Welcome to Gaia! ::

Zeru raised an eyebrow at his brother and then turned to look at Sorain. He figured it would be better for them to stay with Sorain as he seemed to know the lay of the land, and he was capable of some amazing things in combat things Zeru would not mind learning himself. Zeru looked back at Takera and then nodded and then looked back at Sorain. "I'm sticking with you, the way I see it there is not other choice." Zeru said as he walked over next to Sorain and looked back at Takera to hear his answer. Sorain hadn't been the nicest person but the way Zeru saw it they would need guidance and Sorain was offering it. He hoped Takera would see it that way as well. Zeru would love to continue to travel with his brother but if Takera refused Zeru would not change his mind on this subject.

Drake looked up at the old man, who was looking down at him as he sat in the alley on the small stool. Drake studied the old man as he sat there looking back at him. The old man wasn't tall, but he wasn't short either. He wore a buttoned shirt that had long sleeves, but were torn at the ends. He had long, grey pants, and wore what looked like sandals, but were too worn too worn, so the soles looked like they had gaps in them. The old man had grey hair, but looked like he was balding. Drake assumed the old man must be in his 60's, perhaps his early 70's. As Drake studied the old man, the old man seemed to nod his head slowly up and down, as if he was sizing Drake up. "So, young man," the old man said to Drake, "Why are you right outside my home?". Drake didn't know what the old man was talking about, but then he turned his head and saw the old shack. That must have been what the old man was talking about. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to be outside your home. I didn't think anyone lived in that shack". To this, the old man laughed. "It's alright, son" the old man said after he had stopped laughing, but was still chuckling even as he talked. "Few people even know I live in that old shack". The old man was strange to Drake, he didn't think anyone would be laughing at the fact that they lived in an old shack, especially one that looked like it was going to fall at any point now. Then Drake saw that the old man was looking at his headband. "So, your a Leaf ninja, are you?" the old man asked as he still looked at Drakes forehead. "I am" Drake replied to the old man. "I see. I think I know why your here in the Village of Earth. Come inside my home, and I might have the awnsers you want." With that, the old man turned and started to walk toward the shack. Drake watched the old man go toward his home, then he stood up from the stool he was sitting on and walked toward the old man, just as he entered his home.

Drake pulled back the curtain that was the door for the rambled old shack. Inside, Drake saw that it was alot cleaner than what he thought it would be. He saw a small bed rolled out on the ground to the left, and a small box next to it. In the middle of the shack was a table that stood no higher than Drakes knee. It was pretty dark in the shack, but then a small candle was lit in the middle of the table, illuminating most of the shack. Drake saw the old man put out the match he used to light the candle, then sat down on what Drake saw as a small cushin. The old man gestured to the other side of the table, and Drake saw an identical cushin laying there on the ground. Drake walked over and sat down on the cushin, which was surprisingly soft. "Now," the old man said, "You are here to find information about the seven swordsmen of the Mist. Correct?". Drake was surprised when the old man said this. He had told nobody about why he was here. "Don't look so surprised, young man. I have noticed several shinobi from other villages show up here the last few days, and they seem to all be here for the same reason, though most have left now". This time, Drake wasn't as surprised. He somehow knew others would be searching for the swords, but didn't know that others had already been here before him. "Sir," Drake began, "Do you know anthing about the seven Swordsmen?". The old man looked at Drake for awhile, and didn't awnser him for several minutes. Then, the old man said "I do know some things about the Seven. But you must listen to what I have to tell you". "What is it that you want to tell me?" Drake asked of the old man. Whatever it is, it would be worth it if he would gain knowledge of the Seven. "It is a story of the origins of the seven, how they started. And how they fell." And so the old man told Drake of the beginnings of the Seven. "The Mist is far to the east, off on the isle of the Water Country. They are very covert ninja, trained in assassination and espionage. But, as the other countrys trained in other forms of jutsu, the Mist realised that they were still stuck to stealth, instead of focusing on direct attacks that could destroy enemies. So, the Mist trained seven of their most elite ninja, giving them weapons of unbelivable power. These were the most dangerous swords in the world. And the Seven trained to master these terrible weapons. Soon, the Mist even moved this training into their own Academy, where children fought to survive, killing their comrads and enemys to pass the exam. After many years, the Mist saw what they had turned their nation into, and that everyone now saw them as machines of war, caring not for mercy or aid to the weak. The leaders of Mist decided that they needed to change this, and they made the decision to eliminate the Seven. But, they knew that they could not openly do this, so they sent the Seven on a mission that was one-hundred percent able to kill them all. The Seven were sent on a mission to eliminate a smaller nations leader, but when they arrived, they were overwhelmed by allies of Mist, who were able to kill the Seven only with sheer number. And, in order for their mistake to never happen again, the Mist had scattered the seven terrible blades all over the world. Thus, the Mist was able to bury the past that they had created, and make a fresh start in the shinobi world". The old man stopped speaking and bowed his head. Drake was still thinking about what the old man had just told him. Blades that were created to help keep Mist ahead of the shinobi world, but then had to destroy what they had come to fear, even in their own country. The old man then lifted his head back up, and looked at Drake again. "Tell me this young man. Do you seek the blades for yourself, for power? Or is it something else?" the old man asked of Drake, looking at him with a determination that Drake had not expected to see in the old man. Drake took a few moments to think of the correct words. He didn't even know the awnser himself, but he had to find out on his own. "I don't know. I had come here orignally to find any information about the Seven, maybe to even find one of the blades. Now? Now I don't know the awnser anymore, but I started this, and I'm willing to see it to the end." Drake said, looking straight into the old mans eyes. The old man stared back into Drake, and Drake became unsure if the old man was even going to awnser back. Then, the old man said "I see a fire in you, boy. A fire that hungers for more. Of what, I do not know. But I sense a dark power behind it. And I see that you are unable to comprehend it." the old man sighed. "Oh well. There is no harm in helping you. But, heed this warning. If you find one of the blades, and even if you don't, do not become twisted in your quest for power. Know that you will lose yourself if you do". The old man then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scroll. He pulled the string that held it together, then layed it out on the table, revealing a map of the world. "I do not remeber exactly where one of the blades are, but your best shot is in one of the country far to the East". the old man told Drake, then pointed his finger down at one of the countrys.



