Mistakes Were Made (Specialty Flashback)

Although he played it off as otherwise in the face of his enemies, Ashitaka's wounds had been as severe as "just short of fatal" would suggest. Six of his major tenketsu centers had been punctured and violently flooded with foreign chakra, which was subsequently removed at the wounder's whim. His physical injuries healed fairly quickly, but some of the non-physical ones would take weeks of specialized therapy to recover from. And some he would never recover from.

He inhaled the medicated gas meant to aid in his recovery, but he'd overheard the doctors saying that it would have been better if he had died, for him and everyone else. He really hoped that his partner was faring better, having also been severely burned and then forced to move by a similar violation. But that matter was distant and not getting any closer. What was approaching, however, was the reality that he'd have to confess his failures to the Hokage herself. Amid the haze of painkillers and chakra-supplementing herbs, he struggled to piece together a salient report.

For Ashitaka, failing was as foreign a sensation as that brief moment when he felt the enemy's being almost entirely supercede his own. And at least as emotionally devastating, if not more so by a measurable margin. And on this mission, he had failed by every conceivable metric. Maybe it really would have been better for him if he'd died out there. It would've been so easy, too. Just one erroneous breath or heartbeat, and it all could've disappeared. Instead, he was here now, helpless as a newborn fawn and with the full awareness that the entire world was hurtling toward its end. And it would not go gently.

The doctors took away his blindfold once they realized he could actually see, confused as to why he would be wearing one in the first place. Which meant that he was no longer safe from any Dojutsu, and also that he had plenty of both ability and time to look around at the contents of his room. Among them were the images from the short-range medical Byakugan imitator that vividly displayed the invisible holes in his chest. They were pretty big holes, probably five or six centimeters wide, and all of them appeared to have made a home for themselves in important parts of his anatomy, both in physical and chakra terms. His Regeneration had mercilessly prevented the injuries from killing him, but now his internal chakra field was a mess and for some, outright sickening to look at.

He'd heard his mother yelling outside before, but never Sensed her entering the room where they were keeping him, and she had left the hospital yesterday. That upset him a bit, since he really wished she would have held him at least once before he had to take this plunge into boiling water. Then he picked up a familiar chakra signature that he hadn't registered for a few weeks now, and suddenly remembered that the Team Reunion was in less than two days. Nyguyen-sensei had come to visit him, which he found odd, since they'd never really been close. But it was probably an obligation on the black man's part as his teacher and commander.

(Great.) Ashitaka thought as he fell back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. (Now I have to think of what to say to the Hokage AND to Sensei.)

Nyguyen marched through the Konohagakure Hospital with purpose. The man was wearing his full Hokage robes and the physicians and nurses parted before him like he was Moses. It came to his attention that Ashitaka had been paired with Kimiko Uchiha on a mission concerning the Meteor conflict. The situation was rather sensitive and Ashitaka's involvement had only been approved because the boy had shown considerable promise. It wasn't Nyguyen per se who had signed the authorization papers as the village had still been in transition. However, by the time he had doned the white robes, it was too late to interfere. Ashitaka would either rise or fall on his own merit. Whether Nyguyen thought his involvement was appropriate or not was immaterial. When Nyguyen had heard that Professor Cuomo had fallen to the Land of Bears, he knew they they had failed. When his secretary notified him that both Kimiko and Ashitaka were in critical condition, he knew that the failure had to be spectacular.

He had read Kimiko's reports and its contents had hurt him deeply.

"He virtually did nothing and disobeyed orders to kill the asset."
"Constantly questioned orders."
"A lot of backtalk."
"This is why 10 year olds shouldnt be in the military."


Nyguyen had scheduled a reunion but he knew that he could not allow Team 10 to reconvene with this cloud hanging over Ashi's head. He needed to address the boy's performance during the mission and more importantly what he had discovered. Nyguyen had read both Kimiko's and Ashi's reports. This "Spirit-Killer" was troubling and the fact that it was now in the hands of the Land of Bears and by extension possibly Kumogakure's was a cause for major concern. The information given to him had compelled Nyg to arrive wearing two hats.

The first would be that of the disappointed and wroth Hokage. An angry and hardened military commander that demanded a full accounting of why they had failed and what exactly it was that had bested them.

The second would be that of the considerate and compassionate sensei. A Jounin who was well-aware of his own flaws in failing to prepare Ashitaka for the frontlines of what was increasingly looking like a world gone mad.

He couldn't afford to be too hard or too soft. He'd need to inspire, discipline, enlighten, and embolden the boy. In short, Nyguyen would need to do everything he had failed to do with his squad when he had first met them. The man stopped right before the curtain partitioning Ashitaka from the rest of the hospital. He drew a deep breath and threw them open.

Before him would lay the Senju. Whatever the Kumo-Nin had done to him had left the medical staff rather perplexed. The only reason he was alive was due to his miraculous regeneration abilities, a gift from the Sage himself. Nyguyen stepped towards Ashitaka's hospital bed and closed the curtains behind him. He had instructed the hospital not to bother him nor Ashi during the visit. It would just be them.

".....Ashitaka Inzuka....." or should I say....Ashitaka Senju  "....the medical staff tell me that the fact that you survived is a miracle in of itself. Under normal circumstances I'd start by congratulating you but as I'm sure you've realized by now...these aren't normal circumstances. So instead I'll ask you a question....Just what the hell happened out there?"

It was a bit of a redundant question. Ashi's analysis had been recorded in a report as had Kimiko's but he wanted to hear it from his student's lips. He wanted to to know whether Ashitaka could put aside the failure, fear, and pain to tell his Kage exactly what had transpired in the fabled Hot Zone.

Nyguyen had more questions but he left it at that for now. The moment was probably a a lot to take in and the kid was probably hopped up on painkillers. Seeing his sensei in Kage robes for the first time was likely startling. This was especially true given that the last time the two had seen each other, Nyguyen had been on the verge of quitting the shinobi profession altogether.

Ashitaka felt Nyguyen-sensei's aura approach through the hospital, so he thought that he would be prepared when he finally did see the man face-to-face. He wasn't. What he saw was a man who couldn't lead a handful of rambunctious youths through a conversation in the full regalia of the Hokage.

What.

