Encountering the Shadows (Ryou)

[nakamura]

It was a calm, clear evening. The sky was empty except for the occasional wisp of cloud. The stars dotted the sky and shined with a silver light. The moon was full, bringing enough light to the world below that shadows were everywhere. The dark of the shadows were nothing to be afraid of but they were something to watch. A gentle breeze whispered through the buildings, breathing along the skin of the child that seemed to be aimlessly wandering. Her dark violet eyes flickered from shadow to shadow, it wasn't a nervous reaction or even a scared reaction as most would think. Something made her uneasy and because of that she was wary of her surroundings as she walked along the dirt streets.

There was a cold feeling that she was being watched. It felt almost....ominous. The feeling chilled her to her very soul. As the feeling seemed to get heavier, her pace picked up until she was running. Running away...it was something she tried not to do but yet it was necessary. Something told her to get away from here as fast as possible. Her hand drifted to the crystalline pendant around her neck as she bolted down the street. The chain was weak and would probably break again if she didn't hold on to it. The thing meant a lot to the spirit, that much was obvious.

After trying to escape the cold feeling of dread that had come over her, she started to get annoyed as it remained. She paused in her running and glanced around her. Something was amiss. Something was wrong. Absentmindedly, she ran a hand through her long brunette hair and fixed her gaze on one spot in particular where the shadows didn't sit right. "I know you're there. Care to show yourself?" Her voice was steady but some of her annoyance dripped into the words.

[Kurosawa Ryou]

He said up there in the shadowy coves, crouched among the borrowgroves. The ‘Mad Dog’ of the 8th watched over the female spirit who seemed to be walking along in a sense of panic. She seemed to be on the edge of fear, and Ryou wondered if maybe it would be a fun game to try and push her over. Mumbling to his sword he said, “What do you think ladiesss…?” Suaki was the first to scream in his head in her young boy like voice that sounded quite annoyed, “Frankly I don’t care what you do twerp, but you better not pick up another one of those ‘Mistresses of yours.” In’ei’s more calming tone chimed in right after that of the male personality, “I have no opinion on the matter either… though don’t get in trouble already. We can’t ruin our chances to get the Lieutenants job one day.” Of course Ningy was only all too eager and spoke with a certain sadistic yet overly cheerful voice, “I would love to play with her if you want Ryou-kun… oh we can chase her around and make her do such fun things. Maybe scare her by taking her…” Of course that part of the sentence was ended with a stare form In’ei… there would be no shadow taking in this prank situation. Ryou was a prankster… not stupid. So with that one visible eye of his staring in the direction of the girl, he began to play his games. Adding to the sounds of night… the 'Dark Toymaker' soon had his desired effect.

As the Shinigami played his game in amusement, he could feel In’ei’s desire to join… and with a soft mumble the Shikai formed around his hand. Though he didn’t use any of his abilities, so the power he gave off was minimal. All it did was to make the air around him more frightening and ominous. Ryou clinked his blades together softly, as he moved from shadow, not allowing himself to be seen. Ningy’s words in head curiously asking, “I wonder if we can ask her to take off her clothes…” In’ei of course answered for her owner by simply saying, “Don’t you think it is a little late for that?” It was about this time that he noticed that the spirit was running form him… and a Cheshire cat like grin spread over his face. Now all he had to do was follow and watch the show. The 'Mad Puppeteer' turely had time to direct this play in whatever direction amused him at this point, and he certianly planned on dragging it out if he could. Yet to his surprise… it soon ended just as quickly as it had began.

Suddenly Ryou found himself stopped in his tracks as the man crouched in his spot and watched the spirit… whose nature had changed quite dramatically. She no longer seemed scared, but instead… well it was something that he couldn’t describe, but her voice calling out into the dark certainly showed she knew she was being watched. Sukai spoke to him in a voice that was a bit more calm, though still annoyed and stemmed, "Why doesn't it keep running. Things where just getting good." Even Ningy chimed in her dissapointed, "Aww now my fun is spoiled." Though there weilder gave no reply. He sat there for a moment just staring, he tapped his bladed fingers against the side of his, and let out a sigh. Suddenly without a word Ryou pulled something out of his sleeve in a showmen like fashion. It was a small bag, with a fancy old English tea cup. Ryou's prized possession. With a single command and a quick little cut the young man stepped into a hole he male in a shadow nearbye...

