{ Tenmei or Open - No Kill }

Why were mornings his least favorite of the entire day? Even he had no clue why.

Maybe because it was aggravating noise of the stupid alarm clock that went every god damn -3.16 something millisecond and it was getting to him. As hard and breath-consuming it was for him to just groan and moan in disgust and pain, he clenched his left hand into a balled fist and *BOOM*; smashed downward on the alarm clock as it had finally stopped ringing. The soothing noise of silence was now in the hotel room he resided in currently. There was occasional bird sing-- wait, did Kumogakure even have birds that wasn't messenger birds? He popped one eye open slowly as his body had began to move in slow motion, indicating that the male was not ready for his morning to start. He wasn't in tied strings with no village, let alone taking orders from any Kage or whatever. So the question had still remained in his mind as to why the f@$% is he even up so early?

Early morning work out? No.
Breakfast? Hmm, maybe.

"...No."

He said. Well at least it was a start.

Training? That could probably be his only motive as to why he would get up so early in the morning just to incorporate some new techniques that he had been thinking about. On the right side of the bed where the nightstand was located, was one of his clan's technique scroll. He had reached for the scroll as he unloosened the tied-up string bow and unrolled the scroll. As it appeared to him once again like before, the scroll had appeared blank to him. Maybe no technique training after all. But he gave out a disappointing sigh because the question still lingered in his mind in regards to what was he going to do for the day. Legend has it in the Osada background that the Osada scroll will show a new technique for said person if they are deemed worthy of such a feat.
Maybe he was ready for it, maybe he was not. Who knows to be honest. He just needed to be stronger and better than what he was now to say the least. Ever since he's been deemed as an S-rank missing-nin, he's been on the verge of traveling to different villages and gone into hiding, well a couple of villages he managed to stray away from would both Kirigakure (missing-nin + bounty = dead) and Sunagakure (daughters and hatred and all that explaining for nonsense). He would have to face facts and go back to those villages one day, but that day will come around shortly, or at least he hoped so to say the least.

The sun was shining, which was a good thing about today. The wind was calm too, not vigorous and sad. The tempo and speed of the wind was under control, giving off a relaxing feeling that today for some reason, was going to be a good day. Maybe he guessed that today was going to be a good day for training after all. He had gathered all of his essentials in order and double-checked before he even decided to move out of the room just for a small period of time. He then turned towards the right direction and continued walking to whatever destination he had hoped to stop at. Walking along the town had made things easy for Jurou to get somethings out of his mind, mostly with him being an S-rank missing. He guessed that stuff like this happened for a particular reason or something. He had heard multiple sounds of blades clashing with each other back and forth. He paid little to no attention to the sounds of the swords and continued to walk until he had found a more subtle place for him to get some sparring buddies or something.

He then came across a building like no other he had before, even while living in Konohagakure, Kirigakure, and Sungakure. The building was a skyscraper, like literally a skyscraper. He did not know the exact highest, but maybe he wanted to see what was at the very top. And by seeing the length of the building, he had almost thought of giving up but his soul and mind had told him to keep on going further. From the looks of the structure and the building itself, it is obviously not just a building. It's a tower that was sitting on top of the mountain. Something that long had to reach up to the heavens or something, and it had surprised Jurou for a minute. Countless thoughts had came into his head, and one of them was seeing who was at the very top of the tower. It didn't matter at to begin, so walking upward on the building was the only possible solution.

Coating his feet with chakra, he proceed to still go on the tower, making his way upward as he proceeded to sprint upward. Time had passed and he now found himself on top of one of the tower floors waiting for people to spar with. The view of Kumogakure from where he was located was quite magnificent, and he even wondered how high this "Tower of Heaven" was. They did say that it could even reach to the heavens if you climb high enough, but he decided to stay on one of the lower levels until he felt the need to climb higher.

---

{ Word Count = 923 }

She should have been resting. She should have been gone.
But something was keeping her awake.

