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With the gemstone, proven to be as innocent as it looked, in his pocket the General had gone a distance from his home and once safely hidden away among old and crumpling buildings he summoned Bazzite to himself. Katya, ever at his side, was waiting as well, she wanted to make sure all went well. "I'm nervous..." He whispered. She had tested it, to the best of her abilities, but he was still nervous. This was Bazzite - his Bazzite. This was the person he had let live in his home and had cared for, had wiped their tears away and had comforted and assured. This was also the person who he had destroyed in mind and body...and soul. He'd torn away their human flesh and broken and reshaped bones as he'd created himself a youma...all by accident. He was going to be nervous - it should be expected.

Bouncing a bit as he waited he didn't have long to wait, which was perhaps a good thing, as it didn't leave him too much time for his nerves to get the best of him.

"Bazzite..." Smiling softly up at the other, the nerves bouncing having stopped, he moved to lay his hand on the others hood covered head - standing on tip toes to do so. "It's good to see you as well. I missed you."

He always did, even when he avoided the other so the guilt which sat deep in his core didn't begin to bubble to the surface, he missed how the other had once been loud and innocent, or at least as innocent as he could be. The general missed the other grabbing his cape and running off with it, screaming some nonsense. As stiff and calm as he was the ashen blond was still young...and still acted it at times - the other had brought it out in him at times.

Watching as Bazzite greeted Katya, glad for his politeness, he managed a bit more of a smile. "We, though I mean Katya more than myself, found the missing stone. We've tested it, again I mean more Katya than myself, to make sure it should bring you no harm. I didn't want to risk you...you're too precious to me." He always would be. Not in the same way as Aiden - never. But he was precious in another way, he needed the other at his side. "It has an aura so I wanted it tested to be assured of your safety. With it seeming safe, from all the tests Katya ran on it, I wanted to give it to you - to complete the necklace I gave you two nights back."

From the pocket he withdrew the stone. Holding out his hand he opened his fist and sitting in his palm was the stone. It did, as he said, have an aura but it wasn't anything ominous...it just was.

Before Bazzite could even closely examine the stone that was supposed to be fashioned into his necklace, he regarded Katya curiously. Benitoite insisted that the feline had helped tremendously in the examination and acquisition of the stone. As much as Benitoite probably would have wanted, Katya's assistance still didn't endear the cat to the youma. It was too much to overcome, this instinct to devour her on-sight. The only thing holding him back was his beloved General's presence, which acted as a calming influence.

Bending over, the youma quietly and affectionately nuzzled the blonde. It wasn't a romantic gesture; it was more a loving caress from a lifelong companion animal. Even if he possessed the mental faculties to contemplate romantic love, his physiology prevented anything from coming of it. Youmahood was both a blessing and a curse.

The youma sniffed at the tiny gem held in Benitoite's palm. Looking down at his own clawed hands, Bazzite wondered if he had the manual dexterity to pick it up and insert it into the necklace as it should have been. Long and tapered ears dropped slightly, the youma wondering if he disappointed his General. "It's... very pretty, Beni, but... I don't know if I can put it on the necklace. Could you do that?"

In response, Bazzite knelt before the General so the pendant about his neck would be more easily accessible to the much shorter blonde. Bazzite so hated to ask Benitoite for anything and it showed clearly in his body language.

The necklace complete, Bazzite stood back up to his full height upon invitation. Grasping the necklace with a clawed hand, the chain wasn't quite long enough for the youma to see it fully. He could, however, feel it - an aura, pulsing like a soft heartbeat, against his chest. A curious thing, and Bazzite was uncharacteristically quiet as he listened, tapered ears twitching every so often. Wings buzzed in irritation - something about this stone was odd, and the youma couldn't put his finger on it.

Strangely, the youma growled his frustration at the pendant, countenance twisting into the horrific monstrosity that always simmered just beneath the surface. As quickly as his mood shifted did the pendant pulse just one time, a soft blue light flickering across Bazzite's inhuman eyes for just a moment. Dropping the necklace to his chest, the youma stood shock still and silent, blinking in crystal clear confusion.

He looked down at his hands, flexing his sharp fingers in and out of a fist. Wings buzzed every few seconds in quick succession. Bazzite was thinking, analyzing...

Looking down at his beloved Benitoite, something unusual seemed to be happening to his youma companion. Bazzite was doing something he hadn't done since before his youmafication that fateful night.

He was displaying emotion.

Facial features relaxed on the youma, shoulders slumping into a more natural position. Something about his eyes had changed, softened, gained a warmth that seemed so unnatural for a youma to have. Almost desperate for affection, Bazzite's youma form had shifted and changed, donning fleshy skin and softer features. Losing his intimidating height and shrinking to be just slightly taller than the blonde, the youma had assumed his long-lost humanoid form. Jonathan.

"Beni? Beni, I..." Voice cracking, Bazzite ran to his General and nuzzled his now-fleshy face into the blonde's neck in an affectionate embrace. The youma wasn't able to assume this form for very long, and usually didn't wish to - seeing Jonathan was as much of a reminder of the horrors from years ago as the youma form was. Sapphires eyes closed as Bazzite clung to the blonde. "Beni... I missed you. I missed you so much, Beni... I... It's so good to see you."

"You never left b-but... Beni... I left..."

Nuzzling his face into the soft, fleshly warmth of Benitoite's neck, Bazzite drank in the scent of his skin and hair and clothing. Everything that made Benitoite precious was appreciated so much more in that moment. He lacked the words to describe the sensations pulsing through his mind in waves. All he wanted to do was cling to the blonde and weep for the time he didn't realize they had lost. "It... it's like I can see you now but... I couldn't b-before... Beni, you were there but I was gone and..."

Jonathan's voice cracked, a few solemn tears gliding down his cheekbones. His human cheekbones. However, as much as Jonathan might have appeared to be a flesh-and-blood human being, he could not sustain this form for very long. The youma simply chose not to assume his previous human shape due to the emotional distress it caused Benitoite.

Speaking into his coat, the youma continued. "...everything is really... clear now, Beni, it... it's really... I don't know. My heart hurts and... and it feels like I was... lost? I... I don't know. I'm sorry, Beni."

Deep sapphire eyes turned then to Katya, the feline who had waited quietly at their feet during an unusual and tearful meeting. He bent down to gently caress her fur, still radiating youma energy, but lacking the instinct to devour her on the spot. No, Jonathan appeared as a normal human boy who appreciated soft cats. "Were you always this soft, Katya?" came a soft question and Bazzite stood up again, palm of his hand against his forehead.

Jonathan's face showed flashes of distress and pain, overwhelmed by the sensation of emotion. His youma psychology prevented him from feeling anything other than delight in Benitoite's presence, or monstrous anger and fear. Emotions such as sadness and relief and affection were completely lost on creatures such as he.

She had been, and still was, surprised at what had happened. She hadn't known what the stone would do to a youma, she had no way of knowing, but this....this was completly and utterly unexpected. To give him back his human form and his emotions! The emotions and feelings he had regained, even if he did still feel like a youma, it was a miracle of sorts. This was the person her General missed, the person he loved so much and as she watched the two she could understand why. It wasn't his looks, though he wasn't ugly or anything of the sort, it was his personality and presence. It was just him. It was something so simple.

Silently she watched her General fall apart, it was to be expected and she understood it. As she watched she wondered if she would have to tell anyone about this, any of the higher ups, would Benitoite? Or was this somethign they'd keep to themselves? She knew it was important, maybe something bigger could come of it, but she knew this was precious and personal to the General.

Broken away from her thoughts as Bazzite came down to her height she got up to reach towards him and nuzzle at him. Allowing him to pet her, something a youma would never normally do, she purred loudly and rubbed against him, headbutting his hand even. "Of course I've always been this soft." She huffed out, though it was affectionate, as she rubbed against his legs as he stood back up. "I will always be soft and well kept." She wouldn't allow herself to be anything but that, nor would her General. Her poor General who looked so broken but she knew was happy to have this time.

What would happen when this time, however long or short that it was, came to an end?

Raising a hand he waved it quickly. "It's ok, I understand. You didn't do it - no." The situation did it, the whole damn thing. From start to now it had led him to this as he saw the other in a way he hadn't thought he ever would, or could, again. It wasn't the others fault - never. If anything it was his own fault for creating this mess, unintentionally or not. "You have nothing to be sorry for - never you." Wiping at his tears he sniffed once, rather loudly, and shook his head.

"I'm just...so glad to see you and talk to you." To talk to him like he was a person and not some pet that had more intelligence than most pets, but still took orders just like a dog.

Biting down on his bottom lip he smiled. "You remember my civilian self?" He hadn't known that, hadn't ever sought to know what the other did and didn't remember. Did that mean he also knew this when fully a youma? He had just never called him that? That was something he'd find out once this time was up, he wanted - needed - to know.

"Of course - you never need to ask." A new round of tears, fresh and warm, slid down his cheeks as he took a step closer to the other. "I-I should get you something nicer to wear...for the next time." Though he didn't know if it would work, if it would actually fit, or anything else. He could try though. "I feel like I should be offering to hold you." He should be the stronger one here...the other had only just gotten his human form back, his memories and feelings...shouldn't it be Bazzite falling apart...at least more than the ashen blond was?

Picking up the change in the others voice, slight as it was at the moment, he knew what it meant. The end was coming, he was going to lose the other again. Would he have this chance again? Or was this a one time only thing? Biting down on his bottom lip he listened to the others voice, even as it took on some of the youma like qualities he'd become so used to. "You can still call me Alex - even as a youma...we were more than just officers who were on friendly terms." He didn't know if the other remembered - he hoped he did though. "I-I know...I wish it were different. I wish I could fix this - all of it." He could wish all he wanted, he knew it, but it would make no difference.

"I'll try and come down more - I've been neglectful...and I apologize for it - for my shortcomings." He had an obligation to the other, he was the one who had made him and he should be there to take care of him...in whatever capacity he could, even if it was just visits. "It's been four years...it's been so long." So long - too long. The others mother had suffered, he had suffered himself and Bazzite who didn't even know how long it had been. He watched to see how the other would take the news of how much time had passed, he knew he looked older...he had seen and done more - he had grown...just not in height.

Leaning into the other's embrace he held him in return, his arms going about the others waist. His head came to rest against the others chest. "I've missed many of yours also - I apologize...I apologize for this situation." He wished he could undo it, nor more than he ever had since the incident had happened.

As the other broke down it brought a fresh wave of emotion crashing down on the blond as the General held tightly to the other, knowing there time was limited and precious as he didn't know if they'd have such time again. Shaking with the sobs he reached up to rub a hand along the others back.

"It's not your fault - never your fault." No, it was his own fault. The other couldn't help that he was a youma, had been made into a youma. "I looked, here and there, to try and find a way to undo it - I can't. I just...I worried you were somewhere deep inside suffering...hating me for what I did." Silently asking, wanting to know, that the other wasn't suffering and didn't hate him for this fate. The blonds own knees no longer wanted to hold his own weight up, much less the added weight of the youma, and slowly he sunk to the ground as he held tight to the other - bringing them both down.

"Please...don't hate me - I didn't mean for this to happen." The worse a choked sob against the others chest. He knew he would accept it, understand it, if the other did hate him...he deserved it really. He also knew he couldn't handle it - but he needed to know.