The day had started quite normal, sunshine peering through the window, waking up Risu in the most annoying yet most normal way possible. The shower was running perfectly, making it a soothing start for a morning like that. Not to mention, the cup of coffee she started her day with, was just like always:perfect.

"Can I have my mouse now," A rather raspy and hissing voice came from underneath the bed, startling the young Orochi woman for just a moment, until a large white snake slowly slithered from underneath her bed, peering up at the woman with a rather haughty, defying glare. "I really am hungry you know."

The young woman gave a soft smile at her pet snake or rather, her closest and dearest friend ever since she had gotten him out of the egg near the Ryuuji cave: Uraeus.

"You sneaky devil, you already ate half of the critters in the building and you're still hungry?" The young woman said rhetorically, giving a nudge at his long, muscular body with her foot in a gentle way. "Allright you snake, you'll get your mouse, but you'll need to catch it yourself."

The snake looked up and gave a weird snickering chuckle, laughing with what she was saying.

"With hunting for it myself, I guess you mean we're going out, right?" The big white serpent snickered, slithering upwards onto the counter, waiting for Risu to get her things and dress herself properly.

Eventually the two of them ended up above the big heads of the Hokage mountain, with Risu, dressed in a black jumpsuit with a purple t-shirt and purple shorts over it, sitting on top of the spiky haired head of the third hokage, swinging her legs a bit, while Uraeus slithered up into a tree to get himself some delicious eggs from a mockingbird's nest in the tree.

"Don't wander off too far, Uraeus, not all people are acceptant towards big snakes like you." Risu yelled at the white snake, who vanished into the tree.

345

"So up Highhhh!" The Hokage Monument was one of the highest places in the Konohagure. It was also one of the prettiest places in that zone. The wind was blowing powerfully in Owydelu's face, as his hair was just dancing in the air. The sun was placing its rays right in his eyes. It was really annoying, but at the same time it was just perfect for him to recover some power. He was really tired, because he couldn't sleep at night. Some noisy scumbag was training his jutsu right in his backyard. It was really awful, but he was happy that it all ended up well in the end. The clouds were swimming in the endless ocean of the sky. Several fluffy creatures were blocking the rays from getting in Owydelu's eyes, but it wasn't something permanent. In some minutes, they would get in other positions and the sun will once again get in his eyes. Well, it's life, you need to get used to it, because, this is one minor thing that shouldn't make you feel sad.

As he was standing there, he saw a girl getting on the Hokage Monument. It seemed like she didn't see him. "Don't wander off too far, Uraeus, not all people are acceptant towards big snakes like you." The girl yelled at the white snake, who vanished into the tree. Owydelu got up and he was going to find out her name. She looked like she had a cold heart, something that you don't see very often. He got to her and said "Hi!" with a friendly face.

Rippa moved through the back streets of the village at full bore with out any reservation. His father was in his last moments and he could not bear it. He had left the complex with a couple of his guard trying to keep up but it was in vain. He was in his typical boots but his footing was spotless. Black pants and a black tank top was all that he was wearing today. His read coat...his gloves. Even his silver angel wings necklace abandoned. He could not bare to be next to a man he failed to save. Especially his own father. His own fate. It was too much for him. His life was to take a change. He was to take over and he didn't want it. He blamed his uncle for not being the one to inherit the sickness. He blamed the doctor Enaka for not being able to stop it. He blamed himself for being useless. And he was not prepared to face that. He dodged around a cart full of fruit as he ducked into an alley. His knee's bent as he launched himself up and grabbed onto the railing of the fire escape and using it as a swing to get over the fence. Landing on the other side he had a clear view of the mountain. The Hokage faces clear in front of him.

There stretched out was the faces of history. Proud men who had pushed through far greater challenges then just losing a loved one. The men who had built the building blocks of the village. And women too. It was at the top of the mountain that he figured he would be able to deal with his shame. So without a second thought he moved. His legs ached but he moved faster anyway. He felt his lungs burning but he didn't care. He wanted to get away from the guards looking for him. The guards who needed to protect the next head of the house. Constant reminders of his failure and the new responsibility looming over him. He grit his teeth and pushed on until he reached the top. The stairs leading there seemed to stretch out for so far. His legs felt like weights holding him down. His lungs burned as he gasped for air. Filling them up with painful gasp after painful gasp. Sweat glistened over his face, neck and arms. Soaked into his tank top as well. But he would hardly let that effect him. He needed to go and sit behind the tree's. Where he could hide his shame. Where he could hide from everything.

perhaps he was just distracted or he didn't want to see anyone up there but he failed to notice Risu or Owydelu. He walked from the steps with his head down before passing into the tree line. Moving just a few meters into it before leaning his back against a tree and sliding down to land on his rump. Not caring about the tiny scratches the bark inflicted on his back from sliding down it. He sat there and stared at the ground with his sea blue eyes. Like wells of pain and confusion he sat there staring at nothing as he reviewed all of his research in his head. Every last dead end and every last failure. Even as he did so it was like Fate chuckled ad him. His efforts made in vain by the very chains of mortality he tried to extend. And yet there he sat. Giving up and wondering where he failed and why. Wondering what had cursed his clan. Wondering why he could not get out from under it all. He would of happily turned everything away if not for his uncle. A man he refused to trust that coincidentally would inherit the clan if Rippa did not.



