Taka
Dane
erikh"Katsu put his hands into the pouches in either side of his hips, where there were kunai with explosive tags attached. He swung them in the general direction, four of them hitting trees and the other two flying towards Kenta."
Could've saved a lot of frustration had you merely said "They would not explode upon making contact.", should probably do it next time. Kenta's point is that he doubted anyone knew of your plan and you put people at risk because no one knew what you were doing. Anyway, let's move on now.
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Catch.
Halting the acceleration through the Land of Fire, Takeo had found himself two and a half miles away from the battlefield, instead stopping at a large clearing where the 4th Hokage sat. One arm rested on his right knee, and he appeared focused on a single spot that was severely scorched, kunai and shuriken both embedded into the ground. Approaching quietly and stopping only until he was directly beside his former student did Takeo think of raising questions. Nikuya was Kenji’s objective and judging by how far he had pushed her away from Konoha he had ultimately succeeded in keeping her from causing any lasting damage to Konoha, as was the plan.
“Did you kill her?”
“Ran away, as we expected. Nikuya was never a huge concern …not after what you and I have dealt with.” Kenji looked up towards Takeo, noticing that there wasn’t a single scratch on him. He knew that Takeo was one of the most skilled shinobi alive, but had at least expected a scratch somewhere. When he began to think about it, he didn’t expect Shinji to ever have a scratch either; only the strongest of the strong tended to be able to touch any of them, and there were very few who could claim to be capable of it. Most of those who had the potential to were dead, and the one that nearly killed him was far from this place. “I take it everything went well if you’re here.”
“Something like that. There’s something you should read.” Takeo handed Kenji the scroll he had pocketed, and quietly allowed the Hokage to read the contents. As expected there wasn’t very much change to be had; Kenji was equally unimpressed with the Empress’ terms and, like Takeo, wanted her to answer for how many lives she destroyed. The two sat in silence for several moments even after Kenji finished reading it, until finally he had spoken.
“Part of me wants to hide this and treat it as a sick joke …but the Hokage in me knows better. The Empress killed the last person who had wanted this war to end without violence.”
“What do you think the Mist would say?”
“I doubt Takeshi and Kotomi want to shake hands with the woman who has the blood of the 5th Mizukage, their father, stained on them. I also doubt that the village as a whole would want to hear it.” Kenji picked himself up, picking up the shuriken and kunai he had expelled at Nikuya during the height of the battle they shared. The talk of peace was destroyed a long time ago. “If the Mist did their job, and they do their job well, then this leaves two territories secured for us. Suna is becoming friendlier to the Empire, Kumo’s military was completely destroyed and those that remain are criminals.” Kenji looked over his shoulder at Takeo, both knowing the state of Iwagakure. “We’ll discuss Iwagakure after we gather our strength, but for the time being it’s off-limits.”
Takeo crossed his arms and looked towards the setting of the sun; stars had begun to shine in the sky and tonight would be one of celebration for the people. Suna was growing less contested and more ‘pro’ for the Empire, but it was also one of the closest locations to the Leaf. Things were going to get interesting very soon. “Let’s head back, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
The two vanished, yet by the time they returned Takeo and Kenji both expected things to be coming to an end.
-
The roar of Kenta’s chakra was extraordinary, so much so that it was a little deafening to Kaede’s ears. Those pills he swallowed were something special to the Akimichi Clan and a great source of power, and this would be quite a fight for anyone right now. Her body was still shaky from the force used to knock her backwards, but getting back to her feet wasn’t a significant issue. The Bykaugan reappeared once again to help her better defend herself, and she had begun to bend her knees just as Kenta had begun charging. There was a plan of her own that Kaede wanted to put into motion, but there was no way she could announce it to anyone.
Shuriken with cutting power enhanced by wind style ninjutsu had come spiraling by, cutting between her and Kenta. Katsu’s efforts weren’t in vain; the simple move had forced Kenta to leap high into the air, fist still heavy with power. This offered an opportunity Kaede did not wish to miss, and she had begun to prepare for a ‘counterattack’. Karela’s effort, while caring, only served to make her stumble over and out of harm’s way to leave herself open for receiving a harsh blow. Raising her palm and thinking quickly, Kaede was quick to make use of her Air Palm to save Karela, who was acting careless all of a sudden. This was once again becoming one of those times where the Hyuga clan demanded representation; the Angel of the Leaf did not earn her Jounin rank without some tactical skills and a strong voice. It was thanks to the efforts of Natsumi that Karela could be blown out of the vicinity with wind ninjutsu, as well as a deadly set of explosive kunai Katsu had thrown from afar. Were it not for that maneuver, she might’ve needed to avoid the kunai as well.
