His Next Childhood [Open]

She was wandering again once more venturing around the world without any aim. Most people who wandered aimlessly? At least had the intention to be meandering aimlessly; She didn't have even that! As days ticked by she was increasingly only happy when she could make her head blank out, forget about everything she had learned. She couldn't stand thinking anymore, at least not about herself, it was why she liked taking care of that assassin so much expect for the other obvious reasons. However, she could not stay with her childhood friend forever, he didn't know who she was anymore and they walked such different paths now, she could put him in danger just by standing beside him. If she wanted to keep the man safe? She had to occasionally separate from him in order to keep anyone from tracking him down through her.

Bare feet walked against the ground feeling the roughness of twigs and the grainy texture of dirt beneath them. It didn't matter if she was alone right now or not, the only thing that matter was that she was moving along thinking of nothing expect the sensory input. At one time? She would have avoided any pushing of her senses like this, but now she relished the overload even if it brought intense pain she couldn't think once it happened. Of course, the more she tried to accomplish an overload the harder it was to chase that high and the more tempting an actual high became to her, it wasn't like it would be her first time. Living her teenage years on the street? She had done many things she was not proud of, which made being who she was now even harder, as she was supposed to be some good guy, a sort of hero and she just couldn't see herself like that. What sort of legal mage slipped off to seek comfort in the presence of a wanted mass murderer? What sort of hero had thrown their friends to the side for nothing in the past. In what world did the good guy dress like some common street hooker. Heck, she wasn't even sure which side of the world she
wanted to walk.

Eventually, a flash of silver fur caught her attention pulling the canine out of her own thoughts. "What are you doing here all alone?" her suave voice leaked from her pale mouth as she tilted her head to the side blue hair falling over her shoulders. Who would leave a puppy out like this? As a canine herself the wind mage sympathized with the creature easily. "Poor thing." just like every other time she had the choice to keep herself out of the world? She rejected the chance to just move on, instead choosing to crouch down and letting a soft rumble emerge from her throat, speaking the language of canines instead of humans. In spite of her internal conflict, she could always remember being scared and alone, wishing someone would have reached out. Right now? Was another chance for her to do that for another creature. "Can you understand me?" the series of deep sounds came fluently as she dropped her hands to the ground so she was on all fours. If it came down to , she could shapeshift into her own canine form to prove she was going to help.

"Have you no survival instincts? That's a monster, get away from it!" The "suggestion" came from nearby, though still out of sight. Vincent was currently exploring the East Forest partly as a means to potentially find rare alchemical ingredients and partly to have a more detailed map of an area per Crystal Swan's general goals. He had responded to the deafening cry of a newborn creature, though what he found defied any expectations. Presently, the wizard from the explorers guild had out a sketchbook and a pencil with which he would sketch the flora and fauna of the East Forest. Detailed entries for each of his sketches could be found underneath them. Scratch marks adorned the trees surrounding the little clearing in which a bloodied mess of a mage could be found. The scent was sickening; Vincent hated the sight of fresh corpses. Did this little animal kill the mage? It seems likely, but it's also small. A baby. The wizard would approach the body carefully so as not to provoke the animal so that he could get a better idea of what happened.

Upon further examination Vincent managed to piece together that this creature emerged from the chest of the deceased. He was both disgusted and fascinated. Could it be that this little... lycan-like creature is some kind of parasitic entity who takes the nutrients of its host until its ready to emerge like that of some insects? It seems like the most likely explanation. Still... I've never seen or heard of anything like it he thought, almost forgetting about the girl who treated the monster like some kind of domesticated house pet. His eyes only broke from the monster in brief bursts so that he could accurately draw it inside of his sketchbook, making a brand new entry for it. "I'm Vincent of Crystal Swan. Hopefully we're not enemies because I can feel an intimidating magical power coming from you. Even still, I wouldn't get so close."

