Ninpocho Chronicles is a fantasy-ish setting storyline, set in an alternate universe World of Ninjas, where the Naruto and Boruto series take place. This means that none of the canon characters exists, or existed here.
Each ninja starts from the bottom and start their training as an Academy Student. From there they develop abilities akin to that of demigods as they grow in age and experience.
Along the way they gain new friends (or enemies), take on jobs and complete contracts and missions for their respective villages where their training and skill will be tested to their limits.
The sky is the limit as the blank page you see before you can be filled with countless of adventures with your character in the game.
Hurry hurryhurry! The words shot through Shashu's mind like lightning as she drove her Earth chakra into the stone and mortar of the Basilica, her will finding every crack and fault the passing of time had left upon it's construction. Her plan was working, yes, but it was so slow.By the Fayth why did they have to make this thing so well? Ain't nobody got time for that!
As the keystones that supported the ceiling started to crumble a song rang out through the chaos, causing Shashu to divert her attention to survey the battle below. She immediately wished she hadn't. The situation looked grim; reinforcements had arrived, but a midst the clashing blades and swirling chakra it was clear that the Kumo-nin were taking a beating. Perhaps if they had gone into the fight at full strength they would have had a chance, but as it stood things did not look well. She witnessed the Raikage nearly torn asunder as he was thrown across the room by the Kingslayer wearing the Camarlengo's face, and her heart froze in her chest as Ayumu too was tossed aside, his ravaged body blacked and twisted by the ravenous Fire jutsu that tore at his flesh.
No...Ayumu-sama...Shukun...why... There was nothing she could do, she knew that. She needed to finish pulling down the ceiling, it was so close, all she had to do was pull the threads, but...what was the point? She could only watch in silence, her small body slumped against the wall in shock. Shin was dead. Kitsune was dead. Masao was probably dead too. Most importantly he was dead. After that party, he was the only one who had been kind to her, the only one who had wanted to find out what really happened instead of just laying the blame on her. And after, when her name had been tentatively cleared, he was the only one who didn't look at her with suspicion in his eyes...he had even let her join the ANBU after that. She had been elated, of course. It was where she wanted to be, where her skills would do the most good, but...mostly she had joined just to be near him. Then later, in those caverns with the contract beasts fighting tooth and nail for that evil power, he had seen her at her worst. He had seen her blood awaken and her instincts take control, and afterward passed it off with a wink and a lighthearted joke, as if it was nothing special. Even after seeing the sort of monster she might become he hadn't changed how he looked at her, or how he spoke to her. Why Shukun? When you were so kind...why...?
Tears streaked down her face, blurring her vision, but Shashu didn't try to wipe them away. She didn't try to move at all. She knew she needed to do something, anything but...she just couldn't. Why bother? Everyone's dead anyway....
But as she sat there lost in grief, a different verse surged forth from Tama's lips, jerking Shashu's heart back from the abyss. The words echoed in her soul, staving off the darkness, and as the lilting strains flowed through her mind a radiant light also suffused the chamber, it's soft caress wiping away her tears as it fell upon her face. Kitsune...sama? Shashu thought, and Kitsune spoke, strong and firm, her words ringing out as her body spun in dance-like steps. The false Masao lunged toward her, but even as his blade pierced her throat she continued, and as she finished the chant light pulsed forth to bathe the chamber once more.
Shashu braced herself as the light rushed forth, but instead of the shock she was expecting she was suddenly pulled into a soft and warm embrace. Don't worry Shashu-chan, it's going to be alright... whispered Kitsune's voice in her ear, and as swiftly as it had come the presence vanished, leaving nothing behind but a comforting feeling in her chest as the woman's real body slumped to the floor.
At that exact moment Ayumu stood back up, drawing a gasp from Shashu and eliciting a fresh flow of tears, of joy this time, to fall down her face. Thank you, Kitsune-sama...thank you... she thought.
"Shukun!" She yelled, leaning forward, and the movement caused the strands of web that were attached to the ceiling to pull at her fingers, reminding her that she still had a job to do.
That's right you bastards! I'll make you pay for hurting my Shukun! Shashu thought, and with a small grunt of effort on the last word she pulled on the threads with all the strength her six arms could muster. Without the keystones to support them, Shashu easily tore the supports out from under the ceiling and brought the whole thing down upon the Kingslayer's heads, squashing the false Masao flat and pinning the false Camarlengo underneath it's weight.
Smiling, Shashu jumped down from her perch only to be intercepted by a giant mass of iron that drove the air from her lunges and propelled her into a stack of pews. "I think I...missed one..." She wheezed, coughing up blood. But no sooner had the words passed her lips than the remaining Kingslayer dashed across the room to follow up the onslaught, 'her' face contorted with rage. Spittle flecked across the girl's face as the impostor screamed at her in words Shashu was too dazed to understand, followed by another punishing blow to her abdomen that hit with enough force to curl her entire body around the weapon and caused her to vomit up even more blood. So, this is this it then? she thought distantly. Her body felt as it it were leagues away, the pain she must have been in merely an afterthought. It seems quieter than I thought it would be... Shashu could see darkness creeping across her vision as the one wearing Rin's face pounded her relentlessly, and just before her eyes shut completely she saw Hikari rear up behind the false Rin with a roar that sounded as if she were underwater. Hehe...there we go... she thought with a macabre smile, and everything went blissfully black.
* * *
A few moments (minutes? hours? days?) later, the twin sensations of pain and movement roused her to a state of extremely disoriented semi-consciousness. Am I dead? she thought. Her entire body screamed at her in response. Oh...Well that's good then...
"You did good, kid," came a reassuringly familiar voice from right above her.
"Shukun! You're...you're alright?" she whispered in a hoarse voice as tears ran down her face. "I'm glad...I'm so glad..." Her body hurt all over, but even so she forced herself to cling even closer to him, her hands twisting into his coat.
"I thought I lost you..." she mumbled, too quiet for anyone to hear, her breath barely even passing her lips as she buried her face in his chest.
Don't worry Shashu-chan, everything is going to be alright... Kitsune's words echoed in her mind.
Ok, Kitsune-sama... she replied as she drifted off to sleep, cradled in gentle arms.
[OoC: Apologies for posting again, but I realized there were things I wanted Ayumu to say yet. If anybody has an issue with it, I can remove it.]
Shashu stirred in his arms, and Ayumu looked down to see that she had awakened, if only temporarily. Tears leaked from her eyes as she seemed surprised and overjoyed to find him alive. While she had surely seen Kitsune bring him back, it must have seemed impossible and difficult to believe. She gripped tightly onto his jacket, clinging to him as if he might disappear if she let go. She didn't make it easy to tell normally, but it seemed she did care about her Sennin after all.
"Naturally... as if I could be killed so easily," Ayumu said, smirking the way he always did. She seemed about to pass out once again, however. "Don't pass out just yet. Take these," he continued, lowering her to the ground so he could reach into his belt pouch. He drew three pills and then a small can. He would help her take them if necessary, if she was too weak to do so herself. "They should start working pretty quickly. They're meant to be used in the heat of battle," he said. He was no Med-nin, so this was the best he could do.
Truth be told, however, that was certainly the closest he had ever come to dying. There could be no doubt that one person was responsible for them pulling through. "I admit... without Shinrya-san, we would have be done for," Ayumu said, shaking his head and casting a glance in her direction once more. Hikari had been busy explaining what had happened in Masao's absence. By now he knew what had happened to Kitsune. Ayumu would be surprised if he hadn't already gone to her side. Still, Ayumu had other things on his mind. 'Enishi...' he thought, as an idea occurred to him.
"Did Enishi leave anything behind? A tear of his clothing? Actually, blood might work too. I might be able to track him with my Chakra Sense ability. It's a long shot, but..." he suggested, looking around to see if there was anything they could use. There was blood everywhere, it would also be a challenge to figure out which was his.
[OoC: It's up to you whether you want Ayumu to be able to utilize his tracking jutsu here Masao. If we're still looking for Enishi it might help, but if you want the mission ended here or going in another direction I'm fine with not being able to track him.]
In the darkness of his mind, Jo stood before the giant wolf. The caverns of his subconscious could barely contain the beast that appeared a giant before the miniscule young man. Blazing crimson eyes bored into his soul as the demon, seemingly made of the absence of light rather than a physical presence, stared him down.
”Give in to the primal… tap into the power that has always been yours… Do it for your teammates… do it for your mate… but, most importantly, do it for yourself!”
“Kill ‘em all, my love!” Saeko’s voice echoed in the cavern of his subconscious. Jo knew she wasn’t there, but her voice spurred him on, none-the-less.
”And don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards,” Enjeru’s voice chimed in as well.
Perhaps it was the shell-shock, maybe it could’ve been the exhaustion. Though, honestly, Jo wanted to give in, to feel the power that was his and use it to protect his friends and destroy his enemies.
Fire! He was on fire! Every nerve in Jo’s body burned in the iridescent radiating energy that was pulsating from somewhere deep within him. A dark aura surrounded him like a black mist, and everything he saw was tinted red. He could feel everything, but it wasn’t his will that made him gaze at his hands in wonderment; it wasn’t his glee that made him draw lips in a taught smile over canines that had grown without him realizing; and it wasn’t his voice that tore through his throat in a howl so vicious and fierce that dogs all over the city joined the knell.
”AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!!! By-Tor howled through Jo’s throat, their two voices seeming to escape his mouth in unison. It was more powerful than any adrenaline rush Jo had ever felt; his heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest, and he couldn’t suck air into his lungs fast enough. Every muscle in his body was trying to burst from his skin with the absurd power that was now filling him to bursting.
During that moment, Jo and By-Tor almost forgot there was a battle going on as the beast admired his new host. ”Hahahahaha! You do take good care of this body, don’t you?! It could use a little work, but it will do for now… Let’s take it for a test run, shall we?”</B><i></i> The burning that had been radiating throughout Jo’s body now concentrated in his throat as By-Tor randomly shot a beam of irradiated energy.
’What the hell are you doing?! Fight them!’ Jo screamed; or, at least, he had tried to scream. All he heard instead was an echo in the back of his mind.
’Oh, don’t you worry, we’ll get there eventually,’ The demon reassured the Genin from within his mind. Perhaps demonic pups would’ve been soothed by the Hell Hounds crooning, but Jo felt only dread. ’Patience… The wolf waits for the right opportunity before taking its prey. Observe…’
Jo saw everything unfold with a cinematic view. The Raikage and ANBU Sennin fell, the Medical Chief sacrificed herself to bring them back, and the six armed spider-girl he’d met in the middle of a snowstorm back in Kumo tore down the ceiling of the basilica. As the masterful painting that stretched across the dome of the cathedral fell on the Kinglsayers, By-tor burst out into maniacal laughter.
<B>”AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Talk about God Smack!” While By-Tor laughed, Shashu was crushed by a giant toilet, her body flopping to the ground like a rag doll.
’Stop dicking around and kill Rin!’
’PATIENCE! Besides, that's just Enishi in disguise.’ By-tor barked, his voice echoing through Jo’s mind. Just as Hikari screamed her oath to the Blood God (’Huh, puny God. He’s not half as ferocious as Cerberus; and that three headed wuss is my welp.’ The demonic wolf growled.
’Wait, I thought Typhon…?’
’Huh, that’s what he thinks. That Echidna really knows how to please…’ “Rin”, now destabilized by being struck by the effigy of one god and the representative of another, became an easy target for By-Tor to blast with another beam of radiation. Jo wasn’t impressed.
’Really? Knight of darkness, centurion of evil, devil's prince? You wait until the enemy is almost dead before attacking?’
’Well, what did you expect me to do? I’m pretty limited by this body of yours. You get stronger, I’ll be able channel more energy through you. Until then, pack tactics will keep you alive.’
A clang echoed across the gutted cathedral, catching the pair’s attention. Looming over “Rin” was the glowering figure of Takaki Masao in the flesh. His right arm was bound in a sling, and his right eye was a bloody crater stuffed with rags, but the look on his face was nothing short of pure vengeance. Supporting him was the unmistakable figure of Deta.
“I told you, you stupid son of a bitch… Cloud’s gonna cut you down,” snarled Masao as he stomped his boot on “Rin’s” face and aimed the point of the Lance in his left hand at “her” throat. He slammed the point home, and was rewarded by the crunching of cartilage and the splash of blood…
Only to watch as a clone dissipated under his boot. Masao sighed, spitting a gob of bloody mucus to the side.
“Always some asspull, isn’t it?” he grumbled, gesturing at Jo and Hikari. “You two, snap out of whatever hormone-induced rage you’re in and give me a sitrep.”
”Fufufufufufu… You only wish this was hormone induced. I’ll let you have the Boy back. I’m done with him anyway… for now.” The red mist faded from Jo’s eyes; his heart rate dropped, and his breathing became more ragged and labored than deep and heaving. Every inch of his body ached, and a bone-deep weariness settled over the already exhausted shinobi. The dark aura of charka that had been surrounding him seemed to blow away in a non-existent breeze. Jo doubled over and rested his hands on his knees, panting as he tried to regain his breath. All of his wounds from the battle at the necropolis had reopened somehow, and now all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and pass out.
