Saishoki's Bounty [Hybris and Saishoki Willow]

[Continued from "Invitational"]

It was diving. From the distance, it most likely looked like a malformed seagull. As it hit the water it dove deep, and minutes later, Daedalus was rising out of the water, stepping onto the shore line. Turning, he looked back at the water.

She was right behind me...

He stood there for a few more moments, watching the bubbles, contemplating diving back in or not.

The female bursts out of the water in a twirling motion, had activating her kekkei-genkai, she used it to rotate her entire body - making her speed through the water as quick as possible. The water soaked her clothes; spinning with grace the sunshine was blocked by her body for a split second, she landed on the ground with a thump. "Awwww! I'm all wet!" She says dissapointed with a frown on her face. "Maaann.." she mumbles.

She walks over to you, retracting her bones in an instant. "Well that was fun while it lasted." She said dissapointed.

Covering his face for a moment as she twirled water off of her, Daedalus dropped his hand and turned towards the village. "We always have to get back..." He then returned the blue scroll to the slot in his chest, before continuing on.

"Now, Saishoki Willow was once a genin here, I believe, and although Willows can teleport, the target must have been exiled from the clan to have grown up here anyways. Meaning it hasn't left the island, yet." The terms it, and target, would be used frequently. Willows weren't human, anything Daedalus had to kill was thought of as an object in his mind... It just made it easier.

"So, we can begin collecting information here, but first, I believe dry, and well, less conspicuous attire is in order. At this point he simply removed his akatsuki cloak, tossing it away. He had plenty more, and it was a dead give away he would start trouble.

Hybris gasps, her mouth gaping. "Y..Yo..Your.. a puppet? What.. the hell?!" She shivers a bit. "Thats wierd.. I didn't bring any extra clothing.. sadly.. I wasnt expecting to be drenched.. hehe." She giggles.

Daedalus' dead eyes locked onto Hybris. "Mostly a puppet... Besides, should you really be pointed out how strange MY body is? And I'm sure we'll be able to purchase something suitable within the village." He then continued to walk. The nerve of some people, I'm still human... just better. Eventually, they reached the city gates, and were granted access, Daedalus using a simple transformation technique to mask most of his outer appearance. Eventually they reached some stalls, Dae grabbing a simple black cloak.

"Anything you like?"

"Anything simple will do.. Umm... I liiiiiiiike.. This!" She says, pulling out a tight and somewhat loose emerald-green outfit. "Oh yeah! This matches my eyes.. and um.. sorry if I offended you back there." She apologized looking at him.

Daedalus nodded, paying for both items and throwing on the cloak.

"It's fine, people simply assume that as a puppet I don't have a heart. But what they don't see, is that as I only have a heart, it is my conscious. I have no mind, the only thing that keeps this body running is pure emotion."

They were deeper into the town now, and Daedalus' eyes were monitoring everything, news bulletins, popular places, everything he could. After hours of searching, without a word being said, Daedalus finally looked to the sky, as it began to grow dark. "The search will be futile soon, I doubt he's within the village. We'll begin with the outskirts, then move on to the country side, but not until day break."

With a hotel nearby, Daedalus stepped over to inquire, and all went smoothly, until he was told there was only one room, and was handed the key. Ignoring the incompetence, he then moved down the hall, beckoning for Hybris to follow him, unlocked the door and moved into the room.

"This is actually a pretty nice hotel.. minus the ignorence among the employees..." She grumbled. "So where do we sleep?" She asks, yawning a bit... "Oh! And thank you for these clothes - they fit perfectly!" She smiles.

Daedalus nodded again.

"Your welcome, and there's a bed in the other room I believe. However, I don't really sleep... THough some rest wouldn't hurt... I suppose."

Opening the doors to the other room, he noted that the bed was slightly smaller then a queen. Turning again, he tapped multiple points on his chest, and his limbs were coated in white smoke. When the smoke cleared, all of his puppet traits were gone. And although his limbs were still false, they were covered in a soft cloth like material, almost resembling pyjamas.

"It's up to you."

Hybris walks over to the bed. "C.. Could you.. turn your head?" She asks, starting to blush. Beginning to remove the clothing, waiting for him to respond.

Daedalus did turn his head, and began to gaze out the window, thinking. A moment later, a bird landed, and Dae recognized it as Zodiark's little pet. Silently, he attached a note to it, and sent it on it's way. He then turned, away from the bedroom, and sat on an a comfortable looking chair, closing his eyes in thought.

