The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Mon Nov 04, 2019 8:59 am

The hardest part about building a workshop wasn't designing it. But the thousands of hours of heavy lifting that were a result. Especially when one was on a budget. “I’m going to have to science the hell out of this.” Mar spike to himself. Some jerkwad had created an ambitious design without a budget to match. A jerkwad whose name rhymed with turd. If this would be the site of ANBU - Aeronautics, it had a long way to go.

It all started with the foundation, he’d bought a chunk of farmland for a good price. About half of his meager savings. Granted this ‘farmland’ was a nearly unusable pond filled with litter and overgrown with algae. He’d set to work first creating a dam. Which of course had it’s own litany of problems in need of solutions. Although in the end, he thought he could yield a very impressive result.

On the outset, he had the choice of what kind of dam it could be. If he wanted to bother with filtration, he could turn it into a personal reservoir. Steam engines needed heat, and other devices were prone to overheat after all. His own water tower wasn't such a bad idea. There were some more responsible options like diverting the stream far upriver so the fish would be directed along a longer pathway to the lake at the end of the rainbow.

He could even use the new reservoir of water to build a small swimming pool. Maby the village children would get a kick out of that. Ooor even some girls his age. Above all, he knew he wanted some solution where he could harvest just a bit of hydroelectric power. Which narrowed his results. Ultimately, his choice was clear.

Over his nights and weekends for nearly two weeks he planned, prototyped, asked for permission from nearby land owners. And worked creating three smaller dams along the flow of water. Each releasing a smaller and smaller amount. The first one at the top, turned fish and other wildlife away. Preventing them from coming into contact with water tainted by agricultural pollution in the first place.

Then, downstream he had the main reservoir. Blocked by a six feet tall barrier where most of the actual electricity was actually made. Part of it acted as a natural filtration system therin. Down the line, once the water treatment system in his own workshop was finished. He’d have a clean and reliable source of potable water.

Finally, in the smallest reservoir remaining. Was a floodplain that would reduce the chance of his home filling up with water. And could be intentionally flooded via the upper reservoir and drained into safe natural channels. If rainfall was good, it could be filled as a pool year round. On the edge of his property which was to never be fenced off.

As he tightened the sealant around the last body of water and took a seat next to the flimsy looking barrier he sighed with satisfaction. Before looking at the actual, final stream that remained right at the center of what was going to be his business. A laboratory centered around the study of a science that was scarcely yet known of. No doubt to be funded by shady missing ninja contracts with no notable income. He’d need some investors, or to make good friends with the tax collector.

Atleast this next part was simple, and cheap. With just enough privacy to be out of the prying eyes of the locals he used the shadow clone jutsu to multiply himself. Taking to the pond with three huge nets to fish out all the cans, wrappers, and packaging that’d wound up here. The water was anoxic anyways, so he had nothing to worry about from native fish and wildlife. This part only took a matter of hours to complete.

“Now, to expressly drain the water from his lake.” He chimed himself, releasing the clones before making extremely sure he was not being watched. “Now, theoretically this should be fine. Hope nobody comes to investigate the huge cloud of steam.” He mumbles to himself. Standing by the edge before calling upon his most powerful jutsu. The fire release of great fireball rain. His hands slid into the required pattern efficiently. Before his mouth opened to it’s very limits and like a dragon a stream of fireballs shotgunned out of his mouth in every direction of the pond. Expanding out after leaving his mouth to two meters in radius and bursting on contact.

The effects were drastic and explosive. Dispensing the heat completely into the water which sizzled and boiled with hellish vigor until it turned into an enormous, deadly cloud of steam. It was a good thing he’d done this upwind would that the hot has drifted away. A thin sheet of glass coated the edges now in a shiny, green, and still soft jacket. Some of the remaining steam tickled the edge of a short hickory tree causing a fifth of it’s leaves to shrivel and die in contact.

Then, the cloud rose and rose, steadily dispersing into the atmosphere and letting the sun shine through again. Revealing his handiwork. The ground was still drenched at the bottom. With less than a foot remaining at the base. An awful smell of burnt algae and garbage tinted water stuck in the air. “This is gonna take a few days to settle, I ain’t sticking around to reek. I think it’s time to visit the chortling chunin.”

He certainly hoped to bump into one of his newfound companions at their choice eatery. He thought frequently of the ever kind Akihana who’d fought him most of what he knew. Along the way he passed by a newspaper vending machine. Seeing an older man buying a copy he raised an eyebrow at the headline. “Missing Nin found in Steel Valley. Trial is scheduled by the end of the week. Execution expected by the end of the month.”

Steel Valley was his hometown. An industrial settlement in the mountains of the wind nation that produced a great deal of refined metal products. But beyond that, it never made it to the news, and missing ninja were unheard of in the place. He entered a coin and snatched up a copy. Not even taking the time to ask for any of his friends. He took his seat in the diner, ordered the special coffee with a plastic shuruken in it. And got to reading.

“Union leader Marcus Byrd apprehended after evidence was found in his domicile connecting him to the hidden sand village. Steel Valley showed full cooperation to their military ally who dispatched a team of genin lead by a jonin known as Kazue the hurricane.” Mar was dumbfounded, but dident know what to feel. They’d somehow found the one missing ninja in the entire town, as far as he knew.

Already the story didn’t make sense, he immediately deduced. His father, the man being apprehended in the paper. Kept his secret only between his wife, his child, and god. He’d even faked his own death with an ironclad technique. The hidden wind was not even actively looking for him. What had spilled the beans? He’d not performed any jutsu in years, and was far more careful than his estranged son. There wasn't a shred of evidence indicating he was a ninja, Mar had even looked at himself. Yet here he was, being drug away in black and white. He continued, steaming with anger.

“The owner of the Deep Earth Manufactury, the towns single greatest business. Aaron Gordon, had this to say. ‘Marcus Byrd was a fugitive, and a thorn in the side of our community. Spreading lies and dissent to our fine workers with no other goal than the total halt of production in his treasonous vendetta against his home. The case will be open and shut, and this snake in the grass will soon be nothing more than a bad memory.”

Mar was up on his feet and moving towards the door. Dropping a bill worth double his drink on the table before finishing it in one swig and spitting out the children’s toy within. He had a destination, and that was the nearest train station. He hated not having a plan, but before he could so much as spare a thought for his father one way or another, he knew he had to meet his mother first. Who was still very much dependent on the man. Already on the way he took out his phone to give her a ring. No awnser.

“What did I tell you about always keeping it charged. You’re usually so good about this.” He hissed with worry. Picking up speed. He was going to be traveling cross country, and he needed to catch the first train out. Even a matter of hours could be a major difference to his family. He booked it past several merchants and townsmen. Many on horses he wanted so badly to procure. He had miles between himself and the nearest station. And though he could jog forever. His speed was miserable. This called for a jutsu solution.

He pricked his upper arm on a pin intentionally sewn into his belt. How the tradition of ninja biting their thumbs to draw the blood required for a summoning jutsu was beyond him. This way he had a much tinier wound that still did the job and was not on one of the most sensative parts of the body. Like a super hero he ran into a thicket, donned a pair of bulky goggles to conceal his identity and performed the five seals into the summoning jutsu.

He was phoning in some serious help, a reputable bird known as the Wing of Death. An A rank Valk, who’d been recommended by a variety of scrolls and word of beak from his avian allies. When he’d tried to summon him before he’d called only tiny, highly confused birds. But he’d grown heavily since then. His chakra output swelled beyond his prior limits. He was certain, desperate of his success.

The symbols spread, the smoke cleared. And in moments he had what only appeared to be a hummingbird in his hand. “You,- You’re too cute to be the wing of death aren’t you?” The smiling little guy shook his head, instead introducing himself. “I’m Nectar Butterwing, your new best friend!” It replied in a Valkan voice of purely high pitched chirps and clicks. Mar checked his privacy again before shifting to bird talk himself. Speaking more in peeps and pops from his more ape like mouth.

“I need to get to Steel Valley right now, tell me you’ve got some long distance fuinjutsu that can get me there right now.” “Hmmmm….” The bird hovered evenly, with wing bears faster than Mar could see. Rising up well beyond the tree’s and focusing his razor sharp vision on the distance. “I see a train that could get you there in… Where are we?” “Fang country!” “Pfft, like 15 hours. HEYYY, SLOW DOWN! PASSANGERS HERE!” Mar groaned, shaking his head. “Keep it down, they sent hear ya and aren’t about to stop.” “You’re right… It must not have any enginears.”

“Sooo, I could fly there and summon you.” Mar scratched his chin, an appealing… idea. As Nectar came down lower again. He hovered too and fro with great excitement. “Or I could just take you there. Before he could do much as pipe up the little creature showed spectacular strength. Hauling him up and to the side by his belt, leaving him face towards the earth and but held high in the air. Their speed was incredible. Accelerating to nearely 70 miles an hour in seconds.

Mar was mortified. “N-nooooo! You stole my flying virginity!” He bawled, all his life he’d been waiting for this moment. Tantalizing himself with a vivid imagination of flying machines and jutsu to soar on the back of eagles the size of skyscrapers. Feeling the wind in his hair as they banked and turned majestically, king of the skies. In reality, he felt like a sack of unwanted potatoes being dropped from the heavens. Awkwardly trying to keep his balance. With no control of their destination at all.

“Cheep cheep cheep cheep!” Nectar chortled, losing nearly a third of their altitude over a minute. Something about that concept and the now pouty ninja folding his arms like a child really tickled his funny bone. “Ok~ Hey, what’s that in your pants?” Mar’s eyes swelled hugely as he crossed his legs and looked to his normal lap. Before groaning. “Maby I should de summon you right now and end it all.”

But they covered a lot of ground fast in a strait line. Coming in with great control on to the middle of the locomotive. Landing on the roof of the passenger cabin after slowing down greatly. Mar anchored himself with the surface walking technique. Looked along the side and tip toes to an open. Unoccupied window. Slipping into the booth of a passenger who’d gone off to the bathroom before taking off his goggles and walking casually into the main room. Settling into an empty seat on the sparsely populated car.

His winged best friend settled down in front of him, tilting his head while he set to the task with a number of leather straps and a small harness. Extending it, and adding a short attachment. “What’s this, come kind of game? Or a puzzle?” Nectar inquired. Pecking curiously on a latch. “It’s a flight harness, so if you need to pick me up it’s easier and I don’t tip one way or another.” He had it half coupled together before another glance to the bird revealed he’d be as silent as he’d ever known his ally to be in the five minutes since they met.

“Uhh, for me? Like, you actually wanna. Keep working with me?” Mar nodded. “But, you called me by mistake?” The craftsman simply reached out to measure the length of his tiny body before patting him on the head. “If you are week, I’ll make you strong. If you are stronger than you look, I’ll follow in your footsteps.” He said with absolute certainty.

Mar kept working with a single track mind as the bird hugged into his pinkie with utter admiration. “I will lift you up from the soil of the sodden below.” *click* Mar placed a simple, high strength fishing line woven into a cut up glove as a harness, onto the grateful birds body. “Thst was beautiful, do you do poetry? Music?”

A child walking down the car looked over to the strange man outfitting a small bird while chirping obnoxiously like a sparrow. And continued to stare, dumbfounded. “W-well I love singing along, but making songs is tough. Girls don’t really like my tune.” Mar seemed surprised. Putting the harness on his own body under his coat. “You don’t say? Well tell me about yourself my dude, we got time.” Nectar looked around inquisitively. “Don’t you have somewhere to be as fast as possible? I could cut the time in half!” Mar looked out the window. He did really want to make it there as fast as possible. But…

“Hey, we’re partners. You’re just as important as me. Tell me about yourself, besides. This way we attract less attention.” Mar looked up at the three families standing outside of his small room. Only one disappeared, mother hurrying her children away. “Can’t a guy talk to his bird-” Mar realized he was still speaking via insane squawking and quacked like a duck. Returning to normal speech. “Can’t a guy and his bird have a private discussion around here?” Before slamming the door closed and rolling shut the blinds.

“As I was saying, you’re just as important as me in this whole partnership. How can I expect you to fly me to another country when you don’t know anything about me, or me you? Besides, we’ll attract less attention this way.” He consolidates, though sick with worry. No one was in life threatening danger this minute… Probably. Maybe focusing on someone else could clear his head for what was to come. “So, why do you chirp big guy.” Nectar walked from one end of the table, then proudly back with his beak raised.

“To call for mates and defend my territory! To unleash the spirit of my people, to wake the woods up and prove that I am alive.” Mar watched with great amusement, but was legitimately getting fired up from the summons spirited speech. Gesturing for him to continue. “I sing because I have to, to Valks everywhere. A song nothing less than passing on our blood to the next generation!”

“Yeah yeah I hear ya, and with some Valks being like. Pfft, the size of this train…” “Exactly, it’s a mess! Unless if girls are specifically listening to me, I can’t compete.” Nectar swoons dramatically. For Mar to pick him back up on his feet to look him dead in the eye. “Nectar Butterwing, do you want to die alone!” “Never!” “Then listen here!” With a single hand sign Mar called for his shadow clone band. Two clones appearing in the rest of the seats with copies of the electric piano in his backpack. They laid out a tune while while our hero continued.

Jumping up on the table Mar did the twist. “Let me tell you Mr.Butterwing, give you the jist.” With a swift kick the window unfurled into the open air, Mar stuck half his body out “Weather’s nice out here!” He waved and a crowd of migrating songbirds swooned in rapidly, some swooned in on his head like a feathered haberdashery. The song took off flapping, while his classical dance was still happening to a heel turn and a gesture all around. The train darted into a tunnel and the car went black. The white birds and his collared shirt glowed before he went on the attack.

“The Valks of Ventus take their blood from birds and falcons. But don’t get these ladies intermixed. Abigales a pigeon, and gets all her kicks when a floofy little man goes ‘coo’~” His talk in Valk speech enamored the crowd, abigale ducked and turned around. Cause Mar snatched her from the air and showed her with Flare. To the little guy named Butterwing most astound.

Nectar called. “Byrd man.” “Flying maaaan.” The girls corrected. “I got to give you a lot… I mastered all these Jutsuuu, but can’t call in a flock.” “Boo hooooo.” All the ladies called, with a few hand signs. Mar spat a fireball. Held it in his hand, then gave it the command. To light the caboose “I’ll tell you the truth.”

“Danni’s a perfect little primary falcon.” He showed her wing span which wasn't lackin. “She’s just not out to hook up with a fella that’s got such a… Humble Beak.” Danni turned up her head, Nectar gave a poor squeak. “But somewhere out there I’m suuure, there’s a humming bird who’ll be quite charmed by your lure. You gotta sail with the attitude, you’re not a pure bred dude.”

“Stick with me kid we’ll your the world, meet some hot dessert eagles and some snow owls so cold. I know squeaking like you are is as embarrassing as hell, but shutting the *squawk!* up won’t do you well. If you sing from the heart, you can get a new start. Come on big man, just wing it!” They popped out of the tunnel and were rolling real fast, earning a perfect view of the country and a free pass. Out to nations out yonder where soon they were to discover Mar’s deep and long lost past.

“Byrd man.” “Flying maaan.” Nectar hovered out of the window as all the songbirds began flowing out to. “I’m not sure my best means much next to you, out here in the big world what am I to do?” They got further and further away while he hovered close. Mar gave him a spritz of perfume to smell like a rose before boldly stepping out of the hole and into the sky. Propelling himself upwards just like a flat floor with a wind release jump and a finale in store.

“Bird man! You’re flying man!” Mar saluted, walking backwards with a spin and a half turn. “Think of all there is, for you to learn!” He chased a gorgeous swallow towards the sun, Nectar struggled to keep up as his wind jump turned into a run. “You’ve got it all, so stand tall. Soar above, and you’ll find love!” He cast his waiting fire directly upwards, showing the scene in fireworks beyond words.

Mar relaxed, falling down as Nectar took a controlled dive too. Steadily beginning to flap all at once to swing his summoner back into the waiting room. The two of them were breathing heavily, Mar’s smile still glinted in showmanesque fashion. While Nectar bobbed, hovering in the air to the same beat, “What about you then?” The bird asked Byrd. “Me?” “Yes you.” “What about me?” “Whata- We’re on a quest! Right, I thought that was totally a thing. The quest for Steel Valley. What’s that about.” The summoner groaned. “I could use some refreshments before we get into anything dealing with my father.”

He opened up the door, wandering deeper into the cabin while Nectar stayed put. Adjusting his head floof by licking his talons and combing them through. Mar wandered down the peaceful train, hand in his pockets. Looking for some kind of cart or bar. He got his wish when a peak through a kitchen window revealed that they appeared to be preparing cups and plates for a lunch service. “Well, it can’t beat the Chortleing Chunin. But what the hell.” The little troublemaker said to himself. With one transformation jutsu he took on the apron and appearance of a line cook and slipped in.

