I Am The Lizard King![Yaksha/Kyoraku]

Wed Nov 08, 2017 7:14 pm

Yaksha, The Anthropophagus

Yaksha

The Rukongai, a realm of relative peace and, if not prosperity, than at least status quo. Little changed, and everyone knew their role; the stray shinigami would come out to investigate or settle disputes from time to time, and more often than not these problems were quite small, and easily dealt with. It was a simple place, with simple people, living simple lives, and dealing with simple problems. But every once in a while, things got complex. This was one of those days. Look closely, up in the sky: A bruise forms, darkens, and splits open all in a few seconds. The bruise ejects its diseased contents, and then disappears, leaving little behind. A few people, having saw it from a distance, pointed towards it, making a few vague comments of concern or fear. Those closer spoke a bit more in depth, and even fewer of them ignored the anomaly; they knew that this was important, and not something they could just ignore.

Those closest to the bruised opening, those who could see up close what it was that came from elsewhere, never got a chance to speak about it, or even to truly consider the implications. In a mere moment, the creature had risen, and let out a shout of pure, unadulterated primal sensation. Many of them collapsed, while a few were blown back from the force of the shout and struck the nearby buildings. The creature's cry, as potent as it had been, was quickly absorbed by the hustle and bustle of the Rukongai, and as it disappeared in a blur of ivory, there was no one left to comment. But had they been able to, they might've said:

"God help us all."

The beast, barely even visible as it kept to alleyways and shadows, moving through the light with a speed that made people think of mirages, was too strong to be ignored, even by those who couldn't actively notice it. Conversations quickly halted, people becoming distracted by nothing of great importance. Children began to cling to their elders, seeking comfort from some bone-deep terror they felt but could not quantify. Even the elderly comforted their children, though there was no good reason. Perhaps, even they understood that in this moment, their lives were more fragile than ever. That with the flick of a wrist, they could be snuffed out. But the creature that moved among them had a target. It was focused. And it would not allow these people to distract it.

A shark was in the Rukongai, and there was blood in the water. The only question was who was about to get bitten.

Coding Altered From: [The Frost]

Thu Nov 09, 2017 2:09 pm

So soon, and already Yaksha was in over his head. He had to give credit where it was deserved; the shinigami took their job of protecting the Rukongai citizens from hollows seriously. He moved along at his same rapid pace, one that could probably be leisurely outpaced by Kyoraku; he was, after all, one of the shinigami most suited to taking on the title of Captain Commander. Yaksha's hair billowed out around and behind him as he continued along, utterly silent for a few moments as he ran along; it almost gave off the impression that he was too dim or focused to really bother responding. Either a remarkably stupid hollow, or a remarkably arrogant one.

"To think Shunsui himself was still on active duty. Did they simply never offer you a retirement package? Or is it that, deep down, beneath it all, you truly care about the people around you? You long for the lazy, carefree days of your youth, but you can't stand to watch others suffer for your sake, can you? It's a dreadful life, being cursed with a strong moral fiber."

His voice was soft, soothing, filled with a dreadful sympathy that was made all the more hideous due to the face it was coming from. There was no sign of smugness or triumph in that voice, nothing to indicate he was lying or making some attempt at humor. His eyes were flat, emotionless, hands remaining straight by his side, as he finally stopped, leaning against the side of one of the homes.

"It's been some time since I was in the Rukongai, as a matter of fact. I might go so far to say this is my first time. The soul society is such a dreadfully old place...older even than I am. And yet not -that- much older. So it may just be the case that this is my first time visiting this place. Looking around...I honestly can't help but feel I made the right choice."

He touched a hand to his head, then let it drop back to his side, as if it were in a lazy salute.

"Yaksha Dokuja. You may have heard my name referenced a few times during World War Three. Likely not; I was far from a big personality."

Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:50 pm

I Am The Lizard King![Yaksha/Kyoraku] 3tGGwcz

Shunsui

Artist: Bleach OST - Song: Mysterious - Word Count: 368

Shunsui kept up with the hollow as they sped along, and as the time before he received a response grew he started to wonder if he'd have to take things into his own hands after all. Just then the hollow spoke, and Shunsui listened intently, curious to hear what he had to say. As he listened to the other speak he could tell that this was certainly no normal hollow. Some of them resorted to trickery like this, but Shunsui could sense no hostilities directed his way from the hollow, and he seemed to genuinely question Shunsui's motivations.

Shortly after he started speaking the hollow slowed to a stop, and Shunsui slowed with him, letting his hand drop back to his side. The hollow continued to speak after they came to a halt, and Shunsui simply let him finish. They'd moved from the more densely populated area Shunsui had first seen the hollow in to a fairly calm side street during their littler run, and Shunsui was happy to note that at least there weren't many civilians around them now. At this point he expected that everything would turn out fine, and that he wouldn't need to worry about them in the first place, but he still kept his guard up. You could never be sure in this line of work.

"Ya got me. I'll always be on active duty, as much as I may want to be a bum. You seem to know an awful lot about me though, and that's where you have the advantage. I've heard your name but that's about it, so would you care to fill me in on why you've invaded the rukongai and forced me from my office? "

There was no malice in Shunsui's voice as he spoke, just light-hearted jest. This hollow was an interesting character, and Shunsui was beginning to become more curious about where this would lead. It wasn't every day he found himself engaged in conversation with hollow, although as the years had passed it had come to his attention that there were some among them who were more amiable towards shinigami and humans.

Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:38 pm

Yaksha, The Anthropophagus

Yaksha

"You're a celebrity, Kyoraku. A living relic at least as old as the Gotei itself. There aren't many of those left running around, be they shinigami -or- hollow. As for myself, there's little worth discussing. I'm an old man. That's really all that needs to be said."

His gaze flickered upwards, towards the garganta he had created on his arrival. Already, somewhere deep inside, he could see faint speckling of white, as the opportunistic hollows decided to follow the scent of food to a new realm. He let out a small groan that almost could've been confused as a sound of pain or shock, before raking a hand through the air in a complex gesture; as he did, the portal began to warp and twist in on itself, seeming to consume itself like the legendary Ouroboros, leaving nothing but empty sky in its wake. He turned back to Kyoraku, and then bowed stiffly, ever so slightly.

"I would like your word of amnesty before discussing the matters that brought me here today. I understand it's a weighty promise coming from someone like you, but I can't exactly call myself blameless. I came here to understand and be understood, but I have no interest in jumping onto a blade. Can we agree to a ceasefire for the next couple of hours?"

He rose, his claws moving towards his mask and hair, slowly sliding across it, flowing through the locks of greenish hair in a manner that had a feel of ritual about it; it was quite possible the hollow didn't even realize he was doing it, as his eyes darted around, taking in every detail, as if seeking any possible advantage should a fight break out.

Coding Altered From: [The Frost]

Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:04 pm

Yaksha, The Anthropophagus

Yaksha

"You're a smart man, Shunsui. I always suspected that your lazy exterior was as much an affectation as a real crutch. You're very nearly as old as me, so I don't feel I have nearly as much to prove to you as I would with some of the younger captains. It's been said by-"

Ywach

"Certain parties that, prior to the creation of the shinigami academy, they were little more than roaming barbarians. I wouldn't know on that matter; I was too young to know the state of the Rukongai. But I do know the state of hollows. If it could be said that the shinigami have learned the trappings of culture and high society, the hollows have forgotten it. I remember a time when each hollow had to be clever, and quick, and had to fight for its life. Humans died so quickly, but they were all confined to such small places. Hollows never needed to stray more than a few miles from the place where they died."

There was something strange in Yaksha's tone, an almost wistful air that made it sound like he was talking about old family reunions or a vacation long past, something he desperately wanted to get back. His eyes were still taking in everything around them, tail slowly thrashing through the air as if in agitation. He took his time with every word he spoke, letting them hang in the air before he followed up with the next declaration. Combined with the rich, strong bass of his voice, it was easy to imagine one being lulled into a sense of security by this hollow, and his sweet words. It was in fact hard to imagine this thing as an actual monster.

