Ghostwire Hoshigakure (Mission)

Multiple mission : Spirit Away (B) + Ghosttown (A) Min WC: 7000+

After the events of the last mission, Zeo was still in a bit of a slump. Though the encouragement from Enishi was helpful, he dedicated himself to training by himself. He practiced his chakra control, his execution, and his new jutsu. He had grown. He knew he had grown, but it didn't feel like enough. He stood in the wide fields outside of Hoshigakure, by himself with the wind as his only companion as it grazed past him, kicking up his jacket and the grass around him. Despite his hard work, the sullen look of an upset boy remained on his face. He couldn't get the crushing defeat from Tsuna out of his head. The humiliation-- and worse, he let it upset him so much he lost control. His persona, his very soul-- turned against him. It threatened him, and Enishi, and others.

This gift, his Uchugan... turned out to be a blessing and a curse. He had to understand it. There was SO much he didn't understand about his gifts and his abilities. He had to get better. Stronger. Failure was not an option. Though he knew he couldn't let the past hold him down, he had to become better than this.

He was surrounded by his bubbles. Without hand signs, without issue, he freely controlled them in patterns, allowing his very thoughts and chakra to give them movement and momentum. He had been at it for hours, relentlessly training not his Persona-- but his own techniques. His own focus to handle his jutsu better. He couldn't afford to let emotion govern his abilities as much, or he risked the same issues he had before. With his Persona running amok and out of his control.

Of course, he would be so focused-- he probably wouldn't notice his 'friend' arrive.

WC: 300

Zachary was lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice the jump. He didn't notice his friend was there until he spoke the words. Zeo looked up, his eyes sullen with an emotionless look on his face. It was a look Enishi might of remembered when they first met. The stoic, emotionless look that showed Zeo was as cool as a rock and yet... it wasn't him anymore. He had opened up since then, made friends, and discovered his value, but that shattered after the Nova exams and it was starting to really hurt him.

He could tell Enishi was better-- brighter, stronger, older, probably far older than him. Not THAT much time had passed but he was now Nova and trained. He probably outclassed Zeo by alot. While Zeo was still in the same slump. But still Enishi was now Nova.. "Congradulations..." he said, trying to be sincere but the envy and self-pity was still in his tone. He wanted to be over his issues but it was still on his mind. He spent his days training and training, and doing what he could but he felt he wasn't getting anywhere. He felt branded for his failure.

"Well there is no mission. I just done routine stuff, and trying to train to grow stronger. For all the good it done..." he grumbled. The sheer emotion and frustration caused some of his bubbles to pop into splashes of water, his chakra control broken by his own emotion. Seeing it, he sighed, realizing he let his feelings get the better of him again. He took a deep breath as he ran a hand through his hair. He knew to keep his emotion in check in a real fight, but he has been in for a loop for some time, trying hard to improve himself... so he could redeem himself and face Tsuna again. "You certainly have changed. You don't look like the feral cocky guy I used to know." he half-joked.

The truth was, since then... Zachary had not invoked He Bo, his Persona. After he went berserk because of his own trauma, he couldn't bring himself to call on him again. At least not yet. For now he focused on his skills, his actual taught and praticed skills, not his kekkei genkai. He still used the eyes and Genjutsu, but it was something he was rattled by still. He couldn't depend on his Persona, no matter how much he knew it was a battle at war inside him. Was this what Enishi had to deal with before they met?

