Demons of the Mist

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE Standing within the mist-filled village seemed nostalgic for some reason. It was almost as if Kyozo had been here before, although this was literally his first time ever passing the gates that lead into the village. His bushy red hair made him stick out, not that his attire didn't already isolate him from the others that roamed the streets and stared at him like he was an alien. Over the years he had grown accustomed to looking beyond others, ignoring the presence of others had become second nature for him. In the inner chambers of his mind, his conscience seemed to convince him that he was person who was gravely more important than everyone he stood around. They were little insignificant specs that he loathed for apparently no reason, or at least that how it seemed to others. In reality, his deep seeded hatred for any and everyone who had any sort of relationship with Kirigakure was something he was conditioned and developed from his only living relative - his grandfather. His crimson oculars peered through the lite veil, slowly he gazed upon those who passed him by. His heartbeat remained faint, barely felt as he trekked along the pier, with the draw strings connected to his knapsack filled with clothes resting on his shoulder. "Hey you, boy." a brash baritone beckoned for his attention as he neared the end of the peer. "Nice katana you got there. Let me take a look at it." The oddly unproportional man demanded as he walked over to Kyozo and pulled his katana from its' sheath. Every trace of emotion in his face vanished in that very instant. He moved fluent, elbowing the man in abdomen and then snatch his katana out of the man's grasp with a glare adorning his face. The way he carried himself was savage yet elegant in a way, it was if he executed this combination of movements a million times, which rightfully he had. Remembering what Namazu told him before he left to come to Kirigakure, he scoffed as he realized that he wouldn't be allowed to lop this man's head off his shoulders like he would've done in any or occasion. Swatting the man to the ground after bashing the thick of his blade into the man's face, Kyozo loomed over him with that empty glare that many had grown to identify him by. It was unfortunate that his identity was unknown in these parts. Maybe this could've been avoided. "Count yourself lucky," he told the man as he re-sheathed his katana, his crimson eyes peering into the man's soul. "Normally I would've killed you here and now, but I hardly think you're worth the effort. I hope not every shinobi in this village is as frail as you are." It appeared that fear had overcome the man as he lied petrified, as if he had just seen a ghost...or maybe something even more sadistic, a demon.

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[Takemi]

It was getting increasingly more difficult to linger around the villages these days. The Daimyō's threat to the village was growing with each day. People were bracing themselves for the inevitable civil war. The worst thing was the effects it was having on her father. More than ever he wanted to fight, and if conflict reached the village there would be nobody that could stop him. The anti-toxins that her mother prepared to combat the Sanbi's affliction were losing their potency. In truth, she did not expect him to live past the next two years.

Times like this, when the burdens of the mind were heavy, she found herself at the piers. On the quiet misty days it was a good place to put the mind at ease.

Or, in today's case, it offered entertainment.

Watching the ginger haired kid level the man was quite amusing, especially considering the size difference and how quickly it was over. However, what really caught her eye was the very thing that left the man bleeding on the pier. "That is a pretty nice blade you go there," Takemi said as she slowly approached the two of them. He eyes stayed on the sheathe for a moment before looking at terrified man. She had seen that look before. It was worn by those too weak to call themselves shinobi.

"And please don't think lowly of my village," she said as she placed her gaze upon Kyozo. "Every village has their black sheep. Jō-san here is one of them."

She actually had no idea who the guy was. Takemi saw him a couple of times when she was out pub hopping with other oinin, and every time he seemed like a tool. Just loud and obnoxious for no reason. So while she was happy he got his face bashed in she couldn't stand for him to tarnish their reputation. First impressions were important, after all.

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE His eyes shifted to the side as a new presence entered him proximity. Immediately, as she drew nearer, he changed his position so that he was facing her. He immediately gave her a quick once over. In comparison to the first person he encountered, whoever this girl was she seemed to be on an entirely different tier in terms of the aura she possessed. Maybe his initial run it with the frail one who lied on the ground below was just a chance encounter. Kyozo never believed much in fate, so he wouldn't entertain that thought much. "Maybe that was it," he replied broadly, pocketing both of his hands as he took a step away. To be honest, he heard many rumors about Kirigakure ever since he learned that he would be coming here as instructed by the Daimyō. So far, unless he was over scrutinizing, the village didn't have quite the vibe that he expected it to. His disappointment was obvious the moment he stepped off the ship that brought him here. "Someone with such a weak will should never be a shinobi," he stated bluntly, his gaze half shifting to the man again as he finally began to regain his composure. Looking around franticly, he pulled himself to his feet making sure to keep his head down as he scurried off. He mumbled something under his breath that led Kyozo to gaze at him momentarily before losing interest. Which happened almost instantaneously, so it was as if he never turned his head at all. "Who are you?" he asked in a rather straight forward manner, his crimson eyes peering into her own.