A minute later the young Shinigami walked out of the shadows with tea cup in hand. Drinking form it as he had one bladed finger in the air. It was more of a reflex from nerve damage than an attempt to be fancy. So there he stood staring at the girl while he drank his tea slowly. His large black eye that was visible through his hair coldly examined the spirit to figure out exactly what it was that held her in place. Was it bravery or knowledge. It could also have been that she was like Tiacho-sama… and didn’t like games. There could be many reasons, it was simply that Ryou hoped that they would be benign ones. After a bit he repositioned himself, by just hovering there Indian style, and started to speak, "Sso I see that you have had enough running for one night? Well I am glad to ssee that you have caught me. Congratulllations on winning the game." He chuckled softly in a cold manner as he paused for a moment took another sip before continuing. The manner in which he spoke seemed so oblivious to the scare he had caused her, "Sso ssince you have won pleasse tell me? What iss it that I can do for you? Oh and maybe you would like ssome tea also?.. I fine that tea is ssso lovely for coversationsss." Tilting his head he just stared at the girl out of that one visible eye. One that echoed such a dark vicious monster, yet at the same time a innocent curious dog.

[X]

[nakamura]

A look of sheer annoyance flickered across the young spirit's face as Ryou casually stepped forward with his teacup in hand. How tempting the thought of smashing the teacup into the sap's face sounded. It was tempting indeed since the fool before her was being all fancy after being somewhat of a stalker just a moment ago. "Urusai," she muttered under her breath. It was a simple word but yet close to no one understood it. "Shut up, you moron! Who the hell do you think you are?!" She let her annoyance at the stranger seep into her words. Yelling at a shinigami probably wasn't the smartest thing but then again she'd insulted plenty of their kind and they had yet to do anything. From what she could see, this one was different than the others. He shrouded himself in darkness and tried to hide behind a facade of calm collection. Something about him annoyed her, other than the fact his reiatsu gave her a feeling of despair and dread. Maybe it was his presence that annoyed her or maybe it was the fact he reminded her of someone.

The fact he had referred to this as 'a game' made him look like a dumbass that had no life and as much as she would have loved to inform him of where he could shove his so called 'game' she held her tongue. It was unlike her to keep her thoughts restrained like this but the threat of danger was still there. It was in that one visible eye of his. There was that faint, childlike innocence to it but behind that was something else. Something that she could only describe as malicious. Her mind was working through various options of how not to make this person angry. Aside from the obvious danger that he posed, there was something that made her curious as to just exactly what he was planning.

"Shouldn't a shinigami be in their barracks by now? Or do you always spend your nights harassing people?" It was an honest question, nothing too insulting but her tone said otherwise. Sarcasm mixed with a little bit of a reprimanding tone, not the best way to diffuse the situation but it just happened like that. The brain to mouth filter just wasn't there and that was easy to see but there was a reason behind it. Her gaze was fixed on the shinigami, watching his movements carefully. Observing and analyzing. Best to know what she's dealing with, right?

[Kurosawa Ryou]

He just stared at her as she looking at him with such annoyance. His expression was nearly impossible to gauge except within that one large eye. It was not this fact that had silenced him; no it was not these trifling things. It was something much more important, that pulled at the puppet masters strings. After what seemed like a few moments he shrugged and took another sip of his tea, “No tea I presssume… what a pity.” Though the words that she said under her breath amused him, though this was no enough to bring about that grin of his, it was certainly enough to piss of Sukai…“Did that bitch just insult you? Let me at her and I will rip her…” Yet Ryou cut her off, “I don’t think that will be nessecry love.. sshe sseems perfectly friendly.” His words were spoken out loud, though it was obvious this was something he did regularly. Turning his attention back to the girl spirit he spoke in a curious manner, “Why I think you have already figured that out for yourself from what I can see.” Holding up his bladed hand with his index finger point up in the one position, followed by the other fingers counting higher and higher he began listing off.

“Apparently you sseemed to think I am annoying, noissy, loud, fasstidious, boissterous, clamorouss, vociferouss, botherssome, troublessome, importunate…. Need I go on? I have all my toes too.” By this point that Cheshire cat like grin was from ear to ear, but withier or not she could see it would be another matter. The was a slight chuckle in his voice as he didn’t even wait for her reaction, “Now asss for myself…My name is Ryou… Kurossawa Ryou at your sservice.” He then made a bow as though tipping a hat, but simply held his tea to the side. “Though mosst call me ‘Mad Puppeteer or the Dark Toymaker… either will do.” He refrained letting her know about the one that people used to insult him. He could tell that this one would not hesitate to call him ‘Mad Dog’ in a second. At least form what he could see… in the way she looked back him with a certain level of defiance that you didn’t see in many of the people around here. What this girl would notice would be no change in him at the directed insults. Even the tone with which she spoke seemed to change his demeanor very little. All the Shinigami did was continue to quietly drink his teeth… and answer her questions in a tone that seemed to cold and yet bored. It was the type of tone that said ‘you should know this already’, but at the same time the petrifying nature of his voice crawled up the spine in as usual, “Why yess actually that is exactly what I do, and have been doing it in one form or another for a while now. Do you have a problem with that?” It was obvious by the way he said the last question, that he really could care less for the answer.

