Scrutinizing her with a stare that never wavers and a grip that never loosens, "Have you created such a thing in your head, so faithfully, that it has become your reality?"
Having her eyebrow twitch after hearing a horde of things break inside her head, "Why are you the third person to ask me something like that?"
Groaning in an almost defeated despair before he can answer with another insult, "Look, I'm not crazy," Umeko returns Hansuke's serious gaze, "Ryu is."
Gray eyelids lower shut, "Ryu Heika is, indisputably," then shoots open to reveal a swirling red pupil within the silver iris.
"Non compos mentis," the winged yokai nods and Umeko visibly has no understanding of the gibberish that just excited his masked mouth.
Tilting his head slightly, "You propose I kill you, where you stand, to end this war?"
Wow, this really might happen now. Do I even want to die to help him (Tsukiyomi) to save people that don't even know I exist? I think I'm starting to get what Sanemaru was talking about. Why does my life keep making me want to die and fight to live at the same time?!
Powerful wings flap faster, driving his rigidly defined, muscular torso harder into her feminine curves, reminding the girl she remains in the middle of the stone tower's wall victim to his every whim, "If you are the object of deceit, then I would be faced with death by Ryu's hand. He would then go after my entire lineage, their friends, and their pets, for my betrayal."
Umeko gulps when Hansuke's clawed hands rise to plant themselves on opposite sides of her head, "Are you the kind of man to knowingly endanger the lives of many innocent bystanders solely because they're not of your flesh?"
Raising an eyebrow as he peers deep into her cinnamon eyes, unnerving orbs never shift or blink during his examination.
Inhaling sharply through flared nostrils before exhaling all of her worries, I have to trust that Lord Izanagi knows what he's doing– I'm a total worm.
Confessing, "I think of myself as the kind of woman that would sacrifice if it meant I could save the lives of innocent people," Umeko's eyes fall to the turtle-shell like green mask covering his lips to take a break from being investigated.
But, I also think I'd do whatever it took to live forever if it meant I got to see Tsukiyomi one, last time. . .
Clearing her throat to keep from getting emotional, "I lost everything the night he led me here. There's nothing for me to go back to whether the war ends or not."
Hanging her head as a regretful past hunts her sanity down yet again, "I'm either a prisoner, or dead. At least Tsukiyomi no Mikoto has a chance to return to his place in the sky. And Sane. . .he's," pausing, she recognizes she doesn't have the strength to hear out loud the confirmation of his demise.
Pushing the thought of her friend's death to the back of her mind, Umeko manages to relax back into the wall and close her eyes while she risks plummeting to her death should Hansuke decide to simply fly away and chalk her death up to an accident.
Groaning, "What's the point of talking about it?"
Suddenly stiffening to lock eyes with Ryu's most trusted servant, "Everyone in this prefecture supports his war," she helplessly rocks the back of her head against the wall.
Taken aback by the conviction in his voice while she realizes the torches closest to them are still lit despite the wind from under his wings, "You are wrong."
The servant's statement breaks past her guard when she also takes note that while her eyes were closed, she missed him removing his mask. With a gray nose now capable of brushing over hers, one of the straps from his mask is still looped around one ear, allowing the shell to hang down the side of his face.
Enchanted by the perfect bow in his lips as he talks, "Not every unholy immortal seeks out war and destruction. Some of us do what is necessary to uphold the balance that prevents another Great Split and the indisputable chaos that comes with."
Plump, dark-gray lips that hide a mouth of fangs while shut become visible on certain syllables through his foreign accent speaking her language, "Ryu invokes the idea of merging the Seven Realms which breaks every rule. Naturally, that's exciting since creatures of darkness have long grown restless of hiding to blend in or remain unknown."
Distracted by how handsome her first gray-skinned encounter is, she repeats his words in her head as they flow from his mouth, "However, there is no place in the mortal world for most of us."
A strong, square jaw clenches briefly, "I am not 'evil', yet Your kind calls me monster, beast, devil and horror."
