Just a cup of tea [Open]

Uka · Jul 12, 2017

Click, click, the sound of her heels touching the floor resonated through the area as the young woman slowly made her way through the streets. The sight of the ashen-haired appeared to be quite interesting to the locals as a few heads turned in her direction, following her as she disappeared into the crowd. Her piercing blue eyes darted from person to person as her ever-present smile greeted anyone who would look towards her.

She had opted to forgo her usual combat apparel in favour of something a little bit more, well casual in the form of a rather simple white business suit and skirt combo with a black shirt and white heels. It was nothing special at all, but for those who understood clothing it would be rather apparent this was not some cheap knock-off. Her ashen hair swayed from side over her, reaching well below her waist, before it suddenly became still, its owner having finally chosen a spot to stop at. It was a rather simple cafe, considering where she was at least, with a single free table in the table. A waiter would quickly appear out of nowhere, gesturing for her to take a seat and so she did. ”Thank you.” Natsuru would lightly nod her head, her smile growing for a brief second. ”Could I have a cup of Genmaicha tea, please? Thank you!” She would order without even looking at the menu. The waiter would place his right hand over his heart as he briefly half-bowed before quickly walking away from the table and leaving her in peace.

A few minutes later the waiter would return, leaving a rather rustic-looking porcelain cup on the table alongside a relatively simple piece of cake on a similarly rustic porcelain plate. The man would half-bow once more before disappearing once more, leaving the woman to her thoughts and the passing crowd of people. In a way it was a rather tranquil place, just her, the cup of tea and the sea of strangers......

[Topic entered/started]

Takahashi Aki · Jul 13, 2017

The Diamond District. One of the very few places Sousuke despised being in. Today he found himself in a cafe of sorts. For some strange reason Lady Haku Tomoko wanted to meet with him. Sousuke was very dubious of the intents of the woman who was Akamichi Nobu's now ex-wife. The snooty woman was probably trying to get Sousuke to make amends of her relationship to her husband. The Kazekage looked about for her and did not find her present. He was approached by one of the servers. "Lord Takahashi." He began, "Lady Tomoko apologizes but she will not be present today. She left you this note." Sousuke took the envelop and stared at it. His name was spelt wrong and there was an A missing in his surname. Nobu was a stalwart support of Sousuke. His wife? Well it couldn't be anything further from the opposite. "Sir, we would like to partake in your patronage. We do owe you for the time you came by and fixed our machinery." Sousuke seemed to be at a pause of sorts. "Please sir. I insist."

"If you say so." Sousuke would submit. He did not like taking free things. While he was indeed the leader of the village, he contributed to their resources not take away from it for his own benefit. It was quite clear there was a form of discomfort on Sousuke's face. Sousuke was seated quickly enough and given a menu. He looked at it and looked back to the waiter. "Uh... I will need a few moments." Sousuke was a man not used to the ... higher end of things. He looks over the menu and all the teas present. Some of them he had never heard of before. He looked to the side noticing that Natasuru had been given a cup of tea. Being the Kazekage he knew most people but her face was not something present in his grand mind palace. Kazuki had yet to reveal to him his sister had come to Sungakure. "Excuse me..." He began, "Would you recommend what you're drinking? Or is it an acquired taste?"

Uka · Jul 15, 2017

Natsuru would lean back in her chair, placing her left hand around the cup as she enjoyed the gentle heat radiating from it. Her eyes would continue wandering through the crowd as she studied the Sunan people. While they were still humans it was not that surprising to see that there were differences between them and the Konohans she was so used to. It was true that she had spent a lot of time in this country herself it was not a time she remembered very well at all, as such most of her memories were of better times in a whole different world in a way. Before everything went to crap and everyone she ever knew or cared for went missing in action post that little,,,,, destruction of massive proportions.

No. Those weren't the best thoughts for now. The woman would click her tongue before brushing a strand of ashen hair away from her face. She would glance away from the crowd just in time to notice the approaching man, an unfamiliar face for sure though that wasn't very surprising. Everybody was an unfamiliar face nowadays. "Genmaicha tea?" Natsuru would glance down to the cup for a few moments before looking up to Sousuke.

"I suppose it might be a bit of an acquired taste for somebody from Suna." The woman would shrug ever so slightly, giving the stranger a light smile. "It was a fairly common drink back where I hail from, though that might have changed now." Her smile would grow bitter for a few brief moments as she adjusted herself in her seat, turning her body ever so slightly so that she would face the man, a gesture likely to go unnoticed by many. "I would say it has a strong aroma and a fairly strong taste for a green tea. It does also go quite well with some rice crackers for certain. I would wholeheartedly suggest giving it at least a little bit of a try. I could treat you to a cup if you'd like?"

