Song of the Lion Volt: Verse №2 [Mission]

[Okada Kaji]

Continued from: Song of the Lion Volt: Verse №1

Kaji could barely withstand the frigid winds and struggled with nausea in the initial swoop off of the Library roof’s edge. The takeoff was anything but graceful and began with a plummet. Caerroth had to gain proper velocity before he could achieve any lift whatsoever. “You’re too fat, get off of me” the mighty leatherwing roared, having doubt in his own abilities in the nosedive. He was an expert in flight, but never had riders to affect his aerodynamics. The street was closing in, and Caerroth, along with Kaji screamed in a curdling tandem. “Pull up you fool” Kaji cried as he climbed forth and desperately pulled Caerroth by his neck. The Leatherwing began to pitch upwards, narrowly avoiding a collision with the pavement in a daring swoop. It would take him a few moments to gain his bearings with Kaji and Sayomi clung to his back. The trio was on a wild ride, swinging upwards and sideways with every flap of Caerroth’s powerful wings.

“Woah that was close,” Kaji said excitedly with a cheer in his tone. His hair was in a flurry, and he had rarely experienced such a rush as he was feeling now. It was moments like this one that drew him to the life of adventure. He held on tightly to Caerroth for all his worth, and when he wasn’t tracking the spark of light which was the Lion Volt on the move, he looked back to Sayomi, concerned for safety. “How are you doing back there, little spark?” With his own heart racing, Kaji was fearful that he might look back and find nothing but flexing muscle and a tail hanging in the wind. “Keep your eyes peeled kid, we can’t let the big cat make a break for it!”

Meanwhile, the Lion Volt was creating a trail of destruction through the village and tackled through a large newsstand. Stray voltage from the lion turned most of the news post to cinders, quickly igniting the structure into flames and calamity. The one citizen within it barely escaped in time to avoid the collision, and fell to the ground, staring in awe. Citizens were fleeing for their lives as the Lion settled on four paws in the Susukino District, letting voltage fly, drawn towards the glow of nightlife. The beast’s roar echoed on farther than an ear shot, sounding unreal as it struck terror in the hearts of all near and far.

Flying in a circular pattern overhead, Caerroth had delivered the master and apprentice to their destined battle. Every passing second led to more thoughts of doubt within Kaji and the fear that they were ill-equipped to deal with the beast— but Kaji held fast to his duty, and would not turn back now. “That’s quite a quarry Kaji… you should have told me the hunt was worthy” Caerroth said with growing bloodlust and yellow eyes staring down at the Lion. “You’ll have your chance Caerroth, but first we need to clear out the bystanders,” Kaji replied as he keenly noted the people fleeing like ants from a flooding mound. “Sayomi, help clear the area and protect the villagers! Caerroth and I will try to contain the Lion Volt!”

So, with a plan of sorts in place, Kaji swooped low with Caerroth and ordered Sayomi to jump off the colossal lizard’s back with an eight-foot drop beneath them. Kaji jumped first and rolled where the snow was soft. By the time he came to his feet Eelspine was drawn and the blade was glowing with a trail of glorious, emeraldine light. The Lion Volt let out another menacing roar as it recognized his foe from afar.

wc623
- Kaji has entered the thread in a Moderator capacity.
- Requesting Sayomi and Hirateuchi.

 

[Hirateuchi]

A lone blade fluttered in obscurity through the night sky, perforating the brisk wind as though guided towards its target with a silver cord dragging behind. Approaching the electrical beast the weapon slithered ever so slightly, regulated by gentle ministrations given to the lagging sliver of steel. Silently it went in for the deciding blow, but before it came within even a few meters the creature it had already vanished, drawn to another area ripe for destruction.

"Damn, I missed..."

A calm voice murmured, contrasting the chaotic symphony that was the Susukino District. Soon enough, however, a situation in which Hira's abilities could be of more present value arose. He gazed into the smoldering wreck where a newsstand once stood as a grin slowly found its way onto his face.

"Easiest job of my life!"

This time Hira shouted with new determination, exhilarated by the brutal display of power. The young boy expeditiously formed a series of simple hand signs while amassing a large amount of chakra into his mouth, preparing to quench the thirst of the greedy devouring flames. Cheeks puffed and head tilted back from all the pressure, Hira pursed his lips, opening his mouth wide enough for a torrent of water to flood from its depths with his Grand Waterfall Jutsu. Gushing Rapids washed over the district's floors, washing away debris and flames alike, sweeping the area clean and dragging it once more into a layer of peace and serenity, albeit mixed with frustration. Cool air whisked over the puddles left by his jutsu, promptly beginning the process of freezing it over.

Eyeing his handiwork, Hira almost didn't notice the flying beast making a death-defying plummet to the pillowy white ground below. On its back was... Kaji sensei! It had been quite some time since the two of them had trained together, but the man was very helpful in making Hira the decisive machine he presently was. Hira didn't manage to catch a good glimpse of the second passenger before they came plummeting to the ground, either with an urgent mission or due to clumsy footwork. Assuming the worst, he rushed over, ready to help the more minute looking person in case of an emergency; however, stepping a few feet away from the girl now standing before him, Hira all but forgot the situation at hand. For a moment, he forgot the immediate dangers and felt himself at a loss for words.

"Hey, ummm..." He stammered out nervously, placing a hand on the back of his neck to prevent himself from waving it around without purpose. "I mean uhh... are you alright? It looked like you took a bit of a fall there." Hira coughed once, clearing his throat of the scratchy feeling resonating inside. Although he loomed a few inches above the girl, an unfamiliar nerve was wriggling its way into the inner depths of Hira's mind, coaxing it into a state of disarray.

Gathering his courage and shaking himself out of whatever bizarre emotion had just overwhelmed his senses, Hira shook his head, composure once again in tact. Look, it isn't really all that safe here. That thing looks unpredictable, so running may not do you any good. Just stick with me, kid, and I'll keep ya safe." Flashing a brief grin before turning towards the new commotion, Hira cracked his knuckles and casually grabbed hold of his Naku Shi Blades, primed for further excitement.

[Entered Thread]
[WC 570]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

Flying was definitely not an experience that the youngest Santaru would dare wish to repeat and certainly would never recommend to anyone else. The fact that the older Jounin seemed so fond of it, the inflection of his voice seeming almost jubilant in this horrific moment of crisis as the Lion Volt launched it's way spreading carnage and damage wherever it deemed necessary, forced Sayomi to ponder the sanity of this man when combined with his idea of reasoning with the electrical beast. The creature that carried the two certainly didn't seem to share the sentiment of it's summoner, in fact, the brunette was half inclined to obey it's demand to get off, though the drop was more terrifying than the creature they pursued. The idea that she was fat, garnered from the creature's insult, made the underweight teenager even more self conscious than she already was.

If the constant charge of her blood wasn't constantly frizzing up her brunette locks, the wind currents from this ride certainly was doing the trick and she shut her eyes tight and gripped so strongly that it might actually hurt someone if they had normal skin, though the rough leather hide of the creature in flight might not even register it. The foreigner spoke but she barely could discern the words despite the loud tempo of his voice due to the weather conditions. Instead of responding in turn, the storm style user was rather quiet and meek, whimpering softly and trying her best to speak loudly only to fail. "I-I'll...I'll be alive..." only to think internally I hope.

Finally the trio started to descend and how she wanted to rush so she could kiss the ground that would soon lay beneath her feet once more, but it certainly was not the time and she had to recover since the world seemed to be spinning non-stop. The hapless teen intensely questioned the necessity of a weak, fairly untrained and certainly unproven genin (little higher than a basic academy student) to help face down a beast that was terrifying to a jonin, but the task given to her by Kaji helped her breathe a silent sigh of relief. He certainly couldn't face down the beast WHILE protecting the non-combatant citizens, that was certainly a job appropriate for her meager qualifications and she could provide protection from hazards that resulted in the Lion Volt's attack. "O-Of course! I can do that! I can!" she repeated.

The fall was nothing, not something that small and even the young Storm Caller could handle such a feat, but immediately her task had begun with someone who seemed a bit confused about the situation and thought that she needed help when it was her task to assist him. Let it be known that chivalry was not dead in the Cloud, but Sayomi was a Santaru who could access her blood traits, so she was not reliant on chivalry. Those stronger than herself? An overwhelming yes. But not chivalry. It did not take long for her to notice, however, the stance the male ninja carried himself with so he certainly was not an untrained neophyte or regular citizen and so she shook her head, standing up on her own power and pointing to the headband that hung, instead, around her neck and showed off the engraved emblem of their village. "I'm...I'm fine," stuttered the girl, more out of a crippling social anxiety than being injured or out of breath. "I'm a genin...Kaji-sama asked me to help. I, well...I have to protect the villagers while he takes care of the Lion Volt," the girl recited to the new entity as she looked to the people in panic. She only recently learned of the demon's existence and didn't think to explain further about what was going on to the other person, not even taking note that he lacked a headband similar to hers, but her eyes did not deceive her on the way he carried himself.

