futilely as everything began to vanish—his physical abilities, his spirituality, psychic powers, Zanpakutō, Envoy of Destruction—Everything. "It's sticking in me! You cutitoutyoucutitoutYOUCUTITOUTYOUCUTIT—"

"You may call them your loved ones, but you don't trust them. Not really. Deep down, you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop. In nature, oppressed creatures often cozy up with those who are controlling them. You're merely doing as the animals do." At that moment, the deed had already been done. There was nothing nobody could do; what was most important to Gaillardia Nagareboshi had been stolen from him—there were no chances he could regain it.

"NOOOOOOOOOO! Please... please stop it! STOP!" Letting out a final scream, Gaillardia Nagareboshi's eyes spilled over, rendering him an emotionless, still doll—unfeeling, unmoving. He had been hollowed out; everything was taken from him in an instant.