hisbutler_bound | In the end we all must go Somewhere

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In the end we all must go Somewhere

[After the crash, it didn't take long for things to get dull for Sebastian. The facility's crash landing had absorbed most of his energy by the time it had made impact with the surface. Crawling out of the wreckage and protecting the ones that were required, in whatever deals he had in place, practically erased the fresh soul he had received just a month or so before. Hungry again, he did what he could to compensate in order to keep Ciel's Last Order in effect.

The area around the now sizable crater had been completely decimated. It forced survivors away from their comfort zone into the wilderness and while predators weren't that numerous there was the occasional wild beast and prey to be found. For a demon like Sebastian, hunting came easy. It's just he had no reason to do so without a purpose. Occasionally he would leave food for those left that had a deal but over time even that repetition had become pointless.

The clone sickness, without a cure, had begun to take effect slowly. One by one, survivors began to die. He would watch souls fade from around him like soft fading lights that had withered a long time ago once hope became lost. Medics started to die and without the means to produce a proper cure, the inevitable began to set in. Death was coming and even Sebastian knew that. Even the minor deal he had with Shikamaru was not enough. Without a will, the man was utterly useless to him and while he had tried for conversation or encouragement on occasion, Shikamaru had stopped talking all together. Sebastian began to stray from him, choosing to seek out others to pass the time but like everyone else, many did not last long.

With very few people left, he hadn't been surprised that he was one of the few remaining. Still, he felt weak, lost, somewhat confused, and mostly angry. The realization that he may never return to Victorian England was a heavy weight to bare. Even if he did, he would never get to feast on Ciel's soul. He wouldn't have the strength or Ciel's will to take down his true self in order to replace him. The final straw was when Madame had died. She had been a clone of his true feline at home and when the clone sickness took her, Sebastian had stopped moving all together. Often as a cat or a bird he would linger in the dead trees near the crash site, watching... but mostly waiting.

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[Shikamaru hadn't expected very many people to survive the crash. Maybe a few, the strongest and most durable among them, but he certainly hadn't thought he would live to see it. It would've been easier, certainly, to die in the chaos of those final moments, and yet here he was. One of the first and one of the last. The only of the first batch to make it this far, and this is where he was going to die. On a rocky hill overlooking a murky pond on an alien planet, further from anything resembling home than he could ever imagine... and alone.

He'd done what he could at first. Survival came almost laughably easily. He was armed with skills and knowledge and weapons useful in the alien terrain they'd landed in, barely having to run on more than autopilot to carry himself from day to day. There wasn't much point in it, really, except... other people had survived with him. Other people without those skills or tools. People who, at least briefly, sparked that last little something he had left to give. That need to continue. To make sure the others continued, soldiering on so that maybe (maybe), a handful of the victims of this entire mess could find some kind of justification. Get something out of this cruel, pointless mess.

But they're so few now. So few, and fading quickly, falling to the clone sickness. During his entire stay in the facility it had only dropped Shikamaru once or twice, an incredibly good track record compared to the rest of the population. It would take him eventually, but he couldn't know when. Didn't know how long he would be allowed to linger like this, watching everything he fought for for years disappear, one flawed body at a time. There was nothing more he could do. He really might be the last if things continued this way.

He didn't want to be.

It's strange to have that desire, but he hasn't felt much of anything since Temari and Tsunade were terminated. Feeling anything at all is a novelty at this point. Shikamaru looks to the sky, staring at clouds that are the wrong color. Counts too many moons, visible even though the planet's sun has not yet begun to set. He can hear creatures moving in the strange forest around him and knows they look nothing like the four-legged silhouette his mind supplies.

He takes a breath, then another, and... yeah, this feels right. As right as anything can feel.

Not too far away from Sebastian, on a small hill just outside the crash radius, there's a pull. A call. Nothing particularly urgent, but a call nonetheless, and that's where Sebastian will find Shikamaru. He's a far cry from his old self, a little too thin and a little too tired, a strangely enduring shadow of is former self, but he's more present now than he has been in quite some time. Sitting at the top of the rise, he's looks out over the water with an expression that seems almost peaceful.

He's ready.]

