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"Xeion...?" Sara's voice rang out as she picked herself up. Despite her injuries, her bearing had completely changed. It was relaxed, accepting injury and pain without acknowledging it, and coiled powerfully, suggesting both strength and discipline. Such a pain threshold was common to only a few, generally to the most experienced warriors. In short, Sara carried herself--well-- not like Sara at all, but more like--

"What's going on?" Sara asked. Her voice was oddly calm yet clear, demanding attention. It was becoming obvious that Zane's odd maneuver had not only brought back Sara's memories, but Rhia's as well. Sara looked down at her hands, processing her situation without betraying alarm. The power coursing through her was wild, as her reiatsu had always been, but the sword in her hand wasn't her Lullaby at all. It was a different blade, no less comfortable in her hand, but with an entirely different set of powers. She and her current incarnation didn't quite understand its mechanics, so it really was of no use to her. She sheathed it, feeling the strain on her muscles as she moved. She had been abusing this body. It was at its limit, and she knew that well.

She watched quietly as Xeion confronted his adversary, Zane, dealing with the threat he posed with an ease born of experience. The part of her that was Rhia admired Xeion's strength and marveled at how much he'd grown. Have I really been gone that long? She mused. It was a little sad that she hadn't been able to see all her out squad mates grow into their powers. This is my punishment, I suppose, for dying as I did. She remembered that very clearly. She remembered the horror on poor Kurai's face as she let Triox's attack envelope her. She remembered the pain and the silence of death. I remember wishing I could have seen Feiy one last time, Sara smiled sadly. I never really got on well when she left. Three years was such a long time. I was depressed, and look where it got me...

She looked up, instinctively following Xeion's progress upwards. He was likely trying to escape this place-- Las Noches, if the architecture was any indication. It was shame he hadn't heard her before, but then, he was probably in a bit of a rush trying to stave off Zane's attacks. That was all right. She could probably catch him before this body gave out. She very much wanted to speak with him at least one more time. And she desperately wanted to know where Feiy had gone. Somehow, Sara's memories were slow in returning. Perhaps they were being crowded out by Rhia's.

Sara lept upwards employing a shunpo that brought her to Xeion's level just as he emerged from his Dark Mirror. The sudden movement jarred her wounded body, but Sara wasn't unduly concerned. She harbored no illusions to her fate, this time. She did, however, hope Xeion would be able to escape, even if this place proved to be her grave. That was ok. She had already died once, and she knew this life didn't belong to her.

"Xeion-kun," Sara said with a smile-- it looked a little odd with her shining, silvery-white skin, but she hoped she got the whole amiability factor across. "My old friend--" Sara wondered why she felt like crying, but the emotion was there, thick in her throat. "What are you doing in a place like this? And where's Feiy? It's been three years-- or maybe longer, I can't really recall--"

Sara's memories were coming faster, now. The smile dropped from Sara's face, gaze suddenly distant. There it was-- Feiy's death all over again through Sara's eyes. Sara's heart shattered painfully, but her face only registered quiet shock. Luckily, her memories had brought back some of Rhia's reserve. Even so, this revelation was an awful shock. She sat down hard, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. She looked up at Xeion, eyes bright with tears and terribly sad.

"Oh--" Sara tried to collect herself. It wasn't working. "Oh, Xeion, no... Tell me that's not... I-- I lost her, didn't I? My Feiy..." She caught site of Azuhi, shaking in Xeion's hand. She smiled sadly, making a valiant attempt to pull herself together. "Yeah-- she... would have wanted you to have Azuhi. She always said you were the only student who was ever worth a damn. She just couldn't break you of your pacifistic nature--"

She broke off in a poorly-stifled cry. "Oh, god-- I'm sorry, Xeion. I'm very happy to see you. Really, I am. I just--" She brought her knees to her chest, hugging herself. Tears were spilling from her eyes even if she voice was relatively steady. She shivered, drawing a shaky breath. "I couldn't save her. I was weak and stupid. I never told her I was depressed, and then she was gone and it was too late,"

Feiy, I loved you! I still love you. Why did you go where I can't follow?

"Do you think she knew?" She asked Xeion, wishing he didn't have to see her fall apart like this. "How much I loved her? I should have told her every day... Dammit... That idiot. I just wish we had more time, you know? I don't know if I ever got to tell her all the things I meant to say. And now it's too late,"

((I apologize for the long wait. I should have posted sooner, but the internet got really screwy... sweatdrop ))

As Xeion reappeared from his Dark Mirror, to his surprise, he saw Sara-san already there. However, in the same manner as Zane-san/Alexander, it wasn't the Sara-san he knew. It was a different version, influenced by a powerful force from another plane of existence. Naturally, the first thought that came to pass was that Rhia-taicho was the one controlling her at that point in time. It was confirmed, however, when Sara-san began talking to Xeion in the same manner as Rhia-taicho. Xeion knew well the dangers of dimensional disequilibrium, but this was Rhia-taicho we're talking about.

