Captain Hoshigakure [P]

The Margrave's inn had not changed much since the last time the Byakugan heir walked through its ironwood doors. Located in the heart of the village, the crowd it drew was mostly employees and owners from the shops of the City square and shinobi guardsmen. Despite this, Ayato did not recall ever seeing the place filled to its fullest capacity.

Heads turned when the seventeen-year-old made his entrance, followed by a squeak of the wooden floor. There were a few faces Ayato recognized, but most did not recognize him back. The man named Lance, who sat at the booth in the corner of the inn, did. When his elderly blue eyes made contact with Ayato’s white ones, he looked somewhat surprised.

The bartender was cleaning a glass cup, holding it against the lantern main source of the light in the inn to trace any stains upon the colorless material. “Welcome.” He said with a courteous nod and went on to wipe the bar's counter with a damp silk cloth. 

Ayato struggled to make it through what felt like a labyrinth of chairs, tables, and drunken men. The hour after dusk, the Margrave Inn was as busy as it was going to get. After a few maneuvers, he reached the bar counter and took a seat on one of the wooden stools. “What are you having?” The man wearing a black vest and tie atop a white shirt asked.

“Dealer’s choice. Business seems to be booming.” The Byakugan heir would comment after taking a look at the patrons of the inn. “No more than usual.” The man summoned a whiskey bottle, seemingly out of thin air, and made out the ice from the cooler. Ayato tried his best to keep his brow from forming into a frown as he put the Ryo on the counter. 

“I believed I’d never see you again.” He said as he poured the beverage into a glass with two ice cubes.

“I believed I'd never see me again, in all honesty.” He took a sip from the glass. He sucked in air through those perfect teeth of his as the aftertaste of the whiskey burned his throat. "The things I’ve woken up to have been very amusing." He always wondered what made alcoholic drinks of The Margrave so popular, definitely not the taste, more likely the low price. 

“Just so.” The bartender interrupted Ayato from his private musings before going back to work. “Eloquent as always, this one.” The taijutsu user thought. A man’s swift was his kingdom, and Ayato respected that. “Am I coming to you, or are you coming to me?” Ayato said to no one in particular. He waited for a long two minutes, and then he knew. As he made his way through the maze chairs once more, he took another sip from the glass. I figured he’d need it.

Ayato took his seat of honor on the booth across from Lance. The Mercenary was a plain older man, and that was putting it lightly. Old enough to be Ayato’s grandfather, deep into the sixth decade of his life, the services he had been offering dated back at least forty years. That was quite a feat for someone in the shinobi life, where most of them departed the realm of the living before they saw a day past twenty. 

Lance was short, a head shorter than the six-foot-tall Ayato, with an old wind burnt face and a falcon's beak for a nose. Other than that, the most noteworthy feature about him was his hair. He had none. Small blue eyes watched and held more sharpness than any older adult’s eyes had the right to. He always spoke in a calm disarming voice. Today was no different. 

“Kid, you look like shit.” The older man peered at the half-healed scar underneath Ayato’s left eye that traveled down to his neck. Underneath the orange-yellow fire of the inn's lanterns, the injuries from the battle against the giant looked even worse than in daylight.

“You should have seen the other guy,” The taijutsu expert responded, and they grinned at each other. A few more minutes, and it would be as if he never left. Removing the grin from those lips of his, Ayato gulped down what remained of his whiskey. That will be enough bravery for today.

“I come with questions.” It had been two weeks since Ayato had awakened from his comatose state. All that time, the Byakugan heir had walked the streets of Hoshi, seeking to find out what happened to everyone he knew and the village he remembered. With Lance’s help, he hoped to put the pieces together and fill in that blank space of his life.

“You should have come with another round of drinks instead.”  Ayato had immediately refused for what was worth. Several games of cards later, along with a few drinks, and Ayato found himself even growing fond of the beverage's taste.

The answers he received, on the other hand, those he liked a lot less.

