Rude [Messenger=Sousuke]

[Zethui Kobayashi]

As the sparrow flapped its wings for the final time, it sailed across the wind and landed near the path leading to Sunagakure. It would have been tired if it were alive. But it wasn't. It would have been hungry if it wasn't animated clay. But it was. It served only one purpose. To deliver a message or to destroy anyone who tried to stand in it's way. On it's bleach white side, it stated the Steward Kazekage's name, Sousuke. Hopefully someone would notice it before attempting to fetch the message inside.

[Messenger Bird for Sousuke]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The sparrow flew towards Sungakure, but it was being watched by something. Amidst the burning heat of the desert, and the storm of the diamond sands something stood covered in ebon blames, burning lowly. Was it a malevolent entity? Was it some Mikaboshian spawn long forgotten? Was it some dark spirit of the desert unsealed? Something was seen heading towards the sparrow, something that caused the entity to turn its head. Something was speeding towards the sparrow with an intent to kill.

The entity clad in ebon flames made a gesture. A mechanical entity rose from out of the sands, a metallic skeleton ripped out of the ground and was instantly impaled by the oncoming threat. The entity made another gesture and made the metallic skeleton turn round and head to where the missile came from and quite possibly to its death.

Cabal agents were out there, but something else was active too in the desert. Someone that was locked out. Someone who had adapted to the deathly nature of the desert. Someone superior. Always it drove to become superior. A step forward and the entity burst into flames travelling quickly to make contact with the sparrow. The name on the sparrow was seen. It was seen by eyes that were sharp like that of a hawk, or so he was told by one of a spiritually inclined nature.

Upon contact the sparrow would find itself shielded from the sands. The little creature would find itself surrounded by darkness. It was being transported. Where though? For a time it didn't seem like it was going to be a healthy journey. In time the creature would see the light once again, or in particular the ebony ember armor that was crackling. If the creature were to look up he would see a set of eyes in the mouth of a tiger's head. In truth this was the armour of the entity. The entity that had come to the aid of the sparrow, whether he realized it or not. "You're going the wrong way. Nothing but death there."<i></i> Spoke a low voice that came from the armour. The jaw of the tiger helmet declined revealing a breather and a set of bored looking eyes. "What do you have for me? Good news I hope? My plans to return homeward are coming together."<i></i> Sousuke coughed. He could never seem to get rid of that cough. He tugged on the message relieving it from the bird.

 

[Zethui Kobayashi]

[contents of messenger sent via PM]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Good news often travelled too slowly. Bad news travelled far too quickly, and oftentimes came with wings in order to expedite the travel. The stranger's eyes widened slowly as he read the contents of the message. The stranger was suspicious of Moon country, and with some good reason it seemed. Still though, there was a saying that his father had being that it took only one rotten apple to spoil the barrel.

The stranger did as the note bid him to. He reworked it. Molded it. Shaped it into a new animal. He reshaped it into a hawk, and unto the hawk he placed upon it an enchantment to transmit a new message back to Zenichi. The message would not carry back the grimmer of news that befell Suna as it stood at the moment. Still though, the message assured Zenichi that there would be a rematch between him and Kuro, and the best man would win. The clay hawk grasped at the forearm of the stranger as he continued to talk to it giving it a message to return back to Zenichi. After finishing the message, the Steward waved his hand and placed a plasma talon ring on the creature to allow Zenichi some form of peace of mind in the writer of the message was truly who he was.

With that the clay hawk would take off, and the stranger would return to the depths to continue his planning. The Cabal had good intel, however, they didn't seem to realize that they were dealing with a force that could be adaptable. The ebon flames that cloaked the stranger died down revealing to Zenichi what would be a very familiar long red leather cloak. The stranger was no less than the Steward of Sungakure. The small man may have been beat in some ways, but he was not broken.

The Steward was used to losing. He never did win a fight with a bully, until he was much older in life. Truthfully that was what the Cabal were. Bullies. Brute strength and savage intellect could only get one so far. Unfortunately for the Cabal, Sousuke had neither. A cool mind, and steady hands most times worked out.

(MFT 368 )

(Topic left, and messenger bird sent out)