Private Lament of the Fallen

[Nanjirou Soku]

Memorial Stone Garden.

A homage to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, a tribute to the shinobi who gave their all for this humble little cluster of buildings that made up the Vilage Hidden in The Leaves. It was not often Soku visited this place, the headstones marking various shinobi's resting places as she navigated the rows and rows of graves that littered the terrain. How many lay here? Hundreds? Thousands? It seemed like an endless stream and with each passing second, it pulled at her heart knowing all of this was avoidable, it was preventable if society learned to function with each other instead of against each other. She briefly stopped at a headstone, a name inscribed on it in exotic cursive text but she knew the name by heart resting her hand on it for a brief moment before getting up and walking on, the light breeze allowing her purple robes to flap in the wind. Her brown hair fell down to her shoulders as she navigated the various names, some of which she knew by heart. For once, Soku was unarmed, she considered it a personal offense to carry weapons in such a sacred place such as this and would hear nothing against it,

She stopped at a patch of grass where a freshly dug hole had been dug and the construction of a new memorail stone had begun. Soku knew full well who this was dedicated to and it pained her. He had been like a father to her and yet so simply, so quickly, life had torn him away from her. Once agian, she had been unable to protect them, first it was Ziren, then Asuka and now Yukio. "Oh, old man, why did you have to go?" The veteran captain murmured sitting down taking some of the dirt in her hand turning it over and over as she mulled over the thoughts. The blue eyes, the light-toned laughter, even his sarcastic demeanor at times was something she missed. "It wasn't your turn yet to go, so why?" He had been the one who had found her, mentored her to the status she now held and now she paid the ultimate price in the form of family, a thought she was still busy coping with.

The details had been vague but when the ANBU branch had been informed of the assignment of a new Sennin suddenly per Takeshi-sama's order, it had then stuck her then something was odd. The truth had presented itself sure enough and it was the kind of truth that she wished would go back into some hole into the darkest corner of the planet. "Asuka's all grown up now, hasn't changed one bit. " She chuckled tearfully a bit at that one patting the grass beside her. "It's just so unfair, Yukio. I told you that you needed to consider relaxing for a change but you were always stubborn in some instances." It was a trait she had admired and one that hung over her like a dark cloud. Was it that stubborness that had gotten him killed? "It's tough out here but this is a different sort of tough I am fightng and this time, I don't think I can win."

 

[Ryu Hime]

Kuren was born within the Crater City, The City of Thieves. This was home to people who perform less than honorable acts and Kuren was no exception to that. Under the shroud of night she would go out shovel at hand to the graveyard. Digging up graves was an exhausting task, but she often found it rewarding. Some of the graves there have been there for hundreds of years and each body she uncovered told a story. She often calls herself an archeologist and claims her acts were in the pursuit of knowledge.

Kuren was now in a burial site much grander than any in Crater City, but this was not her first visit. Last time she was walking among the tombstone scribbling into a note book as she jotted down names and dates. However this time she was here on a job. As she had told the two students there the last time, she and her parents were grave diggers. Kuren still remembers her fifth birthday. She was given her mother’s shovel. She was deemed old enough to learn the family business and was given a pet cemetery to manage.

Digging six foot deep hole the size of an adult takes a lot of time and effort. Naturally Kuren took breaks and was on one when Soku came to see her work. She was coming back to continue her digging when she saw a person sitting at the hole. The person spoke some words to seemingly no one, but Kuren did not catch any of it. However she could tell that she was crying and felt a little uneasy about the situation. “Um, sorry to disturb you but…” If Soku would turn around she would see a little girl who was no older than a student carrying a shovel.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The voice nearly made her jump as her head turned to lock onto a small female grasping a shovel that was probably as tall as her. One could easily tell the Captain had been weeping evidenced by her red-rimmed eyes as she forced a smile onto her face, it was clear what this person had come to do yet there was a part of her that refused to accept the reality for what it was. "My apologies, I was just expressing some personal sentiments, I did not mean to get in the way of your work." She said looking back to the patch of dirt that was soon to be the resting place of one of the most heroic Sennin Konoha had the grace of knowing and she had the honor of calling him her father. Her fist tightened into a grip around a moundful of dirt closing her eyes for a moment before chucking the dirt down into the darkened hole that awaited it's assigned corspe, that is if they ever found any.

