Sweet House (Yuki/Closed)

Sol looked over the note with a frown. His ability to read kanji was fairly atrocious but the letters written in french he understood. Or would have been if it wasn’t written so poorly. Letting out a groan, the vagrant looked in his other hand, a few assorted pills laying in his palm. With a disgruntled curse under his breath, he shoved them in his mouth as he felt the familiar clambering of voices in his head begin to rise up.

It had been a very brief meeting with the man named Ito Benjiro. Plucky would be the appropriate word for the young man. So would sly and conniving. The vagrant already had an issue having to meet the college student out in a public place, having to make contact at a particularly busy cafe grated his nerves to no end.

Sol could still feel the eyes of so many looking at him. Yet it was the other homeless that pointed him in this man’s direction. With his supply dwindling and having no means to make money, he was forced on a delivery errand for the smiling student. A rolled up paper bag was stuffed on his person, the voices begging him to open it.

Ignoring them and feeling his guts turn as the pills hit the pit of his stomach, Sol felt as though he had been walking for hours through Karakura. The message was vague, the directions were vague. He thought back to what Benjiro had said…

"Don’t worry, I know your type. You can handle it. Just drop off the package at this location. You can read kanji, right? Your accent is weird, that’s okay. It’s French right? Has to be, I got an ear for these things. If you get lost, just follow the crumbs…you come back with a receipt and I’ll hook you up, pal!"

What the hell did he mean by crumbs? Paranoia took him as he gave each passerby a glare. Cutting through an alleyway, Sol let out a deep breath as he began to breathe easy again. Voices began to die down but only barely, the vagrant fearing what he took wasn’t enough. He was tapped dry, he had no choice but to run this errand.

However…

He was really curious as to what was in the bag. Placing the bag on a dumpster and slowly unrolling it, Sol wiped his hands across his face. And took a step back. Who would know? The voices wanted to know as badly as he did, a rare occasion where he was willing to indulge them.

Slowly he reached towards the bag to open it.

Stop hunting on your own. Stop fighting so much. Stop training so much. That'll be next. Damnit. The Suzumei was right. They are growing too complacent.

She kicked a rock in frustration, sending it crashing through a wooden fence. The fifth division was supposed to seek out combat! They weren't to be tasked with a peaceful retrieval mission! Why not send somebody from the third division? Recovery was in the name. And sure, it was more fitting to think of it as a healer's sort of recovery, but even so! Or the second division? Covert ops. They could do well here.

Hell, even the sixth division fits better. This is a security concern.

Yuki paused, glancing towards the fence she'd messed up. She was getting too worked up over this. Her eye closed while she took a moment to center herself. Then she continued along her way.

If I'm lucky I'll find something to hunt. Or end this quickly. Either will work.

One of Karakura's infamous tight alleyways. The signal on her denreishinki grew stronger. As she rounded a corner she came to a stop. A Human stood nearby, reaching towards a bag. Did he have it?

Well this should be interesting.

Figuring that he wouldn't notice her Yuki started to move closer, raising the phone once more. The beeping grew louder, more frequent. This Human most definitely had what she was after.

It was a cylinder container within, Sol licking his dried lips as he pulled it from the crumpled bag. The voices in his mind squealed in glee as he brought it up to inspect. That elation he felt from within his brain from emotions that weren’t his own, was quickly suppressed by a sudden silence that almost floored him. Breathing heavy and using the dumpster to keep him upright, the vagrant shook his head as he once again attempted to look at the small container.

Black wings fluttered from within, an aura of blue and black shimmering off the edge of the creature. A butterfly trapped in a jar. Deep within him he knew carrying such a thing would be dangerous. The insect clung to the side and moved its wings in a slow, rhythmic motion. It would be beautiful if not for the fact that looking at it made Sol feel like he was being dragged into a deep lake.

Letting out an abrupt, strained cough, the vagrant shoved the bottle back into the back and took a breath. Almost instantly the voices started clambering back but this time they seemed distant, muffled. As if being constantly bombarded by voices was enough, he felt his stomach rumble as he was coming to the realization that one of the last pills he took probably wasn’t good for suppressing anything, let alone voices.

En rytter ser på, en rytter ser på, en rytter ser på...

"Shut up!" Sol snapped to his side, rubbing his temple. A rider watching? What did that mean? Growling a curse to himself, he just glared at the bag sitting on the dumpster.

Was it really worth the effort? That was no ordinary bug, Sol not even attempting to figure out how Benjiro got his hands on it. Letting out a long sigh, he looked at the address on the card given to him and scratched his head. He had hoped he was heading in the right direction. The sooner he delivered, the sooner he could get his pills, and the quieter his mind would be.

Her phone was lowered and tucked away into her robes. It was no longer required. This Human had pulled free a little container holding it. And he was inspecting it?

Does he actually know what it is?

She was about to step forward when the Human pushed to his feet. Then he seemed to snap at something. Was it her? No. She hadn't been speaking. Perhaps he was speaking to some other Human nearby? A brief moment was taken to sniff at the air, to look around for another. Alas, it was just them.

Unusual. Perhaps he also has voices within his head.

Ears perked up. Oh. He was departing! Was he taking it somewhere? Did someone else know what it was? It would be good to investigate that. And so she started to follow the man, picking up her pace to keep closer. After all, it was unlikely that he could even detect her.

What are the chances of that?

{Not Far...}

Small bones clinked together, a make shift array of chimes neatly arrayed outside the windowsill. A bird skull twisted at the end of it, back and forth as it was lazily dragged by a light breeze. The open window revealed more odd knickknacks and assortments strewn about the counter top.

