True Blood [w/ Mizuki]

It wouldn’t be Guren if he had come up a new village and didn’t visit its place of education: The Academy. Since arriving at Sunagakure, he had been eager to see its standard of learning. His upbringing in Kumogakure had dictated a deep appreciation for academia within Guren. If there was one thing he truly missed about his life before becoming a missing ninja, it was the academy. Specifically, its library. Although he was certain that as a visitor of Sunagakure he would not be allowed access to the interior of the school, he still wanted to pay homage to it. Within his first couple days of venturing throughout the village, he had come across the ruins of the old academy and became disheartened. He worried that there was no formal place of development for shinobi.

It wasn’t until a passerby had informed Guren that he found that that the academy had since been rebuilt. That was a sigh of relief. If the importance of education to the village was not a high priority, then his time in Sunagakure would likely be cut shorter. Fortunately that wasn’t the case.

When he finally arrived to the new academy, he would stop in his tracks. At this point all he could do was marvel at the building. It was well sculpted, clean, and massive. Although he wasn’t certain as to what was inside, he could only imagine. There were probably plenty of classrooms inside, in which students loved to attend. The library would be huge, with nearly an endless number of rows of shelves. Each shelf was probably filled with books on history, philosophy, science, and more. It was probably all too good to be true. Just as quickly as his eyes developed that twinkle of excitement within them, they cut down and closed momentarily. Guren let out a sigh. He wondered what life would have been like if he had been born under different conditions. Maybe he would have been able to enjoy his childhood more, and subsequently his time as a student. Maybe he would have developed more pride of being a ninja from his village. Maybe his headband would have had more meaning to him. But hypotheticals were a waste of time. There was no sense in glooming over the past. Especially when something so bright and hopeful lied before him.

Thus he took another deep breath, opened his eyes back up and exhaled. Seeing the academy had caused Guren to relive some of the better memories he had during his academy days. It was bittersweet, but just a part of the past. There were other ways for him to learn now: primarily in the field. All of his experience as a wanderer, in combat, and dealing with different situations had taught him things that no book or instructor could. It was more than fulfilling, yet not still enough. It reminded him of his future goal: to create a laboratory. Yet seeing the academy gave him another idea. Maybe one day if he was ever a member of a village again, he could serve as an instructor and bring more real world applications into the classroom. But that would assume that a village would accept him as a shinobi. If any were to do that, Sunagakure be the likely spot. Although the potential of returning to Kumogakure might grant that dream as well. However he would have to make it back to the village without getting killed first. And he would have to atone for his crime once there. The possibilities were endless, but for now they were just thoughts. In the meantime, Guren was ironically enjoying his time as a missing ninja. It was an interesting way of life, yet at times proved to be rewarding.

By this time of the day, the sun was starting to set. Resultantly the sky radiated a blood orange color, which illuminated everything that the sun’s rays touched. The night time clouds began to faintly roll in, as day was becoming night. Although it was the perfect time to be outside reflecting on the events of his life, it was time for Guren to leave the area and find an inn to rest at for the night.
 
And so he snapped out of his thoughts. He had seen what he came to see and paid his respects. All in one motion he turned around in place and began to walk off. Right as he did so his eyes met a dark haired woman who seemed to be heading towards the academy. She walked with a purpose, like she had business to handle in the academy. Maybe she worked there? It wasn’t a farfetched idea based on her looks, as she seemed to be close to Guren’s age.  

“Uh excuse me,” Guren would call out hoping to get the girl’s attention. He removed one of his hands from his coat’s pockets to wave her down, while the other was still tucked away. Just then he had an idea. If she worked there, maybe she could give him a quick tour of the academy. This would give him a good opportunity to see if its library was extensive as he imagined. “Do you work here? I was hoping to see a bit of the inside of the academy, but I didn’t want to invite myself in. Seemed too late in the day to knock on the front doors.”