”Sir; the device is at the necropolis on the edge of town. It’s inside Saint Himura’s effigy. They’re planning on bringing it to the basilica for the festival and detonating it. Kazuhiko and Kaguya are there fighting Haikuno, Senada Marie and a rebirth of the Tenouzan Inquisition. If anything, I’ll bet Ri-, I mean, Enishi went there.” Painfully, Jo straightened up, popped his neck and rolled his shoulders. ”Orders, sir?” Masao looked tore-up, but right now, they needed to soldier on and finish the job. Besides, Enishi needed to die today. The boiling anger that roiled up inside him had nothing to do with the beast within (who was currently napping somewhere in the back of his mind); this time, Jo wanted that bastard dead himself. All this destruction, all this death… That bastard needed to die. The burning in Jo’s eyes made it painfully obvious that he was thirsting for blood.
Tama laughed after she finished singing, That was nice, it’s been awhile since I’ve had a spotlight. But self-praise and basking in the adoration of other could wait, there were more pressing matters at hand. “Shiri-tan!” she called out, “Where are you?” She hadn’t seen Shin summon Deta to whisk them away to safety, so she had assumed that he had either been captured by Enishi or another Kingslayer, or he had concealed his presence so that he wouldn’t be found. He was a former shinobi after all, and even without the aid of fancy chakra disguises she knew that it was possible to conceal yourself so well that even shinobi had a hard time finding you.
She turned to ask Kitsune where the delegates had gone, only to see her slack face, dead unfocused eyes gazing at nothing in particular. Tama’s heart sank, this wasn’t possible was it? “Come on Kicchan, stop j-joking around,” Tama nudged the body of the medical chief, “Get up, get up.” Tama shoved the body and it flopped around lifelessly, showing no reaction to the chuunin’s protests and taunts. She found it sincerely hard to believe that Kicchan was dead.
Wiping tears from her eyes she looked to the others, “Where are the delegates? Did the Kingslayers take them?” After someone pointed out that Shin had moved them all to a safer location via Deta, she demanded she be sent there too, or have them brought back. She really needed to see Shiri-tan now, right now, and no one was going to keep her away from him for a moment longer.
After Tama had either been sent to the delegates, told where they were, or they were brought back. She marched straight up to the Shogun, grabbed him by the collar and forcefully kissed him, regardless of who was watching. She didn’t really care for niceties at this point. After what seemed like an eternity, but in actuality was only about a minute and a half, she released him saying quietly, “I’m glad I made it this time.” She then started tearing her clothes and transforming them into bandages to dress Shiranai’s wounds. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for the party, I wanted to be there but you know, work and stuff.” She glanced over to where Queen Ekaterina was sitting before leaning towards Shiranai and saying, “She didn’t do anything to you while I wasn’t here, did she?” Despite Shiranai’s confession and officially declining the marriage proposal of Queen Nekomimi, Tama wasn’t sure that the young ruler of Bear had really given up on her Shiranai. For all she knew, Kitty-face was getting ready to make another move on Shiranai when she wasn’t looking.
After bandaging his wounds, and after the adrenaline of the fight had worn off, she curled into Shiranai’s chest and began to cry, sobbing as she let her sadness at her friend’s death, worry over Kazuhiko and Kaguya, and relief that Shiranai was still alive wash over her. Tama had been holding back a lot of her emotions during that fight, and needed an outlet.
Bones shot through Natsu's right arm, shifting and twisting to form a dagger in his hand. Exhaling softly, the Kaguya changed his posture ever so slightly. A blue sheen covered his blade as even more bones shot out from his body. Ripping through his skin, staining his body in streams of blood, they gave him a decidedly morbid look. The Jonin himself barely responded to what had to be excruciating pain, simply observing the battlefield. Even if his capability for the pain seemed high enough to endure, his body was not often put through such stress and the Kaguya knew he wouldn't be able to move agile enough for a second or two longer. Seconds that soon proved to be fatal for his team members.
It wasn't until his Raikage was struck by an particularly vicious looking Rasengan that Natsu decided he had to intervene. Physically ready or not, his Raikage was to be protected at all costs. Sprinting forwards, the Spymaster aimed for the user of the S-Rank user. It seemed to be yet another mistake. A bolt of lightning arced through the room piercing through the ANBU Sennin. Fortunately, the man was apt at combat and managed to avoid it. Noticing his target preparing to launch yet another lethal attack, Natsu stretched his body to it's limits, hoping to prevent the fake Camerlengo from finishing the hand seals. His original estimation had been awfully correct however, and the Jonin failed to connect bone with enemy.
Stumbling from the hindered movement, Natsu managed to hold himself upright as Tama started a song and Kitsune returned to life. The Spymaster never had liked the Med-Nin overly much, a remainder from the Mission which had resulted in the death of the Bear King. Yet in this moment, where she offered her own life in exchange for that of the ANBU Captain and Raikage, Natsu felt a respect for the woman only rivalled by that which he had for his Sempai. "Thank you." He whispered, though she'd never know. The following rush of actions reminded the blond that the battle was still far from over, as he launched himself upwards once more.
Narrowly dodging the ceiling coming down from the young ANBU Trainee, Natsu cursed as one of the pieces of rubble nearly crashed on top of him too. The result was impressive though, as she had managed to take down one of the Slayers. Seeing the fake-Junichi charge out, Natsu grit his teeth. "Not this time, you bastard!" He growled, intercepting the man and pinning him to the ground by puncturing the man's knees. A silent nod at Ayumu and his companion seperated head from body. Turning quickly to move on to the final target, Natsu released a sigh of relief as none other than his very own Aniki had entered the scene and delivered a killing blow.
Listening in on the report Hikari and Jo brought Masao up to speed with, Natsu grimaced. "You're forgetting another important factor. The crowd outside. No doubt the collapse of the ceiling will have attracted attention and the festival-goers will want an explanation. Someone will need to calm them if we want to hunt Enishi down efficiently." Natsu chimed in. He had half a mind to do so himself, but at the moment his sights were set on Enishi. The Spymaster had only had a small impact on the battle and was greedy for more blood. Possibly a side effect of the Kaguya blood. Which reminded him to retract the skeletal armor, lest he accidentally stab someone to death by moving suddenly.
"If I may propose, Shin-Sama, Kogami-Sama, Masao-Sama. The delegates will no doubt require reassurance we were victorious, and some may have need of medical aid. No doubt Shin-Sama and Kogami-Sama with their near-death experience as well as your Trainee could do too. If you would rejoin the delegation and see to their safety? No doubt Tama will want to accompany you. Hikari can go calm the masses, prevent them from breaking down the doors. Afterwards join the delegation to see about the treaty. Jo and I will ensure the Bomb is secure and hunt down Enishi given the chance." Natsu suggested, gauging his superior's reaction. He knew the man would want Enishi's head on a plate more than anything, yet the Spymaster couldn't help but hope his Aniki would choose a safer role.
[Word Count: 737]
[Marked for Training]
[OoC: Sorry for the delay. Took a while before I had stable enough internet and a laptop I was allowed acces with to non-work related sites. Also, typing on foreign keyboards is weird.]
The strong exhortation from Shin removed the clandestine disguise of Enishi but did not result in his repentance. What.What was the point of this battle? Enishi could have easily killed the Pontiff and the rest of the leaders without any commotion or anyone knowing. The only thing he was accomplishing was revealing his sycophant. It was unfortunate that such a great shinobi could have his life turned around. He remembered the times when Enishi was well respected guard for Kagetsu Kiyo, in fact, the man became completely infatuated by her. It might have been due to Lady Kiyo enslaving charm or undieng beauty, regardless he should been weary of his attraction to her. There was a saying that love is as a double edge sword; it could heal but it could also cut. Shin did not know what the true underlying cause of Enish's betrayal with only the diary entries and historical documents to based Shin's assertion. It was clear that a man's heart was as unquenchable than the pits of Hades.
Time had only elapsed four minutes since the battle had started and Shinobi of Kumogakure were loosing. Attacks were coming from all direction and it did not help and Shin and Ayumu were severely injured. Shin's vision began to blur with the prolong lost of blood coming out of his torso. He was unable to sense Enishi's hand drill a concentrated ball of white chakra into his midsection flinging him across the cathedral. He managed to reduce the damage by redirecting himself, unfortunately landing himself into more danger as he fell into the hands of his enemy. He was lifted up in the air before quickly electrocuted as a path of sparkling light flowed through his body. Eventually, Shin's vision went completely went dark.
He would awaken blinding by a blazing light. "Where am I." Shin thought to himself. He lifted his hands to his face and he realized that he was not wearing his glasses only touch the rims of his eyes. He rose onto his feet and shielded his eyes. A silvery figure could be seen walking toward him.
"Deta?" Shin inquired.
"Yes and no. I am merely a temporal entity of Deta. It appears your have retired. Well, perhaps in between death and life, a rather strange transition." The figure respond.
"Then I have failed." Shin said somberly but still interested at the the outstanding world that he was in.
"No it doew not appear so." The entity said as he watched Shin slowly dematerialize. "You should thank your comrade. It is unfortunate she wont be able to accept your gratitude."
Before Shin could ask for an explanation the light had become darkness and the sound ringing in his ears. He slowly opened his eys regaining his vision. He lifted his head as he saw Kitsune laying down with the rest of his comrades standing near.
"No..." Shin said with great distress in his voice. He quickly rose to his feet as he rushed toward the unconscious body. He quickly examined the body with the normal routine checks then started to rejuvenate her body with a surge of electricity flowing through his hand into her. "Where is Deta? I am not going to loose anyone on account of me" Shin completely unaware that Enishi had escaped
A clang echoed across the gutted cathedral, catching the pair’s attention. Looming over “Rin” was the glowering figure of Takaki Masao in the flesh. His right arm was bound in a sling, and his right eye was a bloody crater stuffed with rags, but the look on his face was nothing short of pure vengeance. Supporting him was the unmistakable figure of Deta.
"Enishi is going to pay for what he has done. Deta can you get Kitsune back!" Shin said anger filled his eyes as he rose to his feet. He knew that he was not the only wretched with pain as he saw Shasu-chan's countenance dressed in tears.
"It is not proper protocol." Deta respond. "But yes I can. I will highly advice not tampering with the spiritual realm."
"Do it, please." Shin said. "Your suggested is noted Do Natsu. Ayumu if you have any available I will suggest your follow me. We are not going to allow Enishi escaped. The rest of you return to the delegation. and take Kitsune's body"
"Father, I urge you not to allow your emotions cloud your judgement. You know better than this." The shrouded figure said as he crossed his arms pensively waiting for Shin.
[[Leaving Topic]]
Our Lady of the Sorrows Cemetary
Holy See of Tenouza
…After the escape of Yukimura Enishi
Shit! She got me, Kazuhiko thought. He watched painfully as Marie took aim at Kaguya, even though Haikuno and Kaguya were moving erratically, parrying and attacking and dodging, Kazuhiko had no doubt that Marie would make the shot. Kaguya would die, and then so would he.
Then a shrill cry pierced Kazuhiko’s ears. His face brightened, and Senada Marie looked up in confusion as, “DYNAMIC ENTRY!” A blast of sparkling glitter and prismatic smoke engulfed Kazuhiko and Marie. A shadow fell from above descending like a bird of prey, spear striking the ground where Marie had been seconds before. Kazuhiko gave Marie credit for avoiding the strike. But if his savior was who he thought, she had probably intended to miss. The figure expertly twirled a spear around, dispersing the colored smoke, but the sparkles remained in the air, slowly descending and getting forever stuck in hair and clothes.
“My name is Izawa Yoko. You threatened my senpai. Prepare to die.” Her eyes radiated killing intent, her spearpoint leveled at the Kingslayer’s chest. A small giggle could be heard from behind her. The ever-smiling face of Hito Kiri could also be seen.
“This is top-of-the line, A5 super-duper sparkly glitter. Even if you survive, you’ll never wash it out! It’s sparkle-tastic! Nyahaha!” With that the duo began their assault on the sharpshooting Marie. Yoko thrust her spear forward in a charging motion, only to pick up Kiri’s body with her mind and launch him at her instead. “Whee!” Kiri shouted as he flew, dropping more colorful smoke bombs and sparkle grenades. Yoko followed directly behind Kiri, using him as a blind, and thrusting forward, between Kiri’s legs.
“INCONCEIVABLE!!!” shrieked Marie as she evaded the rather Freudian spear attack and flipped backward, knocking into Burutesu, who she shoved aside with her heel. She let loose with a barrage of bolts from her dueling arm, only to have them swatted aside by Yoko’s spear-work. “And...and what the hell did you do to my outfit, you fruity bastard?! That’ll be ten million in damages!” she growled at Kiri, attempting to brush off the glittery discoloration in her now-fabulous hair to no avail.
