The Phoenix (open, ic development)

It is rumored that the phoenix rises from the ashes of its own death. Born again from the pile of black that it had taken its last breath, the phoenix comes forth, a beacon of light and life; the fire that never truly dies.
 
This, is I; Kasai Senshi -  the Fire Warrior. I have returned from my rest, and with the fire that I take from the past world into this one, I bring the Mandate of Flame, the Order of Fire.

He opened his eyes, and glanced to the training field, his feet barely scraping the ground of the earth as he went, floating across the field of green, his sharp contrast as the being of red. His hair tied firmly back, the robes of fire moving in the wind, the staff in his hand, the scroll on his back, and the mask on his chest, this was a man that the village would do well to remember. 

He walked out onto the field, surveying it as he went, remembering the days when he was younger. The days when he had different values, different thoughts. He was done here though. He had ways to spread, lives to change, and a world to revisit. His time in Konohagakure had been ill spent the past year, and he realized that he should not have returned to this land, just as his instinct had told him that day when he faced Tatsuya in Kumogakure. He was glad that he had not ended his friends life, but Konoha was over for him. 

Destroyed or not, the village no longer needed him, though he would not say if it was for better or worse. He would leave.

Standing in the middle of the field, Kasai watched his own trail begin to spread over the field. He had not known it as it had happened, but the fire had followed him, and now there was a long, black line of dead grass, burned to death. It had spread significantly, but the wind had put it out, leaving the field divided in two with the trail he had made. 

Turning perpendicularly to this trail he made, Kasai began to walk again. Most would think his mind was blank, for there were no emotions in him, but there also was, extremely so. Just as fire, his colors could change from a glorious peak to a single cinder, he too was prone to his mania, and the insanity of the flame. Which ever he was in at that moment, however, as he left the training field, a slow trail of fire spreading from each step and destroying the grass for yards around, was the other's perception. In his mind, all was right, and at the same time, all was wrong.

The last six or so days have been wild. Literally. Not just wild as in "these young kids and their wild parties," but I mean, up until a few hours ago, the wild Akara hadn't seen the village for six or seven days. It's not like this specimen was just out having fun either, really. The brute was busy at work, trying to find herself a fox to be her companion.

Luckily, her search wasn't fruitless, and it proved the exact opposite. Not just one fox, did she find, but a whole damn hidden village of the things, most just ripe for the taking. Figuratively, of course. Foxes don't ripen. (Right?) 

Upon her six day trip out of the village, upon her return, she found herself entrusted with the responsibility of teaching a genin a few new tricks, which of course was no issue, but they didn't even giver her time to shower the filth of a week off of her. 

Now, as fate would have it, she found her self staring at a familiar but different face, or rather mask, below a face that was walking through the training grounds she just so happened to be teaching this poor Uchiha kid in. (Although he had already left, but that's another story for another time.) 

Approaching the walking Will of Fire, Risako waved out, decked out in her usual gear which consisted of a katana, a black unbuttoned tunic thing, and what most Konoha shinobi wore. Dark blue/black slacks and a matching shirt. Her arms swung loosely at her side as she approached Kasai, her fox, Akami, tagging along on his hind feet. With a cheery squint, Risako shouted out in a cheery little tone, "Heya! Been awhile." With a quick shake, her raven black bangs were tossed to the side. Along with the whole, "Haven't showered in six days" thing her hair was mostly a rats nest, and it had a greasy, disgusting sheen to it. 

Akami, strolling along behind her, piped up, "Eh boss, this guy looks a little.. uh.." he paused for a moment, "Fruity." With that, Risako flicked her wrist in an obvious dismissive gesture as to say "Don't worry about it," to her companion to relieve any negative assumptions he may have had. Fruity and insane were definitely  applicable in Kasai's case, but so was trustworthy. 

Risako would stop at about two meters, her eyes kind of paying attention to the trail of fire and blackened grass as she awaited a reply to her greeting. Hopefully, among one thing Kasai would notice was an obvious lack of "I'm Risako and it's time to go bat shit crazy," within the girl and her silvery eyes. She wasn't calm or adult like in any chance, but she was on her way to knocking her childish side into submission.

Mako found himself walking without any particular rhyme or reason.  He used his eyes only for watching the immediate area to make sure he didn't trip or walk into anything.  He had been hanging out with Gramps all day and they had gotten into a very intense conversation of the nature of chakra. Where it stems from and how to manipulate it more similar to a monkey than a person.  Mako was highly drawn into the conversation and so he walked with no destination.  The older graying baboon swinging through the trees above him. Posing questions and shooting down his theories. 