And with that, Guren noted her chakra signature. It was strange. The feeling of it reminded him of the aura in which his own gave off. Almost, bloody. Who was this woman? Could she somehow be a survivor of the Chinoike clan? No...that was impossible. Maybe she just had a violent past, and the bloodshed in her life had begun to manifest its way into her chakra nature? This was the more likely theory. In either case, it was quite unique. Perhaps she too would detect a similarity within Guren and the topic would come up. 

(WC: 1000)

The horizon of beige sand glared back at the vibrantly colored eyes of Mizuki, she had been on gate duty for several hours at this point and had watched the heat lines begin to create a mirage in the distance with apparent interest. She remembered several weeks of insufferable heat bearing down on her day after day, the need to keep herself covered or sacrifice her porcelain complexion. Thankfully she was now sitting in one of the guard towers that were fixed to the gate and temperature controlling barrier - put in place by the Kazekage himself, Kenshin. The village of Sunagakure was no longer a desert hellscape, instead falling more along the lines of desert oasis. So it was without a drop of sweat that Mizuki had been able to witness the mirage come to life over the sand at the horizon line, In fact, she doubted she had even moved from the position she had put herself in hours before - the desk chair turned backward so she could rest her crossed arms over the headrest, lean forward against the back and lay her chin on her arms. Her thin, nimble fingers had been drumming out a melodic and completely unconscious rhythm while she became lost in the intense landscape that was her mind.


It had been months since her encounter with The Wraith and while she was a complete mess upon her awakening in the hospital she had become more like her old self- with a few key differences that highlight to anyone who knows her just how much she had grown from the experience. Her time was split between four activities - Guard Duty, which she admittedly spends running through possible battle strategies and plays them out in her mind; Researching for jutsu development in the newly formed academies library.; Training/Missions with Kenshin and company.; Sleeping and relaxation, sort of… 


Han was punctual as always, his chakra signature coming into range well before he had entered the room. Mizu was on her feet with the chair tucked in under the desk and at the ready by the time he stepped into the room. Seconds after he entered she was already brushing past him and patting his shoulder on the way out in condolences - “Library day Hans, you know the drill.”, she turned back for a moment, a flash of her old intoxicating carefree-ness lighting her two toned eyes before she turned the corner and set out for the Academy.


Her gait was as silent as ever, walking almost with predatory confidence as she began to cross the square that was set in the front courtyard of the Academy - Kenshin had spared no expense in this addition. The long black tendrils of her hair were blown back by her pace as she approached the building - ‘Do you work here?’ - her footfalls slowed as she turned her face toward the voice, she hadn’t yet come to a halt, but instead continued walking backwards a few meters before stopping in recognition. Not of the face she stared at in cautious curiosity - Angular and harsh looking, with a manicured beard that led up into tightly twisted hair that fell over his harsh features at their own volition. No, it was not the person she recognized but of the chakra signature that felt akin to her own - deep crimson in color with a subtle ferocity underling the atmosphere. 


Raising her eyebrow in amusement she smiled pleasantly at the mysterious man in front of her and she nodded - “I do work here actually, lucky you.”, she did not work here, “Polite aren’t you?” Her tone of voice was riding the line between mocking and teasing, her eyes growing more interested at the odd combination his appearance and behavior brought about. Curious. “Tell you what - I’ll let you have a look around, no restrictions so long as you agree to answer any and every question I pose for you with complete honesty and an open mind. If you so choose to agree to my terms then follow me, and do keep up.”, flashing a charming smile that made her eyes warm slightly and highlight the crimson ring, she would turn on her heel and reroute herself towards the door. 

If he were to follow her, agreeing verbally or non verbally in her deal then she would pose her first question, “What's your full, birth given name along with your village of origin - but first, a taste of the reward.” She pulled the doors open as she spoke, continuing into the middle of the room and turning to face him. While the question might seem surface level at best it actually was more imperative to know these two facts about him before she entered the plethora of knowledge in front of her. Mizuki basically lived in these walls and would be able to direct her questions to lead her into researching the very person who was answering them. Fact checking while simultaneously learning more about any possible clans he hails from. “This,”, she said with real passion as she spread her arms out and cast her eyes upward, “Is the Academy of Sunagakure, brought to you by our very own Kazekage.” Set into the ceiling was a large dome of glass that allowed floods of natural light to cast itself into the entrance space. The floor had a large sundial set to perfectly align with the sun at noon, but the best view was late at night with the stars in the endless black sea cut only by the glow of the moon. “Your turn.”, one eyebrow cocked up expectantly and her arms coming to cross calmly behind her back.

