♒ || Land of Water | Himawari (Sunflower) Jobs [Business]

[HeadlessKoko]

The tease worked, as the edges of the soft smile on pale skin curved up a little more. She understood what he was trying to do with those words, just as she understood when she felt his hands pull back from hers to rub at his eyes. With the same patience that had carried through all of these months of waiting, she remained silent at what kind of thoughts must have run through his head for such an uncharacteristic reaction. Takeda was a good boy. She always believed him soft deep inside. However, he was never one to show anything but a rugged exterior. As a warm feeling spread through her chest, her smile grew larger despite her growing concern and curiosity.

Her eyes slid down, momentarily hiding from Takeda so that their owner could recover her composure while listening to Takeda spin his tale. Take a breath and smile fondly as she saw Takeda's hands slide back hesitantly. She rejoined their hold as easily as she had let. Whatever Takeda wanted right now, whether it was distance or physical comfort, then Kagerou was here to oblige, do whatever would help him. Her gaze raised up to, returning to watching the expression of the other with a sad smile.

The smile remained constant and the attentive eyes refused to move, but there was always something about Kagerou that would express the little things she felt that were of no consequence. In this case, it was her hands. It was the way her grip held Takeda, at first like butterfly wings, the perfect pressure to show that she was there yet not so forceful that he couldn't just slip his hands away when he needed it. Then, as the story continued, it tightened in intervals until she could no longer say she was holding them for Takeda's sake. It was for her own.

When she noticed that his thumb had begun rubbing across the back of her hand, she felt the unseen tension that had sneakily built up in her shoulders relax. Remembering herself, Kagerou re-exerted control on her grip, loosening her muscles to the exact same pressure as earlier.

Ha, what a joke. Kagerou being able to retain complete control considering whose story it was. The newly loosened grip, which had endured throughout the whole introduction of the seal, from the very moment that Takeda mentioned how he and his tendrils had always been one, tightened up right away the moment he revealed the mark on his neck.

She would give him props for choosing his words so carefully. If she hadn't known already what he was trying to do, the story wouldn't have sounded so bad, from beginning to end. Worse, she knew not just his intentions but every physical detail about Takeda's body, at least those relevant to combat.

Takeda exhausted? How many fights to the death was that? It was more than just a durable body that earned Kagerou's trust in combat.
Detecting a pattern in his fighting style? The taijutsu powerhouse she remembered did indeed have a simple fighting style, but that didn't leave him any less open or lacking in destructive power. Kagerou had learned that the hard way.
Subduing a severely injured Takeda? She'd seen with her own two eyes what a Takeda in that state was possible of and oh boy, she was ashamed to admit that heartbroken Takeda, as she liked to joke, had forced her hand on more than one occasion.

Finally, the moment he had to specify the symbiotic relationship he had with his tendrils, a dread for the coming information filled Kagerou, despite the smile she managed to hold in spite of everything. Her mind flashed back to years ago, during a certain Sero-induced nightmare, when she first learned about Takeda's tendrils and subsequently saw them painfully crippled, the damage pervading Takeda's whole body as a result.

At the end of it all, she couldn't stop her eyes from gluing their focus onto the mark on Takeda's neck. It was an effort to stop herself from examining the seal. It required discipline for her to not blurt out her first question, and instead, step back and purview the conversation as a whole before choosing her reply. Her hands now like an iron grip on Takeda's, Kagerou asked as softly as she smiled, "May I... touch it? And... just quickly scan it?". She sounded reluctant because a part of her was. She could feel that Takeda had stopped at this point in the conversation precisely because he knew she would ask this, but even though she knew, she couldn't help herself. Even knowing someone had likely already observed and examined this curse mark to a level far above what she could accomplish, or at least sufficiently enough to treat Takeda, she still wanted to see and confirm for herself that this dangerous tool wasn't killing Takeda.

[46 sentences]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x2955 // 3275 」 tab 「 S T M : :x3390 // 3550 」 tab 「 X P : :x39430 」 tab 「 両 : :x62,300 」
tab 「 Wanderer 」 tab 「 S+ Rank 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai 」 tab 「 Theme: A barrier to get over. 」


Taking in the expression of the kunoichi in front of him, Takeda knew trying to reassure her was a fool's errand. The continuous tightening of her grip wasn't lost on him, and even if he didn't want to burden her, he couldn't deny the twinge of happiness that spread through him. It felt nice to have someone who cared about him that much. Moving his hand away from his neck, Takeda instead moved it down to where she was holding him.

"You can touch it until you're satisfied, Kagerou. I understand." He said, holding one of her hands in both of his own, doing his best to console her. He had plenty of time to process the finality of his situation, but it was a fresh wound for her. As much as he wanted to tell her not to expect anything, Takeda knew that she'd want to do her best to save him. She could heal his wounds, tame his thoughts, or even mend his broken heart, but his seal was like an unmovable wall. A message saying: "This is ours, and there's nothing you can do about it." When she finally got to scanning it, she'd find the jiongu's words to prove true. While the seals themselves were unreasonably complex, it wouldn't be impossible to replicate them with enough study. There was another issue, though. A foreign object that moved beneath the surface, able to be vaguely registered but otherwise impossible to examine. In fact, if Takeda hadn't mentioned it already, it'd be frighteningly simple to miss.

"I can tell you what it does if you want to know. I...also wouldn't blame you if you want to ignore it. The more you know about what they put inside of me, the worse it'll be. I want you to know my past, but you don't have to hold that burden as well."






HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Feeling Takeda hold her own hand startled Kagerou's gaze from their immovable focus. She looked down at where their bodies connected, and suddenly feeling bashful, swiftly apologized, "S-sorry," as she released her iron grip on Takeda. Though, the hand didn't leave the little pocket Takeda's made. It felt nice inside Takeda's hands, snug and warm. There was a joke at the tip of her tongue she could have used to loosen the atmosphere, but she didn't really feel like joking right now.

However, Takeda would feel Kagerou turn inside after she raised her eyes back onto the mark and brought her free hand to gently graze it with the tips of her fingers, bells ringing. For a brief moment, their eyes met again, and despite herself as she met those familiar eyes, Kagerou's smile grew, narrowing the eyes she conscientiously lowered just as they began to glow crimson. Subtle hints of black swirled into life within, three growing tomoe that would fade back into the red. Though, the red glow of the activated sharingan would remain. Takeda was one of the few people outside of her family she could show this to.

Though, of course, she didn't activate these eyes just to relish in the feeling of trust. They had their purpose here. First, carefully avoiding eye contact with Takeda, Kagerou raised her eyes to the curse mark for a preliminary inspection. It was, as always, far less helpful than what she had "seen" through the myriad diagnosis and sensory techniques she had activated as her fingers traced the outline of the cursed seal. From what she could tell, Takeda was alright considering everything he's gone through in the past few hours. Healthier than expected, even. Judging from his lack of exhaustion, she was right that it was silly to worry about Takeda.

However, something still bothered the doctor. Only after that first examination did Kagerou's hand turn inside of Takeda and begin performing its own set of hand seals, fingers curling and stretching as if they played across the neck of an invisible guitar. She hadn't intended to do this at first, but once she acknowledged that this seal was far above anything she had encounter prior, she showed no hesitation in amping the effort up to the necessary level. Chakra manifested in the shape of green leaves and branches around her hand and Takeda's hands as inscriptions were wrought into life over the course of the examination. Blank scrolls were summoned periodically, filled with notes printed with chakra, and then stored back inside the manifestation.

