Re: Shoddy Craftsmanship Makes a Shady Closet

Fri Jan 24, 2020 2:39 pm

Captain Kuro Okami

"…" Kuro stared directly at her as she said that she would 'pierce his heart'. He did not seem phased by the statement in the least; he did give her eye contact while she pointed her finger-gun at him, though. That image stuck in his head. …Is she… flirting with me? He was trying to understand what she was talking about, but it did not deter him from what he was trying to do.

She listened to what he had told her; that was good. …Good. That will make things easier, at least. He thought to himself, completely unaware of her discomfort as he reached his hand closer. "…Learned your shadow." He concluded, looking back up at her gaze. "…Well, you threatened to attack my heart just before." He told her… making a joke. Perhaps an ill-advised one, considering what was running through her head at the time; but the man was completely clueless to what she was talking about. She wanted to know what he had done it for. The Shadow Shinigami was more than happy to explain. "…For… tracing your shadow…?"

He was totally lost on why she was so freaked out.

She did not seem to really notice the cloak he was carrying. As they walked down the hallway, the man's body began swaying left and right a bit. Back, and forth, going this way and that, his head tilting and looking along the wall… before his shoulder dove straight into it.

"Wait here…"

With those words, the man was gone. He had leaned into a shadowy part of the wall, and it appeared to consume his entire body, until there was nothing left of his presence. Less than a minute later, out of a shadow on the other side of the hallway, the man reappeared. He was no longer wearing that blood-stained mess of a Haori. Instead, he was dressed in the garments that had been left behind. The cobwebs were dusted off, and he looked almost regal, with a white button up shirt embroidered with black trim, along with a pair of black jeans. Despite his new attire, his hair was still an unkempt mess. He no longer smelled of blood and guts. Hopefully she saw that as an improvement.

Then she asked where they were going. "…To the mess hall. Where else would you make pancakes…?" He asked the girl. In his head, she was not a 'woman' any longer; the thing with the pointing her finger at him like a gun had shifted his opinion of her, just a bit.

She had chosen to follow him, though, and that meant she wanted pancakes.

The man didn't waste any time; moments after striding inside of the otherwise-empty kitchen, a skillet was on the stove, and his long-fingered hand was holding a mixing bowl. He seemed significantly more at ease, now; the hollow look in his eyes had softened a bit. "What do you like on your pancakes?" He asked her, the usual bluntness having gone somewhere else for the moment.

Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:44 pm

Shoddy Craftsmanship Makes a Shady Closet - Page 2 GQQ0343

Ikiya Fumitana

Artist: - Song: - Word Count: N/A

“Learned...My shadow?” Ikiya was puzzled by his words. She actively searching what he meant by tracing her shadow. She was still left with much confused about his grabby hands, like he was trying to carve out her face using those grotesque hands. “No, No. It wa-” Before she continued, she realized what he said about attacking his heart, came out as a joke. She sighed with relief as though she was happy that she didn’t have to explain her attempt of a friendly gesture.

So far he didn’t seem too incomeptent about jokes. She originally thought he knew nothing and was a lousy shut in, in conclusion to is somewhat distant demeanor. “What do you mean... by tracing my shadow? Is that something you can do?” She turned and twisted her hips from side to side, as she looked if he had specifically did something to her. Ikiya couldn’t connect the dots. Ikiya trailed a few feet away from the captain. About arms length from her and the cloak he was carrying. She didn’t seem to notice the wardrobe he held until now. Ikiya was about to ask why he was carrying that dusty old thing, until she was told to wait.

She blinked with her gray eyes, as she was examining what the man is about to do. “Eh!” Her body reacted in a surprise manner, as his whole existence was swallowed up by the wall that led to a kitchen from the inside. Ikiya felt like she was too new to weird tricks, Ikiya eyed her light colored eyes as there was nothing but flesh occupying her view. ”I wish I could do stuff like that, but i'm just a mere novice” She thought, while placing her hands back to her sides. She was nothing more than a baby bird to the more grown up hawk to this man. She was missing out on all the cool tricks she could pull. Maybe in the next few thousand years, she can do something ten times better. She thought about the amount of experience he must of had to get to this point in his life. Ikiya found herself back into reality, after escaping inside of her head for a bit. “Huh, oh….Wait” She crossed her arms, with her left brow rising as a sign that she was ready to shoot him with questions. “Why are we getting pancakes...I thought you are going to train me or something.”

Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:43 pm

Captain Kuro Okami

"Yeah... Your shadow." Kuro replied, his hand returning to his side. He watched as she tried to process the joke that he made. It had been some time since he used his sense of humor; he hoped that it still registered for other people. "…Well…" Kuro was then silent for a time, as if he were trying to think of the proper words to express exactly what he had done. "…When I look at the shadows, I'll be able to pick out yours, now. That way… I can find you." The man finished, answering her question in full.

He tilted his head back right before he disappeared, seeing the way she blinked as he disappeared. … He did not even contemplate what would happen if she were to run away at that point. If that were the case, then he would simply keep going to get his pancakes, and continue as though he had never met her. When at last he reappeared, she appeared to have a bit more to say about what he had done.

His right arm stopped mid-stir, turning to face her. A bit of pancake batter had splattered up from the bowl in his hands, onto the white button-up he now wore. If one looked closely, they could see several darkened spots around the exact same area on the torso part of this garment. "…Because… I'm hungry?" He managed to answer her, one of his eyebrows rising up into the sky. "…" He completely avoided the second part of her question, as if the answer he had given had answered it when he answered the first. His head tilted from side to side as he turned his focus back to the pan, smoothly pouring a set of cakes onto a gridle.

There he stood, the smallest illusion of a smile creeping onto his face, watching the golden batter slowly darken on the pan in front of him…

"...And you didn't say... what do you like on your pancakes?"

Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:39 pm

Ikiya Fumitana

Artist: - Song: - Word Count: N/A

ikiya lent an ear as the man explained the phenomenon he tried to pull on her. “Why do you want to know about my whereabouts?” She asked curiously with her right brow ascending, towards his weird nature. She waited until he was finished explaining what he was doing. She couldn’t tell if he was joking either. Jokes tend to be found at high places with people like him. It wouldn’t be her fault if she didn’t know that he wasn’t being serious or joking. Ikiya had allowed herself to assume that he was being serious and not pulling her leg, because of the type of person she sees in him. Her opinion will change in due time, once he lands his jokes properly if they were jokes to begin with.

After standing around the outside of what is supposed to be a building, in which a kitchen would be found from the inside. Wishing she was slightly more unique like the rest. The man magically appeared where he had once vanished, this time with something in hand. “You seriously brought that whole thing…” Ikiya questioned the pan that accompanied his hand. She held a puzzled look on her face. I don’t understand this guy..He does the strangest things. Ikiya expressing her concern through her thoughts, with the palm of her left hand resting on her face as if she was done with this guy. Her left hand went back to where it was. “Is that how you use your weird trick, by wearing that thing” She pointed at his new wardrobe, wondering what type of voodoo magic it can do. She shook her head, as a sign of rejecting the pancake offer. She didn’t appear to be hunger, despite how awfully thin she looks. The way her body is, can be akin to someone who is dieting in order to remain good looking at the eye of the public, like a model.

Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:56 am

Captain Kuro Okami

"…So I can find the person… who wants me to train them…?" Kuro answered, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. He did not seem particularly aware of the fact that she did not understand the way he worked. On the other hand, he was not bothered by it, either. Her curiosity and judgment upon his sense of humor seemed lost to the man. He was not the type of person to tell jokes often; if they landed was yet another item which failed to get his attention.

"Of course I did. The copper's way better than anything the standard Gotei kitchens have." His voice managed to complete two entire sentences, back to back. It was as though the Shinigami's whole personality had shifted upon entering the kitchen. His face managed to relax, and that ghost of a smile seemed to still be playing on his lips. "…Weird trick…?" Kuro paused for a second, seeing her point at his wardrobe. "…No, these are just… clothes." He explained, turning to face her.

