Is this the Candy Shop? [Open]

[Senju Kazuki]

Despite being requested to return to his hotel room, Kazuki had different plans, and as such, he had venture alone into Kumogakure. Months ago, or perhaps years, a certain Medical Sennin from Cloud had entered Konohagakure. This fellow was searching for the Senju Clan leader, a guy also rumored to be a master of Dark Arts. Or as Kushin had labeled, a Dark Sage. Those words were unfamiliar to Kazuki, because the Silvery Haired Man was the individual Kushin was looking for. In Leaf, such practices were not commonly seen or talked about, there, Kinjutsu were forbidden. And even though many shinobi exhibited traits commonly associated with the Forbidden Arts, those were not considered normal in Leaf's society. It was during their meeting that the Overlord of the Senju Clan learned that in Cloud, Kinjutsu were openly talked about. Not only that, but Kumo effectively gave Kinjutsu to people. This was a notion so alien to the former ANBU Sennin that it was hard to grasp.

Taking advantage of his short stay in Cloud, the Dread Lord would visit their hospital and learn what he could about those practices. He had no guide to tell him where those medical facilities were, but it wasn't exactly rocket science to figure it out. Walking around dressed with a black and gray robe with silvery trimmings and an open colar, along with a large, red, flowing toga drapped around his body and across his chest, coupled with black plants and black combat boots, Kazuki stood out from the crowd. Not only was he a foreigner in a foreign country, but he was also extremely pale. His paleness gave him a sickly look, but it was far from the truth. Reaper was in top shape and as healthy as any human being is allowed to be. His face showed a perpetual calmness, as if nothing could ever disturb him. His hair was like silver and his were like onyx. All in all, he had a distinct look from everyone else he had seen so far. And so it was no surprise that he was met with strange looks from the folk of Kumogakure. Despite such reactions, the Necromancer received sufficient directions to allow him to make his way to reach the Hospital.

Admiring its inherent beauty and research potential, Kazuki made his way inside. Inside the atrium, several people presented themselves as potential sources of information. The Overlord could have reached any of them, but instead, he stood silently as he waited for someone to reach him.

[Topic Entered]
[MFT - 423]

 

[Keiji]

[col3]|Coming down from one of the upper floors, wearing his white training kimono underneath his white lab coat, the blackened thick dreadlocked Harvester with his locks dangling everywhere around his head like a wild octopus trying to escape it's fate of seafood, his brown skin almost glistened in the light blue halogen lamps of the hospital. Continuing down the hallway walking through the front entrance hallway, with his young, practically child looking assistant walking behind him, he spotted a dark clad, white spectral looking individual in the corner of his eye. Quickly asking his companion through their mind link;
"What'd you think?", "Go put him the sun for a few hours maybe?", "I wasn't talking about his health, it was more what you thought he wanted?", "How would I know? What'd I look like? A nurse?", a small pause rested between the two.. "Yes?.. Or an assistant for that matter..", "Urgh, right, forget I ever asked.."

After exchanging a few glances between one another, Keiji continued down the hallway in his path for a little while longer and then stopping up, out of sight and out of mind, only to let his "assistant" take the front row in the dialogue with this newcomer, clearly a foreigner and clearly unaware of the exact situation he found himself in.

"Yo! Ghosty! What'd you need?" The young, crazy haired small girl walked up the almost transparent silhouette of a man and brassily and rowdily almost shouted at him to catch his attention as she reached him, and then looking up at him with a pout, like she was just denied a piece of candy from her parent. "You lookin' for somethin'?" Her accent was clearly not of Kumo, and her attitude was far from the norm of any average citizen, not to mention her mental state either indicated that she was of sound mental health and was consciously trying to annoy the man, or she was just being a child and was rowdy for no apparent reason, other than being childish towards a stranger.