Knitted drapery laid on the back of an old woman, hunched over and gingerly shaking a bottle of some sort of spice over a brazed meat hanging halfway off an over rack. A slimy tongue licked wrinkled lips as she stared at it with a sullen, sleepy look. Bare hands touched the scalding hot rack, the woman not showing the slightest bit of discomfort as she slid the rack back into the oven and closed it.

Another gust of wind brought with it something familiar to the woman. With a deep breath, taking in a smell that only she could sense, she took off her thick rimmed glasses and set them next to her sink.

Walking slowly back over to the adjacent counter, she picked up a tenderizer. With energy unbecoming her age, she slammed the metal hammer down again and again with erratic force. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, she picked up what looked like bits of white powder and smeared it all over her face.

White, silver hair began to take on a raven sheen as the old woman began to stand upright. Skin tightened and eyes became sharper, more full of life. Some would say she was stunning to behold. A coy smirk stretched her lips as she took what looked like a skull mask, half crushed, and placed it in a container above the fridge. Newly rejuvenated hands slid carefully over a timer, giving it a few cranks before setting it down gently.

“Just needs some garnish...shouldn’t take too long.” Her giggle was alluring but sinister, the woman leaving the knit cowl on the ground as she left her small in search of her prize that was already hours late…


Sol kept moving, ignoring the sluggish movements of his body. At one point he had taken a look at a map at a bus stop, lazily dragging his finger across the roads and trying to see whether he had been heading in the right direction. Ever since the alleyway he had felt muddled, cold. Was it the butterfly in his coat?

Stumbling along he couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching him. It was outside his normal paranoia, which made it more confusing and aggravating. Taking another detour that he was sure would work, he stumbled forward and barely caught himself. Again he shook his head, as if the hundredth time would change the haze on his mind.

A clinking on the wind was heard as he looked to his right.

There was a bird feeder but no birds approached it. Small bones lined it and bits of bread crumbs was falling from the recent breeze. Eyebrows creeping up, his gaze lazily made its way upward. Several meters ahead was another bird feeder, overflowing with bread crumbs and another macabre decoration hanging from it.

The bread crumbs...that felt too convenient. Counting his blessings he took a step towards them only to feel that cold ball knot up inside him again. Shivering, Sol whipped around looking everywhere he could. That time he knew for certain something was following him. It wasn’t the same feeling he got from a hollow, though…

“Alright...come out! Either that or leave me alone!” Sol barked, flecks of spit flying from his mouth as crazed eyes darted back and forth to find the watcher...

The short wolf sighed quietly to herself. How much longer was this guy going to wander around? At least it was kind of interesting to see Humans just running around being Humans.

Such carefree lives. Most of them know not of the mortal danger they face every day. Well, beyond the usual I suppose. I should try talking to one. I mean really sitting down and just chatting.

No. She shouldn't do that. That is a terrible idea. Nobody would treat you well.

A hand lifted up, rubbing at her forehead. Right. She had a mission to focus upon.

When the man stopped to admire a birdhouse Yuki briefly shifted out of view, dipping behind a dumpster. Had he noticed her? Was she not simply imagining voices?

No, I'm pretty certain that was just me. I suppose it isn't impossible for him to see me. Just my luck, right? Even so, I can't just show myself yet. Not until I figure out where he is taking it. So turn around. Turn around and keep walking. Nothing to see over here.

Another scent hung in the air. Meat. Heavily spiced meat. It almost made her stomach grumble.

Irritation danced along the lines of anger and composure. A sensation of ice being dragged along every inch of skin only intensified. Red wisps of smoke leaked down his right eye as the pupil split and began to quiver in place. It was brief but he felt that familiar sensation. Something not quite human. Instead of a seething hatred taking control of his senses, it was replaced by sickness and lethargic movements.

The dumpster Yuki had found herself behind suddenly began to creak as metal groaned in protest. At first it rattled before stopping altogether. Only the vagrant’s heavy breathing could be heard in the silence of the alley. Suddenly the dumpster lurched with monstrous force, slamming into the opposite wall. Instead of seeing a monster, Sol’s breath caught and he gave the thing a hard look.

A girl?

No, not quite. She had a peculiar look, with black animal ears and a bushy tail to boot. Perhaps she had dressed up for some sort of party? What was it called, a convention? The red smoke which had started to pour readily was now gone, almost as if it had never been there in the first place as his pupil shuddered back into its original shape.

Lip drawn back into a snarl, the vagrant took a step forward to scold the girl for following him. This was soon followed by the homeless man throwing up what was left in his stomach, using the wall as support as he emptied his insides. Spitting out the foul taste, he glared at the girl.

“Go away.” Sol mumbled as he turned his back on the odd girl. Something still didn’t feel right but he chose to ignore the bells going off in his head as nothing more than the voices trying to trick him.

Both ears bolted straight up, twitching slightly as the dumpster creaked beside her. Was something going on inside of it? The trash made certain that whatever it might be was probably concealed from her nose. She looked to it, took a step back, and then was suddenly exposed.

Somehow the dumpster flew across the alleyway, crumpling against a wall. The man was looking right at her! Something was off though. His right eye. And then it was fine again. What the Hell was going on?

Great. Just what I needed. Another Human with abilities. This one is a little more aggressive.

She winced as the man emptied his stomach. It was not a pretty smell to behold. In fact she moved a sleeve up, covering her face to muffle the stench. Her poor nose!