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[Takemi]

This boy was intriguing to say the least. While his minuscule stature initially made him look like a child his aura read completely differently. The way he carried himself, the fluidity of his movements, and his manner of speaking were all something she expected to find in a seasoned warrior. Which was troublesome considering his apparent age. It was his eyes, however, that spoke volumes about his character.

Only one who had experienced deep tragedy wore those eyes. They were the eyes of someone with absolutely nothing to lose. Her supervising officer in oinin corps liked to label them as "avengers." They often proved to be the most likely shinobi to go rogue and their level of conviction to their cause made them difficult to catch.

She would need to keep an eye on this kid.

"Agreed," she said as watched 'Jō-san' scatter off into the mist like a roach. When questioned about her identity she turned to face him, smirking a little. "Setsuna Takemi," she announced proudly. Though her clan had dwindled in size over the past century they were still be be respected and feared. Warriors whose ambition transcended that of any one man. They did not seek power or fame. Their sole purpose was to see Mizu no Kuni flourish to its fullest potential. No matter the cost. "Who might you be? And if it's not too invasive, what brings you to this village?"

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE ''Kyozo," he introduced himself, conveniently excluding his surname as he was instructed to do. In truth, he was suppose to introduce himself as 'Akinami Kyozo,' but the pride he had in his lineage was too tenacious for him to completely dismiss who he was. This was another one of the attributes instilled into the young boy by his grandfather. "I've come to the Hidden Mist after receiving an invitation from my sensei, Oda Namazu." he spoke nonchalantly, maintaining his normal tone of voice as he responded to her rather odd question. He found it rather peculiar that he was being asked such a question after already being granted access into the inner-limits of the village. He allowed the thought to subside upon answering, though. He began to trudge with a single step. "I heard rumors that there were monuments that that were made to honor the leaders of the village," he started, peering over his shoulder in way of Takemi seeing as she was the only one he was acquainted with. "Where is it located?" he asked casually. Not really displaying too much interest for any particular reason.

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[Takemi]

Takemi's eyes widened for a second at the mention of the retired Shinobigatana. Not caring to hide her surprise she mouthed an inaudible "wow." Some things started to make a little bit of sense in her head now. Especially how he was able to down a grown man with such fluid movements. If Oda Namazu were truly this boy's sensei then perhaps old "Jō-san" was luckier than she thought.

"Ah, yeah. That's actually not too far from here," she said simply as she thumbed in the direction over her shoulder. "Follow me," she instructed as she turned on her heels and began to walk off into the mist. The monument that Kyozo spoke of was one of, if not the only tourist attraction in the village. Located at one of the many ponds within the village was the large rotunda. Inside there were ten feet tall perbeck marble statues of the village's greatest shinobi, the most prominent of which were the former Mizukage.

"So you're Jinbezame¹-san's apprentice," she said after a couple of minutes of travel. They were still a little ways away from where they needed to be, and in transit was the easiest time to pry for information. Small talk was a powerful tool in espionage. "How is he doing? Last anyone heard from him he was...," she allowed her voice to trail off. "I never did ask why he left," Takemi said with a light-hearted laugh.

---

¹Jinbezame = Whale shark

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE Cocking a brow, he was half-way surprised to hear that Takemi was going to actually guide him to the monuments. So far, without a doubt, he could say that Kirigakure wasn't like he expected it to be. He expected the citizens to be merciless and cold-blooded savages. Maybe the once Bloody Mist was more tame than its' reputation led on. "Alright then," was all he said as he followed Takemi, walking at her side as they trudged through the misty village. For the most part he was observing pretty much everything he saw - you know, taking in the scenery as it was a place he would soon have to get familiar with. For a few minutes, the two walked in silence until Takemi asked a question out of no where. "Jinbezame-san," Kyozo repeated back to Takemi, looking at her vaguely amused. He wasn't really to the type to show his emotion, which included displaying his sense of humor. He did consider the moniker to be rather humorous, though. "Yes, I'm Namazu-sama's apprentice. Though, he's not much of a sensei." He mused over a flashbacks from an encounter that he had with Namazu; to be specific, he envisioned their first encounter and his sensei's peculiar methods of training. To be such a well respected, even feared, Namazu was...weird to the full extent of the word. "Last I seen 'em, he was fine. He returned to Kirigakure a week or so."

