Reunification (P, NK)

Kasai walked along the mountains, his head bowed as he went. He had finally attained his peak physically, and in terms of jutsu, he was almost the master of fire. He wondered what fate had in store for him that day.

With his robes of fire flowing about him, and his mask around his neck, there was one thing very different about Kasai; his hair was now pitch black. It had been burned back by the fire during his final trial by flame. Yet, once looked past the hair that used to be orange, they would notice that he glowed. As Kasai walked, he gave off a faint light. It pushed aside the shadows as he walked, and from his eyes shown a fire like that of an inferno. With the scroll of the fire apes on his back, Kasai was truly a child of the sun.

Having entered lightning country Tatsuya was surprised at the drastic change to the environment. Wile he could see the mountains for a long time now the change from swamp to mountains was very drastic. Never the less Tatsuya went on running until he was deep within the country. Coming to a stop Tatsuay looks around first too see if any one was around. Not to his surprise Tatsuya has to use more then just basic eye sight to try and find Kasai. Unfortunately that would mean that he would have to drop his chakra suppression, which meant the element of surprise may go out the window. 

Having dropped his chakura surpression and allowing chakra to flow throughout his body again Tatsuay then activates his Hyper Seismic Sense. Having increased his sense of feel drastically Tatsuay can now see past the rolling rocky hill and continues his run towards the village where Kasai would hopefully be near. 

Traveling north east Tatsuay eventually picks up a figure that is quite familiar. Getting a little closer Tatsuya knows it to be Kasai. Whether Kasai knows that Tatsuya is closing in or not was a mystery, but as Tatsuya runs through the barren rocky landscape Tatsuya will soon reach him.

As Kasai was walking back to the village, he sensed a chakra form. Despite the years he had spent with Tatsuya, he had not fully memorized his chakra signature, because he knew both of theirs would be in constant change. It was due to this that when Tatsuya began to approach, Kasai was able to know someone was there, but he did not know who. Something inside of him said they were from the Leaf Village. He looked over quickly, and indeed. Kasai had learned to recognize how they dressed, and what they wore, from the students, all the way up to the Anbu. He had lived in the village, practically raised it. He knew it was a higher rank as well. A jounin he judged. He did not know any jounin. 

Then, Kasai realized that the village must have finally caught onto his absence. 

He raised his hands to his chest. His fingers began to move.

They must have found the letter he had received from Youka. If they had, he would be considered a missing ninja of a higher rank. In fact, if they had, they might consider him one of high treason, and think he was guilty of giving up the village's secrets. They didn't know the truth. 

Kasai inhaled deeply, and opened his mouth. Flames began to form and spill out.

They wouldn't know that he was trying to save them. Trying to save them all. But he would do whatever it took. His mission could not be stopped, he had to stop what would end in slaughter. No one from the village would understand his reasons for attacking it. 

A massive cone of fire would shoot forth from Kasai, moving 30 meters towards the approaching Jounin, at a speed and power of 90 each. (50 base, +10 from chakra, + 25 from scroll, +5 from skill). He would stop this attack no matter what it meant. If it showed the leaf village that even their Jounin were weak, then that is what needed to be done. The village needed to grow, and he would force it to.

No one would understand. No one, except maybe Tatsuya. 

Only Tatsuya would understand.

After confirming that the figure in front of his was Kasai,  an attack was sprung. Jumping right into the heat of battle literally Tatsuay was almost stunned by the train sized fire dragon. Thinking quickly Tatsuya copies, what seemed to be Ksais favorite move. The nice thing about a large jutsu is it was easy to take cover and make your self hidden, so thats just what Tatsuya did. In the moment where he could not see Kasai (which didn't take long) Tatsuya preforms Tiger → Boar → Ox → Dog → Snake and substitutes from behind the dragon to behind Kasai one meeter away. 

With out hesitation a rat was formed and Tatsuyas shadow latches onto Ksais's in an instant. The shadow was slower then both of their movements but they were so close that it would not be possible to get away in time. Then by preforming the rat then bird, eight long deadly tendrils sprung up from Kasai's feet. They quickly wrap them selfs around Kasai (50) to take a spot of rest at places like the spleen, jugular, kidney, heart and other arteries around the legs and arms. The shadow imitation was enough to bring Kasai to a stand still however Tatsuya needed to make a point and he wanted Kasai to know that he meant business. (Cheesy right?)

Tatsuya heart beaded fast as it usually did in a fight but this felt different. It felt more real and frankly a little scary, Tatsuya kept a cool head but he could not keep him self amuse to fear and anxiety. Never the less holding Kasai by a death grip Tatsuya waits to see if Kasai has something to say if not then Tatsuay will knock him out and bring him back to the leaf. 

