To say that the recent events were disturbing to the Hokage was a understatement, his Sennin had gone missing and the rescue party was yet to return that paired with the meeting that he had with the unknown female that wounded him before, he place his hand on the scar that her blade had left him with feeling it burn slight. All of the events up to this led him to believe that there was something more to all of this. The male got up from behind his desk placing his hands on the oak surface as he did, he had already decided in her mind what he was going to do he just knew that doing it wasn’t going to be a easy task, since Maki disappearance Kenshin hadn’t left the his and Takeshi knew that he was going to just let him leave the safety of the Hokage Manson unaccompanied and wonder off to Crater City the last know place that Maki was spotted and the place where all this had begun.
Takeshi walked to the back of his chair abandoning his robes over the back of it replacing it with an old cloak putting the hood up to cover his face before taking his leave, silently opening the window and jumping out from it into the streets below. The night was cold, and the rain beat down on the concrete path causing a symphony to echo out through the empty streets. The Uchiha was grateful for the weather the rain seemed to be keeping most of the populous inside making it easier for him to slip through unnoticed like a ghost. He made his way through the maze-like backstreet and side allies expertly, this was the playground of his youth he knew these streets better then anyone and he knew how to move unseen a talent which he was becoming ever more grateful for.
It wasn’t long before Takeshi was at the gateway to his Village, he knew that it would be guarded but luckily for him both were seemingly taking refuge in the guard house rather than battling the elements, he made a mental note to find out the names of those on duty to reprimand them later however at the same time he would have to admit sneaking outside of the village walls and decided that on this one occasion he would let it slide. Using the rain as a mask for his footsteps Takeshi stayed low to the ground sneaking like a prowling predicator past the small building, over the beating rain he could just make out the idle conversations between the two guards inside the shack as he crawled under the window. When he was sure that he was clear Takeshi stood to his full height before making a break for the heavily wooded tree line the blueish black silhouettes of trees was about all that he could make out in the thick darkness, it was times like this that he wished that he possessed the vision of a Hyuuga but alas he would have to make do with the cards that he was dealt.
By the time that the Hokage reached the outskirts of the city the purple orange light of dawn had already began to stain the sky and its twisting tendrils of light beginning to reclaim their rightful place against the darkness. Takeshi’s feet ached it was partly from the cold and wet from the rainfall that had continued throughout the night, and from the long journey from the gates of the village to here. The skyline of the city tainted the otherwise beautiful morning, its corruption was almost palpable even from this distance and the thought of having to enter such a place made his skin crawl, but it was the only way that he was going to get the answers that he sought. He pulled the cloak around himself tighter as his weary feet carried him to the entrance of the city there no guards or feasible defences so to speak of and hr wasn’t saw if that put his mind at easy or if it worried him more.
Crater City was a cesspool of crime and corruption Takeshi knew that if he was going to get any usable information on who was pulling the strings behind Maki kidnapping that this would be the only place to find it. He walked the streets and was surprised at just how crowded they were this early in the morning, there was trader plying their stolen wears and drunks that had spilled out of the taverns either looking for some less the legal company of a place to get another drink. There was a unseen air of violence that coated the entire place, like a gas that hung heavy in the air waiting for a match to spark it alight the Hokage would have to tread carefully, he didn’t want to be that match. From the corner of his eye he was a knotted old man seated on the floor, before him was a moth eaten old matt and a wooden cane, on the matt was an assortment of trinkets and knick-knacks all of them worthless, but he was sure that the old man was pleased with treasure.
“Ah young man you look like a man who is looking for something, look see if there is something that catches your eye. I have something sparkly for the little lady” His voice sounded like he gargled with gravel, his face was old and look like the surface of an old tree. Even though he didn’t mention Yuki’s name it made his skin crawl all the same.
“Trust me old man I don’t think you have what I need, and I certainly don’t want any of your cheap tat,” His voice had a certain amount of venom in it.
“One mans tat is another man treasure,” He smiled a nearly toothless grin. “What is it that you are looking for?”
