Mist-Drenched Admiration [Q]

[~Kohana <3]

The lush scenery of Hi no Kuni had become one that she missed. Granted she had come to Mizu no Kuni numerous times on more personal matters, she had never stayed long enough to ‘appreciate’ the weather. Water was everywhere, as it should considering the countries name, but she was getting tired of it. The rain, the almost palpable humidity, and of course, the endless splashes water bodies throughout the country. To make matters worse, the terrible reminder that Mizu no Kuni itself was an island continued to pop up from the recesses of her thoughts. How he could stand being here in this country and not back in Hi no Kuni was beyond her.

Regardless, those kinds of worries were for the weak and easily swayed. She, however, would not be apart of such a thing. Looking down to the makeshift map of Mizu no Kuni as well as her general notes. To the west of Kirigakure and off the coast of Mizu no Kuni was a small set of islands that she had deduced to house what she was looking for; Homatsu, the Blast Sword. It was a Kirigakure relic from times long passed. From her bits of research and here say it belonged to a strong shinobi from Kiri, along with six others, and they formed a group known as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

A terrible title indeed, one that she was adamant about bringing back.

Kohana was no Kirigakure shinobi, by far, she was nothing like them, or at least she kept telling herself that. However her reasons were hers. Finally she would feel useful, important, and above all else, just maybe he would look at her with a different expression than of one of pure entertainment or lust. Almost instinctually her grip on the paper map tightened, its flimsy form crinkling in her grasp. What was he doing right now? How were things running in the capital? Was he happy? Did he miss her?

Sighing, Kohana pocketed the makeshift map she had drawn out and took off towards the western borders of Mizu no Kuni. Ideally she would have rather taken a boat to the small series of islands but if need be she would run across the water if necessary. Of course that would probably look too suspicious. It was already odd to see someone of her lineage in these lands, even without her Konohagakure headband that usually hung around her neck. She was like a sore thumb but in the long run, when she succeeded, it would all be well worth it.

The veins at the side of her eyes began to pulse while also bulging from their spot beneath the skin. Her snow-white eyes hardened and focused and her Byakugan came to life. She could ‘see’ everything now and she used this to search the areas ahead for any docks, boat houses, or even any out of the way pubs or places to ask for direction. One way or another she was going to bring Homatsu back. She was going to make him look at her with new eyes. Even if she had to prove herself with the sword itself she would succeed.

There isn’t any other option…

…I came here knowing it would be hard….

…and though its not for Konoha, it's for me.

[/I][/right][/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote]

SPOILER: Click to show

I really didn’t know what to write to start this off to be honest to I just winged it. Can’t wait to see what you have planned for me Shane. Let’s get this ball rolling shall we?

[Shinryu]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] Strange Tidings You hate the mist, and the water, and just about everything about this country, and yet it remains. The mist hangs thick in the air, ephemeral and uncaring to such pitiful whims of humans. It was here long before you, and it will remain long past your time. It stands as a testament to the resilience of the very land you walk through, and the struggle that comes with living there. Not that you would know of such, of course, for you were of a different breed. You could never truly understand him, no matter how hard you tried. But he was not what you were worried about now, of course. No. You were here for yourself. A testament to your own strength and your own ability, and as a means of acquiring power. To what ends you would put it to use was for you to decide, should you survive long enough in the treacherous world surrounding you to find it... You travelled. The mist was thick, obscuring even your great doujutsu to some discernable degree. Your vision through it was limited to a few hundred feet at best. You could feel the sticky air surrounding you as you made your way to the coast, travelling through dew-soaked underbrush and tall grass; the very wetness of it soaking into your clothes, and a palpable chill running through your skin in the early morning. Soon the sun would raise further, and you would be cooking alive in the haze, unable to sweat for the humidity, and unable to escape the dampness. It was no Hi no Kuni, that much was wholly evident. The path you trod was rough underfoot, and lead to a much denser forested area within the confines of the island. You could still discern that there was indeed a path, but the goings were much rougher than usual; littered with heavy underbrush and tightly bunched trees packed together much denser than the forests of your home. Eventually, you would come to a split in the path. One fork heading left, one heading right, with nothing but forest for as far as your eyes could see. The mist had lifted as you walked; the sun starting to push through the cloud mass and offer it’s warmth to your well chilled body. And with that, came the realization that you were not alone. In the distance behind you walked a man of perhaps your height, or even a little shorter, with greying hair and a long, flowing beard. He wore robes that looked nothing quite like anything you had seen in your travels of this land so far. Was he a foreigner like you? Or perhaps merely an oddity? He whistled a merry tune as he approached, still unaware of your presence. Perhaps he might know where to get ahold of a boat? After all, you were certain you couldn’t be any farther than a few hours of walking from the shore of this particular island. Even so, you would be faced with a decision. Would you speak with the man, and risk him discerning your intentions? Or would you make yourself scarce and trust in your own instincts? made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] GM

