Chapter 21: Heart of Scales, Blood of Lightning
(Music: "Bunta" from the Naruto OST III)
"So this is Seshen Raiken?" Hatake Kakashi asks, as he visually surveys' the broad sword wielding shinobi standing before him. "He doesn't look like he is that strong. If we both charge him, I am sure that he will not be a problem for either of us. Let alone the two of us."
Kakashi's traveling partner and latest assignment, Akira Toshida, does not answer. The weary nin shows an unbreakable focus as he stares coldly into the eyes of his childhood nemesis. Toshida remains crouched with his left hand firmly grasping the handle of his sword strapped across his back, waiting for Seshen to make the first move and remaining ever vigilant as too not fall into Seshen's plan.
"What is he so up tight about?" Kakashi asks himself, still confused over the visage of the quiet Toshida. "It doesn't matter. This guy will cause us nothing but trouble, and I personally would like to get back home and leave this place behind us."
Seshen breaks the silence between him and his old rival and his confidence is as apparent as ever. "Well I am surprised Toshida. We haven't seen each other in years and now you act cold? You, who was always ready to make some smart ass remark to get under my skin, is now sitting there with nothing to say? I have to say . . . I'm a little disappointed."
Seshen walks toward the two shinobi dragging the tip of his broadsword along the dirt of the sin village before raising it and pointing it at Toshida who remains poised and ready for Seshen's first move.
"You and I . . . have unfinished business my old friend." Seshen announces with a smile across his face as his Raigan eyes glow with the powerful bloodline that is his mysterious inheritance.
Toshida slowly and calculatingly rises to his feet, his hand still firmly grasping the handle of his sword, the sound of steel slowly brushing against coarse stone echoes through the area as Toshida slowly removes his sword from its sheath and the steel of the blade rubs against the sharpening stone embroidered into the end of the sheath, making sure each time the sword is removed from its confinement, that it is as sharp as possible. Toshida completely removes the sword as he reaches his vertical apex, and he lowers the sword to his side before planting it in the ground.
"All right then Toshida." Kakashi says, as he too rises to his feet with a kunai drawn. "We will take him together then?"
Toshida remains silent as he slowly removes his jacket and backpack and roughly slams the jacket against Kakashi's chest while dropping his pack to the ground, signifying to Kakashi without saying a word, that the fight is between Seshen and himself. Kakashi takes the sign and backs away from the battle field as Toshida removes his hat and places it on top of his pack.
Toshida removes his sword from its placement in the dirt and removes a small canteen of water from a side holster at the same time. Toshida pops the top of the canteen and pours water along the base of the blade starting at the hilt and pouring the water down the blade removing all traces of dirt or contamination from steel, making sure the blade is as pure and true as can be.
"Well Toshida, I should feel honored." Seshen replies. "You intend to kill me . . . but you also intend to make it a clean death am I right? So that when I die, I may pass into the afterlife freely with a pure soul?"
Toshida remains focused, with his attention unwavering and ready to strike.
"Ok Toshida. This silent treatment is getting a little old." Seshen angrily says, as he raises his sword over his head, standing ready in a classic kendo-style pose. "Say something will you!"
(Music Ends)
Toshida finally speaks as he gives his sword a quick spin, throwing all remaining water off the blade. "No talk Seshen . . . JUST FIGHT!" Toshida throws his arm back and charges Seshen with great speed and then swiping his sword laterally toward Seshen's throat as Seshen strikes his sword forward causing a loud clang of steel as the swords connect for the first time in the battle.
The two exchange a series of lightning fast strikes at one another, each heavier and faster then the last, striking left, right laterally and vertical, the two manage to connect swords more then a dozen times in a matter of seconds. Seshen swipes his sword downward at Toshida in a kendo style strike only to have it parried by Toshida, who quickly twists his sword 180 degrees to block a second identical strike. Toshida then spins his sword around his back before striking toward Seshen's mid section only to have it blocked on either side.
Seshen tries a series of lateral swipes toward Toshida only to have then blocked once again. However, he manages to push his attack further causing Toshida to begin quickly moving backward as Seshen continues to press his assault. It is then that Toshida begins to realize that he is at a disadvantage.
