[Chapter 2] Ouka Prefecture

[CelestialBlack]

In the moment, Ko only looked at the two of them as if their faces had sprouted legs and crawled up off one another's head. Looking back at the merchant - he seemed to be ahead of the pace and un-phased by this question or scenario at all. He knew what the common sense route was and how they should proceed - it was a no brainer and he had no intention of delaying with a non-question. Ko turned back to them after the merchant had disappeared inside of the hole in the side of the monastery wall, shadow enveloping his already black clad body as Ko spoke between the two of them; pointing out at the -distant- corrupted monk that stood at the -front- gates of the monastery. "What do you mean? He's there. And we're here. We proceed along the path as intended and hope to god it doesnt find reason to come inside and start snooping around. C'mon." As he said this he continued along the cliffside closing in to the hole in the wall that the merchant had gone into. There was a stench coming from the hole...paper, no not just any paper but like papyrus, something paper-adjacent that had been created home made - likely by the monks themselves here for religious texts.

Sensibly so - it made sense because once Ko entered the hole in the wall that is exactly what he was met with. The hole lead behind a bookshelf in a small corner of the library, but up above him light could be seen shining through the windows of the monastery library, which cascaded down in a kaleidescoping view of literature and documentation from the ceiling all the way down top the floor that he had been on and descending even lower into the depths of the monastery. There were bookshelves everywhere, filled to the brim with either books, scrolls, or files that had been stacked upon their sides in slots. There was something about this place. Even as Ko had stood there he was in absolute bewilderment at just how big the library itself had been...he couldnt help but look back at the hole then all around contemplating to himself...had it been this big from the outside? There was no way. Could he not see it from beyond the initial wall? He took a few steps in and looked around for the merchant - finding him turning a corner to which Ko could only stutter around the side of the bookshelf to keep up...he was very evidently on a mission at this point to find something...whatever it had been that enticed him to join them here in the first place. There was something going on though, it felt the same way that it had when he was in the presence of Izanagi...like something in his chest was being pulled at...like all the emotions that he had kept down within himself before were slowly being enticed in one direction or generally out in the open. This made the bewilderment he was feeling in the library even more enhanced - it...moved him in a way. He didnt like how this made him feel...he felt...afraid - not just of the fact that it was making him feel this way but at the fact that those feelings and thoughts were becoming....inescapable. He grabbed the merchant's sleeve in quickened haste: "Hey! Wait. Whats going on? What is that? This place...it-"

=The merchant turned to face him with an expression that as usual...was entirely calm. Ko's expression dripped with shock - had he known this would happen? Was this the plan? Suddenly what trust he had put in him had become even more shaken but soon the merchant would speak: "It's wonderful isn't it? Thats the feeling of power. This place...you don't just feel it, but it too - feels you. You all are not yet acclimated to it...but don't worry - you will be. Though if you all want to get through this place, to the grove out back. I advise you to find what it is you are missing and soon. It's said that those uninitiated that enter the monastery suffer heart attacks from the overwhelming feeling...and what you feel here is only a bi-product of the potency in the grove. Hm...it should be around here somewhere."
And as he said that he would pull away from Ko and begin walking off yet again. Looking up and around for something in particular. Was he looking for what it was that he needed or was he looking for this item or thing that he had said they will need in order to acclimate themselves to this...strange and powerful lack of inhibition the library seemed to be projecting over them. As he walked off Ko began looking around as calmly as he could but there was an odd anxiety rising in his chest. His eyes scanned over the books and scrolls trying to find something that stood out from the ordinary or something that had context about the situation written upon it. He began tapping his foot rapidly - on his head he knew that he should stay calm and relax, wait for the others to catch up and stay close to each other so they dont get lost nor scattered apart. But in his chest? Something told him to just run about and try to find the answers as quickly as he could...that the quicker they all go about and find something then the quicker he could get this feeling out of his chest. Gratification...this feeling sought gratification and relief from the scenario at play as quickly as possible. It was panic....no, it was fear. A feeling that Ko had pushed down under the confines of his mind this entire time, for years long past...and now it was coming back home to roost. He couldnt help but wonder...was it like this for all of them? Was the feeling fear? Some kind of fear aura, or was this the makings of something meant to bring out a particular feeling that everyone uniquely had different battles with...and if so what was it to the others?





Effect: "Hadou Stream" - The inhibitions of the brain thin, relinquishing control to the machinations of the heart. While in the library characters repressed emotions and feelings slowly climb to the surface, prolonged exposure can result in cardiac stress. ​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Sentou nodded in agreement with Kasami’s claim - she had a point there was a great chance they weren’t prepared for whatever that was- however, as she transitioned into the second topic seamlessly he would quickly stare at her with narrowed eyes of confusion. A single brow perked up as a wrinkle was formed and for a moment he was unsure what she was even referencing, but then it hit him, like a bolt of lightning invigorating him, his eyes snapped wide as he continued to don his narrow eyes as she was insinuating it was his fault the forest they had met burnt down. “First of all-” He started with a slight growl in his voice before catching himself, had he not done so sooner he was sure he would lose himself and possibly speak at an unreasonable tone considering their current situation. “Y’know what, forget it. Let’s just move on.” Taking a moment to better control himself, Sentou would sigh and respond under his breath, and follow both Ko and the merchant through the hole in the wall. As he and the others ventured through the breach in the wall, Sentou would be taken aback by the aroma of the library. Such a familiar scent brought with it nostalgic memories of his time at the Society during his youth; although this room was much larger in comparison to the room he remembered (he thought, gazing upwards), the memories of what some would label ‘the good times’ would bring a small smile to the face of Sentou. Even so, much like those memories, that very smile upon the lad’s face too would fade away.

Sentou adverted his gaze from the numerous shelves as he felt his vision blur, he knew what was coming next, and promptly raised his left arm to his eyes to dry the forming tears before they could start. It hurt, it seemed like happiness was out of his criteria, considering all he really knew was the pain of losing something or someone. The last memory he had of Iroh and the other outstanding members of the Society was of them dying in his arms or already slew across the temple. It was at that particular moment that Sentou started to reminisce about that day he could feel a throb in his chest. Ryohei Maeda, the bastard that was also his father was the murderer of his loved ones. That man’s image would burn brightly in his mind of Sentou as what hint of sadness he previously felt morphed and molded into frustration. Once more, a sudden thump could be felt from his chest, almost as if something deep within was corresponding with his emotions. What in the hell was happening? Looking up from his arm seeking clarity from those he traveled with, Sentou could see that Ko was suffering from something else. Was it this room? But what about it could be causing something like this? Was there some form of an agent in the air? A cursed object of importance? Bloodshot eyes scanned the faces of the others as if screaming ‘what!?’ as he felt a scorching sensation in the pit of his gut. It bundled up and made his insides feel strange before it exploded and he could feel it coursing throughout his body causing his temperature to run hot. His breathing grew ragged as if he had just returned from a several-mile sprint, skin perspiring sweat as he clutched his chest. Not only did it feel like the room was getting hotter, but it was getting incredibly hard to focus as his thoughts were in a torrent. Somewhere, far off in his mind, however, Sentou could hear the nonchalant words of the merchant explaining they weren’t acclimated to what they were feeling. Subconsciously he pondered that, this was power? What did he mean exactly? This didn’t feel like power, all he felt was rage, but why was he truly angry? He tried so hard to keep that hatred he held suppressed, but here it was, crawling from the depths and practically burning him alive.

As the young man tried to regulate his breathing pattern, something from the corner of his eye began to catch his attention from below him. Peering below, Sentou only saw his shadow beneath him. Odd. It wasn’t in the same leaning position he was in, no it stood upright..before he knew it, his very shadow would transcend and release itself from its second-dimensional prison as it lifted itself off the ground and into the third dimension. “What the-” He exclaimed, looking up and away from his shadow as to see the reaction of everyone else, but to his dismay, when he started to look around his surroundings there was no one to be found, nor was he still in the library to begin with. Instead, Sentou found himself in an environment much like the dreamscape he visited in his sleep - a barren wasteland encompassed by a bleeding sky, Sentou stood face to face with his shadow as it took on his appearance. There was silence at first, Sentou wasn’t sure what he was looking at or what was even occurring for the matter, but what he did know was his chest didn’t seem to bother him at the moment. His face was plastered with bewilderment as he stared at the other before him, it too mimicked his movements as he lifted his arm. “Am I dreaming again?” He asked rhetorically, he was just in the company of everyone else, but here he was..wherever it was. The Shadow tilted its head at the question, cracking its neck audibly in what Sentou found disturbing, “Oh, it’s you again. Still looking to keep me caged up here?” It spoke coldly, voice distorted as it reared its neck in the opposite direction to further loosen its joints. Sentou faltered, taking a step back, but in that same breath, the shadow stepped forward leaving little to no time for the boy to capitalize on his small retreat.