Natsumi had gone off a little on the two and Kaede couldn’t find it in herself to defend them. Dren had been stunned to the point he hadn’t moved or spoken yet, which meant that this may have become a four on one match with someone who still had triple their experience and likely power as well. The clashing of men and women surrounding them had brought the seals that many of her comrades carried life, and Kaede had leaped backwards several feet to bring focus to them. For a short while she’d need to ensure that no more casualties for Konoha be met, and so clasping her hands together Kaede quietly accelerated the feeding of chakra. Katsu would be able to feel it most of all, being the closest one with the seal in her vicinity. Explosions and cries of pain racked her ears, yet her nerves were steeled for it all.
For the time being …you must all work together without me …
-
Kenta crashed into the ground with his fist, dismantling the earth below with devastating force. He had registered everything; the shuriken thrown at him, in spite of wind ninjutsu backing it, was easily leaped over with his momentum not being affected. Kaede was just below him, and with a forward flip he began to descend towards her rapidly. As a friend of the girl and with knowledge of the Hyuga clan’s techniques he was more than aware she had plenty of options of dealing with such a straightforward maneuver. That idea changed once another girl had jumped in the way, throwing off the possible counterattack Kaede had planned and instead …stood there? Coming to her rescue just as his fist was inches away from her head was Natsumi, knocking her and the troublesome explosive kunai that had come from Katsu beyond his range. With his fist returning to normal, Kenta was obviously unscathed minus some dust on his right fist.
A timely rant from Natsumi had shown serious complications with the small band of ninja. He had noticed that there was an overwhelming desire to protect the medic of the group, which was basically their best chance at keeping alive should things go wrong. The other Hyuga in question hadn’t reacted much at all, which to Kenta likely meant he was probably the weakest of the bunch in spite of being the oldest of them all. The boy was eager to cover his comrade and performed fairly well given the situation, but what if his comrades hadn’t been relocated and he chose to endure the explosion? They would likely have sustained the same amount of damage by being so close. And Natsumi …well, the fire in her heart burned strong, and the release of the Uchiha clan’s signature technique had come barreling towards him. A claim of him not dying was sent his way.
“That’s not your choice to make, Natsumi!” Turning on his heel to face her, his left palm had grown, markings covering the surface with visible chakra covering it entirely. Thrusting it forward, the burning sensation on his palm was uncomfortable but but more bearable than what would have happened had his palm been unprotected. The fire ninjutsu the girl used was powerful, but Kenta’s experience and quick-thinking was shown to be more than one of them could handle alone. As it turned out, Katsu had remained in the path of Natsumi’s attack and had resorted to bickering with her as well in the middle of a battle. This alarmed Kenta greatly, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. Looking between the two Uchiha, and then towards the girl he didn’t know, the Hyuga who had ultimately proved a little slower and weaker than one might expect, and Kaede herself Kenta had seen the true issue here.
“ARE YOU BICKERING CHILDREN, OR ARE YOU THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE HIDDEN LEAF!?!?” Kenta roared, obviously insulted by this pitiful display amongst the people that bickered. The former instructor within Kenta was emerging in spite of him knowing that all ties to the Leaf were to be broken. No longer could he kid himself; as long as he drew breath, he’d always hold the Leaf’s best interests at heart and it was just a matter of him believing in a different path than his friends and family. This was so embarrassing he was starting to wish the poison spreading in his body worked faster. “YOU THERE!” Kenta pointed towards Karela. “IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ASK ME TO DO MY WORST, YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TRY AND AVOID MY ATTACK, OR BETTER YET TRY TO COUNTER IT LIKE KAEDE WAS DOING!” his brown eyes filled with disgust, he turned his attention towards Katsu. “CARELESSLY USING EXPLOSIVE TAGS WITH YOUR COMRADE SO CLOSE TO ME? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!” unless Kaede and Katsu had managed to work together in the past, he doubted that she knew the plan since Kaede was obviously prepared to attempt something.
Taking a deep breath, the Akimichi had tried to calm down a little more. His days teaching newly-made genin hadn’t quite left him, and in some ways he was still the instructor he needed to be. As it stood, none of them were perfect. “Natsumi, even you …you had time to save that girl, but you didn’t take advantage of me being in the air? That saddens me. None of you are exempt, so either you band together as comrades, or you die together as children. AM I CLEAR!?” Kaede was focusing on tending to her comrades, hoping that the others could maintain his attention. This allowed their forces to better combat the troops that had chosen to remain behind with him, and it was a wise choice. No communication necessary; they knew who she was and what her primary task was, and Kenta would keep that in mind. Reaching behind him and retrieving a flash bomb, he had thrown it into the ground and set it off, hoping to blind all those nearest him. As users with eye-based Kekkei Genkai, they would often rely on their eyes a lot without being used to fighting without them. In the several seconds of vulnerability he hoped to gain, Kenta would emerge from the brightest point emitted as a rolling ball of destruction: The Human Bullet Tank had gone careening off towards Katsu now, ignoring Karela, Natsumi, and both Hyuga.
“TIME TO LEARN THE HARD WAY!” he shouted perfectly fine as he sped towards Katsu, tearing up the ground beneath him.
