"Hi there" Normal Speech
"Hi There" Thought
"Hi There" Biju and techniques
"Hi There" Biju thoughts and techniques in head
Flashbacks
"Hi There" Normal speech
"Hi There" Thought
"Hi There" Biju and Techniques
"Hi There" Bijuu thought and techniques in head
Chapter 16: The Lotus Blooms Twice
"Enken Shokai Kouyou: Kaimon, KAI (Blaze Fist First Enhancement: Gate of Opening, Release)" Shouted Yamato his head raised to the heavens as he forced what little chakra he had left to flood towards his brain. Chakra poured its way through the first of the eight inner gates, located in his brain. Yamato moulded the chakra that banged on the door to the first gate, forcing it into his natural fire element. Fire elemental chakra flooded its way into the tenketsu point overwhelming it with a warmth that soon flooded its way through Yamato's body. The tenketsu was unable to bear the brute force of the fierce fire nature chakra and its doors burst open allowing for a flood of chakra to course through Yamato's chakra network. Chakra exploded out violently from his body blowing his surroundings away and make ripples in the sea. His eyes gleamed with power as blue flames encased his body like a force field. The flames of Yamato's Enken grew ten times in size as an abundance of fire nature chakra flooded his system. The wind began to pick up becoming violent as it coiled around the genin.
Yamato forced his body to stand so he could begin his assault. With the flood of chakra, Yamato felt like he could take on the world, but it was only an illusion. His eyes glowed with unrestrained power. He crouched low to the ground as the storm of chakra and fire began to die down, growing to a crawl, but not the least bit tamed. With a push Yami launched across the sand disappearing from sight, catching the pirates by surprise.
The pirates had been stunned witnessing the sight. The fact the boy had managed to call forth some hidden power and stand had left them in such a state they had forgotten their hostages and could only watch in awe.
Yamato appeared right in front of Shiina and Estella in the blink of an eye in a crouched position. He looked up with a burning hatred and before the woman could come to her senses a powerful bone-crushing kick connected with her chest launching her up into the air at an angle towards the cliff face. As she sailed up into the air Yamato jumped up behind her; fire poured out from his wrists like chains that wrapped around her entire body. The chains of fire constricted tightly restraining the woman and burned deep into her flesh making her scream. Yamato reached out latching onto her sides and began to spin.
"Enken: Omote Renge (Blaze Fist: Front Lotus)!" Fire encased both fighters as the two turned into a spiralling drill of fire that sailed towards the location of the cliff. As they approached Yamato disengaged and sent her sailing towards it like a high-speed missile. The woman crashed head-on into the cliff as fire blossomed out like a flower. Cracks ran up the length of the cliff as a third of it broke off as debris. The woman could only scream as the debris fell on her battered form crushing her beneath its weight. Whether she was dead or alive, no one knew.
Yamato landed on the sandy golden shore hunched over his entire body aching from the use of the lotus. His knees buckled as he looked up with a burning desire to destroy Blackbeard. It wasn't enough to just kill his first mate; he had to finish the job. The youth had lost all reasoning; his mind was a mess. It didn't matter to him that the pirate was a logia user and couldn't be hurt, he only had one thought, and that was to kill. The single aspect to kill clouded his judgement and was driving him insane. Yamato threw his arms out to the side his bones cracking as he released a loud beast-like roar that seemed inhuman. The flames around his body were beginning to die down becoming a flicker.
"It's not enough!" screamed the young shinobi as chakra swept across his body. His skin began to flake away as the fire came life again, the once weakening flames grew exponentially in size consuming his body once more.
"Shunkan Kouyou: Kyuumon: Kai (Second Enhancement: Gate of Healing: Release)!" roared Yamato to the heavens as his fire nature chakra poured into the second gate located in his brain. Chakra poured into the gate and forced it open allowing an intense heat to erupt from Yamato's body. As the second gate was released Yamato shot forward faster than the human eye could see.
"Fast! To fast! What is this?" Before Blackbeard could even react Yamato had appeared directly in front of him, a flaming fist connecting with his gullet only for his body to disperse into the earth, "This can't be my devil fruit...it can barely keep up! This boy he was not this strong earlier what is he!"