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Notwen had spent the past two days traveling through the mountains that separated the Hidden Stone village from Earth Country. He quickly covered the ground lost from spending most of the day asleep and rested every five hours. The trip itself had increased his stamina dramatically and strengthened his legs, but he also spent some time honing his basic skills. Notwen now reached the top of a mountain path that overlooked the Hidden Rock village. The view caused the dark-skinned blonde to smile. The village was nestled in the mountains, even part of the mountains in some places. It's sheer size awed the dark-skinned blonde. Tanking a deep breath through his nostrils, Notwen jumped off of mountain road. He released that breath as he fell toward the base of the mountain. When he was halfway to the floor, Notwen ignited the chakra on the soles of his shoes and blasted it outward in a stream of flames that propelled him forward and away from the mountainside. Stretching his arms spread-eagle, the Uchiha maneuvered his body toward the range of mountains that housed the Rock village. The air was dry for the most part, due to the lack of many water bodies in the general area, but there were a few lakes and rivers fringed with lush vegetation. Notwen descended parallel to the mountain he had jumped from, following the steady parabola-like curve until he was just a few meters above the rocks that littered the base. Bringing both of his hands together and cupping them at his waist, the dark-skinned blonde thrust them forward and sent forth a powerful fire stream that slowed down his fall when it struck the ground. When he was able to keep himself airborne with the flames, Notwen stopped streaming them and let himself fall the remaining five feet. His efforts left the area smelling like scorched earth.

Notwen berated himself silently for not being able to regulate the output of flames that he used while using jet propulsion. It was one of the techniques he had spent the most time trying to hone, and it was upsetting that it caused him to be delayed in his endeavors.
Man, i really have to get on top of my training... thought the dark-skinned blonde as he crossed his arms. The big man must have noticed Notwen's unease because he put his bulky hand on the Uchiha's shoulder and said,
"Don't look so troubled, you're making it look like it was your fault." The comment caught the dark-skinned blonde off guard, almost making him lose his composure.
"Yeah, i guess you're right... I don't think i got your name." The big man laughed with hearty mirth. He took the hand that was on Notwen's shoulder and pointed at himself with his thumb.
"My name's Garsem Sartosu. I hail from one of the surrounding mountain villages. How about you?" asked Garsem, looking at the Uchiha in a friendly manner.
"I am Notwen Uchiha. I'm from Wind Country." replied Notwen. Garsem punctuated his surprise with a whistle of lowering pitch.
"Wind Country, you say. What made you come all the way out here?" asked the big man. Notwen had already rehearsed a plausible reason why he would traverse scorching desert and treacherous mountains just to get to another country.
"It's part of my training." he said, which was a half-truth. "I'm a martial artist. I traveled with a friend from the Hidden Sand village to the Hidden Stone village, then we parted ways and i continued alone. There were a few mishaps on the way, but i made it here safely, and i can only hope the same from my friend." Garsem crossed his arms.
"You seem to be a pretty tough guy, Notwen. I'm surprised that you were able to get all the way out here in one piece, especially with that heavy-looking pack." The dark-skinned blonde's cheeks flushed. He hated when people praised him in any kind of way. It made him lose his focus. As Notwen gathered himself, his cheeks returned to their usual shade and he was able to pay more attention to his surroundings.

