Meaning.

[Chae]

For a while, Chae had begun to realize that a unexpected secret amassed within the forefronts of his conscious. Regret. While he often denied feeling any kind of regret or remorse for his past actions from assassinating the Tsuchikage down to the Raikage, he felt quite the opponent during his more recent moments. He knew not if it'd been simply age, a matter of time, or Akira's trashing that rekindled his sense of regret, a sense that Chae buried deep within his soul and over the years, fought to keep it so.

Regardless, he found himself asking his own conscious questions he'd never even thought of asking it before, such as why he did commit unspeakable things without a second thought, why he drank so furiously, and why had his life seemed so directionless when there had been no money to gain or battle to fight. It plagued his mind, ate away at it vehemently, making up for the years his feelings and sense of regret and remorse remained dormant. With more questions than answers, he had no one to go to, at least not while he'd been outside of Kirigakure and Akira's wisdom, but truth be told, he hung in Akira's shadow for far too long.

He needed-wanted, to step out and find his own path instead of being a pup with no path to walk forward, only a ring to go in circles. He wanted answers, and he wanted them fast, so he thought. . .

"A temple, good a place as any I guess."

He thought to himself, standing a the base of the temples stairs before ascending them one by one. With a single arm, and an armour-less body (dressed in standard civilian clothing), he reached the top where a set of dual doors rested firmly into the ground. Approaching it, he knelt down upon both knees and tilted his head forward.

"Not sure if anyone can hear me, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I. . .I've lost my way, not only as a shinobi, but as a human being. For my entire life I've done nothing but think for myself like some heartless, sinful beast, but lately, I've been overcome by guilt and regret. For the first time in my life, I've realized on my own that I need proper guidance. "

[NARRATOR]

"It sounds like you've given up on yourself," a soft, honey-silk voice rolled from around the other end of the temple. The owner of such a lovely voice had been obscured, even then, by the massive bell hanging from the center of the establishment's being. She remained so for a handful of moments, until walking around to reveal herself.

She was a slender woman of short stature, with chocolate hair and smoldering hazel eyes. She had soft features, with plush cheeks, a rounded chin and full, heady peach lips. "I apologize if I'm sounding intrusive, but there's no amount of praying that will help you with that."

Leaning against the bell, she smiled. "Before you can ask for guidance, you must first put yourself on a path capable of being walked. They can't do everything for you, sweety."

[Chae]

"Nah, you're fine."

Chae spoke without even batting an eye, informing the girl that her sudden statement and arrival was more than welcomed, after all, she could've been a resident or a frequent visitor of the temple itself. Although it'd been the last thing he wanted to hear, she spoke the truth. He truly had to place himself along a path capable of being walked, however, he knew that was easier said than done for someone who did nothing but follow orders for the entirety of his life. Pushing off the ground, he stood up upon both feet and turned his head towards the woman at a side-view.

"I know, I've been thinking about that lately. So far i've only walked a selfish path, a path that only rewards power & money, two of the very things that cost me my left arm. . ."

He paused, just for a moment and chuckled.

"I want to change, fight for things other than power & money. Since I've lost this arm, I've reconsidered a great many things, and one of them being able to help others and keep the peace. But to do such a thing, I have to move forward because I know all of the lives I've taken. . .I cannot return. But if possible, in their stead, I'll strive for something greater."

Once spoken, his hand ran through the entirety of his hair as he looked upon the young woman and awaited her response, presuming she even had one or cared enough to give one.

[NARRATOR]

"We live in a world of shinobi," the girl said smoothly. She stepped closer to the man, tilting her head to the side as she examined his body. He had a weathered face; a seasoned, scarred body; but his eyes were dire. She felt as though she was looking upon an injured lion, outcasted from its pride and left to die alone in the wilderness.

She shook her head lightly. "You're going to kill -- time and time again. There's no getting around this. It's a part of our life, unfortunately." It was the depressing truth, as she liked to call it. "But, like you said, it is what you kill for that determines whether or not you can or can't live with it. Money, power and drink-- you're right, that's selfish. Pathetic and disgusting, really." Her voice was still soft, despite the harsh words. "But family? Honor? Your village? Love? To protect those who cannot protect themselves? That is righteous."

Having moved from the bell, she now pressed herself against one of the many pillars about the grounds. "The dead couldn't care less how you honor them now. Nothing you will do can every make your past mistakes right, or justify them." She nods, moreso to herself. "You're better off forgetting it, and starting anew. The more you linger on what you've done, the less you focus on what you can-- and should --be doing."

[Chae]

Her words cut deep and were coated in the most lethal venom that possibly existed. In an strange way, he agreed. Throughout the years he knew that Akira disproved of his constant need for money and alcohol, however, Chae failed to recall upon a time where he disapproved it so harshly.

