searching

Kamoku was sitting in the middle of the dirt road. His dirty doctor's coat fluttering in the wind. His messy white hair moving in the same direction. His yellow eyes staring straight at the dirt in his hands, mumbling in a dark clicking sound. " five percent nickel, ten percent iron, trace elements...." Everyone who walked around him was wither disturbed or angry. His bound foot claws that was dipped in blood was very menacing. They weren't used to seeing a human-looking thing with claws and blood in the middle of the street mumbling to itself. Kam didnt mind. He needed to figure out where to look next. where to look for his linked clan.

Miya was walking down the streets of Iwagakure.It was windy and she had tied her hair so it wouldn't get into her face.She was reading a fantasy novel as usual and not noticing a human-like creature she fell over it causing the book to fall into the mud. Miya rubbed her head and stood up picking up her ruined book. Damn...That was new..and it was about to get interesting... she thought to herself. Then she looked at the weird person who was staring at her. ''I apologize for that incident'' she said with a cold expression. Sure, Miya was cold and pretended not to care about others but one thing she wasn't was being rude.

Kamoku felt a bump on his back and watched as a girl sailed above his head and back onto the ground. Her wood book landing in the wet earth, getting soiled. It was amusing how vacant her face looked as she apologized. He grinned, his pointed teeth gleaming back. " Ehehe, it's okay, c'ild. It vas my fault anyvays. 'Ere." He leaned forward and poked the book with a black claw. Suddenly a loud mettalic noise reached the ears of several people. Most of them clapped their hands over them and cringed. Kam however, felt very comfortable. When kam opened his hand, water was in it and dry dust fell from the book. "T'ere. You said somet'ing about a good part?" His multiple pupils swirled around crazily.

The man grinned revealing his pointed teeth. What's with his teeth ? she thought confused but still keeping that blank face of her's. She watched the man taking her book and covering it with his black claw. Suddenly a painful noise appeared. Miya wanted to cover her ears in order to protect them from that noise but she held herself back thinking it would be rude.As soon as the noise disappeared the man gave her her book back, dry and clean.It was like it never fell into the mud.Miya realised she was asked a question and quickly answered ''Yes...The main character was about to gain immortality..''. But I didn't say anything...I thought it... she thought to herself. ''How did you clean my book?'' she asked trying to supress her curiosity.

Kamoku looked at her. Even though she had a blank face -which he could never see anyway- she still had underlying factors that he could understand. She was a bit nervous. He was able to look at those bodily factors to replace words. Like full sign language. Kam nodded. " Immortality, eh? t'at's quite interesting. Do you like t'e t'ought of immortality?" Kamoku dried hid hand that held water on the edge of his coat. " I simply removed double 'edged 'ydrogen and filtered oxygen from t'e particulates on your vood t'ing wit'out removing any of t'e organic material t'at might rupture or disrupt any of t'e ink. It's a basic and fundamental molecule separation v'en dealing with atoms." He mumbled, pointing to the dust that fell from the book.

''Being Immortal would be interesting...'' she said after he had explained how he managed to dry her book. ''Oh excuse me, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Miya Shizuka. Pleased to meet you.'' she said trying to smile.She didn't do that often but she felt the need to.Although everyone was digusted at this mans sight , she was kind of interested.She had never seen anyone like this before and thus she wanted to learn more about him. ''What is your name, if I may ask? And judging by your answer, you are a doctor and you studied chemistry?'' she asked thinking it wasn't polite but at that moment she didn't really care. Everytime she wanted to learn something new she tossed her manners aside and concentrated on getting what she wanted.

Kamoku analyzed her muscle movements. They weren't polite. They were restrained and repetitive. She was waiting for something. Oh well, why escape the inevitable? Kamoku stood up and scratched his head. He was very short for a male and very thin for a shinobi. well, thin for a human in general. " My name is Kamoku Villov. Yes, I studied chemistry somevat...I prefer to stay in a different scientific category." Kamoku turned around quickly and pulled out a jar. He capped it and looked inside. It was a dragonfly. He smiled. " Is t'ere a body of vater around 'ere? Or is t'is friend far from 'ome?" His pointed teeth garbled his language, making him have a hard time with his H's and V's.