Just then, a group of figures ran past the line at a speed that ordinary people wouldn't be able to follow. Notwen was able to see the crimson-and-brown uniform of what he guessed to be Hidden Rock shinobi. He was also able to catch Garsem steal a glance at the retreating figures.
Seems like he's no ordinary mountain dweller... he thought. Just as Notwen was going to resume the conversation when the sound of an intercom powering on cut him off.
"Ladies and gentlemen! After extensive research on the strange fire that was spotted earlier, we have deemed the area safe. Whatever it was that fell must have burned itself out and been scattered in the wind. At this time we will begin letting people into the village. Please make room for the gates to be opened." The intercom was shut off, but the sound was masked by the massive wave of relieved sighs and comments released by the people on the road.
"About time!" breathed Garsem as their section of the line began to move fifteen minutes later. "At least people decided to move faster today. Sometimes people can be stubborn and remain in the way of the village gates. Kinda gets annoying after a while." Notwen nodded at the big man's musings, keeping up with the line's leisurely pace.
Who would have thought the Hidden Rock village was so uptight about security. The rumors about the swords must be true, if that's the case... After a momentary lapse in conversation, the dark-skinned blonde turned to his travel companion. "Hey, Garsem, do you know about any places where i can find cheap lodging?" The big man looked down at the Uchiha with a thoughtful expression.
"There are a few that i can name off the top of my head. Don't you have any family or friends around here?" he asked.
"No, sadly. This training is supposed to be about taking care of myself in unknown places." said the Uchiha. Garsem scratched his chin reflectively, then said,
"Well i guess it can't be a bad thing if i offered you a free meal just for today. Then i can help you find a nice place to stay." It was this comment that made Notwen notice how hungry he was. The dark-skinned blonde hadn't eaten since before he jumped down from the mountain, and he hadn't eaten anything since. His stomach grumbled audibly, which caused Garsem to laugh.
"Thanks, Garsem. That would be much appreciated." replied Notwen, laughing as well. It was at that point that Notwen and Garsem passed through the open gates of the Hidden Rock Village.

The inside of the restaurant was dim, lit by red lanterns that hung from the ceiling. People in several booths talked in hushed tones about their days with the occasional outburst from a table occupied by young teens. Garsem steered him into a small booth to their right. There was a low wooden table with two red, plushy cushions to kneel on. Two plastic-wrapped menus rested on the table's center. Notwen knelt on the cushion to the left while Garsem squeezed in and knelt on the other available cushion. Picking up a menu, the big man began humming as he flipped through the pages. Notwen picked up the remaining menu, and began looking at the finely bordered pages. Each page had a depiction of the meal it described. There were three courses to choose from; entrées, main dishes, and desserts. Each course had five options, giving the customer over one hundred unique options.
"All done!" chimed Garsem as he put his menu down. "I come here often, so i already know what i want. Take your time, there's no rush." The dark-skinned blonde pored over the menu. All the meals were foreign to him, so it was hard to decide. Looking up from the menu, Notwen looked over to Garsem and said,
"Garsem, what would you suggest for a first-timer to enjoy?" The big man's face lit up. Grinning, he took the menu from the Uchiha's hand and laid it on the table so that it could be read by both of them.
"I thought you would never ask!" he said laughing. "Most of the egg dishes are fatty, so you might do well to stay away from them." Flipping to the first pages of the menu, the big man pointed at a picture with a meaty finger. "For the entrée you should try bok choy, a cabbage salad. It's really good." Flipping to a page just past the center of the menu, Garsem pointed at another dish. "For the main course, i recommend shrimp chow mein. I'm pretty sure that you Wind Country folk don't get much seafood, and shrimp has great texture." Flipping one last time to one of the final pages of the menu, Garsem pointed at one last dish. "And to end it all, sweet potato tong sui." Notwen looked at the big man quizzically.
"Tong sui?" he said. Garsem laughed.
"Tong sui means sweet soup. Here in Earth Country we make sweet soups for dessert. There are many different kinds, but i'm sure you'll enjoy this one the most." Notwen considered the options laid out before him, then nodded.
"Alright, then. I guess i will have to trust your judgement. Thanks for everything, Garsem." The big man smiled and scratched his chin.
"No problem. You can pull on that red rope, now." he said, gesturing to a cord of thickly braided red fabric that hung overhead. The dark-skinned blonde hadn't noticed it when they had gotten there. He tugged it, and heard a bell ring somewhere else in the restaurant.
"Is that supposed to be the service bell?" asked Notwen.
"Yup." answered Garsem. A few seconds later, a waitress wearing an ornate kimono cut just above the knees. She smiled at the duo and said,
"Welcome to our restaurant! What will you be having today?" Notwen repeated the selection that Garsem had made for him and the waitress nodded. "And you, sir?" she said looking at the big man, who cracked his knuckles audibly.
"I'll have stir-fried vegetables, followed by wonton noodle soup, and lastly sai mai lo." The waitress jotted down the order, bowed and went off to the kitchens.

