Overlord Senju Kazuki [Private]

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

It was mid day, not a time for lurking but rather a time for fading into the passing crowds. Sunagakure, or at least the subterranean portion was never actually rebuilt. Rather the ruined remains seemed to sit here, they would never fester and rot but rather remain a stoic reminder of what could fail. Clad in a heavy woolen, hooded cloak that obscured her features ambled a single woman. she seemed to blend in with the passing masses but that was the intention. She was not supposed to stand out, not here of all places. She was a siphon of knowledge and the ruins were a storehouse of lost intellect.

There was something else she was after of course, it was a foreigner that she had been following. It would be a lie to claim she was doing a good job, that was part of her intent in this particular man's case. He was a former Kohonagakure ANBU-branch Sennin from what she had heard and moreover he was also a man of relative importance in Iwagakure. Some might consider him a celebrity and perhaps they should, but that was not what fascinated her, not truly. It was how he had so swiftly ingratiated himself with the present Steward, despite his various proclivities. The Steward was a man of average intellect in her perspective but he had a high personal opinion. His judgement was not in question, making choices and alliances in haste was something men did more often than they would admit even to themselves. Her latest topic of enthusiasm was the man who seemed so capable of making friends.

It has been since yesterday that she has stalked him. She figured he would notice her eventually if he had not some time ago already. She was prepared for him of course, in this setting she was the predator and not the prey. It was her assumption that eventually he would attempt to lure her someplace considering his shinobi training, ironic how she was setting a 'trap' for herself just to get a closer look. It has been said that curiosity killed the cat, but that is why they have nine lives.

OC: Looking for Kazuki. I know you will notice this thread, so come and get me. I will have some better posts after I am off my shifts.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Life was nothing but a pile of ironies banded together to create one big joke. As part of his training for the Oracle order, Kazuki had to devise a way to lure Fuu out, but a few days ago he found himself being shadowed by a hooded figure. It was not easy to do so to the former ANBU Sennin, and even harder to go unnoticed, but the sole Oracle had managed the former, but not latter. Although initially oblivious to the identity of his stalker, the Overlord eventually deduced who it was. The fact this figure was permanently hooded, made no contact with anyone, in fact, seemed to be ignored by the masses. Like the holocrons of hold, this woman was a repository of knowledge. Given enough time and desire, the White Wolf could gain much from actively engaging her. While passing through a particular crowded street, the Silvery Haired Man created a perfect replica of himself, that kept walking forward, whose sole purpose was to continue luring Fuu. The real Reaper, however, merged with his shadows and climbed the ruins so he could reach a vantage point over the remaining Oracle.

Once gained, regardless if she knew his ploy or not, the former Sennin would for the perfect time to land near her. Waiting for a void of people place in the ruins, Kazuki would drop behind Fuu, producing nothing but a faint sound on his landing, even if the height of his jump had grand enough to produce something more audible. Unfortunately, his presence was usually heralded by a very chilling sensation, the howl of the wind, and by shadows becoming more lively and prominent. Yes, he had a way to shut that off, or at least, downsize said effects, but usually he enjoyed seeing the feelings they created upon others. "Lye omenta ie' tella." (We meet at last.) he would calmly comment. If she trully was Fuu and an actual Oracle, then she would properly reply to the Overlord's sentence. If not using the same language, at least in common.

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

She followed the ambling former Sennin through the milling crowd. She would stop on occasion and monitor his gait, his posture and take mental note of his movements. She was not carrying with her the one thing that made her easy to identify -- that massive leather bound tome that was most commonly found within her capable grasp. Her lips grew thin in a moment of thought as the foreigner continued on. This was the moment that Kazuki merged with the darkness and shade that was not only of his own creation but also that of the structures and the passing crowd. There were still a handful of civilians and shinobis who frequented the former tower site, to some perhaps it was a pilgrimage of remeberance for all of the things they had lost and for others perhaps it was out of habit or a restless need to go to a place that had a sense of familiarity. The world for these people had been rocked this past year but it was about to happen again and it was with this urgency she knew what she had to do to compel the right people to be in the right place at the right time.

Fuu was adept at a great many things, one of them was her ability to conceal herself which was second to none. It was because of this that she was also able to recognize it in others, while yes she was not able to visualize his form she knew he was on the move and not in the direction that she had been maintaining visual contact. Shadows were excellent at keeping secrets, while his location was in twain she could only see the mundane public form. The Oracle stopped and moved no further as she scanned the crowd with her calculating eyes. She would not see the flutter of his cloak or a flash of his prematurely grey tresses among the denizens of Sunagakure. She took a short, perturbed breath as she concentrating on back-tracking his movements.

She did not detect his exact course of descent, only that his vertical movement was abrupt. She did not hear his feet touch the ground or the rustle of his robes as the current of his gravity-assisted descent went underway. It was not until he called out to her that she was certain.

"Lye omenta ie' tella."

An archaic language most certainly, just how old was difficult to surmise. She reached for her hood and allowed it to fall behind her to reveal snow white hair. "Mae govannem Overlord Senju Kazuki," she replied without turning around. It was a simple greeting often between two warriors that meant 'well met.' Her back was to the foreign dignitary , she did not move a muscle as she attempted to feel his aura. Not a specific skill she had, rather the obvious one where his presence made a fanfare with crack of thunder and the howl of an approaching 'monstrosity', the chill of death. He was a man that desired to be seen and a man who wanted to be feared. She could not feel the atmospheric change nor did a cacophony of sound accompany his approach. All she felt was the damp underground air and the mutterings of passerby's. "This is your desired locus?" there was a hint of incredulity in her voice, not that she was offended but rather it was more to her benefit than his that he did not lure her away from the purview of the public.

