Taming the Beast [Maki/Open]

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro had spent a lot of time fixing Totomi up since he convinced the Tokugawa and the Imagawa to leave the land in the peoples' hands. He'd rebuilt several villages and restored a stable marketplace, doing what he could with his force and the militia. Along with this, he'd developed defenses along the borders to protect from whatever force thought they would be brave enough to try and invade again.

During his downtime, the new Daimyo made an active effort to try and recruit any and all able-bodied men he could find into either his direct forces, or the militia. Every soldier they could get would be highly valued, but Takehiro was looking for good warriors more than anything. If he could find a good warrior, he would do all he could to recruit them into his forces. And it was because of this he was combing one of the many villages in the fief.

[Kuroshi Maki]

Walking the lands once more, I did hear rumors of a new fraction started up and even claimed some lands. I heard the rumors because I was walking these lands. As I entered one of the villages upon horseback. My face covered by a hood and my helmet hanging by the side of the horse. Weapon placed upon back. Blade of the weapon covered by cloth so it doesn't reveal its demonic nature. This village was freshly rebuild.

As i reached the marked place I would step of the horse and would walk beside it. I hadn't eaten in days and money was running low as well. I could just take the food as I had no other choice. I would place my horse and tied it up and walked up to a small market place selling some food.

" If you wish to stay alive, you would spare me some food. "

My voice was dark and straight to the point. I had to eat, kill or not he will give me some.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

While wandering the village, Takehiro came upon a man who seemed to be robbing someone else at the marketplace for food. Normally, the man would find himself on the ground with a fiery glaive to his throat, but Takehiro had a soft spot for the hungry. Helmet in one hand, Takehiro would approach the man and the merchant and pull out a good deal of coins, handing them to the merchant calmly.

"How about we diffuse the situation before anyone gets hurt, eh?"

He smiled, handing the mysterious man some food after the money was handed over. He would not have to go hungry any longer.

[Kuroshi Maki]

As I saw a hand pass by me holding a bag of coins, he seemed to by me some and spoke. Not recognizing the voice at first I would slap the hand away. I didn't want to take the money. And the words the man spoke seem that of a threat himself. Turning around I could see the man. It was the same one that awhile back beat the shit out of me in the underground fight. My face covered enough for him not to see my face I would be at the ready to grab the Guando of my back. Even though I was hungry I would not fall to the mercy of those so called good guys.

" You keep that money for yourself. If I want it I just take it. "

My voice still low and dark. I would look upon my horse I had to grab the helmet as soon as I had the chance of grabbing it.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

The man slapped Takehiro's hand away, and he couldn't help but frown. He seemed insistent on violating the law of this fief, and that was not something Takehiro was going to allow. He would leave the coins with the merchant, taking his fiery glaive off his back as the man seemed to go for his open weapon.

"Listen, pal. I won't have any robbery in my fief. So you can drop your weapon, or I'll beat our laws into you."

After that, he would put his helmet on, that dark form taking over once again. His red eyes would stare the man down, watching his every move. If he meant to strike, chances were he wouldn't get very far.

[Kuroshi Maki]

The man, put on his helmet revealing the demon side of himself. It seems he had the same power as I did and I just revealed a grin upon my face walking backwards to my horse. As I grabbed the helmet I would lower my hood. my face away from the man. He would not be able to see my face as I put on my helmet. My body turning dark like his and my face black. Only thing to see was my white grin upon my face.

" It seems you found the same power I did. "

Voice was now more demon like then before. I would reveal my GuanDo at this point. The blade would scream for blood. Seeing as the man was wearing the same type of armor as me He would be able to hear it as well.

" The last time we fought I was still young and foolish, but now I don't plan on dying."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Underneath the mask and helmet, Takehiro cocked an eyebrow. He didn't see the man's face, but he knew the guy? Someone he'd fought before? This raised a few question's in the man's mind, considering he'd killed just about everyone he faced, but the thrill behind it was undeniable. Whoever the man was, maybe he was here for vengeance. But, Takehiro would show him no mercy if he meant to harm the people of the fief.

"You call that a weapon, buddy?" Takehiro laughed at his polearm. It looked like a toothpick compared to his own great glaive. "Well, if you're so much better now, why don't you show me what you've got?" As if in a taunting manner, Takehiro rested his weapon atop his shoulders and began walking toward the mysterious man.

