My Own Little Paradise... [Hyakurai, or Invite]

Days off were often few and far between for shinobi such as herself, but they did exist. Today happened to be one of those particular days: she had planned for this down to the very last detail of what she wanted to do. What was that exactly you may ask? Relaxation. Pure and simple and yet so perfect. A lot of the Tsukino female's work brought her all around her village; both the upper portion and the area beneath: this allowed her to find all sorts of neat little hiding spots.

A few weeks back she had found a particularly nice spot compared to the rest: in the center of the large lake were several small islands. The larger ones were often used for playing on, or what have you, by the local population. Yet, the smaller ones, especially the particular one she was on which had such thick shrubbery that no one bothered because they couldn't get through, were often left alone and untraveled to. Of course Ai knew of an easy way around that: an area located within the shrubbery that wasn't as tough and thick, hidden by a wall of hanging ivy that could be pushed aside and allow for easy access.

It was a pity for the rest of the population who didn't know this easy access point simply because of the beauty that this wall of natural shrubbery and trees hid: an underground spring that fed fresh lake water from its source high up in a rock formation. This created a natural waterfall that fell roughly twenty feet down and right into a pool of fresh and clean water complete with beautiful and colorful fish. It was deep enough to even allow for some cliff-diving if anyone wanted. The area within this trees was roughly the size of a football field which allowed for plenty of room to spread out as well. The grass within it was soft: the sort of thick and bouncy grass that made it quite comfortable to lay on. There was also natural sunlight allowed in as the trees branches only shaded a small portion of the area around the wall that the shrubbery made: meaning that the pool of water, and the majority of the grass, remained heated throughout the day – allowing it to be cool without being too cold.

At the moment Ai was sprawled out near the waters edge where she could enjoy the scent of fresh water as well as the wonderful sound of the nearby waterfall; a good three or so feet away. She had her traveling cloak spread out beneath her for added comfort and to keep the grass from tickling her mostly bare flesh. Her usual outfit – which was rather revealing – had been changed up slightly for this day into something a bit more comfortable. A purple colored V-neck styled tank top that revealed her belly and pierced belly button kept her chest covered while black shorts that went roughly an inch down her thighs kept the bottom half of her covered. She had had shoes on – the typical open toed shinobi sandals, black in color – but had taken them off before laying down and getting comfortable. Her hair, long and white in color, was pooled around her head while dark eyelashes and pale colored eyelids remained closed – hiding her silver colored eyes.

She was, for the moment, content to lay there with her arms beneath her head as a pillow, and the sun warming her face and the rest of her body... Ai didn't see herself being bothered by anyone who didn't already know she'd be here - mainly by anyone outside of Hyakurai, unless someone was being nosey - considering she didn't take a boat here: the best part of being a shinobi was the ability to walk or run across water after all, which was exactly how she had arrived.

Oh, this was so very needed. Long days where long, and no time off made for one grumpy lightning bolt. He was all kinds of okay with a chance to just escape the grind of daily life and just relax for a bit, and this was his best chance. More so than that, a chance for some alone time with the only person on the planet he actually cared about at the moment? Yes please.

Ninja or not, he wasn't the type to trust boats. Even growing up in a place surrounded by water and where boats where a basic necessity of life, he hated them. He'd rather walk, or hang-glide, or swim. All of which, as a ninja, he was proficient at. Hell, he could swim so fast he rarely bothered to run unless he REALLY needed to get somewhere in a hurry. He was in no major hurry right now; they had plenty of time and that's all that mattered.

Once he reached the island, he made his way through the secret ivy wall and into the hidden paradise. There was a reason the country had a reputation for being heavenly; all the little enclaves and hidden spots with paradises like this meant it earned the rep. Once inside, he made his way toward where Ai was laying, not bothering to be overly quiet or stealthy. He didn't hide from her, and she knew he was coming anyway. No real point. Once he'd reached her, he settled down on the grass beside her; sitting cross legged and plucking a few strands of the grass before sprinkling on her. It was a little tease, friendly and playful. "Hai.~"

WC: 285

The sound of footsteps against the grass reached her ears but Ai didn't respond right away: she was enjoying the feeling of the warmth of the sunlight on her pale flesh a little too much to stir at first. Besides, the only person it could be was the one person she trusted fully so there was no need to react to the sudden arrival. She was fairly certain that this little slice of paradise was known to them and only to them – it looked completely undisturbed after all. She heard the grass stir next to her as Hyakurai sat down beside her.

