➸ The Old Cottage

[Jai Bait]

❄ It may look primitive on the outside, however on the inside it's old and dusty. Kana Shinkote's first home that she bought with her own money... inside it has three bedrooms, two full baths, a fully equipped kitchen and living room. There is also a study, and a large backyard for training.  

[Jai Bait]

ｋａｎａ ｓｈｉｎｔｏｋｅ

She sat at the first grave, smiling in a way that wasn't smiling. It had a twisted meaning, something else that meant. It showed that her pills of happiness had ceased to affect her, and now her smiles were usually sad or fake. Kana ran her hand over the name Ku. Her brothers face popping up in her mind, and she began to wonder what she could do to get him back. There was no way to do that... however. Looking over towards the horizon, the setting sun only depressed her a little more than she would have liked it to. She kept reminding herself to be hopeful... that one day she would be with them again. "I turned into a chuunin, you know. Can you believe they had me fight a huge crab in the mist? I can't imagine all the..." She stopped, moving onto the next grave. It was her father, who died recently when her home town was destroyed. "I finally found a home.... but Vincente is away on a mission..." Finally she went to her mothers. She couldn't say anything, Sighing, she stood up and went inside. Kana had their graves put in her backyard, so she could talk to them when she was lonely. It was one of those moments... She settled herself in front of her stove and started to cook egg rolls.



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Jutsu:
﹄xxxxx

 

[Valentine Valtieri]

He had been searching for long enough...and finally, the fruits of his search had paid off. He had been away for a long time, and coming back was difficult and strange, but despite the changes, a lot of things were still the same as well. One of the things that stayed the same was the people he knew since his departure. He watched from a distance, a sigh reaching his lips as he ran his hands through his violet hair. The ninja who was traveling around alone was known as Vincente Valtieri, a ninja of Konoha who had spent a good amount of time on a mission for Konohagakure, and now that he had come back he had to seek those people he knew so well. Perhaps most of all being Kana, who he had worked with briefly before his departure. That was, as far as he was concerned, a priority.

He not only saw the depression, but felt it filtering in to the air. He didn't expect to come back to such a feeling, and he felt somewhat guilty...as if he had had a hand in causing it. Had he? He couldn't be certain. He opened his eyes and they flashed once, expending just a bit energy to race across the grounds and after Kana. He watched for some time, careful not to disturb her as he set aside his bandaged swords. "A lot has changed since then...too bad I wasn't around to experience most of that." Vincente spoke in his normal even-toned voice, as calm as ever despite seeing how Kana seemed hurt and lonely at the same time. Characteristically of him, he was rolling a sucker around in his mouth as he spoke, given that sweet things kept him mostly calm given his bloodline.

He looked almost the same. Maybe a bit older than before. His hair was still extraordinarily long, and he had picked up more than a few scars of his own while he was away. He was still massive, but he still bore the serene expression on his face that almost made him look exhausted. He had come back a bit wiser, and far stronger than before, and while he wasn't certain that he had changed all that much, he had experienced growth as well. For him, he had reached a point where he could see the peak of his skill in swordsmanship, but that accomplishment wouldn't have mattered if his very core, the people he relied on for support were up and gone their own way, or feeling the same way Kana did. It would distract him from reaching his goal, and for all the times he denied believing he could be some kind of hero, he at least had the mentality that seeing others in sorrow had to be changed, even if he didn't have the means to do it himself.

 

[Jai Bait]

ｋａｎａ ｓｈｉｎｔｏｋｅ

This... hurts. She realized as she made the last roll, and saw that she made too much. Kana was small, but she still made enough food as if Vincent was there. This had only happened a few times when she let her mind wander, but as she started to wash the cutting board when she saw. The large figure that could only belong to the one person she earned to see... Vincent. He stood there looking the same... his eyes staring directly at her. He spoke, but the words weren't caught by her ears. Her concentration on what she was doing was almost completely obliterated until she grabbed the sharp end of the knife. "Sh*t!" She cursed under her breath, and hurried to get a towel. Wrapping it around her hand, she decided it could wait until a later time to heal. She darted out the door, wishing desperately for it not to be an illusion. When she saw the lollipop in his mouth, she almost cried. She jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Kana stared at him directly in the eyes, tearing up. "Welcome home... Vincent." She didn't want him to know how sad she was, so she put on the largest smile she could muster up. For once it wasn't fake- she genuinely was happy to see him.