WC 644

Hokage mountain: Risu

Blinking a few times, Risu turned her attention back at the view in front of her: the hidden village of the leaf spreader out beneath her, showing and displaying the massive expansions it had known under its various leaders, from Hashirama Senju more than fourhundred years ago up til now, dozens of Hokages had ruled the town for better and for worse, dragging it into wars, tearing it up from the inside or simply flattening it to the ground, so many things had happened under their guidance and even now no one seemed to actually care, merely following the orders of the kage so blindly, with a stupidifying ignorance and incomprehensible loyalty. It seemed Risu had more in comon with her uncle, who was not happy with how things were being run and sought to change the future of Konoha with his own hands.

The fact that she was sitting on top of the head of the Third hokage only depicted her thoughts, as the third hokage was a man who despite his love and care for the village was indirectly the cause of konoha's darkest age.

Then a rather gloomy looking figure drew her attention, who given the emblems he had on his clothes was without a doubt a senju, which in effect did not make Risu feel uncomfortable since she was befriended with the head of the Senju clan: Chisaki senju.

"Hmm, Hi," She would react with a suppressed sounding mumble, moving her left hand through her hair to remove it from her face. "So…what's a senju doing here, trying to ask advice from the spirits of your ancestors?"

Hokage mountain: Uraeus

The snake had not managed to get his fangs into one of those springy mice that ran around in the forest, but as it slithered onto a tree, it did manage to find itself some juicy eggs and after he had his meal, hanging loomy on the trees branch and waiting for the eggs to have digested completely, Uraeus noticed a young man slump down in front of a tree, seemingly lost in thought.

The snake instantly recognised the person and even though Uraeus was but a mere snakeling back then, he remembered that he had to monitor the guy when he and his mistress were hunting that killer shinobi. As such, the snake decided to come closer to the guy, slithering down the tree, wrapping himself around it about two feet above Rippa, so that by lowering his head a bit, Uraeus could give the man a scare.

"Hmm, sssomething wrong?" The snake would hiss, while lowering its head right in front of Rippa's face. "Mylady wont be pleased with one of her best and few friends acting so gloomy and down."

804

Rippa was caught off guard as suddenly a voice was speaking to him. But it wasn't just any voice. If anything the voice had a bit of a hiss to it. Which was one of the three things that surprised him. The first was that he thought himself alone. The Second was that he had never heard a snake speak before. But the third was a moment of pieces being pushed together in his mind. Some time back he had gone on a mission with one of the Anbu from the village. It had been quick and simple and he had made a few ryo off of it. Not that Ryo mattered much to him but all the same he had considered the mission done efficiently and well. After all they had wiped out the enemy without so much as a drop of sweat. Still something he had recalled from that specific encounter was how the female Anbu had a small snake. One the same color as the one above him now. At first Rippa had twitched to an alarmed state of mind and nearly formed a hand seal at a decent speed. His reflexes improving. But instead his mind caught up and his body froze. Snakes didn't talk and if they did they certainly didn't give fair warning to those they intended to attack. If anything snakes had a very famous stealthy ability and were fast to strike.

So instead he would place his hands on the tree and slowly push himself to his feet. His eyes keeping locked onto the eyes of the snake before him. It's words confusing for the moment. If the snake was the one that belonged to Lamya then it certainly had grown. But it was the only time he had ever seen a snake of that breed in the area. And he had lived in the wild for years. But it had mentioned that its master, the lady, would not like one of her few friends looking so glum. It was then that he began to suspect. Lamya was no other then Risu. It was the proper height and time frame. The right jutsu and Risu had said she would be joining the Anbu. For now though he would keep the suspicions to himself. After all an ANBU being identified could land Risu in trouble if he revealed his thoughts. If they were true anyway. At the moment he was doubting himself too much to be sure of anything.

For the moment he looked over the snake marveling at its growth before he realized he was being rude as he hadn't replied yet. So he cleared his throat as a slight blush hit his cheeks. And he spoke quietly. "What lives eventually dies. That is the way of the world. But the heart sometimes can't cope with that. It's more fragile then one would think. Then again my mind feels fragile too. After all I am talking to a snake of all things. No offense but the only times I have ever read of such a thing is in a book called 'The Bible'. And that particular snake was not the purest of beings." He worried that he might of offended the snake by bringing up who the Christians called satan in snake form. For all he knew snakes were embarrassed by such things. If the even knew. Was there perhaps a whole snake society he had never heard of. Still his eyes looked away as he felt a small bit of shame and then he spotted it. Some way to make up for it perhaps. A squirrel was trying to sneak away after seeing the snake. It was fast but Rippa lifted the proper hand sign and suddenly the squirrel screeched as Rippa mumbled. And then the squirrel struggled in vain against an invisible binding jutsu. To which Rippa looked back to the snake and half smiled as he tried to evade what was bothering him.

