Tamashii would not be pleased what she was about to do. Nor would Kenshin, particularly because she told him she would not abscond from the village. Truthfully, she gave the official investigation some time before she would make her way to the one place she knew she could find answers. Though not in her official capacity, she could not be seen where she was going, especially late at night, and especially without accompaniment.
Untrue, she would bring Ezo and Eiki along, because realistically she had no choice. Although they listened to her, they would not disobey a direct order from Kenshin either, nor would she make them. Besides, taking Besito was a dead giveaway that she was who she was, and it was times like this when she cursed his size.
She slid in to and all black outfit with matching gloves. Her top, was a long-sleeved turtle neck made of a jersey material as were her pants. She would braid her hair down and place it under a black dome cap, ensuring that none of her tresses would peek out. While requesting her own mask would be cause Tamashii to be alarmed, she knew just where to find one. Pulling out the same mask that Umashi wore to her party, she would don it as well, she was sure he wouldn’t mind.
Using the same secret passage way that she used to get in and out of Crater City the last time, she and her companions made their way to her good friend, Apple. Apple, not his real name, owned a dive bar on the outskirts of Crater City. Anyone who needed information, knew to get it from Apple. He was the best in his business, and he didn’t come cheap, although one wouldn’t know it by the look of him and his dump he called a bar. He often joked that once the leadership got sick of looking at the Crater, he’d be the one to be able to retire nicely off some unnamed coast with all the money he stacked. While he was annoying in his bragging, no one bothered to off him, afraid they would need him for some random and useful information.
Yomi entered the bar. People were happily drunk with their heads down and perhaps a hand or two down an age appropriate woman’s top. Everyone was minding their business, but, at the site of what appeared to be an ANBU, they scattered. Eiki made threatening teeth bearing gestures and, outside where she left him, Ezo’s sheer size was enough for people to stumble over and flee. They wanted no parts of anyone that looked to be ANBU tonight.
Snarling, as the last customer practically tripped over themselves trying to get out of the hole in the wall, Apple slammed a glass on the bar.
“See what you did?! You ran out good paying customers!”
Yomi moved closer towards the bar, after she closed the door and behind her, and sat down. She looked him over through the mask. His disheveled appearance and horrid stench made worse by the sensitivity of a pregnant nose. At least he looked like he had a bath in the past week. She had not seen him in many years now, and only was updated on him via Kaori during the mission she sent her own. Apple was just as Kaori depicted and yet, he was different to her own eyes.
Yomi would not delay, for every minute wasted would led to a morning where Kenshin would find her missing, but first they would share a moment of knowing.
“Apple, Icarus, Goro…”She said, in her familiar even tone. Apple pushed away from his bar and into the wall behind him. His face twisted in a disgusting visage before making a sign of the uninitiated.
“She-Demon!” He hissed as he slightly bowed his head. Yomi adjusted her mask and made a motion for him to rise.
“I am in need of you…” Yomi began, now that the pleasantries were done with. “Would you deny me a request?”
The glass Apple slammed down was immediately filled with something dark and strong smelling. He swallowed it in one big gulp and poured himself another, shooting that as well. Yomi folded her hands together waiting for him to gather himself.
Apple, still trying to clutch the wall as he drank looked at Yomi in her get-up.
“So, the Pretty Thing wasn’t lying when she said she was working for you, huh? Not that anyone would lie about that. I didn’t take you for being a government tool, but, a gig is a gig. Besides, I imagine you’ll get bored with that long life of yours.” His tone was gruff and unfriendly when it came to her, and should you know his story, you’d know why. This is not that story.
Through the mask the Hokage spoke. “I’m pleased you can be so understanding, Goro. While I would love to stay and catch up with you, I’m seeking answers that only you can provide.” Apple looked at the masked woman and pulled a stool from the side of the bar where she was sitting and sat down on it. He seemed to weigh the request over in his mind before choosing his response.
“Apple, don’t give nothing without getting nothing in return. What are you offering?”
“Nothing…” Yomi said in an even tone. she could feel the protest to begin to rise in him, but she would quiet those objections with facts.
“…or do you mean to say that the life you have is suddenly forfeit? Do I …” Apple waved a hand indicating that he wanted her to stop. Whatever she was going to say he did not want her to repeat.
“Fine, fine! But, I make no promises.” He looked over at Eiki the silent watcher. Suddenly he became panic stricken.