“Not sure what you’ve got yourself into, but it’s calling out to me. Me! Not you. I refuse to waste away here in this prison while you roam freely, plagued by self-insecurity!” It carried on, shoving its hands into Sentou’s chest causing him to stagger backward a couple of feet.
Catching himself before tumbling onto the ground, Sentou glared back at his shadow with bulged eyes and flared nostrils.
“What the hell are you going on about? What’s calling you?” He retorted but was quick to put two and two together. “Wait, you don’t mean what’s happening in the library, are you?” He quickly questioned, standing tall as the shadow still approached.
“Don’t play stupid, even I know we’re smarter than that. You don’t feel that? There’s so much power running through you it’s making your head spin. You definitely don’t have what it takes.”
“Tch, I guess you do, huh? I don’t need you or your help, I got this under control..” Sentou responded, however, even he had doubts about what he just said. In that slight moment of weakness, the shadow took full advantage of the situation and ran a left hook into the face of the genuine article knocking Sentou on his ass.
“You make me sick, have you ever stopped to think why it is you have so much pent-up aggression? It’s because you’re weak, a coward. When will you realize that?” It said, towering over Sentou with much malice coating every word as it spoke. “You ran away from home, away from training, and now here you are. Running from what makes you, you.”
As much as he wished to ignore the words of his shadow, everything it said was the truth. He was a coward. The young boy slowly pulled himself off the ground as he thought about that. He didn’t fight because he was good at it but fought to prove to others his own self-worth. As some would say, he was faking it till he made it. He used his anger to mask the fear he harbored deep within his heart so others wouldn’t see it for themselves. Standing at his full height, Sentou once more directed his attention towards the shadow. It was like staring at a blurry reflection in a mirror, as much as it pissed him off to hear this, it was something he needed to hear. Odd as it came from himself though.
“Heh, maybe you’re right. I am a coward..but that doesn’t mean I have to sit here and listen to you. You’re only a figment of my imagination after all. Sure, I could stop running, stand tall against the rain, but the truth is I don’t want to die young. Not while there’s still so much that I’d love to do, love to see. I-I just want to leave Naraka in one piece.”
The shadow exploded into laughter in retaliation to Sentou’s heartfelt plea, “And then what? Have you forgotten that once we leave here, our father is still looking for us? What’ll you do when we return, keep running?”
“No, that stops today, starting with you,” Sentou responded. Extending his left arm towards his shadow, he offered the fragment of himself a handshake, “I am not my anger, and it sure doesn’t control me. But you clearly have something that I lack, and I’m positive it goes both ways when regarding you. Can’t we just form some kind of pact and work this out? Truth be told, this is getting old, y’know talking to myself and all.” He forced a smile as he spoke, hoping that he was getting somewhere in this conversation.
The shadow cocked his head back as if looking down on the true Sentou, “Are you serious? You think shit like this will just iron over ‘cause you want to be friends? Pfft, maybe we are dumber than I thought.” It replied, its black eyes stared intently into the jade orbs of Sentou as if searching his mind to find any weight in what the child had said. Reluctantly it would cave and firmly grasp the hand of Sentou, “Tell ya what, I’m intrigued to see what changes you’re willing to make, but know this. If you screw up any further than you already have now, I will relish in the thought of destroying you inside out so that I’m the only one standing. Just like Iroh said long ago, men aren’t punished for their sins, but by them. The longer you choose to ignore me, the bigger I’ll become until there’s no room left for you. Now, get outta my home and take hold of that power.”

The confines of Sentou’s dreamscape would begin to blur until he found himself back inside the library, still leaning against a bookshelf. The thumping in his chest had yet to subside, however deep down he felt different. While the others dealt with their own battles it felt as if no time had passed for Sentou. Was he daydreaming, or did he really experience that conversation with himself? His head still felt like it was on a spinel, but despite that, he gathered what strength he had to hoist himself from the bookcase to look around once more. Whatever it was they were collectively experiencing, Sentou was ready to be rid of it. Power or not. He wasn’t fond of feeling vulnerable, and that’s what the atmosphere of this facility made him feel. Whether it had something to do with the room or his conversation, a fire burned within the window of his soul. He refused to be a detriment to the others, the cowardly days of Sentou would be left behind him as he searched within himself for his new purpose. With the child now coming back to his senses, he checked on the others, it appeared that the merchant delved further into the library combing the area for something. “There’s something strange about this place, I can’t put a finger on it yet, but I feel off. What about you two?” He asked, directing his attention to both Kasami and Ko. He was positive they were just as clueless about the situation as he was, but after what he had experienced he felt like he needed to check on the well-being of the others.​

 

[Megumi]

Kasami was right behind them, mindful of her own pace as if she was likely to make the most noise among them if she didn't do so. Her eyes were fixated ahead of them, focused on their goal, and slowly her perception of reality began to blur. It was like a thick fog beginning to blanket her and her surroundings, wrapping its presence around her throat as it drowned out conscious thought and forced her back into the far reaches of her mind. The depths in which her insecurities and fear awaited her, teeth bared and arms grasping with festered claws to tear her under. Ko, the merchant and Sentou, all slowly faded from view. It was as if her senses had been ripped away, stripped of all that she was but the ability to feel. The gripping, intoxicating and sickening feeling of that which embodied a victim's fear. She recognized it- felt it before. Feared.. it before.

A light beamed from a distance and grew to swallow her whole, bringing forth a reel of memories in black and white, soundless and yet her heart stuttered with each passing frame- a faint whisper in the distance. A chant recited over and over. A chant she'd picked up every so often on her journey, wondering what it meant. Why did Ko make her recite it to perfection? It started with where her journey began. Snapping bones and flesh rendered down to pulp, repeating as many times as needed before she no longer made mistakes. The lake. It was a normal lake at first glance, though foul smelling she remembered, but the scariest thing about that lake was that figure that she had found just... dancing on the wayside. Watching. She looked away for just a second and it was gone, like an apparition carried off by the wind. Fingers started to descend upon her eyes, casting shadow first and darkness followed, before the cold embrace of water embraced her body and flooded her lungs. She awoke in a forest of red bamboo, hair still dripping with water, and met comrades along this path. Kyotoshiro- the pass where they encountered Daikokuten. Kagane... Kagane... There was something more sinister about watching the events of that night unfold without being able to hear or see the colors. Running into "Mikaboshi" as Tatsumi himself feared what was to come. The pain in her heart as she was about to abandon him to die. Tengu's arrival. Blood raining from the sky painting everything in sight as if it were ink spilled upon a canvas. Canopies devouring people. Parents murdering their children. Loved ones clinging to one another. Ko held her hand a bit tighter that day, as if she too would just... float away. And she did, right into the homicidal maw of the beast that Izanagi fought to contain. Teeth the size of mountains grinding her into a paste.

This feeling. It had been explained to her before. It was called Hadou, and Eien had almost unleashed it on them in Kagane before that night's events. Some say that putting a name to the face of the boogeyman makes him a little less terrifying. She didn't believe it anymore. Not now.

By the time Sentou had turned to look at Kasami he would find her clutching her chest, walking on hollow bones with the color drained from her face besides the flush to her cheeks, sweat dripping and glistening across her body. She let out a shuddered breath, stuttered in her steps for a moment before she came to a stop and leaned forward, resting her palms upon her knees. "What is... Hadou like this, doing in a temple? The Hadou of a raging demon." It was really the best way that she could describe it, considering what had happened, and not having the full details of its origins or its purpose. What the fuck had they gotten themselves into? She released another shaky breath in an attempt to calm herself, quite literally feeling like with each beat of her heart it was about to be crushed inside of her. ​

 

[CelestialBlack]

Something wasnt right. In the moment that Ko had been standing there he turned his head - hearing a whisper across the room. He looked at everyone else noticing that no one gave any notice to it. Was he hearing things? After combing an aisle and coming back out into the walk way he looked at the other two again and heard a whisper again. He couldnt quite place what it was and he didnt know why the other two weren't reacting - maybe they were caught up in their own heads but he knew at this point that he was hearing something. Walking off down the walkway he came to a handrail overlooking a descent - they were on a higher balcony and below was a lake of water...fancy, he thought to himself before he heard the whisper again. "Dead and dying. Died and yet to die." he heard from around the side of an isle. Brow raised he started to storm off towards the voice - it was either the Merchant playing tricks on him or someone that did not want to get on his bad side off the first introduction. The closer and closer he got to the corner the more and more his heart raced - which was unlike him. Till finally he got to the corner and quickly stumbled back in shock


"Dead and dying - died and yet to die. Thats all you ever will surround yourself with - those are all you really ever care about!"
He was confused, bewildered, and going into a panic almost of his body's own accord. That girl on the ground - dead with a hole through her chest....she was the three tails jinchuriki. And the words that she spoke - they were so deeply stinging even if he could not place why. He'd never even met the woman. Much less killed her. Stumbling back he would run back down the isle and simply come to another body...another victim...another ghost from a past that was just as much of a ghost to him. Some he recognized but most he did not, and by now he was just running through the library in a panic - he couldnt be reached. "No no, thats not me - thats not." Then he stumbled, falling and where he thought to put his right hand out to catch himself there was none...just a bloody stump right down to the elbow as now, he broke the silence of the library by screaming an ear piercing death curdle into the air. There was sand on the floor - and before him stood a figure that looked much like...Genichiro? He walked slowly towards him, closing the gap between him as Ko frantically crawled backward favoring the figmentive stump of an arm as he pressed his back to the hand rail before using it as support to stand and demand that he gets away from him. The look upon his eyes were that of pure terror...and soon - from behind him came a tall figure clad in black armor with a azure dragon's mask upon him. This figure would grasp Ko's face from behind - and pull him over the handrail. The other two would only catch just the glimpse of him falling over - from their perspective looking like an accident from the panic as his screams could be heard descending towards the water before. Kasami catching her breath and Sentou checking on the two of them...it was a wonder that compared to what they saw and dealt with...what was Ko seeing?
Meanwhile...behind Sentou stood a baleful shadow...a smile ear to ear as it stood directly behind him breathing down his neck. "I will savor the taste.." and then...it was gone.

