Starring:
Date: October 3, 2013
Summary:
Miu finally makes a trip to Fuuma to attempt to bring Touma home
Similarity and Difference"
Fuuma Clan HQ, Fuuma Alley
The gathering of clouds in the sky made the night seem much much longer, being dark signs of potential rain they have hovered about doing nothing but barking at those below. Not a simple drop for the hours they have been up. Though there was one Hyuuga with an umbrella in hand, still just in case. Followed by a few others, dressed in traditional Hyuuga garb, not so lucky in the umbrella department. The umbrella holder? That would be Miu. Coming in for a meeting at Fuuma Alley, of all places, she looked a bit disappointed as the group closed in their approach on the area.
Miu knew when she was beat, this man that had been referenced here and there as to using the Juuken style has been watched carefully, just like many others. Though this one has managed to set up a stronghold in a sense. Many rogue Hyuuga have been removed over the last few years, others established as outside sources due to already gaining trust of the surrounding areas, some even converted to work for Konohagakure now, though those were generally the ones who faced true hardships and had little to no choice.
"It will be hard." Miu comments to one of her guards, getting no response from him, as expected. "He probably won't come along but, he's shown his ability to bring order, he could be much more helpful to us within the village instead of out." Miu and crew were now at the entrance of Fuuma Alley. "Well…" What to expect here?
Hopping from the roof of a nearby building, two scruffy men and one woman make their way over to Miu and her entourage, the tall male speaking up. "You Miu?" he asks as they walk within range before stopping, as if the question needed answering with the woman's clothing exactly like how their boss had described it and the entourage present and accounted for. "Come with us." he adds quietly, not even waiting for an answer.
Through the streets of Fuuma walked the trio, leading Miu to the First Ward and the large building that used to be a dojo. It was here that Touma had laid down the brickwork for his clan, his group of like-minded individuals. As they reached the large stairway, the trio turn back to the group, inbetween the stairs and Miu's group. The woman speaks up after eyeing Miu as if she were some kind of rival or lesser woman. "He will meet you, but your posse is to stay here. He is just up the stairs."
As the three approach Miu, she halts as her guard continues to move forward, surrounding her. There would be a moment of Miu just watching the group, wondering if they'd catch on before she spoke. Since they request them to come along, it seems the obviousness of it all was caught on to. The guards look the trio over and then they entourage makes their way through Fuuma Alley. "Excellent."
When the dojo is reached and it was requested her guard stay behind, Miu gives the woman an odd look. "I excepted as much." Like the guards, Miu activates her Byakugan for a few seconds. "Hmm.." A nod is given and she follows along. "Yoza-kun. I hope to see you again~" She says to one of the guards, with a large hit of sarcasm as she heads towards Fuuma's 'Boss'.
Up the stairs and down the hall, littered with men and women both young and old, playing games, gambling, talking, sleeping, drinking, came the large oak doors of Touma's office, that also acted as his apartment. Through the doors was a large open space, complete with a bar and a few sofas off to the side, a kitchen further back, a king-sized bed further in. Everything considered liveable was set behind large glass doors on either side of the 'hallway' created by them, which led straight ahead to what looked like an office, large oak desk, a few chairs, a large window looking out over Fuuma Alley, and one large chair with its back currently to Miu. Upon entry to the office, Miu would be greeted not with a hello, but with a sudden slow clap.
As the clapping picked up the chair swiveled, Touma sitting in it, his sunglasses on as usual. "Congratulations, Miu. I heard you got the 'gig' after Akomura…sadly…died." Touma says with thick sarcasm lining his fake concern. "..and are proceeding with running it into the ground. A little birdy has told me some very concerning news…." he says as he leans forward on his desk, folding his fingers and resting his chin on them.
Miu's stroll through the place made her a bit disappointed, it appears this place was set up in a way that she'd like, if it weren't for tradition. A polite smile given to those as she passed, despite being sorely out of place in here. Then eventually came Touma's office and his dramatic slow clap entrance that causes her to raise a brow, "…right. You haven't been waiting like that for long have you?" The whole Akomura affair was completely brushed over.