WC: 432
TWC: 732

Zeo didn't even seem to react when the rift was opened and Enishi entered from it, appearing to be reclused within the protection of his bubbles. That look of his - he was attempting to escape from the hardships of reality. It had been a few months, but not yet had he been able to move past his mental dilemma: surrendering his will to become a shinobi or to pursue through the tribulations nevertheless. Despite trying to cover up his mental warfare with a downtrodden "congratulations" towards his promotion, the Jugo was attentive enough to know that his "sincerity" was plagued by self-pity and jealousy - envious of the position that Enishi found himself in. If we could switch ranks, I wish that could be a reality. I don't know if I deserve Nova, but you definitely wanted it more than anything else. A mirthless, self-deprecating smile etched itself upon his countenance, knowing very well how unfortunate this situation was regardless of how they both tried to cover it up. Zeo wanted Nova, but he stole the chance from him. No - it wasn't his fault, it was Tsunayoshi's. The only way for Zeo to be truly settled was if he confronted Bittersteel - Fate's Executioner. Even if somehow he was able to give his friend Nova, it would only solve things superficially. Mentally - most importantly - nothing would change. The Kamigawa lost, so physically, he was unfit to be Nova those months ago. He needed strength, but those mental barriers kept locking him away from his true power. Ironically, it was a similar pain Enishi felt years ago when he fervently desired to rid himself of the Curse of Sages that plagued his clan. He wanted strength, but every time he trained - his natural energy would rise and his mind was unable to subjugate the frenzy he underwent, destroying everyone he loved.

He desperately hoped Zeo wasn't feeling that same way.

He didn't want anyone to feel the same pain that he did, never again.

Zeo commented that there was no "mission", rather, it was a mere coincidence that they were both here. He was in the process of training to grow stronger. This caused the young Nova to reflexively raise an eyebrow, "W-what?" He was dumbfounded. "I got a letter to come here from the Hoshigakure Task Agency. Was it just some prank letter?" The Jugo sighed, sitting down in front of Zeo as the realization dawned upon him that he may have been fooled. The Kamigawa also remarked on his looks and outfits, saying that the Understudy looked less like a feral arrogant bastard. ...What did you even see me as then?! A storm erupted from his mind as a visible nerve appeared on his forehead. Jeez, why did people think he was this super cocky dude? Was it the hair? Was it the face? He'd never know... Immediately though, his slight annoyance subsided as he began to chuckle at his change of appearance. "Believe me, if I could wear something different today, I would. Morio told me that my old style was "dogshit" so he handpicked me something else to wear on my first day back. ...I don't necessarily hate it, but I don't want people to get weird ideas so I'm wearing my old clothes as soon as I get home. It looks like I'm at some sort of damn church convent or date." He scratched the back of his head again while sitting criss-cross on the ground, picturing the whole Nova Corps laughing at new attire if they ever saw it.

"Well then," He cleared his throat, growing more solemn as he wanted to catch up on a few things with Zeo. "How goes your training with Lightning Release? Learn any new techniques? Water, Wind, and Lightning if I remember...all of those elements complement each other really well," He sweatdropped for a moment, remembering that only a few months after he tutored his friend on Lightning Release - he was able to combine two jutsu to create an electrical water dragon. If he hadn't used Sage Mode during that time...even he didn't know what would happen. "But more importantly, were you able to get your Persona back? I used Ajax on He-Bo to suppress his rampage, but you should have been able to resummon him a few hours later. Ah, I guess I should explain what Ajax is. It's a Fuuinjutsu within my eye that can absorb chakra into a seal like a suction, creating a sealing chamber within. It's roughly similar to how Tailed Beasts in the past were sealed into Jinchuriki, though on a far weaker level considering that this sealing effect only works for a few hours on weaker jutsu and a few minutes at best on stronger jutsu. It draws on natural energy to create such an effect, but unfortunately, it's not a dojutsu - I can't just create a Kekkei Genkai no matter how much I try. Since the Persona technique carries so much inherent chakra, the presence of those spirits must have returned likely the day after our mission since Ajax couldn't hold it for much longer. Anyway, have you been able to tap into those spirits?" He questioned calmly, just wanting to make sure how his friend was holding up. The backlash of absorbing a Persona actually gave Enishi some pretty bad migraines, so he didn't know what the effects of that would be on Zeo. 