"He has grown much stronger then when we last fought." Toshida says to himself as he stays focused on Seshen's blade continuously assaulting him. "His blade is heavier and he has more strength behind his attacks. I will be lucky if he doesn't knock the sword out of my hand."
Seshen strikes three times in a row against Toshida's left flank in an effort to over power the faster Toshida. Seshen has his sword parried away by Toshida's and Seshen follows through with his momentum and spins around and lands a spinning back kick to Toshida's stomach, sending the shinobi reeling. Seshen follows up the attack and manages to knock Toshida's sword from his hand with a double handed club-like blow.
Seshen then tries a straightforward stab at his unarmed opponent in an effort to disembowel his old nemesis early in the match. Toshida leaps into the air performing the splits in mid air to avoid the attack while placing the palm of his left hand along the dull side of Seshen's blade. Toshida places all his weight on the sword causing Seshen to lean forward in favor of letting go of his weapon, which proves to be a mistake as Toshida quickly uses the sword as a pommel horse and brings both feet around quickly and at full force, strikes Seshen in the face with both feet, sending Seshen backward. Seshen slows himself down as he lands on his feet in a kneeling position with his free hand dug deep into the ground to slow his momentum.
As Seshen comes to a complete stop, he looks up only to see Toshida, with his sword in hand charging at the kneeling nin. Seshen barely manages to block a heavy downward strike from Toshida, and the two begin a test of strength, pushing harder and harder against each other's sword. Seshen quickly places his right hand against the side of his blade as he tries to maintain the advantage. He slowly begins to push forward as he rises to his feet before sending Toshida reeling again as he pushes his blade away. Toshida dodges Seshen next three swipes and a stab, but trips over a rock just behind him, leaving himself open for a downward slash from Seshen. Toshida. Before Toshida can dodge, the sword strikes him full force on the top of the skull, splitting his head almost in half. Seshen's celebration is short lived as Toshida disappears in a puff of smoke, leaving only a log in his place with a Seshen's sword stuck in the top of it.
"Kawarimi?" Seshen says to himself, before turning to his left to notice Toshida leaping from high in the rock face of the colony. With only three steps in the form of distant leaps, Toshida covers more then fifty meters before spinning his sword around with his wrist in mid air before slamming it down toward Seshen, only to have his attack blocked by the battle hardened nin.
"This isn't helping my cause." Toshida tries to gain the power advantage against Seshen, only to have his adversary repel with superior force. "It is clear that I am the better swordsman. But this blade of his has much more power behind it. And that bloodline of his only increases his strength. I can only hope to outlast him. His bloodline uses up a lot of his energy reserves as he burns up calories at an unbelievable rate. If I can outlast him, he should be easier to neutralize. But a sword battle right now isn't going to be easy. It's nothing but a stalemate. And that monstrous chakra he has will power through me eventually." Toshida ends the test of strength between the two and flips backward several times before landing in a crouched position and returning his sword to its sheath. "The only problem is that massive chakra supply of his. Looks like we need to have ourselves a little jutsu competition."
"What's the matter Toshida?" Seshen asks, as he readies his sword for another attack. "You're not giving up already are you?"
Without answering Toshida closes his eyes and starts a jutsu. Dragon, horse, ram dog, tiger.
"Raiton: Denkou Tama (Lightning Element: Lightning Bullet)" Toshida raises his final seal up to just under his mouth, as sparks of electricity crackle as the leak out from between his teeth. With one large exhalation, Toshida unleashes a large ball of lightning as the unsuspecting Seshen is force to drop his sword off to the side to dodge the attack in time, leaping high into the air as the attack lands where Seshen once stood, leaving only a crater behind.
While in mid air, Seshen slams his hands together in the seal of the monkey before swiping his hands outward in a fanning motion, releasing a small wave of a dozen smaller lightning bullets at Toshida.
"RAISENDAN!" (Lightning bullets) Seshen unleashes a barrage of shuriken sized lightning bullets at Toshida. Toshida leaps high into the air twisting and turning as he strives to avoid being struck by one of the deadly projectiles. He lands on the ground unscathed to see a charging Seshen only two meters away.
