A Meeting Point

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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=={[Continued from In This Cocoon]}==

Yaki let a soft murmur escape from her mouth. She wasn't sure what she liked more, the cooing of the Kira-Kusaki or the steady rhythmic beat of Hiiro's heart. She settled for somewhere in the middle, as both brought her extreme comfort. Weird really,considering that moments ago she had almost become dinner. Hiiro's caresses made it all the more heavenly. She thought he had left her too, and this made it all the more clear that he was really here. He hadn't left her after all.

"They are very protective of you, aren't they Hiiro-sama? If I am with you, they'll protect me too?"

She didn't mean for it to sound as if she were asking to be with him, though the tone she had asked it in could have given such an illusion. Her lips twitched and perked into a smile. She was content to stay in his arms, curled into a tiny ball for all eternity if she could. Okaasan hovering overhead somehow made her feel as if she had her old mother back, the one she remembered from so long ago. Already she had forgive the bulb because she was trying to protect Hiiro;and that made Yaki like her all the more.

She was just getting ready to snuggle deep into the depths of comfort when she felt him slightly pull away. She frowned a bit, but accepted the fact. A slight redness formed over her cheeks as she realized he had indeed paid attention to what she had said, and was gazing down at the necklace. Her redness only worsened when she watched him delicately roll the charm attached to it around.

"Somehow, it feels enchanting and grim at the same time. But I have never taken it off since I got it. I..still don't know how I got it..."

She looked up to see Hiiro eyeballing Okaasan. He looked back at her with a smile, and even though she thought she knew what might have been exchanged, she really couldn't be certain; but she could almost swear that the giant plant did the equivalent of batting non-existent eyelashes at him. She kept it to herself though; she really preferred not to make herself more into an idiot in front of Hiiro tonight.

"I'm glad someone does. Seems like things get more and more lonely as the days go by. Everyone has just been disappearing...dying...I'll think of this necklace as a promise then. A promise that someone still is still here for me. Someone still cares."

She had begun to tear up, but then smiled widely as a vine wiped over her head. It was an odd sensation, but at the same time gave her a deep joy she didn't quite understand. She took the vine in her hand and nuzzled her cheek against it. It felt as if she were trying to hug a snake; a giant cooing snake. The thought made her giggle inwardly.

"Thank you Okaasan. I am sorry for making you angry before. I promise not to do it ever again, okay?"

Yaki closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them seemed to remember something she had almost forgotten.

"Oh no! I'll be late!"

She jumped to her feet, which was not a simple task when she hadn't let go of the vine. she was near in panic mode, but was trying, unsuccessfully, to hide it.

"I promised to meet someone at the high dunes tonight! If I'm late I'll look like a terrible person. Please forgive me Hiiro-sama!"

She bent down just long enough to give him a slight peck on the cheek; then stood and pried Okaasan's vine from her body. As she reached the "doorway" she turned and bowed to them all.

"Until we meet again!"

She looked up and smiled, hopping off to the dunes where she had promised to meet Ryuu. She was certain nothing could top what had just happened. What could be better then knowing Hiiro hadn't abandoned her after all?

The Dunes!

It had gotten chilly. Was too chilly for most people to be out wondering around. Still, Yaki didn't feel the cold near as much as others did. It felt a part of her sometimes, so she rather liked it. The path was hard to find if you didn't know where to look, but Yaki had come out here to find her best friend many times. She was half convinced that if she were to go blind, she'd still know where the broken path lie. Her boots made soft sounds on the sand debris that littered the night path, and somehow, Yaki found herself humming to the sound. Making her own little song up to the sounds of her own footsteps. Silly, really

It wasn't long before she reached the dune. it was easy to spot, and even easier to get to. It was nearly dead ahead in front of the entrance gate, so one had to be blind to miss it; or just really stupid. Yaki hoped Ryuu was neither. Slowly, carefully her legs propelled her to the top, where she plopped herself down to wait.

"Raizen-Sama, please don’t keep me waiting."

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[ryuuraizen]

Ryuu wasn't there when she was, but he did have eyes on the location. Once she showed up, it was only a few moments before he would arrive. He stood behind her, and placed a hand on her head.

"Hello, Yaki-chan..." came a smooth, gentle voice. He always was protective of her, even when they'd just met. There was never a really clear reason as to why... but, he was. A smile graced his face, and he whispered, "Now, then, dear girl... what did we want to talk about?"

His face was covered with a mask, probably to guard from sand, though it seemed like he kept it on fairly often. The sky reflected in his purple eyes made it look like the whole night sky was contained in them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You guys always make my posts look TERRIBLE. Cause, I make mine short and efficient.

