A Chance Meeting (Flashback/Character Dev)

After the murder of his parents Ren had fled to Iwagakure in Tsuchi no Kuni with his aunt and uncle.  Ren had never seen anything outside of The Land of Fire and quickly learned why this was titled The Land of Stone.  Giant rock formations jetted out of the group up to previously unfathomable heights.  The jagged mountains only seemed to match Ren's cold exterior.  Months had passed since the murder of his parents but Ren was still not showing much emotion.  He was harboring anger in his heart.

His aunt and uncle led the way up the many dangerous rock formations.  They climbed many dangerous cliff faces and camped out in numerous caves inside the mountain.  After three days of traversing cliffs they had finally arrived at Iwagakure.

His aunt and uncle had a place to stay in the residential district of Iwagakure thanks to a friend that owed them a favor.  It wasn't the nicest place but with some cleaning and minor repairs it could become a comfortable home.  The apartment had two bedrooms, a very small living room, an every smaller kitchen, and a bathroom.  Everything that was necessary to be called a residence.  Ren stood in the room that would be his and stared at the empty space containing dust and cobwebs.

"Ren, honey, why don't you go out and get yourself something good to eat.  I know how much you love House Special Ram-"

Ren turned around staring his aunt in the eyes.  She had never seen him angry but the face she saw contained an anger that could erupt at any moment.  She handed him the money as he left.

Ren left to find something to take his mind off his current thoughts.  The bubbling rage inside was starting to overwhelm him.  He saw a building with shogi tables and people inside playing.  Ren approached a table and sat down.  He cleared his mind and began to set up the pieces on the board.  Each piece laid down distracted him from another thought in his head.  The board was set and he sat staring blankly at the pieces in front of him.

A gust of wind picked up, blowing into Rivu's face. His hair blew out of his face, revealing the medical wrappings around his left eye. A scar, testimony to the battle he fought not too long ago, the battle that made him who he is today. He smiled, his gray right eye looking around the streets of his beloved city. Nodding his head down, he placed the brown cap upon his head, white cloth draping around his shoulders. Adorned on the front, 土, Tsuchi.

His white cloak shifts in the breeze as he walks, the dark brown fading into a light gray to his chest. Underneath, his red shirt was shown, tucked into his gray pants. He wasn't wearing shoes, his abilities made them a bit confining. It was a beautiful day among the dreary days that so often accompanied war. In light of this, the relatively new Tsuchikage decided to go for a walk.

He walked through the streets he grew up in, where he lived as an urchin. Clawing through the stone buildings, he stole to survive. It was all he had before he was shown the ways of the shinobi. As the village's newly made Kage, he was seeing it in a whole new light. He experienced the people around him, feeling the presence, hearing their voices and sensing their chakra. Like wisps flowing through his mind, he walked through his home.

One of the stone buildings on the right stood with an open wall, shogi tables lined under an awning. His eyes fell upon a young man, with eyes similar to his own. White to Rivu's gray. Eyes like mine. Granted, this guy looks quite pissed off. He snickered. He stepped over towards the table and took a seat. He didn't know how to play, but he picked up a random piece at the front and moved it forward one space. "Name's Rivu," he said, raising his head to face the boy in front of him. "What's yours?"

Ren stared intently at the board.  He saw the piece move and shifted his piece accordingly.  To him there was no outside world at this moment.  He stared down at a great land occupied by two nations taking the first steps into war with one another.  The pawns being right on the front lines of battle he imagined as many gennin and some chuunin.  Kids around his age and older that had to fight the war head on before he was brought into the world.

By the time I was born the game was almost done and I was a pawn.  I should have been a knight. Maybe then I could have stopped it.

He looked at the rooks, bishops, and lances as jonin rank ninja.  Their ability to move great distances and attack things head on made them fierce entities not to confront face to face.  The knight pieces were the legendary ANBU black ops shinobi.  The movement pattern they had allowed them to maneuver all over the battleground and avoid many attacks while still being able to strike at just the right moment.  The king he saw as the Kage of each nation.  Finally, he looked at the gold and silver generals and thought of his parents.  Able to move many directions but not without weak points.

His expression slowly dulled into a blank stare as he drifted away into the fantasy land he was in.  He tried to empty his mind of thought and operate off instinct.  If an enemy piece moved then he had to move his own piece.  Nothing more complicated and nothing more simple than moving one piece after another.  He hadn't acknowledge any sounds since leaving the house.  He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he had tunnel vision but he started to hear something come through. An echo of some sort.

"Name's Rivu.  What's yours?"

He responded off instinct without any emotion.

"Ren."

"Ren, eh?" He said, leaning back in the chair. Rivu raised his arms; crossing his fingers and holding the back of his head, he eyed the stranger in front of him. He looked into the white eyes of the young man before him. They were not quite the same as his; his were gray and much less refined. No, he is not my family. He sighed to himself, inaudibly to his apparent shogi adversary. He breathed sharply into his nose for a moment. He's not saying much, perhaps some small talk. He thought: perhaps those eyes.

