Prison Grey

[Takahashi Aki]

6:42AM - wake up for the sixth time. Luckily no screaming was involved. Sousuke got out of his Murphy bed. He looked at his clock. The alarm was going to go off in eighteen minutes. No harm in getting up early. He went to sleep at 2:00AM that morning. He wasn't obeying the sleeping schedule he had set up a few months ago. At this rate he was going to fall back into old habits of no sleeping. The aftermath of that would be that he would be back in the hospital. That was the last of places he wanted to be. He was no good to anyone there. Maybe tomorrow.

Sousuke dressed himself for the day after taking a frigid shower. He stared back at himself in the mirror as he shaved his face. The blue lines from before were still present, but they weren't nearly as dark as before. Exhaustion had its effects on Sousuke, especially when he used the power set of his ancestors to fight off Suna and Mikaboshi. It was exhausting be on the edge of collapse. After the shave he proceeded to dress himself. The usual. Clothes there were sizes too large for him. He rolled up the sleeves and pant legs. This was his casual wear. He would need to dress up later for his appointments. He hated his formal wear. It was unbecoming of him, but his nobles wanted him to look good and play the part. As per usual there would be the request of where was Katuso, followed by he is not to be found and he probably does not want to be disturbed, and that we should respect that. The nobles would then suggest that he should take the seat of Kazekage. Sousuke would then simply change the topic of conversation to something else.

7:13AM. Sousuke's office was rather plain. The floor was black tile with white lining, the walls a dark shade of grey. Behind the walls was an armoury where his Primus armour lurked. The armour was chained and locked behind a reinforced diamond class case. On the walls of office there were pictures of his family, and artist renditions of his deceased father. Now more than late there were hand drawn pictures of Shiori, or Suna these days as what she used to be. He missed her, and with each passing day he became to become more and more aware of her love for him. A love he did not return. Then there was the truth she was a goddess. How does a goddess love a mortal? More importantly how does a goddess who consumes human souls and wishes to bring back her brothers who would do the same on a much larger scale love a mortal man? A deep sense of self-loathing would come upon Sousuke. He had always done as people expected him to do. In this particular case it would be expected that he would cast Ancients aside and sundered. If not casted asunder and destroyed then sealed or out front destroyed. He had come close once to doing such to Suna. He didn't though and instead he allowed his curiosity to get the best of him as he tried to discover what made them tick.

Sousuke sat at his desk which was in the middle of the room. He got up and prepared his own coffee and took one of several newspapers to his desk. He looked to see what had transpired over the few hours he was not awake for, or what he missed out. Murders. Missing people. The likes. So far nothing to report of. While it was good news, it was would not last long. Peace never lasted long for Sousuke. Peace in the streets, peace in the outlying lands, peace of mind, or peace of heart.

 

[Michi]

All plans come at a risk. This was true in the case of the progeny of Primus and she played the long-game and she won for it. The entire line was now dead, the last remnant heir was now the casing of her brother. She would have called it unfortunate for any other, but not for their clan. They changed the word with a single foolish fight and gave mankind a courage they never would have been able to muster before. The power and the potential of the family also caused her great trepidation as something she could not defeat. Their actions only deepened her worry and her sorrow as they took everyone and everything away from her one day after another. And yes, they would come for her. Now Sousuke was her Primus. She feared him and she hated him for knowing that she had to fear him. That he would hurt her and that he would destroy her, that there would be no compromise because she was what she was and she could not forever deny her own nature and even if she could... she might renege on the deal, a risk the man would never take. So he hurt her and he killed her, not knowing for sure what would happen next. And knowing now that it only halted her advance for a time, what would he do to her the next time or the time after.

A pair of white heeled boots clicked, they heralded the woman's approach. Tall, lean and blonde, she would have stood out just about anywhere she went. Her gem-colored eyes scanned the doors of each office that she passed. She had assumed that Sousuke would take an office on the top floor as he always had. Her gloved fingertips bushed along the chair rail as she hummed a light tune that was too soft for any human to hear. It had been several weeks since her battle with the Steward and in that time she had made new alliances and found a new form. Taller than before and paler as well, her white leather garments clung to her and did not moan or creak with her movements. She brushed the unruly flaxen locks from her face and her eyes as she spied the Steward's office.

A half-smile crept over her pink painted lips as her hand reached for the door. With a simple twist of the knob she entered the Kazekage's personal workstation. From the looks of things, it was also his residence. There was a sense of perverse pleasure in knowing this and reveling in his potential state of distress and anxiety. "Greetings Steward Kazekage Takahashi," she announced making her presence known and used that same sound to quickly scanned the room by making a quick verbal statement, nothing more than a salutation but the sounds that resonated off the walls and between the cracks and crevices. She looked at the photographs on the wall from the edge of her vision, a false family she once knew and once had but never truly. She was not what they wanted her to be and she never could be. Now she was wanted dead by likely every last smiling face that looked back at her in this alien form. She had lost her identity thrice due to fear and due to pain and due to her own inability to prevent it. She acted in haste when she thought that love could conquer all and bridge the gap between their kind, he never loved her. He could never love anything perhaps but it gave her little consolation because there was a time when... That did not matter anymore, she was dead twice now and this was not the time to remember a ghost.

He was sitting there, alone in his deathly still office as this was just any ordinary day. They both had time to heal physically, but there were some grudges that would be life-long. She approached the Steward, each step went off like a metronome during her approach. She halted at the other side of his desk. For a brilliant man one should be more fearful of this moment, one where enemies stood in close proximity but she had changed once again. Her flesh shattered and her body renewed in a few minute span rather than the time of several decades. Her body had changed dramatically once again, it made her wonder what amazon's soul Mikaboshi had taken. Her voice more her own than it had been in centuries, it still was not right but it was less wrong. "Steward Kazekage, I am new to this community and I am looking for work," she announced simply.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke finished going through the papers. He leaned back in the chair. He looked across the room as a new figure entered the room. Tall and slender. Garbed in white. Not a medic nin by trade. No symbols of that trade present. It was a face that he did not know. He knew everyone in the village. He knew them by face, name, and heritage. She greeted him. He acknowledged her, "I hope your morning is going far better than mine."<i></i> He said, the exhaustion was ever so present. His eyes back to what they were years ago now. Black scalera. Back to a time when Sousuke was far less emotional. In truth. Perhaps it was his original state. Time with others had made him better, or now in this case worse. He stacked the newspaper together. Nothing yet had happened. Perhaps today would be a good day to announce it...

He looked over her form again. There was a 'pretty' nature to this woman. Well taken care of. Probably quite vain. He doubted her modesty. Her clothing most likely custom made compared to the hand-me-downs Sousuke wore. Clothing made for a giant, but in this case Sousuke had on purpose shrunk the clothes to fit him better. "Steward Kazekage for a few more hours."<i></i> He answered. "In a few hours from now, I will be announcing my resignation to my court of Nobles."<i></i> He clarified. It had taken him some time to come to this decision. His defeat, absolute. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the picture of Shiori, it was a new drawing. His fingered tapped on the desk."Due to a series of occupational failures and A series of family deaths has affected me in a way, that I am not capable of doing what is expected of me by my court."<i></i> He finally turned his gaze back to the woman. "You are perhaps best to ask for a position of employment from Toraono Kuro, or Akamichi Nobu."<i></i> Sousuke seemed smaller now, sitting in the chair. Again he broke eye contact and merely looked at the floor. "Whatever good you've heard of me is vastly fictionalized."<i></i> What good was he to anyone. There was no Sunahoshi. The last one corrupted by an Ancient. Even worse he had tried to imitate and become Primus. The cost of doing so was staggering.

