Blood Is Thicker Than Water! Return Of The Devil

The weather was as one would expect it to be in the lightning country, crisp, yet a bit stifled, dense and clear - despite the arcing lightning that appear periodically, forking into the metal rods protruding from the peaks of the mountains. The tips of these rods ran a brilliant hot white, luminous light with a fading red tint outline. You could smell the metal heating, but it was durable, more than so. The clouds of the country never seemed to be more than parted, clear heavens with ocean blue skies. Far into the distance over by the mountainsides you could see the sun in all its glory shining over the canyons.

The gates of the village were busy today, traffic to enter mirrored the amount of steps that aimed to exit. Shinobi guards worked in pairs to oversee this task is done professionally and as organized as possible. Usually there was always one amongst them that was more skilled then the others. So it was always wise to come correct when visiting the gates of this village.

The collective sounds of the masses were somewhat deafening to the untrained ear, but majority of Kumogakure native shinobi were use to this, their first few official tasks were to man the gates to guarantee such an immunity. Steps were taken in the direction of one of the gate guards of lower rank, bypassing the line of people with goods and papers for work.

A woman with long light red/pale auburn hair, loosely braided with bangs that reached just past her eyebrows accompanied by two long side bangs which framed her porcelain face. She possess golden eyes with multiple red rings within them, intimidating feature to pair with such a beautiful face. Her lips were plush, as pink as a sakura petal. The frame of this woman was the kind that would always capture the attention of any sex, despite the attire. Such attire consist of a white long-sleeve shirt, a black tie, black pants and brown shoes. Over this she wore a black trench coat. Latched to her belt, left side, we’re what appeared to be ruby crystals of some sort.

Stopping only 3 meters from the guard, her eyes sat low, seductively as she smiled softly, reaching into her coat right inner pocket to retrieve a badge with the Kumogakure insignia branded upon it. It was a special leather that made up the material that held the badge in place, alongside it was a picture with need to know information…

Ayuna’s Badge:

“Good morning, Chinoike Ayuna reporting in from duty.”

A tone so sweet that it washed away any need to be on guard around her, a presence, both innocent and intimidating at the same time. She stood there as she waited for access to be granted. A smile, gently stabilized on her face.

As the sun began to set, the sky was painted with hues of pink, orange, and purple. The mountains in the background were silhouetted against the colorful sky, with their peaks standing out in sharp relief. Amongst the mountains, the sky flashed occasionally with illumination from both natural and heat lightning. Their brightness lit up the clouds which slightly obscured their view, but done so in such a way that the sight was mesmerizing. In the foreground, there were two guard posts along the edge of Kumogakure. Behind the guard posts was the illustrious and great wall of Kumogakure, spanning eighty meters in height and ranging 50 meters in length until they joined with the faces of the adjacent mountains. 

As the light of day faded while night was on the horizon, the guard posts were still well lit by the soft glow of lanterns, casting long shadows across the ground. Every once in awhile, the distant lightning would light up the guard posts as well, offering a firm reminder to all of the country they were within. The guard posts themselves were visually evident that they had been there for a long time, with their cobblestone and wooden structures showing signs of age and wear. But despite this wear, their structural integrity was never a question. Lucian himself learned this first hand after he continuously gained exposure to them from his repeated shifts of guard duty. And so, over the course of the last few weeks the guard posts became his home. More specifically, the Southern Post. And though he enjoy the sights of the mountain range and the dance of the night time lightning, the Sky Bridge was his favorite sight. The bridge itself was an impressive feat of engineering, with its arches reaching high into the air while simultaneously being sturdy and wide enough for large entourages to cross. The young genin had never learned of its erection (pause), yet was hopeful that more time in the village library would teach him about its creation.

Nevertheless as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains, the guard posts and the Sky Bridge become even more enchanting. From Lucian's perspective, they seemed bathed in the soft yet expansive glow of the light from the lanterns equipped to the guard posts. This type of peaceful and serene setting was exactly what Lucian needed in order to make the monotonous tasks of checking civilians in and out of the village. And to do so, he rarely needed to leave his post and would only need to interact through the window of his tower. However every once in awhile an unusual or a notorious figure would look to enter or exit the village. And Lucian would relish those moments, as it gave his job a better sense of purpose and allowed him to exit his post and closer inspect those wanderers. Just a few weeks ago he had overseen the departure of the Raikage himself from Kumogakure. But he still had not seen the man return. Perhaps that was one reason why the guard duty shifts were becoming so abundant and well distributed across the Cloud Shinobi.

