Assemble.

Subject: Assemble. Sun 17 Apr 2011, 5:42 am

Humans wonder why life is so fragile; we evolved out of nothingness to be able to survive this long in the cosmic games that is called life. Such a meek thing it is; humans show so much weakness in the time where there should be strength coursing through them. The tightrope of life can wavier over the course of a human life. To say that life is like a tightrope is an accurate description for it. Yes, that’s a good way of putting it.

So how does one even attempt to bind that fragility? They walk the path that is unlike humans and further themselves in which humans cannot seek through the possibilities of normality. They seek options that take away humanity, throwing it aside for the ghost to devour and become something that they could only dream. It was to the conclusion that humans are the only things that did not wish to understand themselves. They would rather seek a self that did not exist or rather exist in a plane that could not exist in this world and never to seek the inner self, the true self.

Heiki eyes lifted out of darkness, sitting in front of a slowly dim fire. He grabbed a large chunk of wood and threw it in, letting it char and letting the flames consume it turning once a flowing piece of life into the burning embers that is death. There was large piece of boar stuck from end to end with a large pike. The drippings of the fat was melting away, searing away as it hit the hot flames. The smell was heavenly and Heiki was patient enough to wait for the meat to be tender and falling off. He claps his hands together and closes his eyes saying a small prayer to himself then he spoke aloud “Without death, there is no life. With no life, there is no death” Heiki repeated a proverb that his mother said to him all too long ago. It seemed like a distant memory that was slowly fading into a whisper. He hadn’t seen his past for such a long time; he’s only lived in the present and towards a future. His master-once his master-said that there is only sadness in the past and within such sadness brings out the darkening of a man’s soul.

“Bullshit” he whispered softly “Maybe to you but to me, it only gave a motive to get stronger.” His hands were folded in and his head had leaned on them looking down at ground and seeing the orange and red light radiate through that small slit that he could see through his hands. “Weakness only spawns when you refuse your past. You try to manipulate your present so your future will be the outcome that you wanted it to be. Such actions are like of shogi and you, sensei, was not a person who could look at shogi at that philosophical level. You wanted power and you obtained it yet-“ he realized that he was talking to himself-again nonetheless. It’s been a habit that he had been trying to break for the longest time but he couldn’t help that fact. It was too enticing to stop himself and at times he wondered whether he could stop from talking to the company of himself. He had to get use to that now that he had another person who was now a part of this wandering group.

Her eyes are that of a sharp onyx; sharpen by the tooth of a dragon. Her features were that that could deceive a man, flawlessly scarred and tactfully deranged by life’s psychologist who was cruel and uncaring, showing how much appreciation it had for life, it would turned the kindness in people into a darkness far darker than black of space for it too was twisted by its creator.

That was what her eyes said to Heiki. Uriko’s eyes could mask it all it want, it could put up a brick wall and cover every crack with metal and there it would still be there for Heiki to see. Could he deny that little existence inside of her? He could, it was a possibility. Being in a group that was filled with sociopaths, lunatics, psychopathic, murderous, empty-headed, add-more-adjectives-here people you tend to get use to that kind of stuff. It was like smelling an awful odor that first gets into your nose and stings. For the longest time, you wonder whether you’ll be able to take the stench or not. Yet there was a phase that allows you to adapt and you don’t smell it any longer. It becomes a part of yourself and it’s just something you accept.

He wondered where she was at. He wondered what she was doing. He wondered if he’ll keel over as he takes his first bite of the boar and wondered if the taste would be savory, sweet or both. Perhaps he was wondering too much. Yeah, he was. Not a good sign he thought

Posts : 64

Some days, Utsu just felt... strong. Most people have felt it at least once before, whether mentally or physically. Your head seems to be higher, your ambitions have no end, and you are totally secure about who you are. Utsu felt that often, it wasn't that he was cocky, just confident in the fact he could handle situations easily if he had to confront them. Don't get him wrong, he still felt crappy at times, maybe remembering something from the past, or just feeling ill. But even then he had some confidence in his abilities. The whole day he had felt strong, with his Shantakai cloak worn proudly, and a smile on his face.

He had been darting in between small fishing village, to small fishing village along the coast of the Rice Country for a month. Although, he didn't eat any fish, the taste and smell was repulsive, but he liked the quietness and ability to hide without hiding at the same time. You see, in small villages people don't pick fights with people who are shinobi. Some times they may, but when you are an adult who acts and looks powerful; they back off. Even if one of them knew he was in Shantakai, they would attempt to act as a nice as they can and try not to make eye contact. Though, he did not allow that; he acted normal and kind to all people in the small villages.

Though, in the past week he was moving more towards the center of the country, going from rice village to rice village. His diet of rice and vegetables was healthy, though never really made him full. Energy was good, considering the vegetables he ate gave him plenty. But, some times he just ate plain rice and had to eat a lot of it to give him enough to train. Considering he trained everyday, he had to eat before and after. Which, was a lot of rice. Enough to feed the whole village, that is why he had to jump from village to village; to stay under the radar, and also to not be a pest to simple farmers that did nothing to deserve a nuisance.

His muscles were hard and tight like always, the result of all the training. Though, his body was loose and agile, ready to move. The young man's current location was in the Hidden Sound Village, a highly populated area. A certain love for a crowd of people and just the pure organized chaos, made him feel as happy as he was today. Dining at the ramen shop for all four meals made him a full and glad man. In the late afternoon he had left the village, it being a small shinobi village some people were suspicious of him; though none made efforts to find him. Just in case though, he made a trail that was nearly impossible to follow. The walk around the country was plain, the ground was flat mostly, had some rivers, hills; though not many forests, let alone any mountains. It was a nice day, though it seemed short lived. It was now the time to start walking towards where he really needed to go, something he dreaded but yet was excited about at the same time. Mixed feelings flooded his conscious, but it could not be helped at all. His body was calm, but his mind was always jumpy when being around a group of shinobi that matched him in strength, skill, and experience. Probably half of them being more powerful them him, though he never really wanted to test it. Of course he knew their strengths, but he knew little about their pasts or their most sacred techniques. Although Utsu had very little to hide, he told none of them of his past besides he was from Kumogakure and his clan. Both were pretty obvious to figure out, though still his past was closely guarded. Of course the leader, Heikei, knew of most of his past; being from the same village as Utsu. But that didn't necessarily mean he would know as much as he did, some things he just told the man because he seemed to trust him. Though some things were closely guarded, even to the leader, and Utsus wanted to keep it that way.

It was dark, the wind came in long surges and then slowly drifted back away. The treeless landscape did little to block the wind, neither did the long grasses of the plains. He memorized the map easily, but it screwed him up making his trail complex and hard to follow. From a distance he could see a small light. Must be a campfire, he thought to himself. Yet, he wasn't sure if it was his leader, but a feeling in his gut told him without a doubt it was. He continued his slow calculated walk towards the light, which grew in size and brightness as he got closer. He saw a pig roasting over a fire, and a man sitting on a rock or a log, Utsus couldn't quite tell. As he got within speaking length, which was not very far from the man considering the wind. His nose scrunched up at the horrible stench of the animal, and then he spoke, "Hello mate, long time no see."

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

They say that killing another tarnishes the soul. Taking pleasure from killing... that shatters it beyond repair. It was fortunate then, that Uriko Nagase had never met an advocate of this doctrine. A scientist and medical practitioner, she turned her nose up at anything not backed by empirical evidence. To her, the soul was a fictional concept belonging to the outdated world of religion. It was a good thing, too, as she had all too happily slaughtered many that night. A score or so lay dead amongst the rolling hills of Ta no Kuni. Their cold, lifeless bodies were currently hidden by the blanket of night but come daylight, someone was sure to discover them. In truth, the kunoichi had made no effort to hide the evidence, given that it quite clearly marked the killings as the work of the Shantakai. Even once the murders were revealed, it was unlikely that anyone would be sent to investigate. A tentative agreement existed between the country's officials and the criminal group. The Shantakai had failed to fulfil past promises and the nation had been punished as a result. Yet many citizens remained who sympathized with the organization's goals. That said three enforcers had already tried to apprehend the female nukenin that night. A fast response to the night's disturbances by what must have been a renegade trio – refusing to accept the accord between their country and the criminals. Not that it mattered. They were gone now, and the kunoichi could walk the lands without concern. More or less.