 

[Michi]

Good. He was giving up.

"So that is it then?" She verbally mused. "What do you plan on doing with yourself once you have left your station?" She inquired. This would end her need for war, it would never fully alleviate her fears that one day he would succeed in a god-killing blade, that he would tether her to his will, that he would finish what his ancestors started. She did not take a seat, chairs with arms made her nervous but a lot of things did these days. "I suppose then I will be applying now for whomever it is that will take your place, Steward." Her path might have changed ever so slightly, but the end game was unchanged. She would have to destroy Sunagakure and the shinobi way of life, ensure the loss of the Orders and ensure the revitalization of her brothers.

"I have noticed that you... or rather the future Steward Kazekage have no secretary and I have come here to office my services." She announced the reason why she was there, quick to get to the point. "I am proficient to serve the Kazekage's needs surely and considering the village's dire losses over the past few years I am sure that the records and papertrails have been overwhelming.." Her voice almost seemed to purr as she reached across his desk and took from it a stack of papers. Her fingers tapped the sides of the stack and she leafed through the pages. "Requisitions for building, Missions for security and escorts, project rebirth extensions and loans, and oh... a desire to physically move the subterranean portions of the village onto the surface," she placed each of the papers in a separate pile as she rattled off the short list of projects. "Sign these, permits to build." She ordered as she slid the largest stack of papers in front of the Steward. "You have building standards in place and there is no reason that I can think of that you would deny anyone from rebuilding," she explained.

She took a look at her wrist and asked, "and what time are you meeting with the Court Nobles at?" She made her way behind the desk and stood next to the Steward and leaned past him as she reached for the desk drawers. The top right easily glided open, "...your agenda, you do keep it up to date I would hope." Sousuke was an eccentric, it would not surprise her that he did not but it was also not be much of a shock if he scheduled his bowel movements on a time-clock. Always inquisitive and always pondering and now always plotting. She was of course not looking to help him, but to rather know what he had been up to and what he would soon be up to. Being a pushy woman looking for a job with no regard to the Steward's personal space was the least offensive way to do this. The more offensive method would entail having him strapped to a chair or locked in an asylum. Not that either were off the table, they just were not her priorities at this moment. She reached into the drawer and retrieved the contents, be them books, files, personal affects or simply junk mail. Yes, this was a very polite search and ransack of an office, the kind where the office might actually be neater and cleaner than before but the resident might feel slightly violated. "Have you even picked a time yet? The Lords are busy men, but I do see a meeting among them in the Council Chambers in an hour," she advised. No, she was not going to talk him out of abandoning his position. No, she was not going to tell him that he was a powerful and valiant man. She was going to get him out of the way and she was going to do it like any human would.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"I thought about hanging myself for some time."<i></i> He answered honestly. "Though I think several people may miss me. Still though, it is very tempting."<i></i> Some may think he was kidding. Sousuke had a way of being funny. He sat there in brooding silence. Curiously she seemed to know where everything was. "Correct. No secretary. Haven't had to need one. I keep a very tight ship of things."<i></i> His eyes narrowed as she told him to sign the permits. There was an irritableness present. He looked at her with an annoyed look of sorts. "Yes. I am aware of the form Forty-Seven A, and how it works."<i></i> He signed them, but he did in fact speed read them. The forms were proper. It was just very odd... for someone to know them so well, and be here for the first time. His agenda was off limits. He took hold of the book and pinched it leaving a mark on the leather. "Yes. I do."<i></i> He answered sharply. His eyes seemed to widen slightly. "Unfortunate mishaps when dealing with paranormal entities who warp and confuse the world around us do that."<i></i> He added. "You know your way around my drawer far too much for my liking. Either you're an assassin, or you merely know how men work. I am considering the former given the way how you dress. You are an attention-seeker. The man in question is surprised by your bewitching physique, they don't expect you to have much between the ears except for your large chest size. You surprise them with how much you know, and they hire you. In turn they make advances to you, and in turn with your superior intellect you press charges for harassment."<i></i> He stated plainly enough. An oddly formed compliment of sorts. The bewitching physique that is. "Very boring, for the other parties involved."<i></i> He rubbed his temples. "I could be very wrong. Second guessing myself is a thing these days."<i></i>

She did see his agenda. In those split moments when the book had opened she saw the time frame. "My nobles ... yes, busy men and women they are but if I am calling a meeting. They attend said meeting. They know if I'm calling something it is usually something very important. I've been to each meeting they call. Even if it is something very minimal, I have cancelled dinner plans, went to meetings bloodied and beaten. One of my nobles in my earlier years took offense to myself stitching myself up as I was bleeding on her table."<i></i> He tapped his fingers together. Again his gaze shifted downwards. Funny thing about that. When he first became the Steward he was barely noticeable by all the big wig families. He was often misunderstood to be someone else entirely. "Yes. One hour. Will you please stop rummaging through my effects? Especially that."<i></i> Sousuke snapped from her hand his sketch book. Pictures fell from the book. Pictures of Shiori hit the ground as he pushed his chair back and began collecting them. He swallowed hard as he gathered them and began to neatly put them in an order. "You clearly aren't easily associated with the term private items of sentimental value. Are you? Maybe you were a house keeper for some foreign family. You have had your fair share of acquiring goods that were not yours by right. Maybe you're related to an old ... acquaintance of mine who liked to steal my things and sell them for a price. I assure you the value of my effects are very little."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

"I thought about hanging myself for some time... Though I think several people may miss me. Still though, it is very tempting."</B><i></i>

People that wanted to die, truly that was did not bring it up on casual conversation. They made their plans in silence and they made arrangements for their end. They gave away their prized possessions. They made amends with their friends, family and ancestors. Some prayed. Many cried. And then there was the planning, with men statistically it was a more violent and often effective means, while sometimes it was a spur of the moment act of self-loathing as the Steward said it was something under 'active consideration. Even if it was true and he was honest in his desire to end his span, he would find no sympathy from her. He was an insufferable man who out of fear and curiosity brought her previous cycle to an abrupt and a violent end. Still, she knew it was whining and posturing, with how he clutched to his things, his 'norm' and his routine it was more a tantrum than an admission. "Uh huh," she replied as she continued to sift through his belongings. Stacks of papers, most of them loose although a few were bound by a simple paperclip. She slid the permits in front of Sousuke, and demanded his signature.

"Yes. I am aware of the form Forty-Seven A, and how it works."

He snapped as he complied. He was getting irked by her behavior and her incessant meddling. Yet still, he was following directions so who was he to complain. She wiggled the papers as he sped-read through them, a silent demand to 'just sign the dam papers already.'