She would turn around. She was overwhelmingly average in height, weight and stature. Her face was somewhat sunkissed but still pallid, her recent adventures on the surface had left her somewhat exposed. "I have been waiting with great anticipation for this, our first acquaintance." She commented as her hands recessed to the confines of her cloak. "This exordium could have no better venue," she announced. She did not introduce herself, such was nothing more than a formality because she was irrelevant in this conversation and rather a mouthpiece of logic. "Prematurely grey with an ashen complexion, but not in a state of convalescence," she verbally assessed but it was more a statement of the obvious from her perspective. He had the features of a man much older than his body would suggest - being that his body was in peak physical form for a young man. A point she felt she did not need to further draw attention to in such an open space. "A defector most likely," she all but accused but she did not say the words with spite but rather mirth. "I find it quite fascinating... you with your silver tongue."

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Kazuki's greeting had used a very archaic language. It was a test to the female he suspected as being the Oracle. What were the chances of a random person knowing a long dead and forgotten language, and be there to reply to the Overlord in kind? The same ones as getting a straight A+ from an exam without ever doing it. Pretty much an impossible event. And so as Fuu replied to the White Wolf using the same dead language, he knew he had hit the jackpot. "This is your desired locus?" she would question, effectively replacing one dead tongue with another. Did she thing he needed to meet her in secrecy? Did she wonder if he dreaded to show the local populace a side they were not accustomed to? A negative for both questions. Kazuki was not afraid of having public and it had been her that selected that place. "Afraid of public are we?" the Silvery Haired Man would inquire back. An Oracle could not survive for long if she was out there all the time. Or if she was known as such. So it would not surprise the former Sennin if she was.

Only after Fuu had turned around would Reaper take a very good look on her. Plain, average, mundane. All good works that aptly described the Oracle's looks. If it were not for her shadiness, she could easily blend in a crowd. It was no wonder why she was so hard to find. "I have been waiting with great anticipation for this, our first acquaintance." she would note, to which, Kazuki would simply nod in reply. There were no need for words in his part. Repeating what she had just said would be ridiculous and since she had not bothered with introducing herself, he was certain the normal laws of etiquette were not needed here. "Prematurely grey with an ashen complexion, but not in a state of convalescence." the Oracle would assess. She was clearly making a visual examination of the Overlord. But she did not have all the facts. "Indeed I am not in a state of convalescence. The color of my skin or of my hair is not a product of serious disease that ravaged my body." the White Wolf noted, purposefully pausing for a moment before continuing, "It is a product of something far more sinister.". He would allow that to sink, but he would also not tell anything else about the subject, unless directly asked by her. If she truly sought knowledge and if she truly was interested on him, then she would bite the bait.

"A defector most likely" she would continue her assessment. "You made me curious now." the Silvery Haired Man immediately stated. "Defector from what exactly?" he questioned. If there was one thing he hated was acts of betrayal. If there was one kind of people he hated was betrayers. If she was comparing him to them, then Fuu was making a dreadful mistake.

[MFT - 497]

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

"Afraid of public are we?"

The Senju prodded. "A colloquy between strangers, you and I," Fuu rationalized. She would be certainly considered a terrorist if people who who or what she was, but beyond rumors and the hazy remembrance of a face she would be a hard woman to place. "I have feelings that you have just as many secrets as I," the passing of denizens was not a reason for caution but rather celebration. These people represented human shields, potential hostages and most importantly a moving hiding place for a watcher such as she.

"Indeed I am not in a state of convalescence. The color of my skin or of my hair is not a product of serious disease that ravaged my body. ...It is a product of something far more sinister."

Fuu's lips drew into a thin line across her face. "Certainly, a single word erupted and nothing more. "You realize that you are burning a candle on both ends," she added sounding more like a mother than an adviser. She had suspected his hair was not a fashion choice, and while conformation was left purposefully ominous she continued on. Open ended statements were always the best place to start. Confirm or deny, it did not matter -- it was how you reacted to the announcement that mattered. She called him a defector.

"You made me curious now. ...Defector from what exactly?"

Fuu enjoyed these games and the dance. So many smart young men in this community, it had been a long time since she was actually enraptured in a story. She shrugged her shoulders in response, she was playing coy. "You are not a homespun shinobi and you are not of Wind Country," she explained simply allowing him to take from it what he would. "If you were not trained here or at the Soverign," she smiled and raised her brow. "Then you had to be trained elsewhere," she shook her head in a tsk'ing manner. "Whomever did train you would have expected your allegiance in return and yet here you are. So friendly with the Steward. Your fingers in almost every facet of the community, every except the right one." she paused for a moment as well, she could play the game of dramatic effect as well but her time was far too precious to allow it to linger sufficiently. "With great candor I will say that I do not care if you have the village's best interests at heart because you will be inexorably bound to the events about to transpire and for that reason you are a necessary variable in the days to come."

Would his pride come before his mind? Would his heart beat harder than his greed.

Oh the things you can learn.​

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"I have feelings that you have just as many secrets as I," Fuu noted. Kazuki shrugged his shoulders. That was in the realm of possible, but he was no Oracle though, only an aspiring one. If he indeed had many secrets as her, then something was either horribly right or horribly wrong. "You realize that you are burning a candle on both ends." the Oracle declared with what seemed to be maternal instinct. The Overlord deduced she had said that due to his words that the reason for his skin and color pigmentation were due to something sinister. Well, the White Wolf had done extensive experimentation on his youth. Seeking to improve and surpass his limits, self-imposed by his race, the Silvery Haired Man conduct experiences, successful experiences, that led to his current state. He had achieve a state that could be considered borderline superhuman, but not exactly so. He had no regrets about what he had done and he would repeat everything in a blink of the eye. "And you will realize that this candle has still a long way to go." Reaper retorted. His answer could have multiple interpretations, but he favoring the fact he walked the earth collecting souls, and said souls had many uses for him. In a sense he was like an Ancient.

