The Journey Begins {Training Thread, Permission Required}

[Eris Discordia]

OOC: Each of the posts will state what is to trained for. This post is for CTP.

Karakura, the city in which her father spoke about many times. The epicenter of most spiritual activity in the world. This was the city where he had first began his duties as a Shinigami, a place in which he was able to cultivate his strength. Now, it was place where she can grow herself into the person she believe she could be. A better person at the very least. She had to begin somewhere. So, she decided that it will be here where herself as an individual would grow. Before, she had trained with both her parents. The art of combat from her father, introduction of the blade and its uses. Her mother, the Bount, trained her in the art of the spear. Using her own unique traits and the characteristics of her body to bolster her ability to fight. Both had their ideas of fighting, but only Eris could decide how she developed. Her own fighting style. Thus, she began where she first started.

The Bount's time spent on the sea had done a number on her abilities. The months, years spent traveling through towns and cities, past the lakes and such, Eris never had time to train. With little to no money, and her own inability to handle large gatherings, the Bount could never stay in a single location. The woman is prone to indicating emotions that resides deeper within an individuals subconscious. Just being near people agitates the Bount. It isn't that Eris is hostile toward the humans, more to the point as a majority have hidden agendas. The subtle changes in their attitude as they observe her figure says much about their intentions. Leering at her legs to her slender neck it doesn't take much to know what it is that they were thinking about. Every situation to her became more of a hostile encounter of some sort.

Every place was new to her. Beyond the edges of Ireland, Eris knew nothing of the world. Besides the fact that the Barbarians came from such lands. The invaders of those that her parents swore to protect, they came in the thousands to try and conquer the land. Both her mother and father remained close to the Royal Family, in hopes to rid those who remained in the shadows. Assassins and Hollows, beings that clung to darkest corners of their home to slide their fingers across the throats of their Hosts. With their efforts combined not even the invaders themselves were able in touching the castle's grounds.

Their resolve was so strong that they decided to remain behind for her, for their home, and for those that they were responsible for. They were the prime example of who the Bount wanted to be. Because, within them she felt the truth. They were honest with each other. No secret was kept from their partner. Every thought that they had, every emotion that swelled up inside, all of it was exposed to their partner. Despite being on opposite sides, there was no hostilities towards the other after they settled their matters. However, it didn't cease their competitive edge despite being married.

That desire to be strong was what encourages the girl to reach out and push, to strive for. That was the reason why she went wilderness. Most of the water beds that was in Karakura were surrounded by buildings and concrete landscapes, but here in the woods there she found little to no activity of humans. The lack human activity meant that not many people were around to see her, let alone disturb her training. Her lack of physical prowess made things difficult to spar for the time being, yet it did not mean that she wouldn't. On her knees the woman remained still, focusing on the sounds around her.

Her pointed ears twitched at the subtle sounds around her. The sounds of the breeze that nestled the leaves on the branches over head. The subtle ripples of the water in the lake in front of her. Each whisper of the wind that passed through the woods. The lingering odor of the morning dew that went on past the afternoon filled her nostrils with its fresh air scent. All were taken apart piece by piece to create the images in her mind, to find what was there before she arrived. The life that had been swarming the land before she came about. Unlike the large landscapes that her home had, Karakura had been developed and encase with the influence of the humans that reside within, leaving little patches of nature to remain.

In such patches Eris found it to be much more difficult to indicate what came before. The natural life that roamed these lands was more absent, due to the noise and workings of the humans that remained so close to the wilderness. Still, despite it all the Bount found it to be more natural than being inside the city. It brought back the memories of her home. She and her mother spent time meditating out on the open fields. They would listen to what was around them in order to open themselves to the elements. They would tune themselves into their environment to discovery what the eye could not. It was similar to what Eris used when conversing with other people. Body language, eye contact, manner of speech, every little detail helped the Bount to discover what others hid.

She took a deep breath. To see beyond the surface was what allowed the woman to spend her time wisely. This meant that Eris only spent her time with those that were honest. That honesty indicated what sort of person she was conversing with was. A person's actions was what defined them entirely. Words alone meant nothing to the Bount. The Bount judged an individual by their merits rather than their word play. There was more than just what was on the surface.

Each layer of noise had been separated from the other. Every emission around her was slowly being pinpointed as to where their source originated. The smallest detail as to what she was capable of was peeling back in her mind. She couldn't rely on her eyes, the outer appearance that would try and deceive her directly. Eris had to rely on what her senses told her. The Bount had to learn to trust herself entirely before motioning forward into battle. That was the point of her warm up session. She had to open herself to the subtle signs around her, to those smaller details. Only by doing so would she be capable of standing toe to toe with those who are much more skilled on combat than herself. Holding out her hand, she listened for the wrestling leaves that fell.

With that hand out the Bount waited. The moisture that resided within the air tickled the stems of her fingers. Her heart pulsating along the length of her arm and fingertips. With every breath taken she felt more tuned with nature. Bit by bit the sense of self began to spread across to the environment around her. The restrictions of her body, her sense of self, evaporated. Those walls that restricted her from truly reaching out beyond her line of sight slowly diminishing into nothingness. She was reaching out with her hand, but in a sense, she felt as though she was reaching out further. The leaf that fell before her, she could almost feel it. It spoke to her, saying, "Reach out." And so Eris did, she reached out to find that she missed the leaf by a second. She still had some ways to go, but it was a start.

[Eris Discordia]

OOC: CTP

The tip of the spear was sharp. Her handling hadn't been what it use to be in the past. Much of her traveling had taken time away from her ability to train her mind and body. Actually, much time was spent on meditation and studying the motion of the waves. That was what she remembered the most of her time traveling to Karakura. The amount of time that was utilized for training was really trying to ensure that she made it to the city in which her parents spoke of. Rumors really. A city in which many spiritual beings have gathered for one reason or another. Upon her arrival there didn't seem much to it. Just another typical town that desired more attraction by using frightening stories to escalate their popularity. That was the thought of course when seeing it first hand. But, she was mistaken.

Hollows were often seen throughout the landscape. By one means or another they came out to seek out souls to devour. Those who were fortunate to be born with such strong spirits soon came to realize their gifts were not always mean to be gifts. They would soon come to know what it meant to survive. Whether their own choices led to surviving the day was solely based on their own accord. Eris knew that to be true, that despite their own intentions in life, what purpose that they sought out for themselves, it wouldn't be as they may wish for it to be. The Bount didn't wish to be that of a weapon's origin. Such was the feeling that most Bounts would probably have. She knew that her mother desired for the same thing. But it wasn't meant to be.

Everything that went on beyond leaving the shores of her homeland was purely Eris' decision to make. What she did. What she ate. The direction that her life would take was that of her own to decide. That was the blessing left disguised as a tragedy. This was her freedom. Something that she knew that other Bounts may lack. At the moment, she didn't care about anything else but caring for herself. What could she have done to help those around her? That same thought was shared with thousands of others around her. Walking to the store, what to buy, when are their friends going to meet, the trivial everyday logic that went about undisturbed. Not at a single point did they wonder about if they should help someone in need. Why waste their time with something that didn't involve them? Eris was no different.

Eris had to take care of herself, as she was in no condition to care for others. As much as she wanted to do so, there wasn't anything that could be done about it. Having only arrived in Karakura herself, her knowledge was limited. All she had to use was her knowledge of fighting. Not many people looking for those sorts of people now in days. Though, there were the few occasions in which people needed protection. The sort of people that love to hang around clubs and bars. Who knew a city that looked so peaceful on the surface stunk.

At first glance, her clients didn't think much of her since she is a woman. Suppose to be frail and easily intimidated as any other woman that they employed to work in their establishments. The first meeting Eris went to was just a simple interview. Despite having many qualities and skill sets, none of them could have been known to the humans. Telling them that she fought masked monsters and Shinigami wasn't going to be as believable as being a martial arts teacher, or an honorably discharged soldier. So, Eris went for the next best thing and went for a quick demonstration. And by demostration it really meant that the men attempted to remove her from the establishment but were removed instead. The skills in which she learned over the years were put to use in an instant. They were much slower than those that she fought in the past, but still dangerous in their own way.