SPOILER: Click to show

Had to re-write this whole thing after proboards derped on me. Sucks, because it was better the first time. =_=

[~Kohana <3]

It was almost upsetting that as she continued through the mist that even someone of her caliber, someone with her eyes, couldn’t pierce the extent of the natural phenomena. Granted, she could still see a few hundred meters all around her, but that was nothing compared to normal. Regardless, Kohana supposed that she should have expected it at some point. Nothing in life, especially that of a Shinobi was easy. So why would this be any different? She trekked forward however, after all, what better way than to come out on top then obtain something that is on the top tier of the shinobi world? That’s just what she would do to.

However as she continued forward the surroundings almost became unbearable. She was soaked through to the bone thanks to the perpetual wetness that Mizu no Kuni held. At one time of the day she had become chilled yet later on cooked under the mist magnified sun. How did anyone even live here? But then again not only were they used to it, most town that she had come across to come this far hadn’t been situated so close to the coast like where she was now. Unlike Hi no Kuni’s expansive forests, Mizu’s were compacted and tightly woven like a trap made to discern who had the strength and will to survive out here. Kohana pressed on though, using her eyes to navigate through the opposing acts of Mother Nature.

Then the split came and she was actually almost thankful. Not only would the split cause the tight forest to expand out and allow some breathing room, but also the slight clearing allowed the sun to pierce the mist and bathe her in its warmth. It was quite refreshing. The warmth allowed her to fight the chill on her body and completely forget about it. When the chill would return, which she was sure it would at some point, she would be better equipped to deal with it now that she had become accustomed. Now in some bit of a clearing though her Byakugan picked up that of an elderly gentleman in robes that she had never seen before. In fact the robes looked a tad out of place, especially considering their surroundings. But considering they were close to shore, perhaps he was heading to the docks to catch a boat.

Normally she would have flitted forward and avoided being seen by anyone. However, what harm would it be to speak with an old man? Besides, if she offered to accompany him for a little bit out of ‘worry’ she may be surprised to obtain some kind of information from him. Even if it were myth based or hear say, anything at this point would be helpful to some extent. So in preparation she would turn away from the man, however with her Byakugan still active in order to keep an eye on him. Occasionally she would also tilt her head as if pondering something. This would allow it to look as though she were questioning which way to go as well as able to keep every angle in her line of sight.

Once the old man was close enough she would turn, as if surprised, though her Byakugan would now be inactive. She would smile and wave a little to him, even being so bold to take a single step forward before she spoke. “Excuse me sir,” she started, glancing back to the forked road then back to him within a quick moment. “I’m heading towards the docks however I don’t seem to know which path to take.” She would laugh a little, as if embarrassed, before her Byakugan would activate once more. It’s not as though she could hide the fact she were a Hyuuga. White eyes and all. “Even my eyes can’t see far enough ahead through all this mist. Do you happen to know which way? Or if you’re heading there I would be glad to escort you.”

