A Dance in the Gardens [Open] [NK]

The crowded streets of the City Haven. Amidst inhabited buildings, carts being pulled horses and people staring, the black haired teen made his way towards the water gardens. The sky was dull and gray and the wind carried fallen leaves that whistled past his face. They were well into the autumn and thankfully he had dressed for this weather, never lamenting the hot days of summers as other people of Hoshi seemed to do as far their wardrobe was considered. He wore black woolen pants and a gray long sleeved cloak over his t-shirt. His crowning glory; the scar around his neck.  Dark red, tattered and rough as sin but Ayato claimed it was his most precious possession.  "From this day onwards, you are my son." Hibari Hyuuga had announced before he wrapped that scarf around young boy's neck so his breath wouldn't vex from the cold anymore. 

Going deep inside with fondling memories helped his mind ignore the villagers who had a bitter disdain for shinobi. The looks that they exchanged as he made his way past were most of the time full of poison. Ayato gave them the silent treatment, not wishing to react to their taunting.  There was part of him though that understood their hate, even though he had done them no wrong. There was no place in the world where foreigners were easily accepted, but this exceeded expectations by far.  Fear cuts deeper than swords and anger always run deep. There were times that he hated them too.

But that  mistreatment was a source he drew power from.  Ayato would begin every day of my life with a ritual; wake up at 6:30 am put on his workout clothes, leg warmers, and his Hoshigakure headband. He would outside of his house,  look around and then begin his roadwork until he returned to his house and worked on weights for 2 hours. The ritual was not the running and weight training he put his body through each morning; the ritual was the sinister looks the locals gave him. Sometimes it took more time than others but the moment he made eye contact and saw that spiteful look on a superstitious villager he had completed the ritual. It was a simple act, but doing it the same way each morning made it repeatable and easy to do. It reduced the chance that he would skip it or do it differently. It is one more item in his arsenal and one less thing to think about.

As he reluctantly entered the Water Gardens he noticed several men at arms practicing their swordsmanship but they did not appear to be going particularly hard at it. With no apparent battle spirit, Ayato had to question if they actually took to be a queensman seriously. No wonder why the City's fierce protectors found themselves with hands full during bandit raids in the past. Even if you were the number one genius Uchiha in the world, your skills were bound to deteriorate if you spent the entire of days in sleeping and drinking. The same rule applied to mediocre swordsmen who barely put any effort into training. The presence of a shinobi village in this place was a blessing, not a curse as many religious town criers kept remarking during their speeches. 

Ayato was close to finalizing his elemental training and had decided earlier this morning that now was a good a time as ever to practice the final applications. Undoubtedly this location was the best to train in all of Water Gardens, with several wooden practice dummies and targets. But  the presence of so many queensmen made him uncomfortable. Some of them had taken notice of him, their cold glares were one thing but Ayato could also sense a nervous tension underneath that sent chills down his spine. One of them even spoke up. "This is private property, your presence is not allowed here you shinobi scum." A middle-aged bald man with a phony mustache said. "His armor is similar to Sir Allar Reem." Ayato thought, recalling his first E-rank mission where he had to Shadow a Queensman. He had learned that day that high-ranking officers such as Sir Allar wore a black armor to signify their status of authority. This must mean that frog-faced geezer is the leader of this lot.  The other Golden Cloaks rounding up around him confirmed his suspicion. If Ayato remained here a fight was bound to break out. Should he just scout the area for another place to train? Perhaps he wouldn't have to look too far away, the green labyrinth that surrounded the city was full of secluded spots. He had trained in one such place his shadow shuriken jutsu and everything worked out in the end. 

Ayato  remembered his dream then, a dream of a plain wooden ceiling and the smell of incense filling the air.  The older Hyuuga sitting by the window of their house, looking out towards a dark sky without a moon. "I won't repeat myself Ayato this is out of the question."  The smoke of incense made Ayato's eyes water. Hibari Hyuuga turned around to look at him with his pale eyes. He was always jealous of those eyes and how they were colored like dirty snow. His own were chestnut brown, he inherited them from his mother. "I've raised you to be a proper ninja, true to our family name. But you are not ready to unlock the Hyuuga bloodline. The Byakugan is not calligraphy or battle tactics. It is a great power that brings great responsibility to the one who yields it." He finished as the darkness from outside the window enveloped father and son before everything faded to black.  

I thought I had forgotten about that. Ayato thought in present time as his hands clenched into fists. He had always idolized his father but he felt wounded of how he had turned from a prolific Jounin to a spineless employee at an animal clinic. He knew his father was trying to protect their new lives, yet deep down the anger still lingered. The anger of how their clan's legacy was wither into nothing so in exchange the two would safely within the city that was surrounded by this green maze. Thankfully, Ayato remembered who his father was, even if he turned into that pitiful state. "If you don't like how a table is set, all you have to do is flip over the table." The real Hibari Hyuuga said to him when they were in Kiri a thousand years ago.

