Contract Search Where it all happened (dual contract search)

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna had read the reports. She has read them over and over again. The reports of her father's last mission... It stung so much for her to read through it all, how selfless he acted for other people, but never thought to be selfish for himself... If only he decided to take it easy as she had told him to countless times... She shook her head. As the Anbu Sennin, and quite possibly, the only person doing a multitude of work, outside of the Raikage, there hasn't been much helpful chunin or jounin to even shoulder the work of gate duty or teaching. But blast it all, she needs a break. So Yuna made sure that her anbu operatives had a watchful eye on the gates before she herself went for a long needed walk and little escape from her duties.

Okay, it was less of a walk and more chakra jumping from place to place. But eventually, she had found herself in an area that she doesn't really recognize but somehow remembers all too well. There it was, the castle ruins, with a forest like bone display. But there were no bodies, of the lycans or the revolutionists. She had read the reports of how Cloud ninja were taken and changed into strange beasts. This was the place that her father had his own last stand before he had died.

Just how much did she miss? Snow crunched underneath the Anbu Sennin's feet as she would continue to walk across the rubble of the former stronghold. She wore her usual Anbu garb with its plain white mask. Instead of standing out as the Anbu Sennin, like her predecessor had, with a golden mask, Yuna opted to be more secretive. Not being able to point out the leader of the Anbu Branch puts her in a better position than people who can piece things together. She wondered how different the outcome would have been if she had stayed rather than went with Miro to Sand. Then again, she wouldn't be armed with the knowledge that she has obtained from her visit. Nor will she have Akkuma on her radar all the time now.

In the end, what's done is done, but it doesn't make it any less painful to think about. With her father gone, Yuna often tries to think what her father would do in her situation. He was ever the pacifist and would only resort to violence as a last resort. She wasn't like him. She has control of herself to not go into battle hot headed, but she more so tackles situations more logically than emotionally. If she thinks that the problem can be solved easier through bloodshed, she will opt for it. But she had also learned to have careful thinking on the grander scheme of things. Maybe that's why Kitsune had promoted her up to Sennin. Yuna was ready to take Akkuma's life, but didn't to not start a war with Sand. She sighed as she thought to herself of why politics have to be so damn hard to juggle with. Shaking her head away from the thoughts, Yuna would walk around some more, keeping her ears open for any blood flows that she might pick up. This place might be abandoned, but that doesn't mean that some lycans still lurk around. Being a sensory type ninja, Chigokai, really helps when it comes to lone excursions like this one.

 

[Kakihara Shirokouu]

Snow fell in a slow, drifting descent, blanketing the ruins in a quiet stillness that belied the chaos that had once consumed this place. Though years had passed, Shirokouu could still hear the echoes of battle, the howls of those twisted creatures reverberating in his mind like a nightmare refusing to fade. The ruins stood different than he remembered, changed by time and the elements. The bodies were gone, the scent of blood long since washed away by the seasons, yet something in the air still carried the weight of that fateful night.

He moved through the broken landscape with measured steps, his pale blue eyes scanning the remnants of the battlefield. Each shattered wall and scorched foundation told a story, but the one he sought was not so easily found. Rei had been here. He had fought beside her, their backs against one another's, holding the line against a monstrous force. He could still remember the way her voice had cut through the din, steady and unyielding, the way she had moved through the chaos with a purpose that anchored him when all else threatened to collapse. But now, she was gone, and he had yet again been cast forward in time, into a world that had moved on without him.

The stormcaller was not here for reminiscence, however. The white-clad and white-haired young man had come here searching for something. A clue, a sign of what had transpired in the years that had slipped away from him. The past, or at least someone's past, had been ripped from his grasp. But, he thought, if he could piece together what remained, perhaps he could find his way to the answers he needed. The time-scorned shinobi had to believe that the truth of what was happening to him still lingered somewhere here, hidden in the clouds. His gaze swept the ruins once more, and that was when he sensed it. He was not alone.

Shirokouu stilled, his breath slow and controlled as he attuned himself to the presence nearby. The figure moved with precision, the crisp sound of snow compacting beneath each step marking their path. As he watched he took note of the mask that concealed their identity, the telltale sign of an ANBU operative. It was stark and white, surprisingly similar the ones he'd become accustomed to in Konoha as a youth, especially considering that was almost 50 years ago now, at least to the outside world. But to Shiro, it had been less than twenty. The Santaru continued to watch, studying the figure, assessing them. Though he could not see their face, there was a deliberateness to their movements, as though they, too, were searching for something. That in itself was intriguing. This place had been left to the ravages of time. In fact, it looked like no one had bothered to clean up an inch of it in the years he spent in the void. For someone else to come here with intent meant that they, too, might be connected to its past, might be looking for something. "But what?"