Beaten down, her clients immediately resend their earlier proposal and gave her the job. She couldn't complain about her type of work as she didn't know much of anything else. So, the Bount used what she had on her at the time. For that reason Eris resided here in the woods, training. Many times they offered her jobs for more pay. They proposed that she would be well suited for more "exotic" positions. She saw what they meant. The girls that she was ordered to keep safe showed what it meant to operate in such positions. Flashing their naked bodies to those who came to her clients' shops. They would throw money and what ever they caught they kept.

She knew that her being there with them made them more comfortable. Knowing full well that she too was part of the entertainment as her uniform before was a bit revealing, despite being part of Security. She had that issue quickly mended without much of a fight. Her spear struck the tree's side. The vibration felt down along the shaft of her weapon to the surface of her palms. She steadied the slender pole before reenacting the same strike again against the opposite of the tree. She lowered her stance, reflecting the past several days in Karakura as she took another deep breath before staring once again. She was going to have to find more work to better acquaint herself more with Karakura. But where?

[Eris Discordia]

OOC: Continuing to train for CTP

The staff twirled in the midst of the woman's hands. It had been some time since she was able to properly wield her weapon as so. Perhaps too long since the time she fought alongside her family back in Ireland. Too long to know what a real battle looked like. The sense of rushing adrenaline pulsating through the nerves as the muscles contracted and expanded, tensing at the right moments when guarding. Eris still remembered the sensation of battle, but it wouldn't be long before her body forgotten it. She needed to continue her training in order to keep the lessons her parents taught her ingrained into her very existence. She mustn't forget what she had learned all that time.

Whisking the spear around her wrists and forearms, she tried to remember the motions. Slowly at first, to bring each motion into the next as a continuous cycle. Nothing too advance as of yet as moving too quickly was a sign of pride and a foolish individual. Very much like muscle training, she had to teach her body as the weight of the weapon, memorize the strain and movements. She was melding the very nature of the weapon into her body.

The weight of the spear was well balanced. Nothing gave the Bount the notion that it was offset, due to the idea of the spear tip adding more grams to the head of the weapon. Quite possibly the case when taking on the standard spear stance. While it was nothing surprising to her, just the thought of the small difference that it can make would effect her ability to fight. This was the reason for her being in the wilderness. Eris was a warrior at heart and soul, taking after her mother and father in their own respect. However, it wasn't all that she was. From her mother's perspective, she was still a woman. A young woman who didn't have to fight. Eris had opportunities that she could take. Her father was for the same notion. Despite being what they were, they still had a choice in the matter. Neither organization that the two belonged to had no influence over what decisions they made. That was the power of freedom. Freedom of choice.

Looking at her own reflection the Bount didn't see anything beyond herself. Who she saw was a girl, but at the same time a Bount. Eris' gender didn't speak on her behalf, her actions did. What the Bount saw was an individual; a warrior. Someone who was trained to fight and to carry on the legacy of her parents. She followed what she was told to do, believing that it was the correct course of action. And yet, it wasn't a choice that she didn't feel was right for her. What she wanted opposed to what her parent wished for her. What did Eris desire? Looking at her own reflection, the answer refused to reveal itself to her. This was the thought that bothered her. Was there more to life than fighting?

There wasn't much time to think about the idea for now, she had work to do. Training was ever going, considering the part time job she had as security. Not the most idea of positions to work in, that and considering the environment that she was set to guard, but it helped to put her back into proper form. From the Manager's point of view she had the "complete package." The spear was bagged and set aside in her room while she worked. Her hair was tied into that of a single tail. A dress shirt with a black office coat to cover herself. And though it wasn't to her preference the black knee length skirt did help in some ways. She could always rip them along the sides if she needed to move more freely. Other than that, she was ready to work.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Set the Mood}

Just as it was mentioned before, the Bount's primary concern was the safety of the workers. That meant keeping the girls that performed on stage safe. If the guests had read the sign "No Touching the girls unless allowed" then that was the rule. By any other means physical contact was strictly prohibited. And when it said "strictly prohibited" it was meant to be enforced. That was where Eris took over. Much to the humans surprise that she was very effective at what she did. If they were told about what she was and what she did in the past, then there wouldn't be a need to consider it at all. Eris was a born fighter, and it was all that she knew of. But that wasn't what gave her the edge in her job. That was her ability to detect the subtle changes in the behavior of others. Unlike the humans around her, Eris had a more intimate level of sensing the motives of other beings.

This became much more easier to use when emotions were gradually shifting in an environment that causes them to erupt prematurely. The amount of drinks that a patron had usually had a hand in this development. Mixing alcohol and entertainment never did mesh well together. This caused too many spats for the Bount to count. Plus, when the word "no" came into play when the dancers were asked for special services, it would tip the scales on the more unstable customers. It happens most nights, and this one wasn't an exception. A guest had become too rowdy for his own good. Humans have always sought out a means to destroy themselves, but who was she to judge as she wasn't one of them. All she could was fulfill the role that she was given.

"Hey, I payed good money for this, so I don't see why I can not get something extra on th-" an upward palm strike pushed the man's jaw up towards the ceiling before a sweeping leg of the Bount connected with the side of his sole. The combination of the two directed the man's body weight toward his side, causing his already unbalanced body to tumble over away from the main stage. Eris' eyes never left the remaining three who stood in the result of their friend being shown the floor. "Please bare in mind of the rules of this facility. Do not touch the women here unless you were instructed to. Thus far, the word "No" has not lost it's meaning. Has it?" The Bount felt the swelling within the remaining trio. Alcohol and entertainment never meshed well together. And for these three, it was obvious that they were looking to release their frustrations.

[Deleted]

Training for TTP

There wasn’t any other city quite like Karakura Town. On the surface it appeared to be barely more than a sleepy metropolis, with people buzzing about in the streets going about their daily lives. More than half of the city's population had no idea about the world in front of them that they could not see. Strange occurrences were common in Karakura but could rarely be explained. Mysterious property damage was the most common. Buildings, streets, properties, and more would one day look fine and then the next appear as if a series of bombs had gone off. Karakura Town also had the prestige of having twenty times the normal rates of missing persons than any other city in all of Japan. But, despite the unexplained dangers, people were still attracted to the city. They just never knew what was happening.

Until now. It was rare that a problem ever hit the “normie sector”. Normally everything bad that happened in Karakura was a result of something supernatural or spiritual so the average joe never knew anything about it. But this time it was different. This was something that shocked the whole city. If you turned on the news at any point in the day, chances were at least one station was talking about it. The series of gruesome murders had managed to put a scare into the normal people’s lives. Karakura Town had attracted the attention of a serial killer. And everyone knew who he was.

Anjuro Katagiri was a man whose entire life had been painted red. He had only been twelve years old when he was convicted of the murder of his local schools math teacher and the rape and murder of his then seven year old daughter and others after this point. He had spent twenty years in prison, and how he managed to get out was a topic worth discussing. After that he had, apparently, gone quiet up until this point. It had all started with the disappearance of three local boys. Anjuro Katagiri had demanded a ridiculous ransom for their return, and when the parents failed to deliver…

Luke remembered seeing it on the news. When the police broke into the warehouse that Anjuro had been hiding out in with the boys they discovered what Anjuro had done to those boys. The cops found pieces of the boys spread out across the entire warehouse. Ripped apart and scattered everywhere as if they were pieces of bread to be fed to birds. Perhaps the most gruesome detail was the discovery of all three of the boy’s asses found lined up side by side with the word “Delicious” painted in blood on the wall above them.

Since then the killings hadn’t stopped. A new body or two was seemingly being discovered every week. While normies were more than ready to point the finger at Anjuro for every body found, the people that were looking into this knew that Anjuro had a distinct signature with his killings versus the unfortunate people who ran into the monsters called Hollows. But the reason that Uzaki Enterprise was getting involved instead of leaving it to the local authorities was because Anjuro was not a normal human.

The night of the police raid on the warehouse only a single of the ten raid gear equipped officers came out alive. Their bodies had been shredded apart and added alongside what remained of the children’s bodies. The normies were quick to say that Anjuro had some kind of high powered firearm, but investigations done by Uzaki Enterprise discovered trace remnants of reiatsu. It was then that the call was made that Anjuro was a Fullbringer, and thus would be something that the normal police could not handle at all. Needless to say, stuff hadn’t been easy for Uzaki’s at all either.