"You want that or shall I release it before it dies of a heart attack?"

"What lives eventually dies. That is the way of the world. But the heart sometimes can't cope with that. It's more fragile then one would think. Then again my mind feels fragile too. After all I am talking to a snake of all things. No offense but the only times I have ever read of such a thing is in a book called 'The Bible'. And that particular snake was not the purest of beings." Those words would've shocked Uraeus if he had not been one seriously coldblooded animal with the intellect to boot. A hissing chuckle escaped the snake's mouth, while he looked at the shin obi, the snake almost seemed to smile, with some sort of glee sparkling inits red eyes. Even more so when the shinobi had used some kind of binding spell on a small squirrel, offering it to the large white snake, which decided to take the man's offer graciously.

Not giving the man a chance to reconsider or to even simply release the small rodent, it had already vanished inside the snake's maw. It was obvious that the large white snake was not only bigger than before, but he was also a lot faster and despite its size and meassurements a lot more agile as well.

"I thank you for this addition to my meal, soft rodent meat always tends to my tastes," The snake hissed calmly, coiling itself together again, now laying on the ground to absorb some warmth coming from the sun. "To give you a cunning reply to your earlier remark on snakes. Do know that snakes are seen as signs of rebirth, immortality and medicine, so I'd say we all have our good and bad sides. As for me being a talking snake, it's a given when one comes from the Ryuuji cave and is a descendant from the great White Snake sage to have the ability of speech and conversation."

Without saying anything anymore, the snake seemingly started to snooze a bit, though keeping its eyes halfopen to keep a look on the man who was considered to be an important friend of his master. Only several minutes later, did the snake move again, accompanied by a ferocious looking yawn. "My mistress is currently having a break at the hokage monument, so if you want some company besides … a snake, you could go and say hello."

1209

Rippa blinked as the snake moved at alarming speeds. The small animal was already gone and being digested within it. He didn't pity it though. It was but a cycle that happened in nature. One animal is nothing but food to another more powerful animal. The food chain of all things had been decided long ago. And within that chain man stood at the top. But Rippa disagreed as a medical professional. If all forms of life were to be considered then disease and the germs within it stood at the top in his book. He had been forced to have that knowledge at a very young age and even been reminded of it very recently. Even though it was too small to see with the naked eye the germs that were everywhere and massively more populated then the human race could take down even the strongest and greatest of men. He watched the snake eat with out remorse as he contemplated it. The thing about the food chain is it never stated anything on it was invincible to the others. If something lower on the food chain then himself could take him down. Then he could take on the disease that had stolen his father from him. That had cursed his clan for so long. He would rise above it unlike the sheep before it that it had taken. This wolf would meet its apocalypse within him. Already he was playing the war drums against it. And he would not just go back to being in ignorance like a sleeping child.

The snake spoke again and his cold blue eyes went back to looking into its red eyes. Something about Rippa seemed like he was not your typical weak individual. He played at being gentle and he chose to be kind. But there was something darker within him. Something with claws getting ever sharper with each thing he bottled inside. And those claws kept trying to rip to the surface. There was a beast within him. And if he didn't find a way to let loose soon. He may never be able to. Still the snake mentioned something that triggered a memory. The cave. He thought about it as the snake went quiet. Risu had mentioned such a place before. So, she had made the journey and come back with an ally. She was getting too far ahead of him. He needed to step up again. The distractions had changed how he had been pursuing her efforts. The colors he was shining to those around him were not the best he could come up with. He kept feeling like he was lost but he had no excuse. He had drifted way too far and now he needed to push back.

He was broken from his thoughts as the snake mentioned that Risu was actually nearby. He smiled and nodded his head. His body felt sore still from running but he could at least go and see her. So he spoke up with a friendly smile and a soft tone. " It was nice to see you again Uraeus. Always a pleasure." With that he bowed his head politely and turned. His legs carrying him quietly through the tree's towards the main area of the Hokage monument itself. He let himself emerge from the tree line. Barely wincing from the increased light on the open area. His eyes adjusting as he looked around for Risu. His white hair blowing in the wind ever so slightly. The breeze itself felt nice. Only a slight part of his mind actually questioned why Risu was out there. Perhaps she was relaxing and site seeing?

