Here To Document The Local Vermin [R / PvP / NDE]

[Deleted]

Thread Title: ^ that hot mess
Participants: Alex and Miranda
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location: The streets of the Rukongai
Special Conditions:
Circumstances:

[Deleted]

It was a nice day. Nothing more could really be said about it if we were being completely honest. Actually that’s a lie. How clear and blue the skies were could be talked about. Their wasn’t a single cloud in the sky except waaaaay over in the horizon. Plus it was all white and fluffy so we didn’t need to worry about it being any sort of rain cloud. But, either way, it was just a cozy day in Soul Society. Well, the Rukongai, if we were going to be really specific. Soul Society, Rukongai, it was all the same more or less. The Rukongai was the Soul Society but the Soul Society wasn’t the Rukongai. Kinda like how saying New York City wasn’t New York. Maybe that is, or isn’t, the right parallel here. It doesn’t really matter though, does it?

Resting his buttchecks on the hard wooden bench that made for the entrance way to the small shop, Alexander rested with a content expression on his face. All around him where the busy and bustling spirits of those that had either passed on from their mortal lives or those that had naturally been born. Ghosts could have babies. Yeah, that was actually a fact. So strange to think about. Pulling carts, walking around, having conversations about things that were entirely pointless and meaningless, all the sorts of things that ghosts that could live for hundreds of years in a Edo period Japan setting would do. Some were even working on the roof of a nearby home. The fact that heaven was Japan would never cease the just make Alexander want to laugh. Oh how each and every Christain and Muslim must feel when they take that last breath.

So the question just had to be asked...why exactly was Alexander Alistair, a Captain of the Holy Walled Empire, or Invisible Empire, doing in a place like the Rukongai? Enjoying some dango on a stick, that’s what. Lifting the small treat to his mouth, he removed one of the dumplings from its stick and went about chewing on it. Washing it down with the cup of green tea he held in his other hand, he let out a content sigh as he let his gaze wander to just people watch. Or ghost watch. Alex always felt more comfortable around spirits. Well, he was already always comfortable around people but spirits just made him relax that much more. Maybe it was because of his powers and a bit of a cliche troupe but, who knows. At least he wasn’t hanging around in graveyards.

But despite his slacking, Alex was actually here for a reason. He turned his gaze to the left to look at the city that was only a few districts away. A city that was entirely different from that of the Rukongai surrounding it. The Seireitei. Home of the Gotei Thirteen. Base of operations for the Soul Reapers. So you might be thinking “Oh a Vandenreich is scoping out the Seireitei cus he wants to run amok and cause some terrorism.” WRONG. That was NOT what he was doing. Completely. Entirely. Somewhat true. Alexander wasn’t actually here to blow stuff up (Amalia would be so dissapointed but Hadrian would be so happy). He was actually here on his own personal business.

His gaze hardened for a moment as he thought back to the first battle between Soul Society and the Walled Empire. He remembered being little more than a Lieutenant back then, fighting alongside other Soldats in a bloody and glorious battle. But as Alexander battled, he remembered becoming aware of something. His Fragment of the Black Key, a trinket of the Alistair clan, had reacted to something. Reaching beneath the collar of his tunic and sliding his fingers beneath the necklace, Alex pulled out the medallion. It was a beautiful piece of metal, to the untrained eye, but was cold and lifeless like all jewelry. The back material held within its center was not reacting to anything now, but Alex remembered the hum, the burn, and the sensation of it reacting to something when he was within the Seireitei’s walls.

That had caused Alexander to become suspicious. Are they hiding something? He wondered. Was it possible that Soul Society had abominations amongst its ranks? If that was the case...then Alexander couldn’t simply ignore it. Not as an Alistair. Not as a demon hunter. But...he...couldn’t really do anything about it right now anyways. What was he to do? Walk up to Soul Society, knock on it’s doors, and politely ask to inspect all of the Shinigami and murder the ones that were half demons? Hah. That idea was a joke all on its own. Shaking his head, he slid another dumpling in his mouth as he contemplated what he should do about that before the sudden sounds of crashing structures and screaming people drew his attention.

Rukongai spirits, in clear panic, stampede past Alex like a herd of cattle. Turning his head to look at them, with a confused expression on his face, he remained seated. ”Where’s the fire?” he asked before turning to look back in the direction they were running from. ”oooooooh.” he muttered when he saw what they were running from. A Hollow, big and ugly like a oversized flea, was haphazardly scurrying its way across the roofs of a couple buildings. It’s large, pointy, legs and fat butt was causing it trouble as the wooden structures could barely support it. Howling in frustration the Hollow seemed to decide to just give up and move to the ground.

But as it came to the ground, something fast, blue, and deadly punctured through the dead center of its masked forehead and caused it to cease all movement. Having finally gotten up, Alex remained stationary after firing the arrow from his suddenly formed bow. His right hand extended, open, as the bow created from reiatsu ceased to exist as he closed his fingers around the small medallion that had been the source of the energy. His left hand, steaming slightly, was lowered as well as a smug smirk painted itself on his face as the Hollow disintegrated into black particles. ”A bit out of practice buuuuut I’m stone cold sober today.” he said to himself, nodding in agreement with himself before bending over to grab his cup of tea again. ”Seemed like it was running away from something...wasn’t eating anyone.” Alex remarked, wondering what could have been happening.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}


Strength - 50 Points

Speed - 200 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 200 - 300 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 350 - 525 Points

Light Aura - 100 Points

Dark Aura - 0 Points

Instinct - 200 - 130 Points

Senses - 200 - 130 Points

Energy sensory - 0 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: 1,200 Points

• [Weapons: Archery] {2}
• [Battle Anaylsis] {2}
• [Strength of Will] {2}
• [Charisma] {2}
• [Acrobatics] {2}

[Miranda Frost]

The final day of her restricted duty had passed, allowing Miranda Frost to resume her duties as normal, but what was “Normal” anymore? Her service as a shinigami had been brief when comparing her to the other unseated, some of which had been stuck in their position for decades. Her two years in squad 7 was a farce, kept to light duty due to injuries sustained in her very first mission. Higher command probably thought it best to relegate her to something even lighter, or at least closer to home.