“Information,” Takeshi, he raised an eye brow towards the man there was something in the tone of this voice that peaked his interest.
“Then I might be able to help you,” He got to his feet, Takeshi could hear the audible creeks and cracks from his joints as he did. Standing at his full height the man was still dwarfed by the Uchiha, the old mans spine made him stand bent over. “Come follow me,”
The male followed the old man through twists and turned of the streets of the city, through darken back allies illuminated by harsh vibrant colours of neon signs hanging above their heads until they came to a door. It was on the wall of a nearly derelict looking building the windows had long since lost the glass that once housed them and now the only protection on they offered was in the form the wooden boards that had been nailed over the window frame. Takeshi looked around seeing if that had been followed knowing that this was a near perfect stop for an ambush, he heard the man in front of him chuckle.
“Don’t worry, no-one is going to attack you,” The old man looked over his shoulder as he twisted a small key into the lock of the door opening it. Takeshi turned back to face him before following him into the shack. Inside was a near perfect reflection of the outside, the surface where either covered in a coating of dust or mould, it was dark the only light coming for the neon light and shone down through the numerous holes in the ceiling, to the of left of Takeshi was a small table and chairs it was about the only thing in the room that wasn’t decaying. The old man waddled to the table before taking a seat at one of the chairs
“Please take a seat” Takeshi obliged taking a seat.
“What information do you have for me old man?”
“Ah yes, first I require payment,” The old man held out his gnarled hand out to the Hokage, he looked down at his hand fighting the temptation to free it from the man wrist but thought better of it.
“Why should I give you payment now, you haven't given me any indication that the information that you have is what I need” Takeshi narrowed his eyes as he spoke his tone reflecting the annoyance that he was feeling.
“You will want to know what I know Hokage,” Takeshi felt his body stiffen as the worlds left the man’s lips, he instinctively reached for the weapon that he normally carried at his hip to feel nothing but air. It has slipped Takeshi mind to bring it with him, it would have aroused suspicion in Kenshin if he was armed a fact that he was regretting now.
“Don’t fret, while I look like a simple merchant I don’t trade in trinkets, I trade it secrets. My little brid’s told me that you where coming. Now my payment,” He waved his open hand in front of Takeshi. Taking a few hundred yen from his pocket Takeshi reluctantly shoved it into the old mans hand.
“Thank you” He smiled at him once again though this time Takeshi saw the malice in the man face.
“Now tell me what you know old man,”
“Why of course, who am I to keep the Hokage waiting. One of yours was taken from here by someone that I do not feel that you are ready to face. He was taken by one from the Frost Village.”
“You’re a liar, there is no such a place,” Takeshi slammed his fist on the table causing the old man to jump a little. “I have maps of the country there never has been a mention of a Frost Village.”
“Exactly what they want Hokage, they move there unseen gathering and building their forces waiting for the opportune moment to strike and wipe out there enemies.”
“And who might they be”
“Anyone that isn’t them,” There was a pause, Takeshi could see from the look on the mans face that he wasn’t lying. There was a fear in his eyes a true honest fear on the was deep rooted. “And Leaf is the first target, you are they direct neighbours, they do not see you are a threat, more of a nuisance, a pest that needs to be stamped out as they can expand.”
“How do I stop them?” Takeshi leant forward towards the old man, if his home was under threat, he needed to know how to protect it.
“You don’t. You get your people away, you lock your gates and you hide. You are a fish and they are the shark.” He got up from the table. “Now leave Hokage I have given you all the information that I wish to give anymore put what little years that I have left at risk". The old man shooed Takeshi out of the shack before slamming the door and locking it behind him.
Takeshi stood in the street outside of the door for a few minutes allowing the information that he had received to process. He needed to get home and tell the others they needed a game plan. They had a the advantage at the moment but at least Takeshi had a name, he pulled his hood back over the head and made his way through the maze of back allies before returning to the main street just as the rain began to fall from the sky again. Exiting the city and turning his back on that place at least for now he started to make tracks on the long journey back to his home, luckily he would return at nightfall masking he re-entry to the Village although he knew by now Kenshin and Yuki would probably have a activate search party looking for him. His wife’s face flashed in his mind like a beacon, he knew then that he wasn’t going to fail, he was going to stop this threat.
