Patroling the Village

The Nova assumed more problems would arrise from an all village chuunin exam, but not much had happened. Outside the usual, occasional bar fights and petty theft. Hell, even the religious folk who usually lined the street to hate on the Hoshi shinobi were holed up inside because of the devils from other villages moving about. If this became the norm he wished ninja from other villages could stay all the time.

Walking down the street of the crowded city square most people of the village moved out of the way for the Nova. He could hear the nightlife of the city all around him. The load music of clubs or the instruments of people playing on the street. This was like any other night in Hoshi. The man's eye moved about to keep watch on anything that might go wrong, but it seemed so far that the night would be quiet.

Anything easy the bouncers could handle without the Nova getting involved. Maybe, he would take the night off and build a hot spring for himself to enjoy or go to one of the bar's after changing out of his Nova cloak and lab coat.

The culture of Hoshi had changed in the years of her absence, or perhaps it was simply due to the clashing of many different cultures at once that made this place feel so different. She had been roaming the streets these past weeks, observing and interacting with a number of people - Hoshi born and otherwise - all under the guise of ‘another Suna Jounin come to watch the games.’ It was refreshing if she was honest, sliding under the radar again, reminding her of the time not long ago where she could move along without the subtle reverence she received back home. These were the thoughts she had as she leaned against one of the poster covered walls outside of a bar she had just vacated - too many people in a room at once was a recipe for a headache. To quell the throbbing at her temples from the incessant beating of a crowd of hearts she smoked. Was it her third now? She wasn’t keeping track anymore, letting her mind wander on the passing faces as she took drag after drag. 


She wore her usual clothes; white shorts with a revealing bodysuit that had longer sleeves and a cape like backing with her wide brimmed hat draped over her back. With the sun gone she had removed it to look less conspicuous, and it seemed to be working as she rarely went noticed. Long dark hair pooled in slight waved just past her collar bones while her face remained in general shadow - the glow of the cigarette lighting up her watchful  two toned eyes every so often, she was pushing her limits a bit now as the crimson was pushing into the violet iris. A few more days at best before she would need to eat. 

As she took another drag a man dressed in a white cloak crossed into her vision, much taller than her with short brown hair and, oddly enough, dark shades. She would scrunch her nose slightly in silent judgement - it takes a special kind of person to wear shades at night. While she couldn’t see his eyes she did notice slight turns of his face as he walked, watchful. Tilting her head slightly she continued to watch him for a few more moments, contemplating her next move - decision made - she pushed off the wall, flicking her cig off her fingers behind her and walked with confidence to his side matching his stride. With ease she slide her arm around his, looking straight ahead as if her actions were normal, the tone of her words were playful but purposeful, “You look like you have an interesting story, care to show a visiting shinobi around?” Only when her sentence was finished did she turn her face a bit to look at the shaded eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips.

WC 475

It seemed there were a few daring ones among the groups that had come from other lands to visit Hoshi. Akabayashi would think continuing to move as the beauty slid her arm around his. "I don't mind at all. I'm Akabayashi." He would briefly see her face as she turned to smile, he would return a smile of his own before returning his attention to where he was walking.

With a new friend around perhaps he should take the night off from patroling. If something happened he was exceedingly easy to find. "There are many places to go within the village. What interests do you have?" The doctor asked because it would help him figure out where she may like to visit.

Beneath his calm exterior there was a burning question. Why did she think he had an interesting story? The Nova knew it was likely due to his appearance, but would wait for the lady to ask. He would allow her to lead the conversation hoping he would be able to accommodate her.

The ladies name was Mizuki, a lovely name she had there herself. Akabayashi would wait to respond in order to listen to her queries. It seemed she was intrigued by his apparel. Specifically, his shades which were dark enough to not see the man's eyes from within. There wasn't much of a secret to it, so he would tell her, but not before she would catch the gaze of others and request to go to a more private location.

This caused a pause in the man's thinking. Was she really interested in learning about him or something else? Seduction was a tactic to retrieve information of course, maybe or  maybe not that was what she was up to. He would have to keep her close in order to find out though. "I have a number of hot spring locations in the area, along with a book and seals store, but I think my home would be the best. I can boil an incredible tea." He would say leading the lady toward a chuunin of Hoshi. "Ryu, I will be taking off for the night. I see no reason to keep many people in this area. Have two of the others patrol the streets." The man known as Ryu would salute and continue about his business.

