CHAPTER 4: AN OMINOUS RAIN! THE DEMONIC TRIUMVIRATE OF THE EAST!
As the shinobi rushed through the forest, the breeze began to pick up. The birds began to quiet, and the animals began to disperse.
"Uh oh. This isn't looking good." Kenshi muttered, looking to the now darkening skies.
As the group looked towards the heavens the soft, pattering rain began to come down, ready to give new life to the forest, and the rest of land.
"Ah...nothing better than a nice rain." Kamaasu said, staring into the blackened sky. "It rejuvenates the body and soul."
However, the groups delight at the cooling rain was short lived. The water began to pour, as if a demon had been forcing it out of the sky. The rain began to get louder as its pace increased. The droplets became, harder, sharper, and fierce.
"OW!" Naruto screamed, as the weapon like droplets began to hit him. "Why the hell does the rain hurt?" "This can't be a good thing." Ill said, trying his best to dodge the sinister rain.
"I must admit, it is a little on the bothersome side..." Ryu said with a sneer.
As Kamaasu was about to yell at the genin for their whining, he felt a droplet for himself. "What the hell...this rain is...sharp?" As Kamaasu ran along the ground, he began to collect the rain in his hand, brushing the pain aside with his mind. As he observed the droplets, they soon disappeared in a light, black mist. His eyes widened in realization. "Oh no...it's coming."
"What's coming, Kamaasu Sensei?" Ill asked, wondering what could put such a face on his master.
Kamaasu turned around telling the genin to hurry on to the Leaf village.
"WHAT!? C'mon sensei, you have to come with us!" Kenshi stammered.
"I will. But I need to do a little reconnaissance." Kamaasu said with a smile. "Don't worry I'll catch up. Just hurry ahead, and try to dodge the rain as best you can..."
"Dodge the rain?" Ryu said blankly. "How the hell do you dodge rain? We can't move through shadow like you can."
"Move through shadow?" Naruto wondered.
"Don't worry about it Naruto." Ill said. "Just take us to the HQ."
"Right!"
The gang bounced off dodging the rain, leaving a confused Kamaasu behind.
"How...how is this possible? Not yet, it can't be...maybe I made a miscalculation, an error, a misunderstanding." But as Kamaasu remembered the black mist emerging from the droplets he shook the idea out of his mind. "No...it's coming." He said, tightening his fist as black droplets fell to the ground, evaporating into the black mist. Staring out onto the horizon, the black clouds got thicker, and thicker, and thicker. "I don't understand how h- Huh?" he rain suddenly stopped as soon as it had begun. The black clouds dispersed, leaving no sign of their presence. "Well...it seems it's moving away...of course, it'll find what it's searching for..." With that, Kamaasu took one last look at the horizon, and turned back to catch up with the others.
*****************
Far away, in the cloud country, northeast of Naruto and friends, was the eye of the black storm. Looking upon a desolate land, taking away what was left with the insidious rain. A young boy, not even 10, had been running for his life. Trying his best to avoid his pursuers, he weaved through the abandoned buildings. Panting, crying, and giving up hope, he found himself in an alleyway. A dead-end.
"Come on out boy..." A deep, smoking voice called out. "I need your assistance..." The figure moved farther into the darkness of the alleyway, further obscuring the boy's ability to see him. "I need you to help me find someone..."
"N-, No! Stay away! Keep away from me! Please! Leave me alone!" The boy screamed through the ever-flowing tears.
"Well...you see, I can't do that. I am searching for someone...one whom can truly help me in my quest... Won't you help me find him?" The figure said outstretching its hand to the boy.
The boy stared at the figure and batted the hand away. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" the boy screamed, running past the figure and out of the alleyway.
"This is getting nowhere fast, my friend Sonari..." the figure said to his partner.
The man known as Sonari took a step forward into the pale light emanating from the blackened skies. He was scrawny, and slightly short for his age. His grayish hair strayed in every direction, and a single Katana rested on his back. "Hmph. You should have just taken the boy and gotten it over with. All this wasting of time is fruitless." Sonari responded, his blackened eyes watching the boy run.
"Well, aren't you outspoken today..." the figure said, staring down at his accomplice. "Very well." The figure said. He stared at the running boy whom kept turning around to see if the two were chasing him. The boy tripped over his own two feet, he was so scared.
"The mist is getting rather thick..." Sonari muttered. "Can't you do something about it? You now it annoys me so."
