Bound by Curiosity [Private|Natsuru]

[Senju Shizuka]

Painted against the black sky were dozens - no, probably hundreds of lights. All drifted toward the unknown, but none made it too far. Each of them held a special meaning to its creator. Was it for a friend, a parent or a lost ally, the little lanterns danced fleetingly before vanishing in bright strokes of yellow. Hers was just ashes now flying in-between its fastly aging cousins. Soon they too would turn to dust.

Shizuka turned away from the scene, eyes a little distant from the burderning thoughts which remained in the back of her mind. The trip to Konoha had been a wonderful relief, a change she had needed so badly. Still, there was a deep cut left from her parents’ departure and she would need a lot more time to heal. Unsure whether it would ever close, she had still decided to move on somehow. Step by step she had to walk, because the moment she would stop function every opportunity before her would go to waste. That’s something her parents wouldn’t have ever wanted. It was that idea she held onto when the loneliness nagged at her. The lack of light when she came home, the cold floors greeting her with their worn out wood, all of those little things had pushed her to leave her home village with a group of other shinobi. Every excuse not to go home was one she took. This here, well, the festival was perfect even if she was feeling like anything but festive.

The night’s air bit into her skin. She wrapped the emerald green scarf a little bit tighter around her neck. Her already pale skin was taking on an even whiter shade. She probably looked like a ghost of sorts as she quickly moved across one of the many unknown streets. The was laughter mixed with alcohol, scents of foods, kids yelling while trying on each other’s masks - she took it all in with eyes the same color as her scarf. Now and then the young shinobi twisted to the side to let someone taller pass. Today she wasn’t out for a fight. What she did wouldn’t mind, though, was a snack.

Finding herself being drawn toward one of the stands were food was sold, she took out some coins to get herself a large cup of ramen to go. It wasn’t easy to eat while walking with all those people on the street, but she managed. That was until she thought to see a familiar face. Could it be that he was here for the festivities or was this someone el-?

The toddler came out of nowhere. She caught his sudden approach from the corner of her eye, but couldn’t do much to escape the collision. To lessen the damage, she tried to grab him while stumbling forward. Which, of course, sent the ramen flying. Well, it was better for it to fly forward than land onto the kid’s head. At least that’s what she thought until her gaze fell onto the royal blue cloak full of noodles. As the stain grew larger so did Shizuka’s pupils.

“I .. eh..” she mumbled as the cup hit the ground and went lost between many feet. The toddler ran off.. and Shizuka felt like doing the same when the owner of the cloak she had so neatly decorated with slices of pork and long strings of noodles turned around.

Bright blue eyes pierced her to the core. She kept silent for a moment, then gathered her courage and tried to do what was right. Hopefully the woman wouldn’t yell.. or try to figure out who her parents were so they could pay for the clothes. Not that it would work.

Unsure if she should have started with an apology, Shizuka found herself saying the following: “If you want to, you can have my jacket, but it might be a bit too small.”

What a brilliant idea, she mentally slapped herself. Why did she even try to offer a stranger her favorite deep bordeaux jacket that was obvious too small anyway?


[MFT: 683]

 

[Uka]

Crowds were.... well both a blessing and a curse. It was fairly obvious that people were making way for her as she clearly wasn't having absolutely any issues making her way through, though there was still so many people that it wasn't as obvious as one might think to the point of it barely being noticeable as people moved out of the way as the noticed her in front of them. At first she considered that her gaze was a bit too...harsh? But then she realised her fairly cold demeanor and her frankly unusual clothing were the main contributing factors. It was as if she was that different when it came to appearance, after all she was Konohan by birth, so that really did leave her apparel as the only real option for it.

At least until she felt something wet. It took a while considering it was her cloak that was soaked rather than her shirt or trousers, though it was rather safe to say she was quickly growing more and more uncomfortable. The Senju would stop in her tracks, the gap in the crowd around her visible growing as she slowly glanced back, reaching over to her cloak, pulling on one side to get a better idea of what the heck just happened.

As realisation slowly downed her expression didn't change at all. Her frankly stoic expression remained the same, though if one was to look very closely they would be able to notice the slight frown. Her face really wasn't able to show anywhere near as much emotion as before, resulting in her appearing a lot like her brother nowadays in addition to appearing mean by default.

She would finally glance away from her cloak and look over towards the culprit, drawn to her via the rather small voice, her piercing blue eyes seemingly looking through the girl as she studied her. It seemed that Natsu was bound to keep running into the younger generation. Maybe Fate was trying to tell her she was getting old and it was about time she had some of her own. The sheer thought sent a shiver up her spine.

Natsuru would take a deep breath, letting out a prolonged huff as she let her cloak go and reached underneath her pauldron with both hands, unfastening the little hook that kept it in place, carefully swinging it around into a neat pile over her left hand, covering the gauntlet she wore almost completely, leaving only the clawed tips of her fingers showing. She would slowly take a step to the side, turning to face Shizuka head on. "Seems like you lost your dinner, kiddo."<i></i> The former kunoichi would begin, her tone fairly even, but not cold, as her expression softened slightly, the corners of her lips curling up into what passed as a very light smile. "There's a good takoyaki stand a bit further on."<i></i> She would add after a brief pause, turning and heading off as soon as she did, not waiting to see if Shizuka followed her.