Ko fell, tumbling down below until finally there was a splash, in sheer panic almost trying to scream as he ingested some water and closed his mouth immediately. He could feel hands on him, causing him to splash and flail until finally...he went stiff....was he...being frozen? What was this? Crystal - unmistakably this was Crystal. He was being incased...sealed away - and from the darkness of the water came a woman...a Priestess of sorts that seemed to be the source of the seal. From above all that could be seen was thrashing and splashing - Ko obviously going to drown at this rate as below him...came a constantly brighter glowing orb...the rest of the team would only have so much time to spare....so much time to think.​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Having come to from whatever it was he had experienced, Sentou was beginning to check in on the others. There was no logical reason that he could think of why he was just daydreaming in the middle of the library, it couldn’t have been an illusion, right? He still felt the burning sensation deep within his core, and something about him felt off. Almost as if a creature of sort had tunneled itself directly into his chest as was searching for a way to pry itself from its cage. He couldn’t really explain it, to be frank. The young Lotus warrior spun his head like a swivel as he looked from left to right and again to take in his environment once more. From where he stood, Ko was currently out of sight yet Kasami remained by his side - chest clutched for a moment before she slumped over with her hands on her knees. She looked exhausted, sickly even as he noticed just how pale she was, “Kasami?” He asked, reaching out to confirm whether or not she was okay, but he came to a halt as he overheard her speaking to herself. She had mentioned Hadou and asked why it was here of all places, to him she was spouting nonsense. (“The hell is Hadou?”) He found himself questioning, had she lost herself inside this place? No, that couldn’t be it. Aside from Ko, Kasami always seemed to be the most grounded of the group. Perhaps she knew something he didn’t. Try as he may, Sentou desperately attempted to recall the day before during their talk of Kagane, but he couldn’t remember if something such as Hadou was a topic.. With gritted teeth, Sentou huffed aloud. He was unsure why he was feeling so upset, but it burned through him without much resistance it seemed. “Just what the hell are you talking about now, Kasami?” He asked, it was evident in his tone there was aggression behind his words, but for what? His lack of recollection? Her accusation of him burning down the forest? He couldn’t pinpoint the source of his brimming emotions. Before he could push the subject any further, or hear Kasami out, Sentou would catch the glimpse of something moving in his peripheral only to be followed by the descending cry of what sounded like Ko in the distance. “Ko!?” He shouted autonomously, just what is he getting himself involved with? He was supposed to be the cool and collected one, yet here he was screaming..but something about that scream seemed..faint. Had he fell down a shaft or something? No sooner had Sentou come to such a conclusion, the hairs on the back of his neck would begin to stand as if the presence of another had just arrived. A whisper would spook him, sending him into high alert as he flailed and swung at air with a yelp of someone who had thought they were home alone only to find themselves face to face with a serial killer. “Who the fuck was that!?” He continued, searching frantically for whoever spoke in his ear. His nerves were high and so was his anger. He didn’t appreciate being taken by surprise. A low growl left his lips as he pushed forward, he wasn’t dealing with this shit. “Where the hell did Ko go, on top of that.. Where’s the merchant?” Sentou asked audibly, whether or not it was rhetorical remained unanswered as he stormed off towards the last location he heard Ko. All that he could find was a rail, it didn’t take a genius intuition to understand that Ko had fallen overboard. Peering over the edge of the railing Sentou couldn’t see jack shit, however distant sounds of water splashing caught his attention. “Kasami, I think Ko fell down here.. I knew he was brash but clumsy. Figured that was more Eiji’s alley. C’mon, we shouldn’t stay separated for long. Who knows what the hell is going on here.” Without another word, Sentou would hoist himself over the rail and descend without haste. Coating his feet with a focused amount of chakra, Sentou would walk down the side of the wall towards the bottom in pursuit of Ko.

Whether or not Kasami had joined immediately, Sentou would find himself reaching the bottom of the pit. From his perspective, it was hard to see or understand what was occurring here due to the building light. “Ko!” Sentou shouted, hoping to hear some form of feedback from the other. When no immediate answer was given, Sentou instinctively expanded his awareness in an attempt to sense Ko’s unique chakra signature. (“He’s here..but he aint responding. Did the dumb ass knock himself out?”) he wondered as he quickened his pace, practically sprinting down the length of the wall. With a jump, Sentou would somersault downwards to the ground - his feet touching the watery floor as he stood above it. Fuming, Sentou surveyed the dark area only to find nothing within sight. Where was he? He felt his chakra, Ko couldn't have been engulfed by the water, could he? Directing his view beneath him, Sentou searched frantically through the water in an attempt to locate his clumsy comrade. It wasn't long before he recognized that signature red hair of Ko's along with a bright light, "Oh you've gotta be joking! Hang on, I got you." he blurted before taking in a deep breath and diving into the depths. Sentou was by no means a strong swimmer, but that didn't matter, not when those he held close were in trouble. He wasn't sure what state Ko was in, let alone what the purpose of that light could be. All he knew was if he continued to sink any further, the chances of recovering him would grow slim. Kicking his feet and moving his arms in tandem, Sentou would delve deeper until he came within arm reach of the Uchiha. Bubbles streamed from Sentou's nose as he grunted, grabbing onto Ko's arm and part of his shirt as he desperately kicked his feet to gain altitude towards the surface. Breaching the aquatic ceiling, Sentou sluggishly carried Ko and himself towards the walkway towards the south. Lifting Ko up onto the edge of the platform, he'd push him onto his back before climbing up himself. Panting and coughing as he caught his breath, Sentou collapsed on his ass as he eyed Ko. He wasn't sure he was breathing. "God dammit! Don't crap out on us now ya hot head!" Sentou huffed, crawling over and pressing his hands onto the boy's chest. "Breathe dammit!"

 

[Megumi]

She didn't expect that she would recover from this feeling anytime soon, but it was becoming more bearable with each passing moment. It was comparative to the time she had a severe respiratory infection. The weight on her chest inexplicable, hardly able to even breathe through it, but it wasn't going to kill her. She just... needed to take solace in that fact, Sentou was looking her way when she was mumbling about hadou, taking a brief moment to kneel there on the floor and regain her composure before rising to her feet again. Her lips parted to respond just as Ko's scream rattled her ear drums, becoming a statue in movement and sound as all but her eyes flicked toward him. He was losing his mind, and it wasn't the first time she had seen that happen, but this was certainly the most... unsettling of them all. She'd have much rather he attacked them again rather than be so gripped by the fear that he was. She watched him flail around as if combatting something off and started to slowly walk toward him. "Ko, there's nothing there. Calm down a second- hey!" She called out to him just as he was taking the tumble backwards over the railing, about halfway to where he had been when he started to plummet toward the unknown below- and she was right behind him.

Whatever held Sentou up, he was a lot less aware of the current situation, but regardless of that Kasami would have trampled over him to get to Ko in that very moment if he had gotten in her way. She reached the railing before Ko had hit the water, hearing the distinctive splash followed by an attempt to cry for help that was drowned out by water. Without hesitation she climbed up onto the railing and crouched down on it, focusing on the water below to see where he was before determining where the best place to dive was, which only took less than a second. She leaned forward and just as she was dipping toward the water she pushed off with her feet hard, shooting herself down into the water a two feet away from Ko with her hands pointed in front of her to break the surface of the water. It still stung considerably against her face but she ignored it, planting her feet against the wall behind her and pushing off of it to give her a boost of speed toward Ko, hooking her arm beneath his armpit as she continued to swim across to the corridor.

After hoisting herself up onto the ledge up to sit, she grabbed beneath both of Ko's arm pits and pulled him out of the water as she stood up, sitting him down after she got him a few feet away from the edge of the water. If he was still flailing around she would climb on top of him and grab his wrists, pinning them to the floor next to his head using her Senju strength to her advantage in that moment or she probably wouldn't have been able to. She definitely responded fast enough to keep him from drowning. He hadn't even gone under before she got there. The light wasn't something that she didn't notice, but she didn't want to stop even for a second or something bad could have happened. "Ko, it's me. Stop flailing around. Please." She pleaded with him, not even caring if he was kicking her or anything. She refused to let go or he might hurt himself or someone else. "I've got you. I promise- I've got you. Look at me." ​

 

[CelestialBlack]

....they say drowning feels peaceful in the end...
Ko couldnt attest to that at the moment. There was more going on under that water then what the other two could understand at the moment. For some reason or another they felt things, their emotions were out of wack....but they didnt have any deep introspective....nothing that kept haunting them and biting at their heels as they went through the monastery. There he was...he could taste it in the air - the clash and burn of steel shavings from blade meeting blade....he felt tired...so tired - but not just from battle but from...struggling internally. "Zaku.....Zaku stop..." the words came out in his voice but his lips had not moved and there before him next to a camp fire he was...the figure that was wielding the gigantic executioner blade back at Kagane. But he looked different, younger - smaller and you could clearly see his face...what were these memories? Regret from a life he could not remember living. He stood above him, triumphant it would seem and blade raised high to deliver the killing blow if the man had not listened to his words. Tears were streaming down his face...but it was more then that. Something was burning inside of him - his heart, his heart felt like it was on fire. his breathing increased in speed, his hand, no his entire body shaking..he didnt want to but he knew this situation - whoever's situation this was he didnt have very many choices. the young boy on the ground was obviously afraid. . . . . he cried too - but it wasnt just because of fear. . . "DO IT You fucking have to - you heard him, stop being WEAK!" He felt like an outline...a shell cast over an actor in a movie - the words hit him in his heart and the gasp that left his lips were only an echo of the memory he experienced. "See? Zaku understands. For once in your life Mitsunari. . . accept your destiny. And forget this ridiculous claim to humanity you cling to so much. . . You can become so much more." The voice was familiar -- to the point that his shock was only matched by that of the focus of this grotesque experience. He turned slowly...he couldnt make out everything...just silver hair...long and flowing standing there watching them...judging them...taking precedence over their life...he couldnt quell the flames in his chest at this moment and soon he ad the younger image of Zaku looked back to each other...frozen by fear - he made the only choice that he could....they made the only choice that they could....

...Meanwhile...
Something rose from the deep - it was casting a light that could not be described in hits brightness - permeating the darkness of the water itself it would illuminate not just the waters below...but the ones within too. Sentou...Ko....and Kasami would all be frozen - now each of them in the water beyond their control at this point - fallen victim to whatever it was that was happening with this light, whatever it was that it was doing to them. They would find themselves ensnared..suffering - being eaten alive by the inside but by what?...Was this Hadou? What it was like to experience it? It would feel like the closest thing to a heart attack that they ever had in their lives and it would persist at the same level for the entire time, any drowning that they would experience would only come second to the horrible and overwhelming sensation that was the deep fibrillation in their chest. What Ko was feeling right now was coming from both ends...rage? No...it wasn't rage....it was something adjacent, something close but it was not quite rage. It was a passion...a deep passion and pain that he felt - being forced to kill someone like this, someone close - who would force another person to murder someone so close in cold blood against their will when they had no reason to, and just sit there and watch for entertainment like that? It was not a rage...but pain, he could feel the person's betrayal, fear, their pain - and he hurt for them...he could not stand the premise that someone would be made to suffer in such a way, that anyone should suffer in such a way, and like two perfectly shaped halves...his disdain at the pain felt, and he repugnance that the memory holder felt in that moment towards this person - aligned together...and formed a perfect whole.

