Re: Foreigners Who Found Home [Private/Mino]

Sun Jun 07, 2020 10:03 pm

Making a few quick mid-thread claims:

1709 words towards Resurrection (a little bit also trained here, and 17 stats (going into Chakra.)

Mon Jun 08, 2020 6:16 am

Approved

Mon Jun 08, 2020 11:11 am

A simple, strong, firm No would come back to the boy, as straightforward as it could possibly be he deemed. The answer to his question causes a sort of awkward lingering silence to find itself entering the scene for a moment or so. Zieg allowed it freely to seat itself at their table. He merely continued shuffling, neatly shuffling, all of the important village documents into his messenger bag, before returning it back to his side on the ground. He leaned it on his ankle, as to be able to acknowledge its existence at all times. The woman seemed fairly amused. Always typically a failure of the Uchiha to learn about the members of his occupation and village. It was not until very recently he was hit with the epiphany that allowed him to see the importance of creating connections with people. Not necessarily to make friends with absolutely everyone. No this man would simply be incapable of that. He understood her position and the basic desire of any human to hide the information they deem precious to them. Knowledge held such power. Sometimes more so than any jutsu or skill a shinobi could learn. Sure it could not literally leave a village burning to ash to become nothing, but the village WILL become nothing with the right knowledge.

With a now bare table between the two Zieg leaned back slightly in his chair and lazily and almost water like folded his arms over his chest in a fluid motion. He looked on at Mino, now less so keeping her face in his view but rather her entire visible form and being. She had eventually spoken, moving the conversation to the Land of Fire, his original home, where he was surprised to learn she had spent some time there. Despite it making sense, given she is almost double in Zieg’s age, it still was a surprise to find Mino seemed to also be well traveled. Zieg only spent time outside the village on missions, in which case his mind is entirely focused on the task. Never truly taking in and absorbing all the differences and similarities in the lands he has been to. She mentioned the research school in Umihoshi she spent time studying in and also spoke of the Konoha shinobi whom she initially thought to be sweet and soft. Zieg was young when he left, only a mere two years after becoming a Genin. He thought about that statement for a second. He did remember a lot of the older shinobi he met through his mentor and team leader to be very kind to Zieg when greeting him. A lot of them made sure to smile and give off an energy not typically found within shinobi villages. They did have quite the illusion of Konoha being one large family. However Zieg could recall along with these peaceful and nice memories the times when he overheard his peers and adults alike speaking ill of the Uchiha clan and other clans outside the village as well. He recalled being ostracized and even ganged up on on a couple of occasions by peers in the academy.

“Implication isn’t necessary.” Zieg responded in the same tone he had been speaking the entire evening. His face remained fixed as well. Aside from the moments of amusement Mino provided for him he had not shown much of another state of being as they spoke. His arms unfolded and stretched outwards slightly to their respective sides, his palms exposed and pointing slightly upward. He gestured as if to say Look at me. “What you see before you is a pure blood Uchiha born of their native land Konohagakure. Yet here I reside, a shinobi of Kirigakure. I do not believe it would be farfetched to view me, as you put it, two faced.” His arms returned to their original position across his chest. Despite his intentions, his desires, his fear for his life and the destruction of his own world, the fact remained that he IS a traitor of Konohagakure. Despite himself feeling justified in his actions he knew what the reality of the world was. It was a fortunate thing he gave very little mind to the thoughts and opinions people held of him. He definitely knew some Kirigakure shinobi saw him as a traitor and probably even believed he could go turncoat all over again like he did before. “We all wear masks. Every single one of us. Konoha’s mask was that of a peaceful and helpful village. But the reality of the matter is that they are a shinobi nation, exactly like we are. We all deal in death. Espionage. Deception. This is what we are.” Zieg’s normally enchanting golden brown eyes seemed drowned in a cold darkness for a moment as he spoke. Whenever he spoke of his original homeland those submerged buried memories and thoughts attempt to claw their ways to the forefront of Zieg’s mind, to create the same emotions they always did within him. He choked it all down however as he was trained to do. Perhaps the perceptive Mino would see Zieg’s eyes and the weight they carried in the brief window of time she had to do so. Everything else about the man gave nothing away.

WC: 880/3528

Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:12 pm

Mino responds to his statement of implication being unnecessary with a vague noise in her throat and a little shrug of her shoulders.

"As far as I’m concerned, you’ve simply pursued a superior job opportunity," she says, verbally waving off any concerns she may find him intrinsically untrustworthy for his previous affiliations. "...I won’t pretend Kirigakure occupies any kind of moral high ground, but hypocrisy bothers me. Dishonesty with children bothers me." She notes that icy look in Zieg’s eye - the look of somebody who has been hurt, somebody who has been betrayed. Disillusionment. Mino’s childhood was not happy by any means, but there is one thing she is grateful for - she could likely count the number of conscious lies her mother told her on one hand.

