[color=DarkMagenta] [h1]Yasuke Kure: The Immortal Man & Knights of The Cruciform[/h1] [/color] [i][b][color=DarkOrange][center][2] People are frightening. Monsters. Ask me again, why I choose to hide. Weren't we taught as children to avoid such monstrosity? The creatures blanked in darkness.[/center][/color] [/b][/i] [center] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaIMHc451xQ]Theme: "Bad Tune"[/url] [/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/TnvYdjd.png?1[/img][hr] [i][b]Session II[/b][/i] [color=8493ca]"In our last talk you mentioned someone. B.B. Who is this B.B, Yasuke?"[/color] [color=f26522]"Why is that relevant? Aren't I meant to be the subject through all of this, doctor." [/color] [color=8493ca]"Yes, that's right, Yasuke we are here for you. Since this is all about you why don't you introduce B.B. Whoever this person is I have a feeling they mean something. They're important. B.B means something. Am I wrong?[/color] [color=f26522] "Butcher Brown is a cerebral pain in the ass. Her Kekkei Genkai is the ability to impose unbearable irritation upon other people."[/color] [color=8493ca]"Now, that's not quite-"[/color] [color=f26522] "She's a psychopathic, untrustworthy, manipulative liar." [/color] [color=8493ca]"Is that really what you think? You know what I think? I think in some way you rely on her. B.B, in all her faults and abuse, offers something that you value." [/color] [color=8493ca]"You know my mind still goes back to the first time you came to me."[/color] [color=f26522] [i]I didn't exactly come to Mei but I do like her. I was forced here. Mei is a simple woman who lost her daughter early in life to Leukemia. Her brother's bipolar and refuses to comply with his psychiatric mediation. She's suffered her fair share of loss. A life riddled with pain, yet here she is, the last altruist on Earth. Though she's a psychologist she's really bad at reading people but I'm really good at reading people. My secret? I look for the worst in them. [/i][/color] [color=8493ca] "It pleases me to hear that you're not yelling like before. That's good. But I can sense that you still cling to it. " "We need to work on your anger, Yasuke."[/color] [hr] [hider=Current Location: Abandoned Lodge][img]https://i.imgur.com/FXyQZkL.jpg?1[/img][/hider] [h2][b][Land of Iron]-[Depths of the Countryside][/b][/h2] The shed remained still and several minutes had passed without a word being said. The paper sat idly by his desk and Yasuke continued to stare at the words scribbled on the page. A conflict had ensued in the caverns of his mind. He struggled silently for a moment. His fingers itched to delve into the wealth of information he knew these letters had. Some part of him desperately sought to rationalize and make sense of the cryptic message that came at his doorstep. The scientist within wanted answers, hating mysteries and anything that was the slightest bit illogical. However, there remained the elephant in the room. The anchor ornamenting his ankle. In that moment everything paled in comparison to the next high. Even the possibility of another fix was enough stimulus to induce joy. He suddenly broke out into cold sweat. Little droplets of perspiration ran down his forehead with urgency. A hot flash struck through the cloud covered sky and found its way inside the shanty. Unable to keep his head up and fearing the blinding light, his attention locked onto the mystery before him. Yasuke's brow tightened as he passed another glance at the letter. [color=f26522][i]S.B. Whoever they are, knows who I am. That's a problem. It means I made a mistake. No. I don't make mistakes.[/i][/color] [color=f26522]"Somehow this person knows me. Could it be an enemy? But they're asking for my assistance. Why?"[/color] Junkie brain or not. Yasuke's mind had already gained traction. It moved about, spiraling into rapid streams of thought that translated audibly to nonsensical ramblings of a madman. [color=f26522]"S.B."[/color] He repeated. [color=f26522]"Why don't I know you."[/color] His knees fell to the floor, and with trembling hands he grasped his entire head in his palms, fishing for a memory that would never surface. [color=ed145b]"You should hear it out. I know it's suspicious. Shit, breaks every rule we've got but you should hear them out. Whoever sent this letter, I think you should take the risk and see who they are for yourself."[/color] Yasuke's racing thoughts crashed into a stop.[color=f26522] "Do you even hear yourself right now? I haven't the faintest fucking clue as to who this person is. It's written as if I were meant to but I don't. Even still, we've got a fucking job to do. Now's not the time to go pro bono."[/color] Butcher Brown was floored. She felt herself reeling from the realization that the roles had switched. Typically, she was the one tasked with persuading Yasuke against taking reckless actions. It bothered her that he was right. More importantly, it disturbed her to know that she could never tell him the truth. It was a burden, being tasked with the impossible. How do you persuade a paranoid junkie to break protocol and do something completely stupid? [color=ed145b]"You're going to do it whether you like it or not. Whether you want to or not. You'll do it. " B.B opted for a direct approach, moving straight to the point. [/color] [color=ed145b]"Ok so you don't know the guy? Why is that alarming for a man with a fractured mind? What show have you been watching kid? I mean, your head's been a diseased shit show since episode one."