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[Takemi]

It was true. Takemi was far from what many outsiders would expect from a Kirigakure kunoichi. For one, she was actually nice to most people. She did not permanently exude an aura of "I'll kill you just because." Senseless murder was just that: senseless. However, But give her a reason and she would skin and filet an orphanage of special needs children without so much as batting an eyelash.

But getting back to the present...

"Eh? He's here?" she stopped, stunned by the news that was so casually passed on to her. In hindsight, his arrival was not all that surprising. With the tension between the Daimyō and the village continuing to escalate and the council's betrayal it would only make sense for him to return. Assuming he was the same man that loved both his village and his country. Even the fact that he had been in the village for an entire week was not what got her. Hell, she had only been back for two days herself. It was the fact that her parents didn't feel such information was important enough to pass on to her. "Papa's keeping secrets...," she grumbled as she resumed walking towards the monument.

"I'm glad to hear he's doing well," she said once she moved past her annoyance, and the rotunda was in sight. "He still needs to train me." As the pair approached the pond she felt no need to walk all the way to the bridge. Channeling her chakra to her feet she began to walk on the water, taking a couple of steps before looking to see if Kyozo had the ability. "What was wrong with his teaching?" she finally got around to asking. "Was it difficult to take him seriously with those tusks? Takemi asked as she mimed the fish man's two protruding fangs with her fingers.

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE "Ishiki-sama," a masked figure called out, walking through the room ridden by darkness. Sitting before him in throne-like seats were three of the four council member of the Hidden Mist who had been conversing about their many plans for the village. "We have apprehended another one of the Mei Kiri, and have transported them to interrogation." "Good," an old, bald headed man stood from his seat pressing his cane into the wooden floor as his hand grasped the knob of his cane tighter. "Send our top operatives from the Interrogation Division to deal with them" "I will, sir." the masked man bowed. "How would you like us to proceed from there?" "We have captured a majority of the Mizukage's task force, except one in particular." The only woman of the trio spoke up, she too stood from her eat. Dressed in a formal garb, the purple-haired woman presented herself with an aura of prestige which seemed to trump her associate's. The bald man who stood earlier, Ishiki, took a seat immediately after she rose to her feet. "Ah yes, the Setsuna that the Mizukage has pocketed," the third and final council member present chimed in, he remained in his seat as he laced his fingers together. "It would be in our benefit to keep her under wrap, especially." "Akito-san is right. Bring here to us immediately. We don't need her or her father interrupting our plans." Taking a seat, she crossed her legs as the commute ended. "Orihime-sama," Ishiki spoke up once their operative's chakra signature was completely untraceable. "We're taking a big risk by going after the girl. We mustn't insight the wrath of Tatsuo." "Tatsuo is the least of our worries now," she said retrieving her pipe from her hand bag. "Word is Namazu-san ha returned to the village. We need to keep an eye on him and figure why he has returned, and who's side he's on." As they arrived to the pound, with the bridge to their destination within sight, Kyozo could see the curiosity in Takemi's eyes as she began to use the Water Walking Technique. Following her like he had been doing this whole time, the moment he stepped onto the water he channeled chakra into the soles of his feet as trekked along beside her. Despite not being a shinobi - well, rather a shinobi from Kirigakure - the shaggy haired Aoyagi was well versed in many of the same ninja techniques that Takemi should have knowledge of. Although the methods in which he was taught were more than likely completely different than how she was taught, that wasn't really an important topic. "You don't know the half of it," replied Kyozo in response to Takemi's comment on Namazu's tusks. "In his old age, Namazu-sama has become quite the character. That's all I'll say about that. I'm sure you'll what exactly I mean when you see him." 'What are these chakras that I'm sensing?' he thought to himself as he felt the presence of three or four incoming people. 'Behind us!' "Take your guard, quick!" he muttered, spinning around to face four masked figures who were garbed in a navy attire. His hand reached back to grasp the hilt of his katana. "Who are they?"

