Starring:
Date: September 22, 2010
Summary:
Following the siege on Sunagakure ending, one of the Council Members attempts to find answers in the library. One Records Keeper does his best to help without becoming so involved in the search for truth that people question how he knows what he does…
"Log Title"
Location
Koudo was in the library sitting at a table with a lamp. For a while he had been here, given there were many other things to do. His energy was high and he had no time to waist, with his head over a book, he tries to read as fast as he can and scribbling notes. What he needed to find, was not readily available, though his research persisted. Getting to the end of a book, without finding anything that was helpful, the side of his forehead tenses. And he lets out a long sigh, wondering what could possibly help. Perhaps there were more academic manuscripts, somewhere in the hidden in the depths of the libraries.
The library is the first sub-floor of the Administration Dome. It is literally just down the stairs on the east side of the Dome, and located one floor below. Then there is the Records Department one floor below that. And Restricted Access Records right below THAT. And there is the Jutsu Library one floor below THAT. And below the Jutsu Library… There are the Catacombs. Sub-level 5 and lower are all a vast network of underground tunnels that predate Sunagakure by centuries, or perhaps millennia.
People stay out of the Catacombs.
They are very bad.
Nai has been very busy in his normal job as a Records Keeper, organizing, filling out, editting, and so forth all sorts of records and files on a large number of things. Mostly it involves recording the newly deceased, and adjusting the personnel files. And recording the costs in resources and finances to repair Sunagakure, pay for funerals, pay medical bills, pay conscripted civilians for their time, their weapons and armor, and their training. So on and so forth. So much to keep track of.
Nai has not left the Records Department even once since the attack was officially ended. That was three days ago. Well, he has left occasionally, but only to go down to Restricted Access. Then he comes back up to Records. He has not slept, no one has seen him eat or drink anything, and frankly though Nai is often left alone — even ignored — there are some who have worked alongside him and seen him often enough over the past three or four years of working in Sunagakure, that they recognize he is not taking care of himself.
Attempting to cajole him into doing something about it, however, has resulted in being stared at from behind bandages and goggles and then told politely that there is no cause for concern. He has everything handled. Further entreaties are met with silence. People have their own problems, and their own jobs to do, so after awhile, they decide to just go do them. They can't FORCE Hone Nai to rest, after all.
The truth is that Nai is intentionally denying himself the things he normally does to keep up the pretense of being a normal human being. It makes him feel like maybe he still has some humanity left to him, and makes others assume that he is normal too. But right now, there is much work to be done. So much work, so much organizing… So many changes. He hates changes. He hates new things. He hates conflict. And yet he has been doing nothing but embracing those three things for the past week or so. It is not like him to do that. So here he is, overfocusing on doing his job, to try to bury his mind in work and erase his concerns.
Eventually, however, Nai can not stay and not do SOMETHING to make sure people do not become suspicious. If he is forced to accept a medical examination, things could become… Messy. So he finally gets up from the table he has been sitting at like a statue, and heads up the stairs, passing into the Library. He'll grab some food and pretend to eat it. That should take everyone's eyes off of him for awhile.
Koudo thought to himself about the toll that the invasion took on their village, bringing his hand over his face for a moment. There were so many questions, and too many gaps in the story for the likes of Suna to have missed. Lowering his hand he focuses his gaze, his objective here was to fill in those gaps. Whether it was for himself or Souna, he had to find out the truth about the missing information. The best way to do this was through effort, and one's skills may come into play depending on their expertise. He took the study of the elements seriously, the storms and everything else having to do with elements needed to be cleared up and he was the one for the job. Looking through history books, almanacs, and ninjutsu records, he was also keeping an eye out for something else since the time of the battle.
When he noticed the entrance of another person, he knew it was the person that could probably help him the most. Bowing lightly to Nai, "Hello, Nai-san." He leans back and sighs, of course he knew a bit about the records keeper, but didn't make any assumptions. Giving him a second look "Are you having, lunch?" Looking at the food, noticed there was still some there, and his stomach rumbles. Koudo clears his throat and says "*Ahem* Listen, I have been searching the records for anything that can help discover the true cause of what has happened." Raising his brow, he says in a serious tone "…I need your help."