When Kagerou closed her eyes, the details presented by her chakra manifestation would grow only more clearer. Smiling lips moved soundlessly across silent notes, impossible to tell if Kagerou was pulling information or adding information. Most likely both. Actually, maybe she was just singing. Who knew? Across the scrolls, Takeda would catch glimpse of health and sealing notes alike as, almost jarringly in comparison to the usual airy impression this doctor and scholar displayed, she seamlessly handled both fronts at once efficiency that looked sharp enough to kill. She couldn't rest comfortably with only knowing that Takeda seemed alright. She had to be sure, and that meant analyzing certain parts of the curse mark itself. Normally, this wouldn't have taken much more effort, but she expected a good deal more difficulty with the strange triple-layered system Takeda detailed.

She hadn't expected her efforts to be so absolutely stumped, and before she knew it... Well, she was attempting to reverse engineer the seal, rapidly taking notes just so she could find out where a certain fuuin node that was important in determining chakra corruption damage by the-Well, complicated stuff that was usually simple to find. Suffice to say, her earlier hypothesis regarding the curse mark's quality had been completely incorrect. It wasn't some crude prototype. It was just simultaneously unbelievably intricate and unorthodox that it appeared as such if the sensor didn't know any better, and that "device," which she could only assume wasn't a seal for it to be named differently... She wouldn't call it "untraceable" after only one attempt, but it certainly deserved to be introduced as such. She had some pride in her ability to pick out otherwise invisible details ever since mastering the ability to apply her Sharingan's perception to her other senses, but she couldn't keep a steady track on the box even after finding what seemed to be like a needle in the haystack.

The last scroll was sealed and the chakra faded away, leaving nothing but a daunting mystery and an uneasiness at not knowing how to help her friend. Though, the red-eyed kunoichi made one last attempt to catch the device's location before receding her sharingan and myriad investigative techniques. While she blinked, head almost imperceptibly swaying side to side as she regained her bearings in the physical world, Takeda asked if she wanted to know more. She shook her head, conveniently hiding the sway. Then, once again, insisted with a smile that did its best to shrug off the pressure of the unknown, "Tell me more. Everything you're willing to. We might not work in the same squad, or even the same side anymore, but you will always be important to me, and as you know, that includes an annoying obsession with your health and well-being." Frustrated as she might have been with her prior attempt at cracking the seal, she wouldn't show that to the boy in front of her. Her back straightened as she readied herself for the incoming blows while also, aware of the tension built into the air, laid out some jokes and smiles that couldn't quite make it to laughs, "Besides, I did ask for this, after all, and you know, that grand prize at the end? Being stuck with you? Feels kind of like a carnival. If I can get you to spill everything, then I'll win my very own life-size Takeddy Bear~".

[51 sentences]

▰ Seal Whisperer [ Shīru sasayaki ] | Rank S
This technique is used across an entire thread. It gives the user information about any and all seals present in the thread (including forbidden seals and demon seals), either in the environment or on someone's person. This reveals what type of seal is being utilized in a scroll or other container, including its rank/resource paid, but does not reveal what precisely has been sealed away. It does tell the user the precise location of the seal. This lasts for three posts, updating the user with information if new seals are created.

• ZERO System [Two Year Anniversary] - Doujutsu can only be altered so much to empower senses other than the eyes. However, information is information no matter where it comes from. Taking the heightened sensory processing of the Sharingan, Kagerou applies it to all of her senses: hearing, smell, taste, tough, and chakra on top of sight. All of Kagerou's senses benefit from the Insight ability of the Sharingan when her doujutsu is active, gaining an equivalent level of acuity appropriate for that sense. The stat bonuses conferred by Insight are only given once, but she now has the bonus so long as she is able to see, sense chakra, or use any sense that can functionally replace sight.

• Insight: Confers a [2] point increase to agility, and the user can see any movements that happen within their field of view, with an acuity that is akin to precognition.

• Piercing: Can view chakra brightly and see their shapes distinctly from other ninjutsu. Can see the type of chakra being used, be it elemental, bloodline, clan, or maruton, and also covers the strength of the jutsu prior to it actually being launched. In addition to the increased defense against sight based genjutsu and their last chosen addition, the user may choose an third sense to have a rank increased defenses against. This is a one time choice that can not be changed as it is specific to how the user's eyes develop.

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x2955 // 3275 」 tab 「 S T M : :x3390 // 3550 」 tab 「 X P : :x39430 」 tab 「 両 : :x62,300 」
tab 「 Wanderer 」 tab 「 S+ Rank 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai 」 tab 「 Theme: A barrier to get over. 」


Nodding in response to her words, Takeda's smile returned for a moment, unable to reject how warm her comments made him feel. He settled once more into that distinct feeling of security he hadn't felt in years. Knowing that he had a friend like Kagerou was one thing, but having someone out there watching out for him with unconditional care was for his well-being was on another level. Maybe - he thought - it wouldn't be all that bad to be "won" by someone like her. Those thoughts only lasted until he placed his hand upon his own neck, though. Even if it was melded perfectly into his flesh, he couldn't help but feel like it was a foreign entity on him, a brand that left behind a twisted scar. Diving deep into his memories of that hellish place, Takeda's smile faded out with each passing second.

"So, the device first. To start with things I know about completely...it's something they can't directly tamper with unless they're nearby. They have numerous techniques that can maximize its output, reduce it to nothing, or even have it attack me from the inside. While it can't kill me on its own, it can paralyze me for some time. They can also use it to traverse my body, like a live feed to whoever is casting the technique." His mind ran back to all the different times he tried to escape or cause trouble after having the mark placed. Sometimes they'd let him cause chaos for an extended period to see their own handiwork before he was suppressed and sedated once again. Other times they'd manually adjust his output while he fought to throw him into dangerous situations, testing the limitations.

Moving his hand from his neck, he placed it down and slowly slid it closer to Kagerou in a silent offer. "As for things I'm uncertain of, I think they can use it to track my location. Not necessarily pinpoint it, but they knew I was in Maelstrom and knew I'd be coming here even if my job takes me all over the world. I also think they can monitor my health to know whether I'm fighting or not. Now...as for the seal and why it's so ridiculous." He started, memories falling back even further. The times he woke up in the process of his procedure, along with the healing process after. Things he heard while that man recorded his logs. "It wasn't made using traditional methods. This guy, the one who did it...was aware of every possible method currently understood and decided to work outside of it. He turned to Yin and Yang chakra, religious symbols, artifacts, and his own bloodline. He was like Jack. He could take a concept out of his imagination, bring it into the real world, and then solidify whatever it was forever. Ketsuryugan. It was what he used to build on the foundations set by all the knowledge already known in this world. In other words: no matter who I've shown this seal to, the only one who'll truly understand it is him. Just like how nobody was able to replicate what Jack did with Kirigakure."

With his free hand, assuming Kagerou held onto his other one, Takeda pulled something out from the large pocket at the side of his cloak. The same journal he was looking through earlier that day when he sat beneath the tree alone. Right there on the first page was a sketch that the jiongu's eyes hovered over for quite some time. "Some operatives in Maelstrom were able to sort through my memories. They accurately depicted his face from there, and even if Emiko herself seemed to find him familiar, nobody I've met has come across him. This is the one who spearheaded the seal's research. The one with those eyes." With that said, he turned his gaze back to her and held up the page for her to see.





HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

She'd hoped for a laugh, but didn't expect it to happen. Honestly speaking, she'd expected a scoff or a frown. That she got neither and just an appreciative smile... It should have made her happy, right? At worst, set her stomach aflutter? Instead, Takeda's acceptance unexpectedly placed a weight on her heart.

