A Devil’s Temptation(Whitebrand & Tigra9)

[tigra9]

It was the middle of the night, nobody was out and about at this time of night in the middle of a small town but under one of the street lights that flickered where there had been nobody suddenly a little girl appeared standing there alert but composed as she looked at the man standing some distance down the street and she started walking over to him “so you found the one you mentioned was disturbing your work?” The girl asked with a mature tone that this at most 9 year old child shouldn’t have. In terms of clothing she was wearing the towns elementary school uniform a cute little white long sleeve shirt tucked into a knee length black and red plaid skirt, a pair of black children’s uniform shoes and long black socks, the most standout part of the girls appearance had to be her hair and eyes, her hair was a shining silver that had been done up into pigtails and her eyes were a matching silver as she reached the man who towered over her and was wearing a brown business suit

The man who had short auburn brown hair, was clean shaven, and had brown eyes looked down at the girl “Yes lady Lena, I spoke to the master to see if you could come because I’m actually quite perplexed on how to handle this particular one”

‘Lena’ tilted her head with a stumped look but would follow him as he started to lead the way “your stumped? Does this person have some circumstances that would prevent you just capturing them or eliminating them?” She asked calmly and rather casually for a child.

The man looked at her “In fact yes Lady Lena… but it’s more then just the circumstances but also I’m… not really keen on killing a child” he ignored the perplexed look shot in his direction and just turned down an alley, it was surprisingly clean and besides the single large trash can held nothing else in it, but the alley was merely a shortcut as they arrived just a little ways down from a bridge that lead over the small river that ran through the town and he stepped up to the grass hill that lead down to the river banks and pointed towards the bridge “they are below that bridge, they sleep there but I’ve never been able to get closer then this without them running off” he said looking at Lena

Lena blinked listening to him and frowned hearing all that and nodded not needing to confirm her thoughts, she was currently dressed like she was at his request after all but she would put the backpack she carried for show on her back and started walking making her way first down the hill then calmly along the small pathway that the grass formed naturally towards the bridge, it was dark and the moon was partially covered by clouds but that didn’t bother the young girls vision as she could clearly see even now that there was a couple of large boxes being used as a makeshift shelter, though she would come to a stop at the edge just before she would be under the bridge and frowned as she looked down at strips of paper on the ground “hmm… this is the character for warding?” She was learning to write and read Japanese but she was still quite new to it and wasn’t fully certain on it, but her guess was helped in its accuracy by the feeling she got, most humans would feel the urge to go around instead of entering but for a Devil like this little girl the barrier gave her the feeling of danger and risked harming her if she tried to force herself past.

After a short time debating in her head the little girl would call out “Hello!?”

[Whitebrand]

A mound of trash shifted behind her. An old man emerged, looking very much like the garbage he had been napping under. He blinked blearily at the child.

"Shouldn't be here, kid," he said in a gravelly voice. "Big cat in there. Panther or sommat. You go home."

He returned yo his warm spot almost immediately, simply assuming the girl would do as he said. He was too tired and drunk to do anything else.

He had also served his purpose as an alarm system, apparently. Human hearing might have missed it, but Lena's ears picked up the subtle sounds of stealthy movement away from her.

Whatever was in that alley, it had left its shelter and was already trying to escape.

[tigra9]

(Their at the bridge and it’s basically an open area as there was a street for vehicles between the buildings and the grass hill)

Lena looked over at the guy that had his under several thick blankets that to human eyes in this half light would give the illusion of a pile of trash and said nothing as he left, he could easily slip from the blankets around the corner out of her sight but she just sighed. ‘No matter how I look though I sense only a person…’ she mused mentally to herself and then sensing movement inside the boxes she calmly stepped over the tags wincing as she was assailed by a brief electricity, enough to drop a normal human on the spot, but she came out of it still conscious and standing, it’s not like it didn’t have an effect though as she stood there for a breath as she tried to adjust her demonic power to cleanse the pain she was feeling “holy attribute? Mixed in with the Shinto barrier” she analyzed rather quickly, the barrier was quite the deterrent but she understood immediately after coming in contact that the owner of this seal was the one in the boxes and they were immature in ability.

