Years alive, 3
"I can't make you stay?" the soft voice of Karashi called out.
It was dawn, the warm sun barely slipping past the mountains.
Maruchi had stayed behind to clean up from the ambush but… Gripping the identity papers of her father, the only thing that showed he actually existed in this war driven world, Karashi knew she couldn't stop her even if she tried.
"I see…" The red head trailed off, staring down at the ground. A look a grief passed over her face as she remembered the people, she once called her aunty and uncle. A sense of uselessness washing over her. She was older that Maruchi and yet the girl, barely eleven, was venturing out.
Golden eyes slid over to Karashi; it was unnerving how empty yet full they looked. Smiling, something that actually reached her eyes, the red head was left in awe, how one could smile after everything, it was admirable. Or she was just being absent minded again, she wouldn't be surprised if she was.
"It has nothing to do with escaping memories," The brunette stated, her loose sleeved kimono fluttering in the cool wind, the black tights and sandals she wore peeking from underneath the fabric. "You see Kara, I want to learn everything I can."
Red eyes snapped up, shock stilling in their deep pools. Maruchi continued, unperturbed by her friends piercing gaze. "I made a vow to be content with my life here when I realized Okaasan and Otousan tethered me, but… I don't think I could have kept that vow."
"I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I already learned all that I can here and decided before their passing that I would be leaving, in fact—" Holding up a dainty hand, Maruchi showed her friend the identification papers, "Otousan gave me these, giving his blessing to me."
Her gaze lowered. "Making my departure not just out of my own selfish ambition but, as my families last will." Looking back up, Golden eyes burned with an unyielding passion. "So, I'm going to learn as much as I can. In the name of my family!"
Karashi could say, indefinitely, that this was the first time she had seen her friend so present. So here, in the moment. Karashi saw the first glimpse of her friends' heart, and she knew, just knew, it would take her far.
She could only imagine how any man, trying to pursue a relationship with her, would have to be just as passionate to keep up with the brunette.
The older girl snorted at her random trail of thoughts.
Nodding her head resolutely, the teen smiled. "Ok you've convinced me." She stated before beaming at her friend—no sister. "Go out there with your whole families blessing!"
Blinking, it took her a second to process the words.
Maruchi grinned softly. "Thank you…" she breathed, a lone tear slipping down her cheek.
"No," Karashi countered in the warming air. "Thank you."
The first ray of sunlight spilled through the trees.
And Maruchi was gone.
Years alive, 3; Days in the wild, 4
Maruchi had spent her time in the wilds before. If there was anything Elder Haku had taught her, it was how to survive without her chakra, something that was made easier with it.
Still the female found it quite tedious. Especially when she jumped from one island to another, she didn't know where she was, she was lost.
Oh, well such is life.
It took days for her to run across any sign of life. Said signs just had to be a battlefield. One that was currently in use.
The girl sighed as she stared at the ensuing chaos. She had an old kunai pouch on her, one that belonged to her father, other than that she had nothing but provisions, still, that didn't mean she was going to back down from a fight. Especially when the fight was against Kirigakure.
She really didn't like Kirigakure.
Noting who her enemy was and who wasn't Maruchi decided she would be the backup, that looked to be sorely needed.
Stilling her breath and reading herself, the brunette released a subtle amount of her potent chakra, knowing only a small breath of it would allow her to use the technique to the best of its capabilities.
Deciding it was better to move around to get her chakra everywhere the girl placed a wooden mask over her face, it was a serpent. She wanted the lizard but Karashi could only win the snake mask. She really didn't mind.
Bracing herself she spotted her best point of entry. Helping a green clad boy as he fought his opponents with only his fists. His side was open, and an enemy was quickly approaching.
Before anyone could really sense her, the female had appeared before the Kirinin. Shocking him for a second as she stabbed a kunai right under his throat, killing him instantly.
Her feet hit the ground silently, but somehow, she was noticed by the green clad boy. "Thanks!" he beamed as he broke the nose of a chunin, not even sparing them a glance as they fell like a sack of potatoes.
Vicious.
Maruchi liked that.