"Feh...fine. But when I clear it up, get the boy. We must find him." The figure said, waving his hand towards the sky. The clouds immediately dispersed, letting sunlight come across the forsaken land. "Bah. How I hate this light. You owe me Sonari..." the figure said pulling his cloak over his head."
"Of course."
"Now...get the boy."
"Right." Sonari replied.
Sonari took off with lightning speed, showing his true ninja strength chasing after the frightened boy.
"That man is perfect...Sonari of the Uzika clan. Heh heh. Soon, my plan will come to fruition...but we must find the boy."
The cloaked being heard a scream from Sonari, "What the- who are you?" and the clanging of swords.
"Well." The cloaked one chuckled. "It seems Sonari has found himself some fun." Walking over to the two shinobi, he found Sonari and another man going at in a fierce sword duel. The man Sonari was fighting cast off his shirt in an effort to make himself lighter.
"What is this?" The cloaked one pondered. There was a large tattoo of a dragon on the opposing man's chest. "It- it can't be? I've found him!" The figure said, his eyes widening with glee. "SONARI! Stop this. You have found our goal..."
Sonari stopped his attack and moved away from his opponent, whom then came into the light. It was actually a young boy, only in his teens. The boy had black hair with red highlights and cut gloves. He also wore baggy pants with "white slashes."
"Good evening Mr. Dragano. It is a pleasure to meet you." The cloaked being said with a chuckle.
The boy known as Jamshu Dragano stepped forward. "Who the hell are you. What do you want in MY village?"
"Not much of a village anymore is it?" Sonari said with a smirk, starring at the rubble that was the village.
Jamshu shot a glance at Sonari, and diverted his attention toward the cloaked being. "Like I asked, who are you?"
"Of course. How silly to not introduce us. I am Memnoch. This is my associate, Uzika Sonari." Memnoch said, livening up a little...if that was possible.
"What do you want in the village of Light?" Jamshu asked the shadowy figures, once again entering a battle stance.
"We came looking for you actually." Memnoch replied. "We came looking for your power. The power lying dormant within you..."
Jamshu looked down at the tattoo on his chest a looked up again, spitting upon the ground. "I refuse. This power is not meant for anyone. It destroyed my entire village." Jamshu said, remembering his fateful past.
"Of course, of course. You misunderstood my request. I wish to help you harness that power, so it will never be like it once was. With my help you could return your destroyed Village of Light back to a respectful state. What do you say?"
The small boy from earlier ran out from his hiding place behind Jamshu's legs, shivering with fear, cold, and hunger. "Hmm. If I go with you...you must promise me two things."
"Of course." Memnoch replied with a twisted smile, revealing a set of glistening incisors.
"First, you will leave everyone that is till alive here, alone. And take that mist with you.
"Your first request has already been done my young friend."
"Second...you will not return to this village. Ever. You will leave these people, and this land, alone. Forever. Understood?"
"Of course, Mr. Jamshu. Now, if you are coming with us, we really must be off. We have a tiny arrangement waiting for us in the Fire Country..." Memnoch said laughing maniacally, as the demonic triumvirate bounded off to the southwest.
*************************
"Well. Here we are, "Naruto said. "Konohakagure HQ." The 4 genin stared up at the immense building in the middle of the town.
"Its huge..." Kenshi muttered.
"WAY bigger than the one back at the Shadow village." Ryu whispered.
"Well guys. You have to remember. The Leaf is nearly 10x the size of the Shadow. Anyways, we'd best head inside. Ill said.
The gang headed up to Tsunade's office where they found not only Tsunade, but also Kakashi and Kamaasu.
"SENSEI?" The entire genin group shouted.
Both men turned around and said, "Yes?"
"How did you get here so fast?" Ill wondered.
"Well. I have my secrets." Kamaasu laughed. "Anyways, we were just discussing the Chuunin exam."
SMACK. Tsunade had whacked Kamaasu in the head with a roll of paper.
"OW! What was that for?" Kamaasu wondered, rubbing his head.
"You're not supposed to discuss our discussions!" Tsunade screamed.
Kakashi just shook his head.
"So when will the chuunin exam be?" Naruto said excitedly.
"The end of the week." Kakashi said staring inquisitively at Kamaasu.
"YES!" Naruto said, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Get a grip will 'ya? Geez..." Ryu said, backing away from Naruto.
The gang began to talk some more as Shikamaru and his father walked in the door.
"You needed us Tsun- Oh my God..." Shikato, Shikamaru's father, said staring at Kamaasu. "Hello Kay."
"Brother." Kamaasu replied with a smile.
