Modified Life (Social-Joint Training, NDE, R)

[Marcelius]

(OoC: There are a few parts where I take advantage of Cinematics, as well as kinda manhandle Plushie Kaze...so bear with those and tell me what you think of the post. I'll change whatever you don't approve of buddy. =o Also, page three bitches!)

Finally, buried deep beneath the bustling city streets, the wandering souls found their destination. It was an expansive room, two stories in height. appearing like a loft, the second floor was nothing more than walkways which extended outward from the walls. Their only purpose seemed to be the provision of access to various utility pipes and junctions. Various, destitute breakers and rusted, old values littered the walls elevated path. On the ground level, spread neatly and orderly, were large box formations of varying size and organization. Each of them were covered, typically, with a large gray tarp. The waterproof mesh was fastened to the floor around them, preventing water or dust from getting beneath the protective layer. All of these details were not easily discerned. Not with the common eye, at least. It was dark in this bit, with no working lights and no windows to let in the sun. It felt more like a dungeon, than a civil service outpost. Marc was fairly adept at navigating without his eyes, when he could keep himself calm and take his time.

For Kaze, this was somewhat a test. Not only could navigating the dark be an examination of his instincts and adaptability...but also a definitive solution concerning his eyes. Could his cat-like body see in such a dim setting? did he possess the same nightvision that the feline genus were gifted with? If so, that would be another mark of credit to his profile. ”The “dress” is the uniform of my homeland, I wear it whenever I have free time, to express my loyalty and appreciation.” He paused and assuming Jikken could see him, he appeared to examine his surroundings just a bit. ”Though I will agree, the white color was a poor choice.” Turning to look back at the cat, with a smirk on his face. ”Would you believe me if I told you, we chose this color to irritate the Shinigami?” A small chuckle came from his voice, before he reached down to one of the covered crates. Unclipping the locks and ties which kept the tarp sealed down, he began to lift and ruffle the large plastic-y material.

Pretty soon a snowfall of dust would erupt around them both, but in it’s wake a crate would be discovered. Bearing no markings, no numbers, no signs of ownership anywhere, it was just a bland old box. While the old man coughed a few times at the spray of dust which entered his lungs, it did not hinder his work with the container. ”I could not agree with you more, Kaze. You do need a useable body.”, fidgeting with the lid of the box, which stood nearly as tall as Marcelius himself. ”I myself, do know what it is like...to find yourself in a body which troubles and restrains you.” Could this be a joke about his age? How would Jikken know otherwise? It was true that Marc was an Arrancar, the evolution of a Hollow...but had the plushie given much thought as to what that really meant? Could he imagine this kind old soul as a nightmare? A beast born from the most wretched darkness of the human soul? ”But that is why we are here...in this waste of a place. And that is why I am fiddling with this blasted container”

About that time, the elder found where the latch and padlock had been placed. Almost as easily as picking a flower, the Fraccion’s broad hand plucked the metal straight from the side of the box. Bending the form and popping off the rounded link which provided the case’s security. Just as calmly as he twisted it off, he dropped the now useless assembly of scrap onto the ground. ”There we are...now Kaze, come here and take a look.” Sliding off the top of the pinewood vault, the contents became slowly revealed. Wrapped and packaged with careful use of plastic, were bodies upon bodies, upon bodies. At first, the sight would be rather alarming...not much could be done about that. However, on closer inspection, it would be possible to deduce that they were not cadavers. Instead, each of them appeared to be rather bland and featureless. Their skin, if it could be called that, seemed to be too white to be real.

These were not human corpses, but rather, Gigai. False bodies which could play host to a spirit, and allow them to interact with the World of the Living. Reaching in, the senior grabbed one by it’s wrapping. Tugging his catch up from the shadows, he revealed it to be dressed as a woman later on in her years, might be expected to dress. Something modest and comfortable. ”This is a Gigai, a “false body”. If you are infact a spirit...then we should be able to place you into one of these. You will just need to pick which one.” He set the figure back, then moved out of Jikken’s way. ”The only thing different about each, is the attire they were left here with. Pick something that suits you, is moderately comfy, and that you do not mind getting dirty.” Stepping back, marcelius gave the toy what time he needed to explore and choose. Waiting for a signal or his name to be called, he would help the little chimera fish his selection from the pond and get it unwrapped as well.

The hard part would be determining how to get Kaze to understand the concept of slipping on the new shell. What the Hollow had yet to learn, but would soon discover, was Jikken’s undeniable knack for such a trick. For it was unknown to Marcelius at this point, that Mod Souls took the form of small, reusable capsules. He did not know, that if he were to pluck the pill from the cat’s mouth, that the toy would become a toy once more. They would both need to learn this, from extensive trial and error. What would give the answer away, eventually, would be the faint sounds coming from inside the feline. Only through intense, meticulous inspection...would Marc be able to see past the body which surrounded the pill, and discern the true source of Kaze’s music. To locate the authentic within the fake.

It would take hours to accomplish this, assuming Jikken did not come to some sort of revelation before then. In that time, it might be quite amusing to watch how the Mod soul tried to put himself into a Gigai. After all, he was already in one...of sorts, and now he was trying to double up. When the answer finally did strike the old man, he would not waste any time trying to explain it to his friend. Instead, he would step over slowly, and snatch up the plaything. With a firm squeeze of the abominations belly, there would come the sound of his squeaker core...and the flying pill which was his soul. Now that it was out of that distracting body, Marcelius could see and hear it more clearly than the light of day. So with yet another sudden swipe, he’d steal the tablet from the open air. Though he should have hurried to place the soul back into a host...he could hear that it was safe.

Rolling the small little pellet in his hand, he did his best to try and imagine what sort of made genius it took to invent such a thing. In his palm, there laid an entire life. Not only that, but somewhere in this crazy world, there were people who had the knowledge of how to produce such a thing. It would be a fascinating couple of seconds; moments that the curious Hollow would not soon wish to end. Unfortunately, there was another life to be concerned with in the mix. What ke did not know, nor would he ever, is that the fondness the elder had for him...was the only thing gifting him with a new body. Had this been any other, less meaningful person; Marc would have fleeted back to Las Noches...with the desire to dissect and reproduce this miracle for the benefits of his people. Ah, but that is the power of friendship.

So, wasting no more time than he had, the pill was slipped into the mouth of the unused Gigai. If all went according to plan, then Kaze would awake...holding his old plushie self in his hands. Waiting for this moment to come, for the Mod Soul to return to consciousness in his new shape, ”Try not to stress yourself, or move too quickly. Sometimes souls cannot stay attached to their Gigai, not very well.” Examining whatever changes he could, the Arrancar used his perception of energy as a pseudo heart monitor. As the fit became more and more adjusted, the featureless expression of the Gigai would vanish. And instead, the identity of Jikken’s very soul would take over...and shape his form to what suited him most. There was, admittedly , some anticipation to see what this individual’s soul would chose to be.

