Market District Penthouse.

[Estilo]

Note - Interactive Objects

---

Some of the objects within the detailed setting are interactive, meaning you can choose to interact with them using your character, and I will respond with a summary of what you find upon closer inspection. The content of a particular framed photo, for example, or the origin of strange markings on the wall. Interactive objects will be listed below the room they are found in.

D E S C R I P T I O N

This fifth-story penthouse suite can be found in central Kumogakure no Sato, within one of its famous market districts. The property itself is a collection of small apartments throughout the first four floors, with the penthouse taking up the entirety of the fifth floor, and the building's roof. Access to this penthouse is usually gained by taking the elevator, as there are no stairs present. Whether this was an intended feature upon construction, or an overlooked flaw, only a few select people know. But many of the tenants below suspect a very anti-social, but very rich, old man is living above them.

L I V I N G R O O M

The first room you enter past the metal door is the living room. Here, you'll find a U-shaped couch at the center, with a small coffee table at its forefront. A fireplace, and an adjacent leather resting chair, is situated against the western wall. A hallway leading to several other rooms, an old jukebox, and an assortment of framed photos, can be found on the northern wall. To your east, you'll find a breakfast counter preceding the spacious kitchen, of which you're given full view of from this vantage point. This room is decorated in hues of cobalt blue, elephant grey, and midnight black. The floor is crafted out of aged, but durable, oak. To your sides, against the southern wall, you'll find the shrouded glass doors that lead to the balconies. One balcony has a small stalk of bamboo.

[/u]

• Framed photos. (Total of 8.)
  
• Balcony. (With bamboo.)
  
• Coffee table.
  
• Fireplace.

[/ul]
H A L L W A Y

Sharing the living room's color scheme, this hallway provides entry into the majority of the penthouse's other rooms. It is wide enough to fit three people, standing shoulder to shoulder, between it. On its western wall, the first door you'll come across will lead to the restroom, and the second will lead to the study. On its eastern wall, the first door you'll come across will be locked, and the second will lead to the bedroom. At its northern end, the hallway provides straight entry towards a spiraling flight of black stairs. The stairs, however, lead to a locked metal door that precede the penthouse rooftop.

[/u]

• Locked door. (Eastern wall.)

[/ul]
B E D R O O M

The master, and only, bedroom within the penthouse suite is smaller compared to the study. The bed has been neatly left behind, its headboard against the eastern wall, with a katana blade placed at its end. (Refer to this thread.) A metal footlocker has been placed at the foot of this bed. A wooden closet, a spotless mirror, a wide cabinet, and a secondary closet have been placed against the northern wall. A fine assortment of paintings have been placed carefully on its southern wall.

[/u]

• Paintings. (Total of 4.)
  
• Secondary closet.
  
• Wooden closet.
  
• Footlocker.
  
• Cabinet.
  
• Katana.

[/ul]

S T U D Y

The study is perhaps the largest room within the penthouse. It shares the same hardwood floor that all the other rooms have, but only on one half of its area. The other half bears a stainless elephant grey carpet. On the hardwood floor, and against its western wall, a large desk, bookshelf, and metal chest have been placed. Next to the bookshelf, and on the western walls carpeted side, is a display of ancient antiquities and relics assorted neatly with one another. Against the eastern wall, where a majority of the floor is made of hardwood, a small lounge-like setting has been created. Two leather chairs surrounded a small, round coffee table. On the wall behind them, framed letters are hung up. And finally, to the room's northern wall (where a majority of the floor is carpeted), a large map of the continent has been placed up, beside a bulletin board and white board. A pillow and blanket lay on the carpet.

[/u]

• Ancient antiquities. (Total of 5.)
  
• Framed letters. (Total of 7.)
  
• Bulletin board.
  
• White board.
  
• Metal chest.
  
• Bookshelf.
  
• Desk.
  
• Map.

[/ul]
R O O F T O P

Should one gain access to the penthouse rooftop, by climbing up there or unlocking the metal door that connects it to the actual penthouse, they well find a large garden smack at the center of it. This garden is decorated with all manner of flowers within its inner rim, and grows a variety of vegetables within its outer rim. At the very center of this garden, and the rooftop itself, the entrance to the penthouse is located. On the rooftop's northern edge, a pidgeon coop is located beside a small wooden bench, and a locked letter cabinet. On the rooftop's southern edge, a small white table surrounded with four comfort chairs resides. On the rooftop's western edge, a jacuzzi remains locked within a small shed crafted with glass and wood. On the rooftop's eastern edge, a large venus flytrap is kept away from the rest of the plants within an open space of ground.

