Gharma waited on the rooftops of the outer sanctum. At some point during the party, Gharma had told Raiden that they would meet for breakfast to discuss things going forward as far as finding Cynil went. He looked at the clouds that loomed over the kingdom that his father owned. Part of him saw his self in the same position as his father one day, and that sort of bothered him.
He didn't really understand why his father took that oath. He respected his path up until the point he took the throne. He was practically a vagabond, one that had a large bounty and did whatever he wished.
Sure, Gharma didn't really care for protecting the world like Rai did, but for what it was worth he still was far more admirable in that position to Gharma. Gharma reached into his pockets and pulled a cigarette, lighting it.
Gharma was on the edgier side of things when it came to being a teenager, and often more than not he was getting involved in vices that he should not have. Cigarettes, Drugs, Women that may be to old for him, Clubs and Gang activities that enhanced all of these things. He was a complete polar opposite to Raiden in all honesty. He still had immense love for his brother, and still cared to keep him safe and away from his lifestyle, but this time he was going to have to intertwine in order to find their cousin.
Raiden climbed up a building behind Gharma, he looked around below the building seeing the looming streets of Ashina, he was happy to see the world in a good shape, or more so his world in a good shape.
He jumped over to the rooftop Gharma was on and landed with a thud, he approached his brother and stuck his hand out to dap his brother up. His talk with Shizu the night prior made him realize the differences that made them separate but also the fact they are two sides of the same coin, he admired his fathers handling of the worlds politics as it made his own life easier as well as the people of society.
He cared nothing for his father's old ways and didn't think on it too much, it was a history he could care less for. He loved and admired his mother's happiness and views though he also didn't truly know the history of the past as that was not the present.
"Yo, Gharma."
"Ah. What's up dude?..Care if I-"
He signaled to the lit cigarette taking it out of his mouth.
"How was the party? Get any girls on you yet?"
Raiden shook his head to the cigarette that Gharma had lit. He didn't really care much for smoking or anything of that sort.
"It's cool, and I dunno… I was hanging out with one most of the night, She's from Yoshiwara…" He scratched the back of his head and dropped his hand afterwards, looking down below once again to the city streets.
"That Matsumi kid had everyone doing crazy shit though, dancing, swimming in the lake… good thing I got it cleaned up and everyone out fast enough."
"Yeah that seems like him..doing a bunch of stupid shit..he's kinda weird. I don't know how if he'll fit in at school. Glad you got to hang out with a girl. Hey..We're At that age now..Maybe ask her out or something if you like her?"
Raiden shrugged his shoulders to the talk about Matsumi.
"Maybe he'll get a boyfriend, looks like he would have one anyways."
Raiden thought about Shizu and how she made him feel just by seeing her.
"I dunno maybe I'll ask her out, some crazy talks, random talks too. You remember Shizu from the volleyball game?"
"Dude I mean..yeah he looks kind of gay but he did walk in with that really hot chick so I don't know.."
He shrugged.
"Yeah she might even look better than the twinks girlfriend. Next time you see her ask her..."
Raiden blocked out the sun with his hand as it had just risen over the clouds. "I'll think about it, honestly she's got some crazy family history and all that but I mean it doesn't really matter to me. What were you doing last night?"
"Setting up a meeting for us.." Gharma pulled his phone out and showed Raiden a picture of a drop dead gorgeous woman.
"Kei Akasaki. Revered God amongst men and leader of The Snake.She's been in and out of family business and if anyone knows anything, it would be best to start with her regarding the attack and Cynil's dissapearance."
Raiden thought about how dealing with a gang would effect them both in the long term. However, he knew that no matter what, they had to find their cousin wherever she would be at.
"Well… as long as we can get some information that's what matters. You think she would have known dad at any point? I'm not trying to get caught up in nothing."
"Remember the whole Tairiku debacle?..Well Kei helped out with that whole thing and is a large reason why Dad is in the position he's in today. She got them pardoned off of their bounties and crimes, and she was a reason they won the battle. So yeah..they definitely know each other...but as far as us getting caught up she won't say anything. Don't worry."
Raiden responded a little hesitant. "Alright I guess… where do we gotta go then? We staying in Ashina still?"
"She'll actually meet us up here any minute now. For now just relax..and don't look suspicious.."
Raiden sat on the ledge of the building. He watched the clouds move from the skies, he didn't want to admit it to Gharma but he was thinking about the party last night and especially Shizu now. Raiden also pondered on what would need to be done to bring back Cynil and why anyone would specifically want to take her?
"From what i've been told..looks like somebody is purposefully targeting us...if they get Cynil they can use her as a bargaining chip..now this is war.."
Raiden thought about the prospects of war and didn't really know what war was like, he also didn't think it was truly that big however their aunt Noelle was visibly upset about the altercation.
"Well, it might just be a big manhunt from multiple kingdoms too, you never really know if that's what they're doing a council for."
"I mean no chance you attack a kids event and you're not trying to start something..then you take the queens daughter? They clearly want something from us…"
Raiden raised his finger to his chin and rubbed it in thoughtz "Those two people taking Cynil huh… they gotta have a greater reason behind doing so. You caught their faces right?"
