As to be expected for the middle of the day in Sunagakure, it was bright and shining out, which meant heat. The winters in Sunagakure were interesting, the nights and morning were freezing cold while the days were still warm sometimes even hot. The peculiar geography of deserts always fascinated Izumi especially that if her own home in Sunagakure. Today was not the exception for the general climate given the pleasant breeze and comfortable 25C air, Izumi wore a silk kimono, white with her clan digit on her back, her fiery hair worn down, and her village headband in its place on her left bicep. Today was a day for Izumi to relax and just enjoy her beautiful home, hidden from the world by its famous desert and brutal winds. The village tended to have a constant breeze thanks to the effect created by the high walls surrounding the village. Izumi’s long beautiful legs carried her through the village towards the gate, she wanted to take a long walk in the desert, followed by a nice picnic at her favorite abandoned outskirts. Not normally loner, Izumi just wanted some time to herself today. Even Izumi’s mother was busy for the day, an oddity since her mother tended to be quite hermetic. Izumi couldn’t help but let a smile pas across her plump, full, lips. Today was a good day, minimal dust, the stray dogs were silent, and she would later learn that for the first time in a long time no one she knew in the slums met an early end thanks to their criminal lifestyle.

Given the beauty of the day and her hitherto good fortune, Izumi decided to make a brief stop at one of the local restaurants called the Dragon’s Tongue to get takeout for her planned picnic. The Dragon’s Tongue sat in the shadows of the west village gate, the one she planned to depart from. Izumi has a bit of a late start by her standards today, not even feeding until near noon and only departing her ghetto apartment 10 minutes earlier. Izumi generally was generally an early riser. However today was the one day per month she gave herself to relax and shun her duties and training. She didn’t even have to work at her job. Izumi has a recent windfall of cash from a very humiliating yet lucrative shift at the Sandbox club. Finally, Izumi entered the long shadows of the western village gate, so cast by the late afternoon sun projecting its radiance from behind the pillars holding the gate in place. She walked past the village people dressed in their traditional earth tones, nearly to her first stop on her day’s journey when she saw her. Sticking out like a sore thumb in the generally bland village there she was, dressed all in purple with purple hair.

The woman was quite beautiful, with long flowing hair and a dress that left little to her imagination. The woman appeared to be nursing a fairly fresh wound on her left arm and as Izumi approached it became clear that while this beautiful woman was shorter than Izumi she was older by at least a few years. The woman had a strange mask on the made Izumi think she might be blind but given her easy navigation through the crowd figured it must allow some sort of visibility. The woman was shorter than her by a hair or two but otherwise appeared her counterpart in size. Izumi curious about this mysterious stranger decided to approach the woman, using her injury as a way to break the ice. After all, Izumi was a medical ninja and if nothing else could offer this guest to her village some hospitality in the form of improved comfort. Izumi approached the woman and tapped her shoulder, ”Excuse me miss, I couldn’t help but notice your elbow . I’m something of a healer and would take a loon at if I can mend that for you if you’d like?”

[670]

The woman appeared at first to not even notice Izumi’s attempt to get her attention, until after a moment of painful silence the woman finally appeared to react. The woman moved her hand to her side quickly almost like she was trying to hide the injury. The woman seemed distracted, almost overwhelmed. Izumi has no clue why this would be given the fact that her only knowledge of the strange woman was that she was for a lack of a better description, very purple. The woman finally opened her mouth to speak, ”It’s fine. It’s just a bruise, do you know where I can get some food?” She had a strange, deadpan manner about her way of speech, neither her tone nor her expression changed during her short response.

While off, this manner wasn’t exactly troubling, what Izumi actually found troubling about the woman’s manner, was that she could get no read at all on the woman’s emotion. It was almost like the woman had no emotion at all, that wasn’t possible … or was it? Izumi decided maybe she shouldn’t be analyzing the psyche of someone she just met so deeply instead trying to find her manners and invite the woman out on the picnic she was planning for herself. Why not bring the purply woman along with her, she doesn’t seem like a threat to her person. Plus maybe she could make a new friend, those were in short supply since she graduated the academy. While personable, Izumi always had a problem with pride and arrogance. She felt many of her (male) peers were beneath her and as such had a hard time keeping contact with them.

”I was on my way to get lunch myself, want to come with? I know you just arrived but I was going to eat outside the walls if you cared to join. I would hate to intrude but where are you from miss. Oh dear, I’ve been so rude, my name is Izumi, what’s yours?” Izumi has always felt more at ease with women so unlike some of her… embarrassing and painfully recent interactions with men, she felt this was going well. Izumi smiled at the woman and just grabbed her by the right arm making sure she didn’t pull on the “bruised” arm; Izumi walked off towards the Dragon’s Tongue dragging the woman with her assuming that there was no way she’d refuse such a polite invitation.

