Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sai yawned and shrugged softly, his bright blue eyes turning to look at Kyu with the face most had learned to dread and hate. "From the second you made that ******** deal with my brother." He said without bothering to hide the traces of annoyance in his voice, his hand moving to run through his white blond hair. "Very honorable, but very annoying. Wasn't fun carrying all those bodies all the way back. Be glad you never met the real Saikoro, he was a serious d**k." He said simply as he began to veer off the path to plop himself down into the grassy off track. With his sword resting on his lap to prevent discomfort, he looked up at Kyu lazily. "Took you long enough to realize who I was though. I stopped really disguising my self months ago."

Takera watched from the edge of the path as Drake seemed to stir about and the jutsu was slowly becoming less stable. Takera used the water that had flooded the sides of the path to re-freeze them and use them at a spring. He slowly slipped into the ground layered in his ice and then shot straight up into the mirror above he had never released originally. He sat atop the mirror staring down at Drake for a while and regaining himself. Takera watched as Drake's skin got pale and he began to sink to his knees. "That was certainly too close for comfort, but it was only a matter of time before his body gave out." Takera remarked to himself while sitting atop the platform. He leapt off the platform down towards Drake and bounced in a downward ricochet back and forth off ice plates he created on the spot until he reached the ground. His descent was almost like that of someone jumping back and forth from side to side down a mine shaft or something of the sort. Finally landing he moved over across the path way and found himself standing left to Drake, who had now collapsed his skin was pale. "Ch. If you die because of this, I'm stripping your body of all your valuables and leaving you here to roll over in your grave as people pass by." Takera commented with a touch of irritation in his tone. He sat down slowly and crossed his legs laying next to Drake. Placing his palm on the center of Drake's back he ignited the green glowing chakra he had called upon on previous occassions and began healing Drake. After a few moments the coloration in Drake's skin would return and his blood alongside his chakra would start to circulate closer to normal speeds.

Notwen woke up to the sound of someone knocking on his apartment door. He sat up on the edge of his bed and yawned, stretching to fully wake himself up completely, then proceeded to go answered the door.
"Who is it?" called the dark-skinned blonde.
"What do you think this is, a vacation?!" came the sound of General Rai Oh's voice from the other side. Immediately Notwen unlocked the door and let his overseer into the apartment.
"I apologize, General. I lost track of time." said Notwen as he busied himself in getting Rai Oh a glass of water from the kitchen. "What brings you here so early in the morning, sir?" asked the dark-skinned blonde, handing the glass to his guest. The man thankfully accepted the refreshment and sat on one of the two chairs that were pushed in under the small table. He drank half of the cup, then proceeded to get to the point of his visit.
"First and foremost I want to congratulate you on your success at the Exams. You impressed a good amount of the higher-ups with your performance in Gryu'Jiong. But now that you are a Chuunin you will be needed on missions." The General drank some more of the water and cleared his throat before continuing. "As of yesterday your training wheels came off, so starting today you will commence combat training. I know that your skills are currently focused on tracking the enemy, but these missions will require physical power as well. Over the next twelve months i will teach you the rudiments of my fighting style, which i am sure you are capable of using." At that point Notwen interjected.
"General, you don't mean dual swordsmanship do you?" Rai Oh smiled.
"That, as well as other things." The Chuunin frowned.
"How am I supposed to use two swords at once with one arm?"
"Bio-mechanical Prosthetic Limbs."
"Bio what?!" asked the crippled Uchiha, tilting his head at angle.
"Bio-mechanical Prosthetic Limbs." repeated Rai Oh. "It is a technology Lightning Country has been developing to take care of shinobi maimed at war. Actually, i volunteered to test one of the first prototypes." He pulled up his pants sleeve to show Notwen what he was talking about. It was the first time the dark-skinned blonde had seen the General's fake limb. It appeared to be mostly made of metal, but it flexed as if there were muscles underneath. "A permanent limb replacement that becomes one with you. In the event that it breaks it can be fixed. But as i said earlier, my leg is a prototype. The technology has advanced tremendously over the fifteen years since it was first conceived." Notwen looked at Rai Oh's leg with longing in his eyes, then turned to face his mentor's gaze.
"There's a catch to this, huh?" he asked. The General nodded.
"The procedure will be extremely painful. Not everyone is cut out for this kind of treatment. I was bedridden with a fever for two weeks after the initial bonding operation. By now they should have improved this drawback, but it should still be a painful process. Would you be willing to go through with it?" Notwen thought long and hard about this decision. Honestly he was getting used to using the Soul Spark to facilitate the execution of jutsu, but in the end if it came down to the situation that his Soul Spark was rendered useless he would have to depend on his Taijutsu. Currently his hand-to-hand skills were sub-par, mainly due to the imbalance caused by losing his arm. The scales had now been tipped.
"I will do it. This arm should help me out with the training." he said with a smile. The General nodded, a satisfied expression on his face.
"That's good, boy. I can tell your thoughts are maturing. I have a feeling if i had asked you the same question before the exams you would have said you wouldn't need it." He got up from his seat and began to walk over to the door. "Meet me at the barracks after midday. The medics will need to run some tests to gather the information necessary to create your new arm. After that's done, we will begin your training with swordplay. I am aware that you managed to find one of the Legendary Seven Swords of the Mist. That will be the sword i want you to use in our training."
"Yes, General." said Notwen, taking the cup from Rai Oh before he dismissed himself and walked out of the apartment. He was a little concerned about the upcoming medical attention, but the thought of being able to use all four of his limbs once more filled him with joy. The Chuunin went to perform his morning rituals then came back to the kitchen to have some tea and toast for breakfast. It would be stupid to go out later having nothing in his stomach.

