Welcome to Gaia! ::

Saiyuri gave a genuine smile when Takashi took the headband. As he spoke it both comforted and chilled Saiya at the same time. Having him around again was bound to have a positive affect on Saiyuri, but it poked at the mental binds she had placed on her past. This Takashi was the same Takashi as before. Had Saiyuri posed this question to him when they were but children she was sure his answer would have been the same as it was now. The physical contact made through his hug made her feel even more unchained. The influx of his genuine feelings came too quickly and slammed her and cracked the barrier she always had in place. Suddenly a flare of mental energy shot from Saiyuri's mind. Every loose item in the office began to shake and vibrate with intensity. The mug on Saiya's desk cracked and shattered while the filing cabinets rattled noisily. Saiya's body tensed as she shut her eyes tightly and focused on clamping down the energy. Just as suddenly as it started the phenomena ceased. Saiyuri turned away from Takashi and placed her hands against the sill of the window, still tensed. It was not until the barriers shut firmly around her mind that Saiyuri took a soundless breath and turned back to Takashi; apologies clear in her eyes. What happened in the past had a rough affect on her. It left her cracked, unable to properly form bonds while remaining in control of her own mind. In order to save herself Saiyuri shut that down and kept it locked like an ancient treasure.

She turned and listened to Takashi's explanation of where he had been for the past twelve years or so. Saiyuri had always known that he hadn't truly died. They never found his body but he was assumed destroyed with the rest of the village. And so Saiyuri marked an empty grave next to another friend. She did not quite understand what had happened, but crazier things had happened in the world. So instead she merely nodded her head and accepted whatever the hell happened to her friend. "You should know that the enemies we are dealing with are far beyond the abilities of any one shinobi or kunoichi in the known world." Kaisen, Jade, and Kaiser were not called Sages for no reason. The thought of having to face any one of them made Saiyuri's face appeared grim. It was not that she was not confident in her abilities, but Saiyuri knew when she was outclassed. Apparently the Tsukikage felt the same, as there had been little news of retaliation anywhere. "I've changed as well. It has been a long time since I last healed someone." Saiyuri said with chagrin. It was the death of her friend Nakaya that had forced her to realize her failure as a medic. Now Saiyuri could crush people with her strength, breaking their bodies and mind all the same. "There are so many things that need doing. Come with me, Takashi. I could use your assistance." Saiya said as she mentally contacted her secretary, telling them to hand missions to whatever genin may come to the office. She locked the room behind her and led Takashi out of the building.

Have you ever died before? She asked. Just now, he'd told her, spilled the beans about his weird ability to come back from a thousand scattered pieces beneath a fiery blanket. The easy way to answer her question would be to answer it simply; to tell her yes, he had. But the easy way was not always the desirable way. He wanted to flaunt it and make it as glamorous as he possibly could, before suddenly beginning to realize that it was only a painful and ill-wandered memory. Post-traumatic was something that could describe Jean. He'd been scrambled up inside, feeling like he lost a piece of himself after the venture. It was only by playing it off as a ride that he could begin to recover from it; the fear, the humiliation. I was stabbed, right in the heart, he told her.

I knew it was over. I took him with me. That was the last relief I could feel at the end of my days; knowing that I didn't lose. That was the truth. Men were naturally competitive creatures. They didn't enjoy losing, no matter how they wanted to make it appear. Worst of all was the battle of life and death, where losing meant a permanent end to your dreams. No man, and no woman for that matter, wanted to fail when it really counted. But he did. Jean, who thought himself to be the strongest of all warriors, fell to the blade of a silent and lightning-fast shinobi. Before he could even fling him off, the light had faded from his eyes. It was heart-wrenching. He felt tears come, and an aching in more than just his body; his soul wept. All he could do was try and return the favor.

The instant before he died was what he remembered the most. He felt as if his life would come to flash before him, but it did not. Nothing happened. All there had been was pain, then nothing at all. To know that life could end in such a disappointing way . . . was something that made him regret bothering at all. And yet he rose a week past, alive and healthy once more. He wasn't sure how he felt. He only knew that he felt confused. That must've been pretty scary, she remarked. I don't know what I'd do. Maybe make a final wish before the end came. For the good health of my family, or something like that. Though it would seem so arbitrary at that point.

