It was with a silent glee that Anon made his way through the village hidden in the sand, on his way to the museum of Mystical Glass. Or rather, the Mystical Glass Museum. He had received a missive from a salamander that was trained to carry mail inviting him to the museum to learn about the village he inhabited and take a trip through the history that had made it so great. There was to be a new addition, supposedly. Since the village had been without a kage that was in action for some time, no new statues had been erected, but there was news that a new kage had been chosen and that they would soon adorn the Museum. But, that was just conjecture on the part of the museum staff. No less reason for a young shinobi who had joined the village years back, rather than be born there, to visit and learn.

It was some time after noon when Anon had reached the front steps of the museum and he looked up at the building in awe. It was simply beautiful, and the architecture was awe-inspiring. It was a mix of marble and glass, the building perfectly proportionate so that one could see both elements at play equally. He was excited to see the inside of it, hoping for something along the lines of magical, but maybe he was getting carried away. Anon wasn't much of a history nut, or a book worm, but he did appreciate everything about the two. He especially appreciated good architecture and people who had been immortalized forever, held in special places by people that loved them. This was going to be his home at some point. Not literally, but metaphorically. He was going to get put here for his deeds some day.

With a giddy smile, he made his way up the steps, and into the entrance hall of the museum. Glass statues greeted him on either side, being past kage, and exceptionally talented ninja. There was so much to do here, and so much to see that Anon could barely contain himself. He was going to look around and find the best place that he'd want immortalized. Somewhere that everyone could see him and appreciate him. That was his new dream.

WC: 384

Great, a new Kage. Hopefully this one would actually do things unlike the previous one, and the one that was supposedly going to become a Kage but decided to duck out on the village instead. Kei, being someone that was tired at the moment and quite skeptical of the new Kage getting things done, had decided to go to the Mystical Glass Museum, a place that seemingly had the village's historical events crafted in glass, spreading from the Kazekage Gaara of the Sand down to present day, apparently displaying both their greatest and their most hopeless moments throughout their lifetime. Kei himself was a bit more preferable to just relaxing for the day or going off to enjoy nature, but when it came to the appointment of their new Kage, everyone should at least re-learn their village's history, learn where they came from and where they are now and reflect on it, making decisions to better the future of not only themselves but the village as well.

And that is why he got up sometime after noon and dressed up in a white tank top and a black tattered long coat, with black pants and boots to boot, and that it why he would fashion the headband of the village on his right bicep, brandishing it out of respect for the village. That is why he would stand before the front steps of the museum, looming up at the beautiful mix of marble and glass that made up the architecture. It was certainly beautiful, with both element equally at play, bouncing off of and complimenting one another greatly, but he couldn't help but wonder if the money, time, and effort that was placed into this could have at once time been placed into the community in order to prevent the overall bad state they were in for the most part at the moment, or if it wouldn't have changed anything at all. Aesthetically, he liked the sight of the building a lot, but

He would enter the entrance hall of the museum, seeing the already created glass statues that would greet any that entered the hall, Kei would glance up at them, recognizing them already as those that either became Kage or was talented and had accomplished enough to actually be recognized by the village as a figure of their history, someone that would always be remembered as having an impact. Kei himself didn't really aspire to be someone that would be made out of glass, a figure others can look at, though he also did aspire to change the world for the better, to end up performing good deeds, whether it is saving lives or being someone that helped wipe out evil within Sunagakure. He was going to be someone that would aspire to either save lives or take the lives of the evil, or fail trying. Recognition is but a secondary thing, something that people gain for the sake of making them loved, hated, or feared among the people, and he wasn't someone that wanted to think on a secondary thing. He didn't like being recognized as is by his appearance, he couldn't fathom what it would be like to be a well known individual in the shinobi world, chances are it probably would place a lot of pressure on those that are.

