Alas, Dear Brother... (P)

Haru arrived in Kirigakure, finally slowing down his pace to a brisk walk, and both purpose and fear were ever present in his manner. He had received no other word from Xyxer as to the nature of Altar’s… “Accident”
 
He could only hope that his closest friend was alive and well. Maybe it was a simple misunderstanding. It was, after all, a very unclear message…
 
What if he was dead? Came a voice in the back of his head
 
No, he couldn’t be dead. Not him
 
How do you know? How are you so certain that that stubborn kid hasn’t met his end?
 
Stop. You’re just worrying yourself.
 
You should have never left
 
…
 
Haru shook his head. This was pointless. He was worrying himself over something he had essentially no information on. Touching his ANBU tattoo, Haru spoke to Xyxer through telepathy.

”Xyxer? I’m in Kirigakure. Where are you? What’s happened to Altar?” He would ask urgently, scanning the area, walking impulsively towards the hospital.


(1/30 Posts Sharingan Recovery)

Around 30 metres to Haru's right, Xyxer himself would be walking along the roof tops. His eyes trained intently on the boy in the hopes that his plan was to work. However, Altar was a wild cannon and so he kept his wits about himself; donning his Deathstroke armour. However, that'd likely not be needed, for when either of them began to focus on the male wearing that armour, he'd dissipate himself. Yep, he'd become.. nothing. The null version of the hiding in camouflage technique finally being used by the male. After all, he wouldn't want to interfere in such a lovely reunion, would he?

[feel free to skip me after this point, i go into the null form if anyone looks at me for 2> secs for the rest of the topic, even if it's through peripheral vision]

Altar was waiting. Biding his time patiently. He had thought this out haphazardly, sure, but it was better than jumping in and just starting a fistfight with the man who was clearly stronger than him. He'd need cunning and he'd need guile. Fortunantly for him, he appeared to come into quite a bit.

However, his mind raced at what he was about to do. He was going to try to murder his best friend, the man who had been a better father than his own. Could he even actually do this? If he had the chance to spear the man's heart, take his head off, would he be able to bring himself to accept the thumb going downwards?

Some voice echoed in his mind. "He'd do the very same to you. The only thing that matters in this world is you, number one. Self sufficiency, personal achievement and advancement. There isn't a human alive who isn't selfish. Just give in. Turn off your mind and turn on your instincts. KILL, Altar, or be KILLED." The newcomer whispered, a seething whisper full of malice. The new voice had shown up shortly after he'd ended the life of his sister. It was like Nekoda, but much more...present. This voice was pro active. Speaking of Nekoda, he could feel her trying to protest and stop Altar, but he had put her on mute, tuned her voice out as well as rational thought. The new voice was right. Kill or be killed.

Altar was slumped over, drawing shallowed breaths, eyes barely open. His body was covered in blood and bruises, his chakra suppressed to a near death level. He looked as if he had been beaten almost to death. Of course, that was all it truly was. Looks. Though it was realistic enough to fool near damn anyone that looked. Which numbered to zero. Altar had picked a secluded street, out of normal traffic. It was still a street, however, and people still passed by here and there. However none spared him a glance. Recognizing a mess of hair, Altar would stretch a shaking hand outwards, speaking out for the man he called his friend.

"Haru...hel-help..." The boy would say, before slumping more, coughing violently, a spew of red liquid leaving his mouth. Dye truly could do wonderful things to saliva.

Haru listened for an answer, but there was nothing, nothing but silence… Not a word from Xyxer as to Altar’s location. That wasn’t right. A kage wouldn’t just cease contact with his ANBU without any notice. Unless… Had something happened to Xyxer, too? If so, why was the village still relatively peaceful? If there was an attempt on the Kage’s life, wouldn’t the place be in uproar? This didn’t make any sense.

Haru’s thoughts were interrupted by the sight of his protege’, badly wounded, hobbling towards him. His hand was outstretched, and he looked badly beaten. Haru’s first instinct, as both a medical ninja and a friend was to run to Altar and help him, but…

Something was wrong. Altar was alone. Xyxer was not with him. How did he know about Altar having an “Accident” if Altar was alone, wandering the streets?
”Altar! What’s going on?” He asked the boy, walking quickly towards him. ”I haven’t heard anything from Xyxer since he summoned me back here” He said, now almost within arm’s reach of the boy.

