Midnight Snack (Osamu)

Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

Reiatsu50 Defense16 Strength7 Speed7 Spirit20 ApplicationNightmare Awakened

Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 1:04:53 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 1:04:53 GMT -5

Darkness. While Shinku definitely enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her exoskeletal body, she also very much appreciated the safety and cover that darkness provided. She had a busy past month, between hunting, hiding and surviving, pressing her luck and finding some reasonable Quincy to talk with and barely surviving an encounter with a Shinigami who had slaughtered her entire Brood, she had been busy. It had taken a considerable amount of time to rebuild her minion’s numbers from scratch, but after three days and a short spree of successful hunts, she was pleased that she was finally back up to full strength. She was passively avoiding the other side of town where she had run into the Shinigami who had earned her hatred so intensely, hoping to not run into him again… at least not until she was strong enough to defeat him completely. She would make him feel pain, and then make him see reason… in that order.

But she wasn’t strong enough for that yet. Instead, Shinku was focused on staying who she was by hunting the Beast minded Hollow that roamed around the deserted side of Karakura town, and she was getting better at it all the time. The beasts were becoming predictable, and she was actually able to post detachments or even entire packs in specific locations where their arrival was fairly common. She was able to tear them to ribbons and escape before anyone arrived to see what happened, only leaving behind the impact crater and a pool of blood. There was one, however, that she sensed that would be easy pickings, but it was between packs, and as such, not as quickly dispatched. Not detecting anyone nearby, however, she felt it was safe enough to engage the Hollow and get away before anyone got to them.

Four Okami unborrowed themselves from their hiding places, two per pack of the ones nearby, and ran through the streets at breakneck speeds, dodging the occasional car. Roughly the size of tigers and faster than a similar sized wolf, they were upon their targets in mere seconds, a weird caterpillar type Hollow that slithered into a nearby ally. The Okami gave chase, quickly cornering it and before it could rear it’s head back to try to defend itself, the teeth and claws were ripping off the many legs it possessed, taking away it’s root. It was mere seconds before they had disabled it, and about a solid minute before killing it outright and beginning to feast. They had to move quickly, and for a moment, Shinku considered that she should have sent more so they could devour the beast quickly, as the clock was ticking. Every moment they lay exposed there was more chance that they would be discovered, and she would have to initiate some maneuver in order to get them home safely without bringing the threat to her doorstep.

Already, her plans were in motion for just such a possibility, shifting the packs around and establishing them in a different location, and Shinku herself moving from the main hive to one of the side-tunnels so that if they were followed, they wouldn’t find her home within the labyrinth of maze-like caverns that she had created.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 2:19:37 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 2:19:37 GMT -5

Unranked, he had little duty of prestige. He found himself once more in and around the streets of this cursed city. He came to expect trouble or intrigue every departure, as was the nature of this self sufficient town. There was always someone up to something, for some reason.

He existed to monitor and intervene on any such happenings. Allied Shinigami were watched to make sure their duties were completed precisely and they did not loiter or fraternize. Hollow contacts were reported to other Shinigami whose duties were more strictly focused on combatting Hollow emergences. Known contacts were monitored, if they were up to anything suspect, they'd be interdicted.

Across the tops of both of his hands stood the black markings of his newly devised glyph magic. Through conscious manipulation of the energy in spell-like fashion, weaving that power into a written seal -- not dissimilar to an incantation, for it contained in a few strokes of character all he may otherwise command his body to do so consciously -- in an effort, once more, monitor and suppress his reiatsu on the spot, that Andromeda may be kept at bay.

Where once he, like everyone else, suppressed his energies with no strict foci, he then developed an order of hand seals that did accomplished the same with, with greater intensity, duration, and focus. When Andromeda managed to come for him still, he then was forced to devise an increasingly more complex method to stave off the spirit: the glyphs. By continuining his experimentation with substituting trained hand signs for incantations -- consciously tugging at the Reiryoku being emitted by the wrists via the fingers -- he figured physically expressing such machinations externally as he may internally could produce the same or similar results.

The inky black seals on his hands stood out against the pale white of his skin as a proof of concept, and Karakura was the perfect area where he may find someone or something to help hone such a skill...

It didn't take long before he picked up on a handful of presences either too small, too far away, or perhaps a mixture of both to be picked up by the detector on the Shinigami's soul phone. Instead, Osamu honed in on the presences after confirming there were no more Shinigami available to pick up the task. He figured it was menial enough a task to be dealt with swiftly, that be may return to more important duties. Or perhaps something a little more worth his time.

Arriving by the cover of rooftop and expert concealment, the scenery he arrived to was somewhat a relief. He didn't mind the pitch black alleyway beneath him, the nightsky, nor did any of the shadows or their secrets bother him. He fought an enemy made of something blacker and more sinister than anything that could be lurking in the shadows of reality. But this? It was certainly intriguing.

The mangled carcass of a centipede-like hollow rested messily on the concrete as four terrifying beasts ate at it nearing completion. He smirked to himself, figuring at least the beasts, in their cannibalism, did some number of the work for him. A twang of adrenaline coursed through him as he took a moment to savor the realization he hadn't, really, had much hollow contact to speak of. Too bad, he though, it would have to be over so quickly.

From his vantage point atop, he fell. He landed, knees bent, and fell into a low crouch to absorb the brunt of the impact. He closed the remaining handful of feet from the corpse of the hollow and where he'd landed, blade already torn from its sheath during his descent. With calculated precision, he poked the tip firmly into the mask of the fallen hollow, its dissipation interrupting the beasts feast. Confused, they looked up only then to take in Osamu's presence, snarling in realization. Their bore fangs were truly fearsome, and they didn't hesitate to begin an assault against him.

The closest of the hounds lunged at Osamu, getting batted aside with a swift kick. A second lunged from further away, and Osamu's blade found its way down the maw of that beast, which howled in pain. In a dying attempt to do some harm, its maw slammed shut, narrowly missing Osamu's hand and managing to throw him off balance with the force of the bite.

He grunted in defiance, swinging his sword arm wide in an arc behind him, slamming the dead and or dying body of the hound at the other end against a second that sought an opportunity to attack from behind. With the remaining three all in his sight, he pulled his sword to his feet, pulling his sword free from the closed maw before planting it firmly through the beasts skull. It, like the hollow before it, scattered into bits of reishi.

He lowered his gaze on the remaining three before him. They saw what he was capable of. What would they do? Were they cunning, or would they charge forth? Both?

He'd find out.

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Last Edit: Aug 5, 2017 2:23:31 GMT -5 by Osamu Shimazu

Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

Reiatsu50 Defense16 Strength7 Speed7 Spirit20 ApplicationNightmare Awakened

Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 2:55:14 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 2:55:14 GMT -5

So intent on eating the Hollow as quickly as possible, the beasts hadn’t detected the Shinigami at all, and didn’t know he was there until the Death God had dropped in their midst, spoiling the last parts of their meal, making the beast dissipate completely. That was fine, as it was already dead, and mostly devoured, so most of the energy had been absorbed. Each turned quickly, snarling at the newcomer, but their orders were clear; distract and evade. The first, which was behind him, had taken the inititive, and leaped at his back only to be kicked out of the way completely, and quickly recovered, circling around to try to get to the rest of the pack. Another leaped at the man and received a blade into it’s throat. Unwilling to accept it’s inevitable death, it bit and clawed at the Shinigami in vain, but was enough to give the others the time they needed to regroup. Bunched together, they uttered a single, unified roar at the man, screaming bloodlust.