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Jutsu:
﹄xxxxx

 

[Valentine Valtieri]

Vincente's half mast eyes opened up slightly when he saw Kana cut herself due to what he could only assume was shock. Even more so when she ran directly at him and jumped towards him. His expression softened when he felt her legs and arms wrap around him. It was familiar, and the closeness was something he had been looking for since his return. The surprise on his face faded away as his arms wrapped around Kana. "I'm glad I'm back...thank you, Kana." Vincente couldn't help but grin, even though he felt that same sense of sorrow hanging in the air. It belayed by Kana's happiness, though, and that was good as far as he knew. He loved to see her smile, and today was no different than any other day.

She felt the same, even if enough time had passed for her to look different. Even looking in to her eyes, he felt that same sense of wonder that she did, and seeing her truly smile was enough to make him do the same. Even if it was only temporary, her cheer rubbed off on him as well. Vincente would've been at home like that forever, but that was idealistic of him, and nowhere near what would've happened realistically. He did what he could for her, given that it was still his obligation to care for her like he did before his departure. Even being there to dry her tears felt surreal since he had vanished, but he knew he was not dreaming. "We've got a lot of catching up to do. I've been out of the loop for some time now."

 

[Jai Bait]

ｋａｎａ ｓｈｉｎｔｏｋｅ

"Yeah..." He had been gone for far too long, a part of her wondered if it was an illusion. She didn't want to let go in fear of him disappearing again. She was going to jump off him until she decided to not- instead Kana popped the lollipop from his mouth and kissed him. She had wanted that for a while now, and that important feeling hadn't gone away as she suspected. It lasted far too short before she jumped off of him and started to pull him to the door. "I made a lot of food, come in and eat. We can talk about it over dinner." When they would go in, she would make him a plate and sit down on the other side of the table. She wanted to hear about his mission.



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Jutsu:
﹄xxxxx

 

[Valentine Valtieri]

Vincente was, briefly, about to object when Kana took his lollipop straight from his mouth, but held his objection when she pressed her lips to his in response to his sudden reemergence. Kana would always be sweeter than any candy he happened to pick up, and the warmth that she gave him after such a long time of being gone was irreplaceable, just like her. Vincente seemed disappointed that he couldn't have held on to her for a little longer, but time continued to move, regardless of what he wanted. It was soon after that Kana pulled him inside, citing that she had already prepared dinner. Given that she was including him in this, he assumed that she had probably made too much. Even so, he wasn't going to argue. "It smells delicious...I'll try to focus on the story, though." Vincente remarked jokingly, not even realizing just how much he'd been starving up to this point.

He took a seat and offered up a prayer for the food, while at the same time thanking Kana. His appetite certainly hadn't changed, but before he got too in to it, he paused and that half-asleep expression of his changed to one of, almost, loathing. "That mission...it's not something I'm keen on remembering. It was a far cry from charting trade routes, that's for sure." At the same time Vincente remarked on that, a familiar red wolf ran in to the home as well, carrying two swords in its massive maw. It seemed as though Blaze had grown even bigger since the last time Vincente had been with Kana. He took his swords from Blaze, unwrapping them and revealing that the steel grey color had been replaced for a crystalline blue for one blade, and crimson red for another. "While I was away, I managed to awaken the power in these blades. The bloodshed was enough to revive them, I suppose..."

Vincente went on to explain how his mission had changed from simple things he had done in the past to a job that had broached on for longer than he intended it to. He saved some lives, ended others, and lost things while he was away...one such thing being the innocent air he always had about him before he left. He was still a largely cheerful person, if a bit more wary thanks to experiencing the world as it was. His powers grew, he learned new things, and ultimately, he had come back at the peak of his power. It was extraordinary, but power wasn't everything. He wrapped up about his mission, his expression softening considerably when he stopped thinking of what it took to reach this point. "Of all the things I had lost...at least I could return to you. I'll try not to depart again." Vincente couldn't promise that they wouldn't be separated again, but he'd try his hardest to stay close to her. It was far better than having his mind and body scarred by the acts of others, and by things he had to do to make sure he survived.