Ugh. This one is sick! Well. He already knows I'm here. No more stalking.

With a deep covered breath she lowered her arm. She had a job to do. "The container. It does not belong to you. I suggest you hand it over" replied the wolf, slowly approaching the man. Her tail swayed gently behind her, calm for the moment, but out and prepared to react in case the man decided to attack her.

He froze mid-step, the disheveled vagrant looking over his shoulder at the girl with a venomous glare. Letting out a slow breath, Sol not realizing he was holding it at that point, the vagrant turned to face the girl. Dull throbbing of pain spread throughout his body as he looked at her more seriously.

“It’s...not mine. To give.” Sol winced as he tried to speak to her. It was like plunging into murky water, looking for something solid to hold onto and finding nothing. Bringing his hand up to his head, a shiver crept along his spine. Definitely not a hollow but not your average spirit. Voices scrambled in the dark of his mind, sifting through an unseen filter.

Do...not...let it. Speak. OdD in the sHaPe of Hell. The messenGER is yoursssss, for the liviNG. Get AWay or kiLL it NoW! nOw! NOW!

She had approached him to closely, possibly seeking advantage in his delusional state. Without the butterfly delivered he wouldn’t get the drugs he needed. And he felt he needed them now more than ever as this creature, this girl approached him. With speed he thought had been lost to him, Sol dashed forward and took the edge of her hand. A familiar pressure point just below the pinky, the vagrant gave it a twist and forced the girl to her knees. Even touching her felt akin to battling a hollow, that familiar anger threatening to overtake the sickness that had been plaguing him.

“Go back, ghost. Where you came from…” Sol snarled, maintaining a firm grip. He didn’t have time to deal with the girl and did his best to swallow the fear sitting in his gut. Fear that this spirit was no better than the terrifying hollows he had come across.

Something is wrong with this Human.

He smelled off. He looked off. He sounded off. Just everything about him was not right. There weren't any injuries that she could notice, but he appeared to be in great pain. In fact some of this reminded her of Raph in a way, only much worse.

"Correct. It doesn't belong to you. In fact it doesn't belong to this world."

Suddenly the man approached her! Ears perked up, tail went still as he reached her. Fingers gripped against her hand, twisted against her flesh. The surprise attack brought her to a knee, stabbing pain racing up her arm. He was stronger than he appeared, but then so too was she.

With a low growl her tail snapped out, aiming to coil around the man's right leg, hoping to capture it so that she might keep him close. At the same time her free hand shot up, fingers curled in a fist. An uppercut was directed towards the man's chin! She could draw her sword, but then he wasn't armed. Besides, he was a Human.

"I'm not a ghost!"

Pressure tightened on his leg, the wolf tail wrapping around it quicker than he could counter. Shifting his weight did little to pry the pesky tail free. Voices scrambled in protest, drowning in the sickness that had overtaken him. This brief distraction was enough for her to send a fist crack into his lower jaw in an impressive uppercut. Darkness took over his vision for a split second before his dazed eyes snapped back into focus.

Dragging his back foot in an arc helped steady his buckling knees as the blow had left him rattled. Eyes dropped slowly to look at the girl who had just him, a snarling forming on his lips. Or was it a smile, twisted and deranged? Emotions fused together and broke apart in an instant. Anger. Fear. Pain. Elation. Nostalgia.

His right pupil split into three sections once more, twisting and shaking violently as red smoke leaked from it. Releasing his grip on her hand, he then thrust forward with a strike. His hand wasn’t in a fist, index and middle knuckles pointed forward while the others were curled back. Still dazed from the uppercut, he missed the girl barely.

A wave of invisible force followed the strike, slamming into the concrete a meter away. Chunks of disturbed stone scattered into the air making it clear the blow would have taken her head off but Sol paid little attention as he followed up with another. Tucking his fist back in, he snapped his elbow out to towards the wolf-girl’s temple.

It had been a solid blow, however it unfortunately was not enough to bring down the Human. No, he was much stranger than she'd anticipated. He had the strength to fight a Shinigami. More importantly, he had some other abilities to boot.

The first strike had been a near miss. One ear lifted, twitching as concrete detonated behind her. A direct hit was not going to be pretty. This needed to end. Fast.

Or perhaps not? After all she was itching for a good fight. He can provide that fight!

Ducking swiftly brought Yuki underneath the elbow strike. She had to be careful with the man's attacks. Could he only use that ability with his hands? Did his fingers need to be in that position? Or could other parts be used? Keeping an eye on his hands would help to rule a few things out.

With her hand free Yuki grasped upon the hilt of her zanpakuto. She kicked her body upwards, drawing the weapon, and during the draw she aimed the tsuba of her sword straight for the man's sternum, hoping to slam the blunted bottom right into his chest! Killing him was still to be avoided. Then again if the fight dragged out she couldn't guarantee that she might hold back.

Focus. Bring him down. Avoid those strikes!

She was nimble, that much was clear as she easily ducked beneath his intended attack. Echoes of the past began to resurface though at the moment they were nothing more than muscle memory. Retracting his elbow back towards his body managed to absorb the impact of the sword guard that threatened to hit him dead center in the chest. An attack that would have knocked the breath out of him.

Breathing is key, in and out. Yes, like that. Maintain the rhythm, don’t hold it in. Your muscles will tense up and your senses will dull.

A voice nudged its way into the back of his mind, guiding him. Not the same as those that assaulted him on a daily basis. A memory, engraved deep.

