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"No!" The indignant voice rang out in the unique cry that could be expected from the voice of a raccoon dog. Her voice had not changed when speaking, but the last irritated sound had been undeniably the regular noise of the silver-furred tanuki... and it was adorable. Normally there was a bold pride in her unique howl, her stocky but firm build, her long, fluffy tail, and overall cute and handsome appearance, but any shred of confidence that she held for her true form was being slowly and painfully stripped away. Those arms overpowering her own strength, as she was slightly weakened in her natural state, were not shy of picking her up and holding her close, all while ruffling the thick, fluffy fur all over her tiny canine body. "Put me down! Stop!"

Now for certain, her fur would be a complete matted and tangled mess later on. It had been a mistake to come to the ace's mansion today as she was. No yokai could maintain any form for long, and while she was blessed enough with the ability hold her human form for great lengths of time, Izayuki eventually was forced to revert back for a while until she regained the energy. She did not want to do it back at her dorm room in the guild hall, as her secret would be instantly exposed. At the same time, she was in no mood to wander the wild for a few hours to a few days, so she had come here. Azalea, naturally, knew of what she truly was. Due to an accident, Elyx had also discovered the truth, and thus his phoenix, Ignite, did as well. With nothing to hide here, Izayuki had thought that she would be safe for a while to linger in the guild ace's mansion. Aza would protect her, only, her little sister was not here at the current moment. And thus, it was payback time for her tackling him earlier to force him on a mission, on top of everything else she had done. Elyx would make her pay for her mischief and deeds, and what better time to do that than when she was stuck in her real body- that of a tanuki with beautiful, unnatural silver fur, a fluffy tail, and those familiar pink eyes. "Enough already!" Iza demanded again with a frown, continuing her struggle.

A sure way to bruise a tanuki's high and mighty pride was through the constant cuddling without any permission or approval... Iza's dilemma. She continued to give irritated grunts and she was pushed up against his front, fastened close between his arms. It was humiliating and most uncomfortable and embarrassing... good thing Seika was not with her. As Elyx's finger poked her nose, she attempted to lash her head forward and snap at his finger threateningly, yet likely unsuccessfully. A warning bite, but before the silver raccoon dog could do anything else, she felt herself abruptly dropped, landing hard on the cushions of the couch with a small bit of breath knocked out of her- what little left she had after being crushed to death, and mussed and wild fur. Picking herself up and shaking her fluffy coat out, Izayuki turned and glared at Elyx, narrowing her pink-hued canine eyes. "Not even! I still win," she said indignantly, beginning to try to straighten out her tail fur. After what she had just gone through, she most definitely was leagues beyond Elyx in whatever rivalry had been established by fate. "You better not do that again, baka."

"Shut up," Izayuki replied, feeling a small, irritated growl rising from the back of her canine throat. "I did win, and you better be watching your back now... and don't you dare!"
Yes, she was serious. Somehow or other, she would fight at her strongest if he dared to pick her up again. Still, the use of her slayer abilities for such a thing would be showing even greater weakness. No, she had to prove that she was the dominant one somehow- the winner. Leaping up to perch on the opposite arm of the couch as Elyx sat down, the silver raccoon dog narrowed her bright pink eyes at him suspiciously and boldly, likely appearing to be quite a mess with her mussed fur. Her tail was fluffy, pretty, and groomed again, but she could not vouch for the rest of er fur, which was probably a wreck. "I expect to be like this for as long as I feel," she blatantly lied, closing her eyes and looking up and away indignantly and proudly with a small "hmpf". Of course, Izayuki had no control over how long it could take for her shifting abilities to balance themselves again. It could be days, weeks, or it could be hours or minutes. In any case, she hoped that it would not last too long... she had a certain guild ace she needed to get back at for ruining her present pride.

"Then I guess it's not over..." Izayuki said, flicking her tail to the other side in a sassy manner, as could be expected of her. Using her Glacial Omnipotence ability, the tanuki generated a large snowball directly above Elyx's head, allowing gravity to drop it right on him. "Well, now it is. 'Cause I clearly won, baka, so just sit back and shut up," she continued, a small, audacious smile creeping to her maw as she shot Elyx a bold and victorious sideways glance. Him, win? Not a chance! He had nothing on her, as she always was one to ensure herself a victory and a win. She hated losing, and especially so to flippant humans like the guild ace. While yes, deep inside she found the tension and grinding quite fun and enjoyable, feeding on his resistance and fueling their rivalry and friendship, it would never be admitted.

