A One-sided Reunion

The night was cold as James walked through the streets his eyes shifting from one person to the next as he made his way towards the park. His hands were in his deep in his pockets as his mind was deep in his thoughts. Snow started to drift down gently from the sky, looking up from his thoughts his red eyes were filled with sorrow. “So the snowfalls upon me once more, where has the year gone?” his words were no more than a whisper.

Remembering he had to look human he picked up the pace acting suddenly cold, he darted into a small café. The aroma’s were almost overpowering to his heightened senses but, still he ordered himself a cup of coffee, as he sat at the bar, grinning as the waitress poured him a glass and asking if he would like to try one of their specials. Reluctantly he ordered one as he wrapped his hands around the coffee, as soon as the waitress turned her back he spat a small jet of flame into the coffee making it boil. Grinning he sipped the coffee as he watched the people pass by the window.

He was on his third cup of coffee when he noticed a girl walk in, Silver hair and blue eyes flashed across his memory as James grinned. There is a face I thought, I would never have to see again. Rubbing his left shoulder he thanked the waitress as she brought him a bowl of soup.

Junko walked into the cafe, she was cold, but it only showed by a black jacket, a track jacket of sorts, she walked up to the bar, and sat next to the man who was having the special. A bad move, but she called the waitress over, and ordered a vanilla steamer, a vanilla drink of goodness and vanilla, and steamed milk. Junko watched it be prepared, and sat staring at the counter, she knew that man from somwhere, her heart told her she did, but her mind disagreed heartily. and she sat staring, sensing, her reiatsu searching and looking for presenses.

The girl sat beside him and ordered a vanilla steamer, a good drink, but the odor was much too strong for him to enjoy in a closed in space. Without looking at the girl he spoke his voice low so no one would hear that he didn’t want to hear. “Junko Tenshi, it has been a long time sense you and I last met; working with the reapers are you. Kind of ironic don’t you think, what do they call you now the ‘Angel of Death?’”

Looking at his meal he sniffed it with disgust undercooked meat and the dairy is starting to spoil. Looking around he made sure that no one else was paying attention as he shot another small jet of flame that turned the contents of the special to ash and poured it into the napkin carefully folding it so none of it would leak out.

Turning he looked at Junko, “So I guess you don’t remember the promise of placing your blade between my ribs the next time we met, or have you decided to let go of your vendetta against my kind.” Taking his coffee he took a drink without taking his eyes from Junko. Last time I looked away from you it cost me the use of my right arm.

Junko stared at the man out of the corner of her eye, he apparently knew more about herself than she did, Angel of Death, And the promise of a blade between the ribs. She was confused, all the informaiton was rapid fire, and she had not one clue of what he was talking about, So she kept looked back at the counter and replied in teh same kind of tone that he had used, and the same volume.

"I have no idea what you are talking about human."

James’ smiled revealing a row of pointed teeth, “I am anything but a human, I guess you really don’t remember me. I always wondered what happened to your memories when you died guess now I know.” Signaling the waitress for a refill he turned back to the counter. “The last time you and I met was well over 500 years ago; I was still a hatchling then. You killed many of my former brethren. You spared my life seeing as I wasn’t a threat alone.”

Seeing a look of confusion on the girl’s face he frowned; “When you knew me I answered to the name Uther, but that was another lifetime before I gave up my form for a less conspicuous one. Now I answer to James Cadwallader, and before you ask I am still alive not a soul possessing a human.” Smiling as the waitress poured him some more coffee he thanked her as he sipped from it.

After a while he started again “I knew you before you died, in fact I believe I promised you the next time we met that I would rip you limb from limb. Though over the years I learned to leave the past buried where it belongs, and I am glad I was able to just that.” Reaching into his pocket he took out a small stone and rested it in his palm after weighing it he popped it in his mouth and started to chew on it.

Junko looked at him, again, out of the corner of her eye... she didnt remember any of this, and she this caused her to distrust him imediatly. But a random stranger bombarding her with a detailed story of the past. It seemed highly likely that what he said was true, but him also saying that he would rip her limb from limb was not helping her trust with him...

