V7 ch 7
Confessions of the Heart
A leaf dropped from the maple tree into the still water below the arched bridge. Tress surrounded the garden from all angles of the river that flowed through it. Various sizes of shiny rocks were lined at the spaces around the garden where the grass grew in thick quantities. The mountainous range surrounding the area seemed to hide the garden in the mist of the morning. A lone red bird flew over the river. Its wings flapped softly as it started to glide to a tree.
Onari followed the phoenix slowly as her eyes looked around the area. She had left Konoha the week prior. Her anger had finally subsided. Her feet moved through the grass slowly as her mind was lost in thought.
As she stood at the water's edge, she stared at her form. Her long black hair reminded her of her father. She could see him standing beside her. Her yellow eyes blinked. The figure was still there. Onari whirled around. Her breath left her. Her eyes met dark gray eyes that were watching her with concern. It was someone she hadn't suspected to see, or be able to find her. Her body loosened. Anger was not with her at the moment. There was another emotion being felt.
"You're not going to say anything? I've been tracking you for days, Ri." Takeru stepped closer. She didn't move. Was Jigen correct about his assumptions regarding females? "I'm sorry I've ignored you for so long. I was trying to avoid how hurt I was over you dating Eiyu. It wasn't my intention to hurt you this badly. I… was being selfish, Onari. I wanted to know if you felt the same way about me like… I do for you. I've been interested in who you were and everything about since the moment I met you," he confessed. "I wanted to see you smile the most with everything I did - but I've been doing a poor job of that," Takeru said as he kept his eyes leveled with hers.
"I'd rather be with you in some form, Ri. Either a friend, or team mate, or something else. I can't force you to like me nor forgive me for what I did. What I did was wrong to you. I admit that. However, I know what I want at this moment in my life. I'm more sure where I'm going and why. I just don't know where you're going."
Onari lowered her gaze. "Onari does not know where she is going. Onari is lost within herself. Gekido is after Akaihi, Takeru Uchiha." Her eyes raised.
"Who is Gekido," Takeru asked seriously. "Is it the person you've been training to go up against?" The look in her eyes told him he was correct at the guess. "Ri, why have you kept it to yourself? Dad was attacked by a lightening user like Daiya. Kiba and Areku were attacked by someone with the same qualities. Jigen and Dad had to take them back to the village to get them help. What do you know about it?"
Onari had no choice. She had to confess everything regarding her past to Takeru. She talked softly as she explained the burning desire in her. She wanted nothing more than to make Gekido suffer for messing up her life.
Takeru took a deep breath to clear his head. "The person after you wants the link to the celestial gate. Level with me, how did you know how to bond Ryu to you when everything is a complete mystery? When I watched you go through the motions - the hand seals - it was as if something was guiding you. Your expression was so serious and beautiful at the same time. I couldn't get you out of my head."
Onari stepped closer to him. She watched his face as she unraveled the bandages around her arms. The tattoos on her body appeared brighter and in more detail than previously. Slowly, she turned around to raise the back of her shirt. She wanted Takeru to know what he was getting involved in. Onari lifted her long hair as if she were raising a curtain to show an important sacred artifact. "Onari bears the weight and responsibility of the Heaven Scroll upon her body."
Takeru reached his hand up to touch her skin. As his fingers raked the markings upon her body, the tattoos came alive. His eyes widened and heart started to beat faster. The phoenix upon Onari's back moved its head as it sang a beautiful song. Colorful birds hopped around as the phoenix flew to the branch of a tree in a misty garden. A turtle lifted its from out of the pond as a tiger padded forth to drink from it. The water held stars in its reflection despite the area being day. Takeru watched as the clouds swirled to form a snow white Japanese dragon. Its eyes were red. Are these the four celestials of legend? His eyes searched the tattoos as he took in the dangerous artwork upon her skin. A snake was slithering through the grass.
"This is the Tibetan version of the four celestial gods," he breathed. "You're the phoenix. Ryu's the turtle. Who are the others," he asked as she lowered her shirt. Onari turned around. She showed him the markings upon her wrist. His eyes recognized the kanji.
"Those who inherit a celestial are marked upon Onari's wrist as an oath." She pointed to each name. "Ryu. Saori now has the tiger. Sasuke is the snake who aids the turtle, Shogai. The only one left is the dragon, Uso - the one who protected Onari's mother. Uso will only go to someone Onari loves and whom loves Onari back. She won't adhere to conflict, or a war arises. Onari's mother sent Uso back before the lightening users to obey Gekido could claim her. The one who inherits the dragon, must swear an oath to never let her fall into unworthy hands, Takeru." Onari saw the boy before her understand what she said with the mind of an adult. "Eiyu was not meant for Uso. It takes more than ninja skills to weld the abilities of the dragon."
