"Quiet, peaceful, things really haven't changed at all since I was last here."

Shrouded by a mat, grey cloak, Hisame stood atop the tallest building of her clan's sector of Tsukigakure, overlooking the village that she once called her home. She certainly didn't think she would be returning to such a place so soon, if not at all, being that she was forced to flee the village because of her ambitions. She could remember that day so vividly in her mind. So much that it seemed to play back within her eyes. Her desire for revenge and power, the distrust of the elders, the one who failed to stop her that day. Painful memories. Turning away from the sight, the biggest fugitive of Tsukigakure made her way to the ground. It was rather beneficial that she could still gain access to the village through her clan's secret underground pathway from the mountains. It created the perfect means for her to visit her clansmen, without drawing attention to herself in the slightest. As far as anyone would know, she was never even there, unless she wanted them to know anyway. If anyone from her clan found her, she could trust that they would just go on about their business as well. Despite Hisame being a fleeting nin of the village, her clansmen still respected and had faith in her. They knew why she had to leave them behind, and they understood the village's view on it as well. Regardless, they held no resentment towards anyone, just as Hisame wanted it. If she managed to bring misfortune and disgrace to her clan, she would never forgive herself. The Metarumasutā was her everything, aside from two other subjects. Her desire for revenge, and a certain someone who didn't sit all to well with her at the time being. Hopefully that would change though, through this trip. However, she would have to meet with Him first.


Using the alleyways to close distances effectively, as well as blending in with crowds of people when she could, Hisame steadily made her way through the village. There was some place she needed to be. A message needed to be sent to Him. She had come so far and had taken such a risk to sneak into the village that was hunting for her. Just to talk with Him. Just to see Him, to know why? To hear his answer. In which, may even decide her very fate, as well as whether or not she would one day call such a place her home again.

Soon enough, Hisame came to her destination, the building in which the Oujoukage resided. Upon scouting the area, she found herself scaling the rooftops and making her way to the window in which his office was. It was funny really. The person she needed to talk to most had become the leader of the village, an accomplishment she would have been so proud of, if she was still a shinobi of Tsukigakure. Even still, she loved her home, and supported the village, so it was a better place then any to seek help from, especially Him. From peering through the glass of his office window, Hisame could see that the room was empty. This was actually a good thing, for she had just the jutsu to send the message she wanted. One that only he could figure out. She had to act fast though, before someone spotted her. It may have been getting late in the evening, but it was still light enough for someone to see her if she loomed there for too long. Performing the needed hand seals, she placed her hand on the roof tiles she was kneeling on and performed her jutsu. "Sekizō no Jutsu: Stone Statue Technique." With that, the tiles sparked a bit as her chakra flooded through them, ripping a few of them up and molding them together. Shaping the clay and earth that they were made out of and turning them into two tiny stone statues. They were very detailed for such simple little things and they each represented a different person. One was a statue of herself and the other was of the man she so painfully wanted to talk to. Picking them up, Hisame gently opened the window in complete silence and sneaked into the room. She placed the two statues on his desk, right on top of a rolled out map of the village, which she found on his desk. Where they were placed on the map were very specific however, for the both stood facing one another at the Luna Cathedral. The very place where the two of them had first met. With the message being in place, it would all be a matter of time before the events that were to take place, did. Climbing out of the window and closing it behind her, Hisame fled from the rooftop and down through the alleyways once more. With how late it was getting, less and less people were moving about the streets, so she had to be even more careful as to not draw too much attention to herself. Luck was on her side so far, but that could all change at any moment, which could ruin everything for her. Thankfully it would stay with her through this night, as she safely made her way to the location in which she planned to meet Him. The Luna Cathedral.


As night started to set in, Hisame had finally made it to the place in which she planned for it all to happen. All she needed now was to wait for Him to come to her. However, she couldn't help but just stand there and wait. After all, such a place held so many memories for her, and it filled her with a nostalgic feeling. Wandering around, looking at all the unchanged details of the area, it was both pleasant and painful. She lowered her hood and stood staring at the details of the building, feeling the walls and running her fingers across the marble. Then, she found it, the very bench in which she sat upon with him as a child. Chocked up a little, she slowly sat herself down in the same spot that she did 18 years ago. Looking over to her right, she looked at the spot where the young boy who had charmed her would have been sitting. She could imagine him so clearly, sitting there, minding his own business, until finally, he had spoke to her. Even now, his words flowed through her mind. The very first question he had asked her, "Why are you sitting next to me?" It was far from romantic, or anything of the sort, but it did bring a small smile to Hisame's face. She chuckled a little even, so amused by the thought.

"Ah, how different things were back then.", she said to herself, resting her hands in her lap. Overlapping her fingers and lowering her eyes, she thought to herself. How could things have been different. How could they have changed so much? How would they turn out now? She could only wait and see. Only wait for Him to come to her. Wait for Eden Shinteki to come to see her.