Takahashi Aki · Jul 17, 2017

Sousuke's mind would process the details of the tea being described to him. Clearly it was imported, and the woman revealed that as she spoke of where she hailed from. She did not give the location yet, but she said that it might have changed. Sousuke would run his thumb of his right hand across the palm of his left hand and he would rub his palm accordingly. "You're from one of the two places. Either you are from Leaf or you are from Mist." He analyzed. "Change of course being the key word, you said it might have changed now. As far as I know Mist is still frozen and Leaf's civil war reached a conclusion, or so I've heard. News travels, but the total accuracy of it is another thing entirely." He clapped his hands together. "I drink usually a cinnamon coffee or cactus coffee. The latter of the two may sound outlandish but it is something." He explained.

The lady turned her seating position to turn to Sousuke. Her body language would indicate that he was now the focus of her attention. "Treat me?" He shook his head, "Ah. No. I could not." The Kazekage would explain he inclined his head forward a bit, "This cafe ... is allowing me to have an on-the-house meal of sorts." Sousuke would indeed motion for the same waiter to return to him now. "I believe I will indeed try a cup of Genmaicha tea." The waiter nodded and made a remark of 'we have a fine brew sir'. Sousuke would nod his head. He would return to the menu. He continued to look over a series of names that had weird accents put on them for no real purpose. The Kazekage once given his tea would get up from his current table to move over to sit with the curious lady. He would stir the tea a bit before taking a sip from it. He closed his eyes and because to make his assessment. Indeed it had a strong taste, but not overpowering. It was ... it wasn't bad at all. Quite nice. He looked at the cup and tilted it. "My name is Sousuke if you were wondering."

Uka · Jul 17, 2017

Natsuru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the corners of her lips curled up even further for a few brief moments, giving her more of a devilish smile. Something that her brother would find completely normal, yet also something that she tended to avoid showing outside of situations where she knew nobody would live to tell the tale. "You are quite the detective, aren't you?" The woman would ask rhetorically, eyeing the Kazekage up and down without making even the slightest attempt to hide it. She wasn't one for such trifle things after all. "I was born in Konoha yes. Before that little, well rather huge incident wiped if off the face of the map for a while. I do miss my work there from time to time, but I have yet to confirm the rumours of it popping up once again. Maybe that is something to do in the future, however that seems to be quite the ways away." Natsu would pause, cutting a small piece of the cake with a rather small fork and popping it into her mouth. "I can't say that I have had either of those, but I assume they have a sweetish taste to them, correct?" She would ask as a way of keeping the conversation going. She knew what cactus water tasted like, but when it came to it being used in drinks? Not a clue.

"Oh on the house? Considering the overall district then you must be quite the famous individual, or at least somebody in a position of power. Not that the two are not somewhat interchangeable based on how you wield either... advantage." Natsuru would make her own guess. She knew the man by name from her brother, but the two had never really met, though that had changed rather quickly. The woman would gesture for him to take a seat across from her as he stood up to join her. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sousuke. She would offer a brief nod of her head."My name is Natsuru, a former doctor."

Takahashi Aki · Jul 20, 2017

Natsuru made the remark that Sousuke was quite the detective, "Among other things." He would answer. The Kazekage would listen to the woman provide him with her origin story. It was difficult to gauge her age. Unfortunately Sousuke did not know when exactly the war ended, nor did he know when it began. The lady mentioned her work and how she missed it. Yes, there was something to be said about how one needed work to keep their life rolling along. There was a peace of it in a way, but for some the usual daily affairs in life could consist of war. Others of the morally insane type could say that their lives were made up of murder and thievery. Sousuke in a way was thankful that his daily routine did not involve those. No, his days were made up of meetings all across Sungakure. He was the Kazekage but he was a man of utility who enjoyed helping most people.

"Of the two cinnamon coffee is sweeter. Cactus coffee is ... well, most people apply copious amounts of cream to balance the strong flavour that it presents one. It's known to re-establish one's senses quite quickly as well, which is another reason why they dilute it with cream." He explained as he sipped the tea. He swirled the contents around in his mouth and listened to her spoke of his status. She claimed him to be famous. "I'm not a famous person. Fame is something ... that is very tiring and boring." Sousuke relaxed in his chair. "Power and fame can have a strange ... relationship called infamy. A bad reputation is something most people ... aside from the morally insane try to avoid having." He swirled the contents of the tea cup before sipping from it again. Again he listened to her. Sousuke was very good at listening to others. She provided him with her profession. "Medical doctor? Scholarly doctor? ... or a psychiatrist? " He would ask of her. He paused for a moment, "Ignore the middle choice. Most professors like to remind people of their title, which ... for some strange reason professors like to ... refer to their title more often than doctors do." The face she was a doctor had kept Sousuke a little bit on the edge. He was not a man who kept the best care of himself, no far from it really. At this point in time, Sousuke had shifted himself in his seat trying to hide his metallic arm. His feet? Well, they were metal too now but they could have been easily mistaken for shoes.

