Starring:
Date: August 23, 2015
Summary:
The time has finally come for the good doctor to pay Kiji a visit for preemptive study of the patient and circumstances.
"Bloody Pursuit - House Call"
The Moto Household [Kirigakure]
News of Kuoroke's arrival in the Land of Water traveled swiftly, but not nearly quickly enough to reach Kiyoshi's ears. By the time the chuunin is even remotely prepared, the /exact/ timing of the ex-councilor's arrival has come and gone, leaving him unable to join whatever team that might escort Kuoroke to the village. To make up for the error, the Moto resolved himself laying whatever groundwork might be necessary; including belatedly notifying and dra—er, leading Kiji to the gate to await Kuoroke alongside him.
Simply standing by however was not enough for the Jinchuuriki. He passed just from within the gates, occasionally pausing only to try and spy or catch a whiff of what lay beyond the gate. For his efforts, the moss-haired giant was rewarded with a nigh constant reminder that rain would be upon them in a matter of hours, well before the sun has even set.
Kiji wasn't sure what exactly was going on with Kiyoshi. He'd mentioned someone was coming and he was clearly insistent that she go with him. Which made her curious what was going on. She stepped along with him, just content to be with him at that point. Kiji's eyes tuned bright purple and she looked in Kuoroke's general direction even before he was visible. "What a strong chakra.." She mumbled. The girl's white hair was in a long braid down her back and her clothes were typical of her. Black top and skirt with a pair of black shorts under it (mainly because she had a habit of going upside down and that had certain consequences.) In any case she watched and waited for Kuoroke curiously.
Kuoroke arrives alone, without a tea to accompany him. He seems like a fairly unremarkable traveller, although his darker skin and Suna-style cowl -or for that matter, the Suna forehead protector- do stand out somewhat. His cloak billows around his feet slightly in the cool breeze blowing through the area. At the gates, he stops, presents his paperwork to the guards if asked for such, and crosses the village's threshold. He casts a patient look around, and gives nod to Kiyoshi. "You're already here." He begins, in lieu of a greeting. "Good. I've asked around, and I may have found a way to help your… friend."
The moment Kiji mentions something about "strong chakra" Kiyoshi slows to a standstill, and curtly looks towards the gate. However long it takes for Kuoroke to come within visual range did not matter to Kiyoshi. He would wait hours at this point out of impatience and stubbornness. The giant visibly relax as Kiji's foresight bears fruit, but resisted the impulse to meet the Kuroki halfway. Once all the official paperwork seemed to be taken care of however, Kiyoshi had no further qualms. "Aye." He says, bowing sharply in greeting. "You have? That's — I don't even… That's just great!" Kiyoshi ultimately settles on. Afterwards, there is a bit of an awkward moment in which he just stands there grinning to himself absently while combing a hand roughly through his hair. Only belatedly does it occur to him to look back and draw Kiji forward if she had not already done so herself by then. "Kiji, Kuoroke-sama, Kuoroke-sama, Kiji." He says hurriedly.
Kiji observed Kuoroke's suna style and hitae-ate as he came into view and dealt with the guards. She remained where se was as the elder man spoke to Kiyoshi. It did not occur to the girl that Kiyoshi's 'friend' that needed the help was /her/. Not at first anyway. She was intent on studying the man before her. She had been to Suna a few times and had always heard stories whispered about Kuoroke in the back corners of Suna, stories that had to be false. Still she was curious and her eyes were a bright purple by the time Kiyoshi tugged her closer. Politely and formally she gave a half bow, never lowering her eyes from Kuoroke's. She was not being impolite, she was merely only ever going to bow to Meruin.
"Very good." Another nod follows from the Sunagakuran. Kuoroke turns his attention to Kiji and studies her from behind his glasses. He adjusts the eyewear briefly, then continues studying. Finally, he speaks again. "Would the two of you prefer to discuss this in private?"
Kiyoshi grimaces. "Right, what was I — *clears throat*… Just.. follow me." He says awkwardly, leading the way with Kiji possibly still in hand. The journey isn't exactly a long one, nor (thankfully) are they accosted along the way by noone. At most a few passerbyers give them curious looks, seeing as how the trio made quite the odd group.