The Ashen Haired Man had just called him a defector. Kazuki was immediately curious to why she had labeled him such and so he inquired her. Her explanation was almost spot on, but she did fail on a few points. Reaper was going to correct her, but not in full capacity. If she was curious, he was going to make her work to sate said curiosity. "You are correct. I am not native to the Wind Country. I came from a neighboring country. I am here, that is correct, but I did not defect from anything. Guess again." the former Sennin told her. Yes, Leaf was gone as a Shinobi Village. Overrun by a samurai army at the behest of the Fire Daimyo. The Overlord of the Senju Clan fled his home, just like any other survivor. None of them had defected from their home village. "So friendly with the Steward. Your fingers in almost every facet of the community, every except the right one." Fuu would add. The right one? It was true Kazuki slowly spreading his influence over Sand. His shadows were insidious and were everywhere. His right eyebrow was raised, but that was all the demonstration his body showed about his feelings. "I am weaving a web of shadows over the entire village. You cannot escape from it, Fuu of the Cabal." the White Wolf declared. The last part of his sentence had been murmured. It was for Fuu's ears only.

"And now tell me." the Silvery Haired Man spoke as he took step closer to her "Why did you seek me out?"

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

Fuu listened to the Senju's harrowing several word tale that basically agreed with her while denying her ultimate assessment. She tapped on her cloak-covered hip with her fingers as if she was contemplating a response to the beat of her drumming fingers. "If that was true wholly you would still be there," she inhaled. She had no way of knowing for certain he was from one of the grew shinobi nations but considering his pallor and general physique she assumed that he had more than dabbled in the forbidden arts. It was something a smaller, lesser community would have lacked. "Objectively speaking, forbidden practices are what they are for good reason." She did not know exactly what dark practices he subscribed to but eventually she would know -- the mysteries of a nation could not be squirreled away, in contrast the clandestine workings of a single man would be a pittance in comparison.

So she would continue to prod with the small scraps she knew and the hypotheses she formulated from these meager bits.

She was correct, Kazuki's insidious grasp was reaching further. He was not a trustworthy man in her opinion, he was slowly consolidating positions and power beneath himself. He had already gotten inside of Sousuke's inner circle, considering Sousuke's recent social and familial drama, the Kazekage was weakened psychologically and it would be an excellent opportunity to take advantage of the Steward's weakness. It was not a foolish leap of logic. She had a half smile, it was closer to a condescending smirk. She was not here for him or the Steward or even the village. This was for her sake, she wanted this to finally end and end it would in a final, bloody war that would unify the nation finally under a single banner. She did not care if Suna won or if Sora did, she wanted them both to nearly destroy the other so utterly that nothing would remain except the final few who would then rule over every tribe uncontested. There would be nothing left to war... and finally there would be peace.

"Then introductions have been made," she replied, unwavering in the face of a threat. Yes, she saw the ashy foreign figure that she only knew so little of. He approached and she watched his form. She took note of his posture, how he rested his hand. If it looked as if he had a concealed weapon beyond what was already exposed. He asked her why and it was something she had an answer to. "I saw you at the library," she admitted. "Your... dangerous choices might have cost you something, but for the moment I believe you are better for it. Why hide away and learn when the world is about to burn. Defer your academic passions for a time and you will get a better yield... Have you ever heard of the Ranger Order."

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"If that was true wholly you would still be there," was Fuu's answer to Kazuki explanation that he had defected from nothing. "Incorrect again. If you are a true Oracle, and not one of those fake diviners of other countries, then you should be aware of what has happened with Hidden Mist Village in the Water Country, yes?" the Overlord questioned. He was giving her a false lead. Trying to convince Fuu he was from Mist, not from Leaf. He was uncertain how much she knew about him. Her words could also be misgiving. She could be leading him to a false sense of security, trying to pretend she knew little, when the opposite was true. She was not to be trusted lightly. "Objectively speaking, forbidden practices are what they are for good reason." the Oracle would eventually note. Well, sometimes the reason for forbidding a technique was a matter of perspective. Most of the time, said Kinjusu techniques were not dangerous, only powerful. And those in charge were always trying to limit power whenever possible. And for the Senju clan that was a no go. Limiting power was against their nature and such, every Senju treated a Kinjutsu as any other technique. "Sometimes forbidden techniques are labeled as such because whoever did so, did not bother to understand their true function." the White Wolf told her, trying to shed a new light over such perilous theme.

The Silvery Haired Man did not fail to spot a condescending smirk on Fuu's face upon the revelation that he was weaving a web of shadows over the entire Hidden Village and over every tract of society. This was either a reaction to Reaper's veiled threat or to the notion of what he was insidiously doing. Perhaps she considered him untrustworthy, but to whom did she held her allegiances? The former Sennin's actions could be viewed as traitorous and villainous to some, but what he was doing was only to safeguard his new home from the same fate of his former one. If he had to gain some bad publicity, so be it. Rather be considered infamous but make sure Sand stays, than to be loved by everyone but homeless again. Kazuki suddenly opened up both hands, showing up he had no concealed weapons and perhaps meant no threat to her. Or was just because he did not want to scare her right away. They had reason to be together. She had sought him out on her own accord, but Kazuki would also take advantage of her presence and knowledge. He had heard an interesting fact about a certain Toraono that was known as the Shield of Sand. He was dead and his remains were in an unknown location. He was going to use Fuu to locate the body and revive him.