Uka · Jul 22, 2017

"I see." She would note, briefly nodding her head. "I will need to give them a try at some point. They might be interesting to at least try once." Natsuru would quickly add to her previous remark, making a mental note to actually consider doing what she said. They might be interesting drinks to try after a hunting session, much like green teas were. She would slowly raise her cup, taking a sip from her drink before gently lowering it back down and resting her hands, one over another on the table in front of herself. It was safe to say that Sousuke had an interesting definition of fame and power, however there was another interesting thing to note in their conversation so far, namely that neither of them had given their surname. In a world where that is customary it was interesting to say the least in one of these situations. Her smile would briefly grow at that thought, but would quickly be hidden behind her more neutral one even if it never really left her expression.

"That is an interesting view. Most people would be willing to do quite a lot for even a brief amount of either fame or power. Far more than should even be considered really." Natsu would shrug, her smile shifting to a smirk. "Some would even argue that infamy is a very useful tool in some situations, the morally insane as you dubbed them tend to use this to their advantage. I mean just look at the history of dictators and cartels in the world. Most of them were ruled by such infamous people, but that is a topic for a very different time I would say. Going down that deep, dark rabbit hole is not exactly for the faint of heart or belief." The medic would once more bring her cup up, savouring the flavour and allowing her conversation partner ample time to respond.

As the kage shifted in his seat following his own question, Natsuru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow very briefly. "I was a doctor once, but I can't say that I have actively practiced my craft in a very long time at this point." She would note, glancing away from him and up to the sky in thought. " Would have been well over two years at this point in the very least. And I do have to say that it has been somewhat pleasant to take a break from all those shinobi-related incidents. As cruel as disease can be it does not even come close to the amount of purposeful and directed cruelty a human being can cause to another." The medic would glance down to her own arms. She remembered how agonising the modifications to her body had been and she did know it was all her own choice. Heck she even understood her brother had hated putting them in, but the servants of Fate caused so much agony and chaos around the world in ways similar to how her modifications were put in just for the fun of it. (I'm fairly sure that sentence is quite grammatically incorrect). "My apologies for shifting the topic in a grim direction. Sadly Fate holds no kindness for the poor souls calling themselves shinobi." Natsu would note, looking back to Sousuke. "Mind if I inquire as to what your occupation is? You don't need to answer if you do not want to.

Takahashi Aki · Jul 26, 2017

The usual question of his profession came up. Sousuke seemed to always find himself being asked this question and like always he had a long list. "Blacksmith. Consulting Detective. Book keeper for various companies. Auditor. Financial Advisor. Head Journeyman." He began to name them off one by one, "Marriage counselor but not very good at that. Technician of various machines. Guardian Protectorate of the Realm, and last but not least the Kazekage." He answered. It was a very long one and a very tiring one at that. Sousuke was a jack of all trades in many things, and in some respect he was a master of them. He sipped his tea once more and ordered a tiered cookie tray, which was the least expensive item on the sweets section of the menu. He would eye her for a moment. "I am Takahashi Sousuke, the third of my name. Son of Takahashi Judori and Masashi Chiyoko. The first Kazekage not to be a Sunahoshi, but a Takahashi." He did not expect her to understand what the latter of the statement had said. Would she give him her full name and titles? Well time would tell.

The tray of cookies would arrive and Sousuke in a strange motion wanted the server bringing them to have a couple. He was given an odd look before the server partook of it. He would motion for Natsuru to help herself as well. Sousuke sank into his chair slightly as his mind replayed the whole concept of dictatorships. The ultimate truth of it all, was perhaps one of the most frustrating things. The truth being that his family wasn't really appointed to be the Steward of the ruling family. He took the mantle of Kazekage because it had to be done. Katsuo had abdicated the title and ruling position.

Sousuke's mind snapped back to order as she spoke of mankind being the cruelest animal. She was right about that. The Daimyo was in fact a living testament of that. He had engineered the event to kill the last Sunahoshi Kazekage. He had killed that Kazekage's brother and had him resurrected to be a zombie who maintained the "Man is the cruelest animal." He spoke out loud this time. It was something that made him grow doubtful at times. Ancients were cruel animals as well, but no Ancient would ever see themselves as an animal except for Mikaboshi who in his truest of forms was most wolf like. Suna herself did not have an animal appearance, it was more humanoid really. "It's okay. Sometimes these talks are required to get it out of one's mindset. Sometimes they're needed to ... remind us what we must not become." He suggested. He finally reached forward and took hold of one of the cookies. He broke it in two, and curiously dipped one of the pieces into his tea. He was experimenting. Well, it was worthy trying something new.

