Starring:
Date: December 29, 2010
Summary:
The climax of this three part mission, now finds Team Tosai matching wits against what would be the perpertrator of all this trouble in Nabekama!
"Trouble in Nabekama!!!! Final: Kumashin Unleashed"
Hananosei Forest [Fort Kyuusen]
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The tall hardwood trees rise up from the cool forest floor. The broad leaves in the canopy, shading the fern covered ground where the wildlife is active. Squirrels, chipmunks, and other critters scurry about, collecting nuts and fruits among the lower bushes and ferns. In some of the shadows of the forest, more hostile creatures lurk. With careful searching, you may find yourself face to face with the yellow eyes of a wolf ready to strike.
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Contents:
Tsukiko
Ketsuki
Exits:
North - (N) [Hananosei Lake]
South West - (SW) [Hananosei Road]
The command for Tosai had given, and when he and Kuma would began to leave for the forest, this would have been leaving of Ketsuki, and Tsukiko to there own devices, despite being given a direct order. Just what would the case be, now that they were give their charge? The day was still pretty young, the sky clear, with no chance of bad weather in sight. What lay infront of the two genin now, is a large forest, much like in the Land of Fire, but only for about 10 miles up. Once past that, they were bored to the north by a large lake, and to the southwest by the closest road to Kyuusen. If they went further south, away from the entrance they now stood, they would meet the road.
Tsukiko nods to the order. She looks to Ketsuki, "you'll need to take point. Your kikaichu are our way to follow the trail. If Tosai-san is close enough" She draws a kunai, arming herself and nodding to the Aburame, waiting for him to show the way.
Ketsuki looked to Tsukiko and nodded, "My insects have found some more hints of the man to the west." His insects swarming before him he would trail them closely as they took off in the direction of the man. Why had Tosai left them alone? This man they were trailing surely could be someone very dangerous. Not only did the two Genin have to get in range of the man but also attempt to possibly detain him for questioning as well, if he had not been the elder. "This won't be easy, try to stay close and keep your eyes open!" He shouted back to his partner.
Tsukiko nods. "Yes, I know. I'll be watching our tail.. and our sides. I have strong long range skills so I can support from the back. When we catch up, don't bring us too close though." She follows after, keeping up fairly easily.
As the two would move, they would find the bugs guiding them in the more western direction. Oddly, as they would get closer, Kikaichu would relate to Ketsuki, that the koala bear, was not with the man. The man was moving, slowly, and he was seeming to have a bit of trouble.. A water source was nearby, and for the most part, the area, was starting to look worst and worst as the day when by. Signs, of fighting, old and large, would be shown through out the forest. They may want to be careful.. Otherwise, the fact that ninja were around this place at one time, could mean something a whole lot more.
They were moving at a fine pace, "Hey it seems like the Koala is no-" A snap under his foot got his attention, just a stick. "The Koala is not with the man." He continued back to Tsukiko. He felt something beneath his foot again, much finer this time. The stick he had stepped on moments ago allowed him to drop his guard, Ketsuki suddenly realized the ground was crumbling below him. He tried to shift his weight but slipped and his eyes went wide, a Makabishi had plunged into his foot.
Ketsuki groaned in pain and forced his body to fall forward grabbing hold of the edge of the pit before him. He pulled himself up onto the ground and felt something tug on his boot gently, looking down he noticed the wire he had stumbled on was stuck within the treads. Plucking it out he tugged it lightly enough not to trigger anything else but enough that the light would glint off the surface. His Kikaichu would rush from his sleeves skittering down the wire and following it. Ketsuki dusting himself off rose up, "Tsukiko, stay still! This whole area may be armed with traps!" His Kikaichu would reappear from within the trees landing on his shoulder they would report. "Just as I thought, that one wire I stumbled on is tied to even more traps. Whoever left it here was hoping to kill whatever stumbled into that trap." He cringed in pain again looking down at his right foot which was bleeding pretty well. "You don't have any bandages do you?"