In fact he showed this as he continue to drink his tea, but this time he walked forward towards her. When it came to this one he felt a little bit more on edge than most, so he was ready if she tried anything. The Shinigami really didn’t want his tea cup broken after all… getting hit was never the issue. So as he moved up closer to her the Shinigami simply continued to drink his tea, without saying a word. Dropping his bladed hand by his side he still did not speak, until the after the nerves started twitching, and causing the knifes to run together, “As for where I should and should not be… that is only Tiacho-ssama and the little Mistress’s concern…As for scaring people” He drew closer and closer, until that one visible eye of his was close to hers and his voice more dark. His clawed hand came up and almost seemed as though it was going to caress her cheek, but stopped, “ I certainly made you run didn’t I.” The words of the sentence spoke like a play full imp as his free hand ruffled her hair, before walking past while drinking his tea. Still prepared… he felt a certain connection to this one… and he wanted to see if he would get the desired reaction.

[nakamura]

She remained silent as the shinigami drank his tea and answered her questions. He even offered his name along with a couple nicknames he believed he earned but what amused her the most was that this shinigami tried to guess what she thought of him. Although a couple of his guesses were correct, the rest were wrong and only his assumptions. The second he moved his hand close to her face, she shot him a glare that seethed with venom but it was his words along with that grin that had started to piss her off. She kept herself silent trying to keep herself under control but all was ruined the moment he put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair like she was a little kid. She quickly swatted his hand away with the back of her own. She did not like being treated like a kid. It was insulting. "How dare you?! You bastard!" she snapped at him.

If looks could kill, the look she gave Ryou would have been murder. Normally she would have tried to reverse the situation so that he was the one angry but she had better things to do than deal with him. The look of pure murder shifted in an instant, dropping like it had never even been there and leaving nothing but a cocky, knowledgeable smirk. She spun around, her hair fanning out a little as she turned her back to him. "you make too many assumptions. People don't just run out of fear, idiot. They run for many reasons. One being to avoid coming across a sukebe like you." With this said, she started to walk away from him silently hoping he'd go away but then again it would be more fun to see if she actually could annoy a shinigami. Without stopping she called over her shoulder to him, "Nameru ja nai!" If he understood it, he'd feel like he was just toyed with.

The smirk stayed with her as she walked away from him. Her breaths calm just like her demeanor was right this moment. The area fell silent, no sound but her footsteps as she continued onward. He was a fool, and no doubt his zanpakuto was probably dying to kill her. If she wanted to she could play this one like a violin. It wouldn't be that hard. She used to be quite the actress when it came to playing idiots like him. It was going to be an interesting night. Of that, she was sure.

[Kurosawa Ryou]

It happened just like he had hopped though it was a bit more mild than expected, as she simply smacked his hand away. He mused to himself, "Now there wass no need for that." His words spoken were she could hear them. There was not a single bit of anger in his tone. In fact that was hardly any emotion at all, except what could be considered a slightly thoughful voice. When he stepped back though Ryou was chuckling softly he sat down in that floating postion close to her and stared at the spirit, "Just having a bit of fun." Ryou sat there as he contiuned to drink his tea, and pondered to himself out loud, "Now I don't exactlly think I am a prevert.. Ningy might be a pervert, but I don't think I fit that disscribition." His words spoken in a complete and utter one man coversation, agian ingoring the spirit that was nearbye. He was starting to realize that she was not effected by his little jokes in the same way that others where. Which was what made it all the more intersting.

The look in her eye was exactlly what he had been looking for. That spark that said she would probably try to kick his ass if she wanted to. He wondered for a moment what exactlly it was that she would do, but in the end left him slightly dissapointed. As his grin drew down to the more serious expression that showed no emotion, "Hmm... asssumptions... I guess I made an ass out of you and me... hmm." He sounded more like he was talking to himself as he chuckled, and then suddenly that one visiable looked at her with a nature that showed Ryou's more evil side. There was a gleam in his eye, but it was gleam of a hunter staring at helpless pray, "While that may be little misss... You did run out of fear, but you stopped for whatever reason. Though whatever that is... well it is your own affair. You are just mad ssomeone played gamess with your emotionss? Or is that your just mad ssomeone ssimply creeped up behind you and ssaid 'Boo'... Ethier way... You need to learn to relax a bit."

