Loose Ends [Augmentation Request]

Having spent some time in Konohagakure, for a moment Auron had felt a strange sensation of belonging within the village. Since the last time he had been here, it seemed like regime changes occurred and with that the mentalities of the leaf shinobi did as well. No longer did he feel alienated and meticulously judged for his every move. Instead he felt somewhat normal, as if he could move about in the public and not feel scrutinized. Then he remembered his status. He was a missing ninja from this place, and though the former missing ninja Aokidanza harbored him here there was no telling how much longer he'd be allowed to stay. Truthfully, if it weren't for that man Auron would have likely been killed on sight. And so in a way, Auron owed him. In fact, he owed the entirety of the Leaf Village higher ups. What exactly? He wasn't sure. But he figured an explanation would have been a fine starting point. 

And on that same token, he had an ulterior motive. From observing the shinobi of modern day leaf, he noted that a number of them were akin to the arts of bukijutsu. So much so that even their weapons and armor emanated a higher standard of crafting. Though he figured it was a longshot, the Yamaguchi sought to inquire about these pieces of equipment and how he might elevate his own blade to a higher standard. And what better place to ask, than at the head of the beast itself?

Making his way from the hotel he stayed at through the streets of Konohagakure, Auron thought on the matter. It had been long overdue to formerly meet with the higher ups of the village, and there was no telling what the reception of his presence would be. Especially once he asked them for a favor. But his saving grace was that he had been within the walls of Konohagakure for some time and had not caused any problems. Perhaps that was enough to cure any animosity that he would have been met with. As the young man entered through the doorways of the Hokage Building, he'd exhale a deep breath in preparation of who he'd be met with. Before his eyes could discern the figure before him or much of the environment of the room, he'd call out to introduce himself.

"Hello...I am Auron Yamaguchi, former genin of Konohagakure. I am seeking an audience to explain my defection, and to request the services of the village to refine my blade."

Sometimes, being direct and straightforward was best. 

WC = 431

Aokidanza-Dono was out suddenly, but with good reason. Goto-Dono was paying visits to the academy of the village today, observing the criteria of the school, inspecting their methods and aiming to see what could be done to touch on, and perhaps improve the system. Yachiru-San was out with Aokidanza-Dono, likely involved in something…brutal. Karruchi-San was tending to something of importance within Root Headquarters. Ryuza was patrolling the village, or perhaps he was elsewhere too, it was hard to saw with that one. This left Ooetsu at the chambers of the Hokage, task with observation and reporting. He was given permission to engage as he saw fit when it came to those that came along.

The Root member, through the gleam of his lenses peered out at the Missing Ninja, a smile formed on his face revealing those pearly whites. This one shared the same tone of skin as he, and by the sounds of his request the same love for blade work. However, there was more to this shinobi’s request…he had a past, he was a former shinobi of the leaf, a defector. By the laws of this village, his organization encouraged him to hunt down defectors - returning them to the village dead or alive. This one standing before him seemed to be worth a good sum. In the left hand of the swordsman was a small green book, a bingo book. Familiar to any shinobi upon glance. It held a significant number of enlistments, information. Luckily for him, Auron, he haven’t developed any negative buzz around his name. Not yet.

To Ooetsu’s recollection, Aokidanza-Dono was the one that granted access to Auron, along with his entourage - saving them from the wrath of Karruchi-San. The Hoshimura released a sighing chuckle, he knew how close of a call that was. Constricting the thumb and fingers closed the book, the sound would echo to give away his position, purposefully. Stationed 15 meters from where the man walked into the chamber, Auron stood 5 meters from the entrance to the room, while to his left and right the walls were 15 meters, the ceiling was 20 meters and behind Ooetsu was another 5 meters.

“Yo, thanks for stopping by. Auron Yamaguchi, was it? Nice to finally meet you, I’m Ooetsu Hoshimura, but everyone calls me shades.”

Pointing to his gold-framed glasses, smiling from ear to ear.  The pointing hand then moves to beckon the missing ninja closer.

“Come in, come in. No use in standing by the door, easy way of getting whacked unexpectedly, take it from me, heheh.”

