[BSD-RP] Human World: Naruki City

Izanagai-Name-Tag.png

“Not my concern.”
Higen-Divider.png

There was nothing to return to the Soul Society with the fallen shinigami was gone, completely gone. So both of them left answering the call for reinforcement by members of the squad when two arrived, now only one return. Upon returning to the barracks, the reports on Ryuga Iba and the events that took place spread like a flood around the tenth division. Many of the squad members were sad to hear about Ryuga's fate, regardless of how successful the mission went in retrieving the blood. Unfortunately, it didn't happen without a cost, a cost of one seated member that now holds empty for the taking. However, no one was sadder than Izanagi, a man who viewed Ryuga as a mentor, and it took Ryuga's death for Izanagi to realize he was more of a Father to him than an advisor. Thinking along the lines of him no longer existing had his emotions all over the place. Emotions Izanagi could not explain; it is an emotional roller coaster that makes him feel drained constantly. This feeling of sadness, suffering, confusion, hatred, and anger. The one feeling Izanagi felt was craving for that Arrancar's blood. Thinking back on his words before that arrancar, Galia escaped.
"You bet not die, arrancar. Because the next time I see you. I will have your head! I will drink your blood from your bones! You will die by my hands! And my hands only!"
Those words burn deep within his soul, for it wasn't a prediction where it may or might happen in the future. Instead, what Izanagi said was a spoiler for what's to come if they were ever to cross paths again. The entire battle from the moment he arrived in Naruki City replayed over and over and over again within Izanagi's subconscious, remembering moments and details. The appetite for revenge was touching his back.
Higen-Divider.png

The Following Day
Higen-Divider.png

BSDSenkaimon.png

The young purpled-haired shinigami went straight back to Naruki City, where the battle took place. The same city that has quickly gone to reconstructing their precious town back to its former self. Arriving from the sliding doors where the light was burning bright while stepping out. Just below him from the sky was the 600-foot hole that the Fifth Division Captain placed into the ground. His show of power gave Izanagi the motivation to be strong, if not stronger than him. To harness his ability to defeat his foes with ease. Izanagi realized that kind of power he showed; his speed was inconceivable. Yet, it wasn't impossible to gain, and he nearly wiped out both arrancars. He was a man to be feared; it begs the question, were the rest of the Captains this powerful?
Izanagi-Kill-No-White-BG.png

Izanagi patrolled the city and waited with a bit of ounce of hope that arrancar who face he could never forget would return. And no luck but the usual hollows that would appear to harm spirits and humans. No matter what monster from Hueco Mundo appeared in the city, Izanagi quickly hunts them and puts them down with a single slice of his blade. The young member of the Tenth division was cleaved through many white mask hollows in hopes of using them as a replacement to quench this hunger. They did nothing for him; killing them was like killing a person who was unarmed and weak. To no avail, Izanagi's appetite was nowhere near satiable, and it only angers him more; Izanagi's patience had been growing thinner each day. Even to the point where he would scream out loudly.
"WHERE ARE YOU ARRANCAR!? COME OUT AND PLAY!
The entire character of Izanagi had switched from this calm, laid-back nature to this depraved monster that exists at the fringes of society. Both voice and eyes show how he plans to enjoy the pleasure when inflicting pain on the arrancar he has been waiting for all this time. Nothing that he does seems to comfort his desire for revenge. Usually, Izanagi's bloodlust isn't something acted upon in retaliation, but a means to survive. That's how it always been when growing up in the rukon district that he was in, where he killed multiple thugs over the years when he was just a boy. Protecting himself through the former split personality he suffered from and only killed those who attacked him or attempted to kill him. Yet, this time it is different; the plan was no longer about survival but revenge on the one responsible.
Suddenly someone placed a hand onto his shoulder from behind, and this presence, the feeling was familiar as Izanagi was suspended in the sky, standing on a translucent plate. He knew who it was while turning around to get a full view of his companion within the Tenth division. The first thing that came into view was the brown complexity and vivid shade of sea-green hair. Izanagi looks at Shizuka in the complete picture, and Neither the purple-haired two face shinigami nor the green-haired sloth traded words. It was as if the two were mentally reading each other minds in a way they communicated through emotions—both suffering in sorrow and anger.
Though Izanagi and Shizuka shared no words between the two shinigami verbally, Shizuka's actions said otherwise where a shoji door appeared and opened before them both. Then, with a zanpakuto being used as a key, he walked through the bright light of this dimensional gateway. And as he walked through, Shizuka's entire frame became a silhouette in which Izanagi followed no questioned ask.
Izanagi-And-Shizuka-kanji.png

Years have gone by since that day, and both went into training to save each other. To keep each other from going off the rails and falling into the despair of their own emotions. The more they talk, the more they find out how similar both shinigami are, which is why they are training together. They share a bit of the same emotions, which allowed them to bond easier, communicate. Each day Shizuka has to help Izanagi control his anger. It started with meditation at first, where the purple-haired shinigami sat Indian-style in the center of the training room they both were in; it was more private, somewhere within the barracks of the tenth division. The key to training Izanagi was taming this animosity encased inside him; it made him this uncontrolled entity that Higen warned Shizuka all that time ago. When they had a spar, Shizuka had only a brief moment to see it and struck fear into him temporarily and other members at the time—and then seeing it again in Naruki City, when Izanagi was seen falling deeper into the rabbit hole. Shizuka stuck a hand out to pull him out, though it was a choice, and Izanagi took that hand. Though Izanagi no longer has split personality disorder, there is still a part of that raging persona deep within him, something he kept inside him when he was younger. Never expressing that side, hence the split personality known as Akuma. That is the emotion Shizuka trained Izanagi in, help him harness that anger and turn into a weapon, into power.
b7c9d906fa526e0cad012fb95f2fd2d0.png

While deep within meditation with the Izanagi's soul-slayer lying next to him onto the tatami floor. It was once dark until his eyes open finding himself in a different world, familiar only to him alone. Again, a place filled with a dreary void with limited density due to the area being surrounded by heavy fog; the only difference is that it wasn't an open area. Before Izanagi's eyes was a rather grim-looking structure that appears to be uninhabited. Every stone was even and square, as if those who built it were set on perfection. Somes windows that could be seen were large square windows; some of them were tall rectangular shapes. Nothing else could be seen beyond that but a large brown door of what appears to be the main entrance. Izanagi had taken his steps towards the said door, just only one step, and the door itself slowly open, making a creaking sound, similar to a worn floorboard when it is stepped upon in the hallway. The light from the outside created a path for the shinigami, which revealed a long narrow maroon color mat. It led to the back of the interior of this castle, an individual seemingly already sitting upon a throne, using one of their hands to support their head.
"Shall we get started? I, the Demon King, will show you the true meaning of ruthless."
The moment he spoke those words to Izanagi, the purple-haired shinigami already moved by using his flash step to appear behind Jūryoku. However, upon emerging behind, his right leg already come into a vertical swing downwards for an ax kick. Meaning he meant the right foot to split the wooden throne in half. Izanagi manages to do with little effort. The heel collided with the surface of the ground now that the chair of authority is destroyed. Smoke began to shroud the area of impact. The strength of Izanagi's kick was subtle and didn't come off as if he was looking to make it appear powerful and yet manage to put a small crack in the ground at the point of contact and splitting the throne in half. Before he knows it, Jūryoku appears half of a second once the kick was complete. The hand of Jūryoku seemed rather massive to Izanagi because the palm of Jūryoku's hand blocked the majority of his view, grasping his face with such fierce strength. The momentum of Jūryoku caused him to ragdoll Izanagi into the air and threw the ebony shinigami with so much demanding power that it produced an arc of smoke. Izanagi flew through a large glass window, flying to the outside of the infrastructure. It sounds of glass shattering into hundreds of pieces, and the momentum was too strong for Izanagi to adjust his body or weight and had to wait to come to a stop. And that he did when the shinigami finds himself crashing through several trees, then sliding against the surface. Groaning in pain but not for too long, he stood back up where the pain wasn't enough to keep him down and out. And just in his view, the purple and black armor of Jūryoku appeared wearing that devilish smile.
"You want to control me? Ha! You can't control what's a part of you! All this anger, rage, blood lust comes from you, Izanagi. There's no controlling this sensation! EMBRACE IT! LEARN TO ACCEPT IT! ONLY THEN WILL YOU STOP HOLDING YOURSELF BACK! You fear the unknown; you fear losing yourself to the darkness. So what Ryuga died. He was weak! Pathetic! Worthless! And you? You were the same! You allowed your pitiful parents to abuse you. Weaklings tore you down! You were nothing until I saved you! I was the one which allows you to survive. It was by my will, the Demon King, to let you survive!"
Higen-Divider.png

The Awakening~Click to Listen~
Higen-Divider.png

Izanagi-Split.png

The moment his zanpakuto spirit begins speaking about Ryuga being weak, pathetic, and among other things. These insults were something Izanagi could not tolerate any longer. A flood of memories of his childhood began to hit him like a tidal wave—the constant reminder of being beaten, mistreated, and misused. And those moments kept being replayed. His heart began pounding louder, but not from stress or fear. Instead, deep within him, something familiar was awakening; his fist balled up tightly, one side of Izanagi's face became shrouded in darkness. The laid-back nature of Izanagi dramatically changed to a more wicked version of himself. A straight smile turns into a wide barbaric grin, showing them pearly whites. Both eyes lit up into an ominous purple-pinkish glow where both feet suddenly sink slightly into the ground. Due to the muscles within Izanagi, calves tighten so much that the pressure causes the surface to cave. And like that, Izanagi pushed off the ground and made a beeline towards Jūryoku, who was relatively relaxed and calm, but a slight smirk manifested at the corner of his mouth. It didn't take much time for Izanagi to reach Jūryoku and threw a punch in his direction, only for Jūryoku to return the favor. When their blows collided, it had caused an immense shockwave that cleared some of the forest trees out.
Higen-Divider.png

10 Years Later
Higen-Divider.png

The two members of Division 10 continue aimlessly, day after day training, week after week. Using all forms of combat that shinigami can perform, from hakuda to kido, zanjutsu, and hoho. Izanagi had gained much more experience training with Shizuka, adapting new forms, a more calculated mindset with refining abilities. One could say that Izanagi had developed a new side of perspective. Instead of controlling the inner demon of Izanagi, discovering this new path to embrace the devil incarnate that he keeps hidden under the mellow facade. All the fruits of his training with Shizuka had been in private and secret areas, where not many eyes could witness them. It would spoil the two reputations as the "laziest shinigami" in division tenth, though it would be a lie. But Izanagi plans to maintain that perspective in the eyes of his division. Moreso, he had ended up meeting other shinigami when he takes a stroll around the Gotei 13 when he needs a break from the Tenth division. There he met the likes of Shoumetsu from his former Division of Eleven. They fought now and then for training purposes but nothing much more outside of that. They didn't bond but had small talks and have drinks. Next, he met Himari, which wasn't that special. They didn't have any training sessions like Shoumetsu but only talk, or instead, she did most of the talking and only nodded his head and spoke a few words. Then, of course, Izanagi would find himself in Squad Four when he needs them for healing all the injuries he acquired over the years. There he meant Junko, one of the seated members of that squad who usually attends Izanagi's wounds. The only person he is initially close to had been Shizuka. Everyone else has been kept at arm's length.
Higen-Divider.png

90 Years Later
Higen-Divider.png

Izanagi had spent mainly with Shizuka the entire time years that has passed. But, then, both building chemistry between one another and swapping secrets from Izanagi sharing a memory of his split personality, from Akuma killing his parents to Shizuka telling Izanagi about a secret relationship with someone outside of the soul society. A relationship that only Izanagi is the first to ever know about throughout the members of the Gotei 13. It didn't honestly bother Izanagi about this relationship Shizuka has with someone that isn't a shinigami. Was there such a law about dating outside a race? If there is such a law that exists, Izanagi isn't aware of it. Then again, Izanagi is hardly aware of any laws of the Gotei 13; they were mostly a hassle to remember, though it should be essential to remember.
Izanagi-Gigai2.png

At the beginning of the day, Izanagi had patrolled the World of the Living, Naruki City. It has been quiet in the town aside from the usual hollow sightings from time to time. But after all this time, not once did the arrancars had appeared since that day 100 years ago. Instead, he roamed most of the day in an artificial body to remain from being hunted and behave more human-like. One hand was tucked away inside his pocket as he wandered with nothing but the rolled-up tobacco, burning the end of the paper. And still doesn't appear to have changed much at all, aside from having his hair cut back to how it was initially; short and ruffled. Some time ago, Izanagi's hair had grown out more and never truly focused on it that much. Until Junko was the one who gave him the cut his hair, for it was far too wild-looking. Spending some days in the World of the Living allowed Izanagi to learn much more about how humans live, food, and other things.
Beep Beep Beep.
Beep Beep Beep.
Beep Beep Beep.