WC: 844

It was a brand unusual day. A grin appeared from Yasaki planned for a portion of things.  As the sun was gliding throughout the window, it was a brand unique day. His soft comfy cushion would be around his head, sheltering himself from the elegant shining bright sunlight showing up from the window. He woke up from his bed and tided his room.  As his eyes searched the room, the uchiha resolved to go downstairs and fulfil his destiny. He looked at his local mirror, and switched on his gleaming red three eyed monster, whirled with hate. Yasaki beamed at the mirror, and with that he closed his eyes. And he opened them with ease. His eyes returned to normal, as the uchiha had a moment to re-call his minutes of life. With every second running by, he was blissful. He was gnawing. Yasaki took a wholesome bite of his short sized bread. The mouth of his wide open, gnawing the irrelevant bits of the dough. On his left hand drinking away his number one of all, caffeine. With his items packed and ready the kage was all in for today's treat.  He would remember those days where he's number one was a good old' coffee as his daily ritual.  Each morning he would have at-least one cup of it. He was a coffee addiction, but that didn't change who he was. It made him who he wanted to be, Yasaki.

Yasaki was like no other. he grew up to be a strong shinobi who was willingly put his village up in front. Since he lost his father, it changed his whole conclusion. Not until he realised at a younger age, he had to realize that he had to move on. With so many things happening at the same he was glad to be part of it. As he was sitting at his desk recalling the earlier days of childhood. He would close his eyes and allow himself to enter a world. he was a fan of swords and blades. as a kid he grew up working with his uncle by simply filling up his spaces and supporting him. he was entertained and honoured at that moment.  because his uncle gave him a chance like nobody else in the bussings. Yasaki smiled at his earlier days when he was provided by a good friend who supported him along the way. he wasn't afraid of learning sometimes new but was determined to make a move and become a better person. As a shinobi he grew up pretty quickly understanding the aspects of the shinobi life. he was slow but usually started to get it as times went by. Yasaki wondered what would occur if he followed his father's footsteps. He wasn't about that life of pure evilness. He was a man who wanted more out of his village someone who can make a change for himself and others. That wasn't the case when he lost his father at a very young age. He did eventually grew up from the pain and accept it for who he was. As a shinobi he's been living his life long. But him becoming a kage really placed him into a step where he was the savior of his village. Yasaki was around with winners that kept him around the ways of good. He surely wasn't up for the bad, but he preferred saving lives and being there for the loved ones. That made Yasaki a true solider who was determined to make a change. Not until he decided that making blades with his uncle was his hobby and it was something which the uchiha did. Yasaki lived throughout his life all by himself whilst doing all his natural things. 

Yasaki was casually sitting on a random table in the bar as he would eye ayato up and down. This was the next man to become his shadow he would listen to what was being stated as the uchiha went by it. There was around twelve of his shinobi scouted throughout the bar. They all closed in taking notes at the scene and Yasaki with his normal clothes would be at a table just across him covering his face with a newspaper and peeking through it.  He placed down the newspaper and moved onto to the table Ayato was sitting.  He would glance up at Ayato eyeing him up and down getting his attention. " So you must be Ayato? It's great to see you isn't it. I'm the hogokage." He would pause for a moment taking a lil breathe as he would continue. "There' are a lot of things going around.. and really I am pleased by you. Your efforts and commitment of this village surely has benefited us. I've been eyeing you for sometime and I got to say you please me, Ayato. With that I've got something to tell you.." Was his last words.

A paused seemed to happen as he continued in a calm tone. " they have chosen you to be the one to lead the Anbu organisation. By that are you up for this?" He would say waiting upon Ayato's responce.


WC:861

Spoiler:

Miyamoto appeared to be the only of his teammates not to have departed the mortal plane, and last, he was seen departing from the village gates with that Valen Turncloak. “Prince Sunshine, I heard he calls himself or something just as cringe.” Ayato shook his head in disbelief.  Miyamoto could handle himself in a fight. It was his sheer stupidity and lack of reason that would get him killed.