At the same time Keiji walked softly towards a door leading to the green gardens at the center of the main wing of the Hospital, the wide glass frame was easily locked up and slid open with an easy push, he breathed in the fresh air which was quickly followed with a yawn. His eyes was staring outside at the grass only moving lightly from the small breeze that was able to move down into the garden area. He waited for Hitomi to give him the clear signal to interact with the stranger.|[/col3]

OOC: Topic Entered

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Eventually a duo walked toward the Overlord of the Senju Clan. It would seem that his distinctive look was a rather good bait to attract staff from the Hospital. Unfortunately for him, the first one to address was far from being who he wanted. Kazuki raised his black pitch gaze to whoever was yelling at him. He was not tired, but his eyes did not go up that much to make him so. The girl in front of him was tiny. So tiny in fact, that squashing her as a bug was not entirely out of the picture. As soon as he had raised his gaze, the fast he had lowered it. She deserved no more attention than the one he would give to an insect. She was meaningless to him. Luckily, or unluckily, that was up for debate, a second look allowed the Silvery Haired Man to perceive the girl's true nature. "Begone demon. I have not crossed thousands of miles to reach Kumogakure and chit chat with someone of your kind. Especially someone so low in your hierarchy." the former Sennin calmly noted as his focus shifted towards Keiji. The guy with the dreadlocks that had venture toward the inner garden. "What I want is to talk with your master, not his servant. If I had any desire to talk with people of your station I had my own to entertain me." the Dread Lord noted.

Throughout a decade, he had hunted, he had fought and he had enslaved her kind and others of her nature. He had long learned how to not be easily fooled by them. He was certain this girl was no human. But if he was wrong, her reaction would be hilarious and he could be in trouble, big trouble. "You are as alien to this country as I am and don't try to disguise this fact, you have no way to fool me. I will stay here until he comes to talk with me." Kazuki stated. His voice carried such a determined tone that it would be impossible for others to doubt his words. In fact, his mannerisms had adopted the necessary body language to show he was staunch in his desire and would not move away from his current spot until Keiji dignified himself to address Reaper. As far as he could see, the atrium had no statues, but they would gain one. The ball was on the medical nin's side.

[MFT - 409]

 

[Keiji]

[col3]|"Oho! You're a mean one aren't you? I like them feisty! Why don't you tell me what your name is and I might consider excusing your obvious racist behaviour! You ain't know nuthin' pal." She was in fact from the very same country, she just wasn't exactly from the same plane of existence. So he was only partially right. She looked up at him with a scrupulous gaze. eyeing his every movement, his lips, his eyes, she saw everything with her tireless eyes kept staring.

"If you're gonna stay this mean, you ain't gonna see no one. Not with that attitude!"

While at the same time several feet away, out of view Keiji stood and admire the garden still, his mind, being close attuned to his assistant's was paying close attention to the dialogue they were having. He couldn't but smile ever so slightly at the man's racist behavior and stoic persistence in not giving in to the idea of speaking to her. He clearly knew what she was, which was surprising at first. But he seemed utterly annoyed instead of curious, he had dealt with her kind before. After analyzing the situation, and letting the man speak for a few more minutes if he so desired. Keiji decided to intervene. Regardless of what the man had to say in reply to her.

Leaning away from the door frame and closing the glass panned doors leading to the gardens he walked over to his assistant. "Alright fella, what'd you want here? What is your name and your business?" Keiji asked straightforward as he stepped up beside his assistant placing his hand on the top of her head, his dark, nimble and strong hands caressing the girl's hair, changing her facial attitude from serious seriousness to the sweetest and cutest kitten, almost purring as he petted her hair. He looked down at her and smiled for a second and then looking back up to Kazuki "Cant' be too careful these days with foreigners. I hope you understand." He continued smiling a little bit as he awaited Kazuki's response.|[legend="Mind conversation while getting petted"]"This guy's a meanie. Be careful with this guy.."

"I understand.."​

"Y'know, we should get a new carpet in your office. The current one is too scratchy for me."

