Hide and Seek (Group Plot)

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There were stories about this place…

By the time Hikari would spend a night in the Moon Village, he would be invited back to the distant relative, the Sun Village. There was a letter awaiting him with a request from a familiar shinobi. Given the history, Hikari was mixed with a bit of confusion that was quieted by a hint of pleasure. Perhaps it was with the recent events of him being his assertive, but modest, self that delighted him? Either way, without a hint of a notion to refuse, he had headed out immediately and before he knew it, he was walking around the village and listening as a puff of smoke would burst and vanish.

The information he had received from the villagers about the listed area was minimal. Some even just seemed to be uninterested after giving him a look at his rabbit ears and puffy tail, their heart fluttered with amusement from a light chuckle, and they would tell him good luck. There was only one person that would tell him where the location was, and it was a slightly disheveled young lass that would direct him with a little bit of token of a cost. It was then Hikari realized where she had come from and where he had been led to: The slums of the Sun Village.

It was a surprise to Hikari that he had been led here. Almost immediately he had smelled a difference and heard such things that were vulgar. If there were not the foul moans and groans of the oldest profession, then there would be the stench of spirits and chatter from one of the second oldest that took others away from reality. The sound of snoring would come from the streets and the faint whispers of malevolence were in the homes. However, after a few more questions, Hikari would be brought to a doorway intact as he was ready to give a sound knock.

Though, to be honest, there was a hint of nervousness as he was unsure whether or not this was the right house. It was a burden to not have eyes. He would simply stroke his hands across the door’s surface, feeling for even the slightest of braille that would tell him something akin to the way the Moon Village had been littered with the Usagi Clan’s signature knocks of holes to communicate locations for them. His heart would flutter hesitantly, nervously, not wanting to disturb anyone.

If only someone had the eyes to help him?


OOC Notes: Kenji! The bunny needs your eyes! D=
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Getting a letter wasn't a common occurrence for Kenji yet once he saw who was the author of the letter, his first gut instinct was to simply burn the letter and claim it never arrived but given that it had been nearly weeks since the two last spoke, Kenji's curiosity got the best of him and he opened the envelope. Inside was a letter as expected but what caught his eye the most was the poster folded up and as Kenji went to unfold it, a single picture fell out from the center of the folded poster.

Blair Roche, Age 6:

Confused, Kenji read the poster and quickly realized it was a missing person's report and he immediately read through the letter that Sojiro sent him, the sun shinobi explaining he needed both his and Hikari's help and that was all Kenji needed to know. It was true Kenji still felt uncomfortable in meeting with Sojiro again nor did he enjoy that he was more than likely going have to be a third wheel again, but those factors really weren't factors at all when it came to finding a missing child. Almost as quick as he could grab his supplies did Kenji begin making his way down to the sun village, although there was a certain dread in his stomach since he knew even at his full speed it'd take a few days.

Throughout his journey, Kenji could only wonder if the kid would still be alive by the time he arrived or if the kid was even still alive when Sojiro wrote that letter, yet he still persisted as he only though of the grief the parents must've been going through. The usually lazy shinobi had hurried his way to the sun village, walking throughout the long nights and the longer days so when he finally did arrive, he would appear to be more tired than he usually was but to him, the lack of sleep was a small price to pay in the end.

As he finally entered the sun village, Kenji had long since taken off his jacket and instead only wore his flak jacket, which contained his usual supplies, five kunai and medical supplies while his pants pockets now hosted his candy sticks in his left pocket and Lingchi in his right pocket. Following the directions Sojiro left on his letter, Kenji was a bit surprised at the rather poor choice of living Sojiro was currently residing in but then again, Kenji was technically homeless if not for the barracks so he wasn't really in a place to talk. As he approached Sojiro's house however, he spotted a certain bunny standing at the doorway, appearing a bit lost as they touched the door.