[/u]

• Locked letter cabinet.
  
• Pidgeon coop.
  
• Venus flytrap.

[/ul]
K I T C H E N

The kitchen has a variety of cabinets along most of its walls, full of dishware ranging from porcelain mugs to antique plates. A large stove, its adjacent oven, and the prep counter can be found right at the center of the kitchen. Hanging above these are an assortment of pans and drinking glasses. The refrigerator can be found against the northern wall. The sink and yet another prep counter can be found against the eastern wall with a small window. And, covering the entirety of the western wall is a large wooden cabinet stocked with all sorts of liquor, exotic drinks, ancient totems, and fine wines.

[/u]

• Totems. (Total of 4.)
  
• Liquor cabinet.
  
• Refrigerator.

[/ul]
Status: This thread is, by default, private.

Logbook:

• Atlas, sole proprietor, returns.
  
• Atlas modifies the 'katana'.

[/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]

[Yuki-chan]

[Permission granted]

A small 'ding-dong' could be heard when the elevator doors opened. The female walked out of the elevator with the older male right behind her. Her slender hand clutched the silver key that had been given to her just ten minutes ago or so.
'Right. Here we go' thought Yukiko as she approached the door where her senpai's apartment was located.

She noticed that this was the only apartment in the entire top floor...was this a penthouse or something? Her hand turned around the key and a small 'click' could be heard when the lock turned around. The young woman swallowed the small lump in her throat while she tried to calm her nerves a bit.
She opened up the door before she turned on the light to see what was there. Being a shinobi, the Chuunin would NEVER enter a dark room if she could.

Not to mention that her childhood fear of darkness was unfortunately still quite intact. Her eyes widened as they studied the living room. A rather large sofa stood in the middle right in front of a fire place of some sort.
A breakfast counter paired with a nice kitchen was at the eastern wall while the southern one had a unique glass door that lead to a balcony or terrace. 'I never thought that senpai had such a nice apartment!' thought the female.

She then entered the apartment just a moment later. There were no clues of people in the room and nothing suspicous or eerie here so far. Her eyes then saw a hallway with an old jukebox at the northern wall.
'I wonder what's there' thought the brunette as she went further into the apartment. She glanced at the photos that hung at the wall...maybe they had a clue.

[Estilo]

N A R R A T O R

Upon closer inspection, you notice that all the pictures have a small white label placed beneath them, each providing a brief one sentence description of the scene depicted above them.

¹This first picture catches your eye for some reason, as it is placed at the near center. It is of an infant child wrapped in a blanket. The white label reads: Samuru Arcadian Burabiya.

²This second picture bears the visage of a fair-skinned blonde, a shower of sunlight behind her nearly ruining the integrity of the image. The white label reads: Veralette-- the love of my life.

³The third picture depicts Atlas in a courtyard surrounded with hedges and flowers. A small dark-haired girl, no older than five, rides on his shoulders with her arms in the air. The two of them are laughing. A small, dark-haired boy can be seen in the background, performing a taijutsu kick. The white label reads: Teru and Haitsuchi meet, officially, for the first time.

You can tell that these particular pictures were taken some time ago. Out of the corner of your eye, you see more (Total of 5.) adorning the northern wall, even catching a glimpse of yourself. You may continue to investigate the rest of them, or not.

[Yuki-chan]

Light blue optics looked at two pictures that were almost in the centre. Photo number one was the photograph of a small baby boy with a white label that read 'Samuru Arcadian Burabiya'. 'I wonder...can that be Atlas-senpais son?' thought the female.
She then looked at another photo that stood right next to it. It featured a blonde woman with a pale beige complexion who stood in front of a cloudless sky.

'Veralette: the love of my life' read the label that was underneath. 'That must be senpai's former girlfriend or something' decided Yukiko when she had read the title. But the third picture was a wee bit different from the rest.
It featured the male she knew together with two children. One was a dark-haired boy in the background who did some taijutsu while Atlas carried the second child on his shoulder.

It looked like a garden or a courtyard that had a lot of flowers as well as hedges. 'Teru and Haitsuchi meet, offcially, for the first time' read the label underneath. 'Hm. I thought the guy in the background was his son...but perhaps it's the names of his cousins or something' pondered the young woman. She then looked a bit further into the hallway.

