Getting To Know The Darkness

[Noboru Jiro]

It was dark out, as it should be in the middle of the night. The Sanctum of Five was still a fairly new to place to Jiro, but if he was truly going to be a member of Iwagakure he would have to immerse himself in their culture. He had never really given any thought to things such as tradition or culture, but then again what would a Pirate know of such things. It was an odd feeling for him. He could feel the want to fit in with the others, but he just seemed to lack the mind set of those around him. Sure, he had goals, but none of them involved becoming some sort of great ninja or becoming some kind of leader. He just wanted to find a place to belong. With a sigh Jiro would hope to begin to dismiss thought such as these. He could faintly hear the sounds of familys sitting to dinner and enjoying one another's company, but he didn't have that. Nope, All he had were his foster-parents who sometimes seemed to forget that he is still a child. "Man, These kids don't know how well they got it...", he would mutter to himself as he lowered his head and continued to walk down the roads of the sanctum. His coat would flow in the wind almost like a cape as it held onto his seemingly firm shoulders. Jiro could how ever rejoice in the thought that his training had come along swinging, but even in that aspect he was far behind his pears. Most of them seemed to be able to control their chakra with ease and He had still yet to even begin to learn hand signs. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this kinda life..." With a heavy heart Jiro would only keep his pace and hope for it all to pass.

-MFT/WC:314-

 

[Ryujin Akira]

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One could say that I lived here because of the amount of time spent in these temples. Luckily no such rumor has conjured due t the lack of visitors these temples receive. Sure tourist find the halls and art amazing but they are only here for a time and though the shamans are regulars, they seem to not notice the red dragon lingering about. I spend so much time here that it was only natural that I earned a keep tending to the flames. From time to time, I keep the candles lit and serve the tourist who find themselves lost and are trapped here. Their were no tourist who required my assistants today. In fact, like most days, the temple lay in solitude. Silence wept here... until a boy expressing doubt bumped into me from behind. I turned to face him and examined a boy with crimson hair. A color I favored in my own way. Was he a shinobi? No doubt with hair like that he'd become famously known for whatever he does. He must of been walking blind folded or not looking where he was walking to had run into me. I continued to light a candle on the wall as if no offense was down. I'm sure it was an accident and so no harm done though I would suggest not making it into a habit. Though I would not address the boy's accidental offense, I would not ignore his presence. Spending one's days in solitude is ideal for me however a conversation every once in awhile can yield... refreshing.

"Careful...*Turning to face the boy* The lord of Light watches over us, guides us... The Lord of Light blesses us with a wheel of fate... *turns away to light another candle* hmm... I come to this temple often in prayer and to meditate. Not many come here anymore to pay respects, to visit, or to seek guidance. So what about you? What is it that brings you to such a place of solitude?"


[ooc: short post.]
[mft]​

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[Noboru Jiro]

Jiro hadn't been prepared to be confronted on his night out, but it would see he had found his way into a place of significance. The woman before him seemed to be some sort of caretaker or possibly a maiden of the faith, It was fairly hard to tell. She didn't seem like the type to cause him any trouble or start a fight so he figured he might indulge in a little conversation. Then before he responded he thought. He remember that there were certain formalities in places such as these. Jiro would quickly pull his bandanna from his for head and remove his coat and drape them one after another of his forearm. "Sorry about the intrusion, I hadn't realized I had stepped onto hollowed ground.He would attempt to put a bit of cheer in his words as he spoke in hopes that he would keep the young jet-haired woman from feeling as if she would have to console him. "I-i Guess I am looking for a bit of guidance, I've only been here for a short while now and I just don't seem to be getting this whole ninja thing..., He forced himself to spew the truth, but in a manner that would attempt to make it sound as he he could careless, mind you...his acting wasn't all to great. His body being covered in scars in a place where some greater being looks down upon them, it seemed almost...befitting. Being a Pirate hadn't always led him on the path of the righteousness. He had stolen and he had pierced the flesh of other men, but never on his own accord. It would seem as if the gravity of the area began to make Jiro nervous for his very soul.

Jiro would continue to wonder how one went about becoming religious, and at the same time remember that he himself always seemed far to bull-headed to believe any thing of that sort. Yet, here he stood in on the ground put before him to honor some deity he hadn't even heard of until moments before. He would grin, but only just for a moment as the thought blew over in his head and he gave his full attention to the woman before him. Maybe she would have the answers he was looking for, or maybe she could cheer him up and get him out of his own damned mind.​

[ooc: S'all good, and atleast a short post is better then no post ]

 

[Ryujin Akira]

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"Fret not... no one is an intruder here. This temple is a sanctuary for all who enter."