"Hikari." Kenji simply greeted his bunny companion as he knocked on the door himself instead of waiting for Hikari to do so. "We're at the right place in case you were wondering. I imagine reading for you can't be fun." Kenji idly commented, uncertain if Hikari could even read at all given his lack of eyesight but then again, Kenji didn't think Hikari could see at all so maybe the bunny had a little trick to read ink too. Regardless Kenji would only wait for Sojiro to answer the door so he could give him the details of the missing kid and from there, they'd need to settle a plan.

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Active Gear:

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“Kenji-san!”

There was not the usual delight in his voice. It was almost as if it was a shocked breath with a touch of relief, but also a hint of dread. Hikari had not exactly spoken to Kenji, his first partner on a mission just as much as he was to him, since a previous mishap. He remembered the words of Plague that were given to himself and started to dawn on a realization. The bunny was a vermin in every sense as he thought his playful nature was also a comfort instead of a burden to his teammates. Nonetheless, Hikari would believe that he had caused such discomfort to the man as he even bothered to stand out of his way as he took notice of his problem with words and reading.

“Y-yeah...I-It is,” he would reply, “S-sorry.”

Hikari would stand aside, letting him knock. His face would dip as he was still hesitant to start a conversation, but it would be swept aside with his fears. “I-I...umm...thought perhaps it was wrong,” He exclaimed while the rabbit ears on his head would twitch to tell him about the environment they stood in. “I did not know that Sojiro-san lived in such an...environment.” He tried to be as reserved as possible. His eyes would turn here and there as if he could see the actual area around him. His eyes would move as if he was trying to see in the darkness, but he was clearly noticing things unseen beyond the walls and even the faintest of movements.

The sound of the door opening would almost give him pause. His attention was taken by the environment that he had been caught off guard by the sudden appearance at the door. Sojiro’s relief was almost puzzling, but Hikari would not dwell on it. He would instead walk into the home as his ears would gently listen for the footsteps and details that would describe the area. Each step of the iron heels he wore made a gentle sound up until finally he would hear Sojiro’s voice as he was explaining the situation.

An honest expression of concern and shame came to Hikari’s face as he would hear Sojiro’s reference to the parents, but yet, he would let it go for now.

"I've talked to the parents of most of these kids and they all check out... They just want their kids back."

“I understand.” Hikari’s hands would go behind his back while he would give his head a gentle nod. “As Grandmother says, ‘what is a child other than a mother’s hope that takes flight?’ They must miss them dearly.” Hikari’s voice trailed with a gentle, but serious note. Even more so, one of his grandmother’s proverbs did not end with something referring to sensualness or vile body parts. His blue eyes would go about in utter astonishment as his ears would guide him from one side of the room to the next. His feet would stop short as he would stand before Sojiro. His eyes were squinting as if he could see something beyond the folds of flesh and bone.

“Are you well, Sojiro-san?” Kindly he would ask, “How long have you dwelt on this?” The rabbit honestly asked with a pained concern seeping from his lips. The rabbit’s gaze would travel to Kenji as if to help him address the elephant in the room. For others with eyes, it was an issue that could be seen. For a rabbit like Hikari, an elephant would cause the floorboards to make an unmistakable scream which Hikari noticed even now with the state of their partner.


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"Nothing to be sorry for." Kenji would simply dismiss Hikari's attempt at an apology, it wasn't his fault he was blind after all. Or if it was, nothing could be done about it anyways. Either way, Kenji didn't really see a reason for Hikari to apologize about his inability to read. Yet he had to agree with Hikari about Sojiro living in a rather sketchy place like this but at least he actually had a home, more than what could be said about Kenji's lack of a home right now.

Before he could voice his agreement however, Sojiro opened the door and almost immediately he invited the two and lead them to what Kenji assumed to be the living room, the scar on his back that he got from the mission the duo did was still somewhat fresh. Kenji's own scar on his right shoulder seemed to be healing up faster but Sojiro did seem like the type to keep pushing himself instead of resting. Upon entering the living room, Kenji immediately took notice of a bear belonging to Blair Roche, more specifically he was looking at the spot where it's right eye button was supposed to be.

