You're a WHAT?! (Artemis.)

It was 11:00AM, the sun was high up in the sky and there was not a cloud in sight. Karakura town was at peace, although all was not well; There was a recent surplus of hollows that were born, they naturally flocked to Karakura town, sensing it's high spiritual pressure. The soul societey was forced to deploy more shinigami than usual to deal with the large amounts of enemies. Saroki, was one of these shinigami, although she herself volunteered to help with the job; It would take very little time for her, and she could always use the extra time to relax.
However, one hollow in particular had been giving her some trouble; It was elusive, and almost impossible to catch. It's appearance was that of a lion mixed with a cobra; It's body was that of a lions, with black fur and a crimson mane; It's head was that of a snakes, long and smooth, the head was also black, it's eyes a yellow. Saroki had sighted this hollow numerous times, but was unable to lay a finger on it, the creature was just too fast.

However, Saroki had sighted the hollow once more, and was pursuing it; She had attempted to cut off the hollow dozens of times, but each time the hollow escaped by using shortcuts that Saroki never knew about. Her chase had taken her to the edges of Karakura Town, an odd place for a hollow to run to, she thought; After a few minutes of vigirously chasing the hollow it was apparent that the creature was trying to hide somewhere, as it wasn't trying to out manuever her like it usually did. After a few more minutes of chasing, she and the hollow came across something that looked like a dojo, a house was close by, so Saroki presumed somebody was inside. This troubled Saroki, but her worries were only sparked when the hollow dived through a window and straight into the dojo.

'Fuck, this isn't good, I have to finish this quickly. Saroki calmly resolved. Saroki bursted through the front door with all of her might, sending it flying straight into a wall. "Oi, hollow! You better be ready to pay for these damages!" Saroki joked, with a slight seriousness in her voice and expression.

(Leaving this part open so you have room to choose where/when you enter...)

James heard the crash from his house, he had taken the day off to work out, he normally did this alone so no one saw his dragon side come out when he fought shadow opponents. Running outside he could see that something was happening at the dojo. It’s that damn kid again well this time I have him, this time he will learn why a dragon values his privacy.

Running out to the dojo he made his way around and was surprised to see not a mortal child but a very childish looking reaper facing down a hollow. Leaning against the broken doorframe James frowned, “You know I just wanted one day off to keep myself in practice, now I have to deal with another kid busting up my dojo and an oversized cat that can’t decide what it would rather be. Move kid or I will roast you alive as well.”

Pushing forward James smiled as the hollow snapped at him its teeth meeting his scales as it tried to pull away he grabbed it by the roof of the mouth. “You’re not going anywhere...” looking at the small reaper he frowned with effort, “why don’t you make yourself useful and put that sword through this thing’s skull I can’t hold it all day.” The scales on the inside of his hands were starting to break some had already torn off James could feel and smell the warm blood oozing down the palms of his hands.

As the hollow snapped once more James roared in pain as he flipped it over his head and flat on its back, grabbing its bottom jaw with one hand he forced its mouth open. “That hurt let me show you how if felt beast.” James let loose a blast of liquid flames aimed straight down its throat. “Hurry the hell up reaper I can’t hold it any longer or without destroying my dojo neither of which I favor.

Saroki looked back, she could hear a person talking behind her; A tall, young man, her eyes widened slightly, realising that this man could see her. 'W-...What the hell?! He can see me?!' Saroki had never encountered a human that could sense spiritual beings. But nonetheless, Saroki didn't have time for this nonsense, she turned back to the hollow, unsheathing her zanapkuto, there was no where left to run now. But before she could assault the monster she felt a sligh push from James, he moved forward infront of her, what was he doing? Saroki gasped under her breath when the hollow pounced the man, sinking it's teeth into his arm. She stood there for a moment, wondering if she should actually help the man, it seemed like he was happy with throwing himself into danger, why not let him duke it out with the hollow?

She rubbed her head for a moment, knowing that by law she had to kill the hollow before it 'killed' James. Saroki watched the action take place for another moment, waiting untill she had a good oppurtunity to strike, afterall she didn't want to end up killing James aswell. "Fine, fine." Saroki rubbed the back of her head, then sliced off the hollow head by the base of it's neck. She did it as quickly as possible, making it almost impossible for James to have seen the actual slice. Saroki sheathed her zanpakuto and watched the hollow disintergrate into reiatsu, that was quite a load off of her back.

She stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly. "OI!-OI! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING?!-THROWING YOURSELF AT THAT HOLLOW LIKE THAT! YOU'RE LUCKY THAT YOU DIDN'T DIE!!" She pointed at James and yelled; She didn't put much thought into why the hollow hadn't chewed off his arm, not only that, but she didn't see the strange liquid leave his mouth. To be honest she wasn't paying much attention to him. Nonetheless, she was enraged that this man had done such a foolish thing.

James grinned at the verbal assault of the child-like reaper as he made his way to the crushed sink in the dojo. The water was pouring out of the pipe without hesitation. Rinsing the blood from his hands he winced at the sensation of the cold water over his wound, and then as soon as the blood was gone he smiled feeling the scales already growing back harder than before. When he was finished he blew a blast of fire fusing the metal pipe closed so that the water loss stopped.

Holding up his hand to silence the obnoxious reaper he spoke in a calm voice, “I can also hear you as well, and I have been killing hollow for longer than you would imagine. Now if you would like, I was cooking lunch at the house when your botched hunting distracted me, it would be a pleasure to have company for a change. All your questions will be answered either way so you might as well get a full stomach out of it.”

Seeing a look of disbelief on her face he rolled up his sleeve revealing an undamaged arm, “I am a lot tougher than I appear, and I have learned a few tricks in my long life.” Making his way to the exit he started back to his house, coming into the kitchen he left the door open for the reaper as he went back to work over the stove, adding spices to a soup that had been left cooking.

Saroki looked at the man fuse the metal togethor with fire, that was coming from his mouth?! Saroki jumped back abit, this was unlike anything she had ever seen, tough skin, breathing fire? Was this man a hollow?! Saroki shook her head, no, if he was a hollow she'd already be dead, even still, she was intrigued.
The girl gritted her teeth at James. Damnit, who the hell does he think he is?! Being so calm about this! However, Saroki figured that if the man was leaving for his nearby house, she should just follow him and take him up on his offer, it'd be a great chance to get filled in on the situation, even if she wasn't hungry. The shinigami followed James, putting the front door to the dojo back togethor as well as she could. Saroki made her way to his house, being only slightly behind James, she closed the front door behind her and looked around; The place wasn't half bad, it was certainly roomy for just one person.

She walked into the living room, it was a casual size, and it had all of the normal things you'd find in any other house at first glance. She walked into the kitchen and stared at James, wondering if she should ask him any questions while he was cooking. The aroma was spices were thick in the air, something she didn't particulary enjoy.
Saroki eyes narrowed, as she realised she couldn't be so casual about this. "What are you?" She asked James, she said it in a very serious tone, one might say even menacing.

James sniffed the air and smiled as he reached blindly into the spice cabinet above the stove and grabbed a small bottle full of curry powder and a cap full and stirred it in. He chuckled as he heard the shinigami ask the most obvious question first as he quoted a poem he had read a while back.

“I am me,
Just me…

I know I am conventional,
I agree I am emotional,
I accept I am possessive,
I admit I am too particular.


And even though it is sometimes strange that…
I love Formula 1,
I enjoy unhealthy fast food, chocolate & ice cream
I am too passionate about music, I am crazy about Enigma,
I get too engrossed in debates.


But then also…
I am God-fearing,
I believe that love given multiplies and comes back manifold,
I am simple and down-to-earth,
I love nature, and the peace & quiet,
I portray what I actually am.


I am ME.”

James laughed a bit more before he turned the burner on the stove off, and faced the shinigami “Sorry about the dramatics, but in my long life things like drama often get pushed aside. If you have lived as long as I have you would understand that sometimes it is good for you to be dramatic.” Taking down two bowls and a soup ladle he filled the bowls with rice first then the yellowish broth on top of it, and placed both on the table.

“Please have a seat and enjoy the curry and rice, I will answer any questions you have.” Getting two glasses down James filled them with water and placed them on the table. Realizing he that he didn’t answer her first question he smiled inwardly, “To answer your question I am no mere human, simply one who was outcast by his own race and chose to take this appearance to better survive in the world.”

(OOC: I didn't write the poem, though I did take it from my school book.)

Saroki stood silent for a moment, listening to the odd little poem James was reciting, she eventually took a seat at a small table in the middle of the kitchen. It was big enough for exactly two people, and there were two seats, each finely crafted but overall average; She didn't bother to try to make sense of what he said, the whole poem seemed idiotic to her. It answered none of her questions, and, quite frankly, she thought it was stupid. However, after the man was nearly finished with cooking, Saroki gained sudden insight. This man was lonely.

