Niji Yakei - The Still Saddening
Quietly Niji listened to Shinichi as he built up his response to everything she said, he'd killed people and regretted it also... Of course he had, he was a shinobi as well and they'd all had to deal their fair share of death throughout their lives. But to her this felt different, it felt like he was trying to say something without truly saying it, like he'd done more than just fight and kill other shinobi. It was a bit disturbing to consider but maybe he'd once been someone terrible, a mindless killer maybe, before he became a shinobi. She didn't dwell on the idea much though, even if it sat at the back of her mind, scratching at her thoughts.
The topic shifted to what she'd wanted to do, and about how it was actually a very noble thing of her to want, she at least paused from her gaze down the cliff to look at him as he sat next to her. When she really thought about it, he was a very supportive teacher, even now when she'd proclaimed wanting to live without killing unless she chose to he backed her up and thought it was a good idea. She held her gaze at him as he explained further as to why some had to die at the hands of shinobi, it was all to stop peace from ending again after the wars were over, to keep the other villages happy that each and every village had shinobi killing others. But it was always targets whom were a threat to peace, like her first sensei, they killed a rogue Kirigakure-nin whom had made it off with one of the seven swords... They had to die to make sure that sword wasn't used for wrong reasons or shed innocent blood.
But Shinichi was right, the men whom had been burnt alive had been threatening that peace by bringing a war against shinobi to their doors, there was likely nothing to make them change their allegiance when the only option otherwise was to work with the very people they despised. She gave a small nod of understanding as she looked back down the cliff. With care she wiped the tears away before they really began. "Of course it's what I want to do, I didn't go through the effort of getting this forged just to change my mind after a little talk with you." Niji began as she brought herself onto her feet, drawing her reverse-bladed katana, catching his previous gesture. "The blade is on the inside of the curve with the blunt edge on the outside, it means that I have to choose as and when I kill instead of killing effortlessly." She'd explain as she showed him what she meant.
"I guess all I need to do now is to find something to fight for, I don't feel like saving innocent lives is enough of a cause... You think you can help with that or should I be finding that myself?" Her voice had a hint of a cheeky tone to it now after she sheathed the sword and began to follow him.
A moment later she spoke up again, allowing him a chance to respond. "Although it may be my imagination, but it sounded like you weren't always so kind-hearted, like a hardened killer turned soft by his students, you know? Like some heart-warming story about friendship and proving even a senseless killer can be good on the inside."
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Kumogatarui Dobustu - Talking to Oneself is a sign of Madness... Or is it?
Both Kumoga and her clone continued their work over the whole area, quiet for the most part until the clone looked up from her weaving, hanging half out of the tree she was in and looking towards her creator. "I think that due to the low chakra reserve I have, what with only possessing a small amount of your chakra, perhaps it might be smart to create a few extra clones, only two more I would say... It would get our work done faster after all and give us more time to calm down after we finish. If you are as stressed as I about this situation we've put ourselves into, I feel we would deserve a longer resting period before we have to put on the mask of command again."
The original Kumogatarui looked across from the gap she was still working on. "You think so?" The clone nodded whilst continuing her weave. "I do indeed think so, we could even double-weave these webs with the spare time we have to ensure that panther is captured... But we must consider what Hatake-sensei said, things are not as they seem, so this may all be for naught if that is the case." The clone sounded slightly disheartened at her own comment, gifting a small frown. "Do not worry, if our team mates are as capable as they seem, they will be able to handle a situation wherein this plan fails, remember we still have our backup plan, even if it means we have to get into combat with the beast." Kumoga smiled to her clone, quickly creating two more which smiled and bowed in greeting. "Ladies, we need to get these webs woven fast and we need them in a double weave to ensure they'll retain their strength and help us catch a panther, you both start from an alternating end and work around so we all come to a stop on the opposite side to where we started. But remember! We need to keep the threads subtle as well, so not too thick, just weave your webs around the other ones." Kumoga smiled widely to her doppelgängers and they all nodded.
"Understood!" The other two chimed in unison as they both skipped off to get to work.
"I do hope this works, I would not like for all our efforts to have been wasted on him escaping. It would also make us seem like we're not as useful as we are, maybe even a poor leader."
"But we didn't want to lead, remember? We had to because neither of them seemed willing to do it."
"That is a fair point, we didn't want leadership, so what fault is it to us if they deem us as a poor leader? It allows us to step back and let them try to take charge, no skin off of our backs in the end of it."
"Whilst all of this is true, do we really want Hatake-Sensei to think ill of our capabilities because of this? She is no doubt going to grade how talented we may or may not be with these training sessions."
All the clones went quiet and gave thoughtful nods.
"We would not want Hatake-Sensei to think of us as useless, this is true."
"Indeed, we need to show Hatake-Sensei that we're capable and ready to go out into the shinobi world again!"
"Of course not, we must impress Hatake-Sen-" One of the clones gasped and stopped. "What if she's watching us!? She may have heard this entire conversation and think us mad! There was alarm in her voice as she looked to the other three with concern.
"Then where would we be?!"
"At home with our little darlings, I would hope, they may hunt insects for themselves but I can't bare leaving them alone too long..." Sorrow seemed to fill this clone's voice as she looked down sadly.
"Don't worry about them, our parents will look after them for us!" The real Kumoga chimed with a little clap before she went back to weaving her webbing. "Now keep going! If we can get this done perfectly we wont need to worry about failing and being seen as useless! Come on ladies, let's get it done!" This coaxed the other three into making firm nods before they quietly got back to work. Surely if Hatake-sensei saw this scene she'd think her student to be mad.... Right?
