Bait

[red_branch]

Cu Chulainn wasn't a patrolman, nor did he ever aspire to be one. He was the guardian of his country in the sense that he would respond immediately to dire threats but he had never been the man to watch every village one by one and butt his head into every squabble he saw. Despite that, he had a keen eye for trouble and countless thoughts about what justice was supposed to be--so, he tended to intervene in problems when they presented themselves if only because of the fickle nature of what justice looked like to him.

Two farmers were arguing over a fairy mound, claiming ownership over a magic bow that sprung out of it. It had been hovering in the air, moving around on occasion from their perspective. Cu Chulainn, puzzled, wondered if the two men were fools--as there was clearly a man in white attire holding the damned thing. He stepped down from his horse to approach the two in the middle of their quarrel, watching the bowman, who was ignoring them as he read from a thin piece of paper held up in front of him. The two men didn't notice the bowman at all.

The bowman met eyes with Cu Chulainn, perplexed.

"You can see me?"

"Yeah. You can call me Cu Chulainn and... I'm curious. Never seen an archer carry that kind of bow, before."

Their exchange of words was brief, if not polite on Cu Chulainn's end. The farmers backed off immediately when they saw Cu Chulainn speaking to what they presumed was a demented ghost clutching the bow and ran when the bow lifted and fired, trying to take off Cu Chulainn's head from the neck. The young man let out a terse sigh, unstrapping his spear from his back after avoiding the volley before making a bit more effort to close the gap and stride towards him. The dark-haired archer was stunned that his shot hadn't landed and even more so when the following dozen bolts were parried and redirected just as easily. He jumped up and kicked the bowman square in the chest, dropping him to the ground before there had been a few popping sounds.

Strange. It didn't sound like the sound of bones breaking--he didn't think he kicked hard enough to do that. The bowman stumbled back, coughing and wheezing, his eyes bulging open as he buried his hand in his clothing to pull out a vial. The thing had broken in the center and little white tablets fell to the ground, dissolving. The shocked expression he wore spoke more about what happened than whatever he could pull out with his strange accent.

"I--I can't stay here!"

He threw a capsule to the ground, blinding light shining and catching Cu Chulainn off guard. He stepped back, vanishing into a tear in thin air, just as a few more of the tablets landed on the ground where he had been standing. Cu Chulainn rubbed under his eyes before stepping over to the remaining tablets, picking them up with a scowl.

"What a pain--fairy mounds are just troubling these days. Nothing good comes out of the damned things anymore--"

As if proving him right, a dozen or so howling voices rose up in the woods, the town, and the mountains all at once. Screaming farmers and milling people came shortly after, clearly bothered by the owners of those inhuman howls. His irritated scowl deepened and he ran off, away from the mound and towards the sound of trouble, "Speak of the devil... and he'll come crawling right away, huh?"

Comments

[red_branch]

"Setanta!" One of the elders bellowed from the edge of camp, red from exertion and exasperation with the young warrior. Cu Chulainn responded with a grimace--cut off before he could protest Yoruichi's swift denial. "We don't have time for--"

"Hey! I'm having an important conversation!" The complaint in his voice was apparent--so, it was clearly apparent that he wasn't treating things to the correct order of importance or at least he wasn't according to the rest of the villagers.

"Like hell you are! You don't need to get married this instant!"

Whatever veneer of heroism and princely pride he had been wearing before evaporated immediately as he dug his heels in and went in hard, looking back to Yoruichi. She had gone from tense for one reason to tense for a totally different one.

"Are you certain? I've never met a woman as beautiful or courageous as you. If I didn't ask you now--wouldn't I regret it for the rest of my life?"

More than anything, he understood why people were put off by his haste and urgency. Everything in his life had to be fast and he couldn't stand slowing down for even a moment.

[goneonenight]

At least she's not the only one who thinks this is ridiculous. Yoruichi is starting to feel bad for the people who are stuck living with this crazy person. She gives him another incredulous look, then shakes her head.