"Have you ever heard of the Ranger Order." the Oracle would eventually question the Overlord. "Not much." the Silvery Haired Man unwillingly admitted. He never enjoyed admitting he lacked any kind of knowledge, but the Orders were such Sunagakure specific topics that he did not had the time to learn more about them. "Only what Takahashi Sousuke shared with us in a certain meeting with the entire village." he added moments later. What her point then? Was she trying to convey he should join the Ranger Order?

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

"Incorrect again. If you are a true Oracle, and not one of those fake diviners of other countries, then you should be aware of what has happened with Hidden Mist Village in the Water Country, yes?"

Interesting soupçon. Of course she was aware of what happened to Kirigakure, the entire region was place into a deep frost that made it impossible for humans to thrive there. There have been rumors however that there were things that could survive in those frozen wilds. She could only imagine their ravenous hunger and the opportunity for an 'easy' human meal would make any adventure to the frigid locale treacherous. "I know as much as anyone who has read a newpaper in the past few years would," she countered. "hardly inclusion criteria." Perhaps she knew a bit more than she admitted, but in a game of poker one should never show their hand before it is played. She did take a brief pause, she was in thought. "Then you must be familiar with their great library, the Aesculapium?"</B><i></i> She offered, a look of interest in her voice. "Have you learned of anything of value from such an acclaimed center of learning?"

"Sometimes forbidden techniques are labeled as such because whoever did so, did not bother to understand their true function."

She bit her tongue. No, she was not going to debate his point. It was an assessment of his ethic or rather lack thereof that she was curious about. Forbidden practices are just that not because of their inherent danger to oneself but because of the moral ramifications it had on one's immortal soul if one were to subscribe to such religious mythology. The hastening of ones own demise or the forced sacrifice of others to gain powers you would never have achieved on your own has caused several practices to earn the ire of most scholars. There was danger in the daily lives of most shinobis as they honed their bodies to become weapons and they learned to defy or control nature itself. Some men were simply masochists, she understood the concept better than most and she was no better in her youth when she tried to learn something greater than her scope. In an attempt to learn she too went prematurely grey. Her fingers rubbed a small lock of hair between them as the memory sunk in.

The Reaper opened his hands, revealing empty palms. It was a relief to the cautious Oracle in a way, there was much she did not know about the foreigner. "You realize that the men and women in the highest stations of most communities are rather famous, even if in name only?" She finally asked, her voice a bit lower than it had been. She repeated his name, "Mister Senju Kazuki." She was putting an end to one of the dances they were having but they were about to engage in another. She might not have known his identity as an ANBU but a man does not earn such an esteemed position without making a name for himself. His deeds. His trespasses. His victories. His failures and defeats. The later being exceptionally few. She asked him about the Ranger Order.

"Not much... Only what Takahashi Sousuke shared with us in a certain meeting with the entire village."<i></i>

"Then you should be aware of its basic premise. Brought up from perdition, shackled by mighty ancients, these men of antiquity rose up in the face of overwhelming odds to provide a spark of hope for humanity. Initially separated by the oppression that kept them in chains, the Orders are comprised of individuals tho made an effort to create a new world for themselves. A lifelong calling and vocation, those who filled the ranks of these Orders used their unique abilities to overcome the many trials they would face. Many of the trials that Sunagakure will soon face in this coming war. Men of the wild sands and true earth, the Ranger Order is the most ancient of the orders. They rose during the neolithic era, long before even the advent of written word. In the beginning Sunanites were nomadic as food, shelter and water were lacking and the beasts of the realm were dangerous and hungered."<i></i> She gave a brief historical account, not mentioning their decline during Godsfall or the loss of many of their records during the Great Descent three decades ago. Many of the Rangers faded into obscurity over the years, but their actions and their skills were well chronicled in the tomes of the Oracles. She remembered them for what they were. <B>"Skilled trackers and hunters, not of only beast but also man. The Soverign are coming and there is nothing Sunagakure can do to prevent the things that are to come," she warned. It was grave thing to say in such a public place, not that she made a spectacle of this but there was a chance that she was overheard. "Masters of stealth and tracking, they were the first, true hunters in archaic society. Does this not fit your skillset?"

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"Then you must be familiar with their great library, the Aesculapium?" She offered, a look of interest in her voice. "Have you learned of anything of value from such an acclaimed center of learning?" was Fuu's response to Kazuki's attempt to falsely led her to believe he was from the Water Country. It was a nice try, but the Overlord had been to Kumogakure before so he knew better. "I earned much about medical practices, or I would have if the Aesculapium was not Kumoragakure's hospital, located in Kumogakure which is in the Lightning Country." the Overlord noted as he crossed his arms. They were clearly playing a game of wits. A game of chess, if you will, without using any chess piece. So far they were even, perhaps with a very slight advantage to the Silvery Haired Man. But if was indeed Fuu, the Oracle and a Cabal Member, then he had no chance of winning. Her knowledge far surpassed his own and she was probably toying with him.

"I appreciate your warning about forbidden techniques and their usage, but I believe that would also apply to you, no? I think you are not as old as you look, which means maybe you suffered something that accelerated your aging. Correct?" the White Wolf guessed. Well, in truth, they were one and the same. Both had aged external appearances, but certainly they were both still young. Both had a passion for knowledge, though in Kazuki's case, it was trumped by his thirst for power. Fuu was an Oracle, while Reaper aspired to become one. Both were not from Sunagakure. Yep, many things were alike. Their motives, however, were vastly different. The former Sennin wished nothing but to protect Sand, even if he had to resort to unsavory methods to achieve so. The Oracle was trying unify the Wind Country, even if millions had to die.

