[Vatanui AKA Pride]

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Explanation


"Senso, what had been up with the Crossroads lately? The security here increased ten-fold...." Vatas questioned as he walked along with the group, glancing for anything peculiar he might come by. "Yes, why is that?" Nui asked, strolling next to Senso, who's eyes were looking forward completely. There were silence, except for the drop of dirtied water calmly dripping down from the metal pipes above them and crashing into the floor.
After several minutes of quietness and walking, Senso finally spoke: "It's because of the Sundown Kage Meeting." Vatas's expression on his face quickly turned to confusion while Nui slightly lowered his head, suddenly developing an interest on the ground. Menrui glanced at Senso, understanding what it meant while Toshi kept silent. "What's the Sundown Kage Meeting?" Vatas asked, his curious side giving over.
"It's basically a big meeting where all the big shots come to talk about boring stuff." Toshi muttered. Senso nodded firmly.
"In a nutshell, yes. More to the details, it is a meeting of important individuals, also known as Kages, from all thirty villages that use our area as a way of traveling. The meeting is held every thirty years, at sundown, like the name implies, and things are usually organized more than a week before than. At that point, the Crossroads are closed up from the public for security reasons. Permits, invitations, or a certain object was required to enter."


Note: We interrupt this Story with a Small Discussion Involving Our Characters


Vatas: Um, what are we doing here again?

Menrui: -asleep-

Nui: I have no idea......weren't we walking in the Underground?

Toshi: So.....what do we talk about now?

Hanataro: Um......we could talk about--

Toshi: Shut up, Hanataro! You're not even in the story anymore!

Vatas: That's true......he might even never appear again.

Nui: Poor Hanataro....

Hanataro: No! It can't be! I'll appear again.......um...in..um....the.....arc..

Toshi: Even you're not sure! See?! There's not even a small chance that you'll appear again!

Hanataro: -cries silently in a corner-


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After over a dozen minutes of walking, Vatas and the group were still walking: the whole area they had walked through all looked the same, dull black walls with some dirt etched on it. Suddenly, Senso halted, his eyes on the floor. The rest of the group stopped too, and glanced at what Senso was looking at.
On the ground, half of it buried by the floor, was a piece of crystal. It shimmered from the light in Nui's hand as Senso's eyes widened in shock as a huge roar was suddenly heard, echoing as the sound of blood splashing was heard.


TO BE CONTINUED