Time is a Imperfect Healer (Closed/Calypso)

Europe, the continent almost entirely ruled by the demonic organization Shadow Fall. Nothing and nobody seemed to have been spared from the regime as the masses seemed to once again be subject to the whims of a unjust king. The honor Laskt had fought for all those years ago, the soveringty of France as a nation was gone as the country was now subject to the whims of a cabal of extremely powerful beings.

Concealed inside his gigai for the first time in years, the Shinigami slowly picked his way up a grassy knoll, stumbling a few times on the uneven terrain before coming to a stop atop the hill, staring out across the countryside. Laskt sat atop a small rocky outcropping, retrieving a small hunk of bread and taking a large bite out of it.

Laskt really had no idea what he was doing in the human world so soon after such a humiliating defeat, not even mentioning the fact that he had decided to take this little sortie in the territory of one of the most powerful anti-Shinigami organizations to ever exist. Maybe he just needed to find a place to center himself, and nothing would work better then returning to the place where it all began….

Laskt jumped as a young girl’s voice sounded behind him, his hand flashing towards a sword that wasn’t there. He grimaced, clenching the fist and setting it down onto the rock beside him, hoping that this intruder didn’t notice the motion. He began to turn around, hoping against hope that it was just a human, a poor lost human that he could guide back to a major road and they would just leave him alone.

If only he could be that lucky.

Laskt blinked as the girl arose beside him unto the outcropping, sporting several tendril-like appendages sprouting out of her lower back. He bit his lip, Shit, I thought I had concealed my Spiritual Pressure low enough where the demons wouldn’t notice! How did they find me so quickly, it’s not like my power is some world-ending threat! The Shinigami casually reached into his pocket, wrapping his fingers around his Gikon but not quite removing it yet, there was no reason to escalate this into a fight quite yet, he just had to be extremely cautious.

Outwardly however, Laskt appeared composed, if slightly apprehensive considering the girl’s extra limbs, “ “Hello yourself little girl. I am fine thank you. Yourself?” Laskt finished off the hunk of bread he was eating, dusting his hands off before picking up a small pebble, bouncing it up and down in his hand. “I assume by the tentacles you are with Shadow Fall? Sent to eliminate me no doubt.” His voice was matter-of-fact, even monotone considering the fact that such a scenario almost certainly meant his death. He was just finding it hard to care about his life anymore….

Laskt’s eyes were riveted to the girl’s additional appendages, wary of a sudden unprovoked stab that could cripple his Gigai before he had time to get battle-ready so to speak. The Shinigami had not met many demons before this day, so he had really had no idea what to expect out of this harmless seeming little girl. Would she transform? Attack viciously? Be more reserved? Laskt was not sure, and that fact terrified him, visions of his corrupting flashing through his mind.

This inner monologue was abruptly cut off by the girl’s hysterical laughter, sending Laskt’s suspicions and fears grinding to a halt at her gasping question. A slow flush crept up his neck as he assumed, he had just accused some poor spiritual girl of being allied with such a malevolent organization. “I’m sorry about that miss.” He stammered, filled with chagrin, “I saw the tentacles and just assumed…” He said, before being cut off again by her long, seemingly rambling speech about how demons would…. attack him. Or, at least, that’s what he thought she was referring to, it was a little unclear.

Laskt opened his mouth, then closed it as demon girl took a breath, “Anyways, I am very sorry about that, guess I’m a little jumpy. I haven’t been here….in decades.” He said, his voice softening as he looked out over the endless fields of the French countryside, his thoughts turning melancholy once more. It seemed every time he had attempted to head to the Living World lately, he made some terrible mistake. Perhaps this was just a further sign that he wasn’t strong enough to trust himself to be around others.

The Shinigami sighed in response to the girl’s query, “I’m fine miss, just old worries that never seem to leave. Nothing you really need to concern yourself with, it is my…..responsibility to bear.” The last part he rushed through, hoping against hope that she didn’t ask about it. “How about you? If you’re not Shadow Fall then shouldn’t you be concerned about them finding you?”

Laskt let out a heavy sigh as the girl caught onto a careless statement, mentioning how an ordinary human would be crippled by age at this point. “I suppose I’m not good at this whole subterfuge thing huh?” The Shinigami dipped a hand into his pocket, retrieving a Gikongan and popping it into his mouth. Laskt’s Shinigami form separated from his Gigai, now wearing his Shinigami uniform and Zanpakto belted at his side. As the Gigai hopped off the outcropping, Laskt lowering himself down in place of his other body.

Even as Laskt began to settle himself down once, the demon girl casually spoke the word that Laskt had dreaded to hear for years.

“Vizard”

Laskt noticeably flinched backwards at the word, desperately trying to keep his expression under control. His melancholy thoughts grew darker as a cackling laugh from within seemed to rise from the depths of his psyche, only to crash against the weakening mental cage it was bound to.

The Shinigami swallowed, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, hoping that the girl thought his reaction was just a result of his transformation rather than a result of a surge of fear, “Well I guess you know what I am now.” He weakly joked, coughing once to cover his sudden nervousness at the direction of this discussion.

The nervous Shinigami, however, was distracted from his own emotions by the demon’s revelations, as cryptic as they were. “I am not sure who these ‘Asthavon’ are miss, but it sounds like a lonely situation. Sorry to hear about it.” Laskt said simply, long-forgotten memories of long, lonely days as an orphan squire resurfacing for the first time in centuries.

Soon after, Calypso revealed her name, and restated her question, seemingly determined to find out what was bothering the Shinigami. In response, Laskt sighed once more, shifting on the cold rock. “If you really must know….this is the problem.” He said quietly, opening his right palm as his Hollow mask formed in a flash of purple light. The Shinigami stared down at the object, his eyes a mixture of fear and hatred, “Whenever I try to do….well anything, this…..creature within me claws for control, fighting every minute for the ability to drive my body to slaughter and maim….and I’m beginning to lose control. In a few years I might become overwhelmed, gone forever.”

The Shinigami’s tone was frank, matter-of-fact, restating something that he had brooded on uncountable times. He wasn’t sure why he was revealing so much to a random stranger, let alone one he knew to be a demon. Perhaps he simply needed to talk to someone about this, even if Calypso wasn't his ideal person to reveal this to. Without another word, he threw the mask off the outcropping, watching as it shattered far below.