Shikamaru could not believe his eyes. "How can this be? Uncle Kay? HOW ARE YOU HERE!?"
As the shinobi rushed through the forest, the breeze began to pick up. The birds began to quiet, and the animals began to disperse.
"Uh oh. This isn't looking good." Kenshi muttered, looking to the now darkening skies.
As the group looked towards the heavens the soft, pattering rain began to come down, ready to give new life to the forest, and the rest of land.
"Ah...nothing better than a nice rain." Kamaasu said, staring into the blackened sky. "It rejuvenates the body and soul."
However, the groups delight at the cooling rain was short lived. The water began to pour, as if a demon had been forcing it out of the sky. The rain began to get louder as its pace increased. The droplets became, harder, sharper, and fierce.
"OW!" Naruto screamed, as the weapon like droplets began to hit him. "Why the hell does the rain hurt?" "This can't be a good thing." Ill said, trying his best to dodge the sinister rain.
"I must admit, it is a little on the bothersome side..." Ryu said with a sneer.
As Kamaasu was about to yell at the genin for their whining, he felt a droplet for himself. "What the hell...this rain is...sharp?" As Kamaasu ran along the ground, he began to collect the rain in his hand, brushing the pain aside with his mind. As he observed the droplets, they soon disappeared in a light, black mist. His eyes widened in realization. "Oh no...it's coming."
"What's coming, Kamaasu Sensei?" Ill asked, wondering what could put such a face on his master.
Kamaasu turned around telling the genin to hurry on to the Leaf village.
"WHAT!? C'mon sensei, you have to come with us!" Kenshi stammered.
"I will. But I need to do a little reconnaissance." Kamaasu said with a smile. "Don't worry I'll catch up. Just hurry ahead, and try to dodge the rain as best you can..."
"Dodge the rain?" Ryu said blankly. "How the hell do you dodge rain? We can't move through shadow like you can."
"Move through shadow?" Naruto wondered.
"Don't worry about it Naruto." Ill said. "Just take us to the HQ."
"Right!"
The gang bounced off dodging the rain, leaving a confused Kamaasu behind.
"How...how is this possible? Not yet, it can't be...maybe I made a miscalculation, an error, a misunderstanding." But as Kamaasu remembered the black mist emerging from the droplets he shook the idea out of his mind. "No...it's coming." He said, tightening his fist as black droplets fell to the ground, evaporating into the black mist. Staring out onto the horizon, the black clouds got thicker, and thicker, and thicker. "I don't understand how h- Huh?" he rain suddenly stopped as soon as it had begun. The black clouds dispersed, leaving no sign of their presence. "Well...it seems it's moving away...of course, it'll find what it's searching for..." With that, Kamaasu took one last look at the horizon, and turned back to catch up with the others.
*****************
Far away, in the cloud country, northeast of Naruto and friends, was the eye of the black storm. Looking upon a desolate land, taking away what was left with the insidious rain. A young boy, not even 10, had been running for his life. Trying his best to avoid his pursuers, he weaved through the abandoned buildings. Panting, crying, and giving up hope, he found himself in an alleyway. A dead-end.
"Come on out boy..." A deep, smoking voice called out. "I need your assistance..." The figure moved farther into the darkness of the alleyway, further obscuring the boy's ability to see him. "I need you to help me find someone..."
"N-, No! Stay away! Keep away from me! Please! Leave me alone!" The boy screamed through the ever-flowing tears.
"Well...you see, I can't do that. I am searching for someone...one whom can truly help me in my quest... Won't you help me find him?" The figure said outstretching its hand to the boy.
The boy stared at the figure and batted the hand away. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" the boy screamed, running past the figure and out of the alleyway.
"This is getting nowhere fast, my friend Sonari..." the figure said to his partner.
The man known as Sonari took a step forward into the pale light emanating from the blackened skies. He was scrawny, and slightly short for his age. His grayish hair strayed in every direction, and a single Katana rested on his back. "Hmph. You should have just taken the boy and gotten it over with. All this wasting of time is fruitless." Sonari responded, his blackened eyes watching the boy run.
"Well, aren't you outspoken today..." the figure said, staring down at his accomplice. "Very well." The figure said. He stared at the running boy whom kept turning around to see if the two were chasing him. The boy tripped over his own two feet, he was so scared.
"The mist is getting rather thick..." Sonari muttered. "Can't you do something about it? You now it annoys me so."
"Feh...fine. But when I clear it up, get the boy. We must find him." The figure said, waving his hand towards the sky. The clouds immediately dispersed, letting sunlight come across the forsaken land. "Bah. How I hate this light. You owe me Sonari..." the figure said pulling his cloak over his head."