He didn't wait for her answer. " It 'as to be only a fev miles..." He turned to her again and smiled. " You must be t'e new gennin, your eye pattern reflectivity is similar to t'e one I sav at t'e graduation ceremony. In your test, next time tuck your knees in tighter." 3 of his 12 pupils started to scan her up and down.

''You were at the graduation ceremony? I didn't notice you...'' Miya said more to herself than to Kamoku. ''Tuck my knees tighter..? Hm..you are right.. I will remember that..Thanks''. She wanted to know more about him.It was the first time she felt such strong curiosity for something.''If you dont mind me asking,where are you from? And why is there blood on your feet? Did you get in trouble? You may get infected if you don't cover it up.'' She took out some bandages and handed them over to Kamoku. The passengers were staring in horror at her the whole time. How could she talk to that thing and even offer it help? The villagers couldn't understand.

Kamoku laughed. " I vasn't close enough for anyone to see me t'ere, your c'unnin's aren't t'at keen on smell. I'll tell you t'at." He laughed, assuming the body of water was somewhere east. Which he was walking that direction. He looked at his feet when she commented on it. He laughed again. " Ehehehe, it's not my blood. I just came across some lunch. Do you vant to find t'e body of vater or not? Like all people, i 'ave a job to do. Just because i'm avsome doesn't mean i can't vork." even though no one mentioned him being awesome or his work, he walked slowly away staring at the dragonfly in the jar. Just as he passed her, she saw the sand headband on his left shoulder.

So he is from the Sand...We are allies...Body of water? sure why not she thought staring at his shoulder.
''Sure lets find that body of water'' she said and started following him , putting the bandages back in their place. ''What did you eat to get so dirty?'' she asked him unable to supress her curiosity. He sure thinks high of hisself...I didn't mention he was awesome. And what is with his accent? Do people talk like that in Suna? she thought, a confused expression lying on her face.She had never seen a shinobi from suna so it was only natural for her to wonder.As soon as she noticed that people were staring again she returned to her emotionless expression. She knew her Grandpa was going to kill her for that if he found out...and he would.But she didn't care at all. She wanted to spend more time with Kamoku in order to learn more about him.

" If I told you, you vould scream like t'e rest of t'em. ve dont vant t'ose face muscles to get exa'usted, do ve?" He turned back to make sure she was following. They traveled through the crowd of people to an empty alleyway. He moved quickly through it, his foot claws making a tiny clacking sound on the stone. " To find te body of vater gives me a chance to finally get a break t'roguh..." he mumbled to himself in that weird language of clicking and hissing. His mouth was still posed in a grim smile, though his eyes vacant with nothing but the swirling pupils. Unlike humans, his species doesn't use facial recognition to express emotions. Thus, he has no need to act human.

They reached the banks of the water quickly. Soon, he released the dragonfly and dipped his foot in the water. He quickly pulled back as if it burned him though. "Saltvater...just as I expected. damn." he mumbled under his breath. Staring at the water. " 'As t'ere been any clan arguements lately? I vasn't able to keep track with my das'ing good looks to take care of." he said clearly, though this time when he complimented himself he said it as if it was sarcasm. He was concentrating too hard to keep track of his ton-age which humans relied on too much.

She didn't feel uneasy by his answer but she decided not to further ask since he wouldn't tell her anyway.He moved into an empty alleyway. That was when Miya realised that he may be dangerous.She stopped following him for a moment fear overcame her body.Her heart was beating fast,adrenaline shooting through her veins.What if he attacks me? But we are allies so he wouldn't. she thought calming herself down and continued to follow Kamoku. Miya noticed how fast he took his foot out of the water. She was going to ask why but he asked her if some clans were arguing.''Arguing..?Well, my Grandfather had a disagreement with someone I don't know...like four days ago?But I wasn't paying that much attention, it didn't really interest me.''she answered, kind of lost in her thoughts.
''Why are you asking? Or more importantly how do you know?'' she asked him , in her voice laying suspiciousness.

Kamoku looked at Miya. " I'm old enough to know t'at v'en t'ere is a disagreement, t'ere is an advantage. T'ough since you don't pay attention to your political affairs it seems I'll have to settle vith my own hands." Kamoku sat down and pulled off his lab coat. Underneath it was a pair of black shorts, a purple and gold Chinese shirt and a gray sash with black stripes. He then pulled out surgical gloves and placed them on his hands. after that he reached in and grabbed a rock from the water, algae sitting on it for dear life. He examined it and grinned. " Good, t'e c'emical readings s'ow t'at it is close by." he let the rock slip in the bank along with his gloves. " I vas going to use t'e argument in order to get a reading, but it looks like i vas suitable enough. Any more questions before ve go on Ms. S'izuka?" He couldn't quite say her name, but she knew the jest of things.

