A Midnight Stroll (Complete)

Spoiler:

Like a new born bird leaving the nest for the first time, or a cub hunting for its first meal, a day would come where all men would face their destiny, and would rise or fall on their own. It was a path each person would eventually cross, and a path they would walk alone. Like the Kataki road, the road of destiny twisted, turned, and even split off into more roads. The destination was not what was important, but the journey, the walk alongside fate, was what defined a person. The path they chose, the road they decided to walk, it was theirs to choose, and only theirs to bear. Every man, woman and child was responsible for that choice, and what ever path that choice led them down, it was a road they would need to take alone. This was Sonin's road, his choice.

The day had been long, and warm, like most days in the desert were. It was relentless and overbearing, the heat was to hot, the air to dry, and not a single moment of relief was to be had. Lucky for the White Wolf, he knew these lands, could navigate this wasteland like the back of his hand, and knew all the right spots to hunt, gather, and most importantly, hide. It was not very often that the tall, thin man decided to travel, especially through such a hostile environment as this one. He had left his beautiful cabin in the northern woods to return to this god forsaken place, to see an old friend, and return an ancient favor. Sonin despised the heat, he hated the desert, and resented even choosing to come back this way, but it was time to see the old hag one final time, to repay his respect before she croaked. Unfortunately this trip brought him back here, back home, to the Sun Scorched desert. Oh how he despised this part of the world, and everything that it came with. The wasteland was bad enough, but what he hated the most was the people, the very reason he left in the first place.

He had already been traveling for a few days, and as the sun was beginning to set, the wanderer soon realized that he was going to be late. If he did not manage to make it to his destination by morning, then the entire trip would have just been one big waste. He had made it a goal to not travel on the main roads, and wanted nothing more than to avoid any form of interaction or social environment. However, he was now pressed with a difficult choice, continue through the endless sands and risk being late, or take the main road and shave several hours off of the trip, but risk running into someone, anyone. Glaring up into the evening sky, watching the day turn to night, blue to black, the swordsman let out a deep sigh, and changed course, now headed straight for the main road.

Night had fallen upon the man when he finally managed to make it to the Kataki road, leaving sand behind for a well paved path. The moon shone high above the empty desert, cascading a smooth glow across the sand. While it was still uncomfortably hot, the night had brought with it a cool breeze, and a moment to reflect on the trip. He was nearly there, less than a couple of hours to go, and he hoped in the recesses of his mind that no one else was out here at this time of night. Fate was a cruel mistress however, as not twenty minutes in Sonin could make out a lone figure walking towards him, sharing the same path. He immediately regretted his choice as the two men slowly closed in on each other. Sonin was a tall, slender man, standing about six feet, three inches tall, and covered almost head to toe in white. Stark white hair stuck straight up from a black steel head band, his dark brown eyes the only visible thing on his face, as the rest of it was covered in a black cloth face mask that connected itself to a body suit and ran the length of his frame. Atop this frame sat a sleek white coat, extending down towards his ankles and covering everything beneath. The only other thing visible on his person was Shiroi kiba, the large four foot katana that was currently resting in its sheath attached to his lower back.

The two men closed in on each other more, now only 30 meters from each other. He was going to keep his head low, eyes straight, and avoid any form of contact with this stranger. It was unlikely that it would be anyone interested in Sonin, but he was not going to risk anything. If the passer by decided to greet the man, he would offer a casual greeting, and continue on his way. He surely had recovered some time with his short cut, and was not about to waste more time dealing with an inconvenience on the road.

Sonin had settled himself, allowing his body to relax and appear comfortable, not wanting to give this man any reason to suspect that he may anxious or expecting anything. While his outer presences was cool and calm, he was more than prepared on this inside, his mind already preparing for the worst. He hated living on edge, but so far it was what kept him alive, expecting anyone to become a threat, even if they were just common men walking the road late at night. The two lone souls under the moonlight continued towards each other, twenty meters, ten meters, five meters, until they eventually crossed each other. The swordsman kept his eyes forward, a bit of distance between him and this stranger. All had appeared to go smoothly, the stranger offering a small greeting, and Sonin replying with a simple "Likewise". They both continued in their own directions, putting ten meters between the two, until Sonin heard it, the stern voice that broke the evening silence.