Tsukiko follows through the woods, from tree to tree following behind Ketsuki. She does a little double take, not sure at first what she saw. But a second glimpse confirms it. She looks to Ketsuki, inhaling to warn him, but it was too late. She drops down carefully near Ketsuki. "So I see. They look pretty old, but if the man we're following didn't set any of this off, he's either good.. or lucky." She looks up ahead, "Slow down." She ponders a moment and draws a mirror from her pack and creates a mirror clone. The clone nods, "I'll take point." The real Tsukiko also draws a supply scroll out and pulls a bandage roll out. She offers it down, "It doesn't look bad, but I'm not very good with first aid."
As the two would make there way across, three pairs of eyes, along about 5 million others of Kikaichu, would be able to guide themselves out of the haven of traps and the like. It would be a long journey, but after an hour or so, even with Ketsuki's bad foot, the two would manage to come out just fine. Soon they would encounter what would have been the mysterious man that had been there goal. They would now have been no more than a about 70 feet away, when they see someone, down on the cliff. They would now be standing, just near an open pond, at the bottom of a waterfall. Bugs would have confirmed the location quite well, but it would only be the Mirror Sight technique of Tsukiko, that would confirm the identity of the person they had now found.
It had been the Elder.. They had managed to find the old man. However, it seemed that he had only been slowed down, by fate. He got his foot caught into a nearby rock crevice, and was having a hard time getting it out. "Aaaagghh…", would be droned out from the small little bearded man, as he would exclaim softly.. "Oh my back… I have to get loose.. My poor little Omochu." He would try and pull his foot up yet again, but, it was no use. "Omochu… Omochu!!", would be said, then shouted, at the scraggly man's arms would flail above him, before he would weep cartoonish rivers of tears.
"What are you doing all the way out here?" Ketsuki shouted over to the man. He approached at first without caution but then turned back to Tsukiko. "Hey, keep an eye out from over there. I'm gonna go see if I can help him out! We need to get him to safety and find Tosai." He turned back and would sprint towards the man as he continued to be wary of traps. This old man may have been left behind as bait. Hopefully not, and if he was, hopefully Tsukiko would be able to warn Ketsuki in time.
The clone Tsukiko didn't listen to the warnings from Ketsuki, rushing forward along with him. The real Tsukiko would leap to a safe tree that had a vantage point over the clearing. She stayed silent while the Mirror Clone called out. "Don't just rush out in the open, Sheesh." The clone draws a mirror shield out to provide cover while Ketsuki works to free the old man.
The man would seem to be staring around for quite awhile, before he would say, "Eeeeh? Who goes there?", before he would put up his old walking stick as if to guard himself. He would see both Tsukiko's Mirror Clone, and the Aburame soon enough, and say, "Aaahh.. The children from last night? Don't tell me that you were sent all the way out here, just to find an old geezer like me." The words of the clone would be agreed with by the old man, as he would say, "She does have a point.. There are many traps that have seemed to-Oh!", the interruption coming when he was helped out of the crevice. His eyes would then look at Ketsuki's foot, and widen before he would sigh. "It seems that you both may have run into them already. It should have been no reason to fear.. I am quite familiar with this area.. I suppose that my daughter sent you both, thinking that her 'crying old man', would be in danger.. Silly girl."
After tending to the boy's foot, the old man, would then ask, "So.. where is my daughter at this time? No doubt she probably has the entire guard of the village in arms.. All four of the poor fellas." Right after the man would ask the question, seeming on queue, an explosion would erupt in the distance, causing wind, and debris to engulf the area almost immediately!! Trees, rock, as well as all manner of dirt and sand, would seem to glaze over the area, as if a large bomb had gone off in the distance. Meanwhile, if one was not careful, the would hear large stomps, as if some large and gigantic, had been making a ruckus not even a mile away from them.