He would wait for the Yamaguchi to come closer, not too much, just enough to prevent them from shouting back at one another. The walls tend to have listening ears, or so he thought. Could never be too cautious with Genin roaming around, right?

“Alright, let’s get a bit acquainted. Are you okay with that. Auron? What lead to the defection, wait no, that’s too forward and sounds a bit judgmental. I don’t want it to come off like that. How about I phrase it…like this. I’m interested in hearing your life’s story, please.”

He brought both of his hand together, pressing them into each other to form the prayer hands while raising them above his head and lowering his head to bow somewhat. He was humbly asking. His intent was genuine, Ooetsu wasn’t as harsh as the others of the village, let alone his immediate circle that involved Aokidanza-Dono and Goto-Dono. But that did not mean he was gullible, or without logical thinking. Bringing his hands down to his sides, he would offer a seat to the missing ninja, while taking the seat next to that one and placing it before the chair intended for Auron. They would be 2 meters apart from one another. The Root member, however before taking his seat would remove his sheathed blade and sat it next to him, his right side.

————————————

NPC currently in use: Ooetsu

WC: 656

The light rustling of the pages from the unfamiliar man's book would just be loud enough to capture Auron's intention. At their first sound, Auron would shift his attention towards the direction of the man who bore it. Judging by the appearance of its jade cover, the work was likely a bingo book, similar to the one Auron bore. It would the first thing the Yamaguchi would notice. And as his eyes slithered up towards the hand that held it, a soft smile would spread onto the teenager's face. For some reason the boy had always felt more comfortable when in the presence of those with similar skin tone. It had been an uncommon experience for the Yamaguchi, and so he'd relish them when they'd present themselves. And as his eyes quickly scouted the rest of this man's appearance, the boy would take note of more similarities. Though uniquely different the two shared similar hair styles, complexions, and frames. If he hadn't been certain, for a moment Auron would have thought this man to be his second brother. But nevertheless, the chances of that were slim. Next he noticed the sheathed katana they man bore. Another thing in common: both respected the art of the blade.

With a blink, Auron quickly analyzed the outfit of the man. The Yamaguchi was unfamiliar with what exact branch of Konohagakure it belonged to, though he could tell it was indicative of a high ranking personnel. That along with this man's presence in the Hokage building implied that he was trusted amongst the village, and could very well be among the ranks of Deputy Hokage. No matter his exact role, the first thing Auron did was offer a bow of respect. This came only seconds after announcing his presence and request. 

"How foolish of me...to barge into the office and demand a favor. Stupid...stupid..." he internally reprimanded himself before having his thoughts interjected by the shutting of the book and the welcoming voice of the man before him. Ooetsu Hoshimura, a name the youngin hadn't been familiar with. Still though, the body language he presented seemed to hint at the fact that he was more of an open and understanding mindset. Only time would tell. Even so, Auron wouldn't refer to the man by his nickname. Things like that were reserved to those whom were closest to said individual, at least in Auron's eyes. Upon hearing the man's introduction, Auron would rise from his bowing stance and quickly glance over the room. He'd note its size and the relative layout of it. Its high ceilings and spacious dimensions were illustrious, yet simultaneously the room was humble for being the Hokage's Chambers. In a way it was funny to Auron, that this was his first time being within its walls. It took departing from and returning to the village just for him to summon the courage to enter. After a brief lookover of the room, his eyes would return to those of Ooetsu and his smile would remain. Its softness was full of somber though, and anyone with an inkling of perception could recognize the guilt behind it.

The man would usher Auron forward and away from the door, with a verbal invitation to proceed further into the room. With slow yet firm steps Auron would follow instruction until the distance between the two was cut by about half. "It's nice to meet you as well, Ooetsu. Though, I'm unsure if any Leaf shinobi would truly appreciate meeting someone like me." His words were honest, yet he still respected the cordial behavior of the Hoshimura. The room briefly grew silent following this, as the young man came to a halt. This was when the questions began, which Auron undoubtedly anticipated. This had been the main reason he was here. He'd note the mannerism of the man, who took the time to move his blade and set it adjacent to his seat. Perhaps it was a cordiality, or even a warning for Auron to refrain from making a hasty move. Auron would walk over towards the chair opposing Ooetsu, adjusting the sheath upon his hip that his blade sat in so that it wouldn't scratch against the floor or chair.