Uka · Jul 29, 2017

"Quite the list of titles." She would note, raising an eyebrow for a brief moment before taking another sip from her glass of tea. It was indeed an impressive list, with the most impressive one left for the end alongside his full name. An ally. That is how her brother had described him and as such he was no servant of Fate. Kazuki wouldn't refer to one as an ally and she knew she could trust her brother's judgment in these matters. He was a demon hunter once just as she was. "Ah so you are the ally my brother spoke of." Natsu would note, adjusting herself in her seat ever so slightly before taking yet another sip from her tea. Her smile would subside for a brief moment as she considered how to respond exactly. After a few moments things would return to just as they had been, her smile as ever-present as always. "I suppose it is only courteous if I respond in kind. My full name is Senju Natsuru. I do believe you are already well-acquainted with my brother, Kazuki." The former medic would note extending her left hand towards the kage in a handshake gesture.

"Rather surprising to bump into you in a place such as this. I was expecting a kage would be stuck in their office with piles upon piles of paperwork to fill out, nary having a time to relax from it. Maybe I was overthinking things in that regard." She would state with a light chuckle as she reached over and took one of the cookies before taking a small bite from it. A strange taste. No that was the wrong word for it. Different. As most of the cuisine in this rather different land. Then again why was this even a surprise. It was a whole new world in a way, especially from the point of view of a foreigner even if she had spent quite a while in the area at this point. "I suppose the normal restaurants are nowhere near as luxurious as this cafe. Makes me wonder how differently cookies like these would actually taste when bought from a normal shop." The woman would note in a completely unrelated topic once more, clearly jumping around for a reason.

Takahashi Aki · Aug 8, 2017

When Natsuru spoke of an ally, he figured out what she meant the moment she spoke the surname. The Kazekage quietly ran through the library that was his mind. Kazuki did not speak of his sister. He phased out for a moment and returned right when she offered him her hand. "Oh. Yes." He took her by the hand and shook it. He said nothing, "He's never spoken to me of you before." He spoke quietly as he was trying to figure out in his head what saves he would need to make. It was entirely possible he had insulted this woman and would need to do the necessary so as to not anger. "I'm certain there is good reason for that... your brother is a man with a lot on his shoulders. He was perhaps trying to keep you safe." He offered. He thought about making a compliment, but decided not to because ... well appearances are one that one truly does try to keep up. He hesitated for the moment, he raised his hand and his mouth opened, but he quickly enough stopped himself.

She spoke of how she did not expect him to be here. He didn't quite take offense to the remark, "Being stuck in the office all day is not good for one's health mentally or physically. I go to aid those who need it, rather than those who need aid come to me." He spoke with a certain unknown emotion. Was it pride? Was it certainty? That was an unknown. He looked back at her with a blank look in his eyes. Sousuke's eyes were black sclera with yellow irises. It was an uncommon colour to say the least. "I was supposed to meet one of my nobles here, but she did not come. She cancelled last minute which ... led me to this odd situation I am in." He tapped his fingers on the table now. "I'm not sure what your brother has told you about me aside from the ally part." There were many things. The fact Sousuke while smart in some things and was mentally challenged in others? He wondered if Kazuki knew that. He must have known that considering how he had several of those long pauses that seemed to drag on forever.

Uka · Aug 14, 2017

The young woman would note the silence, taking her time to observe Sousuke for any slight change in expression. It seemed like her name was unexpected and that didn't surprise her really. Her brother was fairly secretive in his ways from time to time. Heck absolutely all of the time with his track record. "I cannot exactly say that surprises me." She would shrug, pausing for a moment herself as she arranged her next words carefully. "After Konoha fell I ended up being... inconvenienced and was lost in action for an extended period of time. It is quite possible nii-san thought I was dead after he couldn't find me. Considering everybody I called friends once is gone." The former medic would let out a light huff, taking another pause to get some old and fond memories out of the way. "Grim topics again... you wanted to say something?" She would add, moving away from that little thought. Not a pleasant one for her at all. Fate would eventually pay for everything he had done to all her friends and the village. Though she was patient. Fate was ageless after all and she had quite some spring left in her step.