Ketsuki bowed as the man finished tending to his foot, before the words thank you could come to his lips however a massive explosion tore through the trees. His Kikaichu would swarm fiercely from beneath his clothing swirling around the group of them destroying chunks of debris. The force of the explosion was too much, however and much of it was breaking through the insect wall! Hopefully what his Kikaichu wouldn't remove, Tsukiko's defenses would. Most of his insects having retreated in fear of being crushed, Ketsuki spotted a massive shadow emerging from the explosion, "H-h-hey! Look out!" He would shout out before preparing to be swatted by the source of the massive shadow.
Tsukiko rushes down to her teammate. She and the clone both brace the mirror, channeling their chakra into the mirror. The debris.. the speed.. the force of the explosion overwhelmed her. The mirror cracked, just slightly at first, but then the whole thing shattered, as did the cone, blasting Tsukiko back.
Chaos would rain over Hananosei Forest, as the beginnings of a battle had started toward the North. What Ketsuki and Tsukiko had not known, as that Tosai and Kuma Ainu of the Nabekama, had found there quarry… The simultaneous events of tracking and had been on both sides. Tosai had been the lead, as the guards woman, and daughter to the Village Head Elder, had been moving throughout at an advanced pace.
The only thing about this situation that had been different, was that Tosai had calculated three things. The lack of a scent, to the strange, coarse black hair, would make tracking difficult, even for an Aburame clansmen. The other had been certain unknown of this entire thing. Tosai had still been unsure of what was shedding such large amounts of hair, and at the same token, why the fur had given off such a strange glow. The third and final thing, had lied within Tosai's own self. His own curiosity of what could actually have be at the end of the road, with all this talk of ghost and mysterious guardians.. It had been maddening.. Enough so where even now, he was concentrating on the wrong target to track.
"Are we getting any closer?", would be an interruption to his thoughts by Ainu, as she would see his distraction. Tosai would stop and blink saying, "I can't really tell.. I mean the fact is that I can only go by what I am seeing.. Right now.. I can't see anything strange.." "Whuhhh??" Tosai would sigh, and say, "Normally, even if I couldn't catch something's scent, movement still leaves clues.. I haven't seen a single track. Not even a single broken branch. It’s as if, we aren't following anything at all." Ainu's face would frown, and slowly turn red, as she would began to fume from the ears. The girl was literally boiling with anger. “You mean to tell me, we could be running around in circles??? I mean, wow!! Its just a Koala!! How hard could be to find something that small!!", would be shouted out, only for Tosai to run his large hand across his bald head rather nervously, chuckling some. "Well… Um.. when you put it that way, hehe, maybe I was searching for something else! Perhaps I should try and get ano—." Tosai's head would turn.. He would sniff at the air. He would seem to remember a scent of the Koala well, and say, "Omochu… Your Father's Panda." "Huh?? Where? How?" Tosai would calm her with a gesture of his hand, and point in the direction they would head.
Moving slowly, he would approach the panda from behind, in a branch just 20 yards behind him. With a quick movement, Tosai would laugh, and cry out, "Haha!! Got him!!", as the koala wiggled vigorously in his large hands.. Ainu would give a relieved sigh, as she would look to the area, seeing that they had reached a clearing. A large area of rocks, at the base of a mountain range, it would be arched with a small stream that would go in and then out of the mountain. Peculiar. The cave, would have had inside, would seemed like a small shrine, that had been not only beaten to rubble, but hadn't seen an offering of incense or anything in years.. The most disheartening quality would have been the smell of defecation that had emanated from this place.
Tosai would cover his nose, wincing, and taking in the place with a disheartened frown, as he would say, "Wow.. it seems people don't have an ounce of respect for the sacred now, do they?", before looking toward Ainu. However, the comment would have seemed to go over her head, as she would stand there, frozen, seeming to be caught in the pit of her own nostalgia. Her eyes would widen, as she would say, "Huh? Wait! I think I.. remember this place..", would be said as she would move toward the cave. Tosai would move to her, as the Koala, now calm, would began to climb about his head and move older his shoulder.
