LOCK PLEASE.

[Dad]

Dura smiled as the wound closed itself. "At least I know now you have the ability to break the pre-layer of my skin." He turned quickly jabbing a large, back handed fist into Mateo's chest, reeling him backwards. "You will make a great Apprentice, Mateo. But only when you have mastered your shard," he said watching the left sliver of the shard begin to chip.

 

"It begins."

[Zexaeon]

Shina sealed and sheathed her Zanpakuto, slowly opening her eyes. She had sent out her message. All she could hope for now was that it would stay in his heart.

 

Turning, she could see Yoruichi looking at her. She gave her a sheepish grin and shrugged. "Something was bothering me...I uh, wanted to check out." she lied.

 

 

-

 

 

Alexander laughed as Jo appeared right next to him, out of her teleportation orb. "Pretty good!" he said as he continued to soar off. "Keep making choices like that, and you could pass me!"

 

As he continued off after the finish line, a strange feeling had started to overtake his senses. His humor was being not-so-subtly replaced with a sudden desire to turn around and go see her.

 

When he thought of her snakey body, he managed to see past the serpent, to the voluptuous woman inside. What the... he thought to himself, forcing himself to continue forward, shaking off such adulturous thoughts.

[Dad]

OOC: xD Alex has a snake fetish. xD

 

Kiron felt an ominous presence throughout him. "Dura? What are you--never mind." His legs began to get the feeling back in them. He was able to move them slightly, and he was eager to watch the end of the race. "Bah. That foolish boy actually pierced me. A lucky strike." He stood up slightly and wobbled his legs.

 

"I trust they are nearing the middle of the course." Kiron grinned as he hobbled his way to a window.

[Guest]

The Arrancar quickly disappeared again, making sure his reitsu was hidden. A few moments later two snakes curdled around Dura's legs, working as cuffs. Mateo appeared in front of Dura along with two copies of himself, each rearing blades that were itching for blood. A quick sonido triplet led to nothing but slice marks appearing on Dura's chest. //All I need is power! It's because of my weaknesss that I couldn't protect Jo. I will never be that weak ever again!//

[Dad]

Dura simply laughed at Mateo's foolish attempt to draw blood. "You'll have to try harder." Touching a finger to Mateo's chest, he blew hi away, and strangled the life from the many snakes binding him. "Allow me to show you what strength your shard could some day lead you to achieve." Dura loosened his body, and began to release his suppressed reiatsu.

 

Mateo fell to the ground, being pushed down further into the molten destruction below. "This Mateo," he said stepping forward," is the power of the sacred shards. Only with it's control will you bring yourself unto power." Smiling evily, he picked up Mateo's heavy head. "And don't get confused my boy. This is only a fraction of my power. Hmph." He suppressed his reiatsu once more, as his wounds closed.

 

Standing Mateo up, he tore open a dimensional hole above them; it displayed the dark forests of Soul Society. "Soon, you will go. And the sooner you break your shard, the sooner you will accomplish your goals."

[Guest]

Mateo smiled, he was hoping for Dura to push him further. As he was blasted away by the Satan like hollow Mateo felt a inch of his true Reiatsu slip out. //If I could gain strength like that...// Mateo quickly focused a giant amouunt of reiatsu into his chest and ran towards Dura with as much speed as he could muster, making a quick slice at Dura. The blade barely dented but the Arrancar didn't care, the reiatsu he had focused into his chest flashed out, causing a giant explosion in the face of Dura. When the blast resolved the real Mateo was standing outside of the blast ratio, smirking.

[Dad]

Coughing, Dura wiped the soot from his face. "Thbt. That stuff tastes funny. What is it?" He shook it off, as his first layer of skin peeled. "Tch. I guess it's a good thing I have three layers of skin. At least you were able to gather the strength to attack me." Dura refused to be affected by such petty things. "This is irritating. I need to use the boy to my advantage, but I can't help but wanting to splatter him across my walls," he thought.

 

"Try again. I won't close my wounds this time, so if you can break through to the final layer, the true skin, I'll open up on you. Well, that's if you can hit me." Sinking into the darkness, Dura suppressed his reiatsu yet again, completely making himself invisible. "You have the tools Mateo," he called from the blackness.

