Seven of Nine [Private]

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

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Drip. Drip.

The soft sound of water droplets falling onto a metal pipe echoed throughout the silent room, piercing through the blonde’s unconscious mind and rousing it. Slowly, the blonde opened his eyes to hazy vision and a mildly-throbbing headache. He blinked a few times to steady his vision before raising his head slowly and looking around. The first and foremost thing he noticed was that it was dark; very dark. He surmised that he was in a room, but of what kind, he wasn’t sure. No artificial light bathed said room, nor did there seem to be any windows on the walls to allow the entrance of natural light. All he could see were vague, shadowy shapes piled around him; based on their immobility, he guessed that they were inanimate.

Masquerade blinked and then looked down at his body, which he could not distinguish clearly through the gloom either. He could, however, feel that he was seated on something; most likely a chair. The boy made to rise to his unseen feet, but to his surprise, he found he could not. Turning his eyes down at his extremities (or where he guessed them to be), he squinted through the darkness while he pulled his arms and legs away from his seat. Or rather, he attempted to, for the result of these actions told him that his wrists had been bound to the chair’s armrests, and his legs to the chair’s own front legs. Whatever material was restraining him, a few seconds of trying to break free of them conveyed to him the simple truth: with his mediocre physical prowess, he was not about to break these bonds anytime soon. He was stuck to this chair, in a cold, dark room, and there was no one else there with him.

Well, no one ever said a ninja’s life was comfortable, he noted grimly in his mind. His eyes shifted away from his obscure constraints and around the darkened room once more. Though his eyes were adjusting to the gloom, he still couldn’t see anything clear enough to figure out where he was. Really, all he could see were dark shapes around him, some of which he could faintly tell to be rectangular in shape, while others seemed to be cylindrical. As vision was out of the question, the boy decided to rely on his other senses to figure out where he was. That, and his brain.

Let’s see… No sunlight or moonlight in this room, so I suppose that means there aren’t any windows here; either that, or they’re boarded up. No… Even if they were boarded up, there would still be some light entering through gaps in between the boards. I’m probably underground, thus eliminating the option or need of windows. Perhaps this is a basement? There’s plenty of dust in the air, and I’m guessing it’s also on whatever else is in this room with me. Hmm, judging by their shapes, I’d say those are probably boxes and barrels piled together. Looks like this might be a storage room; and one that’s rarely entered. A suitable place to hold someone captive, I would say. So then, it seems like I’m a part of the owner’s neglected storage now. Huh, doesn’t that make me feel special...

Pursing his lips, Masquerade crinkled his brow in further thought, looking down pensively at what little of his bonds he could see. How the heck did I even get here? he pondered. What happened to - oh. Right.

As if it had been waiting for him to ask, the memory related to his answer came floating up to him from within his subconscious.

It had been a day like any other, and by that Masquerade meant that it was one of those days where he was keeping low and staying out of sight of the public eye. But personal definitions weren’t important right now; what was important was that today (or it could have been a previous day - Masquerade had no idea how long he had been out cold) he had been trying, like he had been for so many days, to obtain some information about his father. More specifically, he had been looking for someone who had known him in the past, or at least could tell him something about the man’s personality. This was something he had been trying to do for over two weeks now, ever since he had arrived at Hi no Kuni; and he had had very little success since that time. Suffice to say, Masquerade was beginning to assume that he would never find anyone who had known his father; not anyone living outside Konohagakure, to be more specific. Seeing as he couldn’t exactly stroll right into a Shinobi Village and start questioning the nearest citizen, going anywhere near such a location was out of the question. If he was going to find someone to answer his questions, then he was going to have look outside the village for that person. He was bound to come across someone eventually.

That was what he was thinking, and it seemed that such optimistic thinking had paid (quite surprising for a pessimist such as he). In a small, out-of-the-way inn close to a dense forest, Masquerade seemed to have found his man. Upon entering the inn to request a quick meal, the blonde had decided to try his luck and ask the innkeeper if he had ever known a man named Senju Yashin. After a few seconds of forced reminiscing, the stout innkeeper had finally shaken his head and replied in the negative. Disappointed and frustrated, Masquerade had made to exit the premises, when he had been halted by a man standing right behind him. Apparently, this man had been listening to the conversation between the Nukenin and innkeeper.

The man - a tall, lanky male with a head of messy blue hair, and the pointiest goatee Masquerade had ever seen - had told the Nukenin that he knew a man by the name of Senju Yashin. When the man asked Masquerade why the latter was inquiring about him, the boy had replied with a portion of the truth: that he was actually looking for someone who knew Yashin, and who could shed some light on the man’s mindset to the boy. Well, that was actually the full truth; however, seeing as how he had elected not to explain why he was doing such a thing, his answer might not be considered completely sincere. The blue-haired man, confused at first, had then nodded in understanding and stated that he could probably help Masquerade with that.

“My place is nearby,” he had informed him. “Why don’t we head over there, and I’ll try and answer any questions you have?”

And thus, without so much as thinking over the consequences of accepting the man’s offer, Masquerade had agreed and was soon following him out of the inn and down a path skirting along the edge of the woods. The two had walked for a few minutes in silence, before Masquerade found himself standing before a large, artistic mansion. The man had opened the door and gestured politely to Masquerade to follow him in. The boy would then wordlessly step in behind him through the doorway.

Then, it had happened: as soon as he had stepped over the threshold, the Jinchuuriki had suddenly felt his entire body freeze up. With a startled expression, Masquerade had swiveled his widened eyes down to behold a series of glowing white lines appearing on the floor. These lines seemed to have a mind of their own, snaking around to form a circular mark under Masquerade’s feet; within the center of this ring-like mark was a large white dot, with nine fine lines emerging from the dot’s edges to connect the center with the ring around it. In the center of this luminous symbol stood Masquerade himself.

Insectile eyes narrowing, Masquerade had pulled his gaze up from the floor to glare angrily at the steady-faced man standing before him. The man's fingers had been intertwined in an unfamiliar hand seal, and as Masquerade had watched, he had begun forming another series of seals. The glowing lines beneath the boy had begun to radiate even more brightly, and the boy suddenly felt his body begin tremble erratically, as if he was experiencing a seizure. A second later, the Nukenin had collapsed to the floor like a rag doll, his mind having gone dark moments before his fall.

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

Stupid. He had been completely and utterly stupid. He couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. If stupidity was a food, then Masquerade could have fed a country the size of Asia with the amount he had displayed. He was both ashamed and astonished at himself. How could he have been so easily lulled into such a false sense of security? He was a Ninja, a Nukenin even. Keeping his guard up was both fundamental and habitual of him. There was no excuse for his mistake, and no denying it. He had been a fool.