“Did you kill her?”
“Ran away, as we expected. Nikuya was never a huge concern …not after what you and I have dealt with.” Kenji looked up towards Takeo, noticing that there wasn’t a single scratch on him. He knew that Takeo was one of the most skilled shinobi alive, but had at least expected a scratch somewhere. When he began to think about it, he didn’t expect Shinji to ever have a scratch either; only the strongest of the strong tended to be able to touch any of them, and there were very few who could claim to be capable of it. Most of those who had the potential to were dead, and the one that nearly killed him was far from this place. “I take it everything went well if you’re here.”
“Something like that. There’s something you should read.” Takeo handed Kenji the scroll he had pocketed, and quietly allowed the Hokage to read the contents. As expected there wasn’t very much change to be had; Kenji was equally unimpressed with the Empress’ terms and, like Takeo, wanted her to answer for how many lives she destroyed. The two sat in silence for several moments even after Kenji finished reading it, until finally he had spoken.
“Part of me wants to hide this and treat it as a sick joke …but the Hokage in me knows better. The Empress killed the last person who had wanted this war to end without violence.”
“What do you think the Mist would say?”
“I doubt Takeshi and Kotomi want to shake hands with the woman who has the blood of the 5th Mizukage, their father, stained on them. I also doubt that the village as a whole would want to hear it.” Kenji picked himself up, picking up the shuriken and kunai he had expelled at Nikuya during the height of the battle they shared. The talk of peace was destroyed a long time ago. “If the Mist did their job, and they do their job well, then this leaves two territories secured for us. Suna is becoming friendlier to the Empire, Kumo’s military was completely destroyed and those that remain are criminals.” Kenji looked over his shoulder at Takeo, both knowing the state of Iwagakure. “We’ll discuss Iwagakure after we gather our strength, but for the time being it’s off-limits.”
Takeo crossed his arms and looked towards the setting of the sun; stars had begun to shine in the sky and tonight would be one of celebration for the people. Suna was growing less contested and more ‘pro’ for the Empire, but it was also one of the closest locations to the Leaf. Things were going to get interesting very soon. “Let’s head back, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
The two vanished, yet by the time they returned Takeo and Kenji both expected things to be coming to an end.
-
The roar of Kenta’s chakra was extraordinary, so much so that it was a little deafening to Kaede’s ears. Those pills he swallowed were something special to the Akimichi Clan and a great source of power, and this would be quite a fight for anyone right now. Her body was still shaky from the force used to knock her backwards, but getting back to her feet wasn’t a significant issue. The Bykaugan reappeared once again to help her better defend herself, and she had begun to bend her knees just as Kenta had begun charging. There was a plan of her own that Kaede wanted to put into motion, but there was no way she could announce it to anyone.
Shuriken with cutting power enhanced by wind style ninjutsu had come spiraling by, cutting between her and Kenta. Katsu’s efforts weren’t in vain; the simple move had forced Kenta to leap high into the air, fist still heavy with power. This offered an opportunity Kaede did not wish to miss, and she had begun to prepare for a ‘counterattack’. Karela’s effort, while caring, only served to make her stumble over and out of harm’s way to leave herself open for receiving a harsh blow. Raising her palm and thinking quickly, Kaede was quick to make use of her Air Palm to save Karela, who was acting careless all of a sudden. This was once again becoming one of those times where the Hyuga clan demanded representation; the Angel of the Leaf did not earn her Jounin rank without some tactical skills and a strong voice. It was thanks to the efforts of Natsumi that Karela could be blown out of the vicinity with wind ninjutsu, as well as a deadly set of explosive kunai Katsu had thrown from afar. Were it not for that maneuver, she might’ve needed to avoid the kunai as well.
Natsumi had gone off a little on the two and Kaede couldn’t find it in herself to defend them. Dren had been stunned to the point he hadn’t moved or spoken yet, which meant that this may have become a four on one match with someone who still had triple their experience and likely power as well. The clashing of men and women surrounding them had brought the seals that many of her comrades carried life, and Kaede had leaped backwards several feet to bring focus to them. For a short while she’d need to ensure that no more casualties for Konoha be met, and so clasping her hands together Kaede quietly accelerated the feeding of chakra. Katsu would be able to feel it most of all, being the closest one with the seal in her vicinity. Explosions and cries of pain racked her ears, yet her nerves were steeled for it all.
For the time being …you must all work together without me …
-
Kenta crashed into the ground with his fist, dismantling the earth below with devastating force. He had registered everything; the shuriken thrown at him, in spite of wind ninjutsu backing it, was easily leaped over with his momentum not being affected. Kaede was just below him, and with a forward flip he began to descend towards her rapidly. As a friend of the girl and with knowledge of the Hyuga clan’s techniques he was more than aware she had plenty of options of dealing with such a straightforward maneuver. That idea changed once another girl had jumped in the way, throwing off the possible counterattack Kaede had planned and instead …stood there? Coming to her rescue just as his fist was inches away from her head was Natsumi, knocking her and the troublesome explosive kunai that had come from Katsu beyond his range. With his fist returning to normal, Kenta was obviously unscathed minus some dust on his right fist.