"I'm sure you'd rather not talk about something so somber, though. Tell me how you've been. How's everybody? Did much change while I was gone?" Blaze bit Vincente's wrist on his right hand, which had been bandaged up to the fingers. Vincente flinched and snatched his hand away, glaring at Blaze. "You're overwhelming her with all your questions. Have some tact." Vincente flicked Blaze on the nose, shaking his head at the wolf's insistence that he was being bothersome. "Go dig a hole or something..." Ha...the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Blaze left him to his meal and his conversation, curling up in a corner comfortably, but keeping at least one eye open to watch Vincente. He came home with his own fair share of scars too. "I wasn't here for a lot...I'm so sorry. I didn't have the strength to return alone. Not for some time." No, not until he was strong enough to wipe out those who stood in his path. That was the only window of opportunity he had to escape what, essentially, bound him to that mission in the first place.

 

[Jai Bait]

ｋａｎａ ｓｈｉｎｔｏｋｅ

She watched him, hanging onto his every word. She was thankful he had an appetite, hers was far gone the moment she saw him. As he spoke, she hung onto every moment and she couldn't stop smiling. She didn't comment on it though, and grinned largely when Blaze walked in. Oh boys and their dogs... She watched them fool around, not wanting to ruin it. Especially when he asked the question she didn't want to answer. Everyone, who was that? Her parents, he meant her parents. Kana didn't have any friends, so it was obvious that Vincente meant her family. "Mom is doing fine, she wonders about you a lot. Dad was happy when you left, though. You know how he is..." Lies! Lies! Kana didn't want to tell him what happened, she planned to keep it from him.



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Jutsu:
﹄xxxxx

 

[Valentine Valtieri]

"I see..." Vincente wasn't one to question things, no matter how many times it was placed in front of him, but he was starting to become skeptical of what she had said. Vincente didn't feel as though he had much intelligence in terms of practicality and other world experiences, but...he seemed to have a certain sense for people. He was getting a strange feeling from Kana, but he wasn't sure why she preferred to keep whatever she was feeling balled up like that. Pushing the issue wasn't worth it. Blaze noticed anxiety from Vincente, but the wolf figured that whatever problem Vincente was facing could be overcome with ease since he had faced so many problems long before now. Vincente stood up, crossing his arms behind his head. His expression didn't change at all from the natural tired look he'd seemingly become accustomed to. "Well, it's good that they're both happy, at least." Vincente remarked simply, a sure nod reaffirming his belief.

"It's probably a bother to talk about, right? I can see it in your eyes and on your face." Vincente's eyes were the same as ever, black as a moonless night, but with a piercing white moon decorating where his pupil would've been if he had regular eyes. Either they looked unfocused when he stared blankly ahead, or they were trained on a single target...in this case, it was Kana. It was, as he saw it, harsh to continue this line of conversation any more than he already had. Vincente looked away from Kana, unmoving for the time. "Still, it's just as much of a bother that you can't trust me with whatever's making you look that way when you speak. If you need to talk, I'm here. I'll always be here." Would that have reassured her at all? Vincente wasn't too certain. While he could read people, he had very little in the way of people skills, so he was probably creating a distance trying to close the one in front of him.

 

[Jai Bait]

ｋａｎａ ｓｈｉｎｔｏｋｅ

She stiffened slightly when he believed her, her smile tightening like she was poisoned. As he continued to speak, she continued to look down at the dishes in front of her. Taking them up, whether they were done eating or not, she began to wash them. Of course, Vincente knew she was off. It surprised her, though... After being gone so long. "I can trust you. You're probably the only person I trust in this world now..." She cut off, her voice was starting to quiver. She waited for the lump to leave before she continued to speak. "You were out there, doing work... Protecting the leaf village. I couldn't even protect my parents from outside enemies." The tears started to fall, but she continued to wash the dishes... almost desperately.

"I'm scum. I-I... How can I look, and face you. How can I tell you that I couldn't save my parents? That they are dead. And I wasn't going to tell you because I didn't want you to know how weak I was." She finished, almost angrily. She felt pathetic, but once her feelings subsided... She began to feel empty. She looked back at him, her eyes wide and blurry. "I love you."



