Stranger Like Me (Aevus-Shizuyoko)

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

The sun was out
And Shizuyoko could hardly believe it. She was finally fresh out of the academy. All she needed now was to choose a squad, and she'd be a shinigami. And.....she'd finally be done mourning over him. All around her the trees stood silent, sentinels in the light of the setting sun that warmed her skin, and left her feeling.....good. She smiled, watching as the sun dropped down toward the horizon, and the softest of breezes ran through the area, wafting her scent.

But she wasn't worried about that. Nobody should be around. Well...not yet. Because she hadn't picked a squad yet, someone was being dispatched to talk to her, someone she was supposed to talk to and ask about the different squads, an individual who was to be chosen based on her own set of skills. She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she folded her arms and rubbed lightly at her cheek, relaxing a little and letting that light aura of hers begin filling the woods around her. It was a pain to hold back so often.
At least now outside of those crowded classrooms she could relax. Relax and wait for him or her, whichever, to come and discuss her future as a shinigami.

She supposed she should have been nervous. Subconsciously she reached down, gently placing her palm against those two pommels, the handles to her two blades. One with that distinct hollow smell to it. And the other with that subtle evil, a dark aura just as strong as her light aura, one that, for now, and since she had fed it that half of an asauchi, had been quiet. At least for now. She closed her eyes, letting that warm breeze make that wild hair of hers waft behind her, a soft, deep breath taken as she relaxed.

It was a pretty big decision. Each and every squad had so many things about it that they could offer. So many things that could change how she wound up. Just about any squad....save well...four, as she doubted she would be f any help there. But even so that still left twelve different squads to choose from, and each of them had their...pros and cons.

Squad one was certainly prestigious. A place of command, strategy...and....well...management it seemed. They were responsible for giving out orders and passing on orders to the other squads. She hardly thought herself ..well....of that calibur. Maybe once, she might have been, but nowadays, she didn't think she quite had the mental fortitude to go ordering people around all day.

Squad two Special operations was....a possibility. The idea of being in the special operations squad was daunting, especially given that she would be working, presumably, closely with the punishment force. It was.....a bit of a dangerous move. And a bit nerve wracking to think of being in the punishment force given her own.....qualities. Would it be smart to be so close to individuals like that?

Squad three. The Cursed Squad. Admittedly she was sure that, eventually, people would probably be glad to have her in the squad. Such a dangerous squad to be in, not to mention the fact that she would be in font-line deployment, or even deployed behind enemy lines. Something along the lines of an infiltration specialist and surivalist. If anything....she supposed she knew how to keep herself alive.

Squad four she didn't even think about. She had zero skill in healing. And for Squad Five she had horrible strength of reiatsu.....ironically. She smiled at that, shaking her head as she thought over how....funny it was how weak her reiatsu had become over the years.
Squad Six was it's own can of worms. Interrogations and the like would never be something she was....keen on doing. The thought of torturing an individual, while not uotside of her capabilities, probably would not do well for her....darker Zanpaku'to. It had been ages since it had stirred, but she didn't want to inadvertently feed it. Squad Seven having the exact same problem.

Squad Eight and Nine seemed....hardly appropriate. They weren't really combat based. But of course, she wasn't sure of any talents she had outside of combat. She had always been a fighter, there was nothing else that she knew. Funding...Information processing. Supposedly the captains were rather notable, especially the Ninth. But truly....she wasn't entirely sure. It would likely mean a lot of...skill assessment to see if she was capable of being in these squads.

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted, Shizuyoko's attention shifting as she sensed somebody nearby, her head canting to the side and leaning a bit as she gently ran her fingers through her hair, taking a moment to scan her surroundings. Had they arrived already? If so she was surprised that they had already managed to get so close. In any case she remained silent, watching the trees, waiting for them to appear.

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

(Training for CTP)
As a thick foreboding fog seemingly meandered throughout a bioluminescent dwelling, a low murmur sifted itself through the darkness of his inner world. Beckoning, two golden eyes digging deeply into his very soul. Aevus felt it like a row of teeth snapping against his throat. His cold eyes lit up fearfully affixed to a darklit silhouette before him. Dark shadowy wisps fell from the creatures coat as it stepped forth into the luminous light, those golden irises seemingly bringing with itself a coldness like no other.