Indeed there where no footsteps following along behind her... leaving the sound of her own echoing through the night. Ryou just simply decided to float after her, in his normal... almost cartoonish manner. By the time he caught up the Shinigami had finished his tea, and so allowed him to hover right above her, though turned upside down. He would be just out of her arm reach, but she was not out of his... and he poked her gently on the top of her head to get her attention, "Little Misss... you still have not told me your name. Plusss I don't see were you are heading off to. It is cold outside in... ah never mind..." He just floated there his voice falling slient and strangely engough In'ei had as well. This spirit seemed quite the confounding little puzzle, even if it was a easy to read one. Quite the paradox that much was for sure, and it made him wonder what could possiably be hidden by all of her thick skin. Only the more reason to follow after her of course... his demenor so calm and cold... that it was a bit on the scary side.

[nakamura]

She paused and looked up at the shinigami, her face neutral. It was amusing really, that this time he had kept enough distance to stay out of her reach. He was learning. Fast. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as she had originally thought but she still did not feel the need to explain herself to him. "My actions are none of your concern, Shinigami. Go back to playing with the others of your kind." She spoke with a serious tone but silently wondered if he'd listen. Most likely he wouldn't but if that was the case...well then, she'd just have to do something about that, now wouldn't she?

Even though she hated to admit it, he was right. It was starting to get colder out as the night deepened and she hadn't told him her name. She shrugged lightly and looked away from him, her voice carrying a hint of amusement as she replied, "You're quite right. I didn't introduce myself and it is a bit cold. I have no intention of telling a shinigami the name of a lowly spirit and i can't change the weather. Oh well, looks like you'll just have to deal with it." As she said her last few words, she ran a hand through her hair and waved him away dismissively. Although she had plenty she could say, she wasn't going to indulge the poor sap. She wasn't going to let him know exactly what she thought, besides where's the fun in that?

She walked a few steps away from him before turning around to fix him with her cold, violet gaze. "As a shinigami, shouldn't you have better things to do than harass the poor innocent souls of the Rukongai?" She asked, her voice reflecting a false curiosity. It was a rhetorical question. She didn't want an answer, she just wanted a reaction. Any reaction would do. It wasn't natural for someone to hold their own in the presence of her usual sarcasm. But then again, she hadn't let the shinigami get a taste of her usual attitude. This time she was being good. Of all the times to do something stupid like that, it had to be now.

X

[Kurosawa Ryou]

The shinigami chuckled with amusement as he contiuned to float upside down over her. This one was certianly quite fun... he had not laughed this much in quite awhile. This spirit seemed to be the most amusing little charater. He wondered exactlly were she lived. Maybe he could think of some excuse to visit her, or at least play pranks on her... OH... he could always try and convince her to be a Shinigami. It was what he did with all of the other childern anyway. He had a feeling though, that this one had no intention of following down that road. At least not with the resentful and anger nature she seemed to hold. Then again... all he had to do was look at the uniform and rank he wore in the mirror, and then remember his own inner world. He though for a moment though about what she said, and he couldn't help but grin as he looked down at her and wagged his finger, "Now now little misss... Your actions are competely within my concern. Like it or not you were playing my game, and so the actions of my players are alwaysss a concern. Especially ssomeone who getss asss angry asss you... I mean you don't have to knock over the proverbial chess board silly."

He followed after her obviously undaunted in his chance to contiune playing mind games with his new toy. When she mentioned being cold though he scracthed his head and spoke in what sounded like a geniune confusion, "Well if you are cold, then why don't you cover up?" Yeah the playful scarsm was there... buried in the layers of Ryou's voice and the emotion shown form that one eye. They Shinigami was messing with her, though he said it in a such bored fashion that if Ari wasn't smart engough she would be thrown off. It was her next words that really caught him... 'lowey spirit'? Floating foward the man turned around to where he was back upside down though was in front of her floating backwards. Ryou had had a lot of time to practice... and frankly this really had no other point than it made him look silly. "Why do call yourself a 'lowly sspirit'? I never called myself that while I was in your sshoes, but that is nethier here nor there." At this point that grin spread over his face again, "I guesss that means I will have to make one up for you. Let's ssee.. I think I will just contiune to call you 'little misss' for now. At least until you decide to tell me your name. Crossing his arms he seemed pretty pleased with himself, engough so that that he sunk back to his normally emotionless self. The change so quick and contanst... it was a bit spooky in itself.