"So, the glasses thing." He would say removing the shades and revealing a severely damaged gray eye where his scar was located and the other a brilliant green one. "I wear the glasses, so that people can't tell where I am looking and also to hide that I am blind in one eye." Of course, that was a lie the "blind" eye that didn't move or react to stimuli could see just fine, but nothing about the man's biology would suggest it was a lie. He would walk towards his home which was only a few blocks away, it was visible from the square, but he found more enjoyment in not telling people his home was a mansion. "How about yourself, tell me a little about Mizuki one doesn't become a jounin without picking up a few helpful tricks.  

When they got to.Akabayashi's home he would state "This is the Terumi mansion, only myself and my… nephew? Cousin? Distant blood relative live here."

Of course if Mizuki wished to ask any other questions as they walked the doctor would be open to answer. Depending on the content of the questions anyway.

She would give him a small exasperated laugh as the many options were presented to her, a man of many options was always a good sign - of what exactly it was hard to tell, perhaps he was used to her brand of approach or simply he was a lover of isolation. In the end he decided on his home which didn’t shock Mizu as much as she allowed her face to convey - almost bashful was the expression that crossed her face. Looking away for a moment to make the expression more convincing she nodded in agreement, following at his side as he made clear to a subordinate that he was to be taking his leave for the evening. The man named Ryu gave her merely a glance before saluting and continuing on his duty, hmmm interesting. 


“Tea is the fastest way to a good conversation, but we will have to see just how incredible it is when I have it on my tongue.” As the two walked he revealed the story behind his glasses, and indeed as she hoped it was an interesting development. Removing them she was fascinated and drawn to the scarred eye, completely covered in gray which was unlike the equally drawing green. Reaching out slowly she would attempt to touch the brow with the scar and down around the outer side of the damaged eye with feather light finger tips before retrieving her hand apologetically. “Excuse me, I can't seem to help myself. Yes haha, you are correct I have come into my fair share of helpful tricks through the years but I truly think I came into my position by simply placing myself in the right places at the right time. Timing is everything isn’t it Akabayashi?” 

His heartbeat remained even  and composed, only spiking once when he tried to explain his living situation to her but it was nothing more than a confused spike before returning to normal. The estate was beautiful, and to have all this space for just two members of a household seemed… lonely. Entering the home she removed her shoes at the door, as she would at her own home, and released him from her grasp to remove the hat on her bat and lean it over her shoes before looking around. “So, about that tea? I would love to continue this conversation for a bit longer, you are… fascinating. How did the scar come to be anyways?”

WC 408

The way Mizuki laughed and turned her face was cute, then the affirmative nod came. It was difficult for the man to remember he had to keep an eye on her for any funny business when she hung on his arm and shyly turned. Akabayashi felt there was more to Mizu that she wasn’t quite ready to reveal yet. Making the walk to his home more enjoyable, as the conversation grew. One of the things that got the Terumi fired up was a good evaluator for his tea, he had all the things required to make it, but they would have to wait until arriving at the Terumi House to have any.

As the man revealed the reason behind his shades, Mizuki stopped prompting Akabayashi too as well. She reached to touch his scar, something he had never experienced. It was odd and thought of pulling away his face, but he just stood there before taking her hand lightly into his as she pulled it away. Being left stunned it took a moment for him to catch up with the conversation. “Timing is certainly helpful.” He would add in agreeance, but he also had more to say on the other matter. “I don’t believe your status is simple timing. You must possess something unseen by yourself but recognized by others. I’m hoping you find out what it is someday, so that you may take pride in that quality as well Mizuki.”


When they got to the man’s home Mizuki removed her shoes and Akabayashi would do the same. She would remove her hat and ask about the tea and how he had received his scar. “I will start on the tea right away, if you would follow me to the dining room. We can sit and talk in there.” He would say leading her to a large room with a small table enough to seat five. There was a door in the room leading outside where there was a large hot spring surrounded by a wooden fence. Akabayashi would pull out the chair for the lady to sit in. “I make the tea using boil release and fresh tea leaves.” He would say taking a tea pot outside and using Boil Release: The Lazarus Pit weaving multiple seals in a row to erupt fresh water from the ground. When he came inside the water would be hot with a PH of 0, he would place a filter into the pot with tea leaves and leave them in there for a few minutes.

