Dark Divinity, a Monster's Emissaries

The Masked Man always seemed to have some crazy plan or another, Isamu wondered what kind of life his creator had lead that caused him to be so knowledgeable about dark and costly powers. Though he had a telepathic and memory link with the man Isamu found himself often questioning the motives of "Takehiko". Recently he'd been given a new mission by his creator, one that involved the Lord of the Uchiha within Tsukigakure.

Takehiko had seemed pleased when it had been revealed that both Hasumi and Isamu had managed to meet this man, Kagu Uchiha, and had worked with him on multiple occasions. Through their telepathic link, Takehiko had explained to Isamu and his sister that he'd made another deal with Junko, that he was going to help this man gain even more power in return for favors. Isamu and Hasumi were briefed extensively on the many deals they could propose to them man depending on what his disposition seemed to be, with the main ones seeming to involve offering the man even more powerful bloodline abilities in return for fealty to the village or perhaps access to any dead members of the man's clan. Neither Isamu or Hasumi felt eager to offer the second option, however, and weren't too sure how negotiations would go given the rather absurd desires their creator seemed to have.

Despite their reservations, the two found themselves approaching the Uchiha District of Tsukigakure. Isamu wore his usual armor, his bodysuit covering his entire body except for his head. Over the top of that was his samurai armor, though he kept his helmet removed and tucked under his right arm. At his right hip were two swords tied to his belt, a katana and a tanto. Isamu made sure to walk side by side with his sister as the two raven haired beings made their way through the village. In order to not raise to much suspicion as to their nature the two had opted to pretend they were father and daughter, realizing if they referred to themselves as siblings most people likely wouldn't believe them.

The two got a mixed reception as they finally arrived in the Uchiha District. Most seemed excited to see Hasumi, the young village kunoichi that had come and helped build the community center and also did her best to assist with small jobs on occasion. Isamu was viewed with a bit more wariness however. The wannabe samurai recalled how one of Kagu's servants had tried to strike him after he had placed his Curse Mark upon their Lord, and wondered if perhaps he was disliked for having offered the man such a dark and dangerous deal.

As Isamu had to pretend he was the father and not in fact the same age as Hasu, he took the lead as they walked toward the community center that had visited before. If there was a guard or anyone who approached the duo and asked their business, he'd explain that he desired to see Lord Kagu and wished to present him with another offer. Otherwise, Isamu approached the door of the community center and knocked.

WC: 523

-20 AP for Telepathy
1577/1597 AP

Hasu walked beside her brother as they made their way through the village and toward the Uchiha District. She wore her usual baggy grey pants and a simple black t shirt, not yet having acquired any armor like her brother had. Her headband rested atop her collarbone, another usual habit of hers. As the duo made their way the shorter Living Clone occasionally peered at the large bag of money at her brother's hip, feeling rather upset that he had taken it from her after applying the Curse Mark. She'd have to do a number of missions soon if she wanted any hope of ever getting ninja gear. She was supposed to be the village ninja of the two of them but she was dressed liked a civilian while Isamu looked like he was ready to fight in a war.

As they drew close to the district Hasu reminded herself that she ought to focus on the task at hand. She was a bit nervous about asking Kagu for favors and giving him crazy offers for power, but it seemed that Isamu had made a similar deal in the past with the man. She briefly wondered if Kagu had already started training with his Curse Mark, remembering that he and a few other ronin had been among the first to make use of the villages training grounds.

Hasu was grateful that her brother took the lead as they arrived in the Uchiha District. As he went straight for the door looking for someone who'd help grant them an audience, the young kunoichi smiled and waved at a few of the Uchiha's that she recognized from her previous times working within their community.

WC: 282

-20 AP for Telepathy
1422/1442

In many ways was the world in chaos. Constant fighting between shinobi, those domineering for more power, others just wanting to live their life in a peaceful manner. Kagusutchi Uchiha himself had found a means to live somewhere in the middle. He did want his clan to have great power among their numbers, and he felt that if he was truly going to see the Uchiha banner raised high in esteem with those that surrounded them, then he himself was going to need to claw for more power in himself. The curse mark was a simple beginning in this pursuit for more power, and he was going to continue until he had realized the power that the Mizukage had been speaking about at Darkside when he was there with Junko.