Ten minutes later their first courses arrived, delivered by the same waitress. They ate their greens in silence, then Garsem pulled the service bell rope to have their main courses delivered. Once the waitress delivered the order and left, Notwen waited until they had taken a few bites of their respective meals before he spoke.
"Garsem, do you have any clue where these sword hunters go once they are done looking around here?" The big man paused midway through bringing his spoon from his bowl to his mouth.
"Hmm. Most individuals leave the country heading in a generally eastward direction. Most take the sea route between Earth and Lightning Countries, others take the land path through the smaller countries." he resumed eating his soup while Notwen munched on his noodles and shrimp, which the Uchiha found pretty tasty.

The universal awareness granted by Crown Chakra meditation allowed Notwen to be mentally, and intimately connected to the rock village people in a radius of two miles in every direction. The villagers appeared to be shining points of color, each a unique shade and hue, floating in a purple dome. The dark-skinned boy was at the center of the dome, and his color was a brilliant gold. Moving his consciousness over the streets and houses, he was able feel what the people felt as well as understand their thoughts.
This never gets old, and it is only my third time performing this meditation... thought Notwen, continuing his chanting. So far he had brushed by fifteen individuals on the west side of the universal awareness dome. Seven of those individuals had intentions of searching for the seven swords of the mist. To the north there weren't as many sword hunters. To the east and south was mostly the area outside of the village, with not many people searching for the swords. My best course of action would be to start looking from the south end of the village and work my way around in a semi-circle to the north from the east. The Uchiha ceased to chant the meditation sound and opened his eyes, dissolving the purple world filled with lights. A warm feeling on his chest caused the three-eyed Uchiha to look down. The key-chain pendant was emitting a faint glow. "That's odd." he said, picking it up and examining it in his hand. The metal key felt warm, warmer than his hand, but a few seconds later the glow diminished and the key grew cool. Notwen cocked an eyebrow at it, but dismissed the event and let the pendant fall back to its usual place.

Getting up from his cross-legged position and walking to the middle of the room to stretch his legs, the dark-skinned blonde contemplated his next move. He himself needed rest, more importantly sleep. If he were to go to sleep and have clones do the searching for him, it would kill two birds with a stone, but because of the strain there would be a limit of four. Notwen weaved a short set of seals and conjured four of his Nesshou Bunshin, immediately forming a mental connection with all of them. Transform yourselves into random people and mingle around the village, one of you per quadrant. instructed the three-eyed Uchiha via the mental connection. Whichever one of you decides to search the west, be advised that here are several individuals searching for the swords in that direction. I will remain here and rest for a while. All of the clones nodded and began weaving seals in unison, then said "Transform!" A cloud of white smoke erupted around each of their bodies as the jutsu took effect. When the smoke cleared, a young boy, an elderly woman with a cane, a Rock village jounin with a mask, and a hawk stared back at the dark-skinned blonde. The dark-skinned blonde nodded at the hawk. Good thinking. Hawks were native to the region and flew over the village regularly enough to be completely ignored by the villagers. The jounin he wasn't so sure about. Yes, he did have a covered face, but what if there was a mission in which the clone would be picked randomly? Be careful... he thought, shooting a warning glance at the clone. The old lady and young boy were pretty convincing. You two travel together. It wouldn't make sense for either of you to be walking around alone at these hours. The elder and younger paired up side by side. The three-eyed Uchiha came up with a similar, but more effective information gathering plan. The hawk would keep an eye out from above, the elder and younger clones would go to the west and search, while the jounin would do the arch sweep of the south, east, and north. Notwen relayed the new set of instructions to the clones, who nodded. The hawk and jounin left through the window while the two others would be leaving through the inn's front door. The dark-skinned blonde went back over to the bed. Laying on his back, he closed his normal eyes and fell into a pseudo sleep state, never fully asleep because the third eye always fed his brain visual information.