She didn't understand her own heart, nor did she really want to think of it now. With Takeda's smile fading with each word he spoke, Kagerou would much rather focus on grabbing the hand offered to give what little comfort she could. It didn't escape her, even amidst all the thoughts she put into everything he had gone through, that Takeda was being uncharacteristically clingy.

A rueful smile passed with the thoughts, "Though, with everything I haven't known, who's to say what I know?".

Then it was gone, the placid smile once more in its proper place. It didn't look happy, nor sad. It was some strange middle ground in limbo, like a neutral expression, but more pleasant to look at, easier on the eyes and lighter on the heart. A listening smile, as sharp ears heard all that was said and intent eyes imagined all that was not. Returning the gesture from earlier, she ran her thumb along the back of Takeda's hand, squeezing it intermittently to let him know he was here, sitting on the bench with her, while his mind continued to run in the labyrinth that had entrapped him for so long.

Hunted, every attempt turned to their advantage, constantly reminded of the power they held over him, and then living not only with the memory of that dark time but with the knowledge that the very thing that gave them that power resides within his body still. She couldn't imagine it, only listen as he spilled out everything that needed to be said, and she pieced together the rest he couldn't say. She hoped just listening would help because, as much as she hated to admit it, she was not sure if there was anything else she could do.

However, she tried to remain optimistic. Matters of the mind were always so delicate, but she still had confidence with helping Takeda rid himself of the device, at least. Thus, when Takeda started to speak about the lead researcher, she listened closely and carefully at the topics brought up. Eyes widened as Takeda brought up the Ketsuryugan and a concept Kagerou had never thought of prior, but her determination did not waver. She continued to watch intently

She would come to... not regret looking at Takeda with such focus. No, Kagerou did not like letting herself regret. However, she felt very unfortunate to have looked at the picture Takeda held up so immediately and eagerly. If she could throw herself in front of a bus for him, she very well would have. Likewise, if she could identify a man for him, then there would be no questions, except... Except for one, rather domineering part of her life.

The smile... didn't freeze. It may have frozen at times before, but the shock upon the notebook in front of her was not of the level to shake someone of her caliber. However, there was a certain lack of reaction that may have prepared Takeda for what came out of Kageoru's mouth next.

Scarlet eyes blinked. Green hair waved lazily before her face. It was quite the pause and wait to hear a measured voice admit, "I didn't know he had the same eyes as Jack-sensei, much less the evolved form, the Ketsuryugan." Eyes raised from the notebook to Takeda, and the smile finally shifted. A genuine expression of how she felt, but no one would blame Takeda if he believed it to just be a manufactured one. As if expecting him to not believe in her, Kagerou slowly, reluctantly released his hand. She did not move her own's, but his was free to go now if he wanted. She knew how much he disliked lies and deceit, and right now, she had to admit she probably wasn't painting a good picture otherwise. "Do you trust me, Takeda?"

Her back straightened as she gathered her wits about her. Though she had already formulated a general idea and generated a new impression of the man in the notebook, she did not stop thinking as she looked Takeda in the eyes. Giving a small smile, she spelled out her thoughts, "The page is well-worn but the rest of the notebook isn't. You clearly have your reasons. No, you have your motives and intentions for keeping this man's face at the forefront of your thoughts." She paused, just long enough to punctuate her words, but did not take so long in speaking again to give Takeda a chance to reply. She had to say everything in one go before anything he said could throw her off, "I know him. I cannot say a lot about him, but I can say a few things. Nonetheless, Takeda, if you'd take my advice, I think he expected you to find information through me." The rest, she hoped, she would not need to spell out. Best case scenario, it was an effective dead end. Worst case, this man had the foresight to set a trap. If she could, she would have liked to just tell Takeda to leave everything to her, but she already knew the answer he would give her.

[57 sentences]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x2955 // 3275 」 tab 「 S T M : :x3390 // 3550 」 tab 「 X P : :x39430 」 tab 「 両 : :x62,300 」
tab 「 Wanderer 」 tab 「 S+ Rank 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai 」 tab 「 Theme: A barrier to get over. 」


Seconds passed at that moment, and Takeda felt time slowing to a crawl once again. The first thing he noticed was that her eyes didn't narrow even slightly or widen at all. Even though he'd tease her occasionally by calling her nosy, Takeda knew that she was incredibly perceptive - far more than most Shinobi at their level - but she didn't look like she was even trying to examine the drawing. No recognition or shock, but instead a void of anything he was expecting. Any expectations he had were instead twisted and warped until his eyes could only settle on one bleak, terrifying truth. To some indiscernible degree, that darkness he'd been subjected to found its way to Kagerou, even if it was for the briefest meeting.

The sigh that tore through the thick atmosphere started even before she confirmed his thoughts with her words. Just hearing her speak about that man with the bare minimum of recognition was enough to make his stomach churn. The thought of I should've just left it alone was buried as quickly as it appeared, and he felt a chasm starting to open between the two of them, distancing them with every word she spoke. The part of him that was desperate to save his relationship with the kunoichi regretted reaching for the journal, knowing that it must have been a subconscious effort to appease the doubt that he "removed" from his heart. There was more to him than just his ties to Kagerou, though. The other part of him - the larger one that made up the bulk of his soul - was a survivor. One that was already preparing to suppress his memories of her just like he did with every other overwhelming loss.

"Trust me... I... I know what goes on in those kinds of places. I know exactly what I am being thankful for."

His notoriously one-track mind came up with one horrible connection after the other until his hand slowly - softly pulled away from hers, resting by his side once more. Even if recent events turned their friendship towards a bitter ending, various feelings kept his disappointment from turning into rage. Still, speaking too soon on such a sensitive topic would leave him open to losing control. Instead, he read her expression for another few moments while formulating his thoughts, then put his journal back in his pocket. "It makes sense that you'd know him instead of Emiko. She's a medic through and through. Started a whole institution for people to learn how to defend themselves outside of the villages. She couldn't investigate two forbidden seals at the same time in a matter of moments, or know anything about the places you do. No, neither of them would get any benefit from knowing one another." He started, shaking his head after. His face was set in an exasperated smile, the kind that could signal a turn to yelling at any moment, but he remained mostly composed. Like her, he gave her little time to interject. "You're right. I have my own motives and reasons. I'm not living my life with the intention of hiding from him, but I'm not going to try forcing you to tell me anything either. You don't even have to tell me his name. You have your own reasons, and it's not like you're breaking any promises by keeping them from me." Even if he'd never be able to view her the same way again, Takeda wouldn't fault her for continuing to operate behind his back so long as she was upfront about withholding the truth. As Shinobi, many things took priority over feelings.

He was, of course, able to exploit those priorities as well.

"For the sake of our trust, though, there is one promise I'd like you to make. That when I find him myself and go to tear him apart, you won't be there to interfere."






HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Her hands empty once more, she felt she was alone again. It was probably for the best this way, though. Stay too close to her, and he would inevitably be drawn into a mire that would tarnish him. She wanted to protect him from that, but it hurt her, more than the emptiness, to see his eyes and face contort coldly to her admission and tone.

Did she hear, perhaps, his trust in her begin to snap? Like a rubber band stretched too tight? When the last filaments finally broke would it also slap into her like a rubber band? How much would it hurt then?

The journal returned to his pocket. She did not point her eyes in the direction of the action, but she could see it in her peripherals, nonetheless, Takeda withdrawing the heart he had left open and defenseless in front of her just before. Just right before she'd said what she had. She shouldn't regret, though. She had to remember what she had made her choice for. After all, painful as it was, this reaction from Takeda wasn't outside of her expectation. No, actually, this was probably for the better?