[WC 944]

Jackpot. As his luck would have it, the woman that stood before him did indeed work for the academy. Upon hearing this, Guren's eyes lightly lit up and he wore a relieved smile. A part of him was convinced that he wouldn't be allowed entry, yet there was always hope. With the next comment, Guren would chuckle to himself a bit as he was teased. Perhaps we was a bit too formal in his approach, a product of his upbringing. Yet it wasn't the worse thing, as he could lax up his tone accordingly.

"Yeah haha. I guess I did come across too uptight, huh?" he joked.

After his rebuttal, Guren noted a slight shift in this woman's demeanor. She appeared more focused, as if she wanted to skip the small talk all together. The tone in her response confirmed this assumption, as the conversation took a more serious route. In exchange for a brief tour of the academy, Guren would have to answer some questions; honestly, at that. And this was fine. Guren was never one to deviate from the truth unless the situation dictated that it was absolutely necessary. Another exception was when it came to his identity. He was quite particular on who should know this level of information, as unfortunately many people had ill intentions. Nevertheless, Guren agreed with a "Seems fair enough". He then gleefully followed her to the door, yet maintained his cool. He didn't want to appear overly anxious but at the same time he had deep respect for education. 

Ironically, her request was of the exact thing that he was typically reluctant to. As a result, he couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. But truthfully this was not irony that she was requesting a proper introduction. This was fate. Just as he presumed, the shinobi who stood before him likely detected Guren's chakra signature and affiliated it with her own. Perhaps her thought process was similar to Guren's, deducing an uncanny resemblance of "blood" in his aura. Her detection of this was commendable, yet he wondered how she perceived it. Maybe she thought that Guren was similar to her. Maybe she thought he had a troubled past. Whatever it was, she wouldn't allow her mind to wonder too far. Instead she sought an immediate answer. And for these reasons, Guren was still willing to uphold his end of the bargain. But as he opened his mouth to begin, she continued. Though this time, she was trying to sweeten the deal and show Guren a glimpse of academia. Either way he would have complied, but this was a better option. 

When she would open the doors, a breeze of wind smacked Guren right in the face, carrying with it a studious scent of learning and literature. He would in turn enter the building, and the door would slam shut behind him. With that the introduction to the academy formally begun. His eyes panned past the hall and immediately towards the ceiling, which was an ornate donate permitting the setting rays of the sun to fill the room as the sky above darkened. It was beautiful, inspirational. His eyes then fell back upon the room the two stood within. It appeared to be an observatorium of some sorts, as the floor of the room was equipped with a shifting sundial. From the artwork and architecture of the room, it was clear that at different times of the day, different sections would be highlighted. Almost as if each hour told a different story and gave a different perspective. Yet before he would allow himself to relish in the atmosphere, he would need to tend to the business at hand. His eyes abruptly ceased from the spectacle, then immediately locked with his guide's. The new shinobi would stand several feet away from Guren, patiently awaiting for him to make a comment. Waiting for Guren to fulfill her request. He smirked, then begun. 

"Thank you..." he began, still smiling and quite appreciative. "Well, I am formerly from Kumogakure, within the Land of Lightning. My name is Guren Chinoike, but I go by G...I have been in the Land of Wind for several months now, but only recently entered your village. Who are you? A shinobi with some blood connection, I presume.." 

With his final comment, he folded his arms and seriously focused on the woman. The conversation would transition to a more serious tone now, as at this point the two were learning of the other's background. This was new to Guren. He had never met anyone alike to him, so his curiosity was piquing. Therefore, he couldn't help but preserve a stern look upon his face. Who knew what the identity of this woman could be and how it would relate to his own.

