Removing the Rust [P]

Chrollo walks through the village of Takigakure No Sato. Wearing a fur coat, pants, and boots. A pair of ear rings hang from each earlobe. His black hair hangs against the village forehead protector, headband. It is fairly early in the morning. Save the fishermen, no one else is in the streets. Walking down the lifeless trail which leads to the village tree. He had come out today for a single reason, and that was to find himself. Lately he had been lost in a way. He did not know his reason for living. Why had he been chosen as the Leader of the village? To protect it? In a way he had already failed in that department. Even though the village itself was not harmed in any way, there was still a dent in his reputation. Along with a stain in the village's historically clean record. He would have to retaliate. He did not know why, but since the attempted siege, he was frightened of things which never rose about the emotion before. Konohagakure No Sato, was one of these things. Why, and now of all times had he become afraid of that village. Along with this, a simple gust of wind would cause him to quiver. It was disgusting, fear that is. Which is why the man found himself where he is now. In front of the village tree. He would have to find himself now, or become lost in fear in the future.

Standing in front of the large tree Chrollo attempts to stare up to its peak, but cannot due to the clouds protruding his vision. "Really, large is an understatement." He says, his voice filled with fascination. He kneels to the ground, his right palm stretches out, and touches the tree. "May you bestow many blessing upon me, and my people." He prays this silently, and finally removes his hand from the tree, a wave of calmness rushes through him. A serious aura looms over him as he stands back onto his feet. A look of determination enters his eyes. His hand reaches into his coat pocket, and he removes a small book. Old, the book is covered in dust. He had never opened it in the past, but it seemed he would have to. A book his mother left behind. It was no wonder why he had chosen to neglect the book. His mother had after all committed an affair, and attempted to soil the family name, but due to recent events he would have to turn to it. He was not destined to manipulate the elements like his brother, and grandfather were, but he should have been. Hopefully the journal would answer his many questions. Opening the book, he begins to flip through the pages, scanning until he finds the interesting part. It doesn't take him long.

'Chrollo, I leave this book to you. If it is the only thing I have left to give. You must know the truth. Why you are no like your brother. For some time now I've been noticing you. Following me, and my...acquaintance.'

Chrollo's face twists into one of disgust, "You mean the man you were having an affair with! Dignified 'till the end it seems." He reads on from where he left off,

'I will tell you now. That man is no stranger. He is...your father. The reason you are not like your brother, is because you are not identical, half of you is, but the other half is special. Chrollo, your father is a special man. He too comes from a clan of prized, and respectable men. All legends in some way. The Senju. You possess the unique ability to manipulate Wood. Due to a combination of the Earth, and water elements. With this you can...'

The Journal ends there. Chrollo closes the book walks towards the tree, and falls against it, his left hand's hold on the tree is the only thing keeping him on his feet. Completely overwhelmed with the feeling of guilt. He had killed his mother. For a while, long enough for the sun to rise, and a few of the villagers to begin to flood the streets, he mourns. Crying softly. Never had he been so ignorant, and vulnerable. Finally he stops, placing the book back into his pocket. The former look of confidence returns. He raises a single hand into the air, and out of the tree two shinobi emerge. Appearing in front of him. "Anything you need, Chrollo-san?" Chrollo, stares at the man with sympathy. His entire way of looking at the world was wrong, since the beginning, but that could not change the fact that his village needed him, and he would have to be strong, in order to protect them. "Yes. You are relieved of your duties today. Go home, and return first thing in the morning. I have some business I must take care of in private." They both look surprised at first, but they quickly nod, and vanish away from his sight, not wanting to argue, and risk losing a break they may never see as long as they work under him.

After they leave, he sighs loudly. Finally alone. He would have to find off if his mother's words were true by himself. Opening his left palm, he would raise it so that he could see into it. Squeezing it shut, he hesitates for a moment, before kneeling to the ground. He hovers his hand over a section of dead flowers while channeling chakra into his palm. It doesn't take long for the grass to react, confirming his suspicions. Removing his hand from the section, he now stares at the previously dead flowers. It was truly breathtaking. The grass's color had returned, more alive than the others. In fact, in comparison they seemed to be the one's dying. He chuckles a little, standing up straight. "Now that that's out of the way. I guess there is nothing else keeping me from taking the next step." He walks among the dead trail after saying this, grass coming to life from each of his steps, and with each step he felt a new found confidence. Chrollo realizes while moving that he is strong. Not in a cocky manner, but in a manner as if it was meant to be. He was not meant to live a plain life, no, he since the day of his birth was destined to be powerful. 'I can protect this village, and the people within it.' He proclaims this mentally.