"That's not my problem. I don't even know you." Her voice is flat, his newest compliments simply rolling off her back. Marriage is a distant concept, one Yoruichi is happy to put off for another few centuries--some compulsive flirt from the living world isn't going to tempt her otherwise.

Turning away from Cu Chulainn, she addresses the man who'd just been chastising him.

"Elder, apparently I got here through some kind of fairy mound. Do you know how I can get back to it?" While not servile, her voice is more respectful than it had been with Cu Chulainn, showing she at least has manners when she chooses to use them.

If all the Hollows here are taken care of, Yoruichi really should be getting back. If nothing else, Seireitei will be interested to know there's another group of spiritually aware humans besides the Quincy.

[red_branch]

Cu Chulainn whistled when Yoruichi turned away from him sharply. That was a serious rejection. When it was done and said, he couldn't quite press her any harder than that without spoiling the graces of someone who helped his country quite a bit in such a short amount of time. Giving her a little nod, even if she didn't bother to look back at him, he let it roll off of him as he turned to stride off and look for his horse.

"As far as rejections go, that one's going to hurt for a while," At the very least though, he had to admit that his disappointment was still fairly strong. He had been worried that he would grow numb to rejection after Emer and Scathach--so, the fact that it still made his stomach swim uneasily was actually a relief. Even so, he found himself stopping mid-stride after a little while, tapping his one foot in thought. He scratched the back of his head, trying to figure out if Yoruichi just didn't see anything compelling about him.

The elder, huffing as he strode over to Yoruichi, looked more and more disheveled by the hot sun overhead and the amount of work he still had to do in the day.

"A fairy mound, yound lady?" He looked irritated but given the dispassionate looks from the other villagers--it was apparent that this was just how he looked all the time. "Fairy mounds are volatile and unpredictable."

The elder continued on after clearing his throat, an apologetic look dregged up suddenly when he glanced at Cu Chulainn.

"Those things just look like normal hills and grassy knolls. They're gateways to the world of the Sidhe--powerful elemental creatures," There was a brief wipe at his brow as he turned his gaze to the sky. Clouds came to block the sun, which had been a brief respite for him, "They probably dragged yourself and that monster here out of irritation that you passed into their realm. Unfortunately for you, our overly-energetic prince here is the only one who knows Sidhe tricks and can deal with their illusions. The boys only gotten weirder after he got back from the Realm of the Dead..."

[goneonenight]

The elder looks disgruntled, but answers her politely enough. But it's her turn to frown again when it turns out her best guide is her alleged suitor, now standing off to one side looking poleaxed at her refusal.

Serves him right. Who does he think he is?

Huffing in annoyance, she turns to Cu Chulainn. He's already halfway towards his horse, apparently having decided there's nothing keeping him there now that his impulsive marriage proposal has fallen through.

"Will you help me, then?" Her tone is civil rather than friendly; she needs the help, but she's not going to encourage his interest. If these beings are as powerful as the elder implies, she'd rather not go through one of their portals with no information.

[red_branch]

Cu Chulainn stared at his horse and his horse stared back, wondering if he should have just finished approaching his master. Cu Chulainn was spacing out, running through things he could have said or adjustments he could have made to his posture to bolster his image. His shoulders hung as he managed to feel a twinge of disappointment--realizing he didn't want to abandon that proposal even if the rejection was as close to 'never' as a 'no' could get. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose hard, only stopping when he caught the last word out of Yoruichi when she came up from behind him.

He turned, a little surprised that she was bothering to speak with him again. Lowering his hand from his face, he looked down at her with that look of confusion still apparent--gesturing for Duban with his free hand. The horse began to trot over, albeit lazily.

"Help you with what? Sorry, I was thinking over a few things. Rejections like that are pretty rough on me."

His response was somewhat familiar as if it were clear that he realized he made a slip-up and had no qualms with admitting to it. Even so, it was clear that his mind was still somewhat elsewhere by the glance he made back to his horse.