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[Takemi]

Takemi smiled when Kyozo demonstrated his ability to walk on water. It was not much of a surprise, considering his sensei, but it was nice to know he was trained in more than just swordsmanship. Deciding to walk backwards she stroked her chin when he started to speak on Namazu's style of teaching, albeit brief in nature.

"Hm," she said as she attempted to imagine just how eccentric her father's friend had become over the years. Though, she really had nothing to go on. So her imagination just ran wild. At least until she took notice of her assailants. Before she could attempt to warn Kyozo it appeared that he was already aware. Perceptive little kid, she thought to herself as she summoned her scarlet scissor blade. Takemi did not need to do a whole lot of guess work to figure that these were more of the council's dogs.

"It would appear to be my welcome home party," she answered casually as the four masked shinobi braced themselves for combat, two of which unsheathed katana.

"Don't let her get a flow going," the apparent leader of the hit squad ordered. "Kill the kid too if he interferes."

The two masked assassins with swords raced forward, propelling themselves on the surface of the water with great speed. "I won't ask for your help, but feel free to join in if you're bored," Takemi said to Kyozo as she jetted backwards in the water, and began to "rev up" the Zankuroshiru for the "Bloody Yo-Yo."

One of the sword wielding assailants dipped the tip of his sword into the water as he sped towards the young Setsuna. Chakra channeled through his sword and when he slashed upwards a cresent blade of water shot towards Takemi. With a bit of fancy Oyogukōiusame work she spun around the attack and launched Zankuroshiru in his direction, having finally gained enough momentum for the blade.

They would regret sending such few assassins.

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE Takemi took on the two assailants who carried blades. Looking at the two unarmed assailants, Kyozo pondered whether or not he should interfere. He glared at them, an apparent lack of interest present in his eyes. His head tilted to the side slight as he decided how he wanted to handle the two masked men as they sped forth in blurs. Pressing the tip of his shoed-foot into the water he advanced forward. Ducking under a kick he unsheathed his katana with blinding speed, he gripped the hilt in such a way that his knuckles were face down reflecting off of the water. Pulling his katana so that it was only partially drawn, he thrust'd the tip of the Totsuka's hilt into the area right below the gullet of the first assailant. Correspondingly, he quick bent his upward further, which allowed him to smoothly switch his handling on his katana. Turning just slightly, he used the momentum that he possessed to execute a instantaneously stroke of his weapon - its' silver finish smash right into the face of the second assailant as he tugged at the back of his gitō. "Ōshi, who the hell is this kid?!" the masked man who had just been bitch slapped by Kyozo's katana asked, pointing at the boy as his hand clenched over his cracked mask. Recovering from the strike that caused him to grasp for his breath, the second assailant, who was apparently going by the code name 'Ōshi,' eyes widened as he spotted the 1tattooed kamon of a trough shell that was branded on the back of the red haired boy's neck. "Usagi," he panted, "Be careful... This kid bears the 2mark of the first. " "Enough talking," Kyozo interjected, with a yawn. "Fight me, I'm getting bored already." 1 The tattooed 'trough shell' is the kamon that was used to represent the Aoyagi clan. Upon coming of age, a rit of passage happens where each male member of the Aoyagi clan is tattooed with the symbol of their clan and then are taught to master their special Hijutsu. After completion of this ritual, they are considered to be an adult. 2 See above. The 'mark of the first' refers to the Shodai Mizukage, who wa a member of the revered Aoyagi clan. Upon becoming the first Kage of the village, the kamon of his clan became synonymous with his image as he represented his clan before anything else.

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[Takemi]

Kill or disable? the thought ran through her mind as the first of the two swordsmen dodged her spinning blade by veering to the right. Kill or disable? the question continued to echo in her mind. Pulling her right arm back caused the chakra thread that bound Zankuroshiru to her caused the blade to drastically change directions, like she had pulled the string of a yo-yo. The spinning red blade of death came right towards the man's torso, carrying enough power to cut right through the assassin.

The words of her father played in her mind. "An indecisive mind asks for death. Kill or disable. Those are your only options when you draw a blade." Takemi had no qualms with killing. As a ninja and a Setsuna she was an agent of death. It just seemed such a waste to snuff out the lives of good Kirigakure shinobi.

