Make Babies not War

Cyrus had been invited to stay in the Mishura camp for the night as the clan prepared to make the migration to the West Continent in the following morning. He had spent most of the afternoon since initial contact speaking with Asura Mishura and other members of the clan about what would happen once they were part of the Shogunate officially as well as their plans for war with the ASN. Cyrus sat along the decrepit wall of a fallen building, drawing circles and such in the dirt at his feet mindlessly. He watched the stick trace shapes as his mind wandered back to the topic that was always at hand, war. With the Mishura backing them, the odds were even greater for the Shogunate now. It was simply a matter of organizing their combined forces and making a move on the ASN once everyone was amassed together. Several dozen feet in front of him bonfires burned in the center of the Abandoned Village and numerous Mishura floated about like specters in the night. Their shadows cast long against the backs of the old buildings made a haunting image as they danced, drank, and talked amongst themselves. Cyrus looked at them, watching the small celebration play out.

At some point someone had brought him a cup of some sort of alcohol. He had never tasted it before, it was much more bitter than what he was used to and certainly stronger as it made his eyes water on the first sip. Still, it was greatly appreciated as Cyrus hadn't been able to lighten up and relax in several months. He spun the contents of his drink in the clay cup with his other hand before finishing the drink in one big gulp. His eyes watered, but he brushed them away without a second thought and put his cup down in the dirt, continuing to watch the celebration and draw his shapes.

The head of the Mishura Clan had never been one for celebrations. When she was younger she had always been excluded from them because she was wrong but that wasn't the case anymore, now she was just... Well she was cold but that was normal wasn't it? Nevertheless she tried her best, she drank with the best of them, although her Cypher heritage prevented her from properly enjoying the alcohol. After a while she had to take a break though, excusing herself with a joke and a chuckle to lessen the pressure and she wandered off into the dark, finding somewhere to spend a few moments in the dark. Her eyes were uncovered this night but it felt wrong, she felt naked without her blindfold on. Reaching into her pocket she wrapped her hand around the silken sash, gripping it tightly before shaking her head and letting go of it. She wouldn't wear it, she needed everyone to see her as the Clan Head, the true leader, her twin Dojutsu showing them the way, the power that lay within their blood. What she did do though was activate her Itsugan, the chakra vision washing over the land before her and as she spun in a slow circle she clocked on to a person that was sitting a fair bit away from the festivities as well.

Stepping into the darkness she darted forwards silently, hopping over walls and tents with ease, her tight clothing making not a flutter as she moved. Her core even calmed down, the usual thrumming leaving her, replaced with a soft purr from within her chest. After a few moments of running she finally moved up to stand near the person, realising who it was; Cyrus. She was still a fair distance away, crouched down in the darkness to watch him. What did she think of the man? He had came with an excellent proposition and he seemed trustworthy. He wasn't joining in though but... That was to be expected. She let out a sigh and stepped out, walking over to join him on the wall. She sat down, her long, lithe legs crossing over at the ankles. She spent a few moments sitting eerily silent, her breathing not even reaching past her and her mismatched eyes watching the stars for a little bit. "Being a clan head is quite stressful isn't it...?" She asked finally, cracking the silent with the soft, wraith-like voice that she had. She didn't speak loudly, her own ears bothered her in regards to that so she had learned how to speak extremely quietly although it really only worked in situations like this. She then turned her head, white hair draping over her shoulder and arm as she examined him again. Her pale skin almost seemed to half vanish in the darkness, only the moonlight picking her out.

Cyrus didn't even look up when Asura sighed and approached him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up for a moment as he hadn't been expecting anyone to suddenly appear out of the darkness, but years of politics and Blade meetings had taught him how to hide his surprise fairly well. As Asura sat down next to him, Cyrus continued tracing his shapes, watching her skinny figure out of the corner of his eye. She was toned with muscle, her skin paler than clean porcelain, and her eyes...It's nice to see you without the blindfold on. Eyes like yours shouldn't have to be hidden. He said, looking not at Asura but following her gaze up to the stars that dotted the night sky. Each one more brilliant than the last. I suppose it can be, but I'm certainly thankful for the experience. Comes in handy when you're tasked with going from leading two dozen or so stragglers from your decimated clan to several thousand troops from your nation's army. Bigger scale, same principles though. Cyrus said, allowing the silence to envelope them once again. It wasn't an awkward silence though, it was comforting, peaceful even. It's funny isn't it? Looking up at all those stars, Cyrus said, gazing up at the night sky, just makes you feel insignificant. All of our problems and strife...set against the vastness of the universe are so...inconsequential. This war isn't even a petty squabble in comparison. Regardless of the outcome, it will be a fleeting result. In enough time, whether it be a decade or a millennia, there will just be another war that rewrites any progress made from the end of this one. It seems so fruitless, yet here we are.