"If it's too scratchy, it's because you keep scratching it up with your paws!"​

"Sorryyyyy~"

"But I'll get us a new one, if you promise to not scratch it up right away.."​

"I can try?"

"Better than nothing I suppose.."​

"Yay! Ehehehe~"[/legend][/col3]

 

[Senju Kazuki]

It would seem that the little demon resented Kazuki's words. As if demons had any ability to feel human emotions. The Overlord knew better from years of experience. At best, they were able to mimic feelings, but actually having them? No sir. Unless things had changed since he lost his Tsuchimikado gifts. That could be a possibility, one that he was unaware of and something quite interesting. The more he delved into the dark arts, the more the Silvery Haired Man turned away from his humanity. Was it possible that the more demons mingled with humans, the more human-like they became? Quite an odd thought, but something to study in the future. For now, it was time to do business as with each passing second, the closer to defeat they were. With a single and simple tap of his right foot, the Dread Lord brought forth a minion that was quite prized and powerful. It was one of his best and one of the most utilized since acquired. Reaper still remembered how hard to gain it was, but the rewards greatly offset the hardships.

Spoiler

The minion, unlike his master, had a perfectly natural tan. Black hair and a stern gaze welcomed everyone that were unfortunate enough to met it eye to eye. Its clothing was quite ordinary, a plain Leaf shinobi uniform. But the method it had come into being, that was eye widening. After the tap of Kazuki's foot, a small blob of shadow emerged at his side. This blob began wavering, growing and pulsating as the creature drew near to their world. A silent and incapable of damage, explosion later, it was at the Overlord's side. "Play with her." the Silvery Haired Man ordered. It simply nodded and turned his gaze at the tiny assistant.

The former Sennin was now gazing the dreadlocker, the former Sennin allowed an uncomfortable silence to raise between them. He was testing the other guy's mettle and he continued to do so until satisfied. "I see no reason to disclose my name, but I will do so anyway. My name is Senju Kazuki and I come from Konohagakure. My business was to meet with the Medical Sennin of Kumogakure, Isaki Kushin and enlist his aid. I came to this hospital because a few years ago, I was told that Cloud had something, something you label as Kinjutsu. A thing you gift unto others through surgery. I am deeply interested in it and learning what kind of kinjutsus you know and possess. And I was told this by Kushin himself." the Dread Lord calmly stated. "Believe in me. I do understand, all to well in fact."

[MFT - 442]

 

[Keiji]

[col3]|"Konoha eh? I've heard it got burned down by Samurai? Last Shinobi I met from there seemed pretty distraught about it too. Strangely enough, he came to visit for the exact same reason as you. Well, not exactly he didn't know nearly as much as you.." Keiji looked around the room, people seemed to be staring, some even had their ears directed at their direction, clearly intentionally listening in.
"There are too many ears in here. Listen, I'm the guy you wanna see. Come, follow me up to my office and we can discuss. My name is Suzaku Keiji, I'm a student of Isaki Kushin. Unfortunately Kushin isn't here as he left the village for unspecific reasons that I wasn't even told. Haven't seen or heard from him since. But if what I keep hearing behind my back hold's true, I'm his so called 'protege' So I hope I'll be able to help you with what I can."

While he was beginning to walk he began idle chatting. "Impressive summon you did back there by the way, I haven't seen a Dark Sage do his jutsu for many years, I don't even remember when I last saw a Dark Sage." He couldn't help but smile ever so deviously, such wonder he thought to himself I get to talk with a Dark Sage, he might be able to indulge me in some of his skills, maybe I can get a little tissue or urin sample would be interesting to do some tests on the variances of bodily effects that a Dark Sage experiences..