Her hands cross and she stands there patiently, waiting for his whole speech to be over with as he looked very eager to make this dramatic. "Well, move along. This is your home so I'll let you speak before moving on to my issues." The polite smile returns once again and she waits.
"I think you know what news I speak of. Perhaps it is why you finally sought me out, perhaps not. Those that know me know I am a man of few words and always let a woman speak her mind first. So." Touma says as he lifts his head up and leans back in his chair. He holds his hand out towards one of the chairs telling her to take a seat. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from such an esteemed member of the Hyuuga clan?" he says, finishing his thought after the pause.
Miu still didn't seem to know what he was talking about. "Well! That's good to hear. I can't stay wandering about outside of the village for too long…" Miu looks beyond Touma out into Fuuma Alley. "Let's see, I've more or less came to say hello. Sometimes a nice little chat is needed. I'm curious as to what your drive is, so many other Hyuuga that departed at the start of the Konohagakure, seemed to have done it out of spite and spite can only take you so far. They, like many other clans were eventually run out of business, scattered like roaches among the lands and then were either hunted down out of fear by those who eventually joined Konoha or simply disappeared. To avoid more trouble. All in all, what I'm saying is that most of them eventually fail."
Miu looks back to Touma. "Yet, you didn't, not only did you not fail though, you've established a place in this area.. as to why I don't know. So let me adjust my question." She taps her chin thoughtfully, "Why did you depart from the clan and why do you continue to stay apart from it til this day. I need this information, simply to enhance the integrity of my clan."
Touma looks interested as Miu talks, folding his fingers together as he rests on his chair. He looked surprised that Miu was never told what happened, but not overly surprised. Such a stain on the clan's history wouldn't be widely spoken of. "My family was cast out of the clan prior to the move to Konohagakure for voicing their opinion of lowering themselves to the level of other clans in order to live with them. My father and mother, along with a few other family members, were betrayed by my uncle.. Akomura, and I returned home to find it was not there with my friends and family anymore. I would be lying if I said I carried no hatred towards Konoha and those Hyuuga that reside within, but after Akomura got what he deserved, I had no direction to aim my hatred to anymore." he says as he swivels his chair to look out over Fuuma Alley. "A few months after my father and mother found a new home, I left on a personal quest to seek to discredit Akomura and regain my family's rightful place. I came here, to Fuuma. I found an apartment, scraped by with help from my eyes, and began to become a citizen of this once-dump of a village. As I continued to live here, I found myself unable to turn a blind eye to the things that were going on in this town, and began to change them. I met like-minded individuals who sought change and we created our own clan, both to keep order within the town and protect it if needed. You could say they are my new family."
"Hmm… no wonder." Miu smiles, when his story starts though doesn't interrupt any further, waiting until his story is done. With that she nods, "Interesting, so you are different from the rest, my assumptions have been verified. It's is somewhat funny, I could be dead now or wandering the lands too at this moment." Miu sighs, "I was not exactly pleased with lining up with the other clans… the fat men, those who have a constant stench of dog on them, those who did not naturally have power in their blood at all. If it weren't for my parents, husband and children all dying to the Clan Wars, then perhaps I wouldn't of clung to the clan so tightly when the formation came." Miu perks up again, "Nonetheless, here I am. Clan Head, oddly enough. I must say I'm impressed with what you've done with this land. Though, that… combined with the story you've just given me, leaves me to believe it'll be rather difficult to convince you to not only leave this place and your new family but, to also join the Hyuuga Clan once more…"
Touma listened to Miu's story, having lost everything in the wars. He couldn't laugh or feel sorry, as he had no idea what he would've done in that situation. With Miu's reason for coming finally revealed, Touma swivels his chair back to face Miu, an amused expression on his face. "You are right, I have no reason to rejoin the clan, and you also know why. Things will never change trapped in the 'cage' of Konohagakure surrounding yourself with lesser clans or hiding from them in the small enclosed space you've been 'given' by the Hokage. In fact, the only one who has ever gotten me to even consider returning to improve the clan and get it out of it's current sorry state is now, as I hear it through word of mouth, being sold off to Kumogakure for peace. Even Akomura wouldn't have been so foolish as to waste our pride and joy on such stupid fallacies as peace and political relations." he says, his eyes narrow briefly as he removes his sunglasses, staring at Miu. "Though my intel could be wrong, and I certainly hope it is."