His eyes snapped open and suddenly as it did they would be radiating a bright vermillion chakra accompanied by...some form of energy, something new. Doubtless this light would bring on the same sensation to the other two - be it through what they were feeling in this moment coming to a swell amplified under the hadou or if either of them had a memory, a worry, a fear - or assumed disdain for something that was happening in their life or they felt was going to happen; they would be experiencing the same thing...he could feel them...no - not just in theory, but he could literally feel their emotions, their toil - they had become. . . interlinked. Not only could he feel them and know that they would be going through the same but he could feel...the library, it was all around him...that's what this was...thats how the monks read the books. What had infested Ko was - the Hadou...and now it had become him. Every book in this monastery was not just written in ink but with Hadou as well. Not just catalogs of memory by hand but by heart as well and he could hear them cry, sing, and mourned all in tandem around him. The hairs on his body danced on end with the emotions and power of all those that had come into this building before him. And despite the fact that he could hear it all around him, feel it all around him - lost in a flurry of it all at once...it echo'd to him louder then every other whisper, scream, and shout that was around him...that repugnance...that pain...again - he felt not rage for nor through it...only an unshakable need to protect. While everything buzzed around him it grew louder...and louder...and louder - like hearing your name crawled across a radio station where the intercom announced nothing but white noise, the voice getting louder, and louder till it was the only thing that he could hear and then finally...he clenched his fists harder then he ever had before - like he had just caught the feeling and held it right here in his hands and everything around him went quiet. He started to cry out under the water - but he burned so hot that the water only burned straight out from in front of him, the light having ascended and left the waters only to go up to the side of the pool that was north of them, floating off and about towards the door. His scream under the water was silent at first....then muffled....then finally with a flash of vermillion light an explosion would come from the water (had they not done something at the same time and removed themselves) Ko would emerge, dripping wet and the other two set on the ground beside him...he was breathing heavily in a gas'd huff but not because he had almost drowned...but because he was so overwhelmed by this feeling in his chest...now he too looked like him....like Eien - with an aura much similar to before when he was fighting Ikki radiating around his body now. Anyone else that could see it (which by this point would include the other two), the hadou - would see the vermillion aura around him and feel the benevolent energy radiating from Ko. Manifesting in a light blue aura it would swirl and surround his body. Ko looked down at his hand and examined it....looking back up to the orb of light or at least, what it had been when they first saw it but now he could discern it perfectly....it was a gold orb - transparent...an inside was

A child.

His heart dipped...was he dead? Preserved? Or maybe protected? For some reason he felt sad...perhaps he was feeling the child's emotion through the hadou...yes, that had to be what it was - almost like he could hear the child's thoughts and feelings through it. It came out in words that could only be heard through the Hadou: ". . . . . . Do not cry for us. . . . . . ." And with just that, he could understand so much; sadly to the dismay of the child within the orb - Ko would collapse to his knees and begin to do just that...he started to weep - for some reason it was like everything made sense...or rather his perception had been entirely realigned on everything that had happened. The child was of the Senpu...he was asking him not to cry for him...for them - all of them. The Senpu monks were gone...dead, those things back there outside? Shells - abominations of the people that once lived here...and there were so few of them in comparison to Kagane...they were gone too. What he felt was just from this one child holding the weight of the monastery on his back...perpetuated in the hadou to imbue that same power to those that came to stand before it...and give them all a fighting chance. He could only imagine what he would be feeling if he had this back at Kagane...those family's, those parents watching their children, losing them and watching them die - and even worse...the ones unfortunate enough to survive and never see them again. It was too much for him to think about, his heart started to swell trying to fathom such a thing and before he knew it he couldnt hold it in. He started to weep intensely, loudly - and probably for the first time ever especially in front of everyone around him he let it happen...he let himself feel the pain, and loss of Kagane. His swelling sorrow manipulating the hadou around him till wind-like bursts of it started to explode from his being pushing out dust and water that had come up around him. ​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Not so much of a cowardly thought crossed Sentou’s mind as he jumped into the water in order to rescue Ko, the possibilities of there being danger and his fears couldn’t outweigh his noble cause. It needn't be said, but he knew if the roles were reversed, neither Kasami nor Ko would hesitate to save him. The moment Sentou had dove into the water and began to move towards Ko he would be met with the illuminating presence of the orb below, it damn near blinded him, but before he could adjust his eyes to its glow he would feel a sharp sensation overtake him as if he had slid down an icy slope in the nude. He tried to trash his arms and feet with the mindset of quickly grabbing Ko and getting out, but instead, he found himself incapable of budging an inch. He was so close! (“Move, dammit!”) He willed, he couldn’t afford to be stuck in a situation like this, he had to save Ko otherwise they’d both drown for nothing. In his quest, he had developed tunnel vision and had lost track of Kasami, a part of him hoped she hadn’t jumped in as well, and that she had a plan to get them both out of their predicament. He clenched his eyes shut in frustration at that thought, for once he’d be the one to come to someone’s aid and not the other way around. It seemed in his frustrations he’d begin to feel a nasty thump followed by a tight clench in his chest. He screamed out in pain, but his voice rang muffled as he was engulfed in water, he had wanted to prove, not only to the others, but to himself that he wasn’t a coward, yet here he was - accomplishing nothing. He felt useless like he was nothing but deadweight no matter how he approached things. - “You always play the victim card, blaming yourself for things that have happened when you have what it takes to make a difference!” - As Sentou continued belittling himself he could feel his chest thump aggressively. With it he heard his own voice at the back of his mind, he was beginning to recall what happened in his dream last night. As much as he wanted to deny the claims of his doppelganger, what could he do!? In spite of his circumstance, Sentou tried to calm himself to think, there had to be something he could do to get out of this. - “It’s wonderful, isn’t it? That’s the feeling of power.” - He remembered what he overheard the Merchant say to Ko, but how exactly was this power? It felt like his chest was in a vice grip, was this power so potent that it was affecting him on this scale? Sentou remembered there is another occurrence of something like this, a state of power that if one couldn’t attune themselves to it would meet a terrible fate. Was he going to die, here of all places? His chest wrenched tighter and again he tried to scream out in agony at the cost of his own oxygen, his lungs burned to yearn for air and he could feel his consciousness fleeting. This was it, the end of his tale. His surroundings went black as he was ready to succumb to his fate.

In the pitch-black void that was his conscious an image slowly burned into his mind's eye. It remained blurry but grew clear over time. "Tch, this is it huh? You give up so easily. Are you willing to die with so much regret? You make me sick!" It called out to him, but he was incapable of responding, instead, Sentou saw the faces of the loved ones he would be letting down in the past along with his most cherished moments with them. He remembered skipping lessons with Hideyori, the two of them laughing and conversing about the outside world; how they’d sneak out at night and return home before Iroh could find out. He remembered meeting a group of Shinobi during his travels as they searched for their missing family, they had made a pact to meet again in the future to exchange stories of their journey. He remembered the sorrow he felt when he returned to the Society only to find Iroh laying in a pool of his own blood and his teacher’s untimely death... The source of his anger was fueled by his regret and burdened his heart daily, knowing there was nothing he could do to change those last two memories and it pissed him off. He wanted nothing but to be at peace, and to have happiness, but all he ever found was strife and turmoil. (“I-I don’t want to die! I want to live..by any means necessary!”) He willed, fury awakening him from his subconscious as his eyes snapped open, feeling something within himself change. By any means necessary, something needed to be changed for better or worse, he would grasp onto those memories and hold them, dear. His suffering would make him stronger, not make them stronger. They say with enough pressure even something as mundane as a grain of sand can develop into a pearl under the right circumstances. Just like the surfacing of his Kekkei Genkai and his journey through Yomi Cave, Sentou would stare at the door of death and defy it. - (“Take hold of that power.”) - His heart felt like it was ready to explode out of his chest, but as he recalled what he experienced during his Hadou-induced fever dream the feeling would subside. He felt rambunctious as he chose not to live purely out of Joy nor Anger alone but in conjunction with harmony as there had to be a middle ground. He felt whole. Sentou could feel himself attuning to his surroundings and with it, he could feel not only Kasami and Ko but the library and its content in its entirety. It was like finding the missing pages of a book, this was Hadou. He could feel the vast emotion brimming in their vicinity, feel Ko’s passion. It burned, but in a good way..no that was his lungs starting to expire, and before he knew it he was being torn from beneath the water with great velocity as he felt himself collapse onto new ground. There was no hesitation as he began profusely puking the water that had been trapped in his lungs, wheezing and coughing as he desperately tried to fill those very lungs with air. The sensation of relief overtook Sentou knowing they had survived, it felt miraculous - he felt miraculous. It would take Sentou a couple of minutes to recuperate after nearly drowning for the second time in Naraka, but once he had he would notice a Celadon-mango aura encompassing himself. His eyes expanded as he freaked out a moment, looking up only to witness Kasami and Ko possessing their own auras.

