moths in twilight

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

The pristine gleam of the sun over the quiet village post would be absent today. The constant shade of gray that would overcast the city streets would instead lay claim to every brick and splinter that would construct this town. The most insignificant metamorphosis that this town had seen in years. There was no more longing for the sun, for fear of depression. Instead, the villagers had grown used to the gloom of this country. The constant blanket of snow which would chill the bones of any ignorant traveler making it's signature on the earth which would surround the one horse village. Having a population no where near one hundred thousand, it was insignificant, though decently sized. With the sounds of children's feet crushing the snow beneath their boots, to the giddy laughter of their intent on 'tagging' one another, Kurai would grow complacent with his decision to venture outside of the compound. While the Samurai Summit would cut through the sky, it's massive peak could only be seen vaguely through the never ending gray. While almost white, this sky was far from pure. The sandals of the young man would cut through the snow, his toes wet from the exposure to the elements, however it wasn't too much for him to bear. His naked fingertips would hold the back of a small black book loosely, and while he would gauge his progress in the book with the tip of his thumb, he could not stop walking. A multitasker for sure, he just couldn't sit still.

His presence was growing closer to his destination however, where he would sit under the banner of 'Tonmaru's Teahouse,' to enjoy a nice cup of tea. While they had food and drink inside of the compound, this side of the bridge did not require any more authentication than the summit. He was a participant, so he was to be treated as such. Keeping his opposite hand within the warm confines of his pocket, his interest in the unnamed black book would take on a name of it's own. No longer knowing where his feet were taking him, he had completely made the switch from reality to fantasy. While the book he read was more thriller than fantasy, it was his imagination that would allow him to visit the far off lands that these words would describe. In short, he had no clue as to where it was that he was headed.

p o s t . o n e

[sakaki]

The soft pitter-patter of feet would alert those in the general vicinity to a child wandering about. The peculiar thing about that being, if one looked up, they would find a child not quite as young as the noise would indicate. On top of that, the child's choice of footwear would make one realize that the sound of footsteps didn't match at all... But it was obvious that the long-haired child was the source of the noise... moving with more stealth than the average person.

The little shinobi, commonly known as Sakaki, happened to be wandering around the city, attempting to find the location of the Chuunin exams. The foreign country, coupled with her inability to communicate properly, made for a rather difficult obstacle for the girl. As of such, it wouldn't be too surprising that little Sakaki would be wandering with a puzzled expression on her face. Following the signs for the Chuunin exam didn't seem to be helping at all.

Eventually, she trudged into a tea house, a prime source of information for those lost in a town. She'd started making her way towards the counter, with the intent to ask the owner about the Chuunin exams. However, her trek was interrupted as her shirt, which was too large for her, caught on the edge of a table. Without warning the girl toppled over, her face planting straight into the floor as the table suddenly jolted. As it so happened, a bowl of miso soup precariously balanced at the edge of the table was shifted from its spot, and wound up falling upon the small girl.

"Mrah," she uttered quietly, tears welling up in her eyes. Dark teal locks pooled around her, now scented with miso, and blocked most of her form from sight. A low whine escaped her mouth as she slowly began to push herself up off the floor.

'Ow', she thought to herself...

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

This area was known for its cafes, despite the area not being very well known at all. With an enigmatic grin, caused by the equally enigmatic storybook would corrupt the man's normally emotionless face, a peculiar sound would cause his attention to change from happy, to once more neutral. The sound of a skid, followed by a boisterous 'plop' would alert the young man within an instant. Considering that he was just passing by this establishment, to be drawn into the shop by such an accidental noise was something that would intrigue him all the more. While he had no obligation to enter this tea shop, it was the empty frame of a young girl that would make him interested. Of course, while she was far from Kurai's type, appearing a few generations too young, she appeared to be in distress. It was moments such as these that Kurai would live for. The opportunity to sweep someone out of their malicious predicaments to appear as the abiding savior. It would work the best with women, and while she still had a few years to go until being considered a woman, she could easily be considered a lass. Her massive shirt would only accentuate the equally massive pants as well as her ridiculously long hair. She appeared to be someone that was without a home, her shirt filled with repair marks. Considering it's size, it would consume the majority of her body, which would remain a mystery to the shinobi considering her apparel. Her massive boots were uncommon for any sort of ninja, however considering that this was not Kumogakure... it would be normal to see attire such as this.

