Land of Earth
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Aōi
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Sounds were near nonexistent within the womb, making it not only the most ideal place to work but to also prepare, train and even relax. Within the steel chamber was a tranquil, yet sterile environment that felt nearly alive. On its exterior, it soundlessly rotated its taught corners in the softened soil miles below the surface of the Village Hidden in the Stone. The space was state of the art, with a reflection clearer than a brand new porcelain sink, clad with all kinds of equipment, devices and machinery. The walls themselves were ivory, but glistened in a certain way that metal does when the sun hits it at the right angle. The familiar glare would be bearable but only if you didn’t focus on it for too long. This however wasn't an issue for the proprietor of the space, as he made the active choice not to use his eyes for everything—and has since relied more on his instincts and other senses. After some personal research, he came to the belief that the eyes can be easily fooled, and he instead focused more on the feelings he had, and relied on the wealth of knowledge at his fingertips.
He currently resides within his main laboratory area, his primary creation lab for his general projects and innovations were mostly born within this room, equipped with mechanical tools, a work bench and a massive console interface that houses his custom built, voice-operated assistant and supercomputer. All technical aspects of this underground base have been carefully curated and thought out to the exact specifications of Ko’s needs and desires, while remaining entirely malleable for future improvement should that need come to pass. It was as much a fortress as it were a hideout or base of operations, and its undetectable nature makes the various means of searching for it near impossible.
He stood over the tall bench, often preferring to stand while he worked rather than allow his body the rest, and was elevated to be nearly as high as his chest. Naturally hard at work as he tapped around a small mechanical device with a voltage testing pen, touching the motherboard and its adjacent wires testing the electricity current as it was plugged into an industrial grade battery. Even without the use of his eyes, he knew exactly what he was looking for and where to prod to confirm his suspicions, stopping every so often to write down notes in the opposite hand which were also creepily well organized. The handwriting itself was in a code rather than the native language spoken so that only he would be able to decipher the information found within it. The slight shifts in sounds of the zapping of current is what allowed him to hone in on his rather surgical process, guiding him like a compass.
A sudden incessant beep noise could be heard, while his computer screen flashed a notification window with a live feed of approaching entities. This would seem absurd for a third-party to watch: a ‘blind’ man receiving visual cues from his laboratory. Thankfully, the specific tone in the beeping was all the indication he required to differentiate between specific notifications brought to his attention. Without so much as turning or moving his body outside of the work he was already performing, keeping his ‘eyes’ focused on the device before him, he spoke aloud seemingly to himself. “Proceed.” was all he uttered. Calm and cool. “Yes sir.” a louder voice responded, echoing throughout the space. Almost robotic in tone, but feminine in sound.
Shortly thereafter, a door could be heard sliding open in the room next to the one he inhabited, followed by light pitter-patter across the shining ivory floors. Voices could be heard approaching the lab, initially sounding like an argument but eventually revealed itself to be a quarrel among the Moles he surrounded himself with. Entering the presence of their master seemed to have very little effect on the trajectory of the arbitrary conversation, as the two moles, Bunri and Ban both entered the room.
“—I said we shouldn't have even gone that far. Ko gave us specific instructions to observe and report. We almost ended up collapsing that entire quadrant!” spoke the shorter mole. He was quite small and fuzzy, and wore stylish black glasses. As he scurried into the room, he crawled up the pant leg, torso and eventually sat upon the shoulder of his master as he would continue his argument with his brother. “And I said you are a scaredy mole! It seemed alive Ban, that's worth further investigation and we weren’t investigating anything* from the distance we were at.” rebuttal the older mole brother. Bunri as usual was dressed in his mask and his neck bandanna bearing the insignia of the Earth Village. He leaned against the doorway opening with his arms and claws crossed signifying annoyance. Silently, Ko kept working on his interface. “It was residual chakra trapped in that rock, not everything that moves or appears to be alive Bunri.” he spat back. Ban now turns to Ko and taps his face trying to assert his attention.
