The Search for the Senju

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

    Growing up with parents that showed very little care for his personal well-being outside of what it took to keep him alive and training had put a cage around his heart that had taken many years to pull away with the care his uncle had shown all these years since. What he never expected moving to these lands was to find himself under a far larger shadow than his parents could ever cast, as it extended to all corners of the land of fire. A singular name he only knew as Itsuki stood over these lands, reminding him of his father in more ways than one, and all of them drew the wrong sort of attention from the young man.

    Most of the missions he took on in secret were passed through his uncle, as Masshiro was becoming known in a sense, for taking care of problems, even if those passing on the missions weren't aware it was in fact Masshiro himself doing them. A few had passed from the hands of attendants working for this Itsuki, and both were heartless in nature not just for the targets but the person taking on the jobs. His genjutsu in both cases had been the only thing protecting not only himself but those he was sent against. It hadn't taken long for the disdain to seep into his brain and take root, but it was little more than that up to this point.

    Yosuga Pass was the location, or at least one of a few locations, for mission number three. Normally going directly after another shinobi wasn't something he would have found interest in, but given the amount of money offered and the badgering of his uncle to get into the Daimyo's good graces he wanted to at least scout the locations. His target was from a clan he was told he should have at least heard about, but not originally being from these lands, the Senju weren't part of his knowledge base. He was certainly aware of their power, he just didn't know them by name, which made his target an issue as it was their clan leader, which was something he only knew after the fact, as the mission left out that incredibly critical piece of information.

    If this had been an assassination attempt or to bring direct harm he would have no doubt found a way to decline, but gathering information was something he could at least justify. Given a badly drawn picture, a description, and a general location was all he had to go off of, he wondered just how easily he would find them. He wasn't making much of an attempt to hide his intentions however, as the first person who even remotely matched the description was who he immediately walked right up to, held the picture towards the person before he spoke, and loudly cleared his throat to ensure he had their attention.

"Excuse my sudden interruption, but are you Kozakura Senju?"

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger In the days since her unlikely meeting with Arata Namikaze beneath that tea shop in Otafuku Gai, Kozakura had been working tirelessly. She had visited many clan heads and sent envoys to others, seeking to rally support for her brewing plan to wrest Yosuga Pass and the Tonika Village from the daimyō's control, and claim it for herself and the united free peoples of the Tasogare Alliance. But soldiers and allies would not be enough to tackle either of these villages. She needed intel, and the only way that she would get it was if she visited them. She was perfectly capable of doing this discreetly. Of obscuring her face, of changing it to another that blended in better. But she did not do this. Instead she wore her own face with purpose. She knew that the daimyō feared her. That he feared challenge to his rule, and that while he knew very little of what it was she was planning to do, he did know that she was planning something. She wanted him paranoid, to rush to judgements. It would likely mean reinforcing Yosuga with his own men, or with mercenaries hired from the surrounding plains and forests downstream from Yosuga, but she was counting on that fact. It meant that the experienced shinobi who had retired here would have their guard down, or may even take themselves out causing trouble for the guards. Kozakura had just finished meeting with one like-minded shinobi retiree, and was heading for a drink at the local izakaya when she was approached. She turned, drawing her hood back so that they could easily confirm that she matched the picture they were holding to her face, no matter how badly drawn it was. Kozakura raised a brow as she examined the stranger. The lightning bolt shaped scar across his tanned skin told her that he was a shinobi, or at least had the mettle of one to have survived such an injury. And his white hair and red eyes denoted a strong bloodline, or at least a lucky combination of traits that humanity had inherited from the Otsutsuki long ago. She did not move for her sword, getting the sense that she was not yet being threatened by the stranger. "I am Kozakura Senju," she said, nodding slightly to him. "but you may call me by my title: Keikan." She walked through the doorway of the izakaya, expectant that the stranger would follow her as she seated herself at a table and gestured for a drink. "Speak." She said simply, curious to see what the stranger had wanted. Masshiro Kurama Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

    There never failed to be struggle between rumors and stories told of those in the many lands and what was the truth of those spoke of, and whatever lied in between that was more likely to be the truth. In this instance there stood in front of him a clan leader, one stirring up enough worry that the Daimyo of these lands was sending out shinobi for various jobs and missions to check on them, track them, confront them, or simply learn more about them.