Spoiler:

"There is something different about today."

It was not odd that it was peaceful. Recent months have been rather peaceful in general and it was nice. The only worries I had were the endless paperwork and making my casual rounds around the village in order to make sure everything was as peaceful as things seemed. It just felt odd...like there was something different happening today. It had been on my mind all day, though I could not put a finger on why I felt such a way. Even in the current moment, as I made my rounds around and through the village, I pondered the reason I felt as though the day was different. The bustling streets held no candle to my level of concentration and curiosity. In fact, before I knew it, I was already at the end of my rounds. "So much for paying attention." Thinking that, I shook my head and grinned a little; then made my way back to the office at a leisurely pace, continuing to ponder the reason behind this strange feeling.

An untracked amount of time later, I arrived back at the building which held both the mission briefing area as well as my office, which was at the very top. I walked through the large, open doorway and was greeted by several shinobi of varying ranks and ages. I quietly returned their welcomes with a simple nod and smile; then I reached the main desk, where a Jounin stood at the ready. I peered straight at the Jounin and spoke calmly to him.

"Good evening. Have you greeted anyone in the time I was away that seemed familiar or suspicious? I have had a very odd feeling all day and I wanted to throw the question at you."

As I finished speaking, I continued to look straight at the Jounin who seemed to be breathing just a bit harder than normal. After a brief moment he made his straight-forward reply to my quarry.

"No, Kage-sama. I have only intercepted a few Chuunin and a Jounin who was turning in her report."

Hearing his answer, I nodded his way and walked off toward the staircase which led to my office at the top of the building. As I walked up the stone-made stairway, I continued to poke and prod my curiosity in hopes that it would yield an answer that I would be satisfied with. Unfortunately, my constant prodding yielded no answers to the strange feeling I had. I was so focused on it that I rammed my head into the door to my office. "Ouch...goddamn it. That's the fourth time today." I then shook my head and sighed as I opened the door. Then, my strange feeling was suddenly answered. When I opened the door, my eyes caught the appearance of two small statues which stood atop my desk. I could tell they were of a male and a female from the distance I was from them. Walking closer to them, I noticed they were set on the map that I left open on my desk before I had left for my daily stroll. After a few moments of being perplexed, I finally realized what the statues were. My eyes shot up to the window. I deduced that, if the person didn't go through the front, then the only other way in was through the window of my office. There was only one person he knew who could scale the building without being seen, and there was only one person he knew who could create statues like the two on his desk. "It's her. She's here." Once I realized who it was, I analyzed the statues where they stood once again in order to get a clue as to where she was. Looking over the statues for a few moments, I noticed that they were in a specific section of the map. "I know where she is." My mind became thoroughly blank, and my body moved on its own as I opened the window to my office and jumped out post-haste toward the place she was: Luna Cathedral, the place her and I first met.

"I'm coming, Hisame. Don't you dare leave."

Hisame continued to sit and wait upon the little bench of memories. Her fingers tips tapping against one another. She was getting impatient waiting her Him. It had felt like forever since she had left the little clue in his office. Since she had made her way to the cathedral. When really, it was just that she was anxious, excited. It had been some time since she last saw Eden, so it was natural. She pushed off the bench with her hands and spun around, looking up at the ceiling. The architecture was beautiful, just as she remembered it. She walked around a bit, beams of light shining through the holes in the roof as she did so. She was observing what she could, she was trying to distract herself, and it really wasn't working. She rolled her eyes and kicked a nearby stone. It chipped and knocked across the stone flooring of the structure, echoing throughout the silent cathedral. She cocked her head and looked towards the back of the building, passed the bench she was sitting on before, and at a doorway. She knew that doorway; it lead to behind the cathedral. She made her way back there and pushed open the door, revealing the little clearing behind the large building. A place where Hisame would first share blows with Eden. She smiled a bit, before walking out into the clearing, looking over the ground, the memories of that first day. The day they met.

Hisame was taken by storm by nostalgia. She didn't want to remember that day anymore, she just wanted this day to continue on. She wanted for him to show up already, and she knew exactly where she had to be when he did. Being this, Hisame made her way back into the cathedral and walked back into the main room. Moonlight shinning through the holes in the ceiling. She walked over and stood in beneath the largest break in the roof. The moonbeam shining brightly on her as she looked up at through the hole at the moon. She thought to herself. He sure is taking his sweet time getting here. It's getting really late.With that in mind, she walked back to the bench and plopped back down on the bench where she was sitting. She slouched a bit. Tired of playing the waiting game, but it wouldn't be much longer before he arrived. After all, Hisame knew Eden would find her. There was no way that he couldn't. It all was a matter of time.

"I am nearly there, Hisame. Please still be there."