While the body of the Okami he finished off certainly did fade away like a typical Hollow, when it did so, there was an eerie purple light coming from where it’s stomach had been that was distinctly Hollow. It was the residual energy from the Hollow they had eaten, packed away in the beast’s belly. It would linger like a ghostly flame for a minute or so before dissipating as well, but the light and energy of it was likely to draw attention. The Okami backed away at the same time, and one of the three turned away from the Shinigami, turning downwards. With startling efficiency, it dug into the asphalt and concrete like it was sand and dropped into the sewers, creating a large hole for its companions to follow, who did quickly, their wings on their hind quarters fluttering and accelerating them through the man-made tunnels of the sewers. From their, in a tight line formation, they went to their max speed, which likely could be kept up with if the Shinigami was quick.

Shinku cursed her luck. This Shinigami was impossible for her to sense, and as such, she didn’t react fast enough to save her minion. The other three were at risk as well. She quickly issued the order to recall all her forces to the alternate cave where she was housed, wanting to have her full might ready and available. This one, being impossible to sense properly, could easily be as powerful as that last bastard, and if that was true, she was going to need a much better strategy in which to deal with him. She had three full packs with her, and two more were en route, minus one Okami. Already, they were moving and getting into position, but still completely hidden, submerged into various tunnels or in specific places thorough he field near her location. Specific placement for maximum protection and adaptable strategy, she felt she was more capable and ready for this one. Perhaps she could convince him to stand down. If not, she would have to try to use force to make him stand down. She didn’t want to kill him if he was weaker… and that lack of bloodlust was likely a problem she would have to deal with later.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 3:17:49 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 3:17:49 GMT -5

The body of the hollow dissipated as he was use to, though it left behind a glowing mass of what he assumed to be resiedual Reiryoku. Perhaps some machination of communication? After all, each of the hollows were idenmtical in appearance, and that was unusual. They were likely spawns of a greater individual. Something measuredly more sinister and powerful, perhaps. He kept his eye on the ball of energy, making sure no flickers of energy came from it that indicated it may explode or otherwise harm him. He noticed the three from the back turn and run, one boring into the literal ground with the other two in tow.

He grunted before sending out a message about the incident on his soul phone. It read something along the lines of, "Hollow contact, location attached. Pursuing into sewer systems below town, collateral damage to asphalt."

He approached the hole, taking a deep breath of fresh air before climbing down himself. The shift in temperature produced a subtle burst of air that pushed against his hair and face as the putrid scent of the murky, soiled water filled his nostrils and stung at his eyes. The signs on his hands persisted, concealing his presence from his enemies. He feared, however, they could perhaps rely on finer senses such as hearing or smell. It didn't matter, though, because he was confident he'd know they were coming for him even before they knew they were coming for him.

He entered the sewers fully and began his thorough trek throughout, the distractions of life above allowing his senses an even keener edge. If he focused, he was sure he'd be able to pinpoint each individual and pick them off one by one, but it didn't take him long to notice there were more than those three that had gotten away. Scattered, distance, but seemingly intentionally placed, he sensed handfuls of the beasts, all similar in presence. There was little doubt in his mind, then, that somewhere in this smelly maze a conductor existed, controlling these foul minions that prowled the streets of Karakura. He tried his best to focus on his spiritual senses and sift through the many presences to see which, if any, were distinct enough or powerful enough to be considered a "leader." He decided it was of little use, and was thankful that he could at least sense any of them at all. Whoever their leader, they were perhaps close in Osamu's own level to be able to escape his keen detection.

He didn't necessarily fancy the idea of picking them off one by one, either, but... he would he what he had to do. Eventually, he figured, he would find the brood mother, and deal with her. If earlier were any indication of the strength of her spawns, then it didn't matter much if three or five ganged up on him. He'd manage to deal with them no matter the odds. Especially in a confined area where he could simply blast them with a shot of kido. His expert swordplay should save his head should any foul creatures manage to sneak past his detection and sneak up behind him again.

Despite the danger, his sword was now in his sheath. His left hand rested easily on the hilt of his sword, while his right rested tensely at his side, prepared to craft and weave a destructive or binding spell at a moments notice in his characteristic hand weaving style, now capable of producing spells single handed. Unfortunately, doing so produced a spell much less powerful, a comparison to weaving with both hands versus one representing spoken incantation or none. He was confident he was armed favorably well to deal with any and all of these beasts as he came for them, one by one. The harbinger of their downfall.

He was coming for them. For all of them.

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Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

Reiatsu50 Defense16 Strength7 Speed7 Spirit20 ApplicationNightmare Awakened

Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 4:33:19 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 4:33:19 GMT -5

Now that she was focused on it, she could hear the Shinigami through the ears of her Okami, giving chase to the creatures as they sped through the tunnels, making turns this way and that, trying to weave through the network of murky tunnels, their glowing orange eyes seeing easily through the dark. They weren’t trying to be quiet; it was obvious he was able to track their spiritual pressure, so stealth wasn’t an option, so they dug their claws into the concrete and muck as they sped through the depths, trying to outrun their pursuer. He was no slouch though, and kept pace, even if he wasn’t really gaining on them, although it likely helped that they knew where they were going and thus could prepare for turns, where he had to react as they sped through.

Shinku saw how it was going and prepared the best she could, even taking the moment to drop an egg to replace the single Okami that had been killed, the bowling ball size egg slipping off the spiked end of her tail and hitting the base of a tree with a wet smack, beginning to throb, pulse and grow. The clouds rolled overhead, and would for a few minutes, covering the moon and making it more simple of a task to distribute and hide her forces. She would try to use a sheer show of force to make him reconsider fighting her… but open ground was probably the best option. Fighting in the caves would be good if she was fighting someone with superior numbers, but in this case, it would actually slow her minions and make them easier targets since there was only one enemy. Shinku used her spider-like form to ascend the tree and hide for the moment, waiting for the prey to enter the web that she had created for them. He was making his way towards her with speed, and it wouldn’t be long before he became entangled within the web of her trap.

The Okami that were fleeing him made an abrupt turn through a non-man-made hole in the wall that was well over ten feet tall and led upwards towards the surface, climbing the winding passage quickly and efficiently, their speed showing that this was their home turf; they had home-field advantage. Above, it popped out into the field where Shinku was waiting, and she waited for him to emerge. It took about a minute for her Okami to emerge, and they quickly moved to where the egg was, surrounding it and turning back towards the hole as the only visible combatants. As the Shinigami emerged from the hole, he would likely sense that her spiritual pressure was in a haze all around the field, hopefully confusing his senses. The cloud-cover was still present, so only the glowing eyes of the Okami and the alien glow and pulse of the egg was visible easily, but the Okami he had been chasing looked to be protecting the egg. As the Shinigami appeared, a voice called out, definitely female and intelligent, but also with a chitter underneath the words, like an unearthly bug had crept into her throat.

“Stay your blade, Death God. You cannot hope to win here, and I hope to do you no harm.” She was more direct than she had been with the last Shinigami, but even though she had pleaded with him politely, he had still been the one to slaughter her Brood. She would take no risks with this one, and had even theorized that they didn’t respond to polite talk, but perhaps the only language they understood was brute force. If that was so, then she needed to simply start speaking their language. The clouds drifted away finally, letting the pale moonlight shine through and truly reveal the surroundings for the first time, and there was an eruption of the earth, sending dust and soil into the air in what felt like an earthquake but only lasted a moment or two. Patches of upturned dirt were scattered all around the field, and from the holes they came from, her entire Brood surrounded the lone Shinigami. 39 Okami, snarling and biting the air in his direction, and behind them, five much taller Hanta loomed, their spines already exposed and aimed at the threat to the Brood. Even the tunnel in which he had entered quickly collapsed, the structural integrity of the tunnel breached intentionally so he couldn’t slip into the tunnel to retreat or use it as a fortified location.

