Scars of the Past

Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:08 pm

Flurries of snow delicately fell from the gray sky. Yurei’s eyes tracked them, watching the snowflakes fall around him, listening to the gentle breeze that stirred them like blossoms. Each breath was chilled, and the air was cold enough to keep the snow beneath Yurei’s knees frozen. He was surrounded by powder, and Esu sat beside him as the flurries adorned the dog’s coarse black fur. The Uchiha glanced at him. His look was determined, deliberate. The years had made even Esu stoic.

Yurei closed his eyes, letting the dim sunlight scan their lids - the delicate warmth offering tender embrace to the only skin exposed to the elements. His breathing echoed within his mask, quiet, rhythmic, but robotic. Methodical. Tedious. Like a machine, in and out he breathed, stilling his heart amidst the white landscape. It was tranquil. Snowbirds chimed in the distance, offering sweet melodies to the gentle wind pushing at his hair. It was the only sounds of life he’d heard in weeks.

Questions danced in the Uchiha’s mind. Unquenchable, screaming. Days had passed, perhaps a week, now, and Komon Hyuuga was still resting, his chakra spent from the prison he’d been kept in. Asleep, and still unable to relieve any of the questions Yurei had. What had a Kumogakure shinobi been doing in a place like that? What had transpired, and why were he and Damon the ones to mount a rescue in place of the Hidden Cloud?

During their operation, Yurei had suggested the pair become involved in the greater shinobi world again. In these last few years, their work had grown more tedious, and Yurei’s ignorance of the world’s events was beginning to show. Perhaps he’d expected things to remain stagnant - always there for him to come back to if need be. In another, he knew himself to be a driving force for change - that he could be. And to what degree did change other than his own mean difference?

Snow tickled his eyes. Yurei fluttered them open, pinching the bridge of his nose. The overuse of his Sharingan had him strained, though not as badly as Komon. Or Damon, after the fact. By all accounts, Damon was the more ill of the two. The one who had used his visual prowess more heavily.

But Damon was always one to keep up his strength. Yurei, on the other hand, couldn’t remember the last meal he had. The power of the Mangekyou came at a hefty price, but a worse cost with a body barely clinging to life. Yurei brushed the snow from Esu’s coat, offering him what was left of the rice ball in his hand. He took it, begrudgingly, and ate rather quietly for a dog, less so for a ninken. Yurei watched with a smile, stroking his back. “Good boy,” he said, turning to look in the distance. Structures were visible far off. Pillars, or thin, small mountains. Regardless, the weather had been pleasant in the last week, a welcomed blessing for Komon’s recovery, but Yurei learned that such things did not last in Snow Country. They’d have to get to shelter, sturdier than that of a simple tent, if they were to survive the coming storms. This land was unforgiving.

Yurei stood, scratching Esu’s ears. “Keep watch,” he said, pulling the tent’s entrance to.

WC: 552

Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:08 pm

Soft snowflakes gently landed in a mass of raven black hair. The wind was gentle, a caressing set of nails raking against his skin instead of a feral biting cold. Enough to cause the hairs on Damon’s neck, arms, and legs to stand, but not enough to cause him a great deal of pain. Instead, that box was checked by the dull ringing in his eyes that had yet to subside. It was fitting that an eye that could cast flames would in turn cause a burning pain to its user. Amaterasu was a cruel mistress, offering great power at a great cost. Particularly as of late, due to its overuse. The pair had been in conflict after conflict, rarely, if ever, able to breathe. He exhaled, his breath visible against the snow covered ground. Proof that he was still alive, even if he continually felt like death.

“I have been,” he said aloud, not realizing that Yurei had been talking to Esu. After coming to a realization afterwards, he elected to continue gazing off at the distance and pretend that he had not made a mistake. “Where are you off to?” he inquired, eager to change the subject of conversation before it could be established. Without waiting for an answer, he tilted his head back towards Esu, straining to see any shadows visible through the tent lining. The interior was hard to make out, regardless of the state of one’s eyes, but he was confident that Esu was valiantly guarding their sleeping third wheel.