She was about to open her eyes when the sound of the grass being plucked reached her ears and then the feel of it being sprinkled upon her came. Grinning fully she opened her eyes, her right hand twitching slightly: it was still closed after all. She lifted her head, freeing her arm from beneath it, and playfully threw what was in her hand at him: small cherry blossom petals – her favorites. A laugh escaped her as her usual emotionless mask she kept so well fell apart in the private company of Hyakurai.

“I was wondering when you'd arrive.” As she spoke she plucked the rest of the pieces of grass from herself one after another, mostly in a lazy sort of fashion. The grass didn't really bother her after all. “I was about to go cliff diving to amuse myself until you showed up.”, she added, a playful glint in her silver colored eyes. Cliff diving: not exactly a sport that most people seemed to want anything to do with – most refused to even call it a sport – but it was something that Ai had been introduced to and something that she found great enjoyment out of it.

Ai sat up slowly after freeing her other hand from behind her head. She leaned back on her hands with her arms straight and at a slight angle behind herself. She glanced at Hyakurai, smiled, and then looked out towards the waterfall: she knew because of how warm it was, and how the sun had been shining all day, that the water would be a very pleasant temperature, so the idea of going cliff diving was still playing in the back of her mind. That was, unless Hyakurai had other plans or ideas. It wasn't often they could just sit in private and talk freely after all, and Ai could always go cliff diving another day.

"Swam. Takes a bit longer, but no one can follow me that way." He shifted and uncurled his legs, swinging his weight so that he flipped around without kicking her; allowing him to settle down and sprawl over her like a blanket. They could get up do exciting things all day, and they had it. Before he got too settled he pulled a scroll out of the pocket of his pants and set it aside. He'd packed some food and wine and sake and such for later; they could get at it whenever they wanted to. For now, relaxing. He wanted to do it.

"We can dive in a bit. This is comfy. I like this."

WC 117

285 + 117 = 402

Ai shifted her attention from the waterfall and back towards Hyakurai as he began to move and change positions. When he sprawled over her she was totally okay with it and simply shifted slightly to get more comfortable: yup, this was good, this was very good. She figured the scroll he had removed likely contained food or drink or both, so she paid it little mind for the moment. Instead, she kept her focus on him and their little slice of paradise.

“I like this, too.”, she said contently. She let out a pleased sigh and tilted her head back again, smiling as the sun once more warmed her pale colored face. “I'm glad I found this place... I've been getting this feeling lately. I can't describe it. It's as if I feel like I'm caged up, and yet I'm not. It was sort of how I felt when I was first left with my Geisha Mother: even though she was nice there were strict rules I had to apply by, especially before I became a proper Geisha and had more freedom. It's like that. I feel... trapped. This place helps with that a bit; I think it's because it's clear no one has been here before – at least not in many years. So it's a place all to us; away from everyone else.”

Oh yes, she knew some of her words were dangerous if the wrong ears heard them: talk like this normally led to other things. But, she trusted Hyakurai completely, and knew she was safe to talk like this with him.

Caged... they where liked caged birds up on the main island. He'd felt that for years, being one of the few that knew of the world outside of their islands and oceans of sea and cloud. He hated how the region had become, but he also knew that much of the rest of the world was just as bad, if not worse. At least here, they had places to escape from the bullshit and rat race. That he'd stayed in this place this long was purely because of her; he wasn't about to abandon her to a fate worse than death. Being stuck as a slave to the powers that be... that was death. Not physical death, but emotional, spiritual death. The worst kind. Unthinking, placated cattle to be used and abused and slaughtered whenever the masters felt like it.

"The village is a cage, and we're just birds to watch flit around and sing until we're to old and weak to be pretty and amusing to the masters in charge."