Observing her from afar, Kurai would be cautious to make his move. Instead of taking the time to assert the situation, which would normally be beneficial to a ninja, he would instead begin to make his way into the tea shop. His small black book would slam shut, and slowly sift it's way between the hanging flags that would indicate the entrance to the shop. Shoving them away, the first thing to attract attention would no doubt be his massive, aquamarine locks that would shimmer in the light of the establishment. The sort of accident in which the young girl had caused would no doubt begin to attract some sort of ruckus, however as she would wallow in what appeared, and smelled to be Miso Soup, he would have to be the first to assist her. However... who would want to engage anyone covered in Miso Soup? He would have to fight his urge to cringe. He didn't want the dish to disrupt any sort of cleanliness that he had established with his daily shower. Taking a step towards her, he would reach out, his lanky arm directing his lanky fingers to overtake the massive bowl which would cover her long dark hair. Lifting it from her head, the massive white bowl would be placed onto the table in which she had, no doubt unintentionally, rearranged.

"Are you okay, lass?" He would ask her gently, his book making its way into his pocket as he would kneel down to her level.

At this point being behind her, he would wait for her to turn around before initiating any sort of other acts that would no doubt manipulate the future of their involvement with each other. Instead, the simple, eloquent show of etiquette that he was known for would emerge.

p o s t . t w o

[sakaki]

'Lass?' Sakaki silently mused to herself, unused to such a term being applied to her, of all people. The voice caused her attention to shift from her predicament to the fact that someone was near her. Her entire body shifted as her head turned, gaze being cast upon a person.... with shining hair. At least, that's how Sakaki viewed it, the light casting gentle glints of white off the greenish, blueish tendrils. Sakaki was a bit bewildered to realize this person had hair a similar color to her own, albeit a slightly different tint.

Her eyes gently scanned this other person, the small girl finding herself rather impressed by the person's visage. However, the more she looked, the more she realized that this being... appeared to be a girl. But that voice... didn't quite sound feminine, from what she had gathered. She blinked, staring at the person, thinking about the puzzling pieces that had been presented to her... before realizing that she hadn't answered their question!

"..." the realization came almost slowly, one would say. She'd frozen, eyes suddenly locking with Kurai's. Then, without warning, a light squeak burst forth from her, followed by vigorous nodding. She hopped up off the floor with the speed of a shinobi, and inspected herself for damage. Her face ached a little, and Sakaki noted that her elbow stung, but otherwise she seemed unharmed. The dampness in her hair, however...

"Mrah," she uttered almost silently, a single hand holding a small clump of wet hair in front of her face. A single sniff, and she would drop the tendrils, mouth contorting into a grimace. It wasn't so much that she disliked the smell of miso soup, or anything, but... Having soup in one's hair wasn't the epitome of a favorable situation. Though she couldn't help but frown, her eyes still showing the remnants of tears, she turned her attention back to Kurai, and gave a little bow.

"Danku," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible over the growing sounds of nearby people.

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

Her face was little of what the young man expected from her choice of clothing. Aside from the obvious mess of broth that would slide eloquently across her face, she didn't appear to be too out of place. His immediate assumption would be to assume that she was in fact a child that belonged tot his very village. Her boots and attire would only assist his deduction. As she would hastily raise to her feet, Kurai's lanky knees would continue to stay contorted as he would rest on his toes. His lengthy legs would protrude passed her tiny frame, showing just how different the two compared in size. He was easily her height, perhaps a bit taller when in this position, one could only assume just how much he would tower over her if he were to stand up straight. However, that was not the point of this interaction as of now. She was a bit younger than he expected. Not quite old enough to benefit him immediately. Considering that she was from this village as well, he was doubtful of her ability to produce any sort of significant combat prowess.

The sleek golden eyes of the adolescent shinobi would pierce into the diverted stare of the child. Eye contact was one of his less recognized traits, however, so was going out of his way to help someone. As his lips would evolve into a smile, his lengthy fingers would once again appear. This time however, instead of lifting a bowl of Miso Soup from atop the child's head, he would instead grasp one of the few napkins from the short table top. Taking his opposite hand, he would reach cautiously to hold her head steady as he would use the tip of his newly acquired napkin to begin to slowly wipe her nubile face clean. His empty hands would hopefully suggest his friendliness, however before actually touching her, he would be sure to wait for her permission. Though, in his hesitation it would take a second for him to recognize the faint glimmer around her scrawny neck. The carved emblem of Kumogakure no Sato would rest casually around her neck. His eyes sharpening further he would instead move to take the hitai-ate within his grasp. Using the middle portion of his index finger and his thumb, he would glance at the rounded symbols that would remind him of home. It would take an instant for his eyes to shoot back up to her own.

"A Kumogakure-nin? Are you here for the Chuunin Exams?" He would ask her in a feint tone, sounding more as if he was speaking to himself than to her.