It had been two weeks since the warehouse raid and already seven more bodies, carrying Anjuro’s signature style, had been found. He had moved from children to women. Prostitutes, honestly. Why he decided to switch his target was another matter to discuss. But, regardless, Uzaki Enterprise was looking into this the best they could with their stretched resources. They couldn’t focus on this right now what with the Hollow Wrangler situation still as problematic as it was. So, one employee decided to take it on himself to make this case his business.

Raising his glass of long island iced tea to his lips, the brown eyed young man looked on at the dancing women with a look that could be described as focused. The club music rocked his ears as he watched the skilled dancers work their bodies. ”Oh baby look’it them titties.” A voice suddenly cut through the music inside of the dark haired man’s head, causing him to shut his eyes with a sigh of irritation. Jäger shut up. he replied, placing his cup down. ”Don’t tell me to shut up! I’m loving this! Why aren’t you loving this? What are you...gay? We should come here more often!”

”We’re not here to watch topless women, you degenerate.” the other Doll chimed in. He wasn’t wrong. Even though Luke’s brown eyes were in the direction of the dancers his attention wasn’t focused on them. It was actually on the back of a heavy coat wearing man sitting four tables away, with his back to the young man. Luke’s eyes settled on that brown leather coat for a few moments, eyes narrowing at the small bits of grey hair that were peeking up over what, Luke assumed, was a second coat or jackets hood that he was wearing underneath the leather trench coat.

Luke had found him. He was sitting in the same room as Anjuro Katagiri, after two weeks of searching for the bastard. He had, honestly, lucked out. Luke had been using both the resources available to him by Uzaki Enterprise, such as traffic cam pictures, as well as the word of mouth information he got from Taka’s Club to find him. But Luke didn’t expect to actually find him here. Frowning, Luke looked away from Anjura as the man shifted in his seat and resumed looking as if he was just a patreon watching the dancing. ”Why wait? Just jump him.” Springflut suddenly suggested.

Don’t be stupid. I’m not going to endanger the people here. Luke replied. He had no idea just what this guys Fullbring was. It was something that allowed him to wipe out an entire team of raid geared offic-”That isn’t impressive. You could that too.-ers in a way that made it look as if they’d been torn apart by Hollows. For all Luke knew...this guy could also have been a Wrangler. But there was no way of knowing that. Luke had no idea what the guy could do.

Even looking him over with Energy Sensory was yielding no results. He was actively suppressing his power to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Luke was doing the same. But what bothered Luke was that this guy was doing it as well. If he could suppress himself, then that meant he might have good control over whatever powers he had. No. Luke was not going to make his move here. He’d keep his eyes on Anjuro and make his move when the time was right and didn’t risk innocent people’s lives.

"Hey, I payed good money for this, so I don't see why I can not get something extra on th-" Luke’s attention was drawn to the commotion just as the palm strike was delivered to the man's jaw. Ooof. That had to hurt. Hopefully he didn’t bite his tongue. His foot was knocked out from under him and down he went. Luke’s attention shifted back to Anjuro, who had ordered a drink. He didn’t need to focus on a bar fight caused by some drunks. It was bound to happen. But when Luke looked back, he saw the other three men staring at whoever it was that knocked their friend to the ground. Luke didn’t get to have a good look because of where he was sitting, only able to see the backs of the three agitated men. He saw a pair of legs that made Jäger howl, and figured it had to be a bouncer.

Don’t get involved...it’s not your business...you’re here for the murderer… Luke told himself with a frown, but knew it was pointless. His chair scraped against the floor. He could tell by their body language and just general demeanor that they were going to cause trouble. Luke just couldn’t leave it alone. He’d try to settle it peacefully and without a bigger fight starting. Good grief… He complained in his head, beginning to approach the drunken trio from behind but also keeping a bit of his focus on his real target.

[Eris Discordia]

This wasn't something foreign to the Bount. Ireland had it's own fair share of the typical drunk. Light weight, flustered, and easy to predict. But in numbers, they can quite the hand full. Though for her current condition, taking on three full grown men would be a bit dangerous for her. The lack of use of her spear made it so they wouldn't be too injured to press charges. At this point in time she couldn't do much until they took the initiative and struck first. If she were to start, then she would lose her job and become the aggressor. She couldn't allow that to happen. For the time being, she had to abide by the laws that the humans have set forth. And though as irritating as it may have been to do so, it kept a sense of order in the world. But for these individuals, order was the last thing on their minds.

Looking up at the men, it was clear that they towered over her person. Eris stood as a standard woman would have. This was obvious from the sight of the situation as the men slowly entrenched the Bount. Worst case scenario had been rearing it's ugly head bit by bit as the men refused to listen to better reasoning skills. In this line of work, it was proper for Security to disengage from the situation and find an alternative solution to the problem. A better means than immediately resorting to violence. Yet, Eris preferred the more direct means of ending the situation. She wouldn't have to waste her time or effort in persuading humans for all she knew will choose a more violent path. Was Eris surprised at the result?

Immediately, one of the men cupped Eris' chin, pulling it closer to the man's face. The rough texture of his fingers grazed against her small nub. She felt the dried skin cause by the man's spreading calluses grip her her firmly with the heavy odor of alcohol brushing against her face. Despite being surrounded, Eris' expression remained neutral about the situation. Calm and unresponsive to the gestures of the men around her, the Bount felt their lingering desires. They were men after all. The expression of fear didn't show itself on the woman's face. This was what brought further irritation to the men. But, it was her eyes that spoke of the woman's intentions. "Forgive the sudden braise of action, the sign clearly says that the girl's are not to be touched unle-" She felt another hand.

Another palm came to touch an area in which shouldn't have been. Such a touch was only provided during a time of intimacy between people. Eris knew not of who the individuals were, nor did they have yet to earn themselves the right to enter her court. Yet, one had the nerve to touch the Bount's bottom. "May I ask one thing of you, sir? Do you have a desire to lose that hand of yours?" her words directed towards her left. As if to seek compensation for their friend's injury, and of that of their amusement, they sought to take it from her. But, the Bount's eyes never waiver from their piercing gaze.

Seeking to properly teach the woman of who was her superior, bringing up his oversized palm the man gripping the Bount rose his right hand. He believed that the girl needed to be disciplined. The trio was surely drunk. Their balance swayed easily and their judgement fell far below the average margin. Eris' trained mind had been running through the cycles and scenarios as to defending herself. In terms of Security, the remaining three other guards would have their own hands occupied by the other patrons who would only wish to join the fray. It was their responsibility that the situation came to a close quickly as possible with the least amount of damage to the facility. But fighting with drunks have always caused their fair share of damage. So, precision was needed to end the ever growing problem.

To begin with, Eris quickly brought her knee into beer filled gut of the man in front. His reaction was what it was meant to be as his body jerked naturally, clenching his stomach from the sudden shock of the impact. Secondly, the Bount's grip hovered over the second man to her left. Eris came to pinch into the wrist joint that believed that venturing into forbidden lands was thrilling. Eris jerked his hand toward the ceiling as her body was tucked past the man's underarm, setting the Bount directly behind him. Twisting the arm as she repositioned herself, Eris fired a thrusting kick directly between his large mounds. The drunk stumbled into the pair that stood across from her, slowly regaining their footing to face the unknown woman.

[Deleted]

”Seriously, idiot, don’t get involved in this.” Springflut decided to suggest as Luke was only a few steps away from the trio of problem causers. ”Think about this before you decide to play hero. You’re not here to stop drunks from harassing whores.” This made Luke pause in his approach. He didn’t stop because he was unhappy about how Springflut addressed the women, he stopped because he actually considered what the Doll was telling him. There was, unfortunately, a truth to what he said. Luke’s reason for being here was important, and required the utmost care not to fuck up. That was why he paused. His brown eyes looked ahead at the back of the trio's heads as he pondered.

”You know Springy I’m beginning to wonder something. Do you hate women?” Jäger asked in jest.

”Yes.”

”Wait what?? You do? Seriously!?”

