Well... Hello There

Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:23 pm

Morpheus wandered along side the winding Snake rivers, never leaving the the Senju's respective bank. These winding rivers seemed to act as a barrier between the senju and their neighbors, the Uzumaki. Morpheus never quite understood why people had to separate themselves like this, especially with the threat of conflict should one cross the other's border. Why couldn't people just... he didn't know... just be calm? Just enjoy each other and their differences rather than be this reclusive race, only caring for those bound by blood or raised with their customs? It was a depressing thought to say the least, especially because the Uzumaki are right there, on the other side of the bank. How hard would it be for peace talks to be negotiated? How hard would it be to make compromises between the two clans? Morpheus didn't know, but he suspected not that much. It was just people being stubborn, people being prejudiced, people being selective. His father had told him not to come here for a reason, for his own safety but, for once, he did not obey his Senju father. He.... Morpheus.... he just didn't understand. Perhaps he chose not to. Morph wanted to believe in a world where people of different clans would just walk past each-other on the same streets, breath the same air, train together... maybe even be something resembling a family! The boy squatted down in front of the riverbank, looking at his reflection in the rippling water. He saw his brown/blonde hair waving in the light breeze, he stared at his sanguine eyes as his reflection stared back, and caught a small grin on the face of his reflection. Morpheus placed the tip of his fingers in the water, curious of it's temperature. Nice, cool water licked his fingertips and the kid's smile grew wider. What was so bad about this place?

Thu Mar 31, 2016 3:29 pm

Today the large Senju was doing his normal scouting routing throughout the area he had come to know as the Snake Path Rivers. Ever winding and churning it seemed to just keep flowing forever until it would pour off the ends of the world. That was if one were to be looking at it from Sasuto's own perspective. His physical presence was coveted by the forestry that he held dear to his heart and felt entitled to protect, it was as if the greenery was coddling something they too held precious. Oh the beauty of love with it was reciprocated, true power was gained when mutual infatuation was established between two souls. May it be man and man, man and beast, or man and nature. Peace started with love and that was what Sasuto was taught to seek and create, peace and love. "Faulty reasoning, peace is a concept that cannot be attained without sacrifice. Sacrifice on one's behalf resulting in the continuation of war and hatred between humans." The thoughts were Sasuto's own, but they way he showed they rebounded off the walls of his mind and sank into him, one could be lead to think another had forced them upon him. Shaking his head side to side in disagreement after thinking for a bit, he continued to glide through the forest of Hi no Kuni lightly tapping on the large and healthy branches of the land. "If one is truly selfless then sacrifice will not shake their constitution and plant seeds of hate in their soul. Peace is attainable, despite sacrifice being a necessity." He let the verbally spoken words put his mind at ease as if he were trying to trick himself into believing such a thing and in time he had swallowed it as the truth, though half of him didn't believe there was a such thing as a selfless being.

Looking over to his right across the river bank he spotted no one, so he looked up ahead and admired the sight of the river. How it's body shimmered in the sunlight like a stream of diamonds. During this admiration, he spotted someone, a boy, luckily on his own side of the bank. As a senior member of his clan, he took it upon himself to egress the cover of the forest and approach the youth. "Unfamiliar child during a time of unpredictable hostility, arm yourself." Again the brown skinned Senju shook the thoughts out of his mind and with a bountiful leap off of a tree branch he'd land quite heavily 5m behind the boy who was at the water's edge.

Sasuto was naturally lithe on his feet, but he didn't want the child to suspect he was sneaking up on him or had hostile intentions so he would make his presence known. "What's a youth like you doing at the Snake Path River, during such a dangerous time?" His voice was calm and smooth much like the river stones found at the very location the two were at. Walking a small ways forward as he questioned the teen, he would stop with a safe distance of one and a half meters in between them. "Though crossing the waters warrant inhospitable actions, for your own safety you shouldn't be so close to the border. Humans can be cruel in nature and kill a small child such as yourself without being provoked."

Thu Mar 31, 2016 5:24 pm

Morpheus shot to his feet, alarmed by the voice suddenly cutting through the peaceful silence, his fingers still dripping with the cooling water of the river. He turned fully around and came face-to-face with a dark skinned man he could only assume was Senju as well. Morpheus smiled warmly at him, attempting to be as kind as he could to those he did not know. The man spoke of things every senju knew nowadays. People were cruel, he shouldn't be there, that a man might murder him without a second thought. Morpheus knew all this already and yet, he was here, alone with no one but himself, and this other senju. Morpheus bowed his head in respect to the older man, keeping it low as he spoke.