Kenji hesitantly approached the bear, lifting it up with his left hand as his right hand touched the empty spot and suddenly he found himself back home. The rain was loud yet his heart beat was louder as it beat quickly. He looked around the tall and ominous jungle trees surrounding him, leaving him no escape. A sudden slash and pain surged through his right eye and his vision was cut in half, as he'd later find out, that was literal. On the ground, he looked up at the giants before him, all approaching with sick and twisted smiles before a single slice cut the demons in half and they faded. A hero stood before the young Haruka and things were going to be okay.

Back in reality, Kenji realized his grip on the bear had tightened and his right eye was hurting once again due to phantom pains, causing the one eyed shinobi to slightly grit his teeth as he set the bear back down. Everything was fine. He just needed to find the kid, only thing that mattered. Turning his attention back to Sojiro and Hikari, he realized he must've got trapped in memories longer than he thought as Hikari seemed to be looking at him rather expectantly. "Uh... Sorry about that, long trip." Kenji excused himself in a casual manner as he offered a sheepish grin. "What did you two say?" Kenji asked a bit confused on what the two were talking about.

---

Were they alright? There was an obvious answer that he wished not to have the answer to.

Kenji had seemed to be drifting to the point that Hikari would feel the slightest change in his disposition. On the outside to eyes, it was normal, but when people were disturbed it would be a quake to the ears of the rabbit. His face had caught no glimpse, but it conveyed nothing short of utter worry. Only an apology was given as Hikari would return the lie of it being blamed to fatigue with a forced smile. He believed him...just as much as he believed in Godly intervention.

Sojiro was in no better state, but Hikari would once again fail to prioritize. They were both stubborn when it came to the missions! At times like this, the rabbit thought the Usagi were a blessing. They relaxed when necessary and would work when it was absolutely pivotal. Although one would call that lazy, the elders would call it optimization! Rabbits by nature, they truly believed that they could take a moment to simply look at the bigger picture and would fill in the missing spaces on the grand design. It was funny for a clan that barely could see anything, or so the villagers would say with a chuckle.

As the two would prepare, Hikari would do so as well. His hands were calm as he had enough time to weave signs at a snail’s pace. Focus was optimal before finally making the very last seal of the Hare. With that, there would be a sudden burst of chakra that raced to his head. "I will listen for rumors as we walk." Hikari would exclaim, "If anything is whispered, I will make sure we know about it." The rabbit ears would spring to life and move much more actively with every turn of the head and every finger twitch. Responding to the environment, they would try their hardest to keep up with the details as they walked the street. The conversation between Sojiro and Kenji were at his attention, only because he worried for them both.

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Kenji merely nodded as Sojiro told him it was good to see the one eyed shinobi again, not really too sure what to say in response but thankfully the sun shinobi spoke about an area he'd like to investigate with the duo of moon shinobi, once again Kenji only nodded as the trio begun to leave the home. As they left, Hikari told the duo he'd listen in for any rumors as his rabbits ears begun to move around, reminding Kenji of the first time they went on a mission. This Hikari was much different and it wasn't purely because Kenji was aware that she was actually a he after so long. Hikari seemed more... Downtrodden? Somber? Kenji wasn't entirely sure but he assumed it was just worry about the kids as it seemed to be affecting Sojiro as well.

Kenji didn't really notice it at first but as Sojiro was preparing, he noticed the all too familiar signs of someone being unable to sleep at night, someone that was troubled. Guess he was as committed to this as Kenji was? Although to his surprise, Sojiro pointed it Kenji's own commitment to the case and Kenji could only let out some nervous laughter. "Ah, well what can I say? I'm a sucker for kids..." Kenji explained with a shrug as his eye lowered to the ground. Where the hell could the children disappeared to?

