Tuujaimaa

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

The answer given was much like the woman who gave it, in many ways - gentle, but backed by a fierce compassion that bordered on the obsessive. There were few things in the world as cheap as words, and there were people who would have tried to lie through their teeth when posed with the daunting request to make a case for an entire faction's ideals - but from even the few moments that she had spent stood there, listening intently, Kinuko was fairly sure that Kaede could make that request as accurately as possible bar none. Her points were heartfelt, and if nothing else this proved that Kaede was indeed a genuinely caring person, but emotions did not factor into the fate of the world.

Kaede had made an error, however, in assuming that Kinuko thought herself able to change the fate of the world alone. Kinuko's sense of perspective had changed her thought process and use of language considerably more than she had assumed it would - somewhat ironically - and her mannerisms often came across as arrogant to the uninitiated in those regards. Even behind the cool neutrality, people would always think of Kinuko's words as those that felt as if they belonged to a higher power, and with no god in sight Kinuko became that higher power. It was far from the truth, but in the interest of balance it was not something that she often discussed with people. Katsu, too, had made an error - though his was significantly more grievous than his superior's. Kinuko stood for, above all else, balance. There were times and places where certain actions were meant to happen in order to ensure the continuity of the world, and appropriate death was one of them. Katsu's death was not supposed to occur at that time, and so it was not his time. When his time came, Kinuko would certainly be among the first to remind him of that fact - either as an ally, or as an enemy.

"This world has undergone much, Rebels of Konohagakure. For each era in history, the people have fought for the freedom that they believe they deserve at the cost of all else, and with their combined efforts over countless eons they have won. Perhaps this eventual victory is as integral to the cycle that governs this world as the wars that rise to oppress the freedom that you crave. I would have liked to think that this world was ready to lay down its arms... And perhaps, in your hearts, some of you are. But not now, and not under the whims of the Empress. I will fight for your freedom... And I hope you understand what a miracle it is, to be free from oppression and famine and war, and that you treat your brethren with more humility and respect that a war like this never need arise again."

The speech could have been heard by one, a thousand, or none - but the declaration had been made, and nothing else beyond that point mattered. It seemed that the world was not yet ready to unilaterally usher in an age of peace under such violent means - the spirit of independence was strong within them, and while the Empress' vision was something Kinuko could understand, a vision meant nothing if the people were not willing to back it. One unit, no matter how powerful, no matter how significant, could never rule over an entire world that did not want them to rule. Perhaps Kinuko had underestimated the tenacity of the human spirit.

Kinuko would not, however, intefere with the battle with Kenta - it was clear to her that his last wish was to teach his former allies the most important lesson of all: Sacrifice was a necessity, and that no sacrifice should ever be taken in vain. It was a lesson the children would find hard to stomach, of that she had no doubt, but it was a lesson they all needed to learn. War was not glorious, and it was not honourable or desirable. War was the end of all things peaceful and beautiful, and it should have been treated with disdain from its very conception. When one learned to find the death of innocent people abhorrent, war became a difficult prospect indeed.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

The reaction to Kinuko's approach was not entirely unexpected - after all, she did have a headband from a deceased member of Konoha in her hand. It was hardly proof of anything on its own, but when dealing with unknowns suspicions too easily became facts in their believer's minds, and when they had decided on their opinion as fact it was hard to get them to change. Kinuko gingerly took the headband and placed it on the ground, before taking a step back and raising both of her empty palms in a sign universally attributed to being peaceful.

"Your war threatens to consume the world with its fury, members of Konohagakure. There are many who have simply hidden their intentions, or who have neglected to actively choose a side, but the luxury of being undecided is one the world and its inhabitants can no longer afford. I have come here to decide on the fate that should befall this world, to preserve the delicate balance that the Empire, the Rebels, and this war threaten to disrupt. Make a case for your side, and I shall listen. After that, it will be time to decide, for better or for worse." Kinuko replied to Kaede, ensuring that her tone was completely even and her elocution was perfect - her words were easy to understand, but did not carry any tones or inflections that could possibly have been used to decide a purpose. The voice could have been mechanical for its lack of expression - but there was an urgency to it that no machine could have replicated. There was purpose, though what that purpose was could not possibly have been deciphered.

"I will ensure that the rebel this headband belongs to gets a proper burial. I took it from their corpse to identify their cause of death, and apologise for any disrespect." Kinuko stated as an afterthought, keeping her pose, face, and voice neutral as she did so. Perhaps Kaede, one versed in the delicate art of compassion, might take a different meaning from the words that she spoke than her peers took. Perhaps the young Hyuuga that seemed to wish to throw his life away from her would take a different meaning from it still. If Kinuko wanted to kill any of the people spread out in front of her, it was something that she was capable of doing - but the actions of the group in front of her seemed to think otherwise. That was a good thing - their apparent underestimation of her abilities would give her an edge if the Rebels' case failed to impress her.

