Heaven at the Bottom

While You Read:

Mission:

Now that it had been among his last nights in Yugakure, Sakaiza was feeling conflicted. He was well aware that for him to leave this place, meant his sanity would drastically improved. But at the same time, it would mean that the state of Yugakure would snap back to its former state. Same as a rubber band, stretched to its limits to become something bigger than it was, before that force was removed and it popped back into place. It was a disheartening concept, as for a few fleeting moments it appeared as if this place was healing. Students were attending the academy, criminals were getting apprehended and discouraged, and a degree of order was beginning to present itself. As he sat in the confines of his room at the Inn, the table he bore his forearms would creak as he leaned into it; just as the severity of the situation began to weigh on himself. Upon the table was a bottle. It was composed of frosted yet clear glass, allowing for the golden Shōchū inside of it to be visible. There was somewhat of a pure aspect to the alcohol, as it sat still within the bottle half full. To Kai, it was akin to the citizen sitting within the walls of their village. Some with their cups half full, some with theirs half empty. And all it would take is something taking from it, or pouring into it to dictate its fate.

This thought along with other metaphors began to stir in his mind, as he'd lift the bottle once more to press against his lips. Taking a satisfactory swig, he'd return the bottle to its place on the table, adjacent to his resting mask. Rarely did he remove it, but in places where he was by his lonesome rarely did he have it on. It felt good to feel to cooling air from his open window brush against his skin and dance along the fibers of his bear. In his left hand he bore a series of crumpled up notes. It was potentially his last mission assignment here in Yugakure, and admittedly what sparked his fit of binge drinking tonight.

Apparently there had been a woman, a missing ninja, under the name of Nightingale who had begun to stir up trouble within Yugakure. It was reported that she recently stole the blade from a team of archeologists who excavated the blade from the bottom of the ocean. Since then, she had been running amuck and using the blade to accomplish her darkest ambitions. And although this alone wasn't enough to spark emotion in Sakaiza, the files that the authorities had on her was. Apparently she had been the same age as Kai, hailing from the same fallen village as him, with a name that he recognized all too well. The pair attended the Sunagakure academy together, developed a tight friendship, and even became love interests prior to the village's fall. But when its walls came crumbling down, Kai could not find this woman and assumed her to be dead. And so he fled, never to see her smile nor the pride of Sunagakure again.

The clank of the empty bottle rang in the room as it was again placed back upon the table. Rising to his feet, he'd grab ahold of his mask and situate it on his forehead. Of course, his armor and weaponry had already been equipped, which made his drunken sway out the room a little less chaotic. Indeed, he was inebriated but not enough so that his senses well dulled or his judgement was clouded. Just enough so that his feelings were numbed and he walked with less rigidity. Proceeding down the stairwell and out the front door of the Inn, nighttime's embrace would coldly hug him. The wind would wisp, carrying his attention up and into the evening sky. As his eyes fell upon the moon, he felt drawn to it almost as if it had been crying his name. Lowering his gaze back to the world in front of him, the Wretched would sigh...already understanding that the universe was giving him signs that tonight would be one to haunt him.

Nevertheless he had to prevail. And so the masked man would proceed to the scene of the most recent crime. As per the police reports, it was evident that the Nightingale was nothing like lightning, meaning she often struck her crime scenes twice. And so far, the most recent one had only been hit once. It would place Sakaiza at none other than atop of the village walls at the northern guard tower. Upon arriving at the scene, he could see evidence of a great battle. There were fresh flames singed upon the walls of the tower's corridor, loose stone, and fresh blood. The causalities had since been cleaned up, but clearly the woman's bloodlust was seeking more.

The Wretched would simply camp out, propping his back against the wall of the tower while he stood in the middle of the 3 meter walkway. It had been ages since the two would have last seen each other, so there was no chance the woman would recognize him. His hair was longer, his stature was more pronounced, and his voice deepened significantly. Additionally the equipment he bore was uncharacteristic of anything that resembled "ancient" Sunagakure at all.

Still feeling the effects of the alcohol, Kai would look down upon the village. It had been at least 30 meters down, where citizens carried on about their lives however they could. Seeing this view of the village was breathtaking, and gave Kai an appreciation for Yugakure that he otherwise did not have. But at the same time it made him miss his new home in Hyogagakure. He knew that his return would be bittersweet, as he now carried himself as a more powerful shinobi with significantly more authority and experience. However there were likely to be some that disagreed with his promotion. Breaking the news would be difficult yet necessary. Similar to how the upcoming encounter would be.