Nai had not quite gotten the food he intended to obtain. But with all the injured, those rendered homeless, and more, food and water were scarce. They had both laid out for those recovering, as even the library was being used as temporary housing at times. So he had simply grabbed a dried fig and a pottery-like cup of water. He has no intention of consuming or imbibing either, but appearances and all that.
Then he is greeted. Why do people keep greeting him? He does not know but he pauses to return the greeting with a nod. Nothing verbal. He just continues along his way. And then another question. Lunch? Is that what time it is? As though it were a trick question, he hesitates and then slowly answers, "No. I have… Already eaten." Ah, this might work out nicely, actually. He turns and walks towards Koudo. "I was told you looked as though you could use some nourishment," he answers in his rasping, dry voice. "But I did not see you initially. My apologies." Then he sets down the cup and the plate with the fig on it in front of Koudo, and moves the books he was using away from where they could get food particles or water spilled on them.
While he is doing this, Koudo continues speaking to him. "What specifically do you require my help for? To the best of my knowledge, the events of the past two or three weeks have not been inflicted on Sunagakure in the past. The Village has only existed for three years — close to four — now. The city itself, however, existed prior to its rehabitation by ninja and the desert's nomadic people. The full history of the city upon which Sunagakure is built is not fully recorded. Few still live who would remember its past… Do you require the records of the City of the Sands?"
Koudo eyes the bandaged book-keeper, rubbing his chin lightly. It was nothing out of the ordinary for him to act that way at first, though it was too late for lunch but early for dinner, Koudo was in for a surprise. He had not eaten, minimizing is intake of nourishment for the people that needed them most. His face stamped with the effects of tire and worry in the past weak already catching up to him. His mind drifts off, to be out on the open road again. Though he sends a bright grin towards Nai when he offers him the food "A fig!" He bites the whole thing down and chews. "Ah, it is good to have some brain food." Smiling for a moment before getting back to work and listening to Nai's response.
Nodding thoughtfully, he replies "I will need those records." Taking a breath out "Hmmm…I suppose that could give me some more data to figure out the source of the storms. Though it may just prove the fact that it was not caused by any sort of natural means. I have heard of people causing storms, and earthquakes, but the scale of the disaster…I feel as though only mother nature herself could have caused such a powerful storm. I've been through some of the greatest accounts of storms caused by ninjutsu or other such supernatural nature, but I'm starting to believe this may surpass even the greatest storms to affect a population of humans. Thankfully we as a village were able to minimize the casualties of the storms and quakes. But the invasion…That is another mystery we have yet to solve." He mostly conducted research by working off the knowledge he had from experience and travels, but had barely any idea about the power he saw used on the battlefield, but if there were any accounts of something similar it may give him some sort of clue.
Nai nods slowly. "Very well. I can obtain these records for you." He then rises from the seat he had taken only a few moments ago, and begins to turn to go to Subfloor 2. Then something occurs to him. He isn't sure if he should say it or not, but… "I should notify you, however, that there WAS one instance of a shaping and controlling of natural forces by Ninjutsu on this scale…" He looks around as though expecting someome might be listening in.
Then he turns his attention on Koudo. "…It was performed by the Sage of the Six Paths. And I have heard a rumor that the one behind the attack on Sunagakure was supposedly a descendant of that Sage." A pause. "I will go obtain those records for you now."
Koudo watches Nai with a concerned but hopeful intent. All he was trying to do was learn something new, whether it was from reading a book or other such means, something as simple as talking to someone. It was lucky he could speak directly to the Sunagakure records keeper, who had a wealth of information on hand. But it was funny, when Nai told him about a rumor.
The realization was astounding, he almost gasped. But a grin comes to his face, that's all he needed. "Thank you, Nai-san." He bows his head and watches the black robed book keeper walk away. Clearing up his books, he takes a look up and to the side 'How did…He know about the rumor?" Shaking his head lightly. Now he had to find out the truth, and how to end the persistence of war and casualty.
