The Weight Of Those Before Us [P]

What Hikari revealed left Xyxer with a most curious decision. For a medic to hate someone so much as to go to the conqueror of his village to gain some deeper insight into combat was a peculiar thing. To earn so much wrath from someone who desires to protect. It was almost special. What atrocity had this figure done to her which made training from Xyxer seem like the only avenue she had left? How powerful was this man? Not only that... she wanted to truly experience full control over another. To be the sole reason whether they're able to walk from the encounter with their life, or if they join their ancestors in the earth that housed so many that had been crushed. Were they different in wanting to have others grovel at their feet for mercy? Was that what he desired?

To destroy a man who had a family, to spare a criminal that had nothing they could return to. Swap their places. What does it matter in this world? He did not fight merely to show that he could have others fall to his superior technique, his honed timing, his innate strength. Crushing others was something that was beneath conscious thought of the conqueror. Too shallow for him to consider now that he was a Kage, or did that merely mean that the thoughts on people now transcended to entire villages? Entire populations that were to submit to him. While the thought of overwhelming others was not one he dwelled on so much as the competition, was there truly a difference?

"I don't have the desire to crush someone, Hyuuga." His head tilted to the other side to allow the water free reign over equal parts of his body, rolling his head a few times before stretching upwards once again. "Nobody that still walks this world is worthy of earning that from me. What I desire is much greater." Xyxer briefly spoke, not divulging too much information while not entirely criticising her stance. Vengeance was a path that never yielded a positive result. The lone road that isolated one from everything else while the rotten feeling manifested deep within them until they became little more than the monster they wished to slay. Eventually, she'd even be comparable to them. What an exciting thing.

Xyxer wondered if the girl truly understood the gravity of the pact she was attempting to enter into. His breed of fear was something others considered inhumane, and on most accounts that'd be right. He was unburdened by the guilt that others felt deep within their chest whenever they performed a reprehensible action. Nothing sullied his mind in the dead of the night, the dead were gone, those he'd maimed and killed were no longer worth any thought or derision. Only stories remained of them. He'd sow fear through crucifixions, killing people that were close to the main victim, even barbaric torture. A smile on his face to show lack of care, a frown and a sniffle to feign that he didn't want to do it, a chuckle to show he found it funny. The emotions meant nothing and could be discarded or used at will. Mere tools to further an agenda. Hikari could not understand this when empathy was such a focal part of her person... yet vengeance had seemed impossible for her as well. People change, perhaps she would become a fun little project.

The fact that Hikari was unsure on that being the preferred method for most kunoichi was a bewildering thing. Did she not interact with many female shinobi? Was she some sort of outcast in this village? "Do you want me to assist you? Show you how?" Xyxer queried, turning his head to look at her. He had many sisters that were inducted into being kunoichi so it wasn't like he was unaccustomed to being taught menial things by them. He was even sure he could properly apply nail polish now.

Leaning over towards the girl, his hand temporarily touched her stomach, exposing it to temporary warmth from his body, "Breathe through your stomach otherwise it's useless. It's a difficult exercise to do properly, but vital for close combat." He retrieved his hand, keeping his eyes on her belly to ensure that she was doing the breathing exercise properly. To do it wrong meant that they'd just be sitting under a waterfall, which in itself wasn't bad, but not particularly viable as training moreso than a glorified shower.

The explanation on the tattoo was lacking, but that primarily seemed to be that she was uncomfortable unveiling that part of herself to him. Something she wanted to keep hidden. Everyone was allowed to harbour their own secrets, it just meant that Xyxer would have to dig further to uncover them. "That's a very short story for the loss of a little brother." Such a small story for a large tattoo. Perhaps this would be the event that was driving the girl into the mouth of the beast. The motivation and dredge of hope she carried with her to wander into the bloodied jaws of the Leviathan, then to request assistance from the creature that threatened to devour her village.

It was disappointing to hear that the duo did not, in fact, have anything in common, something she would’ve bet her life on him having for it had seemed logical he would have someone in mind to defeat. Shockingly enough, she soon found out he didn’t, feeling as if no one existed to hold such a title as the person the Mizukage's wished to destroy. Although as he explained himself she began to realize that he wouldn't need to wish to destroy someone since he was probably one of the strongest shinobi in the entire world. Which piqued her interest on what he did wish for, and her curiosity got the best of her as she asked him, “If I may, what is it exactly you desire, Lord Mizukage?”

Want me to assist you? Show you how? His words echoed in her head, her eyes wide and cheeks constantly rosy despite the freezing water coursing over her exposed skin. Hikari never would’ve expected him to offer to help her in such a personal way, and for a moment she was speechless, unsure of how to respond. It was true his knowledge about how to do it would be beneficial, but could she handle being so close and intimate with the man, her teacher?