Meanwhile, in the woman's head, memories had been recalled.. Flashes in her mind. A woman, much similar to own appearance, praying at this very shrine. A funeral, at the very same place where they now stood.. Visions of a younger, much taller priest, crying in the night. Seasons passing, very few times where this place had not visited… It was all seeming to come back to her.. She would seem to grow sadder with every passing moment, since everything that flashed across her mind still Ainu would wonder. Just why had these memories, been coming now? Her eyes would then widen, at the telling of her fathers voice in her head. A prayer to there mother, thanks for … sealing a spirit? She’d widen her eyes, almost scared she had known the impossible. But just before she would explain it all, Tosai would be pushing her out the way, as a large blast of white force would come across the grave.
"Get down!!!!", would be shouted, as tree's would be flattened in the distance! "Huh? …What?" "Kuma-san!! You okay?", would be uttered, from a now standing, and guarded Tosai, as he would face what seemed to be nothing but a large glow. Ainu would look up as she would dizzily stand, her mind able to grasp what was the real. "I finally remember.. I think I underst-Whhaat??!"
Her reaction would only be a much louder of Tosai's own initial surprise. A bear… But not simple just that, was now standing in large before them. A creature caught between realities, the bear would glow white, as it would snarl, and roar, causing a vacuum of wind to pour into this once place. Tosai, as large and strong as he was, would seem to skid back. Meanwhile, Ainu, would only seem to kept from being blown away, by a person sized hand that would reach back, and grab her from the air. Tosai would shout.. "BEAR SPIRIT, I PRESUME?!", over the high pitch sound of both wind, and the loud sound of an other worldly beast's cry. Ainu, would be speechless.. 'This can't be real?! Here? The tales, were really true?" The Spirit, Kumashin, would began to stalk, as it would peer to what had been saw as intruders.. It was angry, and for what reason, was unknown. Tosai would never think to look to the koala, which was now being looked at by the bear it now targeted. A claw, would whip forward, seeming to try and impale it, before Tosai, would beat it back, with the swipe of his own Multi-Sized arm. The fist he used, was large, and the attack would seem to be beat back well, however, Tosai, would draw back, a hand laced with sizzling chakra burns.
"We have to go!! Now!", would be shouted, as he would grab Kuma Ainu, and the koala, and move with all his speed. Kumashin, the spirit of these woods, would growl, before soon, it would began to grow. Before long, its height would tower into the air, as it would then stomp about the woods, looking for what had been its current target. "Just what is going on here?", would be mumble as they hid. Ainu would offer nothing, as she would seem still yet surprised at it all. Tosai would sigh, and hand her the Koala, shaking her at the same time. "Ainu.", would be followed with a pause, before Tosai would shout again, "Ainu!!", the woman would look to him with a snap of her head. "You have to take the bear and go." "What do you plan to do?" "….", would be followed, as she would say, "For some reason.. You have to find away.. You seem to know allot more than you let on.. I can only face it so long.. Now go!"
The woman would hesitate, before she would then sigh, and began to move.. "I have to find my dad.." Tosai would take out a lone pill, and sigh.. "Well.. This might end up killing me someday..", before crunching down on it. His body would burn as he would then steam and began to grow… Soon he and the Bear Spirit of Hananonsei Forest, would be eye to eye.. Tosai and it would face each other stride for stride, until a blast of chakra, would roar from the mouth of the beast. Tosai would look behind himself, thinking nothing was of harm.. But then voices, in the midst of all this destruction would rang in his ear.. "Oh no..", would be muttered, just before Tosai, in his large form, would flicker into the distance.
Moments before all the trees and destruction caught in this beast blast, would hit Ketsuki, Tosai's forearms, and hands, would enlarge to even more gigantic size… all before he would crouch and duck his body, forming a dome of only himself over the Aburame and the Mirror User, as well as the old man they had now been with.. A voice from a giant would rang down to them.. "You three okay down there?"
