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 Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:00 pm
This is a sacred land where only the monkeys of the Cloud Mountains may enter. The only entrance into this place is to be brought by a monkey or lead by the monkey sage. Here a shinobi may come to train to summon the monkeys.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:07 pm
Coren seemed to have been walking for eternity before he passed a strange gate with a symbol he didn't understand." The sun, which had been about to set on the way up, was once again high in the sky over this mountain top.
He looked back through the gate to see where he had come from. Through the wooden archway was the setting twilight that came before darkness. He gulped, Coren knew he was back within the domain of the monkeys. He hadn't been here in a long time. Last time he'd come, he hadn't meant to. He'd tried to use a summoning jutsu before he'd signed a contract and had somehow ended up upon the mountain he now stood on once more.
He made his way through the land quickly, but still only walking. He didn't need to run, time flowed differently in this place. Coren passed houses and houses which looked like strange, twisted trees. Monkeys ran about the land doing the various things that humans did back where he had come from. Each seemed to stop what they were doing and look at the strange outsider as he made his way deep within the village of the Cloud Monkeys. They all knew his name, but it had been years since they'd seen a human.
Finally, Coren came to the place he'd been searching for. A large temple in had been carved into a tree that stretched to the heavens. It was even so strange that it had clouds circling about the bark, and a water fall which flowed off and created steps up towards the door of the temple.
Coren marveled at it. He always did each time he saw it. As he entered the temple, two enormous gorillas moved to stop the human, but after seeing who it was they simply stood aside. Each spoke in turn,"It's good to see you again Coren" ""Glad to see your still alive." Coren just smiled,"It's great to see you guys two; Kiari, Itsu."
Coren spotted the monkey he needed to talk to, the one sitting in the giant throne. Old Yamazaru. The eldest of the monkeys sat in his throne, he was a large as a several story building, but he was long past his days as a warrior. He sat with his eyes closed, drinking from a gourd that would have caused even Coren to slur his worlds. The massive primate sat with a gnarled staff between his legs that crossed his wrinkled chest and over his shoulder.
Coren spoke loudly, as the old monkey was hard of hearing. "HEY OLD YAMA! YOU MISS ME?"
Yamazaru opened his massive eyes and looked down towards Coren. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a much smaller monkey to his left. Makiba, one of the elder monkeys, spoke up "Show a little respect!" Hayashi, Makiba's twin sister, spoke from Yamazaru's right,"He does respect the elder! You remember Coren, always wanting to have fun! What's wrong with you Maki?" "Don't you preach to me about fun you b-"
"Enough of that..." the giant ape spoke,"Coren... it is good to see you again. I assume your here on important business? I've seen what has been going on in the world below... terrible things are brewing... I fear for your village young one."
"AS DO I ELDER! THAT'S WHY I'M HERE! LAST TIME YOU HELP ME TO BECOME MORE LIKE A MONKEY. YOU TAUGHT TO BEGIN THE PATH OF A SAGE. WELL NOW I NEED TO CONTINUE THAT JOURNEY!"
"Hmmm... you are the first human to ever barge into this place and ask such a thing of me... But what you believe is true. The world is in increasing turmoil and the powers of the sage will once again be needed to overcome the darkness. ENMA!"
The large monkey known as Enma appeared before Coren, his back to the sage. "Yes elder?"
"You will teach Coren how to walk the path of a Sage. Good luck to you young one."
Enma bowed to his master and walked from the temple. Coren bowed as well before running after the monkey.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:55 pm
Enma spoke not a word as he left the temple and began to quickly run up the side of the tree which housed it. Coren followed as quickly as he could with Jonma still on his back. He rushed after the ape, the sounds of their feet striking the bark was soon the only thing Coren could hear, they were so high up now. Enma dove into what appeared to be a knot in the side of the trunk, and naturally, Coren followed in kind.
He landed in what appeared to be a large circular room in the center of the tree. In the middle of the room, from the ceiling and the floor, protruded twisted branches which met in the center. About four feet from the floor there was a large sphere of sapphire which seemed to have grown within the column. It was too large around for man to grab his arms if he were to tr and encircle the jem.
