[Deleted]

It was not snowing today which made it the first time in several: instead, the sky was clear, blue - a light near cyan color. Instead, that made the wind and cool air all the sharper when there was no cloak between the ground and the sky. Sozin was dressed up warmly today on account of the hospitality provided. He had intended on using this day to actually see Kumogakure, given he had kept himself occupied with meetings or missions: and had little other time. But, given his position he was granted leave to see Kumogakure - without restriction - provided he had a guide at all times. So, he waited in the foyer of his accommodation for the duration of his stay.

Sozin was interested to get going though, and hoped that they would not provide a busybody that would shadow him all day and be boring, when he had enough of that in his usual day to day. Outside, he pulled the coat closer to his skin. His mind on the other hand was freyed with actionable things: thinking about the aspects of an agreement he had signed to make sure it was more impervious to manipulation. Another to reconfirm old boundaries - ensuring information between villages were up to date, although they didn't share borders the intelligence sharing was at a minimum and enough that allowed them to ensure their own borders were secure. Just an act as simple as confirming that their borders were the same as they had been and not subject to change by exterior or enemy forces was a lot of bureaucratic paperwork involved.

There were plenty of... exciting things to look at though, one thing that Azarea had helped him with in recent days had filled in with a sense of need and want in recent days, and it was a great day to test out his humanity once more. He didn't like drinking: didn't like to read (Even if that was his job now!) but Kumogakure was absolutely full, of beautiful, dark skinned women. It had been little secret to himself of his preference though he hadn't paid attention to anybody in that time.

All in all, he was careful to not take the gifts into vain - knowing how replaceable he was in the eyes of his Lord, and that his Lord would come first in any request. Right down to his core, he knew that he could still accomplish all that and more while enjoying himself. For who he was, and that was evil: he would root out the goodness and purity of Kumogakure as well as Kusagakure if the chance was given. Sweet thoughts ran about his mind while he waited.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

A Cold Morning

Diplomatic escort duty was generally considered the most boring work a shinobi could be assigned to by most, but Azarea would be the first to admit she enjoyed showing off her home. It had started off with Arashi-san, but since then she'd found herself accepting more and more jobs of a more peaceful and diplomatic bend. A rather welcome change and admittedly a good look for her career file given her inevitable end goal.

The fact that it was Sozin she'd been assigned to escort was simply the icing on the cake though uncertainty lingered in her bones in regards to the man given their last encounter. Whether or not they could ever go back to how they had once been or become something on newer friendlier terms was unknown. A mission however was still a mission so knocking politely upon the door of his accommodations Azarea awaited the Councilman's inevitable answer. The Kunoichi this time dressed in more casual comfy clothes to combat the cold her long crimson hair pulled back in a low ponytail with a bit of nin-wire as she munched idly on the fresh hot taiyaki she'd bought as a treat for them both. Eventually lifting her head to meet Sozin with a small almost apologetic smile when the man would open the door and discover who his escort for the day would be, "Good morning Sozin-san," She greeted, polite titles firmly back in place per the man's boundaries.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

a cool morning

Instead of waiting, he needed to grab something else. The cold was just a bit... too cold. So - he returned, but before he could get back to where he had waited, a knock arrived on his door. Sozin finished placing the warmer cloak around him. Good. The knock signified the end of one thing and the start of something else. Of course: it wasn't really that complicated, it was just him arriving at exactly what he had expected to happen: someone to arrive. He would give the room a cool once over,

Ah yes, it was the wide hipped, scarred redhead. The opening of the door would have him take a moment to recognise her, a once over of her form - and then a smile. It was evident by the light tipping of his mouth upward, and his mouth lightly ajar, the skin lines by the corner of his eyes and the rise of his chin as he greeted her.

"Azarea-san," His tone was cheerful. Though it wouldn't have been typically ideal since their last visit, she was a safe bet - and perhaps part of the reason she was guiding him today. The thought crossed his mind that this was intentional, from meeting him outside Kumogakure - to a mission together and today. It was the sense of familiarity that let them build relationships, and therefore have better engagement with Kumogakure in the future. It was a politician's move: but one he respected. Noticing something like that was one of the steps to a counter, which he had familiarity with.