The edges of his lips stretched back out into a line, the stoic expression beginning to return once his focus left his cooking. "…My Zanpakuto is what gives me that power. You have one as well, don't you…?" He asked her, one eyebrow raised. "…" Then she shook her head at him.

"…Nothing? You have them plain?" He asked her, clearly confused. But the shaking of her head was telling him a different story. "…Well then." Kuro turned to face his pan again, flipping one up, and deftly catching it onto a plate. "…First lesson." The Shadow Shinigami's hand put the plate on the table, turning to look directly into her eyes.

"I said to follow me if you wanted food. You followed. That means you'll eat, now. If you're going to follow me, then… you have to listen closely." Kuro's demeanor had shifted yet again. There was a much sharper tone to his voice, much more commanding.

"…on top of that, you're almost as thin as I am…" The captain explained, looking up wistfully at the cabinets above his head. "…Hey, when you bend over, can you see your spine in the mirror?" He asked, turning the pan off. From the side, and especially wearing normal clothes, it was possible to make out just how withered the man's frame was. Whatever his eating habits were, they certainly were not for health reasons.

He joined her at the table, his focus shifting as he began to devour the pancakes that were in front of him. His fork stabbed into the food, his mouth opening wide as he chomped into it, another fork stab into the cake, dragging it out and shoveling it down his throat. Perhaps he had not eaten in several days.

Here they were, enjoying a meal together.

The most basic form of human socialization.

Finally, Kuro remembered to swallow.

Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:24 pm

Ikiya Fumitana

Artist: - Song: - Word Count: N/A

It was clear to her now that he explained what he tried to do. She came to the conclusion that his shadows can track people, like a tracking device. Allowing him to learn of her location. At first she didn’t quite catch his idea of messing around with her shadow. Supposedly his shadows act like a tracking device It was worth writing that down in her memories. This information proved to be useful to her. It was a way to understand her mentor. Her mind works like an encyclopedia, as it stores various information. Though she fears that it might overload her brain, if she keeps too much trivial information about things and not use them. She will need to find a way to counteract this.

“Why don’t you just by your own” Ikiya shot at his explanation as to why he brought the whole thing to use for pancakes. He could just turn his living quarters into a kitchen, if he insisted on allowing himself to remain unseen. He didn’t have to give himself to leave his own confinement, rather than using his living space for the sole purpose of tending his personal injuries. “If it bothers you that bad to interact with the crowd, just buy a personal one for yourself and you can cook all the pancakes in your own home” Ikiya sounded like she just came with the best idea in the world, with her arm spread outwards and a smile that said “My ideas are grand” Gloating herself with her own praise.

Ikiya began to notice the sudden shift in his behavior. He sure does have a thing for surprising her in strange ways. He proved that it’ll become a chore to interpret his actions. He was still going on about the pancakes. She wasn’t going to reveal any other reasons, other than the one she already gave out. On top of that, he took note on her thin frame. “I can’t help but appear small. A girl has to take care of her body, how else will I be able to attain an endless amount of youth?” She was serious about not wanting to take in substances, as it hinders her body. Fearing that she’ll gain weight. When he asked about her spine, she couldn’t help but feed into his curiosity. “Of course, it’s way more noticeable than a military soldier wearing a uniform that doesn’t match the terrain as they are proning.”

As they were sitting at a table, she began to survey the way he’s eating. “So that zanpakuto you mentioned-” Her right elbow met the cold surface of the table, as her cheek rested on the palm of her right hand. She had heard about zanpakuto’s back at the academy and thought it was an interesting thing to learn more about. “How does it work” Her eyes were more focused than that of a lion to his prey.

Wed Jan 29, 2020 2:03 pm

Captain Kuro Okami

Kuro's eyes traced the floury delicacy as it went up, and then down again. And then up, and then down again. He was browning the cake, trying to make it even on both sides. Her sudden question caught him a bit off guard, but it was the kind of question that caused for him to change his demeanor again. "…Because I like cooking for other people." He explained, a small sigh leaving his throat as he did so. The look he gave her over-confident smile would make it a touch obvious that she had touched some kind of sore spot with her 'overconfidence'. …I have plenty of those things… but then I would have to spend time at home.