    Most were better suited for the job as they would dress as normal citizens of the villages the Senju leader walked through, never approaching, only watching from afar, or getting just close enough to more accurately get a look at their physical traits, carried weaponry, see who they talked to. Masshiro was not one of those that was going to blend in with any crowds easily given his height and physical attributes that stuck out at the best of times, but it was more his personality that made it difficult more than anything. Despite his clan, his strengths, and his preferences of shinobi arts, he was straight forward in his approaches, deciding on a whim to be more open or sit back and put someone under a spell of sorts.

    In this instance he very well could have cast a genjutsu on this Kozakura without them even realizing he was ever there, gathering what information he might need, and leave, but he didn't care much for this assignment to begin with, and he had his own curiosities now. Once he had confirmed this was who he was looking for, he crumpled up the picture, let it fall to the ground, and kicked it to the side as he followed them.  Even after entering and the introductions, he stared silently. After accessing them for close to an awkward silence building amount of time, he tilted his head slightly to the right and spoke, taking a seat as he did.

"You're the one the Daimyo is so worried about, or at least it seems that way. Why else would he send someone like me to gather information on you."

    It was a bit of an odd statement and one he wasn't making an effort to speak quietly despite whoever was around.

"I'm supposed to learn more about you, find out where you go, blah blah blah."

    Reaching behind he pulled a scroll tied with a red, thick string and tossed it on the table as it stopped short of rolling into the Senju's lap. In it was the mission in more detail stating all the places he could find them, and more than enough information on physical appearance, habits, that it seemed odd that he'd be asked to learn of near that exact information. It didn't make a lot of sense quite frankly, which would likely lead one to believe the mission wasn't exactly what was stated clearly.

"I'm guessing they expected you to be paranoid, maybe you'd attack me thinking I was an assassin, then I was forced to defend myself. I don't like this guy and his underhanded, can't be bothered with honesty bullshit. So, what did you do?"

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger Kozakura Senju sat calmly in her seat, observing Masshiro's every move. She knew the daimyō had sent people to gather information on her clan, but she never thought they would send someone so brazen. Nevertheless, she was not one to be easily intimidated. "Interesting," Kozakura remarked, her voice smooth and precise. "It seems that Itsuki has taken a great interest in my clan. However, I am not one to engage in rumors and hearsay. My actions speak for themselves, and I believe Itsuki is already intimately familiar with them." Kozakura leaned forward, her piercing gaze locking onto Masshiro. "And what of you? You seem like someone who is not easily swayed by the daimyō's orders. What brought you here?" Kozakura's mind raced as she tried to assess the situation. She had dealt with spies before, but Masshiro was different. He was not like the others who hid in the shadows and reported back to their superiors. He was upfront and unafraid, and that was both admirable and dangerous. Kozakura paused for a moment before continuing. "I have nothing to hide," she said, boldly. It was a lie, but not in full. She had been very vocal in her moves to cause trouble for the daimyō, though the specifics of her plan were a well guarded secret. "If you wish to learn about my clan and our actions, I will answer your questions to the best of my ability. But know that I will not be swayed by threats or intimidation. I am a leader, and my clan's safety and well-being are my top priorities." Masshiro Kurama Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

"Everyone has something to hide."

    Even as he stared back, blinking normally, his eyes themselves never seemed to move. There was no twitch movement, just staring straight ahead to meet Kozakura's own gaze. His smirk seemed just as unwavering, creating a juxtaposition between the carefree smile and the piercing cold stare. One might come to wonder which was the true Masshiro, but in truth it was very much so both.

"Your clan? Oh, well let's see here, one moment..."

    Leaning forward again he pulled out a second scroll, someone folded from how he had been positioned in the seat, with the same red string as the first had. Pulling it off he held it open as he cleared his throat.

"Alright so your clan is adept at a form of wood release jutsu, interesting. Kekkei genkai if I had to guess, that's not exactly every day jutsu, correct?"

    Turning it around he held it out to show the surprisingly sparse information he was given, but how it focused so heavily on combat ability and possible threats.

"No mention of allies, no mention of where your clan originates, nothing about temperaments, just warnings about your jutsu and potential fighting styles, not to get too close unless necessary. Funny that huh?"

    Tossing the scroll at them much like the first, it opened open without the string holding it together. It read more like a warning for someone engaging an enemy than what you would give someone tracking and following from a distance.

"Like I said, doesn't feel like much of a mission for gathering information. Question is, are they underestimating you or overestimating me."

    It was hard to get a read on exactly what Masshiro thought, outside of the obvious of finding the entire thing a little ridiculous. His motives were still obfuscated, but more so by accident. Clearly, walking up to someone that was supposed to be your target and not only confronting them directly, but then telling them the entirety of your mission and showing them said mission in detail was far from ordinary.

