the burning metropolis.

[Estilo]

Theme: “ACIII” Performed by Lorne Balfe.

---

Prologue

-- Months After "Old World Blues".



-- During the final year of the First World War.

BOOM !

"TERU!"

BOOM !

"TERUUUU!"

The metropolis known as Shi no Mori was falling. Bombarded by shinobi forces who sought to reduce the city to rubble, their relentless attacks came in violent waves. The "Endless Forest" was burning with a fire that seemed just as "endless". Clouds of black smoke choked the once blue sky above. Intermittent bursts of gray smog signaled the destruction of yet another stone structure. The dead and the injured were strewn everywhere, wailing and crying and whimpering. Rubble and blood and guts and severed limbs.

Amidst the chaos, a man fervently searches for his younger sister. Though a foreigner to this nation, he travels amongst the trees and the crumbling rooftops with as much ease as a native-born shinobi. It is clear that he was born for this sort of thing-- war. Bred to thrive within the ashes and smoke. As explosions shake the city to its very core, he stops at irregular intervals, his frantic eyes gazing to and fro-- firelight gleaming on his porcelain half-mask. "TERU!" He exclaims once more, at the edge of a hazy rooftop.

His calls, however, are unheeded by the one he calls 'Teru'. Instead, a two-man squad of enemy shinobi make themselves known, emerging from the gray cloud of smoke drowning the ground level. They stop at the center of an empty plaza, which is positioned at the forefront of the building the foreigner stands on, and one of them points when he notices the red-maned stranger up above. "SHINOBI!" The turbaned soldier of Kaze no Kuni yells, drawing a scroll from his sleeve, and immediately unraveling it with both hands. When the seal upon it glows. And, when he notices that it is pointed in his direction, the red-maned man explodes into a flurry of action.

Just as a wave of seemingly limitless kunai fire off towards him, he leaps off from the edge of the rooftop, towards a slightly singed tree nearby. Narrowly, he manages to land both of his palms upon the surface of one of its branches-- using the momentum to propel himself forwards with a swing. He lands between the V-shaped intersection where the tree trunk splits off into two, the sound of kunai stabbing into the wood that shielded him providing him with the incentive to keep moving. War. War never changes.

---

Author's Note: Private Flashback.

[Apple]

Shi no mori cried with the screams of its citizens.

And I ran - but this time, for a purpose. As I darted around the destroyed streets of the city, my shadow met with another consistently. Jumping over torn trees, dodging large piles of brick and concrete where houses had once stood tall, and avoiding the sight of any enemy shinobi. The place was in frenzy with so many people - innocent citizens screaming in their attempts to leave with their families whole and untouched, and the battle-cries of enemy shinobi as they closed in on them and tore apart whatever had been in a large lick of crimson. But not I - I was fast. Despite wearing heels in my run, I'd become attuned to them, almost as if the heel itself on the shoe was an extension of myself. But where was I goi-

BANG!



".....!!!"

I stopped in my tracks, my arm rising and growing tighter on the arm of the figure next to me - not enough to hurt, but not enough to allow my grip to be lost, as before me came a gargantuan explosion - we'd been so close. I could hear the voices coming closer and closer, screams - shouts, everything. The smoke proving as ample cover for us, I then looked over at the figure beside me before then turning my heel and moving in a different direction. Due to having constantly been taken there by my parents on weekends, I'd come to know Shi no Mori like the back of my hand, and the destination that I was searching for was, fortunately, easily reachable by many routes. Taking in consideration who I was leading, of course, I slowed my pace down somewhat, but - we had to keep moving. In a large wind of blonde hair I darted around each and every corner stealthily, moving through abandoned alleyways, stepping atop stones, trash and rubble in our move. And then I heard a soft, suppressed whimper. Turning in to another alleyway, I pressed my back against the wall, gazing down at the figure beside me - a little girl. By her appearance, she couldn't have been older than 6, bearing straight brown hair and bright green eyes - although the intensity of the shade was brought down slightly by the tears that had begun to fall. And I watched for only a moment as she pressed her teeth against her lips to surely stop herself from crying, before I then scooped her up in my capable arms, preparing to carry her for the rest of the journey. "..Come on now; It's going to be okay.." I whispered so soothingly. We'd been running for a while now and, all of the running coupled with the fact that she'd been split from her family in the frenzy had taken its toll on her. Moving my right hand to brush away the hair from her face, I'd then give her a comforting smile. "..Shh.. ..We'll find your parents - It won't be long now, I promise.." Softly allowing my index finger to daintily press the top of her nose, my lips twisted in to yet another smile as I set off again in a run, the girl held carefully in my arms. Of course, I had confidence in my words. Despite the fact that the evacuation process had been halted by a sudden attack by enemy shinobi, there were various points in the village where people were ushered to exit. Given that she'd been torn from her family around the southern side, chances were that they'd be waiting at the southern exit for her. Not only that, but I had a good feeling about it. However - if I was wrong, the eastern and western exit points weren't too far away either. Running through the streets and twisting through paths, I was determined to meet the southern exit as soon as possible; not for myself, but for the girl. Clutching her close to my form in fear of losing her to the destruction around us both, I kept moving. Another whimper as the shouts of bloodthirsty men rung through our ears, and the metallic sound of a blade pushing in to something. Her arms wrapped around my neck for support, shielding the Kusagakure band I wore, I tightened my grasp and kept moving.

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[Estilo]

Prologue, The Burning Metropolis [3]

---

SKRAA !