Apparently they thought squad 10 to be the perfect ground for her to stand the rest of her service. Nothing has changed really when it came to her daily routine. She still awoke every morning and kept her appearance sharp with her hair combed and her uniforms reverted to a pristine condition, until that day’s activities all but ruins the art that is her maintenance. For a division that’s focused on defending this boring place, Miranda had never been more frequently injured. Her time within her new squad was brief, counting up to only a few months at least or a year at most, and she had been force to wear these tightly fitting bandages for nearly the entirety of the time.

Frost was allowed to take them off this morning, but she couldn’t shake the feeling she’d be wearing them again soon enough. Whether it be ancient sentient artifacts that make no god damn sense, hollows with some twisted interest in her body, or fellow comrades wanting to test her progress in contests of strength and durability, it would seem the universe itself was out to make sure Frost would feel the dull pains and aches left over from every battle. As Frost ran down the street of one of the closer districts, she let loose a tired sigh. Every mountain before her felt just barely out of her reach. The further the platinum-haired shinigami climbed, its precipice would move that much farther away.

As Frost gave chase to the Flea-ing hollow that got just a little too close to the Sereitei, she wondered how much longer she’d have to labor to achieve another step in the road to her ambition’s goal. How many times would she have to have her ass kicked before she got something out of it? Well, she couldn’t quite say she’s gotten nothing. Her comrades cared for her and the most recent duel with the distasteful Mariposa Serrato allowed her blade to fully develop. Could she even call Towairaito a blade anymore? Ever since that struggle, it had failed to revert back to its original state. It still startles her every time her hand unconsciously reaches for its pommel, only to find its not there.

The thought made her smile, but the sound of shattering roof tiles did not. The disinterested steel of Miranda’s eyes glanced up at her right, watching the disgusting beast get away. “I won’t let you go that easy”, she thought, sending a clump of her reiatsu to hover momentarily above her right shoulder. “Draw”, she commanded allowing the clump of nothingness to draw in the reishi from around her person. Compacted and forged, the reishi began to crystallize along her reiatsu template to create but a crude spike. It was no piece of art by any means, but she had been told the way the crystal reflects the sunlight was something of beauty.

“Tsk… If it’d just stand still”, she muttered, the newly created construct aiming its point at the beast’s center of mass. The fat monster was quite dexteritous despite its grotesque body composition. It made Miranda wonder if it would actually hit. Surely it would sense the pilum coming. After all, anyone who could sense spiritual energy could feel her coming from a ways away. She bit her lip and cursed to herself. She’d have to hold it back for now. After a month or so without proper practice, she wasn’t confident enough to make the shot and risk the projectile coming down on another’s head somewhere else. “God… damn it.”

The hollow thankfully took to the ground. The road was narrow enough to keep him from moving too erratically. It was too big for the even narrower alleyways between the buildings and the next intersection wasn’t for a good distance up the road. Before she could fire and take advantage of this opportunity, The hollow was disintegrated in a brilliant flash of azure light. Miranda skidded to a halt, the point of her makeshift spear shifting its aim to the ground. The shinigami crossed her arms and collected her breath as she began assess the source of the precise blast. The source was a man just ahead, just casually sipping tea.

Miranda approached him, being sure not to get too close. He wasn’t a shinigami, that was for certain. He had a feeling akin to the two quincy she had met, yet there seemed to be something else. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Frost had taken many patrols through this area and never before had an intervention like this occured. It had taken her aback. What could she say? He clearly didn’t express any hostile intent. He was simply a man enjoying some tea on the steps of a humble shop, but then again he did not belong here.

She sighed and scratched a single claw against her left temple, as if that would give her the correct words, but then again, she caught the tail end of his remarks. Easy. “Aye, That would be me, I assume.” She cut in, her gloved hands brushing back her tangled hair. “I appreciate you stepping in. Had I been just that little bit faster, I would have not have needed it” It was true enough, even if her frustrations from earlier ponderings showed through. However, the safety of her assigned areas are more important than her petty internal ravings. “Gratitude aside, I have to ask: What are you doing out here?”

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}



Stats:



Strength - 80 Points

Speed - Points

(soldier modifier result = 84)

Spiritual Pressure - 220 - 330 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 190 Points

Light Aura - 75 Points

Dark Aura - 25 Points

Instinct - 150 Points

Senses - 50 Points *

Energy sensory - Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: 860 Points

Skills:

Strength of Will: 2

Martial Arts: Hakuda: 2

Battle Analysis: 2

Cold Tolerance: 2

Kido: 2

[Deleted]

Sometime’s Alexander had to curse the fact that he couldn’t sense energy. Such a useful ability he could have had was lost on him due to his lack of affinity for him. Frowning a little to himself, Alex would see the Shinigami well before he would sense her. Scratching his temple as the Shinigami came closer, Alex had to wonder how he was going to handle this situation. He wasn’t supposed to be in the Rukongai and certainly wasn’t here looking to pick a fight. He had just come for some tea! Hmm He thought to himself, rubbing his chin with his thumb and index finger as Miranda approached him and, some distance away, began to talk to him. She was talking? Alex blinked. She wasn’t just screaming and charging him? Was...she not aware what he was?

When life gives you lemons, y’know? A smile painted itself across his features as Alex recognized the opportunity standing in front of him. Looking Miranda over and inspecting her, his eyes very obviously tracing her shape despite the shihakusho she was wearing, Alex had to admit he liked what he saw. The face of an angel with hair like snow? Daddy liked. Closing his eyes and lazily waving his hand back and forth on its wrist, Alex decided to answer her. ”Oh it was no problem at all. I’d have hated to see such a good day ruined. I only hope someone wasn’t hurt prior to you getting involved.” he answered, smiling at Miranda and letting his natural Light Aura bleed out.

