Ayame Araki of the Raigyo Clan, Kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf Village. XXX A signal flare shot up into the air as it could only mean a few things in the village. Everywhere there was a slight panic as to what it meant with the civilians. Ayame was with the medics who began to arrive on scene as some of the other Shinobi that were gathered around instinctively left to go investigate. The burning flare was a stark contrast to the sky as she watched it sail high up into the air, arcing at its peak trajectory and soon fizzing out. Yet she wasn't in condition to move or go about with assisting much more once the others began leaving as she lay on the ground atop a mat laid out under her as a medic looked her over.
XXX Earlier she finally had succumbed to the pain and injury she sustained at the Dojo, the combination of both the excertion of the training she went through was starting to wear on her. To make matters worse, she took on the brunt of glass and sand lacerating some bits of her. She lain there for a long moment staring up at the sky as a medic looked over her, vision unfocused and the nearby talking was lost to her as she was scatter brained. Dizzy, tired and overwhelmed from an influx of the disaster... Then everything went black with the medic looking over saying something but it fell upon deaf ears. Rest - 25% Recovery, [15] Chakra/Stamina OoC Recovery
XXX She faded in and out of consciousness, thoughts fleeting and everything in a lull of a haze as Ayame reopened her eyes after a solid minute or so of unconsciousness. Pulling herself from the ground a wave of pain followed suit with a heavy pounding wracking the brain. She winced with a sharp intake of air, the medic saw and insisted she stay down. But Ayame hadn't listened and fully stood up as she asked for water and a fire jutsu scroll. [1/3]
XXX When they hesitated as to why, the raigyo woman barked out further insistence as she coughed. Soon someone came back with a small gourd of water and one of the scrolls from the library, its contents tied off with the decorative rope. Thanking the person, Ayame finally took notice of her surroundings of a makeshift field medical set up and medic shinobi caring for the other injured citizens. Half standing, half leaning, Ayame supported herself up on a wall that was away from everything else as she downed the water. It was refreshing to have something, even if it was just water. [2/3]
XXX The scroll torn open then, Ayame set it on a table and with eager eyes peered through it. Emotion welled up in her as she remembered Sanae and Sung had left with other shinobi and then the signal flare... Shaking her head, Ayame looked at a technique she had previously studied in the academy... one she hadn't completely mastered. The Dragon Fire technique, a fire ninjutsu that the ninja would exhale out a long gout of flame like the maw of a fire breathing dragon. Anticipation, fear and determination were the motivation for the woman as she mouthed the seals and studied the various diagrams. [3/3] Dragon Fire Technique
XXX She took a deep breath as she continued to peer over the jutsu more in detail as the basic principles of it were simple enough. Yet the more advanced technique was a bit more intimidating for her as she had not had success with the jutsu in her previous endeavors. There was a way that the shinobi could manipulate the flames in a way it would cover a large area. [1/5]
XXX It was a variation known as a hydra, following the same name theme as its parent jutsu. It was essentially the same technique of exhaling the flames but with a larger amount of chakra used to both contain and produce more fire. While Dragon Fire was a single stream, the hydra was a trio of gouts from one technique. [2/5]
XXX Ayame took a deep breath as she kept studying the scroll with the jutsu as she read on. The notes along the sides gave insight of various ways to control the chakra, more detailed the intricacies that involved the creation of the seperate streams of fire. She growled to herself with clenched fists, gritting teeth and fought with herself mentally to focus and devise a quick and dirty means of memorizing the technique. [3/5]
XXX Then it hit her when she read some of the notes that detailed chakra control, and she thought back to a lesson. Treat chakra as you would envision a river, when it would flow and where that flow would go. For her to control fire, it would just make do to treat it as a river as ironic the mental picture was proving to be. But, she eased then as she closed her eyes. [4/5]
XXX One by one the seals were recited in her mind, her lips mouthing the syllables and hands forming the seals. She went slowly at first, repeating the process over and over for a few seconds without looking at the scroll a second time. Yet finally, she went through the whole thing in full speed and the seals formed with her hands and it felt right. Her eyes reopened and she went through the scroll again to double-check. She had it... [5/5] Hydra Technique
XXX Ayame heaved a long sigh as she collected her katana and began a full sprint with a train of thoughts flooding her mind. A medic called after her to stay, yet she ignored it and had been dead set in her duty. How long had it been since she was out and would she be on time? Because there was something she needed to field test. /Exit Scene -> Northern Mines
Title: D-Rank Genin Affiliation: Leaf