A small copse appeared on the horizon as Uriko sped through grasslands and past foothills. Her excursion had come to an end, the training she had set out to do was complete. All that was left now was to report to Heiki. The woman knew that she would have to apologize, too. The trail of bodies in her wake was far from what the Shantakai would want. It drew attention to their organization and to this northern region of Ta no Kuni. Neither were ideal developments. The kunoichi had lost herself in the moment, eager to strengthen her body, steel her mind and hone her skills. She doubted that Heiki would make a fuss, though. He valued her presence and contribution to their group and the skills that she brought to the table. Realistically speaking, Uriko had not endangered their set up anything like as much as she was envisioning. And she knew it too. But a mild, paranoid streak had been present in her for some time now. From a very young age her life had been twisted and manipulated, so much so that when her village was attacked she genuinely believed it to be an attempt by her own government to purge her family from the land. As she settled into criminality, betrayal became like second nature. An expert in stabbing others in the back, she learned to do so whilst looking over her own shoulder too. Uriko's paranoia was not all consuming, though. She saw it as an adaptive mechanism, keeping her sharp and alert. It could be seen as contrary to her nature that she now worked with others, but the kunoichi had never promised to trust any of them when she agreed to joining their cause. A shared goal was enough to bring about co-operation in even the and besides – the money was a good incentive.

Forty minutes passed and there was still no sign of Heiki. The female nukenin had long since passed the copse, altering her direction when she reached it as instructed. A ghost of a smile crossed her features as she thought about how far she must have travelled during the training. Just as her mind began to wander, she was brought abruptly back to reality when a cloaked figure appeared a few hundred metres ahead of her. The stranger was heading in the same direction as the kunoichi, straight toward Heiki. Uriko's muscles tensed and adrenaline flooded her body. Her pace doubled as she strove to reach the distant figure, determined to accost them before they reached her leader. In closing the distance between them however, the unmistakeable colour scheme and markings of the Shantakai robe became clearer, despite the poor light conditions. She relaxed her body, slowing to a much more regular travelling speed. Though the identity of the figure remained a mystery, it was certain that they were no stranger. Rounding a corner through the gap between two adjacent hillocks, a the faint glow of firelight greeted the woman. Although about a kilometre away, it would not take either traveller long to reach Heiki's campground. Falling silently in step some two hundred metres behind her unnamed colleague, Uriko started to plan how to broach the subject of her subsequent plans with the Shantakai leader. Having developed a nefarious technique to harbor and refine the deadliest viral substances in known existence, she needed now to inflict them upon herself. This would pose a great risk to the kunoichi's life and loathe though she was to ask another for help, should her health take a critical turn she would need someone to look out for her. Heiki was not only their leader, but was the most experienced, commanded the most respect and had the greatest mastery of shinobi techniques. If Uriko had to ask someone, she would request aid from him and none other.

The other Shantakai member walked into the warm glow of the fire. The kunoichi was metres away now, watching the orange-yellow flames spitting at the night sky above and smelling the roasting boar flesh as it sizzled above the fire. She had begun to hear Heiki talking to himself as she approached, though he stopped quite abruptly shortly after. Perhaps he had noticed the pair's arrival. Regardless, he made no mention of it. Uriko was about to deliver a sharp quip about this unusual behaviour but the still ambiguous figure spoke first, greeting the man. Not wanting to interrupt a full conversation, the woman advanced, walking right past Heiki and the other member until she was stood opposite the two of them. She noted the build of the figure she had followed as male, but not yet who he was. ”Boys.” She murmured, settling cross-legged on the most stable log that had been set up around the campfire. She held her companions' gaze and finally identified the other traveller as Utsu. Beyond the fact that he was another Shantakai member, she confessed to knowing little else about him. His presence was a surprise to the kunoichi, who hadn't been expecting to find anyone beside Heiki. She had quickly brushed this development aside however. It mattered little to her. Uriko glanced toward Heiki, whose expression remained entirely unreadable. She sighed heavily. ”I must apologize, Heiki-san. The locals were... hostile.” She muttered, the words physically grating against her throat as she spoke. Apologies were not something she had ever become accustomed to, or ever wanted to. Mercifully, Heiki would already know the details. Her actions had been somewhat messy in terms of evidence, but at least the kills themselves had been clinical, the kunoichi reasoned.

Subject: Re: Assemble. Tue 19 Apr 2011, 6:11 am

It was reactive for Heiki to look up immediately to the sounds of footsteps. The world was never a pleasant place for idly thinking in a careless manner. These days Heiki could not think carelessly as he once did so long ago. It was time where he was at peace. So long ago it was and yet here he was sitting down thinking carelessly. His mind was in a constant program of random thoughts that never cease it but no sooner did he go off into a world onto his own self, someone had approach which he was glad for. His eyes shifted up and looking down at him was a man of pale surreal blonde hair who had Heiki over by a few inches in height; his hollow blue eyes glistening within the flames staring emptily at Heiki. This risen a small smile off the side of his lips seeing how nostalgic it can get looking into eyes like that. It was like looking into a void where there was once something there but was eloquently removed by a expert artist. No novice could shape a mastery of hidden intent within those eyes. They were forged by the best of life’s actions and Utsu reaped the rewards of these actions.

"Hello mate, long time no see." He looked rather disgusted as he approached Heiki. He knew that look of distastefulness as he got closer to the boar.

“Yo” Heiki said in that mellow and indeed thoughtful gesture. “Indeed, it has been long while. I wonder whether you would return or not but perhaps a storm always travels whenever there is a need for it” he gestures him to sit “If you are hungry, you are welcome to have some of this. I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish all of this” Silly to say if he was able to because he had the ability to. He could devour the entire pig, offal and all, without much of a hassle. He could blame his metabolism for that plus the years he had eaten the cooking his mother had always prepared for him and his father during those strenuous years.

Whether it was a moment later or not, Heiki could not tell, now approached the person he had expected to arrive. She did not speak at first, only walking in between Heiki and Utsu. Her silence was enough for her presence to be a breathing enigma. As she walked there was a slight aura to her; it was a quiet feel, something that took away the echo of what was once living. It was an aura that ate away at life. Heiki turned his head so it would be set on Uriko. Her eyes fixed on Utsu, examining him for just a brief moment then it was fixed on Heiki. Again he had a moment of nostalgia and he smiled. Whether it was from a memory or for her arrival it was hard to say. He bowed his head out of respect. “Boys” she murmured.

For a short moment, the only thing that was making the sizzling of the fire when the boar drippings fell into the fire and soft noise of the fire gave off. All three of them were waiting for each other speak. Heiki didn’t want to include himself seeing that he had nothing else to talk about so the tension was between Uriko and Utsu. But knowing Uriko for a while, he realized she would be the one to speak first

And he was right She let out a sigh that dragged out but her face contradicted such longing of the sigh. “”I must apologize, Heiki-san. The locals were... hostile.”

Heiki waved his hand at her gesturing his careless attitude towards her apology. “People must be reminded that there are people who hold death’s scythe at hand. This place has seen the Shantakai’s hand gripping that blade and whether they choose to defile us or not is on their terms.” Too long had he been to this village, to this country. Too long had he committed the same number of deeds that Uriko had committed and too long has he felt that echo.

He stands up holding out his hand in a welcoming manner towards Utsu “Hell, where are my manners. Allow me to introduce you two. Uriko-san, this is Susanoo Utsu, a man who once resided in Kumogakure like myself. He is the agent of infiltration so his work is mostly independent. He’ll come and go as he sees fit.