Takeru let his head lower to where his long bangs touched her face. He felt Onari caress his cheek before she kissed him. Takeru closed his eyes supposing he was being forgiven for his actions. His heart fluttered to life as he felt Onari's hand move over his stomach to his chest. He blushed hard as she opened his eyes. Onari's eyes were softened. She kissed the side of his lips. "Ri…"
"The one who was meant for Uso, is Takeru Uchiha," she said as it hit his understanding. He moved his hand to interlace his fingers with hers. "Takeru has never questioned Onari about the phoenix. He has not looked upon the bird as if wanting to unmask its secrets. He has always treated Onari like… someone important," she said as she choked on the last few words. She felt him tenderly peck the side of her head. He was so sincere in his actions and decisions. Ninja weren't supposed to be involved with their entire being when performing missions, but he was. "If Takeru chooses, he must face Uso alone."
Takeru understood the path before him. The mist around them was getting thicker. "I'll face Uso if it means I can be with you through every trial you face." As soon as his words were spoken, Onari's face started to disappear in the mist. He could still feel her hand upon his chest; despite his eyes not seeing her. "Ri?" There was no answer.
Takeru looked around the mountainous area again. The area around him had strangely turned into night. His eyes drifted to look up at the stars overhead. "Where am I?" He lowered his gaze to see daylight in the pond. Takeru walked to the water's edge. "If daylight is here, than I am somewhere else entirely. This place is an illusion. If I were a dragon, where would I be?"
He didn't expect Uso to show herself immediately. He crouched in order to stare into the water, he ran his fingers along the surface. The water rippled under his touch. He furrowed his brows. "If Akaihi is male… and Onari's father - the phoenix takes form of the person who trades his life for it. Uso is female… Onari's mother had the dragon, but was it male or female when she acquired it? Is Uso achieved the same way as Akaihi? If so, who gave her, or his life for it?"
Takeru watched the stars ripple in the sky. "The tattoos on Ri's back showed the dragon forming out of the clouds. So… Uso has to be up there." Takeru stood. "Think Takeru. How does one get up there?" He closed his eyes as he thought. It takes more than ninja skills to weld the abilities of the dragon.
Takeru walked out to the pond, concentrating as his feet moved over the surface. He carefully lowered his body to where he was sitting cross legged. Takeru closed his eyes to meditate and focus his energy upon the clouds overhead. He had to prove to himself that he was worthy of the dragon. Each celestial opted to help a human, or bond with that person. If Uso was meant to work with Akaihi, then she was a powerful god equipped with a sense of nobility and sophistication. I have to make her want to get to know me.
Takeru thought about Onari's words. She said he was different at how he approached situations. Maybe the one I need to focus on, isn't the dragon, but Onari herself. I want to be by her side. He relaxed his posture. Takeru's mind thought about Onari so heavily that he was lost in his own dream world. His wall was lowered, heart wide open, and a small smile was spread across his lips.
Takeru sat for hours focusing his mind on the most important person to him. He felt his bangs sway with the wind. A chime sounded from far away. Slowly, his eyes opened. He had forgotten where he was, or why he was there. Takeru moved his arms back so he could lean. His fingers touched wet rocks. He blinked. His head turned to see a white surface raised above the water. Takeru looked around and up. A face was watching him with disappointment. Uso's red eyes didn't move as she blew out starry smoke from her nostrils. "You're- You're Uso, he said.
(The least a mortal can do is greet me properly when disturbing my bath.) She turned her head towards him to regard him. (You weren't expecting a goddess to bathe. Honestly, I have to look my best.)
Takeru smiled at his own train of thought. "No, it's not that. I thought you were in the clouds. At least, that's the way it was on Onari's back."
Uso lowered her head to where it was level with the boy's. (I am not familiar with an Onari. My former partner perished in a battle six years ago. How were you able to enter my sanctuary?)
"Onari's mother was the one linked to you. Onari is Sashizo's daughter who bears the mark of the Heaven Scroll. She has access to the phoenix," he said explaining everything to the goddess before him. "I'm not sure how I got here. I agreed to face you if it meant I can stay with her." Takeru lunged forward to grab onto Uso's body as she lifted her white slender form out of the water.
(The type of mortal who is able to enter my sanctuary without warning, does so with his entire being. I am more complicated than the other three celestials. Unlike the phoenix who is inherited through lineage, or the turtle who shamelessly aids those in need, and the tiger who chooses what path to follow, I am the Goddess of the West who creates paths for those in my care. I am a moving fortress, Takeru Uchiha. There is no wind, man, or mountain that can break through my walls.)
Takeru dropped off the dragon as she walked onto
the grass under the stars. He turned around to look up at her. "Whose decision is it to make a path for the phoenix?"