ClassMystic Hero Bukijutsu & Inception Genjutsu
Chakra: 3 6 0 // 3 6 0 Stamina: 1 3 0 // 1 4 0
Techniques and Effects Ongoing
Jutsu in Use Technique :: ~RANK~ :: Text
Jutsu Ongoing Technique :: ~RANK~ :: Text
________________
Passives
• Enchanting Aura ~ In addition to the Pheromones and Scents of the Raigyo Clan, Ayame's chakra nature is intoxicating to others even without a medium. When manifesting chakra, the aura can be used as a catalyst for Raigyo Emotives that would otherwise require a medium of flowers. Using it in this matter becomes a Complex cost, taking Stamina as well as Chakra. Cannot be used for anything higher than A Rank Emotives and doesn't affect further than Fifty feet. Use of Emotives and Floral jutsu outside of the Chakra Manifestation's effect are independent of one another. This doesn't create or utilize any floral jutsu on its own, only acting as a medium for Emotives. Chakra Manifestation Ability
• Kihakugan ~ Dojutsu usage allows for Eyesight based Ninjutsu for 50% extra the cost, additionally the user's sight's unable to be picked up by another Dojutsu such as the Sharingan.Bloodline
•Natural Weakness ~ Flower Ninjutsu are not a true element and carry an innate weakness to Fire [Katon] Ninjutsu, -1 Rank in efficiency against such techniques.Bloodline
Inventory
-Katana -Tool Pouch
Shuriken x10
Caltrops x5
-Utility Knife -Pens & Paper
Post Summary
Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:37 pm
Coming together in their final moments, all four of the individuals collected their thoughts. "3 out of 4 is better than nothing," the tall man labored, glancing down at his broken knife. Looking back up at the dual toned woman, over to the little girl, and now to the silica armored lady, he nodded his head. Beginning as a shimmer, spot lights accrued around them in a hazy manner, illuminating their bodies and immediate surroundings. Growing ever brighter, and then suddenly transparent, it appeared as if they were fading away, back to whichever plane of existence that they had invaded from. Clearer and ever clearer, their features dulled, their colors sank, and the outlines of their forms blurred into a hazy mess of jagged fuzz. Soon, the only lingering memories of their existence plopped to the ground in three large marbles, followed by the sudden howl of a upset little girl.
Based upon San's posture she seemed rather relaxed all things considered. The village was still a huge ******** mess, and for the most part bodies were still in the streets. The red headed woman however seemed to have a light about her that suggested such carnage was not effecting her. Why? Well one would have to ask to find out. But no matter how nonchalant she was, a sort of strength was also projected in her distance and lack of downtrodden feelings. For some that would be anger inducing, for others it might inspire hope that there was still strength within the village. "I learned some interesting news today about the Uchiha Clan's ancestral mansion Kya. First was that the unknown invaders sought something there."
She let that sink in for a moment. That news might be heavy by itself and left several potential connotations about the death of her clansmen. However what she also wanted the woman to realize was that, San considered that the less interesting news of the two details. "A "mercenary" group "slipped" in during the chaos too. Understand that their leader left a letter addressed to Taka... something that's sketchy. I'm bringing you along to help me investigate since ugh, I was only created to handle paperwork. The real me don't know yet." [Exit]
ᑃ Kya's footsteps were measured and frustrated. Her outburst in the office had done little to make her feel better and the only reason she wasn't homicidal was that she had been acknowledged. The cold steel of the symbol to Jashin... or Kortal Khan as her people knew him, burned like ice freshly placed on warm skin. The death around her was not glorious. It was tragic. However, as earlier, she saw the sparks of revitalization within every single living being. Hatred for her enemies was nothing knew, and neither was personal galvanization. But to see it in others... her dream sort of made sense. She stopped for just a second, seeing the boy who'd gotten glass in his eye with a head wrapped in bandage. He nodded to her. She reached into her pocket and retrieved something therein: a kunai. He threw the weapon to the ground in front of him and he looked at it, holding the broom in one hand while retching it free with his other. She caught up to San before he could ponder what she meant, and grimmaced at her words. "If they went to my home and didn't die... it means that a gaggle of angry Jashinists are likely pulling themselves together." Her father would be just finishing the ritual, likely.
However it was the second bit of news that struck her as odd. Mercenaries? Rogues hired by someone or just rogues? She was mending together thoughts when it became clear that San, through brash lunacy or inborn strength, didn't seem even slightly bothered. Her pinwheel eyes traced over her form from behind, lingering on her curves against the mostly benign intentions behind sizing her up at all. Rather than comment here where people could catch wind, Kya just followed her after making a sound like "Mm." She would indeed be inquiring as to her mental fortitude when they were inside of her home.