[Guest]

Mateo nodded as he closed his eyes, he had to think of a way to hit a hidden Dura while making sure he did enough damage to cut through his skin. //There's only one thing that comes to mind and I don't know if I could do it...// Fragments of the shard of power dropped from the Arrancar's head as he made four copies of himself, which soon after made about one hundred smaller snakes. "Gren Cero Dele Goura!" Each of the snakes along with the copies of Mateo fired off a Gren Ray Cero at a fast rapid tempo at different directions in the hellish grounds. //If this doesn't hit Dura I'll only have two options left....// The Arrancar however felt as if someone just shanked him in the chest with a teddy bear, feeling the effects of the shard's breaking.

[Dad]

Dura cocked his head slightly to the right avoiding the Cero which fired in his direction. "A nice try, I admit. But you'll have to be far more strategic than that." Dura laughed watching Mateo struggle. It was interesting that he could fire off such power so rapidly. Not many people wielded such abilities. Right now, Mateo would be a challenge for even Alexander.

 

It was quite intriguing to wonder, if Mateo could really bring about the end. "Hmm," Dura thought to himself. "Perhaps he will be of even greater service to me than I thought."

[Signosis]

Jo grinned widely at Alexander as she showed up beside him.

 

"Pretty good! Keep making choices like that, and you could pass me!"

 

She noticed that he was staring at her awkwardly, and a light blush went over her face -- luckily the Hollow mask was there.

'So that's what this can do...,' Jo thought to herself, looking down at her shard. 'Attract...men?'

A slight shudder went through her at the thought of a ton of men mauling her, but it quickly went away due to the orbs returning in her sight. Her eyes looked to both of them quickly, and went for the left one as Alexander sped forth -- and practically slapped the orb, hoping that it was the right one.

[Dad]

Joe was quite lucky. The right orb would have driven her to a dead end; a reiatsu wall dead end. As she was whisked forwards, three orbs remained, each with various dangers ahead. The first, being a fiery pit, in which a burning, tentacle like creature swung his tentacles about. At the very foot of the pit, a heart shaped crest was marked.

 

---

 

Kiron's legs were made available again. He shook them slightly, making a gigantic hole in the wall, and speeding through it to Sougoyku Hill. Alexander was just seconds ahead and Jo was coming to the first big obstacle. "Flaming Octopus. The things they come up with," he said chuckling.

[Signosis]

Jo screamed in delight, jumping up and down the best she could in glee -- then looked back to the closing in Alexander. She then looked to the firey tentacles, and slightly beyond those, a heart shaped crest. Jo raised an eyebrow, then looked at the tentacles -- wait a flippen second....

Jo looked closer her eyes switched to each tentacle, noticing that there was a certain rhythm and time to each tentacle. Perhaps this thing was alive and wasn't quite knowing what it was doing, just flailing its tentacles around boredly, not noticing that it had made a pattern for itself. Jo grinned widely and evaded the first tentacle....

 

'This thing probably reads reistu,' Jo thought as she gracefully evaded the second and third one. 'If it does, I'm screwed.'

 

Then...her mind went back to the ever increasing size of Alexander.

'...Does he have interest in me...or was it the shard?' Jo asked herself. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, nearly missing the fourth.

 

Four more to go.

[Dad]

Jo was tossed forwards, spinning about as she was tossed to the next orb by the sneaky Flaming Octopus. Kiron couldn't help but laugh. "Stupid Octopus." She was flung forwards and crashed into the next orb; it was an amazing lead she had gained! The orb tossed her forwards again, leading her to a straight path, with no obstacles, the second to last orb in it's path. It was a clean shot, that would lead her to the finish line.

 

Kiron chuckled. "I wonder how she'll get by this," he said curiously.

[Signosis]

Jo let out a shriek as she was tossed forwards, into the orb. She somersaulted out, into something solid. She whined, sitting up slowly, rubbing her bruised nose.

