Gratitude [P]

Mission

Yurei’s pale eyes opened to the glimmer of sunlight protru
ding from his bedroom window. He fluttered his eyes, narrowing them to gaze at the bright light rising over the horizon. It was blinding, and Yurei’s eyes winced in response. The Uchiha quickly closed them tightly, placing his long, pale fingers over them to suppress the burning sensation within them.
The was a tightness in his chest, a pressure in need of relief. Yurei arched his back, stretching. He exhaled, groaning at the pop of his back and the relief the followed. The Chuunin sighed, laying flat in his bed. His eyes opened once more, now adjusted to the harsh sunlight. He stared at the ceiling above him, twiddling his fingers under his sheets. The Uchiha took a deep breath and shifted his eyes to the foot of his bed. Esu was parked there, sound asleep. The dog had coiled himself, and, despite his size, sat nicely, at the foot of the bed.
Yurei brought his head up, getting a better look at the dog. Over to his side, Damon was missing. Likely out training or doing something of the sort. The tournament was drawing nearer, and time was running out. And with the competition between he, Damon, and the others, training was a given and a necessity.
The alabaster skinned Uchiha sat up in his bed, arching his back toward Esu. He extended his long, thin arms to the dog, petting Esu’s head and neck. The dog’s eyes opened, and his tail began to wag. He whined, turning over onto his belly. Yurei smiled, patting the Great Dane on his belly. The Uchiha sat up straight, stretching his arms into the sky. They popped and twisted as he stretched his muscles and twisted his wrists. He began to yawn as he extended his legs outside of the bed, his feet meeting the cold floor below. Yurei’s toes recoiled, tightening as the met with the ground. Yurei thrusted his body off of his bed and stood up straight, twisting his torso and popping his back. He yawned once more, walking toward his clothing rack. He still hadn’t retrieved his headband from Damon, but he had little need for it now. He barely wore it anyway, and it didn’t exactly earn him any discounts on the shops – quite the opposite really.
Yurei took his kimono from his clothing rack, loosing the silky robe as it coursed over his arms. As of now, Yurei wore dark, navy blue pants and a shirt. Bordering his neck was a net-like design the showed his pale skin underneath. Yurei weaved his skeletal arms into the sleeves of the coat, sighing as he did so. The future was unknown to him today. Frankly, he didn’t know what to learn or to do. He knew that he had to prepare for the exams, but now he was out of ideas.
There was always something one could do to improve oneself, however. Yurei just had to find out what. What was his calling today? What technique need he learn to win the tournament? He hadn’t the slightest idea still. Although, perhaps he wasn’t to know. Planning things out rarely worked for Yurei, so perhaps his trust would be rewarded in an offer he had not planned. Maybe something would come to him.
Or so he hoped. The idea of relying on the world to produce such strength angered Yurei, but he knew it was true to some degree. The lessons of the past strengthened those in the future. That was a simple fact of life whether Yurei liked it or not. Despite the circumstances of Akio’s death, Yurei knew they had made him stronger, in more ways than just that of the Mangekyou Sharingan and his Uchiha bloodline. It strengthened his will – his desire to achieve his goal. This world would not forge him. Instead, he’d forge himself in denial of this world. And he would be the creator of a new one with new laws. One with justice and protectors – as shinobi should be.
That was Yurei’s goal, and he wouldn’t let anyone stop him from achieving that. Damon, the Hogokage, or any other Chuunin. No, he had to succeed. He had no choice. This world – his mission – was too vital to lose to someone, no matter who they were. Yurei looked on Damon as a brother, but his goal paled in comparison to Yurei’s. Fame? No, that could not win out against him. Yurei wouldn’t allow it.
The pale Uchiha sighed in both frustration and determination, now fixated on his goal. He weaved his arms into his coarse sleeves, slipping the kimono over his shoulders. The young man grasped his silk belt, and weaved the cyan material around his waist and the silvery kimono. Yurei looked down at his robe, shifting his lips to the corner of his mouth. The waves reminded him of something. No – they represented something. There was no water such as this in Hoshigakure, none that Yurei had seen. No, these waves represented the future – a place far from here. A new place – a new world.
Yurei clenched his hand into a fist, nodding to himself. Nothing would stand in his way. Not anymore.
