Starring:
Date: November 17, 2014
Summary:
Arika decides she wants to see what it might be like to be pushed to the limit, though in a 'safe' environment. Kuoroke and Rikuto help her with this personal mission, and things go according to plan… in a sense.
"The Eighth Tailed Beast: Testing Limits"
Sunadome Arena
Arika has been pondering for a long time. Since about two weeks ago, actually, which is a very long time for a 9 year old. The girl wrote to Kuoroke, asking if he could maybe assist her. She doesn't reveal any details in the letter aside from the fact that a weak-ish Genjutsu user might be needed. And she even suggested Miira Rikuto to be that person. At the moment, she's just waiting on a bench in the village center. It's the middle of the day, and everything is quite crowded since it's the weekend. (re)
Kuoroke has decided now is a good time to handle her request, mostly out of convenience: he has the time, and she's in line of sight. So, after sending someone to fetch the Miira who was suggested to him, the councillor Body Flickers out of the window and near her. "Good afternoon, Arika." He greets, closing the final two steps to her. "You wanted my help. Are you free to talk now?"
To most, the young Miira was simply staring at the surface of the pond within the garden for over an hour, not moving one inch over that time.. The truth as to why was embarrassing though the chuunin tasted to collect him seemed to distract him and causes him to stand. It wouldn't be too long before the boy would make his way to the village center, bowing his head lightly when he noticed Kuoroke was there before him. "Councilman.."
Arika blinks when the councilman suddenly appears before her. She offers a wave and a nod. "Uh-huh. I was just waiting for Ping-san to finish buying some of the groceries we needed. But I'm free! Ping-san always knows where I am, I feel like." She gives a small nod, then waves. "Rikkun! Hi!" she says with a cheerful smile.
Kuoroke smiles approvingly. It's always good to hear someone does their job well. "Well, you try and keep an eye on the things you care about." He answers. When he notice Rikuto arriving, he responds with a smile and a nod. "But, you had a request for help. If we all have time now, let's get to that… unless you'd rather talk somewhere else?" While speaking, Kuoroke surreptitiously makes sure nobody's eavesdropping, out of habit more than anything.
Turning his head towards Arika, the boy's head cants slightly. "Ari-san? Shouldn't you be with Ping-san?" Turning his attention back to Kuoroke, he arches a brow. "I wasn't told just what I'd be needed to help with…" Turning back to the young girl, Rikuto narrows his eyes for a moment, looking at her with suspicion. "Did Ari-san get into a lot of trouble with the trick I was teaching her?"
Arika squeaks a bit. "I didn't get in any trouble, Rikkun!" she pouts. Then she turns a bit more serious. "Somewhere else is better. I found a place that it would be good. And I managed to get a few things arranged too!" Having a Jounin as a bodyguard was quite useful sometimes… "Let's go!" she exclaims, skittering off towards the Suna-dome.
"I assure you, she's not." Kuoroke tells Rikuto. As Arika shows how enterprising she's been, he follows along, although he does raise his eyebrows. "Well. Now you've got me curious!" He comments, his tone atypically cheerful.
More than a little dumbfounded, Rikuto looks between the pair before closing his eyes and focusing for a moment. He focused onto his breath before looking at the pair rather focused. Oddly, he doesn't notice anything change but grumbles, and follows behind them, trying to give them a small lead but not enough to lose them easily. 'Just what is going on here? She isn't in trouble yet a councilman's here.. there isn't a sour mood either..'
The dome was empty. This wasn't very odd since it usually isn't filled unless something big like the Chuunin Exams are going on or there's a sort of announcement, but it seems particularly empty today. Ping had managed to use his authority to keep the area clear for Arika so she could test her theory. Hopefully with him and the councilman around, things would be under control… Arika doesn't actually speak until they're inside. "Umm… So! I was thinking… That… I wanted to test my limit. When it came to…" her voice trails off. So that's why I thought a genjutsuist would help. Because then I could be put in a Genjutsu of me in danger instead of actual danger."
"That's… yeah, we can do that." Kuoroke answers when he arives and Arika explains her reasoning. "If you're comfortable with it, yes." He places a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be afraid to name it by its name. Don't be afraid of it at all. You're more than it. Better." He offers her a reassuring smile, and then backs away. "Rikuto, when she's ready, give her an illusion… something believable, but not -too- believable."