 

"Oooowwie...," Jo cried out, standing. She then noticed that nothing was there. Suddenly, though, there was a pressure upon her chest that increased to the point where she was sliding backwards. Out of curiousity, she slithered towards the oppisite side, running into another invisible wall. Now, she was panicing. She ran to her right running into another wall, and she felt all three against pressing against her body.

 

...Three...?

 

She felt out to her left, then darted for it. An opening! She sighed in relief and slithered towards the last orb, touching it gently.

[Dad]

Jo was whisked forward, flying towards the finish line at great speeds, Alexander hot on her tail (I'm sure he was enjoying that). She landed with a 'plop' at the very edge before sliding across it.

 

Kiron stared in wonder. "Tch. This course was way to simple. I need to increase the intensity. Maybe a Class A Hollow or two thrown in would make things more interesting." He smiled as Jo slid to the finish where Eric and Elena awaited. Elena picked up Jo and embraced her with a hug. "Congratulations little one." She smiled, hoping Alexander wouldn't kick her for cheering against him.

[Signosis]

"Omigawd...I made it!" Jo screamed, laughing as she hugged Elena. Right now, she hoped that her Master was proud of her.

 

"Congratulations little one."

 

"Thank you...aaah, I didn't introduce myself, I am sooo sorry!" Jo said, leaning back from her, smiling. She was practically estatic right about now. "I'm Jo Dilaverte. It's a pleasure meeting you all."

She smiled at Alexander also, her eyes practically sparkling with happiness.

[Dad]

Elena smiled as Kiron approached, setting Jo down. "Ready for your transformation?" Kiron was sure she was. "I'm sure she is Elena. We should get her to the chambers immediately." He stomped ahrd on the ground, and below him, a small flight of stairs appeared. It led to a large laboratory, who's dark rooms reflected the sunlight cruelly.

 

As he led Jo downstairs, the plasma device came into view, behind a large Plexiglas wall. It was smothered in reiatsu, awaiting it's first contender. "Jo, step inside."

[Signosis]

"Ready for your transformation?"

 

Jo's face went from utter happiness to shock, then to panic in a fraction of a second.

 

"M-maybe...," Jo said, then jumped as Kiron came towards them.

 

"I'm sure she is Elena. We should get her to the chambers immediately."

 

Jo followed him down obidiently, full of curiousity. She slithered up to the machine, admiring the work.

 

"Jo, step inside."

 

"Y-yessir." She said, then slithered inside, looking around herself. Jo's eyes settled on Kiron, finally.

[Dad]

He gave her a devilish smile, and the operator at the vast table, filled with lights, sounds, and many buttons gave her a thumbs up, still looking down at the controls. The metallic doors shut with a 'slam', locking Jo inside.

 

An electric pulse ran throughout her body, as a bright light scrolled up and down, horizontally, in front of her. It's speed gradually increased, as the entire plasma capsule began to spin. The world around Jo was gone now. Everything was white, and the sound of nothingness rang loudly.

 

"It'll be over momentarily sir," the operator said to Kiron. He nodded, and continued to watch.

[Zexaeon]

Alexander smirked up at the laboratory, watching her enter the dark lab behind the king. "Be thankful I was easy on you, Jo. In truth, I'd really like to see the woman behind that monster she is..."

 

Mileya looked at him oddly, shrugging at Elena. "Arrancar hormones?"

[Dad]

OOC: xD

 

Elena giggled sneaking a peek at Alexander. She was always fond of him, but was too afraid to admit it. And yet, she was fond of Kiron too. She couldn't make up her mind. "Could be," she remarked to Mileya.

 

---

 

The spinning began to slow, as the room slowly came back into focus for Jo. A strange feeling had over come her, as she noticed her long tail was still there. She began to think she wouldn't have legs until she moved her toes.

 

The metallic doors opened, and her elegant hair and tail were the first things to come down.

 

Kiron watched in pleasure. "Wonderful," he said aloud.

