Gathering Darkness [Takeshi]

[akuthedemon]

A single, clear note rang out. The sound echoed eerily through the alleyways of Iwagakure no Sato. That note was soon replaced with another, higher-pitched sound after a short while. The notes continued to change until a simple melody was formed, although there was nobody around to listen to it.

Soichiro Nagese sat on top of a small wooden wall with a flute pressed to his lips, his fingers deftly moving across the instrument as he blew into it, creating blessed music. The reason that he had no audience was a rather simple one- the music was evil. It's difficult to describe just how something as non-material as a sound could be given such a qualifier and yet that was exactly what it was. Music to which Demons danced. Music that blighted the very land with it's sound.

The citizens may not have known the specifics, but anyone within earshot of the song would have felt cold and lost, as though the very life had been sucked out of the village. And yet- Soichiro simply continued to play the tune, completely oblivious to the plight of the villagers.

(Note: Sorry it's so short. I'm useless today. USELESS)

[Takeshi]

It had been some time since my surgery had finished... I had full use of my arms again, and though it felt weird to have the tubes within them, it was quickly becoming natural. However, it was something quite unnatural today which caught my attention... A ghostly whisper on the wind. I was drawn to it quite uncharacteristically, as it resonated deep inside me... Inside the tubes, I could feel the notes ring, and it sent chills up my spine. The tune was so deliciously evil... so sombre, and yet... I leapt and pirhouetted in glee, coming down with a loud thump. It was a tune that made my soul dance. Something so maliciously malevolent that I just had to find the one who made such a tune.

I danced here and there through the streets, my bulky frame lacking the grace of a trained performer, as I heard screams of people in the streets, afraid of me. I laughed in glee, almost a shriek as I moved; hopping from place to place in a weird sort of jig. I didn't care. The music made me do so, and I was pleased to do it. For with each note came a thrill, a want to do the darkest, most vile things imaginable... it was like someone had composed a theme song, just for me! And I was excited, intrigued, and entranced all at once. I would meet the maker of this music, and we would be allies. For anyone who could play such evil music was a friend to me.

I made my way along the side-streets, until I poked my nose down an alleyway, and saw a fellow dressed in purple, sitting there with a flute to his lips. I smiled. It was him! I came bounding down the alleyway toward him, and skidded to a halt, staring at his face, studying it, learning it. This man would be my friend. He MUST be my friend. I would not take no for an answer! I stared and stared, grinning widely as he played. I fell to my behind in front of him and sat, mezmerized as the notes continued, and swayed my head, like a snake caught in a charm. It was so... surreal, as though my head was swimming with thoughts that I had never thunk. It was chilling and sorrowful, but invigorating to me. I clapped excitedly and waited for the musician to stop, staring at him all the while.

His playing... it was glorious...

[akuthedemon]

Ants. They looked like ants. It wasn't that Soichiro was sitting high enough to make the villagers appear to be the size of ants, but how they all scurried for shelter when confronted by the malicious melody. A smile spread across his lips when the last of the villagers had cleared the area, but the change in expression didn't alter his song at all, a testament to his skill.

He continued for quite some time after everyone had left, playing more for his own benefit than anyone elses...when he heard something over his own music. He pulled the flute away from his lips and realized that the sound was...clapping? Someone who didn't flee in terror from his dreary ditty? This was somebody that Soichiro needed to meet...

Soichiro glanced in the direction of the clapping and saw...a boy? His size made it difficult to tell his age, but the boy did seem to be around his age. Maybe. Soichiro hopped down from the fence before he turned towards the boy and bowed deeply with one arm straight at his side and the other held across his chest.

"Always nice to meet someone who can...appreciate my music."

He stood straight up and smiled at the newcomer, "I am Soichiro Nagese. Who might you be, my large friend?"

[Takeshi]

He was flying from the fence, down, down... and then he was before me, bowing. I knelt and bowed to him in greeting, as he talked to me. He talked to me!


"Always nice to meet someone who can...appreciate my music."

I was in awe. I had no words for this master musician. I stood, my mouth falling open as I scratched my head searching for words, and he proceeded to introduce himself.


"I am Soichiro Nagese. Who might you be, my large friend?"