He stops walking, and turns towards a new scenery in front of him. Grass stretching out as far as the eye can see. The perfect place for him to train Wood Release. While his Mother's personal entries ended, she did not come short when it came to listing the various techniques those whom inherited the Senju DNA would be able to learn. Of course, he would have to practice. Remembering the name of the first technique which came to mind, he would begin to perform the necessary hand seals, and summon forth a cage. In a perfect world, he would have been able to do it on the first try, unfortunately this is not the case. Staring at the pile of mud in front of him Chrollo sighs loudly, cursing under his breath. He would not be able to learn the technique on his own. Of course, he could always train with his ninja, but for some reason the Wood Release studies felt sacred to him in a way. He would have to do something he dreaded. Turning around, headed away from the great tree, he begins to walk back to the village. His destination being his chambers.

Soon he would arrive. Opening the door, the secretary would bow, so would the other people residing in the waiting room. He would return their gestures with a slight nod, continuing forward, until he enters a place isolated away from them. The village's data base. A series of cabinets in alphabetical order surrounded him on all sides, save the back. Closing the door he would walk into the cold room. It reminded him of a morgue at this moment. Each breathe he takes fills the air with a thin mist. Walking down the row, he scans the cabinet for the last name, 'Senju'. He did not expect to find many. The village being so small, "There..." he mutters while pulling open a single file cabinet. Only three shinobi bore the last name Senju, in the village's history the past hundred or so years. He smiles pulling out a single file, only one of them were old enough to be his father.

With the file in hand, he exits the room, picking up speed, he doesn't give his underlings a moment to slow him down with courtesies. A wave of warm wind hits him, blowing his black hair backwards the moment he opens the door, leaving out of his office. He opens the file, now running at full speed through the village. Nodding to himself he closes the file, and heads towards the man's last known address. It wasn't too much a surprise really. A Senju living in the Jungle, it would seem to be natural. After a short while he would arrive in the jungle, straying away from the brushes, and walking along the man-made path. While walking he hears a twig snap, a meter behind him, and to his left. The recent attack on the village had to have effected his nerves. With no hesitation he turns around, his right leg aimed to slam against whatever it is behind him, and it does, except the target doesn't seem to have been affected. Turning around completely, he moves his leg, and stares at the young boy behind him. He looked to be around his age actually, maybe a year difference at most.

For a moment, the two stare at each other in silence. "Watch where you're kicking." He then kneels down, and picks up a set of wood. An axe in his left hand. Chrollo hadn't even heard the wood drop to the ground, and more surprising the man was fast, and strong enough to stop his kick. While Chrollo may not be the strongest he was sure that he was the fastest in the village. So, why had he been able to dodge his kick so easily? "Pardon me? Maybe you should try not to startle people." The boy smiles the wood now sitting on his right shoulder, and the axe still hanging in his left hand. "Maybe I should, after you stop being such a prick." He then vanishes, leaving behind no chakra signature to follow. Very well. He would follow the man himself. What other way could he get his point across without beating some sense into the insolent brat. Dashing off after him, Chrollo follows him through the jungle, not too far behind. The boy looks over his shoulder at him, with an annoyed grin he trugs along picking up speed. They may have continued on like this forever. In fact the would have had someone not intervened.

A tall pale male lands in the path of the boy Chrollo had been bothered by. Long black hair that reached his back, and spiked into the air. He held a since of authority with him, his entire atmosphere serious, and threatening. "Kurama!! Head back home, and set up the fire." The boy stands still frozen for a second, and then vanishes at a speed Chrollo is unable to follow. Cursing under his breathe at the boy's underestimation of him, he looks at the man. The man stares back at him, for a moment his eyes widen, but that is all. Returning to normal he walks towards Chrollo. "Leave now!! You are on private property. Now run along, and find something better to do with your time." Chrollo stares at him, and walks forward to meet him half way. Looking around he is baffled to see he is no longer in the jungle. Well, the jungle can still be seen surrounding them, but as of the moment he is standing in a plain. A wooden mansion in front of him, behind the man. As well as a barn. It seems he had indeed reached an unknown territory. "Did you get permission from the Leader to cut down the tree, to make this land so...free." The man stares at him for a moment he looks as if he might lash out at him, whether physically or mentally. Chrollo did not want to spar with the man. He was not so ignorant that he would purposely fight a losing battle.

