Shoreline, Cracked and Broken Trilogy Part 2 (Sera)

The night was young, and it was already rough. Martin had come to Erek and Seraphina, alerting them to the nearby hollow, though letting them know it escaped. Erek didn't seem to bother, as it was already far gone and it wouldn't dare return to face him. Seraphina, however, took to the idea that night. While Erek slept, she crept out of the estate, tapping into the training that she underwent with the Blackmore family so far, reaching through her senses to discover a faint, grotesque energy that defiled the very essence she felt within herself.

The Spaniard took the Harley Davidson, running it down without turning it on until she was a decent ways from the estate, allowing herself to pursue the beast itself. The bike roared to life, its engine growling as she hopped onto the seat and began to steer. She wasn't excellent at driving the bike yet, though the general idea of 'how to accelerate' and 'how to brake' seemed good enough for her that night.

Erek wouldn't be happy with her, but she wanted to feel useful in her training. She was able to hide most of her Reiryoku, keeping it under control, and she was nearing being able to summon her Spirit Weapon at will, though it seemed to be the more difficult side of her training so far. Her knuckles turned bone white as she drove towards the feeling, the reiatsu that would have led her to the creature within some time.

If it took a real threat to manifest her true potential, she'd find it. It was a risk, but she needed it.

[272]

Shinku could feel the soul approaching, but more importantly, she could hear the vehicle they were using far before she ever saw the person. There was a deep, tired, chittery sigh that the great insectoid Hollow released, and if it were possible, she might have rolled her eyes as she sensed the being in detail. They were roughly her same strength, but the soul was young and vibrant, and that meant this could very well be some punk that was simply trying to prove themselves. She moved to a clearing that was nearby, a parking area that was vacant for an over-look area of the cliffs, allowing for an amazing view of the sea for tourists. Placing herself with her back towards the sheer cliff, she ordered her Hanta into hiding, digging under the loose gravel in an instant and concealing themselves very well, it was like they were never there.

Shinku herself decided to try to go with a non-threatening approach, and folded her back arms, tipped with a long, spear like claw, onto the base of her tail behind her body. Her front arms went forward, the long black claws folded neatly over the stomach area of her body where the Hollow Hole resided, where her belly button would be since most of her upper body at least was somewhat humanoid. This was as non-threatening as she could be, and under the circumstances it would have to do. She couldn’t escape exactly… the road was the only clear path, and the soul would be here before she could properly escape into the residential area on the other side of the road, and that kind of ruckus would likely only make things worse. The motorcycle rumbled as it approached, Shinku finally recognizing it for what it was, and with the backdrop of the setting sun behind her, she waited for the Quincy… the second one today, to approach and make their intentions clear.

---

PWC: 324
TWC: 877

Within her satchel, two of her Mark XIX Desert Eagle .50's resided, with several prepared magazines of ammunition. She doubted it would help, as if Erek didn't already tell her about it, but they brought a feeling of comfort. Who knew, maybe she managed to summon her bow against this hollow, kill it and then she'd suddenly get mugged?

When the beach became her scenery, she turned to face it, stopping on the side of the road. Her vehicle was solitary, no passengers or other cars near the scene. The sun was gone, but the time frame meant it wasn't long before it was rising to greet the new day. But cars, the sun, nothing was more important than what she saw as the sensation became the strongest. She scanned the beach, looking for the creature.

"There you are..." Amber eyes followed the footprints of some insect, the size of a telephone pole, before they finally set on the culprit. Martin said it was ugly.

While she was searching for it, it waited for her. Its arms, or claws, folded and its body still. It was alone, she assumed, having no chance yet to call for aid or find another opponent aside from her and Martin. She went back to the bike, turning the key into the ignition and beginning her small travel to the area. Gravel kicked up after her tires, Erek's bike coming to a low purr as she met the creature with the same manner of respect as it did. Seraphina parked the bike to the side, in a place where it wouldn't have been damaged badly if this devolved into combat, and stood beside it. Her amber eyes met the hollows own, before she called out to it.

"What are you?"

