I-I...Grabbed some food, it was only a tiny bit, and...and I didn't know it belonged to them, I swear.
The child pleaded his simple case. Some would consider this a moral dilemma similar to the man who steals a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. The plight of poverty used to make the simple matter of theft a conundrum, an absolute right to private property being non-existent. This seems easily to argue when you are not the shop keep trying to also prevent his family from starving by selling that same loaf of bread that was stolen. Rarely does someone consider the shopkeeper in the parable, often his role is relegated to the forgettable role of the a man who had plenty to waste or his needs were not nearly as important as the thief's.
If I can be honest though I don't think it warranted the book to the face, I didn't mean to run into you.
"Your face assaulted my tome," Fuu corrected. She was not swinging her book like a neolithic club, especially for the sake of a dying community and most certainly not to intervene in a squabble over crumbs. Those men seemed more than capable of handling themselves before the needless intervention of a third party.
"You must have known it belonged to someone child. However due to the current state of this village the terrorizing of a child who sought only food, is not something that I'll allow."
"Casuist," Fuu announced with an even tone. She was a woman of caution, but only for the sake of ease, not safety. There would be nothing for her to learn in the face of a dissembler.
Hypocrisy and illusions of grandeur a possibility but often the rhythm of their vernacular is also affected which was not the case here. Such was also present among the upper echelon of this military hovel, long past its prime.
"An ignis fatuus of decorousness is tawdry. It is easy to be beneficent with the fruits of another man's efforts, Lord..." She paused at this moment because he had failed to give her one important thing -- a name. Names were of great importance to an Oracle such as Fuu, in full possession of ancestral archives. Her white arched brow raised ever so slightly as she waited for an answer.
"I am Lord Akkuma, Head of the Miroku Clan. Betrothed to Princess Seika of Clan Toraono, I am Baron to these lands and its people."
The declaration was laced with hubris. Names are a common denominator among not only those who share the same blood but also the same wealth, power, honor and prestige. The Miroku Clan would not be a clan familiar to the Oracle, but much can be said of those a man or a woman surrounds themselves with. She was familiar with the Toraono Clan and their demonic heritage and ties that most families hid but they kept on proud display. Their ethic questionable, much like that of the Steward himself. How they proclaim a love of justice but accepted as a peer an Ancient likened to that of eldrich horror that feasts on the souls of the unfortunate. Intel from her former comrade Kaito made mention of the Toraono Sennin's willingness to rip what he coveted from the soul of his at the time adversary. Few things remained truly secret to a woman such as she. It was likely there were demonic ties in the Miroku clan as well but that family was certainly not royalty, nor was the Toraono family. There was no king or queen in Wind Country, there never had been less one considered the posthumous title given to the late Primus in the wake of his victory in Godsfall that had been relegated to the annals of time. His progeny, the hereditary heirs to the diamond throne. This woman knew her history after all, what has been is most certain and what will come to be is only the product of a few mere variables.
"I have other titles...Dark Sage of the Kirigakure wastes, One of the Seven High Lords of Hell. Among other titles but I doubt either of you would understand their significance."
He added, continuing on with a few other likely self-given sobriquets.
"Familiar enough," Fuu echoed.
"Familiar enough to know that there are no royal families in Wind Country," Fuu reminded him. Thus far she had identified him as a liar or a delusional man. She could tolerate the former, an addled mind is indeed a melancholy state. However, the same could not be said of the former.
"You are no more a baron of these lands than your paramour a princess,"</B><i></i> she contended with a stern expression.
"Yeah...Seika, not quite sure what her appeal is."
"Naturally due to my new relationship with this land and its people I have taken it upon myself to...inspect if you will. The citizens and assets of this country. You see I am deeply disturbed by what has been allowed to transpire within this countries borders and its walls."
He exposed his teeth - verifying either an inhuman ancestral line at some point in the family tree or a deep affinity for such things to the point of self-mutilation bodily alteration, something that would likely one day not be considered a method of self-expression and rather a symptom of mental illness.
"I believe I've answered your questions, now if you'd be so kind as to follow me inside the dojo. Where we'll eat, drink and further discuss a variety of subjects."
He ordered. Fuu remained complaint, her lexical responses less amicable than her somatic actions and even non-verbals which betrayed her asperous tone. She followed him into the Toraono Dojo, the pliable soles of her boots made barely a sound on the cool clean floor. Her eyes scanned the walls and the floors. She likely knew more about this structure than most, this was where the last path to the surface remained hidden after the Djinn attacks 'decimated' the building.
"Don't worry we have plenty of drinks and more than enough food. Freshly chilled water and juices. Plus I highly doubt you could rightly reject an offer of food and beverages when you were so willing to risk your life for food."
He 'soothed'. No, again he played the role of the hypocrite.
"So... while children starve and men try to defend what little is there, you have 'plenty' at your disposal. Enlighten me Baron on how those men had to die for protecting what they had because something smaller wanted it. Survival of the fittest dictates that the strong and the capable take from the weak and that it is the fault of the one who cannot provide for oneself tat they have not enough. That it is not the obligation of others to provide for them, similarly of those that take what is not theirs to depend on the merit of their skill to take and therefore not be fallable for doing such as a means for survival but you have betrayed that intervening by taking the lives and fruits of those men on a whim," Fuu debated, her eyes still roaming. The halls and dining spaces,
more than that of their peers.
Greater than that of the denizens of of Sunagakure, the residents of Wind Country. In this sovereign military community with spartan spaces and few resources some seemed to have so much while most others had so little. The Cabal's anarchy should have been an eye-open to the disparity between people. An epiphany that they have been derelict in their duties. A reminder of humanity's precarious condition as well as the fragile state of a subterranean village once the shell has been cracked.