”I also cannot guarantee this will last very long. Your spirit might not have the stamina to support such a body for an extended period. However, we will make the most of it...whatever we can manage. Can you stand?” Now all that remained was to see how Kaze would take it. There would be an enormous amount of fatigue to overcome, plus any kinetic issues that followed such a drastic shift of physicality. Hopefully though, they could get a good few hours out of it...before the Gigai forced him back out. Hmmm...the real concern, the one Marcelius would not mention right away, was whether or not the time spent in such a way...would have more dangerous effects. They would simply have to wait, and be observe.

[Jikken Kaze]

"Go. In. The. Body!" The chimera demanded, jumping on the body he selected. He spoke each work during a hop. He was trying to go into the body, but he didn't really know how to. He was determined though, cause he didn't stop until Marc grabbed the mod soul, and forced his pill-shaped soul from the toy. This did not bode well for Kaze's anger problem. 'Why can't I move? Wait, I can see everywhere. Put me back, this is worse then the toy body!' This rest of his thoughts were just him mentally yelling at Marc to put him down or other such. He was thankfully placed into the Gigai He had been jumping on for a hour.

The fake body quickly changed to the mod soul's former appearance. It started with his head. The body quickly grew brow hair that covered his eyes and went down his neck. His face gained an incredibly painful looking burn mark across his left cheek, right under his eye. It streaked his entire cheek, stopping little ways past his ear. His jaw became broader, and his ears became longer, resembling those of an elf. The skin was changing as well; slowly becoming a darker shade. When the change stopped, it resembled that of a caucasian. The Gigai, being six foot, didn't change in height. Scars quickly started to appear on his visible skin. The gigai's eyes opened slowly.

Kaze felt two things upon waking up in the temporary body. The first was tired, like waking from a really good nap. The second was an intense heat. It was an uncomfortable heat that he didn't like. He got up and looked to see where it was coming from. "Stupid clothes...." He grabs the collar to his shirt with one hand, and with the other, he activates his armor to rip the front half of his shirt off. This also destroys his sleeves to his elbows, and his pant legs to his knees, along with his shoes. "Ohhh, so nice..." He says, enjoying the cold air.

With is new body and far cooler outfit, he slowly climes to his feet. He almost falls once or twice, but he manages to stand with some effort. Now that he's standing, the scarring is far more prominent. His entire torso, both his arms and legs; there almost seems to be more scars then not. Gashes, burns, and some weird lighting shaped burns cover his body. He looks over to Marc. "Normally I'd attack you so forcing me into whatever I just was, but I'm to happy to be in a REAL body. So... Thank you." He said, still a little wobbly on his feet. 'So nice to be able move like I normally do. And only one set of eyes, so nice.' He thought with a grin upon his face.

He started to pat himself all over, trying to make sure it was real. He could feel again, something his toy body really couldn't do well. He stopped to flex his fingers a few times, remembering all the scars he acquired from that lab. "It's kinda odd how long ago it feels. I couldn't have been asleep for too long, right?" He left the question in the air, almost forgetting that Marc was with him in the Gigai room. He tried to walk forward, but tripped over himself, still not used to the body. "Oh no.." Were the only words spoken as he began to fall forwards.

Remaining Reiatsu: 540

Wind armor duration: 1/7

[Marcelius]

There came a sense of pride, watching the scene unfold before him. Seeing the effort and determination that another soul could be capable of. Seeing the satisfaction that comes from triumph. It was...pleasing. The joy which enveloped Kaze, now that he had fingers and toes again, swept Marcelius up with it. The old soul shifted where he stood. Drawing his arms to his chest, he tucked each under the other so they crossed. With excitement tingling up through his spine, the old man seemed to beam. His aura took a sudden turn towards the bright side, and pretty soon, the good vibes he had picked up were spreading about.

Speaking up, his tone clearly jubilant, "Kaze. Remember to try and take it easy. We can't be sure how well your stuck in there." No sooner had he offered this small bit of advice, did Jikken push the limits once again. There was a sudden rush by Marc's head, a rustling of noise in his ears. It was the anxious Mod Soul, preparing himself for a great show of strength. What this appeared to be for Marcelius, was a need to confirm his reality. What better way than to go big? If the warnings the Hollow adviser gave were true, then overexerting would knock him right out.

Even now as he thinks about it, those conditions did sound rather dreamlike. And after such a long day that Kaze had gone through, there was little reason not to fear the worst. So, as the Soul's energy began to rise, reading for a burst, Marc bit his lip. He did not say a word, there would be no intervening. Jikken needed to do this, to feel like himself again. And then, with a sudden rip and trashing of air. The impatient Mod went ahead and destroyed the brand new clothes he had been given. With a tremendous sigh, the elder reached to rub both his eyes. Index and thumb both massaging the old oculars, trying to hide the irritation which suddenly surged forwards. "You're still conscious...at least."

Taking a moment to move to the next closest crate, the tall figure of the Fraccion suddenly slouched. Closer inspection would reveal him reaching for something. Something on the other side of the sizable box. Soon, the screeching sound of metal on concrete would echo outwards. There after, a old foldable chair would appear. Sliding it closer to himself, the tired man did not even both dusty the old seat off. Plopping down, he let out a most thankful groan. In another moment, he was settled and comfy. Through the still poorly lit air, his blue eyes would still shine. Kaze would not easily lose track of his position.

"Alright, now that you can walk...go up those stairs over there, and find a metal box on the wall." Pointing to his left, he identified one of the two sets of stairs which lead to the second floor. Up along the raised walkway, even someone like Jikken could spot the clearly isolated fusebox. Instead of telling him why he wanted him to do it, Marcelius figured he would wait till the Mod Soul actually found the box itself. Once he could get Kaze to follow his instructions, through whatever effort that would require, he would speak out again. This time, his voice sound exceedingly more comfy and relaxed than before. "Open it up, there should be a little latch to pull. Then, once you do that, look for where it says "Mai-"...actually, just flip the top most switch."

That was right, he had learned. Jikken had not be trained to read by his Shinigami creators. The poor soul was more like a child, than he was a loosed experiment. Either away, even Kaze's limited education could prove successful for this endeavor. Once flipped that wonderful little switch would have all the hanging lights turn on. Suddenly, the room would brighten where both of them could see from one side clear to the other. Besides a bunch of old concrete walls with a few sections and arches constructed out of even older bricks, there was not much to see in the room. It did appear they were the only people to come here recently, as there was graffiti all over the northern wall. #TEAMNACHOS, B=====D, Despaaaaair. Besides all that...there was little more than cobwebs.