As he looked around, he spotted a rather peculiar sight, one that came in the form of an individual dressed up as a stereotypical shinobi, such an outfit that is compete with a netted shirt, cloth wraps around his forearms, black tabi on his feet, and some sandals. A mask would cover his face and the first thought Kei had was whether or not this guy was some sort of terrorist, a though that made him almost withdraw the concealed fuuma shuriken that is in the inside of his coat, though he stopped himself before he would. There are numerous far more important places for the guy to terrorize if he came here with that intention. Terrorizing a museum is like robbing a nursery home, you're gonna get nothing but shit. No, this person must just be more into being a tradition shinobi than Kei is, and he can't judge on that. After all, how can a guy that doesn't even have lips judge another for dressing up like an actual shinobi.

Instead, he would stroll over to the male. As he neared him he would notice the clear height difference of around five inches, and as the patchwork male would scan his body with his blue eyes, the guy wasn't that bad looking either. As he was about a meter away, he would speak up, trying to get his attention. "You're an interesting looking guy. Who're you?" He would ask. It was a simple question really, one that he hoped the guy would actually bother answering. "You uh.. you excited that we're getting a new Kazekage?"

Wc 837

Anon's train of thought was interrupted by someone speaking to him and he turned his head to have his hazel eyes scan for the speaker. About a meter away stood a young man, about five inches shorter than Anon himself. Upon a close inspection, what Anon could see of the other male would best be described as 'raggedy' or 'patchwork.' He had several parts of his anatomy stitched together with what looked like artificial skin. In fact, he didn't even seem to have any real lips by the look of him and his eyes had artificial bags under them. All in all, he was quite the strange ninja to behold. Anon had not actually ever seen anything or anyone like him in all his years of living. Interesting. He had spoken directly to Anon and asked who he was, following it up with asking if he was excited that they would soon be getting a new Kage. To be fair, Anon wasn't actually sure if he was excited or not, as he hadn't ample time to process the new information since receiving the missive from the museum. He was enticed by the thought, but maybe not excited. He would be excited if whoever the new kage was supposed to be would actually take an active role in helping strengthen the village. He was spacing out but he remembered that he was asked a question or two and decided to speak up.

"I'm Anon Brier, a genin of Sunagakure no Sato. As for being excited, I don't know if that is the right word. I am certainly hopeful for the new kage, if they are powerful and able to strengthen our village and bolster us to new heights. If that happens, I will definitely be excited and impressed."

The young genin yawned and looked about the statues erected in glass, moving between them, to take in the information printed below them. He stopped at the ANBU showcase, looking at the names printed below each one. He found that many of them didn't actually have names, but instead the animals their masks were attributed to, and some had names that obviously were not their own, like Hizencho. He looked on in awe at the sculptures of glass that depicted the village's elite squadron of hunter ninja. Each one a deadly force to be reckoned with, answering only to the Captain or the Kage themself. Among these powerful ninja one was more powerful, second only to the Kage and that is something that really piqued the interest of Anon. To be an ANBU was a lonely life, unable to be known by others once you joined, you had to control your emotions, and had to be secretive. You held secrets of the village in this position and would take these secrets to your grave. His eyes had a bit of sparkle as he looked on at the village elite, taking it all in.

"You know, if our kage is as good as I hope they will be.. One day I'm going to join the ANBU. I can't tell anyone I'm part of it, but I would definitely enjoy being one of the elite village ninja, tasked with protecting sunagakure no sato and her secrets. Hunting down defectors and those that have sullied our name. We don't really have any ANBU now, from my understanding. Because the last two defected and put our village even more at risk. I wonder if I really have what it takes though."

Anon clenched his fist and looked at it, deep in thought about his choices in life. He knew that to become an ANBU he'd have to train hard and put more effort into it than he ever had before. To be one of the best you had to work harder than everyone else and make your name known, if not your power. The power that came with being an ANBU would definitely put Anon further towards his goal of becoming the strongest ninja in the village. Then he'd work on changing things for the better so that people would eventually know of him and consider him precious to them. But first he'd have to become a chuunin and stay on that path to reach his goals. It was going to be a tough road and it seemed daunting to say the least. But Anon knew that if he worked hard at it he could become the strongest ninja that he so desperately wanted to be. Maybe then he would take revenge on his clan for what they did to his mother.

