When you think about it, maintaining your purity when living in the Village referred to as the "Blood Mist" Village by some, is pretty much an impossible task. Regardless of any of the reforms or measures many Mizukage have taken to reduce violence and crime in the area, there's been always that one group of people that want to take it all back to the bloody ways of the past. Sometimes, they might be serial killers, striking out against a society that has rejected them, with their only way of coping being murder against those that oppose them. But what of it, when your own family turns against you?

After being saved from a group of slavers by a kindly white-haired man, he had taken her back to her foster parents, hoping for safety and peace. However, as they approached, the door was unlocked, causing concern. With that, they both snuck in, only to be greeted by a detestable conversation within; those parents of hers, those guardians, they were the reason she was kidnapped. They lured her out into the forest, without a second thought, only to let her go on her own for once and be caught without a fight, as she was completely defenseless. Needless to say, this was an absolute shock to the young woman's mind, near traumatizing, at the realization she was hated so. Without any second thought, she ran away from the place she called home for so long, leaving her whereabouts a mystery to any that followed, even the man that saved her.

From that day forward, Aura would not be entirely the same. The teen would still be able to laugh and have a good time, but it was more of a mask to her isolation and depression than ever before. Was there truly anyone that could become her friend, the one that would keep her from being lonely all her life? To get her into the Academy, to become a Ninja for her people, just like her mother once was? Well, that's where this day comes in. Tonight was a crisp, cool night, with no clouds obscuring the lunar glow of the half-crescent moon, reflecting along the bodies of water near the village. Aura was calmly walking along the many houses, far gone from the outskirts of the city she once lived, chewing on a bonbon she managed to get from a kind old lady for only five ryo. She had been living off of housework for others, as it was about the only thing she knew she could do well. There was no sense of purpose in her walk, though, due to her sight, and she had no idea where she really was. All she knew was that it was very quiet, and not much of anyone was out, and she stood out like a sore thumb due to her bright, white kimono. She didn't know that this completely normal night was about to change her life forever, and really, how could she?

"...Did they put sugar in this?"

WC: 514

'If only there were dark and stormy nights, then this might be entertaining.‘

A darkness would wash over the forests surrounding kirigakure, the headcount from the Black Crow they'd called Yatagarasu had finally exceeded a hundred bodies, each of them paraded int the street, criminals chattered the name in hush tones as realism had finally given way to superstition. Whatever was hunting these people now was no longer human in their hearts, and it was there that power could be gained and thusly harnessed to use and reuse as they saw fit. The reign of the crow would continue over the nation of kirigakure until such a time as it was stopped, be it forcefully, or cemented into the hearts of the citizenry forever, finally seeing justice done. Not with power, in the sense of the great Uchiha of long ago, nor with Love, done via the philosophies of fire that Konoha oh so loved to preach... no, with fear. The foundation of kirigakure no sato was already build on a foundation of crushed bones and bound in blood, so this would be no different.

'But the hunt was on.'

Dragging a man kicking and screaming from the edge of the woods into the light of day, in hunting down human trafficking that had come from outside of the nation itself to muddy the clear waters of the village hidden in the mist, Yata had managed to come across a Fense that they had been using to organize their deals. His cries were little more than groans now, the terrified look in his eyes was beginning to dim as he began to accept what was about to come. He had been caught, though he had attempted to put up a fight, there was a whole host of mercenaries who stood against Yata while many backed down, a brave few fought valiantly to protect their host. Yet, Yatagarasu only had to kill one of them in such a manner as to force the others to flee. Entering the center of town, the shadows of the village hunters who were tracking the crow could be sighted on the rooftops.

'Waiting for their moment.'

But Yata was smart, taking the criminal in one arm, she would hurl him with considerable force, his body tied up in the rope-like razors of her whip blades, untangling forcefully as he was thrown with enough force that the friction from the throw would slow him to terminal velocity, catching the coils as the Hunters would close in on the woman with her sudden drastic action, turning and running in the other direction with speed that vastly exceeded their own as well as almost anyone else in the entire village. The pull force of the blades would have the man veritably explode in the center of the cherry orchard as he was not so much as cut, but rended into visceral portions, enough of them that he'd still have perhaps twenty second to live, knowing the sensation of having something you love, something you need torn away from you and be forced to watch as everything you are drains away in a few short moments.