Soul-Phone.png

Soul-Candy.png

The phone was constantly beeping, which any shinigami with a denreishinki knows what this alert means. Izanagi grabs the phone from inside his jacket pocket and peers at the phone screen, clicking the side of the button with just the thumb. Upon the lit screen shows a bright red dot representing a hollow, and it was nearby in the center of an area. Placing the phone back inside the jacket, he pulled out what happens to be a golden dispenser with a duck face on it—pushing upwards with the thumb of the duck's face and, while bringing it up towards the mouth, a small spherical pill drop inside of Izanagi. Immediately his entire soul split from the artificial body and into his proper form, a spiritual being that no human could see with their physical eyes. The only exception is that there are humans that are spiritually aware. So his faux body would be left behind and in which case they would follow Izanagi and head towards the location that was alerted earlier.
Izanagi entered into his shunpo, which took far lesser steps than he was capable of before. The third seated shinigami only flash step from the street to the top of the nearest building and begin to bounce from building to building and use hoho now and then to gain some extra coverage. This technique was one of the significant areas Izanagi trained to further his skills with his footwork and concentration.
c9079db3c01417d069011e24f3de251e.png

After some time had passed, it didn't take that long to reach the destination. The closer the seated shinigami got, the louder the Izanagi could hear the loud aggravating screeching the creature was making. Finally, he saw the hollow creeping towards what appears to be two children huddled toward, unable to move due to fear. The hollow was indeed intimidating to anyone who does not possess the ability to slay its miserable life. Thankfully, Izanagi was one nearby that is more than capable of dealing with the masked monster. Both children screamed as the large hollow grew closer. It raised one hand towards them, wearing this creepy smile.
Izanagi quickly jumped into another high-speed movement and appeared directly behind the bulky hollow. He was in the motion of swinging his zanpakuto horizontally while removing it from the sheath simultaneously. It was quick and precise, only the sound of a metal ring, once Izanagi had the sword wholly removed from its case. Izanagi's strike was unhindered, cleaving through the air with no problem, as well as slicing through the target, purifying its ugly soul into nothing. Upon landing, Izanagi fixed his purple gaze upon the two almost hollow food victims. Where they were as scared but still showed some doubt about the stranger. Both kids were seemingly transparent, so it is obvious they are dead, no longer capable of going back to their bodies. There is no telling how long these pulses been out here before that hollow attacked them.
"Alright be still you two. I'm sending your asses to the Soul Society, capeesh?"
He leans towards them while bumping their heads with the blunt end of his zanpakuto; they both light up blue. The feeling of dread had been lifted and on to a new life beyond this world. They both looked at one another and then smiled towards Izanagi as if they felt their souls made them feel happy, or perhaps there was another reason.
"Thank you, Mister."
They both said in unison while Izanagi didn't say anything but watched them disappear and finally made their exit from the World of the Living. He pulled out a square box that held all the cigarettes, the one he had on the way here gotten lost somehow. So Izanagi had to go through the process of lighting up his bud all over again.
"Guess it's time for me to head back too."
BSDSenkaimon.png

Izanagi blew his smoke out and then placed it back inside his mouth while raising the right arm that held Jūryoku and stabbed the air with his blade. Ripples emerged from the spatial area Izanagi had stuck his blade at, where he turned the handle like a key and then appeared was the senkaimon door—placing his sword back into its case and walking through the given bright path before him. The further he went, the more his entire frame wasn't clear but more silhouette shaped. The door would have automatically shut behind him, and he was headed back to the Soul Society.
Higen-Divider.png

Izanagi-Kiyoshi-3.png

Leaving Naruki City>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Southwest
 
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Tegami_Bachi_REVERSE_-_17_-_Large_16.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

For most a normal day means waking at an early hour and heading to their job, one that follows the same daily patterns, one that leaves each day mirroring the last. An ordinary job like that once was the only choice but now there are possibilities within what was formerly just hobbies. Yayoi found her livelihood in the sharing of her gaming experiences with thousands of viewers over the internet. Starting as just a release during the final few months of university, this pastime became just as lucrative as an established career of several years. The realm of simply gaming for her audience grew into cosplaying, crafts, and even just simply talking to her fanbase. Supported by sponsors, donations, and a standing partnership with the streaming platform, there wasn't much she had to worry about financially.
"Oh come on! How the hell did that even hit me?!"
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

ezgif-6-2631ccfc77c6.jpg

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Yayoi's frustrated exclamation broke the silence born from her intense focus on what she was playing. The game of the day was the newly released Overseers 2 that sat on the top of the Tweak's Gaming Category. Her stream being among the top three most viewed in that group. Her body slumped back in her chair as she let out a long sigh. The big red letters of "Defeat[" faced her from the main monitor of her computer, a loss that came from her hero's death just seconds before. Yayoi rubbed at her face in an attempt to collect herself before looking over to her other screen, observing the chat she could see they were spamming the letter "F" and various emojis in response to that last match. Competitive games sometimes dragged out a bit of aggression from her but never to a level that'd be considered "toxic". Her audience tended to like seeing such a reaction. It was a very human response, not something processed and filtered as many in the public eye display themselves as.
Her eyes glanced at the time before flicking back towards the cam she gave a smile aimed at those on the other side of the device.
"Well it's about that time! Gotta wrap up for today. I won't be around next week, taking some time off. Remember to use the promo code CKirie for your purchases from Stephania. You'll get 15% off your order! Thanks for coming by, see ya in two weeks!"
The end of her sign-off came with the closing of her stream. Yayoi removed her headphones from her head, placing them gently on the rack at her side. She stared blankly at her screen for a moment, zoning out at the wallpaper of her desktop. Although she enjoyed the time within her streams, the quiet of solitude felt ever the sweeter after it'd end. Her eyes glazed over for a moment, basking in the social twilight, savoring the stillness. The calm was broken by the sudden buzzing of her phone.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

unknown_1.png

unknown.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Choice of Solitude
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

The clicking notification of her screen being shut-off ended the conversation. Her irregularly colored orbs look off into the distance in thought. It would be nice to end the evening with a pastry and a cup of coffee. Yayoi brought herself to a stand and made her way to get prepared to go out. Dressing in simply a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, she soon took to the streets. A mile walk, a ten-minute train ride, and a few city blocks later, she arrived at her destination. Taking in the freshly constructed sign and an incredibly modern design of the establishment. The female breached the doorway and requested a table, one that she had to wait for a vacancy. Scents of sweets and coffee waltz through the air, gracing Yayoi with their influence.
Once seated, she scanned the room to appreciate the layout more than she could have from the window. Where the interior choices were very modern, the artwork upon the walls had images that looked as if they were an assortment of photos of Europe. Some looked more recent while others looked to be potentially prior to the most recent World War. Yayoi's optics became fixated on one in particular that broke the theme, instead comprised of a bunch of Japanese businessmen and women. The central of them held a sign with a differently named café. She assumed that it may have been the original restaurant that may have been rebranded to the current one. The approach of a male brought her down to Earth.
"Good evening, Miss. What is it that you'd like?"
The man threw a warm smile her way as he gave a subtle bow to her.
"Uh yeah... Hey. Good evening to you too. I heard you had some kind of grand opening special?"
"That is correct. It consists of a coffee blend of your choice, a serving of Purin, and a freshly made Daifuku."
"I'll go with that. A sweet blonde blend would be great. You can surprise me with the flavoring. And Mame for the Daifuku flavor."
The waiter gave a nod with another bow before walking off to relay her order. She went through her phone whilst waiting, sifting through her personal server for those that follow her stream. An assortment of conversations were being had alongside the posting of many memes and clips from this week's sessions. A few of which made her smirk to herself, loving that she could create a community that liked to just have a good time. The distraction of her browsing the chat group made time pass as if it was but a second since she had spoken to the server. He had arrived with a tray, laying out each of the components of her request before her.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

edd6e974fa023e43a2211dd5fd9bb750.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Locking in on the cutely garnished java, she could feel herself gravitating to its call. Raising the cup towards her maw, she gave it a subtle blow before taking in a tiny sip. The drink was light in flavor, touched with a bit of sugar and cinnamon, and complemented by a vanilla undertone. As much as she wanted to completely down her sugary beverage, she wanted to have it to accompany her treats. The trip was already definitely worth it, one that she'd welcome again in the future.
Not often did Yayoi leave the confines of her home given that she worked out of it. She knew this had to change. Dedicating herself solely to her streams and business-related interactions was mentally exhausting, something not alien to the people of this country. For her own mental state, she needed these moments of respite, even if they were as ordinary as this. The lack of personal time brought a bit of guilt to her mind, knowing that she has the luxury of defining her own hours, yet chooses to put her job before all else. Another factor of her guilt was that of her rare involvement with the elimination of Hollows that roamed the streets, a former desire of hers. There was of course others that focused their time on doing so, but there was likely scattered loss by her taking no action. It was certainly time for her to reevaluate her priorities and take more time for extracurricular activities. There was other work that needed to be done.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
x
a4e6823dfda738a4b5da311fbb5171ab.png

♪♫♪
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

"If you have time later, I wish to speak t-..."
The enormous double doors shut close simultaneously as the man tries to interject in his own business matters, perhaps not interject, simply address something on his mind, but his words are cut off, and her focus taken by the new inspiration. Still registered as a mental note in her mind, perhaps she will spare some moments to see what he wished to speak about. Perhaps he was looking for a better quality chef's jacket, something resistant to flames.. amongst other things. Though not outright obvious, her golden eyes saw many a detail. And his demeanor was anything but subtle, she'd looked into his past, reading about the unfortunate accident that had taken one of the chef's most prized tool, an arm. Perhaps if their products were available then, such would not have been the case. She doesn't waste her time thinking of those what ifs, now she looks to the future, in her mind calculating his dimensions simple from seeing Tsukune interact with the Quincy guests.
Her following thought is on the staff outside meant to deter any uninvited guests, as the business held in her own personal office is often beyond that of normal or lawful standards. Her serious expression grimaces, the anger... rage prevalent in her fiery eyes. Good help is always terribly difficult to find, but ambitiously desperate fools apply by the thousands. Now new replacements were added to the list of things to do, all due to them simply allowing Tsukune through into the private business transaction. Firing them was not simply enough, not at all.
97bf45d67a31cc47318aae898bd409dd.png