Something was keeping her here

---------

It had been years since the Sotsuji had visited the place known as the Lightning Country. And even longer since she had spent the night within its borders. It seemed that every time she had come this way it was just a short passing stay on a longer journey. Come and gone, here then there; within a matter of hours. However, even within that short expanse of time, of lingering between the outskirts and the village, the female's much younger self could sense a certain... level of tension in the air. Unease. Perhaps it was from the harshly luminescent bolts of electricity crackling around the sky, or the conflict of powerful creatures battling behind closed doors. Maybe the land was nervous and just anticipating the troubles to come. Whatever it was, there would always be something unsettling about the place. And it was damned foolish to think that this time would be different.
No, the feelings that crept in to Tenmei's conflicting thoughts were almost the same as before. Except for these sensations; they were four times worse.

Oh yes. The Special Jounin didn't have to venture too far in to this part of the land to know what had been happening of late. Someone had gone missing from here... someone important; and like the now wandering ninja, they had sought refuge in the land of Kirigakure. However, unlike Tenmei this person had made a mistake and supposedly gotten killed... or imprisoned... or something, anything that caused her to remain in that sea salt tainted land. Either way it confused, angered and maybe even enraged the wrong people. So what did they do? In direct retaliation the Raikage Sanosuke had ordered that every kiri ninja that was even remotely in his domain, be captured and imprisoned. Rumour had it that this so called leader even contemplated going after a lowly genin. As if a child would be a threat to their grand design. So, yes, the female may have been wrong to have hoped that the unnerving feelings of this place would vanish like that missing ninja. But she was certainly right in wearing that cloak.

In losing who she was to behind the mask

It was a good idea to stay out and watch the world instead of locking herself away inside a foreign hotel room with strangers behind every door.

----

It was different watching the world from a place so high. Beneath the crimson red and white mask, beneath the shadows of a heavy cloak; even the mountains looked like abandoned ant hills from up here. Everything down below, from the smattering of early rising workers hurrying to make their dawn shift to the golden ginger and iron dust painted clouds colouring the skies with their pale liveliness... to the cool blue, brown tones of the rocky surfaces of the cliff side. Everything  looked so... distant.... disconnected. The last time the ex kiri kunoichi had felt a moment of peace such as this; was way back in Konoha. She had found a quiet place close to the monuments to set down and feel the soft carpet of grass behind her cool legs, a sturdy green tree to rest her back against, and some home made ramen noodles and vegetables to satisfy the remaining of her senses.
Looking back she didn't know why it was so comfortable when here was so.. so much better. Here, in these early hours the female found her solace up a tower on top of a mountain. Focusing the scorching chakra to the soles of her feet she climbed until the air became thinner and took a seat on it's edge where she could look down in silence and ponder.

Should she....? Is it....? What if....?

"Now what could someone possibly be doing in this place... up this high... at this time of morn.....I remember you"

She barely had to glance at him. Barely had to breath. His scent... his voice... the chill she got from being around him; it was something that she couldn't easily forget. Hell, here she was just remembering that time when the stranger the first time she was able to pause from the chaos of the world, when here he was once again. But this time, Tenmei Sotsuji didn't have any food or drink to ease the tension of the partially familiar meeting. All she had was the mask adorning the upper half of her wind worn face, the knife that rarely left her hand these days.... and the waves of heat that washed over her in an almost rhythmic pattern, echoing the erratic heart beat of an over tired, over anxious.... somewhat cautious female shinobi. After all, although Tenmei Sotsuji generally bore the same resemblance to the woman he had met before. She sounded the same, probably smelled the same too. But then again, she didn't feel like the same woman that was sitting preparing a meal for two and serving tea back then. That woman had been left behind long before she climbed this tower.

"What brings you here? If its just for the view then you should just go to the next floor up. You can see more...see further... and this platform isn't safe right now"

-----
Words:902

He felt it coming. A war perhaps. Two opposing villages. One final objective.
Would he intervene? Would he even be safe? Was it time for them to finally know the truth?

Or would he finally come out of hiding after ten years of solitude...

---

"Now what could someone possibly be doing in this place... up this high... at this time of morn.....I remember you"

A light, small voice was heard to his ears as his eyes slowly shifted upwards, opening them as his pupils had searched the area to see who was talking to him. It didn't take long for the male to come to realization as to who that voice belonged too. One turn of his head to the right until he looked back at the corner of his eye and there she was. He'd remember that voice, but that face he would never forget. It was the same kunoichi that he had sat down with days... weeks... months ago maybe...? Who cares, her presence was still the same and maybe her presence had lifted some of the tension off of what was going through his head right now. Yet, something about her feels off to him. Her presence, her voice, her looks, everything about her was the same, but then again something about her was not the same neither. What was it? Even though his looks were the same, well they were different at least, his posture and demeanor has not changed. Maybe he was thinking to hard about it. She did just come out here and said that she remembered him and he did looked at her from the corner of his eye at a distance, so maybe his mind was just overreacting or something.