Uso circled around the boy. (The phoenix's path is determined by the one it is destined to protect. A mortal can make it a savior, or a bringer of death. When it comes to the latter, I do not let anyone into my sanctuary if I can help it. Dragons cannot be harnessed so easily to a human's Will.)
"I know Ri wouldn't send Akaihi to be used in a senseless war. She's trained hard to protect those around her." Takeru saw Uso snuff as if she didn't believe him.
(Revenge against another mortal is a senseless war. You are probably no different than she is. Who are you harboring revenge for?) Uso moved her face to where she was only a few inches away from him. The boy's expression and eyes didn't change. (Stop wasting my time, child. Who do you fight for?)
Takeru answered with an adult's voice, "I fight for the others around me. It's my responsibility to make them smile - to keep them from falling away from themselves," he said as he thought of Ryu. "I'm not who I am without them."
Uso lifted her snow white head to peer at the stars overhead. (A boy such as you should not be able to understand the purpose of a dragon. We four stand together and would not be who we are without the other. You are incredibly noble for a child. Can your nobility increase the strength of the phoenix?)
Takeru was not understanding what she meant. "How can I increase his strength? A god has unlimited power."
( A god as the power a mortal gives him. In short, the stronger the determination, the stronger we become. I suppose you don't recall the legend. The one who controls the phoenix, has the right to open the gate to me. If I see a mortal is unworthy, he is cast aside. If I see he is worthy, he gains me and the phoenix.)
"Onari is the one with access to the phoenix. Are you saying, I could use Akaihi and you in a fight?" Takeru saw the glint in Uso's eyes. That is exactly what she's saying. He looked away. "Love is what holds the dragon and phoenix together. Without it, there is war and chaos. Everything Onari stands for must be what I stand for, or there is no bond."
Uso knew he was getting all of it. Her form started to turn translucent as the stars began to shake in the sky. (Say it! Say what you must to lay the path!)
Takeru looked up at her and said with passion and truth in his voice, "I love Onari!" His eyes widened as the dragon turned into mist. Uso drifted through the air and to the top of the water. Takeru ran to the water's edge. He saw the dragon moving about in the clouds of daylight. Takeru Uchiha leapt into the water.
Onari watched Takeru come around as she stood in front of him. She gently took her hand off his chest. He had been standing there without blinking for a long time. Onari wondered if he had found Uso.
Takeru awoke from the dream. It had all seemed so real to him. The area around him had darkened since the sun was setting. "I saw Uso," he said softly as he touched his forehead. "She turned into mist and went towards the water. I jumped in, but I came back here." He looked around as if searching for the dragon. "I'm not sure she let me link to her." He felt Onari fidgeting with the sleeve on his arm.
Onari moved the sleeve up. She led Takeru to the water. "Uso has chosen to fight with Takeru," she said as her fingers went over the picture on his arm. Takeru now bore a tattoo of Akaihi standing side-by-side with Uso. The two celestials were looking away from each other with their tails entwined.
Takeru moved his hand to grab Onari's wrist. There wasn't Kanji where he suspected it to be. "It's not there like the others. I don't understand."
"Takeru's link to Uso is not the same as the others. The phoenix and dragon have a more important bond to each other. Kanji is in a special place on Onari," she said as she touched the place over her heart.
Takeru blushed hard. Everything was real - everything occurring to the both of them. He reached for her hand. "We've wasted all the time we can afford. If I found you, than they will soon. They could be on our tails right now. We have to leave this area."
Onari nodded as they started to run out of the garden swiftly. She whistled to get Akaihi's attention. The phoenix flew after them with his wings blazing as he lighted the path ahead for them.
Areku Inuzuka touched his father's arm as he sat beside the bed. "Dad, can you hear me?" He had left his room some time ago to check on Kiba. Areku closed his eyes. He and Kiba had been attacked by a lightening user after Onari. The man had gone after Areku instantly. He had tried to use Ichigo against the man without success.
Areku threw kunai and shuriken at the man as he jumped back. Ichigo jumped forwards growling as she attempted to bite the man on the arm. He watched the man before him erupt a wave of lightening at his dog. The kunai and shuriken were deflected with the man's other hand as he twirled a metal rod.
Ichigo yelped as she was electrocuted. "Ich!" Areku watched as his dog fell below the trees unconscious. His feet landed on a branch. Areku started to form hand seals quickly as the man came at him. There was no time. He was on top of Areku in seconds as he tried to use Ninjutsu against the man. The man punched him square in the face causing Areku to be thrown backwards. His body rolled on the branch.
Areku coughed as he spewed blood. He lifted his head as the large man stood over him. Areku growled as he narrowed his eyes.