WC 1933

Speed
C ~> C-1, 575/575
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700

Remaining wc 58

Sitting atop the spikey hairs that protruded from the ancient sandaime's rock head, Risu sat silently watching the village below. Her mask had hidden her face, her long black hair was braided into a single long tail and almost made her impossible to recognize, for there were still others with the same skin color or the same eyes, they were rare, extremely rare, but still around. Up there, she was thinking about what had happened the past few weeks.

She had betrayed her love towards Rippa and had chosen to join Kyohei in his quest for power, given herself to him in her entirety, both her body and soul now belonged to him, but that wasn't the worst thing, after all, she wasn't to be blamed, but Rippa's rather distant behavior towards her was to blame for her change. However, what troubled her the most was something that had occured a few nights ago, when she was on the mission to kill Satori Masaru; the politian that tried to destroy konoha with false accusations.

She looked at her hands, still able to see the blood on them, the coppery smell of the red liquid that had splattered on her mask hadn't sickened her like it did before. It was exciting, almost exhilarating and it was just that which she was fearing: to enjoy the suffering of others.

Next to that, there was still the fact that she had been stabbed by that ANBU woman who looked exactly like her, but that woman's movements were so unnatural, while her scent was familiar, almost soothing. One thought came to her head: someone was hiding in the shadows of her village, ruling it from within the darkness and she had to find out who, before everything would be consumed by that very darkness. Lately she was even more worried because she had seen Rippa's uncle at the ANBU headquarters, talking with some people of the CID, what was a civilian doing in the headquarters in the first place.

Suddenly, Risu heard the sound of snapping dry wood, triggering her defensive instincts, as she quickly grabbed a kunai from her pouch and threw it towards the origin of the sound. "Who goes there?"

1585 total

Training:
-strength
C ~> C-1, 575/575 complete
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600 complete
C-2 ~> C-3, 410/700 incomplete
C-3 ~> B, 0/700 incomplete

Rippa had no way of knowing what was about to happen. The light had blinded him as he had emerged from the woods and plainly put he just wasn't fast enough to react while blind. He had no way to detect the attack or predict it was coming. The Risu he had known had never been so jumpy. Or violent. So before his eyes could adjust to the brighter light of the day suddenly there was a kathunk noise. At first he didn't feel it. His mind registered that the noise was odd and his vision began to clear. He had even heard the words spoke. "Who goes there?" But he had no idea the situation he had put himself into just from walking into the open. it was then that he felt the sting. His stomach was wet and warm but it hurt. He blinked and looked down as he noticed something odd protruding from his stomach. A kunai? But when? Why? But that was the beginning of the rising issue. Having a Kunai in him wasn't the biggest problem. What came from it was the bigger issue.

He saw the blood first and right as it registered that he was bleeding from a stomach wound he felt it. His chakra trembled like a beast and he dropped to one knee. He could feel the beast within pulsing. He could feel it awakening as he bled. But still he grit his teeth. He couldn't let it happen. Not here. Not now. Risu was nearby and this was an area that had innocent people visiting it. He had to act fast. He had to stop it from happening before it was too late. His right hand gripped the Kunai as sweat appeared on his forehead. He could feel it trying to take control. He could feel it trying to get out and defend its host. The blood that cursed him. It wanted to lash out and punish everyone. Not just the person who had caused him to bleed but every living thing. It didn't care. It didn't feel guilt or caution. Just unbridled rage. His teeth grit as he yanked out the Kunai. It was like ripping out something that was connected to him. He knew the pain. It wasn't his first time experiencing it but damn if it didn't hurt. Still he focused for a moment. There was still time if he didn't panic. He placed his left hand over the small wound and began to run his hand in slow circles over it. A tiny green ball of chakra emerged and quickly closed the wound. The pain itself faded and all that was left was a pink scar and a bloodied shirt with a hole in it.

He sighed as he felt himself regaining control and looked up. His eyes had a white ring but it was slowly fading back into blue. It was somewhat scary to think that he had almost gone on a killing spree. Still now he spotted her and he spoke with a lighter tone trying to play it off as something small as he smiled hoping she didn't feel guilty. " Jesus Risu! What if I had been some kid? Those things are dangerous you know." He had forgotten to pretend not to know who she was with that mask on.

190/200:

Risu saw that the person who came out of the bushes was Rippa, for a moment it shocked her, but that feeling of guilt quickly ebbed away into the void that had started growing inside her mind. The eyes behind her mask were no longer sparkly gold, but slightly dulled, as if she was fighting with her own decisions. She knew something was wrong, she knew that Rippa was suppressing something, she knew this because she was quite familiar with the expressions of people trying to suppress things inside their mind.

"The world changes, people change," Risu said calmly, looking at the man tending his wound. Simply pointing her finger at the kunai was enough to launch one of the most basic jutsu known to any shinobi that had graduated from the academy: the kugutsu strings. In that very instant, she latched such a string to the kunai she had thrown and retrieved it. "I did not mean to wound you or anyone, but quite frankly it no longer concerns me, even if it were to be a little kid. Other, more pressing issues are usurping all my attention, demanding my focus, my strength and my very essence."

