The Man of Steel, and the Steel-Man

[Takahashi Aki]

The Steward was shaking. It was very rare to see the man react so. "A-A-apologies. I am not usually like this."<i></i> Sousuke spoke as he attended his messages at the front desk. Slowly it seemed that he was gaining composure. The Steward's shaking form grew rigid, and the shaking stopped. The Steward began like steel. His form was stronger now. This was the Steward that Hiku knew. "Human puppetry is something my clan is not comfortable with. What we are most afraid of is when one transfer their mind into the steel, is that they run the risk of losing free will. We Takahashi impart a portion of ourselves into the steel we work with, but the materials of the earth aren't so ... lively? Yes. For you see when we work a portion of ourselves into the material, we are gifting it, we're not imposing it."<i></i> The Steward tried to explain his heritage technique to Hiku.

The Steward for a moment thought he was again going to go into a fit of weakness. His form thought stood still. "I take the welfare of those around me quite seriously Hiku. You aided me during the battle against the Djinn, and when I received your puppet form I panicked. I would avenge you if I had to. I would make it clear to your supposed-murderer that there was a price to be paid."<i></i> The Steward would slowly turn around to Hiku. "If I may be so bold, but could you recollect the tale of your transformation, and ... I ... would very much appreciate a self-assurance that the tome I lent you wasn't destroyed, burnt, etc. You can keep it for as long as you need it, it's just ... I like to make sure my things aren't destroyed. Not that I think it has been destroyed on purpose, it's just merely the fact that someone of a lower intellect may have decided to burn the tome to spite your education. I take it you had a most educating read my dear Hiku?"<i></i>

 

[Enatsu]

Hiku followed the shuddering Kage to his office. It seemed as though the man had dreaded the sight of Hiku and even after finding out it was just harmless cute Hiku he was still freaked out. After some time Sousuke calmed down and stiffened up. He spoke to Hiku explaining that human puppetry was a forbidden practice in his clan. His explanation was that imprinting their work into the metal would lose their will. "That's an interesting theory has it ever been confirmed in the recent decades of your clan? I personally wonder because wood or not I am beyond this shell. My very being is condensed into a form of chakra data. I don't think anyone can take away my free will. Maybe something is being done improperly in your clan." Hiku would begin to kneel down on one knee and rummage in his bag pulling out a large scroll. This scroll contained a seal in the form of a stallion with the sun and fire around it. Hiku smiled staring at his beautiful scroll. The skin was crimson red, and the scroll's paper was a light tint of gold. Hiku looked up at Sousuke and smiled at the man. "Lo'an Behold the Crimson Stallion. I'll take that out in just a bit."

However Sousuke seemed to be interested in some other matters. The process of his transformation was obvious but the other was h[is book. Hiku would smile at the awkward Steward. He was so wary of offending someone he sometimes tripped over himself. The puppet shinobi would begin to speak starting from the moment he realized something was wrong.

"Well it all started before the Djinn incident. I had nightmares and visions and followed them leading me to a transformation to turn me into something I was not. However I did gain a larger chakra source and I also gained the experiences of other shinobis in a sense. Turns out those shinobi are a group of people named the Hidden Dunes and they've been brainwashing me since before the Djinn incident. They were trying to mold some kind of shinobi deity. Something to take control of Suna and bring it glory again. I think they wanted to create something like Kuro. I don't know exactly but the Rinnengan was apart of their experiences. I had a choice turn to the village or find another way to erase the imprints. Do you by chance know how hard it is to reverse brain tampering? They laced my mind with triggers so I would react a certain way depending on their events of interest. They'd been laying them down for months probably and I still have not figured how they did it. So I figured the village would throw me away as a liability if they couldn't remove it. I found hidden ways. A woman whose lair smelled of death. The Pale Butcher, she showed me a way to break me down to particles and implant me in a puppet body. She began to dismember me and force me to rely on my chakra to survive only. Then when I mastered the control of chakra threads she began to break down my chakra system, heart, and brain into chakra particles. She enconded all the data onto a container made of my own flesh and blood. It constantly spreads the chakra through my body."

