Ancient Monsters

[pudding]

Oh, really? Then again, the man looked like he had been a foreigner and Barghests tended to be a very small species. Cubs usually killed one another in their early years, leaving only the strongest to roam and they were very territorial, even with other creatures. Sometimes, they would kill simply because another creature had been too slow to move. Sethos certainly had his fair share of killings that were not food but simply because someone or someone had bumped into him or hadn't been wise enough to move. Actually, now that he thought about it more, he had never really seen any others. Between when he left his mother at a very young age and now, he had not seen one other Barghest. He, of course had no interest in his species, even for things like breeding. The idea of finding someone else just never stuck with him. "That is most likely because the others were not strong enough," Sethos replied, obviously sharing no sympathy for any dead relatives. "Why did you decide a bracelet?" Sethos asked after a short pause, thinking over his current prison. "Surely a rock would have been better for sealing away. It is more easily disposed of in the ocean or a volcano."

[SoiledLove]

"Oh..." Mikado smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, though the demon couldn't see him. "So it's a dog eat dog world for you then?" He asked rhetorically, not really needing an answer, but asking anyways, "Not that that's surprising..." When the demon asked him why he used a bracelet, he shrugged. "I dunno why I used a bracelet. First thing I thought of, only thing I had? Or something. Plus, I wanna keep you. You're interesting. Kuro would love some demonic company, right?"

"No, wrong. I would much prefer a stupid angel so I could kill it just so I won't have to suppress my anger."

"But we always kill things!"

"No. I always kill things. You, on the other hand, prance around and have somehow managed to make friends with, so far, two succubi, three cambion, one hellhound, four Daiyokai, eight kitsune, one Maneki Neko, one Bakeneko, three Inu Yokai (one of which is one of the aforementioned Daiyokai), six half-breeds and two imps. Oh, and an Okami. How you do that, I will never know. Nor will I know why you were destined to wield me."

"Oh... Right! But you kill things!"

[pudding]

Keep?! What did this human take him for, some kind of pet? And after the way the sword had so rudely stabbed his foot, he wasn't really keen on that idea. Moreover, he didn't make friends. He didn't keep company. And if he was going to live out his days as a bracelet, he was going to voice up his opinions. It wasn't like getting thrown away would be much worse. "I told you earlier, I don't make friends with weaker species. Certainly not with a human and certainly not while sealed in a bracelet." Moreover, friends were a weakness, as were humans. He wouldn't subject himself to such humiliation when he could just as easily say nothing. The talk was interesting though. He had heard of Daiyokai before as apparently being very, very strong. Part of the reason for him wanting to travel to Japan was to test his claws against one or more of them. He didn't know much else about what a Daiyokai was, however, so he wasn't even sure how to spot one. Not that that would stop him, though. He'd just try attacking them all and see which ones were stronger.

[shadow_claw]

Growing visibly irritated by both Tsukiko and Agni, Saren scowled. He pulled a small chain with a glowing orb attached to it and swung it idly. After a few minutes, he spoke. Are you quite done, Tsukiko? Yellow eyes locked onto Agni as the woman spoke. His smile returned quickly as he listened. Why didn't you just say so? Why, I've lived here for several centuries and know just about everything you can find! Obviously you don't, or you wouldn't have chased after a Zenko. Although he was half-inclined to shoo them out, he decided he could play for a little longer. This oair of humans were rather boring. This wasn't turning out as fun as he had hoped.

[SoiledLove]

((Sorry for not being on today. I went out. I'll also be inactive next week. I have three summer homework assignments that I haven't even touched. The week after that I'm going traveling, so I'll also be inactive. Not too much, but somewhat))

 

"Maa, maa..." Mikado brushed off Sethos' words without much effort. He was used to people rejecting him or talking to him harshly, as sad as it was, but he was too self-assured and tick - skinned to care. "Well, you're stuck with us regardless," he told the demon. Kuro snorted. Mikado flopped down onto the boat again and reclined against the deck, Kuro once again becoming a pillow.

"Get off me, fool. I'm not a pillow," the sword spat angrily and yanked itself out from under Mikado's head, causing the human to hit his head on the ground with a thump.

"Ow..." Mikado groaned, lifting himself off the ground and rubbing the back of his head. "Saa... Now what do I do? If I can't use you as a pillow, there's no point in sleeping. Hey, demon in my bracelet, tell me your name!"

[pudding]

It seemed like he was getting a better feeling for being inside the bracelet already, as he was starting to become more aware of his surroundings. The jostle he felt as Mikado flopped down on the ground certainly was jarring but beyond that, he discovered that there was...something more connecting him to the outside world. It was like sight without actually seeing as he could feel the presence of some objects around him. It was a start to something and, hopefully, it would eventually evolve into full scale vision. He hated being blind and if he could still smell and hear, he saw no reason why he couldn't see.

