The Sands of Time

[Kaida]

It had been 3 weeks since Datura had taken Tsume in as her ward. Though the troublesome girl insisted on staying within the Henrin compound, meaning Datura had to trek out here multiple times a day to check on her. Trying to keep the young girl ahead in her schooling, training and learning more about Suna was proving to be difficult. She hoped that if she was ever blessed with children that they would have Youji's eagerness and her tempermant.

Entering the Henrin estate in the late afternoon sun, Datura saw a young man not far off from Tsume's home. He was unabashedly glaring at the building with the drawn curtains as he trained relentlessly against the dummy before him. She found herself pausing to watch, curious about what she was seeing. It was no secret that there was harboured resentment between the rest of the Henrin clan and Tsume's immediate family. The mixing of valued Suna lineage with Iwa was seen as treasonous among the people who had fought so bravely and fiercely for their home and to keep it sovereign.

The young man appeared to be using a mixture of taijutsu, sand and doton. It was an interesting mix, one that Datura herself was familiar with, minus the tai jutsu of course. His movements were precise, the power of his strikes and attacks she assumed were aggravated by the clear frustration on his face. Not to mention the racket he was making, probably trying to wake the sleeping occupant inside. She chuckled to herself, it never ceased to amuse her how clan members attempted to undermine each other. Another reason she loved her clan, their innate understanding of the natural world and need for balance often let them escape such feelings of pettiness and passive aggression. To them, there was very little worth getting that worked up over.

And then an idea hit her. He was young, clearly in shape and talented in some way. Not to mention it was evident that he harbored some ill will towards Iwa, as did most citizens in Wind Country. She heard the Lucent's voice in her mind as a swirl of memories replayed behind her eyes. This young man could be useful, and given the scars on his body, he might have been a prisoner as well. Iwa's brand of torture was easy to spot a mile away. She made her way over to him, careful to avoid the designated target area and continued to appraise his skills. She wasn't sure what her part in the rebellion would be yet, but she did know that they needed more support. "Good morning! I apologize for the intrusion, I wanted to compliment you on your techniques. It's not often I see Suna shinobi training anymore, it's a nice reminder of who we used to be when I do come across it." She smiled brightly at him as her golden eyes shone in the iridescent midday sun, her white hair looking silver in the light. She was dressed in a matte gold sundress today, with a white lace shawl across her shoulders. She looked more matronly than anything else, which made sense considering she was supposed to be teaching Tsume about her Suna roots and what that meant. But this might be a better use of her time.

[zory_alechiv]

Kat should have probably had more discretion than pounding the training dummy to a pulp right outside the bastard child’s house, but here he was, wallowing in his own pettiness so he could feel better about himself. It had been a rough night. War-ravaged nightmares had him waking up in a cold sweat, smelling the blood on the sand and hearing the clang of weapons in his ears. Being a Henrin was as much of a curse as it was a boon, but at least he wasn’t a mixed blood. And not just any mixed blood, but the one of their enemies.

The redhead paused briefly before his fist slammed into the training dummy once again. She didn’t even look like a Henrin! Well, except for her eyes. She was pale and fragile, and terribly short. The complete opposite of what he was. He knew why the Shoshiki wanted the bloodline, but what did they gain from it? A bad taste.

It was easy to wallow in his anger when he was alone, to allow the sweat to draw the toxic thoughts from his body and evaporate them into thin air. He had to go on duty this evening and he needed a clear head. As focused as he was on waking Tsume up training, he didn’t sense the woman walking into the compound. It wasn’t until she spoke that he jumped, grabbed the training dummy and held it between them like a shield.

"Good morning! I apologize for the intrusion, I wanted to compliment you on your techniques. It's not often I see Suna shinobi training anymore, it's a nice reminder of who we used to be when I do come across it."

Kat blinked, his black eyes looking over the woman. He’d seen her here before, and knew she had taken the youngling under her wing. Yet, she was also a Suna native like him. Her silky hair and regal body language told him enough. He found himself sighing and dropping the dummy.

“Used to be?” His voice held an edge before he turned away to put the dummy back up. Wasn’t that the issue? So many of them had let Iwa in and now they were nothing. “Just because we’re limited doesn’t give us an excuse to be lazy.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully, choosing his words carefully. She was, after all, helping the mixed blood. Chances were, she’d either been brainwashed by Iwa when she was a prisoner, he definitely noticed the scars, or she’d given up. He didn’t know what was worse.

