Walking out of the temple Kushin turned his head to marvel at the size of the palace. Maybe it wasn't the size so much, Cloud's walls matched it, but for brilliance factor Cloud was no match. The grey and black of Cloud's practicality was so much different to the brilliant silvers and golds which adorned the walls here. Sure they were still stone, that could be seen, but they were a light grey and with the silver nearly blended.
Walking inside the palace was easy, he walked along with the people who came to the palace regularly, giving his payment to do a tour of such wealth and power. He walked around looking at the paintings which were hundreds of years old. This was his first time inside the palace, how massive, how wondrous. He wondered how Shiranai would find it, seeing as Shiranai had changed so much over this time.
When Kushin had first met Shiranai he'd been in charge of teaching him surgeries. Yet the boy was a marvel of medical precision. Shiranai utilized earth and water jutsu into wood jutsu. He was a member of the wood clan. And above all that he was a Dark Sage. Kushin knew, he could tell this about the boy. Only Dark Sages could run an emergency ward as well as that boy. When Kushin was made Sennin he was quite happy with that area of the hospital. A Chief exam was on his list of things to do with Shiranai. That boy was going to be his right hand, Kushin could see the strength, the wealth of chakra that ran through his system was... amazing.
Yet that had all changed when it was revealed that he was actually, by all rights, the Shogun.
Kushin was led around the palace till he heard those words "in that direction is where the Shogun himself can be found. You can only see him if you make an appointment months in advance." That last sentence was heard, but not heeded by Kushin as he walked towards the door. Two men in Lightning Countries Palace guard moved in his way. They were there for decoration, and no-one wanted to see them get messed up.
Do you have an appointment? one of them asked, pleasantly enough.
No, but my na...
Then turn around. Well that wasn't as pleasant. Cutting him off like that.
The two looked at each other and gave each other a grin. Well it was probably a boring job, they likely had to entertain themselves one way or another. Kushin held up a finger though and pressed it to his lips as he leaned forward.
I'm a shinobi from Kumogakure. I'm here to check on Shiranai.
He leaned back, hoping that they would thus understand. Instead he received laughter. Kushin truly struggled at this being nice thing. Being laughed at didn't help either.
Keeping himself calm he nodded and then went to enter. Both stopped laughing, One reached for his sword the other reached for Kushin. Both wrists were grabbed by Kushin's steely hands and both men pulled down closer to Kushin Now, listen to me clearly, if you choose to attack me I will kill you both. I will then be arrested and go willingly, though I'll demand to see the Shogun, who will forgive me for the public blood bath. Now. I'm going to let go. Your own lives are in your hands. he let go.
Both men had felt the strength there, they had been unable to move because of it.
Kushin walked through the door and looked around. He headed down the carpeted passage and thought things were okay. Guards seemed to let him through, assuming the other two had done their job. They likely thought he was the next appointment as he certainly wasn't acting as though he belonged. The high carved ceilings could have distracted Kushin for hours, but he needed to get through.
Then a last wide archway was passed and suddenly Kushin found himself surrounded by men with spears. Behind them were men with crossbows. Further beyond was Shiranai standing there dressed up like a Shogun should be looking in his direction. Though from that distance and not expecting Kushin chances are he didn't recognize his old workmate.
I don't want to hurt you all. Kushin said, though he didn't move. He knew how much those damn arrows hurt, and this time he didn't have Masao or anyone else there to distract them. What to do.
You are under arrest with the following charges. Two counts of assaulting Palace Guards, One count of Trespassing, one count of attempted assassination of the Shogun. Wait what was that last one?
Kushin looked at the poncy git who read those off. That did it.
His hands flashed before him, they fired but their arrows bounced off an invisible shield Fire at will!! the man called and the hail of arrows continued as Kushin continued his handseals. They had him for attempted assassination huh? He'll show them the meaning of fucking attempted assassination.
Shiranai could see that the man was clearly a shinobi, and dashed towards the combat. Clearly he was going to join battle, knowing that these soldiers without his help would be about to meet an unfortunate end. Kushin didn't care, they needed to know their mortality, they needed to know who he was.
Kushin! Shiranai's voice. Fuck. He looked up to see the surprised look on Shiranai's face ALL OF YOU STOP! Damn.