"Glad to say that even I remember you as well. Well, your voice that is. It didn't change one bit..."

Was her voice even supposed to change? It's been a while since the two had seen each other before and maybe there would've been a slight change to things. His voice was still the same, monotone with a raspy expression, distinctively deep in that matter. The thoughts were coming back to him now, when he had sat down with her and she shared with him her lunch. The surprising conversation was something extravagant when she sat down and said that his scent was that of a mist shinobi, indicating that maybe then she knew that he used to a ninja from the Hidden Mist Village. She didn't know about him being a previous Mizukage at the time which was a good thing, but still a Hidden Mist Shinobi was important too. He didn't think someone actually wanted to sit here and spend time with a fugitive, refugee of the Hidden Mist, or in worst cases, a missing-nin at that. It didn't feel right for him to do crimes and whatnot since this lifestyle was never his intention to begin with. He was a wanted mercernary ever since he did that mission with that dead Senju girl back when both of them was in Kirigakure and they burned the kiri bingo book. Well, she did while he was still unconscious.

Anyway, it felt rather good to hear from the kunoichi yet again, although he did not catch her name, maybe it was not important at that time and place. Maybe a simple meet and greet would be beneficial to both of them. It was funny to him on the inside that once again they had to meet in the same village and at the same location like last time, but in a different terrain. Now it was at the Tower of Heaven in Kumogakure. He couldn't wait to see how this turn of events would come out to be in the end.

"What brings you here? If its just for the view then you should just go to the next floor up. You can see more...see further... and this platform isn't safe right now"


What did bring him up here? It definitely was not for the view since she did make a good point on continuing to climb the tower even more. Maybe a spot-on view would be so bad after all then. Maybe being on this tower would give the man some type of clue or focal point as to what his next move or motive to be in that manner. He gave her a look of certainty with a small smile on his face, evidently the same small smile he gave her the first time when he left her presence as focused the chakra on his feet and continued to climb the toward upward with high-speed movement, more so like a flash step or means of teleportation in that manner. He really wanted to see how high the tower was at that and maybe he could see into the reality of Kumogakure, maybe even further.

Before he actually started to climb the tower even more then where he was now, he turned his gaze from her to the his feet and upward to the tower and chuckled a bit at her words. The platform is not safe right now. What could possible go wrong with something like this he actually wondered.

"The view is lovely, it is... but sadly I did not come for the view. This 'Tower of Heaven' stretches as far as to the heavens they say. I wouldn't mind going that high to see what the world truly looked like. Fascinating, wouldn't you say?"

Seeing things from a high place of view can actually mean a big difference in the world. You can actually see things that most people cannot see. He had that vision once when he was the Mizukage for Kirigakure, and now he would be able to have that vision again, maybe even more in depth and more to see than some Kage Administration Building with a big glass window in the back. He took her word for it, but only one thing had come into mind that he probably was sure even she would agree too.

"Come up to the top with me. From there you will have your complete answer, and maybe even more for you to see..."

Fascinated by what she said and his thoughts, he then started to climb the tower even more. Chakra stayed on his feet as he climbed the tower from the sides while not taking the stairs on the inside where you would have to face enormous beasts to pass the floor to go on to the next. Each step he took, he felt his body getting lighter and moving faster, a feeling he had never felt in a very long time while running or climbing. He felt as if he was still in his prime, but maybe even weaker then before. There was still so much for him to learn and experience. And this girl... there was something about this girl that intrigued him, and that intriguing feeling was somewhat enticing. It was more so like this was an enticing encounter to him.

"And you said the platform is not safe... Well that makes things even better don't you think?!"

He said to her in a loud tone so that she could hear him as he climbed some more. When he saw the corner of the flat surface on the top of the tower, he took a step on the edge and sprung upward, doing aerial flips as he landed on his feet on the edge of the tower. His view of the world had changed, rather enlightened to the horizon and maybe beyond that from what he was looking at right now. Yet, as he said, the view was something he did not actually come here for. He mostly came here to train since this platform was unsafe. He wanted to see if she did not mind training with him at that. Only time will tell if she actually gets to the top like he did.

