Monster Meets Monk: Reaper Says Hi

He had been searching for what seemed like an eternity. Searching for the life he was supposed to reap. Such a sad case...the life of a young child, a ten year old boy who had become ill and failed to tell anyone about it. Well, it would be sad....if he could feel emotions. Sighing, he moved and began following the sound of the child's soul.

He had been deprived of the ability to feel emotions, but he remembered what they were, what they felt like. It was something that was very hard to explain. He remembered how to smile, how to laugh, how to cry, or even how to love. But those were just tiny whispers among a sea of screams now. He has lacked emotion since he was in his early teens, and had grown quite adapted to...well...faking it.

Without a single sound, he vanished and reappeared in the mansion the boy was being taken care of in. He didn't need a key, or to be let in or invited in. He was death. He could come and go as he pleased. He was both a silent killer and needed no invitation to come into a home and take someone's soul- someone's life.

Quietly, he moved to the boy's room, summoning his scythe, Hammering Desire, to do the job he had been so politely asked to do by his boss. Not that he cared.

The boy looked up he was sick but he didn't want to worry the one who took care of them. He stayed in bed tired more and more these days acting as if he had the flu. He wanted to scream as he saw the man and the scythe to cry he wanted to be afraid but he worried that he if made a sound this man would not only hurt him but hurt the other kids and him as well.

He walked through the mansion the other kids sleeping in he never made them get up early. They never had a problem living with the 'Monster of Kanagawa Prefecture' and entered the room with a light knock bringing a cup of tea to the boy who claimed he had the flu or rather acted like it and a bowl of soup. Although he saw the man who was there holding the scythe and narrowed his eyes moving and setting the bowl down he was dressed from the waist down in a pair of jeans. From the waist up nothing.

"What business do you think you have here......." he said as he shifted the long finger like toes spreading out as he was bare foot and shifted his balance if he had to fight this one to save the boy he would........His voice was twisted dark no longer the low velveeteen sound it was at night. As twisted as his appearance was.

He would protect this child if it cost him his life..........

Yojo turned to look at the one who was seemingly wanting to fight him over the boy's life. It was sad to see someone want to fight for something that they don't even know anything about. It was also sad to have to be the one who bore bad news. However, he lacked the ability to express such a thing.

"I have been asked to retrieve this boy's soul...he is ill and has ran out of time to live his life of suffering..." he answered lowly, flatly. "However, if you wish to make my job difficult, then I will be forced to remove you from the room..."

It was a simple enough answer, how ever, he couldn't make it sound intimidating, or even like he was sorry for what he had to do. He was simply flat, emotionless and unable to convey any emotion or feel any emotion.

Kanseina looked at him narrowing his eyes once again the boys were hiding things from him had he known he could have helped him. He side glanced at Ryo the boy in the bed who looked at him sadly.

"I'm sorry Kanseina I.....just didn't want you to worry about me I thought.....thought I'd get over it and get better." Ryo said sadly as he looked at the man who cared so much about them. The monster everyone in the area feared but the children who lived here and loved him as if a father.

Kanseina shook his head. "Don't be sorry.........I'll do what I can for you." he said and looked back at the man the reaper and the one weapon that could kill him nothing else could.....nothing in this world not for lack of others trying. "Remove me? I won't let you take this child's life not while there's still a chance to save it." he said and moved flickering and was gone from the spot he was standing in his hand moving and flying to tear through this one....he didn't want to kill him or anyone else.

He just wanted to protect these boys and live in peace was that too much to ask even for a monster? Was the one thing that went through his mind. His heart. He was the monster of Kanagawa...........so he was used to fighting but all he wanted was to keep these boys safe from harm........even if that harm was death itself.

Sighing, Yojo closed his eyes and shook his head. "I would not be here had there been hope for him at a hospital...there is no other option left for him now...as sad as it is...I can't grant a pardon just because you desire to protect him with your life..." he said lowly, flatly and opened his eyes in time to watch the attack negate away from him and simply hit air.

"Attacking me will do you little good...it only worsens your pain....a life for a life is not an equal exchange....and I will not take a life who still has time remaining unless they belong in hell....please don't be difficult...I don't wish to use force in front of the child..."