[Kuroshi Maki]

It felt like before, the man was just like he was back then. But I wasn't, I had more reason to life then die this time. I had to grow in power and had to stay alive to do so. He was the one that made me rethink my way at first and then she came and gave it more strength. He even had to mock my weapon. Sure his weapon was bigger, yet bigger didn't seem to always be better anyway. This weapon can pierce almost everything that came on his path. For him to walk up to me that cocky just pissed me off yet I would not show it. Just the grin was enough.

" Still the same cocky SoB I see. "

As he would come closer, unlike last time I had to stick closer then further away the weapon changed. I held the shorter weapon this time. As he walked closer I would spin the weapon around blade pointing to the front. I would simply trust it forwards enough to try and hit the man on his chest. but keep it so I would be able to block anything that he threw at me.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

The remarks the guy made really puzzled Takehiro, but he figured he probably shouldn't focus all of his attention on who the guy might be, and focus on that blade of his. As he thrust it forward, Takehiro simply knelt and turned his body so that the blade would hit his shoulder and bounce off. From there, Takehiro would grab his glaive from the guard and slam the hilt of the weapon into the man's thigh to push it back with incredible force.

"Less talk," he muttered.

[Kuroshi Maki]

As the blade hit the shoulder and bounced of, it seems the man his shoulder pieces were pretty muchs unbreakable as my weapon would pierce almost anything. But I had to keep focus as he trust his hilt of the weapon at me I would turn my hip so that the weapon would pass it and the distance would stay the same. His words seems like he was more focused then he was in the last fight.

I kept the grin and as I would spin because of the hip, my weapon would be still to the side of the man from going up because of the shoulder. As I made the spin I would slam the blade down in a slash this time aimed for the man his throat between the chest plate and the helmet. I had to be finishing this fast, the hunger was affecting my body.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Able to quickly predict the man's attack, Takehiro's gauntlet shot up and took the brunt of the blow! Despite the strong steel on it, however, it seemed that enough force would allow this man to rip through Takehiro's gauntlet, and he wanted none of that. In one incredibly swift motion, Takehiro would swat away the man's polearm by spinning his glaive in a circle, and ram the hilt into the man's stomach.

If successful, Takehiro would feel a small pain in his own stomach, but it was something he could handle. The other guy, though... that would be a different story.

[Kuroshi Maki]

Damn he was still fast, he blocked the blade with his gauntlet but the steel could not hold the sharpness and I felt it go trough the steel. But before it did anything major I felt a powerful force slam me against my stomach. But this Armour had a special power. It would negate the attack and I would spin my weapon around slamming the backside of the GuanDo against the man his knee. and it would be more powerful because it had half the strength of the mans attack added to it. It would be enough to shatter the knee.
If this all worked I would take a defensive stance waiting for whats to come.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro cocked a brow as the man seemed to feel no pain from the blow, which only made his confusion grow. As the man spun his blade around and would strike for his knee, Takehiro would slam the flat of his blade into the man's, blocking the blow, but not parrying it. It seemed he had a good deal of strength behind that blow, and the fledgling Daimyo couldn't help but grin. If he would have taken that hit, it's like his knee would have shattered. But he was way faster than this guy.

Applying a good deal of force, Takehiro would push the man's weapon away, before slamming the flat of his fiery glaive into the side of his helmet. He didn't go full-force, but he did pack quite a punch.

[Kuroshi Maki]

Slamming both weapons together and I missed my mark and felt my weapon being pushed back. He was way fast and that would probably earn him the fight before. But I was not ready and felt him attack my helmet but once again I had powers left. The attack on the helmet was negate and I was already slamming my back of the weapon against his throat. If this would hit he would be taken out of his game. because he would not be able to breath. Strength wise and speed wise he was way better. But nobody could take a full blow there and keep going as he did before.

[Gabriella Santos]

Rumours were a fickle thing. While money talked, sometimes what it said were misleading. This just happened to be one of those cases. She had been trying to help the first person in a long time she had met that she felt deserved it. A demon seeking his own demons. Those rumours had lead her here, on horseback she rode into Totomi town where she had heard of a demon having claimed the land. 