"You know your way around my drawer far too much for my liking. Either you're an assassin, or you merely know how men work. I am considering the former given the way how you dress. You are an attention-seeker. The man in question is surprised by your bewitching physique, they don't expect you to have much between the ears except for your large chest size. You surprise them with how much you know, and they hire you. In turn they make advances to you, and in turn with your superior intellect you press charges for harassment."<i></i>

She sat down on Sousuke's lap, her ice-cold leather could be felt through his pants. "Mmmhmm... you just called me an airhead and a woman of superior intellect," she commented and she attempted to open another drawer. She scooted back, the end of his knee would be too bony. "You also think my breasts are between my ears... cute. Yet you're the one talking about my body, not me and in all honesty who am I going to complain to if you did make an advance on me Steward. An absentee King. Those nobles that you summoned." She scoffed, "there is this neat thing called quitting. Tends to work well when your boss is a pervert." she explained matter-of-factly. Paranoid, but about the wrong things obviously. He was more concerned that she would place a complaint about flirting to some mysterious man or woman, because certainly NOW the Kazekage has to answer to someone. Shinobis kill people for a living. They torture people for information. They settle personal squabbles by destroying a city block. And yet he is afraid that someone will say he is making eyes at his secretary. Give me a break.

"You have a lot of stuff," she commented "...it is like you live here or something." She let out a sigh, "as a shinobi I would think you would be the first to know that looks can be deceiving. Also, you have a very uncomfortable lap," she complained as she reached into the lowest drawer and attempted to liberate a sketch book from its inner recesses. Meanwhile Sousuke continue to clamor on about the nobles.

"Yes. One hour. Will you please stop rummaging through my effects? Especially that."

He snatched the book from her hands and several leaflets fell onto the floor. Pencil sketches, roughly in her former likeness fell onto the floor. She caught them in the corner of her eye and glowered. She was an odd, awkward thing for most of her human life. She still was with these long gangly limbs and this fluffy mane of hair that reminded her of a cat napping on her head. Humans were so odd, in so many ways.

"You clearly aren't easily associated with the term private items of sentimental value. Are you? Maybe you were a house keeper for some foreign family. You have had your fair share of acquiring goods that were not yours by right. Maybe you're related to an old ... acquaintance of mine who liked to steal my things and sell them for a price. I assure you the value of my effects are very little."

"I doubt I will get much of value from your office besides paperclips and pens... yes, I am sure, fancy sentimental pens." Shiori started to quip when a transmission went off from the heart of his desk. She grabbed a sketch that fell at her feet, she reached for her toes, the leather creaked and groaned and with some minor effort recovered the lost page. A lot could be said about what a person is thinking from how expressive their drawings were. A glower, a sadness, a smile, not reflective of the artist but often of how they perceived the subject. Did he think her a monster? Almost certainly, but did he try to remember the lie? Was it forced?

"Mister Kazekage Sir... Mister Steward Kazekage, Sir..."<i></i> A raspy voice transmitted over the phone.

<B>"Mister Steward," she repeated.

"We have a problem," she announced. In the background Sousuke would hear something odd.

"I have a marvelous collection of adult magazines left under lock and key and an extensive panties collection! ...In fact, I would like to wear them but they do not fit my massive package!"

"We have the Daimyo's son: Ishii Susumu here, he is looking for you and he is presently speaking to a pair of young Genins. A Miss Koizumi Tsubaki and a blind child... her name escapes me."

Shiori stopped rummaging during the transmission. She had never heard of the young man who was making a scene and unlike Sousuke, she had no idea who this Susumu was or his relative relation to the Cabal member Shouki. Susumu was a far cry from Shouki, but that was not a fact their either of them could possibly know. The Shouki they knew was a monster and a murder, having killed multiple Jounin units independently and single-handedly it should not come as a surprise that the apple did not fall far from the tree. Sousuke would be aware of Susumu's relationship with Shouki, Fuu had revealed Shouki's relationship with the Daimyo and herself. He was also aware of the Daimyo's plan to go to war, at least superficially. Now his son was in the village and he was convening with Sunan shinobis.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Shiori was sitting in his lap. The Steward let out a huff of sorts as his face turned a shade of pink. This was very embarassing. "This is incredibly awkward."<i></i> He began. "Why are you doing this, being so forward? This is not things usually go."<i></i> He rubbed the back of his head. "If you want a chair. I will make you a chair."<i></i> He formed hand seals and created a chair out of stone. He frowned slightly and then made a padding for the seat. He motioned to the chair. "There. A chair. You can get off of my lap now. Please? ... Pretty please?"<i></i> The last part seemed to be begging slightly. "Well. Yes. I did say that about you. Minor error. Your chest is between your ears and your feet. Practically speaking of course dependent on size, my statement is not wrong. The curvature begins-- uh... let's talk about something else."<i></i> He cleared his throat. "Yes. I did call you an air head and a smarter woman. Not everyone is perfectly balanced. Brilliance is overrated. It comes at the expense of something. I tend to forget to eat most times. Even if it is in my agenda or my head. Oftentimes people bring me food and request that I eat said food in front of them."<i></i> Sousuke sighed. "I am sorry. I did not mean to insult you so. I am not very good with first impressions... but to be fair. You're not either. Would you please get off my lap now?"<i></i>

She spoke of his stuff. "Not really. My material wealth is not on a level that is ... comparable to Lord Toraono or Lord Nobu."<i></i> When she spoke of how he lived here, he made an expression of puffing his cheeks and chewing on his lower lip. "You could sell my artwork. I'm told people do like to own things that I have created and had a part of production in."<i></i> He hesitated. "A family member of mine, I miss. She told me once to regret and repent. Something I do a lot of lately. Part of the reason why I'm resigning. She wasn't a blood relation, but what she wanted ... I should have given her. The cost would have been high."<i></i> He paused, "Sometimes one wishes they were someone else. A reoccurring though I've been having lately. Things would have been different."<i></i> He spoke without giving too much away. A complete stranger this woman was, but she knew her way around and did some strange things like a certain someone would do. In the back of his mind a weird tingling sensation was going off.


The transmission would then go off. Sousuke listened intently to the transmission. He stopped moving as he heard the content. A very strange look of mortification would come over his face. "By the Ancient's assets what the hell is this?"<i></i> He asked out loud. Sousuke never really swore. Shiori would know something is up. He swore not once but twice."Top left drawer. Red file. Try not to hurt yourself removing it."<i></i> If Shiori were to remove the large file it would read 'Daimyo: The Pain Kings' Sousuke assumed Shiori would opened it and she would find pictures of Shouki. There were red pen notes written on it. Describing Shouki. Rapist? Torturer - certain. Threat - alpha level. Religion - Jashinism. There were notes of how Shouki was the son of the Daimyo but he was not a legitimate son. What followed next was several hand drawn pictures of Ishii Shirō. More notes scrawled on him. Most of them were assumptions as to the fact he was perhaps too a Jashinist. He tapped his fingers together. There were details of rumors and some confirmed details of the man. The man was not to be underestimated. He turned the pages and another folder was present. It had the name Susumu on it. He took the file apart and began making notes on the picture he had. Pervert. He wrote on it. "Blind child. Most likely ... Naoki. They are friends. If Susumu so much as begins to draw bloodied ritualistic circles on the ground and begins to stab people, inform me immediately. I will deal with him, but ... given the current situation? Have a team of chuunin or genin guide him to my office. Inform Susumu I wish to meet him."<i></i> He ended the call. Sousuke shook his head. "Susumu is the half brother of a known terrorist who has hurt several people near and dear to me. His brother is ... surprising ... considering he has not made a mess of the hospital yet. The Daiymo's family is being most ... perplexing. Two sons in the realm. Yet he is preparing to mount an assault. He is trying to set me up. I am in a position of power here. Why is Shirō letting his legitimate heir play games in the lion's den. Seeds are being planted for war. There is a daughter. I do not know much about her. She has in Sora for most of her natural life, like I have been held here."<i></i> He rubbed his temples. He fell silent for a moment longer. "I may be irresponsible for the disasters that have befallen me as of late. It would be even more irresponsible for me to not act on this. It would seem ... my resignation will have to wait."<i></i> Shiori was still on his lap. He needed to think. He needed to pace back and forth. It was what he did when he thinks. He then called Nobu "Nobu. Cancel my meeting. Something came up. A stray prince has entered the stomping ground of a warhorse."<i></i>