He stopped abruptly, hearing his name on the breeze, letting out a disgruntled sigh. So he had been recognized, by a member of the Sun Village no less. This day was beginning to annoy him, as if it could not have gotten worse. More than likely this man was going to attempt to capture the White Fox, something Sonin was not going to allow. This meant it was inevitable the two would clash here on this road, in the middle of the night. He could feel the man's gaze boring into the back of his head, the overall vibe of the night switching up, as the mans tone spoke for itself. Wheeling around on his heels, Sonin kept a straight face, Allowing his temper to settle, and not giving this man any reason to act rashly.

"Genkumaru, the Sun's Crimson Lion, seems i was foolish to take this road after all.". He spoke softly, allowing each word to escape from beneath his mask. "I was simply out for a stroll this beautiful night. However something tells me i will not get to finish my walk. I would politely ask you to walk away, turn your back and forget you saw me here, but i have a hunch you are to prideful for that, a product of Nikousato no doubt.". He would make no movements, leaving both hands to his side, and staring directly at the man in front of him. He foolishly hoped Genkumaru would feel generous enough to walk away, but he knew better than that, and was prepared for whatever came his way.

In any other situation, he would have rolled his eyes and scoffed at this man, but tonight was different, he could not show signs of weakness, he could not open himself up to a stranger. The desperation in Genkumaru's voice was obvious, as if he was struggling with this moment, it was comical to him, everyone knew what was best, and everyone wanted to know why he had abandoned the village. These people knew nothing. He had spent the last few years of his life on the run, evading hunter ninja, fighting off bounty hunters, and the whole time being blamed, as if it was all his fault. They always wanted to know why he left, painted him as the bad guy without ever considering the other side.

"Do not speak as if you know things. You blindly follow a village, a leader who could care less for the sacrifices you make each and every day. You blindlessly follow this idea, hold it with pride, and yet know nothing of the truth. You are just a blind child Genkumaru, grasping around in the dark looking for a hand to guide you. That hand will guide you to your death. "

His words were sharp, cutting through the midnight air. He was not going to play coy with this man, but he was not going to entertain him either. Countless men came after Sonin, all wanting to know the truth, but none of them ready to hear it. He let out a sigh, moving his right arm to rest on the handle of his blade. Tonight would end like every other encounter, it was the path he now walked, it was his duty. "I have nothing to talk to you about, i have no answer for those burning questions in your mind. I am sorry to disappoint, but that is just how its going to be. Now i have some where to be, so you can either let me go on my way, or hurry up and do whatever it is you are going to do. " His hand would remain on the sword hilt, not moving, but making it obvious he was not afraid to use it.

He could not help but snicker as the frustration within Genkumaru was obviously building. The tone of his voice had changed, as he spoke of honor and duty, he was clearly getting a bit emotional. This was not the first time Sonin had encountered someone who had tried to capture him using emotion and a sense of duty. Hell his own child hood friends had chased him down and tried to convince him to come back, with no of them having any success. They just did not get it, no one understand what he knew, saw what he saw, heard what he heard. It was pointless to try and change his mind, he would have rather died then return to Nikkousato. He could tell this man before him had a lot of drive, that he felt strongly for the people he protected, that he stood for something greater than himself. It was all a farce though, a shadow draped over his eyes to get him in line. But if Genkumaru wanted to try and prove his honor, Sonin would happily oblige.

The Sun Shinobi's drive was strong, his technique smooth, as the swordsman watched the man instantly move after speaking, diving to the side and rolling through the dirt. The white cloaked man smiled, so he chose the hard way after all. He allowed his sword to smoothly slide out from its sheath, the moonlight glinting off the cold, white steel of Shiroi Kiba, his four foot long Katana. He will step forward with his right leg, taking a stance and allowing his body to prepare for its next move. His eyes watched the man finish his roll, both hands flickering forward, attempting to throw some kind of substance through the air. The Ex Jounin had been in plenty of fights, and had seen plenty of tricks, he knew better than to under estimate something as simple as dirt. If the enemy used it, it had a purpose. Tightening the grip on his weapons handle, the muscles in his arm flexed as he swiftly brought the blade forward in a single clean motion. Wind chakra coursed through the blade, and as he sliced through the air, the wind would release itself, moving forward in the form of a five meter by five meter wall of pure wind. The wall rushed forward, colliding with both tufts of dirt, and sending them flying backwards with ease, only to return to the soil behind Genkumaru.