”They’re loud and annoying. They make up the bulk of all the people who’ve tried to kill us. I don’t understand your obsession with intercourse with them or Luke’s longing to be with one. They’re bothersome.”

The two started going back and forth, while Luke simply didn’t pay attention. His brown eyes narrowed themselves as he further considered the situation. He came to realize that if he were to get involved it might actually make matters worse than they already were. This was both because of the rules of the establishment and the city itself. If Luke were to suddenly attack these three men it could potentially end badly for him. He would bring attention to himself and jeopardize his stakeout. Not only that, he could get in legal trouble as well. He never asked how Uzaki Enterprise handled stuff like assault charges, but he also never wanted to find out.

He suddenly blinked when he saw the men moving. He wasn’t getting the best view of what was happening, so it was all based on his imagination. He saw one man get very close to the apparent woman they were harassing. He saw another's arm reaching for the woman, no doubt copping a feel of her lower regions. He heard the woman talking, and was actually...surprised...at how calm she sounded. Granted, if she had worked here for a reasonable amount of time then she was probably used to it by now. But her words didn’t have the “here we go again” tone, they had a more focused, serious, and disciplined tone to it. As if she were some kind of soldier or warrior.

Then everything happened. Luke suddenly saw one of those men get hit by, presumably, a knee no doubt directed to either his testicles or stomach. The other was grabbed by the wrist, moved against his will, and sent stumbling into his lackeys. Luke finally got himself a look at who the woman was. And it made him pause. Velvet hair that reached downwards to her waist was the first thing he noticed, but his eyes locked onto her facial features not a moment later. She was, without any doubt in his mind, stunningly beautiful. There was something about her, not her physical characteristics, that drew his attention to her. It didn’t take him long to figure out what it was either.

He simply reached out with his Energy Sensory and got himself a feel of her reiatsu. And that was what clued him in into just what she was. His brown eyes widened themselves with shock and surprise, not having expected to find another one here in Karakura. Change of plans. Luke felt his foot move itself as he closed the distance between himself and the thugs. Springflut would be annoyed, no doubt, but Luke didn’t care. Intruding on the business of others was something a characteristic of a hero, after all.

They were only humans, so he had no choice but to be careful with them. The pair had stumbled due to her kicking one of them into the two, which meant there was no better chance than now. He chose to go at his full speed, which was something normal, intoxicated and not paying attention, normies would never pick up on. He didn’t wonder if anyone would notice or not as he suddenly became a blur, striking each man on the head with the back of his right fist with just enough strength to put them to sleep. Three knocks and they were out, and with his strength and speed easily put each of them back in their seats.

In only a matter of seconds, really. To anyone paying attention it would look as if the three men were suddenly in their seats again randomly, passed out drunk. Thankfully their intoxication made them especially easy to render unconscious. Luke stood near the table the three had come from, resting one hand in his blue sweaters pocket and sighing. Good grief..

But he turned back around, so that he could look at the woman whom he helped. He didn’t say any words to her...simply stared at her face lightly. He didn’t actually know what the hell to say. It was obvious to him what she was. He could feel it with his Energy Sensory. No, that wasn’t correct. Luke could feel it in his blood. The same as he could with Aura, with Timor, with Vesta, and with that bastard at the bottom of the prison. But he chose not to say anything. There were people around after all. Plus...he just didn’t know what to say. So he simply looked at her with eyes that showed his caution.

”Holy tortilla chips she’s fucking hot!” Jäger decided to laugh, but was quietly ignored. ”Be careful. You never know with them..” Yeah. Luke remembered how things went when he met Timor and Aura. One locked herself in a shipping crate because she went bloodhungry, and the other had blown off his arm. ”You okay, miss?” Luke suddenly asked before he even realized he said something. Well, if his good nature and hero ideals were going to be the opener he might as well go with that. He knew what she was...but he wondered if she was the same. Either she was suppressing her power or she was like literally every other one of them he had met.

[Eris Discordia]

Eris sights couldn't have told what had transpired to the men. After gathering the absent minded trio into a compact space they soon came to lose all sense of consciousness. The white in their eyes became completely visible as the colors rolled toward the back of their heads. Their knees buckled for a short few moments then collapsed shortly after. She was at a sudden lose for words as their stumbling motions ceased into nothing more than lifeless husks. Eris had been witness to the men that fainted due to overdose. Each man fell from their own movements until the stirring images in their eyes ceased by the shrouding darkness that came afterwards. But these movements were different from before. If there had been a better means to describe it, then it would have been precision.

In only a matter of seconds Eris pieced together a scenario. Only two stood while the trio remained on the floor. Herself, and an another man who did not appear until now. He was not of the group, but a separate individual. None of the other humans had the same appeal that he did. Matching his environment, yet isolated from it as well. A complete contradictory to his presence. Eris did not know what to make of him. The only fact that she knew was his involvement with the small confrontation was that the man was strong. The same strength in which her parents possessed during the time of the wars. His figure spoke of his experience beneath his clothing. And what energy that could be felt was obsolete. Different among the patrons that observed the situation transpiring.

"Alright everyone, nothing to see here. Please move along." One of the Bount's coworkers entered the scene to remove the unconscious trio from the business. The two acquaintances greeted the other with a simple nod. Before removing the ill patrons he examined Luke's demeanor. Glancing for a moment and not a second longer, he turned to face Eris, "Hey Eris, is he a friend of yours? Why not get him something to drink at the bar set?" he smiled. Looking to Luke, Eris found herself agreeing to the gesture. The Bount acted as an escort to her fellow Bount towards the bar. Liquors and Ales lining the mirror racks that decorated the rear scene of the bar, Eris standing firm behind the Oak painted table counter. "What would you like?" she said softly.

Eris wasn't to well with making drinks, but she could still manage. At the same time, another team member stood present. A young woman with blonde single tail braid stood at the same height as the Bount woman. She knew the reasoning for Eris' presence alongside her, so crafting a drink for the young man wouldn't be an issue. And as the young woman began to piece together the orders, the Bounts remained face to face, analyzing the other. Eris remembered the presence that her own people emitted. Much to her surprise that there would be another in Karakura. "So, the rumors are true of 'others' being present in this town?" The man's body language and facial gestures were much like her own. Though her focus seemed to be assisting her coworker with cleaning the glasses, the edge of her eyes were keen on Luke.

"My name is Eris. Who are you?" Eris kept much of her words vague. She didn't hint as to what she meant when she referred to "other." Shinigami were seen roaming the town as much as the Hollows were. The Bount had to retain a level of caution when confronting someone who was capable of foresight beyond the natural realm of the humans. This was necessary as her enemies may reside on every corner of this city. For a Bount to expose themselves would be foolish.

"What has brought you here to this establishment?" Despite herself own cautious nature when confronting nonhuman entities, information was another necessity that the Bount required during this time. If Luke was indeed a Bount as was thought of, then it would safe to assume a potential ally. That provocation had numerous resources that could assist her in learning more about the city, and possibly of other Bounts. Therefore, the need for information was indeed dire. But at the same time, a cause for concern. It was to her knowledge that the Bounts and the Shinigami were currently in ill terms with each other. The words of her mother continued to resonate in the back of her mind.

Eris began with a glass of water to soothe the notion of a proper conversation. Still passing as Security for the Club, the Bount's eyes remained on the man. Studying him. The number of patrons soon grew, filling the facility with several groups and cliques. College students, Businessmen, and those among the party-goers that simply waltz in on the search for thrills. But nevertheless, Eris' dark eyes were keen on Luke. Simply waiting to see how he would respond. The Bount brushed her hair back away from her pointed ears as she remained stern in front of Luke. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

[Deleted]

Before she could answer his question one of her, assumed to be anyways, co workers stepped forward to try and clear everything up. For a moment Luke was worried he had screwed up. Was he about to get tossed out of the club? Did someone actually see what he did? If Luke was tossed out it could jeopardize his entire operation, if his own actions hadn’t done so already. But instead of being thrown out, he was instead offered a drink. He blinked, surprised a little, but didn’t offer any resistance as he followed Eris to the bar. ”Just some water would be fine, thanks.” Luke replied with a soft smile. He had already been drinking a little and didn’t want anymore alcohol in his system in case he began to get tipsy. He was here on “business” after all.