Nodding her head, she turned back towards the fight, trying to see who else could need assistance. There was a guy with bright blonde hair who was zipping around the field, though he was primarily focused on the high-level ninja.
He didn't look to need help, but a young boy with silver hair did. Nothing too big, he just looked slightly overwhelmed. Surrounded by ninja on all sides.
Twisting and ducking around two chunin the girl slit both their throats quickly. No jutsu use. If she did that then her chakra signature would be noticed in the systems of most ninja and her technique would be ruined.
Throwing a kunai at the shinobi in front of the green boy, he punched them in their moment of confusion, sending them flying.
Concealed eyes blinked. How strong was this boy? Apparently strong enough not to need her help.
Pointing a thumb towards the silver haired boy, she called out. "I'm going to go over and help him, you'll be ok on your own?" she asked, not overly concerned by leaving him by himself.
Distractedly the boy dodged a kunai before replying. "Yes! I am fine! The youthful energy in me will not perish today!"
Maruchi smiled under mask. He was amusing.
Turning around she jumped across the field, twisting and dodging all the way. Any ninja that paid attention to her would have thought of her as a lizard, scuttling across the ground. The comparison would have made them smirk slightly.
Approaching the silver haired boy, she counted how many ninja there were. Six—no five, two already laid dead on the ground. He could probably take out three more before exhaustion, whether it be physical or chakra induced, took over and he fainted.
Gripping her bloody kunai in both hands the girl quickly made a move. Jumping onto the backs of one of the Kirinin, she barely registered their shout of alarm, as she stabbed them in the temple.
She managed to get the drop on another one before she had to dodge an incoming Ninjutsu. It was water based, not like she cared at the moment as she threw a kunai at them. They jumped out of the way, and right into silver boys lightning enhanced kunai.
The boy ruthlessly sliced open the nin from navel up, letting his insides out.
Honestly Maruchi found the sight fascinating, the other two nin apparently didn't as they soon fled.
Panting the boy put his arm down, bloody from shoving it into someone, but otherwise uninjured.
Turning towards Maruchi he stared into two unnerving gold eyes. The only thing visible under the mask.
"…Thanks…" he muttered unsurely. Finding a small respite from the battle, the boy slumped to the ground, deciding somewhere in his conscience that Maruchi wasn't here to hurt him.
Nodding her head, the brunette walked before she was squatted before him.
Taking out a water canister she offered it to him.
His silver gaze eyed it suspiciously, but he was too parched to really care at the moment. Still he refused. Shrugging her shoulders, the girl pulled her mask down. Revealing her sweaty, dirty skin.
The boy stared at the face before him. It was pale and youthful, with sharp golden eyes surrounded by an orange eyeliner that curved down beside the bridge of their nose. Why they were wearing makeup in the middle of a fight was beyond him. Though the way they looked was oddly familiar.
Taking a long swig of her canister, Maruchi showed that it was perfectly safe to drink.
Handing it to the boy again she watched as he took it eagerly, gulping the cool liquid down his throat.
When he was finished, he handed it back before standing up. Getting ready to run back into the fight he turned towards the stranger. "Kakashi." He stated.
Smiling in a serene way, the brunette pulled the mask back other their face. "Maruchi."
Nodding the male was about to jump off but was halted by the arm of his acquaintance. He stared at Maruchi sharply, eyes accusing her of blasphemy.
Shaking her head, the girl spoke. "There's no need, the battle will be over soon." She stated ominously.
Kakashi blinked, eyeing her strangely he was about to shove her off but suddenly a green blur appeared before them.
"My eternal rival! I am glad to see you ok!" The vibrant voice of his frie—err acquaintance interrupted his action.
Turning his attention from his rival, the boy spotted a serpent mask and dark brown hair. "Ah! It's good to see you again! I'm glad you're ok!"
Blinking, Maruchi seemed to do that a lot around this boy, the brunette wondered whether or not he spoke with exclamations all the time.
"Yes I am." She replied, voice soft as she smiled (She did that a lot around him too) towards the black-haired boy. "Maruchi." She pointed to herself.