Miya watched Kamoku wearing surgical gloves and pulling out a rock examining the algae which was on it. Gloves? Maybe he doesn't want to get dirty? she thought but then remembered his feet. No that cant be it. The water is salty so maybe he is allergic to salt?But the human body needs salt in order to survive.But then again he doesn't really look like he is human... Miya was thinking so deeply she barely heard his question. ''Hm..Questions? Right. E, Why do you talk like that? Is it common for suna shinobi? And if you have a problem with salty water you could have just asked me to pull out that stone,you know.. she said smiling.

Kamoku laughed. Out of all the questions he had gotten about himself, it was his talking. " 'uman language is 'ard for me since my mouth wasn't built like yours. Obviously. " he pointed to his teeth and thin tongue. " My accent is t'ick because i get lazy pronouncing vords. Since you can understand me just fine like this, i find no reason in being exact." He pointed to the rock. " I needed to touch t'e rock as soon as it hit oxygen molecules so i 'ad to pull it out with either plastic gloves or t'e skin of a human being. I was going to just cut off someone's 'and -maybe you, but your 'ands are too small- pull the bones and meat off and use it as a glove to remove t'e rock, but i found t'at it was more suitable using non-degradable resources. 'ow ever much i 'ate using t'em." He pointed to his own hand. " My skin is made of base materials t'at burn v'en ever I'm in contact with 'igh amounts of acid such as salt. In order to get t'e atomic reading from t'e rock I 'ad to find a vay around t'at." Kamoku smiled, this time with his mouth closed.

He stood up and grabbed his coat and put it back on. " If you 'ave any more, you can ask t'em v'ile i find a certain volcano." He began walking farther from the village to a large mountain. His foot claws giving him enough leverage to walk comfortably over large objects such as boulders.

Miya was shocked by his answer.He would rip off my...hands? she thought staring at her small ,thin female hands. Kamoku walked away towards the mountain on which the said volcano was located. Miya noticed he was walking away and quickly followed him. She didn't realise he was drawing her away from the village.She was too excited and shocked to notice.''What do you want with the volcano? It's inactive for 21 years and I don't think it's going to erupt very soon.'' While anyone else would have already left, this person continued to be interesting for Miya. Like a mystery.Like he wasn't from this world. ''How old are you anyway?'' Miya asked a bit embarassed. Studying chemistry takes time and he isn't really that tall... she thought. She just couldn't figure out how old he was and not knowing something was annoying her.

Kamoku laughed. " I stopped counting after i turned fifty. I t'ink I'm seventy now...v'o cares? It vont be until i reach t'e 500 mark until i vorry about my beauty." He struck a pose that was not meant for the male sex. He continued to climb. " You said you vould t'ink immortality is interesting? Vell i come from a species t'at lives for quite a v'ile t'at you could probably call us immortal beings. I know every atom, every molecule, every combination of components and everyt'ing t'at it makes up. From t'e dirt under your feet to t'e bones in your body. I dont care about a stupid lava pipe, I care for v'at is be'ind it. T'ere is a natural 'ot spring be'ind it t'at expells deadly c'emicals. I 'ave to see v'at kind it 'as and to see if anyone 'ad gotten close to it to gain from it." Kamoku continued to climb the volcano.

''You are...immortal?!'' Miya was starting to believe this person was insane. They were climbing the mountain.While Kamoku had no problems, Miya started getting tired. She was the only one in her clan who lacked stamina. ''OK...lets say you are immortal would you be able to turn someone else immortal? Just like a Vampire? And what do you mean when you say 'I come from a species'? Are you, well... an Alien?'' Miya asked all this things with a tone of disbelief and amusement in her voice. She thought that Kamoku was joking. Luckily they reached the top of the volcano and they stopped. Miya fell down exhausted.

