Starring:
Date: October 19, 2015
Summary:
In the same place and under the same circumstances, a long lost pair reuinites.
"Kneel"
Training Ground, Suisei
While he was not in the city all that much of late, when Rain was in Suisei, he always liked to visit the training grounds such as they were. It was pretty much just a glorified sand box in the middle of a forested path. Still, this place was where the young and bold would settle their differences or legitimately train themselves to become stronger. From nothing to perhaps the greatest there ever will be, this sandlot had far more meaning than lavishness. Accompanying Rain for once was Haruna. As this was basically a fighting pit, people tended to get injured, and he felt it was her right to be informed of the sort of violent activity that occurred out here since she wanted to expand the medical facilities and take on more patients and general guests in to the village. "The bar has plenty of scraps as well… and of course the Dojo… but this is where people who have something to prove come. Sometimes, that means that they are willing to push themselves a little too far." Rain would admit.
It had been a long time since Tessen could bring himself to come near this place. The last he had visited, it was just a desolate wasteland with an all-consuming void at its heart. Still, every so often something made him find a reason not to come. Today was an exception.
He had found his way to this place, drawn by memories he had hoped forgotten. The sun hadn't risen when he first arrived, but it shown now. His body was tired from so long rusting in sake and darkness, but he still moved.
He stood calmly in a cluster of wooden dummies. With a slow exhale his charcoal eyes opened, and his body vanished. The dummies began to fall piece by piece, but still he body did not reveal itslef. Not until all that stood was a mass of kindling.
Haruna walks along beside Rain, her lips pulling into a slight grimace as she observes bloody noses and kids fighting to prove themselves. She emits a faint sigh, knowing there is no real use in philosophizing about it. This time is not for a person of her mindset. She's known that for quite some time.
The woman adjusts the bag on her shoulder, feeling the few medical supplies she brought shift within. When walking around the village, she tends to keep such simples to either gift or use, depending upon whatever circumstance she might discover. "Is there anyone out here to supervise …" Haruna stops speaking as she sees the dummies falling apart. Thinking they might be under attack, she comes to immediate alertness. Her eyes squint as she looks at the area, debating on whether she ought to start preparing herself.
The bouts around the area though, had not been very entertaining the times he'd visited. Where there used to be a thriving community of fighters from the Confrontation Wolf Style Dojo and various shinobi of different skill ranges, there were little more than tussles on the ground and cheap shots taken when backs were turn. Occasionally there was a girl involved. Still, it was nostalgic to come here. However, the dummies that were attacked were something of note and interest. In order to more easily follow, Rain cast the gaze of his minimal Sharingan upon the one performing it. It was obviously the body flicker technique, or some variant, but few were able to use it in a continuous stream of attacks like this.
Soon after however, he would stand before her, using his arm to keep her from moving forward again, holding her back as he glared darkly at the lethal shadow. He could not feel his presence through the seal. He was not able to identify who he saw in the way that he should have been able to. It had been a long time since he saw the man's chakra, and he would not let that fool him this day. "How dare you come here with that visage. You have made a dire mistake if you believe you can fool me." Rain would snarl. His calm disappeared immediately at this discovery, a deathly cold flame filling his Sharingan's stare. His gauntlets would creak under the pressure of his clenched fists as he watched the mockery before him. He wouldn't even taint this imposter with the name of his likely fallen friend and ally. "You will leave, or I will kill you." was the only warning that such a person would get from Rain.
Tessen turned as the ultimatum was leveled against him. A look of shock passes his face for a brief moment before it too turns int a look of anger. His eyes reddening faster than his flesh until two tomoe and his pupil were left floating in a sea of vermillion.
His voice, normally quiet and impartial bellowed a primal tone of anger and loss. "Drop the guise. The man that face belongs to is long since left this world…and you will soon join him." To mark his words, his chakra flared to life. If this man were truly an Uchiha it would be warning enough.
The woman accompanying Rain just… blinks… What in the world is going on…
She looks past Rain to Tessen, her eyes quickly taking notice of his; Family. Haruna just sighs. And if he is anything like Rain… She pulls the bag from her shoulder and takes one step back.
