Midnight Snack (open)

Kamoku grinned. " Mmm? You vere toing a jutsu? 'ow vonterful, you must really be a good s'inobi. I just so 'appened to see a man's t'roat contract, probably tue to 'is incessant trinking. V'ith t'e 'naughtiness' I vas referring to t'e mean look you gave to t'e poor man." He hopped off the chair again and began walking to the graveyard which they had to go back down the market (right lane) and then take a left on the second lane. It would lead through the training fields, past the shinobi rock and to individual graves. "So Atry is dead mm? It's probably better this way. He had interfered several times in my work and hopefully he would stay dead. Maybe when the girl leaves I could claim some things." Kamoku turned around while he walked and looked up. She was much taller than him and compared to her, he looked like a toddler. " So 'ow to you know t'e man?"

Kamoku saw the surrounding area getting warmer. To human eyes it would seem that the sun was half an hour to rising. Already people were getting up and shop owners were firing up their stoves and loading their stalls. Kamoku then began to go at a faster pace. His short stature making him look like he was clumsily hopping. It was very uncomfortable to run without his claws. He didn't know how humans could go around like this, also at this slow a pace. He remembered that if he went this pace with his claws out he would already be going 18 mpg, instead he was going 10. They finally turned a left and was now crossing the training area. Kam automatically dodged to the trees, knowing that he would be very vulnerable in the grass.

The girl followed the man and responded to his statement with a simple and calm voice, "That's a load. A shinobi of your level can tell when someone is simply 'choking' or there is other reason behind something like that happening to a person. And my facial expression...well, I don't really know how it looked but I assume that it suited the situation accordingly, its not like he could see it" she said. As they passed through the training fields, Oriena thought back to her days as a genin and how hard she trained just to get to chuunin. She worked day and night to control her chakra, to maintain her wits during battle, studying countless hours of various ninja arts and areas. The days that brought her restlessness as well as pride for her ability to learn and comprehend these things. A smile was brought to her face briefly during this time, removing itself as they moved through the area and continued along their way.The competitive nature inside her was rekindling itself though all that was going on, from the moment she entered the leaf, she could feel it happening.

"Arty and I were....good friends prior to him becoming an elite, the type of person that brought me a smile just because he was making progress" she said, not going into much more detail. She didn't like emotions that brought a person to anything less than a straight face, she felt like those were what put a strain on a persons mind. Along with that, you can't focus well should something come up and a battle ensued, which would cloud strategy. One rule a Nimakee would go by would be that you never fight without strategy, which would bring them constant success. "Where is Ki" she said as they passed by some trees, she was curious about him since it was the only one she knew by name. Naizu gave a briefing about some of the traits of Willows once during a meeting, simply to inform and let the clan know that they were on mutual/good grounds. When the man headed to the trees, she questioned what the problem was and spoke on the spot, "What are you doing?"

Kamoku sighed. " Obviously I can't sway you from your main theory. You were taught well to trust your instincts, unlike so many people. I didn't want to stop you because that asshole deserved it. Though if I had let him choke, the types of chemicals that give off a human body would alert the chikage. Which would mean that I deliberately let a human life die." he looked past the trees to a few unsuspecting gennins whom had been training since 6am the previous day. If only he was as carefree as when he was 28.

He remembered the first time that he had left the cold snow village and set corse to the cloud village. suddenly there was a flash of claws and glaring eyes in his memory, creating the memory of pain on his face. He pressed his hand on his masked face, remembering the scars that had healed long ago. He smiled. " Due to the lack of mischief from certain people we haven't been as frequent. Almost all of the willows have gone back to their posts. Our chikage isn't as demanding as he was 30 years ago."

Kamoku looked at the run-down building that once used to be so cheerful and happy. Due to the same reasons it was creepy to no extent that an old man with the clothing taste of a 16 year old girl would be making your breakfast. Soon his glazed eyes came back to reality when he was asked why they strayed from the main point. " As someone who is four feet tall and looks like a dark elf from a creepy sci-fi novel I prefer not to walk around in clearings looking like a burnt midget." He leaned his head on a tree as he said that. Several signs with "midget", "elf" and "creepy" could be seen stabbing through kamoku's pride.

He then raised his head and continued running, it was a no-brainer that no one would see kamoku due to his array of browns and leaves stuck to his cape, but the woman was a different story.

As the man proceeded with speaking, something clicked in Oriena's head and pushed a button within her. She knew the man, she knew of him and she did have a past run in with the man once upon a time ago. As he finished speaking down on himself and feeling bad for himself, he lifted his head and took to running. At the time, Oriena was at a stand still from the recollection of the man and how she knew him. Though he was a fast little guy, Oriena would have no problem catching up with him as she did, halting his stride and appearing in front of him. She had turned her body to ash and disappeared from her current spot, reappearing 5 ft in front, standing on a branch with her arms folded. Her face read serious and her firm stance said the same, for she felt the need to without doubt question this man now. Even with the mask on, the features of the man gave it away though it took a minute since the occurrence was a while back.