Slowly the young man brought himself to his feet, this invigorating feeling felt familiar.. Like the time back at the Society, yet calmer.. Just what was the extent of this newfound strength, he wondered. Pulling himself out of his head, he’d examine Ko as he held something in his hand. He had to double-take for a moment, noticing Ko looked quite different, resembling Eien even. The striking resemblance he had with Eien sparked Sentou’s PTSD as he winched, but before that could escalate any further he could hear a voice tell them not to cry for them. He felt like he shouldn’t have known what it meant, but the emotion in the library and the stone itself already told its story. It struck hard, he felt sorrow and knew that Ko and Kasami did as well. He could feel Ko’s swelling emotion before he even started to cry, Sentou wasn’t completely in the know about Hadou, but it was easy to observe how empathetic it made people feel around others or objects carrying feelings. When bursts of wind began emitting from Ko he pushed forward through the currents to place a gentle yet firm hand on Ko’s shoulder. “K-Ko, it’s going to be alright. I know this hurts, but we have to move forward, man. Not just for us, but everyone here and Kagane to prevent something like this from happening again.” He said, Ko wasn’t wrong to feel the way he did, it pained him- hell, they all shared sympathy for the child that spoke to them. From their first encounter, Sentou had taken Ko to be a loose cannon, but having since regrouped with them back at Kagetsuchi and getting to know him better, he realized he was actually an honest guy who genuinely cared for others. Sentou cracked a small smile as he was beginning to understand how Ko felt when he arrived in Kyotoshiro. “Y’know, you’re a bigger softy than me.”​

 

[Megumi]

Kasami's experience in the water was much the same as theirs. Her eyes, however, remained locked upon the rising orb illuminating the darkness around them, suspended in the water beneath the surface as she had come relatively close to it as she dove down. Staring into the light reminded her of the days she would lie on the floor in her workshop, if it could be called such a thing, staring at the flickering flame of her small lamp. The glowing orb transformed slowly, tunneling until it grew further and further away from her until it was nothing more than a little ember. A ceiling with rafters above her just barely able to be made out in the darkness around her outside that tiny dying flame, she knew exactly where she was. She remembered this night, as the wind howled against the groaning wooden walls, seeping through its cracks and chilling her to the bone. She felt cold and wet, soaked in blood and she felt alone. She was deaf at this time and felt again the suffocating embrace of the silence once again. Her hand raised as she looked at the vial of poison in it closely, overwhelming pain making her feel as if her heart would be torn apart from the very seams along each ventricle and atrium. Her fist tightened around the glass bottle, and she felt her throat burning, a numb drone in her ear- a heart wrenching sob of a scream only echoing in her mind moments after. A scream of true grief and pain. This was the night the remainder of her family died, when she was left with no one. Not until she met Ko- but she had always been too much of a coward to put herself out of her misery.

Meeting Ko was a moment she could neither define as bad, nor think of it with utmost fondness. He did torture her, breaking bone by bone as he forced her to remember an entire chant that now seemed to haunt her everywhere she went. She had heard it whispered on the winds so many times here in Naraka. She wanted to know what it all meant. She needed to know why he made her remember those words. Quite literally hammering it into her until she could perfectly recite it word for word. Why though? It was beyond belief that she hadn't even questioned it until this moment. But then every time she began to feel sorry for herself for what he'd done to her, she would see him in her mind's eye, looking at her suspended above in the most vulnerable moment she had been in her whole life. Looking upon her as her fingers grazed his lips to reach the key, snapping all her ribs as her arm outstretched, as if she were beautiful in this moment of rebirth. From that moment on she was like a little puppy, trailing behind him desperate for another taste of what she'd seen in his eyes. Aimlessly following him to the brink of her own madness. As she was being drowned and hurtled into Naraka, he was the last thing she thought of in her last moments of what she thought was her life. Him and how badly she wanted to see that look in his eyes again. She started to question how he actually felt after a while- always so stoic and disinterested. Lately, and even before his encounter with Daikokuten, she had hope. He followed her to Naraka, thinking her captured, and intended to bring her back to his side. Was it a loss of property he meant to reclaim, or did he truly value her as she was? A rather annoying girl with a taste of her first crush.

Sorrow had a funny way of nestling in without noticing it at first. Ko's affection was the only thing she had hoped for before coming to Naraka. Now that she had it, she had expected to feel fulfilled, but not only did she want more she was shown a world in need of her help. It was time to stop being a shinobi that merely hunted stray cats or cleaned up garbage. She'd been sad about this world since she first met Kiyoshi. Those that paid the heaviest cost of this war were the innocent people caught up in the middle. Just like Kagane. It wasn't the first devastation in masse that they had witnessed, and it was not the last. The monastery itself, screamed its story down into her soul, burning its impact into her until the end of time. Kasami was so overwhelmed by the feelings raging through her body that by the time she resurfaced in the water, blood was dripping from her nose, and she had a stare in her eyes that made it seem as if she was just like those monks wandering around the grounds of the monastery.

She wasn't snapped out of it until she heard the voice coming from the orb, closing her eyes in response as it did. To say she was overwhelmed at the moment was an understatement, but she couldn't just flat out say she was crying from all of it. There were no words to explain this. She cried for them, she cried for Ko- for Sentou. For herself. For Kagane. The history of the monastery screamed out to her, and she had to do all she could to silence it. As much as she wanted to dive into it and decipher every moment of its history, what good would losing her mind do for them in this moment? Her wet hands rose from the water to rub at her eyes, letting out a shaking exhale. It was all gone anyway. This was no longer a bustling center of culture and kinship. This was a monument. A cemetery. The last thing standing of the Senpu monks were the walls around them, its recorded history, and this orb. Just that realization- it hurt her so much more than the deaths of her family. Nothing compared to losing them. And she couldn't even remember their names.

Ko, who had apparently gone through yet another transformation physically and chillingly resembled the person whom she had first encountered Hadou with, and his weeping wasn't lost to her, as she muddled over to him in the water and embraced him cradling his head to her chest, clenching her jaw and holding back her tears so tight that her throat felt as if it were being crushed. Her eyes burned as she looked up at Sentou before she looked at the orb and saw the child within. There was so much emotion around her and inside her, and she didn't know what to do. She felt more lost now than she had in her whole life. How does someone come back from this? She only wanted to make everything better in that moment. Seeing Ko like this was like the gust of wind that she needed, stoking the wildfire back to life and pushing it across the barren plains of despair. The fires of compassion and desire to help others. The undying will to protect that had birthed inside of her after Kagane. When she handed over her headband to Kiyoshi and proclaimed herself a Konoha rogue. She would never turn back, not even in her dying moments would she regret her decision. This place was real, the emotions she felt bleeding into her from this library were real, and she would never turn her back on this.

Yet in this moment she still had a selfish desire. She wanted Ko to give his heart to her. She wanted to know him as she did this feeling. And maybe then she could even protect it. ​

 

[CelestialBlack]

His heart was fluttering, like a flag flapping in a hurricane it beat against the wall of his chest out of control. Every moment that he thought he had it under control he would just fall back to exasperation with the next unbalanced beat of his heart. He was overwhelmed and it was showing in the way the Hadou pulsed off him until finally he was met by a hand, Sentou pulling him back to focus as he brought his head around to meet him with bewilderment, he'd felt him before he truly knew he was there - and the confusion and distress at what he was experiencing was painted upon his face as if he'd thought to seek answers from the first person that would arrive to him. But he knew Sentou would be no more in the know then he had been himself. The moment that he had commented about him being a bigger softy Ko looked confused - too bewildered to be amused. So he could feel it too, he was aware. So it hadnt been just Ko, not another change that happened due to Shuzaku or the jar that Tatsumi had placed him in for the purge he had undergone...which meant - Kasami. Just as the thought registered in his mind so too did she approach, causing Ko to firmly plant his arm across Sentou's shoulder symbolizing that he heard him and agreed, and as well noticed his attempt at a joke but was simply too overwhelmed to laugh...processing everything, as he met her half way to embrace her as she came forward - happy that she was alive and well but concerned for what blood he could see washed down her face diluted by the water that she had come out of. "Y-you're nose." He muttered before she pulled him into her bosom, which he had accepted well enough but could not indulge in. He could feel something, they all would be able to. A feeling that rang out louder then all of the other emotions they were communicating with in the moment. The feeling of desire. Ambition. It was something that was far different then the native emotions that populated the halls and with it, he heard a sound kin to fluttering of large wings before looking back behind them to see The Merchant casually walking up to approach them. The sound of his heel-like boots striking the ground as he closed the gap with a pleased smile upon his face.
"Ah yes. It is within you now. An entirely different perspective is it not? As much as I do love a learning experience it should not be your time to expire yet, and at that rate you'll all have heart attacks when the second wave of things hit as you move forward. Here take these - they will suppress your Hadou so it can grow at a rate you can wrangle at your own pace. I'd offer water to go with but you've seem to have enough of that." With that being said he would pull out a sack from within his coat...the nerve - to have everything thats needed for the occasion so conveniently stashed away in the moment. It was as if he had known this would happen prior - or perhaps even planned for just such a thing to happen. From that sack he would shake loose three green pills, holding them in hand he would come to the three of them and hold them up for each of them to take and once they had finally done so he would continue walking off towards where the child within the orb had gone, taking a slow enough pace so that they could hear him fine: "Yes. I'm sure you can see it now. Why I scrutinized your curiosity as to whether the monks can be saved or not. Its long over for them, the only thing that remains is that child. A pure blood descendant of the Senpu chosen to inherit a seat as their Sanzou priestess. It would seem that she feels some hope within you three, chosen to exact revenge for the Senpu and right the wrong that has happened deeper in the forest. Hmph, Izanagi, The Salesman, now this - seems everyone is putting quite a bit on your shoulders. Hm...by now you probably know to some extent. A great corruption has spread through the temple and rests within the forest at the core. Just so happens - so does the item which you are here for. Coincidence? Heh, certainly not. But with this? Opportunity." He seemed to be quite pleased with the results of things and with the task that was set before the rest of them as well. He spun around and smiled at the each of them as if nothing at all had happened between them all. Ambition...it was the only thing that could be felt teeming off of this man, no matter what it seemed like the emotion he was portraying it was the one thing that could be felt now with The use of Hadou that was a steady constant. He weaved three handseals and set his hands together, once done he would run his left palm up his right arm and as it cascaded upwards a fuinjutsu formula across his arm would ignite from under the sleeve. What came following would be a summoning technique set to the floor before him just aside the opening to the outside which the orb holding the child within would cast off into the sky above and disappear. From the cloud of smoke would emerge...a stand? A small shop held in the style of a Dango stand holding miscellaneous items, tools, and even weapons and esoteric bits and bobs. He stood behind the counter and clapped his hands down on it with a smirk upon his face: "Yes - an opportunity to do business. Come now lady and gents. Lets make one last business proposition before we part ways again. You'd have the business sense of a monkey to pass up my deals!"​

 

[Megumi]

Kasami released a shaking sigh to soothe herself as Ko met her embrace, burying her face into his hair as he commented on her nose. She didn't have to see it to know, tasting the of it dripping down her throat like an acrid cocktail, but it wasn't a pressing matter. Her softspoken hush was muffled into his crimson locks of hair, shaking beneath her own pained tears as she intended to ignore the subject entirely and just drink in the moment as quickly as she could. It was the first time she could recall him embracing her, and it was doing wonders to ground her. But as amazing as it was, it couldn't last, and reluctant she may have been to release him, there was a time and a place for everything. If that hadn't been the case, she'd have clung to him until her arms went numb. He was changing. Becoming someone else right before her eyes. Part of it scared her, not knowing why or what kind of person he would become, but so far. It was like falling for him all over again- and this time for the right reasons. Whatever had happened to him after Daikokuten's miasma was purged from his body... Perhaps it was a good thing? If she could ever dare to hope of such an absurd thing.