"My name is Morpheus Senju, sir. I don't want to cross the rivers but..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "I... I know that it's dangerous here... and that I'm putting myself at risk and by extension the clan, but this place... its just so nice and... I just see everyone so uncomfortable, so On-Edge and I just wonder why we have to be in this conflict... Its so peaceful here... I'm just trying to reflect on this, sir." Morpheus let out a deep sigh in an attempt to calm himself. He looked up and got a better look a the man who stood about 5 meters in front of him. He was large, much bigger than Morpheus was and likely much more experienced. For all the brown-haired, pale skinned, red-eyed ninja knew, this man was one of the higher-ups in his clan.

Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:00 pm

"Take the child elsewhere to discuss these things, time is of the essence." Sasuto looked at the child, then narrowed his eyes across the river towards the wilderness that was in Uzumaki territory. "No . . . we have time." He mumbled silently to himself, before pitting his optics back on the child, his other senses on high alert.

"I myself am foreign to the past shrouding the Senju and Uzumaki, not being born nor raised in this land. All I can offer to your introspection is that these people are simply inheriting the hate of their ancestors and carrying the torch. There is no reason worth its salt for such a combative way of living." Sasuto took a moment to gather his thoughts and sift through what message he wanted to transcribe onto the child and leave him with. "Should you want the Senju to prosper, you will point out the error in his ways and discipline him." The Senju entertained the thought for but a moment and supposed it was the responsible thing to do. After all this was his logical side of influence speaking to him. "Despite the fact this tension between the two clans has no substance, one as small and inexperienced such as yourself shouldn't wander this close to the border unaccompanied. Coupled with giving away your identity as a Senju, should I have been an enemy you would have been dead by now . . . I speak out of concern for the safety of the future, but do you understand what I am saying? Your distaste for the way things are only makes you a liability." Sasuto was stern and hard on the boy, the youth needed these talks to keep their heads on their shoulders. Whether he liked how things were or didn't, it was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Flickering his dark brown eyes back to the wilderness on Uzumaki territory, he then found them resting on the river for but a moment. "Only when you grow strong can you afford to fight against the stream, until then you must not fight it or you'll be risking your head." He felt as if he was speaking to himself through the child, for he himself wanted to see change in the world, but he always questioned if he had grown strong enough.

Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:35 am

Being told he was a liability didn't bother the Senju. He'd been told that his entire life, although not for the reason this man was stating. Of course, one who is more experianced than him always thought he knew best and he probably did and yes, it was true he was risking his neck for nothing more than his own childish ideals but still! They were his ideals and... well... he couldn't really hurt anyone if he tried. Morpheus just couldn't bring himself to do it so "growing strong" didn't appeal to him. This man spoke of strength and power as if they were the only thing that could bring about change. Fighting against a river? Why? Why fight to go upstream when you can let it carry you to where you downstream? Is it wrong to place your trust that one side won't knock you off your raft for exploring the river? Is the isolation of either side so paramount that they are willing to cut down people like him?

"I know your telling me this for my own sake and I thank you for it. You are going out of your way for me when you don't have to...." The man's words made Morpheus feel guilty, as if he had almost brought war on his clan, but... just because this man spoke the truth several times over, that didn't mean he didn't have to like it. Morpheus's sanguine eyes held something resembling determination but he said nothing. There was no real point, was there? What kind of grown, battle-hardened anyone would listen to a child and his wishes for peace? Anyone? He didn't think so. War was all they chose to understand because that's what everyone else spoke. Now that he was caught and scolded, really, the only thing left was for him to be escorted back to his clan for punishment.

"What is your name, by the way?" Morpheus asked, just realizing he hadn't asked before.

Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:54 am

Sasuto shook his head side to side. He was content with being shown gratitude though the expression of such gratitude may have simply been telegraphed as something one should naturally give to one's superior when they speak. Sasuto didn't think such a thing was the case with this youth however. He seemed more genuine and transparent than the others. This pure bonafide expression is what Sasuto was content about in the child and even at such a young age, he reminded Sasuto of where he was in his journey. "I help you, because you have dreams similar to my own and what kind of man wouldn't help himself?" If one were blind they'd expect the being behind this tranquil voice to be smiling at least softly, but Sasuto's visage remained stoic and composed. "Take the child under your wing to help fulfill your dream of unobtainable peace." Such thinking was selfish, but it was the logical thing to do if the Senju wanted to see peace in his lifetime. While he wouldn't pressure the youth, Morpheus, Sasuto was curious to see if he'd align with him. "I'm Sasuto, a fellow clansmen. Shame I hadn't noticed there were others with dreams for a future different than where we are headed sooner. Who currently overlooks your growth as a shinobi Morpheus?" His eyes scanned the opposite river bank when he first began to speak, but with his question directed at Morpheus his eyes respectfully fell on him, as he beckoned with a hand for the Senju to follow him towards the thicket of trees still on the Senju side of the river that would take them from out of the open.

Fri Apr 01, 2016 2:38 pm

Morpheus smiled at the man as he introduced himself as Sasuto and confirming his assumption that he was too a senju. Not just a senju, but also one born outside as well... They seemed to share more and more similarities, even if Sasuto didn't know it himself. Morpheus's smile dropped, however, as the man made a comment on how much it was a shame that not more people had these thoughts they shared. Morpheus shrugged in response.

"I'm willing to bet some do, they just don't want to voice it. We are in dangerous times, as you said." He was thrown by Sasuto's question however, as who looked over his current training. This is where Morpheus was also more of a disappointment compared to the rest of his clan again. Morpheus didn't enjoy combat training, preferring to be peaceful, read, write, anything to avoid the combat training. It wasn't as if he disliked or hated the exercise. He actually enjoyed it. The training was bracing and fun! However, it was the principle that always drove him away. He was training to kill someone... Morpheus senju was being trained to be a lethal war-machine for his clan, whether it be in the name of protection or not. That disturbed the boy. Morpheus didn't say anything for a few moments, his eyes falling away from Sasuto's.

"I... uh... don't have a teacher. I could never keep one." He admitted. Of course, who would train him with his mentality? His "I don't want to hurt anyone" mentality often frustrated those who tried to teach him anything, including his senju father and caretaker. Many-a-time he would end training because Morpheus would refuse to throw a kunai or attack a dummy. Many-a-time his training was cut short because he didn't study up on how to strike with a sword or cast a jutsu. As a result, Morpheus was quite weak, but that didn't phase him too much. He was the disappointment of the clan after all. It couldn't get much worse.

Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:28 am

There within one of the more larger trees close to barrier that separated two ,of the most powerful, clans within this world was a, edgy, enigma.

'Wake Up, Ume. Wake Up.'

Hearing this from someone very close to him, within his dream, his eyes would slowly open and he would emerge from the naturally made hole in the trunk of the tree he was within. Quickly, he would roll out and head straight. Why? Because he had slept in a tree last night and wanted to clean himself up, or at least his mask. As he was a Uzumaki, one of the clans separated by a barrier. Unlike others, well maybe except the Clan Head, Ume was kinda forbidden from wearing regular clothing. Well, not forbidden but he was told he had to always wear a black robe over whatever wasn't approved by his parents. It was strange in the eyes of most of the clan, but hey didn't know why Ume's parents wanted him to do this, so they couldn't understand. Ume was fine with it all that black brought out his eyes anyway.

Well, after about ten minutes of walking he made it to the river finally. The natural barrier that separated the Uzumaki and the other clan. First, Ume would remove his mask, and kneel down to the edge of the river. He would then begin to wash it within the flowing river. He would stop though as his reflection would catch him off guard. As who was looking at him wasn't really him, or well what he looked like last time he looked at his reflection. As there were two people within this reflection. One was a familiar face, his deceased Sister, and the other was a bit strange. It was a older gentleman and he was mouthing some words.

"U....Uzami?"

Before Ume could decipher what else his reflection was saying a fish would swim by and disrupt it, and the reflection would just turn back to little old Ume and not those two. Sad, fam. Whatever that was important and would be on the mind of Ume, heavy, for the rest of the day. Though, with that distraction over he would notice that he wasn't the only one that had decided to come to this dangerous barrier; as on the other side two individuals would be spotted by Ume. Maybe they had noticed Ume first or maybe they hadn't noticed him at all yet, that didn't matter. As Ume's current situation could be a bit bad, as he wasn't in the fighting mood. So, instead of running away or retreating he would stand to his feet.