Sozin was now dressed more warmly as well: deeper blues and golden cream hues highlighted by the robes wrapped around his shoulders and neck area - draped down to his waist. Though - his face was entirely bare, he could deal with the cold snap and sharp metal cold across it. His hair - remained as usual. He'd had a wash the night before and some of the stock treatment they'd used included an oil of sorts, and it had left it vibrant in the light, accentuating the darker curls at the front of his face with the lighter ones to the side. The use of a Kunai had rendered his sides shorter: and there were a few specks of white hairs meshed in with the dark.

But he would not age further than that, and his head would never become fully white - as was his own guess. Well, it was actually hard to tell: because his hair grew slowly - some functions did seem to take place, as did some of his other natural needs. "I didn't expect to see you again, but you are not an unwelcome sight." He stepped out - closing the door behind him and locking it with the key he'd been provided and being right beside her. The light difference in their height would mean little beyond him having to tip his chin down at her a little. His chocolate and umber hues flecked with caramel notes were shining today: the bright light seemed to make it that his eye and iris melded together. "So... I'd asked to find some things to do, but hadn't received much notice as to what was trendy - are you guiding me, or telling me where to go today?" His close proximity provided she hadn't stepped back - would have given her some notes of his scent. It was a light musk, a greater depth of spices. To her as a sensory ninja specifically, his 'signs' were extraordinarily quiet, but the outcome of which he couldn't tell if that would be something that would unnerve her or not.

Even so, he would take a step back - giving her room to either lead or be led, however she liked it. Emotionally speaking, he was cool on the exterior that was not all to dissimilar to the cyan sky. There were no stressors and the day wasn't one where he anticipated an enemy reaction: and so had come without any weaponry. That was also, not entirely true - but all of his metal objects were left inside and not on his person.

If there had been some tension in the days prior, it didn't appear to be present now.

---

clothing ref

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Niceties

Azarea's lips twitch into a smile as she offers out the bag of treats should Sozin care to help himself. The subtle scent of spices and Sozin himself filling her nose along with the smell of baked bread and their sweet filling. "Well I'm glad my company is not an unwelcome one." She quips tone wry and warm the woman far more at ease within her home village then he'd seen her on the job. Her scarlet eyes darting over his attire as the Councilman stepped back putting polite distance between the two of them. His question drawing out a chuckle from Azarea's throat.

"Neither. I'm here to suggest a few options you might find interesting and accompany you to ensure you don't find yourself lost." She explains though they both knew 'lost' meant 'wandering where he wasn't supposed to' in polite shinobi speak. Every village had their off-limits areas after all and while Kumo was more open then most they were not without their own secrets.

"It's cold enough now the ice rinks are open if you would like to try your hand at ice skating or we could grab some sleds or skis and enjoy the slopes. There's also the markets of course and we have a small theater that is putting on productions if that would interest you. In addition to visiting some of our restaurants that specialize in local cuisines like our famous curry." Azarea lists off a few options akin to a seasoned tour guide as she glances up at Sozin expectantly. His eyes and hair seemed... normal today. No shifting color. No layering of what was, what is, or what could be. He appeared normal enough one could almost think that their prior conversation was all a strange dream, but... the buzzing was softer now. Her senses attuned to the signature beneath it and it's odd refrains. To the unnaturalness of it.

"Which would you like to try first... sir?" Azarea inquires her tone perfectly polite and respectful given the new distance between them and the politics at play.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

[moment music]

Ah yes, to not find himself 'lost' - a phrase that he had heard many times and it was common as a wording across the world for 'don't try us, fucker.' Something he would have told others in his time. But nonetheless she would give some options - things that he himself hadn't thought to think about. It was good for his sake as a councillor to get an idea of their culture. Did they have museums, too? Sozin queued it as a question in his mind.

Ice Skating? He'd never tried it before. To glide across ice, one would think it similar to balancing the weight of a Katana. He continued to think about the options. Theatre - that would also interest him, or... well. It might not, and he didn't want to have to sit through something painful if it was so. Lots to think about... It wasn't until she finished off what she'd said that caused him to blink, his head turning slightly and his eyebrow came down a bit - almost in disbelief of her.