"Time to die, little boy," Kakumei said as he smirked. He started to charge. His eyes met the youth's with a sense of dominance.
Areku caught the scent of his father. He tried to get up, but the man kicked him so hard in the stomach, the wind was knocked out of him. Areku went down as he heard the man yell in outrage as Kiba attacked.
Kiba Inuzuka growled loudly as he narrowed his eyes at the man as he sent a full fledged punch at the man's face. It hit on contact. The man smiled at him as he came back spinning throwing a leg kick at Kiba's head. Kiba ducked just in time to place his hands on the branch. He moved his legs up and twisted his body as he kicked the man with several times in the chest to throw him back. As Kiba landed on his feet, the man was thrown onto his back. "Stay away from my kid!"
Kakumei rose to his feet. He smiled evilly at the man in front of him. "It'll take more than that to get you out of this." He ran at Kiba as he brought his charged arm back. As the man threw kunai at him, Kakumei sent his arm forward as lightening busted in a spiral wave. He smiled triumphantly as the man leapt off the branch to avoid him. He pursued Kiba from tree to tree throwing lightening at him with every angle.
Kiba breathed hard as he grabbed hold of a branch and spun up over it to avoid a shot at his head. He came back around to plant a foot straight into the man's face. The man was thrown backwards but used his rod to keep himself from falling into the abyss. As it plunked into the bark of the tree, Kiba's hand seals were complete. He snarled at the man as he lowered his body. A clone popped beside him.
Kakumei narrowed his eyes as the man and his clone came at him. He let go of the rod letting his body fall into the abyss. Just as planned, Kiba came at him spinning with his clone in a powerful attack. Kakumei had him. He started to spin his own form, causing the lightening charged on his arm to spin. As the lightening came off it was sent into a huge spiraling ball towards Kiba and his clone. Kakumei watched the man enter the lightening ball and triumphed in his yell of pain.
Just as Kakumei was fixing to do the man and his son in, a figure wearing a tiger mask came out of nowhere. Kakumei brought his metal rod up to block the short sword of the ANBU. He smiled wickedly at the man. "Nice try," he said lowly.
Jigen kicked the man away as he threw a smoke bomb at the man. The man started to cough as Jigen came at him again with the sword. In the thick smoke, sounds of metal clashing with metal were heard throughout the area. Jigen wasn't giving up. Something about this individual reminded him of somebody he had encountered before.
Kakumei gritted his teeth as the ANBU threw several kunai at him. The poisonous smoke made his vision blurry. He watched his wrist rotate in front of his body trying to deflect the weapons. The kunai lodged their points in his leg and side. Kakumei swore as the trees and figure of the man became double. He had to get away. This was no condition to be fighting in. He unsheathed a small slip of paper and threw it at the ANBU. As the ANBU was blinded by the intense flash, Kakumei escaped.
Areku let his head fall onto his crossed arms. Kiba had taken a beating to protect him. Onari hadn't been retrieved successfully either. Their mission was a failure. Areku had let his father down. As he felt sorry for himself, he soon felt something on his head.
Kiba turned his head as his eyes opened. "Don't give upon your old man just yet, Areku." He smiled weakly as his son lifted his head. Kiba brought his other hand to touch his forehead. "I feel terrible. Lightening users are awful fighters. They're dirty."
Kiba lowered his hand to see Areku watching him with a softened gaze. "Areku, I'll be alright. I couldn't let him hurt you any further. I'm sorry I was slow getting there."
"He got you, too, though. We didn't learn anything about who he was. Sasuke sensei and Captain Jigen had to carry us back. Takeru went ahead to track Onari. There's been no word from him."
Kiba sighed. "If he doesn't find her, that bastard who attacked us surely will. Sasuke said the one he got already had asked him where the phoenix was. He knew Sasuke's name. Now, who would have given him that sort of information?"
"I have no idea. It has to have been someone you guys have met," Areku said as he turned around to the sound of the door opening.
Sasuke walked through the door carrying a gifted package of food from Izumi. "I figured you were in here with your father. The nurse is looking for you, Areku. Might want to be careful walking down the hall," he said as Areku blushed when he tried to cover his rear.
Areku went out of the room before he got into trouble with the staff. Was he walked sideways down the hall, he turned his back around to let a few patients pass. Suddenly, he heard a scream and a girl yell his name.
"Areku Inuzuka, where are your pants," Hire said as she hid her view behind the flowers she held.
Kiba heard Areku yelling an apology to Hire. He sat up slowly as Sasuke smirked. "The nurse bit was a lie."
"Pretty much," Sasuke said. He sat down beside Kiba's bed. "Izumi made you some food to help you recover." He handed the wrapped package to his fellow trainer.