Ultimately she felt she could, finding her resolve shortly after he asked her such coarse things, her voice soft but determined as she spoke, “If it wouldn’t be a burden, please show me, Lord Mizukage, so I know how to properly do it myself.” Her lilac tinted gaze fell upon his amber orbs while she replied, their eyes staying in contact for as long as he held them.

That is, until he reached over and lightly grazed her stomach, covering her skin in a surprising warmth where his hand touched, and her eyes moved from his to the fingers resting on her porcelain body. It was a fleeting movement, but she had nonetheless flinched slightly at the initial shock of their skin contact, her torso recoiling inward a tad bit at it.

However, she was, much to her delight, able to regain her composure and follow his guiding words while resisting the urge to pull away from his hand, breathing through the very same stomach that writhed away from his touch. Hikari hadn’t meant to react like that, her body had decided to move on its own in reaction to him, unfamiliar with someone being near her abdomen.

Yet despite her discomfort at his former proximity, Xyxer having removed his hand after he finished speaking with her, she was able to do the exercise he had given her, her eyes following his fingers and landing upon his own stomach, watching and practicing as it slowly breathed in and out the way he wanted her to as well. When the snowy haired shinobi thought she was doing it properly, her eyes traveled back up to meet his and she tilted her head to the left side in a similar fashion to how he had done his, the spikes of cold water bombarding the side of her neck before cascading down the rest of her silhouette.

Finally came the part she dreaded most, Xyxer trying to delve deeper into her person and figure out just who she was and why she did what she did. Even though she wished she didn’t have to reveal pieces of herself to him just yet, she guessed  he wouldn’t stop questioning her until he was satisfied with the answers she gave. “What good would a long story do to tell? You might end up surprising me, Lord Mizukage, but I doubt you’d care to know more about him.” She turned her eyes to look out in front of her, hoping to avoid his reaction to her next sentence. “However, I will say that his killer is the one I desire to hunt down and make tremble at my feet.”

(WC: 6,184)

The question she poised was more loaded than she could ever hope to understand at this point. What the Mizukage desired was almost indescribable as there were many masks he wore, each with their own fantasies and dreams. Masks that were so intricately crafted that they were reminiscent of true beings with their own individuality. Did he tell her the wants of the conqueror? The burning scent of scorched earth and rubble invaded his nostrils, the heavy taste of iron hanging off his tongue while a viscous liquid dripping from his hands which were coated in a sheen of crimson. Eyes almost watering from the smoke that clouded them. Innumerable bodies coating the vast distance of countries with the flags of every village torn and bloodied. Did he tell her the desire of the Kage? To unite every village to a common cause so that violence was no longer a feared threat, to bind every person to a singular goal so war was merely a bad dream rather than a reality? Perhaps the beautiful face of the performer who merely wanted to make the world a beautiful place. To delight the senses with fantastic swordplay and a love of the arts. To see the grace behind every action and the story that was painted with every step. The music of each heartbeat.

He turned his head to look at her pupilless eyes, and another thought strayed through his mind. A smirk danced upon his lips while he initially replied, "You." His tone didn't match the playful look on his face, and it almost sounded as if he was certain before he followed up shortly after with his real response, "A legacy that even the sands of time are incapable of erasing." The words were true for Xyxer. It had been his goal since infancy to have his name be remembered in this world, whether he was the villain or the hero. It mattered little to him so that people had their name on his mind, and his deeds fueling their own. Legends inspired others to take up their mantle to imitate their great deeds, and he could only hope that others would follow the path he had set out upon. His story could not be worthless after all this time, it just couldn't be.

The constant contrast of the Hyuuga's flared cheeks and the damp, white hair that clung to her form brought a mild amusement to the equally wet Hozuki. She accepted his offer of teaching her how to properly apply the bandages, which was a mild surprise to him, although not unwelcome. Her gaze soon met with his, and so Xyxer would respond, "Another time, it's rather difficult to apply bandages under the duress of a waterfall." He reasoned, a light smile on his features.

Noticing the flinching of the girl as soon as he touched her stomach, he made a mental note of it. By all means, it was not a surprising reaction, yet it was one that required noting regardless due to the potential significance. She took heed of his instructions and followed them out, surprising the Hozuki with how quickly she was able to replicate the technique in a stressful environment.

Soon after she dodged the topic of her brothers slaughter once more. Persistence would serve only to reinforce the walls she had built up around herself, and thus an unwise course to follow through. He nodded while replying to her, turning his head forward again, "Understandable." A few more minutes passed before he stood up from the waterfall, escaping its embrace. If Hikari was to join him in the end of his own exercise, he'd offer her a hand so that she could stand before he started to scale the rocks beside them towards the one with his gear, preferring the physical method so that he didn't grow too reliant on jutsu. He'd speak while doing so, audible enough so that she could hear even if she remained under the waterfall, "I can offer you training only if you are a ninja of Kirigakure, and serve our goals rather than Konohagakures. We'll be leaving by the end of the week, make your decision by then as we won't wait. We'll be at the harbours, I'm sure you can't miss our ships." He explained, once more placing his clothing on while his body absorbed and replenished itself with the water he'd endured. He'd take his leave with his equipment on hand, back towards the treasured land of Konohagakure.