Junko sipped on steamer, she saw the stone, and assumed it was some sort of protein bar or such thing. She didn't get that part of modern life, but she did get that he had never taken his eyes off her. She had thought about what he had said before, Angel of Death.

"Would you like to go somewhere where we can talk more openly." Junko turned her head to him to say this, and took a sip of her steamer again afterward.

James only smiled half-heartedly as he reached for his wallet taking enough to pay for his meal and Junko’s; sitting the money on the counter he stood up and walked to the door. “If you want to talk, you are welcome to follow.”

Out on the street the snow was falling a little heavier than it had before in places it was beginning to stick, but as it fell on him it steamed away. Dragon’s and snow don’t mix, I love it but I can never hold it before it melts away. Keeping his eyes on the path ahead of him he didn’t have to look back to know that the girl was following him. It was fifteen minutes before he came upon small unlit building. The sign above the building read “Dragon’s Dojo” smiling at the irony James reached into his pocket hunting for his keys.

Unlocking the door he motioned Junko inside following he didn’t even turn on the lights as he made his way to the back. Unlocking the hidden door to his private dojo he yet again motion Junko inside, this time he flipped the light switch as he closed the door. “Now no one shall over hear us, I made this room myself it is completely soundproof from the outside. I assume you have questions for me, but I warn you that I do not know everything and there are things that I will keep to myself for I think you should discover them again for yourself.

“In this journey a teacher can only be a humble guide, which is as it should be in life. I am merely here to point you in the right direction, Junko Tenshi.” James sat down his back leaned against the wall while his ears were alert for anything that might happen on the outside of private room, he had been broken into twice when he wasn’t here. James hoped they would make a return for a third time, he would teach them why dragons were feared guardians of riches in the ages past.

Junko followed James, through the street, releasing abit more of her reiatsu, not as a manner to impress, but her reiatsu had the property of being warm, and it was helpful when she was inadquately dressed for the weather.

Junko looked at the dojo, and respectfully removed her shoes before entering, but in a way she wouldn't get her socks wet, jumping out of the shoes and into the open dojo door. She followed silently from then on, backing down her reiatsu to the point that it was unreadable again. She stood waiting for the door that led to a hidden room was unlocked, not that she knew it was there in the first place, but he seemed confident in where he was going. Junko was still abit wary of James, but she perservered entering the room

She stood and listened patiently to the conditions. Junko let some of her wit fly, she said quitely. "Ahh but you know perfectly well that i am dead. But i understand the reasoning for you witholding information, as the truth is often harder to bear than a lie, but i expect the truth and nothing else out of you."

Junko looked him in the eye as she said this, and continued after sitting on her knee's in front of the man. "I want you to start from the beginning, I dont know what you are. But i know that you called me the Angel of Death, why."

James smiled, “First off, I am not a ‘what’ or an ‘it’, I am a dragon. Second I have walked this Earth for well over half a millennium. So it is only natural I would run into someone from my past if I waited long enough, you see I have had centuries to practice patience. Third I don’t lie to an unarmed guest, if I gave you any reason to doubt me I assure you I gave up my hostel feeling long ago.” James stopped he had to be careful not to let his control slip, taking a deep breath he focused on his breathing for a moment.

Reaching over he picked up a practice board from one of the corners, and started to carve on it with his thumbnail. “Well to be honest the Junko I knew was really quite different. Back then you had wings and a mastery of fire that rivaled my own.” Brushing the wood shavings from his lap he blew some more shaving loose and then continued with his tale.

His eyes were farther away than the carving or that very room, “You blamed my kind for what had happened to you; though the blame was laid unjustly. You were a human with the wings of a bird and the temper of a dragon, completely ruthless. You killed many of my kind, and when you found me you would have done just the same; I was still injured when you found me from the ceremony that marked me as an outcast my left foreleg was useless and I was weak from the blood loss. When I tried to fight you toyed with me and knocked me unconscious; I am sure you didn’t think I would hear your words, but they have stayed with me all this time.