A timely rant from Natsumi had shown serious complications with the small band of ninja. He had noticed that there was an overwhelming desire to protect the medic of the group, which was basically their best chance at keeping alive should things go wrong. The other Hyuga in question hadn’t reacted much at all, which to Kenta likely meant he was probably the weakest of the bunch in spite of being the oldest of them all. The boy was eager to cover his comrade and performed fairly well given the situation, but what if his comrades hadn’t been relocated and he chose to endure the explosion? They would likely have sustained the same amount of damage by being so close. And Natsumi …well, the fire in her heart burned strong, and the release of the Uchiha clan’s signature technique had come barreling towards him. A claim of him not dying was sent his way.
“That’s not your choice to make, Natsumi!” Turning on his heel to face her, his left palm had grown, markings covering the surface with visible chakra covering it entirely. Thrusting it forward, the burning sensation on his palm was uncomfortable but but more bearable than what would have happened had his palm been unprotected. The fire ninjutsu the girl used was powerful, but Kenta’s experience and quick-thinking was shown to be more than one of them could handle alone. As it turned out, Katsu had remained in the path of Natsumi’s attack and had resorted to bickering with her as well in the middle of a battle. This alarmed Kenta greatly, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. Looking between the two Uchiha, and then towards the girl he didn’t know, the Hyuga who had ultimately proved a little slower and weaker than one might expect, and Kaede herself Kenta had seen the true issue here.
“ARE YOU BICKERING CHILDREN, OR ARE YOU THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE HIDDEN LEAF!?!?” Kenta roared, obviously insulted by this pitiful display amongst the people that bickered. The former instructor within Kenta was emerging in spite of him knowing that all ties to the Leaf were to be broken. No longer could he kid himself; as long as he drew breath, he’d always hold the Leaf’s best interests at heart and it was just a matter of him believing in a different path than his friends and family. This was so embarrassing he was starting to wish the poison spreading in his body worked faster. “YOU THERE!” Kenta pointed towards Karela. “IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ASK ME TO DO MY WORST, YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TRY AND AVOID MY ATTACK, OR BETTER YET TRY TO COUNTER IT LIKE KAEDE WAS DOING!” his brown eyes filled with disgust, he turned his attention towards Katsu. “CARELESSLY USING EXPLOSIVE TAGS WITH YOUR COMRADE SO CLOSE TO ME? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!” unless Kaede and Katsu had managed to work together in the past, he doubted that she knew the plan since Kaede was obviously prepared to attempt something.
Taking a deep breath, the Akimichi had tried to calm down a little more. His days teaching newly-made genin hadn’t quite left him, and in some ways he was still the instructor he needed to be. As it stood, none of them were perfect. “Natsumi, even you …you had time to save that girl, but you didn’t take advantage of me being in the air? That saddens me. None of you are exempt, so either you band together as comrades, or you die together as children. AM I CLEAR!?” Kaede was focusing on tending to her comrades, hoping that the others could maintain his attention. This allowed their forces to better combat the troops that had chosen to remain behind with him, and it was a wise choice. No communication necessary; they knew who she was and what her primary task was, and Kenta would keep that in mind. Reaching behind him and retrieving a flash bomb, he had thrown it into the ground and set it off, hoping to blind all those nearest him. As users with eye-based Kekkei Genkai, they would often rely on their eyes a lot without being used to fighting without them. In the several seconds of vulnerability he hoped to gain, Kenta would emerge from the brightest point emitted as a rolling ball of destruction: The Human Bullet Tank had gone careening off towards Katsu now, ignoring Karela, Natsumi, and both Hyuga.
“TIME TO LEARN THE HARD WAY!” he shouted perfectly fine as he sped towards Katsu, tearing up the ground beneath him.
Savato said
I have achieved privileged status without even deep throating my way there. I feel special. JK. Wouldn't wanna hurry things, but yeah the decline of activity is likely due to little action and, well, progress. So thanks for harassing Piercing, Sole! :D
Well I mean ...Empire had one job: get in the room for the next phase. As for rebels, I didn't foresee so little activity from all but a small handful. It also seems like the environment and characters I'm trying to develop isn't being noted much by the active ones we've got, so ...yeah :I
No problem, anything for you guys ( with reason :I ) :3
Savato said
That would make things waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy better.
He assures me its 'coming' ...don't worry I'll be harassing him until he does it, just for you <3
Savato said
Yog pls
Due to some serious inability to get to the meeting room, Pierce is just going to warp everyone there to advance the plot. No idea what Yog's been doin' though.