WC: 902
TWC: 2094 | 7000 Required WC

His comment about the clothing actually broke a laugh from Zeo. It was a much-needed one as he probably hasn't laughed in a long, long time. Even then, the same personality of Enishi remained. He did miss his friend. It probably would of helped his mood if he was around more, but now he was Nova, and training stronger. He had more responsibilities. It was a change that Zachary knew he had to accept. He had grown. If they squared off again, there was a chance he would win. His biggest advantage over the Jugo sage was his weakness to genjutsu. Zachary's skill in Genjutsu was strong among the other shinobi in Hoshigakure. As was his style to do his work as a shinobi without physically harming his opponents. He was not a violent person by nature... and the irony, is why he showed weakness in that moment in the Nova Exam.

At the mention of his training over Lightning, Zachary gave a soft smile at that as he looked to his remaining bubbles. He then formed a mix of hand signs, applying the use of the water and lightning-- causing the bubbles to start to produce a bright blue glow. As it got closer-- they would suddenly explode with a flash! The flash was far stronger than the mere concussive blows the bubbles did, giving a flash of lightning with it. Enough probably to surprise Enishi. "I learned how to apply lightning and water together. Giving them a supercharge. So it's not just using Thunderclap Arrow. I can create a new elemental force by mixing the two together." he said with a bit of pride in his ingenuity.

However then the conversation came to his Persona. Zachary frowned a bit as he turned away. He ended his jutsu there, no more bubbles appeared in the battlefield as he struggled to talk about it. He was quiet, giving enough concern to Enishi to realize he had touched a sore topic. Zachary struggled, biting his lip and soon he just blurted it out. "My... I have my Persona. I have my eyes. Nothing is wrong with that... except..." He threw his arms up into the air frustrated and turned back to Enishi. "I havent summoned my Persona since, alright?! After what happened, regardless of your seal. I know i have it, i feel it but i refused to use it. After it went berserk and how I almost attacked and hurt you and others... I just felt I shouldn't use it for now." he said, clearly frustrated.

While he was at war with himself, he was afraid to use His Persona at all. It was clear that Enishi had faced similar challenges with his own Kekkei Genkai.

WC:459
TWC:1191

Don't you understand Enishi Kurosawa...


No.

Because of your sin, people die. 

No!

He couldn't think like this, not when he progressed far ahead of his past self. He wouldn't give in to his fears. He conquered the shadow. He accepted Yagami. Never. Zeo was going through that same pain; Enishi Kurosawa would never let someone drown in their demons as long as he was alive.

The Sage of Pleiades grit his teeth. "Zeo, you and I both know that is a poor excuse for not reawakening your Persona. You are running away from a metaphysical shadow that only exists within your mind. You feed it so much power because of your fears, and that's why it's controlling your whole life. The world is a vast space, but eventually, even you'll run out of room to escape your fears. You'll be at the dead-end, backed against a wall, and because you've been running your whole life and isolating yourself...you'll forget how to reject your darkness, and in that weakness - it will consume you." He paused, his ice-blue narrow eyes staring deep into Zeo. They grew softer. "...When I cursed the world for having a bloodline that hurt others around me, I kept running away from it. Instead of combatting my darkness and accepting it as a part of myself that I will improve upon, I just ran away from it. I even used drugs during the Chuunin Exams to suppress my bloodline...because deep down, I knew that I was too afraid to confront my darkness and use the power of a berserker for my benefit. I was too afraid, and many people I cared about died as a result." He spoke frankly, yet softly - almost as if he was reopening wounds of his past. "No one has died yet in your case, Zeo. I know that it's scary to walk across the thin line between control and insanity, but He-Bo is your ally. As much of a pain in the ass he is to fight, I cannot deny that there exists a bond between you two. You can't let it be suppressed because of your anxieties because eventually those fears and unspeakable emotions you hide from will spill out, carving their way out of your body and into the world to cause havoc and turn you into a berserker that will maim those around you. I say this not to scare, but rather, it was exactly what happened to me. Fearing your darkness and suppressed emotions only fuels how destructive it will be in the end. It's okay to be angry, frustrated, or even vengeful at what happened during the exams."

