One look and Kiri was wondering if he truly needs to return to the village soon. He had returned to Lightning Country, indeed, but he was still skeptical about entering through the village gates, possibly facing the wrath of his Raikage once the issue in Leaf would be brought up. Not that he was scared for the punishments, but that he was embarrassed as it is that he would not know how to answer if he were questioned. Would simply saying that he did it because he was given the option to fight and prove himself through his strength, only to be beaten and making it all the more shameful?“Stop thinking about it so much,” said his brother’s voice from deep inside his soul. “There is more shame if you hide from your lord. It’s best to come clean and honest.”
Kiri sighed at the thought and looked up ahead to the distance, past the plains and the silhouettes of mountains, Kumogakure waited with its cold climate, its stoic landscapes and its securing feeling. Even if Kiri was born in Leaf, and he did try to investigate about it back when he was in Konoha, all trails led to a dead end with most of the Hasegawa Clan having fled before the civil war started and never bothered to return. That reinforced the notion that he shouldn’t bother dredging up the past and just be loyal to his present. But at that moment, he was being a bit childish to just return and apologise to the so-called “father” of the village.
Everything would have to happen, though. And lingering along the outer villages would not do him any good. He had asked permission from Junko before they separated that he would stay a few days in Port Cirrus, just to visit the old baker and his family. Right before he would head back to the village, and he was trusted for it. It has been 4 days since and he knew it was just about time he started traveling home for real.
Nodding, Kiri would finally agree with his brother’s words, after a mental image of someone patting him on the head. Thus, he would continue on his travel along the plains. He had already calculated that he would be able to go past the plains by nighttime and reach the mountains at the very least. He’ll have to do some hunting along the area for dinner. His beast would probably be happy since they haven’t done any huntings along the mountain pass for a while, always stuck with the forest of Leaf. So the challenge was different and perhaps he could even practice a few of his new jutsus. Ah, but he’ll have to be mindful of other travellers and perhaps falling off the side of the cliff.
But unlike before, when he would run as freely as he could along the tall grasses of the plains, coming home right now gave a different feeling. He would reach out a hand to feel the grasses against his palm as he passed them by. A certain kind of freedom was felt and it was strangely nostalgic, almost as if he had felt a great sense of burden released from him before. However much he would try and recall it, he couldn’t. And so, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was a memory of his brother’s, and so the feeling of nostalgia must also belong to him.
“We don’t have to rush. You seem to be enjoying the sight,” said Kiri with a smile as he slowed his pace running across what almost seemed like the endless plains with the mountains in the background, and the sky turning orange as mid-day began to retreat. But he wouldn’t hear an answer from his brother, simply a feeling of enjoying the moment.
And so, he felt a rising of a childish innocence in him as he quickened his run with his arms out wide, feeling the wind past him. A gleeful smile on his face. A jump, a hop, a skip, a leap, and even crashing on the grass and rolling about. His brother was definitely probably shaking his ethereal head in his soulscape at that point, but it simply felt like freedom.
As he came to a stop, Kiri found himself gasping for air, trying to contain that brief excitement as he watched the passing clouds overhead. The orange sky was simply stunning now that he was back in the country after a year in Leaf. With no forest to be seen at any point of his periphery, the sky was endless and raw, and beautiful that it made one feel like they were nothing compared to the enormity of the world, and yet seemingly strong and powerful to take it on. It was a different kind of high… and comforting… and encouraging.
“Yeah, I really would love to protect this land. But I guess I need to face Raikage-sama first,” he said with a smirk.
[WC: 839]
Being quite particular of the circumstances. Leaving the slope high on the other side of the wrong set of the mountains, Baba would find himself now shaking off the last bits of snow and allowing his clothing to dry from the wetness that came with frozen water that fell from the sky. Packing up his things he would leave them sitting next to a bank on a small stream. His medical Supplies tucked away in a side bag he was carrying with him. Feeling the grumbling in his chest it was time to gather more blood and another heart... but this time he would use an animal heart to see if it had the same affect on him... However, something stirred him. Chakra coming his way... It seemed to be alone...
Right in the chest... causing Baba to stagger back as the menacing blast hit his stomach, chest and abdomen... Causing him to fall to the wayside, before rolling back to his feet... As he got up the bones now coming out... protruding from his body. Now he was pissed. The look in his eyes, a man unstable. The hearts in his chest would begin quivering in excitement. And the tendrils seemed to be reaching for air out of pockets of skin that had been hurt in the immediate hit. However... one thing that worked in his favor... His syringe. The class of a Medical Student that kept highly volatile poisons on him. Just in case... however, he kept some secrets in his weapons just in case.