Kumogakure was capable of nominating a number of participants this year, but there was no way for Kurai to recognize them all. He had noticed a very young girl from Kumogakure in the Summit, however, she did not share the same features as the girl who stood in front of him. Using his hands to grasp the knobs of his knees, the shinobi would thrust himself into an erect position, his incredible stature looming over the girl who stood before him. He was eager for an answer, despite not waiting for one. His hands once more approaching the girl's face to wipe it clean, he would quickly begin to slowly stroke the childish visage of his counterpart, leaning over almost entirely in order to be able to perform the task. His touch was gentle considering his gigantic form in comparison to the girl. Taking his left hand to her chin, he would hold it much like he held her hitai-ate, using it to keep her steady as his opposite index finger, cloaked behind a soft white napkin would continue to wipe both Miso broth, and tears from what appeared to be an innocent face.

"Well?" He would inquire as he would continue to assist her.

p o s t . t h r e e

[sakaki]

Sakaki gasped as her fellow shinobi's hands came towards her, although she had not pulled away from him. Her body remained rooted to the spot, her muscles locking up, and not allowing her to move. Her face showed no real sign of fear, for it hadn't scared her. However, the sudden action had surprised her, indicating that she was a rather 'jumpy' type, so to speak.

The little girl found that everything around her seemed to come to a halt as she peered into Kurai's golden orbs, as if her very soul had been sucked out by the shimmering depths. Even as the liquid trickling down her frame began to slowly disappear, Sakaki was in some other world. Oblivious to her headband being grasped... almost oblivious to the older shinobi's question.

"A Kumogakure-nin? Are you here for the Chuunin Exams?" The question made her blink, her confusion stemming not from the question itself, but for the fact that words had been spoken to her. The wheels and cogs of her mind jumped into action, quickly grinding to a halt once more. A moment later, with a metaphorical lurch, they would once more spin into action, processing speech.

"Nu," she mispronounced, her head giving the slightest of shakes, a subconscious attempt to not cover the friendly person with the fluids still coating her hair. She stood still a moment longer, her nose wiggling ever so slightly as the napkin was brushed over it, and the tingling sensation of a sneeze itching her for just a fading second. Then she dug into her pocket and withdrew a scroll. The parchment rustled as she removed the binding that kept it rolled, and then unraveled it so that the boy could read the first part of it.

Summarized, it was a notice explaining that Sakaki needed to visit the Chuunin exams, both for the purpose of learning what would be expected of her in the future, as well as showing support for her country. The people of Kumogakure were relying on the younger generations of the village. Sakaki found herself quietly humming as she waited for Kurai to finish reading, a small smile spreading around the corners of her mouth. It was a sweet, soft tune... one that might remind one of childhood melodies hummed to them as their mothers tucked them into bed...

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

Taking his loose grip from her chin, the aqua colored fingernails of the young man would grasp the exterior of the now unraveled makimono. Having already prepared it for his reading, Kurai would simply stretch the parchment vertically, the all too familiar writing of the Raikage's secretary appearing before his eyes. As his golden eyes would begin to scan the letter, a small mob of hair would fall over his eye, not particularly bothering the young man. As he would continue to read, he would take notice of the key words that would all lead to why it was that the child would be here. However, to travel all the way to a different country by herself? What was the Raikage thinking? Of course, despite the fact that they were of the same rank, both being Genin, her youth would only inhibit her ability as a traveler. However, considering that he was the first, and only person to come to her aid, he would simply assume the fact that she had been capable of making the trek alone. Additionally, the makimono did not speak of any sort of team or partner for her to travel with. This child had made the journey all by herself, without the assistance of a single soul. Finishing the paper, he would look up at her, his only visible eye squinting as his cheeks would transform into a smile. She was in fact a Genin of Kumogakure, and she was in fact here to observe and support the number of Genin that would hopefully graduate into full-fledged Chuunin. Taking time to stand up straight once more, the young man would, again, minimize the size of the girl in front of him. Casually using his hands to motion to the hanging hitai-ate that would dangle lightly on his exposed, skinny thigh, he would signify his allegiance with her village as well. Tightening the fold of the makimono once more, he would extend the small roll of paper to her.

"So it would appear that you're here to cheer me on." He would say with a smooth transition of the conversation.

Lifting his head, he would take notice to the small crowd of people there were still staring, as well as the man who had just lost his bowl of Miso Soup. He was a middle-aged man, with a portly physique, and a face that could only portray his speechlessness at the chance to witness two ninja's interact. Kurai had almost forgotten, this was Samurai land. Instead of ninja, it was the armor-clad Ronin that would take care of many tribulations that the country would endear.

"You there," He would direct towards the man, aiming an index finger at his face, as though aiming some sort of pistol. "Where can we get my little sister cleaned up?" He would inquire forcefully, as if he were some sort of thug, or gangster. In honesty, his real little sister was a few years older than this girl, however the timidness would allow the nostalgia to flow through his brightly hued fingertips.

