From the Shadows I Wait [Harupia]

[Michi]

It was late once again, she seemed to like to make night calls. Of course there was a reason for that, there was a reason for everything. In her mind everything was already put into perfect order. Did you know that a coin makes for an effective flathead screwdriver? And her sachel, the perfect hiding place.

Sunakus are a well-known clan in wind Country, it is said that the Sunaku Clans all over the world can be traced back to Wind Country in some way. Of course the generations that separate those in distant lands makes the connection so remote, it is like looking back at one's genetics and learning that your tribe left the cradle of civilization X thousand years ago rather than Y. Being a part of a renowned clan had its advantages, there was a certain prestige, perhaps even wealth that coincided with one's lineage. Yet this came at a terrible cost few dared realize. When you have a name such as Sunaku, much is already known about you even if you were previous to that day an irrelevant.

They knew your power-set. The Haku and their ice, their androgynous features and their pronounced skills with projectiles. The Uchiha and their uncanny sharingan. And for the Sunaku, their mastery over the desert itself. Their skill with IRON SAND. That is what she wanted, their sand. It would be a strange request to some but a trivial task for them. That said, not everyone willingly plays nice. Not everyone willingly shares. Of course that was only part of it, it would be easier to go to a jeweler or even search out a Journeyman in need of a quick buck but she chose a high-priority target. She chose a riskier path, a choice that superficially would appear to be illogical. To a gambler there was the adage: with higher risk there is higher reward, but Michi was no gambler.

Her bag rattled ever so slightly, muffled by the leather of her bag as she came to her final destination. It was not the Sunaku Clan complex, but she had been there a few hours earlier. She had also passed several other residences - both residential and business that had an affiliation or association with the Sunaku Clan. She did not go to all of them, but she went to enough to make her point should the need arise. And it likely would. It would be 0215 on a Sunday morning when she arrived on a one Sunaku Harupia's doorstep. Why Harupia? They did not know each other. In fact, despite her presence these years in Sunagakure their paths had not crossed. However, his path intersected with others, so many others. She recalled everything ever said to her, even if some of those memories were buried deeper than others. It was just passing mentions, people that called him casually by his first name, not something you did unless you were exceptionally close. He was close with a number of powerful men in Sunagakure, making him by association also powerful. Perhaps more powerful than his elders and his clan superiors whether he realized it or not. And in her case, a target.

Was the door to his apartment locked? Probably, but she would rattle the knob with her hand to be completely certain. If it was locked she would draw a blade from her belt, it was a long slender stiletto-like blade. She would not insert it into the lock, that was a cliche she did not subscribe to. It could damage his entryway, and besides it was unnecessary. Doors are secured simply, a bar of immobile metal that prevents the door from swinging in and out as the bar united the door with the frame and ultimately the wall and foundation of the structure. She did not consider herself stronger than the door, nor did she feel the need to make her own door with her fist. She would slide the long, thin blade between the door and the frame and gentle she would try to push the tip of the blade between the deadbolt and the frame. Deadbolts had a slight twist to them, making them impossible to slide without the inertial force of a hand on the knob, however metal can be manipulated with ease. The same could be said with wood for those who knew how to manipulate. Or sand in the case of the Sunaku. Even crystal or paper. No structure was truly fortified without seals, but order is maintained through social mores and a desire by the majority of the populous to be not only law-abiding but subjectively 'good.'

She would bypass the simple defense. It was likely that the Sunaku enjoyed a safe existence for the most part, paranoia comes from fear and fear comes from threat. Before today, this was likely limited for a man of wealth and privilege as well as martial skill. She would enter, quietly locking the door behind her. It would slow any pursuant shinobi that might have gone unnoticed until this time. She would then walk down the likely;y unlit hall, in search of the Sunaku's resting place. It was most probably his bedroom. It was probable that he lived alone but she would press her ear against the door to be certain that she heard only one breath. If so, she would enter with a cat-like grace and climb the footboard of the bed. Be it a banister or a rail or the peak of a newel post, it did not matter, she would perch herself there and stare at him in silence if he had not already awoken. If he enjoyed still the benefit of a peaceful slumber she would not disturb it. Rather she would stay there perfectly still, for hours if necessary and study him. Like a shadow in the night, unmoving and always watching she would remain there in complete silence and wait for morning to come if necessary.

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Haru was quite aware of the disadvantages that came with a more known family name attached to yourself, being the son of the current Clan Leader. Some of them quite obvious, with your name, is a big hint as to what form of combat you would use and what would be needed to counter you (though he personally did his best to diversify in that regard), and just being a target of attack in certain situations (something he was more prone to in his younger years... until he showed one particular group why trying to kidnap him was probably a bad idea). But it was also smaller, more minute details. Being groomed to be part of the whole political game between clans in the village, the need to hold up certain public respectability, being seen as an potentially exposable trading good when it came to arranging marriages. Living with a big name wasn't always fun, but it was something he lived with over the years.

He always tried to find some good in the whole ordeal. With your name being recognized, people noticing and reacting to you on the streets, treating you with a certain degree of respect and kindness, it was easier for an inquisitive sort like him to have people to talk with him. And even if there was a sort of fearful reservation he always tried to melt the ice with his general disposition. He always tried to be the one who didn't let his family name get to his head, someone you could trade like any other person, a reliable, dedicated Shionib tot he village, a good friend. Only now even that was sullied in his own mind, his long absence, the feeling of his lack of impact on the initial Cabal invasion... or, the fact his contributions seemed to have gone unnoticed. A lot has changed while he was away from the village and yet the lack of him didn't seem to impede anything. Even now, with the war on the Daimyo being official, it all seemed like a stalemate and he couldn't find a way to improve upon on. Helping Sosuke with the wall was a good step, yet he felt so many things were left undone within the village... his efforts to try and improve the situation in the Palais were like tackling a brick wall... his own newfound powers, potent yet escaping his understanding... his inability to properly represent himself and try to pass it his fellow Sunan in the Tea tournament...

So many chances to try and assert himself or to try and help uncover something wrong, something he could fix all...fizzling out. And he had no god damn good reason for it being so, and it frustrated him immensely. Though this night had been relatively peaceful for him sleep wise. An exhausting week and a good drink let him drift away into a somewhat calm sleep. The apartment itself as Michi entered would seem pretty standard for a bachelor house in the Dimond district. As strange as it would sound he had moved into this place to be closer to his family compound, while not needing to actually live in it. A bit of homesickness he guessed. The only major thing standing out would be a scattering of schools, books, and papers on a table in front of a reddish sofa. If she were to inspect, books about older Wind Country history, before the official formation of the Suna Village, of the wars against the ancients, schools about his own family history and mythology, and several sheets of papers with drawings on them of people, places, and more...abstract shapes. All of them more so doodles, as if started but discarded before any more detail could be done.

He was indeed in the bedroom, on his lonesome, breathing calmly in the night. As the intruder would settle on her observer perch she would see him sleeping like that, making a few turns to his sides and returning to his back. This would go on for a bit of time, perhaps near an hour, only the slight wind blowing through the half-opened window causing any sound... An interruption would come eventually as something would whiz right in front of Michi's face. Turning to the wall on her right would be a single Shuriken embedded in the wall, a closer inspection would make it clear it looked as if it was made from particles of rock and dirt. The still Sunaku in the bed would speak up "Being stealthy is one thing but sitting on the bed was a bit much...though I assume you probably didn't come to kill me if you haven't done it by now". He would slowly sit up slowly, his bed sheet sliding of his torso, revealing he was one of those to face the desert nights shirtless as he said "I just wanted to demonstrate that even in here, my sand can be quite capable...now, to what I owe this pleasure, stranger,,,?" he said, his voice somewhat tired and with a healthy dose of sarcasm, and yet smiling at this home intruder. While dealing with his own doubts, he was confident in his abilities to fend off home invasion's...and he's seen worse looking break in's, to be honest.
Mft

 

[Michi]

She was watching him sleep. Watching him toss and turn. Listening to the rhythmic sound of his breath in and out, it was soothing in a way to simply watch and listen. Everyone looks peaceful when the sleep, except for those that scream and claw at their sheets. She had seen those as well, the ones that lived through hell and hell visited them every night once the lights turned down. She had all night to wait...

Thuck!