Now sitting, he'd continue to look upon the man and open his mouth to speak. "You have every right to be judgmental if you choose to. The least I could do would be listen to a verbal lashing, so please don't hold back in whatever you or Konoha needs to convey. As for me...I guess I could start with my childhood" Auron began as his voice momentarily trailed off to reflect on his life. Clearing it, he'd continue. "I was actually born here, to two caring yet distant parents. They worked a lot and I rarely saw them...so I always had a sitter watch over me. Even then, I had a different one every couple of weeks. Most of which weren't...friendly I suppose. Now that I think about it, there wasn't much stability in my younger years except for the fact that I knew I wouldn't see my parents. And even when I would, all they did was fight. It wasn't much of a childhood really, so I learned to just keep to myself..." The boy spoke without much emotion in his tone, clearly the outside world hardened him. "Until my father revealed that he had another son from an affair with a woman across the world. At the time I was so angry, and to avoid being consumed by that anger I enrolled in the academy here. It helped, but I don't think it solved anything. And maybe..." he paused to gather his thoughts. In that moment in time, he almost felt a chill run down his spine while he reflected on the event. "Maybe the training from the academy is what excited these...spirits to awaken and visit me in my dreams...I know it sounds crazy, but I mean I could really see them. They'd show me...things. Things like visions and of someone who I assume to be my brother... and ultimately I befriended the spirits. They felt like family almost...Closer than anything I had felt before, which I guess makes sense considering I never really bonded with anyone before..."

As he spoke, his eyes generally trailed off and began to focus on the wall behind Ooetsu. Realizing that he had been mentally reliving his life, he snapped out of it and recentered his gaze upon the man in front of him. "It's weird, but I think it's related to my bloodline...And the more I interacted with them, the more they showed me. From there things got kind of hazy but I remember the visions the spirits showed me implied that if I wanted to understand my bloodline and abilities more, I had to do something which would later force me to flee the village. To summarize it, I needed to perform a ritual...which in turn meant taking a life...I almost felt possessed during the whole bout, but when I came fully to my senses, I was already on the run. I didn't really know where to go, so I just headed Northwest...which was where I thought my brother might be. I never ended up finding him, but I ran into a number of people on the way there and on the way back. Out of my own guilt, I decided to return to Konoha to...I don't really know. Explain myself, apologize, or repent. To the Hokage, to anyone. But I don't recognize anyone here...and I haven't even been able to find my parents."

With that conclusion, Auron would end his summary of himself. He'd take a deep breath and exhale, recognizing that he had never told anyone about him until this moment. It was strange, but he couldn't help but think of everything he had unintentionally left out along the way. Did Ooetsu care? How would he respond? Only the next few moments would tell.

WC = 1331. TWC = 1762

Adjusting himself within his chesterfield, leaning in, forward to rest both elbows upon the surface of his knee and upper thighs, interlocking his fingers while resting his chin upon the clasped hands. His smile continued to light the room, giving comfort to the missing ninja that sat before him. Ooetsu listened attentively as the teenager weaved his story of his experience in life, sharing the delicate frames of his childhood, if it could be called that. Ooetsu found common ground with Auron. Ooetsu didn’t have much of a childhood either, but then again, what shinobi ever did? It wasn’t a luxury that they could afford, no, that was an understatement. Shinobi children were always looked at as liabilities, either they will make a name for themselves, or die trying. Death was a scary thing to Ooetsu as a child, head in a swivel, eyes developing on the back of the head, awareness is on a thousand plus.

But there was one thing that Ooetsu dreaded the most, although he never shown it, probably never will for that matter - war. The images of blood, blades, death, chaos and true characteristics flashed before his eyes as he reflected. He learned that you never truly know someone until they are on the verge of dying…. He watched a lot of his brothers in arms die on the battlefield during The Great Hoshimura Rebellion. Darkness was etching closer by the singing of blades.

