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 Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:23 pm
   Hidden SubstanceAs Drago and Yuan's battle continued, it seemed for a moment that the convulsing mass of biling flesh that was once Hedoro had been all but forgotten. That didn't last long, as even being in the proximity of the fight between Drago and Yuan was dangerous. As more and more attacks flew in all directions, both from the two combatants, as well as from the other humans who had not become sidetracked, the few remaining slime girls who had come to their creator's aid threw themselves in the line of fire, and payed the price. Even when Kengan tried to force them into once-Hedoro's mass, little would happen, it was too far gone to try to recombine them. Instead, the low, bassy sound began to pick up in volume. As the last of the smaller slime girls stopped moving and seemed to melt into puddles, the sound rose to a horribly pained shriek, like the shrieker's very soul was being mangled, mutilated and destroyed. The mass of twisted form that was once-Hedoro began spasming faster than ever, now beginning to expand, at a rapidly increasing rate. The pseudopods, which had been frozen in place, melted back into the floor in a messy, unorganized manner, and the walls, floor and ceiling began to run like wax on a sweltering day. The walls themselves seemed to be shifting, as if they were the sides of a pair of bellowing lungs. The shriek showed no sign of stopping, but in the midst of it, for a single minute, a pained and garbled voice called out, urging the humans to run, she couldn't hold it back any longer! Only a moment after that last pained cry, the shriek would cut off, and suddenly everything would seem to suddenly begin expanding and growing, much like bread in the oven. No matter what would be tried on this new rapidly growing mass, nothing would work, it just kept growing, uncontrollably. If the humans took no action, they would either be swallowed up or crushed in the expansion. This same activity as beginning to take place throughout the rest of the village, but to a much lesser degree. The other villagesThe effects were even noticeable in the other villages, as many of the slime girls would shriek in pain and agony, falling over, to merge with each other and congregate in vast amorphous masses. These masses would be there one moment, and the next, they would seem to boil away, like thick fog under a hot summer sun. Even the conquered villages would be released from the vast domes that had swallowed them up. As total of an invasion as it had been, now it seemed the complete opposite. In each village, save Substance, there was not a trace of the slime girls. Even much of the devastation they had caused looked to be repaired, and the people who had been swallowed up but hadn't taken part in the fighting were where they had been when they had been taken. In all, it seemed that the end was nigh for the slime girls, but what sort of an end? They seemed to be gathering for something, but what? Was it to try to help their creator in her, it's last moments? Or was it to prey upon it, to feed off of it now that it was too weak to fight back or even defend itself? Only time would tell.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:02 pm
Drago looked at the the expanding mass that was now Hedero. he knew what he could do..Finish this fight with his rival.. He knew what he could do save his life. He knew what he couldn't do..stay here.
"Another..day again yuan..it always seems as if I am Being interupted on killing you.."
Drago looked up and his rage subsided as a large blue energy started to cover his body. Drago started to walk as he started to walk he created a dome of blue energy that was shaped as a sphere.
"If you want to live step inside the dome."
Drago said slowly. As he was going to take off..
"I am not going to wait that much longer."
The Demon said as his two tails started to sway back and forward. He was going to run faster than what he had ever did before in his life. He was going to have to save the few ninjas who would stand up to such a mass.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:42 am
Hurdy looked at drago's invitation and felt as though it was not extended to him. So he used Liquidation pore to create a sphere with him inside of it. He then used Harden, to make it to steel and begun to roll toward the exit. if he didn't make it, he would simply wait in his sphere for Hedoro couldn't crush.
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Yuan Shisho2 generated a random number between
1 and 4 ...
1!
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:21 pm
Yuan wasn't about to take a ride with Drago right after challenging him to a fight. He sighed, bracing himself amongst the many copies of himself as the floor heaved and swayed. Seems as though we can never bring ourselves to finish our fight Drago. Yuan said, more to himself than to Drago who was already far away, making his way out. I suppose now would be a good time to try out "That Technique". Yuan muttered, looking up at the ceiling. He stood, concentrated, making a few hand seals. He then threw his head back, looking up at the ceiling. He threw his hands forward, a spark formed before his hands, bursting into a large flame which spiraled up in a pillar, getting thicker and brighter as it rose up. The pillar became a bright beacon of light shooting up towards the ceiling. It hit, instantly melting through the substance. Rising up through the substance encasing Hidden Substance until it pierced the top of the dome, shining brightly above the Village like a small sun. Yuan cut off the technique. Well, it looks like Baelfire is a success. I'll have to put it to use in the future. Moving quickly, the other 19 Yuans locked arms and legs, making a ladder up to the hole he had made. The real Yuan shot up the ladder and flickered out the top of the dome, the rest of the Yuans disappearing in poofs of smoke. Yuan flickered down the side of the dome, looking back through the gel to watch what happened on the interior with Hedoro and the shinobi who were still behind. Quote: -Baelfire- Flames of the never-ending circle. This is a higher level of flame Yuan discovered in his mastery of fire jutsu. Baelfire is shot off more like a beam of light than flames. The light given off by the beam are so bright, that if one looks directly at the beam, the will see spots for several minutes. The fire is hard to focus, and it is dangerous to work with due to the fact that it is comprised of pure burning chakra. The flames burn through things... This may seem simple if not understood. The flames take a particular liking to defensive techniques and items. Any shield, armor, wall, hardening technique, or item that creates such effects that are hit by Baelfire immediately melt like wax in a flame. Air, fire, earth, water, chakra, all materials burn to pieces. Even techniques that make the body harden or be covered by some sort of material seem to melt away. The lasting effect of the Baelfire on the opponent's chakra disables the affected technique for two turns. The risk involved is as follows. When the technique is used, the user generates a random number between 1-4, 1=0, 2=1, 3=2, 4=3. That is the number of turns that the user must not use their chakra. Only techniques such as Taijutsu and auto techs that do not burn chakra can be used in the number of turns shown by the number generated. 5000 Chakra to use this technique. Number Generated=1=0
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:28 pm
As the mass of the once Hedoro began to distort even more, Oro was only distracted by the fight between the akatsuki and Drago until a sudden ear slitting screech came from no where. The walls, the floors, and even the ceiling began to melt. Oro covered his ears at the sound of the screech and once the floor below hiom began to become even more runny than before, he had to make some effort to escape.
"How?"
As he said this he looked around to see the ninja known as Drago creating a barrier around himself and announcing to come with him if one wanted to live. And because Oro had just recently visited the afterlife, he was not planning on visiting any time soon.
"Thank you Drago-sama," Oro said as he used the body flicker skill the get next to the barrier that Drago had created and made his way into the sphere. He would be safe in the sphere along with Drago.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:07 pm
Frost left the room wondering what might happen soon, everything was growing. she began to wonder, her mind was wide with thoughts of what was going to become of the mass of slime. she then looked at Yuan, "good fight Yuan, maybe next time you can fight an old man while the world is decaying." she said sarcastically then began to giggle. she figured this would send him out of control if he did get angry from it. but her thoughts told her fighting others when the world was in danger was like trying beat up an old man instead of beating up the person who just stole something.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:25 pm
((Sorry for being absent, punishment))
Demon appeared to have been deep in thought as the battle continued on. Quickly he saw the room begin to shift, move and then expand? what the hell was about to happen. Using one of the clones he had created a while ago he forced it to a wall, which exploded with force from the mixture of flame and jelly. Demon walked out the substance dome as if nothing had happened, again showing his cool disposition even in the face of death. "Well that was fun." he said in a cold tone before arriving next to Yuan with a short walk, he then turned to look at the dome and see what would happen.
Shun had been moving at intense speed around the dome to figure out what would happen, when he saw the expanding begin he knew something big was about to go down. Using his Hyounimaru he froze over a area, then switching to Zangetsu he broke the ice down with a large blast of black energy. He then ran threw the hole to the outside, in order to get away from the monster that was Hedero.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:21 pm
Ryu Genkotsu:
Ryu slid back slowly after his failed attack on hedoro as his gates all were forced closed. His strongest attack had been blocked and he was feeling the wear and tear on his body he doubted he could manage something like that again this fight but then again... who really knows...
Ryu once again ran forward but this time he ran towards the dome that was Drago's safety he doubted he could manage another attack anyway and he was thankful that the fight was finnaly over... atleast thats how it appears
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:40 pm
As majora heard that everything was closes down majora attack to is fulliest and then he lanuches his attack full on hedoro and any slime girl who dares to try to block will be destroy in the beam of chakra.
HAAAAAA!!!