One-Man Team: Jounin Clone

The jounin headed to the west as fast as his legs could take him. Though he was disguised as an elite, he still bore the movements of an amateur. His disguise could be compromised any second. Keeping to the shadows, he moved as stealthily as possible, making little to no noise as he headed to the western quadrant of the search area. Soon he began to notice several people moving in noticeable patterns, going from one shop to another. Most of them wore clothes that covered most of their bodies, while others didn't really try to conceal their identities. Most of these people were young.
These swords must be a big deal to attract so many people from all over the world... he thought, looking up and down the street to decide which way to go. Just as he was about to set out, a heavy hand clamped onto his shoulder and whirled him around. Staring into his face was none other than Garsem, who was wearing Rock Village ninja attire.
"Who are you?!" demanded the big man, shoving the clone against the wall with a powerful thrust of his arm. Had it been a normal clone, it would have been dispelled. The clone held his silence due to the surprise of seeing Garsem like this. "Well? Speak, or i will be forced to kill you."
"Unhand me, Garsem. I have orders to patrol this area." responded the clone. The big man seemed to be caught by surprise that the clone knew his name, but then he scoffed.
"Patrol this area, you say? That's funny. I was given control of this area's surveillance squad, and you weren't part of that squad. So again i ask, who are you?"
What the hell?! thought the clone. Was he a ninja a ninja as well!? The sound of fingers being snapped caused the clone's attention to be diverted to the big man's other hand. Garsem took the opportunity to pin the clone the wall with the hand he had used to push him against the wall. Perched on the forefinger of the hand the big man had snapped with was a small crimson-feathered bird. The feathers seemed to give off a soft golden glow. The clone's heart sank.
"A Haretsu Kinchou..." it said with widening eyes. Garsem smiled.
"Oh? So you know about these fellows." he said. Notwen did. The Haretsu Kinchou were a subspecies of firebird, the cousins of the armored birds. They reproduced at an alarmingly fast pace, which slowed the larger the Haretsu Kinchou got. But what made them so dangerous was their explosive effect. If one were to touch someone that wasn't its summoner, the bird would explode violently. The fact that there was an infinite supply of them made use of the Haretsu Kinchou forbidden in many places. "I am an inactive member of the Iwagakure Blast Corps., as well as a Sensory type ninja. I was asked to survey the area where the fire that fell from the mountains, and found several traces of chakra in the scorched earth. It's pretty interesting for a martial artist to use a clone jutsu, don't you think, Notwen Uchiha?" The big man sent a burst of chakra from his hand that dissolved the transformation on the clone. "I forgive the fact that you lied about your identity, but i can't let the fact that you tried to impersonate one of this country's military personnel." He sent the explosive bird flying into the sky with an upward thrust of his arm. "I'm sorry, but i have to bring you in." With that said, he delivered a powerful open-handed arm thrust to the clone's chest, dispelling it. Garsem then turned in the direction from which the clone had come from: the inn which he had shown Notwen earlier.

Eyes in the Sky: Hawk Clone

The hawk clone already knew what to expect when it saw the glowing dart headed it's way. Knowing how to maneuver in the predator's body, the clone performed an acrobatic mid-air dodge, narrowly avoiding being caught by the Haretsu Kinchou. The variant that had attacked a pro and a con. The pro was it's speed, being almost as fast as a bullet. The con was that because of its speed, it could only perform direct attacks, and it needed several seconds to stop and take aim again. In that time, the hawk-bodied clone beat its wings and flew away from the surveillance area. It caught the glint the Haretsu Kinchou made as it sped towards him. Activating the Crown Chakra, the clone turned around and loosed a stream of rainbow-clored flames from its beak. The small bird was going so fast that it didn't explode until it was past the wall of rainbow flames. The blast sent the clone hurtling out of contol into the wall of a building.