~ “Ooetsu… Ooetsu! …Ooetsu, watch your six! Look out!”

Abruptly the voice would shake him, awaken him from his numbness as blood stained his face, blood that was not of his own. The Kenseigan active at the time, turning to find a shinobi in Hoshigakure garbs with a blade, katana arcing towards him. Instinctively he parried the attack, grunting as he grit his teeth in the process. There was so much force behind that kill attempt. Sparks from both parties blades danced like fireworks as the songs of their swords sang. He adjusts his weight, pivoting on his foot, shifting his body to the left pulling his blade from under the force of his opponent’s. This took the shinobi off balance for a mere second. But that was more than enough for the prodigy of the Hoshimura Forge. It took but a white flash, resulting from his blade cutting through the air, the flesh, the muscle, the bone, the essence of life as he decapitated the ninja. With wide eyes, a ghost-like face, the electrical sensation of shock filled him as he watched the corpse fall to the ground, the eyes of the severed head tracing about until finally fallen still.

He turned to see a fellow Hoshimura, clad in Hoshimura steel armor watching him, approvingly.

“I-I didn’t mean to-”

He hesitated on his words, still unsure of his own involvement in that exchange.

“You did what you were trained to do. Stay alive. And keep your wits about you, Ooetsu. Remember why we are doing this! These shinobi took our nation and we are taking it back. Just keep that in mind.”

The man was clearly more skilled than Ooetsu, or so he thought. Back then he never tried to challenge his superiors, or question their ability to lead or combat. Young Ooetsu could only must a hard swallow while trying to calm his breathing to a relax state, but it was difficult. He was a child caught in a war. A war that he was confused about. He never saw issue with the shinobi of Hoshigakure, he thought they could all live harmoniously together. But he see now that it wasn’t an option, not for his clan and who they supported anyway.

Looking up, through to the distance of all the commotion from the fighting he saw someone, or something. Slowly walking down the line of the fighting. A creature with a malevolent smile, seemingly enjoying all of the carnage that was taking place. Dressed similar to a Buddhist priest. Overflowing with a darkness that made his legs go numb. This man wasn’t human, but more like a demon or something. He immediately killed anyone that gotten close to him. Who was he? ~

Blinked twice, he snapped out of his distant memory. That was some time ago, Ooetsu is 34 now and he was but a child then. That same day he came to learn that the demon was Aokidanza-Dono. And he offered him salvation, a life without concerns, a life without living under the stress of a threat. He made true on that promise. Ooetsu has been with him ever since. Dedicated his very blade to him and his cause.

He cleared his throat.

“Don’t sound so gloom, Auron. I’m sure that they are around here somewhere. It’s a huge village and from what I can tell a lot has changed since you’ve last been here. It’s easy to overlook some crevices which they could be held up in. Aokidanza-Dono has been working tirelessly with Goto-Dono and the others to develop the village into something better. You know what, what are their names, I’ll keep an eye out for them. If that’s cool, of course.”

Sitting back in his seat, he realigned his posture to the back rest. He allowed his mental to wave through more details from the story shared to him. It was a lot to process, probably even more to narrate to a complete stranger. Auron came off as forthcoming because of his courage in doing just that.

“Sounds like to me that you’ve been holding on to that for some time, and all you’re in need of is a break. Am I right? I get it, everyone deserves it every now and again. You’re no different my man, missing ninja or not. At the end of the day you’re still a man with a lot going on. It’s good to take a break and center yourself. Aokidanza-Dono would say something along the lines of philosophical, but I lack that talent. All I can say is that I’m not going to judge you for making a decision that best supports you and your dreams. You had your reasons, I respect them. You’re here to make amends, I respect that…”

He paused, giving space to allow his words to reach the Yamaguchi in some way or another. It was truly up to him if they even land close. He wouldn’t press the matter, it was what it was.

“I guess I should ask, covering my basis and doing my due diligence on the subject. What do you intend to do now, moving forward I mean. Will you stay in Konoha, or is your heart suggesting something more open, free? You don’t have to make an immediate decision, but it’s good to have a few options. You know what they say about putting all of your eggs into one basket, right? Hehehe”

His laugh would bring joy to any that heard it, he was that type of man. He smiled through what he couldn’t bare to see. He smiled through what he didn’t understand. He smile through overwhelming forces. All a man had was his smile.

