[center][b][i]Discovering the place where it started,
A cruel place.

[u]A collab between Gerontis, Chromehound and Alice.[/b][/u]

Summary :
Kiyomi and Hayate further explore the dark rooms and place that is deep underground, hidden away in an ''abandoned'' bunker. After a fight with a strange creature, they can only go for now forwards. Further into the unknown.[/center][/i]

[hider=A Fight in the Dark]

Walking further, Kiyomi kept looking around. She wouldn't like to be surprised, but she couldn't sense anything that was laying in wait for them. Entering into a new room, she could see some more lights. It was a very broad hallway, with some decorations at the wall. Sealings? Or maybe just decorations? No matter what it was, it suited the gloomy and dark atmosphere that lingered around. She still suspected more strange creatures to show up, but no strange smell or sound was sensed. [b]''Maybe we should request some back-up.''[/b] Kiyomi muttered, as she thought about it. They had managed to defeat that creature- Change- but it had taken longer than she would first assume.

[b]"Judging by what we've seen so far, I'd imagine that they have their hands full as well."[/b] Hayate said quietly. He couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as they walked down the dimly lit corridor. Reaching out with one hand, he placed it on the hilt of Samehada, feeling a slight, reassuring tremor in response. The sentient blade gave him some comfort at least, and he allowed a small amount of chakra to flow down into the blade, feeding him. [b]"Any idea where we need to go next?"[/b]

That was true. That they had encountered such a creature, what would Team 7 encounter? Something worse or something less worse? Kiyomi had faith in Kensuke, but she was wondering if he wouldn't be in danger. The temptation to head back was present, but she could resist for now. Kensuke was also a jounin, one that she respected highly for some good reasons. [b]''We will keep on going and see where this will end.''[/b] She answered. That everything was still of metal, the floor and walls, made her however feel comfortable. That meant that nothing could spring out of the ground, as some Earth Release users had a habit for. [b]''I just hope we won't encounter another Change. Annoying thing that was.''[/b]

Nodding sadly, Hayate followed close beside Kiyomi. [b]"Who knows what else this place has in store for us..."[/b] The metal all around them felt strange to Hayate. Reaching out with one hand as they walked, he briefly grazed one of the walls. It felt... stained. It was hard to describe, but the metal made Hayate slightly uncomfortable. It wasn't that he couldn't manipulate it, because he was fairly certain that he still could, it was more the fact that this metal seemed tainted... It was most likely just Hayate's growing sense of caution causing him to be paranoid, but even so, interracting with this metal made him uneasy...

[b]''With the information we had before? The strange creatures on our way? I doubt it will be any good.''[/b] Kiyomi said, sounding a bit irritated. She glanced at the sentient sword at Hayate's back. [b]''It does suit you somehow.''[/b] She smirked behind the face mask. Looking back at the path in front of them, Kiyomi sighed. [b]''Why did you spoke to Change like that?''[/b] Kiyomi asked, while she kept on walking. She could see a turn, which made her lower down her pace, to a more cautious one.

Blushing as Kiyomi mentioned the sword suiting him, Hayate was glad that the lower half od his face was hidden from view. He didn't want her to catch the small smile that had formed. Pondering for a moment, Hayate wondered how best to reply to the question she asked. [b]"In the end I was just trying to distract him so that you would have an opporunity to take him down. Most of my techniques are better at mid range, so I knew I wouldn't have been as effective as you in the fight. But... I suppose that isn't entirely why I did it."[/b] Looking down for a moment, Hayate's voice grew quieter, more serious. [b]"I know that we have been at odds on this topic before, and I have no wish to fight about it now, but I do not believe that anyone should be labelled as being just a weapon... I understand that we are shinobi, and as such we are mere tools for the village, but even with that, we are allowed to be people, to be free to some extent..."[/b] Looking up briefly at Kiyomi, there was pain evident in Hayate's eyes. [b]"Even if we sometimes have to make sacrifices or give up some of that... freedom... But Change... All he has known is this life of servitude. He has not even been allowed to think for himself... It just makes me angry to see people used in such a way... And I don't know... I guess, a part of me just wishes I could stop that from happening..."[/b] Looking down again, Hayate shuffled his feet awkwardly. Mumbling just loud enough for her to hear, he added, [b]"I know, I know... I'm a naive idiot..."[/b]

She stayed silent as they kept on walking. [b]''Sometimes.''[/b] Kiyomi said back. She didn't look in the direction of Hayate. Focusing on what the turn would bring, she noticed that the hallway became smaller. It would lead to another room. One that had more light, which was in her opinion a good change. [b]''Besides, I am a bit naive too. Wanting to become a hero? What is more naive than that?''[/b] Kiyomi asked, with an amused tone. But still, she couldn't look at Hayate. There was a warm feeling when he had told her those words. She couldn't bring it up to call him a dumbass now. Somehow, it didn't feel right. Like the other times.

The smile filled his face as Kiyomi spoke. It was nice to hear her mention being a hero again, without descending into anger. [b]"Then we can both be fools together."[/b] He said, his voice holding a more amused tone as well. Hayate could see the hallway ahead and it appeared to be brighter. For some reason the increased lighting made him a little more nervous, though he couldn't explain why. 