[407]

Izumi could hardly contain it, her frantic manner of the day was for a very good reason, the same one that explained why she was so well dressed for what seemed to many to just be a normal day. Izumi with the purple woman in tow marched off towards the Dragon’s Tongue,“I accept your offer, my name is Kinoe. I’m from the Land of Fire.” Izumi ensured she made eye contact while the purple woman now known to Izumi as Kinoe was speaking to her, remembering her manners finally. The woman paused for a couple seconds before adding in her usual monotone, not betraying anything about what was going on behind the mask,“Why are we eating outside the village walls? The scenery is the same throughout.” Izumi giggled at Kinoe’s comment about the village scenery, laughing at a joke that appeared to not exist. ”Good to meet you Kinoe. The village scenery is due for a change, and believe me when I say you don’t want to be here when it happens. I’ll explain more when we get outside the village, can’t risk the wrong types hearing. There can be no warning. Now, let’s get some food and find a nice view looking over the village, I wanna make sure I have a good look at it.”

Izumi continues onwards to the restaurant after finishing her foreboding explanation Just because I can’t tell anyone doesn’t mean I can’t save anyone who is innocent. This woman has no need to die here. she thought to herself. Pushing through the curtains featuring a dragon with his mouth open tongue flicking for some reason or other, Izumi entered the Dragon’s Tongue, Izumi no longer dragging Kinoe along with her given her choice to follow of her own accord. Izumi took a moment to think what she should get to eat, keeping in mind she might have a hard time getting a meal this good in the near future. Izumi decided on Ramen since it would be what she’d miss the most. Having decided what she’d like she looked to Kinoe, ”Whatever you’d like just tell them, I’m treating as your welcome to the village. You’ll have to tell me of the Land of Fire as well, I’ve never left the Wind country.” Making conversation came naturally to Izumi so we was able to easily converse with the woman even while deeply troubled on other matters, Izumi understood that collateral damage is a sad inevitability but still hoped that it would be kept to a minimum in the coming calamity. However it went Izumi would be watching, recording the events so that the generations of the future can learn from the actions of today.


[450]

Izumi felt she must come across as a madwoman with her current affliction of fear and anticipation for the night’s events to come. Sunagakure no Sato, her home was to be destroyed. Cleansed in fire of her injustice and wickedness. The vile corrupt city was to meet its end at the hands of a party including a man she had met by chance during one of her frequent morning jogs. The man, Syekren Uchiha was something of an idol to Izumi, she also happened to fancy this man however that had no bearing on the events at hand. Izumi new what was to come would be dangerous and did not want to be caught in the crossfire since those within it would not survive, no matter who they were or who they were with. Besides Izumi had other desires, she wanted to record the events to come as well as learn the histories she can from those alive to tell them. Knowledge was important to Izumi and preserving it doubly so. Izumi was bringing nothing but the clothes she was wearing, her uncles journal, a pen, and some ink. Her uncles journal while complete when it comes to his life still had room for more writing.

Kinoe had decided on a dozen dumplings a much more practical decision for someone on the move, normally Izumi would elect for pragmatism however she felt on a night like this she could be a bit ridiculous.“There’s not much to the Land of Fire.” the woman replied in a short manner that implied finality. Clearly there was something in the land of fire that Kinoe was hesitant to talk about enough so that she appeared to want to avoid the subject of her home altogether. While a terrible conversationalist, and slightly rude for a guest she still had no part to play in the wickedness of Sunagakure. She did not deserve to burn here along with the countless others doomed for death on this night. While the outcome was in no way certain, it was unlikely that Syekren and his counterparts would fail on this night. Regardless of the outcome two things were certain however, no matter the outcome the sand village won’t be the same and if somehow they failed Izumi couldn’t afford to stay in the village. Surely she had been seen in the company of Syekren and the Jackal, while it’s possible that no one did it was not worth the risk. And Izumi resolves that tonight was her last night in this village no matter what. The food finally ready, Izumi took her soup and in a gesture meant to be polite also carried the dumplings meant for Kinoe. She left the way they came leading the way to the spot she had scouted for watching tonight’s entertainment. ”While it’s a bit still before sunset I think we should still set out now, it might be suspicious to leave right when it starts.” she said not bothering to clarify what it was exactly, continuing on to her destination where all would be explained to the purple woman called Kinoe.

