Ryo walked into the estate behind his friend and the uncle that he seemed to so love. However, nothing was distracting him. The estate was every bit as beautiful and wonderful as his friend had said. The Knetegawa estate in Sunagakure was made of stone gardens, desert foliage, and wide-open spaces so that the puppeteers could practice their arts. This was astounding, he wondered if they were situated over a spring much like the Knetegawa estate had been. All, in all he couldn’t deny the great beauty of the Kozai estate no matter what was going on inside. However, all of this beauty only made the whole of the Kozai’s manner all the stranger. This was a clan compound alright, but it was a clan compound that was getting ready for military action, the emblem was everywhere, and the crowd watched them like hawks watch desert hares. He kept Kuro close his hands down by his sides using the ever so thin chakra strings to keep his puppet moving. There was no way he would let his guard down here, and the more they stepped inside the more he wanted to flee. He wanted to grab Raphael slap him and drag him away, but he knew that he would not get anywhere without his friend’s entire cooperation. He heard his friend’s unease so at least his hindbrain was taking notice even if he was being so entirely stupid. Raphael was going on his list of wrongs done to him if they made it out of here alive, despite Ryo’s feelings for him. When his uncle said that Raphael’s immediate family should have a private reunion he glared at the man his eyes flashing icy blue shaking his head slowly to show he would not be put off by this man. He watched the men and women who were lining the streets all of them looked like they were getting ready to do something stupid and obey the true alpha here. Ryo wished he had brought his mother and his sister, but he was thankful that he had told his whole clan where he had gone. If he hadn’t come back then they would all know who brought him low, and there would be a reckoning, the Knetegawa was more numerous than the Kozai, that was easy to tell, not to mention that they were all master puppeteers, his mother had even mastered the ancient lady Chiyo’s ten-finger puppet show jutsu. She had used it to great effect and this was how she sealed her place as the head of the main branch. The fight would be bloody but the Kozai would die should Ryo fall to them. This was comforting enough, but it didn’t truly make Ryo feel better.
Finally, Raphael asked the question that Ryo wanted him to ask. He was glad to see that he was at least attentive enough to ask such a good question. However, the story that came on rang as a half-truth. He was sure that the grandfather had been killed, he was sure that those disguised as Refugees had indeed attacked, but he was not sure that they were anything less than the hidden blades of this clearly power mad uncle trying to sweep away the rest of his clan. His own clan had suffered such attacks before. The black trio they were called. They had tried to slay all of their brothers and sisters. One in each of the three branches. They had tried to slay all those who were rightfully better than them, and they were also the ones who used Human puppets to slay them. This is where the near-ban on Human puppets had originated from, their deeds made it so that the head of each branch was chosen not only by blood but by skill and honor shown for the clan. This being the only loophole that would allow Ryo to succeed his sister as the head of the clan. Of course, she would likely take one of the other clans as its head. He shook his head in annoyance hearing this bullshit story, and he would not allow anything to trap him and his friend here. He just didn’t have a clue how they would save his friend’s mother and sister, but it was now clear to him, that he and them didn’t have a place here anymore. They would have to flee and have to rise up against their uncle to take it back. Still, he couldn’t understand why Raphael wasn’t seeing this, nor could he understand what was happening in the Kozai power structure that would allow such madness.
Hearing that Azulon was put in charge of security made Ryo snort it wasn’t a loud sound, but it was very likely that both of them could hear it. He wasn’t about to pretend stupidity, he wasn’t going to let Azulon think that he was a fool, nor that he was off guard. He had seen the look, he had heard the tones, he also caught the deeper meaning. As they walked into the mansion Ryo walked in backwards facing Azulon, he would not let the man behind his back, but instead, he made sure that he would not allow this man where he could not see him. When they were guided into the mansion he saw that it was very, very nice to be sure. There was enough beauty and expense here to justify the great clan. However, there was also enough here to show that the head of the clan was worth taking, and getting that position was valuable enough to slay kin for. Hearing that he would have to wait outside of the inner chamber he sighed shaking his head. He grabbed Raphael tightly on the arm and pulled him close whispering urgently into his friend’s ears “Please for God’s sake Raphael, be careful. Azulon will not mean to allow us to leave, your mother and sister are either in chains or dead. Be on your guard, be ready to kill these people. This is all a trap. I will wait here to guard your rear, and I will not allow anyone to pass me.” He let go quickly smiling at his friend putting on the airs of great amusement “I would be delighted to meet your mother. If your uncle does not have any objections.” He said glancing to the man. Then he turned to address the man “Azulon Kozai, we have not been properly Introduced I don’t think. I am Ryo Knetegawa, son of the Knetegawa clan head. My family knows where I have gone and would bring down destruction and ruin upon any one and their entire clan should I come to harm. Suna is gone and is not a shield to hide behind anymore. I hope you keep this in mind.” He said simply allowing the pair to leave. He didn’t want this to be the case, he hoped against hope that he was wrong, he hoped against hope that everything was okay, but he was sure that it was not going to be so. He sighed shaking his head wondering how they would be able to get out without bloodshed. It didn’t seem like that would be the case, but he was sure that he would be needed. He prepared himself, flexing his body relaxing it and stretching it so that he could move quickly. Kuro’s strings were tight ready to snap them along to every motion that would be needed.
He prayed, he hoped, he needed Raphael to take him seriously. He didn’t know if the youth would, or if he would chalk it up to being paranoid, but there was naught he could really hope to do about it. Thankfully the route they took from the gate to the mansion was plain enough. He did know however that they used radio communications, so it was unlikely that they would be able to run through the gate, and he was almost completely certain that it would now be sealed behind them. Yet, he also knew that these trees were sturdy and if they could jump up into them, then jump over the walls they would be home free. Of course, he could easily scale the wall running up it with the use of his chakra, but that didn’t mean he wanted to do these things. Scaling a wall like that was just far too easy, and it made such a great target for archers and other such things. No, they would need to scale the trees, and do that the best way. For now however, he would have to wait, so he did, he waited with Kuro in front of him ready to attack.
[Exit Thread]
1,486
Total: 5,046
Training:
Ninjutsu Specilization B to A rank, 3000/3000 words
Raiton Element C to B rank, 2000/2000