[If Sebastian had anything to do with Shikamaru's survival, he certainly wasn't going to admit it. From the start he sort of knew that this man was the only one that could cater to his excessive needs for a strong will. Yet now he was nothing to him, worthless and disappointing with that will barely backing anything or even supplying him with power. Others had potential but none of them were really worth it. Small meals to stave off death but in truth Sebastian hadn't eaten in over a month.

It's why when he hears that call, his head lifts. It's been a while and part of him almost doesn't answer. He's not that butler, his butler any longer. He's resigned himself to that by now. Yet he's just suddenly there in front of Shikamaru with a wet appetite. He's been waiting for this for a long time. It was here now, ready before him with that soul calling to him. His hands want to lift and take his head into his hands. He wants to feed and consume every bit of his soul.

Yet he doesn't. He stands there like he's waiting for something else. His brows furrow, staring forward at Shikamaru's pathetic appearance. He seems resolved, ready and willing. The air isn't even tense between them as the sun hangs low in the late afternoon ready to prepare for nightfall.

And he hates it.] Good afternoon, Shikamaru. [That's right. He still hasn't eaten him.]

[That's unexpected.

Shikamaru's at peace with this. He wouldn't have called if he wasn't ready. As long as he's sure it's been since Sebastian ate, as long as the demon's been waiting for Shikamaru's soul in particular... this should be over already. Sebastian's always been his last resort. The ace up his sleeve that he's never had to pull. A suicide pill clenched between his teeth.

He looks up at Sebastian for a few long moments, body relaxed even as some confusion sneaks into his expression. It's little more than a slightly raised eyebrow, a wisp of something Shikamaru used to be. A silent question.

What are you waiting for?]

... Hey.

[His voice cracks from disuse. God, how long has it been since he actually spoke to another person?]

[That's the unspoken question between the both of them. What was he waiting for? Why is he just standing there staring at Shikamaru?

Why is he looking at Shikamaru like his meal is now spoiled?

Because it was. It was right there waiting for him and yet it would be his own undoing. He hasn't had much will himself in over a month. Even his hair had grown longer and he hadn't bothered to manually cut it. The edges of his coat tails were mildly frayed and his shoes scuffed at the edges. But at the final moment when everything weighed down to this decision, Sebastian was persistent.]

I have always been the constant thing in your life since I stepped into it, haven't I, Shikamaru? [He begins with words he's said to him before.] So why haven't you used me?

[It's strange. Instead of taking advantage of the situation that should already be over, he's almost sounds accusing.]

[Shikamaru should be on edge right now. Before the beginning of the end, that tone and that expression from Sebastian would have set off so many warning bells. The signs of a lack of patience and the likely attack in the very near future.

But Shikamaru doesn't tense. Doesn't even seem a little wary. He looks Sebastian up and down slowly, eyes automatically picking out those little details. Those imperfections in the demon's appearance. He doesn't really want to do it. Isn't putting much effort into it. It just happens, as does the conclusion he comes to.

This is not going to go how he thought it would. And he doesn't know what's going to happen now, but there's no sense in lying. It's hard to pick out every reason, to define exactly what had held him back with just words, but they're well past intentional falsehoods and withholding information at this point.]

I wasn't a finished yet.

[But he is now. Val would be proud.]

Edited 2018-04-20 04:38 (UTC)

You're content then... to die. [Said as a matter of a fact.] You're finished.

[He doesn't even need to talk with Shikamaru for the human to understand him. They've toed around each other so many times by now that Shikamaru could understand Sebastian. Ignoring him made for a dangerous situation. Confining him backed him into a corner. Intimation wouldn't work right now. Fear wouldn't rein him in.

His body finally moves forward like he's confirming and giving Shikamaru what he wants. His hands raised, gloves long worn and full of disrepair. He's wild and off his leash. That collar doesn't plague him any longer, torn off and forgotten.

His serrated teeth make themselves known as he moves his hand out and reaches for Shikamaru's chin in order to lift it. Feasting is always an option and normally Shikamaru would be a little more scared than this.]

I just thought you might've actually wanted to go home. [Said as his lips part, ready to eat, while he feeds Shikamaru that last bit of hope left.]

[Shikamaru's collar remains. It's black, like every collar turned just before the crash (Val's last gift. Or malfunction), but he's without the means to remove it. Hasn't really thought to, to be perfectly honest. Four years is a long time to get used to something, and with it not holding him back? He hasn't given its presence much thought.

