Satou could only smile warmly when the clerk handed him the pack of smokes. He looked at them as if they were his holy grail, his life line to a euphoric head rush that buried the sensation of thirst. Though he remembered he'd have to bother Keiji to blend him something to lower the hunger again, could never just drink from one. He had been ignoring his need to go feed to look after Osuteno. Maybe once he escorted the boy home he'd run off to drain some cats, dogs, and probably a few thugs trying to mug people in these streets.
He did'nt even wait to get outside to pull a smoke and lit it quickly with just a snap of his fingers. A nifty trick of simple hand seals, that were more like odd lazy gestures. His body lazed once more one inhaling the sweet taste of nicotine and tobacco. Breathing the white smoke slowly as he enjoyed doing little trick rings of the smoke then shooting streams through them. He also threw the money down to pay for the treat and smokes. He stood looking down at the boy, his whole appearance from that viewpoint made him look somewhat taller, thinned out. As though his body had not eaten a real meal in days. Happens when ones diet is a liquid with not much other nourishment or vitamins.
The first string of questions, once more he had the images flow from his years upon years of memories. A boy in rags, hair disheveled, face and body covered in the blood of countless victims strewn about on the ground. The boys laughter was twisted, gurgling the sweet taste of a mouthful from his victims. The red hot poured down the boys chin as he stared deeply at Satou with bright brimming unearthly gaze of pure joy in bloodshed. Satou snapped back as he felt the burning heat glow in his eyes once more. Not even noticing he inhaled the entire cigarette right to the end. Crushing the ember in his hand. The soft burn helped him keep focus as the color in his eyes faded. Dusting the cigarette off his hand, the burn did'nt even last a few seconds before the flesh healed over.
Looking still at Osuteno he thought it would be best to talk a bit more privately. He laughed a bit as his hand raised and the boy felt invisible soft hands lift the boy to stand on his own. "You could say, you and I are similar. But as a child I did'nt have anyone to stop the fear from taking me, to becoming swallowed up by the creature inside of me." He waved the boy to follow, once outside away from prying ears he continued. "I wasn't born naturally into this world. As an infant I was sacrificed as a vessel to a demon in a village of occultist who worshiped a creature that was feared as a devourer of all life." He had his second cigarette at the ready. Speaking about his past so openly and with such a non-nonchalant attitude, he wondered how taken back the boy would become. "I grew up without a mother or father, I was raised by the village that brought me into this world a monster. Taught to hate and always be tortured by others, both human and the local wildlife despised me even breathing around them. I had to kill dogs and cats and wildlife in nearby forestry till I was old enough that the monster inside of me wanted a turn. I ended up murdering every single villager, I became a horrible creature for that one day. And forever more I swore, never to let it take me. To never fear it, for I accepted what I was. And I had to learn how to control it." He shook his head, he felt horrible talking about the past.
What was he doing? Exposing this child to the image of himself being such a creature when moments ago he trusted and opened up himself. Maybe it was only mutual. "You remind me of myself. How scared I was when I came too, covered in blood. And yet, overjoyed by it. Blood is my nourishment Osu-kun. The demon in me gives its power for the cost of my sanity and to feed on the blood of all creature who walk this earth. I'm sorry if I scare you with this truth, know I won't ever harm you. I won't ever look at you as a meal for the thing inside of me. I swear to you, i'll keep you safe. I'll always try my best to help you, even if I might not know why you have these inklings for the site of blood. I will help you search for these answers, I won't ever let someone walk in fear like I have." He walked slowly, trying to enjoy his cigarette. The soft throbbing of the nicotine giving him a pleasant head buzz.
His mouth dried so heavily, so thirsty. The burning was running through him. Like a wave too big to hold back. He gave a bit of a shiver at the sensation and sucked in a sharp breath when his senses lit up and for several blocks. The sound of human hearts beating heavily in his ear. "I have to feed it at some point, I can't go to the shinobi of this village. What would I be if I begged to them; "feed me, give me bags of blood you store in your lovely hospital fridges. Let me drink my fill again and again while others desperately need it as injuries happen day by day and this blood is needed for these poor humans." So, this place is my roost of sorts. The evil that seeps its streets, I devour it. I let the monster out and it cleans the filth from these streets. And I am left undisturbed by the others, maybe their happy I don't leave corpses laying everywhere. I've grown to control my feedings and only take small amounts, injuring muggers and thugs in these streets, then the local authorities haul them to the hospitals to recover." He had to take a break, enjoy the cigarette, breath, focus. The world felt so quiet under the thundering sound of hearts they passed by.
(mft)