Where the Wild Things Are [Cinder, PM for Entry]

Chitoku; a word that was on the tongues on most people in Karakura, a place that was as much legend as truth. People spoke about it around the table, among friends, but never truly admitted to it when strangers were present. It was almost...taboo, in some way. Those who did admit to going to it typically claimed it was "strange" and that they were "surprised" but no one ever went into detail. The storekeeper was a notorious recluse, and though he took no effort to advertize, though people knew little about him, he was still a sort of celebrity. Chitoku was THE place, the place people seemed to gravitate towards, the place that everyone ended up eventually. Desperate mothers, nervous couples, and rebellious teens alike would walk through the doors, right into the hands of the eccentric storeowner.

And here he is now, walking among the rows and rows of books, a mousey woman following behind him. Her hair was stringy and weak, like a brush had been taken to it far too vigorously. She held a couple of books against her chest, clinging to them like they were shields. Meanwhile, the store owner weaved from shelf to shelf, his hands sliding across the backs of the books gracefully, barely touching against them. Despite that, he seemed to know exactly what he was looking for, plucking books at random and handing them back. He didn't speak, didn't even seem to acknowledge the woman. There was a feeling of ritual here, the sense that their silence was filled with words unspoken, the feeling that they didn't need to speak because everything necessary had been said long ago.

He walked with her back to the counter, folding his hands over each other at the desk, and closing his eyes. There was a cash register, but it was covered in dust, and completely unplugged. He tapped a few fingers against the desk, seemingly doing the math for what must have been more than a dozen books entirely in his head. When he finally opened his eyes, his face finally managed a small grin, and he crooked a finger. The woman stiffened, but leaned forward at his request. He whispered a few words in her ear, and as she pulled away, she looked almost nervous. She cleared her throat, glancing around, and then smiling. "No one will know? You promise?"

"You have my word. I am as a priest, or a lawyer. Our business here will remain between us. I don't even have records written down. Run along, and remember to enjoy your purchase. I'm sure we'll have a new shipment in a few weeks, if you'd like to come back~" He rose a hand lazily, turning back around. The girl stared at the books, then at him, her hands clenching and unclenching. "I'm supposed to pay, aren't I?" There was a pause, as Yaksha rose back up, staring at the wall. He didn't move, didn't do anything at all. When he finally spoke, his tone was flippant, almost joyful. "No, I shouldn't think so. The first taste is always free, as they say. Simply promise that you'll keep my secrets, just as I keep yours. Money will come into the equation, but not for some time. For now, partake of the deep well of knowledge. Drink deeply, and let your mind be expanded. Indulge your every desire. For now, the only payment I need is a promise that you'll be back just as soon as you've finished those books. I've heard they're each quite good. You'll have to tell me what you think, when you're done..."

She nodded furiously, rushing for the door, and as she did Yaksha walked after her, dusting off his hands and flipping the sign to "Closed". He turned back towards the register, sighing and placing his hands behind his head. "Why must they always make it so easy...it makes me wonder if it's worth believing in them."

Her brown boots were fastened tightly around her ankles. Her skin-tight, ripped blue jean shorts lay loose around her waist. Her black tank-top hung firmly around her rather large cleavage. Within this outfit, the majority of Ruby's well toned figure could be observed. She had her brown, smooth hair up in its typical ponytail with her rather long bangs descending all the way down to her jawline on either side of her face.

At that moment, Ruby's arms were crossed underneath her breasts and her shoulder was pressed against the dirty, blackening white wall of an edifice. Not just any structure though, the wall adjacent to the legendary bookstore Chitoku. She stood there, leaned against this disgusting wall with a lit and half burnt Marlboro cigarette between her pink lips. The smoke trailed skyward in a dance of sweet satisfaction.

This bookstore was renowned even among her kind. She had heard countless stories from many of her weak-willed nakama and unfortunately, even some of her own Divisional members. She closes her eyes and takes a puff of her smoke. Weak-minded scrubs. They had spoken of texts that rivaled her Vault's very own and even more so. She didn't require Intelligence gathering to piece this shit together. Something wasn't right about this place and she wouldn't lose one of her lesser dick-wads to its candor. Who exactly-

Just then, the door her eyes had been locked-onto abruptly opens. A strange, almost ghastly female emerges from the darkened refuge with a handful of books pressed against her chest. Another victim? How reclusive. Her eyes blink seven times in quick succession as the door closes just as quickly and the sign flips; CLOSED. She puckers her lips slightly and sucks in some smoke.

