Going Numb [NK]

The wind was blowing. The sky was dark. The snow was falling, covering the ground in an innocent white. The village was gone, and the wind was having no mercy, tossing its ashes from one spot to the other. The boy was lost, his eyes were dull, his mind being drowned in a flood of emotions. Grief, anger, denial. His eyes were deceiving him, this had to be a genjutsu. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Once he they would open, his home would return. The sky would be bright, the laughter of children would be heard, just like the time before he left. It would make him smile, and he would happily walk into the village, return to his home, at long last. He would admire the snow and how pure it made everything seem, just like the time before he left. He opened them.

The ashes were still there.

This must have been a joke, a joke taken too far. A sick and absolutely twisted joke. Where were the elders, where were the adults and children, where were his friends, where was his sister. His sister...where was she? His body did not move, not even a twitch, not even a shiver from the cold. Not even a shiver from the sight in front of him. The bangs hanging from his forehead created a dark shadow over his eyes, making them seem far darker than normal. There was no light, no light in his bright blue eyes. He did not notice it, but his breathing was becoming quick and shallow, his heart rate was slowly growing faster.

The boy stumbled back, but managed to catch himself before he could fall over. His pale, cold hands went up to his head, and they grabbed tufts of his white hair. He tried to calm himself down; he struggled to calm himself down. He was gaining a headache, and his eyes, they were slightly burning. However, Mugen kept fighting and fighting, and eventually the burning disappeared, the terrible banging in his head disappeared. Finally, there was nothing. Just emptiness.

How ironic it was, that he was feeling numb.

Laz was out strolling around at the used to be village gates and having some alone time. The could air would push the snow against his face as he came closer to the village still in awe and shocked about it being gone. His tracks would be covered up by the snow so he knew he wouldn't be followed but of course he kept his guard up just in case kiru came after him. Covering the bottom half of his face with the scarf he wore laz would begin to shield his eyes with his real arm as the howling wind picked up and the snowfall became to grow harder every second.  His movements became slower as well therefore he was making slower movements as he would near the gates of the used to be village of 
Yukigakure no me. Laz would then trend into the front side of the gates which would be from Mugen's right. Laz was beginning to turn around and head back to the cave since there was most likely a blizzard coming but something felt off to laz. He would be drawn back towards the front of the gate for some reason but he didn't know why, he just felt like he had to go there. Like he was needed of some sorts. "Blizzard spirits?" Laz thought as he saw a shady figure ahead but of course he couldn't tell as his vision was failing due to the blizzard. "Yo! You need to get out of here there's a storm brewing!" He would yell which would be drained out by the wind which was getting louder and louder. Stepping closer he could begin to make out the figure more but something was wrong ...as laz got closer the person in front of him would look alot like Mugen but Laz knew it was impossible well that is what he felt. "This got to be a trick..this really has to be blizzard spirits playing with me" he shudder as he remembered the last time he fell for a spirit's trick but this one felt so real. "M-Mugen?" Laz said as he was now just a few feet beside Mugen. If Mugen had noticed Laz he would first notice his was deeper, his hair was a bit longer and he was a few inches taller since the last time he saw him. "Mugen is that really you?" Laz said as he would begin to feel ligt headed  and his heart rate begin to raise as he waited for his answer. There was something in the back of Laz's mind telling that this was all fake lije that time he meet his sister which was fake and was really as you can say a role change? Either way if this was fake or not at least he could see Mugen again.

around ten meters from the stumbling boy set the hell's angel, her feet resting on a large piece of stone that had once most likely been the village gate. she was about three meters in the air, atop a pile of rubble stacked just to the right of where the great entrance had once been. She could feel the chakras, her senses bringing her this direction as the mask hiding her face granted her it's gift, making his position easy to find amids the freezing land scape. The orange figure didn't seem dangerous, stumbling backwards, though because he was clumsy or for some other reason she wasnt actually sure. her head turned slightly as she noticed the sceond bright orange figure, though she immediately then shifted her gaze to her surroundings defensively. 