Friend...? FRIEND?! I smiled wide and jumped up and down clapping excitedly, shaking the earth around me a little. So he WAS my friend! I was pleased. So pleased. I had a friend now. But a look of shock hit me, and I realized that my new friend didn't even know my name. I quickly went to my knees and bowed again.

"I am Takeshi Akimichi, Nagese-Sempai." I began. "Your music is amazing. When I hear it, it makes me feel... It makes me feel wonderful, and terrible... but not bad! Intimidating terrible! Like people should be scared of me!"

I wanted to share my plan with this man, this musician, who had earned my respect with his skill. This friend who would surely want to help me. But I would tell him later. For now, I wanted to listen to him, and his music, and learn everything I could from him. He was beyond my comprehension on a scale of skills that I could only barely begin to fathom, and I wanted to imbibe any knowledge he could share.

[akuthedemon]

A shudder ripped through Soichiro's body as the other boy bounced up and down, his immense girth causing the very earth itself to quake underneath his feet. When the tremors finally died down, a smirk split Soichiro's face as he watched the boy drop to his knees. It would do no good to allow his ego to become swollen...but it never hurt to soothe it every now and again.

"I am Takeshi Akimichi, Nagese-Sempai. Your music is amazing. When I hear it, it makes me feel... It makes me feel wonderful, and terrible... but not bad! Intimidating terrible! Like people should be scared of me!"

Soichiro's smile widened even further as he took another bow, although this one was not as grandiose as his first, "It is my pleasure. As you seem to have noticed, I have a very...unique brand of music. Your description of it is more accurate than you know- Indeed, my melodies can turn even the meekest of peasants into the most ferocious monster you've ever had the misfortune to lay your eyes on."

He straightened and brandished his flute again before continuing, "I can already see it in your eyes- You yearn for a sample of the power that only I can grant you." Of course, Soichiro realized that he was being overly dramatic about the entire spectacle...but it'd been a while since he was allowed to show off. He tapped the fence behind him and smiled at the boy, Takeshi, "Punch this twice."

If Takeshi followed his request, Soichiro would have pressed the flute to his lips and began another tune after Takeshi connected with his first punch. This melody had a much higher tempo- It was battle music.

SPOILER: Click to show

Genkaku no Jutsu (Illusion Trance Technique)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Ototon Genjutsu
Range: See special!
Special: Range depends on user' Takameru rank. Effective for as long as the user continues playing. Up to one effect can be boosted or diminished at any given time (-+50%). Once the tune is finished, those subjected to it will suffer the opposite effect of whatever the flutist chose for them, for the same amount of turn. The following can be altered:


D ~ Perception
C ~ Endurance
B ~ Strength
A ~ Speed
S ~ Chakra


Description: With this technique, the user of the Mateki can choose to play a tune that harmonizes with nature and the chakra networks of those all around. Depending on the song, the user can essentially imbue a specific status effect that can either benefit or deter those within selective earshot by casting an illusion on them that makes them belief they have been blessed. With this mentality, the user pushes their own body further than normal in order to achieve this 'blessing.
Domain: Ototon. Must use with Demonic Flute. Must know Demonic Amplification.

[Takeshi]

"It is my pleasure. As you seem to have noticed, I have a very...unique brand of music. Your description of it is more accurate than you know- Indeed, my melodies can turn even the meekest of peasants into the most ferocious monster you've ever had the misfortune to lay your eyes on."


My eyes went wide as my sempai bowed. Power? MORE POWER?! He was capable of such a thing? A fire sprung inside my belly, and I felt overcome with the need to prove myself. I would be this monster. I would become ferocious, destructive, and evil. Well... I was already those things, but I would do it for show this time, and that made it all the more special. My grin was wide as he began instructing me, like a real teacher. My first command was simple. To punch a fence. It seemed crude, but I didn't care. I liked punching things. And smashing, and crushing, and stomping and...

But he had asked me to punch the fence... two times! Not just the once? I wondered why. Was he playing a trick on me? No... I doubted it. The flute? Yes! The flute! That was it! He would play the flute to increase my strength the second time, so he could demonstrate what he meant. I nodded eagerly. It was a good idea... a wonderful idea. I would learn what he could do, and I would get to show him what I could do... I could show him that I wasn't useless! Maybe he would take me as a student! And I could serve my dark master... then one day...