And this was the advice Ayato Hyuuga was going to follow today; flip over the table entirely. He was done being a spineless coward, was done running away. He had awakened the Byakugan on his own, trained day and night to learn extremely difficult Jutsu. He had succeeded in every mission he made himself available for. Most notably the one in the Waterways with his comrade Miyamoto, albeit barely escaping with their lives. Compared to that, today was a piece of cake. He wouldn't leave himself be intimidated by a bunch of Queensmen who barely put any effort into training.  He knew there was little chance of him defeating every one of them present if a fight did break out. But fear cuts deeper than the sword. This is known. And they were afraid of him more than he was of them. There was a popular belief that chakra was a cursed power and shinobi abominations. Even having some of them guard their own queen didn't change that mindset. Let us see how many of them are religious. If they thought of him as a demon so be it, he would play the part.  

Ayato's hand reached for his weapon pouches tapped into his right thigh, pulling  two of the five shurikens he had stored in there. Burn He thought before he concentrated on his chakra flow. The burning in his stomach followed, his mouth opened and released a small ball of fire that wove through the air in front of him. The Queensmen present was taken aback, their surprise coming out as a loud sight Fear our cursed power.  He threw each one of the shurikens in quick succession and as they sliced through the warmth of the flame, Ayato's elemental chakra was infused with them. The fireball dispersing moments later. 

The first burning shuriken hit the practice dummy made of hay a little off at its torso. The second hit the practice next to it, exactly where the forehead would be. Not bad considering the 10 distance from his person and the line of practice dummies.  But the Queens men were not amused with Ayato's skill in shuriken Jutsu, as a matter of fact, one of them even spoke up "Oi, shitty shinobi brat. Who you trying to impress with that. You burned star can't kill a fly." It was the frog-faced officer again Ayato realized. After he finished his sentence he burst into laughter and the rest of the Queensmen soon followed his lead. "Burning." Ayato whispered, completely disregarding the man's insults and the laughter of the Gold that enveloped the Water Gardens. Instead, his eyes were locked into the practice dummies he had hit with his burning shuriken. Burning not burned. It should be time about now. He whispered again and that moment both target dummies burst into a fiery explosion it produced a shockwave powerful enough to knock a few of Queensmen from their feet, who were only a couple of meters away from the targets. 

Ayato kept a motionless expression as the hot wind brushed gently against his face. But there was no denying that their landing made for quite an amusing sight. The officer for once, his curses could be heard to the City Square as the other Queensmen helped him to his feet. After wiping dust from his golden cloak, the man turned to face Ayato. "You and your shinobi mumbo jumbo ain't scaring me at all brat!" The officer proclaimed surrounded by at least 10 swords around him, ready to charge towards Ayato at his command. The young Hyuuga took up his Gentle Fist stance, ready for the worse. There was good chance that geezer had seen through his fluke. His trick was a beauty but Ayato had no mastery over fire release techniques. One against ten what are the odds? Ayato thought as the dense smoke from the burning practice dummies rose to the sky.

[WC - 1700]

[1700/2000] Fire Release: Phoenix Fire

Flying through the air, knocking out his target, and threatening to end her life.  It happened a little less than a week ago yet its effects were something of a longer lasting sort.  He could remember how he felt in that time-a do or die situation that called upon something inside him he hoped he could contain.  It was frightening at the very least, but a knock at the door snapped him from his dazed state.  His grandfather walked in and looked at Miyamoto knowing what was in his head.  For an old geezer it seemed he was in the know pretty well.

"Your first time...it will never leave you, I can promise you this.  Your father remembered the first kill he had to perform as Kage, a girl just about your age...he had killed hundreds before then, and only a few more after.  He knew that his offspring would have to do even more deplorable things...as if he could tell the future.  Then the fall came and we left in a hurry, but Worr...Worr left you something for this occasion."  He said as he pulled a box from his old robes, it was worn and held the symbol of Amekagure.  

He handed it to Miyamoto and with a soft smile he then pat Miyamoto's hand one last time before taking his leave, once in the doorway he announced one final sentence.


"I am proud of you, you held back and did not give in to those dark desires...You will be ok." He said and then shut the door leaving Miyamoto all alone.  

Miyamoto sat there silently as he stared at the box, tears filled his eyes as they began to fall onto the box.  He never knew his father, and to have something of his, even more so in his time of need...it was as if the gods say him and took pity on him for once.  He opened the box and inside he looked; A Amekagure headband, a scroll, a letter that was held Worr's name, a photo of Worr and Miyamoto's mother, and finally there was a pair of gloves that had Worr's full name on one glove and the Terumi Clan symbol on the other.  Miyamoto smiled as he picked the photo up first...

"I look just like him..."  He said with a chuckle before pulling out the letter, he carefully opened it before pulling out a piece of parchment.

"To Whom it may concern...If you are reading this you must be my child, and I am so sorry that I never got the chance to meet you...I bet you look just like me, if so you are gonna do GREAT with the ladies...if you are a girl, then forget that last part haha...I know you take after your mother.


I am sorry I failed you.  I am sorry I failed Amekagure.  I am sorry I can't help you when you need me, but hopefully the items enclosed in this box will be able to assist you more than you think.  The scroll holds ancient moves that have been lost to the Terumi clan for generations...I was lucky enough to find them and compile them into a single tome.  YOU are now the sole heir of by the way so yeah...don't lose that.  My headband and gloves are also in here so that way you can always carry me with you.  The photo is for your mother...or if you would prefer to keep it, then it is yours...I doubt she wants anything to do with me anyway.  


I am sorry again...I know this life will be tough, but know that I will always be watching and I am always on your side.  The gods cannot keep me from my family...I love you.


