forgotten records [p]

[Kaeor]

He saw it coming, from the very back of her mind it just sort of clicked. The behemoth appeared from out of no where, it's towering and colossal body casting a shadow over the other participants of the war. And that's when it happened. As the beast roared the very terrain was shredded asunder. The disdain of foes and allies alike could be heard as the fighting momentarily ceased to give the combatants time to scatter and grip that fragile piece of hope. Once the greater threat emerged numerous shinobi immediately found a temporary safety of the company of their squads. But as Kaeor turned around to locate Misa or Kouhei, neither of the two were in plain sight. Before Kaeor could even question there whereabouts, the majestic bijuu stomped the very floor in an uproar causing several human bodies to lift from the ground and crash similar to lifeless dummies. Several dozen attempted to put down the unleashed beast but the bijuu easily thwarted their feeble attempts with little effort.

The Sunagakure ninja wouldn't turn around for the slightest noise. The agony of his brethren and enemies intermingled in the atmosphere sending a chill down his back. That very chill only motivated him to run even further away from the main area of battle. Yet even he knew there were assassins lurking about and cleverly taking advantage of the bijuu's appearance and confusion of others. It didn't help that the day was quickly vanishing too as the moon steadily rose into the sky almost as if it was some sort of beacon. Kaeor's feet carried him to a cave opening that was pitch black inside and vacant.

"I think I'm far enough." he muttered. He was tired and battered from combat and the long journey here. Unfortunately he still was in the middle of the war grounds and was sure combat would continue in other zones. He could only wonder how he would out maneuver the other meandering groups alone. For now though, he found his perfect piece and quiet in the dark cavern.

[Rin]

It wasn't as if it hadn't been hard enough; the war had already taken its toll on everyone. Even those that weren't involved suffered, and I knew I couldn't do anything to stop it this time. This--this wasn't something anyone had expected, I knew that. It was only a silhouette at first, rising from beneath the horizon as if it were the moon itself. My fist was balled, covered in crimson from the shinobi at my feet. I didn't even know what village he belonged to, except that he wasn't from Amegakure. My attention to him was fleeting, though, he was already unconscious and posed no threat. Not like the shadow that loomed over the battlefield. Over all of us.

Its call was deafening, and I felt the resounding shock wave from its bellow smash into me like a strong wind. Stepping back to regain my balance, I scowled up at it and turned to face my allies behind me. However, only silence and solitude greeted me, and I cursed under my breath before taking off down the rocky path. This place was foreign to me, and there was no telling what had happened to my squad; how the hell had we gotten separated? The chaos that . . . thing had caused was already tearing this situation apart, and now I could do nothing but run. My balance was taken from me as the Bijuu smashed the ground with an amazing force, rocking what felt like the entire world and even throwing the many lifeless bodies that littered the area into the air. I couldn't fall, though, I realized that such a mistake would likely be the end of me. All there was left for me to do was find cover, and what came next would have to wait, because there would be no 'next' if I couldn't get out of this alive.

My chest rose and fell with a visible intensity as I set my hand against a hard, rock wall to rest. Bending over, I decided I'd run far enough to take the time to regain my breath. In the distance, I could still see it. The monster, tearing the land apart as if it were nothing but a toy, and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to my comrades. Shaking my head, I pulled at the back of my hair and brought it over my shoulder, sighing. If I couldn't even protect myself, I had no right to worry about my friends.

"Tch," I scowled, narrowing my eyes on a cave just a few meters away. Thus far, that was my best bet at safety. Adjusting my Amegakure headband upon my left arm, I made my way slowly toward it, aware that danger possibly lurked inside. Before I was even able to step inside, however, I noticed the presence of a man. Unable to recognize him, I balled my fists and approached slowly, ready for the confrontation that was likely to ensue.

[Kaeor]

And just like that my had became completely invaded. It didn't take the abilities of a Uchiha's sharingan to see the bubble gum haired woman haphazardly moving towards the cave. Her ownership stemmed from Amegakure according to the village's insignia that she openly donned. With the darkness as my ally though, I found no danger in confrontation. The darkness would kindly give me the precious seconds just in case she desired to fight. Flight wasn't an option but the action wasn't even mildly considered.

