Home from the Holidays [Open]

Home!

Finally, the familiar landscape of Morigakure was surrounding the small little girl with the albino monkey ears and tail. The smell of the trees, shrubbery, and general nature around them caused her to skip on down the path that led directly toward the village gates - even while a bit of white clouds came off of her from the cold she naturally let off when she wasn't focused. There was such a severe contrast in her own natural body temperature and the temperature around her that it manifested physically in a way via the white clouds coming off of her.

Still, the child was covered nearly head to toe. She wore a lime green short sleeved shorts jumper with a hood with pink lining on the inside - the whole thing looking like some kind of lizard monster with ears - though the hood was down at the moment. Beneath this she wore a pair of pink and yellow stripped leggings with her feet in a pair of close toed shinobi sandals that were also green in color. Underneath of the top portion she also wore a long sleeved yellow shirt. Her hair, light blond in color, was back in a ponytail tied with a pink and green ribbon. From around her neck hung the Morigakure hitai-ate to show where her village loyalty lied. Tied around her waist was a pouch containing all sorts of medical supplies, weapons, and scrolls containing the items she had packed with her to go on their extended vacation to visit family.

Skipping next to her, just as happily as Yuki was, was Fa Mulan. Fa Mulan matched the child in coloration - covered in white fur instead of the usual brown that a monkey naturally was. Fa Mulan wore today a pink shirt with a green lizard on the front to match Yuki, and likewise had a village hitai-ate for Morigakure though much smaller than hers. In Fa Mulan's case the thing was wrapped around her waist, making her long shirt look more like a dress.

"Come on, daddy! We're almost there!", Yuki called out with a giggle. In a voice as equally as young sounding as Yuki's Fa Mulan spoke up too, "Yes, come on daddy!" It wouldn't take more than another few skips before the two small children reached the village gets and entered through them - provided they weren't stopped.

A tall figure walked at a relaxed pace, keeping his eyes on his daughter and companion. Satoshi couldn't help but feel rejuvenated after the visit to his family and friends. He was a social creature, so the more the merrier. He just wished they would come to Morigakure with him, but they would not. He watched as clouds of icey mist floated off Yuki's body, smiling at their opposite natures. His body ran hot, and he rather disliked the cold. How he ended up with a daughter who used Demonic Ice was beyond him. It worked out though, as their temperatures usually off set each other. He smiled as he saw the green begin to surround him. Life was abundant in Morigakure, which was not always the case in his previous home.

His daughter encouraged him to hurry, to which Fa Mulan agreed and also called him daddy. In a way, the little primeape was also like a child to him. While it might have seemed strange to others, Satoshi didn't mind it in the least. His red tank top hugged his body and black shorts draped to his knees. His morigakure headband was secured around his right thigh, and a smile was on his face. "I'm right behind you, go!" He loved encouraging her happy attitude, as he was just as excited. He would followed his family through the gates, nodding to the guards. He checked his chakra radar to make sure everything about the village was okay, and it was. Now it was time to find something to do. "So what do you want to do now that we are home?" He turned to Yuki with a smile as he asked.

Word Count: 287

So one of the "maniacs" out in the woods were gone, but there was still the matter of the other one, who was said to be much worse. Not to mention the 2 morons who were still MIA without a trace. Things had calmed down since the little one left, but it didn't give Kurai any less of a headache. There was still mountains of paperwork, still the sending of patrols out into the wilds, still the scanning of the lands himself. Kurai had began to write off those two idiots as dead. He also hoped that he didn't send something into Kurayami that he'd soon regret...

...And when thing seemed like they couldn't get any worse, in walked 2 unknown powerhouses. One was a child, another was a grown man. As they were unknown, Kurai didn't know if they were friendly or hostile. So, Kurai couldn't just sit there while 2 powerful individuals just waltzed into the village he was supposed to be protecting, for the time being at least. Little Kong, in one of the windows, had notice the pair himself, and he rubbed his eyes with a sigh as he stood up.

Eventually, a tall man could be seen standing on the roof of a nearby house. He had shoulder length black hair and a pale complexion. The man was dressed in completely in black: a black coat that swayed in the breeze going through the trees, and a black body suit that was tight around the chest but baggy around the legs. He had on no shoes, going barefoot. Next to him was a 3 foot brown monkey named Little Kong.