Seshen swings a right hook at Toshida, striking him in the left cheek sending him reeling. Seshen follows up with a series of uppercut strikes to Toshida's gut raising him slowly into the air before Seshen leaps in the air and strikes Toshida with a thunderous spin kick sending him flying through the air. Seshen leaps into the air and lands upon the high rock face above the entrance to the colony. He slams his hands together in the seal of the snake before starting a quick series of hand seals.
"All right Toshida, it's nice to see that you are still as nimble as ever, but its time for something new and improved." Seshen then begins a quick series of hand seals, Rooster, snake, tiger, dog, monkey, horse, boar, dragon, ox, hare, Rat.
"Hijutsu: Mugen Touitsu Tokkan!" (Secret Skill: Infinite lightning unification) An enormous amount of chakra begins to culminate in Seshen's body as he draws chakra from the deepest depths of his body. Channeling his attack through his circulatory system, he begins to use the chakra to start a series of jutsu determined to wipe Toshida from the face of the earth. Seshen's body begins to resonate with chakra causing an effect that is apparently limited to his unique bloodline. His body begins to glow blue with the tremendous power that is his inheritance and the visual effect is almost that of an x-ray as Seshen's skeletal structure is visible through the bright blue glow of his complex technique.
Meanwhile, on the ground Kakashi looks on in awe as the level of the battle seems almost too high to be coming from men as young as these two. "These two are geniuses, such a high level of skill from both sides. Lightning element skills require more chakra than any other elemental skill due to the complex nature of harnessing electricity as opposed to fire, or water. But this Seshen Raiken . . . uses it with such mastery it is almost unfathomable. This bloodline sure is something to be weary of." Kakashi then lifts his head protector, revealing the eye that has gained him such a reputation over the five countries. "If I am not allowed to interfere in this fight, I can at least gain a few more techniques for my repertoire."
"Shoki, HAJIME!" (Initial Stage, Begin!) Seshen points his left-hand forward with his fingers extended as small orbs of lightning form on the tips of his fingers, resonating through his hands revealing a cryptic looking skeletal appendage. He holds one hand back in an identical pose as the lightning orbs form on his other hand as well. "RAIKOU SHURIKEN!" Using his bloodline to precisely control the electrical impulses to the muscles in his arms increasing his speed and reflexes more then ten fold, Seshen unleashes a nonstop barrage of lightning shuriken from his hands. Wave after wave, the shuriken speed there way toward Toshida standing prone on the ground below.
"Uh . . . oh." Toshida leaps into the air twisting and turning as he flips through the air in an effort to avoid being struck by one of the deadly projectiles. "This is madness." Toshida says to himself, "The shuriken are coming down in waves of five as they are released from his hands . . . but they detonate in mid air or when they hit the ground in random intervals. It is impossible to figure out any pattern. He throws them so fast that I can only hope to move faster then he can throw them."
One of the shuriken detonates just over Toshida's left shoulder sending off balance and into an oncoming barrage of four shuriken that impact and detonate upon impact with his chest leaving four bloody wounds in his chest. "Dammit. There are too many of them." Toshida regains his composure and continues his dodging as he begins running a zig zag pattern toward Seshen's location on top of the mountain face. He leaps several time's bouncing off rocks, and stone faces in an effort to dodge the lightning orbs. "The closer I get, the more of them there are, but at least they have to come from a single point, and I may be able to dodge them easier considering they don't have time to spread out much." Toshida increases his speed and dodging as he moves progressively faster, further up the mountain face. He makes it within ten meters of Seshen's perch before his progress is soon halted.
"I think that is close enough, old friend." Seshen says, as he begins the next seal sequence. Rat, Dragon, horse. "Sekando, HAJIME!" (Second Stage, Begin!) Seshen gathers a deep breath in his lungs before exhaling one thick lightning bolt from his mouth, that splits into six smaller bolts as it speeds toward the unsuspecting Toshida. "Ikazuchi shibari no jutsu!" (Thunder bind technique) The six smaller lightning bolts strike Toshida directly, ensnaring both his arms at the wrist, his waist, his throat and both legs at the ankle. Seshen smiles as Toshida screams out in pain as the electrical surge is enough to send crippling muscle cramps and contractions through all six affected areas. The impact from the binds sends Toshida flying backward only to land hard on the ground back first, before tumbling with all his weight backward to roll to his feet as he skids along the ground.