A random person approaching him and claiming to have the answers to his unasked questions; what a coincidence that had been! Sure, he had been searching for weeks for such a person, and he had expected to find this person sooner or later, but the fact of the matter remained: he had taken this man’s words for granted, something which was highly uncharacteristic of him. How could he, being the distrusting pessimist that he was, not think for a second that the man might trick him? How could he not have suspected deceit, when he himself made use of it for his own gain? He had not even learned the man’s name! It was maddening - frustrating - and he felt he might never get over it.

Idiot, Masquerade mentally snapped at himself in anger. Am I really that obsessed with learning about Yashin’s past and personality that I’d make such a huge mistake? Trusting a complete stranger like that… I thought it was beneath me, but I guess not. And now, thanks to my brilliant display of gullibility, I’m stuck here in this man’s basement. God knows what he’s planning to do with me… Or what he’s already done to me.

Pulling himself out of his mental soliloquy of self-deprecation, Masquerade instead focused his thoughts on freeing himself. Now that he was awake, he wasn’t going to just sit idly and wait for the man to come down to check up on him. He was going to free himself - somehow - and then make a run for it. And perhaps on the way, to soothe his shamed conscience, he might make his “warden” suffer a little - or a lot. He wasn’t feeling too moral right now.

Masquerade squinted through the darkness down at his bound wrists, experimentally pulling at his restraints to test their strength. His brow furrowed in thought in behind his mask. The knot was one tied by skilled and experienced hands; the Nukenin doubted whether he would be able to untangle the restraints manually. Furthermore, as both his hands were tied to separate armrests, forming any hand seals was out of the question. That meant a good majority of his jutsu were unusable at the moment. Although, there was one he could use: arguably his most favorite jutsu.

The boy’s mind lapsed into a state of concentration as he began channeling his special chakra to his hands. Namely, the acidic chakra bestowed upon him by the Bijuu housed within him. With the activation of his San Tatchi technique, the boy twisted his wrists around against his tight bonds to leave his palms facing upwards. He then tried to bring his hand, or at least his fingers, in contact with the rope binding him. However, given the tightness of the restraints, even this simple act was an arduous one. He could barely lift his hands up from the armrest, let alone bend them backwards enough to touch the rope. Still, he was not going to give up just because freedom would come with a little more effort than expected.

Slowly, the boy’s fingers inched closer and closer to the threads. But, just when they were a centimeter from the threads’ surface, he heard a loud creaking sound above his head. Immediately, Masquerade’s head snapped upwards in the direction of the sound. He narrowed his eyes as he spotted a thin ray of artificial light falling into the room from above. It seemed to be coming from gaps within the basement’s ceiling. As the Nukenin sat immobile in his chair watching the ceiling, he heard the further creaking of wooden floorboards, along with the sound of feet falling upon them. The boy hazarded a guess that his abductor was moving around on the floor above him; the single shaft of light entering the basement was probably due to the man having turned on a light source up there.

Masquerade had just returned his attention back to his bonds, when it was once more pulled away to the ceiling by a sound. This time, it was not the creaking sound of aged wood, nor was it the soft thudding of footsteps. This time, it was the unmistakable jingle of a metal lock being undone. A second later, Masquerade heard a soft grunt of exertion sound through the ceiling, and the next second he was blinded by a wave of light.

The blonde blinked and looked away in pain as the bright light disoriented him. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, and then slowly opened them before turning his face back to the source of the light. Squinting through the glare, he saw that a trapdoor had been opened in the ceiling; the light was falling into the dark basement from there. Below the trapdoor was a small flight of stairs; said stairs were only a few feet away from the restrained Masquerade. A tall figure was currently coming down the steps,a figure the bound Nukenin recognized instantly. The boy’s eyes narrowed behind his visor as he glared at the blue-haired man descending the wooden steps into the room. Having noticed the arrival of his captor, the Nukenin’s hands fell back away from the constraints they had been attempting to reach.

It would be ludicrous of him to attempt an escape right now; not when his abductor was standing right in front of him. At the moment, Masquerade ought to be hidden from the man’s eyes due to the light from the room above not falling upon him: the man’s eyes should not have adjusted to the dark around him yet, especially as he was standing in the light himself. However, this did not give Masquerade that great of an advantage. If this man could knock Masquerade out once, then he could certainly do so again. Granted, the Jinchuuriki would be expecting such an action from the man, but he wasn’t going to challenge him just yet. He wasn’t going to underestimate this man, seeing as he’d been able to imprison him; even if it had been due to Masquerade’s own idiocy.

The blue-haired man reached up with a hand and grabbed hold of something in the air beside him. Masquerade heard a clicking sound, and then the basement was illuminated in the intense glow of a light bulb. The man with the blue hair let go of the suspended switch for the light bulb and looked over in Masquerade’s direction. His eyebrows rose in mild surprise as he surveyed the trapped Jinchuuriki.

“You’re awake already?” he remarked in astonishment. “Well, I’ll be darned… I figured you'd still be out of it.”

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Age : 31 Posts : 1836

“How are you feeling?” the man with the pointy goatee asked, his eyes glinting with what appeared to be concern. Masquerade’s own eyes, however, were far from caring: they were currently narrowed in distaste (and wonder) as he eyed the man before him. Was he really asking how Masquerade was feeling? Furthermore, was he really expecting the boy to answer, when he was the one responsible for putting the Jinchuuriki in this position? Why tie him up and lock him in a dark basement, if he was concerned for his health? What man in his right mind would do something as ridiculous as that?

The blonde Nukenin balled his fists in suppressed rage as he glared at the blue-haired man, his mouth tightened into a thin line. Choosing to ignore the man’s query, Masquerade instead posed his own one: “Who the hell are you?” The tone of his words could have curdled milk with its hostility. He wasn’t one to hold grudges or harbor ill feelings towards, but even he couldn’t tolerate someone who would do something like this to him; never mind the fact that it was completely Masquerade’s fault in the first place. “Me?” The man blinked in apparent confusion, pointing at himself with an index finger. “I’m a friend.”

