Testing testing, one, two (pri)

"Hm... well I guess at least I'm covered so I can't complain." Aien commented as he continued to brace himself against the wall. The touch was actually normal room temperature than Aien had expected it to be. Perhaps with that explosion occurred the temperature has risen, but otherwise Aien's bodily functions appear to be normal. Or roughly in terms of temperature for Aien managed to calm down his heart to a normal pace.

"Where were you when you this time two months ago? Did you happen to live in Karakura?" Gage had asked before Aien responded with a nod. "Two months ago I was actually away on a mountain trip for summer break. Lived off the land for about a month as part of my training so to speak. Though it was more of a vacation, but luckily we did go out when we did. I heard that a large earthquake struck Karakura and several hundred thousands were found dead and thousands more were documented to be injured." Aien explained that he wasn't around when this happened, though perhaps it is an inconvenience that Aien's uncle suggested taking a month trip up at the mountains. Originally intending to stay up there for two weeks, after receiving word that chaos had been erupted from an earthquake both Aien's parents and his uncle took off to aid with the evacuation. Leaving Aien and his sister to fend for themselves, but luckily they already knew how to survive in a mountain for the next two weeks equaling up to a month of being in the mountains.

"Either way you should see this, not everyone that was there survived it save for two Shinigami, representative the after life entrusted to defend humans against all enemies. Well the two Shinigami and me. I was a lot different then though." Gage began explaining as it was drawing Aien's attention more by the second. Aien's mind was slowly getting a grasp of where Gage was going with this. All the more reason why the tragic scene that was burnt into Aien's memory with that Hollow suddenly seemed to be not even a fraction of what is really going on.

That's when Gage took a cellphone sized box and tossed it into the center of the room and the panels displayed for them to see. Of how two combatants, both with monstrous strengths and insane intent of killing of each other from the looks of it. At first that seemed to unsettle Aien a bit, as he recognizes some of the streets and the buildings of what used to be there in Karakura. How could he not when he's walked roughly everywhere in Karakura at least once? But no, what truly seems to be making him angry was how that monkey looking Arrancar was taking massive bites into another human whom he recognized as the Student Council President Ochiru's mother. That aura that was once gone starts to show itself strangely enough even though he's in his Shinigami form. It is Aien's signature part of his reiatsu while in human form, and now it seems some of its appearance has carried over. "What was the war about if I may ask?" Aien had to ask just for clarification, but the tone was almost trembling as Aien was getting angry.

However, while yes Aien was listening to Gage's explanation of this turn of events, Aien had to close his eyes to find his inner peace, but strangely it was in a different place. It was a place that he could not control for while it was in his mind it was something that he couldn't mold it however it wants it to. However it accomplishes the task of breaking the anger swelling up in his heart. So that's a plus to say the least. "I can't fight this kind of war. Not alone. Not with just anyone either. I need people willing to put themselves out there. That are willing to die fighting. I would be willing to die for people like that. If I can find more people that would be willing to die for me then I think I get a group together that will shake the very core of anything that thinks it can step into our world like its a restaurant. So I guess then really the question is now will you stand with me? What has happened here, it was all for the good of everyone. I have given you something that no one else in the world can give. I have given you the ability to break your limits."



Aien had to think about it for a minute before giving his reply. His casual sense of humor covered with a sense of sincerity as Aien was wanting to make something clear. "Only to make one thing clear. As long as I can protect my family and friends I'll be willing to die while fighting for them. However I don't plan on dying, but I suppose no one really does. That doesn't mean I won't fight beside you though, it just means that dying is honestly no different than giving up into the idea. Giving up is what kills people in the end, and it is not exactly my thing to give up on something especially when it involves lives." On that note, Aien would push himself off from the wall to walk up towards Gage. Trying to get used to the difference of walking around in his spiritual body; Aien extends his hand to shake hands with Gage, not noticing the green energy as Aien was looking straight into Gage's eyes, through the mask's eye sockets or visor. "That includes both my own and your life as well."

