Sages [Private Kazu]

[Honma Kotone]

Arcadia was the epitome of beauty. It was truly a gem that the Earth Country valued so deeply, or at least should value. The vastness of the citizen's riches knew no bounds but money and wealth didn't pollute their lives with the selfishness of those above ground. It was almost like those who lived in Arcadia were better human beings, whom you could respect and co-exist with and have no quarrels. The doctor walked through the streets of Arcadia with an open mouth, her eyes marvelling at the beauty of the world that existed below, and how it's twilight danced through the air; illuminating the city in such an attractive aura. Words were meaningless in a world that was visibly astounding.

Koa hadn't ever ventured down to Arcadia because the occasion never called for it. However, she had another sneaky day off and needed to explore the world of beauty that lived only a short distance away. The tall gracious buildings towered over Koa as if she were nothing compared to them, and quite probably she was nothing to them; they were monoliths of grandeur and were to be marvelled at. The doctor would walk on, until she would bump into someone without even realizing it, but who was this person?

She would apologise promptly, rub her head with a scrunched up face and that awkward smile that she possessed so wickedly. "I'm really sorry!" Koa would state honestly, rubbing her head with one hand and raising the other as if to deflect any aggression that the person may have felt upon being accidentally encountered, or something.

[Ew, this post. Haha, sorry!]

 

[Haruka]

Of course, it was the epitome of beauty in a country that was advancing. Arcadians knew no upper level advancement that the people of the surface did. The way the area was illuminated was interesting, the lights that managed to find their way in the darkness bounced off of the brilliant gems of the area, causing a questionable coloration of the area. However, it was the people of the area that Haruka truly appreciated. They would not question where she came from, accepting that she was there to stay with her sick companion. Hell, even a caring woman down here had opened up her home for Haruka and her supposed family to stay. The woman had been a wondrous help despite the young Daimyo's struggle to contain herself and become just one. She was forever in debt to the people who lived their lives beneath the surface. This was why she attempted to make the best of everything, caring for the children and fetching them the nicest of toys that they considered in their mind. Who would have thought that gems would become a child's plaything? Another thing that she worked on was using her affinity towards ice to carve out some of the most beautiful figurines for people down here-- simply just to brighten their day and give them something that only she could.

It had been a year or so, and they became like her family. Though she had her mother and father, and in some sort of way, Keita, and all of her secrets that she held from where she came from, she made these people her family by extension too. It was simply better that way. So the woman adorned in blue would walk, her feet tapping against the ground in a rhythmic way as she walked, her arms full as she carried a box. She was going to visit the sick ward for the Arcadians, entertain them a little, and possibly even give them some of the well deserved help they needed. However- - - A figure that bumped into the tall woman would delay that process. A gasp would escape her lips, the air around it instantly causing that puff of breath to become a vapor. If Koa noticed one thing, it would be how absurdly cold Haruka's body and aura was. The next thing to be noticed. . . a crystalline crack and the sound of something like glass breaking against the floor. . . However, she would just stand there and fold her hands together, giving a bit of a laugh.

"You are fine, there is nothing to worry about. Are you okay?" She would ask, blatantly ignoring the box of shattered goods on the ground as she examined Koa with her brilliant blue eyes.

 

[Honma Kotone]

"Oh, forgive me I've just ruined that!" Koa would exclaim placing her hands over her face in shame. She looked flustered, which for a doctor under regular strain, wasn't something she wanted or needed but then again neither was this woman's goods being smashed into smithereens. The doctor shook her head, buried her face deep, before creating a few gaps with her fingers to look at the stunningly beautiful woman that had this comfortable, but yet cold, temperature around her. It felt very soothing to the woman, almost like a veil of silk, but perhaps that had something to do with her Haku bloodline that enabled Koa to perform wondrous feats such as: producing and manipulating ice.