“Did you turn Asuka into that wolf?”
“No.” Yomi was not going to volunteer anything further. Apple’s beady eyes shifted between her and the wolf before sighing in what could only be considered relief.
“What do you want?”
Yomi knew Apple. She couldn’t tell him more than he needed to know, because he’d be able to put bits of information together that he had acquired over the years to create a broader picture. So, she chose the only detail she could without telling him her reasons for asking.
“I’d like to know of the Black Bird.” Yomi shifted uncomfortably on her seat. This stool was not made for sitting.
Apple grunted before pouring himself another shot.
“I don’t know any Black Bird…”he said slowly. “...but, if what you’re talking about what immediately came to my mind, I would say that I didn’t know you believed in such fairy-tales.”
Shaking her head, she would respond gently, against the rage she felt. “Humor me, Goro.”
“There is nothing to say beyond what I’ve heard in conversations between drunken old men who deal in these sort of fantasies. It’s always the same, a Red Haired Uchiha or a Red Haired…something…I can’t recall the name now. More often than not it’s Uchiha though. She comes and the, Black Bird, as you called it, appears.” Yomi visibly straightened at the information. Apple saw this and gave a word of advice.
“Now, Supreme, do not go waving those hands and cursing the world in search of the, Black Bird, it’s talked of like…like an Omen. It’s like when you wish someone to hell. It probably won’t happen.” Yomi stood from her seat abruptly, startling the man, making him stand on his feet as well.
“Goro…my Icarus, who I have called Apple. The name for which you so proudly claim. In all your awe and subsequent hatred of me, do you not think that my presence here, now is an Omen?” The question was rhetorical, but, she could see the realization and understanding flood his face.
“You…you’ve seen it!” Apple gasped, making a sign of his faith, the sign of the uninitiated. She was not going to respond as he well knew, though he decided to offer something more to her.
“It’s dark, not black, and it’s much more than a bird. This is Fire Country after all.” Because he could not see her face she offered him a verbal thank you of sorts.
“Rei finds that you are very much needed here more so than at Her table at this time. In Her name, that is mine.” Yomi exited the bar hearing the man burst into prayer. When this whole thing was over and done with, she would have to remember to return to him to grant him what he really sought. That is, if this at all worked out in her favor.
Untrue, she would bring Ezo and Eiki along, because realistically she had no choice. Although they listened to her, they would not disobey a direct order from Kenshin either, nor would she make them. Besides, taking Besito was a dead giveaway that she was who she was, and it was times like this when she cursed his size.
She slid in to and all black outfit with matching gloves. Her top, was a long-sleeved turtle neck made of a jersey material as were her pants. She would braid her hair down and place it under a black dome cap, ensuring that none of her tresses would peek out. While requesting her own mask would be cause Tamashii to be alarmed, she knew just where to find one. Pulling out the same mask that Umashi wore to her party, she would don it as well, she was sure he wouldn’t mind.
Using the same secret passage way that she used to get in and out of Crater City the last time, she and her companions made their way to her good friend, Apple. Apple, not his real name, owned a dive bar on the outskirts of Crater City. Anyone who needed information, knew to get it from Apple. He was the best in his business, and he didn’t come cheap, although one wouldn’t know it by the look of him and his dump he called a bar. He often joked that once the leadership got sick of looking at the Crater, he’d be the one to be able to retire nicely off some unnamed coast with all the money he stacked. While he was annoying in his bragging, no one bothered to off him, afraid they would need him for some random and useful information.
Yomi entered the bar. People were happily drunk with their heads down and perhaps a hand or two down an age appropriate woman’s top. Everyone was minding their business, but, at the site of what appeared to be an ANBU, they scattered. Eiki made threatening teeth bearing gestures and, outside where she left him, Ezo’s sheer size was enough for people to stumble over and flee. They wanted no parts of anyone that looked to be ANBU tonight.
Snarling, as the last customer practically tripped over themselves trying to get out of the hole in the wall, Apple slammed a glass on the bar.
“See what you did?! You ran out good paying customers!”
Yomi moved closer towards the bar, after she closed the door and behind her, and sat down. She looked him over through the mask. His disheveled appearance and horrid stench made worse by the sensitivity of a pregnant nose. At least he looked like he had a bath in the past week. She had not seen him in many years now, and only was updated on him via Kaori during the mission she sent her own. Apple was just as Kaori depicted and yet, he was different to her own eyes.