[295]

Shinku was unbearably patient, and could sense, with distinction, that she was dealing with an incredibly young soul. Her power was present but unrefined, and once again Quincy. They must have been more prevalent in this side of the world, because it certainly seemed that there were a lot of them… but they weren’t as strong, on average, than the ones she had met in Japan. Considering Erek had been one of the few that she had met during that leg of her journey, that wasn’t saying much. The guy was a colossus, and in a way, her rival that she both respected and wanted to defeat on her own terms, when he wasn’t already beaten and broken before she arrived.

In comparison, though, this child pulling up on the motorcycle was nothing more than a bug… but she had potential, and it would be an awful shame for her to be cut short. Shinku waited patiently as the young girl parked the loud motorcycle, locking eyes with her from her massive 10 foot height. She was standing near it at the moment, and seemed to almost want to protect the vehicle, which made her wonder if she was unable to perform the Quincy variation of Sonido. Her own skill with the technique was negligible at best, but it was there, and would remain in reserve as her escape option if somehow she was completely misreading the youth and needed to retreat. Arrogance and Pride had no place within her, only cold calculation of odds based on the information she knew. The question came, and she was pleasantly surprised that it hadn’t been a threat or something. Perhaps this didn’t need to become another battle.

“A simple Hollow, trying to find her way across the English Channel. My name is Shinku, and I wish you to see the wisdom of peace, young Quincy.” That was the best she could do in order to try to make her see the error in attacking the monstrous Hollow, because the Queen of the Red Legion, a title she purposefully left out, had already ensnared the young woman inside the ‘kill zone’ of her forces, and they could spring at any moment.

---

PWC: 368
TWC: 1245

Seraphina listened to its words, her hand resting on the shoulder strap of her satchel as she kept a trained eye on it. Its voice chittered, yet remained calm, as if it was trying to calm the woman down. As if Seraphina was a monster instead of her.

"Why are you running away? And why did you attack Martin?"

She looked around instinctively, expecting such a calm display to result in an ambush from some second hollow. There was no other presence around, not that she could sense, but her detection was amateur at best currently. Casting an amber glance down into her satchel, the Desert Eagle rested, waiting for her to use it. In its full magazine and in her hand rested a surprise that Erek had been teaching her, having half-assed an explanation on how to fight a creature or shinigami without her bow, if need be.

[149]

Her questions were very accusation heavy… but Shinku didn’t let that get under her mental skin, as it were. She knew that the young woman likely had very little information to go off of, and as such, she didn’t understand the full story. With a sigh she decided that it was best to explain, so at least if she did make any sort of rash decision, at least it would be an informed one.

“I was forced to flee my home when your kind invaded it… and as for Martin, he is the one who attacked me after he wrecked his vehicle. To be fair, he lost control because of me, but that part of the situation is irrelevant. I merely defended myself.” Even with the alien-like chitter in her voice, the truth was there, unabashed, because every word was just that; true.

She would not spring the trap she had in place unless it became necessary, but for the moment, it seemed that the young woman, while appearing ready, was not going to leap at combat for the first move. Shinku, naturally being defense by simply who she was, would not be making the first move if it came down to combat. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t be ready, and still, her senses were actively searching the area for possible reinforcements in case this was some sort of stall tactic. It had been a long day already, and she simply wanted to get somewhere that she could settle down for the night, but apparently there was no end to the day in sight. She would have to completely relocate herself from the area to prevent her eventual departure from bringing stronger enemies to her doorsteps who could find her. She would have to either cross the Channel tonight, or find somewhere far away from here to settle until she could.

---

PWC: 311
TWC: 1556

Seraphina couldn't stand the voice. It sounded like something she'd get rid of with the biggest can of Raid she could. This hollow took the phrase 'Roach motel' and pumped it full of steroids. Christ.

She actively shuddered after it spoke, her fingers wriggling as she shook her hands. "So I assume you know why I'm here, then. You know what I am, after all. And you're... you," she spoke truthfully, her hands reaching for the strap of her satchel. She held up her other hand, showing that she wasn't planning an offensive tactic yet. She adjusted the satchel so it was on just one shoulder, allowing her to shed it if needed, but bringing it to the side of her body where she felt it easier to reach for her gun and use it best.

"Do all of you look like this? Like bugs?"