"How much were they?" She said in a panicked tone, patting down her suit jacket pocket for her purse, the tiny little square that held her yen from the previous day. After a few moments it had been found, a small brown leather square that jiggled slightly with movement; the sound of change. Without even waiting for a response, Koa began to count out her coins with narrowed brown hues, counting up a tiny sum before handing it over to the woman with apologetic eyes. "If it's not enough, I'll go and get some more!" Again, she would exclaim.

After a few moments, Koa would absorb in the whole moment of panic and release a sigh to calm herself down. It was only because of the strangers kind laugh that the woman was able to calm herself down as it appeared that no harm was caused, which was always a good thing; nobody wanted someone to punch them or worse. The doctor looked at the woman, taking note of her beautiful eyes, before rolling them to the side and winching at the sight of the sealed box which contained all of the broken glass. A head shake followed once more with another sigh. The change in her hand probably wouldn't be accepted but regardless Koa held out her hand for the woman to take the retribution.

"I'm really sorry, I just got so distracted..." She would add, eyes strolling off into the twilight, enchanted by the beauty that she had never laid eyes upon before.

 

[Haruka]

Ruined? The woman just stood there with an amused expression held upon her features. There would be absolutely nothing that stated that she was angry towards Koa in any sense, but rather, she was in a state of serene amusement. Either she was on some good drugs... or yeah. No, but really, no drugs to be found here. The little figurines that she had created were easily replicable, but it seemed that the girl before her had not understood that. "The earth is priceless, dear," she would comment in a smooth tone as she lifted one of her hands, using the tip of her black polished nails to keep her from needlessly pulling out her wallet. "Take a breath and collect yourself, it does wonders." She said as she moved her hand away from the other woman. Crouching down, she was very mindful of the dress that she had been wearing to attempt not to show much of anything off. After all, no one needed to see what she had going on~. Reaching out, she would grab the ornate box that she had previously been holding. Pulling it closer to her, she would pull open the top to reveal the mess that the figures had become. Bringing a finger up to her lips, she would tap it there for a moment in thought. Koa would not know what thoughts crossed her mind, but she was attempting to figure out what she was going to turn this into now. . . Releasing another breath, it would float high in the air in wisps. Her hands would hover over the shards and they would stand up, dancing in the air around the two as Haruka stood up.

"This is a form of very slow-melting, incredibly cold ice. I use it to create figurines for the Arcadians." She would comment, her hands moving and piecing the shards back together like a puzzle. It was hard to believe that the once hot headed woman who resided over the Earthen country had become so artistic and collected, but time always changed people unless they had a grip on it. "The only cost to make them is time. Mind making some suggestions for me? I cannot quite remember the animals and whatnot I had used to design these. I know there was a cat figurine, a bird, and a dog, but otherwise. . . Hrmmm. . ." She was thinking again. That's what she did, after all.

 

[Honma Kotone]

Koa took a deep breath as her body unravelled with ease, comforted by the presence of such a calm creature. The doctor was often collected, calm and and, well, reserved but that was only when she was in the wards. There was a different persona that came into Koa's body when she worked, and that woman was an even more caring lady who didn't get nervous or flustered by she knew that her patient's needed to see that she was anything but calm. They needed a doctor to take care of them, not to panic at every given moment. However, when it came to incidents outside of the hospital - like right now - then the strong persona kinda fizzled out. The stranger's hand touched Koa's, and for that moment, everything was better and much more calmer for the doctor. "I'm not usually this frantic, I promise." She would truthfully state with a brimming smile.

The stranger began to think, her finger reflectively tapping against her lip, but what thoughts crossed her mind? Koa would then watch, with glee, as the woman began to manifest her breath into wisps of ice; another Haku perhaps was her immediate thought. It would be at that point, her foreign sister would begin to fit together the pieces of ice and ask the doctor what else could she make. The doctor would smile, just purely happy to be around another one who possessed the same blood as herself.