My digits would pry a deadly combination from the forest green pouches at my waist. The items themselves would join together for a combination that was far superior than any other common item. By now I could see the indication that she was fully aware of my presence. Whatever she was capable of, I had no clue. Neither did I desire to entertain her to exhibit her capabilities. In a seasoned tone I spoke to this stranger, "Make sure you remember that your entering foreign territory."

My advice was sure tactic if she was smart enough to acknowledge such. For she had entering my dwelling without information or recon, there was no telling what misfortunes that I could've placed in her period of nonexistence. I steadily held onto the item behind my back in a pose that gave the facade of relaxation, quietly awaiting her response whether it be verbal or the physical type.

I had nothing to fear.

[Rin]

Now that I'd moved in closer, the entirety of the man's visage was within my view. Momentarily my eyes flashed to the silhouette of the Bijuu in the distance, before I once again focused upon the man before me. Despite the intrusion, this was still a battleground, and it was entirely possible I'd have to kill this man just to survive. My cerulean gaze narrowed upon him, taking him into full view--apparently he was a Suna-nin, and therefore an opponent. My mind closed off to the rest of the world upon this realization, leaving my worries of the Bijuu behind in order to focus on this confrontation.

"Hn." He was a cocky bastard, and I could tell he was preparing something from within the pouches at his side. Not only that, but there was no way for me to know for sure if he didn't have the place set up for a conflict such at this. With a scowl, I straightened my posture and shifted my weight, setting a single fist on my hip. Although my mind was ready for a fight, I knew it was illogical at this point, as I was disadvantaged. I brought a single hand up to my head, closing my eyes for a moment, but aware of what was around me in case he did attack me.

Why wasn't he attacking me right now? He was prepared, and more than likely this place was a better battleground for him than me. With a shrug and a deep sigh, I again cast my vision to the monster in the distance. Although I didn't want to admit it, I needed to find a place to hide in, where I could survive for a while. My whole body ached to run back and beat the living hell out of that thing, but I knew I'd just be throwing my life away. The only thing there was for me to do was wait until someone else resolved the situation.

Ridiculous, I thought, turning to stare straight into the man's eyes before me.

"I hate to say this," I said, my face contorted in discontent. "But I don't see any sense in fighting in this situation; we'd be better off helping each other out." God, damn I wanted to wash my mouth out. It hurt saying that, but I promised myself he'd be dead when everything was over. In a fair fight.

[Kaeor]

The bluff was left unchecked, the female smarter than what he initially understood. She realized that I had the upper hand in this game and wasn't willing to risk her soul in order to take a peek at my cards. With a calm interest I allowed her image to grow into a memory, that irregular hair color becoming the trademark of her presence. Without hesitation she addressed me and cast upon my form an explanation that I never required. I had been fine before she managed to venture into my enclave. My hope that I could find my way back to Sunagakure through nightly ventures were enough to keep me motivated. But now she insisted on a method of teamwork to increase our survival chances. I was all for the idea of living, but I wasn't naive enough to believe that someone who had just finished murdering others on the battlefield like myself could be trusted with their word.

"I guess the situation could be beneficial for the both of us. But why would I believe you would hold your word? And what makes you so sure I'll just go along quietly. We are in a war, are we not?" After my just comments were released I reclined against the jagged adges of the cavern walls almost as if I was attempting to sink my form within. To be honest the thought of deceiving the woman became imbedded into my mind, though the thought whittled away just as quickly as it came once I heard another grand roar from the rampaging bijuu in the distance.

[Rin]

I'd allow my head to tilt slightly to my left as the man spoke. His points were valid, and they were things I'd already thought over. There was always a risk with relying on a stranger, something I didn't prefer to do, but I wasn't willing to leave here and aimlessly wander around for shelter I might not find. My chances were slim, with the Bijuu moving ever closer. However it had been released was beyond my comprehension at the moment, but I suspected that if this one had been, so, too, did the others. What that meant was the world had quite a bit of destruction in its future, enough to rattle the confines of all order established.

Before I answered I turned from him and allowed my back to rest against the large boulder behind me. With a sigh, I sunk to the floor and sat, fumbling through the maroon pouch wrapped about my left leg until I found what I wanted. Despite what it looked like I was retrieving, it wasn't a weapon, and I hoped he wouldn't act too soon--no, it was only a simple sketchbook and a pen. The ink hit the white canvas, and suddenly I began to bring to life the Bijuu in the distance. This one, however, I could control; its existence was mine to bend and contort however I wished.

