Prologue
The first time I had met the man, I was seven. I was playing in the backyard and without a word he sat down next to me. To this day I remember thinking how he was the tallest person I've ever met and that he looked pretty awesome in that black cloak. Despite his silence we hit it off quickly, playing hide and sneak and tag all afternoon so when evening came I decided to introduce him to my parents.
"Mom, look who I met!" I pointed to my right where the man was leaning against the table.
It was strange. Mom's eyes flickered to side and looked back to me confused.
"Sweetie, there is no one there. Aren't you getting a little old for imaginary friends?"
"What do you mean Mom? He is right there!" but she couldn't see him and neither could Dad. I hoped that Emma would be able to because she wasn't an adult but soon I realized that only I could see the man. I wasn't crazy, I told myself every evening as I lay quietly under my blanket but as the man appeared as he pleased, I got scared. I grew distracted and I was soon known as the weird girl who kept looking into the air.
Things came to head when I was nine when Emma was sick and wasn't there to shield me from the others.
That day I learned that children are cruel.
A pull on my pony-tail wrenched me to the ground. Surrounded by kids in a small corner of the playground I was more alone than ever.
"Emma isn't here now, Crazy! You are so weird," jeered James as he pushed me back to the ground, causing the others to laugh. Tears welled up in my eyes and my back hurt.
"Please just leave me alone!" I half begged half cried but my only response was more laughter.
"No way, Crazy. Crazies like you shouldn't come to school. You hear me Crazy?!" That was Cindy with my 'nickname' as she kicked me down again. I was crying, my eyes were blurry and my nose was stuffy but no one was coming. I tried to get up again but Johnny punched at my face. He did karate so it was fast.
Then there was only silence as everything froze, only leaving the strange black and white world behind. I tried to move but I was locked in place just like everything else even if I still had colors. The man appeared next to me without warning and for the first time since we met on that fateful afternoon, he spoke.
"Are you just going let them do this to you, little ember?" his voice was deep and powerful. If a mountain had a voice it would sound just like him. I tried to turn to him and realized while I couldn't move, I could speak.
"But there are so many of them," I stuttered amidst my sobs. "They are stronger than me, too!"
"And?" he asked as if not seeing the problem. "Will you let them corner you as if you are some animal? Are you a dog to be beaten at her masters' whims?"
"But, I can't! The teacher isn't here!"
"Where is you pride, to wait for someone so feeble to come and save you? Have you changed so much since we first met?" he wondered as disgust appeared on his face and for some reason that hurt way more than anything the kids said or did to me. He kept his silence as my sobs slowly petered off and the next time I glanced at his face it was frozen into a neutral expression as if waiting for something.
Was I really this weak? That I couldn't do anything without Emma?
I wasn't crazy! I wasn't!
I wasn't a dog to be beaten!
I didn't know where my resolve came from, I just felt something well up deep inside me. Something that reminded me of fire, heat and more.
"I-…" I started but couldn't find the right words.
"Yes, little ember?" He stood there proudly as if it didn't matter that the world stopped just so he could talk to me freely. He was pride and power. I didn't know what to do but I knew what I wanted to do.
"I want to fight! I want that stupid nickname gone!" I told him angrily, only stuttering slightly. Then in a softer voice I hesitantly added. "But I don't know how…"
A kind look appeared on his face and with a smile he replied.
"I suppose I could lend a hand to you just this once."
Color returned to the world and ever so slowly everything started moving. Johnny's fist included but now there was only resolve and a strange warmth as if mom was hugging me. Then the warmth started guiding me. I tilted my head to the side and my classmate's fist went past my face without a scratch. I could see Johnny's eyes widening as I exploded from my crouching position with a fist straight into his stomach. He crumpled to the ground with a pained groan.
Everyone froze around me. I could see the confusion in their eyes with a sliver of fear but they may have overcome that if not for Johnny suddenly vomiting on their shoes. I took a step towards Cindy.
"You're next," I with confidence I didn't really feel. That seemed to break them out of their stupor and they scattered.
They never called me Crazy again.
Of course the aftermath ended with both Johnny and me punished in school while at home I got grounded for a month but I could care less about it as I felt the silent hum of approval coming from my companion.
More than a year passed and I started dreaming. I walked immense caverns that reminded me of Moria if it was made from granite and silver that might as well have been a mirror, reflecting the faint light that came from who know where. I always woke up feeling confused by the strange emotions I had when walking the Endless Halls, as I had dubbed it inside my head and it took a while to put my fingers on what I was doing there.
I was searching for the man clad in black.
But I couldn't find him in my lucid dreams so I did the obvious and asked him on my evening jogs that I had taken up on his insistence.
"I have been dreaming," I huffed out between breathes, not starting with a direct question because it seemed like the only times I ever got him to say something was when I've already talked circles around the subject. I was running pretty fast but he was just strolling beside me with strides that should have left him far behind but somehow he always remained a bit ahead me. I knew he was doing it to tease me, to motivate me to run just a little bit faster but it was so
damn frustrating.
"So you have been, little ember," he agreed easily with that annoying nickname. And of course he didn't let anything slip.