“Ko,” he began. “Tell this mole that rocks cannot be sentient.” he said. “Then why did the stone flinch when we got closer towards it?” Bunri slyly replied with a smirk. Ban then turns back to him, but says nothing. This indicated that he himself was unsure of what they had previously been looking at, only responding with an audible grumble.
“Where is it located?” the scientist finally answered. Still enthralled by his work, he was now finished the electrical testing, and now closed the open motherboard as he inspected the dimensions of the handheld device. It appeared to be the size of a cell phone. “Surely you both remembered to log the coordinates.” he calmly said, still admiring his work. He walked over to the master console computer and booted up the screen. After a few typed keys on the keyboard, appeared a grand map of the underground hideout, revealing the many tunnel networks that lead either to the Null Womb, a dead end or trap. This labyrinth was built by Ko and the moles, and without their direct guidance, anyone who finds themselves unfortunate enough to be trapped below the depths of the earth may very well never find their way out.
“Hmm…sector eight huh?” he muttered as he looked at the coordinates. Bunri now was slightly behind the scientist looking on as well. “I'm guessing you would like to see it for yourself?” asked the smaller mole. Without responding, Ko gathered his supplies and ninja tools and left the handheld device on his console but not before plugging it into the supercomputer and giving it instructions. “Make sure this device is prepped and ready for field tests by the time I get back. Load it with all accumulated data spanning back thirty-six months. I should be back within an hour or two tops.” he spoke loudly, and seemingly to no one in particular as he gathered his effects. “Consider it done Ko.” responded the A.I. Turning on his heel, he began for the door along with his two moles.
“Where’s Benio?” asked Ko. “He’s patrolling the womb. He got fed up with us after we almost closed off the quadrant by accident.” replied Ban. The blind man smirked slightly at the news as the white doors slid back open once again, freeing them from their specialized void. “Well, I guess we’ll have to go by ourselves. Bunri, lead the way.” he said. The darkened mole then took the lead of the tunnel and began to make their way deeper into familiar depths. What was it that they might find?
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Erebus
New member
"Psst pSsT PsSt"
Starting from the village gates, trailing down people mumbled and whispered to one another. Though their voices were all low and hushed, with so many people doing the same it was hard not to notice what was going on. Glances were shot towards the main road as people began to turn in not so subtle ways, failed attempts to hide that they had been staring. Yes, these murmurings, mutterings and whispers were not done out of reverence or excitement but rather of disgust and contempt. It seemed more like those gathered were staring at some bizarre creature on display rather than being out in the open within their village.
"I'm back everybody."
A raspy voice spoke out, gradually growing quieter with each word. The voice belonged to a lanky looking male, with pale skin and greasy looking hair. The man was clearly a shinobi of this very village given his attire, yet despite being one of them it was clear he was less than welcomed. He walked slightly hunched over, turning one way then the other waving weakly, and every direction he turned those present there turned away. He let out a deep and heavy sigh, his steps growing heavier as if made of lead, dragging them along the ground. Hakarō had been absent from the village, sent out on a mission in the Land of Stone protecting a politician. The politician had been kept safe however several of his associates could not say the same. Perceiving behavior he believed to be suspicious, Hakarō had detained and tortured them, their bodies left severely burned and injured. A formal complaint was launched to the Tsuchikage after Hakarō was kicked out of the respective village he had been sent to. It was only well after his departure that the politician would learn that at least one of his associates had indeed betrayed him, plotting his removal. However both physically and mentally scarred he was unable to pursuit his plans, evidence of his schemes found and brought to light.
Hakarō stops near a stand, led there by both the smell and sight of rock rice cakes. His mouth slightly opens as he stared wide eyed at the assortment of rice cakes. The vendor stands there, struggling to keep his gaze shifted away from the shinobi.
"Two rice cake please."
He asks in his signature raspy voice, holding up two fingers as he asked while keeping his eyes fixed on the treats. The vendor takes his time to move, attempting to think up an excuse to not serve the man, failing to come up with a reasonable excuse he reluctantly grabs the rice cakes, placing them in a paper bag shoving it towards the ninja. Hakarō pays the vendor, bowing excessively in thanks as he takes the bag of rice cakes from the man.
