Troubling Thoughts [Open]

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi strolled down the roads of Kumogakure, hands in the pockets of his dark gray peacoat. The midday sun was hidden from view by a cluster of clouds, their color indicating that it seemed likely to rain later in the day. However, for the time being, the roads were dry and cool. The shinobi smiled to himself at the hustle and bustle of the surrounding crowd, all trying to get the days work done before it began to drizzle.

He was in no such hurry. Asuchi had dedicated himself to missions lately, and was rewarded with an abundance of yen in his piggy bank back home. He decided to take a little vacation and relax. He felt he deserved it. There was nowhere to go, however, no desire at all to leave the village gates and explore. He had spent most of his missions outside the village, now was the time to relax and appreciate his home city of Kumogakure.

The large stone memorial of The Dawnbringer rose in front of him, and he realized he was in the central plaza of Susukino District. Almost as if on cue, a rumbling began in his stomach, reminding him that he had not eaten yet today. Seeing a restaurant he had never tried on his right, Asuchi veered quickly in that direction, nearly knocking over a man carrying something looking as fragile as he looked angry. He quickly regained balance, so Asuchi paid him no mind and continued into the new restaurant.

”Hello, how many?”

”Just one, may I sit outside?”

”Sure, sir. Right this way.”

Asuchi followed the admittedly cute hostess back out into the crisp Kumo air. He was seated at a table with his back to the restaurant and his eyes pointed out across the square.

”Is this alright, sir?”

”Perfect, thank you. I'll just have a water to start with.” He smiled at the girl as she placed a menu in front of him. As she turned away, back toward the restaurant, he kicked his feet up into another chair at the table and looked out over the square.

Kumo is such a large busy village. I never realized how much I missed it while I was away...

He picked up the menu, but his eyes were still focused out over the square. He was hit with the sudden realization that he had spent the last few years completely dedicated to bettering himself as a shinobi. He had left everything else by the wayside. He had no contact with his old squad, his two genin, now chuunin, teammates and their jounin sensei. They were really the only people he could call his friends, and he didn't even know if they were still alive. A frown crossed the man's lips.

I... I need some friends...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 466

 

[Ryu Hime]

Good paying missions were sparse these days, so in order to make some extra yen she began working at a restaurant in the Dawnbringer’s Plaza. The restaurant was quite new and was looking for employees. She being the handmaiden that she is is quite experienced serving people. She loved the waitress uniform; it was so much better than the one she normally wears. Her maid outfit was long sleeve and had a dress that went all the way to the floor. The skirt she wears here barely reaches her knees; she has never been able to show off this much skin in public before.

Soon there was a man entering the restaurant and she eagerly greets him, “Hello, how many?” The man was alone and wished to sit outside. “Sure, sir. Right this way.” She guides him to the outdoor dining area and to an empty table. “Is this alright, sir?” The man thanks Shimete and orders a water. Shimete places a menu in front of the man and notices him smiling at her. She returns inside to fetch a cup of water. After a little she returns with a glass of water and sit it on the table in front of him. “Here you go sir. Are you ready to order or do you need a few minutes?” She puts a hand in her pocket ready to pull out her note pad if needed.

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi didn't have long to sit there, sulking in his sorrows. The waitress returned with his water before he had even opened the menu and set it down in front of him. He noticed her hand dip into her pocket as she asked if he was ready to order. He wasn't. His menu was in his hands, but he had neglected to even open it. These vexing thoughts hadn't ever been a problem for him before. They hadn't even ever existed, he lived a near perfect life. Why now? What's changed?

Nothing really. That was it. That was one of the biggest problems. His life hadn't suddenly gotten worse, he'd simply changed his perception of it. He was no longer happy with what had kept him content over the last few years. This was a key revelation. Only one thing had changed, and that was not the world. It was himself.

He suddenly became aware of the fact that some time had passed since the girl asked him if he was ready to order. Probably not that much. Definitely enough to create a growing awkwardness at the table, however. Sighing wearily, he put on a wry grin.

