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An Unlikely Duo (Kane25)

Fancy_Brat

Fancy_Brat

Pulsar
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
With the recent outbreak of demonic invaders to the world, the call for certain individuals was on the rise: demon hunters. For the most part, these demons did have ill intentions for the human world, an the times of peace had been interrupted. Numerous creatures from ancient folklore were now as common as any cat or dog, though clearly much more vicious. Within the first few days of discovering the dimensional shift, there were already thousands of deaths reported in the areas around it. In an attempt to ensure humanity's continuity, civilians turned to the military, but no amount of training had ever prepared them for such an event. Numerous individuals lost their lives at the hands of demons, and some had never been found. Whatever the reason, it sent eerie chills through the hearts of civilians and soldiers alike. It seemed that humanity was doomed to fall to the unpredictable assault. Now the fourth month into the invasion, a peculiar group of 'warriors' had made themselves known. Whoever they were, they did not don traditional attire of the time, choosing to wear what seemed to be kimonos and other garments many might have only seen in certain movies. Some of them were even wielding blades or polearms. Apparently after hearing of the demon incident, these individuals had ventured here to aid the citizens, choosing to set up their establishment nearby as well. Many were skeptical, but in the first few days of their arrival, the issues with demons had decreased significantly. And because of this, they were seen as the new 'saviors' of the modern era. There were now constant patrols in different areas, monitoring demon activity and slowly branching out when new incidents became known. It seemed like peace had returned and everyone could get back to their lives again, but reports of a planned war began to stir up fear once more. Special individuals from the 'Demon Hunters Guild' had been individually picked to target certain demons, those of which could be compared to powerful generals in the military. And thus, the fate of humanity was left in the hands of these foreigners. Should they fail, it was likely that humans would either be prisoners, or possibly wiped out entirely. Surprisingly, one of the most important demonic figures was said to be wandering on the outskirts of the city where the hunters' organization was situated. Many saw this as a possible attempt to take out the hunters now to eliminate the shred of hope the people had. In order to ease the peoples' minds, one of the guilds strongest hunters was sent to meet and remove him. Her youth had people believe she was too inexperienced for the job, but there was a very specific reason she was picked for the job, one that she was even unaware of...

"Ha..." A gentle sigh left the lips of a young woman as she stood at the edge of Grand Central City. Of the areas that the hunters' guild monitored, this was the most populous, and was of course where they had set up their base. If Grand Central went down, it would be a major loss, only making the dream of freedom that much further. At the age of 19, Misaki Fujiwara was indeed the youngest hunter in the hunters' guild. Many were amazed to see someone like her among the other hunters, but in the time she had been with the guild, she showed nothing but constant progress, eventually ranking among the highest under their leader. When asked to intercept the demon sighted nearby, even she was more or less surprised to have been given such an important task. Her failure here would guarantee a loss against the demons, and while she was confident in her swordsmanship, she could not shake the feeling that there was more to this mission than she thought. As expected, even other members of the guild were skeptical of her abilities, while others had actually compared her to a demon as well. Misaki was aware of these rumors of course, but usually thought nothing of them. However, she had actually become a little more disconnected from her fellow hunters, prompting her to set out on her own most of the time. After all, those rumors they had started up...might have been true. She couldn't quite explain it, but before joining the guild, she had grown aware of odd 'powers' she possessed. She didn't know what triggered them, and they would come on and off at random. One particular incident with these abilities was during a venture alone through the mountain area around her hometown. Her foot had caught onto loose ground, actually sending her over one of the cliffs. In a fall that should have left her incapacitated or killed, she woke up to find minor bruises and no broken bones. She had fallen in an area with a small stream running through, and after finding she could move fine without any problems, she had moved to wash her face off in the stream. And that is when she saw it: her reflection. It came as quite a shock to her to see the difference; her hair had changed from its usual coal black to a pure white, her eyes changing to a mysterious amber. On top of that, she had noticed the large wolf-like ears atop her head and eventually the wolf-like tail sprouting from her lower back. It didn't appear to be a dream, as she had pinched herself numerous times. Even those didn't hurt at all. It was confusing, as she knew her parents were as human as could be. How she could have what many called 'tainted' blood coursing through her veins was impossible to her.

From there, she had actually lived off on her own for a while, knowing she couldn't be going back in her state. She couldn't seem to get rid of this appearance. Slowly, over a few years of practice and meditation, she seemed to be able to control when she could shift to that form, though it required a great deal of focus and energy at first. Nowadays, it was as though that incident never happened. Still, her body maintained those inhuman qualities, and with this info hidden to most, it was not surprising how she ended up where she was now.

---

The reports had stated that the demon was sighted a few miles out, close to an old highway that hadn't been used too often. It was quite a walk, but Misaki didn't have too many worries about the distance. All she could focus on was her mission. However, one thought in particular was bothering her: if this demon was in fact sighted nearby, why had they not attacked Grand Central at that time? Perhaps knowing of the hunters' guild, they feared being overwhelmed? In any case, it wasn't like she planned on asking the demon once she found him. She was out to cut them down, not strike up a conversation. In about a hour, she stopped under a segment of the highway, the silence being her only companion. Sure, it looked like demons had torn up stuff around here, but the highway was still up. It was possible to continue using it, but many feared an attack from demons. "Nothing at the moment...hope this wasn't some excuse to get me some exercise." she thought to herself. She rested up against one of the support pillars, one hand resting on the hilt of her katana. "If you're here, I'd prefer you come out now..." she muttered, not expecting her target to hear her at all. It was just due to her boredom.
 