His thick layers of clothing had taken the brunt of the strike, Sol responding by twisting his body and twisting the black-haired girl’s tail. He went to stomp on the tail with his other foot. Not letting up, he performed several quick jabs that darted about her torso and head. Finishing the combo, regardless of the results, he chopped down towards her hand in an attempt to disarm the sword from her grip.

He was tough. As far as she could tell her strike had been absorbed. This was not going to be a quick match, was it? Ordinarily she wouldn't mind, but she really did not wish to slay some random Human, especially some Human with unusual abilities. They were rare, after all.

I'd best be careful. This fight isn't assured to be in my favor.

Both of them were tough. She felt as though she had the strength advantage here and she most definitely knew that she had the speed advantage. However that attack of his was a wildcard. A direct hit was going to mess her up.

It's okay if he hits me, as long as he doesn't use that. Keep an eye out for it.

When Sol twisted his body Yuki stepped in closer. Her eye narrowed, face cringed when her poor tail was stomped upon! That prompted her not to simply release the man's foot but instead to tug as hard as she could against it, both to keep him put and, if she were lucky, to yank him right off his footing! But moreso it was a distraction. She was perfectly fine if it just kept the man's feet in place.

Multiple strikes were delivered against her. Those not using his hands she simply blocked with her left arm or shoulder, or in the cases where she couldn't quite block, absorbed as best she could. Hand strikes she put more focus into avoiding or deflecting away with her left hand. Even so the direct hits were punishing.

The final strike was sent towards the wrist holding her sword. Of course he'd go for her weapon. Why wouldn't he? She released her grip upon it, swinging the back of her fist up to collide with his. Instead her left hand, which up to this point had been blocking and deflecting strikes, swept down to snatch the weapon out of the air.

"That's enough!" barked the wolf, blade swiped out in front of her. It wasn't a solid cleave, more a drag of her weapon towards the man's legs. She still held no intention of actually cutting him down, but she hoped a solid cut might at least bring him to his senses! Or, at the very least, slow him further.

Every blow was taken or deflected. Not only was she swift but she could dish it out as much as she could take it. Instead of freeing him as he intended, her tail gripped him tight, even tugging hard as best to knock him on his feet. He used the sudden shift in weight to whip his leg about, the momentum finally freeing his leg and following up with an upward kick that once again missed the nimble swordswoman. Once more an invisible force shot out, slamming into a wall and shattering one of the bird feeders.

Sickness swept over him in another wave, slowing his movements even more. Skin began to grow more pale as each second passed being next to this...thing. Red smoke trailed behind as he regained his footing and rolled his hand over the deflecting fist, attempting to grab her wrist. His grasp missed the mark but he was quick to bring his knee up in an effort to knock the falling sword away.

Again, she was too fast for him as she snatched the blade mid-fall.

His eyes followed the path of the sword swinging for his legs. Seeped in tar was the best way to describe the voices that now resurfaced. Each word was weighed by ragged breaths as each syllable was spoken by a different voice who was equally weighed down by sickness.

He barely heard her demand for him to stop.

As the blade came quickly, his hands darted out and slapped upon the blade. Still, his body contorted to catch the sword and that barely slowed the momentum as the edge of the weapon still managed to slice into his left leg. Pain erupted and caused the voices to cry out in unison, a familiar cry that was similar to when he fought the skull-masked monsters.

Fledgling-reaper, NOt full poWER. MaGiC, SpiRiT, kido kido kido kido, null and void. Makes up in strength, papa the strength! Mother, it’s dark. I can’t SEE, the teeth in the daRK. Touched of war, mother in war. One or two? Rend...rend her in two. Trois. Twelve. quatre vingt huit huit huit huit! Eight! ATE! Feed on the pale rider, geist auf pferd, no-yes, I can taste-taste it so smooooth, crunch the boNE and rip the FLEsh! Nogareru, kare ni tsukamaru na!! Kawaisōna koinu, don’t hurt it! Alone...alone...

“Alone...alone…” Sol murmured as the sword was now gripped by not just his hands but the unseen force he had little control over. It spread down the blade, like hands working their way forward, holding fast as it continued to stretch out and tried to grab hold of the wolf-girl.

The single orb widened in surprise. It wasn't just his hand, nor did he seem to need to keep his fingers in any specific configuration. Sol's kick had missed, but it had also destroyed part of a wall. Well, something on a wall. She was more focused on him right now.

It's not just his hand strikes. Damnit. What's his tell then?

Unfortunately her tail was no longer to keep its grip. Still, it wasn't useless, shifting behind her to offer more balance. He'd tried to grab at her wrist but she had luckily managed to withdraw it in time. Even her blade found some success, cutting into the man's flesh, however he'd used that opportunity to grab onto the weapon.

"Alone?"

For some reason the zanpakuto wasn't cutting him. Was whatever he did playing a part in that? Some unseen force he could wield? It almost appeared to be similar to what Raphael had done before. Whatever it was she couldn't stay here, couldn't risk him keeping a hold of her or her blade.

My words aren't reaching him.

No. Perhaps he only understood force. No holding back!

One solid push was made with her zanpakuto. He was strong, and whatever he was using to dull her weapon's strikes was not going to be broken easily. Still, she hoped his occupation with her weapon might leave an opening. With tail steadying her from behind Yuki swiftly lifted a foot and sent it crashing forth, a straight kick aimed right at the man's leading knee!