Five photographs hang a bit further down the wall. 'HOLD ON A MINUTE! Is not that...me!?' thought the Chuunin in slight disbelief.
She went towards the other five photographs to see what was there. The female now knew more about the Jounin's life than the nine years she had spent with him.

He had a son as well as a girlfriend or fiancée. She did not knew if they were dead or alive, but they apparently did not live here. Or maybe they had moved out for some reason.
Confusion buzzed around inside the brunette's head. Was there something in here that could explain all this like a diary or a photo album perhaps?

[Estilo]

N A R R A T O R

You continue to investigate the rest of the pictures remaining, as Garin walks about the living room quietly.

⁴The fourth picture is covered with a copper-colored tint. It's older than the others, and it shows an entire squadron of Kumogakure no Sato soldiers crowded together in front of a vast pine-forested landscape. They're all, except for the commander, wearing dark green uniforms. Near the top-right of the crowd, between a short-haired female and a bald headed medic, you spot a young-- almost unrecognizable-- Atlas. You notice he's not wearing his mask in this photo. The white label reads: 37th regiment, at the eve of the First World War.

⁵This fifth picture, placed at the center of these other framed photos, is of you-- Yukiko Fuyumori. You're just a kid in this photo, with large ice-blue eyes. It's a close-up of your bubbly face, sipping at your straw, and smiling as your drink from a large glass mug filled with some sort of smoothie. If you take notice of the little background there is to offer, you'll notice this is Jackson's Jigger, the smoothie place in Tetsu no Kuni. You both visited this locale during the Chuunin Exams long ago. The white label reads: Yukiko, best little sister in the world.

⁶This sixth picture is of two men. One of them is Atlas, in his typical attire, patting another man on the shoulder. The other is a man with a mane of ocean blue hair appearing to be about the same age as him, perhaps just a little bit younger. He wears a traditional hakuma and kosode. The backdrop offers a splendid view of Konohagakure no Sato, and the cliffs behind it. The white label reads: Ryusuke Uchiha, the Nidaime Hokage.

⁷This seventh picture reintroduces the woman you saw previously-- Veralette-- wearing a white apron, and sliding a pan full of scrambled eggs onto someone's plate with a spatula. She seems to be laughing as the pale boy sitting beside the kitchen table looks in awe at his big breakfast. This boy has dark hair, and it would appear that the paleness of his skin is all natural. They are in a kitchen filled with sunlight. The white label reads: Aota receives a breakfast he can't handle!

⁸This final, and eighth, picture is the oldest you'll find in the apartment. It's in black and white. It depicts a small boy, his wild red hair tied back into a short ponytail, standing beside a young woman with flowing black hair. She holds the boy close to her, as the two of them smile. Behind them, you see a wooden cabin at the edge of the woods. Through the window, you spot a half-finished painting propped up on a wooden plank. A murder of black crows can be spotted in the trees afar. The white label reads: Mom, the strongest woman I'll ever know.

You find no journal or album, but perhaps another room contains what you seek. The letter you have may have a clue.

[Yuki-chan]

Picture number five made the female raise her eyebrows in surprise. It was HER! At least as a child; the photo had been taken during their trip to Gokage Kaidan.
'I remember that' thought Yukiko with a small smile on her face as she remembered the trip to Tetsu no Kuni. It was the first long trip out of Kumogakure no Sato without her parents or family.

Her eyes then moved onto a photo were the male stood right next to a guy with ocean blue hair. They both appeared on the same age but the bluenette appeared to be Ryuusuke Uchiha. 'Nidaime Raikage huh...perhaps he was the kage prior to senpai' thought the young woman.
The sixth photo made her smile. It was Veralette as well as Aota in the kitchen. Last but not least was a photo that appeared to be quite a bit older than the rest.

'No way. Is that senpai when he was a child!?' thought the Chuunin in slight disbelief when she looked at the red-haired boy. The woman behind him appeared to be his mother judging from the label underneath the photograph.
She then saw three doors plus a staircase that lead to the floor above. 'I think the staircase probably leads to a balcony or something like that...maybe I should try the eastern door first' decided the female.

Her face then turned into a slight scowled when she discovered it was locked. The second door was a restroom of some sort that did not hold any answers. Maybe the next door on the western wall would reveal some secrets for her?
A small lump formed in her throat as she opened up the door to the next room. It was not locked, so the brunette activated her sensor vision just to be sure.

