Open Meeting a man's worst enemy....

[Tamashi Seto]

Mid Evening

With the sun setting in full view, they didn't have much time now. Luckily, they were making good time, with his apprentice in higher spirits than earlier when they were confronted by a Roen. He had mostly forgotten about their skirmish with the beast, but for Kei, It was another story. He could see it in his eyes that he was still worried about the gashes imbued into his back. He ignored the glances when he could. He had stopped the bleeding so he didn't understand why his apprentice was so concerned. Sure, his claw gash ridden black wasn't bandaged, but he hadn't exactly expected to run into a rare, apex beast. In their walking, now beyond Gosha, the clan's kunoichi village, they were walking down the finely crafted cobblestone highway that would lead them to his home. As before, the highway was surrounded on both sides by lines of massive, chakra infused tree's, shrubs and other vegetation. He could still hear the occasional chirping of birds up above them, reminding him of his Chidori, of the similar sound it makes. Along the way, he had tried "enlightening" Kei with the wisdom he had acquired from his numerous interactions with a man's most dangerous enemy, women, yet, no matter how hard he tried, he was beginning to wonder If he was making progress with the young Genin, who seemed to have a thick skull. Eventually, he couldn't help himself but sigh slightly with his eyes closing. At the end of the day, Kei, well, wasn't him. He was rather, normal compared to how he had been raised. He supposed there was a blessing in certain ways, but cursed in others. After all, he had been blessed with his soul mate at birth, somebody he could connect with on a higher plane that wasn't related by blood. It was something he wouldn't trade the world for. If anything, he let the world burn If It meant keeping her safe. He knew deep down, those were dangerous thoughts. Still, most women weren't like his proper wife to be, and he knew had to educate Kei before it was too late, for being on the receiving end of a woman's wrath was far worse than any jutsu he encounter on the battlefield, especially If he was going to survive tonight. He almost sweated at the thought. How the blood hell was he gonna keep his Genin safe with that Loli Kitsune running around, and starting her shenanigans. Momentarily, the worst of her fears surfaced in his mind. The last thing either one of them needed was Kei becoming a father. At such a thought, he made a small, quiet pout before his eyes flashed open, revealing the dull colored, black roof of his clan's shiro. They were super close now, like probably only ten or twenty minutes away by foot.

Tamashi Seto
"Listen Kei, there are.....things I need to tell you before we arrive at my clan's keep. Best prepare for the ensuing chaos tonight.....Trust me when I say the Roen will be the least of your concerns~"

He tried making a sympathetic smile but he was sure Kei could see past it with his pathetic attempt, even as he tried laughing it off with a soft laugh. He wasn't exactly lying, he only hope his willpower would be greater than before. It would only be a matter of time before they reached the Hirayamajiro castle in the distance, that held their fates in it's hands. Of course, Kei could just save himself by running away. Who was he kidding? Kei was too adventurous, and frankly, too young to know any better. With a subtle shrug, he looked down, the Roen cuts of meat were doing fine with what remains of his dark blue haori. Good, cause he was hungry enough now to eat a horse. That said, that WAS the haori Izumai had crafted for him. He had no idea how she react, even care. Best he didn't think about the chaos for the time being, If only to save his sanity for a bit longer...​

 

[Hayashi Kei]

Kei had grown accustomed to the fact that his mentor wouldn’t do anything about his injuries until they arrived at their destination. He swallowed his concerns, instead taking in their surroundings to ease his mind.

The towering trees lining the path were familiar - he recognized them from their venture to the training grounds. They felt alive in a way normal trees didn’t, their chakra-infused wood humming faintly beneath his fingertips as he brushed them in passing. The sensation sent a pleasant tingle up his arm, and he smiled to himself, imagining that the trees were greeting him in return.

Then, as if unable to contain the energy bubbling inside him, Kei dashed ahead, his laughter as light as the evening breeze rustling through the leaves. The world around him was alive - glowing foliage swayed gently, the distant castle loomed in the fading sunlight, and the cobblestone path beneath his feet felt like a road leading to endless possibilities.

Kirame flitted beside him, the tiny firefly squid pulsing softly with bioluminescent light, a small star against the deepening twilight. Kei tilted his head back, drinking in the sight of the golden rays of sunset filtering through the canopy, each beam flickering and shifting like liquid gold. It was beautiful - like something straight out of Komi’s stories.

“Kirame, look at this place! It’s amazing, isn’t it?” he murmured in awe. The little squid blinked at him, pulsing lights in response, as if sharing in Kei’s wonder.

Kei veered off the path slightly, weaving between the trees, trailing his fingers over rough bark and brushing past shrubs that released the scent of fresh earth and crisp leaves. He wanted to take it all in, to savor every detail. The hum of nature surrounded him, the distant chirping of birds, the soft whisper of the wind, the rhythmic pulse of chakra in the land itself.

In his excitement, he nearly forgot Seto trailing behind him, at least until his mentor’s voice called out to rein him in.

Kei glanced back with a grin but didn’t slow. The castle was close now, its silhouette sharp against the darkening sky. A new place, a new adventure - it was all too much to resist. He wanted to see everything.