(WC = 800. Total: 1800)

The pure wonder was apparent in his features, eyes roving the ceiling and floor with hungry curiosity - in honest it was almost childlike in an endearing sort of way. They were starved of something interesting to look at, the journey through the harsh desert landscape that now only surrounded the village was well worth the travel to see a spectacle like this though. Sometimes Mizuki even secretly believed the Kazekage was also starved for beautiful things to look at, thus the birth of such a richly decorated academy - one of many picturesque venues he had recently added. Though he seemed to be entranced by the grandeur of the room he wasn’t one to waste time, his gaze met hers with an abruptness that might have shocked a more feeble willed person, but it only made her incline her chin in apprehension for his answers, expectant and watchful of lies that his body would betray him about. 

It began with a smirk - some people resort to smirks when they are under a verbal attack - how accurate. “Former Kumogakure nin” - ‘...The Village Hidden in Clouds, seek out ‘The Wraith’.” - the man's last words stabbed through her conscious mind with unpleasant intensity, her face remained its perfect porcelain colored mask of interest as he continued. Chinoike. That's what she was really listening for - the name didn’t ring any immediate bells but there were two solid courses of action she could take, follow the name or the village of origin. Knowing that the Kazekage had allies all over the globe it would be more prudent to find information on a specific village and narrow it down from there…

Releasing her hands from behind her back her left hand would slide into her pocket and take out her small black notebook, with pen attached to the front of it, and open it to a new page before dropping her gaze down to the yellowed page and beginning to write - ‘Profile of Guren Chinoike, former Kumogakure nin with an uneasy kinship to my chakra nature.’ - She hadn’t raised her eyes to meet his as he asked her whom she was. Not until he mentioned the blood connection did her gaze snap back up to his and soften from their analytical hardness. Tilting her head just enough to make the long tendril of her hair shift away from her face and expose her neck. Every move and action Mizuki made had meaning and was well thought out before enacting, even this small movement had deeper meaning, this small gesture was a common submission signal because it exposes the throat and neck and makes the person look smaller and less threatening thus generating more trust. 

“Oh G…,”, her voice was soft and musing, “,presumptions are unbecoming of you. Don’t diminish your name with such invasive questions, you *earn* the right to those.” Snapping the book closed in her hands the spell of her voice and her double edged words were broken. The air of curiosity and interest renewed as the book was tucked out of sight  before she cheerily cleared her throat, continuing her tour with a knowing smile. “I am Mizuki Ohta.”, she had no reservations in revealing her last name as it was her fathers’ name which had nothing to do with the clan her mothers’ family had originally hailed from. “You may call me Mizu or Miz if it suits you,-”, her eyebrows would furrow playfully at him, “Don’t look so stern, you’ll get wrinkles you know.” as the words left her mouth she turned to continue deeper into the academy, her comment unable to be pigeon holed into either an innocent superstition or a direct comment on his scarred and cracked facial features. A slap of acidity covered with a convincingly sweet exterior - that was the enigma of Mizuki Ohta. The moment one thinks they are on the same page as her she simply begins speaking a different language entirely - adaptability always.

As they walked down the corridor she made no further attempt to address his presumption, allowing it to hang heavy in his mind while she pointed out specific details about the building; Every window was placed with a cardinal direction in mind, or the fact that each archway was inlaid with certain markings indicating specialty uses for the room - all frivolous details to fill the silence as they neared their next destination. Two large doors were set into the wall at the very end of the corridor they had been traveling, larger than life the deep colored wood was carved with beveled squares on each that resembled the villages’ old symbol of an hourglass, topped with a half circle of stained glass in the shape of the sun rising over the horizon - every warm color imaginable spread out in the slivers of panes. She allowed her eyes to linger on the array of colors for a moment before she turned and addressed G with another question, “Before we enter the piece de resistance, the library and archives, I have another inquiry.”, a familiar flame of sadness flickering in the depths of her eyes, “What’s your biggest regret? Think deep within yourself before answering me, mean it, or … your eyes will betray you to me otherwise.”  She leaned back against the doors, her small frame not so much as rocking them in their frame as she watched him with an intense yet non-judgmental gaze.