Kiba took the gift and unwrapped it. His nose twitched at the scents coming out of the box. His mouth watered. "She made me something homemade. I wish Kashira was as good a cook as Izumi. Wait, don't tell her I said that," he said with an embarrassed smile. He was glad to have something to eat besides hospital food.
Sasuke looked out of the window opposite his chair. He saw the trees swaying in the wind. "I want to inform you that the man who attacked you, was from the lightening country. Jigen said the attacks were strong electrical currents. He managed to lodge some nice kunai into our new friend's body before he was able to kill you and Areku." Sasuke leaned back in the chair as he crossed his leg over the other. "Also, you won't believe who arrived in the village an hour ago."
Kiba searched Sasuke's face for the answer. "It can't be Onari." Sasuke nodded. "Takeru found her then. How was he able to find her so quickly?"
Sasuke reflected on the meeting with the two kids who had shown up together. "They arrived on the back of a white dragon," Sasuke said. "He managed to track Onari using the skills you had taught him. After all, Onari tends to be a bit reckless in staying hidden when she's angry."
"A dragon?" Kiba sat up more. "Where did they get a dragon?"
"Takeru has been linked to Onari. He was given the dragon as a promise to aid her in the fight she's preparing for. She confessed a man named Gekido is after her to gain the phoenix. That's not the half of it. Takeru said Ryu now has the celestial turtle and Saori has the celestial tiger. The four gods of legend are in the village, Kiba. Also, Onari has the Heaven Scroll tattooed upon her body. She's the link to the gods of legend."
Kiba waved his hands in front of his face. It was all
so much to take in. "Wait a second, Sasuke. You're telling me that little girl - the one we found in that snow village is a diamond in the rough? The Heaven Scroll is real? And Onari holds more power in her small frame than a man can possibly dream to achieve?"
"Yes," Sasuke said blandly with the bitter after taste in his mouth. "Onari wasn't aware of the marks upon her body until she bonded Ryu to her. He was the first. Saori was sought out by the tiger through the turtle aiding Ryu. Takeru, on the other hand, has fallen in love with Onari and she him. The two of them promised to protect each other - thus, his connection with Uso."
"It has a name?" Kiba plopped back onto his pillow. His head was swimming with all of the information. He popped his forehead. "If Onari holds that kind of power, it's no wonder this Gekido is after her. Who else would like to get their hands on something like that?"
"Anyone who is able. She's withheld this information from us. Onari was trying to go at it alone, but she seems to have no choice but to tell us now. Others have been hurt defending her. She didn't want us to get involved with her war. Kids these days," Sasuke said disgustedly as he crossed his arms rather annoyed.
"Just wait until I get out of here. Sprout and I are going to have a talk," Kiba said narrowing his eyes. "If she had told us this mess beforehand we would have been prepared!" He slammed his fist on the bed.
"Getting upset about it now isn't going to do any good. She could have still tried to hide it from us," Sasuke said. "Besides, we only know a little about the situation. Gekido is her father's brother and he has a bunch of lightening users at his beckoning call." Sasuke held up two fingers. "We don't know where they are located or how many of them there really are."
"This stinks," Kiba said as he threw the sheets off of
himself. "I'm getting out of here. There's no time to sit and wait if we're going to be attacked!" He felt Sasuke's hand on his shoulder. Kiba blinked and turned his head.
"They won't attack the village, idiot. It's suicide. They can only get to Onari if she's alone, for the most part. It's a cat and mouse game. Or, if you prefer, a dog and cat game."
Kiba smiled his toothy grin at Sasuke. "I get what you're saying. Yet, it's kind of hard to go barking up a tree if we have one cat hiding in an entire forest."
"Precisely my point. If you want them to show themselves, you wait for it. If Onari doesn't come out of the village to where they can get to her, they might get anxious and start to target anyone to get her attention."
Kiba watched him rise. "I mean it, Sasuke, once I'm out of here I'm coming over to scold Onari." He saw Sasuke turn around to wave at him. Once he left, Kiba stared at the bed, softly growling. That damn kid. What is she thinking not telling us about this?
"Ryu!" Takeru ran straight at his friend as he entered the house. His best friend smiled at him as he tackled him to the floor. Ryu went back instantly.
"Takeru, he's only been out of the hospital a few days! Be careful with him," Saori said as she watched her boyfriend get sprawled out by the Uchiha boy.
Ryu groaned. "It's nice to see you again, Takeru. I've heard you had quite a journey finding Onari," he said as the girl popped her head around the corner. Instead of keeping the phoenix hidden, he was perched upon her shoulder checking the area out. Ryu sat up slowly as he hugged Takeru with one arm. "I suppose there's a reason we're all here like this. It isn't just coincidence."
Saori looked at the other three. "I think I understand what's happening. All four of us now has a celestial."