It's clear by the expression on her face, Stephania isn't exactly listening to everything Hansha is mentioning, hearing and processing only the most important snippets of information... the numbers. The profit. The loss of life is irrelevant to the woman, especially as they played no important role in their operation. Or rather, they had lived out their purpose, and the point needed to be made by the lucrative CEO was certainly received. Her sharp glare locks on him, clearly angered by the inconvenience of having to replace the new secretarial vacancies. Enough so that her eyes glow in response with her temper tantrum.
"Twenty Million... …Fifteen Billion dollar commission... …Forty Million from this commission at most, Ten Million at least."
Finally, the information processed in the back of her mind and the scent of the brewing coffee appeases her silent fury. She didn't particularly care about exact numbers, at all. That's where Hansha comes in. Using his greed, she convinced him to work for her and use his talents for business to raise her brand. She isn't without her own talents, as she has the uncanny instinct to recognize priceless and luxurious items at a mere glance. Able to discern real from fake, no matter how good the imitation appears to be. Many a times the slightest defective detail is enough to show her, though to make it easier on herself, she will occasionally utilize her ability to look into the object itself. It's soul, and its journey; its fate. She could see its life through the very string of fate she alone could grasp, and in such a way, discern countless priceless heirlooms and art pieces from forgeries.
"So how do you seek to turn a profit with that Quincy woman? From what I gather she-"
She quizzically raises an eyebrow, curious as to why he suddenly stopped min sentence. This prompts her to look in the same direction as he, following his gaze, but where he feel the movement of shadows, she felt the buzzing of thousands of strings moving and being disturbed. Some laid out by her, and those mixed in of the guests, unknowingly disturbing these undiscernibly thin threads that alert her to any disturbances. With the Two Quincy guests' suddenly disappearing, she knows exactly what Hansha looks towards.
ed18b1388ac807878a0848614555bf4f.png

"Sorry, those Quincy use Shadows to move around and its rather… Unnerving how those shadows are beyond my control and reach. To finish what I was saying, I gather that Ms. Diamante will be a hard customer to sell to."
She gives the slightest wave, shaking her head. After all, she too would be horribly disturbed if someone were to use an ability dreadfully similar to her own. She shudders at the thought and grasps the freshly brewed cup of coffee in her hands, using one to support the bottom, steadying it, while the other holds the dainty handle. She remains silent for a few moments, enjoying the warmth and scent of the coffee as it fills her nostrils. She sips, careful not to burn herself or spill a single drop of her precious elixir. He was correct, the Diamante often kept to themselves, very stingy or rather, selective of their business partners, and to deal with a fullbringer no less, it was unheard of for them. Yet this business partnership benefitts both parties.
ca076516491f0d2250fa5c57c55166b8.png

"Normally yes, but the scarcity and quality of gems the Diamante Group provides have no equal, not to mention their particular properties. We can quadruple the price, at the very least, of items with a single jewel. As for our end of the bargain, it's quite easy, they want uniforms made out of Nōryoku Nuno, and outfitting them with a two carat jewel will drastically improve their defensive capability. Imagine how much we can charge for larger carat combinations..."
6716034ef3608649ce8a7297250aaa30.png

The greedy woman practically drools at the thought of the piles of money the newest partnership will rake in for her company alone. She hadn't even began to calculate the cost of the clothing to be made with the jewel dust she requested from the Heiress. It was a shame her athletic escort was quick to turn down the offer, all the same, the clothes would be delivered to them all the same. In special instances, she will simply gift her clothing, for it's sheer quality and desire for those close to her or close to her business partners to be well... outfitted, regardless of attire. The man would have been a fantastic addition to the models, as such was the young CKirie , also known as Yayoi Tachibana, who'd only just recently accepted sponsorship from the brand, in an effort to fund her stream.
Quick to act, Stephania wasted little time in having her people reach out to the streaming celebrity, not only offering monetary compensation, but also highly durable clothing, and fabrics for all her cosplay needs. Her reach was unique, reaching out to an audience the seamstress had never thought to supply for, but now all that changed, with Tachibana's latest stream, the influx of orders of clothing and ever fabrics floods the company, enough to where certain fabrics sell out. This alerts the woman with a melodic notification, which makes her smile broadly.
"It appears our newest addition is quite popular, I'll have to see her personally. Let's extend an invitation, I'm sure she'll love a tour of the fabric room. "
Setting her empty coffee cup down on her desk, the threads around her arms slowly begin to unravel, then are followed by the threads of her dress, shifting and slithering around her body as they change positions. For once, bearing her arms, displaying her natural skin and her perfectly manicured nails, while her hair becomes picked up in a pony tail by the threads that once covered her arms, while the threads over her bust simply rearrange themselves into a halter-esque top, with a deep V cut, and her back fully exposed down to the small of her back. An outfit change for the woman. How could she not? And it would explain to the other guests her absence. It was time to return to the party, and how could she forget, her caterer had pending business with her. Perhaps it was his pay? That was something he will have to discuss with her soon to be gone secretary.
Again, like she had done so at the start of the show, the woman slips pasts the guests without being noticed, by the use of Bringer Light, making her way toward the chef in the blink of an eye.
"Furaiyori-san, I recall you having some pending business you wished to address?"
She whispers softly from behind, playfully moving out of his line of sight as he turns to see who spoke to him from behind.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
19507857c5d3a081cf53334b5072217a.png

Tsukune.png

b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png

Tsukune was mid-sentence when the slam of the doors interrupted him. He scratched the back of his head worrying about the possibility that he might have upset the fashionista in some way, speaking so friendly to the Quincy… he thought in his mind standing there for a moment, about how much he missed Frederick. He was good company. His sister kept things strictly businesses between her brother's former trades, making it hard for Tsukune to get reacquainted with them. He's also not seen or heard from Avillo in over ten years… and wonders where he could have gone.
"Yoo hoo, Meatball, earth to Meatball.
Kazuki dangled a shrimp cocktail from the party in front of his face, trying to get Tsukune's mind back on track. Tsukune blinked and looked toward his friend and smiled, his usual, nothing is bothering me at all smile. Tsukune wasn't one for telling others what troubled him much anymore. That was one thing he didn't discuss much, not since… the incident.
Mikoto provided Tsukune with the technology to replace the limb he had lost, ten years ago in the fight against the beasts from Hell itself. If it wasn't for Mikoto Tsukune's career and whole life he had built for himself would have went up in smoke, quite literally. He lost his restaurant, but had savings to start a catering business, which led him to the company Miss Stephania owned. He became her guests' favorite chef in no time.
"heh, enticing me with my own food?"
Kazuki would smirk.
"Well it worked didn't it? Don't worry about it… They'll talk to you, even if I don't want them to… Its like them freaky deaky invisible monsters you fight and talk to me about… I don't trust em…"
Tsukune sighed. He didn't really trust his own kind much at all anymore either. They use their powers and those they steal often, for selfish or power hungry reasons.
"I have a feeling, I don't have much time left… okay? I'm getting old, and soon I won't be able to fight them back anymore… I don't want anything to happen to you or Haruka… I have no choice really but to team up and rely on them… especially since… my fire is gone…
Tsukune didn't hear Stephiana, but he did see a hint of green light, as she returned to the civilization she'd shut her doors on.
"Furaiyori-san, I recall you having some pending business you wished to address?"
Tsukune nodded, seeing someone appear like that was getting familiar now, and, he knew it meant she used bringer light. His love Kazuki on the other hand, mumbled something like "what the fuck" under his breath and looked around confused as to how she even did that.
"Ah, Yes, Forgive me Miss Stephiana, I didn't know the Conversation you had with… Miss Blume was private… but yes, there is… something I need to… possibly discuss with you, I suppose a Business proposition of sorts."
He actually doesn't follow her movement with his eyes, instead focuses them ahead, as if waiting for her to stop moving to actually listen.
b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png
 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
cb7bf01bee4b5ec652b4c0be7727239a.png

7bb8c6f20e9165621b0be63aa51e8989.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Hansha sits by, listening to his boss and what he hears is quite fascinating, the level of profit they stand to gain from working with these Quincy is astronomical. There is always profit in war and the Quincy are bound to get into countless fights, they will need repairs, more uniforms, etc, etc. His mind begins racing, thinking of the possibilities of this partnership and his mind quickly reaches a conclusion, cutting loose ends. There is an obvious spark in his eye when he looks back up to Stephania as she continues to speak to him.
"It appears our newest addition is quite popular, I'll have to see her personally. Let's extend an invitation, I'm sure she'll love a tour of the fabric room."
”I shall arrange the tour for her. For now I have work to do.”
He gives a slight bow to her as she changes her outfit and leaves the office via Bringer light. He rotates his head to crack his neck while he takes a drinking glass out of a fridge. He drops three cubes of ice into the glass and fills it with whiskey. As he begins preparing his drink his Reiatsu begins to expand. Slowly but surely it encroaches over the entirety of Naruki City. Those spiritually aware would be able to sense it but not trace it to the source since it would feel as if this person is all around them. No one outside of the Quincy and Stephania herself knows that Hansha is a Fullbringer as he keeps his Reiatsu bottled up, a habit from his youth when his mother kept him hidden away from the world. With his Reiatsu spread out his dominion over shadows increases and with that dominion comes horrifying results.
As he moves to sit down at his desk his plan to tie up loose ends is already underway and he will tie up these loose ends in the most violent way possible. He will oppress them in a way that they shall never return and should there be survivors he will kill them too. Should someone come seeking revenge they too shall be purged until there is no one left who remembers. Working with shady business it is easy to nip things in the bud because not everyone knows the dirty deeds that take place behind closed doors. They are kept secret, even from loved ones this includes the fighting and slaying of Hollows. For some the bud is easier to nip than others but they will be removed regardless.
Oppress and Crush, Until it is Done
At a warehouse used as the base of operations for one of the top Yakuza groups in this part of Japan the boss returns with two less guards than he left with. Everyone is up in arms about what happened, some swearing revenge, others just unnerved by the story and some incredibly impressed by the garbs their boss returned with. While the hysteria takes place a door guard watches from a distance, not sure what to make of everything that was going on. He minds his business for now until hearing a rather heavy knock at the door that gives him quite the jump scare. He turns to the door and opens a small shutter to see who was out there only to see a wisp of blue… Fog? Smoke? Fumes? Before he could determine what it was the door is kicked in sending him and the door into a pillar, sadly, he would not survive this. Surprised by the sound the Yakuza draw their guns and blades only to have their hearts and wills sink into the pits of despair as they stare into the unknown.
d51d84673d8f654d16ab54011bd90bd7.png