It hurt, but she convinced herself it didn't. The defenses that leapt to her tongue, useless words against a what was not incorrect. The stings she felt despite knowing it wasn't his intention to compare or disdain, but simply say it as he saw things. She told herself that such things didn't exist. When she couldn't do even that, she still accepted it willingly because... because...

Beneath those dry red eyes, she continued to smile, happy to see that Takeda was still Takeda, with that same cherished honesty and indomitable will. If he had been broken, then he had mended himself. He was fine, she was glad, and his realization of the kind of person she had become was for the best because when she saw the way his eyes changed and heard how his voice shifted, a feeling of dread hit her. She could see it in his eyes now, the doubt that spread like an invasive ivy across the walls he had newly erected against Kagerou. She could see it in the exasperated smile that held back, the pain that would evolve and mutate if given time. Was that her fault? It wasn't something she had expected, and knowing it now changed things. She was sorry, she really was, but as much as Takeda meant to her, her family meant more. Could she have kept up a facade and spared Takeda these feelings if she had tried? Yes, most certainly. She could have left him blissfully unaware of the full depth of Kagerou the kunoichi of Kiritani, shown him only the Kagerou that was good, that wanted to help, and could only be trusted, but she didn't want to lie to him after everything they had gone through, here on this bench and in their shared past. She liked how he was too honest, too forward, and too reliable, so that was why she told him, and that was also why she would rather let him go than corrupt him any further.

The loneliness would pass, the things she wished to protect would not. That was why it didn't hurt. She was Kagerou, the ever-smiling. She would most certainly be fine. Everything would be most certainly okay.

The unfaltering smile matched with the unfaltering gaze. He had not answered her question. Did that mean she could take it as an unsaid "no"? An answer not spoken but heard in the accusations he hinted at the conclusions he came to? An answer implied in how, even though he told Kagerou she did not tell him, he could not tell her it was because he trusted her? She figured, that must be it.

Folding her hands into her lap, no longer asking to be held, Kagerou answered in a voice that had lost its lilt. "You're still so easy to read."She was trying, as much as she could, to hold a steady front. "His name is Oda Tajima, and he once tended to patients in Kirigakure as an independent contractor. A sort of doctor for hire. I met him through a few seminars. Publicly held, mind you. That is the extent of what I can tell you freely, Takeda." After confirming with others in her clan, those working specifically on matters in the field Oda was affiliated with, she would hopefully be able to tell Takeda more.

However, Takeda had not asked for that, and Kagerou, as it could be seen in the way her eyes lowered and drifted to the side, had her own reasons for wanting a head start over Takeda. She admitted, not without guilt that could be seen in those averted eyes, "I'm sorry, Takeda, but I cannot make the promise you would like." Her hands fiddled nervously with each other. The atmosphere wasn't favorable to say this next part. If she wanted to end this easily, it could be better to remain silent. If she didn't care to remain close with Takeda, then she would lose nothing, but the truth was, no matter her choice or his, a part of her didn't want to let him go, too. Her feelings, conflicted, left her uncertain, but she at least didn't want there to be misunderstandings between the two that could have been prevented. "After hearing everything you've just said, do you really think I can stay still and do nothing? As the creator of the lock in your body, he most certainly has the key as well and... and..." Her voice faltered.

"Even if you don't trust me, please let me help you."

"Stay away from me all you'd like from now on, but at least for this one thing..."

"You don't have to like me, that's understandable."

Numerous sentences, none of which she could use, flew through her head as she tried to finish a sentence that should have ended one word ago.

She couldn't say what she was really thinking, not in her current internal state, so once that became clear, she substituted with a convenient line. "And you said it yourself. I'm not someone who can claim the moral high ground like the medic who saved you. I've had to dabble in curse seals a lot, so I have some experience with this stuff."

Green lashes blinked over red orbs. When her eyes reopened, she was looking back into Takeda, reading his emotions and reactions, carefully, cautiously. She wondered if maybe she should just leave right now, after asking if he would stay away from the mission, of course. She doubted he would want to tell her anything more.

[76 sentences]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x2955 // 3275 」 tab 「 S T M : :x3390 // 3550 」 tab 「 X P : :x39430 」 tab 「 両 : :x62,300 」
tab 「 Wanderer 」 tab 「 S+ Rank 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai 」 tab 「 Theme: A barrier to get over. 」


Visibly wincing at her quick response, Takeda was thrown off guard by what she said. If it were anyone else, his first reaction wouldn't have been remotely pleasant, but it surprised him more than agitated when it came to Kagerou. He was going to cut her off regardless of what she said after, upset by her lackadaisical response to his question, but hearing the words "his name" shut him up. He wasn't expecting her to tell him that - didn't ask for it either, but he wasn't going to pass on the free information. That, of course, didn't make him feel better about anything. It wasn't a small victory or anything worth noting, especially since it was information he probably could have squeezed out of Egawa. That's what he told himself, but the truth of the matter was that he didn't want to get his hopes up. Hopes that she'd accept the one thing he wanted her to.

Then, lo and behold, she said it. I bet that's not the only promise you can't keep. That thought was quick to surface, but he buried it before it could taint the rest of his mind. If she couldn't tell him everything he needed to know, then he didn't want her getting in his way. At least if she distanced herself from the issue, he could move forward without damaging their trust any further. Instead...well, while he partially regretted showing her the drawing of Oda, he was glad that he saw her true colors as early as he did. If everything only came to light when they were all face to face, the betrayal she was bound to commit would break him. At the very least, he got to spend some time with her and speak about his trauma before he stopped trusting her. That, along with their earlier memories, was something he could look back on fondly before she was buried like the rest.

As she continued speaking, that initial wince turned into a conflicted expression, then a vaguely hurt one, and finally a somber, neutral acceptance. "Well, in that case..." His voice was easy enough to hear but carried none of the unique, effortless confidence that his tone always carried. The remnants of it were there even when he was breaking down, but it was absent in those words, replaced instead by something weak and airy in comparison. A stranger wouldn't have noticed it, but it would have been the difference between night and day for Kagerou. He'd spoken to her more than anyone else he knew. Nobody knew him better, and yet...

Steeling his heart, Takeda turned away from her and got up from the bench, taking a deep breath after. It was fine. He'd be fine. He could handle Oda on his own, and considering how long he'd stay alive, Kagerou would fade away into his past one day. She made her choice while completely aware of the consequences, so he'd do the same as one last favor.

"You don't need to worry about that promise, Kagerou."

"You won't have to bother with Oda for my sake."

"Even if it ends like this, I'm glad I got to know you.

"Goodbye. I'll handle things on my own from now on."

Numerous sentences, all of which he could use, flew through his head as he tried to finish a sentence that he should've had no trouble with. "Tch." He exclaimed, incredibly annoyed with his own indecisiveness. If the words couldn't come through his thoughts, he'd just open his mouth to speak and let his instincts do the job for him. He'd be fine. He'd be fine.

Turning around, he opened his mouth to speak but caught the faintest sight of Kagerou's hand pulling back. "I..." He wanted to speak. Wanted to get anything out, but his gaze was drawn to her lips. To that smile, one that he'd seen a million times, but never had he seen it look so fragile. Just like she'd be able to detect the abnormalities in his tone, there was little that she could hide from him when it came to her expressions. No matter how experienced she was as a shinobi, the fact that she smiled at all showed that she underestimated how much he cared. How many times he'd taken comfort in the small curve of her lips or the sweet sincerity in her eyes that could turn to mischief if he gave her an opening. The embrace she subjected him to after a fight or a meeting after a long time apart, even if it was to check on his health.

