Private Self Invitation and Planning Ahead

[Renmei Tsumugu]

From the outside, Tsumugu’s house fit perfectly within the Renmei clan district, where every structure seemed shaped by the same quiet philosophy. The buildings here didn’t compete for attention. His home was one of many low, stone-built dwellings arranged in careful patterns around shared central plazas. Pale sandstone walls curved gently, reinforced by dark metal ribs that mirrored those on neighboring homes. The metal was uncommon and lacked any special traits, but each band bore subtle variations. Small marks left by different hands over generations of Renmei builders, marking their contributions.

The entrance to Tsumugu’s home faced an open walkway and had a simple wooden door, reinforced with metal framing which slid smoothly into the wall. Hanging from this door hung a clan charm similar to others in the district: water-smoothed stones bound with cord, each only having slight differences. Inside, the space opened into a single main room that smelled faintly of clean stone and mineral water. The floor was smooth and cool, the stone polished by years of careful maintenance. Low shelves lined the walls, holding scroll cases, books, numerous gourds of varying sizes, and other family heirlooms. Nothing was out of place here, but it also didn't feel unoccupied in either. This was a lived-in space, shaped by habit but clearly used.

A shallow indoor basin occupied the center of the room, fed by a narrow pipe that hummed softly with steady flow. Surrounding this basin were large pillows and a low table that was lined neatly with various fruits and sandwiches. Tea and water also sat readily available in pitchers, while three glasses sat each in use. Several plates of assorted cakes also were on the table, Tsumugu's mother having done more than he felt she should have. His home had been volunteered as a meeting place, and no one had thought to clear that with him first. The basin water rippled faintly, reacting to the shift in his chakra, and he pressed his thumb against the edge of his sandwich to keep it steady. This was supposed to be his space as Renmei homes weren’t typically seen as casual gathering spots. They were for rest, for listening, for recalibrating. Not for crumbs on the floor and loud voices echoing off stone. His right eye twitched slightly as he bit down, chewing as he glared at Ryuni. This was his fault. His gaze shifted to Rika. And she co-signed.

He exhaled through his nose, reaching for his cup as he was swallowing, “…Next time,” Tsumugu said flatly, not looking at either of them, “you ask before deciding my house is convenient.” The annoyance lingered on his voice but beneath it, there had been a reluctant acceptance. He had shown them where to go and they were here, Eating. Planning.

Wait...did he say next time?

[WC: 468]
[Topic Entered]

 

[Sabaku Rika]

Before coming to the Renmei clan district, Rika made a pit stop at her apartment. She packed a bag, since they were going to leave just before sunrise, right at dusk. Once the sun kissed the sky, she wanted the team to be at the gates. She would love to leave sooner, but there were a few things that needed to be discussed, then rest. The meeting she hoped would be short, since sleep would be an asset. Who knew how much they could afford in the next three days? She packed some spare gear, clothes, a sleeping bag, and a first aid kit.

The clan district felt clean, too clean for the desert. Compared to the tiny dusty apartment she lived in, this place was a mansion. Rika left her bag with Uma, the bird, the Uma she had, outside Tsumugu's house, tied to a post. She was seated and sipped the water, somehow it tasted like the best dam water she had ever had. She didn't know water could taste so good. No wonder why Tsumugu seemed so stuck up.

Next time, Rika smirked as Tsumugu said they should ask. "Sorry, it was short notice. I would have offered my apartment, but it's barely large enough to fit a twin-sized bed, let alone three bodies," Rika said with a shrug as she set the glass down on the table. She set her hands on her knees, and for the first time, her expression turned serious.

"So I've been mulling over what Lord Kazekage told us. We need to be a team, no secrets, no clan drama. All of that needs to be left at the gate," Rika stated, then she ran a hand through her hair with a huff, glanced to the side, and bit her lip. She was struggling to explain what she wanted to say. 'I can't believe I have to tell them, I hoped I could go on longer without anyone knowing,' she thought to herself.