"Oi! Senju!~"

Yea, strange to call out to his clans somewhat enemy, but who cared. Ume was above petty squabbles as he wasn't like the regular members of the clan, above them if you could say. And yes that even goes for the current Clan head along with the Priest. As they weren't reincarnations of Uzami.

Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:05 pm

Given Sasuto's positioning it was easy to spot the presumed Uzumaki the moment he stepped out the foliage and approached the river. He'd immediately hush the child as he was speaking, given the child still foolishly had his back facing the river to speak to Sasuto despite the fact he had beckoned to the boy to follow him out from the open. A liability for sure, but luckily the two didn't seem to have been noted by the opposing clansmen. Silently Sasuto watched the male as he kneeled down at the river. He debated on using a Genjutsu to guarantee the Senju duo's escape, but he wanted to try to show the child that perhaps it was possible to communicate with the "enemy".

As the man looked up and called out Senju, Sasuto simply stared at him skeptically for a moment. Those Senju's raised in this forest were the one's who inherited the hate of the Uzumaki's, not Sasuto himself, so he saw no need to attack or flee from the male and he seemed to project the same feelings. "We have no ill intentions Uzumaki. If you are the same perhaps you can help us on the conquest to peace." Today was an odd day. It seemed he had met two like minded individuals, perhaps fate had her hands back in the man's life guiding him towards his destiny.

Where he wanted his fate to lead him to was as one of the faces of peace in the new world that he wanted to help craft. And what better way to craft this new world than to force the ideals of peace upon the people of the land until they accepted it and if they bore arms against him and his allies, then they'd be turned into forgotten relics of the old world. Such a cliché way of wanting to carry things out, but what good was power if one had no plans of using it. Power was indeed to protect, but as of now there was nothing in the world Sasuto wanted to protect other than nature and himself. There was no peace and harmony, so he'd first use his power to conquer and rewrite, then when thing were as he wanted, he'd protect.

Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:28 pm

"Conquest to peace?" Ume would mumble the last thing the Senju had said, those words making Ume feel weird. Like, it was something he has been waiting to hear for a, very, long time. It even made Ume crack a small smile, on his usually stoic face.

"Don't call me Uzumaki, I have a name. It is U....Uzami."

Yes, Ume would not tell the Senju the name he was given at birth, as that wasn't what he wanted to go by. As, the thought of Conquest alone got in all exited. As with conquest death will surely befall many, well Ume thought that at least.

"Yes, I would enjoy participating in a conquest of Peace, but can we talk about this somewhere else?" Ume would tell the Senju. A Uzumaki and Senju agreeing on such a thing is unheard of, and maybe even frowned upon. But, Ume, like stated before, didn't care for whatever petty grudges or hate for the Senju. He had a higher purpose than to just hate one singular group, as we all die. Also, he wanted to relocate because he didn't like this place, well felt it was appropriate for this discussion.

Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:44 pm

"Lose the child, he is dead weight and cannot be trusted." "You're right." Sasuto said to himself with an affirmative nod. "Tread carefully on your way back home." Sasuto said to the boy as he motioned with his head further down the river that would lead into neutral territory in Hi no Kuni. There the Senju and Uzumaki would be able to converse in peace. "I am Sasuto, nice to meet you Uzami." He would give the Uzuamki a look, before pitting his eyes back forward down the long river. The walk itself would give the two plenty time to discuss the idea Sasuto had in mind about how he'd go to other lands to kill their leaders and install one who truly believed in peace as the new head. Starting here in Hi no Kuni would not only be a great start to their campaign, but it'd also be a testament to their ability to trust the other. Each with the blood of their respective clan heads on their hands, they wouldn't be able to return back to their homes and would be forced to live a life on the run until peace was solidified. As he'd talk to Uzami, he'd be sure to speak with a modest amount of decibels so only the ears of this Uzumaki could hear him. In addition he'd stay alert of his surroundings, constantly scanning around, listening with his ears, and observing with all his other senses. What he was talking about was traitorous enough, but to be seen speaking to an Uzuamki could be an offense punishable by death. While he'd be taking in his surroundings, should he have reason to suspect the presence of an additional being he'd react accordingly. Defending himself should he need to or administering lethal force. A dead man tells no tales after all.

[Exit]