"I have to help,"

And her eyes glowed and sparked with the blood of the Santaru as from the tips of her fingers lightning was launched and blasted a piece of debris that hadn't been fully washed away by the boy's jutsu and saved it from falling on an older woman in the immediate distance. With that, the girl ran off to help anyone she could per Kaji's orders.

wc741
-Sayomi has entered the thread.

 

[Okada Kaji]

The calamity around the Dawnbringer’s Plaza was enough to call each shinobi into action. Civilians were scattered, attempting to avoid lashing bolts of static strong enough to strike them down. The collateral damage was just as bad, as Hirateuchi found himself in the thick of things, spewing a massive volume of water to douse a raging fire. The newsstand was burning brightly as if it were really used to sell propane and propane accessories, but the newly graduated genin was on time to save it from utter destruction. “That stand is my livelihood! ‘Raiden’s light! Thank you, my boy,” the stand’s owner was thankful for Hira’s effort, even though the area was still as perilous as it was before Hira’s intervention.

Alas, the boy’s heroics were right on time, as he had come to witness the arrival of both known and new comrades: it was the beginning of the next chapter in their great adventure. Hira witnessed as Caerroth made an elegant swoop to offload Kaji and Sayomi. The duo quickly split off into two designated tasks, with Kaji charging the Lion Volt and Sayomi surveying the scene for endangered citizens. And as she went along her destined route, she first encountered none other than Hirateuchi, who did not know the girl quite yet, or that she was the newest charge under Kaji’s guidance, much like he had become some time ago. They became each other’s company between the glows of more fire created by the path of the Lion Volt, and the light of Susukino District nightlife in alternating neon shades, every imaginable color.

The sound of a sudden smash in distance served as another reminder to the apprentice shinobi of the chaos: enraged by the pterosaur and human paired to combat it, the Lion Volt summoned a complete bolt of lightning down upon itself! The sky cracked as voltage ripped through it in a swinging arc with no notable pattern. Caerroth used a keen burst of wind to avoid the bulk of the voltage but was chased off in temporary fright. Kaji, on the other hand, was blast backward and rolled across the snowy cobblestone. All things considered, the shockwave was better than being hit directly, and Kaji was able to get right back on his feet with his vigor undaunted. “Gimme’ more than a light show” Kaji bade the monster, drawing its ire and attention as Caerroth circled around from above. The Lion Volt answered with another eardrum trembling roar, only to be battered by the force of Caerroth, who tackled it with a spiraling downward sweep, and glowing chakra honing its wings into sharpened weapons. “Nice Steel Wing Caerroth, I think it was super effective” Kaji encouraged the Pterosaur, though Caerroth cared not for his kind words. “Shut your trap and follow up already” the winged lizard commanded in return as he flew past Kaji on a flight pattern away from the thunder beast. Kaji dove to his knees just to avoid Caerroth and spun in the same action, all the meanwhile building chakra in his blade for a powerful slicing blast. The force was brilliantly aimed and traveled in an arc of emeraldine chakra delivered so precisely that the invisible edges of it uprooted the earth around the burst, this created a rising wall of stone which collided with the Lion Volt.

The wall erupted against the voltage emanating beast but stunned it just long enough to create an opening for Sayomi and Hirateuchi to reach more civilians who got caught in the most recent thunder wave. Multiple fleeing citizens were grounded by the blast, either stunned or blacked out. Meanwhile, a street lamp had fallen, causing power lines to run along the ground over part of the area. Also, a Dango cart had collapsed, pinning an elderly woman underneath it. There was plenty of people to save, and much more still unaccounted for as the battle was just beginning.

wc653
total 1276

 

[Hirateuchi]

Sure enough, the girl standing before Hira was a ninja as well. Looking back upon the situation, he should have realized it, but the immediate threat looming over the area was certainly making it hard to concentrate on those finer details. Almost as if in response to Hira's growing nerves, she let out a burst of electrical energy in a swift manner to save a bystander. She's fast but... did it have to be more lightning..? Hira's smile twitched slowly on his face, attempting to conceal the worry and annoyance gnawing its way into his now trembling lip. I hope she knows how to control her power. In the distance, it seemed as though Kaji-sensei was dealing with the beast, which was for the best. Even if Hira were stronger, the power the creature wielded would put him at a serious disadvantage.

"Hey!" Hira called out to the girl as she began to rush towards more, terrified onlookers in an attempt to help. Hira rushed alongside her, not wanting to stall the task at hand. "I'll help with the villagers, but if that thing comes this way I'm going to need your help. I don't fare too well with lightning." As if to prove a point, Hira hurriedly shifted his hand into a mass of water; while being simultaneously solid and liquid, the water maintained the shape of his arm. Soon returning his arm back to its normal state, Hira took a moment to stare up at the sky, hoping it wouldn't come to that. Kaji was strong but the beast was fast. If it escaped back this way, the pair would be put in a very unfortunate spot.

After a few moments, Hira stopped following his temporary teammate and turned around. "Continue on, I'll make sure none were left behind. With those final words, Hira planted his hand on the ground, releasing a torrent of chakra into the surrounding pseudo-lake he had just created. The water quickly rushed towards the point where his hand met the ground, swirling in a vortex as it closed in. Soon enough Hira was being lifted by a torrential vortex of water shaped like that of a pillar, almost as though he were riding the eruption of a geyser. At first glance, it seemed as though everyone had been evacuated from the immediate area, but right as he began to let down his guard and descend, a faint echo emanated from deep within a nearby building. Giving the district one last surveying gaze, his head shot straight ahead, making note of where the noise originated. There stood a building devastated by the beast's rampage, with the front beams and stones having been thrown about, leaving only a mess of rubble in the entrance. Hira put his hands together, creating a wave in the water that pushed him gently towards the area before letting him back down onto the earth.

As he began to dig through the rubble, the outline of a leg caught his attention, only serving to rush Hira's now redoubled efforts along. Soon enough, Hira found the rest of the man's body, imprisoned by the materials more sparks reignited flames within the structure. Brute force was never my specialty, but I have to think of something... If I could just lift this wooden beam I think he'd have enough room to get out. Hira looked around, hoping to find some kind of leverage as he prepared his wrists for the strain they would soon endure. One of the larger stones that had broken off had luckily planted itself firmly into the ground, with the added help of Hira's residual water beginning to freeze the ground from the cold temperatures. Hira reassured the man that he would help him get out, hoping silently to himself that he could keep that promise. If it weren't for the risk of hitting him, it would be an easy case of destroying the wood, but this would be a challenge.

Wrapping his Naku Shi blades around the wood, Hira resonated his chakra within the steel, making the sharp edges dig into the lumber to better hold onto it. Bracing himself against the stone, he began to pull with all his might. Even a few inches would be enough to let him escape... but it wouldn't budge. Hira was running out of time. What if the creature came back? Could he defend this man while still keeping himself alive? Hira continued pulling on the beam, shouts of frustration and elevating pain echoing through the night, adding to the chaotic symphony of destruction.

[WC 764]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

Sayomi stood firm, it was necessary in this moment of chaos that she would not let her resolve weaken from the ensuing terror that would likely overwhelm her at the slightest moment of hesitation. Seeing the person that she had recently saved from falling debris get up and walk away alive, safe, due to her actions seemed to have strengthened her resolve so that the youth might, indeed, succeed in her mission to save as many lives as could be saved, hopefully all. Time afterwards she could allow weakness to consume her, take her to the dark place that often clouded her mind, but for now, the girl had so much work tasked to her.

Looking over, turning her attention towards the most recent ninja she had become briefly acquainted with, she blinked those big brown eyes in confusion, after all, most people didn't fare well with lightning, but there was a moment of shock when he turned to water. In the back of her head, she marveled at the technique and kind of wished to learn it herself, if possible, but instead she simply nodded in affirmation to the request. The first point of attack would be to take care of the power cords which trashed about violently, sending sparks flying and threatening to catch other structures on fire. The teen wrinkled up her nose, narrowing her eyes in focus and concentration, undivided at the hostile threat which bared it's figurative fangs at the safety of Kumo. In rapid succession, she performed the hand signs necessary. "Earth Style: Earth Flow River Jutsu!" the brunette called out as the area around the ends of the snapped cords began to turn to mud and start to flow a short distance, catching the cables and soon tethering them into the earth so the power could be dispersed safely beneath them.