[/justify]

[Shinryu]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] Curiosity "Well now, it isn't every day we get someone of your kind wandering around these parts." The old man smiled at you as you greeted him, although for what reason you could not be sure. He certainly seemed genuine, though, and made no obvious motions that would perceive a threat to you. Either he did not know what you were, or if he did, he was not troubled by it, which was an interesting thing considering the world that you lived in. He continued to walk along the path, motioning for you to follow him down the left fork, as he began to ask you a few questions, his hand stroking his chin through his flowing beard. "But do tell me, my young and beautiful lady, why you stray so far from home? The docks out here are hardly what they used to be in my day; the wars saw to that... Very few ships even bother to take port there now. So what business does a ninja have out here?" There it was. Confirmation that he did indeed understand just what you were. However, as he brought the topic up, he did not seem adroit or upset about it; on the contrary he seemed merely curious. His voice was soothing and filled with the tones of sage wisdom that only a man who had lived to see many a year could possess. He seemed utterly unconcerned for the world around him, or at least for the consequences of your appearance in it, other than merely understanding what reasons you chose to be here, in other words. That in of itself was curious, perhaps, but even so you could not find ill intent in his words or actions. Would you still seek to deceive him? Or would you share the secret of your quest in the hopes of gaining more knowledge? After all, the evidence you had to go off of was scant; A rough map of the area, some vague rumors, and a name... Homatsu... How many people could even claim to remember such a foregone relic of the past? Lost long ago to the tides of battle that had shaped the shinobi world, most of the records of it's existence had been destroyed in the Great War, and from what little remained, you had gained a few, seldom recognized clues; but even they were hardly considered helpful. This man had seen the coming and goings of the world, no doubt, by the telling wrinkles in his skin, and his long since grayed hair. What knowledge might he impart to you of this world? What might he know about the blast sword? Of the seven swordsmen of times long past? Did you dare to ask him? Or would you keep your quandaries to yourself, content to the knowledge you already had obtained? Perhaps there was yet another way to gain the knowledge you sought which you had yet to consider? The choice would ultimately be yours. Had you followed the man and answered his questions? If so, did you answer them honestly? If not, then what would you do, stranded in the woods, with two paths to go by? There's still time to change the road you're on, after all... made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] GM

[~Kohana <3]

Needless to say, Kohana was taken aback by just how forward the old man was being. Granted he did invite her along to follow him, which in case they would be taking the left path together. She knew that she should have worn contacts or dressed like the people of Mizu no Kuni. That would have been the smart thing to do for sure, but unfortunately she was too confident that she would find it on her own that she didn’t see any purpose in going to that sort of extent. However, there was not much to do but accept the fact that the old timer had figured her out, and quickly at that, and simply roll with it.

“Heh. You have some good eyes, old man.”

She tried to be casual with him, lax and sociable. Though she would give the appearance that she had let her guard down, in reality she had not. After all she couldn’t be sure just who this old man was just as he couldn’t be sure her exact purpose being so ‘far from home’ as he would out it. Contemplating on the issue, she remained quiet for a few more moments as they walked. The comfort from the slight clearing at the fork slowly dissipating until it was just that of the simple trail they followed. Kohana wasn’t worried about Kirigakure ninja. Knowing him had its perks. Shinobi from the village would leave her alone.

However, considering the sword was either lost or in possession of a third party, it would be that third party she would have to worry about. If there was one that is. Regardless she inhaled and picked up her stride a little to walk next to, but slightly in front of the elderly man. “Well, just looking for something that’s lost. Heard it was this way and figured I’d retrieve it for a dear friend of mine.” It was all she would say at first, mulling on her bottom lip briefly before continuing. “I’d assume that you know a lot about this area; much more than me. Do you know of any hear say about any kind of special and lost…item…somewhere? Say…on the islands off the coast of the docks?”

Kohana realized that she was being slightly obvious about her attempt and her query. However she never once said its name nor did she even say that the item was a sword. If the elderly man deduced that, she wouldn’t confirm it either. She would simply listen to his story if he had one and mentally jot it down for her own personal use. It was none of his business anyways what it was she specifically sought nor the reason behind it. Especially when the reason behind it wasn’t even concrete enough within her own mind yet as well. She just went on an impulse and kept telling herself that she had come too far to turn around now.

“What brings you out here, by the way? If you don’t mind me asking that is. It seems odd that an older gentleman such as yourself would travel alone like this. Do you live nearby perhaps?”

She didn’t quite care but her abrupt question was there to add small talk as an undertone to the larger question. It was all to make him feel comfortable and as though she had really let herself get overly comfortable with him. There were various advantages to this and she planned to exploit every last one if necessary. Especially if it would lead her to Homatsu.