[goneonenight]

Yoruichi knows better, but the question comes out before she can stop it. "If you keep getting rejected, then why don't you--" She cuts herself off. It doesn't matter why he doesn't stop or at least figure out a better way to do it. She has other things to worry about.

"The elder said you were the best one to help me with the fairy mound," she says. "So will you? I need to get home." Seiretei will certainly want to know what's happened today. Hollows showing up halfway around the world are an issue. Not to mention the fact that these Sidhe apparently have a way to get into Soul Society that she bets no one knows about. That's a potential threat that needs to be monitored.

[red_branch]

"Life is short," Cu Chulain answered Yoruichi, even if she caught herself in the end. He could have guessed what the entire question was but he had an answer for what he thought it was. He smiled in the end, offering her a shrug. "Especially for me."

Though, his smile managed to diminish just a little bit when he decided to take the topic a bit more seriously. It wasn't hard to tell why Yoruichi wanted to leave. She was on duty and disappeared into a foreign land. Maybe she had family or not but even if not she likely still had work to do. Given how driven she clearly was, it was unlikely that she was pressing him for social reasons. She had to get home quickly.

Still, his change in expression went from disappointment to concern. Wait--she didn't have her return figured out?

"Actually, I thought you could handle it yourself at first. If you don't know about them, we should move quickly--but not too quickly," He turned, beginning to walk swiftly in the direction of the fairy mound Yoruichi had come from. It was just outside the village, close to the border of two farms. He hadn't really considered her problem immediately, figuring she had been exposed to them before. "Don't move too fast or you'll scare it off."

He was rummaging through his armor, finding a bag of reagents. Twigs, leaves, mushrooms, and bits of bone. It looked like garbage but he seemed to be sorting through it intently as he sped up his stride just a touch.

[goneonenight]

Yoruichi shakes her head. "I hadn't planned on coming to the Living World, so I didn't bring anything to get back." She easily keeps pace with him. "I didn't know I was going through a portal until it was done."

For the first time, a chill goes over her. She'd been caught up in the adrenaline of the mission, but what if this fairy mound won't let her back home?

She bites her lip, frowning. "Are you sure you know how to work these things? The elder said they're unpredictable."

[red_branch]

It took some effort for Cu Chulainn to really see Yoruichi's perspective. His sense of wanderlust tended to keep him far from home so often that the word was almost meaningless to him. The only thing that kept him home for any span of time was his vow to protect--something he sometimes forgot ever since his fellow knights grew strong enough to help him do the job with time to spare.

So, the fact that Yoruichi's mood seemed to fall was something that took a bit for him to wrap his head around. Even so, it didn't take much for his confidence to show. Fairy mounds were unpredictable but he had a knack for dealing with the unnerving things that came out of them.

"It might take some time but I can definitely get you through," He wasn't confident it would be perfect, given he sure they would be dealing with fairies that loved to make insane deals and play cruel tricks Cu Chulainn made big promises with hesitation. One crestfallen look from the hero who had come to help his clan had been enough to spark it in him.

"My word is bond."

He bowed his head, his expression grave--as he threw the handful of grit he carried into the ground. Muttering a word, he drew up a waypoint in the shape of molded light. Little, yellow sparks of light rose up from the grass and bent the air, gradually forming an arch that led into darkness. The bent light reflected light back on Cu Chulain and Yoruichi, taking on the appearance of a mirror.

"You'll have to go first, though. Ready?"

[goneonenight]

Had she come here on purpose, or if she knew how to get home on her own, Yoruichi's may well have given in to curiosity and stayed to look around some. But the thought of being trapped anywhere is alarming, so getting back to Soul Society is her top priority.

Whatever bits and pieces he'd been gathering apparently work, because a portal soon appears in front of them, as smooth as a still pond. Part of her balks at going first--she doesn't know him, and it's hard to put that sort of trust into a stranger. But she's already trusting him to get her home, so there's no sense turning back now.