"If you really wanted know... I came up here to train and get stronger...I have to prepare myself for anything..." The male said to himself as he looked at the view of Kumogakure, and possibly the world.

He felt young again to be honest. That climb had slowly lifted his spirits and brought him back to his old days. He wondered if this feeling would last forever or only for this time. If it was only for this time, then he did not mind cherishing those last few moments of him being young.

---

{ Word Count = 923 + 1443 = 2336 }

His mind interested. His views different from those within authority.
Only he could see the true freedom from the everlasting damnation...

___

He waited. His patience could ever be so halted and slim for others, but for this girl, he could sacrifice it for the time being. Arms crossed. Torn cloak wrapped around his neck as if it was a scarf with the tail flying where the wind blow and the hood masked his appearance once more. If he were to have a words right now, his words would show possibly more or less feeling than his facial expression. His mind was only focused on getting better physically, clouding the simple fact of his possible surroundings. His eyes -striking crimson red- peered over the horizon of the newly found view of the village. This village was possibly going into war soon; talk on the streets of this village tells all in his ears. He felt the chakra signature of the girl coming closer as he expected. There was more to talk, and yet he was sure that she would be willing to listen and that he would have to listen to her words. Still, she had a familiar air around her although he could not get her name. There was more pressing matters to attend to in his eyes. He looked from the corner of his eye and finally seen the girl. He bet it had to take her no time at all as she had seen the view he was seeing right now. In a way, he could see that she was opening her eyes a bit wider than usual, hinting the simple fact that maybe this was what she was missing for quite some time now. Alas, he would never know her mind, her feelings, her thoughts, or even her heart. He turned his eyes back to the view as well. It was a more fascinating view than anything else.

“The platform itself was as safe as the one that we are standing on now. It's  because of me that it has that element of danger”

So she was the one that caused this “element of danger” or some sort. Interesting but strange. He wanted to figure out more on how this was even possible. Before he could even speak, she had continued onward with her words. His mouth shut; eyes on the horizon; ears on her words. He listened carefully to the woman’s words, hinting any form or way of feeling of sadness... or madness.

“You said you remembered me; so do you remember when I asked if you were forced to leave... or left on your own accord? Well.... I was forced to leave. During the war of Seven Bells I lost control. My emotions, my chakra.... I couldn't stop what i was doing and so I had to run to the forest and that's where I damaged it. Scarred the place that was supposed to be my home....”

All and all, he did remember her asking him that question of him being forced to leave or leaving on his own accord. He didn’t want to leave, had he’d been completely honest, but he felt as though he wanted to leave on his own accord. He felt as though it was right and just for him to leave. Being in solitude for so long and now with him being a missing-nin, he felt that it was best for him to leave. Alas, he did remember that question she asked him when they first met, just like it was yesterday.

~ Flashback ~

"So what was it that brought you here? What were you hoping to learn? I hope you don't mind me asking. But... was it your choice to live this way of life? Or was it something.... somethings that happened to make that choice for you? Like with me?"

"You ask a lot of questions..." A sigh was released from his lips as he stopped for a short pause.

"What has brought me here in this village was simple, to become stronger then what I am, but also to take a little time off..... sort of like a relaxing vacation while learning some new things. I was hoping to learn this... world that we so call life and we live in. There are secrets out there that has been kept for ages, and each village has a secret... and I don't mind you asking. The way of life is the way of life I chose to live. Some things are just better without rules and regulations... You and I are different. I will tell you this: something does not always have to happen to make that choice. Sometimes... you just look at it and say, you want to be free."

~ Flashback

As she was forced to leave, he had a choice; yet with the feeling of being in a village for so long of a period of time in isolation, he felt as though the village was holding him back, and that was what made him leave. He felt rusty, but more powerful and agile, possibly better than he ever was. He had grown taller, cut his hair length to short, body built got more muscular and lean. Maybe leaving Kirigakure was better for Jurou, better for everyone. His mind, his thoughts, flashbacks, clouded everything outside of him, but soon as he came back into reality, the little kunoichi in size was still talking to him, almost rambling to him about her situation. It would be rude for him to not sit back and listen to her speak. And so he did. His words and expressions would be put on hold as the girl herself was still talking. Maybe he could try and learn from her words probably.

