That low, contemplative note rumbled from behind the desk as Shi took in Yugure's answer. "For now, I would have you train, get you field ready. Then, return here and I'll see what missions are available for you and your acquired skill set." Shi informs before reaching down behind the desk to pull up and out of a small box a headband for the recent graduate to take as it is held out for him. A slow blink, and Shi continues. "You seem surprised. Were you expecting another outcome?" The acting Kage inquires.
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: Reading Yugure's file State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
Interacting with ::
Toxic Interior
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Were you expecting another outcome?" Interaction's Points of Interest ::
Quote:
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Head to the archives." Interaction's Points of Interest ::
Yugure heard his response and nodded. He approached the desk, reaching out and accepting the headband from the male. "Another outcome? Honestly, I wasn't entirely sure what I was expecting coming here. I know some of my instructors in the academy were.... less than thrilled with how I act and behave." He admitted, losing the formal tone as he reflected on his time at the academy. He tied the headband around his arm positioning it around his upper arm meeting the shoulder area and smiled lightly. "Is there anything else, sir?" He asked, green eyes meeting the other's own green eyes.
"Shinobi are a valued resource," Shi speaks as he leans back into the chair. "But take time to grow into their full potential. And that requires experience. Side-lining you while you carry talents useful out in the field is a waste. Now go," He dismisses, voice bland. "Train and come back ready for a mission."
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: Reading Yugure's file State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
Interacting with ::
Toxic Interior
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Were you expecting another outcome?" Interaction's Points of Interest ::
Quote:
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Train and come back ready for a mission." Interaction's Points of Interest ::
Yugure nodded as he considered his words. At the dismissal, Yugure bowed once more and turned, leaving the office as he came in, arms outstretched, humming merrily, fingers trailing along the wall as he left for the Academy. Maybe if he was lucky, he'd find Meran. [Exit to the Academy.]
♫ ~ I feel like laughing- a metempsychosis like this where you can suddenly bubble up and softly disappear. If you want to be loved, say it out loud. Just thinking about it won't convey it. Even the eternal maiden looks away, and heaven moves further away from us.
Once more, Soraru had returned to the Hokage's office. He stood outside, reading a book that only somewhat interested him while leaning his back against the wall. It was hard to focus on it when he was so curious about what was behind the door. Was Reihai in there? The Antei? Was it just Shi once more, sitting in exactly the same spot as the last time he saw him? Ideally, the whole situation with Reihai's status had already been taken care of, but things were rarely ideal for the Kumogakure swordsman.
The book was a detailed history on Tsukihara Hana that thankfully didn't extend to the Hiraite period. He was reading about the events surrounding Soresu, who lead a rebellion against the Naritake who used enslaved yokai to rule with fear. The book continuously mentioned yokai as if it were some barbarian tribe rather than what they actually were, which was upsetting, but the author was likely dead, so there was nothing he could actually do about it. Soresu staged an overwhelming victory against her enemies and led to the reign of the Kuraishi, who would later surrender to Takahiro Hiraite and become an allied clan after some time. The book failed to reach the last bit before its conclusion. She had been a superhero to Musunde when he was much younger and was a large inspiration behind his false name.
He continued to read, learning more about the clans that both his grandfather and father had once fought while waiting for Hokori. It was quite surreal, given that his retainers were both from defeated clans. History was never washed away in Tetsu no Kuni, no families ever died out, never to be heard from again. It was completely different from Kumogakure, Konohagakure, and especially Kirigakure's histories. Samurai and shinobi really are worlds apart.
The truth is not what you want it to be. It is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie. ♫
Honō's arrival was only brief sprint of reprieve before Shi had opened the door, his body blocking any other potential occupants from being seen. Dark green eyes take in the sight of the two Kumo nin with only a brief tilt of his head and that low rumble in his chest before he has waved over a runner, whispering in their ear before calling the Hokori to enter the room. "Hiraite," Shi greets once the white-haired nin had disappeared from sight. "I'll need to arrange your reward still, after this meeting. But I just had something dropped off on my desk that needs attending to, if you wish another task." The acting Hokage would await for the Hakemoto monk's consent before he would nod, close the door, and return a brief moment later, with a folded piece of paper in his hand. "Some merchants with extra coin would like to ensure they no-longer have to waste it on a continuous clean-up crew." Was the explanation Shi gave as he held out the note for Soraru to take.
