Underneath the Sleeping Sun

The young Arutemisu was as icy as the day Tenshi had first met him. His eyes were always watching, observing and learning about whomever he set them upon. Tenshi could tell that he was being judged and rated by the mysterious boy, the iciness was not necessarily hostile. He could see how it would make others uncomfortable if they did not have the nerve to deal with somebody like him. They barely knew each other, but Tenshi already felt comfortable around Arutemisu. Maybe it was the odd jabs at each other followed by the more light hearted comments that made them seem familiar. He chuckled along with Aru at his words.

“Well what can I say? Arutemisu is a long name and I like to cut to the chase. Although I do not know if sugarplum would fit, maybe sourpuss?” He sighed and scratched his head in a slight embarrassment. “To be totally honest with you, I think leadership is actually punishing Himari and I. It is an important job for the safety of the village of course, but leadership is not too happy with us and our past rule… violations. Let me just say that we have learnt our lesson about leaving the village without permission…”

Laughing heartily, Tenshi looked around at the unyielding droplets of rain surrounding them. It truly was always wet these days, it made getting around a nightmare. But he did agree with Aru about the peacefulness of it all. It was not very often that a Shinobi had the privilege of relaxing in their own thoughts with the white noise of rain.

“I think so too. The rain can be sad. Cold. Depressing and usually accompanied by bad news. But it also allows one to think about the things that matter in life. Besides, how could we truly appreciate the warmth of the sun without first enduring the rain that comes before it?” Tenshi chuckled at the corniness of his words, but they had been true to his feelings.

Before he could go on, a familiar voice called out behind him. The energetic Himari was approaching the two of them with her usual joyful attitude. Tenshi grinned and waved at the young Hyuuga, “Hey Himari! It’s been a while since the last time we were on a mission together!” He cringed slightly as he remembered what the two of them had to deal with after being caught breaking the rules…

He waited for Aru to introduce himself first before chiming in, “So it looks like we have double duty today. Patrolling AND babysitting the new Genin, just out luck hey?” He gave a cheesy grin before walking alongside Aru as their patrol began. He had noticed the young boy giving Himari the same stare that he often received himself. Tenshi could already tell that he was sizing her up and coming to conclusions about her personality and ability.

It occurred to him that it was odd that he and Himari were partnered up with Aru. Usually it would have made more sense for them to be on this job with Okisho, the third member of Team 212, but perhaps he was unavailable for some reason. No matter, it was only patrol duty so the three of them would be fine regardless.

Tenshi was quite surprised by Aru’s comment. Happiness did not seem to be his thing, striking the Uchiha as the more broody and angsty type. But his words rang true once more, and Tenshi could not help but smile a bit as he looked around. “Oh indeed, Konoha has truly taken a turn for the better in recent times. It truly makes one feel grateful for what we have in the village.”

His expression changed to being a little more serious. “One day, when I become the Hokage, I hope to push our village to the next level of prosperity. Tenshi kept a straight face as he spoke, he had no shame when speaking about his goals and convictions. He would be Hokage one day, this was fact to him. Our people feel safe and secure, which is extremely important, but there is still much work to be done. Those of us from the major clans have it quite easy in comparison to many villagers. The poor living in the slums for example receive no love, their lives are difficult each and every single day, and yet nothing is done to help them. We see happiness around us because we are in a happy area. You will notice soon enough that it is still not enough…”

He realised he was rambling on a bit so decided to cut himself short. With a smile he looked at Himari, “Yes well, Himari and I are in the same three person squad with another Genin, Okisho. We have had a couple of missions together so it was easy for us to click. You will find that she is usually the brightest of us! Sadly I do not get much free time anymore, I waste my days training and trying to improve myself. Hmm, maybe I should start growing a garden, the weather is perfect for it at the moment!”

All seemed calm around the headquarters so Tenshi spoke up, “This area is fine, shall we head to the outskirts next?”

---

WC: 884
TWC: 1,481

Himari jubilantly bobs her head. "Nice to meet ya, Aruta… eh, Arutiramisu, no wait—" Pausing, she briefly whispers to herself each syllable to herself contemplatively before continuing. "It's nice to ya, Arutemisu! I hope I didn't mean to offend you, it's not a common name I hear from anywhere." Although the piercing gaze, one could argue, may say otherwise and it does puzzle her a little. Was there something on her face? She's certain she got all that morning whatchamacallit. She subconsciously runs one hand from her left cheekbone across to her right. Nothing. Maybe Arutemisu just liked studying people's facial features, but then again… that'd be a little strange, hm.

Whatever the case, she returns the studious eyes with a curious pair of her own. His right eye's shaded in an amber color and his left a cornflower blue, a pretty rare set of orbs to be born with. Although, the surname may hint toward it being a uniqueness respective to his clan, but that's anyone's guess, something Himari may inquire about later if the chance presents itself. Nevertheless, she turns her head, listens to what Tenshi has to say, and giggles when he mentions "babysitting".