Toshida stands to his feet to find himself completely ensnared by Seshen's binding technique. The lightning bolts lead up to Seshen's hands, allowing Seshen to completely manipulate Toshida's movements. In this case, Seshen opts to simply keep Toshida ensnared and immobile.
"And now . . . the final curtain." Seshen creates a new series of hand seals while still maintaining a firm grip on the lightning threads that have Toshida rendered helpless and unable to attack. Rat, Boar, Tiger, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Hare. Seshen then leaps from his perch and lands almost a hundred meters in front of Toshida with his back to the mountain face. "I am sorry to say Toshida, but you have proven to be rather disappointing. I was hoping that you might have made this a little bit more difficult, but I suppose some things never change. You were weak when I beat you the first time, (For details, Read "The Back stories of the Village of Sin, Toshida's Gaiden Chapter 9 and 10") and you are still weak now."
"Chikushou! (Damn it!) . . . Chikushou . . . Chikushou chikushou CHIKUSHOU! I can't move!" Toshida curses as the frustration at his current disposition begins to set in his mind. "He is not getting tired . . . even after using such demanding techniques, he is still fighting strong. And I have seen those hand seals before . . . if I take that attack head on, I will not be able to recover in time to win this fight . . . hell . . . I will be lucky if I survive." Toshida closes his eyes as he tries to think to a plan of action to avoid being struck with Seshen's finale. When he opens his eyes, the faint green glow of a suppressed ryuugan eye becomes visible. "I suppose there is no avoiding it. Damn you Seshen . . ."
"Say goodbye Toshida. This technique will be your funeral pyre." Seshen raises the seal of the ram up to his lips as he prepares the final sequence of the combination. "Shuuban, TODOME! (FINAL Sequence, Finishing blow) A massive amount of chakra and electrical energy begins to form behind Seshen. Beginning at his feet, the figure of an enormous dragon formed from lightning takes shape behind Seshen as he unleashes on of his most favorite techniques. "RAIRYUUDAN NO JUTSU!" (lightning dragon blast technique) The dragon then launches itself in a fury at the prone Toshida, traveling along the threads of electricity, ensuring that the technique will not stray from its target.
Seshen closes his eyes and brandishes a somber look across his face just before the technique makes its direct impact. "Sayonara . . . Senpai."
The dragon blast hits Toshida straight on causing a massive explosion to erupt across the battlefield, sending a blast wave of dirt and debris across the area within a radius of one hundred meters in all directions. Surges of electricity ripple through the impact area, and smoke and fire engulfs where Toshida once stood.
"TOSHIDA!" Kakashi screams as Toshida disappears in a blinding flash of light and a billow of smoke too dense to see through. "How the hell am I going to explain this to Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asks himself as he readies a kunai in his left hand, ready to pick up where Toshida left off.
Seshen turns his attention to the leaf jounin and readies a kunai of his own. "Hatake Kakashi. The legendary Copy Ninja of the leaf village. It would be an honor to send you to your grave as well." Seshen then bows solemnly and politely in front of the leaf special jounin as he shows his respect for the shinobi's widespread reputation. Seshen then takes a fighting stance as he readies to engage the leaf shinobi. "Come now Copy Ninja, I hope that you are as good as your reputation implies."
Kakashi does not respond and quickly bursts into a sprint as he moves in fast to engage the confident and talent Seshen Raiken. Seshen stands at the ready, his defense at it's highest as the Raigan eye of his gifted bloodline shines on intensely, peering deep into the eyes of the charging Kakashi.
As the two shinobi come only ten meters from colliding, their attention is drawn to the smoke-filled crater where Toshida once stood. Both shinobi suddenly begin to realize that Toshida's chakra has not disappeared . . . nor has it weakened at all.
(Music: Queue "Avenger" from The Naruto OST III)
"What the hell?" Seshen asks out loud as both his and Kakashi's attention is drawn to the smoldering ruins in front of them. Suddenly, Toshida's glowing green eyes become visible through the smoke as they pierce deep into the eyes of both Shinobi. The black iris of the ryuugan, looks straight onto Seshen and then turns it's attention to Kakashi as the yellow outline around the iris glows just as bright as the rest of the eye.