"Right, right, sorry, carry on." She said standing up and stepping back brushing off the front of her robes exhaling a few as she eyed the kid and the shovel. It was curious, she thought that a child would be tasked with such a task, probably a bit odd. For a moment, she thought maybe Asuka had tasked some poor student with a punishment of sorts, she would not be suprised in the slightest though this seemed pale in terms of what the Main Branch Sennin used to punish her underlings though it was almost certainly a possibility. "You do this for all these graves?" She asked out of curisoity gesturing at the other headstones that lay embedded in the grass, the plaques highlighting their names looming out at them, a stark reminder of what awaited them.

It was not often a member of the Santaru clan head visited a place such as this especially given the fact the clan buried their fallen within their grounds but Yukio deserved something more honorable, something more respectable and in the end, he had gotten that. "Don't reckon I've seen you around before, what do you go by?" Honestly, the village had been taking in such an influx of new students and shinobi alike it was hard to put a name to them all. Given recent events, she had barely the time to even invest efforts into all of that but a chance to get a read on the upcoming generation was not one she would pass up.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Getting a good look at Kuren Soku would see her dressed unusually for a shinobi. This was Kuren’s normal attire: brown jacket over a leotard, hiking boot, gloves and a helmet that looks like it belongs to a miner. It is what she likes to wear even though it does gain her some odd glances.

After Soku moved aside Kuren would jump into the hole and go to work. Holding the shovel like a spear she would impale the earth. She would then kick the head of the shovel deeper into the ground before using leverage to fling dirt out of the hole. “Oh, and be mind full of flying rocks.” Kuren has watched her parents dig graves quite a few times. Getting hit by dirt wasn’t too bad, but every once in a while there will be a rock in the mix and that may cause some damage. She knows this from personal experience.

Thinking to herself she is not sure when the last time was she had company on a dig and was glad to have it. The sun seems to have shifted since she started and now the hole was in complete shadow. Kuren would point to her left. “I have a lantern over there by the head stone of the next grave over. Could you light it and bring it over here?” Naturally Kuren would like to be able to see what she is doing. “You can put it on one of the sides of the hole.”

Not long ago Kuren was in a class ran by a man name Manzo. His final task he gave his pupils was to leave the auditorium, which was easier said than done. He had trees and vines grown along the outwall of the room, covering the doors and the windows. He said that only something a Shinobi can do will cut those trees and vines. However Kuren did not leave this way. While the the walls and doors are heavily fortified, the ceiling was not. She used explosive notes to make her own exit and climb out. “This would be my first grave here in Kanoha. However this time I’m not getting paid for my services as punishment.”

Kuren would call Soku out for breach of educate. “I believe it is customary to introduce once self before asking another to give their name.” She then flings another shovel full of dirt into the air. “The Name is Ha Kuren, archeologist and grave digger.” She could have simply called herself a student, but she thought this sounded a bit more impressive.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

"Flying wha-" Soku began to start watching a bit bemused as the girl went to work, shovel meeting ground as the tool dug into the grassy surface kicking up a few dirt particles and whatnot sending them tumbling in the captain's direction as she stepped back raising an eyebrow. For someone who had been tasked with such a honorable cause, to carve out the resting places of Konohagakure's heros, she sure did it with a passion and that was something Soku decided she liked. It assured in her mind that Yukio would be among capable hands when he was lowered down to be put to rest and honored for legacies to come though the thought of the old Hyuuga finally having given it all and was no longer of this world was a thought she was still coming to grips with. Kuren's next request would cause her to blink a few times before deciding not to push the matter any further.

She was just glad she wasn't getting all down in all that dirt and whatnot though the kid certainly was bold stating such a request of someone she had just met but she wasn't about to argue it. After all, anything she could do to honor the previous ANBU Sennin was a task she would take gladly. "Sure thing." Soku replied, her footsteps light as she approached the preceding headstone glancing down at the plaque which held the name of this famed hero. It too was a shinobi she recgonized and that only made this endeavor all the more diffcult. Picking up the lantern, she made her way back to where her newlyfound companion was hard at work placing the item by the hole and stepping back to let Kuren work in silence.