WC 902
TWC 1846

True. Guren’s eyes had been ravenous, as all they had feasted upon since setting out from Kumogakure was hardship and suffering. Be that as it may, these sights had taught Guren of the real world outside of the protection of a village. He learned how to survive on his own. He ventured through various lands and sceneries. Yet they yearned for something pleasant and marvelous. The academy fulfilled that craving. To whom should he pay his respects to for overseeing the construction of such a wonder? Likely Kenshin, the highly esteemed Kazekage if he had to guess. Yet for some reason, he also felt compelled to show gratitude towards his tour guide. Not only for granting him access within the facility, but for devoting her time and effort to being a proud employee of academia. He would wait for the time to be right before doing so.

Nevertheless, his thoughts subsided as they reoriented on the subject at him. His formal introduction felt a bit forced. To be fair, he hadn’t the slightest intention on revealing his identity but as he continued to speak he felt a strange atmosphere of comfort developing between himself and the woman. Almost like a sense of trust, where his convictions would fall upon empathetic ears. It was possible that he could be wrong, but he didn’t detect ill intentions from the woman. She seemed rather, engaged yet simultaneously charitable. Perhaps it was just her natural composure and Guren was projecting his own level of comfort when reading the room’s atmosphere. But her body language didn’t seem to disagree. Quite honestly, it was more likely that she was neutral with her discernment of Guren’s dialogue. Not a single word he spoke seemed to phase her, save for when he stated his name and place of origin. Her response was uncanny, as she immediately retrieved a handbook and scribbled down some notes. Exactly what he didn’t want. Resultantly his face soured slightly, and brow furrowed. Guren hoped that this information would not escape this conversation.

As he continued, his right arm unfolded and raised up towards his chin. To which he would rub his index finger and thumb against to stroke his beard lightly. It was just a subconscious quirk that he had whenever his mind began to wander with trivial thoughts. Truly he was just speculating on what the woman thought of what he said and how she might respond. Her stare was still fixated upon her notebook up until Guren’s final comment. It was direct, and straightforward. Probably more so than what she would anticipate. But there was no sense in beating around the bush, as the two could clear sense their affinity for each other’s chakra. This time her eyes lacked intensity, and instead roused a balmy look. He thought she was warming up to him.

Ironically enough, her tone also lacked the sternness it once carried. Now it was a bit more playful, just as her words were. They were clear that she didn’t intend to share to the same level of depth that Guren did. But her identity wasn’t a part of the original bargain. Still, she was kind enough to share at least her name: “Mizuki”, he repeated under his breath. “It’s nice to meet you.” Though she offered her nicknames, he would refer to her as Mizuki. And Mizuki’s next bit of advice was humorous. There was no reason for him to take offense, as he was well aware of his serious eyes. The scars upon his face didn’t help in making him look gentler. Realizing he had been focusing too profoundly on such a naïve conversation. Maybe his identity wasn’t of vital importance as he had supposed. With that, he laughed shortly; exhaling the slight bit of tension his body maintained, allowing him to feel a bit more off guard. Although his mind was still sharp and slightly on edge, he wanted to appear more at ease. Yet Mizuki probably wouldn’t have noticed that, as she immediately turned and started off to continue the tour. And so Guren would follow. Just as he thought he was getting a bead on her, it seemed like Mizuki would flip flop her personality. From intense, to alluring. It very well could have been a ruse, whereas she planned something greater with this interaction. But again, this was not a real concern of Guren’s. As he kind of shrugged off that thought, he reminded himself that the calm one dictated the mood of the conversation. Thus, he would clear his mind from dwelling on how the discussion had been proceeding.