Like two frozen suns, that held no warmth within the waning hours of this eternal night. they breached him, and he stood silently. This was not that hollow, those piercing eyes belonged not to the monster hiding in a vixens slender form. Lumina Umbra, his Zanpakuto spirit stood menacingly before him. Her eyes reflecting the light of her prey barring silver fangs soon to be stained with the blood of Shinigami. Aevus stood bewildered, frightened and frozen to the core as a tear rolled down his left cheek, only able to utter but a single word to the wolf spirit that only barely resembled her former self. “Lumina...”

“Are you awake Aevus?” Silvery lupine eyes sheltered themselves against the backdrop of the Shinigami’s mind. “You spoke this ones name, were you dreaming?” Aevus’s Zanpakuto would clink against its sheath as he tipped his head, his cold blues now a half moon. “It was nothing Lumina, go back to sleep.” His visage had been lazily somber as he closed his eyes once again, the light from the setting sun soon drowning his resting spot in twilights shadow

“Aevus?” The wolf would beckon him in but a soft whisper, her voice carrying worry and earnest care. “You needn't shelter Lumina from the truth, what did you see?” Aevus’s lips parted with a short sigh. “It was nothing.” He lied solemnly, wanting to drift away from the conversation all together. “This one sees.” He sensed that forlorn visage of hers, those drooping triangular ears, that snow-white ribbon of a tail becoming but a dead pendulum.

Conversing with his spirit had been a hassle and it was beginning to become exhausting and rather painful. He was never alone now, not really and that was taking it toll. Lumina’s sheltering eclipsed eyelids lit up into moonlit silvers as a light whine escaped her muzzle and Aevus felt himself nearly shiver as he pictured that snow-white coat begin to be drenched in that murky ink of stained blackness.

Aevus just wanted to fall back asleep but he knew all to well that he had a job to do. Of course someone was waiting for him yet he was never the punctual type and well dealing with people wasn’t really his forte. He would be late for sure yet as he neared the girl he would pause, passing a glance over her form as he felt that warm aura of hers. He was now nestled against a branch, leaning against the bark of the tree his lazy cold blues falling to the girl below him and with a yawn he’d greet her.“Riveting sunset, seeing the shadows crash against the land at this time, like a black tide. It's always an intricate sight is it not?”

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Shizu was surprised when the voice, of all places, came from up in a tree. Her attention shifted up and she offered a soft, sheepish smile up at the male. She didn't recognize any sigils on his uniform. She would have to pause and consider. In the meantime she responded. "It is..... I never really thought about it like that. I guess I always focused more on the light than what the shadows were doing." She noted softly, smiling.

As he approached there would be two very clear things he would notice. First and foremost, just being near her seemed to start melting away his tensions. That Obnoxiously strong Light aura washing out in waves, banishing any dark thoughts, it was even possible that his zanpaku'to spirit would feel some of it. And of course, more....subtly, would be a very faint, possibly familiar smell. Up in the trees he wouldnt get much of it, but it was still very present. A smell that focused around one of her zanpaku'to.

That would be the third thing he noticed. Not one, but two zanpaku'to sheated at her side. One of which was giving off that scent. The other seemed...well....far more ordinary. No real presence or scent eminated from it. It simply seemed normal. In any case, remembering her duty, she cleared her throat. "So um.... you're here to talk to me about the squads right?"

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Aevus immediately noted the girls sheepish smile reminding him of a few select others in his past. Namely an emerald eyed beauty during his time in the academy. This was a similar situation but yet it was different in many ways as well. Her eyes those of a softened lightened green, sheltered much mystery within, making the girl much more interesting. If it wasn’t for his task, he wouldn’t have given this girl even a passing glance but well this meeting could actually be interesting.

Neatly removing himself from the branch, he would stand, only towering above her just slightly. He felt a strange warmth bleeding, no radiating from her form. It was as if this aura was attempting to combat his conflicting emotions and he knew that Lumina must have felt that warmth too for his blade began to vibrate in a low hum in what seemed liked a variation of a howl. lt would be silent to the girl but Aevus heard it, clear as day and it baffled him how easily another could sooth the wolfs nerves and yet all the while he was all but helpless to her.

This was like that boy from the human world, who delve deeply into his mind allowing him to free himself from his burdening past. Yet it was far less invasive and intrusive but yet in a way it made him uncomfortable. Stretching for a second or two, Aevus would than pass that cold glance to the girl. Perhaps those eyes would have been softened and perhaps they soon would be. Yet as of now, there was to much weighing on his mind for him to let this girls aura in.