He doesn't fight Sebastian's hands, tipping his head up at the demon's urging. There's some fear, of course, but it's simple instinct, easily hushed and pushed aside. Prey always knows danger when it approaches, but this is what Shikamaru's been waiting for. Sebastian is danger, and there will be pain, but then it'll be over. He's finished.]

... Can't go home.

[The words are flat, his face impassive, but there's... something else there. Small, like the glow of the last embers of a dying fire after a soft breeze. Home. He hasn't thought about Konoha in a very long time, because why should he? It's not really his home, no matter what his memories say. Never was and never can be.

But it still tugs at something inside him.]

[It's the first thing he did, nearly breaking his neck in the process, the minute he felt he could remove it. Tearing it off had not been easy. For a demon like him bending metal should've been easy.

His head tilts in question at Shikamaru's words, as if calling him an idiot, and his eyes shimmer with faint lilac the more tempting the ninja becomes. He wants to devour him and he has to keep telling him not to. He's delicious already.

It's time that Sebastian stops dancing around the issue before he dooms himself.] It was always my intention to go home, Shikamaru. It's simply too late for me now that Miss Tsunade is dead and Mercer is nowhere to be seen. Without a cure for the clone sickness, I am an eventual loss to Earl Ciel Phantomhive, my lord. [Nor would he be able to kill the real Sebastian on his own.]

But Tsunade still exists in your world. Tell me, won't you? How exactly did they clone us? Did they have our original bodies? Were they able to somehow go to our world, obtain our DNA, and then clone us then? Somewhere on that ship there had to be a way there at some point in time and with fresh clones arriving every week, there has to be a way to collect.

[He still doesn't move, but for the first time since this encounter started, Shikamaru's visibly thinking. Calculating. Taking Sebastian's words and turning them over, checking their meaning from different angles. Scrutinizing in that way that only he can.

Sebastian isn't ready to die, but the only person either of them know who might have a chance against the clone sickness likely only exists in one world now. Shikamaru's world. A world that the Consortium must have had access to at some point, however the cloning itself was eventually done.

... He thinks he can get them home. Konoha.

He's always known Sebastian was powerful, capable of impossible things. Nigh unstoppable with the right will driving him, but he's never thought about using him this way. About pushing so far. It wouldn't have been possible on the station with the collars in place, but he can see how free Sebastian is now. Shikamarus's eyes flick from Sebastian's bare neck toward where he knows the wreckage lays not far behind them, then back to the demon's face. A silent question.]

[He could outright tell Shikamaru but then it had far more impact when that mind started working all on its own. Demon temptation is at work with every word being sweet poison to the ears.

His tongue slides out and drags across his serrated teeth, fingers squeezing his jawline. He knows that a meal like this isn't going to come for a long time. Shikamaru isn't easily fooled. Anyone one else as desperate might've asked to be taken home only to be immediately eaten once they arrived from a poor contract. He steps back and actually gives room for him to think, to breathe. Teeth grip the edge of his glove and he pulls it free until that Faustian Contract is bared for all to see on the back of his hand. The ninja has only ever struck deals with Sebastian but not an actual contract.

He's watching the way Shikamaru's eyes dart from one clue to the next and then back to him as if waiting for an answer. His lips part wider into that telltale smile. Yes, it's possible.]

If there is a will, there is a way, Shikamaru. Just how far are you willing to go.

Edited 2018-04-22 05:48 (UTC)

[It's possible.

Fix the ship and fly away. Forget the few fading souls that remain here and leave. Go home. Be with his family again. His team. Chouji. Temari. However long it might take, whatever the price, it would be worth it just to see them again. To see his village through its pain and hardships. To protect The King. But...]

... I already exist there.

[Said matter-of-factly. He long ago made peace with being a clone. With not being the original, but after a certain point it hadn't really mattered. He couldn't go home anyway. Now? Now he might be able to, but unless history's gone rather differently than he was told, his spot is already taken.

But he wants. With the option now in front of him, he wants it so badly.]

[He would have to take care as not to reactivate anything dangerous. It would be entirely just them, alone. To give up on everyone else remaining in order to save himself just as Sebastian was willing to give up on Ciel. His real self would ensure he didn't actually betray him by doing so.

