The Memory is so Vivid [Open]

The afternoon shadows grew long when Tokito reined up on the edge of broad Eastern Fairground. Three score pavilions had already risen on the grassy field. Some were small, some large; some square, some round; some of the sailcloth, some of the linen, some of the silk; but all were brightly colored, with long banners streaming from their center poles, brighter than a field of wildflowers with rich reds and sunny yellows, countless shades of green and blue, deep blacks and greys and purples.

Other people had received that invitation here, it seemed. But so far, he could not see any of his brothers. Tokito had felt a sacred calling when he found it on his pillow at the Crossroad Inn in Haven Country three nights ago. Upon reading the letter's contents, the young vagabond had been transported to this strange world—a saddled horse waiting for him and a map to the area.

Tokito knew little of Space-Time and nearly all of it from his elder brother. Jirou Joski had always been cryptic about the labyrinth of dimensional pathways. The whole surrounding area fits the bill. It was a place made out of a storybook, the smell of wine in the area was so strong one could get drunk by it. Everyone wanted a taste of spring before it fled. The father of the orphans always said.

Tokito waited at the hill overlooking the meadow, still scouting for a familiar face.

WC: 242

Appearing startled, Anzuru looked around like an excited but confused child. For much of their life, they've tried to find a place such as this. It's shocking how suddenly things can turn for the better. Bouncing back and forth, Anzuru wears a dark red yukata, as they try to enjoy the festivities in an unknown place. The main focus of Anzuru's eyes are just the general surroundings though, being in awe of a dimension such as this. Having already rummaged through places, Anzuru has more dirty brown hair than usual, with a bundled but chaotic ponytail. Pitifully, Anzuru has glasses on and is missing an eye. Other people can sometimes draw the conclusion that Anzuru is hiding someone else's stolen eye. 

Not looking very organized, Anzuru starts patting their yukata. Are there any animals around? The festival is secondary to Anzuru, who wants to study a place such as this. Minding their business, Anzuru doesn't approach anyone immediately. Shaking, Anzuru first tries to calm down. Once they're less happy it's easier to focus on what's important. Anzuru begins pacing toward a pavilion, and they wonder if they should hide. If Anzuru stays here, will they never be able to leave? Eventually Anzuru will learn enough with their space-time research, but the drunk delusion sounds so comfortable.

WC: 217

It was a day rarely seen for the adult shinobi. Arriving at the festival, carrying a months-old child in his arms, Arashi and his wife walked the grounds of this festival in a rather beautiful part of the world. Seeing his child looking at the blooms around them was a highlight already; seeing the wonder in his daughter's eyes as she saw things for the first time in her life. Tsuji had been carrying Aki for a while, and it was now the weather ninja's turn. The family turned down an aisle of food, with the smell of delectables in the air, and started viewing what was to offer. A bowl of noodles here, some taki there, barbeque, and unusual dishes he didn't recognize. The atmosphere was peaceful and joyous. It was exactly what he needed.

After some time, Arashi was still holding his daughter, when he looked down to see she was holding something... an envelope? He stopped, causing his wife to stop too and then notice what he saw. Handing the girl over, he took the envelope and read it. It was... confusing? To say the least. But after reading things over twice and consulting with Tsuji, he decided he better find out about this. No sooner had the decision been made that Arashi found his world shifted, and ended the same way as the others.

With nowhere else to go currently, the older Jounin made his way to the same location, now wishing he was wearing his uniform rather than the festive yukata. He looked up at the figure on the hill and gestured at them while making it up as well.

"I assume you got the same thing I did?"

WC: 285

For a moment, just a single moment, everything had gone completely silent. Glimpses of silk hair flowing in a breeze, veiling brown eyes. Gowned in black from head to toe, one earring in the left ear, a neck sporting a elegant necklace. Skin fair, not a blemish in sight…that was how he remembered her. In an instant his vision was momentarily blurred and he was no longer where he once was. He found himself somewhere entirely different. Satoshi did not panic, that wasn’t his way of confronting unusual events. Instead he closed his eyes and took a break, retrieving a single cig from his person and placing it between his lips. Lighting it and taking a pull from it. He felt at ease once his lungs were filled with the nicotine and smog from the blessed stick. Opening his eyes his vision was fixed and his eyes immediately began to scan and record his surroundings. 

Unsure of where to go he would allow the wind to be his guide. Finding himself locked in his thoughts about a number of things, 1, being the woman in his vision, or was it more of a remembrance? 2, being the whereabouts of his brothers and their safety, not one to allow them to come to harm, or be taken advantage of. 3, the last and most important, where was he exactly? 

As his steps lead him closer to two of the three points, he would come to find his younger brother, Tokito surrounded by two others. No, they did not appear hostile or suspicious upon his discovery of them, but who was to say they were not. When he was within speaking distance he would overhear what the man said. “That depends…” his voice would reach out within the radius as he approached from behind the man known as Arashi, also stepping pass the other person, Anzuru. He would make his way to Tokito’s left and turn, engaging the other two in eye contact. “You’re dressed rather…permissive. Must come from an imposing background. Cannot say that we are familiar with such a life.” His onyx eyes would trail to the other, seeing them dressed nearly the same. Yet they were distance in stance and perhaps that told Satoshi they did not wish to engage in conversation, not just yet, so he would return his gaze to the man. 