Snapped back by the question, Sethos paused before deciding there was really no harm. It was just a name after all and it wasn't like it could be used for anything. He wasn't one of those weak species that knowing their true name was the same thing as binding them. "You may address me as Sethos," He replied. "Some prefer to add prefixes of some kind or another but it is not necessary and I do not insist upon it. Just Sethos will do."

[shadow_claw]

((Everything's settled in, so shall we timeskip?))

[pudding]

((I'd be fine with that. We should keep the other group the same, though. What do you think, Soiled?))

[SoiledLove]

((Sure, no problem))

[pudding]

((Cool. Well, since Sethos is trapped inside of a bracelet, do one of you two want to start?))

[SoiledLove]

((I would, but I've never actually been on a boat or been good at starting after a Timeskip, so I'll leave it to shadow. If shadow takes too long, I'll post))

[shadow_claw]

((I can't make a real post right now, but I'll se if I can post later tonight or tomorrow.))

[pudding]

((I'll try to start then, though it might be weird.))

 

For the time after being sealed in the bracelet, Sethos had been... surprisingly content. Sure it was irritating being trapped but considering he would be trapped on a boat anyway, he wasn't so bothered until the scent of salt water combined with the smell of dirt. He couldn't actually see it but he could tell shore was nearby. Moreover, after weeks on sea with only one man to tide him over, he was not so pleased. Of course, he would never admit his hunger to the human and instead grew quiet over the past few days as his need for food intensified. Finally, after days of silence, he decided to open his mouth.

"What business do you have in Japan?" he decided to ask. Usually he disliked small talk and especially with humans but he was honestly curious. It did not mean he thought any more of the human (After all, he still stubbornly refused to call him by his name), he was just curious what path he would be dragged down.

[SoiledLove]

((It's good, better than what I would've done, anyhow))

 

The bracelet had been silent for quite a while now. Mikado had been considering letting the other out several times throughout the trip, but the demon inside hadn't complained about it once and he wasn't going to take any risks until he knew more about the binding. Yes, he will admit, he used a binding without even knowing its full limitations and effects. But, he was confident that he could deal with anything that happened. It was a surprise when the demon talked, though. He blinked and looked down at the bracelet, leaning against the side of the boat. "Well, I'm from Japan originally. So I'm more coming back than going to Japan for a trip. But, if you're wondering about my plans in the near future, I have to go to visit a Daiyokai concerning a rather pesky demon that has been threatening the peace, and segregation, between the human and demon civilizations," he said thoughtfully. Ah yes, not even back on dry land yet and he had received a message from a summon about his next job.

[pudding]

Sethos knew plenty of religious figures who had tried to attack him but they were usually killed before they could try anything. So when it came to bindings, he wasn't very familiar. He knew the usual binding meant that breaking what he was bound to would probably release him. But he highly doubted the monk would do that and didn't even know that he could be released from the bracelet without the binding technically going away. "Civilizations?" He asked. He was unaware demons even had civilizations. Apparently, demons in Japan were much more similar to humans. That probably meant they were weaker since they were not used to fighting for themselves. The silence from him that followed was suddenly filled by a loud growling sound that filled the air for a few short seconds. His stomach had finally started to growl from lack of food. Even demons needed to eat, after all. Just, in his case, less often and mostly human. He quickly decided not to comment on the rumblings and instead resided himself to shamed silence instead.

[shadow_claw]

Namina had scarcely shown her face since the incident in which she got hurt. When she did, it was topless, her torso wrapped in bandages. Truth is, she was having problems keeping her injuries from infection. Alcohol was a decent way, but it had to be washed out after a while. The drinking water was too limited to use. As the ship slowed to a halt upon one of the busy docks, the woman emerged from her cabin. Dressed in her spare uniform, she stalked to the edge of the boat. As soon as the anchor was thrown into the water, men got busy to hauling crates onto the docks. Mikado, come with me. she growled. Her face was pale, as if she was sick. She probably was. Namina knew she would need help finding someone to treat her wounds, as she herself had done a shabby job. Four weeks on the sea with large gashes was bad for anyone.

[SoiledLove]

Mikado blinked when he heard the questioning tone in the demon's voice and then smirked when he heard rumbling. "Someone's hungry," he teased lightly, "don't worry, you'll be out of there soon." Changing topic quickly so that the demon didn't get too angry, Mikado said, "Well, it's not so much a civilization as a, well, I'm not really sure how to describe it. But for the sake of not being bothered by hunters and priests who would cause chaos in their wonderful kingdoms, the Daiyokai have worked something out with us. It's not really so much of a civilization where everyone is friendly as a way to show their control over other demons, I suppose..." He trailed off as Namina came out and stared at her, as he was prone to do. However, he was slightly disappointed at her state of dress. She didn't look well, he also noticed, but he didn't know a thing about healing, not when Kuro gave him increased regeneration. It was just never needed. He nodded at her order and followed happily. "Of course, captain!" He said cheerfully.