"I am now a puppet and it has its perks. I am focused a machine in a sense but still living and thinking on my own. I'm now the ultimate shinobi when it comes to deception. I view a lot of these transformations as grand especially the fact that no one will be able to control my will any longer. It's also fun creating these weapons and shells although I don't care much for other puppets I have an army. After being put into a mission to capture this flaming stallion I began to think what if I turn these bodies into puppets while retaining their skills. I no longer possess the skills of my clan but I have a scroll that has taught me all that I need to know about the process of changing a human into a puppet. With a corpse their free will is not a problem which means that for some reason you can retain other aspects. The soul or rather chakra plays a big part in if the human will become a living puppet or a shell of a former living. You're book was useful in expanding the possibilities on one's mind. I still have my mind and I can focus into whatever I see fit. It fits a lot of my endless building and experimenting. I'm going to be a stalwart for Sunagakure. I'll exterminate threats like the Hidden Dunes, or the Unchained and his entities. I will use this power, and I won't become like those in your clan. I'll surpass all those who failed before me, so there's no need to worry too much about me."

The puppet would now stop talking and place his hand on the seal. A puff of smoke would spew out as the seal released a large body contained in something. The body was that of a gray horse with crimson hair and a horn on his head. Scorch spots could be seen all over, representing the fire that was once lit. The creature was encased in a wooden cage that connected to his body steadily glowing. Hiku watched as his leeching cage kept the body preserved feeding a small portion of Hiku's chakra throughout the horse. "I don't have all the chakra in the world but I've learned how to manage it better." He would rise presenting Trasuri the crimson stallion. He had plans for this corpse being the groundwork for his reverse human puppet engineering. In order to have another shell with the abilities of a unique clan or person. However they wouldn't be alive, no memories, no thoughts, just a shell and Hiku would treat it as such just a puppet he would use as advanced armor. However there were many more designs he wanted to add to it before giving up on it.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The Steward took a seat, and offered one to Hiku. Puppet he may be, the Steward felt it was simply polite to offer him any and all humanly considerations. "Confirmed? No. Our clan once had a rival. It is said that my ancestors were capable of battling foes with one hundred puppets using kinesis instead of chakra strings. Our rival known only as Chikamatsu, whose surname has fallen to the ages had enslaved a demon and made it do as he willed. It is said that the demon howled and cried as he was forced to cut down what I suspect to be his own family or friends. I'm not exactly sure how biology of chaos demons. It is said that when Chikamatsu let go of the demon because he was distracted by victory that it struck at him, only to be stopped by my ancestor's army of puppets."<i></i> The Steward explained. He knitted his fingers together. "For that reason and lesson we don't practice such an art. Chikamatsu was grateful yes, but he learned that day to ... never use strings on a live being that couldn't be mind controlled or what have you. We Takahashi on the other hand merely pledged to use the materials of the earth."<i></i> The Steward's eyes widened as he looked at the scroll Hiku was pulling out. He had a very good idea of what that scroll contained given Hiku's new power.