And as his mind wandered, it would immediately return to the task at hand. For down from the crown of the tower would descend a figure landing 5 meters in front of Kai. And there she stood, in the center of the walkway bearing a blade of of jade that emanated an aura of mystery and death. The woman stared at Kai, and he stared back. A silence ensued the area, which was quickly broken by the sound of the woman's accelerated footsteps approaching Sakaiza. As she drew near, reluctantly Kai would propel himself off from against the wall and in the same motion unsheathe his katana. Because he was aware that the weapon she bore was special, he made no mistake in underestimating her. Before his weapon would meet hers, it would illuminate with a display of blackened chakra. And so as it clashed with her jade katana, it would subtly feast upon the chakra her blade gave off while audibly clanging. The initial impact had been metallically sharp, reverberating an echo of high pitched resonance through the area. It had been brief though, but was swiftly followed by another clash, and another clash, as the man and woman engaged in a bout.

Beneath the glow of the moon, the duel would wage on. The night had been cool but the tension between the two was fiery. Continuously their blades would touch in a wonderous clash of steel, emitting sparks which roared through the sky like fireflies. They were a testament to the undying chemistry which the pair once shared. And so each blow was elegant and precise, almost as if their battle maintained a coordinated pace and rhythm. It was akin to a dance, the way they had once waltzed together when first kindling their love. And through this engagement, it was apparent that their strikes had a degree of hesitation to them, like there was a reluctance to fight each other all together. Upon a significant clash, Sakaiza would exert his dominance by repelling the woman and her blade backwards by about 2 meters. This break in the combat opened up an opportunity for dialogue.

In frustration, the woman would let out, "Just who do you think you are?"

Sakaiza, conflicted between putting the mission first or his personal life, hesitated before letting out a solemn. "It doesn't matter..."

His words were cold, as he firmly gripped his blade and raised it so that it had been parallel to his eyes. Its tip pointed at the woman in anticipation of her next move. As it still emitted a glow of Shade Chakra, the woman would lower her blade so that her stance was adjusted. It was now positioned behind her, with both hands upon the hilt likely to deliver an uprising blow. She'd pause though.

"Your voice...it's different but reminds me someone I used to know...as well as your movements..."

Giving the Nightingale little time to piece it together, Sakaiza would lunge towards the woman. She'd intercept his thrusting strike with an uprising swing of her jade blade. Again the two swords would swing in harmony as the battle waged on. When the blades would rise, the moonlight would illuminate off of the steel. It had been a reflection of lost time, fleeting moments, and confusion between both participants. And as much as the two wanted to delve into their curiosities on the other, the narrow walkway did not allow for room to concentrate on anything other than the battle at hand. It was a series of retreats, then advances, in favor of both combatants until finally their dance snaked them close to the edge of the walkway.

Another impactful clash would occur, ringing a sound that had been louder and higher pitched than any others during their engagement. It hung in the air like a bird gliding through the sky. By this point the infused Yuumei chakra into the Wretched's blade had begun to drain the woman. With it, the woman stumbled and the blade dislodged itself from her grip. It would soar along the walkway before tumbling and eventually coming to a halt. Sakaiza's blade though would not be positioned firmly against the woman's neck. In this moment there had been a brief period of recognition, which seemed to go as quickly as it arose. Though the woman hung onto it.

"K.." she muttered, "Kai?"

Breathing heavily and still in a significantly reduced drunken stupor, Sakaiza would respond. 

"Yes, my love."

Instantly she'd raise her hands from her sides and up to her mouth. After all the years the two had thought each other were dead. Sakaiza, lowering his guard slightly, relaxed his grip. But in that moment the woman realized that even though she had reunited with the man of her past, the situation at hand had begun to draw a crowd of local authorities ready to arrest her. Taking advantage of Sakaiza's loosened composure, she'd precisely perform a back handspring kick, contacting the katana Kai bore. It would fling into the air, flipping several times before its blade lodged itself adjacent to her own on the walkway. The woman would execute the surface walking technique to stand upon the siding of the village's walls near its exterior before turning to face Kai.

"This isn't over...." she'd say, while hurling a smoke bomb into the ground.

Sakaiza, would shield his eyes from the smoke which attempted to permeate through his mask. And when he'd lower his arm, the woman was gone. Sighing, he'd pause for a moment to collect himself, before trudging over to the blades that lied next to each other, just as he and she used to in their past life. He'd secure both in his grip, sheathing his own, and bearing hers in his off hand. Following this he would saunter over towards the edge of the wall, looking down upon the authorities which gathered below. And then, he would drop the blade. It rifled through the air before planting itself firmly in the ground for the police to secure. With a bit of relief, he'd sit upon the highwall and reflect on the moment. Letting out a sigh, he was disheartened...but simultaneously grateful that he did not have to strike down Ameiko on this day.

WC = 2059

- Exit - 

WC Claims:
788 WC to learn Stone Breathing (1500/1500); rest learned here
750 WC to learn First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar
521 WC to learn Second Form: Earth Splitting Smash (521/750 for C)

Mission Claims:
4000 Ryo
20 AP x 50 to convert it to 1000 Ryo
Kage Pay x 1 = 15000 Ryo
20,000 Total Ryo