MFT
WC: 376

Kei Speech
Kei Thoughts

 

[Tamashi Seto]

(OOC: Sorry if this is short, I ended up damaging one of my fingers that makes it hard to type since I can't put any pressure on it.)

When Kei ran off, venturing off into the near tree line, his arm reached out, as If to grab him, despite knowing the Genin was far out of his reach. When it finally came to him several seconds later, he lowered his arm in defeat. He than found himself sighing, knowing full well there was little chance in reeling in him now. As his mother past mentor used to say about him, "Boys will be boys" and Kei was no exception, being eerie similar to himself at his age.
He eventually faulted, choosing to allow his apprentice this sober moment of curiosity and adventure, for later, was probably going to be something straight of one of his nightmares. The path would continue for several more minutes, the two of them taking their time, as evident by Kei continuing his shenanigans before the sight captivated him. Once they broke through the forest, reaching the end of the cobblestone road they had followed for quite some time, they now stood at a enormous clearing. In the center however, sat a monstrous, almost ominous, military complex that was the Tamashi Clan's keep, a highly compact, highly fortified, Hirayamajiro castle, that, depending on the individual, could be mistaken as a prison or even something far more sinister. Despite being surrounded by a lust forest, it did little for the sprawling castle complex with it's dull colors of beige, grey and black, along with it's upward sloops and it's pronounced eaves, which did nothing to welcome guests. Being several hundred years old by this point, It was clear newer additions had been added, such as a more modern looking, imposing, rectangular tower with slits just big enough for Jutsu to be fired from, which stood as a stark contrast to the much older buildings that surrounded it. As If it couldn't get any worse, both he and Kei could see the steep staircase that lead to the outer gate house, and to his knowledge only, a large, open kill area for intruders. There was also the numerous, long flights of stairs they would have to traverse up to get to the shiro itself. It was a good thing both he, and Kei were in shape, with the energy to boast.​

Standing there, It took only mere seconds before his Sharingan picked up on the numerous targets stationed on the battlements, standing near the main gates, which sat adjacent to the outer gate house. Ignoring the massive banners of his clan's insigne on the walls, depicting a dark turquoise-green flame, he could make out the menacing warriors that made up the Destroyers, the elite shinobi killers of his clan, warriors who stood as a steep reminder to the enemies of this land, that some of the fiercest warriors in all of the country stood here, read to instill fear into anyone who was stupid enough to challenge the land of lightning or his home. Even now, despite how powerful he had become, a slight shiver ran down his spine at the prospect of fighting these samurai warriors donned in all black, the ones who were infamous for their demonic looking, face hiding masks. Luckily for him, and by extension, Kei, they were on his side, and by the time he thought to do something to ensure they weren't seen as hostiles, they had already gone ahead and identified him, before opening the keep's mighty castle, granting them entry. In response, he looked towards with a somewhat serious expression. "No running off now ya hear? At least not until they know your harmless. Trust me, you don't wanna get on their bad side~" He joked, but deep down, he knew what the worst the Destroyers could do to him, and frankly, that scared him. It was a fate far worse than death, well, unless you were a psychopath that is. Luckily, he knew Kei had enough brain power to know when to behave....

 

[Hayashi Kei]

Kei stood frozen for a moment, his breath catching as he took in the sight before him. The fortress loomed over them like a sleeping beast, its stone walls stretching high into the sky, dark banners hanging across the walls like silent sentinels. The colors were muted, the architecture imposing, each carefully placed stone a testament to its age and history.

His fingers twitched at his sides as his wide-eyed gaze swept over the battlements, where shadowed figures stood watch like statues. They were perfectly still, their presence heavy, their eyes hidden beneath the masks and helmets they wore. Kei had no idea who they were or what kind of people lived behind these walls, but something about them set his instincts on edge. They didn’t move like shinobi he had seen - there was no playful lightness in their stance, no flicker of mischief or camaraderie. These people were different. Hardened.

The air itself seemed thick with something unfamiliar, something weighty. The energy here was oppressive, pressing against his skin like an invisible force. Even the silence felt dangerous, like the hush before a storm.

A soft flicker of blue light caught the edge of his vision before vanishing into the strands of his hair. Kirame. His tiny firefly squid companion had buried himself deep into the mess of dark strands, his bioluminescent glow fading as he sought the safety of hiding. Kei resisted the urge to reach up and comfort him - if Kirame was spooked, then maybe his instincts weren’t wrong.

Seto’s voice pulled him back to reality.

Kei blinked, glancing at his mentor with a furrowed brow. Know I’m harmless? That wording unsettled him. Seto rarely spoke so cautiously, and the tension in his voice only made Kei more aware of how serious this place was. He didn’t know much about Seto’s past, let alone his clan, but the way his mentor carried himself now - Seto wasn't usually this tense - made one thing clear. These people weren’t the type to take risks. Or show mercy.

His usual bravado faltered for the first time. He let out a nervous chuckle, forcing a lopsided grin onto his face. “I’ll behave.” His voice was quieter than usual, lacking its normal playful spark.

Falling into step beside Seto, Kei kept his gaze down, resisting the urge to let his curiosity wander. There was so much he wanted to take in - the towering gates, the strange banners, the warriors standing like ghosts in the distance - but something told him that now wasn’t the time to ask questions.

Kei Speech
Kei Thoughts