Yamato moved around the pirate disappearing from view creating after shadows as he lashed out, blow for blow connecting against the pirate's devil fruit body, making earth explode on impact. His speed continued to rise every passing second growing faster and faster. Small craters formed in the sand around the pirate everytime the genin kicked off, heat washed over Blacktooth with such intensity it felt like he was in the middle of hell.
"NOT ENOUGH!"
Yamato poured the pressure on as his will to win started to grow. He had to win; he needed to win. Yamato launched into the fray once more as he forced chakra through both the first and second inner gate keeping them open. He could feel his chakra flooding into his muscles forcibly increasing his physical strength and speed once more, and re-energising him from the inside giving him a second win. Deep within his core, he could feel something flooding into his system a new found power rising to the surface, a power that empowered him with the will to win this battle. Unbeknownst to Yamato his hands changed colour turning black and seemed to glisten like metal.
Yamato roared as he appeared before Blacktooth, a fire encased fist landing a direct blow to the Pirate's gullet. The pirate's eyes widened lips parting as the tiny gasp of air escaped from his lungs and his body went sliding back, liquid earth dripping from the wound.
"Bakana (Impossible), the boy….he's using haki!" Blacktooth skidded back across the beach battlefield. He clutched onto his gullet with his right hand looking up at his small opponent as steam began to rise from the boy's body.
"What is this! The boy was not using Busoshoku Haki (Colour of Armament) earlier! Is this some trick." Blacktooth gritted his teeth and turned his lower half into liquid earth and propelled his body towards Yamato with the force of an earthquake.
"YOU LITTLE RUNT DIE!" roared the angry pirate, his arms shifting into giant earthen fists before turning a metallic black. If the boy was going to use the hardening ability of Armament Haki then so would he. He would not allow some pubescent runt to shame him so. Blacktooth was going to rip this runt limb from limb.
Yamato simply watched on unphased by his foes' actions, even as the giant man descended upon him. Chakra flooded his veins as he slammed his fists together. Yamato forced both feet into the ground facing Blacktooth head-on. He slowly drew his arms back, flames spread up his limbs and moved like ocean waves. Yamato drew in a deep breath as he continued to feed the flames increasing their strength. A blistering heat like that of a sun overcame the entire beach turning sand to glass, making the ocean to bubble and steam.
"Hachimon Enken: Mokushi Kaen (Eight Gates Blaze Fist: Apocalypse Flame)!" Yamato brought both arms forward extending them out in front of him and unleashed the fury of his flames. Two bright angry red streams of fire roared out like a raging pair of unruly dragons as they spun around one another slowly fusing together as they blitzed across the battlefield shattering glass and splitting the terrain in two. The flames began to grow in size absorbing the surrounding oxygen, fuelling their body. The heat pushed through the air creating waves as the sand began to boil. Fire connected dead on with the pirate washing over him and crashed down upon the beach spreading out to the ocean. Steam rose into the air the moment flames met water the sheer heat evaporating the ocean seas. Neither opponent saw a flash of white followed by the disappearance of Shiina and Odin; both were far too preoccupied with the other.
Yamato stood at the end of the raging inferno as the flames continued to rise, rising high into the heavens. The sheer size and height of the flames were greater than anything he had ever created, consuming all in their wake. The height of the fire was so large that it could be seen from the nearby islands drawing the attention of the people who lived there making them point and stare.
"YOU BRAT!" came the angry cry from within the flames as liquid earth rose up from within and crashed down upon the fire. Mud washed over the flames smothering them out as the smouldering aggravated form of Captain Blacktooth was revealed. Burns licked across the right side of his face, his clothing in tatters as he took an angry step towards the boy. All but one of his flintlocks had been melted to scrap.
"This guy, he's a monster! But I can't give up, time to the next level! Even if I have to destroy my body, he must die!"
Yamato dug his feet into the sand once again as he let his chakra flow through the third gate. He could feel the gate resisting his attempts at opening, but he forced his chakra through, forcing it open with sheer determination. The third gate flooded open allowing his chakra peak once again, consuming him in a glorious blue blaze. As it did his skin began to turn red as the flow of blood increased throughout his body.
"Sanban Kouyou: Seimon, Kai (Third Enhancement: Gate of Life, Release)!"
But Yamato was far from done. He held the pain in check as chakra surged onto the fourth gate, once it was released it would be time to attack. He felt his body crying out for the pain to be over, but he pushed through. His only desire was to prevail and end Blacktooth for all the misery and suffering the man had caused.