Having gotten a good chance to look around the room, Jikken's memory may or may not make a discovery. They layout of this room, with all the boxes and the general size...was almost a perfect match for the rooftop they had started their training on. In fact, as far as coincidence go...it was as identical as could possibly be. And then, a loud and terrible crash. It came with a bright yellow light and staticy sound. To just the left of Kaze, a Bala exploded. Not close enough to do anything more than startle him...if that. Tracing back to the source, there sat the grump senior. With one hand extended, his reiatsu could be seen crackling and piping around his open palm.

"You cannot run this time...so you had better win. Knock me out of my little chair...and I will not take away that fresh new body of yours." Implying death my frighten the Soul into trying to escape...so Marc wished to avoid that. So instead, he choose a much more pleasant price to pay. Add that fact to his cheerful disposition, and suddenly the Arrancar did not see some dangerous. But that did not change the fact, bloodthirsty or not, that Bala hurt. If Jikken did not want to taste the burnt freshness of condensed Cero...or be put back into his itty, bitty, kitty body...he would have to knock the windbag from his foldable throne. So...what would he do?


Spiritual Exhaustion - 2/4
Physical Exhaustion - 2/4

Remaining Reiatsu - 1250/3000

-50 Bala

[Jikken Kaze]

The mod soul slowly turns to face Marc after hearing his threat. His face could be described as a deer caught in headlights. As he stared at the hollow, his left eye began to twitch. It was slow at first, but then it got faster. His eyes narrowed and he began to glare at the arrancar. This went on for about twenty seconds before Kaze finally spoke to Marc. "I am so going to shave the rest of your head for this, mark my words." He told him coldly. He would have his revenge for this, and he didn't care how long it took to get it. He would be relentless in this.

He grabbed the edge of the door for the switches. He held it open and cut through the hinges holding it there, and threw it like a frisbee at the sitting hollow's head. He managed this in about two seconds. Immediately afterwards, he closed his eyes and started to flip the switched on and off repeatedly, trying to blind the hollow temporally. After the eighth flip, the mod soul dived for cover behind one of the boxes. This might have been a good idea, if there hadn't been tread marks wherever he walked.

Sadly however, the mod soul didn't notice that little detail. So he sat behind the box, trying to think of a way to get him off the chair. 'I could rush him and try and... no. What about, hm.' Each idea he thought up he immediately shot down, just like he was in each scenario. 'I have a better idea.' The rage tells the plan to Kaze. 'Better than mine so far. Whatever, lets go with it.' He thinks, and waits for the hollow's reaction before he makes his move.

Remaining Reiatsu: 540

Wind armor duration: 2/7

[Marcelius]

There arose an infrequent joy within Marcelius. It came as he threatened poor Kaze. Tormenting the Mod Soul like he did, was a bit out of character for him. It was not often that he found himself getting to play the "antagonist". Not to say that he could not be a villian, he simply would never be one this opaque. Usually, if he was viewed as Jikken viewed him now, it would be the product of severe error. Whenever such a character was put on him, it was always by the views of others. They would impose their beliefs on the situation, and shape him into the role without his permission or blessing. Quite often he found himself feeling saddened and cheated, being labeled with such sour expectations. But now, as he bullied this poor Mod Soul with bodily harm, it was an interesting flip of those expectations.

Now he was actively pursuing the role. He hoped he could use it as a motivator, to push Kaze to act. There was no malice in his intent. He did not actually wish the artificial soul any suffering. Yet, it was fun to pretend. No matter how bad he was at the whole charade. What little talent he possessed in lying, he made up for with accurate Bala. Heh, he did not have to be convincing when he could communicate with property damage. Though, reexamining that logic, would make him feel quite foolish latter. Acting immaturely always came back to hurt him, and always hurt worse due to the hypocrisy. For now...however, Kaze was still in much need. Need for a lesson, to be taught an instructed. Hopefully Marc could summon the most choice of words, so that the Gigai might truly hear him. "You need to kee..." And like that, his words ceased.

It was surprise which which quit his voice, shock even. A terrible pain soon radiated out from his nose, spread through the rest of his body. His shoulders drew back and his neck followed suit. The metal door had struck a rather impressive mark, hitting him square in the middle of his face. The heavy latch did quite a number, forcing back his head and most certainly cracking the cartilage beneath the iron-skin. As the Frisbee lost momentum, and fell tumbling to the floor before him...large hands rose to assess the damage. Oi, was his nose broken from that?! How humilating, stupid fool. Getting struck by such a haphazard improvisation. Had his opponent wished a more fatal outcome for the attack, he might not have lived to redicule himself. As his eyes began to water and his mind started to ponder, the assault continued! The lights in the rather bleak cavern...began to flicker and strobe. It was not the result of faulty wiring, despite the likelihood that the old wires might have become worn. No, instead, it was Jikken's attempt to try and completely blind his opponent.

It was a rather unorthodox approach. It was even rather questionable. But alas, rapidly fluttering the light in such a place of utter darkness would indeed disrupt the vision of an onlooker. It would work even better on animals and other such individuals, who possess excellent lowlight optics. Sadly, Marcelius was one of a handful of souls among all the worlds...that would be in now way harmed. In fact, it actually made things worse for Kaze! After all, the Mod Soul opted to close his eyes while attempting his trick, leaving himself as vulnerable as he intended to make his prey. This would not be very advantageous, even if Marc were someone far less prepared for such a challenge. The balance to this could have been the oldsters injury. The bruising in his face already making it challenging to focus. Hmm...but giving credit for that fact was too much to be expected. Not this early at least; while the embarrassed!entire was still fresh. Regardless of these facts, the situation remained the same. As Jikken stunned the elder's eyes with his gambit...his true sight opened up shop. Taking over all the brainpower needed to process the incoming particles of light, instead, he now analyzed only Spiritual Signatures. Converting from his fairly poor Senses, over to his nigh unsurpassed Energy Sensory. Suddenly, for the Arrancar, the world was crisp and clear. All the little details were suddenly coming into focus. His commendable accuracy from before...just became surgical.

As quickly as Kaze had made his leap for cover, Marcelius had finish converting over to his new perspective. In that same moment, a Bala soared from his open palm. As quickly as the light burst from his grip, a crackling shrill seemed to fill the room. It was though lightning had struck, and the sound even made the room shover as though energy were coursing through everything. What was it? Some sort of tricky technique? Something special, which the old Fraccion had kept secret from Jikken till now? No, sadly, it was neither of these. The noise which echoed about, exciting the air of the vault, was the result of a Bala striking the fusebox. Destroying the panel, it went a step further to burst the cables and lines which connected to that receiver. The charge, was nothing more than the escaping power which harkened the loss of electricity in all of the room's lights. Yes, that is correct. They were in utter darkness now. Several dozen feet underground...with no windows or egresses for light to enter. It was as dark as a place could be on this earth; which made eyes quite worthless.