It was obvious that Risu was having problems of her own, problems which were hard to deal with and overwhelmed her completely, but at the same time, she was painfully aware of Rippa's problems, even worse, she probably knew more than he would've thought.

Slowly, she walked towards Rippa, crouching about a meter away from him, looking into his blue eyes with her dulled golden eyes visible in the darkness behind the mask. A soft chuckle came out of her mouth, a surprisingly shallow chuckle.

"You know, people that die should be dead, gone and burried. However, despite her being dead, a few days ago I was stabbed in my gut by my own 'dead' mother," The young woman almost laughed when saying those last words. "We all live in a world were the weak are being tormented by the strong. Your father was strong, but got defeated by a mere disease, yet who created that disease? Who brought your father into his current state? My mother was strong, yet she died on a simple mission. So, tell me, who killed her, who managed to let her vanish and how is it possible that I got stabbed by my own mother, who's supposed to be dead?"

Risu started laughing, not because something was funny, but just because it was all so unbelievable that it was just completely ridiculous. Where Risu was lashing out with her hatred and rage, trying to remove her doubt and disbelief, Rippa was obviously suppressing it his anger and hatred.

"I joined the ANBU because it is a family tradition, but also because it allows me to regain control over myself, over who I really am," She continued to laugh with a mad tone hidden inside the laughter, only to calm down a bit later and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, it's been a stressful time lately, to many unbelievable and unexplainable things have happened these past days."

2112 total

Training:
-strength
C ~> C-1, 575/575 complete
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600 complete
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700 complete
C-3 ~> B, 237/700 incomplete

Rippa blinked as Risu seemed awfully comfortable with what had just happened. His hand reached back and scratched the back of his head as he watched her. His face taking on a rather confused expression. He had kind of expected her to maybe be a bit panicky or at least worried. Not coldly indifferent. Something had happened since she joined the ANBU. If anything the snake seemed more cheerful then her. Still his stomach didn't hurt anymore. He was at least able to handle that with ease. Still he watched her with blue eyes as if studying her openly as she spoke. Before he replied in a casual tone. His words were not as cautious as perhaps they should of been.

"Well that's a heft load of bull isn't it? Of course you give a damn. You might be a bit preoccupied as it is now but you wouldn't ignore harming an innocent."

He smiled then with his whole face showing it. Even his eyes closed into his smile as he chuckled while rubbing the back of his head and blushing. He was talking as if he thought he knew her. But when she walked towards him, even crouched down he opened his eyes and blinked as she spoke. Her mother? She had brought up his father and for a moment he frowned and looked away. Trying not to acknowledge that tid bit. She certainly was attempting to be subtle. Still news seems to have traveled fast. Already she knew and he had yet to talk to her. Likely it was due to her uncle. Not much for confidentiality that one. But still there was no purpose to guarding the secrets of the dead. Still he returned to his previous thoughts. She had mentioned that her mother had come back to life and stabbed her. It was certainly an interesting dilemma. And one that could be investigated further. He figured a few possibilities were available. First of which was human puppets. Not too original but doable. The second was facial reconstruction surgery. And the last was that her mother had never really been dead. If he could see a body then with his medical expertise he could reveal if the first two were done as both methods left a great deal of evidence.

Still he sighed and lowered his head. He looked frustrated but still he spoke in a calm tone. His voice as clear as ever. "So death is inevitable. But it was never about how we die. Sure death can break us with its omnipotent presence but for now I am still standing. And I have a life to live and memories to make with others. So what if the inevitable comes one day? I intend to face it and make history remember my name. As for you. You joined as a tradition. Every part of your life is tradition. Why not just try out your own thing? Somewhere within you is your own person. I saw a glimpse of it when you got drunk with me and I carried you home. And that doesn't die easily. As for your mother. I don't know the why but if you ever need me too I can use my medical expertise to give you answers to the how. I just need to see the sample. I am a doctor after all."

"Who says I wouldn't ignore harming the innocent?" Risu almost yelled, pulling off her mask and showing the dulled golden snake eyes more clearly, her face adorned by a confused and tormented expression. "The things I have done so far, the things I've seen and lost. Any other person would just feel as miserable as I do when they are confronted with the darkness and find no way to escape from the void which opens in front of them, swallowing them completely."

It was true that there was a ground rule for becoming part of the ANBU: you needed to have darkness inside your soul, a void which had to be strong enough to last at least a few months in the line of duty as an ANBU. Being used as an assassin and a spy wasn't the problem, but with the hokage gone, Konoha was becoming steerless and the tensions were rising and even obvious in the ANBU ranks, where the CID had taken over and dictated the enitre work of the elites of konoha.