Then there was himself, who underestimated how many times he took comfort in the trust he had in her to allow any of that in the first place. Trust that he really believed she would throw away for nothing...no. All it took was the small sight to make him hesitate, and that instant was all that other part of himself needed to make itself known. It...didn't completely win him over. He was still hurt, but there was no way he could say any of the lines he prepared. Not at all. Because if she was hiding something so important from him, it had to be for something vastly more vital to her. He didn't know what it was, but if there was even the slight chance that it existed...

He couldn't reasonably end anything with someone he cared for so much.

"I'll still uphold my end of the promise, Kagerou...I just need some time alone."

With that said, the whirlpool of emotions inside of him wouldn't let him stay much longer. So assuming she didn't try to get in his way, he'd turn away from Kagerou and walk away, somewhere out of Himawari, somewhere he could think.

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Before she realized what she was doing herself, Kagerou, sitting straight from her resolution earlier, bent forwards as Takeda exhaled with his back turned to her. The head of hair: white, black, black, black, green, blonde, red, white. The back: delicate, lanky, slouched, poised, reliable, kind, petite, scarred. Other combinations mixed in with the main parade. Her hand reached to him, and as her luck would have it, it was just as she caught her fatuous actions that Takeda turned to her. She was already pulling her hand back as their eyes met and, so as to arouse no suspicions, she continued to calmly return it to her position as she smiled a, hopefully, well-shaped smile. She had in mind something expectant and patient, a good, neutral listening smile. In the meantime, she wondered what was wrong with her. Hadn't she even gone so far as to consider being the one to leave once it was her turn to speak?

Hadn't she heard his voice break earlier? So subtle that she wondered if even the speaker noticed. It was like a song with the base line missing, the melody unsupported and singling along only to go through the motions. She should have had more reason to hold still when he heard his voice so hurt, but instead, it appeared to have ushered her to action, reflexively swelling a desire in her to reach out and comfort him.

The way she had just a few exchanges ago, but those exchanges may as well have been years apart with how much had changed in between.

She could feel him scrutinizing her expression, and she held her cool under the scrutiny, continuing to smile without flaw, or at least with no flaws she expected anyone to notice, even Takeda. What was he looking at her for so intently? He just had to turn around and walk away. She certainly did underestimate the place she held in his heart.

The words that would end them all. The words Takeda should have said, predictable as she had thought him to be didn't come. He didn't tell her to forget about the promise. He didn't tell her to forget about Oda. It wasn't even the best scenario she had expected to receive, a thanks and surface-level cordial goodbye.

He... wasn't going to leave her for good? That... that wasn't the plan, but oddly enough, it felt like an unbearable burden had been lifted from her chest. Her smile half-opened at the back that left, but then it closed once more. The shadows of so many others were no longer upon it. There was no longer anything compelling her to pull her back because she could feel that he would return to her.

Takeda would never lie to her, after all. He would uphold his promise, even when she couldn't make the promise he'd requested. She really didn't... What was he thinking? Not choosing to leave her...

A golden butterfly passed her vision as she watched Takeda's receding back. He had yet to disappear into the crowd, but she tore her eyes from him to follow the butterfly instead. Riding lazily on the breeze, the wings of the insect gently wafted it up until it drew Kagerou's eyes to the beckoning shinobi atop a roof, in true traditional shinobi fashion.

Not even a blink alluded to the shift in mode. The fragile smile regained some firmness as she ushered the strength to withdraw her vulnerable side once more. It was time to return to the stage once more. With recognition passed between the two actors, the two went their separate but conjoined ways. Kagerou stood up and, with only one more glance into the crowd Takeda had since disappeared in, she walked the opposite way. The direction didn't really matter to her, for as soon as she'd find herself alone, she was gone.

"I need to account for my inability to keep Takeda off of this mission."

[44 sentences]




 

[HeadlessKoko]

Nearing midnight. Several hours had passed since Uchiha Kagerou had finished her meeting with Kikuchi Takeda. For a shinobi, the location wasn't a terribly distant run from the town the Himawari Mission Board was located in. Considering the results of the conversation between the two, he was expected to arrive an hour before midnight. Per the estimate, his arrival had been confirmed a little under an hour prior.

The sprawling mansion, the setting for tonight's mission, was constructed in the eastern style. Low-lying buildings, none over one story tall, laid across the estate's lands in traditional fashion. However, all save the main building, large with its multiple arms, were empty and silent. Lights shined like day at the second building, and a bustling quiet filled the air, murmurs and preparations. There weren't many, but more than a few of the veterans and rising stars among bounty hunters had chosen to chase the golden goose. Rumors had spread that it was but one woman, a kunoichi formerly of Kirigakure, and it filled them with confidence. What threat could one woman from a law-abiding fallen village possibly be? Those who knew better simply weren't there.

"Midnight," the calling card had said, "and the arms dealer shall die."

Though, not many expected an assassin to follow their word. Most had come early, for that reason. Though, no doubt, a few of the cockier ones will come later, so certain in whatever judgement they have. So far, 13 prospective hunters could be found on the estate grounds: a pair, two groups of four, and three unaffiliated, Takeda among them. They'd each scattered, given free roam of the place and operating individually. Though, grumblings could be heard from a few of those proficient at setting traps. Apparently, there was another party present that had basically taken a monopoly on what goes on with the ground and floor of the estate, dirt and wood alike.

"Wtf?! Who even needs both the actual ground and the floor above it to set up their seals?! I say that they're just trying to monopolize and gouge the chances of the other groups."
"I dunno. They kinda seemed pretty right with their two seal thingy that the little kiddy showed us. 'Member how he just kind of... whacked your seal away and then put ya in a tiny cage?"
"THAT is unrelated! Arghhhh. And it's not whack, it's-"
"THAT is enough. How many times are you going to complain about the same thing? Fact of the matter is, they got here way before us and had everything covered by the time we were ready to start."
"But they hadn't finisssshhhhed."

Evidently, there was one other group that wasn't so easily found. None of the buildings or rooms were off-limits. Even the main room, where the target sat barricaded, was not prohibited to enter. Though, it was discouraged against going in there for no reason as, after all, the client sat within the room. That could only mean that said group had actually made the choice to gather somewhere outside the main building, likely in one of the darkened side buidlings, and so close to the promised time as well.

[39 sentences]


[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

"Focus on your own task, Jial. What's important is getting that cargo to headquarters before it gets compromised. I can handle things here." Leaning his body against one of the road lights between Himawari and his mission's location, Takeda pulsed his chakra through the metal structure to reach another member of Maelstrom. The night was devoid of sound save for the chirping of crickets, but there was always the chance that someone was listening. It was the only reason the Monsoon continued to speak indirectly regarding the Egawa situation. Waiting for a response from his contact, the red-eyed wandered adjusted the cuffs on his uniform, having donned new gear after his most recent excursion. While he still wore his usual top underneath, the slacks, button-down collared shirt, and hooded jacket were all new. The red scarf covering his forbidden seal was also a more recent addition, but it was much more familiar than the others. With the black jacket closed at the front, the outfit was definitely more form-fitting than his last one, and the small red details adorning the uniform fit him nicely. Unfortunately, the illusion of a handsome, well-built Maelstrom elite was usually shattered whenever he opened his mouth for an extended period.