Oh, I am so going to kill this man. Out loud, though, Masquerade snapped viciously: “I was asking for a name; unless your name is “A Friend”, in which case I’d say your parents were lacking a few IQ points.” Or rather, it would explain why this man was acting (in Masquerade’s opinion) so idiotically. The corner of the boy’s mouth was twitching ever-so-slightly in frustration, which ought to give “Mr. A Friend” an indication at how irked his captive was - and he was rightfully so. First the man had captured Masquerade, then had asked about his condition, and finally, had given a ridiculous answer to a clear question. Either this was stupidity, or some form of ADD. Whatever the case, Masquerade was quickly forming a bad impression of this man. The Jinchuuriki felt he might involuntarily “go full-Bijuu” if the man kept up his stupid antics.

Upon hearing Masquerade’s comment, the bearded man blinked a second time and then laughed softly, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. “Ahahah! Sorry, sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking by saying that.” He didn’t seem to hear Masquerade’s mumbled “Yes, I’m sure you weren’t thinking at all”, mostly due to his own laughter drowning it with its higher volume. Once he had chuckled to his heart’s content, the man continued off from his previous statement: “My name’s Yuuji Subaru. Call me Subaru.” The man named Subaru then extended a hand out at Masquerade, as if he was expecting the boy to shake it. Said boy stared at it for a second, then looked back up at “Subaru”. If it was possible, the Jinchuuriki’s mouth tightened into an even thinner line, and the twitch on the right side of his mouth was quite noticeable now. After a few moments of complete silence (in which Masquerade continued to glare daggers at him from behind his visor), the man named Subaru finally seemed to realize his error. With another awkward smile, he pulled his hand back and scratched his temple uncertainly.

“Heh-heh, yeaahh… Sorry,” he apologized for a second time, completing the similar apology with a similarly weak laugh. “You can’t really shake my hand when you’re tied up, can you?” Despite his sarcastic nature screaming at him to deliver a retort, Masquerade did not reply, instead keeping his mouth firmly shut, what little of his face visible practically unreadable. The same could be said of his demeanor; well, aside from the arrow-straight line that was his mouth, and the tightness with which his fingers were clenched to the chair’s armrests. Either Subaru was completely oblivious to Masquerade’s aggravated state, or he was very good at hiding it. In which case, he was probably more cunning than the Nukenin was giving him credit for. This stranger had managed to trick the boy once, after all: a devious mindset could certainly be possible. The thought suddenly occurred to Masquerade that this man might simply be acting like a fool on purpose, just to elicit a violent reaction from his captive. If that was the case, then Masquerade was going to rip the man’s eyes out of that stupid face of his!

“Here, let me untie you.”

Come again? To Masquerade utter surprise, Subaru had walked over to him and begun to undo the threads keeping the Jinchuuriki bound to the chair. Dumfounded, the boy remained silent as he watched the man with puzzled eyes, completely at a loss for words. Skip to a few seconds later and Subaru was done, backing away to give Masquerade some space. The boy, however, did not rise to his feet right away, nor did he seem to pay any mind to the faint rashes left on his wrists due to the ropes’ tightness. Instead, all he continued to do was watch the bearded man with narrowed eyes; this time though, they were not narrowed in contempt, but in contemplation. What on Earth was this “Yuuji Subaru” doing? Amongst all the inane and ridiculous things this man had done so far, this had to be the most perplexing of them all. In fact, it made everything else he had done up until now seem completely pointless, even more so than asking about his well-being. What was wrong with this man?

Slowly, Masquerade rose to his feet, taking note of the slight wobble in his legs as he did so; he had obviously been seated in that chair for several hours. He gripped the armrests of the chair firmly, waiting for the strength to return to his legs. Once it had done so and he had risen to his full height, Masquerade returned his gaze to Subaru, who was looking back with a pleasant smile. Several seconds of silence passed between the two, during which the only sound was the dripping of falling water droplets in the background. Masquerade did not say anything, for he appeared to be too preoccupied in staring at Subaru. Subaru himself seemed perfectly content with just standing there waiting for Masquerade to finish whatever he was doing. When nearly half a minute of silence had gone by, Masquerade finally opened his mouth and spoke. “You said you were a friend…” His voice was soft and slow, as if he was deliberating even as he spoke. “How so?”

The man brought a hand to his goatee and stroked it gently as he eyed the Jinchuuriki. “Well, I’m someone who can help you,” he responded simply, a comment which elicited a raised eyebrow from Masquerade.

“Help me? By which you mean…?”

Subaru spread his arms and gave a nod of his head, golden eyes looking pointedly at the inquisitive Nukenin. “Like I said earlier, I can tell you about the man named Senju Yashin,” he responded cheerfully. “I can answer your questions.”

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

A pause of silence followed the taller man’s words. During this, Subaru watched Masquerade uncertainly, no doubt wondering why the Nukenin had not said anything in response to his statement. In fact, the boy had not even given any physical reaction to Subaru’s words. Although, if his obscured facial features had altered after Subaru had spoken, then the blue-haired man would not have been able to tell of its occurrence. At the moment, the only thing Masquerade was doing was standing stiffly with his face turned in Subaru’s direction, his gaze presumably locked on the older male. After another thirty seconds of silent waiting had passed, Subaru opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as the Jinchuuriki finally spoke up.

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” the Nukenin demanded, his voice acerbic and sharp. “I may have fallen for that lie once, but I won’t again.”

Subaru frowned at this, his forehead wrinkling from the action. It seemed that this was not the reply he had expected the masked ninja to give. “It’s not a lie. It’s the truth,” he replied, sounding quite annoyed. He seemed oblivious to the fact that his answer sounded rather childish, especially when combined with the pouting expression his visage had adopted.

Masquerade smirked widely at the man’s reply, a snort of skepticism sounding from him simultaneously. As if such words alone could convince the Nukenin that Subaru was being sincere; what a fool. “Yes, because that’s not something a liar would say,” the yellow-haired male drawled in a sardonic tone, which caused the blue-haired one to sigh heavily and shake his head hopelessly.

“Are always this pessimistic?” Subaru asked in a tired voice, rubbing the bridge of his nose in obvious exasperation.

“Comes with the status, unfortunately.”

“You mean from being a Nukenin, or a Jinchuuriki?”

