Time for a Shikai

Kaede had been training his mind and body for a long period to get where he was, he wanted it badly and needed to find the sword. He was so close finding it, the whisper was in his ear he had held the katana and wakazashi before him, holding each one as he waited for this connection pushing further. He'd been trying to find it for so long, Kaede knew only loneliness. Something that few recruits like him would encounter, Kaede had to struggle for a chance to win. Trying to win these things wasn't easy at all. A Captain who never was around,a worthless Vice Captain who'd simply left the Gotei 13 because he couldn't cut it. Kaede was beyond his desire to work here, his devoted time training his Kidō and other skills had truly come to pay off at times. But now he needed to push, to push find his shikai. He needed his sword now, it was time for the boy who trained hard. Kaede wasn't going to take this anymore, he would train his very life now. Trying to die that was it, he wouldn't stop till he reached that goal.

"I will find you, I won't give up not here and not now!" He hadn't noticed it yet that the area around him had changed, almost gaining a new feel, the bright and warm world he sat in now was a place far different from normal, a woman with a spear upon her back and wearing white armor walked forward. Blue eyes stern and able to send the bravest men into a fear that couldn't be described. Her blond hair was pure, she spoke and yet couldn't reach him. Her name was like a blank in a sentence for him, he couldn't hear it. He understood who she was, he needed to battle this female perhaps to find it. Perhaps a way to devote to this beautiful maiden he would find it. Kaede's mind raced, she spoke now walking forward. No sign of swords, where was this place that he'd landed in. "Lost are we my dear Kaede?" Her voice was gentle yet stern, it suited her look. Kaede heard her voice, yet something was strange about this woman.

"How do you know my name, who are you?" Kaede was a bit surprised that such a woman appeared, no the better question was to say where were they. He glanced around without moving his head, he sat at the center of the room. Was she perhaps someone he would know, someone he should be pushing to find. He'd been training hard for many years, meditating to find the answer to the questions. The woman giggled a bit, something of a laugh at the one she knew better then any other, one could say reading his mind was child's play for her."Ah my dear Kaede can't quite hear my name yet can he..guess only one way to reach your ears my boy." Kaede's eyes widened and he watched as a test began, this was her method of making sure he was ready for the power to come. Kaede had learned the lessons of being a man ready to die for the goals ahead of him. He glanced forward now, taking in the details that the female was making. She raised her hand, not boxes really.

Thousands of swords began falling through out this realm, she smiled as she raised her hand a bit further. Before sitting down, the woman seemed to take a throne as she spoke again. "Find your swords" He reached on his back to find it, how could he locate his Zanpakutō. He was alone for such a thing to be here, he looked out they went on for what seemed to be miles. Kaede vanished, taking his next spot looking around for the answer. His eyes were examining this place for what was likely the next step for this place. Nothing seemed to be making sense here, but he would play this womans game. Kaede arose from his seat, trying to push himself towards the next goal. It was time to search these massive piles of swords, finding the real one would be easy. Slowly the female's hand came up, flashing in the eyes of Kaede was alight so blinding he'd lost his eye sight. He couldn't see, her voice was to be a guide now. "There, now this game is fair and interesting. Find it without your eyes."

Kaede was well blind, he wasn't sure how he would find it. The female was rather mean taking away his eyes, he could still feel. Kaede walked bumping his hand into what felt like a metal object, picking it up he gave it a couple swings. Something was wrong, this blade didn't quite feel like the weapon he required. This wasn't right, he softly put it down on the ground being respectful. She'd yawned, Kaede had little time left. Beginning to pick up his pace, he grabbed a couple thing's beginning to show some progress though in his mind he wasn't sure how many he'd gone through. He was waiting for her sign, perhaps it wouldn't be found. He felt a little course of doubt, nothing was working. he'd gone through ten swords now, having swung each and tossed them. Speeding up and hurrying. Not even aware that the swords were going back. He'd picked up one twice, he was aware of that. This wasn't exactly how Kaede was wanting to spend his evening.