It was at that moment Mako would be drawn away from the conversation, he sensed something, a familiar chakra signature one that he had been around more than he even cared to admit.  Risako... he thought to himself. The last place he wanted to be was walking into a trap that she had laid for him out of revenge.  He slowed his walk and hushed the wise monkey for a moment, and as they progressed further he could sense another chakra signature, one that burned fiercely and intimidatingly. 

He then went into silence mode and he leaped into the tree and activated the tree climbing jutsu on his hands and legs.  And started swinging through the trees until he and Garumpa came upon the two.  From his hidden point within a tree he could see Risako greeting the man on fire.  A scorched path in the ground behind him. He dared not speak but wanted to ask Gramps what the monkey thought about the individual.   He hid in a tree not 8 meters away from the pair, one that he could keep clear visual on them. Garumpa the.monkey sage sat on the branch and prepared to transform upon a moments notice.

You never know this could be a missing ninja and you can never be too careful these days...
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Kasai looked into the distance as he walked, but slowly came to a halt. The fires under his feet died down, and he closed his eyes for a moment. Adjusting the grip on his staff, he slowly turned his head towards the familiar chakra signature; Risako. He wondered what she wanted, or what she would do.

Turning then to face her completely, Kasai straightened himself, and nodded his head in recognition as she got nearer. There was something different about her as well; maturity perhaps? He supposed that she too had aged, just as he had, and she was no longer the child he once knew - the one that was always so eager to learn new ways to burn things down. Instead, she seemed more calm and reserved. Not completely by any means, but there was a hint there. 

"Risako," he said, looking her in the eyes. "It has been a while. What brings you here, and now?" He asked, curious as to why she would approach him now. It is true that he had been somewhat dormant for the past few months, but that had not stopped others from reaching him. Though, there was a chance, however small, that she would be interested in the same thing. He was far from the strongest, but he knew his goal, for a brief moment, he wondered if he had, or could inflect this on others.

As he thought these thoughts and asked his question, Kasai began to walk again, but not the way he had been headed before, and not in a straight line either, though he walked it slowly. A plan began to form in his mind; a fire was rekindled. 

He looked back to the young woman as he walked then, the fire in his eyes turning once more, not out of anger, but simply because it was a projection of his soul. Fire. Yet, as elevated as it was, there was always a higher ground to reach, a higher mountain to climb.

Risako pondered the simple question for a second. What did bring her here at this exact moment? Aside from the student she just wrapped things up with that is. I am talking of the big picture, the outside forces that pull and tug on the red string that dictates what one person does, from beginning to end. Why exactly did Kasai, and Risako bump into each other at this exact moment in time, and space? I dunno.

Her thumb and index finger just barely turned her head band so that it reflected a bit of light towards Kasai, as her eyes met his, she saw a fire in his eye. "Just training one of the genin. I think he was an Uchiha," Risako said, still in that calmer voice of hers, that sounded somewhat like a relaxed middle school teacher. "As soon as I decided to leave for home, I saw you and figured I'd come say hi." Well, really, she sensed him first, but, that's unimportant. She didn't move as Kasai changed his direction, she was kind of beat. With the hiking and training and what not. She sensed another familiar chakra approaching as well, oh Monkey Sage, where art thou? Although she didn't mention Mako, she did take note of his presence.

She was rather curious, what exactly Kasai was up to at the moment. Aside from burning up the  training fields, which, really, considering the village was stocked on Senju clansmen and women, they could likely repair it rather easily. (Not that it was in the best condition in the first place, seeing as it was in near constant use.) Risako took a mental note to tell Jason that the grounds needed to be fixed up. 

Her companion, just kind of kept his little fox mouth shut, but did eye Kasai over once or twice. While he was calm, he for some odd reason, didn't like the look of this... Well Akami didn't like the look of Kasai too much. Nothing in particular about him that he disliked, but the poor fox summon already had to put up with Risako, who was also a fire spouting kook.

Mako unfortunately knew he could no longer hide his presence at this point, but he felt that it would be ideal for him to remain where he hid until it was confirmed that he was in their presence as it seemed like a moment of nostalgia between two comrades and Mako had no interest to interrupt such an event.  Though Mako was new to the circles of a Chuunin within the village and as a genin rarely found his way out given the intense training he regularly subjected himself to, he would wait until this reunion seemed finished.  Mako was cautious, too cautious, he had the battlefield prepped and already had formed upwards of ten exit strategies and the possibilities that would occur should a fight break out. Of course of all the things that he could tell about the stranger in the training grounds was that he had a burning intensity and an apparent control of fire. 