“You begin the casting of a spell or draw your blade, my Brood will be upon you before you finish from every direction, every angle.” There was anger in the voice, but not one of malice, but instead warning. “I would rather like to prevent the shedding of blood if possible, even though you have struck down one of my own already.” As if on cue, the egg erupted, a fresh Okami emerging from the egg and moving forwards to join it’s bretheren… ready and willing to tear this lonely Death God limb from limb, regardless of its fresh birth. “Can their be peace, Shinigami? Are you capable of holding yourself against the acts of violence that I have attributed to your kind, for a time at least?” There was still anger in her voice, but more so than that, there was a plea.

She didn’t want to kill him, and she didn’t want to lose any more of her pets. Slowly, Shinku herself, glowing purple eyes and legs, dropped slowly out of the tree, slipping along the trunk and placing herself behind her veritable army of minions. She had three packs in formation around between him and the great Hollow, in a cone around him with two packs more behind him to the left and right in a sort of pentagram. The Okami were spread out but surrounding the Hanta, and the growling and hissing of the Brood grew quiet, allowing the Death God to speak a reply.

Check. Your move, Shinigami.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 4:56:30 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 4:56:30 GMT -5

The chase carried him all throughout the sewer systems, sometimes taking turns often, othertimes following the pipes down a single path for dozens of feet before falling back into the left-right-left madness of the underground maze. Before long, they emerged from the sewers and onto an open field straight out of a nightmare. In the lightless night, only eyes could be seen, their red glow poking out through the darkness like aflame rubies. Too many to count. He knew individually, they weren't that strong, but he seriously doubted he could take on as many as were present by himself, at least not without seriously hurting himself.

From somewhere in the darkness, a voice called out. It suggested he stay his blade, coating it in some lie that it meant no harm. It didn't take but a moment for him to discern both the physical and spiritual direction of the voice. Like her brood, she was mostly obscured from view, though her silhouette seemed to outline a truly monstrous figure, not to mention the impressive army she's got under her control. Eventually, the clouds parted and he saw the sheer power of her brood: easily twenty or more hollows of her spawning, a few larger and more menacing looking than the hounds from earlier.

He gulped, but made sure he kept himself in check. He reasoned that with so many individual minions, controlling them as an entire force while also protecting herself would prove difficult. Especially with how comparatively weak the two of them were compared to, say, someone like Captain Kasumi. He was confident they both had a long way to go, comparing his power against hers, before this display of force was much more than a bluff.

Or could it truly be more?

He gauged his reaction carefully nonetheless. He laughed nervously, appearing defeated. His nose wrinkled in disgust after the Hollow's monologue about her felled hound from earlier, all before an egg hatched a brand new one before his very eyes. It emerged from the hard shell, a thick slime coating its newly spawned body. It grunted, shaking off the slime, the snarl on its face as mean and deadly as its brethren. The hollow warned him not to cast any spells or draw his blade, asking him whether there could be peace or if he'd be like "the rest," of his "violent," kind.

Oh, the irony. She wasn't wrong, that was for certain.

Whoever she was, there was something about her and her brood. He felt something from her, something weak. There was something distinct, but he was certain to some degree, she was beneath him. His ego was certainly inflated, because he refused to believe some beast, however clever, could trump his training and prowess, no matter how power nor numerous her army. Regardless, his hand fell from the hilt of his weapon and rested harmlessly at his side. He looked from left to right, and back again, and memorized the layout of the hollow and her brood. He really hoped it didn't come down to it, but he was certainly prepared to cut them all to ribbons. But he'd have to play it safe for now. Perhaps, even, if he could get a good poke at the Queen, he wouldn't have to worry about the rest of her brood.

"For a time," he responded casually, answering the Hollow's question, "perhaps." His voice was steady and undisturbed, almost as if he didn't appreciate the danger of the situation he was in. Either that, or he didn't care. In any case, he was still as a statue as he eyed the Hollow from the safety of several paces. He wasn't too close any of her brood, thankfully, and he was confident he would probably have plenty of time to react should any of them launch some sort of assault against him. All things considered, though, he was surrounded.

"I wouldn't get a big head over these circumstances, though," he said dismissively, gesturing towards the open field filled with her own brood. "What is it you want, Hollow?"

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Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 5, 2017 5:47:49 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 5:47:49 GMT -5

Shinku studied the subject carefully, folding her clawed hands over her ‘stomach’ where her Hollow hole was like she was being polite and non-assertive. The second set of arms, each tipped with a single black spike for a claw, folded slightly, crossing behind her and resting on the long tail she possessed. While she had revealed herself, now she stepped forwards, listening carefully as he gulped. He seemed to understand the situation at least, and that was good enough for her. The Brood Queen didn’t think it wise to completely step in front of her creatures, but now, instead of well far back from them near the tree, she was directly behind them, and much more clearly able to seen. She knew that her appearance had been less than optimal as far as not intimidating people, so this was the best she could do as far as being non-aggressive herself. Besides occasionally shifting their weight side to side, the Brood became still as well, not doing much more than flittered in their wings or flexing their arms occasionally.

He gave a nervous laugh, and she considered this one of two things. Either he was legitimately afraid and trying to conceal it, or he was unafraid and trying to appear as though he was fearful. Both were deceitful. All she could do now though was to stay her hand and keep moving, one step at a time. He was considering the situation, and actually showed emotion, both of which seemed to be improvements over the last Shinigami. Her words were finally responded to, and he said that he was willing to at least entertain the idea, and her glowing purple eyes seemed to bright slightly at this idea, and she inclined her large, masked head a slight bit, giving him the respect for such a decision. “I thank you for your consideration. I know little about your kind aside what I witness. My interactions with the Shinigami have been… violently abrupt. Words do not often reach their ears.” There was regret and anger in those words, both things that were associated with that one tall bastard who had slaughtered the Brood like so many sheep led to the butchery.

He stated that she shouldn’t get a big head, and asked what she wanted. If he hadn’t been so serious about it, she might have laughed; her mask and skull was far larger than proportioned for her body, so it was mildly entertaining that he could have been making a crack at her appearance, even though she didn’t think that was the case. No, he was saying that he shouldn’t underestimate the Death God, and in that respect, he was certainly right. She would never make the mistake of underestimating an opponent, because even the strongest of them all could be taken down by such a gross error. She would ensure that she would never become prideful enough to be blind. But he had asked a question, and she would give an answer, but there was another error she needed to rectify first. “My name is Shinku… and while addressing me with my species is acceptable, I implore you to use my name. I would do the same for you.” Formalities out of the way, it was time to address the big question.