In the meantime, the little girl was running away with the tall summoned Leaf Shinobi after her, causing a ruckus in the hallways in the opposite direction of where Keiji was heading. It seemed like she was playing some sort of roleplaying tag game where instead of laughing she was screaming for mercy like a an orphan running from soldiers. Fun fun.. Keiji's path lead down a hallway, to a flight of stairs and then all the way to the top floor, and then up a last flight of stairs which required him to pull some rope opening up a pathway to the attic. Revealing a small cupboard sized room in which a large doorway further lead into a large open space where there stood a fine desk a set of 9 chairs and a mixture of slot machines spread out in the corners and sides of the room, it seemed like a bunch of kid's club house sitting in the tree-house in their parents' backyard. It seemed slightly dusty but strangely homely. At the far end of the room were large sets of drawers and work desks on which rested numerous tools, clearly for medical use and some recently used still bloodied, others were with dry blood, but still clearly as sharp as ever if one were to look closely.

The room was empty of people, except for a girl that plopped out from behind the large desk, one with white-purple hair and a single horn in the front and center of it, practically naked except for a light fur covering her entire body and a red piece of cloth covering her scrotum. Around her neck was a large black bracelet with yellow markings, which lit up, glowing as Keiji approached her, another bracelet looking similar, appeared around Keiji's left arm and both glowed lightly as they stood beside each other. The girl was taller than other one Kazuki saw before.

"Since you had me figured out, good ser Senju-san. I might as well show you whom I am really, Wakahisa Hitomi, last of the Teufelshunde Oni. Eternally bound to Suzaku Keiji both as companion and friend." She sat down upon the desk and leaned against Keiji's arm seemingly innocent. Looking almost like a cute couple.
Obviously to Kazuki she had teleported, or in some way moved at a super speed away from Kazuki's summon, or she had projected herself down next to Keiji, whatever she had done, she was now in her true form.

"Now, Senju-san, I am the apprentice of Isaki Kushin, In Kumogakure we do have a system for Kinjutsu, but this isn't just something we hand off to people like candy.." [OOC: Roll credits!.. Oh wait..] "But we do offer certain surgical implants, support research and development into the field of Kinjutsu to practically any Kumogakure Shinobi. Is this the knowledge you were seeking? Or is there more behind it?"|[/col3]​

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"Burned down by Samurai? It would take much more than a bunch of pesky samurai to burn down Konohagakure. We were evicted from our city. Eviction or extinction. That was the choice we were presented. And when faced with an impossible choice, we selected what we could. Flee to fight another day. But that is the subject of our talk thus I would not fill your ears with it." Kazuki calmly noted. Despite anger filling his heart every time Leaf's occupation was brought up in a conversation, the Overlord usually managed to hold it off from his tongue. Keiji then spoke about another leafy that had addressed Kumogakure's physicians about those procedures as well. Although with little information to base himself off, the Silvery Haired Man could easily guess who that former Leaf Shinobi was. "You are speaking of Ayatsuri Ginjiro.". It was not a question, it was a statement. The former Sennin still remembered when the young Ayatsuri entered Tsuchigakure and crossed words with him. The young Shinobi told him a fantastical tale of how his older brother had gone rogue and had destroyed his entire clan. At the same time, Ginjiro also shared that his brother had become a living puppet. He had told them, back then, that he was going to Kumogakure in search of more knowledge about that kinjutsu. If Kumogakure was the land of kinjutsus, where you could even get one, it was no surprise if the kid had come there. To get one or learn more about it.

"I agree. Lead the way." the Dread Lord would simply state motioning for Keiji to show him the way. Along the way, Reaper entertained the thought of sharing with this medical ninja that his tutor was still alive. Kazuki had talked with Isaki Kushin rather recently, right after entering Kumo's gates. The guy was still alive and well, but apparently, that fact was not known to many. Not even Kushin's own protege knew it. "Don't worry. I am quite certain I will meet the guy, one way or another. I have my ways." the Overlord noted before addressing Keiji's mention of Dark Sage. "You know, that is the second time in my life that I have been addressed as a Dark Sage, yet I don't even know what that is. Maybe you have names for forbidden arts in Kumogakure, because they are not considered forbidden. But in Leaf, we do not openly talk about them, we have no names for them. What the hell is a Dark Sage?" It was a little annoying to be labeled something whose meaning he was clueless about. Sure, the general meaning could be inferred from the name alone, but that was certainly not all it had to it.