WC: 255

Wed Apr 06, 2022 4:59 am

A whisper turned to a whistle, piercing through the veil of Komon’s consciousness. That sound… What was that sound? His body tried to rise, but his muscles failed him, sending a sharpened pain throughout his torso. He coughed in reaction which only caused more pain. He learned quickly and held the second cough back with what energy he could muster. Ok. Start smaller. His eyelids parted and the familiar black that had been with him, left him for a shade of gray. For a moment, he laid there in terror thinking he’d gone blind. Moments later, the whistle returned and his head rolled to locate it. He wasn’t blind, he’d just been staring at the ceiling of a tent. The whistle was a gentle gust of wind, creeping through the flap of the tent.

As he was questioning where he’d ended up, the visibility of his own breath reminded him. Yukigakure, God I can’t wait to get out of this country He thought to himself as he pulled the blanket higher. A small action, which still caused him agony. Overexerting ones chakra was certainly not a pleasant experience, and he was already making a mental note to avoid it in the future.

Still though, his current circumstances begged the question. Where exactly in yukigakure was he. And was he with friend or foe, the last thing he could seem to remember were oni running down the hallway after his failed attempt of an escape.

but that couldn’t have been real, it must have been a hallucination

Wed Apr 06, 2022 10:50 pm

Yurei turned, smiling warmly at Damon. “Yes, you have been a good boy,” he nodded. His inflection was dry, almost stale, but perhaps Damon could hear something resembling a chuckle come from the mask. “To check on Komon,” he answered. Entering the tent, he left Damon to process things. Yurei clasped the opening shut, snow pouring through as he moved in.

The temperature was starkly different inside. Dry, but considerably warmer, insulated by the leather encasing them. Before Yurei was Komon, housed in a bundle of blankets and furs - layered. The pair’s journey outside of established villages had afforded them with many talents, especially for survival - and with the weather, and Komon’s condition, any fever or ailments would have to be sweat out.

Upon meeting eyes with Komon, Yurei nodded, bringing his finger to his mouth. It was no hallucination. He thin hand fell behind his mane of white hair, and, with the pull of red silk, his visage fell from his face - the faint clasp of air and ceramic audible. Yurei held to mask at his side, smiling at Komon - a faint smile, welcoming, embracing, but distinctly Yurei. Genuine, yet cold. He peeled back the tent’s entrance, looking to Damon and Esu. With a sway of his head, the Uchiha indicated for his brother to come inside, and for Esu to stay. He stepped, forth, allowing room for Damon’s entry, before kneeling beside Komon.

“Good morning, friend,” he said, reaching around Komon’s head. He plucked a thin, wood-like stick from behind the Hyuuga, pursing its end with three fingers. With a small spark, it came alight, then dwindled into smoke. The aroma of lavender filled their housing, and the Uchiha planted it into a ceramic pot filled with sand. “This will clear your head,” he said, turning back to Komon. He scanned him, narrowing his eyes. “How are you feeling?” he asked. He allowed the Hyuuga time to answer, keeping his eyes trained on him.

“What has it been, now?” Yurei started, looking up at nothing as if the tent’s roof would allow him to remember. “Three years,” he said at last, nodding. “It’s good to see you again. When last we spoke, you and your brother were moving up in Kumogakure as I remember. A family member the kage, no less.” He licked his lips, pursing them. Cutting his eyes back to Komon, Yurei leaned in with a look of genuine concern. “What are you doing out here, Komon? Held captive, framed, and near death? Where is your brother? Your village?”

WC: 423
TCW: 975

Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:19 pm

A hint of movement began to stir in the tent as Damon peered at it. He kept his eyes fixed on the shifting shadow as Yurei spoke, albeit in a teasing manner. Before he could get a word in, it appeared as though his comrade in arms had already picked up on the movement inside. They both possessed sharp eyes, but Yurei had the advantage for the time being. Damon resolved to cut back on the usage of his trump cards for now, the drawbacks of them weighing on him more heavily than he even realized. The flap opened as the shadow gave way to Komon Hyuuga and his staggered breathing. Yurei removed his mask, while his own red tengu mask remained clipped to his belt, as a disguise was not particularly needed at the moment. Yurei, on the other hand, wore his oni mask more often than not, the mask becoming just as familiar a face as the one hidden beneath it. Damon opted to join the pair in the tent, scratching the former companion of Akio behind the ears as he walked past the trusted watchdog.