One crisis was adverted, but that certainly didn't leave much breathing room as the terrifying beast still reeked havoc throughout the village hidden in the clouds. A thought pondered on where the boy made of water (?) and Kaji might be, hoping they were doing alright, as the chaos from the battle of Kaji and the Lion Volt could be heard in the distance and it was only a matter of time before more fires would be started, likely to spread like crazy and how she cursed her self for not knowing any water jutsu at the moment, praying that the snowfall would seek to hamper some of the damage that Kumo would receive from the fires. Yet, there was not time. Nearby, a crushing sound was heard and the youth jerked her head and immediately caught view of the boy from earlier once more, but now he was struggling, something that could be easily seen.

Making her way closer, the scene played out vividly as it became clear what was happening. Already her chest fell and expanded rapidly from the intense pounding of her heart while the elderly man laid pinned there, almost waiting for the end and she positioned herself right next to the boy. "I-I'll help too..." she said, trying to catch her breath and push with him, though the meager amount of physical strength the girl possessed didn't budge the thing even a quarter of an inch and she felt defeat closing in on her, until an idea sprung into her mind. "Can...Can you hold it up? For a few seconds? I...I have an idea...just keep it up, please..." she nearly pleaded.

The teen moved off to the side a bit and once more her hands flew into a flurry of motions before the least seal was formed and she clinched her hand into a fist and raised it up towards the heavens. "Earth Style: Sinkhole Fist Jutsu!" She declared as she threw her fist down into the earth a little ways away from where the man laid and Hira stood. She didn't punch as hard as she could, just lightly enough to cause a small, shallow hole in the ground, the earth giving way, dipping underneath them and the man gasp, air filling his lungs as Sayomi trusted her new comrade to hold it up as long as he could and the brunette youth quickly helped to pull the man out of harms way so the wood could fall safely without causing harm. "Can...can you...get out on your own? Please...please find somewhere safe and help anyone you can as well..." the teenager requested of the man who tried his best to catch his breath and nodded, eventually standing and walking away in the opposite direction from the battle of demon and jonin.

With the deed accomplished, she turned towards Hira once more and gave a small smile of victory for their accomplishment and teamwork, but the work was far from done and the night had only just begun. Nearby, a small cart had crashed down upon an elderly woman, leaving her in the same situation as the man just moments ago. Sayomi pointed over to the scene, motioning so that the boy would see it as well, for certainly Sayomi could accomplish saving the woman on her own and she went over there as well, hoping the boy would follow after. "Do...you think we can...the same strategy?" the girl inquired, if he did pursue the same objective, already preparing to do the hand seals required for the jutsu, waiting for the boy to get into place as well or, if he had a better idea, for him to explain.

wc: 927
twc:1668

 

[Okada Kaji]

It appeared that their job was not yet finished within that building which took so much structural damage. The villager pinned beneath the dango cart was still in peril... However, within that crumbling building, the sounds of more victims echoed wherever gaps in the structure of the place allowed. Everything around the two genin was in ruin, and the gap where they found the first pinned victim was the lobby of some kind of office building. The front wall of the first and second floor had been ripped down entirely, but there were at least three more floors left untouched. Cries for help were coming from the second floor, and there was a huge crack rippling through the ceiling of the first.

The first victim they rescued managed to walk free, sure. As he limped away, the blood staining the back of his indigo suit was a small note in the background of the madness in progress. The shinobi did their job successfully, but the damage was already done by the collapsing structure. That might have been his last moment standing as the adrenaline rushed through the victim’s failing legs. Then the damage to his spine compiled, and he suddenly lost control, falling to the pavement outside. He screamed out in agony as the pain in his back became excruciating, and he lost the function of his body below there. “I can’t feel my legs” he cried! “Help! ‘Help!” This was the life of a shinobi: not everyone could be saved, all the time, no matter how hard you tried. And with so much more people in need of saving, the two genin had to prioritize the ones still in the most peril.

Flashes of light were the precursors to tremors shaking the office to its core. The battle was raging on outside with a thunderous creature streaking by time and again. Following their instincts would insist on the younglings running through the office and up the stairs, which curved around on route to the second floor. Every few seconds, another citizen would come running down and pass the shinobi on their way out through the collapsed entrance. A young woman stopped beside the shinobi, instantly recognizing them for their magical abilities and weaponry. “Hey you kids, I think the entire second floor is about to come down! There are three people trapped in one of the offices; the doorway has collapsed— you can hear them calling for help from here!” Another sudden crackle of thunder from outside caused the crack in the ceiling to run another three feet across the room and sent the girl who warmed them running to safety.

wc444
total 1720

 

[Hirateuchi]

Although the two young shinobi had managed to rescue the old man from immediate danger, it soon became all too apparent he would not make it far without further assistance. The winds themselves seemed to shift as the situation began to unravel, revealing how truly desperate it had become. Voices were echoing throughout the whole area, screaming for assistance with a contagious fear. Although his hands began to shake, he knew that there wasn't any time to waste thinking about the life of a shinobi. Whether he liked it or not, he took a responsibility to help the people of the village with his power. He would have to save the self-evaluation of his life choices until another day.

Breathing deeply, still exhausted from lifting the wooden beam while the girl got the man out, drops of liquid ran down his forehead: a chilling mixture of both sweat and snow culminating into a magnet for the frigid air, only serving to make his trembling worsen. Looking over at the girl, who was now corralling him over to an elderly woman also in danger. A cart was crashed on top of her, and the snow was clearly causing her some degree of pain as she lay helpless in its icy grip, but she was not the only one exposed to the elements or in jeopardy due to the creature's rampage. He looked both to the young shinobi and the woman but quickly turned his head as more voices boomed from deeper within the building. It was hard enough to rescue a single man... did the two of them really have what it took to rescue such a large number more?

"Help her quick, if you can, but hurry up so you can come help me with this building. The ceiling is starting to look unstable and I'm not sure my jutsu will be enough to keep it from collapsing on everyone." Hira wanted to sound confident. He wanted to sound like he knew it would all turn out alright, but that was as far from the truth as it could have gotten. In truth, he was more scared that he had ever been before; he had been in the face of danger many times, but it was a different feeling knowing the lives of others depended on the strength that he hadn't been taking entirely serious through most of his early training. If only I had focused more during my training... If only I had... His thoughts began to race as his feet picked themselves up a moved almost as if on instinct, not fueled by any conscious thought, but by a desire to help those still at risk.

Taking his first step into the house, his eyes darted back and forth, absorbing the scene in order to plan what would be the most appropriate action. Thunderous roars trembled the core of the earth as the beast continued its rampage outside, and the structure of the building seemed to grow more and more treacherous with each passing quake. Hira immediately ran up the stairs to the second floor, where several voices emanated from, passing an escaping woman on her way out leaving with a warning of the cracking timbers and stone. This reminder of the urgency presiding over his task caused Hira to rush even faster into the precarious framework.

"Is anybody there?!" Hira shouted frantically in hopes of finding the source of the commotion. Soon after, a group of voices began shouted with renewed vigor from a nearby room. What he witnessed when he entered the room, however, was much more grave than what he might have imagined.

On one side of the room, trapped behind debris glowing with hints of ember stood a woman, not much younger than his own mother, trying with futility to reach her way through the broken down support beams with tears in her eyes and trepidation plastered onto her face. Across from her, almost entirely obscured between planks of the cracked floor and the incoming wind near the breach in the wall, a child lay; whether or not he was conscious, Hira could not tell. Almost in response, the ceiling once more began to crack as Hira looked upon the scene with nerves boiling to an all-time high. The woman screamed some illegible words to Hira, scattered to the winds as his mind raced as to what to do.

The ceiling is coming down... There's too much debris to move and the lightning girl isn't going to get here in time... What do I do...? The only thing Hira could argue to make him move was that the child was in more danger. Hira looked over to the woman and screamed as he ran to the aid of the child, "Try to move the small debris first, move anything too big and it's only going to make the building come down faster." Finding himself right in front of the child, Hira looked at the young girl before him, probably no older than seven or eight years of age. Her body was stuck dangerously between splintered logs, and the ceiling was now creaking in an ominous rhythm, serving as a final reminder of the pending collapse.

Hira talked to her in a hushed voice, putting on a farce of a calm face in an attempt to distract her. "We're gonna get through this, ok? I need you to listen closely." He did his best to put on a reassuring smile. "Now, I'm going to try and stop anything else from landing on us, but I'm going to need you to hold your breath for just a little bit." Just as the ceiling began to drop the first of its warning crumbs on the pair, Hira planted his hand right on top of the girls', before concentrating and circulating his chakra, yelling out as the ceiling began to loosen, "Water Style: Water Prison jutsu!"