"The people I once knew there either abandoned or betrayed me. I couldn't stay there anymore. So I left....to Konoha first. Then to Suna.... then here....
You said you left and traveled to learn the culture and get stronger. Well I travel because I am hiding from those Mist people....."

So she was running away from Kirigakure shinobi huh? Was the village really turning out bad ever since he left? “...” His words meant no feelings or solemn will towards the village. He was branded a traitor, left for dead, running free to different villages, putting on the amok personality with a reserve feature. The village’s wheels were forever spinning on the wheel of devastation, and it wasn’t going to be long until the forsaken wheels would keep spinning until they stop completely. He had start to begin to think that there would be even no hope in the village, let alone the people inside the village mostly. With the war quickly about to become a factor in the Ninja world, he had made a suggestion to himself as to whether he was going to either participate in the war, or rather sit back on the sidelines and wait for the more appropriate time to strike. Only time will tell when that will surely happens. The thought of even returning to his old village and seeing massive bloodshed would make him not want to be apart of the charade anymore.

"I'm sorry. That might have been a bit much coming from someone you had only met just once before. If you don't mind the risks that I bring to this platform, then I wouldn't mind training with you. I think... being prepared for anything seems like everyone should be ready for. And hey... maybe after we could get something to eat"

Well he found himself a new training partner for the day, which was good and all because he had some new techniques that he did not feel like training himself. But regarding to her apology, he solemnly forgave her apology, even though there was nothing to be sorry about. “...” Even the old Mizukage of past times would not want to step foot in his old village. He did want to see how the war was going to transpire until someone was going to intervene. Only time will surely tell.

“No need to apologize. You bear no reason to do such.”

A breath of relief as a sigh escaped from his breath. It was beginning to be more relaxing by the day. Training; a good training partner; feelings are not important to him at this moment. Although, there was something else that had crossed his mind...

“Do you know of a person by the name of... Jurou Osada?”

---

{ Word Count = 2336 + 1442 = 3778 }

------

The truth comes out. The light shines.
Dawns a new day. Dawns a new friendship.

___

"To be honest, I don't actually know that much"

To his surprise it was a good thing that she did not know. His name would be forgotten, tarnished, left in the blank minds of the old. Just as how he wanted it to be at the time. He wondered on how many would actually remember him, from his title of Mizukage to evidently his criminal status as an S-rank missing-nin. It mean no different to him at least. Prior to now, he was renown as the Mizukage with no village. Those slandered his name greatly, especially with the usage of the Seven Swords as to which he just gave away with little to no hesitation, even trading a sword for a sword, to which he used the sword with such ease. Still, it was rather peaceful that probably no one knew who he was right now, but in his mind, thoughts pillaged his head, some good but mostly bad thoughts. It was like hearing a tape recorder full of insults playing in his mind on repeat that stayed with him ever since he left Kirigakure.

No one will love you. You are even a disgrace to your own family.

Everybody has forgotten you. You are nothing.

A waste of space. One who hasn’t died yet. You should be dead right now.

These thoughts will possibly never leave his mind. He looked at the girl as she went from looking at him to looking at the sky as she continued to talk. He did the same as he then looked at the sky as well, listening to her words and somewhat trusting her with his full identity.

"I've read about events that occurred during his reign as kage and a small amount of background on his clan. There was something about him disappearing from Kiri a long time ago and presumed dead... and that he was perhaps deemed a traitor because of something he had done. But that's only speculation on paper. Though I trust what people write more than what they say, I rather know for sure. I would rather find out from someone who was actually there then listen to the stories that might as well be a distorted echo with how far it has traveled down the line"

Events that occurred during his reign as kage and a small amount of background on his own clan… maybe some things was not forgotten after all. He did rather disappear from Kiri for a long time a long time ago, the village was burned by the ravishing flames of Amaterasu and every Kiri ninja had moved to Sunagakure and different villages, but mostly Sunagakure because the allied connection between the two, and the simple fact that Gin was the Kazekage of that time and they was still together with… the twins… He then now wondered about his daughters and how they were doing. He had wished, silently prayed, and hoped that they are still alive and well. He needed the location of their whereabouts as soon as possible.