Silver eyes turned red, the three tomoe sharingan coming as naturally to him as breathing. The crimson orbs scanned Komon now that they were not being hounded by prison guards to assess what damage he could. His lack of training in the medical arts was indeed frustrating at times, but there was not much to be done for now. The glimpse of chakra was indeed recovering, but he could not tell much more aside from that. The set of eyes that the Hyuuga possessed would be more inclined to view the intricacies of his own chakra network. His own eyes faded back to gray as Yurei spoke to their would-be patient.

WC: 299
TWC: 554

Sun Apr 17, 2022 4:59 am

The sight of a forgotten friend sparked an old feeling in him. Yurei's smile was genuine, and to others it may have even seemed cold; to Komon, it was the only kind of smile he'd ever laid eyes on. In a village raised by the Lord Mortitian, warm smiles were few and far between. But Komon didn't have much time to reminisce on his childhood, for it seemed Yurei was already inquiring about his health.

"Like sh-"

He'd start before a fit of coughs fought their way out of him, his body recoiling in pain.

"Well... Like that"

He'd say dropping his head back to look at the ceiling, relaxing his neck.
He didn't bother assuring Yurei of the afformentioned timespan, they both knew how long it had been. And the words didn't seem worth the effort at the moment. Yurei, understandably had an array of question, and in his current state he was going to have to save his energy for the ones that really mattered.

His hands grip on the sheets tightened at the mention of his brother. "Things change Yurei" He'd say before pausing shortly. Three years ago my brother went missing... And I've been searching for him ever since He answered, cutting the Uchiha off before he ever reached the next line of questioning.

KOMON HYUUGA

AP Remaining: 400/400

* Vigor: 40 *

* Chakra: 10 *

* Speed: 50 (+25) *

* Strength: 25 *

Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:33 am

Yurei smirked, allowing for Komon’s coughing spat to pass. He sighed, lowering himself to a mound of cloth next to Komon’s makeshift cot. The tent itself was an organized mess. Most of their belongings Yurei had kept in kamui, making for easy transport that allowed them to travel light. Now, the tent was nearly stuffed to the brim, herbs, clothes, blankets, pots, the list went on. He turned at his waist, reaching for a cup and kettle upon a suspended shelf. It swayed and bobbed with the lack of weight before coming to a stop.

Yurei clasped the bottom of the kettle with a bandaged hand wrapped in black cloth. The water inside was still, as if Yurei hadn’t touched it at all. “You still have your sense of humor, at least,” Yurei chuckled, glancing at Komon for a moment. The water inside the pot began to churn, and bubbles began to work inside it - frantic and hissing. The Uchiha focused in on Komon as he spoke, diverting his full attention to him.

Before Yurei could speak, Komon had cut him off. He fell silent, nodding his head. In a sense, the Hyuuga had already offered an explanation for what Yurei had intended to ask - albeit with fewer details than he would have liked. Still, having just woken up, it was more than enough for Yurei. Already he had begun to put the pieces together like a puzzle, and, it was his assumption now, that Komon and his brother, if alive, were no longer part of Kumogakure’s shinobi forces.

That was a curious predicament. If Komon had come here alone, and Yurei and Damon the ones to rescue him, then it only made sense for him to have left the village in the same way as the Uchiha. Snow Country was too close to Kumogakure no Sato otherwise - and to abandon such a high ranking shinobi as Komon… or perhaps he, them. Yurei looked into Komon’s eyes, studying him. They were white, sunken with the power of his clan’s doujutsu - the byakugan. But beyond that visual prowess bestowed upon him and his clan, Yurei saw the same eyes he saw in himself - in Damon.

The transformation of Kumogakure had failed.