The conversation took a turn to how Hiku became as is now. The Steward listened to every single word. He replayed them constantly and recycled them. "Disturbing. Disturbing in the extreme. You have my sympathy for your experiences. I trust you ... had your vengeance? Or perhaps it is justice? Sometimes those terms are interchangeable on the personal level."<i></i> The Steward continued to listen. The Steward was pleased to know that his tome was of some help to Hiku, who sounded like he needed help more than ever. "Ah. You've yet to have your justice... I hope that someday you will have it."<i></i> The Steward continued to listen as the conversation turned to Trasuri. The Steward looked at the beast. "My clan in addition to being master puppeteers were horsemen. Our sigil is a horse. I hope the former Trasuri didn't prove too much for you. I see that you have changed this menace into a tool now. Trasuri is dead though? I don't see any ... blood seals or reverse control seals."<i></i> A concern then came over the Steward. He turned back to Hiku. "If you're chakra particles now then ... don't you run the risk of expending yourself into nothingness or transferring yourself into ... something of someone else? Energy cannot be created or destroyed, merely transferred. I suspect that if you're using taijutsu that ... you would require something of a great mass to deal a crushing blow? You don't have the muscles and thus need to rely on tools correct?"<i></i> The Steward stopped promptly. "I apologize for all the questions. You've been though a lot, and I'm here to listen of course to your trials, tribulations, and discoveries. At the same time I'm trying to put things into a sort of perspective for myself, and should my fears be true I will intervene to aid you in a more permanent chakra structure. Certain steel types are capable of retaining chakra more than others, for instance frigid steel in contrast to ember steel is great conservative material."<i></i>

 

[Enatsu]

As Sousuke began to speak Hiku allowed a smile to creep upon his puppet frame. Chikamatsu, Hiku knew this name well. His scrolls came indirectly from this man's workshop. The scrolls were written by a disciple however they still held valuable puppetry information. It almost made Hiku want to use puppets but his pockets could not afford such an extravagant inventory. Hiku smiled as Sousuke continued to speak of his clan, it seemed as if they hung very strong to their values. "Well Double S, Steward Sousuke I'm smiling here if haven't noticed because I know of your rival. I know him well in fact his moniker is Monzaemon Chikamatsu. If this is the same man the only hint to his real name are the initials SN/NS. I don't even have the foggiest clue as to what it could mean. However the techniques passed to me from my pale butcher in these scrolls have come from a man named Yotsugi Soga. He apparently followed Monzaemon's work thoroughly as his pupil and helped him with a number of experiments. However it never mentioned Chikamatsu being a puppet himself. Maybe that is how Soga came to these techniques copying the work, and filling in the blanks he could not find. Twisting Chikamatsu's techniques on a new level. I want to figure out how to create a puppet that can retain amazing abilities while not having it's own free will. I think I've come to a breakthrough on that."

Sousuke spoke of justice as if it was easy to come by. One day he would have his revenge, justice, just desserts whatever you wanted to call it. Hiku was driven to get stronger for now and advance his puppet body and battle skills so far no one would be able to touch him without being mangled. He was going to bear the burden of his fellow shinobi brethren and take on the biggest tasks the village needed. The purpose of Hiku's powers were to now advance himself to be the greatest vanguard Sunagakure would ever have. He looked at the Kazekage and ceased his smile returning to the clockwork of his mind. He would begin fidgeting around in his satchel pulling out a notebook encased in iron, with a chakra receptor lined with rods on the front. Hiku began to use his chakra threads to thread the rods in the receptor and twisting them out of place into lotus flower. The book would click open allowing Hiku to view his notes and progress.

"Well that is a good point. I believe that the purpose of making a container out of the subject's flesh allows the chakra to pass through it's natural vessel with greater ease fluidity. Literally my body is still here I guess just condensed if that makes sense. Least that's my take on it all. I still feel me just not the same way to move. Everything movement I make is just based on what I feel like doing and the capacity at which my body can move. It's like being behind the reigns of a shinobi armor suit, I control everything from my central unit and my chakra is an endless stream that fuels the body. If I run out of chakra though I'm not sure what will happen I guess I'll shut down or have to use something else. That's why I've come here to seek your assistance. Your steels I would like to combine them with my wood . . . pause." Hiku turned to the side and pulled out a pen and began to jot down his design for his puppet suit.