While waiting for an answer from Kaede, Kinuko made sure to keep unbroken eye contact with her. Her periphery still delivered a wealth of information to her, and she could use the Tenchi to avoid any other unpleasant situations, but it was important for her to judge Kaede and vice versa - and eye contact was among the most effective ways to get a correct sense of judgment. The beenfits of the exchange of eye contact would be fairly one-sided, however, as Kinuko's eyes betrayed nothing but the sense of balance that she stood for - still, she knew nothing about Kaede. It was just as likely that she came across some grand revelation as Kinuko did. At this point, all there was to do was wait for the reply to come - for better or for worse.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Footsteps fell rhythmically forwards, each soft thud of the weight being pressed into the ground precise, as Kinuko moved unfalteringly onwards towards her destination. It would not have taken her a noticeable amount of energy to merely sprint over to her target's location, but the pace that the two of them were travelling at led to a fairly amicable midpoint in which Kinuko could research what she needed to and Kaede could perform whatever duties she felt were necessary. Hurrying things along would not do anybody any favours, and Kinuko of all people was not one to rush fate along.

With each precisely placed footfall, she thought of the state of the battle that she had avoided the thick of, looking around her environment for clues as to precisely what had transpired. The nature of several of the corpses littered chaotically across the field indicated particularly violent deaths, and the difference between the armour the empire wore and the assorted clothes that the rebels wore allowed for a brief if shallow identification of anybody nearby. The proportion of corpses seemed to have pegged the rebels as having won, but Kinuko had caught glimpses of the signs of an exodus on the Empire's behalf, and it seemed that her brief observations would not hold up to close scrutiny of the available facts. Without breaking her immaculate stride, Kinuko waved a hand in a random direction, launching a single strand of silk from a finger and hitting one of the headbands tightly clutched in the dead hand of a rebel. The force with which she pulled it back to her was severe enough to cause the metal placing to slice through the dead flesh and drag the corpse a little from its resting place - but she felt no pity for the dead. She had not known the woman in life, and she would not know her in death - there was no disrespect. There was only indifference, though some would be unable to tell the difference.

Examining the headband in her hands offered more satisfying insights into what had occurred in that particular brief skirmish, and while she could not be sure of who had died first, it seemed that the rebel had killed the Empire soldier, but not before sustaining a lethal wound and slinking off to die rather than wait and seek help from the Hyuuga that she was heading towards. Perhaps she was unaware of the healer that was nearby, or perhaps the wound was grievous enough that she could not be reached in time before reaching a point from which her health could not return. Without a medical shinobi to perform a post mortem, Kinuko would have no way of knowing. She idly twisted the headband around in her hand, and contemplated the fate that had befallen him for a few brief seconds, each thought whizzing along in her mind to the metronome-like sounds that she was creating as she walked.

As the distance that she covered increased, so too did the volume and intensity of her thoughts. It did not take her long to realise that she had overstepped her mark slightly, having mistimed the time it would take for the unnamed ninja and her entourage to reach the current location. She had heard tales in hushed corners for many years about the kind of people that Konoha had counted among its best - and the whispers that she had collected predating the empire came in useful in situations such as these. Of the primary members of the elite of Konoha, there were only two that she could think of predating the Empire that could have matched the silhouette of the woman she had briefly seen and felt. Of those two, the scion of the Hyuuga clan was significantly more likely than the granddaughter of Takeo. The mere feel of her presence gave off an indication as to what Kinuko could expect from her, but she would not base her opinions solely on feelings. That would certainly be unwise.

Still, at that point, there was nothing to do but wait for Kaede to encounter her - a rapidly approaching unknown was hostile, but a stationary unknown was vulnerable. It would create a significantly less dangerous impression if she patiently waited to be spoken to, rather than to speak. If the woman was indeed a Hyuuga, it was fairly likely that she'd have seen the earlier violence attributed to her - she had saved an ally, it would seem, and was perhaps worthy of more time for that fact alone. It was doubtful the Uchiha would have died without her assistance, but it would only have been a matter of time before stragglers found him. Which side those stragglers belonged to would decide a lot of his fate.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Yuganori, Kinuko

The stillness that had previously covered Kinuko's senses had long since lifted itself, and the world resumed itself at a blurred pace - the clashing of swords and flurry of handsigns sure to occur in any battle shook Kinuko from her brief reverie, and she began to survey the battlefield with more precision than she had previously. Even with the small scale that she was working with, it was obvious to Kinuko who the primary targets in the battle were - the Rebellion was lead by Takeo, but he was not the most important target on the battlefield. The Rebellion's members fought with a pent-up fury that was rare to behold, and it seemed from a cursory glance that they were not following an actual plan - it seemed that they were going to allow their more primal emotions to lead the charge. It was a motive that she could understand, but it was not one that she could support. Giving in to the fury and allowing bloodshed to cloud one's mind was a great disadvantage - and there were those that could take advantage of an unfavourable position like that in order to turn the tides of any fight. Even if she were to ignore the complications introduced by not following a clear plan, the potential swings in the grand design's balance would be unprecedented and incredibly dangerous. It was always best to avoid such things wherever possible.