"You are right, it is." The female would say however making no move to rectify her mistake. Frankly, it was just how Soku did things, having had many years in the service, perhaps it was out of caution, it was just a habit she had settled into. "Nanjirou Soku." The female replied simply watching as the hole grew bigger and bigger. Sure, the kid looked just about Academy age but she carried herself in such a way and with a personality that even the kunoichi found it hard to believe that such a young soul could be so bold but she decided she liked that, a sign of what the future generation had to offer.

 

[Ryu Hime]

The female shinobi gave not just any family name, but one of a bloodline. Normally only those who possess the genetic traits of the bloodline would take this name to replace their family's. Kuren finds it to be something of pride. “Interesting and yet you left your partner behind.” Nanjirou was a clan of samurai that has been the source of some of the greatest swordmasters. The Nanjirou believe that the best ending to their life is to be as they lived; paired with a blade. Kuren took note that Soku was unarmed when she first laid eyes upon her. Sort of the first thing she looks for during encounters. It was a habit she built up living in the lawless city. “I mean no offence but do you think that wise?” Kuren has been mugged plenty of times in the graveyard, but that was back in Crater City.

“I usually have Chiyo with me.” Chiyo was the name of the shovel she was holding. To a trained shinobi it would be clear that this tool was created for more than just digging. It had a normal shovel hand at the top, but just below it a place for one to grip the shovel like a sword. The head of the shovel was sharped and possess some sort of design. “She was a companion that was given to me by mother and has been with me for most my life.” Most students would not consider this a weapon and likely thing her strange for giving it a name. Might even think her not right in the head for having such an attachment to it. However she thought Soku would understand being a Nanjirou.

Kuren would take a cloth and clear the head of her shovel. She would then climb out of the hole and holds the shovel infront of her. “This is Chiyo by the way.” Though she was holding it out for Soku to see, it was very clear she was not offering Soku to take it. Kuren hands firmly gripped the shovel and she would retract the shovel closer to her if Soku were to reach for it. Soku would be better able to see the insignia on the ‘blade’. “I hear that a Nanjirou’s blade has a soul of its own.” She wonder what it would be like if Chiyo had one.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Was it wise? Probably not, after all, anyone who was seeking to jump her would have that advantage but she still had her ninjutsu. "I do that intentionally when I come here, it's sort of a moral thing if you get me." She replied though she would admit, she felt quite bare without the clan katana strapped to her back. It made her whole, the thing was her safeguard and there were extremely few times where she willingly went anywhere without it. This was one of those times. "Besides, any two-bit thug who wants to take a chance are more than welcome to try." She said gesturing with her one good arm to her metal prosethtic one, a sign of a eventful conflict that had wound up with her paying a price she had not foreseen in her service to the village but it was better than being left for dead in Sungakure, that much was for certain as her eyes took in the intricate details of a very luxurious..it was a shovel.

It was a shovel, nothing more, nothing less, a fancy shovel at that but a shovel. She supposed it made sense for someone who took upon this as a hobby and she had to admit, the design was sort of alluring. "Chiyo." She repeated looking the object up and down but made no move to touch or even attempt the prized possession. It was clear Kuren valued this thing in high regard and Soku would not be the one starting off on the bad foot here, she had enough manners in her to know when certain things were right and certain things were not. "Does the symbol stand for anything?" She inquired noting the logo on the shovel face, it could have been a plethora of things, a clan mark, a code, she could keep guessing for days and Soku was sure she wouldn't be anywhere close.

The Captain nodded briefly at the question sort of wishing she had brought it along now for this situation but she would have to make do. "They do..they are a living part of you in a sense and mine like yours is a family heirloom. A prized katana passed down through the generations that holds many stories, some good, some bad." It had seen a lot, battled alongside her, cut down many foes and witnessed her go through various stages in life. "What stories does Chiyo have?" She asked noting the intricate grip of the shovel. Her trained eye could tell one thing, while this thing had no problem digging out dirt, it also had no problem whacking someone around the head and she considered the choice an interesting yet effective one.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Soku seems to understand how special the shovel was towards Kuren, but yet she could tell that Soku was not considerably impressed by it. Soku could easily see what it currently is and possibly what it will be, but she is unable to see it for what it used to be. It was not a shovel made into a weapon, but a weapon made into a shovel. Soku was interested in the mark, but Kuren would get to that in time. There were things that must be established first. “Before I tell you the meaning of the symbol you must first know what Chiyo was.” Kuren would then go through various steps to help Soku see for what Chiyo once was. “This shovel handle at the end here is not one of its original parts.” It was something that was added later.