[pudding]

Wait, wait, wait. Out? As in, out of the bracelet? Why? For what point? Sure he was hungry but it would be horribly, horribly stupid of him to just release him. Didn't they realize that he would very easily turn around and kill them without reservations? Four weeks only made his silent fury burn brighter. But if they were going to be stupid, he wouldn't stop them. He'd cut them down instead. "Humans are so frail," Sethos commented. Sure she had shown she was a werewolf but they were not much better, especially when they appeared to be variations that could change in the middle of the day. "Of course, she is lucky. Had I not been kind enough to seal the wound for her with my heat, she would have died long before this."

[shadow_claw]

Nodding to acknowledge his reply, Namina walked to the ramp her crew had lowered to the dock. Her first step was a practiced one. A careful balance as she grew use to solid ground. This first step stable, she took another. Then another. Until she found her way to the dock. Watch your footing, priest! I don't need any broken arms! Like an injured animal, she made no impression that she felt half-dead. Leading a crew of men did that to her. The weak got picked off and killed. Swaying slightly as she grew used to the solid earth, she leaned on a crate of supplies. No. She didn't feel well at all. You've been here before, right Mikado? she asked in-between breaths. Because...I need a doctor. Pretty badly, actually. Oh, how she hated being injured! If that stupid demon hadn't been on board, there wouldn't have been any problems!

[SoiledLove]

Mikado as rather amused at Sethos' comments. He reminded him of that stuck-up young exorcist with a superiority complex. He always retained a 'holier-than-thou' attitude, too. Well, until Mikado and Kuro beat him at all the ten missions they were on. Mikado had finished before he could even start. He could admit that he himself was probably a bit too over-confident for his own good, but he was calm, too. Teasing that exorcist had been so much fun. Those superior attitudes were quite a amusing to him since he had gotten used to that kind of attitude from Kuro. He even grinned when Namina snapped at him before prancing down the ramp just for kicks. He frowned a little when the woman admitted to needing a doctor though. He nodded. "Well, there is one living nearby who's there just for injuries that may have been sustained during overseas travel, but I would recommend a healer from the exorcists. However, since you're a werewolf, that might not be a very good idea..." He nodded towards a little white tent set up seemingly randomly in the middle of the beach. "That's the doctor's tent."

[pudding]

A doctor? As if that would do much. Humans were so weak that honestly, he was surprised she hadn't died earlier. His claws rarely left humans alive for long after he got a strike in as they were either done in right away by him or died later on of disease. While the heat did prevent blood loss, it didn't prevent people from dropping dead later on. He wasn't sure why since he didn't use poison but he wasn't going to question it when it was good for him. "She'll die," Sethos muttered grimly as another round of rumbling came from the bracelet. If she was going to die anyway, maybe he could eat her. Then again, he didn't like rotting meat and she looked like she was on her last leg. People who looked ill usually tasted foul.

[shadow_claw]

Healer exorcist? She could look around. Although, she didn't have that much time. With a nod, she started towards the tent. Damned demon. She'd give him hell to pay for that. Stumbling into the white tent, she lifted the flap for Mikado to follow. This is a triage center, correct? I...I could use some medical attention. She glanced around, and frowned slightly. I was attacked several weeks ago aborad my own ship. I can pay handsomely for whatever treatment is needed, I just need treatment quite badly.

 

((Short post. No hate))

[SoiledLove]

((Problem. We have no one to play the doctor... Or should she/he be an NPC?))

[pudding]

((I'm in support of an NPC but I'll kick it off for now.))

 

The doctor-a younger Japanese man-looked towards the front of tent flap, his eyes immediately narrowing considerably. Being so close to the ships, he did speak English but not nearly as fluently as some others. Still, it was clear when people came to see him who were obviously injured, they were in need of treatment. "Yes, quickly," He replied, gesturing her forward. Had she said weeks? That was a very long time to go heavily injured. "Come here, let me see." Of course, he meant under the bandages so he could see exactly the nature of the injury. He'd have to work quickly anyway so he was used to examining while hearing. "How were you injured? Fall? Mutiny?"

[shadow_claw]

A moment's hesitation, and Namina was unbuttuoning her suit. She had little care for modesty at this point. Not when her breasts and chest alike had been savagely torn open. The idea of peeling off moderately-white bangades was abandoned, and she instead pulled out her knife and tore them open. As soon as her bare chest was revealed, she herself grimaced at the smell alone. Four deep gashes tore across her upper torso and had been left mostly untreated. The attempt at sutures was abandoned almost instantly, as her puss-ridden, inflamed skin made it unbearable. The wounds themselves were disfigured not only by infection, but also by blisters. Sethos's action of cauterizing her wound as if it was torn sullied attempts at proper healin. Scarring was inevitable. Dying, well, she was hanging on as long as she should. Demon. Stowaway and attempted upheaval. She muttered through a gag. I kept it as clean as I could. It was all I could do.

 

((Apologizing for the moderate gore now.))