The looked on Kushin's face told them all his intent. If looks could kill as well as he could then they would have been dead in an instant. Yet Kushin could see in their faces the signs of hopelessness. They knew they were fighting an enemy they couldn't win against. Their moral was shaken and so when told to stop they almost dropped their bolt guns and flee. Shiranai you bastard.
Shiranai could see the same look, and he knew Kushin well enough to know exactly what he had intended.
Why are you here Sensei?
Don't call me that. I'm here to check on your hand.
Ah yes. There is limited movement now. He said as he raised it for Kushin's inspection. So much scar tissue. I can still use it, still form seals, it's just much slower and if I do them too much it throbs in pain.
Probably chakra being built up in the scars, unable to get through.
Yes, I deduced as much as well. This isn't why you're here though is it.
Kushin looked at him. Still straight talking, there were still elements of the old Shiranai here from the bumbling idiot who'd been in the tower. Taken captive. Shiranai would never have been taken captive, not the one he knew. He could raise an army of the dead, he could change a battlefield into a forest.
As far as the mission is concerned it is.
Outside the mission?
I need you to check me out. You're the only person I know who is a master of seals. I think the one you gave to me is acting up. Eri, a subordinate of mine, informed me that he thought that was the source of my condition.
Shiranai frowned Condition?
Kushin went silent. He himself could only speculate at this point, and he'd rather not.
Shiranai inspected the seal, using his own chakra to feel the flow of chakras in Kushin's body I see. It recently underwent a change. Have you been using it? Often these evolutions can happen because of that.
Not at all. I've not used it since I was doing medical research back when you were a trainee.
Then that could be an issue. I have known them to increase in ability by themselves though, so maybe it'll just pass?
Maybe. What's the best and worst case scenario?
Depends on your perspective. Worst case you could die, I guess that's fairly conclusive as the worst case. Best cases, your seal is going to continue to improve till you're a master of it. Perhaps another best case could be that you inherit the abilities of that cursed seal kinjutsu? I don't know for sure when or how the evolution of the seal will end.
Kushin had worried about that. It was a kinjutsu he'd only successfully created once, having someone else give the person a seal and then he poured chakra into it. Now that seemed to be happening to him naturally, or at least that was one of the possibilities.
Thank you. I'll make the report on your hand to council. If you need us to we'll send a plastics specialist down to do some surgery.
That wont be necessary. The scarred hand gives people more confidence around me, makes them less afraid. I think I need it. Kushin nodded, turned and left.
[topic left - Word Count: 1476]
[Mission Completed]
Walking inside the palace was easy, he walked along with the people who came to the palace regularly, giving his payment to do a tour of such wealth and power. He walked around looking at the paintings which were hundreds of years old. This was his first time inside the palace, how massive, how wondrous. He wondered how Shiranai would find it, seeing as Shiranai had changed so much over this time.
When Kushin had first met Shiranai he'd been in charge of teaching him surgeries. Yet the boy was a marvel of medical precision. Shiranai utilized earth and water jutsu into wood jutsu. He was a member of the wood clan. And above all that he was a Dark Sage. Kushin knew, he could tell this about the boy. Only Dark Sages could run an emergency ward as well as that boy. When Kushin was made Sennin he was quite happy with that area of the hospital. A Chief exam was on his list of things to do with Shiranai. That boy was going to be his right hand, Kushin could see the strength, the wealth of chakra that ran through his system was... amazing.
Yet that had all changed when it was revealed that he was actually, by all rights, the Shogun.
Kushin was led around the palace till he heard those words "in that direction is where the Shogun himself can be found. You can only see him if you make an appointment months in advance." That last sentence was heard, but not heeded by Kushin as he walked towards the door. Two men in Lightning Countries Palace guard moved in his way. They were there for decoration, and no-one wanted to see them get messed up.
Do you have an appointment? one of them asked, pleasantly enough.
No, but my na...
Then turn around. Well that wasn't as pleasant. Cutting him off like that.
The two looked at each other and gave each other a grin. Well it was probably a boring job, they likely had to entertain themselves one way or another. Kushin held up a finger though and pressed it to his lips as he leaned forward.
I'm a shinobi from Kumogakure. I'm here to check on Shiranai.
He leaned back, hoping that they would thus understand. Instead he received laughter. Kushin truly struggled at this being nice thing. Being laughed at didn't help either.