"Say Sojiro, how long have you been investigating this? And what can you tell me about the case?" Kenji asked, hoping something Sojiro would say would provide some sort of hope for Kenji, it had been a few days since he heard of the missing children and every day that passed only decreased the likelihood of finding them alive, if at all. "Leave no detail spared, even where you found the items could give us a possible clue." Kenji told the sun shinobi, a bit curious where Sojiro had come across the items from the children, especially the one eyed bear of Blair Roche.

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To say the least, Hikari felt a great deal of pity for the missing children. The story that was given only had filled him with unease. It was like the stories of a murder occurring on a certain basis in Gekkousato. An unease developed within the rabbit to find that there were many things amiss in this world. His lips would frown as he would consistently walk. His ears twitched as they seemed to walk about the slums that had their own story to tell. Most of the area was met with constant stories of heartbreak, shattered dreams, and recollection that was spoken in passionate tones that were dying like a gentle flame in a soft gale.

It had only taken a moment to come to where Hikari and the rest would stop. His eyes would have been the enemy if they worked for him. However, the moment that they all stopped, Hikari would tilt his head in a puzzled manner as he would try to question what it was that he was sensing exactly. His feet stepped forth to bring him before Sojiro and Kenji with nothing sure of bewilderment. “S-someone has...been manipulating this area…” Hikari’s face would turn as he would look unto the trash bags with that same glassy stare as usual. Unlike other times, it was meaningful and not just out of courtesy of whom he was facing.

“One moment, please?’

Hikari would look upon the two allies before reaching his thumb to his mouth and with his teeth parting, he would separate them before finally clipping at his thumb. His teeth would smear with a shade of red that he would likc away before using the rest of his breached skin to weave hand signs. The sequence was long and made over ten signs. Eventually, he would reach, striking his palm against the terrain as a puff of smoke would explode outward running into the streets. By the time it would clear, Hikari had long identified the small animal figure that would appear at hand. A small green rabbit-esque creature with a gen of glistening emerald that shone amongst the white and green hues of fur. The creature would blink in confusion as it had stared upwards at the group of them. Quiet, it would sit.

“Are we-” It piped looking about.

“Could we-” It would look the other way in utter confusion.

“We are!” It would squirm. “Dear goodness! We are in this weird village again! This place is terrible! There’s sand, sand, and more sand! It smells like sweat all the time! Not to mention that this dust gets stuck in my fur! Kari-chan! This is beyond cruel! I am telling Mother Akemi! I just got a path in the river, combed, and then-”

It was apparent that if this was not put to a stop, it would go on forever.

In a rare display, Hikari would gather a great breath from the flare of his nostrils. His blue eyes would open and his lips would part as he would let out a blast of air. “Meron!” He would cry, “Sister! Get a hold of yourself! Are you not Usagi? Do you not get dirty when needed?!” His finger would thrust out to the little creature that piped. Its eyes narrowed in a bitter manner as if it was resenting the thought of listening to him. “Rabbits do not run their mouths! It is a waste of good legs, as Grandma would say...or else...should I tell on you, too?”

A sudden squeak would come from the creature. It’s green eyes cut like blades as its lazy habit was exposed and it would pound its hind, swollen leg upon the dusty ground of the alley. “F-fine.” It would pipe back. “F-fine...what is it?” The little creature would be met with Hikari’s smug smirk.After a moment, he would point further along the area.

“Now please, Meron,” Hikari pleaded with a toss of his wrist and his finger, “Unearth any disturbed areas by pushing up the soil while we work. Anything buried here will do.” Hikari would command. The little green creature would waste not a moment as it would press its white little paws to the dirt. As if a hasty little dog, it would paw away until finally the dirt would not long be shoveled away. It would sink into the ground as if it and the dirt were merging together. The ground would swell before subsiding as the creature vanished beneath the soil. That left only the three of them around as Hikari would turn to the two. His face straying away in a bit of shame.

“S-sorry,” He would chime, “Family is...umm...complicated.”

