Starring:
Date: June 19, 2011
Summary:
Junan and Kaede spot a Kaguya down the path and wonder why he is there, but Kaede takes the questioning a little too far.
Warning: Contains foul language.
"Trouble on the Mountain"
Jagged Mountain Path
A cloaked figure, Kaede of course, is on the Jagged Mountain Path. He is easy to spot, as the sinking sun on the horizon cuts a clear background behind the figure, making it stand out in it's faded grey cloak with torn ends.
And he is having a very bad day.
"You know, kid, if you continue make the world around you so dark, you're always going to be miserable," the voice of Junan rings out as he approaches the cloaked young man. "You've but a single lifetime ahead of you, and rewinding is no option for the mortal. Remember that." The enormous man looks out over the Land of Wind from their point on the mountain, his demeanor quite relaxed, unlike the young man he is currently hanging around with. "So, what exactly are you still doing here? Haven't had enough of the hatred?"
Takeshi was also on this path, but ahead of them both, standing on a rock just a little down the path and staring out over the Land of Wind. The typical white clothes that he wears are covered by the long, black and red cloak with the words of Harbinger of War penned on the back of it. A relic from the great shinobi wars, back when they made jokes about his nature, but that's neither here nor there. Currently, he doesn't seem to be doing anything or looking for anyone or anything in particular, but he doesn't seem lost either. It seems he's just waisting time on the view.
"What do you know." Kaede replies to Junan. "My 'single lifetime' won't last long. Living forever is disgusting." He says as he hurries up his pace, only then noticing Takeshi further down the path. "Who's that?" He asks.
Looking down the path at the man with the words Harbinger of War on his back, Junan studies him for a moment, wondering who he is. Another war-hungry buffoon around really wouldn't be a good sign. "So, you plan to live a miserable life and die early? That's a rather sad existence." After a moment's pause, he asks, "Do you plan to die in war, or just turn into a wrist-cutter?" He brings his arms up, crossing them over his chest as he looks down at Takeshi. "If the words on his back are any sign, could be trouble."
Takeshi quirks an eyebrow silently as they talk behind his back. It's not like they're going out of their way to remain quiet and unseen at this point, so he turns around to stare back at them. Well this is akward isn't it? What do we do now? There's a flicker of sand off the rock as the man disappears and then reappears a couple of feet away from them both. He looks at each in turn before settling back on Kaede, "You, I know. We met in Kirigakure. Still trying to blow things up?"
Then he turns to Junan, "You…You I do not know."
Kaede turns swiftly to Junan, narrowing his eyes at him. "You don't understand a thing, do you? I am not dying physically. Then again, I don't know why I am sacrificing either. This whole deal seems like bullshit to me." He gestured to Sunagakure as he said that, finally looking towards Takeshi. "The harbinger of war." He grins, pulling down the hood of his cloak. "We'll see about that."
Kaede doesn't seem neither surprised nor amused when Takeshi disappears and reappears in front of them. "Kirigakure shinobi? A clan elder?" He narrows his eyes. "What the hell do you think you are doing in Sunagakure?"
"Well, you seem to have some serious mental issues. It's hard to tell what exactly you are talking about sometimes." As the man appears a couple feet away, Junan blinks and quirks an eyebrow. "Don't believe in personal space, son?" he asks calmly to the man whose physical appearance is actually much older than his own, glancing back and forth between the two. As Kaede gets really tense about the man's presence, the enormous man chuckles a bit and waits to see how this goes.
Takeshi shrugs, "I do, it's why I'm not directly in your face, but when I haven't yet determined if you plan to hurt me or not, I tend to be slightly closer so that I have the chance to react quicker."
He turns his attention to Kaede, "Watanabe Itami. I came to see her. Sunagakure is a neutral nation, I'm not outla," and he breaks out in laughter, "Harbinger of War. That's hilarious. That nickname means little, it was just some stupid name given to me during the third shinobi war. I just don't have any other cloaks and It's kind of amusing to me to hear the responses I get."
Kaede laughs out and turns to Junan. "Right, a shinobi from a warmongering nation is coming to Sunagakure to see the girl I like." He tells Junan, even revealing his feeling for Itami, unless he was lying. "We should let him go, right?" His voice is dripping with sarcasm.