“You came with questions, and I have one of my own.” The older man said, interrupting Ayato from his private musings. “How the fuck are you still alive?” 

“Well, that’s quite a story.” Ayato began filling his cup, 
________

The blood from his forehead had fallen to his eyes, effectively blinding him in both of them, along with a dozen other injuries and missing his left arm falling to his death. A typical walk in the park for the Hyuuga heir, in his opinion. “When can I just hit the ground" he remembered thinking with a groan of pain as the headless corpse of the giant fell behind him like a crumbling tower.

He heard the sounds of water connecting with stones. “Ah, there we go.” Ayato had begun to note in his mind before a sharp pain had connected with his head, knocking him out for a good while. The taijutsu user’s body had landed on the dead beast he had just fought and defeated. The hair-long fat body of it managed to knock the Hyuuga into a small stream nearby.

Ayato’s body was torn, ruined, bloody cut, and he was like a rock in the river. Imagine everyone’s surprise when he stood up, half a man and half a corpse. Then someone noticed a long log that had washed up near his body, a red color oozing out of it. It had taken everyone there a moment to realize it was the Taijutsu user’s severed arm.

_______

“The next thing I knew, I was at the hospital, half-blind, cold and tired. Kyousuke stitched my arm back up and healed my wounds...and I had been there since.” Ayato explained with a sigh.

“Ayato Hyuuga, the Prince of the Byakugan, now a bum?” The grizzled sellsword noted, scuffing at his luck.

“Hilarious. So are you here to make fun of a boy recovering from a crippling injury? What's next on your to-do list for today? Kill some puppies?” Ayato chuckled mildly, Lance not looking amused one bit.

“Business. I knew we’d find each other here.” The older man said finally, his brow forming into something that looked uncomfortably like frustration. “Kage wants to see you,” Lance said, putting a lot of emphasis in the last word, trying to make Ayato feel somewhat important, no doubt.

The young shinobi laughed despite himself, coughing into his hand. “I’m homeless, poor, and maybe I don’t have it in me to fight no more. What does your employer want with me?” When he walked the street for answers, he learned that Taiji Heiji vacated a fortnight barely after being named Kage, and one of his top lieutenants had taken over the village.  

“Yasaki did not mention the details. Just that he needs your help.”

Denkiteki Hayato was the Kage when Ayato had walked the path from fresh Academy Student to the winner of the second-ever Chuunin Exams hosted in Hoshi. To others, this may have been a thousand years ago. It had been just yesterday for Ayato. In the meantime, four others had succeeded Denkiteki Hayato in the title of Kage. Five now, with this Yasaki. 

“Maybe..for a price.” 

“Price?!” Lance’s sheathed tanto met the wooden table with a soft thud. “How about I don’t kill you right now. Do we have a deal, my lord?” The grizzled Mercenary shinobi threatened the Hyuuga heir, his voice a raging inferno. The bar grew eerily quiet as the older man had said the words far louder than he had intended.

“Lance…”  Ayato drunk deep from his glass cup, draining what remained of his whiskey. He sucked in air as the aftertaste of the drink burned his throat. “If we are to go down that route, you’ll need a much bigger knife.”

It would be terrible. The old Mercenary shinobi’s service to the Hyuuga family dated back thirty years when he did missions alongside Ayato’s grandfather back in Konoha when he was not much older than Chuunin was now. Lance even claimed to have known the young Hyuuga since he was a baby in his late mother’s breast. Even though it was unlikely, Ayato could confirm that part since he had just been born and all. 


“Maybe I’m not afraid to try with this one. Or maybe there are a dozen shinobi in the bar ready to move in on you.” The old weasel said in a no-bullshit tone. Instead of drinking and playing cards with Lance, Ayato should have pointed a gentle fist projectile at his dried testicles when he sat in the booth.

