[king]

He could smell it.

It had rained not too long ago and the sensation of that water rippling across his scales wasn’t lost on him. The tickling motions of the droplets had also lain the groundwork to his hunt. Many animals around here gave off different scents if they got wet. A defense mechanism meant to scare off or attract certain groups. The larger and more pungent the smell usually was meant to scare away predators. “There are many” is what they would say.

To him that was exactly what he wanted; that there would be many. His footsteps brought with it the crushing weight behind them, a soft rumbling in the forest as he made his way towards where his nose led him. He was glad the scent of the city was far off, a bus had come and gone through here and nearly made him gag. It spitting out the scent of carbon, concrete and hundreds if not thousands of other stenches.

The crunch of a log underfoot brought him to reality again and his head turned this way or that. He could smell the fear of small creatures; the ones that didn’t even register as a snack to him. What he was really looking for… was a family of deer. He could smell the older ones, designed in such a way to let the youth survive were they to perish.

His eyes dragged around the area and he eventually found what he was looking for. A pair of deer and a single child that were all frozen in terror. Staring at him. The youth shot away while the parents seemed to try to figure out what he was doing. Growling a bit he’d move forward.

The male tried to stand and fight him, much to his mirth. The horns of the buck barely even scratching his scales. Fight or flight and flight would win out on the female deer. He had already dedicated a little bit of effort here. Setting a limb on it’s back and pushing down hard. He felt the bones crack underneath his weight and strength. Gritting his teeth and setting forward to enjoying his kill.

Many beasts here felt to challenge him regardless of his size, it made hunting easy sometimes. You’d think that since he was nearly two stories tall and well over seventy some feet long that natural creatures would get the warning signs. But it was because he still ‘felt’ human to them. When he was so far removed from the fact that he might as well be a wild animal now…

[Nanashi Kishi]

Nanashi Kishi

Japanese Special Assault Team

The gunsmith

king | 555 | notes

"So the rumors were true. There IS something stalking this land."

This- this was strange. Being surprised. He'd been hunting by scent, he should have smelled her, COULDN'T have NOT- right? He could smell her just fine, now. The smell of-

Huh. Damp earth. Torn roots. Exposed stone, groundwater. Had she travelled underground to get here? It'd explain the lack of smell that preceded this woman. Blonde, blue-eyed, plenty of meat on her bones- and not an ounce of fear in her eyes. She was here for a reason, and she exuded an absolute confidence that SHE was the predator, here. Even face to face with a monster.

He could smell metal on her, but an odd metal. Not oiled, or worked, just- pure metal. The scent was faint but all over her, and her hands, gloved though they were, did seem a touch out of proportion with the rest of her body.

"You realize how much trouble you've made for yourself by attacking all those fat cat business interests?" Pause. "Wait, do you speak Japanese? Or am I just wasting my time talking in the first place?"

Gimme a reason! It don't gotta be a good one.

Template by: Monkey

[king]

A flick of the ear and he’d pull his head back up, green eyes sweeping around and… He was surprised to find that something had snuck up on him. Or rather had approached him so blatantly. That something had been a human. How could he have missed the fact that she was nearby? Nostrils flaring and his expression changed briefly to that of concern, confusion and then curiosity.

Damp earth. Torn roots. Exposed stone. Groundwater.

Traveling through water would cleanse her of city smells and sticking around in the area would hide her scent true. A brutal sort of understanding that who he was staring at was smart. The confidence and stature of the one of in front of him was a mix of curious and concerning to him. His size was a detriment to many predators but… It didn’t even seem to phase her.

There was a little bit of anger at first but the scent of metal brought about a cruel understanding. It was likely at least to him that she was armed in some capacity. Which meant… Firearms. She had come protected in some manner and he wasn’t exactly the fastest thing on four legs.

The recent kill still hung in the air and the metal tang of it lay heavy. He’d breathe out slowly; acting rashly here wasn’t the answer even if every pore of his body screamed that he should attack. His fight or flight response was more the former than the latter. But the ball of instincts that was his body was telling him: Be careful.

”Talk. Listen.”

His voice was deep, gravely, strained. Like speaking even a single word of the bothersome language was either beneath him or painful. He’d adjust a little bit; his eyes squinting and the rhythm of his body was interrupted by agitation. Turning slowly to full come around. His body between him and his kill.