These words wiped the smirk off Masquerade’s face as he gawked at Subaru. The bearded man was watching the Nukenin coolly, all traces of humor now absent from his face. Masquerade gaped at the man speechlessly; the surprised expression was only present momentarily, for immediately his mouth curled into a snarl. Gloved hands clasped into tight fists and insectile eyes narrowed as their owners glowered at the blue-haired man. Of course, it shouldn’t be that big of a surprise to Masquerade that a complete stranger knew about his status as a Jinchuuriki. There were plenty of people that knew - of this he was certain. Although, he had yet to meet anyone (other than his father, and this man before him) who was aware of this fact; at least, no one else who had announced it as the aforementioned two had. Still, he was pretty certain that none of the people he’d encountered so far were aware of his little secret; why, even he had not known he was a Jinchuuriki for most of his life. But the fact of the matter remained: if it was rarely a good moment when someone informed Masquerade that they knew he was a Nukenin, then it was bound to be an even worse situation if his Bijuu was brought up. Obviously, there was a very simple reason why such a situation would be so unfavorable for the boy: such an occurrence could only mean one thing…

“So, then: I presume you kidnapped me to steal my Bijuu?” Masquerade remarked grimly, his body tensing for battle, just in case Subaru decided to attack. Green eyes flitted swiftly around the dimly-lit room, searching for any and all escape routes and hiding spots. Of course, considering he was in a basement, there were very limited options for escape. The first and most obvious choice would be the trapdoor through which Masquerade’s kidnapper had entered. Unfortunately, there was the slight problem in the form of the bearded man blocking the staircase that led up to the door - whether it was done intentionally or not, the point was that Subaru was obstructing Masquerade’s easiest exit out of this stuffy basement. Whilst searching for alternate escape routes, the boy kept his focus on Subaru through his peripherals as well; again, in case the man attempted to pull a surprise attack - or even a direct one. The point was, Masquerade was ready to act should his abductor make a move, whatever it may be - and the man certainly did make a move. However, it was not the kind of move the Nukenin had been expecting. Masquerade did not anticipate the man chuckling out loud at his words… Well, he had considered a chuckle, but perhaps an evil or maniacal one - certainly not a pleasant one.

As he laughed, Subaru waved a hand dismissively at the battle-ready Nukenin. “Don’t worry, kid: I’m not going to steal your Bijuu from you,” Subaru assured the boy in a relaxed voice, though his words did not bring the same effect on the Nukenin. The man continued in a laid-back voice, “After all, Yashin-san and I went through a lot of trouble to seal that thing inside you.” Masquerade’s eyes snapped back to Subaru as he heard these words, though he was uncertain how to respond to these words. The boy eyed the grinning male carefully, thinking about what he had just said. It seemed as if one of his speculations had been correct: Yashin and Subaru had both worked together in sealing the Shichibi inside Masquerade; they had both worked in cohesion to make him a Jinchuuriki. If this was true, then this man would have the answers to Masquerade’s questions; at least, some of them. Of course, the man could simple be lying in an attempt to gain Masquerade’s trust. He could very well just be spouting out rehearsed lines to try and convince Masquerade that he was an ally, and not an enemy; which, now that the boy thought about, seemed quite possible. After all, this man had abducted him and had knowledge of Masquerade being a Jinchuuriki. What was to say that this wasn’t a mere act of deceitful manipulation? What was to say that he was not being mendacious? From his perspective, it seemed to Masquerade that Subaru was a liar and only after his Bijuu (just as he assumed him to be earlier). It would be foolish to think that the words coming out of the man’s mouth held anything other than falsehood in them. Yet…

“You and Yashin worked together to turn me into a Jinchuuriki?” the blonde slowly repeated, as if contemplating the meaning of those words. His head titled to the side a bit as he surveyed the other occupant of the room. “So, you would know all about why he would do that?” The man with the goatee blinked confusedly at Masquerade’s query, but nodded regardless. Another lapse of silence passed between the two, during which Masquerade was clearly pondering over something; his face was turned away and facing a cardboard box, but he was not focusing on what he was seeing. Delving into the boy’s mind would reveal that he was trying to convince himself of something, or more specifically, to do something. Subaru appeared to realize this, for he did not interrupt Masquerade’s contemplation, calmly waiting for the boy to finish. When the Nukenin did speak, it was in the form of another question: “How well did you know Yashin?”

There it was: the boy had been mentally debating whether he ought to trust Subaru or not. After considering it carefully, the Nukenin had decided that he would, at the very least, regard the man’s words to be true - even if it meant he was doing the exact same thing that had gotten him into this mess in the first place. He had come to tell himself that trust was for fools; yet, this time, Masquerade was willing to call himself a fool. Such was his desire to find the information he sought. Thus, he had posed his question to the man standing before him.

Upon hearing the query, Subaru opened his mouth unhesitatingly as he prepared to give his answer. However, the orifice suddenly stopped as the man threw a puzzled look at Masquerade. Something Masquerade had said appeared to have caught his attention. Taking a step closer to the masked teen, the bearded man slowly asked, “Did? You mean he’s…?” A second passed before Masquerade comprehended what the man was asking, and why he was asking. The Jinchuuriki blinked in surprise as realization reached him. So, Subaru did not know that Yashin was dead? How curious. The Nukenin nodded simply, wordlessly delivering the answer. The response Subaru gave to this gesture surprised the Jinchuuriki: the blue-haired man’s posture sagged visibly, his gaze dropping to the wooden floor; he looked downcast at the news. Masquerade did not how to respond to this, other than asking Subaru, in a steady voice, whether he and Yashin had been friends. Yuuji Subaru shook his head, straightening his posture and returning his eyes to the blonde. “No, not exactly. We were more like business associates than actual friends, but we still got along pretty well. Even if we were nothing more than acquaintances, it’s still horrible to hear that he’s dead…” A sigh escaped from the man’s lips as he flopped down on the bottom step of the stairs behind him, placing a hand over his face in gloom. The added effect from the shadows thrown upon his face due to the dim lighting in the room gave his visage a further dejected appearance. The gold eyes were fixed on the wooden floor, and did not leave that spot as their owner addressed Masquerade once more, his voice holding a depressed tone. “How - how did it happen?”

Hmph. If it isn’t the loss of a friend that’s making him so despondent, then it’s most likely because the concept of people dying that saddens him, Masquerade observed, and he felt certain he was correct in this assumption. Ruthless though he may be at times (or rather, was forced to be due to the situation he was in), even Masquerade did not take delight at the thought that someone had died - even if it was someone who had wronged him, like his father had. That being said, he was not one to have a traumatized reaction like Subaru was displaying, and Masquerade was the deceased man’s son for God’s sake! But it seemed Subaru was that type of person: pure and compassionate to the core. If that was the case, even if he had not been a close friend of Yashin’s, the bearded man probably deserved an explanation as to how his “business associate” had died. Not to mention, if Masquerade planned on getting anything out of him, it would be best if the man knew the full details of the situation. As such, Masquerade drew Subaru’s attention by stating in an unruffled voice, “He was killed years ago; by my own hand, I should add.”