Well, 'conscious' is the key term. Mino’s mother lied to herself very often.

That cold, tumultuous storm in Zieg’s eyes brings Mino’s mind back to her conversation with Ballian. The two of them are close, obviously - brothers bound not by blood, but by circumstance. It is a bond that clearly has already transcended villages. Even once you have become disillusioned, the relationship between village and shinobi is not easily broken. It is in a village’s best interest to ensure that it has its claws deeply hooked into a shinobi. It is much easier to see this when you were not raised with it - Mino joined this village as an adult. She sought the eagle out, and asked it, ‘please, oh shinobi, won’t you close your talons around my throat?’

Mino imagines that it is easy to see for anybody who has left their old village for greener pastures, unless they have wholeheartedly swallowed propaganda. Zieg doesn’t seem like that sort of person… and it is quite interesting that he has climbed so high in the village’s power structures with the sort of mentality that he has displayed so far. It is also a fair assessment that, while Mino cannot assume that he and Ballian exist in complete harmony, their worldviews are at least compatible with one another. Though Ballian seems quite brash and naive (though likely is less so than he comes off), he is definitely someone that Mino can cooperate with.

...Zieg is another potential ally, then. Lucky lucky, Mino. All the while, Mino has been studying Zieg with an inscrutable expression, arms crossed and obviously deep in thought.

"You haven’t told me why our meeting is so fortunate for you, Lord Mizukage," she says. Her tone is still quite dry, but the standoffish coolness has begun to thaw into something more transparently playful, if still bristly.

OOC wrote:TWC: 439 (due to previous claims)

Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:42 pm

If for but a moment the Uchiha shinobi would seem a million worlds away as a million thoughts would send a million emotions fluctuating through his body all at once. Being aware of himself, his focused his mind to the conversation at hand. Golden orbs watched Mino as she gave her opinions of the situation. He found himself surprised to find sympathy from a Kirigakure shinobi, if it was indeed sympathy as he thought it. Perhaps only flattering words. Time would reveal which scenario to ring true. For now they would serve as comforting words.

“Yes. Kirigakure seems to hold very little time and regard for niceties like morality. Even for the children.” He calmly let the words loose from his lips. There was a brief pause before he continued speaking, making sure to gather the right words. “I am glad, if I’m to be honest. Things like morality and judgment are left to those who don’t live in the shadows. Those whom walk with society where their actions are for the world to see. These children won’t have that life or have those choices. I am envious. I wish I had been taught the reality of the world we ninja live in. For what I am not entirely sure. Perhaps to have gotten a head start on becoming what I’ve become.” The end of his statement almost ended mid-breath it seemed, as tho more were to come from his lips but he stopped himself and let out a brief chuckle. “Alas I’m sure this is of little interest to you. You’re more interested in something else.” he said slyly, his words eluding to Mino’s curiosity.

The long haired man pushed his legs against the floor, forcing his chair back a couple inches so he could come to a full stand. His arm reached for his bag as he rose and he placed it around his shoulder and chest, the bag a few inches from his right armpit. His left forearm went outward, towards the front entrance of the teashop, palm upright and fingers outward as if to say, “this way”.

“If you would join me for a walk I would be more than happy to satisfy your curiosities.” He smiled gently and leaned his head slightly, also pointing towards the front entrance.

WC:383/3911

Thu Jun 25, 2020 1:20 am

Mino briefly wonders where the differentiation between Kiri's lionization of honor and Zieg's conceptions of morality lie. It is useful to know that he is somebody who considers what they do horrible but necessary, as opposed to morally justified in some way. The latter does often manifest as a demonization of the 'other', which can be more difficult to maintain after broader life experiences out in the world.

For a moment, she briefly considers suggesting that there is always a choice as to what kind of life you want to live. She catches herself. The idea burns as a deep truth within her, but it is not one that she feels she can effectively articulate or argue. She grunts in acknowledgment as he changes the subject, saving her half-formed rebuttal for another time. Mino pulls herself to her feet, stretching out her neck as she rises, and doesn't wait for Zieg to begin stepping purposefully towards the door.

"Thank you for your excellent hosting, Rao," she says, offering him a wave over her shoulder as they exit the teahouse. "We're off to enjoy the weather."

Outside, the wet chill of the air immediately settles into Mino's bones. She briefly, mournfully considers that she should have gotten another tea to bring with her. This cold's going to be lingering in her body all night. She can be grateful, at least, that her body is not yet that sensitive to pressure changes - though there is some advantage in Kirigakure having manmade, if lousy, weather. She can make sure her father is well stocked up on pain relievers well in advance whenever there is upcoming maintenance to the storm barrier. Mino steps out into the street, scanning her surroundings with a wary eye, and then glances back expectantly towards Zieg.

OOC wrote:TWC: 736