Nobody was in there...or at least nobody who had a chakra network or something like that. The young woman went inside the room with slightly narrowed eyes. She turned on the light moments later to see what room this was.
It appeared to be a study room of some sort; it had a desk as well as a large chest made out of metal. Two boards plus a map hung at the wall at the northern wall.

'Those stuff over there look pretty old' thought Yukiko as she glanced at the antiques that were displayed at the western wall. But where would she start to look for clues? She decided to go with the chest first...maybe there was something in there.
'I'll do the bookshelf next' decided the female as she walked over to the chest. All of this stuff was hers now, so she was not exactly a burglar.

[Estilo]

N A R R A T O R

The locked door you came across in the hallway-- you would feel a strange chill run down your spine when you attempted to open it. But, it would appear that you paid no mind to it, as you headed directly for the study room afterwards. This strange chill, however, would follow you as you continued. Intermittently appearing in the back of your mind, a question begging to be answered: What was hidden behind that door?

Your progress in the study, however, does well to distract you from that question at the time being. The metal chest you approach, and thankfully find unlocked, is opened with a resounding 'creak'. Inside, you find a chaotic mess of papers, journals, and maps of countless random territories. A lot of the items within seem extremely old, as if they'll simply break apart if you touch them. One journal in particular has had its cover ripped off, and a map of Yuki no Kuni is covered with pieces of tape that keep it together in one piece. If you care to investigate the journals, you'll find that a majority of them were written during Atlas' teenage years as a traveling swordsman.

If you care to investigate the papers any further, you'll find they contain research on many different historical events, and ancient cultures. The maps you find? They're riddled with 'X's' and circles drawn in red pen, with small notes you'll find on the sidelines. The locations marked are actually regions where archaeological sites have been found. But, although it may seem this way at first, you can tell that this isn't what Atlas wanted you to have. It is a chest in his study, like the letter had mentioned, but not a wooden chest. Just as you begin to wonder whether Atlas had moved it, or whether his inclusion of the word 'wooden' was just a typo, Garin pops his head into the study. He briefly gazes about the room, before asking:

"Is everything okay here, m'lady?"

[Yuki-chan]

((OOC: I had to edit the last part of my post due to a misunderstanding))

A creaking sound cut through the silence when the female opened up the metal chest. There were numerous papers as well as journals in the chest. Upon a closer investigation, there was a map in the chest too.
Yukiko picked up the map and saw that it was a map over the continent. A lot of 'X's as well as small notes were drawn onto the piece of paper.

'Hold on a second. Are not these regions where some archeological sites have been found? I'm quite sure we have about a couple of these in my history classes' thought the young woman after she had read the names on the map.
She opened up one of the journals to see what it was. The dates went far back...she was just a toddler or child when these notes had been written.

'Looks like notes that senpai wrote while he was traveling during the war' thought the Chuunin. She laid the map as well as the journals back into the metal chest. "Is everything okay here, m'lady?" inquired the older male from the door.
"Yeah. I'm just trying to find out if there is something here that can tell me about Atlas-senpai's past...the journals are a good starter though" replied the female.

The brunette as she glanced at the letter that the now dead male had given her. Her mind tried to intepret what was written there to see if there was a clue.
'Hold on...he's writing something about a wooden chest. But I wonder where it is' thought the young woman. She then looked over at Garin after making sure she had read it right.

"Are there any other chests in this apartment? Senpai mentioned something about one here" informed Yukiko as she pointed at the sentence with the word. Since the guy had given her the letter, he could be trusted with this.
'Maybe senpai have hidden it somewhere in this apartment. That is not unlike him...he was a shinobi after all' thought the female.

[Estilo]

N A R R A T O R

"No other chests that I know of, miss." Garin would reply. "But I shall help you look for another, if you wish." And with that, he'd issue a polite bow before excusing himself from the large study, which-- based on the amazed gleam in his eye-- you could tell he wanted to search through himself. Though the Nidaime Raikage looked different to the eyes of somebody who knew him throughout a majority of their young life (i.e., Yukiko), Garin saw the man as a visionary. A leader. A legend. And being able to explore the man's secret abode was comparable to letting a small child explore the depths of their favorite superhero's headquarters. Absolutely mystifying.