His eyes never left her, just as hers never left his. It was always so weird when Luke came across another Bount. They always acted like they’d never seen another before. But that reaction made sense. Bount were rare. Rarer than rare. It was natural that they acted a little awkward around one another. Though she acted like she was helping her coworker clean glasses, Luke was firmly aware that her attention was still very much on him. Likewise his was on hers, and only a little was on the real reason he was here. ”Not too many, but yeah.” Luke replied, understanding what she meant by “others”.

It made him think of those others as well. There was Aura. Older than she looked and acted and had been masquerading as a high school student so she could better integrate into human society. Currently she was living at Taka’s club like he was though under different circumstances. Aura wasn’t able to control her feeding urges and was forced to be locked up at night for her own safety and for those around her. Luke felt bad for her. She seemed like a sweet girl. Last Luke heard, as he hadn’t been back at the club in awhile, was that Taka had begun training with her. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, since Aura getting stronger meant that the security put on her would have to be strengthened as well, but Luke would let Taka do what she wanted.

Then there was Vesta and Timor. While both were certainly Bount, they were also half something else. Luke still had no idea what, exactly, they were. If he had to guess he’d say they were part monster. Both had mutated limbs, Timor’s hands in this case, that gave them demonic looking transformation abilities. Vesta was a nice enough girl, seeing as how she was literally still a teenager, but Luke wasn’t sure about Timor. She was the kind of girl you wouldn’t be surprised to find swimming in a pool of entrails.

Eris then introduced herself, prompting Luke to do the same. ”I’m Luke. Nice to meet you.” Introducing himself with a smile, he blinked when she asked why he was here. His expression softened from the cautious friendliness it had as he pondered just how much he should tell her. He frowned a little, looking over his right shoulder to see that the man he was after was still there. Luke could still see the man’s back, recognizing the coat he was wearing even though more and more people filed into the club. He was asked if there was anything Eris could do for him.

Turning back around to see his own cup of water given to him, Luke also noticed how her ears resembled an elves. He didn’t stay on it, deciding to take a quick drink before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his phone. It might seem rude that he pulled out his phone before answering Eris’s question, but the phone WAS part of the answer. ”There’s a chance everyone here might be in danger.” Luke said, quickly and softly, just loud enough that Eris, the one closest to him, could hear him. Sliding his phone on the bar table, Eris would see the screen was a blurry photo of a man, hidden in the dark, with just enough detail to make out his face and hair.

If Eris had been paying attention to the news then she wouldn’t recognize the picture. This image hadn’t been passed around to the media just yet. Uzaki Enterprises was keeping this detail quiet for now. They didn’t want Anjuro getting spooked and going underground. ”He’s the killer who's been on the news.” Luke explained, raising the cup to his lips as he watched Eris for how she’d react. Motioning with his head with a quick flick to his right, he signaled to her the best he could without making it obvious to the man who was sitting at a table all by himself, wearing a heavy coat with a jacket or hoodie on underneath it. His face couldn’t be seen from here, but that white, greasy, hair was visible.

”He’s not like normal humans though. I can’t make my move on him until he either leaves or forces my hand.” Luke explained, softly with a light sigh, reaching for his phone to put it back in his pocket. ”Stop worrying about the killer and get to getting to know this hottie!” Jäger decided to comment. Luke ignored him.

[Eris Discordia]

The man didn't hesitate. That was a good sign of cooperation. However, Eris wasn't a fool either. Luke was considered a very intelligent man in having the Bount believe what she wanted to, telling the truth, or an utter fool in expelling what should be a secret to most of their kind. The man must be confident in his abilities if he was willing to share that information with Eris. While it can be seen as suspicious, it can be turned into a different perspective, as in being humble. For Bounts, they must retain a level of security among themselves so they may not seem threatening to the humans around them, and incite those who may be searching for them. Thus, Eris kept her wits about her and remained ever so cautious.

Despite his lack of concern for his own safety, the fellow Bount kept to himself rather than interacting with those around him. Luke's eyes shifted. Eris' followed. His movements and gestures gave clear signals as to what brought him to the Club. These subtle movements were often seen during times of surveillance or observations. Eris grew up learning such habits during her duties as a King's Guard. During that time her mother trained her. The days spent in the castle, the Bount learned to observe the humans around her. Nobility had many enemies that carried their own ideals and objectives. Betrayal was second nature in this day in age. For that reason, Eris couldn't trust anyone. Everyone and everything was a potential enemy. They were not Bount.

That did not mean Eris would come to trust Luke, although, what came next did gain him some favor. Of all the patrons that came into the building, there was a single individual who didn't meld into the environment well. A single among a growing crowd. She had seen many of the men come into the facility alone. This wasn't the issue in the matter as many of them came to coerce or persuade the opposite sex. In other words there is usually an interaction; never does a human remain alone for long. Luke had his eyes trained on this particular individual. There must have been reason to why Luke was concerned about this man.

Before she could ask again, Luke filled her curious mind. Rumors and stories spread across town in the darkest of areas. Many of these stories revolved a series of murders and slaughters that was too much for any Hollow. Hollows fought and killed as if they were animals too, but these were more keen on precision. Better to say, they each had a theme. An Opertus Morandi. Luke explained himself, directing the probable cause as to who may have caused such those horrific incidents. The amount of evidence that Luke presented seemed to be accurate, though, what responsibility did he have to deal with the situation. Eris wasn't a shrewd individual nor cruel. But, why should a Bount concern herself with someone as trivial as this man?

During the time she spent with the humans she figured that they were the same. An egotistical and selfish race. A race bent on devouring one another. The more that Eris thought about the idea of this man destroying the humans meant fewer left to deal with when she would come to look for more Bounts. More party goers continued to arrive, filling the empty spaces and stalls. It would seem that their bodies were touching as more humans continued to rush through the door. Eris didn't care much what the man would do.

That was the intent if the man was a normal individual. Another thought crossed her mind. If the man were to be a Bount, then his actions would effect them all. Already the Bounts were in a dire situation in terms of numbers. Many of them were scattered across the world. Many of them living in fear of the Shinigami, which resulted in their seclusion and isolation from society. Her mother told her of the stories that revolved their race. Their reason for being and the duties that their birth was shackled to. It was perhaps the coded instincts that the man was instilled with caused this murderous rampage. She needed more evidence, and Eris wasn't going to waste time with it. "I see. Wait here." she responded, taking with her a small lighter from her coworker. "..And be ready then."

Eris proceeded to the restrooms. If what Luke explained earlier was indeed fact, then Eris couldn't pass on the opportunity. Into the dirty restroom Eris hatched her own little scheme to cause a little distraction. It wouldn't be a well thought out plan, but it was better than nothing. Considering the amount of trouble that was about to erupt, the sudden chaos would definitely provide some sufficient cover for any party involved. Whether it be escaping, fighting, stealing, or murder, the stuffed Club provided it all. All that was required was to ignited it. Pushing past the door Eris returned to the bar set to return her coworker's device. Eris looked to Luke without saying a word. All that was needed to count the seconds in her head until.. *RRRIINNNNGGGG* the fire alarm was triggered.

Before leaving Eris set the trash bins on fire. Wads and rolls of paper choking the half emptied containers was more than sufficient to cause the fire to spread and burst out their points of origin. The moments that followed led to the bathroom to be shrouded in smoke. Burnt ashes of paper and towels scattered onto the tiled floor, which only required a small fragment to set the carpeted floor at the door frame to catch wind of it. Soon enough, the fire had enough fuel to cause the emergency alarms to trigger and burn the corner of the Club. Eris just simply continued to work as she watched Luke and the man from the corner of her eyes.

[Deleted]

What was she doing? Luke blinked with surprise when Eris suddenly told him wait at the bar and to be ready. Just what did she have in mind? Why did she have a lighter? Luke was confused, and immediately worried. Was she going to do something? Had he made a mistake telling her why he was here and what was going on? He didn't want her getting involved and then getting hurt on account of his own stupid action. "Stop moron. Let's wait and see what happens." Springflut suddenly interrupted, stopping Luke from getting up and going after Eris. Narrowing his eyes a little, Luke didn't like that idea...but he couldn't go after her without drawing attention to himself.

