"There was a time when the world made sense and my purpose was clear... not anymore and now I don't even know if that time was even real or if it was just a construct made by those that wished to use me for a weapon." At first it seemed he spoke to no one or perhaps the sky itself, but a response was given in the form of a low hiss from his companion that slithered out from beneath his cloak. Mizuchi had become his closest friend over the past few months as Doku searched for his brothers. He had kept him company through much and would continue to do so for some time likely. Doku knelt at the edge of a precipice overlooking the region known as Lightning country, an apt name for even now a storm was brewing which was black with the promise of violence.
"Not that it matters anymore," Mizuchi coiled himself next to Doku and followed his gaze, "I have freed myself from their grasp and have become my own weapon. What I do now I do for myself and my family, but they have disappeared, and I do not know where to find them." The snake hissed and it seemed that he was commiserating with his friend. "I know... I shouldn't give up, but I know them well enough to know that if they do not wish to be found then they won't be."
Doku stared out across the land and cast his gaze to the southeast. "There is one place I have not looked but it is also the last place that I would expect to find them." He pondered his own words for a few moments. "But if I do not look then I cannot say that I have really tried. I have no fear of that place, but it does cause me pain and there is no desire to return though I must." He reached out his right hand and began to absent-mindedly pet his friend who leant into the contact. "If only you could truly talk Mizuchi I am sure you would tell me I am a fool for chasing my brothers around the world and that I should have just stayed at home and awaited their return." He let his gaze drift down to his friend with affection. "But then I wouldn't have met you, and I would still be alone amongst a sea of people."
They sat in companionable silence for a while until it began to rain and Mizuchi slithered back under Doku's cloak for cover and warmth. The storm had been brewing for a while but now it had broken and with it came the thunder and lightning in an assault upon the land. Doku stood and began his trek back to their campsite where he knew he would find shelter from the storm. He was not sure what had prompted him to make his journey up the mountains, but it had been a worthwhile trip for the view if nothing else.
The trip back was easier despite the now pouring rain and it was not long before he reached the campsite he had made inside the mouth of a cave. It was not much but it would keep him dry and warm. With a few well practiced hand seals he summoned forth a small fireball which he aimed at the already prepared fire pit bringing it to life in a roar of flame. "That's much better, don't you agree Mizuchi?" For his part the snake responded by escaping the now damp and cold cloak and finding a nice warm spot by the fire. "Heh, you and me both buddy." He said as he rubbed his hands together and held them to the fire. After a few moments of heating himself he knew he couldn't stay in these wet clothes and so he took off his wet garments and spread them by the fire to dry before changing into another outfit he had stashed in his travel pack at the back of the cave.
Now that he was both dry and warm the sound of the storm outside changed from what had seemed like an assault into a thing of beauty instead. The lightning played across the sky followed closely by rolling thunder, the effect was as if the god Raiden was playing bowls with the mountains as the pins. It was awe inspiring to observe from the safety of the cave and Doku drank in the spectacle, momentarily allowing himself to be distracted from his present troubles. "I can see why the people of this land revere the gods of the sky so much, it is hard to witness such power and not be humbled... even for one such as I." Mizuchi didn't move at all in acknowledgement, he seemed content just to bask in the warmth of the flame. "Heh, I guess I really am talking to myself."
He stayed the night in the cave and found what comfort he could because he knew the journey ahead would be rough. He had a long way to go and his destination lay in enemy lands and there would be no time for nights such as this where he could lay beside a fire and listen to the staccato rythym of the rain punctuated by thunder. In all truth he may never have the chance again if he faltered at any point as death awaited him at every misstep. His thoughts occupied as such meant that sleep did not come easy, but eventually he succumbed.
