A Song [Open]

The islands are remembering a time before Kirigakure. It's a clear and warm night. The stars are strewn across the sky, bright and unconcerned.

Murata sits in a quiet sea cave, the light of the stars and the moon through a gap in the ceiling, dancing blue against the ocean water. The ocean laps against the sand, this ocean of sheltered beach a small, little-known hideaway in the village. Murata enjoys coming here. She'd been lured to it by the strange sound the wind makes, when it flows through here. The melodies of wind and rock, the steady erosion of the waves, has a beauty to it. How wonderful that everything came together to make such a sound.

Then, there's the memorial. 

It's just a small, humble thing. A stone buried in the sand like a grave marker, the symbol of Shimagakure carved into it - weakly scratched out by a passerby, at some point, with Kirigakure's waves scrawled next to it with shallower cuts.

Below the symbol, in the same deep carving of the original hand:






[327]

The Sake bar where Kato often finds himself spending his evenings was surprisingly busy tonight. This usually doesn't bother Kato, in fact he loves being part of a raucous crowd, but he's not feeling it tonight. 

Kato pushes through the crowd, stepping out into the warm clear night. He takes a deep breath of the fresh air and begins to daydream as his feet carry him wherever they fancy

" It sure is a lovely night...  "

As Kato wandered, sake bottle in hand, he was drawn by the sound of waves

" Ah, the beach... such a relaxing place.. just listen to those waves " 

Kato wandered further down the beach before before noticing a woman placing a few cakes and a can before a small memorial stone.

" I'm sorry, am I disturbing you? I've spent that much time with my head in the clouds I didn't pay attention where my feet were taking me "

Kato raises his bottle towards the woman with a smile

" Fancy joining me for a drink miss? It's a lovely night for it "

[WC = 175]

Murata hears distant footsteps on the sand. She takes a few moments to listen, curious as to what this person's footfalls can tell her. They're light, meandering. Nowhere important to be. Has the song brought them here, as well? She turns her head as the figure approaches closer.

It's amusing to find somebody so similar to her, at least at a first glance. The turn of Murata's head reveals to Kato the dotted tattoo pattern that covers her entire right side. It's dim in the cave, obscuring his view, but the tattoos are stark against her pale skin, and so meticulously and mathematically applied that the slight distortion to them from the scars running along her throat is obvious. Murata can only mourn that she is not dressed in such a fun way. Such curious, clear white eyes. She's seen them in passing on other faces, but their meaning eludes her.

Murata is dressed in her usual manner. Usually she would leave her weapons home as a sign of respect, but the symbols carved into this stone make her feel as though she is remembering a shinobi. Murata has little religious grounding in how to respect shinobi, as she was always taught that they were unworthy of such consideration, but when she has lurked at the edges of other memorials in Kirigakure lost comrades have usually been visited fully-armed. She can only hope that Hondou-san is not insulted by the heavy kanabo club slung across her back.

"Would you tell me where you got that shirt?" Murata asks, voice thick with her Wolf country accent. "So colorful. Would you have enjoyed that, Hondou-san? I've seen the buildings still around from Shima," she directs her speech back to the memorial stone, for a moment, before her attention turns back to Kato.

"You aren't disturbing me at all. I've just been thinking on a bit of a mystery. Like the judge stories," she grins. "Hopefully with fewer characters. I don't have the mind for that. I could do to meet a ghost, though."

Murata tilts her head lazily towards the memorial stone. "I will never turn down a drink, but please offer some to our dear host, first. My name is Murata, she says, tone an invitation for him to introduce himself in turn.

[382]
[TWC: 709]

As Murata turns her head in the direction of Kato, the shadows move to reveal the multitude of tattooed dots covering her right side. His eyes could not help but notice the scar running across her throat as the woman stepped away from the dim cave. Hmm, how odd to run into someone so similar in initial appearance. I'm not the only one with a taste for eccentric tattoos it seems. 

Kato quickly studied the woman stood before him with his pearlescent eyes. She held herself with a strong air of confidence, not unlike himself, and carried a heavy kanabo club across her back. The sight of the weapon made Kato wonder if there was going to be any trouble tonight, if there was he'd have to improvise, he'd left his katana in his home along with his other ninja equipment. 