"Not the girl but …I saw the male but he quickly dipped out. I don't know if it would matter anyways if we have a description..my theory though was that the attack itself was a diversion…there was a third force that took her."
Raiden looked around quickly before turning his head back to Gharma.
"The girl had a slender face, I saw white hair and sparkling eyes… don't know how she got wrapped up in all of this but she seemed out of place. Maybe she isn't really one of them? Who knows…"
"So what? You think she's being mind controlled or something?"
Raiden nodded thinking about the guy as well. "Yeah I think so, did you catch the guys eyes? They looked like snake eyes of some sort… maybe manipulative mana?"
"Something of the sort. Though I don't think he was manipulating anyone at that point. I think it was moreso just him using the snakes to his advantage.."
Raiden thought more on that subject. "Those snakes huh… I've never seen anyone using a snake as their mana placement but it seems like it fits his character…"
"Mana is pretty diverse...there are a ton of different techniques and things we haven't seen yet...Look at my ability versus yours.."
Raiden agreed with Gharma, he knew Mana was expansive.
"I can't see where we both somehow got different abilities…and the other families as well."
"There was probably something genetically different. A mutation maybe."
"Yeah I guess that's true, mom and dad aren't exactly of the same species so maybe were some oddities in that category. The other thing is why would there be a third party to all of this? Why Cynil out of everyone?"
"Leverage. Maybe even a diversion. They're trying to throw us off track to make us forget about the main group targeting us..that's my best guess."
Raiden stood up on the ledge and turned towards his brother.
"I guess our priority in this world must be high considering our blood ties. Most other nations know our names just because of our father and they know of our origins. We carry something they want… well that most people want anyways…"
"What they want is power, Forget money. Forget women. Forget strength. Power rules over all. They see our name holds that power..and because of it they target us and our families. And how do you get under a warriors skin? Target the women that are close to them..it's almost as if Cynil is a weak point in our nation. They take Cynil and it's worse than if they took me."
"That's true. If only they were less sneaky about it but that's the way most of the world is, even dad said it was way worse before him and uncle Ashi took power, nations fighting over each other and power struggles between small clans of families… it's a good thing that things are the way they are now but that didn't really stop the families from fighting, just left a bigger power vacuum then before to catch up too."
"Dad taking power didn't do jack shit. The families are still at war and people still lurk in the shadows. If anything, him taking power was worse for the world..even if Ashina exists, and is a positive, there always has to be equilibrium..and by default there are darker forces we're going to have to deal with that may be worse than the ones that Dad ever faced."
"That's true… but at least dad is here to maintain that for now while we grow stronger. Eventually he's going to die and leave us here anyways…"
Not many knew of Rai's true condition, not even Raiden…
"It'll be more like leave you here. I won't take up his place of royalty. I can see you doing it though."
"That part is true…Only one of you is going to take the spot…and that means all the responsibility will be on whoever is chosen."
Joseph piped up a bit, sitting on the ledge.
"Though it'd be best to not think on it too hard until that day comes, save yourself the trouble…and when it does? Well you've got a ton of friends to ask for help on the matter right?" He smiled, keeping a friendly outlook on the matter. His eyes glossed over the two of them with it.
* "Keep your cool and you'll get through it."
Raiden jumped from Joseph's almost sudden words, he almost regretted saying anything in that moment but continued anyways.
"I'm not going to be King, that's not what I really want for myself either so I guess it's up to dad or whoever gets to elect the next leader… honestly I thought it would be Mom first."
"Eh."
Gharma puffed the cigarette, the ashes blowing through the wind. He glanced over to Joseph.
"Yo."
He waved to him before turning back to Raiden.
"She's more of a businesswoman than a politician. If anything, it could possibly be Anilius or Mamba…I could see that happening."
"That's… you know I didn't even think of that. You think dad would appoint one of them as the electoral heir? He does have the power to do that if he wanted to."
"I think it's possible but I think they're more inclined to take her father's throne than ours. If anything, Aladdin might take our father's throne before any of us..that is..if mom and dad don't have any more children."
Raiden shook his head quickly hoping that wouldn't be the case.
"Damn I hope not… I thought the three of us would be enough for them anyways."
Joseph had returned the greeting to Gharma when he addressed his presence, still sitting nearby as he listened to the conversation.
"It does sound like quite the….issue, but I won't put too much input on the matter, since it's not my place" Joseph leaned forward a bit, huffing lightly.
"Though, it'll be whoever they see as fit enough for the job in the long run."
Raiden shook his head in disagreement with Joseph. "No, it's simply whoever dad wants to pick. Then it's supposed to go to elections after that so he needs someone who is willing to do that…"
Gharma pulled his phone out, starting to scroll on it aimlessly.
"I'm not sure. Whatever they see fit I suppose. Kei should be showing up any minute. She says we've got a deal on the table. She'll give us information on Cynil's disappearance."
Raiden nodded and prepared to meet the famed Kei. "Hopefully she's not trying to get something crazy out of this deal…"
"I doubt it. She owes me anyways. I busted my ass for her a few times."