The pale Uchiha grasped his sword, Shinigami, and tied it to his belt. Its black sheath was a stark contrast to his typical attire, far different from his silvery and blue kimono. But the sword met much to him. Despite only meeting Komon once, this sword represented a bridge between two peoples, one Yurei had never felt since. Kumogakure. That’s where he was from. But from what he was told, and what he had read, it was no paradise. Nothing in this world seemed to be. And that had to change.
Yurei smirked. This was his ambition.
The Chuunin slid open his door, stepping out into the hallway. He sighed, closing it behind him. From the kitchen came the aromas of his mother’s honey tea. It had been quite some time since he had spoken to her.
“Hello, Mother,” he said, rounding the corner at the end of the hallway.
“Oh, hello, Little Ghost,” she said softly. “It’s almost like I don’t see you anymore,” she laughed.
“We’re never active at the same time, anymore,” Yurei responded with a slight smile.
“That seems to be the case,” she replied with a sigh. The gazed at her son up and down, noting his appearance. “Seems you’ve let your hair grow out. I like it. Very spikey.”
Yurei smiled warmly, nodding. “Yeah. I’ve just been really busy. Haven’t had the time.”
“Well, I think it looks great. Keep it like that. You look like a real Uchiha. Minus the white hair of course,” she chuckled.
Yurei laughed in response, but could not help but feel saddened. This was the nicest conversation that they’ve had for weeks. It was somber, really. “I may as well try to look the part,” Yurei replied, smiling.
“Well, I’d say you do. Would you like some tea, Yurei? It’s fresh,” her voice was like honey. It had been a long time since Yurei had heard anything of the sort from her. Too long. It started to raise tears from his eyes, but he was able to suppress them. “I,” Yurei paused, thinking. “Sure. I could use it.”
Takia smiled, nodding. She quickly grasped a cup from the cabinet and poured the dark liquid into it. With a swift dash, she added the honey and the cream then placed the warm cup into Yurei’s hands.
Yurei returned the smile, nodding. It was weeks since he last had a cup of tea from his mother. He rose the cup to his lips, tasting it. It was just as he remembered it – delicately sweet and soft, as if he were drinking pure nature itself. It filled him with a warm embrace, something that called to him from his cold loneliness. He needed this. It felt like old times. He could still remember enjoying a cup with both Takia and Roshi. Times were simpler then. They were kinder, too.
“You planning on doing anything today?” she asked, pouring her own cup.
“I’d like to go train, but I don’t know what. I’ll just go wherever the wind takes me, I guess,” Yurei responded. He sighed before resuming his consumption of the brown liquid. It now appeared lighter than it had, the cream counteracting the bitter acid within the tea leaves.
“Oh, well, I’m sure something will come to you. It always does.”
Yurei nodded, finishing the rest of his tea. His eyes became distant for a moment, as if lost. He wanted to stay. He felt at home, for once in so long. But he had to go. The tournament will not wait for him.
“I ought to head out, now,” he said, running water over his now empty cup.
“So soon? You’ve only just finished your tea,” Takia said, sipping hers.
Yurei frowned, placing the cup over to the side to dry. “I can’t sit here too long. I have to prepare. I’m sorry.”
“…I understand,” Takia said, nodding. “My Little Ghost is growing up.”
Yurei smiled thinly for a moment, walking over to his mother. “I’ll always be your son,” he said, wrapping his long arms around her. Takia paused for a moment, then, too, wrapped her arms around her son.
“Be careful,” she said, walking away from him. She smiled thinly and then turned to wash out her teacup. “I’ll be waiting here for you.”
Yurei nodded, maneuvering to the door before him. He placed on his hand-made bamboo sandals and slid open the door. “You be careful, too,” he said, shutting it behind him. The Uchiha sighed. It felt like they were connected, finally, and he walked out on her. He tightened his hand, if only slightly.
The alabaster skinned Uchiha could not afford to dwell on it, however. Instead, he took his left arm out of his sleeve, resting it between the front opening of his kimono and using his belt as a support. He walked on, past the sakura trees that lined the walkway. Out of the corner of his pale eyes, Yurei caught something green. A sapling, no doubt planted after Damon’s fire ninjutsu. The Uchiha smiled, blowing air out from his nose. He sighed, walking past it and onto the road ahead.