It would probably be one of few shoes of authority he actually would give. “A-ahem...a-anyway,” He would continue to say, a false cough as he would take the same hand and gesture to the bags, “There are a lot of things in these bags and the weight is...unusual.” Hikari would note as he could feel the pulsating waves of Meron digging. In their trail, there was the faintest of movement that was helping him read into traits. “The weight seems odd to be a bunch of...umm...garbage. Plus, I do not have the best nose, so Sojiro-san...I-I believe you can identify which of the ones that are able to need the most attention as they don’t exactly seem like garbage. B-but...while we’re at it, I believe Kenji-san’s puppets would help in opening these things. If this has something to do with the children missing then...it is best to assume someone left precaution in case someone came snooping around.” Hikari would warrant as he spoke trying to think of the best course of action to proceed with safety.

”As for which bags...” Hikari would begin, ”I-I think...that bag there...there...and that one there. They may need attention.” He gesture a finger to three in particular to examine.

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Hurm. Shirt lead to back alley which lead to a single missing shoe... Possibly tried to fight back against kidnapper? Maybe lost while running as well but trail ended there so someone had to take him. But no trail after losing shoe so how did that person hide their trail after taking the kid? Maybe Sojiro couldn't pick up on their track or disregarded it as just another person passing by the back alley... Hurm. More concerning was at least seven missing children and of those seven, only four were tractable by the dog shinobi. Only solid lead is that of those four, two of them connected to the same area. Perhaps that is where Sojiro is taking them?

His thought process was cut off as Sojiro proclaimed that there were here and just taking a look around the surroundings, Kenji could see why the trail lead here. Secluded, hard for adults to get through and kids would easily wander down this way, especially the narrow path that Sojiro was currently trying to pass through. As Kenji passed through the path, what he found on the other side made any notion of the place being the kidnapping site disappear and instead he was fearing the worst. The same area for taking kids could also be ideal for disposing of the kids....

Sighing and closing his eye, Kenji pulled out a candy stick from his left pocket and placed it in his mouth. Couldn't be possible, Sojiro would've smelt the body by now, garbage shouldn't over power the stench of a decomposing body, no matter how much garbage is thrown on top. Needed to remain focus, kid is alive and just needs to be found, only thing that matters. Kenji reopened his eye and looked around the garbage littered throughout the area, none of it looking like it was piled specifically too high in certain areas and instead looked rather plain. Well as plain as a garbage dump could look.

However once Hikari stepped forth and told them someone manipulated the ground, Kenji's heart sank as he realized it was unlikely Sojiro could smell through both the dirt and the garbage. No. Kid had to be still be alive. Answers will be found. Not ending like this. Kenji wasn't even aware his fist was clenched as his right hand moved to rub his eye patch, the phantom pain was still lingering and he hoped rubbing it would soothe it slightly.

Kenji simply watched anxiously as Hikari summoned a bunny to help him unearth what was buried underneath the ground and while Hikari said it seemed like garbage, it still didn't put his mind at ease. Still he kept his focus on Hikari as the bunny talked about the plan, Sojiro smelling out the bags and Kenji using Lingchi to open the bags. "Sounds like a solid plan." Kenji simply nodded along as he brought out his paper for Lingchi and threw it on the ground. With a puff of smoke, Lingchi stood among the duo and while Kenji would normally make the puppet bow before the duo or do something with his puppet, now wasn't the time.

"Just tell me which one to cut and we'll get to it." Kenji told Sojiro with a simple nod, ready to send his puppet to whichever bag Sojiro pointed the puppeteer and puppet toward to create a single slice alongside the bag to reveal it's contents to the trio.

Eventually, if the summons followed the path of moved earth, it would eventually lead into a building that was next to them... [To be described next poossssttt, oooooooooooooo!]

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Their cooperation was solid which brought a smile to Hikari’s face. Although he had not mended things with Kenji just as he had done for Sojiro and himself, Hikari still felt a compulsion unlike ever before. Seeing him utilize the puppet only reminded him of how he did so in their first mission. As usual, Kenji had a way of ensuring everyone’s safety as he would be close to them and send in the gadget to diffuse the danger. Just hearing the clicks and clanks of the puppet was enough to be a reminder to Hikari as he would gently show a smile upon his face. It would wither like a flower as it was met with a bit of uncertainty.

