A Broken Family [Hasha]

[~Rogue~]

The large expanse of lush green forest stretch out for miles. Each tree held ten thousand leafs, and  the ground was filled with lush grasses just under 5 ft. high. Somewhere off in the distance, wild life scuttled and screeched, giving the forest a small hum of life. In the middle of all this, Tsubomi walked boldly ahead towards the gates of Kusagakure. Brought outside of her home, and comfort zone, Tsubomi's cloak brushed loudly against the invasive grass. There was no reason to hide her presence sense she was well within Kusagakure's territory, and surely no fool would dare disturb her home for fear of those who lie within the village walls. Still, perhaps she should be  a little more guarded. With little more than her Jian as a line of defense, she couldn't but help feel a bit naked in these broad open fields. However, Tsubomi knew these woods well enough to escape if need be, but she was no fan of running.

Rustle.... Rustle...Rustle

Tsubomi's steps hastened to a swift step. She had originally ventured to these fields to gather herbs for her for younger brother and his numerous ailments. Ryuusuke had began increasingly ill of late, and with Tsubomi's failure of a mother doing nothing to help the boy, it was up to his older sister to yet again assist in his healthy upbringing. It was doing these times that Tsubomi truly resented her mother, but she couldn't forsake the circumstances of her birth, and she wanted Ryuusuke to grow up in a world where the Menboku name wasn't a fragmented memory, but revered as it used to be. Tsubomi's steps would soon enter a light jog as anxiety began to eat away at her.

"I need to get home..." 

[KEITH]

Through the vast forests of Kusa no Kuni, I searched for the shinobi village of this country. Perhaps I shouldn’t say “I,” but my carbon copy who I sent to cover grounds to help Ji and I find Kusagakure. The identity of my clone had been concealed by the usual attire I would wear when out and about in foreign countries. I leaped from tree to tree, with an impressive gait and grace; I made sure that I moved on the highest branches, though not above the emerald sky that the leaves had created. 

I wanted to be able to see as far as I could, without giving myself away to any of the locals of the country, or worst—Kusa-nin. It would have been bad for me to get tracked down, but it wouldn’t have been favorable to any extension of the word if my identity hadn’t been hidden by my garb and mask. With my disguise, I had known that I would look strange to all of those whose eyes would lay upon me, but that wasn’t any of my concern at the moment. Like a dark cloud, I moved beneath the emerald skies of Kusa no Kuni, with all my senses alert.  

As a shinobi, I did my utmost best to keep silent and moved cautiously, despite my speed. And, upon my journey, my eyes would sit upon a female who had been running toward the direction I had been moving in. I was intrigued, only slightly though. I figured that I had needed a bit of human interaction to get my mind off of the boring searching. It was a funny thing that I wanted that, despite being a clone. 

Upon the trees I had been traveling on, I could tell that shinobi had trained out here, due to the multiple kunai and shuriken which had impaled the trees, which would lead me to arming myself with a silver star. I then flicked it toward the direction of the female, it would hit the ground before her with the speed and power behind the throw. Its purpose was to bring her to an immediate halt, and if I had been successful, that’s what it would have done.

[attire]

[~Rogue~]

Rustle!Rustle!Rustle!Rustle!

Tsubomi's brisk jog eventually turned into a loud run as her anxieties began to topple over. The source behind her growing panic was unknown, and this only brought about more panic. Tsubomi's breath then began to grow ragged and weary. It was completely unlike her to be winded after this short amount of time, but this strange feeling building in her chest made her abandon her years of training as a shinobi. She couldn't explain why, but she felt as if she was a child again, rushing away to her home so that she may feel safe. Bits of leaf and herb began to leak out of the handbag Tsubomi had slung around her body as she rushed ahead, but soon she would coming slamming to a halt as a what seemed to be a shuriken flung to the ground in front of her. 

With a small thud the star dug into the dirt just ahead of Tsubomi. A small grunt escaped Tsubomi's lips as she quickly swung her hands to the Jian hanging horizontally on her back end. Normally, Tsubomi would not have reacted so hastily to a small gesture like this, after all, it was clear that the shuriken was meant as a gesture instead of a attack, but her nerves got the best of her in this situation. So there she stood slightly out of breath, her heart beating out of her chest from the panic that enveloped it, and now she had an unknown shinobi to deal with.