She wasn’t here for that clearly. But he couldn’t help it. He didn’t like the smell of people; he didn’t like them coming into his territory or around him. But he had to be careful. Drawing back his lips; the next thing that he was showing was a mouth full of fangs.

”What. Want?”

[Nanashi Kishi]

Nanashi Kishi

Japanese Special Assault Team

The gunsmith

king | 555 | notes

She waited, patiently, for him to mull over the details of the situation. He didn't try to fight her, which was lucky for one of them- she'd like to think him, but she wasn't under any illusion of immortality. As he seemed to put things together, she smiled faintly, giving him the time he needed. He was, after all, mostly correct in his assessment... mostly.

She wasn't relying on firearms just now.

"Awesome, you do understand me. That's great." Kishi nodded sagely, pleased with the discovery. "Alright, so I want to make sure we're on the same page. First off- you seem to want to be left the fuck alone. I get that. But it's not gonna drive off attention- it's just gonna bring more, and more dangerous attention."

She hooked her hands behind her head. "Like me. But I'm not on the clock, so I'm not here to harrass you. I'm here to help make sure I don't get sent out here to fuck with you. So tell me something. What -exactly- do you want? Just to keep people out of your territory? To fuck up as many shitty corporate lackeys as possible? What's your angle?"

Gimme a reason! It don't gotta be a good one.

Template by: Monkey

[king]

It was like watching the gears in someones head turn very slowly, kings brain was a bundle of instincts and very little of it was meant for communication. At least. Thanks to the constant destruction of it his patience frequently was very thin and he was mostly focused on defense and hunting. But something in his eyes betrayed what intellect he did have. Even if it wasn’t vocal this hunter had survived for years out here.

His claws dug grooves into the ground and he felt like he needed to move around, pace. Keep himself active, but something was telling him that was unwise. Something was telling him that moving around too much would be bad. His ears flicked and he’d cock his head slowly to one side, nearly brushing against the trunk of a tree.

”. . .Want. To. Hunt.”

His rumbling voice eased out after she spoke, after she asked so many questions and so many words. He’d adjust a little bit and slowly sit on his haunches. Much like a dog or much smaller animal would. It seemed to make him bigger with the way he was doing it. Yeah he was huge but he wasn’t using that to show off or be threatening. More for the first time in a while he could let his guard down slightly. He was still ready to fight if need be.

”Do. Want… to..”

He struggled for a moment, talking hurt and talking stung in his mind. It was something and part of a culture that had frequently ostracized him just for the fact he was a little different. Something that he didn’t appreciate and he’d let out a rolling growl of irritation.

”...Hunt. Hard. With… City. So. Close. Ter… ter. Ri. tory. Get… ing… Small. Hard… To. Hunt.”

Longer words and sentences seemed to irritate him, complicated and longer words he stumbled with and it was almost as though she was talking to someone that was so unused to talk that even his voice seemed to crack in a few place. This was probably the longest conversation he had in… several decades.

[Nanashi Kishi]

Nanashi Kishi

Japanese Special Assault Team

The gunsmith

king | 555 | notes

"That's fair. I like hunting. Won't do it here, you ain't got the sorta prey I go after, but I can relate. Hunting's good. Challenging, intense. Or. Well, as challenging as things can get for someone like us." Kishi spoke calmly, unbothered by his agitation and movements. It seemed if he did want to pace, she wouldn't take issue with it. She seemed aware she was in his home, and was asserting herself more in order to keep him in line than to flex for flexing's sake.

"Aha. Those asshole developers starting to eat away at the edge of your territory, huh? That's a pickle. Hard to rezone, harder still to designate the spaces under conservation- and if they did, they'd get pissy about you being here. Tell you what. What if I helped draw the lines clearer for them? Make it unavoidable to notice the edges of your territory? Most people would stay out then, and the ones that didn't would have willfully ignored the warnings that this wasn't their world anymore. Can't really blame anyone but themselves at that point. How's that sound?"

Kishi looks back towards the city idly. "The way I figure it, if I get you the protected territory you need, you get to worry less about assholes cutting down the edges of your world, and I make nice with someone that can get stuff done if I need it done. Ain't got anything for you to do yet, but I might, someday. How's that sound to you?"