“T-thank you, e-especially you Kenji-san.” He would say gently, “U-umm...you always have a way of...making us...or me...feel safe.” He would speak brokenly, unsure what series of words to string together in order to have him feel appreciated. Usually a flirt, in the past, he would just let them spill out in order to charm others. It seemed, necessarily, that it was not reassuring for everyone. Hikari was not the one to actually give comfort it seemed and it only caused some heartache as he recalled Jess’s tone of voice from beyond the mask to have him believe that he would be the one to make a mistake and put everyone in danger worrying about him.

“I-I-”

GRRRRRL!!!

A loud grumble would shift the dirt within the area. The Earth Moving Core jutsu of the rabbit had become active as the dirt and debris started to shift from beneath the terrain. The state of the disturbed Earth was returned to normal as Hikari could see the shifts of dirt around the pieces of wood. His ears would perk upon his head as they would twitch as if they were picking up some sort of distinct sound only he could hear. What he was about to say to the puppet master had become forgotten as he would turn to his two friends.

“Meron-san says she returned the Earth to how it used to be shifting the soil back to how it was,” Hikari would turn to Sojiro. “I-I...umm...will move on your lead. Do not worry about traps. As long as Meron is digging underground, you will be safe.” Hikari exclaimed.

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As Kenji set his puppet to work on opening the bags, he was surprised to see more clothing spill from the bags. Why would there be more clothing and why would they be thrown away? No, not just thrown away... They were buried. Buried alongside other garbage. Had Sojiro or Hikari not been here, Kenji wouldn't have found the buried garbage, let alone the buried clothing hidden among the garbage... Someone had deliberately hidden these items away. More clothes hidden away... After following a trail of a missing child.... "There's more." Kenji muttered more for himself as he looked at the pile of clothing in the bags, his hand slightly begun to shake as he fully realized someone was hiding the fact there were more children missing... Orphans.... Orphans weren't uncommon nor would anyone particularly notice if they went missing... An ideal victim for... For whatever sick and twisted things were going on. No one would even know that kid was missing. He could cry for hours on end... And nobody would come to save him. Nobody would help him. No matter how hard he cried.

Thankfully, the calming voice of Hikari called out to him and snapped Kenji from his thoughts, his attention fully turning to the bunny as they spoke about the safety Kenji gave him. "It's... nothing Hikari." Kenji spoke quietly and hesitantly as he fully returned himself to the present. He was here, everything is fine and everything will be fine. He paused for a moment as he closed his eye and focused on the cherry flavor of the candy stick. He'll find them. "I'm glad I could do that for someone..." Kenji said quietly as he reopened his eye with a small smile on his face to the bunny. Hikari seemed like he was going to talk again but suddenly the ground rumbled and Kenji turned his attention the source with his puppet at the ready, his smile faded as he turned serious once more.

Kenji let his guard down once more as he realized nothing was there and Hikari told both Kenji and Sojiro it was safe to move as long the rabbit summon was underground. "Right. Thank you Hikari. I'll follow your lead as well Sojiro." Kenji thanked Hikari with a simple nod before turning his attention to the sun shinobi, giving him a simple nod as he brought Lingchi to his side once more, the puppet standing with it's hands spread out and ready to strike quickly.

---

The atmosphere was saddening as Hikari had listened to each and every word of his colleagues. They were particularly careful with their sensory and deciphering. His eyes were useless as he could not make out the fine details of clothing without touching him. Not that he desired as his face showed a visible frown. The Usagi Clan loved children so much! Innocence was sacred and even the eldest mother of the clan would quietly speak in this manner. The rabbit’s ears as loud as he could remember the sizzle that came from his grandmother placing a tea cup over a lit candle.

