Aki leapt through the shade of the trees, scanning the path below. For the first time in quite a long while, she had been granted permission to undertake a mission (not a terribly important one: her only task was reconnaissance, looking for naturally-occurring growths of a specific medicinal plant). While she had historically been prevented by her brother’s absence on a long-term mission of his own, as well as her family’s desire for only one of their heirs to be away from the village at a time, Sanjiro was home now, for better or for worse. He was recovering reasonably steadily from the unnatural injury and illness that had been the cause for his sudden return- not as fast, however, as she had recovered from having elements of his 'infection' transfused into her body in an effort to save him. In fact, she was cleared by the Konoha Byoin after two weeks of rest, which was… convenient, if nothing else, especially considering the infection should have been split evenly between them. Maybe her body was simply better predisposed to fight inexplicable void-diseases, who knew.
As she weaved through the towering trees, her already-scanning eyes caught sight of an unexpected focal point- a trail of inky black splatters, which marred the otherwise natural surroundings. Intrigued, she followed the trail, leaping carefully over fallen branches and jutting moss-covered stones. Each spot of unnatural darkness seemed… almost deliberate, leading her gradually further into the heart of the forest as she began to stray from the path. It would just be a quick detour. In fact, this could be a trail to the spot she was looking for, or at very least some indication of a clue. Aki's curiosity- and her suspicion- grew with each step, mind buzzing with questions. Who or what could have left these distinct marks? They almost bore a resemblance to ink- were they a product of some jutsu, possibly warning of the presence of enemy ninja? Her eyes narrowed. She wasn’t a sensory type by trade, but ever since the transplant to save her brother, she had slowly become more… aware of her surroundings than before, perhaps not physically, but on some level. Still, the Chuunin didn’t completely trust her meager skills yet.
Lost in thought and looking primarily for signs of life now, she almost flew past it- a shaded cave entrance, concealed by thick foliage within the side of a rugged mountain. Aki stopped, hot on the trail of the mysterious dark splatters, and approached the concealed tunnel with caution. Its smooth entrance blended seamlessly with the rocky exterior… a testament to the skill of human creation, no doubt, rather than natural occurrence. Her hands flickered for a moment. Seconds later, her silhouette faded from view, leaving only a shadow which vanished soon after, and she stepped inside. The narrow tunnel snaked its way deeper into the mountain, the walls damp and the air refreshingly cool. The kunoichi’s eyes adjusted to the dim light as she ventured forward, her softened footfalls making little noise in the confined space.
After a surprising while, the tunnel opened up into a vast chamber, and Aki's eyes widened a little, unseen. Before her lay what appeared to be a small network of aging ruins, bathed in the muted glow of sunlight filtering through cracks in the stone ceiling. The walls were adorned with aged but intricate murals, beautiful fusions of art and architecture: the paintings depicted people, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life, their colors vibrant despite the passage of time. But what truly caught her attention were the pools of the same black substance adorning every surface, seeming so dark it was almost… reflective. They appeared haphazard at first glance, yet upon closer inspection, their placement seemed intentional, adding a note of whimsy to the solemn ruins. It was as if an artist had claimed this forgotten space, turning it into their personal canvas… not expecting any of this, Aki approached a particularly striking mural, fingertips grazing the rough surface. She wondered if anyone in the village even knew this place existed.
Her attention kept getting drawn back to the dark splatters that covered the walls and floor- the more she observed, the more she became convinced that they were not random after all, but deliberate brushstrokes, composing a larger story yet to be deciphered. She ventured deeper into the ruins, a soft, faraway glow guiding her path. The murals on the walls curiously became more intricate and detailed as she progressed, now telling tales of legendary battles and forgotten heroes. It was as if the artist's spirit still lingered in the very essence of the cave, leaving behind an echo of their creativity and skill… but her attention was pulled away from the murals when she stumbled upon an ornate door, thoroughly inscribed with odd symbols she couldn't decipher. The black splatters had increased in concentration around the door, seemingly urging her to investigate further. Something important lay behind that door, and Aki couldn't resist the call of the mysterious energy emanating from within. This place seemed to be very clearly unexplored; the medicinal plant could wait for now.
The Chuunin stopped in front of the door, pausing to produce a lantern-equipped staff through trace projection in order to get a better look. As she focused her chakra, however, a soft hum filled the air, and the symbols seemed to react, glowing faintly in response. Encouraged by this newfound revelation, she continued her chakra infusion, until the door suddenly nudged itself open with a resonating creak. Beyond the door lay a central chamber lit only by the glow from its center. There knelt a humanoid figure with a blindfold covering its eyes; the mysterious glow, originating from what had seemed to be the black splatters, now emanated from the figure itself. The spirit-like entity appeared to be transfixed by its own reflection in an ornate, oval-shaped mirror, letting out only soft weeping noises. Curiosity mingled with concern, and Aki approached the figure cautiously. "Excuse me," she said softly, her voice echoing slightly in the chamber. "Are you… alright?"
