Mist and the Stone (Requesting Entrance)

[Ii Hissori]

Home at last, home at last. Well maybe. For two long years, Hissori had been traveling the world, quietly reflecting on his life. His lost life. Two years ago, the strawberry blond medic had lost his home in the islands to an ice age. Two years ago, he had a home, a life, everything a man needed to life happily. Then the winter came. Everything froze, everything became unlivable. His life was over. However, Ii Hissori moved on. With his dog, Buru, Ii Hissori had spent a great amount of time traveling from village to village helping the sick, and taking care of the injured.

After his latest trip through a small mountain past, he had found a city. After spending his eighteenth birthday, he had learned about a village. A village that was much like his old one. A shinobi village. It had been since then that Hissori had been wandering to find it. Finally, the day had come.

As the tall man took his final steps towards the gate, he drew in a breath. Never before had the man come to another shinobi village gates. Never before had he done anything like this. Besides all of his information, Hissori only had money, his dog, and his supplies with him as he moved quietly along the path.

Never before had he seen anything. The world seemed to end, and then all of a sudden just below the pair was water. It was an incredibly long drop down. Carefully, he moved along the bridge as he took a breath as he looked up at the large wall. For a moment, he was shocked. He stood there in dulled silence. This was amazing. With a gentle bite on his hand he came back to reality.

“oh right. Hello? A tired traveler looking for a new home.” He said softly. He knew that even though there were no visible eyes on him, but he knew people were watching him.

Spoiler

Word Count 328

 

[Haruka]

A chilled feeling would fall over the area that Hissori stood in, and it was almost as if the earth would freeze over right then and there. Almost hauntingly like the events that had taken place in Mist. . . But thankfully that was not the case. In the distance, there'd be sunshine, but it seemed that the clouded over look was only here. Snowflakes would drift down from the sky in a lazy manner, settling upon the ground and soon disappearing in melted little spots.The dull sound of footsteps would make their way towards Hissori, and soon a young woman would come into view. With her hands folded behind her back, she would look the newcomer up and down, being sure to remember what he looked like. It was just the way that she had been trained. Remember every face that you came in contact with. After all, it'd probably keep your ass safe one of these days. She'd offer just a small smile then, knowing full well that he was a weary traveller. Just where did he come from, though? What was his story? It was always interesting to see. After all, there had been so many different cases floating around this village of theirs. They had to pinpoint each and every one for that proper kind of paper trail. After all, would the elders of this village have it any other way? Naturally they would not.

"Welcome to the village of Stone." Welcomings out of the way. She would be sure to not spout off any kinds of riddles at this newcomer. Besides, she was not close to this person nearly as much as she had been towards her squad or Souji. So thus, it was more simple this way. Unfolding her arms from behind her back, she would leave them hanging down by her sides. "My name is Kono Haruka, and I am the appointed Earth Daimyo." Supposedly, it was strange for her to answer the gates. However, the ANBU tendencies within her had not worn off just yet. "Do you have identification? If not, please let me know who you are and where you hail from."

Now, to play the waiting game.<i></i>

 

[Keigo Oen]

Titan's Keep - Tuesday - 12:36 pm - Clear Skies

He had been around the gates recently and today he was dressed formally in his dress attire, a black vest with a white shirt, showing off just his array of class... then again he was only like this around her. For the most part at least. Pulling out a small cigarette replica that he liked to smoke. Replica meaning, it was in no way real... more of a hookah than anything. Portable hookah. The Taste and smell of black cherries filled the air are he poofed away on it. He didnt often do this... just stand here looking down upon the visitors from a distance. However, it was his dedication to making sure things were as smooth as silk that made him do this. Over and over again. "Oi Oi. Haruka, why are you down there by yourself? Where are your guards?", forming a few handseals he would submerge into the ground and pop up a short distance behind Haruka tilting his head so he could see the lad.

"What do we have here?"