[Substitution Technique -5/Shadow Imitation-40/ Shadow Sewing -40//-85 total]
[Total 615]

(830 - 30 ap from great dragon fire = 800 ap left.)

As Kasai watched the massive dragon cone hurdle towards the Jounin, Kasai could feel a flash of chakra, and knew that they were alive. He hadn't expected them to die there so easily. However, he was not expecting them to re-appear behind him. That was a tactic he commonly used. However, instead of an inbound melee attack, like Kasai would have followed up with, he suddenly found himself unable to move. There was only one explanation. 

"Tatsuya?" Kasai would ask, flicking his eyes to corner. Indeed, now he recognized his friend. "What...what are you doing here?" He would first ask. Light shone forth from his eyes, and instead of pupils, Kasai had fire swirling around in an inferno. 

As the light shone from him, he listened to the fire, and understood what he had to do. 

If Tatsuya was answering, Kasai would not be able to know. Instead he would speak up again. 

"You are here to take me back, are you not? To kill me or to ask me to re-join the village," he said, his voice then changing. He began to build up chakra within him to substitute. He did not need handsigns; he had mastered the jutsu completely. "Do you not remember what I had said? That the village was weak, that it was vulnerable? That it needed to grow, and if none would cause it, then I would?


"Then why do you stop me?" He chuckled. "Do you truly think my quest is wrong? To raise our village to strength?"

With that, Kasai would substitute (800 - 2ap = 798ap remaining), and reappear six meters away, Tatsuya's shadows now wrapped around a log. "Then I ask you; if you seek to stop my quest, will the village survive? If I return, an ally, would the village be strong enough? It would become strong if I were its enemy, but the ally?"

Kasai drew a deep breath, and moved his hands together, but under his robes so that Tatsuya could not see the hand signs he made.

"Only you may answer, friend. This, here will be your test."

After three simple hand signs, the ends of Kasai's robes began to catch fire, though they did not burn. Slowly, the fire began to spread up Kasai. 

"It is said that any true shinobi of the Leaf carries the Will of Fire with them. If this is true, then you do. Yet, this Will of Fire also represents the strength of the village," Kasai said, the flames now consuming his waist.

"You, Tatsuya, will represent Konohagakure, and its Will," the flames spread still. "And I; I am a child of the eternal flame. I am the fire," the flames were on his mask now, and only his face remained. 

"And so, Tatsuya, here and now, will you prove to me the strength of the village? Will you show me that the Village still has the Will of Fire? Or does the Village only have a Will, and the left when I did?"

Now, there was no more Kasai, only a blazing inferno where he stood. It talked to him.

"So show me your strength; prove to me the village no longer needs to be saved by my methods. 


"Fight me, Tatsuya. Prove this to me, and I will return. Remind me, and the world of the Will of Fire."

With that, the flames took the form of Kasai, for indeed Kasai was still in the center of them, not being harmed at all. He took an offensive position, sliding the left foot behind, and holding his right hand out in a fist. 

"Test your Will against Fire."

(This fire has a power of 80 at 0-1meters; 70 at 1-3 meters; 60 at 3-5 meters. Base of fire is 20 less, but has bonus from items and skills as said before.)

(798 - 45 for immolation =  753)

Tatsuya eyes soon fill with sorrow as Kasais words comes into his ears. He sounded angry and unsure of his destiny but above all his words showed Tatsuya that he was mentally vulnerable and un steady. Kasai was strong willed and a very good teacher which Tatsuay admired and it was hard for Tatsuya to hear the words he spoke. 
Tatsuya waits for Kasai to unleash his burning words before speaking. 

"Then I ask you; if you seek to stop my quest, will the village survive? If I return, an ally, would the village be strong enough? It would become strong if I were its enemy, but the ally?"

"Tell me Kasai why are you so angry? Have you let the fire that burns so strong inside of you consume your sole? Have you become drunk with the power you wheedle?! I know that you have no intention of killing anybody but loosing a friend or an ally is just as worse!"

"KASAI TELL ME HOW CAN THE WILL OF FIRE BURN SO STRONG WITH IN YOU AND YET YOU CHOOSE A PATH OF VIOLENCE!!"

With that the log that Tatsuya was holding onto was shredded to pieces and the shadows disappears. Tatsuya then begins to pace around Kasai focusing on his burning eyes. He knew that Kasai was getting ready for another jutsu as his hyper seismic sense was still active but this did not stop Tatsuya from continuing. 

"Its nieve to say that the only way to make a village stronger is by giving them a common goal and in this case an enemy. Sure it is one way to make a village stronger but what are the draw backs to that?" He says still pacing. "All you will do by attacking the village is create fear and hate, and then another endless cycle of hatred will start that will tear the village apart."