Prior to that, he noticed a single word that stood out amongst the others - 'our'. So she'd been a shinobi as well? He refused to question it as she'd shown to have had a way with words to the point where she knew what fell from her parted, peachy lips without question and meant all of it.

"I see, I really see where Akira and I differed so much over the years, even as children. I've fought for trivial things, I even attacked other villages and justified the act itself because of power, fame, money, and alcohol. "

Pausing, his open palm raised up while his face buried inside of it, realizing just how foolish he'd been after scrutinizing Akira for so many years when, in reality, he held Chae's best interest at heart. As a result, he also realized just how hurt Akira felt when he looked out for someone he cared for and had his hand slapped away every single time.

"Oh man, I'm such an idiot, all that time, he was trying help me and guide me, but I shrugged it off as empty lecturing."

Resting his hand arm down to his side, he made his way over to the pillar adjacent to the woman and sat down, one leg extended with the other bend up halfway. Huffing a relieving sigh, he looked up into the sunset and watched as the sun itself began to sink behind the northern mountains.

"Start anew then, a clean slate, I like the sound of that. What should I be doing - quitting. Heh."

His hand reached down and untangled the rope that held his gourd together and seized it with his hand. Holding its tip, he twirled it around and around before he stood up, faced the sunset, and hurled it off into the horizon.

"That gourd was easily part of my past, it needed to be cast away, no longer apart of who I am and who I intend to be. "

[NARRATOR]

The woman watched with an interested eye as the gourd sailed off, waiting for the inevitable 'crash!' to resound against the emptiness of this sacred place. Though it was nothing short of a simple gesture, she could appreciate it entirely -- an alcoholic giving up his greatest vice. But, his previous words still stuck with her.

"So, you're from the Mizukage's boon, huh?" Of course she knew who Akira was. Living in Konohagakure, she'd heard the whispers of her leader, the Hokage, and the infamous Mizukage's relationship. While it was usually just speculation, and she never thought anything of it, it was interesting that a Kiri-nin should find himself in a temple for Leaf ninja. "No wonder you're so handsome," she teased.

Gazing back into the sunset, she brushed several strands of hair from her face. "I commend you for having the strength to at least begin changing. There aren't many who even make it to this point." For a moment, she fell silent; the man's plight brought back her own memories, but she quickly shrugged them away. "The good thing about family, though, is that it's never too late. No matter what you've done, they'll always be there."

"I'm sure that if you show Akira you're trying to change, and that you mean well, all will be forgiven." She smiled sweetly. "If he's stuck by you for all this time, I highly doubt he'd abandoned you now -- especially not after his words of wisdom have finally appeared to sunk in."

Pushing herself from the pillar, he strolled closer to Chae. "Anko Aburame," she said while extending a soft, slender hand in his direction. "And you are?"

[Chae]

Chae blushed, he actually blushed. The red cheeks and the smile that couldn't resist from reaching ear to ear, they all became evident as the woman complimented him. Despite having lived for a great many years, Chae never settled for a woman, not like Anko, instead, he always chased courtesan's and easy woman with a drink in hand. To have been complimented on his looks so warmly (and sober), he felt, refreshed.

She had been right about one thing though, Akira being at Chae's side; growing up, he was considered to be more a brother than Tenryu ever did, and for that, Akira stood by his side through thick and thin, for better or for worse. With his attack on Kumogakure, that seemed to have been the last straw, but if Anko had been right about family always being there, Chae still had a chance to connect with Akira, a chance he one day desired to seize.

"Chae. . .Chae Yoon Kushinada, pleasure to meet you Anko, and you're just as beautiful as I am handsome."

His compliment thrummed with nervousness, considering that Chae himself never complimented a fine and upstanding woman - ironic. He took her hand and shook it as gently as possible with a uncontrollable smile across his face. Suddenly, his stomach growled, reminding him of the travel sized bento boxes he carried with him for food. Realizing he packed two for himself, he decided -as if his first selfless act- to share.

"Not sure if you're hungry, but I have an extra bento box if you'd life. I've never eaten before a sunset, only in a dark, damp tavern haha."

Reaching into his pouch, he retrieved a small box, wrapped in fine cloth with a perfect knot and motioned it towards Anko, ushering her to share a meal with him, even if she hadn't actually been hungry. There after he removed his open, opened his contents, and spoke before he dug in.

"So, what brings you to this temple? Perhaps you live here? Very nice and peaceful, very peaceful in fact."

A place peaceful enough to start a family, at least that's what Chae's mind initially thought.