”To tell you the truth I haven't even opened the menu yet. Got lost in my own thoughts. What do you recommend, what's your favorite thing here? And I mean your actual favorite, not whatever they're pushing in the kitchen today.” His smile relaxed into something a bit more genuine toward the end, his tone dropping toward a gentle teasing rather than the dejected air in his initial words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 266

 

[Ryu Hime]

She had to think for a moment. What was her favorite item on the menu? There were a few items she liked she real could not decide which one she truly liked better from the rest, “I like the strawberry crepes the best. No the strawberry smoothie or maybe the strawberry parfait.” She then stops her list with a gasp as she recalls what month it is. “Oh my god you have to try the pie of the month. It is strawberry pie.” Of course all the items she listed was desserts And it was quite obvious she had a sweet tooth for strawberries. Either that or she was just trying to push the pie of the month, but she seemed genuine. If the man wanted an actual meal he would have to ask her again with parameters or just figure it out himself.

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Well... she seems to have a thing for strawberries...

Asuchi grinned again and shook his head good naturedly, "I'll have that pie for dessert, but let me eat something else first."

He glanced down at the menu for the first time, skimming through it quickly. There were a few things that sounded interesting, but he didn't want to eat something too heavy. After all, gotta save room for the apparently amazing pie. He came upon the sandwiches section though and decided quickly.

"I'll take the garden sandwich, and the strawberry pie for dessert. Thanks- I'm sorry, I don't think I ever got your name. I'm Morikou Asuchi."

 

[Ryu Hime]

Shimete begins to jot his order down when out of the corner of her eye she see someone coming near. It was someone that who by the sight of fills her with fear. “I’ll get your food right away, sir.” She might have not broken into a run but she was moving like the wind. It looks like the man will not get the name of the hostess after all. A woman a little closer to his age walks into the scene. Was this the person that frightens Shimete so much? She doesn’t look scary.

Dnpc Tsubaki Matsuka​

“Hello, you look a bit lonely. May I join you? My name is Tsubaki Matsuka.” She wore a priestess uniform though she does not like it. It was something her clan forces her to wear while in public. Kind of like how the Nigiri clan are always made to wear some sort of servant outfit. The men of the Tsubaki clan could wear anything they wanted; it was just unfair.

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi noticed the girl’s body tense up and she quickly scurried away before giving her name. This sudden change in demeanor was surprising. She seemed almost… scared? Of what? It couldn’t be him. When people are scared of him they run away immediately, not after a few minutes.

Well, actually, that last part was a lie. No one was usually scared of him. Asuchi, despite being a Kumogakure Chuunin and a trained killing machine, had never quite mastered the art of striking fear into others. But still, if she was for some reason scared of him, she would have ran immediately. It doesn’t take two minutes for the body’s fight or flight response to kick in. If it did, a lot of people would be dead.

Asuchi was lost in his thoughts again. He had a bad habit of doing that. He really needed some people to talk to so he didn’t retreat into his own head.

“Hello, you look a bit lonely. May I join you? My name is Tsubaki Matsuka.”

Asuchi glanced up at the… priestess? She was a bit of an odd sight. He didn’t see too many priestesses just walking around the village. And very few of them ever came up to him and asked to eat with him. Only one, in fact.

”Uhh, sure I suppose. Morikou Asuchi, nice to meet you.”

Asuchi suddenly realized that this woman wouldn’t have suddenly appeared. His server must have noticed her approach, and ran away upon sight of her. They must know each other, and it must not be a very healthy relationship. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the woman seated across from him.

”Do you know the hostess here?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 284

 

[Ryu Hime]

Matsuka sit down and Asuchi asks her a strange question that she did not expect. She looks at him questionable unsure why he would ask such a question. “No, I don’t think so. I have never been to this restaurant. W-why do you ask?” She looks through the window and sees a few servers, but she did not see person she recognized but the sun was not in a good position and gave her a glare.

Meanwhile Shimete was fixing Asuchi’s garden sandwich. She was unsure what she is going to do afterwards. She may be forced to interact with Matsuka. Of course the sandwich did not take long to make and she takes a deep breath before going outside. Shimete sets the plate in front and shyly asks Matsuka if she wanted anything.

Matsuka was a little surprise at the sight of the little servant girl. “Well I guess I do know the hostess after all. I’ll just have a cup of coffee.” Shimete nods and scurries back into the shop. “That would be Shimete, my younger brother's handmaid.”

