The streets of Raiden’s Eye hummed with a restless energy that never truly faded, even after nightfall. Lanterns cast a warm glow against the cobblestone paths, flickering in competition with neon signs advertising izakayas and hole-in-the-wall establishments tucked into the tightly packed cityscape. Though the city no longer bore the political weight it once had, remnants of its past still clung to its foundations, buried beneath layers of modern reinvention. What was once the seat of the Bakufuu had long since been repurposed, its palace grounds now replaced with rows of housing, small parks, and recreational spaces meant to serve the everyday people who had inherited the land. It was a city that had long since chosen to forget its scars, but Kaiden felt them with every step.
He moved with the deliberate gait of a man accustomed to walking through places that no longer existed as he remembered them, his sharp gaze sweeping across streets filled with oblivious revelers. Hands shoved deep in the pockets of his coat, shoulders set, eyes forward—he looked as though he was simply another lost soul wandering through the city’s depths, but the reality was far more unnerving. To an outsider, he must have appeared completely mad, his lips occasionally parting to murmur in response to words no one else could hear, his head tilting slightly as though tracking the presence of something unseen. People gave him a wide berth, whether consciously or not, stepping around him as if some unseen force urged them to avoid getting too close. No one wanted to acknowledge the haunted man talking to himself, nor did they care to see the way his eyes flickered toward empty spaces, lingering there as though waiting for something to materialize.
A streak of pale blue light darted ahead of him, weaving through the crowd without so much as disturbing the air around it. Runa flitted to and fro, drinking in every sight with wide-eyed enthusiasm, her tiny form practically vibrating with energy as she took in the sprawling avenues and packed alleyways. “Whoa! Look at all these people, Daddy! I thought you said this place was small!” she exclaimed, twirling midair, her luminous form briefly illuminating the weathered stone beneath her feet. Kaiden exhaled sharply through his nose, not bothering to look at her directly. “Compared to the main Village, it is. But that’s just how it is here. Nowhere around Kumogakure ever really slows down.”
“Almost makes it easy to forget what this place used to be.” The man thought, remembering the time before the Tenouza rebellion, before his life fell apart.
Runa zipped in front of him, flipping upside down with her hands clasped behind her head, studying him with an impish grin. “I thought old capitals were supposed to be all fancy. Where’s the palace? Shouldn’t there be, like… samurai guarding it or something?” His gaze drifted toward the distant remnants of the old palace grounds. The grand halls and towering walls were long gone, reduced to nothing more than another segment of the city’s ever-expanding districts. He could still recall the first time he had stood before the former fortress as a younger man, looking up at the symbol of power that had once dictated the lives of so many. Now, all that remained was the memory. “Gone. People fighting leveled it during the Holy Wars. Figured there wasn’t much need for a palace when there weren’t any rulers left to sit in it.”
Runa righted herself, her expression shifting into something more contemplative as she followed his gaze. “So they just built over it? That’s kinda sad.” Kaiden rolled his shoulders, the movement making his coat shift slightly, revealing the faint outlines of the old scars that lined his arms. “Better than leaving it in ruins. People needed homes, not a reminder of how many died here.” The weight in his voice did not go unnoticed. Runa drifted closer, her usual brightness dimming for just a moment. Kaiden never liked to dwell on the past, but she knew places like this made it impossible for him not to.
To anyone watching, Kaiden seemed to stop mid-stride, staring at an empty statue base in the park. His head tilted slightly, as if listening. He reached up and ran a hand over his face, fingers pressing against his temple before exhaling deeply and continuing forward.
A gust of wind carried the scent of grilled skewers and sweet rice cakes through the air, and just like that, Runa’s demeanor shifted once more. “Oh! Do you think they have those fluffy rice cakes here? You should totally get some, Daddy! You haven’t eaten anything good in forever!” She clasped her hands together excitedly, her entire form shimmering with anticipation. “You don’t even eat, Runa,” Kaiden scoffed, cutting her a sidelong glance. “Nope! But you do! And I wanna see you eat something that isn’t just dried rations and cheap whiskey for once!” She puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation, floating backwards as she stared him down. His lips twitched, the faintest ghost of a smirk threatening to appear before he shook his head. “Fine. But only 'cause I know you won’t let it go if I don't.”