"Is this is your office?" the Dread Lord questioned. It seemed quite big for someone's office. Maybe it also doubled as a laboratory, dead body storage, class room, etc. Whatever it was, it was large and served for several functions. "Wakahisa Hitomi, I fought your kind for so long that I can smell you from a mile away." the Necromancer would declare. At the same time, a swirling pattern emerged at Kazuki's left side. For a time it grew until it was bigger than the Overlord. Eventually, the former Leaf Shinobi materialized at his master's side. Locking its eyes at Keiji's companion, it did not seem pleased. A pair of Sharingan's glared in its face. "He doesn't seem pleased." the former Sennin noted. "That is the knowledge I seek, yes. For starters." he would declare. They were finally getting somewhere. And about time too.

[MFT - 602]

 

[Keiji]

[col3]|"Perfect, that makes this a whole lot easier Senju-san." he paused as Hitomi settled her butt on the table making it squeek, his eyes turned for a split second to her face, and then back up to Kazuki. "As I was saying, we usually offer any kind of help to the citizens of Kumogakure, but we always question individuals from other parts of the world for their intended use. Otherwise one might say we were allied with those who commit great atrocities and then say they were taught in Kumogakure. Doesn't sit well with many factions y'know?"

He paused as he pulled out a small leather package from the inside of his lab coat, opening it up he pulled out a thin brown paper looking object, putting it in his mouth he then grabbed a matchbox from his office table, stroke a match and lit it, inhaling the fumes from the burning herbs coated with the brown paper.

"While I would like to help you with going in depth and giving you all of the juicy details of all our research through hundreds of years, I will only give you the bare essentials." He paused as he took another inhale. Then pointing it at him as he tapped it, making small bits of ash fall to the white floor. "Your abilities goes under what we in the Kinjutsu business have classed as 'Dark Sage' While the name itself doesn't really signify the individual's alignment to good or bad, but it is classed as so due to the fact that if I were to activate my Byakugan the chakra lines inside of you would a serious dark hue, at least usually. The reason for this is because in order to do those techniques you do you utilize what's referred to as Yang chakra, as you may be well aware of you have both ying and yang chakra energies, you, my friend have more yang than ying. While such imbalance may be a bad thing, it doesn't have to."

Taking another inhale, he then continued. "There is currently twelve registered kinjutsus, and for all we know there could be thousands out there and we just haven't registerted the abnormalities yet. Whenever a cloud shinobi or any shinobi dies within our fold, we, the Harvesters gets a chance to dissect them, pull the apart and discover what we can, and if they have a bloodline or an "abnormality" we are able to harvest these (see where the name comes from?) and we place in a vault for future study or bestowing the unique capabilities of these to a fellow Cloud Shinobi."

After another inhale of the fumes, he concludes. "We, the Harvesters are the group of master tinkerers of the human body, we dissect, we discover and we catalog everything that's special about chakra and chakra powers." At this point several chakra signatures made their way up the stairs and opened up the doors. three young shinobis, not older than Keiji himself stood, a short and petite Sharingan wielding girl and two men looking straight at Kazuki and his companion. "Uuuhh.. You okay Keiji?" The girl said as he stood up on her tip toes to try and look beyond the characters in front her towards Keiji. "I'm fine, just go on with your break in the gardens."</B><i></i> "Roger that Keiji-san."<i></i> The tallest and oldest looking man said as he turned towards the exit, "Understood" the second guy said. While the girl stood still now standing ready to attack. "I don't like yo-GURH!" the last words were forced out her as the hand of the tall guy grabbed her by the collar of her clothes and pulled her away from the doorspace. "Come on..."<i></i> was the only words heard before they were out of earshot.