More and more people were piling into the club. It actually surprised him a little. He never saw this many people at Taka's club. He wondered if that was because the underground hangout was need to know only for Spiritually Aware people, and this one was a commonly known one. "Pft. Like you'd know if Taka's was busy or not. You never went where anyone hung out at. And you're never there." Jäger decided to comment. He had a point. Luke didn't hang out where lots of people would gather. He always felt uncomfortable when surrounded by huge crowds. Like he didn't belong. That feeling made sense now but that didn't mean it was gone.


It was something he always had when growing up. He distinctly remembered something from back when he was just a small kid. A memory of middle school. He remembered always preferring to eat away from all of the other kids. He could never grow attached to other people. He never understood why he just didn’t have the desire to grow close to other kids. He was always alone. Luke didn’t have many friends when he was younger. The ones he had were people he either hung out with for school related stuff, or because hanging out with them explicitly benefited him in some way.

Greyson. He was the one Luke remembered best. Greyson was part of the track team of Luke’s middle school. They ended up getting paired for a biology project, and for some reason Luke became friendly with the kid. Greyson ended up getting Luke into running, and the two often spent a few days a week running together. But when Luke had to move, he never contacted Greyson again. It happened like that all the time. Luke always assumed his detachment to other people was because of the constant moving, not because he wasn’t the same as everyone else. There were also the fights. People also didn’t seem to like him.

He remembered the ever constant fights. He remembered people always having some sort of problem with him and, sometimes without provocation, wanting to take their frustations out on Luke with their fists. He never understood why. But now he did. Perhaps, somewhere deep down in their very primal instincts, those kids were unconsciously aware of how different Luke was from them. It scared them. And just like in the story books, they had wanted to slay the monster. He had to stop himself as he noticed how tightly he had begun to squeeze his glass of water. Good grief...why am I bringing that stuff up? Luke asked himself, shaking his head. ”Because you’re emo.” Thanks Jäger.

Suddenly Eris had returned. Luke looked at her, confusion clearly on his face, as he wondered just what she had done. She hadn’t approached Anjuro...so what did she do? Luke began to open his mouth to ask her directly when the building's fire alarm suddenly went off. The Bount’s eyes widened with surprise as he turned to look at the growing crowds confusion before they began to rush for the exit once the smoke became visible. Shit...she’s..

”Clever.”

Luke was, to say the least, surprised and impressed. He turned his head so the corner of his gaze caught Eris. She thought up this in no time? Compared to her he looked like an idiot. A smirk painted itself on his face as he chuckled behind closed lips, his eyes then directing themselves at the still seated coat wearing individual. It didn’t take long until the club had been mostly cleared, leaving only a few people remaining like the employees, some stragglers, and the people of importance. Getting to his feet, Luke stood as he realized this was going to be the best opportunity he would have. But as the Bount got to his feet, so did the other one.

”Sigh..” escaped from between his lips as he turned to look at Luke and, because she was nearby, Eris. ”So...you finally make your move, huh?” the man asked. Luke frowned as he looked into the uniquely red eyes that Anjuro had. The man looked in his thirties, with a skeletal like face and burning crimson eyes. Strands of his gray hair fell down around his forehead, but Luke could make out a thick scar drawn across the mans forehead. ”So, are you a cop?” Anjuro asked Luke, placing his hand on the head of the chair he had been sitting in.

”No.” Luke answered, quickly squeezing his right hands fingers and cracking them. ”So...you’re lookin for revenge? I have my fun with someon you were close to?” Anjuro asked, a smirk pulling on the backs of his lips. Luke’s frown deepened before he answered, ”No. I’m the guy who's going to put a stop to the killings.” He answered, quickly removing his blue hoodie. It would only restrict his movement. The gray tank top he was wearing was perfect for what was going to happen.

”Put a stop to...pffffft HAHAHA!” Anjuro began laughing, tossing his head back as he let out a deep belly laugh. Dying down, he shook his head as he let out a few remaining chuckles. ”Alright you dumb fuck. That made me laugh. You even know who I am? You’re going to be begging me to st-” His words didn’t get to finish, because as he was busy taunting his words were cut short by the fist suddenly appearing digging itself into his cheek. Luke, attached to that fist, put all his power behind the blow and sent Anjuro over a table and tumbling across the floor.

Flexing his fingers a little, Luke glared down at Anjuro as the man began to rise to his feet. A wide grin pulled itself across the humans face, revealing a mouthful of big teeth, as those red eyes locked themselves on Luke. Pulling his thumb across the split in his lip, Anjuro looked at the blood on the tip of his digit. ”Oh...now I get it. You’re not normal either, huh? A freak like me, huh? Maybe you CAN put a stop to my fun. Better than those chickenshit bitch baby cops. Oh I’m gonna have fun with you.” he laughed as he grabbed his jacket and tore it off.

Anjuro was much bigger than Luke. He had, at least, seven inches on the Bount. He was also much larger physically. Luke looked like a stick compared to how much muscle Anjuro had. ”Luke let me out! I wanna feel his muscles! And his insides!” Jäger decided to say. Opening his fingers up, two swords created from Advanced Air Arsenal appeared in his hands. Anjuro blinked with surprise, drawing a knife from behind his back in response to Luke drawing, well creating, his weapons. ”Eris!” Luke suddenly called out. ”You should get out with everyone else.” He suggested.

[Eris Discordia]

Thus far, everything had worked just as Eris predicted. With a triggered fire alarm, the proper authorities will respond to the emergency call. Though, the main purpose was to cause the attending patrons to flee from the facility. The safety of the humans were of the upmost priority to insure that they wasn't an incident involving the individual that Luke cited. From what the man described, it matched the stories that were told by the growing media concerning the recent incidents. This overall kept the growing situation contained. At least, from what it appeared to occur as the patrons stormed out from admist the chaos.

The Club's Security operated as an orderly fashion despite the few hysterical guests. Just as the Eris directed the last of the attending customers, the Bount scanned the shrouding interior as the ceiling began to lose it's traits from the growing fumes. Soon enough the fire would spread beyond their ability to control. Even looking at it from a perspective concerning her own safety, Eris couldn't leave. "Eris, what're you doing?" her fellow worker cried out as the Bount returned into the building. "I need to make certain that everyone made it out. Just keep everyone outside, okay?" Eris didn't wait for a reply as she stormed into the building once more. Her coworker's refusal to allow the woman into the burning structure fell on deaf ears. Eris had a purpose for reentering the building; she had to know who and what the man was.

Closing the door behind her, the Bount flipped the nob into it's locked setting. Not that it would have done much to help, though it came out of necessity as her position as a Guard. Understanding what the man may possibly be identified as Eris took the upmost caution. It wasn't as well suited to the situation as her spear was, though fundamentally it was the same. A sturdy mop stick was the best that could come up with on short notice when it came to confront the mysterious murderer. Seeing that her current abilities were not on par with that of Luke, she intended to rely on the man as much as possible. Though, were it solely her ability to do so, then Eris would have preferred to handle the man herself.

Eris wasn't one to partner herself with others. Her inability to trust the people around her conflicted with her ability to complete a operation on a good note. Much to her own displeasure the woman fought alone for this very reason. Many of the humans around her had ill manners that they kept hidden within themselves, only to reveal them at a later time when the circumstances suited them. It did not matter whether they were male or female, as humans functioned similarly on a fundamental level. Deception upon more deception. Such a habit and nature was surely going to cause the Bount's demise at some point. For that reason, Eris fought alone.

However, what she faced before her now wasn't the most favorable. She knew that such an event, such as this, would eventually come to her to face it. Yet, what was suppose to be a grueling moment would serve to be a learning experience; for her, and that of Luke. Both the man and woman had their own quandaries about the other. Luke's own experiences with that of the Bounts he met, and that of Eris' concern with those around her. The gap between was there present before them, and only this was the best method in dealing with it. Snapping the base of the mop head away from it's shaft, Eris did the best she could with what she could manage with.