Almost absent-mindedly, Masquerade glanced down at his right hand, the hand which he vividly remembered to have been the one to tear out Yashin’s heart from his chest. His averted gaze did not allow him to witness the way Subaru’s own gaze had snapped up to the Nukenin, a shocked expression having formed on his face at the boy’s words. Had Masquerade seen it, he would probably have speculated it was once again due to Subaru’s (apparently) good-natured soul. The news that a son had killed his father seemed to have horrified Subaru; after all, if the man did not like the idea of people dying, he would probably regard such an occurrence to be even more horrid.

Without raising his gaze from his hand, the masked boy began to elaborate on his earlier words. “I suppose an explanation would be best. I first met Yashin some years ago, and it was during our encounter that he informed me of the existence of the Bijuu and their Jinchuuriki; as well as the fact that I was a Jinchuuriki too, courtesy of Yashin himself. He was also “kind” enough to unlock certain memories buried within my subconscious; memories of the night when I had the Bijuu sealed within me, which were drawn out to support his claims. Those memories also managed to give rise to other memories, specifically those which helped me realize that the man I was talking to was actually my father.” Masquerade lowered his hand, his gaze still fixated on the ground. A bitter quality had overtaken his words now, signifying at the distaste he held for the memory he was narrating. The reason for that would be made clear with his next words. “Needless to say, I was completely speechless after learning all this so quickly. My dear father then decided to take advantage of my stupefied state, and attacked me. That did not go so well for him, for I apparently countered his attack, and then responded by tearing his arm off and ripping his heart out of his chest… Apparently, that was all thanks to the Bijuu taking advantage of my rapidly-developing rage to assume control of my body.”

As his speech came to a halt, Masquerade grimaced visibly like he tended to whenever he recalled this memory. He was always frustrated with how his own rage had left him incapable of answering the questions which that fateful encounter had left him with; such irony. The boy clenched a hand into a fist, and then looked up to find a downcast Subaru. “So that’s how it happened, huh? Even after I told Yashin-san to take it easy with you, he still went ahead and overwhelmed you like that…” The man with the goatee shook his head dejectedly as he said this. “Well, I suppose if the Shichibi was the one controlling you, then you can’t be the one to blame for your father’s death. Right?”

As he spoke these words, Subaru had stepped closer to Masquerade and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, looking down at the latter with a sympathetic smile. It was fortunate that Subaru could not see the way Masquerade had raised an eyebrow behind the opaque visors of his mask; if he could, the man would have realized how amused the boy was by his words and actions. It seemed Subaru was under the impression that Masquerade was also devastated by Yashin’s death. Not only that, but apparently the man believed that Masquerade felt guilty about killing his own father - felt responsible for it, and was thus blaming himself for it. The man’s words, his tone, and the manner in which he had laid his hand on Masquerade’s shoulder, all seemed to imply at an attempt to comfort the boy, and assure him that he was not at fault. It took a good deal of willpower on Masquerade’s behalf not to laugh or smirk at Subaru. Whatever way you sliced it, Masquerade had been the one to kill his father; and while he did regret killing the man, it was hardly the fact that he had taken the life of his own flesh and blood that was keeping him awake at night.

Masquerade did not voice these thoughts out loud, lest he offend the man’s beliefs and thus aggravate the situation. Therefore, he merely nodded silently in reply, the unmasked portion of his face devoid of any expression. Subaru seemed to be satisfied with this voiceless answer, for he smiled pleasantly and lowered his hand from the boy’s shoulder, taking a few steps back and sliding his hands into his pockets. He then tilted his head thoughtfully at Masquerade, brow crinkled in confusion. “You said you were looking for someone who knew about Yashin-san’s past, right? What is it you wanted to know about him?.”

Masquerade looked steadily at the perplexed man, his emerald green eyes locking with the man’s own golden ones. “I want to know why he had me turned me into a Jinchuuriki. More specifically, I want to know what made him come to that decision.”

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

Upon hearing Masquerade’s answer, Subaru would fold his arms over his chest and tilt his head thoughtfully to the side as he considered the boy’s words. “Right… I think I may be able to help you there,” the bearded man informed with a nod of his head. “Like I said, Yashin-san and I weren’t close friends, but I do know why he made you a Jinchuuriki. I can tell you what he told me. But first…” Subaru glanced around the shadowy basement the two stood in, before jerking his head at the stairs which led to the upper levels. “What do you say we continue this conversation upstairs? It’s a little stuffy in here, don’tcha think?” Without waiting for an answer from Masquerade, Subaru began making his way up the wooden steps, pushing open the trapdoor above the staircase and stepping through it. Masquerade followed behind without protest, also preferring the thought of relocating to a more comfortable setting. He was getting quite sick of standing in that dingy basement anyway; particularly when it still had that tense atmosphere to it, one that had been brought about by the fact that it was where the Nukenin had been held captive. At the very least, a change of location would help lighten the mood.

As the boy emerged from the basement, he found himself standing in what he surmised to be a storage room: stacks of boxes and other storage containers occupied the small room. Judging from the clutter, Subaru did not seem to enter this room all that often. Rather unfortunate, because the place could use some tidying up. The blue-haired man was currently standing by the only door in the room, which he was holding open for the Nukenin. The blonde complied with the wordless request and stepped through the doorway, now entering a brightly-lit corridor. A quick glance-over of the area brought Masquerade to the assumption that he was in the same mansion which Subaru had brought him to originally. The host of this mansion stepped into the hallway behind the Nukenin and closed the door as he did so; he then gestured down the corridor as he softly informed, “This way.” Once more obeying without argument, the Jinchuuriki fell into step behind the blue-haired man as the latter strolled over the red-carpeted floor to a door at the end of the passage. When the door was opened, Masquerade was greeted with the sight of a large room, this one furnished in a noticeably eccentric style. Cozy seating in the form of armchairs and sofas surrounded the low wooden table occupying the center of the room; decorative paintings and tapestries hung from the walls; an ostentatious chandelier hung from the ceiling directly above the table in the room’s center; these and many more pieces of decoration were situated around the room to increase its aesthetic appeal.