She once again showed she knew his name, logically point out that he was prone to be known, the higher his standing in the village was. Kazuki was not bothered with such fact. Not in the least. But his fame, or lack thereof, was not the motive for their meeting. Fuu was interested in the Ranger Order, better yet, she was hoping the Overlord would join the Ranger Order. But why? She started to explain their origins. The were a very ancient order, from the neolithic era. "Skilled trackers and hunters, not of only beast but also man. The Soverign are coming and there is nothing Sunagakure can do to prevent the things that are to come." the Ashen Haired Woman told him, essentially explaining him what Rangers were all about, and sharing with him a warning of a future event that would change everything. Something to share with Sousuke once he had the chance. "Masters of stealth and tracking, they were the first, true hunters in archaic society. Does this not fit your skillset?" she then asked him. With his mastery over shadows and his past as ANBU Sennin, Fuu was quite on point. In fact, she had nailed the bullseye. He was, however, not ready to compromise. "Maybe it does, maybe it does not. I fail to understand why are you so interested in me joining the Ranger Order. Lets forget the notion that I can, or not, be a perfect candidate to become one myself. Let us focus on why is a member of faction that is clearly against Sunagakure, so interested in having me join an Order whose main purpose is to safeguard Sand against threats. Enlighten me please."

 

[Sand Council]

She wondered if he would fall into her trap. It was a game of cat and mouse where truly it was hard to da which was the feline and which was the rodent but the more prideful part of her wanted to believe that she was the cat and not the other way around. In terms of raw information, she exceeded him. However, in terms of physical strength, he was likely her superior. That said, a clever fighter could still overwhelm even the mightiest of adversaries with sufficient effort and preparation. She returned his response with a sly half smile, not that dumb it would seem. She put an end to the game when she revealed the fact that she was at least partially aware of his origins. What she wanted to know was what information he would readily share and that would seem to be close to none as he safeguarded even innocuous information close to his breast. A deceiver and a liar, something that seemed to be a part of his nature.

Moving on...

The Reaper had an assessment of his own. A correct hypothesis in fact. She too was prematurely grey and it was in part due to the forbidden practices she dabbled in during her youth. Fuu nodded in affirmation. "Some things are best left known but unpracticed," she warned. She had seen her fair share of sages and their corrupted power set. How it could facilitate dastardly deeds and subjugate others against their will. Some things were just simply wrong. She did not want power but she wanted to learn and see everything. She also wanted to be free. Free from the Daimyo's grip and liberated from her responsibility to this war. She did not care who or what won or lost, only that the losses for each would be so great and so dire that neither would have the consolidated power to do tho again.

Kazuki finally asked her a simple, yet rather uncommon question: Why. "Because you are proficient Mister Senju Kazuki. Because I am not on anyone's side. Because I sought you out, not the other way around at great risk to myself. You make no secret of your appetites," she replied alluding in her final statement to the souls he not so privately collected. Mao's Place came to mind. "The clawed creature you summoned,"</B><i></i> she referred to the wolverine. <B>"accompanied a Merchant Lord but likely was never recovered." She was there for the Mao incident and he had been on her radar ever since. "Your reasons not relevant Senju Kazuki, but you seem drawn to power and you will comply... Not for my sake but because it is an opportunity and I doubt you would let such things pass you by." She shrugged her shoulders, "and you will protect this community to the best of your ability because being the most powerful man in a ruined land would mean you might have to consider an extended stay in Kirigakure."

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Kazuki had thrown a guess at her. Although following a logical pattern, he had still guessed she had dabbled into the dark and forbidden arts of the so known Kinjutsu. They were both prematurely gray, and her previous warning seemed she was talking by past experiences. And he guessed she was as guilty as him. Something she confirmed by nodding. He would have smirked, but that was not part of his characteristics. Instead, the Overlord nodded in response. The White Wolf had questioned the Oracle to why she was so interested in having him join the Ranger Order, and so the Ashen Haired Woman complied. "Because you are proficient Mister Senju Kazuki. Because I am not on anyone's side. Because I sought you out, not the other way around at great risk to myself. You make no secret of your appetite. Your reasons not relevant Senju Kazuki, but you seem drawn to power and you will comply... Not for my sake but because it is an opportunity and I doubt you would let such things pass you by and you will protect this community to the best of your ability because being the most powerful man in a ruined land would mean you might have to consider an extended stay in Kirigakure."

Well, there was one thing one could say about her answer. Fuu was practically spot on. Reaper was indeed after power and he usually grabbed any opportunity that arose for him. He was indeed deeply invested in making sure Sunagakure was safe. He had failed his previous home, he would not fail his second. Not even death itself would prevent him. He that had conquered death. "Your ability to acquire information is impressive." the Silvery Haired Man noted as he took one step back. This was his acknowledgment that she was correct, if not one hundred percent, with a great margin of certainty. "You can consider myself interested. Continue." he simply said. There was no point in continuing their Tom and Jerry game any longer. It was business time.

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

She felt as if her lungs were emptied of air after she made her assessment. Anxiety and apprehension could be considered thrilling to some but not to one with a single life to live. Right or wrong, there was danger in his ire. She took in a relieved breath when he took a single step back. She had garnered his interest, a sense that gave her a feeling of preeminence and placed her in a position of ataraxia. It was her flaw in a way, a perhaps greater opinion of her skill set than she should with the propensity to adjourn her trepidation when this conviction was supported. "Kaito was the leader of the Cabal, but a man named Kuroda Akio was how we came to Sunagakure," Fuu revealed, her golden eyes flinched to the left and then the right as if she expected something to come out of the crowd for her. Kuroda Akio was the father to Kuroda Uri, a Sunan shinobi who reportedly died a long time ago. Beyond Akio's claimed name she knew little more of the man personally -- only what the records claimed of the shrouded man who seemed to defy her records. Those details were a non-issue at the moment of course, her point was what this man once was. "He was the last Ranger..." her voice trailed off, in all reality his son would be the last of this bloodline but he had gone missing some time ago during the attacks and both father and son's whereabouts were unknown. There was a secret truth to this matter that even she was not fully aware of but that too would be a matter for another day. Akio was an integral part of the attack, from marking tunnels to explosion to destroying the false heavens that lit this subterranean world to the recovery of alliances within the Obsidian Palace and even the arming of structures for detonation -- all for the sake of retribution.