These black humanoid masses holding assault rifles stood before them at the doorway, they didn’t know how to respond or act but their boss had a feeling. It was a primal response to past fears, his body knew this sensation as he felt it not too long ago. Before he could open his mouth the entities opened fire on the Yakuza. Everyone scattering to take cover as some were gunned down. The black masses moved with precision, honing in on each Yakuza, two shots to the chest and two to the head, the masses were efficient and conservitave with their shots and ammo. One Yakuza was able to get the jump on one of the Masses, shooting it in the chest with a shotgun, he yelled with excitement about his “kill”. This excitement is drowned out when the barrel of the assault rifle is pressed to his gut then fires a single round through his midsection. The black mass stands to its feet and puts another round into his chest then two into his head before moving onto the others who watched in horror. Seven minutes is all it took to clean out the place from top to bottom, no one could hide, so long as they had a shadow they could not escape this purge. The masses gather up the garbs that were given to the Yakuza boss and take them as they leave, there will be no evidence linking this back to Stephania or her company in any way.
This horror was not only felt by the Yakuza but other shady organizations whose ties needed to be severed for good, one by one they were wiped out. The next target was Kimura Enterprises, owned by Mikoto Kimura. His entire company would not be targeted and wiped out, too many innocent and honest people work for the company and it would be hard to sweep under the rug. However, what will be purged is the more underbelly portion of this company, the ones who know about Mikoto’s vigilante deeds and aid him in them. In his secret development a host of these Black Mass soldiers appear from the shadows, morphing through them as if they were a gateway. They begin to fire, destroying any and all tech they can see and gunning down anyone who happens to be there. Incendiary charges are placed and then a usb stick is used to purge Mikoto’s main computer of all the data he has gathered over the years this infection even reaches into his cloud storage. The explosion from the charges won't be enough to level any building but the resulting fire will destroy his secret workshop. Above in the actual R&D wing of the company three masses enter and gun down the employees followed by setting incendiary charges and before detonating them a usb stick is placed into every computer, formatting the harddrives, purging their files and research. Years of work and research, gone.
Lastly a small unnoticeable tendril creeps up out of the shadow of Kazuki. With the Reiatsu spread out everywhere it would ne impossible to detect it. Seeing it would be difficult as well as the tendril creeps up his pant leg and injects him with something. A fast acting poison that would have the man drop shortly after receiving the injection with his vital signs rapidly dropping. It wont be long before the man passes away suddenly just feet away from Tsukune.
CEO of Slaughter
A drinking glass sits on a desk, the ice shifts inside of it as it slowly melts. Hansha looks out a window down to the Runway area where everyone is congregating and chatting. He looks at them with ire and disdain. However his bloodlust is satiated as each of his targets fall one by one. He recalls each Black Mass Unit, having them return their guns to an unknown storage facility before having them collapse back into shadows. Hansha begins calculating his next step to get rid of Tsukune's niece, he knows where she is at it is just a matter of taking a "Business trip" to go see her. He'll then nip the buds one by one, Mikoto and Tsukune will personally be killed by him along with anyone who tries to stop him or get in his way.
How were other people able to see these black masses though? Well Fullbringers pull on the souls of objects, things that tangible exist in the physical world. These humanoid monsters were made up of such tangible material allowing humans to see and physically interact with them. Though each of the masses were many times stronger than any human, capable of dismantling a Hollow, however, all they possessed was physically increased attributes as extensions of Hansha; they have no powers on their own. This night has been quite enjoyable for the CEO and he hopes for more fun nights to follow. He turns back to his desk, picking up the glass to refill it.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
19507857c5d3a081cf53334b5072217a.png

Tsukune.png

b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png

As Tsukune speaks to Stephiana, Kazuki walks forward, and feels a prick on his leg, and a burning sensation, as he falls to the ground. This prevents Tsukune from being distracted by Stephiana no longer, and goes over to Him. Tsukune glows a pale green and puts his hands over his friend. Poisoned. Kazuki would be alright soon, however. The foods Tsukune had fed everyone had bits of his own reiatsu in it, that would use their spiritual energy and counteract things like this.
"The hell's going on?"
He'd look around then back to Kazuki. He hoped his friend would hang in there, as he looked around the room and to Stephiana. His own Fullbring would activate, the frying pan on his belt behind his back would enlarge and two green orbs would appear above his head. Some of the food he prepared would come to life, the shrimp cocktail Kazuki had in his hand prior and teasing Tsukune which had awoken itself through the power of Tsukune's fullbring. The soul of the little creature, former food, seemed to have come back from the dead, but the shrimp did nothing but crawl in a circle on the floor next to Tsukune and Kazuki, as Tsukune worked on resuscitating his friend.
b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png
 
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Tegami_Bachi_REVERSE_-_17_-_Large_16.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Savoring the last few sips of her caffeinated beverage, she scrolled through a website designated for purchasing cosplay materials. Losing track of time within every swipe, mesmerized by the contents held behind her electronic companion. A break from the search came in the form of an email notification. Her finger climbed upward, clicking the dropped down alert that would lead to her inbox. It was an invitation to tour of Stephania's primary facility, something that caught her off-guard. Sure she was representing the company through promotions within her own work, but such a sudden and direct summons was not within her expectations. Brands often threw products and promotional items to make the partner more sold by their label and likely to continue to promote it, but tours were less common, at least within her career.
Yayoi took a moment to run the address through a quick search, trying to find the distance from her residence. It wasn't too far and visiting certainly would give further insight into that which she is marketing within her broadcasts. She soon decided to write up a simple email expressing gratitude and inquiring to when a visit could be arranged.
After sending the message, Yayoi took to her feet and paid for her meal. As she made her way outside the building, a thought crossed her mind. She wondered if she could negotiate a deal with acquiring some materials to make her next outfit, something that would benefit herself, as well as the company. Acquiring quality yet discounted components, while giving the ability to advertise more of their product through her independent construction.
The solitude woman had decided to walk off that which she had just consumed. Trekking along the concrete roads of downtown Naruki, watching other people go about their days. Thinking over how nice it was to turn off her social batteries for a few days and take some time for herself. Fortunately she lived in a country where even if people did recognize her face, they'd be unlikely to approach, so even out and about her privacy was secured.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
x
♪♫♪
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

"I shall arrange the tour for her. For now I have work to do."
The Creative Director leaves the Chief Executive Officer to his own devices, and returns to the very party she is meant to host. As she makes her quick return journey via bringer light, alerting those aware of the ability of her presence, when she comes to a stop behind Furaiyori, she can feel the subtle encroaching reiatsu emenating from Hansha, inconspicuously spreading throughout the entirety of not only her building, but expanding further beyond. A soft mumble from the chef's startled companion draws her attention briefly, gracing the man with a polite smile before returning her gaze to the seasoned fullbringer.
"Ah, Yes, Forgive me Miss Stephiana, I didn't know the Conversation you had with… Miss Blume was private… but yes, there is… something I need to… possibly discuss with you, I suppose a business proposition of sorts."
She nods understandingly as she straightens up to her normal height of 6'2" with her heels. Standing only a few inches taller than Tsukune, she locks eyes with him momentarily before glancing around to see the very threads of those surrounding them intertwine and separate, new relationships forming, new bonds, new friendships and business partnerships. A particular one catches her attention as he continues to speak hesitantly, she shifts her eyes back to him briefly, tilting her head slightly.
"That was not your fault Furaiyori-san, the assistants know better. Not to mention it seems quite serious, if you came directly to my office."
She combs her fingers through her mane of locks, feeling the soft luscious hair glide between her fingers as she continues to speak rather casually with him. Now, standing closer to the man, she can get even more measurements. She gathers the width of his shoulders, the length of his arms, even the inseam, with no real need to physically measure them man. Now, she is able to perfectly tailor the man his very own spiritual energy-resistant, armored chef's uniform.
Suddenly, the woman's attention shifts, caused by a change in a single thread. It's minute. Forewarning to what's about to happen. The chef's companion momentarily intertwines with another, more elusive string of fate. She feels the slight concentration of Hansha's reiatsu nearby, but as she always does, leaves him to act as he likes, never standing in the way of his bloodlust, in fact, she is the very one who helped facilitate the acquisition of prey. Like leading sheep to a wolves' den, promising fame and fortune, until their very usefulness runs out. And at the party, there is an abundant selection of victims. What surprises the woman is his... boldness in moving against a plausible ally, much less in such a public event. The corners of her mouth twitch slightly, nearly breaking out into a giggle, bemused by the brazenness. She catches herself before anyone becomes privy to her thoughts. Once collected, she watches, not Hansha's shadow emerge or the syringe's movement, as it is obscured by the man's trousers', but by Kazuki's shrinking string of fate. Stephania feigns ignorance, continuing to act normal, it isn't until Kazuki falls over after the poisonous injection takes effect, acting swiftly to incapacitate him.
3c4b751959918f41ccc953ebf48893c2.png

While the companion to the chef is on the floor, doing his best to survive the mysterious substance in his body, she watches for a short moment, like any bystander when they witness something unexpected, as if frozen by the shock. In truth, she is unemotional to his current ailment. She watches, interested to see what the chef will do to counter act the foreign substance. Those nearest become alarmed giving the two space, and the party continues on around them, drowned out by the music and chatter of those still further out. The designer finally walks forward, for once, kneeling beside the pair and lightly placing her hand on Tsukune's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the man. In truth, she cannot sympathize with him, to the woman, such attachments are liabilities. Leverage; weakness. Yet she does not show this on her face. On her face worry is displayed, like anyone around them.
"The hell's going on?"
"Perhaps he drank something too strong at the bar? Or it didn't sit well with him?"
She suggests as possible options for his sudden collapse. While yes, they were hired for the catering, the event hired a separate lounge as bartenders, and perhaps they mixed something that caused the man an allergic reaction. Of course, she knows this to be untrue, but she will not stand to lose an important business partner over something so... trivial. She continues studying Tsukune as he proceeds to heal Kazuki. Her eyes widen slightly as she sees the man's string of fate elongate once more. She had a brief description of his powers, hardly anything notable, from gathered eyewitness accounts from all those years ago, as well as, a string of memories that flood her after making that brief contact with him. Watching flashes of the battle against the togabito unfold before her very eyes until his loss of consciousness.
"That's an amazing gift, Furaiyori-san. You're the first I meet to have such an extraordinary healing ability."
She waves over several guards, requesting their help to move the unconscious man from the public eye, opting to move him somewhere quieter where Tsukune can further help him along in his recovery. The guards carefully carry Kazuki, mindful not to stir him too much, back to the woman's office, placing him on an elongated couch where his body can comfortably lay. She hears the notifications of incoming emails, but cannot immediately look into them, instead, she glances at Hansha, guiding his gaze downward to the reanimated shrimp as they hop around Tsukune, awaiting orders from their commander. Definitely a strange and unique ability. And while his condition is gradually improving, aided by the healer's fullbring, she notes, everything the guests consumed, was all made by him, and has the potential to greatly restore one's health, or cause harm if he wills it so. The two fullbringers have yet to establish what sort of relationship they will have. Will he seek to aid her endeavors, or opt to go about things his way, or even become an enemy?
c96d32ef0a7a7f336703beef27b0816c.png

"Tsukune-san, do you have any enemies? Someone from your past?"
She inquires with a worried expression on her face. Maybe there was someone out there with a grudge against him, seeking revenge, and using his closest ones to get to him. She suggests this as it is something she sees often in her daily life. The woman's heels tap against the floor as she walks toward the bar area to pour a glad of water to offer the man if he wakes up. She has yet to make her own abilities fully known to the stranger before her, merely observing to see his own capabilities, assessing his prowess and usefulness. If he could not counteract a man made poison, what hope would this generation of fullbringers have against other worldly entities?
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
cb7bf01bee4b5ec652b4c0be7727239a.png

7bb8c6f20e9165621b0be63aa51e8989.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

”Impressive.”
Hansha states as he takes another sip of his drink, swirling it around in the glass with the ice melting bit by bit. He observed the healing properties of the Chef and how he was able to counteract the poison with his Fullbring. A night of tragedy has surely taken place in Naruki, however, Hansha may pause it for now as he has no reason to further push or test the chef’s ability. It is clear that this chef must be handled in a different way. He turns away from the observation window and returns to his desk, pressing a few buttons on his office phone to contact an agent.
”Ah! Mr. Kaiyo! What can I do for you sir?”
”I need a favor, get in contact with Sukoshi Ōkoku. Tell him I need to speak with him, in person.”
”Yes sir!”
Creeping Chaos
The call ends with the agent getting into contact with Sukoshi and passing along the message. Reaching into his pocket Hansha pulls out his cellphone to see that an email sent earlier had been read. Ordinarily such things can’t be done but Xaltation is quite sneaky, especially around those who may be potential recruits. Seeing that the email was read he places the phone back into his pocket as his Reiatsu spreads out across the city yet again. He takes another sip of his drink and fixes up his tie before patting himself down to keep a presentable appearance. He looks towards a wall with a shadow cast along it then walks right towards it.
The streets of downtown always seem to have some level of activity as it is never at absolute zero. Because of this people pass one another without ever realizing where they came from or where they are going. Yayoi walks along towards her destination without knowing that those of Xaltation are coming to her. She may feel a strange sensation in the air, Reiatsu unmistakable, however it would feel as if it is all around her. There would be no discernable source, no “epicenter” for the creation of this Reiatsu and furthermore the sense of Panophobia, the fear of all things, seeps in slowly and silently. This may put her on edge, her guard may increase as a result, however this may cause her to lash out at the wrong individual. Fortunately enough someone who can defend themselves arrives on the scene, phasing out of the shadow of a building she passes the CEO of the Stephania Brand appears, Hansha Kaiyo.
”Yayoi Tachibana, correct? Or do you prefer your handle CKirie more? I am Hansha Kaiyo, CEO of Stephania’s Brand, you recently accepted a sponsorship from us.”
He is nonchalantly adjusting the buttons on his sleeve not in any real sort of rush to handle this particular task. His sudden arrival would be jaring considering how he seemingly appeared out of thin air. Should the young woman react violently in response to him it would be understandable, a voice suddenly calling out to you by your full name and online handle paired with the already creepy sensation of panophobia in the air she has every right to act first in self defense. Hansha expects this much and it’s a response he is looking for as their Fullbringer group are quite suspicious of the woman. They have reason to believe she is a Fullbringer as well, if they are right they may have gained a new member and if they are wrong then she will just be added to the list of dead on Hansha’s already long list.
”So, how about that tour we promised?”
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
19507857c5d3a081cf53334b5072217a.png