"…What good is that…?" Kuro asked, his left eye giving a small twitch of irritation. Her behavior felt childish to him; how did not eating benefit her body? "…Eating's important. If you want a good body, spend more time moving it around…" With a brusque reply, the Shadow Shinigami returned to his cooking. "…That's not healthy. Eat." He truly believed that his spine showing was a sign of malnourishment. A healthy body weight should not be able to clearly see their spinal column defined up the length of their back… He did not acknowledge her side-comment about a military uniform. …There are certainly exceptions, depending on who's wearing it…

His fork paused for a moment, looking up at her and tilting his head to the side. With a great gulp, he cleared out his mouth, and leaned back in his seat. His head was now level with hers, and those half-dead eyes of his were plain to see. The scar above his eye, how matted his hair was… and if she looked closely, she could make out a variety of scars at the base of his throat, on the topmost edge of his torso. "You realize you'll have lots worse to deal with than pancakes when you train...?" He asked her, his head tilting to the side, his eyes beginning to narrow. Perhaps she would recall how he had looked when she first met him, the intensity, the bloodlust. "… A teacher keeps their students healthy. Now eat. You'll need the strength." He told her again, before going back in to eat at his food again.

Nearly a minute passed as he sat there silently, cutting up and tearing apart the fluffy cake. At last, he spoke once again, addressing the question she had asked. "… I can see shadows. Travel through them. Shape them to whatever I want…" Kuro explained, looking down into the syrupy remains of his breakfast. "… I can see through the entire Seireitei while I'm travelling in them. As for how it does that… Kuroi no Inu obeys my will, and his abilities activate how I want them to." Kuro finished, before raising an eyebrow.

"…Wait… don't you have one, too? A Shikai, through your Zanpakuto?"

Wed Jan 29, 2020 4:20 pm

Ikiya Fumitana

Artist: - Song: - Word Count: N/A

Ikiya didn’t want to believe that he’s actually insisting that she should eat. He’s a persistent one, besides why does he care so much about someone else’s well being. It wasn’t like she was dying or anything. It may look like it, despite how thin and frail she appears. However, she is capable of keeping herself in shape. “Fine, Fine. You win your majesty” She waved a white flag as a sign of giving up and proceed to do as he wishes. As she collected the metal fork with her two fingers on her right hand, she began to stab at her pancake as though she was forcing her weapon at her opponents chest. Ikiya didn’t feel satisfied with the route she took. She could’ve been stubborn and rejected his offer. She instead decided to be the bigger person and suck it up. Ikiya obeyed like a knight would to his king.

As she scoop a piece of the floury substance, the left corner of her eye caught a few scars that appeared on him. It reminded her of frankenstein. Her left eye didn’t leave its sight on the scars, as she delivered a small piece of the pancake into her mouth with no problem. If she stared at them for too long, he’d begin to notice. Her eyes received the greetings by the pancakes, that she didn’t find half bad but wasn’t her favorite thing to eat. Ikiya took a few minutes to slowly get used to the food that felt dry in her mouth each bite, before resting the fork on the table. Ikiya’s ears picked up on her teacher’s words as he started to speak again. This time, it was about his ability to control shadows. She was impressed by the talent, but when he asked her about a [i]Shikai.[/] Ikiya looked like she wasn’t sure what he was talking about.

“It’s why I asked you to teach me this stuff...I have no idea on how to use, what they call a Shikai. The only talent I have is creating gadgets and puppets. You may call me Leonardo Da vinci, if you want” Her words was a mix of seriousness and a joke. “I can use a sword well enough that would make human swordsman look like a joke, i’m good with kido but i suck with fighting with bare hands, but I have a good reason for that” Ikiya continued to explain. “But if that’s how you can unlock your hidden potential, is through a sword-” She paused for a moment in order to retain a more serious look on her face. A face that means she was determined to find the potential that her shiba friend had hopes to see. “I’d be happy to follow your teachings”

Wed Jan 29, 2020 5:05 pm

Captain Kuro Okami

The look of disbelief she wore was not lost on the Shadow Shinigami. …Going to give me a bit of trouble in that case… He silently mused to himself as he picked at his food, tearing off another bite. "… Good." The line across his face softened a bit at her compliance. His eating became noticeably gentler, as well. The way she attacked it satisfied him; that part of her attitude was satisfying for him to see. …That's the way…

"…Eating's something we gotta do." Kuro explained to her, tearing and ripping at another chunk of his food. That voracity was mirrored between the pair.

