Homeward bound. [Entering Village]

[Himura Kiyoko]

It had been a long day, a very long day. I wanted nothing more than to just go home and take a long rest. But first, paperwork. Oh yes, the paperwork.

I approached the gates to the village; tired, confused, frustrated, and overall not really paying much attention to anything except the thought of a good night's sleep. It had been a few hours at most, but it felt like I had been gone for days, maybe even months. How did I manage to get so unbelievably tired? Oh well...

I stopped just short of the entrance to the village and looked around for the nearest guard. "Hello? I'm home..." I called out, hoping that the guard would make the process quick. I was ever so slightly impatient right now.

 

[Tsukino Dante]

NPC - "You Know Who"

Cloud Chuunin​

A cloaked and masked figure emerged from the gates, his obscuring outfit made him all but unrecognizable, and his mask concealed any emotion on his face (although it could be assumed that it was not needed). The figure paused for a moment before speaking in an unsettling, yet familiar voice:

"Welcome back, Acolyte Himura. Travel papers and passport, please?"

 

[Himura Kiyoko]

It was him... it was Shiro. I knew that voice, I remembered when it used to be a lot less... flat.

I hadn't seen much of my adoptive brother since my genin exam, he always managed to avoid me whenever I really wanted to talk to him. It really annoyed me sometimes! Just why does he do that to me? I guess I wouldn't understand it (if there was anything to understand, which part of me doubted).

I reached into my belt pouch and retrieved a temporary passport, I handed the paper off to him; I wanted to ask him where he had been, why we couldn't spend more time together, when he could take a break from his work... but I knew asking now would only result in him denying me. I didn't want to admit it, but it was true.

"Have you been well, Brother Himura?" I asked as he took the paper from me, even if he was distant to me I wished him well, which made his coldness all the more painful. But still, if he would talk to me for a little while, just a few words, that would be enough for me. I still didn't have my hopes up very much but I still had to try. Better to suffer denial then wonder what could have been. That was how I justified it.

I stood there, waiting for him to check my passport or answer my question. Either way, I had no doubt he'd be sending me on my way soon. Maybe that was a good thing overall. I was pretty tired.

WC: 264

 

[Tsukino Dante]

There was a pause as Shiro looked over the paper, but eventually he did speak up:

"I have been training, as usual. I've been trying to learn different styles of jutsu, versatility is important for a shinobi." he said in his usual, flat tone. He was being rather chatty today, over the past few months he seemed to average (maybe) a few sentences per day, so him taking the time to answer was actually kinda a big deal.

"You may enter the village. Keep up the good work." he said, handing the paper back. One small puff of smoke later and the young priest disappeared back into the shadows.


[Entry Granted, Topic Left]

 

[Himura Kiyoko]

He actually answered!!!

Okay, I was making a bigger deal of it than I should have, but still! The part of me that believed that Shiro had a setting other than 'depressingly uncaring' was appropriately affirmed.

Still, he didn't stick around, and as soon as I was cleared to enter the village he was gone. Disappointing, but it was still a small step forward between us. I knew Shiro was a good person, he was just too stuck up to admit it to himself sometimes!

With the paperwork and chance encounter over, I made my way into the village and towards my apartment. Nap time!

... I hope I don't have any nightmares.

[Village Entered, Topic Left]