Yurei glanced at Damon, indicating that. The village they had left in the hands of its people. Before Yurei could speak, the kettle in his palm began to scream. He grasped a container, unlatching it with his other hand and pouring a portion of its contents into the cup. The kettle followed suit. A faint aroma filled the air amidst the lavender, and Yurei placed the cup at its rim next to Komon. “Green tea,” he said. “Give it time to brew, and,” he paused, grasping another container of golden liquid, “I’ll add this. It’ll soothe your throat.”

The Uchiha set the rest of the kit to the side. He looked to Damon, exchanging a knowing expression. “I’d like to speak to your brother. We’ll find him together.”

WC: 498
TCW: 1473

Tue Apr 19, 2022 10:41 pm

The feeling of uselessness surged inside of him as he turned away and shut his eyes. Then, the pit in his stomach disappeared as he heard a faint whisper in his mind. He could scarcely hear a single word, though he was certain these muffled words were those of a woman’s voice. He opened his eyes to look at Komon and Yurei, but neither showed signs of hearing it. Komon was finishing his coughing fit, and Yurei was reaching for the kettle.

Damon recalled that Komon had a brother, though the two never met. The brother in question had been away from the home that the Hyuuga had allowed for the Uchiha to reside at during their time at Kumogakure, and their paths had never crossed. He looked over to the white haired man preparing tea for the wounded man, and pondered how his life would have been if the closest thing to a brother, Yurei, had vanished for three years. Especially these last few years, having been on the run from their former home and ill equipped to interact with the other major villages. He was unsure if he would have survived that long, doing what he did, if he had truly been alone.

His eyes rose to meet those of Yurei, who had turned his gaze towards him. It was not a look of mystery over the woman’s voice, but rather a look of understanding. His mind had been elsewhere, so he was not altogether certain of the conclusion that Yurei had reached, but he trusted in him all the same that what he had decided would be the best course of action going forwards. His loyalty was not blind, but had been forged in trust. “Is that why you’re here?” Damon directed to Komon, properly joining the conversation. “Is he meant to be in this country?” This last question was said with the knowledge that Komon’s brother, whoever he was, had likely not been found at the prison that Komon had been to. Otherwise, the Hyuuga would have spoken of it by now.

WC: 346
TWC: 900

Sat Apr 23, 2022 5:45 pm

Komon had always been stubborn, and present circumstances were no exception to the fact. He didn't like lying down while others spoke to him, injured or not it made him feel weak which had never been something he could afford to be. So while the Oni prepared his tea, he used his strength to grip the side of the bed, and in an exhaustive effort managed to use the leverage to sit upright, managing to look directly at the two uchiha across from him

Step by step, he'd regain what he'd lost.

He raised an eyebrow at Yurei's proposal. He was happy to see the boy again, Yurei was close to him, they'd shared conversation in both hoshi, and kumo. But he couldn't exactly say he'd be thrilled to have them tag along. He'd left details of his life out of the conversation when he'd spoken to the Uchiha in the past. Kumogakure had blood on its hands, its past was not a peaceful one. He'd wanted to keep this part of his life out of the Uchiha's eye, and in search of his brother, he'd have to dig up that very past.

He was still thinking of what to say when Damon spoke, adding a question to follow Yurei's statement.

He took a few deep breaths so that he could afford to speak clearly, "I have no idea where he might be, I just had a hunch and wanted to check up on it" He paused not wanting to say more, but he knew their questions wouldn't stop. Hopefully, he'd be able to navigate around them. "I wanted to check the old Kage Summit chambers, see if I could find something there"

It's where he'd been heading before he'd got caught up in mess at Yukigakure.

KOMON HYUUGA

AP Remaining: 400/400

* Vigor: 40 *

* Chakra: 10 *

* Speed: 50 (+25) *

* Strength: 25 *

Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:15 am

Yurei glanced at Damon, surprised by his involvement. He had expected him to stay quiet and merely observe, coming up with his own analysis by himself. The interest, however, seemed to embolden Yurei’s spirits, as far as such things went for the Uchiha. “Curious amount of important people in such a quiet country,” he mused, dragging his eyes back to Komon. He narrowed his eyes at the question, watching the Hyuuga as he answered.