Stormy nights are for fairytales, I bring the storm‘[/b][/i][/center]

It disturbed Ayakashi that the fact the ANBU were getting good at cleaning up after these Yatagarasu murders, worse yet that the killer had a following that had the population seeming to support the killings, doing things that the Ninja aren't willing to do... but couldn't these people see that their freedoms were being taken away? Ayakashi agreed that these men deserved to be killed, and in some cases publicly, but... there was something evil within these killings, something monstrous that someone could easily tell with some analysis that there was joy in delivering this kind of bloody justice... if the word could be perverted in such a manner to describe these killings. The thought about it all made Ayakashi sad, she'd been to a couple of the scenes, examined them, looked at them, and it was done by a ninja or fighter of some skill. Wherever they were there was no sign of chakra in the area at all, no jutsu had been used to deliver any of the blows which made life harder.




Moving on, it was time for her to get herself some breakfast, there was preparation that needed to be done and there was no time like the present, she needed to find Nozomi and Sero in the mean time and hope to prepare for the fight that was quickly approaching them. They'd been called out to duel with the great horsemen of the Daimyo's assassins, and Ayakashi could not help but feel like this opponent was going to be different than all the others. Perhaps if they could find a method to undo the control of the medicine that had been used on them there would be a way to gain an ally rather than kill yet another enemy. It would be a grand method to defeat him, one that would benefit the team greatly, though, what if the Daimyo's adviser got his hands back on him again, or if there was a method to... they would have to fight him again, and as much as Ayakashi could be confident at times, in a battle such as that, there was no sure way to say that an added opponent on his tier couldn't tip the scales.

As she mused to herself, Ayakashi would literally bump into a person on the street, knocking them somewhat as Aya would near stumble, having literally collided with a girl in a white dress. As apologies flowed freely from Ayakashi's lips she would notice that it was Aura, someone the community had quite some knowledge on, and definately one she had been made aware of several times, whether it be in complaints from others or defending her against them. "Oh, Aura, I'm so sorry I was lost in thought, what has you up and about so early this morning? How are you? "

Ayakashi would say after composing herself, hopefully today could get better, but one never knew.

As Aura continued to stay in this town of ups and downs, twists and turns, it became clear to her that despite the more uplifted nature of the atmosphere, it was just as clogged as the rest of Kirigakure in terms of gloominess. She had heard whispers of complicated murders without the use of Chakra, to the point even the supposed Mizukage was having trouble tracking them down. Aura knew very little about Ayakashi, but there was at least one, very important thing she did have engrained in her memory; they had worked with her mother before, one way or another, whether it had been as partners or with Aurora being the subordinate. But when she met Aya, she would show her the treasured Headband she always kept in sewed into her belt, away from where anyone could see it, as it was the only momento she had of her deceased mommy. On the metal was a name engraved upon it...her own; "Aura." It was done with her dying breath, but she found it in the attic one day while her fosters were out, as they had hidden it from her. When she came back to beat them up one day, she'd be sure to take what was rightfully hers now, and make them repent for what they did to her and her mother's legacy.

If she were to do that, however, there was something she knew was vital in the process of obtaining the power for such a drastic act. She would have to become the one thing that her fosters had kept her from, which she assumed was what they feared out of her most; a ninja. Sure, it'd be kinda hard, since she was blind as a bat, but that's exactly what they wanted her to think. No, she would become the best in her village, and be just like her mom, someone everyone admired and looked up to. She had an idea of what she wanted from the books she snagged back in the day, too; she wanted to be a Taijutsu specialist, with chakra flowing through her as smooth as batter in a cake pan. She didn't know where to start on her own, though, which is why she needed the local Academy to bring her in for the basics. Once she graduated, that's when she'd begin training herself to the point that she's be strong enough to overpower those dirty fosters of hers. No longer will they oppress her, it was her time now!

Her train of thought was interrupted by a sudden collision with a tall, dark blue-haired woman with an eyepatch of some sort. With a little oof, the weak youngling bounced off of her like a ping-pong, but at least managed to keep herself from falling booty-first on the ground. After a brief recovery, she took in the looks of this new person, hands holding each other and in front of her stomach, her deep pale-blue orbs piercing Aya's gaze despite the fact they did not respond to movement. That's when she heard this name...who was this person? She's never heard the voice before. It wasn't Miss Koby, or Mister Kamoshida...

"O-oh! Hello, Misses...um...I'm an early riser, so that's why I'm out! But...how do you know my name? Did Mister Kamoshida tell you? And who are you?"