Onari stepped forward to look at Ryu and Saori. "The both of you have chosen to fight with Onari against Gekido?" She saw them looking at each other for clarification on that.
"Eh, look, Onari, we don't quite understand what's going on. I know you helped Ryu out of a major sticky situation and I appreciate it, but we haven't agreed to fight anyone. You need to tell us what is going on," Saori demanded. "From where I stand, I have the choice of helping you, or not."
"Saori, you can't accept a celestial and not be expected to help her fight against her uncle," Takeru said as he stood up to face the blond haired girl. "It was a choice to help Ryu, yes, but not you. The link was given by Onari, in some form."
"Josei came to me on his own because of Ryu - not Onari, Takeru," she said as she stood her ground. "He said I was worthy of him. You are worthy of Onari - that's why you have the dragon. I want to help Ryu in any way I can with whatever he faces. He's the one I am concerned about. If she is after someone purely on revenge than it's wasted on her." Saori shifted her eyes to the girl in front of her. "All of your training and learning has been wasted, Onari, on yourself. Takeru isn't the only one whose been selfish."
Ryu came between Saori and Takeru. The both of them were staring each other down. "Hold on a minute. I know why I have Shogai. Onari wasn't giving me the link to the turtle just to start a war." His red eyes shifted to the girl. "Were you? You were really worried about me dying."
Onari tried to keep her eyes level with his, but she looked away, blushing. It was true that she had been worried about him. He was the one protecting her on their last mission together. She felt terrible at leaving him alone to face Hire's brother, Nattoku. "Onari did not want Ryu to go away like her parents," she said softly. She blinked as he lowered his head to look up into her face.
"Well, I'm still right here. I thank you for saving my life, Firebird," Ryu said as he smiled at her gently. "Saori thanks you, too, despite her having trouble admitting that right now. She was lost without me."
Saori crossed her arms as she blushed. "Yeah, I was," she said with difficulty. She was still a bit angry at Onari assuming she and Ryu were joining some battle of hers.
"What is the importance of Akaihi to your uncle," Ryu asked as he stood up.
"Akaihi is… the inheritance of Onari's father. Onari's father gave his life to protect her from Gekido. Gekido wishes to have the phoenix to demolish other countries - to have power over life," she said as she looked at all of them. "Onari used to listen to her father talk about Gekido when she was younger. If he sends lightening users to Konoha, they will kill everyone in their path for him."
"What a sad old man," Saori said out of nowhere to break the tense atmosphere. "If we already have the four celestials of legend, we are stronger than he is. It only takes the four of us to put an end to this Gekido."
"Not so fast, Saori," Ryu said. "We may have the four celestials, but that's what he wants, isn't it? If he is able to get his sole hands simply on Onari, he gains the three of us. Which means, the dragon and phoenix would be at war with each other. He would have the ability to control us and waste Konoha."
Takeru looked at the three. "It's not an easy solution. Our job is to protect Onari and the village from this guy. We don't know how many lightening users he has at his call. If they are willing to help him, it means he's stronger than they are."
"I couldn't have said that better myself," Sasuke said from behind them. The four kids stared at him. "Onari, you should have told us this when you were able to speak as well as you can. Any time an entire village is in danger, the Hokage needs to be notified. It's his job to protect every inch of our existence. As much as we've done for you, holding information such as this from us, is not fair."
Onari lowered her gaze. "Onari did not want Sasuke involved. Sasuke would lose his life for helping Onari escape the snow village."
"Yet, he is involved," Takeru said as he turned his head to look at her. "The snake aids the turtle in a fight, Ri. Dad has to be included. It's not just occurrences anymore. It's the legend of the four celestials."
Sasuke looked at his son. "The snake that aids the turtle? Are you kids referring to the Tibetan version of the legend?"
"You better show them so they'll understand, Onari," Takeru said as they all stared at him.
Onari turned around to lift her shirt. At first, Sasuke and Ryu covered their eyes, but their hands were lowered by Saori and Takeru. Onari let them view the Heaven Scroll as it showed the four celestials move around. The snake came slithering through the grass.
Sasuke furrowed his brows. "It's real. The Heaven
Scroll is a real 'object'. I don't understand why the four of you believe I'm included in this. I wasn't offered a celestial."
"The snake isn't a real celestial," Ryu said as he looked up at his trainer. "It aids the turtle. I have the turtle and you have Manda. Isn't Manda the King of all snakes?"
Sasuke stared at Ryu. "You're not getting the jest of it all. Your recovery has slowed your mind to that of a snail." Ryu only sweat dropped. "It means you have to work with me."
"I wouldn't confront Ryu on that sort of matter, sensei," Saori said as she sighed heavily waving her hand in the air. "Shogai's no match for Manda. The turtle is a crazy old pervert," she said as she tilted her head to look at all of them. "He put his face right in my rear when I bent over to look for something!"