He did not call out immediately. Instead, the stoic Santaru observed, noting the way they carried themselves, the way their head turned ever so slightly as though listening to the silence itself. A very well trained shinobi, certainly. One with sharp instincts. That much was clear.

Stepping forward from the shadows of the ruins, he allowed his presence to be known, though his approach remained unhurried. The wind stirred as he emerged into clearer view, his long coat brushing against the remnants of stone and frost. His pale blue eyes, sharp and unwavering, fixed upon the masked figure before him. "Greetings," Shirokouu said at last, his voice calm, though it carried a quiet gravity, like the eye of a storm. "You're searching for something... But I suspect your reasons are not the same as mine." His tone was neither threatening nor inviting, merely an observation laid bare. He had no reason for hostility, but neither would he be careless. If this shinobi had ties to the village, then their presence here was not by coincidence, and he still wore the Konohagakure headband. If she didn't know who he was, which was likely considering he'd just been shunted forward in time by over two years, there was likely to be tension. Shiro, however, was determined to not be the one to escalate that tension. So he stayed silent, awaiting the ANBU kunoichi's response. The snow continued to fall around them, settling in the quiet space between words.

[MFT .:. 760 words]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna would be quick to pick up on another blood flow that was near her. Underneath her anbu garb, her muscles tensed, though it wouldn't be shown as she shifted her gaze immediately to the person that the blood flow belongs to. She studied him and listened to his blood flow for any telltale signs that he might try anything that might be considered hostile. Her father had taught her to use hear hearing of blood flows to its fullest potential, but she just can't quite do it to the potential that her father had been able to. Listening to him speak, she sensed no hostility, but it doesn't mean that she should let her guard down. The Anbu Sennin would also note the Leaf Headband that the man bore.

"As you can see, I am an anbu agent. I can literally answer with that is none of your business." She would say, "However, I am not here on anbu business. This place..." She gestured with her hands as she surveyed the area, "Some years ago, there was a revolution. People chose to revolt once a large portion of Lightning Country became able to harness chakra. It was during this revolution that cloud shinobi that were out on missions would disappear. It was only found during the raid at this castle," She looked up at the ruined castle, some of the giant bones still litter the old battlefield. "Many of them, if not all that were captured, were turned into lycans, chakra mutated beasts. We had lost many good people during the revolution." She took a deep breath before speaking once more, "I was out on a different mission when all of this had went down. I wondered if I didn't go on my mission, that I could save more people that had met their fates here." It was a half-truth. Something that she has perfected. To be an anbu, one would need to learn to not always be truthful, especially to those that they don't know. The trick is putting in just enough of the truth in your words to not be thought of as a liar. What was the other half of the truth that she didn't want to talk about? Well... Her father... This was the last place that he had fought at. Where he tried his damndest to fix this god forsaken world.

She stayed silent as she pondered on these thoughts, her gaze lingering towards the many areas in which the battles had taken place at. One where Hon had fought an ice woman with five hearts. Ryu Rei had fought a horde of lycans and a woman with a gun. And Ziren... Her father... She shook the thought out of her head and looked over at the man. "You said that you have your own reasons for searching here. What will that be?"

(total wc: 1052)

 

[Kakihara Shirokouu]

Shirokouu dipped his head in acknowledgment of the woman’s words, gaze drifting across the ruined castle as she spoke. He recognized the faint wariness in her stance, and there was little wonder why: the place felt steeped in old battles, the earth itself saturated with lingering hostility. Shirokouu, however, was thankful that she hadn't simply shrugged him off as she was perfectly within her rights to do. When she gestured at the rubble and giant bones, explaining what had happened here, Shiro’s expression turned grim. Her story lined up almost perfectly with what he had glimpsed not long ago… or what felt like not long ago for him.

“Yeah… I saw,” he replied quietly, sliding one hand along the deep scratches in his leather sleeve. He could almost taste the metallic tang of fear that had spiked his adrenaline only a day prior. “I was near here recently. I saw those creatures… Fought them...” He paused, heart quickening at the memory. He could practically feel it thrumming in his veins, and from the way her masked gaze flicked toward him, Shiro suspected this ANBU could sense the heightened pulse as well. He swallowed, taking a moment to reorient himself. "The ones I saw used to be Kumogakure shinobi... Used to be just kids... and it all went downhill fast."