"There are a bunch of ideas cooking up here so I'll go over a few in order. First idea is to create a suit that better flows my chakra and can use something else to drive me. You bring up a good point with the Taijutsu one that I haven't thought of. In my previous life I was a Yamanaka Genjutsu/Ranged Projectile specialist. As a puppet I have not retained my skills for Genjutsu but I'm still knowledgeable of the techniques. I've also lost an edge on some projectile taijutsu however I can still utilize those functions. I've begun to lean more towards utilizing devestating puppet tools. For one I use a high pressured water cannon and flamethrowers as a primary weapon. If things get sticky I might change up and poke at you with my coils or numerous hidden traps. I've also mastered that skill for controlling 100 puppets and I pre created every puppet with my wooden ninjutsu. However if I were to mix it with your clan's metals the durability could go up by leagues. Although I'm not concerned with the army's durability only mine.

My idea for this is to create a frame composed of my wooden ninjutsu but infused with your metal. A light weight variant but one that will be sturdy and hollow. Admittedly there is much truth to the physical aspect and it plays more into my movement as well. I need to be fluid and I've figure out how to or at least I have an idea. The frame will be fitted with tubes at all the major joint areas with funnels built into them. Since my chakra constantly flows when I activate the strings from the container It will run through the body activating the tubes to suck in air constantly. Then I could use the air as gusts to make my body move faster and as long as there's air around me I'll have another source of energy to help propel me. Also there is strain on my container at times and to alleviate that I'd like to build the torso an inner chamber that will connect with the body but house an ointment in liquid form. That's where my container will rest at so that way it's stable and protected. I have an idea for an engine that will feed of the particles around me as well but that will take some time to accomplish. I've been thinking about how I'm going to approach this but I've settled "stealing" an element from someone. An advanced element, but I'll need some time to find the materils I'm looking for."

Hiku would stop talking to give Sousuke time to digest everything he had just said. It was a lot and not needing to breathe Hiku got to be the motor mouth he always wanted to be. This was his time to let Sousuke see his genius, and see the vision he wanted to create. It was going to be revolutionary the things he would do with his puppetry would make Suna feared globally. At least he hoped it could but Suna a grand level of protection just by history alone. Hiku would move over to the cage and begin to move his hands twisting the wood and opening the cage widely. He would invite Sousuke in to follow him and examine the body of Trasuri. "The horse is dead and was not much but it did give me a whopping. However once I got the upper hand it would not resist. So I ended it's life but decided that it's power could bring forth a revolution in my arts. I've been trying to do everything I could to keep the body preserved with my wood ninjutsu. I'm no med ninja but this element thrives off of nature and with my knowledge of plants I try to incorporate them into my arsenal. I've mixed some herb's properties into the wood and connected it to the body of trasuri. I had to piece it back together and used the woord to case it all. However with my ideas I believe that I can make this horse retain it's skills from it's previous life while still being a controlled puppet. The problem I'm coming to is how to break it down. I don't have the skills like my pale butcher and trying to emulate it in my current state would only allow me to fail. Unless I figure out how to copy her techniques or forge my own way I'll be stuck here. So that's why I'm trying to develop my own way to transfer the DNA data onto a puppet body. Tough stuff , this chakra science but it's all infinite possibilities." Hiku would stand straight, looking at the stallion who was going to be his groundwork. Sousuke would likely have a lot to take in and a lot to say. As a fellow inventor he would most likely start throwing his own ideas around as well.

"There's about to be a storm of brains in here isn't there?"

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Double S? ... Is that one of those nick name things?" Sousuke for a moment frowned. His face looked like it was going to break. Why was it that everyone had a nick name for him? Everyone. Suke. Sogay. Sosukun. At least Double S wasn't cutesy. The Steward closed his eyes. His intelligence was failing him. He used the word cutesy. How had he fallen. "Actually... Double S doesn't sound that bad. I like it."<i></i> Sousuke spoke admitting that the name was actually neat. Sousuke watched as an expression came upon Hiku's face. A smile. For a moment the Steward envied Hiku. The smile although ... mechanized, was naturally. The Steward found smiling to be one of the more difficult things for himself to do. "SN/NS? Interesting. Secondly I didn't know his surname was Monzaemon. Curious."<i></i> The Steward pulled out a pen from his desk and began making notes. "Well maybe at the time my ancestors... hrm ... maybe Chikamatsu took puppet form, but my ancestors did not wish to speak about it. That or maybe the word didn't exist back then... in the common tongue that is. There is also the possibility that the translation was misunderstood. Though crediting Soga, maybe he just had a larger imagination than Chikamatsu and thus decided to take the technique to himself?"<i></i>