"I've got an idea," Koa would clasp her hands together, gathering her chakra towards the palms, the sound of ice manifesting with crackling was quite obvious and it wouldn't be unfamiliar to the stranger. As the figurine grew in height, part of it became visible, but the majority of its body was hidden well enough behind Koa's hand. The woman smiled, focusing on the tiny ice creature before revealing it to the stranger."It's a little dancer." Koa would say pointing at the little figurine that seemed to be glimmering against the twilight shine. "I guess we must have some heritage, haha!"

 

[Haruka]

Well, the woman standing before Koa couldn't blame her for her supposed frantic nature. It would've been a natural reaction after all. . . And the ice did sound like glass in the box when it dropped. But as it stood, there was nothing wrong here and everything was easily fixable. So, she would hold no type of grudge or anything along those lines. "I believe you, the nerves get the best of us sometimes," she would speak up now, offering a small smile as she stood in a ring of little ice figurines. These creations of hers were simple, and Koa had given her more of a chance to fix everything up here. So, for that she was grateful. The practice would eventually turn into perfection, and who knew what she could create with these hands and her chakra? It almost made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Almost. However, as Koa began to manipulate the ice herself, a small gasp would pass the young woman's lips. Could it have been? Another like her? It seemed so. Her blue eyes grew wide with wonder as she watched Koa work. It was almost like a childlike fascination. It was strange seeing another here in Stone. After all, there were more people with purification techniques and techniques that dealt with the earth more than ones that dealt with water or ice. The figurines that Haruka created would be placed down in the box and she would approach Koa, reaching out with one of her hands to touch the dancer that she had made. The cold feel of the material was very much welcome to her. Lifting her gaze up from the creation, she would look at Koa and blink a few times, a small smile gracing her features.

"It's beautiful." She would state quietly, nodding her head. ". . . I don't know much about my heritage. What I do know is that I've been able to do this ever since I started in the Academy." She would admit, looking a bit ashamed of the fact that she didn't have a clue about her own potential family. Though, her mother had always told her that her prowess came more from the curse that had befallen the Mist. Another point that she liked to stress was that Haruka would have more than likely been like her or her father--- something sort of a time stepper? Or something along those lines. She had been fine with what she become, though. She was sure that her inner demon had something to contribute to that too. "Can you. . . tell me more?" It was a genuine curiosity that shimmered in her eyes.

 

[Honma Kotone]

The stranger seemed overjoyed with Koa for some reason, but it would only really take a few moments for her to piece together that this excitement was definitely to do with their shared abilities. She would reach over with sticky fingers to touch the ice figurine to which Koa would pass it over, offering it to the woman with a gentle suggestion and a deep smile. "I always thought I was the only one," She would say eyes locked onto the stranger before moving back down to the ice sculpture where both flesh and ice massaged each other. "Suddenly I don't feel as alone." The doctor would chuckle taking an automatic interest to this woman who seemed to be delightful.

"I'm not really sure where the ability comes from..." Koa would say softly as the ice dancer, frozen in time, brought the two physically closer to each other. After all, the Hakuryoku family were relatively unknown to the world - Koa's mother and father both past away a few years ago due to old again but with happy and content lives. They had relatives in Suna, a cousin who was the village's Sennin; Oba Kinnaku. She possessed an ability to produce kikai. It seemed to be that each branch of the family had one special child that possessed powers unrivalled to the others. "I know that it is beautiful and... I'm thankful for it." Koa would shift her cupped hands from holding the figurine with only one hand instead. Her free hand would move through the air, as the two Haku's came together the air chilled and the particles of moisture froze ever so slightly. Their heavy bodies spiralled downwards in a magical flurry that was only emphasised by their fabulous glow from the twilight above.

"I'm Koa, by the way, it's nice to meet you, sister." She would say affectionately, truly happy that another like her dared to exist in this big bad world. Her free hand, the one that glided through the small magical flurry, would return back to the figurine where her index finger would rest upon its head. Slowly, but surely, a green filter of chakra would seep into the ice and center itself in the abdominal area. The figurine would emanate a beautiful green glow. "Magical, isn't it?"