"Yeah, we are all ok, I think!" Ketsuki screamed out realizing Tosai had grown to massive size and defended them from the very thing that surely would have killed them. "Tosai-sempai! We have the Elder down here with us what should we do!?" He shouted out as he looked about accounting for Tsukiko and the old man.
Tsukiko would get to her feet again, sighing. "We're good, Tosai-sama. What are we facing?" She reaches a hand to help the elder back up. Even knowing Tosai's powers, the size he grows to still surprises her. She does her best to hide her awe, theres no time for it.
Before Tosai could even answer, the old man would. He had noticed, even in the confusion of it all, the chakra burns on Tosai's hands. "Oh my.. Has it come to this yet again? The energy behind that explosion gave chills down an old man‘s spine!!" Tosai would look to the old man, with a quirked eyebrow, even as he would come to his full stand. The old man would scream up to him, "I need a better look!! Has he managed to grow yet?" Meanwhile, Kuma Ainu, along with the Koala, would seem to burst out of nowhere, as she would then say, "To-san?? Are you okay?" The old man would smile, and say, "I am fine, and I am sorry to worry you all. But I had a to look for Omochu-san and I needed to step in." Ainu would look to the old man, as she would move to embrace him, her face looking as guilty as caught criminal. “..I don’t know what to believe any more, To-san.. This is.. Unbearable.” She’d grimace and seem to grit her teeth, looking in the direction of the spirt that had matched Tosai in height. Tosai would look to the old man, and say, "You better know something, Ojii-san!! I don't think I can take this… thing, with just some fist and a little muscle." The old man would then nod, and sigh. "The spirit of Kumashin, the protector of these woods, is now enraged.", before looking to the Koala bear.
He would pat it, and then look to Kuma Ainu. "I let this happen… Your mother, was always well to visit the shrine, and in my place, and despite my arrogance, kept the beliefs of this village from disappearing into nothing… But when she died, I could not bare to face that place ever again. I tried as a village elder, but in the end, I even found it hard to believe that some ‘spirit‘ that could ever protect an entire village, would let its most devoted servant, you mother, die." "…To-san..", would be said with tearful eyes, before the tall woman, would fall to her knee's and cry, hugging him tightly. Tosai from above, would say, "Hey!! I don't mean to break this whole thing up, but..!!" "I understand, Akimichi-san.. I will need a good view of this all. Also.. I will need a great bit of time. I may have been an unbeliever myself, but I do remember how my wife did things!!", would be said as the old man, would reach for the sutra's that his daughter had packed with her. "I got you on that one." Tosai would then move his 30 foot tall self infront of them, and soon handseals would string through his handseals! "Earth Release!!! Earth Flow Ramparts!!", would cause the earth beneath all four of the smaller individuals to grow, allowing them all to see what had been infront of them at that moment.
Ketsuki would feel the ground rumble below his feet as the ground rose up like a massive wall. As they rose higher in the air, he would finally see the massive bear spirit that was sure to attack them all. "What!? We have to fight this thing!?" He shouted out as his face scrunched slightly. He would shake his head, it was time to get down to business not be stuck in shock and awe. The Kikaichu under his clothing would begin to swarm beneath his clothing as they wished to be free so they could taste the chakra coming off the spirit.
Tsukiko widens her stance for better balance as the earth rises underneath her. She draws a large mirror from her pack and settles it in front of her. "Don't be a hero, Ketsuki.. hit and run, distract and scatter." She's not nearly as confident as she sounds. She watches the spirit, unsure what will happen next.
Hearing the two below him, Tosai would shake his head. "You two will do neither of what you both speak of.. Apparently, Ojii-san, and Miss Kuma may have a way to stop this. I don't want a claw or…spirit to touch them. Got me?? Ojii-san… What do I need to do?" The old man, as he would prepare his sutra tags, would say, "I need 5 minutes, Tosai-san!! The Sutra‘s have to be prepared!!" Tosai would sigh, before swallowing and moving forward to actually confront the thing.. Meanwhile Kuma Ainu, would look on to Tosai and then her dad, as if they were nuts, before then shaking her head, and saying with a muffled tone.. "What can I do to help?" The elder would smile. "Hehe.. Another believer then. One more useful than the next.", before then gesturing over to her. "Do you remember that lullaby we sung to you at night?"