Risu was part of this group just because she had that darkness, the void as well in the form of suppressed memories and traumas, fears that restrained her, but also set her free when certain conditions were meet.

"That person, despite having no eyes..." The orochi lady sighed, dropping down, settling herself on the ground and looking at the sky, placing her mask on the ground next to her. "Tell me Rippa, have you ever felt like you were living in a lie, where everyone knew the truth, but yourself?"

That person that stabbed her when she was dealing with some ronin and that wayward, treacherous politician Satori masaru. She looked almost exactly the same as her, her scent was the same, her hight, her movements, everything seemed to familiar for that person not to be her mother. However, there were things that failed to be categorized as being her mother's: those movements that woman made were much too wild and straightforward. It was as if someone was pulling strings, but at the same time she could not be seen as a puppet, not with her hands and skin being soft, not to mention she did not know anyone who had human puppets in Konoha.

"I'm starting to think that something is happening, Rippa," The young ANBU operative said softly, almost closing her eyes, while looking down again. "I can bet on it that the answer to all our questions is somewhere right in front of us, but we haven't paid attention yet. The dark shadow of Konoha has awoken and has started making its moves and we need to stop it from growing, before it manages to devour us completely."


2575 total

Training:
-strength
C ~> C-1, 575/575 complete
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600 complete
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700 complete
C-3 ~> B, 700/700 complete

Rippa flinched a little when she yelled and blinked. She was a little more livid then he recalled from before. Or maybe she was just more willing to show it. Either way it was a bit surprising to see her take off her mask. Only then did he recall he was supposed to be oblivious to her true name. But he was never very good at keeping such things to himself. It was one of the many reasons he didn't care to join the ANBU. He was too unique and easy to identify being the foremost. The fact that he disagreed with their methods being the second. His inability to be secretive being a ways further down that list. But still as she mentioned being miserable over the things she had done he chuckled and crossed his arms. His eyes lifting to the sky as he took in a deep breath and listened as she continued. There would be nothing gained from interrupting the girl. if anything he felt interrupting her would only serve to heighten her irritation. Still he listened as he felt the air from up on the mountain top. It was certainly a bit chillier up there. Which considering it was summer felt really nice to be perfectly honest.

Still she mentioned the person having no eyes and he began to think more and more it was a puppet being used by some one. He didn't know of any puppeteers with human puppets either. But human puppets were not easy to design. It took some one advanced in the medical arts with access to the body. More advanced then himself to be honest. He could identify the work if it had been done but he was hopeless when it came to replicating it. But he was getting closer still. Ever closer. Not that he wanted to turn the dead into weapons. Still he spoke of such once she was finished. His voice gentle as he looked to the sky.

"I find we typically understand far less then we ever think we know. And we ignore what hurts us on a spiritual level. If we choose to open our eyes and look we may not be able to handle what we find. There is more darkness in the world then any one person has ever seen." With that he let out a sigh before continuing. He didn't want her to go down that path. But he wouldn't hold her back either."If you want to start your investigation then I can narrow it down. Creating a human puppet as I suspect the individual you thought was your mother happened to be is an advanced medical art. I myself have no hope of managing it and my skills as a doctor are no laughing matter. The list of individuals who can do it is a short one. I would look into that if I were you."

With that he turned and leaned down. Attempting to scoop her up from under her arms and pull her up to his height to hug her. If she didn't fight him off he would hug her and whisper."Remember the teachings of Yin and Yang. Regardless of how much light there is darkness within it. Regardless of how much darkness there is light within it. There is always balance. And thus there is no level of darkness you can fall to that you can never find the light again. You are my friend and I will die a thousand times over before I lose you completely. The fact that you are miserable with what you must do as Anbu is proof of your humanity."

A few days earlier:

The masked female shinobi managed to surprise Risu who had just been dealing with some ronin dirupting her mission and now again, this woman managed to stop her from assassinating Satori Masaru, her target. Before the young ANBU operative could act, the masked woman had already grabbed a scalpel and pierced the flesh of the Orochi lady's abdomen.

All Risu could do was giver her body a slight turn, to avoid any hemoraging and other possible mortal wounds. A hushed scream left her lips, while she stumbled a few steps backwards, already holding one of her hands with glowing green chakra on the wound. Normally she wouldn't even be graced by such a crude assault, but there was something which caught her off guard: the scent of that woman, which was so familiar it almost made the young ANBU sick of sorrow and nostalgia, for that scent was almost the same as her own and incidentally that of her mother: Orochi Aori.

present:

Despite being in a rather bad mood, confused and disgusted by what was going on, Risu could not remain pissed off with probably her closest friend showing her that he wanted to help, despite his own problems and what she had just done to him earlier. Rippa was maybe no longer the object of her infatuation, but he still held a special place in her mind, as someone to talk to when feeling down, a big brother type of guy.