Majora yells as the force from the beam of energy was great to the point it started to force him backward at a great rate the beam was very powerful to the point it made a big hole in the floor as it travels toward hedoro and for it to be so big it was amazingly fast goes straight through fast and powerful and once the attack was finished majora would try to escape with drago but first he switch masks to the mask of the spotted one for safety reason.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:55 pm
Jono managed to swallow his pride to at least get back to remembering his ultimate mission..Kill Drago so that he could be a whole soul again. Jono looked and he stepped inside of the dome with the others. Jono only sat down not saying much as his body started to boil with anger. Jono sighed slowly as he sat his head back and looked up to the air.
"err..Can we leave.."
Jono watched as the mass got bigger and bigger. Jono sighed slowly as he watched As Drago got ready to run them into oblivion. He didn't care if he died and both of them died together maybe he could be whole again..he knew it wouldn't work like that though..
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:06 pm
Hidden Substance
The growth continued at a near exponential rate, swallowing up the last of the open air, if the humans were going to escape, this was their last chance. And even while some of them were breaking through the gelatinous, runny walls to the safety of outside, the masses of slime from all of the other villages were arriving, rushing directly at the dome to be integrated into the whole. Once the last village's slime girl contingent was swallowed up, the growth abruptly stopped. The entirety of the slime mass froze in mid motion, and then there was an enormous force of air pushing the last few remaining humans out of the vicinity of what had technically been once-Hedoro's throne room. The force would send them by whatever means to the closest exit through the slime, forcibly expelling the humans from the immediate village, depositing them just outside of Substance.
Then, with a second blast of wind, this time a concentric, spinning vortex that spiraled in on itself, the slime began shrinking even quicker than it had formed, reducing in size by such a drastic measure that it was virtually vanishing before everyone's eyes. In just a handful of seconds it was done. The humans who had bravely tried to fight, and in the end, vanquished once-Hedoro were on the outskirts of the village, and the slime had seemingly vanished. No matter where they looked within the village, or how fast they searched, there would exist not a single solid trace of the slime girls.
But a moment later, a faint bluish-gray cloud wafted up out of the village, looking like so much wood smoke. As a wind began to stir up and blow it away, the wind seemed to speak in a high-pitched, saccharine voice. The words were not quite audible, but it almost sounded like just two words.
'thank you...'
Moments later, the humans would likely have given up the search, with no results. It truly did appear that they had won, that their actions had caused the slime girls to literally melt away into nothingness. Even the few vials and samples of the fluid the humans had drank would now be completely empty, as if they had never been filled in the first place. All around the shinobi lands, the people who had been captured or swallowed up, the helpless citizens, were waking up as if from a dream, seeing the world as it had always been, very7 little had changed while they had been devoured. And they felt the same as before, too, those weird, horrible images and sensations must have only been dreams and phantasms, nothing more. But those few that had stood up against the slime, that fought for their homes, for their ways of life, for what was right, or even just to fight, they would remember. Remember, and perhaps learn something. That the single-minded pursuit of power and control was never a safe path, and that sometime there was such a thing as too much power. Humanity and power warred for dominance within everyone's mind. It was that careful balance that helped to shape everyone's actions. Even the evillest of villains would retain some aspect of humanity, even something as base as greed or pride. But Hedoro had cut those sensations and ideas out from her, removing the chaff of human ideals and emotions, and it had only brought destruction, and a loss of everything. For a being so consumed with the desire for freedom and being sated, her appetite had finally been her undoing.
Time would move on, for everyone else. They would go their own ways, do their own tasks. Some would fight, some would die. Others would simply live their lives. But for one pitiful soul, there was nothing, no future, and no past. Even so, in some small way, she would be remembered, perhaps in a twisted sense, but remembered nonetheless. For you see, dear readers, each and every village simultaneously agreed to forbid the eating, creation, or selling of Jell-O or any other gelatin products.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:08 pm
Drago had managed to get away with the ninja who had agreed to get inside the bubble. He drained their speed all the way until they would have no more movement in their body. However he would keep them safe inside the bubble. he saw his last chance to escape as he took it..he ran faster than anybody had ever seen him run before in his life. He ran so fast that he acutaly saw life being born..he saw the explosion that created the world. He saw it all in one big flash. As he finally stopped running he slid on the ground laughing as he sat underneathe a tree.
"Wooooah..that was faster than what I ever wanted to go.."
DRago had saw his life go before his eyes a few times. He had let the people go out of the bubble. while he was in Hidden Tree... As he had came to a complete stop..the bubble managed to let them go from its grasp. As his chakra was devoured and his body was mangled he sat underneathe a tree with his sword grasp tight in hand.
"I am sleepy now..Please don't disturb me.."
Drago said quietly..As he fell asleep.
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:42 pm
Offline Training - Hidden Clown: Sai, Shaneko, Naomi, Akou, and the Giant Ram Sai opens his eyes slowly then shuts them as the light from the morning sun burns them. After a few minutes of opening his eyes and closing them the light decreases in strength and he can see. He looks around to see a grass ceiling. He tries to move only to wince in pain. “My poor child,” states a voice and Sai grimaces. Despite his body being in terrible pain he flings himself to his feet. He gazes at the approaching Naomi and lunges only for him to be knocked back and pinned to the wall behind him. He gazes down at the Giant Ram that seemed to be pinning his legs and then shifts his gaze up to see a small boy gripping his arms to the wall as he stands upon it. Sai wrestles but can’t get lose. Finally the pain becomes too much and he begins wincing, cringing, and whimpering in pain. “Release him.” As soon as the woman said it Sai falls face first onto the bed. He lays there breathing heavily as the Ram and boy appear at her sides. “Sai, why were you walking in the snow without being covered?”
“Don’t mother me now, you wench,” Sai pants. As soon as he finished he feels a surge of pain racking through his spine and cries out.
“Akou,” she yells and the boy presses his hands to Sai’s back more as electricity surges into Sai. A bell sounds and Akou leaps from atop Sai and over to Naomi. “What if I hit you,” she would ask and Akou would lower his gaze.
“He has no right to talk to you like that, Naomi. He’s lucky you’re here or I’d have killed him. Especially after all of the work I went through to sustain his life. Mustard,” he would mutter the last part. Naomi would place a hand on his head before sighing.
“Leave us.” Akou grimaces. “I’m not weak,” she states bluntly. Akou grunts before walking out of the hut with the Giant Ram close behind him. “You can not -- should not --- move so just listen. I never wanted what happened to you to happen. You must believe me when I say I searched for you.”
“Like… hell you did.”
“I did, Sai. I was distraught without you. It’s all Eve’s fault.”
“Don’t blame her… because you stole… Adam from her… and… made me. It… was your fault… and your fault… alone.”
“Adam was mines… did you know that? I was with Adam and she stole him from me. She knew what we were to one another and yet she stole him from me. He had no choice but to cheat on her and return to me. Like Ella is your mate Adam is mine.”
“DON’T YOU EVER COMPARE ME AND ELLA TO YOU AND THAT B*****D!” Naomi motions over to Sai’s bedside and glares down at him.
“Now you have a voice, huh? You never spoke to me like that before… that Ella has done things to you.” Sai growls. Naomi snorts before she motions to the door. She looks at him once before exiting. Sai tries getting up only to fall back onto the bed. He had been frost bitten all over his body. He could feel the areas where Akou had attempted healing him only with no result. Akou was weaker than usual. Or maybe Akou didn’t want to save him so he did as little as possible. Then again, Akou did give him more damage with his binding and his electrocuting. Sai rolls off of the bed and cries out in pain as he hears the sound a clanking metal. He lays on the ground wincing as a girl appears in the doorway.
“Sai? Oh my gosh! What happened? Why are you in my hut?”
“Sh-Shaneko,” asks Sai as Shaneko touches his forehead.
“You’re burning up. Maybe I should take you to a hospital.”
“You need to get out of here… Naomi and Akou were here.” Shaneko stares at him dumbstruck. Did she hear him right? He had just seen Akou? Not only that but Naomi too? “Leave me here.” Shaneko suddenly snaps out of thought.
“Why are you here? What happened to you? Where’s Ella? Is she all right? I didn’t mean to get you into trouble.”
“What?”
“Someone attacked you and Ella, right?”
“If they did… why would you be involved? Did you order a hit on us?”
“Not exactly. Drago was looking for Reina, kind of. So I told him to check in Hidden Alchemy for Ella. Then someone else came and they told me that Drago might be trying to kill Reina. I figured you’d found out that information and was nearly killed by Drago and his team.”
"You know Ella? She is in grave danger from who I do not have a clue on but Shaneko needs help. I kind of figured out what was going on but it’s not enough to solve this mystery and I can't share too much information because someone is out to kill me..."
"My friend Shaneko is in trouble and I have no idea what is going on or where she went off to. We were training then out of nowhere this guy appears and starts to talk to her but I don't know about what. I heard him say something about Reina –she’s another one of my friends, Shaneko introduced me to her before she got marry— but that is all the info I can tell you. People are looking for me as we speak but I must make haste and leave the rest to Ella. Please let her know this…"
“You’re being sought after by Drago and his team too?” Sai had a hint of anger in his voice but he remembered who had revealed the information and calmed himself.