He had a Heart for Stone... his homeland and the religion that lay within it... all acceptable. He would try to make everyone feel comfortable here. Within reason of course... some people you just had bad feelings about. Some feelings are just hunches and others... merited by evident darkness. Souji though, standing not far from the two on a cliff would watch. Simple and Clean. The Daimyo was his best friend. And for her to be out here alone... meant that the Guardians assigned to watch over her were not doing their job. Good thing he was the one watching over her or the previous statement would make the entire group look bad, right? Either way... he was watching. Making sure everything went by smoothly, and with every passing moment he wanted to know and make sure that she was going to be safe. That was his duty as a Guardian... and as her friend. She knew him the best. And they had grown up with one another.

He wouldnt lose her like he lost his father...

It was a promise that he made to himself silently... and he would never break it.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Kari]

Well, well, what did we have here? A traveler in their lonesome? A man and man's friend?

From seemingly nowhere would the medical sennin step out. "A new home, you say? Well welcome to hell -- oh, I see others are here as well. I would hate to take the job from them; there's plenty of new immigrants who might, already." Keita took a step back, allowing the two whom were already meeting the foreigner to do as needed.

Keita had been to the Keep many times; he visited often to provide some kind of comfort and entertainment for those who worked this dreary job. Most days, they'd be lucky to greet even a single person at the gate, but these days, there was just too many. People came in droves seeking protection, food, a place to live rather than survive. Many of these people were shinobi from other places that were destroyed by amazing means, ones that they didn't talk about any longer.

The one man called the woman "Haruka," a rather unfamiliar name. She had guards, though. And that could seem interesting. The man's face -- the one with the "Haruka," not the foreigner, of course; how could he be? -- seemed rather familiar, but Keita couldn't put a name to it. Gods! Why was it so hard to figure who someone was? Was it just someone he noticed on a street or was it someone he knew or what?! Oh, whatever. The Old Ones would reveal it all as soon as they thought it needed.

 

[Ii Hissori]

Instinctively, Hissori’s arms wrapped around his chest. It was cold here, and the cold made him remember things he wanted to forget. For a moment, his eyes began to glass over as he thought of the former tropical island. It was during this time that the teenager with the strawberry blonde hair was looked at the women who had come up to greet him. She was trying to be nice but he knew getting his entrance to this village would be a hard thing to do.

His animalistic ears would listen to the women was he listened to what she wanted. Apparently, she was a Daimyo, which was surprising because usually those people did nothing. They left the dirty jobs to the people like him. The Shinobi. Right when he was about to open his mouth, a young man popped next to her which caused him to pause and stutter a bit.

Seemnig to know each other, Hissori let them catch up for a moment, before the attention returned him to him. FINALLY, it was his time to speak. Damn it. Now a third person decided to join them. This man seemed a little bit ruder than the others, but also more playful, maybe Hissori would like him? And Maybe Buru would too. Maybe this time, the dog would like the people in charge. Drawing in a breath, he spoke again.

“My name is Ii Hissori. I hail for the Kirigakure, that a couple of years ago got frozen over because of an God. Unfortunately, I do not have the normal identification of a passport, because I had never been outside of the village before this treck. However, I do have my personal file from the medical hospital that in operation there. I was one of the heads of it.” Hissori finished fishing in his back and pulling out the file. Carefully, he handed it over to Keita, letting him look over his identification which had all his accolades, his publications, and his rank in it.

“I hope that will suffice.” He said lowly as he rubbed Buru’s head. He would pause a moment for them to pass it around before perking up a bit.

“Oh and this is my dog companion, Buru. He is friendly.” He said about the large dog with white fur and icy blue eyes.

 

[Haruka]

My. . . didn't it suddenly feel so. . . crowded here? Yeah, it really did. Since when was it that the young woman was not able to fight for herself? Because she damn well could. Did these people forget who was a guardian of this village? Perhaps it was because they thought all of the political stuff was going to make her lazy. Oh! Maybe she had grown fat. A hand reached up and she pinched at the bridge of her nose. She was positive she could feel Haru laughing at her in the back of her mind, but maybe it wasjust the crazies coming at her or something. Who knew? Woah now, though. It was time to breathe. It was going to be fine. Before she did any more talking, though, she would allow everyone to get out the stuff that they had to say first. After all, she was patient. Lifting her hands up, she'd clasp them back behind her head as she closed her eyes. A delightful pop would come from where her spine let off any unnecessary pressure.