Bold words, heretical in their land. The people thought themselves and their rulers above the rest of the world; living in the clouds had made them believe they where better; that they where the white knights and angels of the world. They saw their history as proof; their floating village was a heaven on earth and they where the chosen people by the gods of old.

Pathetic. Spineless. Decadent.

"It's just too bad no one will do anything about it." Oh, he knew he trusted her, but he wanted to see how she's handle his extreme heresy. Would she be surprised and scared... or continue to walk beside him; he'd recently come to realize some things, and made up his mind to do something. He just needed to know that she would come with him. Once he knew that, he could start making his moves.

WC: 324

324 + 402 = 727

At his words her eyes snapped open; eyelids revealing the silver orbs they had been hiding: her head tilted up so that she could look directly at him. Her vision turned to that of a tunnel of sorts at Hyakurai's words: she could focus on nothing else around herself but him. The waterfall, the comfortable grass, the beautiful scent of the tiny world around them, all of it could suddenly light on fire and burn away and she would notice nothing else but him. His words reached parts of her heart and mind that she had ignored for so long: parts of her that she had shied away from, locked away safely and hidden the key.

Oh god, his words were so true: she of all people knew that the most. She of all people knew by first hand experience how it was to be used: to be nothing more than a tool to be played with – useful until it was broken and then thrown away.

And so Ai chose her next words perfectly, for they came completely from her heart with no more filter to stop them and drown them out under carefully laid speech. “I've never before thought to give myself the choice to fix things. I was never given choices in my life: from the time the village council decided I was to be used in two ways instead of one: a shinobi by day and a geisha by night. I became their tool; a toy to be played with and thrown away. I think it's time I break open that cage that holds me and set myself free: allow myself to choose my own fate. Even if it means the cage has to be melted down to do so. I'm tired of sitting back and letting them lead my life, I want to be free. I want to fix things; I will fix things.”

Something inside told her this was a door opening for them, a way to a new life: his words told her that he felt the same. "I've always been content to remain here, to stay with you because out of all of my family, out of everyone... you are the most important person to me. I never realized you felt the same."

"...."

Thank all the stars in the skies above. She would stay with him. She would walk this path with him. They could change the world together, and he never had to leave her behind; risk losing her just because he was willing to stand up and do something about the problems of the world. He shifted just enough so that he was holding her tightly; arms wrapped around her form in a hug that would crush someone less durable than they where.

"I refuse to be a caged bird. I refuse to let them use me. I've done what I can to free you; but I couldn't push too hard, do to much. I wouldn't risk your life that way. But now... leave with me. Leave this cage, and let us fly together. We'll can make a difference, you and I. We can punish those that would have locked us up, free the masses from their control. Will you fly with me, Ai?"

WC: 167

167 + 727 = 894

Ai returned his hug; feeling her spirit lift and soar in ways it had never done so before. The fact that they could do this together, that they would do this together gave her courage she never thought she would have. Despite the dangerousness of their words, despite the fact that were anyone to overhear their conversation death would surely be sentenced upon both of them, she couldn't help the grin of pure joy that spread across her face. Oh yes, she knew that the path in front of them would be a hard one lined with twisting roads and dangerous drop offs, but it was a road she would travel with him and that made it all worth while.

“Yes, yes I will.”, she said in response to his question.

She then reached up and touched his face gently; looking him in the eyes as she spoke her next words. “You've freed me more than I could ever say before... that day you paid off the rest of my debt to my Geisha Mother you showed me that there was a sort of kindness in this world not shown by others. You showed me that at least one other person in this world was willing to give back, willing to help. You opened my eyes that day, showed me that what I had been seeing all along was wrong. You not only freed my body that day but my mind and my heart.”

“I know this road isn't going to be an easy one, but I could think of no one better to walk through hell with then you.”

"Exactly. I'm not sure I could do this alone; but with you... I can do everything." He settled down so that there was a distinct lack of any sort of space between their bodies; he just wanted to feel like there was nothing else in the world but them for a moment while he considered his next move.