"The both of you sound like you get along, I'm almost a little jealous of the friends you meet, Tenshi, you should introduce some of them to me, sometime." And speaking of friends, it suddenly occurs to her that there's a continuous theme of Okisho missing from the usual Team 212 retinue. It'd be great if the three of them could go on a mission or two. One day, perhaps, in the near future, preferably.

Listening to new companions beckoning, Himari bobs her head and strides by his left-hand side. Guess he isn't a man of many words, but that suits her just fine. Silence, in its own right, is both a form of communication and a realm for contemplation. For Himari, this wasn't the kind where one would sit and philosophize the meaning of one's existence or the inner workings of the world. If anything, it means to her the admiration for merely existing in the first place. From listening to the raindrops shito-shito and seeing the lively commotion of the village folk traipsing by, to the cooling sensation hitting her skin and the of… Well, it exists, and bathing in what information her senses give her intuit an appreciation for life itself.

Even listening to Tenshi deliver his monologue magnifies the experience, nodding in earnest periodically between pauses in his sentences. Albeit, apart from when he compliments her intellect in passing, her face flushes, and waves her hands to and fro apologetically.

"O-Oh, no, I'm not THAT smart, you're just saying that." She parries. "I just like to pitch ideas every now and again if it helps my friends succeed in life; it's not that big of a deal, and besides, Tenshi's really good at leading and coordinating."

And when it became her turn to speak she gestures with her hands relatively to how one would list a series of items one after the other. "Well," She starts. "Much like Tenshi, I do enjoy training, usually in the morning. But, I also like to help others when I can, you might spy me running laps around the village sometimes doing some type of errand or mission. Keeps my mind focused on experimenting with how I can approach things differently in life. And if time affords, I typically like to help my mother tend to her garden nearby the outskirts of the village. We've got a handful of tulips, orchids, lavenders, and hollyhock flowers. It's not much, but it'd be nice to add a little life on the road than the same old earth and grass, y'know? Speaking of which, I could help with growing a garden with you, Tenshi! We're fortunate that the climate here's near consistent all year round."

"Oh! And I recently picked up on doing origami, too! It's super fun, you'd think there'd only be so many folds and ways to shape just a piece of paper. Once, I tried making a paper crane for the first time and it came out looking a little goofy but it felt like I was sculpting a real work of art with my own two hands!" She looks to Arutemisu. "I could make one for you if you'd like, a token of goodwill! And I could make another for you, too, Tenshi! That's about all the things I do in my free time. How about you?"

By the time she mentions her squadmate's name, they'd already arrived at the headquarters. How time flies when discussing fervently the things that bring them joy, it'd nearly consumed her before she realizes they were out on patrol around the place. Well, not that anything, in particular, caught her eye. Even while she was delivering her speech, her head would perk up and her eyes periodically scan their immediate surroundings. So far, they'd only traversed through probably the most temperate parts of the Hidden Leaf, although that likely won't be long as they delve deeper into the more dilapidated sections of the village's macrocosm.

"So far, so good!" She says, arms akimbo. "Didn't notice anything odd or suspect. Catch a whiff of trouble anywhere, Arutemisu?"

WC: 880
TWC: 1,418


Passively accumulating 2 Heavenly Body Stacks (4/10)

“I’m pretty sure that it is common knowledge that a shinobi cannot leave the village unless authorized,” Arutemisu said as he just blankly stared at Tenshi before shaking his head. What an idiotic move on their part. No wonder he was sent on a mission with the two troublemakers. He had to show them how to follow the rules and get it done. “But I guess you’ve learned your lesson? Right, Sourpuss,” Arutemisu chuckled as they continued to wait.

Following their portion on rain talk, he was met with Himari the Hyuuga, and introductions preceded just how he thought they would go. “Do not worry, Himari, I do not get easily offended…especially by morons,” Arutemisu said, adding emphasis on her name before rolling his eyes as Tenshi continued to comment on how they were babysitting him. As if they are babysitting anything. They were the ones who broke the rules, they cannot follow directions, and the girl can’t even get a name right. It seems he was the one being punished by being part of this motley crew.

However, as the conversation took a turn towards the current state of Konohagakure, Tenshi’s words brought back subdued memories of the tragic event that led him here.


The shadows of the inner compound of Fureno gave way to a pale, near blinding white light that showed a pristine, white marble upon the floor, carved into towering, Japanese pillars, lined with gold leafing in cathedral-like details. Despite their desperation, the child took in the beauty of it and the sense of hope that filled them as they saw the white stairs and the large, dark doorway that would lead them to the outside world. Two-toned eyes, belonging to the 12-year-old named Arutemisu, looked around, taking it in momentarily alongside his sister and others. At the same time, his sister stood next to him, staring into the open mouth of the door. It was as they walked into the light that a chuckle met them.


"Hahaha…hello, little lambs." The voice sent a creeping chill up the spines of all the slayers; because it was the voice of the slayer who had aided and now is tormenting them all: the master of this compound, Azrael, a demon. The group closed in as the clack of the man's black boots echoed across the chamber. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd show up," he stated as he placed a hand upon his hip, a coy smirk appearing upon his lips as the slayers closed in together again. Arutemisu felt a sense of fear and unease curl up within the pit of his stomach while the black-haired, emerald-eyed prisoner named Seiichi stood beside him with two of the other prisoners on the other side of him.