"I know little of the man beneath the hood, but I did learn much of an Order that died out centuries ago. Sunagakure faces a war on two fronts: one being the Soverign army that will soon attack and the other being an old threat known as Ancients who have also raised their banners against not only Sunagakure but the whole of Wind Country. Rangers are not considered necessary in an agrarian society, but it is quite possible that soon mankind will take several steps back." She raised her brow, she was not aware of one key fact regarding the Senju from Fire Country, a variable that she could not have anticipated being his possible shared heritage with those antediluvian creatures. She also would not know how much of the Ancient's war had already spilled onto the silver-haired foreigner's lap already so his lack of response to this might be considered unnerving by some. "The Rangers were hunters in a nomadic society, they tested themselves against not only the elements but also against the great and terrible beasts of the desert." She explained simply. There was more to the Ranger Order than this of course, Rangers also stalked a human and and Ancient prey. "They were also responsible for the near extinction of Ancients in Wind Country. Not that I can say they could truly be destroyed, but they can be stopped and contained." She continued. "Most of these Ancients lay dormant in a vault in Sora and they are used in part to create the Soverign. A Ranger alone is barely sufficient I hesitate to say, those who maintained these old ways were destroyed and their treasures were taken from their stores."

"Inuzuka Amaterasu, apparently an unnoticed Ranger has recently emerged." She shook her head with the statement. "My records show her as mediocre at best in all regards, perhaps a planned facade, but if that was truly the case then she would never have made her affiliation with a dead Order known in the desire to amass new recruits." In all honesty, she doubted the young woman's abilities. "That said, she has done much of the work for you, a recently build structure on the surface seems to afford those who covet the Ranger Order the means to be successful. I have to at the very least commend her for her energy and somehow acquiring the fund necessary to commission such a grand structure." All he needed to know was already in existence because of that young Inuzuka's efforts.

"I know where you are staying," she added. "You will find a passage regarding the Ranger Order on your doorstep, if you are interested I strongly recommend looking into these words. Their techniques regarding stealth should be a point of keen interest for you," she took a step back as she said that. She told him what she had intended in this brief monologue. Her hands wrapped around the cloth hood and she pulled it over her snowy hair. It cast a shadow over her face. "And with that Mister Senju Kazuki, I must bid you adieu. This time we have spent together I hope has been as enlightening for you as much as it has been for me."

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"Kaito was the leader of the Cabal, but a man named Kuroda Akio was how we came to Sunagakure" Fuu told him. Kazuki was unsure why she was telling him that, but soon it was all revealed why. "He was the last Ranger..." she then revealed. The Overlord lowered his brow, which could be interpreted as a sign of anger or sadness. He was not decidedly sad about Akio being the last Ranger. He was definitely angry that he had betrayed his village. The White Wolf had shown plenty of times before, he had a very intense dislike for betrayers. He had killed, both his father and best friend, over it. It was the one thing he could never reach a compromise about. Cross that line and you're dead to the Silvery Haired Man, and sometimes in a literal sense to boot. He was about to say something, when the Oracle continued. "I know little of the man beneath the hood, but I did learn much of an Order that died out centuries ago. Sunagakure faces a war on two fronts: one being the Soverign army that will soon attack and the other being an old threat known as Ancients who have also raised their banners against not only Sunagakure but the whole of Wind Country. Rangers are not considered necessary in an agrarian society, but it is quite possible that soon mankind will take several steps back.". Essentially those were old news to him. Well, the second part of them were. He was deeply aware of the incoming war with Ancients. In fact, since he could possible be one, more correctly, a hybrid, Reaper was in a particular precarious position. But those were things Fuu did not need to know.

"The Rangers were hunters in a nomadic society, they tested themselves against not only the elements but also against the great and terrible beasts of the desert. They were also responsible for the near extinction of Ancients in Wind Country. Not that I can say they could truly be destroyed, but they can be stopped and contained. Most of these Ancients lay dormant in a vault in Sora and they are used in part to create the Soverign. A Ranger alone is barely sufficient I hesitate to say, those who maintained these old ways were destroyed and their treasures were taken from their stores." Kazuki raised his brow again. His face no longer showed anger but a slight curiosity to what he was hearing. The Ancient's location was a very interesting thing to know. This was a piece of information the former Sennin could use as leverage against Suna. She was probably not aware of this. He could use it to direct her anger toward Sora, but if successful, that could mean she would bolster her forces. It was clear he had to use this information, but when and how was something to carefully ponder about.

"Inuzuka Amaterasu, apparently an unnoticed Ranger has recently emerged. My records show her as mediocre at best in all regards, perhaps a planned facade, but if that was truly the case then she would never have made her affiliation with a dead Order known in the desire to amass new recruits. That said, she has done much of the work for you, a recently build structure on the surface seems to afford those who covet the Ranger Order the means to be successful. I have to at the very least commend her for her energy and somehow acquiring the fund necessary to commission such a grand structure." Fuu continued. The Overlord nodded back. Yes, he had heard of her exploits, though he was yet to met her in person. And because of that, he was going to wait for a future meeting before assessing if Fuu's opinion about the Inuzuka, were to be taken into account or not.