"I'll tell you, as soon as you pay for that soup, and then another bowl!" The portly man would retort, his own index finger flailing in the air as if scolding the young Kumo-nin.

"Waitress!" Kurai would shout, his gun now aimed at the bewildered young woman that obviously had nothing to do with the situation. However, her pure black kimono would cuff with her bow as she would shuffle over to the table. "Get this man, and everyone at his table another bowl of Miso Soup!" Kurai would shout boisterously, and assertively, as though it had been the waitresses fault that the original bowl had fallen onto the girl who stood in front of him.

"Y-Yes sir!" The soft voice of the server would confirm, her head bowing once more as she would practically sprint into the kitchen to confirm his order, Kurai's sharp eyes turning back at the portly gentleman for an appropriate answer, his gun-shaped hand following suit.

"Hey cool!" He would shout with excitement, the group of similar looking men sitting at his table all starting to praise the blue-haired boy for his patronage. "There's a bath house just down the street! Can't miss it!" He would direct Kurai, his face squished with a smile at the idea of having free food.

Kurai's gun would swiftly retract the accusingly erect index finger. Shoving it back into his hand, he would relay a single thumb towards the ceiling with the same antagonizing face that he had kept the entire time. Of course, little did this man know that Kurai held no intention of paying for any sort of Miso Soup order. While it very well would have been free due to his registration in the exams, the level of frugality that the man held being far too incredible to fathom. For him to pay for someone else's order was a nightmare for the young man. It just wouldn't happen. However, they still had to manage a clean escape. Lowering his 'thumbs up,' the young man's face would return to it's casual smirk that he had been showing the girl during their entire encounter. Holding out his hand for her to take, his eyes would slowly begin to envision the soft blue eyes of his youngest sister. Perhaps that's why he was going through so much trouble to assist this girl. This wasn't the normal Kurai. She had yet to prove herself as a reliable asset. However, time would tell her use.

p o s t . f o u r

[sakaki]

The child had wound up rocking back and forth on her heels as Kurai scanned over the scroll she'd been carrying. Arms had curled behind her back, fingers interlocking amidst the ends of her shirt sleeves, far too long for the girl's little arms. It would seem that just as quickly as it started, Kurai was rising, curling the paper back into its original place. The boy's hand swept downward, indicating his forehead protector, and Sakaki's gaze shifted down. Her mouth opened slightly, her eyes suddenly sparkling with recognition. This other person was from Kumogakure as well!

"So it would appear that you're here to cheer me on." The girl looked up, and her mouth closed into a large smile. She began to nod vigorously, so happy that she'd found someone from home! Now she wasn't going to be lost anymore! For sure, this person was really nice, and really helpful, so she was certain that she'd be okay now! She felt so overjoyed, that she wanted to... dance, or something crazy like that!

However, she quietly accepted her scroll back, tucking it away into a pocket somewhere as she gently bounced up and down. Her attention then re-focused on the other shinobi, who was then asking about a bath house for......

'Little sister?' she asked herself, her head cocking to the side. She wondered why the person would say that about her. The fact that it'd be easier to get information posing as siblings was way over Sakaki's head. She wondered if this person really liked her, to be calling her their little sister. Her admiration grew just a little bit more, and she smiled all the wider, beaming up at Kurai.

There wasn't much that Sakaki felt that she could say or do as a strange situation arose. The man, who she would define as 'husky' demanded more soup, and she realized it must have been his soup that had wound up on her head. She had half a mind to get mad at him... Honestly, people needed to be more careful where they placed their food! It didn't belong on the edges of the table where it could be easily knocked off.

Kurai handled it with a much more level-head than Sakaki may have, however. The waitress was called upon to get more soup, not only for the large man, but all his friends, too! Kurai must have been a rich person. Sakaki felt a little stab of envy, though it only added to how she looked up to this person. One day she would be super pretty and have lots of money too! She just had to work really hard!

Her fellow Kumo-nin sealed with the deal with a positive hand sign, only to retract it a moment later. That slightly off smile that they'd been wearing for a while came back, and they turned to Sakaki. Offering a hand made the small girl squeak and blush. Her arm stretched, and the sleeve of her outfit fell back, revealing her tiny hand, which she gently placed in the older shinobi's. She supposed it was time to go, but... holding hands was a bit... embarrassing. She wiggled where she stood, eyes shifting to the floor.

