Until My Dying Day (Dray)

It amazed Sal just how lax the security was in Rukongai. He had visited here many times and only once or twice had he had to dodge a patrol. Was it any wonder the place had gone to hell in a rotten old hand basket?

He kept his hood up and did what little he could to maintain a grip upon his Reiatsu, which was difficult as it required constant concentration on his part...something that he lacked at the best of times, never mind when he had to walk without falling down.

He was in district 63, standing on a rooftop of a three story shanty house, watching a little girl playing with a big fat man, his laughs carrying easily across the distance and her squeals of delight as the man threw her in the air and caught her were both magical and heart breaking to him.

When he thought she was dead, he had died inside but now that he knew she was alive and he couldn't be with her.....every time he saw her it ripped him open and he wasn't sure which form of pain was worse. Losing her completely or being never being by her side to protect her.

The former Lieutenant, Rab Nesbit, would look after her. He could protect her if someone did come while Sal was away and Norongachi couldn't think of anyone else he would want to raise his daughter. She'd grow up to be strong, and smart, and beautiful and all those things that a parent hoped for and maybe one day he would be there.

"Until then...stop torturing yourself." He said quietly to himself and leaped across the buildings toward sector 64 before landing on the dirt road and continuing on foot.

I can't believe how much of my medicine gets used up at the academy, you would think people would learn how to limit themselves better. Well at least the old folks are getting a lot of business. I have to make the trip almost every week now, that's a lot for medicine, not to mention it's costing me a lot. Maybe i should start charging the other students to use my medicine. Why do they even come to me? We have an Infirmary at the school why don't they use that? Dray sighed and glanced up, then stopped and looked around. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, where am i?

Dray looked around some more, noticing that the street was empty for some reason. Weird. As he looked around he saw a tall figure a little ways away behind him. For some reason i missed him, ah well, it doesn't really matter. Dray jogged up to the man and said, "Excuse me, i seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere, could you tell me where I am?"

Sal could see only one soul in the surrounding area. The guy was ahead of him on the path to District 64 and Norongachi paid him little attention. One Reaper wouldn't be much of a hassle if it came to that.

Sal was just drifting off into his own thoughts when the man suddenly approached at a casual jog. Sal mentally stiffened, preparation for a possible assault, his hands bunching into fists in his pockets.

"You're at the border between District 63 and 64 mate." And because, despite himself, Sal was a nice guy added. "Where exactly are you looking for and i'll see if i can direct you."

Wow, i got sent way off course, just how spaced out was i? Draylon sighed and as he did so the man said, ""Where exactly are you looking for and i'll see if i can direct you." Dray had to stop for a minute to think about it. Hmmm i don't have any classes for a few days, why not enjoy myself a bit. Dray took another look at the man, and realized just how muscular he was. Wow, this dude is buff, and nice, kind of a weird combination for our here. Oh well maybe he can show me around.

"I don't know this area well at all, never really been over here before. Why don't you show me around, and let's see if we can't find some fun." Draylon had a small smirk on his face. "As long as you're up to it anyways."

Sal's dark eyebrow rose on his forehead, was this kid serious? He gave him another look over and recognized the fresh faced excitement along with the minimal spiritual signature.

"You're a student aren't you?" He asked, it made sense now. "You shouldn't really talk to strangers around here. It isn't safe, you never know who you might meet." Sal finished and he was right, he was living proof of that statement.

He looked around at the disarray of the intersect between Districts, then again he couldn't just let the kid wander around Rukongai. There were far nastier things hidden amongst these wooden structures than himself.

"Pick a direction, I'll show you what there is to see. There wont be much granted, this place isn't big on tourist attractions."

"Yeah, I am a student, and you are powerful, even i can tell that, far more powerful than I am. Even if i wanted to try and escape, if you wanted to you could easily kill me." Dray tilted his head a little bit and smiled, "But you seem like a decent guy, and I figured I would be far safer with you than on my own."

"Why don't we try going south, or wherever you want to go. I really don't care and it is a good chance to explore this area safely."

Sal let out a laugh and shook his head. "Has anyone ever told you that there are some occasions where honesty isn't the best policy?"