As Garin leaves to aid you in your search, the penthouse and all of its remaining rooms continue to hum with mystery. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot a leather-bound journal in the metal chest you have just opened, different from the others based solely on the fact that its edges seemed to have been burning at one point. On the large desk next to the metal chest, you'll also spot an open book in the periphery of your vision. Another interesting thing to note on this desk, besides the clutter of paper and writing materials, is the Pre-War Yukigakure no Sato snowglobe, hand-crafted with detail.

If you care to investigate the half-burned journal any further, you'll find that it details some aspects of Atlas' life between the age of twenty-two and twenty-four. At the beginning of the journal, Atlas has just married his loving companion Vera. Temporarily leaving his service as a Jounin of Kumogakure no Sato, he travels abroad with her. The journal goes on to detail these travels through exotic lands, on faraway continents, as they find and interact with people from foreign cultures. Within that same year, however, they return to Kaminari no Kuni. It is then that the journal interprets Atlas' happiness and joy with words after he learns that Vera is pregnant. Aside from fighting in the war, he spends a majority of his time taking care to each and every one of her needs as the months quickly pass by.

You can continue to read the end of the journal, go on to investigate the book on the desk, or take your search for answers elsewhere. Garin is currently in the bedroom, looking for the wooden chest, albeit distracted by everything else.

[Yuki-chan]

"No other chests that I know of, miss. But I shall help you look for another, if you wish." replied the male. "Yes please" said the female with a neutral voice.
She scratched her head in slight frustration; WHERE was that hidden chest!? This felt like some sort of treasure hunt for children.

Yukiko let out a small growl in frustration as she looked at the items in the metal chest one more time to see if there was anything interesting there. 'Well well. That one looks interesting' thought the young woman when she spotted a journal bound in leather.
What made this one stand out a bit was that the edges appeared to be burned or even charred. She opened it up and looked at the date at one of the first pages.

Her eyebrows rised in surprise; the Chuunin noticed that the date was only ten years back or so. Which meant that this was close to the time the male had moved to Kumogakure no Sato. It appeared that his girlfriend had becomed pregnant and that they had married each other.
"WHAT!?" exclaimed the female with a low voice when she realized something. Atlas had a son that was old enough to be her younger brother!

Most of the journal consisted of the young man writing about traveling to foreign countries plus taking care of his beloved woman. There was not much interesting there apart from the parts featuring the baby or the war. A somewhat grim look formed at her face; she did remember parts of the war despite being only six or seven back then.
'I should lay that back' thought the brunette after a minute or two of reading. She laid the book back in the chest before she closed it.

Her eyes then caught the sight of two interesting items at the desk. It appeared to be yet another book as well as a small crystal ball that fortune tellers used. The young woman went closer to see what it was.
"....oh whoa..." muttered Yukiko when she realized that it was not a crystal ball on the desk. It was a snow globe of Yukigakure no Sato before the war started.

Tears started to well up in her eyes when a small wave of memories went through her brain. THIS was how Yukigakure no Sato looked like before she moved here. She swallowed the small lump in her throat while she dried her eyes.
'Wonder what this is...maybe I can find some clues here' thought the female as she glanced at the book. Maybe this thing could tell her a bit more about what her senpai had tried to tell her.

[Estilo]

N A R R A T O R

Before you get a chance to read the book, you hear the living room window shatter, followed by a loud thud.

E S T I L O

After running an errand that had required my immediate attention, I returned to my penthouse in the market district, traveling over the rooftops of my beloved village. But, what I hadn't accounted for, was the sudden surge of unbearable pain that ran throughout my right eye. It had spiked just when I'd leapt towards the balcony preceding my living room, completely disrupting my landing, and ultimately causing me to crash through the closed glass door. The burning pain I felt agonizing my right eye allowed me to ignore the stings of glass all around my body, and I staggered to my feet, using the side of the couch as leverage. But I soon realized I wasn't alone.

A man (Garin) stood dumbfounded at the other side of the living room, staring at me with such a frightened expression that I struggled to comprehend who he was, or what he was doing here. But, within the fraction of a second it took me to notice his clothing, I realized he was a scribe from the Raikage's tower. And I, clad in my dark cloak and ANBU dragon mask, most certainly proved to be a frightening sight. He didn't know it was me-- the Nidaime Raikage. My clothing masked all of my features, after all. And it was safe to assume that he believed this to be a home invasion. I was, quite honestly, at a loss for words at the moment. Reveal my identity, or leave?