A shuriken whistled past her, embedding itself into the far wall of the room with a sharp, abrupt sound. It would appear that one Sunaku Harupia had arisen. Notable for the fact that he was fast and that he did not require an abundant sum of sand to perform his ninjutsu. She remained perched on the foot of his bed, all four limbs congregated on the lower left post of his bed.

"Being stealthy is one thing but sitting on the bed was a bit much...though I assume you probably didn't come to kill me if you haven't done it by now".

"Apologies Mister Sunaku Harupia, you were so lovely to watch in slumber I could not bring myself to waking you," she commented. As his sheet fell away, he would feel an uncanny chill in the air. An aura that the hybrid made no effort to hide. If he looked around the room, he would note that nothing was disturbed, however the shadows were at play. They would dance and twist and writhe about the room, snapping and coiling. Each seemed to have a life of its own.

"I just wanted to demonstrate that even in here, my sand can be quite capable...now, to what I owe this pleasure, stranger,,,?"

"An implied threat, expected of you a one Sunaku Harupia... Jounin, son of a Sunaku Clanleader with an impressive pedigree and history with the village of Sunagakure," she left the bedpost and landed on the foot of his bed. If the mattress as expensive as this region would suggest everything in the heir's possession would be then he would not feel the mattress shake. "I am Michi, although I am better known as the Oracle Fuu, we have never met in anything but passing but I have written much about you..." she was moving closer, walking before she took a seat Indian-style cross-legged next to him in the bed."To be honest, I have come to fear your aggression," she admitted. How did she know anything about his darkness? "So the night seemed safer," she gestured towards the Sunaku. "You partially disrobed, and it being unlikely you sleep with a blade but not a shirt," she reasoned as she attempted to lay her hand on him. It did not appear threatening, her action but there was nothing that really ever sat right with this woman had Harupia known her.

Was she attempting to seduce the man? It was unlikely, she was fully dressed.

Was she attempting to harm the man? It was unlikely, her best opportunity to do so was when he was still asleep.

She would attempt to feel him, his shoulder or his chest. Hot or cold. Smooth or rough. Human or inhuman. Covered in barely perceivable scars or a pristine canvas. "My son was quite enamored by you," she continued. "How roughly you handled him and the bliss he almost felt," her hand might remain longer than was comfortable if he did not avoid her touch or slapped her hand away. "It tells me much about you, as a man," she did not state if that was a good thing or a bad thing of course as she continued. "And I have come here to ask of you a favor and in exchange I will give you a gift," she was making a deal with the desert shinobi in the dark in the dead of night. "I need your sand," she claimed. "Your iron earth, to make me a bauble. Well... five," she ceded.

Of course what was she willing to pay the Jounin with? "And I will make sure that your path crosses with my son," a name up until now remained nameless. "Ishii Shouki."

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Well, there was definitely a chill in the air. And not only a metaphorical one caused by the fact there was an unknown lady stalking him in his own bedroom. A literary coldness in the desert night he wasn't used to. He looked carefully around the room and things seemed mostly in order... the shadows around the room seemed to be a lot more vivid, though that could be all sorts of things. His imagination, some Genjutsu...maybe she was adept in the art of controlling shadows. And Ice. A fitting combination really. Somewhat fitting for this peculiar stand of. He and he assumed his visitor were both Shinobi, so they both knew how to keep their cool. Even if he was at a disadvantage position he tried to give out an aura of fearlessness. Though he couldn't help but wonder why this was so cordial. After all, if she came here to try and hurt or perhaps abduct him, doing it while she assumed he was sleeping would be a lot easier... though she'd probably be surprised by his sand shield trying to pin her against the wall. Part of his training was using the sand almost subconsciously, and that was only helped with his... newly gained powers.

She Didn't seem very phased by his display and threat, just starting to give a brief dossier on himself as she moved off the bedpost. "Oracle? Was this some extra initiation ritual I was being kept in the dark about?" he half-joked, as he had gone through initiation into the Oracle Order not too long ago, though he had still to claim a mask for himself. He was about to get up himself, but before he could get up she had plopped himself on his bed. He had enough time to removed his bed sheet and sit sideways on the bed... Her talking on about not being able to hide a blade without a shirt seemed only highlighted by the fact his sleepwear of choice was a pair of dark red boxer briefs."I don't think I have a particular reputation of being threatening if approached...at least I always assumed that isn't the case" he said with a confused tone in his voice. He had to give her a point not to much room to hide weapons in his current ensemble. Not that he had much when you could conjure a weapon out of the dust and sand around the room...or the water in his body if necessary.

He did recoil slightly as she reached out to him, but he did not relent further as he observed her move her hands over his shoulders and chest. A rather curious, ic clinic touch...more like eyeing an interesting bauble than anything else. Some would probably call him insane for not reacting more defensively, but his mind couldn't help but feel curious about the whole thing. Not that he was expecting this to go any sort of education route... as much as this wasn't the most awkward situation he woke up with different women in the same room, it was up there. Though in a sense he did feel a bit...touch starved. If only because he didn't really let anyone touched his body after his return to Suna. It would feel like any other body to Michi's fingers. Warm if slightly chilled by the desert night air, roughed up by the general life of a Shinobi but smoothed by general care. No real large scars to speak of, more like small cuts and bruises.

He would reach for her hand to stop, though it would come before her words, and more when the hand tried moving closer to the left side of his body. Her words did have him rise both brows in surprise "Erm... Ok, I'm not a stranger to dealing with parents defending their child's honor, but I think your son must have a REALLY active imagination..." he would say trying to gently pry the hand away. She spoke on, talking about needing something...some sort of baubles made from the Iron sand, one of his clan's specialties.

The fact it was somewhat well known was natural really. Everyone had some awareness the soil under their feet is a very fine collection of various minerals. They just knew how to fish about the most durable and deadliest ones for their needs. He was about to suggest her go to the Journeyman for any of her trinket needs before she spoke again... And he heard a named he much rather forget... There was a brief pause, a stillness in the air, and it almost felt the coldness in the room emanated from Harupia. The sand Jounin would decide to return the favor of invading one's personal space, though his touch was a lot of ore targeted. His left hand, shooting up and attempting to catch Michi's throat in a harsh, choking grip. One which grew harder as his left arm seemed to change, changing from its normal tan skin color to a grainy dark... almost gleaming with a metallic Sheen.

Regardless of her escaping his grasp or not he would stare at her, his expression that on someone just holding himself back from snapping, his green eyes almost shimmering with a faint gold glow as he spoke "You...you were one of them... and now you brought him BACK?!" venom spilling from his voice in the last sentence. It didn't click from the start since he tried not to think much about the...amnesty offered to some of the Cabal members. And yet here she was... taunting him with the image of that vile creature shaped like a human. One Sosuke stated was reduced to mere plasma goop... and here she was saying that was not the case. No...this was definitely not something the man needed...especially when he had things he needed to be figured out, and showing in anger, quite clear something was amiss with his left arm, now seemingly cast out of the Iron sand Michi sought.

MFT

 

[Michi]

"Oracle," she repeated. "Good," she decided out loud. "I am glad that they are attempting to revive the Order, even if it will take a lifetime to do so," she mused. Being an Oracle is not as simple as an induction ceremony and then you learn the secrets of the universe. Rather, it is a promise that one would not only spend their lifetime learning and uncovering new truths but that they would try to share it with the world, not jealously steal their secrets way in some hidden and dark place. Truly the antithesis of being a shinobi where secrets were power and a commodity to trade and sell. Ironically, she too had become a hypocrite, information used to be something she gave away freely if one only dared 'ask the right question.' Now she bartered with what she knew, it was her only tool and her only resource in these times of few friends and limited strength. "Suits you, truly," she announced as she took a second glance at him as if she had seen him in a new light.

Sunaku Harupia actually did something very right.

She continued to assess him, he was an already exposed specimen. "Contrary to my son's stories, you don't look like you are truly meant for that sort of thing... too pretty," she commented. It was not meant to be an insult or a compliment, merely a statement of fact. The young man was like something someone had carved out the the sand, it was eerie in a way. "Are you the only inducted Oracle shinobi?" Michi had a question of her own, unbothered by the mostly disrobed young man sitting on the edge of the bed.