As they pulled away, she nearly doubled over, clutching her chest with a muffled sob of frustration. She heard footsteps and sensed no hostility, so she leaned on the wall with her arm wrapped around her ribs putting some pressure on them as she peered up at saw the Merchant's shoes. Part of her couldn't help but scoff internally and shake her head. Was that in "Being a Naraka Guide 101"? Disappear at random just before shit hits the fan and reappear when things settle down or if your charge is about to die. Part of her focus wasn't entirely on the conversation, though she was listening, she was still staring at the orb with the child inside of it and grappling the pain swelling in her chest. However, when he presented the pills before them, green in color and an entirely random offering for a moment, her gaze shot straight to him when he clarified that they would suppress their Hadou. It took a moment to register, but suddenly her eyes were widening like she'd just seen a ghost. Which.. being real, isn't even that strange in Naraka. Like she was staring the Salesman in the face would be a more accurate description. And why was this young kunoichi mortified that she now possessed Hadou? Well, she sure hadn't asked for it for one, but her only experience with it was also when someone was trying to murder them and couldn't be reasoned with. Now that she thought about it though. Was it because he couldn't have been reasoned with, or because he wouldn't be reasoned with? She didn't know what Eien was like, nor his relationship with Ikki.

Kasami was feeling a bit overwhelmed though, to say the least, as she practically hobbled over to the Merchant and swiped a pill. She had never been a very established shinobi to begin with. She had shadow possession and managed well with creating smoke bombs that were poisonous or using senbon, but then wood release and the Rinnegan got thrown into the mix. Now Hadou is being thrown into that as well, and she could barely use the tools she already had. It had only been a few months since she met Ko and had the transplant. Things transpiring lately connected in ways that fit too well and it made her uncomfortable. She was alone and deaf, a complete loner. In the span of a few months, she met Ko and had a transplant and received the Rinnegan of a man from Naraka. Following that, some creepy egg head drowns her and suddenly she is in Naraka, running into people she feels she has nearly crossed paths with before. She's had a suspicion about Kiyoshi ever since she met him because of the candy. The person that drowned her? He's got to be here somewhere.

She popped the pill and followed the others as she rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. Dripping and frustrated, she missed the idle luxuries that had come with being deaf back in the waking world. Most days she chased cats, helped elders, sat around and drank tea and read a book. As they made it to the end of the tunnel she blew out a sigh and opened her eyes, just in time to watch the orb go flying into the clouds. It threw her off a little, but she'd seen stranger things, right? She rubbed her forehead above her brows with her thumb and middle finger and shook her head as she wandered over to the Merchant who had now set up shop. How many vouchers did she have left? Shit, she couldn't even remember. Her nose wrinkled both in thought and at what he said. "What do you mean 'part ways'? I thought you were helping us while we were here? How long does it take for the pill you gave us to wear off? What if this is too much for us to handle?" Kasami browsed his wares as she talked, though she really wouldn't even have known where to start with interest in goods. Her pack was already fairly full, and she had all manner of gadgets with her. Was there something they needed? Something for a situation that hadn't been considered. There were too many variables, it was way too difficult to say honestly. She hadn't realized it but the uncertainty and sudden anxiety of him leaving had her hands trembling a little bit as she chewed on her thumbnail in thought. 'Any help would be appreciated, Mikaboshi. You're unnervingly quiet.'​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Having addressed Ko through a means of getting through to him, Sentou hadn’t cried as his allies had. He just couldn’t - not out of a lack of sympathy for the child and the others in the monastery, but because of the overwhelming nature of processing such raw emotions from not just the contents of the library, but him and his comrades alike. It felt like the emotions they perceived through Hadou were like a microphone as the three of them were loudspeakers within close proximity of one another reproducing and amplifying this feeling of sorrow. He was in absolute shock, numbed on the inside as he felt completely detached from his physical form, almost as if what he was experiencing wasn’t reality - but it was in fact so. He felt the intention of Ko before he even managed to place an arm over his shoulder, looking up to Ko once more, Sentou perceived Ko as he had always been. Strange, he thought, he could have sworn he looked different not too long ago.. Maybe he was seeing things. The library’s story had left him too appalled to even question the subject, instead he moved as Ko did prior to Kasami’s approach. He could feel what they both felt, but he’d let the two of them share their brief moment together.

Instead, while Kasami and Ko hugged and comforted each other, Sentou recalled another memory in his silence. The young man wasn’t sure why he saw Ko as Eien earlier, but it caused him to experience parts of that day all over again. He remembered witnessing a village being burnt to the ground, people slaughtered like cattle at the hands of Eien. It hadn’t equated to the level of the monastery or even the story of Kagane he learned of, but deep down something resonated with him. It annoyed him that there were people in the world who’d cause such hardship to others, why? For what purpose? “Weeds…. Weeds have an inexplicable desire to grow and overtake.” The words of Oshirama prodded at the back of his mind almost as if answering his rhetorical thought.. What was the point of strength if there was nothing to protect? He lingered on that last phrase for a moment before chuckling to himself, he was starting to sound like Youri, but he also understood where she was coming from at the time she made that statement. He’d keep that in mind and dear to his heart, despite not knowing the people of Naraka, he wouldn’t sit on the sidelines and allow such travesties to continue. He felt his resolve solidify as he set his mind to acquire the strength to set things straight until his concentration had been broken and directed elsewhere. A feeling of desire much stronger than his own was approaching, narrowing his brows as he was alerted to it, Sentou’s face would loosen once he realized it was the merchant. He wondered where he ran off to, and instead of getting an explanation of where he disappeared he quickly explained their situation prior to revealing a set of pills for them to take. Sentou eyed the pill at first, he felt perfectly fine why would he want to suppress this feeling? Eh, maybe he was just in shock and couldn’t feel the damage being done. This was indeed new territory, and instead of risking it, Sentou obliged with the merchant, taking the pill and swallowing it. He had questions, but as the merchant began speaking further he’d hold them till after he finished. Why would they need Hadou and why did it take this long to give them the information about it all? He wouldn’t be surprised if this was a part of Izanagi’s plan..though he wished he was better in the know.

The merchant explained how the child within the artifact had possibly found hope in them to avenge them, Sentou hadn’t been consciously aware of that scenario but he already had that set in mind. It seemed out of all the adults, the merchant seemed to reason with them, or at least understand the amount of responsibility being placed upon them - sadly that wouldn’t deter him from brandishing his wares shortly after. A sigh of slight disappointment left his lips as he could feel his eyes roll, leave it to a businessman to be nothing about business. Was this why he was exuding so much ambition? No, he had to be up to something or knowing him, knew something. Once Kasami questioned him parting ways and the time it took for the pill to kick in, Sentou would step towards the merchant, “Why are you helping us?” He asked, avoiding the man’s collection for the moment. “I mean, something doesn’t add up here and I can’t put a finger on what it is, but what do you plan on getting out of this?” He finished, he was curious. He knew so much, yet he was never at the castle. Was this another situation of Izanagi withholding information only to let things sort itself out as time came, or was the merchant truly a third or was it fourth party in all this? It felt odd that he was always so conveniently around when there was no other supervision. Whether the merchant took the time to enlighten Sentou or gave him around egg to hatch, Sentou would look towards Kasami and Ko incase either of them had any further questions. Had they not, Sentou would remember the last time he did business with a Narakan salesman, voluntarily plucking a strand of his own hair he'd lay it on the table. “What can this get me?”​

 

[CelestialBlack]

There were good questions being asked. If not a bit pointless and otherwise distracting from the key matter at hand - still good questions. He looked between the each of them - starting with Kasami as she was asking her own questions with the occasional glance at Ko. They had severed their embrace and as they did Ko set his hands on his knees and continued to clear his lungs, horking dry heaves of air up to make sure there wasnt anymore water blocking them. Needless to say he was sorting his own things out and had a bit of a conversation to have with Shuzaku in the privacy of his own mental plane, be that as it may Sentou came next and all the while the both of them went about the salesman simply chuckled and smirked to himself at their questions - all up until the moment came that the man plucked out a strand of his hair and placed it on the counter. Silence befell them, and the salesman raised his brow and scrutinized the hair for a moment as if he was trying to decipher a grand scheme behind the puzzle. His eyes darted up to Sentou with deadly serious clarity as he motioned for him to come closer as if to whisper something to him. He'd lean in and look over at Kasami a bit to see if she was peeking in or not and whether the man came in for a more discreet listen or not he would take a breath before he finally would place price upon this currency he'd been offered:

"........Gum. Maybe - I dont know my gum is pretty pricy too honestly."