♫ ~ 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.
The streets of Konoha were bustling, as per usual. Workers carried wood to carts for transportation and traveling merchants took their chances there rather than face the competition of the marketplace. Soraru himself had been staying in an old mausoleum, where he trained his soul amongst the other monks who were there, either as a community or for their own purposes like himself. He hadn't really dealt with the normal village traffick since Kumogakure, and only went out into town in the early morning or at night if he really needed anything. He made himself as discreet as he possibly could, with his head down while he muttered mantras into the prayer beads that wrapped around his right hand. It worked, for the most part. He turned a few heads, but that wasn't too surprising since he wasn't exactly an unattractive specimen. Still, he was nobody you'd pull out of a crowd to talk to, especially since not many people wanted to willingly disturb a monk while they were acting out their duties.
He only stopped walking once he was near the fountain that faced his target location. The compound belonging to those who had become his clients, whether or not they actually knew that he'd been employed. It wouldn't do him any good to walk in and tell him his true purpose, especially if the thief he was tracking had any strong connection to the family he stole the documents from. No, he'd have to take things slowly. There were many pathways open to him, all he needed were the most optimal opportunities. Soraru sat at the edge of the fountain, taking out the paper he received from the Hokage to make sure the address was correct. Has to be the place. Opulent, large...I can see why they assume that a Shinobi was the one to do it. He also some passing thoughts on what Shi said earlier. That only himself and two others, not counting Soraru, knew about the mission. One of those people hadn't been heard from in some time, but he hadn't thought to ask Shi about the other one. If it ends up a boon rather than a bane, I'm fine with it.
He analyzed, waited, and researched. He'd know exactly what an important person would look like due to their posture, and, of course, their company. One of the very few benefits of being an overly doted-on prince in his youth.
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. ♫
While the gates to the clan manor remained open, the kanji for 'stability' stamped large and center on the wood, the grounds were quiet. The household servants and members coming and going were all clad in mourning garments, a few having the kanji embroidered somewhere on their outfit. Eventually, two young servants left, their heads bowed close together...
"... should have been married by now, at her age?" One asks.
"The head of the household had a spine of steel." The other replied. "No way she would allow herself to be married off." The first one notices Soraru's presence nearby and quickly says something in a quieter tone, pulling their companion with them down the road and into the crowd. It would be quiet again, then. For some time. But after remaining at the fountain for nearly an hour, eventually a man dressed far more opulently than any other so far seen would cross the courtyard in front of the main entrance. Pale skin, ice-blue eyes, his mourning garments were jewelled in finely crafted gems, and he carried a look of too much stress upon his young shoulders. No older than his mid-thirties, perhaps, though the frown may have aged his appearance. Behind him trailed another man, looking apologetic and acting the sycophant. They appeared to have walked around to the back of the estate...
Tenshuyami
Choose to stay and maybe overhear more, or act on what you have?
♫ ~ 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.
During that hour of staking the place out, Soraru took the opportunity to learn a couple of things! Namely one important thing that would help with his mission and a couple of smaller ones that he really should've picked up a long time ago. His first "stealth mission" involved chasing down ice giants and getting kidnapped by Konoha shinobi. He wasn't about to make the same mistake again in the village that had everything to do with all of that mess. He needed more careful ways of stalking along with a more reliable way of escape than a metal zipper.
[-13 training posts used on: Bikou Ninjutsu [ Shadowing Stealth Technique ] Rank: E Henge no Jutsu [ Transformation Technique ] Rank: E Kawanuke no Jutsu [ Escaping Skill ] Meisai Gakure no Jutsu [ Camouflage Concealment Technique ] Rank: A]
He did, of course, listen in on what the servant girls were saying. So, the head of the household was a woman? A spine of steel isn't really the trait of someone who commits suicide. Maybe her death came about differently, or maybe she's...no. Soraru's thoughts were able to entertain him until the next key character made their debut. He definitely had the clothes that yelled "I am important," but also the demeanor of someone who was used to his position. His own blue eyes narrowed at the overall sight of him. In that brief moment, he couldn't help but see himself. Older, forced into the position, with his dreams crushed. Living out a pre-determined destiny and never truly getting the opportunity to appreciate his youth. To think that he just deals with a family. I'd have to deal with an entire country. He stopped his rampant imagination, not wanting to continue down that rabbit hole any farther. He escaped that fate. He'd never go back, no matter what anyone tried.