Yomi would not delay, for every minute wasted would led to a morning where Kenshin would find her missing, but first they would share a moment of knowing.
“Apple, Icarus, Goro…”She said, in her familiar even tone. Apple pushed away from his bar and into the wall behind him. His face twisted in a disgusting visage before making a sign of the uninitiated.
“She-Demon!” He hissed as he slightly bowed his head. Yomi adjusted her mask and made a motion for him to rise.
“I am in need of you…” Yomi began, now that the pleasantries were done with. “Would you deny me a request?”
The glass Apple slammed down was immediately filled with something dark and strong smelling. He swallowed it in one big gulp and poured himself another, shooting that as well. Yomi folded her hands together waiting for him to gather himself.
Apple, still trying to clutch the wall as he drank looked at Yomi in her get-up.
“So, the Pretty Thing wasn’t lying when she said she was working for you, huh? Not that anyone would lie about that. I didn’t take you for being a government tool, but, a gig is a gig. Besides, I imagine you’ll get bored with that long life of yours.” His tone was gruff and unfriendly when it came to her, and should you know his story, you’d know why. This is not that story.
Through the mask the Hokage spoke. “I’m pleased you can be so understanding, Goro. While I would love to stay and catch up with you, I’m seeking answers that only you can provide.” Apple looked at the masked woman and pulled a stool from the side of the bar where she was sitting and sat down on it. He seemed to weigh the request over in his mind before choosing his response.
“Apple, don’t give nothing without getting nothing in return. What are you offering?”
“Nothing…” Yomi said in an even tone. she could feel the protest to begin to rise in him, but she would quiet those objections with facts.
“…or do you mean to say that the life you have is suddenly forfeit? Do I …” Apple waved a hand indicating that he wanted her to stop. Whatever she was going to say he did not want her to repeat.
“Fine, fine! But, I make no promises.” He looked over at Eiki the silent watcher. Suddenly he became panic stricken.
“Did you turn Asuka into that wolf?”
“No.” Yomi was not going to volunteer anything further. Apple’s beady eyes shifted between her and the wolf before sighing in what could only be considered relief.
“What do you want?”
Yomi knew Apple. She couldn’t tell him more than he needed to know, because he’d be able to put bits of information together that he had acquired over the years to create a broader picture. So, she chose the only detail she could without telling him her reasons for asking.
“I’d like to know of the Black Bird.” Yomi shifted uncomfortably on her seat. This stool was not made for sitting.
Apple grunted before pouring himself another shot.
“I don’t know any Black Bird…”he said slowly. “...but, if what you’re talking about what immediately came to my mind, I would say that I didn’t know you believed in such fairy-tales.”
Shaking her head, she would respond gently, against the rage she felt. “Humor me, Goro.”
“There is nothing to say beyond what I’ve heard in conversations between drunken old men who deal in these sort of fantasies. It’s always the same, a Red Haired Uchiha or a Red Haired…something…I can’t recall the name now. More often than not it’s Uchiha though. She comes and the, Black Bird, as you called it, appears.” Yomi visibly straightened at the information. Apple saw this and gave a word of advice.
“Now, Supreme, do not go waving those hands and cursing the world in search of the, Black Bird, it’s talked of like…like an Omen. It’s like when you wish someone to hell. It probably won’t happen.” Yomi stood from her seat abruptly, startling the man, making him stand on his feet as well.
“Goro…my Icarus, who I have called Apple. The name for which you so proudly claim. In all your awe and subsequent hatred of me, do you not think that my presence here, now is an Omen?” The question was rhetorical, but, she could see the realization and understanding flood his face.
“You…you’ve seen it!” Apple gasped, making a sign of his faith, the sign of the uninitiated. She was not going to respond as he well knew, though he decided to offer something more to her.
“It’s dark, not black, and it’s much more than a bird. This is Fire Country after all.” Because he could not see her face she offered him a verbal thank you of sorts.
“Rei finds that you are very much needed here more so than at Her table at this time. In Her name, that is mine.” Yomi exited the bar hearing the man burst into prayer. When this whole thing was over and done with, she would have to remember to return to him to grant him what he really sought. That is, if this at all worked out in her favor.