Well, he certainly spared no expense…

“Nice, isn’t it?” Subaru remarked to Masquerade, managing to read the amused look in Masquerade’s eyes, in spite of the mask covering them. “It’s all the finest in Hi no Kuni, you know; I have a thing for good presentation. Anyway, have a seat.” The blonde ninja accepted the offer, seating himself on a sofa as he continued to examine the room. Clearly, this man had money to spare (or waste); that, or all of these pieces were stolen property. Resisting the urge to ask Subaru which was the true case, Masquerade instead brought his attention back to the man of the house. Said person was seating himself down on the armchair opposite the Jinchuuriki. Subaru rubbed his hands together as he looked at Masquerade cheerfully. “So, is there anything you want first? Like, something to eat or drink?” When Masquerade shook his head in reply, the man scratched his temple with an index finger. “You sure? You were down there in the basement for several hours, you know - by the way, sorry about that; for tying you up and everything. I didn’t mean you any harm. Honest.” He seemed genuinely apologetic now, the remorseful expression on his face matching the tone of his voice. Masquerade bit back the desire to ask the man why, if he had meant the boy no harm, he had imprisoned him in the first place. The reason the Nukenin was not bringing this point up was because he did not want the situation to escalate into an aggressive one again: not when this man was (apparently) going to answer the boy’s question. For the moment, Masquerade would push that little detail aside and first listen to what Subaru had to say.

Fortunately, Subaru had understood Masquerade’s lack of response to mean that the boy did not wish to speak about that matter. How sharp of him. “Well, I suppose I’d best answer your question, huh?” The bearded man leaned back comfortably his seat, his arms propped up on the armrests of his chair and the fingers on each hand intertwined together. The man appeared to be collecting his thoughts; therefore, Masquerade waited patiently, leaning back in his seat as well, arms crossed over his chest and one leg folded over the other. Seconds later, Subaru at last began to speak, and Masquerade listened intently to the words coming from the man’s mouth.

“Several years ago - a few months before you would have be born - a squad of elite Konoha shinobi had embarked on a secret mission. The exact details of this mission had been unknown to most, if not all, of the villagers. In fact, as far as the records go, the mission never occurred. However, it did take place, and the squad assigned to it had been tasked with securing a target of immense importance - a Bijuu. And they did in fact find one. However, the mission ended as a colossal failure; the entire force was killed off, decimated by the Bijuu’s might. The mission’s failure is probably the primary reason why few people know the details of it. Even I couldn’t find any information about it when I tried to look into it. Yashin-san was the one to share this information with me, and there was a reason why he was in the know.” Subaru paused for a moment, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He resumed his narrative, his voice as steady and composed as his facial expression; he looked like a slightly different person without the cheerful twinkle in his eyes.

“Your father was not in Konoha at the time this mission took place: by then, he had retired from his ninja life to raise a family in peace. However, news of this mission’s occurrence, as well as the result, would reach him soon enough. You see, the majority of the casualty list comprised of people who were Yashin-san’s closest friends. It had been his friends’ wish that Yashin-san be informed of their passing. Needless to say, Yashin-san was distraught by the entire tragedy; he blamed himself, I believe. No doubt the thought that he had not been there to protect his friends had filled him with guilt. He learned that his friends had died to help Konoha, to grant the village a power that could be used for its protection. After the great loss suffered in pursuit to this, the plan was abandoned. Yashin-san, however, did not want to let the Bijuu get away. In his own words: “since so many Konoha shinobi had died trying to capture it, there was no way I’m going just let the Shichibi roam freely.” He had decided that he would capture and bring the Shichibi to Konoha, both for the village’s safety, and in honor of those who had died fighting the Bijuu. But, he did not have the skill, or the knowledge, or even the support of his village, to even begin the search for the Shichibi. Which is how I come into the story…”

Subaru stopped in his narration once again; however, it was not due to a shifting of his seating position that caused him to do so this time. The man with the goatee appeared to be debating something, his brow wrinkled in thought, as if what he was about to say next was something he was hesitant about revealing. Whether that was the case or not, the blue-haired man eventually blinked and brought his focus back to the silent Masquerade. The Nukenin had not spoken a word, or made any physical motion, since the older male had begun his tale. Neither had he reacted when Subaru had paused for thought, instead waiting patiently and wordlessly for the man to continue; and continue, he did. “Have you ever heard of “The Circle of Nine”? No? I'm not surprised. It’s pretty much disbanded now… “The Circle of Nine” was an organization that I am - was - a part of. The group consisted of nine members, all from different parts of the world, yet loyal to no village in particular. Put simply, the organization had only one function: to keep track of the Bijuu. You know how there are nine Bijuu? Well, each member of The Circle was tasked with “watching over” a Bijuu. The Bijuu’s location, its powers, any possible information we had on its history, and many other things - it was the duty of that Bijuu’s “Circle” to keep track of all that information. You could say that we were the most knowledgeable people in the world when it came to the Bijuu…”

A deep sigh escaped from Subaru’s lips as he leaned back in his seat, looking pointedly at the attentive Masquerade. “You’ve probably guessed by now, but I was the Shichibi’s Circle; I was the one who was in charge of monitoring your Bijuu.” If Subaru was expecting a reaction from Masquerade, he did not get one: the blonde continued to sit silently opposite the blue-haired man, the visible portion of his face as unreadable as the covered part. If it weren’t for the fact that the boy could be seen to be breathing, he could have been mistaken for an inanimate model of a human. No doubt Subaru was wondering what was going through the Nukenin’s head right now, but he did not press for details. He instead continued his tale from where he had left off.

“Anyway, Yashin-san somehow learned about our organization and sought us out. When he did find us, he requested us to locate a Bijuu for him. We were all reluctant to help at first. We didn’t gather information on the Bijuu so that other people could make use of that information for their own gain. Furthermore, we were more prone to simply leaving the Bijuu to their devices. We were only researchers, and only wished to observe; that was all. But your father didn’t want knowledge about the Bijuu: he wanted us to help him capture one. This was something which many of us felt went against our ideals. However, Yashin-san made a compelling argument, and although I still can’t believe it, he managed to convince us to aid him - the majority, at least. As I was the only one among The Nine who knew the exact location of their designated Bijuu at the time, we set out to capture and seal the Shichibi. I won’t go into detail about how we managed that, but I’ll say this: it was the hardest feat any of us had ever done, and certainly the most satisfying one to accomplish. In fact, even a Yashin-san, a Jounin who managed to surprise us all with his strength and talent, had struggled against the Shichibi. But our combined efforts had eventually paid off: we had secured the Shichibi for Yashin-san - for Konoha.

All we needed now was a host, and we were willing to help Yashin-san find a suitable one; however, he already had one in mind.” The meaningful look in Subaru’s eyes fell upon Masquerade as he spoke. “Yashin-san wanted to make you, his son, into a Jinchuuriki. I’ll admit, I was really astonished to hear that he was able to make such a decision. We all warned him of the trials and difficulties that Jinchuuriki face growing up, but Yashin-san assured us that that would not be a problem. He said something along the lines of: “As long as my son grows up to serve the village and use the Shichibi’s power to protect it, then all that won’t matter. The safety of the village is all that matters”. With the decision made and the host chosen, we carried out the sealing ceremony as planned, and you then became the new host of the Shichibi.