"I know where you are staying. You will find a passage regarding the Ranger Order on your doorstep, if you are interested I strongly recommend looking into these words. Their techniques regarding stealth should be a point of keen interest for you. And with that Mister Senju Kazuki, I must bid you adieu. This time we have spent together I hope has been as enlightening for you as much as it has been for me." the Oracle stated. The White Wolf was certainly going to give it a very thorough read of the passage she had mentioned. The Ashen Haired Woman had take a step back as well, clearly trying to go away, but Reaper's business with her were not done, even if the reverse was. He motioned for her to halt. Perhaps his movement would not be enough, but his words certainly would. "Our meeting is not yet over. I appreciate the fact that you have sought me out and that you shared this information with me. I will take this into account and I will join the Ranger Order." the Silvery Haired Man told her. "Let me tell you that it is not often I act in accordance to someone else's opinion, just like I am about to do with yours. But as I have said, we are not done yet. I am enlisting your aid in one matter, and I will not take a no for an answer. You are going to help me find Toroano Reizo's body, the so called Shield of Sand. I am certain you know about him and where his remains lye." the former Sennin instructed her, practically demanding her assistance. "But I am also a reasonable man. By going with me I will allow you to witness what a Dark Sage can do with corpses, first hand." and that was his catch. He was willing to bet she would not let that opportunity go away.

[MFT - 968]

 

[Sand Council]

Fuu
The Oracle​

The Oracle backed away, her mind was tracking the movements of the crowd who seemed to barely notice their interaction or the trove of secrets she had just shared with the Senju Overlord. She had much to do still and it would be a matter of days before the army marched. She did not know if the Diamyō would attack Sunagakure with all of his considerable force at once. He owned the country at this point, the lesser lords already consumed in his political machine. However, his appetite for power would never be sated and he had an exceptionally long life to live. It would not be long before he coveted lands and treasures internationally. Much like his covert war with the other lords whereupon his resources allowed him to reign supreme in a series of battles nobody had ever heard of, doing the same in Sunagakure would yield similar benefit. Something she had already advised him in some time ago. It was not for anyone's benefit in particular she told him this, rather she had no choice in the matter after she crossed that threshold. Yet still, time and time again she returned and she would continue to do so. In her own way she was saving the world by destroying this smaller world.

"Our meeting is not yet over. I appreciate the fact that you have sought me out and that you shared this information with me. I will take this into account and I will join the Ranger Order."

Fuu took another step away. "I believe I have shared all that is pertinent to you Overlord-Ranger Senju Kazuki," she replied as she kept her distance. Her recent interactions with Kasha reminded her that the Diamyō and his forces were not the only ones will to take what they wanted when they saw an opportunity. Her hand reached into the recesses of her cloak and grabbed hold of something spherical assuming that Kazuki's eye was as discerning as his mind. While impossible to know from his position what she had reached for, it was actually a smoke bomb. In open combat she was a mediocre combatant, but from the shadows and the fog it was a different matter entirely. "So I believe I will be on my way," she insisted as her grip tightened and her heart hastened with anticipation. Her golden eyes were watching him as well, would he be so foolish or confident as to try to attack her in the open? He might be seen in a better light than she, but they were both strangers to Wind Country and the general populous.

"Let me tell you that it is not often I act in accordance to someone else's opinion, just like I am about to do with yours. But as I have said, we are not done yet. I am enlisting your aid in one matter, and I will not take a no for an answer. You are going to help me find Toroano Reizo's body, the so called Shield of Sand. I am certain you know about him and where his remains lye."

"I would like to think that I would determine with whom and what I will be assisting," Fuu replied. "I have no interest in abetting a crime against the demon-Toraono clan," she added. It was a matter of personal security even if she felt so compelled to assist him out of boredom or kindness. The Toraono held a high station in Sunagakure society but they also carried a demonic heritage, like beasts and monsters and men and she had no desire to tangle with their earned ire. It was then that she saw the gap she needed in the crowd. It was then that she pulled the small orb from the folds of cloth and prepared to drop the smoke bombs onto the ground before she fled.

"But I am also a reasonable man. By going with me I will allow you to witness what a Dark Sage can do with corpses, first hand."

The orbs had started to fall from her hand as he sweetened the offer. There was a moment's caesura in her actions as her mind pondered his offer. She would have dropped the pair of smoke bombs before her decision was made, but if a billowy cloud of smoke formed or not her answer would be the same. "You have my attention Mister Senju Kazuki," she ran a hand through her hidden cottony hair. Yes, she was indeed curious. "It will require two days of travel each way, are you prepared and available?"

Alright, you found my weakness... Show me something new.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"I believe I have shared all that is pertinent to you Overlord-Ranger Senju Kazuki." Fuu stated as she took one further step back. Kazuki noticed as the Oracle went to grab something from inside her cloak. Although impossible to know what it truly was, the Overlord had spotted it was a spherical object. Considering the situation they were in, and Fuu's clear goal of getting away, by any means necessary, it was painfully obvious she was going to use something to help her escape. Perhaps a stun grenade, a smoke bomb, or whatever device she had for that kind of use. "So I believe I will be on my way." she would insist in her desire to flee their meeting, something that further reinforced the Silvery Haired Man's thought that she was gripping those kind of objects. But it was a mistake on her part. She had just admitted his skill set was one of stealth and tracking. Did she really think she had any chance of escaping him?