“And what I want is simple. I want to survive.” She paused there, as to emphasize her point. She wasn’t going to sit here and talk for days on end, but she also knew that it wouldn’t be good to simply let that statement hang there without reinforcement. She needed to give him a reason as to why she was here, and why she survived the way she did. “I hunt my own kind in attempt to keep from provoking your kind and the others who hunt us. I save them from themselves, unable to think for themselves. I hunt because I must to retain who I am. Why do you Hunt?” It would do a lot of good to understand why it was that these Death Gods attacked and killed her kind with such fervor, although some that she witnessed had certainly done it for nothing more than the pleasure of doing so.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 7, 2017 2:38:12 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 7, 2017 2:38:12 GMT -5

His eyes were alight with a mixture of fury and interest and he had opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated. She had taken a few strides forward with her several armored legs, their ends thudding audibly into the earth beneath her feet. For as tall as Osamu was among other Shinigami, at least on average, this beast rivaled him by far. She must have been twice his size, or close to it, and weighing at least a couple hundred stones.

For all he had been taught about these heartless beasts, something in this one seemed to level with him. He wrinkled his nose at the thought, dismissing the notion as quickly as he had come to it. So she was a righteous fiend, was she? Righteous or not, she was indeed a fiend, and fiends deserved their salvation.

"So that was intentional back there, huh?" he asked aloud, his darting to any random one of her hell beasts, in reference to the fallen centipede hollow her hounds were feasting on from earlier. "You take out your own kind, huh? You must really want to keep us off your back."

He was really put off by the sheer imbalance of forces here. Even the ones that were visible in the moonlight paled in number to how many still glared at him as red eyes in the shadows behind their pack. He knew he could keep up, if only for a little, but it wouldn't take long before his eyes just wouldn't be able to keep up with everything that'd be going on. For them, it would simply end up a battle of attrition once he tired out, and they had the numbers to hold him off. If only his eyes could keep up...

His hands met together at his chest where he wove a single hand sign, holding it for a few moments. While this seal was being held, he spoke, "If you're asking what I think you're asking," two, three hand signs, and he held the third. He was shifting around, commanding by physical invocation rather than verbal, the energy in his body mold to his desire. He was still working at it, however, trying to get a feel for how to make his energy respond in the right manner.

"then it's because there's a lot more room for me to grow. I hunt to measure and refine myself. Surviving is simply a product of that end," he shrugged. "And whom better to use as benchmarks than one's natural born enemies? In a world where I am employed by a force that seeks to eradicate your kind in the name of protecting the defenseless, I hunt because it is my mission to hunt. I must see I complete each and every mission I am given," he reasoned, his voice sharp, his irritation becoming evident.

"You say you've had violent run ins with other Shinigami. I imagine that ended in the death of my allies, since you're here before me now."

Four, five hand seals.

505/2,676

Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

Reiatsu50 Defense16 Strength7 Speed7 Spirit20 ApplicationNightmare Awakened

Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 8, 2017 11:53:13 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 8, 2017 11:53:13 GMT -5

Shinku nodded at his initial question. “Indeed. It is basic survival. If I were to attack a Quincy, Shinigami or even Plus Souls, it would draw a lot of attention as people investigated. No one bats an eye if a Hollow that hasn’t even evolved itself enough for conscious thought goes missing, and honestly, I’m simply saving them from themselves while maintaining my own sanity.” She didn’t want to think how ugly it would get if she lost herself while having her entire pack alive; they would attack without discrimination and there would be a slaughter before anyone knew it, and either Shinku would be annihilated soon there-after, or wouldn’t be able to resist the evolutionary cycle again and become a Menos Grande.

But then he moved his hands together and wove a single sign. “It is a Pity you didn’t listen to my warning.”

He continued talking and weaving his signs, and all three packs opened up all at once, the Okami charging in while the Hanta fired volleys of six inch spikes from three separate directions. As if that wasn’t enough, the ground directly beneath the man erupted in a violent burst of claws and teeth, two Okami trying everything in their power to latch onto his legs with their appendages. He was being closed in on and surrounded by the packs he could see, while the pack that had been hidden beneath him had already been put into position, silently and slowly burrowing beneath his feet the entire time. They were extremely skilled and practiced in this burrowing technique, and it was extremely likely that he had never felt a thing, but in the unlikely event that he managed to escape skyward, he would have two Okami going after his legs, and an additional Hanta firing spikes at him directly from below.

The ground around Shinku erupted as well, as the last pack emerged from hiding, their only sole purpose protecting their Queen. Whatever blows landed or missed was irrelevant… she wouldn’t give him a chance to counterattack if she could help it, all four packs of her Brood on the offensive. It could be noted, however, that if something where to succeed in hitting him, their aim was to disable, not to kill. They were also very well spaced out, so a Kidou of any sort would have a hard time hitting them all, and they avoided clumping even when closing in, some falling a distance behind the others to try to avoid it. This was where this Hollow’s strength came from; strategy. She remembered every tactic that the bastard Shinigami before had thrown her way, and wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice. She kept her claws to her sides, her secondary arms coiled and ready to strike if he made a move towards her directly, but she had her pack with her too. He wouldn’t close the distance easily, and if he did, it would be a rather impressive feat indeed to break through all her troops and do damage to her directly, but she remained readily and vigilant, keeping him locked both visually and with her Spiritual Perception.

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{{{If you are confused about the formations or have any other concerns, let me know.}}}

Last Edit: Aug 8, 2017 11:53:33 GMT -5 by Shinku Kodoku

Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 8, 2017 22:19:24 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 8, 2017 22:19:24 GMT -5

A thin smile cracked his otherwise impassive face, one of satisfaction more than of joy. If she thought either her or her brood would slip through his detection, she was dead wrong. He felt her brood coming at him from beneath the ground, and he heard the stampede of claws as she commanded her minions onto the offensive. The four legged beasts he's seen from the alley earlier charged at him, their teeth and drool truly fearsome, while the taller beasts he had yet to have any run-in with fired spines at him from afar.

When the ambush unit broke through the soil beneath Osamu's feet, it didn't take but a split second for Osamu to bend at the knees and launch himself high into the air into safety. Having sensed them coming at him from beneath the ground and having seen their prowess already, he had imagined they would have followed him into the air, ensuring he had no place to hide, but he was relieved to see them eying him from the ground, their snarl as ferocious as ever. He pooled some reishi to the bottoms of his feets, using the platform to kick off in an opposing direction, enhancing the movement with a great deal of spiritual energy, propelling him to safety in an evidently practiced flash step.

A safe distance away now, a sixth hand seal finally finished what it was Osamu had set out to create in the first place: between his collar bones, a new seal formed. Like the seals on his hands, its dark color stood out against the white of his skin. From the seal, however, no energy was produced. In fact, for all intends and purposes, it seemed only a tattoo, not dissimilar to the seals on the tops of his hands. Its use was a little more... circumstantial.

The beasts, not fooled by his agility, set upon him once more with renewed ferocity. They were bound and determined to protect their Queen at all costs -- the instincts of a beast to protect the pride -- and showed no signs of fatigue as they sped towards him. Again, a third volley of spines came at him. Instead of dodging them, however, he tore his blade from its sheath and with expert precision, batted aside any spines that would otherwise have come for him and dealt him harm. At the last spines batting, he found himself once more surrounded by the snarling monsters, while behind them, more charged in to the fray.

His hands went to work again, contorting themselves into a handful of signs before he clapped them together forcefully, a thick plume of red smoke spreading forth from his hands. Thinking on his toes, he robbed the beasts of their sight with the Shinigami spell known as sekeinton. When it came down to it, he knew they were evenly matched physically, at least for the most part. But he was confident in his skillset -- in fact, deep down he knew it and could feel it, this difference between their power, however menial or trivial -- it wasn't about strength, right now. He would see to it that he outmaneuvered and outwitted these foul beasts with superior swordsmanship and planning.