“Utsu, this is my partner Nagase Uriko, a highly specialized shinobi amongst the medical community. The best in my opinion.” He claps his hands together closing that door of introduction. Whatever happens next, he would go along for the ride. Whether they were hostile or friendly (He was leaning towards hostile seeing that no one trust each other. Then again, he wouldn’t trust sociopaths walking beside him with sharp objects at first glance either) it wouldn’t concern him. He reached over to the boar. One of his fingers pushed into the flesh. It felt soft to the touch, the flesh left an indent. He pinched two fingers on the hot boar and ripped a piece of the skinned animal pulling away not only skin but stands of muscle too. He wondered what would happen with these two forces. The relentless killer and a silent infiltrator ready to speak. He knew one thing, they weren’t going to talk about the weather and how sunny it was this morning. If one of them did, it'll definitely be an interesting converation.

Or flat out boring

Posts : 64

Utsu walked into the camp, the wind howling by his ears just before he spoke to the man. As he reached the small little temporary home, he noticed that the wind stopped almost. A curious thing the man thought, how could it just stop? Observing his surroundings he failed to notice he walked down a slope, and the grass was taller around the perimeter. Even if he had failed to notice this in the first place, the man still had a better rate of taking in information. His observations only took a matter of seconds and happened a second after he spoke. Maybe it was because he was tired that the man was a little slower, despite his high endurance. His walk was a long one, it was probably not needed; Utsu thought again. The thought racing through his head that he wasted time, though it didn't seem like he had got to the location late at all.

The man sat down by the fire, it warmed him to the core the moment he came by it. His face was hot and so were his hands as he put them by the roaring blaze. He was still repulsed by the boar and backed up after warming himself up a bit. The cold wind of the plains chilled him, it was nice to get really hot after being so cold. Light from the fire illuminated the features of the man next to him, the leader wasn't a bad person. His looks were not deceiving and were exactly as they seemed. Although, that was just Utsu's opinion. The man looked riddle with hardships, yes, though to Utsu it looked more like experience and wisdom. He wasn't that old, only in his early thirties, but his smile was that of an old man but his eyes were the things that bothered Utsu. So full with thought, always full with thought. At times the thoughts were of happiness and kindness, but that lasted very little and tended to be focused on everything and nothing.

It was hard to explain though Utsu somehow just got used to it, even after very little meetings with the man. The man spoke to him, using a metaphor that was surely about Utsu. It was one that Utsu made a note to remember for a later time. Heiki offered Utsu boar, but he declined. He left the boar for Heiki to have all to himself, which left a visible smile in Heiki's eyes just at the thought before Utsu answered. A strange feeling hit Utsu, a presence like no other came within the range of his senses. It wasn't chakra sensing or just normal senses, it was just a feeling deep in his gut. It told him that someone was there, someone with a haunted past. Hairs on the back of his neck stood for a second, and then his suspicions were confirmed. A women walked into the camp and greeted the two. Heiki continued on with his talking, but he merely nodded. As the women spoke to the man, his attention snapped to the woman's eyes.

Eyes that reminded him of the fire in front of him, held more mystery than Heiki's. Although, this mystery had a clear feeling; and that was pain. Pain gave people strength that was no doubt, loss was the key factor in improving one's self; Utsu was a good example of that fact. Though, his eyes snapped back to the overall picture of the situation, along with his hearing. The man introduced the two, and Utsu muttered an appropriate greeting. "Hello, it is nice to be in your presence, I can tell from your eyes that your a powerful kunoichi." He then noticed her battle wounds, and ultimately her missing arm. "What happened to your arm?" A comment that was straight forward and too the point. If he received back lash from this, he would understand. Although it was not that bad of a question, Utsu thought.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Flames licked the crackling boar meat, the scented sparks rising like fireworks and disappearing almost as soon as they'd set out. As they fizzled out of existence, the eyes of those sat around the fire glimmered momentarily. The pale, sky-blue of Heiki's, the bright azure of Utsu's and the deep, amber glow of Uriko's. In between the muted conversation, there were seconds of silence in which each individual merely sat and appreciated the spellbinding nature of these moments. For Uriko, it was a welcome sensation - to be stoically refusing the cold night with the aid of a primitive campfire. She far preferred this kind of living to the luxurious residencies the wealthy afforded themselves; and it was certainly a step up from weathering the elements alone and without warmth. It made the kunoichi feel at ease, as if she had returned to her true home. Though she despised the idea of her actual birthplace, there was simply no other way to describe what this simple scene evoked in her. Out here, the trio would not be bothered by any unwelcome guests. Heiki had chosen a very particular place in which to construct his little camp. The rolling hills Uriko had left some way behind her had begun again and in one such depression, the fire had been lit and the log-stools arranged. Not to mention the woodland not too far from them, further hiding them from prying eyes. Attention to such small details was an important part of belonging to the Shantakai. Their actions were often abhorred by others and as such, their secrets had to be kept at all costs. The likelihood of their enemies gleaning any knowledge on them at all was slim, unless they were forced into an encounter by mere fate. Or luck, as the present kunoichi would have noted. She did not hold with the idea that the universe had some sort of grand design for her. She took her disfigurement as evidence of that.

With her misdemeanors brushed aside without concern, the group moved on to becoming better acquainted. For her part, Uriko was grateful to Heiki for introducing Utsu and herself to each other. She wasn't fond of introductions at the best of times, so this made it far simpler. He described the stranger known only by name thus far as "the agent of infiltration". This piqued the female nukenin's interest somewhat. She had often sought well-guarded secrets, mostly in an effort to discover a means of restoring her lost arm. In recent years however, she had taken to seeking such knowledge in order to establish even greater and more terrible medical abilities. Thus, when she heard the newcomer being described as an infiltrator, Uriko began to wonder if she could use the man to help her find what she was looking for. If she could even recall what that was, now. Though it was not in her nature to be buoyed by another's words, when Heiki explained to Utsu that he regarded her as "the best" at her craft, she couldn't help but feel the faint flicker of pride. He was right, of course, but the woman was too tight-lipped to bother uttering arrogant comments. It was a pleasant surprise that someone else was happy to uphold her reputation on her behalf. "A pleasure." She murmured, inclining her head in recognition of the man who Heiki had just introduced. The kunoichi had never been one for long speeches or flowing conversation. She had said her piece and had been respectful about it. If Utsu had a reply, or questions, she would do her best to maintain their dialogue.

As it happened, he did. "Hello, it is nice to be in your presence." He began calmly. "I can tell from your eyes that you're a powerful kunoichi." He added. Uriko merely sniffed at this. She was indifferent to flattery - and this was different from Heiki's earlier comment, which had simply been a statement of fact. The woman knew that Utsu was attempting pleasantry and she did not doubt his well-meaning, but... why waste words? Fortunately, his next would liven the conversation up somewhat. "What happened to your arm?" He asked, nodding toward her missing appendage. Immediately, Uriko tensed up, her fingers twitching as they lay right close to her kunai pouch. The injury and the incident that had caused it were a touchy subject for her, one that all too easily riled her. The kunoichi's lip curled and she tried her best to contain her distaste at the subject matter. "You'll know when I need you to." She answered, not being deliberately mysterious but just trying to shunt the conversation away from this particular topic. Utsu's gaze appeared to falter, as if disheartened at the response. Uriko sighed, her hand reaching up and pulling the left side of her robe down past her collarbone. The fabric fell just underneath the heavily scarred remains of her shoulder. "It's gone. It's not coming back." She explained, abruptly, pulling her robe back over her skin. The man had only been given a short glimpse of her disfigured torso, but hopefully it would be enough to dissuade him from inquiring further for the time being. The kunoichi had not been lying before - if she needed him to know, then he would.