To the senior, this was no concern in the slightest. With Kaze's soul oozing Reiatsu, the Mod was a beacon for him to see. The same, most likely, could not be said for the Gigai pilot. Was he capable of using Spiritual Particles to guide himself? Could his senses reach out into the Reiryoku which surrounds us all, and feel for his target in the utter blackness? Maybe. Certainly if it could, Marc would be able to tell. The Hollow would hear it, being sung amid frustrations and concerns. It would be the chorus of his thoughts, as his mind continues to sing it's song of life. Even better, was the way the Arrancar intended to provoke contemplation....here comes the incentive. Another Bala would bring light to the room, it's lovely yellow hue lighting a significant amount of the darkened refuge. It would provide a chance for Jikken to gain his bearings, with reflected light minorly illuminating his situation. Unfortunately, it would not be around for very long. See, much the same way that Kaze had used the light switch...Marcelius was using this Bala. Creating a means of lamination, he now quickly set it free. Eager to have darkness again. But where was the Bala targeting?

The Artificial Soul was still well protected by his cover, so that could not be it. Indeed, there would be no way of hitting Jikken with the Laws of Physics as they are. So, Marc aimed elsewhere. Unleashing the Reiatsu, it shrieked through the air. Colliding with the wire which provided it with support, Marcelius severed the only line which kept a light fixture in place. Without it's cable, the heavy contraption was free to fall. Straight down. Down down. Onto Kaze's head. And, if the soul did not react quickly, it might just make one hell of an impression. One that is deep, brusied and bloodied...probably concussion-y. "What a mess this is. Struggling in the dark." There was a lot of effort put into not sounding amused...but it all failed. In subtle ways, it really did sound like the codger was having a good time. Truthfully, he was worried he might actually hurt his new friend...but also, he was having a blast pretending to be mean. It made him think, "Is this how Miho and Llusia feel...when they act all big and bad?" Ah, not time to wonder about that. There is still Jikken's test to finish! It was starting to build to a climactic finale...one that Marc did not have to fret over! This must be the fun others are always describing...


Spiritual Exhaustion - 3/4
Physical Exhaustion - 3/4

Remaining Reiatsu - 1150/1500
-50 Bala, Fusebox
-50 Bala, Light Fixture

[Jikken Kaze]

Kaze didn't normally like when others were in pain, but when that door cut Marc off before he could start his ranting, it would take all the self control he had not to laugh. Needless to say he laughed. "Hehehhaheaha, Oh, t-that's gold there!" He muttered under his breath,stuttering from the giggling fit he was in. That however, came to a screeching halt when a light rushed past him, smashing into the old power box, incinerating it completely. 'Uh oh, that can't be-' All of the lights cut off, interrupting his train of thought. 'good..... Why can't I have nice things? Like vision? Or a body, WITHOUT BEING FORCED TO DODGE LASERS?!' He inwardly complained, annoyed at his current predicament. He was beginning to wonder if having a human for was worth it, compared to his smaller plushie body, which did not get shot by lasers.


He briefly wondered if the reason that his luck was in the toilet lately was because of his new hollow friend. It was, but he wasn't going to completely blame him, that wasn't fair. Marc was a good person from what he's seen of him. He would never have-"What a mess this is. Struggling in the dark." He heard Mark say, making the mod soul change his mind immediately, and annoying Kaze greatly. 'Why does the world seem to hate ME....' Kaze inwardly complained, wondering how it could get any worse. 'You didn't just seriously ask that, did you?' The angry voice mentally asked him.... angrily. The mod soul was wide-eyed, not really looking at anything. 'Um....' Was his intelligent response, before a flash of light hit the ceiling above him.

"Oh.... CRAP!" The mod soul had barely seen the light fixture move when the light flashed around it. He had tried to move out of the falling light's way, but he was a moment too late. The light, and the metal that encased it, struck him in the side of the head. Hard. The result of the collision knocked Kaze, and his pill form, out. The pill rolled out of his borrowed mouth(THAT isn't implying anything, lol) onto the floor, reverting the body back to its original blank state.

Remaining Reiatsu: 540

Wind armor duration: 3/7

Ooc: Sorry for the wait and how short it is, it's been hard to get into this character again

[Marcelius]

...and , most ironically, it is with the breaking of a lightbulb that Marcelius flickered with realization. The smashing of the fixture had snapped the elder from his ruse, and disrupted his ploy. For it was never his intention to harm his opponent, but !merely incite him. To endanger the Mod's life would only ruin what he had worked all day to construct. Trust. A connection of assurance; which might build into a friendship. The old man wanted a new accomplice for this life, someone new to further his joys. What good would that companion do if he were to kill him? And for what? Just so he could pretend to be a bad guy? How would that look on a tombstone? This. This was the foolishness which he always fought in others.

How quickly he had given himself over to it, thinking that all dangers had been accounted for. Now he was left, mind alight and blood surging, quickly leaping to his feet without a proper breath. The chair he had sat in before, the goal to which his competitor had aimed, now flipping backwards from the force of his departure. Soon the flurry of motion gave rise to the shrill of Reiatsu, and in a second, the senior was gone. Cutting through the small room, with only the storm of dust to show what had occurred, the Arrancar came to the Gigai's side. Sonido having played the role of his carriage.

Dropping a hand, he took hold of the light which now resided on the motionless body. Fearing the worse from the now still and silent figure, the Hollow wasted no time in flicking the heavy fixture off of him. Grasping quickly in the dark, taking up the individual in terror. Had there been a significant injury to the back, the hurried oldster's actions would have proven quite the folly. Doing more damage than might have been. Such knowledge of medical mishap was beyond the venerable man...to him the prerogative was to search for breath and pulse. To that end, he clutched the Gigai close. Feeling if the chest was expanding, searching clasping fingers to it's throat to search for pressure. Yet another issue! Had the boy still clung to life, the strength of his rescure might have been enough to crush said vitality.

This was the true measure of the old man's sudden fear. Dreading the worse, he had been robbed of all composure and good sense. It would take but second for him to realize it, but in the time, all the damage would have been done. Still, after those moments of embarrassing slip ups, rationale would return. Like a sweeping wind, it restored his focus and eradicated his foolishness. Quickly he eased his grip on the body, certain that it possessed no life or soul. With what his senses and expertise could not diagnose; Marc's empathy could register most aptly. There was no light. No vibration. There was no spirit within this body. All traces of music had gone. Though it might be hard to judge it from his warmth, the ol Arrancar was quite learned on the effects of death. What was being witnessed here was not death. Nothing was slipping, nothing was struggling....there was naught but silence and nonexistence.