Her foot collided into his knee, a resounding crunch as the vagrant buckled and fell. Slamming the tip of the sword into the pavement away from him. At that position he was vulnerable but the pain was dull and far away in comparison to the sickness he felt. Not a cry of pain left him, not a wince or any sign of emotion as white hair hung in place, his gaze locked at the ground beneath them.

Just the sound of grinding teeth.

Crazed eyes slowly looked up and peered into the one eye the girl had, a deep crimson that matched the smoke pouring down the right side of his face like intangible tears. She managed to push through the invisible force though it couldn’t have been an easy task. Sol himself couldn’t explain the method or technique behind it. It only lashed out in spurts and it was unwieldy at best.

Like trying to explain to a pebble how river rapids worked. No concept or thought other than it could be swept up and engulfed entirely. And right now the pebble was sinking slowly instead of being tossed about with reckless abandon. There was no illusion of control of the unseen force as it thrashed about the alleyway like a raging bull. Cracks and loud booms echoed throughout, slamming into walls and crushing garbage cans, bikes, and other items scattered about.

Five meters and an impact would echo, holes the size of a tennis ball left in the wake. Ten meters and then suddenly two meters away, ground gave way to large indents that had no shape or discerning features. It was akin to a tornado ripping through and destroying everything in its wake. His hand shot out passed her guard, taking a hold of the girl’s neck.

It took every remaining ounce of strength he had to not squeeze the life out of her, sweat drenched every inch of his skin as he made one last rally to defy the demands of the voices in his head. And that rebellion was rewarded in a sense as the thunderous thrashing of his ability came to a sudden halt at the sound of rattling. Voices hushed, curiosity giving way towards the peculiar sound.

A sound of small bones being tossed.

A woman, lithe in figure with raven black hair that was darker than the wolf girl’s, sat in a crouch only a few feet away from the dueling pair. Snarl still on his lips, he felt a surge of power begin to rise up again, his grip still strong on the girl’s throat.

“Now, now, dearies. You are making quite a mess. Wouldn’t it be better to put this silly scuffle to an end?” The woman said with a voice that pulled at him, urged him to listen. She was dressed in casual clothing, a pink blouse with a flower pattern and dark blue jeans. While she was alluring, almost mesmerizing, nothing about her screamed danger.

Red smoke sputtered, almost as if the energy within was confused. Instinct took over now, a new threat presented that seemed far more dangerous. No telltale sign indicated this other than a gut feeling and the voices muttering in confusion, no longer in some insane cacophony but as if they all wandered in different directions.  

Releasing the wolf, Sol twirled on his injured knee and then sprung forward with his other leg towards the woman. Fist extended in a backhand strike, he was suddenly upside down and slammed into the ground head first. Nails dug into his face as her hand held tight over his mouth.

“Perhaps it’s better you sleep. You and your friend can have some sugared sweets at my home.” She smiled a smile that never touched her eyes. It was a familiar look he had seen before. As though he was nothing more than a meal to be devoured. Before he could retaliate, she released her grip and blew a powder into his face.

FIGHT! Fight...fight...der ofen ist fertig. Die hexe hat hunger...

Thrashing at her for a moment, the woman nimbly hopping out of his reach, Sol tried to reach for her only to realize his body refused to respond. Darkness creeped in from the edge of his vision, the vagrant straining one last time only to pass out completely.

“Well, the addicts always could resist my sleeping dust more than the average person. Now, my dear, why don’t you follow suit? I promise I’ll have plenty for you to eat, little Shinigami.” Again she smiled, eyeing the wolf-girl with a hungry stare as she readied another handful of sleeping powder...

Did that feel good? Maybe even a little? Crunch! Hahah! Yes!

No. What? No! Damnit. Why is he doing this?

Her foot managed to strike at her intended target. The man was down, but he was not finished. All around her an assault raged on. Dumpsters, bikes, piles of garbage, walls, even the pavement were harassed by some powerful unseen force.

Yuki's ears twitched, shifted constantly, picking up on the noises. She did her best to figure out what exactly was happening. Was it wind? An invisible attack? Could it even be detected at all? She didn't smell anything unusual, or rather, nothing that wasn't the two of them. And that meat. But she couldn't really hear anything either, not until the damage was done.

Knock him out. That might do it.

She had to look for an opening. Who knew what strike might hit her if she simply attacked now. But unfortunately the man was not finished. With a surprising spring he pressed in, fingers grasping at her throat. Her eye widened, blade spun around. At this point she was ready to remove the arm entirely!

But she relented. He was fighting something. She knew that look. Hell, she experienced that sort of thing on most days. The constant struggle against baser instincts. Fingers tightened their grip around the hilt of her zanpakuto. Who would win the struggle? Him? Or his other self?

The wolf's right ear twitched. When her throat was released she turned to face the newcomer. So focused had she been that she'd not even detected their approach. Another Human? They didn't appear to be a Shinigami and they certainly weren't a Hollow. She sniffed at the air as her free hand moved up, rubbing at the sore spot left behind on her neck.

She can see me. Great. Another one.

Even more troubling was her power. She had put down the man quite easily. Then she'd used some strange powder to put him to sleep! That was welcomed in a way, but she had to be careful. And then she addressed the Shinigami directly.

She knows what I am. Not good.

Her tail swept up, curling around the lower half of her face. It was the best protection she had against that powder. Yuki's blade was lifted up defensively, reiatsu pouring out. Having seen how easily she dispatched the other Human Yuki couldn't really hold back.

"I must decline. He has something of mine. Thank you for the assistance, but I suggest you leave."