He turns to Takeshi and he becomes serious. "Crystal Style: Descending Heavenly Lance." He says as he places his hands together. One might even wonder if he made any seals in the first place before a lance in the sky starts falling towards Takeshi. But no matter how one looks at the Lance, it always seems to be moving -away-. … Untill it almost falls on someone's face.
"So long as you don't give me a reason, I won't kill you," Junan says with a faint smile. Kaede's words draw a glance and a chuckle. "Oh, so you're into older women, eh?" As the lance comes down, he takes a couple steps back. "Jealous much?" he asks, laughing a bit more as he takes a seat on a nearby boulder. He reaches into his coat and withdraws a bottle of water. He opens it and takes a few sips as he watches the entertainment.
Takeshi peers at Kaede as the statements are made and something about liking Itami, which really didn't mean anything to him. And what is it with people automatically attacking kaguya!? Seriously, Shit gets old. And thus, does Takeshi versus some random dude battle seven hundred begin. Still, he doesn't seem all that worried about it, his eyes meandering up to look at the sky idly, "Oh, well, at least you can make pretty things." As the spear comes towards him, it seems to get farther away, but this shinobi isn't stupid nor is he young, it's just a play on the light and the surface of the object. When it reaches him, it slams through, but the person that was standing there simply fades away at the last possible moment, appearing on the path outwards from Junana.
"Of course, I didn't have any intention of starting a fight here, but it looks like your charge is a bit more…Shall I say, Enthusiastic." He peers down at Kaede before whistling at him, arms crossed.
"Hey, kid. I don't care who you like, I'm not here to take her away from you. I have a family back home, I'm not here to keep you from getting your girl or whatever the hell it is you whipper snappers call it now-a-days," he pauses, "But if you continue, I will defend myself and I will feel justified in doing as such."
Kaede studies his opponent's reaction. The speed, the precision of movement, the planning a head. Kaede knew this opponent wasn't new to battle. He was good. But despite the excitement of the 'hunt', Kaede didn't seem happy at all. Focused.
"I couldn't give a damn about her anymore. I give a damn about Sunagakure. You are a shinobi of a warmongering nation, I thought I said that. There is no way to verify your reason for coming here… my duty makes my mission very clear, 'Harbinger of War'." He states as his hands press together, the air around Kaede suddenly feeling heavier and darker. "I cannot allow you to remain here."
He makes several seals, and utters: "Crystal Style: Eye of the Tempest." And the air explodes with millions of crystal particles that glint in the light and look like cherry blossoms.
Looking over to Takeshi as he disappears and reappears again, Junan smirks. "Well, I guess he thinks you're some sort of threat." He takes a few more sips of his water as he continues looking back and forth between the battling pair. "Looks like someone needs to leave… Things would go a lot more smoothly if you'd just leave the Land of Wind like I told you too, kid."
Takeshi looks over at Junan, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I have a reason for being here and I'm not the one that started this."
His gaze returns to Kaede as he releases the crystal petals, the eyes taking them in and seemingly analyzing them for purpose. "Someone taught you well. When your opponent is faster than you are, make it so the speed doesn't matter, or something like that, is that the plan? It won't work. Though maybe it will, let's see if you can match my speed."
He shrugs lightly, "Damn kids," before pushing his palms together, a chant beginning as his left palm moves up and the fingers curve straight over a the middle joint. His chakra appears to be getting smaller and larger at the same time, as if that's even possible.
Kaede tilted his head to Takeshi's words. "Speed?" He grins. "You don't understand, Kaguya 'Elder'. You are like a fly, and I am picking your wings off. In my eyes you are so slow, I feel bad for even looking like I am trying."
He claps his hands together and a piece of boulder accompanied by sand crystalizes almost immediatly and launches itself at Takeshi, as Kaede continues to walk towards him. "I assume you are a close combat type." Kaede says, offering a mock-smile.
"I was talking to the youngster here," Junan says with a glance to Takeshi. Watching as the battle starts to become more intense as more power is focussed by both, he seems more amused by the moment. "This is much more interesting that going to watch a play," he says, seeming completely relaxed. However, a moment later, his muscles begin to grow much larger, veins bulging from highly increased blood flow.