"I'm not going to attack you, especially not now. If you are worried about that, let me at lease put your mind at ease to some extent."

    Standing up suddenly, it almost felt like the opposite of his words, given how quickly he did so. He began to unbutton the large coat he was wearing and opened it to show he had no weapons, not a pouch, not a single kunai or shuriken to be seen. No more scrolls hidden away with information, and even the clothes he wore looked ill-suited for combat. Slowly he buttoned his coat and sat back down, resuming his stare.

    "What brought me here wasn't a fight, but curiosity, even if it's clear that whoever handed me those two scrolls, and whoever handed them over to that person really hoped I had shown up to fight. I just wanted to meet whoever pissed them off this much. I don't do threats and intimidation, and if I wanted to cause you harm I would have done so. As far as questions, I wouldn't know where to start. This all seems a bit ridiculous to put in my hands."

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger Everyone has something to hide. Kozakura understood that well. It was a truth that was universally acknowledged among shinobi, a silent recognition that did not require vocalization. Acknowledging this truth, she had only ever seen as a deliberate act, usually to convey a message. But why had her company elected to do so? Part of her felt that perhaps it was simply another facet of their candid nature. They did seem to speak with casual ease, shrugging the formalities and the tension of the conversation they both shared. Kozakura acknowledged the truth with a nod, a subtle gesture that conveyed her acceptance of the situation and a willingness to be honest. She found it puzzling that the daimyō had sent someone of this particular nature. Either he lacked the necessary understanding of his targets, or he took pleasure in feigning ignorance as he perused the scroll. She could not tell which of these two things it was, from the deadly look in his eyes and the smirk across his lips. Kozakura couldn't help but smile slightly as she glanced down at the scroll before her. As he spoke, she read. She took pride in it. How much information she had been able to scrub from Itsuki's archives on the Senju. There was no information the daimyō possessed on her allies, besides a few historical mentions from the warrings states period, and there was even less information on the ancient culture and history of the Senju clan. She'd left very little for the corrupt head of state to weaponize against her. Then, Masshiro posed an interesting question. "I aim to be underestimated." Kozakura replied, a small grin forming at her lips. It was the pride of any shinobi to be able to withold information. Being understimated was, regardless of where the fault lied, the foremost expression of this ability. Then, he addressed the obvious elephant in the room: that if he was being employed by Itsuki, there was also the possibility he was here to assassinate or attack her. Then, he shot up from his seat. Kozakura did not budge, and remained unsurprised by the sudden movement, merely moving her hand an inch lower to close some distance between it and her sword sheathe. As he returned to his seat, she nodded to him. Perhaps he was unwise to travel without a weapon to his name, especially somewhere like Yosuga, but it showed he was honest about why he had come to find her. "I appreciate it. But, you'll forgive me if I don't relax completely. You are, after all, being employed by the man who I aim to kill and replace. And, if I can be candid myself, I agree. I find it strange that they have tasked someone so undedicated to the daimyō's cause to pull information from me. But I am unsurprised. Itsuki is not known for his intellect." Masshiro Kurama Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

"You would be foolish to drop your guard completely."

    It was true he had no intentions of reading between the lines and taking this mission to it's logical conclusion and attacking, but he was not a saint. There was a level of greed that lead him to take the mission in the first place, and he planned to at least gather just enough information to fatten his pocket, but pocket the rest of the information for himself. Money and information were both valuable currency after all.

"I am. If I had no interest I could have simply disregarded the mission, and I do like money. I may be blunt but I'm not stupid. That doesn't mean I have any intentions of going along with this idea of attacking you, even if it wasn't said so clearly."

    Lifting his arms he moved them around mockingly as if he were somewhat mechanical in nature, before dropping them back on the table.

"No strings attached, even if they assume me a puppet."

    Raising his arms he gave a heavy shrug with an equally heavy sigh, adjusting and his coat and wiping away a few bits of visible dust. It was hard to tell if he was an incredibly serious person who would stare a hole through a wall or had little interest in the conversation at all from moment to moment.

"I can't play stupid entirely, as I am aware they know my own unique skill set to a degree, likely no more than they know yours to be fair. This is likely the reason they'd send me, assuming if violence was needed, I could handle it without causing a scene. I'd venture a guess, however, that knowing so little about me personally didn't factor into this and assumed I'd be a willing participant. There are no scrolls with detailed information about what I can do, I can assure you, even if they know pieces of what I am capable of."