Natsuru would quickly quiet down as the Kage began his little recollection of having a can tied and his engagement being brushed off. It really wasn't surprising to see a noble pull something of the sort. She had had little interaction with the... ahem higher classes and every single encounter had been an absolute pain in her neck, whether it ranged from pestering brats to the richest person she had ever met haggling to reduce her pay after the work had already been done. Safe to say the latter hadn't ended well... for him at least. A very slight smirk would grace her lips at the thought, but would quickly disappear into her light smile. "I understand the feeling quite well. My interactions with people of the higher class have been... interesting. None of them really pleasant. Being haggled down on bounties for example... back in the day that is." The woman couldn't help but add air quotes around the word higher, her dislike clearly showing.

"Frankly. Very little. As I am sure you are more than aware my brother is a man of very few words. Very few. Can't say I dislike that part of him." Her light smile would grow into a light grin as she sat ever so slightly forward in her chair, leaning closer to her companion. "Worried about the little unknown variable in your equation that my presence has brought up?" Natsu couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her own remark. "Don't worry I am not a part of the business anymore. Haven't been for a while and don't have any real plans or reasons to take it up once more. That is unless nii asks me to do something for him." The last was added more as a little joke even if she was very serious about it. The cards were now on the table so to speak. How would his expression change? Oh she couldn't wait.

Takahashi Aki · Aug 20, 2017

There was some tension to be had, but most of it was being dispelled as he listened to Natsuru of her experiences with nobles. A small smile would emerge for a moment as she used air quotes when she spoke of dealing with snooty individuals who haggled her down on her bounty. "Back in the day. That's a ... unique phrase to use. You're Kazuki's younger sister, and thus your back in the day is well ... I'm certainly not question your seasoned adventures in life." He again sipped on his tea. "My grandmother gives me a very hard look when I used the phrase back in my day. I suppose the amusing part in all of this is that even as young people our experiences topples the others who give us jobs from time to time." He explained, or at the very least he tried to explain it so.

When she asked if she caused him to worry that about her presence, he considered it for a moment. He rubbed his chin with his metallic hand and looked at her. She admitted she would not be an actual operative in the field, but that was only part advantageous. "Not entirely true." He would speak lowly. He lowered the hand rubbing his chin and tapped the table. "Family is an interesting thing. They can be used against one as a weakness, and such exploitations have occured. You see although you do not consider yourself a part of the game, you still are considered part of the game by others. In that others could ... ransom you which would cause some concern for your brother, and then myself by proxy." He tapped the desk a bit more, now. "Yes, I am an ally of your family and by extension I too would be in a position of having to secure you accordingly should such a thing occurs." It was somewhat difficult to imagine Natsuru being a damsel in distress but ... the enemies they were dealing with were very powerful people indeed. On the flip side, Natsuru could be rescuing him in the future. It was an entertaining concept. The wheels were indeed turning in his head. "You love your brother and you will do anything for him, but aside from being your brother is the head of your clan." He wondered for a moment. He tapped his fingers together again. Kazuki enjoyed his plans. He did indeed expected his sister to become part of something.

Uka · Oct 29, 2017

"Not the best phrase to use." She would briefly nod, her smile growing slightly. "Comparatively that phrase has a different meaning to me than it does to somebody who has seen a fair few summer more, though I am not quite as young as I wish to be anymore." Natsuru would chuckle, leaning ever so slightly forward. "At the end of the day our experiences set us appart. Somebody who has lived a life of luxury would never know the life of a shinobi and frankly most shinobi would never really know what a calm life is like." She would shrug yet again, leaning back into her seat, and raise her cup for yet another sip of her tea.

The former medic would grow quiet, listening carefuly as Sousuke had brought up something she had considered, but had written off quite early on. Sure people might realise she had some form of connection to Kazuki as they did seem alike, but they were no twins. There was enough difference between the two for them to appear more as mere clanmates rather than bother and sister. []b["That is a fair point. And One I have taken care of in a way. Right now there is a grand total of three people who know who I am and I do intend to keep it that way. That would be nii-san, yourself and Roku."[/b] The kunoichi would raise three finders, touching each of them with the index finger of her other hand as she listed somebody. Her smile would quickly grow into a wolfish grin. "As much as I would love to stay away from the... fun, I doubt my brother would let me do so. Hence a player outside the game boundary would be beneficial at the end of the day, though that brings up other problems such as trust. After all the newly entered the field is a huge unkown, especially with former ties to another village. A medic from leaf is a rare thing after all."

Takahashi Aki · Nov 6, 2017

Sousuke would give what was best described as a look of surprise when Natsuru spoke of Roku. There was a long pause from Sousuke as he considered the situation at hand. Roku and Kazuki were not really on the best of terms. The second thing was that here he was having tea with Natsuru without having an angry Roku go on about having met with Kazuki's sister and how she was perhaps not the most trustworthy individual. "Your brother and Roku aren't always on the best of terms. Tell me how did your meeting with him, being Roku, go?" He would inquire showing a great deal of interest in this meeting. In his mind, he had an image of Roku holding back several remarks to fire off at Kazuki about his sister, until he wanted or until he needed to.