For him, everything was still fresh, barely a breath away in his mind. In fact, his white clothing bore the scratches and claw-marks of that battle, obvious physical indicators that he was indeed involved in a scrap just a day prior. Yet, in this place and time, years had passed. The castle had already collapsed, the problem had mostly ended. Brushing silver-white hair from his face, Shiro exhaled a taut breath. "And as for what I'm looking for..."

She asked him directly about his reasons for coming here. He knew he owed her honesty, at least partially. “Breadcrumbs.” he said, letting the word hang in the still air for a moment. “I keep getting… pushed forward in time. I don't know why or how... but it's not the first time. So I'm retracing my steps. Looking for the thing that'll tie it all together..." The stoic stormcaller's words hung in the crisp cool air, the silent pause palpable as his softly glowing pale blue eyes scanned over the battlefield that might as well be ancient to his perspective. "Your revolution. My and Rei's battle. For me, it was all of a day ago.” His voice dropped slightly, and his gaze turned to the dusty stones beneath their feet. “The last time it happened, I emerged right outside in your Raikage's office... This time, it was just over there... I had carried Rei back to the hospital. She was infected by one that had bitten her hands... But after they took her, whatever this thing is... it took me." Shiro continued, pointing towards the mountainside where their struggle had taken place. A shudder ran down his sign as the image of Rei holding the largest beast back by the jaws flashed through his mind, his heart pumping for a moment before he dispelled the adrenaline with a calming sigh. "So I’m searching for any common threads that might explain why this keeps happening to me. why I’m yanked from one future to another, leaving everyone I know behind.”

He let the wind stir between them for a moment, quiet settling back into the wreckage. Though her voice held no warmth, he sensed no overt hostility, just a guardedness that came from leading a life where trust was earned in blood and sweat. Drawing a slow breath, he met her gaze with calm resolve. “If it's really been years... again... then maybe the only things left now are old scars and older secrets. But even old scars can guide you if you know how to read them. That's why I'm here. To read them.” His words came out genuine and unfiltered, remembering the grey man's guidance, how truth can create bridges where there are gulfs between people.

He stopped speaking then, letting the weight of his words sink in. Part of him expected her to tell him to leave, or, worse and more likely, to take him in. That this was no place for meddling strangers with wild stories of time-jumps. But for now, at least, his cards were on the table. Takayama would have been proud. He hoped that if she could sense the honesty pulsing through his veins the same way she could sense his blood flow, maybe she would offer him more than a cold dismissal. Maybe, by some chance, she had a clue to offer in return. But just as likely, the Santaru thought, is that what he'd hoped for was... "Probably just wishful thinking..."

[MFT .:. 795 words .:. 1555 total]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna would listen to what he had to say in full. As not just the Sennin but also as an anbu, Yuna carefully thought through what the man told her. A man out of time. Fought against the lycans before, and with Ryuu Rei of all people. Thanks to her battle prowess and intelligence, she has read over almost all of the abilities and powers a person can have. So once he was done talking, Yuna would then speak up, "From what I know of the matter, I would assume that you are what we call, a Temproal Strider. It is a kinjutsu that lets a person control the strands of time, only for a moment, to turn the tides of battle in their favor. However, this is the first time that I have heard of someone not knowing of their own power capabilities to just suddenly surge forward in time like you have. In fact, even people who can control that power haven't been able to move years into the future, at least, from what I recall."

She would let him process that information for a brief moment before she spoke up once more, "As for the time period, this might help you in some sense. Ryuu Rei had retired a couple years ago. To my knowledge, she had personal things pop up in her life. Something that needed her to step down from the position of Sennin for an unknown period of time." She spoke as she knew that she was speaking facts. For one, she when she was newly appointed to the Anbu Sennin position, Rei had challenged her authority and position, only to step back once Yuna had talked about how they might be different, but they have the same goal. For the safety of Cloud.

Her mind flashed back to what Rei had told her the day that they had a near argument. She spoke of having a daughter. And she seemed so distraught. Yuna had done her own research and found that the girl had gone missing, Ryuu Sumika, and never seen again. Yuna may not know what it's like to lose a child, but she knows very well Rei's pain of suddenly losing someone that you thought that was alive and well... Yuna at least knew what happened to her father. Been to his grave and he was marked as a hero for the Village. As for Rei and her daughter, nothing. No body, no trace.