A certain, small clacking noise had been heard with a strange echo coming down from the dark road that seemed to stretch endlessly, leading to the horizon. With a squint and careful concentration, one could pick out a figure making its way down the highway. The figure was tall and slender, and had appeared to be walking with what looked like a cane. It would be hard to tell at that distance, but the noise of the cane knocking lightly against the ground was ominous and strangely loud. It was almost like it was whispering through the air to reach anybody nearby since there was no possible way an echo could exist in such a place. The figure was no ordinary human liked it would seem. It was a demon. In fact, one of the most powerful demons in existence.

His name...his demon name was Jericho, one of the elite class demon that had been ordered by the highest to enter the human world for a mysterious reason. Although he didn't look like a demon at the moment, with messy black hair, jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt, he was simply just withholding what power he had. It was dangerous for even an Elite class demon to let it blare out, for who knows how many powerful hunters could be lying in wait, hoping for a small signal to start a fight. Jericho simply just sighed with the thought of being in the human world, wishing that he had been back home just waiting for this all to happen.

At one point in his life he had also been a human...But his memories and thoughts of that time had vanished within his mind when he had been turned into a demon. To him, being a creature of the underworld, hunting down humans and other beings were life to him. He didn't enjoy it quite like the others that took a great kick out of it. He was....a sort of lazy demon. If it was him to decide, the demons would have never entered the human world to attack. But he wasn't in command...he was just following his orders. Its the only thing he really had to follow in his own hellish world.

As far as he could tell from where he was, there were no demons around. That was strange...usually they would be waiting to assist a being such as him, but he sensed none nearby. He had a strange feeling that something was up, and his crimson eyes were constantly scanning the scenes around him. His eyes finally caught the structure on the highway, with cracks and slash marks all around. The road was also cracked and damaged, but that was probably from over eager demons. He saw a finger underneath the segment, cursing under his breath that it might be a hunter...he didn't enjoy fighting, but he would if he had to. He heard her call something out, and he simply just smiled and approached the distant human slowly.
 
It may have been due to the 'cursed' blood running through her veins, but for whatever reason Misaki was picking up on a very fearsome presence accompanied by the rhythmic tapping of what sounded like a cane. Compared to the unbearable silence, it was a welcome change albeit it a little unfitting. Misaki had been getting a little tense, and she wasn't sure if this should make her feel more at ease or not. Any ordinary human would not have been able to notice these so easily, but Misaki was a special case. But even with her enhanced senses, she wasn't able to make out the shape of the individual. But one thing was for sure: this incredible feeling was because of him. She continued to look over at him, eventually being able to make out some of his physical features more clearly. As expected, he did have a cane, which she thought looked rather odd with the attire he had. He dressed like most of the younger individuals she had passed before, but she had already determined this was not some citizen of the city. He didn't look like anyone from the hunters' guild, and even so he wouldn't have had such a remarkable aura about him if he was. It was a feeling she had grown used to over the years, namely her years of solitude, the aura of a demonic being. Maybe he could sense it as well. But if this really was a demon in human form, maybe he would think the same of her. It wasn't a guarantee though.

The closer he got, the heavier the air around her felt. She felt her heart beating a little quicker in her chest as she got more anxious, but she at least did a good job of hiding it. She had never come up against a demon quite like this. She eventually moved off from the pillar, still keeping her blade in its scabbard. "Didn't think that would actually work..." she muttered under her breath. Come to think of it, if he was a high and powerful demon, she figured he would have had an army of little followers with him. That wasn't the case here. Then again, she wasn't sure the guild would send her out by herself if that were the case. At this point, she began to walk towards him as well, planning to meet halfway and confront him. Orders were orders: he had to go, no matter the circumstances. She stopped a good distance from him, enough for him to hear her clearly. "I'm assuming you're Jericho. Is that correct?" She made her statement quick and to the point. After all, she was not here to start conversation. She was simply waiting to see if he would confirm if he was her target. From there, she would not think, simply fight. It may have seem befitting of someone like her, but she really knew no other way of appraoching battle.
 
Jericho soon began to felt what he recognized as...a sort of pressure. The pressure of demonic power. He felt it increase as his distance to the girl decreased, and he began to wonder if shew as a demon or not. But it seemed as though she either had little demon power...or that she hadn't even begun to scratch the surface of it. The power that he was feeling in her direction seemed vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. He couldn't exactly pinpoint the exact owner of that power, but he knew that he had felt it before. Jericho's own power was greatly suppressed, and he couldn't tell if she could still feel it. When it looked as though she had, he couldn't help but smile a little bit. Jericho was able to make out that she was a female because of his demonic sight, and he guessed that she was a hunter. He didn't notice any other ones around her, so he began to wonder if she was all alone here.

When she asked for his name he stopped moving and stared at her. "She must have gotten some information out...but that was odd. That shouldn't of happened. He had just arrived on this highway yet she already knew. Something was strange...but he decided to play along with it a little longer. He leaned on his cane, his eyes watching the girl curiously, not knowing what to make of her. She seemed like a very competent fighter, and that she could supply a good challenge. Other then that, however, he didn't know exactly what she was really capable of. He grinned at her, cocking his head to the side.