A terrifying screech rippled throughout the stagnant cloud of smog that hung in the sky above. Brief glimpses of what appeared to be a massive flying creature were permitted, before the red-maned Jounin was forced to turn his attention back to the danger at hand. The barrage of kunai had stopped-- for the moment-- and it was then that the soldier of Kumogakure no Sato kicked into action. From his position on the battered tree, he was able to run across the length of one of its thicker branches, before leaping onto the rooftop of a nearby building. This gave his enemy ample time to continue his assault.

Just as the Jounin's weathered black boots landed on the wooden surface of that rooftop, the turbaned soldier below had already drawn out another scroll. From it, a quick flash of white emerged, unleashing and realizing a seemingly impossible feat. Within a matter of seconds, a gigantic spiked ball was sent barreling towards the concrete establishment on which the red-maned warrior stood upon. His countenance contorted into one of desperate shock, chakra-powered feet propelling him high into the air moments before the massive sphere crashed into the building. Its destruction ensued!

BOOM !

The stone structure collapsed with a cacophony of disordered noise, a wave of gray haze bursting forth from its defeat, and washing over the war-torn scenery below. As the Jounin made his descent, he suddenly realized that he had powered the leap with no destination in mind-- other than away from the massive spiked sphere. So, with nothing else to land on in close proximity, he was forced into preparing for a risky landing on the smog-covered ground below. As he fell, his eyes caught sight of two faint silhouette's below-- the two Kaze no Kuni warriors, caught within the low-visibility of that gray haze. His hand wrapped around the hilt of his dagger.

He landed roughly on the shoulders of one of the men, drawing his silver dagger in a flicker of motion, before driving it into the man's throat. "Ackkgghggh... !" A spray of blood hissed upwards into the air, droplets of crimson landing on the Jounin's porcelain half-mask. The two of them fell in unison, the red-maned man riding his opponent's body to break the fall, before pulling the dagger across and out. He only had a moment to react before the turbaned soldier noticed his presence. Pushing himself off his most recent kill, the half-masked man would dart towards the last of them in a half-crouch. Bloodied dagger drawn, his eyes brimming with violence.

[Apple]

As I held on carefully to the child, I continued to dart around the streets. Had I not been so familiar with the place, I didn't doubt that we'd already be captured or even killed by the shinobi in the village - or.. not killed, I had no time for such concepts, after all. Although fear was very much present in my mind at the moment, not for myself, but for the child I was holding, I couldn't draw away from the strong adrenaline rush which pumped through my body, driving me forwards with each stride. It caused my head to become only slightly lightheaded, but I bathed in each little moment of it. Perhaps, had I been alone I'd have satisfied this and moved recklessly but - I was here for a reason. I had a purpose, and with the little girl so vulnerable in my arms at the moment, I couldn't fail this. Kusa no Kuni had seen too many deaths, and I wouldn't let hers mark another untidy grave. I didn't know her, of course - but I'd always been so.. protective of them. Such motherly instincts came as naturally to me as breathing.

Diving in and out of alleyways, blitzing past the figures of men who hung about the doors of houses, I kept moving - we couldn't be too far away now, but the thick haze of smoke was becoming so hindering. However - determined to succeed and reunite the brown-haired girl with her parents, I kept moving, taking in my surroundings to each little detail in order to navigate my way around the destroyed city. People ran, and I could hear screams, but I didn't let it stop me. In a flourish of blonde hair I sunk back in to the smoke, narrowing my eyes down as I gazed down at the girl for only a moment, to see her head pressed tightly against my collarbone. With my hand already cupping the top of her head to keep her close, I then went on to comfortingly smooth out the top of her head with my soft, pale hands. Of course- I couldn't say that this in itself broke my heart, but at the same time, I couldn't let it get to me.

Not now.

"..Ayy.. girlie, why you runnin'?"

"..Slow down 'n maybe we could have.. y'know.. a little talk"

A voice, so grimy appeared to my left, burning in my ear. Turning to gaze at the direction it had come from, I was taken aback by the sight. A shinobi - foreign, the band displaying the sign of Sunagakure. He ran alongside myself, his eyes peering at me as if I was merely some kind of slab of meat. Narrowing my eyes angrily at the glasses-donning shinobi, I then, accentuating my movement with a heavy dose of my chakra, would so elegantly glide my leg close to his before slamming my foot in to his shin. All I could hear was a painful scream as I saw his body tumble downwards towards the floor. Turning my head over my shoulder as I kept moving, I saw him, collapsed, clutching his leg, which, from my action, had bent so unnaturally in a strange direction. It had, however, saved not only myself but the girl as well, and I had no regrets. Pushing forward, with several obstacles already avoided, I could see the images of buildings aflame before me, and the cackling of enemy shinobi between each and every street, clearing it of its inhabitants in a bloody sweep. Of course, by now- I was tired, but I couldn't stop. I had something to protect - and that drove me forwards, making me almost immune to the fatigue that began to sting at my limbs from carrying the girl and running for so long. But it all led me to wonder - what did they, the people who were injuring the city itself, get out of this? I understood the need for excitement, and I was an adrenaline junkie alike no other, but even at wartime, the city held no grave threat to any of the hidden villages. Killing had seemed to become more of a sport now than anything, a once populated and joyous city now turned in to a terrifying battlefield for a large-scale game of cat and mouse. Exhaling, I kept running.

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[Estilo]

Prologue, The Burning Metropolis [5]

---

SPOILER: Click to show

War.



War is wicked.



Wicked and--



-- Merciless.

"Gft!" A deftly arced swing ended the turbaned soldier's response. His hands held a seal that had failed to live up to its full potential. The seal of the ram, shivering like a wet dog after a bath, held closely to a chest that was steadily being drenched with crimson blood. The man's throat, and the thin piece of red cloth that had been covering it, had been sliced open with what seemed to be surgical precision. Blood gushed from the thin injury consistently, deep brown eyes withheld an expression of shock and death-gripped fear. The red-maned killer skidded to a halt behind the turbaned soldier, his momentum stopped with a mere shift of his black-booted feet.