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

As the mysterious kunoichi would slide her hand into his, he could feel the warmth of another human's touch. His palms were a bit cold since he had been outside, exposed to the elements due to his love for the unnamed literature. It felt good to have warmth again, despite the fact that it was so small. His hand dwarfed hers in size, easily, though it was proper protocol. Even now, the voice of his mother would ring into his ears, hidden behind hair. Her shrieks of concern as she would command he and Saori to hold hands, forced to keep an eye on each other. While his little sister was far from incapable of taking care of herself, the two were rare to disobey their mother. Trips to the market, or to visit relatives, the token brother of the group would always be forced to protect his sisters, despite being vastly inferior to the lot. However, his stroll down memory would would only divert him from the next step in this little adventure. As the portly man would take a seat among his friends, Kurai would lightly tug at the young girl. As he would walk steadily towards the threshold he would smile down at his new partner in crime, his incredibly long pace being shortened as for the girl to keep up with him. Making their way out of the door, Kurai would quietly express his triumph in another dodged bill, expressing it with a simple nod to continue the one-sided conversation that the duo had been keeping up.

While the outdoors were completely dreadful, they were still much brighter than the indoors. Despite the sun being nowhere to be found, it would still shine through the clouds in it's own particular way, the snow continuing to fall as if to mock the rays that would normally feel so good to the Kumo-nin who would hardly ever get a chance to feel it. His breath would once again become visible, the heat of his lungs becoming visible without a simple word. Using his free hand, the shinobi would zip his track jacket up a bit further as his shoulders would hunch together into his torso.

"So, young lady," He would begin, his gaze falling on her quickly in order for her to recognize that it was she that he was talking to. "What should I call you?" He would inquire playfully, his gaze once more shooting to the front, on a look out for this bath house.

He wanted to get inside as soon as possible. While nothing would compare to a Kumogakure Bath House, he was sure that the Iron Country would try their best to compete. After pulling the zipper up to his neck, his free hand would shove itself into his shorts pocket, the flip flops on his feet tossing up snow onto the back of his calves as the two would continue to walk at a pace he assumed was comfortable for the young lady. That's when it dawned on him, this entire time, he hadn't introduced himself! How would he expect her to divulge her name when he hadn't even revealed his own. Her timidness was adorable, and while it was something to swoon over, he wouldn't let it distract him any further from revealing himself. Before she could even think to answer, he had already intercepted.

"I'm Kurai, by the way; Ogon Kurai. Easy enough, right?" He would say with a whisk of humor, turning back to her for a glance one more time. "I'm a Genin, like you. Though, hopefully that won't last for much longer. The people I've seen so far look easy to beat. Oh- I'm sorry, you're name?" He would catch himself before going off on a tangent.

It was true, while he didn't say it, he was nervous about the exams. There were a number of ninja there, and they all looked like they held various skill sets. His only hope was to be able to exercise some of his silver tongued verbal judo. While he would never reveal that to this young enigma, it would not leave the front of his mind. He had a lot riding on this victory, and it would make Saori smile, considering she wasn't able to make it this year. He could only imagine her face when she saw her big brother dawning a Kumogakure jacket. It would drive his mother crazy, so he knew Saori and the rest of his sisters would enjoy it. Of course, that was all in due time. For now? He was looking for a place to clean his new ally off.

p o s t . f i v e

[sakaki]

If Sakaki had looked up, she likely would have been able to tell that Kurai had been remembering something. She was pretty bright about certain things, such as that, no matter how dull she appeared. However, this was not the case, as a tile on the ground had captured her attention, the toe of her boot gently pushing around a stray green onion ring that had found its way there. The girl felt a tug on her hand after a moment, and this caused her to look up. She gave no resistance, and followed Kurai's example, moving her legs to walk alongside him.

It would be made quite clear in no time at all that Sakaki didn't have any trouble keeping pace with Kurai, despite her shorter legs. She may have had to move a little faster, but she balanced it out by bouncing. The small leap allowed her to copy each of the older shinobi's strides, meaning he didn't have to worry about her. She was happy... oh so happy. She made a new friend, and she was gonna go get clean! Even the light scent of miso in her nose didn't bother her.

"Doo," she said softly as a snowflake landed on her nose. Eyes crossed as she looked at it, nose wiggling as the cold sunk into her flesh. The movement dislodged the snowflake, which disappeared against her shirt as she walked straight into it. She hadn't been thinking about it before, having been focused on finding the Chuunin exam location, but it was snowing all around her. The little while clumps of cold drifting to the ground interested her, even though she had seen snow before. But it was pretty rare that it snowed in Kumogakure...

"What should I call you?" Sakaki had hardly noticed her companion speaking, but caught the second half of the question. At least it was the important part. She really hoped that she hadn't missed something else that would change the question to something else... The thoughts collecting in her head caused her to hesitate in answering, which turned out in her favor, it seemed. The larger being's eyes grew larger for a second, at least... Sakaki thought they might have. It could have been her imagination...

"I'm Kurai, by the way; Ogon Kurai. Easy enough, right?" The little girl looked up at Kurai and smiled brightly, giving a nod. If she had the words, she possibly would have told him how pretty the name was. She liked it... though she wasn't sure she could actually say it. She took a few seconds to repeat it in her head, to at least make sure she could remember in the future what Kurai's name was. Then she pointed to herself, and gave a wide grin.