Face firming, she takes a step forward, one hand out to test the fairy mound gate. But her fingertips are repelled, and she steps back in shock. She tries again, pressing her palm against the surface, but it's as unforgiving as stone.

"What's happening?" She turns to Setanta, her hand still touching the gate as her voice rises in distress. "Why won't it let me--ow!"

She snatches her hand back, smarting from the shock she'd been given. It seems she's not going to be allowed through after all.

[red_branch]

Cu Chulainn had been prepared to step through the wall and disappear for some time. It had been months the last time he went into a fairy mound and he had come out halfway across the country--thankfully not halfway across the world. The most he expected to see was Yoruichi disappearing into it before he did the same. So, when she was repelled, he felt his hands tighten up into fists before the same rebuke seemed to touch him as well. Some of the dirt and twigs were still on his skin and all signs of his creation seemed to be boiling away and dissolving once Yoruichi failed to pass through.

His expression darkened, confused. The skin of his hands had blackened somewhat from a burn he couldn't identify but he reached out to touch the portal before it bled away into nothing, leaving a thick mist in its place.

The betrayed look in Yoruichi's eyes bothered him, his throat tightening. Cu Chulainn looked to his blackened hands, grimacing. Fairy mounds didn't so much close as they moved. His worst fear had simply been that they would have to look for a new one nearby and it would take time but this time it was a hostile rejection.

"This isn't something fairies do all that often," He responded, albeit more to himself. "That's a counter-spell."

Showing Yoruichi his hands, he flexed his fingers to test whether or not they still worked. Thankfully--there was nothing beyond superficial damage though if it was a concern of his, Cu Chulainn failed to show any of it. He was still somewhat stricken by Yoruichi's disposition and the definitive nature of his failure. It was making his blood boil just a touch.

"This territory no longer belongs to me, though. Someone got to it first and decided to lock me out completely. We've got to find another one."

[goneonenight]

If she'd had any doubts of his sincerity, the fact that his injuries are worse than hers would have put them to rest. Despite her own dismay, she can't help but wince at the sight of his burned hands. Apparently, the effects are stronger when it's your own spell being broken. These fairies seem to be dangerously capricious, so they'll have to tread lightly. Setting aside her own upset, she reaches out to Cu Chulainn. "Give me your hands."

Healing him is the least she can do. Besides, if she's concentrating on that, she won't be able to dwell on the fact that she has no idea when she'll get home again. "So how hard is it to find these mounds?" Her eyes flick up to his before returning to his hands. "I mean...do they hide them?"

[red_branch]

"They can't," Turning over his hands, Cu Chulainn shut his eyes and began thinking on what had just happened. One of the things he was taught had been to occasionally stop and consider a unique situation before making a headstrong decision. Scathach did plenty to reign him in, so he would at least make use of that teaching when he recalled it. The pain in his hands hadn't been outstanding but it was definitely worth letting Yoruichi look over. Whatever she intended doing, he didn't think much on the prospect of betrayal.

She looked fairly invested in his help, after all.

"They move like the weather," He gestured with his chin to the ground. The gate itself, although it faded, still left a faint impression on the air. It was moving as if very slowly being dragged by the wind. "We didn't miss our chance but once this one moves it won't be back for days or even weeks. That's why people can stumble into them fairly easily. At the right time, on the right day, in the right place--you can fall right into them."

Cu Chulainn's eyes snapped open, his lips curling into a grin--

"But, that doesn't mean this one is your only chance. If anything, the fact that someone may be on the other side setting up a bounded field to stop us means there's a big magical spell in the fairy realm designed to stop my type of magic precisely."

[goneonenight]

Yoruichi spares him a quick, exasperated look before focusing on his hands once more. "I don't see how that's a good thing." If someone is on the other side specifically countering his type of magic, then wouldn't that block them no matter what gate they took?

"And how do you know a different gate will still get me home?" She frowns in concentration as she takes his hands, careful not to be too rough. Her hands glow blue-white with healing kidou, soothing and repairing his burns. Dead skin flakes off as new skin grows in; it's uncomfortable, but not nearly as bad as having to suffer through healing at regular speed.

