The Men In Black[Private]

Jeremy's teeth clamped down on the Shinigami's shoulder, immediately feeling and hearing that irritating sound of his chompers against something that wasn't flesh. His immediate reaction was to twist the Shinigami's wrist as hard as he could. Meilin could feel his hot breath and saliva pelting against her as he let out a frustrated growl. He gnawed harder and harder like a rabid animal, and his temper was getting the better of him now more than ever. That inner monster, seeking the taste of blood on his tongue and flesh between his teeth had poured out full force. His sides were hurting like a bitch, and walking was going to hurt even more after this. It was just when his head pulled back, jaws still open and teeth bared, that it looked like he was going to go in for another bite when the shards hit their intended marks, but stopped against his skin like a drill bit attempting to go into a surface too thick. His face contorted into a look of worried confusion as the golden stitched cross on his tabard pulsed, sending rippling waves of light across his body. The shards were blown back away from his form, and Meilin could feel the death-lock grip of Jeremy's hands around her wrists disappear. By all accounts, he could have done some more damage before leaving his current position, but was spiritually compelled against doing so.

The human vanishing ended with his appearance at lamp post that had fallen to the ground some time ago. He put one hand on it, then disappeared again. Now he was at the body of the man who fell to him not too long ago He was on a knee, panting heavily. Sweat gleamed off of his face, and he gazed at the Shinigami with a new found hatred, albeit from a source he found just the smallest bit of respect from. She almost had him. Almost. It looked like he was straining himself, but Jeremy got his weapon to stand up straight like a normal lamp ought to be. The bulb came to life, lighting up the street and at the same time, revealed that the light was heated to an extent that Meilin could see it. The snow keeping Jeremy bogged down melted. He reached to over to the body, grabbing the left arm and pulled it up. His jaws closed around the forearm, his head jerked back and with it, a chunk of flesh large enough to expose the bone. Meilin was lucky to have gotten her defenses up when she did.

Jeremy chewed on the dead flesh, lifeless blood dribbled down the corners of his lips and down his chin. In his mouth, the meat decayed quickly, spoiling and going rotten in just a matter of moments. With his eyes trained on the Shinigami, Jeremy swallowed the hunk of meat. What he did was something that was damning him, and in their “faith”, Jeremy was invoking the power of a being meant to bring the opposite of a bountiful harvest. His soul was getting erased slowly, each time he did this, but he only called on the power of the Four when absolutely necessary. The acts of giving “tribute” were sometimes strange, sometimes they were just as obvious as invoking greater power. This one required the spoilage and consumption of something considered to nourish another. Other humans were the second strongest in terms of gaining power, and anything spiritual was so potent it granted permanent power. Such was his reasoning for trying to get a hunk out of the Shinigami first. Although this would be temporary, it would last the rest of the encounter.

The Human's power exploded to a level Meilin would have been able to read as someone on equal terms to one of the Gotei's Lieutenants. His Reiatsu swirled around, gaining a yellow tint from the light of his still glowing weapon. Jeremy aimed a finger at the Shinigami.

“Out of respect, respect I can say less than a single handful of Shinigami have gotten out of me...If you've got some last words, let's hear them now.”

[/spoiler]
Name: Guardian Angel- Level: Expert
Class: Release
Tier: VII
Type: Supplementary
Range: Self
Description: At the moment of certain death, Jeremy's body becomes resistant to any and all forms of damage that would have otherwise killed him. Upon activation, he cannot cause harm to anyone else. This may only occur once per encounter.

Name: Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Class: Release
Tier: IV
Type: Supplementary
Range: 50m diameter maximum
Description: The bulb end of Jeremy's weapon is able to light up to pierce darkness effected areas, and is capable of producing extremely hot, bright light to blind and burn enemies. The brightness and heat level is controlled by Jeremy.

Name: Soul Erosion--Tribute to Famine
Class:
Tier:
Type: ?
Range: Self
Description: Jeremy has erased a small portion of his soul in exchange for an increase in temporary power. In turn, he will become a little bit more darker, and a little bit more ruthless upon the next encounter.
[/spoiler]

Jeremy pointed his finger up at the Shinigami and the head of his lamp screeched like a child in agony, churning as the light began to shine upwards, the beams expanding outward and becoming brighter. While it was kept on the Shinigami's direction, the light was going to ultimately follow its user around. This would eliminate the threat of the weight boggling snow and leave him free to act accordingly. Both hands went to the inside of his pouches, fumbling around and looking almost as if he were impatiently tapping the front of his legs.

“I do what I have to do to make ends meet. I'm sure you can understand.”

Jeremy disappeared with a Step, this time much faster than the Shinigami might have guessed. Before they were on even terms, and his speed could have been said to be a problem. It would have gotten worse for her, but Jeremy knew she wouldn't just get caught off guard. Unlike his opponent, Jeremy did not go for the flanks or even the rear. He was coming for Meilin right at the front, the first of several possible plans already enacting with that first move. Although he knew the first rule of combat was to always let your opponent make the first move, it would have gotten boring if they just stood around and talked shit to each other. He probably could have spewed some bullshit that he was going to just get stronger the longer she waited, but again...boring. And he was on a schedule, that at this point, had been interrupted far beyond what he wanted.