"What kind of proof do you want me to give you? I've got nothing, and I doubt anything would really convince you I'm not lying," I said, still continuing to draw. Every once in a while, I'd glance up at the immense shadow in the distance before continuing my work. Somehow, it relieved stress for me, and my rigid, tense body began to visibly relax as I drew. "I've also got no reason to think you'd ally yourself with me," This time I looked up at him sternly. "But I don't see much gain for either of us from fighting now."

For a few moments after, I would continue to look straight into his eyes, if he allowed. Then, abruptly, I would return to my artwork. The Bijuu itself was nearly halfway done, but in surprising detail. Tilting my head, I tapped my pen against the sketchbook as I considered how to continue it.

[Kaeor]

The truth splashed against my ears, the woman a bit more serious than I preferred my women. Then again I did carry the unusual knack for delight in the unexplainable. Such circumstances that she brought upon me now forced me to feel a bit weird. I would have completely doubted someone if they told me I would be in this exact predicament previously. To be truthfully honest, she was rather enticing to say for the least. I would hold such words on my tongue instead of telling her anything of the such. If I did, I would openly show the weakness that danced around my chest. And she looked like someone who would expose that fault in my armor all too well.

Seconds later she slumped on the ground and began to reach towards her own pouch. The fear of an attack from her never danced through my mind. Yet my curiosity elevated once she pulled out an object which I was led to believe was some sort of diary. Even in this madness she was able to control her sanity, a trait lost by many when the bijuu first appeared. Sternly I would look at her, my true intentions ever so surreptitious.

"Well I'm sure that even in a time of war, you haven't lost your manners. Or is it common culture in Amegakure to invade the dwellings of others without giving out any sort of information." The blows to Amegakure were silently juxtaposed to the chords that held her heart in rhythm. Or at least that's what it looked like.

[Rin]

I gave a light sigh, one more of relief than anything, as I felt my body finally relax. Ever since the war started, my body had been so tense I'd felt like I had boards strapped to my limbs. Somehow, drawing like this was a sort of release, I suppose. It wasn't so much that I disliked the fighting as it was how I'd seen it effect everyone. What the Suna-nin said had no effect on my relaxation.

Though he insulted myself and Amegakure, I just grinned. Why did I care what he said about me or my village? He was nobody.

"So that's a yes, then?" I asked, again turning from my incomplete work and up to the blonde-haired man. Frankly, I wasn't worried about him turning on me--if he did, I'd either beat him until he gave up, or kill him. With that said, I allowed my vision to fall back to my work. Now the Bijuu was nearly complete, save for its monstrous head, and I began scratching at the paper with my pen once more. Soon, it would be filled in and the Bijuu complete, trapped in a prison of endless, ashen white.

Once done, I'd give a sigh and toss the pen and paper to the floor beside me. The Bijuu was moving closer now, and I couldn't help balling my fist in frustration. My comrades could be dead underneath its feet, and I wouldn't know. Pushing up from the hard floor, I dusted myself off and stretched a bit. The clothes I was donning at the time were far from my preferred wardrobe, but Amegakure insisted that we utilize similar war-gear in order to work better in unison. Mostly, the long, dark pants felt restrictive.

[Kaeor]

"It's whatever you want it to be toots." The attitude of this shinobi was horrendous and illy placed upon my shoulders. Either she considered herself too much or possibly cared for her village too little to give a response to my question. She didn't even attempt to give me as little as her name which I had requested, a show of poor choice on her side. I was wrong when I reached the conclusion that this was going to be "teamwork". No, it wasn't teamwork at all. It was merely the both of us on the fringes of extinction hoping to deny the reaper that which he lusted for so carefully.

But it wasn't until I heard the snap of a twig that I would avert my attention to the cavern door. Someone was surely coming as I pressed my frame into the cavern walls even harder, almost as if I would phase into the rock itself. Slowly they grew in focus to that of what I could only suspect to be a Konoha Jounin. But unlike many other jounins his skills didn't show in his face. Fear plagued his skin and beads of sweat danced down his hands. The appearance of the bijuu probably made him shit himself with the pungent odor coming from his pants and now he was looking for a place to hide at. Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood to have another accompany me, especially with the foul attend this Amegakure shinobi displayed. The tagged kunai that was meant for her would be flung forward, concealed by the indisputable darkness. It's penetration would stop due to how tight the vest was that he had gathered but moments later everything would interrupt into a small explosion once I completed my seals.