But then the girl’s words again stopped him in his tract of mind when he was thinking about his kids. “...and that he was perhaps deemed a traitor because of something he had done. But that's only speculation on paper.” He remembered everything that had led to that point to where he was right now. He remembered the crime mission he took in Kirigakure with that Senju girl to where he burned the Kirigakure bingo book and then fled Kirigakure for good. Yet, there was some light to the entire situation because even though she did trust what others say on paper, she would rather hear from the main source himself, which was the man that she was standing with right now. Oh well, it was nothing to him as of right now. He did his wrong doings and have yet to pay the price for his actions, which were unjustified in his opinion, but that was the only thing he had ever did wrong at least.

He didn’t feel guilty about the mission, he felt guilty about stooping so low to even doing the mission which cost him his diminishing title of Mizukage, or rather Sannin, and become a missing-nin. Murder she wrote however, he guessed.

"Someone close to me once said not to worry about the people of back then. All that matters is the here and now. About the people here and now. So... if I am to be your new training partner, then perhaps I should introduce myself properly. My name is Tenmei. Sotsuji, Tenmei. I guess... from about a month ago; I am a perhaps missing nin from Kiri. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She introduced herself to him, but even before that gave him a speech about it didn’t matter about the people back then, it was about the people right now. Hmm; maybe all it mattered was the right now instead of the back then. Right now he had to make a difference, and evidently it was going to start right now.

“I guess I shall introduce myself properly as well. Tenmei Sotsuji, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well. Since you are a missing nin from Kiri, then that makes two of us in that matter. You may call me Osada. Jurou Osada, at your service.”

She would be the first, and potentially not the last to know his true identity.

With that being said, Jurou took a few steps back from Tenmei and drew out his sword. It was his two rapiers, Bento and Kano. Normal rapiers; nothing special. Strange appearances but otherwise, pretty normal swords from the western times. His stance was rather odd yet formal, his right arm behind his back and his left arm forward with both rapiers pointing at Tenmei. The spar was about to begin underway.

“Now that the introductions are out of the way, let's say we have that spar, I would be pleased to know what a missing nin from Kirigakure is capable of.”

---

{ Word Count = 3778 + 1039 = 4817 }

"It would be an honour"

-------

Right here. Now. In this very moment, everything was pushed to the side. The snowy red mask and the grit covered cloak. The deceptively light scabbard containing it's two swords and the smaller bag which carried what was left of her belongings. All of that needless excess. Items. Baggage. Burden. Every left over thought, every doubt and every fear tainted memory; were placed carefully off to the side. Out of side. Out of mind. Leaving only her identity, two of her more stranger swords, and a well missed smile shaping her coral rose coloured lips. Lighting her features. Her spirit.
It was unexpected how bright this part of the world was. All the way up here above the clouds and scurrying crowds. Their eyes and thoughts and misconstrued judgements. None of it could find them at this altitude. They were too out of reach. Where they stood on Heaven's Tower, the only gaze to be held were His, the heaven's and hers. And for some reason, the female didn't think that any would be spilling secrets any time soon. Because even though it was barely set and neatly tangled, there was a thread of trust between them. A thread that was tied down by more weight than what she shed this day.


If only they what else she carried....


"Hey, do you mind if I ask another question" Tenmei ventured as she slipped in to an unfamiliar stance with one sword held diagonal across her chest while the other was held down and across behind.
"How did you do it? When you disappeared, there were reports of hunting you down. But no one could find you. You were dead. To them.... you still are. So where did you go? I hope you don't mind me asking.... because... I need to know. How did you live as a ghost for all these years?"


There was as much honest curiosity in her voice as their were uncertainty in her stance. It had been a long time since she had been this open with someone. Let alone a living, breathing person who wasn't hiding behind a tomb stone. But it had also been just as long a time since she had a fight with someone that didn't end with a battle and bloodshed. A battle with swords that were likely half the breadth of what she was usually using. Needless to say, fighting former Mizukage whom was well aware of her doubts with two blades she had never properly fought with before, was not her usual walk in the park. Still, Tenmei was never one to back down from a challenge. After she waited for the answer if she indeed received one from the older male, the Sotsuji dashed in with the front sword coming for a narrow slice down his chest while she brought the other up and at the ready. Ready for when her strike finished and she followed through with the first, twisting her wrist in preparation for a back swing if needed while now bringing the second to slip across the opposite direction
With one movement flowing flawlessly in to the other, she would do her best and attempt to deal out a flurry of strikes while simultaneously holding back the heat that crept ever closer to the tanned tincture of her skin.