[533]

Izumi soon heard Kinoe's footsteps behind her own, even if she was unnerved by Izumi's strange manner, the woman didn't show it. Izumi set off for the high dunes to the west of the village. She had ensured to choose spot that look east to ensure the sun would stay out of their eyes during the sunset in case for some reason the battle started early. Izumi still felt torn about leaving so many innocents to die. She had been toying with the idea of doing some evacuations but didn't want to give anything away that might compromise Syekren. Perhaps she would lead some sort of sortie later to get people out of the warzone, for now she needed to eat and then start her journal entry for what would become the battle for the sand. After all, history doesn't record itself. As she continued marching, she was in a trance fixated on the events to come this night.  

Izumi absent mindedly waved at the door guards while making sure to make it clear that Kinoe was with her, a guest on a walk and a picnic. After they had cleared the gates, Izumi slowed down to let Kinoe get closer to her and she locked arms with the violet woman, pulling her closer so she could quietly tell her about what was to happen on this night. "Tonight, there will be an attempt to destroy the Village Hidden in the Sand. You have come here at a bad time. I couldn't let an innocent outsider be slain for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However I also couldn't just warn everyone and possibly create a panic, or worse cause an information leak that allows them to foil the plot. It may seem strange to you why I would my home destroyed, but an outsider couldn't understand. The Daimyo of the Wind country is missing, presumed dead. The Kazekage has disappeared, and the village council is corrupt, wanting to sell the secrets of our village for their own gain. To make matters worse, the core clans support this practice. They must be brought to justice, and I believe my friends are the ones to bring it. After the picnic and the sunsets, the calamity will begin. I brought you outside the walls so you could make a choice to leave if you don't want to be a part of this." Izumi felt relieved that she had finally gotten to say it out loud to someone else, the suspense had been killing her and having someone else know was a good feeling. Izumi would remain silent the rest of the journey to a particularly high dune about a half kilometer southwest of the village with a good view of where Izumi assumed the fighting would start.

[479]

As usual, Kinoe appeared to have little to say, staying silent and emotionless during her explanation of the coming historical event, her only reaction was to turn and look at the village. "No, it's okay," with those three simple words Izumi knew she made the right choice choosing to share with the woman. It must have been a lot to take in for a stranger on the first day in a new country. To find out on your first day there that it was to be the site of a brutal conflict where thousands would perish, must have been at the very least unnerving. Izumi could understand the woman's silence given the situation she was being thrust in to. Having finished the sensitive part of the chat with the purple woman she let go of her arm and walked at a normal distance away from her companion. While on the way to their destination, Izumi resolved that she must help people get out of the village as best she could. She would go to the academy to make sure no children would be left behind. They deserved what was coming the least. To be so young and have to experience so much carnage is terrible.

Once they arrived Izumi picked a spot in the sand that was relatively flat and rock-free and sat down, finally able to eat her ramen and start work on her first major historical account. Izumi began the introduction to the entry in her journal entitled, The Battle of Sunagakure. Izumi went into a brief history as she understood it to the events leading up to this night that caused the powder keg set to be set alight on this night. Including the rise and subsequent disappearance of Midori, the rift that grew between Syekren and the council, his motivations as far as she understood them. She made sure to leave plenty of space for the other participant's stories in fact leaving several pages blank, ensuring there would be plenty of room for her to make additions later on. Izumi looked to the woman sitting on her right the sun shooting it’s last rays into the sky, the light of day in its death throes, ”The night is almost upon us, I will be heading to the academy to save any students trapped or hiding there. If you wish to help, there will probably be people who think it’s safe at the arena, that is where civilians are told to go in the event of an attack. They can’t be allowed to die because they don’t know what’s happening. I will check there after I’m done sweeping the academy.”

Night fell, and the worst anxiety of the night set in. While Izumi would be nowhere near the actual fighting, she would still be a part of her first real battle tonight. Some of her teachers, friends and neighbors would be snuffed out tonight. Izumi doesn’t love the idea of innocent deaths but at the same time she understood that they can be unavoidable. Her anxiety gave way to a surge of adrenaline, a bright flash in the distance followed by explosions and fires marked the start of the show. Izumi finished up her opening remarks in her journal before sealing it and her writing implements on her left forearm using the basic sealing technique. Izumi looked to the woman for what could be the last time. Something told Izumi the woman wouldn’t do nothing ”Good luck, stay alive.” with those, ominous, final words, Izumi charged towards the village walls on her way to evacuate those she could.


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