[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=f9fbfa] Akiyama, Hiiro ------ Narrow brown eyes watched in vague disappoint as the Usagiku fled, running off to some appointment or other. He didn't even really have to think about it, the reaction was almost automatic. His mind reached out, touching the chakra of one of his drones, and it immediately caught it's vine on her ankle as she went by. The drone would hide on her person, and report to Okaasan, who would relay the information to him. Standing slowly from his crouched position Hiiro rolled his shoulders, feeling the tense muscles strain before relaxing. Let the bad flow away, drift out like water. Keep the good inside for nurturing and growth... His indifferent brown eyes floated upward to stare at the massive plant hovering above him, "Okaasan?" He asked flatly. -The desert is quiet tonight, my child... Perhaps she mourns... Mourns her lost daughter?- The great plant tilted her head as though to regard him. His slanted eyes narrowed further, he could feel it as well. "Quiet, but restless." Okaasan drew back into the mass of her vines, her petals rattling belligerently against one another in a raspy choir of unrest. -Storms and Fire... Swollen roots, and rotting seedlings- She spat, disturbed. Hiiro lifted his hand upward spearing the appendage into the pale glow of starlight that feel into the his secluded paradise like swollen raindrops. His eyes trained on the green tinted vein that pulsed beneath his pale flesh, "Things are happening quickly, Okaasan. This tree will need to grow strong, but grow fast." The rattle of her petals as the massive bulb disappeared into the dark shadows behind her child's silhouette sounded almost like a strange little laugh; a disturbing sound. -Nurture it well. We will nurture it.... we will...- He heard the silky rustle of her leaves and vines as she listened and then... -The man... The man he comes.... The lightning man comes...- Hiiro bared his teeth in something like a feral snarl, his head tipping back as he shook his ruby fringe from his slanted brown eyes, "Then I shall go as well." Activity began around him, the boiling sounds of slick bodies coiling around and over each other, dozens of voices began to hiss inside of his head. -Lightning man...- -Ours... What is ours...- -Colony. Our colony.- His voice joined the multitude on the last, his thin lips drawing into a smirk his eyes narrowed in threat, "We will protect what is ours." -Lightning man can not have... Can not have... what is.. ours

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He stood completely unmoving as slick bodies twined up his legs, lifted from the vines to curling around his wrists, and even dropped from above as the bigger vines of the Queen plant boiled. Dozens of small foot long plants wriggled like worms, coiling around his body, diving beneath the billowing folds of his red and white sleeves, tightening down to hold onto his arms.

It was like the scene from a horror film.

As soon as the activity ended Hiiro leaped upward, powering the movements with a short burst of chakra. His feet landed lightly on the roof, with barely a sound. It was part of the reason he went barefoot. His head tilted, listening, waiting. 'Where?' He called.

-The dunes... not far.. not far.. Near the colony.. Colony of the desert's Queen.. The Queen...-

His head nodded slightly in understanding, and with another slight push he leapt from the roof of his home, free falling downward in a rush of cloth, his sleeves billowing out behind him. He bent his knees to absorb most of the shock, a bit of exerted chakra ate away the rest as he landed on a lower roof; another short leap had him on the ground.

His steps were quiet as a hunting cat as he ran through the dark streets, the howling of the Suna winds his companion.

------

As soon as he exited the city he could see them silhouetted against the sky, the swirling cloak of desert sand billowed around them. It twirled around him as well, welcoming him into the desolation he hated so much. His lip curled in a faint show of disgust before his features blanked again. He ran forward in a crouched position, stopping now, and again to observe the two ahead. His chakra was expertly suppressed; he'd always had the best chakra control out of his team.

His feet sunk into the loose grains, still warm from the heat of the day. The chill of the night rippled across his torso, biting at the bared bits of flesh, and making goosebumps rise; his lips tint a faint blue. He hated that this had to come at night, a time of weakness for him.

Akiyama's thrived in the daylight.

He drew on his reserves, just enough to stave off the worst of the feeling. He could survive for now...

But he was in poor condition at the moment, he had gone to long without enough sleep, and without ample sunlight he could not replenish fast enough. The Akiyama's fingers twitched in frustration.

He would not, could not leave her alone like this though. It wasn't in him. Not his mind, not his... heart.

Another few steps, and he found himself alongside a rock that jutted from the sand, there, he crouched down. His back pressed against the rock, it was smooth in texture having been scoured clean by ages of sand. Turning his head, he peered around the edge, watching the duo with alert eyes.

The Kira-Kusaki writhed against them.

The drone he had attached to Yaki would let him know.

And so, he waited.

Waited...

and watched...

------

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[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki jumped up to a standing position, her body tensing with fear as she felt something place itself on top of her head. A tiny peep was all she could manage before the soothing voice of Ryuu filled her ears.

"Ahh! Raizen-sama! I was worried you wouldn't come."

She turned to him and smiled, her eye bright even in the darkness as she looked up at him. She sand blowing between them didn't seem to bother her; it did, she had just gotten used to it with her time here. In a perfect image of innocence, she bit her bottom lip and began to sway from side to side, latching her hands together behind her. Her nose winkled slightly as a few specks twirled their way into her nose and made her sneeze loudly and, thankfully, not on Ryuu. A tint of pink began to color her cheeks as she stepped away.

"Oh I'm so sorry! I think perhaps it is because of the cold that my body is feeling weak to the sand. I'm not usually out this late, you see. I just...wanted to meet with you..."

She looked down for a moment, and then seated herself back on the icy cold grains of sand beneath her. A small beckoning hand was all that she gave to ask Ryuu if he would sit next to her.

"Tell me, Raizen-san...what has happened to you in these years? You seem well. I still, don’t' feel like I have properly thanked you for helping me when you did. Suppose I make a rather poor ninja, hmm?"

She still held her smile, but one could tell by the tears swelling in her eyes that she took it very personally. She could recall many others telling her to just give up, but she had always had Leiko there with her. Leiko...and Haru and....Hiiro. They had been the only reasons she stayed, that she fought. Seemed like everything was falling apart now, though. Perhaps, she thought, she should give up. Maybe it was, for the best.

"Please sit Raizen-san. I promise I don't bite."


