High above the gates [Open]

[Fuu]

It was an average sort of day, notable only for how mundane and boring it was. There were no violent crimes, no rowdy civilians or unruly shinobi. No, it was downright peaceful in Kumogakure, which came as a bit of a problem for Fuu. His patrols handled and his paperwork finished, the young man found himself bored and alone, sitting snugly on a small crag hundreds of feet above the village gate. The ANBU came up here sometimes, usually during tranquil spells such as this, to secure himself some privacy while keeping an eye on the gate below. If asked, he would simply state he was on watch, vigilantly watching the pass for any signs of trouble or discord. In truth, the vantage point had barely anything to do with why he chose this particular spot, though it certainly was a plus.

No, the reality of the situation was simple. This small cliff, projecting only a few feet into the open air before giving way to stomach wrenching nothingness, was perfectly protected from wind and weather. This, coupled with the inherent privacy of being several hundred feet from the ground, provided Fuu with a perfect place to indulge in his only real vice. His mask pushed up onto the top his head, the man looked around carefully to insure he was truly alone before reaching into his robes and procuring a small tin. Carefully, he popped it open and pulled one of the small, hand rolled cigarettes from inside. Of course, these were no ordinary cigarettes, but far up on his rocky perch Fuu didn’t need to worry about the smell giving this away.

‘Hell, even in an Inuzuka would be hard pressed to sniff one of these out.’ He mused, sliding the small wrap underneath his nose and giving it a cursory sniff himself. Though not illegal, what he was doing was probably frowned upon by someone somewhere, especially considering his status as public servant, so the young man was always cautious about smoking these particular ‘cigarettes’ anywhere but here. Taking one final peek around, Fuu popped an end into his mouth and pulled out a match from his trusty matchbox. Placing the stick between his index finger and his thumb he made a snapping motion with his hand, the friction sparking the match instantly.

And so there he sat wrapped in his black robes, protected from the wind and hopefully any prying eyes, quietly puffing away on his pungent smoke stick. Within minutes he would be in a different state of mind, still sharp and battle ready, yet also relaxed and at peace. As focused as he was on self-discipline and dignity, he saw no reason as to why he shouldn’t be allowed to feel good. Of course, there was always alcohol, but Fuu found that it often led to shameful or poorly thought out actions by those intoxicated and preferred to keep his distance from it. Absentmindedly the ANBU glanced at the sky, checking the sun’s location. He had roughly four hours before his next patrol.

‘Ample time to sober up.’ He thought as a slight smile began to creep onto his face, a rarity for the duty-driven shinobi. There were few things that could bring a true smile to his lips, and he was well on his way to one of them.

 

[Tetsuya]

Two months ago I found myself in an alley, a sea of blood and torn flesh around my ankles. I've yet to feel any regret or remorse for the thugs I killed, though such feelings never did come easy to me, especially when there were gifts from fate among the carnage. A single body left intact, a boy, not far from adulthood. A stupid punk with so much raw power, it's a wonder how easily I took his life from him. He should've spent his days in the academy instead of out on the streets of Cronopolis, he would've lived longer.

As the victor the spoils were mine to keep. His body was mine to have, and I wasted no time forcing my consciousness into the empty vessel. The skin had not yet started to rot, but the hole through his throat made it difficult to breath. I managed to close the wound, and kick start the body's processes once more. It was living again, but this time I was inside.
My nephew died a few months ago, along with his sister, they were both very sick. I never got around to informing the village, so as far as they were concerned, he was still alive. And because my abilities weren't registered with the village, that's the identity my new body would assume. I wasn't exactly sure what would happen when the village found out, but I knew it wouldn't be good.

So I used my knowledge of the Human Anatomy to hide my power from the world. I bought large black contact lenses for my Rinnegan to hide behind, and often wore sun glasses for further protection. Until I worked something out, this is how it would be.

The muscles of my new body didn't hold the memories necessary for me to move as precisely as I was used to. But this wasn't my first time climbing the rocks of Dragon Tooth Pass, I knew exactly where to find the nobs and the footholds needed for my ascent. Though in hindsight, rope and hooks would've been really helpful. My particular brand of death had traumatized the body's chakra network, so clinging to the surface of anything wasn't possible just yet. If I fell I was going down, luckily I managed to make it to the top before my arms locked up. The cliff seemed to already be occupied, this was ANBU jurisdiction after all. But there wasn't a chance in hell that I'd turn around, partly because I didn't have the strength.

It wasn't until the wind changed direction that I caught whiff of the familiar odor, I wasn't passing judgement per se.. it's just, well Aren't you suppose to be guarding the gates?