Umeko's face surprises Hansuke when he sees pain and empathy on her face after hearing his words.
"I, and others like me, choose the side most beneficial to our freedom from the shadows."
Admiring his flawless skin, she's beginning to see the startling, humanoid bat-creature in a more flattering light, "You're not a horror, you just look. . .different than what humans are used to."
Sympathetically reasoning with him to defend her species, "We don't have a lot of variety outside of skin color, and we still find reasons to exclude each other over that."
Chuckling half-heartedly while looking up, she tries to laugh at her own memories of being an outcast, "Personal experience talking."
Trying to forget there's quite a drop before she reaches the spiraling set of stairs below, "Also, the only people I have ever called monsters were my little brothers. . .until they and everyone else in my village was slaughtered by people that don't deserve to be called human. . ."
Hesitant, "And your master, Ryu."
Wanting to bury her face in her hands only to be denied by the way his body immobilizes her, "Your kind was created to be a certain way and you stick to it; humans seem to be able to do whatever they want-- and that's scarier."
Amazed by the way his seizure of her doesn't limit her breathing or ability to speak, "If I feel this way after learning more about your kind, then there must be others like me."
Hansuke suspiciously looks over the girl's face and she swallows hard.
Continuing as confidently as she can muster without sounding frightened or unsure, "This war will make the accepting world you're dreaming of impossible to exist because blood and death will be on every land until Ryu is either destroyed or. . ."
Umeko glances from his mouth to his eyes, "Bored," astonished that not a glimpse of his ferocious teeth is visible through his closed lips. Hearing a quiet growl rumble in his throat, she remains on edge as the servant possibly contemplates dropping her or delivering her to the dungeon.
Feeling his arms snake around her back to hold her, she feels the pinning weight of his body lighten up away from the stone. Encompassed in the radiating heat of his hug, she fights the sensation of wanting to hold him back and nuzzle into his body.
Either he's got some kind of power to make me feel like this, or I need to learn how to cope with things without thinking of how good a man's body feels against mine.
A shiver runs down her spine when she feels the warmth of his breath teasing her ear, "There isn't a human that breathes to share your views unless they desire to enslave a yokai to do its bidding."
We're the "its" to demons?
"Should you die, so does your view. You must live on to share your understanding. These hands," he tightens his grip around her body and her body goes limp, "Will have no part in your undoing."
Relieved to hear that she won't die in this tower today, the fervent gaze of this winged creature gathers every aspect of Umeko's focus when he analyzes her further, "What reasoning developed your conclusion to share this information with me?"
Is he asking why I told him the truth?
Nodding with the assurance she has nothing left to lose but her life anyways, "You sounded unsure of Ryu's actions, so I hoped you'd listen," staring into his eyes, "It's not like I'm full of options."
Hansuke's face goes stoic as they watch each other silently, torchlight dancing on their faces with loose strands of hair tousling against their skin.
Cutting through an uncomfortably long pause, "Hn," he sounds through closed lips, "Hope."
Scoffing, "I will never understand," he shakes his head to the right before ensnaring her with his gaze, "It's not in the nature of a gargoyle to inflict harm to the innocent."
Tilting her head at the world 'gargoyle', That's what he's called? I thought yokai were all after animals like the horse, bear, wolf, drag–!
Cut short from a rambling, learning mind to listen intently, "I will deliver you, as ordered. Inform the prisoners of your dilemma. Some of them have been captured for opposing Ryu. Perhaps one or all will bestow that which you desire."
Still going to rot in a cell tonight. Damn.
"If not, learn about your enemy from his enemies. Should a promising rebellion arise, I will fight for you," descending gracefully down with controlled wings, "Otherwise, I am at the disposal of my Dragon Lord's law."
When the bottom of Umeko's shoes finally touch stone steps, he releases her. Smoothing out her clothes, "Fair enough. Do we have to keep going the long way?"
Did that sound whiny?
Snickering, an ivory point of his fang catches light. Hansuke's arms are around her in an instant, and the two of them disappear in a cloud of dark smoke.