"I thought we understood one another Kakashi?" Toshida voice looms out from the dark cloud of smoke then begins to clear. "This is my fight."
Kakashi and Seshen look on in shock as the smoke clears revealing a completely unharmed Toshida. As he becomes completely visible, it becomes evident that something about the mysterious shinobi has changed. His skin has become completely covered in a thin layer of dense light green scales covering his entire body from head to toe. His nails and toenails have become slightly elongated and sharp resembling claws, and his eyes continue to glow green.
"Sandaime no Ryuujinpou: Ryuu Koura" (Third Dragon Gods Art: Dragon Scale/carapace) Toshida's green scales then begin to fade back beneath his skin until his entire body has returned to normal and his eyes have also returned to their normal colour.
Seshen cannot help but look on in shock at Toshida's strange technique. "Wh-what the hell are you? You cannot tell me that those rumors were all true. I had heard that you were some kind of demon . . . but I just figured foolish people were making up stories to glorify you as some kind of villain. But you are a demon . . . a freak . . . a mon . . ."
"Monster?" Toshida interrupts. "Yes that is true Seshen . . . I am a monster. A freak and a demon. However you put it. It's true that I am cursed. I was not blessed with some bloodline or tutelage under the strongest shinobi in the country. But my gift at birth . . . was this power within me. And although it may eventually lead to my destruction . . . it is more then enough to take care of you . . . senpai."
"The dragon's scale, the dragon's eye and the dragon's tail. How many more of these monstrous techniques does he have?" A confused and still awestruck Kakashi asks himself.
"That was the third of five techniques Seshen." Toshida says.
A bead of sweat runs down Kakashi's face as his question as irony has struck yet again. "Well I guess that answers that question."
"Byusing the power of this beast within and combining it with my own ingenuity, I have been able to create five techniques of my own design that allow me to exploit the upside of being a monstrosity. That was the third technique, the dragon's scale. It allows me to call on the dragon's armor like skin to cover my body with a virtually impenetrable coating for a short amount of time. Nothing has been able to penetrate its surface . . . and nothing ever will." Toshida takes a moment to think quietly to himself before continuing. "The downside is that I can only use these techniques once in a fight. Any more than that, and I will not be able to control the dragon on my willpower alone. Even with my brother's sealing technique, it has proven to not be enough on occasion."
"Five techniques you say Toshida? The third one was impressive in its own right . . . I look forward to seeing the rest of them. I can only hope that they are strong enough to add more of a challenge to this fight." Seshen hides his concerns in a shroud of over confidence border lining on sheer cockiness. "That was one of my strongest techniques, and he stood up to it head on without flinching at all . . . This sucks! There must be a weakness in that armor technique. I just need to try and soften him up enough for him to show that weakness . . . and at that moment, I will exploit his weakness." Seshen's stomach lets out a loud grumble as he begins to realize that his time of operating at such a high chakra level is soon to be at an end. "Chikushou! I don't need this now. I can have all the chakra in the world . . . but I can only maintain that level as long as I have the calories to store it in . . . I am so hungry that I doubt I will be able to pull all of this off for more then another fifteen minutes. I have to try and finish him off quickly . . . no more playing around . . . But how the hell am I going to get past that guard? This is not looking good right now."
Seshen's thought process is soon interrupted as he feels an immense chakra hit him like a ton of bricks, as Toshida has begun to flex the dragon's power. Toshida's eyes begin to glow green with the Ryuugan eye yet again as he readies to continue the fight.
"Sorry old friend, but the beast is too much of a problem for me to show you ALL of what I can do. However, because you have fought so valiantly up to this point . . . I will end your life with one of my techniques."
Toshida then reaches behind his back and releases his sword from its sheath and lowers it to his side as he stands with his legs spread a meter apart with his knees bent. His right arm hanging at his side, he then raises his sword straight high above his head, sending out a massive wave of chakra that almost knocks both Kakashi and Seshen off of their feet. Toshida gathers energy for his attack as his stoic look remains unchanged as he stands forever focused on his target.