"I'll go first, I do have an ability that I can use, that will be extremely helpful for this mission," Rika sighed and looked down. "So I can see and manipulate... time, to a degree, I can stop time for a few seconds and move. I also can rewind time and fast forward time around myself, I don't know the extent outside, or if it's just other perception, I just know I've been able to do it since I was like 4 - the earliest I can remember." Rika explained in a hushed tone. Sharing a secret like this was harder than she thought, but she knew she needed to let them know so she could use it without surprising them later.

"My idea is, I can use it to sneak into places, like offices, grab files, and get out all before any guards realize it by stopping time," She added before reaching out and picking up her glass, and taking a sip from it. She looked at Ryuni and Tsumugu to gauge their reactions.

[Topic entered]

 

[Yamashiro Ryuni]

Odd for a Yamashiro to step into the confines of the Renmei Estate. For many reasons but mainly because the clans were of fire and water. They doused each other and did not leave with anything but steam and heated dissention. However, with the pairing of Tsumugu and Ryuni in the same three-person cell, would give the likelihood of the clans one day being cordial become a reality. Ryu... a boy of heated passion, wanted nothing more than to bring all the clans together. Even those who were unaffiliated with the other clans and had no home. To bring them into the fold and umbrella of Suna. To protect all against the harms that would befall the village. Be it weather. War. Dispute. He wanted to protect them with this umbrella and to bring for a unity unlike nothing the village would have ever seen previously.

It would take time and maturity though. Especially for the young Yamashiro clansmen.

This would not be a night that would be seemingly mature for the young fiery boy... as he would be seen with food tucked under his arms as he quickly raided the Renmei storage. Bottles of water in his grip and a snack stuffed into his mouth he would walk into the room as Rika would arrive. "Hefh!! Ruhkah!" a mouth completely stuffed trying to call out to the girl as he would strut into the threshold. Placing the food down he'd smile and nod to Tsumugu. "Oioi! You've got some of the good snacks! Super expensive!" the boy would chortle as he spoke with much exuberance coming from his general demeanor.

Setting himself down, sitting with his legs crisscrossed and opening a packaged sweet bun, "Dont look at me like that Tsumu-kun!" smirking as he stuffed the bun down his gullet. "Right right, no Clan Drama Rika-sama, Lord Chuunin-chan!" he'd speak listening to his leader with a look on his face that could only be described as, jealousy. He was thick with it. He wanted her station, but he would see how she would take the pressure. He would have to be serious; they were going to be in a high stakes situation. And if he didnt get his act together he could put them all in danger... but damnit if he wasnt pissed off about it. Though her talk of bending time... would make him yell out after she was done.

"Bull. Crap!" then again, he'd read stories of time manipulation, or maybe the perception of that time? It was some high level ninjutsu stuff... and there were droves of people who attempted to pull such a thing off. For her to be their age and to be able to seemingly achieve it? Man, no wonder she was the leader! However, he would have to see it in action, and when he did... he would diagnose it and defeat it! Though, would he be able to? He was essentially a fire mage that chose to use his hands because his chakra core was weak. He couldn't maintain ninjutsu like he could channel his chakra into his fists.

"Well... Maybe not..." He would think again, there may be merit to her claim if she brought it up with them... could they trust her? Ryuni set himself back down before stuffing his mouth with another sweet bun. How many had he gotten? Was there any food left in the fridge? "I guess I'll... show you guys..." he didnt know about this but... he had to be open. This was a chance to at least get to know them. He didnt like them but he had to look good at the end of the day. He didnt have to like them to respect them being Sunans like himself. This was a birthright of sorts.

Lifting his headband, he would reveal a small seal mark on his forehead. It pulsed with power as he forced a small bit of chakra into it. "This is what me and my father was doing in the Diamond Ocean... Its what's called 'Hachidan no shirushi''." He would pause for a moment, "The Eight Step Seal. It unlocks Yatsu no kyoukai, or The eight thresholds of fire... In the Yamashiro Texts there is a technique that is forbidden... because once all eight are opened it is said to oxidize the cells of the person using them and once the power runs out..." he would sigh deeply before moving his headband back down, "They turn into ash... leaving nothing behind." it was like a living cremation... the amount of power scared Ryuni, because it was alot of power but it was also... too much. You know?