Of course, he was still rather surprised that this Shinigami was willing to have a conversation with him. Maybe she didn’t realize that he was a Captain of the Walled Empire, the greatest Empire in all of Human History. A devoted and loyal servant of Der Kaiser. Graaanted, the Vandenreich insignia that he wore on his clothes were conveniently hidden beneath that massive friggin cloak that he was wearing. He wore the insignia displaying his allegiance on the back of his shirt, but because he was wearing that big polar bear fur looking cloak of his it would be very difficult for Miranda to see it. All the better, right?

”That’s a perfectly fair and reasonable question. Soul Society, much less the Rukongai, no doubt rarely receives visitors like me. But don’t worry, I’m not your enemy.” Alex replied, lifting his hands up to about chest level and showing Miranda his palms to get the point across. ”I’m a cryptozoologist, of all things, here to document and study the wildlife here in Soul Society. It’s of my opinion, and of the educational community, that some of the animal myths in our world might have originally come from this world. Bigfoot, the Lochness Monster, Chupacabra, Nessie. I’m simply here to see if that theory has any merit.” he was so full of shit it was amazing he was saying all of this without skipping a single beat. He wanted to laugh so badly but he was able to keep himself under control.

”Ah, but where are my manners-” he suddenly realized, approaching Miranda. There was no hostility from him that Miranda would be able to sense. He was simply a charming bundle of light. Extending his hand forward and bowing slightly, he meant to accept Miranda’s hand. Should Miranda actually give him her hand, he would gently place a kiss on it before continuing with his greeting. ”I am Alexander Alistair. Professor, Alexander Alistair. I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms…” he trailed off, inviting her to give him her name.

[Miranda Frost]

“I certainly hope no one was hurt prior to your involvement” Miranda bit her lip, stifling herself from immediately replying to this comment. A charming air surrounded the handsome man, but he was, of course, a Quincy. She realized she’d have to make the attempt to keep herself from giving out too much information. Still though, the comment did make her stomach churn. That hollow had gotten so close to the Sereitei before they noticed. The hollow’s aura was apparently weak enough to dodge the routine patrols and sensor sweeps that looked for such traces of reiatsu. Given the immense size of the Rukongai, there was no telling how many more would have been killed or devoured.

“Those monsters have an insatiable appetite. I doubt he wouldn’t have had a few snacks along the way”, she replied grimly. Even that was more than she was willing to give, but it did help that the man’s charisma and light aura gave her wariness a little slack, even if she didn’t want to. “No doubt you’ve just won yourself a few free drinks. The souls around these parts spook easily of such things that rarely reach them.”, Frost chuckled, flicking the the crystalline pilum at her side sharply with her claw, letting it emanate a sharp, resonating chime. “Be warned, they may not take no for an answer.”

The man continued on to explain his reason for being here in the Rukongai, but something did strike to her as odd. For one, it was rare for Quincies to be found just relaxing in a place they shouldn’t, or so she had been told. She had only seen one Quincy here, the shifty Quincy by the name of Asmokon, Hotaru-sama’s husband. His appearance is easily explained. Hotaru-sama possibly just gave him access to their Senkaimon or something of similar quality. She didn’t doubt Alexander’s peaceful intentions, but she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something was off.

Her thoughts must have whisked her senses to somewhere else, for she didn’t immediately notice her gloved hand being lifted as the man completed his greeting. Her eyes of steel glanced down to him, her fingers twitching as his lips just barely touched the leather of her garment. Such a thing brought a smile to her face. “Frost. Miranda Frost.”, She replied, the lightness in her chest evolving to something resembling a slight giggle. She took back her hand and rubbed the spot Alexander kissed. “Well met, Professor”

This was certainly a pleasant surprise, this particular greeting was. The only type she was used to was those commonly utilized by Japanese culture. That’s not to say that she hadn’t seen things not in line with this realms theme. With a world’s population worth of souls crammed into the Rukongai, there are a myriad of various cultures spread thin throughout the Rukongai. Miranda for one, was not of Asian descent, she could tell that much, but memories of her last life were few and far in between. She only knows she hailed from a cold place amidst the humble comfort of a small village.

Miranda shook her head, forcing her mind back to the topic at hand. “So you’re looking for information on mythical beasts.” She tapped a claw against her chin, her eyes glancing to the side in thought. “I must admit. Rumors and information on that sort of stuff would be more plentiful the closer to the Rukongai’s edge you go. The wilderness beyond no doubt houses beasts of mythical proportions. I personally, would look there.” Her inquisitive gaze returned to the charming professor, her mind filing the information he gave him away. If she didn’t report this, her head would likely be rolling.

[Deleted]

Apologizes for the short post lol

Well this was playing out rather well. At least, so Alex thought at least. After delivering a greeting kiss to the back of Miranda’s hand he was pleased to see, and hear, the positive reaction he received from Miranda. His smile was two faced. The smile that Miranda saw was one of a charming, innocent, professor that didn’t mean her any harm whatsoever. But, in actuality, Alexander was glad that Miranda was following the script he had set for her. Straightening himself up and returning his hand beneath his cloak, Alex blinked when he heard what Miranda had to say. His lips parted ways for a moment before closing back together and nodding along with her.

”Well, of course. You can’t hope to find fish without water.” he replied jokingly. ”As you know, each District of your Rukongai is separated by wilderness. I just wanted to take a break from exploring and searching and get myself some tea and sweets. I do admit I might have strayed a little too close to the Seireitei though.” Alexander explained with complete confidence, looking at the military city in the distance behind Miranda as he mentioned that last part.

Things seemed okay right now. A Vandenreich Quincy was having a perfectly pleasant conversation with a Shinigami. Granted, said Shinigami didn’t actually realize who she was talking too. And Alex wanted to keep it that way. He wasn’t technically supposed to be here in Soul Society. He could get in trouble. Trouble from both the rest of the Vandenreich and the Shinigami. But, right now, things were okay. So long as Miranda didn’t come to learn where his loyalties lied then he was in the clear. But that begged the question. Why was he still here and why did he want to keep Miranda in the dark? Alex sensed an opportunity.

