Under bloody illumination [Open]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Dec 9, 2016

Kurokawa was walking around a random street in the slums of Sunagakure. She didn't know it but she would be bathed in red light from the crystals above making her hair seem totally pink rather than its' usual white with a pink hint. Her attire was the usual black dress with the very long boots and sleeves that stopped mid overarm keeping her shoulders exposed. She also wore the usual blindfold. Her hair was almost reaching the ground by now so it would hide the Tattoo on her back. It was thick and might need an adjustment soon. She would not however, let anyone down here touch her hair. Almost everyone smelled like they could use a bath, and from the way they carried themselves it was clear that she was not in a nice neighborhood.

Back in stone there was a place like this. Much smaller though. It was placed in a mine away from everything else, and there was this bar located in the mine that asked no questions. A place for scum to gather, and also a place to gain some contacts when one needed information. In Suna it seemed that in addition to very well established gangs in some of the quarters, there was this huge area with dodgy bars and all kinds of wares available for cheap. Luckily her keen sense of smell would help her avoid the places that sold out of date meals, but other than that it was hard for her to find what she was looking for.

Eventually she arrived at a sleazy bar with a good enough smell that she would not be too uncomfortable being there for longer periods of time. Compared to the prizes she had heard people shouting on the street this seemed in the higher end, which only meant that you could at least expect some form of quality. The available company here also seemed more well groomed than what she had passed outside, though there would still be plenty available for purchase. She would put a few yen on the counter asking for a drink and be handed a standard beer. She immediately took it to a dark unoccupied corner if the bar, a little away from the other patrons in there. She didn't want to be approached by the people trying to sell themselves too much, and she figured that staying off to the side would help her avoid that. From her position she could follow most of the conversations going on in that part of the bar. For now she would wait and nip at her beer until something interesting revealed itself.

[MFT]
[WC: 439]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Dec 17, 2016

At first nothing would happen. People just went by as the beer slowly dried out. Kurokawas corner spot did what it was suppose to do. That is until now. With the beer empty a window was left open for someone to stir up casual conversation if they had noticed her. The corner had a padded curved bench taking up the sitting space of a third of the table. Enough for three friends to comfortable sit together or two individuals if the place became too crowded. She had placed herself too close to the edge of the bench leaving the other half open, and someone had now arrived with a fresh beer to spare and a smile on his face. He sat down at the other end of the bench, carefully placing himself at the edge of a normal barrier for personal space and but the extra beer on the table next to his own.

"You seem to have run out. Care for another one?"

Kurokawa would not want to make a scene. At the same time she could not reveal why she was really here, so she could not just send him away. The beer wasn't even opened. She didn't know if the even served bottled stuff at this establishment but since it seemed like no one had tampered with it, she accepted the offer knowing full well that she would now have to spend time talking to however this guy was.

"Sure"

She would send him a polite smile to not seem like she was just taking the beer and ignoring him. The smile was his queue to strike up casual conversation with questions like "So what brings you to a place like this" and "Are you living here or just visiting." Kurokawa figured that she was looking a bit like a foreigner with her pale skin in a place that gets this much sun but from what she understood, many people lived underground as well. She would just give vague answers to the questions, stating that she recently moved here, and didn't really know why she picked this place. She would open the beer and take a sip. It was rather strong and bitter sweet tasking like it was made to a specific acquired taste. She didn't want to seem rude so she hid the fact that she didn't really care much for the taste. She would bounce some of the same questions back at him, learning that he lived close to here and came here because for a slum like Grand Palais, the place had at least some standards, to which Kurokawa would reply that it does smell nicer than most places around here.

The man now seemed sure that Kurokawa was blind.

"I'll go get us something from the bar. Be right back."

He would walk off before Kurokawa could respond so she kept her senses sharp to what he was doing. He ordered two beers and on the way back he put them down and dosed one of them with some powder that would quickly dissolve, before picking them back up and walking back towards her.