Alas... Ryuni would go silent as he'd... stuff his mouth again with his last sweet bun.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Renmei Tsumugu]

Tsumugu stared at Ryuni in silence for a long moment. At the crumbs falling out of Ryuni’s mouth onto his floor, which made his right eye twitch. First Ryuni volunteered his house without asking. Then he raided his family’s storage, despite already having food provided. He exhaled slowly through his nose, the kind of slow, controlled breath that meant he was one second away from snapping. “…You,” he said flatly, pointing at the crumbs, “are getting that off my floor.” There was no drama in his voice, just pure irritation.

Tsumugu didn’t interrupt while she spoke, that alone said a lot, as he was never the type to interrupt. His eyes didn’t widen when Rika mentioned time and they didn’t flicker with disbelief either. He just watched her, quietly absorbing every word. Inside, though, his thoughts were moving quickly.

Time manipulation.

That wasn’t something you joked about. It wasn’t something you casually admitted either, unless you were being truthful. And it definitely wasn’t something someone shared unless they had decided to trust the people in front of them. When she finished, the room felt very still to him as his cup of tea was raised to his lips. Even the basin behind him had gone calm, the water surface smooth as glass.

Tsumugu exhaled slowly. He paused, choosing his next words carefully, the way he always did when something carried real weight. “For this mission… it changes things. A lot. If you can stop time even for a few seconds, that means infiltration points we normally couldn’t risk become possible. Locked rooms. Guarded ledgers.” He nodded once, thinking it through as he spoke. “It also means you become our highest-value target if anyone realizes what you can do.” That was the practical side of him always the first to surface. His eyes flicked briefly toward Ryuni, then back to Rika before returning to Ryuni.

His gaze finally shifted up to Ryuni’s forehead where the seal had been. His expression didn’t soften, but it did sharpen slightly. He’d heard enough from him to understand what that kind of technique meant. It was reckless and dangerous. The kind of power only someone desperate or stupid would chase. A smirk crossing his lips, perfect for the Yamashiro. “Eight thresholds,” Tsumugu muttered. “A technique that kills the user if you take things too far ”? His eyes narrowed as the smirk faded, “If you plan to die using it,” he continued bluntly while crossing his arms, “do it somewhere else. Not on a mission. And definitely not where I have to deal with the aftermath.” His tone was softer and had an unmistakable hint of lightheartedness. Then, almost reluctantly, he added in a lower voice: “…But if you’re going to carry something that dangerous, you’d better learn control first. Because a power that burns its own user isn’t strength. It’s just a countdown.”

And beneath the lingering annoyance about his house being volunteered earlier, there was something new settling in his posture now something steadier. Acceptance. Because of this feeling and the gravity of their impending mission, Tsumugu would slide his cup to the side as he leaned up. Resting both palms together and interlacing fingers, an aura of seriousness flooded from his body. “My clan specializes in high-density water manipulation. Not just shaping it but controlling pressure, flow, and structure. I can generate water even in dry environments, but it costs chakra. So I prefer using existing sources when possible from the air, groundwater, stored reserves. I can form high-pressure streams capable of cutting through stone. Create binding ropes of water strong enough to immobilize targets. And defensive barriers that disperse force rather than block it directly. My clan's bloodline allows me to, when I choose, change the properties of water to ice....similar with wind jutsu. My sensory ability is also tied to water, If my chakra is dispersed through a medium, I can detect movement and disturbances within it. Think of it like feeling ripples."

When it came to the exact plan, he took everything Rika had to say into consideration. She was by all accounts the leader and while that remained true, her decisions were by team design, absolute. It was the structure pyramid within shinobi squads, something they were all taught within the academy as a basic principle. "Infiltrating in that manner would require us to already have scouted potential places of interest beforehand. I don't think we can risk you using up chakra on buildings or offices that would yield no rewards. Maybe first we should decide what we're looking for...such as concentrations of child slaves in one spot, or people of interest who look like they are high up on the power chain." This was just his observation and one he made without sounding like he was trying to overstep Rika's command. He spoke as a teammate offering an idea, not ruling out her own.

[WC: 817]
[MFT]