"All I'm saying is that we don't know that much about your job, so maybe you should take some backup. It's fine if you want me to transport the cargo myself, but the lovebirds are probably just an hour away. Let me send them to you just in case."

Even if they were miles apart, Jial could probably still feel Takeda shaking his head in response. The jiongu was stubborn, that was old news, but he was abnormally obstinate when it came to the latest task. Even if he had his antisocial streaks, which was the running joke around Malestrom on why he became a Monsoon, he was still at least somewhat open to accepting help.

"Don't have an hour. Besides, I wouldn't want to be a third wheel. If you want to pass anything along to them for my sake, tell them that there's a spot they'd probably like in Himawari...Anyway, I'll be home tomorrow, Jial. Make sure my cargo is prepped." With that said, he moved from the road light and cut the cost for his Wave transmission. All he could gather was that the target he was meant to watch out for had never failed to collect on their calling cards, something intimidating in of itself, but what made it worse was that she'd taken to leaving some nasty messes in the process lately. He was confident in his ability to survive whatever was thrown at him, and he'd be able to continue without a heavy conscience if less experienced operatives weren't involved.

No, that wasn't true. If another Monsoon offered to get involved, he'd still turn them down. Honestly, he just wanted to be alone for a while after everything that happened earlier.

------------------------ Time passes ------------------------

Arriving a couple of hours early, Takeda made his way closer to the mansion, immediately concluding that surveillance was going to be a pain. It was a sprawling residence with a unique design, with several different points of entry. At some point along the way, the jiongu felt the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to stand, causing him to turn his gaze towards the dark buildings along the side of the mission location. While he didn't have any notable skill in sensory, Takeda's sixth sense was powerful. It wouldn't give him any specifics on location, but if his gut told him "someone's watching me from those buildings," he was inclined to believe it. The thought crossed his head to investigate them while it was still early, but...no, he couldn't waste any precious time.

Approaching the front entrance to the mansion, he was stopped by a small wall of armored warriors. Some wore uniforms on the sleeker side, but they were likely all a part of the same outfit. Mizutani's regular guards, Takeda concluded. "Takeda. Jial Yamanaka with Maelstrom should have told you about me." He started before they could even ask, already familiar with the old song and dance. Jial usually covered him with a name, a description of his appearance, and the note of: don't hold a conversation with him if you can help it. Judging by the way they cleared a path in response instead of questioning further, it still worked.

Once inside, Takeda got to work on collecting as much information as he could about the defenses that others set up. Instead of overpowering anyone else, he'd cover the gaps in their techniques. After all, unlike most of the other mercs present, he didn't care about anything except protecting his client, something he made clear if asked.

------------------------ Time passes (present) ------------------------

Sitting down on the floor with his back pressed against the wall, Takeda kept his eyes closed, focusing on his technique. His clones were at various places inside and around the mansion, remaining in stationary positions. To anyone with dojutsu or sensory talent, they'd be able to see the smallest of threads connected to each one, with those threads weaving their way through the nooks and crannies others may have overlooked to form a spider's web. To say it was draining was an understatement, which was why Takeda was content to rest in his position until the clock struck twelve. The only thing to cause him to stir was the sudden raising of voices nearby, and he eavesdropped without particularly intending to. They were just loud. He'd heard whispers about the hidden party that seemed to be controlling things out of view, but they were the first to approach the topic so openly - around him at least. Interested, one red eye peeked open to examine the group.

Once the conversation seemed to wrap up, Takeda re-activated the shadow clone technique to bring out two low-powered clones. There was still another hour before midnight, so...yeah, he could get away with investigating a bit more. He stood up from his spot and walked outside while the other clones made their way over to different places, one going to the group that interested him.

"Hmm...now that I'm a bit closer, I can't believe I didn't recognize you at first. It's been too long, so I've forgotten the name, but I used to visit you a lot. Decided to take on mercenary work?" The clone spoke up, his hand raising in a polite gesture.

The other went over to the garden on the east side of the mansion, looking to find any gaps in defenses that the other clones might have skipped over.

The real Takeda, finally giving in to his curiosity, looked over to the side buildings once he was outside. He didn't get the same initial feeling again, but...his ears were picking up on a strange sound. It wasn't quite "breathing," yet it was similar enough to catch his attention. Right, well...if that wasn't a suspicious feeling then he didn't know what was, and he wasn't going to let something like that by when he was supposed to be guarding the place. Taking a running start, the jiongu used his exceptional speed and strength to leap a good distance into the air, extending his arm early on to send out his tendrils. Increasing their range, he made sure they were firmly latched onto his target before he pulled himself over, grappling to the building.

Upon landing, the source of the strange breathing sound became apparent to him. A large mass of butterflies was covering the building, and ones that would've otherwise been crushed fluttered away just in time to avoid the incoming jiongu. His eyes caught the glow easily, and just as he was preparing to defend himself for some unavoidable occurrence, the glowing went away. Things returned to normal, and deciding to test things further, Takeda walked along the surface of the roof to re-create the scenario. Low and behold, the butterflies fluttered away, glowed, then fit themselves back into a suitable space. Huh. That wasn't weird at all.

Not knowing what to expect but also unafraid, Takeda moved from the roof to enter the closest window.


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

The four Senju turned, even the one that hadn't spoken a single word all this time. The brown-haired girl who had been complaining, was quick to assume in her bad mood and released a preliminary, "Haaah?" in challenge at this stranger who suddenly approached.

She was stopped from saying anything by the sudden interjection of the big guy who had been docilely chatting with her irritated self, nodding along and letting her talk. "Hmmmmmmm," the low, rumbling, thoughtful hum blocked all of the kunoichi's attempts to say anything more. After some time, the burly merc's face lit up in recognition and he slowly drawled out his excitement, "Ah ha! Well, if it ain't Takeda! Y'all always stooped by my stall to git yer fresh produce when I was in town!". Crossing his arms, the big-boned, former farmer took to looking Takeda up and down, a slow but really not very intimidating look. "Why, I reckon you got bigger! Though, haha, not as big as me!".

"Ryousuke," a voice slid in from the brown haired male that already had a hand on the grumpy girl's shoulder, "Let's try not to take too much time of this young man's time." While the words were crisp and concise, the tone of the reminder itself was kind, more a suggestion than an order.

Ryousuke drawled on, "Aye, of course. Well, you asked me about this here mercenary work. Kind of sort of I suppose. My friends here decided they were going to go off and play heroes, and it's dangerous out there, you see, so I decided to go wit em to make sure they stay all right." His head tilted the other way, this time in the direction of the group he belonged to. Using one hand to motion between each group, he did his thing to make things more comfortable, "Why don't we all introduce ourselves? This here is Takeda, he used to be part of that big village with the bigger tree that you and Moriko belonged to, Daisuke. And Takeda, this here are Daisuke and Moriko like I just said, and that quiet one over there is Hanajima."

The brown haired shinobi spoke up again, this time offering a handshake, "It's nice to meet a friend of Ryousuke's.

Trying to keep her head cool so as not to ruin or interrupt what everyone was doing, Moriko kept to herself: arms crossed and foot tapping rapidly to dispel the sour feelings she still held.

Hanajima continued to remain silent, but with the way her eyes furrowed and the way her head tilted, it looked like she was trying to place the face... or name... maybe even both. Hard to tell when the stone-faced girl refused to say anything.