    His eyes seemed to grow in size as he looked back up, leaned in, and returned the intense stare he had earlier. There was little chance he was going to speak out loud about what he could do or anything regarding his clan in such a public place, but he was willing to give a small demonstration.

    After a moment his eyes would have been near impossible to look away from, and with nothing more than a blink, he would have seemed to vanish altogether, leaving nothing but a near person sized pair of eyes staring back, taking up the majority of Kozakura's vision as Masshiro subtly cast a genjutsu on her, still sitting in the seat across from her, folding his arms on the table awaiting a reaction.

For flavor, and no actual mechanical uses, casting the genjutsu: Kyōretsuna Shisen [Intense Gaze]

<can assume this to be deactivated whenever it's appropriate to rp it as such in your next post>

A pair of large red eyes seem to open directly in the line of the site of affected, causing the inflicted to stare back unblinking, as the eyes stay in their view regardless of where they try and look. The distance from the affected that the eyes appear isn't always the same, but close enough to be perfectly visible and distracting.

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger It was difficult to read this shinobi, even for Kozakura. That made him dangerous; unpredictable. And being dangerous and unpredictable made him interesting. Kozakura gave a small smile at the coldness of his statement. She was right not to drop her guard, but to be told that outright was the kind of subtle threat that would send shivers down the spine of a lesser shinobi. She sat in quiet regard as Masshiro explained himself further, and mockingly acted the part of a puppet. She smiled again. She had always like the imagery that idiom evoked; no strings attached. No puppet master. No king. He was confident too. So certain that the daimyō didn't have anything more than barebones intelligence about him. Kozakura knew better; Itsuki was no mastermind, but his network of loyal spies were some of the best. That piece of paper, with so little information, Kozakura was proud to know how little had leaked to the public record, or at least how little they were willing to give away to those they hired. But there was no doubt to her that a far more extensive account of her expoits and abilities was recorded somewhere deep in the recess of the daimyō's estate. But as Kozakura took that in, suddenly her gaze was trapped. A deep longing, or a fear, she wasn't sure. But the feeling, whatever it was, had fixed her gaze on Masshiro's eyes as they grew and became more intense. She didn't even have time to think, to chide herself for not having better defenses. She was fixed on his eyes until suddenly they were gone, and apparently so was he. A dirty trick; genjutsu. She hated illusions, but understood their practical value. She was certain he wouldn't have gone far. His job was to collect information on her, and she guessed that this was an attempt to see how well she handled genjutsu. She made her best effort to seem unphased, sure he was somewhere nearby, watching. Unaware he was across from her still. She took a sip of her drink. "Neat trick." she said in a cool voice, quieting the pace of her heart as she came down from the intensity of the genjutsu. Masshiro Kurama Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

    The eyes didn't so much slowly dissipate as they ceased to exist altogether, leaving nothing more than Masshiro's stare in their place, as he leaned back in his seat.

"I can assure you it's much more than a simple trick."

    He had made an effort to pull his punches as one might say, which had put just a bit more strain on himself to manage.

"My genjutsu aren't simple illusions cast by children to run away and hide in bushes. Don't want to give away too much, though"

    Giving an out of place wink, the rest of his face, let alone his demeanor, in no way matched it. His stare was even more piercing than before, and his face had fallen to a more serious, almost curious look as he seemed to be trying to pry information from the Senju without a word.

"You never fully answered my earlier curiosity; What is it you've done to frustrate or scare the one who in essence sent me here?"

    Leaning forward, he spoke more quiet, not in a hushed tone, but simply a consequence of his voice becoming a bit deeper as his he became more serious.

"If they wanted nothing more than the power of your blood, I imagine they would be more permanent actions taken, more direct. This is something specific, as if they want to keep tabs on you. There are more than a few powerful shinobi in these lands, heads of clans, unique abilities. What makes you special?"