Kato smirked as he looked at the clothes he was wearing, a floaty unbuttoned shirt with the pattern of waves carrying cherry blossoms weaved into its fabric; loose tan shorts and sandals. He looked like he'd just got off a pleasure cruise.

" Oh this old thing? I now a tailor who's got quite the distinctive style. I could take you there some time if you'd like? "

The accent that she spoke with, it wasn't the same as the locals. Just another similarity Kato thought to himself, but it was different to his. Definitely not Fire country.

" Ghosts ey? Have to come here to visit someone? " Kato says as he looks past Murata to the memorial.

" My apologies "

Slowly walking towards the memorial Kato removes a small cup from his pocket and places it in front of the memorial being careful not to spill as his fills the cup.

" Nice to meet you Murata. My name is Kato " Kato says offering the sake bottle


[WC = 304]
[TWC = 479]

"Ah, a forward thinker? I love to meet interesting people," she says. A tailor, how fancy! She's put on a bit of muscle and weight since arriving in the village (becoming better fed and better trained), perhaps a change in wardrobe is in order. It's hard to let go of things from home, though.

Murata accepts the sake bottle, idly drumming her fingers against it as she realizes she has not been provided a cup. She takes a swig directly from the bottle and passes it back to him with the slightly serene expression of somebody who is comfortable with on occasion being frightfully rude. Respect is for the dead, after all. She swallows her mouthful of sake - not bad - and considers his comments on the memorial with a thoughtful forward lean towards it, resting a cheek on her knuckles.

"I have been visiting here for a few months, now," she says. "Every now and again. I found this stone as a recent arrival to the village. I wondered, what can it teach me? Who and how do the people here remember? I am not certain of who Hondou-san is or was, other than that they were certainly shinobi. I found it curious that the symbol of Shima endures here, as every other memorial in the village I have come across bears the mark of mist alone. Were the names of those who died for the island village disposed of, or claimed in death by mist?"

Murata flashes him a grin. "I have always been taught it is dangerous to ask shinobi too many questions. Is that true?"

[268]
[TWC: 977]

" Interesting is definitely the right word to describe this tailor, but a word of warning, she has the tendency to throw whatever is at hand if you criticise her work " Kato says with a chuckle, remembering the last time he'd visited her shop, and the series of needles he'd narrowly dodged after making a joke about one of her pieces. 

Bringing his focus back to Murata, he watches her as she briefly considers the bottle, lightly drumming her fingers on it before taking a swig. He'd stumbled across this woman by chance & knew nothing about her, but with each word exchanged he silently gathered information. He smirked as he accepted the bottle back, taking his own swig straight from the bottle. It seemed to Kato the he and Murata shared quite a few commonalities. They both originated outside of the village but have eventually made it here; they both sport 'unique' tattoos & have an appreciation for a fine weapon; & now another piece - they are not concerned with following usual etiquette and are unfazed by what some may consider rude behaviour.   

Kato shifted his gaze to the memorial as he listened to Murata talk. As she spoke the wind blew through the small cave nearby and for the first time Kato heard the strange melody that the sea cave produces. "Is this what brought her here in the first place?" he thought to himself as he refocused on the words she was saying. It was strange to find the symbol of Shima on the memorial, Kato knew that even though he is not usually found visiting memorials. Could there be something to it? He felt like he was only scratching the surface of a hidden mystery. 

As Murata finishes speaking, punctuating her seemingly loaded question with a grin, Kato's expression shifts. His face moves from a state of considered contemplation to intrigue, he raises an eyebrow as he begins to speak

" Interesting.. I have been taught that questions can be used in many ways depending on the situation & the desired outcome, just like ninja tools such as kunai and shuriken. It makes sense that throwing too many of these at shinobi will aggravate them.. "

Taking another swig from the bottle of sake still held in his hand Kato turned his gaze back to Murata, there was a sense of calm intensity in his eyes as he spoke.

" There has been several questions asked tonight, so the question on my mind is who is the one endangered by them? You, Me, or our gracious host here? "

[WC = 426]
[TWC = 905]

"Nobody is in danger! We are just having a conversation!" Murata stands and stretches, looking amused at his reaction. Shinobi, always so serious. "It is simply a difficult change for me. I come from a place where there are no secrets. It makes me sad to think of knowledge as a weapon. That's no way to live."