Arch Search Team: Remaining Clones

In this time, the elder lady clone had run into an old man who had been complaining about several people harassing him about the seven swords. Sending a mental note to its partner to stay back and follow closely, the elderly clone went to talk with the man. It had befriended him and offered to go drink some sake. By engaging in small talk, the clone gleaned crucial information on how many people had come to ask him about the swords. The numbers were staggering.
"Young people these days are so lively when it comes to things like these, don't you agree?" said the clone. The old man nodded.
"It gets really annoying. I just tell them what makes them happy and have them go on their merry way." After a few minutes of walking, the clone found the sake bar and ordered two rounds. It poured the sake for the old man and let him talk about where he had sent several other shinobi who went searching to the east. After he was intoxicated enough, the clone asked,
"Where would i have the most luck finding a blade of my own if i were looking for a sword myself?" The old man giggled, his cheeks rosy from being intoxicated.
"Now why would a pretty old lady like yourself go on such a dangerous trip?" he asked raising his cup for another refill, which the clone gladly filled to the top.
"Because," it replied, "i need to have a strong weapon to protect myself with against strangers. Do you honestly think this wooden cane would do the trick?" The old man eyed the cane.
"No, i guess not." he said.
"So please tell me. I promise i won't tell anyone else." pleaded the clone with a puppy face he'd seen grandpa Pathik use before.

Sai's steps clacked against the hard stone surface of the floors that decorated the streets he currently walked through. It had been several days since he had last seen his team and had removed the guise that was Saikoro Daisuke... only just to switch into another. Since then he had managed to get himself to the vast land known as Earth Country, the seven mist swords the objective of his mind at the moment. From what Soul had told him back in Fire Country, there were shinobi in the area that knew of the weapons' location and were willingly giving out the information to whoever could find them and pay the price of the knowledge.

A soft smile played against his lips as he thumbed his way through a roll of bills that were currently resting at the bottom of his pocket, his bright blue eyes surveying the town before him. If there was anything he could rely on and trust about other people was their greed and lust for money and any other physical possession. It was the only thing he had ever seen carry true through just about every single person he had ever met, and those who were afflicted by the sinful power of money tended to be obsessed with another sinful act that gave them pleasure that could be used to exploit them for whatever need he, himself needed. And it was always without hesitation that he did so without any mercy or care for the effects it had on the one he had used, leaving them in whatever state the process left them in.

Some people would condemn and outcast him as an evil fiend, while others raised him onto a pedestal and hailed him as a holy savior but to him it was all the same. Their was no prejudice or bias in his actions, nor were the aftereffects on those he came in contact with truly under his concern, he simply did what he needed to do so to benefited himself and how it left another he tended not to care. So when in thought of what he was deemed by the world, he never cared nor believed they had any understanding at all... He was cruel yet kind, merciless yet caring, inhumane yet compassionate... He was unconcerned about the aftermath of his actions and yet it was all still just a whim of his heart, and in that respect he himself considered himself to beautifully evil and horribly good.

So with a stretched yawn and stifled sigh, Sai padded his feet into a softer clack as he turned down into the alleyway of the street and allowed his mind to stretch out to the task before him. Bright, blue eyes surveyed the darkness of the alleyway with a faked hidden contempt for the condition it held, a tinge of fear and unease was expressed through the orbs as his eyebrows pulled together in an irritable sense of slacked tenseness that caused them to quiver. His right brow arched ever so slightly, bringing a sense of either curiosity or confusion to his expression, possibly an equal mix of both, as his lips stayed bound tightly closed. Slowly he came to a stop and the tip of a pink tongue slipped out from the corner of the lips and awkwardly made it's way across the thin lips, wetting it slightly so as he took a heavy gulp and opened his mouth to speak, the words hopefully more easily form. "H-h-h-h-h-helloooooooooo? Uhm, eh... uh..." A flush of color tinged is pale cheeks and his head instantly bowed down, the embarrassment of his nervousness had crippled his ability to continue speaking. He couldn't believe himself, had he actually just stuttered out a 'hello' only just to painfully extend the 'o' sound into what sounded to be a femininely welcome? His bottom lip was sucked into his mouth for him to bite as his brow furrowed deeply in both embarrassment and anger, his foot now busily tapping away in a mixture of impatience and annoyance at himself and the situation. He should have never came... he should have never listened to the guys at work, oh this would be easy my a**... he was fool, they had made a fool at him... they probably had lied to him just to get him to come out and make a fool of himself... the bastards were probably hidden away in one of the buildings that shaped alleyway, staring out of the window having a ball of a time eating and drinking on their fat asses as they howled in harmonious laughter.