“Hey! Watch it Yocchan! There are some very important things in that area!” Yoko responded by using her kinesis to launch Kiri high above Marie, before launching her spear directly at Marie. “Your entrance was very impressive, you should tell Kaz--,” Kiri never got to finish his sentence, as Yoko leaped high, spun once before catching Kiri’s legs and, using him in a manner similar to that of a mace, swung him face first at Marie. The young Kingslayer would see him first screaming, then as their eyes met, Kiri made the most ridiculous kissy face in her direction.
As their battle raged, Burutesu quietly came to Kazuhiko’s side. “That’s a wonderful girl you got their, full of fire and spirit, where did you meet her.” Kazuhiko’s face flushed, “She was Itonami-sensei’s other stu--Burutesu, now’s not the time. I’m standing on a proximity mine, one step away from certain death, there’s a dirty bomb on the verge of exploding, and you want to discuss my love life?!?”
“Ah so you do feel that way about her,” the old man chuckled as he parried and smacked an inquisitor with the pommel of his sword. “It’s important for young folks to be honest.” His face hardened, “Kazuhiko, body switch with me. And then get everyone out of here. Neither you nor I have the know-how to disarm that thing, I’ll cover your escape. Do not argue with me, there is no time for me to prove you wrong.” Reluctantly Kazuhiko ran through the handseals and Burutesu took his place on the mine.
“How will you do anything from there, you can’t move or the mine will explode?”
“Trust me, this old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve!” Burutesu gave a grim smile and tossed a strange green crystal to Kazuhiko. “Take a look at this when you can. Now go!”
Shakily, Marie regained her footing, spitting disgustedly at the ground in an attempt to clear the residual ickiness out of her face (Kiri was after all, kind of an icky guy). Yoko advanced on her menacingly, her icky retainer in tow. Doushio… the Kingslayer thought, swallowing nervously as she realized that there was no ready escape, and that Haikuno had effectively lost his backup. As she looked down at what she was standing on, however, she started to grin triumphantly.
“Ha ha! You fool!” she sneered, pointing at Yoko. The smoke cleared, and revealed that she was standing right on top of the open turret of a cathedral-class war wagon. It rotated, setting its sights on Yoko, Kiri, and Kazuhiko. The HESH round loaded in its chamber would vaporize them all. “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is ‘never get involved in a land war in Asia’ - but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!’ Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha…”
“Truly, you have a dizzying intellect,” interrupted Burutesu as he produced a detonator in his hands to interrupt Marie, who peered at it with a horrified expression. It was the control for the bomb - he had stolen it during their brief encounter. “Well, what are you waiting for? Git out!” he snapped at Kazuhiko, Yoko, and Kiri, before pressing the button.
Meanwhile...
Only now that there was a momentary peace did Masao finally behold the true violence of Enishi’s aborted grand scheme. No one had escaped its touch. The grand Basilica of Saint Isamu was a smoking shambles inside. The great altar - the legendary rock of ages upon which Saint Himura had established the Church - had been split in twain. The seat of Tenouzan Pontiffs was a pile of splinters. The Creation of Shiro, possibly the most recognizable work of pre-apocalyptic art, was a pile of rubble that had once been a section of ceiling. Ayumu, with his hair practically burnt to the scalp, clutched a barely conscious Shashu to his chest, visibly shaken as he attempted to reassure his stricken charge. Shin was alive, even if just barely. Jo and Hikari were bloodstained and feral, and he could sense that the redheaded girl had lost something irreplaceable during the fight (although he dared not think of what). And most of all, Kitsune was...
He nodded cursorily to everyone’s reports, forcefully willing himself to not look at the woman’s stricken form laid out nearby. There was business to attend to first. Already, the city was aware of the fact that something was terribly wrong within its center. The collapse of the Chapel had caused a great bloom of dust and smoke to rise, and ten thousand people attending the Feast of the Most Sacred Blood had already congregated in the Plaza. The sounds of artillery and line infantry fire near the cemetery had further stirred up confusion and fear, and there was no Pontiff alive to defuse the situation. The question also remained as to what had happened to the rest of the delegates - it had seemed that in a magnificent Ass Pull of an intervention, Deta had sequestered them all away from harm, but as for their whereabouts, no one quite knew.
“Tanaka-dono, see to it that the remaining delegates are found and protected from further harm. Assign Tama to help you in this task. Also, the Tenouzan College of Cardinals will need to know about the Pontiff’s murder, discreetly of course. Have whoever you can, prevent the Pontifical Guard from entering the premises until we have assurance from the College that we will not be detained in the gaol,” he said, forcing himself to think rationally. “And Genin Narashi. You mean to tell me that your team left a godrotting NPC with a single hit point to deal with two Kingslayers and a nuclear warhead?!” he asked, scowling. As he spoke, a resounding boom echoed from far off. Masao swallowed and braced for the impact of a world-ending blast...but it never came. They were still alive.
“Well, we’re not dead or in flames, so in the end, your gamble paid off. Good work, I think. For now, help Tanaka and the others with securing the scene. Enishi is too weak to try anything for now, so we have some time. Once Kogami gets a lock on his location, we’ll send the hunter party out. For now, you are dismissed,” he said, signaling to the two that he was done with them. “Spymaster, Raikage-sama...if you would please excuse me for a moment,” he said, uncharacteristically brushing his liege off. It was all he could take.
Hurriedly, he stomped off toward Kitsune’s body, which was now laid out on an improvised sheet fashioned from a torn tapestry of Saint Himura. Next to her was the hulking, still form of Kaibutsu Kuro, dignified and powerful even in death. Nearby, but not next to those of Kitsune and Kuro, were the bodies (or what passed for bodies) of Shinsengumi Shourai and Inuzuka Risei.
“Kitsune…” he whispered, dropping to his knees in front of her. Grimly he felt her carotid artery for a pulse and found naught but the cold and stillness of death. He was well-aware that it was a futile gesture – after all, Deta had just confirmed her death. The wounds on her chest and the base of her throat were fatal, and even if she had managed to cling to a sliver of life she had expended any possible reserves to rise up in one last act of selflessness and literally bring Hayata Shin and Kogami Ayumu back from the brink. She may have been a pervy airhead, but Kitsune had been loyal to the end. He had just lost his only remaining classmate, and the woman he had fallen in love with after Rin’s passage. Now, he was truly the last of his era.
He did not blame Shin’s creation for its unwillingness to revive her - doing so would irrevocably upset the natural order and invite forces beyond anyone’s control into the Mortal Plane. At worst, a forcible infusion of anima into her body would only serve to create a mindless ghoul. Unless…
The Lance of Longinus had not been the only thing he had taken from the Pontiff’s office in a harried smash-and-grab once Deta had freed him. Reaching into his satchel pouch, Masao pulled out a plain-looking wooden goblet and regarded the chalice intently. It had been simply - even amateurishly - carved out of a small block of Sunan Olivewood, and bore the fine patina of hundreds, if not thousands of years of handling by human hands coated with sweat and grease. It had also, according to legend, been the last personal possession Saint Isamu had touched before his death, and the most prominent of its legendary properties was its supposed ability to restore life.
Alright, you godrotting zombie carpenter, we saved your city. Now save HER, Masao prayed vehemently, clasping the Grail to his chest before unscrewing the cap on his flask of Konohan Brandy and pouring it into the cup. Yes, he was a Shinbatsu follower, but when it came to important matters, he was not averse to asking for help (if not in the most polite fashion). Holding Kitsune’s head up, he brought it to her lips and tipped it forward. To no avail, the liquid splashed on her face and ran to the floor. Cursing, Masao was about to toss the Grail into a nearby fire, when he suddenly thought of another idea. He brought the cup to his own lips, took the last of the burning liquor into his mouth, and brought his lips to Kitsune’s. Some of it made it into her mouth this time.
He waited for a few minutes. Still, no response. So, it had been a baseless legend after all, and he had been foolish to dare to believe some fanciful tale made up by the Tenouzans to hoodwink people into their faith. His eyes burning, he put the useless cup away, kissed her on the forehead, and rose to his feet. The others were no doubt staring pityingly at him - a broken old man reduced to making a fool of himself with Voodoo Magic. No, he still had his dignity, or what was left of it. He would mourn her later. Kitsune would not have wanted him to weep for her. She...
In a daze and clearly shrugging off even comforting words, he stumbled over to the hulking mass of Birdfucker, with which Enishi had nearly beaten Shashu to death. He leaned against it, shakily lighting a cigarette and inhaling the acrid smoke until he could not make a damned teary-eyed fool of himself in front of the others. Grimly, he passed a gentle hand over the soot-blackened, melted weapon that his wife had once wielded against him so many years ago when she had doubted his commitment to their future. A corner of the damned thing still perfectly fit a subtle dent in his skull – a mark that no surgery, medicine, or even time could erase from his person. How Enishi had gotten his hands on one of Rin’s most famous possessions was anyone’s guess. Most likely, Takayama Shimada had passed it to him while the unfortunate Captain was under Enishi’s geas. It had proven its lethal potential by nearly killing both Shin as well as Shashu, but fortunately, Yukimura had been a clumsy bludgeoner compared to Rin. The entire thing was covered with an ugly patina of soot and rust, not to mention dried and fresh blood. He reached over to ash the cigarette into the bowl, when something caught his eye.
Waiting. More’s Tower. Y. E. was scratched into the inside rim of the bowl. It was faint, but it was definitely there, and clearly meant for Masao’s eyes only. It was an invitation, plain as day. Despite the death and suffering all around him, and despite his troubled heart, The Sennin had to crack a smile inside. Enishi had finally been driven to such rage that the man was willing to abandon his cherished plan of keeping his arch nemesis alive and in despair, and just try to kill him instead.
Ayumu would want to see this, of course. Hell, not simply Ayumu, but every single shinobi in the room who could walk, crawl, or drag themselves to the fight would want to join with him and confront the Kingslayer with relish. Everyone in this room was ready and willing to die a hundred times over for no other reason than personal loyalty.
Discreetly, Masao obliterated Enishi’s scratchings with the tips of his fingers. The Pontiff, The Camarlengo, Kitsune, Kaibutsu Kuro, hell, even two of the Kingslayers were dead today. He’d be damned if Ayumu’s name, or anyone else’s was added to the list.
A pang of final hesitation ran through. He could always simply ignore the call – the Kingslayers were effectively destroyed as an organization and Enishi would only be able to stew impotently for a few years. There was still much to be done in Kumo with the resultant peace. Shin would have his hands full in the coming days finalizing the details of the peace treaty between Marsh and Bear, not to mention the endless string of explanations owed to the Tenouzan Republic for why Pontiff Yamauchi’s death was not Cloud’s fault. Natsu would need to establish new information networks within the newly peaceful countries and set in motion plans that would make sure that Cloud would never again be blindsided by powerful enemies like Hayata Makoro and Yukimura Enishi. Hikari would be busy not only with the aftermath of the war, but also with the growing threat posed by a destabilizing Fire Country and the mass influx of Kirigakure refugees. Ayumu would need to rebuild the ANBU after all of the recent devastation his organization had suffered, and was starting with tending to the battered body of Shashu. Tama was vigorously kissing the Shogun and causing him to exsanguinate from a nosebleed, much to the chagrin of the Chancellor (although the Bear Queen had blithely replied with something on the order of “already been there” and “why don’t we just share him?”), and she would need to figure out her relationship with him soon in the face of a promised marriage to the Queen and the possibility of Empire. Finally, Jo would need to learn how to negotiate the dangerous new territory of having a registered Kinjutsu in the face of a Medical Sennin hungry for fresh meat to experiment on. That and being in a relationship with Saeko, which promised to be anything but smooth sailing. Again, he could simply stay put...
Or not, he concluded. Each of them, even the Raikage, had not only proven themselves to be capable and worthy shinobi, but had also grown and developed as humans, despite not being anything close to “normal human” themselves. Without him they might suffer, but life was about overcoming suffering, and based on what he had seen in the five years he had spent back in Kumo in the aftermath of his first retirement, he was confident that they would overcome. He was no longer needed now. It was… the ideal outcome of his return.
And so there is really only one task left for me. Something only I can perform, he concluded, satisfied. Yukimura Enishi was still alive, and still a threat. The most dangerous enemy Cloud had ever faced in its history was broken, but not beaten, and as long as he existed, Cloud would never know respite. Masao inhaled, resolved to his fate.
“Otouto…” he muttered softly to the Spymaster, just softly enough for the man to hear but not for others to eavesdrop. “…With me,” he said, fixing a sidelong glance at the Kaguya. The meaning was clear – not a word to Ayumu or Shin or anyone else. Wordlessly, Natsu complied, and the two slipped out of the Basilica, past the ring of Pontifical Guard, and disappeared into the thronging crowd outside.