For tonight, at least, he would let her win.
[WC .|. 876]
He moved with the deliberate gait of a man accustomed to walking through places that no longer existed as he remembered them, his sharp gaze sweeping across streets filled with oblivious revelers. Hands shoved deep in the pockets of his coat, shoulders set, eyes forward—he looked as though he was simply another lost soul wandering through the city’s depths, but the reality was far more unnerving. To an outsider, he must have appeared completely mad, his lips occasionally parting to murmur in response to words no one else could hear, his head tilting slightly as though tracking the presence of something unseen. People gave him a wide berth, whether consciously or not, stepping around him as if some unseen force urged them to avoid getting too close. No one wanted to acknowledge the haunted man talking to himself, nor did they care to see the way his eyes flickered toward empty spaces, lingering there as though waiting for something to materialize.
A streak of pale blue light darted ahead of him, weaving through the crowd without so much as disturbing the air around it. Runa flitted to and fro, drinking in every sight with wide-eyed enthusiasm, her tiny form practically vibrating with energy as she took in the sprawling avenues and packed alleyways. “Whoa! Look at all these people, Daddy! I thought you said this place was small!” she exclaimed, twirling midair, her luminous form briefly illuminating the weathered stone beneath her feet. Kaiden exhaled sharply through his nose, not bothering to look at her directly. “Compared to the main Village, it is. But that’s just how it is here. Nowhere around Kumogakure ever really slows down.”
“Almost makes it easy to forget what this place used to be.” The man thought, remembering the time before the Tenouza rebellion, before his life fell apart.
Runa zipped in front of him, flipping upside down with her hands clasped behind her head, studying him with an impish grin. “I thought old capitals were supposed to be all fancy. Where’s the palace? Shouldn’t there be, like… samurai guarding it or something?” His gaze drifted toward the distant remnants of the old palace grounds. The grand halls and towering walls were long gone, reduced to nothing more than another segment of the city’s ever-expanding districts. He could still recall the first time he had stood before the former fortress as a younger man, looking up at the symbol of power that had once dictated the lives of so many. Now, all that remained was the memory. “Gone. People fighting leveled it during the Holy Wars. Figured there wasn’t much need for a palace when there weren’t any rulers left to sit in it.”
Runa righted herself, her expression shifting into something more contemplative as she followed his gaze. “So they just built over it? That’s kinda sad.” Kaiden rolled his shoulders, the movement making his coat shift slightly, revealing the faint outlines of the old scars that lined his arms. “Better than leaving it in ruins. People needed homes, not a reminder of how many died here.” The weight in his voice did not go unnoticed. Runa drifted closer, her usual brightness dimming for just a moment. Kaiden never liked to dwell on the past, but she knew places like this made it impossible for him not to.
To anyone watching, Kaiden seemed to stop mid-stride, staring at an empty statue base in the park. His head tilted slightly, as if listening. He reached up and ran a hand over his face, fingers pressing against his temple before exhaling deeply and continuing forward.
A gust of wind carried the scent of grilled skewers and sweet rice cakes through the air, and just like that, Runa’s demeanor shifted once more. “Oh! Do you think they have those fluffy rice cakes here? You should totally get some, Daddy! You haven’t eaten anything good in forever!” She clasped her hands together excitedly, her entire form shimmering with anticipation. “You don’t even eat, Runa,” Kaiden scoffed, cutting her a sidelong glance. “Nope! But you do! And I wanna see you eat something that isn’t just dried rations and cheap whiskey for once!” She puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation, floating backwards as she stared him down. His lips twitched, the faintest ghost of a smirk threatening to appear before he shook his head. “Fine. But only 'cause I know you won’t let it go if I don't.”
For tonight, at least, he would let her win.
[WC .|. 876]
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