"What....if I am?" He asked, cracking his neck. He tended to play around like this instead of going straight into combat.
 
Misaki was somewhat aware of the presence she gave off, though only certain people were able to pick up on it. Usually a demon or someone exposed to the sensation enough would start to feel it. Otherwise, it was not very noticeable. But for this demon, it had to have been a cinch. Even the weaker demons called her out about that. In a way, Misaki had gotten quite the reputation among lower class demons. Whether or not that information managed to work its way up was unknown to her. The look he gave her was a little unsettling. It was clear he knew, but she didn't know what he was thinking about. Most demons looked down on her of course, and she expected him to be no different. Just standing at this distance with was like the gravity had started to weigh down on her slowly. Still, she managed to keep herself, showing little signs of tension.

She heard him muttered something out, but she couldn't make out anything. He only reacted when she mentioned his name, so maybe he was concerned about that. Was it that big of a deal? Despite his appearance, she knew he'd be a terror in battle. Most demons were, but he was a high demon. His presence alone may have been enough to send weak-willed hunters packing. She felt a little ticed off with his comment though. She was used to stuff like that, but she somehow actually let it get to her this time.

"It's a simple question. If it happens you are, I'll waste no time in eliminating you. Shall I take your cheeky comment as a confirmation?" she muttered, tightening her grip a little on the hilt.
 
Jericho watched the woman in front of her, chuckling lightly at her answer back. She didn't look afraid of him, that was for sure. She just looked...a bit uncomfortable. Should he reveal his identity and run into combat? Or should he just linger around a little bit? No matter what would happen, he would have to fight her anyway. He sighed, tapping his cane lightly onto the concrete road. He was not known to overestimate or underestimate his opponent. He just liked to use the necessary force and power to take out his enemies. He never used too little or too much, but he had a hard time reading the power output of his foe at this point. He saw her hand on her sword grip, knowing full well that she planned to use it.

"Don't be too rash now." He said with a grin, "I was only taking a short walk. Anything wrong with that? I'm far from human life, so it's not like I'm planning anything evil." He said, not giving or taking away any space between them. He was smart enough to know that she was going to go all out when she fought. That was something he would have to be prepared for.

"But...." He smiled, leaning more onto his cane, "If I am not this...Jericho, would you still let me go?" He asked, his head cocking to the side again with a curious look in his eyes.
 
Only Misaki really knew if she was afraid of him or not. But the best explanation was that she was in fact uncomfortable. She had a good hunch that this was who she was after. Her image of him just didn't fit very well with what was in front of her. "A really odd fellow..." she thought. Reports given to her said he'd be a ruthless opponent and would stop at nothing to see the city destroyed. While even she thought that may have been too biased, it did not eliminate the fact he was perfectly capable of such a feat. the only thing that looked close enough to be a weapon was that cane, but she had rarely seen a demon use a weapon when their inhuman strength was more than enough.

Misaki was getting rather impatient with him. All the other targets she had were not quite so talkative. He was trying to work around her little question to stall out something...but she wasn't sure about that. "Even so, the fact remains that you've been seen. Can't say that very many demons have just been taking casual walks without tearing shit up shortly after. A little talk won't make me think differently there. She crossed her arms over her chest, being the first time she removed her hand from her blade. "It's hard for me to believe you aren't Jericho. While no physical description was given, it was believed that you would enter the area. If you weren't Jericho, it is not up to me to decide your fate. Jericho is my target. Simple as that."
 
Jericho heard her answers, frowning a bit at her reply as he thought about her words. He was guessing that beating around the bush not wasn't going to get him anywhere, but he didn't care for fighting. He had no ambition like the other demons did, fighting to climb up the ranks and to become more powerful. He found that ignorant. Most who had tried to climb the ranks ended up fighting him. To say the least, their existence had been completely decimated. He still watched the girl before him, with her arms crossed over her chest, her hand off of her weapon. Jericho had been surprised by this, but he wasn't one to attack while his opponent wasn't ready. He still had some chivalry left from his human days that he couldn't recall...But it did make him feel uneasy to fight a woman.

"Fate..." Jericho grinned, "I believe that fate is up to the person. Not someone above them. And your information is correct. I am the demon known as Jericho." He said, his voice climbing in volume as his demonic power stirred around him, creating a slight wind that blew around him. He was trying to demoralize her with his power, but he knew that it probably wouldn't work. She was dead set on fighting him...and he was dead set on defending himself. He tapped his cane lightly on the ground once, and the highway suddenly shattered, cracks splitting around as they traveled up and down the road. He didn't think that this would influence her much either. She seemed like a strong opponent.
 
Misaki had gone through some interesting ordeals as she grew up, which probably explained how she was now. She didn't try to talk much, staying straight to the point as much as possible. She seemed to have many secrets as well that might not have been favorable if they got out. Even Misaki was rather surprised to see that Jericho had decided not to attack her with her guard down. She had actually taken her mind of the objective at hand for just a split second, but a second could cost her life in her business. From observing him, he seemed to have something on his mind as well, something that made him feel a little uneasy around her as well. It was odd for her to think that though. She never really knew what went on in a demon's mind.