Still, Tsubomi couldn't help but feel a disturbing sense of nostalgia. It was as if a trauma of the past was getting ready to make itself known, but which trauma it was remained unknown. The kunoichi had acquired many battle scars over her career, and each one had placed a blemish on both her psyche and her career portfolio. Quickly trying to draw forth the mask she had developed to hide her disturbed emotions, Tsubomi took a deep cleansing breath, and turned towards the direction the star was thrown from and spoke:

"You obviously want my attention, so now you have it. What business do you have with me? 

Tsubomi's words were cold and emotionless, as was the expression she held on her face, all the while, her hand never left her Jian, and her body remained loose and ready for a less civilized response.

[KEITH]

The eyes beneath my well decorated mask had watched as the girl reacted to the silver star landing before her. I couldn’t help but find her reaction to it a bit amusing, as I watched her carefully. I stood within clear sight of her, though some ways from here and elevated. She confronted me, and also prepared herself for violence if it were to occur, though there hadn’t been any need for it. 

My plans didn’t involve combating other shinobi or kunoichi, but instead destroying things that would make them destroy others or things in turn. My lips curled up into a wicked grin, though it wouldn’t be seen outwardly, luckily—it might have given away my intentions.“Howdy. I was just bored, lonely, and lost. I figured that maybe you could help me find my way and give me some company. No need to draw your weapons, miss.” 

I tried to be polite as I could, though it might be hard for her to trust someone like me. Concealing his appearance from the world, but I had to do so. Especially if I wanted things to go the way I wanted them to go. I decided to keep my distance from the girl for now, she had seemed a bit hostile, and I didn’t want to invade her space. 

She might have done something stupid—on her behalf.

[~Rogue~]

A guard unfaltering and a gaze unwavering would be all that the masked man among the trees would be given, for now. Tsubomi was not the most trusting woman in the world, and this eerie feeling sitting in her chest just gave her all the more reason to be cautious at this mysterious arrival, and what a sight he was. His apparel seemed slightly tribal, and made Tsubomi question if he was imitating some kind of spiritual being. She had never seen a sight like this, and the man's abnormal figure brought an odd taste into her mouth

For now, it would be best not to over express violence or force, especially since Tsubomi had no idea who she was facing. Uncertainty can turn tides in battle, but if this man truly did not mean any harm then it would prove counter productive to threaten him. If his motives were as he stated, then it was best to entertain him, so that she can act according to his doing.

"You sit among the trees, wearing such unsettling attire, and you expect me to believe you just happened to be wandering these woods and wanted company? You are either really frivolous or really bored.

Tsubomi did her best to take the threat out of her voice. There was no mocking intent behind her words, she simply meant to inquire on the man's obvious lie. There was no way he just happened upon her, and randomly decided that she would be a marvellous conversation companion. No... the strings of fate were being pulled here. This man held the frivolity of a king who had earned  his place, not a random wandering shinobi.

[KEITH]

The young females’ voice was pleasant, despite her saying some very ‘choice’ words, but what did I really expect? Something different? I knew that this was the type of response that would come from here or anyone I would so happen to stumble upon in an environment like this, dressed like I was. Still, I cocked my head to the left, sharply, like a pop-locking motion as I continued to view her from behind the mask. 

My eyes sat upon hers, despite the distance between us, I had very good vision. Her eyes had reminded me of my own, and in turn that would remind me of something else altogether. Surely what I was thinking was further away than a possibility, right? I didn’t want to entertain the thought, so I quickly threw it away. 

“It is true, and I know my appearance may be a tad bit. . . Eccentric. But, it is for me to travel this way. Have to do whatever you can to survive in this world, right?”

I said to the girl, before moving my head back into its normal position. It was around this time that I had thought it was best to take my descent from the trees, and down to the earth to level myself with the girl. Despite our distance appear, anyone could tell that the size difference on both ends was a huge one. I continued to watch her carefully, making sure that I wouldn’t miss the slightest movement she made. 

“You wouldn’t happen to be a Kunoichi from Kusagakure, would you?” 

I had spoken in a baritone voice, though it was calm and carried no seriousness or any type of emotions. I was direct and straight to the point, then I began to slowly advance toward her, closing the distance. I wanted to make sure there were no awkward distance in-between us, especially when I just wanted the company of another.