-Worr Terumi"


Miyamoto was balling by the end of the letter.  He knew that he could do it now, he could move on with his life knowing that he at least had something to remember his father by.  He picked up the scroll next and read it, his eyes grew wide as he studied the jutsu.  The techniques on the scroll alone made it priceless, but the power and control he needed...he could finally achieve.  He quickly read the first technique as it would allow him to control the lava chakra inside of him.  He smiled and picked up the gloves and headband before slipping it all into his Gi.  He reached his window in no time at all as he laughed and leapt from the window, landing on the ground and rolling out he would begin to run towards the water garden.  He was quick to arrive and as he did he noticed there was some shouting off in the distance.  

"Trouble here...who the hell could it be this time..."  Miyamoto said as he followed the noise, soon finding queensmen and one Ayato...looking like there was about to be a fight.  

Miyamoto leapt up, quickly donning his fathers gloves before tying the headband around his left upper arm.  He landed next to Ayato as he activated his Rock Fists and looked to Ayato quickly before turning his focus back to the pack before him.

"You...really know how to make friends don't you Ayato." He said with a smile, his spirits lifted and he was iching to train his new moves.

WC- 887

The exhibition of the jutsu should have scared them off. He was positive of that. But instead it seemed to do the exact opposite; they were ready to go at him than ever. This was a good time for Ayato to say that he simply wanted to share the training area and meant them no harm, perhaps it would work and everyone could go on doing their business. However, the Queensmen were itching for a fight before Ayato messed with them. So he had decided he was going to bring it on. Even now, under the threat that he would be sliced to pieces, he didn’t want to back down. Perhaps he was growing confident in his abilities. But definitely this wasn’t about claiming the training location anymore; it was about Ayato standing his ground. It was about respect.

The stare down between Ayato and the guards kept on for minutes, or perhaps they were just seconds that felt like a veritable lifetime. It wouldn’t be long before the frog-faced officer gave them the order and the Queensman charged at him. 

Ayato took a deep shallow as he remained in his gentle fist stance; the left arm extending with an open palm towards the guards. The right arm was near the waist; his pivot foot forwards the other trailing behind him. He had to brace himself for the beating that was to come. Suddenly, he heard its footsteps in the distance. "They are heading here." These were the footsteps of someone in a hurry. What if they were guard reinforcements, it was possible for things to get even worse for Ayato  than they were right now. But whoever he was, the movements were too fast for an average human, it was more
 likely he was a shinobi.  Before Ayato could process this any further a shadow leapt over from a fence and landed right in front of him.  The sight of Miyamoto tying the loose ends of his hoshigakure headband around his biceps brought him a feeling of solace he had never expected.

“You...really know how to make friends don't you Ayato.” He said the mocking comment with a smile.  The dire some situation seemed to get his teammate fired up. Brown boulders from the ground took shape of enormous fists and encased his arms. Ayato had caught glimpse of that during their previous mission. 

"And you have a talent for smelling trouble from a mile away." Ayato responded to Miyamoto's earlier comment while keeping a straight face. Barely holding back a smile. Miyamoto had jumped in to fight without any thought, without any agenda, all to help his friend escape trouble. He had done exactly the same thing during the mission in the waterways. There was part of him that envied that attitude. Not that Ayato was the kind of scumbag to watch his teammate suffer at the hands of another and sit by and do nothing. But he would never act on impulse without weighting his options first. There had to be a gray area, it ought to be an internal struggle. Miyamoto's logic defied all that. 

The Queensmen were taken aback by the second's shinobi appearance but nonetheless they did not seem willing to brush off Ayato's earlier actions. "Get them!" The officer yelled. And for a moment before the Queensmen charged naked steel at hand their faces appeared to be frozen in time. Some were in fear; maybe the religious ones who believed chakra to be a cursed power or simply cravens at heart. Others had an expression of awe due to the surprising turn of events. And finally a few of them exhibited a twisted excitement for combat; these were the most dangerous one Ayato understood. But they all had one thing in common; they all struggled to fully wrap their minds around and truly understand the situation. No surprise, the entire thing was a hiccup for those believed the pact signed between the kage and the queen was going to help the co-existence of shinobi and locals.

As few of Queensmen closed the distance and attempted form a circle around the duo, they would find their advance halted by Miyamoto who indirectly  acted as the vanguard by standing in front of Ayato. Two of them were already at him, a sword slashing down from the middle, while a spear came from the side. A third man appeared to be advancing towards Ayato, but at the last moment, he decided to change targets and go for Miyamoto instead. Attempting to sneak in from behind and bide his time in search for an opening to strike the Genin down. Ayato was not going to give him that chance. With a sharp exhale his right arm took flight, unleashing a powerful burst of chakra that traveled towards the sneaky queensman knocking him off his feet, giving his teammate one less headache for now.

WC - 813

[2000/2000] Fire Release: Phoenix Fire
[513/2000] Fire Release: Great Fireball

Miyamoto head Ayato reply, and it made him smirk, it had been a long time since he just looked for something of a fight.  When one of the queensmen yelled to get them, Miyamoto took quick action.  He saw two coming from the front with their blades drawn and already on the down swing to attack him.  Miyamoto laughed before catching the blades with his rock fists easily, before redirecting their attacks, causing the two to fall to their knees before Miyamoto broke their swords with ease.  He noticed then there was a sneaky bastard trying to flank him as he hopped up and plucked a section of stone from his rock fists before performing the hand sign for the rock section cane.  As soon as it had formed he slammed it down onto the attackers spear with force causing the attack to redirect as the attacker continued to charge, running into another attacker causing them to end up in the water.  Miyamoto's skin at this point began to emit steam as his skin began to change to a deeper red as his natural chakra began to activate.