[NARRATOR]

"Thank you." The blush on Anko's face was almost as prominent as Chae's, though it could have easily been mistaken for the soft glow of the setting sun against her skin. Especially considering how effortlessly she reached into the sash of her kimono, retrieving a pair of black leather gloves.

Sliding her hands into them, curling and unfurling her fingers several times, she stepped off to the side and closer to the bell. She'd answer his inquiries with action.

In a blur of motion, her fist collided with the intricately decorated brass hide of the bell. Its groan echoed across the land, like a stroke of thunder, and was quickly followed by another. The strikes continued, rhythmically now, until she stepped away with a satisfied sigh. "I'm the bell ringer," she explained with a full smile. "I come here three times a day: once at dawn, once at noon, and then once at dusk. But, I think I'll take you up on that offer--" She paused, removing a glove and plucking some of the food from the dish.

Greedily, she forced the chunk into her mouth and chewed. "Mm, delicious!" she spoke with her mouth full, clearly not bothering with manners. Licking her fingers clean, she looked around. "You don't have to worry, either - no bugs'll get in your food. Unfortunately, I wasn't compatible with the kikaichū at birth; I'm Aburame in name alone." Her smile beamed brightly, though. "My father is the leader of the Konohagakure clan, though. So, I suppose it's not a total downer." She may not have been related to a Kage-- especially one as powerful as the Mizukage --but she was proud of her lineage.

[Chae]

Chae smiled towards Anko as she blushed just as much as Chae if not more, enjoying her company more than ever. Suddenly, she reached into her kimono and retrieved a pair of gloves before sliding them onto her hand and knocking around the bell with precision and unexpected power.

Her strikes, rhythmic, sent chills throughout Chae's body, soothing his soul and calming the beast that laid within. Beautiful and strong, Chae wondered whether or not that had been the reasons Akira had been so attracted to Kohana; if anything, he believed that Konoha women were cut from threats nearly forgotten in time.

She turned out to be the bell's ringer, a job that Chae himself fancied to be overly boring and tedious, however, in a way, he sensed that it would've taken a fair amount of discipline to govern and be responsible for such a task, discipline that he would one day learn. Having previously offered her something to eat, she accepted - greedily so. Despite her lack of manners, he found it to be unexpectedly pleasant, namely seeing her enjoy something he made with his own hands. For once in his life, Chae felt. . .happy.

Momentarily, he stared into Anko's eyes, overwhelmed and even somewhat intimidated by everything she had to offer, beauty, intellect, and even spirit, but his moment of hypnosis shattered as she continued to speak.

"This might sound crazy, but. . ."

Shy and embarrassed, he looked away and paused.

"You're different from other women I've met. Your heritage means nothing to me, I'd spend time with your regardless. . .wait wait, no that came out wrong what I mean is that I'd -"

Twisting his own tongue and words, he buried his face of embarrassment into the palm of his hand, thinking just how big of an idiot he sounded. He'd only hoped she received his poorly presented message.

[NARRATOR]

Anko smiled a warm, knowing kind of smile. "It doesn't sound crazy at all," she replied gingerly. "And, you know what? I kind of like you - you've got this aura about you. It's hard to explain, but I know it's there; it's like the potential of change-- a silent promise, if you will. I felt it when we shook hands." Slowly removing the gloves, and tucking them back into her sash, she continued. "And because of that, I don't want to give you the wrong kind of ideas."

"I'm most certainly not that kind of woman, Mr. Kushinada." Despite her words, she had a playful smile on. "So, don't get the wrong impression. This isn't even a date, good sir."

Stepping closer, and reaching back into the box for another clot of food, she smiled sweetly before stuffing it into her mouth and chewing. Her eyes rolled into her head, her face melting into an expression of utter bliss and joy, before a content hum of a sigh rolled from behind her closed lips. "But, if you're still in the village tomorrow, maybe I'll let you take me out on one. I'm sure you could use the company on your road to salvation," she explained, letting her hand fall upon his shoulder as she walked past him. "Heavens know that I did."

Well beyond several feet behind him now, Anko glanced over her shoulder and waved half-heartedly. "Good night, Chae Yoon."

[Chae]

Removing his hand from his face, he listened to Anko's words intently, heeding them as she made her stand in their extremely fresh relationship. She admitted that she like him, and as far as Chae had been concerned, it counted for something and let him know that an opportunity existed. With her final words, he'd been left almost speechless by her uncontested confidence and conviction, qualities that he hadn't seen within a woman for a great many years.

Withotu a shadow of a doubt, he wanted to take her out, have her get to know him and vice versa, especially about her own road to salvation, presuming she'd hadn't been overly sensitive about the topic. Offering her a warm smile, he bade his own farewell as she walked off.

"Good night. . .Anko"

[Arcadia]

+55 Chae
+50 Narrator