[143]

The shudder was noted, and was something that she was more than accustomed to. Her own voice would sometimes scare even her, if she had forgotten it’s tone or heard it’s echo on occasion, but it was the Quincy’s comment that drew her attention the most. She didn’t seem like she was very certain of herself, but felt compelled by her misplaced sense of ‘duty’ for what needed to be done. Shinku said nothing in reply, but watched carefully as she reached her bag, using her own sense of honor against her. But more than that, it was her question that truly triggered Shinku slightly, because apparently, she didn’t even know what Hollow, as a general race, looked like. Her level of information gathering skills was negligible at best, combined with her general naïve look into how things operated in the world. Shinku needed to show her, if for no other reason than to teach her, that the world was cruel and unforgiving, and perhaps then she could learn what she needed in order to survive.

As she was now, this Quincy was nothing but a snack with legs for her kin.

“No. We come in all shapes and sizes… like snakes…” with the word, so too came the mental command, and the ground all around the Quincy seemed to explode as the ten foot long serpentine Hanta erupted from the ground. They had completely surrounded the Quincy, and her vision would be filled with their burning dark orange eyes, hundreds of razor sharp teeth, mandibles and arms ending in triple-scythed claws. The one directly in front of her stood up completely, reaching six feet tall and let loose a loud, vicious sounding hiss in her direction, small drops of saliva being thrown towards her face with the force of its show of force. As a weird side effect, the bike she had been riding on fell over, knocked aside by their emergence, and as death looked her in the face, Shinku called from behind them. “The World has one rule. Eat, or be eaten. But I am not fond of hurting children. I give you this single chance to leave.” It wasn’t a threat… her tone sounded, almost kind and instructive in a way, beneath that unearthly chitter.

---

PWC: 379
TWC: 1935

Seraphina reached into her satchel slowly, listening to the creature before her speak. She finally reached inside by the time the Hanta emerged, her fingers barely grasping the Desert Eagle before they were completely unearthed. They surrounded her, six in total, all chittering and hissing at the woman. If one voice wasn't bad, then hearing it multiplied sevenfold would've been horrible. When the dust cleared, the Harley was knocked on its side, her hand was resting on her gun within the satchel, and her eyes were trying to fixate on which one was the threatening-est. If she could call that an adjective.

Then, the creature hissed, sending its spit everywhere, slapping her in the face with its saliva.

Within an instant, her heart began pounding, her Reiryoku seeming to spike to its maximum, briefly flashing in a display of ivory and cerulean that began to form in her free hand. As soon as it began to form, it was gone. It left Seraphina nearly defenseless, and in shock, for just a brief moment, before her more human instincts kicked in. Fight or flight.

Fight. Withdrawing her hand from the satchel, she revealed the rose-gold Desert Eagle .50 caliber, its magazine primed and a bullet within the chamber. Without bringing it high enough to take efficient aim, the woman pulled the trigger, locking the bullet into place and sending it straight ahead. The bullet ripped through the air, a small trail of blue coming behind it as its true nature was known. Despite the naivete of the Quincy, she at least knew how to infuse her reiatsu into her favoured projectile. She had no high hopes, though she honestly wished prayer and good fortune meant anything against a hollow.

[288]

Shinku watched carefully, not only with her eyes, but with her senses as well, as her skill in this area was quite refined and she was capable of picking up on the more subtle things about her enemy. The roar and the hiss seemed to be enough, and she felt her spiritual energy peak, but not in the gun she now held, but instead in the free hand she had available… but only for a moment. Shinku made a mental note that this one seemed to be just now developing her powers. She took particular interest because if she could understand it from the root of how their weapons were made, she could come up with a strategy against a stronger opponent… in theory.

She felt the spiritual pressure go into the weapon, and quickly analyzed the power that went into the coating on the bullet. The bullet itself would pass straight through her creature, but the coating would not, creating an impact… but it was negligible at best. The bullet, along with the spiritual energy ricocheted upwards and away, barely leaving a mark on the Hierro of the Hanta, and with a swift motion that belied it’s size, it was upon her, swinging upwards once to knock the weapon out of the young girl’s hands, hopefully, and raising those scythe like claws menacingly above her head. “Human weapons will not help you here,” she taunted, sounding menacing. The truth was, though, that she was trying to get her to muster the fear and instincts to summon her other weapon.