He said with utmost sincerity as he pushed back off the counter and stood back behind it looking at Sentou as if he was a madman for what he had done. Evidently - the previous correlation to the merchant that Sentou had in mind before had no connection to him, in truth he felt almost insulted were it not for the fact that Sentou was not a typical shinobi. He chalked it up to maybe this was some kind of weird bartering system that they used wherever it was that he hailed from and he had taken it for mistake that this could be used in other places as well. Weird boy he was, least in the salesman's eye now - however he would soon fold his arms and shake his head with a chuckle before he started to speak in terms of relevance to each: "The sheer plain fact of it all my dear boy is that I'm not just helping you. I'm helping me. Just so happens that our interest align. After all, the salesman wants to consume all of that which breaths in the land of Naraka. And for a merchant like myself I dont think that would yield very good business with the only demographic that I cater to now would it? It's as simple as that really. As for the pill? You'll all have an hour to do what you need to do and try to get better hold of yourselves before it wears off. That should be plenty of time for you to get your heads back in the game. Don't worry - I will still be helping you. Just not in the coddling manner in which you are used to and arguably more effective to boot. But dont worry, if its a chaperone that you need I've a feeling you wont be long without company in there, its a short way after all. In regards to what if this is too much for you all? Well my dear that answer is simple as well. You'll die of course, like all things in this world do. But that is true with anything, not just this in particular is it not? The moment you came to this foreign land and took your first breath, you risked your life. That itself could have killed you. You met the locals and risked your life, you met your enemy and risked your life - stayed with your allies and even still...you risked your life. Should you not be used to this by now? Heh. Anywho - you've got your tools as it is so if it gets too hairy you can always turn back and abort can't you? Ah kids these days, training wheels! Now lets cut to the chase and shop!" he said with great excitement in his voice - slapping his hand down on the counter as a puff of smoke enshrouded it before dispersing. With the addition of what was hanging on his bag now the counter was adorned with tools and trinkets. They were as followed:

- Channeling Staff, appearing to be a shaolin tri-sectioned staff holding an odd special ability (3 vouchers)
- Sanzou Vajra, novice level vajra capable of channeling ones hadou into a protective shield (3 vouchers)
- Sacred Antivenmon (3 Vouchers)
- Ouka Hand Axe's, two hatchets adorned with Ouka style Kanji. It is said that they always return to their user: (5 Vouchers)
- Sacred Bell, It is unknown what ringing this bell will do: (5 Vouchers)
- Revival Pill, consuming this will save the user from imminent death, albeit at a cost: (7 Vouchers)

All prices are otherwise negotiable.​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Sentou stared at the merchant for a moment as he tried to process what he had said. Gum..did he just say gum? A puzzled young man would look back toward Kasami and Ko as if what he heard was a different language and they were capable of translating the message before he returned his gaze to the merchant. His eye twitched in bewilderment and slight frustration, “You’re joking, right? There was this merchant in Kyotoshiro that gave me a pair of Tonfa and all he took was my hair… Just how expensive are your wares?” Sentou asked, was it too little? Did he need more of his hair? “I’m not plucking anymore hair, had I known you drove such a hard bargain I would’ve saved what Kasami cut off my head, but who the hell does that?” Sentou muttered to himself with his arms crossed over his chest and his head turned from everyone. It appeared he had misread the situation completely, however, he’d leave it at that. He’d remain attentive as he listened to the merchant further answer their questions. He’d shrug his shoulders and tilt his head, Sentou couldn’t really argue with that logic. Shallow, but it made sense considering he was a businessman after all. The only thing that piqued his interest really was his mention of another chaperone figure not being far off their destination. He really did seem to know a lot. At least they were on the same side.

Once the merchant slammed his hand upon the counter, Sentou would look back his way to see a hefty amount of equipment and items that were displayed. He looked over it all several times to get an understanding of what was available. There were a few items that caught his eye, between the staff and the hatchet he was curious as to what the bell was. He was beginning to question the price of everything when he remembered he had received vouchers from Kiyoshi before they left the castle. “Oh! Vouchers…what the hell was I thinking. Look, I met a weird merchant before, I’m sorry.” Sentou said as he quickly rummaged through his satchel pulling out his vouchers. He remembered getting two from Kiyoshi, but he had three, had he not used the one Tengu gave him? Slamming them down on the counter, Sentou felt like he was ready to do business, however, before he impulsively bought something, he looked back towards his allies, “I’ve got three vouchers, what about you two? I’d like to get my hands on that staff if we’ve got enough.”
​

 

[Megumi]

Kasami was looking onward to the merchant expectantly awaiting his answers to the questions he was asked. At least until she saw Sentou place a stand of his short hair on the counter. She opened her mouth to say something, just as confused at the question of its worth as the merchant was, only for it to snap shut as they fell silent. The way he looked from the strand to Sentou like he was in disbelief already had her laughter bubbling up in her, but it was the merchant’s response that pushed her composure over the edge. Kasami tried hard to hold it in for a moment, but the more she tried the more it tried to break free of her lips before she burst. She turned her face away and covered her mouth with the back of her hand, genuinely laughing for the first time in a long while. Sentou’s response certainly hadn’t made it any better, but she managed to sober up a little as she wiped her eyes of the tears that had formed. ”Hey, can I get that gum though? Since he already plucked it from his head.” Her laughter died down into occasional fits of giggles that were stifled behind her lips, trying to regain her more serious composure.

They had an hour. And from the sounds of it what happened after that hour was up would be determined by then. It sobered her up considerably, but it only gave her more questions. She cleared her throat and scratched below her ear as she thought about what he meant. Their minds weren’t exactly “out of the game” when all that weirdness had begun to happen. Unless those hallucinations before Ko went over the railing hadn’t been caused by Hadou and that came after. But if that wasn’t the case and they’d been focused, and those hallucinations were Hadou, what would make the difference an hour later when it was all being suppressed anyway? The further her mind wandered in thought, the less she was paying attention, while her thumbnail was a prisoner of her front teeth. She was startled a bit as the merchant slammed his hand down, jumping slightly and refocusing on the conversation. Sentou looked at her and Ko, whom she had unconsciously been rubbing on his back as he coughed up a lung without looking at him, and asked about their vouchers.

“Well..” Her voice trailed off as she left her hand on Ko’s back unless he had moved and moved her other hand from biting her nail to reach back into her pouch. Taking them out she was extra careful with them, letting them lay in the palm of her hand as she placed the other hand over them and moved chakra through her, putting enough Katon in them to dry them without scorching anything. There was a small bit of steam, but that was all. No smoke- thankfully. She counted them in her head by how many tassels there were and she looked at the items. “I have four. I haven’t really been spending them on anything.” Of all the items on the counter there were a few that interested her, but their practicality was a bit questionable. She couldn’t use some of them, and others their use was indiscernible- namely the bell. She looked at Ko. “Is there anything you’ve got your eye on?” She was just curious really. She knew what Sentou wanted but didn’t know what Ko was thinking or if any of it even interested him. If she could spend her vouchers on being able to understand the man she loved she’d give them in a heartbeat. He was so.. hot and cold sometimes. But perhaps these changes recently meant that wouldn’t last forever. She looked at the counter again and but on her thumbnail again in thought. ​

 

[CelestialBlack]

Kasami stifled back her laughter and whether or not it was coyly being facetious or serious she asked for the gum, to which the merchant would gladly oblige with a shrug of his shoulders as he tossed over the blueberry mint stick of gum towards her all the while tilting his head at the odd young monk before him. Given his hair to a merchant in...Kyotoshiro? The man rubbed the top of his counter in contemplation as he seemed to be mulling over something in his head. From behind long feminine lashes he opened his eyes and squinted at the boy as he repeated back to him in a confused manner:
"A merchant....in Kyotoshiro, took your...hair? A'ha...I'd hate to e the bearer of bad news friend, but theres not a single soul left in Kyotoshiro alive. You may want to question the intention of that trade deal."
All the while he said this Ko stood next to Kasami listening. The expression upon his face was not so much absent as it was like he was focusing on something more internally. His own body - trying to feel out the differences and focus on the way it felt as the hadou waned and dwindled to nothing after taking the pill. He would need to focus on every slight detail of it so he could better recognize the voice that as due to inevitably come screaming back to him in an hour...and perhaps in his observation of such he could better theorize how to deal with the impending time bomb that was ticking away in his chest at the time. As the merchant mentioned the bit about Kyotoshiro he seemed not entirely shocked but more so concerned for what the ramifications of such a thing could mean...or more accurately how disheartening the lack of understanding to its purpose could mean. Usually people with plans beyond understanding were not a good sign in this foreign land. He looked over at Sentou to gauge his reaction, to see if perhaps there was a reason more so beyond what he knew that they should be worried or something about the matter that maybe he could connect the dots and gain understanding as to who and why this would happen; after all, he was not with them the moment that they were in Kyotoshiro - he'd appeared to them after the fact when they had taken to the road...and he did kill the only guide and living record as to what had been going on in there aside from Kiyoshi. He was soon consciously pulled from his train of thought by the voice of Kasami, looking over at her it begged the question as to if there were anything that he particularly wanted? Looking at the items that were available he took a brief - but very focused glance at each of the things and as he did, nothing in particular seemed to really reach out and grab him...he was oddly, comfortable with what he had to offer to get the job done in the moment and on top of that? He didnt honestly like giving the merchant his business in particular. Reaching into his pocket he pulled three vouchers from within and looked at it with a raised brow...maybe best not to burn them all up in one spot despite the fact that he trusted Kasami with the choice pertaining to them in the first place. However still - he thought it best to voice his thoughts before holding them up to her:
"Y'know? Nothing here really snatches my fancy. Use what ya need to, but just for sake of saying - I would like to keep at least one single voucher on me. Call it an odd gamble I'm taking on something."
With that being said he would keep them up for Kasami to take however many from the trio that she needed - left to pocket whatever was left, he would turn and look over his shoulder at the forest outside that await between them and the idol they had come for. So close...and yet he had a sneaking suspicion that they were oh so far away...and with an hour before this unknown factor - the Hadou either made their job harder on them...or hopefully gave them an edge that they wouldnt need any sooner then that. A log inhale filled Ko's chest, followed by a slow exhale as he would look over between the two:
"Whenever you guys are ready. I'm down to get this show on the road. Take your time, but remember...we only have an hour before the entire way we approach this maybe gets reframed."
As he said such he would place his hand on Kasami's shoulder - his expression quite serious he leaned in and planted a firm kiss upon her lips. Heartfelt - a lot was happening all at once and the only thing that he could think was that along with that, anything could happen for the better or for the worse. With that kiss planted, he tucked his hands in his pockets and started to walk over to meet the doorway towards the garden forest...standing in the bright glow of the sunlight outside. ​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

He felt somewhat defeated when Kasami began laughing despite trying to hold it back and even hide her face, he could feel a knot growing above his eyebrow as that disappointment grew into irritation, however that quickly faded from his facial features as he started to fully register what the merchant had said. There wasn’t a single living soul in Kyotoshiro, that couldn’t be possible, right? He and Eiji both had interacted with a merchant during their time in the town, were those merchants ghosts roaming the streets? A chilling sensation shot down his spine at that realization as the young man visibly shivered for a moment, it felt too crazy to be true, but considering all the things he had learned in his short time in Naraka and having a run-in with the corpse of his former teacher yesterday he wasn’t baffled too much. Each time he gained insight about Naraka it would be followed with more questions, just how did he get himself roped up in this unsettling place again? “Hmm...Kyotoshiro’s a ghost town? Why’d the ghost take my hair..?” He muttered to himself, feeling detached from reality for a moment. Was there a connection between Kyotoshiro and Totsuka, or was it just a coincidence? He didn’t have enough hard evidence to make a proper deduction, for now, he’d rummage through the thought until he came up with a stronger theory.