”I’m loathe to head back out though before receiving whatever reward the locals intend to give me though. I hate drinking by myself. Care to join me? I find anything gets washed down better when you’re in the company of a beautiful woman.” Alex offered, laying on the charm. The inklings of an idea where starting to pop up in his head, though it would be something that would have to be a long con rather than a quick flash. But Alex was anything if not impatient. He was a hunter after all. Sometimes he had to wait for an opportunity to be most rewarding before pouncing on it.

[Miranda Frost]

There were patches of wilderness between some of the districts, but such things could hardly be called true “Wildernesses” From what Frost had seen during her many patrols across the densely populated city. Granted she hadn’t seen it in its entirety. A large portion of the place remained unexplored by her own two feet. Perhaps the Quincy was right in that regard. Frost allowed herself a slight sigh of relief. The man admitted that he was too close to the Sereitei. Good. Now to get him to go away? That was a task she didn’t quite feel comfortable with.

The man radiated with the charismatic prowess of a true gentleman. Perhaps it was too early to determine if he was a threat to the Shinigami, but Miranda didn’t seem to think so. Sure she could be playing into a game here, but then again this was the reality of her ranking. Just recently she was used by the stealth squad without her knowing in order to draw out an Arrancar that had gotten just a bit too close to the Rukongai. It was safe to say that Captain-sama was not pleased with this turn of events.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Professor”, she laughed, stifling it slightly with the palm of her glove. “But a drink or three? Very well.  Aye, I’ll accompany you.” She did hesitate in her speech. Miranda was, after all, dispatched to deal with that sneaky hollow, but now the hollow is gone. She would likely be expected back at her Division’s barracks, but then again wouldn’t her absence be excused if she brought back information of a Quincy who managed to get so close to the Sereitei without anyone noticing? Miranda would like to believe so. This hunk of a man was offering her a drink. How could she say no?

“I reccomend we move out away from the Sereitei. If I’m to share a drink with you, it’s likely they’ll send someone to check up on me after a while”,The Shinigami suggested, glancing up at the man’s chiseled facial features. Frost wasn’t one for facial hair, but the subtly of the man’s chin fuzz spoke to her. “Which may or may not escalate things if they realize what you are. Not all of us are tolerant of Quincies, you know.” Especially the newer breed, The shit-hot recruits just out of the Academy. Many of the instructors there hadn't much to say about the Quincies, but what they said wasn't particular good-natured. No doubt many of her comrades would be particularly hostile towards Alexander, if given the chance.

[Deleted]

Grinning when Miranda accepted his invitation to party and drink, Alex couldn’t help but ask himself a very simple question. “What the fuck am I doing?” He honestly wondered. He was going on full auto-pilot mode. He didn’t see the point in picking a fight where he didn’t need too. Miranda was incredibly lucky that the Vandenreich she had bumped into was this clown. He smirked at her, knowing full well that his pleasant demeanor and charisma was having an effect on her. Like playdoh in his hands, almost. Not like he was using her anyways. Not yet anyhow. He was from a noble line after all. A noble line of warriors, but being of royal blood also meant knowing how to win the battle of conversation and etiquette. Charisma was just as much a weapon as a bow.

He noticed some hesitation in her words though. As though she suddenly second guessed herself. It was entirely possible it was just genuine hesitation. A stranger that you hardly knew was inviting you off to god knows where for alcoholic drinks? That was a recipe for potential disaster. Now hold on dear reader, before you go thinking Alexander was some sort of creep let’s make it clear that he wouldn’t take advantage of a woman like that. He might have been a demon hunting, pizza loving, Captain of the Vandenreich who had a hobby of getting in trouble, but he was a gentleman.

Her hesitation might have been born from suspicion though. It certainly was strange for a Quincy to be here. No doubt she might have wondered if he were a possible Vandenreich. Now, while some people might think that was racist it was actually a very fair thing to think. How often were Quincy spotted in Soul Society again? And just what Quincy faction was at war with Soul Society? Thankfully, for Alex, the demon hunter was rather adamant on dressing up in his own choice of clothes. He didn’t really like the white uniform. Yeah, he got it. White is the opposite of black. It was a military so you needed uniforms. Yada yada. Wearing white made him stand out. He enjoyed his much more...traditionalist clothes. He was a demon hunter. He wanted to look the part. His clothes did possess the symbol of his allegiance though. But luckily for him it was on his back, which was conveniently covered up by that wonderful cloak of his.

”We probably won’t get far.” Alex said in response to Miranda, noticing the Rukongai spirits that were beginning to come out of hiding and preparing to celebrate. ”Ah, here they come.” he teased, chuckling to himself. Alex blinked when he heard Miranda say a certain sentence. He turned his head to look at her and gave her a coy smile with a raised eyebrow. ”Are you implying you might be gone for some time, Miss Frost? Or are you hoping?” he asked, turning the teasing onto her before deciding to return his attention to the Rukongai spirits approaching them. He didn’t say anything about her warning. He knew what she said was true. He’d probably end up being reported about. Unless he could convince Miranda to keep this little meeting secret.

”Master Shinigami, Sir, we want to thank you for saving us from that Hollow.” a older spirit said, his praise directed at both Miranda and Alex. While Alex may have been the one to kill it, Frost was still doing her job and trying to put a stop to it. ”Please please, come. It isn’t much but we want to give our thanks.” he was a bit of a pushy old fart, Alex thought, before just smiling and shrugging. ”Yes, let’s. It would be incredibly rude of me to not accept.” he commented, before following behind the spirit into one of the larger gathering houses. Well, “houses”. Turns out it was a tavern. Alex knew that most Rukongai spirits lived in large, adopted, group families so he wasn’t surprised to hear that the old man was the “father” of the owner. Free food and drinks!

The late afternoon turned to night a lot faster than was probably expected. Or maybe it was later in the day than Alex thought. Who knew. Who cared. What was time? Was time the tasty sake in the cup in his hands? He didn’t know. Throwing his head back and downing his next round, Alex let out a happy sigh as he placed his cup back down. He was treating his sake like a shot of whiskey or something. So, in truth, he didn’t drink sake terribly often. But hey, he was a experienced drinker. He was already at least under a dozen drinks in. All around him the tavern was alive. Spirits drinking, chowing down on food, all in full swing of party mode.