One was a chocolate-brown-hair and mocha eyes named Akane, and she tried to ease their tension. Arutemisu felt one of them moving behind him.


'This isn't good…' the thought traced across Arutemisu’s mind as he kept his eyes upon the demon before them, his entire body tensing as he did.


"Awh! Just look at those faces. You know, I love the expressions humans make when all their hopes have been dashed…." He smiled knowingly as Arutemisu felt his body start to shake. "It's so intoxicating that I can't seem to stop playing this game," Azrael said in a slightly jovial tone. Akane felt her breath catch in her throat while Arutemisu looked at the priest.


"What game? Ahh!" Arutemisu pulled his sword up, panic lacing through him as reality crashed down. The sound of wind and rustling fabric brushed past them, knocking Seiichi to the ground while the sword was blown from Arutemisu’s hand. The sound of a yelp and a snap was heard, forcing the group of ‘blood banks’ to turn in terror as they saw the Kyuketsuki crouched ever-so-slightly over the tiny form of one of the youngest members: Emiko. A few drops of sharp-red blood dropped upon the snowy marble, staining it as Azrael removed his fangs from the girl's throat.


"What a pity….died so quickly," he said as he dropped her body to the ground in a lifeless heap. Unrelenting horror swelled within everybody as a portion of Arutemisu’s mind started to shut down as the instinct to run began to take over. "No! No! No! Emiko, she… .can't be dead! No, this isn't how it's supposed to be! No!" Arutemisu's fears started to overcome him, the sense of helplessness beginning to cause his convictions to get his comrades out of the compound to waver. "DAMN YOU!" The sound of his sister's voice caught his attention, causing Azrael to turn as his sister picked up the sword that he had dropped and started swinging at the master: missing Azrael swing-for-swing, he only laughed as shock appeared upon his sister.


"Well, well. I believe that is my sword," Azrael said as he began to walk in an almost thoughtful manner. "Sneaking it past me took a cunning that few possess. I'm impressed, Arutemisu. I never expected to be this entertained; it makes me hungry for more," he stated while he continued to walk. Arutemisu kept his gaze upon the monster before them, fear and anger causing his small frame to shake while his sister did his best to reign in his fear.


Arutemisu would break down and cry from the memory that occupied his mind, but he had no tears left to cry. He did not come from a happy home, he never did. He was abused ever since he could remember. Then he was sold and became a slave, living in a cage like an animal. The people from the slums had it better than he did. The Anbura would’ve taken living in the Slums over what he lived any day. As for Himari and Tenshi, he could tell he was miles away from them in closeness. Friendship wise and family relations. 

“Hm? A goofy paper crane? If it isn’t goofy, perhaps,” Arutemisu said as he continued staring ahead. “I like to spend time by myself, that is all,” he said as they continued scouting the surrounding area. 

As they entered the outskirts, he turned his Uchugan on. He could see chakra flow from all the people he passed and even those indoors. Streetlamps came on, giving the outskirts an almost eerie look to them. As he continued down the road, all seemed quiet now and nothing was going. Except the seeming silence was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream. The noise snapped Arutemisu out of his trance as his vision hastened around the area and then focused. That's when he saw a body lying in the back alleyway, chakra depleting from their body, something that Himari could see in a much finer detail.

Arutemisu rushed to the back alleyway and saw an already dead body of a man and then a woman with a stab wound to her stomach. Rushing into immediate action, Arutemisu saw her breathing was getting shallow. "Just hang in their ma'am," he said as performed the hand signs Ox - Boar - Rat - Monkey - Horse - Tiger then his body started to glow a bright red color as he placed his hands above her stab wound, sending chakra at an accelerated rate to heal her wound. Arutemisu then scanned the area and saw who must be the culprit jumping from roof to roof.

"I see who did this," he said as his head tilted up to the sky watching the person get further and further. "You guy's need to track them down, and once I get her healed and to safety, I will join up with you," Arutemisu said.

TWC: 2,545

Tenshi chuckled at Himari’s words, it was odd for someone to say that he and Aru got along. The banter seemed more like the two of them finding ways to bully each other, but it was true that some people looked at that as a sign of friendship. “Us, friends? Oh I think Aru would refer to us as besties!” He laughed heartily, knowing this would likely annoy the younger Genin.

Tenshi got serious for a moment after Aru criticised them about leaving the village. ”Arutemisu. I understand the importance of following the rules in this village. They were put in place for a reason, to protect the villagers of the Leaf. But sometimes we need to look beyond the rules, to help our village however we can. Yes we violated the rules and left without permission, but had we not, vital information that could save the lives of many would never have been discovered. If it meant I take a beating for this, then I can happily say that it was worth it.”