Kaitou Kid said
GGGGGGAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! *runs into room* Collab post with Kal because he forced my hand over skype.
Whatever it takes to get you to post lmao
Alright, last fight. Chev, Sketch, have fun. Probably could've done better but fuck it I'm tired X.X
Kenta could feel the concentration from Natsumi’s stare; He knew her almost all her entire life and, much like his former friend Takeo, he had taken pleasure in seeing her grow up from a bouncing baby into a fine kunoichi who would make both her parents and her grandparents proud. In the distant past he had used to give her rides on his back, or allowed her to jump on his expanded hands like a makeshift trampoline. For birthdays it was extra money he made on assignments, and a little extra batch of sweets he managed to sneak to her room without Lord Hokage and his wife noticing; Takeo had always known, but that was a secret they kept together. It went without saying that while he was now meant to be her enemy, the stare he returned to her wasn’t focused, but pitiful.
“…You’re becoming as strong as we hoped you would, Natsumi.”
Takeo looked from his granddaughter back to Kenta; this wasn’t a stalling tactic of any kind, the man was simply finding it difficult to put things in a way they could understand and fighting the one fear he had, that they wouldn’t understand. Takeo was once his ally and friend, now his enemy, and even in the face of this traitor he couldn’t draw his blade on him like this, not in front of Natsumi. A shinobi must learn the realities of the duty they had, and that often meant taking life or allowing it to happen for the betterment of the lives they worked to protect. That was a lesson Ryozan had not learned well enough, and it would prove detrimental if Natsumi neglected to understand how they have operated for so many decades. The shinobi of Konoha weren’t murderers without just cause, not like the old days of the Bloody Misty. Under proper leadership they had learned when a blade must be stayed, yet that was only the partial reason he was giving Kenta time to find his words.
“A little longer, please. I know I don’t have the right to ask but ...six months isn’t enough time to explain why I had left you all behind.” Kenta trusted Takeo would stay his blade, and hoped that Natsumi wasn’t too disgusted by him to try and slice his head from his shoulders with his back now turned. There was something out in the perimeter making its way closer, and when you witnessed Natsumi grow up it was only natural you were there to see her best friend too. The warmth was unmistakable, and even in his seasoned age he could make her out from the distance.
Kaede …
-
The standstill between both forces was growing uneasy for both sides; to stare into the face of someone who you were meant to defeat for so long had brought anxiety through ranks of both the rebels and the imperials. Kaede moving by her own comrades had caught their attention, and they had instinctively huddled in a little closer around her to keep her protected, uncertain of why she was exposing herself in front of the enemy. Finally she stood face to face with over several men and women who were staring with curiosity, but not lowering the guards they maintained. Were it not for this escort now joined by Katsu without a word, Kaede wagered she could request to be let by. The confrontation with the woman merely a minute ago had shown that the small party that accompanied her were not quite capable of remaining calm.
The closest few soldiers in front of her had instinctively taken a small step backwards, recognizing the famed Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, but likely not recognizing her in general. This was an advantage she didn’t need right now, and judging from how worried they still appeared on their faces there were those among them who looked to her with hesitation. She stood out not because she had stepped forward in this standstill, but because she had done so unarmed and had the appearance of one who didn’t intend to battle if she could help it.
“Let them pass!” the familiar voice of Kenta roared in the distance, causing the soldiers to part hesitantly, exposing part of their defensive line as ordered.
Kaede quietly moved through the line of Imperial soldiers, eyes on her and the few that had stuck so close to her. There was curiosity to why Kenta was allowing her by, but supposed that history with the people of the village might’ve been the root cause. It didn’t take long for her to casually make her way through the human blockade and proceed to Kenta, Natsumi, and Takeo. From here she could smell the scent of smoke from the nearby barracks that had housed so many soldiers, and though things looked bleak for Kenta Akimichi, he still had the strength to remain here and face them. That was bravery few men and women seemed to have any more. Some things were much worse than death.
“Kenta…” Kaede began softly, relaxing her Byakugan once again in the hopes that this confrontation would be diffused as well. If he wanted to battle, he’d have been fighting by now, and obviously there was something else he was attempting by standing here. “I didn’t want to believe you walked away from us. What drove you to this?”
“The idea of a better world than the one we’ve lived in.” Kenta had begun almost instantly, the words coming easier now than ever before. It seemed that the unwillingness to fight a former friend had encouraged him to begin, at last, explaining why this had to be. “I understand why Konoha despises the Empire, and the methods they’ve used have been beyond questionable …but-“ he shifted over to Takeo and Natsumi behind him, thinking back to a previous time where they were younger and able to laugh together with him. “If we were to just listen to what the Empress could promise, this might have all been avoided a long time ago. Tell them about the scroll, Takeo.”
Takeo held up the folded scroll in hand, allowing them to see the special insignia that carried a white and red color, white as the primary. This was highly different from the standard blue-sealed scrolls used to pass on other messages, and it frequently meant that the words in the scroll would come down from the very top; this was from the Empress herself.