Yurei’s feet clanked against the hard pavement as he walked, keeping his head down. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. He emptied his thoughts, just for a moment. Sometimes he did too much thinking.
“Yurei,” he heard. The voice was but a murmur. Soft, yet sharp. The Uchiha opened his eyes, immediately looking around. Nothing was in sight. The young man stopped walking, activating his Sharingan. “Who’s there?” he asked, whipping around. He could see nothing.
The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, exhaling and deactivated his Sharingan. He turned back onto his path and continued walking, sighing as he did so. He could have sworn he had heard something, his name. Again, his shoes clamped against the sidewalk. Before long, however, the wind changed. There was something in the air, not a sound, but a smell. The smell of smoke.
Yurei grasped his sword and bolted forward, trying to find the source of the smell. If only Esu had come along with him, he wouldn’t be in this issue now. This place was too confined to summon Kogarashi. No, he had to go on foot. The Uchiha channeled his chakra to his feet, running up the side of a building. Once he reached the top, Yurei narrowed his eyes, gazing across the horizon. There! There’s the smoke.
Yurei leapt from building to building, marching his way down to the area. It was in the center of the village, a shop in the market. He had to get there fast if he wanted to stop the fire.
“Yurei,” the voice called out again. The pale Uchiha leapt outward, losing his balance. He just barely landed on the next building. Activating his Sharingan once more, Yurei came to a stop, noting a mass of chakra before him. He narrowed his eyes. It was an owl, this one relatively standard in size, if not a little smaller. “You are Yurei,” the owl said, tilting its head.
The Uchiha rose from his knees, charging forward to the burning building. “Yeah? What of it?”
The owl flew alongside him, only flapping her wings occasionally. “I’ve been watching you,” she said, turning her head towards the boy.
Yurei looked to the owl out of the corner of his eye. “Another spectator? What do you want? I’m a little busy right now.”
“I came to see if what I was told was true. I know your summons, Kogarashi.”
Yurei’s eyes narrowed. He was juggling between leaping and listening to the new owl. Her feathers were solid white other than the pink markings that lined her coat and face. “What of him?” Yurei picked up his speed.
The owl met it, flying alongside him. “I’m going to prove him wrong.”
“So what, you want to spectate me and watch me fail?”
“Kogarashi’s ignorant, and his interest in you is misplaced. I know everything he knows.”
“Then you don’t know a thing about me, do you?” Yurei leapt from the last building, onto the streets. The roar of the fire now echoed within his ears. “If you’re going to stand there and watch, then keep your distance. Otherwise, come and help me.”
“Hmph,” the owl replied, flying alongside the young man.
“I only possess fire and lightning natures. I can’t do anything to quell the fire, and, if you’re like Kogarashi, then you possess wind chakra. Unless you put out the fire with it, I don’t recommend you use it.”
The owl scoffed, shaking her head.
“Help! Help me!” Yurei heard. There were still people inside.
“We can’t do anything about the fire until we get those people out. Come on!” Yurei ran to the shop, kicking the door open. Charred wood splintered, and smoke billowed out from the new opening. The Uchiha fanned it away with his hands, activating his Sharingan. “Hello!?” he yelled, stepping inside. Yurei looked around, withdrawing his blade. The smell of burning wood permiated throughout the room, choking Yurei as he maneuvered through the shop. Behind him, Tianna entered. “See if you can find survivors! You can get around easier!”
The owl flew forward, ascending through the burning staircase. Yurei launched forward, hacking blockages with Shinigami. He needed a clear path without breaking any support.
The whole scene was chaotic and devastating. Wood fell from the sky, landing onto the floor below and spreading its flame. “Hello!?” Yurei said, peering through the smoke. He could see it now, a mass of chakra, albeit small. It’s glowed slightly with a light blue. It had to be a villager.
Yurei narrowed his eyes, leaping forward. He could see her now. It was a child, no older than three. She was unconscious. The Uchiha placed his pale fingers onto her throat. There was still a pulse. He nodded, throwing the girl over his shoulders. The young man charged forward, back to the entrance. The shop was winding, and the smoke didn’t help, but he could make out the sun’s light.
