Well, whatever happens happens. [Going Missing]

[Kairyuu]

More people showed up. One kept themselves quiet. Watching. But for his own innate talents in noticing that which was hidden, the ethereal help he had in such matters, they might have gone unnoticed. The other did no such thing, storming in demanding answers as to what happened and the death itself. Maki looks away from this woman who seemed to expect answers up towards the gate, a frown on his face under the mask. ”Come out. Watching from the shadows does no one any good.”

The masked face moves from the gates back to those in the immediate area, watching as one man leaves the area entirely through some technique that he couldn’t place. But his senses knew it led not to this world. Kenshin, at least, he recognized. And the man spoke some sense. He looks back to Yuki now, the frown not moving. She had her reasons, he was sure. And the Sennin mentioned explosions. As far as he knew, Yuki wasn’t the type to go blowing stuff up. He didn’t know her all that well, but her demeanor did not sit with the hot blooded, on the edge type to set off bombs at the gates.

Finally he looks back to the woman demanding answers, the one Kenshin spoke to. ”I think perhaps it would be best if we work on controlling what information gets out before we do anything else. There were indeed explosions. People would have heard them. Even now there’s someone atop the gates watching us. Unless we want them to begin questioning if the return of the Shinobi is just changing their masters from the Samurai of the old Daimyo to us, we need to make sure they don’t get incomplete information first.”

He motions to Yuki. ”I say we take the body to the hospital, and there we can determine what happened. In a private room Instead of out in the open where eavesdroppers can spin their own lies on it.”

 

[Yomi]

Yomi side eyed Kenshin as she walked past him. Must be something in the water that he thought he could just walk away without being dismissed. Everyone was crazy today apparently. MakiThe masked ANBU mentioned that Ritsuko be taken to the hospital, but, Yomi saw no reason to dissect a little girl for information that frankly wouldn't give them any answers as to the why, only the how. However he was right about moving the conversation away from the gates and into a less visible location. She was so caught up in this shit show, that she failed to notice the lurker.

"You're right." Yomi looked at her Besito who was sitting looking at her. "Besos, help me with Ritsuko." He came forward as she collected Ritsuko and placed her across his snout. Gathering her chakra in her feet she pushed off the ground and landed lightly on top of her Battle Wolf.

"So you deal with whoever it is that's spying." Speaking directly to Maki the masked ANBU "I'll worry about the other details, just as soon as Yuki and Kenshin submit their full reports to me. In the mean time, I'll be burying her."

Besito took the long slow path to where they were going to bury Ritsuko. She'd been traumatized enough without him pounding the pavement and having her flop about like a rag doll.

[ooc: only got permission to bury Ritsuko and only that. It was very explicit. So that's what I'm doing.]
[Topic Left]

 

[Kairyuu]

As Yomi and the Sennin leave, Maki looks to Yuki to verify she’s okay. ”Take off. I’ll handle our spy.” That said Maki leaps onto the wall and begins to run up in, his strides clearing the height of it swiftly and landing him near Yaku silently. He himself was far from such, however. From behind that mask green eyes peer at the ANBU who was watching everything. ”Good evening. Having fun?”

 

[Haku Yuki]

Yuki looked down the at lifeless body that now hung limply in her arms, she felt Maki’s hand on her shoulder bringing her back on her present she loosens her grip on the cadaver letting it roll to the floor. The female was dizzy, she could feel the bail from the pit of her stomach, she felt sick, it wasn’t from killing someone or seeing a body as she had seen and done that many times before. She had just killed a child. The Haku repeated the same phrase in her head repeatedly, she was only doing her job. It was her job as a ANBU to stop missing Ninja through any means possible, even if that did mean killing them, beside her didn’t choose to fight it was a decision that was made for her Yuki knew that it was a hollow excuse for the actions that she had just committed but she didn’t know how other to rationalize it.

The Haku could hear the voice of several people surround her, witnesses to the aftermath, two of them belong to the men that had helped her at the gates the other two were Maki and Yomi, they were talking she could her that he decision was a heated one but the word themselves didn’t’ seem to reach her like she was hearing them through a wall that her had pressed her ear against. Yuki kept her eyes down focusing on the body of the Student, her eyes not glazing over with the milk white hue of death, her hand were shaking and sticky from then drying blood that cakes them.