Tatsuya had no intention to fighting Kasai and so he stopped to look at his friend.

"The way you make a village stronger is by training those who are young, just like some once did to us. I have no intention of fighting you or even killing you but if you attack to village, I and the rest of the village will not hold back."

Tatsuya begins to walk away but before he does his heart relaxes and speaks truth. 

"On the day that I was alone in the dark dungeons of moon country, it taught me that solitude is painful. I understand that so well right now. I have family, and I have friends but if you're gone... To me... It will be the same as being alone. I ask you as a friend and as a brother come back so we can be that terrible two again." 

With watery eyes Tatsuay looks at Kasai in hope that he will fallow.

Kasai turned his head, hurt by his friends words. He wanted to reply with human words; with emotion, and friendship. He wanted so desperately so call out, and tell him that he was not angry. He wanted to cry that he was still Tatsuya's friend. 

He wanted to go home.

However, the flames evaporated his tears before they even left his eyes. The inferno around him did not quell down. Around him, the fire was so hot that some of the rocks changed colors. The flames covered his face and his emotion. Tatsuya had to understand, he had to do this. If Tatsuya could prove him wrong here, then he would return. But if he could not, then there was no other way. 

No, he had to. If he could, he would try let Tatsuya know, but there was no other way.

"You accuse me of anger and violence, but neither are present in my body at this moment," Kasai would begin. "You need to understand that what I am doing is for the village. I hold no ill will towards you, nor any inhabitants within the gates of that land. However, it is weak.


"It is so weak, in fact, that it will be used, and twisted, unless it becomes stronger. Understand this. This is my goal. This is my life; to make the village stronger. Every other method I have used has ultimately failed.

"Tatsuya, unless you can prove to me otherwise that the village has grown in strength, then I will remain in my plan, and I will make the village stronger, because no one else will," he said, then turned to his friend, taking a step forwards, causing flames to writhe.

"The group you have talked to, Kokuan, is planning on using Konohagakure as its recruiting site for the war they want against Youka," Kasai began. "This alone is bad enough to strike back! However, they disgrace us further!


"They killed one of our very own Genin, whom I was teaching. Then, when I had arrived on the site of the murder, I told them the way of the law. I asked for the body, and for the killer to be put into custody. Do you know what they did? They laughed, and then tried to recruit me to their precious leader "Kira".


"Though Youka's ways were cruel, he never did kill any of us. Now, this group seeks to send us against him, AND they kill our own," Kasai said, his voice rising.

"I was the only one who stood up when these actions took place!" Kasai roared, and flames came forth as he did so, and he took another step forwards. "I was the strongest in the entire village, Tatsuya! I may still be! If even I am so weak that this group, and all others laugh, think of the rest of the village! 


"We are weak! We will die! That is the ways wars end!" Kasai said, and with that, he sent forth a stream of fire at the ground in front of Tatsuya's feet. (power and speed are 70 each. Ape scroll op af) It wouldn't hit him, but land three feet in front of him. Kasai would take another step forwards, which would force Tatsuya to take a step backwards, or be burned by the intense heat from his immolation. 

Then, Kasai lowered his voice, and spoke more calmly. 

"This, Tatsuya, is the reason why I will do whatever I must in order to save the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I would never kill one of them... One of us. I would attack though. Relentlessly, and constantly. I would continue until they learned how to stand up for themselves. Until they learned how to fight back. 


"They would become fighters. They would become stronger. Strong enough to cast out the missing ninja that seek to steal them for their pointless war on Youka. I would turn them into the strongest city the world had ever seen!


"And do you know how, Tatsuya? Because I would be their goal. The moment they would end my life, I would smile, because then, I would know that I had truly, and forever saved the village that I love!" This last sentence was another roar, fire coming forth as he took another step. 

"This is not about the Will of Fire within me, Tatsuya. This is about the Will of Fire within them! I am Fire, and if they have the Will to stand against me, then the Will of Fire is a legend that is still worth passing down! Now, in this day, the Will of Fire is a children's story. When two of our own are murdered within our own gates by missing ninja who we didn't care whether they were let in, and then no one but I took a stand, then what is the Will of Fire!"

Kasai took a deep breath. He looked up at his friend, still cloaked in flames from head to toe. He unslung the scroll oh his back, and slammed it into the ground next to him, holding onto the top of it with a hand. It did not burn into ashes, but remained upright with his hand on it. With his other hand, Kasai pointed at Tatsuya. 

"This is your time. This is your moment, Tatsuya. There is no one else here to represent the village. It was meant to be this way," he said, explaining the words. Kasai was no longer speaking his own words, but the fire. The fire knew how to save the village, and it spoke to Kasai. Kasai was only speaking the words that the element of power told to him.

