Walking To The Temple

Hara would extend his arm in the same fashion as before towards Mizuki, if she accepted he would walk with her through the still crowded market towards the Temple of Jashin. Uncomfortable with the many ears that surrounded them, he would keep his focus on making sure they were not being followed. Keeping his words to shallow and surface level small talk as they weaved through the various stalls. Hara wouldn’t feel totally comfortable until out of such populated areas.

Finally, coming to the edge of the black market and into quieter areas of the market, he would relax a bit, finally relaxing completely as the buildings and stalls would fall away to the forested areas outside of town. He would leave the rest of the walk to Mizuki, as he only had a vague idea of which direction the temple was. With less prying ears around, he would finally relax a bit at the comfort of privacy.

“So… Tell me, what leads a shinobi to having a Byakugan? Better yet, what leads a shinobi to seemingly encounter so many Hyuuga? You seem to know a lot about my clan” He would stare briefly at the brim of her hat out of habit before continuing to walk and stare ahead, tempted to activate his Byakugan and see her face- to gauge her reaction- he would refrain. If she wanted him to know, he would know. Still, he couldn’t help but pay attention to the shifting of her body as they walked arm in arm for any sign or clue.

He would listen intently to her reply, enjoying the company as they got closer to the temple and further from the hustle and bustle of the black market. Out here closer to nature, Hara felt more in his element, and that was reflected in his demeanor. He would still occasionally activate his Byakugan as they walked, never fully able to relax completely.

WC: 319

Holding onto his arm, fingers gently wrapped around his wrist with her thumb pressed subtly over the largest vein to acclimate his heart rate seamlessly. Therefore blocking out his rate from interfering with her ability to listen to their surroundings to ensure their safe private travels. The small talk that ensued was clear enough that Hara too noted the threat at being overheard, and adhered to an unspoken rule adopted by the pair. Winding down the streets took less time than it felt - only when the pair touched the edge of the treeline did she feel his demeanor relax slightly.

As the two crossed into the shaded forest the tapping of shoes on structured floors would melt into soft thuds into soft dirt; and as the shade overtook the pair completely Mizu would detwine herself around Hara. With a single silent step forward to take the lead. Reaching up as she passed the wide brimmed hat would push back over her shoulders again. The shroud of the woods was akin to a warm hug from a family member; safety for one such as herself - escape being her most natural trait.

In a sloping descent the path ahead could be picked out if one knew the general direction to head in to reach the temple. Only a few steps ahead, she heard the words that her companion uttered with ignorant ease; but the stab she felt was like physical pain. Ever as the master of the mask, the flinch could be noted in her shoulders. Taking a moment to choose her words carefully she would turn her face enough to show the pale white gaze of the clan they shared. Her pace never faltered as she continued to pick her way through the less discerned paths and into denser foliage.

“What leads to…:”, her words at first sounded haunted, devoid of attachment as the quick flash sharp attention morphed into someone reliving a far away horror. The expression fell flat into deep set weariness, but the tone of voice still rang sharp with determination. “That is a story so long departed from its beginnings that one wouldn’t recognize themselves as they are now to who they once were.” Turning her face again to make eye contact with Hara, before facing forward and raising her chin in a stern manner as if steeling herself to retell the story.

“It was during the initial years of the newly rebuilt Sunagakure, Kenshin was the leader at the time and we were flourishing. As a way of breaking the mold of the past we had allowed Missing Shinobi of the time to enter under the law of neutrality. We also found ourselves the haven for refugees, one day as I manned the gate one of those refugees found themselves smack dab in the middle of my path. His name was Souji and he was no taller than to my shoulder, young kid escaped what he described to be a pit of vipers for family, traveled from Konoha to Suna. Looked like a corpse walking, I felt something I hadn't felt in.., regardless I took him in that day. Raised him as if he were my own, paid for his housing and trained him or introduced him to those better able to do so. I was promoted in rank over the coming years and reached the status of kage myself.” The pause was brief but it masked the twinge of regret when the memory of Kenshin surfaced, the first kage.