Takeshi idly watched the boulder as it travelled through the air towards him, never once taking his eye off of it and again, right before it hit, a burst of speed propels him away from the point of impact. This one moves him to the side, quickly, just out of reach as the boulder sprays debris and sand all over his cloak, but he doesn't seem concerned. His eyes remain on Kaede the entire time.
"Ah, my apologies then. I assumed you meant me. You don't mind if I hurt him a little right?"
He twists his arm about, a cracking sound echoing as he rubs at it, "There we go, these old bones need to be popped back in place every now and then. Let me explain something. I'm faster than your eye can see." And with that he disappears again, a blast of pure speed, appearing again right in front of Kaede, palm already moving to strike at his shoulder, to push its way as deep as possible into that bone before shattering it with a concussive five inch punch. If it didn't hit, at least he'd look cool, "We're even."
Kaede gets hit. What a miracle. Or not. Maybe the guy just isn't as old as Kaede thought. Or something. Either way, Kaede's shoulders aren't fragile things, and he rebounds from the strike taking a few steps back, eyes open all the time.
"Interesting." Kaede replies. "You may be faster, but.." Kaede's smile fades as he places his hands together. "My perception of time isn't the same as yours- in fact, my perception is different from yours," Kaede explains as a stack of crystal mirrors appear underneath Takeshi, and one above him. It will serve to create a very distorted image, as Kaede's own hypnotizing voice continues. "You are wrong if you think your speed has any real advantage. You will find yourself in a place without a bottom, underneath a blood red sky. And die. A pittiful old man." Crystals around Kaede pulse with light.
Continuing to watch the fight, Junan chuckles a bit. "Be my guest to attempt. I might step in at some point." Power surges through his muscles, veins bulging a bit more as he watches the fight, calmly waiting for what will happen next. "This is quite entertaining," he says as takes a another sip of his bottle.
Takeshi eyed the kid as he slid backwards, "Really? Let's see this trick of yours."
As the views begin to skew, he immediately pushes chakra through his mind to sever ties to anyone around him. It had to be a genjutsu right? No, nothing is being pushed off…damnit, it's not a genjutsu, what did that kid just do. And he was actually falling, amusing. Does the kid think that would work?
The elder remains calm, even if he is falling through the sky, the clouds will eventually part and then he'll deal with the consequences.
Kaede stared at Takeshi and tilted his head. Like a predator. "You thought I was lying? Standing still, I assume you thought that was genjutsu. Did you consider that I could maybe manipulate more than just crystal?" He laughed. "Now begins the real game, Kaguya. Show no mercy or I will give you no quarter. And quarters are all that will remain of you, beast."
Watching as the fight continues, Junan blinks, a bit amused that Takeshi was fooled. "Easy, kid. If you kill this guy, you're going to have all of the Bloody Mist on your trail. He's done you no harm." He watches, staying seated on his rock. Whose side is he on? Really, no one's. Kaede's mental instability is rather amusing, but he is trying to help him.
Takeshi nods, "Hmm. Interesting, a ninjutsu that looks like a genjutsu. Good. Some form of hypnosis then. That's something I can appreciate kid, but I'm not here to hurt you. Remember, I'm only defending myself. Maybe you should listen to your companion who seems to want to help you." He crosses his arms again and stares at the boy.
He speaks now to Junan, but doesn't turn to face that way, "I'm not going to hurt him. I've said that enough times, but you are welcome to interfere of course. I will not attack unless attacked. I am after all trained as a monk. Stereotypes are sometimes wrong."
Kaede looks to Junan, "That's good. It will save me the trouble of looking for them." And then to Takeshi he says, "As for you, you were the one showing off your 'strengths' and whatever it is you do, claiming you are faster than my eyes can see. Are you faster than light?" He laughs. "Let this be a lesson to you and a message to your Kage. If he dares move on civillians I will kill him."
And then he claps his hands together. Here comes the lesson.
"Crystal Release: Crystal Bloom Attack." He utters the words near silently as the sand turns to crystal and sprouts… flowers. Emo and girly! That's the way to go.
…
The flowers twist up into spears and start raining down on Takeshi.
"Kid, you're really screwed up in the head," Junan says, shaking his head. "We're going to have to find a wandering Medical Ninja soon so you can get on some kind of medication. Paranoid schizophrenia, I believe, is the name for what you have." Glancing back and forth between the two, he ponders what to do. If he strikes Takeshi, he could open him up to attacks by Kaede. If he strikes Kaede, the kid will probably have some sort of conniption fit.