"Kamoku Willow of the Willow clan, higher up upon the clans status and shinobi of Suna, I have some questions that I'm going to need answered" she said with a stern voice. "As I recall, you were in the war with Artemis and fought with the akatsuki and yet you're an ANBU? There's no reason that something like that should happen and as I recall, your name was in the bingo book and some how dropped off it" she spoke. As these things came to memory, she began to look more and more upset because of a good deal of things. "Its disrespectful to the honor of ANBU to allow someone from a criminal organization to be amongst the ranks of those that kill just to do so. Yes, war is war, but the Akatsuki have no reason to interfere with affairs of the nations, therefore....therefore...." she said halting. She couldn't really do anything because of the fact that she herself was no longer among the ranks of shinobi inside a village. She still held the mask of her former village and turned it around, looking at the face of it. She had just nearly killed a man for his actions of disrespect and though she was going to release her jutsu, she had no right to use it on a simple civilian. Thinking for a moment, she placed the mask on her face for the first time in a year and some change, then spoke to the man..."Lead the way to the graveyard".


Name: Elegant leave
Rank: B
Element: Fire
Description: Oriena's body turns to ember and ashes away. She may reappear anywhere withing a 50 foot radius and can use this jutsu 10 times per battle

Kamoku giggled how the girl remembered him, though he had no memory of her. It was surprising how her body could disintegrate and reform. It seemed that she had gained some powers in the process of their departure. Though that was no matter, even if she used her gen on him it wouldn't work. A willow's eyes could only see the truth. All the way down to the solid atom. His eyes glowed excitedly when she got mad. " The reason I'm an ANBU now is because whatever rank I need to be, I am. I needed to be a criminal in order to be in the fore-fronts of the battle in order to take in account of the deaths. During those deaths I was given a strict list on whom to keep alive or not. That, and I was really hungry." Kamoku giggled at the last part as he began to run to the grave. " I honestly don't remember meeting this 'Artemis' but you seem to. What was he like?" Kamoku knew that humans didn't have the most perfect memory but could only count down to certain specifics like "who", "where" and "when". Not "why" or the minor details that they tend to forget the older they are.

Kamoku jumped out of the trees and into the clearing of the shinobi rock. Where the names of the dead men and women were carved into a rock facing the village. He jumped on the rock and bounced off of it, his foot print leaving a clear mark on a man's name. It was "Osamu Willow". It was his uncles name and was falsely put on there after that day since they couldn't find his body. " Willows have been around for centuries. Only a handful have been recognized by the public. Which is a bad thing more than good. The only way to stay quiet is to either go in hiding like Ki, disappear from the mainland like Osamu, change ranks like me, or simply die like Miyuki and Nina. Nina died because she kept eating humans. Miyuki died because she was gaining too much attention."

Kamoku ran past the main rock and ended up at the graveyard. He then hopped over to the freshest one, unable to read the markings on the stone, but clearly able to see the rotting corpse below. He giggled as he looked down. " His face is covered in maggots. Cool."

The young woman followed the man over to the graveyard and was almost at unease with the mans behavior around those of the deceased. Had she not have been around the countries and met the characters that she had, she'd probably have been freaked out to an extent. But like a true Nimakee, she kept her composure and took only a few seconds of gawking at the man act like a child in a candy store around the area. "Do you have to act as juvenile as you are? That's the type of behavior that I'd be ashamed of as a parent if my kid were to act like that in public" she said to the man in showing her disapproval. She proceeded around the area and checked the names of the graves inside the graveyard, appearing in ember to the 4th row of tombstones. She figured that there were a decent amount of A's in the area due to the amount of graves, so she'd have to look to the latter portion of them.

As she passed by so many, she pondered exactly who it was that had taken her friends life and why. She was inside the area of the "AP's" at the moment, not sure how many would be before Artemis'. Suddenly she stopped and took a gander around to get a better understanding of her surroundings. She quickly counted the number of graves vertically and horizontally to get a better thought of the quickest route to her destination. But after further thought, she decided to simply take the walk through, not knowing how her emotions would be upon seeing his grave. "Tell me Kamoku, as a man of the Sand, have you ever contemplated just leaving your village and searching for a simple amount of peace for within? Just wanted to get away from the fighting, the killing, the being ordered to do some others bidding and just settle on your own?" she asked.

It was the type of question that one could feel heart from within to ask such, and one that would read as being because of the circumstances. In actuality, the question was asked because she truly desired to know and indeed because of the circumstances of being in search of a lost companions grave. As she asked the question, she took a turn down another isle of graves and tombstones, all of which were in perfect alignment to show respect to the souls of those who've moved on. Someday, she as well all of her peers would be laid to rest which would show just how meaningful and meaningless life truly is. Halting at one grave that seemed to be a great deal older than the rest, she looked up at the sky and proceeded on, listening for the mans response.