Kanseina narrowed his eyes. His strike had missed and it had no reason to. None except it seemed to rebound off of air. His eyes remained narrowed as the tail swished behind him didn't belong in hell? Was he even looking at him? Was this reaper really looking at him? He was a monster to the eyes to everyone who ever sought to end him because of it.

"Worsen's my pain what would you know of it? What would you know about how a monster that belongs in hell feels" he hissed in anger this child.........was dying. And had hid it from him. Hid it from him for so long that there was nothing he could do now to save him. What would he know of it?

Ryo watched he was sick and although he was 'suffering' as this reaper this man or monk had claimed he had been happy. Very happy even when he became bed ridden because the other children would keep him company and Kanseina was so kind and caring. To see him hurting like this........fighting to save him. Ryo watched he couldn't let it happen couldn't let the monk hurt him. He knew why Kanseina was hurting the only ones who accepted him were them in this house. And he was loosing one of them. Ryo looked at Kansei shaking his head he should have told him should have so that Kansei could have tried would that make this easier? But he already knew his heart was weak incredibly weak and it had been amazing he made it this long. But that was because Kansei had been helping him healing him what he could that was not a birth defect. It had given him another year of happiness a year he would not have known............if not for this man who thought of himself as a monster.

"No....not a monster Kansei." Ryo said such a gentle loving man couldn't be a monster and at that moment to prevent the reaper from hurting Kansei even a little Ryo let go.........smiling but he let go allowing his heart which struggled to beat every day and night to finally stop..........

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "I see no monster here...the outside is not what makes one a monster...the inside is what makes one a monster who belongs in hell..." he told Kansei lowly and opened his eyes, letting his scythe vanish. He didn't need it now, had to reason to use it. The boy had given up on his own free will...and that was fine. The boy would be put back into the well to await judgement, however, there was always the chance that he'd get to be reborn.

"However...I know nothing of emotions now...so I do not know how you feel, nor can I know...it is impossible for me to convey any emotion- to feel any emotion...so perhaps I will never know..."

Kansei turned his head ignoring the reaper for the weapon of death to go away he walked over to the bed and sat down gathering the child carefully into his arms. Holding him and closing his eyes it hurt..........he hadn't been able to keep this one safe. But he looked up slowly at the man who said he felt nothing.

"Should I pity you?" he asked bluntly shaking his head as he held the child in his arms. Ryo had let go.........had chosen to die peacefully without a fight. Because Kansei couldn't do anything for him and he had known it. So to did Kansei even if he didn't want to admit it to himself.

He looked at the reaper and shook his head. "If you see no monster outside of the children in this house you are the only one." he said as he ran his fingers through the boys hair. He looked at the reaper and shook his head. "To feel nothing........is it truly a curse or a blessing?" he said lowly to never feel love or be able to love these boys would be a curse to but never feel the pain that came with the prejudice because he was different............would be a blessing........."To never feel love.........or be able to love would be a curse beyond all measure......and yet I can not pity you." he answered his own earlier question.

Yojo shook his head. "I do not seek pity from anyone, because I cannot return their feelings, cannot feel anything for them. I would be asking for far too much from this world if I expected to be treated with such things...I am but a man who was part of something no one could foresee...that does not make me worthy of pity," he explained lowly. And it was true. Everything he said was exactly how he felt...if one could call it feeling.

"I believe that to not feel anything at all, no matter the situation is a curse...to no longer be able to communicate through emotion is like taking away one's soul...it makes one seem dead inside...and perhaps even outside..." he said lowly as he turned to leave.

Kansei laid Ryo down in his bed and stood up looking at him. This man who didn't see him as a monster who said he didn't feel and yet he could not help but..........he shook his head and covered Ryo up who looked like he was sleeping a smile on his face he had died peacefully. Without the sting of a reapers blade piercing his small chest it may not seem like much but.

Kanseina moved walking up to Yojo not knowing who this reaper was who claimed to have no emotions at all. Placing his hand on his shoulder the long clawed fingers longer then a humans should ever be curved over it stopping him from walking out as Kansei leaned up and kissed the 'monk' on the cheek. "Thank you for not reaping him..........for letting Ryo die peacefully in his sleep." Kansei said as he stepped back letting go an act of kindness on his part. Since by all rights Yojo could have cut him down and cut down Ryo but he let him go........long enough to let the child just go to sleep and pass on.