WC: 1,191
TWC: 1,847

As he spoke, he couldn't help but occasionally glance at the reactions from Ooetsu. It would seem at some point that the Konoha shinobi related to Auron which in turn triggered a serious look about the man. Almost as if he had been reminiscing or even just deep in thought. The Yamaguchi understood though, because he did the same as he told his tale. A small confirmation of this was noted when the man could visibly be seen snapping out of whatever chain of thoughts he had. This came about right as the missing ninja finished describing his history. His own eyes had scanned the man, who still seemed to be just as calm in demeanor as he had been when first addressing Auron. This was comforting, as he didn't appear judgmental at all. But if he was, Auron was braced to endure whatever would come his way.

Instead of the anticipated scorning, he was met with understanding. It was strange and unlike anything he had faced before. And unexpectedly Ooetsu even went as far as to inquire about Auron's parents' names in an attempt to track them down. Slightly scrunching his face in thought as he softly rested his hand upon the right side of his jaw the boy began to think. He didn't hear his parents' names often when he was young, but he could faintly recall them. "My father, Yurei; and my mother, Amida. Their surnames, I'm not entirely sure..." he muttered as he thought on his own. 'Yamaguchi', which should imply his father was also a Yamaguchi. Unfortunately the two were never close enough to discuss heritage or ancestry. 

Ooetsu in turn would get comfortable in his chair, seemingly acquiring the information then transitioning to the next topic. And this was one of further empathy. He seemed to understand the position that Auron was in, and even extended an olive branch in the form of...a break. A word that the Yamaguchi never came to know. Auron's face in turn eased as he leaned more into his arm, pondering on if the man before him had come from a dark and difficult path as well. It was likely, considering the fact that only the strong survived. But what exactly had he been through? Truthfully he didn't want to pry too much, considering the position he was in. However the words Ooetsu spoke really resonated with Auron. So much so that the adolescent was at a loss for words, sitting in silence and reflection as Oeetsu recognized Auron's aim to reconcile his past. All he could let out was a brief, "Exactly."

The boy was a leader by no means, and subsequently was never well spoken. His reveal of his past was actually the most words he had ever consecutively spoken to anyone. But something about Oeetsu seemed to encourage him to speak up. But before he would, Oeetsu would ask the teen about his intentions. It was a question that Auron had already been internally debating for some time yet never came to a conclusion. Nevertheless he did his best to verbalize his thoughts, with a minor small upon his face from the warmth of Ooetsu's laugh. 

"Honestly, I don't know. I have recently been running with a crew that seems to accept me. They're the first aside from you to do that, and I've grown fond of them. However seeing the position I'm in, I don't know if the decision is mine. You are the authority here and your judgement is what I will follow...But I suppose if I had it my way, I'd be able to travel with my companions yet restore and retain an allegiance to Konoha...More frankly, I won't take any actions against the Leaf and I'll actively handle any assignments from the Leaf that exist outside of the village. However I understand if that type of relationship is something only prescribed to the most trusted in the Leaf. It's just the only thing I was able to come to that seemed...mutually beneficial....What would you suggest?"

WC = 673. TWC = 2435

Auron has been surprisingly forthcoming throughout this entire exchange. Ooetsu, continues to smile as he noted the names of Auron’s parents, Yurei and Amida. Pondering on the names that were given, he wondered if both parents were Yamaguchi, or if it was just one of them. That had to be the case, right? At least that was how he looked at it. At any rate, he had the names, Yurei and Amida. It shouldn’t be too difficult for him to embark on a solo search party for them, but then again, he would be wise to request the assistance of either Goto-Dono or Aokidanza-Dono.

“Yueri and Amida, huh? Those are some pretty cool names, if you ask me. It’s no figure, Auron is pretty dope too.”

