wander yonder ~

[Jun]

Enter.

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I'd discover trouble in keeping my mind off of what awaited me in Iwagakure. My heart was set on Old Hallows Tavern, a rustic locale requested by Atlas-sama. I would miss that emerald gaze until then ~ the eyes that had given me life. And even as casual footsteps guided me downhill on an earthly path I couldn't help but find myself overcome with restlessness over the forecast of me becoming the famed Tsuchikage. Suddenly I had purpose to my life, yet it felt as more of a dream than anything.

Sanguine sight would take a glimpse up at the sky, where out yonder, under low clouds, a light sheet of drizzle spread itself out across a vast Kami No Kuni forest. For now I was a loner in the grand fields of Lightning country, only wishing that I had carried along an umbrella. Rather, there were no gentlemen out here rushing to throw their coats on the floor for me. The ground here was soft and muddy, with puddles I figured were true trials of patience.

I bounded over another, sandaled feet giving in to the spongy soil. The downward slope continued for quite a few meters, with lush trees bordering either side of the beige pathway. A nonchalant breeze swept through these parts and contested the shaky, wet grass. It was with a hint of curiosity that my persona stumbled upon a stone idol resting on the side of the road a mere 15 meters ahead. I caught up to it, cherry eyes widening once within its vicinity.

It was a grave, small and off the beaten path. Along with a rusty katana protruding from the side the name read : Yamanaka, Toru. I could only wonder what this person had been like in their time of life; a delicate hand of mine went to brush a bit of dirt from its surface. One thing was for certain however ~ this soul had not been forgotten. A row of fresh daises lay scattered across the tablet, a sight at which I smiled at. Kneeling, I'd better fix these flowers for a departed man that couldn't. Then with a humble bow I would rise and prepare to transcend into other lands.

I couldn't keep them waiting.

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High above the girl sitting in a nearby tree i would look upon the young woman at the grave and watch. My tangerine eyes would narrow as i watched and an amused smirk would spread across my features. 'How amusing, such respect for someone so long dead, and not even famous' I would watch silently as the young woman knelt, my hand absent mindedly stroking the hilt of my Kris dagger. As she stood i dropped from my branch landing to the ground several feet away with a gentle thud. Certain she had heard my landing i decided to speak before facing any nervous reactions. "You should be more careful, all sorts of nasty types lurking out here, I've already killed two muggers and a would be rapist" I spoke in genial tone as if simply referring to the state of the weather.

Now that i was closer i took a better look at my new found friend, she was pretty but not to my tastes. There was something strangely familiar in her appearance yet i could not place it. With a warm smile i would slowly reach into my cloak removing half a bag of gummy bears, as i did so my Kuagakure headband became visible momentarily around my neck, the large gash which ran through it visible. Opening the bag without so much as a word a chucked a few gummy bears into my mouth."Oishii" i declared through a half full mouth of gummy bears. Still chewing i handed the bag out toward the girl. With a swallow the delicious gummy treats would head to my stomach. "Want some, there really good. From Kumogakure too." I ended in a girlish voice giving a mischievous grin. No doubt i had provoked some conversation.

As i waited for the girl to take some of the sweets my thoughts went back to my brother. I had left without saying only because i had dreaded having to listen to his worries and warnings. I had survived long enough on my own, i would return within the week and hopefully have something of interest to escape my brothers scalding. It was pleasant knowing there would be someone to scald me again when i misbehaved, it made being rebellious that much more entertaining.

[Jun]

"I love you. . .Masanori."

There was something about visiting graves that made me think of him every time; perhaps because I visited his so often. But I'd be brought out of my nostalgia once sharp senses tuned in to an outside presence drop down from below. First instinct drove a dominant hand to grasp the hilt of my katana as both defense and fair warning. It turned out to be but a lone, raven haired lass arriving no more than three meters away.

"You should be more careful, all sorts of nasty types lurking out here, I've already killed two muggers and a would be rapist."

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"And you should be more careful of what you say around the dead." I had no desire to hear of her talk about rapists, however she had to be pretty sly to move in on me undetected like that. Still, with the smile she threw me I figured she honestly wasn't here as a threat, therefore I relinquished the grip on my weapon. A youthful stranger approached me, reaching for something within the recesses of her jacket as she did so. My sight was hawkish, and caught glimpse enough of that metallic glint around her neck. Kusagakure. That was Sky hair's homeland ~ a place I had seen with my own eyes. If I remembered correctly, there wasn't much left to stand of that village, so why would a young girl be bearing that emblem? And even more outlandish was the scar cut horizontally through her native symbol.

"Want some, there really good. From Kumogakure too."

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Had she really offered me. . .candy? Indeed she did, and with a full mouth she passed the bag my way. Fortunate for her, I was a sucker for sweets and obliged, giving in to her childish demands. "Is that so. . .Nuke nin?" I questioned, throwing four gummies into my mouth. They were a delight, I'd admit, but in no way swayed me from being skeptical of this daring kunochi. "Tell me, what are you doing all the way out here in Kaminari?" I knew full well that she could probably see the Iwagakure crown dangling loosely from my own neck, but that was irrelevant. I was the one asking questions around here.