Yojo pursed his lips as he looked at Kansei. He was genuinely surprised, which was very hard to do. Thanks for not reaping him? He didn't need to be thanked for such a thing, but yet...here this one was....thanking him for something so small....

After a long moment of silence, Yojo shook his head and spoke lowly, "Do not thank me...I don't need to be thanked...I was simply giving the boy a chance to decide for himself...I still have to carry out the rest of my job...luckily, he is one of the souls who will be put back into the well..." he said lowly, flatly as he looked at Kansei.

But the thought that someone could even try to believe that he could still feel beyond extreme situations...it made him wonder if this man truly knew what he was getting himself into. Because when one got into a relationship with one of the So brothers...one got into a very complicated and delicate relationship with the other...

Kansei looked at him. "Thank you never the less and the well means that he has a chance at a better life. A chance at being reborn, my hope is that it if he is reborn that it is in a loving family." he said as he stepped back. The said thing was........Kansei didn't believe there was anyone out there who could love him.

His own father hide what he was from his mother only coming to her after the vile of night had fallen and he was 'pretty' to the eyes to court her and in the end have him. Then disappeared. Kansei didn't believe that anyone could want him who had seen him during the light of day. Even if this one claimed he was not a monster he also said that he could not feel anything. That he was disjointed from the world emotionally. Such was not a place relationships were formed.

Kansei stepped back and turned. "I need to begin getting things set up so the children can say there goodbyes to him and give him a proper burial......on the estate grounds." in the family plot he'd have no family of his own by blood these children were his family. He didn't know what it meant to get into a relationship with the So brothers he did know that any time he tried to find someone and they found out what he looked like during the day........the hunts began and that wasn't a life he wanted to introduce the children to. "Take care of yourself....." he said kindly as he glanced back at him moving to walk back to the eternally resting child.

Yojo looked at him for a long moment in silence before he turned and simply stood there in the doorway. "It is not I who needs to be taking care of themselves...you avoid others because you fear their reactions, however, not everyone is like the ones you have met in the past..." he said lowly as he looked at Kansei.

"Your soul screams to be loved by someone, to be accepted and treated like someone, and not something...however, I cannot feel the emotions in which you seek...but it does not change the fact that I can remember how to express them, how they used to feel....I simply lack the ability to feel them now..." he told him as he looked at him.

Even if it were a risk, if it were an annoyance to his younger brother...he would find a way to convey his thoughts to this man, even if it meant pushing his way into a world that he had long since been pushed out of. Even....if it meant going back and giving up what he gained that day...

Kansei paused hearing that he feared it feared them that walked all pretty in the light of day did he? Yes.....he did and he knew he did. But he turned and looked back over his shoulder. "Such pretty words......but that's all that they are. Remembering what they feel like and being able to feel them are two totally different things. You can't fear me you can't love me or like me or anyone else for that matter. You said as much yourself." he shook his head and looked back at the child who would never laugh or cry again.

"I don't know what happened to make you this way.........but it's left you very similar to this child. In many ways and in others.......different. Your alive for one but everything is cold logic and reason." his voice was pained tired as he turned again to look at Yojo. "Are you saying your willing to prove me wrong? That I can exist in that world out there? The one who will scream in terror the moment that they set there eyes upon me. These children would be no different had they not spent there time knowing what I look like after night fall. Who I really am while hidden away behind a heavy cloak.......they would have feared me. As all do........."

He wasn't trying to push this one away only stating how he felt at the moment right or wrong it was how he felt and closed his eyes. "Yeah.....my soul screams to be loved and accepted not even my own mother could accept me fully for who I am you don't think I don't know there are times when these children fear the monster that they see? They do.....they can't help it anymore then any of them can." and yet his voice wasn't fill with hate but sadness a tired sadness and self loathing that could not easily dispelled. "I'm a Shadowfaux.........I'm not a creature they easily accept anyone easily accepts...........why would you be any different? Especially since your looking at me under the light of day."

Yojo closed his eyes and sighed. "You're right...remembering what they feel like and actually feeling them are not the same...however...I would not be here if I believed you to be some type of monster...and yes, I do not fear, do not weep or laugh any longer...but it was an accident that brought me to this...if I truly wished to take back my emotions, I could...however...I would lose something else in the process...and I wish to cling to that one last thing...if not for selfish reason, than for reasons the other may have," he said and opened his eyes to look at Kansei.