"Interesting.." she spoke to no one in general debating if she should actually approach or simply study from afar. The snow flowed heavy tonight, covering her winter cloak in a layer of soft whiteness that would allow the girl to blend in. She'd come here to think, well... mostly to get away from her team and the disapproving glances of her summons. She needed to clear her head. 

The tears rolling slowly down her cheeks froze instantly, almost painfully. She was a wreck and she knew it. Her mind was silent, the only blessing she had to be thankful of but as usual any chance of gathering herself was cut short by the two figure's entrance. For now, she thought, drawing kanji into the stone besider her, she would watch.

His ears had blocked out all sound, the only one present being his beating heart. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. It was in a steady rhythm now, and some would be able to describe it as soothing. However, Mugen was not soothed. He was not upset, not angry, not calmed, not...he was nothing. The emotions that once ran through him were there no longer. Numb.

You want to regain feeling, don't you?

A voice, a familiar voice, it echoed throughout his head.

You do not want to remain like this, you want things to return to normal. Unfortunately, it can not. Things will never be the same again. Ever.

He must have been seeing things, it must have been imaginary, for a dark figure began to form in front of him, in front of what remained of Yukigakure. It's physique was much like his own, except the figure was all black, as if it was shadow. All black, except for its eyes. Red; they were blood red. The boy knew Kyokai enjoyed screwing with him and trying to make him trip, trip and injure himself. However, this had never happened before. What was this?

Learn to accept your situation, for this is how the world works. 'All that is good must come to an end', is what they usually say, is it not?

The figure grinned a wicked grin, and watched as Mugen slowly shook his head from side to side.

No, you do not want to accept it? Kyokai questioned, and lightly tilted his head in "confusion." Then, he paused, and brought up his hand. Come with me then...I shall help you face reality. Place your trust in me.

A blank expression was on Mugen's face, and the seconds passed by as he stood in the same position. Finally, he took a single step forward, then another step, and another. One by one, he drew closer. Yes...just a bit further, my friend.

It was at that moment the boy could hear his name being uttered by another being. He could recognize who it was immediately, and his eyes widened. Kyokai scowled before disappearing in a mass of smoke, allowing Mugen to focus his attention onto the new arrival. Slowly, his head turned, and he could clearly see who was speaking to him. His assumption was correct. 'Mugen is that really you?' ...He did not respond to the question. Rather, he simply stared, and kept staring, until his brain could properly form his thoughts.

"Laz...Lazuru...?" he said in a tone just above a whisper. Yes, it was indeed Laz, but he seemed...different. Longer hair, deeper voice, taller...Mugen himself had only grown, say, perhaps half an inch, and his voice hadn't even started cracking as of yet. It seemed they really hadn't seen each other in quite a while for such traits to change. The boy wanted to smile, give Laz a high five or a pat on the back. He wanted to chat and ask where the others were. He couldn't. Not when he could barely function the parts of his body.

"...Where," he managed to choke out, his throat suddenly feeling dry, "Where have you been...? What...happened?"

Yes Laz was right it was Mugen but he still couldn't believe it to expect he would find Mugen here and so soon was unexpected.  Laz would then reach his hand out to help Mugen up off the ground if he had let him.  He would then proceed to ignore Mugen's questions because he doesn't really have a answer other than stating the obvious of what happened to the village nor did he actually had any other way to actually explain his absents other than spirits which he highly doubt Mugen to believe and family problems which he didn't feel like talking about. Laz still had to say something at least even if he didnt answer the questions.  "Where I've been is not really important right now, we need to get back to the cave before the blizzard starts to get worse." He sounded like a total jackass and felt like one but it was true if they stayed out here longer they could end up as human popsicles. Laz would then pull down his scarf from over his mouth revealing a smile. "The others will be happy to see your alive I know I am" he said as he would back towards the direction of the cave. "So Mugen look I can't really tell you what happened to the village other than it being destroyed by some really bad people and for where I've been...."  laz would stop walking and turn to face Mugen still smiling. "Well lets just say it was a family reunion...a bad one that is." He said as he would continue to walk towards the cave which began to come in view. "Mugen don't worry about the village right now i'm sure there  are still somethings left of it and that some villagers escaped. Right now we just need to get to the cave" Laz said still grinning even though he di believe his own words and still feeling like a jackass for saying dodon't worry about the village.  Laz still had an uneasy feeling over him about if this is rather real, a dream, or even another of these spirit's tricks. "Hey here it is, the magnificent entrance to the world of Dragons. Don't worry if they would eat or not because they won't and if one tries to eat you that would be the first dragon I would tame!" Laz said as they had arrived to the entrance of Dragon Land.