Just... ...what? the boy shook his head clear of the confusion. Of course life had gone on in his absence. Things moved and changed in the village. Nyg-sensei wouldn't have been Ashitaka's first choice regarding who should run this city, but it's not like his decisions were holding positive value at this point. It would serve him to do his best to show the respect due to the position's holder, even if he didn't necessarily feel it for the man himself. He was certainly in no position to handle himself if he got kicked out right now.

He bowed to the new Hokage, or at least, made his best semblance of the courteous gesture as the hateful injuries sent waves of pain through his body. But he was going to have to push that aside for now. Though he was still a child, he did accept an adult's career path. And that came with adult responsibilities. He just hoped that his reasoning would be logically sound, instead of coming off as a series of excuses.

"I caused the mission to fail. My contributions to both the interrogation and the fight were nonexistent, and my failure to destroy the asset led to it falling into enemy hands. In spite of all of my partner's efforts..." I still don't know her name. "I let Konoha down, and we both nearly died and came back empty-handed because of me."

I confirmed my own hypothesis regarding the pattern set by the meteorites we know of. I saw the enemy force Kimiko to stand on her burned legs, and he threatened to torture her further and turn us both into meat puppets if I didn't win a fight I had no hope in. I tried and failed to get the enemy to realize that the gods were our enemies, that the Spirit Killer was a baited trap. I almost died trying to protect her. I... I... I...

Much roiled in his mind, but little escaped. His report was no more honest than his words. He didn't know who he could trust. Most people adored and venerated the gods, believing them to be the source of life and happiness. To speak against them was to invite ostracism, perhaps outright banishment. And the medication was draining away his burdensome thoughts, which was a serious problem since those were the ones he was trying to make use of at the moment. He swallowed... something and tried to force his thoughts in order.

"The enemies... one of them was a god. Well, part of one, anyway. I can't explain it. He's the one that stabbed my partner and I and left these wounds. He had all five basic elements, and even control over gravity that he used to force her to burn herself, and a Dojutsu I'm not familiar with, though it might be the fabled Rinnegan I've read about. These holes in me are from pure, concentrated chakra. Yin and Yang. The other one was pretty badly burned even before the fight started. A Sensor like me, but better. He had powers of sound, lightning, and darkness. He worships a god other than the one in his company, who apparently wants him to eat people. The lesser god wanted me to fight him. I didn't."

Nyguyen could see the shock on Ashitaka's face. The expression broke his heart but he was careful not to show it. He assumed that after his display of weakness and ineptitude, his own student had little faith in his ability to run the village. The realization hurt but he knew that that lack of faith would only grow more pronounced if he showed uncertainty here. He stood straight and allowed Ashi to attempt his bow. Even though he could see it was causing the young man pain, he knew that he needed to cement his position in the genin's eyes. That meant allowing him to show deference in any way he could manage.

Ashitaka would then go on to explain what had happened in the Hot Zone. Nyguyen listened politely as the child forced the words out. He took full responsibility for the mission's failure. Nyguyen knew that it was unfair to place such a heavy burden on a mere ten year old but as Ashitaka had noted this was what came with being a shinobi, Whether Kimiko was right or not was irrelevant. The military was in desperate need of loyal ninja. Weeding out Nin based on age was not a luxury they could afford with the war at their doorstep. The fact that Ashitaka was willing to admit fault demonstrated that his career was not a lost cause. He had failed Konoha this time but he seemed to be the type to learn from his mistakes. He'd rest, heal, and come back stronger than ever. Nyguyen just had to make sure that his fighting spirit stayed in tact.

When Ashitaka began to talk of the Rinnegan, Nyguyen's expression changed. The man's hand found its way to his beard. He stroked it a few times and his eyes narrowed as he considered this new development.

Another Ōtsutsuki? Either from the Land of Bears or another nation with close ties...perhaps Kumogakure, maybe even Kiri....

The aliens were growing more bold. First Arisu and now this mystery combatant. He wasn't sure if they all had the same powers or different ones. He assumed that it was the former given his knowledge of kekkei genkai history but he also knew that when dealing with off-world abilities it would be foolish to make plans based on such assumptions. This stranger was powerful and given his arsenal it was no wonder that Kimiko and Ashi had lost. He had read about it in their reports but hearing it confirmed from his squad leader's own lips was the final confirmation he needed. The extra-terrestrial's partner sounded equally fearsome.

Cannibalism? He could be a Jashinist of some kind....if that is indeed the case then it sounds like they encountered Kumo-Nin. Their military is rife with such extremists.....

The oral report was just as depressing as the written. Even worse, he could see the sorry shape that the opposition had put his ninja in. This wasn't even Shimiko or Ryuko's doing. The reality that the Lightning Country had not even brought its best Nin out to play worried him. Was War with such a fearsome Great Nation inevitable? If so then he'd need to spend every waking moment preparing for it. Nyguyen remained silent as he internalized the information. When he spoke, his words were pregnant with an odd mixture of worry and authority.

"Ashitaka....the first thing you need to know is that the man you encountered with the Rinnegan is not a God. Do not refer to them as such....not even in your own mind if you can help it. These are mortal beings like you and I. From another plane of existence yes but they are very much killable. If you deify them then the next time you see them on the battlefield you'll be unable to fight effectively...."

That was the most important thing he needed to communicate right away. Fighting something like an Ōtsutsuki could shake your faith in reality. He had seen his own brother-in-law come back to life through a single technique of the Kaguya-kin. He had feared them ever since that day but he was experienced enough to know that he could never show it. They were an unknown entity and their intentions were not clear to him. For now, he'd work with them where he could and destroy them where he must. In doing so, he'd treat them the same as any potential threat or ally and he needed his students to adopt the same philosophy.

"Secondly, I want you to know that your actions were reckless and unjustifiable. I've noticed that for all your desire to conform to the military hierarchy there are vestiges of insubordination in your heart. You think you know better than your superiors even as you struggle to obey and respect them. I've seen this first hand in our training session. I understand that you may not agree with what we do and how we see the world but you must follow every instruction we give you to the letter. There will be a time to debate and converse but the field is not the place to do it. Your actions put you and your mission lead's life in jeopardy and it was only through a combination of luck and mercy that you survived. I can tell you are surprised to see me wearing these robes and I get that. But if you do not start respecting the chain of command then there will be no place for you on Team 10 or in Konoha's military. The next time your mission lead tells you to kill the target you do it. The next time you receive a mission that will take you out of this nation's borders, you train until your skin breaks and your bones break"

Nyguyen walked towards Ashitaka's sick bed and glowered down at the child. Ash had seen him weak, confused, and helpless but he would do his best to project a new image. That of a leader with the weight of a nation on his shoulders.