* * *
St. Thomas More Monument
Overlooking the Nigoro Falls, Holy See of Tenouza
...1800 hours
It had been slow-going through the city, even with the fact that Masao and Natsu were shinobi with expertise in the art of infiltration. A combination of the Sennin’s injuries, the generalized chaos in the city as a result of the Inquisition uprising and spreading rumors of the Pontiff’s demise, and the need to make sure they were not being followed by their friends all added to the delay. However, as the dying orange sun finally kissed the horizon and plunged the city into twilight, they arrived at their destination.
Saint More had been canonized by the precursor to the Tenouzan Church for his accomplishments two thousand years prior (something about standing up to a womanizing King and losing his head in the process), and Moto Isamu had seen to continue the beatification into the present day. All depictions of him showed a handsome man wearing a hakama, sporting a samurai’s topknot and manly Kaminarijin features, but based on the fact that his name was anything but Kaminari in nature, Masao could only assume that the real life Saint had looked entirely different.
Regardless, the towers and monuments were impressive works of art themselves. Particularly his main shrine, which was perched atop a tower-bridge positioned positioned over the precipice of the Nigoro Falls. The falls, which were formed by the meeting of the Nigoro River and the Tenouzan Valley, were impressive to behold, with nearly a two-hundred-meter drop from the edge into a waiting river below which emptied into the harbor further south. Falling from the monument’s overlook was guaranteed to be fatal - if the impact itself did not kill a person, the the network of underwater tunnels studding the base of the waterfall would certainly suck in an unfortunate body and assure perishment by drowning. It fit Enishi’s modus operandi to insist on such a place for what was likely going to be a lethal showdown.
Because of the general chaos in the city below, the tower-bridge was currently unmanned, and it was a trifle to break the locks and enter the base of the marble building, where for the next half hour Masao and Natsu had spent slowly ascending the spiral steps to the top. Carefully, and making sure that they had rested so that Enishi would not have an undue advantage, the two Cloud shinobi made their way across the covered bridge and found themselves in front of a pair of massive wooden doors that led to an open-air balcony where the actual shrine was located. Even without any sort of extracorporeal sense, Masao could tell - his enemy waited beyond. With a look of grim determination, Natsu’s hand went for the knob.
“Natsu,” said Masao, stopping the Kaguya before he could twist the handle. “Wait. Take these first,” he said, passing both the Lance of Longinus and a sealed envelope to his Spymaster. “...Look at me,” he said, placing a callused hand on the younger man’s shoulder until their eyes met. “You’ve done a damned fine job. When I am gone, you will be the one to take care of the Branch, and if need be, the Village as Raikage. I regard you as not a mere little brother, but as one of my sons. I only regret that I did not say so earlier. And lastly, I’m sorry, but this is my fight alone,” he said, patting Donuts on the cheek. Try as the Kaguya might, he would find that he could not move. It was an old, dirty ANBU trick - the Body Bind. Tearing himself away from Natsu’s accusing, pleading eyes, Masao opened the doors to the balcony with a final decisive push and stepped through.
“HAD I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light...”
Enishi recited the poem as he looked over the balcony at the flickering lights of Tenouza below. The subdued roar of the waterfall a mere few meters below throbbed gently in the background. In the center of the marbled space, Thomas More stood alert, gazing out at the Holy See with his hands pressed together in prayer and his katana by his side.
“...I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
Masao concluded, as he strode unhurriedly to the edge to join Enishi and take in the vista under the shadow of the saint.
“Lady Kiyo loved that poem,” said Enishi, somewhat wistfully. “She loved to hear me recite it. Seryuu, though, she never really understood what it meant. Still, I did love both of them in the end.”
“Rin loved to read Shelley herself,” remarked Masao. “Ozymandias. It reflected her own view of the impermanence of life and empires.”
“We should have met earlier in life, Takaki. You would have been an amazing comrade. After all, you sense it too, do you not? The need for change in this corrupt, stagnant world.”
“I do,” said Masao, earning a raised eyebrow from the Kingslayer. “...Are you surprised that I would admit such a thing so readily?”
“Intrigued that you would show such candor.”
“I’ve lived longer than you have, Captain Yukimura. I’ve seen the same things you’ve seen. Encountered the same forbidden knowledge that you have. About how the world used to be, and how we as shinobi really hold the rest of humanity back. From what, I know not. But I do know that we are an impediment above all else.”
“Then why fight me? We could have worked together. We could have changed things for the better.”
“We could have. But as much as you are a product of Kagetsu Kiyo, I am a product of Santaru Rin, and all of the rest of the angels and assholes who forged us in the hell that is Kumo. Defending my country - no, my village - is the only thing I know how to do.”
Again, both men were silent. The mushroom cloud from the explosion at the Lady of Sorrows had yet to fully dissipate, and partially blocked out the emerging moon. Enishi sighed, as he closed his good eye and grasped the railing.
“You nearly got me back there in the Pope’s office, you know,” he said as he raised his metal forearm to show Masao the jagged hole in it from earlier. Dark, gelatin-like lubricating fluid still dripped from it, staining the stones below. For a moment, the wind picked up, blowing the sweet smell of incense from the city below to mingle with the spray of the waterfall.
“No clone this time? I’m surprised,” remarked Masao, regarding his foe. Enishi shrugged.
“Considering the degree to which you have absolutely ruined my existence, I thought it inappropriate to confront you with anything but the real me,” replied the Kingslayer.
Masao nodded, and reached into his pocket to pull out a pipe and lighter.
“My shoulder is injured. Do you mind?” the Sennin asked, proffering the aged brass lighter to Enishi, who took it and flicked the wheel until the wick took flame. Graciously, he held it up for Masao to light his pipe.
“My pleasure,” said Enishi, shielding the flickering flame from the wind with his spare hand. The scent of vanilla and bergamot and smoke rose to greet both of their nostrils. He looked at Masao and smiled serenely. “...It’s important that you know, Sennin Takaki. After our business here is concluded, I promise you I will devise the most creative of ends for your dear successor Do Natsu,” he purred. With a wink, he added “...and the lovely Lady Shima.”
Masao smiled back sardonically. He blinked, and time froze...
’His advantage, my injuries. My advantage, his rage. Incoming assault feral, but experienced. Use momentum to counter,’ thought Masao as Enishi chopped down on his pipe-holding arm and attempted to slam an elbow into his temple. Masao yanked his head back, avoiding the blow by millimeters, before slamming his foot into Enishi’s shin and following up with a knee to the groin. Wincing in pain, Enishi retaliated with a palm strike to the face, targeting the damaged eyesocket. Masao rolled with the blow, allowing him to land a punch to the traitor’s cheek...
‘Come now, Takaki. You really think you’re the only one who can play this game?’ smirked Enishi, looking back at his foe. ‘Trap arm, target weakness, follow with haymaker.’ Masao’s arm suddenly wrenched into an unnatural angle as the ligaments tore and Enishi nearly dislocated the joint. The Sennin attempted to lash out with a hammer blow to the ribcage, but Enishi parried the impact and sent a fist crashing into Masao’s solar plexus.
‘Ah, there’s the Raikage’s favored bodyguard at work,’ Masao quipped, throwing a hook at Enishi’s face. It connected, allowing the man to follow up with a blade-palm to his enemy’s clavicle.
‘Competent, but predictable. Allow me to reply,’ countered Enishi, throwing a flurry of jabs and chops at Masao’s bleeding shoulder. The Sennin was beginning to visibly weaken, and he could not abduct his arm further.
‘Arsenal running dry. Adjust strategy,’ admitted Masao, attempting a sweep-kick but failing.
‘Wound taking its toll,’ observed Enishi, parrying a jab and countering with a brutal uppercut to the diaphragm.
‘As I feared. Injury making defense untenable. Prognosis, increasingly negative,’ Masao grunted as Enishi slammed him into the balcony railing, sprawling him across it. Attempts to grapple Enishi’s waist were only met with pounding blows to the chest, forcing blood from Masao’s mouth and nose.
‘Let’s not waste any more of one another’s time. We both know how this ends,’ Enishi drawled condescendingly as he grasped Masao by the legs and upended him over the balcony with a look of beatific triumph.
With a sudden expulsion of breath from his lungs, Masao blew down the pipe, sending a fiery ball of tobacco cinders rushing into Enishi’s face. Instinctively, the ex-ANBU closed his remaining eye. In a fluid motion, Masao slammed himself into man’s frame, forcing them against the railing and securing his position with a foot jammed up against the Saint’s pedestal. Enishi flailed, managing to grasp Masao by the arm and twist him into an arm lock.
The wooden door slammed open, revealing Natsu at the entrance. Masao met his successor’s gaze, closed his eyes, and pushed backward with his foot. Within the blink of an eye, he and Enishi were gone.
"I need you to take a look at this," said Hayata Shin as he slid a small file across the desk.
Masao picked up the folder and opened it up to reveal a personnel sheet, his full name and rank printed across the top in neat, concise letters. It was nothing unusual really; he had read over many files in his day, even written most of them, and his own was nothing strange. No, what stood out was the red 'Honourable Discharge' stamped across the page. The words were as alien and out of place on that page as any sight he had seen in his career, and there had been many. Oh so very many.
"Shin, if this is about the shoulder, I can promise you that-"
Shin interrupted the Sennin with a shake of his head. "No, old friend, that is just a pretext." The Raikage stood up and looked out the great bay window that showcased his village, his back to Masao, as if it were too difficult to sit at the moment. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared ahead as he addressed the man behind him.
"You have put on a brave front all these years my friend, and the village thanks you for it, but any with eyes can see you're a changed man. Ever since she died..." Shin closed his eyes in respect for a moment before continuing on. "A part of you died with her. How many nights have you lain awake thinking of her?"
As he asked the question Shin turned to face Masao. "You set aside your feelings so that you could be the Sennin Kumogakure needed, but that time has passed. Do-san has proved to be more than capable of taking your place. It is time for you to move on."
The Raikage leaned over the desk, his hands resting on the age old wood. "Do you think we haven't all seen the look on your face whenever you hear a rumor that claims she is still alive? This," Shin motioned to the file. "Is my way of saying that it is time you followed what your heart tells you. We both know that you would never forgive yourself if you never tried to find the truth, one way or another, and we both also know that as long as you have a commitment to this village you will continue to set your feelings aside so that you can do what must be done."
Slowly, Shin leaned back and walked around the desk to rest a hand on Masao's shoulder. "You have done much for this village, old friend. It is time the village did something for you." And with those last parting words, the Raikage of Kumogakure left the room and softly closed the door, leaving Takaki Masao, former Main Branch Sennin, alone with his thoughts.
...It was a comforting fantasy to indulge in, in the last few moments of consciousness. A nice “what-if” scenario, Masao concluded wistfully as he loosened his grip on the screaming enemy he had dragged over the side to their deaths. Around them both, there was naught but the roar of blue water. It was a more peaceful end than he had any right to expect. Rin’s face crossed his mind one last time as he let go, and was lost in the haze of falling water and clouds.
A few days later, Shinrya Kitsune, Chief Medical Shinobi of Kumogakure, was brought to the Garden of Heroes in a peaceful glade within the Ancient Forest. It was a place reserved solely for those who had fallen while protecting the Raikage, and bodies here were buried instead of given the standard cremation. Her coffin had been accompanied there by an honor guard of medical shinobi, including Sennin Isaki Kushin himself (who, in an unprecedented show of respect, had forbidden the harvest of her organs for recycling). She was laid out in her finery and the undertaker at the hospital had even placed a bouquet of ice lilies in her hands to accentuate her beauty. Next to her grave was a memorial marker for former Sennin Takaki Masao.
“Lord Raiden, we commit to you the body of Kitsune, a true hero of Kumogakure…” intoned the priest who stood over her. The medics stood at attention on either side, their hands held in salutes.
“There is nothing in life that is permanent, and all given life must perish eventually…” he continued melodically. The lilies began to shift slightly, but imperceptibly, with the subtle rise of her chest.
“Kitsune’s life, though ended on this world, shall one day be born anew…” Her fingers flexed now, causing some of the mednin present to raise eyebrows. “And her death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of everything...” continued the priest. “We now surrender her to the earth…”
At that moment, her eyes opened.
Fin.
Path of the Kingslayer
Produced by Takaki Masao
Written by:
Takaki Masao
Akechi Shin
Santaru Rin
Mochizuki Tama
Tsukino Dante
Shinobi Cast:
Takaki Masao
Santaru Rin
Hayata Shin
Isaki Kushin
Mochizuki Tama
Kichida Kazuhiko
Kogami Ayumu
Shinrya Kitsune
Do Natsu
Narashi Jo
Ishikawa Zaku
Tanaka Hikari
Tsuirakuya Shashu
Kaguya Daisuke
Higa Kahako
Tsuyoshi Junko
Tsuyoshi Aiko
Suzaku Keiji
Nemoto Senna
Hokoro Rao
...and...
Tagiushi Moro
Written on Location in Kumogakure, Raiden no Me, the Democratic Kagoshiman Republic, and the Holy See of Tenouza.
Cloud Council Presents...