"Wait.....Does anyone else know?"

Before she had even realized that her thoughts had become words, the question had already left her lips. Was there anyone else that knew that the infamous Osada was actually still very much alive and breathing? Were the paranoid people of old who still foolishly continued to search discover this truth? If they headed down the tower this second would they be in trouble? Or.... or.... what if she was the only one to know and then there was yet another secret lingering on her mind. A secret that only the heat inside and the maker of that fractal of truth would know.
The further uncertainty that caused the shinobi to grip her swords tight so her knuckles went white pushed her to re-focus her mind on the fight at hand. To keep watch of his swords, his foot work, his effortlessly flawless movement and impeccable balance and stature. The level of skill difference was always going to be clear but the female would put everything she had in to this. To show that the weak woman who had fled from Kiri in the shadow of another was stronger than what she thought she was. And that just maybe she would actually be worthy of the secrets that she held on to.

"What do you think will happen now... after all the Raikage has done?
And what would you do if you were in hiding and yet your people were down there and in prison cells? Would you fight.... or would you walk away?"

-----
Words: 825

T’was time for a good deed for once, maybe one that might change the course of history itself…

____

"Hey, do you mind if I ask another question"

Before moving a single muscle to commence his strike, he stood on his regular positions as his swords were pointed at the kunoichi. He had wondered what question did she have for him this time. Maybe it was about his whereabouts, or rather if he was telling the truth or not, or maybe how strong he was over the years or did he grow weak and needed some help. A lot of possible questions were now circling his mind, wandering for an answer for each question that she would ask. But the real question was what question did she had in mind? The clouds were slowly moving forward, yet the skies had slowly got dark, looking as though it was forming a rain cloud of some sort. Rain started to pour. Drizzle at first. Then rain. It had started from light multiple drips of water to escalating sonic speed pours. What a wonderful feeling it was for the rain to come out at a time like this. He pulled his hood back while waiting for her question, letting the rain hit his facial features and long silver hair, a trademark of the Osada Clan. They was known for their silver, vibrant hair after all. Now, the question from the kunoichi had still remain in the hair when he looked at her and she was in her battle ready stance, which was unusual to him at first for he had not seen a stance like that before.

"How did you do it? When you disappeared, there were reports of hunting you down. But no one could find you. You were dead. To them.... you still are. So where did you go? I hope you don't mind me asking.... because... I need to know. How did you live as a ghost for all these years?"

That feeling… that feeling of knowing when you’re right about something and you just wanted to make sure that you was right… Well, he was half right. But how did he do it..? That was a strange question to him, yet simple. He just disappeared. Or so they all said. Well, first he disappeared, came back and saw his clan’s home in ruins, left, came back again and stole the kiri bingo book with a Senju and escaped again, and never came back. Yeah, sounds simple enough. And there was reports of hunting him down? A small smirk was now showing on his face as he knew the absolute truth of the situation, and she was right, they couldn’t find him. It was like they was trapped in his mist and he left without a single trace. He didn’t want to be found and he made it that way with his escape plan. To them, it was a blessing that he was still dead, that his existence was non-existent, that his presence was not on the face of the universe, and he could not have it any better. But to his liking, and ultimately his leisure, all of that will be exposed soon apparently. The next question however was about his whereabouts. In most cases, one could answer and say that he had went around the world, literally. Traveling from different villages in secrecy was how he had spent his time while gone missing.

“I guess you can say that I’ve been busy with my travels up until now.”

How did he live as a ghost for the past… 10… 15+ years? Was it longer or shorter than that? However old his dau--- O___O Oh my god it has been all these years! He quietly thought to himself while sighing and looking down as he finally mustered enough words and thoughts to even try and remotely answer the question. “Because you need to know, I don’t mind telling you…” Upon answering his question, his eyes darted to the kunoichi as she was now making her move towards him with her two swords. The spar would now continue as he would give his answer while fighting her.