Rob them of their sight, and he should have little trouble detecting them with his spiritual senses and picking them off in their resulting panic. He didn't doubt these creatures relied on other senses to find him. They probably had a keen sense of smell, perhaps even could some degree of scent in the air. He was certain, though, his spiritual senses far outclassed anything spiritual or biological these creatures possessed. He would make sure he burned that distinctly into the mind of the Queen and her Brood.

From within the plume of red smoke, he regained his footing and once more flash stepped to safety, away from the charging brood and their Queen. Dozens of feet away by now and not directly in their line of sight, he called from the branch of a tree he now stood on.

"Your warning? Or the threat of your brood? Tell me, who is it I should be scared of," he said, intentionally giving away his position, grabbing the attention of all gathered. Off to the side and within the plume of smoke he'd conjured came the growls and snarls of the beasts within, who came to the sound of Osamu's voice, freeing themselves from the obscuring cloud of smoke.

"them, or you? It seems they are responsible for the brunt of your dirty work. So what? You're the brains, and they're the muscle? Look, all I'm saying is that if you want to sit here and watch your... things... get killed, you're more than free to. But if I were you, I'd come from behind my meat shield and deal with me, because I can guarantee that I'm going to get bored with them. So... you can either face me, or watch your creatures die. Those are the only two options I'm feeling generous enough to offer you, so make your choice."

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Last Edit: Aug 9, 2017 1:21:39 GMT -5 by Osamu Shimazu

Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 12, 2017 5:14:41 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 12, 2017 5:14:41 GMT -5

Shinku was surprised… he wasn’t even slightly caught off guard, but that meant that he must have known they were there the entire time. He must have also been very skilled to have confidence in his ability to evade such a trap, but now was when things were going to get difficult. She hadn’t managed to pin him to the earth, so there was no way to follow him into the sky unless she herself joined the fray. She knew that was a fool’s move; exposing herself without the might of the Legion was the equivalence of suicide, as they were the main ability she possessed. They were her ability to attack and defend almost more so than her own limbs, but her strength didn’t even compete with her ability to strategize.

While the target was visible she had the Hanta fire spines towards non-lethal yet debilitating areas of the body, and most were countered or evaded. Her Okami meanwhile scattered to where they were spread out, unable to be picked off easily and with more than enough room to react if he were to teleport within their midst. They were also somewhat centralized around the Hanta, as they were currently their only way of attacking him while he was in the air and would need additional support if he were to attack them directly. Shinku, meanwhile, was watching everything with a critical set of glowing eyes, watching carefully as he used their Flash Step to get away and remain in the air. The seal across his collarbone was most interesting, but it wasn’t something that seemed to have any effect, even to her senses. She conceded the fact that his senses seemed more finely tuned than her own, so it was very possible that if it did have some hidden properties, she wasn’t skilled enough to detect them properly.

A massive cloud of red smoke erupted, which was a defensive spell from the looks of things, and her minions retreated from the cloud, not wanting to fall prey to his excellent senses while theirs were clouded. There was no panic because Shinku was controlling all of them with expert precision that required that she stay still and be careful, not allowing herself to be distracted. She needed to figure out something quickly though, because she was certain that before too long he would draw attention from others, and if anything, they were likely to side with the Shinigami to dispatch with the Hollow before anything else. Then she truly would have no chance, and would be forced to retreat yet again, leaving her family behind.

No… she wouldn’t let that happen, not again.

Her stark attention was the only reason she was able to detect when he ejected himself out of the plume of smoke, and while she had a general direction, she didn’t know exactly where it was he went. While he had been in the smoke, she had asked the Hanta to stop firing their spine; an accidental death was not on her agenda, and she knew that the spikes they launched were more than capable of killing someone. They could accidentally have killed him, and she was still hoping to avoid that possibility if she could.

Her eyes locked onto his voice and the minions who had been looking for him turned, the formation shifting so that the bulk of the forces were positioned between him and Shinku. He had asked a few questions, and this seemed as good a chance as any to try to see if they could work towards a peaceable solution. Her voice cut through the night and her minions remained motionless, not moving to engage or retreat.

“It is not too late, Shinigami. Neither of us have drawn blood, and for that, I am thankful. You even used a spell that did no harm, which gives me hope. What is your name?” She would wait to get a response before continuing, even if he refused to give the name she had to press forwards while she had a chance to talk. “My warning… not a threat. Am I wrong to desire to survive? To live on? Or should I just bow my head and let you take my life? And if so, for what purpose? You ‘assume’ that I killed your kind… but the opposite is true. He butchered the closest thing I have to a family in front of my eyes, and now you threaten the same thing… I don’t understand what pleasure you gain from hurting me and mine.” She gave a growl-sounding noise that was much like a human sigh.

“There is a difference between ‘Spending Lives’ and ‘Wasting Lives’. I fight with my Legion because they are a part of me. Notice none of them have a Hollow Mask? I am thousands of teeth, hundreds of claws… you are fighting me no matter which of us you face.” She paused at that, and still her minions didn’t make a move, ready to act defensively if nothing else. “I ask you again, please… stay your blade… hold your spells, and I will do the same.” This time there was almost a pleading tone to her voice, like she truly didn’t want even what little had happened to occur, and certainly nothing from here on. She would do what she needed to in order to survive though…

Even if it meant doing something distasteful.

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Last Edit: Aug 12, 2017 5:16:18 GMT -5 by Shinku Kodoku

Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 13, 2017 23:53:47 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 13, 2017 23:53:47 GMT -5

Listen to how it pleads, how repulsive he thought through his silence, refusing to give a name when prompted, remaining silent all the way through to the end.

"You mean for me to believe your diet consists strictly of Hollow prey?" If, after all, it were true, wouldn't the beast be more an asset than a liability? Perhaps such a force could prove useful, handy even, if controlled with enough delicacy and thought. Or perhaps the honor could be all his own, and this beast could serve Osamu's own ends... if peace it seeks, perhaps something more worthwhile could be established.

"'He butchered...'" he quoted, his voice trailing off into the distance that separated the two forces. "Who did? Who was your run in with?" He was curious, if only to reprimand them for not finishing their handiwork by taking out the brood mother as well. He figured Shinku would be able to give him a name, it seemed to have a particular leaning for names and identity after all. Besides, he doubted he'd even know who it was. It was a wide world in the Seireitei, with many patrolling the World of the Living and encountering known and unknown hollow contacts. Even still, he wanted to know.

"And why do you stay here if humans aren't your prey? What benefit is there to putting yourself, quite literally, on the Shinigami radar?"

The slew of questions with little time resembled in style and approach to an interrogation, but he was confident that so long as he kept his sword arm at bay, he'd be graced with answers. Perhaps then he'd get around to introducing himself.

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Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 15, 2017 8:29:40 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 15, 2017 8:29:40 GMT -5

It seemed, at long last, that he had managed to comprehend what she was saying, and he was asking questions in turn. Shinku’s forces did no advance on the voice, and instead they seemed to actually be retreating, and several of them actually sat down. She still had more than half of her force on guard, but this action would hopefully interpret as a showing that she could be non-hostile as well. He asked if her prey was strictly Hollow. “That is correct.” It was short and factual, and while it still had that unearthly, insect-like chitter to the voice, the tone was completely flat.

He asked about the Shinigami in question, and she shook her large, masked head. “He never gave me his name. He was capable of a spell that was beyond 60, however. The one with the rods that pin things to the earth. I was barely able to escape… my Legion was not so lucky.” She wasn’t sure if that was something that would help him identify her assailant, but if he had a name, she would love to hear it. She owed him for hurting the Legion and slaughtering her minions… they would be avenged, in time. The questions continued to come, but the next one was actually both simple and complicated at the same time.