There was much to discuss, and even more to show her. But that could wait for a little while; they had time, and they didn't need to go anywhere for him to show her the things he needed to. This island held more secrets than she realized; there were things hidden here that they would need for later.

"I have much to show you, things you need to see and know before we leave; before we burn down this depraved world. For now... a moment for us. Just for us. We've earned this."

WC: 154

894 + 154 = 1048

Of all of the emotions that should have been running through her mind – fear, anxiety, concern – all she could feel was a sort of peaceful calmness. They were going to shake up the world in ways that hadn't been seen in hundreds upon hundreds of years, if perhaps ever. And all she could think of while she remained essentially 'glued' to Hyakurai with her arms wrapped around him was that she couldn't think of a better person to journey on this path with.

“Together we can do anything we put our minds to.” She took a moment to rest her head against him, staring off towards the falling water and thinking about it in context with their conversation. She wanted to be like that waterfall; coming out of nowhere but with such great a power that it couldn't be stoppered. Even if something were in its path it was such a great force that it would move it; or carve a new path. It was a perfect representation for her.

She heard him say that he had things to show her before they left, before they started on their personal mission, and that was fine. But, she couldn't help but agree that a moment to themselves was definitely needed: they had laid themselves essentially bare to each other – she could imagine no greater secret to be revealed then the ones they had just told each other. “We have earned this.”, she said softly. She then smiled, widely. “You know, I've come to realize there's nothing you don't know about me now... You've known the hell I walked through for a while as it was you who freed me. And I've never bothered keeping secrets from you. And now you know the deepest desire of my mind. It's freeing. It feels right.”

"Truth and clarity always do, love. The risk of revealing the truth of the heart to those you cherish makes it all the better when your desires align perfectly." The quiet of the idyllic clearing gave everything a crystal clarity that was unheard of anywhere else in their world. For a people that prided themselves on being the righteous and pure; they where horribly tainted by the vices of greed, avarice; they lied and cheated and deceived to get what they wanted; the powers at be treated the peoples under their care like pawns and cattle at best, nameless cannon fodder at worst. Even thinking of such depressing concepts meant nothing here; in this moment there was no pain, no suffering; nothing but a peaceful joy that could only be achieved by revealing the truth of the heart.

And it was broken all too soon.

Oh, no one 'found' them per say; but the sounds of people laughing and screaming high above signaled that they where at risk. A group of hang gliders and flying ninja enjoying the sunny day and the perfect winds. Damn it all.

"We should move. There's the small chance that we could be seen from above. Come... let me show you something. The secret place I've kept my heresy from the eyes of the powers that be for ages. Lost knowledge, lost weapons and armors... all gathered in my travels; all of which supports our cause and our stance against them. Any one of which would have us put to death. Thankfully, hidden away so well that no one could ever find it."

WC: 270

270 + 1048 = 1318

Ai heard the sound of of laughing and screaming and sighed while opening her eyes once more. So much for them getting their perfect moment and a chance to relax. She knew it wouldn't be wise to be spotted here: questions would be asked, especially those involving how exactly either of them knew how to get in, as well as how exactly to do just that. If they could avoid being spotted then she was all for that plan as she wanted to keep their little slice of heaven just that: theirs and theirs alone.

And so, despite how she wanted nothing more then to continue to lay there in his arms she sat up and nodded. Her curiosity was great as she listened to him explain in brief detail what he wanted to show her. “Alright, show me.”

She glanced to the sky as she stood, wondering how long they had before they would be spotted. Picking up her traveling cloak while her feet were quickly slipped into shoes she then looked over to Hyakurai, ready to follow him, while also curious as to where it was exactly they were going. Where was this place that held such carefully guarded secrets? She didn't ask out loud, she knew he would show her soon enough.

He couldn't bothered to be angry over being interrupted; if anything, it was a good time for it, as they hadn't gotten too comfortable, nor too... involved. This was a good time to move. He made the effort to grab the scroll he's dropped before, it was small and hidden in the shadow of a tree, but better safe that sorry. More so too, never leave traces of your passing behind; something drilled long into his mind over the years.