But wait, I thought. If he's here. Then that must mean... Yukiko! She's here, too! It was then that I heard her footsteps.

[Yuki-chan]

((OOC: FINALLY!))

A loud shattering sound shot through the air like gunfire. The female shot up in alert as her eyes widened in surprise. 'Someone's here...IT'S A BURGLAR!' thought Yukiko while her chakra network started to stir.
The door to the bedroom was still open, so she awakened her sensory vision to see who it was. It appeared to be someone dressed in an ANBU dragon uniform as well as a dark cloak.

The young woman felt a bit suspicious; this guy had a familiar chakra network. But she had to focus on her plan now. 'I should probably shroud the area first before I use my sensory vision to aim an attack' decided the Chuunin.
She gathered some chakra in her lungs while her eyes were glued onto the intruder. He would NOT get away with this!

'SUITON! HOMATSU NO JUTSU!' exclaimed the female mentally before a dozen of bubbles darted through the hallway. They would surround the intruder in a couple seconds of time. Which was enough time to let the brunette start on the second part of her plan.
She still stood inside the bedroom, but her hands were now filled with raiton chakra. 'Now for the final cut...' thought the young woman.

'RAITON! ESHAKU RAIKOU!' thought Yukiko while the chakra formed a bow as well as an arrow. Her bubbles had probably bursted by now and her opponent would be blinded.
She then leaned halfway out of the room before using her chakra vision to aim her arrow at the opponent. Her hands then let go of the string...the intruder would soon get a lightning arrow in his chest.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus used:

Kagura shingan (Kagura mind’s eye).
Rank: "S" Rank.
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), mid (5m ~ 10), far (10m+).
Type: Supplementary.
Handseals: 1.
Chakra consumption: Low – 2x mid, low to sustain.
Description: Kagura shingan is an advanced sensory ninjutsu technique used by all sensors, and serves as the root to the entire sensory tree. After performing the necessary handseal, the sensor closes their eyes and uses their innate ability to detect chakra in order to determine the location of their opponent by the faintest of chakra trails, as well as discerning the size of an approaching unseen force, and even their chakra capacity.
This sensory technique can also discern whether or not a person is under the effects of a genjutsu; which elements they have at their command (even advanced releases), and likewise mask their own chakra signature (user’s) from other sensory ninja. The focus required to do the latter (masking their signature) prohibits their other sensing abilities, however.
Note: For a low increment of chakra, the user can detect all chakra signatures within twenty meters of their person. For a mid worth of chakra, they can sense all chakra signatures within thirty meters; for 2x mid, they can extend their range up to a maximum of fifty meters.
This technique requires Administrative approval before being able to purchase.

Homatsu no jutsu (Bubbles technique).
Rank: "C" Rank.
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), mid (5m ~ 10m).
Type: Offensive.
Handseals: 5.
Chakra consumption: Mid.
Description: Homatsu no jutsu is a ninjutsu technique utilizing the water element. After performing the necessary handseals, the user will blow a dozen bubbles (which are no larger than their palm). These bubbles can move to surround their target. Even the slightest amount of physical contact with an object is required to make these bubbles burst, resulting in a small but powerful explosion (comparable to an explosive note) when they do. Likewise, the user can make them detonate on command with a snap of their fingers.
Note: Water is not necessary beforehand to perform this technique.

Eshaku raikou (Lightning bow).
Rank: "C" Rank.
Range: Mid (5m ~ 10m), far (10m+).
Type: Offensive.
Handseals: 4.
Chakra consumption: Mid to cast, low per arrow afterwards
Description: After performing the needed handseals, the user will wave both arms through the air, leaving Raiton chakra behind in the shape of bow and arrow. The lightning arrow can then be shot at an opponent and stun them from afar. By taking extra time to focus their energy, the arrow can be re-shaped for distance, rather than power.

[Estilo]

Bubbles. Before I could take another painful step, the living room was flooded with a cascade of bubbles. I only had a second to watch the man (Garin) run for cover in the kitchen, while I was forced to take several steps backwards until I hit the western wall. I didn't know what these bubbles were, or what kind of plan Yukiko had constructed in her unfortunate-- and misguided-- alarm. As the bubbles started hitting things, however, I soon realized how deadly they truly were. Each 'pop' knocked over furniture, blasted framed photos off the wall, and even managed to hurl the couch on its side! Disasterous things.