 

[Fuu]

He had heard the intruder before he had seen him, huffing and puffing under the effort of the ascent. Fuu wasn’t particularly concerned at first, and kept on smoking and watching the ground below. His superiors would have scaled the wall easily, as he had, and he doubted that any of his comrades even knew about this particular location. This of course meant he had no idea who was about to stumble upon him, but judging by the toll the climb seemed to be taking on the climber the ANBU didn’t need to worry about any hostile actions, at least not for a moment. So, after double checking to be sure his robes were in place to conceal his extra arms and that his mask was in plain view next to him, the man calmly continued to puff away at his smoke stick.

By the time the stranger had pulled himself up and onto the cliff, Fuu had all but finished his wrap, only a tiny ‘roach’ remaining of the pungent mix. Without missing a beat, the ANBU inhaled sharply at let go of the small piece of burning plant, coughing slightly as it caught in his throat momentarily.

“Aren't you suppose to be guarding the gates?” he heard the intruder ask from behind him. Reaching into one of his many inner pockets, Fuu pulled out a second tin and removed a cigarette from inside. Only after he had sparked and inhaled the first hit did he turn to face the newcomer, his sharp blue eyes sweeping over the haggard soul before responding.

The man stunk of trouble, though Fuu couldn’t place exactly why. Something about this stranger had triggered hardwired red flags to pop up in his mind, his time spent as an ANBU had given him something of sixth sense for such things. For all he knew, this man was attempting to escape the village by climbing up and over the treacherous pass, though it seemed a might excessive to have come this far of the way up. Of course, as of right now he was just suspicious, but the young man new firsthand how quickly a situation could go from ‘slightly off’ to ‘shit hitting the fan’. He would remain on guard, at least until he had an explanation.

‘Wrong web, sir fly.’ He mused scooping up his mask as he stood, his back to the cliff as he turned to face the other man. “I am, and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you just what in Raiden’s name you’re doing up here.” Taking another puff of his cancer stick, Fuu paused for a moment and eyeballed the man carefully. He seemed exhausted, though the ANBU had seen men act it before, and his dark shades concealed his eyes completely, which was more cause for concern. Taking yet another long drag of smoke, the young man clenched his jaw, trying his best to ignore the hazy, floating feeling that was slowly washing over him. Now was not the time to be under the influence, but what was done was done.
“I’m going to need to see some identification.” He said, flashing the ANBU tattoo on his right wrist to show the intruder just who he dealing with, just in case the mask hadn’t made it obvious enough. “Now.”
[MFT]

 

[Tetsuya]

I threw the last of my strength into my legs and used that to stand up. This man was one of the village's best soldiers, and I would be on my feet to give him a proper performance. With a straight back, and strong jaw I marched closer to the shinobi. Looking him right in the eye, I repeated -- with all the authority and arrogance I could muster -- exactly what he said to me; “I'M going to need to see some identification...Now!”

I didn't crack or laugh, despite how much I wanted to. My face was dead serious, "Do you know where you are? Do you know what you've done?! This area is home to a very delicate ecosystem, the herbs here perish upon human contact. How is the medical branch suppose to do it's job when there are people like you forcing plants to inhale such toxic cigarette smoke? Hmm? I don't see any traitors about, or enemies attacking, so why are you in this restricted area? Your superiors assured us that you'd brief on the importance of this specific area, you were probably asleep during that meeting. I need to call my superior. So he can call his boss, who will call her boss, who will then call your boss!

I have to admit I was pretty lightheaded at this point, but authority never meant much to me. And ANBU didn't scare me in the least, so I wasn't really really afraid to take this to extremes. I threw my hand inside my jacket and pulled out the pills I had made myself, and the headset I always carried around. I put on the headset, and took the pills. They were disgusting, but miracles nonetheless. It pure caffeine, but I was hoping that I'd be too wired to realize the toll climbing at taken on me, and would be able to continue my charade. All I had to do was have my natural body speak through my other headset from across the village. I could sell this lie and all I had to do was talk to myself, and maybe actually show up.

Sasaki-dono come in, Sasaki-dono come in. I need some assistance in 'Habitat C'...it's a level 3 disturbance sir...mhhmm...mhmm. Okay, I'll see you when you get here.

I released my finger from the talk button and looked towards the man again, Don't go anywhere, my boss is coming, and you're in big trouble man. Big trouble. I guess you'll have to learn that your mask, and tattoo don't mean you can go around doing whatever you want.

 

[Fuu]

“I'M going to need to see some identification...Now!”

Fuu blinked, somewhat taken aback. Of course, his face was still locked up, his eyes never leaving the man in front of him, and his jaw never unclenching. But the fact that this man had the audacity to question an ANBU operative, in the section of the village with the highest ANBU activity, was somewhat difficult to wrap his head around. What was more disturbing was the fact that the person in question seemed to making a compelling argument, though that fact alone wasn’t enough to deter the dignified man. The intruder would have to try a lot harder than this to rustle Fuu.