Already he's starting to feel a lot better as Shikamaru coaxes himself into understanding. The Faustian Contract flickers as if dying and in a moment his contract with Ciel is severed.] An easily fixed problem. He doesn't know me as well as you do.

[Said with a sort of eerie conviction. Again his smile asks how far Shikamaru is willing to go. How much blood is he willing to spend? How much pain and suffering is he willing to endure to get what he wants? That's the will he wants the most right now and he can feel it growing.]

[He watches the marking on Sebastian's hand flicker and fade, and he knows. He doesn't know everything about how Sebastian's contracts work, but he knows.]

He won't know you at all.

[It would be laughably easy. He's no longer the same person, but Shikamaru remembers what he was. Who he was based on. His original is just as intelligent, has just as much potential, but he lacks experience. Lacks the skill and instincts that come from years of being forced to endure pure hell. Shikamaru's sure he could take out his original without Sebastian's help, and with it... he wouldn't stand a chance.

But should he? Shikamaru already exists there, so is it right to step in and take his place? Is it even possible? He's very different from the man he's meant to be now, mentally and physically. It wouldn't be an easy transition to make, assuming he could make it at all. Then there's Sebastian to consider. Hiding him won't be an issue with Sebastian's skill set, but he'll only be on a leash for as long as any contract they form holds. After that...

But the more he thinks about it? The more he finds that he just doesn't care. He could sit and think this all through well into the night, going over the pros and cons, what ifs and maybes, but he doesn't want to. A deal like this wouldn't be perfect for anyone involved, but it's the best option they have and he can figure out the particulars later. He knows he can do it, given the time and resources that would be available in his world. He could say yes. He could go home. He had every intention of giving his soul to the demon standing over him anyway, so why not get something out of it that he desperately wants anyway?

How long has it been since he made a truly selfish decision?

Shikamaru's quiet for a long time, fingertips pressed together and eyes turned toward the setting sun. Were anyone else watching, they might think he was bored, maybe even ignoring the demon completely, but Sebastian will know different. He'll feel the resolve as it grows stronger. As those last little bits of mental resistance are methodically stripped away.]

... Tell me how your contracts work.

[Which only proves his point. They've been through hell and back, perhaps not together, but they know each other enough to know what they are thinking without even saying a word.]

Caught completely unaware and without a chance to even do anything about it. [Suddenly surrounded in shadow and unable to properly latch onto Sebastian's. Of course, they would have to get him alone but Shikamaru could help with that. Who better to know them, than himself?

Not to mention Shikamaru's soul and body would technically complete the current deal they had going. The contract on the other hand would sustain as long as the terms they made. He can feel it already, that will in Shikamaru rising, and he's rather pleased at the notion that he could still tempt far past someone's broken resolve.

He's quiet but Sebastian was a very patient demon. He knows that pose and he knows he's thinking.] As you wish.

First, I'll brand you. The closer to the eye, the more visible it is, the stronger our bond is. [He shouldn't need to explain how much it is going to hurt.] Then, we discuss terms. Essentially I'll give you three wishes.

[Three wishes was more than enough in his opinion, even if he was one that was equally as 'desperate' right now. Wishes were more like conditions and means to control Sebastian.] You will use those to bind me. Also, there must be a goal in mind. I don't plan on working for you forever.

No take backs, huh. [It's not a question. They'll discuss his "wishes" (Sebastian's leash) afterward, but the moment Shikamaru comes to the table his soul is on the line. Not surprising. He'll have to be careful with his terms, of course. Having a shared goal does not and will not make them friends, or even allies. Will not make Sebastian a creature with feelings or morals. Sebastian is a tool at best, a wild animal at worst. Something to be controlled and used, but never disrespected.]

I don't plan on living forever. [Nice to know they're on the same page, isn't it? Shikamaru reaches up and briefly runs his fingers over the scars on his right cheek. They'll need a strong bond to do what they plan to. No sense in holding back now. He knows it'll hurt. He's felt something like it before when making his deal with Sebastian, but he can take it. It'll be nothing compared to everything he's already gone through.]

... My right eye. Do it.