[~Rogue~]

A even more unsettling feeling settled  into Tsubomi as she could almost feel the eyes of this masked man lining over her. He seemed to be staring directly into her eyes, and analyzing every bit of her body. A light shiver slid down Tsubomi's spine as she began to imagine  what this weird sight before her was thinking. Was his intentions that of  a threat or of a pervert. Well, the latter would at least explain the outfit.

“It is true, and I know my appearance may be a tad bit. . . Eccentric. But, it is for me to travel this way. Have to do whatever you can to survive in this world, right?”

Tsubomi's smirked as the masked entity acknowledged its own appearance. If he truly needed to dress so...impeccably, his identity must be quite astonishing. There were a few other things that gave a way some of this man's ambiguity but for now Tsubomi would let these matters slide. Finally taking her hand from her Jian, she would watch as the man began to spoke and approach her:

“You wouldn’t happen to be a Kunoichi from Kusagakure, would you?” 

Tsubomi lightly leaned her head as she began to wonder how this man could know such a thing. She then felt immediately foolish as she realized her headband laid openly on her left thigh, in plain sight for any fool to see. The mysterious and sudden anxiety now began  to waver as  she became to slowly dismiss this man as a threat. Perhaps he truly did want company. Even still, her nerves never relaxed.

"Yet again you bewilder me with your strange questions, but yes, I am Menboku Tsubomi of the Hidden Grass. These woods you are visiting are my home.

A warm smile spread across Tsubomi's face as she revived her emotional mask and donned it. She meant to show sincerity in her kindness, but she also did not want to appear weak, she still did not know who she was dealing with here, it was best to still tread with caution.

[KEITH]

As I would have continued to close the distance between me and the Kunoichi, with only a handful of meters in between us (5 meters), I stopped in my tracks as she began to speak. Once again, her voice had cut through the air and toward me like the swiftest and sharpest blade of wind. Within her speech, she had confirmed that she had indeed been a Kusagakure shinobi. But, she had also revealed something more shocking to me, something I hadn’t really expected. 

I had always known that I would meet other Menboku out in the world one day, but I didn’t expect it to be like this. In case she had known my face, it was a good thing that I did wear this mask to conceal my identity. At the same time, it made me think about the clan as a whole and what they had been doing for the last few years. Perhaps the Kunoichi still lived with some older members of the clan within Kusagakure—it would surely be interesting to see. 

Especially if I had opted to show them my gorgeous face. But, it wasn’t time to think about those far off things, I had to stay within the moment here. 

“Oh, Menboku Tsubomi, eh? I have heard of the Menboku clan before. . . I thought they had all been exterminated.”

I said, still I carried the same tone in my voice as before, looking into the eyes of the young Kunoichi. I wondered if she could help me get what information I wanted to know about the current status of the clan, maybe I should finish what I started with them. And the location of Kusagakure, but I would have to play my cards right. 

“I must say, you do look well for a Kunoichi of the Menboku clan, though.”

I had spoken in a flirty tone.

[~Rogue~]

Tsubomi couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as the assuring distance between them dwindled to a few meters. At this range a fight could break out at any given moment, and this made Tsubomi's nerves ignite into an anxious flame. Nothing about this man gave away any signs of vulnerability. His strength remains unwavering, his gaze showed no fear. It was unusual to be around such a man who's very nature seemed as if he was a king amongst men. Then again, Tsubomi could have just as easily been sensing his ego instead of his presence.



“Oh, Menboku Tsubomi, eh? I have heard of the Menboku clan before. . . I thought they had all been exterminated.”

Tsubomi winced at the mention of her clan's massacre. However, most of her disturbance came from the man's knowledge of the clan's history. It was no small secret what happened to the Menboku family. In fact, there was usually much ridicule tossed at them whenever a remnant of the clan would wash up at the borders of another country. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that this man did not speak from the whispers and rumors passed about in the taverns around the country. No, this man didn't even acknowledge it as a massacre, but instead as an extermination.

"I Suppose I shouldn't be shocked to hear that you know of my family. I would probably be more shocked if you didn't."