“I don’t know who is after me but I do know that Reina is at the heart of all of this. Reina’s disappearance was a bad idea. So… I’m looking for her.” Sai begins panting as Shaneko’s eyebrows shoot up. “What can I do? How can I help you?” Sai does not respond. He continues to pant as Shaneko gazes at him sadly. There had to be something she could do. Using the power of the Angelus Shaneko shuts one eye then opens it to reveal a starry eye. She takes a blade from its sheath and touches it to Sai. He would soon lose all feeling in his body for one minute from a terribly crippling illness. She reaches behind her back again and then hands Sai a breathing mask. Sai looks at her weakly before shifting through a series of hand signs at top speed. She presses the mask to his face as he breathes out a substance from his mouth and then inhales it. He continues doing this as the effects of Shaneko’s Cloak: Art of Affliction wears off. She shifts him into her arms and lays him onto the bed then watches him sleep. What happened to him?
As Sai and Ella made their way to gather up the homunculi and do various other things Sai read the kunai. It showed him the face of Yuan of which Sai hated with all of his heart. Sai never liked Yuan though Yuan was on a higher level with Sai then that damned Crius. He insulted Ella and from there on became not his rival but his enemy. Sai could easily mutter that he hated Crius. At any rate, he saw Yuan was talking to Shaneko. Before Yuan arrived some other male arrived who could later be identified as Drago by Yuan.
Yeah I’ve heard a lot and seen a lot. You know, Majora doesn’t throw me around a lot so I am just sitting there watching from the safety of his hand or his ninja pouch or somewhere. So I know a lot. This guy with a scarf and things came looking n00bish so I paid closer attention to him than the guy that seemed like he’d pawn. It’s always the weird guys that do the most damage. But this Yuan, as you call him, said a lot of stuff. Majora just wasn’t close enough to hear it. But then again, all you wanted was descriptions. I’ll give you some advice along with these bundles of images: When you’re ready then go to The Cool and to the Akatsuki base. According to the memories you’re sharing with me they should be there from what I can tell. Now return me to Majora or I’ll nag you to death.
As soon as Sai would see Majora again then he would return his kunai. But until then the kunai would be concealed somewhere on Ella’s body. Any and every memory the kunai contained Sai contained and all the thoughts rang through his head as he slept. Sai’s eyes bolt open as he struggles to reach for the mask. He grabs hold and tears it from his face as he gazes around. The room was quiet but for a minute he thought someone was strangling him. “Shaneko,” he whispers before leaping out of bed. He focuses his mind and touches various objects before finding a bush that had seen Shaneko. Sai traveled a while before coming to a pool of water. Shaneko was stripped down to a tank top and stretch shorts. Sai didn’t blush or look away. He was use to that look on females, especially in Hidden Alchemy. He had a lot of fans there. “I thought… What are you up to out here?”
“Me? What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“I feel fine.”
“Let me touch your forehead and see,” states Shaneko walking over to him from in the center of the pool of water. She touches the back of her hand to his head as he rolls his eyes. “You should get back to bed.”
“I’m no kid.”
“And I’m no healer. You could have been in big trouble… You never did tell me what happened.”
“Ella went back into hiding and left me behind.”Shaneko stares at him contently. “I couldn’t take not being with her so I decided to walk around to clear my thoughts. Then I found myself finding her trail and destroying any indication of the trail. I went from village to village covering her tracks. I came to Hidden Snow and did the same but soon I found my motivation fading. Ella was gone so why push onward. She’s been gone since the exams which doesn’t seem long to some but seems long to me.” Shaneko’s eyebrows furrow. “I let her go. I couldn’t fight her… I couldn’t convince her… I couldn’t beg her to stay.” Shaneko begins to speak when she freezes. Sai was glaring at her. Her thoughts had exceeded her speech. “She asked me and I couldn’t say no.” Shaneko looks away from him sorry for thinking ill of Ella. She wondered if Sai would leave now. Shaneko had been traveling alone for the past few days while Majora went missing and Kitsuna went off adventuring alone. Sai sighs and then places a hand on Shaneko’s shoulder. Shaneko’s head snaps to him as he gazes at her apologetically. “I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s hard to hear so many evil things about the person you love with every fiber of your being. Like people speaking ill of Drago. I trust Drago. He wouldn’t do such a thing. But… we won’t risk it. We’ll find Reina and then Ella can come back.”
“We should gather the group back together. We should gather everyone and go and find Ella together.” That lit Sai up. He felt as good as new. He couldn’t help it. He had to release himself somehow. He snatches up Shaneko and whirls her around before setting her down. He was going to not only see Ella again but Reina too. He’d missed her so much.
“We’ll do it… together. We have to.” He smiles at Shaneko who stares at him. She was so glad he wasn’t down anymore. He reminded her of how he was before; happy and enthusiastic instead of gloomy and angry. Sai laughs and Shaneko realizes he’d heard her thoughts again. She blushes and Sai laughs harder. “Just tell me if you want me out of your head,” he laughs.
“I want you out of my head,” she pouts. Sai laughs loudly once more before wiping away a tear.
“Fine then. I’ll butt out for now. Don’t go disappearing or I’ll listen in for you.” Shaneko rolls her shoulders in a shrug before walking off. “What were you doing out here again?”
“I was just about to finish a few repairs and upgrades to my armors and weapons. It’s kind of hard finding the supplies I need in this clown town.”
“Clown town?”
“How did you get here?”
“I guess Naomi and Akou brought me here… and that Ram.”
“Ram?”
“Hey, where is this?”
“This is Hidden Clown.” Sai raises an eye brow. “I figured Reina would stay in a place as… happy as this. Actually, this place gives me the creeps… especially at night.”
“Well, no need to worry. I’m here,” states Sai walking towards Shaneko’s station in the center of the pool. The only thought that entered her head was for him to keep his clothes on. Would he? No. As soon as Sai reaches the center of the pool he removes his shirt.
“I’m heading into town to get some work supplies. Watch the hut.” As soon as Sai turns around Shaneko is gone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shaneko walks around the village and allows her mind to flow freely. Shaneko wasn’t the shy little play love girl anymore. She was mature. She was nearly on the same level as Ella when it came to Sai. She was insanely attracted to him. What she felt for Sai at that moment was lust. She would have ended up embarrassing herself but she would have flung herself on him. She shakes her head from side to side as she imagines it; Ella trying to catch Sai’s eye only for him to have fallen madly in love with Shaneko. Ella would be the one left out. Shaneko would settle for Sai since Akou was a five year old by now. Speaking of age, Shaneko’s birthday was coming up. What’s a girl to do for her birthday while she’s aiming to get her old team together? Seems easy enough except one person is a master at escaping even from someone’s sight; another has lost their memory; one is held semi-captive by a crazy Orochi spirit; another is being stubborn; and another is hiding somewhere with a horde of homunculi. Thinking the word homunculi sent her into another fit. Shaneko’s heart begins racing as she imagines Sai standing in the water. He would fling back his wet hair and smirk at Shaneko playful. “Perv,” he would state as she stared on. Shaneko snaps out of thought and cries out. People stop and stare at her and she turns red instantly.
“E-Excuse me.” She would storm away from town and towards the hut. She would barge into the hut only to find a sight she had never even imagined seeing. Sai stood there staring at her with an awkward grin. He held his pants in one arm with his t-shirt slung over his shoulder. Intertwined in his fingers on his other hand were his shoes tied together by the laces. Shaneko just stood there staring which made things even more awkward.
“Hey, uh, Shaneko?”
“H-huh?”
“What are you thinking about,” Sai asks joking as Shaneko thaws.
“Err, uh, nothing.nothing.at.all.Why.would.you.ask.that?I.mean.come.on.” Her words were slurred together in an almost inaudible murmur. Sai seemed to understand though.
“Easy, easy. I was only messing with you Shaneko. No need to get defensive. Here; I’ll leave so you can have the hut to yourself. I was just about to go and get cleaned up.” It took all of Shaneko’s will not to look Sai up and down. She was so glad he decided not to invade her head or else she would have been completely outed. Her mind literally blanked out and she started thinking about any and everything involving Sai: her infatuation, what she wanted to do with him, her wanting for Ella to be out of the picture, everything. His showing his bare body was what got Ella hooked. Sai was very well built. He was one of the best built homunculi no matter what form he took. Sai, Tybalt, and Rafael were the most delicious looking males Shaneko had ever set eyes on. She thought Akou and Anthro were something but when she first saw the real Sai she couldn’t help but want him. Now Ella was gone somewhere and Sai was left all to her. Could she resist taking advantage? What a lovely early birthday gift. She couldn’t believe she was thinking that but she was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After she had stripped herself down from her run through town Sai was entering with his shirt off. “Shaneko,” he asks in an almost embarrassed tone. “My shirt ripped… I was wondering if you had anything to repair it with.” Shaneko had gotten better control over herself though her mind wandered now and then.
