Hyouketsu Estate: The Gathering Storm

[kininata]

[Enter]

Kininata staggered through the door with his bags of newly gained equipment, dropping them on the floor. He slammed the door shut and moved jadedly towards the shower, stripping off as he did. He did try to stand for the shower, but he just leaned and slid down the wall as the hot, cleansing water washed away the blood and mud on his body. Flashbacks of the battle at the Sepulcher entered his thoughts, seeing so many fall at his hands. He knew they were just creations from dead people, but some would have been members of the village.

After what felt like ten minutes he brought himself back onto his feet and finished his shower. He could feel strength coming back to him, feeling the marks left behind by his recent medical treatment. 'Not even a day outside and I'm going to head back into that mess. This is nuts.'' He said, walking to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. The moment he devoured the food he set an alarm for thirty minutes before the meeting was supposed to happen. A little rest...

...the alarm sounded, his eyes flicking open at the sudden sound. He double checked, seeing he had been asleep for over a hour. He grabbed himself a set of fresh, clean travel garments from his chest, then started arming up. He filled the cloak with the new kunai, wrapping half of them in explosive tags. He sheathed all three of his swords on himself - his two family blades on his back over the cloak, the chakra sword at his side. He pulled on the armoured greaves next, then prepared his ice gourd, and finished off with ensuring his medical bag was in place before pulling on the gauntlets. He felt heavier than usual, but he could feel power back in his body. He was, for now at least, recovered and ready.

He pulled the hood over his head and made his way to the sewer entrance to meet the Amekage and that young woman. This was far from over... and Kininata was not going to hold back this time.

[Exit]

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

A small envelope felt into the mailbox. It had a stamp on it featuring Raijin - a sure sign that it was from Kaminari no kuni. The envelope itself looked relatively normal apart from that.
Inside was a small piece of paper that was carnation pink. Kininata would probably recognize the handwriting straight away.

SPOILER: Click to show

What the letter read:

Hello Kininata.

By the time you read this, I'm in the biggest city at the warmest island. I've booked a room at the place I suggested. PS: This is a two person bedroom.

See you there!

MKK.

[/color][/spoiler]

[kininata]

The note was on his desk, the window open. He rubbed a towel over his wet hair and looked around, just catching sight of a familiar bird in heading off. 'Aha!' He dropped the towel and lunged at the note, joy and warmth filling him as he did. He quickly read it, knew exactly where to go, and burned the note. No one else needed to know. He quickly started rummaging through his possessions, packing beach apparel, lounging clothes, a couple of nice suits and his travelling garb. He opened the safe and placed his prized possessions in storage, setting traps all around the door for extra security.

He disguised the bag as a mission pack, suited up into his travel gear, and made his way towards the first real vacation in some time. Hopefully, a good one too.

[Exit]

[kininata]

[Enter]

Kininata quickly slung his pack onto his couch and headed to his bathroom. He proceeded to have a fast shower, then change into his more traditional clothes with his Chuunin jacket - it was time he started looking the part for his duties. He grabbed his new cloak, then started making his way to the Amekage tower. Time to check in, and get his career moving a step forwards.

[Exit]

[kininata]

[Enter]

The air was heavy, stagnant. A faint hint of mold and rot came from the kitchen. Dust and web were prevalent, all disturbed as the front door to the estate were slid open. 'Well, I'm gonna have to get this mess sorted first. Suiton! Tajuu Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!' He spoke, with fifteen copies of himself forming ahead of him in the house. 'Get to work, me's. I'm going to get used to surroundings.' They nodded then got to cleaning the house of the mess, at least an hours work for that many of them.

He leaped onto the roof with ease, settling himself on the precipice of the roof top and started looking around. His eye's slowly scanned the horizon around him to take in the sight, to adjust to being enclosed in a village again, surrounded by rain and clouds, towering structures of metal and stone. Cold... uninviting almost. There were a few differences, though. A few repaired buildings, a few paint jobs, new structures that didn't look quite so ominous. He pulled out a coil of hay from his cloak, pulled out of the of the strands, and started to chew very lightly on one end of it as he put the coil back. He found it relaxing where he had been of late, with the hopes that such a habit would work just as well here. The moist air, however, added a strange texture to the straw that ruined the experience for him. 'Damn. So much for that idea.'

He leaped down to the ground and moved inside, keeping out of the way of the clones as they cleaned his home - they had already done the central locations of key rooms, so he could place his backs and cloak down. Underneath the cloak he wore a ice-blue Kosode and Hakama with a black obi tying it together. On the back was the phrase "Cleaning Rain Shall Fall" written around the symbol of Kouu - Rainfall. At his side sat the Tenkyo Buryoku Katana that he referred to as Souzen's Redemption, named after he claimed it from the dead Amekage's hands. He carefully placed the delicate sword on the table and fell back into a chair, taking a moment to breath in the smell of being home... sighing in satisfaction. 'I'll go to the tower tomorrow. Gonna enjoy being home first.'

[kininata]

'Barely back home a day and I'm already heading out. Just like the good old days.' He said as he stepped through the door of his home to get ready for his journey. He double checked the loadout of his cloak, his on-hand weapons, and his travelling supplies. He'd need only to collect some food and water for the trip and spend a little time repacking some clothes, then he could head out.

He didn't do so straight away. He sat on the couch, looking at the small hatchway leading to his hidden supply stash; his scrolls, his spare swords, his family legacy. Still left untouched, fortunately, but he still felt at unease. He could sense that something was not right with this... that something was still here, in the village, that was hidden from sight. This new Kage seemed clear of it, but likely a puppet. Still, heading to Cloud would be a great treat for him.

After a few hours he packed everything he needed for the journey, took one look around the house and left, heading out for yet another long journey.

[Exit]