But no... for now, I would look at the fence. The stupid fence that my new master wanted me to punch. Okay, the big stupid fence. But what of it? It was just a fence. And I was a ninja. A big ninja. With big hands, and big arms. I grinned again, and stepped away, as I made a few handseals. I giggled as the chakra ran through my arm, and suddenly...

POOF!

My hand was almost as big as me! I giggled, smiling at my sempai, before winding up, and smashing my big hand against the fence. Then there was a new hole in the fence. A hole shaped like my fist. I turned my head to smile at sempai again, looking for his approval, before I heard the music start. There was a feeling inside me, a growing power that made me want to dance, made me want to kill... I smirked as I stared at the picket fence, and I punched it again. This time there wasn't a hole. There wasn't a fence. I smiled and almost started clapping, but remembered that my hand was too big for that, so I undid the jutsu first. It was about then that I noticed that I had some splinters in my hand, but they fell out as my hand shrunk. It was a little bloody, but nothing bad. I gave my sempai a thumbs up.

"Did I do good?"

[akuthedemon]

Amusement twisted Soichiro's features when he watched Takeshi put his hand through the fence. He thought that the boy was simply fat, but...it must have been muscle. It was then that he remembered what the boy had said his name was- Takeshi Akimichi. The Akimichi clan was renowned for their...unique brand of Taijutsu. Most people might be put off by an Akimichi's unsightly appearance, but when he looked at the Akimichi in front of him, Soichiro saw only opportunity.

It should not have come as a surprise that Takeshi pulverized the fence into splinters. After all, he'd had his strength amplified by Soichiro's music. Still...it was very impressive. The fact that the fence no longer existed meant that it was a sorry showing of Takeshi's true power. He'd have to find something more...suitable for Takeshi to destroy. Like a Ninja...

"Did I do good?"

Soichiro flashed Takeshi a smile and nodded, "Of course! But I must apologize. That fence was a sorry excuse for a test. I'm sure that you held back that first time, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to hit it a second time." He made a weak attempt to look around for something else that Takeshi could test his strength on, but Soichiro wasn't that concerned with it. "And yet, I'm afraid that there is nothing here that is more suited to your...abilities."

After he spend a few moments pretending as though he was attempting to come up with a solution, he snapped his fingers and pulled a scroll from a pocket inside of his coat. He unfurled it and showed it's innards to Takeshi. The scroll was covered in incantations and the like, but there were far too many to read in the short time that Soichiro planned to keep it open for. Of course, there was nothing of importance written there anyway. "This is a contract. If you sign it in blood..." He glanced down at Takeshi's bloody knuckles before continuing, "Then you will be able to call on my power at any time." He tilted his head slightly to the side and added, "Although...I will be able to do the same of course." The last part was mumbled and delivered quickly, but whether or not Takeshi heard it was of little importance. Such a small detail was unlikely to change his mind one way or another.

[Takeshi]

_________________________________________________________

...A contract?

I had to admit, the idea of being able to call this man to me whenever I had need of him sounded interesting... An offer I didn't think I'd be able to refuse. My power, with his power, would be... incredible! The very things sempai and I would be capable of... my mouth made a comical 'o' as I pondered of the possibilities, a little drool escaping as I thought of the wonderfully terrible things we could do together... I shook my head and came to my senses.

"Blood, you said you needed, sempaaaaai? I have some here... Let me sign the contract of yours... I quite like the idea of us working... together..."

I giggled nervously, as I held out my hand, rubbing my finger in the residual blood from my earlier splinters, and pressed it to the scroll. A long and flowing Takeshi Akimichi was spelled out on the page, and with a flourish, I smiled, and let my hand fall by my side.

So master... where do we go from here...?

I stood there, a little anxious, as I wondered what would come next. We had time, all of the time in the world, to plot, to plan, and to scheme, and it seemed we were slowly wasting it away simply standing here. I would much rather do anything, even... I smiled, looking at my friendly weapons.

"Perhaps training, that we might better gauge one another's capabilities...?"