In the morning he gathered his things and once more let Mizuchi crawl inside his cloak to be hidden from the world. "I would let you sit about my shoulders, but people tend to startle easily, and they don't take kindly to giant serpents being up in their business. Besides, it pretty well marks me out as being shinobi which is kind of counterproductive don't you think?" The snake remained silent. "I will take that as acceptance and once we get where we are going, I will be sure to let you out to play," he remarked with a smirk. He had dressed himself for war
Stepping out of the cave into the morning air Doku felt invigorated, something about the way the world felt after the rain had come and gone gave him hope. Breathing deeply, he stepped out on his journey back down the mountain. "I know what I must do now," Mizuchi popped his head out from beneath the cloak and looked at his friend. "We are taking a big risk by heading back to that place, but it must be done and no matter what comes I will face it." He began to stroll towards the path heading down. "I know in my heart that if they were able to return that they would have at least contacted me by now, sent some sort of messenger, but instead all I hear is silence and I can stand it no longer."
His feet carried him swiftly along the mountain path and gradually towards the southeast and his destination. He had foraged enough supplies from the surrounding terrain in his time here that he would be able to feed himself for most of the journey and once he was back in that place, he would be able to find succour in the hills. His brother's old place beneath the mountain would be his first destination and there would be supplies hidden there for him to use. Best case scenario is he would find his brother's there, but he did not hold much hope, either way it would be a safe place from which to operate as none but a Myakashi would know its location.
"Perhaps I should ask some of the other Myakashi to join me for this search, especially considering where I am going?" A hiss emanated from deep within his cloak. "I will take that to mean you disapprove Mizuchi? I guess you are right, the rest of the clan does not have the connection that we do, and it would not be right to risk them in such a way when I know the consequence of being discovered is death. This is my problem and I need to handle it." With his resolve set and his goal in mind he quickened his step and broke into a run. His old bones did not slow him and few moments later he sprung from the ground to the trees. He let his tension go and threw himself with abandon into a sprint, chasing away his own doubts.
He felt his cares and his worries melt away as he ran but before they disappeared completely, he quietly said a prayer to whatever gods were listening, "Let me find my brothers safe and sound. Let me find them in one piece and together sharing tea over a fire, but should I find them gone then grant me the strength to bring vengeance to those responsible."
[Word Count: 1506]
[Discovery of Contract of Random Choice - ASP Card Used]
[No matter what contract I get I am using my Inuzuka powers to change the result to Snake]
"Not that it matters anymore," Mizuchi coiled himself next to Doku and followed his gaze, "I have freed myself from their grasp and have become my own weapon. What I do now I do for myself and my family, but they have disappeared, and I do not know where to find them." The snake hissed and it seemed that he was commiserating with his friend. "I know... I shouldn't give up, but I know them well enough to know that if they do not wish to be found then they won't be."
Doku stared out across the land and cast his gaze to the southeast. "There is one place I have not looked but it is also the last place that I would expect to find them." He pondered his own words for a few moments. "But if I do not look then I cannot say that I have really tried. I have no fear of that place, but it does cause me pain and there is no desire to return though I must." He reached out his right hand and began to absent-mindedly pet his friend who leant into the contact. "If only you could truly talk Mizuchi I am sure you would tell me I am a fool for chasing my brothers around the world and that I should have just stayed at home and awaited their return." He let his gaze drift down to his friend with affection. "But then I wouldn't have met you, and I would still be alone amongst a sea of people."
They sat in companionable silence for a while until it began to rain and Mizuchi slithered back under Doku's cloak for cover and warmth. The storm had been brewing for a while but now it had broken and with it came the thunder and lightning in an assault upon the land. Doku stood and began his trek back to their campsite where he knew he would find shelter from the storm. He was not sure what had prompted him to make his journey up the mountains, but it had been a worthwhile trip for the view if nothing else.