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

The world seemed to be more intense by the moment, but the old man was safe for now at least, but with the situation as it were, things were going to be more and more difficult to handle. The old woman who was trapped was her next priority, a more immediate priority at the moment and something that must be handled quickly before she could actually move on. The young girl's nerves were starting to get shot, even with the dose of confidence from having a person who could help her as the other shinobi was in addition to the most recent successful rescue of just moments ago. The woman who was in a similar situation as the man before her required immediate attention and she only hoped that the boy who had assisted her could provide that. The brunette gritted her teeth, bracing for the immediacy of the situation as her beckon produced fruit as the boy came over her way. However, he would be called away on another matter of more important urgency, Sayomi could hear the woman still plead for help and hopelessness consumed her. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself, praying an idea would come to her.

"H-Hold on, I have an idea," she tried to reassure the woman, her hands forming signs in rapid formation. "Water Style: Water Whip Jutsu!" she called out, as a whip of water formed in her hand, though something happened that was a bit odd. Surges of electricty sparked and flowed throughout the whip, not harming the Santaru girl in the slightest, signs of her bloodline in effect as her innate Storm abilities were called forth. It was a bit surprising, but she had a job to do. A crack of the whip in a precise spot and the cart split in two, allowing her to use her meager strength to move one part off the woman and lift her up, her arm over her shoulder in order to help the woman walk. "T-There. I'll take you some place safe, wait there..."

Sayomi tried to as the pair limped over to a building near a lightning rod, hoping that the rod would lightning that, as was it's job, instead of a nearby building. But the screams of the old man, not far off, were still filling the air, pleading for help as Sayomi recalled him being unable to sustain himself for long. The teen chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she crossed the short distance to find him. "H-Hold on, I'm going to t-take you...over here, but I'm not strong enough to carry you. We'll be back for you s-soon though, I promise..." It was a promise that she only could ponder if it was capable of being kept as she struggled with her might to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes as she brought the man to the same place where the woman was resting.

It felt like a safe spot, the Lion Volt seemed like it was preoccupied with other areas that it had not struck as of yet, not to mention with a Jonin like Kaji, the demon was sure to have it's hands full. Unlike the two that were left behind to help however they could, but now it was time to help the boy out from earlier. Screams of terror from the building could still be heard and Sayomi rushed forward as quickly as she could to the structure that was already a mess, a woman immediately latched onto her arm in panic, the brunette feeling the older woman's nails digging into her arm which caused the teen to yelp from the sudden pressure. "Please! Save them! The boy ran in there!" Sayomi shook her arm, trying to loosen the woman's grip as she gave a nod to the woman, her heart beating at a rate that the young girl began to worry it might burst as she rushed into the building and started up the stairs, following in what she hoped was the boy's footsteps from earlier.

Already, the rumblings of the collapsing ceiling began to echo in the upper floors which only forced the genin to pick up her pace quicker as there seemed to be a couple people scattered throughout the area. There was the water boy from earlier, was that a young girl with him? To the other side were a woman and man, what seemed to make a family in the girl's mind, but they were separated and the roof was coming down. There was a moment of indecision of who the help as the cracking from the roof continued and the boy's jutsu declaration assured Sayomi that he would be safe. But what to do about the others? A memory surged from her past, training in the art of the Storm, something that she wasn't particularly good at, but it was the only protective barrier jutsu that she knew. It would have to work. It needed to work.

The girl rushed to the side where the two adults lay trapped, something that would need to be rectified soon, but not now for the immediate concern was not being killed by the crashing of the ceiling as her signs formed just right. "Storm Style: Shielding Tempest Jutsu!" she cried out, mixing the water and lightning chakra together and bending it into a sort of dome around herself and the other two as the roof fell upon them, pieces of it hitting the water bubble across the way and being deflected by it, the charged water tempest shield wavering as Sayomi tried to hold it together, the wood flying off to the side until the moment passed and the shield broke down, the young Santaru girl trying to hold her strength together.

Before the girl could get a word in edge wise, the woman who had just been saved looked at her with tears before shooting a glance towards the dark haired boy and the little girl. "Please, my baby! Save my baby!" she cried, a request Sayomi was sure to have already been fulfilled by the boy, but her mind was pumping full of adrenaline at the moment and responded with a nod before going over there to the water bubble. Immediately she noticed pieces of wood, some larger than others, that had been caught in the jutsu and now floated in the bubble beside them. The brunette reached in quickly to try and pull some of the bigger pieces out, finding them a great deal heavier than the water portrayed and tossed them a little off to the side, nearly dropping one of them as the immediate danger of the roof was over, the collapse having taken place. "A-Are you alright? The woman...over there...they're safe for now...but still stuck..." she asked when the barrier jutsu was dispelled.

wc: 1154
twc: 2822

 

[Okada Kaji]

Both Hira and Sayomi had chosen the path of shinobi saviors— it was that or chase a creature made of rampant energy on a path of destruction. In some ways, the genin were making a tale much more heroic than their master, who was now streaking across the Hidden Cloud skyline with the Lionvolt.

Reckless was the best word to describe the pair of Kaji and Caerroth, who was having an unfortunate run at the Lionvolt. The human and reptilian pair had power and skill in spades, and Kaji read enough about Voltaic Animation to think he understood the powers of the Lionvolt. As it stood, the experienced hunter was working with a theory that the creature was a lightning elemental construct and that enough battering might cause the Lionvolt to conduct itself until the point of instability. Several collisions over the course of their battle— mostly due to the creature’s speed during its charge, left Caerroth overwhelmed, and burns to his wings were beginning to impair his flight. While Kaji and his companion were being worn down to dangerous levels, the Lionvolt was still rampaging at full strength. It was immune to physical attacks and rushed into targets with a voltaic tackle showing no concern for its body. The damage the Lionvolt was causing as it passed buildings and solid structures were on the verge of catastrophic, but the creature was colliding with things without a pattern or foreseeable purpose. Kaji and Caerroth could hardly keep up and had to position themselves in flight for ideal attacks. Despite their previous clashes and close-calls, the Lionvolt seemed to only lash out once the hunter and Leatherwing entered a striking range.

Kaji was eyeing the Lionvolt closely, attempting to draw as much detail as he could muster— the Lionvolt moved like a feline despite flying, free from the clutches of gravity. Every destructive tackle was led head first, rather than a more rational shoulder tackle. He loosely compared the actions to your typical house cat bunting, or scent marking using the glands located around their mouths, chins, sides of the face, neck, and ears. With a look around the vicinity, it was clear that the Dawnbringer Plaza was perhaps one of the brightest hotbeds of electrical activity in the mountain, which might have explained why the creature had come to this place. Feline bunting was one method of claiming ownership of a territory, and the Lionvolt chose a populated area to make into its den.

“This might be a long shot, but I think it's drawn to the village’s power grid” Kaji spoke through the wind, attempting to share his thought with Caerroth, who didn’t know a thing about grids of any kind. “Take me in, I have an idea” Kaji bade the Leatherwing, who bravely followed the command and swooped low on a path for the busy Lionvolt.

After experiencing enough painful collisions with the Lionvolt, Caerroth knew the limitation in the distance before the electric beast would pummel him with wild voltage. He caught its attention while swooping in overhead, causing the electric lion to stop short on its path. Caerroth then curved his path upwards, flying over the Lionvolt. Thick leathery wings blanketed the movement until Kaji emerged, dropping behind Caerroth with his sword, the mighty Eelspine held high for a two-handed swing. The emeraldine glow of his blade paled in comparison to the light of the Lionvolt as Kaji flew down into the collision. What followed was the clash of his blade bouncing off the charging lion’s bridge, striking true enough with energy to leave a scar, a mere cosmetic damage before the creature bore into Kaji with its full fury. Recklessly driven fangs were flashed, taking Kaji by the shoulder while a clawed paw raked across his side, digging a blackening ribbon through his armor and flesh. Their elevation was about twenty feet high and adjacent to a random eatery in the Square. The Lionvolt collided against the wall with all four claws planted and flung Kaji loose like a ragdoll.

The force of Kaji colliding with the wall jarred stones free and left a splotch of blood as Kaji bounced off, and fell to an abrupt stop on the cobblestone road below. A fearsome roar rang out from the beast as it reveled in its near kill, and something about the instance freed the Lionvolt from its previous, bunting trance. It was after blood now, and once Kaji squired, the lion poised itself to pounce from its position on high. But out from the corner of its eye emerged Caerroth, who saw the moment transpiring countered what was surely a finishing blow prepared for the guardian of his Oasis Clan. It was nothing short of valiance, though Caerroth flew in hoping this would settle the argument that humans were nothing more in need of their kind than the opposite. His jagged maw had the power of a vice grip as Caerroth toppled the Lionvolt, taking an immeasurable brunt of voltage. The two mega monsters tumbled down from on high, both grappling, biting, and raking claws with blind fury.