Kuren would grab the shovel from the grip and hold it like a sword. “You will notice this grip allows me some offensive capabilities as it used to be a weapon.” Kuren would sing the shovel like a hammer. “I can really wallop somebody with the flat of it, but the shape edge on the head suggest that was not its intended purpose.” Kuren then treats the shovel like an ax and chops the air. “No this is not right either. The type of blade it possesses seem more of a penetrating kind then a slashing.” Kuren would then hold the shovel like a foil and trust into the air. However something was off as she was having a hard time keeping the shovel parallel to the ground. “We are coming closer to the truth, but not there yet. The problem is that Chiyo is missing something. The weight is all off; it needs a counter balance.” Kuren then tries to hold the shovel horizontally by the grip. “Imagine if you will that there is the same amount of staff as there before the grip as there is after. What Weapon would that make?” As if to drive the point home she holds the shovel above her head and throws it. The shovel sails through the air for quite a few feet before finally impaling itself into the ground.

The answer was a spear. Chiyo used to be a spear that somehow got broke and was then made into a shovel. “The mark is a… Wait, how much do you know your history? Do you have knowledge of the prohibition era?” Kuren wanted to check on Soku’s knowledge before going on a long rant. If she could go straight to the point all the better. It would be a refreashing change to find a person that knows there history.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She raised an eyebrow as Kuren launched into her explanation, Chiyo was a lot of things and a shovel was just one of her many forms as Soku was coming to learn. She nodded at various points of the explanation casting glances at the weapon of interest noting how Kuren took a hold of it. One thing was clear from her stance, her mannerisms, this was a thing she had trained and toiled with all her life and as such, it meant more to her than Soku could ever imagine. Missing something? She could hardly see what Chiyo was missing. It was large enough to whack someone around the head, durable to do what all shovels did best and probably most important for a shinobi, the sharpened texture made it fine enough to convince anyone it was not a toy.

"A spear." Soku commented watching as the shovel was flung embedding itself into the ground a few feet away. It made sense, the amount of staff length and the tip, she could see what it was orginally meant to be and Kuren had turned it into quite the unique item of choice. "An impressive transformation if I do say so myself." Nibachi had a spear, he carried that thing everywhere he went and it was quite the weapon to contend with, she wondered how it would fare against this, she made a mental note to ask the Santaru about that pointy stick of his whenver she next saw him. If she saw him. Knowing him, he was probably off up to no good..againd despite her repeated threats.

Ah, yes the old times. A time where people like them were perhaps as not welcome and not as common. " I am aware the shinobi arts were not as well-recieved as they are now." She replied unable to fathom the thought. Jutsu and chakra came so naturally to them and they were so reliant and dependent on it that she imagined a world without it would certainly be their undoing. She wondered what correlation the symbol would have with an era that was long past and would remain that way as far as she was concerned. "Please continue." She said keen to hear, Kuren was more of the interesting characters she had stumbled across in Konoha, that much the Captain could say.

 

[Ryu Hime]

“The short answer is to say the symbol is a brand, a mark to note who forged the blade.” It would be around this time that Kuren would say that it was quite rare. However recent events made her wonder. It was in the class which she blew the roof that she saw one. All around the auditorium walls were racks and racks of different kinds of weapons. Most of them were made within the past five years, however she did seem some that looked to be the early civil war era. But her eyes grew big as they fell upon an old looking katana. Carefully picked up the weapon of the rack and unsheathed the blade. She looked at the bottom of the blade by the hilt she saw the same insignia that was on her shovel. For something so precious to be left for anyone to use was mind blowing.

“The blacksmith that forge the spear that was Chiyo refused to let such tradition fade away. His name was Yamanaka Shiro and he went against the law. He openly practiced the shinobi arts and taught many people during such times. Both he and his disciples were publically executed for their crimes.” Kuren punches the nearest tombstone out of anger. She too disagreed with the banning of shinobi arts, but she lives in much different times and thus it is not really her place to judge. However she felt like so much was lost because of some noble’s shortsightedness. “The method of execution changes with each retelling, but most scholars agree that he was killed by a weapon he forged.” Kuren then walks over to grab the shovel she had thrown and invites Soku to walk with her.

