No turning back after this [Kaworu]

Sat Oct 26, 2019 7:27 pm

Along the river stream that stretched down from the worn down rocky mountains all the way down towards ground level, A purple haired man stood. He takes a casual stance, his hands deep within his leather pockets, his posture of that of you everyday citizen. However, Katsuragi was not your everyday citizen. All black attire, save for his white shirt underneath his leather jacket waved with the slight breeze. The climate here wasn't bad, in fact it was very agreeable with Katsuragi. However, things don't always seem what they look like. His frame looking towards the river running downwards right in front of him. The water so clear he wonders if he could drink from it? He sighs while looking beyond him across the river stream, eyeing the once whole carriage which was now broken down. Requisitioned from the previous job, he wished it destroyed.

Taking this moment, he waits for, Kaworu to return to his side. He wanted to talk to him about a certain thing he said during the last job. Plus, it would give him a chance to get to know a little more about his partner. He smirked at the thought, calling him partner. Was he? Katsuragi had ran in to all sorts of people in his line of work. Strange people, and even the most intelligent sorts you could imagine. It would make you even think about why the even got into the business? People who were so too smart for the street; shold have went to school. They didn't belong here. But did, Katsuragi have a choice? Sure, he was married to the game now, the streets was where he belonged. But before all that, his life being that of an accident. Katsuragi could talk himself into thinking he had a choice, but in reality, he was thrown into the woods. Reduced to no more than an after thought. Sad really, to become another addition by subtraction, when he didn't even ask to be here. Or was the real tragedy the fact that he will never ever know the truth as to how he ended up on the streets?

His face was now stern, locked jawed in thought. his right foot digging into the girt with the tip of his boot. Where was, Kaworu?

---

Total Word Count: 380

Crappy Post lol...

Sun Oct 27, 2019 5:01 am

The water was incredibly cold, as were all stream waters, but Kaworu could barely feel that. Unlike regular people, the Tau had no nervous endings along their skin, and just as they wouldn’t feel pain when it was pierced or sliced open, it didn’t give him a thermal shock when it came in contact with his body. It still refreshed him, and as he cupped water in his hands to wash over his arms and chest, he could feel his internal temperature going down, a pleasant feeling on such a hot day. After the job they pulled, he would need to fix some holes in his clothes, as well as heal them. Standing in the stream buck naked, he did a couple handseals, and with palms glowing with flowing green chakra, he placed them over the holes in his skin so as to heal the wounds which left the black tendrils (that constituted what other people had as muscle and bones) exposed to the world.

After feeling clean and all the exit wounds caused by his black tendril attack being closed, Kaito stepped off of the stream, and used his black haori to absorb most of the water off his body before putting on his pants, his shihakusho, and then belting them all together loosely to keep himself fresh. As he passed by the broken carriage, he wondered if they shouldn’t just set the thing on fire. “Harder to track us if they can’t prove it’s the carriage used for the heist… but then again such a fire would be a beacon to anyone investigating it.” The better solution would be to bury it, but even his jutsu wouldn’t be able to do that. “I would need far more power.”

Katsuragi was standing along the river’s stream, pensive. “One ryo for your thoughts”, called out Kaworu towards his partner, inquiring into what was going through the mind of his partner. "Also, should we burn the carriage, or bury it? Is it wise to leave it hanging out?"

***

TWC: 337

Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:26 pm

HIs head turns towards at an angle, Kaworu, his face still keeping the same look as before. "Did you mean it?", he said. He dives right into the matter. His mind fixated on one matter only. The carriage would be dealt with soon enough, but this was something he needed to get off his chest. Kasturagi never liked beating around the bushes, no nonsense fillers to lead into a motive. They called it lack of foreplay. None of that was ever needed or wanted inside the prison he practically grew up in. If you wanted something, you simply asked or take. He gives a moment for, Kaworu to respond, while under the impression that he understood what he was asking about. His hand were now removed from his pocket, his body now facing towards him along with his gaze. He kept his distance of course, he didn't want to give the impression that we intended bodily harm to, Kaworu. If, Kaworu didnt understand what Kasturagi was asking for, he'd clarify a bit more.

"You remember? When we rode up into the warehouse yard? Yeh, I was fuckin with you when you were trippin, but I was only just fucking with you ninja. You was all like, I aint built for this shit yada yada yada…", he gives yet another pause, watching for facial expressions, body language too."Buuut, I couldn't stop thinking about. Maybe I'm trippin, are you down for this? Cuz, I don't need you making second thoughts when we gotta make split second decisions", he looks over to the side for a moment. He thinks back to the time he was handcuffed, sitting in that cold brick room. He walls were painted white, but laced with scent he couldn't described back then. A scent he grew familiar with while doing time inside. The shinobi, the ones that tried to make him into a judas, a betrayer. But in the end, it was he that was betrayed.