He expressed, smiling as he adjusted himself in his seat. Further listening to the words of the Yamaguchi as he aimed to figure out what his next moves were going to be. He seemed to be at a lost for words, but this was due to not wanting to abandon his current crew, the two that came to the village with him, the Hyuuga and child. Ooetsu was also debriefed on them as well. He wondered what they were up to, they’ve been laying low for some time since entering konoha.

Ooetsu understood the impasse that Auron was facing, it was difficult to choose between friends that formed into family and a home to call your own. Yeah, it was pretty difficult to deal with, alone.

“The Hyuuga and child, right? From what I’ve been told, you all have a pretty close crew. Let me say this, Auron, because I feel the need to say it. I don’t know, call it my good deed of the day. Family is not always defined by the blood that runs through your veins. In some cases, it’s the people that you choose to surround yourself with. They bring out the best in you, encourage you to seek better for yourself and tend to be more pleasant to be around then actual kin. Hehehe”

He laughed, finding both humor and truth in those words. Auron was caught up on receiving some form of stern judgment from Ooetsu, but he would probably never get that. Not from him, at least. Ooetsu have seen a lot of stern in his life, a lot of twisted emotions and decisions being made. He vowed to never be like that, it wasn’t in him to be. Though his position calls for him to give some degree of sternness to accomplish his tasks, he doesn’t like it. But he understands that it’s necessary to. But that is different. What Auron is faced with is more complex, more delicate than a job behind a mask.

“Listen Auron, I cannot decided what you do, or what you should do. That’s something that only you can decide. But, I can say that I wouldn’t mind seeing you around her more, and I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing you follow your heart. Perhaps there is such a way that will result in you doing both. Depending on what you decided, and there is no rush to decide, I will speak with my superiors and pitch to them something worth while. What do you say to that?”

He smiled, giving a thumbs up to the Yamaguchi as he did. He would await a response on how he felt about that.

WC: 570
TWC: 2,417

It was comforting to know that one of the higher ups in Konoha would now be on the lookout for Auron's parents, even if he still was unsure of what his status was with the village. Like he alluded previously, it felt like a completely different place. All which he had known prior to his departure seemed to had disappeared entirely since his return. With new personnel in charge, he inferred there to be multiple regime changes. And from the word of mouth of vagrants and travelers during his time outside of Konoha, he had heard the village underwent cycles of instability and mediocrity. Perhaps amongst all of the transitions, shinobi left the village like he did. Maybe that was the fate of his parents as well? 

Still though there was no point in focusing too heavily on the matter. Ooetsu said that he would investigate and that was more than enough for Auron. He had also mentioned his liking for the trio's individual names. The young Yamaguchi had never thought too much on his name, perhaps because in the past few years he rarely offered that information. It was almost like his identity as a whole was being rediscovered since returning to Konoha...like life was turning over a new leaf.

Offering a slight smile, he'd retort, "Yours is pretty cool too."

After unpacking his thoughts on what his status would be with Konoha, Ooetsu offered a pretty over minded response. The man had an understanding that the group Auron traveled with were those he was closest with. Little did Ooetsu know, Auron had only known them for several months...which said a lot about the few friendships the missing ninja actually had. Still to him, he'd consider himself loyal in the sense that he had not abandoned them thus far. And that was his preference for the future too. Therefore he felt reassured when Ooetsu mentioned he would not enforce Auron to stay or leave the village, allowing to ball to be in the Yamaguchi's court. 

Adjusting himself in his seat so that he sat upright, he'd respond to Ooetsu's final question.

"Well I appreciate your flexibility in this matter. If the decision is mine, then I humbly ask you to propose the terms I offered to the Hokage. I could be an agent of the village, outside of the village. I think this could be beneficial for both myself and the Leaf as a whole. I'd still be able to travel with my comrades, while simultaneously handling the things the Leaf may not want a spotlight on...And if I am not present in the village, I'm sure that will be better for the citizens who remember me...". His voice trailed slightly as he reflected on the family of the genin he killed, feeling some remorse for the pain they must endure.

Auron would wait for the response from Ooetsu and reflect on it accordingly. To his surprise, this situation had gone much smoother than he thought it would. When the subject of the conversation began to fizzle out, Auron would take the opportunity to ask another favor from Ooetsu.