[red_branch]

"I didn't say it was a good thing," There was a quality to his words that was clear--he was excited that there wasn't an absence of a chance at all. It meant that an impossible task was demoted to something that was more so defined as 'highly unlikely'. "It's still going to be really tough."

His eyes drifted down. A light gesture of his brow going up gradually was enough to tell that he was intrigued by Yoruichi's form of magic. It was telling his body to recover instead of undoing damage--which meant that it was something entirely unique to him. It didn't warrant commentary, though.

"My thanks," He flexed his fingers sooner than one might have expected. Yoruichi's kidou accelerated an already rapid process in him.

She was taking it well, though. Yoruichi, pragmatic for every correct reason, was still maintaining an air of calm that was probably ingrained in her. Even if he hadn't seen her before then, just seeing her in that moment would have told him plenty about her resilience. Despite the fact that it made him like her even more, his expression darkened.

"It's going to be hell. Not many Sidhe can block my spells like that. Territory advantage or not--I should have been able to walk right through with no issue. Even if we can use that spell as a waypoint... Well, the only way we can use it in the first place is if we walk through another mound to find it and just by doing that--we'd be found out and they'll likely want to cause even more trouble."

"So--a scuffle is going to be pretty inevitable."

[goneonenight]

She steps back as he flexes his hands, surprised to see how quickly he recovers. Even as her spell was working, she could feel it taking affect more quickly than usual.

But Cu Chulainn's rapid healing is forgotten as he continues, his expression somewhat grim as he makes it clear that finding their way back to Seireitei is going to be no easy feat. Whoever had gone to the trouble of stopping them here will almost certainly be willing to do as much once they see the duo trying to circumvent the block.

"All right." She doesn't look happy, but she's accepted that this is how it is, and is already resolved to see it through. "So where do we start looking? And--"

Hunger curls in her stomach a split second before she hears it growl, audibly enough for Cu Chulainn to hear. Embarrassment flashes over her face for a second, and she slaps an arm over her belly as if it would make any bit of difference.

[red_branch]

Cu Chulainn, briefly lost in thought, had been considering the possibility that if he went in one fairy mound to return Yoruichi--he'd probably end up in another part of the world entirely when he came back around. That thought, while concerning, didn't seem to change his mind at all about helping her. Unreasonable promises were regular for him.

That aside, his train of thought derailed as a croaking noise interrupted him. Yoruichi's question didn't last long in mind as he discovered something new.

"Spirits can get hungry?"

And, apparently, they didn't like sharing it.

[goneonenight]

Yoruichi huffs out a long sigh, deliberately lowering her arm from her stomach. "Some of us, yeah. Regular spirits just get thirsty but if you have a lot of spiritual energy, you have to eat just like humans do."

She frowns. Given her background, she's never had to worry about where her next meal would come from, and it's not a feeling she enjoys. She pauses, looking apprehensive before she speaks again.

"I didn't bring any money, but if you know where I can get some food, I can pay you back when I get home." Yoruichi can take care of herself, but here in this place, she's at a serious disadvantage. She doesn't know the customs or the magic they use, and most regular humans probably won't even be able to see her. It puts her off balance, and she can't help but try to keep the scales as level as she can.

[red_branch]

"Oh."

There was a certain quality to learning something that turned out to be exceptionally trivial. For some reason, it was clear that Yoruichi didn't like admitting it--at least, that was what he thought original. Gawking at her, Cu Chulainn found himself barking out a laugh the moment she offered repayment.

"Hah!" Realizing what he did without thinking, Cu Chulainn raised his hands in apology. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting to hear anything like that at all. If anything--it's kind of a relief."

He gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, still perplexed but he had an impression of how she must have felt. Offering to pay--it was probably an issue of pride. So, maybe she'd appreciate something else.