"I need you to become the shinobi you were born to be Ashitaka. The one that I saw promise in...not in a few months, not in a few days, I need it now...." the middle aged man then took a seat at his student's beside. He gradually softened his expression and leaned in towards the Inzuka. He was now in fatherly mode. He couldn't let Ashitaka walk away from this debriefing believing that he was a total failure. He rested a palm on the boy's hand and spoke in a low tone.

"Your mission lead is in critical condition but she'll survive. You managed to keep each other alive...even if it wasn't all your own doing you deserve some credit for that. You also managed to get Professor Cuomo talking and based on you and your mission lead's notes I think we have a good idea of what he was up to. Yes he fell into enemy hands but we at least know more than before. If this so-called "god" was as formidable as you say then you and your superior managed to hold him off long enough for us to get something out of Cuomo. That's the kind of gumption and determination that I need to see...minus the prior screw-up."

Nyguyen was starting to lecture. He could already feel the historical comparisons coming on. So he shut his trap before he lost Ashitaka altogether.

"Look, I just want to say that even though this mission was a failure. You are not a failure. You can improve. I'd love to help you but if you want to do this alone or with someone else I can accommodate that. I have more questions but I'll have my ANBU follow up with you on the Hot Zone mission. There is something else that is rather important that we need to talk about...."

Ashitaka's heart sank with every one of the Hokage's words, perhaps especially the ones that would be the right thing to say if the circumstances of this colossal failure had been normal. It was only by the mercy of some unknown force of fate that his superior did not talk as much as was ordinary for him. That now, as was the case in the mission, he was not in a position to express his thoughts or defend his actions, was hopelessly chafing. He knew his (former?) sensei's words were compassionate and reasonable. But they were also wrong. The boy was as much a student of religion and mythology as the man was of history, and though the two were considerably intertwined, the differences could not be ignored. Gods were not figments of the imagination or obscure forces of nature. They were people. Obscenely powerful people who were also immortal aliens, but people nonetheless. To deny what they were was to fundamentally fail to approach the threat they presented from the start.

That humanity seemed to embrace the idea of them being something which they were not was the problem that led to the treachery of the ninja on the opposing team against his own species, as well as to the fear which led his own leader to condescendingly reassuring lies. Lies which followed the telltale signs of recognition in Nyguyen's posture and expression. He knew what it was that Ashitaka was referring to, even if he insistently denied the reality of their nature. What he didn't seem to know is that the injured boy could see right through him, and also the bigger picture behind the mission. Which was horribly ironic considering that this sight was as much a factor in his failure as his pitiful lack of power.

From the perspective of someone in the man's position, everything he said was absolutely right. What he did and said were exactly the things that a nation's leader should say and do. Just like how from the perspective of someone in his mission commander's position, everything she did was absolutely right. For the sake of the mission and by extension the reputation of their village, they should be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. That was the most frustrating part of this. By the commands of logic and reason, they were right and it was his duty to show faith in that rightness by acting on their orders regardless of what it may cost him personally. That was, at its most elementary, how the shinobi world was supposed to work. And there was nothing he wanted more desperately than to live in a world where that rightness got its fair dues, from him and itself. But that was not the world they lived in.

However, the situation changed on them moments before she lost consciousness, and he'd been left alone to bear the burden of how things would play out from there with no semblance of control over the matter. He was powerless and the enemy knew it. As soon as Cuomo-sensei declared that his source of information was prophetic, not calculative, he knew that what he'd long suspected and feared about the meteorites had always been true: they had not arrived by accident; they were sent. The beings which threatened humanity somehow had the capacity to hurl massive rocks across the cosmos and strike their intended targets with frightening accuracy. Given the international tensions that its presence caused, Ashitaka had no doubt that the sender(s) had intended for it to strike the border between two minor nations who had major ones that were on bad terms at their backs. That, in turn, implied a lot of things. It suggested that they knew about the political situation of their world to an extent that the vast majority of its residents could never dream of, and how to exploit it. Which meant that there was some direct and active communication link between here and... wherever they are. That they could and would do such a thing, and the fact that their "heavenly gift" was a weapon that killed the soul, made it abundantly clear what their intentions were. As if the actions of the first one to arrive on Earth hadn't made their abilities and intentions such already.

He acted without thinking. He refused to obey the orders given to him. He managed to accomplish nothing. There were reasons for these severe deviations from his character, and for Nyguyen to call them "unjustifiable" sparked an anger in him that he could not school away from his face. But he remained quiet and let the man speak. Ashitaka knew that adults liked it when kids were quiet, and also that his sensei enjoyed speaking. To his credit, he did a remarkable job of looking and acting the part he was now wearing. It legitimately brought the child to tears thinking of how unfair the world was that someone who tried so hard and made the right decisions would be cheated out of the results they deserved by the sheer insanity of their reality. It was by pure coincidence that this breakdown happened when the grown man started to speak to him more gently.

"Sensei... I don't know where to begin..." he made a sound somewhere between sobbing and wheezing before collecting himself and continuing. "For all my craft and skill with the tools of death, I only looked at them from an academic and artistic standpoint. I've never killed a man before, and I don't think I could start with a bound, unarmed civilian... and... and... I think our enemy was among the least of his kind, compared to his ancestor. Living here with us is probably some kind of punishment for them for being weak. Or maybe this place is like a nursery. The three meteorites that struck this continent were not random or unintentional, Sensei."

He swallowed, then wiped his face as he pushed down the physical, emotional, and existential agony he was in. Once again, Ashitaka found himself dearly wishing that he could be as stupid and ignorant as the other kids his age. And again he let the dream die and fell back to reality, where he continued speaking.

"I know... you remember the legend of Kaguya Otsusuki. She... she nearly destroyed the world because the God Tree did not give her what she wanted. It took all of humanity fighting as one to slow her down, and the betrayal of her own children to stop her." He blinked reddening eyes and stared into Nyguyen's. "She wanted fruit, Sensei, and threw a fit because she was expecting to get it. There has to be a reason for that expectation. She and her peers must reliably be able to get access to the fruit of God Trees, and there's no telling how many of them there are. Our world... it's a garden. We're the pests. And right now, there's an exterminator baiting us into killing each other. Professor Cuomo confirmed this when he declared that the most recent meteorite was 'sent to solve a problem of death not being taken seriously'. My failure... was in preventing the opposing team from taking the bait. If we are to gain the ability to fight these beings, Sensei... we can't be caught up in fighting amongst ourselves. And we must understand and acknowledge what they are. Especially in comparison to ourselves. If we are to rise to this occasion, we need to know how high and far we have to go."