She knew whomever was behind that door wouldn't deny an unsuspecting customer. Or so she hoped. She loosens her crossed arms and pushes off of the wall with her right shoulder. As she nears the door, Ruby lets out a stream of smoke from her nostrils. It dissipates just as her right arm rises and subsequently knocks on the door exactly five times in even repetition.

The sound of tapping against the glass stirred Yaksha from his thoughts, but he made no move yet. He heard the sound again; it was measured, meticulous, giving the feeling of someone very intelligent and very punctual. He hadn't had any notice of someone coming, however. He turned back towards the door, to see an admittedly shocking woman standing outside. Her outfit was clearly meant to show off her body, but there was still a sensibility about it; she wasn't flaunting, or trying to gain attention. She quite simply felt no need to hide herself from the world. Already, he liked her even if she hadn't said a word yet. He walked towards the door, his movements graceful and languid. There was a feeling of quiet strength there, a sense that even if he never announced it, he was still capable of ripping someone's throat out. He seemed very much like a lion prowling, or a snake poised to strike.

He finally made it to the door, smiling beatifically and pointing a finger downwards slowly. The 'Closed' sign was still as clear as day, and Yaksha's expression wasn't mocking, or patronizing as he shook his head. He seemed genuinely upset, as if he truly wanted to let her inside, but couldn't. He turned back around, walking back to the counter, and then drumming a few fingers on the counter. He was going to let her in, of course; even if he'd never met her, there were some customers he decided he'd move hell and heaven for, if it meant he could get into their heads. But he wanted to see how far she was willing to for a taste of knowledge; he wanted to see how she reacted, wanted to see how patient she was. He finally turned towards her, tapping his wrist as if to indicate the time, then raising a hand to show three fingers, and then turning back towards the counter.

Just as her clenched, right-hand fist completes the fifth and final knock, Ruby notices the preternatural being whom had closed the door behind that ghastly girl. On that final knock, the shop-owner had halted, but otherwise had not moved an inch. Before the male, yes, elder male could turn towards her, Rubianca's arm had already fallen to her right side. She now stood there, both arms at either side awaiting for the mysterious man to turn.

And when he did rotate, Ruby's eyes fell upon a most grotesque visage. Just as ghastly as that girl's, but unlike Casper, this "man" was no man. Oh no. Ruby's expression remains blank as she blinks in quick succession. Her cig was now 3/4 burnt, the trail of smoke wavering up past her forehead. Whatever it was, it was neither Human nor Shinigami.

Like a slithering snake, the strange male quickly began his march towards her. Her eyes examined the creature from tip-to-toe. Those movements, that expression...that demeanor. She could see through his initial facade...yet something remained unknown to her even beneath it. A few steps before the ethereal creature had arrived at the front door, Ruby had curled her arms and gripped both sides of her hip with her hands. Her defined biceps convulsed in response.

Ruby's blank eyes trailed down to observe the creature's smile. Disgusting. She then continued her descent as her eyes followed the male's fingers toward the "Closed" sign. Before he had turned, Ruby had raised her sight to the owner's visage and had caught a slight glimpse of his expression. Well, if he was trying to hide his true desires, he had failed miserably. She knew now he had found some form of intrigue within her. She knew he would let her in, but not when or for what price. She watched the owner's backside as he marched back towards the visible counter. Ruby's eyes had remained on him during his entire travel.

As he turns once more towards her, Ruby raises her right hand and plucks the cigarette from her soft pink lips. As the male continues to gesture, tapping his wrist and raising three fingers, Ruby lowers her cigarette holding hand and taps the white paper several times. Ashe falls to the ground. Just as the unruly owner completes his movements, Ruby raises her right hand and returns the smoke to her lips. They clench the bud.

Her expression still blank, Ruby extends the still raised hand, her right, out a few feet from her face. Her backhand was now facing the male. She then curls down every finger except that one little rebel in the middle.

Her brown ponytail and bangs suddenly sweep to the right, exemplifying waving tendrils, as a gust of wind blows past her.