[MFT]
[WC: 521]

Takahashi Aki · Dec 20, 2016

"I really do recommend you setting up elsewhere. There is a reason why we're setting things up on the surface." Sousuke was arguing with the barkeep. "Eventually this will come down, and things will get messy. I assure you your insurance is not going to cover it." Sousuke rubbed his temples. Words were said. Words that did not really make the case of barkeep any more acceptable. "I'm giving you two weeks to move. Otherwise I'm shutting you down. There are leases available on the surface. Good ones too." The bar keep would give Sousuke a blank look. Sousuke would shake his head, that was going to be it.

During this time a single man would come up and order more beer. Sousuke was about to make his way out, but then he watched as the same man open a particular package of questionable content. Sousuke's expression soured. The questionable individual would find himself being tapped on the shoulder by a metallic hand. "I don't think you want to do this. Not in front of me at least, but then again I could be anywhere and everywhere. Why don't you just empty that mug and go find your way home. Straight home." Sousuke would give the questionable man a rather hard pat with his metallic palm. For his own sake, the deviant did that. Sousuke would look to find who his victim was going to be. Upon figuring out who it was, Sousuke was even more pleased that he had intervened. It was good that he had stopped the individual from committing a crime and causing a member of the female gender un-foretold anguish and pain. Saving one of his new Suna nin from the worse living experience in her new home? Excellent.

Sousuke found find himself sitting now across from Kurokawa. He was rubbing his temples. Well now. Hopefully this wasn't a date thing for her. Sousuke was finding himself in an odd spot. What exactly does one say at times like these? "Good evening." There. That was a good starter. Cannot go wrong with that. Sousuke would tap his temples with his index fingers. He was going to comment that this was probably a dangerous place to be in, but then again most people already knew that.

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Dec 22, 2016

The man put on a very offended face when presented with the remarks.

"Not to speak ill of the establishment but the quality of beer here is not exactly pristine and my stomach needs a supplement to handle it"

He would take a sip of one of the beers.

"See? I normally bring my own stuff. Now I will confess to trying to get someone drunk but nothing else."

It didn't seem like the stranger was really listening so the man figured he would just carry on with his business. He turned around to pick up the beers again only to find the stranger taking a seat at his table when he looked towards the girl... At first he was frustrated but then he recognized the man and decided he'd rather leave than have a lengthy discussion with the Kazekage.

At the table Kurokawa was waiting for drinks and listening in on the conversation. Apparently this familiar voice had taken it upon himself to protect her. This would kinda spoil her plans to get underground connections but then again she would not have to deal with the one sitting here just a moment ago. The man would claim a chair and it seemed to scare off the free drink.

"Evening. You always follow people around you recently met or am I just lucky?"

She would have to seem distant in order for people around her to not pick up on her current employment status. Getting into the right places would become considerably harder if people knew what she could do.

[MFT]
[WC: 260]

Takahashi Aki · Dec 22, 2016

Right. Sousuke didn't believe a single thing said, but at least he was walking away now. An establishment like this usually brought with it questionable people.

Kurokawa would return his greeting with a question. "Luck." He would answer at first. He did the math in his head, "A 3.67% chance." He announced in fact. "To be honest though, I was here trying to get this establishment to clean up its act. A considerably difficult undertaking." He would admit. Most things in the Grand Palais were damaged in several ways, metaphorically and physically. Sousuke didn't want to admit it, but he wished the Grand Palais ceased to exist. The criminal element was present here, and it was something that needed to be vanquished in its entirety. It was here where Hirotomi came to power, but now he was operating elsewhere in Soon's.

"Did you ever get in touch with Akujin?" He would inquire. He was curious as to what progress Kurokawa was making. The climate here both politically and physically was very different here. "Have you made the necessary adjustments? Finding everything, or are you having difficulties in placing things in ... a mind palace of sorts? Some call it a database, but I prefer to use the term my father had for it. It's a sort of memory technique." Sousuke could spend hours and hours in his mind palace but seconds would pass in real time. It had its uses, but the problem sometimes was that when one had such a full mind, certain things were harder to access. Sousuke would place his hands on the table. "I hope I was not interrupting anything was I? If so, I do apologize. The individual, I hope to have sent home, was ... well, his intentions were highly questionable indeed."