Pushing himself up from his seat, he stretched out his back some before making his way over to the corner that the "prince" (an appropriate moniker, in his opinion) had turned along with his "shadow." He placed his back to the wall and brought his hands together, performing a string of hand signs in order to activate the camouflage technique he learned an hour ago. His eyes began glowing blue in the process, exhaling slowly as he entered the Hakemoto State of Control to reduce the chakra drainage that would come with maintaining stealth. Both his physical and chakra presence were wiped from view as soon as he was sure that he wasn't being watched. As sure as he could possibly be, at least. The sound of his movement wasn't an issue due to the silent soles he owned, so he didn't waste any more time and turned the corner to follow the prince.
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 estate was guarded by a two-story high wall, capped with vibrant blue shingles. There was an almost impossibly narrow alleyway between the wall and structures built off of the estate's grounds, but that was the side the 'prince' had walked towards.
If anyone were to stick close to the wall, or peer over, they wouldn't be able to hear much of anything with the sounds of the thriving village bouncing around the alley behind them, but they would be able to see the prince and his sycophant walk along an elevated, wooden path along the edge of the main building, before stepping down into a back garden. The sycophant took on a harried look then, appearing almost desperate to get a response from the prince as they appeared to head towards a small, elevated platform where a tea set sat, waiting and steaming. As soon as the prince took a step up onto the platform, the sycophant shut up immediately, bowed, and walked away. The prince sat on a plush cuision, and watched an old man hobble around the lush garden with the aid of a servant. The prince's eyes were sad, and his tea remained untouched.
♫ ~ 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.
While Soraru definitely decided to continue following the prince, he knew that there was too much ground to cover and too little time for it all. As it stood, the family estate was his sole place for gaining information. While it would have been nice to know exactly what those documents were or any leads that the Hokage might have had, it was probably safer to go in blind. After all, the person who gained the information in the first place had been missing for a few days, so they were likely captured, dead, or brought onto the side of the enemy for reasons not yet known. Rather than going from point A to point B, he decided to cover both at once. Forming the tiger hand seal, he created a shadow clone to follow close behind himself and watch his back until they got to a more wide open area. He followed the prince across the elevated wooden path and waited at the end rather than dropping into the garden right away.
While it would be optimal to finish the mission without a single person even knowing he existed outside of the Hokage, he also understood that it was all too possible that he'd end up hitting a dead end. In that circumstance, he'd need to actually speak with someone. Something told him that the prince was directly affected by the loss of the clan head, which meant that he'd probably want to see any stolen documents return as cleanly as possible. If he opposed, it was more likely that he had something to do with the whole thing. The young samurai stepped silently into the garden. By that point, the prince's shadow had already begun walking away. Shadows such as he always revealed their true intent when they were away from the light, so Soraru figured that it might be worth following him. Even if he didn't learn anything important, he'd be making his way into the estate. Not wanting to keep up the chakra cost of his invisibility, he made his way over to the elevated platform where the prince sat down, stopping a few meters in front of him with his hands in his pockets. Ugh, there's so many options. Why am I resorting to this? He tried to reason with his own thoughts, but something started overcoming him when he saw the sad look in the man's eyes.
"You won't be able to see me, so I'd appreciate it if you could stay quiet." Even though his lips formed words, they didn't come from his location. No, they came from the seat beside the prince, even if he wasn't anywhere near it. An academy Genjutsu, sure, but one that he figured would be useful in a discreet scenario. "I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I think it's best that we don't fully meet in person until this is all over. I'll keep it quick. Someone took something from your family in their time of mourning, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it. no matter who is responsible. I know what happened, but not the details. I want you to help me. You can choose silence and I'll move on, but my mission will remain the same." Soraru said, waiting to see what his next move would be. Regardless of what happened, he felt like new realizations were about to dawn on him.
Meanwhile, Soraru's clone continued on following the "shadow," leaving him curious of where such a man went off to when he wasn't following nobles around.
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. ♫
tab Tōrō sat with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders, wearing a cloak of calm control that only stood up against inspection from a distance. Up close, his ice-cold eyes were ringed with a sad depth as he watched the elderly male hobble around the garden, aided by a household servant who never took their eyes off the elder. The newly appointed clan head remained seated on the small platform, as still as stone bar his gentle breathing. He doesn't even move to pick up the cup of tea, favouring instead watching the elderly male that held the same eyes as himself. Cold-blue eyes that widened in a mixture of surprise and fright at the disembodied voice that started up next to him. Being this close to him, anyone would see how pale Tōrō really was. The clan head lifted a hand to his chest, the tips of his fingers digging into the spot right above his chest, but his head does not move.