My lack of words was a by-product of the complete and utter surprise I had been stricken with, and before I could manage to utter a word, my eyes caught a gleam of something beyond the bubbles. The bubbles, being translucent, only managed to blur what was on the other side. But, if I didn't know any better, I was fairly certain that my little sister was aiming an electric bow at me. A technique I knew all too well. "W-Wait a second! Don't you dare!" I remarked, holding my hands up. But, unfortunately, to no avail. A split-second after she'd released her raiton-composed arrow, I would disappear entirely in the blink of an eye. The arrow would hit nothing but stone wall.

With Yukiko and company completely unaware for the time being, I'd reappear in the master bedroom of that very same penthouse. The shiki I had placed on the katana prior to my latest departure had ensured that I had a place to flicker to within my private abode. But I wasn't out of the woods yet. I'd taught my little snow pea all I could teach her about the kagura. And I doubted she'd fail to realize I was in the bedroom within a moment's time. So I quickly advanced towards the open door, and slammed it closed. With my back against the wall, standing beside the now closed entrance, I would take off my ANBU dragon mask and toss it onto the bed. Beneath it, my trademark "half-masked" countenance was revealed again.

"Yukiko-- honey," I'd start, nearly laughing throughout the entire thing. "We've obviously gotten ourselves into a bit of a misunderstanding. Don't you recognize my voice?"

I'd pause then, allowing the silence between us to aid her as she put all the pieces together. A smile came across my face. Although the eye was still burning hot with anguish, finally speaking with my beloved sister was a... relief. Therapeutic, even. And I'd continue softly as my gloved hand neared the door, inches away from opening it slowly. "It's me." I nearly whispered. "And damn, is it good to see you again."

I'd still leave the door closed, however. I didn't want to startle her, or get an arrow in the chest, for that matter. But the door was unlocked. And all she had to do was open it and enter to see that I was telling the truth. I wasn't dead yet. Not yet.

[Yuki-chan]

Her bubbles had done more damage than what she had intended them to do. Most of them had knocked over the furniture as well as making the pictures fall from the wall. 'I need to train on jutsu control' decided the female.
A small growl escaped her mouth when the masked intruder somehow managed to teleport from her arrow. The arrow had now hit the stone wall and dissolved since stone did not lead electricity.

Her sensor vision then caught the sight of him inside the master bedroom. Yukiko started to prepare herself for a new jutsu before she went towards the room. Suddenly, the guy inside the room slammed it close when the young woman was just six feet away.
"Yukiko-- honey...we've obviously gotten ourselves into a bit of a misunderstanding. Don't you recognize my voice?" inquired a familiar voice from the bedroom.

Her eyes widened in shock. THAT VOICE....could it be the male who had used to be her senpai? She then rememered that he was supposed to be dead.
"It's me. And damn, it's good to see you again" nearly whispered the voice from the other side of the door.

"If it IS you...why don't you tell me what we did on my eleventh birthday? Not to mention what you gave me for that birthday as well" answered the Chuunin. Atlas or her family were the only ones who could answer that question correctly.
'Senpai is supposed to be dead. If he can answer those questions, he has a lot to tell me' thought the female with an anxious expression on her face.

[Estilo]

A momentary pause, after she'd asked her questions, would give the impression that I had no idea what the right answers were. But that was not the case at all. I had simply been recollecting that time we'd spent together. It felt like so long ago, that I imagined I was peeking into the life of an entirely different person. "We helped the orphanage in Kami no Shima," I answered with a fond, nostalgic smile. "And I got you a two-way transceiver-- and a very special scroll, if I remember correctly."

Though, now that I thought about it, there'd be no use for that scroll now. And, as I cast my gaze towards the shiki wrapped around the katana's handle, I realized that I had yet to pass the formula on to Yukiko. If there was anyone in the world I needed to give it to, it was most definitely her. Turning my attention back to the situation at hand, however, I'd break the temporary silence between us with a soft-spoken remark. "Snow pea?"

In case she had yet to believe I was truly the man she thought I was, I wouldn't proceed to opening the door. From what I had seen, she was quite the deadly archer. And I had no doubt it'd take her less than a second to redraw an arrow and fire it. So, while a part of me wanted to go out there and give her a great big bear-hug, I remained where I was. This was a step she had to take on her own. And I was confident that, by now, she'd realized the truth.