"There are three ways this ends. You can speak to me, and if you are able to convince me that the village is no longer in need to be saved, then I will lay my fire to the side, and return with you. 


"If that fails, then you will stand judgement for the entire village against the Will of Fire. I will attack you, and you WILL fight back. If you win, then you will prove to me, and the element of heat that the village is strong enough under your hands. You can choose to end my life, or leave me to another fate."


"But Tatsuya, if both of those fail, I will not kill you. I will not kill any of Konohagakure. But I will begin to burn it until it becomes strong enough to kill me. For once that village can kill me, it will be able to stand against the forces of death that truly seek to hurt it, rather than I. I seek to SAVE it!" Kasai said this once again in a louder voice. 


"So speak, my friend, because I know that will be your wish. If you can aptly convince me, then I will do whatever you wish. But if you fail, you will not be fighting your friend. You will be fighting the Will of Fire, because in its darkest moments, I was the only one who defended that damned village, and would do so until my last breath!"

With that, Kasai would stop speaking, and wait for Tatsuya to begin speaking. The day before, Kasai had tested his own will by lighting himself on fire. He had survived, and proven himself. Now, here was Tatsuya's test.

Here, in this moment, fate was playing out how it was meant to.

Tatsuay didn't have much to say after his first speech and frankly he wanted to just leave but it was their friendship that was keeping him there. 

As the fire came from Kasai's mouth Tatsuay stays put. Kasai takes a step forward Tatsuay only steps back slightly so that he is on the edge of the fire. The fire wraps around his lower legs and soon burns away his pants to expose his skin. The flame wraps around his legs and feet and soon creates a burning hiss. It was excursiating nothing Tatsuya had ever felt before. He looks into Kasais eyes with a cold emotion and for a moment Tatsuay reflects eyes of fire. 

Only staying in the fire for a moment he steps out to reveal streaks of soon to be scars on his legs once Kasai was done speaking he says. Tatsuya's hands were clenched from the pain of his legs and he squeezed so hard that blood began to drip of his fingers. 

"Look at theses burns Kasai, they can represent two things. One being my devotion to you as a friend and to the Will of Fire or may it be a symbol to me being the wall the stops you from harming the leaf."

"I understand that you have good intentions as do I but I will not fallow nor support you in this path. The village has received a new Hokage and new Genin but that should not be a reason to come back. Your reason should be to protect it and help it grow no matter the numbers. I have already made my argument and if that was not suffiecent in convincing you to come home then a bond has been broken." 

Finally turning away Tatsuay says with a calm tone in one last attempt to get Kasai to come home. 

"One love, one blood, one heart, one soul and one drum and only one rhythm, One tribe and all of us fighting...I want to live and fight along side you once again so please."

Tatsuya hoped form the depths of his heart that Tatsuya would return to the leaf with his friend and if not then Tatsuya would have failed his Hokage, his village, him self and most of all he would have failed a friend.

Kasai listened as his friend spoke. Then, Kasai listened to the fire. The two of them told him different answers. 

If Kasai truly was fire, then Tatsuya would be hit by the flame. If Kasai was no longer human, and only the element that consumed him, then the answer would not be sufficient. 

However, Kasai remained a shinobi of the village hidden in the Leaf. He still had a heart within him, though burnt by the flame it had been.

For a moment, Kasai remained motionless, his head hung. He knew that he would live to regret this. Konohagakure was not strong enough, and he knew this. There were monsters out there that would crush it. However, if it meant killing Tatsuya, or risk the village... Kasai was ashamed of the choice he made.

Slowly, Kasai lifted the scroll by the top where he had a grasp on it. Then, Kasai slowly grabbed the scroll on the other end with his other hand, meanwhile flames still surrounding him. He allowed the scroll to open, a thin piece of its paper falling to the ground. 

In one fluid movement, Kasai canceled his Immolation, causing most of the flames around him to go out, however, while he did, he swung the scroll in a way that the paper would snap across the flames, causing the smoke to also dissipate, with no damage to the scroll. As he swung the scroll back, he would also sling it back over his shoulders, so that it rested on his back, like it always did. 

With the vortex of fire still burning where he should have pupils, Kasai paused a moment more, closed his eyes, and bowed to his friend. 

"If what you say is true, and the village means enough that you would throw your life between myself and it, then so be it. If you believe that my return to the village with you will be enough to strengthen the village, then I will go. 


"A part of me will believe the other way will bring it to the strongest more so than this, but very well," Kasai said, and then bowed.

"Welcome back, my friend," he said, and as he came up from his bow, smiled, and walked towards Tatsuya, arms outstretched. "It is good to see you again."