"...Sir?" It was a curious tone that he had taken. Sozin was good at what he did, which was corrupting the virtues. It was slow, it was non-neglible changes over long periods of time. He hadn't been around to see any fruition of his efforts, as slow things rarely did. They would, in time. "I thought we were friends, Azarea?" His look was perhaps contradictory to the fact he'd stepped back or lied about attraction. That was okay to him, it was uncertainty that he was looking for. If it was more important to her that she remained neutral then he could play to that angle as well: if she sought respect, then he would give it to her. She had earned that much.

And she might not have known it, or maybe she would feel or hear the faint static relating to his chakra, but it was creeping in. By this time, it might have been a more familiar feeling since she had run into it a few more times. It was there - a power aimed at amplifying the emotions. Anything she was feeling, whether distrust in the 'unnaturalness' and uncertainty or anxiousness, or lust, or fear, or happiness: they would come closer to the surface.

"I could definitely eat, but I've never been ice skating before." The part he hadn't added was that Iwagakure didn't really have the space or the specific conditions to allow for ice skating to take place. Kumogakure and Iwagakure were similar but completely different environments, each with their own challenges and benefits.

SPOILER: Click to show

Dark Whispers
A boon granted to all of the Followers of Akui is their ability to subtly manipulate individuals; to emit a dark of feeling of dread and coldness (when they wish) and also exists to heighten the target's existing feelings so that they can be slowly proselytize them. [If a Follower of Jihi is present, Jihi's Calm and Dark Whispers will cancel one another out as if the SAs were not present.]

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Noise

The buzzing was getting louder as irritation sparked in Azarea's veins as she stared at the contradictory man before her. Her scarlet eyes narrowing as she tried to ignore the... not quite noise. The sensation once so easily ignored now like popping static along her skin since she'd come to notice it. Since she'd come to know the man beneath it. The sensation drowning out and muddying her sense of the man before her as she frowns a headache forming behind her eyes. "Are you going to be like this all day?" She questions both his mercurial nature and the increasing volume of static. Her fingers twitching with the urge to reach out and grab the man by the shoulders and just shake him until he stopped. Until the strange feedback finally fell silent.

"And while it would be my pleasure to have you as a friend Sozin-san I wasn't aware you wished to continue being close." Azarea quips her words perhaps a bit more edged then she'd intended with her growing headache. She swears she's usually not so irritable. The world within the village different then the simpler principles of hunter and hunted they acted on on missions. In the wilderness they could be equals, partners... maybe even friends, but it was clear where the Kusa councilor drew the line and Azarea wasn't naïve enough to not believe that line began at a village gate.

The choice of ice skating though did surprise her, but was a welcome one. Skating always cleared her head. A breath of fresh cold wind and the sense of almost flying bringing peace to her troubled heart even on the worst of days as the woman nodded, "I know a small rink we can go to. It shouldn't be overly crowded this time of day." She suggest turning on her heel as she motions for Sozin to following. Using the opportunity to lead to gain some distance. It doesn't muffle the buzzing though as her hive rumbles their vibrations still quiet, but irritated beneath her skin as she wishes for the world she could just unhear the noise

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

"What do you mean?" His furrowed eyebrows would indicate a curiosity, refrained. There may had been a correlation/causation effect between the use of his abilities, which he would never have inferred worked by the use of chakra - unless it was a receiver and he was a channeller? That sort of made sense, since he had never been actively taught in how it worked. Why did one need training when he willed it into working?

Just because she gave him some feedback that he didn't want to swing too far mean that he would stop: no, just lowering the amp. Testing the water, pushing it up when it was appropriate. The constant hum, thrum of static. Either way, there was some break - or crack of the exterior. Annoyance usually broke way because of other emotions bubbling beneath the service. He'd remembered so many actions that he'd taken as a result of anger - when it was injustice that he felt. Sadness, when it was unfairness. They disguised themselves and only allowed for retrospect to accurately deal with.

Sozin had previously explained to her a slight situation of his God: how he acted, and some of the history of Gods. If she had forgotten, he would remind her of that fact. How he was an arbiter of justice in the name of peace. When she questioned his motives, Akira seemed quick to the draw in his response. "I don't think I said that. How about we see how it goes and go from there?" It was non-committal, and he had selected the wording on the basis of what he thought might receive the best feedback. At worst, he would be perceived as gaslighting and negging her and acting as though she would need to vy for his attention when it was not the case, given all he'd said was she wasn't his type. At best, he would receive a neutral response from her.