“Have you ever heard the tale of The Executioner’s Blade?” It was a ghost story she has heard many times back in Crater City, but is unsure how well it was told here. Ultimately at the end the story the one who upheld the law dies. It would be no surprise that such a story would be popular in the lawless city of her birth place. “You’re not one of those superstitious types are you? One that thinks something bad would happen from telling ghost stories in a graveyard?”

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

A trademark. It was the first thing that popped into the black-haired kunoichis ideas as Kuren explained the concept of the symbol. Often, blacksmiths did to put their brand on the work they did though if Soku was being honest, she saw little wisdom behind the whole. thing. It was going to be used by someone else in the long run anyways so why bother with branding it was a train of thought that she had still not been privy to save for perhaps recgonition and reputation one might gain by something so simple such as a mark. Soku winced a bit watching Kuren swing at a tombstone while silently disapproving. She could understand the grudges one held against the past but to expell it in such a sacred place felt almost like blasemphy to her. "Careful there, we wouldn't want to anger the the unseen" The paranormal world was a interesting one if such a thing existed but she wasn't trying to find out.

"He was killed with his own weapon? If the situation surrounding it wasn't so grim, I would say it would be a honor to die by your own blade." Surely, whoever had carried out the deed knew the man well enough to grant him that final honor or perhaps it was just sheer concidence. "Nothing about whom was responsible for his death?" Someone as influential as Yamanaka Shiro, you would think his downfall would be a topic of most interest and anyone who had carried out the deed of offing him would have a name attributed to him that in this day and age would be drug through the mud several times. Those were dark times, Soku silently was grateful she was not around to witness the horrors of what happened to people who dared to dabble in the arts.

"If I recall correct, it is a weapon unlike anything else given it's ability to mend over time from the blood of it's victims." She started slowly the imagery materialzing in her head. It was a terrifying concept but one that was effective, she had heard mentions of it but had never had witnessed it's savagery first hand. She waved a dismissive hand at Kuren's inquiry glancing around them as the duo walked. "If the unseen wanted to unleash their wrath, we would be things of the past by now. I reckon we're pretty alright, go for it." She possed a sword that was sentient in it's own regard, ghosts were hardly a topic of concern for her as compared to that.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Mended over time from the blood of its victims? Was that part in the story? She does not recall it being in the story she heard, but there may be more stories about this executioner or stories of other executioners. “I don’t remember the start of it but I do remember the important parts.” Kuren pulls her shovel out of the ground and starts walking back to the hole. “A group of criminals were captured and were sentenced to death. The Executioner was known to kill a person in accordance to their crime. One by one he cut off their hands and left them to bleed to death. The leader of the gang was saved for last and was forced to watch as his comrades received their punishment. When it came to his turn he spat at the executioner and swore that his spirit will have his revenge. The next morning the executioner was found dead with his own blade in his chest. The person that found him claimed that the soul of the criminal possessed the blade.” Kuren gives a small pause to see Sojku’s reaction.

“There are those like myself that believe that Shiro-sama was the criminal in this story. Most think the criminals were thieves because their hands were severed, but I believe it was because that practiced they shinobi arts. One needs their…” Kuren suddenly stops as she remembers seeing Soku have a metal arm. “Though it seems you found a way to replace such an appendage. How does that hand work?” Kuren was also a little curious about how she lost the arm in the first place, but that question will likely come up later.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

It was one of the more darker tales she had heard but it was not something that she was truly terrified by. The ANBU tended to expose you to all things dark and horrible in nature and as such, Soku had developed an almost practically immune reaction to anything of the sort though it did not mean she was without emotion as there were still things that tested even the most strongest shinobi's composure however it was a very powerful story. "There are things that even the most rational proofs can not make sense of, the world of spirits and such is a bridge to be travelled very carefully and unforunatly for the executioner in this story, it seems like the time had come to repay his debt for those he tyrannized." Alternatively, it could have just been sheer concidence that he wound up dead the next day but somehow, Soku was sure that was not the case as she nodded.