"Ass for the weather... I am not cold mysself. I wass just checking to make sure you were comforntable." Dispite the complete indifferance and lack of emotion in his voice when he said this. It was obvious that he was telling the truth. "If you want ssome of that my tea... it will warm you up. Unless you live around her in one of the better Districts." He didnt know were she came form really, but simply assumed that it was nearbye. He was supirsed that she really felt the need to ask him that question, because he was certian that his demoner had already answered it. Yet still it didn't bother him, because he didn't mind... as long as they were still playing his little mind game. Plus it would be a great way to possiably get her to give away some imformation about herself. " No not really little miss... I won't be on patrol tommorrow and so I just wanted to do some looking around during the night. Guess make up for when I am not there is the only way to say it. Though no I don't really pick on innocent ssouls. Me and In'ei would never do that... Only the ssouls of the naughty people like yourself." He ran his blades together as he said this. When talking about her it was obviously a joke, but again if she was paying attention closely, she would be able to see that manic like serious which lied hidden under his child like nature.

[nakamura]

She laughed for a moment when he mentioned her being angry. Although the laughter was short lived, it faded away just as quickly as it had come, leaving nothing but an arrogant smirk on her face. Angry? Me? You haven't seen me angry," She said as she began to examine her nails. "And for the matter of the cold, I like it cold. Have a problem with that?" she said sarcastically before pausing a moment to lift her gaze back to him. "Didn't think so." she added after the brief pause. She walked over to a barrel that sat beside one of the buildings and sat on it, crossing her left leg over her right and continuing to make a show of examining her nails.

Her smirk had faded to the point of being barely noticeable as Ryou continued to talk. To anyone, it would appear as if she wasn't paying attention anymore but she was. She listened as he continued to comment on her previous words. His last comment though, made her smile. There was something to be said about using words like that. Maybe, just maybe, the shinigami wasn't stupid after all. "There are many ways to interpret that last sentence of yours, shinigami. Many ways you could have meant it. But..." she had said before getting cut off by a young boy's angry scream. "Aozaki!!!!" The boy screamed as he came storming towards both her and Ryou.

As the boy approached, he started yelling. His frustration directed entirely at the young girl who sat so calmly listening to the ranting and raving. It was at the end of the boy's rant that she reacted. "Nani?! she said shocked. Everything about her seemed to be genuinely shocked at the boy's words, but there was something off. Ryou could tell that the boy's anger was definitely real but something told him that her shock was an act. It took a few deep breaths for the boy to calm down, his gaze never faltering. Arianna let her face drop enough so that her hair fell in her eyes. It was a simple trick to avoid someone seeing her expression. Her gaze was directed at the boy, even hidden, the kid could tell. "Urusai matawa omae o korosu" she said under her breath. Her words were barely audible but the boy was close enough to hear them perfectly.

Ryou could only watch as the color drained from the boy's face. Even if Ryou asked, he would never say a thing. Some spirits knew when to keep quiet even if they were just children. Children always kept secrets from adults, especially people who interfered where they didn't belong.

[Kurosawa Ryou]

His gazed turned to a thoughtful one as he turned himself back rightside up so that he was simply hovering in the typical seated manner which he always liked. Looking at her with his chin resting on his palm, while pale lithe fingers tapped against the side of his head, while his hair obscured his emotions. By the point the young Shinigami had resealed his Shikai considering the purpose of having In'ei out to be completely spent, and also he was one to conserve energy. This moment was one of the discovery a potential new toy, and he wondered what could possiably be made of the entire experiance. Listining closely he found himself amused at her defient nature, even if she was being completely silly... if one was cold... they should wear a coat. Still it was her option if that was what she wanted, and so he just shook his head as she asked if he a problem with it. Ryou was gald that the spirit was not angry, it would be to hard to play with her if she was angry. Plus when he made people angry that usally ment that he was going to get in trouble for playing with them. So he spoke in an amused and almost sing song like manner as he said, "Well that iss good little misss. Sinice I don't want you to be pissed. A ugly look on your face. Could get stuck there post haste. Which would be very bad. Because to your mom and dad. You would become a disgrace." His two pointer fingers pointed up in the one postion out form etheir side of his head as he moved it back and form with his rhyeme.

The man began to laugh in the most manical manner possiable. Though the only evdviance was the movement, of his shoulders up and down, and the evenidance of a smile that could be seen through that curtian of hair. It took him a moment to calm down, and so they both found themselves settling into a more serious tone about the same time. Ryou floated towards where she was sitting on the barrel as he reached out for her with the hand that his Shikai had formally occupied. It was the one which was covered in scars... and his finger tips stopped before touching her face. The distance was the same one that would have been made up... by In'ei. It was just before the boy showed that she would be able to hear him say in his darkest tone yet, "Take thosse wordss however you like them... 'little misss'..." Not only was there that coldness in his voice, but also the sound of an ominious warning. It was just as he was pulling his fingers back that the sound of the angry boy running up caught his ear. "Oh.. what do we have here?" She would notice somthing about what Ryou did next, in the fact he moved himself slowly bettewen her and the boy. It wasn't much, and it also wasn't completely bettewen, but it showed his gaurd dog like instincts for those that amused him coming up to the surface just a little bit.