And so as he worked within the confines of his post, his adolescent eyes would spot an approaching figure who carried herself different from how a regular civilian would. She walked with purpose, power, and prosperity. It had almost been like each step she took shook the tranquility of the night time setting. And her presence was enough to make Lucian leave from his post and await her approach from just outside his tower. From here, he'd have a better look at the woman, and the woman a better look at him. Her hair was crimson and flowed freely, which was the polar opposite of his own jet black and tightly braided hair. What the two did have in common however was the color of the bulk of their attire. Both individuals wore a substantial amount of black, along with overcoats of some sort. Lucian's own was his Fire Force Dream Cloak, that he proudly wore even if it looked like he was swimming in it. 

When the woman stopped three meters from him, Lucian would take a couple steps further to close the distance between the two to an even two meters. She presented a badge to him, which seemed to have the Kumogakure symbol along with her photo ID on it as well. This presentation was one that Lucian had been trained on prior to his first guard duty shift. Resultantly he had a trained and experienced eye in deciphering the differences between a real and fake badge. But this one was quite clearly authentic, and so he relaxed his guard and offered the woman a slight smile.

"Ayuna, huh? You must have set out on duty before I became joined the shinobi force. I don't think we've met, and with how around I've been I surely would have recognized someone as...remarkable as you. The name's Lucian, Lucian Goka. Pleased to meet you, and even more so now that you're back home."

The young man kept his wits and charm about him in this interaction. He was unsure of who the woman was, but with the power and beauty she gave off, she surely was important. Therefore he tried to make his best first impression on her, and make her re-entry to Kumogakure as smooth and seamless as possible.

WC = 908
+1 Life Stack

The mesmerizing eyes of the Chinoike observed the Goka as he stepped from behind the booth to meet her, analyzing as he took a few short steps to close the distance between them. Both of her perfectly arched brows slightly raised by this. Her right hand rises up to place her index finger upon her bottom lip, pressing gently, yet from enough to show. Her left arm raise to fold under and support the other. The lids to her eyes lowered to give a seductive glare. She noted the man’s attire, from head to toe. She could tell, despite his attire, that he was well built. The rays of the natural light caressed his melanated skin, defining his features.

He was flattering, that was for sure, it was becoming of him and she found it quite cute. A soft giggle released from her lips as she relaxed her arms at her side.

“So charming, you are. Where have you been hiding all this time? Lucian? A suitable name for such a treat. It is good to be back, I must say. How have things been since my absence?”

Her flirtation and suggestive body language would indicate that she was interested in learning about this man, but also that she expected her question to be answered in the same breath. It’s been over a year or so since she’s set out on a task for Nobo. During her reconnaissance she was periodically informed of some details about the village. Such as the change in power, Nobo stepping down to relinquish the hat to Ichigo Sato, a childhood friend of her’s. He was by far her favorite drinking buddy. Although, he could never drink her under the table, despite how hard he tried.

She wondered if he ever figured out that she cheated during those little games. She would alter her blood level to tolerate enormous amounts of alcohol. With little to no buzz, but she would play the role as if she was under the influence, intoxicated to make him feel better, or at least that he stood a chance at winning.

She took another step closer to Lucian, then another and another. They were now a meter apart. She leaned in close to him, his lips nearly grazing his ear (pause) as she exhaled softly to allow her breath to wrap around his neck and constrict. She sniffed him, his scent was pleasant. Her eyes narrowed from it, glancing over to him as she remained at his ear.

“I think…I’m thirsty. Want to buy me a drink, Lucian?”

She spoke his name enticingly, almost as if she moaned his name (ayo paussssse).

Judging by her demeanor, features, and maturity Lucian assumed that this Ayuna woman was much older than he; and additionally, it was safe to presume that she had more experience under her belt than he did. Thus it would be important for him to keep her close. However, he was unprepared for just how physically close she would eventually get. But prior to that, she let out a soft giggle in respect to Lucian's flattery. He had felt that he was being cordial and kind, and thus he mimicked the behavior his father upheld when meeting a pretty woman. In doing so, he felt he was coming off as mature and much more seasoned than he truly was. And perhaps it worked. She complimented the young Goka in exchange, particularly on his silver tongue, even to the extent which she questioned where he had been hiding. But Lucian, a novice in the art of talking to women, had taken the question quite literally. 

