When Drunks Unite

Open your eyes, look up to the sky, and see...

He was not in Kumogakure. His dark eye darted across the heavens, observing the stars peering from in between the clouds, which allowed for pools of light to grace the surface of this alien town. The structures and architecture was foreign in the eyes of the Eleventh Raikage of the Kumogakure, much like the sight of baked brick of the Sunagakure or the cobblestoned orderly laid streets of the Hoshigakure had felt to the mountaineer. His dark eye now peered among the structures, trying to find some identifying structure that could place him in the world.

Where was he?

Better yet, how did he get here? He couldn’t tell how he found himself here. Enabling his byakugan, he observed how people huddled inside their houses, as if afraid of the night. He focused his sight on a few of the doors and windows: boarded up, with furniture pushed against points of entry. Peculiar.

Yet, one figure roamed the streets. Familiarity with the figure’s stance and walk told Noboru all he needed to know, and he made his way to them. Like as not, they already could tell from Noboru’s own amble and armor, and the characteristic white cloak of the Raikage that sat upon his shoulders who he was before he even announced himself. “Ichigo, my lad,” he called as he turned a corner to meet his second in command and friend, “you have any idea what’s going on here?”

Noboru clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in disappointment. “My Lord my ass, just call me by my name when we’re alone, I need a friend from time to time.” He looked around, disabling the Byakugan momentarily as he and Ichigo could now watch each other’s backs. He too felt as if this was not the first time he had been transported to an unfamiliar setting, yet this sensation was as vague as any other deja vu. He sucked his teeth. “I feel the same, but there doesn’t seem to be a way out of here.”

It wasn’t long before a newcomer would approach the duo, and for a moment Noboru had to wonder if he was dreaming or not, a notion that was dispelled very soon. Long dark hair, prime of her youth, soul piercing silver eyes. Half his age, old enough to be his daughter. Yet, she seemed to be discontent with meeting Ichigo, who introduced the two and included Meika’s severe crime. Noboru extended a hand for a gentle yet firm handshake. “Noboru Kaito. We’re gonna talk about the bathhouse after this.”

The last individual to join them seemed to be in a hurry; the Deputy Kage heard them before any other, and it seemed they had quite the following, informing them they had a problem. Finally, an answer as to how to get out of this situation.

Violence.

Unadulterated violence was the one specialty Noboru truly held on to as a claim to fame and power. Stepping in front of the group as a horde of zombies approached from where Nova had come, he enabled his Byakugan, only to see they had unfortunately met in a lower intersection: they were in the killing field.

But, if four ninja can’t terminate a group of zombies, what good are they for?

With a few handseals and a clap, a square showed up in Noboru’s hands as he parted them slowly and intently. He extended his arms and a high pitch screech filled the streets as blinding light turned the horde until plumes of dust. More zombies approached from other streets.

As the dust settled, Noboru lowered his arms to observe the destruction caused by his technique. None of the zombies had withstood the blast, yet most rock surfaces had; his chakra was not potent enough to shred through the environment, it seemed. No matter, after all he had just taken up the ninjutsu arts as a means of complimenting his naturally strong physique, not the other way around. From the length of the street, a few zombies poked their heads out to join their dismantled co-abominations in a further state of death, but it gave Noboru a few moments to observe the work of his team.

Turning around, he noticed how the fair Meika of the gentle yet firm handshake took up a shovel and started to split up the undead with fierce blows. She lacked technique, yet her spirit was unyielding, and the zombies could not gain an inch against her relentless assault. It had been as Ichigo said; much as the situation appeared to be familiar, the fact neither could recall in spite of the deja vu, it was unlikely Noboru or any of the others would be able to recall this, and as such, this display of power from the young lass would be lost to this ethereal dream like instance of existence.

The runner up whose name Noboru didn’t catch appeared to be a Taijutsu master as much of the Kumogakure was, and opened the Inner Gates to bolster her physical prowess while taking on the horde with a staff. Skill, elegance, brutality. Noboru was happy to see such a display from one he barely knew, yet operated under his wing.

The last person whose skill the Raikage had the chance to witness was his trusted friend and second in command Ichigo Sato. Normally a collected and jovial individual, Ichigo’s form morphed into that of a demonic berserker, trice horned and with a cloak of chakra adding mystique to the darkened skin. It took him little effort to create a torrent of water powerful enough to shred through the advancing zombies. Noboru smiled; he was proud to have the man by his side, not only as a friend, but as an advisor and ruler.

The few zombies that had crept up behind Noboru appeared to be the last of the ordeal; the redhead took the bottle of sake out of his belt, and uncorked it. A stream of fire rose from the mouth of the gourd, and infusing his chakra into it, the blade lengthened through the alley and in a sweeping motion, the fire cut the horde in half. The flame subsided, and Noboru took a sip out of the chakra sake. “Hm, I got some sake on me, but I’ll take some sake if you pay.”

The dream subsided. The memory faded.