The man looks at him smiling. "This land has been here for centuries. If people were not so simple minded while living in the village, they would have come across it, and had it properly added on the maps." Chrollo locks eyes with the man. He was right. This place was not listed on the map, at least any recent ones. The man had answered his next question, without knowing it. Looking down at the file he notices something odd. The picture of the man in front of him matches the description of the Senju on the file. Clearing his throat Chrollo would step forward, so that he now stood directly in front of the man whom happens to be a head taller than him. "I assume you are the owner. Rollo Senju." The man pauses, staring down at Chrollo as if he were a bug on the verge of being squashed at any moment. "Yes, indeed I am. What is it that bring you here, and how do you know my..." The man stops his eyes further observe Chrollo scanning him, unlike before. He would sigh. His eyes would lose their burning look instantly, becoming warm, and inviting. "I see..." He then walks off partially waving for Chrollo to follow him.

He does moving close behind the man, still watching for any sudden moves. The man ahead of him pushes open the door, revealing the interior of the large mansion. Kurama, the boy he had met earlier, stares wide eyed at Chrollo. The man nods at Chrollo, and walks off. "Kurama, this is your brother." The young boy's eyes bulge in surprise, but quickly return to normal. The man turns around, so that he is facing both of his sons directly from across the room. He nods at Chrollo. The man did not know what to say, but he knew his father wanted answers. "Well recently...I discovered that you are my biological father. Due to certain circumstances I figured it would be best that I meet you to help me...control some thing I was unaware of." The man frowns, and nods once more. Chrollo stretches out his palm, and touches the floor of the home, creating a flower as tall as him standing next to him, it opens, and shows it's beautiful buds. "I was unaware of this...ability my entire life. Now you must teach it to me." The man laughs, bellowing through the entire house, it echos off the walls. There was no surprising look on his face, nor did Chrollo expect one. "Why are you so sure that I will teach you?" Chrollo smiles, beginning to move across the room to his father. Kurama looks at him, hesitant as to whether he should stop Chrollo from moving any closer. "Well, one reason is because I'm your son, and the other is because the village depends on me being you know...strong. I am after all the current Leader." His face turns serious, a confident aura pours from his very being, and fills the room, maybe the entire home. "So at this point you may understand my need to rush things." His father looks at him, and nods again. His younger brother continues to stare at him, in shock. "Help me, I do not have much time to waste..."

The man walks pass Chrollo, and towards the door. He looks at Kurama, and raises a single finger in the air. The boy smiles, a real, and genuine smile. The first time he had done so, since meeting Chrollo. "I will let you fight my disciple in my steed. I must run off, and meet with a few friends in the village. I will not return 'till midnight at the earliest. I expect you will be at stage three by then? Best of luck. Kurama, I leave him to you." With that he shuts the door behind him. Kurama smiles, looking at his elder brother. What was that look? Did he see him as prey. As it was rather predator like, and what is Stage three? The boy begins to run through the home, expecting his brother to follow him. While he found the act of running through a home, especially one not owned by him disturbing, and rude, he could do nothing, but follow suit. Setting his foot against the ground he runs...Turning the corner...