It was now an hour after the medic ninja ran their tests on Notwen, which involved a blood test, measurements of his other arm, taking of tissue samples from the injured shoulder, and other tests that were too complex to describe. It took one hour for the medics to finish with the Uchiha, who was told to rest for an hour before involving himself in any strenuous activities. Now that the hour was up, he stood in front of General Rai Oh, who was wielding his 'Twin Sabers' on the empty space around him. Ceasing his movements, Rai Oh directed his attention on Notwen.
"Bring out the sword. Then we begin your practice."
"Yes sir!" The dark-skinned blonde closed his eyes and used his Crown Chakra to expand his consciousness across dimensions, linking it to Kaala's own.
"Is there anything i can do for you, my friend?" asked the sparrow, who was preening his feathers at the moment.
"There is." replied Notwen. "Is it possible for you to deliver the Hiramekarei right now?"
"Of course! What is the occasion?" Kaala asked casually, sensing that his partner wasn't in trouble through their connection.
"I finally have time to learn how to use it since the exams are over. That's right! I forgot to tell you i graduated!"
"Don't worry about it. I would have found out sooner or later. Anyway, feel free to summon me. I have the sword."
"Alright. Soul Spark!" Again the the ephemeral hand appeared floating next to Notwen's right hand. Shortly after weaving the four seals that were personal to Kaala, the dark-skinned blonde placed his hand the ground. An explosion of golden flames erupted, from which the armored bird emerged majestically.
"Greetings Kaala!" called the General from where he stood. Kaala acknowledged his greeting by bowing his feathered head. Notwen proceeded to unfasten the sword from his partner's back. He had trouble lifting it due to its weight, but finally the crippled Uchiha managed to heft the still-bandaged blade.
"Okay, General. What are your next instructions?" asked Notwen, who assumed a 'ready' stance. Rai Oh chuckled.
"Try landing a hit on me with that sword using any method you can think of. You are limited to using that sword alone. Any other form of physical attack will earn you a counter-attack." he stated simply. "Also. Kaala, please refrain from helping Notwen in any way." The sparrow nodded and mentally wished the dark-skinned blonde good luck before returning to Redwing Valley.
"Okay General. Here I come!" said Notwen as he charged at his mentor. Jumping into the air, the crippled Uchiha did a double front-flip to gain power on the swing he brought down over Rai-Oh's head. Quick as lightning, a saber had found its way in the path of the Hiramekarei. The impact created a loud peal, and also jolted Notwen's hand. Damn. This thing's way too heavy... thought the dark-skinned blonde as he tried to break away, but the General was too fast. Using intricate footwork he got between Notwen and the Hiramekarei, separating the former's grip from the latter. The heavy blade landed on the ground with a thud.
"That blade is too heavy to be used with one hand." said Rai Oh, helping Notwen up. "Your tactic to use the sword's weight to your advantage would have worked if you hadn't been so predictable, but that's besides the point. I know a way to make it easier for you to wield."
"How's that?" asked Notwen, dusting himself off and retrieving the Hiramekarei.
"I saw that the sword had two handles at equal distance from the center. If you cut the sword down the middle and extended the handles you could have your own custom-made weapon. But before that you would have to get used to dual wield. So from now until your operation, we will be working on your physical strength." Notwen examined the sword and pictured what it would look like after General Rai Oh's proposed makeover. It would definitely be something completely different. Only time would tell.
"Then let the training begin!" said Notwen excitedly as he walked off to the training area with the General. A new star was on the rise, and soon the world would see what the fruits of his training would bear.