"You'll get your chance to cliff dive, we need to go deep. The entrance to the alcove is deeper than anyone would normally dive; so we'll need the boost from gravity. Once we're in the water, grab my waist and hold on; I can get us both down without much trouble, I know a spot with an air pocket we can stop at for a quick breather.

He moved quickly to the top of the falls, the water below was crystal clear and jeweled blue, but the area just below the falls faded to pitch black, the water there was so deep that even he didn't know exactly how far down it went; the alcove was beyond an overhang that allowed the space to stay dry; but the bottom of the hole was far deeper still. He waited for her to get beside him, "Hyperventilate, then jump. Trust me. You'll be able to hold it far longer."

He did just that, taking a series of extremely deep breaths that became shallower each time until he sounded like he was a panting dog, before taking a final, deep breath, and diving clear into the center of the dark area; making sure to angle so that he was going straight down. He was used to the pressure changing, so his ears being uncomfortable didn't bother him. When the momentum from the dive was canceled by the buoyancy of the water he took the split second to pop his ears then wait for her to reach him.

WC: 343

343 + 1318 = 1661

Deep? As in under the water? Was that how he had done it? Apparently so as he continued on speaking: she couldn't believe that such secrets had been hidden just a short distance away from where they had been laying. She could only imagine the type of place they were about to go to as she followed him up to the cliff in question. This was going to be fun, necessary indeed but fun none the less.

She listened carefully to his directions and then nodded in understanding. She followed suite; mimicking Rai's exact actions as she forced herself into a hyperventilating state. She pictured in her minds air the spot that he had entered the water as she jumped, following him. She dived deep beneath the surface. The pressure that suddenly built up in her ears was uncomfortable, but she didn't allow that to stop her. Instead she aimed for Rai, grabbing hold of his wrist as he had instructed her too before they dived.

It was no wonder no one had found this place yet: this was uncomfortable. Almost no one would bother going this deep even if they had found this place – not unless they knew there was something to find, or they were just that adventurous and daring.

Once she had him, he started swimming straight downward with surprising power for someone that spent most of his life in the air, and was a natural lightning user. However, his secondary ability being water meant that he was just as at home in the water as he was in the air; so this was nothing to him. He was pushing himself hard than he would have if it was just him; he knew he could make it to the air pocket without trouble; be wasn't sure about her, and he wouldn't risk it. No amount of power or 'speed' could make up for the counter-force of buoyancy, and their lungfuls of air were working against them.

It took nearly a solid minute of hard powering to get deep enough; but he was able to grab the edge of the overhang and pull them around so that they surfaced in the small pocket of air. It was fed from a crack in the rock that cut into the main alcove, so there would be plenty of fresh enough air for them to recover with. "We're half way there. It's already pretty dark out there, but it's going to get pitch black before we make it all the way. Do not let go, no matter what. You'll never find the entrance in that darkness, not unless you know exactly where you are and what to look for."

WC: 243

243 + 1661 = 1904

While this definitely didn't top the list of the most uncomfortable things that Ai had ever had to do it sure did rate above the halfway point. The pressure on her ears coupled with the darkness would have made her want to surface long ago: but she was with Hyakurai, her grip tight upon his wrist, and she didn't let go: she didn't allow herself to turn back. She wanted a chance to see what he had gathered throughout his travels, she wanted to see where he had hidden it all well away from the view of the those who would have killed him for it. She trusted him with her life, and knew that so long as she was with him no harm would come to her. It was enough to get her through the long stretch until they were surfacing for air.

As the first breath full of oxygen reached her lungs she expected it to be stale, tainted, but it was fresh. Fresh, clean air. As she caught her breath she listened carefully as Rai explained that they were halfway there, and that while it was dark down there it was going to get pitch black before they got to where they were going. She nodded once more as he instructed her not to let go, no matter what. “I won't let go.”

Once she was sure she was ready, something that took relatively little time even after such a long period without oxygen she looked over to Rai. “I'm ready.” She held onto his wrist as she had done before, ready for him to lead the way the rest of the way to this hidden location.