In fact, the more the ANBU thought about it, the more humorous the whole situation had become. Of course, the young man was in an increasingly humorous mood as the altercation drug on, his body and mind slowly succumbing to the familiar, hazy feeling that he had sought when he climbed up here. He was finding it slightly more challenging than usual to keep his face and overall demeanor serious, his body yearning to just lie back and stare at the sky. But instead, he was locked in a pissing match with a long winded stranger who refused to yield to procedure. 'The one place I thought I could find peace. I should have known it wouldn't last.'

As the other man continued on with his tirade, Fuu silently picked apart his argument and examined his adversary thoroughly, allowing him to finish his accusations without interruption while the ANBU puffed on his cigarette. It was almost comical, this stranger (presumably medical branch) making presumptuous remarks to a man he had never met. The ANBU was far more disciplined than his smoking habit or pension for imported grass indicated, and he was up to date on all the do’s and don’ts of his post. In his opinion, his superiors would be pleased if they found out that he was off duty and still within a stone’s throw away, in case support was required.

Fuu remained silent as he stared the other man down, watching warily as he procured some capsules and a headset. ‘Drugs, fantastic.’ He thought grimly, taking another long, deliberate drag off of his cigarette and exhaling it slowly, watching as the pungent mix wafted past his adversary and out into the open air. Drug's often complicated things, turning peaceful men mad and agitated one's into hostiles. This was hardly the place for an altercation, the ledge barely able to facilitate walking comfortably, let alone fighting. On top of that was the drop, though Fuu had contingency plans for if he ever fell off. Still, he would hate to have to fill out all the paper work for why he had thrown a possibly drug addled Medical shinobi to his death below.

“Don't go anywhere, my boss is coming, and you're in big trouble man. Big trouble. I guess you'll have to learn that your mask, and tattoo don't mean you can go around doing whatever you want.”

Fighting a smirk and taking another hit, the ANBU spoke up at last. “Neither of us are going anywhere,” he remarked, his tone cold and void of emotion, despite the haze of feelings that clouded his mind “In fact, how about I get MY superiors out here?” He added, lifting a finger up to the small button on the earpiece sitting snuggly in his ear. He loathed to do it, he was sure the higher ups wouldn’t appreciate being called out here, but Fuu wouldn’t abide someone trying to run him over. He had sat on this chunk of rock for five years without incident and he wasn’t about to let some haggard punk take the best vantage point away from him. Glancing over the med-nin’s shoulder momentarily, his sharp eyes swept over the patch of red roof that belonged to his family home, barely perceivable from this far away. No, he wouldn’t give this spot up unless Ayumu himself commanded it. So, his finger hovering over his earpiece, he stood his ground and awaited the next move.

 

[Tetsuya]

Just before the man could finish calling my bluff, I had turned my attention to the space behind him. There were some colorful weeds growing from the ledge, their odd shape and pigment were similar to one other plant I had worked with in the past. I had made the first step towards the other end of the cliff when a light bulb went off. I had been struck by a stroke of genius, there was another option besides lying about the significance of some weed; I had to do something that worked and that meant stepping over the edge, maybe even literally.

I pulled a kunai from my sleeve as slow as possible, letting the stranger see my every move, as not to alarm him. I turned my back to the man, and forged my seals "Elemental Clone jutsu." My double took the knife from my hands and waited for me to open my body. He brought the tip of the blade to the base of my hip, tearing my skin from that point to my shoulder. He stabbed at my thighs, arms, and abdomen. I balled my hands into a fist and let him cut my knuckles. I lost count of how times I got kicked in the stomach, but I remember the last one was followed by a knee to the face. And when he was finally finished I took hold of his collar, and threw him over my head, and beyond the cliff's end. I, of course, had to get a few words in before I would jump. I turned to the shinobi with a smile, and just stared at him for awhile. Slowly filling my eyes with panic, and letting fear disturb my voice. My posture had humbled, and my breathing seemed troubled, my wounds finally matched my demeanor.

My entire body was shaking, I can't believe you would attack a comrade like this I said, slowly backing away. The fear in my eyes was real, not recent, but real. This day was turning out pretty well, I met a new a person, and we were already playing my favorite game.HELP!! HELP!! I screamed, THERE'S A ROUGE! A TRAITOR! He's trying to kill me! I had sacrificed a ton of blood, for this scene. But I wasn't so injured that I couldn't jump to a nearby pillar, and from there to another one. It hurt, but I was further away from the man, and now I had the space to summon my other body.

It arrived at the bottom of the pass, Byakugan activated, and looking up... Observing.

