1 Regrets of the Past and Decieving the Future [Ryuko/NK] Thu Nov 17, 2016 4:22 am
Karumo
D-rank
Exhale.
Heavy breath always brought such an element of feeling into situations like this, the dimly lit room and stagnant air drove him crazy at times when it was so full of commotion. Old men and women arguing so much about something that hadn't concerned them in the least, merely their own wish to be involved so heavily in it. Karumo leaned back in his chair with another exhale, their bickering slowly drowning the room in noise, these environments were so much nicer when it was quiet and calm. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and began to think back on the moment, those days, that week that would be so pivotal to the present,
In the darkness of his background, Karumo found himself in the first person, looking out at a tired squad crouched down in that small jungle clearing. Each of them out of breath and the rain pouring heavily, masking so many of their words, the words drained out in his memory, he almost couldn't believe this is what his dream took him to. This moment of all things. At the center of them sat a young and helpless girl, he'd never forget her face, the daughter of the feudal lord, kidnapped and held for ransom. She was hardly conscious, slowing the group down as Karumo carried her away from her captors, but their number and skill far greater than any of them anticipated.
The next thing Karumo remembered a dismal look on their face, he remembered what they decided, to keep running with maximum effort and hope to find their way into the patrolled border of the village to save their skin. Karumo taking the girl and letting her ride on his back as he took on the lead of the formation. It wasn't long, kunai flew past his head as he ducked and picked up the pace some, then a call out to keep going, his head turned back with concerned eyes. Ayame turned, swinging her weapon in hand as it began to glow heavily in that golden raiton chakra, her long black hair flowing out as she dashed forward in her ANBU armor, he felt like calling out and wanted to stop but it was too late. A small explosion, he couldn't turn back with the daughter of the feudal lord on his back, he looked at the other squad members, they shouted at him to keep going.
He remembered the next hour, gritting his teeth as they made it to the border and he handed off the daughter to a squad member and joined the ANBU to find her, hoping she hadn't done anything too reckless.
Another pause in his memory, fast forwarding quickly to the scene of the battle, it was absolutely decimated. She'd torn through them like they were nothing, the power of that sharingan of hers and her prowess in weaponry. Bodies scattered and blood everywhere, the battlefield scarred with the marks of battle, burnt ground and... the strangest of affects in the form of black fire scattered about. A famed technique not heard of or seen in ages, still burning brightly against a few bodies and among the trees, no amount of water jutsu putting it out. They recovered Ayame's body though, carrying her back to the village proudly, to hold a funeral that in no form was worthy of her death.
Karumo might have remembered that more, going to the academy, still in his dirtied ANBU armor and mask on, marks from kunai and other such scuffs. The cloak with gold trim signifying his membership as captain of the Oracles on, having to tell a young girl about the death of her mother, trying to console her by saying that she died honorably and that she'd been a wonderful women who gave her life for the village and the success of their mission.
He brought her back to an empty home and left their alone, telling her that he'd be back in two days to take her to the funeral. Knowing that she'd probably do nothing but cry and wallow in misery for that entire time.
Then taking that same young girl to her mother's funeral, wearing all black and letting her see his purple eyes and his own real face that day, a single bandage on his face from a kunai that'd broken his mask and cut him. He hadn't anything to offer but a superficial smile as he led her to the funeral, there was hardly anyone there and all he could do was place a hand on the shoulder of that grieving girl. She didn't know who he was, he didn't give his name but took her back to that same empty house. She'd be taken care of, the village would stipend her money for food and all else to keep her going as she worked to become a ninja.
Karumo always kept slight tabs on the situation while he was working, finding out from others when they delivered the money and to make sure that Ayame's daughter, as well as the family of other fallen members of his Oracles' were taken care of.
Still, he'd never had much of the courage to go to them after the fact, his memories of everything in their vagueness that he would allow would fade away, reality calling him back.
"Lord Karumo!" an older woman's voice nearly yelled as his eyes opened and he sat back up.
He didn't waste a breath, he hadn't heard a word they'd said for the last few minutes as he thought back to everything, "Yes, yes, listen. As much as I value everyone here's opinion..." he glanced around the round-table, the ranking village elders and the captains of each ANBU division at seat. They were wondering what to do with the daughter who carried the legacy of the sharingan. They had other Uchiha in the village, but Ayame was a rare breed, one who excelled in prowess and had found levels to those eyes that were almost mythological. Though, only the elders and Karumo, with a few select others knew about those black flames that existed.
"But if I'm not mistaken, then I think that this decision falls completely on me?" he looked around, several people nodded their heads and acknowledged that authority. A short pause as he exhaled and stood up, "Good, then I'll take her on as my own student and train her myself, this meeting can be adjourned now." he stood up to the concerned glares of others. Those captains which had no qualms with it being decided as such stood up and began to leave along with Karumo.
He returned to his office, sat down and wrote his note, then calling in a secretary to deliver it to the listed address, the home of Ayame but listed to her daughter, Ryuko instead. When all was said and done, he'd stand up and make his way to the Bazaar to meet her. His letter reading as,
Ryuko,
It's time to give you a real challenge, you'll be meeting your new sensei in the bazaar today, as soon as you're ready head out there, you'll know it when you see him.
Karumo~
It had the seal of the Tsuchikage on the stamp of the letter and the office of Tsuchikage marked as stationary at the bottom of the page as well. He'd go down in a black cloak, his normal grey armor on underneath, but the hood up mostly, going to find a tea house and wait out the arrival of his new student. Simple enough, a rather relaxing plan and he'd even brought a cigar in his front shirt pocket if he ended up having to wait more than a few minutes.