If she could manage to do that, she might be able to survive the world at large. With the right training, she could become a force to be reckoned with. This was the same thing that happened with her and Erek; she had been forced to fight for her life, and only then had she started to become stronger. This girl needed to feel the fear of death in order to not only awaken her power, but to make her see the harsh reality around her and the world she now lived in. If she was unable to muster the power, the scythes would stop a mere millimeter from her flesh, sparing her from harm, and Shinku would send her on her way… but if she did, the Hanta would utilize a Sonido to evade the instinctive attack, and her forces would retreat to her own side of the field peacefully instead of attacking her.

Shinku knew that she was too kind, but she couldn’t bring herself to harm a child, Quincy, Human, Shinigami… none of that mattered in the grand scheme of things. All she could do was try to prepare her in some way.

---

PWC: 456
TWC: 2391

She didn't expect much, with the bullet streaming through the hierro and leaving behind the shell of reiatsu. The cerulean stream shot upwards, disrupting and fading shortly after its deflection. Seraphina watched the hollow with careful eyes, yet didn't react fast enough, making the assumption that it was slower and clumsier than it looked. The Desert Eagle left her hand, flying across the sand and landing some dozen of feet away from them.

Maybe Erek was right. Just maybe.

She wasn't ready for this kind of thing. Not yet. Freyleif's training wasn't enough at her current standing, nor was Erek's own. She had the education and potential, but none of the backing power.

And it'd lead to her fuck up once again. As the creature taunted her, the Hanta's sickle claws entrapped her, making it where she was unable to retreat so quickly. Then, like a switch, they began to close around her, the threat entirely real.

"Erek!"

The mere idea of her truly in danger caused two reactions. The need for her protector, for the man who was the only thing she dared call a shield between her and the threats of the world so actively. She felt weak. She felt... at her power.

The second reaction was, more or less, the desired reaction she and the Hollow were searching for. A spark, something to awaken the Quincy blood within Seraphina. The same spark of energy came to form, bringing a total manifestation of her spiritual essence to birth. The second time that it had been manifested in the face of a hollow, the bow sprang to life in her hand, surging with cerulean and ivory reiatsu, her reiryoku pulsing briefly, bringing the smell of the beach nearby even closer and stronger. The sea salt wafted in the air, the sound of the waves below echoing in the middle of the attack as the Hanta disappeared from sight, only leaving behind the sound of a hum as proof of their speed. They reappeared beside Shinku, seemingly having planned for this type of reaction.

Seraphina's eyes looked at her hand, where the shapeless mass of reiatsu took some faint image of a bow as its form, though the details were hidden behind the reiatsu pouring forth. The Hispanic Quincy looked towards Shinku, her body making the movements that echoed those of that same night some five years ago. Drawing back the bowstring, she let loose the Heilig Pfeil towards the Hollow, the only sound coming from the bow being the light screech as the arrow flew.

[426]

Shinku had the Hanta closing in around her, low hisses and as they did, each flexing it’s claws and mandibles, showing off the razor sharp teeth and scythes that would be this woman’s end. It was supposed to be the epitome of Horror, a situation in which she would either despair to the point of breaking, or she would gain her ability through the body’s natural instinct to survive at all costs. It had the desired effect, but also brought about a single word that had her both terrified and shocked at the same time. She had said Erek’s name in a moment of desperation before summoning her bow, and while it was certainly crude, she could feel far more power coming from it than from the gun that lay aside in the gravel. That was good… she would need that sort of power to survive…

It was like her voice had summoned him though, and she could feel Erek Blackmore’s spiritual pressure rocketing towards their location. This was one of his children then, much like that Martin boy she had met before when she first arrived at this country. She had allowed the young man and her Hanta to fight, and while he certainly was worse for wear, he also was alive and likely stronger for his efforts, the Hanta dead. This woman hadn’t a scratch on her, and all things considered, she hoped that this had bought her some reprieve; she knew she stood next to no chance of hurting him, and if he, like her, was protective of his flock, he would be coming here to save this woman.