"Of course."
"Now...get the boy."
"Right." Sonari replied.
Sonari took off with lightning speed, showing his true ninja strength chasing after the frightened boy.
"That man is perfect...Sonari of the Uzika clan. Heh heh. Soon, my plan will come to fruition...but we must find the boy."
The cloaked being heard a scream from Sonari, "What the- who are you?" and the clanging of swords.
"Well." The cloaked one chuckled. "It seems Sonari has found himself some fun." Walking over to the two shinobi, he found Sonari and another man going at in a fierce sword duel. The man Sonari was fighting cast off his shirt in an effort to make himself lighter.
"What is this?" The cloaked one pondered. There was a large tattoo of a dragon on the opposing man's chest. "It- it can't be? I've found him!" The figure said, his eyes widening with glee. "SONARI! Stop this. You have found our goal..."
Sonari stopped his attack and moved away from his opponent, whom then came into the light. It was actually a young boy, only in his teens. The boy had black hair with red highlights and cut gloves. He also wore baggy pants with "white slashes."
"Good evening Mr. Dragano. It is a pleasure to meet you." The cloaked being said with a chuckle.
The boy known as Jamshu Dragano stepped forward. "Who the hell are you. What do you want in MY village?"
"Not much of a village anymore is it?" Sonari said with a smirk, starring at the rubble that was the village.
Jamshu shot a glance at Sonari, and diverted his attention toward the cloaked being. "Like I asked, who are you?"
"Of course. How silly to not introduce us. I am Memnoch. This is my associate, Uzika Sonari." Memnoch said, livening up a little...if that was possible.
"What do you want in the village of Light?" Jamshu asked the shadowy figures, once again entering a battle stance.
"We came looking for you actually." Memnoch replied. "We came looking for your power. The power lying dormant within you..."
Jamshu looked down at the tattoo on his chest a looked up again, spitting upon the ground. "I refuse. This power is not meant for anyone. It destroyed my entire village." Jamshu said, remembering his fateful past.
"Of course, of course. You misunderstood my request. I wish to help you harness that power, so it will never be like it once was. With my help you could return your destroyed Village of Light back to a respectful state. What do you say?"
The small boy from earlier ran out from his hiding place behind Jamshu's legs, shivering with fear, cold, and hunger. "Hmm. If I go with you...you must promise me two things."
"Of course." Memnoch replied with a twisted smile, revealing a set of glistening incisors.
"First, you will leave everyone that is till alive here, alone. And take that mist with you.
"Your first request has already been done my young friend."
"Second...you will not return to this village. Ever. You will leave these people, and this land, alone. Forever. Understood?"
"Of course, Mr. Jamshu. Now, if you are coming with us, we really must be off. We have a tiny arrangement waiting for us in the Fire Country..." Memnoch said laughing maniacally, as the demonic triumvirate bounded off to the southwest.
*************************
"Well. Here we are, "Naruto said. "Konohakagure HQ." The 4 genin stared up at the immense building in the middle of the town.
"Its huge..." Kenshi muttered.
"WAY bigger than the one back at the Shadow village." Ryu whispered.
"Well guys. You have to remember. The Leaf is nearly 10x the size of the Shadow. Anyways, we'd best head inside. Ill said.
The gang headed up to Tsunade's office where they found not only Tsunade, but also Kakashi and Kamaasu.
"SENSEI?" The entire genin group shouted.
Both men turned around and said, "Yes?"
"How did you get here so fast?" Ill wondered.
"Well. I have my secrets." Kamaasu laughed. "Anyways, we were just discussing the Chuunin exam."
SMACK. Tsunade had whacked Kamaasu in the head with a roll of paper.
"OW! What was that for?" Kamaasu wondered, rubbing his head.
"You're not supposed to discuss our discussions!" Tsunade screamed.
Kakashi just shook his head.
"So when will the chuunin exam be?" Naruto said excitedly.
"The end of the week." Kakashi said staring inquisitively at Kamaasu.
"YES!" Naruto said, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Get a grip will 'ya? Geez..." Ryu said, backing away from Naruto.
The gang began to talk some more as Shikamaru and his father walked in the door.
"You needed us Tsun- Oh my God..." Shikato, Shikamaru's father, said staring at Kamaasu. "Hello Kay."
"Brother." Kamaasu replied with a smile.
Shikamaru could not believe his eyes. "How can this be? Uncle Kay? HOW ARE YOU HERE!?"