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Dec 24, 2016

Kurokawa would bend forward over the table a bit as she sad there, trying to look as much as someone waiting for something but with no patience, as she could. This place might be ruined if this guys kept namedropping big shots from Suna while he himself stood out like a grain of wild rice among white ones.

"This place has the nicest smell of the lot by far, and the rumors are that their alcohol is less watery or filled with filthy than elsewhere, not that it can be said to be a stamp of quality. I was trying to blend in. Find movers and shakers to poke for intel when needed but seeing as you are here I might need to start over on that anyway,."

She would keep her voice down as much as possible to avoid being overheard by the surrounding tables which was not hard given the amount of decibels ambient in this room on average.

"I did get a call from the chief yeah. Over the radio. Calling people to work."

Kurokawa would get a piece of cloth she had stashed away in a stocking and add it to her head garment. With it hanging down her face was not no longer visible below the forehead. The cloth seemed to fit the blindfold both in colour and design as if it was meant to be part of the same accessory. This way no one could see her reply to her company and she would look like she was in fact not talking with him at all.

Takahashi Aki · Dec 29, 2016

"I suppose I should not underestimate smell, seeing as how the rest of your scenes have been elevated to one degree or another. Your sense of smell wouldn't match that of an Inuzuka, but if I were to venture a guess it would be better than my own." Sousuke tapped his fingers together. So. She wanted to try and have a hand at the underworld. Kick a large enough hornet's nest and you get killed by their stings, if you are allergic that is. He focused for a moment, there was an annoying buzzing in the air. "Overhead, light shade that is ... oh three tables over. The buzzing noise. That affecting you much?" He would inquire. "The smell, it smells nicer here because they're hiding something. Oh ... I figure they're hiding a body somewhere because this particular bar has been, without their permission, the drop off point for some illegal substances. I had an encounter here a few years back, and for some strange reason they keep rebuilding. Curiously the propietor has not taken my financial advice of changing shops which means he is complicit in something. Either he is getting more money for being a party in this, or he is simply scared." He would explain quietly as he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes for a moment. One eye would open up as Sousuke simply stared back at her. "I trust that is enough for you to get a lead on something while I'm pulled in about eighteen different directions. Literally it's about twenty-seven."

He would continue anyways, "The former proprietress could not afford the rent in the Diamond District, and so she opened up this bar. She hired me as a handyman from time to time to fix the oven for her. She suffers from dementia so she was forced to retire, her son cannot handle money. Usually I took my payment in the form of a dinner or lunch box. Good meals, and usually she wanted me to prattle on about my social life or girlfriend situation while I worked on the tech in the kitchen. Now these days I don't get those calls, and her son really cannot afford new equipment. He's also tried to keep me from checking out the kitchen. I could brute force my in here with public health and safety ... but I assume somehow he is in deep with some sharks." He alternated which eye he had closed now. "I might be who I am title wise, but I am much more than that. Far too modest is how some of my court members describe me."

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Jan 1, 2017

Kurokawa sad there listening to the man in front of her, answering his questions and responding to him whenever she had something to weigh in on.

"All the lamps buzz yeh. That is how I know the lights are on. The fact that one is particularly noisy bothers me about as much as normal speech. When the nose levels are as high as here there is plenty to be bugged about."

His information about the bar told her that he understood what her purpose here was, but not what methods she employed.

"A place like this. What is in the walls in not important. One could just tear them down and reveal everything yeh? No, i tend to look less like a threat and mingle until something good comes up. Much less a matter of where, and more a matter of who. A place like this. With the history you propose. Couldn't think of a better place to get what I'm looking for."

Kurokawa would get out and walk to the bar to buy another drink. It would looks suspicious even to people who did not have their attention on her table if she just sad there doing nothing all night. Upon returning to the table she would try Sousukes theory out.