Setting the body back down, the elder glared through the dense blanket of shadows. It was impossible for his eyes to perceive anything of what he held, but his mind need not rely on their weakness. Observing with the sensitivity he held for all spiritual outlets, he inspected what details he could see. It seemed that this mass of "flesh" and form, was nothing more than a Gigai again. It was not tainted by any residual amount of Jikken's soul. Nothing remained. It was simply as though it had not been used, nothing more than a fresh tool. Why was there no sign of the prior occupant? No trailing sounds of his inhabitance? Where then, if he were not here, could he have been? Then it came to him, soft ringing which his in the echo's of his anxious thoughts. The faint melody of life. Not just any tune, on no, this one was quite familiar. Turning his head about, in a rather pointless endeavor, the Fraccion hoped to listen the music better. Had there been light enough to see, and an observer to take note, the Marcelius would have seem quite the fool. Tossing his head around, trying to sniff out something that others would swear did not exist. Ah, but that was where his peculiar abilities flourished and others fell short.

Scrounging through the dust and the grime, a most undesirable chore, Marc searched from the source of the noise. Carefully dragging his open palm and fingers, he combed for that which he could barely sense. With each swipe his digits collected more debris that had been left here through the years of disuse. Damp as everything underground was, it felt more like fungus than litter. The sensation was nothing new, nor concerning for the old fighter. Still, it was an annoyance which might ruin his efforts to uncover his target. The only hope he had, was the rising volume of the unknown call. With each inch his pained body crawled, it grew louder and more defined. After just a few feet, he felt it as though he were placed within the orchestra's pit with whatever performer was making this boisterous clamour.

It was only when the meters approached their crescendo that he felt it. A small, unnatural thing. It was almost fleshy in it's texture, and rounded in every way. A ball? A pod? Was this further fungus...or something that he had little to no experience with? His mind toiled over what he had found for many reasons. More so that it's odd feel and shape, was the noises coming from it. They were the sounds he had been searching through the dark to find. They poured from the object, now that he held it in his hand. Squeezing it gently between two fingers, he could feel the vibrations of life pouring from it. It was like holding an instrument, every sound and motion it made was only amplified by the contact.

What better way to increase the clarity, than hold the strange discovery closer. Bringing the capsule to his head, placing it against his wide brow, the elder Arrancar "listened" with all the attention he could devote. From the other side of this bizarre finding came the screaming and scratchy voices of the misfit that was Kaze. It was next to impossible to make out even that detail, but it was the best he could do. This was indeed his pill form, yet, it was differnet. How...how had his soul gotten so quiet? Was it Marcelius' anxiety that muffled it's pitch, or something worse? Answers, that is what the Hollow needed. Was the Mod Soul hurt? If so, what could Marc do about it?

With the pill held carefully in one hand, the large man rose weakly to his feet. A feat that showcased more shaking and feebleness than would be enjoyed. Soon, the free hand was searching as it had been before. Desperate to collect the body which had contained the spirit of Jikken earlier that day. The plushie, with it's three vile heads, seemed the best host for the possibly injured soul. Were he to be put back into the Gigai, he would be subject to whatever injuries the eerily human physiology had suffered. That seemed like a large gamble to make. Instead, he would but the Mod Soul back into his toy body. Though there was no understanding or information to confirm it, he believed that the cotton stuffed body could not suffer truly fatal injury.

Maybe it did not matter, considering the form this curious artificial soul took without a host. Maybe the pill was the only thing ever in danger? Again, Marc was quite the novice in all things Mod Soul. This would be a gold opportunity for him to learn, and increase his reservoir of knowledge. Hmm, shame that a learning opportunity had to be wrapped up in such a guilty experience such as this. "Kaze. Kaze...show me some sign you can hear me." The world should be fading back from black, now that the pill was returned to the plushie's body. If the Mod was unharmed in all ways and forms, then he should perk back up within his toy form.

All three heads taking in the sights of utter darkness...a result of the Hollow's test. Would the Chimera be able to see? Were his three heads gifted with physical sight that the Arrancar lacked? Maybe these two were both trapped in the lightless room now. That would be tragic. Either way, the Hollow let up his hold on the toy. If he were able and wishing, Jikken could leap away and stand on his own accord once more. As for the codger, he struggled to his feet yet another time. Shrugging back his shoulders as he observed the feline. "Well, that was certainly an unexpected turn. Does anything feel off, are you feeling any sort of pain?..."


Spiritual Exhaustion - 4/4
Physical Exhaustion - 4/4

Remaining Reiatsu - 475/1500

-575 Spiritual Exhaustion
-100 Sonido

[Jikken Kaze]

Being knocked out of your body as a mod soul is quite the peculiar thing really. As the mod soul rolled out of the mouth of the gigai, he had never lost his senses. He saw all around him, in every direction. All at the same time. That alone might disturb some people, but that wasn't the worst of it for Kaze. No, the worst part was that he could still feel his marble-like body as it rolled along the dirty ground. He rolled away from the body he just used, past the light fixture that had struck him just a few moments ago. He even rolled past Marcelius's foot, right as it was about to crush his pill body. If he could have at the time, he would have sighed in relief. Kaze began to panic. This form of his lacked the one thing that Kaze had always needed in his life; the ability to move.

The panicked state only worsened when his pill body came to a halt next to some rubble. Based on the dust that coated it, he was able to determine that it had been there for quite awhile. Examining the piece of rock was all he was able to do, seeing that he had no body to hyperventilate with. He tried everything he could to move himself, but it was all for not. In the right light, the tiny green pill could look like a semi-happy little thing. On the inside though, it was a mind being driven to chaos, unable to stand(literally) a body that lacked even a mouth to breath with.

Thankfully, the mod soul was brought out of his inner turmoil, are he was gently picked up by the one who put him in this situation. The blond looked quite worried, with no small amount of curiosity, and a large amount of squinting. The skin that covered the hollow's hand was tough, and coarse, but not overly so. The skin was also very hard, harder than he would expect from the man, any man really, but it really didn't matter at the moment. What matter right now, was that he was being taken to the smaller toy body he had been using before he got into the brief fight he had with the hollow. he called it brief, because in hindsight, the match probable lasted less than a minute. The mod soul was beginning to realize that it was even harder to focus less than it normally was. He would has continued on that train of thought, if it were not for that fact that his world darkened for a moment, before he could finally move again.