The wall did not stop however, as it would continue to move a full twenty meters, not only pushing the thrown dirt back, but pushing through Genkumaru as well. It was not strong enough to completely throw him to the ground, but the gust would have distracted him for a second, pushing back his hair and clothing. Sonin used this brief momentum to close the gap, rushing forward five meters, following the wave of wind. As he dashed he would replace the blade, returning it within its sheath, and would instead attempt to use the distraction of the wind wall to deliver a quick strike to the man. Sonin's right knee would fly upwards as he returned his blade, aimed at striking the Sun Ninja square in the chest. He was not going to kill this man just yet, and decided to instead use blunt force as a warning, a reason to flee.

If the knee connected, the momentum of the strike would be enough to lift Genkumaru a foot up into the air. Sonin would reach out with his left hand, trying to grab the man by his throat. Of course this third action would only be successful if the knee strike connected with his chest. If he did manage to grab his opponent by the neck, he would lightly squeeze, cutting off a bit of the air supply to his brain. If the knee strike did not land, his third action would not be used, and instead he would be poised and composed enough to react to whatever this midnight traveler used to counter act his knee strike.

Jutsu Used:

The wall of wind had been successful in blowing back the two mounds of dirt that Genkumaru had thrown, however it did not manage to hinder the mans movement as he rushed forward, and seemingly blew a hole in the wall itself with a decent sized explosion. With this and the two minor explosions that went off from the mounds of dispatch dirt, Sonin could clearly see why this man was filled with the kind of rage that he was. He used detonation type ninjutsu, and being from Nikkousato, it was safe to assume he was an explosion user. Sonin had come into contact with people like him before, and they were dangerous combatants, regardless of their skill level. The swordsman could not help but feel a little more excited about this interaction now. He had a chance to show a hot headed and blindly arrogant shinobi the truth of the world. With the wind wall being blow out of existence, the enemy pulled out a kunai and took a defensive stance. Now that he knew this man could literally blow things to hell, he was going to have to be more careful.

Keeping his distance, Sonin charged the sword in his hand with more chakra, but instead of it being wind based, it was instead lightning chakra this time. The long steel blade hissed and crackled with electricity as a thin coat of white static energy could be seen pulsing across the weapon. This lightning would not only increase the cutting and stabbing efficiency of the blade, but would allow him to channel even more techniques through the weapon. His eyes narrowed as the evening grew darker once more, the lights from the blast settling down. Genkumaru was going to try and force him to close the gap, rush in. While this was his normal course of action, he had been around the block a few times, and knew better than to rush right into a ticking time bomb. Pulling his sword up and arching his arm back, he instead flung the sword directly at the man now in a defensive position.

The lightning charged sword would expertly fly through the air, aimed directly at the sun Shinobi. In mid flight Sonin would complete a set of hand seals, causing a thick cord like beam of lightning to pulse from his hands, and attach itself to the end of his sword, now rushing through the air. The chain of lightning would connect itself to the sword, tethering Sonin to his weapon as the road around them instantly became illuminated with a soft white light as the lightning pulsed towards the blade. Keeping both hands out, still 5 meters from Genkumaru, he would hold the lightning chain tight, awaiting his opponents reaction to the deadly sharp sword now headed his way.

As his technique was successful in disrupting the wind wall he felt vindicated in his strength for the first time in a long time. Watching Sonin’s movements intently he noticed as the man flowed lightning chakra into his blade, coating it in electricity instead of wind this time. This man was a thing to behold, he held no wasted movements, and performed all of his abilities with ease. Gen was beginning to think he might be more outmatched then he thought. Shifting his feet a little he prepared for a frontal assault from the man.

When he didn’t rush him, Gen became puzzled as he would assume the former Jonin knew that he had the upper hand, why not strike now? Wasn’t he a fox? Tactile and all about seizing the advantage? This man continued to puzzle him in ways that could not be expressed with mere words. He was a warrior wasn’t he? He carried and used the blade like an extension of his own being which must mean he adhered to the code of Bushido at some point in his life.