"Are we all done talking now? Oh, good." She'd state, dropping her hands back down to look at all the people whom had gathered here. "The guards can stay with my mother. She needs them more than I. After all, am I not a shinobi of this great nation?" She'd state, blinking a few times. "Hint: I am a shinobi, too. I can still fight, and I can still kill." Alright, so that was out of the way. Her slate gray eyes would lock onto Hissori now and she'd look him up and down in silence. A Mist shinobi. . . She'd look off to the side. Much like her native roots. She was soft for them, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with the people whom came from the once illustrious nation. After all, if the people sought refuge, then who was she to deny them that? Taking in a small breath, she'd watch with care as the male handed over his credentials to Keita.

"Naturally, I am soft towards the people of Mist. I understand their plight and forced uproot. I see it no harm to allow you to stay in the sanctuary of Stone so long as my companions here can agree upon it. Keita will read your information, and Souji is a pretty good judge of character. Well?" She'd comment, allowing the two men to take the front in this conversation.<i></i>

 

[Keigo Oen]

Titan's Keep - Tuesday - 12:40 pm - Clear Skies

The Guardian of Shadows, Souji... could only flatly look on as Keita entered. The same person that he knew from before in the academy... Or Spartain Quarters as they were called here. Something seemed to, delight his senses a bit. It was wonderful... Haruka might not recognize him. Souji surely did. He never forgot a face. It was his duty not to. Something that was apart of his duty as a sovereign guardian of all the Sennin and the Tsuchikage. He ruled the shadows, and something that people often took for granted. Their memory... the thing that allowed them not to repeat mistakes... was often and more likely in this day and age taken for granted. He would not speak just yet allowing Haruka to speak on behalf of their nation. She was the Daimyo... she was the great leader of the political affairs now. So he would not force her hand against him...

Not yet at least....

"You maybe a skilled Shinobi... even more skilled than myself... however you are still in need of personal guard. Which is why I'm always here...", nodding he would submerge into his own shadow and using a jutsu known as 'Shadow Step' he's move a short distance into Haruka's shadow, before revealing himself. He liked to think of himself as a 'Kage-kage'. Meaning a shadow to the shadows. Something that was always there, and could not be defended against especially when it was unpredictable. "So, please... dont get ahead of yourself Daimyo-sama. I assure you, I only want whats best for you. You are important, very important to the future of our people.", nodding once again he'd turn to Hissori, bowing his head and giving a half smirk. This time his voice growing deeper, darker, devoted to the words he would be imposed to saying. His mouth opened and as he woul speak a black and white spined Cobra wou'd emerge from his mouth, sickening... the sounds of flesh against flesh (giggity) and slobering saliva being spewed from Souji would take the air for a moment.

Atrocious. "Hmph... seems I need to gain better control over that...", luckily he didnt get any fluids anywhere but below him. It was just a disgusting sight... maybe Haruka would remember this happening to him alot when they were kids, when he signed the pact with the Hebi. It was going to be something that he was going to take into better consideration... he needed to gain control over these things. Urges. He could feel his seal weakening... and hopefully Haruka would know it would be coming soon... Or maybe not. Maybe she didnt know at all. Who knew... but assumptions were a dreadful thing especially when the person assuming was wrong...

 

[Kari]

WC: 631​

A shame, truly. May the Five guide you," the Jun recited the common prayer. The tropical paradise that was Water Country was nothing more than a frozen wasteland now? Oh how the irony could kill. Keita took the folder, papers sticking slightly out in every which direction, but not so far as to completely fall out, meeting the traveler's gaze the entire way. It wasn't a menacing stare down, it showed the Jun's attentiveness. He was one of the heads of a hospital, then? Surely one of the leaders and not a mind for experimentation; either way, his kind were akin to those medics of Maruishi. Should he be permitted work for the country, Keita might find use for him there. The Clinic was in disarray, a new variable might set things right -- on the vice, things had potential to go horribly wrong, too, but who payed attention to that?