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: - State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
Interacting with ::
Tenshuyami
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Some merchants with extra coin would like to ensure they no-longer have to waste it on a continuous clean-up crew." Interaction's Points of Interest :: Mission given; Title: Graffiti Vengeance Information: Those kids that tagged my building need to get what's coming to 'em! Go wallop 'em for me! Just don't put 'em in the hospital. Solo or Squad: Any Minimum Posts: 2 Note: Rewards an additional 100 AC and 100 Ryo if completed following Graffiti Removal.
Quote:
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Train and come back ready for a mission." Interaction's Points of Interest ::
♫ ~ I feel like laughing- a metempsychosis like this where you can suddenly bubble up and softly disappear. If you want to be loved, say it out loud. Just thinking about it won't convey it. Even the eternal maiden looks away, and heaven moves further away from us.
Soraru wasn't too surprised with how things were going. Honō was called into the room, and it was quite clear from the get-go that everyone's favorite samurai wasn't going to be sitting down for a talk with the nobles. They probably didn't want him present. He took a much more clandestine approach than Honō must've when it came to meeting the head of the Antei family and was about five seconds off from giving Reisai an ultimatum before he was interrupted by the Hokori. Though, to say it was entirely his own fault just wouldn't be fair. Shi deliberately left Soraru without some details when sending him on the mission, and Honō getting himself knocked out made the situation much tenser.
Or maybe the Hokage just knew that Soraru would be much more interested in getting his hands dirty than listen to the bickering of nobles- the same sound that he had to listen to for the majority of his life.
The latter seemed to be more probable once he learned that his assistance was being requested for another task. "Whatever it is can't be worse than an hour in there." He admitted while simultaneously agreeing to take on whatever the mission was. The Hokage left only momentarily, returning with the details. Shi's words were like music to his ears. He hadn't really fought anyone since the war, and he was battling with thoughts that his training was for nothing over the past couple of weeks. Even if it was just some thugs vandalizing a wall, he was happy to cut loose for a bit.
It's not the same.
The thought was brief and came with a torrent of disappointment, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind. Those thoughts, that temptation, it was the purpose of his training. Learning to appreciate the value of life - no - of the dead, so that those temptations would no longer have a place within him. It would be fine. He was fine.
Soraru grabbed the piece of paper, unfolding it and reading over the details in front of the Hokage. "Consider it done. Happy merchants mean a happy village. Can't have anyone ruining that." He pocketed the paper, plotting out the route in his head. He'd have to go to the monastery to get changed, then head over to the usual place that was getting tagged. "Anything else other than the location?" He asked, wondering if there were any special requirements. If not, he'd be on his way.
The truth is not what you want it to be. It is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie. ♫
Shi's low hum in response to the comment about being locked in a room with a clan head was telling without committing. "Once you're done, if you could return here. Otherwise... take your time." Shi sighed and retreated into the room once more...
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: - State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
Interacting with ::
Tenshuyami
Physical Actions :: Verbal Dialogue :: "Some merchants with extra coin would like to ensure they no-longer have to waste it on a continuous clean-up crew." Interaction's Points of Interest :: Mission given; Title: Graffiti Vengeance Information: Those kids that tagged my building need to get what's coming to 'em! Go wallop 'em for me! Just don't put 'em in the hospital. Solo or Squad: Any Minimum Posts: 2 Note: Rewards an additional 100 AC and 100 Ryo if completed following Graffiti Removal.
♫ ~ I feel like laughing- a metempsychosis like this where you can suddenly bubble up and softly disappear. If you want to be loved, say it out loud. Just thinking about it won't convey it. Even the eternal maiden looks away, and heaven moves further away from us.
Soraru approached the Hokage's office with a clearer mind than the one he had just minutes ago. He finished the situation with the thugs quickly, so he found it perfectly reasonable for him to relax for a moment. He watched the sun start falling over the horizon. Not long enough for it to get dark, but enough to say that the sight was worthwhile.
One of the guards knocked for him while he approached, and Shi was the one who answered the door just a moment later. Compared to his first day of doing missions in Kumogakure, Konoha was much tamer in comparison. It gave him the feeling of being an actual Shinobi doing tasks for the village rather than someone who got sent on suicide missions disguised as normal requests from the Raikage.