The feeling that came after that was nausea, followed by heavy disorientation. He thought that he heard Marc talking, but was completely unable to make out the words coming from his mouth. He was still readjusting to the body. After a couple of seconds, he finally regained his motor functions. He shakily stood from his lying position on the floor. He smirked michilesly, before turning around, a panicked look upon his tail's face. "Oh no, what have you done!" He said worriedly, the head moving around, looking in every direction it could. "YOU PUT ME IN BACKWARDS! AAAAHHHHHHHHH!" The toy began to run around in a circle backwards, screaming all the while, from each of his heads. He might not have been able to see all of Marc's face, but even with the limited lighting, he could still tell that the look was gold. His screaming soon turned to laughter, as he fell to his side(the side without the goat head), laughing, with all notions of his previous inner chaos quickly drifting away.

With all three laughing at the same time, Marc would be able to tell that Kaze was fine. His laughter slowly dying out, the chimera wiped an invisible tear from his lion eye. He slowly got to his feet, the much too short experience of having a human body interfering somewhat with his current form. Even still, he was glad to have something that let him move. He looks upward to see the shadowy blob that he assumed was Marcelius. "Heheheha, priceless. Well that was fun. Kinda. Well I gotta thank ya for giving me two legs again. Even if it was for a minute, it was still nice to be able to stretch. To feel." His beady eyes gained a far away look in them before disappearing again. Kaze thanked the fact that the shadows hid them so well. "I can't believe how large the difference in power between us is." He said, sounding something between shocked, and disappointed; mostly in himself though. He was able to remember how it used to be for fallen titan. He felt like the nothing he could see at the moment; a mere shadow.

His spirit was not broken though. Far from it; he felt determined to regain what was lost to him. With fire burning in his fake eyes, he spoke to the old hollow. "Marcelius, I want your help." He told him. "I want to become strong. Strong enough to call myself 'The titan of the wind' once more without sounding like the joke I am now." He said, finally realizing how truly weak he was at the moment. "Is there anyway you could help me?" He asked, trusting the hollow, not caring how foolish it was to put so much faith in a hollow. "Hehe, you know, without dropping lights on my head?" He chuckled, ruining the moment.

Remaining Reiatsu: 540

Wind armor duration: Lost it upon leaving the gigai

Ooc: HOW'S THAT FOR A QUICK REPLY!? HONESTLY, I'm able to bake this in less than 8 HOURS of you posting, and it takes me a month to write up those other ones!? I'm gonna cry in a corner now....

[Marcelius]

(OoC: No...NO! I JUST posted for you! I have 3 other posts I need to do! How dare you post back so soon! I'm just messing, I'm thrilled to see you posted so quickly! Was wondering what might happen!)

[Marcelius]

When concerning one’s self with the health and well being of a toy...one should always be ready to be played with. The little feline had devised a very fiendish and clever trick; which left it’s target stunned and speechless. Now the older fellow was, against the nature of his kind, a rather trusting and gullible sort. Despite the fact he should know better than most, his conscience was always fell towards the “dupe” side. This moment was certainly no exception. Given all that the Hollow and the Mod Soul had gone through mere seconds before, the elder was in no position to question or challenge the worst of outcomes. Indeed, being stuck in one’s body backwards was quite the terrible outcome. Seeing the results of his hasty, untrained care; the Arrancar was quick to respond. Becoming frantic or paniced was not his usual forte, but it did not show. Observing the clamour of the plushie, he felt himself getting swept into the manic behavior. Trying to speak, almost stuttering over his words, he tried to hush and calm the riled cat.

Holding out his arms, trying to wrangle and pin the chimera in; Marcelius hoped to quiet the poor soul down. If indeed he had been placed in backwards -if such a thing were even possible- then the solution seemed apparent. Simply remove the little pill which embodied Jikken, and turn it about. There was nothing scientific, or even elegant, about Marc’s answer. How could there be? Everything concerning this animate toy was confusing. Especially to an individual who learns most from the world using the flow and changes of spiritual energy. This situation could really use a professional, no, and expert. Still...all they had to work with was the victim and a specialist removed from his element. ”Kaze, stop running about! You’ll only...make yourself more backwards.”

Wait, what?” ”You’ll just make yourself dizzier and further your suffering!” Just as he was about to scoop up the pet sized patient, the truth came to light. Long before his squeaky little voice box could spit out his trickery, the old man felt the deceit appear. It had been there the whole time. That joy which and suspense which accompanies the notion of a lie. It had been hidden before. Not so much hidden, as ignored really. The concern which the Fraccion felt for the Mod Soul was enough to numb his otherwise better judgement. Now he suffered for his quick compassion. That laughter. It gnawed and ground on his ears and mind. This little devil to such delight in causing anxiety and stress. It seemed quite familiar to Marcelius, but at the moment he did not establish why. No, instead he endured the damage to his pride. Having fallen for such a crass little ploy...embarrassing.

”Well...hmmm.” Rather speechless. It seems the wordy sod does not perform well when shamed. Still, another second of quiet repose and he found his voice once more. ”Good that you are unharmed. Both in body and humor.” Reaching down, he placed his large hand against the cool concrete floor. Pressing up with his arm and legs, the towering man climbed back to his feet. Trying to resume his former posture, he found some difficulty. It seems this whole ordeal had disturbed his breathing and pulse. quite noticeably. ”You did well enough, gravity is an opponent few of us ever overcome in entirety. I see now, that you certainly know enough to protect yourself.” His words were praise, but they came with a hint of surprise as well. It seems that the foolish image Kaze outwardly expressed, was enough to delude the senior’s instincts. The Mod Soul was quite adept at concealing his analytical side, and the truth strength of his powers.

From what the Hollow had witnessed, Jikken did not favor brutality or honest fighting. The same cleverness which fueled his jokes and antics, also supported his powers and abilities. It was admirable. This spirit had found a way to utilize his own personality within his techniques and methods. It was the sign of a truly gifted mind. Or...at least a mind quite comfortable with itself. A feat no less impressive. Yet, despite what nice thoughts or words that Marcelius could extend; Kaze seemed unlikely to respond with pride. A false pride, perhaps. Some sort of boast or flare of ego. I reality, the chimera was in no way satisfied with his own limitations. There was a longing within him. A desire to become more, but not necessarily to grow. Marc could feel it in his emotions, in the feelings and memories that they stirred. What this being desired was not some new and terrible strength.

It was something he once held, abilities he once possessed. It was a mightiness that he could feel, something that existed well within his perception. The feelings that flooded the Mod Soul’s fuzzy little head had just as potent of effects on Marcelius. He shared in that same longing, if only for a moment. He craved something that he had lost. It was at that moment, that Marc saw the smaller creature for the great and powerful titan he had once been. Suddenly the roar of gales erupted in his ears, and the chill of the icy winds frozen his spine. It was not real, no. It was a sensation locked within memory, and lost within the past. But...things that once were, do not have to remain trapped in history. There is always a way to recover or rebuild. There is always a way to overcome the remorseful prison looking back in time often builds. The Arrancar believed this. He had to. Not just for Jikken’s sake...but for his own as well.