"Most medics are rare yes, but one from Konoha? Rarer indeed. You are the fourth person from Konoha I have met outside from your brother, Zenichi of your clan, and your cousin Nagato." He revealed. He sipped his tea and looked to her. Well, this was the first lady he had met from Konoha. Unlike her brother and cousins she did something that the others did not, being that she was smiling. Her smile would change overtime and become like that of a wolf. Natsuru unlike her brother certainly had maybe more character than her brother? It was something most refreshing? Well the fact was that she was smiling at him with a particular fierce nature had him slightly concerned. It made him think of Akkuma and his ilk. Sousuke would blink at her as he was fully coming to terms with this. He would tap his fingers together as he looked at her in an attempt to make up his mind truly. "Your brother has had some difficult things happen to him which has shaped him. Your hair colours are very different. Is there anything that I should be aware of which contributed to such a difference?" He asked. Kazuki had his chilling presence, and he wondered what Natsuru had anything of the sort.

Uka · Nov 7, 2017

The young woman couldn't help but let out a huff in surprise at the sudden change in the Kage. As far as she had seen he wasn't really one to react to things on the outside and this clearly was enough to do so. She had heard that her brother and Roku weren't exactly on the best of terms, but he had helped her either way. Heck he was her mentor. Yeah that isn't going to be easy to explain. Well she just had to follow the conditions. "Quite alright I would say. Though he is rather hands on. Heck a little bit too rough really." She would glance up at the sky, her smile changing into a conceited smirk. "He really wore my body out. I was sore for days." This was going to cause a huge misunderstanding and that was absolutely hilarious in her mind.

The medic would divert her gaze back to Sousuke, her smile returning to normal, as if nothing had happened. "To be frank you have met the only people who I know have survived the...events...I would love to say that some of my friends survived, but I have yet to see anything to show that they have Unfortunately everything points to them having gone the way of the Dodo." She would shrug lightly, letting out a prolonged sigh. Natsuru would slowly raise her cup of tea, finishing the little that was left in her cup before placing it back down on the table gently. "I wouldn't go as far as saying very different, but yes our eye colour is quite different for sure." She would nod, continuing quickly. "I did have a darker skin colour once, raven-black hair as well, but that is a thing in the past." The kunoichi would note, her smile disappearing as she placed her hand across the table in front of herself, her elbow bent at a ninety degree angle. She would the slowly begin rolling her sleeve up to roughly midway up her forearm, revealing a pair of gruesome scars running along the length of her forearm. The two seemed like they had failed to heal properly multiple times, scar tissue contrasting heavily against her pale and fair complexion.

"I can't say how much you know of my brother's past, but I would say that our childhoods were fairly similar, mine being a bit harsher in some ways and yet much, much nicer in others." Her expression would soften once more, her smile appearing once again as if nothing had happened. "Hope you don't mind, but it's not something I'd really talk about without him here to approve. Nothing personal. I don't mind answering about myself. No issues there, but overall to sum it up it is a result of heritage, mistakes, overconfidence and ever more mistakes. Nii-san ended up dealing with it in a different way than I did and frankly I don't know who fared better." Natsu would pause for another moment."Being either jaded or warped is not a good choice." She would shrug once more, leaning back in her chair. "Does that answer your question?"

[MFT]

Takahashi Aki · Nov 8, 2017

Natsuru would outline her experience with Roku, had this been a Takahashi Sousuke of three or more years ago he might have had a different understanding of things. He sat there and thought about it. The point of what she was saying was that she wanted him to take this in one of two contexts. The first being that she wanted him to take this in the context that she had a very heart workout with Roku. The second was that she had fornicated with Roku. Judging by her facial expression the idea was that she wanted him to understand what she had said in the later of the two situations. Sousuke would merely nod his head at her. Yes. Yes. This was all for a good laugh, or that was the idea of it at the very least.