Tapping the ash off again in a small ceramic bowl he looked back up at Kazuki again. <B>"Sorry about that. Those were some of my team members, they can be a bit over protective.
Now, do you have further questions about Kinjutsu you might be curious about? What can I help you with?"|[/col3]​

DNPCs of Team Ecto, briefly entered, then left.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Name: Senju Nagato

"I am not here to request a Kinjutsu. It seems I already possess one and I am quite happy with whatever gifts it bestowed me." Kazuki calmly noted. "And believe me. The last thing I want is for you to divulge secrets about your village. My past experience allowed me to learn that Village secrets are something to lock tight behind several lockets. My village may be dead right now, but its secrets will go to the grave with me." The Silvery Haired Man was Konoha's last ANBU Sennin. Secrets was something he dealt with in a daily basis. He knew better. In fact, he knew more about that trade than Keiji ever would. Medics are not the best people to take care of secrets that could endanger the foundation of a Hidden Village. The Overlord of the Senju Clan calmly listened as the Medical Nin of Kumogakure described what a Dark Sage was all about. In paper that was fine and dandy, but the reality was much grimmer. The former Sennin of Konohagakure had delved too deep within the dark arts to ever come out. His lust for power and desire for control had left in a path that had no escape, no turning back. It was something not even the harvesters could extract.

The Harvesters existence was something he had never dreamed about. The group's concept was a sound one. He had to admit that, but the practices had never been used in Leaf before. And it was a shame really. Preventing other villages from knowing Leaf's bloodline traits was perfect. He had to wonder why something like had never come up from anyone with authority before. "The Harvesters." the Dread Lord murmured. "That is an interesting concept I give you that. Something I would like to join. Though I am certain it is impossible." Reaper stated as he glared Keiji's assistant once more. This was no male looking at a female though. This was a hunter gazing his prey look. Kazuki was now wondering if he should add her to his growing collection. She certainly had her strengths and his army was always hungry.

The Overlord dismissed Keiji's concerns with a gesture. "Worry not Suzaku Keiji. If I had any desire to kill you, this conversation would have ended long ago and you would be dead already." the Silvery Haired Man simply remarked. This was no bluff or boast. He was simply that confident. Bodyguard or no bodyguard. And speaking of bodyguards, the former Sennin's Uchiha summon was suddenly called back, dispersing in a puff of smoke. In his stead, a tall, Caucasian male entered the room. His dark blue eyes pierced Keiji's guards as they walked out. This newcomer was dressed with brown combat boots, gray pants and a white robe. The white robe had a hood and most of Nagato's face was concealed inside of it, except for his dark blue eyes. Those were clearly visible. Both forearms had metallic armbands and his hands were covered by brown leather gloves with metallic knuckles. A red sash around his waist completed his attire. "Is everything ok Sir?" the Chuunin questioned as he looked around and spotted both Keiji and his demonic assistant.

"Everything is fine." Reaper retorted. "This Nagato, my own assistant." Kazuki clarified. "You have mentioned twelve Kinjutsus but spoke only of one. What about the other eleven?" the Silvery Haired Man questioned.

[Poor quality, but I had trouble finding what to write]
[MFT=568]
[Topic entered with INPC]

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"Time to go Sir." Nagato stated moments later. "It seems so. You will have to excuse me but urgent matters call my attention. We may see each other again, or not. Time will tell." Kazuki noted. His time in Kumogakure was limited and it had ran up. "I do, however, have a parting gift for you. Something to aid in your endless research. You won't find new kinjutsus, most likely, but you can further research several bloodlines. There is always a thing or two to discover." the Overlord of the Senju clan stated. Several handseals later, a large, black wooden coffin emerged at the White Wolf's side. Removing its lead, Keiji would see several corpses lining. "Deceased men from my own clan. If you ever want new specimens to study, come find me. I have no shortage of bodies, no shortage at all.".

"Time to leave Kumogakure Nagato. Make the necessary arrangements." the Dread Lord ordered. A silent bow later, the younger Senju was gone. The older one followed suit.

[Topic left]