Everything's Slipping

Before me stretched a long plain of grass with no trees save for one behemoth of an oak atop the only hill in sight. Confused as to where I was I walked forward in the direction of the tree until the sight of several mask-wearing children caught my eye. Their masks were strange, seeming to be made of some sort of fleshy material and dripping a black liquid. The children themselves however were acting normally, playing tag and chasing one another up and down the hill as though I were not even there. As I passed by them I saw one more child sitting at the base of the tree, his face hidden in his knees as he sat there sulking alone. I approached this child and spoke to him, "Is everything alright? Why aren't you playing with your friends little one?" He remained silent for a moment and then responded in a timid voice, "You know why, cyclops. It's your fault I'm alone like this." Confused again I eased myself against the tree and leaned down next to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. Before I could speak he repeated the last part, his voice slightly more feral. "It's your fault I'm alone like this..." "What are you talking about?" "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" This last time the voice was one I knew, the child looked up from his knees to reveal an empty hole from which a giant monster in the form of a two-tailed hornet emerged, almost the size of the tree itself. The beast repeated it's words again, this time calmly as though it were greatly saddened by the reality of their truth.

I woke up and flung my left hand to the side, smashing the corner of my bedside table and dislocating my fifth-finger, the pain brought me back into reality and I realized that I was in a cold sweat while the mark on my arm burned like I had just been branded by hot iron. Breathing heavily I look out the window of my one room apartment and saw that it was well past midnight but long before sunrise. I cursed under my breath as I knew that after an experience like that I would not get anymore sleep for a while and looked at my hand. With the finger sitting there out of socket it sort of floated around until I corrected the situation by popping it back into place, I dealt with the pain simply by gritting my teeth while getting out of bed to get dressed. Donning my lab coat and other normal attire I locked my door from the walkway and took off towards the late-night district of new mori.

The night was cold in the forest village, perhaps that was due to all the tree that had been cut down in the process of making room for all the refugees or even simply the weather was in a state of chaos and chose to ignore the season. In either case I could see my breath every time I exhaled so I took time to stop and light a cigarette to keep my insides warm if nothing else. Eventually I happened upon a gentleman's club and walked inside for some food, normally I wouldn't enter such a place but at this time of day my options were limited. The women here looked terrible for the most part, either to tired or just generally 'used up' for the night. I simply shook my head and walked over to the bar, the bright neon they chose for decorating purposes put some considerable strain on my eye so I attempted to avoid it by looking down at the bar while I ordered. "What're ya havin?" I took a moment to beat my cig on the ashtray before answering, "Scotch on the rocks, and try not to drown it." The bartender scoffed as he turned to start preparing the drink, I popped the burning stick back into my lips and was approached by a woman offering some sort of service, an exotic dance as far as I could tell, and I simply told her no though she was persistent so I began to just ignore her and wait for my drink to arrive.

Sleep was one thing that the Sabakukage could not get tonight of all the nights. He was startled out of the 2 minute nap he was in and ever sense then his body refused to let the man sleep and so Neo would be up on this chilling night as well. He would don his usual attire including his some what new tan cloak, he would spare himself the need to wear his kage hat and left it where it sat. He would stare out then window for a few minutes pondering the days when he could sleep in his own bed, in his own home, in his own village. The thoughts swirled around in his head which brought about frustration which caused Neo to slam his fist down on the edge of the window. The realization of pain slowly came to Neo and he shook his hand in reaction to it, he would sigh as he was getting so worked up over something he had no control over. He needed something to do but at this time of night there wasn't much to do and so he decided he would just go out for a stroll of sorts.

Neo never was one to use doors on a regular basis but tonight he wasn't really in the mood to be falling from his window so instead he would take the stairs. Making sure all his things were secure he would head out into the forest shrouded by darkness. It was colder the Neo had first anticipated but never the less he would endure. He took note that most of the people of Morigakure were definitely not night time people as the road he walked seemed so empty and quiet compared to its daylight counterpart. As Neo would continue along the path he had chosen he spotted someone in the distance, smoking or so it seemed, the person seemed so familiar though and through Neo's desire to know whom it was he would follow the person to a gentlemen's club, not a very popular place if one was to base it off appearance. He would follow the person, whom he had confirmed was in fact a male, to the bar and took a seat next to him and as he did Neo's suspicions were confirmed, he did in fact know this person on a somewhat personal level in fact, it was Shitai. "Never imagined I would find you spending your time in a place like this old friend" Neo would look dead ahead as if he was talking to himself but sense they were the only two at the bar and the bartender was filling Shitai's order it was apparent whom he was talking to.

The bartender sat my drink down in front of me and I resonded to Neo without looking up from the bar. "You know how it is, those with burdens often are denied rest. I imagine that's why you're here as well." I took the drink in my hand and looked at it, twisting it around so the drink stirred a bit and then downed it in one go only to signal for another. I now looked to my friend and spoke with some warmth in my face from the drink. "So I hear that there is a meeting to declare to new Tsurikage in the morning, not gonna be terribly rested for it though I doubt anyone will."

Neo would nod in response to Shitai as he had pretty much nailed exactly why Neo out and about to night.He was indeed a man whom burdens have been placed upon and so it seemed, like the rest he had ended up here. He would remain silent as he watched Shi down his recently received drink all in one motion. Once SHi had finished he had brought up the Morigakure kage meeting and Neo would nod once more in response "yeah it shall be a big hassle but nevertheless I shall make an appearance as, although from what I know tensions shall be boiling espcially with the Dovahkiin and Dorudio in one room".

I let out a short grunting laugh at the last part of what the kage said, "I believe you mean the Dovahkiin will be boiling with the Doruido in the room. It's sad to see a village torn apart by those who made it but then again the two of us are used to a place where if we hadn't bound together we would all have died in the sands." My second drink was placed before me and I stirred it like the last one but didnt yet drink it, rather I just sat there and stared at it with my one good eye.

Neo knew of the relationship between the 2 clans and knew just how heated the this debate would go. He would nod in agreement once more " Sad indeed but sometimes this is just how things work themselves out, perhaps it'll all be resolved some way and the feud shall be settles some how, who knows". Neo would sigh inwardly as he pondered the coming morning, if anything things would definitely not be resolved when those 2 clan elders entered the room, especially with the Kuma and Lacerta backing the Doruido, things might get out of hand rather quickly. Sense they were on the subject though Neo would ask his friend "Say Shitai, I'm sure you're aware of the 'pact' that has been established here right? Do you believe there were any loopholes in it or anything, not saying we should be looking for any but out of curiosity ya know?"