After a couple of minutes walking through the crowd, which still rather obviously made a path for her she would turn into a small side street where a rather small stall had set up shop. Natsu would push the cover away, taking a seat on one of the two chairs, raising her right hand with two fingers raised and the others curled into a fist. "Two queen's sets please."<i></i> She would announce, not even bothering to see if the girl was following her before ordering....

[Topic Entered]

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Preparing to take some sort of vicious comment or worse she found herself tensing up in case she would be forced to make a run for it. Luckily, and to her great surprise, the woman didn’t appear angry. In fact, she remained so calm that the young kunoichi wasn’t even sure this woman realized that her cloak was a total mess. Casually and confidently she took it off before a smile came to grace her lips. A thin one, but not a cruel one.

Still staring with slightly dilated pupils Shizuka then cast down her gaze to catch a glimpse from something akin to claws. Unsure about what type of weapon this was, she wondered if the one standing before her was a kunoichi as well. Chances were real that she was. For one her aura was immense - now that Shizuka’s had some time to process the situation and the lady she was facing, she grew aware of the effect this blonde’s mere presence had on others. Standing out like a rock in the middle of the river, this one had the flow of people run around her. They made way as if she was some sort of royalty. The thought had Shizuka frowning. The regal way of carrying herself would do that idea justice. However, she didn’t believe that Konoha had any royalty. Right?

Debating whether to run or accept what could be an invitation to her untrained ears, Shizuka figured that perhaps this lady was simply a good person. So many people around here were in a fabulous mood. Some wanted to share it. And while the piercing gaze from before kept Shizuka somewhat wary, the idea of food, companionship and distraction had her following the stranger with little to no hesitation.

Quietly diving under the cover she found herself next to the woman a couple of seconds later. An empty chair seemed to invite her to sit. With the way the woman had just ordered what Shizuka assumed to be food, it looked like she was allowed to take a seat indeed. So, with a look around her, she did. Only now, with less people around them and no shadows dancing across their faces, did she get a good look on the incredibly composed adult.

She looked a bit younger than her mother had been.. The note was made subconsciously and the moment she realized it, Shizuka turned away. A second past before she managed to regain control of herself. A thin frown crossed her face, but was soon gone. She neatly placed her hands onto the table, folding them together. Only then did she turn around, hoping to have hidden the moment of vulnerability.

“My apologies for that, if I had been at home I would have proposed to wash it for you.” the girl nodded. A long string of dark brown hair fell to caress her cheek. She pushed it back. The light of the place brought out the deep reddish shine her chocolate locks possessed. She tried a gentle smile.

“Do you invite everyone who bumps into you for dinner?” she wanted to know, but wondered if the question sounded a bit too cheeky. A cautious look should show the older kunoichi that it wasn’t meant to come across as that. That’s why she quickly tried to elaborate.

“Not that I’m ungrateful, that” Her eyes searched for the cloak. “was my dinner, yes, ehm so.. thank you, ma’am.” A brief pause followed. She heard a group of people cheering outside of the eating place they were in. Their excitement mixed together with the atmosphere and gave Shizuka another reason to relax a little.

Bowing a little, she introduced herself with a slightly stronger voice than the one she’s had before. “My name is Senju Shizuka.”

**​

 

[Uka]

"Coming right up!" The old man behind the stove announced as he set about placing the small dough balls on the frying plate, the aroma of dough, ginger and onion filling the air within the stall itself. The sounds of the street were still there, but not as prevalent as before, the slight distance between the stall and it being enough to drown out some of the hustle and bustle of the festival. "Here you go." The man announced, placing a portion in front of Natsu and then in front of Shizuka, who had apparently decided it was perfectly fine to follow strangers. Her parents should have done a much better job for now she was in the presence of the boogeyman.

Natsu would raise her gloved right hand up to stop the girl as she started explaining herself. She would then simply proceed to grab the toothpick that was stabbed into one of the takoyaki balls, blowing on it for a few moments before popping it into her mouth. It was as tasty as she remembered it. This stall had been here since she was a little girl and frankly it was quite nostalgic really. She did miss this place, though it wasn't her home anymore. "Not really. I'm just in a good mood."<i></i> Natsu would note, popping another ball into her mouth, noting the fact that the kid was not one for being quiet. Not surprising really, but worth noting.

She would remain quiet for the time being, slowly digging into her portion of takoyaki until Shizuka dropped a bomb. Natsu would pause mid-motion, the takoyaki piece just in front of her open mouth, as she slowly turned to look at the girl. The older Senju would close her mouth, staring at her for a few moments before looking away once more and continuing her meal. "That's a strange name you have there. I thought that the Senju clan left Konoha around twenty years ago or so."<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

If this is you being in a good mood - Shizuka thought - then I really don’t want to cross paths when you’re upset in any sort of way. Really, the stony expression she held formed a barrier of sorts. One Shizuka wouldn’t have dared to cross shouldn’t it have been for the food offer. Because who in their right mind would say no to something warm and delicious?