Does it sadden her to think of knowledge as a weapon? She said it, certainly, but now she questions herself. Knowledge is her sacred duty, but her survival here cannot always rely solely on her faith.

Murata draws her heavy club from her back and brings it down on to the sand with a soft 'thump!', the head of the weapon sinking in to the sand so that it stays upright where she has left it. He has brought no visible weapons here, so she will make a show of laying down her own before her proposition.

"Would you care for a spar, mister Kato?" she asks, turning towards him, cracking her knuckles. They stand a meter apart. "I bet it has been a long while since our host has had a good show!"

[WC: 191]
[TWC: 1168]

Current Stats wrote:Base Stat Total: 127
Vigor: 33
Chakra: 15
Speed: 40
Strength: 39

Base AP: 330
Bonus AP: 12

Kato stretches an arm up and rests it on the back of his head, lost in thought for a moment.

"She's right we are just having a conversation. Why am I being so defensive? I guess its hard to switch off from the shinobi mentality, even on a night like this." Kato smiled as he came out of his thoughts and is posture relaxed.

" In that case where you come from is the complete opposite to where I was born. Where I was raised there were strict rules and with strict rules usually comes secrets that they're protecting, that's the case with the Hyuuga clan. It sounds like a much more pleasant upbringing, no secrets, trust. "

Kato watches as Murata brings her club down and cracks her knuckles, smiles and rolls his head side to side starting to loosen himself up. " It would be my pleasure, I do love to spar in such a beautiful setting." Kato shifts himself into a defensive L shape stance with his left palm reaching forward and a smile on his face. " I would still like to carry on this conversation while we spar, if thats alright? I'd love to know about this place without secrets, it intrigues me." Kato watches Murata closely with his pearly white eyes, ready for her to attack. " Ladies first. " 

[221]
[TWC = 1126]

Stats:

The Hyuga clan. So he introduced himself with his given name, did he? It's little surprise, given his attitude thus far. His words are consistent with what she has heard of those secretive shinobi clans. She thinks back to childhood legends of freakish mutants who set children afire with but a glare, or hunt through the dark with shining yellow beast-like eyes and blinding spotlights dancing through the night. It's all quite exciting - did those ghost stories hold a kernel of truth? What secrets do those milky eyes hold?

Murata falls into a boxing stance with left leg slightly forward and feet shoulder-width apart, hands loose in a high guard and elbows tucked.

"There will be no need for imperfect words. I have a certain gift," she says, a wry grin on her face. It will be a pleasure to have an opportunity to trade blows once more without having to hold back her abilities. There is always the possibility that he will panic and retreat from being known, but Murata allows her hopes to fly high.

She wastes no time, opening with a left arm jab - left foot a half-step forward and arm twisting straight as she extends her fist forward in an exploratory strike, index and middle knuckles aimed towards his jawline - just to the left of his mouth. Her eyes are sharp, focused on the motions of his arms and his body, prepared to retreat or to parlay her movements into a follow-up blow as soon as he indicates a response. Her motions are performed at her full speed, but in such a playfight she holds back her full strength so as to prevent serious injury.

[279]
[TWC: 1447]

" Have it your way, we'll converse with our limbs then "

This was only a play fight so Kato didn't feel the need to use his Byakugan, at least not yet. It was good to practice fighting without the Byakugan, he'd hate to be completely reliant on his bloodline trait. Of course if things got a bit more heated he knew it was a good ace in the hole, but it might not come to that. 

Kato holds his ground, watching Murata's movements closely. As she closes the distance he readies himself by coursing chakra through his system. Upon the trigger of Murata's initial strike, Kato moves his lead hand and foot in a quick burst of movement. Both his left hand and left foot move in a quick sweeping path across the midline to the left. He uses his focus and fine chakra control to aim his backhand strike at the inside wrist of Murata's outstretched arm whilst also aiming for the inside of the ankle of her lead leg. Kato waits to time his strike at the point where Murata is still stepping forward but has yet to plant her foot. Knowing that if these strikes land his opponent's midline will be exposed he prepares to release an open palm strike towards Murata's chest, intending to release the chakra from his palm before making contact with her body so that she will recieve a blunt 'pushing' force rather than a direct assault on her organs, it was only a play fight after all, even if he was moving at full speed.

[262]
[TWC = 1388]