Brushing past the hazardous fumes, Eris remained in cover. Eris wasn't as proud as the other warriors whom she fought alongside, she was careful. The use of smoke and mediocre abilities were of a consistent camouflage. She remained low in a crouched position. Eris wasn't strong nor fast, but was clever. When the pair came into sight, she knew that a fight would most certainly break out. It was only a matter of being triggered did the battle ensue. Not being capable of maintaining a reliable pursuit, Eris remained hidden until the target revealed a viable misstep. A single mistake was all that was needed for Eris to intercede. With that, the blunt end of makeshift staff would strike momentarily for the center of the man's chest before sweeping at the pair of legs off balance.

[Deleted]

Honestly, Luke could have done without the screaming of the fire alarm and the smell of smoke. He needed as great a focus as he could muster in his fight against Anjuro because, surprisingly, this motherfucker was actually a good fighter. Even though he only wielded a single military knife, the rogue Fullbringer was both agile and skilled with using that thing. Sparks flew each time their weapons clashed, further damaging the sharpened edges of the pair of swords. Frowning, Luke found himself wishing he had a real sword. For a moment he wished he hadn't destroyed Mūnran'nā that night, but quickly corrected that train of thought by reminding himself WHY he destroyed that sword. It had been a crutch, holding him back by making him rely on a borrowed power given to him by Aevus. Luke had sworn, by destroying the sword, to stand on his own feet.

But he still wished he had a real weapon and not these fucking air swords. But why the fuck was Anjuro actually decent at fighting? It was a stupid question. One that, if Luke spent a bit more than five minutes thinking about, was easily answered. Anjuro spent how many years in a high security prison for the worst of the worst? In a environment like that he must have learned how to fight of a necessity. What skills he did have were clear as the two clashed and neither could encroach on the other. "Just kill him." Luke suddenly heard, the voice of his second Doll cutting through the scream of the alarms and the clash of weapons. Shit. So Springflut noticed it, and Jäger was catching on as well.

If Luke wanted to, he could have killed Anjuro without much hassle. The man was weaker than Luke was. If the Bount so chose he could flex the pressure of his spiritual energies and crush the man. However, doing so would endanger the people in the nearby buildings and collecting together in the streets due to the alarm. But there was more to it than that. Luke wasn’t trying to kill the man. Though Anjuro was a monster undeserving of the mercy Luke gave him, the Bount had not been appointed judge, jury, and executioner. He was intending to bring the criminal in so that he would probably answer for his crimes, not take justice into his own hands.

”Haha! Hahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAAHAA!” From deep in his belly Anjuro began releasing such a loud and excited laugh. His voice began carrying louder than the firealarm as he seemed to grow excited over the fight. His attacks began to get faster. They began to grow heavier. Luke noticed this quickly, and began backpedaling a little to gain some distance between himself and the much larger human. Maybe Springflut was right. Maybe Luke would have to take justice into his own hands. But before he could make that decision someone else struck.

He was so focused on the fight he hadn’t sensed her approach. Velvet hair clouded his vision for a moment as Eris struck with her improvised weapon, striking Anjuro squarely in the chest before making a move to sweep his legs. The blow to his chest was successful, the Fullbringer gagging before being knocked off his feet. Anjuro quickly rolled backwards, as Luke cast a surprised look to the woman. ”Why’re…” Luke began to question, before he stopped himself and closed his mouth. No point in asking that question. Luke knew she was here to help. ”Thanks.” he said quickly, as Anjuro began getting to his feet. ”You bitch.” he spat, casting firey glares at Eris before looking at Luke.

”What’s wrong? You need some bitch to help you?” He taunted, trying to egg Luke on to infuriate the younger man. But, unfortunately, prison tactics didn’t work on Luke. The Fullbringers shit eating grin slowly turned into a closed frown as he began to realize that, two on one, he didn’t have much of a advantage. Maybe if Eris and Luke were normal humans...but it was obvious to him that both of these people were freaks like he was. ”Tch.” Anjuro grunted, before his left foot twisted to the right a little. Luke blinked when he detected the use of reiatsu.

A green spark kicked into existence at Anjuro’s foot that quickly spread like electricity across the floor of the room. The green energy travelled up tables, chairs, and onto drinks left behind by patreons. All of a sudden those objects were flung at the pair of Bount as if they had come to life. What’s more, the sudden movements had caused some of the tables surfaces to become covered in alcohol from spilling the drinks and, with another green spark, those tables and chairs caught on fire! ”Shit!” Luke growled, stepping forward and downwards at a blazing table heading right for his head. As if it were a action movie, the table was cut cleanly in two and flew past the sides of Luke, leaving him unharmed. He did the same to a few more pieces of furniture thrown at him. As Luke dealt with his own furniture, he suddenly felt another flicker of reiatsu.

Anjuro had used Soul Dominance. To Luke’s understanding, Fullbringers were humans who had the ability to manipulate the souls inside of objects. It was a surprise to learn that the toilet had a soul, but that was apparently the truth. Fullbringers, generally, couldn’t do too much with their Soul Commanding. They could lift liquids to help them drink things. They could slide a chair a little across the floor to sit down. Make a tie tie itself. But what Anjuro had done was a little too advanced for Soul Command. Soul Dominance. Luk thought to himself. Soul Command couldn’t effectively be used in a fight. Its effects were too small. But Fullbringers who had Soul Dominance...yeah what Anjuro did confirmed he had that ability. Luke learned about that one from his fight with Marcus. It was a nasty trick.

But the biggest trick was the fact that, after all the flying furniture was dealt with, Luke realized that he and Eris were the only people in the club. The Bount stood there for a moment, staring at where Anjuro had been moments ago, before shouting. ”WHAT?!” How did he fucking get away? ”Did that motherfucker just pull a Naruto?” Jäger asked as he laughed. Springflut just let out a exasperated sigh. Spreading his Energy Sensory out Luke hoped to find the Fullbringers reiatsu. He couldn’t have gotten far. But, predictably and annoyingly, the only reiatsu Luke could sense were Eris’s and a few others.

His lips trembled for a minute before pulling back into a toothy sneer before he kicked one of those tables hard enough that it bounced off the ceiling and shattered when it landed. ”Son of a bitch!!” Luke shouted, rubbing his hand through his hair as he paced away from Eris. ”Dude calm down. If you found him once you’ll find him again.” Jäger commented. ”You don’t understand how serial killers work, do you you moron?” Springflut responded. ”They kill and rape and sometimes have powers. What’s to know?”

”You actually don’t get it. Luke had cornered Anjuro, someone who thought he couldn’t be caught or found. What do you think he’s going to do?”

”He as in Luke or Anjuro?”

”He’s going to go into hiding.” Luke suddenly said out loud. How the fuck did he manage to get away? The Bount quickly turned to the spearwoman, looking at her for a moment before approaching. ”Does this place have a back entrance or another exit? Somewhere he could have slipped out?” Luke asked her, not intending to just let the murderer escape without at least trying to chase him down.

[Eris Discordia]

OOC: Apologies for the short post. Also, will be doing SP from this point on.


The smoke and smog were quickly brewing more as the seconds went by. Eris' own conditioning in this environment wasn't at all at it's best. The clouding smoke that compiled over their heads became more dull as their little engagement continued. From what Eris felt, the wooden shaft that she had used early made contact with her intended target. The sound of the wooden staff snapping at the end meant that her blow was somewhat effective, yet her own strength lacked. For that reason she believed that it wouldn't much but to distract the man. Though it may have been for the moment, she could only hope that Luke was able to do something in that time. She could hear his voice over the combustion of the bottles from behind the bar. Snapping and shattering as their contents went beyond their boiling point. The flasks erupted and exploded, creating more fuel for the fire to consume.

The series of smaller eruptions blanketed over the man's words. But, to make matters worse, the furniture in the Club began to move. Pulled by the foreign influence that she couldn't see, their heavy settings were flung across the narrow spaces within the interior. Wood and cushions splattering across the smoked filled air, Eris dropped to cover herself behind a lounge sofa. It's contents washed over the Bount before she could recollect herself. The air was slowly becoming thicker by the minute. Ash had begun to blanket over what was left of clean air with hazardous material. Before Eris could take into view, the fire blazed over the entire rear section of the facility. Luke's voice was clear once the woman's hearing managed to set it apart from the raging inferno. Does this place have a back entrance or another exit? Somewhere he could have slipped out?”