He took a deep breath, rubbed his eyes again, then pressed on.

"All that said, it's unfair to my partner to have sacrificed so much for nothing. So she should have it back." he raised his eyes to the Hokage's face again. "Please tell the vultures hovering at the door that they can give her some of my blood. I know it has healing properties. It's the least I can do to compensate her for what happened out there. And please let them know I can hear them talking about parting me out to more esteemed residents of this village so that my 'power is not wasted on an individual of such insignificance'.











....and Sensei? Congratulations on your appointment. If there was any justice in this world, you'd probably make a great Hokage."

When Ashitaka started crying, Nyguyen's expression softened further. He had hoped that his words would not break the boy. He needed to discipline but he also needed to soothe. He looked into Ashitaka's eyes and saw what so many leaders did not have the luxury of seeing. A scared young child that simply was not ready for war. Ashi had not killed a single man and that lone fact made him woefully unprepared for what was to come. It was Nyguyen's job to make him ready. Most Kage could not afford to see a whimpering babe before them only a potential asset in a series of complex and unending wars.

I will find that balance. I will not let you lose your humanity Ashitaka....but I will mold you into something greater!

Ashitaka mentioned that this Ōtsutsuki was perhaps the lesser of their kind. He went on to recount the legend of the Rabbit Goddess. Ashi's realization that the supposed myth was a terrible reality nearly brought tears to Nyg's own eyes. The child was so brilliant and yet so naive. He saw the ugly picture clearly but if he could step back and see the cosmic horror of the grander portrait, he'd faint. Nyguyen had heard disturbing reports during his Clan Meeting that corroborated Ashitaka's fears. He would not speak them here. Nyg's student was already going mad with worry and speaking of their involvement in world affairs would only paralyze him further. He seemed to truly believe that these beings were Gods and while Nyguyen disagreed with his phrasing, there was no disputing the fact that their kind were leagues beyond them. Nyguyen solemnly nodded and gave his CURRENT student's hand a light squeeze.

"Ashitaka...you are more right than you know. These beings are something beyond our comprehension but I have reason to believe that like humanity, they are not necessarily united in purpose. Wherever these things come from....its possible they are just as divided as we are. I suspect that they see our world the way we see Minor Nations. Pieces to a larger strategy or philosophy. Some see them as spoils, others an opportunity to enlighten and uplift the less fortunate....and a minority as a playground for madness and death. Whatever they want...we'll face them together"

When Ashitaka brought up the issue of his blood. Nyguyen's expression hardened. He looked at the blinds and could see shadows lingering beyond the curtain. The doctors in this hospital were bold. The lack of proper leadership had essentially turned the institution into its own fiefdom with the chief medics playing God. They truly believed they could speak openly of robbing this boy of his birthright to strengthen the military. Nyguyen would need to deal with that.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about Ashitaka....your blood....your birthright. There is only one kekkei genkai I know of that would have allowed you to heal as quickly as you did. That of the Senju Clan. I reviewed your medical records and I know you were adopted by the Inzuka...if there is more to your lineage than you're letting on then I suggest you tell me now. I will ensure the doctors leave you alone and I will see about getting your mission lead some of your blood although we'll need to be careful about that. I don't want either you or her to be harmed by the process. But all of that can be taken care of later....right now I need you to level with me Ashitaka. Do you know who your birth parents are?"

Nyguyen didn't think Ashitaka was hiding his true parentage from him but he had to be sure. He had to hear it from the young man's lips.

Ashitaka met Nyguyen's gaze, and it seemed as though one particular blink of his eyes cut off the flow of tears like a guillotine. Civilization had brought him more grief than happiness, and it was clear that the battle for his humanity was going to be an uphill one. It might even have been were it not for the war making the matter worse. He already believed that the gods were similar in division of personality as humans were. That was half the problem. Humans didn't have the power that gods did and still caused untold misery with what little they had.

"Sensei... would it really be better if so much of our suffering was the product of a lone deviant than if it took an army of them?" he asked, then thought some more about what his Hokage was saying in defense of the alien beings and suddenly pieces fell into place. His expression took on a mixture of suspicion and accusation. "Sensei, you know one of them, don't you? The gods have made you an offer that you couldn't refuse, haven't they?"

He sank back into his bed, staring at the ceiling. As the words and actions of Professor Cuomo and the less-powerful enemy fighter indicated, one of the greatest weapons which the gods wielded against humanity was their own selfishness and treachery. He hoped beyond hope that Nyg-sensei was a good enough man not to fall to such temptation, and his sensei failed him yet again. Before he could dedicate too much thought to what that might mean for Ashitaka and his own expectations and outlook on life, Nyguyen-sensei continued speaking, now about things such as bloodlines, the boy's past and his relationship to the Senju.

"Blood? Birthright? Sensei, don't be cruel, taunting me with the Orphan's Dream like that. Please, I can't take it right now." he closed his eyes and strained to bring up memories of his time before the Inuzuka. His mother's scent, or his father's voice. The faces of either. Anything. Of course, there was nothing. Where Ari had abundant pain, Ashitaka had only emptiness. He opened his eyes again and returned his gaze to meeting Nyguyen's. The child's eyes were harder than they were in the disastrous Team 10 introductions. "Before the Inuzuka took me in, I was raised by a pack of wolves, nursed on the alpha mother's milk and taught by them how to hunt. My first encounter with an overwhelming enemy was when I was three and a bear was mauling them as she tried to take their den and territory for her own. We all nearly died. After they recovered, they said that I should be among a pack of my own kind and took me to this village where I was introduced to my new, Inuzuka family who walked near enough the border between man and wolf to help me cross it. At no point in my memory have the Senju clan ever greeted me with open arms, told me or anyone that I was one of their own, or shown me the least amount of approval or affection. What meaning would a bond with them have? Even you have been a better teacher to me than they have a family."