Sousuke really needed to pace back and forth. Shiori was still very much on his lap. He would placed his hands around her waist. First the metallic hand and then his flesh hand. Despite being a smith, Sousuke's hands were soft strangely. He would then carry Shiori to the padded seat he had made from her some time ago now and he would place her down on the chair softly. He would then begin to walk back and forth pacing. He would begin to think of what he would do to said little prince. There was a ninety-two percent chance he was very much like his brother. There was a lower chance that he was much like his mother. Sousuke kept an eye on Shiori as he knew she would rummage through his things. "Let's assume, for a moment I hire you. Three weeks vacation. Starting wage of sixty-thousand common credits. Ten more if you do not go through my things, unless I ask for them, you have no issue in knitting my flesh together, or hardwiring mechanical limbs should the worst occurs without asking why. Sometimes you may need to do housebreaking into the hospital to acquire my unconscious body."<i></i> Sousuke reached into his pocket and removed a crisp yen bill. "Would you kindly go pick up the following for me: one issue of Windy Presentations. One issue of Foxxy Secrets. The historical issue of Ms. Sandy-escapes. I am arming myself for battle. Chop. Chop."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

"This is incredibly awkward. Why are you doing this, being so forward? This is not things usually go."</B><i></i>

"You are in my way," she commented and she continued on deterred.

"If you want a chair. I will make you a chair."<i></i>

He offered as a chair manifested alongside them. It was off to the side and not in front of the desk, the desk she was rummaging through.

"There. A chair. You can get off of my lap now. Please? ... Pretty please?"<i></i>

In one breath he was asking for a favor, more concerned about the purity of his lap than about the items his desk hosted at the present time. Good. Then he won't notice what she was looking at and what she was learning from the paperwork that was strewn about his desk and the articles that filled his drawers.

"Well. Yes. I did say that about you. Minor error. Your chest is between your ears and your feet. Practically speaking of course dependent on size, my statement is not wrong. The curvature begins-- uh... let's talk about something else. Yes. I did call you an air head and a smarter woman. Not everyone is perfectly balanced. Brilliance is overrated. It comes at the expense of something. I tend to forget to eat most times. Even if it is in my agenda or my head. Oftentimes people bring me food and request that I eat said food in front of them. I am sorry. I did not mean to insult you so. I am not very good with first impressions... but to be fair. You're not either. Would you please get off my lap now?"<i></i>

"Just a second," she replied. One of his drawers was locked and she did not have the key. She let out an annoyed huff.

"Not really. My material wealth is not on a level that is ... comparable to Lord Toraono or Lord Nobu. You could sell my artwork. I'm told people do like to own things that I have created and had a part of production in... A family member of mine, I miss. She told me once to regret and repent. Something I do a lot of lately. Part of the reason why I'm resigning. She wasn't a blood relation, but what she wanted ... I should have given her. The cost would have been high. Sometimes one wishes they were someone else. A reoccurring though I've been having lately. Things would have been different."<i></i>

"Well, there is no coming back from some things," she commented. It was a cold statement, somewhat intentional. This was not her way of making amends but rather her way of finally destroying him. It was better to contend with the threat she knew than the one she did not. She did not want him dead -- not yet, not until he saw his kingdom burn as she had. Not until he suffered as she did. For now, however, it was time to play nice. A transmission interrupted them, it was just in time actually. She was looking for the identity of the Sunan nobles called into meeting so that she could kill them when the clock hand stuck within the hour. It would have to involve her terrible song and a slumbering peace that only the Steward would wake from.

"By the Ancient's assets what the hell is this?"<i></i>

She almost fell off his lap in response to his outburst.

"Top left drawer. Red file. Try not to hurt yourself removing it."<i></i>

He ordered and she silently complied. She reached across Sousuke and pulled a rather large, well-worn file from the drawer. Scrawled across the face in Sousuke's trademark penmanship was the word "Daimyō: The Pain Kings." A curious enough of a title, she opened the over and a pair of pages fell out onto the otherwise recently reorganized desk. Her hands shook when she saw the contents. She was unaware of Shouki's affiliation with the Daimyō, that he was the bastard heir. The description was apt: Rapist? Torturer - certain. Threat - alpha level. Religion - Jashinism. She stared at the picture that fell onto the desk, the smug expression that stared back at her as she numbly passed the folder behind her to the Steward. She did not see what he wrote in the file just then or that there was a file within a file labeled Susumu but she was already vaguely familiar with the name of the heir apparent. Ishii Susumu was one of the most famous teens in the country, despite not being in the country for the last several years.

"Blind child. Most likely ... Naoki. They are friends. If Susumu so much as begins to draw bloodied ritualistic circles on the ground and begins to stab people, inform me immediately. I will deal with him, but ... given the current situation? Have a team of chuunin or genin guide him to my office. Inform Susumu I wish to meet him."<i></i>

Sousuke replied as he ended the transmission. She was supposed to stand up but her legs felt as numb as the rest of her as she stared at the photograph. She hated Sousuke more than Shouki, but she possessed a greater fear of Shouki. She was silent still, at a loss for words. She did not look at Sousuke and she bit her quivering lower lip between her teeth to hold it at bay. "Y-you... forgot your picture,"</COLOR><i></i> she stammered as she plucked the photograph of Shouki up between manicured fingers and relinquished it behind her.

<COLOR color="navy">"Susumu is the half brother of a known terrorist who has hurt several people near and dear to me. His brother is ... surprising ... considering he has not made a mess of the hospital yet. The Daiymō's family is being most ... perplexing. Two sons in the realm. Yet he is preparing to mount an assault. He is trying to set me up. I am in a position of power here. Why is Shirō letting his legitimate heir play games in the lion's den. Seeds are being planted for war. There is a daughter. I do not know much about her. She has in Sora for most of her natural life, like I have been held here. I may be irresponsible for the disasters that have befallen me as of late. It would be even more irresponsible for me to not act on this. It would seem ... my resignation will have to wait."<i></i>

Sousuke made another call and Shiori attempted to rise but failed, there was an image seared into her mind and it refused to vacate her consciousness.

"Nobu. Cancel my meeting. Something came up. A stray prince has entered the stomping ground of a warhorse."<i></i>

A pair of hands, one cold and one warm were planted on her waist. He lifted her up, despite the woman actually being a few inches taller than he with a simple seamless motion. She was placed in the chair where she sat, staring forward still. She was going to have to kill them both, she concluded.