But this is war, she stated coldly to herself.

"Get down!" the second swordsman called out. The first glanced over his shoulder just in time to move, the blade cutting into his side. Not letting it get to him the first swordsman stopped channeling chakra to his feet and slipped into the water. Meanwhile, the second swordsman remained at a fairly safe distance. His role was to take advantage of openings while his partner attacked.

As the spinning Zankuroshiru came back to Takemi she ducked down, slipped her hand through the handle, and began to spin it around her body. It was beautiful to watch. The slightest miscalculation. A single slip up and she could very well kill herself. But that's why she did not think. She simply allowed her body to move on its own. In truth, she never felt more at ease than when wielding her sword.

As she continued to skate on the water she quickly came up with a plan to deal with at least one of these fuckers. Once Zankuroshiru had built up enough momentum again she flung it towards the second swordsman. As expected, he dodged the attack. With a flick of her wrist her sword flew high in the air, and seemingly out of sight. Keeping on the move, Takemi ran through a series of hand seals. As if on cue she could see the first swordsman speeding towards her under the water like a torpedo. She then placed her hand water and her jutsu began.

Calling upon a large portion of chakra she pulled the heat from the water, freezing the water beneath her, and effectively stopping her assailant just before he could surface. She then motioned downward and the Zankuroshiru rapidly dropped from the sky, piercing through the ice and into the man's skull. Takemi quickly grabbed hold of the hilt and began channeling all the heat that she had absorbed into the blade, searing the man's face and melting the ice.

"Next," she said as she wiped some of the sweat from her brow and extracting her sword from the first swordsman.

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE There was standstill that lasted a little less than a minute. Before the full sixty seconds could pass, Kyozo had grew impatient. This is what happened when he engaged in battle, he becomes lustful and develops a desire for mortal combat- it is said that fighting is how one reveals their true self. Maybe that was why he always fought in such a wanton manner. The very mist around them began to grow thicker and darker, almost reminiscent of the color of blood. Kyozo grinned deviously. With a cloak of red, velvet chakra engulfing the blade of his katana he sped forth. The glare of his crimson eye widened, the wickedness of his aura took form around his village. 1His movement were silent. It was as if the footsteps didn't even disturb the water as he raced towards the assailant. Looking around, with a mixture of surprise(due to the color of the mist) and curiosity(due to them wonder why his movements were soundless). Kyozo's perceptive ability granted to him because of his Hijutsu allowed him to sense the exact location of his first target. With a stroke of his katana his chakra tore across the 2bloody mist. "Die...!" his sinister tone hissed as the blade blade of the Totsuka sliced through the abdomen of the first masked man. Usagi was down. "Uwah!" the defeated man groaned, blood spewing from his gut. "Usagi!" the man called through the mist, "What happened?" "Death..." muttered Kyozo glaring at the man. "SUITON • ONIKŌ--!!" Ōshi performed his handsigns quickly, reciting the name of his jutsu.

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[Takemi]

She had made a fool's error; she could hear her father's criticism already. In performing the Yuki-onna no Kasuru¹ just now she had broken her own rule: use moderation. But no, she opted to show off on a tactic that could have easily backfired. If anything, this demonstrated that she still had a long way to go before she could truly take up the mantle of "Katsuken," even if she could master her father's technique.

The second swordsman, motivated by the death of his comrade, took notice to the toll the jutsu had taken on her. She would be too drained at the moment to make use of her "Bloody Yo-Yo," which meant this was the window he was waiting for. This was what his comrade had died to accomplish. Without hesitation he charged in, skating across the water with remarkable speed.

Takemi sucked her teeth as her assassin narrowed in on her. She would have to fight the remainder of this battle in a traditional manner. Her father would be happy. Slipping a hand into her pocket she pulled out an explosive tag, dropped it on the ice at her feet, and braced herself to defend against the swordsman's attack. With the clash of steel she smirked before redirecting he blade downwards and jumping back a good distance.

"Bitch," the assassin growled upon taking notice of the explosive note. He jumped to the side as she detonated the charge, knocking him back and causing him to skid across the pond's surface. To his fortune, he was uninjured. Unfortunately, he had fallen into Takemi's trap. With the misdirection of the explosive she was able to stay out of his field of vision, allowing her to begin her offensive.

