Crouching Shinigami hidden Dragon (Artemis)

Kaiyo had actually been allowed to go to the real world. The Soul reaper Academy had sanctioned the visit for 5 students to have a rest, and offer back up for the local patrols. Kaiyo had been in the real world a whole day, and no hollows had popped up. In fact it was almost a little odd for Karakura. The brown haired girl didn't mind at all though. Her lack of sleep and low sugar levels had been working against her recently; so she'd jumped at the chance to score some real world candy.

The girl had awoken with the sunrise, donning her gigai with a white vest top, black shorts and long white socks, she'd decided to go for a run. Tying her reluctant brown hair back as she jogged, the girl pumped her arms at her side rhythmically. The steady beating of her feet against the ground was a soothing noise. Of course at such an hour of the day a misty chill was yet to drift away, lingering in the last glimmers of night before the sun swept it away. The faint chirping of the early bird catching it's worm pattered along with her movements.

Kaiyo skidded around a bend slightly, approaching a brick wall as she smirked. Flipping straight over it with an almost un-human agility, the girl rolled up from her landing, glancing over her shoulder with a smug grin as she continued her run. Making her way closer to the park, she'd have a quick rest on one of the benches there. There were a few scattered tree's before she reached the park. Now quite enjoying her run, the girl sped up, weaving in and out of the trees with a large grin before she finally came through a clearing to the park. Surprised to already see a few dog-walkers in the distance the seemingly 'real' girl jumped over the back of a bench. Slumping down as she panted lightly. Tipping her head over the back as she stared up to the greyed sky. Enjoying the peace for a while.

James was enjoying a cup of coffee in the early morning dawn; his black duster covered him and kept him dry from the early morning fog. He was sitting in the top of one of the scattered trees waiting for the sunrise. Taking a sip from the Styrofoam cup James looked out over the entire park, spying a blonde girl jogging he watched from a bird’s eye view. Watching her flip over the brick wall James nearly dropped his coffee, it ain’t even eight yet and already a superhuman is about to make a spectacle of themselves.

Putting his free hand over the top of the coffee James leaned back and rolled off the branch he was balanced on. Landing with a practiced grace he smiled as he moved his free hand away from the top his coffee and walked towards the bench where the blonde girl was now sitting with her head leaned back watching clouds in a gray sky.

Sitting down next to her he caught a scent he had become all too familiar with over the last few weeks, “You know reaper, if you want to blend in with the humans it is easier to not go flying through the air. Even the most agile of acrobats would pale in comparison. Me I can get away with it because no normal human can overcome their natural fear of the greater predator to confront me.” He never once looked at the blonde reaper as he spoke yet he acted like they were old friends, so not to draw attention from anyone walking by.

Kaiyo sat up straight at the man's voice, twisting around on her bench to get a proper look at him as he spoke. Of course the spiritual pressure was there; but the human vessel itself. Something was off about this guy. A suspicion further confirmed by what he said. Of course a sharp comment addressed her as 'reaper' which in actuality was a nickname Kaiyo could deal with. Of course she had already donned 'Buzz' the stupidest name she thought up in a panic . Indeed the quick thinking of a captain.

Lost in her train of thought Kaiyo glanced back up to the man. 'Sorry, what did you say you're name was?' she interjected. Her brain finally registering more precisely what he said. Greater predator, Kaiyo wasn't sure if she'd followed him properly, but it sounded like he wasn't even a human. A wolf maybe, vampire, wizard. The girl was getting to the point where superhuman's just didn't surprise her anymore. Playing it cool, she just held a polite smile. Unable to stop her eyes glancing up and down his person, sizing him up quite clearly. At least he wasn't an immediate that; though that in itself was quite odd.

James spared a look in the reapers direction; his eyes looked her over once. Sniffing the air around her he was confused, “I have answered to many names: Uther, Jacob, Sharptooth…but in this decade I answer to Professor, Sensei or James to those who think they are my friends.” Taking another sip of his coffee he scanned the early morning crowd that had already started to fill the park with the rising of the sun.

This reaper smells odd even by reaper standards, her scent is more refined and controlled, though she is trying to mimic that of other reapers. “I take from your relaxed state that you aren’t here for any particular reason?” James asked trying to discover if this reaper was after him as well, deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt James asked in a friendly tone. “Well you seem to have me at a disadvantage reaper, you know my name but, I don’t know yours. Also I have to ask, what are you doing out in the park so early in the morning?”