"And now Seshen . . . it is time for us to finish this fight." His sword glows green as the dragon's destructive chakra is channeled to the edge of his sharpened blade. The ground rumbles with tremors as a result of the massive power that Toshida is releasing. Kakashi quickly takes cover, leaving Seshen prone and Toshida's target out in the open with no where to hide. "So long Seshen! RYUU TSUME!" (Dragon's Claw) Toshida screams as he swipes his sword downward with one hand, unleashing an intense thin wave of destructive chakra through his blade at Seshen in an arc shape that slashes through the ground effortlessly as it speeds toward its target like a crescendo of killer intent.
Seshen acts quickly as if the world around him was in slow motion, putting all his weight into his right leg to push off of. As he exerts the necessary force needed to successfully dodge the attack, the wave splits into three separate arcs of destructive chakra, blocking Seshen's path and threatening to strike him head on. "Oh shit!" Seshen yells. Thinking fast, he creates the seal of the tiger. "Raikou Doutai!" (Lightning Movement) Seshen's form is engulfed with lightning and he speeds away quickly, just barely dodging the path of destruction.
"Got him!" Toshida says quietly to himself as he disappears with a burst of speed.
As Seshen tries to gather his breath, he observes the aftermath of Toshida's attack. Three deep gashes carved deep into the mountain side as if was a stick of butter cut with a hot knife. The dust begins to clear and Seshen looks for his opponents whereabouts.
Suddenly, Toshida comes running from Seshen's left so fast that Seshen can only stare helplessly as Toshida's fist is buried deep in the side of his face sending the weary Cloud nin thundering into the mountain side, leaving a body-shaped crater in the rock face.
"Damn . . . what a powerful technique. It's destructive power is on a whole new level to simple elemental techniques. Its weakness is the preparation time and the straight line in which it is fired from. It doesn't matter if it makes a direct hit though . . . one shot from that jutsu and it's over. This battle just got a lot harder." Seshen leans his head forward from the crater in the rock face and readies himself to continue the battle. "HHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Seshen screams as strikes his arms backward into the indentation while releasing a large amount of chakra, destroying the body shaped indent in favour of a deep spherical crater in the side of the mountain.
"It is good to see that you still have some fight left in you Seshen." Toshida says, as he readies himself in his trademark fighting stance.
"It is safe to say, that this real fight is just getting started." Seshen takes his fighting stance and readies to confront his rival yet again. "Wouldn't you agree, Toshida?"
Seshen's eyes light up as he begins channeling the surrounding electrical activity through his bloodline and stores it in his own cells. He begins transforming the electricity into chakra to be used in the upcoming battle. His stomach groans and his body briefly shakes with a painful tremor as his bodies limit is drawing closer and closer.
"Crap . . . I am so hungry right now it isn't even funny. I can't keep converting the energy around here to chakra. My body will give out before I can replenish those calories."
Seshen puts his fears aside and focuses attention on Toshida who readies a kunai in his left hand. Seshen follows suit and the two begin their lightning fast charge at one another. The two throw their kunai straight at one another causing them to collide in mid air, echoing a loud clash of metal through the air before the two line up their fists and collide with one another in a ferocious clash of power as the battle ensues.
Meanwhile, in the leaf village Keinea remains at his post, studying the endless documents in the Hokage's office, after having been told that using the death seal is too risky to even practice. His mind is wandering however, due to a recent traumatic meeting with the mentally unstable Yamanaka Ino, who's mind was inadvertently attacked when she entered the mind of Akira Toshida, and discovered his secret within.
Keinea leans back in his chair chewing on a blade of grass as his efforts to regain his focus seem to be in vein. "Man what the hell did she have to yell at me for? I didn't do anything."
Flashback
Back in the Konoha Hospital, Ino has suffered another psychic attack and has pulled Keinea to the floor that she is found herself cowered on.
"Don't . . . let go . . . set . . . them . . . free . . ." Ino whispers into Keinea's ear sending chills up and down his spine. "Don't . . . let go . . . set them free." Ino continues whispering the haunting words into Keinea's ear getting louder and louder with every recycling of the phrase, until she is screaming at the top of her lungs.