Looking at her stance and how she portrayed with her movements from the start, it was almost as clear as day to read her attack pattern, but then she had the liberty of having her free blade behind ready for second attack. As he had let her got close to him, he saw the slice direction upward coming down in such a short width, almost like a slice made for succession seeing as how quick and precise it was in such a short distance. He quickly switched the right grip of his handle for the blade to go behind and swiftly with enough speed in his arm, whips his right arm to the left direction as if one was swinging a scythe to deflect the oncoming sword slash, but was blind to see that she had a backswing waiting from the impact but was a little quick to react and decided to sway backwards to avoid the last assault. Is she trying to do a frontal assault in the beginning? He had thought to himself from seeing her graceful in the air. “...I’m sure you know of the recent events that took place when Kirigakure got burned down decades ago…”

From the position he was in, the individual had then mustered the necessary strength to lash his right diagonally upward to throw her off balance. From that momentum, he lifted his body upwards and had begin to dash towards her with amazing speed he still had over the years of training. He started his direction towards her left, throwing his right leg to her ribcage with enough force projected from the speed. If block or deflected, an uprising knee would be launched upward to her chin for an immediate stun if the hit connects. If the second kick attempt is blocked or deflected, then both swords with a X formation was aiming at the top of her head and each blade was splitting that X formation in close range. He wasn’t trying to exactly take her head off, but rather test her speed and see if it would match his. Her strength was formidable, possibly even greater than his alone even at his age. The years did him no justice as he saw himself weak against the new generation.

“...When the village had burned down, we had relocated everyone who had survived the flames to Sunagakure at that time. Not only was there an alliance between the two, but a mutual relationship with feelings tide because of my “relationship” with the Suzukage at that time, Gin Kuroka.”


Much was said before he put the swords in motion to aim for her, but if the swords were deflected, then a jump spring backwards to gain distance was going to happen. The tactic was to close in to get distance advantage and read the pattern of the individual from somewhat different angles by her body movement and the way she moves.

"Wait.....Does anyone else know?"

Before he could finish his answer, she popped the question that had made him pause and think. He did not remember talking to anyone about this, or rather even letting anyone else know who he was because he might think of reports going back to Kirigakure, and unfortunately going back to the Mizukage. Not from his knowledge did he tell anyone, because he felt as though no one else even needed to know or had to know that he was still alive and walking the depths of the Ninja world. Then, with a change of thought, he had come back to realization once more. Tenmei was the only person he had told his true identity to at this point and possibly the only person he could trust to even tell the truth too. He would continue to walk the world as a mere shadow that everyone turns a blind eye to at his “time of need” when really he just wanted to be alone until it was the right time to move again. “No. Their ears and eyes have yet to truthfully know who this shadow is in the light except you…”

That did not matter to him at this point in time, nor did it mean anything to him that only she knew. He had recent conversations with her only as far as he know, and she has been nothing but kind and generous to this old soul, so maybe it was best for him if she knew who he was. He didn’t mind honestly. It was just from one missing ninja from the same village to the other missing ninja from the same village.

"What do you think will happen now... after all the Raikage has done?
And what would you do if you were in hiding and yet your people were down there and in prison cells? Would you fight.... or would you walk away?"

Wait… “What do you mean… what do I think will happen now after all the Raikage has done?” This was news to him. Of course there was rumors, accusations, whether true or false, and other sayings of what the Raikage was doing. And wait, his people? Down there and in prison cells? “You’re not making any…. What happened in Kumogakure exactly?” Everything was news to him at this point. He had heard that there was bad blood between Kumogakure and Kirigakure but not to the point where there was even Kirigakure ninja in prison cells in Kumogakure. That’s just something unbelievable in his eyes. What were the Raikage’s motives exactly? What was his purpose? He had to get to the bottom of this at this instant. It was bad enough he was in a prison cell and went into hiding, but he was not going to let the same thing happen to the people of Kirigakure, no matter what hatred he had for the village and the citizens.

Would you fight… or would you walk away?

That question remained with no answer for a few seconds, then his mouth said the answer. “Tell me everything you know. Down to the last detail. We are postponing our little match… we have people to save down there in those cells…” Upsetting and sickening, Jurou was not going to let the Raikage trap his people and let them rot in prison for whatever reason unexplainable.

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{ Word Count = 4817 + 1766 = 6853 }