"Let's assume, for a moment I hire you. Three weeks vacation. Starting wage of sixty-thousand common credits. Ten more if you do not go through my things, unless I ask for them, you have no issue in knitting my flesh together, or hardwiring mechanical limbs should the worst occurs without asking why. Sometimes you may need to do housebreaking into the hospital to acquire my unconscious body."<i></i>

Sousuke interrupted her thoughts and reached into his pocket to remove a crisp yen bill. It looked like she was 'hired.' She sought her sea-legs a moment longer before she stood up from the chair Sousuke had made moments earlier and accepted the bill.

"Would you kindly go pick up the following for me: one issue of Windy Presentations. One issue of Foxxy Secrets. The historical issue of Ms. Sandy-escapes. I am arming myself for battle. Chop. Chop."<i></i>

He was asking for a set of adult magazines. She looked back at him with an incredulous look. <B>"Are you really sending me out to get you dirty magazines? I thought you were worried about being accused of being a pervert," she protested. She never took the awkward Steward as a man of such proclivities but she also never thought he would brutally kill her either. She stuffed the bill into her bra and let out a sigh. "Should I also get you a box of tissues and some lotion as you prepare for battle?"

OC: Will leave and pick up these items after I give you a chance to 'defend your honor.'

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Shiori's voice hit a particular tone of note. It caused Sousuke to stop as he stared at her. He raised an eyebrow. "Hrm."<i></i> Something did not sit well with her. She stammered? Was she simply afraid of the contents? Shouki was a predator. She was smart enough to get that much from the contents of the file. He held his hands behind his back. Something did not sit right with the woman. Survivor maybe? Entirely possible. After making the request he made she returned right to her proper attitude. "Well. Sometimes one has to make a sacrifice to set a trap or a lure of sorts for a sandworm. They're not for me, they're leverage for Susumu. First impressions are telling for a person. If I am right, then what I have in mind will work quite well against him."<i></i> He turned his back to her for a moment. "Also bring a turtle neck, and a few scarfs. Should things get difficult, I intend to up the game."<i></i> He added to his request. "We'll see if all of this is necessary. It might be, and it might not be. Given my confrontations with Shouki... I would not put it past anything that anyone of that line is a simpleton."<i></i>

Her final remark about getting him two more items caused a slight smirk to appear. "No, but a can of coffee might be nice. I am getting quite low on my coffee. I will even make you a cup of coffee if you so desire."<i></i> He answered as he waved her office. As Shiori were to leave his office. Sousuke would approach the wall and run his fingers along it. Several locks would release and one of his armouries would open up. Not the Primus armoury, no. This would perhaps require less. The older model would do for this. Sousuke would step into the armoury and begin preparations. Before armouring up was easier. All he needed to now was to simply summon the armour and it would phase in from beneath his flesh. He had to put his armour on. It was work, but he didn't mind. There was the unfortunate part of having to armour the back of his leggings. There was also parts of the back armour that was difficult to get locked into place too. Sousuke growled. He hated this part the most. Maybe he should have just used the Primus armour after all. No ... not yet. He couldn't suffer blackouts in the aftermath of this.

[marked for training]

 

[Michi]

She scoffed at his answer. She had no idea what he had planned: dirty magazines, a turtle neck, a few scarves and coffee. What did he have planned, she turned about face and announced without looking at him "twenty minutes." She ran her fingers through her own hair to comb it straight and tugged her leather top down to cover more of her mid drift. She strode out the door and made her way to the marketplace.

At the market...

Nothing of actual interest happened here. She bought a trio of dirty magazines, plus a fourth because it boasted Informative articles' regarding the 'art of the strip-tease' and a fifth because the ladies were wearing leather although she was not entirely sure of why they were holding whips. She had no shame in their purchase, she simply told the man behind the counter the truth: the Steward was a weird pervert and apparently he needed this sort of reading material on the 'eve of battle.' She went into another store, a menswear store and bought a rare turtleneck and set of cotton scarves. Slate grey like the office for the turtleneck, the scarves varying shades from black to grey to white. She paid the saleswoman in cash with a shrug and took her purchases back to the office. She had forgotten the coffee and with a sight just before she entered his office so she turned around and made her way back to the lobby. There was always coffee there, she grabbed a few packages of instant before she returned to the Steward's office-apartment.

Back at the office...

Burdened by a trio of bags, she opened the door to Sousuke's office without knocking. "Picked up you weird fetish-stuff, Steward!"<i></i> She called as she entered the room and shut the door behind her.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"In here."<i></i> Sousuke would call out from the side. "Experiencing some technical issues."<i></i> The room he was in would begin to flicker and then the light would go out entirely. "Standby."<i></i> Moment later the lights in that section of the office would come back on. The loud sound of a clap would go off. "Leg plate in lower calf does not want to close properly."<i></i> Sousuke would come out of the room staring forward at Shiori. The clanking could be heard as he came out from the room. His new armour was red. This was not a model she would have seen before.

The armour stood a towering six foot three. The head turned slowly towards her. "I intend to ask Susumu some questions. His brother had policy of murdering everything in sight and then making art from it. The first time he engaged me on the surface he assured me that if I so much acted against him he would blow up the village. The second time he left me in after playing his game, the third time we battled I lost, the fourth time ... I bested him with several others."<i></i> He turned around revealing exposed calves and part of the back plate not properly closing. "Would you mind?"<i></i> He hoped that she would comply. "What do I call you by the way?"<i></i> He inquired as he awaited her assistance. He hoped she didn't have any weird names like ... Moneypenny, Xena Onnatop or Ms. Broadchest. One of his nobles always seemed to surround himself with the most oddly named women that somehow spoke of their appearance.

"At any rate, given our current political and historical climate. The Daimyos have been asserting dominance and destroy their populous. The Fire Daimyo destroyed Konoha. I cannot confirm if the one in Mist is the reason why that area of the world was frozen solid. Our Daimyo is gearing for war, but I cannot help but think he is anything but ill intent. His illegitimate son has led me to this deduction. Usually one keeps close tabs on their children, I would be not be surprised if he applauded his Shouki's actions."<i></i> He shook his head. "I have to assume that Susumu will be like his brother in some ways. I am going to have a very long chat with him about his brother and his father. See how far the apple falls from the tree. Given what we have heard, I am thinking Susumu is merely a deviant. I intend to ... threaten him by means of the books. The turtle neck is for you though. Give him less to look at. Save you from any unwanted gazes. Let's be honest he has a large panty collection and some adult magazines. Should he wishes to not comply. Well, let's see how he takes to me burning the books page by page."<i></i> He frowned slightly from inside the helmet. It was a cruel concept to play but ... given what they did to Shouki, this was far less violent. "Coffee?"<i></i> He inquired as he flipped open the face plate and motioned over to the coffee pot. He took the instant coffee she had brought him and boiled the water using plasma. "I do appreciate you going out to get me those items. I am considering sending you to stand behind a glass wall while I make my inquiries. In the event he is like his brother, you'll be safer. Wouldn't be much of an employer if I allowed you to get hurt on your first day."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

"In here."

Sousuke called.

"Experiencing some technical issues."

She dropped the bags on the floor as the light in the room adjacent, a room that was not there when she departed a short time earlier, flickered and went out.

"Standby."

The sound of a generator whirling could be heard followed by an abrupt and harsh bang.

"Leg plate in lower calf does not want to close properly."