Realistically, Sozin had succeeded in what he wanted to do; one small win out of the thousands to come. "Great." And Sozin's eyes were open. As he'd said previously, the sceneries were pretty. The environment was familiar but different. Being up in the higher altitudes though, his body was not as used as it once had, and he found his breathing a bit more in active use than not. The style of housing was different as well; right down to the details and beliefs, by the way the statues were different, a cultural melting pot of similar figures as well as new ones. Colors that he hadn't seen used together: he was giving himself the tour if Azarea did not commentate.

"The people seem to be doing well here," Sozin commented as he walked past: the morning was good, the people seemed to be better although not every look was good toward the fact he had a Kusagakure headband on his face.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Colors

As the static seemed to decrease Azarea narrowed her eyes questioning if the man knew what he was doing or not? At first she'd thought maybe it was just a reflexive action, but now... "Your chakra," She admits a bit gruff and embarrassed unused to speaking about her sensory abilities. "I don't know what you are doing, but it's like rubbing a steel wool brush against a chalkboard." Only inside her head. Which meant either selectively deafening herself to him, which she wouldn't willingly blind herself to another predator, or putting up with the noise that didn't even have the decency to be noise so she could block it with her ear protection.

The woman ignoring is noncommittal answer in regards to friendship as a polite rebuff accepting that if he really wished to be friends then Sozin would make the efforts to become close. It wasn't, after all, as though Azarea was going anywhere. In fact in an ironic twist of fate as much as she was assigned to escort him he rather had her as a captive audience. It was not, after all, as though she could just run off and leave a foreign guest to galivant wherever they pleased until he knew where he was allowed. Instead she let out her own low noncommittal hum and turned her attention to the world around them. Her expression softening a touch in regards to the people of her homeland. "Kumogakure no Sato takes great pride in providing for it's populace." Azarea murmurs for while the village was perhaps less filled to the brim with people then Konoha their residence were hale and healthy looking. Their cheeks rosy in the cold air and their winter clothes, at least those of most civilians, brightly colored. Though even the shinobi tended to have little specks of color among their more subdued tones.

"Kaminari no Kuni produces a lot of rich dyes. While ours are not as varied as some of Suna's our yellow dye especially is very vivid." Azarea explains pointing out the color and in fact nearly everyone they passed had some little bit of yellow among their apparel be it waist scarfs, woven into necklaces, or threaded through their clothes. "Most of our winter apparel is made out of alpaca fleece which is warmer then sheep wool. The weaving industry in Kaminari and especially Kumo does quite well. Woven bracelets, called Wish Bracelets are very common here." She elaborates and now that she's pointed it out it's easy to see that nearly every adult has one such woven bracelet tied about their wrist. Even Azarea though hers is mostly hidden by her gloves Sozin can catch a glimpse of purple, beige, and red thread.

"You weave or buy one in your favorite colors and tie it around your lover's left wrist as a wish that they come home safely. If the bracelet breaks it means it's used up your wish to ensure their safe return. Plain ones are reserved strictly for couples, but parents often given their children ones decorated with bells to ward off evil spirits," And undoubtedly teach the youngsters how to walk softly from a young age, "The ones that are pure yellow with the kanji for lightning are usually given by friends to their comrades to wish for their safe return home." She adds elaborating a little on the local tradition as they wove through the streets towards a quieter part of town.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

"If that's as a result of your abilities then I'm sorry," Sozin would not stop it for her, not provide her relief: that would be too.. easy. Too peculiar, too much like an intentional ability. He made an urgent note to test it out as soon as was tangibly possible with another sensor. Sozin wanted to know if she had a particularly refined palette, or if she had other things. He could curb it off later, but yes... for now it would remain.

She would finally start talking: in response to say how good it was. A village wouldn't openly show how discarded their people were or its lack of funds, or its true state of affairs - his role was to discern through it and sift the lies from the truth. Some of the sifting would be done because she was a Genin: and less because she had lived here. Who better to make an observation about the land? All in all it was an exercise of judgement.