Lena also knew they would be alerted she wasn’t human too so she spoke up “don’t worry I don’t mean you harm, to be honest I heard about you from one of my brothers associates and he asked me to come speak to you… what’s your name? Mine is Vladilena, though you can just call me Lena” she said in a calm and cheerful voice letting her inner self show, as a Devil business was important and for the Erigos family Vladilena hailed from duty was especially important, but Lena already a few months form actually turning 9 already knew there was a time for the strict business mindset she had been forced to adopt and the casual child side of her she showed now which was her real personality outside of business.

[Whitebrand]

She was crouched in a shadow. Her pale skin was covered with grime. Black cat ears on her head were flat to her head. She small enough to wear a dark pillowcase stained with dirt and stains. She was crouched protectively over a few bags of fast food...presumably scrounged from somewhere.

Her tail lashed in agitation. If the adult had come down she certainly would have been gone. Green eyes narrowed as she stared at Lena. She knew a threat when she saw one. The only reason she was still there was the food.

[tigra9]

Lena paused tilting her head as she finally saw the food and after putting a finger to her chin in thought she held her hand up as a magic circle formed above her fingers and after a brief shine a plate with breaded fish on it appeared and she stepped forward two large for her steps though she was still a distance from the boxes the cat girl was staying in, set it down, then backed away to her original position. She didn’t say a word but she suspected her actions spoke loud enough for themselves

Lena waited for a good bit before finally speaking “I don’t intend to hurt you, and though I know little of onmyo techniques you clearly placed that barrier for keeping people out, but I don’t think it will be enough for you to protect yourself much longer” she didn’t know this girls circumstances but her current conditions were clear when those tags ran out of power the cat girl wouldn't be able to replace them easily

[Whitebrand]

The girl gave Lena a feral sounding growl...until the smell of the fish caught her. She slowly crept out of the shadow and approached the fish. She sniffed at its suspiciously.

Tears of relief and gratitude began to well up in her eyes. Despite her hunger she didn't take the food. Yet. She wanted to, but she felt herself starting to cry. This one act of kindness seemed to break a wall in her. It had been so long since anyone had reached out to her...

She grabbed the fish and bit into it. The tears flowed even more fiercely. She devoured the fish hungrily until there were only bones left. With food on her belly at last, she began to bawl like the frightened little girl she was. She couldn't stop, couldn't bring herself to retreat to safety.

[tigra9]

Lena seeing the girl begin crying just stood there and waited, when she finished and just sat there Lena stepped forward and knelt down hugging the cat girl gently “are you ok?” She didn’t mind the fact the girl smelled a bit, she figured the girl had only had dips in the water at best for a bath judging by her state but she simply held the girl and waited for the girl to calm down before letting go “can you tell me your name? As I said before my name is Vladilena Eligos”

Once the cat girl answered the man from the other side of the barrier spoke “Lady Lena, we have a bit of an issue” he was looking across the river where a group of people were standing, it was hard to make out more then their shadows but for the two devils they could clearly make out the Shinto priest and priestess clothing

Lena after narrowing her eyes blinked and frowned “onmyoji?” She commented in more a questioning manner

[Whitebrand]

"Mama just called me Neko-chan," she sniffled, not seeing the people as she leaned on Lena. "Mei. My name is Mei."

When the man spoke up, though, her tail bristled and she tensed up again. She glared at him until her attention was drawn by Lena's gaze.

[tigra9]

The man shifted his weight as there was a flash then Mei’s barrier just burst apart with the sound of all the tags tearing and burning away the man quickly moving to stand in front of Lena and mei a katakama yari type spear suddenly in his hand, he clearly kept his back towards the young girls as the figures shifted their formation followed by a bunch of birds swarming towards the trio “tch shikigami huh?”

Lena spoke “Yukimura don’t kill them”

The man, Yukimura smiled “heh, if that’s your command my princess then I shall refrain from dirtying my spear with their blood, such is my pride as Sanada Yukimura” at that moment he took a stance with his spear and vanished with only the splashes of the water from his footsteps telling the girls which way he went, the bird shikigami? Falling to the water’s surface after looking like they had been ran through a shredder

Lena just pulled mei back into a protective hug even as she didn’t take her eyes off the group across the river “Mei… no matter what you do don’t leave my side ok? You will be safer beside me then running away right now” at that an armor formed over her tiny body and a massive sword stabbed into the ground, it was nearly twice as long as the nearly 9 year old Lena was and so the hand she was holding it with just had it leaned greatly and was simply pressed against the side of the blade though she quickly shifted it to lay it down and gripped the handle

Once across the river Yukimura would sigh as he stared at the onmyoji dressed in simple priest and priestess garb, judging by their outfit colors which denotes their rank and importance there was the leader who was a medium rank, then the rest were of the lowest rank “well now, is there some reason you all are attacking us unprovoked? I would carefully think your answer through friend, we may stand on Shinto soil but my charge and the girl she is with is on Devil territory” he said relaxing the shaft of his spear across his shoulders casually looping his arms around it, he was fast enough he wasn’t worried about being able to strike first at this distance, especially given the fact all the humans in front of him were well within the zone he could slaughter foes in easily.