Kurai, the current Harukage, purposely put himself somewhere where he would be seen. If either of them had the ability to sense, they would easily recognize that he was no ordinary villager. If not, then he would have to personally inform them. For the moment, he didn't know who they were, so he, nor Little Kong, were taking any chances. There was a stressed, frustrated look on his face. Would he have to face off against the 2 of them?

Yuki looked to Fa Mulan as she heard her father's question; she was wondering what her furry little companion wanted to do. Fa Mulan opened her mouth to speak and likely answer Yuki's silent question and then suddenly closed it again. The albino monkey looked around for a moment before pointing up toward the roof where the individual dressed in black stood. The monkey started jumping up and down in place excitedly. "Look! A new person!", Fa Mulan exclaimed in her child-like voice.

Yuki followed where the monkey was pointing, getting a sense that this individual was relatively strong - more so than most others in the village. Yuki just smiled like normal - she was a happy child despite being a powerhouse, and in fact rarely used her abilities - and waved a hello with her left hand since her right was still holding Fa Mulan's. "Hello, there! I haven't seen you here before... but my daddy and I haven't been home in a very long time. I'm Yuki, this is my friend Fa Mulan, and that..." she would point toward her father "... is my daddy, his name is Satoshi. Who are you? Are you new here?", she asked curiously. She didn't bother acting like anything else then she was: she was a powerhouse only because it had been forced on her through violent and rigorous training, but since she had been adopted she acted exactly like she was, a child.

As Yuki waited to see if she'd be given a response, and fully expecting one, she reached into a pouch at her side with her monkey-like tail and pulled from it two bananas. She took one with her right hand, peeled the skin back, and then broke the banana in two before giving half of it to Fa Mulan. The monkey shoved her whole half in her mouth at once, causing her cheeks to puff out and Yuki to giggle. Yuki then shook her head slightly and took a bite of her own half.

"Aren't you hot in all of that black?", Fa Mulan would ask curiously as the monkey finished chewing and swallowing her banana half.

It seemed like only a few moments, probably was to be honest, but suddenly Satoshi's expression changed. He looked to the direction of the movement he sensed. As someone with a strong chakra radar, he was already aware of the two particularly strong ninja, and a smaller entity in the area. When one of those people and what seemed like a small ape started to head in their direction, the former Kage went into protection mode. He was in front of Kaia and Fa Mulan in a mere flash, watching as the man landed on the roof. It seemed like Fa Mulan had noticed as well, as the monkey pointed and announced his presence. Fa Mulan almost made him smile with his giddy nature, but he had to focus. The man in front of him was probably more powerful than he was, and it made him nervous.

It wasn't that Satoshi wasn't friendly, as he was quite friendly. It also wasn't like Yuki wasn't just as capable a fighter as he was, he just wanted to be safe. His parental instincts were on high alert. From what he could tell, the man also had a bijuu sealed in him. Which made him all the more capable. If he wasn't Kage, he should be. Yuki then spoke with her usual friendliness, introducing the three of them in the process. Satoshi's stance wasn't threatening, as he was just in front for safety reasons. He let his daughter finish, and then watched as she split a banana in half for her and her companion. The albino monkey basically swallowed his half, and then asked if the man was hot in all the black clothing. He would wait another second to make sure everyone was done before speaking.

"Judging by the high levels of chakra you and the beast within you have, I'm guessing you are here to see if we are a threat. I can assure you, we mean no harm to this place. As a former Kage of a village from a distant land, I know how that goes." He spoke calmly, showing no anger as he awaited a response. If the two of them had walked into his village? He would have been there instantly as well. This was a positive sign, as whoever was in charge was clearly doing a good job. He would await the man's response, as he didn't want to be rude. They needed to make a good impression if they wanted to stay here.

Word Count: 716

Well, as expected, the man got in front of the girl; protective measures. He was fast; faster than Kurai was, for the moment at least. Kurai didn't move, keeping his hands in his coat pockets while it and his hair continued swaying in the breeze blowing, but Little Kong went into a defensive stance, frowning. these definitely were no ordinary folk. The girl was acting child-like despite being arguably just as powerful as he was - even with Kua sealed - but the man, much like himself, appeared to be taking no chances.

The girl spoke first after identifying Kurai. She introduced herself as Yuki, and her simian companion as Fa Mulan. The man, her father, was named Satoshi. Yuki said they hadn't been home in a very long time, which meant that they were residents here long before Kurai showed up, probably in the time of Temaki. The man proved that he had sensory techniques far beyond the norm, instantly identifying Kurai as a Jinchuuriki. He knew that Kurai and Little Kong were here to see if they were a threat, and informed him that they meant no harm. Satoshi said that he was once a Kage so he knew how things went.