The pale Uchiha leapt forward, sheltering the girl as he did so. His pale skin met with the sun’s light, and, much to his relief, a family was standing by, ready to receive the girl. Yurei stopped just in front of them, handing the girl over.
“Th-thank you! Thank you!” the mother managed to get out.
“Get her to a medical shinobi now!” Yurei turned, ready to leap back into the building. Fiery floorboards fell from the next level, blocking off his interest. “Dammit!” he yelled, backing away for the intensifying heat. It felt as if he had a sunburn stretched across his entire body. The Uchiha channeled his chakra to his fingertips, leaping into the air. They just barely adhered to the second floor, and Yurei struggled to pull himself up. There, a window. Yurei swung with his blade, rupturing the glass. He sheathed the blade and strafed, pulling himself into the building.
“Hey!” he yelled, his Sharingan still active. Yurei looked around for any sign of chakra signature. A small one came from the corner of his eye, but its mass, while condensed, was great. It was the owl. “Did you find any survivors?” Yurei asked, wafting the smoke away from his nose. He crouched, finding the air easier to breathe the lower he got.
“Yes. A child. I recovered him.”
Yurei nodded, looking around. “There!” Yurei ran forward, finding a bed in the next room over. Beneath it was another weak signature, this one much smaller. The Uchiha hacked, coughing. The smoke was getting to him. He lifted the bed as the heat swelled around him.
“Mrow!” the cat yelled, arching its back.
Yurei cracked a smile, wiping his brow. He bent over, grasping the howling cat in his arms. “Here! Take it. It belongs to the family carrying the girl. Get it to them!”
The owl nodded, grasping the cat with her talons, careful not to cut it. It was a rather spectacular sight, but there was no time to admire it. This building was coming down soon, and with it others if he didn’t stop this fire.
Yurei coughed again, hacking. He had to get outside and contain it from there. He jutsu should be enough to reduce the building to ash. That would at least stop the spread of the fire. But it would collapse the entire building and prevent any possessions from being kept.
Soon, the owl returned to Yurei flying in place. “That’s everyone!” she shouted.
“You’re wind nature right? Come with me!” Yurei yelled, running out of the room. He charged down the stair case, the steps below him rupturing and splitting as he walked across them. “This family probably has an attic. If they’re connected to a water supply, we can flood the house. I’ll need you to cut it and then disperse it with your wind ninjutsu!”
The owl nodded, diving ahead of Yurei.
The Uchiha sneered. Where was everyone? Why wasn’t there anyone helping? No, of course there wasn’t. But there was this new owl. She quickly disappeared, descending into attic below.
“I’ve found it!” she yelled. There was a hiss, and, suddenly, water rose from the floorboard. There must have been a lot of pressure. Good, they’d have to use it before it tamed. Yurei plunged his sword into the floorboards, cutting them out. Water rushed to the sky like a guizer, bringing the fires around it to a hiss.
 Yurei plunged Shinigami into the high-pressured water, redirecting strands of it onto the nearby fires. The water began to seep over the floorboards, dosing the wooden panels. The owl appeared from downstairs once again, flying next to Yurei.
“Get ready to use your wind ninjutsu, again. I need you to disperse this water like a sprinkler. Can you do that?
The owl nodded. “Step back!” she said, flapping her wings. Torrents of air rushed around her, pelting the water. The guizer shifted direction, the owl controlling it completely. 
“You keep those fires down, I’ll go see about upstairs!” Yurei marched back up the staircase, skipping the burned steps. The smoke was more potent, but the fires less so. Too much smoke had starved it of oxygen. “We’re good up here,” Yurei shouted, descending once more.
“Good!” the owl replied. “I’m almost done here!”
In time, the fire was quelled, leaving behind a smoldering house half-burned. Thankfully, many of the family’s possessions and goods were kept intact, and the water had saved more than it had destroyed.
Yurei stepped out of the building, covered it soot. His silvery robes were blackened, and his owl friend went from a beautiful white to a pattern akin to that of Kogarashi, the black owl. Yurei sat in the center of the courtyard, just in front of the house. He wiped his face with his sleeve, coughing softly. The owl landed next to him, angling her said in curiosity.
“I didn’t expect you to do that,” she said, straightening her head as she spoke.
“And what did you expect? That I’d let them all burn?”
“I did not expect you to rush to them with such conviction.”
