Last Second Power-Up pt 3 (Kaori and Nakaba)

Nakaba arrived as instructed to. No less than five minutes early the Shinobi came in his standard outfit, a bright orange jumpsuit with a black tank top underneath. He would wait until the Hokage's secretary gave him the go ahead to enter her office and would humbly enter, bowing before he would approach the Hokage at a comfortable distance. "Lady Hokage, I received your summons." He wouldn't press the issue simply waiting until the Kage addressed him and whoever else was on their way.

Kaori had gotten quite a deal stronger over the course of the past few weeks. However, she wasn't expecting to be summoned for a meeting with the Hokage again, not so soon after the last meeting. Unless that's what this was about.

She was wearing her training gear at the moment, since she'd been training when she received the summons. Wearing a pair of tan shorts, a tan crop top with her bust bandaged tightly beneath it, bandages wrapped around her knuckles and forearms, and a pair of dark brown combat boots.

She wasn't dirty in the sense that she wasn't caked in dirt, but she was definitely not freshly showered either. It was likely that she was going right back to training after this, given that she had only really taken the time to clean the bottoms of her boots so as to not trek dirt into the Hokage's office.

Arriving ahead of her was Nakaba. Kaori's sensory was active, a new ability she'd picked up when reverse engineering Hiding Like a Mole a little bit. Between him and Airi, she noted their chakra signatures, storing them in her memory for later.

Placing her fist into the palm of her other hand, Kaori bowed respectfully to the Hokage for posterity's sake, but like the Genin Meeting, she chose to remain silent and simply let the Hokage get on with why she'd summoned the two of them.

-
Sensory Active -0.5
179.5/180

Nakabs would think for a few moments about this. It was possible, if not likely that Kaori would answer first. He thought about what he’d heard that the kage transformed into, and he thought about the path that he wanted to take with his own life. He thought about the scream he’d heard coming from this building earlier. “I’m sorry Lady Hokage, I think that I will refrain.” It was pretty obvious that his main reason was his indecision, but the other faxtors still played a role. He would bow deeply and take his leave. He would give Kaori and Lady Hokage privacy in this moment. There was a lot of uncertainty that he felt, but most of it stemmed from the feeling of having an edge. This competition was one of the few elements of self-expression that Nakaba was aware of. If this were a mission, there’d be no way he’d even consider declining. As he left Nakaba wondered if he was missing out on something incredible though.

[Exit]

"Thank you, but no thank you. Respectfully, I don't want to be a monster."

Kaori said, agreeing with Nakaba on this. It seemed like Airi wanted to get back to work, so Kaori didn't really want to waste anymore of her time here, before she pissed her off by lingering. It wasn't like there was any reason to stick around anyhow.

Following him out, Kaori went back to her training, ready to get the final bit of last minute effort that she could in. If Airi wasn't offering to turn her into a monster, then maybe, but she didn't really want to know what all of that entailed.

-
Exiting
Declining "Imperfect Sage Mode"

The gears in his head didn’t stop ticking just because he was in a different foom. As Kaori left, Nakaba would stop for a moment as if he forgot something. He’d reach into his jumpsuit looking for some paperwork, nodding a silent farewell to the other genin who was leaving. After a mimute of shuffling, he would pull out a completely unrelated notebook. Activating chakra sensory, he’d wait until Kapri was on a different floor. With confidence he’d walk back into the room. He would quietly close the door behind him and ask thr question that he didn’t want to ask in front of the Innocence-hating Kaori. “Lady Hokage, was it that power that made Innocence scream in terror like that? If she accepted, then I would like to as well. I couldn’t bear abandoning one of my fellow shinobi on a path like that.” Nakaba would make another statement to elaborate on his emotional state. “Lady Hokage, I want to forge my own path in this Examination, but I also cannot bear to abandon my allies again. Please bestow upon me whatever burden you placed on the young Lady Uchiha.” Nakaba would humbly bow hoping he’d explained his mixed feelings accurately.

[Activating and Maintaining Chakra Sensory]

As the Hokage stood up, Nakaba seemed thoroughly unbothered not flinching as she spoke. Nothing she said was surprising to him. He knew she was a monster. He assumed that Innocence had witnessed that which had brought down that massive beast. It was simply a matter of course that the power offered was something akin to that horror. In fact he would have been surprised had It been something else, given Innocence's response. "Lady Hokage this world is filled with monsters." What's one more Kimyonokama. His thought would only wander away from the Hokage for a moment. "I have made up my mind. I am certain." He didn't want this power for the competition. He didn't want the power to crush his enemies. His motivations would be his own though, as he did not share them.

