A Quiet Place... -Open-

[Morishige]

...and one often passed by.

A shame really, but I never really took the time for relaxation in my life. I was often preoccupied with a sense of motivation that resulted in me attempting to use my time productively at all times of the day. It was only with the urging of my family and peers that I should go to the springs to relax away my worries. After all, they did rightfully note that at the point in my career, there would be no better time. I had just been promoted to captain of the Death Watch. A scary title, but nothing more than managing the gate guards and their various duties. In the days after the meetings and such, I had come up with some ideas on how to improve, or rather, create new jobs for the gate guards. But those changes wouldn't matter until I was sitting down with the sennin again, or perhaps the adviser that I was informed would be working along side me. If there was anything that I needed to relax from, it was just that.

Nearly every person who manned the gate was older than me, by more than two years. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be looked down upon, both figuratively as well as physically. While I couldn't really fix the physical aspect, I needed to prove to the other that my position was deserved. Thankfully, I didn't realize till later, that Masao's new rules about sparring would spar me some problems. No doubt there would be some waiting to challenge me to a duel to prove that I was unfit for the job. "Ugh..." I groaned and slipped under the water up to my nose and blew bubbles. "Why me... So much work." I sighed. Not only would the job require much time, but I had already had a purpose in mind to train double hard so that I might be able to stand against anyone who was stupid enough to disobey the new main branch directive.

Frowning, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. "Relax Zaku, you came to relax. Not to worry." I told myself. Taking a deep breath, I loosened all my muscles, and exhaled...


Setting: The Co-ed spring.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Tsubaki Kazuma [Dnpc]

Zaku was not alone in the springs. Kazuma was pretty much forced to go to the Co-ed section. His servant Shimete would not be able to follow him otherwise. Being the next head of the Tsubaki clan was stressful. His father has him train constantly with only a few breaks. His muscles were weak form swinging his sword all day long. A nice relaxing soak in the hot springs was just what the doctor ordered. He sat there in the water with a pair of swimming trunks. His eyes were open and their golden circles almost looked to be staring at the sky. He would normally be wearing a blindfold, but he did not want to get it wet.

While he sat in the water Shimete was washing her hair. She lathers the shampoo into her red locks, fills a bowl with water and rinses. Her hair was long going all the way down to her waist. She wore a black one piece suit. When she was done she will join her master in the hot spring.

Kazuma hears a person enter the water with him and from the voice he could tell that it was not Shimete. The man sounded as stressed as he was if not more. His eyes seemed to stare at the man trying to relax. He could not help talking to him, “sounds like you had a difficult day.”

 

[Morishige]

The voice came suddenly, but not quite shockingly. I opened my eyes to look over to the man who seemed to be distant in a way. Perhaps the nature of how he held his eyes. “Sounds like you had a difficult day.”

I smiled, and even let out a small chuckle. "More like a tough week. Though, I am sure you didn't come to the springs to hear me whine about my new responsibilities. You wouldn't happen to be a shinobi would you?" I questioned. It occurred to me that should this guy have experience I could seek wisdom from him. Though with the reformed main branch, it was unlikely that anyone was going to be able to shed light on just how to react to what had happened to me. It was possible that I needed to see out Kioku for advice... Nevertheless, I turned my back back and laid it down, looking upwards with a deep breath. The future was an untold story that was for sure, otherwise destiny was far too kind.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Shimete answers for Kazuma, “No, currently we are only students.” She steps a foot into the water, but Kazuma raises a hand to tell her to stay. Obediently she retraces her step out of the water. “Is there something you desire master.”

“Yes my friend here would like to relax.” Shimete was unsure where he was going with this statement and looks at him quizzically. “I believe my pendant is with my stuff. Can you retrieve it for me?”

She bows, “Yes master, right away.” She then prances off to the locker room. In a few minutes she was back with a fish shaped pendant made out of turquoise. The fish had nine holes in it and Kazuma places his mouth on its top fin. The pendant was an ocarina, a type of flute. As he plays a soothing tune, Shimete sings a lullaby her mother sang to her. In was in the language of her people long ago from a place deep in the valleys below these mountains. Shimete had taught Kazuma the tune to the song.

hahren na melana sahlin
emma ir abelas
souver'inan isala hamin
vhenan him dor'felas
in uthenera na revas

vir sulahn'nehn
vir dirthera
vir samahl la numin
vir 'lath sa'vunin'​

<i></i>

[ooc: Song]

 

[Morishige]

"Ahh I see..." I said with a slight frown. It was pretty amazing what could happen in two years. Just two years ago I was once a student like them, but now I was placed in a position of leadership within the village and was having troubling coping with it. They weren't much younger than me either; which only made me doubt my position that much more. If the sennin placed me in such a position...was Kumo lacking that much? Or was there an ulterior motive.... In my thoughts, I had failed to see that the girl retrieved her master a pendant of sorts. Upon initial inspection, I did not conclude it to be an instrument, but as soon as he began, I was taken by surprise. Something so small produced such a clear note. Though the song seemed rather somber, dreamy even. It was relaxing...but also somewhat depressing. In my state, my mind only went to the trials I had to go through to get here. I frowned and ran my fingers through my blonde hair before sighing for relief. In these moments, my mood began to change. All the hardships...and the pain and torment...all the hours I spent proving I was stronger than the rest. That's what made me strong. That must be the reason! Why I was chosen!

I finally smiled and turned to the boy with a nod. "Thank you for that. It seems to have brought me some peace after all. Tell me, why have you come today?"

 

[Morishige]

Topic Left Inactivity.

 

[Ryu Hime]

[left topic]