The Haku got to her feet, standing her legs felt like jelly as she tried to keep her balance, she looked over to Maki watching as the form of Yomi turning her back and walking away from her. She took of her mask allowing to fall from her hands and bounce across the floor she felt hollow, empty. Words were failing her so she simple said nothing there was nothing that she could say, at least not to undo what she had done.

“She left me no choice, I had to kill her.” The female fell over her words stuttering almost as she spoke. “Maki, I had to kill her right? Tell me that I had to kill her” She wasn’t one to normally show emotions but now she felt like she was drowning, Yuki could feel her heart beating in her chest as she addressed the male.

 

[Yaku]

He had to escape. Things weren't safe here. Still...the sight. As frightening as it was to be around such...open killers, it wasn't something unaccustomed. Far from it. He felt a surge from within. The smell finally getting to him, the slight disturbance in the atmosphere wafting the scent to his post. How could it not, the blood, it was everywhere. And oh was it so familiar. The thoughts that flooded him were un-apologetically morbid. He might have had the chance to have her crimson blood run wet down his arms and into his shirt. Feel that sensation as it stained his clothing and began to harden. Taste the metalic shortly lived sweetness turn to give a slight bitterness the next moment. OR, If he had been here, he might have saved that student. Would another have fallen in her stead? The ones with masks must be tended to first. Yet..sennin. Such a name is given to those that are considered strongest. It would be folly to ignore the strong. And yet, The Kage too. Oh and the new sensation that would follow with that, the still unborn.

The sight was obvious, he recognized it quickly enough. And that thought, he closed his eyes, breathing deeply. A tear coming the edge. It sickened him the second after he thought of such. This wasn't a normal persons thoughts. Hell, this might not have even been a sadistic persons thoughts. At least, not one that became that way. He shuttered as he breathed out, trying to clear his mind of the image. It was a hard one to push aside. Much to hard. He pictured it again, the lifelessness, being held.

Something inside though. It urged his body forward. He tried to push off the wall. He needed to move away. A new thought flooded him. This wasn't a positively conducive place for him. His thoughts going back to his old masters. "To paint a white light in the blackest moment, sometimes those unwittingly in the worst places are gifts." He could be painted as a scapegoat. These were not good people. Perhaps they themselves as impure as he? He managed to get to his knees, then again the sight he saw from before came back. "So much...so much red." It was then, that moment, a figure he didn't need joined him.

The other ANBU member, the male one landed before him, taking a step forward and spoke to him, with great familiarity. He looked up, his hands trembling. What was that look on the young boys face? Was it fear? No, not so much. It was there though, he obviously knew, this boy, that the presence of an ANBU member wasn't a trivial presences. He asked him a simple question, yet, he was trembling. Telltale signs he had something to hide, or a reason to be afraid, or maybe, just maybe, both.

The young man repeated his words, "So much red...the, the carnage. That poor...poor girl." A calmness to his voice, eerie in itself. He looked away, perhaps for an escape, "So many... for..for just a single..student I think?", a slight stutter or search for words being made, giving more away. He looked in another direction. "What might I ask was her crime to deserve such?" He looked back at him, straight into the eye holes of his mask. Upon gazing at his eyes, he would have seen it. In his right eye, the slight glow of chakra, and the tinge of a pupil-less eye, his left black with a pupil of gold, perhaps taking attention away easily enough. Then the other ANBU joined them, the female. The one that had been choking that said girl.

She seemed, overcome by what she had done. A second guessing of her own actions could be construed. After her second sentence he spoke again, "Not as murderous as the stories tell, huh." He looked at the girl, a slight smirk could be read on his face, yet too disappointment. A mistake perhaps. Though to him it was reasonable enough. He having done no less, yet never seeing fault in what had passed. "No...perhaps this is worse?" Did he really say that out loud? He didn't mean to, saying those words softly, letting it slip out in a coldly spoken flat yet loud enough voice, the words almost seeming to echo off the roof. 'To kill' "without a thought?" 'to it, till after it was all said and done. Even I couldn't stipulate to having done such.' He looked around, shaking his head in surprise. Again! Again he spoke without meaning to! His tone questioning what happened, why it happened, most likely. To them it might have been an appropriate reaction to one unused to such. To him though. Something...something wasn't right.

 

[Kairyuu]

Yuki seemed daze, if he had to guess he would say it was her first kill. It was different for everyone, and without fail it was always a powerful moment. No one forgot their first, no matter how much they might lie. It could be an overpowering shower of doubt, regret, guilt, and anguish like Yuki seemed to be suffering. It could be an exhilarating rush and endorphin boost that led to wanting more, craving it like a drug. It could lead to questioning your entire worldview and trying to determine right and wrong and in some cased realizing there was no such thing, that there was only action and consequence. That first one was the most powerful one.

