Shining Twilight [Open]

This girl was becoming less annoying, more...amusing. He wasn't quite sure why though. It could be that she reminded him of Tasuki, but it wasn't that big of a similarity. He was more...eccentric. Or should the word be sexual? Either one, it didn't matter. That man was a thing of the past now, and she was in the present displaying a small problem. He silently watched her scratch her head. Then she spoke, and he smiled amusingly at her as he adjusted himself again so his long muscular legs were stretched out before him as he leaned back on his elbows and looked up for a brief moment. He considered her words with a slight nod of his head. "If you want to be flattered by an animal wanting to f*** you, that's fine by me. It just seems a little funny. Humans gave that a name once....I think it's called bestiality."

“If you want to be flattered by an animal wanting to f*** you, that's fine by me. It just seems a little funny. Humans gave that a name once....I think it's called beastiality.”

The man stretched himself out, too, and she saw his legs, muscular as they were. He truly referred to himself as an animal. She giggled at that word: beastiality. It was interesting the way that he put it. Obviously talking about him and her, the thought of it being beastiality only existed in his mind; she was humoring him. The talk of flattery was simply cute play; whether or not he was playing along was irrelevant. She rubbed one of her cheeks and looked at the sand. She then looked to the stars. She had almost forgotten why she had come to that place at that time – to watch the starry night sky. She turned her attention back to him.

“Beastiality can be what it is. You’re just as human as any person on this planet. Everyone has a monster inside, and everyone has differences that make that person unique. It’s just a matter of seeing it for what it is and not as merely another difference.”

Kuro leaned back, as well, her back arching very slightly.

“I wouldn’t currently know the difference, anyway, beastiality or just regular sex.”

[ - 222 - ]

Animaru yawned lightly, his mouth opening wide to reveal his sharp canines as they glistened in the star light. One of his claw tipped hands reached up to scratch at the jagged scar stretched across his exposed chest as he closed his ever changing eyes for a brief moment to listen to her speak. 'Just as human as any other person on this planet....' Those words made him open his eyes and look at her sharply, struggling not to bite her head off. This girl spoke of things someone her age had probably not had the chance to learn first hand, and it was this reason that he did not crack his scythe across her face.

With a shuddering sigh to release his anger, he looked away from her and up at the stars. "Even some humans are not humans, pup. And most animals are better then humans either way. They kill for food, to protect them self, or to protect their kin. Humans kill for sport, for honor, and for jealousy." The word came as a hiss through his teeth, dripping with acid. He continued on, his face seeming to darken considerably. "And what they do not understand....they destroy. Whereas an animal will either run from it or sniff at it. I will never be a human again; Urahara Haruko made sure of that, and so did Kirigakure."

It seemed that what she had said had sparked some violent internal reaction as he sat there in a darkened silence. He hardly cared if the girl recognized the name he had spoken as that of the past Empress of Tenga, as he had come to find out recently.

The man’s canines reflected the starlight, and he scratched his chest. He then looked at her, his eyes piercing and sharp. He looked mad, upset even. Her eyes looked back to his; hers were accepting and understanding [or at least trying]. She wanted to understand him; she was hoping that she was making some sort of connection there. Her intermittent flares weren’t helping the situation, at least to that she thought. She brushed her lap, flattening the skirt over her thighs.

“Even some humans are not human, pup, and most animals are better than humans either way. They kill for food, to protect themselves, or to protect their kin. Humans kill for sport, for honor, and for jealousy. And what they do not understand – they destroy, whereas an animal will either run from it or sniff at it. I will never be human again; Urahara Haruko made sure of that, and so did Kirigakure.”

The tone in his voice seemed to gather emotion; he was angry. Two words he spoke held a certain greater strength, more powerful with emotion than before: jealousy and Kirigakure. So, he had a beef with Kirigakure no Sato. This was new info, and she was sure to remember it. He also had something against jealousy and coveting, too, a connection that she could not understand on its own merits. Yes, she did recognize the name of Urahara Haruko, but she made no mention of it. She was worried about his connection to the former Empress and did not wish to hit a negative note, so she did not ask about it. He seemed to become more violent internally as his eyes flickered; his emotions were beginning to get the best of him. She stretched out again, the curves of her body a little more profound after such a motion. She tried a different approach with her words.

“Some people are the worst of monsters, indeed. Looking at you, though, you seem more powerful than any beast of which I know. Is there any way in which a person like me could aid you, or are you just looking for someone to serve? In either case, I believe you underestimate my ability to help."

[ - 368 - ]

There was a small crunching sort of sound suddenly, as if he were grinding together his teeth as his body slightly shivered and he suddenly relaxed again. His head was turned away from her as his white hair fell over his face to cover his eyes. What was he getting so emotional about? Could it be the images of Haruko's suicide that were his nightmares and dreams be stirring up all the feelings that had died when he did? His eyes were pale as he looked back at her, like those of someone who had been dead. It was the first color his eyes ever changed to, and it would be his last some day as it was for everyone.