As Sousuke paced out the the room, the lower leg plate, semi-attached was clamoring on the floor with his movements. As it was dragged behind him she took in this new armor. In it, he was actually taller than her, not by much but a few inches. "New?" she asked, leaving him with a simple yes/no question with the opportunity to elaborate. He was a man of pride, specifically in his mechanization and her query was simple, was this a boy's errand where he made something needlessly large, colorful and shiny or was there some actual function to this fanfare?

"I intend to ask Susumu some questions. His brother had policy of murdering everything in sight and then making art from it. The first time he engaged me on the surface he assured me that if I so much acted against him he would blow up the village. The second time he left me in after playing his game, the third time we battled I lost, the fourth time ... I bested him with several others."

She recalled the later-most two, she was there for them both and sadly intimately involved with the situation. It was ironic really how far he was willing to go for her at one time and then a matter of months later he was ripping her apart. She knelt down in front of the Steward, her eyes never left his armor, they followed the seams and the grooves. How the bits connect at the joints and of course if there was a method to obstruct smooth movement. "Are you wearing any pants?" She accused, fully aware that it was likely the most prudent choice to go commando in armor that did not make it a good plan considering the fact that she was going to have to defeat him a second time in the coming days and when that happened and he needs to be released via the assistance of an over-sized can opener he wold want something to hide his shame. Not that she cared, or rather she should not. After all, he killed her once and will soon enough try to make it twice if she was not careful.

"Would you mind?"

Wordlessly she braced his shin with her palm and forced the calf plate into place. It was not that difficult, she had seen designs similar several times in the past. He was a madman in some ways, and there was a bit of repetition and emulation seen in much of his work that in a way made him predictable. It was an advantage she had over Sousuke in fact, she had known him his entire lift but he not hers. She held her hand there for a moment following the clattering union of steel plates, she was looking at his armor from the other side. She was spying on him.

"What do I call you by the way?"

"Shihakata (しはかた) Rioshi (りおし)" she replied simply, the name was easy enough to remember. A reflection of what she had used for such a long time. "But I am not one for formalities on a name you will likely never remember. My vocation is likely easy enough," she released her hold on Sousuke's calf-plate and it seemed to remain latched in place. "Madam Secretary seems to have the utilitarian ring you claim to enjoy despite being fixated more on my appearance than my potential," she answered coldly. She, that is Shiori or rather Suna, was not a friendly woman. Not anymore, whatever friendship they once had was squandered and some of it had leaked into this false persona that she was ironically attempting to ingratiate herself with the Steward using this guise. She gritted her teeth, she needed to cow-tow to this bastard. "My apologizes Steward," she forced out as she pulled herself back to her feet.

"At any rate, given our current political and historical climate. The Daimyos have been asserting dominance and destroy their populous. The Fire Daimyo destroyed Konoha. I cannot confirm if the one in Mist is the reason why that area of the world was frozen solid. Our Daimyo is gearing for war, but I cannot help but think he is anything but ill intent. His illegitimate son has led me to this deduction. Usually one keeps close tabs on their children, I would be not be surprised if he applauded his Shouki's actions."

Was the Daimyō behind all of this? Was he the reason why she died a second time? Was he the reason Shouki kidnapped her? What did he have to gain from all of this? She did not know that the Daimyō had done much worse than all of this to her and what was hers. That they would soon have a common opponent if she survived long enough but she was playing a dangerous game and in the end she was not going to be able to escape this unscathed.

"I have to assume that Susumu will be like his brother in some ways. I am going to have a very long chat with him about his brother and his father. See how far the apple falls from the tree. Given what we have heard, I am thinking Susumu is merely a deviant. I intend to ... threaten him by means of the books. The turtle neck is for you though. Give him less to look at. Save you from any unwanted gazes. Let's be honest he has a large panty collection and some adult magazines. Should he wishes to not comply. Well, let's see how he takes to me burning the books page by page."

Sousuke returned to his previous topic of discussion. She doubted his choice of interrogation -- in her opinion the information could have been drawn from him through rougher means. Having the proclivities of a pervert does not mean that their preferences and interests are so profound that denial would be an effective means to an end. Certainly, it worked for Shouki but what compelled him in the first place was religious fanaticism. Shouki had an uncritical opinion of the Jashinist faith and this excessive enthusiasm accompanied by the zeal that a man could only possess if they truly enjoyed the apologetics of his faith. He seemed to truly enjoy what he had done to her and the white-haired young woman who shared that basement with her.

"Coffee?"

His offer pulled her from her personal musings. "No, thank you," she waved him off.

"I do appreciate you going out to get me those items. I am considering sending you to stand behind a glass wall while I make my inquiries. In the event he is like his brother, you'll be safer. Wouldn't be much of an employer if I allowed you to get hurt on your first day."

It was an offer she was going to accept. She had no desire to encounter anything related by blood or otherwise to Shouki. She was thankful that he was dead and she hoped that would be the end of it. That she would never have to think about him again, but even still a year later he pervaded her thoughts and nightmares alongside now Sousuke. Her fears have been made reality one-by-one, there were few left that she had no yet experienced but she knew that there was always something more. Something terrible. Something unexpected. "Do you think glass would be enough?" she questioned, her hands fidgeted nervously. She placed the folded up pile of scarves on the desk alongside the turtleneck. She thrust the magazines into Sousuke's hands. "I guess you will be needing these." She did not take a seat, she still had no love for chairs nor did she want to remain still with all of this nervous energy. She wandered into the side area from which Sousuke emerged, similar to the desk fiasco she was going to invite herself in for a quick looksie.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Shiori helped him out and placed the armour in its proper place. "No."<i></i> He shook his head. "Well, for me yes, but this was one of my father's old puppet models. I have been dealing with his estate. It has been long and tiring. I've been finding out more and more about my father. Some it good, some of it questionable. He had several armours apparently, some seemed to be very close to something ... I'm not sure what. Something in his notes speaks of some foreign terror he was gearing up to battle. Some eldritch terror of some sort that... was sleeping underneath bedrock."<i></i> Sousuke went silent for a while. He seemed to be dwelling upon the matter of his father's discoveries but more so the death of his father. One crushing blow after another. They were stacking upon him.

The next question gave him pause. He turned his head slightly. Why did this matter to her? "Mesh."<i></i> He answered. The mesh was a more ornate version of a light chain mail. It clung to his flesh, but it didn't reveal anything he really want seen. Shiori revealed her new name. It took Sousuke a moment. He recognized the letters. Maybe he was getting paranoid. He turned to stare at her in the face. Rioshi? Sh. Or. I. Shihakata. Taka. Ha. Shi. "Get up."<i></i> He said as he helped her get up. "Why are you apologizing? If this was the remark about your appearance, well, I'm going to be the one apologizing. So... yes I am sorry. All the same. It's not very often when your new employee sits on your lap and claims that you're in the way."<i></i>