"Yonban Kouyou: Shoumon, Kai (Fourth Enhancement: Gate of Pain, Release)!" Yamato bit back a cry as that that moment the fourth gate had opened, he could feel the muscles in his legs beginning to tear apart as if thousands of tiny blades had been inserted beneath his skin. He hardened his resolve, willing power into his limbs. Yamato took a step forward as his chakra turned green and wrapped around his body moving like a vicious tornado. The pain Yamato had felt suddenly washed away. Green chakra and blue flames mingled together before exploding outwards. Black flame-like markings began to rise from his hands running up his arms. The markings joined together turning both of his arms a metallic black before the black flames spread up his face giving him a demonic appearance.
Yamato crouched to the ground, ignorant of the strange occurrences with his own body, "I am going to defeat him!" A powerful conviction spread through his body, as circular dark purple ripples erupted from his entire body washing over the entire island. Animals collapsed under his will, and every weak-willed human on the island fell into a deep unconscious, foam frothing from their mouths. The ripples washed over Blacktooth causing his senses to run wild with fear.
"H-H-H-HAOUSHOKU HAKI (Conqueror's Haki)!" Blacktooth could barely believe his eyes at what he was seeing. The purple ripples continued to flood off the boy in droves with such effect various marine life began to float to the surface all around the island knocked out from Yamato's overpowering Haki.
"This boy is too dangerous! He possesses the King's Disposition. What kind of monster is he!"
Hakushou Haki was a unique power that only one in every several million was said to possess it. Those who wielded the King's Disposition were said to have an unlimited potential.
Yamato was unaware of his foes thoughts; he was only concerned with finishing him off. Unimaginable strength, like none he had ever felt before coursed through his body, his muscles ached, and bones began to crack under the intense force of four of the opened gates. His body couldn't handle the strain for long. It was time to end this. Yamato pushed off the sand immediately disappearing before Blacktooth's eyes and reappeared directly in front him. Yamato released a loud cry as he pulled his left fist back.
Blacktooth was brought from his thoughts the moment the boy disappeared, only to appear in front of him in an instant, "I didn't even see him move!" Egburt watched the incoming fist and did what he could to retaliate, "I will not allow myself to be brought down by this brat!" His pride, what little he had would not let him be defeated by this welp. His right arm morphed he used the Koka (Hardening) aspect of Bushoku Haki. His fist expanded to five times its size as it made contact with the boys.
The moment the two fists connected haki clashed creating bright red sparks. Blue flames came to life like wings from Yamato's fist pointed back towards the boy. The flames coiled around the boy's arm as a large shockwave erupted from the impact pushing sand away. Blacktooth roared as he stood tall, fist pushing against Yamato's and the boy's against his, neither backing down as they fought for dominance.
Yamato gave a battle cry as chakra poured into his limb furthering enhancing it, but at the same time began to tear it apart. His skin frayed and cracked as blood sprayed out into the air. He could feel his muscles tearing and tenketsu shredding from the sheer power they were forced to endure. With a final push, fire consumed the earthen fist destroying it and blowing the pirate back across the terrain where he skidded across the dunes. Yamato came to a halt only to release a scream of pain as blood erupted from his left arm as it tore itself apart, falling limp by his side. His arm was reduced to a mangled piece of flesh unrecognizable, the skin was torn down to the bone exposing everything.
Yamato clutched the wounded limb biting his lip with such force it bled, attempting to hold back the pain. His entire body felt like it was on fire, with thousands of sharp blades cutting deep into his flesh, every movement was sheer agony.
Blacktooth stumbled to his feet clutching his right arm, the half from his elbow down had been torn to pieces, blood dripping from the wound, as third-degree burns travelled up to his shoulder.
"This is impossible, this kid he hurt me! He harmed me! He took away my arm I will make him pay!"
Blacktooth used his free hand to draw his only remaining flintlock and pointed it in the direction of Yamato, "DIE!" he pulled the trigger and with a loud bang fired the projectile.
Yamato's enhanced vision caught sight of fire leaving the barrel, and he moved even before the projectile left the gun. He appeared to Blacktooth's right, causing fear to appear in the pirate's eyes. Fire came to life before Blacktooth could even react, consuming Yamato in its blue glory. The flames spun around Yamato's right fist before a spark of purple began to grow, soon consuming the blue flames. The blue flames changed turning a dark shade of purple as malice rolled off them.