Enma stood next to this, his hand on the jewel."This is the Cintamani stone. I believe you've heard about it in your world?" Coren felt like a bomb had just been dropped on him. The Cintamani stone was supposed to be a wish fulfilling gem stone. Coren was simply awestruck as he marveled at it."Well don't believe the stories you've heard. Most of them are fabrications of crazy shinobi which attempted to walk the path which you do and failed. Enma reached into the gem, it seemed to mold around his hand, becoming a liquid. He pulled a bright blue goo from the orb. This is what will give you the power you seek. This tree, Yggdrasil, the world tree... this place is where all life flows from. And this stone is solid essence of the force of life. As a Sage, you will need to feel all of life around you. Smear this all over you body and meditate. You must learn to feel the world... if you cannot, the stone will claim you and your essence will be given back to world; and you body will wander the earth and continue the false truths of the stone."
Coren removed his jacket and took the goo. Jonma just took all of Coren's supplies and placed them at the edge of the room. Coren smeared the good across his chest, arms,legs, and face. Jonma helped with his back. Coren took a sitting position, his tail waving back and forth as he cleared his mind. The goo felt strange, it was invigorating... almost painful. It stung at his skin and yet was cool as the breeze blew in. He just sat and tried to envision the world, tried to feel it all around him, see all around him.
He'd been told to do things like this before: it's how he got his tail and fangs and such. But this was far more intense. Last time he'd only focused on one forest, now he was told he'd need to feel the world. He felt the monkeys in their homes in the land below, saw a young one climb a tree to grab a strange fruit. He saw the birds that no man save him had spotted, still as wonderful an alabaster as he recalled. Coren took a deep breath, the pain of the goo was getting to him a bit. He saw down into his village, the genin training: he way Aoi with Sosay, learning how to control her fire. There was something special about that one, Aoi. He saw Ken running around the village, perhaps there was hope for him after all.
He saw into the small island of the water nation, watching his old friend LT train the genin. He saw Lou in his office, speaking with some strange man. More importantly he saw a girl alittle younger than he. She was absolutely beautiful, he pink hair flowing down around her as she turned and left the office to give the Mizukage and his guests some privacy. There was something special about that girl... something powerful.
Coren shuddered, he saw things flash before his eyes. Dragons of different shapes and sizes. They seemed to look at Coren's perspective: a huge dragon of darkness roaring before Coren left for a new place. He came upon the powerful village hidden in the leaf. From the looks of it, it had been declining in power recently. He saw the Hokage, a young white haired boy who seemed rather foolish. Coren soared through the forests of the land, coming to the Vally of the End. He saw the giant statues that marked the edge of the country.It was marvelous.
Coren saw into the earth country. He the land where no one moved. THe whole village seemed asleep, the kage long gone. The whole country was a ghost town. Coren felt little life from this place, even the animals and the flora seemed to slumber at all hours of the day.
Coren found his way to the Great Crevice. The sides of the valley where high, the passage to the village was small enough that ten men could not walk side by side. This place was a keep. He saw his old friend Zane... huh? He was the new Kazekage? Strange... The land of the sand had never appealed to Coren, but he felt the strength of the land and its people.
Coren's vision flashed back to the tree atop the world. His eyes back to normal. He felt strange... almost out side of his body.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:14 am
Coren couldn't open his mouth to speak... something was wrong. His perspective changed direction outside his body. He had lost himself during his journey across the world, so close to finish and yet so far. He couldn't reconnect to the body that he'd left. Coren's spirit tried to yell at the monkeys; they were playing some strange game with stone pieces that Coren had never seen before. Jonma was laughing a bit too much, Coren could see the gourd he'd taken from his pack. Son of a... that was his best rum!