Everything that we ever do is arbitrary. It was a whim of mine to enter that field, trying to admire the full moon. And it cost me my life. At any moment, you can die. Your last wishes are just as worthless as your first. Don't be confused. Depressing, but true. No matter what one wished for themselves or others, it didn't matter. Wishes were not reality, nor could they become reality. Reality was only changed by blood and pain. There was nothing more to it.

"Jean-san!" A man called out to him. It was one of the desk workers from Saiyuri's office. He recognized him well, as they'd known each other from Konoha, before it all went to hell. His friendliness towards him had diminished over time, though, as he was more of a bureaucrat than anything else. Jean didn't care for those types, as all they did was wobble and fester as others died where it really mattered. Actually dying certainly jaded his view on things. Yes? He asked.

...And not long after, he was face-to-face with the Sorakage. A typical day, honestly. You called? He asked her. The man was far from occupied, so he didn't really feel inconvenienced by her summonings. Though he wasn't exactly enthusiastic, either.

Ronnel reached the entrance to the Kage's building and stopped outside for a moment. He took in a deep breath, and when he exhaled he forced the anger at Zokuji out along with it. THe anger was pointless, it served no good, and would only hurt him if he kept it in. The medic would just need to make sure to avoid dealing with the other boy for a bit, maybe in hopes that some of the cockiness and arrogance would fade in time with their profession. Ron ran one hand through his hair and let out another sigh, this one much smaller, and cracked his neck.

He - and Magnus if the other shinobi did accompany him - were here to request a mission. Ronnel at least had no money to spend, and he wanted to try taking on a mission or two. Maybe they could take two or three D-ranks on to accumulate money quickly, or perhaps there was a C-rank available? He'd have to find out. With this new thought firmly in place, and the former anger gone from his mind for now, the Hanaya entered the Sorakage's office building and began hunting for the mission desk.

"Ah, sorry lovely lady, I wasn't expecting anyone to be in such a hurry here. Let me help you with that." The eighteen year old held out his hand to help her onto her feet. While he had been looking for missions, he wasn't expecting to run into them quite so literally. Once she was on her feet - with a kiss to the back of her hand - Ronnel smiled.

"Sorry again. Though our meeting is quite lucky, at least for me - I was looking for something to occupy my time." He knelt down and picked up the files, keeping the three that had caught his eye separate from the rest, which he handed back to her. "Could you tell me, which of these intrigues you the most?" He raised one eyebrow - he was leaning towards the Academy mission or retrieving the missing supplies, but someone else's input would be invaluable since he wasn't a native to the village.

"Ah, a wise choice. I suppose I'll go help the future generation then - not that I'm much better than they." A soft laugh escaped his lips as he handed the other two folders back to the young lady. He tucked the folder for his mission underneath his arm and bowed to the secretary.

"I wish I could stay and spend some time with you lovely lady, but unfortunately for now I must be off. Perhaps we'll meet again later." Ronnel smiled at her as he departed - the woman was beginning to get flustered, and causing an incident in the Kage's office building wasn't on his agenda. Best to keep their interaction down for now. Besides, she was handling missions, and he was a shinobi, he was bound to see her again.

Having rested for a while - napping on one of the benches outside the Kage's building, Ronnel was once more refreshed and ready to go. He stood up and popped his back before heading into the building, trying to trace the steps that the girl from earlier had been heading in before the two of them had run into each other. Hopefully the mission office wasn't too far off down that way.

Ronnel laughed and help up one hand soothingly, trying to calm the startled woman down. While he had understood what she had said, if she was able to slow down and take a few deep breaths the conversation would be easier.

"Indeed I am milady, teaching was enjoyable though I don't think I'd have the temperament to handle such a large group more than occasionally." He tapped one finger against his chin in thought for a moment. "Would you happen to have more information on either of those missions? While the construction might be easy, I've no idea what I'd be doing, nor do I know if there are any leads on the missing equipment..." He trailed off, looking at her eyes as he spoke.