While waiting Akabayashi would grab tea cups, lemon, sugar, and honey for their earl grey tea. When the tea had steeped long enough he would dispose of the leaves and pour Mizuki a glass. “This scar was given to me by the third kage of this village long before Hoshi was a ninja village.” He would start the conversation there because the rest would definitely paint the wanderer as a bad guy, because factually he was. “Before Hoshi was a village it was ruled by the religious nobility who saw ninjutsu as the work of the devil. We formed gangs, conducted attacks against the church, and even protected our fellow chakra users from attack. The protection of course was not free, and it did not matter if you required it. I was an enforcer for our gang charged with collecting debts.”


He would pause briefly as it was obvious where the story was going. “I was cocky, people feared our former kage as his Jugo bloodline caused him to have random bouts of psychosis and attack people by changing his hands into axes or hammers. I thought, I could get our money because he feared his own abilities, he would constantly sound terrified telling people to “Stay back!” and praying to himself to rid him of the demons. He cut my sword in half and took out my eye with his bare hand. Then he ran off, asking himself and the voices in his head to stop hurting people.”


He would take a sip of his tea when he was finished. “I don’t think he even remembered he did it to be honest. The next time was saw each other was when he made me a wanderer to aid the other villages and he didn’t seem to know who I was. I kept the scar as a reminder, but the only one who cared that I kept it was me. Isn’t that stupid?” Akabayashi would ask with a smile and small laugh.

WC: 754

The way he took her hand with as gentle a grasp as she had on his face took her by surprise, and though he didn't release her hand she didn’t attempt to take it from his either - slowly weaving her fingers within his as they walked with no word of acknowledgment. If only he knew how truthful his words were… or if he knew would he even be treating her this way? A curiosity was blooming in the back of her mind that she left idly flourishing as the night progressed. 

He was just as accommodating, if not more so in his own home - a sense of ease even seeming to wash over him as he led her to the dining room, pulling out her chair for her of which she graciously nodded in thanks and took. As she settled herself in her seat, crossing her legs and looking around the room at the furnishings she settled her gaze on his form out in the garden - a perfect view to watch his use a style of ninjutsu she had yet to hear of. Boil release.. It could come in handy for a few techs if she were ever able to harness it herself, or at least have someone else combine it with some of her more vicious blood abilities. The thought was a quick flit as the scenery of the hot spring took her mind to a less aggressive place - and in what felt like mere moments he was back and was pushing her poured tea over to her place at the table. 

The man definitely took his tea seriously, reminded her a bit of her own village’s tea connoisseur Raleth actually - all the additives a tea lover could ask for were included, and the smell that smoothly wafted from the cup was something to behold for sure. The story of this man only seemed to deepen in intrigue though as she hoped it would. Taking the cup in her fingers, she allowed the ceramic to warm her near ice like fingers as she listened to the telling's of Hoshi history - and more importantly his history. Having yet taken a sip of her tea she was so enthralled with the story she couldn’t help but give a genuinely ‘knowing’ smile at his question. 

“What you call stupid I see as character development, plus it makes for an interesting story none the less no?”, with a eyebrow raise she finally brought her own tea to her lips and took a deep drink from it - the naturally gentle citrus flavour was amplified by the fresh lemon while the sugars cut the bitterness down to finish off the flavor with a smooth invigorating tea. With her eyes still closed she lowered her cup down from her lips, a smirk playing at the edges as she spoke. “I fear you may give my local Tea Master a run for his money my dear. Though-” Opening her eyes again she stared intensely into the scarred pair, holding the silence as she debated, “- I feel as if your honesty should be reciprocated in some equal measure.” Setting down the cup she would outstretch her arm to allow the light above the dining table to hit it directly, and covering her arm - and roughly her entire body - were small dime sized puncture scars. They were so faded against her pale skin that rarely were they visible without direct light. 

“These are my own stupid reminders, given to me by a man known to me simply as ‘The Wraith’. They were given to me because I refused to divulge the location of my Kage and fellow shinobi in the early days of Sunagakure’s rebuilding. They nearly killed me, actually come to think of it…” With a short bark of a laugh she drew her arm back and took another drink of tea, her eyes drifting away from him in thought, the story continuing. “Unfortunately, I don’t think revenge will ever come for me as my position holds me back from retaliation, of course unless I want to incite a far greater war than is already at the edges of my life…. Mmm what a wonderful view you have Akabayashi, I do miss the sights of Hoshi far more than I thought I would.” 

Her face had turned into an odd mixture of far away longing and buried resentment before melting once more into the kind expression she had worn most of the evening. “To put it simply you make an amazing cup of tea, shame you reside so far from my home, if you ever feel the need for adventure I’d hope you’d make a stop in Sunagakure for little ol’ me.” Biting her lip a little, a chuckle on the verge of a giggle could be heard, “I’m sure the Kazekage would allow a visitor of your caliber without issue.” Making a soft clicking noise with her tongue her eyebrows would furrow at the deepening darkness taking over the sky setting into late night. “Why do the evenings have to pass so fast?”