How easy it was to find a few bottles of sake stowed away for first class. As he poured a spike into his mug, the anxiety of his family matters got the better of him. And his beverage was about a third full by the time he stopped. Rather than carrying it all out he simply used his storage displacement jutsu to make 2 mugs of coco. One spiked to hell, disappear. Followed by a parcel of sushi. He dropped his disguise as soon as no one was watching after having left the kitchen while a curious question stayed in his mind. Was chocolate poisonous to Nectar?

Probably, he surmised. Dogs and a great deal of smaller mammals found it deathly toxic. If only there was something more up his ally. That’s when he glanced out the window and saw a field of honeysuckle about a mile long. Could he slip out and grab some? Surely not, but…

Moments later between train cars he had his boot on the rear of a shadow clone. “Ok Mr.Expendable! Land better than the last performer did or you’ll poof into smoke!” He said, before forcing him further outwards with the last of his strength. Thankfully this one was smarter than his predecessor. Using wind jump to slow his landing. Before the real Mar had even made it back to his proper room he felt a surge of memories return to him detailing how he’d plucked the flowers up and stored them away using the same jutsu his coco rested in.

Finally the scoundrel returned to his avian companion, spreading out a bushel of fresh honeysuckle for him to enjoy the nectar to his heart's content. “You know me so well.” Nectar chirped, rather than going directly for his name sake. He soon reached down with his stubby beak to chow down into the flower entirely. Meanwhile Mar took a deep draft of his spiked beverage before sighing and elaborating.

“My mother, always wanted me to be a ninja. My father, wanted me to stay the hell away from the life. Funny given my patriarch was the one who’d formerly abandoned a hidden village while she’d never raised her fist to as much of a fly.” “I guess she had a type.” His friend nodded, listening very well. “Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, young kid. I took a look around, and decided I didn't want to live in my community. Steel Valley they call it, ehh I’ll tell you in a minute. But I wanted to change how things were around there, strength could do that. Aircraft? Not so much.”

“The Valley’s nothing more than a prison, a work camp started generations ago for fugitives. Well, enough of them spawned and now most everyone is a fifth generation separated from a real crook. Didn't matter though, place hasn't changed in all that time. You go in, you don’t go out. You work yourself ragged, and are lucky to kick it from exhaustion if the cholera doesn't get you first. I made it out before working age.” “How’d you do that?”

“Mar looked out the window. “Well, there was this tiny tunnel that leads all the way out to the coast where the towns waste was dumped. It smelled, had fumes like crazy half way, and was flooded the rest. But if you were a little, half fed kid. You could crawl out for miles and get out of this place. I stuck around till I was nine, and it looked like it would be about my last year… Sure wish I could have found that way to send money back through for my mom. But I barely had enough for myself.”

“But your old man caved and bought you some ninja skills for the road?” Nectar guessed. To which Mar only laughed. “Marcus Byrd never gave up in his whole damn life. It’s what I admired about him, and hated. No, I only ever heard from my momma. Second hand, but boy did I hear a lot. She wanted to be a ninja more than anything when she was young, after she found out my dad’s past. She begged him to teach her. Well, my dad wasn't exactly a selfless man. He’d come to this place because he might just be recognized anywhere else. ANd he was not about to teach the only woman who loved him how to walk away. So, she had to make due with stories.”

“Did I ever mention my dad was as smart as they come? Mean too. You track mud in the house one time and it’s on your record forever, do it again 2 years from then and he’d woop your ass… But yeah, before I crawled my way out of town. I met a lot of kids that dream about the same thing. My dad only had one response. Don’t dream. Bastard was such a cynical realist. He wanted to make the world better alright. But the way he saw it the only way that’d happen was working from the inside. Only ever trusted himself. What was your dad like?”

“Never knew him.” The little Valk protested. “Humans are weird, they spend ages and ages growing up with their families before they ever learn anything for themselves. I was out of the nest in a month!” This caused the engineer to burst out laughing. “I wish I had your luck man, there’s, there’s some sense to be had in nature after all.” He said, the drink quickly taking to his system. Oooh a double shot and it wasn't even noon yet. He sourly stewed until his cohort brought him out of it.

“Why was this place allowed to stand for so long, I mean. Haven’t folks moved past this barberism?” Nectar inquired, the sound of this place sounded too inflated to be true. Mar grinned, but there was pain in his smile. “The military industrial complex. You see, this town amounts to nearly a third of the regions steel crafts production, and it’s all owned by one man. A private prison where no rights are guaranteed. Whenever they’ve tried to put the pressure on to improve conditions. He’s always raised the prices too high for them to refuse.”

“I can’t believe they can run a place like that, sounds like it’d squeeze the life out of you generation by generation until ya ran out.” To which Mar shook his head. “Oh no, that’s how it was like at first. Then they got real good about stretching out the suffering for as long as they could. Sure individually, 90% of people kick it before they even make it to 30. But before then they have lots of babies, it’s the only way to survive with the corporate incentive programs.”

“So with all that, why are we going back there? Don’t tell me you want to watch the grisly scene yourself…” His contractor shook his head. “Because up until now, not only is infiltrating the place a suicide mission. But, you know. My family was doing alright there. Or I should say mother was, a place like that will never put someone like my father in the ground. He’s as stubborn as cancer and sour as chemo. But her, ok. I should elaborate a little further.”

“So, ok. I give my dad a hard time, but he wasn't say. Abusive, *sigh* I still can't even figure out if he’s an awful father or just a lousy man. Since he came to that place he’d not been laying low, well. For long. As soon as my momma made him grow roots he marched on down to the factory floor and started championing for a union. Of course they flogged him like 30 times when they found out, bastard never even whined. Mother told me he’d been through worse when he was captured by the enemy at one point, even she did not talk much about that subject. But yeah. Just took it, that kinda grit made a cause people could follow. And so, things were getting a little better.”

“If they were better, why’d you take the skinny hole out of time?” “Cause they weren’t getting better for everyone Mr.Butterwing. My mother put up with death threats like you could never believe. Had our house firebombed once, another day she slept in and missed a ‘accident’ that flattened about three or four of her co-workers on the factory floor. She begged me never to come back.” Mar swallowed heavily.

“But I can’t stand back any longer, till this point my dad being head of the union gave her the defence she needed. No one would actually put her in the ground if it shut down production, or worse. Tore the place apart. If they give him a fauxe trial and his head rolls. Not only is my home gonna roll back into the dark ages. My mother, the greatest, most important woman alive is going to catch a knife in the back.” Nectar swooned. “Why didn't you tell me? I’d have sped us there right away if I knew we were on a heroic mission! What’s the plan.”

For a moment, Mar’s eye lids mocked the flash flurry of his cohorts wings. “My what? Span?” “Your plan, for saving the day, your dad, your community?” “Oh.” He looked out the window with an absolutely calm look before tugging heavily on his hair with great anxiety. “I don’t know! This is so unlike me, I don’t stick my neck out, I move along to avoid trouble and walk into opportunity, and I never, ever put my life on the line! This is crazy, they don’t even send in passenger trains. Just cargo, we’ll have to abandon this one near the border and-and!?!?”

“Shhh.” Nectar suggested, breezing past to relax his friends fingers down back to the table instead of his scalp. “How did you do that sound with your beak?” Mar asked in a confused voice, before Butterwing shook his head. “You were singing and dancing ten minutes ago when it came to little old me, now you’re tearing your hair out about walking into some fortress when everything you know is on the line? Who’s this, where’d that charming musician wander off too?” He coo’d, the ninja looked down to the side. Emberassed,

“You’re right, I should break into the place with a song!” “No.” “I should sit down, form a plan on the way like the genius I am, and work a way in and out!” “Yes.” Said the songbird, who was finding it rather easy to do his job. Mar tore out a page of his notebook and began scribbling out a map of the place. Marking notable landmarks like the childrens tunnel, the central manufacturing line, the valley walls and the train rails going in and thusly out of town. Finally he included the rough location of his childhood home and the town hall that served as the jail Mr. Byrd was no doubt couped up in.

“All right…” He examined it one last time, cleaning up imperfections and entering a focus. Having never had to concentrate this diligently in his life. The sun rose to it’s peak in the horizon, as he went through a dozen pages worth of possible plans and solutions. Responses to these plans, many of which ended very, very badly for our hero. All the while a radio from down the hall tuned into a new station as they entered the boundaries of wind country. The lively jam of a rock band settling down into the smooth voice of a charming host.

“And that was three’s a crowd by the Updog boyds. I gotta say, sounds like the whole units running better with that Ken Delancy fella taking an early retirement. My dear listeners I hope it reaches you perfectly well that sometimes all it takes to get ahead in this world is to move on. Weather it’s your layabout boyfriend who doesn't pull his own weight or the dead end job you’re toiling at. Don’t hold yourself back dear viewers. And don’t worry about little old me, I couldn't put down this mic if I wanted to. And that’s got nothing to do with the ten year contract I’m caught in the middle of. And everything to do with my affection to you~ Speaking about affection this here’s a saucy little record, hide your kids folks. Or don’t, I won’t tell.”

Miles from Mar’s current position another radio was tuned into the exact same station from the bowls of an ill maintained town hall in the heart of Steel Vally. A less than wise Genin pressed his ear directly to the device which was at minimal volume. Desperate for a taste of home. But his keen eared mentor more than easily heard the buzz of his device, and indeed the elevated beat of his heart. Nearly a hundred meters away through several doors. “Daisuke, if you are not in formation in one moment so help me god I will declare you missing in action and next week the kage will send us to oversee your execution!”

“Rrrg, coming sir!... D***...” A rocky hand reached out from the cobblestone wall just at his side. Grabbing his radio and squeezing it to nothing but a lump of circuits and crumbled speakers. “N-noooo! My moisture farmer EX…” Daisuke wailed in grief. Knowing better than to delay a moment more less the next thing getting crushed was to be his skull. He darted down the halls at top speed. His overweight figure bouncing and squeezing between the tight doorways. Avoiding rusty edges and slipping on dusty rugs and torn carpet. The world became a blur all the way up until he saw the distinctive green hair of his comrades and stopped in formation. Giving a solute. “Sir!”

He store down the Jonin who returned his efforts with a visage holding all the compassion as a desert viper. ‘Wasting the precious income our divinely appointed village sets aside for your meager pay on luxury items… Remind me again, what you are good at.” The ninja shook in his boots, out of his more disciplined pair of comrades one managed to ignore this exchange completely while the other gave a smirk containing such superiority it made the boy sick. Who responded. “I am a weaponry speciali-” “You’re a broke specialist. Wasting what you should realize is our homes only way of providing you with the equipment you need. How long are you gonna keep scraping by off kunai and smoke bombs from the other two huh? This weakness must be purged.” He turned around, having come to a decision. He waved for them to break formation and follow him single file, down deeper and yet deeper into this decrepit place.

“I forbid you from using any equipment from your peers, and until the year is out your pay will be confiscated by me until I so see you as fit to be a shinobi of the hidden sand village.” The Genin were all surprised, one covering his mouth as if to hide laughter. This amused cadette added. “Fork over my lucky knife then big guy. We’re not covering for you any more.” Angrily, the ninja of ridicule threw the handful of knives on the ground. Clattering noisily, each was polished to a mirror sheen. Their edges honed to the limits of their sharpness. In far better condition than they were given. He took a deap breath to raise his voice, but one glance backwards from hell from his instructor was enough to make him bite his tongue.

‘I can’t believe he’s doing this to me, without a single hunk of steel in my hands I’ll be defenceless!’ Bashing in skulls with nothing more than basic Taijutsu, how he loathed getting his hands dirty. He’d never even need to rely on handouts if it weren’t for that stupid E rank mission a couple months back where he’d been the victim of pick pockets. And he’d been saving up for the best sword on the market, a saber that made the wind sing its praises with every swing. Hard, but not impossible to afford on a Genin salary. But surely Kazue was doing this for a reason. Perhaps something he could not understand now but would appreciate later.

“I ain't picking those up, pffft. Got a new lucky knife anyways, oooh I’ll even sell it to you for just 1 yen.” He offered, dangling the paper bomb sealed blade inches from his face in irritating fashion. Daisuke pushed it away with a growl. “Why don’t you use it as an ashtray for those cigarettes you’ve been rolling since we got home number 2?” The two boys butted heads, Daisuke was ready to grab the weapon his team mate didn't deserve to shove it where the sun didn't shine. Meanwhile his opponent was seconds away from rattleing of a jutsu that’d leave him a poisoned, dieing bit of carrion.

Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:01 am

Instead, two stone serpents emerged from behind each of them in a stranglehold, lifting each off the ground. “Nero. If you deface this body which is your only weapon for your village again so help me I will send you back to the first year of ninja academy. And you, Daisuke. What a pathetic attempt to divert blame onto your own comrade. You will be watching guard tonight, both shifts.” He squints his eyes deap into the panicked, struggling form of the ninja before making his stance extremely clear. “You will either die in this test, or you will improve. Pick up your Ninjutsu skills, learn a thing or two. Only then can you return to the crutch of equipment. Weather you succeed or fail is of little consequence to me. Now shut up, both of you. Or you won’t be leaving with your tongues.”

The both were unceremoniously dropped on the ground. Kazue was sick of these brats, poor soldiers who were full of themselves due to being trusted with serious missions before they’d seen the price of admission. He wished they’d take this affair seriously. The Jonin marched, his large, dark flak jacket nearly doubling his stature as he made his way to the prisoners cell.

The lighting was lousy, and the entire room stank like old dung. How he longed to detonate the paper bombs rigged to his chains and to report back weeks ahead of time. But he was under direct orders to play nice with the locals and insure the process of justice. At the very least his own suffering was not as great as the man whose death he’d been sent to insure.

“Traitor, are you still alive?” He asked into the shadowy chamber, only able to make out the shiny glint of his freshly forged shackles. Though everything else wasted away in this place. The steel taken from the earth was still some of the finest in the world. Then, they chinked. As the jailbird leaned closer. His face in the light. “Don’t ya have someplace better to be?”

His body was long and thin, muscle longing to a frail, fat free frame that was blacked here and there with soot. His nose was crooked, and his eyes mostly hidden from an overgrown. Magy head of hair, the Jonin could literally see the disgusting flee’s festering in his scalp. His eyes glinted blue through the draping mess. There was an animosity of a man who’d been treated like a beast his entire life and had adapted into the role expected of him.

“I have a thousand better things to do than watch the rotting form of a suicidal rat. This ends once you give the village back what you stole. We already found the helmet. Now where’s the rest of it.” The misshapen man bellowed with laughter, sounding like a wheezing balloon that had a hole in it.

“Oooh that’s funny, you’re a real clown. Oooh you forgot your makeup but. That’s the first time I’ve gotten a chuckle in years. They sent an overachiever did they? Or no, let me guess. You just want what I have for yourself? Whaf? Figure you want a trophy, is an ear taken from an executioner worth less than ripping it off yourself?”

Daisuke was trembling in his boots at the blizzard freeze that came from the elder ninja’s cold, cold stare. Even the other Genin were starting to quake in their composure. Stepping away less they happen to attract his wrath by falling into the gravity of the exchange that was about to happen.

“Your Byrd suit was a perversion of pride in it’s purest form, and forbidden by nearly a dozen of our most sacred laws. I want you to confess where the heart of your sin lies, so that when it’s time for me to leave this place. I’ve destroyed not only the man. But the perverted idol.”

“You designed some of the finest ninja tools in your time. The kazekage himself had a personal armory and it was half filled with your work.” “Yeah? And what'd amount to, before I even took off. I was stricken from every record there was. What future was there? For someone who knew no friend, no love.”

The Jonin has his hands on the bars in frustration now. “OUT!” He commanded his young squad. Tripping over themselves in their efforts to escape before the door was quickly closed. “What future was there for a corpse! Half that work would have ended the career of anyone else. Forbidden techniques, unethical experimentation, do I need to remind you what became of the one man who took after you?”

“Shut up!” Marcus snarled. “Don’t you dare bring up your pathetic excuse of a weapon you’ve dug up from your sick dive into the classified files. I made a difference and you don’t think I could have done it while loving my country. That one day the last twinge of patriotism snapped and I went awol. Well here it is, it’s been a s*** show since day one. And even you’ve seen why so many go defect. Got to break your heart hunting down all the time yeah?”