While Aura wasn't exactly too worried, she was still concerned about the simple fact it was a stranger that knew her name, period. Normally they'd be fine talking to someone new, even despite her past, but when they started spouting out her name like it was everyday vocabulary, that's when it caused distress in her little girl mind. All she could hope for was this wasn't another of those slavers from a month ago, and that she'd be safe from such a fate.

[WC: 669 + 514 = 1183]

This silly thing called an ANBU watched her? She had never heard such a thing before, even in the books of Ninja she had read. It only covered the pure basics, after all, and while she did not know, it was meant to be that way, to some extent. They're the Black Ops of a Village, and on top of that, they usually like, and have to, operate in secret, for the good of their people. The young girl was confused by such a statement from Aya, highlighted by the the slight contort of her soft, pale skin and the raising of her right eyebrow. Somehow, however, Aura wasn't threatened. These ANBU, she thought, must care about her in some way, but how, she did not know why. It was like her own personal guardian angels, as vain as it was to think as such. Not that she'd mind having someone watch over her in a pure light, rather than because they have to...regardless, she simply smiled up at the woman after a bit of thought, face relaxed as well. It was obvious she trusted easily, as easily as she had gotten skeptical, as she stepped a little closer now. She even got a name out of the stranger, which made her feel even when it came to the exchange of conversation now. Ryome, huh? Simple to say for sure, and something she would be saying for quite a long time.

"This ANBU thingy...I don't know what that is, but...if what you say is right, is it bad I feel safe and not scared that they're watching me? It almost feels familiar,
somehow..."

The irony of this situation was on multiple levels that Aura could not ever begin to imagine. One of those reasons was yet to come, while the other was painfully simple; the ANBU do protect the village, but they also carry out some of the most dirtiest jobs in the world, such as assassinations or espionage. For all she knew, they'd be watching her for different reasons. Despite the fact it should feel ominous, it brought her a sense of security she hadn't felt in a long time, as if the cold embrace of the world held her tight like a mother to their child. It wasn't the main drive of the conversation though, these ANBU. No, what Miss Ryome said after that is what really caught her attention, and plastered a strong look of excitement and determination.

"Y-You can take me there, to the Academy?
Does that mean you can enroll me too? I-I don't have money or anyone to put me in...and I've been lost here for a while. Please take me! I don't want to be weak anymore!

Aura's voice near came to a yell as she spoke, tiny blue fires within her eyes, fists clenched tight, speaking volumes about how she felt. It was as if she never had any formal training period, and this was honestly worrying. Why had a girl this old not been taken there anyway, and why is she so enthusiastic to as well? Sure, any kid would want to become a Ninja, beating up bad guys all while being little stealthy boys and girls, but she seemed as if she didn't learn how to be one, she'd regret being alive. In truth, in a way, Aura indeed felt like it was needed for her to continue her way of life, the way she ripped out of the isolation that was her home for a long time. Not only would it allow her to explore the world as a whole, but she would be able to make a name for herself with enough training and tenacity. Enough of that, and she'd be able to even get revenge on her foster family. Aura wasn't exactly one to hate anyone on any level, but these two were about the only people she truly hated to the core, after their betrayal and ways of deceit. She wouldn't kill them, but she was going to make sure they regretted ever breaking her heart, frosting it over temporarily. They would be humiliated in front of that whole part of the village, by her own two hands, and make sure it hurt so deep they'd repent in some form or another. Either way, Aura had no idea what she was getting herself into, but she relished the promises of her future, alongside the woman she considered a new friend, Ryome.

[WC: 775 + 1183 = 1958]

This new turn in life was becoming increasingly quick-paced for the young Aisu child, already being let known that there were jutsus in this world that allowed one to feel and 'see' their surroundings without touch nor sight. While Aura already felt comfortable with her surroundings with next to no assistance, she felt as though learning martial arts would be made much easier with such a tool at her side. It fascinated her that she was already learning new things, when it hadn't even been five minutes around the woman whom she believed was named Ryome. It was a satisfying feeling, and brought a bright smile to her face, taking it in diligently. However, something strange and interesting had happened almost a moment after being told this.

When she reached out to feel her new friend's hand, there was an immediate difference to any other she had been in contact with. Instead of feeling as though a fire was embracing her, it felt...normal, almost cold like a pipe that was left out in the snow for too long. Was she like her, then? Aura had always noticed she was much colder than others, yet she never figured why. It was assumed it was mere coincidence, due to her isolation within her home, but Ryome would then bring up the fact it was because they were both part of a Clan of sorts, called the Yuki. At this revelation, Aura's eyes widened and dots began to connect. She remembered hearing stories of how her mother was 'weird' as she was, for their temperature, and that she was known as the Flash-Frozen Ninja. It made sense now...she was special...and so was her momma. Not only that, but this Ryome lady was like her, too. Maybe she wouldn't be too bad after all with the Academy, if she could make cool icy crystals and snow just cause she wanted to. Shaking her head, Aura would then collect her thoughts and respond to Ryome.