 

[Fuu]

​

He moved instinctively as his adversary took a step towards him, turning his body sideways and spreading his feet, planting himself firmly to the stone below him. Until the man actually moved to attack him, Fuu was bound by regulation to remain non combative. Even so, the ANBU was on edge in more than a literal sense, watching vigilantly as the man pulled a knife from his sleeve and turned his back, shielding his next move. Fuu felt prepared, ready to spring out of the way of whatever was about to be sent at him, a grimace on his face as he watched warily.

What happened next was enough to break his all business composure, at least for a moment. The Med-nin had created a clone and calmly handed it the kunai, and without hesitation had begun hacking himself apart with it. Shocked, the ANBU could only watch as the man slashed himself open, methodically cutting through his own flesh as if he was butchering some conquered beast. ‘Who would do such a thing to their own body?’ He couldn’t help but wonder, mentally marking the man as “a danger to himself, if not others”, morbidly curious as to what could cause such a mental instability.

His grimace intensifying, Fuu snapped back into the now. Utilizing the snapshot technique, the young man captured one frame of the intense, confusing moment, locking away the image of the knife wielding clone kicking the shit out of its master. He could have it transferred to paper later, if the situation required, and he wanted to be certain that the whole situation was documented. At the very least he would save it in his own personal file, this man had earned a spot on his watch list. Never in his life had he seen somebody so willing to destroy their own flesh, to permanently mar themselves, and with such little provocation.

The situation only escalated as the now brutalized med-nin turned to meet Fuu’s eyes. “I can't believe you would attack a comrade like this,” He said, his face a mask of fear and panic. The ANBU had to admit, the man was as good a facial control as he was, if not better, but of course he wasn’t fooled. “THERE'S A ROUGE! A TRAITOR! He's trying to kill me!” Fuu didn’t move as the man retreated away, hopping from column to column and leaving a trail of blood everywhere he went. He had chosen this place because it was secluded and private, far away from prying eyes and ears. The ANBU hoped it would be enough, though he knew that if the other man kept carrying on the way he was, attention was inevitable. Growling under his breath, Fuu considered the possibility of the man’s ruse working, but quickly shook the thoughts from his head and took a few steps forward, confident he could prove himself innocent should it come to it.

All he had wanted was some identification, instead he had received a grim reminder of the absurdities that came with his post. Fuu stared at the man coldly as he moved away, his eyes locked on the man’s haggard form. The ANBU would let the man go, for the time being. But he certainly wouldn’t be forgetting this incident anytime soon. “I know your face!” Fuu growled, though he doubted the man would be able to hear him from this distance. Flicking his cigarette off the cliff, he watched it fall to the ground hundreds of feet down. At the bottom, much to Fuu's surprise, was a figure staring up at him. From this height he couldn’t be certain, but the young man thought there was something off about the persons face, though he couldn’t see clearly enough to tell what. ‘Stranger and stranger.’ He mused before stepping back again, raising his eyes to look for the injured medic. The the third party's arrival didn't concern nearly as much as the masochistic stranger, and his mind was still reeling about what had just taken place.

Whether he had foiled the man's attempt at going nuke or simply just rubbed him the wrong way was altogether unclear, but Fuu was confident he hadn't seen the last of the walking oddity that he had encountered today. If the man tried to escape, the ANBU would let him go. Procuring a second cigarette, he sparked it quickly and inhaled deeply, trying to calm his raging heartbeat. 'Well, that sobered me up.'
[Topic Left unless you want to continue.]

 

[Tetsuya]

I knew I had won when I turned around, and the ANBU wasn't behind me. The weak minded were always the ones to give up early. But that might've been for the best, I was already coughing up more blood than I had. And I could feel my bones melt under the stress of my behavior. Still I was the winner, and that was well worth the pain. There was an odd sense of joy welling up inside of me, it threw my laughs against the stone pillars and echoed throughout the pass. I had a taste of a new kind of fun, and I was still hungry for more.

Night was approaching faster than my watch would admit, and once it arrived the filth of Cronopolis could crawl from their hiding places. The light of the sun was too pure for them to handle, I've seen it burn their skin and boil their blood. Sinners as lost as them didn't belong in the sunlight, it was the darkness that made them comfortable. And I wasn't sure how much I enjoyed that. I suppose if their crimes were filling my wallet, feeding my family, then I really had no complaints.

When breathing got easier I began wondering if there was a way for me to reach the ground safely, as it seemed my sanity was just as just as divided as my consciousness, which was helpful in dealing with the strange man, but who knew what rash decisions I would make on my way down. My thoughts were blurry and loud, the voice in my head was mine, but it was saying a thousand different things at once. Maybe it was this particular body, maybe there was something wrong with its previous owner... that would explain a lot. It would explain why I thought that the best way to reach the ground was to jump. It would explain why I could feel music surround me as I falling. It would explain why I remember walking towards my home, but not remembering how I landed.

[Topic Left]