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Kai Flashe stepped into the gardens, throwing up a small cloud of flower petals. He drew his zaanpakuto in shikai and slamed the blade end into the ground infront of him. Staring at the ugly black thing he sat, cross legged and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing and his thoughts. SLowly he could start to hear the sounds of crashing waves. The smell of the ocean washed over him like a wave as the cries of the strange black birds that flew above this well known place. He opened his eyes to see a bleak sky and the ravens that flew above the black waters. Almost immidiatley a black shark-like creature with six eyes on each side leaped clear out of the water at Kai. Instinct took over and he drew his blad, cutting through the sharkskin, splitting it in two at the mouth. Both halvs fell into the black ocean, leaving a cloud of dark red that atracted not only the ravens but multiple black dorsal fins. Many of the ravens were snapped up and the others grew smart and flew away as the feeding frenzie continued. The water where the carcas had landed frothed with activity as the sharks feasted on their brother or sister. 'Beautiful isn't it-' came a deep raspy voice that seemed to drip venom. 'Kai?' The speaker took form a meter before Kai. A pale being with yellow irisis and black eyes stood before him. His ragged black coat and midnight stray bandadges blew in the air along with his dark hair. 'Its been awhile....don't you wanna talk to me?' he cooed mockingly at Kai as he stepped closer and closer, quickly closing the distance between them. The smell of decay and old fish oozed thickly out of his open mouth, his jaw lined with sharp, white, teeth.

Kai watched in silence. The creature that was speaking to him was his zanpakuto and despite he being so repuslive he somehow managed to work with him. He spat into the salty abyss and looked Kurosama square in the eye. "Let me use you." This triggered a violetn fit of mocking laughter from the spirit and he drew a long black tooth, bearing almost exact resemblence to Kai's shikai, except that it had no square holes. He lashed out, slicing Kai across the chest. Kai staggard back, clenching the wound painfully, the blood dripping down to the water, making the sharks restles. Below the two the sharks began to curcle, anticipating a meal. 'You!? Use me!? You can't even use your own tounge!" he slashed again, bu this time Kai blacked, releasing his shikai. 'What makes YOU so worthy, so mighty and strong, to tame a beast like me?' He asked, pushing Kai away then lunging at him again, slashing down.

Back in real time the reitsu around Kai began to swirl around him. Back in his inner world though Kai flew through the air, almost into the water. A shark leaped up to bite him but he dodged and cut it in half, bringings his blade back up to block an incoming attack from Kurosame. He pushed away and jumped back. As he did so Kurosame let loose a arc of golden-black reitsu, simmilar to the one Kai released earlier. Kai blocked the attack, absorbing the shock and reitsu. In that time though Kurosame had moved behind him and slashed his back. "Damn..." Kai let out a breath and coughed out blood. He turned quickly and weakly slashed at Kurosame. He tisked as he easliy dodged the attack. 'Instinct is the thing you lack that I have that you need to survive...' Instinct? Kai thought back to the battle earlier and rembered that moment where instinct took over and he just did what he had to. He cursed. But that was just a one time thing...Or...He closed his eyes and centered himself for a moment and thought of all the times where he had hesitated and the times where he didn't, letting instinct take over. He opened his eyes, his iris rimmed with a red glow. He swung his sword and flashe stepped at the same instant, letting loose 1/4 of the energy that was stored in his blade at Kurosame. He slashed down, connecting with Kurosame's blade, letting loose the rest of the energy stored. The blast from his previous attack hit Kurosame in the back and the second from the front, combining in a huge explosion of energy. Kai, a few meters away watched as the golden energy particals seemed to rain down. In the smoke he could see the smoldering body of Kurosame. He smirked, letting out a maniacle laugh and rushed at Kai. Letting his body move for him Kai parried the blows and countered when needed, disppelling the florish of attacks almost before it started. 'Now you get it!!' Kurosame laughed. Kai pushed, spun back, transfered the hilt into his gloved hand and slashed. The blade conected with flesh and Kurosame's laughter was cut short by a grunt of pain and a crack. His head fell into the black waters below with a wide grin on his face. The bandadges quickly followed into the water. The sharks sped into the body and the frenzy began anew. But Kai knew, as was always the case that those badages wrapped around one of the sharks and he was born anew in the form of the shark. And he also knew that Kurosame's instinct would lead it to eat other sharks and ravens until he was the biggest shark out of all of them. And then, only then would he even consider another 'visit' from Kai. He closed his eyes and the sound of the waves and the horrid smell of decay vanished and was replaced by the rustling of the leaves and the smell of sweet flowers. His zanpakuto was in its sealed state now. He stood and grabbed its hilt, replacing it back in its scabbard. He sighed and left the gardens.

He turned around slowly and raised his brow in suprise. What is troubling you sir? he signed to Diesel. What has happened? Are you alright? The worry was easy to see on his face and though he himself seemed drained he was ready to help in any way he could.