.New Beginning.

[-Ayamai]

"no sunlight
the optimistic rose
refuses to fade"

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Forlornly my gaze was held upon the craggy, and most inhospitable landscape of Tsuchi No Kuni. Oh how I wished for the lush, albeit rain sodden, climes of Ame No Kuni rather than this barren wasteland in which I was now located. My melancholic reverie, however, would be interrupted by a sudden eddy that had deigned upon itself to throw all manner of rock and dirt upon myself and the few personal effects I had. Angrily I would yell out a curse to the gods who mocked me and had maligned me in such a terrible way as I brushed the dust of my tattered garb. Tears, unbidden, poured forth from azure orbs as I brought my fist smashing towards the ground again and again, heedless of the pain, the strain of the burden I carried finally breaking my stoic resolve.

I had no food or water, nor shelter I had no friends or allies beside me, for they had either perished by my side during the great ruin, or lay as fetid corpses, mouldering in the shattered destruction of my homeland. For months since the cataclysm, I had wondered these desolate climes, bereft of true purpose or companionship, scrounging for food and shelter. My once idyllic life had been twisted into this perverse hell I now called my existence. I had been the love of my family, friends and village, and now I had nothing. Why had the fates consented that I was worthy of their ire? Was I nothing more than a play thing of theirs? To be given such joy and then have it taken away in an instead? This sombre discourse, however, would be interrupted as I finally beheld the sanquine ruination of my hand. Had I been hitting my hand upon terra firma’s surface this entire time? Heedless of the damage?

And with that my melancholy would fade, replaced with an almost empty nothingness. My body would go through the mechanical motions of binding and wrapping my damaged hand. This done, I would gather my things and stand, ready to embark once more. To where? I knew not, only that my legs would guide the way. A small, wry smile placed itself ‘pon my countenance as a simple thought entered my mind. If I had hit the very bottom, was there no way to go but up? It seemed I held on to some of my former exuberance despite these trying times.

Soft footfalls would carry me over dirty and rock, bramble and bush as I walked with a small amount of newfound confidence. And then, my eyes would behold a rising amount of dust on the horizon...

[-Ayamai]

Keen azure optics would drink in the sight before her, shielded from view by a craggy out crop of rocks.Five ruffians, clad in ugly tunics and armed with an assortment of equally ugly and crude weaponry, rode bareback upon their horses, their casual pace kicking up a small cloud of dust behind them. They were naught but mere vagabonds, made all the more common for the tumultuous times at hand.

However, they were made all the more interesting by the curious sight of a child, bound and gagged, that rode with the largest and meanest of the party. A prisoner of war? A casualty of the chaos that infected the confident. Noble conscience now worked within Ayamai's mind, driving her to action, for how could she leave a poor, defenseless child to the deprivations of these mongrels?

Spurned onto alacritous action she would move in an instant. Through the power of shunshin she would move to disperse herself between the motley band and their destination. She had lost the element of surprise, but perhaps with a show of bravado, conflict could be avoided all together.

"I believe you boys have something I want, mind handing it over?"

[-Ayamai]

Looks of incredulity would cross the bandits thuggish countenances. Who was this thin, wisp of a girl to challenge them? She looked like a mere porcelain doll, to be smashed and broken for her galling impudence. These thoughts 'pon their murderous conscience would cause the expressions of surprise to be replaced with toothy grin's of smug satisfaction. Here was another chunk of "booty" to add to their ill gotten gains, why she was ripe for the picking as they say.

Arrogant smirk donning his visage, the leader would merely shrug a hand in her direction.

"Oh come on Poppet, your not scaring any of us boyo's with your saucy attitude. What's say you just come all gentle like over here and maybe I'll keep you around, perhaps plant a few arrows in your "whispering eye" to keep you happy. Whad'ya say?"

This comment would bring great hoots and hollers from the bandit leaders men who reveled in his disgusting approach to diplomacy. Hand covering her eyes Ayamai would shake her head disparately, these pigs would have to learn the hard way. A part of had wanted to rescue their prisoner with minimal conflict. Then again, it's not like she wouldn't enjoy pounding them and their sexist ways into a bloody pulp. Predatory, feral grin now upon her aspect she would casually begin to saunter towards the leader, fire coursing through her veins and igniting the latent passion that lay within.