"Where have I been?" he thought to himself. "I guess the Kumogakure academy and performing missions throughout the village...Was she looking for me?" he continued to ponder as he bore a stoic yet smug expression on his face. She then went on to state his name seemed fitting before inquiring on the state of affairs within the Cloud Village. Lucian hadn't been trained on banter of this sort, and so all the young man could do was offer a relaxed chuckle before retorting. "I could say the same about you," he began, specifically referring to the woman's name. "As for me, I'm a relatively new genin training for the upcoming Chunin Exams. I think that's what most of my colleagues are doing. Regarding the higher ups...I oversaw a couple of their departure from the village to handle some highly classified business. Lord 12th was in their company, but the agenda wasn't disclosed to me. Still, in his absence I'd say Kumogakure is thriving as always."

As he spoke, Lucian couldn't help but find himself slightly distracted by Ayuna's fidgeting and footsteps which grew closer with each step. She would have had the young man nearly stumbling over his words, if it weren't for his refined composure and focus. But still with each step that brought the woman more near him, he felt an intangible wave of pressure and heat overcoming him. And truthfully it was puzzling. He, being a Goka descendent, never buckled under the most immense heats. So why did he feel like sweating? The genin couldn't reconcile an explanation, and though he tried his damndest to keep his cool, he felt like he would fold when she leaned her face overtop of his shoulder to whisper a simple prompt into his ear. One which would have him all the more flustered, confused, and at a lost for words.

He'd shudder slightly before stammering over his response, "I uh...I could do that. What do you like? I'm big on Amazake and Bancha..." With each word he spoke, he felt as if he had been suffocating, though not once did his voice crack or break. But the young genin would be showing his age here when referring to drinks, as what he assumed the woman wanted was tea or rice milk. In actuality the genin had never tasted a drop of alcohol in his life, despite its heavy influence on Kumokage culture. And though he seemed rather juvenile in his response, the situation was rather funny. But to him, Lucian felt pressed.

(super pause on everything written above, of course)

WC = 593. TWC = 1501
+1 Life Stack; 2 Total

The fresh mountain air. The crackling of lightning in the distance and....the pitter patter of people coming to and from the village?

Yes this was what he missed the most. His home. A smile appeared upon the Medics face as he walked along the long bridge towards the gate. Chest chiseled and out for the world to see the pastel, almost albino male popped his cap off to scratch his blonde hair before placing the hat back onto his head and whistling a tune. Mukuro had been gone for quite a long while from the village, on a mission of grave importance from the Raikage himself and now that it was over it was time to see what the village hidden in the Clouds was doing. He felt rather still but it felt good to be back in his own skin...not in a literal sense but more in a. No yeah definitely a literal sense. The red eyes of the Kaguya would scan the area in front of him for a moment before yawning and stretching as he continued to move forward, fully intent on making his way to the gates and into the village proper. It took him a moment to get to the gates but what made him stop was the signature of a familiar co-worker and just in front of her someone else. Was she doing her usual tactics of use and abuse or was she making a new friend? It would be time to see as he walked up to the duo, and stopping on his right (her left) he would wrap his right arm across until he sat gently, and evenly on her shoulders and leaned in slightly to look at the spectacle," And what have we here? Is Ayuna here making a new friend?~ Or perhaps is the other way around? Be careful kiddo this one will eat you up and spit you out several lifetimes over. I still see the shattered remains of an old victim somewhere in the distance," there was a chuckle from the male as he side eyed Ayuna for a moment.

He wasn't checking her out, far from it actually. He looked at her for a moment before giving a wink and removing his arm from her and flipping out the ID from his pants pocket and giving it to the young gate guard," I believe you were going to ask for this weren't you?," he'd offer a smile before placing the ID back into the depths of his pockets. Now what would happen now that the wild card was here.

432 WC

Lucian was quite the bashful one, was he not? She would think, his eyes betrayed him as his stature remained firm and composed, those windows to his soul said otherwise. He was good, so much that he played the part he aimed to very well aside that. To learn that he was a minor, in terms of age was a bit of a shock, indicated by her subtle widen of eyes and raised brows, she felt that she should tone it down a bit, but how could she? He was practically stumbling over her. She giggled as she listened to him, his immediate thoughts on her definition of drink was to be expected from a child - she smiled as she thought it was cute.

“Virgin…”

Suddenly she said, her tone gentle and probing at the same time. She gazed into his eyes as she anticipated him to either buckle from that random comment, or play it off. Either way she was bound to get an answer from his reaction. She wondered how would a male respond to being called a virgin so calmly, was she teasing him, or was she, in fact referring to something else.