"I blame the advent of trains, and planes, and boats. Humans spread so far and wide, and now a man can die in a place millions of miles from where he was born. Hollows can't cultivate their prey the way they used to, even before the explosion in spiritually aware humans. It was natural selection at its finest; prey became scarcer, and those few hollows who adapted well became some of the strongest and wisest. But the spread of mankind brought with it a longing for things lost. Humans died with attachments at a rate never before seen, and now shinigami couldn't gather up a hundred souls in a days' work like they used to. People slip through the cracks, far faster than they should...and each new hollow drags down the collective IQ by a few points. I'll say it outright, Kyoraku: There are too many hollows running around these days. What I wouldn't give to teach them all a few nice lessons about how to live -with- humans, instead of living -off- of them. Farming has been around long enough, you wouldn't think it's -that- hard a concept to impress upon others."

There was, in its own way, a chilling banality to Yaksha's words; he spoke of this entire phenomenon the same way one would speak about the sudden realization in the human world that sheep were becoming harder to herd, or that growing crops was becoming too difficult due to environmental factors. From the way he hunched forward to the way he spoke, Yaksha seemed in all ways the absolute intellectual, but the words belied his true purpose; whatever pain he truly felt, it wasn't for any single man or woman. He seemed to be staring at the world as one would an enormous chessboard.

"You're overworked and undervalued, Kyoraku. What say we start some good old fashioned population control, from within? Let's say...a 25% drop in hollow population in the next 3 years? You and I both know souls eaten by hollows aren't a threat to the balance. There would be no need for action to be taken by you or yours. All you have to do is sit back, and let me...introduce a little stress."

Coding Altered From: [The Frost]

Sun Nov 12, 2017 12:16 pm

Yaksha, The Anthropophagus

Yaksha

Yaksha tilted his head to the side ever so slightly, hair beginning to move and wriggle in a manner that almost made it seem like Yaksha had countless snakes attached to the back of his head. His eyes and face remained carefully neutral as he raked a claw down the air, pulling out sheaf after sheaf of paper, bound tightly with rubber bands. He inhaled slowly, setting them down one after another, in front of Kyoraku. There was a sense of drama about it, as if Yaksha were laying down an entire arsenal.

"I hate Hueco Mundo. It's a depressing, dismal place. I never enjoyed the ambiance, or the company. In truth, I've never really felt much love for hollows in general. We're territorial things, and I've felt a...fondness towards humans moreso than my brethren. And for that exact reason, I have seen fit to take up residence in the human world. Were I to go on a crusade against my own kind, I would feed like a king for the next few years. I daresay it would be enough for me to become a vasto lorde, if I were lucky. Beyond that, I've been hard at work, compiling assessments of major threats in the human world. I have here detailed dossiers on all major parties involved in the assault on Djibouti recently, as well as the attempt by a shinigami to take over Jamaica."

Yaksha folded his hands on top of the desk, hair suddenly leaning forward over his shoulders; at some point, the thin band of reishi holding it in place had snapped, and it almost looked like it had grown a few inches in the course of his speech. It gave him a distinctly unkempt look as he drummed one foot on the floor, staring at the captain.

"I abhor senseless violence. I've grown fat and well-fed on treachery, and scavenging. And more than anything, I hate those who do the same thing, over and over again, simply because they see no better way. I daresay that it's high time we consider just why it is shinigami and hollows are natural enemies. It's time that the both of us turn our heads towards brighter futures. Blood, violence, animosity, revenge...all it does is hurt us all. And all I want, Kyoraku, is the relative certainty that no one is going to lop my head off for the crime of existing. I've dealt with being an outcast once already. I should like to have my chance in the spotlight now."

Coding Altered From: [The Frost]

I Am The Lizard King![Yaksha/Kyoraku]

I Am The Lizard King![Yaksha/Kyoraku]

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