As the Haku joins him with the spy, Maki would internally sigh. That was not something needed right now. Emotions were roiling within her and she would be more likely to do something stupid. The boy was trying to get away when Maki joined him, and put a stop to that immediately. And he began speaking about the slaying below. Maki crosses his arms as the boy does. As he looks away, Maki begins to form seals. Yuki slips in just as a wall of darkness rises up around them all. It wouldn’t necessarily stop a fleeing attempt, but it would slow it down drastically.

”Yes, so many for one student. One student who betrayed her village, attacked one of her own people for trying to stop her from doing such, and was executed for her crimes.” He wasn’t there for the whole thing, but he was aware that Yuki had never displayed any use of explosive jutsu around him, and wouldn’t just go off on a kid for no reason. She could have her moments when pushed, but not to that degree.

”Her crime was betrayal. Considering where we found her, she was running, and she set off explosive attacks against a fellow Konoha shinobi. Konoha puts time and money and blood and sweat into training these people to be their best. If we let everyone take advantage of that then run off, we’d not only have no people to defend the village, indeed we would be training our own enemies. So keep a good eye on what happened to her. ANBU will not go any easier on a student than we would on a jounin doing such things.”

And then Yuki broke it. She broke. And she slipped up. Her mask came off and words were uttered that could not be undone. Beneath his mask, Maki’s eyes shift from brown to green to gold then back to green.

”She deserved it. Go rest. You’ve had a long night. We’ll talk later.” His words were cold. But his eyes remained on Yaku. ”So, time for the fun part of this. You’re not a civilian. What’s your name, and which branch are you in?” The green was back to gold, and with that shift Maki was taking head on the questioning again.

 

[Yaku]

The world had gone black. What was happening? The young boy couldn't be so sure. Was it a jutsu? Or a genjutsu? He could still see his enemies, so if it was a genjutsu, it was a lousy one. He cast it aside for now, he had something he wanted to do. Why, he wasn't sure, but the need to do it was so great. His heart, calming slowly, his mind, becoming more acute. Though, his taste still skewed. "But...but she was a student? What if...what if she didn't know better.." His words cold and heartless. Though spoken as a professional heartthrob. He looked at the girl that was tearing up, this girl whom he hadn't a clue what was her name. "Look at her..one so skilled. An ANBU of such high rank." He made an assumption based on what the man, the one named Maki spoke about. If this girl could take down Jounin, she was of great rank most certainly. "The sadness within one expected, no, required. Required to take life so easily as you say. A duty known, yet...Yet affected so greatly. What if something similar happened to the student? A student so ill prepared. So unknowing. So..young. So unbeknownst of what her duties as a shinobi should be." He was going for the kicker. Ignoring the words of Maki to make his point. The question HAD to be asked though. Was it because he was so distraught over such an incident, so broken, so inflamed? Or was he, itching a spot. Digging a hole into the girls heart, trying to break her. He looked into the eyes of Maki, some passion could be felt in them cold eyes. Perhaps, perhaps it was a little of both? His eyes were that of a killer, but his sight seeming to go deeper then that. Perhaps questioning something? "So many for one with so little knowledge of our world. Though, I suppose students aren't worthy of learning about the world, and should know upon making the commitment without regard, or be forced to summit."

A mistake was made, he said something he shouldn't have. Would it be picked up on? He breathed in deeply, then out slowly. Perhaps it was best to get onto topic. "I am a civilian. I come from the Earth Country, my home is Iwagakure. I have no training, nor given what I have seen, no inclination to become a shinobi, if your world is as barbaric as my o..." Shit, another slip up. He needed to divert. He didn't want to tell this man why he was here, his plans were almost ready. He was almost fully prepared to go into action. But not yet, not with so many so strong nearby. "Maki! Is that what she called you? You know it is so rare to place a name behind a mask. In Iwagakure we too have ANBU. Guardians as they were once called. Freely known of and spoken about at one point. Though with the transition that occurred, the masks placed, hiding themselves and their actions. They had lost their ways I was told. So many have slipped from their paths it seems, or perhaps diverged purposefully. Tell me Maki, I hear an ANBU should never let their name be known. Let their faces be seen. Am I...Am I to become the next victim of your cruel group?"