"Uh, Ooetsu? I see you carry a weapon with you. I also am invested in bukijutsu, and have been looking for ways to refine my blade. I spent some weeks working for a smelter in Fire Country, but he hadn't showed me exactly how to work on my weapons. But in that process I acquired what I presume to be precious materials...I'm wondering if there's anything that you are capable of doing to sort of bolster my equipment with these materials?"

WC = 601. TWC = 3036

This was nice…yeah, it really was. It’s been some time since Ooetsu could actually sit and vibe with someone like this, trading thoughts, words of wisdom and even opinions. The Hoshimura found comfort in speaking with with Auron - his life, experiences and decisions were not all that different from Ooetsu’s. If he had not known better he would think Auron was his younger kid brother. The thought of such made him chuckle.

Observing him prioritize his comrades into the decisions he knows is best for him was a sure sign of loyalty. With him speaking on the terms that he wish to move forward with told the Hoshimura that he would be just as loyal to Konoha, which is what they all wanted at the end of the day, right?  He nods to the request to speak it over with the Hokage on his behalf. Ooetsu could definitely do that for him. Without a doubt.

Now, it was time to get to the second reason for Auron’s visit. He wanted some work done on his equipment. From how he spoke and what little information he relinquished to the Root member he had some experience behind the forge. But there was still room to fine tune and evolve.

“Man! You’re full of surprises, aren’t you? Hehehe. Sure, I think I can come up with something for you, bro. I’ll be more than happy to lend you my services, but unfortunately it will come at a price.”

He made clear, his smile still consistent with his vibe, warm and welcoming. But a man gotta eat, am I right? His eyes would drifted behind those frames in his face to the weapon, part of it, in Auron’s possession. He presumed that was the weapon he desired work on, deducing such because of his mention of Ooetsu’s own blade.

“Tell you want, for you I’ll do it. I’ll charge you only fifteen thousand ryo for it too. How does that sound? But also, I have a favor to ask if you, please let me know if I’m being too forward with my request, but I’d like to ask for you to retrieve something for Konoha, a Jutsu. One that only a missing ninja can get their hands on. Doesn’t matter which one, I trust your judgement. Think you can do that for me?”

He asked, while adjusting himself in his seat again. He would hope that Auron would find this to be reasonable. Perhaps it was a test of sorts, but there was never no true way of telling when it came to someone as unpredictable as Ooetsu.

WC: 435
TWC: 2,852

With Auron and Ooetsu successfully redefining the Yamaguchi's relationship with Konohagakure, the young man felt much more at ease. The burden of his acts against the Leaf was alleviated, but nevertheless the guilty of the murdered genin still persisted. The murder itself didn't bother him...but it was the innocence of the unsuspecting genin that etched into his mind. It would take time before Auron could come to terms with it, but everyday he learned to live with it a little more. The straw hat upon his head was a constant reminder of it. Nevertheless this interaction with Ooetsu was a step in the right direction. If the higher ups could forgive him, maybe he could forgive himself one day.

When he had the opportunity to mention reinforcing his weapon, Ooetsu sort of perked up at the sound of the request. He had seemed excited over the idea, and along with his approval expressed what may have been interest in the Shimmering Blade attached to Auron's hip. Auron would smile a little wider, feeling somewhat at home. Clearly Ooetsu had a way with that. The price that he posed to Auron seemed more than fair, especially when the Yamaguchi considered the fact that he had multiple pieces of material that he want imbued within the blade. But the secondary price was of peculiar interest to the boy. A jutsu that was restricted to the likes of missing ninja only. Luckily, Auron did in fact already have access to something of that nature. And so its procurement could already be considered done. In good faith, Auron would briefly rummage through the item pouch attach to his right hip and retrieve the asking price of ryo in bills. 