She tried to remember more of the events that took place when she met Rei, their argument, the level of pettiness that Rei showed, the sadness and defeat in her eyes as she finally folded. And... Her hair had changed color? Yes, it happened for but a brief moment, but she does remember that happening. "Now that I remember, when I last met Rei, her hair had changed colors, for only but a brief moment. I don't really recall any powers from bloodlines, core abilities, or even kinjutsu to do such a thing. She did seem very stressed out when we had talked."

(1569)
(using discovery of contract of my choice to get Tsukumogami)
(thread will continue as me and Shiro rp)

 

[Kakihara Shirokouu]

The foreign phrase “Temporal Strider” sent a current of wary fascination through Shiro’s mind. He could not mask the slight crease forming between his brows as he processed Yuna’s explanation. It made sense, at least more than anything else he had encountered. "A specialized kinjutsu that can manipulate time in fragments..." Shirokouu's mind raced. As impossible as that sounded, it was still more plausible than the gaping uncertainty that gnawed at him since being yanked into this era. “Could it be that I… or was it someone else…?”

He trailed off, letting the question linger unspoken. Shiro hesitated, gaze drifting across the remnants of splintered bones jutting from the snowdrifts. If there truly were shinobi able to master these temporal abilities, what would stop one of them from pulling him through time? Yet another, more hopeful, possibility joined that terrifying thought: if other shinobi had learned to control time through kinjutsu, then the chance existed he could learn to reign it in himself, to stabilize the chaos that it's caused in his life. The stormcaller's pulse quickened at the thought, fueled by a flicker of hope. Until now, he had assumed he was a hapless victim to whatever phenomenon ensnared him. But if mastering these abilities could let him stay anchored to one timeline…

He exhaled, tension loosening from his shoulders as Yuna mentioned Rei’s retirement. “Rei… just walked away?” Those words came out softly, and mostly to himself. One of the last things he remembered, just a day ago for him, was her fighting at his side, steadfast, fearless, a force of nature in the height of her prime. And now, just two years later, she’d stepped away from everything? A tangle of surprise, faint regret, maybe something else that his overtrained mind refused to fully acknowledge. He forced his gaze away from Yuna and the battlefield, focusing on the swirling flakes as he collected himself. It would do no good to linger on what might have been in the years that he'd lost. Instead, he resolved to focus on what he's now learned.

“But these Temporal Striders… If that’s truly the answer to what's happening to me, I need to know more.” The time-scorned shinobi said at last, his trademark measured calm returning to his voice. “Either there’s someone out there that caused this... or I’ve got something inside me I never knew about. Either way, if it's possible to master this, to stop the shifts, then I intend to do it.” He paused, pale blue eyes flicking from the battered walls to the white mask facing him. "But first... I need to find Rei. If ANBU from your era are anything like those from mine, I imagine you've been keeping tabs on where she's gone. I don't suppose a years-old stamp from the Raikage would persuade you to share, would it?" He asked, procuring the document he was given when he'd first arrived in Kitsune's office over two years ago. It was a long shot, but one that was worth aiming for. And if the ANBU Sennin did take the time to look at the small stamped booklet that he now held up, she would see that, despite the date being over two years prior, Kitsune's timed chakra seal itself is only days old and still very functional.


[OOC .:. Acquiring Tsukumogami Contract with Yuna]

 

[Ninpocho Admin]

You've found Tsukomogami! Do you accept?​

 

[Kakihara Shirokouu]

I accept!

[Note .:. Continuing thread to RP]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

(OOC: Yes I accept!)

As the man had uttered his own disbelief on Rei walking away, Yuna let out a sigh. Well... She guessed that maybe she should tell him. "The day that I met her, she seemed distressed. From the moment that we met, though, she had challenged my own authority and position." Yuna said, a hint that she is the Anbu Sennin, "Regardless, I reminded her that despite our differences, we both strive to protect the Village. It was after that, that she backed away and told me of her own worries. I don't know much, but her own daughter had gone missing. It is something I can only assume is soul shattering enough for someone to step down from such a high position."

She would then listen as he would speak once more, producing a visa with Kitsune's chakra signature flowing through it as she read the name and date. Kakihara Shirokouu. "Rei was last seen at the gates. But that's where the track goes cold, no footprints, no residual chakra signatures. It's almost as if she just ceased to be."