In Association with Yojimbo/Enishi, The Society of Men Without Hats, and The Republic of Letters...
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the mission. Please make your exit posts shortly, and if someone would start a mission payment thread in the village, I’d be much obliged. Keiji has generously read the mission ahead of time and has given his approval for payment. Tama and Yoko/Tomo primarily wrote the first section of the post, thank you both. Also, all credit and my gratitude to Shashu for the “what-if” sequence that flashes through Masao’s mind before the end.
In the note passed to Do Natsu are several promotions that I have decided to ICly/OOCly make. Please take note of them in the spoiler below. Congratulations to everyone!
As far as my character goes, this was the culmination of a long career on NC which was made enjoyable by everyone I’ve RP’ed with, past and present. I wouldn’t have carried these stories through without your participation and enjoyment. Thank you everyone!
Notes:
Yukimura Enishi and Masao are ICly dead. Kitsune has come back to life...
The contents of the note passed to Donuts are:
To Kaguya Do Natsu, my son by right if not by blood:
If you are reading this then I have perished in the process of terminating former Captain Yukimura. I apologize if I was forced to bind you/knock you unconscious/take your pants off to prevent you from needlessly endangering your life. Please do not bear resentment against me for this - my responsibility is to the continued safety of the village, and my life is a fair price to pay for security.
These are my final directives. Follow them to the best of your ability.
1. You are hereby appointed as Sennin of the Main Branch with all attendant privileges and responsibilities of the rank.
2. Tanaka Hikari is named Spymaster of Kumogakure with promotion to Jounin rank once she has reached the appropriate age and ability.
3. Mochizuki Tama is named Chief Ambassador of Kumogakure and promoted to Jounin rank. I give her my blessing to marry Shiranai vi Kaminari if she chooses to.
4. Narashi Jo is named as Hand of the Sennin in the Merces Letifer and is promoted to Chuunin. I give him my blessing to marry my daughter if they so choose to in the future.
5. All remaining allegations of treason against Tsuirakuya Shashu are hereby dropped and are to be expunged from her record.
As far as the allocation of my worldly possessions, they are to pass to my children Takaki Enjeru and Takaki Saeko, with the following exceptions:
1. The Tenouzan bolters recovered from Hayata Makoro are hereby returned to Hayata Shin.
2. The Brush is gifted to you, Natsu, for the purpose of promoting discipline within the ranks of the Main Branch.
Thus ends my final will and testament. Glory to Kumogakure.
-Takaki Masao, loyal servant of the Raikage of Cloud, and Sennin of the Main.
The question of the hour was of where Enishi had gone. The Genin known as Jo suggested that he might have gone to check on the explosive device. It seemed like a possibility, but his plan had been pretty much thwarted here. If he was smart, he was already gone. Do Natsu was quick to logically remind the group of the circumstances outside of their fight and Enishi, other things that needed to be taken care of. He wanted Ayumu to head with Shin to the rest of the delegation, likely wanting to put them out of harm's way as they had been injured in the fight. Yes, Ayumu had been injured but the healing of Kitsune had done wonders. "I'm not out of this yet. I'm going," he said insistently. It was then that Shin surprised Ayumu, apparently raring to go after Enishi. Ayumu was happy to oblige, but they still didn't know where he was. "Hold on, I'll need something of his to track him..." he repeated.
After ensuring that Shashu had managed to ingest the pills he gave her, it was time for Ayumu to return to the business at hand. "Give it a bit of time Shashu, just rest. I need to try to find the man that got away now," Ayumu said, patting Shashu gently on the forehead. He stood up now, taking a more sincere look around the room for something he could use to track down Enishi. Unfortunately, as far as he could tell the man hadn't left behind a single thing. He was apparently well versed in ANBU techniques and probably knew that he could be tracked if he had mistakenly left something behind. The man was meticulous, Ayumu had to give him that. In all of his searching, however, Ayumu noticed a distinct lack of something or rather someone.
"Where's Masao?" he said, mostly to himself though others could easily overhear. It was likely they would have noticed his absence themselves, at least if they weren't entirely distracted. As he searched in vain for the Main Branch Sennin, realization set in for him. There was only one reason he would have simply disappeared without a word to any of them. 'Son of a bitch... he didn't,' Ayumu thought, clenching his fists. And yet, it was exactly what he would expect Masao to do if he could. To sacrifice himself to take down a threat to Kumogakure and spare the young. 'Goddammit, Masao!' Ayumu cursed internally as his plans changed.
"I need something of Masao's!" he said, looking around once more. It was no use, the surrounding area was a complete mess. It would take hours to find something of Masao's there, if he had even lost anything. He thought for a moment, trying to come up with a solution to his predicament and he recalled the method the false Masao had used to murder Kitsune. He had a bolter as well, but that was likely lost in the rubble. The wristbands would still be attached to the false Masao's body. Well, what was left of it. All he needed intact was the blades. He returned to the scene of the obliteration and took a moment to locate the blades still attached to a dismembered forearm. He undid the strap and pulled the blade mechanism away, dropping the limb without a second thought. The weapon belonged to Masao, he was sure of it. After a moment, his tracking jutsu was active, and he was getting a reading. He didn't know who was coming with him, but he was going now. He went off in the direction Masao had left.
---St. Thomas More Monument, Too Little, Too Late--
Ayumu's feet pounded the steps as he hauled ass up the spiral staircase of the marble building. The monument was an impressive sight, but Ayumu had not spared a moment to inspect it's beauty. He knew, despite all of his haste, that he was well behind Masao and Do Natsu. Masao was clever, and also a former ANBU. He was well aware of most if not all of Ayumu's tricks for tracking the two of them. He knew of the jutsu Ayumu was using to follow them, and he knew how to stall it. He left behind false clues, different traps to fool his tracking jutsu. Ayumu had eventually made it to the monument, but Masao had bought himself the time he needed.
Ayumu reached the balcony doors, already open, and sprinted through them without a moment's hesitation. He found only half of the party he was searching for on the other side. Rushing to Do Natsu's side, he placed a hand on the man's shoulder to grab his attention quickly. "Spymaster," he addressed Natsu, his eyes alight. "Where is your Sennin?!" he asked, his worst fears consuming his thoughts as Masao's absence on the scene hit him like a ton of bricks. "WHERE'S MASAO?" he shouted, even before Natsu would have a chance to respond the first time.
It was long after midnight when Jo finally found himself able to sit down. It had taken the rest of the day to secure the Basilica, organize a press release, and finish the Peace Summit. Everything had passed in a blur ever since Natsu got back and gave them the news about Masao. No one had really had the time to react to the loss of their Sennin, what with all the commotion. Now; with the city relatively subdued in the wake of the death of the Pontiff, Jo found himself alone with his thoughts atop what was left of Saint Isamu’s Basilica.
From his perch atop what was left of the dome, Jo could see the whole city of Tenouza. Small lights from windows dotted the cityscape like so many stars, mirroring the heavens here on earth. Of course, the brightest of these stars were the cathedrals where the countless masses had gone to pray, and the bonfires lit by rioters in certain sectors of the city. Nobody knew just how deep the Tenouzan Inquisition Movement was ingrained into the people of the city, and the city’s police forces had their hands full trying to stem the flow of hatred and violence that had blossomed forth. Smoke from countless chimneys, fires, and incense burners filled the air, stinging the Gennin- no, Chunnin’s – eyes. The smoke wasn’t what brought a tear to his eye, though.
The boy’s eyes filled with tears, the liquid distorting his vision as it pool on his lower lids before breaking through the surface tension and rolling down his cheeks. He was numb with exhaustion, but every ounce of his being was in pain. His wounds, while treated and bandaged, still hurt like a mother; and his entire body burned and ached from By-Tor’s “assistance.” Nothing compared to the pain he felt in his chest. It wasn’t physical pain; it was the pain of losing someone who you look up to, someone who had been a role model if not a true friend; someone who Jo was hoping to call his father-in-law one day. It was the pain of knowing that your return home would bring your loved one more pain than joy, because it meant bringing the news of the death of a family member. All of these feelings, all of this pain, all with no sleep or rest of any sort for the last three days. For hours, Jo just sat there and looked numbly into the distance, his eyes unseeing as he finally found that thousand-yard stare that took most soldiers years of hard combat to attain. He couldn’t even sleep; his body completely drained, his mind abuzz with everything that had happened.
It was just before sunrise when exhaustion finally broke the young mans cool façade. He brought his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around his legs, buried his face in the denim of his jeans, and sobbed uncontrollably. In the morning, he would have to mount up and ride back to Kumo; but for now, all he could do was cry.
The trip had passed with little said between the duo of Main Branchers. Their focus was on getting to Enishi while attracting minimal attention as they made their way through the chaotic masses. Natsu did have a few question burning in the back of his mind, of course. And a few concerns too. But his Aniki had chosen him, and only him, to come along on this part of the mission. To close the chapter of the Kingslayers and make sure no other Kumo Nin would have to face that fright or pain. Natsu felt privileged, just as he had when he had first met the man that would be his Sennin. Back then the Chunin had been promoted to Spymaster, a function he still fulfilled to the best of his abilities. And now he'd been chosen above a Sennin and even the Raikage to accompany his Sempai.
"We'll beat him once and for all, right Aniki?" Natsu asked, a smile on his lips as he regarded his Sempai. The Jonin didn't expect an answer, and he was confident they'd be victorious at the end of the day. They'd face off against their final nemesis and demolish that final obstacle. They'd return to the Basilica, find rest among their companions before heading back to Kumogakure. Resume their happy, if somewhat whacky, daily life in the Torre. They'd do so together. Just the thought at such a nice prospect brought another smile to the Spymaster's face. Yes, the hardship was coming to an end. At least for a while, until the next big thing came rolling by. Such was the life in Cloud, after all.
Natsu's daydreaming came to an end as they crossed the bridge and reached the shrine. Taking a deep breath and steeling his nerves, Natsu reached out for the doorknob. This would be the deciding moment. As soon as he'd twist the knob they-.. The Jonin never got the chance to know what actually would've happened as Masao called out to him. Receiving the spear and letter with a slightly confused look, Natsu tucked the letter away in a pocket as he listened to his Sennin. A blush coloured his face as he was praised. However, just as he was about to thank his Sempai for noticing him, a stiffening feeling started to envelop his body. "And lastly, I’m sorry, but this is my fight alone.."
"NO, ANIK-.." Natsu shouted, before his jaw got locked firmly under the Body Bind. Confusion washed over him, swiftly followed by disbelief, anger and sadness. Why? Why Masao? DON'T! He tried to shouted, though the words never left his throat and the door fell shut in front of his eyes. A few tears trickled down his cheek as he struggled against the invisible bonds keeping him locked in place. Yet no amount of strength or despair seemed to help against the damnable Jutsu. Until several seconds later, seconds that had felt like hours, the binding loosened. Praying to Raiden that is was because of his struggling and not because Masao was suffering at the hands of Enishi, the blond increased his efforts to break loose.
As soon as Natsu managed, he stumbled forward, crashing through the door. His gaze caught Masao's, yet it was not relief that filled the Spymaster. His Sennin was locked in a close struggle with the Kingslayer. Yet as soon as Natsu wanted to inch forward, the Sennin pushed himself over the balcony, dragging along his arch nemesis. "ANIKIII!" The Kumo-Nin shouted, running over, stubbornly believe he'd be able to catch his Sempai if only he was quick enough. Yet even at the record speed with which he crossed the distance, when Natsu looked over the railing, only the roaring blue waterfalls greeted him. "ANIKIII!" The blond shouted again, desperately hoping for a response.
Yet the only answer that came was the echoes of his own voice, as if to mock the Sypmaster. Making it plainly obvious just how emotion-filled the outcry had been. Natsu wanted to jump down after the duo, yet even in this mad-driven state a cold voice of logic reminded him of how futile that action would be. "Why? How could you?!" Natsu asked aloud, though the only person who held the answers had just thrown himself to his death. "How could you have been so selfish? How could you rob yourself from our lives? From MY life?! After those words.. Where did you get the right to abandon us in such a way?!" Natsu demanded, the anger plain as day in his voice. Yet the voice of logic chimed in once more, chastising him of how wrong it was to make such accusations. That he was the selfish one for demanding answers to such questions.
Tears welled up in his eyes. Not as reserved as earlier, this time the salty secretion flowed freely. His breathing became more irregular and from time to time his whole upper body spasmed. It wasn't until he heard the oncoming footsteps of Kogami Ayumu that he forced himself to calm down. Turning to face the man, face red and eyes puffy, he pointed at the balcony with the spear. "H-.. He launched h-..hims-..himself over the e-..edge. Dragged that f-..fucking Enishi along." The Spymaster explained, voice hoarse and interrupted every so often by a sob. "Ma-..Masao bound me. I.. I was too late." Natsu admitted, staring the ANBU Sennin in the eyes. "I failed him."