Appearing behind the swordsman she attempted to impale him through his torso, but he noticed her presence just in time to avoid a fatal injury. He brought his sword down in retaliation, but the oinin was already gone. She reappeared in a crouched stance in front of him, slashing in an upward horizontal. Once again their blades clashed and once again she seemingly disappeared before his very eyes. The cycle would continue for several more exchanges, the unpredictable nature of her hit and run tactics were starting to take their toll on the man. He was avoiding any major damage, getting grazed by her attacks here and there, but the real issue was that she was getting faster.

"Such a waste of talent," she said as she appeared behind her opponent once more. He lashed out in anger which would lead to his demise. Having already anticipated the attack Takemi parried his blade, redirecting it skyward. She then covered her free hand in a layer of fūton chakra and thrusted through the man's torso. Blood shot out through his mask, as death quickly embraced him.

Upon extracting her arm from her victim Takemi just stood in silence for a moment, her expression stoic. There was no pleasure to be had in slaying one's own countrymen. There was certainly no honor in doing so. Yet, that was the reality she lived in; a civil war brought about by the Daimyō's greed.

With her battle seemingly over she turned to face in the direction of Kyozo, who had decided to join in on the battle. She expected he would, considering what she witnessed with "Jō-san." He was the kind of child that carried the same bloodlust that earned this village the moniker "Bloody Mist."

The same bloodlust that kept this village stagnate.

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¹Yuki-onna no Kasuru = Touch of the Snow Woman; Takemi's reverse katon technique

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE Multiple water projectiles pierced through the red mist that was spreading across the area. The sound of a pretentious laugh began to echo gradually. Stepping forth, with the corner of his mask torn off so a small portion of his mouth could be seen, the lone assailant stepped forth as the red began to dissipate. A sadistic smirk tugged at the edge of his maw, if one looked close enough they could see him chortling as he bit down on his tongue which was hanging out of the side of his mouth. "Little whelp..." said the masked man, readjusting his mask. As the mist faded away, and the now partially masked man looked to see the corpse of the young, naive boy who dared to challenge him, a sudden burst of surprise exploded inwardly as the body that he was expecting to see was not there. "What?!" he growled viciously, whipping around. "This is not possible...!" Standing behind the man, with blood dripping down from his shoulder due to the damage he sustained after getting shot by the water bullets. Seemingly unaffected, the busy haired menace stepped forth with his gaze low. Upon looking upward, in that brief second before he sped forward with chakra coating his hand, he snickered. "Now who's laughing?" in a burst of speed, Kyozo lunged forth.

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[oda namazu]

The Oinin girl had just taken out both of her assailants, rather effortlessly in fact, and now the demonic youth was closing in on his own second victim. The air around the young man was thick with his bloodlust; a surprisingly large, tangible aura emanating from such a little body. However, before he could deliver his killing blow the boy would hear a voice ring out across the water, a familiar booming echo that spoke with both confidence and conviction.

"That will suffice, Kyozo-san."

The one who spoke would then become known as the water mid-way between Kyozo and Takemi spouted upwards, taking the form on a gargantuan fish-looking man. He who was a living tidal wave, the Ningyō [ Fish Man ] of the Hidden Mist. Oda Namazu.

His head turning to face the masked assailant, Namazu's face twisted into a beastial snarl, a low and primal growl slipping past his ivory tusk-like teeth. Knowing who this new arrival was, the Daimyō's lackie quickly calculated his odds mentally. It was now him against that shockingly capable bitch, the little brat who bore the Shodaime's crest, and the fish. Such poor odds meant he was better off to make his exit, and report back to the Council on what had occurred. A single handseal was formed as the masked man sunk into the water beneath him, disappearing.

Nodding his head at Kyozo, Namazu turned to face the dark-haired girl. Although she looked more like her mother, more pirate than housewife, the girl no doubt carried her father's presence and chakra. The heir to the Katsuken legacy; Setsuna Takemi.

"And how are we doing? Feisty as your mother, I see."

[Takemi]

Takemi simply watched Kyozo from a distance. True, this was technically still her battle to fight, but it was an opportunity to see what this kid was truly capable of doing, making mental notes here and there. Though, the most notable ability seemed to be that red mist he was projecting. From such a far range she could not determine its purpose other than to obscure vision. Were that the case then, why red? Kirigakure no Jutsu did the same.