The sight that greeted her was not one she had been expecting. Two men armour with large weapons, were fighting. Watching closer she recognised one of the weapons being wielded along with the armour of it holder. Looking over her shoulder, she could see her current bodyguard, hand on the hilt of his sword ready to draw it if the fight came at them. 

With her arm she lazily waved the guard to stop. The guard was better then her last ones, but she doubt that he could stand up to Maki, and from the looks of it, the man he was fighting either. Reaching down, she pulled off a bottle that was tied to her saddle and with some effort opened it. Drinking some, she dismounted her horse and instructed her guard to look after them. As if ignoring the fight she just moved over to a nearby stall and leaning up against it she watched, Maki and the other man, drinking calmly. She watched waiting for a turn in the battle. To congratulate Maki if he won, or shoot the other man if he started to win before he could kill him. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

The man seemed to take no damage from the blow to the head either, and sent out his weapon to strike Takehiro's throat. The fledgling Daimyo responded by whipping out a tendril of darkness from the ground, taking the man's weapon, and pulling it down so it would miss its mark. Takehiro would then spin around him and slam the flat of his blade into the man's head once again, before ramming the hilt into the back of his knees to knock him down.

He'd failed to notice the newcomer, but he didn't have to. If she tried anything, it was likely she would end up wounded.

[Kuroshi Maki]

As something dark raised up from the ground, it grabbed my weapon and pulled it down. at this point I was trying to get the weapon back but felt a blow to the head pushing me forwards and then my knee's bend as I was forced to the ground. My weapon would be released at this point. How did he manage to use that dark mass to grab my weapon. It seems I was a way weaker Demon than this man that talked about peace and all before.

" How can a Demon bring peace! How come these men don't fear you. "

As my body weakened from the lack of food, I had to make a move. Spinning the Guando around I would roll forwards. As he would stay behind me the blade would cut both shin open of the man. I would raise back up but clearly the blow to my head left me abit dazed.

[Gabriella Santos]

Gabriella splutter spitting out some her drink as she saw something come from the ground to stop Maki weapon. Blinking she could what she saw was truly happening and not just her imagination, or some drunken hallucination. Maki  shouted at the man, moving to attack again, and Gabriella could tell something was wrong. He seemed less confident, as if something held him back, but he was fighting through what every it was. 

Knocking back more of her drink, she tossed the bottle into the air above the fighters, more on the other mans side then on Maki's. Drawing her gun she fired at the bottle shattering glass would fall towards both of the fighters, hopefully making the separate or otherwise be covered in glass. "I told you a wasn't having you getting yourself killed." She shouted at the Maki. There question the Maki was asking did not fit with the story of the warriors in black so she didn't feel like letting him fight when it wasn't to attain his true goal. "Is it worth dying too soon." She shout at him once more, dropping her gun before she could be seen as a threat by the second demon. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

"They do not fear me, because I fight for them."

As soon as Takehiro heard the gunshot, a shroud of darkness appeared around himself and his opponent, the glass and bullet being absorbed into it before disappearing. From there, it would shoot out toward the woman, taking her weapon and crushing it, while he himself dropped his glaive to block the strike to his shins. A strong foot would come up, slamming into the man's face to knock him back. To keep him down, Takehiro would hold the glaive to his throat. As for the woman, Takehiro's dark doppelganger formed from his body and did the same to her, holding the glaive to her throat. She would not be harmed unless she made another move against the Daimyo of the fief.

"Tell me something, stranger," he mused, trying to put two-and-two together. "When we fought before - was it that underground arena?" He'd recognized the man's violent fervor, certainly, and if it was who he thought it was, he would want him on his side. 

[Kuroshi Maki]

As I heard the bullet shot and a dark mass surrounded and later disappeared. My weapon in motion was stopped by the man his hands. I could hear his glaive fall to the ground before I was kicked in the face and dropped on my back. I could feel something sharp around my throat at this point. Looking at the man I saw him pointing the weapon at me. his words were heard but looking over further away seeing the man again but he was near.. It was her. And he held his weapon at her as well. What was going on. Hate grew and anger took over. I made her a promise.