Rikuto, almost like a schoolboy raises his hand slightly above his head and waits a moment before speaking. "Umm.. Will one of you tell me just what's going on? Is this some kind of joke that I'm just not getting?" The boy's face was painted with more than a bit of worry as he looks between Arika and Kuroke, biting his bottom lip lightly before turning to the councilman. "I'm not that skilled with illusions.. What should I be worried about triggering?"
Arika nods to Kuoroke, then glances to Rikuto. "Umm… Well, you just have to make something scary happen, Rikkun. Don't worry about anything else for now. I'm not that strong yet, so it'll be easy if I lose control." She gives a small nod as if to reassure both herself and the other two. "Plus, Ping-San and Kuroki-sama are here. And they're super strong." She nods again. "Just… Start when you can."
"Nothing -you- should be worried about, Rikuto." Kuoroke answers, sternly. "Although if I tell you to run, well… run. No questions asked. Also, everything that happens here is confidential." He considers for a few seconds more. "Now, when you create an illusion of danger, try to make that danger originate from… generally my direction, but not exactly where I am if possible. Now." He claps his hands, as if preparing for some nice arts and crafts. "Let's get started!"
The boy's brow knit together deeply before turning to Arika and focuses onto her face. Rikuto nods once slowly after listening to Kuoroke before moving away and to the side of the hall, leaning against it before closing his eyes. "Danger.. There is one jutsu that I've working on. It won't be kind but.. it will be a danger." Looking towards Kuoroke before turning to look at Arika but worry was painted onto his face. "Understood.."
Placing his hands together with a clap, he waves a hand slowly before his hand cross again, seeming to do nothing. A faint chuckle could be heard coming from down the hall. Only to Arika's eyes what was seen was a figure kneeling down and slapping the ground a few meters in front of Kuoroke, the seal of summoning was seen before 'something' begins to crawl out of it. The creature was morbid, a mutilated vulture with a serrated beak. Lets play little one. I go first Without a warning, the creature flies forward, quickly attempting to grasp at the young girl, bloody talons first.
Arika tenses as she readies herself for the genjutsu. She blinks upon hearing that weird laughter, turning her head to see where it's coming from. No one was supposed to be there other than friends, so it's probably the genjutsu. But again, it's too strong for her to break out of, so she has to run. The young girl's eyes widen a bit as the talons open for her, and she dashes off towards the edge of the arena.
Of course, this only is seen in her mind. She's neither running towards the edge of the arena, nor is she turning her head back to see the large 'vulture' chasing her. She's stock still in her spot with her eyes wide in fear. ~You're the one that wanted to do this, you know… So now you have to suffer.~ 'Let me concentrate!' ~Hehe… Maybe if you just let me take over, this nightmare would be over?~ 'Not yet.'
While Arika is subjected to terrors, Kuoroke methodically takes off his cloak and throws it out of the temple, warming up a bit: this isn't something he wants to go easy with. He watches the girl with genuine concern, but doesn't interfere in the experiment..
Rikuto doesn't move from his point, seeming not to move at all, hardly blinking as he watches Arika. "Councilman.. I enjoy testing new jutsu but illusions like this on a student doesn't feel right. How far should I really be pushing her? I originally started to master this jutsu to force someone to see their own death and believe they are dead.. Do I have to take it that far?"
The young girl was fast, almost quick as a bird in her mind, though the bird was much faster, almost twice as fast and the distance between the two close within a an instant. The creature doesn't try to go in for the kill, rather it toyed with it's prey, attempting to grasp both of the young girl's arms within it's talons and force her face first onto the ground to stroke at the back, head and neck effortlessly.
Whether it's a good thing or not, Arika ends up tripping in her mind. She tumbles to the ground, getting a few bruises and scrapes in the process, and ends up becoming an easier target for the giant bird. The 'attack' sends a jolt of pain through her body that's more intense than she's felt before, and the girl ends up crying out in real life from the 'pain'. It still doesn't break her free from the genjutsu, though. ~So close… Just a little bit longer… The fact that's this whole thing is exclusively in her mind might be a factor as to why it's faster than the earlier… Or maybe the seals are weakening…~ thinks the Bijuu. Arika is unable to respond at the moment, though there's a strong feeling that wants the Tailed Beast to shut up.
Kuoroke looks at Arika and truggles for just a moment. "You can bring it that far - but… slowly. We don't want to drive her further than absolutely necessary." He says, his voice hard. He hears her cry out, but just gives Rikuto a nod. "Proceed."