The monkey set beside him seemed to be relaxed and calm almost as if he feared nothing from the stranger, and of course, Mako knew Risako, so he relaxed. He took a seat on the branch throwing stealth to the wind and reached into his brown bet pouch and produced the cigarette, he hadn't had one since the chakra sensing started and now that he was relaxed he started fiending a bit.  He struck the white hot match that would flare up and be sucked up into the end of the smoke creating a bright red cherry. He continued listening now in open view of the two fellow village nin.

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Kasai listened to Risako's response, and simply nodded his head. He thought for a moment, continuing to pace, burning the ground with each step, curving here, moving there. He thought about replying in the usual fashion for a moment, but then thought otherwise.

He knew he was being watched, but that didn't stop him. He could care less if the world watched; they would soon enough. If this man watching from the forest line cared enough when Kasai was done speaking, he could come forth and say something about it, but there were facts to lay down. Why would he begin with telling Risako though? Briefly this thought passed through his head, though he knew it to be that she was likely to take a neutral stance on the matter. He doubted she would stop him, her old mentor, yet, she was not likely to join him. Not anymore at least. However, there was a part of him that hoped she would, he could not carry out his crusade alone.

"Do you remember why I came back to this village?" He asked, looking at her as he walked, his arms back with his fingers laced smoothly behind his back. "What I had said as my condition for coming back? That the village had two options? To rise, or have me force it up? Either gain the strength it needed, or have me burn the strength back into the village? You must have heard of it at least, most within our old circle of friends did," Kasai said, continuing to walk his strange patterns. he took a deep breath.

"This village has passed that test," he said, after a short pause. "Though I do not know how long it will maintain its status, for the time being, the Village Hidden in the Leaves is strong enough to survive; barely. The change in Kage is the only attribution to this, and so it may come to pass that my judgement will change. 


"However, there are those that remain to fall short, and at the same time there are also individuals that cause those villages to do so. They are weak, and their people are dying; having forgotten what strength is needed to hold a village on its feet. They need to be reminded," he said, turning to Risako, and walking towards her from his distance. "But who would do this? Any other who would attack would have a purpose; to steal, to kill, to hurt. But what a purpose would it be to strengthen? What an element to do it than fire?"

He stopped short, a foot away from her, then continued to walk in strange ways. Only Mako (of course he didn't know who this was) would be able to notice - from his distance and height in the trees - that a symbol was beginning to form. 


"My allegiance will always be with the leaf," he said, walking still, the staff thudding with each step. "But there are others in this world who deserve a chance, and do not have it because of those in charge of their lands, and those who are outlawed there. Yet the outlaws hit too hard and too fast for the people to recuperate, and then never hit again.


"To not only end these bandits, but to also remind the village of their strengths," Kasai said, looking at Risako again. "It is something many could use. Even Konohagakure could be reminded of some things."

He stopped, and ceased his walking, though the pattern was not finished. He took a breath again.


"Just in case you were wondering how I was doing," Kasai added with a  sly smile, reassuring her there was still some "human" side to him. Yet, he would not ask a question with his new found quest. He did not want to impose this mission on any. If they wanted to join they could ask to, but if they simply listened then he would leave it.

Risako perked her attention towards Kasai as he began his response. Although she hadn't heard it directly, the chuunin did hear a bit of Kasai's plan to make the village stronger. A trial by fire sort of method that would have hurt a few to unite them against a common enemy, and give them a goal to hunt down. That was the gist at least, knowing Kasai it was hidden within a deep philosophical almost poetic reasoning that could have convinced all but the most silver tongue'd of devils that he was correct. In a morally gray way, Kasai was correct. His method would have most likely produced results, like it or not, and the village would have it's strength back. Risako almost kind of wanted to hear his full explanation, knowing it probably would have stirred some great excitement in her little head. 

Ideals were easily planted in the mind of the soon to be fox sage, for the most part at least. It was unlikely that she could be twisted to turn on her home, so long as Risako favored whoever was in charge of the place. As Kasai drove on through his speech, Risako just listened, and watched as he paced around, taking a small note of the burned lines that Kasai was leaving as he walked around. More so than the lines, she paid attention to Kasai's speech, as it was making a bit of sense. The only part that really didn't appeal to her too much, was that why should she care for the other villages? Risako was aware that Konoha had its allies, but she still failed to see why outsiders should need help to grow strong. She didn't wish harm on the other villages, by any means, but the ideal that the strongest survive was implanted deeply in her mind. 

Konoha, in her eyes, despite having a new Kage, failed to scratch at the strength of certain individuals. Stein, and his accomplices, for one, were likely too strong for the leaf to handle without losing quite a few numbers. Of course, she had a feeling at least Stein wouldn't be an issue anymore. 