As he waited for an assault he instead watched as Sonin threw his blade at him! It was such a weak offense to use on its own that it made Gen assume it had to be something more. Using the explosive energy charged into his fist he leapt towards the incoming blade, just as a lash of lightning flashed into existence tethering the blade to Sonin’s hand. There definitely was something more to the assault! Quickly pivoting to slam his fist into the ground and release the charged explosion into it, several large earthen spikes erupted upward from in front of him creating a front facing shield of sharp rock.

Usually when Bakuton was used this way it was meant to force an opponent backwards or to punish acrobatic foes. In this context however it was being used to try and stop the incoming blade. As it pierced through the layers of rock in front of him it was knocked off its original course presumably and landed squarely in Gen’s left shoulder. A scream of pain echoed out from him with its plunging contact into his flesh. He would speak to Sonin  one last time before he gave in to his darker self, “Is that all you got? Where is the legendary skill of The White Fox? I don’t care how you currently view me, I will make you see my convictions with your own eyes! SONIN!”, the last words that left his mouth were full of rage and malice, his personality taking a turn for the worst as he came to realize the situation he had landed in. If her didn’t go all out, he would die here.

This had awakened within Gen his bestial rage fully, as he let out a lion-like roar at his opponent and flared his explosive chakra around his body, causing crackles of small scale explosions in the air, appearing like little energy crackles around him. He had given up controlling the tide of energy inside of him and was letting it all out. He would not die here. Blade still lodged in his left shoulder, he bounded towards Sonin with bestial fury while charging his right arm with Bakuton again. When he was within striking distance he would let go of the explosive energy in his fist, attempting to strike the man in the chest all while releasing his Bakuton: Pile Bunker, an extremely effective explosive strike that was the precursor to the legendary landmine fist of the Iwamura clan. Even in its imperfect form it created a large blast at the detonation zone.

Sonin was no longer fighting just the idealist that was Genkumaru, a proposed shield of the people and champion of justice. He was now fighting a man fully given into his rage and survival instincts. He was both as strong and tactical as the Genkumaru many knew, and as bestial and fierce as his counterpart the Blazing Beast of the Sun himself, Sojiro Sakura! He would rush straight into the barrier that was Sonin and do so with all of his might!

The white steel sword soared through the midnight air, static cackling around it now as the entire road was illuminated by the soft white and blue lighting pulsating from behind the blade. Sonin placed both of his hands around the lightning tether, almost like he was holding a thick rope, and watched as his enemy rushed forward. He had already deduced that Genkumaru was an explosion user, and was capable of devastating detonations. This would make him very dangerous in close quarters combat. The anger seeping from the man was going to make a face to face fight even more unpredictable. Just as he had guessed, the sun shinobi was moving forward, only to crash his hands into the ground, allowing an explosion to go off into the dirt. Large chunks of earth and stone would begin to break up, sending massive spiked chunks of the earth upwards into a barrier type of structure. The obvious intent was to deflect the blade, or at least slow it some. As the blade roared towards its target, it actually pierced through the stone, only slightly being thrown off of its main course, lodging itself into the left shoulder of the man instead. "Whatever works" Thought Sonin, as a grin formed over his face, he was starting to enjoy this.

This man was clearly dealing with things far greater than himself. They had never met before, and were only connected by the fact that they had shared a home once. However Genkumaru was getting visibly frustrated, allowing their meeting to spark something deep within the man, memories, feelings, conflict he may have had in his own heart. He had something to prove here tonight, and was going to take it out on the White Fox, best that he could. He was now taunting the swordsman, swearing to show off his convictions before the end of this bout. His face had begun to get red, tiny sparks of energy going off in the air around him. The ground cracked and swelled as he took off running right at Sonin, the white sword still lodged deep in his shoulder. This man was either insane or had a death wish. Was it this important to know why he left, what had driven him to make such a choice. The smirk grew wider, maybe he would indulge the boy some.