Biting into one of the balls she almost burned her mouth a bit, but managed to keep on chewing. Things would have taken a turn for the worse should she have spat the food all across the table. The lady would have probably ran for the hills as in as far away from Shizuka and her clumsiness. The scene unfolding in the back of the girl’s mind had her chewing with a little smile. Soon she got more to chew on, figuratively. The remark about the Senju clan kept her quiet. It’s been a while since she had thought about it. Things had taken turns for the worst and her previous dreams of travelling to Sand to find some other Senju had been on a halt. It almost felt as if it was something from a previous life. She sighed softly, picked up another ball and thoroughly chewed on it while trying to come up with some sort of answer. However, there simply wasn’t much she could say. So a shrug followed.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t born yet, I mean, so I’ve heard before, I guess me not being from Konoha proves that story to be true.” Now that she had shared that information with the stranger, Shizuka cautiously studied if there would be a reaction to it. Surely she wouldn’t cause trouble here? It wouldn’t make sense for the event was a peaceful one. Honestly, should it turn out to be a trap - the whole festival, not the dinner - she would definitely be slightly disappointed in her own village.

“Why?” she suddenly wanted to know. “Why do you say this?” Had they done things wrong? Why was she aware of a clan who’s left decades ago?

“Was there something wrong with the clan?”

Is there something wrong with me?

The last question burned in her eyes, she briefly wondered if it there was any sort of relation between her and those others. Then figured that it mattered not, because she would never find out a thing now that her father was gone. And so was her appetite. That’s why she silently kept herself busy with poking the other balls with her stick. Mother had taught her not to play with her food - damn it, why was everything somehow connected to ‘home’?

“What’s your name?”

* *​

 

[Uka]

'Not from Konoha. Not from Sand. Rogue or Cloud?' She thought, continuing to eat nonchallantly, not really showing much of any signs that she was carefully listening to what the girl was saying. It was frankly obvious she hadn't been born back then so that rules Konoha for certain or she would have known about the girl, even if she was a baby. 'Interesting. I wonder whether nii-san knows something about this' She thought, popping another takoyaki ball into her mouth as she thought, remaining quiet through the barrage of questions.

"Playing with your food isn't good. Plus it's better whilst it's still warm."<i></i> She would note, looking at Shizuka out the corner of her eye whilst still facing forwards. "It's a festival. It'd be a shame to allow needless thoughts to ruin the mood. Another portion please!"<i></i> The kunoichi would note, prompting a laugh from the chef. "Coming right up missie!" He responded, setting about preparing it.

"I wouldn't say wrong. The village was destroyed due to circumstances and they left. I believe they were lead by Senju Kazuki and his sister. From what I've heard they went to Iwa and then ended up residing in Suna, but that's just rumours. A lot of them died fighting for the village, so there aren't that many of them left really. Just surprising to see one around that doesn't know really."<i></i> Natsuru would shrug as soon as she finished her explanation. The old man placed another plate in front of her just seconds later, prompting her to continue stuffing her face with the delicacy.

"They did used to be one of the major clans of Konoha so it is somewhat disappointing things went the way they did."<i></i> The older Senju would add in between another set of takoyaki. Growing quiet once more as she set about finishing the second serving. "Though they were a bit... intriguing. They all kept chasing goals far further than I've seen anyone do. Rank, power, wealth. It didn't matter what there was a Senju trying to be the best."<i></i> Natsu would continue explaining, ignoring the question regarding her name as she continued on.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

She blushed when chided even though the tone used had been neutral. Not feeling like coming across as rude or ruining her own mood any further, she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat and it worked. Of course, a second portion would be way too much. She hoped the lady was a good eater. Wasting food wasn’t something the young Senju liked to do. Ugh, it would be a challenge to finish her portion. She got to it. That was until the rather quiet lady decided to indulge her with an explanation about the Senju clan.

All of her attention shifted to the bits of information offered to her. She latched onto them while trying to remember what Saya had told her. It’s been a long time since that one meeting and at times she wondered if she had added things or forgotten something due to the time that’s passed. By the end of the little monologue, she wanted to mention Saya, but wasn’t sure if this one was tilted away or toward ‘the Senju’. She certainly knew about them, and apparently about their ambitions too. That last bit soon lead to a frown.

“You’ve witnessed them doing it? Do you know some?” She kept the stick stuck in one of the dough balls while staring at the blonde. Bright green eyes met icy blue. Shizuka didn’t look away, she couldn’t now. Feeling the tension building in her chest she realized that she had stopped breathing for a moment too long. The exhale that followed was a long one. It even had some trembling to it if one paid enough attention.

“Are any of them here in Konoha? Have some of them returned from the Compound?” That.. that was the word Saya had used, right? A settlement led by master or was it mistress?.. Whose ink had it been? Right now she couldn’t think of any names, but if she was honest then she knew that none had been left to her. Only the village and the compound, and Senju Saya. But! If there were Senju in Konoha right now, if some lived here, then maybe she could contact them, get to know whether they were family, far cousins or only shinobi with an identical family name.