"I'm sorry for that," Risu muttered, while pointing at the rip in the Chi's clothing, showing only the smooth skin of a freshly healed wound. "If what you say's correct that would leave me with two clans of possible master medics, because I dont see Senju Chisaki as a puppet maker, not to mention that both your and my medical skills are on par, if not better than hers. Meaning the people we seek are people with either the best equipment or skill for the job, peoplewith extreme knowledge in chakra pathways, human anatomy and preservation skills. That would make the choice like I said between two clans: yours and mine."

For a moment she was surprised when Rippa seemingly decided to hug her, but she accepted the hug gladly. Knowing that his support and comfort were always welcome, but she knew he was being a bit selfish like her, not just giving a hug, but also demanding one from her, for she knew very well that he was tormented by something as well.

"If we're going to confront the growing shadow anyway," Risu sighed, patting Rippa on the shoulders. "It might be better for you to come clean as well. What is eating you?"

3033 total

Training:
-strength
C ~> C-1, 575/575 complete
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600 complete
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700 complete
C-3 ~> B, 700/700 complete

-speed
B-1 ~> B-2, 458/800 incomplete

For the moment he accepted the hug. It was all that could help him at the moment it seemed. For the moment a friend as precious as her was like a lighthouse as he was just a sailboat on the raging sea. If not for her he was sure he would of crashed against the rocks by now. But still it felt nice that some one cared. That he hadn't lost everyone. Sure he had more wealth and power then ever now but it all seemed so useless. And he never wanted it to begin with. But his father had raised him to be that kind of person after all. Some one who wasn't twisted by wealth and power. He liked to think that his very nature was due to his fathers excellent example. But the mere thought of his father. Of everything he had taught Rippa as he grew up and how he had cared for him. How he had cared for everyone around him and was a very loved individual just made it hurt worse. Why was it that death came for the best of them first? How was it that fate would choose to let the wicked thrive and the innocent and true people suffer? He hated fate for that. He hated destiny and he hated anything that caused suffering. He never could tolerate bullies and now he was even more enraged by them.

Still she patted his shoulders and he came back to the words she spoke. His eyebrows raising for a moment at her skills of observation. He hadn't mentioned anything of his own issues since he saw her. He had thought that he might hide his own troubled mind from her. But that was proving to be a foolish way of thinking. She was still able to read him like a book. Not that he was ever any good at hiding any of his emotions from anyone. But still he wasn't entirely sure how to answer her. After all his suspicions were dark and if he pointed an accusing finger at some one just based on that and turned out to be wrong... No he would have to trust his instincts. He hadn't just run here on the urge to get away from his fathers death. His body had carried him away from a place he didn't feel safe. But why had he not felt safe? What was out there that was bothering him?

His head turned as he frowned. His blue eyes staring down the mountain. Passed the stone towards his father's, no, his mansion. His thoughts forming before he spoke and as he did he hated himself a little for it. "My uncle has been acting suspicious. Not just lately but more so now. I never really got along with him but he does hold a lot of influence in my family. I was a little put off by how he jumped straight to business instead of mourning. He placed guards with me but they were men I had never seen before. And it worried me. Something about them was off. They dressed and acted like guards but I didn't feel safe for some reason. I evaded them and came here to be alone but something is feeling....wrong. It may just be my imagination, I hope it is. But my instincts told me to get away. Truth be told they can't be too far behind and something in their eyes was....off. I am not so sure my home is the best place for me to be right now. Or any where I typically go."

When she heard her friend talk about his uncle, the painful fact that he had literally taken over the clan and was obviously not happy to hand it over to Rippa, Risu finally got to see the exact situation that had somewhere probably been the reason for the Chi's cautious and distant nature. She remembered that he was quite sceptical when they had first meet each other. However, just as she was thinking about that moment they first fought, that moment they had first tested each other's limits and she had felt warm in her heart for the first time, that there was a reason why they had been pitted against each other.

She was sure he had mentioned it back then, that his uncle was expecting her to be taking him down, because training accidents could always occur. While thinking about everything, she quickly tryed to figure everything out, because he wasn't the only one who was suspecting their family of having ulterior motives besides the duty of simply leading their clan.

Enaka was leading her clan, waiting for her to become an adult so she could take the reigns, though technically she was already elligable for the place as head of the clan because of her maturity when it came to being a full fledged shinobi. However, her place in the ANBU for now did not yet permit such leissury duties, not unless she was a bit higher upon that elite division's ladder.

Suddenly she realized something odd, something important probably, at least she thought so. She remembered vaguely that she had seen the Chi name in some of her uncle's documents when she was checking if her uncle was in one way or another tied to the reports on the mysterious Black ANBU organization. Not to mention that she had seen that name in older documents as well, that Chi name was even a staple in the ANBU records.