Sozin did note it and was able to point it out after she did so first. Their yellow was... poignant. Like the blur of the Sun, or Sunagakure's desert rays. Even when it came down to the clothing. "I would imagine... it's lucrative. Necessary for these altitudes." Iwagakure was like that as well, but he hadn't used Alpalca. Well - he'd also never thought to ask, so maybe they did? Kusagakure did not require such extensive materials. They had excess enough, or enough to use for unnecessary material: but necessary to their culture? Wish bracelets. "I see." He started looking at it, and for it - as he kept alongside Azarea, although he tried his best - Azarea was able to move faster than him in the altitude. He had not thought to look down to check if she wore one, but was able to see many that did.

A cynical side of him told him that the bracelet breaking as a good sign was a ploy to get people to buy poor materials. But, he held reverence to beliefs that others wouldn't understand either - so he understood them. Walking in the streets - though getting quieter, one thing stood out in particular over the others.

"What's that building?" Sozin would point, wondering: since in a place of fewer pieces of room, a place that held solitude amongst others usually tended to be those of reverence, like a temple. One that he had not personally seen before given the similitude of spacing between buildings.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

A Place To Mourn

She accepts his apology with a grim nod and a suspicious glance, but does her best to ignore the buzzing of his chakra. To go back to the way it was where she could more easily ignore the static, but that had been before she knew what lurked beneath. No she could see him clearly and the static was just an irritating excess of information distracting her during her attempts to read them. For now though her focus was on showing off her home. An activity she admitted she enjoyed. "Our weaving industry can be profitable, but until recently the village was mostly self sufficient so exports are a newer thing for us." Mostly because no one would risk trading with a plague ridden village so they'd been forced to become entirely self sufficient or die out all together.

"Kaminari no Kuni does a little of everything, but the land is best known for it's alcohol and craftsmanship. We also have very skilled tattoo artists as most of our dyes work better on skin then fabric causing less reactions." She explains as they walk her steps only slowing when Sozin's gaze focuses on a nearby older building. Azarea's smile fading somewhat as sorrow and loss darken her eyes, but she doesn't turn away.

"That is a memorial temple to the dead. It is a common practice to cremate bodies in Kaminari no Kuni and scatter the ashes to the wind at the highest point so that the souls of the departed might join the storms of the land and bring about new life with the rains." Azarea answers her voice soft. "But people need a place to mourn so the names of the departed are marked there by their families." And those without families found their names entombed on quite pale slabs closer to the heart of the village.

"Would you like to pay your respects?" She inquires unwilling to deny him this part of their culture should he ask. Death was nothing so shameful.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

They had their arts too: Iwagakure had the... the... ink.... the... the word couldn't come to his mind. Apparently his mind and memory was not all powerful, so he would have to dismiss it and try to think of it later. But he'd marked his own body as well, although the inkling did not come to him anymore to be tattooed like that of a portrait.

"That's great to hear." Sozin wouldn't respnd with the exploits of his own village and make it seem like it was a dick measuring competition between villages: he would accept that they were 'doing well' by Azarea's statements and continue to make his own judgement. "Ah.." When told it was a graveyard, he would make a large audibly sound of acknowledgement. It was interesting.

"Yes, actually." Sozin wanted to see it- how they treated their dead was a great indication of respect or lack thereof. God willing, he'd make his way up the steps and into the irreverent place being tended to by a few monks - bald headed, in their robes. The building itself seemed to act more as a gate because either entrance: one on the way he had come in by the steps and another on the other side indicated it was open to any and all, for various purposes. There were even people here today, some entering with their children and flowers in tow. Others were leaving - teenagers having fun.

Sozin would abide by the rituals: he would pull off his clothing, cleaning his hands, his feet: it was cold. Ice cold. It would show to Azarea he was in fact human when he took a sharp intake of breath. He would also notice the bracelet she wore if she also did it herself. "No partner?" Sozin would ask.

It seemed they were well taken care of. What Sozin wouldn't have expected is that there would also be mass graves, those from the likes of the Plague that had taken so many. There were different types of stones and statues - both personal and some more generic. There were statues of heroes: or at least, the personification of them by the way they stood mightily, in power poses amongst friends, carved out intricately in marble although the environment had softened their features, no longer as sharp as they had once been; their color starting to fade.