“You’re a kunoichi, aren’t you?” she put the snack in her mouth before carefully pointing it at the claws-like armor on the woman’s hand. Aside from the aura, there was that, and then the decent amount of knowledge regarding the shinobi clan.

* *​

 

[Uka]

Ah how she wished she could grin. This kid was looking to get information and she was drinking it all up. Should she keep telling her truths or no? That was the question right now. Certainly it would be fairly easy to say who she was, but where was the fun in that. It was a lot more interesting being a bystander in the story, not having actually taken part actively. Hmmm. What to do, what to do.....

"I knew most of them back when they lived in Konoha. Lost quite a few friends during the fights and after they left. A lot of good people died during those times. It was a tragedy frankly."<i></i> Natsu would shrug. It wasn't a lie, but more a half-truth. Her brother's antics were starting to have some effect on her even if she could still lie rather easily. "I do actually believe there's two in Konoha for the festival right now. I do believe it was a Senju Natsuru and a Kazuki. Whether they have anything to do with the main clan in Suna I can't say."<i></i> She would add, popping another takoyaki ball into her mouth. 'Compound' The Senju noted to herself. It was awfully specific. A word she herself used to describe her home. The girl didn't use anything else, but that specific word. It meant she knew something.

The older Senju would turn to face the girl, allowing her to get a better view on purpose. There was one specific thing she was interested in seeing whether the girl noticed, namely the tattoo on her upper left breast, which was almost completely visible above her shirt, depicting a crimson tree stabbed with a black sword. The Senju symbol for those who knew it and the tattoo every single full member wore. "Once upon a time. Not one anymore. I find it rather interesting you used the word compound to describe their home. I've only heard members of the clan use it. Where did you hear it?"<i></i> Natsuru would ask, remaining half-turned towards Shizuka and half-turned towards the plate as she slowly poked another of the takoyaki balls, bringing it up to her mouth.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Gradually Shizuka felt herself growing a bit annoyed with the way this woman was dodging her questions. Not being one for being ignored she had to put in quite some effort not to make a comment on that. Maybe she would later, but right now she wanted to hear a bit more about the Senju. Like names, Kazuki - hadn’t she just said he was the leader?

“The same Kazuki?” she wanted to know with narrowed eyes. It would be an odd coincidence if among the few Senju that were left two had the same name. Well, maybe someone had named their son after the former, or was it current, leader. Still, she doubted it if she thought about the years that’s passed between the clan supposedly leaving and a teenager or grown man walking the streets of Konoha.

“Do you know what they look like?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Worst case she would have to ask others, but with luck, this one might reveal something important. Of course Shizuka would have to think about whether she actually wanted to go through with the plan already forming in her mind. To approach them was to take a risk, but Saya had been kind and this was a neutral territory of sorts. A better ground to meet them than going to Sand like she had originally thought of doing.

Taking her time to appreciate the food again she found herself hesitating. To tell about Saya wasn’t anything bad, really. It was just the way this conversation was going that bothered her. Yes, she got to hear things, but only what the older kunoichi chose to tell her. It irked the small Senju. However, in the end, she figured that being stubborn would leave her nowhere. Even if the impressive lady wouldn’t answer all of her questions, the more personal ones, she still shared a good enough story. Besides, the young kunoichi told herself, it was better to spent the evening talking to someone in a cosy environment than wandering the streets alone.

“Their servant told me about it, Saya, a Senju as well but she appeared to be hmm she sort of took a certain distance from the others.” Shizuka continued while speaking softer, it was almost as if she was thinking out loud. Saya had even referred to the leaders as mistress and master which was a bit odd if you asked Shizuka. The whole hierarchy thing went a little bit lost on her.

“Oh well,” she said while stabbing through her next bite as if she was impaling a fish. “Sand’s a distance from here, maybe one day I’ll get there.” Following her hand to another takoyaki ball she caught a glimpse of something odd. A tattoo. A weird one, if she had to be honest.

“Not to be rude but.. can we have a drink?” She really needed something to wash away all the dough. The problem was that she didn’t feel like she should randomly ask the old man for a tea or anything. The lady was leading here, Shizuka just followed.

“And what’s with that tree.. Didn’t it hurt to put it there?”

* *​

 

[Uka]

"Who knows."<i></i> She would shrug. The kid wasn't as dense as she had initially appeared... or Natsu had pushed it a bit too much. After all there was more than enough hints being dropped through the entire conversation. Then again if she couldn't figure anything out with this much help there wasn't a point in keeping any of this going or giving her the time of day really.

"Well they vary. I mean most people look rather different, though from what I know the main clan siblings did apparently look rather.. different.<i></i> The Senju would explain, popping one of the few remaining takoyaki balls on her plate into her mouth. It was early to answer this question. It would give out a bit too much information for now, hence she chose to ignore it for the time being. "Certainly. Two green tees, ojisan. Now then why do you seem so interested in them? They are allegedly a secretive bunch that sticks to themselves even if they do perform their shinobi duties. Or they did."<i></i> Natsu would ask, nodding her head briefly to the old man as soon as he placed the cup in front of her, popping the last piece of takoyaki.