===

The clone that had gone to explore the East garden wouldn't take long before stumbling upon the one individual that had decided to make himself home. Sitting atop a gazebo, using the copious amounts of light to pass away the time whittling at some wood sculpture of some sort, was an older man, whistling a soft tune like the gently falling cherry blossoms, an occurrence that had yet to happen to the bare cherry blossoms on either side of him. The gentle notes clashed with his hardened features, and the more one tried to describe his physical features, the more apt a simple "older" became for his descriptions. One one hand, he looked like he could be a middle-aged veteran, but on the other, his white hair gave his wrinkled appearance quite a few extra years.

===

The real Takeda would find himself in exactly where he would expect himself to be: a pitch dark room. Despite the clear sky, a thin sliver of a moon wasn't much light to go by outside, much less inside. From what little light did manage to outline the silhouette of the items within the first few feet of the window, it appeared these side buildings had not been cleared out as the main building was.

Before Takeda could step further in to explore, though, he'd find that a light had followed him in, a soft golden glow that wafted in gentle flight. A voice could be heard from it.

"Eh, me? Sure, I guess."

A very familiar voice. There was only one voice that would use that color, at least in these posts. The butterfly landed on a surface nearby Takeda as the friendly voice got into the swing of her greeting.

"Hello? Hi, it's nice to be speaking to you. I'm terribly sorry if the butterflies got you worried, but they're part of our group's mission prep. If you could please be careful around them, then that would be really appreciated."

Measured, calm, somehow mixing professional with the casual, a way of speaking that one would really need to work hard to find offense in without making the speaker seem like a pushover. However, while it was a "friendly" voice, Takeda would know what Kagerou would have really sounded like as a friend.

===

Nothing else to report. An hour before the calling card's stated time, there was no other activity.


[51 sentences]


[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Forming a single two-handed seal when entering the room, Takeda prepared to cast a low-level flame technique to illuminate the area. Just as the chakra was about to finish molding, his eyes caught the tiny glow that wandered in. He reached out to it in an attempt to shoo it away so it wouldn't get scorched by the technique he had in mind, but it spoke in response.

"What are you..."

Of all the voices it could've been, cruel fate dictated that it had to be hers. It was immediately recognizable, mainly because the last incident involving Kagerou was still wreaking havoc somewhere in the back of his mind, refusing to be buried. Hearing her voice was...strangely warming, and he found himself excited for a moment before his memories whipped him right back into shape. As it was, there were too many questions that he wanted to ask her and too little that she could give. With that realization came waves of frustration, not only at the situation regarding Oda but also with his own lack of composure. He needed more time to accept the conclusions he made, and the sudden run-in with her wasn't helping.

"If you're involved, then I don't have anything to worry about over here." He responded in a chaste manner, not leaving much room for emotion to seep into his tone. Unfortunately, his attempt at limiting himself led to his next words coming out in a more detached way than intended. Though, with the new distance that worked its way between them...maybe it wasn't so strange. "Good luck with your group. Later, Kagerou." Not wanting to stay there and run the risk of starting up a whole conversation, Takeda quickly aborted the dark building once he finished speaking. Unless the butterfly was quick enough to keep up with him, he launched himself from the windowsill and away from his problems.

...

Facing the mansion's entrance once more, the jiongu let out a long sigh and sorted his thoughts. He realized that he never asked Kagerou what she was doing in Himawari. He was too caught up in seeing her again and handling his own mission that the thought just never passed his mind. Considering how huge the current operation was, he had only himself to blame for not drawing any conclusions earlier. He never asked about the girl she was speaking to before their conversation started or what she wanted to talk with him about because he left. Thinking back, the only thing that made the most sense was that she'd try to invite him into her group for the mission. Of course, with the way things ended, that offer wouldn't be on the table anymore either. He...was really frustrated that he didn't consider the possibility earlier. He would've gone home if he knew she was going to be involved.

"Thinking about it isn't useful to anyone. I'll leave as soon as the job is done." He said aloud to himself, finding no room in his own thoughts. Ultimately, he decided on paying a visit to the client. It wasn't something he normally did, but it was worth taking a look at the defenses Mizutani had closest to him.

...

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Takeda's knuckles rapped on the door three times in quick succession, loud enough to be noticeable without being alarming.

"Who are you and why are you entering?"

The response was quick and to the point, just how the jiongu preferred it. Not wanting to spoil such a nice surprise, he promptly returned the favor with a response that was just as direct. "Takeda, a Monsoon with Maelstrom. I want to see what the defenses are like inside so that I can offer my own if it's needed." Thankfully, that seemed to be enough to satisfy whoever was behind the door. Told to enter, Takeda did so without a moment's hesitation, walking inside of the main room holding the client.

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

The small smile on his lips was welcoming enough, but Takeda's body tensed when Ryousuke forced introductions to commence. Oh well, there was no helping it sometimes when it came to people like him. He reached out and shook Daisuke's hand, scanning his features with red eyes as well. The brown-haired shinobi looked friendly enough, but Tak didn't recall any history between them. "I was Jack's student for a while and then only really worked with one person on missions, so...I'm drawing a blank. It's nice to meet you though, Daisuke. Moriko. Hanajima. I'm sure Ryousuke is in good hands with you around." He teased a bit at the end but made sure to remain respectful. "I have some skill in Iryojutsu, so keep me in mind if things get out of control. I heard this target has been on a real streak, so better safe than sorry." Finishing that, he pulled back his hand from Daisuke's to let it hang by his side once more. The silent one, Hanajima, caught his interest as well, but he didn't know how to approach a conversation with her easily. Unlike Daisuke or Moriko, she seemed to be making an active effort to recall something about him.

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

"You seem to be at peace for someone who could be an hour away from death. I take it that you have this side of the mansion covered?" Takeda asked the old man who sculpted away at a piece of wood. There was "keeping cool," and then there was becoming a picture of serenity like the man before him. Given the mission's level of threat, it was quite a bizarre sight. Interesting enough to prompt him to speak, though there was also..."There's something familiar about you. A Kiri nin?" He quickly asked, giving his previous words hardly a moment to breathe.


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Silence on the other end. For all that Takeda said, there was no reply, at least none before he left. The glowing butterfly made a weak attempt to follow, but it quickly gave up and, returning to the roof, dimmed its glow into dormancy once more.

In some inner room in some side building, a stilled smile could be seen in the last remnants of a fading golden glow. Red eyes, wide in surprise were just barely caught flashing over to the side, where a golden pair of eyes glimmered in merriment before all light in the room disappeared.

"Kin..." the kunoichi breathed in a voice as quiet as a heart beat, but didn't know how to continue. She knew Takeda would be here, but she hadn't thought of how she would meet him once they were to cross paths. The sudden surprise call was even less expected. She had been ready to hand the call over to Midori instead, so that he could hold the rest of the conversation, but instead, the abrupt ending of the shinobi on the other side only further complicated her feelings.

Incidentally, Midori was the one to speak up, refocusing the group with a simple, "Aka, can this wait?"

Of course, the answer was no, but the only thing that could be said was, "Yes." Yes, with the stilled smile still the same shape.

. . .

The main room Takeda had run away to decided to explore like a shinobi who knew what he was doing, had a higher ceiling than the rest of the building. Part of it was a higher roof, but the other part was that there was no actual ceiling. The rafters of this room could be seen. Poorly insulated, but one could see why this room, out of all of the others, was chosen. Here, too, butterflies rested, but these glowed perpetually, their golden light vanquishing any shadows that may sneak around the various corners and edges in the room. The room's defenses were elegantly prescribed across the walls, doors, and floors. While nothing appeared on the outside, the inside was covered with fuuin inscriptions. In place of locks and physical barricades, it appeared fuuinjutsu was the protection of choice.