There were lots of these statues, "You have similar protocols, I see.." Sozin pointed it out. It was common for Shinobi across the world to have their fibres cremated: the density and closeness of the statues seemed to indicate that the coffins were smaller. It was a necessity: bdoeis could be stolen, their information harvested. Sozin would never have understood it but understood the brutality and barbarism of those in the other villages, like Iwagakure.

But he would be learning all that today.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Distant Hearts

Azarea would lead him up the steps pausing at the entrance to clean her hands and feet and don the simple straw sandals set aside for visitors. The woman pausing as she follows Sozin's gaze to her wrist her cheeks going rosy with a soft blush, "No he's... not from Kumogakure." She explains taking his question as an inquiry of why he'd never seen her in the company of another. "He visits when he can, but our work more often then not keeps us apart." Azarea admits her gaze wistful, fond, and sad as she stares down at the simple thread woven bracelet around her left wrist. Before shaking off such thoughts she straightens and tugs her gloves once more fully into place.

Within the temple the memorials to the dead ranged from simple names inscribed on smooth black stone, to statues or plaques dedicated to the departed. Some were nicer then others, but none were allowed to outshine their neighbors and each was placed in a position of respect. All had departed and all were equal. In some places there were spots for urns, but none of the shinobi memorials had such things. Their families not even trusting that the ashes couldn't be used to cause harm. "Burial wasn't uncommon for civilians before the plague, but with disease running rampant cremation became more of a necessity and in the early days it was uncertain of if even that was safe." She explains voice soft as she passes a few coins to one of the monks purchasing some sticks of incense. After all among Kumogakure's ranks Training Ground 49 was an urban legend and horror story that had persisted with great fervor.

"Here." Azarea offers handing Sozin a few of the incense sticks as she steps up to a grave a memorial at random. The Kumogakure symbol beside the name denoting the individual as member of the shinobi forces as she lit the stick on one of the nearby braziers and carefully placed it in the pot of sand before their name. The red haired kunoichi pressing her palms together respectfully as she bowed her head.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

Oh.

That was... interesting. Perhaps he had said it wrong? Either way, he'd gotten the answer to his question and he quickly focused in on his own washing for the act of sanctity. Had Sozin thought the wrong idea? This back and forth they'd had... It was embarrassing. Not that he was too bothered, given he was one of God's chosen - but he supposed lust was just that, a simple emotion.

"Another village?" Sozin knew it all too well. Azarea might have seen it but although he focused on his own cleaning his eyes were very steely on the subject. A heavy, but silent sigh cast unto his frame - and expediently weighed on his heart. "Kami bless you." His voice would give away a sort of... darker, gruffer, terse version of his usual voice. It was still him, and while his dark whispers had not changed throughout and the static persisted he definitely did feel bothered by the revelation in how it reminded him of his own.

Sozin wondered if being in a graveyard was good for him. If he had a burial the second time, or if his ashes were lost to the desert winds. It was making him... sombre.

"I..." Sozin would wonder if it was something he should say. He didn't want to give too much away given that he was supposed to be someone who did not remember. "I think-" did "- I felt something for someone in the past. Like that." Again, terse."I wonder if it was buried with me... but there's such a mental block on it. I can see them so clearly and yet not at all. Like I know their name but refuse to acknowledge them." At least it gave him an out if she asked questions: oh yes, referring to his head injury. That thing - the one that wiped his memory.

Sozin would take the incense when offered. The virtue of respect was a solid foundation but not one that could not be cracked. It was an avenue for which a rot could grow, and it hurt him none to respect some traditions, even if he would not have done them himself otherwise.

Sozin would not think hard about one, just thinking of the next impulse that would give him it - and he did. Before the tomb of the unknown soldier. He would perform the same, bowing, palms together. Sozin wondered if he should be, because usually these traditions were born from the creation of a God, and he couldn't be entirely certain it was his own. Well. Doubted more than not. But - he didn't feel any divine punishment there and then and he didn't perceive anything wrong by it, using his best judgement.