Further observation would be required.

But that would not be happening this day as the thundering voice of Namazu called off the boy's attack. When the retired shinobi made his extravagant appearance Takami did not hide her surprise nor the smile the swept across her face. After sending the last of the Council's hit squad running with his tail between his legs the man finally addressed her, comparing her to her mother. She was not sure if that was a compliment or not.

"Jinbezame-san," she said with a big smile, and then realized the situation. Her face flushed as she glanced down at the dead assassin, a gaping hole where his heart was located. Not far behind her was a frozen patch with another dead man attached to it. On top of all that the majority of her left side was covered in blood. She then immediately stripped off her jacket and dived into the water, away from the pools of blood, in the attempt to make herself look a little more presentable.

After all, it had been roughly ten years since she had last seen the man. When she resurfaced she was better, there was still blood staining her clothing, but it was off her skin. "I was not expecting to see you so soon," she said as she attempted to fix her now matted down mohawk.

[Aoyagi Kyozo]

EPISODE ONE Bloodlust, it was a blessing and a curse; as well as one of the most common traits passed throughout his bloodline. In retrospect, the rush the bushy haired menace felt while engaging in combat was something that was literally immeasurable. He was able to maintain his sanity, and was able to determine between rational and irrational decision, but despite this Kyozo was a often called a demon. There were other monikers as well, that one was just more frequently encountered than the others. With the Totsuka extended outward, it's ethereal blade began to form around the black blade, as it always does while the katana was in its 'activate' mode. He was literally moments away from striking the assailant down when he heard that familiar rough voice call him to a halt. Gritting his teeth, he stopped. He stood in place for a second, with the Totsuka reverting back into its normal mode, he sheathed his katana. "What are doing here?" He interrogated, immediately after Takemi completed her very own response to Namazu's appearance. He scoffed, looking up to the fish man in annoyance. "You told me I could travel through the village. I don't need a chaperon."

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[oda namazu]

Watching silently as the girl submerged herself in the water, washing away the proof that she'd just gutted two enemy shinobi, Namazu wondered what on earth the daimyō and council would want with two children. Sure they had great lineages, but there seemed no obvious reason to send a four-man hit squad after them. Whatever it was, these two definitely had roles to play in the upcoming conflict.

Laughing at the girl's nickname for him, Namazu replied in his usual deep bass tenor, a smile on his lips.

"Nor did I intend in returning so soon, Takemi. But how is your father? I trust Yin-chan is keeping him in line?"

Turning to listen to what Kyozo said, the man rubbed his massive belly before replying, shaking his head and, with it, his flubbery blue cheeks.

"Ayee, I let you explore with the hopes that you'd discover the village, not eviscerate a handful of Kirinin."

Signing, the old swordsman turned and slid across the water, gliding towards the shore in the direction the two kids were originally headed. Although he hated to do so, he had to ask Takemi questions about the village. It was unfortunate the answers would need to come from such a young soul.

"And Takemi-chan, tell me of the village. How are things under the recent... changes in climate."

[Takemi]

Despite all the effort she made her mohawk was just not salvageable, so she simply ran her fingers through her locks and let nature do its thing. As the fish man made his way to the shore she followed suit, and resumed attempting to dry her herself upon stepping on land. Takemi sighed when Namazu asked about how things in he village were going. In truth, she wanted to hold out on that before she could ascertain some more information, but she would have her chance in due time.

"It is all really stupid," she admitted, unashamed to share her true opinions. The Setsuna were not ones to hold their tongue when it came to their home. "There has been tension between the council and the Mizukage since she took office. The council wants to go back to the days of the Bloody Mist, but overall they just want to control the village," she explained. "It also appears that the Daimyō has taken their side, attempting to dissolve the village into his military. Were it any other man, I would support the idea. My clan has fought for nothing more than the unification of this country. But a power hungry warlord is not capable of wielding such power properly."

She then turned and glanced back at the corpses in the pond. Running through a quick series of hand seals she summoned a flock of crows. With no need for orders they flew off to the dead bodies and began to devour them in a vicious display.

"And as you can see, yet another civil war will plague this land," she said grimly before facing Namazu.