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[ryuuraizen]

OOC: I told you I was getting to it. (My friend had a birthday... and, we hung out for like... 3 days straight. o.O!!!) On an unrelated note, I hope no ones eyes start bleeding from the color. Tell me if they do, I'll find a different color next post!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryuu smiled, and sat next to her, then keeping eye contact with the young girl the whole time, and, finally, lowering his mask. No scars, no cuts, no bruises. A nice, cleanly shaved face, simple as that. One would not say that he was the most handsome in all the lands, but, he was good looking enough.

But, the smile faded from his face when he watched those big, brown eyes well up with tears. He listened to her words, then wrapped an arm around her, whispering, "I think you could be a great ninja, Yaki-chan..." Again, that sweet, gentle voice, now as he lifted a finger to wipe at her tears. "I can't fix the desert, but, if you'd like, I could work with you..." He gently ran fingers over her cheek, looking into her eyes, the shock of purple that seemed to be the color of a dark sky with lightning all around, looking back.

"I know, Yaki, how hard it can be to be put down by those around you. Rising above it makes us stronger. And, I'm willing to help you stand. All you need to do, dear Yaki... is take my hand."

His hand cupped her chin gently, and his smile was that of either a very kind man, or a terribly dangerous one. But, his words rung true. There wasn't a lie. This was an earnest offer, and he would follow through, should she accept.

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki Looked up into the brilliant purple eyes of Ryuu and felt a sort of calm wash over her. She felt safe next to him, though she supposed she should, considering he had saved her before. Still, she felt a bit uneasy, nervous even when he got so close. She didn't hate it, no she liked it. It was just something felt funny to her. She couldn't place the feeling.

"You really think so? You really think I could be something great?"

His hand across her face was warmer then she would expect for anyone being out this late at night. Maybe it wasn't his hand that was hot. She was pretty sure her face was a brilliant red. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Was this...what she thought it was? No. He was only being nice to her, she shouldn't think so quickly.

"I only…need to take your hand? Like...this?"

Her eyes darted down, though her face did not move. Her fingers reached out and entwined into his and grasped tightly. She felt a bit of relief, feeling she had someone else she could count on too. Now she wouldn't have to run to Hiiro with everything. She felt bad enough having to rely on others...but she felt bad that Hiiro had begun to catch all of her weight now that everyone else was gone.

"You will help me, Raizen-sama?"

She smiled a little. He really was a knight.


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[ryuuraizen]

Ryuu leaned forward, and whispered, "Just... like that..." before gently, sweetly... laying a kiss on her. It was tender, and romantic. He closed his eyes, he held her hand, and he pressed her close to him, so she'd be warm the whole time... He held the kiss just for a few seconds... An unexpected kiss, though he was known to occasionally be impulsive.

A moment later, the kiss was over, though his eyes showed no regret... "Hmm... wasn't expecting to do that..." he smiled, and continued to hold onto her hand. Gently rubbing her fingers with his thumb.

[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=f9fbfa] Akiyama, Hiiro ------ It happened in a moment. Instantaneous, and fiery: the very being of chaos as it tore through his head like lightning through a willow tree. His connection to his beloved Kira-Kusaki surged agitatedly, filling his mind with incessant tumult. Flowers bowing in the breeze, petals brushing Wind in the trees, the leaves of their tall, tall, tall crowns rustling. Touching. They didn't have a way to relate to the actions, they couldn't because it was something innately human. But he

[/b] did...

Because....

Because Hiiro was entirely too human still.

And he knew. He knew. He knew.

It hurt, he realized, watching them from the shadows he had ensconced himself in. It hurt like wild fire, and rot, and blades. It felt like someone had come along and pruned a rather vital part of him off with a careless snip snip.

His blue tinged lips parted on a soundless pant, his fingers trailing upward to press against the chilled bare skin over his heart. He could still feel the steady drumming thump of the organ trapped within him.

Why? He called out mournfully in his mind. Mentally he could feel the vines tightening down, coiling hard, but it seemed like everything just flowed right between them. Sand.

His lips curled into a twisted snarl, his brows sliding downward in anger over his narrow brown eyes.

He hated sand.

This place! It was a horror. It took, and it took, and it took even more!

Seiichi, the smallest of his human colony. He'd rarely been around the child, but they'd all adored him because he was Leiko's, and Leiko was their Queen.

Haru... Friend. Brother. The accepting wonderful human who had brought them all together...

Leiko... The only human who'd ever measured up to Okaasan in his eyes. That silly, stupid human who loved her stupid senseless barren waste of the earth... And he couldn't blame her for it, because it was her place.

"Mother Desert." she'd said, giving him an amused smirk.

And, he'd understood the desert like he'd never understood it before. Okaasan...

Something gave way.

Had he been so stupid to truly think that silly human fool would care? He'd let himself forget, he decided...

Let himself forget that he was just that weird plant boy. Let himself forget that he was his families greatest shame...

Sound rushed into his ears again as he stood up, slowly. The kira-kusaki set the world alight with a rattling buzz: All over the city the drones that had been exploring set up a racket as they responded to the pure unadultered rage pouring off their master, their brother.

In the distance the queen arched to her full hight, her bulbous head tipping back as her petals opened to full capacity, and she released a sound. It was like a a screech; like dragging something sharp over stone.

Suna sounded like a giant nest of angry wasps all of a sudden. The plant life shivered as he lost all control of his blood line trait and broadcast every ounce of his pain, and anger.