A red hue covered Alexander’s features as he turned out and leaned against the bar, letting the energy in the room take hold of him like it had everyone else. ”The benefit of the afterlife is being able to do this as much as you’d like, I imagine.” Alex commented to his “date”, turning his head to look at Frost. He wondered how she was doing, in terms of drinking. ”So Miss Frost, I didn’t get the chance to ask. Shinigami have...what...Thirteen different Squads, correct?” he asked playfully. ”Let’s play a game. If I can guess which Squad you’re a part of you…” he paused, tapping his chin and looking away as he thought. A lightbulb went off over his head. ”then you don’t report that you saw me. I’d prefer neither of us get in trouble over this.” he explained, smirking at her.

[Miranda Frost]

“Why… you…”, She muttered, turning her blush plagued face away from Alexander’s flirtatious insinuation. Truth be told, she did appreciate the man’s gentlemanly demeanor and sharp appearance. If it weren’t for the uniform she wore on her back, perhaps she wouldn’t have been as hesitant as she had been. They had only known each other for a half hour at best, and she already felt herself swoon under the immense weight of his charm and strength. This was a rarity. She had met charming fellows before who could make her feel this way if they wanted, but the situation that they existed in here was a bit different. The danger involved here was oddly… appetizing.

The establishment that the pair was led to by the old man was quite bigger than she had expected, but then again they were rather close to the Sereitei. Weather spirits were abundant in these districts and many of their services were aimed towards both spirits and shinigami alike. Though still on edge, she decided to push off these suspicious feelings, at least for the time being. It had been a while since she had a decent drink or four. “Impressive”, she muttered as they entered the place, following close behind the taller quincy. As they approached the bar Miranda would stop and tug at the Professor’s sleeve to grab his attention.

“Don’t flare your reiatsu, if you can. Mine is wide-spread. As long as you avoid doing so, I doubt anyone would detect you from afar.”, she heavily suggested in a tone just loud enough for the Quincy to hear her. With that said she took a stool next to the man. Before the barkeep could bring her a glass she waved at him dismissfully. “I have my own, behold.”, She grinned and concentrated her efforts at the space of bar in front of her. Her loud and boisterous reiatsu condensed at that spot and drew in the reishi surrounding the immediate area. Out of thin air, it seemed, a rather large, crystalline mug would form itself. In no time at all the cup would finish. Although it wasn’t the most elegant of drinking tools, Miranda enjoyed the way the light blue facets covering its entirety reflected the dim and flaring lamplight that was abundant in this building. “Fill her up, please~”

The late afternoon accelerated and the sun soon fell. Miranda had lost count of how many mugs worth of sake and other liqour she had taken in. Bah, let’s be honest, she never was counting her drinks to begin with. She was however keeping tabs on the handsome professor, in between drinks to remind herself of his presence. This… “Date” was one of awkward atmosphere. She couldn’t bring herself to talk to the man during their drinking session, so the majority of it all was spent in silence between the two, until Alexander spoke up once more. She paused her drinking and clenched the mug firmly in her grip.

“Yeah. Thirteen of them, why do you want to..”, she stammered out, about to inquire on the nature of the question, until he answered the question himself. She sighed and slammed a handful of shimmering coins on the bar, forgetting the deal the barkeep had given them, but then again the money wasn’t for the drinks. “Barkeep, We require a room.”

“Well, Miss, We only have one room avai-”

“One, is all we need”, She cut him off, urging him to be quick with their business. Quickly he scampered off to fetch their key and and deposited it into her hand. Maybe one would be stricken by the seriousness of her expression, if it weren’t for the heavy drunkin’ blush resting in her cheeks. She gripped a hold of Alexanders hand and led him away, a bit forcefully if she needed to. Once at the room she’d pull him inside and proceed to immediately lock the door behind her and carefully search the room for any sort of surveillance equipment, or as best as she could given her drunken state. She stumbled along to each piece of furniture to include: the bed, the sheets on the bed, each drawer , the foot locker, the desk, etc., until she was satisfied they were secure here. She nearly tripped over the loose floorboards when closing the drapes over the windows.

“Now. Before we continue in our conversation, I need to know why you’re really here. Trust me when I agree that I’d rather us both not get into hot water with this… Thing we are having. Tell me the truth, and then we’ll see how the rest of this 'Date' turns out."

[Deleted]

Well this was a very unexpected turn of events. All Alexander had done was offer to play a little game with Miranda and the next moment he knew, he was being led by the hand by a woman with the determination of an ox. Was he just that good? Of course he was. The Quincy could barely keep himself with grinning and snickering, not helped by the abundance of alcohol in his system. ”Looks like I was right about what I said earlier.” he joked, almost tripping on something as he was pulled along. Finally though they reached their destination. A single room, with a single bed, just for them. What surprised him, though, was what Miranda was doing next.

Locking the door wasn’t surprising. Not at all. But what caused him to just stand there, confused, was the fact that she had begun searching the room. Like, actually searching it. Like a police officer looking for hidden drugs. Opening up every cabinet and looking behind each piece of furniture, even going as far to check the sheets of the bed. Actually that was good. Alex didn’t want to roll around in someone else's stains. They’d be making plenty of their own though of that he was certain. He couldn’t help but chuckle and joke, not really understand what was going on. ”I take it you’re a lights off and under the covers kind of woman?” he asked jokingly before Miranda finally questioned him and revealed what was going on.

“Now. Before we continue in our conversation, I need to know why you’re really here. Trust me when I agree that I’d rather us both not get into hot water with this… Thing we are having. Tell me the truth, and then we’ll see how the rest of this 'Date' turns out."

”Fun and drinks, and looking for a fun night, just like you are.” Alexander quickly replied as though that were the answer, even holding his hand out in explanation and letting his words soak in for a second. But the facade was broken with a sigh and him beginning to scratch the top of his head, pushing around those brown pointy locks of his. What a sticky situation he had just gotten himself into, and they weren’t even sticky in the fun way yet. Taking a deep breath, so he could focus and push down some of that alcohol, he decided to just come out and give her the truth. ”Alright. The truth then.”