Many names, so he'd been around for a long time, or moved a lot. He didn't look that old, so Kaiyo figured it was more likely the latter. Seeing as he wasn't a bount either. The girl began chewing on her bottom lip slightly, her subconscious reaction to moments of deep thought. Still trying to figure out what kind of creature he was, her mind reaching the more elaborate idea's by now. Of course favouring the unicorn idea.

She nodded politely, 'James it is' her tone was pleasant enough, but there was only a light smile playing on her lips, Kaiyo was far too enthralled in thought for any real engaging reaction. 'Relaxed state?' she repeated, seemingly shocked by his statement, 'Heh, i'm always ready' she smirked. Of course with reactions like hers, actually adopting a ready stance didn't offer much of an advantage. Still, the man himself seemed quite calm, he even had a drink for sipping. Though his convenient appearance was a little odd.

'People call me Buzz, and i was just out for a morning run how about you old monster man James?' she added nonchalantly. She'd been unable to decide between unicorn, vampire, snow-monster and dragon.

James laughed at the young reaper’s comment, “You hit a lot closer than you think with the monster comment, Buzz.” He paused and finished off the coffee then without thinking set the cup ablaze in his bare hands with a small jet of flame from his mouth. Dusting off his hands nonchalantly he frowned at the fact that he was out of coffee. “I was watching the sunrise from the tree tops like I have done since I was just learning to climb as a young hatchling. I am here every morning sitting in that tree over there.” He gestured to one of the tallest trees in the park. “I watch the sun set from the hill that overlooks the entire city over there.” James pointed towards the western horizon at a rather large hill.

Looking around he frowned at the sudden growth of the crowd in the park, “Buzz have you had breakfast yet because I know a good café down the way, and I would be delighted if you joined me for breakfast. Besides we can talk freely there the people already think I am insane and they would think you merely are humoring a man like me.” He smiled as he listened for the breathing of those who might be eves dropping on them.

Monster...Monster...Monster; Kaiyo's thoughts were cut short when James finished his drink, obliterating it into ash in a matter of seconds. Dragon it was. Opening her mouth to announce this revelation, the girl's head ticked round, her line of sight tracing up James's arm to where he was pointing. She couldn't personally see the appeal, but kaiyo had never been one to consider such beauty in he usual thoughts. Of course every once in a while she stumbled across profound moments or mirrored beauty. Every once in a while.

Her eyes slowly drifted back onto James. This guy seemed to have a serious coffee addiction. She shrugged complacently, considering her free schedule and the intrigue of meeting a dragon; Kaiyo could find no fault in getting a drink. The girl smiled lightly, wrapping her hands around the back of the bench as she pushed off and jumped over the back. Landing with a light bounce next to James. 'Lead the way crazy dragon guy' she smirked.

James watched as Buzz made a show of getting up from the bench, Ah to be that young and carefree once more, but as it goes life is wasted on youth. Standing up from the bench James started walking towards the entrance of the park. Sniffing the air he frowned as he looked up at the clear blue sky and then back towards the young shinigami. “Hope you’re prepared for rain later today, I’d say you got about three hours maybe four before it starts.”

Making his way down the street the brown haired shinigami beside him James asked rather calmly as he walked, “So why become a reaper, I mean dedicating yourself to the law is difficult for even the most disciplined person, but there are ways to enforce the law without having to live by it.” He never understood shinigami usually the most stuck up kind of spirit seeing themselves as superior to others, but this one seemed like one of the few that didn’t care much either way.

This shinigami sparked the curiosity of a dragon, and even at the best of times that is a dangerous thing to do, “Also I have to ask, what kind of shinigami are you? You smell different from the others, most are raw and unrefined not able to hold anything back, but you are trying to mimic that scent though I can tell you are trying too hard. If you met another of my kind he would probably take as a threat other than a nuisance.”

Kaiyo glanced up to the sky, frowning slightly. She disliked the rain, and after taking all the effort to dye her hair a different colour, she wasn't too keen on see how it would react to the rain. She wanted her blonde hair back, and as she held a lingering gaze to the sky, she allowed her minds eye to wander along her shimmering golden hair colour.