The woman takes up a defensive posture and quietly begins to focus her chakra. No point in hurrying since she doesn't seem to have any desire to immediately get between them.
Sneering a bit at the comment, he would not let it deter him from the facts. He had not felt the seal on Tessen in years now. Not even for a moment. While he did not know his fate, the seal was not destroyed. He made sure of it when he reobtained the master seal. The connection was severed, but the seal was still registered to Uchiha Tessen. Thus this man could not be him. "Silence." would be the only reply from Rain has his Sharingan advanced to full power and he quite literally attempted to stare down this adversary. However, he would not stop there. His body moved forward and struck out with single and two fingered jabs at anatomical weak points. It seemed that he had changed his mind on merely providing death.
Tessen stood his ground. The stare seemed so familiar, his eyes focused on his opponent instead of the pressure hidden in the glare. His body froze and in an instant his pressure points were slammed. A smirk formed on his lips. "Just like the first time…"
The woman continues to wait behind Rain, watching the battle before her. The stranger seems to have been disabled fairly quickly. So this may have been a bit of a false alarm. She takes a few steps forward, her eyes squinting a bit as she feels they weight of their chakra penetrating her senses. She is quiet, inwardly hoping that this will be resolved before blood is shed.
Circling around Tessen, a kunai was twirled out swiftly from Rain's garb and held under handed against the back of Tessen's neck. Rain had heard him and watched his mannerisms the whole time. The man's eyes were sharp, so sharp that they were distracted by Rain's actions. But it wasn't enough; A small test of both his skill and his identity… but not enough. The blade would suddenly cut downwards, tearing in to Tessen's clothing along his back, but not cutting in to the skin while Rain had the man at his mercy. He would remove the gauntlet from his left hand with his teeth before placing it against the man's bare back. The physical contact of Rain's chakra and that which forged the seal would interact at such close proximity, emitting a faint glow between them that was visible to even Haruna, let alone the Sharingan. Rain would stare for a moment at this as he would smirk and utter a single word, "Kneel." OF course, Tessen was made to take a knee, so the word was meaningless in any context but the past. "You are late…. Tessen." Rain would state as he removed his hand from the man's back and close his eyes for a moment, walking past him as he'd released him from the stiffening of the pressure point attack. His back was exposed to Tessen, even after such a possible violent fight. He must trust him with his life quite literally. He'd move over towards Haruna and state, "This man is undoubtedly Uchiha Tessen… but I do not know why his seal was inactive." He'd then glance back at Tessen with an unspoken desire for an explanation.
As Rain says "Kneel.", A look of shock crosses Tessen's features plain as day. The Sharingan in his eyes fading before his head hangs low; His ebony hair obscuring his face. Even as he feels his body return to his control, he does not rise.
"It wasn't easy or cheap. Took most of my share from killing the immortal you ordered die. Though, when a man is being hunted by three villages and a forth has closed its borders, a man will do extreme things." .
His voice catches for a moment as he looks to the ground, "How long…"
Haruna watches the byplay between the two Uchiha, beginning to let down her guard as Rain confirms his identity. She moves forward to inspect the man more closely, her eyes moving in the way of a medic over vital areas, catching the pulse in his through, scouring his shape for any signs of pain. She can't help that. It's a habit. Other than seeming a bit fatigued, he doesn't seem too roughed up. The woman reaches forward to place a hand on his arm, aiming to help him up. With the touch, however, he would feel warmth flowing from her hand, energizing him. And if he did happen to have any small cuts, those would vanish.
Rain considered his reason for a moment. Even with the world after him, he wouldn't severe communication with Rain… and since Rain himself was no longer alive, there was no point in it. However… due to how the link worked, it was possible that the seal could have led people to him in other ways, if not to the Master Seal itself. Tessen may have very well been guarding everyone else, including himself. Rain would nod. "I see." A slight exhale left Rain as he'd fully turn around to look towards Tessen and Haruna's aid rendered to him. "It has almost been two years at this point." Rain would inform him. "Much has happened. Much has been lost… much has been gained." Rain would say shortly and nondescriptly before he'd gesture towards Tessen.