---

Total Word Count: 708

Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:45 am

"Did you mean it?"

Kaworu’s body tensed, as though he had muscles to tense, however the psychological reaction was there, triggered by his gut and tensing the dark threads within; something about katsuragi’s mannerism of speech and his posture was completely off baseline in as far as the interactions between the two went. Kaworu could see they were not partners in crime at the moment; right now they became adversaries until such a time as Katsuragi received the answer he wanted to hear, be it positive -- in which case he’d return to the partner in crime scenario, Kaworu theorized -- or negative -- in which case he’d either leave to do his own thing or, if worse came to worse, try to murder Kaworu to prevent him from betraying the ex-prisioner.

“Katsuragi…” The Tau was unsure of what he meant, truthfully, a lot of things had been said, but he supposed it came down to when he slipped up and almost got the two of the caught. He didn’t continue though for fear of angering Katsuragi. If the chips fell down, Kaworu was not entirely sure he’d be able to kill his partner, if not due to the former’s incredible propensity for violence, but also because he didn’t feel comfortable thinking of the prospect of killing the one person who he’d gotten along with without issues considering they knew his secret. “If the chips do fall down, would I be willing to let him go, considering he knows something that’d make me a target to anyone else within the ninja world…”

As his companion went on, he was now able to pinpoint his comment. He made an offhand comment regarding how he was not cut for the life of a criminal, and now Katsuragi was worried about whether he’d be reliable. But the question burned somewhat. Of course he wasn’t cut for this, it hadn’t been the path he had chosen in life. One could say, it begged the question.

“I will answer you, Katsuragi, but entertain me a couple of questions. How was your passage through the Ninja Academy? How did you enter this life of crime?”

***
TWC: 697

Wed Oct 30, 2019 2:51 pm

His tense shoulders dropped even further, sighing heavily from the weight of impatience. Why couldn't others be as blunt and straight forward like him? Could he not answer the simple question? A yes or a no would suffice, not this dancing around the question bit. Only sell outs and politicians did so. The world would be much better off with less people like that.

"Kaworu… K...", he said with a dull yet somewhat fed up tone of voice, while digging into his inner pockets of his leather jacket, puling out a small pack of domestic cigarettes and a brown bic like worn out lighter, all in the same left hand. They were of the cheap variety, brand you normally would get from the commissary hall in prison. He picked up this nasty little habit while doing time, it helped ease the transition a bit. Time may have been know to heal all wounds, but it can create some in certain cases. After pulling one out the pack, he lights it just after placing a bud in his mouth. He'd normally offer one to, Kaworu, but the situation was too irritating for him to fall back on simple manners. Besides, as of now, he doesn't even know if he can rely on this character. But what he can guess, what he is starting to come to terms with, was that Kaworu was being selfish.

Taking one long draw, he now looks towards, Kaworu. The cloud of smoke seeping through his mouth downwards. "You something else, K. Mhmm, you being selfish as fuck. Just cause you got a trade, you think you can just bounce whenever you want? One foot in, one foot out... playing both sides?"

It was true, Kaworu was an apothecary, he wouldn't have to worry about going the next day without a meal. As much as, Katsuragi was yelling about it, he was full of nothing but envy for it. This was all he knew, the streets. No shinobi academy for him, he was born in an orphanage out sound the grand leaf village. Tanzaku Town, a place filled with nothing but luxury for the rich. It was the main reason, Katsuragi had to leave. To live a life of servitude every day for the upper class. To be surrounded by all that wealth, while at the same time reminded of poverty each time. Kasturagi was too sane to live a life like that. Coming back from his inner thoughts, he continued.

"And no man!..., there wasn't no ninja academy for me. No share circle around the teacher, I learned everything on the fly. Shiiit, I don't even know if I'm doing the motherfucking shit right?! All I know is at the end of the day, ima figure out how to climb a tree, if not, my stomach goes another day without honey. Cuz I don't know how to make..., whatever shit yall wizard people do", he draws on the last bit of the bud before casting it aside. He wasn't keeping track of the bud, nearly burned himself. He really thought Kaworu was on the same mission as him. Take what you can take, and live like no tomorrow. With all of this now coming to surface, he finds himself once again at an obstacle.

---

Total Word Count: 1255

Wed Oct 30, 2019 3:44 pm

Kaworu kept his posture loose so as to not seem rigid, but composed so it wouldn't look like he was taking Katsuragi lightly. As Katsuragi spoke amidst puffs of smoke, Kaworu understood a little more about the man. His early years were tough, and they made him tougher for it. Katsuragi's demeanor with Kaworu's questions was of a man that truly understood the role of speech, and his distaste for it showed it.