The Shinigami had also not failed to notice somthing else ethier... a name. Oh this was most certianly amusing, dispite the girl's pretending it was obviously directed at her. So now he knew the name of his new little friend dispite her wishes to keep him in the dark... oh what fun fun fun. The rest of it seemed to slip by him, though he doubted that her wisphering had anything more to do than with simple anger at how light had been shed on her name. They both not longer seemed to underestimate the other at this point. Yet her mistake ended up giving him another point in this little mind game of his. He waited for only an instant to let this thought settle in, before looking backwards over his shoulder. His neck resting back in a lazy manner, as his face was revealed and his face gleamed with delight as he said, "Sso it ssseem that you are known as Aozaki... At leasst if wordss of the lad, and your reaction to them are to be conssidered correct. Well if that isss the casse. Then it is a pleassure to meet you Aozaki-chan." It was at this point that he floated over to where the boy was and examined him closly through that one visiable eye. There was a certian coldness, becuase of the way the other male had just been yelling at his friend, "Now then... what iss it that requiress you to run up and down the sstreet yelling? If your worried about her... I will keep her ssafe... If you need her help... I can help you both. If your here to messs with her..." His voice then suddenly grew murdurous, but with that hint of glee, "Well I am sssure you In'ei can have lotss of fun together...."

[nakamura]

As Ryou moved between her and the boy a smirk flashed on her face for a brief moment, seeing as how the shinigami was now in her reach. She stood up on the barrel that she had been sitting on and whacked Ryou upside the head with the back of her hand. "Baka! Aozaki is a surname. Why don't you go back to school and learn something." She said with a cocky smirk. It was then that she returned her gaze to the boy. His face paled as he looked from Ryou to Arianna. It was obvious he was terrified of saying a single word. Whether it was the girl or Ryou was yet to be seen. Jumping off the barrel, Arianna started walking towards the boy. Since Ryou was in her way, she decided to give him a little of her own 'hospitality' just as he had. Time to return the favor. She shoved Ryou out of her way and fixed him with her trademark snide grin. "So sorry, didn't quite see you standing there Dog Breath. Maybe a nice cup of tea will make you feel better. Or maybe you should cry to your zanpakuto." She knew it was a cruel thing to say especially in the sickly sweet tone she gave him.

She returned her gaze to the boy and closed the distance between them with a couple steps. The boy was just slightly taller than she was but she still looked him in the eye. "Now what to do with you? She mused aloud, enjoying the look of sheer fright on the boy's face. It didn't take longer than a second before she decided to terrorize the boy another night. She had known exactly why the boy had come here in the dead of night but the shinigami didn't need to know what was going on. It was none of his business anyway. "Go home. We'll talk in the morning. She told the boy with a bored look on her face that matched her tone to perfection. His response to her words were but a simple nod before he ran off, falling a couple times as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the shinigami wasn't following him.

After a moment she turned back to Ryou and folded her arms across her chest. Her expression was deadly serious as was her tone as she spoke. "And you, Shinigami, don't touch me. Don't even come close to touching me. You pull what you did just a second ago again and I will personally make sure you won't be able to sit for a week." She said. She wasn't angry. No, more like...confused. And here she thought it was her job to confuse, annoy, and harass people. How dare this shinigami take away the very thing she finds amusing?

SPOILER: Click to show

Her cocky smirk/snide grin

[Kurosawa Ryou]

The pain was quite sudden indeed, as man was hit form behind you see. Though he didn't seemed to react as her hand went thwak... and hit his head in the back. When the female spirit had hit him, it made Ryou's head lean foward and touch his chest, and as he looked back up he simply rubbed the back of it alittle. "You know Aozaki-chan you really shouldn't be so abusive." There was an obviously playful sarcasm in his voice, because really her strike did actually hurt... more than it supirsed him. Ryou's level of pain tolerance was very high, but it was one of those things that wrote checks his body couldn't cash. "Bessides I will call you Aozaki-chan... becuase it is sso much prettier. If you want me to call you ssomthing else then tell me what you really want me to call you." Social edicate ment nothing to him... which was what made him the eccentric that he was. Then suddenly he noticed the boy seem be a bit more fearful than he was eariler, especially now that the color had drained out of his face, "What is wrong with you? If you have a problem... you need to sspeak in order to get it fixed..." This was the reason that he didn't here Aozaki walking up behind him.