Aien's body felt like the gravity had shifted a bit as it would be noticeable especially since Aien is aware of the heavy sense of gravity. Little did Aien knew that it was actually Gage who was making the area seem heavy since his power is clearly shown without even doing anything. Aien was being pulled towards Gage in an invisible force as the masked figure grabbed onto the hilt of a sword. "I think its time that you two got introduced." Gage spoke before he really surges his energy, and next thing that Aien knows he suddenly blacks out. Or so Aien had thought as he can hear the rushing sounds of wind clawing at his Shinigami uniform. Additionally, he could still feel the pressure gripping at his wrist, so Aien was confused when he opened his eyes.

"Here we go!!!" Gage exclaimed over the roaring winds before flipping over to release a blast of fire that somehow erupted from under his feet. Panic kind of ensued in the young man's heart as he, instinct, shouted out. "Heed my call, Aurora!" That was the call out phrase for his human power, but of course nothing happen as Aien quickly found out because he's in his spiritual form. Luckily though Aien flipped forward anyways since he was more worried about breaking his legs from this velocity and what is below them. Additionally Gage pulled Aien upwards as the blast had somehow slowed their descent. Almost like Gage had read the question Aien was about to ask as the young spirit looked around the gravel landscape that stretched as far as they can see before ending in a wall of fog. "Welcome to your own world Aien. This is where you will be spending a great deal of your time, either thinking or getting to know your better half."

"My better half? You mean like that guy that was in my head before?" Aien asked as he was referring to the copy version of Aien, though he also recalls that was in the memory. Not in the physical world, so of course Gage probably won't understand who he is referring to. "Honestly I never expected that my own world would be so... Hollow." Aien was referring to how empty it feels to the newly born Sub Shinigami. Granted his sensing abilities isn't exactly up to the decent degree, but even so all he can detect is that the place felt empty. Probably not the best way to compliment his own world, but little does he know how this might affect other things as well.

"No... Not in your...never mind. This is your Excalibur, your sword in the stone. The soul in the sword." Gage stated as Aien, due to his lack of range around the area, was a bit oblivious to the movement behind the fog. Though physically, Aien can see parts of the fog shifting in a small margin, but the young soul thought it was just part of the wall's movement since it wasn't in just one spot. "The soul in the sword... You know that actually reminds me of the training I had to do as part of the Seven Leaves. Extending your soul into the blade as if it is a part of you. A part of your arm as you practically bond with the steel in your hands. The weight being fairly familiar as the threads on the hilt is unmistaken for any other blade." Aien cut himself off as he realized that Aien might as well make a poem at this point, but talking about it made him to gather at least a vague idea of what Gage was referring to.

Aien noticed that Gage took a knee while bowing his head, and Aien had the impression that they were about to meet something like royalty or someone that holds high authority. Least to say Aien is certain that it is not himself for he never considered himself a person of such power to begin with. "He is right, I am no voice in your head. I am however a voice that you should listen to." A voice of soft and welcoming spoke up from behind Gage, but now Aien is finally able to pick up another signature and it was a powerful source of power. It just might overwrite Gage's presence in Aien's spiritual sense because like a veil the new source cloaks everything to where Aien can barely pick up Gage's bubble of undetectable presence and extremely more so of this new person that walks out from the fog. Striding closer was a woman with hair long and black, tied into a braided ponytail. Her legs were hidden by a billowing Hakkama, a deep indigo with golden trim at the bottom similar to flames, extending up to the knees. Around her torso a brown leather sleeveless top with a low 'V' cut neckline provides the chest with little protection.

But then again as Aien was taking her image into mind, and judging from the strength this person contain he suppose that she doesn't really need to worry about protection. On her arms a pair of black gloves extend up past her biceps, stopping at the cannonball of the shoulders, is held in place with belts. On her right arm like a bracer a small piece of armor provides some protection to the wrist. Aien can only assume that if she was a swordswoman than that'll probably her main hand since it's best to protect your main hand from being damaged. Draped over her left shoulder her over shirt hangs loosely, the right side falling behind her back. Her left arm, rather than being through the sleeve is propped up inside the shirt on top of the belt like an arm sling. On both hands are covered with small white plate of armor, golden crosses embossed into the white metal. "Aien, finally we meet face to face."