Her attention was drawn back by the Dragon's question. Why be a soul reaper, the answer seemed simple enough, at least it had when she signed up. If she was honest, Kaiyo would have to say that the black and white lines of right and wrong had all too often twisted in on each other, a murky grey in-between formed to add confusion to her resolve. One that had started to lead her to question the hierarchy she had always so obediently served. For now though, she was simply an academy student. Her eyes un-glazed from a cognitive thought, sparking with a simplistic euphoria as she smiled at James. 'I like helping people' she stated simply. Making it seem as though the most obvious answer to such a question.

Her eyes narrowed in on the dragon man when he continued to speak. Kind of shinigami? That in itself was an odd enough question. Not left with enough time to question this concept, lizard man continued. Perceptive beyond her expectations Kaiyo could only smirk lightly to herself. Her 'raw' power was probably a lot more than he would have even been greeted with, and would have probably been more threatening that her gloves. The girl moved her hands up, clenching her fists as she looked blankly at the black gloves for a moment. She doubted a dragon would run off and tell Soul Society her secret. 'Well, my actual power is a lot...bigger, but i'm kind of in disguise at the moment, so i got a friend to hide my reiatsu for me, with my gloves' Her voice was soft and bubbly, though she probably wasn't making much sense.

James was quiet for a moment his hands in his pockets as he though other the reaper’s answer, “So why are you hiding? I mean you’re obviously a reaper of standing and rank otherwise the Soul Society probably wouldn’t care if you disappeared.” He smiled as they got to the little café, “We’re here.” Holding the door open for the reaper he entered after her and directed her towards the corner booth towards the back.

Taking his seat against the wall and facing the door, he asked looked the reaper. “So I take it since you’re hiding that Buzz isn’t your real name, it is all right little reaper you are talking to an old veteran of hiding from the world. My name and appearance have changed so many times I hardly notice anymore when I have to leave one area to go to another.”

James got the feeling that he was making the reaper uncomfortable, “Buzz, if you need I have plenty of resources to hide you so deep in this plane that no one will find you. I have lived long enough to know reapers don’t cower easily so whatever made you go into hiding must be great.” His face was deadly serious as he stared at the reaper.

With scary quickness the serious face broke into a broad smile as the waitress walked over and set two menus down in front of them and asked what they would like to drink. “I’ll have coffee and just leave the pitcher here, please.”

A glimmer of light sparked across her hazel eyes, a smirk dancing up her light pink lips as she replied. 'I just needed me to vanish for a while' Nobody, not even the central 46 knew of kaiyo's real reasoning behind her death, and she planned on keeping it that way. This man was quite sharp though, maybe that was a dragon thing...The girl lifted her gaze up to the sign above the door of the cafe, nodding a small and silent thanks to the dragon Kaiyo followed James to the booth in the back.

Kaiyo shuffled forwards on the cold seat, unflinchingly resting her elbows onto the arguably unclean table. Of course, Dragons were really old, she forgot that part. She lingered a gaze a moment longer, leaning back in her chair though an instinctive defense when he started questioning her reasons. Kaiyo's eyes darted to the opposite wall, catching sight of an old camera as she spoke, her voice practically hollow. 'I have it under control...Thanks' Her head whipped back, a sincere smile dawned on her face, her light brown eyes holding a direct gaze to back up her sincerity. This dragon seemed nice, for now at least.

Kaiyo cautiously took the menu, unable to stop her wandering eyes from tracing up and down the waitress, an instinctive sizing up of opponents. The woman didn't notice though. 'Erm, just a hot chocolate please' she finally replied, snapping out of her trance.

James watched the reaper as she made her order after the waitress left James chuckled, “You needn’t worry about an attack here Buzz, in fact you couldn’t be safer here than anywhere else on the island.(OOC: I am assuming Japan is still an Island in the Anime but it is anime so you never know.) You see the four curving scars on her left leg that is the exiles mark. This café is run by a group of dragon exiles who tired of raising villages and eating humans long ago.”

James smiled and leaned back in the booth, “You see even though we are exiles from our various Prides, we still feel the need to be together, so this is sort of a pride of exiles. Though most of them were exiled for crimes far less grievous than what I committed, some of them like the waitress and the elder who owns this café believe the truth, that I was framed and then exiled to be put far away from the court of dragons. Others believe that I murdered an elder in cold blood, but yet they still hold their respect enough not to try anything.”

James looked up as the waitress brought his coffee and the hot chocolate for Buzz, as well as, some apple size silver rocks. “Thank you, I was feeling a little less hot and I left my silver ore at home this morning.” The waitress only smiled as she turned and left, “Don’t let that fool you they just don’t trust outsiders very much, especially not reapers.”

