Once the explosion hit the battle field everyone eventually flew backwards into the beach, rolling and tumbles on their sides as the shockwave from Sarada and Kotatsu's colliding fist put a stop to everyone's battles. Nanami, in the background took the opportunity to shoot down all existing clones with ease, her inner anger ravaging inside. Something was overcoming the poor girl as she witnessed the attempted kill strike on her sensei. With the last of her strength, Sarada managed to charge enough chakra in her fist once more and sent a gut renching punch into Kotatsu's stomach. The air leaving his body as he gasped. The complete silence of the battlefield drew everyone's attention. Shiroma had no time to react after pulling herself up from the ground as she paniced weather or not Sarada saved herself from death. Kotatsu's eyes widen as small amounts of blood coughed out of his mouth. He fell onto the ground as Sarada fell backwards, her strength becoming complete exhaustion.

Sigmund proved to be a difficult foe for Sakuya and all around him. His new founded darkness practically took over him. Whle his teammates believed he was almost gone, deep down he was fighting a war neither of them could understand. His lust for power overweighed the decision to want to be good. He was following a path all too familiar with history. All of Sakuya's jutsus failed with each attempt being blocked. Sigmund wasn't even breaking a sweat throughout the battle. The battle became draining as Sigmund had yet to strike her. As the battle continued on, the true Kotatsu continued his flurry of attacks one by one. The explosion interrupted his battle as he managed to keep a steady stance. Once things cleared up, he witnessed his brother's ultimate demise. He didn't react right away as Kotatsu fell. With Kotatsu's defeat, the clones disappeared one by one into dark liquid before it evaporated into the air. Nobody moved a muscle as they watched the final battle however Sigmind took the opportunity to rush in. His plan and ourage took over as he charged in with such quickness that he towered over Sarada.

She was weak and vulnerable and Sigmund knew it as did everyone else. Before Sigmund could even pull out his knife, Nori and Nanami were quick to race towards him. Nanami, bow in hand fired another arrow at his hand, the arrow disarming Sigmund's kunai knife. Nori followed up with her own taijutsu. Her gut told her she had to stop him, her feelings aside, but deep within her heart, her emotions tugged at the thought having to finally fight him off with all her might. Even though she didn't want to hurt the one she loved, she had to stop him, whether it killed her or not. He unbandaged her arms, the wraps loosened as she attempted to finally kick off from the ground and thrust her leg up. However before she realized it, he was gone, her front lotus technique ending in failure. Shit. she told herself as her eyes glanced around for him. She knew that would've been a final blow for him, but she wasn't quick enough.

Sigmund reappred next to Sakuya, vulnerable and knew if he took their weakest link out, it would be a debasting blow to everyone around him. He grabbed Sakuya by her shirt, lifting her up from the ground, his bones seeping out of his hand to make a blade. The group of shinobi knew they wouldn't be able to make it in time. Nanami shot another arrow, attempting to disarm him again, but the darkness around him formed a protective shield around himself, deflecting another from coming in. Sakuya tried to wiggle out of his grip, trying to summon her water chains to form around him but she was too exhausted to get them to come reach up from the ground. Sigmund smirked. "This has been long overdue. Without you, they're weak. he muttered to her before bringing his blade to her chin. "I will enjoy this greatly.

All the while, Kotatsu managed to regain his breath. His eyes were blurry as he looked up at the grey-blue sky. The air was cold as he just laid there. His ears were ringing around him. He almost seemed lost and confused. A voice in his head seemed to be putting pressure into his mind. You're weak. You allowed an Uchiha to crush you. I gave you everything and now you are nothing! with the last sentence of being told he was worthless, he felt an ache throughout his body and lots of pain. He was paralyzed as he felt the darkness slipping away from him. His power gone; his control over darkness vanished. He was no longer connected to the evil forces of the world. Not only did Sarada defeat him, she stripped him of his power, however nobody knew the effect it would have on her as she laid unconscious.

[Kotatsu has lost the darkness abilities. All jutsus are converted to unique techniques now teachable to other shinobi.]