Tenshi’s face was steadfast as he spoke. He aspired to become the Hokage one day, and to do so he knew that the laws of the land were vital. But he also understood just how necessary it was for those rules to be overlooked at times. He continued, ”That being said, I have a theory that the biggest issue was not just two Genin leaving the safety of the walls. There are powerful people in this village who only truly care about our blood or eyes, not those of us who carry them…” He looked at Himari sadly, unsure if the young girl understood what he was implying here.

Tenshi grew up with this nagging feeling in his belly. This feeling that those with important bloodlines were treated differently to others. The Hyuuga seemed to be respected well enough, and treated so. ”I may sound crazy to the two of you, but I feel as if the Uchiha clan specifically are not respected by those powerful people. There is an obsession with strength in Konoha, yet most of the powerful Uchiha that I know do not seem willing to talk about what they do, nor the secrets that they hold. Why do they, of all the clans, have to be sworn to secrecy? To the village leaders, my people mean little more than a pair of interesting red eyes. It makes it hard to respect certain rules when this is the case…”

Tenshi shook his head quickly, he was getting sidetracked and revealing far too much of his feelings. He had been struggling to come to terms with the treatment of his people recently, it was a difficult notion to accept.

As Tenshi spoke of the state of the village, he noticed Aru acting quite odd. The boy appeared to be dissociating entirely, ”Umm, sourpuss? Are you alright?” Suddenly, he appeared to snap back to reality. ”Aru, is everything alright with you?” Although the boy got on his nerves, Tenshi could not help but show some concern for him.

Noticing their approach at the outskirts, Tenshi subconsciously activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan out of habit. Looking to his side, he noticed that Aru had activated his mysterious eyes as well. He would need to ask him about how they worked at some point in the future, he was always intrigued by the powers of Dojutsu. This would have to wait as a scream rang out nearby. Quickly running alongside the Anbura, they came around the corner to witness the unsettling display. Thanks to his enhanced vision with the Sharingan, Tenshi noticed the mysterious figure jumping on the rooftops fairly quickly.

As Aru was rushing to the injured woman, Tenshi placed his palm to the ground, SUMMONING JUTSU! Rellgar emerged just behind them, right outside the alleyway so that his six meter long wingspan had space to stretch out. Not waiting for anyone, he hopped onto the vibrant red dragon. “Quickly Rellgar, into the sky! There is a killer jumping on the rooftops!”

With a loud roar, the dragon burst up into the air at incredible speed. Tenshi felt the rain and wind rushing against his face, but kept his eyes open, following the movement of the killer. The mysterious figure was facing forward as they ran from the scene of the crime. They had not yet spotted Tenshi and Rellgar, but the Uchiha had assumed that they would have heard the terrifying roar. This would explain the killer’s increasingly erratic movement.

Rellgar dashed forward, staying no more than five meters away from the rooftops. Thankfully, the buildings were all of similar height in the outskirts, making it easier for the dragon to maintain speed and altitude. ”Rell, cut them off from the front, force them to turn around to me!” The assailant was running in a straight line now, the only building they could jump to next was directly ahead of them. Right before Rellgar reach them, Tenshi hopped off mid flight, landing and rolling on the rooftop just several meters behind the person.

The mysterious assailant, stopped and gasped, Tenshi heard a woman’s voice come from them as they bore witness to the mighty red dragon landing in front of them. “What the hell!” Right according to plan, she turned around instinctively to flee, placing her directly in Tenshi’s line of sight. The moment they made eye contact, Tenshi cast his Sharingan Genjutsu, freezing her in place. She would feel a complete loss of mobility, as if her entire body was made of iron, stuck to the spot.

She was wearing all black, whatever clothes she may have had on were covered by a long robe, the hood up to cover most of her face above the eyebrows. Her nose and mouth were covered by a pitch black face mask. Unfortunately for her, the only exposed part of her body was the eyes, and that was all Tenshi needed.

He called out to those behind him, ”I have got her!” He maintained the Genjutsu as he awaited the arrival of his fellow Shinobi.

---

WC: 1,018
TWC: 2,499

OOC: Dimensions for from Matsuba's otherwise Earth-Style Wall is currently view restricted. Please pardon any ambiguity related to it.
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It confuses Himari a little the odd necessity to add emphasis to each syllable of her name from start to finish, but she pays it no mind. Or least, pushes the thought at the back of the queue of a couple other number of thoughts that linger in her head.

"I'll do my best to make one that isn't, promise!"

Nevertheless, her attention is brought back to Tenshi's subsequent response, to which she smiles before she then listens to his monologue regarding the information they've gathered from a previous covert mission and the unspeakable beatdown that proceeded as a result of their disobedience, for a lack of a better term. Still, it bothers her a little that she failed to mention whether the Hokage approved of the task, but that's neither here nor there. What's done is done.

Then, he goes on into the state of inequity between the haves and have-nots of Dōjutsu. The gravity of the dialogue isn't completely lost to her, she understood well that there are those who sought to obtain power granted by the Kami, two of which were bestowed to one of the two most influential families in the village. It would explain why her mother, for all the trials and tribulations she trudges through being both a single parent and ancestor to a descendant of the Byakugan, stresses the importance of understanding the significance and awakening her dōjutsu's prowess and capabilities. It holds a palpable sway in the shinobi world, if the historic removal of the curse seals that once were put in place on young Hyuuga's upon their birth to prevent outsiders from stealing them.