Kamoku laughed. " I am not a vampire, and no I cannot turn any one else into an immortal. Vell...not if t'ey agree to take a certain procedure-but t'at is beside t'e point!" Kamoku was sitting on a rock, picking gravel from his foot claws. " I am not an alien! Do you really t'ink t'at you are t'e only species with 'igher thinking? Isn't t'at a bit idiotic of you?" Kamoku took off his ripped doctors coat. It was too dirty for repair and was being a hindrance. He sighed. " Ve vere the species that kept your race going for a millennium. Ve cut off t'e "dead branches" in order for your survival and made sure you vere heading in t'e right direction. If ve let you go on your ovn nov, you vould just fall down like a baby." He was waiting for her to catch her breath so they could continue up the volcano. " Ve vere t'e shadovs t'at vatched over your kind. Ve're t'e actual being t'at inspired monsters t'at you bring up in song and books. Vampires, Angels of any kind, verevolves, ghosts, c'imeras, demons and much others such as snov men." Kamoku smiled, his claws contracting and retracting in anxiety to get to the hot spring. He needed to take that data in order to find what he needed.

While Kamoku was talking about 'his species' which was watching over the human kind , Miya's eyes widened in excitement and curiosity. She couldn't believe that something this interesting could be kept secret from humanity. But then again, who would believe that someone like Kamoku , someone who looked like an animal,who was covered up in dirt , could be protecting the human species from the shadows? Kamoku finished explaining and Miya finally catched her breath. She stood up shaking the dirt off of her and walking towards were Kamoku was sitting. ''So what is part of the procedure you were talking about?''she asked him looking down at the village, seeing how much they had climbed. It wasn't windy anymore so Miya released her hair and tied up only the upper half as she did usually. The hot springs weren't that far away so she would be able to reach them without resting.Miya noticed Kamoku opening and closing his hand somewhat anxious.Hm...I guess I am being a hindrance...Pathetic... she thought sadly , since everyone in her clan was very skilled in Taijutsu even her best friend was good at it.Only she lacked Taijutsu. It was annoying and making her sad. She was already training everyday to improve but she didn't see any result. There she was, climbing a mountain and after some minutes she was already exhausted. Great Shinobi... she looked at the ground with a sad expression lying on her face but she suddenly remembered Kamuko and put on again that cold pokerface of her's.

Kamoku stretched. This was getting to be a talkative evening for him. Oh well. He looked over at Miya, seeing that she finally caught her breath and was grooming her hair follicles. " My job as a s'inobi is to travel everyv'ere and make sure every village 'as an equal amount of medical knovledge. I 'elp vith major surgeries and transplants such as 'earts, eyes, legs and stuff of t'at nature. I t'en take t'e terminally ill patients and ask t'em if t'ey vant to live forever. If t'ey say yes and give consent, i inject t'em vith a special liquid t'at i found on one of t'e Islands in the vater country. T'ey t'en lose all of t'eir flesh and blood until t'ey're not'ing but bones. Its very painful for t'em. I t'en gear t'em up vith t'e standard veaponry and abilities t'at are slightly above 'uman standards. T'ey t'en live as a s'inobi to pay t'eir debt off for a 'undred years. T'e rest of t'eir time is t'eir problem. Vhat I'm doing nov is looking for anot'er natural c'emical anomaly t'at 'umans can survive from and come out eit'er better or vorse. T'is anomaly can be found vith algae on sedimentary rocks combined with a 'igh amount of nitrogenous oxygen in t'e area. If its foundation c'anges a certain vay, it is close." Kamoku pointed to his eyes. " Our species can see and control atoms." He looked at the fluctuating muscles. " V'at ve cannot see is patterns, s'apes, text, facial expressions and celestial objects such as t'e sun, stars and the moon. Your 'eart rate goes up before you relax your facial muscles. Stop it, its annoying." He then got up and continued to walk up the mountain. " Any ot'er questions?"

Miya was somehow disappointed. She imagined becoming an immortal, if it was possible at all, with someone biting her.Like a Vampire. Of course she knew it would be painful ,since she had read many books about becoming immortal and how the immortals lived, but loosing everything but their bones? Just now she realised how immature and naive she really was , believing or better wanting those Vampire stories to be true. She couldn't even think how painful it would be. Being immortal sure was tempting but all that pain and then something about a 'dept' they would have to pay...If she had the chance to become immortal , she wasn't sure if she would take it. ''Sorry...'' she said apologizing for her heart rate. She turned to Kamoku looking straight at him. ''Yes I have some questions. What exactly is that dept you mentioned? And do they have to pay off their 'dept' for a hundred years and then they are free to do whatever they want? When you say 'immortal' do you mean that they live forever and ever and that no matter what happens to them they can not die? Oh and the last one: Does someone whom you make immortal become like you? I mean with claws and all that stuff or do you return them to their original form?'' Miyas heart was beating faster in excitment and agony like it always did when she was about to learn something interesting. She then remembered that her raising heart beat was annoying Kamoku and took deep breaths in order to calm herself down.