"Let's see... If I remember right they looked rather different, but had some common features. Oh yes they both had very pale skin, the male sibling being a lot paler and they both had white or was it ashen hair. Yes ashen. From what I've heard one of them had black eyes and the other blue."<i></i> She would note, finally having decided to go back to that question, ignoring the one about the tattoo now. If she couldn't figure it out with this much help there was no point in continuing really. "Tick tock, tick tock."<i></i> Natsu would add after a few moments, fully anticipating the silence that would likely come in after her description.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

“Probably because I’ve never met any Senju aside from Saya, and I was expecting for them all to be mokuton users.” She added the last bit after a moment of thinking. It wasn’t a lie, she had been confused. From her family dad could do it, but after that one had to go down the treeline which was as vague as this woman’s answers so far. She hadn’t even found a decent family album or anything of her grandparents. Dad’s side was shrouded in mist. Had somehow always been.

Accepting the tea, she smiled toward the man then listened closely to what was said about the siblings. The pale bit seemed odd considering they now lived in the Sand. She wondered if they got sunburnt quickly, or that it somehow wasn’t connected at all. Perhaps they hid from the sun - like Shizuka sometimes did when it got too hot. Not anything that happened frequently in the Cloud, though.

Slowly she curled her fingers around the cup, looking at them while wondering if those siblings were paler. She was pale, even for the Cloud, but the lady on the other side of the table was even w- wait, pale skin, ashen hair, blue eyes.

Shizuka’s eyes slowly went from the woman’s cheekbones to her eyes and then stopped at the darker stripe in her hair. The line was blonde, the rest was ashen. Either this lady was being a total ass and thought that making fun out of her was a nice way to spend her time or.. or this could be a Senju. One of the Senju.

It grew silent around their table. Shizuka was still holding onto her cup until her brain registered that it was too hot. Ouch, she pulled back her hands and briefly studied the palms. They were a bit pink, but that soon faded. She’s had worse, so her gaze returned to the potential Senju. Staring for a little longer she found no hint of amusement in those blue eyes. Then again, the woman could have been a statue - really emotionless and basically unfathomable.

“So.. you’re saying that you’re the sister?” Disbelief mixed with curiosity when Shizuka voiced her doubts. She didn’t look away. Her eyebrows twisted a little. “Are you?” She wanted to know now, had to know. “Are you Senju Natsuru?”

Suddenly she was a little lost. If this really was one of the Senju she had wanted to meet, then there were so many questions she wanted to ask her, and at the same time, she wasn’t sure why she wanted to. It was an unexplainable urge to get to know people who might be entirely unrelated to her. In a way it didn’t make a lot of sense.

* * *​

 

[Uka]

'There we go' She thought as soon as the girl started studying her once more. There were more than enough hints already. She just had to state it. It had to be at the tip of her tongue already. 'You can do it, kiddo.' The puzzle was already built and it was just missing one corner, maybe she had made it too easy. No there was no point in going down that route. If she wanted to hide who she was it would have been easy enough. The game was to see whether this kid was worth showing to her brother or just taking over to the compound.

"I can't say that I tend to introduce myself in this way most of the time."<i></i> She would shrug, taking the cup in her right hand and bringing it up for a sip before placing it back down and looking Shizuka straight in the eyes. "Well that's not quite right. I do tend to introduce myself this way, but rather not by my name. Either way. Senju Natsuru, first daughter of the main branch of the original Senju clan, former medical shinobi of Konohagakure and sister to the current overlord of the clan."<i></i> Natsuru would finally introduce herself, thought it just plain felt weird. She had only introduced herself normally these last couple of weeks. No games, no real riddles and no false names.... it just felt wrong to do it this way. It was a lot more fun to play around and see if people can figure it out, but hey it was something plus this might be an interesting interaction either way.

"You can close your mouth now or a fly might just fly in."<i></i> She would chuckle. "Considering how tight-lipped Saya is I can see why you knew little to nothing really, though it is a bit sad that she didn't mention meeting a supposed Senju whilst out and about. Well she could have told nii-san, but didn't tell me. I feel a bit hurt by that."<i></i> The Senju would shake her head, taking another sip of her tea before turning to face the girl.

"That explains why you seemed familiar. You are that little girl that was here every other day aren't you?" The old man would suddenly ask, prompting a slight nod from the woman.

"Been a while old man, good to see the shop is still going strong."<i></i>

"Still around. Know what today is on the house. It's good to see one of my most faithful customers back once more." He smiled, standing proud.

"Oh don't mind if I do. Thank you."<i></i> Natsu tried to reciprocate the smile, but only managed a light curl of her lips once more. This condition really was going to drive her nuts, especially how similar to her brother she looked now that she couldn't actually express herself properly.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

If she had found it normal to introduce herself by turning everything into a riddle of sorts, well, Shizuka would have found it quite odd. The bit about the lack of her own name in other introductions only caused the younger Senju more confusion. She frowned, then blushed a little when her stare evoked a comment. “Well.. this is unexpected.” Was all she actually managed to put together after another pause.