However, the depth as to how far one would go to simply acquire them, perhaps as part of a personal endeavor, a collection for sale through unsavory means, or to gather the wherewithal for whatever reason else, is beyond the scope of her knowledge. So, when Tenshi solemnly shares a knowing glance with Himari, initially she doesn't react until a couple of seconds after, when the neurons fire, which he alludes to. When he delves a little more into the current state of affairs within the Uchiha clan, it piques her interest. They've always been an elusive clan, not knowing anything else besides what's already public knowledge. But when one considers that their specialty lies in Genjutsu, it wouldn't be too hard to consider a couple of reasons why they hold some secrets they would prefer to keep to themselves other than those in-the-know.

Genjutsu, by its nature, manipulates the five senses and relinquishes one's own perception of reality to the performer of the technique. If the Sharingan's capable of more than simple illusions that what one could find within the respective practice, she thinks, then, perhaps it's for the best that such knowledge is held in the capable hands of those who are more than apt to protect those selfsame secrets.

"Well," Himari intercedes. "Maybe it's for the best for only a few to know? I don't know a whole lot about the Sharingan's abilities, but I know Genjutsu is a pretty powerful tool. Maybe they know something that the Sharingan that, if in the wrong hands, it could cause a lot of trouble for a lot of people, y'know?"

By the time he voices his concerns to Aru, her attention's then drawn to the young boy. He appears to be lost in his own thoughts by the time they "conclude" their patrol toward the end at the outskirts until a deep, celestial twinkle wafts and shines in his eyes. He looked focused. Was something afoot? Had he picked up on something that happened without her nor Tenshi noticed? When her eyes then dart toward Tenshi, who also took note of the behavior, with his own illusory eyes as they scan about the area until a guttural cry echoes.

Not good. She thinks.

It's a gruesome scene, with the killer at the scene moments before they depart from it. Upon hearing Arutemisu's instructions, she nods but doesn't immediately follow Tenshi's lead right after. Instead, she rushes over to the wounded woman and swiftly sifts through her ninja pouch, and unfurls a scroll.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of off-white smoke envelopes her person before it disperses shortly after, revealing a 15cm high and 30cm long slug that's predominantly white in color with three blue streaks that run vertically down the middle and side of its body from its head and taper off at its tail. Her optical tentacles have a slight tint of grey to them and it also has two sensory tentacles on either side of its mouth. The slug lands beside her companion and the wounded woman and cranes her body to face her summoner.

"Katsuki, please provide any additional medical assistance you can to my friend until we apprehend the criminal, okay?"

"At your behest, my lady."

"Thank you." Himari then shortly after joins Tenshi and, by then, Rellgar's pursuit of the culprit responsible for the ordeal.

Katsuki, on the other hand, lazily slithers toward the wounded woman, leaving a translucent mucus trail in her wake before stopping shortly where the wound is. Seeing that Arutemisu's gotten control of the healing, the slug kneads her chakra and channels it forth upon physical contact, whatever excruciating pain the woman feels in the moment is reduced to a numbing sensation. Thereafter, she maintains the anesthesia until further notice from her unbeknownst ally.

As for the other two Genin, Himari's, relative to Tenshi and his summon's position, 20 meters away and 25 from the perpetrator. Albeit, thanks to her already incredible speed and reflexes, that gap gradually shortens over time until Tenshi hollers his next command to cut them off through a Pincer maneuver. Himari, at the time now being 2 meters away from the duo, remains at his rear until the two of them successfully cut. Afterward, the assailant turns over and is put under Tenshi's spell until Himari gets a decent look at who they're dealing with. Shrouded in black robes with a pitch-black mask that covers everything except the eyes. It seemed like everything went well until now, but Himari couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Standing 20 meters away from the quartet and their immediate attention, another shadowy figure emerges, possibly having heard the commotion prior. Donning the same hooded clothes and mask, one of his hands disappears behind him and he makes his move. Leaping on top of one of the rooftops, he then leaps into the air, closes the gap, and leaps again into the air, now 15 meters, revealing his hidden hand to throw a kunai toward Tenshi with an object attached at the end of it with a wire toward. The whistle from the kunai and the sudden change in scenery from her peripheral immediately alerts Himari of additional company and springs into action. Pirouetting around Tenshi, she sifts through her ninja pouch again and, at her speed, throws a single senbon toward the blurred weapon.

They collide in midair at 5 meters away from the duo's position and disrupt each other's trajectory. But shortly after—POOF!—a three meter radius-sized puff of smoke fills the air. Himar, wasting no time given to her, unfurls another scroll from her pocket as another puff of off-white smoke envelopes her person as a salamander with a plain, opaque mud-brown color with beady black eyes, nubby spikes on his back, and a tail that stretches to a meter in length appears. Underneath his body, the color changes to a lighter tone of the aforementioned color. The lizard whips its tongue out and around to slap the side of its head with a disgruntled grunt.