Harupia went on to claim that Shouki had an overactive imagination. "No," she replied. The tone of that was a simple fact, not even a debate. "He was enamored by you, as he is enamored by the pain that so defines his faith," she claimed. "He is a pious young man, even if his faith is based on forging oneself and others through pain and torment. It was the ethos that truly defined both father and son," she shook her head and made a tsking sound. "Such wasted potential," she saw so much of Shiro in the boy, even before Shouki had learned what a god was or that gods such as Jashin were real. Terrifying truly, how natural it was and that she bore a monster all those years ago. "I am almost relieved to know now by looking at you that such a terrible nature is within you but it hardly seems to define you," she continued as calm as a woman would be if they were sitting at a breakfast table discussing families and vocations over coffee and scones.

But then there was a chilling change. The Sunaku turned on her, his sudden reaching grip like that of a viper that would reach for and wrap around her neck. His hand was much larger than her neck, even if he had the hands of a dignitary more than a worker they were still shinobi trained hands. She could feel his hand compress, it felt harder just then as his grip would tighten and cut away her air. She would let out an instinctual yell, but it would only come out as a wheezing gasp. Her hands would reach up and attempt to pull his hand off, but Michi was a scholar not a brawler. Despite her gains, she was barely a hundred pounds and only five feet in height. She was incredibly small comparatively, even to an average-sized man. Could she attempt to use some sort of ninjutsu or genjutsu to break away? Yes, she could had she been prepared, had she known how quickly he would turn and how quickly he would snap. Had she known that the intent of a monster did linger just beneath the surface. Would she be knocked back, conceivably had pressure been exerted laterally, towards the mattress or the headboard.

"You...you were one of them... and now you brought him BACK?!"

She could not say anything, anger gleamed in his eyes. She could not reply, his palm was compressing her windpipe. However, the threat of choking was not merely the lack of air being brought in and out of the lungs, but the compression laterally. The vessels on either side of the neck supply the brain with precious blood and oxygen. Without blood-flow, consciousness could only be sustained a few seconds. Long enough to sustain her to hear his anger and see his face, but not a moment more so. She was not fighting back. Not here in any case, to do so would mean ultimate failure in her plan, little did the Sunaku know that the words he said before he turned on her saved him from a physical altercation. She let the darkness take her instead.

[Michi is now unconscious you monster]​

<i></i>

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

He let out a bit of a chuckle as she spoke about the Oracles before saying "Well, I imagined there would be a long road ahead of me there, but it seemed like a worthy cause, and I was always a rather curious person" stopping himself from babbling too much. He wasn't sure how much the Oracles knew about the initiation process of inductees...but he didn't quite have the mood to be teased about the way his went... Then again it seemed like a better possibility compared to the other options as to why she was here. At least they kept it cordial for the time being...

He was starting to relax a bit even after the invasion of his private space, somewhat warming up to a fellow member of the order. He was trying to find a way to ask just why the hell she decided to pay him a visit in the dead of the night (and perhaps dress up and maybe offer some food) before the conversation took a... turn for the worst.

At first, it seemed mostly inconspicuous, if the topic seemed a bit awkward. After all apparently, someone's mom was talking about their children opinion about his looks. He did a cough a bit ignoring that bit before answering the other question "As far as I'm the first in a while. Didn't quite get the chance to talk over the details with the oracles who are already there... I assume there had been some recruitment drive as the orders were reformed" Than she kept talking about her son. How he wasn't making this up. About his affection for him, and apparently for pain, and his faith. By that time the red alarm was blaring in the back of his mind, with him trying to compose himself. It was a coincidence, or a joke... or something. She looked...he couldn't have been that young...he was dead...vaporized by the Steward and the Kazekage...all of this was swarming through his mind, blocking out the words she spoke about his own nature...how the ugliness inside him didn't define him... something he wanted to believe but as of late couldn't help but struggle.

"And I will make sure that your path crosses with my son...Ishii Shouki."

He didn't really think after hearing that. The anxiety, surprise, anger filled his mind, and the dark, everpresent striking power inside of him overpowered his sense. Made him react on instinct. He saw the surprisingly small frame of the women, staring back at him as his hand tightened around the neck. There wasn't an intent to kill but he seemed careless about any pain she felt, or the fact she wouldn't be able to respond to a question while not being able to breathe. The fact the seemingly human flesh would shift into a cold, metallic form so quick didn't help matters... not that he cared much at that particular moment. This women was tied to that...thing, and she tried to offer an arranged meeting?! He didn't want to see that monster, he wanted it DEAD!"

He was about to Shout again before he saw the eyes fall back, and the body grows limp. And as overpowering the flash of shock and anger was to his mind, it was soon flushed by an emotion just as powerful, and just as susceptible to manipulation if needed. Guilt. A cold sweat covered his back as he let go of her neck, his right hand shooting forward to try and catch the unconscious women, his eyes wide and gleaming with his natural green as he laid the unconscious body down "Fuckfuckfuckwhatthe FUCK am I even doing" he muttered somewhat loudly in the empty room, standing up and placing her on her back. As he did he leaned closer to her face, checking to see whether she was breathing now, kneeling to her side to try and resuscitate her if necessary. He did squeeze roughly but it was with the intent to silence and restrain her, not crush her neck. For the moment he didn't care what she was planning, why she came here alone in the middle of the night, and why the hell did she even try to approach him while knowing the history with him and Shouki. He needed her to be ok.

MFT

 

[Michi]

OC: I actually have a saved draft for this one. So phone post go!

IC:

She would not feel him catch her. She would not hear him shout. It was simply black and silent. Did she continue to think in this dark, formless void? Yes, she did. She wondered if she had died. She wondered how she could be so right and so wrong at the same time about someone. She wondered if her efforts thus far were for naught. She was not afraid to die, not since Lord Mikaboshi burned away her humanity. In fact, she longed for it. It was hard to close her eyes and forget, but this void was a decent respite really. No images. No voices. Just the Oracle and her thoughts.

Was she dead? No, it takes seven minutes without oxygen for the brain to die.

Was she breathing? Once his hand lifted from her windpipe she breathed once again, but there would be no blood flow to her brain until his fingers left her neck. Once they did, her heart which had not yet ceased to beat would solider on. Pushing new blood and air to her brain. She simply looked like she was sleeping, barely bruised just a bit tousled. Choking is one of those strange forms of violence that does not always have to leave large marks, broken bones or result in blood losses, although in some cases it may.

It would not take long for her to wake, once the means by which flow was restricted was released the body would return quickly back to its basic state. Her arousal would be heralded by a long gasp of air that whistled slightly as it entered her and she brought her hands to her own neck. Her eyes opened. A part of her half expected to be restrained or in an additional level of distress, but she was not. Her inability to read the Sunaku was disconcerting as she reassessed the scene. The scene looked almost perverse. It was the dead of night and she was in the bedroom of a man she hardly knew that was mostly disrobed and she was laying in his bed. Of course, this situation was far from sexual, it was a departure from her usual dalliances.

"I... won't arrange a meeting," she announced without getting up. She was still attempting to regain her bearings. Where was he? What was he doing? Exactly where was she? Where was the nearest means of egress if necessary? "Is it safe for me to sit up?" She did not want to make any sudden movements as she made her intention to move clear. Whatever she was resting on, be it the bed or Harupia, was at the very least comfortable. Much better than where she slept -- a chair in a darkened room with her facing the door. She slept poorly, too paranoid and alone really. All the same, it was not her goal to rile the heir. "I simply need to know what you wish to barter for your service?" If not Shouki, then what does the Sunaku desire?

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

It did seem his grip was more of a choke rather an attempt to crush her neck...he wasn't even quite sure if he was capable of doing that...physical or mentally...yet he couldn't discount surprising himself could he? Still, it seemed the sudden action left minimal traces of struggle or bruising on the smaller women. He let out a deep sigh once she started breathing and her eyes started to flutter open, though a semblance of a smile forming on his lips quickly faded once he though a bit more calmly on the situation. He seemed to be ignoring her as he stepped away to a corner of the room, opening a door at the side. A quick few rustles and by the time she was asking for permission to sit, he was wearing a pair of grey track pants and hosting a simple red shirt over his torso. now that it nullified the previous inappropriateness but it was a start.

He blinked a few times as she asked the question. He was expecting a lot. An attack, Shouting. Accusations and attempts of guilt tripping or blackmailing him into her bidding. and yet she was still calm if a bit...dare he say, shaken? Asking about his price. Rubbing his forehead in exasperation he would say "You may sit if you wish, though I think you should take it easy, just to be sure nothing happens." As he said that, he sat on the opposite edge of the bed, legs crossed as he looked at the curious lady before him.