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Jutsu:
﹄xxxxx

 

[Solarius flare]

Aurum walked through the forest, staring in wonder at the colors all around. The leaves were as if god came down and used pastels to paint each one individually. Leaf by leaf, he had painted until he made this forest, a perfect piece of art. A rustle above showed two squirrels chasing each other, leaping between the brilliant brown of the bark and the glorious greens of the leaves. The entire time playing this game they called love. The game where one ran, the other followed. A game where the first teases the other, drawing her ever so closer into his arms as he shows his love by the way the tail moves or the way the paw is extended. A game that ends after a few minutes of bliss, and one is left empty, incomplete and longing for that moment to live on forever. Aurum stopped as the squirrels changed, the leader into his father, the follower his mother. His father, the glorious male whose voice flowed like water and eyes pierced like arrows. Where his mother, kind and benevolent in her actions, drew him like a moth to the oh-so-pure flame. The result: himself.

Swallowing the memories like a disgusting spoonful of medicine, Aurum charged on. He needed to find the boy. The child who had run away out of anger and had hidden himself inside this forest that seemed to cloak itself in beauty if only to hide the danger that lay beneath. The magenta flowers with their blooming petals drew people in by the beauty then killed them with their poison. The fruit that hung with its sweet harmless exterior but with a center that stopped the heart in minutes. Fake exteriors, beautiful insides. All working together like the Hidden Leaf Village itself. A place with a beautiful buildings, pleasant families, happy children. Whereas beneath the layers of sugar and folds of happiness a bitter truth lie, a dark secret hid, a devastating reality prayed like a hunter.

Now running, Aurum shouted the boy’s name. It sounded almost like a plea for help and mercy rather than a time for saving. Disgusted, Arum turned around and stared intently at the ground. Pushing out the small footprints of rabbits and mice while searching for something else. He saw it. An impression in the ground where someone had slept. A crumb from a piece of bread. Following the footprints, Aurum kept his eyes focused on the ground until he heard a growl. It radiated maliciousness and power. Looking up, Aurum saw a large tiger to his right. Its pink eyes fixed like trackers on Aurum, and it’s fur was as white as a cloud. This tiger was an albino. Aurum looked at it and laughed as he pushed back his hair from his left eye. Instead of being ruby red like his right eye, it was bright blue almost like a sapphire. “Look we’re alike.” Aurum joked before leaping into the trees as the tiger pounced.

Peering down at the tiger as it circled the tree below him, Aurum flinched as he heard a loud crack followed by a pounding as something hit the ground. Something clumsy seemed to be to his right and had fallen out of a tree. Aurum leapt from branch to branch, hoping to make it to what he hoped was the boy. As he looked down for his next footing, Aurum saw a dreadful sight. It seemed the tiger had heard and was following as well. Putting more effort into each step Aurum saw the boy on the ground ahead. Covered in dust and mumbling in anger under his breath. As the boy looked up, he saw the tiger sprinting straight towards him. Squealing like a frightened pig, the boy turned and tried to run much to slow. As Aurum looked down, he saw the tigers back legs tense as he pounced. Reaching behind him, Aurum grabbed a small round ball and threw it in front of the boy as he rolled into a tumble. As the kunai struck the ground it exploded into a burst of white smoke and flashed brightly. The tiger swerved mid leap and backed up, slightly cautious of what had just happened. As Aurum hid the ground he did a quick tumble and grabbed the boy close to his chest. Standing up, he continued to run and threw the boy onto his back. Aurum tried to jump into a tree, but the extra weight held his body down. Cursing, Aurum made a sharp turn as he heard a crunching against a tree. So the tiger was still following them.

Up ahead, Aurum saw an old house. Not big, and most likely abandoned. Picking up the pace, Aurum felt his legs slightly burn as he charged up the stairs, flung open the door and quickly slammed it close while throwing the lock. Outside, the tiger seemed to have stopped and Aurum bent over exhausted. Looking at the kid who seemed to stare at him in horror, Aurum stood up and opened his mouth to calm him down before he felt a knife against his throat. “Well well,” a disgusting voice behind him muttered, “looks like we have a guest.” Aurum cursed in his mind. A house in the middle of the woods? It should be no surprise it was a bandits home. Muscles tensed, Aurum stood still as he and the boy were ushered into an adjoining room were three more guys dressed in rags stood, drinking sake and staring at them. Aurum silently prayed that somebody would come along. If nobody did, well there was a chance that he would die.