“You mean the Jigokuchō? Yes, yes, I know about that too.” The woman waved off any protests and was only amused by whatever feelings of confusion the Shinigami had. Bones adorned her wrists, linked together with beads and charms. Eight in total, five on her right arm and three on her left. If the wolf-girl cared to take notice, the newcomer was constantly tapping them. One-two-three, one-two-three.

“You see,” She began, that charming smirk tugging at the edge of her lips, “I find them to be the perfect garnishing for my meals. Among other things.”

“Karakura is just bristling with wandering spirits! No one bats an eye when a wayward plus simply vanishes and or a Hollow suddenly goes poof. Or useless dregs no one would miss…” Making a flippant gesture to the motionless Sol with a tilt of her wrist, still eyeing the Shinigami with that same hungry stare. Now she was circling the girl, keeping an eye on the blade the reaper wielded but never did she lose her cool composure. There was no errant twitch, no indication that this odd woman would attack the wolf-girl.

“But a Shinigami! Ah, that...has always piqued my interest. Quite. The. Catch.” The woman waved a finger about almost as if she was composing. Again, her eyes shifted from the blade to look at the swordswoman. “Of course you’re all skin and bones right now but we can change that…”

Unbeknownst to Yuki, the powder was being spread around her in small bursts. They lingered, waiting. With index on one of the charms at her wrist, she smiled once more as she knew her trap had been set. Flipping the charm over, the swordswoman immediately found herself upside down. As her head collided with the ground, another charm was flipped and the powder that had been carefully laid out swept in and bombarded the girl.

“Nighty-night, little miss Shinigami. We’ll have so much to discuss when you wake.” She bent low so that Yuki could see her triumphant smile as sleep took the girl. Now with both sound asleep, the woman placed her fists on her hips with a satisfied sigh. Pulling free one of the bones from one of the makeshift bracelets, she dropped to the ground and uttered words that wouldn’t be comprehended by either sleeping victim.

The fallen bone multiplied, a thousand tiny feet tapping along the pavement as they hoisted the two up like ants carrying leaves.

She eats them? Actually that does make me wonder what they might taste like. She devours souls. Even Hollows. Humans. There is so much that I'd love to ask her! But duty first.

Yuki turned with the circling woman. Was this what it felt like to be prey? No. Prey felt fear. Although she was feeling a little anxious. Her entire body was tensed, prepared to leap into battle like a coiled up spring. But she hadn't made any offensive moves as of yet. She had to at least attempt diplomacy first.

Even so, this wasn't good. The woman wasn't frightened at all. Clearly she is a threat! Strike her now!

"Am I to be your first then? Should I feel honored?"

Suddenly the world turned upside down. Ringing filled her ears as her head collided with the cement ground. What had even happened? She didn't register any overt movements from the woman.

As she crumpled onto her side a cloud of dust swirled in around her. She tried her best to hold her breath, but the surprise attack had caught her completely off guard. Some of it was breathed inwards. Claws dragged against the ground, body shook as a low growl escaped from the wolf. She fought against the effects of the sleeping poison, started to push herself up to her feet in order to charge her new foe!

Her legs gave out. Crumpling to the ground, Yuki put as much strength as she could into her fingers. She just had to get close enough. Move in. Tear the woman apart! But her body was betraying her. It wasn't long before she couldn't even move, eyelids growing heavy, flickering repeatedly while she fought off the drowsiness.

"Fu-"

Dreary eyes fluttered open to gaze upon a cloudy sky. Instead of clouds of white they were drenched in a deep red, lightning arcing across them with each accompanying thunderclap. Ash fell from these clouds, covering everything around the vagrant who now found himself in a small body. What age had he regressed, his hands so small and his legs barely able to touch the ground as he lay on broken debris of a fallen building.

Forcing himself up, he winced as he realized he was covered in cuts and bruises. Bone jutted out of his arm but he did his best not to scream, not to cry. Instead he climbed free, dragging himself through jagged concrete and twisted rebar. Earth shook underfoot, matching the flashes that streaked through the sky above. Still he crawled, his priority only being to survive.

Pushing aside a slab in his way with all his might, the boy finally managed to pull himself free from the wreckage. Tumbling head over heels, he landed hard on his chest which knocked the wind from him. Battered and tired but still alive.

Finally he looked up and his already pale skin grew several shades lighter as the blood from his face drained.

All around him was a city, or what was left of one. Skyscrapers torn asunder, building alight with burning infernos, chunks of scattered debris lifted into the static filled air. Yet it wasn’t all modern, the city blending into a stonework that seemed akin to ancient times. From roman pillars to Egyptian temples, a variety of cultural architecture lay tattered and in ruins.

Strained, bloodshot eyes grew even wider as a sudden gust of wind rushed passed him. Black scales, larger than a full grown man, rushed overhead. Between each scale, a bright otherworldly glow was emitted from the massive beast. It shook the very ground as it slithered overhead, the screeching of its skin on metal and glass forcing the boy to clap his hands over his ears.

It moved with great speed, this massive serpent, and coiled around a building. A gout of fire spewed from its mouth the size of a train, melting steel and concrete. Its massive size was almost too much to comprehend, the destruction around him unimaginable. Yet something prodded at him. To search for something lost. Someone lost. Tearing his eyes away from the snake, he looked around for a way to climb down from his current location. Scanning his surroundings, he froze in place as he felt the presence of someone else.