She spoke of the Source of her Sage Technique. Nightmares and Echoes and Souls all dwelling within this Cradle. Who said cradle? Nakaba listened earnestly untempted by doubt, investigating his temptations, acknowledging his fears. More uncomfortable by the close contact than anything else, Nakaba wasn't enjoying the disconnect between Airi's words and her body language. "Whether or not my soul is changed, I was never meant to go to the same place as my family. I sacrificed that part of myself long ago. If it were merely for power, I gave up my right to that place when I left the fold. I wish to continue." As her hand slid up his chest, Nakaba was warm to the touch. It could have been his body preparing to meet fear with aggression. It could have been a response to the touch. Whatever it was, Nakaba's skin almost felt sun baked.

"You said it yourself already this world is filled with monsters. I am not tied to this world by my humanity." With his words Nakaba revealed himself unconvinced by Airi's temptation warning. He could run into this abyss. "I hold this certainty steadfast in my heart. I will not abandon either of you." He would wait for his Kage.

FLASHBACK
An old man turned the corner of his dunn colored house. A smile peeled across his face as he acknowledged his grandson. A meal had been prepared for the two of them. A young man, in his late teens, with a tightly lined up fade was slaving away in the kitchen. This wasn't a special day in this house, but the meal was special to the grandson. He looked up at his Pops, nodding him a good morning, as he did his best not to get too distracted from the task at hand. It was barely sunrise, and the boy was already sweating despite the incredible amount of work that had to be done. No words were exchanged, but the grandfather gently sat on a stool at the island behind his grandson and accepted the meal. As the younger man finished his food, he'd adjust his clothes straightening out oil and coal covered overalls.

With a simple, slow, purposeful gesture Pops would call the grandson's attention. "What do you want to ask me, Tōru?"
For a moment there was silence. "Pops, why do you arm the Shinobi who stand against the interests of the people."
Pops would simply laugh, "Should I disarm them?"
"What? No you know what I mean. Shinobi are a plague to the world. They always take shortcuts, and work just hard enough to kill whatever obstacles are in their way."
"Tōru, that is simply the way of the shinobi. A sword is a weapon meant for killing, yet it had two purposes." The grandson looked skeptical. "To attack," The grandfather made a quick lunge forward with an imaginary blade leaving his seat and killing his imaginary foe in one move, "And to protect." He'd repeat the same move again this time in a different direction. "Well Tōru, could you see the difference?" The teenager scrunched his eyebrows.


Present, Location Unknown
No matter how much he scrutinized it, Nakaba could feel the memory fading, losing its texture, and smoothing over. The vivid colorful setting faded into empty. Clink Clink Tink Tonk Clonk Clink Clink Tink Tonk Clonk. A faint orange glow appeared, the glow of a small forge. Nakaba easily recognized it. Silver dreads falling down his back, those muscular arms, that manly back, He knew exactly who this was. Pops leaned over the forge reaching in and pulling out something. Its metal glowed golden and reflected the light of manifold faraway stars. "Did you eve-"



FLASHBACK
Thousands lay dead. Nakaba had been working for some local militia partnered organizations for the better part of a year so he wasn't there when it all happened. When he walked back home bodies with vacant eyes followed one almost the other like breadcrumbs walking him into the oven.


Present, Location Unknown.
Pops' hand clasped firmly down on Nakaba's shoulder. "It's too early Tōru for you to go. Hang in there."
"Pops what's goi-"


FLASHBACK
Silver dreads dangled from a head adorning lifeless eyes. Blood smeared on the walls and Pop's head was held high upon a stake just outside the house. Any of them could have been friends, family, or coworkers.


Present, Location Unknown
"Tōru, shhh. Something else is..."
Dozens of cold, invisible whips yanked him away. His grandfather shrank away and vanished. Nakaba didn’t even parse half of the wisdom the old man wanted to impart before he found himself sinking to the bottom of a sea of stars. He fell to the bottom. No, maybe he just reached equilibrium and stopped sinking. No, maybe he was just overwhelmed by the perspective. Nakaba shook his head straining as his thoughts began to loop. He felt the first fissures immediately. Chittering screams and rancid gurgles as mad mouths ripped, chewed, and spat out vulgar utterances.
“Orr'enah, ot ainah fahff ymg' mgep mguh'e, ymg' mgep become ehye llll c'. Ymg' mgep become ehye ot c'. Ymg' mgep mg agl ph'nglui limbo ngnah any adjacent shugnahh”
“What?! Is this Language? You’re speaking to me?”
“Fahf ehye ah ah'legeth.  Either ph'nglui choosing l' ignore c' ngnah failing l' kadishtu”
“Ignore? Failing?”
“Bestow the Golden Ember upon him.”
“Golden Em….?”
Nakaba beheld something he would later on describe as a soul shaking cruelty. A marvel of geometry. Whatever his game was, it fell apart as he did. Nakaba fell to his knees as Blood poured from his eyes.
“Toru, surrender thyself. Peel thyself hup thy deceitful ainah.  Grandson ot sunrises, thou art acknowledged Iiahe bearer ot s'uhn. Confess.”
Streams of blood like tears pured. Nakaba would have worried that it was a lethal amount if he wasn’t consumed with fear. “Y' l' mgepnog save innocence” Shaking hands reached from a mouth that had betrayed him.
“Cease thy inattentiveness. Acknowledge thy sincere intention.”
“Y' ahor't lose nilgh'ri else.  Soth else ahor ah hup mgepmggoka ya."
The figure churned the fractures in his mind gave out at the mere sight of them. A gust would pick up burning his cheeks as the blood from his eyes caught in the wind. Embers poured from his breath and eyes and then ignited as his head caught aflame. His mind burned and burned and burned and burned.