His room bled into a disgusting shape, stone arms reaching out from every which angle with graphite edged, broken fingernails while his door creaked open. “What do you got today? Gunna pull out all those secr-“ His jaw was cracked as stone shards erupted from his flesh. Making not so much as a groan, the sound was almost just like as if it’d been done on a corpse. “No… Today I think you’re due for some of your own medicine. Stripped down from your humanity, while I test my new bone puncture jutsu. Don’t worry, unlike you. I never fail my country…”

Mar gave out a disgusting chain of coughs in a violent fit as they sank closer and closer to the earth. “This was a god awful plan, I regret everything.” “I agree, you’re the worst at ideas. But don’t worry pall. We’re almost there! Eeep! Hot hot hot! Do the thing.” *cough, wheeze* “I can't, the jutsu only works for so long. Got to time it right.”

From the highest point in the sky Nectar descended down towards the town directly through the path of a smoke stack opening up to the sky so that from the outside no observer could see them dropping in. Mar was hellishly paranoid of the town police and visiting ninja. Even a rumor about his arrival could easily lead to a manhunt with his father on death row.

“Ok, we’re gonna start. *hack* dive!” He ordered, hand signs flashing in the thick smoke through the lousy dust particles and heat. His chakra erupted from the body in a shroud shielding him from harm with all his ninjutsu power before he dived down head first.

The wind rushed past his body, the smell was worse than anything he’d had in his life. With a deep breath in Smokey lungs he built up speed further and further before splashing into a violently boiling chamber filled with charcoal burned water to make steam.

Death, surrounded him. Sweat poured violently down his back and the heat slipping through his shield made him dizzy instantly. “You ok?” He wheezed out, looking into Nectar who’d instantly fainted due to his small size. He held him in his hand and slithered up stream.

It was with enormous difficulty he completed even more hand seals with his friend in tow. Jetting himself through the water with wind from his feet. It got cooler, yet cooler. And slower as he broke the initial resistance. Making his way to the factory reservoir.

His fist pounded on a maintenance hatch before undoing a latch and spilling himself outwards as his jutsu fizzled into nothing. He rolled out onto a catwalk in a sparcly populated building with only a skeleton crew coming in and out. The industrial noise hid the sounds of his pathetic groaning. While he gasped for breath and recovered.

“Nectar, Nectar?” He asked, laying his little friend out carfully so he’d not be sticking out of a gap in the ground grate. There was no response. “Why wouldn't you unsummon yourself like planned!” He put an ear to his chest, realizing in a dark moment his motivation. If Mar’s shrowd didn't work as planned he’d be cooked alive slowly with scarcely a way to get out before he’d be dead. He’d stayed as a lifeline, in case if the worst had happened.

Mar moves to tear his hair out all over again. “Damn it Butterwing! I’m sorry!” He was exposed out here but in this moment he had no other worries than for his ally. Should he try rescue breaths? Chest compressions? If he unsummoned the bird right now. Would he go home where other Valks might render assistance?

He settled a finger down onto the creatures chest, settling its body with the rest of his hand before pumping steadily. “Come on buddy breath, let me hear those lousy chirps again. We’ve still got so far to go, but we made it in. Breath, breath…”

*squeak!* life flooded I into the birds eyes. With one flick of it’s wind sending his master sprawling backward in return. Mar had stars floating over his head while Nectar was soon the one hopping up and down on his chest. “Mar, breath, breeeearh! Don’t die now. Lobster boy!”

Mar snatched him up with a groan before noticing that his comrade had a point. All of his flesh was a deep red colour, flushed with blood to cool down. The air stung with Smokey residue, but compared to his way in it was a pure spring breeze. “Who are you calling lobster? I was this close to a baked songbird. What were you thinking? Staying like that.”

The bird looked away sheepishly, scratching the ground like he’d heard nothing. “If you don’t trust me to do my end, how can I trust you? When it’s time for the next plan, can I-“ “Mar, behind you! Let’s go!” Nectar chirped. One glance backwards revealed a pair of workmen walking up a far staircase and sharing a conversation. Making their way to him.

Mar threw up the hand signs to transfer his wardrobe to a factory uniform. Tucking in Nectar to his coat pocket before calmly walking down to the floor below. He hugged the right wall and crept to the unoccupied way out before slipping through the door. “I’m coming home ma.”

A black snow fell on the industrial town as he made his way through familiar streets. Distant memories returning at every corner, but at the same time. It was all different. Changes like he’d almost dreamed of. But not always for the better.

He kept a distance from any police patrols, and wound up almost doubling the time of his approach back. Dropping the uniform disguise not far from the factory grounds. Less he be mistaken for a worker trying to skip out on his shift. All around were posters new and old. He found an old classic, put up on just about every street.

“The Steel Valley family.” One towering red poster chimed. Showing a faded picture of a quartet of yellow persons sitting at a cafeteria table. Eating and socializing despite coming from entirely different backgrounds and professions. A female plumber with a plunger and overalls. An engineer with a pearly wrench in his back pocket, a common factory worker with his collar up and a thick beard. With a child gobbling down chocolate squares while somebody ruffled his hair. “What full employment looks like.”

Mar had a chuckle while his friend asked. “What’s funny?” Poking his head out to take a look at the propaganda. “I just remembered the million ways they'd get defaced. There was this one my old pall did, got him extra chores for two months. Scribbled out the bottom and left it “What full retardation looks like.”

He vividly remembered the day, the kid with sketched in green cheeks. The factory worker missing three fingers and all but two teeth. The engineer was eating a rat on the end of his fork. And the plumber sat on a big pile of turds.

But just a ways down the same street was a new red and orange poster. “Freedom is not free.” It featured a man in a day coat wearing a sign that said. “On strike.” With the shadow of a cop with a blackjack raised to strike. Something like this could nevercould never have belonged in the Steel Valley Mar knew. “It’s like tasting apple pie-” “-Can’t relate.” Mar paused. “It’s like coming back to a flower and drinking it’s nectar, and you drank from it maby ten million times as a kid. But now there’s a new community of bees in the area and they’re pollinating it, and it’s sweeter sue but your tongue tastes that there’s something off and you really aren’t sure how it got to this point but also from the start the flower was objectively wilting and pretty crappy in the first place.”

“I think your metaphor broke down somewhere in that mess. So, we’re going to see momma Byrd? What’s she like?” Nectar inquires, wishing he had some good rose petals to chew on like popcorn while Mar exposited further into the narrative. “Oh? Well, her name is Rosa. She’s the best doctor in town, everybody knows it and looks to her for anything from brain cancer to a cold. She’s really good about letting things go and is the most chill and relaxed person you’ve never met. Which is weird cause her hobbies include comic books, knife collecting, and horror films. Anything graphic and horrible just draws her in like a fish on a lure.”

Nectar mindfully plucks a bit of coal residue from the sky from his fluff. “How do I make a good impression?” Which got Mar thinking a bit. “Well you could start with a grisly story about how we got here. My lungs are still burning something fowl from that. But really, you’re bringing her long lost baby boy home. That’s more than enough.” He came to a stop outside of a short, windowless home. Stacked up alongside hundreds of others just like it. An extremely humble looking abode. However adorning the doors was a rosery with a sign stating. “Doctor Byrd’s Everyman Practice, all are welcome in.” Followed by a note saying. “Come on in, 24 hours.”

“What’s that thing on the door itself, behind the sign? Looks like a picture?” Nectar asked, now perched on his associates shoulder. “Oh, well that’s ehhh- Mr. Wingman. He was little Mar’s imaginary friend until he was eight. Ooooh this brings back memories, god I feel silly now but. Back then I made this little model train set and picked up it’s tracks winding all through the house. Called it the flying railway. Ooooh drove papa nuts but my mom helped me build it. And um, Mr.Wingman. But I think I’m past him now.” “Yeah, you’ve got me as yer wingman!” The bird said with a resolute voice. Mar reached up to the door knocker, held it… And hesitated. Heavily. What would he say? Coming back against her express wishes? And to that, was he ready if this house was empty? She almost always had work around the clock, and he was surprised to not hear her inside. But it wasn't impossible she’d have no work at midday. Sometimes she was left alone while people went to other doctors. (Or if she was in morning, like when grandma passed.)

Stealing his resolve as if he was preparing for a new and difficult jutsu. Mar used the knocker. Sure if he were a patient he could have just walked right in, but he couldn't live with himself to give the woman who raised him a heart attack. In less than a minute, the door did creep open. And he saw the brilliant hazel eyes of the only woman who’d loved him. “Oh darling if you’re hurt you can always just come…” Just four inches shorter than himself, with shoulder length black hair. She seemed troubled but nothing could beat her gratitude to the universe to see her child come back to the nest. Tall and healthy, with clothes that didn't have any holes in them and a bright spirit. Even if his cologne had been washed and he smelt like he’d just come out of a dust factory. In seconds, she grabbed him by the shirt. Pulled him secretly, and at once either of them said

“You got so old!” “Hey!” She blushed heavily, adjusting a peach coloured bow at the top of her grey stained white scrubs with teddy bears on them. Mar’s eyes widened, looking to Nectar for support who just gave a normal, innocent, avian chirp. As if he were laughing at him. His mother went into full diagnostic mode in seconds. Grabbing his hand to check for unwashed cuts or broken digits. “What’d you do to your middle finger?” “Oh you’ll love that story.” She listened to his heart and lungs, to which he immediately did the breathing patterns she’d practiced with him when this was their regular ritual eleven years ago. “I’m fine mom, really. Never been better. Thanks for letting me in.”

“Of course I’d invite my own son back into my home, just like I’d scold him for going against my best wishes for his future. How in the valley did you make your way back in here in one piece? I nearly mistook you for your father but you’re far too well fed. I’d heat up some gruel on the pot but I think just smelling it would make you thinner.” She contemplated, he wandered in trying to settle her down while he took a place on a new looking arm chair and she went to her usual nook on the couch by the fireplace. He answered her question by lighting it up with a fireball almost half the size of his body. Which indeed, caused her to shriek like a canary and nearly flip the couch backwards on itself.

“You became a ninja, my own flesh and blood. You always talked about it but it all seemed so unreal in our quaint little slice of the desert.” He nodded his head. “And that’s not all, I’ve made a whole bunch of friends since I’ve been out. I didn't even come alone as you can see. Meet Nectar Butterwing.” He held out a finger for his summon to step on, who spoke in plain human tongue for the first time. Sounding downright child like and adorable. “It’s a pleasure to meet you mahm! I’m the kids best friend, when he’s not throwing himself down smokestacks that is.” Rosa excitedly scooted closer, stroking past the little things ear with her pinky much to his delight. Kicking softly and nestling his wings to encourage her to go on. “I’ve never seen a birdy so little and perfect before, I could just just cry my eyes out in pride Mar. You went further than we ever thought you could.” But, after hearing that. Out of anyone, her son was the closest to tears. Sniffing slightly and toning down his voice extra low. “It’s nothing, had a lot of help.”
She nodded with approval. Before the sound of real crying washed over the room, but not from mother or son. It came like that of a squealing infant just in the next room. “Oooh look at me, I forgot what I was doing when you walked in.” Rosa asked, standing up and retrieving a plastic bag filled with some colourful cardboard box. “Who’s that?” Asked Mar, expecting that one of the village children had gotten themselves a fever and had been napping back where she treated patients.

“Oh, it’s yer little sister Maria. Want to see?” “Bwuuuh?” Mar barked dumnly while Nectar happily flew off to see the child. “She looks just like you pall!” He whispered in a high, baby voice. “Do you wanna come with us on ninja adventures in a month? Yes you do~” Mar fell over an obvious coffee table as he stupidly walked in a straight line to the back where his mother disappeared as well. And there it was, a perfectly healthy, human child. Nestled in a crib with a mobile overhead filled with gears and wrenches. It had his same skin tone, a little of his mother's hair, and a dirty diaper.

“You had another child!? I’m, that’s… Hi Maria.” Mar said with incredible surprise, coming closer to the alien thing like a loyal family dog that just had a new pet introduced to the house. He did not know the first thing about changing a diaper. Or even how to conduct himself by a crying child. Wincing slightly and trying not to get in the way while staring transfixed at the fact that he was no longer an only child. Who settled down not long after being changed and rocked in her mothers arms. “Oh it’s not that crazy, I’m only thirty seven. Had her not two weeks ago. And everyones still steering clear of this place. I keep telling them, even with Marcus gone I’m here to help. But they’re all after giving maternity leave.” There was a brief silence in the room, before she went on.

“Why’d you make the trip back here? I mean, did you somehow hear about her? Seems like a surprise. Did you come back now of all times just by chance? Whole towns built like a fortress and even a serious ninja like yerself had to have had a hard time getting in under the radar.” She theorized, before Mar showed her the headlining paper that had brought him this far. “Ooh, that makes sense.” She nodded, seeming to have a curious feeling about his decision as well. Much like his own emotions when he’d first read the passage about his dads. ‘Trial.’

“Before I go into that, what made you want to have another kiddo?” Mar asked, in the back of his mind thinking of course about the events that lead him to leave home at an early age. Wandering the streets, getting into trouble, getting hurt. But still better than the alternative. “Ok son, I’ve always been straight with you even when you were little. *sigh* When we had you, me and your father of course were very young. And, you were not necessarily planned. We were happy of course and never wanted to be rid of you. But that was the case that we were caught without a plan in some of the nastiest years of our life. You made it better at every step of the way but…” She looked dejectedly downwards while his sister calmed down before her gaze found his eyes again. “This wasn't a place to raise little ones Mar, you knew that. And we did to. So, when it looked like your best future awaits on the other side of that tunnel. We broke our hearts, and sent you away.” She acknowledges with discomfort.
Then going on in a much less pained tone. “But, but. Things have been changing for the past ten years. Yer paw caught on, now everyones a part of the union. He’s been our only hope from the very start and we’ve come so far than ever before. Those first few years were so uncertain, we survived it together by the skin of our teeth. But now kids are being educated till the age of, of you Mar. Some are going on to get advanced educations in fields I can scarcely announced. There’s a fifty hour work week, and most when they come home can afford a bed to stay in.”

She goes on, Mar’s face was not distant. But he was trying to place exactly what he felt, confusion at the circumstances of his life. Anger at the system that pushed him away from home when he couldn't do anything to help. But she finished. “It’s nothing like the world you saw son, by the time she’s yer age. I’m sure she’d be free to leave like we were any old normal town. To see the world, or learn some ninjutsu hocus pokus~ Oh you will have to go into all that, your fathers best tales were when he was young. I bet you’ve become quite the scoundrel, steal any girls hearts I should know about?” He shook his head, “I’ll tell you later ma. There’s one more question I got to ask.”

He licked his lips, looking around the room in confusion at the prosperity of it all. They had so much stuff, and most of it wasn't even taken from the garbage. They had to be twice as rich as they’d been before, easily. A mother with a promising, safe career, a new sister to call his own. All that was missing was one man. “Why did father get arrested earlier this week?” He asked her directly, wincing at the sensitive topic that she took with some difficulty. Going on to the matter with less fun in her voice. But, still a spark remaining from looking at the fine figure of her offspring.

“I told you so many times about yer father's greatest creation didn't I? The Byrd suit. The most magnificent, modern armor that the world had ever known. Every last gizmo was important to your old man of course, though he’d never admit it. When we first met he liked to brag about that thing down to the toes all the way past midnight. Even when he was dead tired from working the floor. Can you believe that? I don’t blame him, I stayed up right with him listening the whole way.” She rambled, before he called. “Why’s he in prison ma? How’d anyone ever catch that careful bastard?”

“Language.” She corrected him first, before answering his question. “Well when I was pregnant he had a lot more to do around here. That, his job, and coordinating the union takes a whole lot of effort. He got rid of his every last ninja tool. Except for that suit. Had it nice and hidden where no one would ever find it. Visited once every month to keep it in proper working order. Only you or me meant more to him, so when I needed him here. He stayed away, for ages. But that damn suit needed a whole lot of maintenance for being left on the hook for so long. So, last week. When I was doing better and Maria was my whole world. He snuck off in a hurry to fix it before it rusted to pieces. Came home in the middle of the night and said that the helmet needed a new piece and he was off to swipe it. Nothing un-normal, but he was working faster than ever this time. I should have made him come to bed. But… There's been some other parts going missing around the factory, so security got bumped up. Normally he’d have noticed for one of several reasons. But with all his attention on me all these months. He didn't. They caught him with the symbol of a missing nin, and took every opportunity to throw him in irons and send him to the clink. Been waiting years for the chance.”