He would sheath his dagger, once he heard the enemy's body drop.

A majority of the gray haze covering the scenery had lifted by then. But the sounds of chaos, and the steadily growing cloud of black smoke up above, was still very prevalent. Realizing this was truly the battle that would mark the end of the once fabled Shi no Mori, the half-masked soldier grew only more desperate to find his younger sibling. His mind burned with scenarios, possibilities, chances, and whims. Maybe she had already evacuated? Maybe she was hiding somewhere, safe and free from all the smog and fire. This wasn't a world he wanted her to be in. Not for her-- not with such a sweet, innocent soul. And the prospect of losing her... drove him mad.

"TERU!" He yelled amidst the sound of explosions and screams. Stumbling towards the center of the plaza, he'd continue to exclaim, calling out to the partially hidden houses that surrounded him. "TERUUUUUUU!" He spun around slowly, desperate eyes looking for any sign of her. Her short, raven-black hair. Those bright, irreproachable eyes. Her honeyed, spirited tone of voice-- calling out for her Nii-san. But, alas, none of that appeared. The world was just as cruel as it had been a second ago. Nothing but the ashes and smoke of a ruined civilization to bring him warmth. Was this all that awaited him in the future?

His head began to pulse with a pain he hadn't experienced since... since Kami no Shima. This was too much to bear... but he wouldn't let it bring him down so easily. If Teru was still in the city, he would find her. If he had to tear down every wall, uproot every boulder and tree, kill a thousand men and more-- he would find her. And whether his comrades from Kumogakure no Sato assisted him in the search or not, despite their current evacuation efforts of the massive city, he would relentlessly continue to search until Teru was in his arms once more. The world had taken so much from him already. His comrades. His eye. But not Kurutteru. Never her.

Filled with resolve, he'd leap up onto a nearby rooftop.

[Apple]

Just as I'd anticipated, it wasn't long until I caught sight of the exit several meters away - although, at the distance we were currently at, it allowed me to see that the exit itself was swamped with people, although I was reassured to see some people standing on what appeared to be makeshift pedestals, guiding and shifting the crowds out, to try and get them out of the hellish city. The sniffles from the girl having ceased upon seeing the large crowd, I knew of course that this was simply going to be the next challenge - actually finding her parents from the sea of people that flooded the space. Her head having in the past been tucked in close to my neck, it now released itself, gazing out at the people before us, shouts and shouts of names reeling through the air as I approached. I didn't doubt that there were several couples frantically searching for their children, so at the sight of a girl being pulled out of the destruction, I was sure that perhaps I'd sent out a sense of false hope for some but - I knew that there was at least some relative of hers in the crowd. There had to be. Gazing around me at the surrounding area, I watched as those who were content with the group they'd amassed left, whilst the others stayed behind in hope that the people they were missing would come out of the haze. I'd seen too many bodies litter the streets of this place to say that all of the people waiting would be soon satisfied, but at a time like this, perhaps hope was the only thing that drove people forwards. Not even I could take that away.

"AOHINA!"

"MIYU!!"

"TERUUUUUUU!"

"LILY!!"

"MEGUMI!"

"Suzu!!"

From the numbers of names that were shouted in our direction as we moved towards the crowd, her head perked up at one, as her eyes began to dart around, as if looking for someone. With her currently held in my arms, I set her down for only a moment before permitting her to scale my back and sit on my shoulders, to allow her a better look of the crowd before us. It seemed to come quite close to the front - so there shouldn't be all that many problems. "MEGUMI! MEGUMI-!!" a strong, borderline scream came from the crowds, again causing the young girl to lean forwards to see, from what I could guess from tilting my head upwards only slightly, just enough to see her. "MOM!" as her cry was responded to, I watched as a woman burst from the crowd, her hair cut short, but notably the same shade as the girls. Setting the girl down carefully again, kneeling down to the earth, I then watched as almost the very moment I set her down, the woman took ahold of her and pulled her in to a strong embrace. Through tear-filled eyes the short haired woman looked at me, jumbling her words, but from what I could decipher; "T-thank you - thank you s-so much for .. s-saving my baby girl!" in a gratuitous, emotional tone. In response, all that I could do was give a simple nod, as I watched her usher the girl in to the crowd, where they could then prepare to leave. I admitted that the reunion had almost made me cry - but I was better than that. Closing my eyes and exhaling, I then turned, preparing to run back in to the city in search of any more survivors. With the city ridden with bloodthirsty enemy shinobi, no-one was safe. Paying a gaze to my surroundings again, I trailed my eyes across the fire-burnt houses and buildings, the torn down trees and the open-

And a figure with long crimson hair, on a nearby rooftop.

Not again.

I kept my gaze locked there, my body positioned in mid-movement as I searched the figure for any sign. It brought me back to all those months ago in the city of Kami no Shima where I'd seen him fall to what could have been his demise. No matter the words which he'd said, I still kept so much remorse for what I'd done, but in a way - it had changed me, and I wasn't quite sure why. My breathing became thick, struggled as I kept watching. Black, inky indistinguishable figures in flight had plagued my dreams, biting at my dreams and turning them in to horrific nightmares as I could then only go onwards to remember the entire events I'd been put through back in Kusagakure. It was so close now. I gasped for my next breath. I'd been haunted by images, coming to me sometimes in the light of day - but I believed them to be only hallucinations. But this figure? Had Atlas died? Was his spirit now vengefully haunting me? Breaking my mind in retaliation to what I'd done for him? The possibilities seemed crazed but I had learned not to truly trust anyone over this past year apart from myself and with so many scrambled messages coming from my brain, I wasn't even sure of my take on that anymore. As I lost myself, I could briefly see the rims of my eyes becoming swamped with a black mist, almost liquidious as strange shadows grew from the bottoms of nearby buildings. I tried to move my hands to my mouth as if to cover a scream but -

My hands were dripping with blood.
His blood - their blood.