Standing now I walked towards the entrance of the cave and looked at his lifeless frame and the blood that he couldn't contain and pried the backpack of supplies that he wouldn't need any longer. "Lets move out. They'll be others coming to investigate the explosion pretty soon and I would think it would be best if we found a different hiding location for now." Even though she was quite the stuck up damsel, one could always find voice in reason.

[Rin]

I flashed him a bit of a glare at "toots," but bent down to pick up the sketchbook and pen I'd tossed. Then, I stashed them back into the maroon pouch over my left leg. My intentions were not murderous, however, they soon became so at the sound of foreign footsteps. Since I was not actually within the cave, and only near a rock across from it, my vantage point was sub-par compared to my newfound ally's. To my own dismay, my tense, battle-ready mood was ruined completely when the enemy fell in a single blow.

"Hn." My attention to the dead body was fleeting, and I simply allowed the Suna shinobi to gather whatever supplies he could as I made my way into the cave. My intentions were nothing more than to investigate the cave out of curiosity, and when the man's voice fell upon my ears again, I simply nodded in agreement and turned to make my way out.

Since the region was mostly mountainous, there was no straightforward path. All we could do was weave in and out of rocky crags and natural pathways, leaping from rock to rock and sliding down slopes. Now the moon had nearly completely overtaken the sun's place in the sky, and the last bits of warm color were fading from the horizon.

"Rin, by the way," I said. Was I trying to be kind? No, that wasn't quite it. Still, there was no reason for him to not know my name, if we were going to be surviving together.

[Kaeor]

Rin.

The name easily rolled off the tip of my tongue with an unbearable amount of pleasure. It was puzzling that for someone that carried herself with such confidence, she used a name that was a bit too regular for her to own. I didn't mind such though. For behind her name she was someone that I could only believe to be quite wise and powerful. Or at least that was what her swag told me about her.

My eyes glistened in the heat of the sun and the roar of the uncanny bijuu. If we headed southwest then we would be going away from the bijuu but heading towards lord knows what. Still that was the safer bet of course and I was pretty sure that Rin would understand my intentions. If she didn't then so be it. She would have to await the company of the bijuu. My drained eyes looked towards her for a final time wondering how she felt about all of this. It wasn't as if I truly cared, yet I was genuinely interested in the emotions she never seemed to express.

"Lets go!" I uttered before shooting out of the cave. I would then make my way towards the looming trees and continue to gain distance away from the bijuu as I hopped from branch to branch.

"Kaeor. Kaeor Akegarasu" I stated loudly. Hopefully she had heard me because I would not be repeating myself.

[Rin]

Our form of travel was quick and efficient, despite the mountainous terrain and lack of any real path. Since I'd only get irritated if I allowed my thoughts to loom on why we were traveling as we were, I decided I'd need to occupy my mind somehow. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could think of that didn't relate to the current crisis somehow; my team, the war, what would happen in the future, how the Bijuu would be dealt with . . . all of them revolved around what was happening here. My voice rang out just loud enough for Kaeor to hear before I even realized it as I glanced back at the silhouette in the distance, which grew smaller and smaller as we went.

"Kaeor, huh? Alright, Kaeor." With a nod, I glanced over to him. "What do you think about this? I don't think this any village's doing."

So much for taking my mind off of the topic. With a shake of my head, I leaped from a tree and landed softly on the ground; there were no more trees for us to land on, as we'd come to a steep cliff. Light on my feet, I again took a small leap and landed against the downward slope of the cliff, applying just a bit of chakra to my feet as I slid down it. A wave of dust kicked up behind me as I raced downward, but soon I found myself standing at the bottom of the hill once again surrounded by the mountain's trees. Assuming Kaeor would follow, I again endeavored to race through the mountain using the trees as my pathway. There wasn't any sign of shelter, as I'd feared, but we were left with little choice in the matter--sooner or later, we'd find a cave or hole to house ourselves in. If Kaeor had indeed kept up with me, I'd speak again.