“You’ve never tasted the alcohol of Kumogakure, that’s a shame, really. I suppose you will in time, it has a mysterious way of opening certain doors.”

So that’s what she meant, her tone was suggestive. A smile starred her face. She looked him up and down intently before correcting her posture, side glancing to her left she would see her colleague approach, taking the liberty of wrapping and placing his arm on her shoulder. She smiled as she listened to him, Mukuro was a trusted colleague of hers, he was probably one of the very few that understood the way she was. But even then, she knew how to keep him on his toes just to keep him from becoming complacent.

“Oh, is that right? Should we share how you and I actually met?”

She poked, figuratively and physically as she placed her right index finger upon his nose while mouthing “boop” playfully. As he removed his arm she would look him up and down, wondering where he went as they returned together. But she would rather not ask him in front of Lucian, being that Mukuro tends to spill the beans unintentionally at rare times. Her eyes would then return to Lucian, at which she would then direct them to the gates.

“It was very nice to meet you, Lucian. Am I free to enter?”

And so as the woman revealed that she had been talking of alcohol rather than a standard drink, Lucian felt like a fool. How could he be so oblivious? Sure, his age had been a handicap against a woman of this caliber but he thought he could rely on his wits? In any case, the woman's follow up response was still rather mysterious. The genin had been quite unsure about what to do or say in a situation like this, and thankfully he had been bailed out. Another shinobi would be approaching the pair at this point, who seemed to be familiar with this Ayuna woman. He commented on her ability to seduce people, and hinted at the fact that it was one of her deadly traits. Lucian subtly gulped in relief, quiet enough to not be detectable by either of the shinobi. He slightly let out a sigh of relief, before realizing that this shinobi approaching was also one belonging to Kumogakure.

"Seems like it's a reunion," Goka would calmly let out, taking a few steps forwards to grab ahold of the badge that Mukuro presented to him. He'd skim over the documenting, noting that it was near identical to Ayuna's. Both of the shinobi before him had been highly esteemed jounin, and he himself? Nothing more than a lowly genin. In sort of a frustrated pout, he'd take a step forward to pass the ID back to Mukuro and offer him a nod of acknowledgement. It was rare that Lucian showed his age and immaturity, but when he did it was in the softest of ways.

Ayuna then took a moment to chime back in, inquiring on if she was free to reenter Kumogakure. And of course she was. Who was he, a genin, to stop her? But first

"Yeah, you both are clear to enter. But...What tips would you have for a Genin looking to find a place for himself within Kumogakure's forces? Seeing as you both are high profile shinobi, I could learn a lot from your journeys."

WC = 342. TWC = 1843
+1 Life Stack; 3 Total

There was not any kind of blush on his face as he chuckled at the boop and then the words that had accompanied it. The two had a weird dynamic for sure but one that had been built purely off of field combat and bad decisions. None the less however the medic would shrug and push his hat up a bit," Now if you want to scar the poor lad then go ahead you sadistic woman you, but I think it is best to not scare the new generation before they begin to bloom. You never know what kind of potential they have before seeing it first hand," he would give a small wink to the Genin before standing up straight and yawning. Any advice? Well that was a bit of a difficult one. He grew up during the war torn and battle ridden past of the village so what he had learned then could be applied but peace was never for long. Tapping his chin before his companion here could answer he would snap his fingers and rustle whatever strands of hair the young genin had," Make good, successful bonds. Many shinobi can get far with just themselves, but if you have those who can climb the mud with you and make it to new heights? You will find a greater strength. Also don't be afraid to get hurt or fail. You learn best when you have a good mix of success and failure. ANNNNND If you need anything medical wise whether its learning about the body or you have something you want stuffed inside of you come see me. I'll give you a really good discount," there was a sly chuckle as he looked over to Ayuna to see what kind of twisted or useful advice he would give him.


Before he had forgotten he would hold up his left index finger.


"Oh and if you are going to be active with the opposite sex or same sex if that is your vibe, make sure you practice it safely."

- Exit and allowing Mukuro and Ayuna into Kumogakure-

TWC = 1843
25% Max Stat Claims
- 1500 WC towards memorizing Mukuro and Ayuna's signatures
- 375 WC Towards Adjustment
- 375 WC Towards Body Flicker
- 375 WC Towards Storage Displacement
- 187.5 WC Towards Discipline
- 133 WC Towards Double Jump (Rest trained on stat page)