 

[Haruka]

Ah, ah, ah. But was overjoyment such a bad thing? It never was! It certainly beat out being upset or something along those lines. After all, being upset with a person was never, ever any fun. That's why she attempted to let go of all of her resentment with the disappearance of Haru. However, she still held that sharp mind of a leader, knowing when she needed to be cold like ice, or attempt to be a warm ray of sunshine in the face of others. "It's never good to feel alone, huh?" She'd comment in a friendly tone. "I know I hate feeling alone." Admitting it was the hard part, even though she had thought she could handle being on her own. She had done it for a year now with nothing but a vegetable by her side and an elderly woman who was constantly out of the house or in the clinic. It was hard, but it gave the mind some time to develop, really. Now, there was one difference between Koa and Haruka. . . One was from a universally known family and the other was from a more quiet family, strange right? However, there was still a curiosity to figure out where the abilities came from even if the other woman did not know. She knew that there had to be some other explanation than just 'the land bestowed these gifts'. It sounded kinda like bullshit in the back of her mind, but she would never openly admit as much. "Having the ability to create such works of art, though, is a lot of fun and it is truly a gift to be thankful for." Still smiling, she would bend down to pick up the box from the ground.

"My name is Ruka, it's nice to meet you Koa-- Ah, that's beautiful!" She'd speak in a sudden tone, her eyes widening with a childish wonder. "The children would really get a kick out of that, I think. No, no. They'd love it. They tell tales of magic and other such things down here. It's beautiful what a young, untainted mind can create, really." Now, she would pause for just a moment:

"Would you like to come to my little home for a cup of tea? I was just heading back there as I had forgotten something. A little bit more time wouldn't hurt."

 

[Honma Kotone]

The stranger, named Ruka, agreed quite easily about the feelings that were associated with being alone. She would give the woman a compassionate smile and nod her head, watching as the tiny fragments of ice waddled down from the sky to the earth. They would melt a lot faster than their brothers or sister and seep into the ground after a few moments. The two women both shared a great presence of loneliness and that's something that connected them quite noticeably, well, it connected them but the thing that really connected them had to be their shared ability. All of the Haku were from the same family at one point or another, their members would split off into other breeding circles where the gene would be lost under layers of heritage and names.

"It's an absolute pleasure to meet you, Ruka!" Koa would exclaim with a reflected tone to that of the girl. Ruka would mention children, which peeked the woman's curiosity, did she have children of her own or was she specifically talking about the children of Arcadia? The blessed ones who lived lives free of above-ground worries. Koa would nod, smiling deeply, as Ruka mentioned how the children would love to see the miracles that both parties were able to manifest independently.

Ruka would then ask if the woman would like to join her for a little refreshment back at her home. Koa blushed somewhat, taken back, but utterly delighted to be included in such a social event. It wasn't really an event but to the doctor it was. She didn't really have friends, and no family, so it was pretty much just Koa on her own. "I'd love to come with you," She would say in an excited voice, one that seemed hushed, but excitement was quite evident. The beautiful flurry around the two would cease to be but one beauty was replaced by another; the twilight sung and danced for those who were willing to take some time out and watch. "Lead the way, Ruka!"

 

[Haruka]