They all stepped back with wide eyes. What kind of celestial was Shogai? Was Ryu stuck with a dud? They all looked at each other.
Ryu hopped on one foot. They were all looking at him as if he was the culprit. "I wasn't even in the room! I went to get food for that crazy creature! Next thing I knew, my head was in the fridge and Saori was screaming!"
Takeru pinched his nose. "I'm afraid to ask what Josei is like. Uso is kind of sophisticated. Akaihi, I'm unsure of," he said as he watched the phoenix clean its feathers. He couldn't imagine Sasuke being turned into an animal, or legendary being such as Onari's father.
"Josei is a bit snobby," Saori said with an embarrassed laugh. "He doesn't like working with Shogai - that was expressed when I met him. Not sure what he feels about the other two."
"This is going to get interesting," Ryu said as he looked around at the others.
Onari sat on top of the monuments of the past Hokages of the Hidden Leaf Village. Her hair blew in all sorts of directions as wind passed over the village. Her eyes stared down below to look at the various buildings and people moving about. Was this place her official home now? She had never thought about Konoha actually being where she resided. Onari was so used to running with her parents that she assumed this place was only a short stopping point.
Her eyes drifted to see Akaihi gliding with the wind current below the monuments. The phoenix seemed to be rather happy and carefree as he sang a sweet melody through the sky. Flames drifted off the tips of his wings and tail to flicker in the wind before they died away. As Onari sat there watching the area, a large shadow came over her. For a moment she thought nothing of it, but it seemed to be moving rather strangely. She looked up to see Uso's long, slender, snow white body coming down towards the village in a dive. Onari stood up quickly thinking Takeru was going to get killed. However, the closer they got, the more her body eased when she heard him yelling in delight at how fast the dragon was. Onari rolled her eyes. Boys…
Takeru gripped his hands tightly to the horns coming out of Uso's head. He smiled as they passed Onari. "Hey, Uso, you move like a rollercoaster," he said happily. "Can you do loops in the air?"
Uso glanced back a the human boy. She blew out starry smoke from her nostrils as she moved over the buildings of the village. (My body can move in any direction you prefer.) She started to soar above the village in a climb. Once she had gained altitude, she came back down twisting her boy in a spiral. She smiled coyly as Takeru was turned upside down and back up a few times. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Well, Takeru seems to be having fun," Saori said as she stood with Josei on top of the Hokage's building. "What do you think of the village so far?" She looked back at the extraordinary large tiger who was keeping his slit eyes on the people moving around.
(They seem to be happy. It is unusual for mortals to regard life as precious as they should. Even more so for a ninja village.)
"I wonder what Ryu is doing with Shogai," Saori said much to the strange disgusted looks of Josei. "You don't suppose he's training with him, do you?" She watched the children point up to Uso as she flew overhead. They were chasing her and squealing with delight.
(Training with that wretch? You have got to be kidding. There are more important things at hand than to worry about Shogai's cognitive capacity to endure training much less learn its sequences.) He rose his body to move his head between Saori's legs as he picked her up. (Uso is stealing my thunder.) Josei started to leap off of the building and on to other buildings. As he landed in the street, people stopped and stared for a moment at him. He was three times the size of a normal tiger.
Saori waved with a crooked smile at the people. They were hesitant about moving for fear of the tiger. "Josei, tigers are seen as predators on our plane," she said through gritted teeth. She saw a little boy walking towards her. "Hi, he doesn't bite or anything. He's quite harmless," she said as the mother came forth to grab her son to stop him. "Really, he's one of the protectors of the village like the dragon," she said as she pointed up.
"Protectors of the village," the woman said as she held onto her son. "It's a tiger!" Her son was trying to go forth to touch the creature and she was firmly holding him back.
"Well, yes, but he's a god," Saori said trying to explain. The woman was giving her awful looks. "I don't think this is going over quite so well," she said to Josei.
(Mortals need proof of gods now? What a waste of effort.) Josei opened his mouth. As he did, he blew colorful smoke out of his mouth. The smoke drifted through the air towards the little boy. As it came close, it turned into flower petals. (Honestly, a real tiger can't do that.)
The little boy caught one of the flower petals. He brought it up to his mother. "Mama, look, it smells like fruit," he said. As his mother grabbed the petal, she let him go. She was distracted for the moment. He ran forth to abruptly stop in front of the large beast. He smiled shyly at the tiger. "You're my favorite animal," he said.
Josei was caught off guard. He lowered his body to seem less threatening to the small mortal child. As the little boy came closer to stroke his head, he didn't seem to mind. No, Josei wasn't worried about protocol or dignity at the attention. (This is the kind of treatment I'll seek from now on.)