Clapping both hands together, Sonin pushed a wave of chakra through the tether, using the sword as a conduit for his lightning. A large amount of static energy would move from his body to the weapon, causing the cord to pulse brighter, illuminating the darkness even more. Anyone looking on from a distant would have one hell of a light show right now. As Genkumaru rushed forward, presumably to deliver another explosion, the lightning would course through his body, using the sword as an amplifier. The Sun ninja would feel an intense amount of pain shoot through the left side of his body, from the wound in his shoulder down to the tips of his toes. The pain would be so immense that it would physically paralyze that side of his body. His left leg would freeze up instantly, locking at the joints and stopping him where he stood. His left arm would go completely numb and limp, becoming rendered useless for the next post. His whole body would begin to tingle as the lightning made its way through out his nervous system.

But Sonin was not done. With his opponent halted for the moment, he took this chance to dash forward, dirt billowing up behind him from the speed of the dash. He would move with a blur, the lightning flickering off of his white coat, making the man look like a bolt of lightning himself. He would close the gap in a matter of no time, coming face to face with Genkumaru faster than he could have realized. Grabbing the sword handle that was still protruding from the man, Sonin leaned across the right side of the man, so that he could hear over the lightning currently shocking him.

"If your precious village commanded you to slaughter the two people you were the closest to, the people you came to love and cherish more than your very self, could you do it?" His brown eyes would stare deeply into Genkumaru's, the lightning flickering through them and being reflected in both men's gaze. "No matter what you choose to do in life, you are always the bad guy in someones story. Remember that my friend, to save a life, you must take a life. To save a soul, you must be willing to sacrifice your own. You think you know pain? You know nothing yet." Sonin's left hand, which was gripping the handle of his sword, would then move outwards, away from both of their bodies, taking the sword with it. It would cut cleanly through the mans upper shoulder, taking a good third of the flesh and meat with it. Now completely out stretched, the sword would continue to crackle, blood and gore dripping from it as Sonin stared deeply into the mans eyes, an image he would not soon forget.

Sonin felt the man go slightly limp, some of his weight resting upon the swordsman who currently gripped his right shoulder, both men glaring directly at each other. The blade had been pulled out of the mans shoulder, ripping flesh and blood, now dripping in the open air. The rogue had been in this position before, face to face with his enemy moments before their death, he had witnessed plenty of brave and powerful shinobi in this final moment, where their eyes revealed all. Most men had died here, in Sonin's arms, as they took their last few glances into the eyes of The White Fox. However as he caught the brief glimpse of Genkumarus right arm moving upwards and in between the two embraced men, he did not see the final spark in this mans eyes, and instead he saw a fire. Sonin's words had sparked something, had ignited a fire within the man, and the white clad missing ninja saw something else in the yes of his enemy. A passion, determination, strength, and even conviction. He would not allow this moment to be his last, as the right hand nestled between the two, and a blinding, burning explosion went off.

The detonation erupted between the two, breaking their embrace and send both men flying backwards in opposite directions. The dark night was illuminated once more as red, oranges and yellows clashed against the black back drop, filling the immediate area with the sounds and colors of a huge blast. Sonins body flew backwards through the air, as he finally hit the hard ground about five meters away, sliding through the dirt. The blast had scorched most of his jacket, and had even burned away a large portion of the face mask he was wearing. Propping himself up with Shiro Kiba, the man stumbled for a second, trying to locate the man who had managed to blast him to hell. He had been blown back about ten meters himself, only to have collided with a large stone in the dirt. Wiping blood and smoke from his face, Sonin fully stood, and struggled his way over to the sun ninja who was currently on the ground looking up, the finale signs of consciousness fading from his gaze.

A crack of real lightning would go off in the distant, bringing their midnight bout to an end. Rain started to pelt the earth, falling on both men as Sonin re heated his blade and looked down on the man who was slowly fading. Kneeling down on one knee, now soaked from the sudden down pour, Sonin could not help but smile. "Genkumaru, the Sun's Roaring Lion, i am sure our path's will cross again. Our journeys have not, and will not be the same. I will continue to walk my path, and i pray that you find yours." Standing once more, he turned to face away as a second bolt of lightning illuminated the night sky. He would continue his journey this evening, but instead of being annoyed with this interruption, he could not help but find joy in the two men's meeting. He had seen a bit of himself in Genkumaru, an unwaivering strength, a passion. Genkumaru, the Roaring Lion. A name i shall not forget.