Pink eyes widened in short surprise as the boy moved at a vanishing speed and appeared right next to her, picking her up and once again squeezing her against him. Damn, she had forgotten about his current powers that came along with a new magic. No longer was he a violin-playing holder magician, but a sword-wielding caster wizard. With his pride, she never would have thought of him switching. Nevertheless, he did, and now she had a brand new series of the unknown and potential trouble. "Dammit, Elyx! Shut up and put me down!" she pleaded, struggling and scrabbling with claws and all of her tiny tanuki might, yet coming up short and unable to get free. "Stop!"

He ought to know that she would not give in. She was a winner, completely denying losing when it came to it. Sure, it could make her a poor sport by human means and ideals, but since when did she really care about that? Unable to muster the strength to use her magic, and also not ready to rely on such tactics for obvious reasons, such as losing, the desperate raccoon dog attempted using the one ability that actually had grown in strength upon being reverted back to her true form. Iza knew that Elyx could counter illusions with the Deemo's Orb, but hopefully he did not have the item on him. The other concern was his ability that would negate any effect... however, her Bakedanuki power was not that of illusions. She could literally manipulate the perception of the space in all physical aspects. The hard part was actually deciding how to distract him... she needed to ensure that his darn rose petal orb was scarce. Using her Glacial Omnipotence again, Izayuki would conjure a giant snowdrift on all side of them, basically devouring the couch in snow. Once this happened, she would attempt to loose herself from his grip and dig a paw or muzzle in his nearest pocket, praying and hoping she could snag that glass ball.

"Let me go!" she demanded again, flailing tiny paws as she failed in her attempt to escape from his rough cuddling and ruffling of her fur, plus the hard grinding on the top of her head from the pressing of his knuckles in a noogie fashion. Coming to this place had been one hell of a bad idea, a complete mistake, as this situation was not about to let up anytime soon. Elyx would not quit taking his well-deserved revenge, and she was not one to ever admit defeat. As much as she likely deserved what she was being delivered from any outside view, every fiber of her was in denial, as per her usual stubbornness.

In a fair desperation out of heightened instinct in her animal form, Izayuki attempted to spark her Bakedanuki ability, manipulating the perception of the surrounding vicinity. If she could distract him for at least a moment, she could probably make an escape and find a temporary place to hide- likely somewhere in the new sensory world she was creating. The first thing that came to mind was the scene she went with- the living room faded away into that of a forest from her memory, a local one, where she had first met Seika. However, she could not detail that forest as well... it was hazy, as she was beginning to forget the characteristics and attributes of the wood. Bad idea. She needed something firm and solid. Instantly, the forest scene switched to one close to her heart- the one she had been born into and raised and nurtured in. It was a meadow in the woods, ripe in the summer with soft golden light of the evening painting every blade of green grass. The couch was no longer a nice, comfortable sofa, but a log. Where there was something solid in the real world, there would be something solid in hers. Still, the perception of the space was inevitable.

Maybe the beauty of her former home would be enough to distract him and loosen his grip on her small, fluffy tanuki body. Personally, she missed this place too- it would be fun to hide in her birth home again, even if it was not real. What did the locals and humans call it again? A snow-capped mountain just beyond the forest, a majestic sight to behold, Izayuki tried to recall the name of it based on the readings of maps and geography books that she so loved and studied. "Shadelle..." she breathed out in a faint whisper as she continued to struggle in Elyx's arms. "Was that its name? Can't remember..."

The reaction from Elyx was not at all what she had counted on or expected. While satisfactory to a small degree, being thrown up in the air was not what Izayuki had been anticipating. She managed to twist her body around and land on the soft log on all four of her paws before glancing in the direction of the despairing boy. What had happened to make him snap? Did this have something to do with her homeland, Shadelle? Or was something simply possessing the guild ace to act as he did? Cringing as he cut the tree in half, likely severing a pillar or something in his house hidden behind the fake perception, or unofficial 'illusion', Iza felt instinct drive her to dash for the boy, wrapping her stubby, tiny forelegs around his sword-wielding arm. "Elyx! Calm down! What's wrong?" she pleaded, attempting to hang onto her friend's arm, still stuck in her tanuki form. With use of her Bakedanuki ability, she felt her overall strength coming back. Hopefully she would be able to transform again soon. However, she had another problem at hand. Screw everything else, she already obviously had won, it seemed. But what was wrong with Shadelle?