“Because I am Weak.” It was a simple start, but needed more before it would become a solid answer. “Take a moment, and place yourself in my shoes if you can. I am on the verge of evolving into a Menos Grande… but there is a serious risk involved in that. Most that evolve become the Menos and lose who they are, their identity, and are forced to live the rest of their lives walking around to the bidding of the Adjuchas. I am trying to find a way to increase my odds of retaining who I am before embarking on that journey, and that requires information and time. The moment I step foot into Heuco Mundo, I will become the prey of thousands of Hollow anywhere near me. I am not ready. I am still too weak.”

She hoped that would suffice for the reasons there. “The risk here is simply lower, and I do play the odds. I hope to leave the danger of this place behind once I know that the risks on the other side are within tolerance. But for that, I need to be stronger.” Every word rang true, and this was her opinion, and she waited for his reply, unmoving.

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Osamu Shimazu

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 17, 2017 6:49:34 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 17, 2017 6:49:34 GMT -5

"Then I stay my weapon because you, Shinku, and this brood now belong to me," he declared forcefully from his vantage point above leader and legion. His statement filled the wooded clearing with an extra layer of tension. He figured this was an opportunity and he should advance on it. It would be his first true test of the Second, at least in his own mind. He'd need his own network of contacts, and this one came with so, so many extras. Yes, this was no choice, and certainly not a question. A definitive statement that left very little room for debate.

"You are mine, and so while you prowl Karakura with an understanding you are to feed only on your own kind, I will deal with any others who cause you," he promised, his eyes flicking now to the creatures she had spawned, "or them any trouble." He thought of her own need for survival and how he may play a part in nurturing this creature. After all, it did seem to retain much of its rationality and most importantly its humanity. She had a few more steps she had to achieve before she was ready to leave this world, and if one day it were to rip its own mask off and remember his help, perhaps he'd have a powerful and unexpected ally in this beast.

For now, his sword remained in hand the length of the exchange, though it rested harmlessly at his side, unmoving.

"You will be an extension of me and my network. You, and so then I, have many, many eyes. And I'd be very interested to know about any run ins, particularly hostile ones, around here. Quincies, hollows, Shinigami. You're going to be my eyes in this world, and I'm going to get you where you need to be for it." His heart pounded and his chest was tight. There was a certain light-headed feeling he felt creeping over himself.

He was excited, taking this chance. Truly, it would be his first real, ongoing test of his skills as a covert intelligence soldier. To keep such collusion secret -- covert operations being something one of the second would surely have proficiency in -- and to establish a vast network of eyes and ears. Were he caught, there would certainly be consequences. Though he didn't intent to get caught, and if he did, he'd deal with that then. Just who'd have thought the first step could be such a big one.

"Mind you, you won't like the alternative, so I'd advise you not be too bitter about this arrangement."

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Last Edit: Aug 17, 2017 6:54:11 GMT -5 by Osamu Shimazu

Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 17, 2017 11:43:21 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 17, 2017 11:43:21 GMT -5

Shinku listened carefully, and couldn’t help it. She wanted to laugh, or at least to smile, but in this form, she wasn’t capable of either without sounding utterly horrifying, and as such, she avoided both of them completely and utterly at any possible chance. Still, there was some bits of his words that she took into a heavy consideration, something that she could use and even work with the man on. He was driving a hard bargain, and one that included a fair amount of demands and threats, but he did so like it had already been set in stone. Made sense; he thought of her as a lesser being. It was time to rectify that train of thought.

“I wonder, Shinigami, if I could interest you in a bit of a variation of those terms… Bartering if you will.” She paused, and her eyes seemed to glow a slight bit more of their sickly purple light as she started what she considered a fair trade.

“Your offer of protection is tempting, but the Legion can never be chained to slavery. Instead, I think that a fair trade between equals, two people who value information, could come to an agreement easily. You are correct; I am many eyes and ears, and my senses are constantly scanning this city in search of prey and predators. I could easily commit resources to gather the information you request, and would have nothing to lose by providing it, and would even venture to commit them to special points of interest as you needed. For this, we would need a way to communicate though… that would be the first thing we would need to accomplish.” A brief pause to allow him to digest that bit of information.

“Of course, I will also exclusively hunt the Hollow, but only if it does not put me and mine at unnecessary risk. You are in a unique position to where you could provide warning of impending danger, and I would also like to learn more about your culture. Likewise, I would warn you if I learned of anything heading your way. I am a monster… there is no denying that… but I am also a person, a soul like any other with hopes, goals, even dreams. I believe us working together could go a long way towards a betterment of all involved. What say you to these terms?” Could he be reasoned with? She certainly hoped so… but slavery was not on the table, plain and simple. There was simply too many things wrong with the concept in and of itself, let alone the long term implications that could possibly go along with it.

The Legion would not lose their freedom. They couldn’t afford that.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 17, 2017 21:39:23 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 17, 2017 21:39:23 GMT -5

Well, what an interesting turn of events. Never had he actually expected Shinku to agree to such terms -- though, technically, she didn't, though the alternative was close enough to warrant surprise -- in fact, he was prepared to plunge the tip of his sword deep into her exoskeleton and ending her where she stood. This, however, was a much welcomed alternative.

His eyes narrowed at the mention of the duo bartering. His gut reaction was to throw the offer back in her face and to get physical. He, however, held the urge at bay and chose simply to listen. She refused for either her minions or herself to be enslaved, a reasonable reaction, and instead proposed something a little more mutually beneficial. She did, however, bring up a point he hadn't considered yet. Of course, if things went smoothly, he could have hiumself a very unlikely ally, though when it all came down to it, how exactly would the communicate with one another? Coordinate their efforts? Plan secret meetings of sorts? That would have to be something they hashed out, as the thought of venturing down into those wretched sewers and into her lair each and every time they met up was far from ideal.

"You've got yourself a deal, Shinku. Don't make me regret this," he, at length, warned in a tone softer than before though no less serious.

There was still much that didn't sit right with him, and he was nervous that he made the wrong choice. After all, what good would this companionship be if Shinku would rat of him if conquered by another foe? He hoped he'd displayed enough ferocity, skill, and know-how to stave off any double cross thoughts from Shinku, lest her brood -- or worse, Shinku herself -- fall prey to his own sword.

His mind flickered for just a moment to the stories he'd heard of the great Tova Diablo, and many other Espada and Arrancar that once prowled the streets of the World of the Living and made headlines back home in Soul Society. In fact, he thought to himself about the fact that any individual of note he's run in to in the World of the Living was human-born and not the corrupted souls of the Hollows. Perhaps, then, the advance years ago under the rule of Seireitei's Golden King, Gilgamesh, destabilized the sandy lands of Hueco Mundo, planting the seeds for its destabilization and eventual demise. Was she one of the few, rare exceptions nowadays? A hollow worth noting?

"I'll figure something out about communications," he continued, "but in the mean time, I'd be able to reliably find you back in the sewers you've turned into your lair? And more importantly, does anyone know of your lair? Is it a safe, or potentially compromised location?" Whether he liked it or not, she was now, if only in part, his responsibility. For him to accomplish his goals, he would figure her into all future equations, and so her safety and security were now linked to his own.

"Do you have any enemies I should know about?"