[TWC: 2007]
[Topic Entered]
[Topic Left]
Takeshi walked to the back of his chair abandoning his robes over the back of it replacing it with an old cloak putting the hood up to cover his face before taking his leave, silently opening the window and jumping out from it into the streets below. The night was cold, and the rain beat down on the concrete path causing a symphony to echo out through the empty streets. The Uchiha was grateful for the weather the rain seemed to be keeping most of the populous inside making it easier for him to slip through unnoticed like a ghost. He made his way through the maze-like backstreet and side allies expertly, this was the playground of his youth he knew these streets better then anyone and he knew how to move unseen a talent which he was becoming ever more grateful for.
It wasn’t long before Takeshi was at the gateway to his Village, he knew that it would be guarded but luckily for him both were seemingly taking refuge in the guard house rather than battling the elements, he made a mental note to find out the names of those on duty to reprimand them later however at the same time he would have to admit sneaking outside of the village walls and decided that on this one occasion he would let it slide. Using the rain as a mask for his footsteps Takeshi stayed low to the ground sneaking like a prowling predicator past the small building, over the beating rain he could just make out the idle conversations between the two guards inside the shack as he crawled under the window. When he was sure that he was clear Takeshi stood to his full height before making a break for the heavily wooded tree line the blueish black silhouettes of trees was about all that he could make out in the thick darkness, it was times like this that he wished that he possessed the vision of a Hyuuga but alas he would have to make do with the cards that he was dealt.
By the time that the Hokage reached the outskirts of the city the purple orange light of dawn had already began to stain the sky and its twisting tendrils of light beginning to reclaim their rightful place against the darkness. Takeshi’s feet ached it was partly from the cold and wet from the rainfall that had continued throughout the night, and from the long journey from the gates of the village to here. The skyline of the city tainted the otherwise beautiful morning, its corruption was almost palpable even from this distance and the thought of having to enter such a place made his skin crawl, but it was the only way that he was going to get the answers that he sought. He pulled the cloak around himself tighter as his weary feet carried him to the entrance of the city there no guards or feasible defences so to speak of and hr wasn’t saw if that put his mind at easy or if it worried him more.
Crater City was a cesspool of crime and corruption Takeshi knew that if he was going to get any usable information on who was pulling the strings behind Maki kidnapping that this would be the only place to find it. He walked the streets and was surprised at just how crowded they were this early in the morning, there was trader plying their stolen wears and drunks that had spilled out of the taverns either looking for some less the legal company of a place to get another drink. There was a unseen air of violence that coated the entire place, like a gas that hung heavy in the air waiting for a match to spark it alight the Hokage would have to tread carefully, he didn’t want to be that match. From the corner of his eye he was a knotted old man seated on the floor, before him was a moth eaten old matt and a wooden cane, on the matt was an assortment of trinkets and knick-knacks all of them worthless, but he was sure that the old man was pleased with treasure.
“Ah young man you look like a man who is looking for something, look see if there is something that catches your eye. I have something sparkly for the little lady” His voice sounded like he gargled with gravel, his face was old and look like the surface of an old tree. Even though he didn’t mention Yuki’s name it made his skin crawl all the same.
“Trust me old man I don’t think you have what I need, and I certainly don’t want any of your cheap tat,” His voice had a certain amount of venom in it.
“One mans tat is another man treasure,” He smiled a nearly toothless grin. “What is it that you are looking for?”
“Information,” Takeshi, he raised an eye brow towards the man there was something in the tone of this voice that peaked his interest.