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi's eyes stayed narrowed at the woman who had sat down at his table. Something weird was going on here. She denied knowing the hostess, but he could see no other reason for the relatively friendly girl's quick departure. He noticed the priestess glance over through the window of the cafe, but no signs of recognition crossed her face. Soon after, the door opened and the hostess returned with his sandwich, asking Matsuka if she wanted anything as Asuchi salivated over his food. He wasn't distracted enough not to notice the distinct personality change the server underwent when dealing with this other woman. Perhaps she had some irrational fear of her own gender?

“Well I guess I do know the hostess after all. I’ll just have a cup of coffee.”

Well... there goes that theory.

“That would be Shimete, my younger brother's handmaid.”

”She's a handmaid? So she already has a job, why is she working here?” Working two jobs was completely understandable, but not for one so young, in Asuchi's opinion.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Yet another question about Shimete. Matsuka was starting to feel like she wasn’t enough for him. It was starting to get a little on her nerves. “Why are you asking me? If you want to know more about the little maid girl, why don’t you ask her?” She wonders why she even bothered to sit down with this person in the first place. He doesn’t seem to enjoy her company even though he looked pretty alone before. Matsuka looks at the door, “how long does it take to make a bloody cup of coffee?”

Meanwhile inside the restaurant Shimete got the coffee just how Matsuka likes it and cuts a slice of strawberry pie for Asuchi. Before heading out she looks out the window and sees Matsuka not in a good mood, which makes Shimete hesitant in coming out. When Matsuka is angry she tends to take it out on the help. Shimete could still remember the backhand she got back when Matsuka was forced to marry someone in the clan and end the relationship with the one she truly loved. There were so many traditions she hated within the clan and each one became a servant’s reason for being tortured.

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

“Why are you asking me? If you want to know more about the little maid girl, why don’t you ask her?”

Well... she isn't here right now...

Asuchi finally stopped studying the woman across from him, if only because maintaining eye contact while eating seemed a bit awkward. His eyes closed as he took the first bite into the sandwich. It was actually pretty good. He'd have to make a mental note to come back here again.

“How long does it take to make a bloody cup of coffee?”

This woman didn't seem very pleasant to Asuchi. It had only been a minute or two since she ordered. Patience is a virtue. He decided to strike up a conversation about herself, seeing as she obviously didn't want to talk about the hostess.

”Matsuka, right? What do you do for a living? Or for fun, really. Take your pick whichever you want to answer.”

His eyebrows raised in anticipation of her response as he took another bite of the delicious sandwich.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Fun? Like she had the time for that. “Every day I must perform my duties as a priestess of the Tsubaki clan. Every morning we purify our body, which is then followed by hours of meditation. The men of the Tsubaki clan are samurai; we women forge the blades that they use. Each blade has a spirit of our ancestors sealed with in it.” Ancient spirits sealed in a samurai sword sounds very Nanjirou, which is where the Tsubaki branch off of. The Tsubaki clan is actually a unity between the Nanjiro and the Tsuchimikado clans. “When I am not at the forge I practice creating protective wards and talismans to banish demons. Though I disagree with most of the traditions, I have to admit the clan is fairly strong. We are able to fight both physical and spiritual threats.” While Matsuka was distracting Asuchi with her tale, Shimete sits the cup of coffee in front of Matsuka and the pie to Asuchi. Matsuka looks over at Shimete and puts her on the spot, “The Nigiri clan has severed the Tsubaki’s for centuries. I am unsure why.” It has been a long time since Matsuka has asked herself that question.

“I have made your coffee just as you like it. Two spoons of sugar and a spoon of soy milk.” Matsuka could not drink milk of creamer. Her priestesshood forbids her from eating meat or dairy. Shimete then gives a polite bow before head off back into the restaurant.

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi looked down halfway through Matsuka's description of her duties and realized that his sandwich was gone. He made a mental note to thank the hostess for the pie recommendation. The sandwich was not enough food by itself, no matter how good it was.

He was thoroughly confused by this woman's description of her clan's rituals. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that clans that still had rituals like this still existed, but he didn't connect that he would actually ever meet someone from one. He was rather thankful his mother and father never instilled any rituals in him during his youth. They were pure shinobi, that's all they really cared about, besides each other and him. When this girl was learning to meditate and “purify her body” (whatever that meant...), he was most likely learning hand to hand combat and how to throw a kunai. The blade forging though, he had to admit that sounded pretty badass.