Yaksha watched from the corner of his eye, spotting a single extended finger, and letting himself shake his head in slight exasperation. He turned to her, his grin still warm and easy. He rose his hand, bending it several times as if to simulate waving, and then pressing all five fingers to the bottom of his chin. His grin widened, and he flicked his hand along his chin in a clearly vulgar gesture; his grin never changed, still the patient, understanding grin of someone who knew he was dealing with a person who didn't know better. He turned back to the counter, drumming his fingers on it as he let his mind wander. The girl he had just met was a technician, apparently; she spent most of her time taking care of electrical problems, typically while others were out of the house. He could almost certainly find a use for some more technology in this dingy little place...

He finally turned to the door, walking towards it and spreading his arms wide. He seemed almost apologetic as he unlocked the door, opening it just a bit. A hand swept her inside, the other holding the door for a few more seconds before he sighed. "Sorry I had to leave you outside like that. On the plus side, now my store won't smell like ashes while we do our business. As for my little show...I find it disrespectful to divide my attention between customers. One customer to one employee; that's the way things need to be. It's the only way to make sure your customers are as happy as they can be. It does slow down the business, but...I rest easy knowing that the people who stay around are customers for life." He folded his hands across each other, sliding back behind the desk and staring at her. He seemed almost to be appraising her, watching for her to say something. "So, what brings you to this little hole in the wall, dear?"

Ruby's fiery eyes observe the shopkeeper intently as he begins his ridiculous gesturing. First, a shake of the head. She scoffs inwardly. Her insulting arm lowers back to its respective side and hangs loose as she continues to eye the ghastly male. And then he too, albeit mockingly, reciprocates a gesture of insult in response. The northern tip of her right lip rises slightly in a smirk. She takes a puff of the now almost fully burnt cig. Just as she does, the merchant turns back towards his desk. God this fucking cocksucker. He had to be old, very old. Only someone of immense experience and knowledge would act in this a manner. This was the only game that would amuse someone like him. Again, he turns once more towards her. The wind picks up again as her hair dances to the right.

As he walks towards her, the shop-keep continues his superfluous act. Now attempting to consul her with an apology. That facial expression...monster. She blinks twice before the door slants open. He then sweeps her in quickly with his free hand. Well, it would have been quick to a mere human. Ruby, on the other hand, had seen the male's movements in slow motion. She allows the male to complete his action. And to her observant eye, it solidifies her suspicion. Her ponytail trails behind as she is pulled in.

The second she had entered, Ruby's eyes had shifted vigorously from right to left and bottom to top. Every little detail of this place she had attempted to dissect. She remains unmoved, even her expression blank, as the male walks past her and speaks.

"Sorry I had to leave you outside like that. On the plus side, now my store won't smell like ashes while we do our business. As for my little show...I find it disrespectful to divide my attention between customers. One customer to one employee; that's the way things need to be. It's the only way to make sure your customers are as happy as they can be. It does slow down the business, but...I rest easy knowing that the people who stay around are customers for life."

Just as he completes the final sentence, Ruby darts at him at the speed of light. Just as she nears the edge of his heap of a desk, her tensed legs lift from the ground as she lunges towards him. Her left leg is the last to lift, while her right leg curls and extends, leaving the tip of her muscled knee as the point of impact. Rubianca literally clears the desk, her left toes mere inches above it, as her knee connects with his disgusting face. She strikes him square on the nose. The force of the impact is unimaginable. Her ponytail slams into her back due to the sudden collision. The unruly creature shrieks in pain as her momentum causes him to fall back, still sitting within his eerie chair. She continues past him, the tip of her left leg passing just inches from his face. Just as she lands, again at the speed of striking lighting, Ruby turns and raises her right fist. Her expression now displayed her true emotion. Her brows were furrowed, her eyes full of fire and her gape frowned. With strength unrivaled, Ruby brings down her fist upon-

"So, what brings you to this little hole in the wall, dear?"

Ruby blinks blankly several times as her eyes re-focus onto the still sitting male behind the desk. She lifts her left arm and grabs the now burnt cig with her left thumb and index fingers and pulls it out. Her left arm now lay raised inches from her mouth. Her long brown bangs cover the majority of either facial side. She closes her eyes and smiles.

"Do you have a trashcan?" she mutters playfully as she flickers her left wrist rapidly.