By now, however, Haru could tell something was off. The blood that Altar spat out didn’t have the typical metallic odor. The way it flowed also was not right. It was diluted. He knew blood, and this was not it. His years of experience as a Shinobi, coupled with his training as a medical ninja, had given him a good level of familiarity with the smell and consistency of blood.

”Altar, what are you-?” He asked the boy, taking a step back.

This boy had to be Altar, he could sense his chakra, but everything in him was telling him that something wasn’t right. This wasn’t Altar.

Haru was within arm's reach now. Though he could visibly see the man bristle and scowl a bit, as if something was wrong, Altar thought his concern would override most thought. It seemed that was the way it was going to be. With the man in arm's reach, Altar could very well end this. He didn't know exactly how to end it, or how to even begin killing the man, but he knew it had to be possible, one way or another.

The voice inside Altar's head was giggling with delight, egging the boy on. "NOW! Do it now! He'll never see it coming. Just one hit, right through his sweet little heart, and he'll be gone forever. Imagine the look on his face, Altar boy!" Another shriek of laughter went through his head as a grimace pulled at Altar's face. Just below his breath, Altar would whisper to the man before him.

"I'm sorry"

With that final sentiment spoken, the boy would lunge forward, unharmed and unhinged, lightning coating his right hand as he aimed it straight for Haru's heart. The other hand would reach for the blade decorating his back, and in one fluid motion, use it to slice Haru's head clean off his shoulders.

All this would happen at Altar's fastest allowed speed.

AP = 618

Haru’s brow furrowed at what Altar said.
”You’re sorry…? For wha-?” He began, cut off as he noticed the crackling and chirping sound, combined by the trademark blue lightning of the lightning cutter technique, the chidori. Not only this, it seemed that Altar remembered the difficulty he had had killing Haru before, because he was reaching for a blade on his back, preparing to strike another blow. Based on the angle of the blade, Haru would deduce that it would be aimed at his neck.

Although Haru was faster than Altar, their close proximity meant he could only defend against one attack with his hands, especially since the chidori was not an easy thing to block. He decided the blade was the more immediate threat. He would bide his time, preparing himself for what he was about to do. Everything appeared to happen in slow motion.

Haru slipped a blade from his sleeve, hidden away as usual, and gripped it tightly, before punching out at the sword. The blade in his hand was one of his Chakra Blades, and breaking one of them would be one hard feat. The knuckle of the blade, which was emitting a chakra aura, extending itself slightly, was clashed with the sword now, Haru’s superior strength successfully stopping it with little effort.

However, the chidori was still a problem. Haru could not simply let it strike his heart, but neither could he move without risking the blade coming down on him. So, the medical ninja improvised.

As the chidori neared him, Haru’s left arm and left knee would come down and up, respectively, closing on the arm that Altar was using to produce the chidori. Although they were only touching the sides of the lightning blade, that still should have left Haru with some significant injuries, however, where the rips in his clothes should have shown gashes, there was simply skin that appeared slightly irritated, emitting a blue glow. That glow was Haru’s chakra, which was currently being applied on both his arm and leg to negate the wound that would be caused by this chidori.

The results of the force of the blow striking Altar’s hand would be quite significant. Altar had never seen Haru use his full strength, but in this moment of confusion and sheer adrenaline, Haru had cut loose. Altar’s right hand would be broken, as would his wrist, the bones crushed by Haru.

The lightning blade would be stopped short of Haru’s heart, with Haru being unharmed, if a little shaken up. He did not want to remain like this forever, though. He needed some breathing room so that he could figure out why the hell Altar was attacking him.

In the moment of recoil that was sure to come from having so many bones broken in such a short time, Haru would release Altar’s now useless hand from his arm and leg, using his left foot to forcefully kick Altar away, knocking him back 10 meters.

”What the hell is going on, Altar? Why are you coming after me like a maniac?” He shouted angrily.

Wait…

When Takeo had robbed the vault, something a little out of character for the easy going man, it had proven to be a hoax put on by Xyxer to test Haru’s skills as an ANBU. Now, he had been summoned back with essentially no notice from his leave of absence already approved by the Mizukage with mention of his best friend being wounded...

And here he was being attacked for no reason. That explained it all, the fake blood, the rage, the lack of communication. This was just another test from Xyxer. But how could this all be fake? He trusted his senses, and that was definitely Altar. Yet, he seemed so different, so distant. Was this really him? Did Xyxer really expect him to kill his best friend?