As his friend spoke, he nodded. The brief answers were still vexing, but understandable given the situation. He strained the tea, pouring the liquid into another cup brimming with golden syrup. He grasped the top with his skeletal fingers, pushing it towards Komon.

And then he paused.

Yurei’s fingers remained clenched, if only for a moment, before surrendering the cup. His eyes flashed. He looked at Damon, just as briefly. “...The Kage Summit?” he echoed, leaning back into his sitting position. He placed his long-fingered hands onto his knees, watching Komon with newfound interest, were such even possible. In his youth, Yurei had heard of the Hogokage venturing out of journeys, seemingly annually, but thought had never gone into it. To mention, the Hogokage had not been present at the time of Akio’s death either. He presumed there were some sort of pilgrimage or personal endeavor, but to have been summoned or to have called for himself a meeting amongst all of the Kage in the Shinobi World? And by chance within a chance meeting, Komon knew where it was.

The thought was repulsive, yet alluring. Yurei felt cold blood rise to his face, and his gray skin darkened, if only slightly. To think, for so many years the world they lived in was in such a dismal state and the Kage could do nothing to better it. To think, all of the Kage, those who ruled nations, the very world, were all in one place. All at one time. The most powerful beings in the Shinobi World, and yet, the most powerless to create any real change.

To think they had nothing to show for it.

For years, Komon and Yurei had endured the horrors of their respective villages. When they needed protection, assurance, and progress the most, they were abandoned. Left to fend for themselves. To endure malice, greed, paranoia, and unequivocal evil. Yurei bowed his head, speaking gravely now. “I will accompany you there,” he said. His voice was serious, and it did not lend itself to question. Regardless of Komon’s response, the Uchiha was going. That was absolute. There would be no Kage, no meeting, likely no one there at all, but he had to see this place. To see what it represented, with his own eyes.

The cold air ushered in Esu, who stood halfway between the tent and the outside. Even from the blinding white light from the snow, Yurei could see the dark overhang. The blizzard was fast approaching. He stood, gathering his things, sliping them through space. “We need to move. There’s an old settlement nearby, a village, I suppose. We can take refuge there.” Yurei turned to Damon. “Leave this to me. Help him get to his feet. I’ll get us all there in a moment.” There was no sense in a trek. The only reason they had endured on the village’s outskirts was due to Yurei’s health and the strain it had caused his eyes.

The journey was brief. As quickly as they had entered Kamui, Yurei was releasing them at the foot of the village in a swirl of space-time.

It was colder. The snow was more ice-like than powder, undisturbed, and the approaching storm had turned its glistening white into a dull gray. Wind swept Yurei’s long hair, his robe billowing. The hannya mask once again adorning Yurei’s face gazed silently outward. For the first time, it took in every detail of the village up close. The shattered stone towers, half their original height, houses of charred wood encased in layers of snow. There were wells frozen shut, and the smoke from fires years ago wafted into Yurei’s face from the sight of things alone.

As Damon and Komon fell into their surroundings, Yurei raised his arm, catching Komon’s back and allowing him to brace himself against the Uchiha’s body. He eyed Damon, then Esu, making sure the transition had been smooth. He did not speak. The village before them had taken his words. It was sepulchral, an unmarked gravesite that spanned miles, comparable to both Hoshigakure and Kumogakure in span. But Yurei had never heard of this place. Never seen it on any map. It was lifeless.

Destroyed.

MS - 6/100
WC: 777
TCW: 2250

Scars of the Past

Scars of the Past

Re: Scars of the Past

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Re: Scars of the Past

AP Remaining: 400/400

* Vigor: 40 *

* Chakra: 10 *

* Speed: 50 (+25) *

* Strength: 25 *

Re: Scars of the Past

Re: Scars of the Past

Re: Scars of the Past

AP Remaining: 400/400

* Vigor: 40 *

* Chakra: 10 *

* Speed: 50 (+25) *

* Strength: 25 *

Re: Scars of the Past