Kotatsu rolled over on his side and found his brother across the way, holding onto Sakuya. It was an uncomfortable sight for him. Sakuya was his former teammate. He was welcomed by her and she encouraged him before he ran away from the Land of Lightning. He knew he had only one option. Sucking in air, he got onto his feet, his Sharingan exposed. The blood of an Uchiha coursing through his veins as he managed to to appear by Sigmund. Sigmund grinned before glancing at Kotatsu. "Glad you could join me.
" Sigmund seemed to not notice that Kotatsu was no longer on the same alliance. "You can help me absorb this power, brother." he grinned wider. Sigmund pulled his bone knife to Sakuya's stomach and before he could pull it back, Kotatsu placed his hand on Sigmund's arm. "She isn't worth it. Let her go," Kotatsu chimed in. Sigmund's eyes seemed to flare as Kotatsu disagreed with him. This was a first. "Let her go?! No!" he snapped as he pushed Kotatsu away from him. "You're weak!" he declared as he thrusted his bone knife forward. As the knife his flesh, Nori, Nanami, and Shiroma's eyes widen as they rushed to the protective bubble. Fuma had unleashed the power of her blades as she managed to crack the dark bubble, but still couldn't penetrate the hard shell. Due to her mercenary work with darkness inhabited lands, she was able to use the blade to begin weakening the shield but it was too late. Fuma locked eyes with the individual that was stabbed.

In her place, Kotatsu had managed to switch places with Sakuya, teleporting her out of the bubble. Kotatsu had been the one who been stabbed, protecting his former teammate. It was a shock that stunned everyone. Sakuya was more surprised as she sat on the ground and tried to come to terms with what just happened. Kotatsu saved her life. After everything he did, he saved her. "You fool! Protecting them?! I should kill you!" Kotatsu managed to push Sigmund away from him, the bone knife retracting out of his stomach as he coughed up blood. "You blind fool. You'll meet your demise eventually. It's not worth it." Kotatsu managed out as he fell to his knees. Sigmund wasn't finished with him however. "You don't deserve those eyes,
 he stated as he picked up the wounded Kotatsu and began gorging Kotasu's eyes. Due to the strains that Sigmund has used, he managed to cause his eyes to go blind, almost losing his sight. With Sigmund taking Kotatsu's eyes, he managed to transfer them to himself, Kotatsu losing his eyes forever. Sigmund was now gifted with Eternal.

Fuma managed to break the shield as Sigmund threw Kotatsu's screaming self out of the now destroyed bubble surrounding them. Before Sigmund even got the chance to use his new found power, Nanami, Nori, Shiroma, and Sakuya did not hesitate to restrain him as quickly as possible before 
Sigmund got away again. Sakuya managed to build more strength and used her water chains to wrap around his arms, legs, and torso one last time. Shiroma used her ice to freeze the ground around Sigmund, encasing his legs with black ice, locking him into the ground. Nanami held her bw straight to his face, determined to ensure he wasn't going to move. "Make one move and I'll shoot, Sigmund. It's over. Surrender!" she threatened. Fuma used her old headband to cover his eyes. The eyes of the Uchiha were deadlier than ever. She held him steady. Sigmund began to struggle. They all knew it was only a matter of time before he broke free from their gaps. Because Nanami practically held Sigmund at gunpoint, it was up to Nori to restrain Sigmund completely with the information they had gained awhile back about his weakness. "Nori, do it now. This is our only chance!"

Sigmund knew what was to come. The paralyzing feeling he has experienced before was his only weakness. He growled, he yelled, he shouted and tried his hardest to break free. Without the use of his newly aquired eyes, he was useless for the time being. Nori approached Sigmund, the young man she knew and loved was still in there, deep inside. "Sigmund..." she muttered as she placed her hand on his cheek. "This isn't you. This has never been you.." she continued as she put her head into his chest. She could hear the darkness through him. It was strong, but not consuming him completely. Before she could get herself to immobilize him, she brought her lips to his and everything went white.

That was the last thing anyone could remember from that day.

A year has passed and everyone had went their seperate ways to conquor the ongoing war that the world was still experiencing. Unfortunately for them things had chanaged dramatically. After that fateful night, returning home was a disaster. The other group that had been entrusted with discovering exactly how the dark shinobis managed to sneak into the Land of Fire, it turns out it was a distraction from the oncoming attack that happened. They discovered the hideout that tunneled all the way to the Hokage's quarters, which explained how exactly they managed to learn so much about all their missions and operations that the Land of Fire had planned. The surprise attack caught the leaf village offguard, ultimaely losing the last stronghold. Countless citizens died and most scattered after the retreat. Sasuke put up the biggest battle he had ever fought and although he managed to surpress the Mysterious man, it wasn't enough to save the village. Sasuke, his new found aunt, and her husband, the Wolf Sage, managed to transport a majority of the survivors to a mysterious land that had yet to be inhabited. With the lose of countless lives, Sasuke remained as interim Kage of their new land. Commanding the forces of his elite force and the Sacred Board, the past year has been peaveful and successful building a new village from the ground up. A lot had changed that still scarred many shinobi. Our heros had returned, Lady Sarada stuck in a coma for the last year. Shiroma's heart went out to her and had decided to remain by her side throughout the entire time. Shiroma was offered training from a fellow comrade, Tsubaki, who was very much alive still. Nori was nowhere to be found after that day. Nanami however decided to train under Fuma still, having much to learn. Fuma had agreed to return with the condition that she wasn't officially apart of their brigade however still giving assistance whenever needed. Sigmund had returned to the village, trialed, and stripped of his Chunin rank. Due to his involvement will many efforts that caused mass destruction, Sasuke had kept Sigmund under wraps for the last year. Sigmund was only allowed to travel unless he was in the presence of his aunt and the Wolf Sage, which Sigmund personally trained under without a word. Sigmund’s eternal Sharingan has been sealed and is not useable for the time being. Kotatsu lost his eye sight and is now regaining to learn to fight without sight.  Sakuya continued to train under Sakura, further mastering her medical training. Fujii had spent the last year learning how to cope with the loss of his hand due to infection and relearning to execute jutsus to their max. Newly found knowledge helped him train countless shinobi in his lightning arts, passing on his legacy.

[Note, all players who were eliminated from the game are now considered decease. If you had a relationship with these said characters, they perished with the fall of the leaf village.]

The new land is now called Land of Firelink, the capital/main village: Izalith. I do apologize for the long wait. This post was much bigger but in order to keep some things as a surprise, I deleted a lot more than what it is now. Al characters that took place on the battle in the snow, you have very faint memories. Everyone else remembers the destruction of the leaf village.

[Private to Yamada Nori: You, my dear, are now evil, going forward with the plans we had planned together. Your post can explain where you’ve been however can not explain that you’re evil. You’ve disappeared but are now returning.]
This message was last updated by the GM at 12:41, Sat 10 July 2021.

   The events had been hazy. He was aware all that he did, all that he caused and was disappointed for himself. But he felt alive. The darkness coursed through his veins and had given immense power. The lust for such power was incredible. It was thrilling and he didn't give it a second though. The mission was somewhat a success though. He tried so hard to fight it, to not disppoint those around him but whatever thatman did, had complete control over him. He was well aware the destruction and the casalties he caused for this war. He was part of the reason why the war took a turn for the worst for his team. He almost caused the death of the Hime, his former team, and even his brother. His brother...that was the biggest reveal. He didn't look like anything he remembered but it was so long ago.

   He had much to contiplate after he was arrested and taken back to the Land of Fire, but once they arrived he was angry at what took place. The leaf village was under attack and in ruins when they all arrived. He was given permission to help fight and get civilians evacuated for safety. It brought back memories from two years ago when all five lands were attacked. It was during his Chunin exam and his dream had been ruined until the aftermath. It was as if history was repeating itself again. Because he had experienced this before, he was able to fight like he had never been before. The pained memories had filled his mind as he recalled his sensei's death. His very first mentor and it put a rage into his body. He ensured his parents made it safely and he fought with all his might. Once everything was secured, Lord Sasuke fought off the Mystious Man. Unable to completely defeat him, Lord Sasuke proved to be a formidable opponent. They retreated, but at the cost of the village.

   Soon after that, they relocated the remainder of all the villages and land and stumbled upon an island south of the world. Lord Sasuke had resumed his duties as interim Kage and established a new county, the birth of Firelink and their village Izalith. Many smaller clans dispersed and formed other villages throughout the island. Once things finally started coming together, Sigmund had been put on trial. The Sacred Counsel had cast their judgement. His conditions were to be stripped of his Chunin rank and he would be heavily monitored. He wasn't allowed to leave Izalith without the accompany of Akasumi and her husband, the lost Wolf Sage Shi. The counsil had also decided to seal his etrnal sharingan and could no longer draw upon it. He was limited as what he could do with it. When his terms and conditions were read to him, they also had another family matter to take care of. For the benfit of him, they revealed that Akasumi was Sigmund's birth mother, but not just Sigmund, Kotatsu's as well. He had learned the birth story of himself. He was decended from an extinct clan, well two extinct clans and he was one of the most rarest shinobi to possess two kekkeis at the same time; the sharingan and Shikotsumyaku. It came at a price however of the inability to control himself. She was in charge of ensuring he followed his probation terms. However Sigmund took this opportunity to bond with her and her husband.