SPOILER: Click to show

Shit post is shit. I’m going to make a point to keep up on this now. Let’s have fun, shall we? ^_^

[Shinryu]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] Sorrow "The name is Muu, miss, and... forgive my saying so, but once you reach my age you see a great number of things that are special become lost... Most of them being lives..." The man's face was momentarily wracked with sorrow as he said this. What his loss was, you could not say, and yet you could tell merely by looking at him that it was great, and terrible. Even so, he seemed to steel himself, a smile coming back to his face as he addressed you again. "But don't let an old man like me sully your choice of adventure!" And as quickly as he had shown himself as so distraught, now he barked out with laughter, his hands resting over his belly as his voice boomed through the woods, stirring up birds nesting in the foliage above. He blushed a bit at this, and sighed. "You must forgive me, miss. I don't get out much. I forget sometimes just what it's like to talk to the young people these days... As for where I live, yes, it is nearby. I assumed you knew of the village of Kyonshouma to be asking about it's docks..." His eyes become piercing and his shoulders tense up, as he comes to a halt along the path. You see him take a deep breath, fully aware that there is more to you than what you've told him, and yet he does not seem hostile; at least not yet. "I don't know who you are... or where it is you come from stranger, but I know what you seek, and I advise you to turn back now while you still can..." His tone is dark and his body shakes as he speaks, leaving you perhaps uncertain of his intentions. His knuckles are white, and clenched tight, but he does not move, standing still and continuing to speak in the same broken, fragmented manner. "If... If the trip across the sea doesn't kill you, then the islands will. No... No one makes it back alive. No one ever makes it... back alive... N-Not since the war. T-Trust me... you wouldn't be the first person I've... seen... die... CHASING AFTER THAT USELESS SWORD!"

[/right]

The tension in his body peaks and the shaking wracks his body in the form of violent sobs, his voice breaking as he shouts the last few words. He falls to his knees and buries his face in his hands, appearing as a relic himself of a time long past, sobbing silently as tears crawl slowly across his face. How much time passes as he cries you cannot say, but eventually he drags a sleeve across his eyes, and stands again, not looking at you directly. You sense perhaps he might be a bit ashamed at having shown such emotion to someone he hardly knew, but then again, it was possible he might have had other reasons. It becomes pointless either way as he begins speaking again.

"My son... Shen... He became a ninja like you... He thought he would bring glory to the nation by finding the sword, Homatsu... He left for the islands twenty years ago today... and never... came back..."

His face is pale and his body looks about ready to break into sobs again. He takes another deep breath, though, and settles down. He finally looks back at you, his eyes pleading with you in a gesture beyond nations or ninja or hidden villages.

"I know you hardly know me, and I know I can't make you stop, but please... don't throw your life away for glory... For the sake of the people who care about you, don't become another Shen..."
[/size][/div]

made by renni

[/td]

[td][atrb=valign,top]

GM

[/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[~Kohana <3]

Muu seemed like quite a nice man. A tad nutty perhaps, but that usually came with the whole process of aging. Kohana didn't particularly like the thought of her skin wrinkling, her hair going grey, her eyes failing her, and of course, her body becoming weak. But just because she didn't like it didn't mean it wouldn't happen. The only thing that truly mattered in the long run was if she did her right as Hokage and led her people to glory.

That was a lie though. There was one thing more important than that.

...Him...

Of course she shook that from her thoughts as she continued walking, not noticing that the old man, Muu, had stopped talking and had actually stopped altogether. It wasn't until she turned her head to comment on his home of Kyonshouma and tell him that she had indeed passed through there on her way here towards the docks. Muu was livid, distraught, and the look on his face made her heart hurt. What was...?

"Oh..."

It was all she said at first as Muu spilled the beginnings to what he knew about the sword. He called it useless and that no one ever accomplished the task of bringing it back. One such case was his very own son, Shen. Kohana felt as though she was going to vomit. She was supposed to be a hardened kunoichi, and back in the day she would have scoffed at him and kept going. Instead she approached him and patted him along the back.

"I'm sorry for you and your family, Muu. I'm sure Shen was a fine ninja. But please don't underestimate me. I've come to the conclusion you are no threat and I don't see any harm in telling you this little tidbit of knowledge other than to console you."