So distracted by the incoming power she knew all too well, she almost missed the arrow coming towards her directly, and she bid her Hanta to remain motionless as she raised her clawed hand and ‘caught’ the arrow, it lightly burning her hand as she did, but she had a good grasp of her power. “Very good. You will be fine. Especially if he is your teacher,” she complimented the girl, and with a mental command, her Hanta burrowed again, not moving, but making the scenario less threatening. She had dozens of chances in which to kill her, and she hadn’t. The same was true of Martin. Would that be enough? Either way, she couldn’t outrun him… might as well find out first hand. She folded her front arms over her Hollow hole again, relaxing it there, while turning the hind limbs and folding them behind her back again. Oddly, she was at peace with the situation, and was silently thankful that she could see Erek again, finally.

---

PWC: 440
TWC: 2831

---

Erek had been out doing his standard training with the Blackmore-- those that had managed to survive the initial test and were trying to grow stronger, most of them the younger generation that was eager to be rid of the old ideas and concepts of bigotry and racism that had held the clan back for so long. Due to this, he was a bit late coming back to the main Blackmore building that had become many of the Blackmores home-- as well as his own, his quarters taking up a large portion of the living quarter's floor as the rest were meant only for temporary usage. It was due to this late arrival that he returned to his room, expecting to find Sera training or sleeping-- to not sense her reiatsu at all. This was the first clue-- followed by him trying to call her.

However, there was a serious problem in that she wasn't answering her phone-- he'd warned her, countless times she wasn't nearly ready for dealing with real combat yet. She couldn't even manifest her spirit weapon on-command-- and yet, he knew how stubborn the woman could be. She could just be out to eat-- but something felt wrong, his gut told him it wasn't that simple, and as he stepped out glancing around for his bike to go search, he realized it was missing as well. Slowly, his jaw set in a mixture of annoyance, and anger. Stepping forward as he reached out, his eyes closing as he searched for her, even the dimmest blip of her reiatsu would be enough-- it took him several minutes before he found her.

He found her-- and with it, came the sensation of another reiatsu-- one he was intimately familiar with. The most dangerous Hollow he had met thus far-- and she'd become even stronger than before. A single step forward was all it took as he felt a clench in his chest. Sera.

The reishi around his legs shown a brilliant light blue, before he flashed forward at top speed-- a sonic boom rocking the parking lot of the Blackmore Complex-- sailing through the air like a missile. She was in danger, he'd told her she wasn't ready, and yet here she fucking was, charging into the maws of a goddamn Hollow. His fingers clenched into fists, he wanted to stay calm, collected-- control himself so that he would have a level head when he found the Hollow. But a sensation slowly filled his chest-- anger. It was an emotion he was so unfamiliar with, always level headed, always calm-- the most he ever became was annoyed.

But that wasn't what this was. It wasn't the lust for battle he had felt before facing Shinku-- it wasn't excitement-- it was raw, unchained rage. Boiling inside his chest-- rage, and fear. The idea that Sera would be lost to him, terrified him. His chest burned, his breathing was uneven, his jaw set so tightly he felt his gums complain in pain at the sensation of the bones pressing together. Anger at her, for leaving-- anger at himself, for not keeping a closer eye on her, and anger at Shinku-- anger at the Hollow that was threatening her.

Yet he couldn't shake the feeling it was more than that. He'd had people he cared for threatening before him in the past-- even killed before his eyes-- and yet, he'd never felt real anger, not like this. Instead, he'd always gone cold, and harsh-- vindictive as his wrath burned silently and painfully to those that had done those he cared for harm. This was different-- this was true rage, like a fire burning in his chest, a sensation he had only felt once before: when Freyleif had questioned their friendship. It was more than just the fact she was threatening Sera-- it was because she was threatening something that--

He paused, his mind hazed with rage as he sailed through the air, mind racing at a mile a minute as he tried to comprehend the sensation. Tried to understand this fire that seared in his chest. It was because she was threatening something-- no, someone-- that was his. It was because she was trying to harm someone that he loved. The fire's embers died down as that realization hit him-- he loved her. For the first time, he felt differently about her than the others-- he didn't understand why, he didn't know how long he had felt this way, only that he realized it now: he loved Seraphina.