"Well...I never knew my mom, and especially not my dad...momma died giving birth to me after twenty-four hours. As for my father...I was told he raped her once, then ran away after, dying a few days later. That was why she died, cause of a disease she got...and why I'm blind. Birth complications for both of us. For all my life, I lived with my foster parents, which were 'friends' of my mom...but...I hate them. I never want to see them again...they...they hired slavers to try and kidnap me, while we had a picnic in the forest for the first time in my life. I say that because they always locked me up in the house, and isolated me...so I never got to have any friends, or be a ninja, because they wouldn't let me...I think it was because they were scared. Not scared for my safety, though...scared that I'd become strong, and confront them about my mom...and take back all the stuff of my mom's they have locked up in the basement. I don't blame them for that anymore, though...when I become strong enough, I'm gonna go back and make them realize how bad of an idea it was to hurt me like they did. I'll never forgive them for ruining eighteen years of my life. They don't even deserve to die...I want to humiliate them in front of the Village, in front of all the people I never got to meet, to make sure they learned to never cross me again."

As she spoke, it was clear to Ryome Aura was very angry with her fosters, but of course, it was with good reason. Her eyes burned their blue fires once more, as she clenched the hand holding hers tighter, showing a conviction that wouldn't be broken by anything anytime soon. It was also good that she didn't mean to kill anyone, as well. That would be kinda bad. Either way, how would Ryome act to knowing Aura had basically been abused all her life?

[WC: 701 + 1958 = 2659]

Ryome's body language - at least, the little she felt from her - had told Aura she had been heard out and felt for. It put her young mind at ease, and she had simply leaned against the Mizukage (of which she couldn't know), letting her guide the way to the Academy doors. However, she had been informed that due to her blood, she would be allowed a home within the Aisu Compound.

"Well, im sorry to hear about your parents and everything you've been through, but, now that I've found you, i wouldn't mind you staying with us at the Aisu Compound. You'd likely have family there, although they would be very distant cousins if anything. In the mean time, if you knew your parent's names we could move through the records and find them and hopefully locate a next of kin for you. Who knows, maybe we're related. Wouldn't that be cool? forgive the pun... But, here we are, the ninja academy, here you will learn about what chakra is, and how to focus yours so that you can do all kinds of things. Learn hard, no matter how long it takes, and if you ever need a tutor, feel free to come to me, but for now, you're going to need to come inside. I'll draft up your paperwork for you and we'll slide you into a special class. But just remember you'll be starting from the bottom, a lot of the young people there will be a lot younger than you, as young as ten if they come from noble families who push them hard."

This excited her greatly, even more so as the Academy proceedings were explained to her. The only real bad part in her mind was that everyone that would be in her class would be many years younger than her, though it couldn't bother her that much, since she figured it would be like that anyway. Most join the Academy at a young age, she was just unfortunate to have joined it so late in her life. Regardless, she knew what she wanted when it came to living with those of her clan, especially after Ryome mentioned they may end up being related to each other more closely than distant cousins.

"Well, IF we really are closely related...even if we aren't, though...I wanna live with you.
You're the one that brought me here, after all, and I'd feel really safe if you watched over me...it would make that tutoring you mentioned easier too, am I right?"

Whether or not she'd be indulged was up to debate, but the day would end with an hour long registration, which bored Aura at least a tad. It was mostly that she had to talk about a lot of information she didn't even know. As for her parent's information, all she could provide was her own last name, Yukimenoko. It surely did somewhat match one of the names of the clan, so it would be a bit to sift through the potential options she had. For all intents and purposes, however, it was more likely they would not be able to find out about her family unless they approached her previous foster parents - to which Aura would profusely reject the idea of, unless she had graduated the Academy and was no longer useless in combat. She had a feeling when they met again, it could be a fight to the death. After that, though, her efforts were rewarded with ice cream, which Aura happily accepted once she realized she was being handed it, licking it softly and slowly to savor the sweet flavor. She had never encountered such a delicacy before, and as such, it was going to be listed as a favorite from now on.


-RP END, Aya closes-

[Total WC: 658 + 2659 = 3317]

Training: