Sean stared in revulsion at his latest haul. He had heard of Synx before and knew what they were capable of, but this... this thing... so fragile looking but deceptively strong, its beady eyes swirling around in its unconsciousness...

Regaining his composure, he looked at his human friend David; the mask of disgust was mirrored in his face, but there was also that sense of restraint, the kind that a 10 year old boy would wear if he were to eat spinach with the promise of getting a new bike for his birthday. He then looked back over his shoulder to Kuro. Unlike the others, his impassive expression was impossible to read. Did he feel humiliated about what was to come up? Or was it a sense of intriguement about the new experience that it might provide for him?

"You ready for this shit, my friend?" Sean asked in a raspy voice.
"Let's find out." replied the tall night fury. There was no trace of sarcasm or bitterness in his voice.

Within a few moments, the synx had been lowered into a massive saline-filled tube in the center of the dark, windowless circular laboratory. Tubing stretched out like massive tentacles from the top and the base of the capsule while complicated gadgets and computers hummed as they monitored the vital signs of their test subject. David's assistants, all in white lab coats were all busy preparing for the upcoming transformation; some pacing around briskly, others watching the monitors before them and pressing buttons in specific sequences. One was busy checking a massive pump off to one side; it read "Sterling Typhonium". Sean could not help but trace the tube that emanated from it, narrowing ever so slightly until it reached the top of the capsule, connected to what looked like a garden hose impaled onto the creature's head, where the horns should have been.

Sean's gaze then wandered towards the rest of the abomination's sinuous body. More needles and pipes connected to various parts of the distorted figure, and bangles that looked as if they were meant to restrain it by some invisible force (not that it would really matter anyway). Then, doing what he often did with this variety of creature, he then gazed intently on its head, at the black bordered mouth that normally maintained a perpetual Chelsea grin but now lay dormant and nearly invisible. Saw its unseeing blue eyes, like those of a dead man's. He tried to feel for the creature's spiritual pressure.

He found none. Not that it would matter soon, anyway...

Suddenly, the synx's eye shifted, it's bloated dilated pupil aimed directly at Sean's own eyes for a moment before rolling back in their sockets. He jumped back a few feet.

"AAAAHHAHAH!" He exclaimed, startling everyone in the room as his hand reached for his sword on his belt. Kuro stopped it and Sean looked at his zanpakuto spirit's face, now with a tone of reassurance and chagrin. They awkwardly stared at each other for a moment, and then Sean relaxed his stance. Soon, David emerged.

"After you're done freaking out, the catalyst please."
Sean merely blinked at him dumbfounded. David, frustrated at Sean's response, then extended his palm in a "come here" sort of gesture. "Oh, uh, right." The reaper reached into his coat pockets and held out a glass capsule, no larger than a can of soda, containing some black mercury-like tar that seemed to be alive in its own record, like some alien parasite. It was a mixture of various disturbing fluids. Sean had provided his own blood, spinal fluid, stem cells, and semen to the pasty mixture. Kuro had given three fingers, which later regenerated, which upon leaving their owner melted into a pile of black goo that gobbled up the pasty red slime that was a product of Sean's body.

Sean handed the vial to David, who placed it in a chassis near the typhonium pump. At once, as if by some inaudible signal, Kuro's brooding head cocked up and he sloughed off his cape and his clothes like a serpent sheds its dead skin, appearing to melt right through his equipment as they fell to the floor. He stepped slowly towards a recess close to the exit, and stepped into a similar capsule embedded into the wall before sealing it. Sean gathered up the shed clothes and folded them into a loose bundle in his arms. Everything was ready.

"Everything seems to be in order; Faceguards, on."

Everyone immediately slid their mask-like face shields into place; some buckled up their coats (including Sean) and others began placing papers away lest the liquid-filled central chamber explode under the weight of the inevitable influx of spiritual pressure.

David and Sean took out keys from their pockets, and then inserted them into two separate keyholes; turning the keys unlocked two buttons that both of them pressed simultaneously

"INITIATING BIO-SYNC IN THREE, TWO, ONE" blared a loudspeaker hidden invisibly among the gadgetry.

Almost immediately the synx seized up as if it was being tasered. At the same time, Kuro's form disintegrated instantly into a whirlwind of black sooty particles that were sent upward away from his chamber into the central tube; each hose infused into the creature's body turned black as the now tarry sludge was injected into it. The moment the black finally reached the white, the synx began writhing, thrashing around as the particles infected every portion of the body, black spots spreading out from the tubes taking over the white fur. The creature could not scream (a large tube was jammed down its maw) and all it could do was contort in agony as its bones, its muscles, its skin were decomposing and regenerating simultaneously, absorbing the foreign material (or was it the other way around?). Eventually the thrashing died down and for a few moments it was still and lifeless as it was being copied and taken over by the tar.

And then the soul fell into place. The synx's heart began to pump once again, causing the creature to undulate with alarming intensity and its eyes, its now yellow eyes, opening wide and rotating around frantically in their sockets, like the eyes of a man suffering a horrible nightmare. Now it was Kuro's turn to hurt and move around; of course, the zanpakuto had suffered far worse, but it was a new feeling, tempered by rational thought instead of the blind instinctual response to the initial necrosis. Finally, the chest began to glow, and a blue perfect circle appeared in front of it. Six glowing blue lines immediately emanated from the ring, snaking around the body like the circuit of a microchip or some full-body tattoo, ending in more rings on the extremities before fading back into the oily black sheen of the new skin. Finally, the tubes connecting to the horns suddenly disconnected, spewing liquid metal into the chamber. David had the foresight to turn off the pump, but not before the creature's head spat out the connections and then grew long metal horns by sheer force of will. They were unlike the straight horns that were surgically removed before the bio-sync. They were angular, long forward-pointing horns edged like a sword, ending at a sharp tip just above the snout.

At last the transformation was nearing its close, no less than fifteen minutes after it had begun. The hoses connecting to the body immediately disconnected from the creature, retracting back into the top of the test chamber; the body soon spat out the implants used for the hoses one at a time, letting them sink into the pool of liquid metal at the bottom of the chamber. The raw holes of flesh immediately sealed up, leaving a pigmented dot where they used to be. The new creation then relaxed and closed its eyes, signaling the end of the internal beating.

The scientists held their breath at the new entity as the chamber drained and the tube was released. It then opened its eyes and stared around the room. It looked different than before; he had inherited the additional sight capacities of the synx and added his own to the mixture. This fascinated him. He took in the new sights, and then began to stand up; this too was a new action for him, and he immediately fell forward. His arms instinctually grasped the edge and the sinuous body flipped over before resting on the ground in front of Sean. He too marveled at his success.

"Amazing," the creature intoned in a raspy high pitched voice, tittering somewhat at the change of tenor it had sustained.

Now the scientists cheered, clapping their hands, giving high fives, and heartily patting each others' shoulders. All this was not lost on the creature, but its main focus of attention was the fascinating experience of being a Synx.

The chimera now sat up and flexed its arms, contracting his fingers one at a time and marveling at his new anatomy, taking a few minutes to appreciate the micro-tendrils covering his fingers.

Though Sean could not help but shudder as he looked at this Synx/blade hybrid, he also felt... proud. Impressed at the being he helped create from his own flesh, blood, and spirit.

"Do you have a name?"
"...no. Not in this form. I'm not Kuro in this body." He was clearly not paying any attention to the question, lost in the fascination in his new corporeal form.
"Would you like one?"
The creature gave it some thought for a few moments, and then smiled that unnerving grin.
"Kiseiju... Kiseiju... Kamishini"

---

An experiment to fuse a zanpakuto spirit with a captured synx... now there's something else.

First real short story I did... I have been a fan of 's work for a while, especially after that weird dream I had. Of course, this is probably more than what I saw with that peripheral glance, but oh well...

Here are some of the traits/differences that were made in the modifications:

Pigmentation: Kiseiju's original Synx was basically infused with the nanobiota that comprises Kuro's form, which changed the cells significantly. For instance, when the skin was infected, the particles entered the cells and then changed into pigment organelles. Now these cells produce a form of pigment not unlike melanin in other organisms. This is a significant effect because now the Synx is relatively resistant to UV radiation, as the pigment absorbs the sunlight. It would still feel uncomfortably warm for the critter, though, hence the cloak.

Skeletal structure: Although the parasites normally do not possess a true bony structure (their body is made of hydrostat), Kuro/Kiseiju is not exactly used to the sensation of having no bones, so some of the nanites compensate by organizing themselves into a more rigid sort of bone structure. They are able to dissolve back and forth at will, enabling the creature to contort to unusual positions if the need arises. Furthermore, the cartilaginous portions of the original Synx skeleton have been virtually consumed by the mass; in sum, Kiseiju's modifications give it vastly more flexibility than normal Synx. In contrast, simple actions like walking, running, and Sonido become second nature.

Toxicity: It is said that like goblin-made weaponry, the familiar blades imbibe that which makes them stronger or more lethal. No doubt this is true with Kiseiju, who is constantly fascinated with this ability. Now the venom flows through every cell in the body, distributed there by the nanites. The nanites have also carried the toxin to the brain structure, which in conjunction with the inhabiting spirit now possesses the capacity for psionic attacks. Kiseiju has the ability to mentally cut off the senses altogether from a distance; however, the one weakness is that he can only take away pain through touch. This makes for some very sadistic "games" that he can play with his opponents before killing them.

Resistance to Infections: Because of the nanites flowing through every portion of the body, almost all of the foreign bacteria have been consumed. They also comprise of a powerful immune system that repels any outside threats. Even ticks or leeches are absorbed by the skin if ever detected. To this extent, the creature has at least an alternate source of sustenance should the need arise.

Resistance to and ability to use Magic: The presence of spiritual flow and a soul within the body and the competence in magical attacks stemming from the zanpakuto give the synx powerful magical defense. It is capable of all of the spellwork the original zanpakuto possessed, and it can summon the katana just as easily. The only weakness is when the soul leaves the body to rejoin the blade; if the corpse is subsequently attacked, the soul cannot return to this form. Of course, Kuro had all sorts of wards in place to protect the synx, including a seal that arises from the markings on the body; either Sean or Kuro, if they exert sufficient energy, can control the body like a Vodou bokor controlling a zombi, for the nodes on the palms and feet somewhat act like connection points for puppet strings. Other than that, Kiseiju now has formidable defense from spiritual attacks.

And so on. He also inherited Kuro's firebreathing skills, fyi.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it! By the way, the cloak is a simple rectangular cloth known as a chlamys. Due to the snake-like nature of the body and the lack of genitalia, there's really no point in wearing clothes like the original forms. Thus, something simple (since he still hasn't lost the affinity for capes and the like)

Synx is ©
Kiseiju/Kuro is ©