Misaki twitched slightly, almost surprised with the words he had uttered. She had heard something like it very many times before, and it did apply to her in a way. After all, she may have been fated to die at the hands of her own kind because of her blood, but she took matters into her own hands to ensure that didn't happen. Finally, she heard what she was waiting for. Her hand slipped to the hilt once more, pulling it out slightly. As expected, he had something planned with that cane, but she was not expecting the effects. Behind her, the highway was decimated, numerous pieces of concrete flying in all directions, some pieces even grazing her. She felt her heart pounding a little quicker now, almost at an unhealthy pace. But this was the feeling that fueled her, the adrenaline of knowing she would have a long fight ahead. She had not felt like this in a long time. "I, Misaki Fujiwara am your opponent. I hate to inform you that your life will end soon." She slipped the rest of the slim katana out, brandishing it in front of her. It was a fine piece of weaponry, having a nice balance of weight between the blade and hilt. Anyone could swing around a sword, but it took a skilled fighter to use it well. "Hope this won't be long...don't want to rely on that..." she thought, planting her foot firmly in the ground before she quickly took off for Jericho. Even for a human, she moved quite quickly, shortening the distance between them as she raised the blade over her head. She was not expecting him to go down to easily, so all she could do was look for openings. She sought to bring the blade down his middle, reeling it back instead for a last minute swipe at his torso.
 
When he heard that his life would end...It all sounded too familiar to him. Like he had heard it long ago...Well that didn't matter to him now. He saw her dash rather quickly towards him, faster then he had seen most hunters rush into combat. His cane stayed glued to the concrete ground, his grip tightening on the handle. She wouldn't hold herself back...and to survive, he would have to use the right amount of force. Use too little, and they would take you right off the top. Use too much, and you could be completely exhausted at the end, and you could be a sitting duck for most other fighters. Jericho noted how skilled she would be with that katana of hers, and how clean of a slash she was using. He was thinking of embracing it.

But he knew better then to give up. His old warrior reflex saw that it was a feint, and her blade rushed in towards his mid section. His cane then slashed up, deflecting the sword with an old forgotten fighting style. With a sudden spin in his hand, the cane smashed into the ground, creative a shock wave that would send her back to where she had came from, more debris and rock shooting up into the air as a slight tremor vibrated through the earth. He wanted to throw in a distance between them, hoping to make the fight longer. Something was still fishy to him, and he was determined to find out what.
 
Perhaps many other hunters before Misaki had said the said thing. Most of the hunters in the guild were young and rowdy, eager to get their mission and jump into battle. Misaki did find some sort of thrill in battle as well, though she was not battle-happy. Every battle was like a chance to get away from her years of solitude. As much as possible, she was trying to forget about the demon blood inside her and try to improve to the point she didn't need to use it. It had been far too long since she had last shifted. She recalled that it got some attention among the demons, but she managed to get rid of them before anything got out to their brethren.

She was not surprised that he was prepared for her feint. There were so many unpredictable things about how demons fought, and it was part of the reason only hunters were called for these jobs. She noticed him moving the staff, bracing herself for a counter attack of some sort. Instead, she was a little surprised to see that he simply wished to get her off him. The shockwave did its job, sending her flying back to where she was before. She managed to land on her feet at least, not giving him much time to breath as she was heading straight for him again. Now weary of the shockwave, Misaki had to find a way of staying in his face as much as possible. He showed no signs of attacking, which bugged her a little bit. She wouldn't be too fond of him if he was toying with her. She came at him again with a few good slashes towards his legs and torso. If he were to use the tactic again, she was ready to stick the blade in teh ground to hold her in place.
 
Jericho watched her quickly dash back at him, cursing softly. He could tell that she wasn't much of a talker during a fight, but something still seemed strange to him. When she came at him with rapid, quick slashes that flowed well in succession, he used his sword fighting skills with his cane, hitting the edgeless side of her katana before finally moving forward himself, his demonic energy pushing himself at her. He didn't believe in relying on his demon powers...if he could get rid of an enemy using them, then he would. He mostly used them for support anyway, not going all out and blasting straight at his opponent. He knew better then to completely ignore skill and go with as much power as he could.

He was using strong swings, just hoping to keep her back long enough to increase the duration of the fight. Every time their weapons clashed, a small burst of wind emerged from the contact, their abilities smashing head first into each other. If they were using their full powers and skills, each contact would create something devastating. When he got the chance, he would also leap back from her slashes before heading back in. It wasn't like he was toying with her...she was very skilled as well.
 
From the expression on his face, he didn't seem too fond of her eagerness to get in on him. He seemed to be more of a defensive fighter and preferred to keep his distance. With her next barrage of attacks, she was impressed and rather excited to see how he was using sword skills with his cane, managing to block off all of her attack. She got careless at one point, allowing her katana to get smacked to the side slightly, leaving an opening for Jericho. "Tch..." She gritted her teeth slightly as she was put under pressure now, having to maneuver her blade to counter his attacks. And while it was no sword, she was sure one hit would be just as painful as getting hit with a blade. She could feel his demonic powers backing up every attack, giving them a little more 'oomph'.

to ensure she wasn't being sent off so easily again, she had already begun channeling a bit of her abilities. It wasn't channeling everything, so the only difference was that her eyes had shifted to their amber color. It may have been hard to pick up on for Jericho if he hadn't been paying attention to that though. However, he would most likely feel her presence start to manifest even more. She continued to strike back against his strikes, bursts of wind and a few sparks meeting each one. She got her footing once more when he backed up, only to see him coming straight for her again. She would do the same, almost in a game of chicken to see just how confident they both were. She raised her blade up to send it down towards him, expecting him to raise his weapon for them to clash in between.
 