My lips trembled and so did my fingers as they quickly became shaky.


"ATLAS!!"

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I screamed out to the rooftop - I had to know that this wasn't a dream, that this wasn't another twisted, horrific hallucination of my own creation, set out to tear down what sanity I had left.
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[Estilo]

Theme: "The Bitter Truth" Performed by Lorne Balfe.

---

Chapter One
Green Grass & High Tides



"ATLAS!!"

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That voice. He remembered that voice. And, as much as his mind tried to trick him into thinking it was Teru's, he knew all too well who the voice belonged to. It brought him to an abrupt stop, only a moment before he would have leaped off in search of his sister. Could it be? Out of all the people he could have come across... could that possibly be Blanche? Slowly, he turned over his left shoulder, a stern green eye taking notice of her with a seemingly indifferent mien. Blanche, the girl from the fields of grass. Their little encounter in Kami no Shima remained engraved in his mind. And, for a brief moment, he wanted to go down there and see how she was faring. Her presence on the battlefield, however, wasn't reassuring.

Their eyes met, his outwardly cold gaze locked with her bewildered stare. Her face, though milky white to begin with, seemed even more devoid of color now. It was like she was looking at... a ghost. Seconds passed, the silence between them greatly contrasted against the sound of explosions and agony in the background. And then, without warning, the red-maned soldier would turn away. Blanche appeared to be fine. But he couldn't waste another second dawdling, while his little sister was out there somewhere.

He'd disappear behind the cover of the third-story rooftop, a light jog building enough momentum to become a full-on sprint. Then, with a burst of chakra powering the soles of his feet, he would leap off towards the surface of an adjacent building. As he advanced, his eyes searching constantly for any sign of the one he was looking for, he couldn't help but to replay the scene that had unfolded in Kami no Shima, all those months ago. The casino lights, the hot yellow sparks, the nigh unbearable physical pain.

It felt like just yesterday.

When he realized where he was, he came to a sudden stop at the edge of a schoolhouse rooftop. A large playground was sprawled out before him, its visage tainted by the casualties and destruction of the war that ran rampant throughout the lands. A pile of dead bodies was gathered at the epicenter of this playground-- burning. The smell of roasted human flesh accompanied by the massive amounts of smoke it was producing. Portions of the playground burned, a scattered squad of Sunagakure no Sato soldiers patrolling the area and looting the deceased. They wouldn't notice the red-maned man. And wouldn't get a chance to, when native shinobi attacked.

He stood there and watched the skirmish. Suddenly feeling so utterly...



Hopeless.

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[Apple]

It seemed that my call was answered to in the form of his face being directly pointed towards my own, as if searching my features. It was this small movement that helped to suggest that it wasn't just my mind playing tricks on me at this time, and as I looked back down to my hands, which had past been stained with a thick, gloopy crimson, I saw - nothing. It had disappeared as fast as it had come to my eyes and perhaps it was just that which terrified me the most. How was I to tell that there hadn't been other parts in my life that had purely been the fabrication of my own mind. Was this very situation a lie? No. It couldn't have been - I'd felt so much pain earlier after breaking past a few enemy shinobi - that couldn't be mimicked, I was sure. But in this strange time, it seemed that the two of us just gazed blankly in each other's directions, as if trying to scope something out. Whilst I stood still, unable to understand what was happening, and trying to formulate my next move, it seemed as if Atlas had other things on his mind. Or - he seemed to be Atlas. Where his hair seemed very familiar, it seemed as if half of his face had been taken over by some kind of mask - and for that reason, I began to doubt whether or not it was him after all. The figure then darted out of sight, atop the other rooftops of the city. But I couldn't let him go.

Not that easily.

Of course, being as agile as I was, I drove myself forwards, breaking from my original position to chase him down. I hopped from wall to wall, from roof to roof until I managed to situate myself where I'd previously seen him. But finding him was the difficult bit. With the haze having been lifted somewhat from the streets, the visibility above somewhat clear, I'd manage to see only a fleck of red in the distance, and as such, I knew where to go. Of course, it was just a hunch, as all I know it could have been someone else or some kind of red fabric, but the way that it moved grounded that it was, in fact, a person. It was my best bet, of course, but at the same time, it was my only bet. Perhaps it was my own selfish decision which made me run around the city searching for a man who I had done wrong so many months ago instead of trying to save some innocent civilians, but we all had distractions in our lives. And I ran - I jumped swiftly across ledges, blonde hair billowing in the tainted air as my shoes rushed across the surface. And I was getting so close - but I wouldn't shout again. My first had been out of pure desperation and that might have drawn some attention, but I took more things in to consideration now. Sneaking up on people wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to do; but it wasn't as if I could shout his name freely now, knowing the dangers that lurked within the city around each and every corner. From my elevated position I could see quite a view of the place; fires burning in charred buildings and bodies slung across trees, lying on the floor and broken through window panes. It was truly like something out of a horror movie.

But it seemed as if he'd come to a stop.