His expression shifted. It was grave.

"But if you refuse to confront those emotions, it won't only be He-Bo that goes berserk."

The Sage of Pleiades spoke not only from a place of concern...but also from experience.

WC: 860
TWC: 2954

The pause and Enishi's grim face showed how serious he was about the 'excuse to not use his power'. Though he knew he was right, Zachary turned around with a sour face of reluctance. He was right. Zeo knew he was right, but it wasn't easy to let go of those fears and use his Persona again. The reason behind it was sound, but it was easier said than done. It wasn't like his powers governed his emotions, but his emotions governed that power. But that was the problem too. The moment Zachary lost, feeling he had to choose between honor vs results, it made him hate himself to even consider he had to be a shinobi and be a killer. That was the trigger. TO act that much against one's own nature. That was what caused his Persona to go out of control. He wasn't even sure if he was certain of that.

Enishi was brutal but honest, getting him to see his point. "I get your point. And you are right. But its easier said than done. If I use him again, and he goes out of control, I am not completely sure I can even stop him. He's attached to me. What if using a jutsu on him would injure me or worse. That's the thing. We don't know the real connection I have between me and my persona. If your seal hadn't worked-- I could of gone comatose or worse cause supposedly he's a part of my soul." he said firmly but in control. "And that is what im truly upset about. Unlike you, you know where your power comes from and how it affects you. But we know nothing about my Kekkei Genkai. We don't know anyone else who had these powers or where they came from. Everyone id ask is dead..."

The emotion was strong and a tear escaped his eye but he quickly dried it up, gaining control of his breathing again. "I'm sorry... I just don't know enough and to use it felt risky. I know My persona is a part of me and I shouldn't suppress it. But I still know nothing about my own family heritage, and where these eyes come from. "

He didn't want to run away from it, but he couldn't really face the problem that time. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Hey, think we can talk about this back at the village? We can discuss this more there. I'm exhausted and hungry... " he sighed, heading back to the village.

As they walked, Zeo stopped-- seeing something in the midsts of the forest beyond. A shadow. The same shadow from before-- that he had sworn was following him. He would blink and it would vanish. He tried to squint to see closer, and the shadow resembled that of a black wolf, looking at him with orange eyes...

"Um... Enishi? NOt to sound more crazy than I am, but do you see something over there?" Zeo said, pointing in the direction of the trees.

However, no matter how Enishi would look or sense things-- he wouldn't see it. There was nothing there. Nothing, except for Zeo's eyes. The shadow of the wolf was present, but no one else but him could see it...

WC: 553
TWC: 1744

Understandably, Zeo had reservations about confronting his past emotions and reawakening He-Bo as his sworn ally. He felt as though his latent powers were betraying him almost as if it were a mirage of sorts, every step of the way. His latent bloodline...his Uchugan, refused to be controlled, and instead, his secret powers only fed into the darker and sinister side of himself that he never wanted to confront. But in that case, it was necessary to confront that side. It was only a matter of time, and regardless of how much he tried to renounce it, Enishi could tell that the time was coming soon even without his sentiment on the matter. After all, he had undergone that before - right in front of Zeo - to be exact, so the Kamigawa should know that he couldn't escape this crucible. It was a crucial step in his progress if he wanted to develop not only as a shinobi, but as a person, he could truly be proud of when he would eventually look back on the future. However, the Kamigawa's reluctance wasn't fully emotional; attempting to confront himself and his latent powers could cause some unintended results. For instance, unlike Enishi, information on the Jugo - while esoteric - was at least documented in the Archives. The Kamigawa Clan was an extremely scattered and bygone lineage with bizarre powers that evolutionarily possess a deep connection with the soul. No information could be found of the clan in Hoshigakure's libraries, and it was equally as dubious to suspect that details could be ascertained in other villages. After all, as Zeo said rather dejectedly: the Kamigawa Clan was practically extinct. Anyone that could have taught him to learn more about his Persona and inner self was dead.