He waited a bit, to collect his thoughts and to let her sit up a bit better before saying "First things first, I...apologize for that. I'm not sure how you ...son" he said, almost as if forcing the ridiculous words from his mouth "described the relationship between us, but whatever infatuation or... interest was mostly one-sided. Id thinks the time where I tried to kill him would be a good indication... and I am quite sad I wasn't there to see him actually dealt with...or so we thought" It was probably a quite Frank way to talk about one's child, but given who he thought the women were, and who said son was, he didn't feel much like mincing words "Before I can even consider stating a... price for you, I will need to know a few things. Is...Shouki truly alive? As in, breathing and roaming out there as we speak? Or did you mean by offering to arrange a meeting between us, you would be able to bring him to life? Perhaps with these baubles, you desire?" he asked, staring towards her with his deep green eyes.

While he tried his best to keep the proverbial poker face on, the whole situation made him less composed then he could be. There was the clear flash of anger or curiosity when he spoke, his body tightening as he approached the topic of the sturdy cabal member. Possibly hard to notice in the relative darkness, perhaps just right up to the other Oracles perceptive eyes. Before he said anything, he did pause for a moment and said "And I guess...I would like to return to the question I said while I was... angry. You were one of them, right? Part of the Cabal?" a flash of anger, and disgust in his eyes as he said that. He knew some of them died, sooner or later, while some were under the supervision of the village... allegedly close supervision of the rumors about the Kazekage was true. It had left him with mixed feelings, and partly were part of the reason he didn't venture to meet him in person quite yet. This could be some practice before meeting the more... controversial members of the surviving Cabal.

Mft

 

[Michi]

"You may sit if you wish, though I think you should take it easy, just to be sure nothing happens."

He announced. No sudden movements it is in. She stared at the ceiling a moment longer before she brought a hand to her own throat, as if to brace it, using the other to push against the mattress to sit upright. As she did so, she announced her movement. "I am unarmed and I am sitting myself up on the edge of the bed," she announced carefully. She was unrestrained, but she took his choice of words as a potential threat -- 'just to be sure nothing happens.' It was in time to see the Sunaku put on a pair of pants. It was both a relief and a disappointment for the conflicted Oracle. He was handsome so something she could visually appreciate but he was also violent and dangerous, something to add to her file on the Sunaku heir she thought she understood. Her fingers made a brief tactile assessment of her neck, mild likely errythemia. Her neck was not obviously swollen but there might be some bruising later. Nothing she could not hide with a scarf, and she would. Sunans had such eclectic fashions she should not stand out. That was always her concern, blending in despite the fact that she was always standing in the center of the room.

She then kept her hands lifted at approximately shoulder height as he took his seat. She was going to attempt to avoid another altercation, but knowing now that the man has such a violent hot-button she needed to reassess the situation. She waited for him to speak.

"First things first, I...apologize for that. I'm not sure how you ...son"

"Thank you," she did not nod in case there was an undiscovered injury.

"described the relationship between us, but whatever infatuation or... interest was mostly one-sided. Id thinks the time where I tried to kill him would be a good indication... and I am quite sad I wasn't there to see him actually dealt with...or so we thought"

"I presumed you were one of his more durable lovers," she answered simply. "Mostly by the virtue of the fact that you are alive," she explained. "And..." she let out a breath. There was no way to say this that would not sound awkward. "Violence grants him a carnal pleasure, making piety for the Jashinist second nature." Basically, she was trying to tell him that her son derived sexual gratification from his violent behaviors. "He spoke..." she coughed to clear her throat and her eyes widened a bit. That hurt. "...of you." That was the less graphic way to convey how Shouki shamelessly portrayed the Sunaku. One would think it odd that a mother would hear this from her son, but Shouki was not one for societal expectations in the least. Their relationship could be called 'complicated.'

"Before I can even consider stating a... price for you, I will need to know a few things. Is...Shouki truly alive? As in, breathing and roaming out there as we speak? Or did you mean by offering to arrange a meeting between us, you would be able to bring him to life? Perhaps with these baubles, you desire?"

She furrowed her brow as he made his statement. "Alive," she answered almost incredulously. "Resurrection is beyond my scope of power," she admitted. "I cannot bring back your loved ones and... if I were to be frank, I would not even if it was within my power-set to do so," she continued. She had seen what a true necromancer was capable of and it was through him that she learned what to truly fear. "It is an eternal cruelty I cannot be a party to, you would need to ask for something less." She had her limits, both academically and morally. Her line was drawn at death. Yes, there was more to it than the fact that she struggled to maintain her humanity in the face of near starvation by denying herself sustenance in the form of souls. It went further than the fact that she feared the legacy of Barnyx and Orochi. She was simply reviled by the fact that men, demons and Ancients alike sought to not only control death but use it to their ends. Rarely was death overcome to reunite someone with a loved one, rather it was used to create slaves or to bolster one's power and she hated it.

"And I guess...I would like to return to the question I said while I was... angry. You were one of them, right? Part of the Cabal?"

She did not move from her position, her hands raised and her palms facing away from her. "Indeed," she answered. "They were good people, well most of them." She added partly knowing that it would incite him and she tensed in anticipation. "I have never denied my affiliation with the Cabal, my title as an Oracle, my genetic ties to Sovereign General Ishii Shouki, my son's father Diamyo Ishii Shiro or most recently my intention to propose to the Occult Sennin Senju," she explained as she carefully listed her associations in no particular order. None of these relationships or associations were a secret, however they might not be as common knowledge as she presumed. "You are making me nervous Sunaku Harupia," she admitted as she maintained her position and attempted to control her expression. She was nervous, it was not a lie. She had changed course although it was likely the Sunaku did not realize it as she maintained this submissive pose. She was actually attempting to derive a fresh data set from the clan heir. If she had to fight him she would, but she did not want to. Thus far he seemed short-tempered, any resultant injuries she endured would likely not be fatal. A broken arm or leg, even a wound could be mended, she was a better medic than credited. So she would dance this grey line, one where she was not threatening his safety but was prodding his buttons. By now she had added what Shouki had said, words she had mostly disregarded presuming it was a sexual encounter. Knowing it was likely merely a violent one changed things.

Don't go too far.

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

He sighed a bit at her announcing her moment but seeing her reach for the neck he couldn't exactly blame her. He did act rashly...though in this situation it was following a probably calculated but still questionable decision to break into someone home int he middle of the night to say "Hey, that psycho you tortured and then almost died fighting is back alive, wanna make out with him?!"... a slightly abridged version of the events but relatively close to accuracy. He shook his head a bit...as much as humor could diffuse situation this probably wasn't a good moment to distract himself. He did take a moment to say "Could you please just...put your hands now. I'm not doing a stick-up robbery here..."

He listened to her response to his questions, mulling over the answers. Mulling them over one by one in silence, seeing her keep their hands up in the air still. The air tensed a bit as the final question was asked and answered. After she spoke the final part he would raise his head to look her in the eyes saying "Oh really? Now you're nervous? You didn't feel any tingle of excitement or worry when you decided to break into the house of a Sunan Jounin? A person who almost died, and killed several of you agents or whoever those people were defending them. while disarming all some fo the bombs your little Cabal set up during the final phase of you failed incursion? Don't you feel a bit of sweat build up on you forehead walking around these streets you helped paint red, amongst the people who lost their homes or families as you and you bunch of good people went on you jolly little mission? And can you please put your hands down, fuck..." his tone agitated, rising but in the end sounding more exasperated, as if he was trying to calm himself from blowing up again.

He tapped his forehead gently for a few seconds... He could partially blame himself for this. In the end, he didn't know about any of these ties, inclined the fact they had the Daimyo's..wife? Concubine? Or about the status of the Cabal. And he wanted... needed to know so he could be better at protecting those he cared about...its why he became an oracle. He just needed to relax...one step at a time "Your son...I found him in the Obisidan Palace... bound and anxious. I tried to interrogate him... given I didn't know he was a psycho and a masochist, I did a really shitty job at it...so I assume that when he got all hot for me/ we then fought but he escaped, and last I heard of him he was melted by the Steward and Kazekage...I am quite displeased to hear that's not the case..." he then looked at her and said "I Saw Barnyx raised from the ground...I don't really know what kind of powers the Daimyo posses, and I can't really verify to well how much you know. As much as I loathe your little group of friends, you apparently are enough of an asset for the oracles to accept you... If you wanted a more calm chat, a nice cup of coffee would have been nice" he said with a chuckle.