It did take me quite a while to reach him, but he seemed umoving, like some kind of statue. It was this evidence which did suggest to me that he truly was here - but why? He had no reason to be - unless he was one of the monsters who were destroying this place. But.. from the man I'd previously seen and gotten to know to some degree back in Kami no Shima, I doubted that his motive was to destroy this place for its worth and people. He wasn't like that. My own reason was easily explainable - I was from Kusagakure, and being a neighbouring city, the hidden village having always had links to it, I found it my duty to protect the citizens who were much less fortunate in the sense that the majority of them hadn't the shinobi abilities that we were blessed with. A guardian angel of sorts - but the case was for not only me, but for dozens of other shinobi, some not even from the village of Kusa, who worked out of their own kindness. I soon came to a still as well, a total of roughly Eight meters, standing on the same roof as he.

"Atlas.. what brings you here?"

The quiet, yet concerned tone of my voice spoke enough for the surprise that I had for seeing him. Of course, the guilt that I'd had from injuring him so was still evident, but it had calmed by a considerable amount by now. But I was sure that it was him - but why the mask? A weapon, perhaps? I wasn't sure, but with his back facing towards me now, I couldn't even see it. I could hear the sound of fighting elsewhere, but it didn't matter to me at the moment, although I held my hands out ready to respond if required. Waiting in the silence that wrapped the two of us, the same couldn't be said for the surrounding area. Screams echoed through alleyways and buildings and the panicked cries of citizens as they ran in search of solace from the devastation that was happening to their home. The sound of metal clashing against objects and people, and the battle cries of enemies as they gloated in the blood of Shi no Mori's citizens.

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[Estilo]

Chapter 1, Green Grass & High Tides [3]

---

"I... I used to bring her to this playground."

He'd mutter, as if lost within a daze. His forest-green eye glinted from the combined firelight down below. The clash of kunai and katanas rampant and noisy. Explosions of fire sending waves of heat rippling throughout the stagnant, smoggy air. "I'd pick her up from pre-school, and I'd buy her a sea-salt ice lolly. And then... and then we'd sit, and watch the clouds pass by." He continued, his tone of voice nonchalant. Just loud enough to avoid being considered a whisper, but relatively murmured regardless. A Sunagakure no Sato shinobi created a large sand titan afar, its massive palm crushing the helpless opponent that was captured within the shadow it had cast. The sound of bone's snapping, and blood spurting, reverberated. But Atlas went on. "She always liked those. The sea-salt flavored ones."

He paused. The silence between him and Blanche imposing and raw. And he watched on, as the microcosm of their world played out before them. Bloodshed. Corpses. Violence. He'd seen it all before. Only the realization that he couldn't protect those he loved-- not entirely, at least-- had created such an impact on him that he was seeing the situation in an entirely new light. Maybe Blanche had been right all along. Fuck the world. And everyone who lived in it. Their existence was just bullshit, piled on top of more bullshit. Their leaders were fools, their hopes unfounded, and their safety false. But... but he couldn't bring himself to abandon Teru just yet.

He half-turned, as an explosion of sand shot up into the sky like a mushroom cloud behind him, shifting his blasé glance towards the woman he had encountered in the city of lights. She had been so right, hadn't she? He wondered whether she still shared that sense of dread. Yet, a part of him still yearned to know that she did not. Despite his feelings towards their corrupt world, despite his hopelessness, there was still that stubborn spark of hope within him. Waning, like a distant star in the dawn... but alive.

"It was nice seeing you again, Blanche." He'd say with honesty, though his expression failed to provide proof of it. The specks of blood on his porcelain half-mask were dried up by now. His frame was coated with a thin layer of ash and microscopic debris. "But I have to find her. I have to find my sister." He'd stop there, taking the moment to glance over his shoulder at the carnage covering the playground once more. What was once a place of innocence and peace, now tainted and spoiled forever. If there was ever anything as symbolic as that playground, he had no desire of seeing it.

He'd turn back, his gaze downcast, before murmuring: "This damned world of ours won't take her. I won't allow it." And then, with a concentrated stride, he'd walk past Blanche-- powering the soles of his feet with ripe chakra. Trying to make himself believe that she was still alive.

[Apple]

It almost seemed like since the last time we'd met, our roles had switched places.

Although I had felt so unexplainable broken a minute ago, images not of this world appearing before my very eyes to taint my perception, I watched on with clarity. And I moved closer, the soft steps of my boots almost inaudible, whilst his own words became more and more clear to my ears - words of remembrance, but at the same time, words fueled by sadness and an undying sense of family. Although he spoke of his own experiences, I found myself able to understand the feeling - if not able to understand exactly what he was going through at the moment. I could remember being in such a state myself only a few months ago, and even recalling it now was painful. After.. after learning that Momochi had passed away during an attack, word having been passed on by my own brother, everything that I saw, everything that I did reminded me of him in even the smallest ways. The soft chocolate hue of his hair, the kind, welcome eyes which he showed and many other traits which were brought up daily. Of course; although I still noticed these, I tried, not to dismiss them exactly, but not to let it get to me. But when I'd first found out; I was distraught, but it was understandable given the circumstances I'd been so cruelly placed in. I could remember staring at the ceiling of my room for days on end, unable to eat much or communicate, and the way that he now stared and spoke so.. aimlessly, reminded me only of myself, and I didn't wish that upon Atlas. I felt pity for him, but at the same time, I couldn't let him waste away here.

The nature of the situation was surely upsetting for him, and although at the moment I didn't reflect on the situation as I did, I truly did feel for him. He'd been such a gentle man - so kind to me in Kami no Shima, despite my own unhonest ideals. In his brief moment of anger he could have easily killed me; but he chose no to, and instead chose to try and empathize. I appreciated him for that, and given that right now it did seem as if he was in a similar position to what I had been in that night, I felt it obligatory for me to aid him; to comfort him at this point to the best of my extent. Explosions blew elsewhere as I came to notice the white colours of my clothing becoming shifted in to a grey from the smoke, my eyes tired, but at the same time, so willing to help. He hadn't given up on me those few weeks go; and I refused to let him be alone.