[Signosis]

Jo stepped down from the machine, pratically flowing with soft movement. Her eyes were still the same hues, her skin slightly paler, like marble. Jo's body had become more...voluptuous, and white scales attaching to the back of her neck, flowing down her torso, taking up only a fraction of her breasts, and then link up behind. The same colored scales created a tiny skirt around her waist, her tail moving around slowly. Jo had on knee-high boots, and what was left of her mask was a part on her left eyebrow.

 

"Wonderful."

 

Jo did a small giggle, winking at them.

 

"Thank you," Her voice had become...flirty, lustful. She grinned, showing off fangs. "Thank you, my King."

 

Jo kneeled, bowing to her King.

[Dad]

Kiron was quite impressed. He waved her to stand. "There's no need for bowing my dear, we're all equals." He stepped in and took her by the hand, leading her out of the glass room and leading her outside. Elena was close behind, admiring her. "Wow, you're so pretty," she said blushing, and hurrying to straighten her face before Kiron noticed.

 

"Too late," he said laughing. "I saw that." The three stared into the evening sun. "There's only a matter of weeks left. With our Segunda Espada gone, and no one to rightfully take his place, we must prepare for the event of our life times. Soon, the Shinigami will return, and on this day we shall render them helpless. Crushing every pathetic ounce of hope remaining in their crumbling hearts, and smoldering them to ash.

 

Seireitei is ours." With determination in his voice, Kiron gripped his Zanpaktou as the sun began to set.

 

---

 

Zaraki's body began to fade back into place, and when completed, he landed with a thump on the ground, right where he had disappeared. Yachiru and Yoruichi ran outside to greet him. Yachiru jumped on his head, and kissed him on the forehead. "I missed you, Ken-chan." Yoruichi glared at her. "Me too," she said finally.

 

Zaraki blinked. "But I was only gone for a few minutes. . . right?" He looked them in the eyes firmly. Yoruichi and Yachiru shook their heads in unison, denying his claim. "Two weeks. What happened?" Yoruichi asked. He dragged the two inside and sat them down, keeping quiet.

 

"I don't wanna talk about it. Besides, you'll know what you need to know when the time comes." He smiled, listening to the battle downstairs. "They're still at it huh?" Shiro and Amago had been battling for quite some time. They rarely popped in to eat or sleep. "Yup," Yachiru said. "'Bout as long as you've been gone Ken-chan." He shrugged. "I'm sure they're doing great," he said.

[Signosis]

Jo stood gracefully, smiling at him as he took her hand and led her out.

 

"Thank you, sir." Jo said.

 

"Wow, you're so pretty."

 

"And thank you." Jo chuckled and looked over her shoulder, smiling at the blushing Elena. Jo looked to Kiron as he made his speech, and she nodded in agreement.

 

"Hn..., sir?" Jo turned towards him, her hand sliding out of his, stroking his palm. "Who is to train me?"

[Dad]

Kiron flinched slightly as Jo stroked his hand. "Elena and Mileya, being our best two female members will train you properly." Elena was all to happy about this. "Awesome," she said aloud. "This will be fun." She turned to smile at Jo, placing an arm around her neck and over her shoulder. "You and I will become good friends. Come on, we should get started."

 

Kiron watched as Elena, Mileya, and Jo set off into the distance. Meanwhile, he asked Alexander to undergo some extreme training with him. The two sped off to Sougoyku Hill. The days drew closer. . . . until that mark.

 

---

 

Zaraki had gone downstairs to watch Shiro and Amago spar. They were going at it, Shiro getting his ass kicked. But Amago understood, because Shiro was down to his last shard. IT weighed heavily on him, slowing him down, and weakening him. Amago stopped, and as Shiro swung his sword, ducked, and placed him in a head lock. "That's enough buddy. I can see I'm not the person to remove that piece from your eye. But I'm sure you'll lose it soon enough."

 

Amago dragged him to the infirmary, bypassing Zaraki.

 

OOC: (DBZ ENDING THEME SONG PLAYS)

 

Zaraki has gained the trust of his Zanpaktou, Shiro is losing strength, Mateo is alive of the dead, JO has achieved her ultimate goal, and Dura and Kiron steadily grow stronger, each plotting to bring the other to their knees. And only moments from now, the clash between rivals of different worlds begins.