He didn't mean to insult his sensei cum Hokage, but the facts were immutable. For all that he had been taught by the man and loved by his so-called clan, he might as well have never been introduced to either in the first place. It probably would have made the loneliness hurt less in that case, if he'd never known what he could have had and didn't.

For the first since he had arrived, Nyguyen gave Ashitaka a look of astonishment and disappointment. Either the boy had always been like this or the encounter had psychologically damaged him to a greater extent than the Hokage realized. The paranoia and fear in his voice was concerning. All Nyguyen had done was expressed hope in the possibility that not all of the aliens were evil. Ashitaka's reaction to this sentiment was rather worrying. He immediately assumed that Nyguyen knew of one of them, had done a deal with them, and was now covering for them. It was paranoia of the highest order and Nyguyen would need to make a note of this in Ashi's file. Anti-otherworldly sentiment was understandable but if it grew too severe then he might have another Rion Uchiha on his hands.

However, for all of Ashitaka's unwarranted accusations, he was right. Complete and totally correct. Nyguyen had met an Ōtsutsuki by the name of Arisu. The woman represented Kirigakure and had promised to resurrect his brother-in-law in exchange for his continued support of the alliance. He had agreed. Ashitaka's guess was remarkably spot on but given that the boy was no spy, Nyguyen surmised that he was paranoid to the point of delusion. He wouldn't lie to him though so instead he looked away and said:

"That's classified"

It all but confirmed Ashitaka's suspicions. They'd need to deal with that at some point. For now, the conversation turned to the matter of Ashitaka's parentage. He insisted that the terms that Nyguyen had used did not apply to him. Nyguyen was beginning to understand why Ashitaka was the was he was. He was raised by animals for most of his life only to be turned over to the Inzuka to start anew. The Senju were nothing to him. The last sentence he spoke was a bit hurtful but he understood what Ashitaka meant. If there were answers to the questions concerning Ashitaka's heritage, then he wouldn't find them by talking to his student. He'd need to look elsewhere. Ashitaka appeared to be aware that he shared a blood relation with them, but his connection with the clan stopped there. They wanted nothing to do with him and he them.

"I understand....more than you may realize" Nyguyen had adopted an orphan like Ashitaka. She was an Uchiha but no one knew who her parents were. He had schooled her in the ways of the Clan, raised her to be a sword and a shield for his household, and although he'd never admit it, he cared for her like he would his own children. Ashitaka hadn't received that. They did not acknowledge him and slowly it was eating away at the boy. It dawned on Nyguyen that the Achilles heel of Team 10 might not be Ari but Ashitaka.

"I can't promise you a family but I can promise you a purpose" He wanted to set expectations. He couldn't be a father to this child and he suspected that's not what Ashi wanted from him. "Training. Mentorship. Housing. Food. Work. Healthcare. Whatever you need just ask Ashitaka. You'll have a direct line to my office."

Nyguyen checked his watch and saw the time. He couldn't stay much longer.

"I'm going to let you rest but before I do....I wanted to speak with you about your place on Team 10. My promotion to the position of Hokage has kept me from scheduling our reunion. I still plan on getting you all together to discuss our future but I think now is a good time to check-in. How do you feel about continuing with us as a squad? Do you think you can make it work? Are you still uncertain about your ability to lead?"

So much had been put on him recently and Nyguyen would feel guilty if he continued to burden him with this leadership position. This was Ashi's chance to step down. He would not take the spot away from him, but he wouldn't hold it against him if he reiterated his self-proclaimed unfitness.

The expression that his sensei gave Ashitaka declared his conclusion wounded him to the core. It was a look one gave an utter failure. As someone whose self-esteem was largely grounded in the approval of his superiors and who, especially now, was already hanging on by a thread, it was almost too much. The color suddenly faded from his vision and darkness quickly closed in from its edges. He thought in that moment he was wrong, and had grievously slandered his Hokage right to the man's face. There was no amount of apology that would-

"That's classified."

Suddenly, everything was back to crystal clear. And somewhat tinted red. Then... black. The peaceful beeping of the machines monitoring his vitals started making alarm sounds as IVs were shot out of his arms by his Regeneration's violent rejection of the intrusions. It had been trying to do this for the whole time he was in the hospital, but he'd been holding it back up to this point.

"Just say it! Gods all around, how can someone of your prestige be such a coward? That thing nearly erased our souls, and I was fully aware the whole time it was happening! Do you have any idea how that feels?"

Why am I so angry right now? It's not his fault...

Ashitaka pulled off his mask and pretended to ignore the frantic beeps of the medical equipment, but in all reality it was only feeding his anger. The doctors knocking on the door and offering to come in and sedate him were making matters worse, especially since Nyg-sensei's promise to convince them not to butcher him was contingent on his offering information he didn't have. His hands formed a Ram sign as information from a jutsu he previously didn't know forced its way into his brain, and he launched a wooden spear past his teacher and at the door.

Wait, since when could I-

"What's touching my l-"

He was suddenly ripped out of his bed and immediately fell onto the floor opposite the side the Hokage had taken, not even registering the pain of the impact. Feeling a strange unevenness to the tiles under him, he squirmed as he tried to figure out what it was. There was a tug at each of his legs, and he looked down to see a couple of large roots splitting to reach out and impale his calves like a couple of hands with knives for fingers. Ashitaka was more incredulous than alarmed. They weren't on the first floor of the building, and despite the place being full of Dojutsu users including Nyg-sensei himself, none of them had taken note of the things creeping up toward his room. His own Sensory abilities had likewise failed him.

He grabbed at the roots and tried to pull them out, but they were strong and had dug in deep. Worse, they were splitting further, and quickly. They wrapped around the outside of his legs as quickly as they crawled up inside his flesh, which transformed into wood along their path. Rage gave way to panic as his struggles rapidly grew more futile. He was becoming engulfed by the roots at a blinding pace. Acting on pure instinct, he reached out to the only other human in the room, one of precious few that regardless of their flaws he thought he could count on at least sometimes. But before his arm even fully extended, he started wondering why he bothered. He knew he was nothing but trouble for the man, and sooner or later he'd just be passed on to become somebody else's problem.

"Sensei..." he said, more apologetic than panicked as the roots closed around and within his face. Maybe it would be better if this thing took him away. It was ironic, of course, that he would learn to fear and hate alien gods just in time to be informed that home was no safer a place. And the things to which he was most closely bonded were hardly friends.