(656 AP)
(6/30 Posts Sharingan Recovery)

Altar's eyes were just able to track the proceeding movements that Haru performed. Seeing a blade slip from his sleeve, Altar knew his own would be blocked, and sure enough, he could feel it collide with the man's much sturdier blade.

Meanwhile, Altar's hand drew closer and closer to Haru's chest. However, already knowing that this move would prove innefective, as he could just recover from simple injuries like that, Altar would decide on a new course of action.

As Haru's knee and elbow started to close, Altar would let go of his blade and spin his body to the right, forming a dome of pure chakra around him. The dome would hopefully be powerful enough to blow Haru away from Altar. However, as the dome would form, Altar would also expand a pulse of Yuumei outwards, the pulse having a power of 50. If it landed, it would drain 50 AP from the man.

From this point, Altar would stand and form a ram handseal and touch the ground, a torrent of dark water being summoned forth. This would feed Altar's water jutsu, but it would also feed Haru's arsenal. However, the water had an adverse affect, in that it was tainted with yuumei. Controlling the water, Altar would flow it towards Haru.

Opening a small section in the middle of the water as well, Altar would cast forward a lightning hound, and aim to slam it into Haru's chest, hopefully knocking him off balance and into the now waiting water.

From here, Altar would wait to see Haru's next move if he had one. Altar would meanwhile keep the water moving to attack Haru, if possible.

AP = 468

Normally, Haru would have been just strong to retain his footing within Altar’s rotation. However, he was standing one foot, so he didn’t exactly have the best stance for resisting the blast. Besides, this got him away from Altar, which was ultimately what he wanted. The blast would hit Haru, however, as it did, he felt his chakra being sapped. Was this his own Sapping Palms technique? No… This was Altar’s clan element… So he finally got to see Yuumei in action. Until now, he hadn’t seen much of it, although he had certainly heard enough.
 
He was blast backwards, rolling in the air so that he came out on his feet, and skidding hard across the sand, his footing not faltering now that he had reached the earth once more.
”Is this another one of Xyxer’s stupid games?” He would ask, annoyed. Maybe solving that riddle would trigger Xyxer to step in and congratulate him.
 
Of course, that was only wishful thinking. Haru wondered if this was some sort of clone… He didn’t want to risk killing the boy, just in case he was the real thing.
”Fine…” He would say, his stance changing. Now he would fight with the gentle fist. His blade was slid back into his sleeve until he needed it, and his stance was much looser then usual.
 
The force of the blast had knocked him back 20 meters, still within range of the water and the lightning beast. Well, his instincts told him to run right through that motherfucking jutsu, but his better judgment told him to take it easy. Rather then charge in, play it smart. Figure out what Xyxer’s game was, and why he sent Altar after him. As he pondered this, his byakugan activated.
 
Haru would throw a kunai knife through the lightning beast, backpedaling as he did so. If Altar wanted to fight, he’d have to come to him. The kunai, which flew so fast that Altar would have a rough time tracking it, would pierce the lightning beast, travelling right on through it, causing it to explode from sheer impact force in the process.  (140 power and speed)
 

If the kunai managed to break through the lightning beast, it would continue down its path, towards Altar. If it struck the boy, it would hit him in the stomach, not a lethal blow, but a painful one.

Altar would watch as his blast had sent Haru about 20 meters away, and he was backpedaling even further. This could prove to be quite a bother. He at least needed the man in striking range and distance if this fight was going to be any longer. Altar knew he would be destroyed in close, but further away wasn't any better, and his long range jutsu were lackluster. And on top of that, those that weren't were extremely draining. However, he realized he'd truly need to pull out every stop he could if he was to beat Haru, or even come close.

Realization would dawn on Altar as his lightning dog exploded, a kunai blazing towards him. He'd need to act fast, and act smart. A makeshift plan would start forming in Altar's head as he wasted no time in moving.

Dodging to the left, he would just barely manage to evade the kunai sent hurtling towards his stomach. Altar would kneel, scoop up some of his conjured water, and form a ram handseal around it. Keeping the water between his hands, Altar would body flicker to the point just behind Haru and throw the water into the man's eyes, hopefully blinding him and inflicting the effects of the tainted water. After that, Altar would immediately form a tiger handseal and blow out a stream of water directly at the man's neck, sweeping at across to decapitate him, if the attack landed. If it didn't, Altar would resort to plan B, and he would start to aim strikes at Haru's body, following the instructions the man had given him for the 64 palms strikes.

~AP = 398~

Xy watches the men who have been stuck in the same position for an awfully long time. He wonders why the fight is not advancing.