Should the owner of the place hadn’t said anything Shizuka might have some heavy doubts about this being a game. There would have been no way of telling whether this one was simply lying, but now, well, this turn of events was one she happily welcomed. Even her eyes came alive. She straightened up a little and forgot about the tea she usually enjoyed so much. The tattoo was soon forgotten as well, such little things didn’t matter when she was faced with way more complicated matters.

“Why was it Sand? Why did you guys go to Sand?” Shizuka blurted out. One had to start somewhere and asking about the migration of the clan and the choice behind her seemed to be as good of a start as anything else. Saya had never said anything about it. “Why didn’t you go to Cloud or somewhere else?”

Now, this was potentially dangerous territory. As she understood now, the Senju had been a tightly-knit clan with very few members left. Her own name and family didn’t appear to fit into that picture. Had dad or someone from his family fled? Had they been considered dead or abandoned? Perhaps both?

“Did you guys come here for the festivities as well?” the girl wanted to know while turning around as if to face the exit of the little tent. Her hand had followed her motion and almost spilled the tea. If it hadn’t been for her reflexes the cup would have been decorating the floor now with bits and pieces scattered all around the table. “Phew,” a nervous laugh, then she took a sip. Perhaps if she were to drink it then none of it would go to waste.

“What’s the Compound like? How many hmm how many people live there?” Oh, she was about to go on a roll. Hopefully Natsuru wouldn’t mind. Shizuka believed she didn’t, really. If one didn’t get mad about noodles hanging on their coat, basically, then why get mad about some questions?

* * *​

 

[Uka]

"Well haven't you got a lot of questions there."<i></i> She would chuckle once more, tilting her head slightly to the left as she considered whether to actually answer any of these at all. It wasn't as if they would cause any harm, heck she didn't know the answer to half of them, so those ones would be easy. Natsu would take a deep breath, letting out a prolonged huff before finally speaking up. "I have no idea why. I wasn't there at the time and it was what my brother who chose. From there I don't really care."<i></i> She would shrug. It wasn't really an answer, but it was all the girl was going to get out of her on that topic.

"As for the other information, well. I can't say you'll get it."<i></i> She would note, raising her cup of tea once more as she paused for a good minute or so. "You can call yourself Senju, but you didn't react to things any Senju would know. None of the other villages had any members of the clan before, but that changed, though I would still like to think they are keeping up with traditions."<i></i> Natsu would begin, pausing to look the girl up and down before continuing. "I can understand not knowing who the Overlord of the main clan is if you aren't around it sure, but you didn't even react when you saw the crest."<i></i> The Senju would place her clawed left hand over her left breast, just below the tattoo, pulling down her shirt ever so slightly to reveal the full tattoo.

"Frankly you are an enigma in that way. There is a chance we are related if you truly are a Senju and that means we cannot leave you be. We never leave one of our own behind, but the question of whether you are one remains. "<i></i> She would tilt her head from left to right every few moments as she thought about how to proceed with the matter. It wasn't exactly an easy or straightforward one for certain. "I can safely say you wouldn't be a member of the main branch. There are far too few of it left, so a side branch if you are one."<i></i> It was rather easy to notice that Natsuru was thinking out loud rather than directly addressing the girl. "Who are your parents? Where are they?"<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

There was a brief moment where she had visibly tensed. The idea of being forcefully dragged toward Sand simply because of her name caused Shizuka’s body language to turn into one of a threatened kitten. No, she didn’t hiss, but she scowled. She didn’t like decisions being made for her. Though, when Natsuru didn’t move or made any movements to grab her, she relaxed entirely. That would have been such a silly thing to happen. She really had to calm down and stop being on edge half of the time. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

As the idea of being threatened faded she felt slightly offended by the whole crest matter. How in the world could she know about something that hadn’t been around when she was born? It struck a nerve, but the girl wisely put it together with the former matter and closed the box before carefully shoving it toward the back of her mind. For now. The box was getting really full, though. Questions like why Natsuru didn’t really bother questioning her brother about the choice of their new home or where she had been at the time tugged at the box’s sides. Shizuka remained as composed as was possible. Bursting from curiosity laced with sharp edges and hurt feelings wouldn’t be lucrative. She had learned to be better than that.

Oh, of course. There couldn’t have been another way but the one which would lead to her parents. Not when they spoke of family and the likes. Shizuka bit her lip. She went quiet, eyes saddening a little. It had her turning away.

Somehow she had hoped that never saying it out loud would sort of help her dealing with it. Because as long as she didn’t truly accept it then they were not gone. No, wait, she had accepted it, to a certain point. Speaking of it, however, felt as if she would abandon them. Just the idea of being the one to say the words left her in a state where she thought to be the one responsible for the finality of their fate.

“Senju Rieko and Senju Haru,” That’s why the names had come quickly, but then a silence stretched on. Still staring at a table a little bit further the young Senju felt the blood draining from her face. She went paler.

“Dad never mentioned anything about a crest, he taught me how to deal with mokuton though, he used to say it was a family thing, so I eh.. I assumed it was a thing from all the Senju.” It was hard not to inwardly curl now and leave, but knowing an opportunity like this would not present itself any time soon if ever, she remained more or less in control of herself.

“What’s the deal with the main and side branches? Why is Saya so devoted to you?”