As the fight when on and on, Jericho's feeling had become worse and worse. Something was going on, and he needed to find out what. Their weapons were clashing head to head, their strikes being blocked each and every single time. The fight was taking a while, but Jericho needed to get to the bottom of this whole thing. She was trying to kill him, so he had to stop her. He decided that it was time to finally try to end the fight while he could, and knew that if the fight had kept dragging on that it wasn't going to turn out too well. his cane was just an ordinary cane, but in his hands it was quite powerful. It was sad that he actually needed it for some situations.

When their weapons clashed one last time, another wave around them shimmered, and Jericho gritted his teeth, "Okay, little lady. Looks like we are going to have to step it up." He had been noticing her own abilities surfacing, and he had to fight back with necessary force. A dark red aura came over him as a powerful wind shot out from his body, his teeth growing sharper as he eyes began to look more demonic. A powerful red light shone around his cane, and his attacks suddenly became brutal, much more powerful and much faster.
 
With their weapons clashing, the two were locked in a remarkable standoff, neither of them budging in the slightest from their spots. Misaki's arms were trembling like crazy, but she managed to keep her grip tight on the hilt. The slightest slip-up a this point would most likely disarm her. And even if she went to try and shift, there would be enough time for Jericho to finish her before she could really be effective. At this point, Jericho had to have noticed the change with their eyes locked, neither of them planning on backing down just yet. Misaki was determined to carry out her objective after all.

As expected, this battle was carrying out quite a bit. It was new for Misaki, who was so used to eliminating her targets quickly. He was no ordinary demon though. She did not know how to feel about his little comment. She could feel his aura growing even more evident, knowing he was getting serious. As much as possible, Misaki was still trying to avoid shifting. For the demons she had shifted against, she used it as a last resort, knowing her secret could get out if they escaped. She wasn't sure she could take him out so easily if she shifted now. She tried to hold her ground as much as possible, though with the sudden burst of wind, she was easily pushed back, creating a good distance between them. The sudden barrage of attacks caught her a bit off-guard. She was able to raise her blade in time to block off attacks, though the recoil was so great that she was barely able to get her blade up in time. Of course, it caused a great deal of strain on her arm, and her movements were starting to slow down, even leading to one of his attacks piercing her defense and colliding into her chest. She grunted softly as she hit the ground, rolling a good distance before she slowly moved back to her feet. Just one hit felt like many. "Tch...not good..." She raised her blade once more, moving back to her ready stance. Even if it killed her, she'd make sure she took him out.
 
Jericho's attacks weren't random. They were all aiming for her most vital spots, though with a cane he would at most only bruise or break bones. His mind was still obsessed with finding something strange with the whole situation, and he was not trying to kill her. He was just trying to subdue her, hoping that whatever would happen would happen soon. When he felt his cane come into contact with her chest, Jericho was surprised at her resistance, realizing that she was much tougher then she looked. She was quite a human if she was completely human. That demonic pressure was still coming from her, and he still wanted to find out where it came from.

He saw her roll after she had come into contact with the road, his can tapping against the ground again. "There isn't a point to this." Jericho said, his hair starting to look as though it was tensing up because of his power. He was trying to look overpowering, but was still careful about that.
 
Misaki gently gripped at where he had struck her. It certainly felt like something was broken, though she could have expected more, let alone the inability to move without her unique blood. But she would find that over time the pain would subside, as her body was slowly tending to the damage. Unlike Jericho, she was not thinking about the odd circumstances of their fight. Her pride as a hunter rested on this fight and she did not plan on leaving without favorable results. Instead of capitalizing on the hit, Misaki found that Jericho was actually staying where he was, resting the cane gently on the floor as he had before the fight. Was exactly was he trying to do anyway? If he was the demon planning to attack Grand Central, she thought he would do his best to eliminate all potential threats to his mission. His tone of voice did not hint at any boredom, more of confusion. All the same, Misaki did not enjoy it. Their fight was over before it was really over, both combatants still standing and able to continue. And for her, his comment passed off as mocking her. "Damnit! Our fight's not over!" Her voice seemed to boom even louder than she expected, and she hunched over slightly. "Didn't want it to come to this, but I have no choice..." That pressure Jericho felt would feel as though wit were growing at a rapid pace. The next part of her transformation was that her hair, formally coal black was starting to change to a pure white color. And from where Jericho stood, he might have been able to notice that her canines were actually growing in length as well.