"Finally?" Aien popped the question as his palms were sweaty from the spiritual pressure emitting from this woman. In truth Aien was nervous for he felt like if he said the wrong phrase or made the wrong decision she could cut him down without needing a weapon to do it. "I feel like you're implying that you've been here the whole time..." Aien admitted as he picked up that vibe to say the least. Then she looked over at Gage is where she stops and frowns. Perhaps it might be too much of a assumption, but Aien gets the sense that Gage is a bit unwanted here for some reason. "And I don't think that I have had the... pleasure of meeting you Mr..."

Of course Gage would stand up and brushes himself off before responding. "I am just the mechanic. No one else. I just facilitate the meeting." Then something finally clicked in Aien's head as he never thought about it until now. "Wait a minute... How come both of you know my name? I don't recall introducing myself." It took him a while to really ask this question, but back then he was just thinking of enduring the pain and surviving for as long as possible. Gage is someone Aien is almost certain did a bit of research for Aien, but the woman on the other hand is someone he had just met and yet she already knew his name. The spirit was about to connect the dots that maybe Gage and this woman were acquaintances, but unless they're putting up a great act those lines didn't match since this apparently is their first encounter. So the question remains of how she knows his name?

"Well of course. I have always been there, watching you in your soul. I have only gained a bit of a voice when I was given life, manifesting as the soul that resides in your sword." Aien was a bit surprised that this is what his soul truly looks like from what Aien had originally thought. Aien was under the assumption of something like a mythical creature that probably would be more or less like a demi god. Should Aien be amazed or a bit frightened of what his soul looks like? Most likely a bit of both as her power is terrifying because if she wanted to she could probably flex her spiritual pressure to crush Aien to the ground. At the same time he's a bit amazed as if he's looking at a myth of sorts before his very own eyes.

Technically Aien is under a shock, though perhaps he is terrible at showing it, but this whole event has been like one giant and painful rollercoaster ride that he's still processing on if any of this is just a dream. "Am I not privy to your knowledge already? I am a personality that knows as much of everything that you do. Whether or not you accept that you know it." The woman's voice snapped Aien out of his thoughts that were crawling up to his mind. Clouding his vision of memories of nothing but darkness from that cloth. Hell he can barely remember his own screams because Aien at some point simply blocked that part out. "I have enough tech here to put America to shame and you think that I can't google your name from some papers you left in your backpack in your classroom?" Aien had to think about that for a moment, because there were many papers and books checked out under his name that it was pretty much spread throughout the school. Still there were hundreds more students who has similar spread out so to pick just one student out of all of them is something Aien can't wrap his mind around just yet.

"But Aien does bring up a good point. This 'inner world' of his is a bit... bare." Aien was glad that he wasn't the only one who thinks so before Gage bumped Aien in the arm with his elbow. "Maybe its a sign to what you have in your head." The young man thought about it for a moment before he shook his head in disagreement. "This one is quite different, for the main thing she wasn't the one that I saw beforehand. At the same time I don't detect any malice coming from her, at least not as much as that other guy was." No sooner than that the woman answered roughly the same way, but pointed out that Aien was too shortsighted to begin with and too young for that matter. Aien had a funny expression on his face as he won't deny it. "Well I mean I am only 16 and still in high school for that matter. I haven't even decided what I wanted to do for college yet."

Though that just proves her point on being too shortsighted if one was to think about his school life. There has been instances in the past to where if Aien really puts in enough effort he can accomplish roughly about anything the Student Council throws at him. His main problem however is that Aien would complete the task and then get some R&R until the last minute he needs to turn in the report. Kind of a bit lazy especially since he only does it to avoid more work being dumped on him. Gage would most likely have noticed this during his time observing Aien's behavior beforehand.