Sousuke relaxed a bit in his chair. The concept of the human puppet was still disturbing to him, but he felt compelled to listen. "So... if I understand you correctly, you're using the concept of thought to make movements? Feelings are ... thoughts or within the realm of the mind. The mind has a lot less limitations that the body does. That's why ki energy has a tier eight limitation where as they psionic has a tier ten. I've been trying as of late to focus on the psionic, I've been able to get some of my lightning jutsus to manifest psionically. I'm not tiring myself out physically, but mentally. The ratio for body to mind is 10:1."<i></i>

The conversation continued into the new body design for Hiku. The Steward began drawing out a picture as Hiku described it to him. "You'd need a special type of wood. I'd suggest you have a look at Viridian-Oak. It might be mass produced, but every few don't get the fact that the bark can exponentially be greater when infused with chakra. You'd need to heart of the tree, and the inner ringlets and not the bark. That's what people miss. You need a skilled hand to cut the wood because if you're not right on the seventh edge you may result in cutting the heart and damaging the inner ringlets. I wish my skill at wood cutting was more precise, but I sometimes have had minor difficulities because my tools sometimes break on the fourth incision. As for your metal casing, I'll need to get back to you on what we can use. I would need a report on your chakra usage, to try and figure out what metal would be best and at what strength it needs to be. If the strength level is too high than the Virdiain-Oak will reject the steel because the two cannot ... ... they need to be harmonious. You have to ... get a feeling of the two and make sure that they will bond properly. If they don't bond properly and you attempt to mount steel onto the oak, then the ringlets will give away and cause the heart of the tree to simply ... die out. An annoying process but one I think it worthwhile."<i></i> The Steward coughed. He had to take a moment to catch his breath.

Sousuke was invited to have a look at the former Trasuri next. He listened to Hiku's predicament. "Did you ever consider biological elemental history? Knowing your subject, and then attempting ... to emulate it in some form? Trasuri was rumored to be a fiery beast, so you could probably get something going with your flame throwers. Mimicry if you will. Not as good as the original, but you can adapt things accordingly. If you're having problems with using some of the subject's skill you ... reinact them with your tool set, and then overtime it becomes second nature... and from there you can become superior to the original."<i></i>

 

[Enatsu]

"Hmm maybe we'll never know the truth behind the origin of these techniques. Maybe we're not meant to know either. Sometimes I think when things like this get so skewed it's best we rely on our own presence than those of the past. Just sometimes.." Hiku didn't want to sound reckless but at times you had to get reckless. It was good to release those pent up energies and he figured it would be good sometimes to ignore what the past did and just do what comes natural. His ideas came with a new sense of intensity, and even though he thought of how to do it, and what he should do, Hiku was still pretty sporadic in his own manner. With a leap of excitement he would hop into the chair offered to him by the Kazekage. Hiku observed Sousuke as he seemed to get into his comfortable zone. "It's nice to see you chill man, you definitely need it."