The girl takes off all her clothing and swiftly hops in the bed covering herself with the blankets. "Okay.. Just goto sleep when your ready I guess.. Good night!" She motions, towards her sensei - closing her eyes and drifting into sleep..

Taking one more look over, Daedalus nodded, then stood up by the window, slowly turning off his bodily mechanics, until his heart rate finally slowed. Hours then ticked by, with him simply standing there, immobile. Finally, daylight scattered across the sky like webbing, the sun was rising, and Daedalus awoke.

He turned his attention to the bed again. She was still asleep, but had moved during the night, her body nearly toppling over one of the sides. Luckily she had remained covered. Clearing his throat once, he was unsure of how to wake her, so thought of the easiest way to do so. "Wake up, Hybris." his voice rang out around the room, only a few decibels below a booming bellow.

The girl heard the booming voice, and opened her eyes slightly - yawning. "ahhh.... nothing like a good nights sleep!" She says as she sits up. She looks at you quickly and begins to blush. "Oh god!" She yelps, as she quickly pulls the covers over her chest. "Ahhhh... you shouldn't have seen that.... Pretend it never happened?" She asked. Her tribal marks completely dark red.

Daedalus grinned to himself a little, shaking his head as he looked out the window. It was about time for him to go a little easier on his student.

"No harm done, after all, how long do you think I was in your room before you awoke the night I met you." he paused for a moment, appearing serious, then began laughing, continuing to look out the window.

"Oh god sensei, you creep me out... You better not tell anyone what you saw! GAH!" She sneers at him. ".... how long were you in my room!?" Her eyes open wide.

Laughing more, he managed to get out a sentence. "Little more then five seconds, calm down."

He then stepped away from the window, past the doors so he couldn't see into the room. "Saishoki's whereabouts have been tracked. He was, or is, in the snow country. Until we know that for sure however, we go on with today's plans."

"Ahh.. phew.. what a relief.. atleast thats all you saw." She says relieved, as she slips out of bed, slipping on the emerald green clothing again. "Hmm.. the Snow Country.. Is that far from here?" She asks, with a tilted eyebrow, cocking it. She stands up fully and walks to the door to where you are.

Daedalus shrugged, "Not much farther then Kuno was, two days flight. But let's see if we can locate him in the country side here first. I'm going to square up for the room. Check within the town for any news, and then meet me at the village gates." Daedalus then turned and left, walking back down the hall.

Hybris looks at him as he walks down the hall.

something about him is'nt what shows me from his appearance...

She turned, and climbed out the window, landing in the street. She started walking around, taking in all the scenery. She took a deep breathe in. "Ahhhhh..... Thats the stuff." She begins to speak to people.. not too many though, as always, a ninja must conceal his/her mission and not give anything off. Half of the day passes by... nothing. No information at all.

man these people just won't give in because they're stubborn, or they really don't know.. ahh!..

Daedalus approached his student from behind, moving slowly. As he walked by her, he spoke softly.

"I've received nothing as well, it's time to move on to the country side."

He then carried on to the village gates, expecting her to follow.

"Yes, sensei." She said obediently, Following him.

i'm still unsure about him... oh well.. eventually I guess everything will be normal..

Stepping out onto the country side, Daedalus donned a pair of goggles. Not the flashiest things, but their use was invaluable. He then retrieved another scroll.

"Gold Secret Technique."

Instantly, hundred of puppets began pouring through the scroll, raining down over miles. Spreading themselves out evenly. Seconds later, a thousand chakra strings shot out of Daedalus, using a chakra spinner near his stomach.

"Not only am I able to control a thousand puppets using this technique, but with the goggles, I can see all that they see, hopefully, this will help me find him."

"That.. is a hell of a Jutsu..." She mumbles low, to herself. She moves over, close to the puppeteer.

Daedalus concentrated. It was hard enough seeing through the eyes of a couple puppets, now, as he watched through thousands, he focused on small groups of them at once, checking caves and likely hide outs, watching for any sign of the white haired Willow species.

"Nothing yet, which leads me to believe he's still in the snow country."

As he kept searching, his mind began to wander, occasionally dragged back by what he thought was what he was looking for.

"I suppose your quite happy we don't have to go hiking... hm?"

After a few more minutes, Daedalus gave up, and the puppets disappeared in a quick series of white smoke flashes, leading over the horizon. Dae then pulled the goggles off, frowning.

"He's still in snow, has to be."