Gimme a reason! It don't gotta be a good one.

Template by: Monkey

[king]

The green eyes bored into the individual in front of him, while there was a semblance of intelligence, there was not as much patience and irritation was starting to show. There was many words that he was struggling to follow and the amount of words being tossed in his direction earned him a low rumbling growl. Why were people so chatty?

”Forest. Is. Home. They………… Don’t.”

He struggled to find the word he was looking for and eventually just let an irritated snarl escape from his throat. Practically unsure and eventually the woman looked back towards where the city lay. More words, many many many more words. He’d cock his head to one side, the accordian of cracks along his neck that followed suit was a mix of his bones adjusting and his scales clacking along with one another A symphony of snaps if you will.

”....So. Talk. To… Them.”

He’d struggle to find the word. It was there. Deep down inside, another growling huff and he’d scratch at his head. It was clear that he was trying to follow the conversation but damn if it wasn’t hard. He wasn’t the chattiest sort and… Well this was definitely the longest conversation he had had in… well over two decades.

”Negotiation?”

His tone was curious, his voice cracked several times when he spoke; it was the longest word that he had used without having to separate it and it seemed very genuine from such a large individual.

[Nanashi Kishi]

Nanashi Kishi

Japanese Special Assault Team

The gunsmith

king | 555 | notes

"Gotcha. And, uh. Sorry. I caught the growl." Kishi rubbed the back of her head. She was used to fast talking most people. This guy didn't want to have any of that. Bollocks. "Okay, so... you want me to... negotiate? Instead?" Kishi considered that, then shook her head. "Nah, we can make it easier. Follow me." Kishi turned and lowered a hand to press it to the ground, and it parted, moved, caved in as the vegetation was moved with the soil to either side, opening a comfortably King-sized passage down into the ground.

"Here's what I'll do for you instead. If you're looking for a nice, comfortable lair that isn't exposed to stuff like satellite imaging and nosy trespassers, I'll leave this space hollowed out for you. But what we're gonna do to mark off your territory... I think you'll like it~"

She proceeded forwards, the passage forming as they went, until she was satisfied, and planted both hands on the wall, squinting in focus and effort.

The earth trembled.

Quivered.

SHOOK.

---

Above ground, a massive rise of land rose up around the borders between King's territory and the encroaching developers and city dwellers. It wasn't impassable, but it was a huge earthen rise that made easy access simply not a thing. No more game trails. No more dirt roads. There was the edge of civilization. There was the forest.

And between them was The Rise. Stories and stories of earthen ramparts topped with the displaced trees and greenery, with a much easier slope on the inside, making it very, very clear.

King's territory had not invited Them in.

---

After a long few minutes, Kishi leaned back and wiped at her neck and forehead with a handkerchief. "WHOOO. That took a minute! C'mon, buddy. Let's head topside to see how it looks. You want me to leave this nice cavern for ya?"

Gimme a reason! It don't gotta be a good one.

Template by: Monkey

[king]

King’s irritation eventually fell away as the human relented in their use of too many words. Instead opting to tell him what she was willing to do. He’d cock his head to one side and follow after her. He didn’t get the feeling that she was going to hurt him or entrap him in some fashion.

”...Yes. Negotiate.”

He was curious and watched her work; his jaw adjusted and dropped slightly. He was right not to fight her; if she could do something like this he had no idea what she could do to someone like himself. A simple touch could have earned his end. The den earned him a grin and he’d ease his head to check it out. He liked her approach and liked the fact that she went to such lengths to help him even if he was a problem to the rest of the world.

There was so much that she could do for him, it was a pity that she was likely a part of the city and a part of the problems there. But he could respect the show of strength. Adjusting slightly he’d take a seat. Inspecting everything that he could see here curiously. A flick of his ear and he’d turn his head towards her. A flicker of intelligence swelled from underneath the baleful green eyes that he possessed. A horrid repulsive intelligence that made it quite clear he wasn’t quite lost to his beastly urges at the moment.

”...An earth quirker?”

His question may have been rhetorical or it might have been a little more direct but without him elaborating he’d slowly start moving outside. Nodding his head to her question; his grin showing off the rows of razor sharp teeth he possessed.

”Lets.”