While the two walked, Guren’s eyes would bounce off the hallway’s walls. From painting, to window, to the two large doors which stood before him. Mizuki would stop in her tracks, and Guren would as well. He focused his gaze upon the ornate details of the doors, and the village’s patriotic hourglass. Very well designed. Yet the spectacle was interrupted as Mizuki sharply interjected with another query. Guren would shift his weight to his back right foot and place his hand on the crowd of his head. With one finger he would lightly coil one of his braids around his fingertip as he thought on an appropriate response. He didn’t want to come across too somberly, yet he did intend on answer with candor. While he thought momentarily, Mizuki would brace herself against the doors to relax; all the while maintaining her focus on Guren. The air was still and quiet as Guren reflected and Mizuki stared.

Unsure of how much clarity his answer should have, he replied. “The circumstances of my birth.” It was a short response, but to Guren it carried mountains of meaning. Had he been born earlier, he would have known his grandmother and his clan. Had he been like the other babies, his birth would have allowed his mother to live. Perhaps life would have been better. There were certainly more answers that he could have responded with: deserting his comrades, not killing the hunter ninja sent after him, etc. But his response just had more personal meaning to it. Whether Mizuki understood or not did not mean much to Guren. It was difficult to explain. But the look upon his face conveyed his genuine feelings.

Shortly after his response, he countered. “It seems as if you’re quite intrigued with who I am and my background. Are you normally this inquisitive when meeting new people?” Still coiling his hair, he maintained a half smile while asking Mizuki of her behavior. In no way was he uncomfortable with the questions, to which his body language would agree with by his serene demeanor. But he was attempting to better understand Mizuki’s perception of him. He had a feeling that the indirect bond they shared had to be fueling some of her curiosity, but he wanted to confirm it. To be blunt, Guren didn’t expect an answer at all. Instead he anticipated a lighthearted response from Mizuki which would divert the subject away from her. She didn’t seem too keen on reciprocating with Guren’s openness. And to be honest, that was fine. After all, Guren was a stranger in Sunagakure. 

(WC = 1200, Total: 3000)

It was it’s own experience to watch someone react so openly to their surroundings - for them to allow such open enjoyment to be so genuinely expressed. So as much as she was posturing - because she was still no employee of the academy in any way - it was so cathartic to watch freely expressed emotions of any kind. She had encased her face in an array of ever changing masks in the years since her departure from Hoshigakure, constantly shifting persona’s and tweaking herself until she found the perfect version to deal with whomever she was dealing with. You can call it what it is, manipulation, but Mizuki wouldn’t agree with the negative connotations that word carried. She was just being thorough and accommodating of one's preferences. 

He was twisting the braids in his hair, his stance had shifted back to his right leg - dominant leg  in the guarded position - more trusting but definitely reserved. The answer he finally provided after an appropriate pause - she didn’t want him to dwell as that would cause overthinking and muddling of the instinctive reaction that came with a painful truth - so she was internally pleased to get such an honest and intense answer. The circumstances of one's birth was a subject that she had contemplated for too long… she had dwelled on that with exhausting intensity; Funny, that's two things we have in common- the thought resonated with her as she began to piece together possible reasons for his biggest regret. Her face had slid into an inquisitive look as she chewed on his answer;

Theory one was that he had a tragic enough childhood that he wishes he wasn’t born, which is an interesting angle seeing as how no one has any control over being born, thus making that a regret for someone else’s conscious to bear. Theory two was that his birth was unnatural and held some ominous deeper connection… possibly to the Chinoike clan. The list could continue in a maze like fashion as one theory would wind into the next - normally she would be writing all of this down in her book, updating her ‘Last Resorts’. Though… the look on his face was capturing her attention- sincerity was hard to come by in this corner of the world called Sunagakure - so seeing it burning in his eyes was enough to convince her that he was true of heart. 

A half hearted smile formed on her face to reflect his as he once more openly called her out - not in a bad way by any means as the behavior showed her that he wasn’t shy and was blunt; the same way she actually was. With a glint of mischief in her eye she countered him, “Inquisitive is a weak word to describe me don’t you think? Intrusive is more accurate - because yes I am always this intrusive into people’s lives. If I deem the information given I too will give a piece of information, and since you haven’t lied to me yet everything has been truthful.”, she cocked her head again as she contemplated her next move for a split second before launching into speech - “Our backgrounds are very similar G, you’ve obviously noticed the kin ship of our chakra natures; which let me be clear is a first for me. Now, to be blunt with you -”, she hesitated as if she was weighing the pros and cons of what she was about to admit, “- I don’t actually work here.” She let out a small laugh, a sly smile directed at her “big reveal”. Finally she turned to the left door and swung it open wide enough to admit them both. “Since we’re here though, why not get a further look.” giving him one final grin she continued on into the library.