Suddenly just like before... the still floating Shinigami found himself abused somemore. When suddenly pushed to the side Ryou lost his balance for only a second, but decided to put his feet on the ground. Looking over at her curiously it seemed the attempt to insult had gone in one ear and out the other. His only recognition of it was the fact he said in a thoughtful manner while tapping on his chin, "That is quite an odd thought indeed... A very ssilly idea you see. In'ei is even more of a bicth than you'll ever be... Crying to her, the concept is just looney." Suddenly he heard Sukai's voice in his head yelling, "You have that right completely! You come to me crying I will smash your teeth in!" Sighing the Shinigami shook his head in annoyance again talking outloud to himself, "Ssilence... Ssukai..." Turning his attention back to the girl approching the boy he crossed his arms over his chest wondering what it was that she was about to do. The spirit struck him as a bully... or at least a very angry person. That was one of the things that the 'Mad Dog' never tolerated was someone who truly was a bully. The things that he did to people where mostly beingn and innocent, plus he had rules... and alway paid people back. Their was certianly a seperation in his mind at least, even if what he had orginally done to Aozkai tonight could have been considered quite mean.

He wondered for a moment wethier or not she was threating him, which was somthing that he found quite innappropiate. Plus it was the words she used, that made it seem like this was an ongoing thing. Ethier way he considered himself someone who took care of the kids in these districts, and so wasn't about to let one hurt the others. So it was after she turned around and made her threat at him, she would notice somthing... differnt about Ryou. He had slightly gone into his more 'Mad Dog' state of thinking, though more for intemadation. Wethier or not he had misinterpaded the situation or not was of no concern to him... he had to be sure. So he looked at her with that one eye of his that could be seen. Yet no longer did it hold any innocence, there was only a menacing... cold... darkness. This girl was his friend, and he didnt' want to hurt her, but at the same time... that didn't mean he wouldn't hestaite to warn. His voice held vemon in it as he spoke, "I will do whatever I pleasse Azokai-chan... you besst do well to remember that, especially in the casses of you hurting otherss. Becausse while I do find you to be quite an amussing little thing... letss just ssay that In'ei getss to have her turn to play with you if I figure out you hurt that boy. Believe me my eyes and ears are jussst ass good as yourss." Everything about him seemed less playful, and more ominious. It was not a joke... he was simply a dog acting on instinct.

[nakamura]

"That's the difference between you shinigami and us souls. We do not call anyone by any name they have not asked us to call them by and more importantly, we don't jump to conclusions so quickly" As she spoke the last few words, she rolled her eyes at Ryou and shook her head. "I won't hurt him, If anything i'm more likely to be the one hurt. Leaving things as they were, knowing Ryou would most likely jump to more conclusions, she took a couple steps towards him until she was just a breath away. "Go on shinigami, make another assumption. Your quite good at them. Is that your power? Nothing? The power to see what everyone wants you to see? You are nothing but talk, fool. When you can look me in the eye and finally understand what's going on behind the scenes, then you have a right to call me by my name but until then you have no right." She said to him, the venom in her voice reflecting the venom that had been in his own.

A moment of silence passed between them before she turned on her heels and walked back to the barrel. She sat down on it and kept her gaze fixed on Ryou. "Well? Anything else you'd like to know before we're done here?" She asked sarcastically. Honestly she didn't care if he wanted to know anything else or not. She would share the info she felt like sharing, if and when she felt like sharing. She continued to keep her gaze fixed on him, her face blank, giving away no sign of what she was thinking.

The last remaining light in the sky had finally drained from the sky, leaving nothing but darkness. Using the shadows the her advantage, she leaned back slightly to allow the shadows to cloak her and her expression. She leaned her head back enough so that all Ryou could see in the cloaked darkness was the cocky smirk that had been trying to taunt him these past few moments. The very same smirk that had made him believe harm was imminent for another soul. What a pity that the shinigami didn't quite understand. What a shame he didn't know how her mind worked. It would have been....interesting if he had.

[Kurosawa Ryou]

For a moment, there was a slight sense of confusion in that visable eye. It was an emotion which made even more prevelent by the tilt of his head. The problem was though it was such an innocent confusion that you knew it was certianly part of Ryou's typical behavior. He was quick though to speak his mind, but the relax and cool nature with which he did so show that the young Shinigami had not been shaken. "No Azokai-chan... that is not the differance bettewen them. In fact there iss not much differance frankly, but such idealism iss besidess the point." He then pointed at her saying, "It is you... an angry little brat of a sspirt. That is the differnace bettewen you and everyone elsse." There was such boredem in his voice as he said these words, "I am calling you Azokai-chan because frankly you have not told me what your name is, and well... issn't it a bit less rude than 'little misss'. Ass for the conculsions that you sspit at with so much vemon." He walked a little closer, but stayed out of reach, "I am doing my job to protect the sspirtss around here... esspeically the childern. Sso if you are going to make vauge threatss at other people. I will most certianly jump to conculssions. Better I jump to a few conclusions, than one of you diess becausse I ingored somthing." It was obvious by the way he spoke he was being serious for once... in an almost mature like manner, as he was on patrol.