He turned south and jumped onto a nearby rooftop. " And you don't want to speak too soon kid, you never know what the future holds. Try and keep up" He called down to Draylontis and then took off across the buildings, his boots thumping across the black slate tiles.

Dray lept onto the roof after the man, and raced after him, struggling to keep up. dang this guy is fast, way fast. As he was racing after him he said, "I know its not... *panting* always a good thing... but i figured..... it would be worse... to lie... to a man... that can crush you... like a bug..."

Draylon looked to the side to watch the scenery blur by, listening to the constant thud of the man's boots on the roof. "By the way... I'm Draylon... Karosu... whats your name?"

Sal noted Dray's exertion and slowed his pace a little, allowing him to come along side the Glaswegian.

"There wouldn't be anything to gain from hurting you Draylon." Sal responded and leaped across a gap between houses. Sal remained silent for a few moments, only the sound of Draylon's labored breathing and their footfalls upon the roofs to keep them company.

"Sal Norongachi." He responded with an entirely fake smile, he wondered if his recent battle with the Squad 11 captain had done its round through the rumor mill yet.

Dray gratefully matched the new pace, taking the time to catch his breath. As he was running along side the man he heard him say, "There wouldn't be anything to gain from hurting you Draylon." Good, at least he seems a friendly enough fellow.

As they raced across the rooftops, Draylon heard the man say, "Sal Norongachi." Dray looked over at Sal and said, "Nice to meet you Sal." They continued across the rooftops in relative silence. Finally managed to catch my breath. This guy is strong, and he's nice, probably make a good friend. "So, where exactly are we going Sal?"

Sal jumped down onto the ground and slowed to a walk. The area around here was mostly disused. The huts and lean-to homes rotting and in disarray, their occupants having left long ago. Ahead, behind a ragged row of wooden buildings, lay a forest.

"The only thing worth seeing around here." He said and walked into the forest.

"Keep your guard up in here," Sal said his eyes and senses scanning the strange half light amongst the trees, like the very wood were sucking all light from the area. "This place isn't patrolled much and there maybe Hollow around."

Draylon lept down onto the ground, and took a long look around, slowly walking after Sal. I heard that the later districts we're worse off, but is it supposed to be this bad? or did something happen here? As he walked by the houses he paused to glance one. Inside it was full of wreckage and bits of roof from the ceiling having caved in, as he looked closer he realized there was a skeletal hand sticking out of the pile of wreckage. Ugh, that can't be normal...

He heard Sal say, "The only thing worth seeing around here." Draylon looked away from the house and watched as Sal walked into the forest. I better catch up. Draylon jogged over to where Sal had entered the forest. He looked around for Sal and spotted him about 15 feet away and jogged up to him. As he approached Sal said, "Keep your guard up in here, this place isn't patrolled much and there maybe Hollow around." Dray looked over at Sal, I wonder how strong this man really is? He isn't even phased by all this, it seems like it's normal for him. He lives in a world constantly like this? Thats depressing... . Draylon looked at the ground and said, "You look so calm, even with everything that's going on, the wreckage, the danger, all of it." Dray looked at Sal's face with sadness in his eyes. "What kind of experience could possibly force you on a path that makes this... so normal, so acceptable?"

The sentence stopped Sal dead in his tracks. There's a point in everyone's life, or afterlife as the case may be, that you can't hold up the weight of the world anymore. It can be a climactic event or...it can be a few well chosen words that bring it all down on your head and crush you underneath it.

He couldn't meet Draylon's eye, he gazed at the trees around him, the bark rotting and falling away, poisoned by the evil that lay in the heart of this place. It had all started there for Sal, this journey to what he was now.

"If i didn't take this path, no one else would." Was all Sal said in response.

"Someone has to be the monster..."

He continued through the darkening wood and came to a clearing, in its center were five pillars, each with ancient runes carved upon their white rocks, and contained within the circle of pillars was the mouth of a cave.

"The Cave of the Fallen, another of Seireitei's dirty little secrets..." Sal growled.