“Hand it to me,” she sighs as Sai motions farther into the room. He extends his shirt to Shaneko who takes it from him. She shifts in position on the bed a bit before examining the shirt. Her eyes widen as Sai seems to shift his feet nervously. “How did you get this big of a hole in your shirt?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I wasn’t paying attention one minute and the next there it was, a hole.”
“Bull.”
“How did you know it’s a hole from a bull?”
“I was just calling your bluff,” replies Shaneko with wide eyes as Sai laughs out of embarrassment. He’d told on himself. “Where in the world would you find a bull? Are you injured?”
“You sound like a mother,” laughs Sai as Shaneko growls at him. For a moment Sai smiles and then he begins to take on the sad expression he had before he had talked to Shaneko. She looks at him and mirrors his expression. He notices her change of expression and smiles. “I’m sorry… it’s just… I really miss Ella and my stepmother, or so that would be what she would be given our situation. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood like that.”
“Ruin the mood? It was ruined when you somehow found a bull on your first day here when I haven’t seen one and I’ve been here for days.” Shaneko laughs and so does Sai. He could see she was trying to make him feel better by putting on a front and he appreciated it. But he didn’t want her to have to. That was what Reina did and it always hurt Sai to see her doing that. It hurt a lot for people who actually cared about her.
“Don’t pretend for me. A genuine smile is just as good as a fake one,” states Sai as he looks into her eyes. He furrows his eyebrows before smirking. “Ryuugan Eyes? Since when did you have blood red eyes instead of pretty pink ones?”
Shaneko blushed. He’d noticed and even remembered her old eye color after four years. Not only that but he called her eyes pretty. Was he that oblivious to the fact that that was considered flirting? “I have been training hard. Harder than I trained with Reina and the others. That’s all I could do in the time alone. I had Majora and Kitsuna but I was lonesome. I couldn’t return home. I didn’t want to admit my family was right. They told me that Reina was the link to the entire group and wasn’t very reliable. If Reina left then the group would die whether I saw them as family or not. They told me that long ago. Before the thing with the Garment Grid. They were right…” Shaneko looks away from Sai to his shirt and messes around with it a bit. “I always thought of everyone as a member of my family. How naïve? Anyway… hand me that sack by the door. I’ll fix-” Before Shaneko could finish Sai’s arms were around her.
“I know how it feels to be alone… I never thought you would feel so alone without all of us. But, that’s how the group works. Separate and then gather back gradually overtime. Trust me when I say this: …things are going to be all right. I promise. It’ll get better.” He hugs her tight as she places her hand on his back. Slowly she wraps her arms around him and stares blankly behind him. She was torn between two trains of thought; the longing for Sai thoughts and the thoughts about her and Sai’s relationship. They were friends and she knew that but did Sai maybe have feelings for her too? Was he at all attracted to her? “Well, I’ll leave you to fix my shirt.” Shaneko blinks and Sai had somehow wormed free of their embrace and was strolling out of the hut. She glowers at him as he waves before disappearing from sight. Shaneko returns to tending to the shirt as she rambles through the sack that lay on her bed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Days passed and things grew less and less awkward. Soon Shaneko and Sai communicated more openly and things were less confusing to one another. They had already revealed any and every ounce of information the other wanted to know. It was a quick process thanks to Sai. “So why do you think Ella left, honestly,” Shaneko found herself asking one day while she worked on a blade she had created. They were out in the forest in a tiny workshop Shaneko and Sai had built.
“I don’t know. I was so confused I figured Psyche and Ella were together but she would never choose Psyche over me… right? Would you choose him over me?”
“Nope,” replies Shaneko bluntly. She wanted to say, “Nope never… and I mean NEVER!” but she refrained. As time passed her urges to burst things out or even think them gradually lessened.
“I mean… she can sustain form with him and he her… and I could always wear this necklace and be fine…” Sai reaches a hand down to the necklace strapped to his neck before clutching it. “When are we moving out?”
“Whenever you’re up for running around.”
“Then let’s go. The sooner we reunite the team the better.” Shaneko nods in agreement.
“One more day here and then we’ll leave at nightfall.”
“Fine by me.” Sai strolls over to Shaneko and kneels beside her on the ground. Shaneko examines a blade thoroughly as Sai watches contently. “What is that?”
“This? Just a custom made blade for me to use in certain situations. It’s nothing.” Shaneko sets it aside before extending an arm to Sai. He looks at her confused before examining her arm.
“A gauntlet?”
“Sure is. Not just any gauntlet either. It’s a very special type of weapon. I actually made it for a good friend of mines?”
“Majora,” he scoffs and Shaneko smiles but shakes her head.
“It’s actually for you, Sai.” His eyes grow wide.
“Me? Why?”
“You need a weapon. I have been trying to think of a good weapon that won’t get in the way for you and I invented this little trinket. It should aid you in discovering hidden opponents locations as well as create a defensive barrier. I have a few modifications to make but for now it is just for defense and tracking.” Shaneko removes the gauntlet from her arm as Sai scoots away.
“You keep giving away the weapons you make and pretty soon you won’t have any left for yourself.” Shaneko fans a hand at him.
“I can’t carry them all and you know it. I’m trying to get better at creating weaponry. Soon I can create weapons that I can give out in my village. It’s the least I can do after that embarrassing loss. I can’t believe I did that. I went back to the exam site and told them I didn’t mean to quit but they didn’t want to hear it. That was the mistake of using the technique I used on myself.”
“Don’t dwell on it. You’ll get them next time. Though, I’m sure you’ll be going up against Ella, Nimen, and Akou in your time in the exams.”
“Huh?”
“They all quit too. Nimen won her fight but didn’t think she deserved it and quit. She left a note. Then Ella said that Akira deserved the level more than her and quit. And Akou got sleepy and quit. No one passed on Reina’s team.”
“How utterly embarrassing. We fail as Reina’s students.” Sai laughs at her before taking the gauntlet.
“Domo arigato gozaimasu.”
“Huh?”
“That’s Japanese for Thank You Very Much.”
“You speak Japanese,” Shaneko asks in a shriek. She found those able to speak foreign languages very interesting.
“Not really. I know a few phrases from my studies but I’m not fluent in the language. I taught Ella a few words and things. We use them on occasion. She even put kun after Angelle’s name. That meant she was calling Angelle a boy. It was funny because Angelle didn’t notice at all. It’s weird how Angelle is traveling with Ella now. They hated each other.”
“A lot of confusing things happening, Sai. So, can you teach me a few phrases?”
“After you’re done here and we’re on our way. I won’t do it the lazy way this time. I’ll explain it myself in time.” Shaneko raises an eyebrow and Sai nods. Words = 4,305
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:49 pm
Offline Training - Hidden Movie: Sai and Shaneko “Sensei is said when describing one's master or someone of high respect. Like, Reina-sensei.” Sai and Shaneko had boarded an abandoned boat and were sailing in the direction of Hidden Federation. Apparently a new village came into existence there and it seemed a bit too coincidental for their taste. Either Ella or Reina could have created it unless it was actually an undiscovered village. It couldn’t hurt to investigate. As they sailed Sai began explaining a few Japanese words and phrases.
“So I could call Drago… Drago-sensei? What about you?”
“Never say my name with that connected to it or any other way that shows me as your superior. I am on equal if not lower level compared to you. You can call me Sai-kun if you want.”
“Are you not teaching me something?” Sai contemplates. “Sai-sensei it is then.”
“I don’t like the ring of that.” Sai shrugs before turning his attention to the sea. He would gaze on as the water lapped against the sides of the boat. It rocked giving off a melodic feel as it went. Sai would inch his arm over the side and touch the water gently. With the touch came memories from deep within his mind. The shelves would seem to shuffle themselves as books upon books flip open swiftly before shutting and disappearing with the shelve they had been on. Finally the shelves slow down as the books flip their pages. Suddenly everything freezes except a single book that shuts. “Boat Rides,” it read. All the other books close as the shelves align themselves better. The Boat Rides book would flip open to show the image of Reina gazes at the water around a mahogany boat. Akou was content upon her as the pure blue sky hung in the background. Tiny waves could be seen in the fast mass of water as the reflection from the brilliant sun turns certain areas of the water white.