"I think that's more than a fair price," Auron said as he withdrew his hand from his pouch and extended it up and towards Ooetsu. He'd stand from his chair slightly so that he could fully extend the ryo to the man, and when it was taken Auron would sit himself back down. Immediately after, Auron would address the next subject. "I can...and actually right now." He'd stand from his seat and casually walk over to the desk adjacent to the chairs that the pair had been sitting in. Grabbing ahold of a blank sheet of paper and a pen, Auron would begin to scribble some text down. From Ooetsu's perspective, the most discernible indication of what Auron was writing would be the centered and bolded "Death Thrust" at the top of the paper. Once he finished writing, he'd walk the sheet of paper over to Ooetsu and offer it to him. For a moment, his immaturity started to show itself as he thought of a joke to go along with the name of the jutsu.

"It's called Death Thrust...This technique is one that I learned in the bedroom," he said with a small snicker before correcting himself and reverting his face to a serious expression. "No but it's actually one I learned from a couple of revered missing ninja while traveling from Earth to Fire country. Everything I know about the technique is written on that paper, but in short it quite literally is an empowered and forward thrust from a weapon that generates a conical blast that travels much further than the weapon otherwise could. I haven't needed to use it in the field yet, but I was told that its power rivals that of even the strongest ninjutsu techniques. Do you think something like this is along the lines of what you were hoping for?"

WC = 593. TWC = 3629

Alright, it was about that time. After the exchange between Ooetsu and Auron the young shinobi stood to present his knowledge on the technique requested of him. But not before handing 15,000 ryo over to Ooetsu, who accepted it and placed it away for the time being. He would transfer that to the village to secure within the village vault. Inspecting the paper given to him he would raise both his brows. The technique seems pretty powerful and Auron’s explanation of it made it more sound.

“Thanks, Auron.”

He offered his gratitude, smiling while standing to his feet. Collecting his blade and placing it where it belonged and placing the chair back where he found it. He would motion towards the door of the chamber, beckoning Auron to come along. Should he do so, Ooetsu will wait to see and as they navigate through the halls they would find themselves on the roof of the building. The view, overlook of the village was breathtaking. Ooetsu would point to the far distance. There the Yamaguchi would see the Kage monument, but different. There was a castle sculpted from its material. The entire castle was circulated by embers which gave the impression that the building was on fire. It was a four level castle, smog thickly filled its environment. Not many villagers are found near it due to the change it has on the atmosphere around. In short, the castle was marvelously made and stood out within the village. Just looking at it would make one believe they could feel the heat coming from it.

“There. That’s where we are heading. That’s my forge.”

He stated, forming hand seals to manifest a void that he reached within to pull out a single kunai. The kunai had a unique marking etched into it. Looking back at Auron the Hoshimura would smile.

“You’ve…experienced teleportation before, haven’t you? If not, today’s your lucky day, bro. C’mere.”

With excitement he would await for him to get close. Thus he would launch his kunai at a speed of 115, 57 meters at an angle in the direction of the forge and heavens. He would casually wait for it to reach its peak. As he did he would turn to face Auron.

“You should probably relax as much as possible. Do not clench your teeth and…do not flex your core. You’ll likely shit yourself. Hehehe.”

His awareness of his throw and distance was spot on. His right hand grabbed hold of Auron’s shoulder firmly. He would then whistle. In an flash the two were no longer on the roof top, but 57 meters in the air where the kunai was. Ooetsu glanced over at Auron to see if he was fine. Once he confirmed that he would toss the kunai again in the direction of the forge and teleport to it instantly. This took place a few times which resembled crackling lighting in the sky. Many of the villagers on the ground found this to be odd and didn’t know what to think of it.

The kunai was finally thrown into the ground before the gates of the castle. Ooetsu and Auron appeared standing over it. Ooetsu at a crouch as he was placed with it in his hand. Putting it away he would look over to Auron to check the stability of his standing.

“You good, bro? Hope that wasn’t too much.”

He would then wait for him to gather himself if he needed to and beckon him to come with as he head to enter into the castle.

WC: 592
TWC: 3,444

Exit

Claims:
15,000 ryo from Auron to the Village Funds
S-Rank Missing Nin Exclusive “Death Thrust” to Konoha’s VE
Memorized Auron’s Signature - Ooetsu and Village Sensory Core

Claiming Inferno Release on Aoki for 2K
Using max stat discount for AP. 68 AP