His left hand emerged from the inside of his cloak and pushed the left portion of the fabric away, done so that he could reveal and display the crest that was stitched into the front of his shirt. A crest that Miranda wouldn’t recognize. In fact, Alex would have been surprised if any Shinigami recognized his family insignia. ”My name is Alexander Alistair. Last son of the Alistair family. And no, as you’ve accurately deduced, I’m not here to look for big foot. I was surprised you bought that at all, honestly.” he admitted with a laugh, pleasantly smiling as he returned his hand beneath his cloak. Miranda wouldn’t sense any hostility from Alex. No surge of reiatsu, no bloodlust, nothing. In fact it was almost as though he was relaxing. Like he could finally stop playing a character.

”I’m a demon hunter, to put it rather simply. The last son of a warrior dynasty trained since birth to fight against the forces of Hell that escape their eternal imprisonment and seek to spread evil throughout the living worlds.” Alexander revealed, strolling past Miranda and making his way over to the mirror. ”I’m here in the Soul Society because I’ve reason to believe that, in some form or manner, Hell has its roots within the Shinigami rank and file. Now whether that’s because your Research and Development Division has gotten its hands on artifacts from Hell, or if demonic agents have infiltrated your ranks, I’m not sure. I can’t really do anything about it right now anyways. I doubt the Gotei Thirteen would be...hmm...accommodating to a Quincy sniffing about their property in these times.” he joked, pushing back one of the windows blinds to look out into the Rukon for a moment, his eyes settling on Soul Society itself before closing them back up.

Turning and leaning against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest, Alexander let those blue eyes of his lock down onto Miranda. Blue and possessing a coldness like ice he watched her, like a tiger watched prey. ”I don’t want word of my being here to reach back to Soul Society. If I’m right and there are, in fact, unholy forces hidden amongst your ranks then I worry that they might be spooked and go into hiding should they learn about my existence. Naturally, one like myself has many enemies from down there. I’ve ruined quite a number of their plans and done away with many a monster.” Alex bragged, smirking at Miranda before pushing himself off the wall and approaching the female Shinigami.

He stopped before his feet could touch hers, standing over her and smiling down softly at her. He was very good at controlling his motor skills even when drunk. ”Now then...I hope that was a sufficient answer. How does the rest of our night look now, Miss Frost?” he asked softly, almost in a whisper, smirking at her playfully as he waited for the questions and responses he’d no doubt he getting.

[Miranda Frost]

Finally, Miranda would learn of the underlying details whose mysterious tendrils were bugging her the moment they had met. Sure the man put on a charming, charismatic, and flirtatious attitude, but such things weren’t enough to curb her suspicions. Ever since stepping fut into the ranks and files of the gotei 13, many men and women had attempted to grab her attention. Some were better than it than others, but none had peaked her interests until today. Alexander had played his cards right, and if he weren’t a quincy with some admittedly hilarious excuse for being in a place Quincy normally didn’t dwell, then perhaps she’d experience the more intimate side of a bedroom for the first time.

However this wouldn’t be the case, not yet. The steel of Miranda’s eyes etched that sigil of his into her mind and found herself relaxing, if only just a little. Fear and animosity of the Vandenreich, among other things, was instilled into the minds of new recruits. Though this didn’t completely negate the possibility of alignment to this enemy of hers, it seemed to lessen the possibility in her mind. Learning of the things he revealed however, confused and somewhat angered the Shingami woman. How could such a strong and well disciplined fighting force such as the Gotei 13 be tainted with the likes of… Demons?

She didn’t interrupt, but she really wanted to. She wanted to dismiss such claims and let out this burning sensation buzzing in her chest, but she bit her tongue for the time being. Her jaw clenched and tensed and her hands tightened into firm, shaking fists at her side. Frost could not completely the possibility of such things. She had heard tales as a child of demons taking the form of humans to plague the earth in their dastardly deeds. Who is to say they couldn’t do the same to the organization Miranda worked for? After all, they were all just human with a slightly different coat of paint.

As the Professor approached her she found herself backing away, or rather attempting to. After the first half step backwards she found herself against the locked door. Her heart beat hard in her chest. Surely Alexander must know she had to report something. Her reiatsu no doubt could be found all over the scene of the hollow’s destruction, as well as the man’s. The citizens here also witnessed the act and saw them interact with each other. If Miranda didn’t proceed from this point with caution, then she could be judged as a traitor. But if she stuck to her guns she possibly wouldn't leave the bedroom alive.

Oh, she was afraid. Whether or not the man could sense the disparity between the two, she could. It was like every time before when she’d face another in combat. Jyuria, Arantima, Serrato, and now Alexander. She had made good strides to get stronger yet here’s another to show she’s just not there yet. With fear beating in her chest and anger pumping through her veins she stepped to him and clenched his shirt tightly into her grip. “What the hell am I supposed to do then? I can’t just not do my job. FUCK”. She yelled in frustration. No doubt the neighbors could hear, but that wasn’t what was going through her mind right now.

She let him go and pivoted around him, walking past him to stand at the foot of the bed, turning her back to him. Her palm massaged at her temples. “I am responsible for reporting what i see and what I experience, Professor.”, She stated, trying hard to keep her shaking voice down. “Let’s say I don’t say anything, Hell, let’s say I lie.”, Her voice quivered. She had always had a problem with anger when dealing with frustration, but she could suppress it. What was hard was suppressing her greatest fears, the more notably of which being end of her life as she knows it. “I will be caught. I will be tried and judged. Assuming I’m not executed, I will be excommunicated from the gotei 13 and my dreams will be shattered. You’ve left me no choice, Professor...”