Coren flew from the place, his spirit flying out once more across the world, perhaps he'd missed something he needed to see. This journey was different; unlike last time, where Coren had flashed from place to place, this time he saw everything. His spirit was no longer part of the world, he'd tried to separate himself from the world's chakra to return to his body and lost himself in the process. Coren became more and more distraught as he zoomed down toward his village. He felt something in a deep cavern, some great evil radiating from the mountains to the south of the village center. He sped through the rocks of the mountain as he tried to find the source of the evil and happened upon a trigram seal at the back of a cave. A terrible flame in the middle of the pictorial. Coren would need to deal with this as soon as he returned, but this is not what he needed to see. With great haste Coren left the place for pastures green.
He flew high above the world, before finding himself back in his old village: the Kusa, the Grass. Life was peaceful here. After the last great war the Kusa had fallen from power, and as of yet had not tried to regain their former strength. The shinobi of this village slumbered peacefully in the darkness that covered the earth, Coren didn't know how much time he'd spent atop the mountain but had at least been a day already. He flew down to the field he'd once trained in. Where he was first instructed on how to fight... and how to summon. He saw the cracks in the rocks that he'd made by beating his fists against the stones. This place brought back such memories. But this was not was Coren needed, he had deluded himself.
Coren's spirit hovered over the grove of the Kusa, focusing on his predicament. Lets see... I've removed myself from the world... I can't reenter my body simply by running into it. I must rejoin the world somehow. Coren didn't know if it was a good idea, but he shot straight into the ground. He darted through dirt that had been untouched in millennium. Further and further down Coren traveled. The earth around him began to melt away, fire took over and ate everything. Coren happened upon a sea of magma, an untold mass of molten rock which filled the core of the world. Coren felt nothing special here, this was a stupid plan. Coren darted back to the surface, find himself in a ladies bath house. He stayed here for a while... liked the view.
After a couple hours of disembodied bliss, Coren shot off towards the tree which gave life to the world. After a few short hours of flying Coren returned to the Stone room. Coren tried entering his body again, but to no avail. He tried entering the monkeys, maybe he could send them a message somehow that he was in trouble. But it didn't work. They were part of the world still, his form could not interact with them. Coren turned in anger away, There has to be someway back! I will not admit defeat on this! Coren's ethereal eyes happened upon the Cintamani Stone. Coren grinned to himself. His spirit flew into the stone and felt... something. For the first time since Coren had left the plane of reality, Coren was part of something again. His essence was lifted quickly into the heavens. Shot up through the tree. Into the branches he flowed, his being becoming part of the tree. Perhaps it wasn't the best plan he ever had... but no... something was happening. He was becoming more than what he was. His mind began to grow, almost feeling outside what he was. He wasn't just observing the world tree. He was becoming part of the world tree!
Coren's body stood up and began to move slowly toward the tree's heart. The monkeys didn't notice for a moment, until he was inches away from the stone. Jonma hopped up to try and keep Coren away from the Stone, but Enma held him back,"We must not interfere with what is happening." Coren's bod held his hands out to touch the stone. When the flesh made contact with the heart of the world, Coren felt it from the tree's perspective. He didn't feel the touching, but the being touched. He was completely removed from his form, it was no longer his body. Coren felt an urge to return to his form, but stopped himself. That was exactly what others before him had done. Their minds had expanded in such a way... then they returned to their earthly shells... and the knowledge had caused their mind to fracture and body to break. Coren tried something that no sage before had attempted. He pulled where others had pushed. He pulled his form into the Stone, much to the protest of Jonma. Coren's body returned to the tree from whence all life had come. Coren felt the body return to the world.
Coren was no longer of the world he was the world. He understood the circle of existence as creatures were born from him and died unto him. He felt everything. He crafted a new form, much like his old, from the very essence of the world. His new body would function in every way like his old but should allow for Coren's expanded perspective. The body exited from the Stone head first. The monkeys rushed to catch Coren. The breathing of this body was slow and steady, but no matter how loudly they screamed it would not wake from its slumber. Coren felt a voice around him, something he could not put his finger on. It was as if the entire earth was speaking to him at once. He felt the process being explained, how his link with the cosmos would be maintained and how he would be able to return to walk to earth and not leave it like others had.