The guest was scanning her way around the building, clearly looking for anything strange or dangerous. Yaksha, meanwhile, was scanning her even more closely. Their first encounter had been...far from ideal, but there was still some odd, indefinable quality to her. She looked at him as if she were stripping away every trick, every lie. She looked at him as if she were trying very hard to avoid blurting something out, or simply attacking him. For a split second her eyes shifted to him, and in that second her hands clenched. It didn't last long, almost no time at all, but it was long enough for Yaksha to pause in his speech. When he did speak, she seemed to snap out of it, staring at him as if waking from a dream. His expression never changed; he showed no fear, or worry, only a sort of mild amusement at her presence.

"Of course I have a trashcan. There's one behind my desk here. If you need, I'll happily throw away your cigarette for you. Then, as I was saying previously, we can discuss business. That is why you came, isn't it? You want SOMETHING from me, I'm sure. Perhaps you were hoping for a birthday present for your family or friends? Maybe you've been hoping for some new entertainment? Or maybe you've got some questions that need answers. This is a place of knowledge, after all; you'd be amazed what a man can find out when he has reason to." He plucked the cigarette from her hand deftly, with a smooth motion that most would've found impossible to trace; even to her, it was much faster than his previous movements. He dropped it under the counter, then folded his hands once more.

"Ask, and ye shall receive."

Just after her request, the book-keep had continued to speak. He had stood from whence he sat and had begun to march towards her in that inconspicuous, slithering manner. Even with her eyes closed, Ruby could sense his exact movements and whereabout.

"Of course I have a trashcan. There's one behind my desk here. If you need, I'll happily throw away your cigarette for you. Then, as I was saying previously, we can discuss business. That is why you came, isn't it? You want SOMETHING from me, I'm sure. Perhaps you were hoping for a birthday present for your family or friends? Maybe you've been hoping for some new entertainment? Or maybe you've got some questions that need answers. This is a place of knowledge, after all; you'd be amazed what a man can find out when he has reason to."

Not surprisingly, as he spoke, he inched closer and closer towards her. Once again, he had invaded her immediate privacy by plucking the burnt cigarette bud from her fingertips. This time with greater speed, yet not enough to evade her sightless sight. Even so, his latest actions were of little consequence for her mind had focused on dissecting every little breath that escaped the maw of this beast. Something from you? How amusing. Questions that require answering? What kind of mind did this sniveling genius posses to toy with her with such words? And to his final statement...it sounded as if-

She opens her eyes abruptly, yet continues to smile. She raises her right arm to match her still aloft left and simultaneously brushes to either facial side her long, brown bangs. Her firm breasts waver with the movements and her defined abdomen tightens.

"Ask, and ye shall receive."

She giggles at his latest remark as she brings down her arms and places them behind her rear. She then begins to look around her at all the filled shelves of literature, her bangs following her head's movements.

With a sweet and soft tone, she replies "Well...I've heard so much about this place. I've heard you have books here that no other establishment possesses." She then pauses with her head turned completely to the right. The left side of her fine visage faced the male now. With a more serious tone, she completes "Writings that change the very core of one's self."

"Really? That's quite a strange claim, you know. It is true that I have books you won't find anywhere else. But...change a person to their very core? They're simply words, dear. Words, no matter how powerful, can't do anything you don't let them. These books are...possibilities, really. Each book is a world that could be, a way to consider. Each book shows us new worlds, new options. These books do nothing more than give people a choice; a choice to continue their lives as they have, to be happy with things as they are, or to...try something new. Books are words, dear. And even the most powerful words, spoken by the greatest of men, only serve to give people choices."

His hands spread wide, watching her. The giggle, the strategically placed hands...all attempts to seem coy, or appealing. No doubt she was trying to see how he reacted, trying to figure out what kind of man he was. He was hardly a man at all, at least these days, but that was part of the fun...he stared at her, insouciance oozing from every pore, a sense of nonchalance and amused indifference infusing his every movement. "After all, if a person's core beliefs can be changed with just a few words...were they really that important to them? Things a person truly believes can't be taken away by books, or words. If my books change a person that much, then there's something else at play. Only a truly diseased mind could be that easily swayed; only a person with problems could let their most closely-kept secrets be tainted like that." He sighed, turning away and gesturing towards the books.