Enishi winced once the realization dawned on him.

"...My bad. I didn't realize how insensitive my words were. While it is true that you shouldn't suppress your Persona, maybe reawakening it too soon under...less than favorable circumstances could lead to some pretty bad results. I almost melted my mind trying to use Sage Mode for the first time, so it's tough to predict what will happen to you." The understudy noted, sighing at how bleak the predicament about Zeo's bloodline indeed was, but he couldn't lose heart now especially when his friend was feeling down. "As I've said before, I want to help you learn more about your clan and bloodline. It's the least I can do as your friend. No one deserves to have people they care about die in front of them and know nothing about their origins. The world is a cruel place. That's why no one should have to face this alone." A small smile broke through, amid the dismal journey that Zeo undergoed. Eventually, the navy-haired Chuunin decided that it was time to get out of this place...which was basically the middle of nowhere in the outskirts of Hoshigakure. Enishi merely nodded, put his hands in his pockets innocuously, and turned his back - getting ready to head back home with a few Body Flickers, but suddenly, Zeo stopped him.

"Um... Enishi? Not to sound crazier than I am, but do you see something over there?"

He looked.

He saw nothing.

He stared at Zeo blankly.


"I...don't see anything?" The Wraith blinked, realizing that his friend was probably so tired he may be hallucinating. He actually felt sorry for him. Shrugging, he spoke - rather concerned, "You should take it easy. I can tell that you've working been too hard. Sooner or later you'll start hallucinating about chicks that are way too damn hot to imagine, then even I'll get jealous about what you're seeing..." The Jugo humorously sighed. Hey, he may be the Sage of Pleiades...but even he was a teenage boy.

WC: 626
TWC: 3580 | 7000 WC Required

It was reassuring that Enishi, despite the harsh words sometime, was on his side. He was reminded how he cared and how dedicated he was to help Zeo unravel the mysteries of his clan. His birthright and the kekkei genkai that came with it. He only wished he could ask his parents. Beyond the scroll she left for him, he had very few answers-- and it was still locked by a mysterious jutsu. That aside, he was glad that Enishi was on his side and cared. He even was able to admit that Tsuna's fight was unfair in a form of a honorable fight. But still, he won. Zeo had to make peace or deal with it in some form.

Putting it out of his mind, or trying to, the vision of that strange animal was on his mind, but when Enishi looked in the spot-- nothing was there. Zeo looked again. He could still see the silhouette of the creature, but as he blinked and rubbed his eyes, the vision was gone. Perhaps Zachary was working too hard... but his eyes did see things others couldn't. It wasn't mere chakra he could see. If he could see 'souls' , what else could his eyes do?

Of course Enishi made light of it about seeing hot girls. He looked to Enishi with a dry look . "You and Master Yasha I feel would get along, Pervy sage..." Zeo commented as he waved his hand away and tried to relax. "Come on. Let's go home..."

The trip wasn't very long as they sprinted, body flickered and walked. However, as they did make their way toward the village... an odd fog had rolled in, blanketing the forest as they moved closer. The fog got thicker and thicker...and as the fog engulfed their forms, the mysterious shadowy beast that looked at them observed as they vanished...

***

The fog was thick as they reached the threshold of the village gate. Zachary was so tired, he couldn't really think right, as Enishi no doubt knew. It was quiet and peaceful for now and he was just grateful to not have any trouble. "I think you're right. I been working way too hard. I always have. " he said to Enishi as they reached the gate.

The silence and peace of the foggy town was indeed an easing feeling. They soon passed the gate, but soon Zachary noticed something. No sound, not even that of birds or insects. Even for winter, it was still oddly quiet. He first just brushed it off, too tired to register it. However, they soon entered the village and its buildings...

That was when things got strange.

They were there for about a minute, a block in, and looked to find the streets empty, and no lights on despite the foggy town. The calm ease Zachary was having soon turned into a rigid chill as he mentally snapped himself out of his stupor, feeling a sense of alarm. "Wait a minute. Something's wrong here..." he said. By now Enishi would of felt it too.