"Whenever I'm asleep I keep searching these obsidian and silver halls for something but I can't seem to find it," I replied between breaths and I realized the bastard increased the pace again. It was a good thing I was running in a deserted part of the docks at midnight because I doubted any 11 year old (or adult runner) would be able to run at around 25 mph, and even less so for more than an hour. It may have been irresponsible with the Bay being gang central but the man said he would cloak me and I trusted him to do so.
"What are you searching for then?" he asked with surprising intensity.
"You," I declared strongly. He never offered me help or answers when I hesitated, that I learned quickly. He stayed silent and we slowed down as we neared home. Only when I jumped into the backyard and stopped panting did he reply.
"You will never find me if you are searching for me, little ember. You need to know why you are walking the Endless Halls, otherwise the path you walk will become Endless."
What? That was even more cryptic and useless than usual! I groaned in silent annoyance and turned to ask another question but he was already gone. Hell, it's like he enjoyed playing they mysterious spirit. I jumped up to my window, pulled myself up by the windowsill and went to bed, ignoring the usual icky feeling of skipping the shower after our sessions to avoid waking mom and dad. I so didn't want to spend another night wandering around without end but I couldn't do anything about it and in the end I decided to use that time to figure out what he meant.
Well, off to soul searching I go I thought as I drifted off.
I didn't know until later how accurately that described my dreams.
~~O~~
The man once again deflected Taylor's strike as the clash of steel on steel echoed in the core of Taylor's soul. She was improving rapidly.
Half a year ago when she'd found him, she could barely hold his blade.
She danced away from his counter gracefully and answered with a series of measured slashes, seeking to put him on the defensive.
He still remembered the day that after 10 long months of waiting, she finally found him. His wielder realized why she was seeking him and he was overjoyed.
He let her take the initiative. Not everyone would be stronger and faster than her so it was important to train her how to fight when she had the advantage. Of course he wouldn't let her win but it was an important experience none the less.
"So you found me, little ember," he said from his silver throne. Far above him was a hole in the ceiling of the grand caverns and the only source of light, the moon shone down directly on him. It was the moonlight that reflected all over the silver linings of the great columns and the only reason one could see anything in his home. It shouldn't be possible physically for just the moon to brighten everything with just the reflection of its light, but then again, when did that matter in a soul?
She over extended and was punished by a vicious slash that she could only partially deflect, drawing a pained hiss from her as she started bleeding from the red line across her right cheek.
"I saw Hookwolf fight with Lung the other day in the TV," she started, her voice quiet but determined. "After that I wanted to stop them from ever doing that again but I need power to do that. Then I realized I was just walking around to meet you. After seeing THAT… what I needed wasn't to find you but the power to stand against villains like him."
She didn't waver for more than a moment but that was enough for a kick to her sternum to throw her at least a 100 yards away. She landed in a graceful roll and snapped up to defend even as she was gasping for air.
"And I realized that I had a new reason to look for you. You are my power and I needed power. So, with a single step I was here."
He leaped at her, crossing the distance separating them under a second and put the full weight of his jump into the swing. She ducked away, letting him pass in his flight but wasn't quick enough to get him with a counter.
"Then it's time for you to know what I am, little ember," and so he told her. Told her of the fact that he was a Zanpakuto, that they were in her soul and that this partnership wasn't supposed to exist in a world where souls went straight to reincarnation without an afterlife. That she had yet to earn his name.
As soon as he touched down he leaped again and unbalanced as she was she froze as the katana came to rest an inch from her throat. For a moment only Taylor's wheezing could be heard as she fought for air but then he lowered his blade. With a groan Taylor leaned against the column she stood next to.
"Will you help me?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Indeed I will," and with a flourish he materialized two identical blades, one in Taylor's hand and one in his own. It looked comically large in her and she almost dropped it, causing his right eye to twitch. "3, 2, 1, Fight!"
The terrified scream as she narrowly avoided that first swing by falling on her butt almost made him laugh.
She finally gathered herself and pulled herself into a ready state but he dematerialized the blade causing her to relax and do the same.
"It's morning already?"
"Yes. It's time to wake up, little flame."
"Well then, see you tomorrow night. I'm going shopping with Ems and Mom so don't you appear randomly today!" she threatened him with a frown.
"As you wish," he said with a shrug, then with a flick he kicked her out of the Halls to awaken.
He slowly walked back to his throne and sat down on it. She was getting better. Each night she trained and by each morning he made it echo into the real word, strengthening her human body, sharpening her senses and reflexes. Soon she would be good enough to walk the streets of the Bay fearlessly, to proudly wield him, to use him against the evil of mankind.
And perhaps if she sharpened her steel against foes mighty enough, she would be worthy of his name.
Author's note
I started writing this Altpower in a fit of boredom (quarantine sucks). This was the Prologue so its main job was to introduce Taylor, her Zanpakuto and the situation.
What I tried to do is to take some of what we know about Zanpakutos and create one whose goals and personality is both true to the stuff we saw in Bleach, while at the same time staying true to how a Zanpakuto of Taylor Herbert should in my opinion act and what his goals should be in a world without an afterlife and Soul Reapers.
Of course I won't tell you the Zanpakuto's reasons and goals. That is for Taylor to discover!
Also, while some like to hit off all the stations of cannon and some like to read that, this story won't do that. Cannon will be derailed quickly but some events still may happen if it makes sense (as in, what Taylor does doesn't automatically change them).
I welcome any and all feedback both positive and negative and discussion is encouraged so feel free to let lose.