Noting two Zanpakuto, Aevus’s interest would perk and one could see his eyes lighting up just faintly as he spotted the blades. He had heard of this but seeing it in person was far different. Two Zanpakuto, this girl besides her warm aura was definitely more than met the eye and he was beginning to see that just from a mere glance of her person. As she brought up his reasoning for being there, he would perk his infamous feigned smile, his eyes quickly darting back up to those light greens. “Well it seems so.” He would nonchalantly lay himself on the grass, his eyes passing to the quickly darkening sky. “Before we continue tell me, why did you become a Shinigami? What made you decide to walk this path?”

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

She felt it. Inside of him. That howling. Maybe she didn't sense it quite like he did. But she did sense intentions. That aura making her so much more sensitive. She couldn't sense the howling itself. But she could sense him reacting. With her own pure light, she could feel his heart wavering. His mind hesitating, and his confusion. Which made it all the easier for that light aura to brush them away. She couldn't heevn help it. Her aura did it on it's own. Even if she didn't try, it wormed it's way in. Her ability to sense his troubles only making it stronger.

And of course. She noticed his attention to her Zanpaku'to. He was interested. She couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking. But his sincerity, his intentions. Before him, she could feel his walls peeling away, and him becoming far more....sincere. And she felt something when he looked into her eyes. So she smiled, and looked back into his. She expected the question the moment it came and, paused, glancing off to the side as she thought back to that particular memory. Her tail lightly tightening around her leg, still hidden inside her hakama.

"I didn't die very long ago. I can still remember so many things. Before I died.... there was a man I met. And....he reminded me of shinigami. But when I was brought here, I couldn't find him. I'm not entirely sure if he is alive or not. But....I really liked him. I cared about him." She murmured softly, and Aevus would FEEL that. For just a moment, he would, in his mind, feel a memory of such an individual. Nothing precise, but he would feel that sensation. Of someone who....frankly....was liked a LOT more than she verbally let on. Someone that he loved. Someone he cared so very deeply for.

Someone who was taken away from him. And the memory of whom had been all that was left behind. He'd feel her intentions as she purposefully projected them, as it was....easier than talking about it. He'd feel why she became a shinigami. If he was gone, and couldn't become one. She was to become one for him. In memory. In mourning. In remembrance. And then....like that....the connection was gone.

She held back, and forcibly locked her light aura as much as she could. He could still feel it of course. She did not have enough control of it just yet. So he would still feel that pleasantness wafting through him, but hardly to the degree it had been before. The woman smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck. "I know it's dangerous. But it's important to m that I became one. So I did." she noted, gently settling her hand over Susanoo's sword. Her Sword. Her tail from so long ago. And deep in it's blade, she felt the tiniest fraction of that dark aura, sleeping inside it. One that only she could yet feel.

As if out of jealousy, her other blade hissed. A deep, booming pressure, old and so very dusty, but one that, just briefly, could be felt by Aevus. An arrancar's spiritual pressure. The very next moment it was gone, Shizu's eyes going a bit wide. Not entirely sure if it had only been something she could feel. She immediately put her hand on the handle, gently rubbing the blade. she felt it subside, sated by the attention, causing her to smile and shake her head. What a handfull.

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Tired blue eyes gazed gently looking up at the girl as he nestled himself against the ground. His hands filtering through the greenery, feeling the dirt and grass glide between each of his fingers. He was listening keenly as he felt that emotion stir him. The mystery that was this girl came back like a surging river, crashing against him with a feeling of empathy. He couldn’t completely grasp what she was saying but he did catch a hint of it shedding from her being.

Whoever she was talking about, must have been someone important to have her walk down a path like this. Heh a path like this, Aevus knew that feeling all to well to shelter anothers destiny as your own. To fall down a road for someone else for love, remembrance or perhaps even because of guilt. He though pictured it must had been love, this girl spoke openly and it put him at ease. He pictured that stealthy eyed girl as he eclipsed his eyes from the world for a moment and dared not ask what if.

His blade still hummed gently, catching him off guard as he would hear the wolf murmur softly to him. The warmth of her aura would settle yet suddenly after she spoke her mind he could feel an instance of melancholy flood his being causing the pale faced reaper to shoot up. Staring daggers into her, his blade firmly held within his grasp. Even his spirit ended her gentle song and he was rather perplexed by it, perking her ears. This Reiatsu was all to familiar and just from it alone caused a flood of darkness to surge within his left eye.