"Matsuba, give me a hand, please!" She bellows, "Protect them both!"

"Mmhm."

Training her eyes on the last known location of the accomplice along a vertical axis until three, whirling shurikens rip through the smoke in front of her at nine, twelve, and three o'clock respectively. Releasing a palm thrust with either arm at her speed, a softly blurred space—2 meters in diameter and 4 meters in length—to the naked eye but is entirely visible with chakra vision, rushes forth, interrupts the incoming weaponry, and parts the smoke that otherwise clouded her vision of her opponent. Then suddenly after the smoke disperses, a flash of white, blue, and yellow darts toward her.

The salamander, who's been kneading chakra toward its footsies, slams them down on the rooftop they stand on. Shortly after, a muddy-to-solid earthen wall erupts, at jutsu speed, in front of them as a thunderous crackle rings, echoes throughout the district and blows off a sizeable portion of the earth wall Matsuba created. Himari kneels and jumps up to 20 meters into the air and gestures with her hands leveled with her hips, as five, 12cm softly blurred spaces—visible to the naked eye and with chakra vision— appear behind her and immediately fires them at the hooded figure. The figure, due to the obscurity of the current weather conditions, barely manages to dodge the first three before succumbing to the last two projectiles that knock him flat on his ass.

"Gotcha!"

Himari lands on top of the earth-style wall and jump-tackles the hooded man, tumbling forward as a result before she quickly shifts her weight to sit on his back and pin him with his hands locked behind his back with her own.

"She has friends, Tenshi! Be careful!" She yells.


WC: 1,583
TWC: 3,001


Passively accumulating 2 Heavenly Body Stacks (6/10)

There is a compound that lies in the countryside. So old that no one quite knows who the earliest of its masters might have been. It sits vacant and abandoned to the eyes of any wayfarer who might pass by. Its grand halls are empty, its roofs broken, its walls worn. All traces of its former glory and grandeur are gone with the seasons. It's only visitor for ages, a solitary stranger who walks its grounds at night.

Zarina comes because this place is a curiosity. She comes to ponder the stories that built these grounds and its scores of rooms. She comes in search of the ghosts who might reveal their tales to him. Because she is a being that likes stories, who is enamored with ghosts, and the idea of a good ghost story is simply far too delicious to forego.

But night after night, she comes, wanders through these grounds, finds nothing and nothing. It’s as she suspects—ghost stories are always more stories than they are ghosts. It’s a bit of a disappointment, she must admit, but—oh, what else could there be to uncover here? It’s like a guessing game. A puzzle. An expedition. A good book. It’s a bit funny, she thinks, because she’s found that humanity isn't nearly as interesting as the traces that their lives leave behind. The things they’ve created that far outlive their paltry mortal existences. The inanimate records that prove they’d once walked these grounds as she does now. There’s a mystery behind these things since they don’t speak. They don’t tell her a thing, leaving it all upon her fantasies and imaginings to illuminate and interpret.

"You have become nothing more than folklore," an ushered whisper fell on deaf ears.

"BEEP…BEEP..!!" The ring from her communications gauntlet alerted the highly attuned ears of Zarina. Opening the request, it seems it was time for another mission that will utilize her abilities once again. Immediately closing the request, she hurriedly went to her new destination.

“All finished. Would you mind keeping her company, Lady Katsuki? I’ve sent a message and the guards are coming to help get her to a facility. I need to get going,” Arutemisu said as he offered a smile to the slug as he stood up, dusting off his hands. He needs to be sure that the others aren’t in dire need of help. The person's spirit that he saw seemed incredibly dark and no telling what they would do to them. “Thank you for the assistance.” With a final nod, he took off to the rooftops after his comrades.

Catching up, the celestial-eyed genin watched as Himari slammed the man into the ground and restrained him while Tenshi appeared to cripple another individual. Arutemisu smiled triumphantly as it seemed that Himari had apprehended the man; however, soon horror came to his eyes as he realized they were now in the slums, the sky was dark gray with no sun, no moon to give a little light. The storm began to pick up. In the slums, he wondered how people ended up here. Actually, he wondered why Konoha had slums anyway, they should burn down the slums and rebuild houses that are actually stable. On the contrary, they probably could not since all the criminal activity that goes on around.

The Anbura was snapped out of his thoughts by six chakra signatures coming out of houses and alleyways. Arutemisu pinpointed each one of them and saw they had weapons. A gang is the first thing that crossed Arutemisu's mind, as they started to approach Tenshi. He assumed that they had not noticed him, so he had the upper hand, but should he warn Tenshi and reveal his location to everyone. With the non-existent lighting from the streetlamps, he was sure it would be hard to see for those men. Performing the set of hand seals, he used his genjutsu messenger to notify the direction of the men coming from to both Himari and Tenshi.

By now the rain was coming down in thick torrents, invisible against the black of night and heavy. Every once in a while, a flash of white lightning would split the air and draw shapes into form, intelligible only by the brief, dazzling outlines reflected by the water. For those slight instances, the landscape was bright, and inexplicably beautiful. Splashed in iridescence, the shattered rock and splintered wood had not looked so alive in years.