"Maybe the owner just doesn't want to move? Stubborn or some sort of history here yeh? Some sort of family value. May as well be criminal reasons but there are more sides to a story. Always. Simple is boring, and boring is predictable. Better to complicate things to make it harder to unravel. Take for example the lot behind us here. They shower more than most down here. Does that mean they steal to afford it, or do they simply have a better sense of hygiene? If the place is nicer people tend to make more of an effort when coming yeh. Helps that high rollers with standards don't want a smelly bum sitting next to them, stinking up the place. Helps raise the standards even of it comes from a wrong place. Thank god I am not one of those wolf people. Then this place would cause me to wear a second mask over my nose."

She would take a sip of her beer before continuing.

"I'm just a lowly footman looking for these contributors to the atmosphere. What I don't understand is how a military leader is not delegating stuff like this. You're a public face yeh? As soon as someone spots you they will hide whatever they have. Smell you from a mile away with that massive chakra of yours. Clones would be clumsy and take up energy as well. You need more staff if you don't have anyone to do that type of work for you. You might be strong but going around slums as a public figure means that anyone who do decide to take a swing at you are either random drunks or well prepared assassins, with a least one sensory type in their ranks to make sure it is not just a clone they see."

One would always attract more attention the higher one went up the ladder. That was why Kurokawa wanted to remain at a sort of mid level. High enough that she would be bosses less around on the job but low enough to fly under the radar for now. With the light house in front of her however, remaining invisible was practically impossible.

[MFT]
[WC: 576]

Takahashi Aki · Jan 8, 2017

Sousuke was going to tap his fingers along the table, but he caught himself before he did so. There was no point in causing harm to the Hashigaki, even if accidental. Luckily for her, she was still quite new in these parts and yet had to acquire a reputation. Good, bad, it did not matter really. Simple and borning were predictable, but that was fine. It meant that there were less pieces on a board. One could count on certain things to not happen. Kurokawa then proceeded to outline a particular scenario with the patrons present. Sousuke folded his fingers and allowed his mind to play with the concept that played with his theories. Ultimately it did work out. "Impressive." He would in fact credit her.

The remark about him being a public face was indeed true, and him showing up would set off alarm bells. "I like to keep myself out of the metaphorical ivory tower. I was called the 'working Steward' for a reason. I ... mingled ... with most. Due to a ... long and complicated ... " He struggled for a moment, trying to find the right word. Sousuke was brilliant, but there was a price to be paid for the brilliant mind. Madness, brilliance, and stupidity could sometimes share the same room at times. "Huh." He made a shrugging gesture which was truly pointless. "I was not always the Kazekage, I did the work of one while I awaited the return of the ruling family. I am not one for ceremony. I used to get into the mud and the dirt of things to get the answers I required. I still do that. I could delegate it ... but I am not going to forget who I was, or who I used to be. On occasion I would show up at one of my noble's dinners covered in mud and slightly ... singed a bit." He would finally answer. He played in his mind palace than one particular occasion, it was rather amusing since one of those present had a son in the ANBU who was quite the opposite of Sousuke. Suffice it to say he did not last long. Early retirement.

"The last ... two times I picked a fight in public were ... for the best. There was a particular ... bingo book entry I was tracking and once I had him, I got him out of the public and into the sewers. He isn't a problem anymore ... considering he was a serial killer." He spoke lowly now considering he wanted to keep on the mum about this. The other? Well, that was not something Sousuke did not want to talk about out loud. It wasn't exactly ... the sort of thing he didn't want to talk about either being that his contract with the Toads decided to do its own thing and rip a build up and place it down just to get at a member of the Cabal.

"Ah yes." He would remove from his pockets a piece of paper with some symbols. Sousuke had used a particular type of paper, and a particular pen to press the symbols in. There was one matter he had not approached the young medic about. "In your stay here, have you ... become familiar with these three symbols?" He would inquire.

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Jan 8, 2017

Kurokawa took a sip of her beer and placed one hand on one of the pieces of paper laid in front of her. The other hand made half a lion seal and she concentrated her chakra to find the small difference that the ink would have made on the paper. Sadly neither of the markings seemed familiar to her. Then again she had not gotten her hands in many documents since entering Sand and it's not like someone with a symbol on a Tabard or the likes would mean anything to her.

"They don't ring a bell no. Should they?"