"I can feel...but it is only in extreme situations...and that part of me still clings to those emotions for dear life...while I cling to the only person who has ever supported me in any way...even if he is seen as....a mad man...a psycho or a monster...I will cling to him for as long as I may live..." he explained lowly, referring to Mujo.

"As for proving you wrong? I can let you meet many people who will not fear you...you would just have to be willing to accept them...as they would be willing to accept you..."

He turned and moved was standing in front of this reaper who said that it was an accident that caused him to loose his emotions and that he could feel under extreme conditions. But remained this way by choice because to take back his emotions would be to give up something else in return. He looked at the one before him quietly. "It's not an issue of accepting them." he said lowly and it wasn't accepting others who could accept him wasn't a problem for him. He was just afraid of trying to find those people in a vast sea of people who would hunt him down just because he was a 'monster' in appearance. Brought up to fear them to fear the outside world while the sun shown down on his skin. On him.

He leaned up those onto his toes the long finger like lengths easily supporting his weight as he met the other eye to eye. "So tell me..........Mr. Monk........for a man who can't feel why do you care and want to show me this world where there are those who can and will accept me. And what is your name?"

Yojo tilted his head to the side a little and looked at him, as if confused by his questions. "Why do I wish to introduce you to them?" he parroted, mimicking his question. "Perhaps it is because I do not believe you should feel so alone...like you don't have a friend in the world...or perhaps it is, as you said, I care, but in a way that is much too complex for you or I to understand...either way...I simply believe you deserve to be part of some group so you can make friends..." he said lowly, flatly as he finally stopped looking at Kansei as if he were so confused.

"My name...is Muhyōjō Sō..."

He looked at the man before him who had managed to look so utterly confused by his question wither that was real emotion or faked he did a wonderful job of looking it even as he answered him as flatly as he answered and spoke on everything else everything but the moment he thanked him for letting Ryo die peacefully in his sleep. But his words to make friends to belong to a group. "If such a group if such a thing exists as people who can accept me I will give them a chance." he said as he rocked back onto his heels and stepped back sighing as he closed his eyes.

"Muhyōjō Sō......" he echoed the monks name the reapers name before opening them again to look at the man before him. "I am Kanseina Shikei........and welcome to Death Mansion." he said it was the name of his home. What the towns people called it. What the children called it that lived here the translation of his last name. If people asked any of the now fourteen boys who lived here they all said the same thing they lived with there caretaker in Death Mansion.........so it only seemed fitting to finally welcome a reaper to the mansion that he had stepped into.

Yojo nodded a little. "They will accept you. It will be much easier than you would ever have thought possible...because for them...they are the ones who are seen as monsters and are not easily accepted...they are a family of what many consider to be monsters or misfits...but they are so close to one another...even if some of them will not admit it..." he explained lowly and then looked at Kansei.

The name could be seen as ironic to some, but to Yojo...it was simply another mansion and another name. He wasn't looking to be impressed or even welcomed for that matter. He was simply here and ready to do anything to prove to this man that not everyone was as afraid of him as he was lead to believe.

"Kanseina, would you like to have the best and most beautiful funeral for the child?...If you would...I can introduce you to someone who would let you have the funeral in the gardens of Ruy castle...."

Kanseina looked at him as he said that they were a group of misfits themselves. Seen as monsters and yet they were close knit, a family. Would a group like that really accept someone like him who was the personification of what many believed him to be? He nodded slowly as he looked at him and then turned.

"The gardens of Ryu castle......." he closed his eyes. "Would they even allow such a thing? To bury someone in such a place that is said to be beautiful beyond words? Someone who is not a vampire?" the dragon Castle that belonged to Aoi Rei. And to this day awaited the great king's return, his return with his gentle and light embraced lover. His brother.

Kanseina looked down at Ryo and nodded. "If at all possible he should be buried somewhere like that. This child......was full of warmth till the end." He said although he doubted they would allow it for his sake. Yojo seemed to believe they would accept him but he saw honestly no reason for anyone to accept him.