"Elyx listen to yourself.... who must die? What the hell is going on? Who is 'they'? What did they do...?" Izayuki asked, keeping her tiny forelegs fastened around his sword-wielding arm, the rest of her dangling above the floor as she gazed with that pink gaze of innocent curiosity at the raging boy. What had she done to make him snap like this? He obviously was familiar with the scenery, her home. Maybe she should venture out a bit to get the answers that she wanted? Yes, she would do that. Tread carefully, as her friend seemed to be in a dangerous state of sorts. Nevertheless, reaction was inevitably satisfying somehow. Flicking her hanging tail once, the silver raccoon dog gazed over towards the meadow she had created with her perception manipulation abilities that were unique to her yokai species. "This is where I was born... I was raised in this meadow by my mother. This place is my home."

Silver-furred ears flattened at the sound of Elyx's loud scream and curse on the tribe of Shadelle. So there were rotten people in the place she had survived during her childhood? How sad. Yes, she knew of and had watched those human for many moons throughout her first years and they seemed harmless and peaceful somehow... was their true nature really that dark? "I see," Izayuki replied softly, leaping from his sword-wielding arm to the fresh new stump he had just created from severing the tree. In the real world, god new what it was, but here it was just evidence of him wishing death upon their former home.

As the boy went on, continuing to talk about his plans for his late tribe, Iza sat down and narrowed her pink yokai eyes at him. The words of his 'purpose for existence' were what struck her... a life only meant for death? With how he always behaved on jobs and more, and even after Seika accidentally killed those bandits, his words seemed hypocritical of his actions. Did he really want to make himself an instrument of death, destruction, and suffering? Wrongdoings had been committed, yes, but Izayuki had her doubts. She too, was a seeker of revenge for sins committed against herself, which was a bit of a laugh, as her target was none other than a goddess. Nevertheless, she had the stubbornness about her as she considered what his words meant. If he really did want to drive the island into the ocean, that would be desecrating both her beloved former home and her mother's grave, and it was something she could not simply stand back and allow. At the same time, she had her own faint idea of his thoughts and pain, expressed more in wrath and anger than her own reflection, fear. "Sink Shadelle? That is my home... and the place my mother died... I can't allow you to destroy this forest in the real world," Izayuki said indignantly, yet in a manner that was surprisingly quiet and serious, unlike her typical self. Reaching into using her Bakedanuki ability again, the tanuki shifted the forest's scene of summer into that of a fresh spring, directly after winter and hibernation. No longer was the sun's light rich and gold, but pure and white. The long grass gave way to flowers and fresh petals and buds were in the trees. This was undeniably her favorite season, and she would allow the beauty of the meadow to reflect just that.

"Well I'm no person, am I?" Izayuki retorted, her pink eyes narrowing coldly as she gazed at Elyx. She did not know the specifics of what he went through, but it seemed that he had his own burdens and darkness from the past. Personally, she cared less of the details of his story. She had her own demons to cast away, as he had his, but it really mattered not to her. Venturing out again, the silver-furred tanuki made the tree he was aiming for disappear into thin air as he swung his blade down. Not all of the seemingly physical surroundings were there. Some would replace the physical objects in the real world, but sometimes there was a seemingly physical item that would be more like a 'ghost' object. At his demand of her to run, the silver raccoon dog frowned slightly, a low growl rising from the back of her canine throat. "Would you shut up already, dumbass? You know nothing..." she said, suddenly feeling herself shift from her true tanuki form to that of her preferred human shape, pink hair, pink eyes, a delicate figure and build, wearing her usual outfit. The only thing that was different was the fact that her tanuki ears and tail still remained. A bit of a nuisance, but at least she was at at least most of her full strength again. "You don't tell me what I want to do or don't want to do... you're hardly worth runnin' from... you're no monster, baka," Iza continued coldly, cheeks puffed in frustration and stubbornness in the expression on her face.

From what she could see, he was no longer that reserved and formal ace, but simply an enraged and hurt little boy on the inside, desperate, just as much as she. They were no different, as much as she would like to think otherwise. One, a small child robbed of the joy he should have experienced when young, having it replaced with experiences far beyond hell. And the other, a shivering little pup, with fate putting on too much of a hellish burden that no tanuki should be capable of experiencing... right. They were the same, and that itself was a sad realization. Uncrossing her legs and standing up, the girl removed herself from the fresh stump and slowly began walking towards Elyx upon his first stubborn statement.