It seemed that the Hyuuga, Kaede, was among the most valuable of the Rebellion's members. Her presence did not need to be seen to appreciated, for the more skilled Ninja would feel her chakra at work from a considerable distance if they knew what they were looking for, but it was nonetheless one of their most valuable tools - one that they seemed eager to keep as hidden and safe as was possible. It was an intelligent tactic, if nothing else. Kinuko briefly considered her options when it came to dealing with the Hyuuga - she seemed to keep a support network close by, and while it would not be an issue to dispatch them if necessary, Kaede gave off an air of importance to the balance of the world that Kinuko could not ignore. Today was not the day that her cycle ended. It seemed like she would be an interesting person to talk to at some point before the battle was truly over, if only to gain a balanced view of the motivations of the Rebellion.

Turning her gaze away, Kinuko looked upon the metaphorical fodder slaughtering one another with no hesitation, and she could only think of what a senseless loss of life had occurred. There were those destined to die, and their passing was not sad, but it was those who had not yet reached their time that died that brought sadness. Though her mind filled rapidly with the lamentations of the people that had died needlessly, her face showed none of the emotion that she felt and her imperturbable gaze searched onwards once more to find the ample opportunity to strike. As she was scanning, she noticed the form of a young Uchiha (she gathered he was an Uchiha by the way that the men around him were avoiding eye contact at all times) beset by three assailants simultaneously. He managed to deal with the initial two fairly reasonably, but it did not take him look to ask assistance of his allies, only to find that none were responding in a punctual timeframe. Perhaps it was just the sadness, or her uncanny sense of balance, but Kinuko felt that it was not his time to die, yet, and that she could help if only briefly.

Amidst her pensive thoughts, the chaos of the world continued, and it did not take long for a stray member of the Rebellion to wander too closely to her, beset by two members of the Empire. His first reaction was to shout for help, but after finding Kinuko unresponsive to his pleas, he did the only thing that he could - direct the battle towards her in the hope that she would fight to stay alive. With a swift roll backwards, he brought the attention of the two guards towards her, and seeing the chance to dispose of an enemy and a potential enemy simultaneously, the pair of Empire ninja performed handsigns in tandem, preparing to launch a great fireball at the two foes before them. Exhausted and out of chakra, the Rebellion ninja prepared himself for his fate, but he would find that death did not come for him at that second as Kinuko suddenly sprung into action.

With a swiftness and grace that few in the world could claim to possess, Kinuko begun her movements. It would not be practical for her to attempt to disrupt the pair before they completed their techniques, but it would be easy enough to disrupt the technique as it was formed. Her right hand instinctively grabbed the hilt of Hanashi, and with a single, fluid strike befitting an Iaijutsu user, the hilt was drawn forth and blade created simultaneously, imbued with Kinuko's Fukyōwaon no Inkan [Seal of Dissonance]. The motion completed just as the duo prepared to launch their attack, but was intercepted as Kinuko stepped forwards, bringing her blade through the chest of the first ninja. The cut was shallow, but the abnormal pulse of chakra from the seal disrupted the formation of the Great Fireball as it began, only singing the blade, before the silk disappeared entirely. Before the soldier could recoil in shock, a small pivot to her right and a single movement forwards resulted in the now-empty hilt of Hanashi being placed on the wounded soldier's chest, on top of the cut. Tensing her leg and she prepared to pivot, Kinuko drew the soldier's entire volume of blood through the sword with a single stroke, twisting as she did so and bisecting the second Empire-affiliated soldier with a sword made of the first's blood.

The rebel looked on in awe, and his mouth opened to thank Kinuko, but before he could do so the same sword of blood had been driven through his chest. Her face gave nothing away, but Kinuko could not help but feel a great sorrow for the act that she had just committed. By intervening, she had threatened the balance. It was this man's time to die, and it was her job as a sacred guardian of the balance to ensure that it happened. It was not pleasant work, but it was necessary.