"It is true that my books have driven people to do some very foolish things, but so has the Bible. And the Catcher in the Rye. And that Twilight series. Every book has the potential for great and terrible things, dear. Mine simply have more potential than others. And I will admit...I've been known to slip the odd book into the odd hand. I've gotten very good at telling what kinds of books people need to read. I think, for you...Les Miserables. It's a wonderful piece."

Ruby's eyes had continued to scan the darkened bookshelves to her right as the male spoke.

"Really? That's quite a strange claim, you know. It is true that I have books you won't find anywhere else. But...change a person to their very core? They're simply words, dear. Words, no matter how powerful, can't do anything you don't let them. These books are...possibilities, really. Each book is a world that could be, a way to consider. Each book shows us new worlds, new options. These books do nothing more than give people a choice; a choice to continue their lives as they have, to be happy with things as they are, or to...try something new. Books are words, dear. And even the most powerful words, spoken by the greatest of men, only serve to give people choices."

"You hear dat, Roobie?! Hic! Dey are jus' boogs!" rings in the 7th Division Captain's mind. She ignores the blatant mockery of her inner most spirit as her head remains turned to the right. Just words? As compared to what? Actions? No, communication is one of the primary mediums of corruption. It seems the snake is trying to hide its fangs. Just like one too, it continues to spit its venom.

"After all, if a person's core beliefs can be changed with just a few words...were they really that important to them? Things a person truly believes can't be taken away by books, or words. If my books change a person that much, then there's something else at play. Only a truly diseased mind could be that easily swayed; only a person with problems could let their most closely-kept secrets be tainted like that."

At the completion of his very first sentence, Ruby's head turns to face the male once more. Her expression transforms to blankness mid-turn as her bangs swivel left and right. How she detests ideal manipulation, no matter the intention. It illustrates the culprit's true self and from this snake, her nostrils were picking up the scent of sulfur. She's met many like this grotesque fellow. Fuck them all to Hell.

As he turns to gesture at some bookshelves, Ruby doesn't move a muscle. Her gaze remains on the shop-keep. Her hazel, fiery eyes focus on that ghastly gape. Its movements would entrance the weak. No. This creature's every action was a precise of sinister purpose.

Her posture had remained unmoved the entirety of this conversation. Her visibly muscled legs firm and arms behind her back.

"It is true that my books have driven people to do some very foolish things, but so has the Bible. And the Catcher in the Rye. And that Twilight series. Every book has the potential for great and terrible things, dear. Mine simply have more potential than others. And I will admit...I've been known to slip the odd book into the odd hand. I've gotten very good at telling what kinds of books people need to read. I think, for you...Les Miserables. It's a wonderful piece."

At his final suggestion, the female Oukami's eyes blink furiously, but otherwise her face remains blank. Les Misérables? Conflict, strife, agony, loneliness...these were things she had experience in her past. Ingesting such writing would be dull in comparison. Not to mention, she had read such a piece a long, long time ago.

Her posture still unmoved, Ruby closes her eyes and smiles as she responds. "Les Misérables? Il sonne français. Parlez-vous français? Qu'y at-il? Comment savez-vous que je le voudrais? (It sounds French. Do you speak French? What is it about? How do you know I'd like it?).

Yaksha eyed the woman only for a moment or two, as if weighing his options. When he finally spoke, his tone was one of almost theatrical delight. "Oh, so there IS hope yet. It's been some time since anyone called upon me to speak anything but English. It's a curse, isn't it? Being too smart, being surrounded by people who don't appreciate you, or your works? And yet, when I try to teach them more, try to open people's worlds, I find...resistance. Everyone ENJOYS being ignorant, it seems. And so they blame knowledge and progress for their woes, they claim that all of their problems come from too much knowledge and not enough blind faith. I swear, if just one person around here could hold a real conversation, I wouldn't NEED to play around with these books."

He sighed, and for the first time it seemed genuine. His body slumped, a hand pressed over his face, and when he spoke around it his voice was muffled. "Give me a second, dear. I haven't done this in a while, as I said." He finally pulled his hand away, inhaling, and speaking in fluid, clipped tones that were every bit as good as hers, at a pace that almost immediately pegged him as a native. "C'est un livre qui parle d'espoir, et une seconde chance. C'est un livre à peu près toujours être prêt à voir ce qui pourrait être. C'est un livre pour nous rappeler tout ce que ce que nous voyons et ce que nous savons n'est pas tout ce qu'il ya. (It's a book about hope, and second chances. It's a book about always being willing to see what might be. It's a book to remind us all that what we see and what we know isn't all there is.)" He spun around the desk, holding out a copy. One hand clutched it tight, as if afraid to lose it. The other swung through the air theatrically, as he shouted.