Perhaps not in the traditional sense, but nevertheless there was an odd melancholy about him; Despite his almost cheerful glow. She looked down at the table, more lost in thought than anything else. She tried to put togethor the clues she had found about this man. Let's see now...He breathes fire, he can detect spiritual entities, he deflected a bite from a hollow, he lives alone; And he is hospitable enough to offer a stranger a meal...Think! Saroki spent the next few moments trying to put the pieces togethor, but after James had set the table, she gave up. It would've been akward if he asked her something when she was in such deep thought. Saroki couldn't figure it out, nontheless she didn't plan on leaving any time soon...

The girl looked at the contents of the bowl infront of her, it looked different from the curry she usually ate, she wondered if there was some kind of secret ingredient in it. She sighed and picked up a spoon that was beside the bowl, it would've been rude to not accept the mans offer, and, it didn't smell poisioned. "Itadakimasu." She took a bite of the dish, and suddenly...Her eyes flared, this was the best thing she had ever tasted; She was surprised that a man could cook this well, the spices were balanced, and somehow a little bit sweet. The consistency was light and smooth, but also a bit watery. She set down the spoon, hoping to avoid praising him; Saroki brang her hand up to her mouth, "Ahem."

She then looked at James, staring at his eyes, one could easily see her seriousness. "Trying to avoid my question...I wasn't asking about your past, I was asking, what ARE you.." She demanded, small hints of wrath escaped her mouth, she was abit irritated. The whole situation confused her, and confusion usually agitated her. Saroki would stare down the man untill he answered her question seriously.

James chuckled as he sat down across from the reaper, “Patience is a virtue little reaper, you are so eager to find out what I am, that you yourself don’t know what you really are.” He took the bowl in one hand not minding that it was too hot for most to hold. “If it is really that important to you, to know what I am; then I am what you humans refer to as a myth.”

Looking down into his bowl he could see his reflection in the yellow broth the scales around his eyes just barely visible, however his melancholy mood was plain on his face. “I am how do you say it in this tongue, a dragon?” Looking at the disbelief on the reapers face he explained, “I am the last of my kind, or at least I think I am, part of being exiled is the erase all your memory of your clan so you can’t ever return with the enemy clans and kill them. I am pretty sure that if there are any true dragons left that they are but shells of their former selves.” James continued to eat in silence, to depressed to go on any further.

Saroki would listen with interest, not bothering to aknowledge his remark about patience...To her, patience might has well as been a art the devil taught people. It hindered her progress towards goals, something that she wouldn't allow. Saroki's expression was unchanged when James proclaimed himself a dragon, she simply gazed into his eyes, and within those glowing red eyes she could see so much of his story. Saroki sighed, closing her eyes as if to say she had given up. "I see.." She didn't quite believe him, although she had no reason to completely ignore the possibility, afterall, it would explain a lot. But more importantly, she was trying to think of how she would explain this to the Gotei.

"Well, I suppose I won't get anymore out of you without force, and to be honest I don't feel like fighting a dragon today.." She said so nonchalantly. Saroki looked back at the now cool dish infront of her; She figured that she might as well accept his gesture. She began to casually consume the wonderfully prepared dish. She looked back at James occasionally, as if she expected for him to say something.

She would continue to eat untill either James asked her something, or the bowl was empty.

James continued to eat out of the corner of his eye he saw the shinigami look at him numerous times, finally he let out a heavy sigh. “You look like your simply having lunch with an insane man, I take it that you doubt that I really am a dragon?” James voice was even and well practiced having had this conversation twice in his lifetime. “I assure you that I am not lying, however you are fully entitled to believe what you wish. So what would you have me do to prove to you that I am not insane?”

Seeing his bowl empty he got up and put it in the sink, “Would you like some more…um, I am sorry I don’t believe I caught your name shinigami…I am called James this century.” Walking back to the table he grabbed his glass drained it then carried it to the sink. “You know I have something that might convince you that I am not insane.”

James disappeared through the door as he made his way to the library, after a few minutes he returned carrying four bright scales each the size of a softball. “These are the only thing that an exile is allowed to carry with them when they are banished.” Setting them on them carefully on the table James handled each with the care that each was very brittle; in truth each was harder than diamond. “These are the crest scale from dragons of an opposing tribe. When a Dragon is killed by another dragon their crest scale is taken to show that the dragon had fallen in battle.