Zarina wasn't used to rain like this. Further north it came slowly, with clouds that drifted languidly between horizons for days spilling cool drizzle, sometimes warm showers. But here, somewhere near the slums of the Konoha, she assumed the storm had come suddenly with little warning. In a matter of moments, the gentle forestry seemed to sway with each gust of wind across the tops, pulling old birds from their rest. She had even considered taking shelter. But with the storm at its peak Zarina found herself beneath the corroding marble of an old statue. In her haste she hadn't been able to identify the figure, save that it was barely enough to keep the rain from her. Her hair was soaked, sticking to her neck and sides of her head. Worse was the clothes she wore stuck tightly to the shape of her body. Every once in a while, the wind picked up enough to throw droplets into her face; she would tilt her head back, letting them slide through her hair, over the bridge of her nose and down her throat.

A mere two minutes had passed since she arrived at the outskirts, and yet Zarina found the cold, restless pit creeping into her stomach once more. She received word via a communications gauntlet that civilians and shinobi were being attacked by a group of criminals. She needs to get there as soon as possible. Thunder echoed overhead, and Zarina lifted her head slightly, shaking it so the rain slapped against her cheeks and neck. It didn't help her feel any dryer. She activated her Byakugan to see through the rain and into the distance; Zarina gasped quietly as the once mediocre part of the village was bathed in reflections of bright fire. She couldn't help but imagine if that was what the world looked like as it died from the erupting volcano, glistening like a burning jewel against the night.

A moment later the Hyūga reclaimed her senses; the light died, leaving them in the gray and blues, and she could clearly detect a foul odor on the wind. That had been some explosion just now, and it was close. A little surprised that she'd not been able to sense the approach of a battle sooner, Zarina pushed wearily to her feet.

As soon as Zarina stepped out fully from under the shelter of bronze she was soaked through all over again. The first few steps brought her to a deep puddle that splashed cold water up unpleasantly against her legs. Her ears caught on the clanging resonation of steel—blades meeting. Scowling slightly, she trudged through the miniature rivers that had formed around her unintended pedestal, toward the origin of the explosion. Not only that but screams could be heard.  

As she ran, it seemed like eternity to get there. Seconds seemed like hours. On the plus side, the rain finally stopped but the clouds still lingered overhead. She was close. She could see people fighting, houses burning, kids trying to flee. Who could do such a monstrous thing?

“Try to get people to safety, I will handle whoever is doing this,” Zarina commanded a guard that she landed by as she approached the burning district. Well, the slums aren't burning any more thanks to the rain, but it still had substantial damage done to it. The town's guards are doing poorly as they fought against the unnamed assailant.

Taking to the rooftops, she shifted into her Hyūga stance, hoping the guard would help people get away from the area.

“STOP!” Zarina yelled, announcing her presence to the two guards and the man.

“You two, go help the people. His fight is with me now.”

Zarina’s usual monotone expression is now of a darker tone. The brunette watched as the two guards almost eagerly jumped down and started helping the townspeople while the figure turned their attention to Zarina. Dressed up in all black clothing, the man had black eyes along with spiky black hair.

“You think you can take me, Hyūga, let’s see you try,” the man smirked as his eyes flickered red. Three tomoe’s formed in his oculus. He was an Uchiha. Zarina has fought a few Uchiha before., therefore, she was aware of their power and how destructive they could be. This is the prime example. With Zarina caught up in her thoughts, the man performed a few hand signs then put his fingers in an O shape to his mouth. Flames in the shape of a giant ball shot out towards Zarina.

In a matter of minutes, the storm was at full force. And now? Sprinkling with little light breaking through. He could tell it was almost afterdark from how the light looked. Arutemisu was running through the slums near the entrance of the forest when he heard a scream, immediately turning and heading that way looking for the source of the scream hoping he wasn't too late, he had already seen three corpses, two of them were cut in half, the third was child, no older than three years of age being picked apart by a pack of stray dogs. Arutemisu was following a man…an Uchiha with extreme power who used his men as distractions and almost killed everybody in the area. Arutemisu isn't sure where Himari or Tenshi went after the confrontation, but he felt they were okay.

He arrived to see the lavender haori boy that she saw before clinging to a tree branch several meters from the ground. "I'm gonna die!" He wailed. Arutemisu looked around not seeing any threats or sensing any and swiftly climbed the tree until he was on a branch next to his and reached out to touch her arm. "Are you ok?" He asked.

The boy looked at him, he noted his eyes were the color of amber and he had bushy brows and a rounded face. He looked cute in his opinion, kind of like a dandelion.

"Are you an angel?" He asked with tears in his eyes and snot dripping from his nose.

"No, I'm Arutemisu." He said with a smile "What's your name?"

"Kahen," he said with a sniffle.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"I am now that you're here," he said with a silly smile on his face.