“Look Akou… the water is so beautiful. Don’t you just want to…” Reina couldn’t find the words. She stood up on the boat as it rocked uneasily. Akou shifts in his seat, the swaying knocking his ruby red hair out of place, as he watches Reina in awe. She moved with the boat and then she was gone. Akou leaps to his feet and looks around to see Reina swimming in the deep water.
“Reina… what are you doing?”
“Swimming… what’s it look like? I’m not going fishing.”
“But what about sharks?”
“If the boat is safe from sharks then so am I.”
“Reina get back on the boat,” Akou whimpers. “I don’t know where we are supposed to be heading. Besides, how am I supposed to do your makeup with you all wet?” Reina ponders a moment before diving underneath the water. She appears beside Akou and sighs which makes him jolt.
“I suppose you’re right. That wasn’t a good idea. But I couldn’t help it. I should be dry soon, no worries.” Akou frowns and Reina flicks him into the air. The frail runt of the Ichazuki clan squeals happily as he flies upward. Reina laughs as he falls down and catches him delicately in her arms.
“A simpler time,” Sai whispers as he begins twirling around his finger in the water. Again, in Sai’s mind, the shelves begin to shuffle themselves as the books flip open and then flip close once their shelf had gone by. This was a similar scene to an old age Juke Box that, when you clicked the directional button, would flip through albums of songs swiftly. Just as before everything freezes after the shelves slowed in speed. Only one book shut as the other remained still. “Sparring Matches” it read. The shelves would align themselves similar to a long row of shelves with many columns. Each book would close as the “Sparring Matches” book flips open. A page titled “Reina and Ella” could be seen as the pages again began flipping. The pages stop on a page with the image of a sandy plain. There were huge boulders here and there and the occasional cactus. The only people in the area was a female with a pearl white, starry eyed mask, crinkly blond hair, a tan tank top and short, and who wore no shoes. Then there was a dog nearly a yard away from her. It seemed, oddly, to be wearing jewelry. It was a grayscale dog. Nearly everything about it was gray except for the perfect white teeth it had as it snarled at the female. Atop of a high rock slab was a tiny boy with red hair and red eyes. He wore a too big white tank and khaki shorts. He didn’t wear shoes either. None of them wore shoes. The sun beamed down on them and the heat of the land could be seen clearly. The image blur from the thick waves of heat. They seemed unfazed, however.
“Stop dodging me Reina! Fight me without always dodging my blows! Coward.”
“Don’t blame me because you’re weak. Maybe if you trained more then you’d be able to spar me on a more equal level.” Ella growls before lunging at Reina only for Reina to catch her and fling her away. “No more dodging,” she laughs. Akou cheers from the side lines as Ella grows more and more aggravated.
“One day things will be the other way around. I’ll be constantly dodging you and you’ll be constantly tossed aside like a minimal threat. Soon I will be the one who people cheer for in a fight. You just wait!”
“Yeah sure,” states Reina though her mouth didn’t move. Ella turns around only to have a kunai to her throat and another to her temple. “And… that’s a win.” Akou cheers as the image of Reina fades away like a lingering afterimage.
Sai twirls slower at the memory of Ella. He then stops twirling his finger in the water and slaps it. The shelves in his mind combine into one row and then they begin shuffling. The row splits and splits before becoming ten sets of numerous shelves. The pages flipped rapidly as books seemed to fly off of the shelves to show Sai what they contained before flying back where they belonged. Images of Sai first meeting Reina, images of Akou when he tripped over a snail and broke his knees, images of… personal moments between Sai and Ella. That book lingered and flipped through images a bit before it was sent back to find its shelf and be placed back. Finally the shelves freeze as one shuts. “Trouble Talks: Ramen Shop” it read as the shelves shift back and the books close. “Trouble Talks: Ramen Shop” open and flips through its pages. Akou and Ella, Reina and Ella, before it comes to Shaneko and Nimen. Shaneko was sitting beside Nimen in a Konoha Ramen Shop that had just been built to replace an old bar where Nimen, Shaneko, and Tebayai first met. The time was before the huge battle in Hidden Snow and around the time where Sai and Ella shared their first kiss and Nimen’s spirits became homunculi.
“I’m going to eat away my troubles.”
“Nimen,” cries Shaneko as Nimen’s face is doused in tears.
“How did you find me,” asks Nimen, her face clear.
“Well… I was hungry and saw that this was the only ramen shop so I stopped by. Did you know that the last ramen shop was blown to bits? And that bar I met you in is the new ramen shop? Right here. It’s weird. I found you where we first met.”
“You’re making it weird.”
“Shrimp ramen,” calls out the woman when she notices Shaneko staring up at her. She places the bowl onto the table and bends down to smile at Shaneko. “Want some ramen little one?”
“Oh yes, please. I’m very hungry.” The woman nods and then exits as Shaneko climbs onto a seat beside Nimen. “Reina and Sai had a meeting with Angelle and Rafael… there was this guy that resembled how you said Tybalt looked but I said nay. He knows Reina though. I wonder who he is.” Nimen lowers her head as a ghostly image appears above her head. “What’s the matter Nimen? Why don’t you eat?”
“Because you keep talking!”
“Well sorry for making conversation!” With that the room grows silent as Nimen stares at her ramen. “Why do you seem sad?” Nimen turns to Shaneko prepared to clobber her then her face softens.
“That… that was Tybalt.”
“What? No way! Really? I thought…”
“He sealed himself inside of the object Ella was sealing a soul into. That is Tybalt now.”
“Wow! Tybalt is a homunculi now? How weird.” The woman returns and hands the small girl some chicken ramen and smiles. “I LOVE chicken ramen! Thank you!” Without a second to waste, Shaneko snatches up some chop sticks, splits them, and digs in.
“Wow, you must be hungry. I’ll go and make you some more. Eat up red head. You were inhaling those before,” states the woman waving a finger in front of Nimen’s face before leaving. Nimen begins eating as Shaneko finishes her bowl. Nimen’s eyes fly open as she tilts her head to Shaneko.
“PIG!”
“SHUTTTTTTTUP! I was hungry!”
“Here’s another bowl.”
“Thanks!” Nimen begins shoveling food into her mouth as the woman glares down at her. The woman leaves as Nimen swallows then sighs.
“I don’t know, Neko. For some reason… I’m not happy for him.”
“Vat?” Nimen turns to Shaneko to see her mouth full of ramen. Shaneko swiftly slurps it up, Nimen staring at her with an astonished look, before sighing. “You aren’t happy that he has a body finally?”
“Well.. when you put it like that,” murmurs Nimen turning to her ramen. She stares into it as Shaneko looks at her.
“Why aren’t you happy about it?”
“You wouldn’t understand. Maybe if you were older…”
“It’s a relationship thing, isn’t it?” Sweat runs down Nimen as she turns to Shaneko.
“Not at all!”
“It IS,” Shaneko gasps. “Is there another girl?”
“Shuttttttttttttttttup!”
“There IS,” she gasps as Nimen swiftly turns back to her ramen and pouts.
“Kids shouldn’t know these things.”
“I’m not a kid! I’m a woman. I’m maturing!”
“Women don’t mature,” Nimen mutters as Shaneko gasps.
“How dare you! At least… when I mature, according to Ella… I will have boobs. You don’t have any.” Nimen’s eyes blaze as she turns to Shaneko.
“I have breast! And I am still maturing too but I’m not a little kid! I’m a big kid!”
“You’re just the same as me. If you’re still maturing then maybe you’ll never become a woman. Because my rate is faster than yours,” murmurs Shaneko poking her lips out in a mocking manner.
“SHANEKO!”
“Ella was right,” laughs Sai as Shaneko touches his knee. He focuses his gaze to see he had splashed Shaneko.
“I bend down to see what you’re doing and you splash me… thanks.”
“Oh, uh. I, um. Shaneko… I was distracted. I would never splash you like that on purpose… well maybe in a different situation but this was… I was remembering things.”
“Like,” she asks skeptically.
“I think it would be wrong if I mentioned it. You probably forgot.” Shaneko waits. “Remember what Ella mentioned to you about maturing?” Shaneko’s eyes grow wide.
“PERVERT!”
“No! Neko…” Shaneko stares at him. She couldn’t remember the last time someone used her nickname.
“Neko…”
“Yeah, your old nickname.”