" If you ever do anything to her, I will kill you!!!!. Hate was my only weapon last time. But if you take away my second reason I will never stop until I killed you. "

My threat was maybe not fitting knowing I lost, but I made a promise to her. And because of me she was now in danger.

" We will just go, we won't bother you're little area anymore. "

[Gabriella Santos]

She didn't even have time to react to what happened next. It was all to fast, as she tried to shower the man in glass, darkness appeared and shot out towards her. It ripped her gun from her hand, hurting her fingers from the suddenness. Before crushing it before her very eyes. She saw as Maki fell, her attempt at distracting the man, actually being partial to blame for Maki not reacting. How on earth could this man do what he did, it was unthinkable. 

Maki threaten the man if he hurt her, causing Gabriella to smile happy that he was serious about protecting her even though both of them had weapons at there neck. Straightening her back, she forced herself to be still not showing fear. Maki had done something similar to her on there first meeting when she had pretended to shot him. And while this man seemed stronger, certain death was certain death regardless of how extreme. "What did he do, what caused this fight?" Gabriella asked actually moving forward slightly so the blade pressed against her neck. "I could have tried shooting you. Doesn't look like it would of mattered. But I could have tried." She pointed out to the man not sure which of the two forms to talk to. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Both forms of Takehiro's blades would be pulled from the two's necks, and they would rest on the knights' shoulders. It seemed they weren't entirely bad, but that was no longer his focus. "So it is you. The kid from the arena." He laughed, holding out a hand to help him up. Whether or not he took it, Takehiro would take no offense. "I told you you need to pick your battles better, buddy. Look, I'm not hurting anyone." The woman would be safe, as would he.

"Stealing, Miss," the Dark Takehiro spoke, taking its blade from her throat. "And just know if I wanted to kill you, you'd head would be severed from your neck." These two had leagues to go if they wanted to catch up with the Daimyo, that was for sure.

"Kid, if you're who I think you are... I've got a proposition for you." Takehiro would step away from him and allow him some room to stand. "You join my army, you'll never go hungry again. And I can help you get stronger."

[Kuroshi Maki]

Hearing her speak, she seems to become stronger as well. She was already smart but she was able to step up for herself as well. But asking what I did to cause this fight made me ashamed. I tried to steal indeed but she would hear it from the second man. As the first started to speak and tried to help me up with a hand I would swat it away and pushed myself up. He wanted me to join his army and I would never grow hungry again? And he would help me grow in strength. Looking over at her I would have doubt I could not let her be harmed.

I would remove my helmet, as my face showed concern for her, before turning to the man who tried to help me, by letting me join his army.

" Why would you want me, a loose beast join you're army? You held a weapon to her neck and then offer me something like this. I did learn one lesson from you before, I have reasons to life and grow stronger for. Dead is no longer something I seek. "

I would walk towards gab, awaiting the answer from the man as to why I should join his side. What did he need me for? His strength was already far greater then I could even wish to achieve.

" I'm sorry I put you in danger, it will be the last time. "

[Gabriella Santos]

Stealing he was going to have let it all end for stealing. Maki would walk over to her having been talking to the other man, they seemed to know each other from somewhere. Maki apologised to her, and would probaly be taken off guard by her slapping him straight in the face. "You idiot. Why the hell were you stealing. Not every thing has to be a fight." She shouted before the other man could answer Maki question. 

"If you needed money, I could have given you some. I've spent days looking after those men, and you were going to get yourself killed over stealing, and you pride."  She wouldn't stop shouting at him. However after the slap her arm would hang in the air next to him. "You'll protect me, as a corpse will you?" She asked finally having stopped shouting. And turning her back on Maki until she finished calming down. Giving the other man a chance to talk to Maki without her interrupting again. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro removed his helmet as well, absorbing the dark energy he left near the woman. Curiously, he observed the way they acted with each other, and they seemed to be close. Given that the boy really did seem to have something else in his life besides hate, Takehiro smiled. Well, until he got slapped.

"The two of you - you're close, yes?" He asked, walking up to them. "If it's protection you seek, you'll find that here. And you would grow strong under my command." No Daimyo in the land would help him grow stronger than Takehiro would make him.

"Call yourself a "loose beast" if you will, but a soldier of your capabilities would be a valuable asset in the army I am forming."