Dropping the spear onto the ground, wincing as the loud clattering echoed in ears, the Jonin reached for the letter. Handing it over with shaking hands to Ayumu, he leaned against the balcony. Contemplating for a moment to just let himself fall backwards, the Spymaster instead slid down, sitting on the ground with his back to the waterfalls. He felt so.. exhausted. His crying had finally ended, the sobs subsiding and his breathing slowly returning to a normal pace once more. "What does it say?" The blond inquired, not very convinced he even wanted to know. Likely it was Masao's will, which indicated something like this had been his plan from the start. A sad possibility Natsu did not want to think about, yet seemed to be the only thing his mind would focus on for the moment. "Please.. Tell me."
Only after a moment did Ayumu notice the tears in Natsu's eyes. Nothing was more telling than the emotion plastered across the face of the usually calm and reserved diplomat. Ayumu's hand gripped at the cloth on Natsu's shoulder as the blond spoke, confirming Ayumu's worst fears. Natsu could barely get it out through his sobs, but Ayumu already knew that Masao was gone. 'You bastard, Masao...' Ayumu thought, his head dropping as he stared at the ground behind Natsu. The Jounin continued to explain how Masao had bound him to keep him from interfering. It had long been personal for Masao. If ever he had the chance to take Enishi out with his own hands he would stop at nothing to take it. Not only that, but to take the risk all upon himself and spare the rest of them. Even if it meant his life, he would take it. Even if Enishi was now dead, the victory Ayumu had waited so long for felt empty. Natsu blamed himself for being unable to stop Masao, feeling as though he had failed him. Ayumu took a breath, trying to come to terms with the fact that Masao was gone. It hadn't fully sunk in yet, or he wasn't allowing it to. His grip on Natsu shoulder softened as he looked up.
"You didn't fail him. This would have been his plan from the moment he realized he had the opportunity to take on Enishi alone. Even if it meant sacrificing himself. To protect all of us," Ayumu said with a low voice, devoid of emotion. The spear Masao had brought along dropped to the floor as Natsu reached for a letter which he pushed upon Ayumu, unable to read it himself. Ayumu released Natsu's shoulder to take the folder note, taking a step back and unfolding it slowly. Natsu asked what it said as Ayumu began reading from the top. The first portion was addressed to Natsu. There was no way he had found time to write this between the attack at the basilica and his demise. He had planned for this.
"To Kaguya Do Natsu, my son by right if not by blood: If you are reading this then I have perished in the process of terminating former Captain Yukimura. I apologize if I was forced to ('Jesus, Masao...') ...bind you... to prevent you from needlessly endangering your life. Please do not bear resentment against me for this - my responsibility is to the continued safety of the village, and my life is a fair price to pay for security," Ayumu began reading, occasionally glancing at Natsu to see how he was taking it. It was true, he had planned all along for Natsu to come along with him here only to leave him with this message, to have him be the one to see him off. What followed the message to Natsu was essentially Masao's last will and testament. He decided to continue reading.
"These are my final directives. Follow them to the best of your ability. 1. You are hereby appointed as Sennin of the Main Branch with all attendant privileges and responsibilities of the rank," Ayumu began, pausing after only the first line. He had named his successor, and it was the young man sobbing before Ayumu. True, Ayumu was aware that Masao held Natsu in high regard. The man had proven himself capable as a diplomat to Mist where had had obtained a treaty, though the village went under soon after in an unrelated event. More than that, if Masao believed he was ready, Ayumu did. He had no reason to question it. Reading slightly further down, Ayumu realized that there were parts addressed to others who were not present, aside from one part. "There are more, but... I'll get to what's directed to you. He also wished to leave his brush to you, for the purpose of promoting discipline within the ranks of the Main Branch," he added, shaking his head. If the news of Masao's death was not still so recent and the weight of it heavy on his mind, he might have laughed.
"The rest of this is addressed to several people... we need to go back and make a report," Ayumu said to Natsu, whom likely didn't feel much like going anywhere after what he had just experienced. "I'll continue this there," he said, turning towards the entrance to the monument that led back downstairs. He turned back to Natsu briefly. "Let's go, Sennin Do Natsu," he said, acknowledging the man's new title, although it certainly felt like no time for congratulations. It was a almost entirely silent trip back to the fractured basilica, both young Sennin lost in their thoughts. Ayumu couldn't help but replay memories in his mind of times he had with Masao. He recalled his first meeting with the man when he was still the Vice Commander of ANBU. He hadn't changed at all since then, in Ayumu's eyes. Before too long, they had arrived at the cathedral and Ayumu called the shinobi of Kumogakure for a private meeting after directly informing the Raikage first and obtaining his permission to do so. With the threat of the Kingslayers removed, their need as guards was lessened considerably, so a few minutes for the shinobi to hear this seemed little to ask.
--At the Basilica, a private meeting amongst the shinobi of Kumogakure--
As he stood before the shinobi, many of them those closest to Masao, he gathered his strength to tell them the bad news. With his and Do Natsu's presence and Masao's obvious absence, it was no stretch that they might guess what had happened. Ayumu took a deep breath before addressing with shinobi. "I regret to inform you all... that Sennin Takaki Masao fell in battle with Enishi, taking that son of a bitch with him," he said somberly, taking as long as necessary for the shinobi's reactions to subside so that he could continue. Meanwhile, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and drew the letter left behind by Masao. When it seemed appropriate enough to continue, he would do so. "He left behind a message with Natsu that concerns some of you... please, listen. These are his words," Ayumu continued, unfolding the letter once more to read the remainder to those for whom the words were meant. He would leave out the personal message to Natsu, as those words had already been passed along and concerned only him.
"These are my final directives. Follow them to the best of your ability. 1. You, (Do Natsu), are hereby appointed as Sennin of the Main Branch with all attendant privileges and responsibilities of the rank," he began again, once more allowing a moment for this to sink in for the shinobi concerned, which was almost all of them as they were mostly those of the Main Branch.
"2. Tanaka Hikari is named Spymaster of Kumogakure with promotion to Jounin rank once she has reached the appropriate age and ability," he announced next, looking to Hikari, the niece of Masao who Ayumu expected would take this hardest of all. He had no doubt she was worthy of the promotion to Natsu's old rank. She had proven extremely capable every time he had ever seen her in action.
"3. Mochizuki Tama is named Chief Ambassador of Kumogakure and promoted to Jounin rank. I give her my blessing to marry Shiranai vi Kaminari if she chooses to," he continued, his eyes finding the twin in question. He didn't know the girl well, but had been on missions with her. Once again, he had faith in Masao's decisions for his own branch.
"4. Narashi Jo is named as Hand of the Sennin in the Merces Letifer and is promoted to Chuunin. I give him my blessing to marry my daughter if they so choose to in the future," he went on, looking in the Genin turned Chuunin's direction. He had heard rumors that someone was courting Masao's daughter. He had to be bold to brave such a danger as that.
"5. All remaining allegations of treason against Tsuirakuya Shashu are hereby dropped and are to be expunged from her record," he said, looking to his trainee whom he was glad to see was fully conscious now. Of course, he already had plans for any mention of those allegations to mysteriously disappear from her records, but it was good that Masao agreed. That had concluded the last of his directives as Sennin. Now what remained was the distribution of his possessions, which really only applied to two of those present but applied nonetheless.
"As far as the allocation of my worldly possessions, they are to pass to my children Takaki Enjeru and Takaki Saeko, with the follow exceptions: 1. The Tenouzan bolters recovered from Hayata Makoro are hereby returned to Hayata Shin," Ayumu read, his eyes flicking over to Shin. Makoro was Shin's cousin, the first major enemy that Ayumu had helped to take down. Of course, most of the participants of that mission were classified, so nobody really knew about that. Regardless, it was only fair that the bolters were returned to Makoro's nephew, if he wanted them.
"2. The Brush is gifted to you, Natsu, for the purpose of promoting discipline within the ranks of the Main Branch," Ayumu read, though of course Natsu had already heard as much. Some would consider the brush to be Masao's most prized possession. It was not even subtle symbolism that it was being passed on to Natsu as the next Sennin. Ayumu hoped that Natsu would be able to work past his mentor's death and become the Sennin Masao envisioned him to be.
"Thus ends my final will and testament. Glory to Kumogakure. Signed, Takaki Masao, loyal servant of the Raikage of Cloud, and Sennin of the Main," Ayumu concluded, the last words leaving his mouth more quietly than the rest. Those were, in effect, the last words that Masao would ever say to any of them. No doubt many of them would be stricken with grief at his passing, and at the very least they would need some time. Still, they work was not yet done, so they would not have long. They would have to do what shinobi did best and manage their emotions, at least until their duty was complete. To expect some of them, especially those closest to Masao, to truly be able to hold it all back was probably ridiculous. Ayumu closed his eyes and took a breath, folding the letter up once more. Taking a few steps, he handed the letter back to Natsu.
"It was for you, after all," he said, leaving the letter in Natsu's care. With that, he nodded at the new Sennin and headed for the door of the room, stepping out to leave the shinobi to deal with the news how they would. He moved swiftly for the door, as if in a hurry to leave the group. Slowly, he closed the door behind himself and began walking. As he walked down the hallway outside, he felt a tear from the corner of his eye streak down his cheek. He quickly raised his sleeve to brush it away as he paused, leaning against a wall. 'Not even a mention, huh Masao? I can't even be mad,' he thought, staring blankly up at the ceiling. It wasn't as though Masao had prepared a long, elaborate letter in case of his parting. It had probably been hastily scrawled at some point during the mission when he realized Enishi was about. Ayumu didn't even care, honestly, he just wished Masao was still around so he could complain about it.
[OoC: Figured I'd just assume Natsu and Ayumu went back to read the will so everyone could hear it at once. Better idea than reading it three times to different people. Gives everyone the chance to respond to it if they want in their next/final post. If anybody thinks I should have done it differently, let me know.]
Her uncle nodded at her report, and she listened attentively to the others. It seemed that the bomb had been a distraction all along. For a moment, she wondered if they should have known all along… “You shouldn’t have gone.” She said to Masao. “You said Everyone was to pick a battle partner, and no one was to go anywhere alone, and then you did. If you’d listened to your godrotting self the goddamned kingslayers wouldn’t have captured you.” She accused, not looking at the dead as they lay, already rotting nearby. “If you’d followed your own orders, you wouldn’t have been captured.” She said, her face hard. “A lot has been lost today because you didn’t. Please don’t repeat this mistake.” Hikari said.
Masao didn’t answer. Even as Hikari pleaded, his Sennin’s mask was firmly in place. He began to give instructions. “Tanaka-dono, see to it that the remaining delegates are found and protected from further harm. Assign Tama to help you in this task. Also, the Tenouzan College of Cardinals will need to know about the Pontiff’s murder, discreetly of course. Have whoever you can, prevent the Pontifical Guard from entering the premises until we have assurance from the College that we will not be detained in the gaol,” he said.
She nodded. “Yes, boss.” As she did so, she whistled at Tama, the young Hand of the Sennin. “Bossman says you’re with me, Tama san.” She said, “Deta, could you bring the Delegates back?” She looked to Tama, who seemed anxious for only one thing: her boyfriend.
Shin’s creation did so with a nod, as if he had always intended to do so just then. “Of course, Ambassador Tanaka.” As the delegates returned, Tama rushed over to give aid to the Shogun. Hikari cleared her throat. “We have defeated the Kingslayers… but at great cost. More than one of our own has perished…” Hikari breathed carefully, painfully aware that she was on the verge of tearing up. “Kaibutsu sama has died. He gave his life in defense of another. Kitsune san is also dead. She not only have her life, but her very last breath to the revive two who might have fallen in her stead. The Pontiff, who might not have died if not for our peace. Many have embraced death this day. But not all. We still live. Hoshikage sama deflected a life ending attack from the Dear Leader. General Sumihara made the first attack against our hated enemy. I am proud to say that the lot of you embraced each other in peace, just as I asked… and because of it, we who live, still have our lives. Thank you. As to the peace treaty, I propose that we, after exiting Tenouza- tensions are too high here- reconvene at another time… For now, we mourn our dead, and focus on escaping without jail time.”