Eris examined the burning scene, thinking to herself. After quickly considering the facility's layout, and the fire's present course, there was only one way through that would help an escaped fugitive. She turned to the rear, "The back door. It would be the only way out of here." she directed, her eyes beaming at the narrow passage that was slowly being overtaken by the fire. Through the smoke and compiling ash, the man wouldn't know where the exit would be located. So, Eris led. Taking the Bount by the hand, the woman pushed past the choking smolder produced by the intense heat. It burned just slightly as her slender fingers wrapped around the man's wrist, tugging into the direction that she marched quickly towards. If she were someone trying to escape, then using a narrow means of escape would have been the best choice to do so. Especially in this situation.

"The back door is the only other way out, and as you....ugh.can see.. it's about to be inaccessible." As she spoke those words, the hall leading to the backdoor exit was about to be consumed by the fans of the flames. Eris nudged. "The door is just ahead. You're faster than me, so go." she beckoned him, nudging him forward. Eris would soon follow after him past through the fire and help if she could.

[Deleted]

Things were getting bad inside the club. The fire was spreading quickly since it was being so generously fed with all of that easily burnable furniture and the abundance of alcohol. The smoke was getting thick and beginning to sting Luke’s eyes as well as impede his ability to breath. Did Eris really need to catch the place on fire? Luke could have waited. No use in complaining about it now though. Being pulled through the club by the raven haired woman, Luke appreciated her being here. He probably wouldn’t have found the back door in time without her guiding him.

"The door is just ahead. You're faster than me, so go." The doorway was just ahead, and just as Eris said the hallway was closing up with flames like it was the throat of some monster. Go without her? Was that what Eris had just suggested? His brown eyes looked at her as if she just said that two plus two was five. Was she serious? ”Don’t be stupid.” Luke suddenly replied, just before he suddenly scooped Eris up in his arms with an arm across her back and one under her knees. ”Like hell I would just leave you here.” He replied, even if Eris intended to follow after him. He wasn’t going to chance her getting burnt especially when she did what she did to help him out.

”Hold on..” Luke warned as he leaned forward on his feet. Invisible to everything but the ability to sense energy, a rail of spiritual energy went from Luke to the door. Within that same instant everything became a blur. For Eris that was. Luke was used to, and trained to, be able to keep himself aware of everything when moving at these speeds but for Eris it would probably be a jarring moment, especially since using Schiene jumped Luke to 7x his normal speed.

So just shortly after Luke told Eris to hang on, the doorway was right in front of them. Cept, well, Luke didn’t stop. He lunged forward, slamming his knee right into the door thanks to throwing himself forward with the momentum and his strength. Perhaps a bit extreme, since it actually threw the door off the hinges, but it got the job done. The night air was, literally, a breath of fresh air. He came skidding to a stop, letting out a cough as he lowered his arms so Eris could stand. ”Got smoke in my eyes..” Luke complained lowly to himself, rubbing his eyes and grumbling. ”That’s what happens you step through smoke with your eyes open at that speed, dumbass.” Springflut decided to comment.

”I’VE GOT YOU BITCH AHA!” They suddenly heard! ”What?!” Luke shouted in surprise, beginning to spin around towards the source of the sound. But before he could he suddenly felt a great weight fall down on his back, and then a serious pain erupting in his back and stomach. Eris, who had a better view and wasn’t attacked, would see what happened. When Luke was busy bothering with his eye she would see Anjuro drop down from above on top of Luke. But what made matters worse was the fact that Anjuro had a pipe in hand.

He must have ripped it off a wall or found it in the alley, but what he did with it was ram it through Luke’s back and out his stomach and then into the ground. ”AAAGHHGH!!” Luke shouted, the severity of the pain finally getting to him after a moment. ”Hehe..hahahaha!” Anjuro laughed as he stood behind Luke after getting up. ”You idiot!” ”Stupid god damn fuck!” Placing his hands against the ground, the Bount began trying to push himself upwards, trying to pull the pipe through him. The grunts Luke let out were beginning to sound rather wet. ”Now now now..” Anjuro muttered, before suddenly slicing out the back of Luke’s left knee causing the Bount to let out another pained shout.

”Sit tight for a moment. Don’t go anywhere now..” Anjuro chuckled, licking his top lip as he turned towards Eris. ”Don’t think I forgot about you, whore. I’ll cut you up before I have my fun with him, ehehehe.” Anjuro laughed, beginning to approach Eris with knife in hand. How the hell did he get the drop on Luke? Grinding his teeth together, Luke tried to figure it out. He didn’t sense Anjuro at all, but why? The realization of why Luke hadn’t sensed him made the Bount want to beat himself over the head. The fucker had suppressed his reiatsu and was waiting for them to come through that door. He must have been hiding above them, on the roof or on air ground, waiting for one of them to come out. Damn it!!

[Eris Discordia]

Out of the fire and into the frying pan. It was the better analysis of what their current predicament shaped to be. The inferno soon blazed through the interior of the the building, engulfing the structure in a raging firestorm. Glass fragments spewing from the windows, the odor of melting leather and rubber filling the nearby atmosphere with a thick pungy veil. Thanks to Luke's own capabilities that the two manage to escape the burning building intact, only to find themselves in a more precarious situation. Upon their escape her fellow Bount had the poisonous smoke blind him for a few moments. The toxins within the smoke affected the man's eyes enough for the target to motion in. Before being capable to help him the Fullbringer managed wound Luke, pinning the stronger of the two before dealing with the other.

His initial call out alerted the woman as she stepped to Luke's side. However, her actions wasn't what saved her from being in harms way as she was never the target. Eris wasn't as strong as she was during the time of the war back in Ireland. The journey to Karakura had done a great deal in regression on her abilities, for which reduced the Bount to what she was now. It is now that she truly suffers from her lack in maintaining her training regiment. Luke's stomach had been punctured through with a steel pipe, along with a maimed knee, what the target intended to do was to keep the Bount incapacitated while made to suffer. This was made all the more clear when he turned to face Eris.

His words only solidified her own case in the situation. He made it apparent that Eris wasn't going to escape without some payment for her interference. Judging on his movements in the club, the Bount already estimated some of the man's abilities. Much of them were blurred by the rapid motions and the hazing smoke that obscured her vision. Estimation was all that she could do for her analysis, so much of it was theoretical. What was clear between the two of them was the Fullbringer had the advantage over Eris. His strength and abilities were more defined than that of the Bount's. This made it all the more difficult to fight, and yet.. "Come." Eris couldn't find herself in retreating.

Ash began to fall. The heat blazed uncontrollably beside them as plumes of smoke fumed from the exposed frames of the building. The two traded gazes, peering into the eyes of the other. A moment before the engagement between two individuals who were proficient in their respective trades, which made both parties anticipate as to what was to be done. The two sprung forward, clashing against one another with their own styles of fighting. Yet, the advantage was clear as day. Eris was overwhelmed. In terms of speed and strength, the man matched the woman's palm strikes with holds, tossing her body to the side against the concrete wall. Eris crashed into the piles of bagged garbage, wrestling back on to her feet before discovering the back hand of the man striking her cheek.

The force behind it wasn't severe, however, proficient enough to force Eris' body to sway along with it. Eris' cheek numbed as the natural blush was concealed by the reddening of the bruise. The assailant snickered behind grinning teeth, striking a blow into the Bount's stomach. Both her lungs and stomach collapsed as the remnants of air left her body. Despite of all the experience she accumulated over the years, it didn't mean anything if her body couldn't utilize it all. More to it in fact, her body wasn't capable of using it.

This was the dilemma that Eris faced when it came to individuals who were consistent in their lifestyles. Physically, she was weak. She lacked in such department that bringing herself back to her feet was proving to be difficult. At least on her own. However, the man was "kind" enough to help her; helping her against the wall. Fingers were found coiled around her throat as her back was grinding against the wall during her incline. Her legs wailing about off the floor, kicking frantically as her fingers slowly digging in between the man's grasp and her neck. Their strengths were clearly different, and Eris found herself struggling with a simple act in escaping. Eris gasps for air as her eyes narrowed down at the man.