The frustrated, stressed look on his face didn't change. Fa Mulan asked if he was hot wearing all black. "...Not really," was Kurai's response. "...My name is Kurai, i'm the temporary Harukage... If what you say is true, you two probably lived here in Temaki's time... she left, and a moron was put in charge, so his position was forcibly taken from him by an associate of mine. This associate is the Kage of Kurayamigakure; his name is Alec Kane. There is currently an alliance between all villages due to several powerful individuals wandering the wilds. Myself and my sister were put in charge here to shape up the village and assure the safety of the villagers until such time as a permanent Harukage is put in charge... So, with these powerful villains wandering about, the two of you appearing out of the blue is cause for alarm..."

Kurai didn't know what to make of this. With everything that had been going on, he hadn't been getting much sleep, so he was thinking on this with a tired, stressed mind. Were they enemies? Or were they really residents? Kurai just waited for the first attack...

A sad look passed across Yuki's face as she peaked out around her father who had positioned himself in front of her protectively. She didn't like hearing that Temaki was gone, and feared that something was wrong, or that something had happened while they were gone. "Did something happen to TemTem and her dogs? Are they okay?", she asked suddenly.

She stepped out from behind her father so that she was standing beside him, a banana still being held with her tail. Fa Mulan likewise stepped to the other side of Yuki, though she hardly was picking up the defensive mood that seemed to be around. She, like Yuki, was completely calm - though she too was worried about Temaki now.

"There's no need to be alarmed at us, Mister Kurai. We moved here from a far away place. Sometimes we go back home a few months out of the year to visit because our family won't move here. Miss Temaki gave us permission, and even had her doggies follow us out to the border to make sure nothing happened - I got to ride on the all white one with the pretty eyes, so did Fa Mulan.", she said with a happy giggle.

"I don't know about powerful villains though... The last evil people I ran into were the ones my daddy rescued me from - the people who experimented on me and the other people they were trying to make super soldiers out of." Fa Mulan took that moment to climb up Yuki's back and sit on her shoulders, yawning.

"...My name is Kurai, i'm the temporary Harukage... If what you say is true, you two probably lived here in Temaki's time... she left, and a moron was put in charge, so his position was forcibly taken from him by an associate of mine. This associate is the Kage of Kurayamigakure; his name is Alec Kane. There is currently an alliance between all villages due to several powerful individuals wandering the wilds. Myself and my sister were put in charge here to shape up the village and assure the safety of the villagers until such time as a permanent Harukage is put in charge... So, with these powerful villains wandering about, the two of you appearing out of the blue is cause for alarm..."

Well, he just learned a lot. Temaki was gone? He figured she might have stepped down, but left the village? He didn't expect that. He would make sure to take Yuki to see her whenever they had the chance. The next bit of information made Satoshi raise an eyebrow. Alec Kane? Satoshi had heard the name before, he was sure of it. Maybe some incident back in the distant lands. Regardless, those things did not matter, as those lands were not the same. No need to go digging up the past. Wait, they weren't the only high level shinobi in the woods? He didn't sense anyone on their way here, but that does not mean the shinobi could not block such abilities. It was because of those shinobi, that the Kage was hesitant to just allow them access. His daughter then spoke.

"Did something happen to TemTem and her dogs? Are they okay? There's no need to be alarmed at us, Mister Kurai. We moved here from a far away place. Sometimes we go back home a few months out of the year to visit because our family won't move here. Miss Temaki gave us permission, and even had her doggies follow us out to the border to make sure nothing happened - I got to ride on the all white one with the pretty eyes, so did Fa Mulan. I don't know about powerful villains though... The last evil people I ran into were the ones my daddy rescued me from - the people who experimented on me and the other people they were trying to make super soldiers out of."

As she spoke, Yuki and Fa Mulan moved from behind him and stood at his side instead. If the man was going to attack, Satoshi felt he would have done so by now. He listened to his daughter speak to the Kage, nodding in agreement to what she said. Everything she said was true, and he remembered it well. "Those men are no longer around to hurt anyone else." He said with a gentle smile towards her. He then looked back to Kurai. "Alec Kane huh? Sems vaguely familiar, but I can't put a finger on it. Regardless, what if the two of us agreed to help the protect the village from these crazy people? It would give you and your sister time to breathe and focus on other things. As you can tell, we are more than capable of being helpful in this situation. In return, allow us return here to live." He spoke honestly as he looked to his daughter for approval. She would be especially helpful if the man were to say. She was a people person and tended to bring people together with her natural charm, not to mention she was incredibly capable of defending herself and making decisions.