His brow furrowed slightly when she brought up the Nigiri clan's connections to hers. An odd practice for sure, it almost seemed like slavery, although he wasn't too sure about the status of that in Lightning Country. The population was mostly peasants, and some of them had “masters” similar to, although not quite completely like slavery. He assumed this was approximately what was happening in front of him. The priestess was obviously from some sort of noble family; any middle class or peasant woman would be required to work or do house chores, rather than meditating and blade forging. The hostess must then have descended from some peasants, whose family had aligned with this noble family a while back, most likely due to protection or guarantee of nourishment.

The hostess had appeared during the last statement and set his pie and her coffee down on the table. He smiled and mouthed thank you at her, to not interrupt Matsuka. Shimete then bowed? That was definitely new. She then darted off in what was now becoming a trademark scurry back toward the cafe doors.

”Well... that's certainly an interesting arrangement you two have going on. You don't know at all why it started?” Asuchi's curiosity was piqued. He was fascinated to learn just about anything, and this was certainly a fascinating situation he had stumbled upon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 386

 

[Ryu Hime]

“No, all I know is that the Nigiri clan was originally a clan of druids. They were nomads; always traveling from place to place. Why they decided to settle down and serve our clan I have no idea.” Matsuka takes a sip of her coffee and looks at Asuchi, “So what about you? I’m sure your family has it traditions, though probably not as much as mine. Please, tell me a little about yourself.”

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

”You'd assume, but not so much. My father is an ANBU, my mother a med-nin. I don't know much about their parents, my mother comes from a shinobi family, but I've never actually known about my father. I don't think any of his family is still alive, they never did tell me what happened to them. I can only assume it was too traumatic for my father to relive. I've got a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with the Demon Invasion...” Asuchi trailed off. His father was actually a big softie behind his ANBU mask, and so he'd never really had the courage to ask him to relive the memories of how he lost his family. He'd get the story one day, he just didn't know when.

”Anyway, no real traditions to speak of, other than the whole shinobi family thing, I guess. I'm pretty sure my dad came from a shinobi family, he just lost his to the demons. But we just go to work, come home, relax, eat dinner, talk about our days, stuff like that. There's no traditions or rituals like your clan.” Asuchi shrugged his shoulders and took a bite of his pie. Shimete, that was her name right? She made a good recommendation with the pie. He needed to remember to thank her later.

 

[Ryu Hime]

This conversation was starting to get stale; it was time to change topics. Maybe something more intellectual might stimulate better discussion. “I have a scientific theory I like to bounce off of you, if you don’t mind. As I said before we women of the Tsubaki clan seal spirits into the blades we forge, but want would happen if we sealed a spirit is a person?” Matsuka pauses to allow the idea to sink in. “Just imagine the applications. Would not all the knowledge and experience of that spirit be now a part of the person it was sealed within? If I sealed a spirit of one that had a talent with genjutsu in life, the person I sealed the spirit in will also possess that gift. However some talents cannot be transferred. If a seal a Hyuuga’s soul into a person’s body, they would possess the understanding of the Hyuuga powers but lack the ability. Through if we gave him the ability through implantation, would he not able to perform all that a Hyuuga can do?” It was quite obvious why Shimete feared Matsuka. Matsuka also had a theory on how to make an Inuzuka into a Tsukumogami by killing the pet and sealing its soul in the sword. Consider the closeness the master and pet are to each other she was sure this connection would allow the wielder and weapon to become one entity. Shimete was an Inuzuka, but she would hate to see her companion seal inside a blade.

[mft]

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

Asuchi's jaw moved rhythmically as he ate bite after bite of the pie. One brow was cocked, and his eyes never left the woman in front of him. She was a strange one, he'd decided that much. As she finished her “scientific theory”, only one bite of pie was left on the plate in front of him. He finally let his gaze drop from the woman, down to the ground. His fork speared the remaining pie and guided it to his mouth. He chewed. His eyes flit back, staring into the woman's. The shinobi finally swallowed, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and thought fit to speak.

”You can't.”