Kazuki was more of a stoic than his sister was, it made Sousuke truly consider the number of times he saw the Senju Overlord smile. Natsuru was very much in control of her facial expressions. She was quite capable of swapping from a very amused person, to a neutral person very quickly. He wondered if Kazuki's cousin Nagato was subject to this as well. Nagato while a cousin was more sibling like and more akin to Kazuki than Natsuru was. She did bring up a good point about the people he had met were sole survivors. He bore witness to her scars. Sousuke never quite got to see Kazuki's scars. There was a long history there. It made him wonder what happened at the time, and then what had happened in the aftermath. The concept of her arms on healing fully was of some concern. He wondered if it was a personal choice of hers to have them this way. "Is the idea that these scars are reminder of your mistakes?" The question was more because Sousuke kept his scars as they were reminders of his own mistakes. Each scar was a lesson learned. He had a few of them but his body was not covered or riddled in them. He considered her final remarks of being jaded or warped. "No. Being warped or jaded is not a good choice." He repeated more for himself than for Natsuru. His shoulders slumped. "Everything we have ever done, it will happen again and again and again. Time is a flat circle." He spoke. The phrase had become a mantra of sorts for him. He poked at his own forehead with his index finger, and rubbed it. "It answers it in part, however, I think I think I am in a position to figure out the rest that I need to. I have some bits of your brother's past." The purple haired man would wondered for a moment what it was truly like to have blood siblings. Sousuke had a 'spiritual' brother as it were, but he was an only child. "You're welcome to ask me a question within good reasonable limitation, should you wish."

Uka · Nov 8, 2017

She couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of her keeping the scars on purpose as a memory. Then again it is very likely that it seemed like it was. The idea of what they actually were wouldn't actually cross anybody's mind. Natsuru would slowly roll her sleeve back down, covering her markings. "Both yes and no. It's more due to constant use rather than any desire to keep them around. If anything my... never mind. It's the result of augmentation that I no longer require, but still use from time to time." She would explain finally. The idea of mentioning that her brother considered them his mistakes. Maybe it was something he would know eventually, however this wasn't exactly something she wanted to disclose. Not yet. If Kazuki wanted to, sure. However there was time and as much as she trusted his word she was no ally to the kage, not yet at least.

"Interesting idea, fairly correct really. Fate does have his own ways to mess with things." The former medic would note. At the end of the day Fate has his nasty mitts in absolutely every pie. All of them. "That is quite alright. Can't say that I am much of the curious sort and observations can lead to quite an interesting puzzle to unravel. Wouldn't really want to stop the fun before it begins now." She would lean back in her chair, withdrawing her arm from the table and resting it in her lap. Sousuke was similar to Kazuki in a few ways from what she observed. Both of them had issues expressing themselves by the looks, whether it be due to being jaded or something else. That or he was overly-attached to trying to hide any and all emotion. While that was possible it didn't really make that much sense in this situation. Additionally both of them were calculating individuals, but whether or not that was good remained to be seen. "I would say that I am interested in how nii-san actually became a Sennin. Coming from a different place, especially a competitor shinobi village, even if destroyed, has to be quite the red flag, yet he holds quite the high position. I don't doubt he has the ability, but I find it intriguing." She would ask, both leaving the previous topic behind and satisfying her desire to know a bit more about what happened to her brother. He would answer himself, however her brother wasn't much of a talker.

Takahashi Aki · Nov 13, 2017

Sousuke was not going to push the matter of her scars any further at this moment in time. He would simply accept the information he was given. Not everything was going to be revealed just yet. This was the first time they were meeting, let alone this was the first time he heard of Kazuki having a sister. It was a difficult thing to absorb, but nevertheless here she was. Sousuke would look down at his cup of tea realizing that he had indeed emptied it.

Natsuru had looked him over and then asked him perhaps a question which Sousuke was somewhat prepared for. He thought about it in his head for a moment before he spoke. "I do not consider Konoha as a competitor. I don't view Kumogakure or Kirigakure as competitors. We in Sand have been dealing in Wind country. I consider the other shinobi states as ... not as tools, or rivals, I view them as people who live in their own state and are fighting to survive like we are. We have yet to truly engage in a global threat. I suppose the matter of the Daimyos killing their own people could be a global issue, but in truth it is a stately issue. I say this because the Daimyo who controls Lightning apparently is indebted to a Duchess who is a shinobi in Cloud, therefore it is truly not a global situation as far as I know." He spoke giving her a background of sorts. This opinion he held could be changed, but truthfully he never really encountered an individual from another village who he deemed to be a right proper threat to Sungakure. "Your brother's equal is Roku. There is also Toraono Kuro, but I truly consider Roku to truly be Kazuki's equal. He is at times your brother's antithesis in terms of raw fighting ability where as your brother employs others to do so Roku would be considered a brawler." He spoke explaining to her the situation at hand. "Kazuki , I would think, would find himself in a position of power regardless of the place. He demonstrated being quite capable of fighting for a land that is not his homeland. He has been very good at keeping his word, and well..." Sousuke was going to leave out the part of Kazuki being very good at keeping secrets. That of course was a double edged sword. While Sousuke was confident in knowing most of Kazuki's comings and goings there was no doubt some things left in the shadows. Sousuke was also told of the Senju's relationship to their trees. Killing one of their secret trees was genocidal in the extreme. Sousuke too would leave that part out, as he was not going to reveal to Kazuki's sister he had the knowledge to kill several of them. That was it for the most part.