But to what end would this pursuit bring him? Would it bring him to a state of being on the same level as the Mizukage himself? Perhaps. Only time would tell, and it was this time that he began to invest in himself. On a daily basis he found himself pushing farther and farther forward. He knew that he was going to need to dedicate so much effort into himself if he was going to get to a point of such reverence, and on this day there seemed to be a strong change in the winds. Only today, he was to be met by the very same individual that had given him such power to begin with, Isamu.

Not long into the morning, there came a sound of feet tapping against the ground before the community center, there had already been a message that there were some non Uchiha individuals coming into the Uchiha district, seeming to be looking for someone. Isamu knew where to find Kagu, that was for certain. He wasn't really the type to try and hide from those that may want to have audience with him, so he made himself quite easy to spot. When he and the lovely Hasumi had arrived at the community center, the door was opened wide as Kagusutchi took a step outside and bowed towards them both. 

"To what brings such delightful company amidst this darling morning? Have you come for tea? Training? Or something different altogether?" His words would hang in the air as Kagu smiled widely towards them both. The other Uchiha may not see it yet, but to Kagustuchi, these were among those that he would call friends.

WC: 410

Isamu smiled as the community center doors opened and Kagu walked out, greeting the middle aged man and his young sister. While Isamu sometimes found the man to be eccentric he knew the man was powerful and charismatic. During the missions he had performed with Isamu and Hasumi he'd been an able and reliable comrade, and the District he had carved out for his people seemed to be flourishing.

Taking lead, Isamu responded to Kagu, "Perhaps the next time I come to visit your District it will be for pleasantries, but today I come to you with another proposal. If you'd indulge me, Lord Uchiha, my daughter and I'd like to discuss the details with you inside."

Isamu spoke bluntly, doing his best to convey the meaning of their visit as concisely as possible. In truth he was somewhat nervous about approaching Kagu with another set of deals and proposals. While Isamu knew that the man hungered for power he wasn't sure how far he was willing to go or what he'd do once he attained more power. It seemed that he would come to understand Kagu's nature soon enough, if the man allowed the audience, as the set of proposals Takehiko wished him to give ranged from suspicious to dangerous.

If allowed inside the community center then Isamu would lead Hasu into the building as he followed Kagu. Upon reaching a room or space that was private and that Kagu deemed worthy of the conversation Isamu would continue, "Last time I approached you I offered a dark power, one that threatened your life. I come before you now offering another. This one is less dangerous to your person but would come with a price. I either need you to officially join with this village I've invested so much in, or entertain yet another dangerous deal.

As for the power I offer.. the bloodline you possess is a powerful one but it is, in fact, incomplete. If you accept either of my terms then you can gain access to the other half by visiting Tsukiko's Institute of Medicine, either Hasumi or another able medical ninja of the village will perform the operation for you. From there you will gain more powerful ninjutsu abilities than the ones you've shown me. If your eyes have gained Eternal sight then it will only be a matter of time before you awaken a doujutsu that, coupled with my Curse Mark, will allow you to obtain power that will be difficult to rival."

If Kagu seemed disinterested in joining the village and pledging fealty as a shinobi, or asked about the additional deal, then Isamu would elaborate on that. "The dangerous deal is something I offer hesitantly. I don't know if you're aware, but I went through the village and offered my Curse Mark to others after I gave one to you. So far there have been 5 survivors, including yourself and my daughter Hasumi. The dangerous deal is that, in return for this additional power for yourself, we offer members of your clan the same deal I initially came to you with. Anyone within your clan that wishes to have a mark may receive one."

Isamu hesitated a moment before continuing, knowing he was perhaps about to go too far. "All I ask in return is that if any were to perish that I be allowed their pair of Sharingan. I realize the outrageousness of my request, but I assure you that the power you and your clan would gain would be more than worth it."

WC:588
TWC:1,111

1577/1597 AP

Hasu smiled and gave Kagu a respectful bow as he came to greet the duo. While her brother was a bit less courteous with his movements she appreciated that he at least called Kagu Lord Uchiha. Standing close to her brother she waited nervously as he took the lead with the conversation, noting that he seemed to be following the script given to them by their creator almost word for word. She hoped that Isamu wouldn't get himself in trouble by trying to act as though he was some secretive guy making plans in the shadows, and that the deals Takehiko wanted him to offer wouldn't get the two of them into trouble. She knew Isamu was somewhat capable but she was kind of a liability in her current state. She still had some training to go before she thought she could hang with Isamu or Kagu if things suddenly broke out into a fight.