The atmosphere was a little frosty, and it could only really be blamed on Uriko. She tried to recoup a little energy to the group. "Infiltration, Utsu-san... does that include theft of protected secrets?" She asked, unable to hide her curiousity. Heiki had some knowledge of her search for medical prowess, whether or not it would restore her arm. He might be tempted to discourage further action, as the signs of obsession were just beginning to show. Either way, the kunoichi really only meant the question as an ice-breaker, so to speak. She had a more pressing question to put to their leader, but given that she'd just brushed Utsu's inquisition aside rather brusquely, she felt it would be better to restore a warmer atmosphere in the group first. After the 'agent of infiltration' had replied, she expressed her interest in his art before turning to Heiki. "Heiki-san. I need your help with the development of a certain technique - you might recall we discussed this before?" She suggested. "I must expose myself to the viruses in order to store, refine and replicate them. I'm going to need someone watching over my body whilst I'm in a diseased state." She finished, assuming that Heiki knew well-enough what she was asking of him. Utsu, sitting and listening to the exchange might have wondered a little about what was going on, but the jist of it was clear. Uriko would voluntarily poison herself soon, and she needed guarding whilst she recovered.

Subject: Re: Assemble. Wed 27 Apr 2011, 7:31 am

He went towards the loosing of the arm conversation. He pulled that card out of his hand and hoped for the best. Heiki wanted to smile. He could’ve smiled; it wasn’t an insult towards Uriko but rather a tactic of telling Utsu “Of course you would go there” without even signaling even a signal eye glance. No he didn’t even bother to get involved in that subject. It wasn’t something that can be discussed as a dinner topic. Hell, it wasn’t a topic to discuss at anytime. There was, of course, that special occasion when a person would open themselves up to someone they care or trust or even someone to be a walking journal to express themselves. Uriko wasn’t that. No, she wasn’t like that at all. It was like comparing apples to oranges when it came down to it and she was not in any of those two categories. She was a stand alone at best and a stand alone like her rarely whispers about something that was painfully distant.

She wanted to react. The air was suddenly thick with an irony smell overpowering, for just a brief second, the smoke rising up. Heiki could taste that iron with his tongue. His eyes slowly peer down to her only arm, seeing if it would twitch to that spot where she kept her arsenal. He knew Utsu would see it and he rather hoped this wouldn’t get too ugly too quick. He didn’t want Utsu or Uriko hurt at this moment, especially if he’s eating. He would be damn if the mood to eat this boar was ruined by these two.

That sudden feeling of blood simply died just as quick as it came alive. She answered with a voice that could send a chill down a weak spine "You'll know when I need you to." From that response it sounded to him that she could tell Utsu. Actions spoke a better picture than most artists can envision and simply showing something could either tell a lot or just enough to whet the mind for more. She reached up to the side of her robe and pulled it down just for Utsu to see. The scar that ran down her neck to the spot where the flesh had healed over was more than enough for Heiki to see. He has viewed that particular spot a few times with little interest. He was a curious man, yes, but it would be safe to say that his curiosity was satisfied the moment he saw that scar. He picked another piece of the meat from the boar and ate it swiftly this time, not at all tasting it like he did the first few bites.

The place was silent again. Heiki continued on eating knowing he had little to say at the time. He felt invisible for a moment, probably was to these two as Heiki was somewhat afar from them both with that interesting conversation that took place. Again, Uriko broke the silence knowing more about his skill in infiltration. He noted that hint of sudden curiosity, perhaps to see whether his skills were up to par or perhaps something she wish to find or know. Whatever it was, Heiki did not falter from his eating. He only stopped when Uriko directed her attention to Heiki. "Heiki-san. I need your help with the development of a certain technique - you might recall we discussed this before?" She suggested. Heiki nodded automatically knowing. "I must expose myself to the viruses in order to store, refine and replicate them. I'm going to need someone watching over my body whilst I'm in a diseased state."

“Not only building immunity but also being a host to a nasty disease” he waves a finger at the ground “Interesting. Very interesting.” His hands then begin to tighten into a fist, move about in different positions; positions that one would see when playing an instrument. Or a piano. “I suppose this does delay what I had planned to do. Perhaps-no wait, yes-err, no. Hmmm” he rubs his chin thoughtfully, thinking to himself and controlling himself from not speaking aloud. That sudden ‘aha’ moment arrived when he raised a finger “Yes, I believe I can monitor your body. My mind needs to be doing things at once. Perhaps I can learn something from this. The human body simply does wonders. However-“ he turns to Utsu ad then back to Uriko “I am in need of some-shall I say, arsenal. Ah, arsenal and information.

“Utsu, I would like for you to do me some spying. The villages have definitely changed over the course of the Shantakai history and I haven’t had the time to keep myself up to date with each one. If you could, I would like a formal report on these villages” Pulling out of his sleeve was a small folded up sheet of paper. When opened, it would reveal to Utsu to look at Hot Spring Country and Bear Country. Two countries? Yes, just two countries he wanted his eyes to venture. He then turns over to Uriko “As for you, I wish for something that you have among yourself” He points a finger to his wrist “A blade that conceals itself in plain sight. A fuckin’ sick weapon I believe.” This last bit was something he consciously held in at times but a Freudian slip up was common with him and he rarely even notice.

“As for me” He said “I have something that I’ve recently found out. Perhaps a tale is needed to explain but first” he stripped a large piece of meat from the thigh of boar and bit into it “I need to eat.”

Posts : 64

They sat in silence for what seemed like a lifetime. Utsu only head the crackle of the fire and the juice from the pig dripping. This disgusted him, though he had barely little time to dwell on it. The woman's hand twitched slightly, Utsu was always battle ready; even when he seemed as calm as he was now. The thoughts from before clouded his mind when he remembered anything could happen here, so the girl pulling a kunai on him would be a start to a small battle. If it got to that the man to his right would most definitely stop it in a matter of seconds, though how many seconds was not up to Heiki. Utsu and the girl in front of him fighting each other would be fueled by rage that had no meaning, and was purely just a release of emotions and the tension in the small group. Uriko and Utsu were unknown to each other so one slip from the other was quite dangerous.

Although, in that moment his mind purely had a main objective; and that was to brace himself. His hand slowly moved down to his sword's hilt. Yet, her move was just a small one; Utsu's was small as well, plus it would be hard to see from Uriko's angle. His cloak casting a shadow over his hip would make sure of that, but Heiki would most certainly be able to notice it. Uriko started to speak, and he released his grip, moving it to on top of his leg. Interlocking it with his other hand and leaning over would make the previous threatening pose seem smaller by comparison of this one. Hands being shown, and occupied in a calm way would note that he had given up his antic. Now the attention was focused on the reply to his statement, his ears perked and ready to hear the story. "You'll know when I need you to." This was an odd reply, one he wasn't expecting. Maybe a, "Mind your own business," or actually telling what happened. It seemed like she was uncomfortable, but chose her words wisely to shut him up without being rude. This made him smile, as the woman revealed a scarred, disfigured place where a limb used to be; his face lost the smile.

"It's gone. It's not coming back." A serious and so eerie phrase. This made his mind wander, surely that isn't true. Although he was no medic, he certainly knew that it was possible for someone to re attach a limb. It would be a difficult task, but it was possible. He had encountered strange things that told him so. Maybe she meant her old arm would never be coming back. The only reason it would be impossible, was if there was a seal placed there, strong enough to not allow that. Yet, if that was the case him and Heiki together could probably remove any seal. As always he over analyzed the situation, being deep in thought he almost missed her next set of words. "Infiltration, Utsu-san... does that include theft of protected secrets?" An eye brow raised, he made a simple reply. Sometimes, though one who was good at their job would not leave any trace that the secrets were stolen. The only way they would know is when it is used against them." His statement was not done there. Why do you ask? This statement showed his curiosity being shifted from the woman's arm.

Before his question was answered, she spoke to the man next to him a few feet over. "Heiki-san. I need your help with the development of a certain technique - you might recall we discussed this before?" "I must expose myself to the viruses in order to store, refine and replicate them. I'm going to need someone watching over my body whilst I'm in a diseased state." His mind once again locked on to another topic. The two spoke and this made him wonder, and her words gave him a good hint. Store, refine, replicated. The man answered before he was able to dwell on the statement.