He did take a moment to think about something before saying "Wait...propsue? To our Sennin...but arent...werent..." he said clearly dumfounded before taking a deep breath "Okaaay...so is that what the baubles are for? The wedding? You want something like adding bends, or something fancier like a bracelet or some such?" he said, moving fingers over his own wrist as if trying to visualize it. It almost seemed random, how he was spiling venom moments ago and now seemed focused on the task or pressing her wedding trinkets. But in a way, he was also assessing Michi. She talked about being all scared, and fragile... yet she started it by breaking into his home. It was clear the woman had an agenda, he wanted to try and see how deep he could understand it...understand her. And well...in a morbid sense, he wanted to interact with the Cabal members more. To understand? To rub their failure in their face... maybe he neede to learn that as well.

MFT

 

[Michi]

Everything, absolutely everything was calculated. Her plan was in constant flux as additional bits of information changed the flow, but she was a practiced navigator. Presumptions were replaced with facts, some relevant, some immaterial. Her experience and her learning over all of these years ironically brought her to this point, her last few months. She knew this but they would not and it was now time to get her affairs in place. She had not seen her son since well before Mikaboshi had changed her and that was years ago. Long before Shouki's alleged last stand. They were not close, in fact a number of scars hidden beneath her jacket were inflicted by her sadist son. His cruelty was not even surpassed by his father in her opinion. It was a humbling circumstance the Sunaku would never understand but she did not volunteer to try either. Much like many things, that information would be immaterial to the man she was learning so much about. In the end, it did not matter if the Sunaku trusted her, in fact it was better that he didn't. It made things easier

"Could you please just...put your hands now. I'm not doing a stick-up robbery here..."

Her pose was making him uncomfortable. Perhaps guilty. She stiffened subconsciously, he knew that she was needling him now as she kept her arms raised. "I am doing this for my sake, rather than yours," she protested in a calm voice. She would explain it. Of course she would explain it. "You have shown me to be impulsive and aggressive, while potentially an uncharacteristic outburst I would have to contest such an allegation as my assessment was confirmed through Shouki." A name that brought him to anger and she knew it. An explanation that she did not need to share but she chose to, she was needling around in his head testing the cogs and the gears. "Not your first incident, won't be your last," she declared, but that was not her conclusion. "But I realize you feel guilt or shame over your reaction, so my presentation irks you," she was seeking verification that she would soon get as his anger bubbled.

She answered his query but she gave him a few more to ask as she added extraneous bits of information she wanted him to have. That she was a member of the Cabal, that she was inducted into the Order of the Oracles, that her son was the general of the Sovereign Army, that her son was Ishii Shouki, the son of the Diamyo and if Harupia knew his facts third in line for the seat of the Diamyo. Second if he considered the fact that Sango was kidnapped years ago and nobody has heard from her in this protracted period. She prodded again after she shared what she needed to share, she wanted to know his reaction. His real reaction. Something that anger prevented people from hiding -- their true sentiments.

"Oh really? Now you're nervous? You didn't feel any tingle of excitement or worry when you decided to break into the house of a Sunan Jounin? A person who almost died, and killed several of you agents or whoever those people were defending them. while disarming all some fo the bombs your little Cabal set up during the final phase of you failed incursion? Don't you feel a bit of sweat build up on you forehead walking around these streets you helped paint red, amongst the people who lost their homes or families as you and you bunch of good people went on you jolly little mission? And can you please put your hands down, fuck..."

He snapped. "Yes," she answered simply as she uncomfortably lowered her hands in ultimate compliance. "I am always scared," her body was as stiff as a board and her muscles were tense but the jacket hid much as she shared this blunt truth. She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes looked strange. Her iris was grey with flecks of gold. It looked like a storm but it was simply shadows at play. "Would you have let me enter had you known my name, my affiliation?" The answer was rhetorical of course. "Of course you would not have. Yet you have not fully grasped why... or even what. Why would I come to your door at all? Why would I risk your wrath? Potentially suffer at your hands... unless I either wanted it, or I needed you." She dipped her hand into her satchel, the sound of metal clinking together could be heard through the leather, muting the noise. "And then why you, of all of the Sunakus in the village... as you are not the only one," she shook her head as she acquired what she sought in the palm of her hand and started to withdraw. "And of course what I seek."

She half expected him to lose his temper again. She considered what she could do to buffer his reaction. She was not trying to prevent it, in fact she was in a way egging him on despite the fact that she was indeed terrified. Michi was a Deep Court Hybrid and she could not lie, only deceive. It made things harder when she had to keep to the letter of the word but rarely the spirit but this had become an intimate part of her nature. She was trying to calm himself. She took another breath. She did not want to do it but she would have to... Her jaw clenched in anticipation as her hand vacated the bag and she prepared herself for the Jounin to panic.

"Your son...I found him in the Obisidan Palace... bound and anxious. I tried to interrogate him... given I didn't know he was a psycho and a masochist, I did a really shitty job at it...so I assume that when he got all hot for me/ we then fought but he escaped, and last I heard of him he was melted by the Steward and Kazekage...I am quite displeased to hear that's not the case..."

He was still fixated on Shouki. "He is not dead," her gaze downcast at the baubles in her hand now exposed. Little bits of silver metal. "The man," he was not a boy any longer and had not been in some time. "has not been mortal in some time." She plucked five bits of silver from her palm. and put them down on the bed next to her. "But my son is incapable of suffering a true death," she announced. "Jashin smiles down on the entire Ishii Clan, but Shouki is the favored among them," She swallowed hard, her mouth felt a bit dry. "Death cannot take a Jashinist unless he wills it and his zeal for life is by far greater than mine, so he is indeed alive." She confirmed. She did not know where he was, what he had been doing or what he planned next. Shouki was unpredictable and reckless, but he did not need to be as measured as she because he was immortal. His fixations were the only things she could use to track the violent monster she had birthed but there was a change after this last death. A quiet that concerned her, perhaps Harupia was right and Shouki had experienced a true death. Little did she know he was alive and 'well' and closer than she could have ever anticipated. Her voice did not sound mechanical as it often did but sad. It could of course be a ploy as many things are with the Oracle but she wanted to explain more, a mother always defends her child even if they are a fiendish creature, but she stopped herself. There was no defense, even she wanted him dead. Sometimes she wondered if Jashin gave him a reason or if it was from conception that this God had determined a terrible divine purpose for him. It was a truth she had struggled with for years, a fear that it was more than his father's fierce nature that sculpted the boy but something terrible within her own blood that contributed to the monster that would be known as her son.

"I Saw Barnyx raised from the ground...I don't really know what kind of powers the Daimyo posses, and I can't really verify to well how much you know. As much as I loathe your little group of friends, you apparently are enough of an asset for the oracles to accept you... If you wanted a more calm chat, a nice cup of coffee would have been nice."

"And you would have come?" She reminded him, her voice sounded doubtful. He loathed her before he even met her, he would never have accepted the offer for a civilized chat. "I knew them well, but you mistaken me Mister Sunaku, I am not one of your Oracles," she replied. "I predate the Order you have grown familiar with, I was a child of the original Oracle Order that destroyed almost four decades ago." She was older than she looked. "And even if you had, I would have been imperiled even more than I am in this private setting," she explained. "You have all of the facts, but you fail to put them into a single picture," like a jigsaw puzzle. "You hate what and who I am, knowing this you would not have capitulated to my wants if you even met me at all. Had you reacted as harshly as you had here, potentially muted of course, who I am would have been broadcast to the witnesses whom would have either taken your side or encouraged you to continue," a fact Kasha oddly enough had made apparent. She was not particularly well-known, she was not one of the faces behind the destruction and death but being a part of their force was enough for just about everyone. "I picked you, not another Sunaku because you had a tie to me. One that was not what I had expected, but it changes nothing," she continued. "Being his lover or his killer makes little difference to me because I don't barter with my strength, because it lacks comparatively to many in Sunagakure or remains merely on par. That is not an an avenue in which I excel," she admitted as she slid the other bits of silver in her hand back into her bag. "You need to realize, a mother's love has her limits and I have no love for my son and have no sense of duty to him," it sounded cold because it was. "He has been monstrous since his earliest youth, mostly the torture and murder of small animals but I always knew it would grow. In fact, if he had a chance at being something else it was denied to him, his penchant to harm was encouraged and he was a clever boy," it was a shame because he could have been so much more. "I should have taken him with me when I escaped, but I did not want to," she abandoned him. There was a chance, albeit infinitesimal that he could have developed into something besides the monster he had become, tiny odds that had plagued her. She was a woman of probability and chances, his were far from favorable so she severed all ties. Their relationship from there was simply complicated. One that the Sunaku would not care to hear or understand, the point was she was selling Shouki's information for the sake of herself not him. She was not playing matchmaker and if sharing his location resulted in her son's death she would simply live with it. She took a breath. "Simply put, I had information you might find worthwhile and I prefer making deals with people I have something worth bartering for," she concluded. She had a plan B, she just did not want to use it if she did not have to. She was trying to get their attention, but there was a such thing as too much.