"Help me with what? Being my Master?" His eyes held an almost childlike expression before he blinked it away as they began turning pale blue again. He seemed to chuckle to himself silently for a moment before speaking, his eyes now hidden behind his hair again. "It seems that's what I need, though. My sanity is slowly leaking out my ears; Or at least that's what it feels like." One of his large hands reached up to clap over one side of his head over his ear as if he could feel it. His crooked smile he'd had at the beginning of him talking seemed to deplete to a toothy frown. "I just need to get my head on straight, but I was never too good at doing it myself."

The man seemed dodgy at that moment, trying to avoid her. Had she hit the nail on the head, or was he simply remembering a broken past? He certainly was broken; he had all but spelled it for her. He wanted a master; he needed direction. So strong… and yet a follower, it is true irony. It’s a shame, really. Such strength on its own would do amazing things; however, he needed to serve. He needed to be subservient. He needed to be told what to do. He needed this. He needed this…

“Help me with what? Being my master? It seems that’s what I need, though. My sanity is slowly leaking out my ears, or at least that’s what it feels like. I just need to get my head on straight, but I was never too good at doing it myself.”

Kuro nodded. He was openly admitting it. He wanted a master. He wanted someone to give him command. With a small smile, she looked to him and spoke. Slowly, though, as she spoke, her smile turned into a calculating smirk. This was his last decision.

“You need a master, then. I’ve offered my hand to help. If you want it, then stay with me; if you don’t want it, then leave. For possibly the last time in your life, make a decision for yourself and only yourself.”

[ - 229 - ]

The man listened to her intently, the claw tipped fingers pressed to his skull twitching slightly. She was offering to be his Master, but did she really know what she was offering? It wasn't a traditional Master/Servant relationship that he seeked, it was something ultimately more complicated that would be needed to subdue and satisfy his need to serve. His lips trembled before he licked them in what seemed to be a long forgotten nervous habit. Squeezing his eyes shut a moment, he contemplated the outcome of the decision he was about to make, but he realized that had always been the job of the Master. He was only to act on their strategic orders and expect them to lead him to victory.

Silently, the man seemed to flow to his feet with a fashion that was similar to liquid mercury. On his feet now, he swayed as he turned without allowing her to see his face, bending slightly to pick his scythe from the ground. Animaru paused with the dragon headed scythe in hand before tilting his head to her in an avian fashion and suddenly turning. As he stared down at her, she would see his eyes darkening from ghastly pale blue to black. Then he would slip to his knees, laying the scythe between them. His black vest slid off his shoulders to land on the sand behind him exposing the large scar and the smaller pebble sized ones. And, where the vest had once covered, were kanji shaped scars in the form of names. Some were unreadable, but topping them was the Kanji representing 'Urahara Haruko'. His face showed nothing as he looked at her. "Then there is only one thing left to do now."

“Then there is only one thing left to do now.”

The white-haired man took care to her words, and he seemed serious about his intent. His face changed from tension to resolve. He really was serious. He walked to her and set his scythe before her. He really was serious about this. Removing his jacket, his chest was then bare, covered only by scars in the forms of names. He really was serious about her being his master. This was that one thing that was left; she was to brand him. He had had so many masters before her that this seemed almost insignificant. However, this was the path that was open to them. Once her name was carved into his skin, it would be “official” in his world. She looked at his scythe between them; it was large, and it was his. This would certainly not do. She reached into her satchel and pulled out the chain from before. She picked up the scythe and wrapped the chain around her arm, weighting the staff of the scythe along her arm, allowing her to use it more effectively. She then gripped the scythe with both hands; she would not make any mistake. Urahara Haruko’s name was the most profound, but Kuro would make things different. She would be his final master, one way or another. To signify this, she began to swipe the blade along the skin. She knew how deep it would need to be to cause scars, and she knew how deep it would need to be to make them profound. She followed her knowledge to a T, and she scratched the kanji onto his skin with confidence. Her name, overtop the rest, was larger than Haruko’s, and considering the small number of kanji symbols in her name, hers would seem larger naturally, as well. Kuro’s eyes were stern with each stroke as she watched the blade tear his skin.

おに くろ

“With this, I sign the contract. I shall be your master. You shall serve my every wish; you shall serve my every word. You call come upon my call; you shall serve upon my command. You shall assure me every victory, and you shall deny me every defeat. You shall love the demon within you; you shall love the demon within me.”

[ - 390 - ]

The man watched her in silence as she looked at him before reaching into her bag for the chain she had summoned from the scroll earlier. He wondered what her original intention for it had been, because he was sure she couldn't have predicted this happening. For some reason he felt foolish for letting this tiny girl win him over so easily, but he knew he wasn't a fool. He was just crazy. The cool calculative sanity he had been born with had washed away in the river with his blood. Now, he had only a vague memory of it that he still attempted to call upon every now and then. Watching her steady the scythe in her hands, he almost smirked. No one had ever touched his weapon before willingly, let alone cut him with it.