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Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 20, 2017 3:55:31 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 20, 2017 3:55:31 GMT -5

It seemed, for the moment at least, that a deal had been arranged, although his dimly veiled threat that she shouldn’t try to cross him was something that, if she could have in this form, Shinku would have rolled her eyes at. She certainly knew that the threat was real, but it was unnecessary by any means, as it was something that was more than presumed. This deal was dangerous for them both, but unlike Shinku, he had a reputation to uphold and orders to follow, and their terms meant that they were both at stake. In that way, he was far more at risk than she was, and while there wasn’t anything she could do to mitigate that, she too knew that there was a risk that she could wind up trying to trust him, just to get stabbed in the back. It was a different type of threat, but present none the less.

He stated that he would figure out something regarding communications, and Shinku nodded as an idea crossed her mind and she began to internally prepare something based on those thoughts. His questions came fast and furious after that, and she prepared to answer them in turn. “Give me a moment, and I might have something in which we can communicate with… but you haven’t even reached my Hive yet, and it has yet to be truly found by anyone. For now, it is safe. Enemies, well, I am hunted by everyone simply because of what I am, so that isn’t something I would concern you with. I can survive, I’m certain.” She gave it a short pause, and then finally something that had been bugging her came to the fore.

“Will you please get out of that tree and speak to me face to face, and give me your name? I feel foolish talking to a tree.” As if on cue, most of the Legion, aside the ones that were closest to her, carved into the ground, vanishing in seconds as if they were never there, barely stirring up dust, giving the pair of them the equivalence of a ‘cease fire’. That done, she opened her jaw, filled to the brim with razor sharp teeth, and with her front arm, picked a tiny green sphere from it between her jet black claws with all the tenderness of a precious jewel. She held it before her eyes, and with a flash of power coming from the purple glow within them, the little sphere glowed itself a bright green before dimming again. She held the item in her claws towards him. “Take this. I’m not certain if it will work, but I have linked it to my consciousness. If it does, you will be able to use it to speak to me, and I to you, through your mind so long as you have skin contact with it and push a bit of your reiatsu within. I assure you, it only transmits what is consciously projected through it, but this is the first time I have tried to create such a sophisticated egg, but even should it malfunction, it cannot cause harm or be traced back to you.”

There was a little bit of excitement in these words; she was conducting an experiment with her abilities, unsure of the results and curious if this would be the first successful interaction with a Shinigami one peaceful terms.

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Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 20, 2017 4:48:07 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 20, 2017 4:48:07 GMT -5

He was surprised to learn the horrific maze of twists and turns beneath the town wasn't where she'd bunkered down at. No, it seemed almost fitting Shinku not be holed up in some smelly sewer, she somehow seemed above that, even for a hollow. Ah, and that. At the end of the day, that's what Shinku was: hollow. A hollow tool he would exploit as a result of this opportunistic ceasefire, and perhaps nurture indirectly, so to one day benefit from more directly.

My own pet, complete with pets all her own, he mused. She called for him to come down from his point atop the tree branches, recalling the vast majority of her foot soldiers into the soil beneath their feet with a surprisingly little degree of calamity accompanied by such a feat. Unsure, but despite himself, he leapt from his vantage point, descending in an arc to the ground just by Shinku's hulking frame. Only now could he appreciate her enormous size, with each of her numerous legs like individual pylons thudding powerfully into the earth. If only a skull were at the end, he was sure it'd be crushed in moments.

From her mandibles, lined with countless teeth for tearing into prey, she produced a single emerald casing that shone in accordance with energy she poured into it. Finally, she laid this object in his own hands, theorizing a communications link between the two under certain circumstances, referring to the item, curiously, as an egg. He wondered then whether something may hatch from it, but figured he needn't worry too much on that front, figuring it's likely he'd sense something from it soon enough to smash the tiny shell before it produced any horrors within. His fingers curled against the object, sliding them somewhere in the folds of his sleeve, his hand returning from the depths empty.

She had asked and asked, and it was probably finally time to introduce himself.

"My name is Akui," he lied, without even realizing it. By the time he had caught it, it was far too late to react or change the answer. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why he would have introduced himself as Akui, but for whatever reason, it was probably best he not give out his identity anyway. In the spirit of caution, then, he would indeed be Akui in the presence of this hollow and for all future encounters, preserving his name for real allies and acquaintances and protecting himself from the misfortune of a double cross. It seemed foolish, though, despite the caution. Something about this hollow had him confident of all things to worry about, double crossing wasn't one of them.

However, the deed was done. Akui.

"We will test this egg of yours sometime soon, Shinku," he said, forgoing, this time, the threat of violence should something go wrong. Baby steps, but he was improving. The relationship between the two would, and should, be functional. Minimal hostilities, optimum results. Soon, he would be acutely aware of any goings-on in Karakura Town as though he were personally there himself. With the brood on his side, his presence, eyes, and ears could all cover a much wider area than possible before. Perhaps one day, this brood, and Shinku, would be valuable weapons in a well developed arsenal at his disposal.

What visions of grandeur.

"Shinku, you must know by now you're very different from others of your kind. Why is that? What, and who, exactly, are you?" For all he knew, some specific event at her hollowfication, or something that happened shortly after, was to blame for the unique character traits this hollow possessed. Or maybe it was all just part of her cunning and predatory tactics, this expert mimicry of humanity. Probably not. So then if she has not lost her mind or her heart, what could she have lost instead?

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Shinku Kodoku

Base-Hollow

135 Posts

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Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 21, 2017 5:04:25 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 21, 2017 5:04:25 GMT -5

It was very interesting indeed. Up close, the man seemed nothing more than just that, a man. Granted, he was a Death God, capable of killing her kind simply and easily, but here they were, sworn enemies, talking about how they would communicate with one another. The egg she had given him was the size of a marble, smooth to the touch, and currently didn’t glow at all; it could easily be passed as a regular, everyday item, as it contained none of the Reiatsu from the Hollow, being very careful that it couldn’t put him in danger in any way. After all, if it had her actual spiritual pressure in it and that somehow leaked, it would seem to anyone who had good senses that he had a mix of Hollow reiatsu, and that could be bad on multiple fronts. If the information that she had on the Shinigami was correct, they were more soldiers than anything else, following orders and doing their ‘duty’, so getting him in trouble with superiors would be a bitter loss.

Akui? There was something off about that statement, because while it rang true, it also seemed to have something else in it too… doubt? Regardless, Akui was how he wished to be regarded, and that was what she committed to her memory along with his face and the feeling of his spiritual pressure. She would not forget him, as he was the first of his kind that she hadn’t had to either subdue or retreat from in the midst of combat, and the first step towards peaceful relations with the race. He spoke of testing the egg soon, and she nodded… but she had already begun. The egg, while secured within his sleeve, was still making skin contact, and she decided that she could reply to his next bit of questioning while testing at the same time.

Perhaps she had made the egg too well.

I am uncertain as to why I am different. My first few years as a Hollow are blank, the memories missing. I’m certain that the key to your question lies in those years, but I am just as uncertain as to the answers as you are. The voice that was pushed into his mind was without the unearthly chitter that her vocal cords produced, and instead sounded incredibly human, even soft. This was Shinku’s true voice, the one that she always had beneath the nightmare that was her current form, but along with the words came something more; he could feel the emotion tied into the words, accompanying the communications much like sensing it through Reiatsu Perception but on a much deeper level. He could feel that she was not only being honest, but curious about several different things and calm above all else.