Tsukune.png

b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png

Tsukune's power had caused him to look at his shoulder shrimp cocktail friend and pull it off his shoulder and held the living shrimp in his hands, as Kazuki came to, and sat up feeling dazed and confused.
"uh wha wha? What happened?"
Of course what Kazuki saw was Tsukune… holding a shrimp cocktail gently.
Tsukune smiled at him.
"I think I overworked you, dear… stay close but go take a rest on a chair or something alright?"
The man had no back-talk and simply drowsily meandered over to a chair and sat down for a bit as Tsukune stood back up, his eyes not leaving Kazuki, he spoke to Stephiana again.
"hmm? Enemies? No… at least not any living enemies any longer…"
He'd say turning to her.
"Well, it seems you and your CEO who is probably watching security cams somewhere, know what I can do now. Sure might be useful right? Well, my power could be yours, on some conditions that will prove to be more than fair… if you want to listen."
The Chef was too old to run around the bush when it came to things he wanted anymore, cut it straight, simple and to the point…
"If that was you, or your dark haired friend, and this was some sort of warning or test, I hope that is the last of it, because I was going to… offer my services to your cause, as a bonus, no money involved… just resources, which I could provide myself… My request is simple… my family and friends remain unharmed by yourself and your comrades. This includes Mikoto and his family, seeing as he is a dear friend."
He looked down, and petted the little shrimp in his hand.
"My ability to heal is pretty cool, let me assure you I can do much more than that, you'll be satisfied, just as you and your guests are with my cooking. Not a top chef just on my gorgeous look."
He said to her with a smile and a wink. Hopefully she took what he was requesting into consideration, after all it was easy NOT harming other people. He was rather nice unless you crossed him in any way.
"Fact is, I'm getting older. I'm more seasoned compared to other Fullgringers, my experience could also help your younger allies too. I don't expect to be hired with open arms at first... And, I don't attack Shinigami unless they attack me. Only Hollows... And other fullbringer that threaten me first. One must defend ones self you know?what do you think... Sound fair..."
b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png
 
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Tegami_Bachi_REVERSE_-_17_-_Large_16.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Cloak and Dagger
The sounds of the streets had become nothing but white noise. The voices, the lights, the sounds of cars along the streets, all whispers in the background. How long would she decide to wonder around before making her way back home? It didn't really matter if she did rush back, but the thought of what she wanted to do to occupy her time escaped her mind. It wasn't part of her interest to drink, she had already eaten, and crowded scenes were not within her preference. The escape to the outside, rather than the confines of her streaming studio, was often enough to satiate any facet of her extroverted side, as fickle as it was. Though her moment of peace lasted not much longer...
Reiatsu drifted through the streets, at first seeming as if it was distant, but suddenly the gap was closed. The presence felt as if it was everywhere. Anxiety grasped at her very core, seeking to snuff out any confidence that resided within her. The shadows whispered malicious words, the bystanders gazed upon her with cannibalistic intent, everything was an enemy. She shook the thought from her mind to the best of her ability, fortifying herself with her own spiritual pressure. The presence of the other's fear trait is met with one that invokes hallucinations that bring about physical pain.
Her right hand flicked out towards her corresponding hip, which caused a small puzzle piece to find its way out from her sleeve. Once it was aligned with the palm of her hand, It'd be overtaken by a faint pink light. The form warped, extending its shape and manifesting as a combat knife.
”Yayoi Tachibana---"
The uttering of her name made her pivot on her heel and hop a few feet backward. She clutched the grip of her weapon firmly keeping it at her side, visible to the potential threat, but likely shrouded to any wandering eyes. Under another circumstance her reaction may have come with immediate retaliation but the location for which they were would leave civilians in harms way. Tachibana's leer fell upon the male, deciding to let him speak.
"---Correct? Or do you prefer your handle CKirie more? I am Hansha Kaiyo, CEO of Stephania’s Brand, you recently accepted a sponsorship from us.”
A raised brow was added to what Hansha would encounter from her, that is among the blade at the woman's side. Yayoi had reacted with full intent to disable that who spontaneously approached her but was a bit taken aback by being given such a nonchalant introduction. She gave the man a once over, watching as he attended to the buttons upon his sleeve. The CEO of Stephania came right to her. Out of nowhere none the less. Another Fullbringer perhaps? Did he already know what she was? And was he prepared for confrontation should she had not acted with restraint? He was either confident or foolish.
”So, how about that tour we promised?”
She grit her teeth.
"Really...? Who the hell do you think you are coming out of no where like that? And no I don't mean repeat what you just said, Mr. CEO. Give me a real answer as to why you are here."
Her spare hand slipped just outside of his view behind her figure.
The invitation for this tour was clearly loaded with a motive outside of their business arrangement. His explanation had better be worth the unnecessary tension.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
b29e6a934dc57a086cb0a7c1333b6c7d.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

It had been ten years since Naruki had ended up as "hell on earth". What was only just a few moments seemed like years, and Sukoshi was fighting for his life. Having gotten involved, wanting to play hero, that was something that he never wanted to do again. He saw what it did to the other people like him, and whatever those folks in those black robes were with the swords. Whatever that thing was, it had sent Naruki into a spiral, but for some reason, not a single soul remembers that day other than him. Sukoshi had run far, and he didn't know how far he had gone, or where he had gone, he just knew that he had to get away as far as he could. The rest of the years went by in a blur, and here he was, ten years later, at the very top of his line of work and still rising.
“I’m getting tired. That’s enough.”
Another flash of the camera goes off, and then the sound of murmurs as the overhead lights buzz on, blinding those accustomed to the darkness during the photo shoot. Dressed in a tan jacket from Stephania’s brand, Sukoshi Okoku was one of few faces that directly wore her materials and represented it on magazines, social media, runways and award shows. It was getting cold, and the new line of autumn showcases were closing in. Unfortunately, this had meant that he would have missed Stephania’s showing earlier in the evening, though it was on her orders, surely she wouldn’t be too angry with him. The sound of pattering heels clicked on the floor as someone came, clattering away with phone in hand. He comes face to face with his assigned assistant that he truly didn’t like anymore than the next person. She was all about deadlines, and he followed them as ordered, but the way she went about it was infuriating.
“I just got a call. Mr. Kaiyo wants to see you in his office.”
“Did he say what for?”
“No.”
He watches her saunter off, giving nothing else and a sigh escapes and he readies himself for a meeting with Stephania’s right hand. Pulling gently at his sleeves, he slides into a car that caters to him at any and all times. Having been given the directions prior to his arrival, the car speeds off towards Hansha, and Sukoshi stares out of the window, watching the lights of the city of Naruki pass him by and reflect against the windows. In no time, the car comes to a screeching halt in front of this tall and dark building and he climbs out, thanking his chauffeur and walking inside, his hands stuffed into his pockets. The guards pay no mind. Sukoshi’s face isn’t one that can be mistaken for any other, and his skin complexion was rather rare around these parts of Japan. The building was silent, save for gentle taps of his shoes, as he ascended upon the elevator to the top floor to meet with the man in the shadows.
The secretary of his comes to open the door and in he steps… to an empty room. Sukoshi looks around, closing in towards the man’s desk and dragging his finger along the glass edge and he leans against one of the large windows that peer out into the open scene of the human world below. A view he’d seen multiple times, and truthfully, he was very tired of it. A yawn follows and he tussles up the purple mop that sits on his head.
“You asked to see me and you aren’t even here.”
In frustration, he stomps back down, clicking his tongue at the secretary that just watched in surprise as he leaves. Down the elevator he goes, annoyed that his time was wasted, yet when he gets outside, Sukoshi comes to the scene of Hansha greeting this other individual. Walking down, he comes up behind the renowned CEO of Stephania Brand and peeks over his shoulder to catch sight of Yayoi just before him.
“You asked to see me yet you aren’t there to greet me -- Who is this?”
15244706d0707d26f475b6e0f3d675c4.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
ceedac1d00d6be7042d5058d59e6aa76.jpg

A Killer’s Paradise
In the city, never truly dead or inactive, with people ever traveling from one place to another a certain female walks alone..or, at least she believed herself to be alone initially. She will soon come to learn that when treading through the darkness…one is never truly alone. Her surroundings become suffused in reiatsu, it is as if this spiritual pressure is competing with the darkness of the night, no, it's as if the two were intertwined. Though her surroundings are familiar, her pulse rises as if thrust in some foreign land, uncertain as to what or who is around her. She grows more anxious with every step.
A voice creeps from the very darkness that maliciously terrorizes the young woman. The voice is calm, indifferent and accompanied by a man with dark hair and pale flesh. The woman’s mind races, attempting to connect the dots. While it's true she was scheduled for a tour, she knows that she has not revealed her…”uniqueness” to those in the company. Furthermore, that was undeniably reiatsu that she had felt. She can’t help but to wonder what their angle was. Were they aware of what she was and what she could do? Were they people like her? It made sense if they were presenting themselves in such a manner, it's like they weren’t even attempting to pretend being normal. None of this sits well with her as she demands answers, no..demands the truth behind the motive of his actions.
As the woman readied herself, her guard maintained, her senses sharp, another individual approached to join them. Not unlike the woman, this.. Yayoi Tachibana, the newcomer appears less than pleased with the strange pale man who introduced himself as Hansha Kaiyo, the current CEO of Stephania’s Brand. The company was well known, their clothing considered luxury items to many.
“You asked to see me yet you aren’t there to greet me -- Who is -”
CLANK, CLATTER
”Oh sh-”
There is the sound of movement in an alley, adjacent to those gathered. Immediately after the sound of a bottle rolling on the ground, is a voice that is quickly muffled. The darkness hides the identity of this person, but those spiritually aware can feel it, the flickering of mediocre spiritual power. It fluctuated as if trembling.
9caf35b8bbe517bb4fef5d1dfa75e732.gif

DRIP
DRIP
DRIP

Remnants from the bottle spills out, dripping out slowly. The stale liquid begins forming a puddle, one of many within the rancid alleyway, smothered in shadow and darkness, cluttered with garbage. The silhouette of an individual sits pressed against the wall. From its outline, its hands appeared to be covering its mouth, body quivering as it lay flat against its sturdy support.
DRIP
DRIP
DRIP

The person's eyes clenched shut tightly, as if that alone would wrap them in a shroud of invisibility. Their presence, and reiatsu betraying not only their existence, but their location along with the level of their spiritual strength, or rather..the lack thereof. Was there something special about today? That all these spiritually aware beings, these humans who were more than others of their kind would find themselves coalesced in this location? Of the four reiatsu signatures, as it stood, right now this Hansha individual seemed to be the strongest, and the most dangerous. Whoever this cowering individual was...one could only hope they hadn’t bit off more than they could chew.
ceedac1d00d6be7042d5058d59e6aa76.jpg
 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
cb7bf01bee4b5ec652b4c0be7727239a.png

