Chapter XIV - Hikari Notori of the Osore
Hikari slowly opened his eyes, looking at Konan's now motionless body.
"To think the most gentle of these people would be the one striking his comrades down," he sighed to himself. The soft wind moved his long hair to the side as he picked up Konan's body.
"It'd be foolish of me to leave her corpse here.. I might as well do as she wished and take her back to the hideout." He then performed a few hand seals.
"Shokan."
A tall, moist, white wall would rise from the ground. After a few seconds, it formed into a clay model that resembled a large bird. Hikari walked up to the model and placed Konan's body on its back. He also picked up Itachi's unconscious body, setting it inside of the bird's beak. He then carefully sat next to Konan's body before the model began to walk forward. It soon broke into a run before jumping high, spreading its wings.
"Up we go.."
Hikari performed a single hand seal, with the model now flying. Closing his eyes again, sudden thoughts of his past flooded his mind.
. . . .
"Hey, Hikari, let's go out and explore some more!"
"Yeah, c'mon Hikari!"
"Hikari!"
"Hikari!"
The blonde haired male saw a much younger version of himself surrounded by several children. All of them, including himself, were wearing Hidden Stone headbands.
He recognised this to be the day they all left the village in search of an adventure. Little did he know at the time, it was going to get all of them attacked.
"Okay, guys," the younger Hikari started, smiling at his fellow Genin.
"I know a way out of the village. Follow me."
Just hours later, they found themselves to be approached by Orochimaru, who has just slaughtered all of the children in seconds. Hikari was still alive and well, as he actually managed to defend himself against the Sannin for a while longer.
Hikari wiped away his tears as he trembled, almost dropping the kunai that he was holding.
"E-everyone's dead... who are you?! ...Answer m-"
"Hehehe... Striking Shadow Snakes!" interrupted Orochimaru, who was now lifting up his arm.
"Please... don't kill me!" Hikari cried out.
"Now why would I hurt such an interesting child? To kill you would be such a waste. No, you're coming with me," replied the Sannin with a wide smirk on his face.
"W-what did you say?"
"Hikari Notori... I said you're coming with me."
The next flashback Hikari saw was when he escaped Orochimaru's clutches after developing the Supido style. Orochimaru's experiments were a success, as Hikari was now able to utilise a secret ninjutsu technique that allowed him to implement his aura into jutsu.
"Hey! Get back here, subject number 2051! You're not going anywhere!" one of the guards yelled at the slightly older Hikari, who was fleeing the hideout. Hikari turned his head to reply to him.
"Yes I am. I'm leaving you people with what you gave me. For too long, that freak experimented on me! I'm done with you all! If you come any closer, I'll kill you!" he yelled back.
"For betraying Lord Orochimaru, you'll die a painful death. Attack!" another guard yelled. A sudden plethora of Hidden Sound guards appeared on all sides, closing in on Hikari.
I don't want to use what Orochimaru gave me, but I will if I want to survive... sincethat'sthecase...
"DIE!"
"Supido... Uratorasonikku ebu!"
Another flashback to enter Hikari's mind was when he first met Gyatsō, the leader of the Osore. Hikari had just returned to the Hidden Stone after escaping Orochimaru's hideout. However, the villagers harassed and attacked him for being with Orochimaru. He was branded as a traitor.
"Tell me, Hikari. What do you want to do in this world?" Gyatsō asked him.
"I don't know, Gyatsō," Hikari timidly replied.
"Join me. With your help, we can create a new world order! Your village abandoned you. They betrayed you for something that wasn't your fault. Do you not wish to show them just what they abandoned and betrayed?"
"I..."
"We're wasting our time with this guy, Lord Gyatsō. I say we should just kill him," said a black haired male that was standing next to Gyatsō. He was another one of his subordinates.
"Silence, Zuko. This decision is Hikari's, and his alo-"
"I want to show them... to show these Hidden Stone bastards what they created! I'll join you only if I can show the Stone what true betrayal is!" Hikari yelled as tears began to sting his eyes. Gyatsō smiled at the boy as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You made a great choice, Hikari. I welcome you to the Osore. Zuko, take Hikari back to the hideout."
"Yes, Lord Gyatsō."
The final flashback Hikari saw was when he was on his first mission as a member of the Osore. He was to capture one of Gyatsō's former subordinates, who betrayed him and escaped to the Hidden Cloud. Hikari quickly found him thanks to his Supido style.
"My name is Hikari Notori. I'm a servant to Lord Gyatsō, whom you betrayed. One day, I plan on visiting the Hidden Stone only to show them what I am. Yes, it's true that Orochimaru gave me some of his power, but it is I who serves Lord Gyatsō. Anyone who gets in the way will be destroyed, courtesy of the Osore. Fear us," he said to the bald shinobi that was crossing his arms.
"Hikari Notori, huh? I don't care about any of that, you're a dead man for coming to me. Water Style...Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Your defeat will be in an instant... Supido: Tengoku no AkumaSuraisu.
. . . .
Hikari opened his eyes as the bird flew faster. He looked to his side to look at Konan's body once more. He lightly touched her cold cheek, shedding a tear for his fallen comrade.
Konan... if only you suffered as much as I did. Maybeyouwouldn'thaveendeduplikethis. Ifonly...
Suddenly smiling to himself, he lookedup to the sky as the wind blew his hair back.
"If only."