I am nothing more than a Hollow of the first level, but I am also more than they. I am Shinku Kodoku, Queen of the Red Legion, and I am truly grateful to finally make your acquaintance face to face. I look forward to working with you. Again, the words were soft and light, accompanied by the feelings of gratitude and relief. Shinku reached down and ran her claws gently over an Okami that had slowly approached, and something came from the creature; it was almost like a soft growl, or perhaps a purr. Then something pinged on her senses, and almost like someone had sent up a signal, every creature that was still present moved with great speed behind her and into the caves; he likely had sensed it too, another Shinigami was not quite approaching, but near enough to cause worry.

We can continue our conversation like this, I think, but being seen together could cause us both trouble. Me and mine will retreat under the earth and hide for now. There was a bit of disappointment now, as she seemed to truly be enjoying their conversation, but also a fair bit of concern about not only her own minions and herself, but Akui as well. It was more than his reputation that was at stake; if they were truly militaristic in nature, they would see their agreement as something akin to treason, which would put them both at risk. Shinku vanished to the depths of her cave, and although the distance increased between them, her voice was still as though she were right in front of him.

I am curious... you were making motions with your hands earlier before things settled down. Was that one of your spells? I've never seen Shinigami do anything of that nature. Nothing but curiosity accompanied these words, and she seemed perfectly calm.

Post Word Count: 777
Thread Word Count: 5928

Osamu Shimazu

131 Posts

Reiatsu205 Defense30 Strength30 Speed75 Spirit75 ApplicationApp and Loadout

Midnight Snack (Osamu) Aug 22, 2017 0:34:18 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 22, 2017 0:34:18 GMT -5

A voice unlike any he'd heard before resounded in the confines of his mind, and it took him longer perhaps than it should for him to accept that it belonged to the hulking form in front of him. Yes, this would serve as a means of communication, certainly. If he could hear the true voice behind that hard shell of spiritual corruption, this perhaps worked too well as a means of communication. Regardless, she continued. He felt just as well as he heard all she said, from the pride she expressed in her identity, to the genuine gratitude conveyed when she mention being grateful to make acquaintance up close. Likewise, he looked forward to working with her.

It was pleasantly debasing to have something foreign in his mind that wasn't his foul blade's spirit. He was so caught up in that, that he hadn't even noticed the mangled symphony that came from the bellies of her beasts. Grunting? Snorting? No, it was definitely what this predatory creature passes as purring. So they had an emotional connection, and not simply a master-servant relationship. He lamented a moment, the thought of what a great Shinigami she would make crossing his mind, though he doubted she picked up on it, considering the seals atop his hands. He would have to release their effect before he could properly pour energy into the egg himself.

As her back turned to him and she departed, a few more hand signs broke the spell atop his hands, letting his reiatsu spill out for all to detect. He stood still, focused on Shinku's ever diminishing presence as she grew farther and farther away. Finally, he responded to her question, not dissimilar to Kameyama's from weeks earlier, taking a few moments to contemplate how he may best answer.

You could say that, yes. It's sort of something I'm experimenting with myself. I won't bore you with the details, but I can work Shinigami magic without words, as my comrades do. It's something I've been working hard to polish. Another few hand signs ended the spell across his collar bone, the tendrils of wiggling energy fizzing out of existence on his command. He turned on his heel and made his way through the wooded opening, making no real effort to conceal the sound of his footsteps. He didn't sense the presence Shinku feared closing in on him, nor did they seem particularly close. It was definitely a Shinigami, so it didn't matter much for him now that Shinku had scurried back into hiding.

Besides, the crunch of the leaves at his feet was a loud, crisp sound that rung through his body. He enjoyed the sound, it was almost as though they were anchoring his mind to the physical world, keeping his mind from flooding with information and overwhelming himself. He just breathed, and contemplated all that had happened.

His eyes shot up a moment later, his senses homing in on a much smaller presence than Shinku, the Shinigami she had sensed, or his own. He quickly surmised the Shinigami Shinku had sensed was likely responding to a report about this fourth hollow presence and was en route to intercept and destroy it. His body sprang into action, and his limbs worked hard to carry him as quickly as they could to the location of this beast before his Shinigami ally. It wasn't that he had a guilty conscience or anything, but he had set out to kill a Hollow, and he intended to do at least that.

He arrived at the scene, the other Shinigami still on his or her way, focusing his eyes on the side of an apartment building in downtown Karakura the reptilian hollow was scaling. He pulled his sword from its sheath, doing little to conceal the sound, and catching the attention of the Hollow. Its eyes flicked towards Osamu, the look on its face truly pitiful. For all the intelligence it lacked, it knew one thing was certain: it wasn't getting out of here alive. A couple of motions of his free left hand produced a glowing red aura that bound itself to the hollow's body, holding it firmly in place. He leapt, closing the distance between himself on the ground and the hollow on the side of the building, planting his sword down to its hilt in the hollow's mask. His body tingled as it squirmed, the effort speeding its decay into spirit particles.

He scolded the late Shinigami for not arriving sooner, explaining that a Shinigami's sense of urgency is paramount to their likelihood of success.

He wondered if Shinku had caught any of what had happened. He wasn't actively trying to communicate with her, though he never had communicated by such a means before and couldn't be sure he wasn't accidentally transmitting fragmented phrases, mental images, or anything of the sort. He had given her plenty of time by herself, trying not to intrude on her thoughts or privacy. He was thankful that she had so far done likewise, but he figured it was time to break the silence once more. He no longer felt Shinku's presence, and he assumed that in all his skill, that only meant she was outside of his detection range. And so, he couldn't be sure if anyone else had come across her, or if she had made it back safely or not. He wasn't sure if he cared, but the thought did cross his mind.

The Red Legion, he was sure the words filled Shinku's mind unexpectedly. That was the problem with this method of communication: as far as he understood it, there was no warning before a message was received, they just came to you instantly. Perhaps it was different for the originator of the technique herself, but Osamu was nearly taken aback earlier when her mind filled his own. It was certainly an interesting sensation. what exactly are they? Those things, she would hear the unintended ignorance behind the remark -- there was no malice in calling them 'things,' only confusion and uncertainty regarding what, specifically, to call them -- are they made from your own flesh and blood? How is it you can command so many?

He was interested specifically because the mere thought of commanding so many different individuals with only a single mind seemed daunting, and would perhaps require a degree of control even he lacked. Perhaps in learning of this hoard, he may learn new methods by which to assert dominance over his weapon. What he had now, this game of cat and mouse where he would devise a method to hold Andromeda at bay and Andromeda would overcome the obstacle, was not working. The time was fast approaching where the spirit would face a reckoning for all he's done to Osamu, his father before him, and hisfather before him. He only needed a method by which to overcome the spirit's vice grip over him.

Perhaps with Shinku and the hoard, Osamu will have additional time and resources towards that end.

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Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 1:04:53 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 2:19:37 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 2:55:14 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 3:17:49 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 4:33:19 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 5, 2017 4:56:30 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 5, 2017 5:47:49 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 7, 2017 2:38:12 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 8, 2017 11:53:13 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 8, 2017 22:19:24 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 12, 2017 5:14:41 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 13, 2017 23:53:47 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 15, 2017 8:29:40 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 17, 2017 6:49:34 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 17, 2017 11:43:21 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 17, 2017 21:39:23 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 20, 2017 3:55:31 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 20, 2017 4:48:07 GMT -5

Post by Shinku Kodoku on Aug 21, 2017 5:04:25 GMT -5

Post by Osamu Shimazu on Aug 22, 2017 0:34:18 GMT -5

Welcome!