He’d soon begin to pull himself from his thoughts as he felt the eyes of another on the back of his head, swiveling his head around to see what was happening he’d meet Ko’s gaze for a moment. It felt like he was searching for something, but since he himself was out of the loop, Sentou would give a shrug prior to listening to the redhead’s response to Kasami. He seemed to be making a lot of sense, it’d be a waste to use these vouchers haphazardly, and there was no way to know for sure if something more important would reveal itself later. It’d suck not being able to get their hands on more useful items, besides, he still had his tonfa and hadn’t had the opportunity to fully grasp them yet. “Maybe Ko’s right... Maybe the next time I see you I’ll grab the staff then, I still need to get comfortable with the weapon I have now..but it’d be stupid to pass up on your wares..” He let out a bit of a sigh as he felt confused about what to do, besides the staff, the Vajra looked interesting, and despite the utility of the food pill, the hefty price of 7 vouchers seemed a little too much. “Eh, screw it. I’m just going to pass for now, hopefully, we cross paths again soon.” Sentou finally finished his train of thought as he spoke to the merchant. As much as he’d love sitting around, contemplating and conversing, they really didn’t have ample time to waste considering there was only an hour before the drugs wore off. Giving the merchant a quick nod of his head, Sentou would give his farewells before stepping back and giving the stage to Kasami should she find anything interesting to snag standing between her and Ko as he waited for her departure. Once the three were ready he would follow their lead, the sooner they left the monastery the sooner he’d feel better.

​

 

[Megumi]

Kasami didn't want to take all of his vouchers, but she knew that there were a few things that would come in handy for them and one that was merely just a curiosity. She took two of his vouchers, clearly not feeling the best about it, but left him with the one that he had desired to keep as she smiled uncomfortably at him. She sat them down with her own vouchers on the counter and was listening to Ko and Sentou when she felt Ko's hand on her shoulder. She reached up and rest her hand on his as she looked up to see what he wanted . As his face grew closer to hers, her eyes widened slightly, heart skipping a beat as anxiety and anticipation alike bubbled up in her stomach. He had never kissed her before, but there was always that hope that he would any time that he got that close. It was something that she dreamed about. So as he drew close she stood still, both frozen in surprise and because she didn't want to be assuming, but suddenly his lips were upon hers. Her lips quivered slightly as she closed her eyes, her hand tightening on his as she kissed him back before allowing him to retreat. The young woman was left standing there in shock, having a hard time processing the fact that she'd not only just had her first kiss, but it was the first time that Ko had been intimate with her. Turning slightly, her heart pounding in her ears and her cheeks flushed a little, she watched him standing in the glow of the radiant sun and felt her heart tighten in her chest.

After a long moment of being lost, she blinked and turned back to the merchant, the blush on her cheeks darkening as she rubbed the back of her neck and rest her hand there as she lowered her eyes to the counter. "Right, so... We would have had a significant more amount of vouchers right before we got here, but we've lost half of our team. Eiji and Kirinji went back to the castle and Kirinji never came back. I don't suppose we could work something out to... make it more affordable to us? We've only got seven vouchers to spend. I want the anti-venom and the vajra for certain, but something about that bell is just calling to me." She cleared her throat, still a little flustered and working through it as she lowered her hands to the counter to split the vouchers apart and spread them out. "Could you maybe lower the prices by one voucher? I'd offer you something in return to make up for the loss, but I'm not sure I have anything that you'd want at this time. I'm sure you already know that I can hear him since I have his eye, and you are always one step ahead of everything just like Izanagi." She knew it probably wasn't likely. At least she'd be able to get the vajra and the anti-venom and hold onto a voucher herself as well if he refused. ​

 

[CelestialBlack]

"Ha - dont worry. All of my wares are adhered to a very specific clientel and I can assure you that almost no one else has their eye on that staff right now. I'll most certainly have it here and ready for you the next time that we do meet - and certainly believe that there will always be a next time."
The merchant re-assured Sentou at the notion that he question should it be in his inventory another time and that he may pass. He could tell that the young man had his eyes set upon it - ironic in his thoughts knowing who the only other person that looked at it was...but he was a man of self-assured action and would very scarcely trust his life to a weapon by any regard. He'd not be back for it. But just as he said this he would notice that Kasami would approach him and start in, listening quietly all the way up to the point that she asked if he could lower the price for them. That notion made his brow raise for a moment before he started to shake his head as she continued on about making him an offer, then as he was shaking his head about to tell her that there was no way that he would ever do such a thing she mentioned the fact that she could hear...."him". His demeanor froze - more so snapped to realignment as his eyes narrowed at her like a wolf and his expression flushed. "You. Can hear who now?" he looked at the very eye that she mentioned knowing who's it was and in disbelief he put two and two together, gauging her expression almost as if to try and decipher whether or not this was some kind of joke, a c0n, or some ploy to gauge his knowledge in some way. But she was being genuine...his voice was much more gaunt and his demeanor was no longer lazy - but more so...looming, heavy in presence. "You can hear him? Not that, that is a viable bargaining chip to my wares - they're one of a kind, not found anywhere else. But...you can hear....-him-? What does he say to you? Does he speak in regard of the present or the past?" The merchant seemed to be very urgent about the matter, even so far as pacifying against some of the subconscious things he was feeling by touching and roughly rubbing his face. He turned almost as if to walk away and then turned back to her with his hand outstretched, palm towards the ground in a halting moment as he had to halt his own rapid thoughts and ask in a dire manner: ".....He can see me? He knows that you speak with me?" In the moment that he said this Ko had caught wind of all of the hysterics from down the hall. Turning about half way he looked over and watched, wondering what was it that was making the merchant so uncomfortable about this. Whats more, he very evidently didnt know, was it that which bothered him so much about this? Either way - the fact that he had this kind of reaction spiked Ko's tactical mindset even more. Because if this broke the enigmatic shield of the merchant, then perhaps it was something that they would do very well to keep in mind and know more about. He'd listen on from a distance, standing more so at the ready and in tension then anything else though he hid it very well...he simply looked focused. Meanwhile all the moment that the countdown started for her to answer his question suddenly aside her only she would see the visage of the purple haired man standing there, not even visually paying her much mind as he looked upon the merchant from behind the mental one way glass:
"The past. Mostly. At times the present - but only in echos of what I think or feel. Its honestly more like - my subconscious being read back to me in his voice, in a way. I don't think theres anything there of him to know of you. And what small glimpses of memory there are, tend to be few and far between and a senseless jumble if they happen."
He spoke not towards her but almost as if he was speaking through her - giving her the answers to the pop quiz she had received to assure her the best results that she could get from it with stiff coldness in his visage as he recited words that seemed to make her lips move unconsciously to repeat them. Once that was said he would turn and walk off, but the moment he left her periphery she'd no longer be able to find him, feel his presence - and just like that the voice in her head was gone. Silent again. ​

 

[Sentou Sanada]

Sentou gave the merchant an assuring smile to his statement, hopefully, those paths would be crossed sooner rather than later. He didn’t know much about the man, but there was something about him that seemed to put him at ease, even if he appeared a little shady. At least he wasn’t like the ogre’s from the forest or the members of the Burning Dawn hellbent on trying to kill them. For now, he was an ally and that’s all that mattered to Sentou. Having moved within the gap left between Kasami and Ko, he waited patiently for whatever it was she had planned. A bit of a chuckle escaped his lips as she tried to coax a deal out of the man, it was only funny because he hadn’t thought of that, perhaps there was something he could’ve exchanged other than his hair to get what it was he wanted. He still had the food pill the merchant had given him in his tea shop and his tonfa’s from the merchant in Kyotoshiro, but who knew whether or not the merchant would even consider trading something for an item he personally gave Sentou? It didn’t matter, as he said, he’d most likely still have his wares when they meet in the future so it was something he’d have to worry about next time. They were on limited time after all. As Kasami and the merchant continued to converse with one another, Sentou would remain attentive to the situation in case she actually succeeded in bargaining with him. She had mentioned being able to hear ‘him’, something that posed as a point of interest to the merchant but left Sentou oblivious as to what she meant by that.


Before he could even open his mouth to ask what she meant, the merchant would respond to her in a way that Sentou would describe as being out of character. Ever since he met him, he seemed like a calm collected individual where nothing seemed to surprise him. It was like he knew everything that was happening, he remembered how the man was capable of telling him where exactly his allies were when he had asked about their whereabouts. Taking a look over his shoulder to gauge Ko’s reaction he would see the red-haired man following along. Sentou raised a brow as if questioning Ko if he knew what was happening before he returned to the matter at hand, listening to Kasami explain just the past and present at times. She was always with them, so when was she talking to someone? Was she meaning Izanagi? Was she speaking to him through the pendant they received before leaving the castle? God dammit, why were there always so many questions that he couldn’t get immediate answers to? Groaning under his breath, Sentou could do nothing more but shrug it off. There was no telling what the hell was going on.
​