Arutemisu wondered if he was feeling sick and put a hand to his forehead. He didn't feel warm to him. Maybe he was hungry, so he pulled out some berries he had been carrying and handed them to him. "Here," Arutemisu said as if they weren’t in the middle of a small-scale war.

Kahen started to tear up again. "You are an angel sent to save me from this hell," he said, accepting the berries beginning to eat.

"I'm confused, aren’t you a shinobi? Aren’t you supposed to be helping?" Arutemisu asked.

"Yes, NO! I WAS FORCED TO BE HERE!" He said screaming the last part.

"Kahen, if you keep screaming like that, you're going to lead more of those men here." Arutemisu said, and he whimpered.

"Why me, I can hear them destroying the place, and the voices disappearing!" He said hands over his ears. "It's torturous, I tell you, torturous!" He exclaimed.

"Voices?" Arutemisu asked.

Kahen seemed to flush, realizing what he said and looked away saying. "I have really good hearing; I can hear things from pretty far away." Kahen said.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Artemis exclaimed.

"...you're not going to say it's freaky?" Kahen asked.

"Why would I? Hoshi, an Inuzuka I know, has an amazing sense of scent, and I have exceptional eyesight." Arutemisu said. "I know it can come pretty useful." He said with a smile.

"Oh, that smile strikes my heart!" Kahen said dramatically, and Arutemisu giggled, this guy was funny to listen to.

"Kahen, if you want, can aid me in securing this area and catching the criminals." Arutemisu said.

"...wait really?! Are you sure you want to partner with me?" Kahen said.

"Yeah, you seem like a really kind person, and with your sense of hearing it will be easier to detect the criminals.” Arutemisu said.

"Aru-kun!" He said and clung to his striped haori top, and he patted his head. He let him stay like that until he suddenly popped his head up with fear in his eyes. "Three people are coming!" He exclaimed.

"Which way?" Arutemisu asked.

He pointed and Arutemisu leaped down from the tree landing lightly before running the direction he was pointing. "Wait! Don't leave me!" He exclaimed and the scarred genin faintly heard him scramble down the tree.

Trusting Kahen to catch up, he leaped flipping over him breathing in, he activated his chakra scalpel, slashing at the man with a cross shaped slash, slicing it's back and cutting his tendons. Then landed on his feet crouching as the other ran towards him and he ran forward.

"Try this!" Dispelling his chakra scalpel, he felt his chakra speed up in his body as he charged forward at a high-speed incapacitating the man with a single punch thanks to his cherry blossom impact. He watched the man fly into a nearby tree, unconscious and closed his eyes.

He looked around for Kahen when he remembered something. "Wait, didn't he say three men?" He said when he heard a scream.

"Kahen!" He called out running towards the source and saw in the distance Kahen collapsed on the ground a man standing near him with unusual claws ready to strike.

"KAHEN!" Arutemisu tried to run as fast as he could but knew he wouldn't make it on time.

Suddenly, the demon struck but the black-haired boy wasn't there anymore. He was standing away from the man, his head ducked down, and his body relaxed, he suddenly drew back one foot, his right hand on his Katana. "Die." He said calmly and suddenly he was off in a blur.

One moment he was on one side of the clearing, the next a yellow streak zipped across, and the man’s head was chopped off and Kahen was on the other side of the clearing sheathing his sword. Suddenly he jerked up and looked around confused, only to see the dead man and looked at Arutemisu, eyes full of gratitude as he ran forward and hugged his legs. "ARU-KUN, THANK YOU I THO..." his words were abruptly stopped as his head was then removed from the rest of his body.

Blood sprayed everywhere, coating him and the ground in the crimson liquid. Arutemisu gasped in fear as he tried to back up, but Kahen's headless body was still wrapped around his legs making him tumble to the ground as the man ate part of Kahen's jaw, chewing the meaty flesh. What really disturbed him was the sound that came from it, it sounded squishy.

Scrambling on the ground, he untied Kahen's arms from around his legs, quickly getting up. He didn't even see this…this demon approached them, Kahen obviously didn't hear it as he was now decapitated. This man must've been another one that severely outclassed all the ones she fought before.

"Scared little ninja?"

The giant had a surprisingly skinny voice and Arutemisu would have laughed at the weirdness of the thin voice coming out of such a burly figure, if death itself wasn't trapped in his lungs, so all he could do was whimper with fright and stumble back. "Don't worry, I'll let you live, I’m just here for my meal," the demon laughed as he ripped Kahen's tongue out of his mouth and began to eat it.

“You-you are a-a K-Kyuketsuki,” Arutemisu stuttered.

“And an Uchiha, thanks for the meal. I should get going,” the individual said, jumping up onto the rooftops.

One man caused this much devastation and not a single person could stop him, could Zarina even? Well, she was about to try but first, she needed to do something about the giant ball of fiery death aimed directly at her. In a moment's haste, she brought up her sword and deflected the ball straight back at him. It would've hit him dead on but like a normal ninja, he dodged it to the right. Now, this Uchiha was heading towards her at full speed. The elder Hyūga adjusted her stance as the man came closer to him.

TWC: 5,345