Loneliness was a strange force that had a tendency to pull people together. It was something that had been seen a lot within the walls of Iwagakure. After all, the people drawn to the village were mainly refugees from Mist, a land that she was told to be once so beautiful and diverse. Thankfully, though, Koa did not know that Haruka's breed of loneliness was self-inflicted, something that she pushed herself into to fix and rid herself of her problems. After all, one could not be a proper leader if they had their mind twisted and screwed. Now they just had to play the waiting game for her to become a bit better mentally and perhaps she could resurface once more. . . A good question to ask herself was when that would happen: When would she be ready? She seemed to be easily interacting with the woman in front of her, so. . . It shouldn't take too much longer, correct? Holding the box snugly against her hip to avoid any more incidents, Haruka could not help but to continue to grin in a silly manner. "The pleasures all mine, Koa." And with that, she would turn on her heel to lead the way back to the little place that she called home here in Arcadia. With her twisting motion, her platinum blonde braid would fall over her shoulder and cascade down her back. If examined closely enough, one would be able to notice little, ornate snowflakes of ice bound in her strands, clinging on as if frozen to the blonde locks. The young woman also had a strangely powerful walk about her, as if she was walking in such a manner that she was being watched at all times. It came from the politics encoded into her brain. It was not a paranoid one-- but rather, one that spelled out prowess. Sure, it would've been nice to have a whimsical walk about her, but there was always someone watching, no matter how well she could hide herself away below the ground.

They would make their way through a few twists and turns, nothing that wouldn't be too strenuous. After all, they had the majestic glint and glitter of the twilight cavern to entertain their walk. Soon, they would come upon a set of stairs etched into the very foundation of the cavern and they would pace downwards, "Almost there," she would comment, the figurines giving small sounds here and there with her steps. "The woman I live with is currently at the clinic, so there shouldn't really be much chaos in the house-- and by chaos, I just mean pampering and cooing." A bit of laughter now. The lady would go gaga over Koa, she was sure. There would be attempts to do her hair or makeup, stuff like that. That woman was simply just a kind soul. They would soon approach a gate, which was standing open, causing Haruka to furrow her brow. "I swore I closed that. I must've forgotten," she would mumble, scratching at the side of her head now in a slight confusion. Leave it to her to do something silly like at. Oh well, at least the front door was shut. The house was a modest one, nothing that really stood out. It was made of stone like much of the rest of Arcadian architecture, carved expertly. Reaching out with her unoccupied arm, she would grab the handle of the door and push it open with her hip. Turning her body, she would feel a strange sensation against the side of the box, and she would look down in confusion.

. . . Kunai? A look of confusion crossed her features before she cast her gaze upwards, eyes widened in confusion. And not just any kunai. . . it was her mother? And her father. The box would drop from her grasp once again and she took a staggering step backwards. Great. Haruka didn't know she ordered a family reunion today. Either way, she would turn to look at Koa. "Uh. . . Meet my mother and father, whom I haven't seen in over two years because they flat out disappeared?" Haruka would state, scratching at the top of her head.

"The doctors told me you passed," Haruka stated in a shaken voice. It was like seeing ghosts. Ghosts from her damn past, and she wasn't ready to deal with this as of yet. Actually, the air just kept getting colder and colder around them as she began to freak out more and more.

"The doctors told you exactly what I wanted them to, then. You didn't need to be distracted from your duty to Earth Country, but I see you already abandoned them. So, who's your friend, oh daughter of mine? Someone I should know? Or the person you ran away with? The Kono family does not abscond from their duties. They do their job and they fight through whatever issues they have." Suffice to say, it was a disappointed tone that the woman had as she peered down her sights at the blonde haired woman across the way. "You're the god damn Daimyo. This country is not your play toy, so you had better start acting like you give a shit. With your disappearance, you have unraveled the coil and brought hardship upon this land. You may think they don't need you, but they do." Now, Sakezuki's hand would lift up and she would point her finger directly at Haruka, dead center between her eyes. With the raising of the dark woman standing there, it appeared that the ground beneath Koa and Haruka would begin to sink inwards into itself. Shooting up from the ground would come two half decayed zombies, attempting to grab at both the female's ankles.

Now, would they dare dodge is the question?

"I highly doubt they consider me that anymore, Mom. So why don't you calm down? This is Arcadia, not some place that you can just wreck because you're upset!" Attempts to plead, but who knew how they would end up? All the while, the resurrected man known as Taro would simply just stand there in silence. Let the women fight it out if they had to. He wasn't getting in the middle of this.