"You think you could satisfy me!? Oh you sad,sad deluded little man, you best pack up your "prick" and be off, lest I die of laughter at the little boy pretending to play a man."

[-Ayamai]

Indignant fury would deign the features of the bandits leader as my mocking laughter rang through the current setting. Oh how his porcine mind tried to piece together the fact that indeed, he had been mocked. Soon enough, however, his rage would find voice.

"Kill that fucking bitch! I want her dead! You hear me!? Dead!"

And with that, two of the vagabonds would spurn their mounts toward me, no doubt with the intent to ride me down and spit me. Yet, who did they think they were dealing with? Was I mere girl? Nay, a mere soldier. No, I was a chunnin of Amegakure and they would learn the folly of trying to challenge me.

Fire coursing through my veins, igniting the warrior's passion within my breast, I would move into alacritous motion within an instant. With a mere thought I would pour chakra into my legs before blurring into instantaneous movement, appearing behind one of the bandits. A swift flicker of my left would dislocate his jaw and sending him crashing to the ground unconscious.

Eyes blazing with righteous fury I would continue my relentless assault even as my feet hit the ground. With another flicker my body would be gone, only to reappear next to his partner. Shoulder dropping he would only have an instant to widen his eyes at the impending blow before a fierce right hook would send him soaring through the air, eyes glazed over into nothingness.

Yet, even as this blow was delivered a stinging pain would suddenly assault my side. Surprise crossing my countenance I would reach a hand down and caress the hilt of the blade that was now stuck an inch into my side. Feet now safely upon Terra Firma I would grimace as my sanquine essence escaped from the wound, dripping to the ground. Cerulean optics would come to rest upon the bandit leader.

Only now would I notice his huge smirk, and the bandoleer of throwing knives strapped to his waist. Oh how my arrogance had blinded me, was this the end? Was I merely a victim to my own hubris?

[-Ayamai]

Incarnadine fluid now flowing freely through the wound in my side I would find that my hand had been called. It was now time to call up my proverbial ace in the sleeve. Optics would shift hues from that of the purest cerulean to the stormiest azure, swirling like a maelstrom. Around the iris flashes of brilliance would flit in and out, like lightning. Whilst the whites of my eyes would start to revolve around the pupils and iris like a nimbus of clouds. This was the right of my heritage; My Kekkei Genkai.

Awe would now strike the brutish features of the bandit leader and his two remaining henchmen. Did they know of the Sansutomu's mastery of the storm? Or were they merely entranced by the physiological transformation 'pon my form? Neither mattered, for they had awoken the storm that had lain dormant within and deigned to face its majestic wrath. Surprise fading, the two brutes would charge me as their leader stood by.

Verily my hands would move into alacritous action, mimicking the zodiac constellations, harnessing my chakra. Within moments I would summon forth eddying winds and mold them into the shape of a whip. Within this form I would also channel forth the essence of lightning, imbuing it within. Then, with a sudden flick of my hand it would be sent thrashing into the nearest bandit, shocking him into unconscious oblivion in an instant.

Not stopping their my hands would again move into motion as they brought my powers to bare once more. Chakra, like fire, coursed through my veins, sending ecstatic trills through my body. Water would form within mid-air, coalescing to form an orb within my right hand. Encased within a light flickered and sparked, bespeaking the essence of raiton within.

However, in the time it took to bring my chakra to bare my foe had come within mere steps of me, his rusty blade raised in a killing blow. Dexterously I would drop to one knee, avoiding the blade by a hairs breath. Continuing this movement, 'pon one knee, I would execute a quick spin to enhance my blow, catching the ruffian in the mid rift with my explosive pay load.

He would be sent flying into the air, poleaxed by my blow. Thus, it would come myself and the leader remaining. Yet, I could feel my body, slowing and weakening by the second due to the grievous wound I bared. How long could I hope to last without aid?