"Don't try to to clear your system again. You'll end up giving yourself diving sickness doing that down here. Just take a lungful of air and slowly exhale it as we move down. Otherwise, you risk going into shock and having your lungs collapse. The pressure is going to get nasty right before we surface again." He took a deep breath to show her what he meant, taking the time to release it slowly. One back under the water, the pressure would regulate and slow the release more; making it last longer and helping the extra gasses in their blood absorb before it turned to bubbles and lodged in their joints, lungs, and blood vessels. Diving sickness was a nasty affliction, and he didn't want to risk that in her.

Once they where ready, he dove under and pulled her along with him. Within 10 seconds the light was gone entirely; the entire hole was pitch black and if not for the occasional sound of bubble against rock, it would have been completely silent. The bubbles where the key, the sound led to the entrance; there was a small waterfall inside and that caused air to mix into the water at a depth deep enough to leak into the hole. It was a trail; one that could be followed with the right diving skills and good hearing.

He was really pushing it here; half way or not, it was nearly two minutes to get there, because of the nature of the overhang. However, once they where around and moving 'up' they moved fast, the buoyancy of their bodies worked with them and they all but shot up the last ten feet and to the surface. Once they'd gotten around the overhang, light had returned as well; the alcove was filled with luminescent crystals that gave off a soft, but bright glow that filtered into the water easily. They surfaced behind the mentioned waterfall; and he puled them through it and to the smooth rock that edged the pool. This room was little more than rock and crystal, it was originally a storage room of sorts, but it made a perfect entrance. Even IF someone made it here, if they didn't know how to open the door, it was just a good spot to rest and get some air before trying to make it back up to the surface. He pulled himself out of the water and onto the solid rock, offering her a hand to help her out as well. "Take a moment to breath. You're going to feel like shit for a few minutes, and if you don't rest it'll just get worse."

WC: 452

452 + 1904 = 2356

“Alright.”, she responded: the last thing she wanted to do was make this worse on herself in the long run. So, she made sure she followed his instructions completely before they were once again beneath the surface of the water. Very soon into going back into the water the light was completely gone, and she kept in the front of her mind how he had told her not to let go: so she kept her grip secure and sure on his wrist while they went.

As they moved through the water she could hear a noise, though at the moment she was unclear as to what it was. She allowed her mind to focus on trying to figure out what it was rather then to think about the complete and utter lack of oxygen at that moment in time.

This trip seemed to last long, though Ai felt that that might have had something to do with the complete and total darkness. Once they began to move upwards Ai felt they had to be close, and the light she began to saw only helped to confirm that: unless someone had found a way to bring light under the water that was. And then they had broken the surface: and there was air! She took the offered hand and help with getting out of the water. She sat there for a moment, resting as had been instructed: he was right, she did feel horrible, though the longer she sat there the better it slowly seemed to get.

When she had caught her breath enough to speak without gasping or sounding out of breath she did so, “How did you find this place to begin with?”, words spoken softly as she began to look around from where she sat in total and complete curiosity.

"Luck, really. I was free diving, and a rock dislodged from the wall of the hole when I was about a quarter of the way down here. I ended up a fair bit further down before I managed to get free, and by then I was nearly suffocating. I heard the bubbles and managed to follow them. They led me here. I spent the night unconscious on this rock face, and another three days fighting off diving sickness. It's a miracle I survived at all. Once I could get up and move, I started exploring the room; hoping I could find some way out beyond risking attempting to get all the way back up again. I didn't even know if I could at the time. I found a hidden door, and it led me to the main chamber. It was... unbelievable. I'd honestly though I'd died and was in some kind of afterlife at first.. I got extremely lucky; whomever was here last had left scrolls of food and water and medicine; so I was able to recover while I explored and learned."

He pushed himself into a sitting position and slowly to his feet, once more offering a hand to help her up. "You'll get a kick out of this... the place looks like some fairy tale treasure room; it's full of gold and jewels and all that useless junk. But there are smaller secondary rooms... those are the real treasure. Weapons, armors, libraries... it's all here. And this was just an outpost. The main temple is still out there, far beyond the borders of the countries and outside of prying eyes."