Rooftop to rooftop I jumped, moving as swiftly as my body could manage. My heart was beating strongly, and I felt anxious. It had been so very long since I had seen her. Over the last years, I had been searching for her; I had been trying to find her so that I could bring her back home where she belonged. I wanted to and had to have her back. I wanted to have her back be cause well...I love her, and I didn't want to be with anyone more than I wanted to be with her. I had to have her back, because she was needed in the village. She was a strong woman who was capable of handling many things at a time; it was why I needed her around, aside from the first reason. It took me so long to finally understand the feelings I had developed for her that I had lost all point in looking for anyone else. There was something about Hisame that caught me from the very beginning, on that first day we met. I really had come a long way from back then.

"I am here. I am coming to you."

I stood atop a tall building where I could see the entire cathedral area. The moon was bright tonight and it lit the city. After looking around the area from the building, I saw her. She was sitting on the very bench we first met. I couldn't help but smile at the sight, and then my smile became more of an "admiration grin." She had changed a lot over the past years we had been apart. From this distance even, I could tell she was beautiful. I marveled at the way the moon brought out her features, and how it seemed to focus on her presence...as though she had the "spotlight." In my opinion, such a thing was fitting from my eyes. After admiring her for a few moments, I made my way down to her silently. I planned to come up behind her and wrap my arms around her shoulders. I wasn't sure whether I would succeed considering how smart she was. There was no harm in putting in the effort to try, and so I did. If I succeeded, I would wrap my arms gently around her and speak calmly to her in a soothing voice.

"Enjoying the moonlight, Hisame? I don't blame you. It is very beautiful tonight."

After speaking, I would fall silent and look up at the moon. It made me hopeful that the night would last a long while. That her and I would be able to catch up...and that I would finally be able to tell her how I felt after all these years. I felt anxious; I couldn't help but hesitate at first, but I found the resolve quickly and followed through. Tonight would be the night I confess my feelings to Hisame and it would also be the night that I attempt to convince her to stay. To return home and to help me reform the village.

Reform the village...yes. I wanted to rid the village of the council, and thus rid the village of its tyranny. Hisame was the woman I wanted to take on this task with, because she was the person I could trust the most. I knew that she would always remain at my side. I had to convince her. There was no other option, if I wanted this to happen. It was also the only way I could truly heal and move on from the lifeless existence I led until now. Understanding these emotions allowed me to realize how dead I was, and it showed me a way that was a lot brighter. I wanted to be happy, and I wanted to be a man who could run Tsukigakure with pride and the kind of happiness that would serve as a good example for the village's peace and neutrality.

"I must convince you, Hisame, to come home. You are my way to a life worth standing tall for."

Hisame remained in the moonlight, awaiting her invited guest, when suddenly she felt a presence behind her. Before his voice could carry his words, Hisame knew who it would be. Only one person could get so close to her without her noticing. One shinobi skilled enough, and only one person who could have known where she was at that given time. She shut her eyes for a moment as she felt his arms wrap around her shoulders, allowing herself to be lost in his words for a moment before looking up at the moon with him. Beautiful it was indeed, as it shined up in the night sky, casting it's luminescent shadow over the land that was Tsukigakure. The very same land that she had once liked to call "home".

"The moon is indeed beautiful tonight, isn't it? If only it didn't cast so many shadows across the village, that they blinded from the light it shines. I'm sure you're doing something to fix that though, Oujoukage?"

She looked down a bit and rested a hand against yours. She gripped it tightly, as if she let go of it again, she would lose it forever. It was times like this that made her want to forget why she even had to leave in the first place. Though it was not her choice to leave, she was forced to. Chased out of her own village, or become a prisoner for wanting to much, just to rot away in chains. She would never do anything to bring harm to her village, yet she couldn't say the same for those who controlled it. She snickered a little though as these thoughts ran through her head, in mix with the words that he spoke softly into her ear.

"Convince...You make it sound like I choose to leave. That I wanted to leave my  home, my clan, you behind. I didn't and you know that." Her tone became serious and cold, as the pain she felt from that day seemed to be infused with the words she spoke. "You wouldn't know about that though, would you? The day the elders chased me out of the village. The way they hunt for me even now. You could have stopped it. You could have prevented me from leaving that day, yet you didn't." She removed his hand from her and walked out of the grip of his arms, taking a few steps away before turning around to face him. "Why didn't you? I wouldn't have had to be gone all this time, existing without a home, if you just stopped me that day." Her words now carried more sadness then before. Her expression was one of pain, as it showed through the shadows of the moon, which its light cast upon her.

---

Eden eventually convinced Hisame that he told the truth about the day she was forced to leave her home and leave him because of the elders. He was held against his will until she was chased out and he swore he would find her, which he did so for the longest time until this last night. Hisame had told him she had one thing left to do before she would return to him and the village. He made a promise with her that she would return to him and then she left in a hurry. Eden wondered what it was that Hisame had to do, but he had faith in that she would definitely keep her promise and return to him.

Eden's EXP earned: 140

Hisame's EXP earned: 220