His teeth clenched, his canines flashed, he saw them-- and he felt the shift, as she formed her spirit weapon, he felt her terror, he felt her fear and uncertainty-- and like a wall of water smashing down on the entire area, Erek's reiatsu smashed into the ground-- and so did he. Appearing between Sera and Shinku with such force that the ground shattered, rubble flying in all directions in front of him, the way he landed ensuring nothing would fly toward Sera-- and then the complete change from before would become evident. The last time Shinku had seen Erek, he'd been grinning, eagerly battling her beasts as they both fought like respected enemies.

But this was completely different-- Erek's face was turned into a sneer of wrath, his reaitsu smashing everything around him, causing the Hanta within their caves to quake against the earth, the reiatsu-- usually grey and red, flowing like smoke, roared off his body in pitch black rivers streaked with red as that same red glow overflowed from his eyes. Steam rolling from his body due to the speed of his decent in the air-- and briefly, the shape would form around him. The shape that had originally been vaguely shaped like a lion, was gone, replaced by the ghostly image of a great pitch black hound-- lips curled back in a snarl, haunched showing vicious fangs as red eyes burst from it, wrapped around Sera that was behind Erek protectively as his reiatsu wrapped around her like a shield.

Then, finally, the words rolled out of his lips-- his eyes searing into the Hollows own as his hand opened like claws as if he was barely holding back from ripping her limb from limb, there and then-- purely because he didn't wish to leave Seraphina defenseless.

"What do you think you're doing, to my woman, Shinku?" The words cut through the air like a growl, and one could swear his very reiatsu snarled along with his words as the black and crimson energy rolled off his body, the scent of blood and fire filling the air as his body shook-- fear, anger, love, realization, the feelings were all piled within him and he wasn't capable of properly understanding them all. Right now only one thing mattered: he loved her, and he would protect her. For the first time, he vocally laid claim to her, he stated something that he had been resisting this entire time-- that they were together, that she was his. Like a predatorial beast, his lips curled in rage, the reishi around him swirling along with his reaitsu as he tried to bridle the weight and heat that burned in his chest.

---

Tags: Seraphina Shinku Kodoku
Post Words: 1,207
Thread Words: 1,207

When the arrow seared against Shinku's hand, Seraphina fell back, the weapon still manifested so destructively in her hands. It lacked finesse, refined reiatsu, and honestly the skill. She lacked the... power behind her skill. When Shinku spoke, she referred to the being that Seraphina had called out for, causing Seraphina to begin to question who the creature really was, for having known Erek by name.

Then, she could sense it. Even with her amateur perception at best, she could nearly taste the anger from the man's reiatsu as he stormed through the city. Perhaps he heard her? Felt her distress? Man's sexual intuition? None of the choices mattered. Her protector, her shield.... her love, was on his way. And honestly, it frightened her. What was his desire? His punishment? For her or the hollow? Surely he wasn't angry at just the creature who attacked his companion. She ran off to hunt it, after all.

Like the comet that created the first mass extinction event in the world, the Blackmore wardog crashed into the earth, sending piles of stones and debris towards Shinku, with only a pebble or two touching Seraphina. Her bow seemed to fluctuate before disappearing, her instinct control fading with her reiryoku becoming exhausted so soon. Without Erek, surely she would have been a fine Spanish meal.

"What do you think you're doing with my woman, Shinku?"

If she wasn't so exhausted, she may have taken more excitement to being called the man's property. Yet, still, a faint smile decorated her face, watching the man as he laid claim to her and defended her. She was his, and he was hers. She was his beach, the salty waves that washed away the memories and desires of war and murder. Yet, no matter how hard she could have tried at that moment, he was far too... volatile. His reiatsu felt unnatural, almost demonic like the hollow before the two. If she wasn't so glad he was there to save her from her own foolish mistake, she would have been pants-shittingly terrified of the man.

"Erek... I'm sorry." She apologized weakly, her voice showing how the manifestation of her Quincy power had already exhausted her after little training in the actual art itself.

[374]

Shinku could feel the spiritual pressure as Erek struck the ground like a missile, and she immediately knew she was outclassed and outgunned, but she held her ground, unwilling to flinch. The rocks and dirt that was flung in all directions pinged harmlessly on her exoskeleton, and she refused to move, a statue against what could very easily be her death. She knew this feeling, although it was slightly different from her own feeling of wanting to protect her Legion because of it’s very nature. To an extent, she was envious of the woman; to have such a strong protector would mean she could remain, mostly, innocent to the ways of the world. She looked towards the beast that had bared its fangs, and she in turn, continued to do nothing but wait; he couldn’t be reasoned with just yet.