She would pause and dig through her pouch momentarily to pull her headband out, the silver glinting as the symbol for Konohagakure no Sato became quite obvious. The Hyuuga would tuck the item back into her pouch and continue to rub the man's back tenderly as if she herself knew the heartaches of parenthood.

"Muu, I am the Hokage. Good friends with your Mizukage. He recognizes my strength just as I recognize his. We trust each other. And in bringing that sword back, not only will it strengthen that bond but---" A pause with a smile was given. "Also, I'll do it for Shen as well. I'll make his dream come true along with mine. So please rest easy, Muu and show me the way to the docks."

He would finally look at her and in doing so she would also help alleviate the incurable sickness of the old man Muu's heart...

[Shinryu]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] Resolve "I... You..." The jumble of emotions that Muu displays is almost disconcerting, you cannot read at all what he's thinking, but by the way he trips over his speech, you can tell there is both anxiety and uncertainty in him. Finally he seems to shake himself from the shock long enough to react, and promptly gets to his knees and bows before you. "My most humble apologies, Hokage-sama... To have dishonored you so thoroughly with my comments and my actions..." He gets back to his feet, however, he seems much more respectful now, even adapting what to trained eyes might seem a slight hunch so as to appear less assuming to one's presence. He speaks again as he continues on down the path. "I did not mean disrespect, but I did not know you held such a title... To be so strong as to lead a country... perhaps you might finally succeed where... where everyone else has failed..." The mask he hides behind falters again momentarily in his voice, no doubt still thinking of his son, but even so, you can tell that he seems to have changed his opinion of things, at least enough to afford you the respect he seems to think you deserve. He leads on through the brush and as the trees thin, you begin to see the crest of water eking though the foliage. It still remains a short distance off, but you can see the path, more browbeaten than that through the woods, has solidified again, looking more careworn, as it winds off before you, and off to the south, down a path you must have missed for the fog. You break through the cover and see before you the vastness of the shoreline; with nothing left but flatlands around you, you can spot the houses and buildings that dot it now that the mist has lifted. The little shanty town is small, albeit one would expect as much, given it acting merely as a supply station for the larger village to the east. As you break the cover of the treeline, Muu speaks again, more solemn then before. "I do not know if you were honest about doing this for Shen... but if so, I can at least do what is in my power to help you. I know of only one sailor in this town who would be willing to sail to the islands, and he may take some convincing on both of our parts. I also kept Shen's notes from when he was researching the sword... if they can be of help, then they're yours." He seems to have put what fears remained to rest, albeit perhaps he simply knows that look in your eye; that you cannot and will not be stopped from finding that sword by anyone or anything alive. What he doesn't tell you is that Shen had that same look in his eyes as he departed. Will you suffer his fate? Or will you return triumphant? Only time will tell... made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] GM

[~Kohana <3]

"There is no need to apologize. Only reason I told you of my status was so that you would understand that I am not just some heady youth with a conquest for power. I mean business, Muu."

Indeed she had noticed that the old man seemed to straighten up and act a little more polite around her. It was nice to be respected, that was for sure, as well as be recognized. However having the title of Hokage was just that, a title. It meant nothing unless one could back that up. Granted she wouldn't have been chosen to lead Konohagakure if they didn't see her as fit enough to carry on the task. If anything that alone was reassurance enough.

As they continued down the path, slowly but surely the path became more worn and clearly used. The forests were dwindling out into flat lands where the dirt turned to sands and grit. The mist started to lift and expose the shoreline as well as the scattered buildings of the coast town. It was kind of shabby, but she had no room to complain. Finally making some head way in her journey was enough to allow a simple content sigh to escape her lips.

Even if this part was the easy one.

Muu spoke then. He knew of someone who would take them to the islands, someone that would need convincing. That wouldn't be too hard. Kohana always had a way of convincing people to do things for her one way or another. That's what made kunoichi, at times, more valuable. They had that sly, devious charm that only a woman could muster up. To top it off even, he held notes regarding Homatsu that his son Shen had taken before he had disappeared en route to the sword itself.

Shen. I wonder what kind of boy he was, or rather, hat kind of man. Anyone brave enough, even if it was perhaps foolish, to hunt down a weapon of such prestige is automatically a man in my book....