“He raised in station alongside mine, as a well known member of my family and the general talent he exuded it was hard to question why. The political atmosphere was tense to say the least; As one of the greater villages with the most neutral ties we hosted a Summit. That is a much longer story for another time, but you do need to understand that that meeting solidified blood feud status among several houses. More time passed and I was invited out to mediatory Summit in Kirigakure -”, she shook her head sharply as though throwing a particularly sharp memory away by force.”- the kage had changed hands by that time and I am one to allow words to be exchanged before turning to more drastic measures.” Suddenly, as if the memory of the audacity burned anew as she recalled, “I had brought Souji along with me at his insistence, weeks prior he had expanded his understanding of the Byakugan and unlocked something that even I never understood… but he gifted this sight to me and kept its twin so that we would always be connected. Sometimes I wonder if he knew, that something was about to change.. And something changed.” The rage he had heard earlier bubbled to the surface hotter than before.

“I watched as those friends of the past two years walked out one by one and left me facing the kage of Kiri threatening my life openly. I easily escaped the ambush and the open betrayal was akin to a needle prick when compared to the capture of my son and the choice became… kill everyone in here including Souji or escape..”, the hollow tone faded back into place, icing the flame of rage she had felt seconds before. “I left the village not long after that to minimize my country's involvement with my coming actions. There was news of a prisoner released back to Suna but something came over me.. But the need to distance myself from those of Suna overrode my better judgment so I ran.” Suddenly furrowing her brow she cut herself off, when had the last time she told someone this story?

Clearing her throat as they moved around a bend and the familiar sigils carved strategically around the path marked the outer boundary to the temple. Snatching at the change of topic she informed Hara, “Ah, we are nearing the boundary.. the point we cross will be clearer to you the closer we get.” She didn’t explain further about the son or the station left behind, already thinking she had explained far past what she intended. Nor did she explain that soon they would encompassed by a forest drained of life, the surrounding forest stood dead in a ring around the temple as if the god of death stained even the soil.

WC 1055

Hara let the shinobi place her hand on his wrist, wondering as to what she was trying to achieve, he decided to make nothing of it. He was no longer wary of his new acquaintance, and he figured if she really wished to do harm unto him she would have done it by now. As they walked he inquired about her knowledge of his clan.

Noticing the flinch at his question, he understood he had hit a nerve. So when Mizuki stopped to look at him, Hara stared intensely back at the pained eyes of the shinobi across from him. Once more the mystery of his new acquaintance deepened. With the brief moment passing, Mizuki would continue moving forward, walking in her usual noble manner through the shaded forest. Hara would match her stride, save for staying a half step behind, and listen intently as she told her story.

Sunagakure? Wasn’t that place destroyed now? Hara thought to himself as she began her tale. He wouldn’t know of a Kenshin, or of a Souji, but he could hear the twinges of regret and pain that dashed through her usually confident words. That pain started to become more understandable as she described the relationship she had to this Souji. His eyes widened a bit at her admission that she used to be a Kage, and Hara was grateful to be behind Mizuki’s line of sight. How old is this woman? Surely older than she appears. He thought to himself as she paused,seemingly more painful memories surfacing.

His amazement continued as she described the sort of power and station she once held. He thought back to their conversation about power in a new light. To host summits, and be a part of the machinations of the world, was not something Hara had any intention of being involved in. Still- the intrigue of someone who was involved was palpable to Hara and he continued to listen intently and quietly as Mizuki continued her tale. He cocked his head slightly at the mention of a heightened Byakugan, to his knowledge he had never heard of anything of the sort. But, he shelved his curiosity for later, interrupted in his thoughts by the rage that boiled from Mizukis words as she pondered her friend and her memories.

Her rage coming to a full bore, Hara would clench his fists at her story. He couldn’t empathize with being a kage, or summits- what he could empathize with was abandonment. He gritted his teeth as her story resurfaced memories of his own loss of his home. The abandonment of his village. He would wince in a shared pain as she described running from the village she once led. The image of his parents being cut down in the night as he ran away flashed in his mind.