"The Tsuchikage's probably mad at me huh..." He asked himself solemnly before taking a bite out of the Rock Rice Cake, crumbs lingering around his mouth. He stared at the rice cake, lip quivering as he dragged his feet walking further into the village. "Ko should just get a new partner." He muttered to himself, once more trudging through the swamp of self deprecation. The air around him was dark, gloomy sapping one of joy merely being in proximity to the ghoulish man. Mind still fixed on his believed failure it breaks for a moment, only to think on the faces of his late parents..and then the tears came. Eyes watering as he bit into his rice cake once again, sniffling and trudging along, body slinking even lower. "I'm sorry mom...dad."
Aōi
New member
Multiple strong steps echoed out into the tunnel's dark expanse. Lit by a peculiar phosphorescent glow—a glowing stone embedded in the walls at surgical intervals along the upper walls of the guided rock labyrinth. It took some time, but they managed to reach close to the coordinates of sector eight. The journey however was not without its general commentary, as the moles debated about the thing they had found nearly the entirety of the way there, with Ko remaining naturally silent as the two carried on with their comically annoying bantering between brothers. “I’ll make you a bet. When Ko is done analyzing this thing and figures out what it exactly is, you owe me all your extra snacks for the next two weeks.” said Bunri confidently. The smaller mole scoffed at the very idea that he would put his prized food up for an arbitrary wager. “Fat chance, fatso! I remember the last time you raided my stash—You’ll never see it ever again!” the younger mole snapped with outrage.
Underneath the wrappings on his face, Ko was actively rolling his eyes as he kept walking forward. “You calling me fat when I’m the tallest and most proportioned out of the three of us, is honestly comical. If you were any bigger you’d be as round as a gerbil.” Bunri retorted. This inflamed Ban, as he leapt off Ko’s shoulder to lay siege to his brother after his rotten words. The two moles would kick up into a dust cloud as they would begin to tussle as Ko then began to stop walking to feel the slight shifts of the earth beneath his feet, he however would need to ignore the caterwauling of his two summons as they fought for supremacy.
An image formed in his head quickly, viewing all the tunnels he had built over the years, scanning each one to find the proper route towards the faint vibration that he was informed of. The sounds of the brawl seemingly faded into the distance, as Ko’s sensory perception began its quick work sourcing through the maze of vibrations echoing within the tunnels. Locating the correct source was the issue as it was during the day on the surface and busy, causing more tremors to be visualized than usual, however this was only a minor speed bump as he stood motionless staring down the gaping maw of the rock encrusted corridor. Then, he found it. A smirk creaked across his face as he softly uttered “Found you.” before hastily taking off down the tunnel with speed. This was the only thing that managed to catch the moles’ attention as they quickly halted their brawl and shared a look at their summoner who seemingly abandoned them. His frame would begin to seemingly shrink as if he were being melted down, but in actuality was using his surface dwelling technique which allowed him rapid travel underground.
“Hey Ko! Wait for us!” Ban yelled, who would soon then be pushed aside by his brother Bunri as he scrambled to get to his little feet. Bunri then scurried to a shadowy corner then mischievously waved and grinned at his brother before vanishing into darkness, leaving Ban behind. The mole shook his head in disappointment, then grabbed his glasses and dusted them off before placing them back on his face and walking off in the same direction. “Man, I hate him.” he muttered.
Ko slithered through the soil as his chakra seamlessly melded and resonated with the underground surfaces, bypassing all the extra walking he would have done had he not used the technique. It was as if the ground were an extension of his limbs, allowing him to bend and weave through difficult bedrock. It wasn’t long until he had reached the end of the slim vein, walking out of the wall as if he had opened a door into an open chamber that had no apparent entrances or exits, except for the small incision towards the top of the bedrock. He assumed that's where the moles’ had discovered the place, seemingly by accident.