She couldn’t bare to turn her face towards him, not with stray tears rolling down her face. It would have been easy if Alexander was an enemy, but he wasn’t, not in her eyes. She could feel it in her bones, but that’s what’s made this so damned difficult. There was no easy out. Her desire to carry out her career by the books was impossible now, and it’s all because of her sense of honor. This man traded the souls devoured by that hollow for the countless more it could have slain. The man did her job when she could not. How could she bare to strike at this man? She turned towards him and pointed a single claw towards him.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

[Deleted]

Fear. Alexander could sense it. She was afraid. Fear was emenanting off of her as though it were a physical smog. What was she afraid of? Him? Or what he was telling her? His blue eyes focused down on her, the sound of her heartbeat being picked up by his animal like hearing, as he waited for her response. She stepped forward, anger flashing in her eyes, and clutched his shirt tightly. He blinked with surprise, lips hanging open just slightly, as he watched her and listened to her words. She was angry about...her job? Alexander watched her quizzically as she made her way over to the edge of the bed. She was concerned about doing her job? Alexander turned towards her entirely as she began massaging her temples out of frustration.

He tilted his head a little as she vented her frustrations. She was more concerned about what to report than what he had revealed to her? Or maybe he was missing the point. He was drunk, after all. But when he noticed that her voice had begun to tremble, no doubt out of panic, he began to approach her. His boots treaded lightly across the floor as he approached her and, when she spun to point at him, his arm snatched out to clutch her own. He held her there, her arm held out to the side, and stood close to her. Close enough for their scents to mingle and hers to infiltrate his nostrils, alongside the smell of booze.

His free hand lifted upwards, gently caressing the side of her fair, pale skinned, face until the point where his thumb met the origination of her tears. Gently scraping them aside he let out a single chuckle and smiled. ”You’ll be fine.” he whispered, with an absolute unbreaking confidence. ”Listen to me and do what I say, and you’ll be fine. When you return to Soul Society to give your report, you’ll tell them you pursued the Hollow. But as you fought you encountered a Vandenreich scout.” Alexander explained. Bit weird to say she found a Vandenreich when he was pretending to not be a Vandenreich, but whatever. He was starting to realize the opportunity that Miranda was presenting him. He couldn’t let it go to waste. His hand remained placed against her cheek, keeping her in place without force and ensuring she would be looking right at him.

”You fought with the Vandenreich before he fled. The Rukongai citizens, wanting to celebrate and thank their hero, offered you drinks and a party. You got too drunk to safely return to Soul Society. I think that covers everything.” he ended with a grin, giving her the perfect cover story. He didn’t want Miranda to get in trouble. Not because he cared about her. No. She was a Shinigami and he was a Vandenreich. He was flirting with danger here. But he did like her. She appealed to him. But he needed her. She was an opportunity he wanted to utilize. ”In return for being smeared though.” he teased, letting go of her arm and reluctantly pulling his hand away from her face, letting his fingertips gently glide against her skin.

Reaching under his collar with both hands he pulled out a necklace carrying a peculiar medallion. Letting her see it for a moment before looping it around her head and letting it rest against her neck, Alex gave it to her. ”That Medallion will react to anything originating from Hell. If it reacts, and you’ll know it when it does, don’t do anything. Just make a note of it. Where it reacted, when it did, how intense. And when you need to see me again, I’ll know to come.” he explained in a whisper, not letting go of the silver chain around the back of her neck.

He could sacrifice his Fragment of the Black Key. He had a few others in storage. But with this he’d have a in. He’d have his own agent in Soul Society. No doubt she’d also be eager in wanting to remove any sort of demonic influence from the Gotei. In truth, Alexander couldn’t care less about the Gotei. He just wanted at whatever they were hiding. Like a coonhound ready to chase after the varmint it had been trained to hunt. He wanted the demons hiding behind those walls and within the rank and file. Smiling at Miranda, he wondered if he needed to do more to really seal the deal. His eyes softened, and pushed ahead by the alcohol in his system, he gently tugged on the necklace to pull Miranda towards him. Not harshly. Not hard. Just enough to get her to come. If she complied, well, she’d find the Quincies lips pressed against hers. An action that, if allowed, would more than likely lead to Miranda’s first time experiencing the intimate activity shared between two people when alone in a bedroom.

[Miranda Frost]

Her heart pounded audibly. Even with her declaration, she felt as if at any moment she could break down. That damned Quincy, putting her in this predicament. The man must have felt how distraught she was, not that she could hide it well. Like her reiatsu being at full blast like a beacon, she always held her heart on her sleeve when situations disturb her efforts to keep it all under wraps. She was a soldier, after all. If she doesn’t maintain discipline and a cool head how could she ever be relied upon when those who depended upon her called for her? Damn it all. She loved her job. It saved her from a life of being locked away in some cultist’s cellar for who knows what, but it scared her.

The quincy felt her fear and moved closer. She stayed rooted and turned her head away. Her behavior was unbecoming of one such as herself. Fear, anger, and embarrassment flooded her entire being. Before she could look away however, his firm hand directed her to look at him, to look at those deep blue eyes. Instinctively her gloved hand gripped at that wrist as tightly as she could, but nothing else came of it. Instinct told her to strike now. In an instant she could envelope him in a coffin of beautiful crystal, but she couldn’t do it. As he spoke his words her hand loosened and fell away. He offered a way out, and out of desperation she took it, committing everything to memory. A story like that would work.

His gentle touch faded away leaving a tingling sensation behind. The stream of tears that had been released had been wiped away. He bestowed upon her a gift, a beautiful silver necklace with an interesting medallion that rested comfortably against her skin. When released she felt its weight hang heavy down upon her. It was beautiful. Like the sapphire necklace Lady Ajraka gave her, this gift seemed to absorb a bit of her worries. As she focused upon it, she felt her heartbeat slow, if only slightly. She turned her attention to him once more, committing his words to memory.

How could she back out now? This man hunted some of the vilest creatures to exist, so much so that even Hell couldn’t contain them. He needed someone to act in his stead within the Soul Society, and gave Miranda the tool to assist him. She hated being manipulated, and even saw this little act as a method of such, but… this she could understand. A Quincy, even one as strong as himself, could not root out the evil supposedly rooted in the Sereitei alone. She could forgive Professor Alexander Alistair.

“V-very well. I acc-”, she began to speak before being tugged close. In an instant her lips met his . Her hands moved the clench at the man’s shirt. She had never kissed another man in such a manner before. What the hell was she doing? Her mind screamed for her to push away, but she stayed there anyway. No, this was nice. The smell of wine on his lips combined with whatever else he wore was intoxicating. His warmth, his strength, this touch was all to new to her. She couldn’t help but feel a little selfish standing there, but a little selfishness every once in a while never hurt anyone, didn’t it?

After a bit in his embrace she would separate. The professor not only stole her first real kiss, but her breath in the process. She breathed in deeply and rooted herself. It calmed her down, if only slightly. Her mind wasn’t bothered by her fears anymore. Like a knight riding in on a pale horse, he banished it away. After a few more moments she realized another predicament she was in. She was… attracted to this man and she led him here to this room alone. She bit her lip, Her face beginning to burn with a blush inflicted not by her drunkenness, but of what she feared or hoped would come next. “I… erm… I’ve never… kissed like that before”, she admitted under her breath, Her eyes glancing away once more. Her hands loosened and let go of his shirt before flattening them against his chest. “Oh man.”

[Deleted]

Changing his talking colors due to being too similar to Luke & Miranda

The feeling of her soft lips against his brought about a taste of enjoyment that Alexander was experienced with. Yet, no matter how often he tasted it, it was enjoyable each and every-time. Especially when the person on the other side of his lips was a beautiful woman. He didn’t push anything with this kiss though. He didn’t pull or chew on her lips. He didn’t slide his tongue past them to explore and taste her own. No. It was a simple, vanilla, kiss. Testing of the waters. Dipping his toe in. Yet another step forward for his plan. He was relieved to learn she was receptive. At first, she seemed to intend to reject him. She had clenched at his shirt in surprise, but in the next instant, she had begun to relax. The alcohol, his charisma, and no doubt the attraction she had for him had finally begun to take effect.

She was an inexperienced young woman. This had been her first kiss. It became clear to Alexander that Miranda was experiencing emotions and feelings that were new and foreign to her. No doubt she was nervous. No doubt she had reservations. But he also sensed an eagerness in her. An excitement. The same sort of excitement one has when they’re about to brave a new, possibly dangerous, adventure into the unknown. When their lips begrudgingly separated, Alexander looked at her as she confessed to that being her first kiss. His pursed lips spread into a soft smile, chuckling just slightly. ”You’re cute, Miss Frost.” he teased, putting his hand on her cheek once more and pushing her to look at him.

”But don’t worry. Tonight’ll be a night for new things.” he said in a whisper, his eye’s flashing with playfulness before he returned his lips to hers. This second kiss was a bit more different than the last. The first had been careful. Far more intimate. But this one was much hungrier. He pressed into this kiss a bit harder than the last one. His lips worked their way against hers, gently chewing and pulling on them as he let his other hand slide its way across her waist until it rested firmly above her butt. He moved his hand just slightly, sliding it further down a few inches before returning it upwards.

He gently pushed against her, pushing her against the edge of the bed before pushing her down onto the mattress. The Quincy climbed rested above her, on his arms for support and so she wasn’t literally crushing her. Breaking his kiss again, the drunken Quincy looked into the eyes of the Shinigami woman. ”Trust me. I’ll take care of everything.” he alluded with a whisper before kissing her again. From her lips, he planted little butterfly kisses that trailed down the side of her face, her jaw, and finally onto her neck. His kiss onto the pale skin of her neck turned into an introduction of his teeth. He gently bit down, pulling at her skin a tad bit before releasing and then giving her a deeper bite.

The hand that had previously been behind her was now snaking its way up her body, remaining on the outside of her Shihakusho as it traveled up along the length of her body. Sliding from her side and upwards towards her chest, Alexander finally began to take this to the next level. He didn’t go straight away though. He paused, just to see how Miranda reacted to everything going on before he let his hand continue on its path towards her chest. He wanted to see how she reacted to all of this, and give her something worth remembering for her first time. For him this was fun. And he intended to make it just as fun for Miranda.

[Miranda Frost]

As the Professor continued, showing her another technique in the art of Kissing. She’d be a liar if she hadn’t experienced this before, but this was different. This time it was wanted and didn’t end with a steel toe boot to the groin or a well practiced jab at the other’s throat. No, Miranda saw it coming and accepted it fully, and the result was something much more different than her past experiences. In this man, she didn’t see the wild, crazed eyes of a fanatical cultist, the curious hunger of a hollow, or the greedy lust of the run-of-the-mill Shinigami. It was something she couldn’t understand, not yet at least. How could those deep blue eyes be so calm yet so fierce?

His hands were something else as well. The glided over her form and, for his troubles, nearly received a strike in response. The further she fell into drunkeness, the more and more the man seemed to appeal to her vain side. She followed his suggestive motions, and before long she was nearly writhing on the bead beneath him. Every gasp, every moan, she didn’t hold back. Oddly enough she felt secure and warm, and her burning curiosity spurred her to see how this would play out. Time became fluid it seemed, and the Professor lead her through the swirling mix of drunken pleasure.

-----

At the end of it all, she laid there half covered by the warm sheets, her clothes scattered in seemingly no order about the simplistic room. In her left hand rested a lit cigarette which calmed her heat driven heart. This experience was something else. She knew many over the many years of her existence who fanatically obsessed over sex. For her, her upbringing guided her away from such pleasures and put in its place a goal, something to achieve. In hindsight she found her life fairly boring, but habits are not so easily broken. Miranda couldn’t imagine herself committing herself to act upon her lustful desires often, but a few times here and there didn’t hurt. She could enjoy a cup of pleasure in her life of work and discipline. It is the simple things that could bring color to her life, she realized.

She tapped the cigarette gently tapped the built up ash against the pewter ashtray sitting upon the bed-stand next to her. She was told long ago by a friend that a cigarette after sex made the whole ordeal much much better. Since then she carried a small box of the things. Miranda sighed, the burning stick hanging lazily between her lips. It wasn’t as good as her old friend had said, but it did help her wind down. She turned her head to the man beside her and chuckled. It seemed he was a bit more beat than she. That was to be expected though. He did put a lot of himself into their wonderful affair. Smirking, she reached over, offering her Professor one. She couldn't bring herself to speak. No words seemed appropriate for this moment.