[akuthedemon]

After Takeshi had signed the contract, Soichiro turned the scroll around so that he could see what Takeshi had written. After determining that everything was in order, he furled the scroll and placed it back into his coat pocket.

"So master... where do we go from here...? Perhaps training, that we might better gauge one another's capabilities...?"

"Well..." Soichiro started, "I have something even better." He rummaged through one of the item bags attached to his belt and pulled out yet another scroll, although this one was much more ornate than the first. He didn't unfurl this one, but simply held it out for Takeshi to take. It was a mission scroll...

SPOILER: Click to show

----Boy'z in da hood!

Client's Name: Jo Jonin
Client's Occupation: Shinobi
Mission Rank: C
Payment for completion: 1,000 Ryo + 50 EXP
Mission Subject: A group of would be teenage gangsters has been plaguing the poorer districts of Blast City, hustling down on their luck folk out of what little money they have. Go and give them a dose of Iwa justice and hand them over to the city's authorities.
Special Requests: This may be done solo or in teams.
Notes: If death or property damage is committed you can either be fined Ryo or fail the mission.

"I was on my way to accept this particular mission. However...I think it would prudent if we completed this mission together. You could test the limits of your augmented strength...and would that not be grand?"

Soichiro smiled and gently tapped the flute against his open palm, waiting for Takeshi's answer.

[Takeshi]

_________________________________________________________

...A mission! A test of strength!

How could I disagree to such a thing? A mission to test my powers sounded wonderful! Only, it seemed like sempai was taking marching orders from someone else... and I didn't necessarily like that. Nor was I happy to find out that the mission allowed for no casualties. My lips crinkled and I pouted as I read the fine print.

"I can't kill any? Not even one...? Aww...

It was a disappointment, but I would work within the confines of the law, for now, albeit spitefully so... I would do whatever sempai wanted me to, for the time being... And then, when we were finally strong enough...

I cackled and smiled.

"Well, let's get going, then!"

[akuthedemon]

"I can't kill any? Not even one...? Aww...

Soichiro smiled at Takeshi and he shrugged in response, "Of course. They might be troublemakers, but they do still have loving parents who wish for their safe return." His smile twisted into a smirk and he finished the thought, "But with that said...I'm sure they wouldn't mind too much if one or two of them didn't make it back. If you don't mind dealing with the minor annoyance that is the fine, of course..."

He furled the scroll and replaced it, "But...very good. We could leave together, but I think I will let you...experience the benefits of our contract for yourself. I will now take my leave, but be ready." Soichiro gave a slight wave and started walking away.

If Takeshi didn't try and stop him for whatever reason, [/Exit]

[marvolous.]

Takeshi: 37
AKUTHEDEMON: 45.

[Takeshi]

_________________________________________________________

Anger...

It wasn't silly, was it? I stood there, waiting in the alley, for my ally to test the power he spoke of. I waited, and waited, and watched the sun drift in the sky. I figured that he must be busy, so I paid it no heed, simply swinging on and off the balls of my feet, and whistling to kill the time. I had no problem waiting. It was easy to keep me entertained. I took joy in watching some birds in the sky, wondering how I might splatter their innards against a wall once I could reach their heights. The important point is that I kept myself fairly occupied as time went on, until I began to realize something. The sun was setting. And my partner had still not called me. I felt myself twitch in a bit of rage...


He had said he would show me this power, and yet, here I was, still, sitting in this lowly alleyway, while he was who knew where. It was irritating... infuriating even, that he had kept me waiting so long. I wanted to break him for trying my patience. It had been hours, and I had been there, just as he had asked, and yet where was he? Nowhere. Running off with my signature, and my DNA. For all I knew he planned to make some sick clone with it. That just pissed me off more. I felt my face going red, my veins popping in my skin...

It wasn't long before my fists balled up, then swelled up, and I was pummeling the buildings, smashing my large fists against the bricks in frustration and rage. That fucker had left me here! My friend! My new friend just deserted me!

"To hell with him!"

I punched through the walls, and vented myself out fully, finding it probably lucky that the building looked abandoned anyway, even though the thought of crime wasn't so bad. I had been wronged, and I would pay the bastard back if I ever got the chance. No one fucks with Takeshi Akimichi.

-&- Exit -&-