A compliment? Asura guessed that was a nice way to start the evening but the mention of her revealed eyes caused her arm to twitch towards her pocket where the blindfold hid. She stopped it though, her hand instead closing over into a fist. Was he right? Should her eyes never be hidden again? Asura didn't think so, she still wasn't entirely sure that she deserved the gift that she had been given, the power that existed within her. She powered up her Kyougan now, activation only but it sharpened her perception, the world moving slightly slower as she looked up to the sky again, the stars no longer making a blur with the movement of her head. The little pinpricks shone brightly and she lifted one hand, holding it palm out to the sky before speaking once more. "We are all insignificant in the grand scheme of thing but that's not what is truly important, is it? To one another we can be anything. We can be a thing to be destroyed, a fixation of desires, a cornerstone that if destroyed crushes everything that we are and could possibly be. The stars look down upon us and see us as nothing, not compared to their magnificence. However we look up at them and also see naught but their light, the tiny little dot that marks their presence. So does that mean they are nothing to us because of how we perceive them?" She brought her hand back, clasping it to her chest as though she had captured one of the stars and was letting it warm her. She didn't really feel the cold of the night admittedly but that wasn't the point. "Perspective is the greatest game chaner. What we see anything as... It is all dependent on who we are. I left a lot of people behind in Kaosgakure when I was forced to flee... This is all I have left." She looked over the fires, a slight, sad smile etching her features. "I do everything I can to keep them going.... They are my cornerstone, they are what keep me alive. Without them I am nothing even though to others they are vermin to be slain..."

Cyrus smiled faintly, I suppose you're right, perspective changes everything. The stars are something we'll only ever be able to look at, never touch or get closer to. They'll stay in the same place, doing the same thing long after we've turned to dust. To anyone looking out from the stars down at us, it's the same thing. We'll be seen, but never approached. So I guess it's important we make the most of this life, keep this planet safe, and leave something behind to be remembered by. We only get one shot, so what are you going to do with yours? Cyrus asked, referring to life. In a way he was asking about what Asura planned to do with her life. Her goals, her plans for the future really. Clearly you'll lead your clan and even the Shogunate once you become a Blade back in the West Continent, but I'm not asking about the clan head Asura. I'm asking about Asura Mishura herself. What do you want for yourself? What do you want to leave behind? What will you make of this life? Cyrus asked as he scraped more shapes into the dirt. He looked up at the fires as well, the party seemed to be winding down. People were going back to their tents and ruined hovels to sleep off the alcohol. Tomorrow they would rise, some with serious hang overs, and make the great migration to the West, but for now they would sleep and the ruined village would grow quieter and quieter as Cyrus and Asura continued their talks.

"What do I want to leave behind? The same thing as anyone does, Cyrus Taki... I want to leave behind my memory, a legacy that can be followed, one that will inspire and show others what it is to be strong. I project my airs so that I can prove to others no matter what happens to you, strength will come and anyone can become whatever it is that they want to be..." She didn't add that she had never wanted to be the Clan Head. She loved her clan but most of the time she felt like they didn't love her. Her hands closed over into fists and she rolled her shoulders. Why was she so tense, why did any talk of herself make her immediately want to cower, to grow cold and never show a single thing? What was wrong with her? She let her body relax, her energy drain out of her and she slumped slightly, looking at the patterns that Cyrus was drawing on the ground. "I just.... Don't want to be forgotten." She returned quietly, looking up at Cyrus. "What about you, Blade of the Shogunate. What do you want with your life, what do you want to impart onto the world?" She sat up straight, leaning back on her hands and leaning her head back, hair falling in a waterfall behind her, brushing against her arms and back.

What do I want to impart? Cyrus repeated, taking a long minute to think about the question before sighing and answering simply, A family. He let that hang in the air between them for a moment before continuing, All I've ever wanted since being shipped off to the academy so many years ago is a family. I thought I could find one in the Shogunate, but I'm starting to think that's not the case. In a few years, if I survive this war and things settle down, all I want is to be a father and have a family. Keep them safe, happy, watch them grow. It's a simple dream, but it's my dream and to me it sounds like paradise. Cyrus said as the silence enveloped them once again. After a few more minutes he smirked and even chuckled a little bit, Listen to me, some big war general talking about wanting to raise a family. I should be tough, not sentimental, right? Whatever, probably had too much to drink. Wanna know something funny? He asked but didn't wait for her to reply before continuing, All this talk by me about wanting a family and kids, and here I am heading off to lead a war and I'm a virgin. Cyrus said, letting out a pathetic laugh and shaking his head, How fitting.

"I... Know how you feel. A family has always been important, it means more than anything. It means that someone loves you, no matter what happens, no matter the past..." Her eyes became distant for a few moments and she continued to listen to what the man was saying, her fingers digging into the wall. She broke out of her stupor for a moment at what he said. She had to avoid letting a grin spread onto her features as she turned around to look straight at him. "A virgin, huh? You, the great Blade, wielder of Samehada? I would never have thought it..." She barked out laughter but it wasn't mocking, in fact she used it to cover up the fact that she scooted a little closer to him. "I am not a virgin as it happens, in fact I lost my virginity at a surprisingly early age but we won't talk about that, it's an interesting memory." She turned to look at him with a fond smile, reaching forwards to place her hand on his shoulder. "Tell me now Cyrus, is this some kind of ploy to get me into bed? If so it is somewhat embarrassing for you I must say... If it's not well..." She looked away with a bashful smile on her features, slowing down her core so that the blood wouldn't rush to her cheeks to give her away. She was getting surprisingly good at that... It was a good skill to have it would seem. "I am going to war as well, you know and there's a chance I'll die... Without a legacy... Without a family..." These words were to herself, her words snaking out into the air with as much noise as a puff of mist. Was she really contemplating this....?