He was in no mood for a stalemate.

“Fine, you win. If you are here to kill me, go ahead.” Ayato said with a huff.” Right here.” Pointing at his heart. Ayato had lost everything that he had had. There was nothing left to lose. Death might as well be in favor at this point. 
“Kill you? Kid, I’m here to save your career for whatever that is worth.” 


In coin, perhaps. Lord Hibari Hyuuga was a firm believer that you should never trust a Mercenary shinobi. Those who held no allegiance to anyone but the highest bidder had shit for honor. He had said and many more, yet this logic never seemed to apply to Lance. Ayato’s father held a deep respect for the elderly shinobi, claiming he was a different breed of a sellsword, one that would die first than betray his clients, former or current.


In the end, Ayato couldn’t decide if Lance had sold him out for coin or looking after him as a debt to his family. He wanted to trust his father's judgment and, ago with the latter. “If your employer wants my help. He can bloody well ask for it.” Ayato let out firmly, and there were times -not many- that Lance Kawaguchi threatened to smile, and the whole world trembled.

The man sitting at the table next to them placed down a newspaper and moved onto the booth were Ayato and Lance.  He who was the brains of this operation took a good look of the young Hyuuga before speaking." So you must be Ayato? It's great to see you. I'm the Hogokage." The man paused but only for a moment, inhaled, exhaled, and then continued. "There are a lot of things going around.. and really I am pleased by you. Your efforts and commitment to this village surely have benefited us. I've been eyeing you for some time, and I got to say you please me, Ayato. With that, I've got something to tell you.." Was his last words.

Yasaki paused seemed to happen as he continued in a calm tone. "They have chosen you to be the one to lead the Anbu organization. By that, are you up for this?" Yasaki finished and waited for Ayato's response.

“Yes, I would really like that. “The former hero declared, trying to hold back the cockiness in his smile. Ok, maybe he didn’t, but Yasaki took the message.

WC: 1243
TWC: 2087
Mid thread claims: 
20 AP for 2000 words
[Accepting rank up to ANBU/Nova Corps Commander and the appropriate rewards.]

Approved

Yasaki was happy with how businesses ended up. The next rounds of liquors was on him. Yasaki eased out, Yasaki woke up in a dustbin.

[exit]

TWC: 886

http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t41513-yalonoski

+886 twc on Yalonski

Approved m8.

It had been four days since Ayato had taken command over the ANBU in Hoshigakure. During that time, he had searched the streets for Miyamoto. However, the young Hyuuga had not entered the Royal Palace, instead deciding to scout it from afar with his Byakugan. Miyamoto was not there, neither was Hikari Namikaze, so it was pointless to go there. Lance had helped all he could, supplying the Byakugan heir with information and tips. Apparently, one of the guards had spotted Prince Sunshine heading out of the city some time ago with the lifeless body of Hikari Namikaze in his arms.

So now the young man stood at the gates of Hoshigakure once more. "They all fled to Sunagakure," Ayato said over his thin shoulders to the small figure behind him. "Who the fuck flees to Sunagakure. I can think of a million better places to flee at."

"Right. Stay out of trouble now, kid." The grizzled mercenary said, patting him on the back. The thud of his wrinkled hand hurt more than Ayato liked to admit. "I don't want to come back and find you in another coma."

"You know I can't promise that," Ayato smirked despite himself. "Good luck on the path, old man." One final nod was given before the sellsword walked past him and made his way out of the village. If there was one man alive capable of tracking a bounty anywhere in the world, this was Lance, even if that was in the middle of a desert warzone.



WC: 255 
2342
566 to Paralysis Seal already at 934 [934+566 = 1500|1500] trained here
1500 to Chakra Storage Seal [1500|1500]
276 to Blood Seal  [276|1000]

Claiming 2 ap

You can Claim jutsu if you would like.

Alright, bump for jutsu claimed.

Approved!