As Katsuragi spoke of Kaworu's possibilities as an apothecary, Kaworu contained himself not to burst into a rant on the spot. His question did have a purpose, after all. "I was born among ninjas and grew up among them, like one of them. Life was peachy keen, except for one thing. This." As he spoke the singular word, multiple threads pierced his exposed skin, caressing the air as lovers embracing on a cold night, a show towards Katsuragi to bolster his argument. "These things make me a kill-on-sight order anywhere in the ninja world. I had to leave everything behind, my own family entirely slaughtered, and learn shit on the fly, just like you. I just happened to learn something different. But I do know the ways of the ninja, and you know them too. So, why are we bickering, when the universe gave us everything we needed already? We don't care about each other's pasts, only our future and our next meal. We can pass for travelling apothecaries, you can teach me the street smarts you have and I can share the ninja way as I know it. Even as I hesitated, you took over and set us back to course. Even when we were cornered, I pulled through and ensured the job got done. We survived because we worked together. That's how it should be."

He collected the threads back into his body.

"Otherwise, one of us dies here, Katsuragi." He put an edge to his voice, firmly speaking. Threatening the ninja was as wise as stabbing a nest of hornets, but Katsuragi's past meant he would not listen to some limp speech about friendship; strength and self-preservation was the tongue of the way of the criminal. "Now both of us have dirt on the other that we'd kill to keep a secret, and reasons to stick together rather than part ways. Why should we break this partnership? I know how to heal and how to blend, you know the way of the world."

The gamble was incredibly risky, considering how propense towards violence Katsuragi was, but by the same token, he wanted to stay alive and make money, so he may yet spare Kaworu to live and die another day. "So, what do you say? We teach each other and grow powerful together, or we return to scurrying around the shadows of the world alone, like lost souls?" On the off chance Katsuragi would break into violence, Kaworu prepared himself and let chakra permeate his body. He really hoped Katsuragi would loosen up and speak about their next job.

***
WC: 505
TWC: 1202

Thu Oct 31, 2019 6:01 pm

Listening to the Tau surprisingly revealed a few things that made Katsuragi's situation a bit more favorable. It was one thing to carry a record with you, but a target on the back of your head for the rest of your life? As hypocritical as it was, his selfish thoughts flooding his mind like a ray of hope piercing the clouds, it was glad to hear this. This meant that he not only had no choice but to stick it out with, Katsuragi, but he had to also b twice as careful. Perhaps yesterday was just a fluke, he'd hope so at least.

All this time, Katsuragi thought that, Kaworu was just some drifter, living life out on his own. His history however was somewhat similar to his own. From the beginning,he was dealt crappy cards, and force to play out what you can. We all can't have the good wil fortune like most people are given. Like life was already planned for them, they just had to ride the current with bliss. Katsuragi too had to ride the current, but blissfulness was off the menu. But, he didn't cry or make too much fuss. He made do with what he had and learned from his experiences. 'Perhaps things won't be all that bad when the ride is over, at least, he won't be alone. He steps on the bud which he cast aside not too long ago, rubbing it down till it was put out completely. After that, he walks towards, Kaworu. Reaching arm's length, he stops and offers him the pack of cigarettes. "You smoke mothafucka?",he said with a smile. He had made up his mind about him. If he took a bud from the pack, keeping the lighter, he would light the bud for him.

"And yeah, if you holding out, let a ninja know something. Everything I know, I learned on the road", however, Katsuragi did learn a few special techniques from one of his cell mates in the prison. Though the chances of meeting him again were slim. Katsuragi went his on way a few weeks back.
---
Total Word Count: 1609

Fri Nov 01, 2019 3:06 pm

For a few tense moments, the world stood still, every breeze amplified, every sound a loud noise, the slightest motion of the blades of grass around them a rocking wave. Then, Katsuragi broke the tension by dropping the bud and stepping on it, moving casually towards the Tau. Was this a prison trick to disarm Kaworu? But then he offered a cigarette, asking if he smoked in his usual gingerly calloused speech. Kaworu refused with a wave of his hand. "I don't smoke and neither should you, that shit does enough damage that even my level of medical jutsu will have trouble repairing. Just ask any Ash Release user."

He followed up the latter comment too. "I'll be more open about my reservations, but truth be told I just froze in the moment. We need to rehearse our lines and dialogue before we go in, I'm not very good at improvising. Now…" He made his way towards his backpack, took out the small tool box and called Katsuragi to him.