She questioned him about the glass. Sousuke approached one of the walls at the opposite end of the office. He tapped it with his fingers. The wall turned from the prison grey to window he spoke of. He turned to her to see what she would say to that. "It helps when you're on the other end of this. Does wonders when you see him, but he cannot see you."<i></i> He explained. As he turned to regard her she was already looking at his other stuff. Sousuke face palmed. Yes. Yes. Why would he think she would be doing otherwise? What Shiori would see in the room he came out was a glass tube, where the armour was before. She would also see the axe Skillsplitter that was dripping green blood into a bucket. The weapon would twitch. Shiori would have a very eerily feel like the weapon was looking at her. The weapon belonged to one a member of Blood Court at some point in time, but ultimately the weapon belonged to one of Homura's famed gladiators. The weapon seemed to quicken in terms of its bleeding. It seemed to feed off of her presence in some manner. It was a primitive looking weapon. Something that would not have been in Sousuke's usual inventory. Challenge. No. The weapon was used to slay numerous Kirishii upon a time, and it was the Kirishii who buried this weapon deep. It was entrusted to Sousuke for safe keeping. Worthless. Woman. The voice was a growl of sorts. Seemingly Sousuke wasn't hearing it, but Shiori could perhaps due to what she was. Sousuke's shoulder hung at the remark. "We'll see what happens. Honestly? My track records for first impressions are terrible. Either he is what he is, or I'll have to adapt quickly."<i></i>

Spoiler

 

[Michi]

There was not much for her to say or even respond to. The former Steward was dead, there was a pang in her heart regarding this and she wondered how he died. She wondered who killed him. She could not help but feel angry, Sousuke had accused her of having something to do with his disappearance and obviously ultimate demise. Still, her expression did not betray her as she averted her gaze and her perturbed expression.

There was a glass wall, she wondered if it would truly afford her any sort of safety. Of course, was was she even concerned at this point. She might not have been able to hold her own when she was in her previous, crippled state but her appetites were sated for the time being and she could feel her power-set returning. Of course she did not want to see this Susumu tormented with dirty magazines and idle threats, she wanted to hurt him and allow him to serve as Shouki's proxy. The sadist and pervert was dead, but that was of limited consolation. She did not wish to underestimate this heir or his family considering all that had been done already. She knew nothing of the Daimyo's plans or what he had already done to this point. How the freedom of the country as a whole was under assault and had been in a silent war for decades. They, that is Sunagakure would be the last to enter this war of attrition that unbeknownst to her she would never be able to participate in.

In the side-room, a storage place for his armor and weapon. A likely new haven for his work that she long wondered about ever since his previous lab was destroyed. That would be where his suit would be stored. Where if and when he created a god-killing blade he would lock it away. Where his armors that likened him to Primus or perhaps another figure of a forgotten pantheon would be found. Where she would go to eventually destroy his successes and his advancement.

He had survived his encounter with Mikaboshi somehow. Had they come to an understanding? A compromise? She did not know the length or the extent of his word and the promises he had made but she did know that a Lord of the Deep Court could never lie. He was at war against the Steward and he demonstrated that when he fought alongside her. He demonstrated that when he hastened her resurrection that would have taken decades otherwise.

Shiori... Suna... Rioshi, the name was irrelevant; she made he way towards the glass wall. There was no need to be anything less than prudent, she had all the time in the world and she was curious to see what would become of Susumu at Sousuke's hand.

OC: Not much to IC say or do, pretty much we are waiting on Susumu.

 

[Samejima]

[Not sure if it's okay to just post in here, going to try and turn Susumu in from here. Also taking some liberties, please PM if I have to change something... Sorry for the trouble!]

The genin strode into the Kazekage Tower, taking in the sounds and sonar sights she was presented with as she basked in the glory of having retrieved the person she suspected was the person to be turning in for this particular mission. Not knowing where else to go, she started off towards the usual mission drop-off area only to remember she didn't expressly request the mission and was unsure as to how she was going to turn this lech in. If not for the mission, for unspeakable things that should not have been whispered to a close friend in private, much less declared to Tsubaki of all people in public! She still seethed at the memory, all the while refusing to admit to herself that she would've liked at least some portion of the man's gall... Burnt to a crisp and served on a platter to his nearest and dearest that is.

Naoki approached the receptionist there to try and gain this knowledge, maintaining as calm a demeanor as possible given her current state of mind. "Umm... excuse me," she cleared her throat, with Susumu still unconscious and slung over her shoulder, "I have Ishii Susumu here, and I got some word earlier about him being needing to be brought here for a meeting earlier by the Steward... Could you tell me where I can drop him off?" Upon being directed to the Steward's office, she would knock at a somewhat loud volume from her nervousness, despite knowing both the Steward and his ward, whom she for some reason thought would be there, personally. Or about as personally as a regular genin could really get without being suspected of trying to get the Steward to play favorites anyway. Hmm... I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important... Actually, I'm not even fully sure if this is the right guy... Never actually asked him his name, just grabbed the guy and took off... Man I hope this gets over with quickly. Don't wanna keep her waiting too long, plus I have to try and keep her away from him... And vice versa, if he turns out to not be the right guy. What kind of weirdo just screams at a girl like that? This guy should be turned in either way. Thus were the thoughts that ran through her head as she tried not to eavesdrop, though it was unlikely she could hear much due to any sound absorbing safeguards the Steward may have put in place in the doorway of his office.

Meanwhile, after Naoki explained the situation to her in a somewhat hurried manner, Tsubaki was likely waiting around in the tower's lobby, possibly looking at some missions she might've had interest in aside from her current one. She would've picked up the tone of the blind one's voice, and it suggested the nature of the "mission", if it could be called that without actually picking up the mission in the first place. She would also have been left with a cute little seashell Naoki found that she'd wanted to hand over, probably under less strenuous circumstances.

[Topic Entered with Susumu and Tsubaki]

 

[Kazumi]

While Naoki had been somewhat tight-lipped about why, exactly, she had knocked the noble man out, tied him up and hoisted him halfway across the village, Tsubaki had some sort of clue. At first she silently questioned Naoki on the swift trip, but when they were being answered to a sufficient degree, she ceased her communication and receded inwards to brood about the possibilities. The largest was that this had do with his his outburst, one that she knew she was the cause of, and not just because it was her that got his blood boiling. She couldn't explain it, and the Many were not very forthcoming at the moment, partly due to her sealing her mind off from them for a session of mental solitude.

There was a distinct possibility that this man could be in serious trouble due to her, though she didn't fully know Sunagakure's policies on such public disturbances. By the time that Naoki began to speak with the receptionist, Tsubaki was standing a few feet behind her, staring downwards into nothingness as she debated what to do. Would she tell them that it was her fault? If she did, would she have her rank removed? Would she be punished by herself or would her family's contract will the village be nullified. Would they even believe a word she said on the matter, or would they simply label her as crazy, punish him and strip her of her rank due to mental instability?

Despite Naoki's attempts to ward Tsubaki off in the lobby, the Koizumi almost seemed oblivious to the attempts as she absently followed after the girl and her captive. Then there was the matter of the mission that still resisded in her pocket, crumpled up and forgotten among the cacophony of worries, guilt and indecision as to what she should do. For now she had bigger concerns than small matters such as fulfilling the wishes of the Daimyo, such as how to explain to her parents that they were to be kicked out of the village due to their eldest daughter's treasonous transgressions.

 

[Sand Council]

Ishii Susumu
Heir Apparent - The Messenger​

Naoki would not hear much, but less the room was airtight, there would always be the release of some sound that her acute sense of sound would always pick up. The biology of hearing is based off of vibrations and the mind translating such minute sounds in the air into something audibly perceivable. It was a marvel of human physiology how a trio of such small, fragile bones could produce such an important sense. The reverberations would boom through the door from her knock, because it was not merely their sound but also her sound that would give her sight into the room. She would be able to hear the softly beating heart of one Steward and the unusual aberrant rhythm of a second tall woman on the other side of the door. There was the churning of stomach contents and the numerous ticks and clicks of blood vessels that seemed to march onward. Even in a room as silent as this, the world was full of noise.