Listening to the boy, he seemed to be lost in more ways than one and as so came to the right place. This place was a magnet for wonders who have lost their way and for those who sought guidance. I smiled once I heard what his issues were. My smile was for several reasons though. First reason was that he opened up to me so easy when others would rather turn bout face when they saw me walking these halls. Another was because his issue was one that I could help him with but hadn't come to the conclusion that I would. In this village the strong survive and rule while the weak... still, my heart and my lord teaches me other things like compassion, trust, friendship. Perhaps this young one true issue was not of his difficulty with ninja arts but of soul guidance. Perhaps there was some reason this one bumped into me today of all days. Something greater at work that he or I could not fathom. Leaning not to my own understanding, I let the flow of life guide things. I decided to intervene in this boy's life... I would not wonder how things would be if I spoke with him further but feared the results if I did not.

"Hmph... I wont brag but... I am great at this whole ninja thing. My name is Kage Guard Koyoko of house Ryujin and second sister of three. Now tell me young one, what is it that you are having trouble with? Come, walk with me..."

[mft]​

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[Noboru Jiro]

Jiro hadn't usually been one to open up on command, but in this instance he was going to make an exception. The jet-haired woman who had revealed identity rather prestigiously , which he liked. It made her seem proud of who she was which was something Jiro could easily relate to. He also got a chuckle out of her bragging. "Ya Know... My Pops always used to tell me that ninja's had no honor in battle.", he forced himself to say as he made a grimace. "He said they were all about just getting another kill and not facing a foe head on...is that true?" Jiro knew that some people would take offence to statements like these, but he also figured sanctuary's also offered a bit of amnesty. He really would hope not to place himself on her bad-side, but at the same time he had to hear it from someone a bit more experienced than himself or his father. "The reason I ask is because I just finished my classes seemingly soon I'm going to join the Guardians...I just don't want to be some glorified assassin though." Jiro couldn't help but wonder if his father had been right, but at the same time a lot of his pops information seemed out of date. He had been raised to face any challenge that presented it's self head on and to accept his fate when the time came. "Then again, what would an old Pirate know about a Ninja!?", he would joke in an attempt to break any sort of tension. Not a soul aside from Junko had been told about Jiro's past and about his life as a young pirate, but then again whos to say Jiro was any good at that either.

~mft~
(OOC: Sorry about the short post, I had to hurry and get this one in before work :C)

 

[Ryujin Akira]

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Sharing light humor wasn't half bad... quite the opposite really. I listened to the boy not give his name but instead speak of his father's sayings in a moment of recollection. His father said that ninja had no honor in battle and that they did not face their opponents head on... his questioning the veracity of his father statement left an opening to interject and yet I did not. I continued to listen to him though his father's words were of the up most disrespect. I had no regrets to this decision. His reasoning for confronting the stereotype was because he was conflicted by a certain career choice... A glorified assassin... a Guardian... hmm. When I was his age, I never questioned which branch I belonged to... It wasn't something to decide as the warriors choice was clear. The nameless boy interrupted my reflecting with the mention of being a pirate. "An old pirate? You say this as if you lived for more than a few years hmhmhmm," a bit of humor to return. "Come... the monumental awaits..." Though I smiled, there was a bit of seriousness beneath my tone. I led the boy down the halls until we reached a vibrant garden hued by moon light. If one had never been here before they would not recognize it. The garden was outside the temple walls but near so the walk was short. Less than a few feet into the garden would the two see head stones with names and dates. We would pass these to find a great stone with numerous names engraved. Using the lantern from which I lit the halls, I would illuminate the great stone.

"Look... to be a Ninja, is to be a person skilled in ninjutsu... a covert agent or mercenary with functions that included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination, and open combat in certain situations... There is... no honor to be had in what a shinobi must do, what we must accomplish but... Behold the great stone. Engraved here is a list of ten thousand names strong and true... all names of the ones who fought with honor under the title shinobi... When your father had said that there were none honorable... this is proof that he was wrong... young pirate."

Folding my hands together I would give a quick prayer. It was how I honored the fallen heroes of my time and before. I would then look to the crimson haired pirate and ask him, "What is your name?"

[mft]​

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[Ryujin Akira]

[Left due to inactivity]