[Whitebrand]

Mei at first wanted to dart away and hide, but Lena's hold on her was too strong. She instead clung to the girl even when her weapon appeared. She stared as he male companion faced off with the intruders.

[tigra9]

Lena stayed there holding mei, the grip was gentle but comparing the fully healthy Lena against the cat girl who had barely eaten much for some time put a great deal of space between their strength barring any other factors

Yukimura after speaking to the people at length finally returned to the girls once again crossing the river at a speed that couldn’t be followed by sight and he put away his spear the figures clearly turning and leaving “sorry to force your hand like this little one” he waited for Lena to let mei go “they mentioned they would only give up their pursuit of you under the agreement I or the young princess takes you under our personal care”

Lena blinked letting mei go and letting her sword and armor disappear as yukimura returned and told them what he learned frowning “why the hell would they be after her in the first place?!”

Yukimura shrugged “all their leader would say on that matter is it’s family business and if we wanted to know more this girl could tell… though he only referred to her as a stain on his bloodline” he shrugged “regardless we should go somewhere less… defenseless”

Lena was clearly not satisfied with the answer but she stood and held her hand out for mei “let’s leave the discussion about what you choose for later mei, for now would you be willing to come with us? You can get more good food like what I gave you a moment ago”

[Whitebrand]

Mei stared from the strange man to the girl and back. The offer of food, however, tipped the balance. She silently nodded her head. She was tired and weak, and the gesture of kindness had touched her to the core.

[tigra9]

Lena would try to help mei up but when mei stumbled Lena caught her and smiled rubbing her back

Yukimura sighed scooping mei up in a princess carry “guess we are all getting a bath after we get home”

Lena hearing yukimura’s comment puffed up her cheeks “Hey! And what’s that supposed to mean?!” She asked annoyed as she followed him when he started walking away.

The pair walked out from under the bridge then took flight as a pair of black wings extended from their backs, yukimura keeping a good grip on mei and Lena petting her head a bit though when she looked at yukimura she did keep pouting since he didn’t answer. After flying halfway across the town they would land in front of a nice white two story house, this was on the better side of town but Lena after retrieving a key from yukimura’s pocket unlocked the front door and the group went inside with yukimura then setting mei down

“I’ll go draw the bath for you girls, food will come after the bath and Lena you help her alright?” Yukimura said as he walked down the hallway past the stairs that lead up to the second floor.

Lena nodded as she stood by mei and began undoing the bands in her hair, or atleast tried to as she found herself struggle “the heck kind of hair tie did mom use?!”

The outside of the house was a nice middle class style Japanese home but the inside was closer to high class, the entry way the girls were in was kept clean, yukimura had removed his shoes as was proper Japanese etiquette before walking along the hardwood flooring hallway, the stairs were straight ahead but there was also the dining area off through an open door to the right, and it seemed like the living room was to the left, the walls were painted white but there were pictures of landscapes decorating the hallway opposite of the stairs, the door to the bathroom seemed to be behind the stairs a distance judging by where yukimura disappeared.

“Oww oww owww…” Lena would shortly complain, if mei looked she would see Lena’s fingers tangled in the band of her left pigtail, it looked like it was the simple type to remove but clearly Lena was not used to these given she got her one hand tangled in it “why the heck is this so hard? Mother put them both on in two seconds”

[Whitebrand]

The catgirl remained completely passive up until this moment. Timidly she reached out and gave the stubborn band a tug. The tangle unraveled easily and the girl's silver hair came free at last.

She repeated the gesture with the other pigtail. She found herself starting at the strangely colored hair. The way it shimmered.