He took a “look” around the room and began to feel the vibrations grow stronger as he stepped inward to the room. He then walked to the end of the vein, revealing a crystalline cluster wall, with sharp ores that jutted outward like ribs on an ancient fossil. The vibrations were stronger now, he was getting close. Stepping over to the far side of the wall, the source was found half buried in sediment and the collective dust from the earth and crystal substance. “Still alive…” he said as he had now found what he had been looking for.
Embedded near the end of the wall, was the throbbing ore—pulsing with slow, sunken beats of reds, oranges and yellows as if a dying sun were caught in stone. He lifted his hand and pointed his two fingers as a glint of steel coated itself from his fingernail, covering his index and middle finger, with his thumb in a strong mesh of steel release chakra. He then placed his fingers around the ore, shaping the ends of his fingers into blades and slowly, but carefully drilled and dug out the substance in one swift momentary action. With it now in the grasp of his finger tips, he coated the rest of his hand in steel, then began to shape that steel into a small orb, around the ore he extracted, however, not covering it completely just yet before studying the pulsing glow further.
Light steps would be heard as he finished up his work. Bunri rounded the corner casually before becoming enthralled in the display. “Wow, that was quick. So what is it?” he asked. Ko paused before answering, truth was he had a few guesses, but he was curious as to which would end up being correct. “Unclassified. Heated chakra sealed within a dormant geode, has sentient-like pulse patterns…can possibly be a housing chamber for something inside. One thing is for certain: its old residual chakra that the heat is adapting to.” he scratched his goatee in further thought, then Ban also finally catching up, out of breath and unamused by being left behind. “It would’ve helped if you waited for us Ko…” he said begrudgingly.
Bunri let loose a light cackle before Ko received a notification from the Null Womb in the form of three soft tones, specified for active field missions or expeditions. “Ko,” the A.I. voice began “Shinobi Hakarō has reentered Iwagakure. Physical condition: normal. Emotional state: suboptimal. Awaiting instruction.” it finished. Without missing a beat, he capped a steel lid on the ore now in his possession, and tossed it to Bunri as he walked off away from his summons. “Log the ore, begin passive scan upon mole re-entry to the Null Womb. Prep the main lab for my return.” he stoically said as if to himself. The two mole’ however knew that they weren’t being directly addressed but nonetheless had a job to do regardless of being told. “Wax guy is back huh?” asked Ban “Yeah. Just get that sample back to the lab.” he said before walking full speed into the wall and vanishing directly into its solid matter. “Told you it was sentient.” Bunri snidely commented after a long pause, earning him a look of disgust from Ban.
Moments later, the earth on the surface parted like an open curtain. A soft sigh would slip from the soil as the ground gently split itself at the far edge of Iwagakure’s outer districts. A faint mist bled from the crevice as a shadowy figure rose from the divide, with his form smoothly ascending from the earth as if gravity had momentarily reversed itself. The gleam of the sun bounced off of his forehead protector (or rather his blindfold), with a glare giving off into the distance. He waved his heavily sleeved hand over the open orifice he had just crawled out of and in an instant, the earth repaired itself as if nothing had ever been ruptured.
He stood quietly for a moment. The surface was….louder. The laughter of children, distant chatter, the familiar grind of the merchants' carts, the intermittent hammering of the pulse of the village…It all confused him, no more than usual. It was foreign to him, despite being a citizen. Too much life existed here. Too much unpredictability. He ignored it all, focusing solely on a single chakra signature. Unbalanced. Melancholic. Wavering like a flickering flame oppressed by glass. Ko didn’t need his eyes to send the irregularity and nervousness that Hakarō had returned with. The blind shinobi sighed as he wasn’t far, with the smell of rice cakes quickly filling his well-developed nose as he walked around the corner and down the street.