"Your report, Hiraite."
Soraru was tempted to ask something along the lines of "in front of them?" when he saw who was in the room, but he knew that he wouldn't receive much more than another low humming sound. "Will do, Hokage-dono." His tone displayed trust in Shi's decision, but uncertainty on what he himself should say. "My name is Soraru Hiraite, of Tsukihara Hana in the Iron Country. I'm a Genin in Kumogakure who is assisting Konoha with their tasks while my village gets rebuilt." He started once he walked past the Hokage, lowering his head in a proper bow once he stood in the center of the room. He raised his head to make eye contact with the head of the Antei Clan, then with Reihai. He briefly wondered what kind of turmoil was going on in their thoughts. Had they reached a conclusion? Was everything hanging on his report?
"I was told by the Hokage that an important document had been stolen from a noble family. I was instructed that the last Shinobi that was sent hadn't been heard from in two days and that I would need to handle the mission with some discretion. Details were left out, but I believe Shi-sama only withheld them so that I wouldn't rush to any conclusions. If I knew that it was Hokori-san who hadn't been seen for days, I might have handled things differently." It was true. It was more likely that he would have attacked Reihai on sight if he knew who it was lying on the floor with blood on their face. "I went to the Antei family first. I was told that the family was in mourning, so I decided to handle the situation with some subtlety. I used a jutsu to hide my location and found Antei-san sitting alone. Despite the fact that I hadn't treated him very kindly when first meeting, he still decided to let me enter his sister's room to view her journal. That built trust, so I dropped discretion in favor of asking questions openly. The most important thing I learned was the name of a Shinobi in the journal, who had been the start of a series of entries leading to a lack of any written activity for over twenty years. After consulting with the archivist, I found out that the Shinobi mentioned had died quite some time ago. He had a living son. A Chuunin in the village. You, Reihai." He skipped over some pretty important information regarding Reihai's mother, but he figured that it wasn't his job to bring up that topic. He'd been told time and time again to watch his mouth, so he did.
"Thinking I had another lead, I went over to Reihai's address to find that his door was open and that nobody was home. The place was scarce as far as belongings went, so I figured that he might've been the suspect to steal the document. Might as well skip town once he got what he needed, right? All I had to go on when it came to his location was an old portrait in the room with a location I've come across before when training, so I didn't waste any time in heading over there." Once again, missing information. He doubted Hokori would have said anything which could incriminate Reihai, so there was no way he mentioned the beating that was dished out in his apartment. He also lied about the location, but it was a much smaller issue. He knew about that waterfall long before the war. Before he ever went to Kumogakure.
"I caught him near the location in the photo. There were plenty of unanswered questions, so I knew that attacking him wouldn't have benefitted anyone. Once I confirmed Hokori-san's safety and didn't see Reihai as a threat anymore, I sent him to the Hokage to explain himself. One thing I can confirm, due to it being the primary objective of my mission, is that he had the important document with him when I sent him to Shi-sama. Unless I'm told otherwise, the contents of the document and the legalities surrounding it all aren't for me to know or speak on. I was only meant to see it brought to the Hokage for it to be returned to the Antei clan." It was about as subtle as he could possibly make it without larger events being left out. Hokori being knocked out twice, Reihai's bloodline, and the blood in his apartment wasn't open for discussion until he was instructed to speak on it.
The truth is not what you want it to be. It is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie. ♫
The three occupants patiently listened to the Kumo nin's report, all of them as serious as the grave that metaphorically hung in the air regarding this whole situation. Shi's dark green eyes were so focused they nearly appeared black, and they barely blinked, instead occaisonlly flickering over Soraru's profile instead, looking for something. No-one interrupted, nor did they shift, tense as though fearing some fearsome beast would be born from the words being spoken. At the report's conclusion, they remained still.
"... very well." Shi sighs and sits forward in his seat behind the desk. He pulls down the mask covering the lower half of his face. "Hiraite-san. You're involvement in this matter never happened. You will receive compensation for having aided the Antei family in recovering copies of documents lost or damaged in the attack of Konohagakure. Reihai's involvement was due to the discovery of his once unknown lineage to a distant member of the clan. And that is only if you are asked. Clan affairs are that; the clan's affair." The acting Hokage's gaze drifted to the side - where Tōrō Antei was standing. The clan head nodded, and Shi pulled his mask back up. "Your monetary reward will be ready for collection in an hour's time. You are dismissed for today, Hiraite of Kumogakure. Thank you for your due diligence and work on behalf of Konohagakure. May our villages continue to prosper together."
