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Homecoming (Takao). Wed Apr 24, 2019 5:36 am
Yōsei
S-rank
- ooc info:
- This thread is just for Takao, people can ask to join if they want but consider it invite only. If anyone wants to make supplementary threads taking place simultaneously to join in on the story, link back to this OP in your thread's OP and I'll keep track of them.
「 Night of the Chunin Exams Grand Final, Shinwato. 」
Fire burst at the horizon, colors drifting with the winds of a distant hurricane, into the shape of crests and flags, and beneath, shinobi scrambled through a burning temple, struts collapsing into the inferno. Circling through the storm, the Sealer's grasp found Izumi's shoulder, and with him, she was gone, spirited away to the dusty floors of the Daimyo's palace, long pillaged by the wars in Suna, where the still air was warm with the heat which radiated from the dunes. Collapsing in a heap of blood and rainwater, the Sealer's student fought to catch her breath. Kneeling to place his hand upon her shoulder, Yōsei exhaled, drawing the breath out to center himself. Minutes past before calm set in, sweeping through a cloud of panic and adrenaline that subsided in the waning hours of the Wind Country night.
"Master Yōsei, what happens now?"
"For now, you return home, the Kazekage needs you, and I suspect you are feeling weary."
"And the war?"
"That depends on what comes next. Our allies are few and far between, so we should savor the peace we've got for now. At night, keep your gaze cast toward the Hidden Leaf, our work is not yet finished."
「 Konohagakure, Early Winter. 」
A brutal war of blue and amber came at the juncture of autumn and winter, as branches thrusting high clinging to the troops who fought to linger in summer's end. Along a path of these desolate battlefields, the Sealer made his route through Fire Country, clipping between the moonless nightfall, stride carrying the Uzumaki on the road beneath the trees. The forest heaved, restlessly succumbing to the cold which trailed mist in between each breath, rattling away through early winter winds. Heel kicking from the dirt, Yōsei lept to branches stretched low and jagged to propel himself through the shoal of densely knotted twigs which bore the last of their autumn foliage as badges of honor. Through a gap between fall's starlight, the Sealer found purchase and ascended to a vantage atop Fire Country's endless ocean of forests. A flurry of birds dispersed behind as Yōsei made his first bound forward, initial signs of civilization scraping black brush strokes on the distant horizon, where the legion of amber soldiers pounded on the drums of war, a defiant wage that sung the Will of Fire as the Sealer marked it with that very script.
Grim reminders of their blasphemy within Shinwato's walls rose high in the Sealer's vision, temples with their silhouettes bleeding into inky skies bloated thick with dark clouds. From the walls of Konoha, the dark skies clung desperately to the edges of perception, but beneath them, the Sealer made his silent pilgrimage toward his homeland, dipping through the paths which led through foothill villages, scattered farms before the holy city's gates. Silent footsteps carried the man in black through sacred shrines built into mountain paths, each one bearing the face of Buddha peering toward the Hidden Leaf. Walls at the mountain's apex gave way to the Sealer's path toward Konoha, and the scaffolding which arched heavenward surrounding Shinwato's oldest temple belied the restoration efforts. Slowly, the temple's walls had been reconstructed along the bottom floors, but scorched stone and statues shattered into pieces remained as the renovations halted while the Hidden Leaf's balance of power teetered in the balance. At the ridge of Shinwato's tallest monument, the descent toward Konohagakure was clear, sparse scattering of dimly lit windows bobbing like lanterns lost at sea.
Gaze dropping to the skip between dimensions, the Sealer's thoughts lept forward. The Leaf had grown strong already, thriving with the next generation of shinobi, but questions in its leadership tore valleys through the military ranks and broke them down. Yōsei's feet touched down above the Hidden Leaf's eastern gate, shaking free the thoughts of his home's fate, and gritted his teeth for the crucible to come. If Konohagakure were to survive the coming storm, it would be unity from which they would draw that resolve. Heart heavy, straightening fingers produced a myriad of ninja tools strung with paper tags, smoke rising from between the Sealer's digits as his arms rose high above his head, sending scripture into frenzy to pierce the silent evening. In the flash of light, the Uzumaki could see his life stretch out before him, the Hidden Leaf had not changed at all. Howling caterwaul of explosive resonance, boom and bust echoing out across the rooftops came as gales of force whipped rushing currents through the air. Scouts who prowled the dead of night whipped heads toward the east, fire in the sky trailing pillars of smoke while balls of flame collapsed with fuel exhausted into nothing.
Right hand already weaving through hand seals, the Sealer produced, in time with the formation of each sign, a talisman which he cast into the wind. Orbiting his body, the seals each spun in sequence, symbols flaring into the blank canvases with every formation of his hand. By now, the hurried forms of first responders shouted through the darkness, deafened by the flow of chakra and ash. With a flourish, Yōsei's energy ignited the air around him, paper talismans thrown heavenward by heat streaming from the Sealer's body, causing rivulets of flame to burst through the air. Masterful fuinjutsu guided immeasurable fire as brightness grew, casting impossible shadows across the veins that wove between Konoha's streets. From their beds, shinobi and citizen alike awoke to the shimmering gold and pink of dawn's awakening blistering untimely daylight through the cracks in curtains.
From the crowd of gaping mouths, a shinobi summoned the will to wrench his gaze away, feet stumbling over one another before instinct overtook inexperience and he thrust into a glide across the rooftops. Above the Sealer's perch, the seven talismans strung high across the sky, balls of flame cultivating and expanding as the bubbling Katon found itself unraveled, fetters smashed, set upon by Yōsei's tireless script. From the pit of the spiraling seven suns, a wreath of flame began to grow, threatening within seconds to engulf its predecessors, flares of white chakra crashing against the sealing tags that held between them Naraka's sweltering torments. Curse washed away by the heat above him, the Sealer's eyes cast down upon the growing retinue of shinobi who gathered on the rooftops down below. Plunging his right hand forward, Yōsei passed his fingers through Kyoki's breeze, which routed his body as a shoal, and felt Konoha's Legacy treat him with cold indifference. Inhaling slowly, the Sealer's lips cracked, opening to speak.
"Someone get the Hokage!"
Crashing through the second story window of the Konohagakure administration building, a kunai preceded the desperate form of a chunin scout, screaming through the halls as he made his way to the chambers of the Fire Shadow.
"Konohagakure!"
Baritone bellowed from lips lit by summoned stars, carried through the wind by the Sealer's Senjutsu chakra, syllables lifted from the air and flame.
"We're under attack!"
White-knuckled fury met the office doors, scout barreling and spluttering, whether the Hokage was in or not, to whoever would listen among the jonin council, or division captains, whatever authority he could grasp would hear his frenzied exclamation.
"Summon your strength!"
Hands rose, clapping before the Sealer's silhouette, drowned out by the waves of heat that came with his talismans' withdrawal. Scripture eroded, barriers shattering as swathes of heat cast down across the Hidden Leaf, singing dry leaves into plumes of smoke and scorching the tips of readied kunai red-hot.
"It's the rogue ninja who attacked the Mizukage!"
Teeth gnashed between harried proclamation to the Hokage's office and all who dwelled within. Jonin responded with callsigns, flickering from the room through windows leaving trails of fluttering paper in their wake.
"Let the world see your power."
Beneath his breath, the Sealer's words awash with roaring accompaniment were swept into the ether. Breath steady as sakura blossoms brushed on canvas strung high through Fire Country's paintings, Yōsei looked toward his homecoming.
1392
Hokage: 
Kazekage: 
Raikage: 
Tsuchikage: 
Mizukage: 