WC: 280

280 + 2356 = 2636

As she listened to him begin to tell his story of how he had first found this place she gasped: the idea of how close he had come to dying caused goosebumps to break out across her skin. It bothered her deep down in her very soul that she had come so close to losing him without even knowing it. “Talk about a close call...”, she muttered softly, more to herself then to him. Luck had definitely been on his side during those few days, or perhaps it was something a little bit on the stronger side – such as fate. She liked to believe that fate favored the worthy: and they would sure be worthy in their quest to come.

She took his offered help, standing slowly to her feet. She was feeling all around better, but she definitely wasn't looking forward to the trip back out. Still, she understood the necessity of needing such a well hidden location, and the harder a place was to get to the less likely it was to be found. So, she wasn't going to complain.

Her eyes lit up with curiosity: jewels and trinkets meant little to her despite her life as a Geisha was one of luxury – a Geisha was only as good as what she was dressed in. However, the idea of scrolls of knowledge, weapons, and armor... now that had her attention and was holding it. “Now you really have me curious.”

Once she was up, he slid an arm around her waist and led her toward what appeared to be just an empty wall; anyone with a brain would notice that it was the only wall not covered in mosses or crystal outcroppings, and instantly think something was different. They'd be partially right. Anyone else would think it was the door. They'd be extremely wrong.

He placed his hand on the flat surface and pressed down at a certain spot. His fingers 'sank' into the solid rock and he began to rotate his wrist; turning the hidden mechanism and revealing the door lock. A horribly complex seal flashed to life across the empty wall, and he began to poke and turn certain points across it's face. There was an order here; pattern to recreate underneath the chaos. When he finished, what was left was no longer a mess of lines and color; but a graceful dragon flying through the skies; a seal hidden in an image, the oldest kind.

The seal burned into the rock face, and from behind them the sound of rock scraping against rock could be heard; the actual door opening. "Quickly, it's a timed lock." He hurried her through; by timed he meant they had roughly a minute to get passed or else he'd have to reset the trigger. Once beyond the door, they where in the 'main' room; the largest of what he'd explored so far. It was a classic treasure room style; filled with crates and boxes and piles overflowing with ancient coins and jewels and all that fancy jazz. Pretty, and useful in the sense of it would bankroll their plans for years upon years without even being dented; but that was all. Neither of them had a love for wealth or money; it was a means to an end and nothing more.

He pointed toward the singular door in the far wall, "That leads to a smaller room; a meeting place of sorts, from what I can figure. It's full of seating areas and tables and a small fountain with clean spring water; I'm betting there used to be a small kitchen type area there as well; but only the rock counter remains. The doors beyond here lead to different rooms; weapons storage, armor storage, libraries, study rooms, sleeping quarters... this was an outpost, but it wasn't all that small; and if the maps I've found are accurate, this is less than a quarter of the original facility."

WC: 425

425 + 2636 = 3061

Ai smiled as she so often did when his arm went around her waist: she enjoyed him touching her, it calmed her each and every time. She forced herself to focus on what he was doing rather then focusing on the feel of his arm around her waist, though. She watched as his fingers seemed to sink into the only wall cleared of moss. The door lock was revealed then, and she watched as he worked on unlocking it. When he was done she saw what resembled a dragon before she was ushered inside.

She looked around curiosity as they entered into this new room. She took notice of the treasure but over-looked it quickly enough: she of course wasn't one to be pulled in by such grandeur. Instead she listened as he explained what lay beyond this room: the weapons and armor and scrolls interested her the most – though it was also good to know that they would have access to fresh water, and even a place to sleep if they had to stay here for a long period of time.

Before she could ask to see the weapons and armor and scrolls he had mentioned his last sentence caused something within her mind, a thought, to spring up. Her family: her biological mother was dead and her father who was very much alive had never been part of her life after he had sold her into the life of a Geisha. Her Geisha Mother, a woman who was very kind though it took her a while to figure it out, and her sisters were her true family left. Family that could be used against her: family that could be hurt and tortured for information, or simply to get revenge against her. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she thought over more-so what he had said. “This original facility... have you seen it?”