As he talked, Heiki continued to move around and do various gestures, “Not only building immunity but also being a host to a nasty disease. Interesting. Very interesting. I suppose this does delay what I had planned to do. Perhaps-no wait, yes-err, no. Hmmm, yes, I believe I can monitor your body. My mind needs to be doing things at once. Perhaps I can learn something from this. The human body simply does wonders. However-" The thoughts that only plagued his mind for a millisecond were confirmed, she wished to be able to poison people by will, create jutsu that would use her ability to create a virus and spread it to people. Yet, she would have total immunity. The possibilities flooded his mind, jutsu that would spread the virus in a mist, that would not only attack their body but allow her to create many other attacks afterwards; not being affected by the lingering jutsu. He shook these thoughts from his head, it was now the man's turn to speak to Utsu.

“I am in need of some-shall I say, arsenal. Ah, arsenal and information. Utsu, I would like for you to do me some spying. The villages have definitely changed over the course of the Shantakai history and I haven’t had the time to keep myself up to date with each one. If you could, I would like a formal report on these villages." Utsu nodded and gently grabbed the paper that the Shantakai leader handed to him. He opened it up, paying his attention to them as the two of his allies continued to speak, not wanting to interrupt them; unless they continued to speak to him. Looking at what it said, he nodded to himself at the information before him. The man wanted him to find information on two countries, which was an easy task; but it was time consuming. Folding the papers up, he had memorized what was given to him. Doing a few hand signs, a small seal formed on the folder. He then placed five seals on his own body, one on each ankle, and rolling up his sleeves he placed one on either arm. Then folded it up and placed it into a pouch on his vest. Questioning whether he should burn it instead, but that would be unwise because if he forgot what exactly was on the paper; he would most likely be in trouble with Heiki. "No problem, sir."
-----------------

Spoiler:

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

It would have been difficult for a shinobi such as Uriko not to notice the slight movement of Utsu's hand and the tension arising throughout his body. She did not begrudge him this. After all, it had been she that had considered the kunai first. As it happened, neither preparation was necessary and the exchange continued without incident. A smile emerged on the man's features but lasted only for a moment, disappearing as Uriko revealed her marred skin. The woman gave Utsu yet another diversionary statement, this time more stern and finite. Judging by the look on his face, she surmised that he still had many a question. The details of her nefarious injury were not up for discussion however, and thankfully, the man seemed to realise this. To help the silence along, Uriko had posed a question of Utsu this time. His reply was swift. "Sometimes, though one who was good at their job would not leave any trace that the secrets were stolen. The only way they would know is when it is used against them." He explained, his words somewhat guarded. "Why do you ask?" He added, seeming genuinely curious. The truth was that the kunoichi may yet have need of the man's talents. Sure, she had managed infiltration before and her skill set was well-suited to silencing guards and the like. But it was always more difficult than she imagined in preparation. Someone like Utsu might well be able to galvanise her search. "That depends, Utsu-san. Are you 'one who is good at their job'?" She replied coyly, casting his own words back at him in jest. Again, the kunoichi was playing her cards very close to her chest. Having just met the man, despite Heiki's assurances, she would not trust him. Only those closest to her were privy to deeper information.

As the pair continued their brief conversation, Heiki remained silent, happy to tuck into the boar meat whilst observing them. It was only once Utsu and Uriko had wrapped up their aside and the woman had put a question to him that their leader joined in the discussion. "Very interesting." He mused, moving his hands about in an unusual pattern. It seemed to help him think. "I suppose this does delay what I had planned to do. Perhaps-no wait, yes-err, no. Hmmm.” He spoke as if to himself, trying to talk through the thoughts that were competing inside his head. Eventually, he arrived at a decision. "Yes, I believe I can monitor your body." He exclaimed, raising a finger as the notion came to him. The corner's of Uriko's mouth twitched as if restraining a smile. This was good news for her - she would have the protection she wanted. Heiki however, was not finished. "My mind needs to be doing things at once. Perhaps I can learn something from this. The human body simply does wonders. However-“ He rambled, before flitting his gaze to Utsu, back to Uriko and over to Utsu again. He explained that he sought both information and an addition to his arsenal. The former clearly required the assistance of the only other male sat around the campfire. Sure enough, a request was put to Utsu regarding a spying mission, accompanied by a tighyl-bound scroll. Two countries were under investigation, though Uriko was not to discover what these indeed were. The 'infiltrator' unfurled the parchment and scanned the text, before performing a Fuuin technique that planted seal marks on Utsu's ankles and wrists. The exact nature of the jutsu remained a mystery, a trade secret, perhaps. "No problem, sir." The man replied abruptly.

The two men seemed to have finished their negotiations. Heiki confirmed this when he turned back to Uriko and began to speak. “As for you, I wish for something that you have among yourself." He lifted his arm and extended a single finger, pointing at the woman's hand. “A blade that conceals itself in plain sight. A fuckin’ sick weapon I believe.” He finished, his eyes glinting with interest. Or perhaps that was the firelight. The kunoichi's gaze fell upon her own wrist. On cue, she tilted her hand back and a silver blade instantly shot out, coming to a halt about four inches past her fingertips. Its razor-sharp edges glistening, the silver weapon soon receded as Uriko let her hand drop back into its usual position. "The Beruken?" She murmured quizzically. "Of course, Heiki-san. But it is not of my own design - we'll need a craftsman to fashion another." She explained, hoping that the man was not asking her to part with the item. It had a certain... nostalgic value to her. Heiki was clearly enamored with the item, or he wouldn't have requested something quite so specific. Getting to a craftsman in Otogakure would not actually be too difficult, with luck, the Shantakai leader would be satisfied with this plan. "I need to ask something else of you too, Heiki-san. This isn't for my own benefit though, it's for yours." Uriko stated, removing a small scroll from her belt as she spoke and unlatching it. Following a quick, one-handed seal, she plucked something from a small burst of smoke that emerged from the scroll. "I'm grateful for your help with my technique, but in order to protect you from it's effects I will need a strong vaccine." The kunoichi continued as the smoke began to clear. "But I cannot vaccinate you against these toxins, Heiki-san. They are too strong. What I can do, is fashion a person-specific compound that will temporarily protect you from contagion passed on by myself. For that -" She drew her hand out of the smoke, revealing a small, hypodermic needle. "- I'll need a sample of your blood." The woman finished, holding Heiki's gaze as he devoured his meal and took in this new development.

Spoiler:

Subject: Re: Assemble. Sun 08 May 2011, 7:44 am

Utsu took the scroll, opened it and understood immediately. He knew what must be done. His answer was simple because it was a simple request. Heiki asked very little from Utsu but whenever he did ask him the results were fantastic. He didn’t know whether Utsu would stay or not but he could assume he would. He knew Utsu to a point. He wouldn’t necessarily call him a friend but he wouldn’t consider him a stranger. Heiki understood that Utsu is a ‘in and out’ type of person. He reported in, see if Heiki had any orders and if not, he returned to any other previous engagements he had prior to his routinely meetings and Heiki wouldn’t have to worry about him.

Should he have worries? He should be worried. Anyone with a right enough head should be worried with independent agents that roam freely. Utsu could have an agenda, he may not. Could he work with someone, perhaps a group that has a similar role as the Shantakai or push comes to shove a major village? It’s a possibility. Could Utsu try anything like assassinating other Shantakai members? That’s a matter of what he had planned but he didn’t rule that one out, he kept that close at hand really. Call it strategic planning or call it paranoia, everything in and out the box Heiki had conceived and thought out.

It wasn’t a matter of trust nor was it a matter of complete distrust of his fellow comrades. They were too far on the spectrum of things for Heiki to lean towards. He didn’t see himself even in the middle of this spectrum. So where did he lie? He didn’t answer himself. The question kept pestering him but there was no answer from him. He ignored it and listen to what Uriko had to say.

Beruken and craftsmen. Those two words were key as Heiki listened to her speak. He was finishing away at the muscle meat of the boar’s thigh reaching closer to the bone with each chew. Half of him, the version of Heiki that rarely anyone sees anymore, the one side of Heiki that slipped out of him when he spoke only moments ago wanted to give a hidden blade a name like that. Something badass this side thought, something that’ll give people chills whenever he spoke it before it slid silently between the fleshes of unfortunate victims. She unsheathed it, the blade just several inches higher than her fingertips. It was a beauty. He licked his lips. Part of it was because some of the render grease had edged out of his mouth and he wanted to catch it before it dropped out of range of his tongue but the other half was out of enjoyment of the blade as he could see his reflection off the small light that hit off the blade.