As Kasai wrapped up, Risako simply nodded, "Well, I suppose that's a fine way to say hello." On one hand, Risako felt like only Konoha needed her help. On the other, she also believed that leaving your friends to attack other villages by themselves was just as bad as abandoning the village. 

"I suppose I see where you're coming from Kasai. If I understand correctly, you want to attack villages without intent to actually hurt. To me, it sounds as if you need a group." Risako would pause, to see if Kasai had to correct her understanding of the conversation, that was admittedly rather one sided, before continuing, "This sounds a task too big to be thrust onto one person." Her words were said with a bit of an eager hang, hopefully showing her willingness to tag along, at least for a bit. Unfortunately for her poetic friend, Risako's speeches were rather lame. Hopefully a habit that she would gain from him over time.

In a puff of smoke the monkey that was perched next to him was no longer a monkey, but now a 5 foot Bo staff, that was black with flames on each end.  Mako came from his perch and rested it parallel with his shoulders and had his hands dangling over it counter balancing it.   He walked forward into the clearing with his head dipped low to where all that could be seen of his face was the cigarette pursed in his lips.  He did this mid speech following Kasai pointing out his prescence.  The words were intense and seemed to send chills of inspiration through him.  Mako was always an idealist and hated what the world had become, he hated that people must live in fear outside his home village, but most of all he hated how haphazard this plan was. Burn strength into people? That statement had no value, fear does not breed security.  In fact his favorite anecdote from his youth was "Anyone who would trade freedom for security, deserves neither" and it was one he did believe in. After coming up and standing not too far away from Risako his old captain he eyed Kasai strategically, he had never met this man, except for some reason, despite his disagreements he felt the need to help.

Mako had decided that though this speech was quite invigorating and had many solid points he needed additional coaxing to leave his comfy home, but it wasn't beyond the realm of possibilities that the conversation could take.

"Pleasure," Mako said bowing removing one hand from the staff rested upon his shoulders to grab his cigarette, he then replaced the smoke and continued speaking. " I'm Mako, and this is Garumpa.  Please tell me more," He asked waiting to see what the fire ape had to say.
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Kasai watched, both as the man approached, and as Risako reacted to what he had said. He assumed the two knew each other, by the way the man seemed suspicious of Kasai, but not of Risako. Of course, it didn't matter to him; Risako had nearly said she would go with him, and this other man asked Kasai to continue and explain more. There was no need, of course; Kasai had planned to continue regardless - something like this could not go without explanation, or else it may be misinterpreted. 

He could not help but smile slightly as Risako made the comment, in the usual way that she did. However, after Mako, for that was his name, had introduced himself, Kasai let the smile slip, and nodded. Closing his eyes for only a second, though it was longer than a blink, Kasai began to circle again, walking the strange path as he went. 

"I know that it might sound wrong, to attack other villages without warning or seemingly reason, and many would consider it the actions of a villain; of a monster. They would see what I am doing as destroying hope maybe, trying to kill innocents, attempting to rip their village apart. But I will not; I could, easily so, but that is not the reason. If I were to do this, the reason is because others will do this, and many will try to, with malicious intent and a bloodlust.


“If this world was a kinder place, I would never think of doing such a thing, but this is the world of the Shinobi. Innocents die every day for the pleasure of others, thieves are common, and murderers as well. Every breath you take may be poisoned, and you will not know until it kills you. There are many in the world who are kind, and will help you, but there are many more that would slice off your fingers if you only wanted to be helped up. 


“To change the world that I have described; that is my goal. To attack a village, but never crush it; it echo’s the phrase “what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger”, and in the ninja world, this phrase is so very true. I would not strike them to rip off an arm, but instead to make them believe I will kill them, but when I knock them to the ground, I will help them back up, and show them how I was able to do so, so that they may learn to not fall again. 


“It would not only make every village stronger, but it would make them closer, and reduce the numbers that become criminals. An enemy of my enemy is a friend of mine, they will learn. I am willing to be that common enemy, if it means they will band together. If it means they are against me, I would accept that, so long as it meant they learned to work together. 


“It would make the world stronger, but it would also do the same to me, and through learning to fight whole villages, I hope to gain the strength to hunt down the worst of the monsters who the villages truly need to fear, and end them forever,” he said, finally stopping in his tracks. The grass smoking around him where his footprints had burnt them. 

“That,” he said, to both Risako and Mako, “is my hope. That through this, someday there will be no need for master warriors or shinobi. But until then, if the land is to be that of the Ninja, then the people of the land must be taught the Way of the Ninja.”


"If you would join me," he said, mostly directed towards Risako, as she said she would, but also towards Mako, in case his words had swayed the man. "I cannot guarantee your safety or your life, or that any but I will see the cause as just. But I will remain by your side, and step in the path of death if it comes to greet you."