[/color] B.B felt relieved. [color=ec008c][i]Always bet against the crackhead. It's practically a philosophy. Silly me, being worried.[/i][/color] He knelt there motionless, mouth open and eyes bulging. [color=ed145b]"There are going to be blank spots, kid. We talked about this already. That's why I think this S.B guy's worth checking out. You might get your answers."[/color] [hr] [center][h3]Kérberos[/h3][/center] [center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/db/8c/10/db8c101806ed1bd259fa2a92449f0506.jpg[/img][/center] [i]Two nights before the operation[/i] [center][img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JVRQJueauU1VAfMFuZllXi-Y8GZROEOaBOhAI7LxAxjYzeGsv_HYIq234gB95CRTI6dTm9mYKpmNgf_5pauJ2ewfZPAbOV_u71elh4oSi386n8skZberHu1b5qlYdrObCVtReaNJ[/img][/center] Kérberos had survived war among the mountain tribes. It had withstood whatever nature and all it's cleverly named calamities could throw at it. The Avalanche of Remus. The Great Blizzard of Mad Chief Elk. Hurricane Temari. Whatever force threatened it's being, Kereberos endured. Natives in the land claim that very reason is why it eventually became a safe haven for the disqualified. The bar itself had overflown in the past century of its existence from a walk up loft in one of Port Romance's sagging older buildings along the Ilia River, to nine levels in four sagging old buildings along the Ilia. The single element of consistency at Kereberos over the decades was its propensity for attracting rejects. Sosuke hated the damned bar the moment he laid eyes on it. As he slouched forward in his seat, toying with his glass contemptuously like a problematic lover. He knew that if his wife were alive she would never let him forget this moment. He fondly remembered the countless arguments, and realized he would trade being the punching bag to her limitless rage than not having her at all. She always hated him teasing her about her savage drinking. That's what he deserved for marrying a girl from the Fire Country. [color=007236]That goddamn Will of Fire[/color]. His ribs ached from the pain of having reminded his joyless body what laughter felt. [color=007236][i]Rangiku would have longed for this, having finally gotten her drinking partner[/i][/color] He drank again. With a single flat glance of the eye he signaled the bartender over to pour himself another drink. One more drink, he would channel these words in monotonous chants until they meant something. Another drink to drown the pain. Another drink to forget. [color=007236][i]It would take the Nile, and even then I'd still have nothing. [/i][/color] [color=007236] "You can't drown an ocean."[/color] He spat, again staring into his glass with hate in his eyes. He drank again. [color=ed145b]"I'm a lucky girl, doc."[/color] A voice burst out from the shadows. It had to have come from the corner, interrupting this private display of self-pity. Sosuke wondered how the world could have changed so much, worsened to such an extent that a man could no longer anguish in peace. The voice continued. [color=ed145b]"You're the second doctor I've seen this week. The second one. Can you believe it? Forget whatever nonsense the politicians rave on about. Now that's quality healthcare."[/color] The voice grew louder and the figure in the darkness slowly emerged into the light. Sosuke's eyes widened in disbelief. [color=007236]"Y-Yasuke? Why-" [/color] [color=ed145b]"Of the two doctor's I've seen, one's a socially isolated, paranoid meth addict, and the other appears to be an alcoholic." [/color] A smile formed from it's lips, revealing lupine like canines.[color=ed145b] "Now that's bitchin' healthcare. Humanity's finest. " [/color] "Why are you here, Butcher?" [right][img]https://i.imgur.com/jRuZKAL.jpg?2[/img][/right] It's expression did not falter and it smiled, at ease knowing that it's sudden appearance unnerved the man. [color=ed145b]"What's the problem? A girl can't visit her favorite doc? I only wanted to remind you about a little something called, patient confidentiality."[/color] "Patient confidentiality?" asked Sosuke. He felt disturbed knowing he nearly slurred. [color=ed145b] "As in, keep your mouth shut." [/color]The figure, revealed as Butcher Brown, answered. [color=ed145b] "Yasuke will be meeting you for the first time tomorrow night. It won't the first encounter for either of you, but for him, all of this will have been new. He won't recognize you, and to be honest I'm not sure he ever will remember. But that doesn't matter." [/color] Butcher Brown approached the man, grasped his glass into examining hands and glared into it. [color=ed145b] "Whiskey. You really do hate yourself, huh?" [/color]With zero regard she dropped the glass, unfazed by the shattered pieces exploding against the floor. [color=ed145b]"Discretion. That's all I'm asking, doc. Just go on and tell your sob story and cue the waterworks. We'll find your kid. Don't push anything on Yasuke, and we'll get along just fine."[/color] [hr] [i]End of Session [/i] [color=f26522] "Don't be frustrated."[/color] [color=8882be]"And why shouldn't I be?" [/color] [color=f26522]"You're different than most. You at least try. You at least understand."[/color] [color=8493ca] "Understand what?"[/color] [color=f26522]"What it's like to feel alone. You understand the pain, and you protect people from it, protect me from it." [/color] [color=f26522]"I respect that about you."[/color]