Rhia-taicho -- she was the woman who helped him when he first came to the Seireitei and taught him the basics of healing which allowed him to heal and save countless people. Xeion couldn't express how grateful he was to the person who gave him so much and helped him become who he was now, and never will since she had died long before he was able to do so. Still, this was as if the world gave him a second chance to do so. Even though he knew it would be risky, he would allow her to exist in this plane, even if it's just for a little while.

Xeion bowed his head in utter respect for the person before him, the same way as he did back when he was in Squad Four as its sixth seat. It meant just how much Xeion viewed the person, or rather, her memory, that even if they were equals now, he still treated her like did back in the day. "Rhia-taicho," me muttered while he smiled slightly then lifted his head up again to face Sara-san/Rhia-taicho, listening and hanging on to her every word. When she started to break down, however, Xeion could only come closer to Rhia-taicho and wrap his right arm around her after he had sheathed Elena back into her scabbard, leaving Azuhi the only weapon drawn out. He continued to hug her even still seeing as it was the only thing he could do to comfort his former Captain.

In comforting her, Xeion just fell silent and allowed her to speak her mind. Any attempt to say the usual stuff like, "It's fine," or "Don't worry," would probably result in Rhia-taicho getting mad since the truth of the matter was everything was not okay and Rhia-taicho had a right to worry. Saying those things would just make Xeion sound insensitive and hurt Rhia-taicho's feelings. He didn't want that; Rhia-taicho was already hurting enough as is. Only when she spoke another time, upon sensing that this was probably the right time for him to speak unlike before, did Xeion whisper gently into Rhia-taicho's ear to ease her wounded soul. "She definitely knew, Rhia-taicho. She knew from the bottom of her heart. Unlike me, Feiy-sama was just too proud to actually admit it, but she knew that you loved her, and she you," said Xeion, pulling Rhia-taicho closer to his chest. "Somehow, I think her death was related to you. I'm not sure, but I can strongly feel it. That proves that she loves you with all of her heart."

As Xeion continued embracing Rhia-taicho, Xeion felt a spacial disturbance caused by a powerful energy flux coming from below. It was fast and it was tearing through floor after floor without losing momentum nor power. What's worse, it was headed right for him. If he didn't act quickly, Rhia-taicho would get hurt as well. He had to do something, and fast, if he wanted to not only stay alive, but to keep the already badly hurt Rhia-taicho from sustaining even more injuries which may endanger her life further.

"Rhia-taicho, get down!" Xeion shouted and pushed Rhia-taicho away from him as he went immediately into a defensive stance with Azuhi facing the floor. True enough, the bullet shot out and hit Azuhi's gigantic blade metal with the impact from the bullet being so powerful that it was able to send Xeion a few feet into the air just by the force of the impact. The bullet didn't stop until it hit something though, as it continued pushing through the metal for a hit, so Xeion, instead, tilted Azuhi slightly upwards, allowing the bullet to ricochet off the angled metal and crash into the adjacent wall, blowing a hole through the thick stone.

When Xeion fell back down, he was panting. Never did he encounter such a powerful shot from a gun aside from his own Angelus. The strain it put on his body was just enormous, but the strain it put on Azuhi was even worse. Not only was Azuhi confused as to whom it belonged to, as it continued to search for its original master's own reiatsu, but she was used to block something of incredible power like that. In the end, perhaps the strain was too much for Azuhi to handle.

Azuhi started to shake violently in Xeion's hands, leaving the dumbfounded Captain unable to ascertain as to what was really going on. Azuhi continued to shake, growing even more violent that before, until the infamous giant cleaver began to crack, starting from where it was hit with the bullet until the spiderweb cracks spread across the entire frame of the cleaver, eventually shattering from the strain of it all. In that moment, the giant cleaver disappeared, turning back into its normal form of a guard-less black blade, with its parts now scattered across the floor, leaving only its handle and a small part of its blade intact. Xeion couldn't believe his eyes -- Azuhi, the famous weapon that was entrusted to him, had been shattered by something as simple as that. How could something so strong become shattered so easily like that? Xeion didn't understand until he remembered something that Feiy-sama said to him long ago.

"Azuhi is very loyal to her master; you can't use it until you have gained its trust. If you do, she won't accept you like she does me. Any attempt to do so would result in failure."

That thought rang through his head. This was probably the failure that Feiy-sama had talked about on that day. Xeion forgot all about it since he didn't expect to use Azuhi so soon and force her to go into Shikai by bombarding it with his own reiatsu without even considering her feelings for the matter. It was just that Xeion didn't really think of anything else at that point aside from his own preservation since the situation was literally life or death. It wasn't his fault, but at the same time, it was. Now, it was too late to do anything about it as Xeion just knelt there, motionless, not even showing any other emotion except that of shock.

"Azuhi's...broken...," he whispered, a terrible sadness emanating from every word that he let out of his mouth.

[7/10]

((Hey you guys can go on without me))

"We know what we're doing," Sara said, pulling away and pushing the stone from her stomach the moment she was able. She could feel Xeion's power fading rapidly. His was an impossible task. To restore all of her reiatsu and bring her back from these injuries was akin to filling an ocean. He would kill himself doing it, and that was the last thing Sara wanted. His healing, however, had given her enough energy to resist his further aid.