"Sakaki!" she squeaked triumphantly, looking rather proud of herself. In fact, she was proud of herself. It wasn't really that she had trouble with her own name, but... Well, she didn't speak properly most of the time. So it wouldn't have surprised her to have her own name come out wrong. Something like "Sakaka" or "Sikiki" might have slipped out on accident.

"Ku... Ku... Ku... Kuri..." she mumbled quietly to herself, turning away as her face flushed beet red. "Ku... a... Ku... Ku..." She was speaking under her breath, trying to get the right pronunciation... She'd get it eventually... for her friend's sake!

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

The bouncing that his young partner was performing was quite amusing. However, the accessory that this girl was appeared to be was just that. After introducing himself to the young girl, her enthusiastic reply would be submitted without a single word. Her almost violent nodding was perfect for the situation, though left Kurai a bit unnerved. Instead of simply saying yes, like a normal child would do when shy, she would instead appear to be completely comfortable with the young man, without saying much to him. Her massive brown eyes would gaze at him, sending him back to the place that he was all too familiar with. However, he couldn't allow himself to lose track of his thoughts again. They had been walking only a short while, but the street wasn't very long. Shouldn't they have found this place already?

She would relay her name to him with an equally intensely triumphant outburst. His smile would appear once more, as he would slowly decode the information that she had just given him. Sakaki wasn't the most common of names, but it indeed it wasn't too difficult to remember. She seemed to hold so much pride for it as well, which made it all the more memorable. His hand would begin to shuffle in his pocket as he would fumble with the idea of reading his book. However, he would decide to wait until after her bath before exposing his hand to the elements once more. Though just as his mind would slip through the last words of literature that he could imagine, that's when he noticed the massive blue sign that seemed to light up through the maze of snow flakes that inhabited this small village. The massive text would read "OniMAX BATH HOUSE." The snow being caught in the depths of each letter that would allow snow to rest in them, which would turn out to be every single letter in the moniker. A small, blue, cartoon Oni would draw in the attention of anyone who wasn't paying any. It's half naked, disgustingly muscular portrayal showing just how squeaky clean their customers could be. It was amusing to say the least, and get the message across quite clearly. As the two would draw nearer to the shop, the constant repetition of the first syllable of his name would continue to be unheard. Instead, it was the sound of the manager standing outside in a massive, tiger fur coat who would beckon the two towards his establishment.

"Please, young miss, enjoy a bath with your little sister for a very reasonable price!" He would suggest to Kurai, clapping his hands together with a massive smile.

His teeth were oddly correct, massive and as white as a new coat of snow. Kurai would offer him a clearly uncomfortable smirk as he would attempt to walk passed him without having to engage in any sort of conversation. The entrance to the establishment was wide open, however there was an obvious temperature difference as soon as the couple would make their way through the threshold. The snow stuck to the bottom of the ninja's flip flops would transform into puddles within an instant. Needless to say, it was hot. The long, blue hair of the Genin would cling to his neck as he would quickly unzip his track jacket to prevent from sweating.

"Why is it so damned hot in here?" He would demand, turning to the receptionist as he would begin to wave at is his face with his free hand. Before she could answer, he would interrupt her abruptly. "Anyway, she need's a bath..." He would say, pointing to the girl at his side.

The massive wooden desk in which the receptionist sat behind was far too tall for her to be able to see whatever it was that Kurai was mentioning to. Quickly correcting her bright blue glasses, she would look at Kurai as if confused. However, without much hesitation, she would look away, to the contents of her desk, her pen flinging into the air as it would begin to scribble something on what he assumed was a sheet of paper.

"Right away, umm... ma'am." She would say hesitantly, her open hand directing the two to her left.

The massive 'Women Only' sign which would hang from the massive doorway that would lead into a mysterious area of the bath house was ominous. Was he supposed to go with her? The receptionist was dense enough to believe Kurai a woman, why wouldn't all of the other women who were already inside of the bath house? As his face would slowly contort into a devious smile, he would initiate the first portion of his wicked plan. His imagination would begin to run wild with the idea of a curvaceous cult of women eager to converse with him. Of course, they would have no issue being as naked as they day they were born, the wool having been pulled over their eyes with the obviously feminine figure of the young man. As long as he kept his conversation to a minimum, he could get away with it. It would be the answer of his new found friend that would determine the next step. Kneeling down to her level once more, his hand would raise to the side of his mouth as if suggesting that what he was about to say was a secret between him and Sakaki. After all, she was the gate keeper.