She turned her focus from the room as a whole and back onto him. “My mother is dead, my father as good as in my eyes even though he still breaths. But my Geisha family... someone could try and use them against me. I need a place to have them stay; some place they'll be safe from harm. Where they cannot be easily found.” Surely this original facility had to be hidden, or at least far enough away to where it had yet to be discovered by anyone but him: someone would have said something by now if it had, right? And if not there then perhaps they could find another place: she would not allow her family to suffer because of her.

Her family... yes, he could understand her worry. Needless to say, the moment she brought this to his attention he was just as worried; he'd let nothing hurt her if he could help it, and this was something he could do. "I have. I've been there many times. It's falling apart and easy to miss. At least, if you only see the outside. Once you make it past the false doors and traps, it's perfectly habitable. I've been... slowly fixing it up myself, honestly. I've carved out a fairly comfortable area; more than enough room for them and us to be happy and safe. There's plenty of fresh water in the temple due to an underground river and a spring; the jungles are full of fruits and bush meat. We could easily move them."

He moved toward the closed door; it wasn't locked from the inside thankfully, so it opened without a hint of resistance.  Once through the door, they where in the open seating area; filled with old, but in still really good shape furniture and the like. Some of it was made of stone with cushions that seemed to be extremely new; that was Rai's work; others where ancient in design but still sturdy and comfortable. The fountain in the wall gurgled happily; it was simple in design and in great shape due to being made from the crystal material and not stone. The flow of water was caught by a basin that drained into the spring below, allowing the water to always be freshly replenished. He reached up and touched a shard of crystal that was protruding from the wall; feeding it a tiny bit of chakra and causing the entire facility to light up brightly. Before it was dim, but tolerable. Now, it was like being in a well lit library; easy to see in the comforting glow of the crystals everywhere.

"I'm not sure what these crystals are, but they feed on chakra. There's different kinds of them all over. These mossy ones are a light source, obviously. There are others that create water; some that release heat for cooking, or light entirely on fire for warmth. I've come across maybe half a dozen different kinds here. The main temple has at least twice that many, most dormant and under seals with nothing but what I think are reference codes. The few I've found have been... insane. Sealed power sources that emulate the chakra natures the ninja use; most simple like pure fire or earth.... but others... It's crazy. I'd swear a few of them have translated to concepts as complex as "Star" or "Demon Fire."

WC: 456

456 + 3061 = 3517

Ai nodded as she kept looking around in curiosity: her smile slipped back on her face once more – she was glad to hear that there would be a safe place for her Geisha family to go to. Of course, she would have to convince them to be willing to go, but something deep down told her that wasn't necessarily going to be hard to do. “If I can convince my Geisha Mother the rest will follow her without fail; they're dedicated to her.” She knew that so long as she could convince her Geisha Mother the rest would go along with it: they would follow that lovely woman anywhere. So, she allowed herself to focus her attention on the here and now: she would figure out how to approach her Geisha Mother later on. For now she wanted to see everything else.

She followed him into this new room and watched as he caused it to light up: it was rather lovely to have such lightning underground. She took notice of the fountain and the seating: easily able to tell what was Rai's own personal touches and what had been here for a long time.”This place is truly amazing... and to think it's been hidden here the whole time. Goes to show you how quickly people are to glance at a surface instead of trying to see what's beneath it.” Her words of course were indicative to more then just this hidden outpost: it was the world in general – a quick glance and then passing on. Almost no one bothered to see the true beauty lying beneath the surface.

She studied the crystal curiously: it was amazing, whatever it was. “I wonder what would cause anyone to abandon a place like this.. or forget about it entirely.”, she said softly, thinking out loud. She moved about the room slowly, curiously pausing here and there to take a closer look at something while she explored freely.

She paused at one of the stone chairs, removing her wet traveling cloak and lightly laying it over the side: thankfully it didn't hold water so it was more damp then actually wet and would dry quickly enough. Still, it was nice not to have it on, and it would give a chance for her shorts and tank top to dry more freely.

When she had fully explored the room she focused her attention back on Rai, wondering what he was going to show her next in this seemingly magical place.