In the center of the room sat a large man, legs crossed and eyes staring down the shinobi that had just entered. Age was only just beginning to show on his face, but his body remained as fit as a youth's. He actually looked stronger than most youth's, shinobi and their astounding feats notwithstanding.

To his credit, he said nothing when Takeda, who had already stated his purpose, entered. He merely watched, like a hawk. Though, those who had seen real battle would be able to tell that there was no real danger in the sharp glare. A merchant's scrutinizing gaze was nothing compared to an assassin's.

Stationed directly around Mizutani were his three personal guards, of his own entourage. An Akimichi, Yamanaka, and though it was hard to say for sure, what was probably a Nara. That was the impression given by each of the three guards: big-boned, blonde with blue eyes, and plain. Cushions, with fresh indents in them, could be seen a little further away from him, indicating that the guards had been sitting up until the point Takeda was allowed to enter.

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

Seeing the discomfort of the other party but noticing too late to withdraw his offer, Daisuke at least refrained from holding the handshake for longer than it needed to be. He released and stepped back, returning the space to Takeda.

Ryousuke may have led the conversation earlier, but now that introductions had passed, it became obvious that Daisuke was the spokesperson of the group. At least, until Moriko calmed down. Taking Takeda's tease as a good sign, he spoke casually, "Jack? As in the Mizukage? In that case, I am honored to meet someone who learned from such a skilled teacher. That being said, medical shinobi are always appreciated, so thank you for the offer."

"Nuh-uh," suddenly, a new voice interjected, the voice of the until now silent girl, "I am not going to stick anywhere near him." She carried a bow on her back, so perhaps that was what she meant? That illusion was quickly and bluntly shattered, "I remember now, you're the boy I saw explode and then piece his limbs back together." Her face, set into a stern frown, said the rest despite the stiffness that ran across it: whatever sort of trouble he got into to be exploding, she wanted none of that.

"Hanajima, could you please? That... wasn't very-"

"Don't care." Hanajima stared at Daisuke straight in the eye. This time, her face read "Try me, I ain't bringing undue risk onto my life just to appear pleasant."

Somehow, this was taken as permission for everyone else in the group to interject with their own comment on what Takeda had said.

"You know, Takeda, maybe you can do one of those... uh... korabo thingamajergs with one of the other groups? I heard they have had a real good medic. Right, Dai-chan?"

"Ugh. Do not remind me of them." The foot tapping, which had just stopped, started again, and with renewed pettiness. "Besides, Ryou, it's collaborate, not korabo. Korabo is when you combine techniques."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

"A man can only go on so many deadly missions before the novelty begins to wear off, and the results of this mission might as well be announced already, so there won't even be any surprise to spice the end. Aye, I am a Kiri nin, and dock worker, too." A strange tidbit of information that last detail was, but it hinted at more than it seemed. Perhaps Takeda would remember that it was the Yuki clan of Kiri, the bloodline gifted with the arts of ice, that had the greatest influence and the most workers at Kiri's docks. "You are... Ah... It seems my memory has already begun to fail me." Did it really fail? Or was he simply fishing for information he might not already have?

The whistling had stopped not at Takeda's entry, but at his first word, and since then, the man's gaze had trained down upon the boy who stood before him, because young man he might be now, it was strange to suddenly jump from seeing a boy to seeing a man. Black hair, vivid red eyes. He had, had a good laugh about those red eyes with a friend of his once, and the black hair, too.

Calloused fingers ran across the block of wood that rested in the no longer carving hands. It couldn't be said for certain what the Yuki clan member was carving. It was yet too soon to see its final form, but maybe the next day he would have something to show?

[78 sentences]


[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Scanning the room with attentive eyes, Takeda registered the sight of the butterflies after examining those in the room with him. His gaze lingered for a moment, thoughts running through his mind before he turned away to look Mizutani in the eye. "I don't know much about who I'm meant to be defending you from, but I know she's dangerous. Dangerous enough to not be hindered by seals or brute force." He started, directly acknowledging the defenses in place and not beating around the bush when it came to his critique. "I think the people you have watching over you are dependable, both in this room and outside..." His mind ran back, of course, to Kagerou. Even if he wasn't ready to speak to her, Takeda still acknowledged her skill. He wanted to say that anyone in her hands would end up alright, but her record wasn't perfect. The assassin, on the other hand, was flawless. He couldn't speak for the others because he didn't know them, but that alone spoke volumes.

"...but if dependable was enough, Kotodori wouldn't have the notoriety she does. I want to do something different for you. I can't imagine many people would've made the same offer, but my circumstances are unique." Raising his left hand in a half-sign, Takeda would wait for a response to his suggestion before molding his chakra. "Let me take your place, Mizutani Hiro. If an assassin doesn't know about me beforehand, I'm not easy to deal with." Eye contact unwavering, the jiongu didn't hesitate at all in his request. Given his kekkei genkai, he'd survived many attempts on his life, both before and after his captivity. Even if it was a surefire way to counter most attempts on his life, it wasn't perfect. For anything it couldn't defend against, his medical techniques would be the perfect substitute. It was simpler to say that he was annoyingly difficult to kill instead of listing off all the methods he took to stay alive. "If I copy your appearance, all we need is a talented scholar to either help hide your chakra signature or replace mine with yours. I won't push the matter if you refuse, but a merchant should know about the goods he's displaying and what they're best used for."

If it wasn't clear, Takeda didn't have any intention of confronting the assassin directly. Unlike some in the building, his primary objective was to keep Mizutani alive, not capture or kill Kotodori. Once upon a time, he would've been confident in his ability to take on a so-called legendary assassin, but his time training at Shifting Tides taught him that playing to his strengths was the best way to help others. Then there was his seal. He didn't want to use it around Kagerou, but he'd enter his awakened state if he fought at his best. Holding back against Kotodori wasn't an option, so he settled on the most logical thing to do.

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

"I may have exploded from time to time, but I still got the job done, which is more than I can say for anyone who got caught in the blast." He stated matter-of-factly, defending the way he fought years ago even if he adopted an entirely different fighting style. Turning away from Hanajima to put his attention back on Daisuke, Takeda's expression softened a bit. He said something that resonated well with the jiongu. "But yeah, I meant the Mizukage. He took me in when that flood stole everything from me, so I'm glad you view him in a good light. Not everyone does." Even Takeda spent time blaming Jack for things he had no control over when he was younger, but their time apart made him realize just what he lost. Just another thing made apparent to him in his forced isolation.

He craned his head to look at the taller, wider man in the group, raising a hand to pat his arm. "Moriko's right, you had me confused for a second. After that talk of medical techniques and explosions, I thought you were asking me to put together an exploding Iryojutsu when you said Korabo. Even if that's not what I'm going for...can you tell me about the other group? I'd like to know who I'm dealing with if I'm going to reach out to them."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

Kiri nin and dock worker, huh? Given the somewhat familiar appearance, it didn't take Takeda much more to figure out who he was speaking to. It had been a long time. The last time they spoke must've been before he was placed on Kagerou's squad. "Takeda. Rent-free tenant at the part of the docks the village wasn't paying you to put back together." He said, shaking his head after with an amused smile on his lips. He expected to meet some old faces on such a high-ranked mission in the Water Country, but he didn't think it would go that far back. As nice of a feeling it was, he hadn't disregarded the first words spoken by him. "You don't strike me as the conceited type, so either there's someone here who has things thoroughly handled or you know we're about to be just another collected calling card for Kotodori. Want to help me out here?"


HeadlessKoko