"Mmm? No that is where you're wrong. That is the perfect place for someone to expand. While there are many ways to make money and improve, there is no better place than with a village's walls. This is what I've learned." Miu laces her hands together, "Out on our own, we were already pushed aside from bigger missions due to the Uchiha and Senju, if it were to be up against an entire village, we'd have little to no chance in getting assignments, out side of those requesting someone not fully affiliated with the Land of Fire itself. We'd become the equivalent of a mercenary group, something I do not want." Miu goes on, "Within the walls there is an equal footing, almost all Hyuuga have assignments given our gift, and are cosistantly better off since the formation of the village. Our people are also better protected within and as always, I put the clan before the village itself. Which may further confuse you as to what may of just happened with our clan."
Hyuuga, "Your intel may not be wrong. Though, they are most likely misguided, just like many others within the village and the clan itself. Pesonally I care very little what you may think. The word peace… means only so much to me, I enjoy the word… information and strength, much more. This is, why I also want you back. There are rumors that you very strong within the arts of Juuken and your Byakugan is powerful."
Miu sways in her position a bit, "Many have faultered in the style of Juuken, even Akomura was more obsessed with other techniques. I too.. have fallen out of finding myself too comfortable within the village walls. You see, we are in need of a master in the Juuken arts so that our most powerful of fighters can truly be prepared."
"The peaceful birds never dream of flying free, only of a quiet and peaceful life. If I was worried about Hidden Villages taking my business, I would've never been able to create what I have here, there are plenty of smaller countries that are overlooked by the large Hidden villages." Touma says with a dismissive wave of the hand. "But, the facts do not change. The only one with sway over how I live my life enough to perhaps convince me is Yuzuna, so you might have done your homework before coming, because I fear you wasted your time." he says before he pulls out a large bottle of premium sake and two cups, offering one to Miu. "Me, a teacher." he says quietly, chuckling.
"Not a fit analogy. Birds are not wise enough to observe complacency." Miu laughs lightly as Touma seems to push the whole thing off. "Yuzuna, poor girl." Miu truly did seem a bit disappointed, she felt like the woman was just becoming an item now instead of a person. "Well the only one who could convince me to retract my decision in the wedding would be a fellow member of the clan." The Hyuuga gestures to all outside the window. "Obviously you seem to need no favors as I had hoped, I'll find something though." Miu then looks down at the cup of sake, motioning for him to hold off. "Perhaps at some point we can drink as friends, despite being no longer being of the same clan. Currently I have another trip to make before returning to Konoha." Miu smiles, "If you'd ever like to visit Konohagakure, let me know." Miu straightens up and turns, ready to leave, though she hesitates for a moment and looks over her shoulder, "Something tells me even Yuzuna would not of changed your mind… honestly. Though my time has not been wasted, you returning to Konoha would've been an added bonus, I've gotten the little information I've wanted. Good luck with your endeavors, Touma-kun~" The last bit spoken as if he were a child and well, given her age, wasn't too out of place.
Touma lifts his glass to Miu as she leaves, long passed the point where he would get riled up over other people's words. "We shall never know if she would have or not, then, I guess. Nor will we ever know how great our clan could've been with a political marriage set to dillute our bloodline and give it to the world." he says before lowering his glass and tilting the contents back into his mouth, having given her a toast, to the destruction of the clan.