Immediately he would look away as he heard that ominous light hearted giggle of a slender formed hollow beckon his call. He would sigh, his cold visage glancing back to that darkened sunset as the darkness within his eyes fled. He’d attempt to act as if he had sensed nothing but that was obviously not the case. “To be brutally honest I wont be much help, except giving you insight. You walk your path alone, I can’t choose the road you’ll take in the end. Personally I chose squad 2 because of my past.”

He would pass the green eyed beauty another feigned smile. “I was what you’d call a street rat. Lurking the streets, hiding and sleeping in shadow, stealing to live, learning to dance circles around the slums by a particular emerald eyed cougar on my two ‘helpless feet’.” He would rise to his feet, slowly sauntering over to the girl. “You didn’t need someone to tell you about the 13 courtguard squads, no they teach you that boring stuff in the academy. Heh even I know that, even though I slept through most of it. No you just needed time to think.” He would fake that smile once more. “I’m Aevus of squad 2, unseated because I much prefer to stand. Who are you?” He spoke nonchalantly and yet he was rather curious of how she'd answer.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

A paused, her head canting to the side as she felt it. That sudden shift of attention again, noticing the way his body moved. His zanpaku'to was whispering to him. Though she could not tell what it was he heard, nor what they said to him. But her smile widened regardless, and she stepped forward, her head tilting a bit as he explained how he became a shinigami, and if he were to look up, he would find that she was much closer to him than she had been before, watching him silently as she smiled, folding her arms and leaning to the side a bit, that smile ever-present as she suppressed the urge to giggle again..

"You wound like quite the dashing rogue. Buuuuut. Hmm..." She paused, circling him for a moment before nodding her head. "I don't know....somehow the hard-life sulker doesn't suit you.... You certainly came here like one. But this..." She smiled, reaching out, gently placing her hand on the tree trunk next to him. But something about that aura made him feel a second hand, an invisible, intangible, implied hand that moved onto his shoulder.

Something about it was unbelievably comforting. He would feel like it was his own mother smiling down at him, fondness and pride in those eyes as she looked at him, eyes seeming to look through him as she tilted her head lightly to the side, speaking softly. "Right now.....that felt much more real. Much more you. The cute nerd with the big heart. Making jokes.... I always liked jokes." she noted, eyes closing as her tone took on a softer...more hushed tone.

"Ricky always tells them. Especially about stuff he knows has bugged me in the past. I can't explain it. But somehow....hearing him making fun of those horrible things. It makes me feel b etter about it. I know I have a path ahead of me.... We all do." That sudden shift in tone was immediate. And suddenly, Aevus would suddenly not feel so very senior. Suddenly, he would feel as if someone far...far older than he were speaking to him. Giving him wisdom from ages long lost.

"I don't know what keeps you from this. This true you. I suppose, someone your age, would probably be afraid. Afraid of something that's coming. Something that's haunting them. If you made friends now. What would happen when things went south? When the darkness closed in? The closer you hold people, the more danger they're in....right?" She closed her eyes, a very knowing, sad smile on her face as she removed her hand from that trunk, and that sensation of a hand on Aevus's shoulder would fade.

"I think I know where I want to go. But it's a long and hard road right? No matter what squad I choose... Ill have to get stronger. I'll have to remember. Aevus.... Spar with me. Ok? I know it'll be hard for you, having to hold back so much~ But I want to see this. Maybe if I can see your determination. Maybe it'll wake up my own." She smiled softly, her hand resting on her zanpaku'to as she stepped away from him, and she gently lifted that enormous blade, that longer, silver blade, that was almost as tall as she was, resting it on her shoulder as she smiled. A twinkle in her eye.

"I'm ready. Are you?"

[/color]

[/blockquote]

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

OOC) That song fills me with determination

Aevus’s cold predatory like gaze clung to the blonde haired Shinigami as she meandered around him, following that ever present smile ever so keenly. Being regarded as a dashing rogue was a new one and oddly enough he found the girls tone a bit more intriguing then before. She was rather different than he initially would have thought and in a good way. This was no shy nor rambunctious youth straight out of the academy. No this girl was well, peculiar and soothing in the truest sense of the word.

As she placed her hand against the bark of the tree, Aevus would feel that aura of hers return. It was as if she was trying to comfort him, as if she sensed his inner confliction. Was it that obvious? Maybe it was, after all it was hard to hide the shadows under his eyes and he was constantly yawning, those nightmares were beginning to take there toll. Yet he didn’t interact with people enough for anyone to realize or even care for that matter until perhaps now.