Black...Nothing...Darkness...Blinking rapidly a few times he opens his eyes fully, and stares around the room. Well more like an entire place completely. Grass covers the floor around him. The 'ceiling' seemed to be painted to the color of the sky. Mock clouds, and a sun to go with it all. The area appears to be a mile long, and wide. The cieling several hundred meeter in the air. A single ladder reaches the floor two hundred meters acros from him. Holding his head he grunts softly, staggering to his feet. "This is the leader of a village? No wonder we were attacked, and people lost their lives. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it were to happen again." Chrollo turns around to face his smiling younger brother. He wonders what would happen if he were to kill him right this moment. Well, as leader he wouldn't have anything to worry about. "Whatever. Tell me what stage one is exactly." His brother's smile fades, and he back away. Raising both hands into the air. "Fine. I will teach you the basics of wood release, but you must not let it spill out. The basics. Chakra control, don't perform any jutsu. Just focus on the water, and earth elements within you. Stage one is a self test. Whether you pass this stage depends on your ability in stage two in which case you will learn various wood release techniques. In stage three you will use them in a battle against me. Sound good? Now if you would please excuse me, I have a nap to take." With that the boy walks off, and lies on the pasture fifty feet in front of him, and closes his eyes. Chrollo looks down, takes a seat, and places both palms together, as if he were praying. From here he enters himself.

He can feel the chakra as if flows throughout his body. He knew since the beginning whcih elements he was capable of manipulating. Fire. A destructive element. Capable of many unspeakable techniques. Water. A less appealing element. It appeared to be rather futile in comparison to the others. However, Chrollo knows that if used correctly it could easily be more destructive than Fire. Earth. This was an element he enjoyed the most. Which is no surprise since it was the very first element he learned back when he was a Genin. Even as an academy student he knew this would be his initial element. It mainly comes from his want to control things, and controlling the environment around him at will, was enough to draw him to this element. It also represented life. He could create earth, if the technique was at hand it could be done easily. Now as a Senju. He would have to combine the destructive, yet calm water element, with earth. First, as his brother suggested he would have to separate both elements from within himself. This was already done, as he had never combined them internally. Which is why now finds himself attempting to combine to to elements. Concentrating for several minutes, he slows his heart be down to a steady rhythm, and finally, he stands to his feet exhaling loudly to let his younger brother know, that he's completed the requests.

His brother rolls over onto his back, and leaps onto his feet. Taking his time he jogs back to him, smiling slightly. "That was quick. You sure you ready? Well doesn't matter anyways, since we'll find out now." His brother moves over to him, standing beside him. "The first jutsu I will teach you is...Mokuton: Nativity of a sea of trees. Watch carefully, you're going next." He nods, his eyes now staring at the boy scanning, in wait for him to begin. His brother nods, and performs the tiger seal. For a moment, he wonders if the boy had made a mistake himself. Until the ground beneath him quakes slightly. He looks around, and watches in awe as a forest of trees rise from the ground. Covering the entire section in front of them, stretched out thirty meters, from where he stands, nothing beyond the branches can be seen. His brother smiles, leaning forward, he jumps in the air clacking both heels together. "Your turn." He says, turning Chrollo around by the shoulders so that he is now staring at the empty space behind him. Waiting for him to summon forth a forest of his own. Rolling both shoulder, he performs the seals identical to the one's his brother had done. Almost instantly, the ground beneath them shakes. The response was a lot quicker than his brothers. Releasing the seal, Chrollo smiles, and he notices his brother is smiling too, but there is something hidden behind his grin.

From the ground a single tree emerges to the surface...that is all. Compared to the forest behind him, it was obvious whom had done better. "Hahahaha." His brother wiping the tears surfacing from his eyes. "I bet you're wonder what you did wrong huh? Well, you had the technique right, but you missed a small vital part. You were supposed to hold the seal. You released it too quick." Laughing again he slaps him on the shoulder, Chrollo remains still. No wonder there had been a pause. Chrollo though his quick response came from his large chakra storage. He did not believe it was because of something as simple as holding a seal. He makes avoid chuckle, and performs the necessary seals once more this time holding it for a short moment. "You think you can get it on your second try? Just give your body a break, I'm sure you know better than..." He shuts up the moment the ground quakes. More violent than when he had performed the jutsu. As seen when he is almost thrown from his feet, and onto an uprising branch. He ducks out of the way quickly, cursing to himself. "You were saying?" A cocky remarks he makes while looking down at his brother, whom is not attempting to stand, dusting the mud from his pants. "Did I not tell you. I have no time to waste. Next jutsu." A gust of wind enters the room. Normally this would not be a cause to alert him, but now being that they were in a house's basement, it seemed unlikely for this to occur. Not to mention their dad would not be at home for another two hours at the earliest.