Her discipline was remarkable, Amber noted as the scene continued before them. KIRAS hands formed a few seals almost lazily, using her mastered shadow imitation as she studied the scene before them. She pushed off lightly, the hesl of her foot braced against a horizontal piece of the heavy stone to allow her to lift up, shifting to a fairly non agressive stsnce as the shadows shot off. The jutsu split into two, zipping down the pile of debris and across the snowy land scape, it's existence hidden by the lack of visibility thanks to the heavy snow fall. It helped that they'd not noticed her yet, even as she approached, her knees bending in slightly as she simply allowed herself to drop off each of the short cliff like bits of stone, giving the illusion that she was walking on the air itself. Her footing never waivered, each step setting down confidently, toe first before planting the heel downward at whatever angle her next step set at.

Almost as if in perfect timing she alowed her weapon to be summoned just as the boy commented about not know who did this. Her hand rose up, arm curled and curved to near an s shape as she brought it up from her side. The scythe came into view, though it would be impossible to notice in the heavy snow, right as the shadow imitation would connect to the two. It wouldn't hold their movements, allowing them to continue walking were they to choose, but laid I. Wait just in case, assuming things happened how they described. The long staff ran parallel to the ground, held about three fourths of the way up in her outstretched hand, blade turned down to the ground. In her off hand she held a long bit of chain with the heavy spiked ball on the end. Still she wouldn't speak, simply allowing them to know she was there watching.

Laz was being blunt, saying that where he was all this time was...irrelevant at the moment. Mugen was a bit curious as to how such a thing was unimportant, but brushed it off once Lazuru had created a good point: they needed to get out of this blizzard. Despite being used to the cold, the boy was not immune to any ill effects that it brought. However, his ears managed to catch a special word..."they." The others were still around? They were fine, they were healthy, completely unharmed? He hoped so. Oh god, he hoped so. And the smile he was given somewhat helped ease him, in fact, just seeing Laz again helped him regain some feeling. How glad he was, that he snapped out of it, even though he was stuck in such a state for mere moments. Mugen followed Lazuru as he walked in another direction, perhaps towards this cave he was speaking about.

"Destroyed..." he mumbled, as if the word was foreign on his tongue. It wasn't. His ears heard the word, but his mind had trouble comprehending it. His mind had trouble placing "destroyed" and "Yukigakure" within the same sentence. It just wasn't possible for him, not in the slightest. For now, he would refuse to believe any of it. As for this whole "family reunion", well he could always ask about that later. Mugen kept his eyes toward the ground as Laz spoke, trying to take on the large amount of information being given to him. But...

"How can I not worry about the village? I can't just do that--" he cut himself short, noticing something wrong with his shadow. Why was there something connected to it? He took a moment to focus, trying to sense out any chakra in the area. There was none. But, he knew something was out there. "Laz...look down for a second, at your shadow." he mumbled, making it audible only to him and Lazuru.

Once they arrived at the cave's entrance, Mugen simply stared at Laz, then into the cave, then at Laz, then the cave, and repeat. More fucking dragons?

"Please tell me you haven't been playing duck duck goose with them. I mean...you remember what happened last time right?" he questioned, raising his brow as he did so.