Hiiro learned what heart break felt like in that moment, though he didn't know what it was then.

The wind whipped around him as he paced out into the open, knowing they'd get a good clear view of him when they turned. He knew they would: Suna was behind him, and with the commotion brewing... They were ninja after all..

Even if one was just a pathetic....

His thin lips twisted into a narrow slashing sneer, his head tilting back slightly so he could gaze down his nose at them, despite the height of their perch. The sandy wind caused his rose red hair to flutter around his pale features.

Turn on his heel, the Kira-kusaki clinging to him hissed and raged like the boiling mass of snakes that made up Medusa's locks...

And maybe, just maybe if he looked at them hard enough with all his rage, and hate they'd turn to stone.

He still couldn't though.

His feet lead him away from them, his pace picking up suddenly as he needed to be among the only humans he really truly trusted anymore. His long white and red patterned sleeves flapped like the wings of terrible bird as he broke into a run, pouring chakra carefully into his feet. He ran over the churning sands in a way that many other ninja used to walk on water. There wasn't much water in Wind Country.

It didn't take him long to reach the Sumiyaka compound. The first feelings of true unease burned within his stomach as it came into view: Too quiet!

His breathe hissed out between his teeth in an angry hiss. What was happening?

Automatically is quick bounding gait brought him around to the main entrance...

He skidded to a halt, his breath panting in his lungs. He felt cold, but not just from the chill of the desert night.

The massive wooden gates to the proud compound hung open listless; no longer closed to protect the faithful tender insides. It was like staring down the maw of a deceased flytrap... It reminded him of that night. The wind howled mournfully, and something fluttered like an absent wind chime, the flapping length of it's cloth creating a soft rushing sound in the quiet; like a bird's broken wing. The accompanying crackle of paper, and then... a quiet listless thunk.

His eyes were drawn inexorably toward the source of the sound: Two highly decorative kunai, they had a maroon silk braid strung with the loop of the handle, the tassel fluttering in the wind. The point of the each kunai was sunk deeply into the wood: The upper one pinned the top of a piece of paper to the door, the lower was speared through the paper's bottom left corner, as well as a length of maroon cloth that dangled downward, fluttering in the desert wind.

Thud

The heavy metal plate sewn into the maroon cloth slapped mockingly against the wood of the gate: A hitai-ate, the proud Sunagakure symbol marred with a single purposeful slash.

Leiko's smirking countenance looked out from the sepia picture on the fresh sheet of paper. The bingo book registration displaying statistics, and reward information was only slightly tattered around the edges from the persistent sand.

------

The Rose Red Devil

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[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki felt her body give way. It was as if she melted. She hadn't expected him to do such a thing. It shocked her, made her feel a bit silly, even. Something felt wrong though. It felt wrong to her that not long before she had been nearly in the same situation with Hiiro; minus the kiss. She could even say she felt a bit dirty. Did she hate the kiss? No..it was warm and comforting. That was just the problem, though.

"I...wasn't expecting that either. I...didn't think that you and I....that you.."

She was a deep red now, her words broken. She was confused. Confused but at the same time so drawn to him. She slowly looked down at their hands when she felt something. Something was...watching her. Her head snapped up in time to hear the Kira-Kusaki buzzing and Hiiro walking away. Something about the sound, and his back to her hurt. Hurt deeply into her soul. The loud screechy of Okaasan pierced her ears; made her tremble. Had he been there the whole time? She slowly withdrew her hand, but it wasn't fast enough. She hadn't realized the tiny plant was attached to her until it popped out of her shirt and began to rapidly hiss and strike at Ryuu. She reached down, feeling that it wouldn't attack her, and attempted to pry it from her.

"Calm down, it's not what you thi...OUCH!"

Her eye filled with tears as blood began to bead then drip off her finger. The plant had actually bitten her. And bitten hard. Before she had a chance to do much else it had dropped from her and buried itself into the sand. Hiiro was mad at her. Very mad.

"I...I have to go...please...something is wrong. I have to go! It..it isn't you I promise...it...it's just...well...another time!"

She stood and tried to run, but everything made her feel so dizzy. She mistook a step and slid down the dune, her butt hit the cold sand and slid to the bottom. She couldn't see. It was hard to stand again. Hard to breathe. Her finger was pounding with every beat of her heart. Was it still bleeding? Yeah. It didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. She had to talk to him. She had to explain.

"Hiiro..please..."

She forced herself to stand, and willed her legs to move. She couldn't loose him like this. Not like this. She couldn't loose him at all. He was all that was left of the happier times. All she had left...She stood, her legs suddenly feeling as if they were jelly. What could she say to him? What could she say to anyone? She had made a promise and she had to keep it.

It didn’t' take her long to find him. He was angry, even without the plants buzzing and his brown eyes narrowed as they were. She could feel it. She knew. She stepped forward. What was he looking at? Why..why did it seem so quiet, even though there was so much chaos?

"Hiiro...I'm sorry. It wasn't what you thought. I didn't he...wait..where...are they?"

She walked forward, her eyes scanning the complex. It was empty, deserted. It was dead. If it had been possible, she knew she'd of felt emptier. There were piece of her missing. They had vanished. Now all she had left was starting to crumble away too. What had happened? She looked over at the door as a clunk Caught her attention.

"Leiko...they...they wouldn't!"