"That'll be enough now, Misaki." From over her shoulder, a large lance rushed by, planting itself firmly in the ground between Misaki and Jericho. At that point, Misaki ceased her shift, her hair and eyes returning to normal as she glanced over her shoulder to see what appeared to be her supreme officer, Alrede, coming up behind her. And with him, were a large group of hunters and military. She had not heard anything of backup, even though he was the one to give her this assignment. "S-sir...I thought...this was my mission alone." What worried her also was if anyone else besides him had seen her shifting. He was one of the few who knew about her abilities, thinking that they could definitely come in handy. Alrede looked over to her, an expressionless look on his face. "And it was. I was hoping that you would carry out your duties as well as you had before. Your work as of late has been on the slump, and as we can see, you've even failed to eliminate this one." All the while, most of the hunters and soldiers were surrounding Jericho, with a few staying to accompany Alrede. "The higher-ups are not pleased. They saw you as our ace-card, though at the same time they were cautious of you. Your inefficiency with others is a major concern." Misaki was quick to be on the defensive. "No! Sir, you don't understand...!" "Oh? What is it a don't understand? Are you going against your superiors? You've already racked up a bit of infamy in the guild, one that has everyone questioning what exactly we are to do with you. I'm sure I don't have to explain it." She paused for the moment, not wanting to think it, but could the details of her 'abilities' have been made known? It was always a concern of hers if that happened, as there were sure to be those who would seek her removal immediately. A 'demon', as the rumors went, could potentially turn against them, leading many to avoid her. If that were the case, what exactly did they have planned for her? "N-no...sir..." she muttered, simply lowering her gaze from him. Alrede simply stared before looking over to the group surrounding Jericho. "We have determined that it was an error to send you out now. Your failure comes with severe repercussions. I'll be expecting you to come along quietly." Nodding to the men around him, they went to subdue Misaki, taking her by her arms and getting her at her feet. A couple of the others held their weapons at the ready. Alrede had went to join the group, addressing Jericho now. "It seems we must bring matters into our own hands. All men, prepare for the assault." With that, they all readied their weapons, looking to overwhelm him. While alone they were not quite the challenge that Misaki provided, together they would be just as troublesome.
 
Jericho watched his opponent, feeling the demonic pressure begin to rise within her body. He was a bit impressed by the amount of power she held within herself since it was easily surpassing those of lesser demons, even those who were strong and experienced. He wondered if he was the first elite demon she had ever faced, and then began to think about the amount of demons she could have taken out. Her eyes were showing her will to beat him down, and he would have to increase his own power in order to successfully defeat her. He watched her transformation, her hair changing, as well as her teeth into familiar demon qualities. He had never actually seen a human with demonic energy, and he was fascinated with what was going on.

But when he heard a voice speak behind her, and her transformation stopped, Jericho finally witnessed what he had been waiting for. A large weapon smashed into the concrete before them, making Jericho have to shield his eyes from the incoming debris. Whoever it was who threw that was pretty strong. He listened to their conversations carefully, his eyes narrowing. So that was it...Seems like this had something to do with the demonic energy that she held within. The man who spoke to her seem to be in complete charge, and soon the large group of hunters were surrounding him on all sides, their weapons pointed at him dangerously. Jericho just sighed and scratched his head. This would be a bit troublesome. He had been in a situation like this before...No doubt they were willing to die if they had to. That's what made opponents tough. Jericho then grinned, looking at the man in charge.

"Doing your job for love and peace, then?" Jericho sighed as he shrugged, "If you plan on killing me, you will all be sadly disappointed." His cane tapped onto the ground, his eyes still watching the girl before him. She had such capabilities that she wasn't aware of...and he had a feeling they could be taken away if he didn't do anything.
 
It was likely that Jericho felt a sense of relief, both from having to end the battle with Misaki, and getting some clarification as to the strange feeling he had. Still, Misaki had to have caught his interest, especially when it was rare, if not unheard of for a human to possess these sorts of powers. In her time as a hunter, she came to rely on it in a way, staying in human form but taking advantage of the new qualities she gained. It had gotten her this far after all, but she seemed to come just short now. However, she failed to see that the guild was in fact taking advantage of this power as well, using her to eliminate as much of the enemy forces as she could until they found no reason to use her anymore. After all, they could not dismiss the demon blood in her veins.

Misaki had never once stepped out of line, after all, the hunters' guild had given her somewhere to fit in. It was a place she could use her power for the right reasons, or so she thought. She as still hanging on to the feeling right now: that she had done nothing wrong and was simply doing everything she was told. Alrede kept his professionalism. "But of course. After all, your kind's very existence is a tumor for humanity. We leave you alone enough and you'll spread like wildfire, threatening our very existence. So it falls to us, to remove the problem once and for all." He signaled for the men to aim their weapons, holding off on the fire command for now. "Time to put our work to the test." Signaling for all men to fire, the military readied their firearms. But as they fired, Jericho would notice something was different. They seemed to charge for a moment before firing. They did not send out bullets, rather what appeared to be similar to lightning. The bolts would surround Jericho, wrapping around his body as if they were binding him to the ground. This feeling would be very familiar to him. It would feel very much like demon sorcery. "Surprised? How else to subdue a demon, than to use the powers of one? Thanks to some careful observation of our little friend, we've developed this psuedo-demon magic. It's still quite as effective as the real thing, as I'm sure you've noticed."
 
Jericho stared at the men around him, waiting for them to use their weapons. Jericho often used his demonic powers as sort of a reflective shield, using it as a way to allow perfect protection. He didn't expect the lightening to shoot from the weapons to say the least, and when it wrapped around him like fiery chains, he loud out a painful screech, veins popping as he felt the pain shoot up all around his body. He cursed, becoming completely immobilized, the pain coursing through him like an inferno. It was only a bit before he dropped onto his knees, his hands gripping his cane cane tightly as he felt the powerful energy...He cursed himself for letting the humans do this to him...If he had expected this, it would never have happened. He could barely hear what the man was saying because of the sapping of his power, and he could only glare at him. His eyes were a fierce red, but his true form started to take place since his energy was depleting...It was coming in very slowly, his teeth growing sharper as red energy started to gather on his back, sculpting into what looked like wings. Horns were starting to emerge from his head, his fingers becoming elongated and claws beginning to form.