As they arrived at the cave Mugen told him to look down but for what exactly?  Laz would look down wondering why he should until he saw it something was connected to it and Laz would then look back at Mugen when he mentioned the dragon thing with the duvk duck goose which he couldn't help but laugh at the mention of it. "Oh yeah I remember that but...." Laz said as he would look down to the thing connecting to his shadow and look at the direction it was going untip he couldn't see it no more. "Ok, this might be bad. Mugen I been in this jutsu before and it was not fun "laz said as he continued to look at the direction where the shadow led to. Laz would begin to see a figure off in the distance.  "Yo Mugen, I don't know uf you believe in spirits or if this is just a figment of my imagination but...turn slowly and whatever you do, do not panic. Now tell me that doesn't look creepy or absolutely scary for a blizzard spirit they are usual cute and way less scary looking." He said pow enough for only Mugen to hear. It doesn't matter what they do now that the shadow thing was connected to theirs Laz was pretty sure if they don't get inside of dragonland this may be- "Ok I know I said not to panic but...im think im about to panic oh man where gonna ah I can't believe this is happening! !!" Laz yelled as he would face Mugen covering up his mouth with his scarf. "Ok that might have not been the best of plans and now I wished I learned a way to stop this jutsu buuuuut I might have a plan, fake like your choking or seizure when I say dragons...no don't do that that's a terrible idea only work if we where captured." He said so only Mugen can hear. "Man I wish I tamed a dragon before I came out here it's sooooo cold!" Laz said with mucg exaggeration but it was ttu it was getting colder by the second.

With a scoff she would finally activate the holding power of her jutsu, which would freeze them in place, hands held directly in front of them with a power of one hundred and twenty five. "Tsk tsk tsk......" Her voice was soft, barelly audible as she clicked over the raging storm. They walked forward, Kira on her own and the other two because they were forced.

"Hullo little birds... We're merely a flock tonight and yet.... No one informed the mistress of flight? " her tone was inquisitive, her head turned slightly to the side further adding to the almost innocent nature of her statement, though it was in fact clear that it was not innocent at all. The act would inevitably further add to the questionable nature and more so the terror.

"What brings you to MY scorched lands...." She noticed the boys arms, mostly how they failed to show the same warm orange color. Her sight deactivated, allowing her to see in natural sight again, though it was dificult until they were near to see whom it was.

"What happened to your wings my dove? Clipped?"

The laugh his comment caused almost made him smile, but he didn't. Instead, he focused more on their shadows, since Lazuru was soon talking about them. So...this was a jutsu? That made sense, in fact, he could recall something similar, a technique that used shadows. However, he did not remember it being used in a way such as this. The boy's eyes traveled to the same direction Laz was staring into. He squinted and saw something he did not want to see. So there really was someone else here. They had to do something about-- ...wait, spirits? What?

"I don't need to turn, I'm already looking at it. And why the hell do you think it's a spirit? Why would a spirit of all things be cute? They should be deadly looking bro." he spoke, his mouth forming a thin line and his eyebrows furrowed. Oh, oh wait. Now Laz was freaking out. Now he was talking about faking a seizure... To be honest, Mugen kind of missed incidents like these.

"What-- Laz, are you high right now? Calm yourself, god dammit. It can't be a freakin' spirit, those don't exist," he paused after his statement, soon leaning his chin onto his pointer finger, "T-they don't exist...right? Holy shit...are we screwed? Shit shit shit..."

It was sudden, what happened next, but Mugen felt as if he was stuck in place, paralyzed. He tried moving several parts of his body, his arms, hands, legs. Nothing was working. Then, he began to walk forward, but it was not of his own accord. This must have been the effect of the jutsu then? To control someone's actions. Yes, this was proof of it being a truly dangerous technique. Shiiiiit.... Okay, he had to keep his composure and think of a way to get out of this. But, if Laz didn't have any way to stop the jutsu, how could he?

Eventually, they approached the figure that was off in the distance. It was an actual person. He knew it. Spirits didn't exist, it was just Lazuru's paranoia. He shouldn't have believed it for even a minute. Mugen remained silent and listened to the stranger, but the voice was familiar to him. He head heard it before. Perhaps it was in Takigakure? Yes, it was, he could remember it now. However, the boy could not match a name with the voice. At least, not yet. He did not respond to the woman's question, for it angered him. Her land? It was not hers. It was his; it was his home.

He took a deep breath before biting down onto his tongue, light enough to not cause him much pain, but hard enough to keep him from saying anything he might regret. Rather, he should let his friend speak for him, that seemed easier at the moment.