“That dumb bastard.” Both of them said at the same time, Mar rolled his eyes. “I’m gunna get him out, but. You know, he’s awful guarded. What do you think momma. Can it be done?” He asks, instinctively placing his trust in the greatest woman on planet earth. She held up a hand, frightened at the prospect. “Oooh no, I’m the type of Byrd who listens to the stories. I’ve got a full nest again, it’s not the time for me to go be stirring trouble. That’s for an actual ninja. Now if and when you get hurt.” Mar snapped his fingers, and his good friend Nectar was atop the on button of a nearby record player in a flash.

“Anyone can be a ninja mom, just let me show you how it’s done.” He locked arms with the maiden, and though with new child she was laden. He slipped into a waltz, “Mother I promise it’s not false! Just listen to me, stand here and jive. I’ll teach you how to we ninja boys thrive. Cause honey all those brazen, epic, forgotten ninja shorts from dad's time made him awful grumpy, boy could that fellar whine! But see me bright and sunny honey everything will go our way. Just listen and eventually we’ll make it through the day.”

The woman who raised him gave an awful charmed laugh, returning with a simple ‘naughty’ move that shoved the length of her calf. “Mar Byrd you are silly, the last one that you need is me. Look how mighty tall and fine you’ve grown.” “Don’t ignore me momma you’ll see, all that greatness has gotta be a loooan.” He picked her up and spun her about and slipped her onto the couch without a bout.

“So you’re gunna teach me ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu a lot.” “Not a lick momma not a minute in the pot. “Fuinjutsu, Puppetry, and space time then?” “That’s a cute act doll but I can’t fit it in. There’s a five point plan to free our man and make this family whole again. So take it from me, the well studied and dangerous missing nin. No one’s fighting on the front lines, and I’ll not have you standing at the side! The woman who raised me is who I will confide!”

“It’s a simple easy to follow plan, from beginning to end it will span. Freeing my old man from his vile bondage.” He picked out an old book and toppled a blockage. Sending notes rustling galore without any soon stoppage. “It’s dangerous and prone to fail I’m sure, but that will be out only cure.But see me bright and sunny honey and everything will go our way. Just jive along side your long lost sons side and we’ll all make it till the end of the day.

“At step one we call out all the boys onto the scene. Step 2 we strike rave and riot like this town wouldn't believe. Step three I slip in during the chaos *blip pow* I show that hurricane who’s boss and we’re all back in bed before nine.” His mother had a question and asked “Is this a good time?” While her child gave the go ahead to continue down the line. “That’s nice my son I see it now but perhaps it’s best to stop and ask how before we all get so invested. Though I miss my honey so dearly there’s nothing I’d hate to see as much nearly as my long lost son being bested.”

“You say your times come and gone, but the age of Rosa’s nigh begun. Here’s the part where you make a difference. You and everyone in an instance. Once Marcus is in the equation, we rile up the masses and tell them about our evasion~” “Step 4 is getting everybody out of town, son I’ve got faith but you speak like a clown. Our population seven hundred and ninety six, just us for getting out would make me sick.”

“Cause step 5 is where it all comes together, we hijack the train and follow my designs to the letter. For a caboose towed glider I’m sure it’ll work, we sail 4 miles into the sky. Then we cut the cord and to the ocean fly. Our captive community will sing and cheer, we’ll start again on an island cause we’re not fugitives dear. We’ll have nothing that can stop us and nothing to fear!”

“What about that awful man named Kazue dear?” He opened the window and the soot rolled in. “Don’t worry about him, Mar Byrd always wins! You see this town it’s our home, our peers. If we put our faith in them we’ll make a legend for years. So mama Byrd do you trust me I’ve laid my heart out, I solemnly swear we’ll give them a route. Out of this prison to find something better. Don’t you want to not feel so under the weather?’

She sighed, looking at the kneeling figure of her son. Holding her hand and confidently speaking like the one. The man she loved who was rotting in jail tonight, what was a Byrd to do but fight. She spoke “i see us on the beach so bright my sunny, keep your word and don’t lose your way. The long nights end is drawing near, I’ll embrace you in the day.” They finished together. “Across the skies and past the stars where all of our dreams lay. Mar Byrd will figure our path out, getting us off the ground.” “Off the grooound” Nectar harmonized. “Off the grooooooound. Is my Ninja way.”

Thirty minutes later when the first shift boys were cleaning up and the second shift was here to stay. About half of their wives showed up in force, trespassing through the waiting doors. Supervisors and the forman freaked. “Get out of here we’ve got steel to shape!” But she barked back. “You get out, this whole place was built on our backs! And your cash cows have got a big problem.” All across assembly lines ground to a halt, this woman who came out of nowhere clambered up on top of a machine with a vault.

“If my husband were here you’d shut down in a word, but he’s off in town hall like a f***** jailbyrd. Is that where the man belongs who pulled us out of our slog? What happens to Steel Vally now that our symbols head will roll. My child heard the news and he’s back in town.” That’s when Mar walked up behind her and blew up a crate or 30 of spare parts with a string of fireballs. The people recognized him, the image of his father, and rose up in about 10 clicks. The factory was an instant mess with their biggest and most expensive tools being crushed to bits.

The forman bolted for the telephone but Mar was hot on his tail. Dialing in 911- before the fiery rebel slammed the receiver down. “If you don’t wanna be cooked I suggest you call town hall before wasting your time with the cops. After all, who else is gonna take down a dangerous missing Ninja like me?” He shoved the fat, bearded boss onto his rolling chair and kicked his desk closer. He raised his voice to protest until Mar spat out a fireball which grew about as big as his body and leaned in close enough to sear his whiskers. While shaky fingers dialed in the number he desired.

“This is Aaron Gordon’s office, how can I-” “Everyones having a big ass strike and his lunatic missing Ninja blew up half your factory!” “What- I mean, I’ll put your message through immediately. Please contact the police-” She heard the sound of glass breaking on the other end of the phone as Mar threw him out the second story window and onto the ground below in a broken, but still breathing mess. “Hello? Hello?”

“Are you sure this will work Mar?” His mother asked right afterwards, getting cold feet. “I- The shadow clone jutsu only works if you stay within about a half mile of your doubles. And you’ll be just barely within that range if you go in a straight line. Wouldn't a second clone have helped if you got into a fight? And why isn't the real you here while the other goes into the lion's den?” She asked, while her boy smirked. “It’s going to be fine ma, our calculations are solid. And remember that those Ninja are gonna be on their way here. I’ll have a flashy little exchange, make it look nice. Then poof away, besides. Two of us can’t be seen together or they’ll know what’s going on. And number three should have dug up that old suit of armor any time now.”

“I hope we’re right about this. There’s no going back…” Mar nods, acknowledging her. “But we can’t wait, everyday we do we lose a little more support as the propaganda machine rolls on. Now, we got to finish the job here and get these boys home. Almost everything we need is in plant B, but make sure that at least one of the refineries forges stays in good repair.” He looks to a wall clock. “I think it’s already time to get them out of here, I’ll phone home when the coast is clear.” Rosa gave her son a hug. “I’m so proud of you, rising up to the occasion. I never could have expected this from anyone.” Her sons doppelganger blushed profusely, giving her a hug back and kissing her on the forehead. “Ok, now to make this look good…”

Down a few blocks the real Mar lied in wait, watching from a steel mirror for the garrison to tend to the fire. The biggest one, the Jonin in charge of the whole lot. Let with a female genin to accompany him. That means that he probably left 2 genin to guard his fathers cell. “This is going to be the hardest fight I’ve ever been in.” Nectar then laughed. “You’ve got me here silly~ I’m more than a match for any Genin ninja.” He assured his doubt filled friend. “Still, I wish I could have spied on them enough to copy that big ones attitudes. This would be a lot easier barking orders for behind a disguise.” “You could just wing it, you can get pretty far over people who even know each other super well if there’s ranks and orders involved.” Mar strongly considered this tempting suggestion, but with even fresh from the academy ninja in play. They no doubt had mastery over the same technique themselves.
So he slipped in from the rear entrance, creeping past offices and sparsely populated lines of people waiting for filing and other appeals. He ducked under a desk while several citizens looked out the window to see their town burning with no idea of what was going on. This made it quite a bit easier to slip into the staff only section. Ears raised for any sign of an oncoming government worker he cracked open doors to many a broom closet before eventually walking into a small jail room. Which seemed to be totally ordinary and filled with only drunks and thieves, as well as a pair of police. “Hey, what are you doing here?” “S***” Mar said, stumbleing back around the corner and quickly performing the transformation jutsu.

When the officers turned the corner, truncheons at the ready. They saw only another member of the force whom Mar spotted a while ago. On his ass, pointing the opposite direction. In seconds they ignored him and proceeded outwards to the general crowd. He quickly proceeded inwards once their backs were turned, dropping his guise and checking cell after cell. “Is this him?” Nectar asked, hovering by the cell of a black skinned drag queen who looked as though he’d tried every single drug in the world. “No, no. He’s not here, there’s got to be some kind of special cell away from prying eyes.”

“Heyyy, hey you. The one with the bird on your shoulder. I know where mister Byrds being held. Let me out and I’ll tell you.” Before Mar had time to process this or object, Nectar was already on the lock of the cell. Pecking at it like a high strength industrial wood pecker. WIth sparks flying everywhere until it fell to the side in a broken mess and the door slid open. “Nectar, we don’t know who he is!” Mar scolded, looking with no small amount of suspicion on the plain clothed young man who had a black eye and a swollen lip.

Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:05 am

“No no man, it’s good. I’m his lawyer, well. His actual lawyer at any rate. I came down to defend my client and those damn ninja beat the crap outa me and locked me in here. I knew we were in for a farce of a trial but it looks like they wanted an even more clean conviction with a public defender. Hell if I care, I gotta get back to my family. Legally he’s a lost cause, but if you think you can get him out… Before they assaulted me, they showed me down to his cell. It’s completely opposite from the mayors office. Go down until you see a barred door, the code is. 19- Err, just have your super bird drill through it. I only got half the code.”

Mar pat him on the back. “Good man, I’ll make sure he knows who got him out of this mess.” He said, turning right around without a second question. Narrowly dodging a returning guard by going along an alternate pathway. He passed by a break room, filing room, janitor's closet, before finally coming down to a short staircase leading to a steel door. “Here we go, ok. I’m going to torch the hell out of whoever’s dressed like a ninja inside. Are you with me?” Nectar chirped in admiration, before grabbing onto the burly lock and flapping heavily until it yanked away.

Mar charged in, hand ablaze and with several fireballs ready to be flung from his math. Before looking in confusion. This place didn't look like his dad had been in here at all. There were just a couple, tiny holes lining the wall. “What’s going- Oh crap! Get out!” He commanded the ever oblivious Nectar as the heavy door began creaking closed. The bird zipped past more quickly than Mar could view while he himself disappear using the body flicker technique. In this haste either of them smacked into one another and then into the door.

Mar crammed his arm in the gap at the last moment. “Go!” He called for Nectar. “I’m not leaving you!” His friend reiterated. Whoever was on the other end opened it slightly more. Hoping to slam it down and break his arm. The engineer yanked his limb back at the last second before the metal groaned closed and the bar was redone. “Bahahaha! That was easy, you are easy to kill.” The voice of the lawyer on the other side beckoned up. Smoke began jetting into the room, instantly filling it. Mar sunk low, examining the formless, handleless shape of the door from the inside. “Are you ok Nectar?” He asked, instantly reminded of the last time his summon had passed out from this just today.

“Y-yeah pall, nothing to it.” He said, though his flight pattern was already off and soon he was on the ground with Mar trying to avoid the growing cloud of death in the ceiling. “You sold out your client, how could you?” Mar angrily pounded on his end. “You dumbass, I was never a lawyer. I’m here with the rest of the ninja to make sure your boss shuffles off this mortal plane nice and quietly. And you just walked into his execution chamber! Ha! Isn't there an irony to that.”

The sadist outside went on. “With you dead, that brings my killcount into the double digits. Daisuke will piss himself when I make him clean up the mess you left behind. Hey while your choking to death, be sure you void your bowels. I got a grudge to settle.” Mar checked his watch, then went on. More dramatically than ever, howling in agony cough after cough. “You villain, that’s my father you’re talking about!” “The 14 year old Genin looser?” “No, f*****. Marcus Byrd. I’m Mar, his son. Missing Ninja… And now I’m going to die without ever having seen his face again. I curse your name as I *Hack* eat the dust.”

Mar had the ninja’s attention now, staring wide eyed at the door with no other worries in the world. “Yeah, yeah the names Lee! When you get to hell tell them Lee sent ya!” Then Mar’s voice got real quiet.

“Lee, have you ever heard of the shadow clone jutsu?” Mar’s voice asked behind him, having already performed a series of hand seals. A glowing ball of chakra waiting in his throat. The real missing nin covered his ears as a blast rocked the exterior of the entrance. A flash of light coming and leaving in a hot instant as the killer was cooked. The door opened seconds later, Mar’s duplicate grinning. With a bag full of bronze coloured armor. “Wheeeze.” Lee struggled on the ground. Half of his clothes and all of his hair burnt off. “Ok kid, where is he. Tell me and no one has to know about this sorry encounter.”

The ninja raised a trembling hand. Pointing left, directly at the stone wall. Mar blinked. “Oh, that’s uh. Pretty clever.” He acknowledged, using a basic genjutsu release to reveal that there was a hallway leading down to many of the most high security buildings in here. His clone handed him the bag of armor. “Still can’t be seen together.” He confirmed, before releasing himself into a puff of smoke. Mar agreed, and began to put on the heavy suit. Familiar with all the clasps and buckles independently, but not together. He did parts of it wrong and had to begin again at one point but after two minutes he was fully decked out. “What do you think? I can feel the chakra in the metal.” He asked his avian accomplice. “You look kinda old, but really cool. And look what I found in lockup while you got dressed.” The byrd revealed a matching, full body helmet. Mar smirked, the half cape and black design did stroke his ego quite well. “Ok, that’s enough time suiting up, we need to grab him and get out now.”

He walked along five more doors with a good deal of separation between them, then. Looking through the window at the only occupied one he saw the shriveled figure of his father. “Dad!” He lit up, opening the door and receiving a hook to the jaw that could have killed a bull elephant. His helmet was knocked clean off and he was sent rolling down the hallway all the way to where he started. Before a Genin with a mullet and several empty sheaths and pouches for knives and shuriken walked out from the other side of the door.

“Sheesh, I thought you’d never get here. Figured Lee would have put you in the ground. But no, he’d come right here to brag about it.” Daisuke was shocked to see his rival prone on the ground as Mar impacted into him. So shocked in fact it gave his more experienced opponent time to form hand seals for his next jutsu.” “Oh no!” He called out, rushing him down with little more than a police blackjack as the most basic possible bludgeon he could find. Nectar swooped in and cracked it in half with his talons at equal speed to the close combat focused shinobi.

His swing turned into a crude punch, which itself only made contact with the now dense chakra shroud Mar had formed to protect himself. Between the chakra, and his armor. The missing nin could scarcely even feel the blow as it tapped off his shoulder plate. His opponent immediately shrunk up, preparing for some terrible fire attack to roast him whole only to be surprised when nothing came. Opening his eyes seconds later, he saw Mar clapping his hands. “That was a good shot and ambush. I let my emotions get the better of me and didn't even check my corner. And that speed, incredible. I think I would have been hosed if it wasen’t for my friend.”

Nectar darted back onto Mar’s shoulder, seeming just as confused with the act but playing along with it. Whispering a little loudly. “Mar you can’t keep up this shield forever and when it’s done he could deck your head off this time. How about you stop kidding around and bake him like his friend so we can get out of here. Indeed, the missing nin reconsidered it again. But just couldn't bring himself to do it. Because when he looked back at the young guy who was squared up in an incorrect fighting pose. Muscles bulging from years of intensive training since he was ten years old. He felt a twisted sadness in his stomach.

“You’re too young to be going around killing people, aren’t you?” He asked the Shinobi, looking at the reflection of his bitter rival in his headband. “W-what?” “You’re what, fourteen? That’s not even through puberty and your village turned you into a soldier. What’s your childhood like, watching friends kick it in the line of duty, death matches for a simple promotion? Even in this town they don’t send you to screw in lug nuts till you’re sixteen. And they train you to kill so early? Isn't that weird? Ain't it wrong?”

The sweating child took a step back, indeed feeling anxiety welling up beyond belief. “It’s my duty to the-” Mar shook his head. “Like hell it is, the law is meant to protect citizens like you. To serve the people, not a Kage… They tell you you can’t run, I know they do. But you shouldn't leave to spill their secrets, you should leave to live your life.” The young Shinobi was stunned, but refused to move out of the way.