Sozin was there to spread hate in the land - defile it. It would start with items like this, in time. Brother would turn against brother... and he would be there to see it through.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here

[Aburame Azarea]

The Devil That You Forgot

Garden Insects

The two stand shoulder to shoulder hands clasped in prayer letting the quiet murmur of the temple wash over them as Azarea inclineds her head in admission that her love was from another Shinobi village. Even aligned such relations caused endless complications and as the Councilman murmurs a soft blessing gruff and perhaps even sympathetic the woman cannot help, but crack a wry sad smile, "We love one another, but he is a garden and I am a bug. He would never deny my affections, but to the gardener my presence is nothing more than a pest." Azarea admits her voice soft. There are few to none whom she can speak with in regards to Shigure. Fewer still who would understand that as she was now Konoha barely tolerated her presence and only due to threat of reprisal from Toshizou. If they learned she coveted their latest rising star and that her affections were returned... The will of fire that her Love so cherished would burn her to ash before letting her so much as gaze upon his face.

"It's... complicated." She finally lets such words slip with a sigh her shoulders slumping slightly. Azarea never let go of anything she clamped her teeth down on without leaving marks, but she held no delusions in regards to the fact that of all the flowers that could be chosen for the gardens of the Hyuuga she was at best a ratty weed. A useful weed, but a weed all the same. The last thing a gardener wanted was a field full of dandelions, but she had no delusion that for her there could be no one else. Instead the woman half turned glancing up towards Sozin her eyes devoid of pity, but soft with pained understanding like a dog licking old wounds.

"Your partner... did they feel the same for you?" Azarea inquires uncertain which would be worse. To have been loved in return and lost that to the failure of ones own memory or... to have never been loved at all.

SA's

SPOILER: Click to show

Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria [Queen's Coronation Regalia]
A mutated variant of the Aburame clans Yūdai no Omorejō ["Bewildering Grandeur of the Alpha"] resulting from the subsequent poisoning of Azarea's former Yūdai no Omorejō hive to prevent potential hijutsu theft. While the Joō no Taikanshiki no Regaria lacks the Yūdai no Omorejō size instead Azarea's hive has maintained the ability to produce alpha pheromones and commanding vibrations. Evolving instead to hyperspecialize in these two aspects allowing them to produce pheramones and vibrations strong enough to be detected by human hearing and sense of smell.

Reigning Chakra Control
Fine tuning her chakra control to a razor's edge Azarea is capable of performing delicate techniques with minimal to no wastage of chakra. Allowing her to conserve her reserves in prolonged combat and managed more finickity techniques and jutsu.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra like her Father before her Azarea has trained herself to become a capable sensory shinobi. Unlocking the Kagura's Mind's Eye, and with it, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing her to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to her proficiency with this technique, Azarea can currently passively sense chakra up to 500 meters and actively at 2.5 kilometers.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

JUTSU GOES HERE

流人

                           Made by Keen of FBNRP | Word Count: | @akira

[Deleted]

"Konohagakure is a melting pot of royalty and stubborn tradition. I understand." Sozin would make the guess - gardens, her place of birth. It was a few things that he could use with his own mind.

Complicated. Sozin would give an amused sniff.

It always was.

He stood up from his bow of 'respect' to the statues, watching the incense starting to burn, its tip turning white while slightly further down the orange glow and pleasant scent. Her question would look as though it had barely registered.

"Not a partner." Sozin would correct, perhaps all too quickly like he had known it all along. But - she would note he didn't answer the next part of her question. Partners in crime? Most certainly not. A companion that he had somehow run into too often? Yes. Over the vast distances of land, he was surprised to have run into her as often as he did. But no more.

With his attention being taken elsewhere, the static that she knew him for was easing off. If she looked over cautiously to his eyes, wondering if there was a connection: she would still find brown eyes. "It was never for me to say. I think." Akira said. "Yes, no, in another life? It was more time spent unrequited than it was not. It matters not." The Herald wouldn't give more specifics as to what order it came in, whether unrequired He had felt at one point she had, and the rest she hadn't. Perhaps further deep down he had come to accept she never would have - but unrequited love was not named such for fickle or unreliable. Still, memories seemed to thrum open a steady sense of rage - of sadness in the flickers of memories he had passed. Not that he could say it out loud, but he had also died for her - had that not been the ultimate sacrifice?

They would meet again and he would both remember her face and remember his own, hopefully not in that sequence of events if the previous incident with Azarea took place all over again. Granted - he didn't recall any extra sensory perception, but even some of those things were fuzzy in his mind. "Mortality is taken for granted." He spoke mostly to the world - as he continued walking around the graves. A slight change of topic.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Add any jutsu, relevant information here