 

[Kairyuu]

”Didn’t know better? She knew better. Rule one at the academy is knowing better. That’s not an excuse.” Maki was growing weary of the pity coming from this person. Pity had a place, but it wasn’t this. As the boy continues to speak, Maki makes his way closer. His eyes shift to green as he moves. He needed to end this, one way or another. It was getting to the point that it was going in circles, which was a state Maki didn’t like in his conversations. ”Then she wasn’t right for the job and suffered her fate for it. But I doubt a student was forced to kill anyone. We don’t send our students on missions like that. Which begs the question of who you are not to know that.”

”You say ‘our world’ but lack knowledge of the village of Konoha. You claim to be a civilian yet that lie is told by the mere fact of where you are. Civilians don’t hide on rooftops spying on people. Civilians don’t respond to such violence with coherent statements or questions. Crying, perhaps. Shouting and accusations, certainly. Calm, cold, questioning? No. Enough games. You wish to know my next victim?” He flips the hood on his robe back and removes the mask, revealing his face beneath it. Green eyes shine in the darkness as he drops the robe entirely, revealing the red samurai armor he wore beneath. And the swords at his side.

”Now you know my name and my face. I suppose that means it will, in fact, be you. Unless you have a way to defend yourself.”

 

[Yaku]

Kishin looked at him, the man whom he knew as Maki. He knew he was playing, obviously he knew the boy was talking about the ANBU girl, Yuki, whom had killed the student. The girl in terror of what she had done. He was trying to get a rise out of him in return like Kishin had done to him. Anger the boy by acting like he didn't understand what Kishin was saying. Instead, he just smiled, "Perhaps you don't care about your allies, your fellow in arms like this woman right here." He pointed his hand at Yuki, his fist facing downwards. "Or the student below or the peo..." He stopped, he knew this wasn't going his way. The man obviously had the look, the approach of wanting to take blood. He could feel it melt off the man. If that was how it had to be so be it, Kishin would have to be prepared to abandon his mission of infiltration and intel gathering in the dark. Instead, he would have to go on the offensive. Was he ready for such? It might not matter. He would have to try and diffuse this confrontation, at least with this man. The woman was gone, he could see it in her stance. He had gotten to her perhaps. Though, the situation helped most certainly. Then their were also the, oh ho..they left! He hadn't noticed, but the grounds were cleared, all except the bloodied body and a few stragglers well below the strength that the man would need to stop the child if he should so wish to run. That was good.

He was calling him out. An expected route. He truly was out for blood, this man. Then he did something unexpected. He took off his mask. It was..it was quite.. honorable? Perhaps cordial? To let the enemy know the one whom they faced, to show respect to an enemy, rather then keeping them from knowing their enemy? It was odd for an ANBU to do such. The stories of attacking in the dead of night, slitting the throats of their enemies was the norm. This man, he was interesting. Then he sent out the final threat. Defend yourself or die. Then again, maybe he was just creating a loophole? Kishin's slight smile had vanished, his look of bewilderment from him removing his mask now gone upon the threat. The ANBU Maki would most certainly recognize the look if he had ever faced a foe whom enjoyed a fight. Their was no fear,their was some enjoyment, and plenty of seriousness. Yet he might also recognize a look of avoidance. A look of someone strategizing to find a way out of the situation. The lack of a wish to kill, their was no intent to kill, no intent to start the fight, but an intent to live and fight and survive to defend another day.

"Is running a sufficient means of defense, mmhhm? As I said, I am not from this country, this village. I am sure you know the lay of the land better then I. So, that might not be possible huh. Mmmfh, well if this is where my search for my family must end, then so be it. If you so desire to fight, then just know, I am from Iwagakure, not Maruishi, and certainly not Leaf. A land filled with people whom fight daily to survive, thus combat becoming an activity bringing enjoyment and knowledge of whom is the enemy, whom you might fight tomorrow. And I am from the crappier underbelly of that. Live or die, that is my world. Why shouldn't it be different here? You ninja think yourself so mighty, so haughty. This land of pillows and hedonism. If I must, I will be happy to teach you our diffrences." He looked the man dead in his eyes. The black within his left eye seeming to swirl with gray tones, like something was alive within it, the other white almost to the point that one would see from one whom was dead. He looked the same age as most of the students at the academy, yet he was this fearless, this driven. It was obvious that something was up with this child. His life must not have been a pleasant one.