“In a nutshell, the Empress intends to loosen the noose she holds around the world’s neck seeing as we won’t bow to her. All shinobi can choose to serve the Empire when they graduate and enforce the laws themselves, those forced into having jobs can choose not to have them at the cost of being unable to pay for a special tax should you not hold a job. The nations of the world will also be united under a single government …more than likely with her at the head.” Takeo hated to repeat the terms the Empress had given them, finding things no better than before. Under the guise of ‘peace’, this would mean the rebels would still not have independency from her empire, and should they agree they would still be the ones running things. It was insulting for her to believe that these were reasonable whatsoever. “In other words there is little change that benefits our cause, but it allows her to win this war and lose nothing in the process. I see no benefit for us.”
“She wants it to end.” Kaede spoke, silently thankful that the idea of peace can return if only they would work at it. Takeo still commanded the rebellion, and she believed that they needed him to display strength and tact through this ongoing fight, but she had considered that very carefully. ‘Loosening the noose’ meant that this was a step in the right direction; the one in charge of all this was still unwilling to release the world in its entirely and allow it to make its own decisions but she no longer wanted to fight. This meant that she was either seeing the error of her ways, or that she was taking them seriously even after her last victory. “The terms she offer are …wrong, but this means that there is a chance for us to find a resolution that doesn’t involve more death.”
“And I respectfully disagree. Before this ends there will be more death and heartbreak, but that was what she had forced us to cope with when she started this war against the entire world. A proper ‘step’ is surrendering herself to the Land of Fire and Water, and allowing us to judge her.”
“You mean kill her?” Kenta asked bitterly.
“Judge her.” Takeo repeated, shrugging his shoulders after the statement. “Although death seems more than fair when it comes to her method of handling disagreements. If execution is demanded, then it’s demanded …but we’ll be fairer than she ever was, and she can look Yuna and her children in the eye to beg for forgiveness.”
Kenta knew well that Takeo had led the squad that groomed Kenji into the Hokage he was today, with his daughter Chizuma becoming his bride. Considering the severe blow dealt to Kirigakure half a year ago, he found it hard to defend the past actions of the Empress. “The Mizukage’s death is regrettable, and I accept that she hasn’t done well in her goals. I think that what she’s bringing to this world is stability it desperately needed after so long. Order we as a single nation couldn’t provide to the entire world.” Kenta believed that winning him over was impossible, much less his daughter and the others. Unlike the man that convinced him, Kenta did question the means in which the Empress got things done. He reached into his back pouch and retrieved something in his hand, well concealed. “I know I must be wasting my time with such a weak argument, and I never expected anyone to agree with me fully. As long as I could put the hope of a united world, a peaceful world, into the minds of at least one of you …I can say I did my best.” Kaede had obviously been one, but he was uncertain about the others. Kenta knew of Katsu’s past, but very little about the other two that accompanied the Leaf’s Angel.
Looking down at his balled fist, the sub commander thought long and hard about his options. To his clan and his village he was a traitor, written in the history books as a man who turned his back on everything he loved and swore to uphold. Drawing a deep breath within his lungs, the last hurdle to the Land of Fire’s freedom had quietly said goodbye in silence.
“This isn’t how I wanted things to be.”
Takeo had a suspicion that Kenta had one last means of helping his village and his clan out, and the stare of a broken man to a balled fist had shown his old friend that the resolution he was looking towards didn’t intend his survival. The commander of the rebellion forces would do his ex-comrade one last service, and not intervene in this. Looking to his granddaughter, she may not understand it yet, but it would all make sense to them in time. “…Do what you have to do. All of you.” Vanishing from the vicinity with the peace treaty in hand, Takeo had shockingly left Kenta alone with the others, opting to not see what happened next. Right now, the Hokage needed to hear this news before it became widespread.
“Kenta, is there nothing we could say to convince you to end this?” Kaede had found a moment of confusion with Takeo leaving them like this. Her faith in him as a leader was not in question, she had only suspected that he did not have it in him to face his old friend like this. Kenta Akimichi was not a cruel man, he was jolly and typically filled with joy. It was rare to see him without a smile on his face, which meant that this was a time where there was nothing good to come out of any of this. He never missed a birthday party for Natsumi, and when the pair had been young he had always carried them around and played. With someone like that Kaede could be more than an heir to a noble clan, and could be a kid.
“I’ve made my decision.” Tossing what appeared to be a round green pill into his mouth, chewing on it quickly. Kaede had registered a fraction too late what he had decided to ingest, and within that fraction Kenta had allowed his chakra to explode all around him. Kaede was knocked back immediately, thrown to the ground several feet away as the impressive chakra of Kenta flowed around him. The green Spinach Pill would guarantee that his power grow considerable at an eventual cost. His life.