Naruto and Chouji then grab a hold of Ino and return her to her hospital room, kicking and still screaming incoherently where unfortunately she must stay until her mental state stabilizes. Tsunade and Sakura help Keinea to his feet where he is shaken up but otherwise uninjured.
"What the hell was that!" Keinea asks, still panicking from the emotionally intense event.
"I-I don't know. She was doing so much better . . ." Tsunade says, finding herself at a loss for words. "Don't let go, set them free? What does that mean?"
"How the hell am I suppose to know? All I did was brush alongside her and she freaked out!" Keinea tries to calm down as the encounter with the delusional Ino has left him shaken and extremely agitated.
Flashback Ends
"I mean I can empathize with the poor girl. She must have seen horrible things when she was in brothers' head. But she didn't have to freak out on me!" Keinea spins around twice in his swiveling chair still trying to understand what Ino may have been talking about. If there was any kind of reasoning behind her chaotic rambles, or if they were simply cries for help from a wounded mind. "Don't let go? Set them free? Hmpf, what the hell was she talking about. Who am I supposed to set free? Don't let go of what? Man this sucks . . . I have some annoying loud mouth ninja embarrass me at the tournament, then I find out this pretty girl I like has a crush on him, and now I get some crazy lady yelling at me for no bloody reason. This hasn't been my month!"
"I mean, it was her fault. If she just stayed out of my brother's mind, she wouldn't have had to see all those people at Tarawa Creek . . . all those . . . poor . . . souls . . ." Keinea stops in his chair and sits up suddenly going over dozens of thoughts and realizations rushing into his head. He scrambles through the piles of documents on the Hokage's desk, looking for the document containing the information behind the death gods seal. "Aha! Here it is, the demonic soul seal. If I can't use this technique to seal the dragon, what if I . . ." Keinea then continues on in a series of inaudible mumbles as he begins drawing a diagram on a blank piece of paper in front of him. After several minutes of sketching he completes his drawing, bringing a large smile to his face. "This is it brother . . . if you can find father's documents, and combine them with this plan . . . you will be vindicated in no time! All right, I have to perfect this model before presenting it to brother. I need the process, the diagram, the hand seals, the whole nine yards!"
Keinea once again finds his focus and begins to go to work on what may actually be the key to his brother's salvation. A few hours later, Keinea's smile has faded to a concerned look as his eyes begin to water as he looks on in fear at the diagram he has created. "No . . . I can't . . . I can't show this to brother. I won't let him . . ." Keinea grabs both hands at the top of the diagram and causes a slight tear in the paper, showing his intent to completely destroy the document in front of him. After only tearing an inch of the paper, Keinea breaks down into tears unable to destroy what may save his brother. Keinea begins to hear voices of the past in the back of his mind echoing in his head. The voices of him and his brother made many years ago, and the promise made that Keinea vowed to keep.
"But brother, I . . . I . . . can't promise you that . . . wh-why would you ask such a thing from me?" The panicking voice of a young Keinea says.
"Dammit Keinea, I need you to promise me this! I will never ask anything else of you as long as we both live and breathe together. But this one thing . . . I need from you." The stern voice of the elder Toshida says.
Keinea can be heard sobbing in the background as he tries to speak in response to his brother, but the sheer sound of sadness in his voice keeps him from making a fully audible sound and he says under his breath. "But I don't want to . . ."
"DAMMIT KEINEA! You have to promise me this. No matter what! You must make and keep this promise if I am really a brother to you." Toshida scolds. "Please brother . . . I beg you."
Keinea drops the diagram on the table and turns his attention to the sun setting outside as a pair of solemn tears run down his face. "I told you I would keep that promise brother. But now that I am supposed to make a decision on it . . . I'm scared. I'm afraid of what will happen if . . . I wish you were here brother. I can't make this decision . . . I'm not strong enough. I'll keep this resolution around until you get back, but I will leave it as it is. I won't even think of finishing it unless you ask it of me. I don't want to be the one that controls your fate." Keinea turns his attention back to the diagram on the table just out of view. "Hurry home brother, we have a lot to talk about."