After a few odd twists and turns, at a one floor home of traditional make, shabby on the outside, though not so much so that it appeared it might fall apart completely at any given moment. Kiji might notice first through a passive sweep that only the residual imprints of one or two individuals remains inside, denoting their recent departure. Whatever the reason behind that may be, Kiyoshi doesn't offer anything, nor waste time by not showing them quickly inside. So used to meandering about every barefoot is he that the thought of guest house shoes completely slips the boy mind. He just briskly makes his way to the living room entryway, turns about, and motions for the two to head on inside.
Kiji followed Kiyoshi, happy to keep hold of his hand as they moved. She was watching Kuoroke intently, of course, but was half distracted by Kiyoshi's presence, the warmth of his large hand holding her small one. She had also seen Kiyoshi's place before so it wasn't anything for her to just step out of her shoes and go barefoot. She did offer silently to help Kuoroke with his shoes if he chose (She felt it fell to her to deal with the details as Kiyoshi's mate). Then she moved inside the place and turned to peer at Kiyoshi, eyes still bright purple.
Kuoroke follows quietly. At the building, he removes his sandals, just as silently motioning he doesn't need Kiji's assistance. His motions after they enter are decidedly sparse - every step further inside is taken out of necessity to follow his host and client, and appears to be rather deliberate. Only his eyes seem to move eagerly, absorbing the house in detail. Materials for analysis and psychological profiling, later, as well as an instinctive verification that this is not a trap of some kind.
Once inside, he turns to Kiji. "I am told by this young man that there is a memory-blocking seal placed upon you, and have been asked to remove it for you." He begins, again cutting to the core matter. "I'd like you to tell me every detail that can be of relevance so that this can be safely done."
Virtually everything about the Moto household radiated one thing: Maleness. Some haphazard attempts were made at giving it more of a feminine touch here and there, but those seemed more like the efforts of guest or the like possibly, if anything. The Moto were a trio of brothers after all. Granted, one of them was a bit of a clean freak among other things, but the efforts of one man (and his temporary assistance) could only go so far…
Fortunately for all, the living room is at least kept pretty clean all things considered. Kiyoshi plops down on the farthest cushion surrounding a center table, relaxing as best as he could. Before he can get in so much as a word in edgewise afterwards, Kuoroke is already getting straight to the point, forcing Kiyoshi's more nerve influenced roundabout words back down into his throat. "… It's alright, Chi-chan. Tell him." He says, straightening out in his seat for a more serious discussion.
Once Kuoroke was inside the place Kiji turned to watch as Kuoroke to in the surroundings. She could sense his basic attitude and the information collecting nature of his attention. But then he turned to her and spoke. Her purple eyes dropped, as if embarrassed. She considered these seals to be a flaw and disliked that something had rendered her that way. It took her a long moment before she looked up again, her eyes which had been a noticeable purple were now a deep dark golden and Kiyoshi would scent her shift of emotion as well. But his encouragement helped a bit. "I…lost a few hours. I can't remember what happened. We wouldn't have known anything did happen if it wasn't for the fact that Kiyoshi couldn't find me. I wasn't in the village but I have no memory of it. Well.. maybe. If I try to remember what happened… it.. it hurts but.." And she seemed to focus. an array of crimson seals came to life on her forehead and face and though Kiji rarely reacted to physically pain, this showed on her face. She turned he thoughts away again and it faded once more. Lifting her eyes, now a grey tone like storm clouds, she added, "If I try to think it makes me forget other things…"
Kuoroke cast an eye over the seals. "Then don't tax yourself." he instructs, his tone softening somewhat as he sees the girl's expression. "It is a good sign that it's just a few hours. I was concerned it may be months, even years. However, if it spreads to other memories, I will require other sources of information." He frowns a bit. "This seal is crafty, then - and that, in turn, means there may be… well, additional precautions." He turns to the young titan in the room. "And you found her, I presume? If so, in what circumstances? Where? Had any other marks been placed on her body?"