"Your uncle, you mean Chi Itami, right?" The young ANBU operative inquired with a slightly puzzled look on her face. "I'm certain my uncle's been employed by him…though, I don't know if he's still being employed by him. What I do know is that my uncle's study had certain scrolls concerning the healing properties of your blood element and a rather detailed schematics on how that element worked and was formed within the body and the chakra channels. I dont know if it helps, but your father…who was the person checking up on his vitals, I mean who was the doctor appointed to him?"

This could've been the lead she needed, because if Enaka was involved with something fishy like Chi Itami trying to gain a full grip on his own clan without anyone of his own clan knowing of his plans, he would've needed someone of superior medical skill equal to or even greater than the skill of the medics in Rippa's own clan and who else besides her clan could provide medics with a huge knowledge on anatomy and poisons?

3552

Training:
-strength
C ~> C-1, 575/575 complete
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600 complete
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700 complete
C-3 ~> B, 700/700 complete

-speed
B-1 ~> B-2, 800/800 complete
177 unused

Exit thread

He listened as her words brushed across his skin like cold water. But this water was more then just a shiver visible to the eye. It was so cold that it was beyond just ice. It ripped open the skin of his soul. He listened as his eyes widened. He had been so oblivious all along. But it couldn't be. Could it? Why would his uncle conspire so much for something he could of taken peacefully? Why would he sell out his own clans secrets? Could it be that all this time he had grown up around such a devious person? Could it be that he had been such an ignorant child all his life? He had thought himself perceptive of his surroundings but all this time he had been living in blissful ignorance. He now saw a darkness that had been creeping up on him his whole life. Like a shroud it covered everything he knew and nothing felt safe anymore. His life had been a lie. His very existence nothing but a toy to his uncle. He could feel the pressure of his uncles influence now. It was suffocating. A betrayal to his heart and mind. He could barely breath with the revelation upon him.

~A false childhood~
Memories flooded through him. In the beginning from his earliest memories he sat outside his fathers study. He could hear his father and uncle arguing about things he didn't understand. His uncle at the time was claiming that a child had no place being named the next head of the Angel branch. He could remember the words but at the time he knew nothing of their meaning. It had mattered little to an infant.

Itami, "You know I have worked my entire life for the branch. I am best suited for the position. It was only because you were the eldest that you got the position to begin with. And with your health beginning to fade you would leave the clan in the hands of a child without even waiting to find out if he will be man enough to handle it? Are you already fading mentally? You have lost it brother."

Rakigu (his Father) "Itami calm yourself. You always were too interested in power for your own good. I don't deny that you have worked hard for this clan. But your heart is not yet pure. I wish it were otherwise but your mind is too dark for the good of the clan. But Rippa may yet surprise you. Even now I have witnessed him heal a bird with a broken wing. A toddler with a body too weak to run is already going out of his way to heal a stray bird. I see a great future in him. And thus my decision is final."

The sound of a chair crashing to the floor could be heard. And soon after the doors to his fathers study slammed open and out walked Itami. He scoffed at Rippa and walked away with a temper brewing within him. Rippa had not understood hate or greed back then. So aside from being scared of his uncle for the scary expression he had continued on in life not really understanding the kind of person his uncle was. He had trained and grew into the man his father had seen in him even as a little boy. he had always been innocent in a way. Still time would tell that his uncle was not going to take this lying down. No in fact his uncle was already racing forward in his plans for a take over.

~The current time.~

Rippa felt his teeth gritting. His eyes narrowed down into an expression that Risu would never have seen on him before. His fists clenched as his muscles strained. Pure and unfiltered rage was flowing through him. His chakra seemed to lash out wildly without actually causing any harm. Still the pebbles around him shook from the ferocity of his power. The grass nearby waved too and fro as flickers of red chakra seemed to flash around him. His eyes darkened as he took on a more sinister vibe. Killing intent flooded out from him in waves as he felt a rage he had never felt before without the blood rage. He had never truly been angry before but now he was pissed. The very thought that his uncle had plotted to kill his father and then him. It enraged him beyond reasonable levels. Rippa usually came off as kind and even timid but now it was something new. He was the blood prince in a rage. Still he growled out in speech as he his gaze fell passed Risu over Konoha.

"You already know Enaka was hired to care for my late father. If Itami had anything to do with his death. If Itami is planning anything I will find proof. And then I will end them both and everything between me and them. Don't get in my way when you see it coming."

With that he turned and walked away. That killing aura fading as he moved away. He was serious for once. He intended to kill both Enaka and Itami. Not just yet but in due time. First he needed information. And he just happened to have 'guards' following him that might know.

EXIT THREAD
WC 3291

Reaction time
D-1 ~> D-2, 400/400
D-2 ~> D-3, 450/450
D-3 ~> C, 525/525

C ~> C-1, 575/575
C-1 ~> C-2, 600/600
C-2 ~> C-3, 700/700

41 words remaining