She began to cry as she ran her bitten finger over the picture posted on the gate. It was her friend. The only person that had given her half a glance to begin with. Without Leiko, Yaki wouldn't be who she was, what she was. She had forgotten about the bite in the moment, and the blood from her bite seeped into the picture dying Leiko's chest area red.

"They can't! It's Leiko! Hiiro...why?"

She looked up at him, but felt nothing but a chill. Was he realyl that angry at her? really that upset? But why? What had she done? She didn't understand at all.

"Why are you so cold? Hiiro...please! Oh please no!"

She reached up to him, tugging softly on his shirt. She could hear the Kira-kusaki's buzzing growing louder. She had hoped what she suddenly fear was going to happen wouldn't. It couldn't happen.


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[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=f9fbfa] Akiyama, Hiiro ------ OoC: Oh lawd, its currently 5:17 am as I type this. Helllooooo insomnia, what can I do for you tonight? I think my sanity just flew out the window to join with the birds I can hear singing. Flap. Flap. Flap. Heeee! I got up and my mom was all "What are you doing up?" and I was like "I never went to sleep!!" Hiiro: -claps hand over Rie's mouth and drags her off while she flails around trying to continue her chatter. Returns a few seconds later.- I locked her up. -takes possession of the laptop.- ------ He watched her from the corners of his cold eyes, seeing the way she threw herself forward and spewed her denials like a prayer for repentance, his voice bit through the chilly air of the desert night, a dead and flat monotone as he stared a the swaying hitai-ate of the long missing Queen. "Like most humans they turn on their own. A rotten limb is cut away, pruned away and discarded. They see her as such, a rotted piece of the whole they no longer desire... So they seek to dispose of their shame." His narrow slanted eyes narrowed further, his glare focused on the now blood stained image: It was like a portent to the future, and he could not help but find it fitting in a disturbing sort of way. If he were a seer what would he see, he wondered absently. Was the path they had chosen to walk so long ago a path to certain doom? Were they setting themselves up to fail, and fall? He didn't know, couldn't know, and didn't care. He'd long ago agreed to give his life for their cause, just as the others had... ------ The room was dark, lit only by the slivers of moonlight filtering in from outside. They were kept warm only by their own body heat, and a small amount of expended chakra: This cold was not unknown to them. They were Suna-nin, Chuunin. They'd experienced the harshness of the desert before. He was leaning against the wall swept over in shadow, his eyes watching his three companions from behind hooded eyelids. His arms were crossed over his chest, his hands sunk into the wide sleeves of his jackets, fingers absently petting the vines of the kira-kusaki that wound around his forearms. Haru crouched with his back to him, his heels close together, and his forearms resting on his thighs, hands dangling between his knees. The dark haired male had his shoulders hunched forward his gaze locked forward. Across from Haru she sat, in a position akin to meditation, her back rigidly straight though her hands were occupied with a scroll she was reading, her eyes narrowed to see in the near blackness; a step behind her and to her left Shuji stood silently, his torso and face cloaked in heavy shadows. Moonlight caressed Leiko highlighting certain features and darkening further the shadows of her. After several tense moments she lowered the scroll, letting it fall from her relaxed grip, the sound of parchment and wood scraping against the stone floor was loud in his ears. Her hands drifted, moved and fell still resting palm down atop her thighs. The moonlight seemed to be absorbed by the thick darkness of her lacquered metal gauntlets, and she looked every bit the warrior princess she was in that moment. Hiiro smirked in his shadowy covering, a harsh slashing of his lips. Haru's voice broke the silence, slightly gruff and tense with his seriousness, "Is it true then?" he bit out, sounding every bit as bitter as the shadows in Leiko's eyes. "It is." the Sumiyaka-hime replied, her voice a devout monotone. Haru cursed. Ignoring him Hiiro's voice called in his usual void blankness, "What would you have us do, Leiko-hime?" he drawled. It was a common misconception that only Haru referred to her by that sweet little title. It was just the fact that Haru referred to her by it in public. In her home, outside the bounds of the wrong ears she was always Leiko-hime. Even to him. Especially to them. Her penetrating gaze lifted, shadowed by the fall of her brown hair, and she tilted her head, "We've been expecting my father to make this move since Seiichi was born." "He's a fool." Shuji murmured, but said no more. They all agreed. Leiko continued as though never interrupted, "And of course Suna has, over the years, forgotten. The last memories were shaken away with the rule of Our Lord Kazekage's father. Kazekage Gaara is a worthy ruler, he does right by the people... but he has forgotten as the others have." Her head tilted allowing her face to become washed in moonlight, "It is time we teach them to remember." ------ He was drawn from his remembrance of that long ago meeting by the futile tugging of the soft material of his jacket. His cold gaze slid downward slowly to take in her features, and a pang flowed through him. It was smothered like a candle flame beneath his heart ache... And yet... And yet, he knew. He wanted her happy, despite it all. It hurt him to see her run off to meet with that man, to fall into his embrace like that after what had been said, and done earlier. He'd showed her a side of himself no one had ever been allowed to see. Allowed her to meet Okaasan; a right few had ever been granted. He'd trusted her as the last remainder besides the Sumiyaka he had, and he'd paid for it. Another memory drifted to him. ------ "What of Usagiku-san?" He asked, breaking the quiet atmosphere that had befallen them. It was again just himself, Shuji, Haru, and Leiko. The same room, dawn was slowly approaching. They'd spent most of the night in silence, occasionally breaking it to discuss this or that. He was curious as to why the girl had never been included in their clandestine meetings. He'd have expected her to be. Leiko's sigh was a tired one, and her hand reached up to rub at her eyes, "Yaki isn't to know about any of this for the time being. Hopefully, she won't know of it until we move." More curious than ever before the Akiyama pushed away from his customary wall, stepping from the shadows as his arms fell to his sides. He crouched down alongside Haru head tilting as he observed her, "Indulge my curiosity, Hime, why do we leave your close comrade out of our dealings? Is she not one of your closest friends?" He'd harbored under that assumption for years, after all. "Yes." Leiko agreed tightly. "Yaki is a very dear friend for me, but... She is weak, surely you know this Hiiro." Contemplatively Hiiro smoothed his callused fingers against his chin, head bobbing in a nod of agreement, "She is weak of will, emotion, and body. She does not believe in herself." "How then, can we expect her to believe in; to fight for a cause?" Came the Sumiyaka's rejoinder. He understood then, while Yaki was valued for her friendship, she was not valued as a warrior. Not yet. His eyes focused on Leiko's and they stared at each other for a long time, and when she spoke again he felt as though the weight of premonition was settled upon her words, "I fear that soon enough Yaki will be forced to waken from this stagnation of hers. Perhaps," she paused her gaze flickering around like a dragonfly over a pond, "Perhaps we must accept that we must be cruel to be kind." ------ Yes, he agreed with the words Leiko had said back then, even now. Cruel to be kind. He also remembered some saying, what was it? If you love someone let them go, and if they do not return they were never yours. Or some such. Drawing back to reality his decision made he pushed forward driving the Usagiku backward until her back slammed into the heavy wood of the gate. Beside them the metal of Leiko's scarred Hitai-ate thunked listlessly. The Akiyama propped his hands to either side of Yaki's head, his fingers splayed on the wood. Beneath his fluttering sleeves his plants hissed. His sharp gaze bore intently into the Usagiku's eyes, and slowly the garnet haired male lifted his right hand. He dragged it slowly allowing his fingernails to gently scrape across the surface of the gate, the nose odd amongst the whistling of the wind. It seemed so quiet, so still: The calm before the storm. His palm curled against Yaki's cheek, his thumb pressing against the underside of her chin as he forced her head to tilt. Hiiro leaned forward, leaving bare inches between them, "We have arrived at a cross roads." His calm polite voice was as cool as the desert air nipping at his skin. He shifted his right hand, ghosting his fingers along her cheek. "A choice awaits us. Plans set in inaction, and wait are finally being brought to a boil. It is time, and though we wished it for a farther more bright future... Recent events have forced us to step up. And I? I will do as I must." Shifting forward he pressed his lips to hers in a firm kiss, his callused fingers skating down her neck. He wrapped his fingers around the pendant she wore. Stepping back suddenly he gave a sharp tug, ripping the necklace from it's place, "I am taking back what is mine, crafted by my hand with the trace of my own chakra." He said flatly. "I do not feel you have need of my gift anymore." Reaching up and behind him his fingers found the tied end of his own Hitai-ate, and with a few sharp tugs he pulled it loose, dropping his hand once more, he allowed it to dangle from his fingers. It swayed, and the like article pinned to the door clunked again. "Go, Yaki. Go back to your Knight. Live your fairytale." He dropped his hitai-ate. He felt no need to scar it, no need to show his falling from his shinobi alliance. ... He'd never allied himself with Suna in the first place. Turning his back on the Usagiku he faced the desert village, watched as the sand rippled and spilled away from the massive form slithering through it, watched with a blank stare as Okaasan emerged, her vines writhing around her, her bulbous head thrown back, a foolish Suna-nin trapped in her petals squealed like a dying pig. He walked toward her, his bare feet sinking into the sand. It was time. ------ The Rose Red Devil