His eyes found those of his opponent just moments earlier, and he shifted his attention onto her, his ability to speak becoming difficult. "....So what are you going to do?..." He growled, his deep demon voice surfacing. His thought process was slowing, and his body was becoming numb.
 
Misaki lifted her head as she heard the screech ring out. At first she was thinking her commanding officer had somehow taken a blow. If that were the case, it was likely that she would have rushed out to meet Jericho again, even if she would potentially be fired at. She was still devoted to the guild, actually convinced by Alrede that she had done something wrong here. However, she couldn't ignore the fact that those bolts emitting from the firearms looked oddly familiar...

Alrede smirked, for the first time breaking his stoic expression. He seemed a little surprised with how well the weapons were working, but more or less her was satisfied. After all, they had easily subdued one of the strongest demons in their opposition. Even with Jericho slowly shifting to his regular form, Alrede did not look the least bit worried. "You can glare at me all you want. You'll find that nothing good will come out of it. All you can hope at this point is that you die quickly. Unfortunately for you, we do not intend for that to happen. After this development, who knows what sorts of things we can make with your abilities as well? The least we could do is extract some of those abilities and put them to good use. Wouldn't you agree? Afterwards, we'll have no use for you, so we'll have to eliminate you."

Misaki's brow twitched slightly. Something about Alrede's comment just now did not sit well with her. As far as she was concerned, he had yet to officially dismiss her from the mission. Jericho was her target still, and she'd be damned if anyone was going to get rid of him. At the same time, she recalled where the bolts were from. Those bolts came from her powers. She had not been able to control those properly, but they seemed to have found out how to use them. So they were going to get rid of her but use her powers? That did not sit very well with her. She had done her best service with the best of intentions, and yet they wished to dispose of her now. If they were to end her services, then she no longer acted under them. Her katana had been confiscated, but she wouldn't really need that to dispatch a few rookie grunts. With the two distracted, it didn't take her very long to disarm one of them, using their own weapons against them before disposing of the gun. She had never been one for long-range combat anyway. Seeing that she wasn't being attended to, a good handful of some gunmen quickly surrounded her, readying their guns at her. Without a weapon, it seemed helpless, but unfortunately for these men, they would find themselves at the disadvantage. "All those men for one helpless girl huh? I can see the military is quite proud of its work." "All men, fire at will!" The command rang out, and soon the whole group was releasing a barrage of bullets on Misaki. However, the soldiers would find that their bullets had stopped short of their target, mere centimeters from striking her skin. The hung in the air, surrounded in what appeared to be a strong red aura, a little similar to Jericho's before. Misaki's hair had once again changed to white, her eyes amber, and her canines sharp. She had not finished her shift before, and nothing would stop her now. To follow up, the large wolf ears and tail soon took form as well, completing her shift.

Misaki's pressure had increased significantly now that she had shifted. Even so, she was without a weapon, snd the guild did not provide much training in hand-to-hand. "Fire! Open fire!" Again, she was fired upon, the bullets actually hitting this time but bouncing off her skin. For her, it would feel as though a bunch of small rocks had been thrown at her. They stung a little, but not enough to subdue her. She gritted her teeth slightly as she lunged at one, dropping in low before sending her body up into his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him rolling a good distance. She hunched low, really low, almost on all fours. Those who knew of her true power referred to her as the 'Demon Wolf', and there was a lot true about that. As they continued to fire, she actually charged at them, moving across the ground at incredible speed on all fours. While the human body was not structured to move in such a manner, she did so effortlessly. She sent a clawed hand at a couple more, and while no claws were visible, the cuts were deep against the soldiers uniforms. Choosing to ignore them for now, she focused on the weapons utilizing her abilities. That would be the first thing to get rid of. Still, even if she got rid of those, she bet they had more. Her defiance had caught the attention of Alrede, who looked ready to fight her himself. They both went for each other, but instead of meeting him head on, she easily worked around him, targeting those holding Jericho down. Slowly but surely, she started to get at the individual soldiers, taking them out and snapping the weapons easily. Some of the ones holding Jericho changed to fire at her, lessening the pressure put on him. The bolts seemed to affect her somewhat, but she was not put down yet. After all, it was her power to begin with. But as she took one out, one would come to take his place. She did not take care of the soldiers, but focused on their weapons.
 
Jericho felt a pressure build up in his chest as he winced, the pressure starting to mess up his heartbeat. He seethed, watching the scene that was starting to unfold before him. He saw her begin to change, and his mind began to ponder again. He had felt the same power coming from those weapons coming from her, and wondered if they somehow managed to leach off of her to obtain those. He guessed that she was shifting out of anger maybe because they would dispose of her later..Or maybe because of the fact they practically used her. Either way, he sensed that he would soon have an opening, his power slowly rising even though it was being completely let down. He needed his chance.

And then it came. He saw the girl shift into her demonic form, snarling and beginning to attack. That was what he needed. He watched as they fired upon her, her own demonic abilities stopping the bullets the first time. He saw them bounce off her skin a second time, waiting patiently for his chance. And when some of the soldiers shooting Jericho with the beams turned to her, he had his moment. His power rose dramatically, and with a light tap of his cane on the road, there was a massive tremor that shook the entire road, enough to make the men lose their aim to try and seal off his ability. With that, his transformation stopped and he had been back in his human form.

