Volcanic Front (WW4 Interlude) (Done)

This place once upon a time was known as Jefferson City. Now it was scorched and horrible misshaped. Takehiko came here to help join the fights going on around the area. Buildings burned and engulfed in magma among other things. Heat and damage to the area as though someone had killed many. He'd come here to start helping to see the picture. He wanted to know why people fought in this world, what made them decide this was the path. Takehiko's eyes steadied themselves before he let a soft exhale of air go. He sat with a group of Gotei and alliance people now. He'd been sent as a medic to help near the frontlines. The tradition going back to the human's previous wars. Setting up medical units close to the frontline of battle. This wasn't going to be a simple thing as he'd been quiet since coming. He'd seen things just getting here alone. Bodies and smell of flesh in the air that made his stomach turn. Jefferson City had become hell on earth almost it seemed. He couldn't eat or sleep due to the constant noise of combat.

When some weren't fighting others were and if you had to go you had to go. He joined a group of twenty men to go to a front area. This place was still heavily contested and he needed something experience-wise. Takehiko hadn't come here to play games but to gain an answer. He'd wanted to see through the reason why these people fought. Was it anger or some twisted desire for revenge? He couldn't mark well what it was they wanted. He'd come and was welcomed but he sensed an edge to those here. They'd been here a while and he had his first battle coming up. Nerves felt long as he tried to focus on anything but the battle coming. These weren't like the old days though they spread out the twenty alliance members. They were sent here to guard a post until the main contingent came. When they were done they'd be going back home finally. Several of them had shown pictures of sweethearts, daughters and other things. Spirits and morale seemed high but what he saw.

It shook him as he realized one hundred enemies stood before them of a demon and hollow forces. They were coming towards them and no strategy had been used. One of the stronger shinigami next to him patted his shoulder. Informing him to just relax and do what he always did. What was it he always did though? Takehiko's fighting style at the moment always ended with him hurt. He couldn't fight this many while getting hurt on each one. His breathing felt labored as he'd never seen such numbers before. He felt solitary as though he'd been left alone in front of them. The darkness felt like it surrounded him and all he saw was those creatures before him. His mind began screaming for him to focus as one of the twenty a man named Izuna fell hit by a beam. Takehiko snapped from his confusion in time to catch the man as he died. Bringing his hand to the injury before realizing that it was too severe. Izuna had died right then and thereupon impact. His eyes watered as he glanced towards them feeling a twisting knot in his stomach.

One hundred against twenty and they had to survive this as he clenched his jaw. Feeling his blood running hot over the death of Izuna, He had a daughter who was only six years old. Had they returned they could have been reunited. He couldn't save him he was so weak. "If I can't mend their wounds, I'll...Kill them then." He thought to himself before dashing forward in one smooth motion unsheathing his zanpakuto to cut a demon in half. Covering his body with its blood as he quickly moved to dispatch another with his sword. He'd kill every last one of them to prevent injuries he couldn't treat. Takehiko raised his hand using Seki in a quick form to deflect a punch. As the demon bounced backward he released a byakurai through its chest. Just fight until they arrive that's all you need to do. That was the voice of the human Jacob, a nice young man who seemed smart. A bright future in Engineering brought to a halt by this war. Takehiko stopped pausing to figure out where he was now feeling a lance go through his left shoulder. His eyes turning left to right as he tried to find something here.

It began to dawn on him now what had happened. The spear came from behind and the one who'd killed Izuna. It was the alliance forces themselves, they'd betrayed them. They'd turned their backs on the people they served twenty men who weren't surrendering. This was a group of people who were fed up with the war. Feeling the spear withdraw from his body his eyes showed signs of shock. Trust betrayed so easily as he shook trembling as he looked at them. Seeing greed within their eyes promise of fortune to betray. Why hadn't he seen it before in them? He swung his sword slicing the spear wielder's head clean off. Covering him in more blood as he walked towards them. Takehiko's face and hair were covered in the spray of blood as he moved forward. Using Hoho weaving between buildings he picked at those nineteen turncoats.

Those who'd betrayed the alliance for wealth and glory on the other side. Takehiko's hands trembled as he dropped his sword upon the ground sitting for a moment with new injuries to be found. As he had killed all but four of them thus far. From Eighteen men he'd killed all but four of them gaining injuries to his waist and above his eye. Takehiko's breathing was heavy as he puked on the ground. Emptying the contents of his stomach now upon it. Azure eyes stained red by the flow of blood from his hair. Mixed with others and his own having killed so many people. His eyes held a heaviness to them and tiredness that couldn't be put into words. Shaking his hand touched his zanpakuto's hilt picking it up. As he began to move himself those who'd betrayed them. Those who'd turned their backs on the alliance were almost all dead. Izuna had almost been avenged entirely, as the last four came out. One kido spell from the right judging its quality it was Sho. Raising his right hand a barrier formed of green panels blocking it.