A voice booms from across the room. "Whooooooooooo!! Holy crap. This place is big." The man bypasses the stairs, and leaps directly onto the floor. Well to his brother it may appear that way, but Chrollo noticed the slight halt before he hit the ground. Fuuton. "May I help you?" His brother says stupidly to the man. Chrollo shakes his head, and continues to stare at the man. His eyes not leaving him. "How were you able to grow trees down here?" He says ignoring his brother's question. Chrollo stands beside his brother watching carefully as the man approaches them. "Is this a part of the training?" He asks his brother, whom shakes his head furiously, 'no'. "Good to hear....Give me a wood release jutsu I can use to capture this fellow." His brother stares at him, his eyes wide as before when he had mentioned he was the Leader.  "It can't be done you must..." Chrollo cuts him off. The dominant Aura he had before resurfaces. His brother flips the pages in his mind, and smiles. "Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison Technique." Chrollo, walks pass his brother, and into the forest. He notices the man enter the forest across from him. The would meet dead center in the room. Striding, through the forest he naturally evades the roots around his feet. The man stumbles, but for the most part he retains a sense of balance, maneuvering through the forest. A bandit in the jungle would easily be able to do such a thing. No matter. The man had broken into another person's home, and now, he would have to face the consequences.

Chrollo meets the man in the center of the room. He smiles, holding out his right hand. The man returns the gesture, and oddly the two shake hands. The Leader, and a petty bandit. After this, distance is attempted to be put between them, however, Chrollo reaches out at the back of the man's neck while he leaps backwards, catching him off guard. He raises his right knee, and almost instantly brings the man's head towards it, and slams it against his knee. An audible snapping noise can be heard, as the man's nose breaks. The bandit falls to the ground grabbing his nose, he curses loudly, while kneeling in front of Chrollo. Rising his left leg, he slams it against the man's temple, knocking him five meters away, and into a tree. Shortly behind, Chrollo arrives, once again in front of the man. "Don't tell me you thought I would actually exchange pleasantries with a mere bandit. In all truth you disgust me." Chrollo rises his foot, on the verge of slamming it into the man's chin. That is until his father arrives. His hand intercepting the foot he looks at the bandit. What was that emotion in his eyes, pity? "Enough. Training's over today head back up stairs." Chrollo smiles, and walks away. "I don't think I must explain to you how wrong your actions are. You should kill him now. Rollo. Or I will do it later." Flashing a smile he climbs each rung of the stairs, and exits the basement.

The cool air of the home, is welcomed by him once he rises from the room. Cleaning his clothing he decides he would have to throw out his pants, the blood, and god knows what else escaped from the man's nose when he broke it. Behind him, his father exits with the man, and leads him out of their home. Chrollo shrugs. He would not tell the man once more, of what a horrible mistake he was making. The man would return. The only questioned that remained was when, and how many he would bring with him...Chrollo walks up the stairs, and enters a room, which appears to have been used for guesses, according to his brother. He flops down on the bed, and for the first time in several days he falls asleep. He awakens before the annoying roosters around the house could beat him to it. Placing on a set of comfortable clothes, though a little too youth like for his taste, he exits the room. Walking down the stairs, he enters the kitchen, eating enough to keep his body satisfied for the next couple of hours, he handles his hygiene, and opens the door which leads down stairs, the bottom floor, the basement. He dives into the room, ignoring the ladder. Falling several hundred meters to the ground could be rather frightening. So, he puts his right foot against the wall, and applies chakra to it, repeating the process with his left, he runs the last few meters down, and leaps to the ground upright. Immediately he enters stretches. Loosening his muscles. Even though he is know Tai expert, he still enjoys to keep the tension away from his muscles. One would never know if someone is fast enough to enter their guard.