The figure did not respond. It didn’t even seem to notice the additional presence, as if it existed in a world separate from Aki's own. She frowned, and cast the light from the lantern on her staff around the room, yielding nothing more than what she could already see. Perhaps it would respond to the same method as the door- she touched the end of the staff to the mirror’s surface. The glow intensified for a moment, and the figure's weeping grew more segmented, but still, there was no acknowledgment of her presence. Frustration and empathy welled up unexpectedly inside Aki; she couldn't bear to see this spirit-like being in such a state of anguish and detachment. The kunoichi drew her leg back and hesitated for just a moment before delivering a swift kick to the mirror.
Immediately the mirror shattered into countless fragments. The figure cried out in response- for a few seconds, it appeared frozen in time, suspended between worlds. But then, slowly, it turned its head towards Aki, the blindfold slipping slightly to reveal a pair of ethereal, shimmering eyes. "Who… who are you?" the spirit asked in a whisper, sounding as if it hadn't spoken in ages. Aki's heartbeat quickened, realizing that her actions had triggered some change in the spirit. "Sugihara Aki," she replied, taking a step forward. "Are you okay? What happened to you?" The spirit seemed to take a moment to process the questions, and when it did speak, its replies came out disjointed, almost as if trying to recollect how to communicate properly. "I am… a Tsukumogami spirit," it finally spoke, its voice faint and ethereal. "Some time ago, I was bound to this mirror by a powerful curse. The darkness you see is some distortion of my ability, born from the curse's grip on me." Aki raised an eyebrow. If bits of curse were getting outside the cave somehow like the trail that had lead her here, that sounded like a problem waiting to happen. "Is this curse… breakable?" The spirit was motionless for a long moment, then shook its head. "No. Shattering the mirror, you have at least granted me the ability to speak and move once more. For that, I am grateful. But I cannot be separated from the curse."
The spirit seemed to deliberate again, then it nodded: “You should leave here. It is not because of what you have done; I simply desire solitude for a time.” Another pause. “This place should be maintained far more often than it has been with my predicament. I have much work to do.”
“Will you be able to contain the curse on your own, then? And… is it capable of spreading?” Her question was once again met with silence, but she could tell now that her new acquaintance was reflecting deeply on what she had said. “I do not know the answers to either.” It gestured behind it to the remains of the mirror, which Aki noticed were still hovering in place, suspended outwards from the point she had struck. “I sense I still have some aspect of control over its source. But as for everything else, I cannot be certain.” Finally the Tsukumogami fixed her with its gaze directly, accompanied by another dip of its head. “Sugihara Aki. You are a direct person- few humans would intervene with something they knew so little about. So I will be direct with you as well: our paths will cross again, very frequently in fact. I am still in need of your help, and you seem to be in need of mine.” She returned the nod. It was right- one of the first things on her mind was reporting the curse marks to the village, second only to an odd and compelling sense of kinship with the spirit. “I’ll look forward to it.”
As she weaved through the towering trees, her already-scanning eyes caught sight of an unexpected focal point- a trail of inky black splatters, which marred the otherwise natural surroundings. Intrigued, she followed the trail, leaping carefully over fallen branches and jutting moss-covered stones. Each spot of unnatural darkness seemed… almost deliberate, leading her gradually further into the heart of the forest as she began to stray from the path. It would just be a quick detour. In fact, this could be a trail to the spot she was looking for, or at very least some indication of a clue. Aki's curiosity- and her suspicion- grew with each step, mind buzzing with questions. Who or what could have left these distinct marks? They almost bore a resemblance to ink- were they a product of some jutsu, possibly warning of the presence of enemy ninja? Her eyes narrowed. She wasn’t a sensory type by trade, but ever since the transplant to save her brother, she had slowly become more… aware of her surroundings than before, perhaps not physically, but on some level. Still, the Chuunin didn’t completely trust her meager skills yet.
Lost in thought and looking primarily for signs of life now, she almost flew past it- a shaded cave entrance, concealed by thick foliage within the side of a rugged mountain. Aki stopped, hot on the trail of the mysterious dark splatters, and approached the concealed tunnel with caution. Its smooth entrance blended seamlessly with the rocky exterior… a testament to the skill of human creation, no doubt, rather than natural occurrence. Her hands flickered for a moment. Seconds later, her silhouette faded from view, leaving only a shadow which vanished soon after, and she stepped inside. The narrow tunnel snaked its way deeper into the mountain, the walls damp and the air refreshingly cool. The kunoichi’s eyes adjusted to the dim light as she ventured forward, her softened footfalls making little noise in the confined space.
After a surprising while, the tunnel opened up into a vast chamber, and Aki's eyes widened a little, unseen. Before her lay what appeared to be a small network of aging ruins, bathed in the muted glow of sunlight filtering through cracks in the stone ceiling. The walls were adorned with aged but intricate murals, beautiful fusions of art and architecture: the paintings depicted people, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life, their colors vibrant despite the passage of time. But what truly caught her attention were the pools of the same black substance adorning every surface, seeming so dark it was almost… reflective. They appeared haphazard at first glance, yet upon closer inspection, their placement seemed intentional, adding a note of whimsy to the solemn ruins. It was as if an artist had claimed this forgotten space, turning it into their personal canvas… not expecting any of this, Aki approached a particularly striking mural, fingertips grazing the rough surface. She wondered if anyone in the village even knew this place existed.