"Hachimon Enken: Mokushi Hakai (Eight Gates Blaze Fist: Apocalypse Break)!" Yamato's remaining right fist connected with the right side of Blacktooth's face. The dark purple flames washed over Blacktooth's entire body with such intensity that all the pirate could do was howl in agonising pain. The pirate dropped to the ground as a tower of fire erupted all around him. He attempted to morph his body into his earthen element but found it did nothing to protect him from the wild inferno. He watched on as the remains of his right arm dissolved away into ash. His clothing burned away, followed by the flesh on his stomach and back beginning to expose his ribs. He even felt the flames licking his right leg melting away flesh.
As the flames continued to burn, Yamato collapsed to his knees. His entire body felt like it had been torn apart. It felt like fire was coursing through his veins as his muscles screamed in protest, everything was in agony. Yamato had never felt such pain ever in his life. It was a hellish pain and one he rightly deserved for having pushed his body way past its natural limits. Activating the eight gates was suicide, and he had forced open four of them. Both of his arms had been reduced to mangled flesh, hanging limply by his sides rendered useless. His vision began to blur as the pain became too much to bear. He struggled to stay conscious, but it was a losing battle. The last thing Yamato saw was the burning body of Black Tooth howling in pain before darkness overcame him, and he collapsed into the sand allowing the bliss of the dark to take him away.
Blacktooth wriggled around on the beach screaming in pain as his flesh was burnt away. He had never felt anything so agonising in his life, his entire lower half had been burnt away by the flames, and half his upper torso was gone. His body lay there being eaten away by the flashes, the entire right-hand side of his face gone revealing only the skull beneath. The flames burnt away at his flesh to the point he could no longer scream as his voice was gone. A remaining eye flickered as a flash of white drew his attention before water poured down over his body. The water was like needles that made him releasing a soundless scream as it doused the flames.
"I don't do this out of kindness, merely to see you continue to suffer." A gentle voice like the wind but holding a strong intent to kill sounded out beside Blacktooth making what was left of the pirate look up. A figure stood crouched beside him, a hand on his chest as a strange green energy encased the pirate's body. The pirate's lone eye focused as a man in his twenties with golden blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes dressed in white sagely robes appeared before him.
"You should know your life has come to an end. I am merely keeping you alive so we can talk. Before we do allow me to introduce myself Uzumaki, Naruto the Shodai Uzukage of the New Uzushiogakure no Sato of Uzu no Kuni and I am the teacher of the three you have fought today." Said the now identified Naruto as he took a seat down on the sand, behind him were three clones, two carrying Shiina and Odin, as the third picked up Yamato. The clones held each child tenderly in their arms so to be cautious of their injuries. The clones nodded to the original before vanishing in flashes of white as they headed back to Uzu.
Blacktooth looked at the blonde in his dying state with fear. While he had not fought against the others, seeing what they did to his first mate told him like the boy he fought they were all monsters. If the students were monsters what kind of demon was their teacher, what power did he hold to be able to give them such strength?
"The flames have destroyed your ability to speak, so I'll be the only one talking. You nor your friend buried in the cliff don't have long left to live. You will die today, her within the next day or so. I've been watching the entire time and I did have the chance to interfere but chose not to. Do you know why?" The sage looked down at the man who parted his lips and attempted to speak, but no sound came out.
"Forgive me; I was having a little fun at your expense. You can't answer so let me. I won't also be there to save them, so this was good experience for them. Consider yourself lucky, thanks to this life and death battle with you they will grow even stronger using you as a stepping stone. Count yourself even luckier, I had intended to step in when your friend had an axe to my darling student's neck, but thanks to her and your actions you allowed Yamato to break through and even tap into his hidden potential. Watching you and him both wield it allowed me to obtain a little knowledge of its use, now with time I should be able to assist him in tapping into that power on his own." Naruto tapped his chin as he reflected on the appearance of Yamato's hidden ability appearing on the battlefield. He had recorded it deep into his psyche and would reflect on it properly when he had the chance. It made him wonder though, whatever this skill was it could harm devil fruit users. The fact remained that both Egburt and Estella had also used it, this made Naruto recall his other past opponents these last few years, they had also used it. Could this skill be learnt by just anyone? With a shake of his head, he filed it away for later to ponder.