"Wait...propsue? To our Sennin...but arent...werent..."

He was putting some of the pieces together himself or at the very least he was trying. "Yes, I am proposing to Sennin Senju at the Lunar Festival," she confirmed.

"Okaaay...so is that what the baubles are for? The wedding? You want something like adding bends, or something fancier like a bracelet or some such?"

She had baubles already.

She was not going to question the change of heart, knowing it was likely a manipulation. She did not care. She had a narrative to drive. An Oroboros ring made of feathersteel that would feel like ice to the touch, its blue eyes would have an uncanny glow. It was a rare ring, ice carmot set into the eyes and the rare metal that the ring was composed of was sizeable however was incredibly light to the touch. The ring costs about as much as a Jounin would make in six months. The ring already had a recipient in mind: Senju Kazuki. She was going to propose to him with this ring during the Lunar Festival. The incredible ring being only a minor part of her plan, but most certainly something worthy of a statement. She did not seem like the sort of woman that desired ostentatious jewelry nor the class of woman that could afford it. She dressed casually, cargo pants, a ribbed tank top and a jacket she never seemed to doff in public. A thin red scarf was wrapped around her neck twice, presently hiding any marks of bruises. "I have five rings, none like the others," she explained as she passed over the first. I need a fix 10 millimeters thick each wall and exactly ten centimeters in every direction. Two openings, one to the face that matches the profile of the ring precisely and one to the right a rectangle two centimeters by 1 and one half. I will also need a rod, seven centimeters in length and rectangular in shape two by one and one half."[/b][/color] She was giving him the specifications for a lock, a lock that these rings would be the key to, not that she explained that fact but unless it was somewhat obvious what she was doing, she was not trying to hide this face but she was also not handing it to him on a platter.

He just needed to think about why she would be coming to him with such a want. "Pins of varied lengths, 32 millimeters for three, 26 millimeters for five..." she went on without ever looking at a sheet of paper she was doing this from memory. She described the inner mechanism she sought, however it was probable that Harupia would need to hear the description again or require a life-sized picture that she would provide. She was looking for a bunch of tiny parts that she would put together and craft into a deadbolt lock. Five of them, each with a different key.

An explanation of how keys work:

There were four other keys as well. Each of them different and each of them in some manner significant in a manner that Harupia would not be able to fathom at the given moment. Another was a strange ring, larger than what could possibly fit her hand that had a face of gears and a red stone in its face. It was made of Takahashi Steel and Fire Carmot, not nearly as expensive as the last but an exceedingly rare ring that was also likely part of a greater mechanism. The ring would feel warm, not hot to the touch. On the inside there would be a phrase written in Runic that translated roughly to Human made of fire and metal.

The third, a ring that appeared to cover the length of one's finger made of silver, the semi-precious metal. It was jointed, extending from the knuckle of the hand to the tip of one's finger. It looked like a weapon in and of itself. In fact it was. There was no obvious gem, however when one bent the finger entirely a hidden brown gem could be discerned. It was earth carmot. If there was writing inside of this ring, it was unseen or indiscernible.

The fourth was a ring that resembled a pistol if one had bullets small enough as to load it and the dexterity to do so. An oddity even among the pieces she had acquired. The ring appeared to be the least expensive among them thus far, made of cobalt steel a steel alloy that had a blueish tint that is a common metal in mass weapon manufacture.

The final ring, the simplest of all a bladed ring made of iron. It seemed the least significant but was still among those provided.

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Haru stared at her blankly as she responded to him asking about her hands...before bursting into a fit of laughter " You really seem to be overlooking the fact you broke into my house in the dead of night. most people tend to be somewaht cranky when getting up, and I reckon quite a few Shinobi here would not be as courteous to give you a warning shot as I did, but rather try and dispose of you the second they realized you were there. And given we are, for all intents and purposes in a state of War, it would be tricky to hold it against them. So ease off on the guilt-tripping ok?!" An attempt of deflection, perhaps a bit too obvious one, but it was earnest from Harupia side. He, of course, did feel guilty and hearing her compare this situation to his...session with Shouki did dig a needle int he back of his head. But as scatterbrained as he could be he knew how to keep his guard. His carelessness and seemingly carefree attitude was part of him, but he sometimes liked to amp it up a bit, have his opponents think he's a big ole clutz...always a way to try and throws them off their game.

He was slightly taken aback by her admission, catching himself staring into her eyes for a second, his own light green eyes sparkling a bit in the dark. She almost seemed...fragile, for a brief moment. He scoffed a bit as she spoke, finally saying "You want to talk about my parents with that armchair psychology of yours? Maybe you should have at least asked before going all Shinobi on me here?... than again I guess this is par the course for people in our profession". Yeah, the snark was being turned up a bit here, replacing the more...direct outbursts of anger. Would he reacted as volatile had she approached him during the day, or during some other moment, maybe in the Oracle chambers... he honestly couldn't say. He was, of course, furious at the Cabal, and that wouldn't fade...and while he questions how the hell they were let free, the decision was made, by Sosuke and/or Katsuo...they were aligned with them. he would respect that enough to speak with her. Especially since he felt confronting the members of the group and his feelings about them are something he needed to do...he was just slightly dreading it.

As she replied to his questions she did let some of the things she was carrying slip out of the bag, with him hearing the slight metallic clangs. He did promise himself more defensively for a second but as he saw the objects were not trying to attack or explore at the moment, he relaxed as she answered and said more about her...son. All the while setting up the small silver balls before him. His listened intently, his face growing ever so slightly pale as she spoke on "I see...I heard about such dedicated warriors of the death god...should have guessed it would turn out to be more then Spooky tales... even if he is the most favored, I would assume his father would be hard to put down for good as well?" he asked trying to provide a bit more information about the Daimyo himself. He would admit he didn't know all of the things there was to know about the family, as much as he tried to catch up...he did realize that with how the Daimyo's son was gone and missing, Shouki could probably be closer to becoming his successors...though as far as he remembered Shouki was a basted in the official sense of the word. And he didn't strike him as someone who'd be interested in leading a country... unless it was to a slaughter.

He could sense the sadness in her voice but didn't press into it. As twisted as it seemed, she was still the men's mother. And seeing what had become must have had an effect on her. BNut he didn't feel like he could pry... and her still need to consider she was simply trying to tug at his heartstrings. Not that it wasn't ineffective, but he knew he had to focus past that. One against the topic of his reaction to her was brought up... though she did blindside him by her admission she wasn't exactly part of the current Oracle assembly "You...I mean...I wouldn't say you a day older than 35" he said in with a bit of a chuckle. The entire situation just was a bit too absurd in his mind to not poke a bit of fun to it. As she spoke on about her circumstance, he couldn't help but sigh and say "Hard to argue with that... can't exactly show you face around town I imagine... though I will say just because you spent however long with a group who really wanted to kill away all their problems doesn't mean you should assume that's their automatic stance to problem-solving...". She had continued to explain more about her reasoning. Made sense...she felt she had a bit of leverage or at least something of interest to him. And even if she misinterpreted their connection didn't mean much to her...and in essence, neither to him. If the house was as alive, he would want to see him...preferably to put him down for good. Or just to manage to get a hold of him first, before he found him... he wasn't sure if Shouki was even looking for him, but he couldn't rule anything out.