Tsubomi wore her mask perfectly. Years of suppressed emotions had been managed and stored within her stoic face. She could pull every expression she could think of from her cess pool of emotional waste, and it would be impossible to ever doubt her sincerity. It was this trait that made her so popular a choice when it came to espionage or assassination. She would soothe her targets with a loving or caring smile, and she would hold the same smile all while slitting their throats. This time however she had managed to make herself blush ever so slightly at the man's flirtation, all the while still mapping out her surroundings in case of a battle.

"And how, pray tell, do you know what other Menboku women look like? There are not many of us left, and the ones who are alive are surely much older than me.

Tsubomi returned the man's flirtatious tone, all the while placing her hands on her chest. She was quite proud of her figure, and it had helped her complete many assignments, especially when it came to her bust and her hips.

[KEITH]

I continued to carefully listen, and decided it would have been best to leave the distance as it was for now. I didn’t want her to get too jumpy, and mindlessly grabbing onto her blade and slinging it my way. Nobody had time for that. As she would continue to speak, she would address the issue of me knowing how other Menboku women looked. 

I shouldn’t have said as much as I did, sometimes I could be wordier than I wanted to. 

“Well, I have been around for some time, which is all I can say about that.” 

I didn’t want to dig myself a huge hole, nor did I want to give out too much information to a person who I met just because I was bored. It was time that I got down to the serious business, and get information on Kusagakure, to complete the task I was out here for. 

“Excuse me for being so direct, but where is Kusagakure, Tsubomi-chan? I happened to also be looking for it, that’s the main reason I am out here. I have been searching so long and I’ve grown bored and tired of searching. Can you help me?” 

That was a bit straight forward than I would have normally liked it to be, but it was something that needed to be said. Time was passing by each moment and I needed to cease the opportunity I had before me. In the distance from us, I could feel the chakra of the original me coming closer to the area we had been in. I wondered if he had already found the village.

[~Rogue~]

Just when the dark feeling in the young woman's chest began to dissipate, it re-emerged with renewed vigor. It was obvious to see this man had dodged her question, any fool with any skill in interrogation could see that. Even with Tsubomi's feigned charm she hadn't managed to draw out the man's name or his intentions. He was being cautious with his words, and his caution in turn alerted Tsubomi's.

“Excuse me for being so direct, but where is Kusagakure, Tsubomi-chan? I happened to also be looking for it, that’s the main reason I am out here. I have been searching so long and I’ve grown bored and tired of searching. Can you help me?” 

Haste could be heard in the man's voice this time. In the short moments Tsubomi had encountered this man he had not one shown a single trace of anything other than confidence. Now his words were rushed, and worst yet, he was requesting crucial information of Tsubomi.His cute use of honorific couldn't hid these facts from the kunoichi, so she decided to dodge his retort how he had dodged her's.

"You know, something about you just doesn't add up. You have information about a clan that has been destroyed for a long time now. You continuously bring up my village, and now you request its whereabouts. To any other shinobi, they may have acknowledged your cute flirtations and advances, but I assure you I am no ordinary shinobi. What are your intentions with my village? What would a man of your.. stature... need there?

The mask Tsubomi wore over her emotions had now been destroyed by her suspicions. Her face was switched from a soothing smile to a stoic stare. However, even though her mask had dissipated, she still held back her killing intent. She didn't want the man reacting hastily before answering her questions.

[KEITH]

Before I could answer to Tsubomi’s words, it had already been too late. The original me was moving so fast, he had been able to catch up with me, the carbon copy he had originally left behind to look for Kusagakure. I felt like I was a complete failure and that I had been useless, all I could do now was give him the information of the girl I had been conversing with for a while. He stood behind her, within his Yonbi’s Chakra Mode cloak, it was so strong and powerful that anyone could have felt it, really. 

He would have been ten meters behind her, and then a few moments after his arrival, I would simply poof into a cloud of smoke. My secret had been revealed to Tsubomi, I was nothing more than a mere Kage Bunshin then, and now, I was the real me again. I acquired all the information my clone had gathered so far, and I was a bit upset that he decided to forget about his mission just so he could talk to this girl. The Yonbi’s Chakra Mode had dissipated, and the real I had been revealed to the girl, if she had turned around to face me. 

And, if she would have, it would’ve been revealed that we had the same eyes, signaling us both for being of the Menboku clan. 

“That silly Kage Bunshin, abandoning his mission for idle chitchat—totally unacceptable.”