Kaede wasn't feeling closer yet, still wandering around he'd found some swords that felt right. The female spoke now deciding she would kill time talking to the man searching for the sword. "Why do you seek power? What will you do with it when you have it Kaede, will you make enemies beg for mercy with the power Light brings. Or will you hold the honor of the Light?" Kaede continued picking swords up and walking in this bright room, his eyes hurt to much to open them. He wasn't sure what happened in the living world but it didn't matter, here was the facts. He was in a realm of light, perhaps his world. He wasn't sure why, but he considered her question rather carefully. Things hadn't dawned on him yet, what business had she to know the purpose. "I've been alone for so long, I don't seek power I seek the missing piece. Something that's been missing from my life, because I have faith in my powers and shall proceed onwards."

"You dodged the question my Kaede, what will you do with the powers that (Blank) will give you." He couldn't hear the part between that and will, perhaps it wasn't just his thoughts. He'd explained why he wanted the power, but what would he do with it once he had it. Truthfully speaking this wasn't the first time Kaede had trained so hard, training without ending. It was almost like a battle between the souls right now. The woman had a right to know, perhaps she was his, no it couldn't be. "I will bring honor to Light and I will serve the justice upon the enemy that my code of life dictates." Kaede said the words as he picked up another sword and swung it a couple times, he wasn't able to feel it. This wasn't the sword and yet he was beginning to puzzle over this. How many hours had passed here, he stopped now. This wasn't exactly how the day had been planned for Kaede. Standing still the woman grinned, Kaede was thinking. Perhaps he'd figured it out finally.

Kaede continued, walking among the swords. What had he figured out, she told him to locate his sword in this room. Things had been going on for hours, where was he exactly. But that wasn't the whole purpose of this. It was to find his sword, his mind began ticking. Trying to find the right answer, Kaede stopped and sat for a moment. He was covered in sweat, he couldn't do this for much longer. This wasn't easy at all, this woman was a test. "Let's see what we know so far, my sword is here, but where is it among all these blades. This place goes on for miles, I mean thousands of these blades are out here. I've been looking for several hours, this woman perhaps she is more than what I thought. It seems like she knows more about this then she is letting on." Kaede thought to himself, this place was huge and didn't seem to have an end in sight. So what if she did know more then she let on, he had rested long enough. He began to move backwards towards his goal. This place had taken up so much time.

Kaede returned slowly towards the woman, he walked towards her, he wasn't sure why but he could tell where she was. He walked over, letting his hand touch her hand and lift her up slowly. She'd sat at the center of the room. Kaede's eyes hadn't recovered yet, he was holding her hand. This was it, this was the feeling he'd been missing this was it. He felt his eyes beginning to recover. This had been weighing on his mind, he'd been puzzling over what the female had said. Grant it, he'd gone through over a hundred swords before in his mind he realized it. The test had been to find her, he needed to hear her name. She smiled and spoke now softly holding his hand as though it was a long lost friends hand. "Say it, come now say my name. It's echoing in your soul, you have found your sword..now call out to it..come on KAEDE!" Kaede wasn't sure, he listened closing his eyes again. He could her faint whispers in his ear, the feeling almost opening a door before it closed.


"HIK-...Hikariagi...Is that..your name..that name feel's so familiar as though I've heard it in the deepest depths of my world, my dreams and my hopes all becoming a known factor. "He felt a hilt in his hand, something was there now the female was holding a sword and had put it into the male's hand. He felt her other hand touch his free hand, the wakazashi soon appeared in it. She was smiling, he'd gotten her name right it seemed. No he was certain of it that was her, no question, ands or ifs about it. He could feel a strength about these swords, something new was about to begin from this alone. He'd trained hard and well had put his best foot forward with this, this training had taken a long time. Perhaps he'd found the answer he was looking for with these swords she'd given him. He could hear her name, but he wasn't so sure. What powers came with this deal, what came for his trial by light. Was there more coming or was this all that there was?

Only time would tell.