Draylon watched as Sal suddently stopped in his tracks. Perhaps it would have been better not to ask.. He wached as Sal avoided his gaze and looked around the forest. The desolation was incredible, everything seemed to be dying around them, compared to when they first entered the forest. What is going on here? Why are all the tree's dying, even the ground lacks vegetation, and I can't hear any animals either.

He heard Sal say, "If i didn't take this path, no one else would." Draylon looked at Sal as he continued down the path, then without saying a word, followed. As they came into a clearing Draylon saw 5 large white pillars, with some sort of runes on them. Inside the circle was a Cave. Suddenly Sal said, "The Cave of the Fallen, another of Seireitei's dirty little secrets..."

Draylon looked over at Sal, questioningly. I wonder, what is he trying to show me? to teach me? Then he said, "What is it?"

"This...is where a hero met his end." Sal responded standing just outside the circle of pillars. He ran his hand over the smooth rock, feeling the groves of runes carved into its surface.

"Do you know what happens when a Soul Reaper dies, Draylon?" Norongachi didn't wait for him to answer. "If they are not...properly attended to...they become Hollow. They locked away one such creature here, left to rot for an eternity."

Sal walked a slowly round the perimeter the stones created. He recalled that fight, his very first Hollow, the ravaged soul of a Shinigami. He had taken his powers, the creatures Zanpakuto piercing his heart and unlocking the vast wells of power within himself.

"The Gotei did this to him. They could have ended his suffering a long time ago...but instead they sealed him away."

A Hero? Is he talking about himself? As he listened and watched Sal said, "Do you know what happens when a Soul Reaper dies, Draylon?" Draylon merely shook his head, waiting for Sal to continue. "If they are not...properly attended to...they become Hollow. They locked away one such creature here, left to rot for an eternity." What? I thought you were reborn as a human in the real world... a hollow? really?

"The Gotei did this to him. They could have ended his suffering a long time ago...but instead they sealed him away." Draylon looked over at Sal, then glanced down, "How could they do this? WHY would they do this..." Draylon paused for a second then said, "Hey Sal, what do the pillars do?"

Sal gave a shrug and turned to face the boy. "Research, hell there's a virus spreading all across the United Kingdom as we speak that came out of 12th Division. Or maybe they just...didn't think it was worth the hassle and it was easier to just lock him away. Regardless, no soldier should be treated that way by his own."

Sal looked at the dead grass around his feet, at the gnarled trees that dared not encroach closer to the cave. "It was meant to contain him, to stop him escaping. Unfortunately any barrier, no matter how powerful weakens with time. Look around you, the influence of his spiritual power seeped out and infected things around his Prison but he's gone now..." Sal said and trailed off, the creature whom he had killed in that cave was a man once, a soldier and a protector and no matter which way he worked the logic he couldn't feel good about that victory.

"Research, hell there's a virus spreading all across the United Kingdom as we speak that came out of 12th Division. Or maybe they just...didn't think it was worth the hassle and it was easier to just lock him away. Regardless, no soldier should be treated that way by his own." They caused so much suffering for research? no-one should be put through that, not even a hollow. A virus as well... why, why why why why why! How could the Gotei approve this?

Draylon stared at the ground, as he heard Sal's response to his question. So the pillars were meant to contain him, but gradually they lost power, Even though It would be interesting to try and figure out how they worked, they should be destroyed so that they can never be used again. Dray looked up, straight into Sal's eyes and said, "Let's Destroy them, destroy the pillars so they can never use them again. So no one will every be forced to go through that again"

Sal couldn't help but smile at the intensity of Draylon's conviction. He was like that once upon a time, so sure that he was doing the right thing. He didn't realize the darker side of Justice before it was too late.

"You have spirit kid," Sal said and then stepped back from the pillars. "Show me what you've got."

Draylon drew his wakazashi and held it in both hands before him, slowly chanting, "Burn of the blades that have been lost." As Dray released the Kido, his sword was shrouded in a bright flame. I have no clue how strong the pillars are, but i don't know any slicing kido, so this will have to do. I suppose I shall do my strongest melee strike.