"you are not that good at sneaking...I can see why you are not a shinobi."  Miyamoto said as he stood there scratching his head with his rocky free hand.  Coming back to the battle realizing there were still more he chuckled before his face turned serious.



He first made the necessary hand signs for Fire Stream and as he blew in a circle around him and Ayato.  He then sank into the ground using hiding like a mole as he moved with all of his speed to the one that issued the order for the queensmen to attack.  His counter attack was swift as he rose up in the middle of all the queensmen and spun the cane as hard as he could, smacking the unsuspecting queensmen in their backs, knocking them out or off balance which made Miyamoto laugh enthusiastically. 



“This...this is fun Ayato, I am glad I ran into you today.”  Miyamoto would say as he would notice one of the guards get up and he would smack the man over the head with the cane, knocking him out.


With a sigh he looked around at the unconscious bodies of the aggressors, noting that these had to be new recruits to the queensguard or regular foot soldiers, it made him yawn.  Letting his guard down was all that a couple of the queensmen took advantage and managed to cut and smack Miyamoto with their swords and scabbards.  Miyamoto did not scream in pain, he winced and sighed, feeling the warm blood flow down his arm.  His anger now rose as he clenched his fists, causing the cuts on his upper arms to spurt more blood before he rolled forward and picked up a stray katana that laid on the ground.


“Bad news for you two...you have managed to piss off the strongest ten year old in the village.”  Miyamoto then launched himself at the two, having no formal training with weapons he used his rock fist to guard his left side as his dominant right hand was swinging the blade.


The sound of steel on steel rang through the air as Miyamoto caught the left attackers blade as he managed to successfully parry the rights advance before rebounding out and throwing an elbow into the face of the attacker to his left.  His own blood had soaked his Gi as he watched it splatter across his foe’s  face, meanwhile deflecting and redirecting a sudden attack from the right.  He managed to parry and thrust back, cutting into skin on the man’s arm as Miyamoto was not trying to aim for anything close to a kill.  He just wanted them to stop, but it only seemed to make things worse as the man began to attack harder, eventually knocking Miyamoto’s blade from his hands as the attacker from the left thrust at Miyamoto in a stabbing motion.  Miyamoto managed to catch the blade before it pierced his chest, this made Miyamoto rethink his course of action...they were trying to really hurt him, maybe even kill him in the heat of the moment or not.


“That was close, good work there, but you might want to back off before I get really angry.”  He said, half bluffing, half serious as he kept a stern face as he looked to the queensman.


Miyamoto kept eye contact with the man, even as the other tried to sneak up and attack, Miyamoto knew that if his tactic of talking his way out of this...he might have to actually hurt the ones that tried to still fight.  In order to improve the facade that he was some super dangerous shinobi that could kill them if needed his body began to release steam from his wounds and nostrils as the air began to grow hot.  Miyamoto was controlling and expressing himself by expelling his Lava chakra out, His skin growing hot and the tint changed to an even darker one as if he had been tanning for a full day.  He noticed the men hesitate now as the others started to wake up.  This was becoming more dangerous by the second, and Miyamoto knew he could not keep up the control of the rock fist technique for much longer.  He wondered what Ayato was thinking at this point.

WC- 906/1,793

Is he a mutant or something? Ayato had to wonder this regarding his teammate as the events of the battle unveiled in front of his line of sight. The skin disorder that made its appearance after Miyamoto had executed his elemental techniques was one thing. But what truly made Ayato question Miyamoto’s humanity was that his teammate with no plan or strategy in mind had managed to overpower several of the Queensmen. Doing this while relying on his battle instinct was quite a spectacle.
 
The queensmen came slashing down at him from the front and Miyamoto already in his signature Rock Fist technique had curled hands made of boulder encase the swords, trapping them in place. With a flick of his wrist, he drove two grown men down to their knees before shattering their blades in a rain of countless needles. That moment Ayato feared his teammate had forgotten about the spear that came from the flank.  But he didn’t or maybe he noticed just in time. The spear thrust was countered with a rock staff that Miyamoto plucked from his earth release and  was redirected to nowhere causing the spearman to lose his footing. He smashed into the one that Ayato had hit with the Vacuum palm, both of them falling on the crystal blue water that gave the Water Gardens their name. And with that, all four soldiers were neutralized single handily by Miyamoto. The 10-year-old scratched his head with a smile, savoring victory for a moment. But turned back to his serious self just as the second wave of soldiers were almost on them.
 
Miyamoto executed hand signs in quick succession and blew a stream of fire that formed into a circle, halting their advance. Curses and grunts could be heard through the flickering flames, but it was also Ayato who was taken somewhat aback from that display. Not out of fear but of disbelief. Ayato could barely Fire Release and this kid who was three years younger than him had an additional element to his arsenal other than the Earth affinity and it was Ayato’s own element at that. This was a knife to the gut and it made him feel pathetic. How was he supposed to accept that? But deep down he knew this was the reality. There was no fairness in the shinobi world, and no matter how hard you worked there were individuals that their innate talent made them appear a million years ahead of you. All of his life had been the same; so far Ayato had used both his initiative and intelligence to create opportunities. 
 