The smell of leather armchairs and old books was comforting as she took in the scale of the knowledge that laid in front of her - once you walk into the room you immediately descend a large staircase down into the actual space. The rest of the space was set down deeper so as to have two levels without building any higher than the ground level of the building. Everything here was modestly colored, studious in atmosphere but also deeply calming and clearing of the mind. This had become one of her most treasured spaces as it was a reprieve from the hostilities living in her mind. Her hand slid down the banister and slid off the edge as her feet hit the polished sandstone floors - light tapping echoing in the silence as she veered off to the right side of the room before pausing and turning to him again.

“Have a look around G, Jutsu and forms are to the left; medical, ninjutsu and on; political information is the front center here since it's normally the most sought after, oh just have a look I could stand here all day describing it to you.”, nodding in ascent she continued to the right side - Clan Lineage and History. Her fingers brushed over the spines of the books as she searched their shelves keywords like - Ketsueki and Chinoike, as well as grabbing any records that had to do with Kumogakure or Kirigakure specific clans. Her arms now ledden with a few scrolls and texts that might do the trick she returned to the front of the room and dumped the pile on a table large enough for six. She spread out the texts and arranged them from specificity - the broader titles to the left and the more specified ones to her right. 

She stood over her pile, arms crossed and eyes hard in concentration - to her left was the most obvious first step; Ancient Clans of the Kumogakure This was a lengthy one, detailing the histories of a dozen clans that she had never heard of, only Chinoike stood out to her, and it was claimed to be an extinct clan in these times. Though her home village was Hoshigakure her mother had told her that her family had hailed from Kirigakure and thus was the other title she poured over - their history was a terrible tale as well, with only six original members fleeing after an onslaught the name and  grandeur of the Kyuketsuki clan had faded into the obscure.  The more specific books yielded no information on either of these clans, both having faded from official history recordings long before these were written. 

Slamming shut the cover of the last text she would glare down at the only information she had gleaned from this search - the two paragraphs detailing the tragic history and neither mentioning anything further about the specifics of their bloody nature. Sighing in exasperation would call out to him, “Hey Chinoike, come here. Its time we brush up on our family history.”, she made no attempt to hide the documents she had gathered, perhaps a second pair of eyes would see a connection between the two clans that she was missing, or possibly have more up to date information than these poorly informed sources. She would be leaning over the texts, staring down at them in contemplation while she waited on his return.

WC 1198
TWC 3044

While Guren would observe his surrounding and truly embrace the atmosphere around him, he briefly took notice of Mizuki watching him. In his subtle excitement, he had let himself go and likely appear too juvenile in nature. But he couldn’t help it. This was the type of environment he truly sought after. Thus he let his joy run wild, without expressing it too visibly. When it came time to respond to Mizuki’s question, her intrigued reaction seemed as if she found his response acceptable yet surprising. Potentially that vague yet heavy of an answer was unusually blunt. Maybe so much so that it made her uncomfortable? He hoped not, yet stood by it.

And in that moment there was silence. Silence to the point that Guren had maintained his posture while Mizuki seemed to take a little time to ponder on how she should respond. In the meanwhile, Guren began to think of ways to divert the conversation away from himself. And that was when his question regarding Mizuki’s behavior came about. Instead of focusing too much on his troubled past, perhaps he would learn a bit of the woman’s behavior and motives. And so he would, well…kind of. Clearly she was not akin to being referred to as inquisitive, but instead deemed intrusive as being more precise. And she was exactly right. For a favor as trivial as seeing the academy, she was requesting quite a bit of information from Guren. This wasn’t necessarily an issue, however Guren did begin to reconsider how much he should share.