"But I have to find her. I have to find my sister."

And just like that, with a few other words, he prepared to leave, striding past my own form with so much ease as he surely braced himself to dive back in to the blood-filled streets.

But then -

"What does she look like? Is she staying here with any relatives?-" I paused my words, allowing him to take my questions in. "I've been going in and out of the city for hours now - I may have seen her." Of course; I was insinuating that I perhaps might have seen her amongst the group of rescued citizens, but with no idea of what she looked like, it gave me little to no ability to distinguish her from the dozens and dozens of terrified faces that left the place. Of course, on the flipside to this, I wasn't sure how long Atlas had been patrolling these streets, but I'd seen too many bodies to count, and although I didn't want it to end this way, I was concerned as to whether his sister had died in the attacks. The enemy shinobi had proved relentless against anyone they met, death becoming more of a tool used for sport rather than anything else. The smell of burning flesh filled the air even now between the miniscule grains of sand and smoldering wood. Closing the distance between the two of us now, my feet moving close to his as I followed, I awaited his response. Perhaps he wanted to do it alone; but chances were, with an extra set of eyes, the chances of finding her would be multiplied by some amount. Perhaps it wasn't large, but it was the most that we could get in a city like this. Rushing before him, a burst of speed delivered to my feet via use of shunshin, I soon found myself positioned directly near the edge of the roof, my arms crossed as I looked on at him, my tall figure casting an imposing shadow upon the surface below us.

"I'll help you find her."


It wasn't a suggestion, or a fleeting comment - it was a deceleration.

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[Estilo]

Chapter 1, Green Grass & High Tides [5]

---

"Her name is Teru... she was staying with our aunt."

He answered, having stopped in his tracks when he'd heard Blanche voice those unexpected inquiries. Tentatively, he looked over his shoulder to cast her a glance. She'd risk her life... to help him? He'd had a feeling that she had changed prior to her declaration. But only now, did it strike him with full-force. Where was that woman who had only looked out for herself? Had she perished, back in Kami no Shima? Or was she still there, somewhere, in the pits of all the suffering and agony she had endured? Regardless... her willingness to offer her assistance struck him to the core. He wanted to refuse, and he would have nearly any other day... but he couldn't. Not while Teru was out there. Lost. Injured. Scared. Or worst.

"She has short, black hair." He continued, pushing the thought of that pile of burning corpses away-- the thought of having lost Teru forever. "She's only seven years old, four feet - five inches tall, and has light hazel eyes. As to almost be orange. She's the only reason I'm here." He'd pause then, gauging the blue-eyed maiden's expression with apathetic eyes. She had saved his life, all those months ago. Mal had told him everything. And... and she didn't have to do this-- risk her own life for his sake. Despite her native knowledge, the destruction here was only escalating. And, though she was capable, she was still very much in danger.

And for what? The slim chance that a little girl might still be alive?

He felt guilty for dragging her into this. He had the selfish right to throw his own life away, if need be, in search of Teru. But to have somehow swayed Blanche into putting her neck out-- for what most would call an irrational and impulsive attempt at a long delayed rescue-- was downright wrong. What had once been a willingness to swallow his pride and go along with it all only moments ago, was now too heavy of a burden to bear. "You don't have to do this." He finally spoke, his voice bland and stern. "You don't... you don't owe me anything at all. And I wouldn't hate you if you left."

He waited for her response, chakra still brimming at the bottom of his soles, ready to propel him off at a moment's thought. The smell of charred wood was carried with the most recent breeze that swept past them, the heat from the fires surrounding the two rippling throughout the air. The taste of ash in his mouth, like the feeling in his stomach, was morbid and ominous. His eyes locked with her own, the one behind the half-mask aching with pain. A part of him wanted her to admit he was right. A part of him wanted her to believe him, to let the fear take over, so that she could resort to her old habit and save her own skin while she had the chance. But another part...

"I can shoulder this burden alone."

Words forced out of his mouth.

[Apple]

Teru... From the shouts that I'd heard previously, I knew that it had been familiar. Had he been the one screaming her name all across the city? From the state that he seemed to be in at the moment, I didn't doubt that notion. But as he listed her description, I couldn't say that I'd seen her during my travels around Shi no Mori. Something as unique as orange looking eyes wasn't something that was easy to come by, so I was sure he was thankful to some degree simply for the fact that she had such an easily-detectable trait about her. However, with so many children in Shi no Mori, how were we to know that she hadn't already been evacuated along with her auntie? I wasn't sure, but with Atlas currently understandably in what seemed to be the onset of hysterics, I wanted to be sure to voice that possibility to him later on. I hadn't seen her, of course, but I'd been busy rushing about the city for the majority of my time. Blood stained my fingernails and painted my hands a soft shade of red whilst my clothing bore ample stains. Alike him; I too had gotten in to trouble a few times, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle. Scrapes and cuts lay on the back of my hand and my fingers, but the sting had long since become numb.

And I studied him, as I had back in Kami no Shima. The transition was obvious not only in the way that he spoke, the tone, the words that he chose to use, but it also reflected in his appearance; his expression in paticular. Back in the grand, luminous city he'd shown so much passivity towards.. everything that seemed unfortunate. He pushed for me to see things differently, to search for the light in even the darkest of times. But now his consciousness seemed swamped with guilt - anger, perhaps. I couldn't tell for sure but I knew better than any the expression that he was currently displaying, as I still used it even now. But today?- I had a purpose and it allowed me to take my mind off everything - at least, it had until I'd seen his fiery red mane, which brought me back not only weeks ago to Kumo no Kuni, but months beforehand and the turmoil which I could now link somewhat to Atlas's own. Both of my hands held to my side, I watched on.