"But I digress, before I bring things to a close I have a little experiment I want to conduct. You should consider yourself lucky to be my guinea pig. I have been contemplating these past few days, is it possible to extract the essence of a devil fruit from its user?" Naruto pondered this question ever since his encounter with the two Admirals Akainu and Kizaru. Could he extract the power of a devil fruit from its user and insert it into another? Was it even possible to extract devil fruit powers? If so what happened to the previous wielder.
The question made Blacktooth look up at Naruto like he had grown a second head. Who had ever thought about trying to extract a devil fruit from a devil fruit user after it had long since been eaten? Many had questions about the children of devil fruit users if they could use their parents but those questions hadn't been answered. There were many questions about devil fruits like why only one of each type existed and why when the user died the fruit reappeared in circulation, how did it even reappear in circulation? Many scientists had attempted to seek out the answers, but none had been found so far.
"Don't look at me like I'm crazy, I know more about these devil fruits then you ever will. I have only studied them for a few short years, but my findings have even astounded me. However my research is far from completed, the experiment I conduct today will surely help my understanding in the future." Naruto revealed a sweet yet sinister smile as he looked at the pirate like a slab of meat, in his eyes the man was already a corpse, but before he went cold the sage would conduct his inhuman experiment.
The Eternal Sage extended his right hand towards the man's chest, chakra circulating to his fingers. Naruto's hand began to dissolve into wisps of chakra like tongues of blue fire. Naruto's hand became ethereal as it partially turned his hand into a chakra like a state. As a being of chakra, it was easy to remove the flesh he had created around his true body and allow it to reign free. The sage reached down as his chakra hand began to slowly enter into Blacktooth's chest merging with the man's chakra network. As his hand merged with the man's chakra network, it allowed Naruto to obtain a sense of the man's being. Blacktooth's chakra network was buzzing, but his reserves were only larger than the average civilian. The man was incapable of using chakra as a lock was firmly in place.
Naruto's Rinne Sharingan changed shape bleeding to white as the Byakugan flared to life allowing Naruto to see the pirate's chakra system and secondary source of power. The two were wrapped around one another both feeding off the other and circulating throughout every fibre of the man's being. Every cell was filled with this power and had fused with Blacktooth. Naruto clicked his teeth as looked around for a core. His eyes headed up to the man's brain were a pulsation was coming from that was connected to the nervous system. Naruto inspected the core as it looked like a small brown flame flickering on the edge of the first inner gate. The strange essence wasn't just connected to the first gate, but it seemed connected to all eight. Naruto rubbed his chin with his left hand before he decided to try and extract the essence inside the man's chakra circulatory system.
Naruto's fingers coiled around the essence, the moment he did he felt a great force attempt to expel him from his inspections. Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously as he flared his chakra and used it to wrap around the essence creating a chakra binding cage and trapped the essence inside. The sage kept a tight hold over the essence as he brought his left hand down forming a fist before extending his index finger. Chakra circulated around his finger forming a chakra scalpel. Naruto brought the scalpel down towards the point where the essence met the chakra network and with a surgical slash sliced the essence off detaching it from the network. The moment the essence was cut off Blacktooth's entire body shook as he parted his lips releasing a silent scream. The pirate's only remaining hand reached up grabbing his forehead as his veins bulged out as pain coursed through his entire body.
Naruto ignored the man as he absorbed the essence into his being allowing it to circulate through his chakra body. The sage extracted his hands from Blacktooth's head and held both hands cupped out in front of himself. Naruto began to circulate the essence allowing it to come to life in the palm of his hands. He stared at it with an inquisitive gaze before he began channelling the Banbutsu Souzou (Creation of all Things). A clear image formed in his mind as the black flame of yin formed in his left while the white flame of yang formed in the right. Naruto began overlapping the yin and yang chakra natures with the strange essence. The three mixed as a rounded shape began forming in front of Naruto. In Naruto's hands appeared a kumquat the size of a basketball with a sandy brown like colour. The texture of the fruit was smooth, yet it had crack like markings all around it similar to dry mud when it began to break.