"You gonna be okay by yourself?" He would ask her, the creepy smile incapable of hiding his obvious intentions.

p o s t . s i x

[sakaki]

It didn’t take long for Sakaki to be snapped out of her stupor, or attempt to actually verbally emit her current companion’s proper name, whatever you wished to call it. The booming, masculine voice caught her attention, as did the visage of the man whom said voice belonged to. Orange, deeper than that of the sun, blended, clashed, and mixed with the deepest of blacks, all at the same time. This pattern was familiar to her, as tigers were fairly commonplace amongst the collections of animal books, children’s drawings, and even artwork that one could purchase from a street vendor. This man, shrouded by the furry outfit, was offset by the ordinary stack of papers in his hand, which he was clearly in a hurry to be rid of, attempting to hand them to any passing person who strayed too close.

"Please, young miss, enjoy a bath with your little sister for a very reasonable price!" It made Sakaki’s eyelids flutter like the wings of a hummingbird, but for only as quickly as a lightning bolt’s coming. Then a sweet, innocent giggle would break forth form her chest, welling up inside her throat, before finally embracing the chilling air. To a simple, childish mind such as hers, the animalistic suit was heartwarming and comforting. Something kind that would remind one of relaxing moments, such as soaking in a warm tub, or being nestled upon a mother’s lap.

The small girl would not be given much of a chance to revel in her thoughts, for Kurai kept their pace up, and passed by the man, heading straight into the bath house. The transition of temperature was incredible, as well as the speed at which it rushed upon the pair. As it was, being used to the elements being in such a state, the tiny shinobi did not seem to mind the change in the slightest. No, in fact, the warmth surrounding her body instead sent the girl into a frenzy of happiness, her smile bright, and her steps light.

"Why is it so damned hot in here?" Once more, Sakaki’s gaze would be cast upon Kurai, again admiring the beautiful outer image of the boy. In her mind, the idea of it being so hot was fairly simple, as of the fact these were heated baths. She said nothing, however, if it was even possible that she could voice the reasoning running through her mind. Instead she would simply turn to look at the desk, finding that it was taller than she, completely masking the person on the other side from sight.

Kurai and the receptionist conversed, albeit shortly. In the meantime, Sakaki would attempt to reveal the being whom she could not see. Leaning forward, standing on the very edges of her boots, she strained, stretching her body to poke her eyes above the edge of the desk. Her efforts were in vain, however, the desk proving to be too great an opponent for her lack of height. Her smile and enthusiasm fell aside, replaced by frustration. The little girl came to a rest upon her feet, her cheeks puffing out in a pout, as if she could simply will the desk to become smaller by making it feel bad.

"You gonna be okay by yourself?" Kurai’s voice entered her ears, and caused the small shinobi to completely forget about pouting at the desk. Her head turned to face him, a blank stare exchanging with the odd grin upon his face. Then Sakaki would burst into another wide smile, her head once more rising and falling at a rapid pace in the form of a nod. Of course she would be alright... she was a shinobi after all, which meant she wasn’t completely helpless! It wasn’t like she had never taken a bath before.

“Nu worry!” she chirped brightly, moving towards the woman’s bath. However, she hadn’t really thought about Kurai going into the bath with her, or the fact that he might stay behind. His gender wasn’t even a factor in her mind. As of such, she hadn’t bothered to let go of his hand while trudging on into the changing room. Perhaps it was just absent-mindedness that she hadn’t thought to let go, or the fact that she had just come to expect Kurai to go in as well.

[BLKND]

o g o n . k u r a i

While the initial answer of the girl would be less than pleasing, Kurai's contorted smile slowly fading into a husk of it's former state, it would be her next step that would baffle him all the more. While denying his assistance in her adventure into the bath house, it would be the tug at his hand as she would make her way into the 'forbidden' area of the bath house. As he walked steadfast, confused and bewildered, a lifting feeling of accomplishment would wash over him. It was as if he were living a dream, a dream that he had been envisioning for as long as he could remember. The thrust of each step onto the floor would draw him closer and closer to the massive threshold that would no doubt hold an enormous amount of women, just waiting to be observed by his trademark eyes. Being led so diligently by his miniature partner, he wouldn't resist in the slightest. The blonde, wooden floors of the house were detailed, and finished quite eloquently. Additionally, all of the furnishing, including chairs, couches and love seats, which were no doubt used for waiting would follow their Oni theme. All being tiger print, many of the ornaments and paintings would alternatively be that of an actual Oni. This would fail to intimidate the young man however, as he would walk towards the female demon, indicating that it was strictly for women, he would grin with an ardent satisfaction.