”This might be a surprise...but I was young once.” The banter of the relic suddenly tore through the silence which filled this hidden bunker. Through the dark, Kaze could hear and feel the words of the somber Hollow. ”I did not become tired just from standing. I was strong. Sturdy. I could hold my own, and had little reason to ever fear for my safety or wellbeing. I endured troubles, even ones placed onto me by others rather than fate or simple, poor luck. I overcame difficulties. I crashed through walls and raised whatever prisons tried to hold me to the ground. Like many of my kind: I fought, I won, and I attained tremendous power. Not only in body, but in spirit and mind as well. My thoughts were alive with dreams and wishes for the life ahead of me. It was wonderful. Truly.” Nostalgia laid heavy on the room, weighting down the optimisms and jovialities of all present. Such was the near oppressive aura of regret and grief; which this ancient soul could produce.

For most this feeling would often be followed by explanation. He would speak of them time when he hunted down other Hollows, and gorged himself on their flesh and absorbed their strength. Back then, he delighted and revelled in the messy feasts. ”But I lost it all.” Despite how disappointing those words should be, there came no sigh or show of exasperation. After all, with as much as he suffered now...having to recount all those many horrors he committed; his only reprieve was that he did not continue to commit them. ”It was not taken from me in an instant. I was not robbed, left only to wonder what could have happened to me.” Much the way that the unfortunate Mod Soul lost his own might. ”I simply grew old. I came to reject the things I had done to achieve my status, and slowly...I lost everything I had accrued.” That is a depressing note, is it not? That even those not robbed of their magnificence can still have it whittled away by time and opposition. Even opposition from one’s self.

But...there was a point to be made, ”Anything that has been done, can be undone. Even things done by our own doing.” A light began to grow, yellow in hue and quiet in it’s hum. It build from within the Arrancar’s hand, quickly providing a comforting light for the entirety of their area. This trick was very similar to the Bala from before, but now offered visibility rather than harm. ”We can always shed some light on the darkness, enough to find what we need.” A half smile, though small, warmly showed. ”I say we do just that. We shine some light on that history of yours, and find that titan you left behind.” While the speech was rousingly spoken, and could be taken as quite inspirational, it was not his gambit. For at that moment, the two would stand in the very middle of one of Jikken’s memories.

Above them was the swirling and darkened sky. The clouds roiled and churned, heeding the every beck and call of the mighty winds which blew. Rushing air filled the memory with a roaring commotion, no silence or peace to be found. All about them, buildings laid crumbed and demolished. Each of them flattened and forced to the ground by massive bursts of wind and pressure. These were the structures of the Seireitei, the same facilities which Kaze once destroyed. The scene was devoid of life, no spectators or victims to succumb to the turbulent forces which wreaked such amazing havoc. Save...for the old man, and Kaze himself. Except...he was not a toy. Nor was he a man. Instead, he was as he remembered himself. As he longed to be once more. A tremendous, awe inspiring figure. A being of grey complexion, whose every breath carried the full might of sky.

A titan of air and storm, the being whom Jikken knew himself to be. ”Can you feel it?” A voice, the elder’s, whispering through the hollering breeze. ”The way you did long ago. The way you did when you were still strong. Remember it. Tell yourself it is still there. That you only need to free it.” The swirling of the wind would only grow, both a testament to Kaze’s strength and the ending of the memory. When the noise settled down, the both of them would find themselves underground once more. But Jikken, being so attuned to the winds as he was, would feel the pressure in the room greatly disturbed. Locked in their box as they were, the mere presence of the Mod Soul was rather imposing. With all the air rushing to be near him, their master, it caused the pressure within the chamber to build and build and build. This should be a better sign than any speech from an old man...that he was stronger than he believed. That he was reclaiming that strength which he thought long lost.

Unfortunately...the moment for celebration would not linger. For as soon as the chimera would discover his power returning to him in stride, their sanctum would be invaded. Awful sounds of tearing and ripping would unfold...as reality itself seemed to open up within. On the other side of this gash, a void would seemingly stretch forever. From that emptiness, a shadow would approach. Only when the young woman stepped fully from the Gargantua, would their eyes be able to identify her. Of course...Marcelius was never one to rely on his eyes. He knew quite well...who their visitor was.


Spiritual Exhaustion - 4/4
Physical Exhaustion - 4/4

Remaining Reiatsu - 465/1500

-10, Class 7 Bala Pending

[Jikken Kaze]

As children, and even as teenagers, you don't tend to think about the distant future. Sure, you might think that being older has its advantages; and in some cases you would be right. When in youth, you tend not to have respect that elders have, along with being ordered around by parental figures and others. This tends to make them want to be older to have freedom, not realizing how good they really have it. This, is something that never occurred to Kaze. Kaze has always been like the wind; only living for the moment, not really thinking about the tomorrow. This has always been his mindset; his mantra almost.

So, when he heard Marc's story, about how he had lost so much, just from something like living, Kaze didn't know how to respond to that. The future wasn't something he cared about, so long as he could run free in the now. He never thought that he would ever change, or grow old. Changing because you grew old? The concept was so foreign to him that it was almost alien. 'Marcelius lost some of his power because he grew old? So... does that mean the same thing will happen to me? Will I still be able to run like I do now?" Kaze thought, feeling ill at the thought of losing his ability to run with the wind whipping through his hair.

The 'young' mod soul was almost instantly brought out of his thoughts, and thrown into his memories. At first, all he heard was the familiar sound of whipping wind. It was like a twister all around you, never stopping, always moving. Yet, the sound never sounded bad for the mod soul. Kaze had always found peace in the sound of the wind. It soothed him, made him feel at ease, no matter how distressed he was before. And like it helped him before, it helped him now. Calming down from his near panic attack, he looks around to try and figure out what happened to bring him here.

Kaze was shocked, to say the least. He vaguely remembers this place in his history. It's the moment he finally escaped that horrible lab where he was 'born'. It was also the moment he attained the height of his powers. He felt embarrassed when he noticed Marc, only just realizing he was there. But who can blame him? Just about anyone would be a tad out of it if they suddenly found themselves, seemingly in a memory. Still listening to the older hollow's short speech, he began to examine himself; or rather, his strongest armor. Like the rest of his armors, this was constructed entirely out of moving wind. Unlike the others though, this one completely hid Kaze beneath the slicing winds. The armor was huge, and was a tad disorienting. The armor let him see through its eyes, making it seem like everything shrunk.