WC: 384 + 780 = 1,164

Kei would listen as the other Shinobi would introduce himself as Anon Brier, a Genin of Sunagakure, just like he himself. He explained that excited wasn't exactly the right word for this event, but instead hopeful would be. He hoped that this knew Kage is powerful and able to strengthen the village, to bolster them to new heights. Honestly, bolstering them to any heights would be deeply appreciated. It was no secret that this village was one that was a shit hole previously. Hell, Kei was about to go out and travel in order to figure out how to fix this dump, but ironically enough the very same thing that seems to be driving others away from the village stopped him form leaving, and it was thanks to these corrupt Shinobi that he's now around to witness a new Kage. It was something he was pretty okay with overall, but still, it wouldn't change his mind much on teaching that person a lesson anyways when he meets them again.

Anon himself seemed to share a similar mind with him on this Kage business, where they hoped the new one will change things for the better, to improve the village, and if they do, both of them would be happy with the results. What he didn't like as much about him though would be the fact that he would yawn before looking at the glass statues, the contagious habit being passed onto Kei himself at that moment like a torch, and he himself would also yawn as they moved on, stopping at the ANBU showcase seemingly. He recalled this section well, as their names weren't names, but instead the animals their masks were made to represent, or even fake names as well. There have been many scorpions, wolves, spiders, and the like, but why not call yourself pelican?

He couldn't be an ANBU himself. His anatomy was too recognizable in the first place, not to mention that, even though he didn't wish to admit it, he was pretty easy to anger as well, having started plenty a fight over looks alone. Frankly, he was more of an idealist than an assassin, and his ideals involved medical mastery and trying to improve things directly. He could calm himself, and he cared little about fame or anything else of the sort, but honestly, when it came to methods, ideals, and overall even appearances, the patchwork male was automatically disqualified. Chances are they didn't even let people pick a pelican for an animal either, so screw 'em.

Anon would speak once more, revealing his desire to become a member of the ANBU if their Kage is as good as he hopes they'll be, and while he can't tell anyone that he's a part of the secret and sacred hunter group, he would definitely enjoy being one of the elite. He seemed to love the idea of protecting the village and the secrets within, to hunt down defectors and those that produce a stain on their name. He agreed with this to an extent, but defecting nin should be the last thing people should focus on at this moment, at least until they become threats. The infrastructure of the village was in more need of fixing, and the classes are clearly divided. There was also the prevalent gang problem as well, one of which he was already working against. Anon however, explained his reasoning behind it, stating they lacked ANBU, as the last two defected and put the village at risk, though he truly wonders if he has what it takes.

"From what I hear it involves not having a past to hold you back, and the willingness to follow orders, no matter what they are. I couldn't do that myself, if someone needs help, I see no reason why you shouldn't help them unless they're the one that's causing the pain in the first place. That's why I'm going to become a medical nin myself, and work to save lives. But..." He would say, voice trailing off as he would move both of his hands behind his head, resting his head against them as he looked slightly upwards at the statues, examining them. "It must be lonely, being at the top and recognized. I wonder just how many friends and family they lost along the way, people they couldn't protect due to duty. I'm Kei Iriye, by the way."

Wc 753

Twc 1590

Anon was lost in thought and almost missed the replies from the other man.  Being involved in the ANBU certainly meant that you would have to follow orders as they came. If the Kazekage said jump, you would try to touch the moon. If they said go low, you'd dig to the depths of the earth. When it came to being an elite ninja under the kage, being their sword and shield, less than your best wasn't enough. Sometimes your best wouldn't even be enough, you'd need to have perfection. That's something Anon was striving for. He also needed to not have a past to hold him back and that wasn't his problem, he'd already turned his back on what held him down and kept him from becoming something much greater. The only problem Anon did see was that he also felt as though he'd help out someone if they truly needed him. While he wasn't the most motivated man, he couldn't simply just abandon someone in need. But this was the ninja world, a world of deception and war. Who could tell who was really in need of assistance and who was acting out a ploy to get your guard down? That was a risk that you couldn't take if you became the hand of a kage. You'd have to execute orders with precision and be precise about every move, every word, every thought. Lowering your guard for even a second could spell out your doom and that was not something that Anon could afford to happen. Not if he could see his dream realized.