Mar’s shield faded out, as he stated quite clearly. “I’m going to take my dad home to his wife. And if you’re planning on stopping me, you’ll have to bury me six feet in the ground.” He said, clear and direct. Walking past the kid without a lick of fear in his heart. When he found his father, he was in the worst shape of his life. Rocky shards protruding from the legs, along his shoulder, and one in the place of his left eye. He groaned, delirious. And it actually shook Mar further. His old man was as tough as they came in the ninja world. The hazards of the factory and every form of discipline they could dig up had never been enough to put him down. But this horrible jutsu… No man could endure.

“Here we go dad, gonna take you home.” His pops groaned as he was picked up, pebbles falling from his body as his former uniform. Now a tapestry of bloody rags hung from his frame. Mar ran up the steps and out towards the front door seeking the nearest route of escape. As he ran several police trying to keep the peace called for him to stop. But Nectar’s swift intervention sent them all sprawled out on their backs.

“He doesn't look good.” Nectar shook his head. Mar agreed. “Mom can fix him up for sure. If anyone can hold on it’s this man.” He nodded, hoping that was his logical deduction and not simply what he hoped. Looking upwards he took to the rooftops with a wind jump, nearly in the clear… And then stopped just shy of his goal. *Hrrrrk!* He gasped for breath, his collar strangled by the long hand of Kazue the hurricane. “Where do you think you’re going with my mark, and my prize?” He asked. Callously ripping his fathers half statuesque body from his grasp. Mar tumbled downwards, though the simple attack did not break his armor. His balance was ruined and he collapsed on the ground in a heap of metal. Nectar zipped back alongside him. “He’s strong!” His friend warned. “I know!” Mar bit back, sitting and then standing upwards.

Eight strong hands gripped onto the metal of his suit, keeping him down on the ground while the ninja simply walked down the wall. Throwing the weak old man on the floor who couldn't so much as groan. “Oooh, I see now. You’re, you’re his vile offspring. Nursed on a bottle of lies. He taught you all you know is that it?” Mar growled ferociously, making a series of hand signs before yelling out. “He never taught me a damn thing!”

Mar bellowed out twenty fireballs. The first three at the Jonin and all the rest directly to the earth. Reducing the ground into nothing more than ashes and just barely being able to escape before he was pulled down himself. He performed a wind release jump going directly upwards, tyring anything to get away from the ground. *Ack!* *Oww!* *GAHHH* He cried out as the superior ninja darted building to building, slamming into his body as little more than a blur. Before delivering a rotating kick that sent him skipping along the ground like a stone until his spine collided with a water pump. Causing it to leak everywhere.

“I can tell!” The Jonin was already back on top of him, taunting his lesser opponents. “N-Nectar!” He called out, but just as his little buddy came to his aid the shinobi clapped his hands brutally and only smoke remained. He’d gotten out fine, but now Mar was left alone. Holding up a hand as if to shield himself from the steely gaze. “The great Marcus Byrd, flying shinobi of the hidden sand village. They called him the lord of the skies in his hayday. Until it was time for someone like me to send him back to earth.”

Mar got picked up by his ankle and swung into the floor like he was nothing more than a toy. This happened again, and again. He swore a fist appeared out of the ground to punch him in his unarmored jaw. He felt teeth rolling out of his out and spit out shards of blood and he didn't know how many molars. “You think you can put on his armor and defy the village just like he did? Well you’re living in a dream world!” Mar was thrown one more time, now rolling all the way back to where his father was located. Wheezing.

‘I’m going to die now.’ He thought logically, against this senior ninja. He did not even amount to an opponent, this was completely different than when he’d been running out of collapsing caverns or stabbed in the gut by a farmhand with a lucky manure hook. He was up against an opponent his superior in every way. There’d be no escape, and certainly no mercy for him or his father. “I’m sorry.” He wheezed out in a broken, hoarse voice.

The Jonin stopped, hand raised to deliver the final blow. But not out of any form of human decency, let alone hesitation like Daisuke. There was only an amusement, and perhaps a strong pillar of honor at it all for even dealing with the most pathetic of opponents. “Sorry does not undo your crimes, sorry does not sew back the trust that has been lost. And no matter what you say, or what you do. No apology will actually change who you are. It’s nothing but a pathetic guesture to excuse yourself from the consequences of your actions. You will be forgiven.” Mar looked just, incredibly suprised up at the image of the man with a raised fist aimed at his heart.

“But that is between you and god.”

As he began to lunge in to deal the final blow Mar’s whole life flashed before his eyes before he realized nothing had happened. There was a rattle of a chain. He regathered his focus and looked at the source. It was the Genin from earlier, with an empty parcel of military ration pills, and one of the special shackles that had been used to contain his dad. “What on earth are you-” Kazue bellowed before his student flexed with all his might and catapulted his master to the other side of town. Mar was in complete disbelief. Looking to his savior with a weak smile.

But Daisuke had no such triumphant feelings. He looked shattered, confused. “I-I I got to go.” he expressed, stumbling off into an alleyway.

With a gasp Mar stood up in terrible pain. Sensing that his ribs must have been broken in the process. He picked up his father, and wandered off back where he and his mother had agree’d to meet. His head was swimming in a terrible headache, but adrenalin and endorphins gave him all the short term power he needed to reach their destination. The soot was coming in thick now, a direct result of the fire still spilling out from the factory floor. He coughed, and limped onwards. Practically blacking out for most of the trip.

Somehow, though he had no idea of the details. He’d wound back up at a secret meeting place of the top members of the union. An abandoned mine just outside of town. He collapsed onto the floor not long after having seen the first friendly face. He barely remembered what it was like as they took off his armor and then his clothes. A team of worried nurses and doctors compiling. “We need to set his jaw.” “Ankle looks like a sprain.” “Stitch up that cut along his chest, he’s losing too much blood…” Then, he really blacked out. Vision fading on the edge of his eyes as he slipped off to sleep for days.

“When he came too his vision was blurry, all he could make out were his blue sheets and the all too bright rays of the LED lighting that’d been set up around him. As it started to clear he could make out a second bed by his side, the IV drip hooked up to his arm. And then his body. There were large sections one after another that had the deepest, most sore bruising he’d seen in his life. He was dealing with the limits of modern medicine in this place. There was no master medical ninja around here.

At his side, his father appeared to have had the greatest change in his condition. All the rocks exterior of his body had been ground off. But he was as pale as a ghost, his heart beat came in seemingly as weak as possible. The flesh around his eyes were sunken and black. Hidden largely behind his shaggy hair which had been trimmed down to size. What skin wasn't white as porcelain was red and deeply inflamed, particularly around where the worst of the stone had been. Mar had no doubt in his mind that there had to be enormous quantities of the stuff in his system. It was a miracle he’d held on this long, even as a formerly elite ninja.

“H-Hey dad. Did I do good?” Asked Mar in a confused, and wanting state. He could only hope that the plan was still on track. Without either of them for the others to gather around, he had serious doubts as to whether they could pull it off. There was no response, on and on for nearly a minute. His gaze trailed around the room, finding his exhausted mother sat asleep on the far end. A small blanket and a clipboard in hand. The poor thing had to be exhausted, no doubt watching over the broken boys in her life with no greater worry than any other point in her existence. Mar felt regret, and knew he had to do something amazing for her once they were all out of this situation. Like a vacation to the most beautiful place in the world. His pain was dulled by drugs, and though it was almost silent save for the heart beat monitors in the room. Everyone he cared about most was in one place. It felt more like he was home than any other time in his life.

Then he heard the battered voice of his smitten patriarch. “Idiot, you should never have done that. Look at her, she’s worse off than either of us.” He said in the ghost of his former voice. Mar gasped in joy, but also in a pain that went deeper than even his father's greatest injury. He took a breath to reply, but his voice cracked. All that followed were meaningless, embarrassing sounds until Marcus continued on.

“You should never have messed with the Jonin, it should have been the last mistake you ever made you know that? If you ever, ever remember anything from now… You’re not a fighter, don’t act like one.” Mar’s heart rate went up, he took a series of small. Unfocused breaths. Hyperventilating. “I came from the other side of the country, as soon as I heard word. She wouldn't make it without y-”

“So this is your plan? Go and throw your life away too? Rhile up half the town into something they can’t ever undo? You never think about what happens when you can’t go the distance you air headed moron. If you were a real ninja you’d be demoted down to a civilian overnight. They needed better, she neede-” “Shut up!” Mar barked, waking up his mother who looked amazed to see them conscious and even talking. But she held her tongue when she saw her son with painful tears streaming far down his face.

He sat up, ignoring his spinning head and surge of blurry vision. Raising his voice. His father began a response but he cut him off. “All I ever here from you is reasons I can’t be as good as Marcus Byrd. You sit here, berating me. For doing the same damn thing you did in the past! You must have damn near had this place torn to the ground changing it to where we are today, isn't that right?” Mar turned his head away from both of them. His voice growing higher pitched beyond his control.

“I coulda got us all the way to lightning country and you’d say I was a fool for trying. All the while making a fool of yourself! Well you can’t bare all the price of the change you want to see in the world. How about a, ‘thatta boy son’ or ‘Man that was a mess, but you pulled through’!” He barked, leaving either of his parents in shock at his reaction. Each of them having missed half of his life where he’d grown and changed enormously. But right now he felt no different than when he was nine years old. “If you’d not sent me away all those years ago, if you’d kept me and let me make the choice to help. None of this would be happening. You’d have had one person in the world on your side and fixing your stupid helmet from back in the day would have been fine. You always say I need to be responsible for myself, but you were never responsible for me.”

His heart bared, Mar tried to stand up and storm out. But his useless body barely got an inch up before his dizziness cast him right back into bed in submission. His mother rushing over to check on him, Making sure all his stitches were in place and that his pain was tolerable. “Son.” She whispered in a pained voice. She had something to tell him, but was equally as distressed as he was.

The silence and the pain hung in the air for the next minute, before Marcus was the next to speak. He opened with a laugh, it made Mar clench his fist and turn back with mad glare until his father shook his head. “No no, it’s not like that. I mean… You’re right. Since the beginning I just wanted you to stay safe more than my own life. Any time you wanted to do more, I… I got scared. All the people I watched die son. Grow up through academy together, fight right alongside. Then you can’t do anything when it’s their time to pass. I never wanted you to think of me as anything but your father. And I especially didn't want you following in my footsteps. Now look at us.”

Mar blinked, surprised and having never heard him express this before. It went against all the opinions that he’d had thus far. Finally, his mother shared her words. “It’s my fault too, the household we raised you in. I never wanted to do put myself in danger. And I always thought you’d think the same too. But who are you now if not a boy who takes risks? Nine times out of ten any other child would never have come back. I won’t ignore who you are.” Mar swallowed hard. Her admitting her own personal feelings on the matter made him feel ten times worse for pressuring her into assisting.

Then his father said something almost equally unexpected. “Now stand up Mar.” “I’m not leaving.” “No no, stand up. We’ve got someplace to be. And if you can’t get on your feet right now. Then we won’t get here.” Mar looked amazed, but his stomach turned at the idea of pushing himself again so hard. He reminded himself of all the challenges he’d already gone through to get this far. Summoning a new friend, crawling through the chimney, the face off against one ninja after another. The idea of it all being for nothing lit a fire within him.

He tapped his mother for some space and forced himself onto his feet. Knee’s bent. He felt woozy beyond all belief, and had there been anything in his stomach he was sure he would have lost it right away. “Son you’re under a lot of medication, any less and the pain would be unbelievable.” His mother said, holding her arm out to stable him. Though he ignored it. “I’ll go on less, half as much, as soon as it’s time for another dose.” He nodded. But his father piped up. “Don’t worry about that. Now go and find where they peeled that armor off you.” His dad ordered.

Mar’s lips went pale, his body only as naturally tough as the day he’d been born. Creeping down the hall with his IV for support like a ghoul. As soon as he left the linoleum floors and plastic lined walls. He realized he’d not been brought very far. They were in the same mine he’d trekked to earlier. Retrofitted with the creature comforts of a headquarters. He walked down a long rug. Flanked by his mother and giving a weak wave of the hand to everyone he saw. Under her guidance they eventually wound up in storage where the armor. Beaten up to a terrible condition. Lied in all its pieces and components. “Can you take this off?” He asked his mother nicely. “You’ll need it back in no less than ten minutes, this medicine is important Mar.” She told him, having him hold still while she plucked away the needle and held a gauze over it. Then a large bandage. He didn't even bleed.

Now with both of his arms he picked up the mess of components and brought them all back to the infirmary. Assembling it together on an empty bed where all of the pieces belong. “You didn't miss the helmet did ya? We need every piece right now son.” Mar shook his head. “I almost lost it, but I’d never let go of such an important thing.” Bringing his hands together. He retrieved it from his storage jutsu and lined the helm where it belonged on top of the shoulders.

The entire outfit hummed to life, surprising the engineer. It had not responded like this when he’d put it on. “It’s reacting because I’m here, flowing through that steel is chakra from way back in the day. When I was at the top of my field. Now, let’s begin.” The man raised up his arms with heavy difficulty, his right limb locked at the shoulder and his left limb highly arthritic due to damage along his pinkie. “I need your help to make the signs son. Tiger, Ox, Monkey, Ram, Tiger…”

Mar reached out, his hands on the outside of his old mans. And guided him slowly through the stages of the jutsu. Before Marcus exhaled a small, but highly controlled ball of fire. It was just three inches in diameter and did not give off any heat. Even to the touch. He drifted it like a bubble over to the pinkie of the armor. Where it did not burn the sheets but the plates lightly wheezed like a teapot filled with boiling water.

“Whoa whoa what are you doing, if either of us is going to stand any chance of fighting our way out of this place we need to heal up and put that damn thing back together and back on.” The elder shinobi smiled, shaking his head. But there was a twinge of pain in it not of his body. Like there was something he knew and was keeping from the boy. “No, no trust me. This is what we need…” The process continued. The entire hand started jostling and crawling in creepy fashion as if it were possessed. Being pushed to the end of some kind of limit before the purest. White fires imaginable lit up the room like a small sun. Bursting all the way down it’s arm and then across every inch of the body. It sang a beautiful, sad song while it was annihilated down to dust. Flames rising all the way to the ceiling. With a blast of light as brilliant and pure as the formation of the cosmos.

Mar’s vision whited out, and then he stood in a grassy field twenty meters opposite of his father. Who looked healthy, and twenty pounds at least heavier. Wearing a kimono. There was nothing but a pure, twelve foot tall pillar of white fire between them. “Mar Byrd!” The man called. “All your life I have made the decision for you. Since before your life was even conceived. I ask you now, and take no shame in either answer. But speak with truth, and perseverance.

“Who do you want to be? Think this completely through! If you walk into the flame, nothing can reverse this choice! The very act would destroy us all! What is the destiny of the man who stands before me?” Mar’s hair blew back at the weight of this decision. He held up an arm to shield his eyes from the flame. Wind howled and the sky turned until he was in a different place.
He was in Anbu Aeronautics. Though it had been renamed the Byrd’s Nest. He and a beautiful family were eating and celebrating the launch of his first aircraft. His mother was there, and even his sister. Who’d grown up to be a fine woman who rivaled his craft. “This is the path of peace, and love. There is no shame to give up the life of a fugitive and settle here, you dream of the Star’s my son. And you can get there without a drop of chakra. The man known and revered across the world, a scientist. Who would be welcomed one day with open arms into the heavens above.”

Mar took a deep breath, there were chocolate chip cookies in the oven. Going slightly undercooked, just how he liked them. He saw the face of his own daughter, a blond pig tailed girl who was so very, very smart. In a home where she’d be safe and taken care of. Never risking the mistakes of his father, or paying the price for any crime. There were the eyes of the woman he loved, but had yet to meet. The relationship that would be difficult, but very possible. A dame like no other that could not just keep up with him, but challenge his thinking. It killed him to ever think about letting go. “Or?” He asked, the volume of the scene quieting enormously.

“Or are you a fighter?” The future flowed away like the smoke of a sapling that could have grown into a thousand foot tall tree. He sat in the ruined remains of the village hidden in the sand. Ground up into dust and burning all around him. In the distance there was a better future for everyone, but almost no chance of him living long enough to enjoy it. “This is what success, perfection, and power look like.” He landed from a jutsu assisted flight and marched down the middle of town in a full suit of armor so bulky he stood eight feet tall. A pattern of red clouds were imbued into the cape of a ninja weapon that had seen dozens of redesigns and improvement to be a better killing machine.

He walked through a pile of rubble and found a medic tending to the wounds of a horribly injured chunin. Without hesitation he raised his arm and shot a payload of burning kunai directly into her heart, liver, and brain. Crushing the skull of the ninja without so much as a look nor a skip in his heartbeat at remorse. Mar held up his hands in denial. Looking to his father at this ghostly image of himself. “No no, I’ll be different! At every turn, I'll use my jutsu to help people. Make friends.” “And then what!” His father bellowed.