She would wait for an answer since she did not know the significance of these things but clearly they were important enough to bring up.
They also still seemed to speak in opposite directions. Kurokawa had tried to keep it down to earth with the stealth being an issue but this guy suddenly started talking about a serial killer from a Bingo book. It seemed like when you get higher up you lose the sight of the environment causing those high profile situation. Someone who kills a lot of people attracts attention but general understanding of the environment that create such monsters seemed to be left out of the limelight. All the more reason for her to continue her quest at a later time.

As she took another sip from her mug, she noticed a faint sent of perfume passing by. Either someone fancy just entered the establishment or someone with money called for some exclusive company. Kurokawa would try to scan the room for its origin so that she might devise some information from it. Luckily with her way of detecting she would not have to move her head, nor give any indications that she was actually only listening to the conversation with half an ear

[MFT]
[WC: 307]

Takahashi Aki · Jan 11, 2017

Kurokawa did not know the Orders yet. Well, that would be fixed. Shortly. "I would have the expectation that in time you would have come across these three symbols." He would answer at first. He would guide her hand back to the shield icon. "In Sungakure in addition to the Medical, Anbu, and Core branches, we have Orders. A trinity of sorts that comes from Ancient history, and something all have access to should they find a calling in their lives." He explained. "The Shield is the Rangers. They keep the wilds in check and transverse the desert. Hunters in a way, they have skills even Shinobi cannot replicate." He motioned her to the next symbol. "The hammers, represents the Journeymen. We are crafters. You had ... heard my metallic clone and had heard the ... sounds of my mesh armour when we met. Weapons. Armour. Buildings. Imbued with unique properties." Then came the last symbol. "Oracles. They are keepers of ancient knowledge. Understanding the past can ... make understanding the present easier at times. Sometimes an Oracle knows more about an individual than the individual himself... or herself." Kurokawa would detect a slight bit of annoyance in the way Sousuke had mentioned the Oracles. The one who had introduced him to the concept of the three knew himself better than he would ever know himself. Sousuke once held that woman in high regard, but lately that was not going to be the case moving on further.

"Based on what I know of you ... you're not a smithy. You had remarked about a blind chemist not being helpful in the past. Not exactly the same field of work, but something similar." Sousuke assessed. He would move over to Rangers and Oracles, "Considering your current ... activity I would think you align more with Oracles. Unfortunately I am uncertain if you're in the nature and the preservation of balance... as I am not fully educated in your history. I could be wrong of course." He added. He rung his wrist as he spoke. "All in all, something I think you should pursue. A chance to further amplify your abilities and to further educate yourself... to become superior." He paused for a moment, "Was I correct in my assessment?" While Sousuke had changed the topic, he was indeed giving the presence of a general conversation being had, which was indeed the truth but now he was also giving Kurokawa the perhaps needed observing room to get what she needed?

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Jan 13, 2017

Kurokawa didn't have to think much before replying. Of course she had not come across the symbols before, being new here and blind as well but getting them explained told her one thing. No way in hell was she going to be a ranger. Way too much work to try and get to the top there to change of it operated and what would she tell Sahqo Golz when next they met. Sousuke sure was right about not being cut out to be an artisan of any kind. That type of hand eye coordination was beyond her.

"Well Oracle does seem more likely than the rest."

She was unsure if Oracles were keepers of knowledge or preservers of balance. Knowledge could be used for many things, so a keeper of it could take many forms. A lore master wouldn't necessarily concern himself with balance of power. He would much rather add more knowledge to the library. A preserver would not necessarily concern himself with acquiring more knowledge. He might end up spending too much time protecting what little he had and distribute it with care to maintain status quo.

"So would an Oracle be comparable to some kind of guardian or are we talking archivist? Which is more important? The balance keeping or the ancient knowledge? I guess what I am trying to ask is if Oracles pursues knowledge with vigor all their lives or if they spend more time applying it to situations that needs it?"