Although Kiyoshi remained silent, his agitation still shined through. Both hands began curling into tight fists as the seals flared to life. It took a great deal of resistance on his part not to bark out some command for Kiji to stop before things worsened again. As tough as a things as his protective instincts were to swallow, the Moto just barely manages. His own anger kept him tight-lipped for a time. But inevitably, the rest of the anger rushes out as a drawn out exhale. "Yes, I did. At the Oasis. There weren't any marks on her, so at first I assumed Kiji-chan just returned there because it was closer to rest at." Kiyoshi snorts. "Turned out I was wrong. And if I had to guess, 'they' hoped for as much." He states tightly near the end, eyes cast down at the table, glaring at its surface.
Kiji glanced over to Kiyoshi and remained quiet for a second. His anger was something to behold.. or in her case, sense. She saw his hands and just went over to the cough and crawled up beside him, touching her forehead to his. "I'm okay Kiyo." Sitting down with one arm against Kiyoshi's she looked at Kuoroke again. "I.. I think it has to do with my clan. I've been approached before because…. Well.. I.. I did something I wasn't supposed to be able to do. I forced a member of my clan by controlling /her/ blood." Not something that should technically be possible. Kiji shifted nervously. "They tried to get me to talk about it and I told them to go away…. Then this happened… a..and .. Well they're red so.. it makes some kind of sense…"
"The mind is a fragile thing, as you understand, and I would like to be as careful as I possibly could. This- I would say it may be a trickier procedure than brain surgery, as the latter is not laced with booby traps, and a personality is, perhaps, a more fragile thing than a the brain in which it resides." Kuoroke stared speaking again, looking down in intense concentration. "I'm not trying to worry you, and I do believe this to be possible, but I need to make it clear that -every- imaginable preparation is made."
His eyes shot up again, boring into Kiji. "Does your clan actually have access to seal techniques of this type? And if so, do you know any specifics about the people capable of forming them? Their… style? Secondly, how far apart in time were these incidents? -Thirdly-, has this seal in any way affected your ability to perform this feat? On second thought, may that the -second- question. If not, your relatives are, quite possibly, not responsible."
Then, he moved to Kiyoshi. "How long was she gone, specifically? And can you show me, on a map, where this location is? If we make an estimate of travel time to move her and to produce the -obvious- seals, we may have an idea of how much time she lost beyond that, as well as how much may have been dedicated to creating further pitfalls. Finally-" He turned back to Kiji. "You were not wounded. Under what circumstances would you willingly, without fighting back, undergo such erasing of memory?"
"The mind is a fragile thing, as you understand, and I would like to be as careful as I possibly could. This- I would say it may be a trickier procedure than brain surgery, as the latter is not laced with booby traps, and a personality is, perhaps, a more fragile thing than a the brain in which it resides." Kuoroke stared speaking again, looking down in intense concentration. "I'm not trying to worry you, and I do believe this to be possible, but I need to make it clear that -every- imaginable preparation has to be made, every precaution taken."
His eyes shot up again, boring into Kiji. "Does your clan actually have access to seal techniques of this type? And if so, do you know any specifics about the people capable of forming them? Their… style? Secondly, how far apart in time were these incidents? -Thirdly-, has this seal in any way affected your ability to perform this feat? On second thought, may that the -second- question. If not, your relatives are, quite possibly, not responsible."
Then, he moved to Kiyoshi. "How long was she gone, specifically? And can you show me, on a map, where this location is? If we make an estimate of travel time to move her and to produce the -obvious- seals, we may have an idea of how much time she lost beyond that, as well as how much may have been dedicated to creating further pitfalls. Finally-" He turned back to Kiji. "You were not wounded. Under what circumstances would you willingly, without fighting back, undergo such erasing of memory?"
Confusion melts into an almost peaceful look once their head's meet. Further assurance melts most lingering doubts, but plenty remain behind to plague the man. His lidded gaze follows her, and it is upon her they remained until Kuoroke turned upon him again. Conflicted, Kiyoshi looks between Kuoroke and Kiji, asking with a look what should've been perhaps discussed in greater details ahead of time.
How much should he say exactly?