"Another of you?" He eventually relaxes enough to reply. "How can I be certain you aren't working with the criminal in question?" He quietly asks, mouth barely moving.
---
Inside the estate, the shadow clone would the sycophant shadow head into a tea room himself and settle down with a heavy slump briefly before straightening back up to address the other officially dressed individual that was already seated there.
"An hour past midday, on the dot." The sycophant spoke before pouring themselves a cup of tea.
"Is Lord Antei still denying entry into the former clan head's private quarters?" The other asks. The sycophant nods and they pause for a moment before both silently agreeing to talk of other matters.
♫ ~ 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.
Well, it was strange, but at least it was something. He briefly wondered if the prince dug his fingers into his chest as the setup for some sort of suicide tactic, but he didn't pry any farther than that. It was confirmed that the other Shinobi had come as far as he did, but the following question made him raise a brow. Was he asking simply because it was the smart thing to do, or were there issues that arose with the other Konoha Nin. " There are only two other people here, and they don't realize what's going on. If I were working for whoever the criminal is, I could have just grabbed you or killed you and have been done with it." His voice was just above a whisper, meant only for the prince to hear. "We both know that I don't have anything to use as proof. I'm here to recover a stolen document and find out what happened to the other shinobi you spoke to. If I knew who stole the documents, I wouldn't be out here. If you'd rather talk in person to verify me or whatever else it would take for you, name the time and place." There wasn't any sign of irritation in his voice despite his blunt, quickly-spoken words Whether that was due to the State of Control or his own understanding of the Prince's situation had yet to be confirmed. "Wait." He said, feeling a surge of energy pass through him as his chakra started to return.
Once the shadow clone heard the main bit of information it came for and confirmed that they wouldn't return to the topic, it didn't waste time in dispersing itself silently. He could use the information. "An hour past midday, on the dot. The man walking with you before just said that. 'Is Lord Antei still denying entry into the former clan head's private quarters?' Another man is with him, dressed better than a servant. He asked that, and then they stopped the topic dead in its tracks. I had a clone just report that back to me, does it mean anything to you?" Back when he was an heir, it wasn't uncommon for people to speak behind his own back in regards to any matter, whether they concerned him or not. Soraru wondered how a clan heir in a time of tragedy would respond to the knowledge that people were talking about him behind his back. As for what could be inside the quarters, Soraru didn't really care unless it provided some more info for his investigation.
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. ♫
tab Tōrō's ice-blue eyes narrowed slightly at the response, and he breathed in a tight hiss of air before releasing it quietly. "You lack the manners of your predecessor." He whispers during the interim in which he was told to 'wait.' But wait he did, eyes still on the elderly figure and his mouth pinched in a concerned line. At the mention of 'an hour past midday,' Tōrō's eyes relaxed slightly, and the lines of his mouth quirk down. A second passed before Tōrō lifted his hand up in an action that could be seen as a mindless gesture to brush a wrinkly out of his crisp clothes, but it was to point up, at the sky.
It was just an hour past midday.
"It is a family tradition," Tōrō began, slowly. "Every day, the family and its members will have a break at an hour past midday. No matter the occasion. Everyone rests." His words are tinged with longing. He seems to catch himself and moves on. "The document was stolen from my sister's quarters. I haven't even allowed the maids in to clean it once it brought to my attention." His blue eyes droop slightly. "Go see it for yourself. Your predecessor had found something there, but I hadn't the heart to see for myself. I'd hoped it wouldn't have anything to do with the theft. But it appears not." His features fall into a sad, distant, gaze. "I'll meet you there at the end of the hour." He whispers before giving instructions on how to locate the room.
♫ ~ 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.
Manners? Soraru supposed he may have been lacking them in the conversation, but it didn't bother him all that much. To him, he didn't see Lord Antei as a noble. Just a client, and one that had started their interaction by questioning his allegiances. That likely had everything to do with the fact that he was also high-born and therefore didn't put other people of that status on a pedestal. The only ones who got his immediate respect were those who had proven it with strength. The Kage's, captains, and other Shinobi who gave all they had for their duties. Perhaps it was also because Lord Antei bore some physical resemblance to himself. Rather than see him as his own individual, he was perceived to be another version of himself, one who never took action, one who remained shackled.