((I apologize for the delay in post but I haven't had opportunity to do so. I don't know when the next one will come but it won't be post Monday. If you've posted by tomorrow, I may be able to post on Thursday so that's iffy which is why I put Arty in charge of posting for me as Nai in my topic with Revy))

(okay, I don't mind) ((btw, graves arn't put alphabetically XD. They're put down by date. If they were put down alphabetically then you would have to disturb several graves to make way for new ones))

Kamoku giggled. " Unfortunately, Willows don't actually have morals or ethics. I can see the dead below the ground and are as decomposed as the dirt you pray over your flowers. Would you think twice by moving the dirt for a basement or to bury an object? No. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. It is as the same as the worms eating it." Kamoku hopped onto a recent grave and began scratching his dirty head.

Then the woman asked an interesting question that sobered kamoku up quick. He sighed and looked down at the recent upturned dirt. The woman's face wasn't eaten due to the preservatives but her legs were completely gone. Probably some twisted medical students whom needed a dummy. He looked back up and answered. " No, I have neither the sanity or the willpower to live a peaceful life. Ever since I was an ankle-biter I've been pillaging, murdering, and happily torturing people. The only thing keeping me from what I love to do is the Chikage. If I leave the shinobi world without his permission it would mean 20 years of non-stop torture and my half-deranged and dead carcass thrown in a Guujin body and then used as a mindless servant. I'm sorry Clarice, I prefer life." He laughed at the end, slapping his leg. He dearly hoped that the Kage wouldn't find out that he was assassinating the peace treaty Chunnin. It would mean exactly what he described. Though he would love to be a Guujin, he didn't want his brain scrambled in the process. Instead of speaking like a German marine, he spoke clearly. He was a bit tired of his accent at the moment.

Kiero happened to pass by on the grave site part of Konohagakure. He had just killed a missing-nin a week ago in the very same village. He thought it was going to be a hard fought battle, instead it disappointed Kiero badly. Killing wasn't really part of his nature, but seeing that criminals roam around freely. Someone needed to stood up and take actions against such events. If not evil will continue to strive and the villages wouldn't be at peace. Kiero cannot deny that some point of his life, he became as evil as others. He wanted to destroy villages, kill human lives and other numerous sadistic doings. But that point of his life is over. His a changed man now, and he wont stop at nothing to fulfill his goals. As he arrived at the familiar grave site, he quickly saw two shinobi's present. It was familiar, because before becoming a Jounin of Kumogakure and eventually the Raikage after Saruno Kazura. Konoha was once his home, he doesn't feel the usual nostalgic feeling. But he still remember this places, the places that he once called part of his home. Details hadn't changed since he left. Though the increasing no. of graves is duly noticeable. He walked towards both shinobi's. The female one seemed to be inspecting each of the graves as if she was looking for a specific grave. While the other guy seemed to goof around the female one. Kiero knew the guy was familiar. He struggled to remember, until the scenes of the transferring of the Nimakee eyes on the palm of his disciple Nobunaga and upon himself too. He then remembered it was Kamoku the medical shinobi from Sunagakure. After that Kiero watched them from behind, observing everything that is happening.

(As I can recollect, nobunaga was the only one that was supposed to receive the eyes, but there is no topic of the actual implementing of the eyes. Only removal was done in the topic, but I will bypass that for the time being, though I would like you to make a topic of the implementing of them for either you, Nob, or both.))

Throughout the searching of the dates, Oriena noticed a man as he entered the respected grounds. Yet another with a very curious look about him, perhaps a man who looked to pay his respects to a lost one. Stopping at her current position, she turned her head, facing the man as he proceeded about his business. She could see that he wasn't of this village, as neither was she, nor the deranged man trotting about with odd hair style. "So the voice was simply one for show huh? I question now if your name is actually as you've said it is as well now" she said as she spoke to the man named "Tohru". Looking at one and talking to another was common for her, as she was able to multitask quite efficiently. Turning back to face front, she proceeded a couple steps before coming to another grave, this time it was THE grave. Her lips quivered a bit as she tried to retain her composure as much as possible.

"Nara, Artemis" the grave would read as she stood at a stand still and with a clear discomfort. She took a knee and bowed her head, tears clearly ready to emerge and if not for the mask, it would be ever so visible. At this time though, it simply looked as one would look when addressing a Kage when reporting for a mission. She took to a mute voice and began to converse with herself. Inside it tore her up facing the fact of the person that she had some sort of attraction to pass on and have the evidence was directly in front of her. Basically breaking down slowly, she held her outer look professional and without the typical heavy breathing and loud sniffling. Placing a hand on the tombstone, she simply stared at the engraved name as if to hopefully will the name a different.

((I apologize for the delay in post, sincerely))