_______________________


[WC 708
Trained: Wood Release: Wood Cutting Technique]

Nyguyen could see how crestfallen the young man looked. He didn't respond to the Hokage's interrogative so he could only assume that Ashitaka was about to reject the position. However, when the machines started beeping and Ashi's expression turned from sorrow to rage, Nyg realized that it had less to do with Team 10 and more about the secrets he was keeping. Ashitaka's words were insubordinate and there was a time when Nyguyen would have shouted back. But he had been reading quite a bit of material on military leadership. To shout or match Ashitaka's energy levels would only feed into genin's unruliness. It would be giving power and acknowledgement to the disrespect. Nyguyen's face contorted in anger but he kept his cool. He knew what he had to do.

Trauma or no, Ashitaka was no use to Konoha in this state. He'd have to smack some sense into the boy. If he could not deal with it then so be it, but Nyguyen was not just his sensei now, he was his Kage. Regardless of how he felt about the Ōtsutsuki, Ashitaka had to respect the title. But before Nyg could even raise his hand, things went from bad to worse. He began ripping out his medical insertions and acting erratically. Nyguyen activated his Sharingan and not a moment too soon for Ashitaka quickly launched a wooden projectile at the door. Nyguyen's Eye of Insight told him that he was in no danger from the object but the mere fact that Ashi was launching jutsu in a hospital meant that he was now officially a danger to himself and the other patients.

When he was thrown off the bed and revealed himself to be impaled by roots of unknown origin, Nyguyen suppressed a shout. Ashitaka was clearly panicking and if he added to the fear then it would only make things worse. Analyzing the situation with his Sharingan, the Hokage determined that the roots were not an immediate danger to Ashitaka. He wasn't a doctor but judging from the fact that they weren't rupturing the major arteries in his legs, he could assume that their intent was not to kill.


"Doctors!" Nyguyen called out in a calm but loud voice. He immediately rushed to Ashitaka's side and held the boy. Nyguyen's objective was to keep Ashitaka from moving around too much and inadvertently hurting himself. At the present moment he had two theories. The first was that this was an attack by unknown and unseen enemy with Wood Release. It was the less likely possibility as Ashitaka was just a genin, assassinating him would be a rather pointless move. That is unless it was due to the information that the boy possessed. Even still, a smart attacker would wait for any time other than when the Hokage chose to pay a visit. The second and more likely scenario was that this was Ashitaka's doing. He was unconsciously utilizing Wood Release. There was more support for this theory given the fact that he had just launched a piece of wood. Whatever the case may be, Nyguyen would restrain Ashitaka and a squad of medics would burst into the room.

They were astonished by the sight and react immediately. They ran to the sensei and student went a medical kit. A doctor attempted to push a syringe into Ashitaka's arm and sedate him. During all of this, Nyguyen would hold his student and say:

"Ashitaka its okay, relax....I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you. Stay calm."

He wasn't sure what was going on and he kept himself on high alert in case of attack but he'd do his best to project confidence and certainty.

Precision: A-Rank Canon Jutsu 300 WC

615/300

In sharp contrast to the stillness brought to his body by the roots growing through it, Ashitaka's mind was a whirlwind of warring thoughts and emotions.

Traitor! TRAITOR! You sold us all out! We'll be slaves forever now!

Sensei, please help me... I'm so scared!

Why can't I just die? Nobody wants me and I don't blame them. Everywhere I go, I bring misfortune.

When Nyg-sensei reached out to him, the boy grabbed his teacher's hand with the one that was not yet completely bound, using his Sensory abilities to locate him. But then he felt the roots crawling up that arm and immediately let go, pushing the Hokage away lest he, too, got caught up in whatever was doing this to him. No sooner had he broken contact than the roots finished engulfing his hand and pulled his arm back to force him into a fetal position, then expanded out to form a cocoon-like shell around him.

"Oh yes, good. Bring them in here." a voice that was legion and seemingly spilling out from the very walls; and yet predominantly feminine and motherly said in response to Nyguyen's summon of the doctors. They cautiously entered the room since there was currently a hefty spear impaled halfway through the doorway, having nearly punched through the throat of the head surgeon who had the balls to offer the first piece of Ashitaka to Nyg himself. They were immediately seized by similar roots erupting from the floor and the walls and pinned to the latter as the door closed.

"Well look at you, my cheerful little historian! All grown up and wearing the robes of the Kage! Though, not that such a thing means much, as of late. That position has changed hands so quickly and so often that I've hardly had a chance to get a word in to one of you before having to find the new one." Some of the roots surrounding Ashitaka crawled up to the top of the translucent orb he was imprisoned in and formed the general shape of a woman before a proper Wood Transformation technique activated and formed the considerable shape of a woman, mercifully clothed in a kimono as modest as was likely possible.

"Now, I think what we have here is a rare opportunity to right a few wrongs that have been going on under my leaves. Namely: I want you, little Nyguyen Uchiha, to use your power as Hokage to ban the continued use of your children as warriors."

Don't be ridiculous! If we don't go to war, then it will come to us! And it's better to be prepared than not!

The spirit perked up, having heard his thoughts, then glared at the chrysalis.
" Additionally, I want you to promise me that-"

Stop pretending you care about me! I don't even know who you are!

"Hush, child." the woman commanded, although not a sound escaped the orb, then she returned her attention to the Hokage. "As I was saying, I want you to promise me that you'll dissolve whatever contract you've formed with the aliens. I assure you that whatever they've given is not what they've led you to believe it is, and what they'll extract from you in return will be worth more than life itself."

As she stared imperiously down at the handful of people in the room, minus the one she was sitting on, a thought occurred to her.

"Oh! Right. You humans like for things to have names you can refer to them by, don't you? Well then, you can call me Konoha. It should help you remember what you're dealing with. After all, it is from my roots that many of this village's buildings were formed. And to help you with my initial command, I will be removing-"

There was a violent cracking sound, and a fair number of wooden spikes erupted from the orb, carefully arranged to avoid injuring Nyg-sensei. Ashitaka, clearly, did not like the idea of being pulled from the team. "Konoha" made a sound like you'd expect from a girl seeing a small furry animal.

"Ahh! They grow up so fast! Excuse me for a moment." she said as she made a Snake hand seal and pressed it to Ashitaka's prison, flooding it with a green mist that did what his prescribed medication failed to do and sedated him, resulting in his spikes all falling into wood chips.