The moss-haired giant would only wait for so long before focusing his full attention on Kuoroke. "I don't remember exact details… only a few hours at most. Maybe six? And… give me a sec." Kiyoshi rises from his seat, grudgingly leaving Kiji's warmth for the sake of stepping out of the room for the moment.
Kiji blinked several times, her eyes going completely white for several beats. But then they shifted visibly to a blue shade. She took a second, collecting her thoughts. The incidents were all within a few weeks after I had subjugated her…." She looked very tense for a second as she spoke then moved on. " I don't know much about the Shimizu clan. I was not raised among them. Meruin-dono raised me." That was close enough to the truth… "I have little to no contact with my clan. So don't know. I think it's possible. I've heard of something called Blood Seals but I have no idea if it's true."
Kiji looked at her hands when he ased about her ability to perform the feat. "I only did it once. I.. I guess you could call her my mother. So it's not like I can do this whenever I want… But no one believes me about that. Well, no one but Kiyoshi…" She looked up at him with a soft expression, grateful that he did indeed believe her.
She allowed Kiyoshi to get up. She could tell he wasn't sure what to tell and what not to. So she stepped in and as he left the room she spoke alittle louder so Kiyoshi could hear her answers. Kuoroke had asked about what would get her to willingly submit to something like this she furrowed her brow and shook her head…. What indeed…. She shook her head then. "I.. I cannot allow things to be done to me. I .." She fell silent again, chewing on her lip, eyes cast to the side for a second. "I am different than my cousins and I cannot say why. Meruin-dono has forbidden me. But.. Just say that that …. uniqueness.. allowed me to exert force against that ONE person. It doesn't work against anyone else…. But my cousins seemed over-eager to find out how I did it…."
Kuoroke nodded as Kiji spoke, and smiled slightly. "It doesn't matter whether or not I believe you. I've got no choice but to act on what you tell me, and do my best within that framework. And I will. And, if it at all matters, I do believe you, and I appreciate the trust you put in me…" He paused. "There is one more thing I should, most likely, do. Take a sample of the ink in which this seal is drawn to study. Now, consider the implications of whether or not you can allow me to do this carefully. I believe I've already stated I am aware some of these precautions may seem somewhat forward. As for your promise to your Kage, I will attempt to speak to him, as well. Once all preparations are made, I will let you know."
Kiji nodded a little to Kuoroke's words, slightly confused about trusting him. More because she rarely trusted anyone. But then she nodded and shrugged lightly. "You can cut me if you want to take a sample. I'm pretty sure youll find it's blood." And she meant it. He was welcome to take a sample of the seal whenever he'd like. Now if he wanted to. "I heal fast."
Kuoroke readily produced a small case with several hooked needles and scraping implements. The Kuroki had come prepared, apparently. He asks Kiji to sit still. "I don't want to force you to activate the seal, so I'd best take several samples and see what they give me." After a scraping from her forehead and a series of stabs with various-sized needles to different depths, he steps back, satisfied. All samples are meticulously stored. "If it -is- blood, I may be able to find out whose. They may be warned when the seal is broken." He says. "Which means, Kiyoshi, that for at least two months after the procedure she should, in my opinion, be closely watched. I'll tell your Kage the same thing."
Kiyoshi's timing could not have been better. Worse, definitely, but not better to be exact. "Samples?" He parrots quietly before stepping fully back into the room. There's a couple of scrolls rolled up under his arms, as well as an overlarge piece of parchment. Instead of asking for some sort of an explanation the Moto restrained himself to quiet observation once he returned to Kiji's side. Kuoroke's actions are, to say the least, watched like a hawk. "Trust me. Short of Meruin-sensei sending me away, I weren't planning on budging any time soon." He states flatly without even realizing it.
Kiji sat still as requested. Apparently she was unbothered by the needles and scrapings. She kept her gaze steady and what little mark had been made on her pale skin disappeared within seconds, showing that she was one of the regenerating clans of Kiri. Kiyoshi's returning made her seem to relax a bit and she turned when Kuoroke was done with his samples, leaning against his arm. "Kiyo takes good care of me. I just get into stuff I shouldn't." Habit!