But now Uriko had another request. Oh? Heiki wondered what it could be. He found it hard for her to ask for favors that involved getting her laundry although considering the odd quirks other members in the past; he wouldn’t be at all shocked. He’s gotten use to it and he should. He’s been working for the organization for a little over a decade and a half now. Then again, she did say it would also benefit him so maybe it wasn’t laundry.

She unlatched a scroll in her hand and broke the tie across the seal. There it unrolled at a whim and she immediately drew her hand to create the proper hand signs. The smoke spread through that small area where the scroll resides. “But I cannot vaccinate you against these toxins, Heiki-san. They are too strong. What I can do, is fashion a person-specific compound that will temporarily protect you from contagion passed on by myself. For that -” Her hand disappeared in the smoke. She retracted her hand quickly and it wasn’t empty-handed. She had a syringe in hand or what Heiki thought at first was a syringe. It was a hypodermic needle when he examined it closely “"- I'll need a sample of your blood."

“Oh?” He reached in his cloak and grabbed a small hand towel where he wiped his hands and his mouth “That’s reasonable enough. But if I do that then we have to have some sort of equal exchange.” He drew up the sleeves on his left arm. If she was looking for a spot to find a good artery or vein, it wouldn’t be hard for her seeing how visible they were on his arm "I have a tale to tell you. I say it is a tale because-well, it would seem far fetch from the rationale. When I first heard of this story, I only thought of it as that. Just a story. It was young when I listened to the man who spoke it. I can say that it’ll won’t be anything like a story you would find a old library. It was probably written in a book but I cannot say for sure.”
He found himself wanting to drag on for some reason but he stopped and then came down to this “I only ask you to listen to this story, this tale before coming to any conclusions on any impossibility of what is said because there is two parts to this story” he smiled the held out his arm for her.

Posts : 64

Utsu's mind was deep in thought. The countries he had to spy on, were ones that he had been to before. The task was easy, though he wondered what he would do along the way. His skills were already honed, though he still felt like playing with them; having some fun. His dull eyes seemed to light up, as thoughts of invading a major village and taking it out from inside, out. Yet, these were just thoughts that passed through his mind; it happened every so often. He never wanted to say he was crazy, having thoughts of what he could do, truthfully Utsu was just comfortable with his powers. His mind usually was calm, but having some fun wasn't wrong every now and then. Being alone prompted him to look for random things to do with his abilities, and being lonely was something he could never get over.

He never thought this way before his apprentice died, though ever since then he felt a piece of his soul missing. Letting the boy into his heart was never a mistake, yet some days he thought it was. The hole in his heart left room to be filled. Being in the company of these two helped, but as his mind's wondering came to an end, the reality of him having to leave soon rose to the surface. Utsu barely knew them, but he always seemed to form a mental attachment with anyone he spent time with for an extended period of time. This attachment was growing, and the longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave.

Listening to their conversation slightly, the two were continuing to speak about their future experiment. The man displayed a weapon to the women, though the way he took it out didn't put the man on too much of an edge, like the woman did when she reached for her kunai case. The man held out his arm, and the women had a needle in hand. She wanted blood, but he had one request. This request was for the woman to listen to a story. Utsu's ears perked, he was curious; though if he stayed to listen it would just be harder for him to leave. This made him get up, brush the dirt off of his clothing; and bow to the two. "I will be off then." He then turned to the man, "Thanks for your time, Heiki." He then stood at the girl, questioning what he should say. His eyes looked deeply into hers, if one would look back it would be almost as if he was piercing her soul. His mind was a loss for thought, a quiet uncanny thing. Uriko's presence was something to not take lightly.

Good bye my lovely Uriko, thank you for allowing me to make an acquaintanceship. Good luck with the virus, I hope you do not die; that would be sad loss." He probably had made one to many compliments, he didn't love the women, but she was probably the first powerful, and beautiful kanoichi he had seen in a long time. His eyes wandered, looking into hers; until he urged himself to look away. Walking off from the camp, he said one more thing. Oh and, am I one of the people who are good at their job? I truthfully do not know, my opinion is just as good as the next guy." As he stepped into the wind, his body would slowly vanish, the last thing seen would be the flowing cape. His chakra signature had disappeared, and he was off into the night. Although he ate earlier, his stomach growled; sometimes he wondered why he had took away meat from his life. If he hadn't his belly would be full and he would be leaving in absolute peace. Looking up to the sky, he located the constellation that he was looking for, and headed for his next adventure.
-exit-

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

As the blade slid in and out of view, Uriko watched with a certain pride at Heiki's enticed expression. He seemed to only just hear the woman's explanation of what would need to be done to fashion an identical piece, his attention clearly focused on the weapon itself. It was only once she rescinded the blade and posed yet another question for her leader. It was unlike the kunoichi to ask for much but in this case, it was necessary. The toxins she would be 'experimenting' with carried diseases that were beyond most medicinal experts' abilities. If Uriko herself was to be incapacitated during this trial period and Heiki caught the disease, she would be unable to treat him and the results could be fatal. The man would never take such an outrageous risk with his own life and this time, Uriko was certain of a positive response to her question. In fact, Heiki almost sounded surprised that the woman would even need to ask such a thing. "Oh?" He murmured. "That’s reasonable enough." With this he took one hand and reached over to the opposite sleeve. Uriko got to her feet and stepped across to Heiki's side, needle prepared. "But if I do that then we have to have some sort of equal exchange." He added, pulling the fabric back and exposing his forearm. Taking care to find the right spot, the kunoichi gently slid the hypodermic into a vein and immediately pulled a sample from the bloodstream. "Go on." She spoke softly, a hint of curiosity in her voice. The minute syringe had been filled now, and so Uriko made her way back to her seat and formed a few seals once more, removing two test tubes and a number of unusual-looking chemicals and herbs. Looking up from her work momentarily, she nodded for Heiki to continue.

At this point however, Utsu roused himself from silent observation and announced his departure. He thanked Heiki somewhat formally before turning to face Uriko. It seemed the man was a little at a loss for what to say to her, but neither was the kunoichi to type of person to offer the man any help at this point. In truth, the nature of her presence and the effect it had was something she quite relished. For now, she just held Utsu's gaze and waited. "Good bye my lovely Uriko, thank you for allowing me to make an acquaintanceship. Good luck with the virus, I hope you do not die; that would be sad loss." He uttered. Pleasantries not high on the woman's list of important items, she was quite glad this was tempered by the addition of matter-of-fact. There was little she could offer in response really - she too, hoped the toxins would not kill her! "Well met, Utsu. Take care." She replied, inclining her head respectfully as a ghost of smile crossed her pale lips. With that, he held her gaze for just a few lingering moments and turned to leave. As he did, Utsu looked over his shoulder and called out a question, one presumably for Heiki to answer. "Oh and, am I one of the people who are good at their job? I truthfully do not know, my opinion is just as good as the next guy." Strange, for one powerful enough to associate with the Shantakai but to doubt their abilities. Uriko began to think there was more to him than met the eye. But the thought did not take hold and Utsu soon vanished into the night.

After a moment's pause, the two remaining shinobi slowly turned to face each other once more. "You were saying, Heiki-san?" The kunoichi murmured. The man nodded and launched into his proposition, which turned out to be far more simple than the woman had expected. ""I have a tale to tell you. I say it is a tale because, well, it would seem far fetched from the rationale. When I first heard of this story, I only thought of it as that. Just a story. I was young when I listened to the man who spoke it. I can say that it’ll be anything like a story you would find a old library. It was probably written in a book but I cannot say for sure." He explained. Uriko merely gestured for him to continue, revealing nothing of her thoughts for now. "I only ask you to listen to this story, this tale, before coming to any conclusions on any impossibility of what is said, because there are two parts to this story." He finished. This final comment raised quite a few questions with the woman. An impossible story? Two parts? What on earth was this tale of Heiki's going to depict? As she waited for him to elucidate, the kunoichi began to prepare the components of her protective compound, starting by transferring the blood sample to an empty test tube.