The force of hundreds of pounds of wild muscle colliding with the ground sent a quake which jostled Kaji back to consciousness. He eyes opened wide and faced the cold, wet earth, and one was reddened by a crimson mask pouring down from gashes on his temple and cheek from the fall. Immense pain flooded his left side as he tried to move; the shoulder was grossly misplaced and his arm was numb from the pain. The glow of Eelspine filled all he could see— the blade was teeming with energy stolen from the Lionvolt in their previous clash, and he could feel the mystical weapon yearning for him to take hold and release the force it could barely contain. In the distance, the sounds of a struggle were loud and clear, with Caerroth being thrashed, unleashing miserable sounds like death cries. With his one working hand, Kaji searched for loose cobblestones beneath the layer of crunching snow and dragged himself towards the sword’s call. By the time he wrapped his fingers around it, the sound of bestial combat was done. Caerroth was done.

Bloodstains did not last long on the body of the Lionvolt as is left Caerroth and began a slow march towards Kaji. They were evaporating into a red mist over the voltaic beast as it drew closer towards its next prey. “Caerroth” Kaji said, “Caerroth”, over and over, muttered in a low growl as he desperately separated himself from the prone position in the snow. Kaji found his footing and turned to face the approaching Lionvolt with his posture leaning heavily. He was able to visualize Caerroth in the distance, from over the lion’s shoulder, lying still in the blood-stained snow.

“This is what you want, right here” Kaji taunted the Lionvolt and raised Eelspine like a bright beacon in the darkness. Its light now rivaled the Lionvolt after taking a charge from it, and its shape was visible, making streaks reflecting in the Lion’s eyes. “Then have at it,” Kaji said with a roar, winding the sword backward and then swinging it downward in an arc which summoned forth an emeraldine force. The Lion charged as well, ready to finish this battle, and the resulting burst creating a blinding light which flooding the vicinity as if the sun had appeared within the Dawnbringer Plaza.

Skip to here for Abstract Version
Moments earlier
It was darkening within those crumbling halls as the structure faced its demise. The family of three was together with their minds and hearts focused on one another as survival became an impossibility. The mother and father refused to leave their child, who was pinned behind rubble. A crossing structural beam fell with thick four by boarding torn down with it. The weight of it all was proving impassable as both the father and mother struggled to pull the beam to no avail. The paces of Hirateuchi across the debris-laden floor could barely be heard among the rumble of thunder echoing against the quaking walls. It was the true spirit of heroism to charge into the fight when all odds of success were impossible— to risk one’s own life for the sake of others. Like the parents, Hira attempted to lift the beams with brute strength at first. The heaviest beam had to be somewhere into the range of a thousand stone’s weight. So, utilizing his innate abilities, Hirateuchi phased himself through the barricade. “Oh thank god, he’s a shinobi” cried one of the parents, who felt some semblance of hope as Hira took the only measure of action he could manage in that moment. Though, once he made it through the blockage, getting back out with the child proved impossible. If wisdom prevailed, he would have instructed the parents to flee. However, despite Hira forming a sphere of water to protect himself and the child from the impact, the parents continued trying to assist in the escape.

Meanwhile, as the lad had come to terms with the fact that there was only so much he could do in that situation, Sayomi made the late arrival and was delayed in her efforts. It was the desire of every true hero to aid everyone in need, and she could not deny someone in peril, right before her eyes.

Then, the resulting shockwave poured over that crumbling building where Hirateuchi and Sayomi were protecting the civilians caught up in the calamity. And once the wave hit, what was left of the building’ structure gave way, bringing tons of wood, steel, and stone down to earth. Within their prison and barrier, the two shinobi and their three rescuees were mostly protected from the demolition raining down upon them. Mostly.
Once the crashing ceased, the survivors would see nothing but darkness from beneath the piles of rubble, but above it all, it seemed as if the entire village had turned black with the exception of a single light source, which dwarfed the waning moon’s glow. Caught beneath the rubble, the two genin and their civilians were caught in peculiar poses, partly pinned with weight bearing down on them. The child beside Hirateuchi was free to move for the most part, and immediately resumed crying, but the same could not be said for the parents. Within the darkness, there was a faint sound scuffling near Sayomi, not a cry, and not the signs of two people, like there should have been.

wc1766
total wc3486

 

[Hirateuchi]

Cracking sounds made themselves known as the dust settled around the house that the two young shinobi had entered. Tremors echoed across the ground as the battle between Kaji and the Lion Volt ensued, clashing in a fight that may very well shape the lay of the land if he were not careful. Snow still littered the ground, though it now looked more akin to that of a battlefield with the plethora of wood and stone that lay shattered in the icy dust's grip. The cool breeze of the progressing night began hitting Hira's face at full force through the now collapsed beams, causing him to jolt his eyes open. His vision was clouded, more obscured by the mixture of blood and water seeping into his face rather than the cloud of debris that engulfed the area, threatening to suffocate those trapped in its midst as the roaring wind kicked up sleet and wood chips into an almost visceral mockery of a dust storm. His senses were coming back slowly, and even when they did, the rate at which he was taking to recover was alarming. Although he had significant control over the water in the area, it still required a great deal of his energy to create sphere dense enough to catch structural supports that no doubt weighed at his least ten or twenty times his own body.

Gradually his hearing began to emerge from its forced slumber, caused in part by the voracious roars of the Lion off in the distance, combined with the collapsed beams last words as they came crashing down. The first sound that pierced his still adjusting ears was the sound of crying; not that of either himself or his new comrade whom he had just barely seen run into the building herself, but of a girl younger than the shinobi. For a moment, Hira sat confused by the strange whimpering utterance but soon recalled what had just happened. The girl!

Feeling around him, Hira soon found the girl huddled beneath some debris, mostly unscathed due to his efforts but worse for wear in regards to her mental state. And why wouldn't she be? This was no event that a child should have to witness unfolding. He still was unsure if what he assumed to be her parents were still fairing well, or even if they were still alive. In his best attempt to console her, not ever having been great at that sort of affair, he placed his hand on her shoulder, one that he could now scarcely see. "Hey, we need to get out of here before anything else happens. It still isn't safe. Let's get somewhere safe and I'll come back and help everyone else, alright? I'm sure they'll want to know that you got away from the danger."

Hira wouldn't have time to react much to her response as he got to work finding a way out of the pile of rubble that they had been unceremoniously buried in. Pushing a few smaller rocks and shards of wood to the side, Hira noticed a large enough gap for the girl to squeeze through, though he himself would have to expend even further energy once again phasing through it. With some amount of encouraging and ushering, Hira managed to goad the girl into escaping their cage, and although she was hesitant, eventually the pair would manage to find themselves back in front of the structure, or at least what was left of it. Hira would soon find that the situation was even worse than he had originally expected, though. Looking over to where he had last seen the young shinobi girl, Hira only saw in her place a large pile of collapsed rubble. His heart raced at the indications of what might have happened. Having seen her abilities prior, he was almost certain that she must have made it through the fall, but even if she did she might not be well off. He looked back and forth between the area of concern and the young girl that would require help to escape immediate danger. He knew that he should stay and help her in case anything were to happen, but he also knew what kind of life a shinobi had to be prepared for. She would have to fend for herself for the time being, and he would come back as swiftly as he was capable.

Shouting out briefly to inform her of his plan, under some assumption that she was both conscious and could hear him, he assured her, "Hey! Tropic Thunder! If you're in there, try to make it out alive. I'm going to make sure this kid gets to safety, so don't you dare die on me." He was still hesitant to leave her all by herself, but they both had a job to do, and in the current moment his was to ensure the safety of the young child. Turning around and picking the girl up, Hira began to run full speed away from the sounds of conflict in the air, searching desperately for a place that could serve as at least temporary shelter. Not only was there the immediate danger of the battle, but the water he had used to save her would soon be her doom if he could not find a place for her to keep warm. Although Hira could use his chakra to move most of the water off of her, the cold wind was clearly starting to take effect on her small frail body, and if he didn't act quick, the wind's cold grasp may end up damaging her in a more permanent manner. Zipping his head around, he found a house that was still standing, and for now, it was the best bet he had. Kaji-sensei... I hope you know what you're doing over there. If this house crashes down too I don't think I'll be able to save her again..."

With that, Hira rushed up and began to start knocking on the door as fiercely as he could, screaming to get the attention of any potential residents. "Hey, there's a kid out here that really needs a blanket, a fire, anything..." He waited for a response, hoping he might find her shelter from the weather, both natural and as a result of the Lion...