Like his partner, he wasn’t without his fair share of “supporters”, as the crowds parted themselves slightly as he passed by them—not because of who he was, but because of the way he carried himself. Covered eyes. Measured steps. The faint sound of clinking metals. Those Two (あの二人, Ano Futari), were what they were “affectionately” called among the villagers and shinobi. Hardly ever being referred to by their given names, the two ninja have embraced their standing amongst the outcasts within the village. Well, one more so than the other. He found the other half of that name just ahead. Grey-haired, hunched, weeping into his food like a mourning ghost. Ko stopped beside him. Then, without a word, placed a firm hand on his shoulder—an anchor.
"Wax, you're leaking."
He said it softly, quietly. For him, not the crowd. Then, as easily as lifting a lid, he guided the other ninja into a nearby alleyway—away from the whispers and unseen pointing fingers. Steel then spoke “What’s your problem? I heard the politician was safe after the mission.” The voice was steady, flat, but not unkind. Ko, connected to the village by his machines, knew more than most. He could sense the flickers in Hakarō’s chakra, hear the irregular rhythm in his heartbeat, the ache in his chest—not just physical. His bandaged head tilted, as if watching more than looking as he waited for the truth. Or rather, Hakarō's version of it.
Erebus
New member
Munch Crunch Munch
He alternated between preserving nibbles to larger bites, eventually finishing his treat. Oblivious to his surroundings, sulking even more now that his little gift to himself was gone, shoulders slumping even further, if that was even possible. As if he had cement tied to his ankles, his feet dragged, then paused mid-stride at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Caught off guard as there weren't any who seemed to ever want to touch him willingly he noticed who the hand belonged to as they greeted him.
"Ah, hey there Ko-whoa."
Leashed and guided from off the streets into a nearby alley Hakarō's spirits nose dived even further. 'Oh man did he hear about it too? Is he disappointed in me? I'm sure he's disappointed in me too.' He couldn't help but to come to such a conclusion, positivity was never up the man's alley. “What’s your problem?" His body immediately winced before tensing up like a child caught red handed. He had only heard the question of what his problem was, everything else after tuned out, buried beneath his own negative thoughts. 'Oh nonononono, I knew it, he is disappointed.'
His body dropped into a crouch as he grabbed his head swaying back and forth while shaking his head. "I didn't mean it! I tried, really I did!" He proclaimed his innocence and efforts, eyes squinted closed as his grip pulled at his hair and scalp. "The man was definitely hiding something and I was certain he was behind the attack! I only wanted him to tell the truth so I could stop it I swear." Hakarō was still oblivious, ignorant to the fact that he had been right all along, and that his actions had saved the dignitary. Having only ever heard the negative, the threats of complaint he couldn't have predicted let alone fathom anything positive at this point. "I'm sorry..."
Aōi
New member
There were times that Ko was glad to not see the things that he had to see. Even grateful that he has trained enough to split his attention in various places at once, leading people around him to think his brain is unevenly balanced. However, nothing in his current training regimen could ever prepare him for Hakarō’ loathful and worrisome attitude. Taking his direct question as the beginning of an inquisition, explaining his version of the events, barely detailing anything at all, as it was buried underneath the shame and guilt he carried like the weapons in his arsenal. The scientist walked away from it, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He was understanding until he heard the meek apology creep out of his mouth. The corners of his mouth stiffened, annoyance evolving into frustration, he turned back to his partner to offer his own brand of encouragement.
He turned back towards him, lifting his concealed hand, revealing steel coated finger tips; he tapped on the side of Hakarō’ head, almost theoretically drilling this fact into his head including the one that followed.
He let his final sentence hang in the air for a minute, allowing the ragged eyed ninja to truly hear the encouragement behind the venom. He had no interest in a weak partner, and despite Hakarō’ general nature and disposition, he was one of the more talented shinobi that resided within the Land of Earth. Prior to him, Ko has had multiple partners has teamed up with only for them to perish within weeks of their first mission if not drop off completely during it. In both cases, it was the general dislike that followed the two of them that brought them together.
He started down the opposite side of the alleyway leading to a far less busier street. A kunai was then thrown some short meters from the Void-Walker, opening up a passageway in the soil, transforming into a staircase leading down directly into the earth.