As they neared the bend she would furrow her brow and cut the story off. Clearly using the change in scenery to also change the topic, Hara would look at her knowingly for a brief moment before deciding to refrain from saying anything just yet. The wounds of a resurfaced memory needed at least a little time to close back up, in Haras opinion. He would nod, “I am already feeling a change… This place has an energy to it.” He would say warrily as he scanned the area with his Byakugan to ensure no one was following them.

Hara would walk in silence for a brief time with Mizuki, gathering his thoughts and letting her do the same. Despite the ominous nature of the area, the landscape was undeniably beautiful. As they walked he would spot an appropriate area, a small verdant outcropping of grass that sat amongst some rocky boulders just to the side of the path. Pulling a Bottomless flask out, he would ask Mizuki if she was ok with taking a break for a second at the clearing.

If she was, he would come to a crouched position on the grass before leaning his back against a nearby boulder for support. Taking a sip from his flask he would dread the next words he knew he needed to say. He would hand the flask over to Mizuki, at the moment it had a nice Sake in it.

If she wasn't, he would nod in understanding and continue walking, pulling his flask out and sipping on it as they walked, occasionally passing it to her.

Regardless, at some point Hara would begin to speak to Mizuki in a serious and somber tone.

“I… Do not know how long you have been away.” He would say, looking at her with a hardened expression. “But Sunagakure has fallen, swept away and subjugated by Konoha.” He would say with a grim tone. He would let the declaration sit for half a beat before continuing.

“I can not speak to summits, or Kage positions, or even raising another.” He would take another swig from the bottomless flask before offering it once more to Mizuki “but I can tell you I know at least a small bit of your pain. And, I too decided to run at one point in my life. You can’t hold it against yourself, to better yourself and improve now- that is all that matters.” His voice would grow its own edge, but one with a paradoxical mix of conviction and desperation. “Your pain has made you who you are right now in this moment, the only thing any of us can do is work to make sure that pain has a use. It serves us nothing to hold our own past above us like a storm that extinguishes any embers of improvement.” He would stare at the grass beneath him as he thought of his own pain and failures, his own decision to run.  

Hara would sit in the clearing talking to Mizuki for a little while more if she had any more to say on the subject. Eventually however, they would both rise to continue their journey to the temple. Hara could feel themselves close to it now, the dead trees and sparse vegetation already beginning to permeate through the otherwise healthy forest, like a root system that gets thicker as they get to the center.

“So, when we arrive at this temple, what are we to do from there?” He asked, his curiosity growing by the second as they walked.

WC:1023
TWC:1342

The transition from her rage to a new diverting topic was more than needed, the ease brought to her tightening chest at the memory had threatened to boil over - the in turn change of topic felt like the release of inner pressure. Glances from the man at her side only pressed her to remain in containment of her emotions and thoughts to herself - not accustomed to being watched, let alone so closely or intensely. A lady of solitude and inner turmoil dealt best in isolation - the overly curious and open Hara at her side was a jarring experience.

Thus, his acknowledgement of her discomfort to any degree to allow transition of topic was noted, though not verbally mentioned. The flare of familiar chakra so close indicated he was gazing at their surroundings, caution to that degree was unnecessary walking at her side - though appreciated all the same. He was using her prompt to engage in a little expansion of his own understanding of chakra and how the energy was in fact very different than what most of nature would present itself with; this prompted a subtle private smile of approval from the woman.

Crossing the invisible halfway boundary, marking to the familiar how far they had traveled and what lay ahead; Hara indicated a small verdant outcropping of grass that sat amongst some rocky boulders just to the side of the path. Acquiescing, she followed his lead and accepted the momentary pause in their travels, as he settled back against a boulder, she remained standing and simply leaned against the tree trunk standing tall to the right of the boulder. The sharp tige of sake wafted up from the flask he held out to her - taking the flask in hand she gave it an appraising sniff before taking a bracing swig, and at no less an opportune time.