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[drift]

'And you should be more careful of what you say around the dead.'

My left eyebrow would raise and a would give her a mischevious smirk 'Gutsy one isn't she'. The fact that she was obviously upset with what i had said amused me somewhat, i was glad i had ventured forth to converse with the woman rather than kill. It had been so long since i had killed though 'Onii-san needs to give something fun to do when i return'. As she snapped up the gummy bears i gave her a wolfish grin clocking in an instant the Iwagakure headband hanging around her neck, i remembered that headband from the war. 'Stubborn fighters, refused to step down'. So she had spoted it, yet she wasn't reacting as if it bothered her. Grabbing myself another couple of gummy bears i listned as she continued my eyes never leaving hers.

'Tell me, what are you doing all the way out here in Kaminari?'

"Well that's just rude you know" i said in reprimanding tone tossing a few more gummy bears into my mouth. As i chewed i would give her a mischevious smile, swallowing the delicious candy i would continue. "Calling me Nukenin. I have a name you know, Kurutteru Akegarasu. Though some have dubbed me The Blackest Crow, i have no idea why" i said with a chuckle. 'Maybe an inkling' i thought to myself keeping a steady smile on my lips, this was going to get interesting i felt. "I was visiting family, my brother lives in Kumogakure. He has some sway there so they don't care i use to be a Kusa nin." I spoke the last two words with bile in my throat and spat as soon as i had finished.

'That damn village, useless, cowardly. Weak!'. As i thought about my former village a look of intense hate crossed my face, staring the young woman i decided to tell her. "They abandoned me. It wasn't so bad for you greater villages, no especially not you Iwagakure nin, such a large force. Strong ninja aswell. I was twelve and full of promise. They promoted me to Genin during the war, things were tight, our own forces were small and too weak. Our best died first, then they started sending us, the young. Genin having to fight Jonin in pitched battle" I stared at her my eyes reliving the carnage, terrible blasts of fire burning women and men, girls and boys. Crushed bodies, dismembered limbs. It had been a horror at first, but then as i painted death myself i began to love it.

"Twenty squads of four went out, one Chunin three Genin per squad. We were expected to hold the Kanabichi pass from you Iwa shinobi. Four days most of us managed to hold off for, four days. None of the Chunin were alive, we managed ourselves, slept and fought back to back. By the sixth day there were seven of us, i'll never forget those six. They died one by one defending a village that had clearly abandoned us. No help came, no relief, nothing." I let out a deep sigh my anger fading somewhat. "I rigged the whole pass with tags, the Iwa nin knew there wouldnt be many of us left and theyd brought in fresh nin. They rushed the pass i blew it to hell along with many of them, then i left. I've never looked back." I grabbed my kusa headband "I wear this to remember my comrades"

Letting my head band drop back around my neck i placed the remainder of my gummy bears away. With a flick of my raven hair my grim expression would vanish replaced by the same smile i had been wearing before, "That's my story anyway, what's yours. What are you doing out here? Reon? Black Ops? C'mon i wanna know sister" I said with a girlish squeal swaying back and forth merrily.

[Jun]

"I have a name you know, Kurutteru Akegarasu."

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The Blackest Crow, huh? I raised an eyebrow of suspicion concerning her surname, though she did bear with her the signature raven hair of our clan. The lass continued dispatching that savory bag of sweets, occupied lips taking on our conversation in a careless manner. "Then you attended The Doctor's ceremony?" I interrogated her, as if to prove her heritage. I myself had just met with the one very few new as Sasuda. My gaze never left the frolicsome spirit, even as she relayed to me that she had relatives in Kumogakure. Ah ~ so that explained her being here. Mention of the hidden village took my thoughts to Atlas-sama, for he was their leader after all. "And you know of their Kage? The one with red hair."

That was the last thing I inquired about for a while before our chat took a sudden dive in emotion. Kurutteru's features hardened, breaking down into a tale of her past life in the Great War. It was a story of tragic ending, and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for a girl forced to see such terrible things at her young age. She then flashed me her Kusa headband ~ a permanent scar etched across its emblem. "I truly am sorry for your sacrifice. We all lost people dear to us during the war." My face went to the shrine at my right, eyes swelling with memories. "Uchiha Koutetsu was a harsh man." Afterward, I cast a look at the girl before me ~ a free spirited soul that too shared my lineage. Nuke-nin or not, she was family. "If you indeed are an Akegarasu come with me to Iwagakure. You too deserve a life of royalty. That is ~ if you're willing to help rebuild the castle." I'd finish there, leaving her with an offer she'd be stupid to refuse.




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So she had been at the gathering as I had been there, I could remember the night vividly. 'A fellow Akegarsu huh, what are the chances of that'. Giving the girl sly smile my voice would take s bored tone "Yes, the Doctor, very mysterious I suppose, abit preachy. I wasn't too interested in the affair other than the clan had gathered. And then I found him, my brother....the red haired one" I finished with a somewhat smug smirk allowing the penny to drop for the woman I was Atlas' little sister, making me brother to the current Raikage of kumogakure no sato. I was proud of my brother, he had always been the type to go far, I was eager to continue the tradition in greater form.