Kamoku smiled. It was funny how sensitive humans were, though he guessed it was their naive nature attracted his species. " T'eir dept is to serve in the s'inobi military for a 'undred years, or to serve me by taking samples of earth. Science stuff. T'ey get to do t'at for a hundred years or any ot'er combination of t'e sort. And yes, after t'at they are free." He was at the very top of the volcano when he stopped to pull out some dried meat. It looked like it came from someone's thigh.

as he ripped the meat and ate it, he continued to talk. "T'ere are several kinds of immortal. Villovs are susceptible to murder and sickness t'e first 50 years of t'eir life. Most of t'em don't live longer t'an t'at. T'ough vhen t'ey do, t'ey cannot die unless its from sickness or poison. Ve can never die from getting attacked. Making us t'e ideal s'inobi. T'e Guujins, t'e people i described to you cannot get sick, cannot get old and cannot die unless t'e liquid t'at they have to take daily is removed from them.T'ey can also give it to someone else in any form, t'ough t'ey don't know 'ow to keep t'em alive after t'at. Only i know 'ow." He used his claws to clean his teeth. After that, he pulled some dry grass from the ground and started to use it as a toothbrush.

" I am a totally different species from you. I am of a base material, you are acidic. You are controlled by a brain, I'm controlled by blood. T'e only way you can be remotely like us is to become t'e C'ikage. T'e only vay to do t'at is to gain our trust along vith 'igh strategic abilities. Ve return t'e Guujins to t'eir origonal form. T'ough v'at I'm doing nov is in s'ort: looking for a c'emical imbalance t'at is similar to t'e anomally in t'e immortal humans."

Miya was amazed by what she just heard.A hundred years of military service or taking samples of earth? That was all there was? Hundred years go by fast when you are immortal she thought. No big deal... Of course there still is the pain but who cares? People who are immortal are really lucky... She didn't even notice Kamoku eating some meat he just found or using grass as a toothbrush.She was staring right into his eyes. The idea of becoming immortal had now taken posession over Miya. If she could be a Guujin she wouldn't have to die. Not that she was afraid of the idea of dying she was always curious about the unknown, but no one would be able to kill her and she would become the Shinobi her parents and Grandfather always wanted her to be. Of course with time everyone she knew would eventually die but she would find new friends and she also would have enough time to read all the books she wanted and learn more and more.Afterall she could end her life if she wanted to by stop drinking that 'liquid'. The ony problem was that she had to persuade Kamoku to change her into an immortal and those hundred years paying off her dept.She frowned trying to think of a way to convince Kamoku. ''Let's say that someone wants to become a Guujin ,just because, would you do it?'' she asked in a cold,hard voice. She always talked like that when she wanted something. Not like others who changed their voice into something sweet. She was the opposite.

kamoku laughed. He listened to her voice. " Vell, it vould vary in each case. T'ough I vould 'ave no position to deny t'em. T'e only vay for me to deny t'e medical procedure is to find out if t'ey 'ave brittle bones or any disease vith t'eir bones. V'en all of t'eir flesh is gone, t'e c'akra goes straight to t'e bones and creates brand nev valves." Kamoku bent down and dug a shallow hole and buried the dried grass there for it to decompose. He then walked down the volcano.

At a glance with human eyes, it was just boiling water with little pressurized crags spewing out hot air high up; but for the willow, its atomic structure was all wrong. It was a chemical anomaly. Kam was so anxious that he jumped from the edge of the volcano and down 2 to 3 miles. he formed himself to dive face-first at the hot spring, his hands at the ready to slow his stop. He then formed himself spread-eagle and landed straight in the dirt in a cannon-ball. He rolled down the rest of the way with his knees tucked under his chin. After a while when he slowed once more he pushed himself off of the ground with his hands while he was still rolling and landed on his foot claws. Very dirty, but not a bruise to be found.

He then examined the steam up close. " This is what I've been searching for..."