“You remember…”
“I remember a lot of things,” Sai confesses. “Some I shouldn’t even be able to remember. I read you and the others long ago. It’s almost as if I had been traveling with all of you since you first came into existence. I know about how, when you were an infant, you were left to die.” Shaneko looks at the boat floor. Sai reaches out a hand and touches the one that had been strapped to his knee. Hearing what Sai remembered she’d dug her nails into his skin but now released it. “I remember how Nimen, in an attempt to get an attacker from harming her ever again, used the move Two Face to kill him in her youth. I remember when Akou would watch Reina with those curious crimson eyes and how he would paint her face as she slept. I remember how Ella, as Haylo, used to hide strands of her dead hair beneath her mattress in belief that it would scare monsters into thinking she was a Yamanaka using Chakra Hair Rope. I remember how Angelle, as Tebayai, would always practice her facial expressions in the reflection of water because she wasn’t familiar with showing emotion on her face. I remember how, when Reina was a Mizu, how she would always hide Neji’s shoes under the step leading to his bedroom or somewhere similar and would wait to see if he’d find them. If he did then he was using Byakugan so she wouldn’t be able to tackle him and if not then he wasn’t and she could tackle him. I know all of you, past and present. I know even more than your tomato red eyes can tell you. I am an Ichazuki breed homunculi and the child of a Goddess of Evil.” They both fall silent as Sai removes his hand from Shaneko’s. She lunges out with the hand on his knee to grab the other hand then releases it. She thought she knew what to say but she didn’t.
“How do I say sorry in Japanese so I can apologize for doing that?”
Sai laughs at her. “Gomen to say Sorry or Gomenasai.”
“Gomen.” They laugh at one another as the boat reaches a harbor. “That was fast.”
“Onward to Hidden Federation’s Hidden Movie.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Chan is a sign of affection for a girl or for when you want to use it as a nickname. Kun is the same but for a boy.”
“Neko-chan and Sai-kun.”
“You got it. Very good,” announces a voice as Shaneko and Sai stop in their tracks. Applauds from a single person could be heard but from where they couldn’t tell. All they knew was that someone was talking to them that they didn’t know. Sai reaches down to touch the ground only to find him self in the air. Shaneko had sprouted wings from her back to show she was using the Angelus replica. Beneath them the ground spiked and they escaped the attack narrowly. Shaneko’s eyes were different. One was starry and blood red while the other was red as usual. The Angelus glowed with an ominous aura which Sai had to refrain from seeing what it could do. In his mind shelves had already shifted and shoved out of the way of new empty shelves and the book of Evil. The aura seemed demonic though it wasn’t. But he wasn’t sure so he figured the book of Evil, which he had used to store the information from Than’s ‘The Black’ thoughts, might be needed. If it was evil it would go there or be sorted elsewhere. But the shelves soon shifted back and aligned in a way to seem not to have moved in the least. Sai reminded himself that the Angelus wasn’t the real thing so getting memories from it would be like getting memories from Shaneko herself. That made Sai curious as to how wonderful it would be to obtain an armor like the Angelus or find someone with a power much like ‘The Black’. What he saw wasn’t always pleasant but it interested him. Sai found himself distracted as a male appears below the two. Sai snaps back and gazes down to see someone he thought he would never see again. He racked his brain for the name of the man. Shelves shifted and books opened and flew out to show Sai what they held. Finally all the books flew back as a single nameless book flies out. The cover alters as Sai names the book. “Names and Faces” it would read. The pages flew by. If time were used here then minutes would have passed before the book, that seemed to stretch on forever though it looked to be a mere one hundred pages long, lands on a page with the name…
“Gongo Treta…” states Sai finally. The name rang a bell but Shaneko couldn’t put her finger on it. Who was Gongo Treta? As Shaneko wonders in confusion, Sai tries tapping into the mind of Gongo only to be unsuccessful. Something was keeping him from reading his mind. Was it the one technique that could keep Sai out? No, how would he know it? “This isn’t good. We need to leave.”
“We can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because once we get to the docks there will be a number of powerful shinobi there waiting for us… We’re stuck here. From what I can see… we’ll die very soon.”
“You can’t see that. Your eyes aren’t advanced enough.” Sai pauses only for a moment before shaking his head. He had noticed her right eyes change and no knew what it was. She’d done it in the exams. “We won’t die… You won’t die… I won’t let that happen!”
Shaneko watches as Sai worms his way free of Shaneko’s grasp. She flies downward to try and catch him only to be forced to let him drop when a pitch black finger is launched in her direction. Shaneko swiftly analyzed her attacker as she followed the trajectory of the strike. It wasn’t Gongo but another male of which she couldn’t remember either. She was nearly struck but it missed, thank goodness. She could see that the finger was pertaining Pure Chakra which was dangerous as far as Shaneko was concerned. From what Shaneko knew only that couldn’t be done with Stabbing Fingers. Sai would crash into the ground as spikes tried to emerge but were shattered. Smoke filled the area and everyone focused on where Sai had fallen. As the smoke slowly begins to clear a bright gleam emits from the smoke in the form of two eyes. They were redder than even the reddest color and they gave off a dark attribute. Not even when Sai was furious at Crius did his eyes shine this brightly or turn this red. Spikes would rise where Sai stood only for the eyes to disappear. Sai would appear behind Gongo and then vanish as he turns around. Shaneko took a moment before she noticed that the smoke was a diversion. She would generate more and aid in the efforts to hide. Then again…
Shaneko performs a number of hand signs with one hand as she catches a flung boulder with another and knocks away each one thrown after. “Fear Me.” Not even a few seconds afterwards she states, “Bringer of Darkness,” finishing another set of hand signs. The genjutsu would affect everyone but Sai and Shaneko. They would be unable to hear or even see a single thing. Shaneko and Sai would have the advantage, or so they would think. A loud crash could be heard from the smoke as Sai would be flung through a field of trees. Shaneko couldn’t believe her eyes. Sai stammers after he pries himself from a tree but does not fall. Shaneko could see intricate cracks all along Sai’s form. What was this? Someone that strong where they could crack Sai’s defense so greatly? The man that had applied Dim Mak to his Stabbing Fingers emerges from the smoke. Shaneko uses the full power of her armors as well as Sword That Protects Life to appear in front of Sai. “Stay back.”
“No,” gurgles Sai as Shaneko focuses her eyes on the man. Sai spits some blood from his mouth as he motions over to Shaneko’s side and shoves her aside. Somehow, Shaneko didn’t see that coming. She looks at Sai and can’t analyze what he’s doing. Suddenly Sai is gone and the crashing is heard again. Shaneko flails around to see Sai lying on the ground nearly ten yards away. Or it looked like Sai. She couldn’t see that far off well. It was as if Shaneko’s doujutsu had been stopped. The man was beside her in an instant.
“That pathetic excuse of a homunculi. He cannot defeat me.”
“You b*****d,” cries Shaneko whirling around to strike the man only for him to catch her hand delicately with his pinky finger. Shaneko had put all her strength into that punch and yet he could stop it with his pinky finger. The finger didn’t even strain. “Who are you?” As if answering her question memories are filtered into Shaneko from the man. “Crape Knight” was the word that echoed in the background as she observed many memories. Shaneko winced in pain, not simply from the types of memories that he showed her, but from the amount that was filtering into her so swiftly. She wasn’t like Sai. She didn’t have that kind of mind capacity. Sai begins to raise himself up as the blurry images of the two enter his sights. Blood flows from his mouth as his body begins shaking. Shaneko wouldn’t be dying. If anyone was going to die then it would be him. Sai uses the Art of Substitution twice. The first time it didn’t work. Sai knew that would happen. It happened when Sai tried to enter Gongo’s mind. He used the move of Sai’s to change what Sai used. How? He didn’t know. They all seemed able to do it. On the second time Sai was in Shaneko’s place. She falls unconscious as Sai grips his opponent firmly and fuses into him. “Crape Knight…” Shaneko sighs in her slumber.
Crape yanks himself free, tearing off Sai’s arms, before jabbing Sai with an open palm in the chest. Sai’s heart beats once before it stops; an instant kill. Sai falls to the ground as Crape appears above Shaneko exactly ten yards away. His emotionless and unchanging eyes stared at her but revealed nothing of how he had applied Dim Mak to his Stabbing Fingers, how he evaded her genjutsu earlier, how he was able to crack Sai’s defenses and blocked her attack with just his pinky, nor how Shaneko’s doujutsu was rendered useless. He aims a finger down at her head and uses Stabbing Fingers. It pierces through every ounce of armor she had before striking her in the back of the head to kill her instantly and without pain.
Suddenly everything seems to rewind until it comes to where Sai’s eyes had changed and he was in the smoke. Sai blinks in confusion as does Shaneko. What was going on? Did everything just rewind? As soon as the spikes sprouted Sai was gone and so was Shaneko. Shaneko had recoiled her wings and was running alongside Sai. “I think I’ll take my chance with the people at the docks,” states Sai. He didn’t plan to say that.
“Wait!” Sai stops and looks at the confused Shaneko. “We may die so… I think I should confess.” Shaneko began screaming in her head for herself to stop but she couldn’t stop herself. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. Now that we’re heading into a battle… and I can see we’re going to die… I thought I should tell you.” Before Shaneko knew it Sai was motioning near her with affectionate eyes. “OH MY GOD,” she yells in her head.