“Then I might be able to help you,” He got to his feet, Takeshi could hear the audible creeks and cracks from his joints as he did. Standing at his full height the man was still dwarfed by the Uchiha, the old mans spine made him stand bent over. “Come follow me,”
The male followed the old man through twists and turned of the streets of the city, through darken back allies illuminated by harsh vibrant colours of neon signs hanging above their heads until they came to a door. It was on the wall of a nearly derelict looking building the windows had long since lost the glass that once housed them and now the only protection on they offered was in the form the wooden boards that had been nailed over the window frame. Takeshi looked around seeing if that had been followed knowing that this was a near perfect stop for an ambush, he heard the man in front of him chuckle.
“Don’t worry, no-one is going to attack you,” The old man looked over his shoulder as he twisted a small key into the lock of the door opening it. Takeshi turned back to face him before following him into the shack. Inside was a near perfect reflection of the outside, the surface where either covered in a coating of dust or mould, it was dark the only light coming for the neon light and shone down through the numerous holes in the ceiling, to the of left of Takeshi was a small table and chairs it was about the only thing in the room that wasn’t decaying. The old man waddled to the table before taking a seat at one of the chairs
“Please take a seat” Takeshi obliged taking a seat.
“What information do you have for me old man?”
“Ah yes, first I require payment,” The old man held out his gnarled hand out to the Hokage, he looked down at his hand fighting the temptation to free it from the man wrist but thought better of it.
“Why should I give you payment now, you haven't given me any indication that the information that you have is what I need” Takeshi narrowed his eyes as he spoke his tone reflecting the annoyance that he was feeling.
“You will want to know what I know Hokage,” Takeshi felt his body stiffen as the worlds left the man’s lips, he instinctively reached for the weapon that he normally carried at his hip to feel nothing but air. It has slipped Takeshi mind to bring it with him, it would have aroused suspicion in Kenshin if he was armed a fact that he was regretting now.
“Don’t fret, while I look like a simple merchant I don’t trade in trinkets, I trade it secrets. My little brid’s told me that you where coming. Now my payment,” He waved his open hand in front of Takeshi. Taking a few hundred yen from his pocket Takeshi reluctantly shoved it into the old mans hand.
“Thank you” He smiled at him once again though this time Takeshi saw the malice in the man face.
“Now tell me what you know old man,”
“Why of course, who am I to keep the Hokage waiting. One of yours was taken from here by someone that I do not feel that you are ready to face. He was taken by one from the Frost Village.”
“You’re a liar, there is no such a place,” Takeshi slammed his fist on the table causing the old man to jump a little. “I have maps of the country there never has been a mention of a Frost Village.”
“Exactly what they want Hokage, they move there unseen gathering and building their forces waiting for the opportune moment to strike and wipe out there enemies.”
“And who might they be”
“Anyone that isn’t them,” There was a pause, Takeshi could see from the look on the mans face that he wasn’t lying. There was a fear in his eyes a true honest fear on the was deep rooted. “And Leaf is the first target, you are they direct neighbours, they do not see you are a threat, more of a nuisance, a pest that needs to be stamped out as they can expand.”
“How do I stop them?” Takeshi leant forward towards the old man, if his home was under threat, he needed to know how to protect it.
“You don’t. You get your people away, you lock your gates and you hide. You are a fish and they are the shark.” He got up from the table. “Now leave Hokage I have given you all the information that I wish to give anymore put what little years that I have left at risk". The old man shooed Takeshi out of the shack before slamming the door and locking it behind him.
Takeshi stood in the street outside of the door for a few minutes allowing the information that he had received to process. He needed to get home and tell the others they needed a game plan. They had a the advantage at the moment but at least Takeshi had a name, he pulled his hood back over the head and made his way through the maze of back allies before returning to the main street just as the rain began to fall from the sky again. Exiting the city and turning his back on that place at least for now he started to make tracks on the long journey back to his home, luckily he would return at nightfall masking he re-entry to the Village although he knew by now Kenshin and Yuki would probably have a activate search party looking for him. His wife’s face flashed in his mind like a beacon, he knew then that he wasn’t going to fail, he was going to stop this threat.
[TWC: 2007]
[Topic Entered]
[Topic Left]