[WC 1055, Total WC 3377]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

The world stood still, silent as the dead of a winter night when not even a mouse would dare to break the silence and darkness, as her electrifying shield of water and lightning which mixed together for both defensive and offensive purposes, dissipated from sight leaving everyone safe and secure, or so she hoped. Lights were gone and the deafening collapse of the roof above them had left the only sound in her ears that could be heard was the ringing, the echoes consistently leaving an enduring pain in her mind which momentarily befuddled her thoughts as she tried to search around, making out what she could through the dust and darkness that clouded the air. The cool air proved beyond doubt that the night was around them, a lasting tribute to the devastation caused by the mere passing of the mighty beast that they had summoned. She had summoned. It was her that called the beast there and her that was responsible for their suffering. Sayomi had assumed herself ready for such a responsibility. Stopping a summoned beast from causing havoc, but the tales of the infamous Lion Volt paled to what she had been confronted with that night.

Beams and debris all over were scattered, discovered from stumbling into and over one of them, able to catch herself quickly enough, though only just as she let out a startled, short-lived yelp though it was deaf to her own ears. The jutsu which she had been using was quite advanced for such a novice as herself and she was feeling the fatigue setting in hard, numbing her normally quick reflexes and sapping the youth of stamina and strength. It was up to Kaji, the mysterious jonin foreigner, to undo this mess that she caused. It was a great strain as the brunette struggled to see around her as the darkness only prevailed, even greater was a desperate attempt to quickly bypass the obnoxious ringing that persisted, desperate to hear some kind of confirmation and noise from the two people she protected. She had to have protected them.

Gradually, hearing began to be restored to the youth, yet all that could be discerned was nothing. Silence. Worry began to rapidly turn the teen's mind to a fear. Not only did she not hear the two people who were supposed to be under her care, but the boy and the small girl were no where near her, or so she assumed. Panic nearly consumed the young Storm Caller, driving her mad and turning what little good sense into that of a common civilian who runs in fear of anything and worries only of themselves. It might have, but a voice called to her and snapped her back to remember the duty she had sworn to the Village Hidden in the Clouds as a shinobi. It was the boy who utilized water jutsu earlier to help the young girl not moments ago. Chewing on her lower lip in an attempt to help subdue the anxious tension welling up, she sought to capture all his words, though two confused her to the extent which tension subsided as she attempted to process it. Was she Tropic Thunder?

The puzzlement only offered a brief reprieve from her duty as she snapped her mind back in gear when he told her of his intentions to save the little girl, which caused a sigh of relief to pass her lips, happy that her safety was now assured. However, the two others now needed to be located. She stumbled around slowly, trying to not stub her toes on anything, but only got a knock to the head from one of the broken beam banisters for her trouble. There was so much in the area, so much carnage, but they were safe. It was a powerful shield attack to begin with and her Santaru blood, of which she had awaken her bloodline powers, would only enhance its strength.

The blow to her skull did wonders to bring back the pain and ringing that plagued her thoughts, but it was possible to think clear enough in order to understand that walking was not in her best interest at this time, so she got to her knees and felt around, calling out to someone, anyone, hoping to hear a response. "H-Hello? Anyone? Please...say something! If you're here, let me k-know so I can get...get you out!" she queried with a cough as nearby rubble had fallen and kicked up some dust forcing her to attempt to cover her mouth with her arm to little avail. Seconds more, however, and she found her answer. A warm hand on the floor which gave her a moment of hope with a brief smile that faded almost instantaneously for there was liquid on the hand. A storm caller, the young Santaru could water in an instance, the consistency was not the same as it clung to her hand with such desperation and she knew what it was. The panic that had once cleared filled her with dread yet again.

As if a veil was lifted, everything seemed more clear, as her hands ran up the beams and rubble that pinned them down. She gripped it and tried her best in a desperate struggle to try and save them as tears poured down from her face, cascading like a river off her cheeks as it did not budge even the slightest inch, not even move just to jostle. Nothing would save them now, but blurred sparks in the distance did give an idea. A powerful jutsu of lightning as the golden color flashed in her mind, but it was especially draining. It didn't matter. Clasping her hands together, the kunoichi made several attempts to form hand signs correctly, realizing her mistakes a few times and restarting from the beginning before finally clasping them together with what sounded like resounding thunder. It was tricky, very tricky, but she had to blast them free, but without hitting them.

Lighting Style: Zeus Flash Jutsu!" Her hand began to glow golden as her eyes lit up with a neon glow, both sparking and making noises akin to that of a flock of birds chirping as she formed the wild electrical jutsu into that of a small rod and spear. It was a powerful technique, more powerful than the shield she had produced but it should work, even as her own strength seemed to be sapped from its mere presence. The teen gritted her teeth giving it a few more seconds, backing away slowly before launching it out from a lower angle and upwards, blowing a substantial amount of debris far away from where the two laid, reducing it to ash and bits and into the lightning flew into the air, thankfully no longer causing any damage exception the intended before exploding in a small burst high up in the sky, almost like a signal or a weak firework as it had mixed and carried several bits of the blown debris with it and dust rained down on the area.

Immediately her knees gave way and the teen fell to them, a wave of helplessness washed over her as she found the person's arm once again and shock it lightly, putting another hand on their back, trying to initiate some sort of reaction from them. "H-Hello? Hello? Are...can...you speak? Y-you're alive...right? You have to be...please...please be alive...please say something...." she pleaded, the glow of her eyes still prominent, though slightly dimming as the sparks dying down and yet, the pleas sounded muffled from the tears the streamed down her cheeks almost leaving a red trail in their wake upon her pale skin. All that had been happening, the girl had been too preoccupied to notice anything nearby, nothing that was of immediate importance for all her attention had been focused on the attempt to save the two she had hoped to protect.


wc: 1324
twc: 4146

 

[Okada Kaji]

And in the darkness which fell over the mountain borough, the light of the golden beast was like a beacon in the center of the Dawnbringer’s Plaza. The Lion Volt was ever victorious and standing proud, albeit tested by the efforts of Kaji Okada and Caerroth. Both the man and winged beast laid motionless as the Lion Volt surveyed the results of its battle. In an effort to maintain its dominance over the plaza, this dirge of thunder had been tricked by Kaji into creating an electromagnetic pulse so massive that it shut down power village-wide. Now the Lion Volt was zestless and standing idle, uninspired by its surroundings and on the verge of returning to the sky in defeat. Bored of this land, the voltaic feline began to ascend upwards…

But then a pulse of energy, delicious energy began to call out to it like a long-lost companion calling it home. The living energy in feline form stopped its ascent and hovered, watching a flicker of light grow stronger and stronger from beneath a pile of rubble. With Hirateuchi already managing to slip through the top of the rubble with the child in tow, Sayomi remained underneath it all, still encased with the two parents of the child beneath beams and broken planks. Onlooking, there was no mercy in the red eyes of the lightning beast, only a curiosity which demanded to be sated. Amidst Satomi's struggle to break free from the struggle, the Lion Volt came closer, hovering downwards until it stood atop the rubble she was pinned beneath. It was as if the lion was weightless, even though it could clash with the mortals who faced its rage before. The lion’s light would have been misleading to the girl and her fellow victims, possibly even holy as the creature peered into the darkness from above. Compared to the darkness of the covered pit, Sayomi would only see a blinding light beyond the crevice top.

With its bestial form too large to fit through the crevice, and its state too curious to destroy its way downward, the Lion Volt made a miraculous transformation and returned into pure energy. Down it went as one mighty flash of light, most-likely on a course to devour what it would find, though something astounding an unexpected came to pass instead. When Kaji initially chose the task of hunting the Lion Volt he chose Sayomi, not for her training but for her innate abilities as a member of the Santaru bloodline. Of the many known shinobi bloodlines and abilities, the Santaru of the hidden cloud were exceptional at storm element manipulation. However, when Kaji brought along Sayomi, the following was not what he had in mind. Most human beings are not natural conductors for electricity, however, Sayomi made for a unique exception, and the seemingly limitless energies of the Lion Volt raced towards what they saw as a meal, but was, in fact, a cage. The light of the lion vanished entirely as darkness resumed under an overcast night and flurries of snowfall. The Lion Volt had vanished, but what had become of Sayomi and the remaining victims of the collapsed building.

With Kaji laying still with snow slowly collecting over him and Caerroth smoldering, facing a similar demise, only Hirateuchi was a possible witness as the moment transpired. However, with him fleeing to nearby safety with a child in his arms, did he manage to see the burst of light as it flashed out of existence? At this stage in the events, power was quickly restoring around the village and more shinobi were inbound, coming to aid the survivors of the clash, and see to those who were not so lucky.

wc625
total wc4111

 

[Hirateuchi]

Hira's frantic knocking had finally received an answer, one small but welcome relief nestled in a night of pure mayhem and terror. A middle-aged man, dressed poorly and cowering, opened the door, nerves clearly plastered on his face although they eased slightly at the sight of the young Cloud shinobi. Ushering the pair in, he called out a woman's name, asking for a set of towels and some warm tea as a small token of hospitality. "I'm sorry we can't offer much, but please save your strength in case the beast comes back this way." He spoke as any frightened person might, more concerned with the safety of himself and his family before those in more immediate danger, but that was to be expected given the circumstances.