After they gave whatever response they may, and after answering them, Hikari would turn around, intent on soothing the crowd. She wondered as she walked, what other sixteen year old girl had been in similar circumstances. She had never felt so young, however, as when she opened the doors. Everyone was white faced and furious. So many questions were shouted at her as soon as she presented herself that she could hardly keep them straight. Most centered around the dome. Hikari raised herself to her full height, and looked at them with the same eyes she looked upon the delegates. “I am Tanaka Hikari. I am a peace maker. I am a Kumogakurean kunoichi. I am the Chief Ambassador invited by your Pontiff. I have answers to your questions.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, and took a deep breath. “For the past months… years… there has been a terrible threat to our lands. They called themselves Kingslayers…They were murderers. Thieves. False witnesses. They committed crimes unspeakable to the common man, and horrible even to those of us for whom death is a constant companion. They were responsible for the destruction of your radio tower last night. Before that, they were responsible for the death of my aunt, a King, and many many others. Today they are responsible for the death of my friend, Shinrya Kitsune, and for the collapse of the dome of your bascilica… but there is hope.” She said as shouts began to ring out, “For the delegation from Kumogakure no Sato is responsible for the collapse of their organization, and the deaths of every key member in their leadership!” She shouted,
“It was our blades which crushed the conspirers, and our blood spent in search of justice… But justice has been achieved. The Kingslayers are no longer a threat…” Hikari’s mouth was dry as she looked out at all the information starved questioners. “I... For now, no one will be permitted to enter… the building is not stable. Someone call a representative of the Tenouzan College of Cardinals. It is a matter of the most urgency.” She pointed at one woman who stood near the front. She was wearing the uniform of the Pontifical guard. “You. Retrieve a representative now.” Hikari commanded. The woman nodded hesitantly and rushed off through the crowd.
“Where is the Pontiff?” Asked one man. It’d been his only question. He’d said it many times. It seemed momentarily as if that was all he had ever said… but of course, Hikari had never spoken to him before , and thus could not speak to whether he had or not said anything else…
Hikari turned to him, “Your pontiff is… communing with your god.” She said, as truthfully as she could muster, adding in thought, In the afterlife “He cannot be disturbed.”
The man nodded, appeased at the misleading statement. “What should we do?”
“Return to your homes for now.” Hikari said, “Go home and pray for the souls of the fallen.” Many of those crowded around left at that. Hikari nodded and blessed their simple-minded obedience. It was easier this way.
There was a long awkward moment, before a partier approached. She realized belatedly that he was escorted by the guardswoman she’d sent. Hikari made eye contact with the woman, who nodded to him as if to say, ‘this is the best I’ve got right now, sorry.’ “The rest of you will disperse.” She commanded, “Go home, go to a pub. Go somewhere, but do not stay here!” Moments passed and eventually the people left, all save representatives of the guard, and the man they had brought her.
“Sir, are you sober?”
Hikari went on to tell this cardinal about the deaths, framing each as a courageous sacrifice, and practically deifying the Pontiff’s death, figuring that would, perhaps, appease the man. “I must ask for your word, that we will not be detained.” She said at the conclusion.
“You have it…” The man said heavily, seeming to have aged many years in the moments she’d spoken. “I must return to the college. We need another pontiff…”
“I understand, but you must guarantee our safe passage.”
“You have my word as a holy man.” That was enough for Hikari. She bowed and let the man walk away, only to turn around and walk back into another crisis.
***
"Where's Masao?" Ayumu asked, his eyes frantic. Before the mess, before the blood, she noticed him.
“What?” She asked, looking around, “What do you mean, ‘Where’s Masao’? Where is he?” She asked, raising her voice.
"I need something of Masao's!" he said, looking around once more, digging through the rubble to take from the body of a pretender, the blades her uncle kept strapped tight to his forearms, in case he needed them.
“You don’t think he…” Her breath quickened and her eyes widened. It would be just like him. Just like him to take the fall… because he wanted to fall. He’d rather it be him than them. Hikari passed a hand through her hair nervously, hands shaking now as they had not in battle, before catching it on a blood tightened knot in her frizzy mane. She looked around again, and grimaced. “Donut is gone too. They went after that bastard without us. I am going to Kick his Ass when he we find him!” She snarled, unsure of who she meant. “Bastards!” She looked sharply back at the delegates. “I can’t leave. Ayumu sama,” She grabbed his arm before he left, hell bent on finding them. Hikari knew he would. “When you find them… Just bring them back.” She said, turning back to the group of battered delegates. “I’ll stay behind to protect the Raikage.” Then she released him to do as he must. All of the Sennin had left. The Spymaster had left. It was exactly the sort of opportunity some jackass bomber would take to blow the rest of their peace conference to hell. Hikari, though her heart went with Ayumu to search for her boss, had sworn to protect the Raikage… and she was responsible for these delegates. She cast her eyes down, then with resolve, she looked back up.
“Is anyone injured?”
~*~
The Delegates had retreated to their own small groups. Hikari sat amongst them, available, yet apart. Her mind was on other things. When Ayumu returned, she didn’t notice a first. She was coiled so tightly that when she did move, she wondered that her body hadn’t broken. “He’s back.” She said. “Alone.” I trusted you! Where are they? “Where…” Her eyes searched the doorway as he lead Natsu through. No Masao.
But their faces said I all. Their faces told Hikari that they had been too late. She got up, suddenly feeling every hit from the battle. "I regret to inform you all... that Sennin Takaki Masao fell in battle with Enishi, taking that son of a bitch with him," he said somberly, taking as long as necessary for the shinobi's reactions to subside so that he could continue. Meanwhile, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and drew the letter left behind by Masao.
“What were you thinking?” She spat at Natsu, whose face was probably still red with grief. “Why the fuck would you go along with this? What were you Thinking?” She snarled, “You, the godrotting spy-fucking-master of cloud didn’t think to tip someone off so that you wouldn’t lose our godrotting Sennin!?” She spun around, stomping a few steps then stopped and whirled back around, “What in the hell is Wrong with you?” Unspoken, went the fact that she yelled because she refused the tears which threatened, because she knew, she already knew that he was gone. Dead. Rotting like a slab of meat, a trophy for the god of death. At least Enishi was also dead…
"He left behind a message with Natsu that concerns some of you... please, listen. These are his words," Ayumu continued, unfolding the letter in front of them all after she’d said what she had to.
“1. You, (Do Natsu), are hereby appointed as Sennin of the Main Branch with all attendant privileges and responsibilities of the rank,"
Hikari’s lips pursed at that. Irresponsible. She didn’t say it, but she felt it. Right then, Hikari wanted more than anything to lash out at those around her. She didn’t. Her body remained still. No more outbursts or lashings came forth. All the blame and the anger left in her chest was for him. Their honored Sennin. Their ruined titan. Hikari’s eyes burned, and she flicked them away, breathing steadily as she could. "2. Tanaka Hikari is named Spymaster of Kumogakure with promotion to Jounin rank once she has reached the appropriate age and ability," he announced next, looking to her. It seemed that many eyes were on her. They had expected her outbursts, probably. They likely expected more. She refused to oblige them with her tears, even as her face reddened and her eyes became puffy. She gained this position because he died. He’d had time to scrawl a note, a will, but not to say goodbye. Was this supposed to make up for the fact that there would never be a time when she could tell him what a total dick he was?
“It’s Shit. This whole damned thing is a great steaming pile of shit.” She said, quietly wiping her face, and then she turned away rushing out of the room.
She stumbled and scraped her knee on the way, but kept moving. “And it’s your fault. We had a plan, and you should have stuck to it. Should have had anyone in the conference go with you. Anyone, but no. You had to go alone. Uncle, your actions were foolish. You’re a maverick who’s made himself a martyr. Why couldn’t you trust all of us? You are an asshole who doesn’t take the advice he gives out, and it’s gotten you killed!” As she spoke, her quiet voice slowly became louder. Her eyes light with passion and rage, her voice cracked, and she was practically screaming, and Gods willing, he heard her on the other side. “Like you wanted.” She whispered… defeated.
The red faced girl remembered the last thing he’d really said to her, back before the end… He’d smiled gruffly, looking down at her… The last thing he’d left her with, symbolized in her promotion. Symbolized with a promised promotion to come, was trust.. Hikari stopped rushing. She stood still, and leaned back into a wall, sliding down to the floor. She covered her mouth and sobbed violently.
[thread left unless it’s important that she stay for some reason afterward… idk, to deal with delegates or something. Give her a bit though.]
[mft-2253]
My son.. The words struck Natsu deeply, almost pushing him to tears once more. Masao had said that as well before abandoning him at the door. It was an honor to have been thought off so highly by his Sempai, yet now that honor only brought more pain to the loss. If the now dead man thought the following words brought any relief to that, he had been sorely mistaken. Perhaps one day Natsu would find solace in it, but not now. His wounds were still far too raw, the memories too fresh. The only thing that would ease the pain was if Masao were to suddenly appear in front of them, alive and well. And then only after getting brushed for pulling such a horrendous prank.
Sennin of the Main Branch. The title sounded so hollow in the blond's ears. How would he ever fill the massive hole left behind by Masao? It seemed like such an impossible task. Not the work itself. Paperwork had been a daily sight for the Spymaster, so that'd be only a small adjustment. The Sennin embodied the entire branch however, and would need to take care of not only his subordinates but the entire Village. Natsu was more than willing to do so, had sometimes even dreamed about becoming Sennin when he was younger. Now it seemed like he'd never manage.
"Let's go, Sennin Do Natsu." Natsu looked up, Ayumu's words distracting him from the dark thoughts. The man was right. He was Sennin now, want it or not. The blond man would just have to accept it. "You're right." Natsu said, voice still somewhat hoarse. Rising to his feet, he bend over to pick up the Spear. Weighing it in his hands, the freshly promoted Sennin decided to keep it. Whether impulse or as a memoire of what had happened here, he didn't know. But it likely would come in handy sooner rather than later. Even if it did not possess a divine power like the Tenouzans liked to believe, a spear was a spear.
Entering the basilica and seeing everyone's expectant expressions likely would be remembered by the new Sennin as the hardest moment in his career for years to come. Not knowing what to do or say, the blond kept silent. He did so when Hikari's outburst washed over him and he did so as Ayumu announced the remaining contents of Masao's letter. None of the promotions would meet any objection from him, though he'd sit down with each someday soon to go over their new responsibilities. Especially Hikari, seeing as how she had risen to his old position. The outburst he could easily forgive her, he himself likely would have done similar. Botching up his Spy Network would not be forgiven as easily though.
Once the announcements had been made, Natsu made his way towards the delegation, where he assumed his position for the first time. "Kumogakure has suffered a terrible blow, just like each of you have in their own way. Different as we may be, there are things which unite us. I hope the brutality of the attack and the compassion you have shown each other afterwards has given you enough reason to finally come to an agreement? Once you have recovered from your injuries, we will convene again. I will not leave the city until we have finished what we have set out for, what our friends died for." He spoke, tone hard and permitting no back talk. The Kumo Delegation would return en large home tomorrow, he'd make certain of that. But not him, just like he had said, until Masao's sacrifice would yield at least that damnable treaty.
Shashu nodded blearily at Ayumu's insistence that she take the pills he offered. She had lost a lot of blood, and even if she wasn't on the verge of passing out she wouldn't have been in any shape to refuse. Warmth spread through her body as she swallowed down the capsules, centered around her stomach where she had taken the worst damage. The tension slowly eased out of her body as the pills worked their magic, replacing the looming threat of losing consciousness with the much less worrying embrace of sleep. The last words she heard before she drifted off were her Shukun telling her to take it easy and rest for a while.
"Ok Shukun..." She whispered, a bit stronger than a few minutes ago. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm out..."
* * *
Some time later, Shashu awoke once again to the sounds of commotion. A quick look around revealed the source: Ayumu and Natsu had arrived, apparently returning from an excursion. As she rose to greet them her initial reaction was one of happiness that Ayumu was still alive and well, however the twin expressions of sadness and loss upon his and Natsu's faces told her something was awry. Immediately she scanned the room, her mind making the conclusion that she dared not voice. Please no, don't let it be another one...
Her worst fears were confirmed however at the glaring absence of he who would have stood out the most. Even without the grievous injuries he had suffered Masao had always drawn attention to himself, and the lack of his presence in this moment left a void that answered her unspoken question.
"No...Masao-sama..." She spoke, incredulity filling her voice. It was just too much, too fast. Kitsune was dead, Ayumu had narrowly avoided sharing her fate, and now Masao...she simply stood there shell-shocked as Ayumu delivered his speech.
So that's it then...the final words of a titan. There hadn't been much time or opportunity for her and Masao to get to know each other, but the time they had spent had left her with an large impression of the man. He had just been so big in everything he did, as if he was larger than life. It was strange, how he had seemed so unassuming when she had first opened the door to Kitsune's manor. He had been stately and reserved at first glance, but he had quickly dispelled that notion within seconds of opening his mouth. He had had a knack for finding what would bring you out of your shell and poking it until you stopped pretending to be something you weren't.
A real crazy bastard, for sure. She thought, tears welling up in her eyes. He had even had the thought to remove those stupid accusations from the record completely. People in the know would still talk, but he had made sure that their accusations would mean nothing without proof. Even facing down the prospect of his own death he had thought of someone as unimportant as her...that was the kind of crazy bastard he was. She had a thought, but decided to save it for later. It would mean less here, and there was a better time for such things.
Hikari's outburst brought her back to her senses as the red-haired girl, not so much older than she was, stormed out of the room. There was a lot of responsibility on her shoulders already, and this was just adding to the burden. Shashu had known the man for a few months; Hikari had known him for years. She was bound to take this harder than Shashu possibly could.