The power that the armor gave him was just like he remembered though. The furry of the winds, urging him to simply move! It wanted him to fight, to be free and let nothing stop him! It was intoxicating to the weakened mod soul. He felt that he might be able to control the urge better with time, but for now it was all he could do just to stay in place. The feeling quickly went away however, as he was dragged back into the real world. If he thought that suddenly gaining power was disorienting, the loss of that power was even worse. If he had to compare it to something, he would say it felt like your skin being ripped off of your muscles. From every part of your body. At the same time.

Kaze actually felt angry at Marc. Not that petty anger he had before, where he was doing it just to try and annoy him. No, that meant nothing compared to this. This was real anger. He felt a tugging at the back of his mind, but suppressed it. Hearing Marc speak once more, he started to figure out the reason that the hollow did that to him. In retrospect, or to an outside viewer, the meaning might have been obvious, but for Kaze, it was a bit harder to understand. He slowly realized that he was trying to motivate him further, trying to strengthen his resolve. 'Did he HAVE to do it like that!?' He thought in anger. He was about to tell the arrancar exactly how he felt, when he felt something was off.

The air pressure in the room kept building. The winds in the darkened room began to move, with each little breeze flying at him, as if the winds were conferred by his very presence. He, however, would never dare think of such a thing. The entire statement screamed arrogance like no other, in ways that he couldn't even explain. He was simply one who knew the winds well. Even so, the fact that the winds flew around him, acting as if in his defense, made him feel stronger than he was. Still, that was something for another time. Whatever this was took priority at the moment.

As if on cue, a series of loud noises were heard. He had never heard sounds like the ones he was hearing now. They sounded painful, sending shudders through his being with each tear that was made. Normally, he wouldn't be able to see what was going on since all the lights were dead, but this was different. Whatever this thing was, it was even darker than the darkness of the room. It took the shape, if it even had that, of a wretched, toothy grin. While Kaze was nowhere near as good at sensing as Marc was, he could still feel the aura that it, or whatever was coming out of it, gave off. So, in the name of self preservation, he decided to use the same trick he use on Marc. "Meww?" He decided to look as cute as he could, using his tiny cat-like body to try and trick whoever was coming out of the portal, while suppressing the powers he had. Later on, he would probably say that it would have been a better idea just to have ran.

[smear:#0066cc]Ooc:testing[/smear:#8C34AE]

[Deleted]

This fucking old geezer. Why couldn’t he do what other old people do and sit still and eat oatmeal like they all do. Who told this decrepit motherfucker to frolic in the human world!? Not her. Not Miho Shoga. There were missions to be done. People to harass. Training to be done. Especially training. How else was she going to pummel Rio? …Wait, whoa. Don’t get the wrong idea now. The destructive vixen wasn’t going to rest until she saw a certain puppy’s head on a stick. A puppy head or three of course… You get the point. She had a fucking bone to pick with him and doing nothing wasn’t helping her. Hence why she needed to get stronger. Miho Shoga was a monster. Somewhat loved by one and loathed by everything else that had a pulse. What did she care?…There was power in fear and she liked both; it gave the sweetest feeling…

How sick..

What was even sicker was that this fucking blonde haired crypt keeper wasn’t here when she needed him. Wait. Hmph. She didn’t need him. She did like training with him though. She just mildly enjoyed his company. There were few out there that she liked. Very few. Miho could count on one hand with a missing pinky the amount of people she could tolerate being around. She had bright scarlet eyes that flared with malicious intent and a way with words that cut as deep as her own zanpakuto if she so wished. Alabaster skin paired with raven locks that were long and silky and a desirable body coveted by many. Too bad it was all overshadowed by her vitriolic personality and her desire to see everything around her burned to the ground in the name of her own amusement.

Her first guess was that he’d be in the human world. She’d done this before. Some poor excuse of human flesh knocked her out just when she was in the middle of business before. The thought of someone doing that enraged her tremendously. It made her angry to think about even on her way over to the human world. It just made her want to be that much more volatile towards the bag of dirt known as Marc. When the she-devil took a step out of the garganta, she immediately noticed Marc. The angry clicks and clacks of her heels resonated as she made her way over to the elderly man. “Where the fuck were you? I’ve been looking for your ancient ass all day.” she spat, poking at his chest threateningly. She wasn’t 100% furious… but the man was practically a snail. How he’d gotten so far on such brittle bones was beyond her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she pouted like the entitled brat she was. She started to snarl. “I oughta…”

Meww?

And in that moment, time stopped entirely. The fury was gone. Her snarling disappeared. Hell, any trace of mean, rotten and nasty was gone. Instead, just blankness. Nothing. At least, it was like that for a moment. Her eyes widened, blinking just a few times as the strange sound took its time to register in her brain. The ravenette slowly turned her head until she finally laid eyes on a certain quadrupedal that she just oh so loved to bits. The events were playing in slow motion. She started to relax and suddenly, Marcellius just didn’t exist anymore. Her attention was focused on the animal she loved so much. The hostility was absolutely gone and she just stared at the cat. Yes. That what it was. A cat. Cat. Cat. Cat!. She fricken’ loved cats. Her eye lashes fluttered at the sight of it and she took slow, careful steps towards it.

When she was finally close enough to it, Miho kneeled down, scratching it under its chin and behind its ears. If anyone looked hard enough, they’d even see the tiniest, rosiest tinge on her cheeks. A cavity inducing smile of genuine delight crept up on her face and the once destructive hellion was just a pile of mush. She picked up the kitten, cradling it in her arms and petting it. “So…cute…” What? What was that? Was there a squee in there too? The girliest and most excited squeak escaped her lips as she continued to hold the thing and pet it. There was giggling and jumping in there too. She was acting like a real little girl! For Marc, it truly would be a sight to see; A monster turned humane. Miho was starting to have a harder time containing her excitement. The result of that? A hug; possibly suffocating.

“You’re so cute~!” she nearly shouted. Her smile grew wider. Miho was putty in this animal’s hands… or anyone’s given this state. Well, not completely. She hadn’t forgotten about Marc. Instead, she walked up to him and proceeded to punch him in the stomach quite hard. “Thanks, dad~!” and so she hopped up gave him a peck on the cheek like any loving daughter would and proceeded to run off with her new, adorable pet. Not before turning around briefly and giving him a mock stern look. “You’re still a shithead.” She needed to make up for the display of absolute ick… sweetness and anything else related to it. Such a display even made her sick to the stomach but it wasn’t totally bad… Not while she had a new pet! Well, she hadn’t said he was her pet but from the moment she’d laid eyes on him, he was doomed. Doomed to be Miho’s forever; whether he liked it or not. This was an actual animal she could keep in Las Noches. Fucking score.

“Now… You’re mine and there’s no question about it. What should I call you…?”

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

+1360 TP to Marc and Jikken