Double S began to get into his own rant based on his own mind. One would think that Sousuke came from another world the way he spoke sometimes. Hiku would begin to write in his iron book as Sousuke explained his own mind's realm. Ki Energy, Hiku was familiar with the term. People surmised it to Chakra, Spirit Energy, and the soul. They were essentially he same dish but on different plates. -hunger- As Sousuke spoke Hiku wrote trying to get a grasp of the man's intellect. Their Kazekage was a bit of an egg head and Hiku had to surpass that level,

if he planned on being the real Iron Man.
"So what are these tiers, is it like a tier list of forms of energy? If so what is this tier list, how do you scale it and what's on it? This is the first time anyone's really mentioned the tiers of energy. It also makes me curious what do you think about the source of energy? I personally believe all energy is the same, in origin. It's the living beings and rare materials that use this energy differently. We're conduits and when we take in this energy it changes based on us. Then released but if broken down wouldn't it all be the same?" Hiku tapped the side of his iron book for a moment letting silence hang in the air. A man who thought as deeply and quickly as Sousuke was bound to be considered a genius and bound to have the answers Hiku was looking for.

Lo and behold Sousuke always had answers for something though. Viridian Oak sounds like something lovely and a great chakra conduit. The tedious work might prove to be much for me, unless I study this process in depth. It'll probably take me a few times to try before I get it right. Although out of curiosity what do you think about manipulating the Viridian Oak? What if I use my elemenal affinity for Wood, to expand the oak and shift it, like using it without even having to cut in it. I used to do this a lot with my flowers when I still held onto the abilities of my clan expanding flowers, multiplying them, manipulating the water in plants. By using the basic elements of Earth and Water I just shifted the element around me. It could be worth looking into that way I'd probably get to the goal a lot faster." The Steward requested what he would need before he could complete his own set of metals for Hiku.

Silence hung heavy in the air as Hiku began to register a new idea based off of Sousuke's explanations"Annoying but enlightening. Sort of like Yin and Yang there has to be a perfect balance for the elements. Once again I fall back onto the concept of elemental jutsu. We combine to elements we have an affinity for and create a new one. Well the elements are still related and still come from a source right? I wonder what would happen if I branched away from the original concept of wood for my puppet body? It doesn't have to be wood it could be something like it something I can still enhance and mold, but also something metal could be forged from. If the two materials we're trying to fuse were cut from the same cloth indefinitely... well it would make for a good bonding right?" Hiku would begin to jot down more notes on a a new page. After a few minutes or so he would pass Sousuke a page.

Spoiler

Hiku's Chakra Report:
-Moderately used throughout the day
-High volume of chakra
-Mixed and Tampered with, not the original chakra source but one more manageable to mold with other chakras
-Overall Extreme Reliance on Chakra

-Chakra cannot be replenished immediately. It must take it's own time to recharge. In order to mix chakra with Hiku's chakra it must take time as a process. It can be done in a day but it will take numerous hours. During an intense battle where the Chakra Output would be highest regenerating chakra is next to impossible.

"Biological Elemental History is something I should take up isn't it. You're right in that aspect, but the former would still need something to latch onto. I've managed to salvage a piece of Trasuri's chakra and have been spreading it through the wooden cage adding other chakras with similar properties to it. There's been small progress not too much but just enough to make me explore the other possibilities out there. It's amazing what seals are capable of. After watching everyone fight the Djinn and hinder it with seals I began to research. Did you know the Leech Seal not only absorbs Chakra it can transfer it? I began to create wooden conduits where I'd store chakra in and branch it into my puppet body to try and infuse the Chakra. I'm still missing a large component but I have run across a good conduit one that still needs to be tested and polished before I can claim it to be something "good". I've been tinkering with some of those rocks in the starlit lake . . . Yes I know you're not supposed to but since I was force fed some tampered ones I figured why not use the real McCoys, Tase me later." Oh Hiku why did you tell on yourself? You know what the warning says, Don't touch those rocks!