Her eyes watched her target with a familiar disgust that she had come accustomed to in her line of business. The target was a man in his late twenties, early thirties; his ear length, brown hair neatly cropped and parted to the side as his dark eyes questioningly surveyed the area around him from behind his expensive looking glasses. Like all the rest, he was dressed for success in his business suit and large trench coat folded over his arm where he also held his briefcase in a sweaty, clenched hand. He carried a haughtiness about him that even he wasn't aware that he was exuding, what he thought was carefully calculated movements were awkward and disheveled in her eyes, what he would believe was a sharp and powerful look that he had in his features and clothing, was only properly compared to a toddler dressing up in his daddy's clothes in hopes to impress his mommy, in her eyes. There was nothing respectable about the man before him, and all she cared about was the business that he would bring her... the money that he would leave in her hands after the deed was done, and it was a large sum of money if not anything else.

So she would swoon for what he would believe would be his devilish good looks. She would allow him to dominate her, use her for his own disgusting desires and she would play her part like the good little toy... nay, b***h he would see her to be. She would heel, beg, fetch, sit, and bark when told... her dignity and pride bottled away carefully in the only part of her that she could keep her's and her's alone. And once it was all over and she had her payment, she would continue to facade so to ensure that she would have continued business from this and many other clients. But she was no one's toy, no man's b***h to bend over and ******** as he pleased... she had been quick to learn that the ecstasy that would envelop her clients would cloud their mind and judgment. Overtime she had learned many of the secrets that these men had and through them she can regained her power and strength, making them her bitches, using them to satisfy her physical and financial needs and all the while being paid for it. She turned each one, some taking longer then others, into her personal lapdogs... her bitches.

And this greenhorn pup, who stood there with his tail unsure if it should be tucked between is legs or wagging happily in the air, would be no different... "Why hello, sweetie... What can I do you for?" She hummed out softly through the alleyway, her voice honey sweet and intoxicating to the man's ears. A mumbled response broke past his lips as he looked up from the floor at her, his heart almost melting in his chest at her beauty. Her lips were rose red and her cheeks blushed innocently, her hazel eyes twinkling even in the dim light as her long, brown, curly locks rolled down her back and mischievously hung over her eyes just slightly. Her legs were long and her breasts were perked up from her chest as she leaned foreword with her arms crossed behind her back in the same fashion a school girl under distress would. "Oh.... Sweetie, you're gonna have to speak up.." She mused before looking off behind her impatiently, her eyes quickly returning back to the man's as she bit her lip cautiously, "I think I know... Why don't you come up with me, maybe you'll be more comfortable talking in my apartment?" The man quickly nodded and like the gluttonous pig he was, he quickly shuffled over and followed her in.


The man let a stifled yawn out, his body instantly coughing afterwords to make it seem like it was a sigh or a simple reflex as he followed behind the woman. It wasn't Sai's first slip up in a long time, usually he was capable of separating himself completely from his faked identities and became the person altogether... but as of late it was becoming more and more difficult. Currently, as the business man Kentaru Hyul, Sai was all but fine as the only thing he couldn't master was his complete distaste for such a situation and his fatigue. The idea of picking up a whore, prostitute, whatever have you, was an idea that was unappealing to him completely.. they were generally dirty and unsafe, though with several exceptions that tended to be rather expensive due to their specific need to stay a cut above the rest... along with that, there was always some disturbed dysfunction with each of them. Their minds were always harboring dangerous ideas to inflict on their clients as their used bodies always created a feeling of disgust for themselves that they would have to hone and redirect to their clients in order to stay sane. This disgust would manifest and develop their disturbed thoughts and little by little they would plan their deceitful little games... It wasn't as though Sai could fault them or hate them for the mindset that they had grown, in fact he had a slight sense of respect for their conniving ways, but it didn't make their line of business any the more appealing.

Regardless, he could put away his distaste and go through any means to get to his target, easily playing into their hands so they would be more prone to let their own guard down... it was a risky game to play as it left him vulnerable for an extended amount of time but it was a calculated gamble, and one that he had counted to be in his favor. So onward Kentaru Hyul would go, entering the lion's den in hopes to salvage the information he searched for.