 

[Kairyuu]

And it was confirmed. The kid was on his own mission. And he was by no means your typical person. As he monologues about his homeland, Maki almost lazily stretches his sword arm out in a thrust. From the distance that separated them there was no way he’d actually hit the kid. But his arm keeps stretching, further and further, as threads of darkest black form from his muscle and sinew to keep his arm moving. The sword flashes past the kid and penetrates the black wall of his blockade technique, and Maki pulls.

It would be quite fast that he wound up behind the other by contracting his arm and letting the wall bear his weight and anchor the sword point. As he touches down he rips the blade free and lands softly opposite where he stood once before. ”I don’t think running is much of an option, no. Even if you break through this technique, I could have guards and more hunting you down within minutes. If you’re from Iwagakure I can only assume you’ve been given some form of combat training. You’re certainly not cowering and whimpering like someone who hasn’t.” Maki grins, the sword vanishing back into the sheathe quickly.

”How would you like a job?”

He was still in a ready stance to fight, and indeed he was beginning to turn rather transluscent before the other’s sight as his ghostly form came out in came the boy used this chance to strike out. But he wasn’t making an offensive move of his own quite yet. ANBU needed good, capable fighters. Someone from Iwa would certainly fit that bill. ”It’d give you some authority in whatever the heck you’re searching for here, as well as no more pesky ANBU trying to remove your head thinking you’re a spy. All you have to do in return is show some loyalty to the village and follow orders, which from experience aren’t very often given.”

It was an odd offer to someone he’d just threatened to kill, but Maki had been in this kid’s shoes not long ago and Takeshi had made a similar one. Not quite so directly or quickly, true, but then again this person hadn’t murdered a genin infront of Maki like he’d done infront of Takeshi so that could be a bit more acceptable he hoped.

(Sorry for delay, work.)

 

[Yaku]

He recognized those black things. So..they were on equal footing after all. Things just got a lot harder perhaps. The question of course, was, no wait. Their was not question, the man was apparently just as willing to take life as he was. So he had the upper hand. That was disconcerting. Though as the man made the act, Kishin choose not to move. More weight the options out. Would he really attack the boy in front of one of his..subordinates? Collegues. 'Wait...this was ANBU right..they were cut throat enough that perhaps it wouldn't matter either way. Then again...she was crying? Maybe they weren't as bad as in Iwagakure...?' By the time he thought of the cutthroat part, the action had already occurred, and a question was posed to him.

He made a noise, like that of laughter at what the man had to say. Almost like he was getting phlegm out of the back of his throat, or when you shot something your drinking from your nose. Well, it was a sound that was made before someone was planning to be snarky, "Wow..you guys must be scraping the bottom of the barrel. Were recruitment numbers that low this year? Oh, wait. Was...was that girl an ANBU?" He huffed in a manner befitting one making a joke, not knowing the first one was more of a self insult. The boy was taking this with a grain of salt, it just didn't seem that right. Though, the moment the man showed any irritation he would put his hands up. "Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean any...hmm. Well..maybe a little. Just..not on you. Not on you. It was a very unexpected thing to hear today. Are, are you really serious? Especially after that glorious-ness down below and all the things I have...I mean. Um..ya, well. Sure. Loyalty, ya, loyalty, you gots it. If I get what I am looking for, shoot I don't care. Follow orders, meh, ya, sure why not. As long as I get the luxerious-ness that is living as a shinobi, making money and living the high life and stuff, why not." Shit, the ANBU, no ninja in general lived much better lives then most back in Iwagakure. And here, most live like they did, the ninja here must have a great life.

"And, neither of us have to dirty our hands with the blood and guts of an innocent and get to live another day. And you protect your identity." He laughed again, another jab. This one, mostly aimed at the girl. "And an innocent young child gets to continue walking the earth, and now has a future..longer then he had a few seconds ago right?" No laughter, this was more on the aire of seriousness. "Though..my training is on a lower level then one of your shinobi academy kids people thing. Well, at least when it comes to Ninjutsu, and genjutsu. I am, more of a hands on type of guy if you know what I mean. I..I was always told that joke back home. Never understood it. Hmm." He tried to read the atmosphere. Should he add another joke, like getting to do what the woman did down below so openly? Though, it might not have been the best time. Then again..."Would..would I also get to do things like that stuff down below in the open? Freely? Also..do I have to wear a mask like you guys. I..er lets, lets talk about this another time perhaps?" This man wasn't his master, and Kishin didn't know how to read a room, or rather care unless it was from one he feared. Plus..they weren't jokes.