“I feel the same way.” Shaneko’s mind goes blank and Sai tries to shuffle through the memories in his head to place this stuff in. The shelves shuffled at light speed and the books didn’t even flip open. He knew exactly where to put these things. “WTF 101” was the book he chose. It flashes to a blank page and everything that happened as soon as they entered the village was placed there and this was being jotted down too.
Sai steps so close to her that they could smell one another easily. Sai, of course, smelled odd. He had a mixture of smells and everything about his smell was wonderful. Shaneko smelled like she always smelled; like irises. Sai would grab at the back of Shaneko’s head as she would grab at his waist. They would press one another closer, their minds racing, as they gazed into one another’s eyes. They both could feel their hearts racing as Sai drew his face millimeters from Shaneko’s. Just when he prepares to kiss her a single finger shoots through them both. They were so absorbed they forgot about escaping. They collapse to the ground as the finger recoils. Shaneko was the first to die. She was struck in the heart. Sai was still alive but one of his lungs was completely destroyed and he could barely breathe. “Foolish children,” states Crape as he motions over to Sai. He places a hand under his chin and then tosses Sai’s face off to the side. Before Sai can turn back around a finger is felt to his temple. This constant dying and then reviving was becoming a strain on Sai’s mind but he didn’t mind. Feel it the first time it’s terrible but the second time it isn’t so bad.
The memories of death were placed in a book that was beside the book of Evil that was also jotting these events down. It was recording the deaths as they occurred. “You filthy son of a b***h… YOU KILLED HER! The love of my life… SHE’S DEAD NOW!”
“Fear not… you will be joining her.” With that the finger flies into Sai’s temple killing him on the spot.
After another rewind Shaneko and Sai find themselves back in the air. Shaneko warns him of the threat near the docks and so they decide to take their chances. They dodge various attacks before reaching the docks through the skies. As soon as the attackers tried attacking they were cast in a bubble of pure chakra. The two escape to the seas only for the air to grow violent. They are flung into the sea as the area goes into more turmoil. Suddenly, from deep beneath the sea, a gigantic whale emerges. This was not a good thing at all. “Leviathan,” states Shaneko to Sai as the water suddenly calms. The air was in turmoil and the sea was tranquil. In the background the shark music from Deep Blue begins to play. Not a good sign at all. Not simply because of why the music played but because they weren’t supposed to hear the background music. It came across loud and clear though. Leviathan was a God of the Sea, as Sai saw it. There were very many books based on Leviathan. Sai had taken it upon himself to read about the Behemoth a few centuries ago. In his mind shelves shift and spread out before a few rows and columns begin pushing their way forward. These were shelves containing the small amount of information from his lives as other people. The shelves were color coded and had the names plastered on them since some had many more shelves than others which had one or two. Finally a shelf with the name Ishmalaki Thwarnes comes into view. The books remain still as Sai’s mind sweeps over each title. This shelf from Sai’s life contained the items that aided Thwarnes in writing a gripping novel based on Leviathan.
“Hebrew Bible: Leviathan” was the first book he would sift through. "May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan…" Book of Job 3:8. That was of the NIV or better called New International Version. Sai rarely labeled things as NIV because it becomes old before he knows it. How can a three hundred year old memory of a book be new? If he weren’t deep in thought he would laugh. The Book of Job is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. The book relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his theological discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, and finally a response from God.
"Can you pull in the Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down his tongue with a rope? Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? ...Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?" Chapter 41 of the Bible the Book of Job describes Leviathan in detail and it closely matched the creature Sai saw before him in a symbolic sense… closely. There was something odd about this creature. Sai placed the book back and found himself in the realm within his mind. He needed something more. Another life? No. Another book? OF COURSE! But what book? What book could aid him? Sai smirks as he flickers out of sight.
“I did always enjoy commentaries,” Sai mutters arriving behind the same shelf he had been examining. The books, oddly enough, seemed double sided. These were the same books as on the other side but on this side their sides revealed different names. He scanned the titles of each book carefully before outstretching a hand. The book flung into it and he opened it anxiously. Sai remembered there was one interesting aspect he found about Leviathan. He knew near to everything about him. Even the fact that…
The word Leviathan is also mentioned in Rashi's commentary on Genesis 1:21: "God created the great sea monsters - Taninim." Another man, Jastrow, translates the word "Taninim" as "sea monsters, crocodiles, or large snakes". Rashi comments: "According to legend this refers to the Leviathan and its mate. God created a male and female Leviathan, then killed the female and salted it for the righteous, for if the Leviathans were to procreate the world could not stand before them." The description given with this article for the female Leviathan nearly matched the creature before Sai. The only difference was that it was smaller and looked young.
“The offspring of the female and male Leviathan,” Sai blurts out finally. He would find Shaneko beside him, clinging to him.
“I see numerous beasts.” This startled Sai.
“What?”
“There is more than one monster down there. According to you... if the beast you see merrymaking atop the sea is the offspring of Leviathan, then they are too. It appears as if they are clones of each other though they are independent creatures. I know little of Leviathan. Maybe they ARE clones.”
“No… you are correct.” Images flicker across Sai’s gray, white, and black eyes as he floats in the water.
“Everything returns to the seas in the end…”
“We know of you, I’dris… Caribou.”
“We wish top someday have what you have.”
There were three of them… Sea Maidens. Much more slender and longer than Sai as the female Caribou. They had greenish hair that was soaking wet. Their skin was a pale blue and was as cold as ice. Their eyes… their eyes were a delicate blue. Each was more different from the last. This memory came from a shelf in Sai’s mind labeled “Caribou: The Woman Who Loved Reindeer”. That is what he called the book anyway. He was a dreamer of dreams; a seer. He dreamed wise dreams much like a prophet would. He was a she. He remembered when the great upheavals of the earth sent him and his people away. He remembered the long trek across treacherous land and sea. Yes, he had crossed the seas. Daimons, Traangl, Hedgewives, Firelords, Sea Maidens; many different names for many different things. For now he would only read more on the Sea Maidens that had shoved themselves into his memory suddenly. He remembered when he first spoke with the Sea Maidens. They informed him that all things eventually returned to the sea. He realized now, as he stole away the memories of the sea, that he was gathering more information than even he wanted. He gathered and stored the memories away. He would keep them for later. In his mind numerous books would fly off of the shelves. Each flicking through its pages and recording all the information. It was a dizzying thing. Not even Sai could handle the immense information filtering into him. Shaneko noticed him sinking and used her armor to launch tendons to grapple him. She clung to him as he continued to gather information.
“Sai? Are you all right? Sai?” Shaneko was torn between worrying about Sai and wondering when the large whales would attack them. As if answering she is flicked into the air with Sai. They go so high that ice seemed to form on the outer layers of her armor. Upon Sai’s face ice accumulated and he shivered in his subconscious state.
“Do you believe it wise to have come out here? Do you believe it wise to have begun gathering the information of the sea? So many costly mistakes. You fools will perish for your lack of intellect.” It was Crape speaking to them now from atop the largest of the tiny, in comparison to the father Leviathan that Reina held in her possession, beast. Shaneko and Sai crash downward and into the water. Shaneko dragged him near her and covered his mouth to ensure no water sank into his lunges in his state. Sai coughed in his unconsciousness and water flew from his mouth. He was half there and half absorbed in the memories.
In Sai’s mind he could see the differences between each Leviathan. Some were of slender build, some were of a bulkier build, and some were built for speed underwater. Each Leviathan was different and was capable of different things. The smallest of the Leviathans could summon a Torrential Downpour to flood the land or to even raise the seas. Those of immense size could unleash a Hydro Cannon that none should dare take head on. The ones that resembled serpents and of which were of a slender build and of which had greater speed in the water could initiate a move capable of wrapping an opponent up and then dragging them downward to their graves. Those with strong builds and of great size could create a massive tidal wave that could sweep even Shaneko away with the intense force of it. Each held a capability of their ancestors: their mother and father. Yet again, Sai felt the uneasiness of defeat and it rang out with a fury. Finally, the memories had all been summoned and stored. Sai was still a bit dizzied but he could make do. As soon as he opened his eyes he noticed that Shaneko was braving the skies with torrents of water shooting up at her. Sai was strapped to her back and he could sense Crape’s presence. Sai thought he hated Crius and Yuan but he never felt as much hate for them as he did for Crape. Sai held no inkling of what he could do to help. His abilities were powerful but at a distance, without time to prepare, and with Crape constantly using his powers against him he found little he could do. Then again…
Shaneko tried attacking time and time again only for her blows or strikes to be negated by Crape. She continued on despite it being obvious she wasn’t making so much as a dirt mark. Perhaps Sai could persuade a few of the Leviathan’s to side with him and Shaneko. He wasn’t a tamer but he could try to tame them. He linked with them over and over until he finally got through to them. “We mean no harm. We merely ventured to Hidden Movie to see if our friend was there. We meant you no offense and merely wish to leave.”