At the end of the day, she assumed it was not much fault for someone to assume she was insane and needed to be saved. Unless someone focused on her aura first? She looked like a prime damsel in distress most of the time. Jiyu's mismatched eyes cut somewhat irately up towards the light haired male from her crouched position. "Have you no survival instincts putting yourself near the food of a wild scared animal." she parroted back his own 'advice' with her own appropriate twist, her lips grimacing slightly as she rolled her eyes. What did she care if this animal was potentially dangerous? Even without her power, the girl knew she would be doing this because it was anything but what was locked in the screaming of her head! The wind mage needed refuge and she was going to find that sensation even if it lead to multiple deaths, as an Inugami she could risk it.

"Jiyu Kazehime, Ace Of Black Rose." she felt sick to her stomach speaking that even if it didn't show on her face. How could she introduce herself like that when she knew the alias was created on lies and secrets? Of course, how else was she supposed to introduce herself without revealing her current best-kept secret to the world? "But if you have any intention of doing anything negative to a scared child, I promise guilds won't matter." the lithe female spoke as her body began to morph, changing from that of the fragile humanoid into a canine that was definitely more physically dangerous than the pup. "Don't fear, it's still me, this is for him. The pup can not understand vocal languages, yet." she explained what was going on and then broke her attention from the only remaining human in the clearing. This was about no one but that puppy.

She was going to have to act swiftly if her new plan was going to work. Ears pivoting she detected the noise of some rabbit in the bushes, springing swiftly to close her jaws around the neck of the large rodent ending its life and bringing it back over dangling from her maw. Considering they may need to identify that body? She didn't want to do this with that corpse. Instead of speaking another word, the wind user placed the rabbit down, ripping open it's stomach with her jaws and sinking her claws into the meat to shred it into smaller pieces. Once she had sliced up the meal into easily swallowed pieces, Jiyu nudged the pile of gore, freed of bones and fur, to the puppy. Would he understand that? A clear sign, an action that proved she wanted to help him.

Jiyu Kazehime, hm? She's right in that I probably shouldn't have gotten so close to the corpse but.... "You're absolutely right Ms. Kazehime, though I'm the sort that believes some knowledge is worth putting yourself in danger to obtain. Besides... as you said this is a 'scared child'" the wizard said, quickly jumping backwards to retreat from a sloppy attack by the newborn which it made in an attempt to protect its food. "Finer motor movements haven't yet bit mastered. This little creature really did come into being quite recently" Vincent thought aloud, now at a safe distance from the beast. The situation got even more interesting when Jiyu Kazehime transformed into a beast herself before promptly slaying a rabbit and bringing it back for the parasitic canine to consume. I see. She's a shapeshifter, then. That didn't look like a full takeover though. Very interesting. Vincent created a new entry in a separate part of his sketchbook under the heading of "Magi" where he would sketch his best approximation of Jiyu's human form alongside her current, more canine, appearance.

In his heart of hearts, Vincent enjoyed slaying beasts. If this small creature were a full grown adult then he probably would have struck it down the instant he saw it, but in it's present state it was pathetically weak. He did not fear the threats of the canine shapeshifter before him, for he felt as though he could at least make a relatively safe escape should she take any action against him. Not to mention the social and legal repercussions of harming another legal mage in such a way. Even though he didn't care much for the threats, he had to respect her boldness in defending a monster she had just stumbled across. "A scared child, huh? That's some view you have." That's all he could really say to comment upon the absurd view. Compared to the two canines before him Vincent's body was frail. This was a weakness of the human form that he compensated with the use of magic, though it could never be solved. To have a physically weak form, even if one was stronger than other humans, was just the price one had to pay.

I doubt she saw that rabbit as a 'scared child,' so I wonder what is so special about this little parasite that she is willing to act a mother to it. Perhaps she has some particular affinity for canines he mused while keeping a safe distance between him and the newborn so that he could finish his rendition of it inside his sketchbook. She brought it food. That makes it easier on me. Vincent wanted to simply observe the behavior of the newborn. His fascination with the beast far surpassed his desire to strike it down.

