The Mizukage's Legacy (P)

Haru stood at the foot of the monument, flanked by his two ANBU guards, standing at the foot of the statue of Xyxer, the liar, the traitor, and the murderer. Here he saw the ugly mug of the one who not only ordered the murder of his family, both of whom were proud veterans of Kirigakure, but framed Haru for the murder of Yozora, his own ANBU captain, to Youta. His own student. She died thinking Haru killed her master. As one last hurrah, after telling him all this, Xyxer sent one of his cronies to kill his sister, his last remaining family.

For that, he could not be forgiven. All he deserved was to be forgotten. 

The statue stood as a reminder of the man who ruined Haru's life, who took away nearly everything that was dear to him, and it could no longer stand. Stepping forward from the two ANBU that flanked him, Haru held back a hand, signaling for them to hold position. He stood at the base of the statue, placing one hand flat against the stone, drawing back the other slowly. With one swift punch, he shattered the base of the statue, the blast of energy originating from his hand causing the entire thing to crumble to dust. A small platform of stone remained under the feet of the depiction of Xyxer as gravity called it down. As it reached the ground, two swift kicks from Haru eliminated the thing's legs, up to Xyxer's knees.

Now face to face with the monster, Haru sent one more strike towards the concrete, smashing into the fake Xyxer's chest so hard that it shattered, the huge sword he was holding being caught by Haru. Spinning quickly, Haru used the sword to destroy the limbs remaining from the statue, a fine white dust crumbling to the ground all around him, before smacking the Mizukage's head towards the ocean. He held the sword like a spear, holding up his thumb for aim, before hurling the sword into Xyxer's ugly mug, his now impaled stone replica splashing into the sea, likely split in two. Haru didn't care.

About now, the one he sent for should be arriving, just in time to see Haru's handiwork.

Altar shrugged his body awake, walking through the streets of Kirigakure. It was a cold, gray day. Completely and totally unremarkable in almost every aspect.

And then Altar heard a crash. A very loud crash. Followed by more crashes, and crumbling noises. That couldn't be good. It hadn't been from the arena. It sounded like it was coming from...the monument. Oh god, Xyxer'd have someone's head...

Altar skipped from rooftop to rooftop, as fast as he could manage without fumbling and falling head over heels from the tiny buildings. As he reached the monument, he found something appalling and yet, amazing. Before him stood Haru, in a stance much akin to that of someone who'd just thrown a javelin. A solid k'chunk sound was heard in the direction his friend was facing, followed by a heavy sploosh. All around Haru were pieces, crumbs and shambles of what had once been the statue of the Mizukage, Xyxer. It was in several pieces, looking as though some heavy yet precise impact had taken it out from the base. Beside Haru were the two ANBU of the village, waiting and watching patiently.

"Haru, you sent for me?" Altar would say, taking in everything around him. Including the heavy dust in the air. It reeked of brash overconfidence and sadistry. If dust could smell like that.

"Y'know, I pretty much despised him, but Xyxer's gonna have someone's head for this."

Looking out at the sea as the head of Xyxer sunk into the ocean's depths, Haru felt a certain sense of satisfaction. Not nearly as much as he'd like, but enough for now. His rage was satiated. Right around this time, he heard Altar's voice come from behind him. As the boy spoke, speaking the name of the vile trash that did this to him, Haru kicked up some of the dust, letting out a scream of rage.

"If only. I'd run him through if he were here, the treasonous son of a bitch." Haru raved, before taking a deep breath and regaining composure. "Altar, I've summoned you because I've just received an unexpected promotion, and I have an important request of you." Haru informed the boy, stepping past the ANBU, closer to his friend. 

"You see, Xyxer just stepped down from the title of Mizukage, leaving me to replace him." Haru said, his posture and tone weirdly positive. "Which, normally, would be something to be proud of, something to celebrate, right?" He said, chuckling a bit. "But that wretched little shit told me some things before he left, and, well, I'm less then pleased."

"Not only did he order the murder of my family to make me more like him, he lied to Youta and told her that I was the one who killed Yozora. My own student died thinking that I killed her former master." He said, his weirdly positive tone picking back up into sheer rage. "So there I am, standing face to face with the man who ruined my life to make me his ideal predecessor, and he tells me that he's sent someone after my sister, my last remaining family... I had to chose, and I chose her." He continued, pacing as he spoke. "The bastard was gone before I could find him. He ran away from his problems like the coward he truly is." Haru finished, sighing heavily, his tone much more solemn now.

"I-I'm sorry, I got carried away. I've had a very long day." He apologized.

Altar's hand would shoot to waist level, his posture lowering as his friend let out a scream of raw emotion. What the fuck had happened? What could've caused this? As Haru spoke, seemingly a little calmer, he went to tell a story about Xyxer. Apparantly, the man had stepped down from his position as Kage. He had left Haru to fill the position. That was good, that was a positive. Altar silently clung to that as Haru continued speaking.

Then came the bomb. Xyxer had been the one to order the murder of both Haru's grandparents. He had lied to Youta, telling her that Haru had been the one to murder Yozora. He had heard little of Yozora, but what he remembered was Youta talking about her as if she was some kind of idle. Youta had passed believing lies fed to her by a tyrant. Surely she hadn't believed Xyxer fully, had she?