So there you have it: the Shichibi was sealed inside you, as requested by your father, because he wanted you to become Konoha’s ultimate weapon - its trump card. He wanted to use you as a means of ensuring that the village never suffered a tragedy like it did so many years ago.”

With those words, Subaru’s narrative had come to a close, and he now looked towards Masquerade for a response.

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

As the words flowed out of Subaru’s mouth, Masquerade’s mind absorbed them like a sponge did with water. Everything that Subaru would say to Masquerade, the boy would mull over. It was the Nukenin’s habit to carefully contemplate over most situations which he was exposed to; most of the information his mind collected was carefully examined. At times, he tended to over-analyze such content; in his younger days, Masquerade would often drop into lengthy periods of silent contemplation, the result of which was that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Now, however, such lapses in attentiveness were not as frequent. He could now dissect whatever information he obtained without entering such a trance-like state. As such, even as he was listening assiduously to Subaru’s explanation, he was simultaneously going through several thought processes based on what he was hearing. That being said, there was still plenty to think about, which meant that Masquerade was still mulling over the man’s words at the conclusion of the tale; understandable, considering all that he had just learned.

So then: his father had made him a Jinchuuriki to be used as a weapon by Konohagakure. Truth be told, Masquerade had already known this, or rather had surmised as much based on what his father had said during their only meeting (in fact, he recalled Yashin having more or less said the same during the aforementioned encounter). No, what he had actually wanted to know was what had made the Senju come to that decision. True, Masquerade knew very little about his father’s personality or the life he had lived, which meant that, for all he knew, transforming his son into a Jinchuuriki was completely idiosyncratic of him. If Masquerade had not had a single piece of information about the man’s mindset (current or past), he would have assumed that to be the case - and for some time he had done just that. After his initial encounter with Yashin, Masquerade had presumed such callousness to be in the man’s character (a father would have to be quite heartless to see his son undergo mental conflict and not even bat an eye in response). He had thought as much, until that fateful day when he came across an elderly woman who had met Yashin some years before Masquerade’s birth. The man the woman described, and the one that Masquerade had met, had seemed like two different people to the boy. The old woman had spoken of a man who was kind and caring, who went out of his way to help a complete stranger, simply because no one else would. Yet, the Yashin that Masquerade had met did not seem as such.

From then on, his quest had begun; his obsessive search for an answer to his queries had commenced. He yearned to know what could have brought such a drastic change in Yashin’s personality. At now, at long last, he had gotten his answer: survivor’s guilt. From what Masquerade understood from Subaru’s account, the sole reason behind Yashin’s actions had been the guilt of not being present to save that which was precious to him. The Nukenin did not know much about this secret hunt for a Bijuu (mostly because it had been before his time and, as Subaru had pointed out, it was a well-guarded secret). However, now that Masquerade did know about the mission, he could actually see why it would have had the effect it had on his father. Yashin had apparently been a compassionate patriot, just like most Village Shinobi were; ergo, he would be guilt-ridden at the fact that so many of his comrades could have suffered while he had not. In such a case, it was understandable that Yashin would search for a way to making up for his inability to protect his homeland.

As Masquerade had reached this epiphany, the focus of his contemplation was then brought to the organization which Subaru had just mentioned at that point. As the bearded man had explained the purpose of the organization and its role in helping Yashin create a Jinchuuriki for Konohagakure, the boy’s impressions had shifted from initial skepticism to mild interest. He would be lying if he said he had heard of The Circle of Nine before - they were, after all, a secret group. Masquerade had to admit that the revelation was worth prying further into, but he was certain he would not gain any further information about the group from Subaru. The goatee-wearing man had hesitated before revealing to Masquerade of the existence of this (inactive) association. Thus, it was probably safe to say that Subaru would not give out any more details about The Circle; most likely due to some confidentiality agreement, no doubt.

This and more had gone through the boy’s head during Subaru’s narration, and the plethora of information Masquerade had just been given meant he was silent for quite some time, even after Subaru’s tale had ended. The man sitting opposite the Nukenin was looking sympathetically at the Jinchuuriki, as if he believed the blonde to be undergoing some immense mental conflict. Indeed, his next words, which were spoken with a heavy sigh and a mournful expression on his pale-skinned face, implied as much. “I’m sorry if this has been hard on you. Like I said, I was surprised that Yashin-san was able to come to the decision of making his son a Jinchuuriki. I don’t know if it means anything to you, but all of The Nine tried our best to warn him of the difficulties you might face.” Subaru placed a hand to his chest as he continued. “I myself suggested that he let us choose another host for the Shichibi, saying that it would be easier for him if it wasn’t his son. But, Yashin-san said that no one else would suffice other than you.” Golden eyes vanished behind eyelids as Subaru closed his eyes, another heavy sigh escaping from his lips. “Look, I’m sure you probably hate your father for what he’s done, but you have to bear in mind -.”

“No, I don’t hate him - not anymore,” Masquerade interjected at this point, surprising the blue-haired man with the statement. The blonde’s line of sight had been lowered to his knees ever since the conclusion of Subaru’s tale; now, he raised his blank face to meet Subaru’s astonished one. Calmly, in a voice that hinted at thoughtfulness, the boy elaborated on his remark. “I’ll admit, I did initially feel hatred towards Yashin when he told me he was responsible for my existence as a Jinchuuriki. However, I now see that he does not really deserve my loathing. Now that I know the reason behind his decision for making me a Jinchuuriki for Konohagakure, I no longer harbor any ill feelings towards him.”

Masquerade paused, nodding his head meaningfully at the attentive Subaru. “Right now, you were about to tell me that I shouldn’t hate Yashin for what he’s done, because he was doing it for the sake of others, correct? Well, as ridiculous as I believe that to be a reason for sealing a demon inside one’s offspring, I can still see why Yashin did just that. He was merely doing what he thought was the best method for quelling his guilt, and I cannot bring myself to hate him for that… No matter how much I despise the thought that I was turned into a Jinchuuriki for someone else’s sake…” A small grin formed on Masquerade’s face; not a smirk or any such mocking grin, but an actual grin of pleasure. “If anything, I’m glad that I was made into a Jinchuuriki. I’m grateful to have been bestowed with a blessing as great as this - one that few people can claim to possess. Regardless of how pure or heartless his actions may have been, the point still stands: my father has given me a great gift.”