One of the zombified figures would grab onto Haruka, the smell of putrid flesh entering her nose. It was vile enough to make her want to puke. All she wanted to do was have some damn tea. Of course her mother had some kind of sadistic battle tendency.

 

[Honma Kotone]

It was a strange sensation to be able to connect with someone whom you had only known for a handful of minutes. Koa didn't know anything about this woman other than a first impression but that felt more than enough. She didn't really need to know a backstory, a sad and tragic event that led her through her life or a mundane family that wasn't interesting - it didn't matter; this person could be interesting or not and the doctor still wouldn't mind. Ruka and Koa seemed to have some sort of connection and that's all that really mattered. They were connected, at some level, through blood from their ancestors and also by this loneliness that not a lot of people had the misfortune of feeling. With the box in hand, pressed against her hip, the blonde beauty began to walk; her braided hair settled naturally against the woman's gentle frame. Koa smiled and followed the woman, noticing the beautiful glacials that nested in her hair so perfectly.

The walk to Ruka's home was nothing too taxing, with was a relief, although the route seemed secluded. There was a few twists and turns, sharp corners and an even sharper descent. The cavern had these neat little stairs carved into its actual frame, although it felt unnerving to be on the edge the shine from above really took the, metaphorical, edge off things. "Oh don't worry about that," Koa would retort with a smile, pushing her hand against the cavern wall as if to try and stable her balance, "I wouldn't mind being pampered if I do say so." The doctor never had time to pamper herself and, to be honest, the thought of having that done to her made the woman quite gleeful. Finally, the descent had come to a close and a gate was the first obstacle that the pair encountered. Ruka seemed to question why it was left open, swearing that she was careful to have closed it but Koa didn't really take much notice; it was just a little slip of the mind.

The modest little house stood quite calmly, it made Koa sigh with jealousy as she wished that she owned a house. It would be at that very moment the doctor would push her imagination to the breaking point with babies, marriage and a mysterious man with a blurred face holding their newborn baby. She often had these silly little fantasies. Ruka would open the door, her body frozen with... something before it was revealed - with a hushed step back - that her family had come to visit. The doctor's eyes narrowed as she analysed Ruka's tone of voice, sensing that she wasn't best pleased. Koa stayed silent as her own body stifled with readiness for something dramatic about to happen.

The mother, a beauty in her own right, spoke on about the Kono family - whoever they were - but none of that was relevant till the mother of Ruka mentioned her daughter's status to the Earth Country. Koa lifted her hand and placed it over her mouth, face sweaty with embarrassment as she dropped to her knees and bowed down to the Daimyo. Ruka was the Daimyo... The doctor couldn't even speak, what was there to say, "Lady Daimyo, I apologise, I didn't know." Her voice became apologetic, almost weak sounding, but terribly loyal - that was clear abundantly. But the next scene in this unfolding drama would be the sudden battle engagement, whereby Ruka's mother did the unspeakable and raised the dead. Koa had been researching a way to achieve this, and by all means it was a myth, but for a person to actually be able to do this? The doctor's mouth stayed wide, her face visibly stricken with shock and a dull sense of fear. Two decayed bodies and another... being standing in the room before Ruka and her parents.

"No," She would say in a low voice, "I cannot allow you to touch our Lady!"

The decayed body made its way to Koa's ankle, however the shinobi was prepared and as its charred, rotten flesh coiled its fingers around her ankle shadows would swallow her up in a moment of sheer madness. The darkness had taken her to an unknown location for a split-second. After another second, Koa would appear from the corner of the room, dashing forward to her Lady Daimyo with one hand stretched out to grab her and the other condensing chakra, freezing the moisture in the air into tiny fragments of ice that immediately condensed and formed a spectacular fuuma shuriken. "Do you dare touch her!" Koa would launch the ice shuriken towards the decayed zombie that threatened Ruka.

 

[Honma Kotone]

Left due to character deactivation.