[His smile is wicked. No take backs. Once one is branded, discussion will go for days if necessary. The demon won't let go of his prey once he has it. It's unfair to back out once one realizes they have done too much. Sebastian is here, his contract is ready, the price has been paid. It's time to deal.

Never, ever, waste his time.] That's fortunate.

[He doesn't need to say anything else as his hand stretches out back towards his face once more. It folds over his eye instantly and without waiting, it suddenly burns. It's electric like energy being shoved into something that cannot contain it. Shikamaru can feel every since detail being burned into his eye and only after he's absolutely sure it is finished will he slide his hand away. His own seal upon his hand glows now vibrantly. He doesn't care who is watching or nearby. None of it matters.]

Now bind me to your will. [His hand lifts as shadows cascade along the ground, a table and chairs forming. He doesn't expect him to come sit but he's taking a seat himself.]

[It hurts. It hurts so much more than he remembered. Shikamaru's left eye goes wide and his scream echos through the strange woods around them. He can take the pain, of course, but that doesn't mean he was ready for it. It's sharp and alive and burning hot, like live wires being driven into his skull, and he's left gasping when Sebastian finally pulls his hand away. He can feel blood streaming down his face, through fingers that automatically (though belatedly) rose to protect his throbbing eye, but he pays the mess little mind. It only takes him a few moments to recover, at least to a point that he can lower his hand again to reveal the glowing seal burned into his eye. Not as large and striking as it seemed on Ciel, but impossible to miss all the same. The deed is done.]

Pushy... [He mumbles to himself and, defying Sebastian's expectations, slowly rises to take the other seat for himself. In the past he wouldn't have indulged in such simple little games, but things are different now. He's not "above" Sebastian now, nor is he simple prey. They're partners now, of a sort. Their deal is struck, and he won't discuss such important terms without being on even ground, even if only literally.

Three wishes. Three rules to bind Sebastian, and time limit within which to do so.]

Goal first. I don't want to return to my world just to be there. [He speaks slowly, careful with his words.] I need to serve my village. Be of use. Our contract ends when, after we've made it to my home world, it is no longer possible for me to be of use to the people of Konohagakure.

[Vague, but not forever. With more than one potential out for Sebastian, and it binds Shikamaru as well. Forces him to make worthwhile use of the life he has left. To justify the evils he's already committing to carrying out, and once he's no longer useful? Well, there's no reason for him to continue on anyway.]

Acceptable?

[There's nothing like a contract, dear Shikamaru. It burns through his eye, into his body, down to his very soul. It hurts and solidifies with no turning back. His scream is worth everything he's enduring right now and for a moment, Sebastian feels like himself all over again. He's a changed demon and he cannot deny it. Right now everything was all about this ninja screaming into the cooling air.

But now they are sitting there, like partners, discussing terms over a strict contract. Once it was made Sebastian would follow it to the letter yet still exploit every loop hole he could. Demons only knew how to deceive.

Yet Shikamaru's goal sounds rather vague and he listens intently as his fingers curl to his chin in thought. Normally, he doesn't except this kind of goal but this is why the negotiate.] On an average, how long does one remain useful to the people of Konohagakure?

[Of course they deceive, and Shikamaru's ready for it. He won't be surprised when his time finally comes (he'll only have himself to blame, after all), but he's sure as hell going to make Sebastian work a little for it. He leans back in his chair a little, shoulders falling into a natural slump as his body continues to work through the little aftershocks of pain in his eye.]

That depends on the person. Shinobi work isn't exactly easy on the body. [And because he knows Sebastian isn't stupid:] My skills as a strategist would let me serve for longer than my body would alone, but I will not ask for your unconditional protection as a part of my overall terms, and if I cannot successfully integrate myself into the village, I'm of no use and our contract is fulfilled.

[He's watching Shikamaru a little too closely but then that is how things always were between them. If he's honest, he doesn't really know anything about Konoha except that it is considered a village. He's at a disadvantage here and he knows it. He has no leverage and Shikamaru holds all the necessary pieces. Not to mention, if Shikamaru failed he would have his soul almost instantly and he'd still be left without a cure.

His legs cross as he thinks it over for a solid minute. He doesn't have a choice but Shikamaru is sweetening the deal. He won't have to protect him 24/7 like he would Ciel yet he's aware of an on the moment command to protect if necessary. He needs Shikamaru alive though at least until he's found the cure at hand. His hand outstretches and he waves it gently in a gesture of agreement.] The contractee will be served by the contractor until he is no longer able to serve or be of any use to the people of Konohagakure.