Kyu nodded and turned around. He took a seat in the grass next to Sai. "I figured as such," Kyu said. This was a ton to take in all at once. He had a feeling that Sai and Sorain's ends justified their means. The last thing Kyu heard... about Sai taking the government from the corrupt higher-ups and freeing them from the harsh dictatorship they'd lived under for so long... it was reminiscent of Kyu's own relationship with his father. In a lot of ways, Sai and Kyu were more alike than he initially thought.

Kyuzaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and said, "Well then, Sai. What are your plans to take control. It's not like you're going to just wait around for promotions until the Kage hat finally comes into your hands... It's far too slow of a process for you."

Nova walked out of the VIP room with a mixe feeling in his soul. The feeling like something was starting but he didn't know what it was. He continued to the guards to hand in his pass and make his way to the gates for his long departure back home. Not much to do other then put one foot in front of the other. he thought to himself as he left the villige heading to his own. A little while into his walk he realized that he had been a little cought up in the excitement of beeing around all the great shinobi and not really paying attention to the whole idea of beeing there. "Well i kinda messed that all up, way to go me." he said as he began to feel like he wasn't being a ninja himself. He was more like a 8 year old kid who just woke up on his birthday to a bunch of presants. It wasn't about what they were but more about how much stuff was going on. He kicked a few rocks as he thought before finally reaching the gates to his home village. "Welcome home Nova, Back to the place where your a no-named ninja and have norespect or anyone. Yey me!" Nova said sighing.

He made his way to the spot before he left and took the seat on the edge of the cliff. One leg holding his arm and the other drifting off the edge with the winds that swayed it back and forth. "I supose that after meeting everyone and seeing how strong that everyone had been it is time for some seious training and mission going." He said trying to motivate himself. He slowly pulled the swaying limb back up and rose to his feet. "Where to go first?" he thought to himself as he mad his way through the village. "I guess i can go train at the lake. That place always calms me down and lets me consintrate on what I need to go through in my head.

As he arrived to the lake he noticed the nice breeze that flowed back and forth pulling his hair and clothing with it. He made his way to the edge of the water and took a seat to begin his focusing. He always liked to find his center thru meditation before he began to train. After a few moments of sitting perfectly still he opened his eyes and observed the serrounding. It was a lake with an island in the center. the area was all open but at the edge of the grass was a forest that went all the way around the lake to what seemed like exclude the area. "Time to begin" He said as he walked over to a stone wall. "For today we will work on how much i can push myself." He began to thrust his fist against the stone attempting to break it but had no sucsess. After a few hours Nova decided to stop for a bit and go see if he could find anyone who he had met in the exams. "Well training was a fail for today." He said as he re-entered the village with a depressed arua that most people picked up easily by the way they stared at him. "Oh-well obviously people know somethings up but no-one cares about a ninja who is as weak as i am."He said as he walked thru the streets hopeing someone would try to interact with him.

Eventually he gave up and went home to prepare for som heavy training as he prepared himself for the chance to compete in the exams next time they come around. Days followed as he trained alone and focused on his taijutsu skills as well as many others. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned to months where he walked to the same spot and trained morning to night. He became determined to complete his training.

The mid-afternoon sun was high in the sky, its light shining on the mountain peaks of Lightning Country. Sitting in the branches of a lone tree that grew close to a stream that ran in a grassy valley, Notwen Uchiha waited for the three genin that he had been put in charge of upon becoming a Chuunin one year ago. Kumogakure was only a half hour walk away, so they wouldn’t take too long getting there. The dark-skinned blonde did not spend the past twelve months in luxury. He had been occupied with intense training under his mentor, General Rai Oh, as well as going through physical therapy to see how his body was coping with the new bio-mechanical prosthetic arm. So far things were going smoothly. Over the past year Notwen had been growing out his hair, which now hung past his shoulders and came down in bangs that revealed his third eye. Underneath the Kumogakure vest he wore a long-sleeved tunic that covered his left arm up to the wrist. The dark-skinned blonde wore loose-fitting training pants tucked into his ninja sandals and an ornamental waistcloth. Notwen gazed down at the base of the tree to look at the bandaged twin swords, which were resting against the trunk, and smiled. He had learned so much about them over the past year that he was now intimately in tune with the blades' inner workings. The dark-skinned blonde was about to embark on a stroll down memory lane when the blissful feeling that pervaded the area was interrupted. Notwen swept the area swiftly with his gaze and saw the tall grass moving a few yards away.