Meanwhile, Tosai, large and in charge, was going after Kumashin, his hammer drawn. The mighty fist of the Akimichi, would be the first to be launched at the beast with might that would send it reeling. The force alone would do nothing but push it back, however. Tosai would notice that his fist yet burned from contact, thanks to whatever the thing had been made of!! Tosai would decide to go for his hammer, to both strike it, and keep the beast at bay. The beast would snarl before the hammer would make contact, and once hit… explode?? Yes!!! The spirit would glow bright white, and when the weapon would make contact, Tosai would be blown back by the blast, and burned once more across his arms. His landing, would make the earth rumble, light and spirit dispersing wildly into the air, before seeming to form. While some of Kumashin would have seemed to take form as the Bear itself, parts of the aura of the spirit, would seem to waft in the air, only to form smaller bears, with wings, and shoot through the air!!
Were they aimed at Tosai? Nope!! They were aimed at Tsukiko, and Ketsuki!!!
Ketsuki did not need to move in the slightest. As he spotted the flying koala spirits coming at him, he smirked. "Lets do this!" The Kikaichu beneath his clothing swarmed out spiraling around him. The sheer mass of the insects was astounding, it seemed to be a never ending stream. Before long there would not be a single visible gap in a massive wall of Kikaichu that swirl about Ketsuki. The first Koala would slam into the wall of insects only to be torn apart by their fierce jaws as they would grab a chunk each as they flew by ripping it to shreds in seconds.
While this seemed effective, the chakra on the animals was powerful and the Kikaichu would starve for more upon communicating to one another about the source, the insects would break away from Ketsuki's order and they would lash forward at the second Bear spirit. "No!" Ketsuki screamed out as he pulled his hands back. Too late the bear had broken the defense with a ‘Wham!’. Ketsuki was hit by the bear and it would blow him straight through the opposite side of the insect wall. Tumbling across the earth platform beneath, him he would regain his footing. Sliding to a stop and looking up, he would see the third bear. "Get back over here!" His hands reached forward and as if he was grabbing an invisible rope. He pulled with what seemed to be a massive amount of force. The Kikaichu would instantly realize what their host had wanted and would quickly move swarming around their host protecting him from the third before dissipating the solid wall and swarming about free for the moment. Ketsuki would look down at his abdomen to realize there were black chars on his now melted leather suit. Holes would show his milky pale skin with slight red burns in random spots. "Tsukiko, be careful! Don't let those things get to close!" He shouted to his teammate as he saw the other three approach her.
Tsukiko settles in, drawing her strength up through her legs, focusing her strength inward. She attunes her chakra carefully. Her body begins to glow softly as the energy flows smoothly through her. She braces for the first impact, the winged entity bursting against the mirror and exploding out. Then the energy almost seems to rewind, getting absorbed by the mirror. To those who can tell, this is not truly so, but merely a visual trigger of the mirror jutsu. The same thing happens twice more, the kunoichi successfully stopping all three entities attacking her. She stores away the mirror in her pack and retrives a second. "Are you alright, Ketsuki?"
As the swarm of spirits would attack and be countered, or defended, Tosai was still in his own mode of fighting. He would stand in his large form, poised, thinking of just what may be the next thing to do. When there had been no attacks from the spirit, the old man would shout out, "Huzzah!! We're ready!! Akimichi-san!!! Hold it in place!!!" Tosai would seem to shout out, "I hear ya!!", before he would then vanish. As hard as it was to see, yes, the big man, had been moving at a speed so fast, that it would confuse even Kamushin, the Bear Spirit!! Soon, a thunderous smack, would be heard, that would echo even through the bounds of Kyuusen!! Tosai's hands, would be brought in to meet each other, before his finger would lock in, wrapping the beast in place!!! His hands would sizzle on contact, before Kumashin would began to growl louder, and struggle!!!