Uka · Nov 15, 2017

"Frankly the way they approached it is insanity and that does mean a fair bit, well ... ahem...." She would just barely stop herself from saying like herself. That wouldn't make a good impression and wouldn't help Kazuki at all. Her obsession with hunting down Fate, someone everyone tried to convince her wasn't real, was irrational indeed. Natsu knew that much, but she also knew it was reality to her. She didn't fear being branded insane, but that wouldn't look good on Kazuki, hence a pretense had to be kept. At least for now. [glow]"Going after the primary military force of your country is a horrible idea, but I guess they just got too drunk with power to realise that and at the end of the day one village was ready for it and the other was not."[/glow] She would shrug, growing quiet for a few moments as she listened to his explanation. It wasn't surprising that her brother was where he was currently. He had always wanted power, it was something built into them since they were young. At least it had been to her. Kazuki had recieved that treatment a little bit later in his life. From there he always achieved a high position and that would continue to be the case, she on the other hand was not interested in quite the same type of power he was. In a way Sousuke's description of Roku fit her a lot more. Having the power to help her brother and hunt down Fate was more than enough. "And I would assume my borther's.... iaconic nature helped quite a bit." She would note, nodding briefly, her smile being reduced to just a curl at the corner of her lips, somehow more tame than the Kage has seen before. "And then we have the inbuilt desire to seek power that all the members of our clan posess. Along with the desire to protect the land you are bound to. Both a blessing an a curse, but I am sure you already know that much. How much you know exactly I can't really say, but I'd wager to guess he has told you at least that."

The former medic would lean forward a little bit, resting her arms on the table as her mind raced to reach a decision. Her love of little games taking over at least for a little while. "A crest can be fairly representative and very binding with it's ever so sweet silkiness. A wordless contract." It was more than clear that the Kage was not the most trusting of people for certain and that was a good thing. If he was a gullible man he would be abused and that would only bring harm to her brother. Now the question is whether he had the knowledge to respond to that statement. If he did know how the Senju branch operated then it would be easy for him to decipher that just like her brother she was bound to protect Suna, even if the effects in their cases were weaker than normal due to the old tree. It really would be interesting if he could give her the answer she was looking for as that would both give him a little peace of mind and also give her an exact idea of how much he knew.

[MFT]

Takahashi Aki · Nov 19, 2017

"Power is not what it is all cracked up to be." Sousuke knew very well the lust or desire for power. Was Sousuke a powerful person? Well that depended on one's perspective. He was powerful politically. He didn't consider himself powerful physically, but he had proven something from time to time. He was durable. Mentally, he was strong. He was a psionic. He was also one of the smartest minds behind Sungakure. He was capable of always balancing the books financially, and never did Sungakure have to seek a loan from sources outside. Sousuke kept his nobles financially well off, as they were indeed the base to Sungakure's success as a 'have' state instead of a 'needy' state. Sousuke was human. He had a lineage behind his name as he was a descendant of the First Men. He was powerful for a human perhaps, and that is what he was nothing more nothing less. He was not the spawn of demons, Ancients, or anything else. Certainly Sousuke had metallic parts, but he was still made of the same flesh, and for the most part the same bone as humans. "Your brother is of a few words, but his actions speak louder. Like myself, I'm certain he has a few people who are better at the art of talking, and having charm." Sousuke did not consider himself charming. Some may have considered it cute when he proved to be clumsy at times.

Natsuru would next place her arms on the table and lean in a little bit. She would make a statement of sorts. To those who were not familiar with the nature of the Senju clan or how they came to be, this might have been a very frustrating riddle. Sousuke knew better. He would rest his forearm on the table. "It's more than just a wordless contract. It's the way of life that will be with one until their dying breath. " He answered."A tree with strong roots laughs at storms. ... ... Not that I've truly see a tree laugh, but I have seen them endure great things." Yes. He knew of their tree, and the sap that nourished them but there were ramifications. Depending on where the tree was planted, it would make the individual loyal to that land until death. He leaned back in his chair and then he would rise up. He would walk to her side of the table and like a gentleman, he would offer her his arm. "Let's go for a walk then. Let's introduce you to some exciting real estate. You've obviously been in the Toraono Dojo, but there is more to see than just that." He would offer. "Your brother has quite a few titles and nicknames." He struggled thinking of one for her. "I think Lady Populus Alba might be a bit too long, Lady Birch perhaps?"

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