Nyguyen tried to reach out for the frightened child but Ashitaka rejected his advance. It didn't take him long to find out why. Just after pushing him away, Ashitaka was consumed by the ever-growing matrix of tree branches. "Ashitaka!!" Nyguyen shouted as he drew his tanto and snapped into a fighting stance. He was about to lunge at the cocoon of wood when he heard a voice. Not long after the medical staff were ensnared by the invisible enemy's roots as soon as they entered. Nyguyen activated his Sharingan and took a step back when he realized that whatever he was dealing with, was far stronger than previously imagined. If this was Ashitaka's doing then he'd need greater help than the Hokage originally thought necessary. The ruckus in the hospital had sparked a lockdown and as of this very moment, ANBU were on the way.

He gripped his tanto as the feminine voice mocked him. She knew his hobbies, that he was a Kage, and that Konoha had been in dire straits recently. Nyguyen's mind raced as he tried to identify the individual but no one came to mind. When it took the shape of a woman in a kimono, he slowly edged to the door. This being was now making demands of him presumably using Ashitaka as a bargaining chip. She wanted Nyguyen to end the use of children in shinobi warfare. He had heard rumblings of such concerns but none in the military itself. It was usually samurai, civilians, and idealistic liberals who touted such poppycock. Despite the severity of the situation, Nyguyen found himself smirking.

The ANBU were now climbing up the walls of the hospital.

The woman was interrupted by something only she heard. She told Ashitaka to hush and that's when he realized that his student was fighting the creature.

Fight her Ashitaka! You can do it! He wasn't sure if the construct could read thoughts but maybe if she could, then so could he. He wanted to encourage his student to bust out. If Nyg himself made a break for the cocoon, she could crush Ashitaka or use a single misstep to capture him. She continued to prattle on about some "contract" with the aliens.

So she's been spying on me....

Nyguyen wasn't sure if this being was a manifestation of Ashitaka's paranoid subconscious or some kind of traitorous Senju. Whatever the case, she was barking up the wrong tree. He had no intention of negotiating with this terrorist let alone acquiescing to her demands. She identified herself as "Konoha" and insisted that she was the bedrock of the village. Nyguyen didn't believe in her fairy tale. He was of the opinion that this was some kind of ninjutsu either being cast by Ashitaka's disrupted subconscious or by an unknown enemy.

Maybe the Hot Zone or that Ōtsutsuki got into his mind somehow....its turning him into a living weapon.


Whatever the case was, Ashitaka was fighting it. The wooden spikes that had missed him but had tried to skewer his captor were all the proof he needed. When she made a handseal and pressed it to the entrapment, Nyguyen knew it was now or never. As if responding to his very thoughts, he could see the shadow of the ANBU through the blinds as they finally arrived.

The men crashed into the room and Nyguyen immediately barked orders.

"Surgical strike! Use Katon on the target, protect the cocoon!" Three shinobi in owl, dog, and cat masks converged on "Konoha". They ripped out swords from their scabbards and each of them attempted to cut her down with flame chakra infused blades. One aimed for her head, the other her torso, and the last her legs. If successful, Konoha would be slashed to fiery splinters. The ANBU's precision and chakra control was legend. They'd ensure that Ashitaka was not harmed by the process. While the ANBU worked to defeat Konoha and secure her hostage, Nyguyen used his tanto to cut down the medical staff. He'd slice up any roots near them and yell:

"Go! Get out of here!" he looked at the organ dealing doctor. There was nothing more he could do for him.

Once the escape of the civilians was assured, Nyguyen would turn his attention to Konoha and the cocoon. He'd rush into the fray, essentially throwing himself into whatever danger still lingered.

Konoha scowled at the window just as the ANBU broke through it, skipping the Snake seal and clasping her hands directly together. Her efforts at sedating Ashitaka interrupted, she instead summoned another volley of thin roots from the floor and used them to pin the spec ops ninja to the ceiling. A trio of burning blades clattered uselessly to the floor. Her attention at this point was mostly off of Nyguyen as she wasn't entirely concerned with his little knife. If it wasn't made of some special material or driven by a force that would put the doctors' lives at risk, it was unlikely to make any headway through her roots.

"I guess you're not much one for talking," she said as she flipped her hair back, then suddenly glared intensely at Ashitaka's cocoon. "What's so funny? Stop laughing this instant!"

Her demands were clearly going unmet, because she was growing more irate with each passing beat. She started kicking the wooden prison, incidentally demonstrating that it was more durable than she was physically powerful. It sounded like somebody was beating a watermelon, if said melon was impervious to beatings. After a moment, she remembered that she had an audience, and came to realize that she'd been made a fool of before all of them by a child. She considered killing them all and starting over with the next Hokage after she had the boy completely under her control. To that end, she made the Snake seal again and Nyguyen would be able to see smaller internal tendrils within the prison impale the same parts of Ashitaka's chest that had been previously damaged. She looked smug, then immensely worried for a moment, then relieved.

"I really don't understand you humans sometimes. I was given to the impression that you respected power and seniority," she said, turning on the new Hokage. Still more roots gathered under her, elevating her height to facilitate her baleful and imperious stare at the man. She didn't even bother trying to block or evade his strikes after he managed to sever enough roots to equalize their eye levels, but if one managed to pierce her false body, there was a good chance the blade would be trapped by her rapidly regenerating cells. She used one of her roots to lift a flaming sword to her hands. "Do I need to start killing some of you to help you better understand the situation you're in? That's what it's going take, isn-"

She was interrupted by a subharmonic ringing sound coming from the chrysalis, heightening the difference between Ashitaka's chakra and hers as he converted from Wood to Sensory and started pouring out a lot of it in spite of his injuries. It was much more keenly felt than heard, but beautiful beyond words nonetheless. Everyone who paid attention to it would find extraneous thoughts and worries fading out, and become much more aware of the weight and balance of the weapons in their hands. The locations and conditions of every person and object in the room, how much "room" there was in said room (not a lot, it wasn't that big to start with) and what they could do within its confines with their physical abilities. The past and futures would be spirited away to be stored in some indeterminable "warehouse" of their respective consciousnesses, to be retrieved in a time of peace. There was only the now, as fleeting and ephemeral as a blink of the eyes; yet as relevant and undeniable as the result of not doing so for a while. This tended to be pretty good for humans, since overthinking was a problem that plagued people in direct proportion to their intelligence.