7bb8c6f20e9165621b0be63aa51e8989.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

"Really...? Who the hell do you think you are coming out of nowhere like that? And no I don't mean repeat what you just said, Mr. CEO. Give me a real answer as to why you are here."
He stands in silence, staring at her then raising an eyebrow curiously. Hide away objects in her possession all she may, things concealed in the shadow’s cannot remain a secret from Hansha. His sensory ability is phenomenal and combined with his shadows it becomes something even more. Height, weight, equipment on their person, and even a measurement of their power are all revealed to the man meaning that Yayoi’s knife is already revealed, naturally as it casts a shadow due to her attempt to hide it. How she may use this knife is unknown, as well as her abilities, just because he knows what she may have on her does not mean he can counter it. He continues to adjust his cuffs, his eyes shifting to the side to a more familiar presence, that of Sukoshi. He steps forward, asking a question of his own.
“You asked to see me yet you aren’t there to greet me -- Who is this?”
Killer or Fighter?
Before he can respond to this he hears glass hitting the ground, a bottle to be exact, in an alley adjacent to them. The eyes of this pale CEO narrowed as he glared down the shadowy alley and to be honest while the man was fleeing he did not like what this individual had on his person in the slightest. Some sort of sicko, perhaps he is that murderer that has been stalking Naruki all this time. Hansha is not a good man, the concept of a daily good deed does not exist to him. It is not his responsibility to do the cops and investigators job, it is not his place to give up information for free, and most important of all he does not get paid to do it. However, this individual had an inkling of spiritual power, human, a Fullbringer. Hansha’s precision sensing of Reiryoku told him this and while the well of this power felt shallow there was a slight hint that there was more. Yes, if one were to knock out the bottom of this well one would see that it ran immensely deep.
Hansha is a killer, not a fighter. He does not exchange blows with opponents, no he does not have opponents. He strikes, they die and become a victim. For Hansha to be caught up in a fight means he has miscalculated the threat level of a potential victim, able to see all that casts or touches darkness can be quite blinding. This is why he did not continue his attack against Tsukune’s partner.
At this point he has been staring down the alleyway for about a few seconds not saying a word. He is weighing his options currently. This man is a witness to his power, more than that he is a Fullbringer who can be quite troublesome down the line. Drinking alcohol in a dark alleyway, the ramblings of a drunken fool can snowball into rumors as outlandish as these rumors may be it can bring unwanted attention. An officer who may be a Fullbringer could pick up on this and begin tracking Hansha’s activity, or maybe even some other do-gooder. Silencing him now is the best option, however if the bottom of this well proves to be false and is immensely deep he will end up in a fight. He doubt’s the two with him would assist him, Sukoshi isn’t much of a fighter and Yayoi has no reason to aid him as they have just met and she currently feels threatened by him. This is a hard decision to make but he ultimately makes a choice by asking himself one simple question.
”Will attacking this man make me money?”
NO
A decision is made and so he decides to move this gathering elsewhere, away from this potential murderer.
”Tachibana-san, bear with me for a moment, you too Sukoshi. We need more privacy.”
Using his Fullbring ability, Kuro Sanpo (Black Stroll, 黒散歩), he drops himself, Sukoshi and Yayoi into their shadows and before they know it they arrive in his office. There is no strange wormhole effect, they arrive here as if they had walked through a door. His Reiatsu finally fades from the city, all at once as if a veil was lifted, the origin point for it being unknown save for the three who saw Hansha. Finally, with those he needs to speak to gathered together he begins to speak about business at last.
”Drinks anyone? Coffee, juice, water, alcohol? I do not keep soda or sugary drinks in my office so if that is your taste forgive me for not having it in stock.”
He walks over to his small collection of alcoholic beverages and begins pouring a glass of whiskey before getting down to business.
”Now, Tachibana-san, originally I wanted to test something, a theory Miss. Stephania and I had about you. Given your ‘talent’ and yes I do not consider playing video games a talent, we suspected you were a Fullbringer. But with your reaction to me and the sudden appearance of that knife it seems our theory has been confirmed fact.”
He paces over to his desk, leaning against it crossing one foot over the other while his free hand rests against the desk itself. He swirls the whiskey in the glass, eyes shifting between the two people in his office.
”That said, there is something more that Miss. Stephania would like to offer you now, more than just a sponsorship. This is what people like to call an opportunity.”
He tosses a card in her direction, it glides along the air right to her palms, one with a logo that should be all too familiar with Sukoshi.
3927784693110ee0a3e5fd37325e27a4.png

After tossing it he takes a sip of his drink and looks at Sukoshi who probably has no idea why he was called to the office as he wasn’t even scheduled to work the show tonight. Hansha never worries about how he phrases his words, never bothers with sounding too harsh or too mean his words are spoken as they are meant to be. His question to Sukoshi is blunt and to the point and asked in a casual manner as if he were asking what the model’s favorite cereal was.
”Sukoshi, how about I take your Fullbring powers off of you, yeah?”
He takes another swig of his drink.
”You aren’t much of a fighter or killer and to be honest they seem like quite the burden on you. You can focus on living a normal life and put more time into modeling or retire without a care in the world. You know this company can put you up somewhere nice, far away from this world of Hollows and Shinigami. You’d be giving them to someone you trust and know at the very least, if not me, give them to Stephania. Unless…”
He stares at him from just above the rim of his glass, forming an inquisitive glare that had more curiosity behind it than malice.
”... You plan on keeping them, if so I would love to see how things develop from there. Anyway, both of you take some time to think over what I’ve said. Tachibana-san, you are welcome to explore our place here or I can send you home. Same for you as well Sukoshi, if you want to pace around and make an appearance on the show floor you’re more than welcome to.”
He takes another sip of his drink and sets it down on a coaster on the desk.
”Miss. Stephania is also here if either of you wish to speak to her. She is my boss so don’t think I did any of this without her knowing because… She already knows you two are in this building.”
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
x

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

"Well, it seems you and your CEO who is probably watching security cams somewhere, know what I can do now. Sure might be useful right? Well, my power could be yours, on some conditions that will prove to be more than fair… if you want to listen."
In part, it was true. Now she had a semblance of knowledge to his abilities, but that single ability could not be the depth of his power. Stephania had to know more; everything. Most important of all, yes. It will prove its usefulness to her if he accepts her own conditions to his official integration into Xaltation. There were no favors or gifts, this was a now a business transaction, and he has her undivided attention.
"Please, continue."
Her piercing golden eyes remain fixed on him, looking him directly in the eyes as he continues speaking, watching his movements, and paying close attention to his words. Her fingers slowly curl around her bicep, as if holding or hiding something against her body, away from prying eyes.
"If that was you, or your dark haired friend, and this was some sort of warning or test, I hope that is the last of it, because I was going to… offer my services to your cause, as a bonus, no money involved… just resources, which I could provide myself… My request is simple… my family and friends remain unharmed by yourself and your comrades. This includes Mikoto and his family, seeing as he is a dear friend."
"I can assure you, it was no such thing. And these are all your terms, Furaiyori-san?"
There was a single objective, and it was neither warning or test. Simply death, a truth she'll likely never divulge to the male. He was different than her, different than Hansha. He had bonds to others he holds dear to his heart. Blood ties and forged bonds that are alien to the woman. Stephania fiddles with a single thread held between her fingers, rolling it along the surface of her thumb. A stray thread taken inconspicuously from the man's wardrobe that quietly drove her mad, being out of place in her perfectly crafted event. She takes his conditions into careful consideration, as he continues speaking, making his case to the woman.
"Fact is, I'm getting older. I'm more seasoned compared to other Fullbringers, my experience could also help your younger allies too. I don't expect to be hired with open arms at first... And, I don't attack Shinigami unless they attack me. Only Hollows... And other fullbringer that threaten me first. One must defend ones self you know? What do you think... Sound fair...?"
For a brief moment, her eyes glance away from Tsukune, feeling the spread of Hansha's spiritual energy spread outwards once more. Her eyes turn back and lock on the chef after the CEO disappears from the vicinity, appearing elsewhere in the city, convening with Yayoi, soon to be joined by Sukoshi. For an instant, minute as it may have been and practically unperceived by anyone but her, the strings of all three and an unknown person became briefly intertwined, if not for Hansha's quick thinking to remove not only himself, but also the streamer and the model from the public. Now they were back in the safety of his private office to resume their conversation.
c96d32ef0a7a7f336703beef27b0816c.png

"Surely you understand, having experienced the cruelty of the world that we may not protect everyone we care about. While we at Xaltation have no interest in injuring civilians, other parties may not be so selective of their victims. Your outlook on life certainly differs from my own. The corporate world does not allow for many friendships, the number of people I trust can be counted on one hand, I hope I can come to trust you, and you I."
She extends her hand, offering it for a handshake, agreeing to Tsukune's terms and conditions to his contractual employment with the brand as the company chef, meant to prepare any and all beverages the staff, but most importantly, his true purpose with Xaltation.
"I understand the battlefield may not be the place for you anymore, perhaps it never was. If at any point you feel your abilities become a burden, you can willingly surrender your powers to the person of your choosing. Humans like us... we live a difficult and violent life, striving to survive simply to be allowed to exist, while other races only wish to exterminate us due to the nature of our abilities and nothing more."
Her handshake is firm despite the daintiness of her perfectly manicured hand. The elongated stiletto nails hide miniature barbs on the underside of the nails, barbs that long since had clutched a thread from the man back on the party floor, during his partner's collapse. As her hand pulls away from his, the thread that was only visible to her, now becomes visible to the man before her. While he's watching this, behind him, the articles of clothing on Kazuki shift and reform on his body, altering his clothing in the blink of an eye, just as she'd previously done to her own clothing moments before.
e2fb1031027b9f90e607fc8a2939d115.png

Maybe he will think her cruel and heartless, or perhaps, in her own twisted way, she is forcing a type of mercy on the man and his loved ones, unbeknownst to him. Either way, with a swift motion, she pulls off her golden earing, although beautifully intricate and decorative, it is as sharp as a blade, and with this, she severs the thread in an instant and it immediately dissipates. Every memory, every sentiment, every instance of interaction of Tsukune with Mikoto, Kazuki, and Haruka vanishes from their lives. Now complete strangers to one another. His ties were a liability, and if Mikoto ever proved to become a nuisance, she needed a loophole to their newly formed contract. With this, the two were no longer friends as their bond was severed by her technique Setsuzoku Kiru (接続 切, Lit. Connection Cut”), and she or company were free to act without worry of loosing a newly acquired ally. As for Kazuki and Haruka, arrangements will be made by secretaries to establish them outside of the island they reside on within the next few days, sustaining them through the company. No harm would come to them from her personally.
She gestures to the door.
"There are others I'm eager for you to meet."
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
19507857c5d3a081cf53334b5072217a.png

Tsukune.png

b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png

"Surely you understand, having experienced the cruelty of the world that we may not protect everyone we care about. While we at Xaltation have no interest in injuring civilians, other parties may not be so selective of their victims. Your outlook on life certainly differs from my own. The corporate world does not allow for many friendships, the number of people I trust can be counted on one hand, I hope I can come to trust you, and you I."
A sad story, but one he's heard before… from Mikoto nonetheless. Why do Fullbringers harm one another when there is a much bigger threat at stake? The lives of humans everywhere are in trouble from these hollow beasts yet they squander their gifts on personal greed and self-indulgence…
"My outlook on this life doesn't much differ from your own, only I value life and wish to save as many people as I can with what gifts I have been given before I die… material items and fortune is nice… but, the most important thing in this world can't be bought with money…"
He said, to her look of sadness. In a way, he sort of knew what they would do next, since he signed a contract with her to protect the people he cared about. He noticed the change in Kazuki, and watched the man walk off. The man who was Tsukune's childhood friend, nearly 30 years of friendship… was gone in an instant. Tsukune was old, and wise now, and what she was doing was seen as a blessing… because now Kazuki would never have to worry about Tsukune again… no more of him staying up late at night waiting for the chef to come home… No more days of leaning on Kazuki's warm chest…
Tsukune was lost in his own shortened, and darkened world as Stephania continued speaking, about the cruelty of the world, but at the moment all he could think about was the connections she'd just destroyed, in mourning almost… without them having to be dead… but he was dead to all of them now.
"There are others I'm eager for you to meet."
She gestures at the door. Tsukune sighs, having picked up a bad habit of smoking from his friend Kazuki, he lit one and stuck it in his mouth, then put his hands in his black jacket, closing his eyes with a heavy sigh.
"Alright Madam…. Lead the way, I shall follow.."
0ba321897447b355ddaf3fea83bc35ea.png