“What will you do alongside your army, what will happen when you’re ordered to commit an atrocity and you know it’s the best action to take, for your cause. When your every action can wind up with innocents killed, your own body broken and warped until you cannot hold on to the image of yourself anymore. Will you stay the course? Will you run from the destiny you’ve chosen like a coward, and try to be someone else? Somebody you don’t deserve to be. This is the moment Mar, this moment decides the rest of your life. I cannot make the choice for you. And I will not try to change your mind. Be who you are and be proud of it, worrying about what's to come or what has been will only hurt you.” His father pointed. The stress was incredible, Mar was made to question the choices he’d made up until this point. How their effects would stack on top of eachother. Where they could get out of control and ultimately. The fate of himself, and everyone he cared about around him. But as he store at the fiery mirror, he learned himself what he was hoping for.

“This, is exactly who I want to be.” Mar sighed, his breath visible as he looked to the stars. “No fancy talk, no crazy metaphors. Exactly this. I want to be the man who does more than anyone else to destroy the entire ninja system. I want to make each and every country a democracy where everyone is heard and communication wins out. Where power lies not on the shoulders of one man, but in the hands of everyone to decide who governs and for how long. Where the secrets of chakra are shared freely through the land and even the poorest, most disenfranchised child can learn helpful jutsu and never be made to fight against his will.” His father nodded. “And how will you accomplish that?”

“I will use the neglected science of this wonderful world as a weapon. Across every radio people will be able to tune in and hear my message. As the Akatsuki rise I will be among it’s chief members and I will steer them towards this future. We will harvest every bit of strength and resentment the common people have and then lead a campaign to crush the leaders of every nation. We will sew together the world that remains. Not under one nation, but under nations united. Free to make their own choices and pressured by all nations in the world to forever walk forward.”

“And how will you do it?” Marcus asked, walking closer and closer towards his son. Who looked at his hands and gave an exasperated yell. “I don’t know, I haven’t got any idea on this earth how I’ll even get closer to that here! Wha-What do I just, run away. Train for ten years while you waist away in this cave and everything moves backwards? It’s all crazy! Right now I can hardly even move around, and Nectar’s gone, and I’m so, so far away from anyone who can remotely get me closer to.” His dad put a hand on his shoulder.

“Now, Mar. There have been many points where I’ve done you a disservice as a father. But what did I teach you along the way?” He asked, the younger man blinking his eyes and starting to calm down. “That being a man isn't about always being angry. It’s about being clever, and, and noticing everything and everyone around you. It’s providing for your family and not being afraid to be weak. But I am so very, very weak right now dad. Even at my best I couldn't stand a chance to get us out of here.”

“Then you’re missing a part of lesson one son, you aren’t far from people that can help you. And because you showed your weakness, but didn't give up. We have a chance. If there is not a bone of doubt in your entire body.” He paused, Mar nodded directly from his heart. Which Marcus easily picked up on. “Good, now walk into the fire son. There’s not much time left. And you’ve got a long way to go.” He walked closer and closer to the still towering blaze. Which reached closer to them like a magnet or a tesla coil while they neared. Mar was hesitant, slowing down as his vision went white and the heat grew insane. “I can’t, it hurts!”

“I’m right by you son, but you’ll feel the worst of it. All the Chakra in my greatest invention is being broken down into its purest form. Ready to be used again in the body. I’ll take some of it but 90% must go to you. Are you ready?” Now armed with the knowledge that it was all part of the plan, and with an ally at his side. Mar rolled up his sleeves and gave a stoic nod. “I’m ready.” He jumped into the trial by fire,and the first thing he noticed was his own dad howling in agony. But he had his own worries to deal with.

He could feel his insides being torn up as if by a furnace. Skipping through his skin effortlessly right into his chakra network to be absorbed wholly and completely. It all swirled around his stomach, the furnace of his fire chakra. To better accept it mar slipped into the Tiger hand symbol. There was an audible crack like smoldering firewood as his ribs came back together. And a wheezing sound while the fibers that held his stitches together were melted. The entire wound across his chest incinerating of into little more than ash revealing only a clean. Perfect form of himself. His bruises turned into clay and formed back stronger than ever before.

Then, with nothing left to repair. It settled in to make him better. It felt like bubbling lead was trickled down through his brain and along every synaps of his nervous system. Roasting away any impurities and imperfections without mercy. All bubbling to the top. He exhaled a disgusting breath carrying a flesh like smoke like fresh barbecue. But immediately felt better for it. The entire world was moving more slowly around him, his thoughts traveling more free and powerful than ever before.

His muscles were next, exploding with agony and driving him to the ground. They itched and shuddered, becoming far, far more pronounced. Expanding in inches in some places. He felt as though he was experiencing ten billion workouts and as a result fluid flooded from every pore in his boy at top speeds. A seemingly inexhaustible, stinky amount that piled up to be nearly ankle high before continuing down the stream.

Almost in response to the fluid the fire was now at his lowest, but coated his entire body just the same. Next a plethora of horrid things happened. His skin instantly broke out in a ungodly amount of hives, rash spreading perfectly in seconds. Welting up with horrific soft boils that snapped and erupted in seconds with the fire. His lower intestine ground itself into a bloody mess and both of his lungs collapsed. Hacking out a hideous amount of fleshy tissue from either of them. His spleen turned inside out, his cologne liquified. His heart beat so quickly it pumped only air and then popped full of holes. “KILLLLL MEEEE!!” He begged in the purest expression of pain that there was.

Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:08 am

“Mar, when you build a machine. You might have the perfect intentions, and indeed the perfect design. Knowing exactly what it’s intended to do. How long it will last, and what it will accomplish. The body is much like that machine. Because, it doesn't exist.” “What? Of course it exists. Mines improved and broken to be repaired. Even just this week.” “Yes, it’s actually there. But the idea of a perfect machine does not exist in reality. In practice, every real machine, and tool. Has its own nicks and wears. It’s worn down in was the designer might have and might have not expected. But people make it work. It’s covered in the fingerprints of those who use it to live. And in that sense, it functions like a fine piece of equipment.”

“First we will look at the gate of opening, which is located in the brain. It deals the most strongly with mental inhibitors. It’s purpose is survival, and it is closed by fear. Look now at your fears child, let them become clear.” Mar’s greatest fears took shape behind his eyes. Instantly he vividly recalled the beating he’d had at that hands of Kazue. Post traumatic stress forcing him onto the bridge of a panic attack as his heart filled with only useless. Animal thoughts of the irrational. Then, it pulled away even from him. Falling from a great height, suffocating in the void of space. And greatest of all, the steely expression of the man on the other end of the mask he’d seen in his vision of what could be the future within the white flames. Slaying without remorse, his heart blackened under a twisted idea of peace. His greatest fear, was that he had chosen the wrong path.

“Mar! You are concerned with your own survival, man has wrestled with this fear since the dawn of time. Not just the survival of your body, but also that of your image. The man that you want to be. Accept now from the bottom of your heart that nothing can stop the worst from happening. Your body is a mortal instrument, and you’re life is it’s song. One day we must all accept that the instrument will fade, and so will the tune. Your life is beautiful, and to appreciate it now is to accept it in all places. The past and the future.”

Mar swallowed heavily, he wanted to escape. To bring his thoughts to anything else. He stood opposite of the twisted figure of metal once again. His body towering high in a suit of science that went more than skin deep. Unable to see his eyes, the windows of the soul through the red hot mask of vengeance. “Even if I create you, I have faith in the man behind that hard shell. It’s all going to get worse before it gets better, and that’s ok.” The steel killer nodded, a hiss of smoke being released from his back as he burnt away and flowed off in the breeze. Mar opened his eyes, calm. “I’m ready.”

This time Mar had a different posture about him, far closer to the man who had conquered his weapon trials yesterday. He cracked his fingers and did as his father tought him. Concentrating the chakra into one focal point in his head. He felt a steep resistance. “After you open it the first time, it’ll come open again much easier in the future.” Marcus called out as cinders began to rise from the ground next to Mar and the temperature of his body rose. “NNNNNNNRG! The first gate, gate of opening!” He groaned, his eyes waving over in a pure red light. He felt it loosen, like hinges greased by facing his greatest fears. He focused the chakra to the soles of his feet, and walked forward without any anxiety.

The water felt like it was much slower, and even less heavy. His pose bent only slightly as he continued his advance. At no point did he so much as falter or hesitate by an inch. Even during the halfway point where his lungs were starting to burn uncomfortably for air. He took every step one at a time, existing only in the moment. Until his hand settled on the lever. And the water shut off.

He slumped down on one knee. Gasping in pain as the chakra faded from his eyes. “What’s happening!? It hurts, everywhere!” He called out, his muscles felt partly numb from a burning pain as he slumped over to one knee. “Going beyond what the body was made for has it’s price. But since you were strong enough to take it you’ll bounce back. Mar gasped, nodding. His mentor was right. Eventually, everything did cool from it’s singed state and he returned back to normal. Joining his father once again for another episode of meditation.

The second gate, is the gate of healing. Also located within the brain. When opened it unleashes the users latent physical power. It is fueled by pleasure, but is blocked by guilt? Mar Byrd, what do you blame yourself for?” A lifetime of crime flashed before his eyes, since the say he’d first escaped the valley lying and stealing to survive. But worst of all, along the way he’d hurt some people. Violated their trust. That look in their eye always bubbled him up with rage. But more than that, he looked at his fathers shattered, stone riddled form huddled in that filthy cage. And the look of terror in Daisuke’s eyes while he pleaded for him to abandon the ninja life with no plausible plan of where to go in the future. His heart sank, as he remembered the moment in which him and Nectar were first separated. That sickening clap. “I-I’ve been too weak all my life, and too scared to do anything. I let everyone around me down. And just reach out to take for myself…”
“Indeed.” His fathered confided within him. “Accept that these things happen, you are a product of your own choices and the stress placed upon you in your life. You’ve been dealt a bad hand. Sure. But whenever you are at your lowest, do not let these thoughts poison your energy.” Mar groaned, but looked harder. More objectively at it all. Through all the shadows of bad things he was the line in between them, and good had come of it all as well. He found… Balance. And in that balance, he forgave himself. “*Huff, *puff…. Ok dad. I got this one.”

The water surged differently this time, now changing directions to make for a more difficult path. Every ten seconds, changing to blow directly in his path making progress almost impossible. He was forced to stop, changing repeatedly and taking his time. Which destroyed his stamina time and time again. He was just about to pass out, his physique at it’s limit. But he recalled the taste of victory. Though his body did not shift, there was a flash as this one broke open. Energy flowed back into his muscles though the streamed and burnt from being pushed to the edges of their power. And once the water shifted again he proceeded once more. Enduring not one but two more times when the water flow went directly in his path. Keeping calm and finishing out.

When this gate closed, he spat up blood. “OH GOD!” He crumpled to the floor. Without any strength left in his body. He’d gone beyond the point of exhaustion by calling on stamina his body didn't have. “If it weren’t for all the strength you’ve gained from this week, you would have just died on the spot. Your body was killing itself to keep going at the rate you chose, but it worked. The greatest danger of this technique is that you are the one handling the brakes for your body. Above all else you can’t let the adrenalin fool you into thinking that there will be no price to pay.”

Mare was amazed beyond relief that he got better this time. Soon able to move like his old self and then better. “What the hell is happening?” He asked, looking to his arms which in a matter of minutes had gone from red and protruding veins to perfectly normal flesh. “The stress of this jutsu is a special kind, inflicted by the self. As things go back to normal, the damage will disappear far faster than it could naturally heal. But obviously, if you go and kill yourself nothing can repair that damage…. Come on, we’ve got much more to go.”

“The third gate, is the gate of life. Which is located on the spinal cord. This gate comes with willpower, and is blocked by shame.” Mar seemed confused. “Aren’t shame and fear close to the same thing?” His father laughed. “Is healing the same as life? Pride is not the opposite of shame, it’s the source. So. What are you ashamed of. What are your biggest disappointments in yourself?” Once again Mar’s thoughts sunk right into recent events, he’d fallen for an obvious trap. He’d been too slow to avoid Kazue, and it cost everyone quite a lot.

But then there were years before that, where time and time again he thought he’d cracked the code for real. Unaided flight. The people of his old university laughing at him calling him names as one by one the steam engines failed, the balloons popped, the sky sails brought him down to the earth. They hurt, but more than anything. What hurt was the smoking form of the child his clone had burnt to a crisp. With him still having no idea of weather he was alive or dead. “I’ll never risk it. I have to be sure I never kill anyone.” Mar responded, a forlorn expression on his face as he did not want to repeat that pain over again.

“You have picked the path of power Mar, and that means that there will be people who will try and stop you from obtaining it. If you are going to liberate the world, you know in your heart you will have to shed more blood than even this chamber could contain. Down the line, some innocents will be affected by your actions. But know it is all for a better goal. Accept and love who you are, even your mistakes. If you are to not repeat them. Shame is the enemy.”

This time, Mar’s muscles strained to their fullest capacity yet. His muscles visible while an aura of gold enveloped his body. “HAAAAAA!” His battle cry filled the cavern as pain and endorphins flooded his bloodstream. The power increase was more than double of any of his lesser gates. He walked through the stream more quickly than ever even though he intentionally tried to limit his speed. Even walking directly though the liquid as it piled up ahead of him. Annoyed by being slowed down at the end. He swiped his arm and water burst from the stream at extreme velocity. Clearing a path for him to touch the lever.

When the effects ended this time, he was surprised to find that he’d been doing better than before. “Shouldn't I at least be on the ground again?” He called to his father in a confused voice. “Oh no, you did that one in less than half the time of the others. I’ll really have to kick up the challenge with this next one. If you enter the gates and leave them in time. You’ll be right as rain. Relatively speaking. Not to mention, drawing on stamina you don’t have with the gate of healing takes more energy. But it will still get worse by the time we reach the top.”

As his father was walking back this time he suddenly placed a hand on his right leg. “Gah!” Before falling into the nearby pool of water face first. Mar was beyond surprised, having noticed nothing about his health for a matter of days. Dad! He called out before diving in after him. Though his body was still lousy with some pain from the last technique. He discovered that even the deepest part of the lake was only seven feet below. Picking up Marcus who was much heavier than expected and swimming ashore. Tossing him back up onto one of the waiting chairs before coming over to him.

He was sputtering and groaning, out of breath. But shaking his head. “I’m fine, fine. Just… Tired…” He called out. Slowly calming down as Mar laid him out in a more comfortable position before drifting off to sleep. He dragged him inside, wishing that his mother were around. Anyone who knew what to do, with no other options. He hung around. Thankfully, his dad would drink when water was put to his lips. Just a little bit. But he refused food. At times drifting in and out of lucidity. For five days, Mar did not train. He did not leave, he did not think. Of anything else besides staying there to be a good son.

On the sixth morning Mar found that he had drifted off while trying to get the old man to eat some apple sauce. Leaning against the wall and barely getting any rest. He was surprised to see Marcus’s eyes opened. “Dad? Are you ok?” He asked, the concern flooding through his voice. He was answered by a shallow nod. Where Mar then demanded. “What happened? I thought you were better? His has to be because of what Kazue did to you. I should find him, and knock his teeth out until he tells me out to make you bet-” “No son, no. Not like that. Please.” He said in a weak voice. Looking paler than ever before with his sunken skin in the candle light. It was like he’d been freshly dug up from the grave.

“Kazue, was sent to make sure I died within 2 weeks of meeting him. Since the beginning, his jutsu… He knows the human body Mar, better than any of us. The rocks were themselves a toxin, that builds up in the blood stream. I’m fading every day son, and there’s nothing that can stop that.” He coughed, and coughed again. Producing a thin phlem that Mar held his handkerchief up to his mouth to clean. Patting his shoulder. “Well- N-no way. He could put you in this spell so he could pull you out right? That’s got to have some basis in medical jutsu.” His father shook his head. “Mar Byrd, son. Come a little closer.”

Mar leaned into the candle light, where his father stroked along his face. Remembering the details. “I never wanted you to grow into the man who’d see me die like this, but you’ve larned so much son. If you learn any words for me. Let them be these now. This might be my last good day on this earth.” Much to Mar’s amazement, the dieing man stood up on his own to feet. Along the whole process he rendered assistance. A shoulder to lean on, and then soon. A cane. One that had a knife embedded in the handle but still made for a good walking stick.