[1329 words]
Heavy breath always brought such an element of feeling into situations like this, the dimly lit room and stagnant air drove him crazy at times when it was so full of commotion. Old men and women arguing so much about something that hadn't concerned them in the least, merely their own wish to be involved so heavily in it. Karumo leaned back in his chair with another exhale, their bickering slowly drowning the room in noise, these environments were so much nicer when it was quiet and calm. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and began to think back on the moment, those days, that week that would be so pivotal to the present,
In the darkness of his background, Karumo found himself in the first person, looking out at a tired squad crouched down in that small jungle clearing. Each of them out of breath and the rain pouring heavily, masking so many of their words, the words drained out in his memory, he almost couldn't believe this is what his dream took him to. This moment of all things. At the center of them sat a young and helpless girl, he'd never forget her face, the daughter of the feudal lord, kidnapped and held for ransom. She was hardly conscious, slowing the group down as Karumo carried her away from her captors, but their number and skill far greater than any of them anticipated.
The next thing Karumo remembered a dismal look on their face, he remembered what they decided, to keep running with maximum effort and hope to find their way into the patrolled border of the village to save their skin. Karumo taking the girl and letting her ride on his back as he took on the lead of the formation. It wasn't long, kunai flew past his head as he ducked and picked up the pace some, then a call out to keep going, his head turned back with concerned eyes. Ayame turned, swinging her weapon in hand as it began to glow heavily in that golden raiton chakra, her long black hair flowing out as she dashed forward in her ANBU armor, he felt like calling out and wanted to stop but it was too late. A small explosion, he couldn't turn back with the daughter of the feudal lord on his back, he looked at the other squad members, they shouted at him to keep going.
He remembered the next hour, gritting his teeth as they made it to the border and he handed off the daughter to a squad member and joined the ANBU to find her, hoping she hadn't done anything too reckless.
Another pause in his memory, fast forwarding quickly to the scene of the battle, it was absolutely decimated. She'd torn through them like they were nothing, the power of that sharingan of hers and her prowess in weaponry. Bodies scattered and blood everywhere, the battlefield scarred with the marks of battle, burnt ground and... the strangest of affects in the form of black fire scattered about. A famed technique not heard of or seen in ages, still burning brightly against a few bodies and among the trees, no amount of water jutsu putting it out. They recovered Ayame's body though, carrying her back to the village proudly, to hold a funeral that in no form was worthy of her death.
Karumo might have remembered that more, going to the academy, still in his dirtied ANBU armor and mask on, marks from kunai and other such scuffs. The cloak with gold trim signifying his membership as captain of the Oracles on, having to tell a young girl about the death of her mother, trying to console her by saying that she died honorably and that she'd been a wonderful women who gave her life for the village and the success of their mission.
He brought her back to an empty home and left their alone, telling her that he'd be back in two days to take her to the funeral. Knowing that she'd probably do nothing but cry and wallow in misery for that entire time.
Then taking that same young girl to her mother's funeral, wearing all black and letting her see his purple eyes and his own real face that day, a single bandage on his face from a kunai that'd broken his mask and cut him. He hadn't anything to offer but a superficial smile as he led her to the funeral, there was hardly anyone there and all he could do was place a hand on the shoulder of that grieving girl. She didn't know who he was, he didn't give his name but took her back to that same empty house. She'd be taken care of, the village would stipend her money for food and all else to keep her going as she worked to become a ninja.
Karumo always kept slight tabs on the situation while he was working, finding out from others when they delivered the money and to make sure that Ayame's daughter, as well as the family of other fallen members of his Oracles' were taken care of.
Still, he'd never had much of the courage to go to them after the fact, his memories of everything in their vagueness that he would allow would fade away, reality calling him back.
"Lord Karumo!" an older woman's voice nearly yelled as his eyes opened and he sat back up.
He didn't waste a breath, he hadn't heard a word they'd said for the last few minutes as he thought back to everything, "Yes, yes, listen. As much as I value everyone here's opinion..." he glanced around the round-table, the ranking village elders and the captains of each ANBU division at seat. They were wondering what to do with the daughter who carried the legacy of the sharingan. They had other Uchiha in the village, but Ayame was a rare breed, one who excelled in prowess and had found levels to those eyes that were almost mythological. Though, only the elders and Karumo, with a few select others knew about those black flames that existed.
"But if I'm not mistaken, then I think that this decision falls completely on me?" he looked around, several people nodded their heads and acknowledged that authority. A short pause as he exhaled and stood up, "Good, then I'll take her on as my own student and train her myself, this meeting can be adjourned now." he stood up to the concerned glares of others. Those captains which had no qualms with it being decided as such stood up and began to leave along with Karumo.
He returned to his office, sat down and wrote his note, then calling in a secretary to deliver it to the listed address, the home of Ayame but listed to her daughter, Ryuko instead. When all was said and done, he'd stand up and make his way to the Bazaar to meet her. His letter reading as,
Ryuko,
It's time to give you a real challenge, you'll be meeting your new sensei in the bazaar today, as soon as you're ready head out there, you'll know it when you see him.
Karumo~
It had the seal of the Tsuchikage on the stamp of the letter and the office of Tsuchikage marked as stationary at the bottom of the page as well. He'd go down in a black cloak, his normal grey armor on underneath, but the hood up mostly, going to find a tea house and wait out the arrival of his new student. Simple enough, a rather relaxing plan and he'd even brought a cigar in his front shirt pocket if he ended up having to wait more than a few minutes.
[1329 words]