"Jean Valjean, a mere street urchin, fallen through the cracks. There's nothing left for him, and nothing to believe in. He's left with no legal ways to survive. He's left with nothing to do. His crime? Stealing a loaf of bread. His sentence? Prison, of course. Five years, quicky turned into twenty when a scared young child simply wanted to go back to his family. Even freed, his sentence is hardly served. The world shuns him, his life is left as bad as it was before he left. He begins to see the world as a horrid, wretched pile of filth. He begins to hate the world around him, and everyone who makes it up. And then...a shocking thing happens. Jean Valjean meets a good man. One truly good man. And it changes his life. His faith in mankind, his ideals, are restored. From one moment, a man becomes something else entirely!"

He swung around, stalking purposefully forward. His voice turned lower, almost sinister. It was clear he was enjoying his show, and even without her encouragement would keep it going. "But every story needs a conflict. Enter Inspector Javert. A man described by the very author as 'the worst of all that is good'. He's narrow-minded, bullheaded, and stubborn. A man convinced that a single crime taints a man for life...a man who truly believes there's no such thing as redemption. He chases down our hero, hoping to find some reason to lock him away. Think about it, dear; a glorious struggle between determinism and will! The ultimate proof that mankind is free to make its choices! A battle, quite simply...between who the world tells us we must be, and who we know we can be. And right now, you strike me as the kind of person who's had quite a lot of trouble proving who she is to the world."

He held out the book, his smile surprisingly warm this time. There was no subterfuge, and no trickery. Only a hint of subtle amusement, as if he were giving a treat to a child. "Besides, I get the feeling you've already made up your mind about me...just like Javert. Would you like to know how his story ends?"

As soon as Ruby hears the male speak, her eyelids rise to reveal her potent hazel eyes. She catches a glimpse of his judgmental glance. Her smile remains.

"Oh, so there IS hope yet. It's been some time since anyone called upon me to speak anything but English. It's a curse, isn't it? Being too smart, being surrounded by people who don't appreciate you, or your works? And yet, when I try to teach them more, try to open people's worlds, I find...resistance. Everyone ENJOYS being ignorant, it seems. And so they blame knowledge and progress for their woes, they claim that all of their problems come from too much knowledge and not enough blind faith. I swear, if just one person around here could hold a real conversation, I wouldn't NEED to play around with these books."

To blame knowledge and progress for one's woes is indeed absurd. Every sentient being possesses the will to persevere through the corruptible properties of information. She tilts her head slightly to the right. A resounding crack echoes. She still wore that inconspicuous smile while her hands remain locked behind her rear.

"Give me a second, dear. I haven't done this in a while, as I said."

His tone, his demeanor. Mocking her in every act. How amusing.

"C'est un livre qui parle d'espoir, et une seconde chance. C'est un livre à peu près toujours être prêt à voir ce qui pourrait être. C'est un livre pour nous rappeler tout ce que ce que nous voyons et ce que nous savons n'est pas tout ce qu'il ya. (It's a book about hope, and second chances. It's a book about always being willing to see what might be. It's a book to remind us all that what we see and what we know isn't all there is.)"

How cute. Well, at least he fulfilled her expectation in regards to knowledge. She knew he had a mind unlike many others. And then, shortly after his most recent statements, the clerk swings around with a book in hand. Les Misérables she assumed. She remains still as the gross male continues to speak. He begins to summarize the tale she now vividly remembered. Maybe he'd choke from the continual exertion of his ridiculous speech.

"And right now, you strike me as the kind of person who's had quite a lot of trouble proving who she is to the world."

The tone in which this last portion was spoken caught her attention. Her hazel eyes instantly lock onto his. There was something within, something dark within the deep reaches of his soul. Just like her. They were both more similar than she had originally calculated. Her lips whimper slightly in angered reaction, but otherwise she retains the smile. She notices through her peripheral vision the male's gifting gesture as he held up the book in her direction. Her eyes trail from his disgusting smile down to the clenched hand that held the book.