All of this undercut by bits of her life story...a mother seeing her son full of potential, but with sick urgers...urges which were encouraged by others...and in the end, she felt the best way to go and leave him behind. That was a heavy package to unravel, one he really didn't have the head to do right now. There was the question of how she got to be with the Daimyo in the first place, how their relations looked, how did she end up in his serve again...but he felt he wouldn't get the answers even if he provided, and they might not really lead to anything of interested. He doubts the Daimyo would share the secrets of how to kill him to a women he slept with over coffee... with a light sigh he would say "For what its worth I'm sorry...that it was you You don't strike me as a person ho really believes in fate...but from what I can piece together, you deserved better from life" he worried whether it sounded sincere or condescending but it was the truth. In spite of his genuine hate for what she did...he couldn't h,elp but feel sorry about the hand she was dealt with in life.

With all that out of the way she seemed intent on going down to business...by presenting a ring. He was tempted to comment jokingly about it but looking closer into the ring he found himself somewaht mesmerized by it, accepting it as she passed it to him. He had to learn a lot about the various minerals and metals to fully comprehend the abilities of his techniques, so he had a fair idea what this was. Enough at least to know this ring probably cost a fortune "You must be really serious about this huh? This ring alone seems fit for a king" he mused, focusing as she explained the actual clue of the task. And as much she tried to focus at some point it became a bit of a blue. he understood she needed the metallic box and set of pins and mechanics which would work with the five rings...a lockbox of sorts? It was the middle of the night, he was somewaht sleep and drained from the whole encounter, and bit too distracted by the rings, so he had no chance of catching all of it, observing the ring and noting the the...rather large gap in quality between them.

Rubbing his temple he would say "Ok, ok, to start of, what deadline would you have for this? Cause I sure as hell will need a bit of a slower explanation of all that...probably after a coffee...I assume you might not have the schematics of all you've just said written down for saftie's sake?" he asked matter of factly before saying "Though I guess we should step back a bit...since I would have a few questions about you...offering. I do have to admit, you had the right idea. I would like to meet Shouki again...but as you may guess, I dont intended to ever see him again if that meeting goes the way I would like...and I would need to ask about some details of this deal you offering, if that is fine with you?" The thing she was asking for seemed...harmless, for the most part. A stupdiyl secure lockbox, probably for the ring that he could honestly imagine people staring a war over with th erigth curcumstance... but he would ned to know just what she could offer him in full.

Mft

 

[Michi]

She was peeling back Harupia's layers. There was this layer, this rind made of the things he wants the world to see and the things that he believes he needs to show the world. It was something that everyone does, he was no exception. In the public eye he was agreeable, personable, socialable and kind. That was the man that he wanted the world to see, the face that he felt the world required of him. But beneath it all was a seething anger, it was seeping through the cracks in his surface. She was no better, this image of neutrality and indifference she endeavored to maintain when the truth of the matter is she was screaming just beneath the surface.

"Sunaku Harupia, you really seem to be overlooking the fact you broke into my house in the dead of night. most people tend to be somewaht cranky when getting up, and I reckon quite a few Shinobi here would not be as courteous to give you a warning shot as I did, but rather try and dispose of you the second they realized you were there. And given we are, for all intents and purposes in a state of War, it would be tricky to hold it against them. So ease off on the guilt-tripping ok?!"

"Then do not let me know that it bothers you," she replied with a characteristic coolness that might have come to irk him. A lesson in pain: hide better.

He took from her words that she was suggesting his parents. Another sore spot for him it would seem. "That was not my intended statement Sunaku Harupia," she replied simply before they moved on. She would come back to that point later. She picked him, not another Sunaku because she had a tie to her. One that was not what she had expected, but it changed nothing. He was useful to her and she was of use to him, a woman of deals and contracts, there was a preferencehe fulfilled.

He mentioned Jashinism and the Diamyo. Didn't he know? She gave him a befuddled look as she became slightly restless. "The entire Ishii Clan serve as Jashinist priests," she replied. That meant the Diamyo, Shouki, his legal-born children Sango and Susumu, every last one of them are Jashinists. He has not had a wife bear him children after his late former Hyuuga bride died during childbirth to his youngest daughter, Sango. None of them would die easily.

She had a story, every member of the Soverign and Cabal did -- it was easy to see every last one of them as monsters and fiends. As something that was not people and therefore not worthy of interaction because they felt wronged by one or by several. Despite the fact that this was the first time they had directly interacted, the perceptions of others, his own assumptions and preconceptions created this monstrous image. One she would never effectively dispurse, but she did not want to either. While it could be percieved as pennance, that was not it at all. In removing blame from oneself, that same blame has to be shifted to another. In removing blame, his eyes would no longer be on her. He would not make the efforts she needed him to because it would be fear, concern, trepidation and spite that compelled him almost like a seal except he would believe that he had a choice. "I don't require your pity," she replied. "I deserve..." her voice trailed off. She deserved a lot of things, but she had also been given some wonderful things as well. Things she did not earn. As bad as her life might have been, it could have been worst. She grew up in a rural village that had been destroyed during the maelstrom. Had she not been taken from her home as a child, endowed with the honor of being an Oracle - a designation then, not a choice that adults made, she would have died nameless and forgotten decades ago. Had she not been granted the privilege of surviving, meaning she spent her youth locked away in a library, the last of her kind after the Diamyo attacked her Order, she would have been dead. Carrying a child to term was not her choice and the monstrous creature that was birthed was not what she desired but she chose to leave him. She rejected him, it was no wonder he hated her and when he was old enough he not only hunted her but dragged her back to the prison of her youth. That she was sent to Sunagakure to learn the location of Orochi, the defenses of the village beyond those tunnels, the infastructure and the weaknesses within the leadership. That she was compelled to share what she knew with Nao's seals. However, nobody made her stay silent, to fail to warn the village of impending disaster. Nobody made her omit the fact that she knew the entire time a way out of the village. That was something she chose to do because she was afraid to die. Now that those seals were burned out of her... now that she was free... living seemed like a secondary concern.

She would show him the ring as well as a few others. Each of them had significance and any one of them was likely more valued than her very life.

"You must be really serious about this huh? This ring alone seems fit for a king."

She nodded to confirm. Yes, it was an exceptional piece but it was far from the most precious thing she owned.

"Ok, ok, to start of, what deadline would you have for this? Cause I sure as hell will need a bit of a slower explanation of all that...probably after a coffee...I assume you might not have the schematics of all you've just said written down for saftie's sake?"

"I had not drawn a schematic Sunaku Harupia," she replied as she slid a book from her sachel bag as well as a long, slender pen. "But I am capable," she claimed as she opened her book and flipped through several pages. There would be words, mostly in runic as well as inked pictures that graced almsot every page front and back. She would find a blank page near the back and she would grab the corner of the page with her pinched fingers and ripped. The page would rip simply and cleanly. She would start to draw the schematic image. It was very basic, she did not need to give any details beyond the dimensions. She would put this ultimately together, there would be some minor sodering, a safety measure to ensure if someone attempts to manipulate the lack with chakra rather than a key the lock would simply break and the contents it hid would be lost forever.

She would hand the finished picture over to the drowsy man once it was completed. He seemed to be ready to come to the table, to discuss terms. He clearly had something that she wanted for whatever reason and she seemed confidence that she could find something in her bag of tricks. "I will need these devices sooner than later, but let us discuss what you need from me before we get into the details of this contract."

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Harupia stared blankly at Michi after her responses before giving a chuckle as he said "Not sure if you messing with me at this point or if you're really that bad with social cues...but I guess keeping me guessing is part of your plan huh" at this point not really expecting an answer. While enigmatic women could be interesting to deal with he didn't quite have the head for it now. She just kept staring at him with the cold calculating face, trying or thinking she already had him all figured out... couldn't do much about that. Surprisingly she seemed the most surprised about his lack of knowledge about the Daimyo's family, making him click his tongue as he muttered: "of course... just great".

She, of course, scoffed at his attempt to comfort her, though she did seem to be at a slight loss of words after it. He couldn't help but wonder just what was going through her head, though she did admittedly do a better job at keeping things to her chest. Even while sharing her not to glamours past it seemed more focused on providing information that would interest him into listening to her plight and helping her. Maybe his perception was painted by his association with the Cabal...though the fact she broke in and figured all of this would be a better way than simply approaching him. This was a puzzle he could unravel in one night... the question was how much time he would have to do so.