Keeping himself calm he nodded and then went to enter. Both stopped laughing, One reached for his sword the other reached for Kushin. Both wrists were grabbed by Kushin's steely hands and both men pulled down closer to Kushin Now, listen to me clearly, if you choose to attack me I will kill you both. I will then be arrested and go willingly, though I'll demand to see the Shogun, who will forgive me for the public blood bath. Now. I'm going to let go. Your own lives are in your hands. he let go.
Both men had felt the strength there, they had been unable to move because of it.
Kushin walked through the door and looked around. He headed down the carpeted passage and thought things were okay. Guards seemed to let him through, assuming the other two had done their job. They likely thought he was the next appointment as he certainly wasn't acting as though he belonged. The high carved ceilings could have distracted Kushin for hours, but he needed to get through.
Then a last wide archway was passed and suddenly Kushin found himself surrounded by men with spears. Behind them were men with crossbows. Further beyond was Shiranai standing there dressed up like a Shogun should be looking in his direction. Though from that distance and not expecting Kushin chances are he didn't recognize his old workmate.
I don't want to hurt you all. Kushin said, though he didn't move. He knew how much those damn arrows hurt, and this time he didn't have Masao or anyone else there to distract them. What to do.
You are under arrest with the following charges. Two counts of assaulting Palace Guards, One count of Trespassing, one count of attempted assassination of the Shogun. Wait what was that last one?
Kushin looked at the poncy git who read those off. That did it.
His hands flashed before him, they fired but their arrows bounced off an invisible shield Fire at will!! the man called and the hail of arrows continued as Kushin continued his handseals. They had him for attempted assassination huh? He'll show them the meaning of fucking attempted assassination.
Shiranai could see that the man was clearly a shinobi, and dashed towards the combat. Clearly he was going to join battle, knowing that these soldiers without his help would be about to meet an unfortunate end. Kushin didn't care, they needed to know their mortality, they needed to know who he was.
Kushin! Shiranai's voice. Fuck. He looked up to see the surprised look on Shiranai's face ALL OF YOU STOP! Damn.
The looked on Kushin's face told them all his intent. If looks could kill as well as he could then they would have been dead in an instant. Yet Kushin could see in their faces the signs of hopelessness. They knew they were fighting an enemy they couldn't win against. Their moral was shaken and so when told to stop they almost dropped their bolt guns and flee. Shiranai you bastard.
Shiranai could see the same look, and he knew Kushin well enough to know exactly what he had intended.
Why are you here Sensei?
Don't call me that. I'm here to check on your hand.
Ah yes. There is limited movement now. He said as he raised it for Kushin's inspection. So much scar tissue. I can still use it, still form seals, it's just much slower and if I do them too much it throbs in pain.
Probably chakra being built up in the scars, unable to get through.
Yes, I deduced as much as well. This isn't why you're here though is it.
Kushin looked at him. Still straight talking, there were still elements of the old Shiranai here from the bumbling idiot who'd been in the tower. Taken captive. Shiranai would never have been taken captive, not the one he knew. He could raise an army of the dead, he could change a battlefield into a forest.
As far as the mission is concerned it is.
Outside the mission?
I need you to check me out. You're the only person I know who is a master of seals. I think the one you gave to me is acting up. Eri, a subordinate of mine, informed me that he thought that was the source of my condition.
Shiranai frowned Condition?
Kushin went silent. He himself could only speculate at this point, and he'd rather not.
Shiranai inspected the seal, using his own chakra to feel the flow of chakras in Kushin's body I see. It recently underwent a change. Have you been using it? Often these evolutions can happen because of that.
Not at all. I've not used it since I was doing medical research back when you were a trainee.
Then that could be an issue. I have known them to increase in ability by themselves though, so maybe it'll just pass?
Maybe. What's the best and worst case scenario?
Depends on your perspective. Worst case you could die, I guess that's fairly conclusive as the worst case. Best cases, your seal is going to continue to improve till you're a master of it. Perhaps another best case could be that you inherit the abilities of that cursed seal kinjutsu? I don't know for sure when or how the evolution of the seal will end.
Kushin had worried about that. It was a kinjutsu he'd only successfully created once, having someone else give the person a seal and then he poured chakra into it. Now that seemed to be happening to him naturally, or at least that was one of the possibilities.
Thank you. I'll make the report on your hand to council. If you need us to we'll send a plastics specialist down to do some surgery.
That wont be necessary. The scarred hand gives people more confidence around me, makes them less afraid. I think I need it. Kushin nodded, turned and left.
[topic left - Word Count: 1476]
[Mission Completed]