[Exit]

5873 WC

1600 to finish mastery of GSB from 4400 to 6000 http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t40436p10-the-leviathan-the-aegis
No handseals, ofc
2250/2250 mastery http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t31901-water-release-water-wall no handseals

2000/3000 mastery http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t22657-suiton-rising-water-slicer

Approved

The Mizukage seemed lost in thought after she asked him what he desired, a curious reaction to what should be a relatively easy question for someone like him, yet seconds passed before he turned to her, his amber eyes meeting her lilac ones as he said a single word, you. He desired her? There was no possible way he could’ve meant that, not with a smirk dancing across his lips and no reason for him to desire someone like her, especially not when she was the one who was desiring him as her teacher. Hikari was is great disbelief and shock at his answer, unsure of how to respond or react to what seemed almost like a confession, but fortunately for her he continued answering, revealing that he desired a legacy unable to be erased even by time. He wanted to be remembered forever, his name passed down from generation to generation, although she wasn’t sure what kind of legacy he wanted to be remembered for. War and destruction? Uniting all of the villages through his position as a kage? Something else she wasn’t possibly able to fathom in her current frame of mind?

Letting his words fill the silence was what she chose to do, unsure of how she could even respond to his desire. They were completely different people with vastly opposite desires, she couldn’t relate to wanting a legacy for she’s never desired to be renowned across the world or even in her own village. Hikari had always sought for a nice, quiet life under the radar, with perhaps a husband and children and nieces or nephews from her brother. A bigger family than what she had, and one that couldn’t be separated. Yet everything changed when Salzem was murdered, the picture perfect life she wanted to have was torn from her grasp in a second. Now all she could do was plot her revenge and hope that when justice found her the pain would be fleeting.

Their parted eyes soon found one another again during their discussion about bandages and how he would help her apply them correctly if she wanted. In all honesty the snowy haired woman was surprised she accepted his help despite knowing it would be even more personal than the current moment. Hikari was brought out from her thoughts when his voice cut through the deafening water, a small smile gracing his features. She couldn’t help but softly chuckle at the comment, finding the truth in it to be a bit humorous. “Yes, we will have to work on it when we aren’t soaking wet I imagine.”

Afterwards he reached out to touch her stomach and informed her of how to properly breathe while until duress, which she followed enough to not warrant another lesson on how to do it (or illicit harsh words for doing it incorrectly). Hikari was thankful she did it right the first time, glad that watching his movements helped her to mimic them. If she hadn’t been able to do that she wasn’t certain she would’ve been able to do it the way he wanted.

Moments past in relative silence, Xyxer respondng to her statement about her brother with a single word and then nothing else, no further questions to see how much she was willing to reveal about her brother or the man she desired to kill. Most of the time she welcomed the quietness, enjoying the peacefulness it usually brought, but for some reason she disliked the tension hanging in the air of that silence.

What felt like forever past before either one of them did anything, until finally her companion rose from their watery torture and offered his hand to her, which she gratefully took. Once they were both out from the waterfall, the ashen haired man scaled the waterfall to retrieve his belongings, calling out to her as he did so, his voice breaking through the roar of the waves. He accepted her plea to be her teacher under the condition that she became a shinobi of Kirigakure, leaving behind her life in Konoha perhaps forever. She wasn’t sure what exactly the goals of Kiri were, and a part of her wasn’t entirely sure she could give up her loyalty to the Leaf, even after what they did to her brother. She was thankful he had given her a bit of time to decide what to do, and arrange for things to be taken care of if she did decide to leave with them.

“Thank you, Lord Mizukage, I will think about your offer and make my decision by the end of the week.” She knelt as she spoke and waited until he was out of sight before rising to her feet once more, shivering as a gust of wind blew past her. Hikari didn’t want to end her training just yet, wanting to perfect it even when he wasn’t there, so instead of leaving the valley of the end, she returned to the waterfall and practiced her breathing while she thought about his offer, whether she should leave or remain loyal.

(Exit)
(TWC: 7,035)
(Will make claims later)

(Claims w/ max stat discount:
2000/2000 for Kuro my familiar, can't use wc to find him since he's been with my char even after they took familars away ^^'
can I also get 35 stats for Kuro?,
2500/2500 to replenish the 1 usage of my tattoo that I used during this topic,
and the remaining wc towards Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists, putting it at 2535/6000)

Approved.

Claiming 29 stats for my familiar as well

Denied.

I contest this