"Oh? This?" The woman's eyes shifted downwards to settle on her metal prostethic complete with all sorts of wiring and things as she clenched and unclenched the fist. A stark reminder of the life she must live as she rolled her sleeve up a bit to reveal it a bit more as the silver metal glinted in the sunlight. "You can thank our medic-nin for that. I don't know if the physician in question is still around last I heard but he worked wonders to make this happen. It allows me to utilize chakra as one normally would through the usage of a very complicated wiring system, it's sort of a prototype thing if you will but luckily, no hurdles so far." She had grown used to it, the first few days had been tough but as the throbbing faded away, it had become almost one with her.

"I was traveling on my way back from Sunagakure when I was ambushed by some old 'friends', left me minus a arm. He's still roaming about somewhere..for now." The Shepherd would not leave this soil without her hearing of it, the atrocites he had committed against her and the clan, the damage was too great but it had taught her a lesson that day. It was the same lesson that Yukio had paid the ultimate price for. "I learnt something that day." She said shrugging her sleeve back over the arm. "Some mistakes can never be mended." The female said darkly.

 

[Ryu Hime]

She pulls out a storage scroll and lays it on the grounds as she prepares to perform a rather simple summoning technique. She bites her thumb and presses it onto the paper. In a puff of smoke a puppet appears. The puppet standing in front of her or what looked similar to a boy. The figures arms and feet were clearly made of metal. His attire was a bit out there as he was shirtless, save for a tattered red cape. He wore a washed-out green and purple pants that were baggy and stop just below his knees. A strange metal helmet adorns his crown.

Kuren string up the puppet almost immediately causing it to come to life. “Is your arm like Regu’s? Moves with the use of chakra wires? Or is the wiring system more physical?” She has heard of people that has replaced limbs with that of a puppet before. Some have even went so far as to replace there whole body. “But could you not use the Nanjirou secret arts?” Tsukumogami are tools that have acquired a spirit and are able to move freely. Just not that long ago Suko confirmed that Najirou did seal spirit into their blade. Suko even went so far as to say that it was a living part of her. “Could you not seal a soul into the arm like your katana?” Of course Kuren had no knowledge of the ritual that goes into sealing a soul into a weapon.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She watched as the scroll was produced, one eyebrow lifting in pure curiosity. Clearly, Kuren meant to show her something and Soku did nothing simply waiting and watching. Swiftly, the scroll was replaced by a puppet, that much was distinguishable and what a puppet it was. Regu reminded her a bit of the old puppeteer, Maru. He had been quite the character to have around the village, well, that was until his eventual downfall and disgrace and who knew what he was up to these days if he even was alive. Knowing him, she wouldn't be surprised though given their last encounter which had been milennia ago, he had defnitely undergone some interesting changes as she looked the puppet up and down. It bore the scars of being through it's own hurdles as evidenced by the tattered red cape and she could see the comparison the young student was trying to make.

"You could say that. Those chakra wires are what hold it together to the rest of my body and it has had some modifactions done to it so I can utilize ninjutsu, a work of pure genius craftmanship if you ask me." She still didn't understand in full what the wondorous shinobi over at the Byoin had exactly done during that operation but she knew this much, they had restored her fighting capabilites and given her alternatives she had not thought possible and for that much, she was grateful. "I am sure the Nanjirou techniques would be capable of such a thing however.."

She paused for a moment. It was true, she had considered it but the sheer thought of her own arm being a seperate yet at the same time inseperable part of her was an odd one. If she pursued that route, she was in essence making a part of herself sentient and heaven forbid if something went terribly wrong and the soul rebelled or something more diastrous. It was not a thought she was willing to entertain. "It is probably for the better I do not grant the unseen too much leverage over essential things. Mistakes can happen and sometimes, those mistakes can be deadly." This alternative worked just fine and this way, she didn't have to worry about the underlying presecne of some foreign thing, the thought was jarring at best.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Kuren found the concept of sealing a soul into a blade simply fascinating. It would be like holding a living piece of history. “Well you know the name of my weapons. Care to tell me yours?” She says with a coy grin. There was still much she wished to learn, but more than a few of her questions will probably not be given answers. "Does the unseen gain a voice within its vessel? Or is it unheard as well?” This was one thing that most interested Kuren, but mostly because she wish to one day ask the spirit questions about its past life. It is her fear however that the sword is likely silent to all.