With Sousuke being noticeably annoyed by the concept of Oracles, she didn't want to spend too much time chatting about them but the only alternative was talking about his exploits as a journeyman. Rangers she would mostly have to learn about for research purposes anyway and that could be done as an Oracle if she ever decided to take that road.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 19, 2017

The Kazekage would lead Kurokawa's hand back to the oracle symbol again. He would let go and let her speak. He was able to deduct what her Order membership would be. He frowned slightly as he realized he had slightly miss-communicated something with the description. That he would rectify. "Rangers keep the balance of and in nature." He would state, "Oracles are for the keeping of ancient knowledge. To them the greatest death is a civilization ... to not be able to properly record them and keep them in history be it written or an oral tradition." This left him wonder though, Fuu was an Oracle but she had been operating with a group that once upon a time wanted to destroy Sungakure, which then in turn were really pawns of Soragakure being used to test the waters. "That being said some Oracles apply ancient knowledge in today's world... which is in part why the Orders are still operational and did not succumb to a state of nothingness. Others are for the recording for it. Some undertake to do one or the either, or both."

The more Sousuke spoke about the Oracles, the annoyed nature he had was melting away, and for that he would apologize. "Apologies for coming off sounding annoyed. My nemesis ... is an Oracle. Well, was an Oracle but from a different state. Suffice to say ... she has an uncanny ability to insult some people without realizing it ... and then well ... I won't bore you with the details any further." He would cease with Fuu, or Michi these days now. "There is a library that is in the Orders section of Sungakure. I personally have not been in there, seeing as how I work and lead a different Order. I would be very surprised that they did not have books containing braille... or a lack of recordings. Some ancient cultures ... and some ones present today don't write things down so there are recordings. I think ... the lack of transcripts is more of a respect thing." Sousuke would attempt to explain. "New things are being uncovered in the Desert Expanse, communities once thought loss are re-emerging. Should you consider this path, you may wish to do some exploration and make proper recordings."

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Jan 20, 2017

"Sounds like I would need to devote a vast amount of time learning what is already stored. Also I would need a more effective way of reading text than the slow scan I use now."

Kurokawa seemed to have gotten herself into even more work. She hadn't been in the city for long and only just joined the medics division, but then again joining everything from the start might save time. A full to do list is more effective than free time that could be spend doing something important. She would leave it for today as she was not in any kind of 'sign up' place.

"To change the subject slightly. Do you know of any Jinchuurikis here? Figured since I am already in a branch and possibly joining an order. I might as well find someone who is in close connection with the spirits as well."

She didn't know if people formed bond with ancients or if they had some other form of spirit here to connect with. Nevertheless it might prove useful to get in contact with one sooner or later.

Reminds me. Getting Hungry in here

What else is new?

Kurokawa leaned back in the seat and finished her beer. It was still half full but she didn't want to stay here much longer. A little out the side of her mouth and down her cheek to her neck. Being stationary with no objective did not suit her at all. She wanted to always keep herself busy with something. If not an epidemic then training or some other form of beneficial activity. She would catch the escaping drop before is finished its' journey and listen to her companions response.

[MFT]
[WC: 282]

Takahashi Aki · Feb 4, 2017

It was a curious question that Kurokawa had. If Sungakure had any Jinchuurkis present. It was a word that few people knew, and most people who knew that particular word were one themselves, studied them for a long time, or merely indeed knew one themselves. Sousuke's eyes would shift to the ceiling for a moment as he considered it. Usually people who knew one would oftentimes really take a great deal of time to study them. He almost ran his knuckles across the table as he thought about it, but he didn't. He caught himself and reminded himself that he might cause some discomfort for Kurokawa which was a very rude thing to do. He shifted his head side to side for a moment. "Kimi of the Nekozuka household is one. She bonded with a White Tiger Demon named Kashiro. They have a ... I am inclined to say ... pleasnant relationship? Kashiro had been with the family for some time, and pledged himself to protect Sungakure and declared himself to not be a threat." Sousuke would explain. "It might be difficult to find her since she is ... honeymooning with her new husband. I think they've been at it for a month now..."