"Let's go see about getting you some fresh clothes. We have much to catch up on. I am truly glad that you survived. I was certain… you did not. I was certain you were one of the casualties of my mistakes and a price I was unwilling to pay. I still hesitate to believe it, but I am not one to ignore facts." Rain would admit to his being taken off guard by this whole thing. If things hadn't have turned out as luckily as it did, he very well may have killed him or died trying. Fate was a strange thing indeed.
Tessen looked to Haruna as she touched him. He smirked and let out a weak, wet chuckle, "Mune…" and for a brief second it seemed the chuckle would turn into a sob, but it died in his throat.
Slowly, he let Haruna bring him to his feet. There was no doubt that this was Rain, and his nature hadn't changed. "A discarded blade does not break from its owner’s absence. It merely dulls and rusts until picked up again."
Once Tessen is on his feet, Haruna smiles to him. She relaxes entirely now, sure in her assumption that no more fighting will take place. She returns to stand beside Rain, picking up her bag and pulling the strap over her shoulder. "I'm guessing that the two of you would like to catch up."
Then her eyes turn to Tessen with a scowl, "And then you're coming back here to help put the dummies back together. What is it with you men thinking you can just destroy everything in your path!" Haruna points to the pile of 'kindling' in some sort of obvious, but restrained, anger.
And then she smiles again, pleasant as ever and all marks of distress gone from her expression. "Then, we'll talk later on and you can tell me -aaaaalll- about it. But for now, I have things to attend to, Rain-san."
Mune was a name he'd not heard mention of what so ever since his return. He recalled her activities with the group she wandered off to, but little else after that point. He lost track of her, and when he reemerged, that group no longer existed, much like his own. "I will be sure to take better care of my blade in the future." he'd joke lightly. As Haruna would… flip from one extreme to the other within the length of a sentence… Rain would raise a brow. He'd literally seen her belonging riffled through while vagabonds threatened her children's safety and kept a cooler head than this. Maybe she was serious about keeping a clean…. outdoor area…. he actually truly didn't know. "I'd…. do as she says… when you get the chance, Tessen." Rain would say with an edge of caution in his tone.
Tessen laughs as he vanishes to reappear at Rain's side. "The man who cowed Konohagakure afraid of a single woman. Are you certain that you have fully returned from the void? Nothing left behind perhaps?" an obviously joking tone to his voice and a rarely seen smile on his face.
Haruna keeps her pleasant demeanor and takes a few steps away from Rain as if she is about to leave. "Rain-san, is he always such a fool? We all take responsibility for our actions here. Us, the villagers.. Everyone. You'll do well to remember that, Tessen. If you are to be welcomed to a home, you ought to treat it with respect." She reaches to her sleeve as though she might retrieve something, things better of it and instead simply tidies her cloths, brushing a few pieces of dust from her pale kimono. "Are you man enough to handle that?" Her lips quirk in a slight grin. She might be joking, but it just isn't entirely clear. With that, she walks away, headed back toward the hospital to attend to her patients.
Rain eyes Tessen as he laughs and jokes about how the great Rain has been quieted by a mere woman. However, without even a hint of humor in his voice he'd say, "Never mess with the person who keeps you alive." And of course she would then begin to say what she meant in her … not so direct manner, but Rain could almost feel her intentions, tensing up as he expected her to utilize one of her nasty, though non-lethal, techniques. When she doesn't, he almost seemed relieved. "They tend to be able to do things to you that even people trying to kill you wouldn't dream up…"
Tessen gives a Rain a look of understanding. His smile still wide. His hands fall to rest idly on the hilts of his twin katanas. A slight shake of his head to clear thoughts of the past sent his hair flying.
"Two years… and this is the new family that has gathered in my time away. I do hope that things will be quieter now. Kami bless him, but I can't handle another Kaede. Let us go and see about those clothes…Rain…-sama."