Her advance was slow and calm, treading quietly through the grasses of that meadow until she reached Elyx, him letting out the words and demanding she stay away from him and his house. As soon as he had finished, Izayuki attempted to deliver him a backhanded slap, as to avoid hurting him with her claws, to the face. She did not care if he caught her hand or somehow dodged it, the point should have been clear enough, as well as possibly a bit surprising. "I thought I told you to shut up. You have no right to tell me which side I am on, idiot," she said, her voice not yelling, but rather deep and harsh, which nobody had likely ever heard in all their days with her. "I won't let my home be destroyed... but I'm not about to allow some rotten humans to have their way after hurting a friend of mine..." she trailed off there, her own eyes being slightly shaded over as she gazed down in thought, silver-furred ears pulled back to reflect her emotions against her will.

She had destroyed villages before and murdered countless innocents in cold blood. Yes, she could do it again with purpose behind it, and rather easily. She would get stronger, and not just for herself and her own goals either. Gazing up slightly, Izayuki locked her pink-hued eyes on the boy, whom she was seeing presently as no more than an injured child, her own pupils as yokai-slits and harsh, as if daring him to speak further. He knew nothing about her- he had no right to act like she did not understand or know. For once, however, the tanuki girl was at a loss for words. Her abilities reflecting on the deep and unwanted emotions and memories she refused to speak aloud, the scene switched to a humble village, simple, plain, but obviously innocent. It must have been summertime fading into early autumn, but all was not well and pretty as it should have been. An instant violent blizzard raged in, changing the tide and flow of the evening in a matter of heartbeats. It was obviously no natural storm- the instant weather being beyond violent, literally freezing running villagers in place or sending random ice needles towards unsuspecting or idle people.

She remembered this scene all too well- Yukionna's coming. But why did it have to show itself now? Her own power betrayed her at times in many ways, and this was obviously such a case. "Damn," Iza cursed, instantly forcing the scene to fade back to the Shadellian meadow, again in ripe summer. The village scene had lasted naught but a few seconds, thankfully. When her emotions spiked in any direction, she typically lost her human form. But while using her perception manipulation while nearly losing emotional control, the scene had managed to reflect what was last going through her mind- the image of the starting point of the hell her life had turned into. Just as the idea went that she had earlier contemplated... they were the same.

"A solution?" she echoed, her voice soft once again as she gazed down at the grass, silver-furred ears returning to their normal posture, relaxed, and not pinned back or shoved forward. "I don't have any answers... I've hardly been even asked a question. But here's what I do know..."
Izayuki trailed off once again for a few heartbeats, thinking quietly to herself. Two cards of the same suit, two children, orphans, given a living hell for a childhood. In a way, she too had Shadelle to blame for the death of her mother. While hunting really could be no sin in the mind of any predator or consumer, humans included, there was still that iron bitterness. But with the idea fresh in mind from the scene that had shuffled before her, the passion for revenge struck again, and the indignity of knowing the same evil, unfair hand had struck someone she thought highly of, someone she was close to... she could not just let that go. Changing her voice's demeanor a bit, Izayuki continued on. "Pfft, you think I'll let a group of humans get away with making your childhood a hell? You'd be surprised... I understand you a lot more than you'd think... we're the same, you and I," she said, gazing up again at him, expression softening and a small, warm, reassuring smile coming to her features. "The people of Shadelle... I'll help you kill them all, if that is what you wish. But at least the place of my birth, I will protect that."
The next was said with fierce determination, almost as if a promise, yet at the same time, kindly and meaningful- sincere. He may not believe her, the fact that they could be so similar, human and tanuki, but somehow or other she would show him. If only you knew~

"You should learn to trust your friends more~" Izayuki said softly, taking a step forward instinctively. In a world where one was alone, without parents or family, all one could do what learn to trust the friends that were close to them. She had once lost hope in trusting after seeing so many of those close to her die. However, Jin, Magna, and those in Kvasir had brought back hope in trusting her team, guildmates, and friends. In a way, Black Rose had become her new family. Why had it not been so for the guild ace? Did he really hide everything behind the mask of formality and calmness, despite raging and crying from the inside over the hell of the past. In a way, she still was not one to talk. While she could trust, she could also hate, and that fact drilled deep. "Of course I'll help you... I won't run away- not from a friend," she said, her silver raccoon dog ears pulling back again slightly, betraying her emotions.

This was no selfish move either. She understood him too well, yet could not bring herself to pity either of them too hard. Was this sympathy? Then again, what gave her the right to label what it was? One could think she was wanting to help him to gain favor and debt, hoping he would return it. However, the idea of her own end-term goals and ambitions was clear from her mind. Still, being reminded of her own past through someone else was not a favorable thing for Izayuki, and she took a small, hesitant step backwards as she thought more and more about it. Why was everything so cruel and unfair?