 

[The Wild Hunt]

He had received a mission that would lead him to the heartland of the Fire Country, a place that he so greatly despised in accordance with the events that winnowed his Tribe. However - law was law, and order was order, and he often complied with the two. "It is here, master Hutar," the young man said. He was under genjutsu - six to be precise, each making him feel as if he were the most joyous individual in the world. He was here with Hutar - who he believed to love him - telling him of his enemies so that they could be eradicated, the two living together in peace afterwards. However, this perception was an illusion, and the truth was that Hutar was the most challenging of all his foes.

He was the leader of this group of "bandits", rogues paid to cause havoc in the Leaf Village. He was their envoy, and he had gained their trust long ago. The Samara only needed to know where they were, and then it would be so simple as that - just he and them, orders and commands, expected payment, such was a shinobi's life. He was privy to the rewards.

"Here?" He asked, staring at a Cottage. He could hear some noise inside, people speaking. He approached carefully, his movement ever silent, like an assassin's. Well well, they said. Looks like we have a guest. And that guest was - not him, but another man, young and attractive. A familiar man. With the state of affairs since Shinsei conquered their Tribe, there were only a few hundred of them left. It didn't take much for him to recognize each and every one of them - especially the ones that drifted away, integrating back into the world that cursed them. He didn't know his name, but he knew his face. He felt the danger against him - and so he acted without enough thought to justify it. Hutar was a man of his tribe, of his son, of them all. He'd die - he knew - for each and every one of them. Family was everything to him.

"Mana'Trakai," he said. That was their group name - these Bandits from Sassai'i, over the Iwa border. "This man is an agent of mine. I sent him ahead to ensure none of you would fall into danger. Now that we are both here, however, you may move on to the next checkpoint." He waved them goodbye, and they nodded and left, not really caring about Hutar and his baggage. He was on a different level than them, anyway - they had no right to speak up to him.

The man stepped over to the Samara, giving him a small hug as per their Tribal greeting. He smiled brightly, staring him in the eyes. "You're Samara," he said, sure of his words. He remembered this man being from home. "Me too. And - even though we serve different rulers now, who you are is still quite important." He seemed to be very elated to have stepped in and protected the man. His eyes were evidently filled with luster and his cheeks with curiosity. "So, who are you again? I'm Hutar Hakam. Some people consider me the leader of the Tribe. But it is not so."

 

[Solarius flare]

As steps echoed on the steps from the porch a few feet out, Aurum wished that it was somebody who could help him and not add more fuel to the fire. The door opened, and Aurum slightly turned his head and eyes to look at who had come in. His eyes widened and mouth opened in shock when he saw who it was. Jet black hair, muscle toned body, and eyes of gold. Even for his type he was exceptionally handsome. That, and who knew him from his past. The side of him that half his body rejected, which caused the continuous war in him between his genes and mindset. With little more than a few spoken words, the man caused the bandits to leave and go elsewhere. Standing up, Aurum let out a sigh of relief as he embraced the man in the familiar way of his people.

Giving a small smile back to the man, Aurum met his eyes before a warning light went off in his head. Never look into the eyes, his subconscious ordered. Aurum looked towards the left at the boy who was visibly shaking and stared far off into the distance. Moving away from the man who had rescued him, Aurum walked over to the boy and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was at that moment that the boy decided it would be a good time to fall unconscious. A string of curses left his mouth before the situation took a turn in an unexpected direction. “You’re a Samara.” He heard the man say from behind him. Aurum froze, so this man remembered him from so many years ago. Aurum checked the boy’s temperature, finding he had a small fever, was having cold sweats, and slightly shaking. Popping a few pills into the boy’s mouth, Aurum hoped that they would fit the problem at hand.