Masquerade paused in his speech at this point, allowing Subaru to jump in. “So you really don’t hate him anymore?” Subaru asked in surprise, raised eyebrows obscured behind his bangs.

“How can I?” Masquerade replied seriously, every bit of his tone filled with sincerity. “He was my father, after all.”

Subaru smiled pleasantly at Masquerade’s remark. No doubt his seemingly pure-hearted soul found Masquerade’s words to be touching. It seemed that he had not expected a Jinchuuriki to show such gratitude to the person who had made him into one. Subaru had read about many Jinchuuriki during his research on the Bijuu, and the majority of them had despised their lifestyle as well as the ones who had turned them into the Bijuu’s hosts. However, Masquerade’s last words had shown that he did not think as such. As the boy had said, he felt appreciative of his deceased father for making him a Jinchuuriki.

“I’m sure Yashin-san would have been just as grateful to hear that,” Subaru remarked cheerfully, laughing gently. Masquerade did not join in the laughter, instead tilting his head sideways slightly as he surveyed the chuckling man.

“Yuuji Subaru,” Masquerade began in a steady tone, and his words caused Subaru to stop laughing and look at the Nukenin in amazement. Rightfully so, for this was the first time Masquerade had addressed the man using his name. What was more, Masquerade’s next words came as an even bigger surprise to him. “From what I can tell, you and my father were not just associates. If you ask me, you really were close friends. One cannot know so much about another without having some sort of intimate bond.” The words were not meant as an accusation, or as a compliment: they were simply delivered in the form of an observation. Nevertheless, Subaru’s expression darkened at the statement and a glum expression formed on his face; the same glum expression that had appeared when Masquerade had spoken of Yashin’s death. Clearly, the thought of Yashin’s death still saddened the man. Taking into account Masquerade’s words, the grief probably was due to losing a friend, and not merely because death was such a distressing topic.

The next few seconds passed by in silence, during which Subaru continued to stare glumly at the ground, and Masquerade watched him thoughtfully. The silence was eventually broken when Masquerade began to speak, his words coming out slowly and carefully, as if he was choosing them carefully. “So, this is the awkward part, but… I have to leave now…” The Nukenin spread his arms apart a little as he spoke, granting Subaru a sideways glance from behind his opaque visors. Of course, the reason as to why Masquerade was referring to the situation as awkward ought to be obvious. Subaru had, after all, knocked Masquerade unconscious and then locked him in his basement; there was also the fact that the two males had not decided on what would happen once Masquerade had gotten his answers. Was Subaru planning on keeping Masquerade imprisoned here for some ulterior motive? Or would he simply let him go? Being the pessimist that he was, Masquerade was fully expecting the former outcome - perhaps more than he was the latter. This opinion clearly implied that Masquerade had yet to completely trust Subaru - being a Nukenin tended to have that effect.

At Masquerade’s words, Subaru blinked and looked up. “Already?” he asked, looking genuinely disappointed. His mouth curled down in a sad frown as he sighed, gesturing to a door to his left (and thus to Masquerade’s right). “Alright, then. There’s the exit.” Insect-like eyes had locked onto the door as Subaru had indicated it, and they did not budge afterwards; neither did their owner, who remained seated, eyeing the door with an unsmiling face. Subaru noticed the lack of movement from Masquerade, as well as the fact that he seemed to be scrutinizing the wooden frame with more intensity than was necessary. The man’s face took on a mystified look, but shifted a few moments later into one of comprehension. Immediately afterwards, the bearded man rolled his golden-hued eyes and rose to his feet.

“Oh, brother.” He walked over to the door, grasping the doorknob firmly and pulling it open. Beyond the doorway, Masquerade could spot the undisputable sight of the outside world. Subaru gestured a hand at the setting beyond the doorway to illustrate his point. “See? It’s not a trick,” he remarked in exasperation, correctly guessing the reason behind Masquerade’s hesitation. He then stepped through the door and onto the path outside, spreading his arms wide and looking pointedly at Masquerade. He even waved his arms a little, as if the action would somehow further support the fact that he was standing outside.

“Look! I’m clearly standing outside the house! No tricks, no traps: just fresh air and green grass. Undeniably real - well, unless it’s a Genjutsu.” He ceased his little dance to shrug at the final statement, as if it was nothing important. “Granted, I specialize in Genjutsu, but that’s beside the point. Believe me when I say: I’m not trying to deceive you. I don’t know what I have to do to prove that you can trust me, but just take my word for it, okay?” The man looked far more exasperated now than he had done during the entire encounter, and Masquerade could not help but smirk as he rose to his feet and joined the man outside the building. Seeing Subaru’s reaction had been quite amusing, to be honest - particularly the little dance. Those were the reasons why the Nukenin had not moved once Subaru had opened the door; well, that, and he had still been a little stunned that the man was actually letting him go. So much for Masquerade’s cynical expectations.

As Masquerade stepped onto the grass and passed by Subaru, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. If the masked boy’s face had been visible, the thoughtful expression would have been easily detected. “The reason you helped me was because I was Yashin’s son, correct?”

Subaru smiled faintly and nodded. “That, and I also felt that, if anyone was responsible for the well-being of the Shichibi and its Jinchuuriki, then it would be me: the Shichibi’s Circle.” The Nukenin nodded his head at this, proceeding to verbally thank the man for his help. Said man’s smile widened and he nodded as well, thoughin a humbled way rather than a comprehending way. “It was my pleasure, kid. Just remember: if you ever need help - whether it’s to do with the Shichibi or anything else - you know where to find me.” He held out his hand for Masquerade to shake, golden eyes twinkling affably. The Nukenin watched him silently for a moment, before smirking and clasping his own gloved hand around Subaru’s.

“I’ll remember that,” he replied, releasing the bearded man’s hand. Turning around, the blonde began to stroll away across the grass, Subaru’s golden-eyed gaze following him go. However, the boy had only taken ten paces before he stopped. As Subaru watched in puzzlement, Masquerade looked over his shoulder once more. An idea had suddenly struck him - a possibility. “Actually, it seems there is another matter in which you could assist me, Yuuji Subaru.” Masquerade turned around to face the blue-haired man completely, his arms folded across his chest as he looked questioningly at him. “What would you say if I told you that I wanted to speak to the Shichibi?”

Subaru’s face broke into a smirk, replacing the bewildered expression it had held previously. “Well then, I’d say that I may have a few ideas,” he responded, chuckling jovially.

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~ Topic Concluded ~