Yojo nodded and simply whistled, a high pitched sound that humans couldn't hear. Even he couldn't hear it very well. When he turned, he revealed the one and only Kyoki Inu, blindfold and collar with broken leash and over-sized shirt. "This one will help you...he watches over the castle and it's grounds..." he said lowly as he looked at Kansei before he turned back to Kyoki, who snorted and moved, vanishing and reappearing in front of Yojo.

"My you're a dumb one...calling me here without letting Mujo know you're still hanging around....." he said as he 'looked' at Yojo before he turned his attention to Kansei and moved, doing the same thing to Kansei, but this time he got close to take in a deep breath, taking in his scent.

After a few seconds, he leaned back and let that crazy smile spread across his features. "Well....you're certainly an interesting one..."

Kansei looked at the one before him the one that Yojo said would be able to help him and then at Yojo a moment before looking back at the blindfolded man. "Interesting? That's a first.......I'm more used to monster...." he said lowly, having never been told he was interesting by anyone. Frightening sure. A monster more times then he could count but interesting? Never.

Kansei looked at Kyoki a moment longer before sighing. "I...." and that was where he fell silent trying to think of even how to start since asking anything of anyone wasn't something he had had to do before. Having spent so much time avoiding people in general. "I need your help." he said a bit bluntly he wasn't used to people and didn't know tact.......didn't even know how to skirt around a question. "One of the children I care for died this morning in his sleep.....can you help me arrange it so that he is buried in the gardens of Ryu castle?" he said honestly and a bit bluntly.........rather tactlessly in fact. But that was Kanseina......

Yojo was silent, unable to fight Kyoki on anything. He had no reason to. As hurtful as Kyoki seemed, he was actually just being himself and showing his love. It was all in his own way. Nothing Kyoki did or said really surprised Yojo.

Kyoki chuckled lowly and licked his lips as he leaned in close to Kansei again. "There are beings out there that scare me...you are not the one who can...plus...I see no monsters here...unless you want to count me that is..." he explained, saying the last part more off handedly than anything else.

Sighing, Kyoki leaned back and rose one side of his blindfold to look at Kansei. "You, boy...are certainly very interesting...however, if it is a funeral you desire...you will be better off asking my brother to arrange it...I'm simply the one to ask permission from..."

Kansei listened to him and rose an eyebrow as he said that he was not a monster and not someone that could scare him and he was being frank with him. Then said that while Kyoki was the one that he needed permission from that it was his brother that would need to arrange it. So be it. "And what about you is a monster?" he retorted lightly it wasn't the outer appearance he judged by and sure this one struck him as someone who lived and played on the wild side but that hardly made him a monster.

"Then do I have your permission to have a funeral at Ryu castle and give this child a proper burial?" he answered without missing a beat. Assuming wasn't his thing although he did tip his head a bit curious as to this one indeed as he seemed to think he was very interesting.

One of the children choose that moment to wake up and come in wanting to check on Ryo and blinked at the guests in the room. "Oh we have company this morning? How is Ryo...."

Kansei looked over at the child and walked up placing a hand on his head. "Yes we have company but Ryo.......died this morning he was sick very sick and hid it from everyone even me."

"Oh.........did it hurt?"

"No I don't believe it did, why don't you go get cleaned up and see that the rest are ready to go this morning for me? I have arrangements for Ryo to make." Kansei said and the elven year old nodded. He didn't get shocked easily perhaps because Kansei was painfully honest he didn't skirt around the truth.

"Alright......I'll let the others know...." The boy nodded to Yojo and Kyoki in turn and turned to walk out then looked back at Kyoki a moment. "Um excuse me but isn't that really heavy around your neck...and uncomfortable?" he asked meaning that huge over-sized collar.....as if the blind fold and everything was normal the only thing the kid was curious about was if the collar was heavy and awkward.......

Kyoki chuckled lowly as he lowered the blindfold back down and shook his head. "You wouldn't understand if I were to explain it...however...I'll show you a glimpse of what I am when we get outside..." he said lowly before he sighed and shook his head.

"I wouldn't have told you to ask my brother for help if I didn't want you to be there..." he said lowly before he turned to face the child and knelled down, crouching low. Much akin to Inazuma.

"No child, it's not heavy...I have been wearing this collar since I was about your age...the weight is no longer an issue to me..."