Back to the fighting, the way Miyamoto used the Fire Release: Fire Stream was pure theatrics. That thin layer of fire was bound to extinguish sooner or later and if the Queensmen decided they were brave and charged through they were unlikely to receive any dangerous burns. Maybe Miyamoto aimed for that since the beginning, the technique to be used as a diversion rather than a secure line of defense. The next second Ayato’s suspicion was confirmed.
 
The ponytail genin used one of his earth release techniques to dig into the ground and emerge in the middle of where the frog-faced officer stood guarded by his men, several feet away.  He saw with the corner of his eye that Miyamoto used his earth staff during his surprise attack to knock them off balance. "Damn you Miyamoto for making me look like a side character." This left Ayato to deal with the second wave of three attackers who were temporary barricaded due to Miyamoto’s fire stream. None of the Queenmen built up the courage to run through it but no matter it was bound to be extinguished any moment now.  It was Ayato’s turn to fight and he would be unable to keep track of his teammate movements in deep detail as he did before.

I’m surrounded but I’m not going to give them the initiative to charge at me the moment that wall disappears.” Ayato still in his gentle fist stance started to spin his body, kicking at the ground with his pivotal left leg in order to build up the momentum required for the rotation. Blue chakra ribbons appeared in the air surrounded his figure and then began to move away from him slowly forming up a thin half sphere. As he span, Ayato focused on the image of his chakra network he unleashed all the chakra in one go. "Eight Trigrams : Heavenly Palm Rotation!"  Ayato yelled and the flow of chakra soon made the dome to form into the proper thickness.  It extended away from him in a two-meter radius, blowing away the fire and knocking the Queensmen of their feet. You didn’t expect that, did you? Ayato thought with a smile, he didn’t taunt his opponents with words the way Miyamoto did, since that tend to make the speaker absent minded not only the opponent. His father had taught him that a warrior must be a hundred percent focused on the battle, not waste time on trash talk.

Speaking of, amidst grunts and loud curses the Queensmen started to get back on their feet. This wasn’t a manga where opponents you hit stay down, here they get back up and charge at you harder than before. Ayato knew that the melee Gentle Fist was a bad option on taking swords in close quarters and his long range one's Vacuum Palm and Heavenly Palms Rotation needed a cool down so he had to plan his next move accordingly. One of them was already on Ayato, his sword at hand Think quick and fast. Ayato put his hand together and performed the Half-Tiger Seal that he witnessed Miyamoto do before. The burning in his stomach and lungs followed and the elemental chakra blew out in a form of a fire stream on the charging adversary, and his golden cloak going up in flames. The screams filled the air and in his panic jumped into the water like a seal to quench the fire.  

The jutsu was incapable of causing any real damage other a few minor burns but at the sight, the other Queensmen seemed to lose heart.  One of them moved at Ayato with caution, keeping a shield up high. “Wise move.” Still breathing fire like a dragon he turned his head to direct the Fire Stream towards him, yet the Queenman’s wooden shield emblazoned by layers steel easily held against the fire stream The fearless one. Ayato thought as he noticed the menacing grin on the Queensman's face under the half-helm. “That all you got shinobi?”  His lips formed into twisting smile before he bashed the shield at Ayato’s face, getting him square in the jaw. “Shit.”  The taste of iron exploded in his mouth as he lost his footing and met the ground with a loud thud.

Back and shoulders ached in pain but he didn’t have time to lay there, the blade came soon after, slashing down at him with force.  Ayato rolled back avoiding it, dust kicking up followed by the echo of steel against the marble. I have to increase output. Ayato thought before spitting the blood that lingered in his mouth from the earlier blow to the chin. He executed Horse → Tiger hand seals in quick succession “Fire Release: Great Fireball.”  The Fire chakra was released from his mouth in one large burst in an upward motion towards the opponent. “I’ve already seen through that shinobi” The fearless queensman taunted and braced for impact once again And so have I. Ayato thought just as the Queenman deflected the fireball with his shield. It was only for a few moments before it dramatically increased in size engulfing the man in sea of fire. 

Ayato stiffened as he rose to his feet and watched the lingering fire dispersing slowly, the opponent leaping through it.  He was mostly intact, his leather armor protecting most his body, save for the hand that held the burning shield. “Aaaaahhh” He screamed as he noticed his wrist trapped on the handle on the back of the shield.  He struggled to free it before the fire spread. Finding himself unable to, he reached for his sword and began whacking at the shield with force, scattering black pieces of wood upon the white marble. “Damn it, damn it, damn it!” He yelled thrice, before finally giving a front kick to what remained of the shield, knocking it on the ground. 

“Monster!” The third of the lot who had yet to make a move yelled. "Guilty of that at least." The words of that craven were a rude awakening; Ayato didn’t have the time to care for what became of an opponent right now. His head was still ringing from the shield bash perhaps that also made him lightheaded. The craven thrust his spear towards Ayato from the front. To that the black haired Hyuuga pivoted smoothly with his right foot and let the spear slid into his side, grazing his gray coat before he grabbed the shaft in sudden motion with his left hand. The queensman struggled to release it with a low grunt. Ayato extended his right free arm like a whip and grabbed the back of the neck of the opponent. “What!? Be he could add anything else Ayato  took a small step with his left leg and threw a sweeping low kick below the knee that made his legs crumble on his weight, effectively disarming him at the same time. Ayato holding the spear horizontally with both hands put it over the kneeling man's head and launched a strong knee that smashed into his face knocking him unconscious.