But, I did more than just watch as he slowly unraveled;
I listened.

"You don't... you don't owe me anything at all."





"I owe her that much.
No child deserves this."

I spoke from the deepest recesses of my heart; I'd always been fond a protective person, even as a child. I'd constantly look out for my older brother, Ue, having more than once beaten anyone that badmouthed his name in academy, and I could faintly recall one time where I'd stood up to a schoolyard bully of his age, using what little souin abilities I knew to break his nose. Akatome too - he being younger, I felt it my duty to look after him, even though he didn't look like me or my brother. Whilst we bore long, beautiful golden hair and shining blue eyes, his features were notably different. Black hair and dark eyes - we didn't look related. But if anyone had dared to point such a fact out, I'd be quick to show them a piece of my mind. Just thinking about it made me.. smile a little. But where were they now? My brother? My cousin? My family? Gone, surely. Despite what personality my own had morphed in to across the course of the war - my own death, in a sense, my motherly disposition hadn't faltered. I longed for a world where the younger generation didn't have to be worried about war, or violence. If Teru was still within the city, then she needed to be saved, and I wouldn't accept nothing less. Coming even closer to the red-haired man, my scarred hands took his left in my own, cupping it within the cold, almost frosty confines of my palms.

"..Hey."

I paused, that same warm, soothing smile returning to my face, almost as if it alone could alleviate the whole world of its troubles. And yet at the same time - it appeared to be so.. sad, in a way.

"Maybe you can shoulder this alone; But I won't let you."

"If you get yourself killed searching for her, I won't be able to forgive myself for letting you go.."

"..I'm coming, whether you like it or not."

"How much of the city have you already covered?"

I released his hand, gazing in to his troubled green eyes.

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[Estilo]

Chapter 1, Green Grass & High Tides [7]

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"..I'm coming, whether you like it or not."

Her words struck him like silent lightning, and his dispirited stare shifted downwards toward the pair of white hands clasped around his left paw. He could see the small cuts and smudges adorning the surface of her hands with acute detail. Her palms were cold to the touch. Yet the gesture inspired a sensation that was anything but frigid. No. Instead, her act filled him with a warmth that spread outwards from the epicenter of his chest-- until it covered the entirety of his body. "Thank you..." He spoke in a near-whisper, with great-- unmitigated-- sincerity. "I didn't mean to... I wasn't..." He stopped then, realizing he was continuing with his excuses.

Having paused, his eyes shifted upwards to her. "... Thank you."

It mystified him for a moment-- her willingness to stand by his side. He didn't understand it. He could hardly believe it. And it seemed that the Blanche he'd met prior to their "scuffle" in Kami no Shima was, indeed, long gone. She had changed into that beacon of light he had always known she was. She had pulled him out of the very pit of despair he had strived to pull her out of. And it made him realize just how foolish, and weak, he had become in that instant. He was ashamed to have fallen that far, ashamed to admit to himself that he still felt that sense of hopelessness at the bottom of his heart. But Blanche was helping him recover. Nurturing that hope.

And that meant a lot to him. Hope was all he had. Hope was what would keep him going as he continued his search for Teru. She'd release his hand, and it'd remain still in the air in which she'd left it. Almost as if it were expecting to be held again, before his fingers curled inward, and his arm dropped back to his side. What warmth and sense of security he'd lost with her touch, was quickly regained upon seeing her serene-- yet strangely doleful-- smile. His troubled expression remained, but his readiness to go on was bolstered with her presence. She'd asked a question. He'd answer it.

"I've covered the east, south, and north exits. I have yet to search the west-- where our clan's district resides. She might be there... I, I can't be sure... but I... we, have to try." He nodded, his gaze locked with hers, as a spark of determination briefly crossed his countenance. His clan, the Akegarasu, held many clandestine strongholds at several different locales. As such, the clan itself wasn't very well-known. But if Teru was still somewhere in Shi no Mori, he imagined that the Akegarasu Manor would be one of the many safe-houses she had the option of hiding out in. Not wanting to waste another second, he'd pivot around on a single foot.

He'd pause, glancing at the conflict still raging at the forefront of the schoolhouse. They would go around it, across the rooftops, and follow the neighborhoods westward. Turning over his shoulder momentarily, he'd nod at Blanche, signaling for her to follow as he leapt away soundlessly.

[Apple]

"... Thank you."



I replied soundlessly.

Having seemed to lift his spirits somewhat, to say the least I was somewhat relieved. Perhaps it had merely been the surprise of seeing him in such a state that had struck me the most but his appearance - bloodied. It was a stark contrast to the almost noble man I'd met in Kumo no kuni - or at least, quite a contrast to the man that I'd met at the start of the night. By the time I'd dealt my hand and caused his body to rupture with injuries, his body lay scarred with several cuts, scrapes and wounds, blood pouring from each little puncture, painting his skin an unhealthy crimson. However, from the way that it was distributed, I could easily see that the blood on him now was, surely for the most part, that of others, not his own. His determination to find his sister was admirable, but at the same time, seeing the state he was in, it made me believe that he had no limits where finding her was in the question. Although - to protect those native to this place, it was require to injure or even kill any enemy shinobi who threatened such a desperate grab for peace. It was inevitable - war was inevitable, and in the end, we all ended up losers of the same game.