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Chill? I'm not cold... at least I don't feel cold. I'm quite ... ah wait you mean the state of being calm? "<i></i> Sousuke paused for a moment and squinted. He was looking at something that he caught. "I suppose you could be a War Machine... given that you're now into producing weapons."<i></i> He would mumble to himself before turning his head to stare at forces unseen by man. "The tiers I speak of are a limitation. Those with the higher limitations such as ki come easier for people, where as the higher level tiers while more powerful ... are certainly more difficult to master."<i></i> Sousuke explained. "The tier list is ... a bit of a compendium of sorts. We start at base elements and then work our way into advanced elements, and then going into the spiritual form of energy, and then into well... we then go into legendary forms of energy. I don't like going into the legendary realm because ... it's so less factual. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."<i></i> A small smile would surface on Sousuke's face. "Seeing is sometimes believing yes, but there is much more to it than that when dealing with the mythic."<i></i>

The two would continue their conversation. "You could try manipulating Viridian oak, but it might be a challenge. Age is something that cannot be cheated with, and for my craft ... I cannot cheat or come to an easier method. I'll make some inquires around and see what I can do for you. If you enlarge it to make it easier for me to cut, you might take the heart out of the prime."<i></i> The Steward would pause again as Hiku passed him a note. Nodded his head. "Fascinating. There is certainly alot to explore here."<i></i>

Hiku very honestly told the Steward of tampering with something that shouldn't have been tampered with. The Steward breathed deeply. "I appreciate your honesty Hiku... but don't do that again. There are certain things that need to be balanced. This village is a machine, and it requires all the cogs and the wheels to work properly. I've had unsettling reports about dark terrors from the surface making their way here. Somewhere they keep getting in. I fear that they may be after something in the lake. I encountered one of them once in the Hospital before the Djinn attacked."<i></i> The Steward paused. "When we met back a few months ago, you inquired if I had work for you. I do for you as a matter of fact. I would like for you to keep an eye on the Lake... and if any of these dark terrors surface, I want you to kill it on sight. These dark terrors I speak of, they have humanoid features, but they have violet carapaces. Xenomorphic, but insectoid for the most part. They are capable of speaking the common tongue, I believe they refer to themselves as the Unbent."<i></i>

 

[Enatsu]

Hiku silently listened as the Kazekage fumbled over what had meant to be a simple exchange of words. Hiku chuckled because it seemed as though the Kazekage had more trouble being "normal" than Hiku did. Even from the way he spoke about tiers it was as though he was in a league of his own. "Wouldn't you classify the Djinn as Legendary? or maybe the Unchained is. Broken facts often come across my mind, after all in a world where people can sling giant masses of power at eachother well, what isn't possible? Hiku would once again go silent as they moved onto another conversation. The Steward offered much assistance and Hiku was very appreciative. "You could but I wouldn't worry myself with that. I'm a smart boy, either I'll find out how to do it through trial and error or I'll find another method. You're the acting Kazekage you have far too much on your plate. However you could scrounge me up some instructions or tips and send them to my home... Holy crap did you know my house blew up? I had completely forgotten about that. A mission a while ago that tasked me with protecting this snobby military official left my house in shambles. I swear these people have more enemies than Caesar...." Wait what?

The way the Steward spoke it seemed as though there were some very secretive things in this village. The puppet's face remained nuetral as he spoke of things needing to be balanced. He understood that or at least he would come to. Hiku would continue to listen as Sousuke began to explain to him that the lake had been a site of odd activities. Hiku had been there now and then but something strange was always happening there he didn't notice this. Apparently it was going on by the lake and it was a perfect chance for Hiku to try some new strategies out. "Interesting, they're xenomorphic and able to speak the human tongue. If they can mimic other people, or even camouflage themselves as humans. This will be very interesting I will have to devise a way to get close to them. Well Sousuke I thank you for your time. I'm sorry that I ruined your time with your companions. Hopefully they will not be too upset with you. I'm going to head out now, I have some very great things I need to work out in my head. Until next time." Hiku would raise from his seat and gather his belongings. He'd reverse summon Trasuri and place it back into it's large scroll. The puppet shinobi was on a new path now he'd definitely have to take his time with this information.

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