I had spoken in a calm tone, just like my Kage Bunshin once had when he was talking to the Kunoichi. When I looked at her, I felt that we had been two people that were years apart in skill, age, and power—but regardless of all that; we might have been close in some way. My body still retained its youthfulness and good looks from my early twenties, despite my actual age almost being double of what it used to be.

[~Rogue~]

POOF!

That one sound swung hundred of questions into Tsubomi's head, yet for the first time since she met the man, she received some information. The masked mystery before her was simply a copy of someone else? That would explain his unwillingness to give up any information. Was he afraid of compromising himself, or rather, his original? Tsubomi's head swung to her left and right as she searched for any possible leads to where the original man would be. She looked towards the trees that he once stood among, and wondered if he was there. She had no idea how close the answer to her questions was.

A sharp pain shot through Tsubomi's chest as a presence fell over her. Her head would spin towards the incoming man behind her, and her hand would clutch to her heart as all the fears and scars of he past burst opened and flooded her veins. His words would reach nothing now, Tsubomi's fear had reached its climax, her nerves had broken, her courage faltered, but her strength never wavered, not once.

"Y-Yokumaru... no.. not here..."

Tsubomi couldn't help but stutter as she mentioned the name of the demon in front of her. His features had not changed at all since that horrific massacre. No, he possessed the same darkness she had seen as a child. With her trauma now hovering in her chest, and every part of her bracing for the fight of her life. Tsubomi quickly shot back from the man, with only a few meters (9 meters) setting them apart she reached for her Jian, and drew it.

"BACK!!! Y-YOU JUST STAY BACK!!!!"

Her screams did not matter. She faced the man who had slaughtered hundreds of her kind before, she would stand no chance. But if it came to it, she would try. She would not let this man find her home, she would not let him hurt her brother. No, if he meant anyone any harm, she would choose to martyr herself if it meant the safety of her brother, and her village.

[KEITH]

“Oh, so it is true—you are of the Menboku clan. . . That’s interesting.”

I had spoken as I seen her reactions to me. It was an exciting feeling, knowing that I caused her so much pain and so much fear to envelope her heart. She created a small distance in between the two of us, though if I had really wanted to claim the life of the young Kunoichi, I could have made the small distance nothing in a mere moment. There wasn’t anything she could possibly do on her own to stop me if we engaged in combat. 

Though, that wasn’t really my style anymore, I had no reason to mindlessly fight everyone that I had come across in this journey of life. With Kusagakure’s location already within my grasp, there wasn’t anything that I had needed from her either; I could have simply been on my way. If it had been any random person, sure, I could have done that. But not this time, no, this was a Menboku. I couldn’t just leave her how she was. 

“Calm down, child. I do not wish to cause you or your remaining family any harm.”

Though that was sad, I wouldn’t believe that she would believe me. No one in the Menboku clan would, despite me not being known as a liar by the clan.

[~Rogue~]

“Calm down, child. I do not wish to cause you or your remaining family any harm.”

Soothing words coming form a demon. No matter how comforting Yokumaru chose to be now, Tsubomi was far from relaxing her grip on her blade. Fighting was useless, and she knew this, but doing nothing could yield a far more deadlier outcome. Yet there were still variables Tsubomi's could not quite figure out. For one thing, the destruction of their clan had happened little over a decade ago, and yet this man showed not one sign of change since his image was burned into her mind. How had he managed to stay so vibrant after all these years, surely he should be reaching the apex of his skills and youth. By now, his technique should be dwindling with age, yet he still contained such vigor!

Tsubomi quickly came to realize that there  was no point in entertaining this man. Her old be a minor hindrance to him, and if the rumors her mother had spoken were true, then it would be a lot harder to kill this man than a typical shinobi. He had already claimed that he would not harm her family, and even though he  is the main reason they were forced to give up there comfortable lives, Yokumaru was proven to be a man of his word. Yet she could still not be too sure.

"Harm my family? You have already harmed my family! Or did you forget your massacre!? Do you even know who I've lost to you!? Can you see the blood of both my father and  sister on YOUR hands!

Rage began to overthrow fear, and soon Tsubomi's chakra would react to this anger. She had been prepared to kill this man if it would be the last thing she did. Yet deep down, she knew her death wouldn't be that difficult a task for this man.