The explosion of power had brought the standstill between rebel and empire to a raging start once more, and Kenta himself turned and began to charge towards the grounded Kaede, the chakra within his right fist causing it to expand. This action would solidify his status as an enemy, and would ensure that none hold back. Even now as Kaede try to recover from being thrown backwards, he could see the little girl he had spoiled as much as he did Natsumi. The little girl that had never done him any wrong. The little girl that could do no wrong.
The battle would continue one final time… and he ensured it would only end in one way.
“…You’re becoming as strong as we hoped you would, Natsumi.”
Takeo looked from his granddaughter back to Kenta; this wasn’t a stalling tactic of any kind, the man was simply finding it difficult to put things in a way they could understand and fighting the one fear he had, that they wouldn’t understand. Takeo was once his ally and friend, now his enemy, and even in the face of this traitor he couldn’t draw his blade on him like this, not in front of Natsumi. A shinobi must learn the realities of the duty they had, and that often meant taking life or allowing it to happen for the betterment of the lives they worked to protect. That was a lesson Ryozan had not learned well enough, and it would prove detrimental if Natsumi neglected to understand how they have operated for so many decades. The shinobi of Konoha weren’t murderers without just cause, not like the old days of the Bloody Misty. Under proper leadership they had learned when a blade must be stayed, yet that was only the partial reason he was giving Kenta time to find his words.
“A little longer, please. I know I don’t have the right to ask but ...six months isn’t enough time to explain why I had left you all behind.” Kenta trusted Takeo would stay his blade, and hoped that Natsumi wasn’t too disgusted by him to try and slice his head from his shoulders with his back now turned. There was something out in the perimeter making its way closer, and when you witnessed Natsumi grow up it was only natural you were there to see her best friend too. The warmth was unmistakable, and even in his seasoned age he could make her out from the distance.
Kaede …
-
The standstill between both forces was growing uneasy for both sides; to stare into the face of someone who you were meant to defeat for so long had brought anxiety through ranks of both the rebels and the imperials. Kaede moving by her own comrades had caught their attention, and they had instinctively huddled in a little closer around her to keep her protected, uncertain of why she was exposing herself in front of the enemy. Finally she stood face to face with over several men and women who were staring with curiosity, but not lowering the guards they maintained. Were it not for this escort now joined by Katsu without a word, Kaede wagered she could request to be let by. The confrontation with the woman merely a minute ago had shown that the small party that accompanied her were not quite capable of remaining calm.
The closest few soldiers in front of her had instinctively taken a small step backwards, recognizing the famed Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, but likely not recognizing her in general. This was an advantage she didn’t need right now, and judging from how worried they still appeared on their faces there were those among them who looked to her with hesitation. She stood out not because she had stepped forward in this standstill, but because she had done so unarmed and had the appearance of one who didn’t intend to battle if she could help it.
“Let them pass!” the familiar voice of Kenta roared in the distance, causing the soldiers to part hesitantly, exposing part of their defensive line as ordered.
Kaede quietly moved through the line of Imperial soldiers, eyes on her and the few that had stuck so close to her. There was curiosity to why Kenta was allowing her by, but supposed that history with the people of the village might’ve been the root cause. It didn’t take long for her to casually make her way through the human blockade and proceed to Kenta, Natsumi, and Takeo. From here she could smell the scent of smoke from the nearby barracks that had housed so many soldiers, and though things looked bleak for Kenta Akimichi, he still had the strength to remain here and face them. That was bravery few men and women seemed to have any more. Some things were much worse than death.
“Kenta…” Kaede began softly, relaxing her Byakugan once again in the hopes that this confrontation would be diffused as well. If he wanted to battle, he’d have been fighting by now, and obviously there was something else he was attempting by standing here. “I didn’t want to believe you walked away from us. What drove you to this?”
“The idea of a better world than the one we’ve lived in.” Kenta had begun almost instantly, the words coming easier now than ever before. It seemed that the unwillingness to fight a former friend had encouraged him to begin, at last, explaining why this had to be. “I understand why Konoha despises the Empire, and the methods they’ve used have been beyond questionable …but-“ he shifted over to Takeo and Natsumi behind him, thinking back to a previous time where they were younger and able to laugh together with him. “If we were to just listen to what the Empress could promise, this might have all been avoided a long time ago. Tell them about the scroll, Takeo.”
Takeo held up the folded scroll in hand, allowing them to see the special insignia that carried a white and red color, white as the primary. This was highly different from the standard blue-sealed scrolls used to pass on other messages, and it frequently meant that the words in the scroll would come down from the very top; this was from the Empress herself.
“In a nutshell, the Empress intends to loosen the noose she holds around the world’s neck seeing as we won’t bow to her. All shinobi can choose to serve the Empire when they graduate and enforce the laws themselves, those forced into having jobs can choose not to have them at the cost of being unable to pay for a special tax should you not hold a job. The nations of the world will also be united under a single government …more than likely with her at the head.” Takeo hated to repeat the terms the Empress had given them, finding things no better than before. Under the guise of ‘peace’, this would mean the rebels would still not have independency from her empire, and should they agree they would still be the ones running things. It was insulting for her to believe that these were reasonable whatsoever. “In other words there is little change that benefits our cause, but it allows her to win this war and lose nothing in the process. I see no benefit for us.”