He assumed the woman would react in surprise and hostility to this, as she obviously held this idea near and dear to her heart. He could not gauge her reaction, however, as though his eyes were locked on hers, he perceived nothing, lost in his own racing mind. Nevertheless, he continued.

”People are not objects. Our bodies are objects. We are not. You may be able to seal a person's spirit in someone else's body, but it will not incorporate that person's consciousness or skills into the original host. You'll have two competing minds. Depending on the relative strength of each, one will win and one will lose. The winner will be come dominant, in control of the body. The loser will retreat into the depths of the mind, building a fortress, if you will. But without the stimulation of the outside world, he or she will simply slowly rot away. If they're of similar strength, you'll have a flip flop split personality incident, with control being wrested randomly between the two.”

He paused to gather his thoughts once more.

”This is assuming, of course, that the body survives. The trauma and stress of a sudden foreign presence inside your own skin would be terrifying. Who knows what would happen? Perhaps the minds clash as soon as the second is sealed, and they're left figuratively tangled, tripping over one another, trying to control the body. You'd probably never be able to restore normal function again.”

His eyes finally refocused on Matsuka sitting across from him. ”The human condition, our spirit, our mind is much deeper and confusing that you're giving it credit for.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 385

 

[Ryu Hime]

Matsuka could not help but smile for she has come to the same conclusion. Her experiments of sealing multiple souls into a single blade prove it to be true. One soul will always try to dominate over the other and if she cannot figure out a way around this problem, she will never be able to move on to live test subjects. “Maybe we are going about this the wrong way. Right now we are basically pouring two souls into one vessel and hoping they will mix. Instead of pouring one soul into another, we should weave it in like an embroidery. The human memory is flawed; it is malleable. One that is constantly told of an experience that has happened to them will start to believe it and remember it regardless of whether it is true or not. This is why Anbu has a jutsu, snapshot, that uses chakra to record an event that they saw. The chakra solidifies the memory making it like a video tape, which will prevent it from be degraded or changed. If we weave the memories of a soul into a person, that person should remember those memories as if they are his own.”

 

[Morikou Asuchi]

”You're speaking in metaphors. These will get you nowhere. You're referring to the mind as if it is a fabric. Once again, you aren't giving it enough credit. Now, I am not of your clan, I do not know of your rituals, I do not know of your power. But to be able to manipulate a mind in such a way would require a great amount of effort and skill. Perhaps you possess it. Perhaps not.” The emphasis on the last two words made it clear what Asuchi believed of her powers.

”I do not mean to insult you, I am sure you're quite skilled at your job. But to do what you are proposing is mad science. Even skill would not be enough, you'd need more than a bit of luck. You'd also need permission. Not many people are going to willfully join another body, especially not one already inhabited by someone else. When you tell them you're going to merge their consciousness and their personalities to, in essence, create a new person out of them, they'd be even more cautious. I do not believe anyone of sound mind would agree to such a thing. I certainly wouldn't.”

He shook his head slowly, almost sadly.

”I am sorry but I do not think you will achieve this. I can tell it is important to you and that you're quite the fervent visionary on the subject. But to do such a thing... the stars would have to align in your favor. Assuming you wish to use this for good, I pray they do. But you're going to have a hell of a journey.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marked For Training]

WC: 274

 

[Ryu Hime]

Asuchi unfortunately had a point; the thing she was suggesting would take great precision. That is assuming that it was even possible. She feels kind of stupid for even suggesting the idea in the first place. She gives a frustrated sigh, “Is there no way to better make a Chimera with my powers. I sure my power of sealing spirits can be used to improve the process of gaining a kinjutsu. I just know it. I refuse to believe that it is only good for making Tsubaki weaponry.” Matsuka has a strong urge to become great and she believes kinjutsu is the way that will lead her there. She just needs to figure out how to do it. She gets up from her seat, “I need some time to think. It was nice chatting with you.”
[Matsuka Left topic]


Of course after she had already left Shimete comes out with the bill and was surprise not to see the priestess. “Where’s Matsuka?” Shimete carries two pieces of paper; one for Asuchi and one for Matsuka. Guess who forgot to pay. Her manager was not going to be happy about this, which made Shimete just a little bit worried. She is going to really really hope that Asuchi is going to tell her that she is went to the restroom.