I accept. [And if Shikamaru does as well, he'll find both his eye and Sebastian's hand glowing as one every time he binds him to his will.] Your terms?

[As much as Shikamaru wants to go home, Sebastian needs him more than he needs the demon. While not specifically binding, it's in Sebastian's best interests not only to keep Shikamaru alive, but to ensure that his integration into the village is successful. Tsunade won't treat a shinobi that doesn't belong, and without Shikamaru, Sebastian doesn't have a chance.

In years past he might even have felt a little smug about his advantageous position. Not now.]

Agreed. [Their seals glow and Shikamaru takes a moment to reach up and wipe some of the blood from his face, frowning down at the stains on his fingers as if they're just a mere nuisance. The goal was the hard part. His terms are simple and he's already thought them through.]

You will obey my every command.

[He understands what is at stake more than he wants to admit. Right now, Shikamaru needs him but throughout the entire contract, Sebastian will need this human. In order to supplement and integrate Shikamaru into his own world, he himself would have to play a vital part as well. This meant learning his village, understanding its people and the way his world worked, and working with him as his partner in whatever form he needed him to be. For this, he needed his advice, his influence, and his understanding. Sebastian would learn, just as he learned to be a butler, only through teaching and paying attention.

His eyes lower towards his brand and then back up towards Shikamaru. On the ship, he might've offered a cloth, a towel, or something else for his eye. Here and now, he didn't have to serve anyone or be polite as a butler would. He no longer represented the Phantomhives and that hospitality he always extended no longer existed.

The Faustian Contract glows again, almost instantly.]

Agreed. [Said without hesitation or arguing it. It was almost too quickly, enough to give reason to pause and consider if Sebastian was still deceiving. Thankfully, he had anticipated that term from the start. Shikamaru would do his best to keep him controlled.]

[Adjustments will need to be made on both their parts. Becoming whatever he needs to be is a given for Sebastian, but if things go as Shikamaru's beginning to plan? The biggest shift in behavior between them will have to be on the shinobi's end.

A quick acceptance, yes, but one Shikamaru was expecting. He's watched Sebastian interact with more than one master. He's a deceiver, but where these terms are concerned, he'll follow them to the letter. Speaking of which...]

You will never lie to or intentionally mislead me.

[Regardless of anything they do in means of blending in, he'll have to support him no matter what happens. Neither of them are like they use to be and Sebastian is going to stand out far less than Shikamaru will in the long run.

His eyes narrow at Shikamaru faintly at the second wish. The shinobi was just as clever as his former young master with experience as well. He's staring again and he'll let out a soft sigh. There goes half the fun. He can't say he didn't expect that either but he was half hoping he would somewhat forget.]

If you are fine with the consequences of that decision no matter how painful the answer, then I agree. I will never lie to you or intentionally mislead you.

[Shikamaru briefly raises an eyebrow, as close as he's gotten to that special brand of sass that became common during his interactions with Sebastian over the years. C'mon, man, you know it can't be that easy. Shikamaru's had years to learn his way around the your games.]

Ignorance is just as painful. Only delayed. Agreed. [Their contracts glow again, and Shikamaru continues with his final term.]

You will not harm, betray, or otherwise act against a loyal citizen of Konohagakure without my express permission.

[Which, admittedly, does leave Sebastian a loop hole to try and take advantage of before they arrive, but Shikamaru's confident in the demon's desire to reach Tsunade and a potential cure. And once he's integrated into the village? He'll count as a citizen and fall under the anti-betrayal umbrella.]

[He only has a few more tricks up his sleeve concerning things Shikamaru hasn't seen but he knows better. At this rate he'll never really get to play as much as he wants to. Not that it matters. A contract was a contract and it was worth the wait for a prized soul. For a moment, he remembers how much he almost had it in his grasp.

He's curious what the third wish will be if not protect or power as others have desired. His brow raises high into the air. Technically he could still deceive right now until all three terms have been agreed on but...]

What qualifies as a loyal citizen of Konohagakure? Those that live within in, serve it, or are apart of it? [Because that would make allies not count, nor potential allies in the future if it is just citizens.