Releasing a powerful Pale Thrust his combination kido the man's body was pierced. Before a woman wielding knives jumped to try and cut his arm off. She was close and cut it though he'd managed to avoid a fatal injury. Bringing his katana upwards he cut her from her hip to her throat. Almost slicing her in half before spinning around and using Hadō 11 to fry a guy. Moving on he threw his sword at the last one who'd been a Quincy. Using Sho on the end of the hilt the blade landed with a clean sound pinning the guy into the wall by his throat. He felt like collapsing here as he walked over to his sword. Why had he fought he didn't sense anything else here. What made him come here and do this? His hands shook with not fear but something else. The shock had begun to set in as he pulled the blade twitching from the Quincy. Takehiko's legs gave out as he glanced around the combat zone they'd fought in. It was hidden away well enough and his spiritual pressure was easy enough to cloak.

But one thing wasn't so easy to mend as tears began trickling down his cheeks. He'd just taken away fathers and mothers, sisters, and brothers from people. He'd not healed or treated wounds for people. He'd failed in coming here, he'd failed entirely. The look upon his face became lax as he simply fell against the shake trembling. His heart trembled as breathed wanting to vomit more but his stomach had been emptied. They'd been his comrades earlier, why...why had they stabbed him. Why betray people who you care about? His body shook as felt himself whimpering and sitting covered in blood from head to toe. His mind felt like it was on the verge of breaking. Like the tension in his head had come close to a snapping point. He felt a pair of hands gently touch him inside his mind. Something akin to embrace at first which he recoiled and jumped. Thinking another person had appeared. But Takehiko sat yet, his body shaking and trembling in fear. He didn't know what to do or what to say. There wasn't an answer or a possible outcome that solved this thing.

They'd turned traitor on the alliance killed Izuna who was in charge of them. Eighteen men committed mutiny on them and tried to kill him. Wasn't there anything he could do as his body fell against the ground. He couldn't save Izuna, he couldn't save anyone here. His bluster and talk of that were useless. He was useless as a dull blade trying to cut a tree. He'd been entirely forgotten and useless here. He'd killed a couple of demons now thinking on it when he reacted that way. They'd been sent here to help them deal away with those who didn't convert. While the other large group when elsewhere, the one hundred never came. But he couldn't run or move he just sat trembling now. His legs shook along with every part of his body. Sweat trickled down his frame as he felt both hot and cold at the same time. Takehiko had gotten the answer but wasn't sure if he could live with himself now.

This answer chilled him to his core since he was capable of it too. How quickly he turned to kill to avenge them. How quickly he went to protect Izuna by exterminating the enemy. It didn't anger either it was simply fighting the enemy in front of him. Emotions didn't play a role in this senseless violence. But the part that broke him, was that he did it. This wasn't him acting like a proud Kuchiki sitting on the sidelines observing. This was his Inferno of which he'd been put into these twenty low ranks and file people. Decided to double deal and were ready to leave this side for the other. The Alliance knew already but Takehiko did not, the shadows see much. He knew that the Stealth Force likely knew about them and was using them. So not only did he mess up here in an amazing fashion. But he also failed to let them track how far it went. Slamming his fist into the ground he screamed and yelled as he slammed his head into the dirt. Covering his frame in mud and blood as he lingered there.

"I...should of died with you...Mom and Dad..nothing I do works..I just keep making it worse.." He said to the world as though it mattered to him. He just didn't know as he felt tears drip from his eyes leaving trails of clean cheeks. Moving through the blood and mud of which he'd been consumed by. Takehiko held his zanpakuto and now he understood many things. But he couldn't unsee this or escape this nightmare.

Still shuddering and trembling in fear his eyes were brought to a female figure. She walked towards him gently lifting his head towards her gaze. She could slap him or bring him out that way. Ruin was rough but she knew when tough love was needed. "You are an idiot Takehiko." His eyes began to focus on her as his heart steadied slowly. He didn't know what to make of the situation given to him. Ruin had decided to take the initiative and talk to him. "What...were they like when they were young?"The question came out amidst whimpering and fear that beset him still. They'd turned on him as Ruin wanted to say who. Just to mess with him a bit further but she gently released his jaw. Slowly the world around them vanished and the inner darkness of his world came. Sitting down next to him putting his head on her lap. She didn't give him a choice in the matter since it was storytime. She was going to tell the story and he was going to listen simply and quietly.