“When I next rest, I don’t think I’m ever getting up again. There’s a lot more torn up in here than just the old bones.” Mar shook his head. “Th-No! There’s the Chakra purge right? We’ve got a mountain of metal imbued with your chakra! I bet if we spread it out. You could last for months or even years doing pretty good.” The man waved him away. “That jutsu was as much the power within me as it was the power in the metal Mar. And I’m faded beyond belief. If I couldn't match the strength to protect myself I’d be roasted alive in the worst way imaginable.” Something clicked in Mar’s head. That had been hanging over it the whole time.

“It, it’s temporary. Like life itself, a gift… Two weeks ago, when you asked me who I wanted to be. You were considering who’d bake in the fire, and who’d bask in it’s warmth outside. If I’d said I wanted to go along the path of peace.” A teardrop hit the floor as he was forced to look away from his father. “Mar…” “What have I done? You were so clear about everything, the cost of it all. But I thought I had time. I didn't know the price would come so soon. I just got you back, and now you’re going away. Was it all for nothing?” He was stricken deaply with sorrow. Remorse. Nectar didn't know what to do, observing from on top of a lantern. There was nothing to say, he curled his head under his wing. And pretended to be asleep.

“Mar, I knew full well the consequences of that Jutsu. And the severity of my wounds. Even if I had roasted in it entirely alone. My due date would still remain the same. It was a question of investment. Weather I take on the burden myself. Or trust it in the hands of a successor.” Mar looked up from the floor. Back at the man who had raised him. “What are you saying?” He called out, while his father hobbled outside and took a place on the disused meditation mat. Still there right in its place after he’d fallen just six days earlier. Sitting down with a stubborn expression.

“Mar Byrd, I knew since before you were born that if I nurtured your potential that you could be the one who surpassed me. In many ways. On that day I determined whether I’d use the last of my strength to piece this mess together. Or weather I’d trust it in you. Both now and forever in the future, it’s better off in yer hands boy. I knew you’d get to where you’re at right now. With enough time, all I did was speed you along. And I’m not finished. Now come an honor a mans dying wish. You’re learning the rest of the gates before I check out.” Mar wiped his tears, and joined him on the mat.

“The fourth gate is the gate of pain. Located lower on the spinal cord. It deals with love, and is blocked by grief. Lay all your grief out in front of you.” Mar struggled not to sob instantly as only the shape of the man in front of him. The one who’d helped him build his first kite, who guided him all along the way of mathematics and engineering with day trips to the factory and always, always finding the time to care for him. “I don’t want to lose you dad, I can’t. I came because I can’t lose anyone…” He said in anguish.

“Son, love is a form of energy. And what is the most important property of energy.” Mar took a pained breath. “It can’t be created?” “Yes, but there’s another part. Energy cannot be created, or destroyed. When I leave this earth, my love will live on inside you. Just like your mothers love has lived on in all the years you were gone. And some day, it will be reborn in the form of new love.” Mar pictured Akihana, Eliwood, Seiichi. All the friends that had become so dear to him so recently. How easily he’d attached. “The heart is a boundless center for this power, it can spread further than you could ever imagine. Did you think Rosa ever loved you any less just because we had your sister? No.”

Realization turned into reality as the greatest barrier in his heart became lighter than air. Without even realizing it. He’d broken down the barriers, and unleashed the fourth gate of pain. “Anng- Oooow!” He called out, the pain was worse than he could have ever imagined it before. It was like his every internal sorrow was brought to bare across every inch of his body. He suffered, and suffered. But deep down he knew that that pain was important. He accepted it across every inch of his body. And let himself be conditioned by it.

Releasing the gate back down to normal Mar felt the pain ebb away. And was at peace. “The worlds not gonna be the same when your gone.” He motioned with a weak voice, his dad patted his head. And offered a hug. Which he slowly but surely accepted. “Oooh Mar, it’s not gunna be that bad. Something new is just something you’ve already seen before from a different angle. And that’s not so scary right?” Mar embraced his father, weeping and recovering for the better part of an hour.

His father poured into the philosophy of the remaining gates. “I doubt you will be able to perform the seventh, or even the sixth right away. But if you can understand what’s at the center of each one. The barrier to entry will be lessened.” Mar fully understood. “Yes father! I hear you loud and clear, let’s go already. What’s the holdup.” Markus laughed, shaking his head and sinking them both deeper into the meditation.

“The gate of limit is located in the abdomen. Where all energy flows throughout the body. It is powered by truth, and is stopped by lies. What lies do you tell yourself?” Mar looked deap down, and though he was unsettled. He answered back. “I’m not a ninja, I’m not a hired assassin. I’m an engineer, chakra and jutsu belong in the hands of everyone.” His father nodded. “This may be, you may be a man of science before you are a ninja. But practicing the ninja arts is a trial that comes with honor.”

Mar’s vision filled with all the pictures he’d seen of the villages. The statues of Konoha, the sprawling sandstone of Sunagakure. The biographies he’d read of every last hokage. “To topple those who are poisoning the world. You will have to embrace the same values and ideas that they used to get there. Not all was bad, and even the most twisted a dictator is but a few wrong choices away from yourself.” Mar wanted to reject this, to laugh it off. To take comfort like he always had before that he was leagues different than those monsters and that he’d never cause the same system to transpire in their shoes. But he couldn't. “Ok. You’re right. I am a ninja, and I will have to be a better ninja than them to ever make my dream come true.” His father nodded.

“The limiters of your chakra network are much like the very law of the universe themselves. We think of time as an ever marching force, but enough speed? And it simply goes out the window. Light, the fastest thing ever recorded by mankind. Pales in comparison to the rate at which space itself grows around us. These barriers exist for a reason, creating order in all the universe. But just as they bend in nature, so to must we bend the energies within ourself. It is a flexible building that will weather the mightiest storm and the most terrible earthquake. Not the strongest.”

After practicing breathing techniques, further inquearies into chakra control including more seamlessly throwing himself to the higher and higher gates. Before they continued. “The sixth gate is the gate of view, located in the stomach. It is fueled by insight, and blocked by illusion. Release the illusions within yourself. The greatest illusion in this earth, is seperation. Think to the every last different branch of jutsu. Spitting fireballs, calling upon birds, breaking down the inner seals that lock in our power. Though they each seem wholly alien to another-”

“They’re connected by chakra.” “That’s right! The same thing that can fuel a stream of fire and death, can be channeled into the mind. Both for good and evil. Forcing your will on another, letting your own pain go, tricking even a mass of people all at once. But genjutsu and Ninjutsu even share the same hand seals. And though you may not see it. Taijutsu shares deap commonalities between them both. Where the others require a string of hand signs, the preparation for Taijutsu comes from where the power is released. And has it’s own requirements. The muscles do not flex with chemical power alone, chakra flows through every part of the universe. And in countless ways within yourself.” This one seemingly came easy, Mar changed the way he looked at things and gave a sigh of relief. Feeling somthing unlock in the core of his being. “Alright, I’m not there yet… but I’m closer.”

They continued immediately this time. “The seventh gate is located below the stomach, and the eight. Within the heart.” “Aren’t you going to explain them one at the time like you’ve done with the rest dad?” He shook his head. “The gate of death cannot be unlocked without the user sacrificing themselves, indeed. When they reach out their thumb to puncture their heart. It is a moment of discovery that should not come before a lifetime on the battlefield. When you can flow between opening any of the gates as easily as you draw breath. Now…”

“The gates of wonder and death contain the same secret, for those who understand the truth at the heart of the technique. Complete control over your thoughts and actions.” “That’s impossible, actions maybe but nobody knows what they are going to think next.” Marcus shook his head. “This is the hardest lesson to wrap your mind around Mar, particularly for the youthful. But I want you to give it a try. We will begin with a simple exercise.” “Alright.” Mar offered. Giving him the benefit of the doubt.

“Bring back all of your worldly troubles, and look at them again from the fresh lense of our time together.” Mar did so and was astounded, it seemed as though in parallel to the physical control he’d gain on performing his actions unabated. “Now, I ask you. Within your own consciousness. Where did these memories come from?” “I- There’s just blackness.” “Now listen to my every word, and keep these memories at the forefront of your mind. These gates deal with pure cosmic energy, more pure than even chakra itself. And are blocked by worldly attachment.”

“Think to the image of your future self, think of all the times that you were too weak to succeed, think of the death you will one day have to cause, think of the kage whom you are not entirely unalike from, think of where the love in your heart will go once I am gone, and think to the source of all power itself. You may not realize it, but you are more than a cut of meat swimming around in a skull, you see more than with your eyes. Though the world around you is unknowable, the self is the only thing you can claim absolute mastery of. Let the flame of your innovation be a light. You see only darkness, because that is what comes when you close your eyes in this world. Take a deep breath, and open your third eye.

Mar felt as though he were levitating as a wisdom that felt a hundred times greater than what he gained from deep breathing and conscious concentration. It was as though his consciousness had a light in it that he’d been ignoring all the way up until this point. His every thought in the past and the future were illuminated at once. All spiraling out from the stimulus his body fed him now. His spirit was flowing almost without any resistance through his body. “But there’s something missing.” He said with a certainty. “Indeed.”

“To master these final gates of chakra, you are to let go of all your worldly desires. Your greatest loves, your closest dreams. Even the taste of your favorite foods. All has to go down the river.” “W-What? That’s where all my motivation comes from, if I can’t care about the world around me. How could I possibly live?” Mar’s horrors flashed out of control again. Was this the step? Would this be the step that turned him into the faceless killer of thousands. Who would he be if he did not march on for his friends or family?”

“Mar, this is your one chance to learn the technique. It could take years of training and meditation to enter this flow state. Hold onto your enlightenment, let all else fade away. And the pure cosmic energy will fill the void.” Mar’s sweating was enormous, he slipped manically between releasing the gates in a wild and uncontrollable order. Ripping his body apart while not even moving a muscle of his own free will. All of his thoughts were controlling him, and all of his nightmares were becoming real.

His father had to yell with all his strength to be heard over the chakra lashing out chaotically in all directions. “REALIZE, THAT LETTING GO DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT TRULY DISAPPEARS! AND CONNECT TO YOUR HIGHER SELF! HE WHO CAN NEVER DIE!” Mar still struggled, on the verge of realization. His anxiety on a peak. But, in the moment of truth. He grasped this realization. The pure essence of love, desire. Untainted beyond any petty needs of himself.

“I think I- No, I absolutely understand now. You’re right. Everything needs to be seen unfiltered, and it’s only in that moment. That I have ultimate control, and I can reach my absolute potential.” Mar gasped, hours had passed and his old man seemed to be doing far worse for ware. “No-No we still had time left! Dad, Marcus. Are you there.” He gave a weak nod. “Good job kid, that was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.” He sighed. “Sure wish the sun shined down here.”

With a flash like the man had never seen before Mar slipped into the fifth gate. Shredding across the water and leaping out through the hatch after forcing it open from the other side. They sat under the night sky. His father grinning with pride. “That’ll do, the wind feels nice.” He looked out overhead, while a little stray particle of soot settled on his nose. “It’s been a dark winter here in the valley, but that season will soon pass.” Mar nodded, wiping it away from his nose with his handkerchief.

“After all that training, and looking inside himself.” Mar began. “You taught me how to live you know? Thinking for myself, accepting the inevitable, not running away. All songs come to an end, and every single thing living or not will someday disappear. And only by accepting this can one realize what they truly want, what goes beyond any need or single desire on this earth. What’s the tale your song leaves behind when the only evidence it existed is the memories others carry in their hearts?”

“I realized this before I ever came back here dad, but I never looked at the truth. It just stays there whether you acknowledge it or not. I know why I was so bothered by my lack of strength. I saw it like a tool for survival, a means to an end. But real strength comes from within. When I thought that you’d disappear in some cell forever. That I’d really loose you, something came to me that I couldn't ignore.”

“I want to make the world a better place, no matter what happens along the way. There are others who can do this, and that’s fine. My life will be worth living through the worst hell it brings me if that it why I live it.” The tears welled up now deeper than anything before. “Thank you.” He called, his dad giving a weak reply. “What’s wrong?” His father asked, though it seemed like such a simple question it made his son laugh in pain for what it really meant.

“I don’t know, even though I can choose any path for my heart and body. It feels like I’m always drawn back here. You’re gonna leave this world, and I’ll anchor you in my heart for eternity. So why does it hurt so bad?” Nectar cought up with them, buzzing up through the hatch and giving his master a hug. “I’m so sorry for earlier Mar, I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.” He vowed. Mar, and his dad. Reached out with a little finger to pet the fluffy creature. In seconds it was purring and greatly set at ease.

“But… I realize. I’ve got friends now. Even if I lived the rest of my life doing only a speckle of good, even if I don’t save the world. My life has meaning. It’s like you said, all is connected. The engineer who made it up to the sky. That future is just as true as the ruthless killer dad. Sometimes, all you need is something simple. Like someone to take care of, or a good cause to support. I’ll keep living, no matter what. Because that meaning is so, so valuable dad. And you’ll be in my heart the whole time. ”

Marcus had just a few last words for his son. “Mar, one last thing. At the gate of death, don’t fear it. Leaving this world isn't as scary as everyone makes it out to be. But, there’s a few places you might go at the end of the line. Heaven, hell… Sure. But, some believe. When you pop open your heart, and let a lifetime of chakra flow through you. Until your soul is nowhere to be seen. That it’s not destroyed. That your mind becomes the stars, and your body becomes the earth. Such pure power that can never be destroyed even with all the chakra in the world… I love you son.”

“Are you going to?” He asked, rubbing the area of his dads chest where his heart lied. “Me? No, I don’t think so. If I pulled it off, then I couldn't be together with Rosa. Not in the same form I am now at any rate.” He looked to the dark horizon as the very last droplets of sunlight remained. Feeling a peace unlike anything else in this universe. “You must be so tired.” Mar said, closing the mans eyes less his father’s last vision on this earth be his sorrow stricken face. “Get some rest for me, ok dad? We’ll be right here with you.” Markus, with heavy eyes. Accepted his sons gesture. Smirking until the end. While his head rolled back and he steadily, and peaceful slipped into a deathlike slumber. The toxins being too much for is body to take. Although he was not dead yet, he appeared to be spending the last forty eight hours of his life in total peace and Nirvana.

Mar returned to the workshop, sick of practicing the martial arts and yearning for a non-demanding practice that he could do while giving Markus the last couple of days of care that he deserved. So, he fired up the forge and began analyzing and improving on the swords that Marcus has left behind.

He started by looking through a catalog of metals and their properties, trying to figure out in reverse fashion how the blades had been made. The extra twist of chakra being wound into the metal was an unexpected surprise. But after managing to assemble another of swords with seemingly identical properties he felt as though he had a good start.

Settling down on his cot for the night right next to his father. Mar yawned, staring out the window as he turned off the lights outside one after the other. “See you tomorrow Nectar.” He said with a couple of head pats to his favorite floof. Letting him go back to his home forest.

His eyes darted open as a door creaked elsewhere in the house. A pile of ninja tools tumbled over. Mar growled. Flipping out of bed right away. The adage goes that even kings put their pants on one leg at a time. But in one movement he cast himself in the air with his full outfit. Spinning into it all and landing nearly silent on a pillow.

Grabbing his swords with their chains wrapped tightly. Reducing the noise to a fraction of the original. His hands zipped like lightning through a series of seals until his chakra stretched out to every inch of the building once more. Out of hundreds of aura’s he’d felt three that didn't belong. One above all others.

From the third floor he sprinted like a ninja to the nearest stairs. With a short hop he was sliding down the spiral with one hand sticking to the wall for leverage. He twirled down in two seconds flat. Throwing himself upwards without even touching the ground. Where he drew his blades in mid air. Landing and stabbing through the stone in the same motion. Unfortunately, although through all this time he’d been minimizing the sound he made. Even his pounding, uncontrolled heart beat was all the signal that his greatest opponent needed.

Rushing forth to grab his sword before it could meet it’s target. His hand protected by a metal gauntlet. There was a girls scream on the other side in response. Who had not seen it coming at all. “Get out!” Mar demanded, spiraling his blade to launch forth another leaf Hal attack aimed right at the neck.

The wall burst into little more than powder. revealing Kazue who had ducked under his follow up strike. The two glared at each other in the dark. “The walls are packed full of traitors, tell me. Are you from the missing sand village to? Or just another worthless nin from nowhere. “It’s me.” Mar replied simply. Actually managing to surprise the shinobi.

His female accomplice, Akiko Mori. Who’d really gotten screwed out of screen time these last two weeks. And was even more screwed in this situation as she was simply not at the same level as the two older men. To Mar, it looked like she was making all of her hand signs in slow motion. Like it was the first time she’d even performed her chosen jutsu and she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do with it.