Keita acting so serious is something pretty strange, isn't it? I thought so after reading that bit. Like Hissori said, or noticed, technically, the Sennin -- or Jun, or whatever the heck you call him -- was someone who seemed more playful than anything else: it was something that set him apart from the other leaders of the village. Of course, that isn't to say that Keita was a twenty-six year old child; when it came down to the affairs of medics and shamans, he could act serious. The former-Mist nin also said Keita was rude. So...maybe he is, I suppose. The Jun did try to give the kid an ominous welcoming before he noticed the two others and changed what he was saying. Anyways, back to Keita's perspective.

Souji, that was the Guardian's name! Wait -- Souji?! That kid from the days some ten years ago back when they were both in the Spartan Quarters?! The Jun's face light up in delight at the recognition. A shadow, a figure-head, and a leader. All might be considered the same in some context; each was distinctly different. The girl was sharp-tongued as ever; she threw threat with sass as easily as one might throw a kunai. She called herself a shinobi, may've been trained, even; yet, gave her orders as the daimyo. It was a contradictory position the young daimyo found herself in; she served the country, she served herself. Though she might be outranked, none outranked her.

Keita opened the files finally. Outdated files labeled to one Ii Hissori, medical chief of Kirigakure. Last entry date for the medical files was some two years ago; it matched what the kid said, at least. He did blood work stuff. Was that necessary? What kind of work did he do? Keita didn't understand it in the slightest; what was the point of all that research stuff? The Jun frowned in his momentary confusion. Of course, he wouldn't prevent the research from continuing, as all forms of research were permitted in Maruishi. Keita glanced up as Haruka spoke again, Souji now more immediately behind her.

"Oh do be mindful of keeping what is in your mouth in," Keita would mention, not in the slightest phased by Souji's odd display. "Who knows what else might slither into there otherwise."

Haruka seemed to be fine with this Hissori's entering. She outright stated her sympathy with the country's blight. They had seen enough cold, another country being might be too much for them to bear.

"His files look fine. Assuming the files are valid. His story matches it, at the very least. If at all possible, I wouldn't mind finding him in Maruishi, working with the Clinic there on commission." It was a job offer for the kid. Next to nothing for him to go on, but it was obviously a job. It'd give him a sense of belonging to a group that wasn't those Kirian ice sculptures.

 

[Ii Hissori]

Hissori was a bit confused and nervous. His life was really out of his hands. Without a passport, Hissori knew that his dog, and himself could be denied entrance to any major city. It had happened before. Now he just had to wait to see if it would happen again. His own inner thoughts were interrupted by Haruka speaking again. It seemed like she was telling the nonmedical male to shut up and stop worrying about her. She also said that she could kill, which seemed like a threat against him or really anyone at the gates.

“Thank you.” He said lowly as he looked at her nodding a bit with a small sigh of relief. It seemed that for some reason the women decided to take mercy on him. But, she did finish that the other people here would have to be a judge of his character, and to see if he could work here.

The response of the male was something Hissori was not ready for. He was waiting for the verdict and instead, a snake came out of his mouth. It truly was a disgusting site. The medical shinobi did not let it show that he was freaked out though in his head he was thinking, What am I getting myself into. It was at this point that finally Kieta spoke up.

It wasn’t Hissori would was paying attention to Buru during these whole scene of the spider coming out of his mouth, by Buru. Buru’s icy blue eyes were just staring at the head medic, and he was curious to see what he though. In the file there was even a small file on Buru, about his strengths with dealing with children and being able to assist with surgeries. Still that wasn’t the main thing, the main file was on Hissori. As Keita would speak, the pair would smile. They had a job!

“I would love to help you.” He said speaking carefully to not give away how happy he was. He would just nod extending his hand to Keita as if to accept the offer. He would need to talk to him more about being able to continue his research finally, but that could wait till they were in private to talk about his research on blood.