She called it a sacrifice, the loss of my comrades, the deaths of so.many. Just kids really. It was something I would never get to grips with. 'Only family matters now' Yet she was kind in her way, kindness I never fully understood. Kindness made you weak, softened your heart. She's like Onii-san in that way. It seemed as if I would have to do necessary dirty work for the family, I would do what they could not. For my clan, my brother and myself. "I accept your offer. I do deserve to be treated like royalty, we all do, we are the Akegarsu after all. What is more magnificent than a murder if crows against a midnight sky? When we get to Iwa we will have to discuss things in more detail I think. But for now tell.me, what may I call you and what sway do you hold to guarantee my safety.

Apart from the obvious fact my death would bring down the wrath of my brother. I hope no Iwa nin hold a grudge.". I would give a sweet smile, it was bo threat simply the truth, I knew my brother was now a powerful player in the world, and I knew how much he loved me. 'If he was killed, i'd slaughter all involved and their families for good measure' That was love.

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Sent from my GT-I5700 using ProBoard

[Jun]

!!

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So she was of Akegarasu heritage after all. Her interpretation of the Kami no Shima speech made that clear. But then my cherry eyes broadened ~ brain taking a bit longer to register that last bit she had mentioned. It was no accident that I just so happened to meet both a distant crow and relative of my sensei. Hence, it wasn't too far fetched of me to count her as a bluff. Yet I didn't ~ I could tell this kunochi was as genuine as they came. "You are Atlas-sama's little sister? You're kidding." I gave her an offbeat expression, for being sibling to one of the highest shinobi powers ever to grace the Earth was quite a bit of leverage; and something I was convinced she had been cunning enough to exploit in the past. How else could she have made it so far as a Nuke-nin?

She accepted my proposition, as expected, also fully aware of the long expedition ahead of us. Even after reaching Iwa there were many resources and connections that needed to be secured. "Splendid. You may call me Umeko, Anemone ~ Sandaime Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, if you will." I'd toss her a smirk, for she wasn't the only one withholding valuable secrets. I figured it more beneficial to just come out with the formalities; besides she'd have discovered my true title once we reached back home anyways."And not to worry, mine are a reasonable people. I'm sure you will find my homeland to be a suitable haven." With that said, I'd cast a brief glimpse over the trees swaying nearby. All around us crows were gathering ~ then the sky would finally open up and conclude the light drizzle over our heads. "Let's get going." Turning, my footsteps now lead me to my cherished estate, though not before deciding to pop the question with a hint of red apparent in my cheeks.

"So, your brother. Does he have. . . a wife?"

Travel to Tsuchi no Kuni ~

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[drift]

'You are Atlas-sama's little sister? You're kidding.'

The words of the young woman along with her offbeat expression would bring melodic laughter from me, such a reaction was most amusing. I supposed it was somewhat ironic. "Yes, i have the honor to be his sister." I flashed another grin, this one tinted with pride. My brother, flown so high Raikage of the new world. 'Watch me soar even higher'. I loved my brother truly, but i had my own ambitions, my own goals, personal goals. Personal vendettas. And then i learned of the womans identity, another surprise indeed. Her name was Umeko, Anemone. She too was a Kage, the Sandaime Tsuchikage.

I could not help but laugh aloud, sweet lilting notes as my merriment spilled forth. Things were falling nicely into place, and events continued to get more and more interesting. There were two Akegarasu Kage, and i knew they had met so it was not a stretch to imagine they had formed some plans, if not they were most likely in the process of doing so. 'I must learn more'. So it was by the hands of fate, divine providence or just sheer coincidence i would find myself leaving kaminari no kuni to travel with the Tsuchikage back to her own hidden village.

'Let's get going'

I nodded sharply in agreement, eager to see what awaited on the road and what would happen once we reached our destination. However all thoughts of this would leave my mind as a rather unusual and unexpected question was put to me by a red faced Anemone. 'Does my brother have a wife?'. I wasn't entirely certain, we had only spoke of important matters at the clan meeting and he had been terribly busy upon our arrival at Kumo. Stifiling more laughter i tried to keep a serious disposition but a mischevious smirk remained painted upon my lips. "Wife? You know i never asked, but don't worry i will do soon." Finishing with a sly wink i would turn silent mind racing with ideas as i followed the Lady Anemone away from the small sad grave and onto greater things.

- Exit/travel to Tsuchi no kuni

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[tigaevo]

moved

[vegapunk]

@ Anemone // 40 EXP

@ Teru // 40 EXP

[Jun]

There was much laughter to come from the vagabond Akegarasu girl in the next passing moments. For it seemed as if she too had caught on to the grand irony of it all. Kumo and Iwa were becoming more intertwined with each unexpected meeting. So she walked the path beside me, tossing a foxy smirk in response to my meekly asked question. Apparently she knew not of his spousal status but I figured with a girl as insidious as her, we'd find out soon enough. A young Teru gave me the most subtle wink before we moved on ~ leaving a tender spirit to enjoy the early afternoon sunlight.

Exit ~

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[adero]

+3 for the exit @ Anem