“But I appreciate the compliment either way. It doesn’t manipulate plants, but it does its job.” His voice was flat, absent of any teasing one might normally hold. Instead, Kat seemed completely serious.

[Kaida]

She giggled at his startled response, raising her hands up in a peaceful gesture. Her smile soft as her golden eyes calculating as she continued to assess him and absorb his words. It would seem, from the scars he bore, that they might have more in common than she first thought. It would definitely serve the rebellion well to have another prisoner of war on their side. It would encourage compassion from the rest of Sunagakure and make them brave enough to stand up. And perhaps, there could be more uses for him considering the contempt he clearly had for Tsume and her family. "It's rare to hear shinobi speak so openly like that these days. It's almost as if they've forgotten where our strength really lies in comparison to those around us."

The comment about her family's jutsu line had her giggling once more, it was standard for people to think all the Naegi could do was manipulate plants. They never thought however just how far that manipulation could go or just how dangerous it could be. Jishu seeds were difficult to tame, and volatile when handled incorrectly. If used properly though, through respect and knowledge, they became just as deadly as they were necessary. "I assure you, I can do more than just manipulate plants." A dangerous glint appeared in the outer corner of her eyes as she spoke, not a threat towards the man before her, more like an offering of sorts. While it was true she wasn't much of a physical fighter, she had learned other ways in which to get what she needed. Sometimes, all it took was pressing the right button.

She looked back to Tsume's house, her expression torn. It had been a difficult road so far in getting Tsume to show compassion and understanding for her people. People she was born to and a part of. Datura wasn't too eager to resume her lessons, only to be met with more Iwagakure propaganda and insolence. She walked closer to him, so that they were within 2 feet of each other and pitched her soft voice lower so as not to carry on the wind. "I take it from this loud display of force and training, that you're not a fan of the current environment within your compound?"

[zory_alechiv]

Kat's head tilted to the side as she also spoke freely, his red-rimmed irises dilating in curiosity. She'd allied herself with a mix breed, a daughter of Iwa and he wasn't sure he could trust her. Still, her response brought another forth in him. "Lazinees breeds contempt. It erodes respect and I have enough respect for myself and my clan not to fall to what is easy," he says succinctly before reaching down to pick up the damaged dummy.

Her giggle brought more curiosity, the teasing and dangerous glint in her eyes bringing nothing but a tilt of the head. "I see. There is more to you than meets the eye," he states before propping the dummy against the wall. "If I made it sound demeaning, I apologize. I have no doubt you are quite powerful." Kat's chin jerks to the scars that are visible even as he crosses his arms. Scars that match his own. No matter what she could do, she was a survivor and that was more powerful than any jutsu either of them could muster.

At her prompting, his dark eyes shifted back up to the covered window. "No," he says honestly. "And I don't think anyone should but what choice do I have? For now, one man can do nothing. As much as I hate Iwa, I'd rather not be thrown into their prisons again." He didn't shudder, or grimace, but the absence of emotion in his voice told all. Being there again would terrify him.

"Still, there's no point in dwelling on what could, or will never be, now is there?" He turned to her fully then, crossing his arms across his chest. "Were you here to tell me to be quiet? It's the middle of the day and I work nights. I practice when I can. I won't stop."

[Kaida]

A genuine smile graced her features as she listened to the man before her speak about the current climate involving Sun'as shinobi. She found it refreshing that there were still those who openly proved the recent stigmas wrong. It was a good sign and a stroke of good fortune that her ward was still asleep. Perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone.

"I took no offense, it was amusing more than anything. I've grown used to people underestimating me and my abilities." There was a mirth behind her eyes that replaced the devious glint from before. Part of her skill relied on people looking down on her, using her clans image to play the helpless damsel more focused on feeding and healing those in dire straights. And while she had not been inclined toward combat before, that was very quickly changing. "We could always spar some time, if you're looking for a challenge. It might be a good way to put some of that rage to use." A knowing smile appeared as she offhandedly offered her assistance. It was a feeling all too familiar to her, one that she had only truly begun to deal with since being home.

She tutted at him then, his apparent lack of choice not only amusing but exasperating. "Young man, everyone always has a choice. It's just a matter of what you're willing to do to succeed. No one in Suna is ever truly alone. Sometimes, all it takes is a quiet place filled with like minded individuals." She had hoped the coyness of her words would catch his attention. Leave him curious and wanting to know more, perhaps his drive against Iwa could fuel him to join there cause and be an asset. Not to mention if he wanted to change the current leadership of the Henrin, that would only propel Suna further towards freedom.