There, she had a different topic now. A topic that might show her why Natsuru had seemed to important in Saya’s eyes. They took her in and all that, but according to Natsuru the Senju didn’t leave each other behind, so was it bonding through gratitude or was it something else. She wanted to know and managed to turn toward the older Senju again. That way she could both listen to Natsuru and study her.

Then, out of nowhere came the following question. "Are you old?"

* * *​

 

[Uka]

What to do... what to do. If this kid really was the child of some of the members of the clan who went another way she couldn't leave her even if they had abandoned their clansmen by going their separate ways. There were also some things that seemed strange, namely why the sad expression when mentioning her parents - had something happened there?

"Branches are a remnant of a bygone era. Though some still believe them to be as active as ever."<i></i> Natsuru would respond. At least that is how she thought of it, especially considering she wasn't exactly keen on keeping up all of the old transition, in a way like her own parents. The thought annoyed her, but that was the best way to describe it. "I'd say I am not, but from your perspective probably."<i></i>

She purposefully left the other matter unattended to. Well at least for now. How should she proceed...A test? Maybe. "Something happened to your parents didn't it, kiddo?"<i></i> The Senju asked, not beating around the bush whatsoever, though that was completely normal for her. It would be a waste of time to avoid the topic or be subtle about it, hence it was the easiest to just plain go and address it.

[Short on purpose need that response really]

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Well, a decade was a long time and Natsuru looked like she had one on Shizuka, so yes. The younger Senju did think that Natsuru was kind of old. Not the old lady type, though. Wondering now if she shouldn’t have been so blunt about it, she shrugged inwardly. This one was really calm about it so it was all good. Until karma bit her in the butt by Natsuru being as direct about another topic as Shizuka had been about her age. There was no avoiding the question now.

Being as creative as she could be in that moment, the girl bit her lip. “They didn’t come back from a mission.” Perhaps, they still would. Perhaps the authorities in the Cloud were wrong.

Shizuka clung to the cup in her hands. It gave off a warmth she craved. Her lips formed a thin line. She made a huge effort not to let them curl downwards. Afterall she was a kunoichi from the Cloud, not a common kid from the streets. Hardships were a part of the shinobi life much more than of anyone else’s.

* * *​

 

[Uka]

'So dead' She confirmed to herself, taking a deep breath and then slowly exhaling it. Now there was an option and there was just one of it really. There was just the choice and one a young kid shouldn't have to make, but there was no other. If she was truly Senju she couldn't be abandoned. That wasn't going to happen, though there was a way to remove the if. A rather simple way. Really simple. "Thank you for the meal."<i></i> She inclined her head to the old man, slowly standing up. "Come again!"

Natsuru would then turn to Shizuka, her expression completely blank. "A Senju does not leave another behind. Simple as. Now I don't know if you are one for sure, but if you are there is a way to check and figure it out for absolutely certain. Normally I would just do it, but I am going to give you a choice, kiddo. If you follow you will find out for sure, but I need to warn you - this is a one-way street. There is only the path of a Senju and one that some call cursed, but one you do not walk alone if that is what you wish."<i></i> The Senju elaborated, remaining in her spot for a few more moments before pushing away the cloth wall and exiting the small restaurant thing and slowly making her way down the alley. After a few moments she would speed up, taking a sharp right into another, not looking back to check if she was following.

Spoiler

After what seemed like an eternity through the back alleys of Konoha. If Shizuka was paying enough attention she would notice that they had in fact done a few circules, enough to throw her off and make her forget the route unless she was extraordinary at mapping out terrain. Unnecessary for sure, but a paranoid mind tends to be paranoid at times. They would finally end up in front of an old-fashioned house, which appeared to be in a rather good state even if it was quite old. A sign above the door indicated that it was an inn.

The older kunoichi would open the door, coming to a halt in front of the front desk, placing a few notes on the counter. "Double room, seperate beds."<i></i> She stated to the old lady on the chair behind it, who glanced up to her before finally taking out a key and taking the money. Natsu would quickly take it as she headed off towards the corridor at the back of the small room and finally into a another small room with two beds and clean sheets. She would take a seat on one of them, leaving the door to the room open.

"Close it. Lock it."<i></i> She noted, reaching into one of the pouches on her belt and took out a rather intricate-looking flask, on a second take one would be able to notice that it was much thicker and sturdier than expected. Inside would be a crimson liquid. "Drinking this will prove you are a Senju. Drinking it will bind you to the Senju code and give you strength. It will also bind you to the curse. I cannot say more than that before you do so. There is no going back if you do."<i></i> The Senju would extend the flask towards the girl, expecting for her to take a seat on the other bed. "Small sip. Not more. You can still go back before you do drink."<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

They walked in silence. She tried to remember where they were going but either her nerves were playing a game with her and caused her to mess up details or they might have crossed certain areas more than once. It was hard to know for sure because Konoha was not a place she was familiar with. Everything was new to the Senju’s eyes and a lot of things looked alike if you asked her. That’s why she felt a bit relieved once they came to a stop. At least now she got the chance to study the buildings around the one they were about to step in. An inn - she wasn’t sure why but didn’t question Natsuru. Not yet.