Spoiler:

[Sorry for the wait, I've been crazy busy with end-of-exams celebrations and have been both tired and hungover.]

Subject: Re: Assemble. Mon 30 May 2011, 6:14 am

Heiki saw his life fluid seep out of his arm. The hypodermic filled itself with the red liquid that was his blood. How interesting to see his blood not on the ground and instead inside of something that was going to be used as insurance There was that moment where he felt his arm drain of energy, that small pinch his arm clenched on that spot trying to hold in the fluid that was his life’s energy. When she was done and she had patched it up, Heiki balled his hand into a fist first clenching and then unclenching repeatedly. The sensation felt odd to his hand but nonetheless he did it anyway for the feeling to seem natural to him. He gave a slight nod as if Uriko had said continued and then began speaking

Perhaps all stories that are considered mythology did come from some source of legend. The legend had to come from a story that was small, only trailing to localize tribes and villages and perhaps all stories come from some sort of truth and history had been formed out of it for reasons to continue a legacy. Perhaps that is the case with this story for this particular story may hold some truth and may hold some fiction. It is dependent on the audience as to whether this story is true or not. So listen well to the story I have to tell.

The villages did not exist, it was not a faint whisper to mankind and rather quite distant from the minds that our ancestors. This story starts off in a time and place when kingdoms had dominated the world. The emperors were the ruling powers of the time; emperors that have been long forgotten and long etched in documents and scrolls that are illegible for us to read. Perhaps it is not illegible and perhaps it is merely in a language that is impossible for us to read and understand and perhaps the best deciphers could do so little in doing the proper translation. Regardless of this, this time was before the sage as well, before ninjutsu had taken domination and chakra was no more than a philosophical point of ‘energy’.

The people of that era understood energy of a sense, a type of “ki” per se’, one to harness the energy that is within the human body itself. This particular type of ki was used in more-external purposes for lack of a better word. Things around them didn’t have that control that shinobi had but rather a type of bending, moving the force of nature without disturbing it. We might say today they were manipulating elements such as earth, wind, fire and water and perhaps it was a form of elemental manipulation. Perhaps it was, we do not have a clear theory as to whether it was or not but from what I can see, the people of that time were one with their element of choice. It was a sort of enlightenment for man of that time. It was what humans were able to do, what shinobi of today have grasped but only at a superficial level. But there are some things in this world regardless of the era and the time where they wish to manipulate the said gift that humans were given and not only leech from it but take it from the human race entirely.

Thus our story trails back to a certain location. This particular location is where Kirigakure still stands to this day. Water Country held a kingdom that was created out of the simplicity of man’s desire to have a type of domain where they can call “home”. And when man’s desires are filled in their heart and the likeness of their minds are able to see this kingdom arise, the opportunity was taken and such a kingdom was created out of said desire. Out of this kingdom was the leader of this kingdom, his name is difficult to say in this language but I can imagine it sounded something along the lines of Hanateroshi. It is how the man said it and it was difficult for him to say it as well.

Hana was not much of a leader. He wasn’t fit to be leader and probably to this day regardless of how historians view that he was one of the founders of said empire and how he solely lead this nation that could’ve put the reign of ninjutsu on a standstill, he was not fit to be a leader. I say this only out of the documentations that I found upon this particular man. Hana was born around the area that is sea country, off an island fifty miles from the coast of the center that was the main city of that time. Like history states, the world was in a part of chaos. War had hit the mainland and twenty years later as Hana turned right around the age twenty-two or so, war affected his country as well. Of course, like any person whose mentality is to run, he made an escape with a group of people from the neighboring villages to water country which has been untouched with war.

The man was scared witless during his twenties. Skip ten years later and the man is the leader of a country that would soon be in war with the mainland. This does seem like a typical story that a underdog person in society becomes the leader of the people and decides to fight for the people. Seems too-overtop dramatic is you ask me. Even the historian said his rise for power was more or less an odd one than any other emperor at the time. The oddity from it was not because he rose to power in only a decade but it was because during that decade he became one of the leading emperors that had dominated the islands, parts of fire country, lightning country and wind country. These three countries held a very powerful empire, one that could be compared to the reign of the emperor only a few centuries ago. Dominated by a empire that was so small some historians, though few, didn’t even consider it to be an empire at the time. Yet a man of his status, his rank, his personality being able to dominate this part of the world in such a short amount of time?

It got this particular historian thinking of what methods this particular emperor used in case of battling other empires who were ten if not hundred times greater than Hana’s country. Any historian looking at it at a logical but superficial point of view might conclude that this man was a intellectual genius when it came to battle tactics. He didn’t have to overpower his opponent but rather outsmart them. When we look back at Hana’s life, he was a mere man of below average intelligence. He was a farmer, first and foremost and nothing like a man who was raised in war. He had very little education before and even after he left the area in sea country. He was thinking maybe he was more along the lines as a psychological terrorist, using the scare tactics to fight his opponents and some evidence show that this was the case but not the entire case.

Heiki paused “Have you ever heard of armor that enhances the person’s free will? Whoever wears this armor has the ability to enhance themselves in whatever shape and form they wish to be. Let’s say that you held the armor and your ‘will’ is the will to heal and kill. This particular armor had the ability to grant that for the user. It isn’t something that is specific, whatever the user wished for it would get”

He smiled knowing that there could be speculation, he was being skeptical about even as he spoke the words. The one part of him, that rational being that exist in mankind that shows how utterly ridiculous was yelling in his head, blowing whistles and ringing bells saying that this could be entirely bullshit. It was ridiculous, from beginning to end and no matter how much time and research he put in, there was no proper conclusion. But the one voice, the voice of curiosity, the voice that had led his life now was whispering those sweet words. It was soft to listen, easy on the ears to him saying that this could be real and what is the harm of him trying to find out.

“This king had this said armor this historian said. He wished to rule over the world and this armor gave him that wish. It gave him that power so to almost achieve that goal”

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

In the corner of her eye, Uriko spied her partner testing his slightly numbed arm while the woman continued to combine chemicals. His fist clenched and unclenched, easing out the deadening sensation from blood loss. The effect was always interesting to observe from the kunoichi's point of view - her understanding of the body led her to the conclusion that this could only happen if a more significant quantity had been taken, say three times what the miniature hypodermic could store. Yet Heiki still felt it. Uriko's mouth twitched, flashing a little smirk. The Placebo Effect. She thought silently to herself. When one truly believes their body to respond in a certain way, it may often do so. Were she to discuss this, Uriko would surely bring up the most celebrated example - adrenaline. Its effects had nigh on been perfectly replicated using a mere saline solution, accompanied with the (false) explanation that the substance being administered was a shot of adrenaline. In this case, the blood loss suggested to the man that his arm should feel less responsive. The brain anticipated this and produced the effect automatically and subconsciously. The woman understood much about how the human brain worked, how different chemicals affected its inner mechanisms and most importantly, how to use such things to attack them. The significance of the phrase 'mind over matter' was not lost on Uriko. Her neurological comprehension was impressive, though she suspected that many a shinobi well-versed in illusory arts might outdo her on the subject. Hence the muted satisfaction as she noticed Heiki succumb to the Placebo Effect. The man had soon rid himself of the foreign sensation and turned back to Uriko, ready to speak. As he did so, the kunoichi kept her gaze lowered and focused on her task, though her attention was just as much with Heiki as it was with the compound creation.