The Human came in with his mighty right arm coming down in what most would call an 'Ax Chop', aimed for the Shinigami's mirroring left shoulder. The striking surface of his attack would be the forearm. Jeremy's left arm remained cradled and tucked back, for what the Shinigami could guess was dominantly for defensive means. Both of his hands were curled into loose fists, like his overall goal here was to get into a grapple fight again.

OOC: I've been drinking, dont feel like spoilers. he's still all buffed and shit from earlier

The fight was nearing its climax, with both the Shinigami and the human, Jeremy, at the last strings. While he had not used nearly as much of his powers as the Shinigami, he took several blows that were, at their time of dealing not much of a problem, but Jeremy was a Human. A very spiritually endowed human, but a human none the less. Bodily wise, him and his ilk were far easier to fight against. Humans could not suffer as much damage as a spiritual being, but the scales were tipped in his favor. His reaction to the attack aimed at his neck was to bend backwards, almost awkwardly so. But with that motion of movement, came a loud BOOM, similar to earlier when Jeremy used the hidden shotgun round inside his now broken revolver. Two shotgun shells were in his left hand, tucked in between his index and middle finger, as well as his middle and ring finger. It was a trick he learned from one of the others of his order, which was why he didn't care to lose his gun. What good were bullets if he couldn't fire them, right? Well, how off guard could you catch someone when you shot those rounds with no gun?

The spread of the shell, in such a close proximity would keep most of the pellets center-mass and to knock the Shinigami out of the fight. Not life threatening, but damn near close. He still had one left, as well as the heavier caliber revolver rounds.

Jeremy's form continued with his movement of back bending, diving down quickly to the ground. The warming light followed ever so fast, continuing to keep him safe from the harsh snow.


Name: The Devil's Surprise
Class: Reiryoku Technique
Tier: I
Type: offensive
Range: Varies based on bullet range
Description: Those who know this technique on a very base level can fire loose bullets/shells/cartridges from the hand. It should be assumed the originator of this can do this to an even greater extent.

The sword breaking apart was cause for alarm. He didn't have Guardian Angel to save his veteran skin again this time. The sound of his Stepping echoed from his position, and Jeremy took position back down to the ground level underneath his lamp. He'd managed to get away with the fabric of his clothing torn from the splintered blade. He wasn't bleeding, that was good, but he couldn't be careless. With all his defensive measures, he'd still wind up deep-sixed in the long run, even if he killed the Shinigami. With gritted teeth, Jeremy stuffed his free hand into the pouch with his loose cartridges and held three in between his fingers and aimed them at the Shinigami. All three fired in unison, one of his many diversionary tactics. He didn't want to do what he was going to do, but it was going to be the easiest option from here.



With the hand cannon bullets being cause for alarm, Jeremy's opposing hand which carried one of the shotgun shells opted to trade it for the black stone he was holding earlier. As soon as his rough fingers caressed the smooth rock, it began to glow green like earlier. The human pulled the spherical object out and held it out, a twisted grin formed on his face.



“Fuck it if I lose the souls, I'll just find some quick replacements easy peasy.” Jeremy murmured to himself as he began to very calmly walk toward the Shinigami. That, above anything else, should have been most worrysome.

Jeremy started laughing when the Shinigami launched her assault at him. The stone let out a bright flash, the kind that either made your eyes hurt if you didn't blink, or made you unsure what really happened because you blinked. Normally, most would have to blink at a brightness like this, but it would be unclear if the Shinigami would do so at all. Regardless of her eyelids movement, she would see the aftermath of the flash result in the blade fragments coming at him from above dropped harmlessly to the ground, as did the ones going for his hand.



“What I hold is a relic, Shinigami. Forged in the era of the first civilizations, and its purpose was meant to contain the souls of a king's enemies. Men proclaimed as sorcerers wielded these stones against the supernatural, and the souls stored inside were like a battery. There are so many other ways to use these, but this is the only pertinent thing you need to know for now.



You made me use the souls I've collected to make sure you don't get to go home. Try to talk to that weapon of yours, and when you get nothing...well, the look on your face will let you know I ain't fuckin' around anymore. Try to use your Kido, that won't work. It ain't made you human, it just made everything spiritual about you unable to work. Heh, course it only works on spiritual beings. Don't worry, I won't harm actual innocent people. Cost me the souls of nearly a thousand sinners to do this, and I'm not very happy about that. Not at all. So much time wasted, and the boss won't be happy to learn I had to use up all the fuel, either. But I ain't taking chances!”



The human Stepped towards Meilin, not once, but multiple times around the Shinigami to give her the time needed to know his words were true. There were only two more of these at nearly this capacity, though fortunately for the baby face here, they were some thousands of miles away back in the United States. The light of his lamp hadn't followed him, which meant he hadn't a need to fear the snow bogging him down anymore. And then, when that moment of reality hit, Jeremy appeared before Meilin with the hand gripping the stone cocked back. He punched forward, going for a powerful hook aimed right at the Shinigami's face.