There were no one around, not even guards or shinobi on patrol. No citizens, not even a stray cat or dog. The street was empty, and not a single light was in the buildings around them. More and more, red lights were showing up in Zachary's mind, telling him something was very wrong. "Where is everyone? There is no people, no guards at the gate," Zachary said as he turned back to the inside of the gate they passed through. " There is no one around... No one. "

Now concerned, Zachary quickly blinked-- and the black gaze of his Uchugan ignighted in his eyes. He looked through the whispy mist and through the buildings, to find any trace of chakra-- the souls of the people who once populated this city. But all he saw was emptiness. A lack of presnece. Any presence around them in this foggy town. He quickly blinked, retracting his Uchugan. Now he was even more concerned. "T-They're gone! All of them! Not a bit of their chakra or soul. The entire village is just empty. What the hell?" Zachary said to Enishi, wondering when and how this happened.

The more they looked-- the odder it would be. No battle broke out, no signs of a fight or struggle. No animals were there either. The creepy mist just obscured much of the town and left them even more crept out with questions. Something bad happened-- to them or the village!

WC: 760
TWC: 2504

The Sage of Pleiades internally grimaced when Zeo made a passing comment about his perverted remark, comparing him to Yasha Okami and giving him a new moniker of "Pervy Sage." Enishi couldn't help but see the man in a negative light; while he did have to "respect" his strength due to his efforts of being Zeo's master and likewise being Enishi's senior in the Nova Corps, the feeling of respect would end there. The Understudy couldn't respect the man's personality. He would always dodge questions, act secretively, and not to mention - he was one of the biggest perverts in the village. It ground his gears when he had to remember that Yasha and Lady Shina - a woman that he genuinely respected as Ayato's right-hand man - were in a secret, nigh adulterous relationship. Well, there wasn't much Enishi could change about it considering that Yasha lived up to his surname. Okami was the literary term for "Wolf" after all. Nevertheless, he simply sighed when the Kamigawa derisively remarked on his comment, deciding to head back home without much verbal resistance. However, as they strode, I can feel something... the natural energy around us feels strange. 

Only adding to his suspicions was an odd fog proliferating their sight and the forest. The deeper they entered Hoshigakure, the prompter the mist began to set in. It was to the point that the ability to see was nearly obfuscated. The placid ease the Wraith bore soon turned into a rigid chill as he mentally snapped himself out of his stupor, feeling a sense of alarm. Hoshigakure no Sato...was completely empty. Shinobi? Gone. Citizens? Gone. Animals? Without a trace. Enishi had seen atrocities before, murders, genocides, and even lynchings. He's seen death, many times. However, not once had he seen a completely empty village, devoid of life.

And the fact that it was Hoshigakure, the very village he pledged to protect within an inch of his life...

Don't you understand Enishi Kurosawa...


Because of your sin, people die.

"It's not my...fault." He muttered. For most people, it would undoubtedly sound like some indistinct rambling, but for a trained ear, it was a plead...a plead of guilt. As Zeo spoke, the Wraith would snap himself out of his sudden stupor, trying his best to at least focus on what was important rather than what hurt emotionally. The mist ensnared them both as if they were test subjects in a cage, the sky shifting to a pitch black that was veiled over the impenetrable mist. The Kamigawa was panicking, but Enishi... He was calm, eerily so. "Before we can jump to conclusions, we must try as many methods as we can to erase the mist. We can try a tandem Genjutsu Release first, and if that doesn't work - meaning that the mist is actually real and not an illusion, we can try to physically disperse it. You have Wind Release, right? I have a few things that can help me disperse the mist as well, let's focus and work together." The Wraith revealed his analytical nature, one of the reasons why he was indeed a member of the Nova Corps. He was frightened, yes, but a second being scared was a second wasted.

WC: 541
TWC: 4121