“Greetings.” Kuren would hear a voice suddenly come from behind her, which causes her to jump slightly. Unfortunately she was far to engrossed with her talk with Suko that she failed to pay attention to her surroundings. Kuren turns around to see an average looking person with a bag overflowing with scrolls. “Are you Ha Kuren?” Kuren nods and the man hands her a parchment before running of to his next delivery. Mail sure is delivered with haste around here.

She would look towards Suko, “Do you mind if I take a look at this?” She knew they were in a middle of a conversation and she did not want to be rude. If given permission she would open the scroll and read it quietly to herself.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Her name for her blade, she thought fit the bill perfectly. Over the years, it had done what she had asked of it and carried out various sentences on those who were unlucky enough to meet it and she had attributed it a name similar to it's deeds."Masayoshi." Soku said glacning down at where her sheath for the katana should have been if it was any other day. "It means justice. A fitting name for something like that, wouldn't you agree?" The Captain said smiling slightly.Swift, straight to the point, not beating around the bush, it had been a part of her ever since she had been a young genin and the various marks on it were evidence of that. She would never part with it as long as breath still was in her, it was like having a companion which really, it was. The sword was not what you would expect it to be.

"The soul is able to communicate with the living, it is like having a partner which is what Masayoshi is. Not a tool but a partner." Sure, to the average shinobi, it was like your every-day average katana but it had probably witnessed more warfare and combat than all of those shinobi combined. That was what made it so special as the image of the sword settled in it's rack flashed through her head. Their converstation however was suddenly derailed by the arrival of a messenger who clearly had too much in the terms of messages as one is handed to Kuren. She nodded at Kuren's inquiry gesturing for her to go ahead.

"You may. Seems pretty important." It had to be given they were smack-dab middle of a cemetery so for someone to track them down among the rows of headstones, had to be something of relative importance especially if it was an in-person delivery. She only hoped it wasn't the bearer of more ill news, Konohagakure had bore the brunt of that over the last, few years and they were just beginning to settle in before everything had crashed and burned. The village could not afford another upheaval, it was only in recent times she had come to realize the cost and effect warfare and disruption had on someone as evidenced by the deceased Sennin she had come to visit.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Kuren notices the scroll had a wax seal and it was one that she recognizes. “fru yna oui dryd tuh'd ghuf ouin recduno?” She then glances up at Soku, who was likely a little confused about the question. Especially since it was given in the native language of fire country. “Sorry, the seal here.” She points to the wax seal on the scroll. “It has my sensei’s family crest. That was a saying he like to say quite often. Particularly when you don’t know something.” The phrase was ingrained into Kuren’s head from how many times she has heard it.

Kuren then break the seal and reads the contents inside quietly. Her eyes seem to grow wider as it glides down the page. “It appears my former sensei has found some clues to a historical discovery. I should head back to Crater City at once. This would be a find of a life.” Kuren was about to run off then and there, but something told her Soku might be interested. “If you don’t mind taking a trip to Crater City, you are welcome to come with me. I’ll explain the details when we get there.” Not even waiting for a confirmation she was off.

[Translation: Who are you that don't know your history?]
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[Continues here]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She watched as Kuren broke the seal raising an eyebrow in pure interest at the mysterious almost rhymthic saying that was inscribed. Whatever missive thie student had stumbled upon, it was not your oridinary every-day letter, that much Soku could say with certainty. That was when things took a more intereseting turn than they already were, something about a discovery of a lifetime and Crater City. She barely had time to pose any questions to the scenario before the girl was off clearly eager to explore this new-found opputurnity. Truth be told, Soku did not have any positive recollections of that nest full of thugs and bandits of the worse kind as far as she was concerned but if you looked past it, it had to have developed it's reputation from somewhere and it was a unique place, one of a kind but not one you would want to find yourself past dark in.

Despite all that, it also served as an excellent proving grounds for aspiring shinobi and people who wanted to test their mettle. Soku had been there a variety of times and with the exception of incident, nothing too major had happened to her. For the most part, the ANBU mask and the sword strapped to her back was enough to ward off anyone who were foolish to try their luck, one more time couldn't hurt. "Let me grab my essentials and I shall meet you there promptly. After all, the place we are entering has not been known to be kind." She said casting one last look at the headstones around her as she made a beeline for the estate, wondering what in the name of Raiden she was about to stumble upon.

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