“You may not leave,” called a nimble female.
“Yes; our master wishes you to stay and perish,” includes a husky male.
“We wish to parry with you and the woman as well. It is not merely Crape’s wanting that makes us attack you. We must show ourselves to the Gods so we might acquire their power. So that we might become a God and have no worries of the mortal cares such as dying and the like. We do not wish to hunger or thirst-”
“You thirst,” asks Sai cutting off the monstrous beast that Crape rode upon.
“You ask as if you did not know.”
“I did not. I have never spoken… communicated with a Leviathan before. Despite my friend Reina being companioned with your father, I have yet to communicate with him like this.”
“Curious child with a mixture of pure and impure eyes, you speak of our father. He is with a woman?”
“Certainly so. My name is Sai and the female with me is Shaneko Warabe.” The beasts seemed to settle though not by much. They continued attacking Shaneko and Sai. “Reina Rose Hudeni, I am certain you know of her. You are, of course, a creature… no; Gods of the sea.”
“Gods we are not though I know of her. The seas tell me and my brothers and sisters tails of her. I quite enjoy the stories circulating around her.”
“And why are you not? You all possess the powers of a God and have rendered my friend and me, who are near to the most powerful of our kind, to fleeing at your might. What makes a God?” The Leviathans did not respond right away. Sai took that as an opportunity to pressure them. “Why is a meaningless creature, in comparison to yourselves, commanding you? Why does he not lead you with a level of equality? Not even Reina humbles herself to be on close level to your father and she was strong enough to tame him. Crape orders you around as if he himself is the God.” The Leviathans stirred at that and Crape was nearly knocked off balance.
“Steady you damned beasts!”
“Do you hear what he says? What he spoke were swears. He does not honor you. He does not even know of you. Does he know of your mother? I would believe not. And for her… my condolences.”
“We will not be tamed by such a man as Crape. We will fight against him. You should make haste and leave this place. Hur-” Before the Leviathan could finish he is slashed in half. Sai’s expression was more than surprised at the sight of Crape striking down one of the beasts. Sai was speechless and so were the other Leviathan. Then, all at once, they lunged for Crape. Shaneko and Sai, already high in the sky, make their way away from the island. Once they were clear away they found themselves sitting in Lazy Boy Love Seats. They look at one another before hearing cheering. They look around to find themselves on a stage with a bunch of other people in the comfortable chairs. Sai recognized some of them. Gongo Treta, Crape Knight, and Greta Metta. Gretta was of the Niskies clan; Gongo of the Sitha; Crape seemed to be of the Dante clan though he had the capabilities of near to every clan. “What is this,” cries out Sai standing up as a man glares at him. The crowd silences.
“Take a seat, Sai.” Without wanting to, Sai found himself lowering to sit in his chair. “Let’s start with Crape. How challenging was it to work with the likes of your fellow actors and these amateurs.” In saying amateurs he gestured to Sai and Shaneko swiftly before taking a seat in a sort of throne.
“It was nice meeting Sai and Shaneko again but they are terrible actors.”
“Actors,” questions Shaneko in her head as Crape turns to gaze at her. She couldn’t draw her eyes away from his. She usually never looked into the eyes of someone she did not trust. But now she couldn’t look away. He had gorgeous gray eyes that remained distant and held no expression. They were nothing like Sai’s resonant and compassionate eyes. In the remembrance of Sai’s eyes his lost their luster; she looked away. He furrows his brow but continues on while turning his gaze to the audience. Shaneko only glimpses at Sai and he takes that as the okay to enter her mind. “What the hell is going on?”
“I have no idea,” Sai replies as Crape begins talking about some weird movie.
“You don’t suppose this whole thing was a movie?”
“It was too real to be a simple. I won’t believe that.”
“Hidden Movie…” Sai did not respond to that. He would not believe their deaths time and time again were a part of some movie generated upon entering Hidden Movie. He would let it be so simple. Then he heard Crape speaking on the movie and sighed. He didn’t know what to think. All he knew for certain was he wanted out. If Reina were there she would have showed. If this were her work then it would not have ended this way or that. If it were Reina’s creation she would not have trapped them. Sai believed that to be true. But what he would not know is that Reina might just be capable of such a thing. He would not believe it either way.
Crape told of how Sai and Shaneko had to keep doing things over because the ending never was the right one. And how, in the end, they had to stop production because the two of them didn’t quite make the cut. Then Crape went on to explain how he did various things. Crape expressed how he had developed the ability that Tsuki had to mimic certain moves. That was not what aided him in defying Shaneko’s genjutsu. In the time where Reina fought Crape he had had the same abilities as her. He had the Masterful Magic Eyes and used those to halt Shaneko’s genjutsu. It was rumored to be a trick of the script how Crape was capable of applying Dim Mak to his Stabbing Fingers. As for the strength part it came with his ability to counter moves. Most of the things he did was raw talent. But how? How was he still alive? Why was he in Hidden Movie? Hadn’t Reina and her old team destroyed him and his team? Neither Shaneko nor Sai knew the answer. Sai felt confused and at a lost. With such a vast amount of knowledge in his possession he had yet to realize how this was all possible. Why was this happening? Where were they now? Before they knew it everyone had spoken and the host was closing out with a final word to the audience. Sai wandered over to Crape and his team to ease his wandering mind. “How are you all alive again?”
“This is but a dream. Wise dream, young one. The things in this dream may or may not come to pass.”
“What do you mean by that, Crape?”
“The battle is soon to come. We will once again be revived as nightmares of your past… or their past. You will take no heed of us. We will appear as nothing special to you. You will not be in control enough to know… unlike Shaneko.”
“What… what do you mean?”
“Her control on you will be strong; stronger than even she herself would have anticipated. The darkness… it will envelope you. The only shining light will be dim. You must bring together the great hearts or all is lost.” Sai didn’t understand what Crape meant. He had not even the slightest idea of what his words expressed. He was aware that the scene had changed. It seemed to be the ending Sai and Shaneko couldn’t achieve. Crape was bound to a stake with Greta and Gongo on either side. Bodies lay strewn all around and no words escape anyone’s lips.
“It seems as though we came just in time. I’d feared the worst. I’m so glad that you two are all right.” This voice was one Sai had longed to hear almost as much as another; Shaneko the same. They turn around to see Reina standing with a group of ninja. Some were cast into shadows, so much so that neither Shaneko nor Sai could tell who they were. A few homunculi were there; Reina was there; Nimen was there rolling her eyes at Sai; Tybalt was beside her simply staring at his brother and then Shaneko before his gaze falls on a golden female; Angelle stood close beside Rafael and the two of them were smiling. Sai scanned the crowd and found homunculi among them. Right next to one another stood Akou and Ella. Sai fell to his knees. There she was. What he had been searching for. What he had nearly given up his life after feeling lost without. There was the true love of his life.
“Ella,” Sai cries out and flings himself over to Ella. She smiles ruefully at him and begins to whisper something in his ear as things freeze. Shaneko had been simply staring at Akou. She felt no true longing to embrace him though she truly did miss him dearly. She couldn’t force herself to embrace him for she knew he was not real. She dreamt too many dreams of this same scene too many times. She would not be fooled. Tears welled up in her eyes. The pain of seeing them all so near and yet it all being some cruel joke was too painful to bear. She saw Sai fall for the trap but did not fall for it herself.
“Together we must fight. Alone we are much too weak. Team Cero must ban together and take down each and every threat there is in order to preserve life; in order to preserve each other; in order to ensure,” Reina placed a hand delicately on Akou’s head, “our future. Together we can… I know it. I am stronger now… we are stronger now. The battle for the world is coming and soon we will be tested immensely. We must do it together.” With those words the scenery fell away in a shatter of glass. Sai drew back from the image of Ella with a smile. He couldn’t manage much else. He didn’t mind being fooled. That false Ella only made him more determined to find the real thing. He would not stop until her true form was once again within his grasp. There was a path leading two ways beneath them. One led into the village and the other to the docks where they could escape. They looked at one another sadly before Sai grabs up Shaneko’s hands. He drew breath sharply.
“Let’s leave… they are not here. We will find them in time. In the meanwhile, let us travel to worlds we have been to before or are familiar with. I couldn’t take the things that happened in this village. It was too much. Perhaps we can start simple.” Sai begins walking, drawing Shaneko up beside him. “Let’s start with your home and then venture to each of our old homes. Maybe they are there… somewhere. We’ll find them and mend broken ties. We’ll need the allies.” Shaneko nods wearily as Sai smiles weakly at her. Before long the two were at the docks and quickly away. Words = 7,899
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