Yuna would let out a sigh, "I don't know much about your situation that you are in, especially since I wasn't around during that time," Her mind flashed back to her time in Sand, where she was on constant guard in case Akkuma or any of his lackeys decided to pay her a visit. "But if I hear anything, I'll let you know."

 

[Kakihara Shirokouu]

The snow continued to fall in soft, measured silence. It settled against the ruins, draping over the remnants of a battlefield long since abandoned. It muffled the world around them, but it could not dull the weight of what Yuna had just told him. Rei had a daughter. Shirokouu did not move at first, nor did he speak. For all his composure, the words hit somewhere deep, in a place he reflexively hid away, leaving an impact that barely but noticeably rippled across his expression. He only stared past Yuna, his gaze sweeping over the ruined landscape as if searching for some shred of familiarity, some anchor to ground him in this time that no longer felt his own.

He had thought himself prepared for whatever truth he uncovered, but this… this was something he hadn't expected. "How much have I missed?" The question gnawed at him, more bitter than he expected. He had known the world would have moved on without him. He had accepted it. But hearing it now made his stomach churn. For a brief moment, there was a flicker of something in his now-softly-glowing pale blue eyes. Regret? Resignation? It was impossible to say from an outsider's perspective. And then, like the last remnants of a summer storm, it was gone.

He exhaled, slow and controlled, allowing himself only that brief moment of reflection before setting it aside. "That isn’t about you... It never was." Mourning days that never existed for him wasn't helpful, and if Rei had really lost a daughter, then the slight gnawing at his guts that Shiro felt at hearing about her existence was hardly worth mentioning. At last, he met Yuna’s gaze once more, his expression his usual calm stoicism but his voice steady. “That’s… not what I expected to hear.” The words were quiet, almost lost to the wind, but there was something measured in the way he said them, as if the man was holding back something else, something dark and cloudy and tumultuous, that churned beneath the surface of his usually-tranquil exterior.

He considered Yuna’s next revelation carefully. Hearing that Rei’s trail had gone cold at the gates, no footprints, no chakra signatures, nothing... To Shiro, it sounded as if she had simply vanished from existence. The thought sent a slow, creeping unease down his spine. Little did he know, that was precisely what had happened. “…And no tracks at all. That doesn’t sound like someone disappearing. That sounds like someone being taken.”

It wasn’t meant to be spoken aloud, but the words had left his lips before he could fully consider them. If Rei had truly vanished without a trace, then there was something unnatural about it. People, especially shinobi of her caliber and reputation, didn’t just cease to be. If even a highly-ranking ANBU from Kumogakure had no answers, then the wandering stormcaller feared what that might mean. He took a breath, then inclined his head toward Yuna in gratitude. “I appreciate your honesty...” He said, his voice returning to its usual evenness. “Even if the lead is thin, it’s more than I had before.”

A pause. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he added, “If you hear anything more... Anything at all about her. I appreciate you letting me know.” The sincerity in the snow-haired man's tone was unmistakable. “I suppose a meeting with the Ryuu will be my next step...” His fingers tightened slightly around the chakra-sealed visa before he lowered it again, slipping it back into his coat. It was another long shot, but something unspoken within Shiro demanded that no matter how slim the odds, he had to keep trying. With a final glance toward the ruins, the white-clad wanderer took a step back, then turned, his geta sandals scuffing against the frost-laden stone. “And if I find anything,” he said over his shoulder, “I’ll return the favor.” And with that, he walked away, leaving behind the battlefield of yesterday in search of his tomorrow.


[Topic Left unless Stopped]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna shook her head, "Even in my line of work, it doesn't sound even close to a kidnapping, Rei did retire." She would say before the man would leave. But after that, she would let him go. Letting out a sigh, Yuna thought about what this would mean. She had initially written off Rei's disappearance as something of her not wanting to be found, to grieve in peace. But now that she's had a talk with someone who was actively looking for her, then things started to click in place as this is something more along the lines of an irregularity.

They had their differences, and Yuna knew of Rei's wariness towards her own ascension to Anbu Sennin after Miro had messed things up for the branch. But Yuna knew what it means to lose someone. All too painfully well. It even hurts more as a well seasoned shinobi, because that means that even with all these powers, she still wasn't able to save the people that she loves. The anbu Sennin would look up in the sky. Did I do you proud Dad? I may not be like you, but I'm trying to make the world a better place.

Silence followed, leaving her to all alone by herself here. She would soon take her own leave.

(topic left)