The young girl continued to ponder the power difference between her brother and the Lord Uchiha as the conversation continued. More out of curiosity than an actual worry Hasu used her limited info of the two's fighting styles to try and figure out who was the scarier guy. Unfortunately with her limited knowledge she hadf to guess that swordsmen like Isamu were at a disadvantage against people who cast ninjutsu. She'd only ever seen the one random swordsman sparring with Kagu and another ronin in the training ground but that guy seemed to have struggled against the techniques being thrown his way. She was pretty sure that her brother would have a hard time not getting burnt up if Kagu starting spitting fireballs at him, especially if he had bigger and more powerful moves than what she'd seen him do in the spar.

Hasu would follow Isamu and stay close if the two were allowed in the community center. Hasu hugged her elbows and put on a nervous smile hoping her brother didn't fuck everything up. If the conversation got to the point where Isamu asked for a pair of sharingan, Hasumi's bright blue eyes would turn to stare at him.

WC:356
TWC:638

1,422/1,442 AP

The swordsman would ask them to be allowed into the community center, which Kagu wouldn't hesitate to let. He guided them within the community center, leading them toward the stone pillar at the back. "I have done some renovations since you last came here. This will be a much more secure place for us to converse." He weaved a few hand seals, and the stone began to move and clear a passageway underneath the stone. 

What was revealed was a staircase leading into pure darkness, to which Kagu formed the Horse symbol, causing the torches within the corridor to ignite and illuminate the passageway. "Follow me." His words were calm and inviting, as he already viewed the two of them as friends to the clan, and he had no desire to harm them. They were within a large cavernous opening When they reached the bottom of the steps—stone surrounds them with etchings on the walls, depicting different stories within their carvings. There was a long stone table towards the far end with three seats along the edge, the one in the center being rather tall and having the symbol of the Uchiha clan etched into its face. In the center of the room, there was a large stone tablet with more etchings into its face, reading the tenets of the clan.

He sat upon his throne and looked to the other two. "Now, please, tell me your deal."

The deal was an interesting one. He wasn't sure just how he would be able to tell the rest of the clan that he was allowing their most sacred weapon to be used possibly against us by giving it to an outsider. He pondered it for a moment, trying to think of a means to broker this deal without giving in too much to the village. But, of course, an idea struck him moments later. He nodded as Isamu finished speaking, and then pointed toward the young woman. 

"I hear your deal, and you have already provided me more than enough to warrant you a friend to the clan. But to allow the use of our most prized possession, our legacy, I feel that I will need to make something rather official to the remainder of the clan. But here is where I offer you an addition to your deal, if only for the formalities of it all. If you," He looks to Hasumi, "Would allow me to make either one of you an honorary clan member. Someone who attends our meetings and stakes a claim to the clan in and of itself, then I believe I could swing my clan's feelings towards an outsider claiming a set of eyes in their favor." He allowed his words to hang in the air for a moment. 

"So what do you both say to my thoughts? But I shall also be joining the village when the Kage offers me the position of Chuunin within her ranks, but not before. So I shall allow the secondary option of your deal, provided you go along with my slight caveat, of course." He looked to Isamu, figuring he would be the one to speak, but he hoped that Hasumi, the younger female, would also talk during their interaction, curious what her thoughts were on the matter. 

WC: 570

As Isamu and his sister followed Kagu through the community center the wannabe samurai had to admit that he was impressed with the renovations that had been added since his last visit. He found himself inspecting the secret passage with his chakra sensory as they traveled through the stone pathway and into the hidden chamber beneath the community center, his curiosity briefly drawing his attention away form the task at hand. He had to admit that he'd want to try something similar if he ever established his own secret hideout or chamber, though unless he acquired it from The Uchiha he imagined it would take him awhile to figure it out on his own.

Once they were within the larger cavern and Kagu indicated that he was good to speak, Isamu explained the deal as described in the previous post. As he finished explaining his plan, which was really his creator's, he continued to look at Kagu in an attempt to discern his reaction. As he briefly waited for the man to respond he was also keenly aware of his sister's eyes boring into him as he requested a pair of the clan's doujutsu should he accidentally kill one of them.