Coren's body opened his eyes,"Holy s**t..." was all he was able to say before he passed out. The process had been taxing on his mind.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:04 am
Coren awoke, still within the room atop the world. He lifted his head to find that his clothes had been returned to him, his pack was a pillow and his jacket a blanket. Coren rose slowly, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Coren stood on his brand new feet, but they still felt old enough. He moved around the room, getting a feel for being fleshy once again. Jonma and Enma jumped up through the opening to the outside. Each stopped and just sorta... stared at Coren for a moment. Before Jonma ran at his old friend, dropping the food he'd been carrying and embracing him."I thought we'd lost ya,boss." Tear had started to well up in the monkey's eyes. Coren was startled by this,"Why...? How long was I out for?" Jonma rubbed his face into Coren's robes like a puppy whose master had returned from a long trip. Enma handed Coren a strange fruit, the kind which he had seen earlier from his trip, and spoke to him."You've been lying there for about a week. Your little pal Jonma and I have been coming up here to feed you every day. We thought for a while you'd be fine, but we almost gave up hope thinking your mind had shattered like so many others." Coren shook his head,"You really thought something so simple would kill me? HA! No way I'm going to let something like that get me!" Coren had on a sorta half smile, all those in the room understood exactly what kind of ordeal Coren had been through, even if they could not understand it.
The three ate the fruit and such with boisterous celebration. They were all looking forward to the next part of the training.
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:34 pm
Coren panted heavily as his feet resounded through the heaven he ran within. The bark had become his new home, training his Senjutsu upon the heart of the world. He felt the power of the life beneath his feet. He'd have long sense passed out if it hadn't been for the Senjutsu which aided Coren. This had already taken too long! He needed to return to his village, surely the genin were poking their eyes out with sticks or something absolutely foolish.
Coren felt the power weakening as he neared the cove within the tree which he'd been living within for quite some time. Using the last bit of external power he had left, Coren jumped up the side of the great tree, landing within the Stone's room. Enma and Jonma were waiting there as well as Makiba and Hayashi. The monkeys looked to be say something but Coren paid them no mind as he tried focusing, feeling the chakra around him as he attempted to continue.
"That will be enough of that for today," Enma spoke candidly as was is way,"We have something to teach you today."
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:32 pm
Enam had spent a great length of time instructing Coren as to how to complete his sage mode. He'd need to bring the natural chakra of the world into and around his body, molding it and shaping it to perfectly mesh with the his spirit and his body's chakras.
Coren was breathing rather heavily as he fell from a Senjutsu state once again. He had to be close to it. Training had to be almost completed.
As soon as Coren had fallen from his heightened state did Enma order him back in. Coren swore to himself as he gathered and molded the chakra from the heart of the world. He felt life around him, felt the chakra of the monkeys below and the strange birds above. He felt something different this time... something vile and horrid far below.
Coren reentered his body, ending the practice. He didn't have time to waste on training any longer. He'd already spent far too much time like this. Coren felt different as he opened his eyes to see the Stone room once more.
Coren's eyes had chaged, he could feel it. The pupil had grown to fill the iris causing his eye to become black. He saw the monkeys in the room stare at him in wonder. Coren rose from his feet, looking into the large blue stone. His appearance seemed to have changed a bit: his beard had grown and his eyes had changed, but for the most part all the traits that marked him a sagacious man were permanent.
Coren turned to Enma,"I feel something..." "You have become one with the whole world. You now truly carry the title of Monkey Sage. As a sage, you must walk a path of peace in all things. I know you are the new Raikage and I remember the history of your blood stained village. If you follow in the footsteps of your predecessors, you will be unable to continue your walk upon the path of a sage." Coren shook his head," I know... they were foolish in their ambition. But I am different. I fear that the next evil shall rise from the Stones and the Sand..."