“It was shortly after that encounter that I let the curse of the outcast take its final effect and gave up my dragon body, for this more disguisable form. You see when a dragon is exiled from his clan they mark him place a curse upon them. We can choose to die in battle in our true form or we can let the curse take our form away to make us pass as human, most chose to die for to be truly alone is worse than death for a dragon. I chose to live and try to better the humans I meet, I became a teacher of man and from then I have been many other things, but first and foremost I am always a teacher.”

Looking up at Junko he smiled handing over the plank that he had been carving on, seeing the look of confusion on Junko’s face James explained. “That is how I saw you when we last met.”

Junko was listening, a dragon, was talking to her. A creature of myth, even in her times. A dragon in human form was even more frightening, but he claimed that he would not be an agressor against her.

Junko could see herself a ruthless killing machine, she had done that in the Crusade. but some part of her knew that she hadn't had armor of gold and silver back then, But she saw the carving, and it was her armor, it was the piece of equipment that had carried into the Soul Society, she had it when she was living, but when, when had this taken place.

Junko was shaken, and literally shaking abit, not because of the cold, but afraid of the institution that she was working for. Junko would need a few questions answered...

She replied, her voice shaking, and her face in a state of fear, fear of knowing, fear of a dragon, fear of answers, and fear of truth. She had drawn the conclusion already that a lady with wings would not be taken to kindly by the soul society, and that she would be vanquished again by them. swallowed, perhaps trying to down fear, perhaps to down the truth, which she knew as undeniably so, and spoke with her shaken voice. "I sup-suppose that you have told me that you are a dra-agon, and you should remember this", She gulped, after throwing her hand to her mouth, a soul candy was in her hand, and she swallowed to eject her soul her gigai fell backwards, And junko was in full armor suddenly, kneeling still, her Zanpaktou at her side. the armor was identical to the armor in the carving, and she said allitle less shakily, "This is the armor you saw me in isn't it."

James looked her over for a moment in silence, a grin on his face as he watched her shake. She is shaking in fear, this really isn’t the Junko Tenshi I knew all those centuries ago. Back then she faced down my entire clan without flinching from their shear power. “There is no reason to be frightened, if I wanted to kill you I would not have brought you here it is much too messy to clean up afterwards. That is the armor I saw you, though it is tarnished. I guess it is expected with age. That sword you carry is not the same either.” Sniffing the air he frowned, “You reapers always smell so…odd…I wonder why that is?” he murmured to himself.

Reaching out he scratched Junko’s armor with one of his claws, “Your armor had a much greater luster back then, sort of like looking at a star from a distance. It is also more brittle than it used to be.” Setting back and getting comfortable he watched Junko with one eye. “So is there a reason you came into the café or were you just cold and looking for shelter?”


(OOC Sorry for the short post)

Junko was still abit fearful, and when he scratched her armor she put her hand on her sword, A mental battle was raging, another force was pulling on her, wanting her to kill him, to rip him limb for limb, to burn him alive. Junko resisted, perservered, and ploughed forward through her mental battle, winning, and replied with a tone of uncertainty.

"The cafe has a good steamer. This is where I patrol for hollows, its my job, the cafe is a centerpoint for hollow activity."

Junko felt a clash of Hollow spiritual pressure, "Frack, Im sorry i must go." She talked said to her Gigai, "Go back home" And she opened the door, to the regular dojo, and sprinted to the next door, she remembered her gigai would not have shoes, and she would have to return later to get them. And suddenly, there they were, to large sized hollows clashing over an unconcious soul, both were powerful, and both were dragons.

One stood more like a tyranasaurus with wings, while another stood like dragon dragon. four legs and all. Junko stared at them, looking behind her to see what James reaction would be. But she also began chanting. In preparation to kill one of them.

Walking out into the street barefooted was out of character for James, but given the situation he found it necessary annoyance, two dragon-like hollows, pitiful excuses for the real thing. I will show them the power of a real dragon, but first we must get that soul out of the way. Clenching his fists he felt his bestial side start to take control. A growl emanated deep from his throat as his eyes started to glow his nails had already grown to points and the scales around his eyes started to change color.