The trip back was easier despite the now pouring rain and it was not long before he reached the campsite he had made inside the mouth of a cave. It was not much but it would keep him dry and warm. With a few well practiced hand seals he summoned forth a small fireball which he aimed at the already prepared fire pit bringing it to life in a roar of flame. "That's much better, don't you agree Mizuchi?" For his part the snake responded by escaping the now damp and cold cloak and finding a nice warm spot by the fire. "Heh, you and me both buddy." He said as he rubbed his hands together and held them to the fire. After a few moments of heating himself he knew he couldn't stay in these wet clothes and so he took off his wet garments and spread them by the fire to dry before changing into another outfit he had stashed in his travel pack at the back of the cave.
Now that he was both dry and warm the sound of the storm outside changed from what had seemed like an assault into a thing of beauty instead. The lightning played across the sky followed closely by rolling thunder, the effect was as if the god Raiden was playing bowls with the mountains as the pins. It was awe inspiring to observe from the safety of the cave and Doku drank in the spectacle, momentarily allowing himself to be distracted from his present troubles. "I can see why the people of this land revere the gods of the sky so much, it is hard to witness such power and not be humbled... even for one such as I." Mizuchi didn't move at all in acknowledgement, he seemed content just to bask in the warmth of the flame. "Heh, I guess I really am talking to myself."
He stayed the night in the cave and found what comfort he could because he knew the journey ahead would be rough. He had a long way to go and his destination lay in enemy lands and there would be no time for nights such as this where he could lay beside a fire and listen to the staccato rythym of the rain punctuated by thunder. In all truth he may never have the chance again if he faltered at any point as death awaited him at every misstep. His thoughts occupied as such meant that sleep did not come easy, but eventually he succumbed.
In the morning he gathered his things and once more let Mizuchi crawl inside his cloak to be hidden from the world. "I would let you sit about my shoulders, but people tend to startle easily, and they don't take kindly to giant serpents being up in their business. Besides, it pretty well marks me out as being shinobi which is kind of counterproductive don't you think?" The snake remained silent. "I will take that as acceptance and once we get where we are going, I will be sure to let you out to play," he remarked with a smirk. He had dressed himself for war
Stepping out of the cave into the morning air Doku felt invigorated, something about the way the world felt after the rain had come and gone gave him hope. Breathing deeply, he stepped out on his journey back down the mountain. "I know what I must do now," Mizuchi popped his head out from beneath the cloak and looked at his friend. "We are taking a big risk by heading back to that place, but it must be done and no matter what comes I will face it." He began to stroll towards the path heading down. "I know in my heart that if they were able to return that they would have at least contacted me by now, sent some sort of messenger, but instead all I hear is silence and I can stand it no longer."
His feet carried him swiftly along the mountain path and gradually towards the southeast and his destination. He had foraged enough supplies from the surrounding terrain in his time here that he would be able to feed himself for most of the journey and once he was back in that place, he would be able to find succour in the hills. His brother's old place beneath the mountain would be his first destination and there would be supplies hidden there for him to use. Best case scenario is he would find his brother's there, but he did not hold much hope, either way it would be a safe place from which to operate as none but a Myakashi would know its location.
"Perhaps I should ask some of the other Myakashi to join me for this search, especially considering where I am going?" A hiss emanated from deep within his cloak. "I will take that to mean you disapprove Mizuchi? I guess you are right, the rest of the clan does not have the connection that we do, and it would not be right to risk them in such a way when I know the consequence of being discovered is death. This is my problem and I need to handle it." With his resolve set and his goal in mind he quickened his step and broke into a run. His old bones did not slow him and few moments later he sprung from the ground to the trees. He let his tension go and threw himself with abandon into a sprint, chasing away his own doubts.
He felt his cares and his worries melt away as he ran but before they disappeared completely, he quietly said a prayer to whatever gods were listening, "Let me find my brothers safe and sound. Let me find them in one piece and together sharing tea over a fire, but should I find them gone then grant me the strength to bring vengeance to those responsible."
[Word Count: 1506]
[Discovery of Contract of Random Choice - ASP Card Used]
[No matter what contract I get I am using my Inuzuka powers to change the result to Snake]