“Because each crest is different from dragon to dragon, they are impossible to fake and to carry them among my tribe was a sign of honor in battle.” James picked one up from the table and smiled as he let loose a blast of flame that covered the scale, when he stopped the scale seemed to shine so bright that it dimmed the rest of the room. “In the beliefs of my race it is said that the crest scale holds the all the strength and power of the dragon it came from, honestly I take that as a tale meant to put a hatchling to sleep.

“Some of my kind took the tale seriously enough to wear all the crests they earned in battle at all times…” He shivered as he remembered the repulsing sight of dragons with twenty or thirty scales on a gold chain that they wore around there neck. “That they defiled the memory of the dead and wore them like decoration.” Looking at the scales he explained himself, “To me those scales represent those of whom I cut their life short, I only ever killed in defense of my home. That was why I was exiled, because the elders saw one of the deaths that I brought as a needless murder of an elder. His scale isn’t among these it is too big for me to carry in this form.”

Saroki felt abit uneasy, she knew that James knew she didn't believe him much, but yet he did nothing. For the next few moments the two were busy eating, however when the time came that they were finished, the conversation started up once again. She was hesitant to say her name to james at first, but she knew that he wasn't a bad guy. She pondered for a moment, "Saroki.." She replied casually; After he had left the room, Saroki grabbed her dishes and placed them into the sink, she figured this would be a perfect time to investigate. She took a quick stroll through the living room, examining everything she could see. Strangely enough, there were almost no family photos, or any photos at all for that matter.

Perhaps this would be proof as to James origins, either that or he had a troubling past with family. Saroki sighed, hearing the footsteps of james grow louder. She walked back into the kitchen, hoping that he didn't mind her snooping around. However, when Saroki saw what James was carrying, she nearly gasped in astonishment. She had no idea what the huge shining plates were, nor why James had them, but everything was to be explained shortly. She gazed at the shining scales, almost entranced by their mystical radiance. In the middle of James speech she snagged one of the smaller scales, which arguably was bigger than both of her hands put togethor. It was heavy, yet light, strong yet smooth; It was unlike anything she had ever felt, or seen before.

Saroki knew the man wasn't lying now, he must've been a dragon. To be honest though, she wasn't listening very intently; Saroki took a few steps back and started toying with the dragon scale...(Cue comical music. O.o) She knocked on the golden scale, hearing a loud gong-like ring. Her entire body started vibrating due to the scales amplified vibration; A quite 'zzzzz' sound could be easily heard. After the vibration ceased, Saroki stood on the spot, a bit dizzy. Near the end of James explanation, Saroki bit the scale, she wasn't quite sure why she did it, she figured that if she couldn't scratch it by biting it, that it was pretty much unbreakable. Needless to say she nearly fractured her teeth, however she presisted, repeatedly chomping down untill James was done talking, from which she hastily placed the scale back on the table.

She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, nodding, "I see, I see.." Despite the numerous flaws with his story, she believed him. But by believing him, she would be thrown into a pot of stirring trouble. She would have to report this to the Gotei, and she doubted that they'd take kindly to dragons living among humans, and unlike her, the soul societey took nearly everything seriously. Saroki opened her eyes and looked at James.

James was watching Saroki look at the scales and almost winced himself when she actually bit scale she was holding. “Saroki, I wouldn’t recommend doing that again those scales are harder than diamonds, and I would feel terrible if you got hurt.” Picking up the closest one he rolled it on the top of his palm and side to side with practiced ease, before tossing it hard enough to embed it in the wall. Walking over to it he pulled it out and held it out to show Saroki.

“See pretty much invincible, in fact I have only ever seen one crack once. I was in Hiroshima the summer of 1945; acting as a spy for the American forces I knew I couldn’t make it out of the city in time. I took the crest scales I had and made a make shift dome. When I came too after the blast all but five of them were turned to dust and I was just a little bruised.” He picked all of them up and turned to go back to the library, “Why don’t you make yourself at home in the living room I will be just a second I must put these back otherwise they get cranky.”

After a few moments he walked back into the living room and sat in a chair across from Saroki, “ I have a question and please don’t be offended but, why is it that the Shinigami send a children to destroy hollows are they stretched that thin?”