"I would like to think that I would determine with whom and what I will be assisting. I have no interest in abetting a crime against the demon-Toraono clan." the Ashen Haired Woman would reply upon hearing the revelation of the White Wolf's plan of resurrecting a fallen Toraono Warrior. Again, he could have smirked, but such things were not on his blood for him to do. He simply shook his head. "You liking will not be a requirement for your assistance. And I will contend with the Toraono Clan when, and if, the time comes. I will soothe their tiger rage until they become a kitten." Reaper declared. He and Kuro were like brothers. If the Toroano Warlord could not understand why the former Sennin would do that, then he clearly had some problems. What better way to defend Sunagakure than by using a man that became known as The Shield of Sand? To instill fear on the hearts of their enemies, as one that had slain droves of foes in the name of Sand, had resurfaced once more to carry on his mission.

Kazuki was yet to drop his ultimate lure to an Oracle, and as such, Fuu was still as adamant as ever about getting way. She finally revealed what she was gripping all this time. A smoke bomb. Foolish woman.Did she really hope of using smoke and shadows to elude someone that had become a master of shadows? There were was only one other individual, in all of Sunagakure, that treated shadows as the Overlord did. And that creature was Mikaboshi, Sand's ANBU Sennin and a Deep Court Ancient. Him and only him. She would, simply, have no chance at all. But the lure finally revealed itself and as expected, the Oracle fell for it. It was too good to let it pass by. "You have my attention Mister Senju Kazuki. It will require two days of travel each way, are you prepared and available?" Fuu finally told him. "I thought that would work to attract your attention." Reaper revealed. He was also prepared and available, but time was fleeting and he did not possess the luxury of having two days worth of traveling. No, they had to use a faster method of transportation. Luckily she was there with him. He was going to use something he had seen Mikaboshi do before, and something he had utilized previously. By enveloping himself with his shadows, and effectively, merging with them, he could speed up any traveling, considerably. It was not instantaneous movement and it required the existence of shadows in the destination. Without those they would be forced to drop out in a different location.

The White Wolf summoned his loyal servants, the shadows in the ambient that began to cover him. To the Oracle and any other that were to look, this was surely very creepy. But it was harmless. He extended his hand to Fuu. "Take my hand and tell me where to. I can place us there in a few hours." Kazuki told her. Would she accept this strange invitation? "You might feel weird for a bit until you grow accustomed, but it will eventually pass." he warned her though. For him it was easy as taking a breath. For others, it was not. If she were to accept his hand, the Overlord would also cover her with those pitch black, wavering shadows, and they would seemingly descend to the earth, leaving no trace behind whatsoever. And off they were.

 

[Sand Council]

OC: "foolish woman", gosh Kazuki I am hurt!

IC:

Fuu
The Oracle​

"I thought that would work to attract your attention."

The Senju was a dangerous individual, the question truly was if she would be able to put him in the right place at the right time or if he would be a later hurdle she would have to overcome. His confidence could be construed as that of a fool or even a madman. But still, she had a weakness for mysteries -- it was part of her interest in the vigilante Kasha. The opportunity to recover a lost warrior was of no interest to her, it would be nothing more than bleached bones but his resurrection or at the very least a reasonable facsimile would be an opportunity that she could not miss.

The shadows underfoot started to quaver. Fuu held her breath when she saw the restless motions of the seemingly living shades creep about. What exactly were they? Due to her studies, she was familiar with most of the great Clans. Nara? She could not help but wonder and assess. The darkness started to ensconce the foreign former Sennin but he seemed unbothered by this. Certainly this would have also garnered the attention of the passing men and women who until this point thankfully overlooked their presence and rather unusual topics of conversation.

"Take my hand and tell me where to. I can place us there in a few hours... You might feel weird for a bit until you grow accustomed, but it will eventually pass."

His hand extended to her, there was little hesitation when it came to learning and experiencing something new. This was not a Nara-trick. A strange expression came over her face, it used a few rarely tested facial muscles. A smile? No, not entirely. It was the look of interest and anticipation. This zeal that a scholar very rarely experiences at this point in their life. With a childhood and early adulthood dedicated to learning and nothing more, there was little recorded that she did not know at this point. "I look forward to it Mister Senju." She would clasp onto his hand and let the darkness take her also.

As for where, assuming that they would depart she would have to remember an old battle in the desert against an antediluvian menace. Not the Ancient. Not man. Not even sandworm. A carnasaur took the Toraono's life, the only predator of the legendary sandworm. Far rarer but just as dangerous to humans who in the scope of things are so small and puny their very existence tends to go unnoticed. The caverns that twist beneath the desert sands, these tunnels that the carnasaurs roam in pursuit of worms. The worms would not be on the surface, unlike the carnasaurs who have adapted over the past few decades to the darkness and the depths. Still, it was far from Sunagakure: under the endless golden dunes and near Barynx's former egg lair. She wondered if the carnasaurs were simply attempting to feed from an old reservoir as Barynx had been destroyed over a century earlier or if the carnasaurs had a lair nearby. She personally felt it was the later and likely the cause of the Toraono's end, facing off against a creature that he had no chance against alone. The shield was not intended to hide but rather suffer abuse and dole it back ten-fold, but when the abuse exceeds one's own fortitude then what? West almost 100 miles. Near an old watering hole oasis in sight of a red plateau would be a cavern, rough, densely packed earth that burrowed into the depths of the desert. That is where the shiled was finally laid to rest.

[Topic Left with Kazuki?]​

 

[Senju Kazuki]

And off they were. Fuu accepted Kazuki's invitation and by using his faster method of transportation, they would reach Reizo's resting place, thankfully much faster, than the Oracle's initial conventional method. Shadows fully covered the pair and they seemingly dropped to the earth. The reality was that they had merged with the shadows the Overlord had conjured, and were now going through shadow to shadow until their destination was reached, or the closest spot.

[Topic Left]