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki was frightened. Very frightened. She'd never seen Hiiro like this. Even with everything that had been happing, that had happened. She'd never seen that look on his face. Never felt this much of a chill come off of him.

"They can't do that to her. The Sumiyaka won't let them! You...you won't let them..right?"

She'd find her question not to be answered with words. But she would know the answer. It would be made clear. It took her by surprise when he kept coming forward. That look he held was the only thing that caused her to retreat. She hadn't expected to run into the gate. He pinned her there; and though she had though of being in this particular position with Hiiro previous, this didn't feel right. She could hear the tiny plants attached to his hissing violently. They were hissing at her. She could hear her heart cracking. It was ready to break. The sound of his nails digging into the wood seemed to copy the feeling she felt within her though it frightened her so much, she couldn't look away from him. He wouldn't hurt her, she knew it. He would never...

A touch...

His cold hand placed itself against her cheek. She shivered from it. It was gentle, despite what his expression said. She wasn't sure if she had shivered from the cold or from what she feared was going to happen next. All thoughts, all rationalization completely disappeared. She was suddenly a blank canvas that he was painting on. Everything about him was making a splash of color on her. A beautiful disaster. As her head tilted up, she felt her fingers curl into her palms. She wanted to reach out to him, pull him to her and never let go. But she knew. She knew better then to return the touch. Just beneath his clothing was an army ready to shred any part of her that dare come close.

"We have arrived at a cross roads."[/i]

She felt the tears coming. She begged him not to say it, not to do it. Though she so desperately was clinging to that one thread of hope, she could feel it slipping between her pinched fingers.