“She wants it to end.” Kaede spoke, silently thankful that the idea of peace can return if only they would work at it. Takeo still commanded the rebellion, and she believed that they needed him to display strength and tact through this ongoing fight, but she had considered that very carefully. ‘Loosening the noose’ meant that this was a step in the right direction; the one in charge of all this was still unwilling to release the world in its entirely and allow it to make its own decisions but she no longer wanted to fight. This meant that she was either seeing the error of her ways, or that she was taking them seriously even after her last victory. “The terms she offer are …wrong, but this means that there is a chance for us to find a resolution that doesn’t involve more death.”
“And I respectfully disagree. Before this ends there will be more death and heartbreak, but that was what she had forced us to cope with when she started this war against the entire world. A proper ‘step’ is surrendering herself to the Land of Fire and Water, and allowing us to judge her.”
“You mean kill her?” Kenta asked bitterly.
“Judge her.” Takeo repeated, shrugging his shoulders after the statement. “Although death seems more than fair when it comes to her method of handling disagreements. If execution is demanded, then it’s demanded …but we’ll be fairer than she ever was, and she can look Yuna and her children in the eye to beg for forgiveness.”
Kenta knew well that Takeo had led the squad that groomed Kenji into the Hokage he was today, with his daughter Chizuma becoming his bride. Considering the severe blow dealt to Kirigakure half a year ago, he found it hard to defend the past actions of the Empress. “The Mizukage’s death is regrettable, and I accept that she hasn’t done well in her goals. I think that what she’s bringing to this world is stability it desperately needed after so long. Order we as a single nation couldn’t provide to the entire world.” Kenta believed that winning him over was impossible, much less his daughter and the others. Unlike the man that convinced him, Kenta did question the means in which the Empress got things done. He reached into his back pouch and retrieved something in his hand, well concealed. “I know I must be wasting my time with such a weak argument, and I never expected anyone to agree with me fully. As long as I could put the hope of a united world, a peaceful world, into the minds of at least one of you …I can say I did my best.” Kaede had obviously been one, but he was uncertain about the others. Kenta knew of Katsu’s past, but very little about the other two that accompanied the Leaf’s Angel.
Looking down at his balled fist, the sub commander thought long and hard about his options. To his clan and his village he was a traitor, written in the history books as a man who turned his back on everything he loved and swore to uphold. Drawing a deep breath within his lungs, the last hurdle to the Land of Fire’s freedom had quietly said goodbye in silence.
“This isn’t how I wanted things to be.”
Takeo had a suspicion that Kenta had one last means of helping his village and his clan out, and the stare of a broken man to a balled fist had shown his old friend that the resolution he was looking towards didn’t intend his survival. The commander of the rebellion forces would do his ex-comrade one last service, and not intervene in this. Looking to his granddaughter, she may not understand it yet, but it would all make sense to them in time. “…Do what you have to do. All of you.” Vanishing from the vicinity with the peace treaty in hand, Takeo had shockingly left Kenta alone with the others, opting to not see what happened next. Right now, the Hokage needed to hear this news before it became widespread.
“Kenta, is there nothing we could say to convince you to end this?” Kaede had found a moment of confusion with Takeo leaving them like this. Her faith in him as a leader was not in question, she had only suspected that he did not have it in him to face his old friend like this. Kenta Akimichi was not a cruel man, he was jolly and typically filled with joy. It was rare to see him without a smile on his face, which meant that this was a time where there was nothing good to come out of any of this. He never missed a birthday party for Natsumi, and when the pair had been young he had always carried them around and played. With someone like that Kaede could be more than an heir to a noble clan, and could be a kid.
“I’ve made my decision.” Tossing what appeared to be a round green pill into his mouth, chewing on it quickly. Kaede had registered a fraction too late what he had decided to ingest, and within that fraction Kenta had allowed his chakra to explode all around him. Kaede was knocked back immediately, thrown to the ground several feet away as the impressive chakra of Kenta flowed around him. The green Spinach Pill would guarantee that his power grow considerable at an eventual cost. His life.
The explosion of power had brought the standstill between rebel and empire to a raging start once more, and Kenta himself turned and began to charge towards the grounded Kaede, the chakra within his right fist causing it to expand. This action would solidify his status as an enemy, and would ensure that none hold back. Even now as Kaede try to recover from being thrown backwards, he could see the little girl he had spoiled as much as he did Natsumi. The little girl that had never done him any wrong. The little girl that could do no wrong.
The battle would continue one final time… and he ensured it would only end in one way.
Chev said
Pls what?Oh. Post?
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaas
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