WC 846 [exit next post]

Would Akabayashi answer or would he remain silent? He did not know how to answer Mizuki’s question. Was a story enough to keep oneself scarred for life? Well as the lady took her first sips of tea the answer came to him. Maybe, it was not the intent of leaving the scar but Mizuki had come up with a compelling reason. “Yes, without it I likely would not have met you.” He would take a sip of tea himself having taken the ladies compliments on his tea humbly. He was sure she was being polite his tea was good, but he was sure her tea master was better. Perhaps, if he went to Suna he would look the person up.

When the lady pulled up her sleeves to reveal the scars, the doctor would inch forward in his seat to see them. Small scars lined the arm and now that he was looking most of her visible skin. The Wraith? Not a missing ninja I have heard of. What sounded like the work of missing ninja soon became apparent that was not what she meant. So, this was a ninja not from Suna and from another hidden village. Who this Wraith was had gotten the man’s hunter senses going, especially with such a roguish name as that. But he also could not risk war with another village even to avenge a person.

Beyond the marks there was more information that he gleamed from Mizuki, but he would have to ask more about it later. Suna or herself was in a war of some sort, he couldn’t tell if this war was metaphorical or literal, but he wished to help either way. There was also that this Suna ninja was in Hoshi before, the village was opened to other villages for the first time for the exams. Her words implied she lived here, maybe she was one of the ninjas who Valen took. He would drop that chain of thought she was a guest of his and of Hoshi. You don’t invite people to your house to arrest people, just see what they are up to. Which Mizuki didn’t seem to be up to anything.

Finally, it seemed the night was coming to an end as her face went from sorrow to smiling. “Indeed, this evening has gone quickly. That is the downside of pleasant company, time moves too fast.” He would go back to sitting regularly taking another sip of tea and looking into the cup as if for an answer. “I could visit Suna, my status as the world’s last wanderer gives me certain permissions. I just have to update the Kazekage of my abilities and see if my credentials are still accepted. Of course, I would stop to see you while I am there Mizuki. Its a top priority.” He would say with a laugh.

“Give me one moment.” The man would write a letter to the kazekage requesting permission to enter Suna as a missing ninja hunter and wanderer. Attaching files of his paperwork that proved who he was. He would then apply a mark seal in a terrible spot to an envelope. The man would use fuin jutsu breaking to remove the seal and apply a new one to an envelope which the letter and files would go into. “Can I ask you to give this to your kage? When you return of course.”


The letter detailed the elements and specialties of Nova Akabayashi Terumi and his ability to resurrect the dead and apply curse marks. His Village Exclusive techniques were purposefully avoided in the letter. “If you don’t wish to leave you can use one of the spare bedrooms, this mansion doesn’t house many people these days.”
WC: 622
TWC: 2152
Teaching Mizuki S rank fuin breaking

Watching him she attempted to contain her mischievous pleasure as they continued to refer to ‘The Kazekage’ in the third person - this was a rare instance and she couldn't just let it pass of course, a girls gotta have some fun from time to time. Having him prepare such a formal request did garner more respect for the man though, putting in so much effort to do things the right way the first time was something so many had lost the will to do. 


In all honesty she was reluctant to leave the man, he brought a sense of companionship she had been lacking lately - comradery in similar pain is a strong bonding agent. Though his sloppy first attempt at placing a seal did make her snicker a little. “Did the eye cause some depth perception issues?”, her tone was clearly teasing as he instead broke the seal with ease and replaced it neatly - causing her to raise her eyebrow in approval. 


Taking the prepared paperwork she stood from her seat and gave a short bow, “Thank you for your generosity, but I will have to decline the offer to stay, being in this prolonged proximity isn’t… safe for you at the moment.” She was of course referring to her increasing need to feed, her normally violet colored eyes were further turned red with only a hint of their violet ringed at the outer edges. “I will ensure the Kazekage sees this straight away, I hope to see you again soon… Wanderer.” 


With that she took her leave, gathering her things at the door and exiting the estate with a deep breath of cold night air as she tried to get the sound of the man's heartbeat out of her mind - and fought the urge to turn back. 


WC 300
TWC 2241
EXIT

Learned S Fuinjutsu Breaking Slotless at half word count 2241/2500