"Sorry, but I can't stay. I appreciate the thought, but I have some comrades to check on and other innocent people to protect. For now, you will be safe, but don't drop your guard. If you hear the battle drawing closer you must flee before it's too late. Please make sure this girl stays safe until I can figure out where her parents are."

Hira said the last part with a bit of hesitation. Had the lightning child managed to save them or was it all for naught? He wanted to think positively but worst case scenarios kept running themselves through his mind like the visage of a nightmare set on repeat, doomed never to end until the very fabrics of his mind tore themselves apart in desperation. He shuddered slightly before leaning over to the child and speaking to her in a gentle voice.

"I'm going back for your parents, ok? I need you to stay here so I know here so I know where to send them. Please try to behave yourself and don't leave the building for now."

He patted her head, forcing himself to put on a large smile to help calm her nerves. The child looked down with trepidation but nodded gently. Soon enough she built up the courage to enter the house, getting out of both the snow and direct line of fire. Hira turned around in time to see both a miraculous shining flash that filled the sky for a brief moment with a glow like a sunrise and the rush of other shinobi to the scene of destruction with rescue equipment.

Hira began to hurry back over to where he saw the flash of light, meeting up with a few shinobi along the way and giving them any details he remembered about what had happened. Everything was still fuzzy and he was full of adrenaline, so he was having trouble speaking coherently. Suddenly, a realization struck him like a hammer to an anvil, hard and unforgiving.

Wait a second... that flash came right from where that girl was!

There was a chance of course that she was the one that caused it; after all, he had seen only a glimpse of her power earlier, and who was to say she didn't have more stowed away. Still, Hira had a moment of panic as he wondered if the Lion Volt had gotten to her... which could only mean... did Kaji fail in stopping the creature? And it found his other comrade as well? How was he supposed to go up against a beast that got through one of his teachers? His water jutsu stood no chance. Still, he wasn't one to quit. Calling out to a few fellow shinobi, he explained that there was a young ninja trapped nearby and that she may be in danger. As the small group made their way to where Sayomi was, Hira tried his best to explain the very few details he could make out about the creature during his short time in the area.

As they closed in on the area, Hira began to shout out impatiently, curious as to why he didn't see any trace of the rampaging monster that had been so apathetic towards hiding its presence earlier.

"Hey, Sparks, you out there? Come on, give me something!"

Not waiting for the others, Hira jumped straight towards the house the two had been trapped in earlier, now a wreck that symbolized the very nature of the beast. He began to look around, picking up small pieces of wood in an attempt to find some semblance of life hidden underneath, and soon he was rewarded with the sight of a small hand. It wasn't much, but he continued to dig, encouraged now more than ever to try his hand at protecting the people of his village. With a swift motion, Hira used the moisture of the surrounding snow to create a forceful wave, pushing some of the heavier beam fragments just enough to make a narrow pathway into the ruins.

Not taking notice of anything else inside of the collapsed area, Hira rushed straight to the side of Sayomi in an attempt to see if she was alright.

[WC 830; Total WC 4207]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

The two weren't moving after all the effort she had exerted, but perhaps she was too preoccupied to notice subtle notions of life that still dwelled within the couple. It was true, she had exhausted the vast majority of her strength in trying to overcome these obstacles that had been set before her and things, despite the deafening silence that permeated every nook and cranny of Kumogakure, were not going to get better. A roar pierced the skies and the light that electrified the distance started growing brighter as the creature once more came towards her. It was only seconds, it seemed, as she trembled once more beholding the creature's massive energy through what little room she had to see it. It couldn't reach them. It couldn't reach her.

Or so she thought.

Of course, the mediocre protection could easily be tossed aside from the infinite power the beast possessed, but instead, it did something different. It did not take long before it surged through the opening and attempted to devour the girl and the electrical currents that her bloodline possessed, only for something odd to happen. The young teenager began to glow bright, like a massive of barely controlled electricity surging out of control, forcing a scream from her lips as the pain began to overwhelm the already weakened teenager. Anyone who heard the scream would undoubtedly recoil in horror as the pitch could nearly shatter glass as true torment overcame her. And soon, it was over, just as quickly as it had began. The electrical glow subsided and her voice faded to the wind as her consciousness had long since been pushed aside, the screams just sheer instinct.

She was alive, but being conscious seemed unlikely and whatever would happen in the future would not be her concern. She did not see the water adept return nor any other ninja who went looking for survivors. What ended the battle was a mystery. To everyone, including herself.

[WC: 328]
[TWC: 4474]

 

[Okada Kaji]

And so, it seemed that the tale of the Lion of Light which struck the Dawnbringer Plaza had come to a close, or so the story goes. Though, in truth, this was merely just the beginning of more legends to be told. The power was gradually returning to the area now, and with the Lion gone, allies and villagers with specks of courage began to flood the streets. It’s almost startling to discover just how quickly the battle with the Lion Volt had transpired; even concluding before reinforcements could step onto the scene.

On came the powerful builders with the prowess needed to remove rubble with ease— lives being saved since the danger was eliminated. Medics were quickly surrounding the men, women, and children lying prone and faint of heart. Two rushed to attend Kaji and his creature partner Caerroth, who were both suffered extensive blood loss from the burns they received fighting the Lion. The snow was rich with a red color around them both, like sanguine snow cones on a hot summer day, but not nearly as sweet. The healers couldn’t have had more critical timing. Between the two healers came one male, visibly senior to his kohai, whom was female and forked off from her senpai towards Kaji. Treating the human anatomy was simply basic training for all medical ninja, so taking the task of treating the fallen man was a job for the lesser of the two medics.

Kaji awoken in a daze from the sudden pain of the medic forcibly turning him over. She had to put him in a position to deal with his torso, which was his most grievous wound. An orb of vividly green chakra began to pulsate between her hands and she focused her attention on that shredded torso wound. As the fibers of flesh began to heal anew, Kaji’s eyes opened to a perilous gaze. “How are the students?” He spoke fragmented words in a long phrase, mustering his energy to wonder about the younglings he so erroneously brought into the fray. Kaji tried to register the face of the person tending his wounds; some feminine form with a jade glow from the chakra she was using to heal him— angelic and foreign by his estimation. However, a look of trepidation on the visage of his healer made Kaji a bit more nervous. The healing process stung just a bit more whenever she looked him in the eyes.

“My name is Hotaru Akamine” cried the medic anxiously, “certified field medic… And, I am healing your wounds! Eep!” She was clearly reciting some scripted introduction, or so it sounded; a failing effort to sound composed. Errantly, she raised a hand to push the glasses up on her nose and blood prints appeared where she touched. “Please… my students. Caerroth, my friend” lamented Kaji. He took little comfort in Hotaru’s efforts.

“Everything is going to be okay” answered the squirmy medic. “We have crew attending to the girl in the rubble, and there’s a boy on site who seems fine. ‘My senpai is aiding your creature right—now…” Hotaru was cut short by the sound of panicking from her senpai figure, who had to back away from Caerroth once the proud Leatherwing awoke. The axe-beaked dinosaur nearly bit the healer’s hands off and had the man crawling through the snow to get away. “I’ve had enough of you long pigs” groaned the ferocious Leatherwing. “Kaji, I’m going home.” Caerroth began a shambling effort to rise, but his wounds were all too impairing. He let out a bestial roar loud enough to strike terror in the other bystanders.
“Argh, he needs my help” Kaji decided with gritting teeth and his blooding gloved hand reaching weakly for Hotaru’s sleeve. “Take me to him— he’ll let you heal him then!”
The young medic wasn’t so convinced that Kaji would be of any use at all, however, Kaji was so adamant that refusing to let him might cause him further harm. “Please remain still, you’re going to rip open the sutures before I finish sealing you shut.”
“Help me reach him… then you can heal me” Kaji demanded as he practically forced himself onto Hotaru for support. “I’m sorry… please. He’ll bleed out before he’ll ever make it home.” With the Medic’s aid, Kaji was able to find the strength to stand and stumble forth to Caerroth, who was abnormally aggravated to the point of growling threatening at Kaji— this was Caerroth’s last warning to leave him be.

“Stop fighting us” Kaji demanded as he was delivered to the periled Leatherwing. The resolve of both the man and beast seemed incredible to the young healer wedged between their conflict; Hotaru was confounded by the strength building between Kaji and the grounded Leatherwing. It was if they were both gaining power as Kaji moved closer, even though they were completely at odds with each other. “Enough obstinence Caerroth; as your guardian I command you—”
“You dare?” interrupted Caerroth, who suddenly found the strength to flex his wings and lift skywards high enough to pounce over Kaji. All of his weight came barreling down and his teeth nearly snapped down onto his supposed guardian, full of rage. “I tolerate you on behalf of my clan, but you shall not get away with making demands! Insolence! I have had my fill of you, Kaji Okada.”
“Miss Akemine… give just a moment to calm my friend here” Kaji dared to say as he held back Caerroth’s rows of fangs with his bare hands, resembling a man inside of a vice grip.