And with the removal of one thread, a new one is woven… Tsukune though sad, is also eager to see where this one stretched out to.
b88aaea89e318dd87c5c7146fecbd087.png
 
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

cce41a478ee95d5b9d7d8ff33213ddcd.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

Unfamiliar Territory
The meeting with this man was not one remotely of what was in expectation. A tour or something certainly would have been more... typical. The random appearance in the middle of the city streets was careless as well. It did not matter if she was a normal human or not, there was a risk in either situation. Yayoi narrowed her eyes towards the CEO, never loosening her grasp on the weapon that laid flush against the back of her thigh. A different reaction would have certainly come from her should they have not been in such a public place. Was this what he had planned? Or just a coincidence wrapped around the extension of his olive branch? Either way, it was convenient for sure.
The woman's head leaned slightly to the side as she caught the figure of someone approaching behind the black-clad male. Her focus did not wane from the actions of the latter but she had to be sure numbers weren't being stacked against her. The hold she had on her knife tightened, creating a slightly audible sound. She did not want to escalate the situation but instead simply wanted to preserve her own life.
” You asked to see me yet you aren’t there to greet me -- Who is this?”
Familiar for sure... But to how deep that connection was yet to be seen. There was no opportunity to linger on that thought as the clanking of a bottle meeting the ground broke not only her own gaze but that of the CEO. Something resided within the darkness of the alleyway. A stray cat? Or a mouse? No, it was certainly a person. A person who had a spiritual presence above those that walked the streets around. That power did not seem like anything remarkable but that did not mean much, for even she was shrouding her own potential from those in her company. Yayoi alternated her sight from the alley back to the pair and back again. Hansha looked to be thrown off by the individual in the alley as well. His stare housed something else beyond curiosity however.
”Tachibana-san, bear with me for a moment, you too Sukoshi. We need more privacy.”
"Seriously... What the fu-"
A sudden shift in location broke apart the very words that she began speaking. It was if the very shadows around them had swallowed them and spit them out elsewhere. The transition was swift leaving little to process outside of the change of location.
"-ck is going on."
The words from her mouth trailed into more of a mumble with each passing word. What else more was going to happen? Jarring would be too light of a word to describe the past few moments.
”Drinks anyone? Coffee, juice, water, alcohol? I do not keep soda or sugary drinks in my office so if that is your taste forgive me for not having it in stock.”
Still with the causality? She didn't humor a response to his offer.
”Now, Tachibana-san, originally I wanted to test something, a theory Miss. Stephania and I had about you. Given your ‘talent’ and yes I do not consider playing video games a talent, we suspected you were a Fullbringer. But with your reaction to me and the sudden appearance of that knife it seems our theory has been confirmed fact.”
Yayoi crossed her arms as the man directly addressed her, giving him a look that could cut through steel. Although she now exposed both her hands, the weapon she previously held was nowhere to be seen.
"Well no point bullshitting on that topic, I guess. Yeah. Your assumption was correct. But what gave you the idea remotely that I had this talent? It ain't like I've been playing superhero or shadow stalking prospects. Been rather careful with when and where I use my abilities."
It was obvious that she had higher spiritual power than that of an average human but that alone wasn't a dead giveaway as to what she was. Did this mean she had literally been watched the whole time? Was the deal with her own brand something born completely out of solely this assumption? All these lingering questions only made her impatience grow even more.
”That said, there is something more that Miss. Stephania would like to offer you now, more than just a sponsorship. This is what people like to call an opportunity.”
As her host had finished his remark, he threw out what seemed to be a card towards Yayoi. The object flew along the wind only to be met by the woman's grasp. She examined the monochrome design that had an hourglass-like shape upon its face. Her brow raised at the symbol as it held absolutely no attachment to her personally. She hoped this hourglass meant it was time to humor her inquiries.
"Is this where I get dragged into some yakuza business?"
The crimson haired female didn't necessarily believe that what she said was the case. It was more so some bland sense of humor. Though to be fair, organized crime surely wasn't off the table with someone with such power. She played with the card in her grasp for a bit, her touch causing faint curves and lines to appear along it periodically. Hansha had gone on to exchange some words with the other guy in the room. Discussions about the transferrance of powers and the personal stance they have towards using them. Their conversation wasn't really all that important to her. All she cared about was getting her questions answered, both the ones asked and yet to be. Yayoi's full attention was restored when the walking shadow of a man gave her and this Sukoshi free reign of the building. The oppurtunity to explore such an establishment was eclipsed by this exchange between Fullbringers. The deeper her mind dug the more she wanted to know. And it made her wonder how honest this man would be if she dug her claws in deep enough?
"I have a lot I'd like to discuss before I go making any decisions. And if your boss can shed some light as well then that would be fantastic."
Her words carried mostly monotone but the stating of 'fantastic' had an extra little spice thrown on it. As if to make sure her annoyance with the situation was ever so known. Under normal meeting circumstances, a conversation between her and anyone in this company would be a lot more cordial, but instead, she was just startled and teleported into the man's office. Formalities fell a lot lower on her list of actions.
Yayoi then looked to where the CEO had acquired his drink and back to him.
"I'll take that what you are drinkin'. I'm probably gonna need it."
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
1.png

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

0ac0f1758318a70aeb6e522a346ee76f.png

Thunderous strikes into the sheet. The sounds of what would appear to be a mauling took place on the final floor of possibly the tallest building in Naruki City. The weather outside was crystal clear, not a single rain cloud in sight but if one neared this building and ignored the sounds of the street, they would hear distant thunder clapping down on the metallic post atop the building. Catching them by surprise, they’d look up in shock and fear only to be reminded of the tender weather the city has been having as of late. What could be the cause of this loud disturbance high in the distant atmosphere? What colossus could create such a menacing sound capable of taking some attention from persons on the street? Taking place atop the seventy story tall was a training session. But what training session or method could create such a loud and far too obnoxious noise? The answer, ironically, was simple.
In the confines of a multiple alloy steel room, surrounded by his best researchers, businessmen and other esteemed colleagues was a man testing the limits of his ability. Silent up until now, he had only been waiting in the wings to finally deploy himself into the phenomenons taking place in both Karakura Town and Naruki City. Inside this room were the employees of the man who in fact owned the property. The sole proprietor of the sounds that could be heard faintly from the ground level on the street. Hooked up to multiple wireless sensor applications to monitor his heart rate, muscle mass, and fat loss among other things to observe when taking one's body into high consideration. He stood there simply delivering blinding speed punches to a specially designed punching bag that was supposed to give over ten tons of resistance to this man's punch. The goal was to see how many inches he could move it in a solid, single hit, and it would seem for the most part he was doing better than anticipated by his scientists.
The man in question was dark of complexion, bald and fairly tall. His build is beyond athletic, his muscles not defined but aren't hidden among his bulky and well cut frame. Shirtless within the hermetically sealed room wearing only his black combat boots and dark cargo pants, he wailed at the industrial punching bag with a blank stare on his face. His body drenched in sweat, a significant showing of how long he had been at this rigorous regimen. His eyes however were the only thing abnormal about this man, glowing flash white as he bore into the bag. One could only imagine what was currently on his mind as he beat and battered at his experiment. What possibly drove this man to continue on his walk on the path of life? The answer, once again was simple.
The answer, was the next mission.
"Hey, Sarge! We've gathered all the information for the time being. I think it's good to take a break. It sure looks like that bag needs one."
A voice on a PA system went off inside the room he was in, he stopped punching once the voice had finished speaking, lowering his hands, his knuckles would be unscathed while he left a Multitude of different dents and incisions on the metallic punching bag. It was slightly bent from the amount of punches he threw at an alarming rate. It was impossible to tell how many were thrown in that session...from their vantage point. He soon walked out of the room as the door was automatically opened for him as the release of turbines and miniature cogs and gears opened the tumblers and finally the locks with a soft hiss. As soon as he stepped out of the room, he was screened by two small women of Asian descent as they handed him a cold water bottle and towel for his extremities, both of which he accepted gracefully. By now his eyes have returned to normal, a rare slate grey which he immediately covers with his signature dark sunglasses that he retrieved from his pocket.
They guided him to the mob of investors and businessmen who were watching the display of raw strength. These were a new special type of military arms dealers. In the last ten years, the market interest in ”enhanced” weaponry and personnel has multiplied greatly since the last incident a decade prior. Naturally those in a position to take advantage monetarily and then eventually leaking out into more sinister avenues could tip the scales in the favor of the wrong person. The tall dark man approached the businessmen and women while effectively towelling himself off of perspiration. The women in the room certainly seemed to be hot and bothered with the sight, and he put his top back on.
“So, whad’ya think? The bag is designed to train physically enhanced beings to stretch their muscle tissues within their hands and harden them against a set amount of force that you can control semi-remotely. With every hit, depending on the varying strength of the individual, the muscle would be torn apart but given the regenerative properties of their tissues, they’d strengthen with swift repetition. It is faster than going through, say, six bags full of sand protected by canvas. It's efficient, but not for everyone. Mainly, the boxers I sponsor use these but on a much smaller scale. The heart rate pods that were attached to my body come free of charge with every purchase. With upfront payment of course.”
Opening up to lead his business proposal, he felt the room instantly swayed. He was currently advertising a brute force training method to secretive government agencies around the world. They all jotted notes down on their clipboards which were offered to them prior to the demonstration. After a few moments, they all nodded their heads while the tall dark skinned man grinned slyly then bowed to the following applause from his peers. Turning on his heel and twirling his finger in the air to signal his two young female assistants to assist them in purchase of the equipment on display. He was given a thumbs up by his operating scientist from within the booth and was returned with a nod from his boss. He quickly exited the testing chamber through an elevator built directly for him and his personal use. Stepping into it, and scanning his palm on a console, he then spoke to an automated A.I. system for the floor he wanted to go to.
“Penthouse.”
Without a moment's notice, the elevator began its soft ascent to the office, although the ride itself felt smooth and slow, the elevator was significantly faster than the main three for the building. He’d find himself at the penthouse suite within thirty seconds of leaving one of the higher sub-levels below the ground floor. Arriving at his penthouse office, finding a very modern decor with a minimalist approach to the design. Various futuristic pieces of furniture, large windows displaying the outlook of Naruki City. His building was built on the edge of town near the waterfront, his office however he specifically requested to be built to be outlooking the city, rather than the waterbed. He moved towards his desk and clicked a pod that resembled a telephone with a small button as he walked the room to hear his missed messages or business calls. Hearing the usual rabble of appointments, charity events and things of that nature, he poured himself a small glass of bourbon and sat at his lounging couch as the last of his messages played. Once they got to the end, he took a long swing of his drink, effectively finishing it and placing the cup on his black glass coffee table. Snapping his fingers, he turned on the ’digital office membrane’ (referred to as D.O.M.), an artificial intelligence assistant created and used by Han’ei Namari. It would appear nothing about the room changed, until Han spoke aloud seemingly to himself.
“Afternoon D.O.M., What's the report of the string of murders that have been taking place?”
Once he finished speaking, the room lit up with a holographic digital replica, defining the straightest lines in the room and then finally condenses into a large screen taking its place on a designated blank wall with nothing along it or on it. Once the pomp and circumstance was complete, a screen displaying autopsy reports, news videos regarding the deaths, and any other relevant information that may be necessary to the growth and findings of these cases.
“Good afternoon, sir. It would appear as though the local police force has continued to fail in their attempts at apprehending this criminal. His presence has been surely felt with the disappearances and absences of these individuals as the number grows at an alarming rate across the city.”
Intently listening to the debriefing from his computer system, he silently made his way over to his liquor bench to pour another glass as he pondered his next moves. Once the A.I. was complete in its debriefing, he turns on his heel and makes various gestures with his free hand in the air as if he were using a computer mouse on a screen, and having it work to perfection as the holographic screen broke out into various screen representing ‘tabs’ in different areas of the room as he walked and observed them all individually. Taking a small sip as he passed through the displays as he read the police reports of every case. This would take him about twenty minutes as he walked around in silence. Once he was done he made another hand gesture and the displays all vanished and the holograph returned to its original format of a large screen. Han had some instructions for his computer.
“Email Steph. Send her the reports in a summarized document, send her the evidence I’ve also managed to compile along with the subject line; These aren’t ordinary. Set an appointment for later today with her if possible, I’ll have some free time to discuss it in person. You get all that?”
“Sir, if I didn’t get all of that you wouldn’t have created me properly, with all due respect.”
It was about now when he slightly regretted the fact he created the system to be able to interact with it verbally. He never took into account how….well it would respond to him. He shrugged it off and put on his black military flak vest along with a USB drive before making his way back to his personal elevator. Exiting on the ground floor, he is then greeted by three men who are about as tall as him but not nearly as muscular, ironically, this was his personal security detail. Dressed sharply in matching grey suits with blue and white striped ties and black loafers. Two wore sunglasses and one did not. They moved in unison once they caught the eye of their CEO, immediately taking to his side as if he were naked and surrounded him in a special formation carefully chosen and instructed by none other than himself. They would open his doors for him without having to be told or ordered, and acted as an extension of this man's will as he cooly sauntered to the exterior of his building where a black car and driver would wait for him. He entered with one guard entering behind him as the other filed in where there was an available seat. Before long they were off, to whereabouts, no one knew but Han.
“Any specific destination, sir?”
Fearing this would be his only time to relax, he quickly lit up a cigar presented to him in a cylindrical container. The guard on his left lit it for him as well, a perfect cherry of red forming at the end, as the smoke billowed and filled the backseat of the car, forcing the driver to slightly wind the window down so as to properly see the road. After taking in the passing scenery as he enjoyed his smoke, he finally looked at his employee and spoke simply.
“Just drive Archie.”
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
x