"..I hope she forgives me. I would of rather tested this with Sensei." Turning his focus back onto Arika, he breaths in and nods lightly but then snarls faintly. "It will be slow.. That's the point. That's what I'm worried about." Rikuto's guilt wasn't masked, yet he didn't make any effort to try to halt or shatter the illusion.
Once again the chuckling voice could be heard once again, foot steps begin to tap, tap tap ever growing closer. Soon the steps stop and the man claps his hands together. Now now, isn't it about time for supper? You can play a little about for a moment but we need to keep going. At these orders the vulture lowers it's beak and soon bites into the girl's shoulder. Unfortunately for Arika, the pain she imagined wasn't true, it didn't aid her to focus even though she would 'feel' a new level of pain as chunks of her flesh were bitten out and eaten.
Arika cries and screams from the false pain, the pitch high and likely painful to whoever might be nearby. This includes Ping, Kuoroke, and Rikuto, of course, but also those in her mind. 'Stop it!!!' she begs the giant vulture and man. 'It hurts!!!' The pain was intense. Almost too much at first. And as the vulture continued to eat her, she felt herself fading…
Then she found herself in a room. A dark room, but somehow she could see. ~I was wondering when you'd get here!~ said a familiar voice. Her mind had fragmented somewhat to keep the pain in one side and this conversation in another, it seemed. A temporary fix that would be gone once the genjutsu wore off. ~So, did you want me to help?~ it asks gleefully. The creature before her was huge. Much larger than she was. And it was odd-looking too. It looked like a bull, but it had tentacles like a squid or an octopus. 'You look funny…'
~So do all you humans!~ the Eight-Tails retorts. ~Now, are you gonna let me out or not? Just let me help you out and that pain will be gone. Of course… I can always just break out myself.~ 'I'd like to see you try!' ~Okay, then!~ Its purple chakra begins to bubble out from behind the bars, encasing Arika within. ~Heheh. This won't hurt a bit. You'll just need to sleep.~
Kuoroke moves forward as the girl's crisis comes to its apex. "Hang in there, Arika." He orders. "Hang in there…" He raises a hand towards Rikuto. "On my command, drop the jutsu and get out. I'm not sure what's about to happen." Everything about him is tense. He's obviously preparing for something bad.
Even though Rikuto rested against the wall, his fists were balled tight, tensing as the screams didn't lessen but only seemed to continue. "The screaming will stop soon.. first you see your foe.. then your are captured.. then you die.. It's done." was said with biting words, detailing the mental steps of the illusion. Turning to Kuoroke he begins to speak but then his voice fails him as he begins to feel something very un Arika like and focuses onto her again. "What in the world?"
Within the illusion, rather than pity the only sounds at first Arika would hear is faint laughter before boredom. Finish her off already. That screaming is getting boring! The creature on top of the broken girl squawks before lowering its head, using it's pointed beak to thrust into Arika's skull, attempting to crack it open, and eat what was within her head. The main would stop first, but then so would most feelings, nothing seen, nothing heard, nothing felt.. only the void of death.
Arika's being fades as she loses consciousness, giving her body away so the Bijuu inside her can be in control. Within her mind, she's surrounded by nothing but nice things - things one would likely see in a dream. A good dream, too. She could still feel some of the events going on around her and within her mind, but she wasn't focused on them. Gyuki was. The Hachibi dispersed the genjutsu with will-power alone, and both bird and summoner disappeared.
Rikuto and Kuoroke would get to see something interesting. The purple chakra bubbled out Arika lost herself, beginning to form a sort of cloak around the girl. Upon her head, two horns would form, both facing forwards. If she wanted to charge at something, they would impale it. Her arms and legs were also covered in the chakra. The legs were in a single 'bubble' of chakra while the arms were individually coated. A single tail formed behind the girl, though it looked more like a tentacle if one looked close.
Arika's legs moved as one unit, though technically she was traveling on all fours. The girl was headed straight towards Kuoroke, though Rikuto would find the first strike directed at him. The chakra tail swiped at the Miira in an attempt to knock him over.
Kuoroke is ready. As soon as the chakra starts bubbling out, he jerks down his hand. "-NOW-" he orders. "Move!" But the tail is already headed in Rikuto's direction and Kuoroke can only do one thing: go to intercept it, blocking its progress with a shield, which conveniently takes him out of the charging girl's path. "Snap out of it, Arika. -You're- in charge." The Kuroki moves towards the comparably tiny avatar of the Gyuki. At first, he seems to be striking her, but apparently he doesn't have the heart: the swing goes wide. It's only then that it becomes clear that his purpose is to hold her down with the aid of a few small tattoos coming off his body rather than actually hurt her.