Seems like the peace and quiet's over... sighed the three-eyed Uchiha, waiting for the three students to arrive at the tree. Once they were there Notwen slid off of the tree, landing lightly on his toes. He picked up the two Hiramekarei and latched them in an X across his back with the blades pointing at the ground. There were two guys and one girl. The first boy's name was Nagamichi Irikura. He wore a sleeveless tank top with shorts, and carried a katana tucked into an elastic sash. The second boy was Gou Hakyou. He was very much toned and wore a karate gi torn at the ankles and shoulders. Lastly was Megumi Izuna. She was a slender and flexible. Wireless earphones adorned her ears and loose-fitting jogging clothes rippled in the wind. "I hope you guys have done your homework on me over this past year." said the Chuunin as he paced back and forth in front of the trio. "Today i will be testing you all on one thing and one thing only: your ability to support each other efficiently." Notwen stopped pacing in front of Gou, who was in the middle, and took a few paces back. "Enough talk. Show me what you guys can do!" He assumed a battle stance as the other three backed away to put some more distance between themselves and the Chuunin. The dark-skinned blonde watched them, studying the signs they used to communicate with each other and trying to correlate them with the way the genin moved. With a final nod the trio went into action. Megumi came in directly, engaging the three-eyed Uchiha in an unpredictable dance of punches and kicks. She's good... he thought, having some difficulty reading her attacks. The reason behind Megumi’s attack patterns was the music she was listening to, which would sound like unintelligible noise to anyone not from the Izuna clan. Suddenly Gou appeared at Notwen’s left side, his fist shrouded in a cloudy purple chakra.
"Megumi! Get out of the way!" he shouted as he pulled his arm back for the blow.
“Got it!” As swiftly as she had made her charge, the young kunoichi was gone, providing Gou enough room to let loose his technique.
"Warlock Punch!!" he shouted as he threw the punch. The fact that Gou wasn't as fast as Megumi was somewhat of a blessing. Notwen had more than enough time to weave the seals he needed to generate the green flames. A second later there was an explosion of green and purple. When most of the smoke cleared the two other genin gasped. Gou had struck a wall of emerald-like material, which had apparently reflected the force of the attack, causing his arm to hang limply at his side. "s**t!" uttered the genin, holding his shoulder with his free hand. Notwen walked out from behind the emerald wall smiling.
"You guys almost caught me there." he said, while examining the wall. The Hakyou clan was trained in the destructive aspect of hand-to-hand combat known as Kyakujo, which used chakra to enhance the potency of their strikes. There was a huge fist mark and cracks where Gou's punch had landed. "Really impressive, but it's going to-" The dark-skinned blonde narrowly avoided three kunai that Megumi had thrown. He turned to look from where they landed to where they had come from. "That was rude, Megumi." The kunoichi smirked.
"There's no room for chatter on the battlefield." she stated in a blunt manner that reminded the three-eyed Uchiha of Hatsuma, a fellow Chuunin graduate from Wind Country who he had been paired with for the second exam. Notwen's eyes wandered over to where Nagamichi was standing. He hadn't moved an inch, something that caught Notwen's interest.
He must be the weakest link.. The rustling of Gou's gi caught Notwen's attention once more. The crippled Uchiha swerved out of the karate kid's kick, but something about the purple aura wasn't right. It caught the dark-skinned blonde on the right forearm and for a few moments it felt like his arm was disintegrating. Notwen put as much distance as he could between himself and the Hakyou. I had no idea he would be able to use a technique of that level at that age... The karate kid was coming again. Notwen blasted a cloud of green flames at him, but he seemed to bulldoze right through them without any problems. I guess i'll have to fight him one on one. Shura Suzume Koumyaku! Notwen's body ignited in blue flames as he shot an empowered fire stream from the sole of his foot. The stream carried him several feet in the air before he turned back towards the ground. In his right hand he was collecting the heat given off by the blue flames into a rotating sphere. The color would have normally been orange, but the power Shura added granted it a new level of intensity. Below, Gou was preparing a Warlock Punch with his remaining arm. Notwen chose that moment to strike. "Not today! Shurahito Calormen!!"

Soon Nova would come to a small hut that was called the Old Canonese. He never had stopped in to try any of the dishes that they servered. "Well not much else to do today." He said as he entered the hut. First thing he noticed was a long bar like table top with a row of stools that were set right in front of the table. He took a seat and looked down the table to see a familur dark skinned blonde enter the hut behind him. "Hey Notwen!" He shouted across the hut to his friend. "How you been with all the training i have been doing i haven't really had a chance to sit down and visite people." He said as he looked at Notwen's newly repaired limb. "Well look at that you got your arm back too" He said as he smiled knowing that things would be at least a bit easier for him. Nova lifted his arm to motion for him to come and join Nova before he paced his order. Nova's face hadn't shown any sort of emotion over the past year and it made him feel happy to be able to show joy to see someone familure.