"NOW Ojii-san!!", would be shouted, as the man would start to hum a mantra, as if to began a work of spells. The old priest's humming, would cause the sutra's around him to glow. Before long, a blue glow would surround the man, as before long, the beast, and Tosai's hands, would be surrounded in a purple light!!! Meanwhile, Kuma Ainu, would seem to be hesitant as ever, as she would say, "…I don't know if I can do this." The elder would look to his daughter and say, "…Your mother, was an excellent priestess. She was a beautiful woman, with a stubborn wit, and a fighters courage." As beast would struggle more, the man would seem to flinch, the seal of his hands seeming to strain more as force would be applied! "I believe that if she were around.. She would recognize the strength in you.. and she would be proud. So.. if you can't be courageous for me….
"..Do it for her."
Never hearing her father talk so strongly, the woman of the Nabekama would blink. She would then look to the beast as Tosai struggled, and would come to a stand, just between Ketsuki, and Tsukiko. She would then take a deep breath, and before long, would sing.
~Peeeeaaacceee… In you soul.. I dwell…
Your warmth~, is the place I dream~..
If you ever left, I feel myself failing.
And with your leaving me… My heart had fell.~
As the woman would sing, the beast would seem to actually lose its struggle. Tosai would feel it immediately, and release its grip before he would then look to the bear's form. The form would shrink, as it would seem to float in the air, limp, and glowing even brighter.
Your life, has nature's rule.
Your soul, is a form of strength~
Protector is you name.
And through the shrines, I subside your pain.
So go back.. From to which you've came.
With the finality of the song, the bear would seem to glow even more, before turning into a beam of light, which would sail back into the cave shrine! Tosai, seeing it all done, would seem to shrink back to his size slowly, his body disappearing into the foliage nearby. Ainu would see this all, and then sigh in relief as well. But what of the old man? Well, as the sealing would seem to end, the old man, would simple lay backwards, as if drained by the entire ordeal. Ainu, would hear the fall, and look back to her dad saying, "To-san!! You okay?", before moving to sit him up. The old man would cough and chuckle before saying.. "..I am fine.. though I can honestly say, my back will be hurting tomorrow."
Ketsuki would swirl his hands about, the Kikaichu would swarm about and then rush back down his sleeves. Ketsuki tired would drop to one knee and take a deep breath. "Whew, that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be." He said as he tapped at his stomach which was a bit tendered from the burns. "Tosai-sempai I did not know that you could grow to such a grand size. If it wasn't for you Tsukiko and I well we may have died. Thank you." Ketsuki bowed, "Please tell me its over now right?" He said exhausted.
Tsukiko stays vigilant, ready to defend again, peering out at the beast as it shrinks away then enters the cave once more. She finally exhales. "is it over then? What was that?… she pauses, then looks from person to person, "Is everyone alright?"
The older elder would look to Tsukiko, and Ketsuki, giving a warm nod, before then looking off to the distance, at a now shrinking Tosai. He’d hear the boy’s final question and say, “Yes… At least for a while now. The spirit has been calmed, and is now resting in its shrine at the base of the mountain. We can all go home for now. You both can escort me and my daughter back to Nabekama. I am sure that Tosai-san will be along shortly?” That was a good question indeed? Where had Tosai shrank too? Well, because of the oaf rather tremendous size, it seemed that he was indeed close by. However, when brought back to normal, he was now a base distance of about 5 miles away! He’d be okay, though for the most part, he was still coming down off of the effects of his clan’s second pill. Understanding this, Kuma Ainu would say, “I will look to his way back to the village. I ‘believe’, that I have a lot of apologizing to do for that man. With him, my own life, would be nothing but a fair tale.”
