Xibalba

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Aruna groaned as she felt his wrinkled old hands squeeze her nose.  Closing her eyes, she made a noise that sounded like an injured chipmunk.  What was going on?  He would normally be talking by now, something, anything.  Wha-

Oh... you can't speak.

Aruna burst out into a barely controlled giggle.  Ah it hurts to laugh.  So who finally shut you up?

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

He crossed his arms and looked away, pouting. I got a little carried away, thank the boss. Hmph, not funny. It hurt quite a lot, and was hardly a pleasant experience for anyone involved. It was good though, so she could receive and transmit at the same time. It meant this whole thing was a success. To a degree, anyways.

Isn't it cruel? I cannot even sing a requiem for the fallen. He got up and wiped a tear from his eye. Truthfully, now that they were up close, she could notice just how massive he was. It was like a bear, built like a wall in every sense of the word. And that wall was grinning at her right now.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Faced with that impossibly huge body, Aruna became aware of just how small she is now.  Still staring up at him from the ground, it was hard not to feel vulnerable, her now soft eyes staring into his.  Since when do you have a master? she thought. What in heaven do you even want?

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

He put a thumb to his chin and pondered a bit, looking and acting the part of the dorkish little lamb. When he looked like he finally figured something out, he just put his hands to his hips and turned his back on her, watching over the city. From looking at his huge, exposed back, one couldn't help but think he were looking down on her. Like how a wolf only rolls on its back against those he feels comfortable around.

He liked Aruna. For what she was, anyways. Its why he didn't mind telling her.

Ever felt homesick?

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The redheaded girl stared blankly at the old man, her body finally relaxing as they began to talk.  The question made her realize just how hard it was to be stuck in human world without being able to return to the demon one.  Normally, she could use her portal spell to travel between worlds, but it did not work here for whatever reason.  Therefore, she was stuck, unable to return home.

Yeah I get homesick...

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

You know, homesickness doesn't actually have anything to do with such feelings.

Was he smiling? Or was his expression something else? Even if she could observe his soul, it was difficult to tell. He raised his hand and conjured living darkness- old world organisms... the void of his creation. Slowly, so slowly, he shaped these masses around like water being displaced. Zeke played with such a thing, embraced it.

Enjoyed it.

Something you can't get no matter how much you wish for it. Things that will never come back. Things you can't find anywhere anymore. It's a vain and deep longing for such things. To me... it is hope.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Are you saying im yearning for something?

The redheaded stared back at the man.  There was a hole in his soul, one that he was filling with something.  That woman wasn't the only one.  Countless souls swam around in the mass that was Ezekeial.  No, it was more orderly than that.  What he was now was pedestrians crossing a street rather than an unruly mob.  To think that their battle made him like this.  All she ever did was ponder her actions, seek to make sense of the light and dark, but he wasn't really thinking about that was he?  No that false demon had no time for it, instead using all his energy to move beyond what he is now.

Maybe she should do the same.

No your saying you do right?  You speak of things, but what are you looking for?

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

Now there wasn't even need to spell it out. All that was needed was the same cocky grin as ever, and a finger pointing straight at Aruna.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Me?

The demon stared at the old man, grinning like a madman with his finger practically pointing at her face.  The redheaded girl began to chant, her lips moving, but no words coming out.  You mean?  Are you going to absorb me too?  Or... do you want me to make you more whole again?

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

...

He looked shocked and surprised at her for a second, then only an inch away from laughing at her again. But he'd do neither. Zeke simply shook his head, crossed his arms and smiled cordially at the demon. It was sudden. He was already stretching the black, angel-like wings wide enough to eat the sky whole. This was plain and obvious. Why else would he spare a welp like that?

Starting now, I'm going to train you anew.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

What?

Aruna stopped chanting mid spell, realizing he was 100% serious.  Then, she continued chanting just for good measure, finally finishing her spell and laying the area with portals.  But your magic and mine, its similar but different.  Besides... you understand the light about as much as I do, that's what I need to learn.

Perhaps she should have not been so quick to turn down that human from before.  Even a human mage could teach something.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

Nope. DARKNESS

If she were green as a grasshopper against him, that might work. But he already faced Aruna twice, that current timing was second to him. The moment before the spell finished, his eye glowed black. Darkness flared and absorbed the foundations of that spell. Zeke snuffed it out. It never even saw the light of day... how sad.

Don't try to fool an old man with the same tricks. As she was right now, she was worthless.

Not at all. I understand just fine. That's a grace, right?

[yinsukin]

Aruna

"Yeah..."

Truthfully, she wouldn't have remembered to call it that, but the second he used that term, that voice flashed into her mind.  It was a grace, whatever that meant.  "And what do you know about it?"

Weird, she had never seen him use that power.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Zeke

I know enough. I'm the original prototype after all. He cracked his neck and stretched, grinning wildly at her. His words were utterly insane, in fact just talking about that was insane in the first place. But it made sense. After all, before God created anything, there was nothing. Whatever Zeke was, it predated concepts such as heaven or hell.

Whatever connection he had to it, it must have been why her grace throbbed so much back when they both went all out.

Hmm... it smells familiar too... oh, don't tell me! Did you steal it from that old stickler? Hmmmm... He scratched his head and looked away, trying to remember. It was almost comical, he looked like he was full of openings and his guard was as low as it got.

Ma... Ma... Mael! That's right! He paused. When he glanced back at Aruna, his grin was as wild as the worst of demons. It was a cruel grin. You killed him like a dog, didn'tcha?

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Aruna's eyes turned bright red, glaring at him from the ground.  Then, it subsided, before turning her head away and said, "Yeah...  I did.  This power is mine now, but I don't know how to use it."

At last, she returned her gaze to him.  "So then prove it.  What can I do with this?"