For an ancient being steeped in the past and having been seized by the desire to control the future, however, this was a serious problem. The voices of the dead she kept for company were silenced, and Konoha had only herself to cope with events as they unfolded. Just like everybody else. She started to come a little unhinged, and formed the Snake seal yet again, causing the prison and the roots surrounding it to collapse into the floor. The prisoner resisted, of course, but that only slowed her progress and the one free human nearby had other problems to contend with. Nyguyen's behavior during the conversation had instilled her with the confidence that he would definitely prioritize the well-being of the ten adults present than the one child. She could hardly claim to have come out ahead in this conflict, but at least it wasn't a total loss.

"You should rejoice, little Hokage. You wanted the boy to claim his birthright, but rather than bother with all that awkwardness, his birthright has come to claim him!" she declared with a grin as she melted into the floor in time with the prison. "It's a shame you lacked the tact to negotiate for more input on how that played out!"




__________________


Techniques Used:

Konoha: Wood Release: Underground Roots Technique (A/A)

Ashitaka: Sensing Technique (Boosted, Shared)

She's fast!

Nyguyen watched as Konoha moved quickly to catch the ANBU shinobi. Even more interestingly, it appeared her roots retained the seem durability as true Senju Wood. It confirmed Nyguyen's suspicions that this was on illusion. This was either a byproduct of Ashitaka's mind or some unknown enemy with Wood Release. Either way, the entire hospital was in danger. It appeared Konoha had underestimated him and his resolve, as while the roots were tough so was his tanto. It was a custom crafted weapon of A-Rank quality made by none other than the great Damien Darhk. With Nyguyen's radical devotion to his village fueling his slashes, it made quick work of the roots. Freeing the medical staff as previously described just in time for Nyg to hear Konoha's protestations.

He wasn't listening and he wasn't speaking to her. When Konoha turned to the cocoon in anger, Nyguyen realized the irony of the situation. He enjoyed lecturing and yet he had nothing to say to this mysterious demon. Why? Because lectures were used to edify those he cared about. Those he saw as the future of the country. His own sensei had taught him that if you don't know where you come from, you can't know where you are going. There was no reason to legitimize this terrorist by conversing with it. She already had her answer, he had just given it by his actions rather than his words. He'd sort out this mess later by speaking to Ashitaka directly or if necessary probing the lad's mind. He was the true crux of all this. He was about to lunge as planned when "Konoha" impaled the cocoon. He stopped did in his tracks and used his Precision ability to peer into Ashitaka's body. He withheld a sight of relief. Ashitaka was alive, the spears had missed him but the act was enough to get him to stop.

When she armed herself, he knew he couldn't take any more chances. Both he, Ashitaka, and the ANBU were now in danger. He slashed at the roots as he made his way to Konoha's only to be stopped once more. This time by an incessant ringing which gradually transformed into a vivid experience that could only be described as chrono-kineically disruptive. Nyguyen almost dropped his blade but instead he forged ahead. Konoha began to melt into the ground in retreat but just before he she slipped out of his grasp. He shouted: "You're not going anywhere!"

But before he could stop the entity, she has escaped. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to give up. The Hokage cut down the ANBU and sent out a village-wide order to track and contain the being that had kidnapped his pupil. Wherever "Konoha" turned up, Nyguyen would be there. He had let down Ashitaka once, he would not do it again.

[Exit/End Thread?]

Contrary to the facade she presented, "Konoha" was not handling the situation well. The Hokage was unruffled by her threats, power, and knowledge. More ninja were swarming toward her like she was some kind of fugitive or monster, as opposed to the pillar of the city she truly saw herself as. And the child... was... not... cooperating! He fought her every step of the way, using the pitiful arts available to him to disrupt her efforts to contain, transport, and hide him. If she was an animal, the inability to have a moment to breathe as the slightest pause invited a flurry of shuriken to her present location and projected escape paths. Fortunately, she was a tree and therefore suffered no such anxiety. Not that it mattered, since the ANBU were not as well-equipped as the village leader.

It was pretty obvious that she'd make her way to the Senju District where her core was, and consequently the District Gates were teeming with the ninja of Konohagakure, all armed with weapons charged with either Fire or Lightning chakra or enchantments. The blades did them about as much good as they did for the first ones who attacked her, and for the same reasons. A barrage of roots erupted from the ground all around the various shinobi and seized them, painfully but mostly harmlessly restraining them as she passed them by and entered the gates without bothering to open them by simply melding through the wood. She didn't notice the lone root that was trailing behind Ashitaka's prison until the weapon that it was dragging lodged in the gate when the titanium blades didn't obey her command over wood.

Konoha was far too irate and pressured by human forces to deal with the trivial inconvenience in a rational manner, so she just severed the root and left the weapon where it stuck. Then she went about surrounding the District with a treeline so massive that it was impassable even for ranking ninja. A thorny wall of wood that nearly competed with the Grand Konoha Training facility in scale cut the region of the city off from the rest of it. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to enter or leave without either powerful Wood Release or Lightning and the willingness to dedicate to a siege. Of course, the village defenders had their orders and were about to carry them out when suddenly a very large chain of flowers blossomed along the outer wall and a cascade of pollen filled the street. Moments later, so did the bodies of countless unconscious fighters, which in turn were mummified in roots until only their faces remained uncovered.



[Exit Thread]
__________________




Konoha's Jutsu:

Wood Release Secret Technique:

Wood Release:

Wood Release:

WC 452
Ashitaka Learned:

Wood Release:

Ashitaka has lost possession of the Modular Weapon!

Nyguyen's order to track and contain "Konoha" was executed with all deliberate speed. The Hokage ensured that all the patients and doctors in the Hospital were safe before departing. He'd track "Konoha" to the district, recovering the weapon that had been left behind and handing it off to the analysis team to study. The giant dome erected around the Senju Clan District would be watched, contained, and the surrounding area blocked off. When Konoha unleashed chemical warfare against the surrounding Konoha-Nin, Nyguyen ordered that they be rescued and recovered. Not all of them made it back. The Siege of the Senju Clan District had caused a great deal of alarm and Nyguyen himself was perplexed at the situation. He had partially convinced himself that it was Ashitaka's subconscious acting out but the scale and complexity of this pshycological aberration was not something he had experience dealing with. During the Siege, he'd make a point to contact a prominent member of the Senju Clan and have a sit down meeting and discussion.

[Thread End]