Takeshi stares back at Kaede, "Oh well, just one of those things."
The flowers bloom above him and shower the area with spears of crystal, no end in sight of the spears as they pepper the ground. The end result is a cloud of dust and dirt, rocks flying everywhere and uncertain whereabouts of the kaguya. There's really no telling if he had made it out.
As the dust settles, it was clear that they hadn't missed and the Kaguya was strangely quiet, the spears having embedded themselves into the kaguya's skin. At first there is an odd twitching of muscles from the kaguya until he outright rips them out of his body. The spears falling to the ground. "Hah. Very good. It seems you've at least got some strength to back up your mental instability. But I do have one question for you," he cracks his neck, "Was that supposed to kill a kaguya? Because you're going to have to try harder. Not even a kage sealing me in a tree with forbidden jutsu killed me. You really think you can?"
Kaede stares at Junan and tilts his head. "Is that so? You think I am mad? You're a fool." And as the dust settles and Kaede spies Takeshi still doing well, Kaede can't help but chuckle. "You still got talk in you? You want to see a forbidden jutsu? I will show you one."
Kaede focuses his chakra again. "I would've let you pass were you not a Kaguya and from Kirigakure. You murderous lot- You are guilty of killing innocent people. Your life belongs to me." Kaede says with a murderous look in his eyes. "I prefer to hunt my prey. Run little mouse, use that speed."
Shaking his head at the scene of Kaede trying to kill a Kaguya Elder, Junan emits a low sigh. When Kaede speaks to him, the enormous man quirks an eyebrow at him. "Pitiful mortal. You don't even realize that you're completely out of your mind." With that, he suddenly moves with lightning speed. However, his target is different than one might expect. He appears in front of Kaede, spinning to drive his foot in a powerful roundhouse kick aimed directly at the boy's temple to try to knock him out.
Takeshi shrugs, "I'm sorry, aren't you guilty of the same? Isn't this a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Stop now and I'll spare you the breaking," and then junan shoots off from his perch and the elder stops talking. For now, he stands silently at the other end, content to let these two have their row. After all, he had no qualms with the other elder here, it was only with kaede and only because he had been attacked first. No other reason. Therefore, Protocol dictates he stay right here and wait.
The figure of Kaede stands transcendedly still as Junan appears in front of him, throwing a kick for his head— But Kaede makes a seal, barely claps his hands together, and a wall of crystal rises- meeting the foot.
Over the wall, vaulting, comes Kaede; "I have killed a man only once. A bandit who raped, pillaged and murder. Adding you to my collection won't inconvenience me at all." He looks to Junan, in a split second, narrowing his eyes. "That was a mistake." He tells him as he claps his hands together.
"Crystal Release: Heavenly Pillars of Judgement." And before he finishes, crystal spikes and pillars rise from the ground, literally trying to pin the two to a part of the scenery and hold them in place incredibly powerfully should the attack connect. Keeping their fingers spread apart- and head immobile.
"My young friend, I fear it is you who shall die soon. I am done trying to help you. I leave you to the fate the Hidden Villages choose for you," Junan says with a smirk. When the spikes and pillars come down for him, he disappears into thin air out of pure bodily speed. Rather than reappear like Takeshi has done, however, he is simply gone from the area.
Takeshi stands silently as the other man leaves the battlefield. Well, to each his own. He stares back at Kaede silently, "Well, I guess we'll see if you can kill someone then."
The spike and pillar thing or whatever the hell it is works, pushing him up against the thing in a hold. For now he remains calm, sitting silently in the trap.
Kaede grits his teeth when Junan leaves. He chuckled then and looked to Takeshi. "Maybe the madness of your Kage has not touched you, Kaguya. You fight without bloodlust, maybe you are not my mark after all."
He turns towards where he thought Junan left and starts walking in that direction, stopping for a moment to look at Takeshi. "If you dare touch this village, I will kill you." It was not so much a threat as a promise. And then Kaede left- leaving Takeshi to hang there, with the crystals pinning him until he finds a way out of it. Just to make sure Kaede doesn't kill the wrong person accidentally, cause, well, it's a desert, he cracks the crystals enough to make them fragile.