“Just a moment ago, they were both on the verge of death… look at all that blood they’ve lost. How is this even possible?” Utterly confused, Hotaru cleared herself of the sudden wrestling match, in awe of the sight she was witnessing. “I can feel their chakra— where is all this power coming from?”

“I’ll kill you” promised Caerroth in words hardly managed with his snout held open. “I will curse your remains, and eat the blue woman… Yes, I've heard of her too, Kaji!” He knew he was crossing the line but didn’t care, as Caerroth was never the type for sentimentality— he was as cold-blooded as they come.

“You’re letting your rage control you” answered Kaji before bending back to release and escape from Caerroth’s clutches. The beast wanted blood; with his rage came vigor and power galore. It was nature embracing them both: chakra they were absorbing innately using the power of the Hidden Oasis pact. “No you fool— I AM RAGE.” Caerroth then brought forth his wings and summoned a gail meant to ground Kaji, blow after blows. The snow beneath him splashed across the cobblestone to reveal otherwise invisible attacks, yet Kaji narrowly evaded each cutting wind. Then the dragon-like beast gave a blood-curdling roar.

“Don’t make me take you to task, Caerroth” bade Kaji, who reached backward so confidently. At first, it seemed as if he was grasping for thin air, but then, out form the snow flew the silvery Eelspine. The blade was flying and blessed with that vivid emeraldine light as it spun just perfectly and landed in Kaji’s grasp. He brought the blade front and center in a perfected arc and slapped the flat of Eelspine to stop in place— yet as he took this action the chakra swelling within him and in his blade culminated and collided, creating an impact resonating from that point. So full of rage from his pain, all of the innate hatred that drove Caerroth to thrive now had him rushing at Kaen blindly, only to be forced back by the strength of his master. It was like a bird hitting a windshield, and only the sheer toughness of Caerroth kept him whole as he was pushed back and grounded again by the force. “Let them… heal you” Kaji said a last time, now stumbling again after sacrificing the energy he gathered. “Now, go to him” Kaji pleaded as he too dropped to his knees. “He’ll be compliant for a while… his pride was just wounded by the lion volt— much like mine.”

- wc1368
- total wc5479
- Mission Complete.
- To be continued.
- Topic Left.

 

[Hirateuchi]

Hira began to tear away at the rubble that surrounded the young storm-summoning girl, only being careful enough not to collapse the dense debris further. The process was arduous, and as he went on the realization swept over him that he was too exhausted to finish the task all by himself. Although it felt like he had hardly made an impact on the horrific events that transpired, his body screamed otherwise as it made Hira painfully aware of how weak he still was. Not only his strength but his also endurance were both at their limits. He silently cursed himself for not having been stronger. Hira shouted out for help from the surrounding shinobi that has begun to flock to the area of destruction, hoping to get some help in retrieving her and the people she was trying to protect.

"Hey Sparks, we're here! I need some help over here guys. There are a few citizens and a shinobi that are trapped under this rubble and I can't move it all by myself."

Some of the nearby shinobi came over, assisting in the damage control. Many of them were clearly more experienced than Hira was, and it was certainly helpful, he thought, as he watched with how much more ease they were able to move the broken support beams and rocks. It was just a shame that none of them had been able to arrive sooner before things had gotten this out of hand. One of them in particular, presumably and earth style user, was able to shift almost all of the obstacles in one fell swoop, allowing for quick and safe access to the endangered ones beneath. Hira saw Sayomi lying on the ground, either too damaged by the collapse to move, or caught in whatever that burst of light was. Gently picking her up, he moved over to a more open patch of land, giving him room to scour the surrounding area for a medical ninja to give him a hand, but it would seem that most of them were caught up healing those that were losing more blood than her or did not have the title of shinobi behind their name.

Tsk, at this rate there aren't gonna be enough medical shinobi to get to everyone... Don't they realize that she's in danger? I'm still not comfortable enough using my water like this but I guess it's better than sitting here waiting for her to get worse. Here goes nothing.

Laying her gently on the floor, Hira took a deep breath before gathering a small trace of chakra in the palm of his hands. He wasn't about to assume that he could completely stabilize her, but perhaps if he was able to heal the most immediate of her injuries he could at least stall long enough for somebody more experienced to arrive on the scene. A small twisting orb of water rose from Hira's hand, and he lowered it gently down to Sayomi, resting upon her forehead as he concentrated to try and circulate his chakra through the water to ease what he only assumed to be a concussion from the blunt force of the heavy structure crumbling directly onto her head. For a moment, it seemed that the treatment would work, perhaps even do the job entirely as the water danced across her head taking care to seal the few scrapes and cuts that lay scattered, but after only a few seconds a shock found its way through the conductive liquid and into Hira's hand. It was strong enough to shoot him back a small ways, and leave his hand smoking ever so slightly.

"What the hell was that? Did you just shock me? Look if this is some kind of joke it's not funny."

Hira had trouble grasping what had just happened, but whatever it was couldn't have been on purpose, could it? I mean, she seemed unconscious, or nearly there at the very least. Definitely not strong enough to offer up that strong of a reflexive attack. Exactly what happened when that flash of burst found its way into the sky, he thought curiously. Did it have something to do with where the Volt Lion had gone? The beast as it was had managed to simply escape, leaving no trace as to where, or how, it flew off to. How could a beast that large, that destructive, get away without a trace? Worried he was overthinking things, Hira drew his attention back towards Sayomi.

"Hey, Sayomi, can you hear me? Are you alright? We need tog et you up so that you can get treatment somewhere safer than here. I wasn't able to do anything... well as soon as I tried I got shot back and shocked. Don't suppose you want to tell me about that one?"

He still wasn't sure if she could here him or not, but at the very least it was nice to vent his frustration to his comrade.

[WC 829; Total WC 5036]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

The power coursed through her uncontrollably. It was power, sheer and unhindered that now was trapped within the young girl and it was a bit too much for the young Santaru to bear, even though it was her own body that kept the beast from escaping and continuing its destruction of the village as it were. The creature found this unamusing and it raged despite itself, trying to break free but the electrical current that flowed within the blood of the Santaru child kept it at bay, much to its hatred. The Lion Volt was much more than a mere lightning beast, after all. It was something beyond a mortal and it was incredibly insulting that it found itself now bound to such a being, particularly one so weak as she was. The only thing that kept it somewhat placid was that the creature now found itself in its whole state instead of just a vague collection of lightning in the shape of a Lion as it were. Humans might call it the Lion Volt, but it was so much more.

It was Divine.

As such, being forced from the godly plane to the mortal realm was a blow to the beast's ego, foolish creatures that dared believed they could summon the will of the gods to their beckon call. The very thought made the great creature's fur bristle at the insolence. It growled and sneered as it came to the conclusion that will and power alone could not break its bonds and instead patience would be required, for now. It watched from inside-out to keep its eye on things. A part of the Raiju would be content to let the mortal girl die, divine punishment for attempting to keep him prisoner, but even the Lion Volt (how it loathed that accursed name) understood that she was not to blame and it scoured the mediocre history of the girl's mind to learn of it's captive, disgusted that such a creature could hold it in place. Yet, the mere fact that it could was different. Santaru were well known to the gods of Kumo, particularly the chief god of Thunder and Lightning, Raiden, but the fact that a Raiju, a chief animal companion could be contained by a bloodline was unheard of until this moment.

She was simply a genin. Family lineage was far from noteworthy and she had only been average her entire life. The great beast pondered it's predicament and refused to rouse Sayomi from her slumber, but that did not prevent the beast's incredible power to surge when in contact as the boy that was recognized from earlier soon found out.

However, Sayomi did stir just slightly, as if the jolt that struck Hira knocked a bit of sense back into her as a light flickered momentarily and her clouded, brown eyes opened, flickering just slightly as she saw a shape and tried to picture it clearly, attempting to move and weakly doing so before failing miserably. "H-Hello? Who..." she said, trying to lift her arm, sparks noticeable from her skin before it collapsed against the floor once more. Silence consumed her as what seemed like an eternity came forward and suddenly, med-nin came to the wreckage where the group was and began to do their job, prepared with whatever was necessary to get the victims of this vicious attack to safety and to heal them properly. If that were possible. To save their lives.

The Lion Volt. The Raiju, however, had one main goal above all else, even it's own freedom. To find those whom had summoned it and to exact vengeance for this humiliation.

[WC: 609]
[TWC: 5083]

-Mission Complete
-Topic Exited