The tone would shift as she spoke and Aevus felt himself puzzled by her very voice. It was as if she was speaking through him, seeing him for who he actually was or could be and it was rather startling to say the least. It was actually almost terrifying to see someone see him for who he was and tear away those walls he put up so easily like it was nothing. As she spoke, Aevus would hold onto every word, his cold visage never leaving her gaze. He was perplexed but yet again there was more to this green eyed beauty than met the eye, that Reiatsu, the way she spoke. It was odd yet he just couldn't escape its pull, it was like gravity.

The silver lined lupine eyes of his spirit would shelter themselves inside the mind of the pale faced reaper, her voice carrying that very same softness from before. “She is wiser than she lets on.” Aevus would nod in agreement as he began to caress the handle of his blade with his left, a daunting expression plastering his visage yet it also hinted at a bit of playfulness in its own way. “Heh, you’re a rather peculiar one you know that?” That feigned smile would not leave him as he began to unsheathe his blade ever so slowly.

“Careful now, Aevus.” Lumina would warn a half-hearted giggle sensing that ever growing excitement creep into the mans voice. ”We don't want to hurt her.” Fully unsheathing his Zanpakuto, he would hold it before him left handed in a reverse-grip, his eyes sharply lit to her fighting stance. “Let me show you, my resolve.” Aevus would step forward. “Our resolve.” Lumina would correct in but a murmur as the reaper glided across the grass, his sword outstretched as he attempted to slash across the girls chest in an upward stroke, holding back just enough for her to keep up with him.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/skills}

Strength - 100 (75)
Speed - 400 (540)
Spiritual Pressure - 350 (473)
Reiatsu Strength - 100 (75)
Light Aura - 50
Dark Aura - 50
Instinct - 150
Senses - 100
Energy Sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0


•[Weapon: Katana] [2]
•[Martial Arts: Iaido ] [2]
•[Calm Mind] [1]
•[Stealth] [2]
•[Battle Analysis] [1]
•[Strength of Will] [1]
•[Acrobatics] [2]

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Shizuyoko's smile widened softly as she gently brought her blade down from her shoulder, holding it to the side as she watched him carefully, those bright green eyes watching as he lowered himself down to her own level. She smiled softly to herself as she tensed her body, bringing her own blade down to meet his swing toward her chest, managing to parry his blade. Of course, she could immediately sense that foce behind the male's zanpaku'to. Or at least what he could have put into it. She knew that if he'd swung for real, her blade would be in pieces.

She was slow, that she knew for sure, but she had her own particular set of....skills after all. And unlike most shinigami, she had a very creative outlet for that skill. Her eyes locked to his as she managed to block his slask, stepping forward as if to go for a headbutt. Of course it would likely be around then that he would feel something sharp racing up along his left thigh, curling up and toward his chest, naturally his speed would let him adjust accordingly, but it was still likely a little surprise.

Inexperienced as she was, Shizuyoko still had a specialization in stealth, and whilst his attention would be upon her own weapon and bodily orientation, that slithering black-scaled tail of hers moved independently of the rest of her, drawing that dark wakizashi silently before unleashing a hidden slash up along the inside of Aevus's thigh and up along his belly. Of course she did not dare put her blade to his skin. She knew that given his power, she was much more likely to attain injury than he was, unless he was lowering his spiritual pressure. But that was hardly a chance she wanted to take.
Rather, that blade would simply carve it's way up his shihakusho, as it was a spar after all, before peeling back.

Not only would this allow her to avoid any....accidental cutback, but with the blade failing to even touch his skin, there was even a chance that he wouldn't notice that cut on his person until those ancient eyes of Shizuyoko's drifted down to the cut in his uniform, a playful little look on her face. This of course relied entirely on the succes of the sneak attack, however from her red of the male, he didn't really seem to be the type to be very...keen with anti-stealth. So she figured she had a prominent chance.

Once the two of them had parted, she smiled, her eyes closing as her tail had already returned to the recesses of her hakama, primed and ready to sneak out again in their next exchange, her eyes snapping back open as she unleashed her spiritual pressure. Naturally it was not very strong. Not in the slightest. But in that brief instant, that pressure reached out to Ae's mind, to his zanpaku'to. And thus BOTH of them would suddenly be treated to a brief littlew peek into Shizuyoko's soul, and before them, for that instant, they would see her Zanpaku'to spirit.