WC: 1605

TWC - 4118

Fire Release: Firestream [250/250] 50% discount from Miyamoto
Fire Release: Great Fireball [1868/2000] 

Just like that Miyamoto was in the heat of it.  The Queensmen seemingly unaffected by his previous attacks were poised in a new formation as they got their bearings.  This marked a new problem for Miyamoto as his rock fists crumbled, falling to the earth as if casually discarded by a shovel.  He grinned as the steam that was coming off of him began to envelop him, and as he quickly glanced down to see what the prickling feeling was on his hands he noticed that they had turned jet black.  Miyamoto began to wonder if he had indeed pushed his body past it's limits and he had managed to burn himself to a crisp, but his hands had feeling and he could still open and close them.  

"This is interesting..."  He said as he moved back into a battle stance, his hands up for defense as his legs spread to the width of his shoulders.  He stood his ground like a stubborn dog, or like a fierce lion that had been backed into a corner.

Miyamoto could feel his body tingling and could only attribute it to the same thing happening to his hands, he thought back on what techniques he was wanting to learn before finally realizing what had happened with his hands and what was continuing to happen to his body.  The natural lava chakra inside of his body was making itself known, and whether good or bad...Miyamoto was now fully invested into maturing this ability to its fullest extent.  He launched at the nearest group of Queensmen as he managed to string together a series of fifteen blows in a literal blink of the eye, his strength rivaled most men in the village as it was, but this was something more.  His hands knocked into the Queensmen and knocked them back with each successful blow, additionally it seemed that their light armor dented and caused them to lose their footing even more.  The final blow came when Miyamoto struck out and used the fire stream jutsu once more as the edges of his mouth began to blacken like his hands.  He was slowly becoming the beast inside of him, something that was told about in his scroll.  Even though he noticed it he smiled as he looked at the remaining conscious queensmen.  



“Go ahead, bring me your steel.  I will break them all…”  He exclaimed as he gave in to the feeling, his arms began to turn black like charred earth.


As the queensmen launched their offensive Miyamoto launched off as well making the earth crack under his feet as he blocked two swings from katana before pushing them off and grabbing the blades causing them to crack and then shatter.  With a smile the blackened skin began to move up his neck.


“Stay calm…”
A voice rang out in his head as he continued to fight the queensmen, but his actions were not his own.
“Evade...retaliate...block…”
The voice continued inside of him, it was not his but something more mature, he could not control what was going on.
“Who...Who are you, this is not what I was expecting…”Miyamoto said, though internally he knew what was going on around his body.
“I am you...I am Worr…”
The voice said in response.
“Impossible, Worr is my father...he is dead…” Miyamoto said, growing scared as the blackened skin was covering about sixty-five percent of his body.
“I am you...I am Worr…”
It said again as Miyamoto dove deeper into thought.
“Block...Retaliate...Miyamoto, listen to me...I am not going to be in control forever...this is not MY power.”
The voice spoke again much clearer.  It addressed him specifically.
“This is the power of the Temple technique?”  Miyamoto asked of the voice who now identified as Worr.
“This is YOUR body...YOUR power...claim it.  Take my hand.”  
It addressed him once more as if it were really reaching a hand out to him as he felt his body go still.  


Three blades struck his midsection, but did not cut through his skin as the shark crack split the air of the gardens.  Miyamoto looked at each of the queensmen that now stared at him, horrified at what they saw.


“I am Miyamoto Terumi...son of Worr Terumi...you will not strike me down with simple steel.”  Miyamoto said as the blades shattered and showered the ground with the shards of steel.  


Miyamoto’s face now over sixty-nine percent changed as he looked at the men as he launched out and kicked one, landing the blow right under his chin as he was sent flying into a pool of water.  The other two were paralyzed by how quickly he moved that the next guy did not even see Miyamoto as his fist connected with his gut causing him to double over in pain.  The third guy began to back off at this point, but Miyamoto was quick to catch his arm and pull him into a grapple before launching him at his peers knocking them into the water nearby.


“Good...you have taken up the mantle, be proud of it...the life of a shinobi is too short to ever be ashamed of one’s past.”
Worr said as Miyamoto continued on as his body began to calm down the black skin receding back to his fists.
“Thank you...father…”  Miyamoto responded under his breath as he began to huff and puff...he was exhausted.


That is when out of the corner of his eye he saw as a few more of the queensmen being blown away leaving just Miyamoto and whom he assumed to be Ayato behind him that just finished off a few of his own attackers, and the head of the queensmen squad.  Miyamoto then decided to jump back landing back beside Ayato as he staggered from exhaustion.  


“So I think at last count I knocked out like forty...what about you big guy?” Miyamoto said as he was short of breath also overly boasting now that he was back by his teammate.

“Looks like we just have that one guy left...so who do you think is going to land the final blow...me or you bud?”  Miyamoto said as he stretched and took a deep breath before sticking up his hands as his rock fists formed once more as he got into a fighting stance.  The queensmen all lying in piles around the gardens.