"Maybe I'm over analyzing things." Despite all of this, I didn't feel like a village would just let a Bijuu go. There was a lingering doubt within me that any of the villages had developed a way to reliably control the Bijuu, so unless a Jinchuuriki messed up somehow, this was something else's doing.

[Kaeor]

I couldn't bring myself to say a single thing. Even though on the exterior I was calm, the beat of my heart had increased by double since we had left the safety of the cave. It wasn't that I was afraid of anything that would happen now. But it was that my guard had increased and senses had heightened to unreasonable levels. To explain it on a lower level, one could just say I became a shitload more sensitive.

Rin's question had been a intriguing one indeed. There wasn't a single village that would dare to part with one of their sealed bijuu. It would be completely unlike them to even risk that magnitude of power. But for some reason one had emerged despite the calculating reasoning that Rin provided. "I doubt it. That beast didn't look like it was a jinchurriki just controlling it either. It was more like something wild. My best guess would be that someo-"

Before he could finish his statement, he could see the tag shining ever so brightly below him. He had activated it but was now quickly bounding ahead of it. Unfortunately he had Rin trailing behind. The predicament of the female wasn't one that anyone could have liked.

[Rin]

I had no excuse. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I had missed it, save for carelessness. Once I had slid down that cliff, though, there was no avoiding it. It was much too close, and there wasn't a way for me to get out in time. There was a sudden explosion, and I felt the immense heat smash against my body as the concussive force from the explosion did. Though I wasn't close enough to truly be harmed by the explosion, that was far from my worries. Now the cliff was collapsing, and I was hurdling through the air uncontrollably. With a flip, I righted myself, before coating the bottom of my feet in chakra and pushing off of the air. It was a technique not many knew, and originated in a style coming from my homeland--so, as I jumped off of the air and redirected my momentum away from the stone wall I was hurdling toward, I had to change my focus. Now I was falling a great height onto a large amount of rubble, and whoever had set the tag would likely be there to catch me. To kill me.

Another flip and a light roll later, I found myself on sturdy ground once again. Before I could get out, though, I was surrounded. Their headbands had the symbol of Takigakure. Fallen into a trap like an animal, I was suddenly someone else's prey, and I was far outnumbered. Scanning my surroundings quickly, I deduced that there were eight of them, two of which wore flack jackets denoting them as Chuunin-level shinobi.

"Tch." Scowling, my cerulean gaze continued to dart this way and that, ready to react when one of them moved. For now, I brought my fists up, my left in front of my right, ready to fight back. There was no way in hell I was going down here, even if things looked as bad as they did. Kaeor would move on, I knew--we had no reason to help one another when a situation like this would be the end of both of us. This was a perfect chance for him, even, so I held no hope of his arrival.

Only hope in myself.

[Kaeor]

I felt an gargantuan burden lifted from my chest through the sight of Rin traveling in a different direction via the explosion. Like some sort of ragdoll her body fought the winds and the explosion, but it was all just a waste of energy. Her image disappeared from my retina, only showing the death that she had to be plummeting too. Then it all happened without me thinking much or actually realizing what I was doing. Even though I had been moving top speed I purposely missed landing on a tree and rolled forward on the harsh terrain below. Gritting my teeth, I turned my body around and sprinted forward. If I didn't know any better I would declare this a moment when I actually gave two shits about someone.

Finally in a huff and puff, I reached the edge and could only see the doom that Rin was facing. She had been surrounded by ninja in light blue, Takigakure ninja to be clear. My mind spun about whether to continue without her or the such, but my hands instantly pressed together. The dance they weaved was one that only a few like me knew, it was a jutsu that hailed from heritage and blood. Once complete I only closed my eyes and outstretched my arms. Where initially the sleeves of my kimono had been empty, there was a slight rummaging from inside. Before I knew it my crows were shooting out rapidly, the beaked monsters soaring into the sky. In total there was around thirty that managed to appear from my single jutsu, a frightened number. Then just as if they knew what I was thinking, each and every one dived in small groups and would attack the shinobi. For they would never see this assault coming as the sharp talons, beaks, and wings beat against their face. Their guard had been completely thrown off, as I saw three genin fall towards the ground unable to fight back, their countenance scarred and still being devoured. The others merely were too preoccupied with batting away my creations to refocus on Rin at the moment.

I had just increased her slim chances of hope and gave her the opening she needed.