(WC = 258. Total: 3258)

Although he voluntarily complied up until this point, her comment did make him feel as if he should dial his openness back a bit. Nevertheless the topic shifted once again and now back to the uncanny affinity the two shared. Mizuki finally seemed to acknowledge it out loud, and to Guren’s pleasure. It would seem as if she agreed with how strikingly the apparent the similarities were. But the conversation didn’t remained centralized on this, as it took a brief detour to complete discombobulate Guren. The girl didn’t even work here. Deceived. Hoodwinked. Bamboozled. All of that could describe Guren’s internal feelings. But instead of painting those emotions of his face, he wore a mask of naivety, laughed it off and shook his head. “Jeez…” he let out in a semi-friendly tone.

Mizuki then retook the reigns of the conversation and proposed the two venture off deeper into the library decipher the mystery of their alikeness. Guren agreed that this was the best course of action. Shit, they had already both broken into the academy at this point. Why not go ahead and enjoy what it had to offer as well? He nodded and followed closely behind eagerly. As he did so, she would lead him around the neatly organized sea of shelves which inhabited the library. Its scent could soothe the soul of any bibliophile, as the aging pages and worn leather emanated throughout the room. It was almost enough sensory overload to force Guren into a state of nostalgia, reminiscing on his childhood and the time he spent within similar walls.

(WC = 263. Total: 3521)

Mizuki’s familiarity with the library was indicative of her passions as a bookworm as well. Her jovial movements, walk with a cadence, and twinkle in her eye as she traversed the space seemed to reflect a state of tranquility within this place. Pure. Innocence. That’s what libraries empowered. Guren chuckled to himself lightly as he followed Mizuki. Perhaps it was the blood bond the two shared that made him feel as if they had been friends, maybe even just the mutual appreciation they both had for the library. Whatever the case was, Guren felt a bit more relaxed again and allowed his eyes to guide his body to divert towards other shelves as they drew him in. At this point his fascination was so loud it was nearly audible, drowning out the prompt that Mizuki had offered to show Guren around. Hell at this point he was showing himself around.

His self-prescribed tour was short lived, as he snapped back to reality when Mizuki had called him over to review the history of their families. To his delight, they were finally making some progress together. He waltzed over to her direction, and observed her as she shut the book before her. Close by there was a mound of books all of which she had presumably gathered to track down and piece together any research she could fine. “Ancient Clans of Kumogakure” stood out to Guren, he had read over numerous sections within this book during his upbringing in the village.

(WC = 250. Total: 3771)

His clan was in this book, yet in very slim detail. And from the information he had learned from the scrolls of his grandmother and the bearded blood Vultures, some of it wasn’t even accurate. As his eyes shifted from that book to Mizuki he called out with some disappointment in his voice, “Yeah…That book doesn’t really have much. I’ve read through a lot of it back in my time. Not much more than commonly known information. To be honest I’ve learned more of the Chinoike during my travels from Kumogakure to Sunagakure than I have in any book. Although I do have some scrolls written from my grandmother…” As he reflected aloud his eyes met a book entitled, “Kyuketsuki and Clan Lineage”. He reached down to pick the book up which lied to the left of Mizuki. Kyuketsuki…must have been her background.

Upon opening and quickly skimming through the book, it would seem as if their origin lied within Kirigakure. How true this was would be up to Mizuki to confirm, but that wasn’t the focal point of the research. Although its origination in a completely different village would prove to be discouraging towards the connection Guren hoped to find. As he continued to read, the name “Jashin” caught Guren’s eye. However it didn’t mention that there was any connection between the clan and the God, which was the opposite relationship that the Chinoike had with Jashin. They were actually a clan blessed by Jashin. Ironically enough it would seem the two came from completely different backgrounds. He closed the book with his finger in between the pages and gripped it with his right hand as he reverted his sight back to Mizuki. An idea popped into his head.

“Mizuki, are you familiar with the God Jashin?"

(WC = 298. Total = 4069)