"You may want to visit the Toraono Dojo. There are several spiritually inclined people there." He offered. He waved his hand, he would have something to add about that. "Food for thought of course, Kuro is an Oracle himself."[/colo] That would be the last to be spoken on the matter of the Orders. The Kazekage would at that point remind himself of the time. "I should get going. I have another engagement I should be preparing for. A noble of mine wants to ... take me out to dinner, and attempt to introduce his daughter to me. That is really the truth of it, but he is masking it as a social outing of sorts. It is going to be a very tiring experience." He would almost clap his hands together but he didn't. He caught himself. "Do take care of yourself, and that is indeed an order."

[Topic left]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Feb 5, 2017

Kurokawa would sit back pondering over the information she had just received. So only one Jinchuuriki was known of here and she was unavailable. For now maybe she should just focus on her training and then worry about the bigger picture when opportunity presented itself.

Now that her big shot companion had excused himself to go elsewhere the atmosphere started to return to a more lax one. Having the Kage himself present apparently got everyone on edge whether it was normal nervousness over being in the presence of what could be compared to royalty, or because those around here had something to hide. For now she was once again left alone. Now she just needed to figure out how high profile she had gotten by talking to him for so long. Suddenly seeming like someone buddy buddy with the Kage would make every Scoundrel avoid her in any possible way. Only time would tell. For now she would just idly listen to people talking around her.

The general mood returned and people started whispering about shady deals again but it seemed that at least for tonight Kurokawa had become enough of a pariah that she would eventually have to call it a night. She would get up and walk out the door. As she walked down the street she tried to look helpless as if she was nervous and had trouble finding her way home. She would either run into someone kind enough to help her find her way or someone shady enough to want to take advantage of her one way or the other. First would mean that it was truly done for the night, where the ladder would mean that Hemorian might not have to go hungry tonight.

[MFT]
[WC: 290]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Apr 11, 2017

Sounds of droplets of water hitting a bricked surface was the only sound to be heard. Kurokawa did not know how she got here or how long she had been lying here. A memory flash of what had happened last she was conscious would gradually return to her. She remembered being at a sleazy bar looking for trouble when the kage sat down with her. She remembered talking but not she could not make out the words as the memory slipped from her grasp.

The paint was apparent. She hurt all over. A broken rib. Cuts on her arms and legs. Knives in the dark just coming out of nowhere as if someone has attacked her with a force that held no mass. A shadow perhaps. Trying to move her arm proved difficult. Tendons sliced so no hand seals allowed. Shoulder could be broken or just pulled out of its joint. Dislocated. She could not tell. Not every day she would find herself incapacitated like that. Who had attacked her and what did they want? No memory of footsteps, smells, sounds, nothing. What was this crusty feeling on her? All over her body stuff seemed to flake off as she tried to move. Blood. She was covered in dry blood. She had been there for a while. Her body was so cold, no power left to move. She just wanted to go to sleep. Almost dosed off she heard a voice call out to her.

eht oob.

It was unintelligible to her at first. Who talked to her. She could sense no one around her for at least 2 meters. People just on the other side of a small wooden fence were walking and talking as if nothing was the matter. Did any of them look over? was she even visible to them, or was it too dark? Was she in a shadow, unnoticeable to them? Would anyone ever find her

eht oob.

There the voice was again. Closer this time. Almost understandable. But no one was there. Who talked to her?

Get up!

Hemorian! The voice was in her head. She could hear him. She was so cold. All she wanted to do was just dose off. Just sleep. Just for a little while. No biggy, she would just nod off and wake up later. Maybe she would be found by then.

Get up damn it! I am not going back to the darkness. You will get up and you will stay alive. Don't fall asleep!

He sounded worried. She didn't want to sleep long. Just a little while. It was so cold and she could not move her fingers, let alone her arms. Were her legs busted too? She kicked the wooden wall. Just to see if she even could. seemed they still worked. Her hips were killing her and her shoes where missing but her legs still worked. She kicked the wall again hoping someone would hear her.

[OOC: Been busy but since I am not set as inactive I take it there is no problem with posting in my own training topic/open thread. Basically some time has passed and yada yada. Anyways I prefer a good "victim searches for memories and tries to get even" story over "The big hero goes from nothing to the top and is awesome all the time" story so by all means chip in if you want the saviour part. Just don't be one of those that post only twice a month if you want to RP.]
[MFT]
[WC: 491]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Apr 18, 2017

Kurokawa mustered enough strength to kick the wooden fence once more before passing out. Her arms were spinning and aching and her body was cold. She spun off into darkness and lost track of time.