As if to signal the beginning of the tale, a small hiss and an eruption of smoke from the smallest test tube accompanied the man's opening words. Special effects aside, Heiki did indeed have an interesting parable to tell. He began to explain the nature of myths, of legends and of the truths behind them. Shortly after, he launched into the actual story. it hearkened back to days before shinobi, causing Uriko to question how on earth her leader could set any store by such an ancient tale. Even-minded as she was, however, the woman waited patiently for the details to unfold, reserving judgement for the very end. Heiki spoke of the people of the time and their use of 'ki'. What today would be seen as elemental ninjutsu, was then understood in terms of pure manipulation - a sort of 'bending'. This mastery of individual elements was beyond many of even the most adept ninja alive in the current era. So few could exert such control over any element that those who could were often revered - the Nidaime Hokage, for example. How such an impressive ability had been carelessly lost by the peoples of the world was beyond Uriko. Heiki continued. This backstory led the pair to what would one day be known as the Great Nation of Water, to where Kirigakure no Sato would lay claim. More importantly, the story oriented on a single man and his experiences. Uriko had never heard of this Hanateroshi before. She wondered if someone such as Utsu, whose business it was to (amongst other things) procure secrets, might also be privy to such knowledge. The man was, according to the narrator, an unfit leader of this kingdom. As with so many figures that rose to greatness, Hanateroshi's journey too, began with war.

Over a decade of conflict, this once insignificant twenty-something had established himself as a psuedo-Emperor of a number of kingdoms. An impressive feat, for sure. Heiki explained that this was made yet more surprising by the fact that he managed to maintain his hold over these kingdoms with only a relatively small nation under his direct command. Apparently, this had provoked much thought in the Shantakai leader. And his questions were fair ones too. How did a man manage to stretch his power so very thin without it breaking? What was his secret? Logically, it would have to begin with an invasion of these lands. But according to fragments of historical records, his military force alone was not capable of such a feat. So the question that piqued Heiki's interest more than any other - how were these battles won? As soon as Uriko's mind settled on the notion that he was simply a great tactician, the man elaborated on his description of Hana, exposing him as a sub-par intellectual. At this point, Heiki skipped forward in the story to the present, daring to put forward his own, somewhat radical explanation. "Have you ever heard of armor that enhances the person’s free will?" He asked. Uriko paused in her work, leaving the small beaker to slowly drip a yellow, translucent liquid into the only empty test tube. As Heiki continued, the woman's expression revealed her obvious skepticism. The man was seeming to suggest that there had once existed a set of armor that to some extent, granted the bearer's wishes. Presumably, Heiki thought that this artifact may remain intact, hidden somewhere in the shinobi world of today.

For quite some time, all that could be heard was the painstaking drip of the chemical compound. Uriko was in personal conflict between her rationality and her belief in Heiki. He had not yet given her reason to doubt her, though some might have seen this proposal as reason enough. She couldn't say she trusted him per se - she trusted no one, but he above all others was afforded a degree of her confidence. "Perhaps..." She began tentatively. "Perhaps it is folly, Heiki-san. A lure for curious peoples." She concluded, though the kunoichi's voice suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. The pair exchanged glances for a few more moments. The silence soon alerted the woman to the completion of her concoction. "Ah." She murmured quietly, turning her gaze and plucking the filled test tube from its stand. Using her knees to hold it still, she reached for the stopper and sealed the glass container. A moment later, the other instruments and ingredients dissipated in a small cloud of white smoke. Taking it in hand once more, she held it aloft to draw Heiki's attention to it. A mere nod from Uriko indicated the compound was complete and ready when needed. She did not want to interrupt to current topic with ramblings about the liquid she had made. For now, her leader's parable had greater priority - outlandish though it was.

[OOC: In light of recent inactivity, we might help the site just a little if we moved this into a new topic. Make things look active and wotnot. Uriko's ready to get testing her toxins, and it certainly sounds like Heiki had plenty to be searching for. Basically, give me a heads up whenever you fancy starting up this 'exploratory/poison-test' topic. ]

Subject: Re: Assemble. Tue 14 Jun 2011, 7:44 am

“Curiosity, Uriko-san, is what drove mankind forward in innovation. Imagining a world without curious types is like taking nature away from the earth or not having a good wine with a good meal. What would mankind be without curiosity?” he paused only to take a piece of the meat off the pig. He was becoming full and the taste of the meat was slowly numb to his palate and showing he had no interest in it anymore “I was like you when I heard the story myself. There is a sense of doubt that forced me into thinking that perhaps what this old man was saying had a sack of bullshit underneath his tongue. ‘It sounds like bullshit’ was my exact words. What didn’t surprise me was that the man said he knew I would say this. The only thing he gave me was the coordinates to this particular temple that is about twenty-five kilometers from the main village in Water Country.”

Heiki slid in hand into his uniform and drew out a small piece of what appeared to a type of washed down cloth. It was no bigger than an eight and a half by eleven piece of paper that had been folded together to the size of a leaf. It was hard to see even with the fire emitting the soft light for them to see. It was fair to say that the fire was dimming just a bit and Heiki hadn’t put any firewood into the heap for it to burn. “’Men have a good reason to doubt’ this man said” Heiki was unfolding the cloth like object in his hand “’Without doubt, logic would have no place in this world but without that spark of wonderment and curiosity, man would stay in a small hole unable to venture out in the world’” He unveiled to her the piece of cloth. It only had numbers on it written in faded ink that had taken much of its toll from being inside Heiki’s cloak. “It was interesting how it ended however-the story I mean. The man told me that the empire just suddenly disappears in the shadows of history. Historians has no records of what happen to this powerful empire that took the world by storm during that time periods and what makes it even more interesting is the fact that the kingdom that once stood tall over in water country came into quick ruin. Whether it was by a neighboring empire or not, whose to say this entire ‘empire’ exist without any factual evidence on the matter?

“Prior, about four years ago, I stumbled into Water Country in search of new members for the Shantakai. Water country always brings up some good swordsmen and I was in need of one at the time. During this I happen to find this paper when I was reading a book in my stay at a run of the mill motel. It’s interesting that I never took it out and threw it away when the old man gave it to me. You would think I should have and I questioned why I still had it. I opened it up and I see the coordinates that I just so happen to be nearby.” He shrugged “I couldn’t say it was coincidence but I damn well know that it was not fate because as they say ‘Fate is a bitch’ and she doesn’t like throwing opportunity around without a price. I found it interesting, both finding it in my book and the coordinates itself. Nothing too out there but what was finding was the fact that when I looked at a map and I saw where the coordinates matched up-well the only I could actually find in that general location was just more forest and not exactly a place where a ruined city would be

“But, of course, I had the time to do so and I just couldn’t put the damn coordinates out of my head when I slept that night. So the next day I travel over the location. It was a good day trip over through the forest even with the thick fog and the terrain change; I have to say it was more or less a good consumption of time. I reached the place-oh I say five or six in the evening. The mist was thickening and I found it-“ he was searching for a better word to describe it but he came out with “out of the ordinary. I know water country has rivers and lakes that produce a heavy fog during particular days of the month and I understand the plethora of swamps around these particular areas. But this fog had a weight to it. Each step I took, I felt as I was walking up a mountain, the air getting harder to breathe in. Pressing anxiety and a honest to god fear that made one of my hands shake something fierce. It was a frightening feeling which excited me. My excitement made me keep on going though there was a side of me that I’ve never heard of in my life whisper ‘turn away’.

“I don’t know how long I was walking through that thick fog but I remember clearly that when I went into a clearing, the fog had been lifted.” He put a hand up stopping himself “No, not lifted. It didn’t exactly disappear. It just stopped like a wall was blocking it from coming through. I found a hazy sun lighting up clouds that I couldn’t see for hours, I saw that the entire clearing was not only clear of fog but also any sort of life like the soft crickets or the few birds that I had been hearing for the past four hours. I looked to find that the terrain had utterly changed not looking like a forest but more so a pasture of open space. But what amazed me to the point of complete wonderment were the ruins that I found ahead of me.”

His eyes gave a tired look and he stretched his arms out “But I’ll tell you the rest another time. Right now, as I promised, the focus is on you. This is more of a want than a need right now and I’m very interested in what it is you have in store for yourself. We’ll need to get some rest, I believe it’s going to be a bit busy for us for awhile”

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

[OOC: I think we're moving to a new topic, right? But if you'd like me to add a post here to tie it up further just let me know. Smile

]

Age : 29 Posts : 4301

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