The grim tone was not enough for the words he spoke into the world. The burn of the sake a moment before was nothing compared to the bile that seared the back of her throat. She had turned to stone in an instant, nails sharp as blades pressing indents into the flask's side as images of horrors flashed through her minds eye.... has fallen... Konoha Without thinking the ring of began to sear into the air around her; distorting the air too perfectly as it began to form without need for hand seals. Had Hara not continued talking she may had remained in that lost space and she would have unleashed rage upon the calm clearing at the same level Kenshin had once demolished a city in her name.

His words hit ears so deafened she may as well been underwater, eyes sharp with fresh torn wounds stared at him as he tried to meander his way through explanations of understanding - all while the very reason she stood as she did now was judged to be inconsequential. Everything was for naught - her leaving of a country, her search for like minded allies, and especially her aggrieved imprisonment. All worthless. Looking away from his meager attempt to console her she held her tone as best she could, "What does one such as yourself know about the devastation you just brought unto me. You....", she paused to choke back the scream that threatened to escape as the circle of fire that had begun sparking around her fizzled back out; control washing in finally. "... you would never understand how devastating a liberation that news was."

She was free in her own way, to act and become just as she needed to - what was left to hold over her head ever again? All was gone. Dropping the now dented flask in his lap with apathetic motions she drew out the pack of cigarettes and a flip lighter from an inner pocket. As she pushed off the tree, the lame sparked, and smoke began permeating the air - "We are to take rest at the temple of Jashin and look through archives, maybe find something to hide those targets from your face. Come now Hara, and for the flask-" She reached back in her pocket and withdrew 500 ryo, reaching forward and stuffing it into his pocket in turn "-this should do to replace the one I so inconsiderately damaged."

Without waiting for his reaction, she turned and continued their earlier path to the temple; Hara hopefully at her back.

WC 732 EXIT

Having kept his eyes down as he attempted to console a pain he knew could not be consoled, he would tell her the tragic news of the place that she held so dear. To Hara it was nothing more than some news, far off in some land where bigger things were happening. Seeing the effects of his words, Hara could tell that he had unleashed something far more than he was expecting.

He would look up to her as he finished his words, alarmed but not afraid of the powerful chakra coursing out and forming flickering flames around her, the bent flask in her hand and the strain of her muscles against it. He would step forward, some strange force acting within him that drew him to her. He didn’t know why, perhaps it was his own past, or his sickly familiarity with tragedy. Whatever it was, it pulled Hara to her like a great and powerful whirlpool.

As she turned away and spoke, he would step again, but stop as her words pierced the air with their pain. Her words would sting him, but it was expected. He knew that to be the bearer of bad news came with its own collateral damage. His pain would be quickly drowned out by the tinge of dread and confusing feeling of fascination as he would watch Mizuki gain control of herself and speak again.

Devastating liberation. He would think to himself, the term encompassing the feeling of that night after his exile. It was a term that described what he was feeling when he was around Mizuki, truth be told. He had to admit to himself that around her his aura of intimidation and power melted away. Around her, Hara had to admit to himself that he was a small fish in a very big pond. And walking by her side, Hara had to admit that it exhilarated him.

He would deftly catch the flask as she tossed it to him. Nodding to her as she dictated their next steps. He would let the ryo be stuffed into his pocket before standing there briefly and watching the mysterious and alluring shinobi walk away. His curiosity growing, Hara would dash up to Mizuki’s side, holding his arm out in the same fashion that they were walking before their tumultuous reprieve. Holding his other arm out and forward, he would motion with his head to the cigarette. “Got another?”

Mizuki would pull another cigarette out, lighting it briefly with her own before handing it to Hara and taking his arm once more. He would take the cigarette, placing it between his pointer finger and thumb, to his lips, and inhaling deeply. Looking ahead to the winding path before them, smoke drifted from his mouth gradually as he pondered what lay ahead.

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[exit]

Claims:

Hara wrote:

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[exit]

Claims:

Approved