When she woke up again the first thing she noticed was that she was no longer on the ground behind a wooden fence. Wherever she was, it was warm and soft. The first thing she noticed was that she was not wearing the same clothes. Instead of her ninja outfit she now sported some sort of long t-shirt and baggy cotton pants. She was lying on some form of mattress with a duvet pulled over her to keep her comfy. Her healing factor had a hard job keeping her stable before but now she could feel it hard at work on making her better rather than keeping her alive.

She would try to call out to find out who had saved her but quickly found that her throat was soar from lying on the cold ground for so long. It would take a little longer before she would be able to speak up. As she tried to move her arms she noticed that her shoulders had been reset, so other than agony when moving the joints she found no other obstacles. Everything hurt so the mere fact that her limbs were responsive calmed her down. Whoever had saved her at least meant her no harm. She was still in a desperate need of a bath and a brush through her long hair, as it had picked up quite a few souvenirs and now that the adrenaline levels were down she started noticing all sorts of things that seemed minor before. Small room, closed door, sparsely furnished. A bed, a table, a chair, a vase with flowers in the window and some sort of shoes by the bed.

[MFT]
[WC: 312]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · Apr 29, 2017

Kurokawa waited there for an hour with nothing happening before deciding to attempt to sit up straight. It took some effort but eventually she was able to get upright and slip into the shoes on the ground. She immediately went on her feet walking towards the door. Pulling the handle revealed a very small hallways only about two meters long and a little over a meter wide, with closets on her right and a door both to her left and in front of her. She could hear droplets of water hitting the floor behind the door to her left. A combined toilet and bath. This place was some kind of hospital ward or dorm room with a private bath so she figured she might at well go in, lock the door, strip down and shower. There was even a fresh towel there for her to use.

After getting cleaned up and dried off with the towel she put the baggy clothes back on and went back to the bed. Wherever this was, there had been no malice and she felt safe enough to give in to her still present exhaustion, so she dosed off once more until finally someone woke her up.

"You okay? I can see you have been up. You need to eat. It's not much but I am not the best cook."

The voice came from a young guy standing next to the bed with a tray. Some sort of toast and scrambled egg and sausages. Basically just fried stuff from abroad typical for young bachelors who hadn't learned to cook the complex nutritious stuff yet, either because they were lazy or simply didn't have the funds. Still it was a welcomed present from her savoir so she would get up to a sitting position and give a little smile.

"Thank you for helping me."

[MFT]
[WC: 308]

Hashigaki Kurokawa · May 19, 2017

After downing what amounts to almost every part of an English breakfast Kurokawa would wipe her mouth and turn to her new host.

"What happened to my clothes? I don't feel right without my mask."

The guy would scratch the back of his head and tilt it slightly.

"Well I had my friend come over. She changed you out of it and into this. Your clothes were pretty torn. She said she would need miracle to fix it. Looked like it was ripped to shreds or something?"

Kurokawas expression would change from neutral to distressed. Clothes come and go but the blindfold was handmade by her mother and one of only three she ever had. She had worn it pretty much to tatters anyway and had to change but she figured she could at least keep it stored somewhere when it had outlived its practical uses. Luckily she had never used the other two so the loss was manageable. By the time the last one would be destroyed she would hopefully have found a new source of comfort. For now she would feel rather unease as she was in an unfamiliar place without her metaphorical security blanket.

"If possible I would like the remains for safekeeping. They have... sentimental value"

She was half way relieved and halfway indifferent about the fact that she had been getting her change of clothes from another woman and not from a man. She was confident in her body and schooled in the manipulative ways of the Kunoichi but at the same time she had been defenceless for a long period of time. First thing she had to do after recovering was finding out what had happened, but for now she had to focus on getting better and getting to know the people responsible for her safety at the moment. She would need some way of thanking them for rescuing her as well.

[MFT]
[WC: 318]

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