"A choice awaits us. Plans set in inaction, and wait are finally being brought to a boil. It is time, and though we wished it for a farther more bright future... Recent events have forced us to step up. And I? I will do as I must."[/i]

She wanted to protest, but before she had the chance to speak, he had leaned in and kissed her. She felt her body burn from the inside. The cold, the sand, the rumbling of the vegetation around them all seemed to disappear. This is what she had been wishing for; for so many years. But something, something wasn't right. It burned too much. It wasn't warm, it was on fire. She closed her eyes willing everything to stop. She wanted the thought to go away, but it would not. It was there. It was there, and it was true.

This is a goodbye...

Her canvas had been complete. He was done with her. She felt the pain on the back of her neck as the necklace she had worn since the day she woke up and found it was ripped from its place. Where it had once laid nearly unmoving was still lightened where her skin was untouched by the blistering day sun. Everything that seemed not to make sense before, now made sense. Everything that seemed to make sense now...was so confusing.

She slid, her back feeling the pain as splinters from the gate embedded themselves into her skin. It didn't seem to matter. Her brown eyes seemed to be stuck open in a trance. Tough her eyes were welled up with tears, none seemed able to fall. She was frozen. She had been turned to stone. She felt every bit of her suddenly give way. She wasn't even sure she was breathing. It was a horror scene playing out in front of her as she watched him drop the his headband into the sand and turned.

Okaasan came for her son

Yaki watched as a ninja screamed in pain. He couldn't be saved. His yells were echoing through the empty complex behind her. But that was nothing to her. She suddenly found herself uncaring for his pain.

Her fingers twitched. She couldn't stop this. Even if she could, would she? She felt the numb movement of her body, but she couldn't understand her movements. She simply laid out, crawling over to his headband were her fingers clutched it and pulled it to her. Her body curled around it. Her voice was so quiet she couldn't even hear herself. But she had spoken.

"My heart will go with you, Akiyama-sama...It always has."

She closed her eyes. Her body was so heavy all of a sudden. Her breathing became rapid before slowing down. Her head hurt, her chest felt like an explosion has been detonated.

And it had.

She feel into a sleep, or something like it as she heard the last cut off cries of the shinobi in Okaasan's grasp. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't there anymore. She was sitting against the wall at the Sumiyaka arena watching Leiko and Seiichi play battle as Haru showed her for the tenth time how to make the wing fold. Hiiro and Shuji sat like sentinels watching everyone. It was what she had hoped would be the future. It was the lie she threw herself into to hide. Hide for tonight.


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[ryuuraizen]

A sound. Ryuu couldn't place it at first. From... from where Yaki had run off toward.

"Well, this won't end well..." he muttered softly. He stood up, and moved toward the sound of that scream. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he was also able to see that the Hidden Sand Village was under attack by... "PLANTS?! You have got to be kidding me..." he muttered. He motioned to his ANBU unit, and she moved quickly, to find the Kazekage, as well as the two siblings. This simply meant that there was a big freaking plant, and a bunch of little ones...

"Fast distraction, fast distraction... How am I supposed to fight a tree? Fight a tree... Cut it down... too long. Poison, need the water supply... Fire.... Fire works... Fire is good."

He reached his hand into his bag, drawing out several kunai, as well as some exploding tags (4, if you care). He attacked the tags, and threw them. One fairly near the large plant, and the rest leading back toward him. He hoped that that would distract it enough from the village. He took a fifth kunai out of his bag, and started to hack and slash at the other, smaller plants.

"God, I hope these don't grow back..."

[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=f9fbfa] Akiyama, Hiiro ------ Rage hummed in the back of his mind like a consistent murmur, spurring him forward. He suffused himself in the feelings of anger that emitted from his colony, allowed it to over flow the bindings of his mental barrier. He merged with them The thoughts, feelings, knowledge, understanding came to him within milliseconds. He was multitudes. His lips curled into a chilling smile as battle sang in his veins. His body warming with the touch of his chakra, swirling up to the surface as he called on it. The heady sent of blood and death was barely laid by the coolness of the desert night. The air smelled sticky sweet from the masses of kira-kusaki that writhed across the ground. There were thousands of them. The air seemed to vibrate with the buzzing clattering of their small, but powerful jaws. His nose, sensitive to the scents of plant life also detected the smell of their dying. It fueled his rage to new heights. How dare these sand lice harm his colony? Fools! A ripple sliced through his mind, causing his head to jerk up, and angle. His stride lengthened as he raced toward Okaasan's side. Her vines whipped through the air with a his, sand exploded upward as she sent a few shinobi flying through the air. "Okaasan!" He called his voice rising above the constant hiss of his beloved plants. The massive bulb like head whipped around, her head curving back in a snake like s-curve, a dismembered human arm fell from her petals as they split open, shuddering and buzzing as they vibrated. Massive python like vines wove around the Akiyama as the huge plant stared down at him, and he stared back up at her. "Akiyama-san!" a voice barked from behind him. Hiiro turned slowly surrounded by the slowly undulating vines of the huge plant to face the speaker, "Surrender now, and we'll make things easy on you! Just turn over the plants." Hiiro stared blankly at the man, another ripple of consciousness bit through his mind informing him that Yaki's 'Knight' had arrived on the scene, and was hacking through his family. He could almost see it, a vivid display of feeling, vibration, and the odd heat sensory input his plants displayed. The fall and pain of the kunai, the knowledge that something was flying through the air; the inability to stop it. With each slash of the vicious blade against their tough fibrous hides the smaller plants oozed spatters of a vicious purple-red liquid. The smell of it was in the air. Poison The mass of plants curled back, striking out to bite with their small sharp teeth, some spitting the thick sweet smelling acid at the man, the Lightning Man. Explosions ripped through the air sending gouts of dirt hurling into the air, sand rained back toward earth. The drones screamed in his mind as they died in the rage of an inferno. Pockets of poisonous air lingered from the explosion, the fluid coursing through the plants vaporizing into a gaseous form. There was a soft thwak as the kunai thrown toward Okaasan embedded in the thick fiber of her bulbous head. A millisecond ticked by, then another explosion rocked the area. Purple red liquid rained down, the sickly smell of the poison lingered on the air. Hiiro could hear people gagging on it. The massive plant seemed to slump, the vine that had been holding up the ruined head fell back wards, slumping into the sand. Silence. The drones seemed frozen, waiting. The man who had been addressing Hiiro smirked, though it couldn't be seen as he had his arm over his nose, and mouth. He turned slightly toward the man who'd come to their aid, lifting his hand he waved, trying to show his appreciation. The massive plant twitched. The man suddenly found himself engulfed in pain, and could only stare in shock at the site of four huge petals surrounding him. Acidic ooze began to dissolve his clothing and skin. He screamed. The massive head lifted him in the tossing him high, while the second head spat a globule of acid at some of the other ninja. A vine flew outward, smacking another into the ground with crushing force. Hiiro stood still as behind him the now two headed Queen once more let loose a blood curdling screech. The drones surged, digging into the sand, laying in wait for their next commands. One of the now two bulb like heads turned to stare toward the Lightning Man, the other keeping view for other opponents. The massive vines curled through the air, passing in front of and around the red haired Akiyama as he sent a cutting smirk toward the other ninja. "Good Evening, Raizen-sama." He said, perfectly polite even as he felt the blood soaked sand beneath his bare feet. ------ The Rose Red Devil

