Seeking the Village of the Rain

[Masakuni]

Shiro stood poised on the edge of a short cliff, glaring from side to side. A faint sprinkle coated the land of the Rain, casting an effervescent glow into the atmosphere. The light struck the droplets, creating a shower of crimson gold that streamed to the earth.

He sighed, leaping down from the cliff. He landed impeccably, his missing nin headband glinting in the wetness. Droplets clung to him, the one thing a ninja could not avoid. Rain. He sighed, looking around for the village of Rain.

He thought he saw, perhaps, a spire through the trees and rain. It was faint and insubstantial, perhaps a tree in the mist. Still, it could be what he sought. He yawned, heading for it. Hopefully, he could get the Amekage's approval to join the village. From what he heard, they needed all the strong, loyal ninja they could get.

-Amekage Approval?-

[remix]

[ RP it out some more.

[Masakuni]

Shiro sighed. It had been a tree. He stood by it's trunk, his hand on the wet, cool bark. He looked out from his vantage point, the wet grass tickling his legs. The village of Amegakure had to be nearby. He sighed again, looking around. He couldn't quite spot it anywhere. Trees towered in the misty air, pretending to be spires.

He smirked. Looks like this wouldn't be easy. He set off into the trees, moving on a whim. He hoped he would find the village soon. He didn't like being alone in the ominous, silent forest of droplets that was the land of the Rain. He darted through the trees, eyes fixed on a spire that looked more artificial then tree to him.

He sighed. This would take forever. He scratched the back of his head, moving as fast as he could. He passed a flowing stream, his feet bounding off the surface. The rain streamed down, oblivious to the nin within it. Shiro continued to run, his hand moving back to the hilt of his wakazashi. He felt it's comfortable, solid grip, eyes narrow and determined. He wasn't quite sure if he was going in the right direction, but he would find the village.

He didn't want to search all of Rain, but he would. Joining Rain was the best course of action for him. He stopped in a clearing, looking around him. The clouds above were dark, with small slits of light showing through. Rain streamed down steadily now, soaking the Snow nin. It froze into ice as it struck the Kaishin's skin, sliding off him as he ran. He closed his eyes briefly, letting his chakra flow. He needed speed, stamina, and most of all perception...

He raced through the trees, heading towards the horizon. He hoped Amegakure was this way. If not, he'd be in for a long night of searching and backtracking. He glanced upwards at the clouds, watching the rain stream down. He adjusted his mask slightly, watching the rain transmute to snow around him. He smirked. Soon, hopefully. Soon.

[remix]

A sudden flicker from the trees brought a male infront of Shiro-- somewhat not the same as before. His hair was rather short, tied in a pony tail-- his blue eyes glancing to the ground as he frowned a bit. In all, he wore a black garment over his clothes, a large neckband covering his mouth. It was Saigo-- having switched his appearance to be a bit more... who knew.

"..."

[Masakuni]

"I figure I should have just asked you." Shiro said, rubbing the back of his head. "Which way to Rain?" He asked, his stance a little servile, but strong. The rain streamed downward continually, casting a slight patter of sound over the scene.

[remix]

"What does loyalty mean to you?"

The words escaped his mouth, the jounin standing as his eyes stared deeply at the boy infront of him-- his black garment fluttering to the side in the wind as the rain poured.

[Masakuni]

"Loyalty is..." Shiro smirked for a moment. "Loyalty to me... Is being ready to do what is needed, for you village or loved ones. Die, perhaps. Live on and continue to serve, even better." He stopped, hesitating. "I learned my lesson about betrayal. I'll never go there again." Shiro sighed, looking around. He wasn't quite sure what to say.

[remix]

"You're hesitant, hesitance is a hinderance."

He spoke, his eyes closing as he waited brieftly.

"What is loyalty?"

He asked, a slight frown over his face-- however being hidden by the neckband. He would continue to do such to Shiro until the questions were answered correctly.

[Masakuni]

Shiro frowned. What was loyalty? The same question. What was it, really.

"Doing what I have to. Without hesitation. Without deliberation." He stopped for a moment, thinking. "However. You can't have my loyalty if you don't earn it." he shut his mouth. He didn't know how long this would take.

[remix]

"What is loyalty...?"

He asked thrice, knowing the boy had no true clue what it meant to be loyal at all.

[Masakuni]

"I don't know." Shiro said finally. "But I intend to learn." He sighed. So he'd failed, then.

[remix]

"As a shinobi, we are tools for our master. We do as we are told no matter how difficult or foolish it may seem. We have no heart-- we have no feelings. If we don't uphold the laws, then who will?"

He spoke in a rather soft tone-- as if he was tired, a bit relaxed.

"Being loyal to a village is a very pathetic idea. In the end, without a master who knows how to use his tools, the tools will go to rot and rust, and the village itself will be managed poorly. That is if, our master is unknowing. Yet, if he is wise and we indeed can put our trust in him, then our loyalty goes with him until he dies, and we must find someone else."

"Your loyalty was never with Teramune. Nor with your village. You have no loved ones, you have no heart. You're simply an object to be used against the enemies of the state; nothing more."

A sigh escaped his mouth, and in the distance past him one could make out the village entrance. "Don't enter the village yet, the kage is away and it's pointless. You wouldn't want to be killed, would you?"

And with that, he flickered. [exit]

[Masakuni]

Shiro sighed, absorbing Saigo's words. He would have to wait then... He settled down into his signature crouch, eyes alert. He would have to camp out here, now that he'd found the place...

-Amekage Approval?-

[kininata]

A flicker of motion came from the ground next to Shiro, and within the blink of an eye a tall man, wearing little more than a sleeveless vest, leggings and a Rain forehead protector stood over him - the only identifying mark on him was a long, twisted scar down his left arm. He looked around briefly, checking to see if others were nearby, and looked back down on him.

'Well, boy, you look like you want to be out of the rain. Come with me and you will see the Amekage. Make any wrong moves, and that will be your end.'

He turned back towards the Village, and waited for the young boy to follow.

[Amekage Approval to enter - post in my office after replying here]

[Masakuni]

Shiro nodded to the man, his motions precise and cautious. He did not want to arouse any sort of suspicion or concern from the man. The headband of a missing nin was more than enough to keep him under constant watch. He straightened his forehead protector, glanced up at the sky, and followed the ninja with friendly, slow motions.

-Exit-

(Many Thanks, Kini!)