While he wasn't laxed, the transformations left Rikuto left flatfooted. "Just.. a tail?" Snapping his attention to Kouroke when he shouts, he quickly behind to fall back especially when the barrier appears in front of him. "/This/ is what you wanted me to spark?! Just what did you all put into that little girl?" Even as he questions, the boy continued to back up further and further, the boy also begins to focus his own chakra, preparing his own line of defenses if need be. "Should I go get Ping-san?"
Although she's stronger than before, Arika can't compete with Kuoroke. She's easily bound by the tattoos, and struggles against them. Nothing seems to get through to her at the moment. The tail continues to move, striking out again. This time it's heading towards Kuoroke as well as Rikuto. She lets out a bestial roar at Kuoroke. It's obvious that Gyuki is still in control at the moment.
"Not now! Just get -out-" Kuoroke orders Rikuto, trying to draw the Jinchuuriki away from him by sheer strength. He still refuses to injure her - he simply holds on to her, his considerably physical strength augmented by some of the tattoos on his body. "Come on, Arika. Wake up." As the tail strikes at him, Kuoroke swats it aside, too focused on Arika to help Rikuto.
What little hesitation that Rikuto held before fades as the creature in front of him continues to thrash about and begin causing chaos. Th boy doesn't turn his back and run but he was back peddle rather quickly, getting far from the councilman and the once little girl. The boy begins muttering to himself but he doesn't say much but lingers just inside the building but far from their fighting.
Arika somehow manages to wrest control from the Eight Tails. She's not entirely sure how, though. Either because it sensed no more danger now that Rikuto was away, or because Kuoroke calmed her down. Maybe it was just it felt tired. Regardless, the chakra cloak starts to subside, disappearing like mist or fog in the sun's heat. With the Hachibi no longer controlling Arika's body, the girl ends up falling over from the strain of the activities, though she seems to be fine aside from tired.
As Arika relaxes, Kuoroke makes sure to hold her. "It's okay. You'll be fine." He promises. He casts Rikuto a glare. "When I say you get out, that means you get out. Next time, you make sure you're out of line of sight. Understood? The risk to me is negligible, but getting you hurt serves entirely no purpose." He shifts Arika, from the hug he held her in, so that he can carry her more easily over both arms. "Time to go to the hospital. Ping! Warn them!" He calls out.
"I- If.." Shaking his head head quickly, he closes his eyes briefly and sucks in a breath of air. "Understood sir.." After that Rikuto became quiet again, though his eyes would move to Arika as soon as Kuoroke looked away from him. 'Just what in the world.. A little girl had /that/ in her?" Biting at onto his tongue lightly he moves out of the way as the man began to ran back and forth.
Ping takes off, a light rustle behind him when he moves so that the councilman knows he's on his way to the hospital. It doesn't take long for him to get to the hospital, seeing as how he uses the rooftops and walks along the buildings to get to his destination. A few of the upper-level experts that know about Arika's status are gathered to treat her just in case there was actual damage to her.
Arika feels herself get jostled a little and blinks a few times, her eyes clearing from a sort of murky blue to their typical clear blue. "Did it work?" she wonders in a raspy voice, her throat tired from the screaming she had done while in the Genjutsu.
Kuoroke nods. "Yes… in a way. You lost control to the beast." Kuoroke answers, quietly, starting for the hospital himself. "We need to get a doctor to see what it did to you. We'll talk about all of this later, alright?"
Arika frowns a bit, but nods. "I guess that… kinda worked…" She mumbles, falling asleep in the Councilman's arms. When they got to the hospital, the doctors checked her over. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about her condition, fortunately, though some of the seals on Gyuki were looser than the last time they checked. "It's likely because she was willing to let him take over. We can't re-seal everything, though, or else there'll be too much of a dampening and she won't be able to control her chakra properly. We're actually surprised she's managed to pick up so many things at the Academy with those seals on her." one of the medics tells Kuoroke.
Arika is left in a hospital bed for further examination, though it really isn't necessary. More procedure than anything. And Ping is next to her bed the whole time. Both to keep an eye on the Bijuu, and to make sure his ward is alright.