She stared at her hands for a few seconds, then closed them tightly. I owe you a lot old man, and she owes you even more. The least I can do is be there for her in your stead. With a quick glance at Ayumu she went after Hikari, eventually finding her slumped against a wall with her face in her hands. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her close and offering her a shoulder to cry on. It wasn't the one she wanted, but hopefully it would be enough for her.
"I miss him too." She would say, her own tears spilling over. Their differences aside, they were both women in this dangerous world. The least they could do was offer each other comfort when everything else went to hell.
The Red Palace, Imperial Throneroom
Raiden no Me, Kaminari no Kuni
...1 month later
“...It is with great sadness that I mourn the passing of His Holiness Yamauchi Kiyoshi, but with even greater joy that I announce the beginning of a lasting peace between the great nations of Marsh and Bear, after many years of tragic bloodshed. Great evil attempted to interfere with this process, and there were many noble souls who died to bring this treaty to fruition, but by the Grace of Isamu their deaths were not in vain, and evil was not allowed to win the day,” announced the short, awkward-looking girl clad in oversized ceremonial robes that had clearly not been tailored for her. She struggled to even be visible over the massive oaken podium she stood behind, and was clearly not in her native element, but this was not for lack of trying. Her name was Yamauchi Shuu, and as the adopted daughter and First Disciple of Yamauchi Kiyoshi, she was now the hundred and fifth Vicar of Isamu on the Mortal Plane, and Pontiff of Tenouza. In front of her, a thousand representatives of the world’s press outfits and news outlets excitedly snapped photographs and strained to push their microphones closer, while others shouted and cursed into radios and phone lines to inform their editors of events as they unfolded.
Saint Isamu’s Basilica was now obscured behind a massive cluster of scaffolds, tarps, and cranes, showing that if there was anything the Tenouzans paid as much attention to as prayer, it was rebuilding. The final signing of the Hayata Peace Conference had been moved to Raiden’s Eye in Lightning as had been volunteered by Shogun Shiranai vi Kaminari. He was bedecked in a red sash and uniform, and sat proudly nearby Pontiff Shuu. Standing by him was Chancellor Tachibana Ami, who had visibly aged in the interim and was now floating rumors of retirement from public life. It was increasingly whispered in the Shogun's court that what had caused her formerly pristine face to wrinkle was not two wars, several attempts on her life, and the increasing turmoil of the citizenry over "democracy,' but the stress inflicted on her mind by a Cloud shinobi named Tama. The Raikage Hayata Shin sat next to the Pontiff, his trademark long spiky hair now shorn closer to his head. His coke-bottle glasses still remained, hiding his heavily-lidded eyes.
“Supreme Leader Sumihara Hotaka, Queen Haninozuka Ekaterina, if you would please sign the Hayata-Yamauchi Treaty,” said Shuu blithely. The Queen, clad in her brilliant emerald gowns of state and wearing the ancestral tasseled crown of the hangul people, delicately took one of the long quills sitting in a nearby jar of ink, and pressed it to a gold-embossed parchment in front of her, signing her name in full. Similarly, the Dear Leader, dressed in a navy blue PLA uniform with General’s stars, also did the same with his own quill. The audience erupted in applause, and the camera flashes turned the room white.
* * *
In the audience attending the signing of the treaty, Hoshikage Nanasaki Ai also sat, clad in the somber colors of mourning and flanked by an honor guard of Star Supernova shinobi. The treaty room was still divided heavily by color lines; the emerald of Bear Country occupied one section while the red of Marsh country and the indigo of Lightning Country occupied the others. Yet sitting next to Ai was none other than Cloud’s former Chief Ambassador, Tanaka Hikari. She had been one of the main architects of the peace process, even if her name and role was to be supplanted by her Raikage’s, and for her actions she had been promoted to the position of Spymaster of Cloud. Alongside Ai, she clapped and beamed as ink was finally laid to paper - the culmination of years of work.
The ushers started to direct everyone to head to the reception hall, where doubtless many gaffes and misunderstandings would arise, lubricated by addictive Tenouzan wine. Among those who had actually been at the negotiations and who had survived the attack by Yukimura Enishi, however, drinking and merrymaking were last on their minds. As they trudged along reluctantly, Ai gently squeezed Hikari’s hand.
“Congratulations on your promotion, Tanaka-dono… Still, I want you to think about my offer,” said the Hoshikage. The offer in question being an invitation for Hikari to serve as the Sennin of Star Village, at least until a Star shinobi could be found who was willing and able to handle the burden. Since it was a temporary position, it would not count against the redhead as a treasonous act, especially since it gave the new Spymaster a chance to essentially see the complete inner workings of an allied village. Hikari nodded, reassuring Ai that she would, in fact, consider it.
“First, though, Nanasaki-san, someone told me they wished to see you for a moment,” said Hikari, leading Ai by the hand to a side-chamber before the Hoshikage could react. However, on seeing who was waiting for them, Ai tensed.
“Tanaka-dono, what is the meaning of this…” started Ai, upon seeing General Sumihara Kaede standing and facing the pair. Slowly, the General proffered both hands, showing that she was unarmed. Ai raised an eyebrow at Hikari, but turned her attention to the General. “Yes?” she said, indifferently.
“Nanasaki…-san,” Kaede said in a forced tone, unsure of what honorific to use after the name of a woman who had until now had been her first priority to kill.
“General…” replied Ai warily, without bowing or extending her hand. Emotions were still raw between the two. Kaede’s gaze flicked momentarily to Hikari, who nodded in support. The General cleared her throat.
“I wished to ask you something. You protected the Dear Leader...even as your Sennin - your father - died to protect your Queen. I know that if you hadn’t, you might’ve been able to save Kaibutsu. So...why? Why did you do that?” asked the woman, fighting the urge to close her throat. Ai’s fists clenched, and trembled, white-knuckled.
“Is this why you wished to speak to me, General? To get a final jab in now that you can’t use your sword?” Ai snapped.
“No!” protested Kaede. “I just...I lost my own father recently...Nanasaki-san. I know how much pain it causes...I need to know why you did that. For us...your enemies.”
“I just...didn’t want the boy to die. I acted on instinct. Maybe he looked like someone I cared about in the past. I don’t really know,” said the Hoshikage, gritting her teeth to stave off the pressure building in her chest.
“He’s my only family in the world, Nansaki-san. If he’d been lost, I would be too,” said Kaede, her eyes watery. “What I really wanted to tell you was...for saving my Dear L- ...no, my brother...” Kaede sank to the ground, prostrating herself in formal kowtow. “nŏmu gamsahamnida!*”
Ai inhaled raggedly, but her fists unclenched, turning flesh-colored again as blood finally returned to her fingers. Slowly, she also went to her knees in front of the General. With trepidation, she extended a hand to her sworn enemy’s face and gently lifted her forehead from the cool marble of the floor until their eyes met. Without further words, the two women embraced each other, and wept for a very long time.
*trans: Thank you (in a way that expresses ultimate gratitude)
Office of the Prime Minister
Duma of Nova Muskovskoya
Capital of the Ostenbrand Kaiserreich
Prince Ivan von Hindenburg-Vasiliyevich, fourth in line to the throne of the Kaiserreich, had already been killed several times by his opponents, and thus was in an exceptionally crabby mood before noon when he was notified by a breathless page that the Oberst had finally arrived for the meeting. Normally, the Prince would have seen the interruption of his daily fencing spar as a pointless and bothersome interruption, but today he was irritated at his performance and saw the boy’s message as a welcome excuse to stop the humiliation he was undergoing at the hands of his Hauptmann. Gracefully excusing himself from the practice, the Prince wiped the sweat from his forehead and changed hastily into his usual wear for the conduction of state business.
A short time later, he found himself sitting at a table in the Minister’s office, across from a thickly mustachioed Oberst Aleksandr Reinhard, commander of the Crimean Theatre Special Warfare division, or Spetsnaz for short. He had received word previously that the Oberst was bringing news of a breakthrough in his division’s military research, but did not expect the form of that breakthrough to be a haggard-looking, one-eyed man with snow-white hair and definitively foreign features. The Oberst, probably sensing the Prince’s confusion, spoke first.
“My Liege, your eyes do not deceive you, nor have I. I have brought you today something that I promise will forever change the nature of warfare as we know it, and finally allow us to break the stalemate in the Western Front. I present to you The Oriental, as we call him.”
“Ah. And I thought that name referred to some weapon or source of energy, not an an actual Oriental man,” shrugged the Prince. “Honestly, he doesn’t look any different from your average Turk or Tatar. If this is some joke at my expense, Reinhard, you shall regret your impertinence…”
“Please, My Liege, let me explain,” said the Oberst. “The foreigner you see in front of you is no prank or fantasy. He washed up on the Khazar beaches a few years ago, clad in rags, and with only a wooden cup in his possession, speaking in a tongue most similar to that from the Eastern Isles. Normally, some shipwrecked traveler would simply go unnoticed and perish, but he came to military attention when he resisted arrest for theft of bread by nearly incinerating a whole platoon of Gendarmes. It took a whole brigade of our Spetsnaz to overpower him, and from their battle reports, it was clear that he possessed a far more advanced control over prana than any of our agents ever have.”
“Very well, Oberst, I’ll spare you for now, since you’ve gotten my attention. But remind me of what prana is again?” interjected the Prince, crossing his arms.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Prana is the term our scientists use for a type of spiritual-biological energy that certain individuals can actually manifest and use for the purposes of various tasks. For example, a person with enough control over their prana could move objects around without physically touching them, or even produce searing heat from their hands without an external source of flame.”
“Oh yes - wasn’t that very recently discovered?”
“Actually, the human usage of prana has been around for thousands of years of recorded history. It’s just very rare when an individual can control enough of it to produce anything of value. Many famous warriors and ‘miracle workers’ are thought to have had some level of increased control over this energy source, without necessarily knowing it themselves. It’s only within the last fifty or so years that any serious study has been undertaken on it, and only in the last thirty years that we’ve attempted to harness those individuals for military purposes.”
“Yes...those Spetsnaz of yours...”
“Yes, them. Incredibly rare individuals specially recruited from the ranks of the Empire’s military forces based on their potential for production and control over prana, and intensively trained to be elite soldiers capable of taking on entire divisions alone. They are the most powerful weapon in our conflict with the Argead Dominion and the Marschen Republik.”
“So back to The Oriental, how is it that he came from assaulting our forces to training them now?” asked the Prince.
“An excellent question, My Liege. After he was overpowered and captured, we brought him to the fortress of Sevastopol and attempted to question him. Since his language seemed similar to the Eastern dialects we were able to communicate partly through the use of conscripts from Chung-Kuo. Something that became readily apparent was that he was quickly picking up our language, and before a few months had gone by, we were able to converse passably without the aid of the conscripts. Essentially, we figured out that he had no idea what his name was, how he’d gotten here, or where he’d come from. Amnesia or brain damage, unfortunately. However, what was obvious was that wherever he came from, he must have been powerful, and obviously military-trained. It was I, of course, who suggested that he be given his freedom from confinement in exchange for teaching his prana control to our forces.”
“Ah, Reinhard, so you’ve already started the very thing that you presumably came here to ask me permission for?” snorted the Prince derisively. The Oberst shrugged.
“You cannot argue with my results, Your Majesty. In a single year since we have allowed him to begin training our men, we have decisively won several major engagements with the Marschen Republik and captured multiple garrisons of Argead forces without bloodshed. The Argead prana-users, or ‘Polaris’ as they call themselves, are definitively outclassed by our improved Spetsnaz. We are going to win our war, and it will be thanks to The Oriental. And when we have crushed the Argead and all of the others, perhaps we will set our sights to the riches of the East!
“All I need from you, Your Majesty, is the funds to do so. I will have for you an army of super-powered prana-users. By the way, The Oriental calls them shinobi. A rather savage-sounding term, but the men seem to like the designation,” said the Oberst, beaming triumphantly. The Prince frowned, in deep thought.
“Very well. You may have your funding. But if this turns out to be a waste of time and money, though, you will end your career in a gulag in Siberia. One thing still bothers me, though. This Oriental...” he said, gesturing idly toward the white-haired one. “...why would he help us to such a degree for merely giving him freedom from confinement? It seems he could leave if he wanted to. What makes him want to stay here?”
“Ah, Your Majesty, that is one thing I did forget to mention,” said the Oberst. “You see, he may have forgotten his name and origin, but he does remember one overarching goal of his very clearly, and I have information that I have agreed to release to him as a condition of helping us.”
The Prince inhaled sharply, shaking his head in a mixture of wonderment, fear, and disgust.
“Ah, I see now. Reinhard, you are a serpent in a man’s body. But my next question is not for you. It’s for him,” said the Prince, pointing now to the elderly foreigner. “Oriental. You can speak our language, so answer my question. What is it you want here?”
“Watashi...” began the man, before clearing his throat. “I...am here to find and kill...a woman,” he said, in halting Prussian. The Prince raised an eyebrow.
“There are a lot of horrid women in the world. Who's the one you're after?”
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