Her attention kept getting drawn back to the dark splatters that covered the walls and floor- the more she observed, the more she became convinced that they were not random after all, but deliberate brushstrokes, composing a larger story yet to be deciphered. She ventured deeper into the ruins, a soft, faraway glow guiding her path. The murals on the walls curiously became more intricate and detailed as she progressed, now telling tales of legendary battles and forgotten heroes. It was as if the artist's spirit still lingered in the very essence of the cave, leaving behind an echo of their creativity and skill… but her attention was pulled away from the murals when she stumbled upon an ornate door, thoroughly inscribed with odd symbols she couldn't decipher. The black splatters had increased in concentration around the door, seemingly urging her to investigate further. Something important lay behind that door, and Aki couldn't resist the call of the mysterious energy emanating from within. This place seemed to be very clearly unexplored; the medicinal plant could wait for now.
The Chuunin stopped in front of the door, pausing to produce a lantern-equipped staff through trace projection in order to get a better look. As she focused her chakra, however, a soft hum filled the air, and the symbols seemed to react, glowing faintly in response. Encouraged by this newfound revelation, she continued her chakra infusion, until the door suddenly nudged itself open with a resonating creak. Beyond the door lay a central chamber lit only by the glow from its center. There knelt a humanoid figure with a blindfold covering its eyes; the mysterious glow, originating from what had seemed to be the black splatters, now emanated from the figure itself. The spirit-like entity appeared to be transfixed by its own reflection in an ornate, oval-shaped mirror, letting out only soft weeping noises. Curiosity mingled with concern, and Aki approached the figure cautiously. "Excuse me," she said softly, her voice echoing slightly in the chamber. "Are you… alright?"
The figure did not respond. It didn’t even seem to notice the additional presence, as if it existed in a world separate from Aki's own. She frowned, and cast the light from the lantern on her staff around the room, yielding nothing more than what she could already see. Perhaps it would respond to the same method as the door- she touched the end of the staff to the mirror’s surface. The glow intensified for a moment, and the figure's weeping grew more segmented, but still, there was no acknowledgment of her presence. Frustration and empathy welled up unexpectedly inside Aki; she couldn't bear to see this spirit-like being in such a state of anguish and detachment. The kunoichi drew her leg back and hesitated for just a moment before delivering a swift kick to the mirror.
Immediately the mirror shattered into countless fragments. The figure cried out in response- for a few seconds, it appeared frozen in time, suspended between worlds. But then, slowly, it turned its head towards Aki, the blindfold slipping slightly to reveal a pair of ethereal, shimmering eyes. "Who… who are you?" the spirit asked in a whisper, sounding as if it hadn't spoken in ages. Aki's heartbeat quickened, realizing that her actions had triggered some change in the spirit. "Sugihara Aki," she replied, taking a step forward. "Are you okay? What happened to you?" The spirit seemed to take a moment to process the questions, and when it did speak, its replies came out disjointed, almost as if trying to recollect how to communicate properly. "I am… a Tsukumogami spirit," it finally spoke, its voice faint and ethereal. "Some time ago, I was bound to this mirror by a powerful curse. The darkness you see is some distortion of my ability, born from the curse's grip on me." Aki raised an eyebrow. If bits of curse were getting outside the cave somehow like the trail that had lead her here, that sounded like a problem waiting to happen. "Is this curse… breakable?" The spirit was motionless for a long moment, then shook its head. "No. Shattering the mirror, you have at least granted me the ability to speak and move once more. For that, I am grateful. But I cannot be separated from the curse."
The spirit seemed to deliberate again, then it nodded: “You should leave here. It is not because of what you have done; I simply desire solitude for a time.” Another pause. “This place should be maintained far more often than it has been with my predicament. I have much work to do.”
“Will you be able to contain the curse on your own, then? And… is it capable of spreading?” Her question was once again met with silence, but she could tell now that her new acquaintance was reflecting deeply on what she had said. “I do not know the answers to either.” It gestured behind it to the remains of the mirror, which Aki noticed were still hovering in place, suspended outwards from the point she had struck. “I sense I still have some aspect of control over its source. But as for everything else, I cannot be certain.” Finally the Tsukumogami fixed her with its gaze directly, accompanied by another dip of its head. “Sugihara Aki. You are a direct person- few humans would intervene with something they knew so little about. So I will be direct with you as well: our paths will cross again, very frequently in fact. I am still in need of your help, and you seem to be in need of mine.” She returned the nod. It was right- one of the first things on her mind was reporting the curse marks to the village, second only to an odd and compelling sense of kinship with the spirit. “I’ll look forward to it.”