“Hello, little boy in the dark.” Fear froze him in place, the sweet honeyed voice being all too familiar. Slowly he turned to see the girl with hair of fire glancing over at him with a coy tilt of her head. She was sitting, innocently swinging her feet over a ledge back and forth. The woman wasn’t beautiful in the way of traditional thinking, she held an aura that demanded your attention. A visage worth remembering with a fond smile or a knowing smirk. Those emotions rang false for Sol, for he knew what she was.

“He does grow tired, thrashing about as he does. I grow tired. But! But, but, but! That’s part of the fun, isn’t it? The chase, the thrill, the back and forth as I find you again and again and…” Her eyes were crazed, her pupils in tattered and holding that familiar quaking of insanity. Suddenly she vanished but the boy knew that she was right behind him. “Again.”

Lithe fingers sunk into the side of his face, not piercing but melding with flesh. It was no less painful as the boy began to scream. His head was forcefully pushed aside to look ahead. Look towards the giant serpent that now locked eyes with the little boy.

Giant eyes, sinister, indifferent, bore into Sol. Foaming at the mouth as the spasms took hold of his body, the boy found himself unable to comprehend the face of such evil. Lightning cracked behind it, words that he couldn’t comprehend began to assault every sense. Pain racked his body, worse than he could remember or could possibly fathom. He was sure this is where he would die but suddenly he heard a deafening roar that jolted the snake’s head to the right.

A beast of smoke and green fire slammed into the side of the snake’s head, forcing the massive beast back as it collided with destroyed buildings. While nowhere near as large as the snake, it held a presence as something equal to it. Smokey wings unfurled and the lion-creature let out a victorious roar  as its seven eyes peered at the snake with vehement hatred.

“Oh, it seems the Guardian had caught wind once more. Such a shame, such a sh-” The woman whose fire hair flickered violently with each twitch, stopped mid-sentence as she looked down at the massive hand that was placed on her shoulder. Letting out a sad, knowing smile, she released the boy who collapsed to the ground.

Struggling to move, the boy looked back to see the woman give him a look of sympathy. A large, mountain of man adorned in chainmail armor and a fur cloak loomed over her. With a violent motion, the man flung the fire-haired woman backwards. She slammed back with such force that she ripped through several tons of concrete and fallen debris. There was no violent collision to signal her end as it seemed she was thrown into eternity.

Gingerly the giant man helped the boy to his knees, his lower face draped with a long white beard that brushed against the ground. An eyepatch rested over his right eye and a dented, well worn steel helmet sat atop his head. Every piece of metal he was adorned with looked aged, rusted.

“Not yet, død-bror. Awaken.” His voice was defeaning, forcing tears into the boy who now had regained his older form. He stood there, questions flooding his mind as he tried to recover. With a massive finger, the man pressed gently against the vagrant’s head. Suddenly he felt himself falling into a void, surrounded by nothing.

Nothing but the voices slowly building beneath him and from within.


Slowly he came to, head lolling back and forth as he tried to sit upright. His body felt sluggish, more than he felt when fighting the girl. Eyes finally adjusting to his surroundings, he held his breath as everything suddenly came rushing back. With a violent jolt, Sol realized he was tied to a chair in what looked like a normal looking living room.

“Now, now, deary. None of that, otherwise the poison will hasten and then BAM, dead as a door nail! That’s fine too but I do hate a spoiled meal.” The familiar voice called out, the woman from before wiping her hands on a kitchen towel before tossing it over her shoulder.

Panic took control as he looked down. Needles were pressed into each of his arms. One, a purple liquid that stank of the monsters he had faced in his past. The other a glowing light that filtered into him in small bursts. The sudden realization of it left him frustrated as he would have liked to know where he could have gotten a fix earlier than running crappy errands for some college snob.

“Where….what…?” Words were hard to form, his throat felt warm and constricted. Was it the strap around his neck or the drugs being pupped into his system. Tilting his head over as much as he could while strapped down, he saw that the wolf-girl was in a similar setup though had far more restraints than him.

Hey.

. . .

Come now. Speak to me.

I didn't think that, did I?

Of course you didn't.

Everything was dark, nearly pitch black really. However she could make out shapes within that darkness. Vague shapes, and only if she really focused. She couldn't move, but she didn't feel distressed. No, for some reason she just felt at peace.

You need to wake up.

There it was again. A voice echoed throughout the darkness. But who was she talking to? Where was she? Wait.

Wake up?

Wake up. It isn't safe. You will die.

Die? That woman.

Yes. That woman.

She did something to me.

She will kill you.

Is this a dream?

Wake up.

"I need to wake?" mumbled the little wolf, eye flickering open at last. For a few moments everything spun together, one great blur tossed about as though it were a wild sea. A scent hit her. Heavily spiced meats.

Damnit. I can't believe I let that happen.

Finally her vision focused in on her surroundings. They were in some sort of kitchen? Or something? Yes. That is what it looked like. She spotted the man from before, the one she'd fought. He was strapped down in a chair.

Needles?

Her gaze lowered. Only when she noticed the needles did she actually start to feel the pain. A dull, throbbing pain. Of course with her adrenaline lowered the other injuries also screamed out for attention. She hurt all over. But that wasn't important. Right now they needed to free themselves.

Free.

Muscles tensed as she tested her binds. There were quite a few of them. At least double of what the Human had. She found that a little odd given the man's strength. Perhaps he had been weakened somehow?

"What are you doing to us?" she finally asked.

“The poison? Oh that’s something I managed to replicate from a particularly nasty little Hollow. It’s a paralyzing agent mixed some of its blood, though I had to give more to the big fella here.” Her voice reeked of a condescending tone, as if she was speaking to a child. She walked over and brushed her fingers along Sol’s chin who responded with trying to bite at her, teeth chomping on air as the woman drew her hand back in a flash.