He tried to glance through her note, recognizing the running language within the pages but not really having much time to linger on any given one. He watched her work over the empty sheet of paper, filling it up with the simple schematic and the explanations of it. Once the paper was slid to him he would mention "Hmph...this seems more like in Sosuke's wheelhouse... unless you figured something like this would be to travel for the Steward" making another joking remark while look at her, seeing if she would budge in any way. He knew enough that Sosuke and the current Kazekage had dealings with him. Maybe there was a chance this was just as much about her having something she thought he wanted, and not being able to make the offer to Sosuke?

Regardless he would say "Well, all things considered, your original offer holds some value for me...though at this point I think you can understand if, or when I meet you Son, the reunion will probably be somewaht volatile..So how would it work? Would you give me his location? Would you be able to tell him to come? If so, would be a place if you choose, or would this be up to his whims? Just what exactly can you offer in terms of arranging this meeting with him?" he asked, the negotiations officially underway as it were.

MFT

 

[Michi]

"Hmph...this seems more like in Sosuke's wheelhouse... unless you figured something like this would be to travel for the Steward"

Harupia mentioned Sousuke as a better choice to satisfy her want. In theory the Sunaku was right, Sousuke would likely make her anything she requested. It was not about getting the item she wanted, not entirely. "I wanted you," she admitted. She wanted him despite the potential risk, Sousuke was a non-risk, unlike breaking into a stranger's home in the dead of night and riling him in hopes of making a deal.

"Well, all things considered, your original offer holds some value for me...though at this point I think you can understand if, or when I meet you Son, the reunion will probably be somewaht volatile..So how would it work? Would you give me his location? Would you be able to tell him to come? If so, would be a place if you choose, or would this be up to his whims? Just what exactly can you offer in terms of arranging this meeting with him?"

"I would lure him to you," she claimed. "I know what he covets above all else," she explained. "So I can draw him out of hiding, exile or..." her voice trailed off. "Place of preparation," she took a deep breath and exhaled as she said that last phrase. "What happens after I draw him would be up to you," she concluded with a low voice. She knew what it meant, a fight and the Sunaku's likely demise. The Sunan was facing an immortal in a foolhardy attempt to exact what -- vengeance? It is hard to take revenge on someone that enjoys being the outlet or target of another's wrath. She did not expect him to be successful in his encounter with Shouki, but she did not need him to be. Victory or loss for the shinobi would prove to be a win for her. "Hopefully you can adequately prepare a setting for such a reunion." The words were ominous, but Harupia likely knew better than most the risk of facing off with this madman.

"My only concern is that you won't survive your encounter with my son, so I would insist that you create the articles I seek before I lure him to the location or venue of your choice," she admitted. It was the difference between the man and the sadist, one was immortal and the other was not. How was she going to lure him from hiding if she did not where he was? She would have to needle what she knew he wanted, what she presumed he desired and of course conveyed this over a medium that she believed he would overhear. For that, she would need to ask a favor of yet another person. The process of repaying one man often meant she was in debt with yet another. Who would she have to seek out? Good question, she was not entirely sure but it could not be Sousuke. She had been studying a few other intellectuals in the village, it was likely she was going to have to engineer a meeting with one or two. It was feasible.

"I will likely take me a few hours to secure the means to attract General Ishii, where and when would you like him?"

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

"Heh... those would be nice words to hear in pretty much any other situation... " he quipped again. Yes he would imagine in most cases hearing an attractive Shinobi explain something like that in the middle of the night in your bedroom would have quite pleasant connotations... but alas it was him and his luck he was dealing with... He gave out a mental sigh as he berated himself to focus, though this was making him feel a bit more miserable than he probably should... what a shocker someone like him felt bad when they were lonely.

He mulled over her next words, a bitter chuckle coming from his lips. Ever the confidence in his abilities was she. He couldn't really blame her, after all, one encounter had him give Shouki a crush on him, the other he was trashed pretty decisively. Why did he even want this in the first place? Vengeance for what he did to the village, to him and Sosuke was one thing... perhaps testing his mantle, proving that he could defend the village in a time of need? That too... and just the fact that he wanted this person gone. A nonfactor, either to the Sovergin army or in his life in general. The fact he seemed to be truly immortal, surviving the last battle he had heard was quite a feat...but it did prove something else.

He was still human. Well, above human as any Shinobi, perhaps a step beyond, but not invulnerable. He cant die for good it seemed, but he can be knocked down. He'd just need to find a way to ensure he'd have... a lot of trouble getting up once knocked over. After a bit, he would say "I assumed you'd want that anyways, hang the meeting with him like a little treat as I worked on the thing. Though you timetable seems pretty fast...I can see myself doing all this in a couple of hours but I'm not sure how you'd manage to lure him here in less than a day... Unless he's closer than Id like to imagine..." he paused just thinking about that, half expecting him to break through the wall with a shit-eating grin...he shook his head before saying "Just one more question... I assume you'd wish this deal of our to remain a secret? Cause I'm certain I'm not the only one who'd be interested in the fact the Daimyo's son is actually walking around all fine and dandy?" Her request was nothing too out of the ordinary...an elaborate lockbox. He assumed she wouldn't go through all this trouble if she didn't care about who knew about this, but he wasn't sure...and he needed some time to figure out just where he'd want to set up this meeting.

Mft

 

[Michi]

"Heh... those would be nice words to hear in pretty much any other situation... "

Something is only funny if it is true...

Poor lonesome Harupia, he was not really the lucky sort in terms of love. Well, the lasting kind at the very least. Everyone has their tribulations and the Sunaku would prove to be no different. For him it was the crushing sense of loneliness most feel, but for him something he perceived as being unique to him. Most people are in fact lonesome, uncertain and self-depreciating, hardly a unique circumstance but sometimes the truth is in perception. There is always something more to have, something better, something that another person has allegedly achieved, earned or stumbled upon that makes them 'better' but amazingly enough they are still miserable, fearful of losing what they have most fail to ever enjoy it. Paranoid that it was never theirs to have. Humans are such unfortunate and sad creatures. "I am hardly the sort that would keep a man like you interested for long," she admitted.

"I assumed you'd want that anyways, hang the meeting with him like a little treat as I worked on the thing. Though you timetable seems pretty fast...I can see myself doing all this in a couple of hours but I'm not sure how you'd manage to lure him here in less than a day... Unless he's closer than Id like to imagine..."

"I lack the cruelty to dangle ambition before you like a carrot on a string," Michi replied. Effective, yes but in the end it would not greatly increase her chances of getting what she wanted if he resented her for it in the process. What she has done thus far could be forgiven. what is that adage -- it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. At least for some things like breaking into a bedroom in the dead of night to make a deal. "Time... I still have weeks of, but time for me is very much a finite commodity I am afraid." She did not know exactly where he was, if she knew that then she would have simply told Harupia where to find him. No, Shouki was going to have to find Harupia if he wanted the former Cabalist to crawl from the underbelly of this country. Yes, she believed that he was still in the country, Shouki had a presence to him that was hard to miss and in a city that did not know him enough to restrain his proclivities. It was likely he was in Sunagakure, Soons Haven or Sora with an associate of Ishii Shiro's until his strength was fully regained. "He is likely near," she confirmed. He is also impulsive. His greatest weakness.

"Just one more question... I assume you'd wish this deal of our to remain a secret? Cause I'm certain I'm not the only one who'd be interested in the fact the Daimyo's son is actually walking around all fine and dandy?"

Then came the details. "That depends on your why" Michi replied simply. A question Harupia was going to have to ask himself eventually. "Are you pursuing Shouki to bring him to justice or are you doing this to sate something in your nature," she asked a question she did not require a response to. She did not need the answer, Harupia did. This was one of those moments that would define him as a man and as a monster. "Sharing all you know is your choice, once information is yours... it is your responsibility and burden to disseminate... or not." So he could do what he wanted with what he knew without consequence. What could she do to stop him? Nothing and she realized that, she was not going to share anything with him that she was unprepared to see repeated.

It would appear that he would be able to facilitate her need rather quickly. That would mean that she would have to make good on her end of the deal as well. It was time for her to go. "It would appear that a contract between us has been made," she would announce. "I will seek the means to attract Shouki to your home within a few days time. Please be prepared for... disturbing images," she warned him as she stood up and gave the Sunaku a polite bow. "I thank you for your time."

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

(leaving topic)