Int(2) + Int Stat Buff(2) vs 1250
1100 vs 1250 = 35%
Central

It was as the door to the whore's apartment opened that the whore's body was thrown upon the disguised man, her warm bodice pulling him tentatively into the room before playfully shoving him towards the bed. With a graceful movement, created more from comfort of action then true grace, the woman closed the door behind her and approached her prey. Bosom pressed against his chest and a warm purr escaping her lips, the woman brought her face near to his and whispered, "So... What can I do you for?" A wolfish grin that seemed terribly out of place on the face of a nervous man played against his lips and caused a chill of excitement to run along the woman's spine. Slowly the lips parted as he began to speak in a velvet voice that also didn't belong to the body that it came from, "A favor of information... some I know you will know well of..." Eyes wide, the woman retreated slightly... this was not how it was supposed to be... "I'm looking for the Seven Mist Swords..."


The woman was commonly known as 'Mistress Code', a nickname gained from her powerful intelligence, the secrets that she kept vaulted in her head and the fact that she was the secret lover of many politicians, government officials and successful men alike. However her true name was Yuki Shirima... the daughter of the Daiyamo of Tea Country, a small nation located in the southern end of the content in the gulf that spanned between the countries of Water and Wind. There she had been taught in the medicine, philosophy and the fine art of war from the age of five. She was the shining joy of her favor, boasted and bragged about at all political events and shown off at every affair granted to him as she was his only child, her mother's weak body giving away upon child birth.

It was on her fifteenth birthday that her father, now overcome with the stress of his corrupt proceedings and disinterested in his daughter after fathering two b*****d sons of high potential, that he sent her away overseas to learn under the tutelage of a well known scholar and former militia leader, well decorated by the Land of Wind for his powerful tactics on the battlefield. Oblivious to the ploy her father had set forth, the girl was fulled with pride and joy of what she believed was a blessing and gift from her father to her, happily did she accept the offer and prepared herself to leave his estate for the long distance to her new studies. So did she, with only the slightest tears for leaving her home, set off to the Wind Country unknowing of the events that would soon unfold.

It was on the second night of her voyage that the ship was overtaken by pirates and she was taken hostage and held for ransom... but to her surprise, the ransom was never paid and her abduction was never made public. The raid was erased from history as the boat continued it's way to the ports of it's destination, untouched and unaffected by the pirates and completely uncaring of her sudden disappearance. The ransom was a cruel joke by the pirates, who were paid off by her very father to abduct her. They had toyed with her with phony calls and acted out arguments over settlements of money and the condition of the girl, but in the end they revealed the joke to the teary eyed girl. Spirits broken, they would use her body to their likings as they 'ruined' her. For months she was kept this way, searing months that passed by like the grains of sand in a time glass that never ended...

But by fortune's luck, during the middle of intimacy on the northern shores of the Earth Country, the girl had managed to pierce the unlucky soul's throat with a fork to eat with she had been awarded with just a few nights prior. Exchange clothes and acquiring few miserable weapons, she took leave of the boat for the cold waters that surrounded them and managed through stubborn will to reach the ports of the country. Taken in as a poor, wet scoundrel to a common brothel to the city, she was set to work in an occupation she had become all to well acquainted with. But now she was filled with new vigor, a vigor that set her notch above the other whores of the house and attracted clients to the warm folds of her body. She had a goal, a want that was now a need, the only passion for her life to live on... To return the favor her dear father and bestowed upon her.

So as the years passed on and her clientele increased, she began gather the information she needed to get the job done. From money to the knowledge of weapon arsenals, government advancements to underground actions, she was the center of the information for it all and little of the world around her knew of the degree of secrets she kept... but they knew she had them. It was of little surprise to find a person on her doorstep for a little more then a good time, in fact it was becoming common that she would find a person looking for information on another. Petty crimes investigations by shinobi, questioning wives on their indecent husbands, gossip and skeleton lookers by politicians and reporters, and hunters looking for their prey. It was a common thing, but... of the degree as the strange man laying before her... That was different.

She wanted to say she had no idea what he was talking about, to lie and keep the information secret to herself as one of her personal bargaining chips... but the coldness of his eyes.... those bright, blue eyes that pierced straight through her... When did those eyes becoming blue... A terrifying shock ran through her body as the realization that those very eyes were once brown when she first met the man came into mind. She wanted to run, she wanted to scream, she wanted to comfort herself... but instead she stared back at the cold eyes with her own steely glare as though it was all she needed to contain her strength, and indeed... maybe she could. Her information was her bargaining chips, it was time she started bargaining. "Yes, I do know. But favor's aren't cheap... if I tell you, how do I know that you will really pay back your debt?"