“Looks like we owe the palace some gardening duties after this...or they do if we win that is.”  Miyamoto flashed that smile as usual, cocky yet showing a confidence that was hidng his weakness underneath.


He waited for Ayato to respond as well as the remaining queensmen.  For a ten year old...he was kicking the collective asses of at least three times his age, which was no small feat.  The real test remained with the last guy though, he seemingly remained unscathed during their combined attacks.  How did he do this?

1171/2964

“You burned my hand, you little shit.”  Ayato lifted his eyes at the sullen voice. And your shield as well. The dark skinned Queensman loomed over him, with no friend to back him up. All but him were laying on the ground, some unconscious others faking it too scared to stand up to challenge them again. “If you ask nicely, I'll burn the other one for you.” Ayato said a stabbing pain in his mouth as he spoke, courtesy of the shield bash he received earlier from this guy.  

“Try.” The Queensman taunted. Ayato started to execute the hand seals for the Great Fireball, but before releasing the fire chakra from his lungs, the Queensman closed the distance in an instant a telegraphed swing, no grace behind it. The Water Gardens rang to the song of steel against steel for the first time today. Ayato, held his black kunai with a backhand grip, managing to block the Queensman blade just in time. “You shinobi are too damn predictable. ” The man laughed.

"Screw you." Upon the white marble, sweat trickled from Ayato's forehead as he pressed the attack. The Queensman stumbled backward, defending himself. "Interesting!" He yelled, his lips forming into a twisted smile, savoring the taste of combat. This is one is a league above the rest. But I have the advantage, his left hand is burned and he won't be able to do defend. Or he was just a masochist who enjoyed being hit. Unlikely but it would explain his tenacity to still come at Ayato even though nearly burned to death moments ago. 

When he raised his sword, Ayato went underneath it with a kick that crunched against the back of the man's leg interrupting his motion and sent him staggering. He came at Ayato again all the same. I thought I got him good, but he is quite sturdy. The downward swing was countered by an overhand that dented his helmet and knocked it away. "This won't do!"The Queensman retaliated trying to cut sideways but Ayato met the blade with his kunai and swept it aside and slammed a fist into his chest. 

The Queensman almost lost his footing but the last moment jumped back to Ayato with a telegraphed swing, the tip of the blade slightly to the right attempting to slice at him with force. As the blade came down, Ayato took a sidestep to the left going outside of the downward sword arc. "Who’s predictable now?" He whispered before rotating his body 180 degrees, successfully getting behind him. He stabbed his kunai at the left of the Queensman’s spine, piercing through his leather armor. The Queensman back hunched from the force of the blow. No Blood. Underneath the boiled leather, there was something against his kunai. Chainmail! Ayato realized in shock before the backward slash came on his face. Dodging with a clumsy sway, he almost fell to the ground. 

Ayato made several back steps to catch his breath. Gingerly feeling the area above the eyebrow where the sword grazed him, his fingers came away bloody. "How!? I got away from the arc of the sword , the blade didn't even graze me." The Queensman turned around to look at him, smiling at the result of his cut. "I missed." He stated with a serious face, Ayato wasn't sure if he was mocking him or not. Slowly, a red curtain began to encase Ayato's left eye, almost hiding away the image of the dark-skinned Queensman with the jet black oily hair. The image of his enemy. Before he could process any further, Miyamoto appeared beside him, boasting of his victory in a playful manner. Ayato couldn't find it to give a respond to that. 

"I was wondering when the other little shit would show up." He said to Miyamoto while eyeing his fallen comrades on the ground. "You surely took your sweet time to beat farm boys that the closest thing they held to a sword before joining the Queensmen was a wooden stick." He laughed aloud, resting his naked blade upon his right shoulder. With his he left hand he reached for the kunai stuck on his lower back. "That thing is a toy. Reals sword cut deep." The effort to pull it out made push leak from burned fingers. "You know..ever since that war four hundred years ago, common people fear you shinobi as demons or worship you as gods. More did the former. I was the same once." With a flick of his wrist, he threw Ayato's kunai away, landing on some bushes.

"That until you fuckers decided to come to my city and I got to take a good look at you. You are no deities. You are just men. Not so different than the rest of us. After all..." His lips twisted into a smile as he raised his sword and pointed at Ayato's face. "We bleed all the same." The Queensman finished and a blue aura began to materialize around his sword. 

I see. That's how he managed to cut me. With a swing, the wave of blue chakra traveled at them, slicing the ground  on its path, kicking up dust and marble.

WC - 844

TWC 4962

Fire Release: Great Fireball [2000/2000] 

Leaf Whirlwind [1143/ 1250] 712 words remaining from this post and 431 from here

Upon having a new player enter the field Miyamoto took a breath.  Just moments ago it seemed like they were going to actually be in some trouble due to having taken so long to thin the queensmen out to just their leader.  The silver haired kid leapt in front of them took the hit and seemed to immediately just shrug it off before giving some small short of one liner reminiscent of some action movie.  Miyamoto sat down exhausted as he looked to the new guy and Ayato.