But his words must be answered, less he lose what little control he had and simply killed her. “I am simply instilling truth, Erek. Had this been anyone else, any other Hollow, she would be dead.” There was a pause. “But as luck would have it, I would say that my lesson will ensure she does not make such a foolish challenge again. A valuable experience, no?” Her words were ice, even with the unearthly chitter with them, carefully controlled, and she continued to stand there, unwilling to back down. She would wait, and heard the pitiful apology from behind the man, and knew that she was right. She had frightened her, and that was the point. The world was a scary, unrelenting place, and she needed that lesson driven into her bones. After a short pause, however, she would address the situation at hand. “You seem to be gathering a flock. This is the second of yours that has challenged me. I trust Martin gave you a full report.” The man’s wounds had been minor at best, but her tone was actually respectful to the young man, due to his skill and prowess shown when defeating the Hanta he had fought.

There was a release of air, like the fatigue was just now setting in. “I am tired, Mr. Blackmore. I would like nothing more than to leave peacefully. You have my word, I will be leaving the country at the first opportunity. There has been no actual harm done to either side. Can we keep it that way?” There was the terms… a ceasefire.  Erek was smart enough to know that while he certainly could kill her, and likely would, damage would be done as a result, and he had a severe disadvantage being someone precious that was entirely too close not to be caught in the crossfire. He was intelligent, and Shinku prayed that he would see through his anger to realize this.

---

PWC: 466
TWC: 3297

Sera's arrow had done practically nothing-- as he had expected, even against a normal base Hollow it was questionable, let alone against Shinku who was rapidly evolving already. Clenching his hand, Erek felt the rage boiling off him as he stepped forward-- Shinku's words poured out like water from a faucet, reasons, logic, things he didn't care about as around him countless blades of reishi had begun to materialize-- his reiatsu coming off his body in waves as his pupils narrowed onto the Hollow that had dared even attempt harm on Sera. That had dared even try to touch someone that was his-- a single step forward, and with that step the ground around them quaked, the flames burned in his chest.

Anger. Such anger that it burned out the logic that was trying to claw its way up to his head-- and then, he felt it, the barest traces of a familiar scent and sensation. The scent of saltwater, the soft breeze of the sea-- and slowly, he felt the anger melt. It wasn't flawless, he still felt that frustration burning in his chest, but instead of it overwhelming him, rising inside him like a blood-thirsty beast, it was halting-- slowly fading as the fire was put out by the gentle waves of the ocean.

He heard her words echo out behind him, and slowly his gaze turned to look at her over his shoulder-- the image of the dark hound slowly dispersing, his anger and reiatsu calmly as it slowly turned to grey mist tinted with red that flowed off his body. There was still anger in his eyes, but it was calmer, more controlled as he looked down at Sera-- whom had promised she would take care of herself. Whom had assured him that she was going to be careful, be safe, take her time and grow stronger with his instruction.

"We'll discuss this later," his words were sharp, and clear-- for all her boasting, flirting, and leading him around as she pranced-- the one who was in charge when it really mattered was obvious to even the most oblivious. In this instance, it was clear she was the source of just as much anger as Shinku was-- the difference was that she wasn't getting a violent response, but a disciplinary one instead.

"You stay, Sera," he commanded as he stared down at her, leaving no room for argument as his gaze instead turned to the side and looked toward Shinku-- that same fire burning in his eyes, but the mindless wrath having calmed even as the ripples of reiatsu flowed off his body as he contemplated her words. They were accurate-- she had spared the idiot boy that had attacked a Hollow purely due to damage his vehicle had suffered. Similarly, now that he felt her, Sera was unharmed, if terrified-- however, the fact remained that it hadn't been her place to do so. A lesson? Yes. One that she needed to learn now? That was questionable.

His jaw locked, and he knew he had a choice-- slaughter her now, end it, put her down and solve the problem. But then, his mind briefly moved toward the Shinigami-- toward the problem that he knew was coming. Freyleif wasn't against Hollow allies, in fact, everyone was sick of the Shinigami's bullshit. This Hollow was intelligent, an enemy, and yet-- also the enemy of their other enemy. If the Hollow continued her growth as she was now, then she'd become a significant threat to the Shinigami, and a substantial thorn in their side.