It leaves him with quite a few loopholes. If someone needed to be cut or harmed in order to save their life, Sebastian would simply stand there without his permission.]

[That gives Shikamaru pause. He's actually not terribly concerned with using these terms to force Sebastian to protect Konoha. No one can be safe all the time. When conflicts arise, lives will be lost. He'll always do whatever he can to prevent it, but that's just the way of things. Sebastian can be used as a tool of protection if necessary through on the spot orders, but Shikamaru's main focus is making sure that he can do the village and its people no harm while Shikamaru has his leash.

He could keep it simple and specify literal citizens, closing the loopholes for allies with specific commands later... or he could get a lot more broad, forbidding Sebastian to take actions against any person without his permission. That, of course, would create its own set of problems through potential inaction.

In the end he has to settle for something closer to the former. He can't possibly cover every base with only three rules to work with, but he knew going in that this was going to be a constant struggle between the two of them. They need to work together, yes, but Sebastian will never stop testing. He has enough common sense not to push too far and risk what trust they'll manage to build within the village (hopefully), but Shikamaru can't assume that he'll have perfect control over the demon at all times. The best he can do is mitigate potential damage.]

For our purposes, loyal citizens include those who reside or work within the village, both shinobi and civilians who aren't a part of the military force, even if they are not physically present within the geographical boundaries of the village at the time in question.

[Not perfect, but it'll have to do.]

[The main thing he can garner is that Shikamaru wants to keep his village safe and be of use to it for the long term. He realizes with every passing term that he might be in this contract for the long term. Yet, it is not as if the demon had much of a choice. If he denied the last term and let them both die, that would be it anyways. A few decades or so is hardly a wait for a demon. Human lifetimes passed so quickly compared to a demon's.

He leans back fully in his chair as he considers the options. The silence is deafening with night crawling in as the sun makes its final dip down beyond the horizon. It'll start to get cold soon as it always does. One finger runs over his chin in consideration. He can not attack or maim anyone this way. His options will be limited but the moment anyone betrays Konoha, even for a good reason, they are no longer under that term. He lowers his gaze to the table, trying to remember names and faces that arrived within the facility his time here. It's rare to see Sebastian think this considerately with most of his actions on the spot, well calculated, and quick to act. Only after a minute longer does his eyes lift back towards Shikamaru and he nods silently.]

Agreed, I will not harm, betray, or otherwise act against a loyal citizen of Konohagakure, within or outside of the village, without your express permission.

[If he agrees, that seal will glow again and this time burn a little more to solidify his will into place. Even his own Faustian contract will glow vibrantly as if burning into place itself. Shikamaru will have successfully bound Sebastian to his will.

But it is then that he rises from his seat and clasps his hands together. His butler outfit is already melting off of his form. Arm warmers blend out of his shadows and down his arms to overlap up to the second knuckle. Nails have lengthen into almost claws and his entire body seems to drape down into casual attire but almost shadowy in nature.] Normally this is where I assign a role in which to assist you but seeing as I am not privy to any of your world thanks to your tight lip and previous unwillingness to share, you'll have to assist me.

[He might officially be under Shikamaru's will and command but it doesn't stop him from being just as snarky.]

[Shikamaru nods, eyes clenching shut for a few moments as he rides out the burn. It's nothing compared to the initial placement of the seal, though, and it means that their deal is done. He opens his eyes again in time to watch Sebastian's form change, not bothering to pretend he's not watching. He's only ever seen Sebastian in two forms, butler or eldritch shadows, so to see something in between is interesting.

In spite of the frankly ridiculous amount of shinobi that made their way through the facility over the course of Shikamaru's time there, he managed to keep a lot of secrets. From other subjects, and even from his fellow shinobi, but if this is going to happen? He can't keep secrets anymore.]

You won't pass for human. Not for long, anyway. [He might pass among civilians, but even disguised, any shinobi worth the kunai they carried would know something was up the moment Sebastian used any of his powers. They might not know what he was, but Sebastian's never felt normal.]

In my world, shinobi have the ability to summon allies to aid them in battle. A contract is written on a scroll and then signed in blood. After that, another offering of blood is all that's required to summon, and the strength of the summoned creature depends on the amount of chakra supplied by the summoner.