Ruby walks towards the desk, which sat the male clerk behind it, with her arms still behind her back. The muscles of her leg tighten and contract as she places one foot in front of the other. Her bangs and ponytail swing from left to right at every step. After a mere five seconds, Ruby halts a foot from the desk.

At the speed of striking lightning, Ruby swings her left arm around to her front and grabs the male's raised arm's wrist. Just as quickly, she pulls him in towards her. The male literally lunges into the air and slams on top of the desk, the prehistoric wood creaking in response. In quick succession, her now free right arm swings around its respective side. Her right hand was flat, all five fingers lined straight. The left side of her right hand, literally her thumb, strikes the monsters neck on the left side. She hears a croak. She had struck him at the jugular. Her brows were furrowed, her nose wrinkles and her gape frowned. Not seconds later, her striking arm rises slightly over the now silent shop-keep's head. Her fingers clench the male's hair and her muscles contract in response. She then applies immense downward force. Her action brings the ghouls face slamming down onto the desk. She suddenly hears someone's voice.

"Besides, I get the feeling you've already made up your mind about me...just like Javert. Would you like to know how his story ends?"

Her eyes refocus. The male sat in front of her, behind the desk, just a foot away. Her blank eyes stare at the man's visage. She swings her left arm calmly around and wraps her fingers around the airborne book, but does not pull. She would wait for him to let go before pulling it in.

With her smile still in tact, Ruby responds. "Thank you so much! It sounds very interesting! You knew exactly what kind of books I like! You really aren't human!" Her tone was befitting one of her observable age. After mere seconds, Ruby finally asks. "Oh, I never got your name, sir. What is it, if you don't mind me asking."

Yaksha's expression was still faintly amused, showing a distinct lack of concern. Whether he knew what she was or not remained to be determined, but it seemed that this was the kind of man that was impossible to shake or shock; he listened to her every word, his eyes watching her carefully. "Please, don't patronize me. I know that you're not interested in anything I have to say or offer. You're here for something else entirely, and even if I don't know what it is, I can guess it's not for a suggestion of literature. We're both adults, and professionals; don't you think it's time we start acting our ages?" As soon as he said this, his hands folded back over the table, his eyes narrowing and his grin widening.

"Come on, now. Who asks for a person's name before giving their own? That's easily in the top 5 most impolite things possible. Still, if you're going to be like this, let's make a game of it. I'll try to guess your name, and you can try to guess mine. If you get it right before me, then I'll answer whatever questions you have. If I get it right first, then you have to do something for me~" He chuckled under his breath, an almost hissing tone seeping into his voice as he leaned forward. "And, of course, I get to go first."

His nostrils flared, his eyelids fluttered, and his grin slowly faded into a mask of contemplation. He seemed deep in thought, almost meditating as he looked at her. "That outfit, your fiery personality...this smell...you make me think of Scarlet."

Ruby listens intently to the shop-keep's speech, chuckling inwardly at several instances. They both still held either side of the air-borne book.

"Please, don't patronize me. I know that you're not interested in anything I have to say or offer. You're here for something else entirely, and even if I don't know what it is, I can guess it's not for a suggestion of literature. We're both adults, and professionals; don't you think it's time we start acting our ages?"

Just as he finishes speaking, the book-keep's fingers release their hold of the book's edge. Ruby pulls the hardcover in as her eyes, in an instant, shift down then back up. She took note of his now resting hands. Her smile transforms into a frown as she lifts her left arm, releases her grip and tosses the book onto his desk. Just as it lands, he continues to speak. Ruby's blankness remains, but now with a frown.

"Come on, now. Who asks for a person's name before giving their own? That's easily in the top 5 most impolite things possible. Still, if you're going to be like this, let's make a game of it. I'll try to guess your name, and you can try to guess mine. If you get it right before me, then I'll answer whatever questions you have. If I get it right first, then you have to do something for me~"

Impolite? Had she shaken his sentiment so deeply? A game? Since when wasn't this weasel playing a game? She raises her arms and crosses them under her rather large breasts. Her toned arm muscles flex due to the action. "Hmmph" is all she lets out in response, her abdomen's muscles follow in contraction. She hears the hiss of a snake as he continues to play.

"And, of course, I get to go first. That outfit, your fiery personality...this smell...you make me think of Scarlet."