He thought about how the attack seemed to just cut the kid’s back...was he a kid...he could not tell anymore.  I mean he was only ten yet he sported a physique that of a bodybuilder, but this kid was on another level.  He looked over his back as he saw what appeared to be something under his skin moving, as well as stitches literally everywhere across his body.  Miyamoto sighed as he looked back up and around the gardens.  They had indeed made a mess of the place and it showed, soldiers tossed to and fro all knocked out, they did not pay attention to the area.  This was going to look bad if it was not fixed soon.


So...we might have to fix this place Ayato...we made a mess, and I think Kyousuke Sensi might put the hurt on us if we don’t.”  Miyamoto said aloud as he yawned, his eyes were growing heavy already before coming back to address the situation at hand.
“He with you I assume?”  Miyamoto asked Ayato as he scratched his hair with the rock fist, which seemed unorthodox and meaningless.
“Regardless...I am tired man...you guys finish the fight...I’m gonna...I’m just gonna nap here.  Let me know when you guys are done and we will go another round”  Miyamoto said as he brushed shards of steel from the ground before sprawling out.  It was more of a comedic insult towards the captain than to agitate Ayato and this new kid.

Unless he was stopped he would continue to fall asleep to everyone.  However, he would only be resting his eyes as he would still be listening to the fight, unless he was actually needed the fresh blood could finish this himself.  With a yawn he would stretch out, his body in constant flux as steam poured off of him as his skin changed from normal to charred black.

WC:  410/3374

Ayato found himself frozen in place as the blinding blue light of the vertical chakra wave traveled in the air towards him. His feet felt as if they were made of jelly, ready to melt down with the next step he took. His arms and body made of paper that the wave would slice through him if he braced for it. With his narrowed gaze he caught a silver flash. A scarecrow of man he was, but for a moment as shades of blue and silver interlocked with another and the blinding light made shadows dance upon the white  stone he appeared as graceful as a king.

The sound of cloth sliced apart instead of blood and gore spilling out of a man’s body was a sound full of consolation to his ears. Ayato couldn’t find it to forgive himself if someone died over one of his quarrels. This was his fight. Who was this stranger that put himself between the two Genin and a blade without a substance?  A shinobi apparently, but was he brave or simply suicidal? There was only a thread line between the two. These thoughts would spin in Hyuuga’s mind in fits and flashes. It caused him a headache. Even thinking took a lot of effort. A shallow cut it was, however, blood run down his temple to his cheek and neck like a waterfall. The taste of iron was still lingering in his mouth; from the shield bash he received earlier.

The shinobi of Hoshigakure who spared him from another injury ripped apart the remnants of a black vest, exposing the entirety of his upper body that was covered in stitches and old wounds. But underneath that skin something moves, as if a thousand small snakes used that man as a host.

Miyamoto. He nearly forgot about his teammate, but before he could turn around and look for him he heard the agitating comments leaving his mouth.You damned fool. Ayato mumbled under his breath. Letting the man’s taunting get under his skin. Falling right into a trap, how could he be so oblivious to the situation? When he lay on the ground, Ayato almost kicked him back up. Almost. But as he looked at him he realized; the truth. For all his extraordinary talent, his well-built physique that far outclassed that of Ayato, Miyamoto was only a kid. A ten-year-old who only acted on impulse and could barely read a situation properly; solely relying on his battle instinct.

Thankfully, Miyamoto’s behavior shook Ayato back to reality.  He had to act and take matters into his own hands, rather than simply remaining frozen like a coward. If I don’t who will.  All his life he wanted himself to the hero, but deep down he feared he might have been a craven. Yet if that was true, he didn’t have the luxury to be one, not since Hibari of the Hyuuga Clan wrapped a scarf around his neck and named him a son. 

Stepping beside the silver haired shinobi, blood trickled from Ayato’s face upon the stone. Looking at him up close, he appeared to be the exact opposite of the Queensman that opposed them; him pale and scrawny, while the latter dark skinned and a hunk. Pure muscle outlined on biceps and forearms, visible between the bracers and the shoulder pardons of his leather armor set. 

“Thank you, stranger. ” Ayato said with a pant of his breath. “Pardon me, but we’ll have to hold on to introductions,” Ayato eye covered in blood twitched in pain and discomfort. Without waiting for a response he turned to face the Queensman that stood there speechless. Obviously, he was startled from his attack being ineffective and having to choke on his words after that monolog he gave them.  The newcomer shinobi gave them a small victory to cheer upon and damn it felt good seeing that look on the Queensman face.

The stare down went on for a couple of moments until finally, the silence broke. “Oi, oi, you are truly hard to look upon albino. Your fucking skin is hard like an armor. But I know armor and there are parts it cannot shield. "The man said with a straight face and spat down on the ground. “A monstrosity like you should never have existed. Worry not; I’ll put you out of your misery soon.” He flicked his wrist and the blade coated in chakra danced with the flow leaving of blue ribbons behind. His eyes shifted to Ayato "And what about you? You are a bloody mess. Literally. Go, join your buddy lying on the ground and I'll come to murder you both next." 

He dashed at Kenshin like a mad dog. Closing the 5-meter gap in a matter of seconds he swung his sword in a lateral motion with great speed and force aiming for Kenshin’s neck, with a sharpness of 80. When he was at breath's distance he whispered " Want me to tell you what my favorite hobby on the battlefield was? Eating alive those who played the hero." His laughter was half a growl.

NPC Stats:

WC - 857
TWC - 5819

Claiming to this point: