Scars of Battle (Solo)

[Rafael]

This had been such a waste of time. The only conclusion that Rafael could reach was as he began to walk through the ruined section of the Rukongai. This section hadn’t looked the best to begin with like so many of those either close to the wilderness or the villages out in the wilderness, all the same though now it looked uninhabitable. Despite being part of the cause Rafael wasn’t really sure how he should feel about what he saw around him now. A good portion of what had been ruined beyond repair he knew was from his own physical strength, while the fire that the shinigami had cast off was still burning the timber that had constructed the homes.

Sure these weren’t the best of individuals that Rafael knew, not just from what he could see, but what he’d seen on multiple occasions coming through this place and others like it. The humans in this area hunted one another, always seeking to gain more power over one another usually through violence. Did they deserve to have what little they could call home destroyed though in a battle that had nothing to do with them? Was this something that Rafael could just ignore if he were one of them? The massive panther tried to rationalize what had happened and why despite the damage to the area and the deaths that had been caused, he didn’t have any other choice.

As he continued to walk through the district Rafael just saw more and more of what had happened in his fight while the scent of cooked flesh filled his nostrils. This wasn’t a scent that Rafael could take as a pleasant surprise. It wasn’t like when he could eat a cooked piece of deer or something else wild. These humans despite being the scum of society that didn’t have anywhere else to go were still individuals. They still had thoughts and some of them may have not even been bad. Rafael couldn’t stand what he was smelling at the moment with that knowledge accompanying it. No matter whether he had won against this shinigami or not, this battle had resulted in far too much loss for it to be a victory even if he held no allegiance to the humans.

What came next was something that continued to put pressure on the wall that he placed between himself and those he believed to be against him. The cries. The sobs that echoed throughout the broken district began to reach Rafael as individuals made their way to the wreckage only to find individuals they knew were gone or for the most part in conditions they couldn’t hope to survive. Pushing forward away from everything all he could do was cling to his stubborn beliefs as the people ran past him. Those that passed him by weren’t bad people, how could they be, he watched them go as fast as they could just to check on others they may know.

This section of the Rukongai was supposed to be one of the worst and Rafael could vouch for the environment yet what he was seeing right now told him that not everyone here was scum. Although he couldn’t stand the sight of most and knew of his bias against them he recognized the fear, worry, horror on their faces. The emotions that they were experiencing right now were the sort that he wanted to protect his friends from. It didn’t take more than a moment for Rafael to hear the cries that came next. People that knew each other whether they be friend or foe now could see that their lives meant nothing. The fragile situation that held them together was nothing more than a facade to keep them in line. They had no purpose, goal, or right to live.

[Rafael]

The cries of these people was something more potent, more painful to the massive Panther than almost anything else he’d experienced. His entire life he’d been suffering, almost the entirety of his existence he could sum up as just pain. His father had been abusive both physically and emotionally, he’d been bullied and killed when human. As a Beast he now had power, but he was still bullied, still attacked and nearly killed on more than one occasion. He was stronger now and could stand on his own two feet. He had to be strong enough to keep his friends from feeling the way these humans felt right now.

Did he have to ignore the pain though?

He’d been walking and now the wooden buildings were mostly fine. Away from the section that he’d been fighting in he stopped as he heard the cries die down and no longer were any people running past him. Looking down at the ground in front of him Rafael’s paws tighten into fists as he complements the thoughts and emotions swirling throughout his soul. He knew what he was and believed he knew what these people were, but right now they were showing him something different, was it right for him to ignore the same sort of pain he’d feel in their situation?

Turning around the massive Beast began to make his way back while his grey void eyes burst forth once again with brilliant royal purpose. His wounds had all healed quite a while ago leaving the only sign of his power in his eyes which even in the light of day glowed bright. He’d passed by everyone already once before yet now would be different. Pressing the claw of his thumb into his palm Rafael ignores the pain of his self inflicted wound drawing forth the glowing purple liquid of his body down onto a human with a broken leg. He’d been pulled out by a small group of five others from a beam that’d by the looks of it fallen on him.

Screams came from the man yet Rafael ignored standing up immediately turning away and walking once more to the next closest in harm. He couldn’t save anyone from pain when it was the most constant thing in his own existence. His power wasnt to stop pain, just another way to make pain keep coming, another way to feel pain and hope to survive it. Another few with minor injuries and those that one could survive only took a drop of blood on the spot. It’d been about three full minutes before he reached the burned section again.

Once there he wasn’t surprised at all that all the fire was still raging, that it’d spread a good portion yet none of the humans could stop it. There were no firemen so how would they when they only had maybe a well or two. He could hear the sound of someone shouting, someone coughing, someone drifting. Rushing to the source Rafael charges into a shack ready to collapse, a small girl under several pieces of roofing beams. The shack filled with smoke, fire and fear. Pulling her out from under Rafael manages to get out a couple seconds before he hears the shack collapse behind him.

Placing the young teen on the girl Rafael punctures his palm once again as he had done with the few others. Once again experiencing pain in order to make sure others would experience their own, to give them a chance. Bleeding on the burns across her back Rafael turns his head while she starts to cry in pain. He knew what she was feeling, he knew what he was doing to her, he hated it but it was all he could do for her. Standing up he turns and seeks out the next closest.