“Innocence is not snuffed out...but slowly and gently silenced with compassion, young Buns.”

The memory resonated with him as he listened to Kenji and Sojiro. The two of them would bring Hikari nothing short of comfort. Proceeding forth, he would step into the doorway next to Sojiro. The boy’s hand would whip to his face. Sure, he did not have the nostrils of the dog, but he was known to open his nose as his eyes would fail. Years of smelling flowers and dinners betrayed him all at once as he would turn his head away. His breath would be collected as he would exhale. The scent was atrocious and even more so, his eyes were close to showing tears.

“N-no.” Hikari would announce. “P-please...leave this part to us!”

When he says this, Hikari would step back from the doorway. His rabbit-esque ears would twitch as he acted like a set of antennas as they would listen to the rabbit still prowling within the terrain. “Meron-chan,” His breaths almost a whisper, “Move around the best you can! Touch everything!” Within the doorway, the ground would become up-heaved enough for them to see as he bloated a pregnant display. It would then move like a lump under a bed sheet moving beneath the soil. The lump would slide under buckets, patches of Earth manipulated, and even unspeakable areas.

“Footprints…” Hikari would speak, “Droppings and remains...all human...but…” Hikari’s ears would move slightly. He remembered informing Sojiro the ability of the Usagi Clan to identify depth, texture, and not to mention form through the seismic activity. The slide moved and swished about and it was the most grotesque of sounds. Whatever was not in the bucket was within the terrain. Hikari’s lips would twist something unpleasant but they would identify it all.

“The texture of these droppings is...very loose. They have to be feeding them something that is...starchy to get this consistency. Breads?” Hikari would lift a brow. “That would be easy to find and collect. It lacks roughage, so not a lot of meat. They were here but...we must have missed them some time ago. This sludge’s texture almost seems to be fresh.” Hikari noted as he would stop focusing. His eyes opening as he would turn to the two. His eyes would fall as if he felt something swell within his heart.

What was this feeling? Was it failure?

“S-sorry, Sojiro-san. Perhaps we were just a day or two too late?”

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As Kenji entered the small room after Hikari, the absolutely horrid stench that came from within made the one eyed shinobi spit out his candy stick in disgust as he steeled himself and look around at his new surroundings, quickly noting the bedrolls laid out on the ground. They... They kept the kids here? Kenji's eye widened as he looked around at the dark and disgusting smelling room, the only exit being a barricaded door that even Kenji was unsure he could break through. Wait... If they kept the kids here, where were they now? Kenji was about to make his way to the door and attempt to break it open when Hikari told them he was going to handle it.

Uncertain, Kenji simply did as instructed as he kept looking around the room, looking for a sign, a hint, anything that could lead them anywhere after this place. But who knows how long this has been up? How many kids were kept here? When did they leave? Did they even leave alive? Although as Hikari told them of the details, Kenji only closed his eye and focused on the voice of Hikari, unable to look at the stains littered about the sleeping spots of the children.

The calming effect Hikari provided came to an end as he mentioned the sludge seemed fresh, meaning the kids were likely alive and here recently but the fact the trio were standing in an empty and dark room meant they missed them rather closely. What Kenji couldn't have guessed was just how closely they missed them, merely a day or two? "No..." Kenji muttered as he opened his eye and looked toward the bunny, hoping for a sign that they were lying or uncertain or anything that could tell him that Hikari was wrong and they didn't miss them by that much.

"If... If they're gone... Then where did they go? Who is doing this? Why are they doing this? There's still too much to find out." Kenji would begin to question as his eye quickly fell to the ground, wondering just the possible horrors the kids could be enduring, a fate Kenji could've very closely suffered had Mamoru been a day late as the trio were now. "This... This can't be how it ends... Can it?" Kenji asked his final question with a slight shake in his voice as he realized he was only a day late. If he pushed himself to move faster, to be more consistent, to just actually do something with his life, he could've done something. Instead, he was left here, tired, alone and unable to even save a single kid.