"Your father was much like you are Takehiko. He didn't care for war or violence despite his name. He lacked the skills of one who hid in the shadow like the other vagrants." She said softly running her fingers through his hair. Feeling the gentle touch of her gray fingernails softly through his hair. "But that said when he chose to fight. He was a literal monster in all aspects and though we weren't together for as long as I wanted." He sensed a somber tone to her voice as she did miss him. Running her fingers along his cheek softly. She brought her head down letting him see her eyes. Ruin's eyes were a yellow color these days. They were bright and rich with color and definition in them. "Your dad was gentle like you are Takehiko, but there comes a time when gentleness comes to an end." Hs eyes maintained contact with her as she continued speaking to him. "We cannot retreat, retreat and you will age. Hesitation will only bring death. " Her lips were moments from his as she retreated a bit.

Before gently touching them to his forehead and looking at him now. She smiled now as she brushed the hair from his eyes. Resting her forehead on his as she wanted him to know something important. "We are one, part of one another so much more. Your father embraced war and it's time for you to do the same. Ruin is brought by hesitation, I will help you fight..gather your resolve Takehiko. You are Tsunashi Unabara's Heir and you shall not die today. But your enemies, they will all die." Takehiko's black world shattered as he felt the wetness in his eyes. A red coloring around the underpart of his eyes from crying. Takehiko could still feel one hundred of them in the distance. His digits gently gripped his zanpakuto having retrieved it from its location. "Not that way, when we fight a sword is not required." Ruin's voice seemed to come to his ear now. Gently he swung the blood off sheathing it as he considered his situation.

But thoughts felt gone and long forgotten to him. Takehiko glanced at both his hands. Hakuda wasn't his specialty but kido was so he thought about it. Perhaps he could channel kido to his index and middle fingers on each hand. Using it to cut people in a fashion. Gently intense energy began to channel to each fingertip. Crimson color beginning to glow along the edge of his fingers. His eyes seemed in a trance almost as though his thoughts were gone. Sheer instinct remained as he walked forward slowly. Feeling the air against his skin as he stepped from side to side. Things came into a sphere around him as he heightened his senses more. Slowly something began coming from cuts on his body where he'd been wounded. Red mist like substance his blood had begun to boil. Ruin's power had begun to take effect enriching his blood as he walked further. Stepping with the immense speed from Ruin. A demon's head fell on the ground as the energy receded to his fingertips.

He made it longer similar to a blade for a moment before he felt his fists want to clench. He didn't know much beyond basic skills as a fighter in this form. He couldn't wield his blade. It wasn't his father's way of fighting in any regard. Fighting with his sword wasn't how his father fought in battles? How did he fight he wondered but his mind brought a single conclusion. Hakuda had to be the answer that they came too. He needed to discover what he could about that world beyond his focus. His hands slammed and moved as he continued fighting on his own. Takehiko knew not how long he would be here. Only that he would be fighting these demons for a while. He didn't have a number anymore as time became lost to him. The energy was expanded on throwing punches, being fast and agile as possible. He began to see it as Ruin gently corrected his form. His fist began flying with reishi imbuing them. Making impacts more tenacious as he moved forward.

Adjusting so he began using his legs while stepping and kicking people. The speed of his movements became sharper as he fell further. Into War eternal fists ready to crush his enemies. Takehiko's fists had become red with skulls crushed under the blows. His enhanced physical body only adding to it now. Slowly something was blossoming but it would be a time before it was complete. Takehiko's fluid yet graceful dance had blood moving. To those looking on, he danced within the horde of a hundred demons. His fist and feet were red with blood as he moved from target to target. Rapidly dispatching them and defeating those who came before him. Small lines of crimson could be followed as though traced in the air. Takehiko's blows were aimed for vital points to remove heads or crush throats. Releasing a burst of energy around him to continue his rampage. Slowly the number began to dwindle and it became clear. Takehiko was inheriting his father's title and style. Slowly Ruin was educating the boy on fighting like Tsunashi.

But also her previous owner's stances and movements. His body seemed to be hurting though no signs came to his face. Ruin was numbing the pain through his body with her power. Letting him fight like a Horsemen should, without fear or doubt in themselves. As time marched on hours went by and the bodies had piled on the ground. Before Takehiko's frame walked out of the field. A Kuchiki house representative having arrived to collect him. His hands trembled and he stood there wandering around. A daze still taking him before the house member's eyes widened. One hundred Shadow Fall members lay beaten and broken. But the Medic of the Gotei remained standing covered in blood. His and theirs with no small amount of damage to him. Takehiko had survived this encounter but seemed worse for wear. His hands trembled as Ruin whispered in his ear one last time. "When you awake it's time to seek the masters." It sounded like a code of some sort. His arm was put over the attendant's shoulder as more of them came. Escorting him off the battlefield at his uncle Byakuya's request. Takehiko's prelude to War had come to a close with rewards to be reaped.