"Come, this calls for a celebration." He led Katsuragi to the stream next to them, knelt and sat on his feet, and laid the toolbox next to him, and when he opened it it showed an interior in red cashmere, where a blanket covered the indentations where he kept two clay tokkuri, a traditional sake pot, and a bottle of fine aged Koshu. He brought out the blanket and laid it before him, with the stream to his side. He offered to Katsuragi the spot in front of him, so as to keep the stream to his side as well.

Once Katsuragi sat down, he'd place on tokkuri on his partner's side, and another in front of him. As he went through the motions, he explained them. "We're about to officiate our new, invigorated partnership. This calls for a ceremonial toast. Do as I say. First, pick up the tokkuri and place it on the palm of your hand, and with your other hand, hold it carefully, and gently raise it to meet me as I pour.. Now, I pour sake onto your glass." As he said this, he brought out the sake bottle, uncorked it, and held it with one hand while the other cupped the bottom. "Notice that as I serve you, I hold the bottle with two hands as well. This is a sign of respect, in the same way you holding your tokkuri with two hands signifies respect."

A glass served, he put the bottle down in the middle of the table, and in turn picked up the tokkuri, let it rest on his open palm, and gently touched the top with his other hand's fingers, raising the cup to Katsuragi. "Now you serve me. It's important to always serve others, but never yourself. At least, when in ceremony."

Once he had his fill, he kept his tokkuri in his hand, and waited for Katsuragi to pick his. "Now, a toast. That our partnership can be fruitful, and our efforts compensated with voluptuous monetary compensation! Kanpai!" Kaworu tipped his head down to meet the tokkuri, then arched his head back with his hands in tandem and knocked back the honey-flavoured drink, a sweet burning sensation flaring through his mouth. He kept himself from exclaiming in happiness.

He put the tokkuri down, picked the bottle once more, and poured some water into the stream. "For the Old Gods, so they bear witness and ensure we honor our new deal."

"Katsuragi didn't seem bothered that I am Tau; he was surprised I am a hunted creature. Not that he ever understood how my threads worked, either. Which means, he doesn't know I need hearts for my research into the secrets of the Tau bloodline. Maybe it's for the best."

Kaworu smiled. "Now, formalities out of the way, shall we get drunk, or do something about the carriage?"

***
WC: 649
TWC: 1851
/exit
Claiming 9 Stamina
Claiming 49 words towards Earth Release: Mud Spore Technique completing it as it currently is at 951 out of 1000.
Claiming 1000 Words towards Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole
Claiming 500 words towards Headhunter Technique
Claiming 302 words towards Chakra Absortption

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:03 pm

"Yeah whatever man...", he causally said while retrieving yet another bud from his pack. Like most smokers, he really didn't give much thought to the so called negative side effects of smoking. The cool sensation after each puff was all he needed, especially after any job. Katsuragi lights the bud while being led near the stream. He wondered what Kaworu was doing. He looks oddly towards the bag, the contents being that of a, tea set? Katsuragi wasn't really to big on tea, maybe it was the fact that he never really drank it before. He preferred the taste of coffee; it helped with energy. "Yeeeeeah, what the fuck is this man? A tea party? You don't got any real drinks in there?", he said. But, he decided to keep his mouth shut while, Kaworu continued about this being a respectable manner. He stood still for a second, his form cross legged next to the Tau.

He lets out a heavy sigh," Alright man...", vexed due to the Tau's strange ways. He proceeds to pouring, Kaworu a cup full of the liquid. His mind half trained on the ritual, since he realized that after this was all over, the carriage would have to be dealt with. Didn't want to get too comfortable, when there was work to be done.

Finally, after the preparations were complete, the two finally toast each other. Unlike Kaworu's proper gestures, Katsuragi just tilted his cup towards him slightly. Sitting cross legged was enough contribution. After watching the portion of the bottle of the honey like tea flow down the river, he quickly got from the ground and patted down his pants. He places the pack back into his jacket, and looks towards the carriage. "What? that's what that stuff was? it was soo sweet!. And nah man, we gotta get rid of this shit before we can move out. YOU! Can drink that shit on the way to out next job", he said, making his way towards the carriage in a careful manner.

After the deed was done, Katsuragi was then seen leaving the area, with Kaworu hopefully. With the two now reaching an understanding, Katsuragi could now feel more inclined to rely on Kaworu now. Perhaps things in the future might look a bit brighter? He lights one more bud and smokes it as the two continue to their new destination.

---

Exit
Total Word Count: 2007/10 Stats
Hidden Arms Technique 500 words
Mastering Hidden mist, MIst servant, and temporary paralysis techniques. 500/500/500 words.

Sat Nov 02, 2019 6:12 pm

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No turning back after this [Kaworu]

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