Her words... indeed he could make assumptions about it, but she was right in saying that he had no right. Making guesses was indeed a fools game, but at the same time he sensed somthing there. Why would she be the one getting hurt? The very idea of her getting hurt for any reason wasn't good at all, and was certianly somthing that Ryou didn't like the idea of. His gaurd dog side was starting to show, but at the same time he was tempering it with his intellecet. The impish shinigami was alot smarter than he looked sometimes, "Why do you have to be the one hurt?" There were no assumptions, just a simple question that went off her own statement. Ryou then did somthing he didn't normally do, as he softly tucked his hair back behind his ears. So that his pale emotionless face, with both large black eyes were reaveled. Walking forward slowly he moved within her reach, but not overly close as he looked directly into her eyes, "Again... pleasse tell me? Why do you have to be the one hurt?" He waited for her answer or to see how she would react before he contiuned, "I would like to be helpful if I could to you, but you sseem to get angry when I make asssumptions. Sso I am ssimply going off what you have sssaid."

He let her retreat into the shadows without following before suddenly the Shinigami went back to floating in a sitting postion again. Sighing because the closed off nature of this spirit was really not helping in anyway, but then he began to think about somthing... Aozaki... wait a mintue... were did that sound fimilar. Especially if it was a surname, but he knew that probably wouldn't be possiable... would it? His other Aozaki... he almost dared to ask the girl, but she seemed to have retreated into the shadows for a reason and he wasn't going to be mean to her. So with a shrug of his shoulders he shook his head, "Not anything that you are not willing to tell me yourself." Then for a moment a Cheshire grin passed over his face as he thought to himself, 'I will mess with her anyway'... the curiousity was too good to resist. "You know it isss sstrange, that you are not the first person I have meet with that name. I wonder, I wonder. Could it be... could it be..." The Shinigami just laughed in that impish manner of his at the little inside joke which he had created for himself.

[nakamura]

"I can and will take care of myself. I don't need the likes of you to look after me." She looked away as she spoke. To be honest, she didn't want anyone taking care of her. Last people that did got killed and history somehow tended to repeat itself. She didn't care for the shinigami but there was still a hint of truth to his words even if she didn't want to admit it. The smirk had fallen from her face and she fell into silence so she could think on his last comment. No one else had her last name except her father and her brother. At least that was all she knew of. Maybe there was a cousin or something but it was doubtful. Her father would have mentioned something. "The only people that i know of with my last name are my brother and my father." Her voice remained quiet. She had already given him enough information about herself. A moment of silence had passed once again between them before a voice called out in the distance.

"Kurosawa!!!! Is that you?! Hey!!!!" The voice of a young girl called out. As the shape in the distance grew closer, both Ryou and Ari could make out the shape. It appeared to be a young academy student dressed in a red and white shihakusho coming towards them. Ari remained cloaked in the shadows, not wanting to be seen by this other stranger. It was strange how familiar the approaching figure looked but nothing was certain. As Ari watched the shape grow closer, the person vanished for a brief second before appearing a few feet away from Ryou. It was what the shinigami called shunpo or flash step. It was something quite interesting and new for Ari to watch. Something she hadn't seen before. But looking at this stranger sent Ari into a weird sense of Deja vu.

"Oh hi there Ryou. What brings you here?" The young white haired girl asked Ryou with a dazzling yet slightly disturbing smile. Her gaze slowly drifted to the shadows where Arianna lurked and the smile grew wider. "I see you've made a new friend, care to introduce me Ryou? Or have you already had your tea time with your friend?" As she spoke the last words, her voice held a hint of sadness to it. The sadness matched the childish pout that she gave him, disappointment and sadness in one single look. The look lasted for just a moment before shifting to one of pure joy. Smiling and laughing the girl seemed excited that Ryou had made a friend. "Oh the fun we'll have! You and me and your new friend all playing a little mind game." The moment that the newcomer had said 'mind game', Arianna interrupted. "Nanda?! How dare you call me his friend?" Arianna snapped at the newcomer. It wasn't shocking that she would do something like that but the innocent little smile the white haired student gave in return was full of malice hidden by the guise of an angel.