In that brief flash of reiatsu, they would see it, feel it, the sudden open maws of that eight-headed monster. Towering over Aevus like the legendary monster she had once been, those eight heads let out a loud hiss into their minds as for that brief moment, Aevus would see what Shizuyoko had once been. And in that very next moment, he would see her second Zanpaku'to spirit. That Eight Tail and serpent. Coiled around his body in a sensation VERY familiar to the way she had used stealth to attack him just now.

And like that both spirits were gone, leaving Shizuyoko smiling as her body came to a sudden Shift, her blade arching behind her, seeming as if she were about to swing in a very....obvious attack.....until her body suddenly blurred. Even with Aevus's superior speed, she was not THAT slow. And With Shunpo she easily slipped from his sight as she would suddenly move past him. And suddenly he would find that she had been holding her blade backwards. That blade, more than 1.5 meters long, still in her previous stance, now had that long blade VERY close to the front of his face. Her body behind him, and the blade before him. A trap to snare him in the event of any panicked moves. He could back up, and end up bowling into her. Or react to her presence behind him, and risk that blade nicking his cheek.

In any case, it was becoming abundantly clear that Shizuyoko had no intention of winning the fight, how could she? But she was showing something else. She was showing him just how thankful he aught to be for the fact that she was so much weaker than him. Or at the very least, to show off a little before he rounded on her nd socked her in the back of the neck. Still, ass-kicking or not, she had one goal: To leave an impression on him. And she was fairly sure that she was going to succeed.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shizuyoko's Stats and Skills}

Strength - 30

Speed - 70 Points (+50%=105 points)

Spiritual Pressure - 40 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 30 Points (-66%=10 points)

Light Aura - 100 Points

Dark Aura - 0 Points

Instinct - 90 Points (-66%=30 points)

Senses - 40 Points (+50%=60 Points)

Energy sensory - 0 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points (-66%=0 Points)


Total SP: 300 (280 from Class, 20 from training)

[Multi-Dexterity ]:{1}
[Damage Recovery]:{1}
[Stealth]:{1}
[Anti-Stealth]:{1}
[Hoho]:{1}
[Hakuda]:{1}
[Battle Analysis]:{1}

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Aevus’s winter blues would lighten up faintly as his blade met hers. His fingers rasping the edge of the handle with a gentle stroke as he felt what strength she had from her tension. It was faint but the moment he felt her blade parry his blade, he saw a little of himself in the green eyed beauty. Not in the physical sense but one mental and spiritual in nature. He felt his very soul resonate with hers if even for but a moment and that feeling came rather sudden and intensely that he didn’t notice her tail.

And why would he notice her tail? He had no knowledge of its existence and with his attention on the girls green lit eyes he was completely ignorant to her existence. That is until he followed those mysterious greens of hers noticing the cut on his shihakusho causing the pale faced reaper a hint of confusion but yet also cause him to perk a roguish smirk in reaction as his eyes shot back up to the girl. This was not his infamous smile, no it was not one sewn from a lying face.

Lumina felt it, her silvers gently warming to his softening visage and yet she would be taken back as she felt that ominous spiritual pressure pulsate from the blonde and see a glimpse of something she couldn’t describe. Her ears would flatten in reaction and Aevus would also catch the hissing beast within his mind. Nearly breathing down his neck. It was intimidating, the towering beast drove against the backdrop of darkness along with another creature coiling against it in what he could only describe as a fight between giants.

The towering beast held that very same reiatsu from earlier and both Aevus and Lumina felt it at once and defensively and perhaps predatorily another spiritual pressure would pulsate from within him if not for but a moment. A lithe vulpine would slither into the mind of the blond. A coat bleeding wisps of darkness, Thin lined irises keenly lit of a memorizing golden hue reflecting gently the reflection of the girl like a tinted mirror. Curling of lips, revealing unstained incisors flashed as the fox spoke.

“Curious ever so curious, another oddity.” Small paws fell against the mind of the girl, her silver tongue flickering within her very maw as she turned her head. “That aura of yours, how foul.” The fox would giggle just faintly. ”Yet you’re an endearing little snake none the less.” The foxes tail would swivel as she turned away from the girl, her voice echoed gently within the girls mind as her looming voice began to fade ever so slowly. Perhaps she wouldn’t be deemed as threatening and she clearly wasn’t as monstrous as the beast that hid within her world but she carried her own malicious intent.