Erebus
New member
As always, Ko was the voice of reason during Hakarō's bouts of self depravation, emotions causing him to spiral into further self loathing. His reassuring words slowly, carefully bringing Hakarō back from the edge he teetered on. Hands still gripping his messy looking gray locks, his eyes timidly remained averted away from perhaps his only friend and confidant. With every word spoken by the blind man, the grip on his hair lessened more and more.
"GAAAAH! I KNEW IIIIIIT!!!"
He wailed out in the streets, spurring many to turn focusing their attention on the oddball duo. Eyes watery and glossed over as he began plummeting once more both mentally and physically as he began sinking to the ground, nearly collapsing onto his knees. He'd never get acknowledged by the village at this point. He was going to be an Outcast forever, a pariah. Maybe they'll even execute him! So many terrible possibilities, with no clear way out, no path towards salvation.
"Huh?"
Momentarily pulled from his pit of self pity and loathing he stared up, watching as Ko began veering from the main road towards a shady looking alleyway. He stared for a moment before picking himself up, hesitantly following behind the blindman. When the seeking passage was opened up Hakarō peered over Ko's shoulder, staring down into the dark depths the stairs led to. He swallowed loudly, watching reluctantly as Ko ventured into the dark before his weighted steps finally began leading him behind the man. Into the dark depths, into the unknown.
'He said I was a villain...is he-is he bringing me down here to kill me?!'
As always, he couldn't help but think of the most negative outcome and reasoning for this little venture. He bit his lip as he struggled to brace himself for the inevitable end of his life, here where no one would see, where no one would find him...where no one would care.
Aōi
New member
He ignored Hakarō’ emotional outburst as he walked past him in the street, wailing nearly at the top of his lungs, drawing direct attention from the main street directly onto the odd couple. The two handled their similar reputations differently within the village—yet wore them differently. Hakarō, despite his social dissonance and instinct to repel others, still sought their admiration. He craved a sense of normalcy. A place among the Iwagakure shinobi. Ko, by contrast, cared little for appearances. Praise, ridicule, infamy—it all passed through him like static. He never allowed pushback on his ideals, and while he held a sliver of loyalty to his homeland, it was more convenience than conviction. Knowing this about his friend, he simply allowed him to be who he is, because people changed. Or they didn’t. That was data, too.
Making his way down the stone staircase, he walked at a pace that allowed his friend some ease, he had no intentions of killing him. At least not today. He still needed his help for analysis on his latest discovery and his newest discovery. The pathway was long, dim and dank underneath the surface, Ko was naturally unfazed by the scenery, but also felt the increasing heart rate of his following companion directly behind him, his breaths were short and worry quickly filled his mind. “Good. He's paying attention.” he thought, meaning that his mind would be clear once he needed it to be.
The air changed as the two got further in, denser, drier—the earthen walls changed from stone and rock to iron and steel plates, equipped with beams and brighter lights, even a more paved pathway that was noticeably easier on the feet. Ivory-toned steel would meet their gaze as the Null Womb came into play.
As they rounded a corner, it would reveal the entrance to the laboratory. The doors opened with a hydraulic hiss, giving way to the massive interior of Ko's laboratory—metal gleam, cables, screens, specimen jars, and a centerpiece workbench beneath a curved, ceiling-mounted monitor. The scent was sterile. Lifeless. Perfect.
He quickly sauntered over to the bench, and all three mole brothers quickly made their presence known to their master with the pitter-patter of little feet across the floor. All unusually quiet and well-behaved, but ready to serve at a moment's notice, lining up across the room arranging themselves from tallest to smallest.
He posed, gesturing towards the bench, revealing the pulsing ore he found, partly encased in a steel and glass casing. The seams in the substance revealed an orange-red glow, dull yet still unwilling to ‘burnout’.
He went on to explain. He then placed on a nearby industrial glove and grabbed the container with his gloved hand and brought it closer towards Wax.