Wrong. But she now knew just the caliber of being whom stood before her. An intelligence unrivaled by most of her colleagues. Her legs were shoulder width apart. They stood resolute, their muscles contracted. Her arms still folded, mouth frowned and expression still blank, Ruby replies. This time, however, her voice was cold and befitting of her true age. "Wrong." A brief moment later, she barks. "Constantine."

Yaksha stared at the woman in stunned silence; his eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape, and his hands were hanging limply by his side. For a moment he almost seemed upset, as if he were prepared to yell at her, or grow violent. However, just as the moment became too strong to deny, he began to laugh. It was a deep belly laugh, the kind that only came when someone said a joke that completely slipped past every defense. The shopkeeper placed a hand over his stomach, barely able to speak between laughs. "C-Con-Constantine? THAT'S your guess? How old do you think I am!? That kind of name lost popularity DECADES ago! If you can't take this seriously, I guess I'll have to be serious enough for both of us." He suddenly took a deep breath, leaning forward and glancing at her once more. His expression was almost somber now; if Ruby seemed old, he seemed ancient. There was a slow, careful undertone to his every movement as he tilted his head in either direction.

"Red still comes to mind. Maybe it's the hair, or your penchant for cigarettes. Not Scarlet, so...what else is there to choose from? Let's try Ruby." He stared at her with a faint curl to his lip, his eyebrow raised slightly, and his eyes boring into hers. "Are you a Ruby, dear? Or are you something a bit rarer?"

Ruby watched as the male's expression was left awestruck. Had she said something so distasteful? The female 5th Division Captain scoffs inwardly. Poor thing. And then came his bellowing laughter. Well, well. Not very much like his kin, not one bit. A fascinating phenomenon, really. Ruby's eyes stare into his as he musters up enough breath to speak.

"C-Con-Constantine? THAT'S your guess? How old do you think I am!? That kind of name lost popularity DECADES ago! If you can't take this seriously, I guess I'll have to be serious enough for both of us."

Decades ago? Did such a time-span make this creature irate? So he was older than she had previously estimated. Surprisingly, word after word, this thing continually left loose his guard and vital information with it. Intentional? Possibly. Her eyes sift from left to right as he tilts his ghastly head while in deep thought.

"Red still comes to mind. Maybe it's the hair, or your penchant for cigarettes. Not Scarlet, so...what else is there to choose from? Let's try Ruby. Are you a Ruby, dear? Or are you something a bit rarer?"

Red? Hmmph. But the moment he had mentioned her name, Rubianca's eyes had narrowed and her frown deepened. Then came the reinforcement as his eyes bore into hers. It was official. Either an Arrancar, Hollow or worst...

With her position unmoved, Rubianca's deep and raspy voice resounds. "What is it that you want?"

"Oh, come on now. That was far too trivial. I can't enjoy such a win; you may as well have given it away! This time, we play double or nothing. For our full names. After all...I think we both know there's nothing normal about this meeting. Wrack your brain, little sweetling; let's see if you can find out my little secret...before I find out yours~" He almost seemed to be singing now, his movement from behind the counter not a step so much as a skip, his entire body moving with a feeling like a coiled spring. It felt like there was enormous energy just beneath the surface, like he was simply waiting for the moment to strike.

"I'm a good sport, of course. This time, you can guess first. It's only fair, after all; I wouldn't want to play a game where I know what will happen. So take your guess, and let's see if you can think outside the box they love to put you all in..."

Her ear twitches.

"Oh, come on now. That was far too trivial. I can't enjoy such a win; you may as well have given it away! This time, we play double or nothing. For our full names. After all...I think we both know there's nothing normal about this meeting. Wrack your brain, little sweetling; let's see if you can find out my little secret...before I find out yours~"

Was that the sound of a squealing hyena? And his movements, they were visibly restrained. What was he holding back? She shrugs off his pretentious comments. More mind games. If it weren't for her...

"I'm a good sport, of course. This time, you can guess first. It's only fair, after all; I wouldn't want to play a game where I know what will happen. So take your guess, and let's see if you can think outside the box they love to put you all in..."

Her eyes blink blankly. Her frowned lips part slightly as her words escape calmly. "Yak Socrates." This thing exuded a mixture of brains and instinct. Her mind could envision those curved, demonic horns protruding from his ghastly forehead.