Of course she was right about nearing the corpse being a bad idea for any half sane individual. Jiyu knew the ways of an animal being as she was one herself. How could people be so ignorant to the most basic of things? Wild animals couldn’t go to a store for food, so of course they would be defensive of anything they managed to procure, especially predators. Eating was required for most every creature to maintain life, even some undead required such nourishment! No creature liked getting food stolen and the less able that beast was in communication the more violence became the only way to secure and protect the vital resource. “It’s not danger to you that I worry for, he’s toothless.” The creature was not currently dangerous and her comment from before had possessed a strain of sarcasm. “It’s the stress to him. All he understands is you approached the only food he has and young as the pup is he hasn’t a clue how to procure more.” It was basically like directly threatening the silver pups life! She wanted to help calm the pup not watch him thrown into some fight over resources.

The other seemed unconvinced with her statement involving this pups age, the fact what he saw as beast was nothing but some frightened child. “It’s the right view.” She was one to lecture about morals considering who she spent her spare time with, but she did it anyway since no one else knew about lulu. “He can barely walk, lacks teeth and was clearly just born.” How did so many people miss things like that and why did she ever care? She was only supposed to care for her revenge.  “If he were humanoid? You’d take him into arm and immediately seek to aid him and ensure he was cared for, it’s what good people do. The fact he is a frightened new born does not change merely because he doesn’t look human.” She didn’t look human at the moment and he was giving her respect. She only wished he could realize the pup was no different and deserved help.

Watching as the gummy pup devoured the rabbit she had captured for him? Jiyu internally smiled, taking a few slow steps towards him. From all apparent cues he did understand she had purposefully gotten that food for him, now she needed to see the result. The canine crept close as the puppy would allow before laying down in that form. Once she was settled? Jiyu shapeshifter back to her humanoid body to extend one small hand low to the ground as an invite over. Considering her lack of height? The mage was not intimidating whatsoever, so hopefully for one reason or another he’d come over. If not? She would just keep catching rabbits and try again until he became at least reluctantly willing to allow her to pick him up.

"You might think to wait a bit longer before your moral grandstanding; I was merely expressing my surprise at the extremity of your comparison. The fact that he's a frightened new born doesn't change the fact that's he's a wild beast, either. You and I are no strangers to slaying beasts, I presume, and the your sentimentality over this one doesn't change its nature." he said, keeping his eyes fixed on the beast. It might be a child, but looking away for a moment could result in an unfortunate situation. "Just as you did to that rabbit, so will he do to others once he has grown and, as they say, there is no better cure than prevention" Vincent continued, crouching down while keeping his eyes fixed on the monster. He was fascinated by this little parasitic lycan and wanted it to give him a reason to spare its life. "The proximity of this forest to Magnolia Town is a bit problematic, wouldn't you say? I wouldn't be surprised if citizens from the town stumbled into the East Forest from time to time and got lost. I don't know when this creature will mature, but supposing its sooner rather than later I wouldn't be surprised if there were unfortunate casualties as a result of this creature in the immediate future."

Vincent was not naive enough to simply hunt animals because they posed a potential threat to people. He did, however, consider beasts like the one that burst out of the corpse a safe distance from him to be in a different class of creatures than animals. Beasts like lycans, when matured, are easily capable of wiping out droves of the local wildlife and were not as afraid of humans as typical animals. Beasts were more... arrogant. "That said... I've taken a bit of an interest in this little lycan myself. I'm waiting for a reason to keep from striking it down here and now before it can claim another life, aside from your threats, of course." The wizard smiled a bit, though still with his eyes on the newborn. "I'm hoping, probably somewhat in vain, that it will show some semblance of intelligence beyond that of a typical lycan. Something beyond mere instinct. If I don't see such a thing, well, let's say that I think I might be able to escape from you." Vincent wondered how the Black Rose ace would receive his taunts, the wizard's eyes still intently focused on the parasite.