Fortunately Kagu seemed to take the deal well, he seemed to be a very pragmatic individual whose ambition allowed for such a proposal to flourish. His focus seemed to shit to Hasu as he responded, informing the two of them that he would like for at least one of them to officially join the clan if they wanted him to consider giving them a pair of eyes. This struck Isamu as a fair bargain, especially considering both Isamu and Hasumi already knew Kagu and likely wouldn't struggle to hard to integrate.

As Kagu briefly paused and allowed his words to hang in the air, Isamu briefly reached out to his sister telepathically to ask her feelings. She seemed conflicted, as Lady Junko had already taken her in and Hasu wasn't sure what the woman's plans for her were.

As Kagu asked for their opinions and then explained his reasoning for opting for the secondary deal, Isamu nodded in understanding. He was in a similar predicament, not wishing to be labeled a Genin like Hasumi and having to work back up to his current pay rate as a Missing Ninja. The middle aged man responded as Kagu finished speaking and looked back to him.

"When I first began working with Lady Tsukiko I allowed her to take my daughter under her wing. I'll have to speak with her before it can be decided if Hasumi can accept this offer, but I will gladly do so. It'll be an honor to serve you Lord Uchiha, together we can show Lady Tsukiko that the district you are building is an integral part of this growing village and join the village's military with ranks we deserve."

Isamu paused to allow Hasumi to voice her opinion on the matter before proceeding. Hasumi confirmed that she had to speak to Junko first before she could give an answer, the poor girl seeming quite nervous over the whole ordeal. Isamu supposed it had to be hard, picking which family you wanted to be a part of. He could only somewhat experience the turmoil the girl was feeling through their telepathic link.

"If we're all in agreement, then we can proceed with my next gift. If you'd follow me to the hospital we can get the first procedure done now, or you can go their at your leisure. It seems that Hasu will be seeking out Lady Tsukiko to speak of what will be done about her. I have to head to the hospital regardless, I need to inform the doctors there that the procedure will need to be readied."

If Kagu decided not to accompany him then Isamu gave the man a bow, "Thank you for accepting my proposal my lord. I will return shortly."

(Exit)

WC:659
TWC:1,770

-20 AP for Telepathy
1,557/1,597 AP remaining

Hasu had to stop herself from letting out a sigh of relief as Kagu didn't immediately berate or attack Isamu for his insane proposal. This brief moment of relief was short lived however, as she suddenly felt the Lord of the Uchiha move his gaze onto her. The young girl found herself suddenly nervous with his attention on her, turning to look away from her brother and make contact with the man as he elaborated on his counter proposal. Hasumi's bright blue eyes grew wide as he suggested that they join his clan as honorary members, in shock that the man would be so kind as to accept them as part of his family after what Isamu had just asked of him.

Unfortunately Hasumi wasn't sure if she'd be able to accept the man's offer, recalling that her creator seemed to have passed her off to Lady Tsukiko as part of some deal they had. Hasumi had been living in the woman's home for months now and had grown quite close to her, the young girl believed that she at least needed to talk to The Village Leader before making a decision. She felt her brother connect to her mind as he continued to struggle with what she wanted to do. Some vain childish part of her wished she could just become family with the entire village but she was pretty sure things didn't work like that.

Thankfully Kagu turned back to Isamu as he asked for their opinions, her brother doing his best to explain the situation to her. As he finished speaking she did feel the need to chime in, however, feeling awkward about being silent after Kagu had spoken toward her.

"Lady Tsukiko has taken me in and allowed me to take up residence in her home. If it's alright father I'd like to go and speak with her about this on my own. As for you, Lord Uchiha, I truly do appreciate this offer. Even if I don't accept it after speaking with Junko, I hope that I can continue to visit the district and help out where I can. This place is truly nice and I love the community you all have been building here." As she spoke the girl looked nervously between Isamu and Kagu, very obviously flustered about trying to decide whose family she'd be joining.

As she finished speaking Isamu chimed back in, seeming to wrap up the conversation about the deal. Hasumi followed Isamu out of the building before heading toward the Kage Tower, making sure to boy to Kagu before parting ways with him. The young girl had a nervous smile on her face as she made her way through the streets, elated by the offer and overwhelmed by it as well.

[EXIT]

WC:462
TWC:1,100

-20 AP for Telepathy
1,402/1,442 AP