Walking around the room, he notices a single difference. The forests, he and his brother had created were gone. Vanished as if they had never existed. It seems the trees had a duration in which they could live. Unless hos father removed them for whatever reason. Even if they had stayed they would have died due to the lack of nutrition. He shrugs, and forgets about the entire ordeal. The entire while he had not noticed his father's presence sitting on the ground in front of him, apparently meditating he stares at him. The two did look slightly similar. Though Chrollo had more dominant facial features. While his father is tall, and pale.  He also seemed to be stronger. This determined after he had already blocked two of his earlier kicks. "Father." Chrollo says this silently, not intending to disturb his meditation. He takes a seat beside the man. "How far did you, and your brother get in your training?" He asks this calmly, his tone matching Chrollo's. "Phase two." This is said in a matter of fact way. He grows tired of sitting, and stands once more, looking down at his dad while he concentrated. "Well, why don't we start the next phase?" Chrollo smiles. He had been hoping for something like this. "Ok then. Whenever Kurama awakes." His father stand to his feet quickly. No signs of old age even showing. "No. I will fight you." If his father was hoping to shock him, he had failed. Chrollo felt the moment he entered the room his father may try something like this. He knew even though one year separated him, and his brother, that Chrollo fighting him, would be unfair. The young Leader had shown that yesterday against the bandit. "Fine."

The two make a distance of two meters to separate them. His father enters a Taijutsu stance, while Chrollo enters a normal stance. Not leaning towards the use of taijutsu. They perform the ritual courtesies and without haste thy begin. Chrollo body flickers directly behind his father, reaching out with his left hand. The back of it aims to slam against his head, behind his ear to be exact. He spins his body, increasing his rotation speed. If the hit would land it could be deadly, only if he intended to use it in that manner. Instead he only wishes to bruise his father. There was no reason to kill the man. His father of course, would not be so easy to defeat, the man lowers his head, without turning around to face him. 'Sensory Nin?' His own momentum throws Chrollo forwards, his father now behind him kicks him in the rear, sending him stumbling, before regaining his footing. Expecting some cocky remark, he is surprised to see that his father did not seem to keen on speaking instead he holds his demeanor as serious as before. It was rather commendable. Even as a village leader, he always felt the need to brag, and show his dominance. Now, seeing his father's seriousness he would have to take note of this. Shrugging, he replicates his father's serious aura, and prepares himself to be attacked. He did not spend too long waiting, his father disappears in a blur, but instead of reappearing behind his flank, like most would due, he only created more distance between them.

A cocky remark in which he would insult the man for his cowardice edges its way towards his tongue, until he feels something grab hold of his feet. "Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!!!" His father holds the the snake hand seal as he yells this from across the room. His father being a total of fifty meters away from him, many more roots begin to rise from the ground, wrapping around his legs. Chrollo merely stands silent, still, as if he could move anyways. He knows what he must do, but is shocked to see his father use such a strong, and sacred technique against him. Closing his eyes, he performs the seals necessary for the exact same jutsu he had just seen his father perform. "Haha, you just found out you are a Senju yesterday. Now, you believe you can do the sacred jutsu? Your ignorance is almost insulting." Holding the final seal, he re-opens his eyes, and stares directly at the man. The ground beneath them begins to quake, as trees rise from the ground. A vine reaches out, and wraps around his father's left ankle, the tree continues to rise, not stopping, a branch slams against his father's torso. Chrollo still holding the seal, decides to end their spar. His father had underestimated his intellect, and he would pay for it now. Ending the seal, the trees stop growing. The roots, of the tree having stopped his father's movement, he walks slowly to his father. For what may seem like an eternity to the man. Once in front of him, Chrollo leans over, and plucks him on the forehead. "Game over. I win." He walks away after saying this. He makes a point to mention that he will be back in the future, and wishes them good luck in their endeavors.

Leaving the basement he hopes his brother will realize their father is missing, and would free him. While he could do it himself. He decided it was too much of a drag. He had work to do, and would like to attempt to find a way to use the prison like wood release jutsu. Walking from the home, shortly he arrives within his chambers, he walks to the free area in the back, and begins to train. Doing basic exercises as well as focusing on the chakra within himself. Finally, he gains the courage to try the jutsu once more. "Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison Technique." He does the hand seals, and from the ground, pieces of wood emerge, beginning to take on the shape of the jutsu he had seen described in the book. However, it comes to a halt. It was not yet complete. Sighing, he turns around, and decides that he will finish learning the jutsu in Shimagakure No Sato.

[WC:5784, Wood Release: Nativity of a Sea of Trees 4000/4000, Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison Technique 1784/4000, +2,800 ryo.]

Very well done, approved