"I would never tell an aspiring shinobi to stop their training. In fact, I would urge you to continue. The little lady inside needs to be reminded of where she is and that we are just as much her people as Iwa is. And if not...well who's to say what will become of her then." A hidden message in a seemingly aggravating comment. Datura had taken Tsume on as her ward against her better judgment. Hoping to find a way to use this connection to further the rebellion and gain traction within a notable house to incite change.

[zory_alechiv]

Kat nodded, not ignorant to her mirth, but not joining in it either. Apology stated, they could move on. "Trust me, the fact that you freely gave me information in no way makes be believe you should be underestimated." His dark eyes cut to hers, nearly cold in their assessment but that seemed to be their natural state. "If you want to spar, we can. I'm not under any illusion that i will walk away easily from it, but we can spar. It's been a while since I truly pushed my musclse. Border patrol doesn't allow for a lot."

Still, when she tutted at him like he was a child, he couldn't hide the scowl as he turned his back to her.

"If you heard, I said One man can do nothing on his own. That implied that they had no like-minded individuals around them yet. If I found them, I'd certainly spend my time with them," he states plainly, though he had to admit, his interest was peaked. "If you find someone else who believes Suna could do better, I'm certainly all ears. Most of the ones around me just go with the flow, but I don't intend to forget what Suna was like years ago." He disliked riddles and he disliked coyness, but he knew they had to be careful. "I'd love to live out the glory days of my teenage years before the war. I never got to be a teenager." He wondered if he got the point across that he wanted to return Suna the way it was. It was dangerous talking like this to someone he didn't know.

Unwillingly, his gaze drifted back up towards the curtained window where Tsume slept. The white-haired woman beside him had caused his own thoughts to flourish. Iwa had sought to strengthen their own clans, but was it possible Suna could gain as well? And then turn it against them? Would it be better to turn the Shoshiki to their side? Allow her to form more bonds here than at home? She was young, but she could be manipulated.

"You want her to be reminded of her Suna roots. You want her to train as a Henrin should. Flourish those abilities. You think she can make connections here." Despite the phrasing, none of it was posed as a question. He knew enough about Datura to get the hint that she was more for Suna than Iwa, despite what she was doing. "You want someone to train her, to bond to her clan here."

[Kaida]

A playful mirth danced in her eyes as he accepted her offer to spar, it would be good to see how he could be used in their fight. "Tomorrow, there is a large Temple just outside of Suna. Meet me there in the early morning, and we can spar." She nodded her head deeming the plan to be concrete and continued to observe. Waiting for his reaction to her previous play.

Just as she expected, the young man before her seemed intent on going against the grain. A fighting spirit was much more effective than a neutral stand in. If it was like minded people he was after, she knew several he could meet with. "Well, in terms of kindred spirits and friends, I think you'll find the Temple more than adequate. Perhaps you'll find a renewed purpose within it's walls." That same knowing glint passed through her eyes once more as she remained as vague as possible. Just incase the young Tsume had awoken and started to ask questions.

At the mention of his teenage years, a pang of grief flitted over Datura's face. Though she had lived in relative peace as a child, and she was almost an adult when war began to rage across the globe, she still felt those last few years being pulled away from her. Not to mention the years spent within Iwa as a working prisoner. "I was luckier than most, the war started justs before I came of age. But I understand what you're feeling. And though you can't get that time back, the time you have now can be used for a world of good. Even if the only good it does, is setting you free from the hell I know we both endured." Empathy and compassion radiated off of her in waves, her voice gentle and soft as she spoke of more melancholy times full of pain and anger. A shared regret and resentment flowing between them.

The moment shifted as Kat picked up her underlying message about the little heiress. A smile blossoming on her face. "It would be a joint effort of course, someone to teach her about Suna and what it means. What it's people have to offer and how we stand together. And someone to teach her about her clan, infuse her with the strength of this family and how it can overshadow the only other one she's know. If she makes enough connection here, it might be enough to further moves being made outside the compound. And give the Henrin a chance to put someone with Suna's best interests at heart. Do you know of anyone who might be willing to take on such an arduous job to assist me?" Her playfulness was back as she baited him. Normally she would just come right out and ask for help, but these were strange and dangerous times. A little subtlety went a long way when one wanted significant change.