Kinuko looked upon the battlefield once more, before throwing a Kunai with a silk tag attached to it emblazoned with another seal - this time the Shōshū no Inkan [Seal of Convocation]. The Kunai was flung quickly enough that it whizzed past Katsu and straight towards the last of his assailants - he dodged the projectile fairly easily, but as his eyes scanned for where it came from, they opened and bulged slightly in shock as the blood-red tip of the sword that Kinuko had just created protruded from his chest, piercing one of his lungs, and she emerged from behind him. Rather than finish the kill quickly, Kinuko allowed the blood that comprised her current sword to resume its normal liquid form, splattering through the soldier's armour and on to the floor as his own blood joined it, and his body crumpled to the ground.

"It is not your time."

And as quickly as the words were spoken, Kinuko turned away from Katsu, and began to walk towards the centre of the battlefield where the most actions were taking place - she could only observe so much from the outskirts, and the battle had waned enough that she was safe to walk slightly more into the thick of things. Still, if things were too hectic for her, she could always leave at any time - but that was a route she was hesitant to take when the balance was at stake.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Pillow talk, Sota. The deed's already been done.

Please.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Bedside? Nah bruv, this is the pillow talk.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Prince Rivera said
My character is going to be neutral. His goal is to slay the Empress in order to prevent the continued existence of order in a naturally chaotic environment.

I will have to kill you if you try that.

Sorry. Not sorry.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

What the shit Sota.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

Yuganori, Kinuko

Shafts of pale light crept along the cold floor like a pool of frigid candlelight, illuminating everything in a soft white glow as silent footsteps coursed across it, seemingly unwilling (or perhaps unable) to break the serenity of the moment. Slight gusts of chilly air rushed through the pockets of brief incandescence, accompanied by the dying crunches of fallen leaves, splitting into infinitesimally small fragments before joining the bleak nothingness of the light surrounding them. It was part of the cycle of nature, that that which died might give way to new life, and just as this small act was the completion of a cycle, so were the actions of the one who had ended but a single facet of the cycle of nature.

The tight embrace of the forest and its cyclical nature did not allow the wickedness of mortals to pervade it. More footsteps completed more cycles, each time bringing another cycle closer to its eventual end and rebirth, and before long the previously contained pools of light spilled forth into the open grasses, illuminating the field before the village of Konohagakure in a still, radiant light. For all of the radiance of the light, it too was tainted by the actions of men. The light spilled forth unto what was quickly becoming a raging inferno of a battle, a great beast with a thunderous heartbeat pounding through the ground, each pulse of its fiery blood surging through its veins like the drums of a great hunt, out to kill and maim and turn everything it touched into ashes.

Another cycle, perhaps.

Perhaps not.

There were cycles whose times had come, cycles that needed to be reset to preserve the grand design that the world had taken upon itself to create, but it seemed to the woman standing before the fields of battle that this was one such cycle whose time had come prematurely. To one of a small perspective, the change would have been significant, but not disastrous - it could be reversed, or remedied, or a new cycle could be instated. To one possessed of a greater perspective, it was the opposite - catastrophic. There were greater cycles that demanded an appropriate time to close in order to allow more important things to happen, and for each of its constituent cycles that failed to take their proper course, its proper course was delayed. With enough delays, it could be thrown from balance, and with it the entire balance of the world. There were those, blessed with a great understanding of the world's design, that understood the havoc so much as a single errant word could cause - people who would maintain the balance. Intentions were meaningless before the needs of the grand design, however, and those who sought to work against a cycle could bring it to its natural end, and those who sought to preserve them could break their fragile frames with misguided actions. Kinuko was careful enough to intervene only when necessary, to minimise the risks, but even she could not prevent every errant word that sung through the fabric of the cosmos.

Each victim felled in the battle unfolding before her was another victim of the great beast of war, each life extinguished a cycle ended. Some of those cycles were long since due to end, and some had many years left before it was time, but saddest of all were those which had ended at precisely the correct time. Kinuko saw not sadness in that, but beauty, and in the cycles that should have long since persevered she saw a great sadness, a void in which no truth or beauty could exist. It was her place to intervene, but such things must be performed delicately so as to disturb as few of the natural processes as she could. So, on the outskirts of battle, she waited for the great beast to rear its head and rush towards her, drawing her into the deadly dance of war. It was a dance that she knew well, and it was one that she loathed. After all, those who were following the paths set out before them would die before they had trodden their final steps if their paths crossed with hers.

It was a haunting thought, that balance could only be preserved by breaking the tenets one sought to protect, but the preservation of the grand design took precedence over all things - even the tenets designed to protect it.

Naruto: Of Compassion and Tyranny

I'll get a post up for Windspeaker Touho when I get home from work but I'm not going to involve her in combat just yet - she'll stay with the civilians until everything clears up.