Kaiyo eyes James up and down as he spoke, this guy really did know a lot. Observant beyond the point of normal recognition, but she didn't care much for rumours. She didn't know anything about Dragons, hell, she didn't even know they existed, so who was she to not the this dragons word at face value. Kaiyo didn't bother looking back at the woman's leg, she'd noticed that the first glance. The girl pulled her hot chocolate closer to her, wrapping her hands around the warm mug; keeping her eyes on James. She nodded with a light smirk, 'Sometimes you have to kill to save lives...But even if you are an exiled dragon..' she leant over the table, her mouth close to his ear as she whispered lightly, 'You don't seem like THAT kind of dragon' she giggled lightly as she sat back down. Of course she knew nothing of dragons, but this man seemed all too civilised to carelessly attack someone. That, and Kaiyo was quite interested to see the reaction of the other dragons, watching a reaper get so close.

She shrugged at his last comment, clearly they were to just be added to the list of creatures that don't trust Shinigami much. Kaiyo wasn't too keen on such listings. As for the weird rocks, well she didn't care much for them, but she was sure, if she were a dragon it would make a lot more sense. Th girl shuffled back in her seat and slowly took a sip of her drink, just hoping she hadn't been poisoned or anything; it wouldn't be the first time.

James smiled kindly as Buzz made her comment on his own personal folly, “Oh don’t get me wrong Buzz, I did murder that elder…” James took a sip of his coffee then took one of the ore and bit into it like a child into candy before he continued. “…but I didn’t kill him in cold blood. I killed him in defense of the Pride and all dragonkind, but before he died he called in the elite guard and they arrived in time to see me rip his throat out.” James said a sound of ravage pride rang in his voice.

James swallowed the rest of the ore in his hand whole as he picked his coffee up once more, “Sorry about my rude table manners, but a dragon has to constantly eat silver and when he can find it gold to keep their scales strong and their firebladders able to produce a flame. Normally I wouldn’t eat another dragon’s silver, but in the last few weeks I find that I need to constantly be on guard from hollow as well as shinigami.” James frowned, “I was prepared to kill you when we first met if you turned hostile.”

Kaiyo raised her eyebrow slightly, as she took another sip of her hot chocolate. Smirking to herself at James' reply. Maybe dragons weren't always so civilised, then again, neither was she. She shrugged lightly, leaning off her seat and out the door of the cafe by something that caught her eye. 'Like i said' she concluded, still at least convinced this dragon didn't seem like that kind of person.

The girl sat back up in her seat as the dragon explained his rock eating and what not. If she was honest, it had seemed a little odd and even with his explanation. Well Kaiyo wasn't the sharpest button in the tool box, so she didn't understand very much, but she could just put it down to a dragon thing. Quite a list of dragon things were starting to emerge. The girl swallowed a large gulp of her drink in mild shock at what he said last though. Afterall, he had seemed to polite. Unable to hold back a chuckle, Kaiyo dropped back mug back on the table. 'Heh, sorry to disappoint you dragon, but i'm out of your league' Without her gloves on, but he didn't know that. Granted, Kaiyo knew nothing of dragon abilities other than burning coffee cups, but reiatsu wise, she was confident in the differences in their powers. Of course she could do so safely, seeing as he didn't know her true power level.

James smiled, “I know that I am out of your league little reaper, at least I am as long as I retain my human form and conscious thoughts. But you don’t understand a fight like ours would draw out the other exiles, as well as, risking me losing control of the beast that resides in me. “ James rolled his sleeve up to show Buzz the tattoo seal that was imprinted on the inside of his forearm, “That is what keeps me from accidentally losing control and reverting back to my true form. All the exiles have something similar though not quite as elaborate as this.

“You see they can shift their forms at will, but as part of my punishment I was never to have that freedom, unless my true name is ever uttered in the Imperial courts. I have come to suspect that there has been talk as of late though, because I managed a transformation of a sort of in-between state the other night when a reaper attacked me along with a duo of hollows.” James said in a whisper so low that it was barely audible.

He took a sip of his coffee frowned as he drained the cup and poured himself another. The only downside of being a dragon, it takes too much of anything for us to feel the side effects. Caffeine, booze, even sugar, I can never get that rush humans seem to.