Summoned creatures usually take the form of animals, and shinobi who choose to form contracts usually choose based on clan histories or personal preferences. Naruto can summon giant toads because that's who his teacher contracted with. Kakashi had a pack of dogs for their intelligence and tracking abilities. Tsunade's slug summon can be used for wide-spread defense as well as remote healing.

[And Temari's weasel... Kamatari was the epitome of swift, deadly destruction. But that's enough examples for now. They'll have plenty of time later to go into more specifics if necessary.

So... themes. Themes and usefulness. Care to take a guess at what direction Shikamaru might be thinking?]

[His attire isn't casual in a modern day world either. It's downed in dark tones that hug the body with still some room to breathe. It's hard to tell if it is actual clothing or shadows but it is still there.

Sebastian was always intrigued at the pieces that Shikamaru managed to put together about himself without ever telling him a thing. He had figured out most of him within a few short months and he had pegged him as not human rather early. At first, he had always wondered why but that quickly resolved itself the more he learned.]

Then I am to be your summoned ally? [The last word slipping off his tongue unnaturally if Shikamaru is observant enough to notice. He's been a servant for so long, a soldier, a companion, a knight, an assassin. But never an ally.

He's quiet again as Shikamaru continues, listing off those he's seen in facility and the familiars they summoned. His brow lifts high with an incredulous look on his face. He knows exactly where the shinobi is going with this. His form wavers as it tears into itself, his shadows ripping this form apart into thick patches. Antlers form first, forcing themselves out of his shadow mass with a thick sludge of something shredding, then a powerful leg glosses out to stamp upon the ground. Heavy fur laces his body as he pulls himself outwards and before Shikamaru stands one very large and power, yet terrifying, stag. It's no Hana but it is still what he asked for.

He stalks forward with his impressive height, heavy footfalls hitting the ground with every step, as if waiting for Shikamaru's approval or suggestions of improvement. He can be taller, larger, smaller, shorter. It mattered not.]

Edited 2018-05-07 18:11 (UTC)

[It'll be an interesting change in dynamic for both of them, especially considering what Shikamaru has to bring up next.

He watches Sebastian's shape shift, looking up at the finished form with something like appreciation. One doesn't have to be terribly observant to pick out Shikamaru's basic affinities, and the form Sebastian's chosen is an excellent blend of the two. Not what he would settle on were they going for a normal summon, but...]

Animals aren't the only thing that can be summoned. Even some gods can be brought to aid, but the price is much, much higher.

[Many view summons as gods of a sort, but they're not immortal. Not infallible. They deal in blood and chakra, but gods? Like Sebastian, gods deal in souls. They're not a tool to be summoned on a whim. They are a final, decisive blow, the ultimate sacrifice made by the summoner in order to see their goal through.

Not unlike Sebastian, really. Not at all.]

Even among summons, you won't pass for normal. But you might pass for a god. [Something old and secret. Maybe something in enough need of a stabilizing host in the modern world that they'd be willing to accept a soul bargain with such a potentially long time frame.

Given the right circumstances and details, their story won't have to be that far off from the truth, which would be ideal. The truth, even altered, is much easier to remember than the conglomeration of lies they'd surely have to use in its place. There will be plenty of room for lies throughout the rest of their business.]

There is nothing I can do to change my demonic make up. I will always retain some aspects of myself. I can change my outer form but not my inner. It's why some in facility were able to identify me as 'not human' by scent alone.

[He's walking forward, his stride near perfect from years of watching Hana in facility. There were often times he would stalk Shikamaru in the open areas near the river and would have all the time in the world to remain in silence. It's only when he's in front of the shinobi, tall and almost proudly straight, does he lower his head antlers and all for closer inspection.] I imagine then that they can talk. If you feel that is the best option...

[He has no qualms with portraying a god, an angel, or a priest even as a demon.] I assume Gods are Ancient if a price is that high. I myself have lived for centuries, messily sampling souls along the way. It was only after a while did I tire of an endless buffet with no quality.

[This close, Shikamaru can likely see that he's still retained his sharp teeth. There are parts of him that can never change the more wicked and self contained he gets. He can change them if necessary but edges will always be sharp and when he is especially feeling wicked they do appear naturally.] Now, I have a more refined pallet.

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