The Final Battle -Part I-

Al and Con prepared themselves for their last battle.
They stared each other down as a wind blew across the plain, rippling the grass.

After a long silence, Al spoke.
"I know what we must do. But I need to know… why did you come back?"

Conrad looked somewhat surprised by Al's comment.

Then he snarled at Alfred, "Because being locked up in that empty little head of yours was too much for me to bear. I wanted revenge. Wouldn't you?!"

Al's expression hardened.

"No."

Con, surprised again by Al's words, spoke again. "Why not, you idiot?"

"Because I'm a hero. Heroes don't seek revenge."

He drew his sword, a long katana with red, white and blue cloth on the hilt and a tsuba shaped like a star.

"And heroes bring people like you to justice!"

He charged.
And Conrad charged back.

But what surprised Al was when Conrad drew his sword.

It was a rapier with a black blade, a blood-red guard and a blue grip.

Al knew at once that the sword in his counterpart's hand was a Zanpakuto.

Their swords clashed with a deafening clang, and a burst of pure power spread throughout the field, kicking up a mighty wind and shattering large rocks that had stood for centuries before this fateful day.

They continued to fight, Al mainly on the defensive, parrying Con's blows with moderate ease.

Eventually, Con grew tired, and back flipped away from the clash of the blades.

"It would seem we've reached an impasse, my goody-goody counterpart. However, I have something that you don't."

Con concentrated, and Al sensed his spiritual pressure rise.
The Confederacy grinned, and spoke the release command:

"Subete no teki o korosu, Hanran!"
[[Kill all enemies, Rebellion!]]

There was a flash of light, and Conrad stood, no longer holding a sword.
Instead, he held a black musket, tarnished with age and scarred from battle.

"This is exactly why I'm better than you. This is why I will win," Con taunted.

He fired his musket at Al.
From the barrel shot a bolt of lightning, flying so fast that Al barely had time to block it.
The blade of Al's sword snapped in half.

Al landed on his back, weary from the blow.
Con laughed at him, his maniacal high-pitched voice ricocheting over the plain.

"You fool! You honestly thought you could win? I almost killed you with one shot! You pathetic weakling! I know all your weaknesses, not to mention how to activate Shikai! And all you have left is a broken sword."

Al stood weakly.
The blow had almost knocked the wind out of him, and he felt like he could collapse at any moment.
He thought…

"What can I do now… I can't beat him. Maybe I should just give up and die…"

Suddenly, he heard another voice, much deeper than his own, but still somewhat familiar...

"I thought that you would have figured this out by now, Hero."

Surprised by this new voice, Al almost spoke back, but the voice said,

"Now is not the time for words, Hero. Now is the time for action. You barely know me, but I know you.
I am your sword."

Al looked at the broken blade in his hands.

"Now… focus your power. Feel your inner strength."

Al focused, and slowly but surely, energy began to surge around him in shades of red, white and blue.
Conrad, meanwhile, was stunned.
He couldn't believe it.
Two seconds ago, he swore that he saw Al almost drop dead. Now he was churning out limitless amounts of spiritual energy.

A deep rage filled Conrad.

"Why… WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE?"

He raised his gun again, this time, aiming for Alfred's head.

Meanwhile, Al was pumping out massive amounts of energy, and it felt… good.
He felt powerful.

And suddenly, he felt something else.
It was knowledge.
In his mind was a single word - a name.
And he knew whose name it was.

He raised his broken blade.

"Good. You know it. Now… SPEAK MY NAME!"

Con fired.
As the bolt of lightning shot towards him, Al shouted the name toward the heavens…

"SHUNJIKO!!!"

[[End of Part I]]