"....That hurt..." Jericho sighed, cracking his neck, "Good warm up though." The soldiers then pointed their weapons at him, attempting to seal him again. "Not gonna work a second time." The demon spoke, thrusting his hand forward. Before the soldiers could fire, his demonic energy shot out at them, engulfing a few soldiers in pure black flame that began to burn them painfully. And then he shot forward, his energy propelling him. Red energy gathered around his cane and made contact with one of the soldiers, launching him into a nearby tree, creating a bit of a mess. Before the other soldiers could retaliate, a large burst of energy fired around him, smashing and propelling the soldiers away and having them painfully bounce against he demolished road.
 
Misaki glanced over her should briefly to see a good number of the soldiers around Jericho being taken care of. She was still conflicted what to do really at this point. Most of all, she was feeling betrayed. The people she had worked and grown with over many years were suddenly trying to get rid of her, despite her work. And because of her abilities, she was seen as a threat. It was nothing more than a mere rumor started by the lower ranks, and now it had risen to such a ridiculous level. She had been loyal to the hunters' guild over the years and was still a hunter at heart, but she would not accept any sort of punishment without justification. On the other hand, her latest mission was not complete. All of her tasks assigned had been completed without fail, and this would be the first. Her sights were still on Jericho, but for the moment, they were fighting a common enemy.

Her attention shifted to Alrede, who had already received his polearm. Despite the circumstances, it may have actually been a bad idea to come at him right now. In observing her, he would likely be one step ahead of Misaki in a fight. He'd probably be able to mimic her every move even. The best thing to do at this point was take out everyone else. And with the way things were looking, that wouldn't be much longer. If they weren't dead, they'd be beat up pretty bad with numerous broken bones. The last of the men with enchanted weapons were quickly disposed of, with a good handful of the others starting to retreat, along with Alrede, who did not look the least bit pleased. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. We had at least planned to silence you quickly. You can't expect any mercy now with the whole guild coming for you." Then again, she could just as easily head right back to Grand Central to get rid of them, but that would not really help anything. Letting them go would allow them time to recuperate for the next attack, along with spreading the news of her dismissal and betrayal. So she was set to be a villain either way. She said nothing in response to him, simply going to retrieve her katana from the man who confiscated it, now holding his stomach and writhing on the ground. Surely they'd have more come to at least tend to those still alive, so it'd be best to leave, but where to?

With the men already heading back, Misaki started to turn back, her unique features disappearing and her pressure calming down to how it was before. "Ha..." A little sigh left her lips. It was almost as though her own pressure was weighing her down and all of it was lifted off her shoulders at that point. Of course, all was not well. In going against the guild, she made herself much like a criminal on the run, now a target to the guild. "A demon huh...? I suppose they got their wish..." It would be annoying to have to come across those same men later on. She sent a calm glare over to Jericho, who seemed to be finishing up on his end. As expected, they stood no chance. What to do about him was in question now. She was still planning on claiming his life, but recent events were making her think it over. The way he acted earlier probably wasn't because of her persistence. It was like something was on his mind beforehand. If she was still going to try and fight him, she'd at least get some answers first.
 
Jericho's cane hit the ground lightly, his weight leaning against it. The bodies of soldiers, whether they were alive or dead, were scattered around him amongst the demolished road, with cracks and craters decorating it. After he had been released from that strange attack, the men he was fighting became weak and terrified...typical humans, even if they were hunters. After all, not many hunters had really seen a high class demon like himself, and not many of them would live to tell the tale. He sighed lightly, shaking his head, his messy black hair curling around his eyes. He felt a glare from the girl who had helped him, and looked back at her. He began to wonder what she wanted to do now that she had been utterly betrayed. Her own comrades and friends just turned on her, and she had no allies.

"Well, aren't you in a little predicament?..." Jericho sighed, scratching the back of his head, "That goes without saying." He wasn't in any fighting stance, nor did he have any killing intent. He was not wanting to fight again, but would if she would push him to. From what he saw, it didn't look like they had a reason to fight since they were both being chased by the same enemies. "What are you going to do?" He repeated to her, putting more weight on his cane as he looked at her.
 
Misaki picked up on the gentle tapping of Jericho's cane. Even if they were rookies, she could see that he really was not someone to mess with. The gruesome scene with all the bodies almost made her want to get right out of there. In any case, he showed no intention of fighting her right now, and for the moment, she didn't feel like it either. As for hunters that were fortunate enough to survive against him, Misaki would most likely be the first. Surprisingly, her expression hadn't changed much from when Jericho first ran into her. Even so, she was still feeling rather hurt from being thrown out like that. It would take her a while to get over it.

"You don't sound that surprised." she muttered. He had already picked up on her pressure earlier, so he at least could tell she wasn't an ordinary human. There was still a lot she didn't know about her abilities, but he may have known something. She was conflicted on whether to ask him about that right now though. "Hmph. Hard to say. Can't be going back anytime soon. Even if I have some favor with a majority of the citizens, it won't be long for news of my 'betrayal' to spread. With my dismissal, I really have no reason to be after your life. At the moment, there's nothing left for me to do but avoid the guild as long as I can. Still, I can't let them do as they please if they are trying to use my abilities..."
 
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