This time she shot him a glance. [b]''That wasn't what I meant.''[/b] She told him. Though she sounded irritated, it was feinted. Entering the new room, Kiyomi looked around. Her fears became real. They had entered deep enough to see the lab, where there several cruel looking tools. Beds and what ever one could imagine about a dark place like this. Not one where she would decide to picknick. Slowly, she took a few more steps into the room, but she was really being cautious. Maybe it was just her fears, but she didn't want to be harmed by those tools that looked weird and rather crude. Some of them looked familiar to some weapons, but she didn't want to think about for what they were used for.

Entering the lab beside Kiyomi, Hayate was at a loss for words. It appeared that he had been right to be worried about this place. Looking at the room around them, Hayate felt profoundly disturbed. He was glad that he still had his metal armour up, as it would protect his skin from any of the strange tools and mixed stains that filled the room. This was truly a place of nightmares. [b]"What did they do here...?"[/b] He spoke softly, his voice full of disgust. The question was a rhetorical one, and he didn't really expect an answer.

[b]''Probably something not nice?''[/b] She mumbled. Though she was filled with disgust, Kiyomi had to. Walking towards a table where some of the crude tools were set on, she reached out and grabbed the hilt of one. There was something rusty on it. Blood? Not that blood disgusted her, but it was more of for what reason it had served. It was more than disgusting, but Kiyomi didn't know a word that would suit it. Placing it down, she looked around again. If she could find some hints. [b]''Be careful, but scout a bit around. Who knows what we will find.''[/b] Kiyomi said with a hushed tone.

Nodding his head, Hayate spread out around the room, looking for anything that could help them in their mission. He was once again thankful for his metal armour as he reached out to examine a few of the tools more closely. There were so many different things, it was hard to tell what they could all be for. It would have been handy to have a medical nin with them, they would probably know what most of this stuf was used for. Continuing on his search, Hayate wondered just how much worse this place could get.

It had to be here somewhere. Documents, papers or books. Something that would hold a record or anything that had been written about the place. Opening a few drawers of a closet, Kiyomi became a bit frustrated. Nothing. Though that meant they wouldn't have to destory anything. That meant that would also mean that they could focus on destroying most of the content of the room. Checking a table, Kiyomi casually placed an explosive tag underneath the table. Looking at Hayate, she would grab another explosive tag. [b]''Found anything useful?''[/b]

Seeing Kiyomi pull out an explosive tag, Hayate realized that it was time to remove any evidence that this room held. [b]"Kiyomi, if we need to destroy this place, perhaps it would be easier for me to make the room unstable and allow it to blow itself up? The sheer amount of metal surrounding this place should make it quite easy."[/b] 

Glancing back at Hayate, Kiyomi had a more worried look. She knew he was capable of doing something, that was something she couldn't deny. But it was more that worried her that it would might be a bit too much for Hayate. [b]''How much chakra would it cost you?''[/b] She asked, placing the explosive tag she held back in her pouch. [b]''I could miss some explosive tags, you know.''[/b] She mumbled, though it was a weak attempt to make him think about what he had suggested.

Smiling at her concern, Hayate spoke confidently. [b]"If I had to add metal to the technique it would consume a lot more chakra, considering we are surrounded by metal, all I have to do is flow a little bit of my own chakra into it and then start the reaction. It won't take much, and I still have a lot left Kiyomi. I can do this, and at least this way we would know that it would cause a lot more damage than just a few explosive tags scattered about."[/b] 

Still not one hundred procent sure about the idea, Kiyomi would just nod. Thinking about it, she would have to pass some chakra down on him. In order to make sure that he would be able to wield Samehada and preventing the blade from leeching Hayate out of chakra. It was a bit surprising that he was holding up so well, but the blade had done its work great while it was ordered to protect Hayate. Looking one more time around, she then took her decision. [b]''Good. Sounds like we have a plan. We will do that and then make sure you have a bit of a rest before we advance.''[/b] Kiyomi told him.

Nodding his head, Hayate moved towards the wall. Placing his hands against the surface, he began flowing chakra into the metal, destabilizing the structure. [b]"I don't know how accurately I can set this Kiyomi, so we may have to leave quite quickly."[/b] Furrowing his brow with the effort of concentrating, Hayate wasn't sure just how efficiently he was controlling his chakra. It didn't take long for the metal to begin glowing with a reddish hue. [b]"I... I think now would probably be a good time for us to leave."[/b] He said through the communicator.

Simply giving a nod in his direction, Kiyomi was already heading to the other entrance of the room. Not the one that they had came in, but the one that would to another section that would need to be explored. But she waited on Hayate. Though he kept saying that he was doing fine with his chakra, she wouldn't buy it anymore. Already she was moulding some chakra that she would give him in order so that he would be able to keep using and carrying Samehada. For a moment she felt a bit guilty of shouldering him with being with here.

Pulling his hands away from the wall, Hayate began to feel the effects of having used so much chakra. He was still okay, as his reserves were quite high, but Hayate knew he was going to have to be careful from here on out. Walking towards the exit, he stood next to Kiyomi. [b]"Ready?"[/b] He asked.
[/hider]