Kaiyo tapped her mug aside as she leant across to the table to inspect James' tattoo. A seal, she'd heard of that kind of thing before but not with dragons. Deciding to ignore the remark about her height Kaiyo's eyes drifted up to the dragons eyes. She just couldn't see him as a big scary monster, though if she was honest, she didn't find that many things scary. Losing control in combat however, was something she could quite easily relate to. The insatiable blood lust that she had never been able to place cause to, was something Kaiyo had struggled with for a while now.

The girl's mind triggered back onto James when he mentioned being attacked by a shinigami. This caught Kaiyo's interest a little bit more, her sluggish mind tracing backwards to catch up with what else he had said. A semi-transformation of some kind. Very odd. Kaiyo sighed, ruffling the back of her hair gently with her hand as she smiled to herself. 'So if i were to attack you now, i'd have to go through all your dragon friends here?' she added in a whimsical tone. Almost seeming oblivious to what the dragon man had said.

James smiled at the shinigami’s comment, “No, it would simply be me and you, dragons look like at a fight between two people as a fight of honor. They would only interrupt if it looked like I was about to lose control over the beast inside of me. You see even among exiles the law has been enforced that if I resume my original form by some other means than that intended that I am to be killed on sight.” He chuckled a bit as looked around at those who surrounded him.

“They probably would kill you too simply to insinuate that their prince has never left an opponent alive when he entered a duel. Though nowadays I rarely kill when it comes to my honor, they don’t see it that way.” James frowned, and added a little quieter “Between me and you Buzz, I always hated killing and only used it as a last resort. You see where it’s gotten me, I am known to them as the exiled prince and among those not exiled I have been told they refer to me as the Lost One.” James leaned back in his booth and smiled “I may be exiled, but news of my family still finds my ears one way or another.”

Kaiyo leant back in her chair, her idea's of a good fight spoiled by her need for disguise; and how boring James had made it sound. Though the fire element and other dragon capabilities also intrigued her a fair bit, it didn't seem worth it for the moment. At least it wasn't worth missing the pretty good hot chocolate over. Kaiyo traced her index finger back around the rim of the mug. Smirking slightly at James' names, the lost one she had to admit sounded quite amazing. Though she did get Kenpachi; it wasn't exactly a name that she thought suited her all that well. Especially whilst she was still Buzz.

Kaiyo took another warming gulp of her drink. 'Prince huh...' she added, wondering if the Dragon royalty was anything like the Noble families in Soul Society; she hoped not. Kaiyo's eyed traced down the table, her gaze catching the suspicious eyes of a man glaring at her from across the room. She waved. Shuffling in her seat slightly as she tried to remember what else James had said. Killing...'Like i said, you sometimes have to.' She lowered her head a bit, Kaiyo had always worried about her own humanity, losing control over her love of battle and feeling no remorse over killing someone. Vengeance came at a price, one she'd have to face soon enough. Her eyes shaded with dark thoughts of such moments, the switch off moments of death, that single moment you can see the life drained from a person.

She looked back up at James. 'I'm the 11th squad Captain, speciality in sword mastery...I'm yet to be beaten' she smirked slightly. Seeing no harm in telling a dragon such information, and he'd shared with her so it had seemed only fair.

“You know that is the thing about being a warrior no matter how good you are there is always someone out there that is better.” James looked across the booth at Buzz, so she’s a captain and not just a captain she is their combat specialist, so there is no possible way I could have faced her down. So what did it take to scare her so bad that she went into hiding to draw it out. Looking out at the rising sun he frowned, “I am very sorry Buzz, but I must get going while you reapers don’t have a job in the real world, but for those of us who live here it helps us keep sane. “ Standing he left the money on the table.

“If you want why don’t you come visit me at the dojo once you get everything settled with your little problem.” James handed Buzz a card that had the address of the Dojo on it.

Kaiyo rose from her seat in time with James. Smiling politely as she flicked the card around between her fingers to get a better look. A dojo of all things, that was definitely something she'd have to check out...Providing she wasn't dead of course. Such uncertainty over future combat was really starting to impeach on her event planning. Kaiyo peered down into her mug, swallowing back the last few dregs of the thick mud-like hot chocolate as she edged around their booth.

'I'll follow you then, i don't think i'd be safe here alone' she giggled lightly. Glancing over her shoulder to wave goodbye to the other patrons of the cafe. 'Thanks for the drink as well, i owe you one' she grinned, patting James on the shoulder lightly before she flash stepped off. It was time she headed back now anyway, academy students weren't so trusted to be alone for so long.