Nakaba would wake up on his knees hand on the contract, no memory of biting his thumb or placing the bloody handprint on the contract. Nakaba trembled. Rapidly inhaling and exhaling and wishing for sound to leave his mouth as he awoke mid-hyperventilation, Nakaba tried to remove his hand, but was met by refusal from his heart and body. Between gasps he uttered a whisper, “S- S- Stop!”

[OOC: I imagined music with this post.]

Nakaba woke up on his knees hyperventilating. What have I done? My breath. I’m hyperventilating. Need to get air in my lungs. Need to breathe. Breathe. Can’t stop. He could feel a weak voice tremble out of his throat as he descended back into that mad plane. No, something is pulling me. I’m not falling. Scintillating colors erupted around him as a cascading array of countless stars flew around him. Sick, vile screams and chittering laughter erupted around him as blood and flame scorched his head once more. Avatar. Uh'enah. Avatar.  Uh'enah. Avatar. Uh'enah. Avatar. Uh'enah. Aaaaaaaaaaah. The pain was like ripples shredding through the fabric of time. Inevitable and unavoidable.  “Thou shalt display thy Obedience.” Silent screams rippled through his shattering ego as he descended further and further as his tether submerged him into the madness like a loosed anchor. All the while the dark madness moved through him. I won’t burn away in silence. I don’t want to burn away. Stop. The colors would mute into an inky black.

“Thou constructed perception ot thyself, unmoved llll pursuit ot absolute r'luh. Thy deception's' paper thin. Meager embers drifting illuminate countless imperfections.”

“Tōru.” Nakaba’s head would crane over his shoulders. Thousands of hands comprised of the endless dark wrapped around him like a cocoon, the casket that would drag him down to the depths. He grit his teeth as tears would eat away at the flaring inferno around his head, the mere outline of his eyes visible as he strained to see the owner of the voice that called out to him. Each shaky, jumpy victory as his head twisted out of its previous alignment to perceive Pops. All of his muscles strained. Veins pulsed from his necks, shoulders, and arms as he moved in defiance of the forces holding him down. He could see Pops as light cast out from behind the old man filled a doorway. Outlining him in the silver light of the Pure Land.

“Pops. Sorry.” A tepid version of Nakaba stood in front of the old man sheepishly as he gently smiled. The old man reciprocated.

“If you’re going to refuse to walk down the path that I forged for you, at least do so standing straight up. Your father’s still out there. Be careful my boy.” A mere dream of a dream, though the words were etched into his heart, the vision faded like fog in the daylight.

“Aaaaarrgrrggh.” Blood trickled from Nakaba’s mouth after a quick series of cracks as he strained. The shadow of the old man held a golden flame in his hands that he blew to Nakaba. The flames cooled and grew bearable as the old man’s shadow was occluded by the light behind him [Receiving Radiant Chakra from Pops]. Nakaba watched him vanish and the door to the Pure Lands slowly seal with a creak and a mighty slam.

Submerged in darkness again, the cacophony of laughs and cackling grew raucous again. Nakaba could feel that his voice was his once again. Avatar. Uh'enah. Avatar.  Uh'enah. Avatar. Uh'enah. Avatar. Uh'enah.

He’d suddenly open his eyes again. They were flaring with scintillating colors. He looked upon Airi. He didn’t look any less scared or broken. What she likely saw was conviction. Nakaba saw them both, the Kage before him and the Collective. [Activating Unrelenting, Unpredictable | Activating Radiant Chakra Mode | Activating UQ Booster] He made eye contact with the Byakugan wielder. He didn’t hold defiance in his eyes, but he also didn’t hold submission.

“You’re right. Had I pursued my own power, I could have prevented the deaths of my family. Maybe I would have walked with them.” Nakaba looked right into Airi’s eyes as he stood, but he mustn’t have been conscious yet. A wicked grin spread across his face. “I don’t plan on having anything else taken from me though. Now that I’m locked out of heaven, I’ll just double down. Anyone else who tries to take away something precious to me will pile up on the mountain beneath my feet.” The flare would vanish and Nakaba would fall to one knee. A moment would pass as his eyes rolled back, and then he would collapse. He had the fortitude of neither Airi or Innocence.  Withdrawing inwards once again, his skin was feverish as if his blood had been boiling while he lay unconscious on the Hokage’s floor. Nakaba heard a whisper: Uh'eor yar ephaiai

Cosmic Horror Contract signed. Learning Cosmic Horror Sage Mode - Imperfect Sage
[Attempting fade to black Exit]