98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

TWO DAYS AGOWith Tsukune in tow, Stephania glides through the hallways of the building in the direction of Hansha's own office, to reunite with him, Sukoshi, her prime model, and the newest addition, Yayoi.
"I have a lot I'd like to discuss before I go making any decisions. And if your boss can shed some light as well then that would be fantastic."
As if on cue, the doors open to reveal the woman with the newest addition to the team. IN an exuberant manner, her hands are thrown up in the air, hearing mention of her, despite the heavy undertones of sarcasm, something she ignored entirely. Her eyes look the crimson haired streamer up and down, her own golden eyes catching every inch and stitching it to memory. It isn't until she catches sight of the effects on the card in the girl's hand that a wide smirk spreads across her face. I see. Not a full reveal of the powers, but a glimpse, a mere peek, enough to confirm for herself what Hansha bore witness to minutes ago.
Having not seen Yayoi in the party downstairs gave the woman the impression Yayoi was elsewhere initially. Which was certainly the case. It being so, being suddenly transported halfway across the city would most certainly be cause for alarm and result in a souring of the mood. She can't help but find amusement in Yayoi's demeanor, as it is something she's become accustomed to witnessing and undergoing herself. Perhaps horrifyingly unnerving to anyone else, placing such levels of trust on such an untrustworthy man.
"I'll take that what you are drinkin'. I'm probably gonna need it."
"Pardon the abrupt invitation, Miss Tachibana, but please, allow me to elaborate."
She takes a second to think, gathering hew words as she takes a breath to explain what they needed to know.
"We are a rare few, scattered; isolated. That puts us at a severe disadvantage with little to no communication between us. Easy pickings for aggressors. What I propose is coming together and working as a team. Hollows are inevitable, we know that, it is how we came about. But we can use that to help the people of our city, protect them from the monsters they can't see. Inadvertently, we are blessed with not only the ability to see them, but to combat them, and we can save so many people. Not just them, the danger of Togabito... is still a looming threat."
She glances over at Tsukune, a look of pain on her face ever brief as she gestures with her hand.
"He's a survivor of the events all those years ago. While I don't remain in the past, I learn to better the future. He didn't have the support then, but all this has changed, and by banding together, we can protect each other and the citizens of our home town. We cannot blindly rely on the Quincy, much less the Shinigami."
Whilst not a slight against the grand business partnership between the Diamante and Stephania brands, Quincy abilities offset the equilibrium of souls by removing them from circulation with each hollow they obliterate. This is something they must prevent, at all costs. Not to help the Shinigami in their quests to maintain the balance of souls between the dimensions, but to ensure more people survive hollow attacks.
Now it is their choice to remain or to return into mundane life, leaving them isolated and with little to no help in the event of an enemy ambush. But that is merely scratching the surface of benefits in choosing to remain a member of Xaltation.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

PRESENT DAY: EARLY MORNING
The day begins earlier than normal, or rather, the previous day has yet to end for the woman. Having skipped on sleep as she spent the night in the sub-levels of the Altation Tower, fueled endlessly by her caffeine addiction. While in adjacent rooms to the one she resides in, several request of hers are on the verge of being completed by scientists of the company, with assistance from engineers from the S.A.F.E. Agency. Not only was the company able to upgrade their entire security system for the company, adding further real-time surveillance to the entire city of Naruki, allowing the group to move at a moments notice, but also develop a handsfree communicator, able to display information to the wearer inches from their face, without obscuring their vision. Detailing anything from temperature, distance between the wearer and any object, information collected from an enemy, even access the internet from such a device, without the need to lift so much as a finger. With a small operable camera housed on the frontal surface of this device, this device is capable of capturing live footage of the scene, and sending it to a database, stored securely in deeper levels of the building, in an effort to compile information on any dangerous individual or group that may come their way. Now undergoing finishing touches to appeal to each of the future wearers.
The second object, something far simpler in design, a circular object meant to hold reiryoku and steadily release it, able to be preset to release a certain amount until its' contents are exhausted, dubbed Chikara Kaihō (力 解放, Lit. Energy Releaser Bomb). She has dozens of these made, using her own reiryoku to test the device's capabilities as it was being built in secrecy., to increase it's durability, while the empty ones are sent to each member of Xaltation.
750ae6a1b59e58862a3714313fc7876b.png

In the meantime, she is in her own secluded room, working away to create the new wardrobe for not only Yayoi, but Tsukune as well. With no sewing machine in sight, it is through her own fullbring ability that each energy resistant thread dances and sways in the air around her as it moves and weaves itself into place at her behest. Tightly condensed, not only do they strongly resist damage from spiritual energy, but are even bullet proof, signifying the clothing's reliability and resilience against slashing or piercing attacks. From her own glove, she plucks two slivers of thread, one for each set, and entangles it within the thousands of threads, granting it the ability to self restore within seconds of damage, thusly adding to the item's defensive capabilities.
With these completed, she exits her workshop, and has the newly made outfits gift wrapped and sent to her office, along with several energy releasers, as she heads to her office for the first time in days. Latching the final prototype of the communication device carefully on her ear, she presses a button on the side, activating it, causing several lights to flicker and soft beeps to resonate as it boots up. Working properly so far, she requests an update as she enters the staircase to begin her ascent to her in-house quarters.
"A report on hollow attacks, and unsolved attacks."
Step by step, floor by floor, she walks as the information becomes displayed inches from her face. Listing names, dates and times, even whether the victim survived such an attack, or perished at the hands of their aggressor.
Code:
"There has been an increase in unknown attacks, which can most likely be credited to hollows. 
Confirmed hollow attacks have also been on the rise. For an unknown reason, 
they are targeting the female population at a 25% higher rate than the male population."
"Also, send notice to Tsukune, Yayoi, and Sukoshi to come to my office."
Satisfied with the information she has received, Stephania silences the device, and focuses on her impromptu training session as she makes her way up the countless flights of stairs. Something that would have taken a normal person nearly an hour to climb, she manages in a fraction of the time through a combination of her pristine physical condition, stamina, and fullbring manipulation of the floor at her feet. Changing its elasticity to hurdle her forward the moment her foot touches the surface, skipping steps and lunging forward on the leveled platforms between floors.
With time to spare before the elevator reaches the same floor the woman has in a fraction of the time, she takes the opportunity to refresh herself.
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png

PRESENT DAY: NOW
Reenergized by the steaming hot bath from earlier that day, she promptly returns to work, excited in her own way to hand the boxed gifts to the intended recipients. The creative director sits at her desk, a freshly brewed cup of coffee making it's way to her lips as she eyes the multitude of electronic mails in her inbox. One stands out, sent from Han'ei Namari, curiously, she taps the screen of the desktop. The golden eyes quickly scan the information, the hundreds of pictures, the autopsy reports, even police reports. Separate from her own compiled hollow/unkown report of attacks, this one piques her interest. Exactly who or what was causing these senseless attacks? She continues reading, coming across a request for an appointment. Without hesitation, she has her later appointments rescheduled, granting the veteran his request to meet.
Now her attention shifts to the social media of the company, a chance to see what the masses are currently entertained by. For a moment, she freezes, staring at the screen as pictures flood the brand's tagging page with pictures of a mystery man. Not only pixtagram, flutter, even chatsnap, and anywhere the company holds a domain. It is obvious the masses assume he is a model for her label, but they are wrong. She has never met this man before in her life. Excited, before she even realizes, Stephania is on her feet, face close against the screen as she scrutinizes the details from the pictures. The outfit itself, his height, arm length, reach, any detail she can gather from the pictures uploaded to the internet. It is obvious to even the most dense person around he's not a local. Where was this gem hidden for all these years?! She needs to sign him to her label before any other company gets their disgusting clutches on the man!
Scrambling to reach the desk phone, her hand slaps the button for her assistant.
"Send my personal vehicle, offer him an invitation to the tower, and don't take n-- That's not good enough! I'll go myself! Have my car ready! I shouldn't be long!"
In a matter of minutes, the woman is at the entrance, refusing to leave her coffee to chill in her office, she finishes every single drop, and lightly spritzes herself her signature fragrance. She climbs into her own car, which seldom sees use, much less by her very own hand at the wheel. Already running and conditioned for her temperature requirements, she latches the safety belt and shifts gears, taking off full speed to personally greet the newcomer. Most images uploaded to the web were fairly recent, she's certain to be the first to come across him, impossible to miss the tall foreigner.
f76b343e0d519111ab56b0322a790f50.gif
dd88a1e1342054a511d5d6f9f004e831.gif

The Ferrari glides through the asphalt as she speeds through the roads, scanning the surroundings looking for familiar buildings that lay in the background of the pictures of the mystery male. It isn't long before she is able to spot the towering stranger surrounded by the growing crowd of people. Her heel slams the breaks, causing the car to drift as she twists the steering wheel to manipulate the drift until the passenger's side stops before the man, the sudden screeching sound tears the attention of the crowd to the car as it comes to it's halt. The tinted windows roll down, revealing the red haired seamstress.
"Let me be the first to officially welcome you to Naruki. I'm Stephania, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
98635bf3b7a645407f859551e1820d80.png
 
Back
Top