[tigra9]

Lena blinked as mei easily did what she had failed too though it took her a few seconds she shook her head then ran her hands across her hair to force what had fallen atop her shoulders back behind her head, it reached just a little ways down her back but she smiled “thank you mei” she then blushed scratching her cheek embarrassed “I’m not used to my hair being tied up like that at all, though I can manage if it’s braided into a bun in the back”

“Girls the bath is ready for you! I’ll go get some spare clothing for her princess so can you help her?” Yukimura called from the bathroom entrance “oh and remember wash off before you get in the tub princess”

Lena looked and smiled “alright” at the reminder how to bathe Japanese style she puffed up her cheeks “I know that much!” She then sighed as yukimura went up the stairs and after taking a deep breath and a calming exhale she looked at mei holding her hand out “well then shall we go? I can lend you my shoulder if you need it”

[Whitebrand]

Mei didn't really needs to lean on Lena but she clung to her anyway. She didn't know what was going to happen to her. She was a half-Yokai. A monster as far as her own kin were concerned.

In the bath the catgirl reluctantly shed her pillowcase, keeping her back to Lena.

[tigra9]

Lena smiled and walked with Mei once in the changing room before the bath started undressing herself, at the very least she could kinda manage her own clothes though she did briefly struggle with her skirt. Once she was fully stripped she lead mei in past the sliding door that lead into the bath area proper and she motioned to the little seat “you first mei, I’ll wash you” she turned on the water and grabbed the shower head playing with the head setting until she got its softest one and she then stepped around behind Mei crouching and holding the shower head so the water could run along the cat girls back.

Lena once she got started asked “so Mei, can you tell me about yourself?” She behind mei’s back moved a finger in a circular motion in the air making a tiny magic circle for the purpose of recording what all was said before she got to gently wiping her hand along mei’s back, she wasn’t going to use one of the washcloths for mei.

[Whitebrand]

"Mei is a monster," the girl said. "Mama was a magician. A youkai she was chasing hurt her. Made her pregnant with Mei. She...kept Mei. Taught Mei. But family always saw Mei as a monster. Hated Mei.

"They came for Mei. Hurt mama. Hunted Mei. Mei ran. Hid. Days. Weeks. No one help. 'Cause Mei is a monster."

She began to tear up again, her shoulders starting to shake.

[tigra9]

Lena listened and frowned she already knew how children was born and felt there was more to mei’s birth then just that but said nothing about it as that wouldn’t change anything “is that so? But I don’t think Mei is a monster” she smiled and stood walking around to in front of mei and let her wings out “look at me… I’m a pure blood devil, I may look human but not a single cell of me is” she crouched again “and I even have a sacred gear, something only humans can be born with because it was passed to me. As a result I’m something of an outcast as the story of me getting it is kept fairly quiet” she blinked her silver eyelashes glimmering in the light just like her hair did

Lena would finish washing mei off, after thoroughly rinsing mei off she had switched to using some soap and her hand to clean mei being careful not to aggravate Mei’s skin to much and also paying attention to cleaning mei’s hair with shampoo. She did have to wash mei’s hair four times to finally get all the dirt and grime out of it but when she was finally done she grabbed the sponge and rinsed her back first before offering the sponge to mei “can you wash my back please? And I want you to think on answering something for me after you’ve had a chance to eat and sleep in a bed ok?” She looked back at mei as she waited for mei to start washing her back, Lena had turned off the water again since she wasn’t using it that second “you are now either mine or Yukimura’s responsibility in return for them no longer chasing you, I want you to decide do you want to stay with me and become mine? Or do you want to stay with yukimura and work for him.” She got a serious look to her face “your needs will be seen to either way but if you choose to follow me I will one day make you a Devil like myself and you will need to dedicate everything you have and will have to me, you’ll become my servant for me to lead and do with as I please” she bowed her head having looked forward as she spoke “give it some thought, I don’t want an answer that isn’t certain, because if you follow me you will not be able to turn away from the life my path will lead you down.”

Vladilena knew well her words sounded like an ultimatum but there was no other way she could think to word it. While mei cleaned her back though she would set to working on the rest of herself including her hair which was much easier to clean then mei’s had been.

[Whitebrand]

Mei used a gentle touch on Lena's back, afraid of offending or scratching her.

"Yukim...Yuki...big man is scary," she said. "Mei has nowhere to go. Mei will stay with Lena."

The catgirl, despite her age, still used baby talk...possibly an affectation to make her appear less threatening to her skin. She could probably be trained out of it once she felt more secure.