Beaming, the girl swore she saw a sunset behind him, he gave a thumbs up, sparkles surrounding him. "I'm Gai! Gai Maito!" he stated passionately, striking the 'nice guy' pose.
Maruchi couldn't help herself, she giggled. He was silly, even in the blood and gore.
Her chakra flared around her, and the brunette realized it was telling her the fact that she was in the system of every ninja on the battlefield.
Smile slipping off her face she addressed the two males who sensed the disperse of potent chakra. "If you'll excuse me." She muttered, before walking calmly towards a small, gory hill.
"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked, slightly disturbed by that fact he felt that chakra in his system.
"Yes! I would like to know too!" Gai's exuberant voice called after Maruchi.
The girl didn't reply and before the two could go after her they became surrounded by Kirinin, they were quickly distracted.
Walking to the top of the hill, Maruchi stared out into the bloody field. She needed to be able to see the whole area for her jutsu to take full effect, it wouldn't work if there were holes in it from lack of depth perception.
Breathing in deeply a girl focused on her chakra. It was everywhere. Like small lizards crawling across the ground she could feel it. It was inside every Ninja in the area, beating inside their hearts, swirling and mixing with their spiritual energy. Wanting to blend them together.
But her chakra was loyal. Kind of ironic considering her chakra felt like serpents and lizards, reptiles that couldn't physically be loyal, and were often associated with deception and disloyalty.
Grabbing ahold of the chakra in their systems was not hard, she just had to be careful to choose which chakra she should pull and which not too.
Karashi had told her that Konoha ninja and civilians had a sort of chakra scent and had been so gracious as to teach her what those scents were and how to differentiate between them.
It made choosing the Kirigakure ninja, whose scent was wet and coppery, very easy compared to Konohagakure's ninja, who had the scent of cedar and campfire smoke.
Tugging on her chakra in the Kirinin, Maruchi braced herself, calculating the chakra she would require for such a large group, that was decreasing by the minute, but not quickly enough.
She had enough, she would be weak, very weak, afterwards but not enough to collapse.
Placing her hands into the Tori, bird, symbol the girl muttered the Genjutsu under her breath.
"Illusion of a thousand breaths: Reality." The ground didn't rumble, but everyone felt the thrum of chakra in their systems.
Suddenly every Kirinin stopped, whether it be fighting, bleeding or resting, everyone froze.
There was a minute of silence before they all screamed out in confusion and horror.
Many began running around hysterically. Crying out in pain as they patted themselves, trying to put out imaginary flames or screaming in agony as they laid on the ground, as if they were being mauled by unseen creatures. Some who sensed something wrong, began to scream "Kai!" over and over again, but Maruchi's chakra was latched onto them, wrapping around their minds with thousands of prickling claws. They could not escape, no matter how many times they begged to be released.
The ones who realized something was wrong, killed themselves.
One by one, they began falling like flies, until every, every, Kirinin was left dead on the ground.
None of them with a single wound.
The Konohanin stared at the dead enemy with a morbid fascination and horror as they felt a foreign chakra retreat from their systems and back to one point.
How they couldn't sense such a potent energy on the field was beyond them.
Looking up at a small, gory hill, they all stared at the figure standing atop it.
Small and frail looking but with a serpent mask in place, they knew, instantly that it was them who caused this massacre.
But none stared up in quiet awe as much as Gai and Kakashi did.
So that's what they meant… the silver haired boy thought with a kind of respect, the Kirinin around them dead, not a single wound visible on them.
For Gai it was different. He just stared, a look of absolute shock and reverence on his expression. "W-who?" he muttered, to do such a large scale of a jutsu and still be standing. Such strength! And youth! And… and…
The boy felt his cheeks flush, whether from his own incompetence or other factors, the boy swore to himself.
I promise you Maruchi-sama! Clenching his fist, he stared up at the masked person with passionate eyes. I will become strong enough to fight by your side one day!
Breathing heavily, Maruchi stared at the hundreds of dead shinobi as the sun began to set, casting the world in its orange glow.
Setting her face into grim determination, the girl never felt more connected to the present.
Little did anyone know that they were witnessing the first battle of a new legend.
The Maker of Realities.
Maruchi
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