Moral grandstanding was entirely overrated and completely not something that Jiyu was into. While there was morality to her actions? In her opinion, there was nothing admirable behind her driving intentions themselves. All she wanted in anything she did anymore was to drown enabled to forget the past and finally stop wrestling with her own identity as a result of knowledge she wished that she had never obtained. "There is no grandstanding." her voice was soft barely able to be heard as something of a chortle followed the words. Spoken the phrase seemed to be honorable, a sort of humble and action based comment. However, the truth to why there was no grandstanding was far more twisted and selfish. Jiyu simply needed the distraction this pup was currently providing her, on the surface that was the only reason she admitted to. Nothing about this had to do with sympathy, it had nothing to do with her own days on the street alone with no one to explain the exceptionally cruel world to her.

Out of nowhere one of the branches nearby fell swiftly to the ground splintering into dozens of pieces, the mage having grown deathly still. Jiyu tried so hard, she really did! Struggled to contain the beast within her mask, the monster just beneath the surface, a reflection just as real as she was. "You will take it back." a domino effect of falling branches around the clearing speed its way along as something suddenly changed about the female. Negative energy seeded the forest swiftly, clawing outwards and wrapping around everything almost suffocating in its intensity. "You are wrong." she didn't just shapeshift this time, his privilege of comfort had ended in her mind. As a plume of darkened black energy fog cleared all that remained was a wild-eyed beast. Vengeful energy poured off her in waves, blood dripping down the red line around her neck and her body painfully thin as if she was starved.  "Because if you aren't wrong, you would already be dead." she had lunged forward stopping just short of him, glaring with glowing hateful optics. "I'm an uncontracted Inugami." a creature born for nothing besides vengeance, jealousy, hatred. She wasn't just some wild beast, she was straight up something any sane person would consider downright malicious and unredeemable. Yet, somehow she had found some way around what logic dictated.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the pup leaving and decided she had no more time for something closed minded. Jiyu's legs were much larger thus she was able to quickly catch up tucking her grotesque true form away as she went but being unable to suppress her aura for the moment. Even if the pup posed no current threat she did not want him learning to hunt people before he knew how to properly hunt, so the wind user moved to quickly use her element to pick up the child when she got close enough. Picking him up was the easiest way to keep him from getting hurt as if something like him went into a big city alone it could end up hurt.

Vincent froze when he noticed the outpouring of energy from the other mage. His provocation garnered a response a bit more than he expected. Did she say Inugami? The mage looked down at the band around his right hand's ring finger instinctively. The mention of a particular type of Yōkai brought back memories from his own abduction. She terrified him now more than she did before, but he knew she wouldn't act. Jiyu had said about as much herself. "Inugami, huh? I got this from one of your kind..." were the first words he said to her after she had picked up the small lycan pup, hold up right hand. He didn't know why he told her this as it was completely irrelevant; it was irrational. The wizard shook his head. "You should be cautious not to let your emotion blind you. Yōkai are as intelligent as they are dangerous. At least the ones I'm familiar with. They are far from beasts, so your your apagogical argument doesn't exactly hold. The fact that you are able to fight against your nature puts you in a separate category to beasts and you have no idea if that creature you're treating like a house pet is capable of doing the same. I believe there might be something more to him due to his odd behavior; I've never seen a lycan ever offer food up to other creatures, especially not those of a different species, but that could just be because he was just born."

Vincent was no longer sure if he could outrun her, but would still take his chances if it meant ridding the forest of such a monster. So that's Yui's true form... I'm they spared me from seeing such a thing. It's repulsive. Additionally she's a wind mage - that might be good to know. The wizard took his eyes off of the loose cannon spirit of undying vengeance and looked towards the floating pup. "Hey you!" She had said earlier that he didn't understand human language, but Vincent decided to try anyways. "Can you some modicum of self awareness or intelligence? If you can you'll never starve." He was sure that his request was in vain and that he would be thought of as a fool for even talking to a newborn parasite, but he didn't exactly care. Luck was a strange force that could never be discounted. All he wanted was a some glimmer of awareness which would change his internal categorization of the little creature from "beast" to what he used to categorize intelligent life. Should he get that, then instead of putting the lycan into an indefinite rest he would attempt to take it back with him for further studies. It was already interesting enough and he considered taking it back regardless, that was, if this sentimental Inugami didn't simply flee to keep it safe first.