"I see what you're saying, and to an extent I agree. But I've already left my past behind and becoming someone who follows the orders as soon as they're given is already something I've taken the first step on a road towards. But you can't help everyone. The ninja world is one of deceit and trickery. Of war and bloodshed. There are some battles you must walk away from because you just can't win them. There are some people you just can't help because they won't want to be helped. And while there are some orders you may feel are wrong, and simply can't do them, you can't forsake the safety of your village, your kage, and your people for a slim chance that what you're told may be wrong. It's happened before and we've found out too late that our orders were for a good reason. You'll do well as a medical ninja with the mindset of helping people and healing them, trying to protect them as you can in that way. But my path must be what I've chosen, I have to become stronger and protect the village in the only way I can see. Being faceless isn't what I'd like, but would you rather be known as a hero or keep your family safe?"

Anon, looked the male in the eyes at this point in the conversation, his own hazel hues showing unwavering conviction in his words. With a chuckle, he turned back to the statues he was looking up to and moved on to Gaara of the sand: possibly one of the most influential and powerful kage, who had united nations under one banner to combat the greatest threat the world had ever known. He was like Anon when he first started: hated and shunned by those closest to him. But he took on that hate and grew to unite his village and become beloved by his people. Nobody was left to hate him after everything he'd done to protect the village and he was held as something precious for the rest of his days and hundreds of years after. That's what Anon wanted. That's what he was seeking and that's what he'd fight for. To improve the world and his village so much that he would be eternally remembered for his great deeds to improve the lives of those who needed it most. This would be the goal he aspired to as he climbed the ranks.

But something Kei had said was right on the money for Anon. Losing friends and family along the way to greatness must have been a terrible price. One that not many would be able to carry the burden of. True there were loners like Anon but few of them could really handle the loss like he had  and come out stronger for it. Life gave everyone tests and with so many people failing them it would be hard to form something strong unless they all pulled together and worked towards the same goal of making the village a better place. Perhaps that is what Kei had in mind, working with everyone to make the village greater, not just putting it all the new Kazekage. To truly improve the lives of the villagers and the village itself they would have to muster together and strike down the toxicity that plagued the wind country. This was an admirable goal and one that Anon would be proud to fight for.

"Tell me Kei Irye, you know of the issues we have in this village right? The slums, defection, power struggles, infrastructure, everything. If you had the chance would you fight for the village to be put at a much greater place, or are you content with simply letting the Kage do it themself? There is a lot that needs done and I don't expect the kazekage to do this alone. If we don't try to improve the village ourselves, what chance does our leader have of doing it?"

Anon looked back at Kazekage Gaara of the Sand's statue and turned his gaze along the line of Kages that came after him, stopping on the most recent ones, looking at the nameplate for 'Gin'. The kazekage that had betrayed the village, committed murder, and left sunagakure no sato to fail on her own.

WC: 1,023 + 1,164 = 2,187

Kei would listen as the other male would agree to an extent, which was pretty obvious they would have differences. They were walking different paths, with his being of medical profession and the other's being of the hunting profession. One was meant to injure while the other was meant to keep shoving the other out into the field after each injury. He also mentioned having already left his past behind, following orders blindly as a first step on a road towards becoming an ANBU. That was where their own more personal paths also differed, as despite both not really caring much about the past, it takes way more than what they're bound to be exposed to in order to finally drop it. One's last generally consists of loose ends of some kind, no matter what, and usually those ends tighten at the worst occasions, creating quite the headache. That wasn't what Kei was against, however, it was following orders blindly. He was someone that wanted the best for the village, and the way he sees it is if a higher up ordered something clearly harmful to the village for the sake of protecting it, Kei himself has every intention of denying that. It was just his nature to.