"You know, Ren," he said, glancing down and dropping his hands. "I've met a lot of people, sensed a lot of people, seen a lot of people in this village. You, however. You look new to me." He said, his eyes watching the board.. He toyed with the king tile, knocking it back and forth before moving on to do the same to the knights.

"Then again, I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure of meeting a Hyuga, my friend." He smiled and looked up. He raised his right arm from the pieces, gesturing towards the board. "It's your move," He leaned forward, supporting himself on his arms on his legs. Glancing down, he spoke to Ren: "So, what brings you to my village."

His tone was curious, but not intimidating. He was, in fact, trying to be welcoming. The young man looked in poor sorts, the same sorts that Rivu had once lived through in his youth. He understood the hardships this boy must be facing and took pity on him. Besides, he was still fairly new as the Tsuchikage. It would be advantageous to  start cultivating a network of people, especially if his plans were to come to fruition. If this boy was a Hyuga, his powers could be very advantageous.

Upon hearing his family's name, Ren's eyes darted up to his opponent's with hostility.  His gaze locked on to Rivu's.  Ren tried reading Rivu's eyes for his intentions.

Is he the family friend I was told about?  He could be someone who knows the Hyuga clan.  If that's the case then he could be an assassin.  If he's an assassin he has me in check.  Or it could be the other way around.  No assassin would come into a crowded place to make their kill unless they were stupid.  He could be trying to get information out of me naturally to find my location.  What does he mean by my village?

"I'm just passing through."

Ren kept his eyes on Rivu.  He moved a piece with one hand and retreated the other hand to his pocket.  He gripped a kunai tightly.

I better be ready just in case this gets sour.  Maybe I should just take him down while his guard is down.

Then Ren remembered his father's words.

"Never attack or kill someone without provocation and being absolutely one hundred percent sure that they intend to do the same to you.  We are not a family that goes around fighting and killing whoever we feel like."

He still gripped his kunai tightly but, now it was with defensive intentions.  Now it was his turn to find out about this stranger.

"Where do you live in Iwagakure?"

He scanned the rest of his opponent's body.  He saw the brown and grey cloak Rivu was wearing and the symbol of Tsuchi.  He didn't understand why he wore that symbol other from the fact that he could be trying to blend in.  The bandages around his eye gave some insight into his past.

This guy.  There's something about him.  I can't tell for sure if he's friend or foe but he doesn't look like he belongs in this section of town.  What's his game?

Rivu smiled, staring down at the shoji table in front of him. With a slight chuckle, he responded: "A stranger comes up to you, knows your family name," he glanced up into Ren's eyes. "Knows your birthright." He laughed hardily, picking up the king piece. "And the first thing you ask him is where he lives." He rested his hand, still holding the piece on the table.

Having sensory abilities, Rivu kept a close watch on Ren's movements. In his mind, he saw beneath the table, chakra flowing through the person across the table. Of course, he also noticed his chakra signature gripping something at his side. Clever, always be on your guard, Ren. I know I am. He thought, keeping close watch over the Hyuga.

"I could tell you where I live," he said, clearing his throat slightly, "But I'd wager that you wouldn't get anything out of that. Especially if you're 'just passing through.'" He laughed and dropped the piece back into place. "Besides, I don't get into the habit of telling strangers where I live." He shrugged and leaned back into his chair. "I can tell you where I work, though."

Rivu stepped out of his chair and turned for the awning. He nodded his head towards the street, motioning for the boy to follow. He pointed at the skyline, towards the tallest building in all of Iwagakure. "There, The Obelisks. And at the top," he pointed towards the Tsuchi symbol near the top. "That's where I work."

He turned to the young Hyuga and spoke: "The name is Rivu Aiasan, Tsuchikage of Iwagakure." He extended his right hand and nodded his head down slightly. Tsuchi being very visible to this heir to the byakugan. "So let's try this again, shall we?" He chuckled slightly. "What brings you to my village?"

Ren realized who he was now speaking to.  His father told him of the Hokage and what that title meant.

The Hokage and the kage of any village you enter are considered to be the most powerful ninja of that village.  They watch over the entire village and keep the infrastructures going.  In times of war they are the strongest unit but the most vital.  When you meet a kage someday you should treat them with respect.  They probably went through a great deal to become the kage and you should not forget that.  One day you'll be getting orders straight from the Hokage!

The memory of his father and the realization that his words came true to a certain extent brought a small smile on Ren's face.  Ren released the tight grip from his kunai and extended his hand to shake the Tsuchikage's.

"Well, Rivu" He may be a kage but not MY kage "My name is Ren Hyuga.  Indeed I have the byakugan and it's hard to find many cases where you have a byakugan without a Hyuga or vice versa.  I asked where you live to investigate.  As you may know my family name comes with a pair of assassins.  I didn't lie when I said I was just passing through.  The time it will take for me to pass through may be considered a bit longer than most people."