“Fuck you!” Sol snarled but his voice was coarse, dry to the bone.

“See? So wild. Unpredictable. Makes you wonder which of you is more animal, doesn’t it?” Mulling the thought over, she flicked the wolf-girl’s ear for no reason other than to see if she could get a rise out of Yuki. Letting out a click with her tongue, she tapped the jewelry on her wrists in a similar rhythm the Shinigami had seen before.

“I’ve watched, studied, and been preparing for your kind for a long time. A long….loooong time. I thought avoiding you would be best but I wonder if anyone would really miss you too? After so many years, I think taking a gamble would really spice things up.” She seemed utterly giddy, raising her hand to her mouth as she let out a small laugh that bounced off the walls.  Her entire demeanor shifted as she looked at her hand. No longer skin tight and smooth but wrinkly and sunken in, spots slowly appearing one by one. Clearing her throat, she straightened herself as she twirled to face the both of them.

“The gold light is something simple, follow the tubes, folks…” She said, pointing and following a path to a machine that looked akin to something made in a hospital, almost like a ventilator. Hundreds upon hundreds of small jars were connected to it, a good handful already empty. Within each jar was the swirling golden light, Sol swearing he saw a face of an animal in one of them.

“Whatcha think? Pretty neat, right? Guess what’s inside?” Utterly pleased with herself, she motioned around and even jiggled the bracelets of bone around her wrists. “Rats, mice, rabbits...birds. Just enough spiritual energy in them to really fatten up the main dish.”

Coming over to Yuki, she jabbed a finger into her side a few times as if to prove her point. Walking over to Sol who struggled and pushed against his restraints, she twisted a nob below him and the purple liquid started to pour more steadily into his veins. The vagrant’s eyes rolled back for a second, his head dipping to the side before he regained consciousness again.

“I think he’s telekinetic. I’ve only had that a few times in the last couple decades. We gotta keep him loopy, wouldn’t you say, my dear? And how does it feel, taking in bits of spiritual energy like that? Like a hollow...”

Poison. No wonder I feel so weak.

Her gaze drifted throughout the room, taking every detail imaginable. Possible weapons. Where was her zanpakuto? Tools. Windows. Doors. Open flames. That powder. Those weird shells. Anything really. Eventually it settled upon the weird machine.

As her ear was flicked she growled lowly, the appendage twitching from the impact. Still, she didn't try to break free yet. No, she had to conserve her strength. She needed to think. Think of a plan.

Calm. Focus here.

This Human really was crazy. Honestly the two Humans made a good pair together. Or rather they might if one weren't trying to eat the other. To eat her.

She needed to free herself. Escape from this place! Eat or be eaten!

Wait. Is that it? The rhythm? Doesn't help me here.

Once more she followed the tubes, ending again at the machine. Gold light. The souls of animals. They were being fed souls. Like a Hollow. She actually went a little pale at that thought. It made her sick to her stomach.

I'm not a Hollow. No. Focus. Focus.

Another low growl left the wolf as she was jabbed, body wiggling slightly in place. Still, she didn't actually apply any real power to her binds yet. She needed to appear helpless! Of course that was pretty simple to pull off when one actually was helpless.

Telekinetic. Right. He could free us. I don't know if I can snap these binds, but maybe he can do something. I need to distract her.

"Sickening, to be completely honest."

Okay. What else?

"What does a Hollow even taste like? Or any soul? It is difficult to tell when it is administered like this. Honestly speaking I have always been curious about it."

Think! Come on, think!

"Is that how you achieved your power? Your appearances? Actually I am surprised that you managed to capture a Hollow in the first place. Typically they disappear when they sustain enough damage."

Come on Human! Wake up!

“Typically, you say? My oh my, you may be Shinigami but you have much to learn of the living world.” She scolded with a cool smile. A chime rang out from a clock on the wall, turning the woman’s head to regard it. It was modeled after an old house it seemed, the wood aged and cracked. A pair of chicken legs dangled from the bottom, subtly twitching and then stopping as soon as the clock quieted.

“Tsk...and this is what happens when I decide to go off schedule.” Her demeanor had shifted from a cat playing with her food to an annoyed older woman. The soothing coo that was her voice had cracked into something colder and more bitter.

She reached under the wolf-girl’s restraints, twisting valves and mumbling to herself. Purple and gold streamed along the tubes quickly. Rushing back and forth in her tiny home, her back hunching more and more, she threw her shawl around her and went for the door. Stopping as she twisted the nob, turning to reveal a quickly aging face, she walked back over to Sol whose eyes were starting to roll back into his head.

“Can’t have you mucking about.” Clicking her teeth in a bite and a sinister cackle as she cranked up his intake even more. Spirits pushed into him along with vile poison, his whole body going tense and rigid as he ground his teeth loud enough for both of them to hear before going slack.

“Don’t move, kiddos, I’ll be back.” Laughing at her own joke, she went for the door again only to stop and wag her finger in protest. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the butterfly the vagrant had been carrying earlier and set it on top of a bookshelf. “I can’t wait for you too, my scrumptious.”

And like that she was gone, neither of them knowing why she left or when she would be back. Inside the small vial, the butterfly flapped its wings angrily as if in protest. As gold light sifted into him, the voices clawed to get out. Instead of being silenced by the constant flow of poison, the vagrant could feel a different warning bell going off.

They were growing louder. They were growing rabid.