As Haru kept speaking, his tone and his pace got more and more aggressive, escalating again to full rage and anger. And the last part was the most damning. Xyxer had sent someone after Haru's sister. Altar had barely heard of the man's sister but he knew he loved her more than life itself.

By the end of Haru's rant, Altar's face had visibly darkened. He was shaking, his mind was racing, but he had to be calm. If not for himself, then for his friend. He needed a stable reassurance.

"So your sister is safe, then. Good. He forced you to choose and you chose right, Haru, you saved her life. That's more important right now than vengeance and bloodshed. Look, I know things are messed up. You're toiling. But you need to calm down. A hot head won't help right now. If we act fast and act rationally we can catch him before every trace dissapears. Then the sick bastard can get the justice he deserves." Altar would say, slowly placing a gentle hand on Haru's shoulder. His manner of speaking was slow, methodical and what he hoped would be calming.

"You're the Kage now. And the last thing Kirigakure needs is more violence, and more perpetual rage. We need a leader, Haru. And it looks like the hat's on your head now. Now, we can do our best to sort out what wrongs can be righted. I'll help however I can. First we should get your sister and make sure she's safe, and keep her that way. Then we look for any track or trace of the traitorous tyrant, and when, not if, when we find him, he'll pay. But that's secondary for now. Our primary concern is you and your family." Altar would remove his hand, give a reassuring smile, and scan the remains of the statue one more time

"I guess it's true what they say. You can make a demon of a man, but you can't make a man of a demon."

Haru just shook his head. Altar was trying to be a voice of reason, and maybe he should listen to it, but Haru had better plans. 
"He's gone, Altar. I searched the memories of these two, they have no idea where he's going. I searched the borders all night. He's gone." He said defeatedly. "Anyways, I'm sorry that I lost my composure there. Aryll is safe, I have her under safe guard. No, I have a better idea to get my revenge on the Mizukage. And it starts right here, where the gravel that was once a monument to his ego lay." He said, the dust finally beginning to settle. "I'm going to erase him, and then, I'm going to build this village, stronger then he ever could have hoped it to be." He said, turning to Altar, and reaching into his jacket pocket. "But first..."

"I need somebody to take my place." He finished, retrieving his own ANBU mask from his jacket, the gnarled, scarred face of a grizzly bear staring back at him as he looked down at it. "Altar, a village is nothing without its ANBU, and Xyxer kept our own corps surprisingly weak. I aim to fix that." He said, holding out the mask. The two ANBU were now making sure that the area was clear, so that they were truly speaking in silence.

"This is the mask of the Bear, the one I wore as an ANBU. He or she who wears it is to be of strong will and stronger conviction. I believe this mask suits you." He said, offering the mask to Altar. "Altar Shinkou, let it be known that today, I formally invite you to join the ANBU corps as captain, and to train a new generation to serve and protect Kirigakure. Do you accept?" Haru asked him.

As the dust settled, Altar would hear out Haru. It seemed the man had calmed, which was good all things considered. But he had no intentions of hearing out convoluted plans or details. His mind was set in stone. As it seemed it always ways. As Haru reached into his jacket and left his sentence with a hangoff, Altar started to worry. There was still the issue of why Haru had called him here. It wasn't for an idle chat, and it wasn't simply to view the destruction of one age, and the rise of another.

As Haru pulled a mask from his jacket, comprehension dawned. It was to take part in the rise of the new age.

As Haru explained the mask to him, Altar was hit by wave after wave of silent emotion. Haru, his mentor, his friend and now his Kage, was offering him the very same mask he had worn as an ANBU. The fierce image of a bear. Strong will and strong conviction. To serve and protect. To raise and train. As the mask was extended towards him, Altar would take a firm hold on the mask, holding it in his hands like a long lost treasure.

"I gratefully and humbly accept this offer and opportunity. I will make it my mission from here on out to strive for the village and it's people. I will protect them from any danger with my life if necessary. I will give knowledge and power to those that would do the same. And above all, I vow to serve and protect Kirigakure and it's Lord Mizukage." Altar would say, his gaze steady on Haru. He was happy, yes. But in the back of his mind there was worry about what would come of these new developments. But whatever came, it was possible to handle.

Haru put a hand on the boy's shoulder as he took the mask. 
"I trust you won't disappoint." He told Altar. Snapping his fingers, the two ANBU returned to him. "These two will take you to headquarters. You can access the village records, train, or just recover there. Make good use of it." He told Altar, turning back to the rubble of the statue. "I suggest you begin training, because you'll be tasked with a few recruits soon. I have every intention of rebuilding the ANBU, stronger then ever." Haru told Altar, waving him away.

"Good luck."

(Exit)

Altar would nod at Haru, sliding the mask over his face before taking his leave with the other ANBU. He'd take a short rest to process all this information and try to plot a rough course of action. After that, he'd train, and then train more and more. He wouldn't let Haru down. He'd protect his village, his friends and his Kage.

~Exit~
~Claiming ANBU Rank~
~Claiming ANBU Tattoo~