Silence was fleeting of course, she would feel a shift on her shoulder that would herald Susumu's awakening. Wrists and ankles bound, Naoki did not have the good sense to gag him, although considering his reputation as a pervert it would be likely assumed that he would enjoy it too much for anyone's comfort. He would scream for 'help,' attempt to flail and struggle against the restraints that dug and bit into his flesh. "HELP! I am being kidnapped!" He would repeat several times before his throat became hoarse and before the door to Sousuke's assuredly unlocked office would ease open.

 

[Samejima]

"Geh!" Whoa! Man, he woke up! Struggling wasn't taken well by the ninja wire that bound the man's limbs together, but that didn't seem to stop him from trying to get free anyway. Noting that the door was opening, Naoki pressed Susumu's abdomen against the pointier part of her shoulder to try and suffocate him out of screaming so much. "Hello sir! And ma'am." She gave as respectful a bow as she could given the load on her shoulder, and continued, "I have the, uh, objective Ishii Susumu here... I think." With that, she set the daimyo's son down so that he'd be standing or seated on the ground, depending on his natural inclination when being set down. She made sure to keep the ninja wire taut and rolled tightly around her bandaged left arm lest he try to escape, but judging by the sight he was about to see, Naoki suspected he wouldn't be running anywhere but into the room, as there appeared to be a female figure behind some glass. Hmm... I need to figure out how to tell exactly what's behind glass too, it might come in handy later. What she couldn't tell however, was that the glass was tempered in such a way as to only allow vision from one of its sides.

From what she could tell, the woman behind the glass wasn't anyone she'd met before. She also wondered why there was a random glass wall in the middle of the office. Must be in style or something for big-shot offices... The Steward somehow managed to worsen his condition since the last time they met, or at least that's how he seemed to Naoki. Tsubaki was still following after her, and she made sure to keep herself between her recently-harassed friend and the recent harasser just to be safe. Hopefully this is the right person, or I'd just look so uncool! Nope, no worries whatsoever about being kicked out of anywhere... At least for the moment.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke waved Shiori off. He approached the glass and had placed his hand on it. The wall would begin to change colours. For a slight moment Shiori could not see through the wall, but within a moment she could. Sousuke titled his head slightly. The sounds of locking could be heard as he was imputing safety code features. "Stay in there. You will be safe in there."<i></i> Sousuke approached his desk and placed the bag of magazines away for now. Again he turned to safe the glass wall. While he could not see Shiori from the other side, she could see him. It just happened to be that he was staring at her. There was a familial feeling this woman had upon Sousuke.

He heard sounds coming from outside of the door. His company had finally arrived. Excellent. Oh. Kidnapping huh? Sousuke shook his head. He approached the door and opened it. Susumu was face to face with a crimson juggernaut. "Kidnapped is a strong word to be used considering what your half-brother had done to my family and a lot of other people I knew."<i></i> With that the gauntlets were off. First impression was out the door. "Ishii Susumu. Son of the Daimyo, the heir apparent. More curious and the one detail most well known to me is your half brother Ishii Shouki. Who I have encountered on no less than four occasions. Each being repulsive in the extreme."<i></i> He hesitated. Naoki and Tsubaki were children still. They did not truly need to know of the horrors he had perpeutated. The corpses swaying back and forth in the wind. Shouki's blade dripping blood. Sousuke's mind snapped forward in time. Bloody circled rituals. Bloodied walls. Shiori suffering. The eyes behind the visor were glowing yellow at first, and then glowed bright green. There was a resounding desire to simply to punch Susumu in his face. Curiously though Sousuke would form a plasma blade in his hand and cut Susumu free of his bonds. He turned to Naoki and nodded his head. "Thank-you. I see you took precautions in delivering him to me."<i></i> He motioned all of them to come into his office. Tsubaki included. "As mentioned one must take precautions. Your brother is ... popular for the wrong reasons. I hope to think you are different from him, but when I was given the audio from the hospital of your ... collection ... antennas of the metaphorical sort went up."<i></i> Sousuke clapped his hands together. Floor boards would shift together and would form a long table and chairs. "You must admit, it is impressive that a Naoki brought you in ... considering your size."<i></i> Sousuke wanted absolutely nothing to do with his massive package.

Tying Susumu up and burning pages of the adult magazine up in front of him ... wasn't exactly the best idea at the moment. He didn't anticipate Naoki or Tsubaki present. "Have a seat. Given our situations, I don't think either of us can have a worst first impression."<i></i> Sousuke was already considering what to do. This boy as it were was a Jahanist. He had an extraordinary tolerance for pain. "Was the ninja wire that painful? I thought your family ... enjoyed that sort of thing?"<i></i>

 

[Michi]

Quietus​

"Stay in there. You will be safe in there."

She walked behind the pane of glass and the door shut behind her, she could hear the latch slide into place and the tumblers set as the door was locked. Locked? She brought her hand to the knob and gave it a hard half-turn but the knob refused to budge. The door was locked from the outside. Her 'heart' skipped a beat as her grip tightened around the knob and she attempted to rattle it into submission. "Hey!" She yelled as her palm slapped the door. A series of bangs resonated from her confinement space as she screamed again at the top of her octave "let me out of here!"

She could see him, his back to her as he approached his desk and put away the porn collection she had provided him with at his bequest. She continued to yell and pound on the seemingly glass walls, unaware that they appeared opaque from the other side and also unaware that unlike his office this space was sound proof. So all the same she yelled and struck against the unwavering walls. She hated this sensation of confinement; of restraint. He was staring at her, or so it would appear. Her expression, one of anger screamed back at him. She demanded her freedom, her carefully curled flaxen tresses now wild. Her palms and forearms red from repeated impacts against her glassy prison. The hell was he doing. Not that he knew what this space meant to her, how could he when he could not even garner familial sentiment. He was no less a sociopath than those he claimed to combat and perhaps if he knew and of course understood why this would have been a purposeful act rather than a thoughtless one.

She wanted out desperately, beads of sweat developed across her brow and her complexion turned pale. The room felt small, too small. As if the walls were closing in. Her breath hastened and her false heart pounded. Her back pressed against the far way facing away from the group that entered the office space. Slung over a young blind teen's shoulder and was dropped onto the floor. Was this Shouki's brother being delivered? They looked nothing alike. Wrists and legs bound but not for long as his binds were broken by the Steward. She felt trepidation grip her throat as if they were one in the same, her long manicured nails scratched at the walls. Why would anyone lock a door from the outside when they were bringing a potentially dangerous fiend to the doorstep?

She could not hear or understand the exchange but she wondered if Sousuke knew who or rather what she was. She refused to die a third time. Her grip tightened around her own knees. She needed to think but even when the only thing she could hear were the reverberations of her own screams and desperate attempts to break the wall, it was simply too loud in there. Was this what a panic attack felt like? Tho utter sense of terror and doom that seemed to override thought and function. Her back slid down along the wall and she sat on the floor. She drew her knees to her chest and rested her face on the cool leather.

Breathe. Just breathe.

But it felt as if there was no air. There was no song, only screams.

Breathe. Just breathe.​