Dray lept back so he was about 40 feet away and dashed forward at top speed, Slicing horizontally to the left with full power he slashed at the first pillar, continuing past it, slashing back to the right on the second pillar, then back to the left on the 3rd and stopped his momentum about 15 feet behind the last pillar. Draylon then turned around and took a deep breath, surveying the damage he had inflicted.

The pillars fell under the Shinigami's strikes, their weakened stone shattering under the force of his blows. Sal watched the boys technique, he had some skill with a blade but it was rough, unpolished. A few years at the academy would solve that.

"You've got some skill," Sal began and drew his own Zanpakto and stepped around to face the last pillar, some 20ft away. "Listen to your tutors at the academy. Its the only place in Seireitei worth a damn." He finished and then faster than the eye could follow he had slashed his blade upwards, diagonally, and focused his Rietsu into the strike, the unseen wave cut the pillar clean in two from where he was standing.

"One day you'll be strong, maybe stronger than me." Sal said sheathing his sword again. "Just remember that you have your own mind and that those above you consider you nothing more than an expendable asset."

Draylon watched as the the pillars fell to the ground, shattered. Listened as Sal complimented him. Not really I'm actually quite unskilled in melee. Sal then said, "Listen to your tutors at the academy. Its the only place in Seireitei worth a damn." and then severed the final pillar, creating a wave of Rietsu from his blade. Draylon made a mental note to pay more attention in class.

Dray looked at Sal as he said, "One day you'll be strong, maybe stronger than me." Maybe the current you but I doubt I will ever be stronger than you, unless you die. "Just remember that you have your own mind and that those above you consider you nothing more than an expendable asset." Draylon looked down and said, "With what you have shown me and taught me, how could I ever forget?" Draylon walked over to the pillar he had destroyed and sat on part of it lying in the grass. Draylon looked down at his hands. "With what you have shown me it makes me doubt so many things, I am no longer sure what to do with myself, I suppose I should at least Graduate from the academy. It doesn't feel right in my heart to serve someone who could do these things, but I'm in no position to change it, I can't just leave, that would solve nothing, and I'm not strong enough to survive on my own... " Draylon sighed. "The only thing i can think of is to work my way up the ranks to the point when my opinion matters enough that I can change it."

Sal watched the reactions of the student. He had really taken the current situation to heart it seemed. The truth always trumped a lie in Sal's opinion and he had been proved right on this occasion.

"Look," Sal said sitting down beside him, gazing up at the darkening sky, the first twinkle of a star appearing as the sun fled over the horizon. "I don't think for a moment that there aren't good people in Seireitei but like any government that holds power there is corruption. If you think you can somehow stem the tide by staying then, by all means, do so."

Sal rested his arms on his knees and his voice became somber. "I don't envy you, having to through the motions day after day knowing that there are men pulling your strings who could have you killed without a hint of remorse. Its easy to fight an enemy you can see but what do you do when your best friend could knife you in the back or your superior sends you on a suicide mission just for kicks." He sighed and stood back up kicking a broken piece of stone into the forest.

"If you find that you cant take it anymore or if you're in trouble and you need a hand call this number." He said and extracted a scrap of paper from his pocket and a pen and scribbled his mobile number on it. "You aren't alone Draylon, one call and I'll rain so much hell down on anyone that stands against you they'll think the world is coming to an end." Sal finished with a grin although he was deadly serious.

Draylon listened as Sal explained how there were still good people in Seireitei, but the government is the problem. Sal mentioned the difficult path that Draylon would have before him, always worried about the government and what it could do to him. Then Sal did something unexpected, he gave Draylon his number to call if Draylon needed help.

"Thanks Sal, by the way will this number work on both the spiritual world and real world? Also I plan to lay low about how I feel until I can actually do something about it."

"Oh yeah, cost me a couple Thousand U.S. For that kind of money it better get a signal on the moon or I'll be shoving it up that traders ass." Sal replied with a smile and then felt the distant buzz of Spiritual Energies moving in this direction.

"They felt our little demolition show, well It was good meeting you Draylon and remember anytime you need some firepower I'm a phone call away." With that Sal vanished, flash stepping away from the scene, making for the rift that would be opening from the other side in ten or so minutes.