The exchange was a quick one, the lady behind the counter didn’t even really look at Shizuka. Who knew, perhaps she looked like her father or the sisters had different ones. Things probably didn’t look suspicious. Besides, this side of town looked like it had its own shady business.

Quickly, she ran down the corridor and let herself into the room. Following the orders given to her she let the door fall into place with a soft click. The turning of the key left her feeling as if she was slowly closing herself into a corner. Maybe Natsuru was dangerous. Surely she was if she hadn’t lied about her identity. If Saya had been impossible for Shizuka to handle then this one would probably be out of her league as well. Those were thoughts she tried to put aside when sitting on ‘her’ bed.

“What if I’m not a Senju? Will I die drinking it?” She wanted to know, taking the flask with a slightly wary look. It would be a lie to say she didn’t feel nervous. Everything in her body was turning to jelly, fast. The flask grew heavier in her hand with every passing second. She held a choice there and she didn’t know what the full extent of it was.

What was the Senju code?
What was the curse?

Strength, however, was something Shizuka knew.

With strength she would always find a way out. More importantly, she wouldn’t be alone anymore. Even if the other Senju would be quite a distance from her that still counted. Blinking slowly she thought about what this meant for her as a kunoichi, but didn’t see why one could not have family in another village. In fact, if they were truly related, then they already were, she was only realizing it now. The fact of them having the same blood remained.

What was the worst thing that could happen here?

She peered into the flask, trying to see what was inside. The liquid appeared to be dark. She slowly smelled at the opening, trying to pinpoint what it smelled like. Could this be blood? The thought only popped up when she thought to have seen a red shine. Maybe this was a ritual of sorts? Drink the blood of one of us to become a part of the group? Eh.. she didn’t see how drinking it would prove her to be a Senju unless - a poison? Something Senju are immune to?

Man, she was getting a soft headache. This sort of gambling wasn’t something she was used to. The time appeared to slow down. Every breath she took put pressure on her. Natsuru didn’t, no, she seemed to have time. But Shizuka felt that hers was running out regardless of what the older Senju did or didn’t do, said or didn’t say. There was a choice to be made here and whether she would procrastinate making it or not it would have to be done before the end of the day.

Better to get it over with, then, she thought. Closing her eyes as tightly as she could, Shizuka took a sip.

* * *
​

 

[Uka]

"There is a chance either way. If you believe what you are and are willing to grow there will be no issues. "<i></i> She would answer, growing quiet as she just stared, waiting to see what would happen. If the girl was to refuse she was just going to leave after taking the flask back, though time would tell if that would be necessary. For now it seemed unnecessary.

As the girl brought it up to take a whiff she was hit with a slightly sweet and pleasant smell. It wasn't overpowering at all, but rather just light and barely noticeable after the initial impression. The crimson-liquid was thick, essentially like honey. It was sap, but it wasn't something the young Senju would know. Not yet at least and it was the true lifeblood of the clan, the source of strength and also the only reprieve from the curse, something she would find out if she survived.

As soon as she had taken a sip the world around her would begin spinning, blood rushing to her head as she slowly but surely started to drown in darkness. Her hearing was the first to go, quickly followed by her sight and finally everything just switched off.

Drip. Drip. Drip. The sounds of liquid hitting a rock nearby was the first thing the girl would hear. It seemed distant, but at the same time nearby. The sounds of wind blowing were the second thing to fill the void, quickly followed by the smell of pine trees and moss. Once the girl finally managed to come to her senses she would find herself laying down on a bed of moss in the middle of a hollowed out tree, which appeared to be far bigger than it should be, being about the same size as the room she had been in just a moment ago. Not long after she would notice that her head was absolutely killing her, seemingly as if somebody had smacked her upside the head with a sledgehammer.

"Oh you're awake. Welcome back to the land of the living sleepy head."<i></i> A familiar voice would come from her side, it's source not quite so familiar. Sitting on the other side of the room with her back leaned against the bark was a woman. She had raven-black hair and clear grey eyes, those of byakugan users if Shizuka was knowledgeable enough, The individual was wearing the typical black clothes and armour of a Konohan shinobi, but not the mask, which lay next to her. It however was nothing like the typical masks, being black and seemingly made out of leather pieces stitched together"The way you hit your head when you fell made me think it wouldn't make it."<i></i> The woman, or rather the teenager added before letting out a chuckle, clearly finding the situation rather amusing.

Upon a closer inspection the girl would finally manage to find out why this person seemed so familiar - it was Natsuru, or rather a much younger version of herself, back before Konoha had fallen and she had just begun working alongside the anbu.

"Seems like you might be able to avoid a scar, but that bump on your head won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Though we don't have the time to wait. The mission needs to be completed."<i></i> The now younger Senju would chuckle again, a wolfish grin quickly appearing out of nowhere before she threw a small circular object over at Shizuka - a small mirror.

If she was to look at it things would appear normal. She was wearing the same clothes that Natsuru was and there was an anbu mask to her side, however that is when it would hit her - something was seriously wrong. No matter how she looked at it she would appear to be a lot older than she actually was. A good seven to eight years at the very least.....