As the that split second of reiatsu faded he would come eye to eye with the greens of the girl before she to faded from view. He stood silently that smirk of his quickly returning. “Clever girl.” He was cornered but yet was he really? He would move against the blade, allowing himself to be nicked in the process as he spun. His blue eyes would flash, his blade held against her throat in a reverse grip. He eyed her sternly yet he had a respect for her and that roguish smile would remain and yet he still knew nothing of her tail.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Shizuyoko smiled softly as she could FEEL the surprise coming off of the male, her own smile only widening a bit, before that spirit of hers suddenly presented itself to them, her own mind not taking much mind to it. She had yet to see anything but brief glimpses of those two spirits, her own zanpkau'to something of a ...mystery? She wouldn't really say that she supposed. She knew both swords long before they had been fed that asauchi.

The fact that they had gone quiet simply made her chuckle to herself, thinking them pouting for having been left alone for so long. And only now, years later, to have been picked back up. It was....cute actually now that she thought of it. And when Aevus's zanpaku'to... or rather his.......something, made it's appearance. She was only mildly surprised. Her own mind's eye shifting to regard that strange thing. Interesting....that fresh from the academy, the first thing to speak to her soul was not her own zanpaku'to. But....this thing.

She could smell it. Sense it. Between her aura, and her own memories of just what an arrancar's spirit smelled like. Seeing it in a shinigami, she made...... a hypothesis. As it regarded her. Calling her aura .....well.....hardly complimenting it. Shizuyoko's smile only softened for a moment, watching them as if to say, politely, 'hello', her own spiritual voice hardly something she had gotten back into using. For now that creature would go unanswered, leaving Shizuyoko with the fight she was currently locked into.

As Aevus turned and allowed himself that cut, she smiled, raising an arm, as if to catch that blade, no doubt something that would send a jolt of shock through Aevus. She had already managed to cut him. The notion that she would even be able to catch his blade would probably be ridiculous. But.....the confidence in her smile was something that would sell it beautifuly, and Aevus would likely fins himself perhaps, hesitating with this sudden predicament.

Of course....there was no lie in that smile. She did plan on stopping the blade. As that tail snuck out once again, and that shortened blade found tiself slipping into the outside of Aevus's elbow where it met with his frearm, locking it from continuing tho extend and thus bring the blade to her throat, her other blade moving in it seemed, though in the motion of doing so, Shizuyoko stepped forward, into the small of Aevus's back, where there was an incredibly harder time to actually hit her in this awkward spot for his arm to reach.

That arm holding her longer blade moved in, circling around his body before wrapping around, and in that motion.....sheathed her blade at her hip, eliciting a playful little smile as she was but amere inch from the back of his neck, knowing that if he had been fighting at full speed she would have doubtlessly lost. But even so, he had humored her, and allowed her to.....show off. So she slowly removed that arm from around his waist, letting her tail slither back into her hakama as it slipped that wakizashi back into it's housing.

"Thank you for your praise. And going easy enough on me for me to impress you. This was.....fun. And it seems..... that we have a bit more in common than I imagined." She noted softly, closing her eyes as she lifted her hand, and gently placed it on his shoulder, this time the sensation of comfort was even stronger than when her hand had simply come near his shoulder.

"It's not easy. I will not lie. Acceptance will not come.......painlessly...." Her memory shifted back to Susanoo. Who had seen her only for the hollow reiatsu she had once held. That she had held for so very long. She remembered his rage, his incredulity, his judgement for....those she had taken.....for the sake of herself. "But.....there is always the chance. That after things get worse. They will get so much better." She spoke comfortingly, smiling as she thought of how that very same man who had scorned her for what she was.....had become.....something so very different for her.

Slowly, she removed her hand from the man's shoulder, gently stepping out from behind him as that warm, reminiscing smile continued to play across her face, turning before offering a proper, respectful bow, as a student SHOULD give their teachers, before finally standing back up straight, and giving him a lovely sight of those brilliant green eyes smiling at him. "When I find my squad. Even if we don't end up in the same. I hope that we can meet like this again..." She noted in soft farewell. Of course she gave him opportunity to say his piece as well, but even so....the day grew long. And it was liekly time for the both of them to take their leave.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Aevus - +330 CTP
Shizu - +300 CTP converted to 150 SP, and +30 TTP.

Please note in the future which you are training for, if you would.