Saroki was caught off guard when James launched the crest scale into a nearby wall. She was starting to question if this was actually his house, after all- who would damage their own property? In the end she decided to simply ignore it. Jame's continued, giving an example of just how strong the crest scales were. However, his example raised a few questions. Just how old was this man? He appeared to be in his late twenties, yet he was alive even before the grim events during Hiroshima? Saroki kept a straight face, patiently waiting for her chance to respond...

He even believes inanimate objects are alive and have emotions...Maybe he really is crazy; I could definatly see how such a long life span could do a number on a persons mind... Saroki stretched her arms across the top of the couch, looking up at the ceiling and letting out a quiet sigh. Jame's returned, Saroki watched him with interest; Despite feeling a bit underestimated at James question, however she did understand that seeing someone like Saroki hunting down hollows was-- strange, to say the least. She didn't exactly choose her appearance, nor was she able to age quickly.

Saroki rubbed the back of her head and shrugged. "...You...You do realise that i'm a captain, right?..." She didn't exactly tell him about it, as it wasn't really something she flaunted. And in truth her captaincy exams weren't untill a few weeks. Saroki wasn't one to be modest- though. "I guess you wouldn't really notice, I am supressing my reiatsu afterall..."

James was taken by surprise when Saroki mentioned that she was a captain, but he didn’t let his face show his emotions, “Please don’t be offended but most captains don’t smell as you do. Your scent is refined yes, but it is wild as well, I guess the best way to put it is its rough around the edges. Yours is strong enough to be a captain, but the few captains I have met didn’t give off such a strong scent, where as you well you fill the room.

“So what has come of the Soul Society if they are letting children become captains? Or are you one of their renowned prodigies; able to overcome the gap in experience with your vast knowledge and unmatchable wit?” James stopped aware that he might be offending the young reaper.

Taking a breath James calmed himself down before he asked his next question in an even voice “So reapers don’t age, well I have one question then how old are you really? I know it is rude to ask a person’s age, but please humor me.”

'My scent? How could he predict that much about me based on scent alone?... Saroki felt as though she was being belittled; She was unable to change her appearance as easily as mortals did, something that constantly haunted Saroki. She was frustrated, but mannaged to calm herself, having experienced the same situation so many times she was used to being called a child. She didn't asnwer, merely staring back at him with eyes that would suggest she was annoyed.

"Thirty-seven." She stated bluntly. "I'm thirty-seven year's old. Shinigami don't age the same way mortals do. Our physical appearances change extremely slowly, and sometimes they don't change at all." She said, she cursed her fate; She couldn't begin to describe how many times she had wished she had a more mature body. Although perhaps it was this body that shaped out her personality. She sighed quietly, hoping she could change the subject somewhat. "You know...I'm not sure what the soul societey would think of a real live dragon. No doubt they'll want to experiment on you, and that usually isn't a good thing..." She said with a concerned expression; She hoped that James would understand her situation.

If she were to lie and report nothing of interest, she would be endangering not only her job as a shinigami, but also her place in the soul societey. However, she didn't particulary want to get this man killed either. He really seemed just like an ordinary human with the exception of a few oddities. She waited for his take on things.

James smiled as Saroki explained that shinigami didn’t age the same as mortals do, “Saroki, how old do you think I am? Wait don’t answer that just yet.” He said as he stood up and walked over to a small bookcase taking a small book from the shelf he walked back as he scanned the pages stopping he pulled an old black and white picture of a medical squadron during World War I and handed it to Saroki. “Tell me what you see there then tell me how old you think I am.”

“As for the Soul Society and Dragon’s well we have an understanding of sorts, they don’t bother my kind and we don’t rip them to shreds, you see back when this region worshipped my kind Shinigami started to reap us thinking we were a type of hollow. It sparked a war between my kind and yours that was bloody on both sides. My grandsire was one who met with your commander back then, he made him see that we weren’t hollow, but simply spiritually aware entities. He also made them promise not to reap the souls of the dragon’s that were slain.” James explained with pride in his voice as he watched Saroki.

“You see my kind have always existed at the edge of the mortals lives guiding them in the times of darkness, those tales you here of evil dragons are nothing more than dragon’s that were exiled. You see for a dragon to be exiled is worse than death for us…” James spoke as his voice dropped to no more than a whisper as he absently reached up to massage the scars on his shoulder. “We are taught from the time we are hatchlings that we live and hunt and work as one. The Pride is your Home and Home is your Pride, wherever it may roam….” He dropped his head to choked up to talk for the moment.