He gestured to his friend to take the container, letting it hover in the air between them, an unspoken invitation for his partner to take hold of it. He had already primed the lab’s observation systems—cameras recording, sensors active, barriers in place. He had thought of every outcome. He always did.
Now all that was left was application.
Erebus
New member
With every step deeper into the unknown his mind spiraled further into chaos. His posture, hunched over, hands clutching one another in front of him as his body slightly shook. 'Is it now? Is he going to do it now?! Or or, now?! No no...NOW!' As they traveled in silence he had been waiting for it, calculating the timing for the death blow, and each time he was wrong. Reason should tell him that, perhaps what he had envisioned was little more than his wild imagination and paranoia..unfortunately Hakarō was not a reasonable man.
"GAAAAAAHHH!!! I'M SORRRYYYY!!!"
In his heightened excited state he had misheard Ko's actual words. It was a misunderstanding that only further reinforced his misplaced assumption on their purpose here. His mental state kept him blind to the changes in their surroundings from stone to steel. Once they rounded the corner, faced with the doors Hakarō's heart stopped at their opening. He was certain now, this was truly it. It was here, in there he would be knocked out, restrained, tortured and then executed. With his eyes watering at what he believed was his inevitable end, his feet were like lead, dragging him slowly behind the briskly walking Ko.
Hakarō's steady strides finally brought him over, catching up to Ko. 'Is he asking what I think about the tool that will be used to kill me?' He glanced over at the object encased in the steel and glass container. "I-I think getting beat to death with it will hurt and draw out my death but...I suppose I understand."
It was uncertain if Ko was ignoring Hakarō or hadn't heard him as he began divulging his thoughts and theories, showing that the two of them despite being teammates were on two completely different wavelengths, especially in this moment. Hakarō simply stared at Ko, then the ore, then back at Ko...and back at the ore, every word muffled behind his own anxiety. 'I can't listen..I don't want to hear how he plans to beat me to death. Just...please just get it over with!' His lips pursed together, suppressing his whimpers.
"STONING AND BURNING?!"
Once again, Hakarō had misheard and misinterpreted what exactly was going on. Collapsing to his knees as Ko holds out the strange ore to him. Hakarō reaches out grabbing onto Ko's pants leg, staring up with tears in his eyes.
"P-please. C-could you maybe..make it quick? For old times sakes?! PLEASE?!"
Resigned to death he still didn't want his end to be too painful, and so he begs for just a sliver of mercy be shown. Even if he had to die, he'd prefer a quick death over a tortured one.
Aōi
New member
Slow aggravation was now building from within the scientist. The incessant crying, the constant flow of tears—the permanent anxiety and its accompanying madness. It was a great wonder how Ko has lasted with this partner for this long, his patience was often thin as he is a man who requires results regardless of it befitting his own goals or not. He intended to move forward, and despite Hakarō’ consistently growing levels of fear, he sought to make that result reveal itself in one way or the other.
He stood motionless as Hakarō grabbed onto his pant-leg, as he cried out for his life to be ended swiftly and painlessly. He saw the terror within his gaze, quickly resigned to his ‘sudden’ fate. Underneath the wrappings, Ko rolled his nonexistent eyes and kicked Hakarō’ hand off of his leg and turned away while carefully placing the container back down against the desk. He then slid the rather weighted glove off of his hand and in one swoop, backhanded the kneeling grey-haired shinobi with the glove once and then swung back around again for good measure.
He let that sentence hang in the air as he stared Hakarō down with his nonexistent eyes. He then let out a heavy sigh before turning away, letting him gather himself before speaking again, furling his arms into his deep sleeves.
He turned away again, this time away from Hakarō and the Moles, who at this point were all trying to hold back a laugh, including Benio who appeared to be having an uncharacteristically good time. Ko hearing the chuckles, he turned back towards them, but not fully and quickly they were all standing up straight, silent once more.
He then took another step back away from Hakarō and allowed him to pick up the container himself, and gestured towards the moles to dim the lights and reassert the surveillance for the experiment. All preparations were once again set.