Naruto examined the fruit with a curious gaze as he held it out in front of his gaze. As he held the fruit out it drew the attention of the dying Blacktooth who had a look of absolute disbelief. Noticing this look a satisfied smile formed on Naruto's lips.
"From the look you currently can't help but express, I assume this is the Akuma no Mi you consumed. Whether it will grant someone your powers will have to be seen." The sage gave a flick of his wrist as the kumquat twisted in mid-air as space was distorted and the fruit vanished from sight. Naruto had transported the fruit back to his office for later examination.
The sage stood up and dusted the sand from his clothes. It was time to bring things to an end he had performed his experiment, and now it was time to end the pirate's suffering.
"I suppose we should bring things to a close, but before I end your life, allow me to illuminate you to the truth." Naruto's entire image blurred and began to change as it rippled like water. Horns grew out from his head as his hair turned white as snow. His cerulean eyes began bleeding red as the Rinne-Sharingan took their place. Standing over Blacktooth was no longer Naruto in his past appearance but that of his current one. The moment Naruto's appearance changed the single existing eye of Blacktooth's widened and began shaking with fear, how could it not? Standing before him was none other than the most feared being in existence Otsutsuki, Hagoromo.
The Sage extended his right hand, and a black ball began to form. The ball took shape extending into the form of a seven-foot Shakujo staff with nine rings at the top instead of the traditional six. Naruto clutched his transcended weapon and planted it in the sand right by Blacktooth's head.
"Know that not only did your death allow me to learn something valuable today, but the knowledge contained within your soul will help further my knowledge. Sadly once I absorb your soul, you will no longer be apart of the Samsara, the cycle of reincarnation." If it were someone else speaking these words, they would be seen as a madman, but every word the Sage spoke frightened Blacktooth as he struggled. He tried to call on his devil fruit powers so he could escape this godly being but found them unresponsive. As he struggled blood instead of liquid earth poured out of his wounds, he was no longer an immortal logia user but a simple mortal man.
Naruto lowed his Shakujo staff holding it over the man's chest. He had no need for this ceremony, but he found it amusing. The staff lit up as chakra circulated around it before flowing around the pirate's body. Naruto raised the staff and as he did an ethereal like shape began to rise out of Blacktooth's chest. The ethereal creature struggled under the hold of the Shakujo, but it was for nought. Naruto reached out with his free hand grabbing the man's soul and began absorbing it allowing the soul to fuse with his own. As the soul became his memories of Blacktooth's life flashed before Naruto. The Sage shut his eyes digesting a new wealth of information; he didn't care for the man's deeds he was only after the man's knowledge. The sage consumed it all and as he obtained it his eyes opened as a victorious smile formed.
"So it's called Haki. I knew Yamato was special but to possess this Haoushoku Haki that one in only several million will wield, he will go far. That is if he doesn't get himself killed" Naruto looked down at the Blacktooth's corpse, what remained of it anyway. Naruto extracted Blacktooths head before burning the rest of the corpse. The Uzukage sealed up the head; he intended to claim the bounty on the man's head and give it to Yamato.
The sage turned and headed towards the cliff face where with a tap of his staff the rubble disintegrated revealing Estella's battered and broken body. The sage tapped his staff on the ground and his appearance turned back into his previous with blonde hair blue eyes. Naruto then struck the tip of his staff to the woman's head and chakra coursed through her veins. The woman gasped as she awoke only to begin screaming in pain. Naruto tapped her on the head again, and a chakra aura of chakra engulfed her soothing the pain.
"Don't talk just listen. Your captain is dead. As for you, if I didn't provide you with a part of my being to enhance your vitality you'd be dead in the next ten minutes. You might be wondering why I do this? Perhaps it's the sadistic side of me wanting to know you will suffer excruciating pain until your death."
The Sage then knelt down beside Estella and performed the same experiment he conducted on Blacktooth, finding the essence of the woman's devil fruit connecting to her chakra network. Once he found it, Naruto sliced it off, drowning out the woman's blood-curdling screams and focused on creating a devil fruit in his hands. With the help of the Creation of All things a second fruit appeared a blackish silver apple, a steam sprouted out from the top and the leaves curved taking the shape of an axe blade. Performing a Kamui Naruto sent the fruit back to Uzushiogakure where it would appear seated next to the first fruit he sent back.
The immortal sage stood up sparing the woman one last look before he vanished in a flash of white, returning home.