She opened her mouth to speak again and froze, a shudder passing through her body. Her face was tensed, betraying an anxiety that Rhia's natural calm could not displace. There was a powerful energy moving towards them and moving quickly. They had a minute or two at the most before...

"If ever I was your captain, you'll respect my very last command," She said tightly, nerves singing. In Xeion's state of near-collapse, she doubted he was able to sense, as she could, the approach of this reiatsu signature. "I want you to take Azuhi, and I want you to run,"

Knowing he wouldn't accept something like that, she continued, speaking quickly: "I understand what you've said. You're right-- Feiy and I lived for each other. Now that I'm alone, it's hard to find something to live for. I feel like half a soul, and it hurts me every minute. But, Xeion, I promise you this-- if you do as I say, some semblance of my soul will remain,"

The powerful signature was growing closer, and a sense of urgency grew in her voice. "You must run, Xeion. Don't waste your energy trying to heal me-- you've spent too much of it as it is, and we both know there's not enough. You get yourself out of here. There is someone coming for me as we speak, but she can't know you've been here. When you run, don't look back. No matter what you sense or hear, you're not to turn around. You're not to come back for me, understand?"

There are some things that you should never have to see, Xeion.

Sara caught Xeion's face in her hands, holding him steady and planting a kiss on his forehead. Through her brief contact she forced a spectacular amount of energy back into him. It was raw and may be a bit painful, but it would function as a shot of pure adrenaline, providing him with the energy he would need to get himself out of Las Noches.

"Go, and I swear to you some part of me will survive. Promise me you won't come looking for me," She said softly into his ear, embracing him briefly. "This is my place in the world, now. No one can change that,"

Jes, the Primera was nearly upon them. Her reiatsu signature was unmistakable. Since Sara's rebirth in Las Noches, Jes had been her savior and her protector, her jailer and her tormentor. If there was anyone with the arts to rescue this body, it was she, but both Sara and Rhia knew the price of that salvation. It was not a price they wished Xeion to watch her pay.

(9/10)

((talked over with Jes-- she'll be making a brief appearance, though whether you stay or go is entirely your decision ^^ Either way, I enjoyed this RP with you. It truly satisfies my melodramatic tendencies XD))

((I enjoyed it as well, Rhia-taicho; let's do it again sometime. 3nodding

I'm sorry for making you wait, Jes-san. Really busy right now... sweatdrop ))

Xeion blushed when he felt Sara-san's/Rhia-taicho's soft, warm lips touch his forehead, then followed by a sharp pain that surged throughout his body like an ocean of energy filling a small pond. However, Xeion was too preoccupied by the kiss to actually feel the pain. This was the first time those precious lips had touched him and Xeion was still quite dumbfounded by what just happened. When it was over though, he just knelt there and stared at Sara-san/Rhia-taicho with his face still as red as ever. The entire thing was quite a shock to him, but Xeion's shock was quickly eclipsed by his curiosity at where Sara-san/Rhia-taicho was getting at. Why did she want him out of the picture? What was she hiding that he didn't want him to see? Why the sudden sense of urgency? As Xeion asked those questions, it was then when Xeion, too, felt the surge of energy coming towards them at such high speeds. It was powerful, no doubt, and filled with malice and dark intent. However, Xeion didn't sense any murderous will from it. It was just like the things he had dealt with before when he stopped that outbreak from Hell's Gates long ago -- kind-hearted demons or emotional devils -- whatever they were called. Xeion knew this was similar to that.

Understanding why Rhia-taicho wanted him out, Xeion smiled at her since she had expressed his concern for him and his well-being. However, he shook his head to Rhia-taicho's request. Xeion had disobeyed Rhia-taicho's direct order. "When you died, I was so sad that I wasn't there to see it. If I was there though, I would have happily tried my best to save you, Rhia-taicho. I can't let it happen again -- I want to see how this story ends with my own, two eyes. I'll be a witness to the climax of this insane play and accept whatever consequences since it's my decision to do so."

With that said, Xeion stood up and sheathed Azuhi in her scabbard as the two spirits continued to interact within his head, but Xeion was much too preoccupied to mind them. Closer -- the being of such power seemed closer now, but Xeion was prepared to meet this powerful being who harbored no murderous will, though her soul was sick and twisted. From the energy, Xeion traced it deeper into its source and found that her spirit was an amalgam of memories, both bad and good, with no clear distinction as to which memories were concrete and which ones were fake. True, this was how an Arrancar usually felt, but this was one was different. It was all clear to Xeion as he felt the energy -- the person who had such a power had the ability to manipulate memories, hence the weird energy signature. This gave Xeion all the more reason to stay and see things through.

[9/10]

((I'm happy to hear that, Jes-san. Oh, and should we wait for Rhia-taicho to reply first?))

(( xd : Would you mind if we just wait for Rhia-taicho then, Jes-san? I mean, so that she wouldn't have a much harder time catching up and so that she won't feel left out, ne? 3nodding ))

((Thank you for your kind consideration, Jes-san. Rhia-taicho would be happy. 3nodding ))