Slowly-- he released a breath from his lips that had practically become steam as his eyes focused on the Hollow, and he said a single word, offering the beast a single chance-- one that he wasn't completely certain was the correct choice. It was a risk, a risk that could end badly for the Quincy as much as it did the Shinigami-- but it was a risk that he was willing to take.

"Go," this was the only option he offered the beast as his reiatsu slowly lowered, his pressure was still there, but he had lowered it-- allowing her to move properly, allowing her beasts that he knew were underneath the ground to leave, she had not harmed his family-- he would not harm hers. It was a sign of good faith, one that, hopefully, she would remember in the times ahead-- and if now, well.

She would just be one more dead Hollow.

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Post Words: 750
Thread Words: 1,957

The step forward had been made as an act of instinct, and still, Shinku held her ground, not only because his pressure was making it difficult to maneuver, but because she the moment she showed fear or weakness he would attack outright. He was much like a beast, creatures that she was familiar with, in the moment, and the only reason he probably hadn’t outright lunged at her was a combination of the fact that his instinct was to protect, not destroy; and perhaps, just maybe, a flash of the results of their last confrontation. It was worlds apart from what was happening now… but she still found herself looking into his eyes and the spot where he had punctured her exoskeleton ached with that pain. It likely would for the rest of her life; regardless if she changed forms or became stronger than he ever dreamed she could… that ache would remain.

But seeing the effect that the spiritual energy around them was having… she sensed the gentle lapping of her spiritual pressure, able to weave into his deadly own, and it was like a sedative. She could witness, quickly, that he was rapidly calming, the fires turning into a burning ember that was still red hot, but not out of control like a moment ago. It took her a moment…

Love.

If she wasn’t in a position where she could literally have been killed if she made a single wrong move, she would have congratulated him on being able to find something so precious. His command, for that was what it was, there was no mistake, was stern and Shinku had no doubt that the lesson she had begun to teach the young woman would be driven home forcefully. His gaze finally returned to the Hollow, and she waited patiently, watching the events from her glowing violet eyes. He told her to go, and she would, but not without a final momento. If she wanted to avoid this situation from coming about again, she would need to take some steps, and with that thought, she reached a clawed hand to her face and into her mouth, plucking something she had been preparing from within. She knew it wasn’t wise to approach, so the green marble, which glowed with energy, was gently placed into the gravel and rolled in their direction. If they did nothing, it would actually roll past Erek and to Sera, so the options were there.

“It will allow us to speak, when you wish to. Requires skin contact and spiritual energy to work. So we may avoid these confrontations in the future.” In an odd way, she trusted Erek. There was six bursts of static and the ground around Shinku shifted, the Hanta leaving first to secure the new area. She gave Erek and Sera a bow of her head in respect, and with another loud burst of Static, vanished herself, moving towards the beach where she would be able to find a ship to cross the English Channel.

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PWC: 508
TWC: 3805
GP: 76

Seraphina felt herself stiffen, his cerulean eyes prying past her emotions and into the rawness that was her being. He commanded her, having already staked claim to her, and reprimanded with with his words. The very words shook her to the core, causing her to grip her legs tightly as she hid behind the man, serving his purpose as her literal protection and shield. Her reiatsu, little and weak, seemed to call out to the abyss of Erek's, as if pleading for him to hold back and simply take her to safety, away from the hollow, whether he spared it or not. Then, it faded, before he spoke finally to the hollow.

"Go."

The hollow seemed to consider the word, before reaching into its maw and withdrawing a pearl, sending it towards Seraphina. It explained the purpose vaguely, as if it was a spiritual cellphone, and disappeared shortly after. Stumbling forward, the woman reached out and seemed to collapse her hand around the orb, her body following suit and seeming to pass out from the sudden exhaust of her remaining spiritual energy. If Erek would have noticed the few sparks left of it, he would have noticed she was still very much alive, just insanely exhausted, having avoided the damage from Shinku, and finding a small bit of victory in their confrontation;

The start of her manifestation.

//thread Exit
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