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger As Masshiro faded back into full view, the promninent eyes ceasing, Kozakura stilled her heart completely. The red-eyed shinobi didn't need to assure her. Though she'd played it down with her words, the beating of her heart was proof enough that this was beyond any ordinary genjutsu. There was something... tangible about it. Something real. More real than any she had dealt with before. Before she could pry into how his abilities worked, he gave a wink and oved on. "What have I done to scare poor, precious, cowardly Prince Itsuki?" Kozakura asked rhetorically, her voice dripping with petty disdain. She treated the question as though it were silly, answered obviously to Itsuki and his court. But it was a good question. And Kozakura felt compelled to humor Masshiro, if only because she could tell that he was asking for himself, rather than for the daimyō. Kozakura enjoyed how enigmatic she was becoming; a single shinobi, able to cause so much of a stir that the daimyō was personally paying for people to come after her, yet nobody knew much of why. She smiled as Masshiro spoke quietly about his question, and she nodded as he posited that it couldn't be as simple as trying to claim the gifts of her bloodline. "What makes me special?" she began, looking off into the distance as if thinking rather hard about it. "Well let's think about this. Imagine, if you would, that the Land of Fire is a beautiful garden. It's bloomed on it's own, each flower flourishing in the light of the sun. Flowers compete for space, but grow in harmony when tended right. If you believe the propoganda, Itsuki is the gardener, tending to us all." She tapped the table twice, splinters in the wood twisting into shapes of a small, vivid sculpture of the garden she described. "But this garden, with it's fertile soil, sparkling river and warmth in the sun doesn't just attract flowers, but weeds. And these weeds are not content to tend to themselves. They feed off of the plants surrounding them, blocking out the sun, infesting the roots, strangling stems as they grow larger and larger, until they overtake the entire garden bed. Itsuki, and the daimyō before him are weeds." She waved her hand, the weeds in the visual withering, replaced by small trees and populous flowers. "Itsuki fears me because I am the gardener, and he's the weed. And there is no room for our land to grow until his roots are plucked, boiled and burnt." Masshiro Kurama Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ

[Masshiro Kurama]

Masshiro Kurama Rank D Shinobi Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 9 Technique: 1 Toughness:1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 HP: 320 Chakra: 16

"My father sees himself as quite the gardener, or so I'm told."

    His long hair fell partially over his face as his eye twitched, reaching up to brush it clear once more as he stared down at the table. It was a seemingly random interjection, hard to tell how literal he was being, or if his train of thought had in fact followed the metaphor. There wasn't much positive he remembered of either of his parents for all the strain he put into trying to think positively of them.

    The comment about weeds however caused him to laugh, loud enough that for a moment it drew the attention of some of the other patrons, as he became uncharacteristically animated, then as suddenly as it happened he was quiet and still once more.

"One of Itsuki's men called me a weed once, transplanted and encroaching in a garden I had no place in, and I would one day be pulled and discarded. Seems those in these lands share the gardening metaphor. Though you are using it to describe someone leeching off the nutrients of others while his man was being an ass because I moved from another country he isn't fond of."

    It was clearly amusing to him in just about every direction the more he thought about it, smirking heavily. So many gardeners, so many weeds, so many forests and so many trees. It was all a bit too strained and lacking in the literal and blunt takes he preferred.

"I prefer to just say he's a power hungry jerk who thinks too highly of himself and someone needs to replace him before he screws everything up, or find a way to match him in power. We are in unique positions you and I. We might not both be leaders of clans, hell mine isn't even from this country, but we are both shinobi. We attract fear, we attract admiration, but we are needed and that is likely something Itsuki hates more than anything."

OWL

[Kozakura Senju]

the search for the senju kozakura encounters a stranger Kozakura's sighed, hearing that Itsuki's men had used the same metaphors as her to try and ostracize outsiders. It made sense to her, that those so desperate to grip onto power and strangle the life out of those beneath them would fear incursion from anything outside of their garden bed. She considered explaining that thought, expanding her metaphor, maintaining her sense for poeticism and theatrics. But she elected instead to simply reply with one sentence. "That makes sense." Masshiro's words brought a smile to Kozakura's face once again. "You see things as they are." she said, admiring the shinobi's insight into Itsuki and the issues of the Land of Fire despite not having lived through the struggles she had to learn the same things. "I like that about you. Perhaps, once I have trimmed the weeds, we shall meet again." Leaning back against the wall, Kozakura pressed her hand to the wood. She suspected, not of Masshiro but of Itsuki, that they would not remain alone much longer. There was no way in her mind she could see Itsuki trusting this shinobi, and thus she was certain that his men would arrive at some point soon to try and finish the job Masshiro had been indirectly given. "Farewell." Using her mayfly technique she became one with the wood, travelling down the grain into an overgrown root, stretching out along it's length and disappearing into the vastness of the forests of the Land of Fire. Exit! Fun thread, sorry I kept you waiting! Items: Shinobi Armor

Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 1 Technique: 1 Toughness: 2 Speed: 2 Stamina: 2 CP: 17/17 HP: 560/560

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS & THQ