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: - State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
♫ ~ I feel like laughing- a metempsychosis like this where you can suddenly bubble up and softly disappear. If you want to be loved, say it out loud. Just thinking about it won't convey it. Even the eternal maiden looks away, and heaven moves further away from us.
It was an outcome that Soraru was happy with- hell, he was envious of it. If only all clan affairs could be handled so pleasantly. The Hokage's words lifted a weight off of his shoulders. He wanted Reihai to continue with his life unscathed by the consequences of his curiosity. Tōrō would also be able to grieve without any additional troubles. I'm relieved.
Words built up in Soraru's lungs when Shi dismissed him, but he failed to let anyone hear them. He was hungry, which wasn't anything unusual, but he wasn't tired. After the alley fight near the markets, he was wide awake and ready for another mission. With nobody to report to though and no backup to rely on if things got exceptionally rough, it was hard to disagree with the Hokage's call. He was no ANBU - not yet. Only the best of the best got selected to protect the village from the night's troubles. I know he can't promote me, but I wonder if he can squeeze me into some ANBU training. For the experience. It had always been his ideal job, and something he actively wanted to pursue ever since befriending the former captain in Kumogakure when she was filling in for Kaileer.
Instead of any requests, he only uttered a message on his way out of the office while passing the Hokage. "The merchants will be pleased, and the hospital shouldn't see any increased work tonight," With that said, he left the office in order to go to the academy. If Hokori was able to learn that sleeping genjutsu, he gave his word that he'd help out. If not, it would probably be in his best interest to let the archivist know he was alive while returning his book to the librarian in the process.
The truth is not what you want it to be. It is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie. ♫
Yugure had changed course midway to the dojo. He realized on his way that was was too excited and that he likely wouldn't have the mental discipline to calm himself and buckle down for some physical training. He instead decided that he had done some training as he was told to do and now he should report to the acting Hokage. Sure enough as he was thinking about it, he found himself approaching the large building that contained the office. He walked through the halls, not tracing the wall this time. As he approached the open door, he knocked on it and bowed before the shinobi, once again awaiting permission to enter the room.
Passives: Tsumetai [ Cold to the Touch ] Description: The skin of each Shinsetsu clan member is chilled; producing a refreshing, almost intoxicating aura. This aura does not stretch far from one's person, and only the Shinsetsu and those in direct contact with him/her can truly appreciate the feeling. Because of this attribute, humidity is a foreign concept to the Shinsetsu, and only the most extreme of heats will cause those within Tsumetai's effect to break a sweat. Additionally, this consistent cold has weathered their skin and innards, providing an internal and external resistance to freezing temperatures. Although not exactly topical, it should be noted that thanks to their relaxing aura, the Shinsetsu are considered some of the most desirable lovers in the world.
The male blinked as he was greeted by the tired looking ninja. He stepped into the office and said to him. "Sir, as you have instructed, I have done some training and I am now reporting back to you." He said, eyes meeting the Acting Hokage's.
Passives: Tsumetai [ Cold to the Touch ] Description: The skin of each Shinsetsu clan member is chilled; producing a refreshing, almost intoxicating aura. This aura does not stretch far from one's person, and only the Shinsetsu and those in direct contact with him/her can truly appreciate the feeling. Because of this attribute, humidity is a foreign concept to the Shinsetsu, and only the most extreme of heats will cause those within Tsumetai's effect to break a sweat. Additionally, this consistent cold has weathered their skin and innards, providing an internal and external resistance to freezing temperatures. Although not exactly topical, it should be noted that thanks to their relaxing aura, the Shinsetsu are considered some of the most desirable lovers in the world.
Shi leans back in his chair, hands folding over themselves in his lap. "Alright," He begins. "Report to me your progress and then perform a self-evaluation of what type of missions you would be suitable to undertake."
ᚗ Summarised Situation ::
Physical Position :: Seated at the Kage desk Body Actions :: - State of Dress :: Full battle gear (Shinobi style)