Of course, where my own sibling was in the question, I understood Atlas's case fully. Whilst in our own relationship I was the youngest, it didn't stop me from wanting to break free and find him - but it had been so long, and I had heard nothing. I didn't even know if he still roamed this earth alike myself and many others, but something told me that he was alive. He couldn't have just died, right? He was too strong for that, my brother Ue. I trusted him enough to not leave me alone in this world, and seeing as I'd lost contact with each other family member I could recall, I failed to understand why he hadn't come back for me. "...." But then again; I had ran. I'd ran as fast as I could to get away from the village, for my own sake. From recognizing this, a pang of guilt flooded my body. What if he had waited for me? Searched the ruins of the village for any remains that may have been mine? Whilst I'd waited, wondering if he was alive, was I the one that he believed to be dead in his own eyes? I couldn't be sure, but at the same time, I hoped not.

I just wanted to see him again.

The black crawled back in to my vision, seeping from the broken cracks in the nearby walls as if some kind of hellish flood. I lost sight of the ground as it became covered in the same inky substance. Breathing in deeply in response, I blinked - and it all disappeared. Another doe-like blink as I gazed back at the floor, unable to comprehend just what was happening. I needed sleep - that was it. Yes, a lack of sleep. From the momentary distraction which had taken over me, I then turned my gaze back at the red-haired jounin as he began to explain to me exactly where he'd searched already. It seemed that alone he'd managed to trawl through the majority of the city, which could explain for the blood that lingered on his clothing and skin -- and that mask. For only a moment I'd pay attention to that porcelain item which covered half of his face - it almost seemed as if the other portion had disappeared in its entirety, shrouded by such a covering, his eye also shielded by his hair. Although his hair had in the not-so-distant past seemed uncontrollable - I could tell that something had happened.

"..Atlas..

..What happened to your eye?"

Of course, instead of waiting and expecting an answer, I chose to follow him diligently, hopping across rooftops with my boots. In the past I'd favored heels but given that I had work to do and I needed such activity to take my mind off things, I'd chosen to wear a less extreme pair, although I knew I was capable enough wearing any kind of footwear during battle. "..I haven't heard of the Burabiya before. - I've heard of several families living here who came from different backgrounds - Have your own family adapted to the traits of another clan?" They say that curiosity did kill the cat, but little did they know that the creature was long dead. Of course, an explaination to his background could be compared to my own family - the Kikkawa. Although our name bore no talent in itself, we bore the underlying talents of the Akadou, due to a marriage that had happened all too many years ago. I'd been told the tale several times by my grandmother who too bore the skills that the Akadou bore - I was sure that by now, it was a story that everyone in in the family knew. Or at least, those who were left after the cruel attacks on Kusagakure surely did. Continuing to move about, I now, instead of following him, chose to rush alongside him, although I moved only behind enough to notice his movements. Whilst he was still in control of the search, I was very much an extra pair of eyes.

I just hoped we weren't wasting our time.

As we moved away from the playground and its adjoined building, things seemed to become more quiet - but I learned to never trust silence.

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[Estilo]

Chapter 1, Green Grass & High Tides [9]

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"..Atlas... What happened to your eye?"

He'd casually shift his gaze elsewhere when she asked, as if he had not even heard the inquiry, and was too preoccupied with gauging his surroundings to notice. But, the truth of the matter was, he wasn't ready to talk about that. Not now, not here... maybe never again. And though Blanche had proven to him, whole-heartedly, that she was a changed person... he just didn't have it in him to talk about the incident. What was hidden beneath his porcelain mask was still... fresh. Just like their newfound relationship. So they would continue in silence, leaping from rooftop to rooftop at a steady pace, before the blonde-haired female broke their streak of quiet with her soothing voice.

Atlas would signal her to a slow stop with a single hand, as they approached the rooftop of a church. Silently, he would drop to a crouch and take cover behind a chimney-- expecting Blanche to follow his lead. He'd peek around the corner of the chimney, at the destroyed neighborhood before them. The fires there were raging far more violently than any other district in Shi no Mori. And he could spot the faint silhouettes of shinobi within the smoke afar. Some of them seemed to be battling. Others were slaughtering the crazed and terrified civilians caught within the crossfire. Though his sense of good will tried to compel him into helping them, Blanche and him were simply too outnumbered to do anything about it. So he'd remain hidden.

"The Burabiya stands alone as its own clan." He'd halfheartedly reply-- quiet enough not to be heard, but loud enough not to be considered a whisper. "Teru and I, however, had a father from a different clan-- known as the Akegarasu." Screams echoed throughout the streets, and the red-maned man narrowed his eyes with conflict. He couldn't do anything to help them, not without getting himself killed. Not to mention the fact that he'd be putting Blanche's life in far more danger than she had bargained for. So, instead of looking for a way through the chaos, he'd look for a way around it. Shifting his flat glance towards Blanche, he'd momentarily continue. "We're headed to their manor here, in Shi no Mori."

They would have to remain in a cautious half-crouch as they advanced towards the other side of the church rooftop, forced to jump down to the second-story balconies lest they were sighted by one of the invading Sunagakure no Sato shinobi. With as much balance and dexterity as a prowling cat, Atlas would run along the ledges of stone balconies, leading them through the maze-like alleyways of Shi no Mori. The alleyways-- for the most part-- were empty. It was the main streets that the two of them needed to be worried about. As they continued through the smoggy and shadowy passageways of the destroyed city, leaping from balcony ledge to balcony ledge, he'd voice an inquiry of his own. "This must be awful for you... witnessing all this senseless destruction in your country." He kept his stare forwards, leading the sprint. "Was... Kusagakure, like this?"