Satoshi engaging Arashi and Anzuru in eye contact:

Satoshi was dressed in a plain, yet bold colors and clothing. Both his shirt and pants were black with multiple straps around his body, he wore shinobi boots and sports a tan trench coat, high collar. His person held concealed inventory. His expression was somewhat grim, but nonchalant at the same time. 

It shouldn’t be taken as overprotective by his approach, because Satoshi is not that sort of person. Aware of his brother’s capabilities and limitations, however, he was still young, and the day had not yet come for him to be old enough to not need his older brother. His right hand would slowly rise and travel to the left cheek of Tokito. A pinch and pull would come from this. A stern side-eye would follow. “Why weren’t you at the cafe this morning? I’ve waited for you, and even ordered you something to eat and drink.” It was clear from his tone that Satoshi was a bit upset about spending money on something that was wasted. Especially after how hard they had worked to accumulate it. This would remind him that his other brothers did not show either and he would have to discipline them as well. 

WC: 594

A peculiar individual was seen lurking around the pavilion closest to the hill. The curious thing was her eyes, and she was missing one.

Tokito waved at them, not unkindly. They looked more lost than he was. “Hello, do you know how much a polar bear weighs?” The young vagabond paused for a moment. “Enough to break the ice. Hi, I’m Tokito.”

Another man emerged at the bottom of the hill, wearing a Yukata. Highborn, Tokito immediately recognized the accent.

“Aye, what is a nobleman doing so far from home. Although I warrant this isn’t the first time.” Arashi was well dressed, but he looked as well-traveled as any vagabond. Evident from his lack of panic in their current predicament.

When the smell of ashtray approached the young swordsman atop the Hill, Tokito felt a sense of relief. Whenever he went, his brothers were usually not far behind. Upon sight of Satoshi, Tokito found himself thinking about the past.

flashback:

Finding himself snapping back to the present, Tokito addressed the rest of their party.

"As good as these pavilions are to look upon, there is no place for us here" a threadbare cloak would be all the shelter Tokito had for tonight. He knew full well that if they made their camp upon that gaudy field, they would need to suffer silent scorn and open mockery. Few perhaps would treat the outsiders kindly, yet in an almost worse way.

"A vagabond must hold tight to his pride. He was no more than a rogue ninja." He would proceed to scout the area. On the outskirts of the grand meadow, a good half-mile from town and castle, Tokito spotted a place. It bent in a brook that had formed a deep pool. Reeds grew thick along its edge, and a massive leafy elm presided overall. The grass was as green as any banner and soft to the touch. T was a pretty spot, and no one had yet claimed it. "This will be our Pavillion, one rooted with green! Now the sooner we build our camp, we can get this magic quest going. Which one of you can make a fire?"

WC: 751

Darkness. A sensation he was all too familiar with. The feeling of being lost, abandoned, left behind and forgotten was something Yami had experienced before. Helpless, alone. Words that sounded too true more often than not. "Are you playing tricks on me again?" the Shinkou voiced, reaching out to the voice inside his head that enjoyed messing with the boy's mind. But no matter how many times he called out, no response. Only silence. "I guess I'm talking to myself once again". One deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air before standing up in hopes of finding his brothers' whereabouts. A lot could be said about the River orphans, being inseparatable one of those things.

His colorful hair, similar to the manes of a lion, softly blew from one side to the other as a gentle breeze traveled over the Shinkou's body from head to toe. He continued his search for Tokito and Satoshi, wondering if there would ever come an end to the countless hills in what appeared to be some sort of dimension. "Locked inside, ironic". Minutes passed and as time changed so did the scenery. With each step he would take the surrounding area changed, no longer the depressing darkness but the refreshing green outskirts of a meadow. It was there Yami could suddenly hear almost a handful of different voices blending together, two of which he recognized all too well. 

The Shinkou picked up his pace, quickly catching up to the group of people that were currently discussing how to proceed. "A camp? Aren't you a bit too old for that kind of thing Tokito?". With a playful smirk Yami then joined the others, offering his help if need be.

(WC: 285)

The festivities remain contained, and Anzuru wonders their purposes. Listening to Arashi, there's no wondering if Anzuru's spoken to, and they'd rather let people figure things out first. Being peaceful and healthily letting others think is better than giving childish advice. Occupying some space with these new friends, Anzuru doesn't try to present themselves as boisterous. Testing people's faith is better than escalating Anzuru's unworthiness to contribute.

Not having stopped patting their yukata, maybe Anzuru is just hungry. They and others might of been kidnapped before their meals after all. While being no more than a civilian, Anzuru's routine doesn't let on anything special. Not assessing people's boundaries or coordinates, Anzuru wouldn't be touched by anybody either way. Anzuru is missing an eye, so all they can do is wander with their mind's eye in boredom. Minding their own business, Anzuru notes Satoshi showing their back, but Anzuru's one eye doesn't ever meet eyes with Satoshi. Avoiding the smoke, it's not a problem really, but it's an excuse to mind their own business temporarily. Anzuru's a true wall flower.