He didn't interrupt the lord while he spoke of his family tradition, able to catch the emotions in his tone. Then he confirmed it. His sister. Soraru knew from the very start that it had to be a very close relation. He assumed that the second set of cups on the table were for someone who was no longer living. "Thank you. I'll meet you there." He said, turning around and looking towards the path he'd have to take. For a moment, questions festered in his mind. He actually was tempted to ask if his own mother's name had any relation to the clan since they looked so similar, but something told him it was for the best to let such questions die down. If she had initially been from a clan in the leaf before marrying his father in Tsukihara Hana, it'd mean he was twice the noble he already was, and therefore twice as compromised in his quest to escape it all.
"Stay strong, Lord Antei. This whole endeavor ends soon." With that, he left and made his way towards the location. When he got there, assuming there weren't any other points of interests on the way, he waited in fully visible form. If it was true that nobody was allowed in the room, he didn't have to worry about anyone but the clan head seeing him. He also made sure not to peek around the room yet, either. It would probably sour his standing with Lord Antei if he was seen as disrespectful at all to his deceased sister's things.
[Switching from the State of Control to the State of Meditation - Trance Points: 11/15 (Recovering...)]
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. ♫
tab Tōrō's eyes flashed with pain before he had the chance to close them.
...
At the end of the hour, Tōrō was standing outside the door to his sister's quarters. He barely hesitated to open the door and cross the threshold, having used the time prior to ready himself mentally. The room itself was acceptable lavish, but in a calm, simple way. The entire estate was. Rather than intricately embroidered fabrics, the Antei family spent money on expensive fabrics of clean, calm colours and muted patterns.The room was dissaray, but it wasn't trashed. A desk in one corner had its drawers opened and rifled through, papers scattered across the desk. The was a documents cabinet behind it, that seemed to have had the same treatment. A walk-in wardrobe was left open, but the hanging kimonos appeared untouched. The bed looks as if someone had sat on it, a single, plain-covered book was left lying at the end of the mattress.
Tōrō's gaze remained straight ahead, taking a moment to drink in the disturbed space before he closed his eyes, sucked in a hiss of air, and let the breath out in a slow, quiet, exhale. Ice-blue eyes turned to Soraru - and quickly trailed over the genin's appearance. "He told me he found a journal, from when my sister was younger." Tōrō spoke, his gaze going over to the bed. "I assume that is it." He speaks with a soft voice. After a long moment of silence, Tōrō sighs and continues speaking with his eyes deliberately held shut.
"He said the name of a shinobi was recorded in there, and went to follow it up." Tōrō quickly moved on, eyes now a sharp gaze. "It was my daughter who found the room like this. And she suspected a shinobi was responsible, as the room was sealed with jutsu. The document missing was a birth certificate. Whoever holds it could claim they are of Antei blood."
♫ ~ 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.
The hour passed by fast, largely due to the state of meditation. He felt his chakra beginning to recover, and his mind started clearing from the muddling that happened as a result of using the Control state. The sound of footsteps in such an empty state was quite noticeable, and Soraru got up from his seat on the floor just before Tōrō arrived. A more somber tone immediately made itself known in the room when he saw the eyes of the Antei clan's leader. "I'll only look at what's necessary. I promise." It must have taken a lot to let some stranger look through some of the last recorded thoughts of his dead sister. There was a long enough pause for Soraru to walk over to the bed and pick up the journal. Since it was most likely involving recent events, he read from the end of her writing towards the beginning rather than the other way around.
"Are the Antei that vital to the village that someone would go through all this trouble? I've got a bad feeling that this is a personal matter. I'll have to see what her relation was to this Shinobi." His eyes quickly scanned each page before moving on to the next. Locked in a room for more than just a few of his days back in the Iron Country, reading became one of his favorite hobbies next to swordsmanship and performing. While he didn't have a lot of time to brush up on literature during his time in Kumogakure, he certainly had the opportunity during his training in Konoha. He took in what he needed. Names, context, keywords, and differences in the writing patterns. Were there any tears in the paper? Signs of frustration? Hints of love? It was all he focused on with his eyes, while his lips continued to speak. "I know I haven't acted ideally towards you, Lord Antei. I'm sorry for what happened to your sister. It's just that you, and this place, it all reminds me of something I tried escaping from a long time ago. My name's Soraru Hiraite, of Tsukihara Hana. Thank you...for helping me. I want to do the same for you." There may not have been any eye contact made, but it was probably the most sincere thing he said since coming to Konoha. For both their sakes, he did his best in trying to figure out anything he could from the journal.
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. ♫