The two would cross the threshold, and the heat would only intensify. He had officially done the impossible. It was true, that he was confused for a woman constantly, but it was never enough to sneak into places such as this. Of course, the only other occasions in which he had attempted something such as this was in a village full of ninja. The people of Iron Country obviously were obviously unaware of the possibilities of a ninja. Though as the couple would walk hand in hand towards the number of bath houses, he would slowly begin to notice something. While he could see an incredibly large hot spring, waiting for his skin to 'accidentally' caress the skin of 'another' woman, there appeared to be a significant absence of women for him to interact with. A flush of disappoint Kurai as his dreams would instantly deflate into reality. The excitement had faded to an incredible degree. While there were no other people in the hot spring, perhaps there would be a few in the baths? Again, his eyes would disappoint him. As they would walk passed the steamy bath rooms, held completely ajar for the customers to see, it too, would be devoid of a single woman. This implied that the only woman that Kurai would be with during this entire time would be the 8 year old, curve-less girl that reminded him of his little sister. Kurai's neck would go limp as his chin would swing into his chest, his eyes closing as his excitement would convert back into boredom.

Not a single person? He would think to him self, his hand shoving back into his pocket as Sakaki would continue to lead him away.

They would no doubt need to bide their time doing something else than examining Iron Country's best to offer. Though that was something he could think about now. For now, as they would head towards what he assumed to be the locker room, the most he could do was wait to see if anyone walked in behind them.

p o s t . s e v e n

[sakaki]

The simple process that detailed the two changing into nothing, sitting down and washing themselves hardly deserves any true thought or explanation. Kurai's disappointment was lost upon Sakaki, the small girl instead focusing on the task at hand. After all, it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to clean nearly four feet of hair that had been doused in miso soup. It took some tender, loving care to properly cleanse the teal tendrils sprouting from her head.

Eventually the process would be complete, however, and the child would grow bored of washing herself. Quick, careful strokes spread soap across her body, and just as quickly as it began, the shinobi would douse herself with a bucket of water. Then it was time for the really fun part! Kurai had seen fit to already go ahead of her, and now Sakaki dashed off to the hot spring, nabbing a towel on the way in.

"WHEEEE!" she squealed as she ran into the room, jumping into the water without a second thought! She tucked, forming the very unique and small Sakaki ball, her entire being enveloped by water, and splashing it in all directions. However, the resulting wave of water was rather... tiny. In fact, it would only reach Kurai as a small ripple on the other side of the spring.... such a small girl...

In no time at all, the small head of the girl popped out of the water, and she took a really large breath. Innocent giggles erupted from her as she began to paddle around the spring, much like a puppy might have done. Sakaki had only heard of hot springs before, but had never actually been in one. Having such a large area of warm, soothing water was such an incredible, exhilarating feeling...

[Sayomi]

GM|

(walkies talkie noises) "We have a breech within the east section, sector V-23. Target is a fairly tall dark-skinned boy with light blue hair. Don't be fooled by his womanly apperance, he is in fact a male and is a pervert."

"10-4, pursuing target now."

A group of three figures, all casted in black attire shuffled after the perpetrator. It was their solemn duty to uphold the peace and to think that some perverted filth had slitthered their way into an woman's only hot spring was more than enough to disgrace their very names. They were servants, protectors, they had but a sole goal, which was the betterment of their own work ethic and this swine had defiled their untarnished name; however there was still hope, no one was under the impression that he was of the opposite gender so they sought to rectify the problem by removing the ailment. Their remedy was simple. Escort the lad out, and ban him to his quarters until further notice. If he refused, he'd be confined to his room and his future would be decided by the upper echelon.

The three staff, were all female, tall, lean, and their visages adorned with a welcoming smile. It wasn't for the boy, but for the onlookers. The plan would have to be executed without fail or flaw. One by one they walked into the changing room, searching, yet nothing was found.

Could they had already been too late? Striding into the open, wide hot-spring, they witnessed a small girl dashing towards the water naked. Their sharps eyes were already locked onto their target who was within the waters caressing touch already. What exactly was going on?

"There!"

One said, pointing towards the dark-skinned boy. Their eyes were wide with disbelief, not only was he a pervert, but into pedophilia? Anger sweltered within them, almost overtaking them. The heat within the bath was nothing compared to their own tempers. With borderline composure they surrounded the pair, and the lead staffer of the group took a step forward, her red hair twisting, sitting atop her shoulders. Adjusting her glasses upwards she glared for a moment before her lips parted.

"Please. If you will come with me.

He'd know who she refereed too, and if he didn't understand the implications of his actions, than she thought him more of a fool than she speculated.

; meanwhile|

(clears throat) S-Sir...excuse me.

Taking a bite and wiping his mouth another player would soon be thrown into the fray. The man whispered in his ears, setting fuse to an already oil dosed flame.

(screaming) "WHHHATTTT!!?"

The scream punctured the room, causing all to be silent, upon his neck hairs stood upright.

"Gather my men...."

The hunt was on....