He did not notice her staring at his scar. Or rather, he did not care. An overriding part of their interactions up until this point seemed to carry that theme. …Guess I should figure out where she's at… He was not ignoring her on purpose. The man just did not have an interest in whatever she put her focus toward…

Right up until she looked confused about his Shikai.

Kuro's entire gaze locked back in, falling on the woman. The hollow, void, half-lit eyes had changed completely. The confusion she displayed was replaced by a look of shock, his head tilted slightly to the right, his mouth falling open a bit as a bit of the pancake he was eating fell out.

"…What?"

The man was positively dumbfounded. Over the next few seconds, he managed to get his mouth closed, his back to relax, and that food consumed. It was the last bite of his meal; but now, there was an elephant he had to swallow. "…None?" He repeated, his right elbow resting on the table, the fingers grasping at his chin. "…That's the place to start... You have to have a Shikai.." The man paused again, one knuckle tapping against the flesh of his chin. "…And.. Yeah, a lot more work on your body…" There was not a hint of malice in his voice; of course, there weren't really any other kinds of hints there.

"…Fuck…"

Kuro's eyes were half-closed, thinking about how he himself had gained his Shikai.

Darkness. Cold. Pain. Pain in the hand. In that hand of his that would become so badly mutilated. Rain pouring onto his head. Black hair in his eyes. Wailing. Pain in his hand. His other drawing itself toward his chest. And through it all, a black wolf appearing while the rest of his world faded away...

"…………" Kuro had been silent for over a minute, again. When at last he came out of his stupor, he looked right at her. "…There is two paths. You can learn it normally, but that way is slow. There is one other way… it's faster; it can only happen if..."

Kuro's eyes locked directly onto hers, the bloodlust from before, that feeling of taking down opposition, of willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish one's goal. It had returned.

"…You join my squad, at least until you're done training."

Wed Jan 29, 2020 6:07 pm

Ikiya Fumitana

Artist: - Song: - Word Count: N/A

The way her attitude shifted from joking to serious, gave her a wake up call. Why didn’t she think of that sooner. Too busy trying to catch a fish in a lake, she hadn’t thought about her side hobbies in awhile. I shouldn’t slack off, or the talent I have now, will go to waste. Her mind was a bit side tracked. The way she thought about her hobbies, felt like they were more important than him punching the idea of eating to maintain good health into her head. However, how would she be able to improve her talents in crafting? Surely if she kept her stunt up any longer. They would be able to catch her in no time.

By now, they should’ve noticed that most of their stuff i stole is missing. I should find another spot to snoop around, but there is no sight of it. She forgot about the man in front of her. She was too focused about her personal situation. Ikiya found herself back into the light, once he had said anything else about a Shikai. So the starting point is having a Shikai… She didn’t find herself wondering if it would be difficult to achieve. It sounded like something she needed to figure out herself. Worrying about the difficulty is a no-no in her book. Worrying about how long it will take, would mean that she won’t bring herself to dedicate her effort into the task. Ikiya felt like what matters most is starting her own journey.

“Huh…?” Her head tilted to her right side in confusion. She began to notice herself being confused a lot. Geez, what is going on inside of his head… Her fingers made a snapping sound, as her thumb and middle finger connected and slide off each other. “Is shadow guy there! Hello!” She attempted to drag the dark prince back into light. It seems like he’s gone out of this world. Once he was back to his senses, he began to explain something. It would be stupid of her to choose a slow and steady path, then the quickest path was to join his squad. “What squad do you belong to? Why is your squad the quickest? What makes it so special?” She unloaded him with questions. Kind of an overkill on her part.