Satoshi was just hoping they didn't have to go back on the road. He had done enough of that in his lifetime, and many faces flashed through his mind as he thought of all the people in his life that were no longer around. He wanted to settle and build somewhere, a life for him and his little family. He wanted that place to be Morigakure, but that was all up to this stranger he had just met. He just hoped this didn't go badly.

Word Count: 1,409

Yuki seemed concerned about what happened to Temaki, and said there was no reason for him to be on the defensive. Sometimes they took long trips that lasted for months. She said she didn't know anything about the villains wandering about. To be as strong as she was, she was either putting on a really good act, or this was her true nature.

Satoshi said he'd heard of Alec somewhere, which came as no surprise with all the racket he and his family caused back on the other continent. He then offered to help protect the village from outside invaders to give him and his twin some "breathing room." He asked to be allowed to return to Mori, which Kurai responded to by rubbing his eyes with a sigh. Little Kong relaxed, determining that these two weren't a threat.

"...I can't deny you the right to return to where you live," Kurai said, then he and Little Kong jumped to the ground, both landing silently. "Especially seeing as you lived here before I came along, nor can I deny you the right to protect this place. One of the "villains" has been dealt with, but the other one, just as dangerous as the first while being mentally unstable, is still out there somewhere..."

Kurai and Little Kong began to walk back towards the Admin Complex. "Temaki stepped down to care for her sick daughter full time. I don't exactly know where she went... It's no surprise that you've heard of Alec Kane. Back in the old country, he was a crime lord of an organization called "The Dark"... an organization that I was once a member of. But those days are behind us, and Alec is running Kurayamigakure legitimately... I should also inform you that we have 2 missing nin, currently awol... an Okami Uchiha, and a Muninn Senju.. If you want any more details, feel free to stop by my office in the Admin Complex."

Kurai gave a wave as he passed Satoshi and Yuki, headed towards the Admin Complex.

Exit]

Yuki didn't like the idea of fighting - she had been trained by force after all, and was only as strong as she was now because she hadn't had a choice. However, it if meant keeping the villagers safe? Then she was all for it. Kurai said that he didn't have a problem with them coming home, since they had lived here before he became kage so it wasn't exactly fair to boot them.

He also mentioned that Temaki had quit her job so that she could take care of her daughter, who was sick. Yuki found herself wondering if she would happen to run into the pair, and hoped that her daughter would be okay. Kurai went on to mention a bit about Alec Kane since her father had mentioned he sounded familiar. Apparently he was a criminal - or had been - and now was running a legitimate village. It sounded rather interesting, that was for sure.

He then went on to mention that there were two awol ninja from the village, a Senju and a Uchiha. Yuki frowned a bit and looked toward her father, wondering what he would think about it all. Kurai turned and walked away with his monkey companion, Yuki and Fa Mulan waving as they did so. "Come on daddy. Let's go home!", she said, feeling excited once more and eager to get home and unpack.

"...I can't deny you the right to return to where you live, Especially seeing as you lived here before I came along, nor can I deny you the right to protect this place. One of the "villains" has been dealt with, but the other one, just as dangerous as the first while being mentally unstable, is still out there somewhere..."

Well that was good news. Satoshi nodded with thanks as he looked to Yuki. His attention then moved back to Kurai as the Kage turned around and started to head back. He then spoke.

"Temaki stepped down to care for her sick daughter full time. I don't exactly know where she went... It's no surprise that you've heard of Alec Kane. Back in the old country, he was a crime lord of an organization called "The Dark"... an organization that I was once a member of. But those days are behind us, and Alec is running Kurayamigakure legitimately... I should also inform you that we have 2 missing nin, currently awol... an Okami Uchiha, and a Muninn Senju.. If you want any more details, feel free to stop by my office in the Admin Complex."

The details of Alec's past cleared up a bit of his memory, but what really caught his attention were the two missing ninja running around. He didn't particularly like that, so he made a mental note to eliminate those problems. "Thanks, see ya later!" He would say before waving back. Kurai seemed reasonable and patient, two good qualities of a Kage. Even if it wasn't permanent, he could see the potential for leadership. He then turned to Yuki as she told him to come on so they could go home. "Let's go!" He said smiling before darting off, knowing she was capable of keeping up.

Word Count: 1,717