Anon also mentioned how he can't help everyone, as the Ninja world is one full of deceit and trickery, and that there are some battles he must walk away from because he can't win them, people he can't help because they don't wish to be helped, and while there are orders that may feel are wrong, and simply can't do them, he can't forsake the safety of the village and it's people for a slim chance on the orders being wrong, as it has happened before and they found out far too late that the orders were for a good reason. He then decided to speak on Kei's path, and how he'll do well with the mindset of helping and healing, trying to protect them as he can, but Anon's own path is what he chose, where becoming strong and protecting the village is the only way he can see. He didn't want to be faceless, but would one rather be known as a hero or keep their family safe? "A medic's job may be to heal, and it's true that you can't save everyone, but I'm not holding the mindset of only healing, my friend. Sometimes, the best way to save everyone is to get rid of someone else. That's an ugly truth for sure."

"Well, while terrible orders are given with good intentions, they're also given with bad intentions as well, and the way I see it is if an order is vague, I'm gonna question it, but I'm not aspiring to become ANBU because of that. I'm a details kind of guy, so I wouldn't exactly fit if I'm given an order where I have to take out someone for no reason. Fame is for the shallow, I'd rather just do what I can and die when the time comes, but not unless I can at least partially believe that those I harm are at least somewhat a risk." He would respond as Anon looked him in the eyes before chuckling, his hazel eyes showing that he truly believed in what he said, which were met by Kei's own natural glare, not one that's meant to be directed at him of course, or one that showed malice, for that matter, but still a glare nonetheless.

He would look at the statue of Gaara, someone that Kei could personally relate to as well, being someone that had been shunned for his quirks when he became what he is today, leading him to have to act in his own nasty way to those that make rude comments on it. He also was one of the historical figures that inspired him to try to find the good in some others as well, though, as when he could become a monster easily, he should also strive to become the opposite, a good person. He was someone Kei believed without a doubt thought he could save everyone, and chances are, like how Kei had once struggled to believe, he most likely realized that he couldn't, that all he could do was watch them fall deeper and deeper, until death or evil would take them.

He would break his observation of the Kazekage however thanks to Anon's catching his attention once more, asking him about the issues in the village and including the slums with the crimes of defection, power struggles, infrastructure, and the like, something of which he didn't agree with. Being someone that personally lived in the slums, he was someone that believes that the slums aren't an issue within themselves, but the poverty that the slums have is one, and the resulting gangs that came from it. He would be asked if he would fight for the village to be put at a much greater place, or if he's content with letting the Kage handle it, especially with there being a lot to be done and Anon's lack of expecting the Kage to do it themselves. "Honestly Anon, I think the only way the village can improve is when people start working towards improving it. Fight against the gangs, help the weak, all that stuff, that's what helps in the end, not leaders, and especially not the more... recent leaders of Sunagakure, these traitors and MIA leaders. If there's anything our recent leaders taught us, it's that we can't rely on anyone to do everything, because that just makes everything go to hell."

Wc 980

Twc 2570

Anon listened intently to his companion, staring into the glass eyes of, arguably one of the greatest former kage, Gaara of the sand once more and sighed. The answers were what he expected from the other male and it would be rude of him to act as though he expected much else, or rather act as though he did. Truth be told, there were quite a few people in the village who thought as kei did and reacted to the question the same way, with the same ideals of helping the weak and working towards a greater goal together. Something that Anon himself could agree to, if only anyone actually actively put forth the effort to making the village bettr. But instead everyone was content with sitting around and doing nothing, just as he did, because others seemed to be worse off than them, keeping them from feeling like the bottom of the totem pole. It was horrible to think that the entirety of the village, well almost, held these ideals and yet did nothing when someone reached out for help or didn't care about the lower parts of Sunagakure no sato as it hurt the village, causing her to metaphorically rot around them from the inside out. There were many issues.

Anon glared into the eyes still, his mind replaying events he'd seen when he first arrived in the village, unable to afford anything for himself so he was subjected to the slums, begging for food money. He was a ninja but that meant nothing without the money to clothe and feed oneself. He'd had to do odd jobs very young so that he could eat, making his way up the ladder in the darker parts of Sunagakure to get a dirty hovel. Well, not even a complete dirty hovel, he shared it with seven others, and paid a ridiculous amount of ryo for a spot on the floor, where people were distrusting of outsiders and often used him as a punching bag. It wasn't because he couldn't actually defend himself. It was because he refused to so that he would face less trouble. It was what everyone else in the village did now to avoid possibly being harmed or otherwise be affected detrimentally.  Sitting there and doing nothing while danger was at your door, telling yourself that if you just let it pass you'll be fine and it won't bring more trouble down upon your head. That sort of thing sickened Anon.