“Junko take care of the wyvern I will take the imposter that is masquerading as my kind.” He spoke in a guttural voice; his entire body was coiled ready to attack. His control was beginning to slip and for fear of the unconscious soul he held himself back, “Junko get that soul into the dojo it should be safe there, I will buy you as much time as I can.”

Launching forward he ran towards the wyvern jumping he slashed at its throat using the momentum he gripped the throat and spun around to land between the on the base of the neck of the other one. Grabbing the top of the hollows mask he yanked the head back and let loose a torrent of white flames into its face. “I WILL SHOW YOU THE TRUE POWER OF A DRAGON!”

Junko did as commanded, It took her a grand total of 2 seconds to do it, Shunpo'ing twice keeping up the slow chant of kido, The Wvyern was a formidable foe, its beak pecking at her as its wings flapped, granting it flight enough to close the distance before landing and pecking at her again. She hadn't even drawn her sword. The Wyvern was strong, but not smart, Junko finished her chanting. It's finished product being, "Oh the crescent moon of the lunar , where one of the purist of light and the shadows of darkness, show me your holy light" Junko fired the white spritual energy into the air, and the Wyvern shot a black reiastu as it came down, countering it, but not entirely, the white light simmering down on the hollow's wings.

It didn't manage to pierce them, but it did certainly hurt them. the hollow screamed, and Junko swore, 'My best kido, shit' Junko used two fire kido's. After casting hado 8, and setting her blade aflame, she said quietly, Hado 5 Fireball, and she fired it at the hollow from the palm of her hand...

It was a distraction, and he fired that black reiatsu back at her, it would most certainly take care of the fireball, and she Shunpo'ed, a techinque that powerful must have a cooldown, she shunpo'ed once, to the sky, and fell from 15 feet on the wyvern's head, her blade flaming went clean through and incinerated its mask, it dissolved, and Junko fell, she scanned her surroundings for James. If he needed help, she could give it.

James grin was that of a feral beast as he smiled through the flames that stuck to the beast, his hands still gripping the hollow’s mask. “You choose to take the form of my kind but you are an empty shell.” James could feel the beast inside taking control now as the spines started to grow down his arms and back.

Jumping to the ground he never let go of the mask, forcing the hollow to go to its knees as he looked it in the eyes. “I am the last living dragon; it is creatures like you that gave my kind the title of mindless beasts that live only to kill. Well if you want death I will give you yours!” The hollow tried to stand but James twisted its head to the side forcing it back to the ground.

“I am going to tear you limb from limb, make you beg for death.” The hollow only gave an incoherent roar as it tried to blast a ball of black fire at him only to have it countered with a blast of fire so intense that it started to melt the light fixtures along the street.

“Even when it comes to fire you disgrace that which you parade as, I am sorry but now you must die.” Grabbing both the top and bottom jaw of the hollow he growled as forced the jaws open. Wider and wider they went, with the sound of a crack James let loose a roar as he twisted the head once more and severed it from the body smiling as the hollow dissolved before him.

Turning he grimaced in pain as the tattoo on his forearm started to glow and burn, closing his eyes he focused on his breathing. Must calm down, I can’t leave this city in ruins like so many before. Slowly James started to resemble a human once more, looking at Junko and her dissolving foe he smiled, “Sorry, about that I tend to lose my temper every now and then, bad things happen when I do.”

Walking back to the curb he sat on ground and looked at Junko, “That was the
most fun I have had in a century though I really must do that more often, but I have to keep up appearances I am a teacher you know?” Dusting off his sleeves he frowned at finding one torn, Damn I liked this jacket too now I got to have it fixed or throw it out.

Junko fell to see James in a bestial form, dragon-like features, and Firebreathing, 'He wasnt lying about the dragon part, but he seems pissed as all hell', Junko reasoned this, she did not imediatly sheath her Zanpaktou, and as the feature's recessed to his previous form, Junko sheathed her sword, and listened to him talk. And watched him sit on the curb, Junko approached, and asked, "I obviously have more work to do, but thank you for your assistance, ill be back sometime later to get my shoes."

Junko turned to the soul, walked to it, and preformed the release with teh hilt of her zanpaktou, sending it to soul society with a blue flash. Junko turned to James, "Anything else?"