Mar and Kazue seemed almost evenly matched for brawn. Yet as they struggled the enlightened one dropped his bathers blade to uppercut him into the next floor. Traveling with the momentum and holding up his remaining sword in two hands. But one Stoney hand after the other emerged from the building himself while the hurricane stroked his jaw. “What the hell happened to you?” He asked, preparing a deadly jutsu against his restrained opponent.

“Earth Release, Earth Dragon Jutsu!” Cannibalizing a fifth of the house around them. Part of the second floor collapsed onto the first as a great Easter dragon formed out of the most powerful chakra hardened stone the Jonin could produce. Weaving back what would be a terrible blow to Mar.

“Well I’ve got two jutsu for you!” He bellowed back. “And they don’t need hand signs. Third gate, gate of life open!” Mar’s pupils vanished as his now thousands of times more impressive physique than he’d shown before broke out of the stone firsts holding him without much effort. “Smaaaash!” Lightning volts of excess power crackling along his arm as with a precision. Open handed jab he severed the head from the once ferocious drake. All the way back to it’s source it’s body crumbled. Causing even more destruction to the workshop.

The Jonin below had finally finished her jutsu. “Lightning style-“ But Mar hocked back a lugey and spat it into her eye like a bullet. “Oww f***!” “Get out of here Mori! This instant.” Kazue bellowed out. Backtracking to gain more distance while the missing nin tore off the stone arm and charged forward. Wielding it like a club.

They were sent flying out and skipping over the water. Either of them recovering. Mar with a roll and Kazue by clawing the surface of the water in one fell stroke before he could stand again. “Where is the old man, or don’t tell me. You’re here to pillage what’s left of his unspeakable collection for yourself. And he’s already shuffled off this mortal plane.” “Like hell. That’s the case.” The ninja watched the muscles alongside Mar’s collar tighten as he spoke. Either of them forming hand signs for a follow up attack. “He’s still alive isn't he?”

Mar shot a single great fireball into the water causing a heaping blast of smoke. Obscuring the shinobi’s view as he summoned several spheres of earth and shot them out of his mouth like a machine gun wildly missing their target. Seconds later he looked downwards and saw Mar at the very floor of the lake, preparing for a leap. Though he tried to step sideways his angle was off due to the light refracting in the water. Mar sailed up with a crunch of stone. Grabbing his opponent and trading blow after blow in an impressive flurry that he was certain had to be lethal. “Don’t you talk about my father, Marcus Byrd that way. Ever again!”

Yet he was stopped in his tracks as the ninja did have a response. In fact catching one misplaced blow seemingly with ease. “He was like my father too kid. And look what he shared between the both of us.” His body had turned red, his eyes had whitened out, and his knuckle cracked into place as he prepared a right strait that sent Mar soaring back into the same house he’d just beaten him out of. Barely having time to throw up his arm to block before he was shot like a cannonball threw the third floor roof.

Mar slipped further than ever before into the inner gates. He felt his gate of limit crumbling open while he forced himself to stand up. His comatose father was not even ten meters away. “You’ve already killed him you lunatic! Just let him pass away in peace!” “And why would I do that? He never offered such to me.” The elder shinobi took a humongous leap through to the top of the building, delivering a kick that Mar was just barely able to match. Sending him sliding backwards for several feet before he caught himself. The whole house shook, and already precarious rocks began rumbling and tumbling to the waiting water below.

“Who the hell are you!?” Mar called out as their brawl turned into an all out flurry of blows and dodges. The engineer struggling to even stay in the fight yet somehow managing to get in a counter jab or two despite fighting at such speeds dozens of times quicker than he’d ever experienced before. They locked hands, wrestling back and forth. “Of course he never told you! The great Marcus Byrd probably couldn't live to see his greatest failure. Little shinobi, I am Eiji.”

Memories flooded back as Mar groaned and shuddered at the effects of breaking the limits of his body. He could hear his bones snapping as he held out a desperate defence. “No, no I know you! Mother shaded every last story he ever spilled of the sand village. You were his assistant, always overshadowed by him. One day you ran off with that damn crazy rock gauntlet, and that’s when he left the village.” “LIES!” His opponent called out. Rolling backwards and kicking him into the ceiling. It felt like he arrived there in an instant, barely having time to tighten together his muscles.

A stalactite exploded viciously, and it rained deadly rocks through the whole cavern. Which looked less stable than ever. As he saw the blur of blue chakra rushing up to meet him. He knew that he had to put what he’d learned to the test. Tossing out his weapon and realing himself into the falling debris while the ninja landed opposite to him and bounced off the walls effortlessly. Lining up another kick. “I was responsible for no less than half his breakthroughs, and during every, last, damn time. When he had to test his newest item.” He chased down shadow clones both real and fake. Tearing through them like a ravenous tiger before finding the real one with his hands still in the seals for the jutsu. Pile driving him into another chunk of stone before initiating a grapple. “He made me do the dirty work! Time and time again, he could never look a man in the eyes while he took their life. It tore, me APART!”

His first blow knocked Mar’s guard away before his second throttled him by the neck. Mar tried to wind up a haymaker to retaliate but howled in pain. He was far past the very limits of what his body could endure! He could see himself eeking closer to his own destruction. And could see Eiji having much the same problem. But where his power as at the end of the rope. All the furious ninja had to do was call out. “Sixth gate! Gate of view!” Mar’s eyes widened, that was an S rank technique. He clutched his arms together as either of them flew to earth with a cosmic vengeance.

Mar was slammed, first contacting with the solid surface of the water tension, then the much stronger surface of the stone. The chakra radiating off of his opponent was ridiculous. There was nothing he could do as he was pounded into the stone over and over. His body fading out of the gates, at the end of his borrowed time. But still he hung on, possessed with the will to survive. “I will cut the head off of the snake who did this to me! I will grind his family into powder! Every second of my life I am haunted by the deeds he made me commit! Do you know what it’s like, the weight of his expectations to kill!” As Mar’s body left a deeper and deeper imprint into the floor. He held out his hands hoping to create a chakra shroud to preserve his life. The more powerful shinobi laughed and laughed manically, just before he could complete the final seal making one small movement that broke his wrist. “Oooooooh!” Mar groaned, his body now failing entirely from the fifth barrier. Slumping to the side nearly unconscious. He realized why the water had not cought up with him. In this advanced version of the gates, his power as so great that the waters parted in a perfect circle away from his body. Giving him more than enough time to operate.

“Yes, that’s the Mar our father wants to see. Grining himself into a pulp to carry on his legacy. That is what they call you is it not? I’ve never heard of such a dumb sounding name.” As the Jonin began to lose interest he casually left Mar embedded in the floor. Flexing his chakra infused arm again. A dozen stone hands reached up to cover every part of Mar’s body down to the mouth like spirits hauling him into their world. “I’m done with you, but your fate won’t be half as bad as what I’ve got left for the big man.” With a flicker, he was gone. But Mar could not remove himself from the ground of the lake!

After all of his training, would this really be how it ended? Trapped below the waters. Alone. What a homecoming this had been. ‘I’m sorry dad, I couldn't even let your death be right….” His vision got darker and darker. Death surrounded him certainly now, so close that he could taste it. Is this what the look in Seiichi’s eyes meant? The great terror looming behind him at all times? Death itself? Well, his perfect memory recalled the event. But he doubted he’d get to confront the shinobi again to really get an awnser. Now that he was dead.

But humans are instinctual creatures, and Mar wanted to survive. Every fiber of his consciousness struggled to stay on the line. For the solution to reveal itself. And that’s when he realized that the solution he’d been waiting for had been in plain sight the whole time. The most obvious, and in a sense easiest thing that he could possibly do. Was wait. He closed his eyes, stepping away from all worldly attachments again. The fear of death, the love for the man who was most certainly going to be the victim of crimes unspeakable for the next several hours if not more, and especially his confusion and anger towards Eiji. Even has the hands yanked on his hair, strangled him and pulled at his legs and his arms to their limits. He waited, slowing his heartbeat down to a crawl with pure willpower and serenity. ‘I am the master of my own destiny’ He reminded himself.

And slowly, but steadily. In over a minute, his body returned to the normal colour even as blue touched his lips. His gates calmed down as their stress returned to a normal, and then less than normal level. He exhaled several bubbles of air which by now almost pure carbon dioxide. And when the final tick had been made and his body reset like a clock. He reached out within. ‘Now, gate of life. Open.’

With just a meager boost to his physique than what he had been throwing around before in hand. It was enough with his almost totally repaired body to pluck his way out at a lethargic pace from the hands of rock. Some of them still continued to clutch on after they were broken off. Which he dismissed in a wave of the hand. The gate of healing had granted him stamina like he did not know he had. But even he knew that the oxygen levels in his body was critical. And that no jutsu, atleast in his repertoire. Could fix that without going to the surface.

He took in his first breath in nearly two minutes with both a joy of being alive and a regret at the immense pain it caused him. Coughing up water particles quietly while his eyes took in the rest of the scene. His fathers workshop had gone up in flames, and a tall dark shadow stood on top of it all. Holding the frail frame of his poor, tortured dad. Who had been revived, albiet temporarily by some vile medical ninjutsu. His howls of confused agony filled the chamber as once again stones burst from his toes to his skull. Never granting him the embrace of death. But destroying what time he had on this plane.

Mar took stock of his thoughts. The part of him that wanted to rush in and strike the ninja down from behind to get his vengeance. The part that wanted to throw even a single well placed shuriken to end his fathers suffering. The clever part that wanted to send a shadow clone to do it. But no, he had to be responsible. He had to step closer to the figure he saw every time he seriously dreamed about his destiny.

He had to turn around, and swim quietly away into the dark. Abandoning the only father he ever had for the sake of the mission that they both shared. “I’m sorry Marcus, I hope this is what you’d want me to do.” The words echoed in his mind. “Pain is temporary son.” Though he winced as his enlightenment came with a sour wisdom as well. With all his thoughts laid bare. He could not get it out of his head that this was the last time he’d see his father. And that if he weren’t very careful. Every memory of him after this point would be tainted by the dieing, weak shell he had left behind. Tormented by a monster of his creation. And all this talk of bloody sacrifice? Well, if there’s one person he did not want to doubt on this planet. It was his dad.

But it wasn't because of any of his past crimes that he weeped while he snuck out of the small chamber. It was the pain of really, finally letting go. And though it only lasted for a couple of minutes. The sting of defeat, of being too weak once again. Nothing could get rid of these feelings, they where who he was. But, as they would come again and again. With his wisdom growing. He could deal with the pain, his tools for stress sharpened. But right now, above all else. He knew that he needed to confide in sombody, nay. Probably a lot of people. So he went back to the headquarters.

Summoning Nectar along the way with some of his own blood. He hopped in silence for a while. Eventually feeling a large unpleasant sensation in his stomach and calf's from all the exertion he'd put himself under and coming to a rest. It was raining now, such a soft. Desert rain. His head ducked low on the half cover provided by a simple tree half his size growing next to a small oasis. Nectar took some time to confide in his friend. "So he checked out a day early?" Mar gave a quiet nod. "It was... Worse than I thought. Somebody came down there and found him. It wasn't a good way to go."

They stayed together for this way for about an hour. Every few minutes Nectar brought him back down to earth with some small talk. Once it was about the changing seasons. Once it was about him too personally discovering how high a valk could fly. Mar explained some details about technology and computers to the animal. Who was blown away by what appeared to be another form of witchcraft his kind could not posses. In the end, when the light rain finally subsided. His friend was tapping away at the buttons of his flip phone. His summoner protecting him from the showers the whole time by covering him with his hands. Gradually working through a game of tetris after several lost tries. The experience calmed Mar.

After a few more minutes, the bird finally wiped out. "Who'd make a game where you can never win!... Oh, it looks like the weather got better. You shouldn't sleep out here, you'll catch a cold. How about we finish the last leg of the trip back? Your momma would be happy to see you early." He offered, to which Mar accepted. And they were leaping off again. When he arrived, a sentry panicked at a knock in the middle of the night. Answering with a pickaxe raised before settling down immediately. "Your mothers in the barracks. Well, the room with all the bunk beds. But that's what we call it."

Mar came in to sit next to his mom who had fallen over asleep with his sister Maria in her arms. He put an arm around her with the aging woman leaning closer. Her heart on his chest. "Ahh, there's my boy. Still brawnier than a supermodel I see." He got a chuckle out of that. Whispering as to not wake the baby. "Dad's gone mom... He said more than anything, he was happy he'd get to meet you in the next life." She welled up with tears behind her eyes, but to his suprise. None were falling, indeed they did not even seem that close. "I know. I was the one who ran his blood tests to let him know his little magic bath wasn't a proper treatment. But there's no treatment for that, nothing that I could do." She said with a tone of guilt, but she'd already had time to morn him. Even if she could not be at his side when the moment came.

"I've got a friend named Akihana, she knows allll the medical ninjutsu. I'm sure. I could get her to scrawl the finer details down. You could be a secret ninja that heals people~" He held up his hands in Karate fashion while she hushed her own giggle. "I think I'd actually like that, I'll place an order for 5 scrolls sir." She said with a wink as he stuck his tongue out. "Ten it is, will that be cash or credit? Bleh!" He flexed as she payed him in a hug. "Ok ok, here's your change." He said, returning it for a nice long while before they settled down. Putting Macy to sleep in her crib properly this time before having a discussion in the next room.

"I got to put our escape plans on hold." His mother seemed surprised. "You two were so adamant on getting out by the time your father would have to leave us. What's changed." He rubbed his arm sheepishly. "Just today Kamue found our hideout, dads old workshop where he'd been keeping his armor in order. And dusting a load of other weapons by the way." She nodded. "I figured those huge swords on your back were his doing... What happened." He continued. "He found where dad was sleeping, and finished the job. He'd been out for twenty hours before hand. In something like a coma. But it was quick, I attacked him. Dad didn't suffer, or see it coming." He lied. A skill that neither of them had shared with their son. But that the world had shown him in spades. The tears seemed closer to her eyes now. "Well, we had a short fight. And I'm close to his level but... I need to take another step in my own journey, and I can't do it here."

"Mar, you're not talking about that horrible suit that you mentioned the other day? I've looked on it with great detail, and it's medically impossible son. Get it out of your head, carving out parts of your own spine is dangerous, forget paralyzation. You'd so liably die. I'd give it a 1% chance of working as intended, with all the rest including horrible, and I do mean the worst side effects. Plus. even if it did work. Would you really want to live like that? The choice can't be undone... Would I even be able to see your face? Her?" she gestured to Maria's door. "... Not until I'm done being a fighter ma, when I retire. And I promise I won't work until I'm a foot in the grave. I'll take it off, and spend the rest of my days being wheeled around by pretty girls and making unsavory remarks." He promised in a naughty voice. But she still needed convincing. He got down on one knee, and took her hand.

"Rosa Byrd, I solemnly swear I'm not going to tear by body up like a wad of play dough. I promise I'm not motivated by revenge and I'm thinking about my life outside of this valley. That if I make this choice your son will be safer than anything else. Akihana? The girl I mentioned? She'll pull off the operation for sure. I doubt she'll need any help. And once I've finished my training, I'll be back here. And we can all go to my new home in the fang village. We'll build you a nice house right next to mine. And I'll see you and Maria every day... What do you think, is that good enough." She hugged him one more time, softly sobbing though trying to hold herself back. "You look so much like him..." She confided. In one more hug they exchanged everything they needed to. "Don't let this place fall apart when I'm away alright?" he asked, gathering up his things once more. He slipped her a piece of paper with his phone number in it and made a little phone with his hand by his ear. Which his mother was eager to snatch up this time. "When I come back, I'm gunna make everything better." And with one leap into the sunrise, his return trip home was over.

Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:02 am

(
37,059 words.
+76 Strength
+76 Speed
+33 health.

Taijutsu Specialty (2,000), The Eight Gates (2000), Gate Of Opening(500), Gate Of Healing(1,000), Gate Of Life(1,500), Gate Of Pain(2,500), Gate Of Limit (2,500), Taijutsu Style Block(5,000 Mastery, Increased Power), Smash (Mastery, increased power) 3,000, Evening Elephant (5,000 Mastery, Increased Power) Seismic Toss (2,500) The Sword Hand (1,500) Aerial Strip (500) Heavenly Foot Of Pain (1,000), Dancing Leaf Shadow (1,000), Lions Barrage (1,500) Intersection Method (1,500)
Replacing Great Fireball Shower
)

Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:44 pm

Approved

The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Re: The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Re: The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Re: The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Re: The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)

Re: The Flying Man Returns Home (Solo)