They had come to a grand hall. A diminutive hall by the standards of the rest of the wing they had traversed. Sentinals at the doors, only two. They did not possess the regalia of Sunagakure, rather they had the crest of the Toraono family altered to include a bloom. She wondered if anyone understood the significance of the lotus flower. Perhaps the necromancer did, as the flower as often associated with three things: purity, beauty and rebirth (specifically of the sun).
"Fetch us food and beverages."
The 'Dark Sage of Kirigakure' commanded. Come to think of it: Kirigakure, that being a place of particular note. An errant shinobi perhaps seeking association with an honored family in Sunagakure in hopes of avoiding a consequence for betrayal, cowardice or defection. It was a distinct possibility. Ties to a 'politically powerful' family such as the Toraono would likely give pause to Kiri hunters seeking his head as like most prudent nations the avoidance of war is more important than the blood of a single man or demon. The girl bowed and ducked out, Fuu's golden eyes followed her scurried movements.
"Must be nice to have servants at your beck and call."
The young man interjected, apparently not knowing when to keep his maw closed or full of food - whichever would keep him out of trouble.
"Unfortunately I'm not a medic, however I do have one of the greatest medics to ever live in my servitude."
Fuu took a seat, not stating another word as of yet. A coffin had manifested from the ether and a pallid youth emerged. The boy wiggled
"Roku I'd like for you to fix this boys nose."
The task of setting a bone, or rather displaced and damaged cartilage placed in the cold fingers of the deceased youth. Fuu folded her fingers and set her hands on the table.
"Now while we eat and drink I'd appreciate it if you'd both answer some questions for me. First I'd like you both to tell me who you are and what your ranks are. If your civilians what are your professions."
Fuu would start.
"Fuu, simply Fuu."<i></i> She took pause long enough to ensure she had everyone's attention. She was not a liar and she disliked liars as well, but also she disliked having to repeat herself.
"M-my name is Kuromairu Riyota, I'm a Student and the Shinobi academy."
The young boy, apparently named Kuromairu echoed. A neophyte in the shinobi world, a dangerous vocation chosen at such a young and impressional age. Conscripting the poorest youth into the military is a common method of filling ones rank with meat shields. Even if one in a thousand are sufficient, the others make fine targets to litter the field.
"Oracle to the Orders" she continued simply not bothering to explain exactly what that entailed.
"You see the Cabbal and what they have done was only made possible due to the inaction and actions of those within this countries borders. Whether it was the hearing of such plots that went ignored or unreported, suspicious activities of various natures. Or perhaps you directly helped them, gave information, assisted with resources, the list of how this happened could go on but one thing is for certain. Everyone had a role to play in what has befallen us and I am here to determine, who should be judged for their parts in this calamity."
"And if you would have allowed me to finish, member of this heinous Cabal group you have concerned yourself with." Fuu exhaled. She seemed rather unconcerned with this admission of course.
"Need I remind you of course, 'Miroku Clansman Head' that a group of eight held this city for 72 hours. Of the eight, I never even bothered to lift a finger in the fight so in reality... it only took seven to subdue this community." It was not a threat but an honest statement. She was not interested in fighting, but she had the knowledge of fighters long dead and lost. The understanding of human anatomy that would astonish even the most skillful of surgeons.
Just because someone does not fight does not mean they are incapable, only that they have made a choice. "But it is not your role to judge my innocence or guilt,"<i></i> she continued, her eyes piercing.
"Power can be taken through brute force, through silver tongued lies or even through hereditary advantage but that was never what Kaze no Kuni was meant to be,"<i></i> she almost sounded like an idealist. In a way she was, years of pondering and philosophy had a way of building perceptions.
"So tell me what roles did you play in the attack that was launched by the Cabbal against the people of Wind Country and the Toraono Clan."
She had not taken a bite of the food or a sip of the drink. She had no want for either.
"I recorded what happened in my book,"<i></i> Fuu answered. She did not attack a single man, woman or child. She did not raze a single building. Steal a single bauble. She simply learned all she could of a doomed people.
"It would have been a travesty to lose the culture and heritage of this doomed people," she explained.
"As for the Toraono, again I have not assaulted them either but I have recorded the trespasses of them and of all the peoples i have encountered in this den of miscreants. And I will soon record you."
"I-I didn't play any role in the attack by them, I was...um..."
Fuu looked over at the boy out of the corner of her eye, the corners of her thin lips pointed downward slightly as he fumbled through his thoughts.
"I was four"
"It was a few weeks ago,"[/b] Fuu sighed.
"And you are not four... moreover, I have never seen you or your nose before today. The Cabal pays well enough that you would not have been stealing food anyways."[/b] She stated in Riyota's defense. It was unlikely he would survive an assault and there was something unseemly about having a collection of corpses at one's disposal. She always had a distaste for Romi for his use of corpses --
some things are simply not natural and defy even the most skewed of ethics.
"Do be honest, I intend to be Shogun of these lands within long. Tell me the truth and I will give fair judgement, perhaps even make either of you a deal."
"I do not see that in the treads of fate," the Oracle replied.
"However I do see several distinct variables that will likely determine your fate be it terrible or grand."<i></i> Her words ominous, her voice even still.
"But what I have said is the truth," she affirmed.
<B>"Should I prepare to fight? I would rather not reduce myself to such boorish activities,"<i></i> she complained. She watched as a series of cursed seals began to emerge on his exposed flesh and how his form became momentarily twisted and perverse. Her hands still folded and resting on the dining table.
[/col]