It wasn't until a year later that he was able to move out of the slums into the apartment in the market district he had now. He had to do many missions, sell papers, sweep shops, do dirty work, all while saving up and trying to feed himself so that he could live more comfortably than he was. Now he's come so far but it was only from taking action instead of speaking, working for people who were happy enough to sit idle and do nothing when it came to someone else needing a hand.  He was fortunate enough to meet his friend Sutaka around this time and found someone like him, if not in ideals in many other ways. They had become close rather quickly and were nigh inseparable until a few months ago when they just stopped spending time together. True, Sutaka was a bit young(and if Anon was any judge, slightly dim witted) but he was a true partner to Anon and sometimes even displayed the same ideals. But not many could see the world as he did, too many people talking and not trying. He wasn't impressed by words anymore. He wanted actions, people to do something worthwhile that they promised they would do, instead of sitting around until others did it for them. Disgusting.

Anon sighed and pushed his hands into his pockets, moving past Kei Iriye, and making his way to the door. He stopped and looked out of the doors as he opened them, looking at the village and people bustling outside, blissfully ignorant of what was going on anywhere else but in their own little bubbles. Where nothing could touch them and they didn't have to care about anything else. He was wasting so much time caring about these people and this village, when he could be trying to track down his mother or getting stronger so that he could take revenge on the Mitarashi clan. But what was he doing instead? Distracting himself with pieces of glass that depicted once great but now dead people. Their collective legacies were in shambles as the newer generations became more and more lethargic and apathetic to the plight of the people these once greats had sought to teach others to protect and assist. He shook his head, and turned it to leave some parting words.

"The problem with those ideals, Kei, is that while many hold them and believe them like you, the village got this way because nobody did anything while preaching they didn't need a leader to make things better. Actions mean more than cheap words, my friend. Maybe one day others will see that."

And with that Anon exited the museum and made his way down the street, his hands that he used to open the doors coming back to their respective pockets. His hazel eyes lost their original luster and stared at the ground as he trodded on, ignoring the laughs and chatter of those around him. They were so easily amused and blind to what was going on, and they wouldn't see it if it was held in front of them only because they refused to believe anything was so bad. Disgusting. He'd have to do his best to show these people why what they were so happy to ignore was a real problem, but in all actuality he didn't know exactly how he'd go about it. He'd grown up outside of the village and had to learn to fend for himself in the darkest parts of sunagakure no sato, so he understood how bad it was. But no matter how many gang members he took out or how many people he helped out there was always more and more to do because he was one of very few making the effort. Sometimes it seemed like he was the only one making the effort but he'd never deign to claim something like that. He knew there were others helping but when things keep piling up it gets hard to tell who's trying to help you and who's pretending to so they get glory or have the opportunity to sabotage your efforts making them meaningless.

Anon had met enough people who wanted to see him fail so that the slums and gangs wouldn't be restored and taken out; respectively. They always fought from the shadows to keep people down so that the ever widening class gap would exist as long as they felt it was necessary. Or profitable. There was for more profit in keeping one district down while raising the other to obscene heights. It was simple business etiquette and Anon hated it. People in the village were toying with the lives of others to turn a quick buck and keeping those who could help from doing so by making them believe that they wouldn't make a difference or that someone else would come along and do it for them. It was simply deplorable. For the moment though, Anon would have to grit his teeth and play along. He'd have the opportunity to fix everything, just not yet. He'd need to be a lot stronger and have access to information only the ANBU had access to. They'd also likely have information if his mother had passed through here, two birds and one stone.


EXIT THREAD

WC: 1,324 + 2,187 = 3,511

Using Wordcount to train Endurance and Perception to D-3

[thread end]

Learned Auburn Gallows and Heart Extraction

1750/1750