Entering Country Home Sweet Home

[Chigokai Yuna]

The slight wind made the temperatures cut through my attire, making my whole body shiver. Was it always this cold here? My mind thought through the time that I was in Water, how my adrenaline was probably the main reason that I didn't feel the cold as much there. Maybe it was because of my whole genetic code changing to someone's genes who has lived in Sand their entire lives. I had told Umashi that I would take point after the whole thing that had happened in Sand. Call it paranoia, call it being overly cautious. But I was done with all the surprises and would rather not have anyone tail us back to Cloud.

I had a crystal eye scoping out the area ahead of us so that we won't be caught unawares by an ambush, and then sent it behind us to make sure that nothing was behind us. As the crystal eye scoped around, I turned to Umashi, "Now that we are out of that place and put some good distance, I have some questions. First, our first mutual friend, he sure has changed a lot, and it almost seems for the better too. I'm guessing that is your doing? Secondly, our other mutual friends, they were quick to point you out in a crowd and I suspect that they were there for you. Now we both have our reasons to settling down here, but why would they go out of their way to cause as much trouble as going to where we are to nab you? And lastly... Those chakra bombs, they nearly wiped out that entire place and one blew up in my face. If I didn't react fast enough, I'd be a goner. Our second set of mutual friends can do a lot of irrational things, but they wouldn't strike me as the type that would blow themselves up. Along with that, I suspect that there is a lot of concentrated chakra to even make one of those things. My guess is that this unknown variable is either a Jinchurikii or an Arch Sage. But even then, the amount of those chakra bombs made are far greater than a single one of either kinjutsu to make. I bring this up, because the other two parties seem connected to you, is there something I should know of another group? I also find it hard for the Country to randomly blow up a building without an attempt to actually find out what was happening."

I took a breath, "I don't mean to sound cold and heartless, pointing fingers at you, if it sounds like that, but given my history, I am one to like to know what is happening, especially if it has potential of affecting my family. Unknown variables is something that I'd rather not have floating around."

(Entering country)
(Run time: 60 minutes)

 

[Seijin]

Though one could blame the atmospheric phenomena known as weather, Umashi most definitely wasn't his normal self the closer that they got to Kumo. In fact if one were to put their finger on it, there was the faintest hint of depression as they got closer and closer to the northern shinobi keep. Ziren spoke to him, opening up far more than had been the case on the journey back to Kumo but even when Umashi answered, it seemed as if he was speaking to more than just the conversation taking place before him. "I wish that I could tell you. Little shocks me in this life anymore. People come, people go, and the world goes on and on. Alas, I'm glad that he finally found a place of belonging."

Walking on, by this time Umashi had managed to ditch the walking stick and was more or less just mindlessly trudging on. "As the saying goes, 'With friends like these, who needs enemies?', right? I paid my dues, I did my duty, better than any before me if you want to keep further tally on the whole mess of it. Everybody serving since has only been a mere facsimile of a truth that they could only ever hope to emulate. All that to get one bend of the knee and a kiss of the ring, eh?" Ziren had quite early on on the journey home given Umashi about as near an approximation as one could need concerning who had attacked them.

Apparently the homestead office wasn't willing to just let such a valuable asset go off riding into the sunset. Everybody wanted a piece of he that could quite literally be called, "the peace". A sportsman's trophy no doubt, it was clear that no matter where he went, his former life would precede him. Here Ziren was wanting answers and all Umashi could come up with was more questions. Questions that led to more questions and that ultimately would keep him up at night. "Between you and me, the dangerous thing about an Uchiha in power is that they often can tell you all the intricate flaws of those around them with an almost uncanny sense of understanding yet they're often far to quick to look over their own very obvious failings and shortcomings. It's a fact, the eye of insight rarely if ever looks inward."

Stopping now, Ziren seemed somewhat frustrated as Umashi continued to half answer the questions with statements that both could and couldn't apply to the situation. Still not knowing just exactly what to think but knowing that it could very well make or break the friendship, Umashi snapped back to the current present reality of things and answered the question at hand about as well as he could. "I don't know. I haven't the faintest clue who the other party was and I most certainly don't know why they'd want me dead. Perhaps they want me for some twisted resurrections technique, perhaps there's an unclaimed bounty on me, perhaps they just don't like my winning personality, or perhaps by nature of simply being alive, I'm a threat to whatever unfounded lies they've tried to convince the world of. Who knows for sure, but I certainly plan to get to the bottom of it. I think that I owe our old friends a home visit." Nodding, Umashi smirked from behind his mask and continued onward to finish one task before starting another.

OOC: Entering Country/1 hour runtime

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

I listened to Umashi speak, some of my questions answered, but the others not. I was glad, truly, that Maru has found some peace, and that he is ultimately a different person, that he actually shows compassion and is caring of those he is loyal to. Part of my mind was nagging at me, of this ANBU Sennin that wanted his tails. It was understandable that she was mad, but didn't she know at some point that Maru wasn't in the right mind? That he was being genned? I know far too well how deeply revenge sets in the heart and the want to see someone else punished and hurt because they had hurt me. But in the end, it doesn't fix anything. It just leaves seeds for more hate. My mind shifted to Umashi's next answer.

I know far too well of people who act all true and caring, but have sinister intentions if pushed the wrong way. It was a reason why I have learned to not bend the knee to anyone and how I live by a 'I respect you as long as you respect me' kind of lifestyle. I also know much of an Uchiha picking apart all the bad in a person too well, my mind flashbacking to an argument I had with Takeshi. Someone who solely focused on the bad that I had done and blatantly ignored the good that I had done.

And then Umashi went on to talk about the unknown variable. One in which he can only surmise not who, but why, all seem generic answers for why someone would want to off a previous Hokage. It was both me not thinking of him lying, and the fact that I don't see any other reason other than those generic answers as being that I decide to let him go.

"Believe me, I know far too well of Uchiha's pointing all the bad in someone else and ignoring their own selves. One that we both know very well, sadly, insulted me, and we had a big whole argument. Personally, I think I won that argument since he went with the power move of demoting me. He had pointed out flaws I already know I had, impulsive, not thinking things through. But ignored my good deeds. As for our new unknown friends, I think I'll help you, if you don't mind. I would like to make sure that they don't cause any more damages than they might have already done. Also, Just between you and me, I have uncovered a lot of things that make me want to investigate further, some things... had grabbed my attention for when the few times that me and you were not together in that other place. But I agree with you, it's time to head back to some good civilization."

With that said, I walked further ahead to continue on to reach Cloud Village.

(topic left)
(Country entered)

 

[Seijin]

And so it went, more talking and more motivating factors to get down to the truth of the matter. Ziren like always, proved to be a most excellent ally in that there was action where words wouldn't do yet there was also always room for words when action wasn't required.

OOC: Short and sweet. Country Entered. Topic Left.