Saori smiled thoughtfully at the sudden change in the tiger.
Ryu stared at Shogai as he looked at the water. "You have to have some special abilities, you're a celestial. I'm not going to just casually let you keep sticking your face in Saori's rear!" He hit the turtle on top of the head. The turtle smiled goofily at him.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It seems you and Shogai have a lot in common with panties," he said as Ryu flailed his arms at the sudden mention of the word. "Anyway, maybe he's only useful in a fight. Without a reason to protect anyone, all four of the celestials appear as normal animals."
Ryu thought a moment. "The snake works with the turtle right? Perhaps Shogai needs a little adjustment to his routine." He looked at the turtle hard as it sweat dropped.
Sasuke watched the turtle start to move back in the water. "Manda would just eat him at this rate. He's too small to defend himself," he said going along with Ryu's suggestion. Sasuke started to perform hand seals in front of the turtle making sure it got a good view of what he was doing. As he started to put his hands on the ground, the turtle freaked out. Shogai's body suddenly increased a hundred fold in size. He and Ryu were sent backwards. They landed on their backs.
Ryu swore as he sat up. His eyes widened. Shogai was enormous. His mouth dropped behind the face mask. "Oh my-" He staggered onto his feet. He and Sasuke walked closer. The turtle's shell was as thick as a fortress. He reached up to tap it. Spikes appeared all over its back. Shogai had turned into a huge weapon.
Sasuke wondered exactly how strong Shogai really was. He suspected the turtle would act differently if they scared him a little. "Ryu, get him to thrust his head into the rock surrounding the waterfall. It'll be a test in order to let us know how thick his skull really is."
Ryu nodded his head. "Hey, Shogai, Josei's mocking you," he said as he started to use his Genjutsu to show the celestial tiger in the face of the rock. Shogai and Josei seemed to have quarrels between them. The large turtle turned his body to face the tiger. As suspected, they watched Shogai move his head into his shell then thrust it forward with a thundering crash. Rocks went flying as the turtle left his impression in the stone.
"He's going to be fiercer in a battle, Ryu. He has no reason to show his true nature out in the open like this - there's no threat," Sasuke said as the turtle marveled at his work. "Although, he is an odd sort of god."
Shogai turned his body back around to where he was immersing in the cool water of the river. He realized he was too big to immerse completely so his form started to change. Shogai smiled goofily as he was now only four times bigger than a large tortoise. He lowered his head to make bubbles in the water.
"He's defiantly odd," Ryu admitted.
Gin mixed a special mixture for the blue lotus flower that she kept in a pot beside her bed. She hummed to herself as she thought about Idai heavily. As of late, she was having a lot of dreams about him. Gin had seen herself chasing him through the trees. She kept calling his name, only for her feet to slip out from underneath her. As she tried to find him again, Idai had vanished from her view. Gin wondered what the dream meant.
She poured the mixture into the pot. Idai's name was still carved on the leaf of the plant. She brought her hand closer to the plant, to stroke its petals as if it were Idai himself. Gin wanted Idai to return to the village. Without him, things were less cheery for her. She had become quite serious since he had left. Gin set the jug down. She stared at the lotus for a moment before she turned around to leave the room.
The lotus flower twisted its stalk as if it were stretching. The lotus dipped its petals as if bowing before it regained its normal position. Idai's name on the leaf started to move from it's position, down the stalk, into the soil of the pot.
Yanagi wiped her forehead as she left the training grounds from working out. She rolled her yellow sleeves up to give herself time to cool down. Kiba said she was coming along nicely in her training. Yanagi's goal was to be fast like her father. She wanted to be as strong as her boyfriend so she could work beside him on missions. Yanagi smiled at the thought of Daiya walking along side her on a mission. It was a definite goal!
Yanagi kept to the back roads of the village so she could have peace and quite. She didn't like being surrounded by hoards of people in the market and on the road while she was hot and sweaty. She flapped her hoodie to give herself more air. Yanagi smiled at the relief. She sure needed it.
As Yanagi turned a corner, she turned her head to look up at the trees. They were swaying in the wind. She turned her head back around to see someone moving in the shadows against the buildings. Yanagi wondered why someone was trying to avoid being seen. She quietly followed the person until she rounded a corner filled with trash cans. The person had disappeared, or so she thought. Whoever it was, knew I was on to them. She looked around the area.
As Yanagi tried to figure out where the person had gone, she sensed someone behind her. She whirled around to swing instantly at the person, her eyes narrowed. The person blocked her every move, ducked, and moved backwards to avoid an air kick at the head. Yanagi stopped herself from moving forward to throw kunai. The kunai dropped from her hand. Her eyes widened. "It's YOU!"