The Tsuchikage out roaming the streets to play shogi?  I still don't know what exactly he's up to.  He seems friendly at the moment.

"Now tell me, Rivu, why is the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure roaming the residential district going into shogi parlors when he surely doesn't know how to play?  No offense but every move you have made has been the least optimal.  Other than that, doesn't the kage of a village have to take over all the village affairs?  I wouldn't think you'd have time to go out and lose at shogi."

Rivu laughed awkwardly to himself, closing his eye and raising his open hands near his face. "Whoa there, slow down, I didn't mean to offend, haha," he lowered his hands, taking a deep breath. This kid is quite defensive. He eyed the young byakugan user. Still, assassins? He's got a rough life I imagine. His gaze suddenly turned to pity.

Rivu had also grown up impoverished. Losing both parents as a teenager, he was forced to the streets of Iwagakure. For years, those streets were harsh, indeed. If this young one was now living through that, Rivu felt for him. Still, the boy was being quite aggressive with his words. He managed a smile. Hell, I've seen small dogs bark tigers up trees.

"This village has been through a lot." Rivu said, raising his right hand to his bandaged left eye. He let it hover there for a moment. "But we've gotten through it. As of right now, my duties have been fulfilled and I am constantly watching the village around me." He smiled and turned his head to face the inside of the Shogi Parlor. "It gives me the time to try my luck with random shoji games with promising shinobi." He walked out towards the street, under the open blue sky.

Rivu knew that having the power of the byakugan at his side would be beneficial in the years to come. A village with allies in other villages, especially prominent families could prove to be one of the most valuable assets that he would have access to. This boy, perhaps, would be a key piece in his future games of shoji. Still, he does look rather unrefined. Perhaps I could teach him a thing or two.

"You are a shinobi, aren't you?" He said, turning his head and his eye once more gravitating towards those white eyes.

"I've dabbled in the shinobi arts here and there.  My parents wanted to be sure I could effectively flee at the very least if I was ever confronted by attackers."

Ha! 'flee at the very least'.  I could paralyze a village of bandits if I was feeling nice or make sure that village and their history were erased if they attacked me.  I've been heavily trained in using my kekkei genkai and taijutsu.  The Tsuchikage asking about my abilities sounds interesting.  It wouldn't hurt to make a friend in a position of power.  Let's see where this leads us. Hue hue hue.

Ren moved his shogi piece then got up.  He walked to the edge of the parlor next to the Tsuchikage.  Ren looked out over the residential district towards the obelisks that Rivu said was his place of work.  The towering stones inspired a sense of greatness and control in Ren.

"How do you normally tell who is and isn't a promising shinobi? And upon finding a so called promising shinobi what do you do with them?  Probably the most important question could be does it involve money and how much?  A promising shinobi is no more than a starving artist if they don't have a penny to their name."

Ren's tone was no longer one of hostility but instead it had humor and curiosity.

A breeze rolled down the street.  Ren's shirt and Rivu's cloak flapped in the wind.  This breeze felt different from most.  It felt cleaner; more crisp.  Ren took a deep breath in and held it.  He held on to the refreshing breeze and calm moment.  He channeled all the anger he was previously feeling into the breath filling his lungs and exhaled all his problems.  At this very moment he was just enjoying a tranquil moment with a friendly stranger.

He smirked, "I've got an eye for this kind of thing." His eye focusing in on the white eyes of the user in front of him. In fact, Rivu was still a fairly fresh Tsuchikage. Before that, he was a simple Jonin. He did missions, he followed orders and he trained. Training others or recognizing talent were things he had little experience with. No, with this one, it was the eyes. The byakugan, one of the most legendary kekkei genkai. Rivu recognized the potential, not in this young Hyuga, but in those white eyes.

"You don't beat around the bush do you,?" He said, still eyeing the fast talking shinobi boy. Let's see what we can do with this one. He thought back to his days of training in the mountain ranges outside of Iwagakure, the training that made him the shinobi he is today. This boy barks just as loud as he used to. Once again, he was flooded with fond nostalgia.

"Here's the deal," He said, taking a few steps closer to Ren. "I'm afraid I can't just give you some money," His right eye closed as he scratched the back of his head. He laughed slightly at the idea, "but I can help you earn it." He walked down the road slightly and stopped to turn around. He began to sink into the ground, typical behavior for the Tsuchikage.

"Meet me in the forests at the base of Mt. Shumisen later tonight, if you'd like to train with me for a bit, perhaps spar." He smiled as he sank completely into the ground, heading off towards the center of town. I've got a few things I can do before tonight. He thought to himself, looking forward to sparring with the young Hyuga.

Used Jutsu:

[Exit, unless you stop me]