To some, Anzuru seems to be thinking about Tokito's relation to the man and their inquiry. "Hello, no idea, can be fattened up or stranded." Anzuru pondered the situation some, almost interrupting Tokito's joke, but instead blurting out delayed. "Funny, my name's Anzuru."

Watching patiently, Anzuru wondered where things would lead.

WC: 228

Arashi was a bit confused, that much was certain, especially at the nobleman comment. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Noble? No... I'm a shinobi. Far from nobility." he said, shaking his head. He waited around as others joined and all seemed to be in the same situation. Finally, it seemed like someone had an idea of what they were doing, and mentioned a magical quest... completely confusing the shinobi. Like he needed more confusion. Luckily, there was something he could contribute to the team.

"Yeah, I can make a fire. Easier if I was wearing my gear but..." he said, starting to gather the wood and tinder to start a flame. There were a lot of wet greens that wouldn't take to a flame, but luckily, it didn't take too much time before he had what he needed. While others hopefully took to making camp, the shinobi weaved signs and laid his hand on the kindly, as his chakra crackled with lightning. With smoke, and then flame, the jounin had created a fire, and concentrated on sustaining it. It reminded him of when he had been on his travels; there were certainly times where he was unable to use any kind of firestarters and he had to learn to use what he had. The Hoshi-nin looked up at the guy he first sighted, who seemed to know more about what was going on.

"You seem to know about what this is... magical quest you said? What do you know about it?"

WC: 257
Total: 542

The man known as Arashi gave Satoshi and his brother a swift answer to their observatory point out. Denying being anymore than a man of noble background. This of course did not land well with the Uchiha, if anything, it made him suspicious of the man. Satoshi cut his eye at Arashi as the man moved to changed the subject by answering Tokito’s question. That kid was always looking for some form of adventure, even during confusing times like this. A slight smile would form on the face of the older brother. 

Satoshi suspicious of Arashi:

The voice of another would emit close by, this was a familiar one. Sato glancing over to find his other brother, a sight for sore eyes. It didn’t take long for the three riverboys to find their way back to one another’s side. Not even a teleportation scroll could keep them separated. “Took you long enough, Yami. I was beginning to think you didn’t love us anymore. Heh.” he would chuckle at the end, knowing fore well that out of all the brothers, Yami was the one that possibly cared the most. He was the glue that kept them together, the one that made the impossible seem possible and it was because of that Satoshi knew that he and Tokito would follow him to the very end of the world. 

With another drag of his cig he would look over to the other person that spoke to Tokito, getting a feel of them. They were quiet, too much so. He would wager that they were calculating, analyzing their surrounding and observing the others interactions. Satoshi found no reason to help with starting a fire, especially when there were two already doing such. He would instead find a statue to lean back on and simply watch while enjoying his cancer stick. 

Although, something was mentioned of a quest and that was more than enough to get him interested. “What’s this about a quest…?” He asked, his stern expression giving weight to how serious he was about the topic. 

WC: 339
TWC: 933

Arashi spoke little and said less.

"Really? I took you for a highborn. You must have been spending a lot of time near them." Either that or you are trying to play me false. Satoshi shared that notion, it seemed. Perhaps fear of his station or that he'd be kidnapped for ransom. Not that Tokito hadn't done that before, but those people earned it.

When Yami appeared, a thin smile appeared across Tokito's face. His brother's fiery mane of hair made him look like a Lion. He could fight like one, too, when duty called for it. There was no secret that he was the most level-headed out of the four quarrelsome siblings of the River.

"One cannot be too old for camping, sweet brother. If your elemental nature is as fiery as that hair, perhaps you can help us here with building a fire."

He would then respond to Arashi's question. But he would not address the noble who was not a noble. His words would be directed toward the entire group.

"Yeah, this is the third time I find myself in such a mysterious setting. Both times a quest had to be completed, like a storybook." The young vagabond began. "Whatever you know about reality, if we all come from the same one, you might as well forget them while we are here." He understood that what he would say next might sound like hogwash to people and make little sense, coming across as the rumblings of an imaginative child. But the ninja world had stopped making sense a long time ago. Thus he continued.

"The first time was back in October last year. My two brothers and I were doing a standard security job, and the next thing we knew, horror hotel and undead dancing in the moonlight to the music of a jukebox. A place called Yugakure, although no such village exists on the map, else I'd know about it. Then later during winter, I found myself in the snowy Moon Country, and a festival full of blonde pointed ear creatures. They called themselves elves." 

Tokito hooved his arms in the sleeves of his red Yukata, patterned with black clouds. "There is this bard that stands outside one of these pavilions. It was hard to miss his singing, dreadful as it was. He claims to have been stuck here for years, and I don't plan to do the same. I say we start with him; he might have the clues we need to get to the exit door."

WC: 398