It's Coming Home

Once pitch black, just missing the gleam of a natural tar pit, his armor was now coated in a layer of grime from all the dust, sand, dirt and even snow the ninja had walked through just to make it back home. Surely, the Kumogakure would be able to invest in some form of transportation for its higher officers… not that he was a lazy bastard, however, the time he did lose in moving about in this manner, and the economical dent it put on the village, would be offset magnificently by having a proper network of transport that he could make use of for these scenarios.

At the very least, his nose was clearing up, rather than one nostril or the other feeling stoppered as a sake bottle, he could now breathe clearly the fresh air that the mountainous country offered freely. The corruption left on this land by the infamous Youka -- a name he would refuse to let rest in peace, lest they forget the errors of the past -- had been largely banished onto the deepest and darkest recesses of the earth where they belonged, and had allowed the land to heal naturally. Within the past half year, the Lightning Country was starting to look just like any other country, and Youka’s actions would be nothing but memories, living on within cautionary tales and historical accounts.

The mountains, which could be seen reaching for the skies even before entering the Lightning Country, were a sight for sore eyes. Sore, for now. Having learned the secrets of the Sharingan, from its most basic mechanic to the memory defying promise of the Sage of the Ten Paths, Kaito felt his left eye would stop being sore very soon, as long as he could count on his dear friend Ichigo Sato. How long until he could see him, see his villagers, drink some sake in the Drunken Kage, surrounded by familiar and violent faces, daring to fight him for the sake of a good hurt? He had to contain his thoughts lest Ryuuzaki, his shadow, sensed the swelling emotion within him.

***

“That is quite enough”, ressounded a voice high and clear across the rotund space outside the gates. The call out gave pause to the guards who froze in their tracks before they managed to rush the tall man before them. Lord Kiseragi Onomori looked at the man, trying to recall details from his time spent with the genin in the Kage’s office. Being a sensory expert, he could definitely say the chakra was not entirely foreign. “You, boy”, he called out, his voice booming yet controlled, “why are you not travelling with the Kage?” Kiseragi kept his eyes on the lad, while the guards at the sides clutched kunai in their hands. Behind them, a figure in a golden hat and white robe approached in stern steps.

***

It wasn’t long until the two embarked on their journey through the Sky Bridge, one had to take the time to appreciate the mansory of the stone. Within less than an hour, they managed to reach the peak, where gigantic Thunderbirds carved out of the mountain peered down onto the Heavenly Gates, eternally vigilant to the events that could unfold. There, in the middle of the rotund avenue that led to the gates, someone stood their ground, and Kaito enabled his Byakugan to take a closer look at the familiar orange tracksuit of the tall man in the middle of the open space. “Hey, Ryuzaki, look who beat us here.” Kaito was positively surprised, considering he thought he would have to circle back to pick him up. “He lost quite a bit of weight”, he said. He heard a call out, as if there was trouble, however they were still too far to hear it, and only Kaito’s Byakugan -- and possibly Ryuuzaki’s -- would lend them an inkling of what was happening. Kiseragi Onomori, the Deputy Raikage, had joined the scene. “Why can’t anyone just approach the gates calmly”, he inquired in exasperation at the thought of fresh blood on the recently constructed porticus. He got within range of Kiseragi’s last question, at least. “That is a good question indeed”, said Kaito, his voice booming across the plaza as head’s now turned to see the Raikage, golden pyramidical hat, white robes, dark armor, and slightly pissed off if the tone of his voice was anything to go by. He approached the situation, where he could now feel Gin’s chakra signature. He had spent enough time around the lad to know he was who he said he was. He walked up to him, noticing he had managed to drop his chips in his panic. It was confirmed: the man before him was the most powerful genin in the world. Well, ex-genin. “This here is Gin Akimichi of the Kumogakure, who left a Genin and returned a Chunin. So, which one of you wants to doubt that I too am the Raikage? It has been a very peaceful travel, I’m spoiling for a fight.”

“Go on”, said Kaito, dismissing Gin. “You too, Ryuuzaki. You’re dismissed for now. Enjoy your next couple days, they’re yours to do as you wish.” Kaito stayed for a second as Kiseragi closed the distance between the two while Kaito admired the masonry of the gates and Thunderbirds. “Beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?” Strong, was his first impression. “Yeah”, he agreed, instead. “A sight for sore eyes.”

“So, what’s the village been up to?” He broke into stride, and Kiseragi fell along into the pace, informing Kaito in a quiet, hush tone of what had transpired in his absence.