“My name is Aurum.” Aurum spoke lightly as he stood back up. Immediately, his mouth seemed to rest in its natural position: a slight smile half-way between being coy and half-way between a sneer. His right eyes sparkled like a crimson ruby in the falling light as he analyzed this man who looked like his father in some aspects. The muscled body, long black hair, tall figure, the only things different were their eye colors and facial features. Of course, it was his presence that bothered him most. The memories seemed to flood back as if a dam was broken. His father leading him around with the tribe. Not extremely rich but wealthy enough. Frequent movement after every few weeks. Then there was the eyes. The eyes that transported every soul they came across into a world of beauty and pleasure, of pure attachment to the user. Eyes that let the owner get whatever they wanted; material, intellectually, or most common, sensually. This was what it meant to be a Samara. To be born into this family of both beauty and prestige.

Aurum considered turning away but was interested in this man and the tribe itself. “I have been away from the tribe for a few years,” Aurum said, lightly but not in too deep of a voice. “After my journey into the Leaf Village I have learned a lot about their ways, about their people. I hoped maybe we could get some of the tribe to start their work over here.” These words were a mix of both truth and lie. The civilization had taught him new things outside of the Samara and had worked as his own form of rebellion against the culture he rebelled against. Though he had been lonely, so lonely without another Samara who understood how he worked. ”In my other adventures I haven’t been nearly as successful.” Aurum laughed as if somebody was ringing a bell at the thought of numerous failed attempts at free meals, weapons given to him as gifts, and other small things which he didn’t seem to have the natural talent for. “My father used to say that when he was a few years older than me at twenty he already had a small fortune and a bigger love life than most small towns.” Aurum stopped laughing as his thoughts went back on his dad and the tribe. “So tell me, please. How is the tribe progressing? Has it expanded in both size and economy?”

Work Count 943

 

[The Wild Hunt]

The man could see emotion, like other Samara; streams of color flickering through the air. Red was a beautiful color, but was not quite the color of love in the Qazan's eyes. It was lust, and as it matched the shade of Aurum's crimson hair, it was hard to differentiate from him at first. But he felt it - Aurum did, that meager amount of lust. It was typical of a Samara of new caliber to not notice when such emotions were demonstrated, but a more powerful one such as Hutar would always pick up on them. And of course, sometimes he reacted. It all depended on the other flickers, the pink and the white, the purple and black, want and need coming around and guiding the Samara's hands . . . infatuation and zealous arousal to offer permission.

"Aurum is a beautiful name," he said, glamoring up his smile with a show of teeth. He inspected the man as he did him, though not as subtly - obviously, staring into his eyes, and at his face, and at the shade of his hair . . . the curves of his body, the shape, estimating the weight and the type. "I shed silent tears for each member of our tribe to have left since the Leaf divided us." With those words, it was almost clear that he was disapproving: that he did not enjoy it when people from the tribe wandered away, into other spaces, away from their kinsmen. He feared them disappearing into nothingness.

"But - it is good that you have done work . . . in a manner of speaking." He turned away from Aurum then, and looked out the window, staring into the distance where the forest met the pale grass. It was a beautiful country, in honesty. Perhaps more beautiful than the lands they'd lived in before. "The issue with Konoha is that it is far too dangerous for us to operate here. The people are guarded, hateful; they do not appreciate foreigners. If they were to be entranced by us, the morning after they would abort their "half-breed" children or they'd call for an execution of our Tribe. They are violent, ignorant, and with a vibrant superiority complex. That is the nature of the people of these lands. They cleared out all of the other denizens of their territory without a smudge of effort; and it was through genocide. We shall not face the same." Which meant that - essentially - the likelihood of the Samara adding Leaf territory to their migration cycle was low. Hutar didn't want everyone to die for a bit of stolen gold.

Still, Aurum's secrets would be useful for other purposes. "It is alright that you have not seen great fortune. Very few of our people are accustomed to lives of combat and lone foraging. We always used to live so easy, only needing to learn a bit of illusions in order to make away with money and sons. Now - things are different. It's fine that adapting has been difficult. It's been hard for me too." Instead of one-time courting, the Samara was locked with some ridiculous man in an affair that was solely economically prosperous rather than full of heart. He'd been brought down to the level of courtesan. Surviving became . . . a challenge.

"We have farmlands and a Clan Compound in the Mist Village. Within only a few years, we have moved to be the lowest of their Top Five Clans. I acknowledge that this is because of the growing imbalance between the Leaf and the Mist, but still - our opportunity grows near. With only a bit of focus, we may be able to move to influence the village absolutely." It wasn't a coup that he was planning, but instead the creation of a hegemony; all wealthy and all influential, all with a Samara partner. It was feasible. They had never tried it, but now that the option presented itself . . . he knew it could be done.