As she began to carve her name into his flesh, he realized she was doing it above Haruko's name in large letters whereas everyone else had done it below. This was mainly because they all tried to avoid his large scar that reached from his right shoulder to left hip. When she started writing it brushed the scar and made him twitch as the blood trickled down his chest. As she finished he would be still with his now grey eyes downcast. There was a ghost of a smile on his chest. "It's almost as if you've done this before."

The man watched her inscribe her name onto his chest. The strokes drew blood, as expected. She looked at his eyes, and she saw a small twitch. She had seen a scar from his right shoulder to his right hip; it didn’t matter. She was marking him, branding him. If this was truly the path to take, then it would be done properly and thoroughly without exception. As she finished, she untied the chain around her arm and disarmed herself. She placed the scythe on the ground between them, and she looked back to him. As the blood traced down his chest, he looked on her. Somehow, it seemed that his body was… smiling…

“It’s almost as if you’ve done this before.”

Kuro shook her head with a smile, brushing her black hair to the side. She flexed her hands, feeling the joints smoothing and popping with relief. She looked at his chest again and saw her name written on his skin. She really was claiming him; she was becoming his master. Of course, things were never s*** simple, and there was likely more that was needed to be done. For now, however, things were fairly set.

“No, I haven’t done this before. This is my first time, and it will likely be my last, too.”

[ - 216 - ]

As the girl placed the scythe on the ground as he stood up, reaching down to grab it and flip it so the dragon head was almost level with his face. He ran the index finger of his left hand over the blade that was smeared with his blood until it was completely gone from the red tinted metal before sticking his finger in his mouth as he looked at her. He seemed to have forgotten entirely about his bleeding wound as he let his hand drop from his mouth as he bent to grab up his vest and shrug it back onto his shoulders with the predatory grace that accompanied most of his actions. With her words her looked down to where she sat, his head tilted. He smiled crookedly at her.

"That's a bit comforting and alarming at the same time. It's not a complete process yet, but it'll do for now." His eyes glittered then, colored the same shades as the night sky complete with dots of pale stars. The man with silver hair stood up straight with his scythe's staff stuck into the sand before he bent low at the waist as he bowed to her. He wore a charming cool smile that revealed a row of sharp teeth from between his lips. For a few moments, he resembled one of those butler characters in the fanservice stories that young girls were so fond of. This was an introduction he was fond of using. He spoke in a smooth rumbling voice. "Allow me to introduce to you, your new pet. Urahara Animaru, at your service, Master."

“That’s a bit comforting and alarming at the same time. It’s not a complete process, yet, but it’ll do for now. Allow me to introduce to you your new pet, Urahara Animaru, at your service, Master.”

Animaru was his name. This was actually the first time she had heard it; he hadn’t introduced himself before then. Odd, to say the least, that one would pledge loyalty to someone without knowing the least bit about that person. He really needed someone to be his master, similar to an addiction. Not being able to act freely must have been such a confined existence, and yet he continued to seek service. It was definitely troubling, to say the least, that one would align so quickly. If one is so quick to align oneself… is that same person also quick to align with another?

Animaru took his scythe and pulled it back into his grasp. He wiped off his blood from the blade. He threw his jacket back over his torso, seemingly forgetting his wounds and disregarding them. He had a crooked smile as he spoke, referring to something more that would need to be done. For the time being, though, he did pledge allegiance, and Kuro was his master. He planted the staff of the scythe into the sand, and he bowed. For a brief second, he looked like a butler, and he seemed comfortable with it. Kuro grinned as he did so. She patted down her skirt and placed a hand on his head, slowly scratching his scalp in a soothing way; the way she did it was both sincere and sarcastic, both serious and playful at the same time.

“Well then, dearest servant, we shall complete the ceremony at a later date. I hope you enjoy traveling; I have a disturbing feeling that Sunagakure no Sato will be going under soon.”

[ - 310 - ]

Animaru stood there like a statue as she rose and patted down her dark skirt. She then scratched his scalp in a way that triggered an odd memory to arise. A woman with bright violet hair stood over a sink with a makeshift apron pulled over a skimpy black training outfit. He sat in a chair at a small table that had seen better days. Silently, he watched her as he tilted his chair back and forth to form a monotonous squeaking sound that echoed through the room. He tilted his head at an odd angle as she reached up to open a cabinet. She was whistling some tune that sounded like it was originally played on a piano. Yes, she loved to show off those skills frequently, but no one ever praised her hard work but him. The others always ignored her. The woman turned her dark purple eyes on him in question before smiling mischievously. Suddenly, she was in front of him, scratching his head as she hugged him to her chest. He thought he was going to suffocate in her large...

He suddenly widened his eyes, his gaze drifting to her chest. "Not quite..." His words were almost inaudible, covered with a light chuckle, he straightened up and placed a hand on his hip as he looked to her. It's about time he left this barren sand land. "Whenever you're ready, I will follow."