Enma spoke down to Coren, "That is not for us to speculate, nor for you to worry with. It is no longer your place to point blame. You must stand in the path of evil men from all nations. I know you feel what I do... something in the world below is not right, our time is short and you have yet to complete the Senjutsu training, but before you go... you must learn at least one more trick to help sway the coming battle in your favor." Enma showed a series of hand signs to Coren. "These seals are for the Sage Art: Albifrons Technique. Now you must try it. You must learn this quickly, there is no time to waste. Gather the natural chakra around you... feel the world call to you and advise you on your path. The seals will be spoken by the rocks, the leaves, the rivers. All creation is your teacher from this point on. For these techniques... do not use the chakra within your body; but that around it. Not only will these monkeys summon to you, but they will become part of you.
Coren just said one thing as he stood perfectly still, trying to gather the chakra of the world into his body,"Trippy." Coren felt the world flow through him as he began the process. As he focused, the world became part of his consciousness once more. He felt the suffering in his village as he focused.
Coren slowly preformed the hand seals over and over, making sure to get the rhythm and sequence correct. Enma and Jonma stood across from Coren and preformed the seals with him in time to make certain that he would be perfect.
Finally thinking himself ready, Coren feels the chakra flow around him, molding it as he preforms the seals. After his final seal he places each hand on the opposite shoulder, and in a puff of smoke the elder monkeys Makiba appears on his left shoulder and Hayashi on his right. Their cloaks cover Coren's shoulders, their tails sticking out at the bottom and rising up from behind their heads.
Coren felt their bodies as if they were all physically connected, yet their minds were still separate. "Now this is just strange..." "Well it's no better for us... your the first sage that Yamazaru thought should pass the test." Hayashi spoke plainly, apparently having never bonded in this manner either.
Coren and Jonma wasted no time. Jonma leaped onto Coren's back, between the twin elders as Coren dashed from the room atop the tree. With hardly any thought at all, Coren flung the group from the trunk of the world tree, letting them free fall towards the mountain range that lay back within the realm of his village. He hoped he wasn't too late.
EXIT to Cloud Village
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 1:39 pm
S a r u k i n_____G e n k a k u
[[enters from Lightning Country]]
Sarukin had found out that the name of the monkey he had found earlier was Jima. Jima seemed to be drunk, swaying from side to side with each step. He even offered Sarukin a drink, which he took. Might as well live a little. As they reached the monkey summoning lands, Sarukin became amazed. Monkeys were all over, greeting Jima and his new friend. There was a wooden gate, a symbol appearing on it. Jima barely looked back at Sarukin, walking towards on destination. Sarukin was too busy looking around to care where he was going. Houses that looked like trees lined each side of Sarukin, monkeys of all shapes and sizes living there. It was strange, for this place looked more like a jungle than anything else. "Don't worry, Little Monkey."Jima looked back at Sarukin, who had stumbled over a branch laid on the ground. "Time flows differently in this place. You won't be gone for too long in the outside world." Sarukin hadn't thought of the Cloud Village in a while. But why did he call me little monkey? Only my grandfather called me that...... He continued walking, passing by numerous monkeys of shapes and sizes.
"Ahh....Here we are."Sarukin looked up to see a large temple, appearing to be carved into a tree. Vines ran down the steps, adding a strange beauty to the place. Sarukin looked up to see the size of the whole building, but his eyes wouldn't allow him to see that far, the temple seeming never to end. Clouds circled around the top and Sarukin spotted a waterfall in front of the building. "This is the resident of the Monkey Elder. He has requested to see you." Sarukin wondered for a moment why a monkey elder would want to speak to him, of all people, but was quickly pushed into following Jima. Passing a couple of guards, Sarukin entered with ease, no one questioning his presence. He reached the top after Jima and, after taking the time to look around, was amazed at what he saw.