"And your economy and influence? Poor I'm assuming. Judging by your lack of eyes, I'd say you're still a virgin. Why is that?" Aurum may have remembered, but it was actually quite shameful for members of the Samara to have stayed from sexuality for so long. Many of the members would unlock their bloodline at absurdly early ages . . . 13, 14, so on. Hutar's life in the industry of flesh began at 16. But he didn't really judge, only questioned. It was only an archaic belief system that was meant to expand the tribe. With all that had happened, he preferred to chase the desires of his heart. As they all should.

 

[Solarius flare]

Aurum smiled at the compliment, “ My dad named me that because of a quote he used. “Silver and Gold can make the world go round.” He wanted another son named Silver, but all he got were daughters.” Finishing the statement, Aurum took a quitter tone as he listened intently to the rest of what Hatar had to say. Breathing a sigh of relief, it soothed Aurum that the rest of his clan also struggled at fighting. It was also a sore spot for him that his talent for ninjutsu and taijutsu was zero, forcing him to only focus on genjutsu.

At the description of how current events were progressing within the Mist, Aurum teared up a bit. They were safe, secure, growing in power and becoming a force that would soon be reckoned with. Their tribe would grow further and expand, using the Mist almost like a parasite in order to develop a better and safer future for everyone. Wiping his eyes with the palms of his hand, Aurum found that his hair was soiled with dirt from the tumble he made. With one quick motion, Aurum had pushed back his hair and tied it in a sort of ponytail with a piece of gauze. He didn’t care if Hatar saw his eyes in their strange Cobalt blue and Crimson Red. Their beauty would be lost on him and would hardly affect him; or at least he hoped. You could never tell what a Samara found beauty, causing them to peruse it forever.

In a flash, the conversation took an extremely unexpected turn. Aurum had prepared a conversation about the Leaf’s power and its sources after hearing Hatar mention the imbalance of power between the Leaf and the Mist. So when asked of his influence, Aurum opened his mouth to respond before Hatar mentioned a sore subject: his virginity. His brain went into shock and Aurum just stood there, mouth agape, for a moment before he closed it and tried to recompose himself. Twirling one of the strand of his crimson hair that had fallen loose, Aurum thought of a good way to approach the subject. He knew the importance of sexual activity within the tribe, the first time activated the bloodline resting in all of them and caused it to bloom; like a tree waiting for water. Looking up at staring Hatar in his eyes aurum said very seriously “Yes Hatar, I’m still a virgin.” If he told anybody among his clan that he was a virgin at 17, it would bring both scorn and disdain upon him so he just let it be.

Turning away and looking out a window Aurum asked a question that plagued him. “Do you remember your mother Hatar? I don’t seem to recall mine, I only have my father’s mentions of her in the occasional comment. Yet in every way except for coloring I am similar to my father. We have the same laugh, though his deeper, the same movements when excited, the same expressions that we randomly catch. I am him in every way. Yet, I feel she had infected me. Like a poison that course through my veins with every passing moment. While I am my father, I seem to be her as well. However, I inherited the worse parts. Her kindness expressed to everyone, the tenderness showed to those who were harmed, the compassion expressed through her gestures. My father has revealed all of this to me, yet I don’t understand why I have her emotions. I am a Samara. Yet my emotions, my mindset all seem to dictate I am something else and it’s all that Witches fault.” Aurum ended the last with a shout and forcefully hit the wall, inhaling deeply.

Whipping around to face Hatar, his eyes demanded answers and registered pain. The anger and confusion felt earlier was slowly dissapearing. “I came here, hoping that if I left the Mist I would get rid of her, but that’s not the case. Hatar, how can I make a girl fall in love with me? Make her mine, then leave her by herself with or without child? I would cause so much pain, so much suffering, so much agony in her family and herself. The very fact that I would cause her this pain burns into me like iron burning cattle. Even if I can make her forget, make her live a fake life of bliss, what type of living is that.” Aurum dropped his head and looked at an angle, a single tear escaping from his left blue eye and trickling down his face before falling and splashing against the floor.

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