[Rafael]

Moving through the dirt street covered in splinters from the shacks that had been involved during the battle Rafael wastes no time finding the next human in need. This wasn’t something he’d ever done whether he’d been human in the past or not, saving others, random people that judged him wasn’t what he sought out to do. He came to these districts in order to trade food for supplies like spices and tools that Lolth and Zadora could use to make their lives easier or just find enjoyment in.

He lived to protect them and help them live peaceful lives. He had grown strong so that no one could push him around anymore and now he was seeing the cost of his new strength. All around him the meager things these humans called home were destroyed. He knew these sorts of people, he knew the conditions they lived in. Even if he hadn’t been the one to cause this destruction and death directly he had been the other half of it. The shockwaves he’d sent out at her had done enough he knew that. Every time he countered one of her attacks by breaking it or dodging it he was putting one of them behind himself in a line of importance.

These weren’t good people at least not many of them and although he’d already started to try and fix the ones hurt yet around he wasn’t sure it was the right thing. Rushing from one human to the next constantly shoving the claw of his big thumb into his palm in order to bleed just enough onto a wound or into their mouth. He was saving everyone he could, but would the people be better for it? These people rarely saw Shinigami he could tell that by the way they reacted to one of them being around, they lived off one another in a negative way. If he let enough die could this district grow stronger? Was he just condemning those that hadn’t been hurt to more suffering? He didn’t know and knew he wasn’t smart enough to have those answers, all he could do was keep trying to save them and then hope.

Why was he hoping though? He disliked them just for the mere fact they were human. He knew that, but now it was starting to bleed into something else. He didn’t trust any of them not even the children that he’d seen stealing in the past, but he didn’t know them personally. Just as he wasn’t smart enough to know his former question’s answer he didn’t know enough to judge them. It wasn’t up to him whether they deserved to live or die, but he had to power to give them another chance, to make better choices, to stand tall and turn themselves into a better version. Like he had done because of his sensei. The constant upkeep was getting tiring especially while moving from one spot to the next lifting debris off wounded whether to find them dead or alive.

His thoughts were almost all in the back of his mind while his actions were dedicated to nothing else, he was moving as if he had no other purpose. Right here, right now he was trying his hardest to save the people that he’d harmed. Everything blurred together and by the end of the first thirty minutes he stood panting heavily as if his chest was going to cave in at the next breath. His lungs felt heavy as if they were formed from iron. His arms almost feeling detached, the frantic movement was enough especially after the battle he’d only narrowly won that now he knew he’d reached his limit and dropped down on his backside just wishing he could save one more.

[Rafael]

Down in his ass with virtually every bit of energy in his body, Rafael continued to gasp for air as his massive chest heaved. What he didn’t realize were the humans scattered around him in their tattered clothing just watching him. Too tired to see any of them, his peripheral vision dark for the time being Rafael knew at least some would be looking at him. He had that feeling, but how much was beyond him. It was annoying that much was a constant fact to him as he felt like a grizzly bear on display for them yet couldn’t do anything despite it all. It wouldn’t be for roughly a minute and a half of just sitting down breathing before he could look behind him and see the group of humans on their knees.

Although subconsciously he was still settling his pulse, breath and mind Rafael couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Humans were kneeling to him? This was a culture that he’d grown up with as a human nor one he knew much about now as a Beast. All he knew was that Boeing was a sign of respect and they did it to the Shinigami. So why were all these ones going so much further than just a bow of the head? His legs hurt, the constant movement made his calves sore, a fact he felt as he tried to get up while his dense weight argued against his muscles. Looking closer this group was several humans in width and even more so back almost like they were in the shape of a square or rectangle.

“What’re you doing? Even like this I won’t let you kill me. Better to just move, didn’t mean to ruin everything.”

Rafael managed what he could knowing that he spoke better than most Beasts, but at the moment he was no better than any athlete, sort of air and drowsy from a hard fight. The massive Panther didn’t know what these humans were up to, but his mind could only come to a single conclusion. These were all of them that hadn’t been hurt in his fight and now sought retribution for his part in the danger and lives that had been lost. A justifiable action against him and one he’d likely support if he wasn’t the negative party in this case. A single human stepping forward a man that had the strength of a hunter, he appeared strong, but was filthy and had the look of a criminal.

“Thank you. Thank you for saving us.”

Rafael didn’t possess pupils, his eyes were usually a solid grey and when he used his ability as he had been they became a brilliant beautiful purple here still without the dark center that came attached to all others. In this moment if he were anyone else that dark center would have shrunk in shock. What he just heard didn’t make any sense. What he was seeing didn’t make any sense. It was something that he couldn’t process. An individual that was speechless sitting down and watching as all of the others stood a step forward, bowed and spoke in unison as if he were some great person not a Beast who’s just saved them from some absolute evil.

“Thank you for saving us.”

“No wait you’ve got it wrong I was part of the. . .”

Stopping as he realized that all the people he was looking at now, we’re the people he’d bleed on. The people he’d pulled from buildings, he’d healed from burns. These were the people that his blood, his power had put back together. He knew the pain that his power caused wasn't enough that it helped, it hurt and even though it was what he had done in the moment while he hadn’t been honking he had still caused these people more pain. Despite all of that though they were thanking him. Forcing himself to stand and turn to face them Rafael bows, returning the sign of respect. These people were the lowest of the districts and yet they showed him something worth witnessing,

“We follow you now great panther!”

A moment followed with cheers from the group.

“The great panther! The great panther! The great panther!”

“What?”

So began the following of the Panther Beast-Clan.

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

22 paragraphs counted, so that'll be 110 TP!