[ryuuraizen]

Ryuu paused, blinked, and said, "Evening, Hiiro. I... notice you're destroying Suna... How's uh... How's that working out? Any progress there? Having a good time? Come on, kid, level with me. You might not like me, but at least I'll listen to exactly why you're doing this." He talked to Hiiro, tried to keep him calm.

Of course, this was likely due to the fact that the boy was almost entirely in control of a plant that could crush the Sunagakure fairly quickly. And, since calm people are less likely to commit mass murder, he was trying to keep Hiiro calm.

"Honestly, there's really no need for you to be doing this, kid."

Ryuu, however, stood, ready and waiting for an attack. He moved fast. Hiiro might know that, might not. But, he was rarely caught off guard, and, at the moment... Well, he was simply prepared for an attack. Though, he would prefer to not need to.

[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=f9fbfa] Akiyama, Hiiro ------ Hiiro had to admit to some amusement from the man's words. Lifting his hand he reached back, tugging the three foot long katana free from it's sheath. He swung it once, almost experimentally before allowing his grip to slack a bit, the hilt dangling between his fingers. His other hand lifted upward allowing the smooth binding material to slide through his fingers until the pendant dangled, and swayed. He tilted his head, looking up at the item he'd taken from Yaki. Slowly he reached down twining the parted material around the hilt of his katana, tying it in place. The pendant clinked slightly as it hit against the guard, lifting his eyes Hiiro stared toward Raizen with his narrow brown eyes, "I think you misunderstand Raizen-sama." He replied, his voice his usual polite monotone. He idly swept aside the raging of his plants' emotions, setting them aside. Information continued to come to him, but he left it up to Okaasan to direct the drones. Several feet away another shinobi made the mistake of trying to cross the barren expanse between Suna and where Hiiro stood with the massive Queen. Immediately several dozen drones burst from the sand, coiling around his legs, biting, riping, tearing, and dragging. The man yelled in pain and shock. "Even should I decide to take you into my confidence, Raizen-sama, it would dirty my honor to reveal secrets that are not mine to reveal." Hiiro was a person of few words, and the fact that he'd said even that much could come as something of a surprise. Oddly enough he was feeling a bit talkative, perhaps because there was still the feeling of combat riding through his veins. "Yes," he murmured. "It is clear you misunderstand. After all you blame me." He wouldn't say more. Let the man suffer by his own conclusions, it wasn't his fault that people feared what they did not understand, it was not his fault that the fools had reacted to Okaasan's presence negatively. She, who was just a mother working to get to her hurting child. He felt no guilt for anything that had happened, no remorse for the damage that had been done. He didn't care who had attacked who first, just knew that they'd kept attacking Okaasan, and therefore the plant had responded in kind. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his katana, and he lifted the point from the sand. Slowly he stepped forward leaving the protective embrace of Okaasan's vines. The sand shifted beneath his bare feet, and he sent out a calming mental wave so that his plants knew it was him walking there. Stopping several feet away from the Queen's reach he widened his stance, lifting his katana in one hand, angling the blade parallel to the ground while his free hand hovered, palm down, over his thigh, "Come, Raizen-sama." His lips twisted in a small cool smile. "I hear you care for the Usagiku, yes? Then let me tell you, that she lays there," Hiiro jerked his chin toward the empty Sumiyaka complex where he'd left Yaki behind. "broken, and unconscious. The guilt firmly in my hand." He goaded. He wanted to make this man hurt if he could. ------ The Rose Red Devil