“Does this mean you believe Kogarashi, now?”
“No,” the owl replied. “But I am going to continue watching you one way or the other. I am, however, offering you something in return. Myself, as a summons.”
Yurei shifted his glance to the house, narrowing his eyes. “Just who are you?”
“I am Tianna, the Flying Razor.”
“’The Flying Razor?’” Yurei repeated in question.
“I am one of the strongest offensive ninjutsu users within the Illusionary Owls. That name did not come about through peace, I can tell you that.”
Yurei nodded, smirking. “Well, thank you, Tianna. Your help was invaluable.”
“Don’t thank me. I did what I had to – just as you did.”
The pale Uchiha once again nodded, exhaling. “I see. Well, I still appreciate it. You and I were the only ones to aide that family.”
“You expect more of others?”
“Of shinobi. Of people with the power to do something.”
“I see. Kogarashi spoke of such a thing. Of you. Your goals.”
“Then why do you doubt me?”
“I admit, I did not anticipate you stepping in. Too many of your kind are all talk and no action. You surprise me, but it isn’t enough for my favor. Not yet.”
Yurei chuckled softly, nodding. “Oh, I see. Well, I’ll just have to change your mind, then, won’t I?”
“You can try. I don’t expect you to. I’m rarely wrong.”
“Then you’re on. I’ll show you just how dedicated I am.”
“We’ll see,” the owl responded. Her gaze shifted to the sky just in front of Yurei. “What are they doing here?”
Two owls emerged from the sky, struggling to fly against the heavy breeze. They were incredibly small, smaller than Yurei had ever seen.
“Hi,” one said softly, drifting to the ground.
“I am Honne!” the other shouted, touching the ground just before Yurei.
Both were Elf owls, nothing to write home about, but there was a certain fire in the girl, Honne.
“And I’m-“
“That’s Tatamae, my brother,” Honne finished.
“We-“ Tatemae started.
“I heard you got Kogarashi to be your summons. Well, I wanna see if you’re really the big deal!”
Tianna sighed, putting her head down. “Seems you’ve attracted a lot of attention from us.”
Yurei smirked, almost chuckling. “You want to fight me?”
“Yeah! I’ll take you ou-“
The alabaster skinned Uchiha flicked Honne, sending her a few feet back. The bird fell onto her back, he feet twitching in the air. She quickly jolted back up, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes.
“Wow,” she said skipping to Yurei with a flap of her wings. “You’re pretty strong!”
Tatamae burst into laughter, an act that earned him a slap from Honne. She tackled the bird, pouncing on him and ramming into Tatamae with her feet. “That’ll teach you to open your trap!” she said, yelling.
Tianna groaned, bowing her head further.
“Anyway,” Honne said, skipping back to Yurei. “You beat me, so I guess we can be your summons.”
“Doesn’t Tatamae want to fight?”
“I’m good,” the owl replied, picking himself up.
“Yurei,” Tianna called out, shifting his attention away from the pair of Elf Owls. “Call me when I am needed. But don’t think you can boss me around like that push-over. Got it?”
Yurei nodded, thanking the owl one last time.                            
“We ought to be off, too. It’s almost our bedtime,” Honne said, once again interrupting any form of speech from her brother. “Just summon us if you got a fight brewing, ok?”
With that, the owls dispersed, leaving Yurei alone. He sighed, bowing his head. Today had been eventful, to say the least.
“Excuse me,” Yurei heard. It was a shrill voice, perhaps hoarse, but young. It was the girl he had rescued, and, in her arms was her cat. In the smoke, Yurei could not make it out, but the cat was orange and cleansed of the smoot that covered the albino’s body and clothes. “I just wanted to say thanks. For saving me, the house, and Jinkies.”
Yurei smiled, nodding. “You’re welcome,” he said. The boy bowed his head, and the girl gave a bow in return, leaving him behind.

That made it all worth it. Not the thanks, the arrogance, but the appreciation in her eyes. That’s what Yurei fought for. 

WC: 4123


[Exit]


Claiming: 
2, 000 Ryo, 5 AP, (possibly 41 or 46, idk how AP works with missions)
3000/3000 Tianna
375/375 Tatmae
375/375 Honne
373/1500 for Summoning Master

Approved. 5 AP only though I'm afraid.