"That said, there's no need to worry about money. My uncle lives nearby and he's always fine with feeding guests--especially the sort who help out the local villages."

[goneonenight]

His laugh makes her bristle, but his apology mollifies her somewhat. Having grown up around other spirits, she doesn't see anything strange about the fact that she needs to eat. She needs to sleep and use the bathroom too, just like anyone else would. Maybe the spirits here are different?

"If you're sure he doesn't mind." She doesn't like being dependent on a stranger, but it's not as though she has much choice. Her only other option is going hungry and sleeping on the ground until she can make her way back to Soul Society.

She hesitates, then speaks anyway, giving in to her curiosity. "Why is it a relief that I eat?"

[red_branch]

Placing two fingers in his mouth, Cu Chulainn let out a sharp whistle and called for his horses, "Blackie! Grey! Come on, it's time to go home for the night!

He didn't bother asking if Yoruichi could ride.

Finally, he answered her question, having used his chance to whistle for his horses as an excuse to look for a good response. In truth, he had no idea what gave him the impression that spirits didn't eat. It was probably an issue in story-telling that spirits never ate or slept because their impression was that, lacking bodies, they didn't have the same weaknesses as people.

"Well, I guess it's the stories I've heard as a boy. I always thought spirits were restless, always looking for the path to their next life and didn't have the same needs as they did when they were alive," One misconception leads to another and he offered Yoruichi a shrug, matching her curiosity with more of his own. He wasn't usually the type to ask so many questions but it seemed like a good chance to learn. Scathach resided in the realm of the dead but he never really hunted spirits down for conversations. "I mean, do you remember being alive? You must have heard stories about spirits then."

[goneonenight]

Yoruichi blinks as his horses run to his side, as well-trained as any dogs. She knows what horses are, but they're hardly common in Soul Society. These are the first she's seen in person. Their coats are glossy over smooth muscle, and their long faces are actually somewhat endearing. Her face lights up, and she wonders if they would mind being pet.

She's reaching out a tentative hand to touch one of their flanks when Cu Chulainn's question registers. "When I was--no, I'm not--" She pulls her hand back, shaking her head.

"I'm not dead," she says, her voice a little sharp. "I was born in the afterlife, just like the rest of my family.

[red_branch]

The grey horse, seemingly oblivious, made no motion to move when Yoruichi reached out to touch him. He did seem to follow her with his eyes when she pulled her hand back--almost disappointed. The black-maned horse tailing around Cu Chulainn seemed to make a noise of impatience. Cu Chulainn, tapping the snout of the horse sneaking around him without looking, chided him.

"Come on, don't make me the mature one, here."

Yoruichi's response pried a similar reaction out of him.

"Wait, so--" He couldn't say he expected something like that. Cu Chulainn had seated himself through weird enough things that day but did sound a little surprised. "So, you're a spirit that was born a spirit? That puts a weird spin on the cycle of death."

[goneonenight]

"Does it?" Yoruichi frowns in concentration; it seems natural to her, having grown up with it. "When humans die, they come to Soul Society."

She reaches out a hand again, carefully patting the grey horse's neck. "But if you die there, you're reincarnated into the living world. The souls going back and forth keeps everything in balance."

The horse seems to like it, so she keeps it up, her movements more assured. "How do your spirits work, then?"

[red_branch]

There was a definitive pause and stillness in Cu Chulainn that showed just how taken aback he was. It wasn't very often that someone came up to him and told him what would happen if he died. The mystery of the afterlife was always something that bordered on speculation even with the minute evidence that magic gave them. So, in the end--

"Well--I guess I don't know my ass from my elbow! All I've ever heard were stories and, usually, they came from my drunk uncles."

He placed one hand against the back of Blackie's mane and threw his leg over--seating himself on the horse's back. He snapped his fingers and Grey leaned his head down, giving a grunt of irritation. It was clear he wanted to have the petting continue. Grey kept his head low so Yoruichi could get on his back.

"But, I'm sure you can tell me more about it over dinner. Ready?"