Sitting on a throne, the size of any large building, was a great creature. No, a monkey. Sarukin had to rub his eyes numerous times to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him. "Little Monkey, meet Yamazaru, the Monkey Elder." Yamazaru looked down at the two beings, a staff off to his side. He took a drink from a gourd, which was quickly refilled by some gorillas. "Jima, is this the one?"With the nod of the Drunken Monkey, Yamazaru continued. "Young one. The monkeys are in need of a new summoner, someone who can become the next sage. Your "grandfather", Rougo, was a summoner of monkeys in the past. He was very skilled, but had to retire after finding and adopting you." The great elder took another sip of his gourd, ending with a large sigh. "I want you to continue with the summoning of Monkeys." Yamazaru snapped his fingers. The force was strong enough to knock Sarukin off of his feet, sending him to the ground. Numerous monkeys carried a scroll to Sarukin. They unrolled it and knelt down, as if Sarukin were some kind of king.
"Sarukin Genkaku. Do you accept the responsibilities of becoming a monkey sage and practicing all of its arts?" Sarukin was speechless. He didn't know how all of this happened, or why they chose him. He didn't know what to say, so he chose the only words that would form out of his mouth. "I do....." Jima walked near Sarukin and pricked his finger, causing blood to come out. "Sign your name on the scroll and accept the monkey's contract." It took a while for Sarukin to react. He reached his hand out, his fingers making contact with the scroll. He signed his name, right under numerous names. "It is down then......Jima! You will teach Sarukin how to summon our race and how to perform Sarujutsus. You have 2 weeks to get this accomplished."
Jima nodded and walked out, bringing Sarukin with him. Man....Wait till Jinsoku hears this......
Genjutsu Specialist // Monkey Summoner // Genin
"My pack is my family... ...we ride and die together... ...mess with them and I'll kill you"
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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:58 am
S a r u k i n_____G e n k a k u
~2 Weeks Later~
Sarukin walked up the familiar steps of the temple. He was still amazed at the beauty of the building, admiring the design and structure of the temple as he walked. Ever since training with Jima, he had become more and more like a monkey. His limbs were more flexible, his legs and arms stronger, and his agility was increased. Before, Sarukin was mostly a genjutsu user, not bothering to practice Taijutsu. But ever since training with the monkeys, he had become more balanced, his taijutsu skill approaching his genjutsu skill. He was still no specialist, but at least he could hold a fight with only taijutsu.
Sarukin walked to the top of the temple. Gazing atop the top of the building, Sarukin saw the beauty of the Monkey Summoning Land below. Numerous trees were designed in odd patterns, providing as shelter for the monkeys that inhabited this place. It was amazing. "Sarukin Genkaku. Have you learned how to perform the summoning jutsu with the contract of the monkeys?" "I have, Elder Yamazaru......" Sarukin bent down slightly, pulling a scroll from his back. It was gold and black, inscribed with numerous figures and images. He bit his thumb, allowing blood to pour out. "Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram...... Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" 3 small monkeys appeared from the scroll, all bowing down when they saw they were in the presence of an elder. Sarukin grinned as he also bowed down, glad to exhibit his skill in front of Old Yamazaru. "Sarukin Genkaku. You have passed the test. I now name you Official Monkey Summoner for the Cloud Village. Do you accept this responsibility?" It took all of his self restraint for Sarukin not to jump up and celebrate. He merely nodded and said "I do." He looked up, just in time to see Yamazaru provide him with a staff. "Congratulations, Sarukin Genkaku. I hereby honor you with a scroll containing numerous Sarujutsus, or Monkey Techniques. May it help you on your quests and endeavors. Now begone. Servants, where is my sake?" Yamazaru clapped his hands, which sent numerous monkeys on their feet. Even Sarukin stumbled as he walked closer to the scroll. It was similar to Sarukin's scroll, colored in black and gold and filled with numerous pictures. Sarukin walked out the temple with Jima at his side. The drunken monkey was admiring the scroll of Sarukin, analyzing it in both his hands. "These techiniques are of high value, kid. Don't lose it. Now.....You have a place to be. Remember what I've taught you. I'll see you later." Sarukin was puzzled. "What are you talking ab-" His words were cut off, his body disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Jima merely grinned and took another sip of his sake." Have fun, Little Monkey.
[[Exits to Kumogakure]]
Genjutsu Specialist // Monkey Summoner // Genin
"My pack is my family... ...we ride and die together... ...mess with them and I'll kill you"
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