Spoiler

MTF
Word Count: 319

 

[Haruka]

So be it.

Could the young woman go ahead and refuse a weary traveler? It didn't seem like the kind thing to do to someone. Would she enjoy being turned away from the gates of salvation? The answer was no, naturally. Though, could this village truly be a salvation? She simply just coined it so. Nodding her head, she would offer a small smile between the two. Souji, as creeper as ever, and Keita. Hrm. She only had one stipulation to this situation at hand, and that was: "I will request that your superior here," her hand would suggest over towards Keita now, "keep an eye on you and guide you through this village. Once he sees fit, you are free to roam the expanse of this village at your leisure." She was sure that Hissori would understand, it was just a simple precaution, after all.

"Now, if that is all, I'll be taking my leave." She would then turn on her foot and begin the walk away. "Come on, Souji. There are matters that need attending to."

[ Topic Left unless stopped ]<i></i>

 

[Keigo Oen]

Titan's Keep - Tuesday - 12:52 pm - Clear Skies

Souji couldnt help it really but the snake would reveal itself sooner or later. UIt was a consistent struggle with the things that he had to deal with for the sake of power. Just for the sake of keeping up with Haruka and to be able to protect her as well as the others. Looking at Hissori one time he would give the boy a wink before bowing before Keita and looking forward with his stoic features. "Well, I guess this is my goodbye for now, I'll be around... So if you need me. Contact the Yukata Family Home...", nodding he would look over to Haruka and watch her as she walked away. She had alot of poise in her step. The swaying of her hips, it could put someone in a trance... Souji was caught in it from time to time. Caught staring at the ass of the Daimyo... it wasnt his best thing to be known for but... he had a thing for it. This time though... he wouldnt be looking... He'd just walk behind her giving a small wave as they left the area.

"Tch, be good now... And enjoy your stay."

[Topic Left unless stopped]

 

[Kari]

WC: 310​

So that was that. This refugee would be let into the village, given a job under Keita, and would remain under his watching eye until the Jun deemed him worthy to go around. Truthfully, Keita had no intention of having this guy go into the village; his job would be local: in Maruishi, but if he wasn't a threat, there was no reason for him not to go to the bottom of the mountain, to Iwagakure, or farther down, to Arcadia. Ii Hissori was not a threat to this village currently, not that Keita cared too much; his only purpose was to see that the village obtained the Calm and he found teleos, as all others should.

The Daimyo and her bodyguard made their leave, Keita would call to the bodyguard before he disappeared fully. "Souji, it has been quite some time. We should meet again." A completely normal saying came from the Jun's mouth -- that in and of itself was odd. What was Keita planning? Why did he even call to the Yukata? They had seen each other sparsely since their days at the Spartan Quarters, and even then, it was rare. They both succeeded in their classes, perhaps that's what brought them together. They were similar, yet different. The Yukata, Keita learned much later, was a family in the village rather renown for the Shaman they produced. Perhaps that was the connection the two had.

"Now," Keita would say, his head whipping fast enough to make him momentarily dizzy, "you have to see and I have to watch. Not much different now, are we?" Keita would look away from the refugee and take the first steps into the Keep and towards Maruishi. "Now come, come child! I have to show you Hope before I can give it to you!"

Keita ran through. Hopefully the kid would follow.

[Topic left --> To Hope Clinic]

 

[Ii Hissori]

The rules were simple. Hissori had to follow around Keita, and learn about the village. Only then could he be released to anywhere the teenager wanted to go. He would give a curious bow to the female as she took her leave, and then more importantly chuckled. It seems he had to be a good boy in order to stay here. With a playful roll of his green eyes, Hissori nodded.

“Don’t worry I will.” He replied to the guard of the diaymo’s daughter. This would then leave him with his new boss. Keita seemed to confuse himself when he turned so fast that it made Hissori’s head spin. He would chuckle and shake his head a bit as he looked at him. There wasn’t much to say to him but he did grumbled about the child remark. Still, he followed after him ready to see his new work space.

Spoiler

Topic Left
Village Entered.