Kohana knew nothing of a parent-child relationship other than hatred and disapproval. It was odd that in the brief time of knowing the man as they waded through the mist that she wanted to succeed, obviously more so for her own goals, but for him as well. She wanted to make him proud in place of Shen, and even perhaps bring back his son if possible---even if by now all that was left was remains.

Closure, no matter how long it takes, was always necessary.

"Thank you Muu. Take me to this man, but while we walk, do tell me about the notes your son, Shen, wrote. Clearly he must have been talented. Don't worry, I do mean when I say that when I do this for myself, I'll do it for Shen as well."

All she had to do now was have him escort her to this contact of his and the journey would truly begin...

[Shinryu]

SPOILER: Click to show

Sorry for the wait on this, Koh. Took a couple days off to get my head on straight and get my muse back.

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] Resolve Muu looks to you a bit quizzically, as you ask him to tell you about the notes. "Well... I don't remember much about them specifically... They were Shen's endeavor, not mine... I leafed through them a bit; most of it was about the island itself if I remember correctly. A lot of what I recall focused around the flora and fauna of the place; the kinds of things you would need to know to survive out there... Then again, the records are old... who knows how much has changed since they were written...?" He guides you into the shanty town and towards what you recognize to be a large series of docks with several ships moored there. Most of the place appears to be in disrepair; untended by the nation in general. Only a few good timbers remain in the docks themselves, with many being broken by foot sized holes or rotted through. Muu shakes his head as he looks upon the scene, before gazing off across the horizon towards the distant islands to the west. "You would never believe it, but before the Great War, this town used to be six times this size... We were a huge part of the nation's economy and trade, with regular shipments faring to and from the land of tea, as well as your own homeland. Now, we're just a faded memory; Little more than an inkspot on the grand, sprawling page of history of our nation. But hey, that's life for you, I guess." You can hear the melancholy in his voice; as he speaks of the past, but he puts a smile on regardless as he finishes, apparently not as bothered by the state of the village as his words might have had you believe. Either that, or he might have been simply quite mad. One might find it hard to distinguish exactly which. Then again, when he began speaking again, it would perhaps be clearer; his footsteps treading carefully along the docks on what appeared to be the strongest timbers while he spoke of his home at length. "There is a simple dignity in poverty, I suppose. It's true we have little, but we are proud of our work here, and we do what we can to keep the village happy, and that suits us fine. We make good trade off provisions, and sometimes they send a crew down to fix up our docks a bit... Hasn't been one of those come along in a while, though... Not since the old Mizukage went on a rampage... A bit of grit seeps into his voice as he says this. You get the strong feeling that he really did not like the former Mizukage. Then again, nobody did, really, given his track record of destroying all of the Ninja villages, including your homeland. Still, it seems odd to hear someone from the very land in which Kouketsu resided disavow his name in such a manner. Afterwards, Muu remains silent for a moment, before remembering at last what he dragged you out on this rotten raft. "Now, as far as where we're going, it's just down here at the end of the pier. The name of the man I'm taking you to is Xin Yang. He's a foreign fisherman from the East Continent, who came here some time back because he heard a rumor about a beast that swam these waters. He spent the better part of thirty years hunting it, but he never actually has found the thing. Honestly, I've lived here all my life and I know the thing he's after isn't real, but he's still convinced it's out there, and he still hunts for it to this day. Anyway, I tell you this, because it's your only chance of convincing him to take you out there. He knows we all think he's crazy, so there's little I can do to help you convince him to take you to the islands. If you want to get there, it's up to you to persuade him." He points to a small wooden shack that sits off by the far end of the pier. Nearby, moored out front, is a fishing trawler, standing among the taller of the few vessels along the causeway. "That's his house there. I'll go and gather Shen's notes together, and come fetch you in an hour or so, maybe? I just live up over to the south there, by the willow tree, if you finish up before then." This time he points to another, slightly larger house a distance off back towards the shore. A single, aged willow grows beside it, hanging low over the bank that runs along the sea. His guidance all but done for now, Muu waits for your approval of this plan, standing there on the dock beside you. Will you follow his advice and speak to Xin? Or now, with the islands distant but still in sight, will you merely strike out on your own and travel by yourself across the treacherous waters of the sea? made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] GM