   He had taken advantage of the opportunity as they were his keepers. He trained not only under his mother, but was given the rare opportunity to start training under the Wolf Sage himself, learning only a basic technique and the ability to channel senjutsu. It had been an exhausting year, only keeping mostly to the village. He trained hard because Nori had left a year ago and he had no idea where she had ran off to. He couldn't remember much at that beach, but he did remember Nori's absence. Nanami had chose to leave too, leaving him to himself for the most part. He felt guilty of his actions and had sworn to himself he would be better for them, but that remained to be seen. He visited Lady Sarada from time to time, but her condition never changed. Shiroma had stuck around and it wasn't long before Sigmund discovered the love that the two girls shared for each other. While envious, love wasn't on his agenda really. Nori still had his heart, but winning the war was on his mind so he could redeem himself to everyone around him. Sigmund spent his days at the Uchiha clan mansion, training harder and attempting to get stronger. He went on the occasional mission to assist with civilian escorts, village guarding, being a courier, and any other minimal mission. From time to time their was word around that Snow Shinobi would be spotted within the island, but they never once discovered the island long enough to report back with useful information.

   Sigmund would be found now at the dojo in the center of town, attempting to learn a new dance for his kekkei. He was dripping with sweat and panting from exhaustion. He grew a couple of more inches taller and his hair remained dark. A faint indication on his jaw line showed he was starting to grow dark peach fuzz, but he kept it clean. His hair reached his shoulders now and he kept his attire the same. His arms covered in scars from the year's events against his pale skin, wrapped in bandages to prevent the traumatizing events. He panted as hunted over, his hands on his knees as the sweat streamed down his face. "That's it for today," he muttered through pants of exhaustion. Twelves hours had gone by and his training was over.

All Nori could remember was a flash of light and the warmth of another person’s lips against her own before everything grew dark. However, at that exact same moment, while everything was a blur, something also felt different inside her. It was a feeling that was foreign to Nori. It was a feeling of strength. A feeling of something being awoken deep down in her soul. Like a switch had been flipped. It was a feeling she couldn’t explain. In that state of unconsciousness, memories of people’s faces flashed in her mind. Familiar faces. Then suddenly, a voice whispered Nori And her emerald green eyes darted open. Her body had ached all over and her head...her head felt like it was splitting in two. As she held her head with one hand, she pushed herself up from the dirt ground loitered with leaves, rubble, and twigs. Her eyes lifted up and when she did, she saw an endless amount of darkness and trees surrounding her. She was alone in an empty forest with no recollection of how she got there. Fear struck her. Had she died? No. That wasn’t possible. She was feeling pain course through her body. If she were dead, she wouldn’t feel like this, right? She stood to her feet and began to look around her, but nothing. Nothing was here. She called out, but no one answered. What is going on? she wondered to herself. Then suddenly, a voice echoed in her head...

There is no use for calling out now. You are alone, Nori. Just like you were always meant to be. You no longer have friends. You no longer have a home. You have nothing except the cold, dark emptiness around you the voice told her, causing Nori to look around in search of it.

Who is that? Who are you? she asked but the voice just giggled.

Don’t you know who I am? I am you. I am the darkness that lurks within your heart. Nori grew puzzled yet she couldn’t help but peak her curiosity further.

 I don’t understand. What do you mean the darkness within me? she asked.

The voice merely giggled again. Exactly how it sounds, my dear. I have been inside you since the moment you were born. Or rather the moment you were conceived by your pathetic birth mother and father. Don’t you want to know why you were given up, Nori? Since the moment you found out the people you have known all your life aren’t your real parents, haven’t you always wondered who gave you life?

In all honesty, Nori hadn’t thought too much about it. Part of her didn’t want to know why she was given up or why she wasn’t good enough to be kept. All that mattered was that she had people who loved her yet...it was those same people that had kept the truth from her for so long. She had been angry. Confused. Sad. Hurt.

 Kirigakure. That is where it all started and where your story began, Nori dear. You were born of a love that was pure, but should never have come to be. You were a mistake. That is why your birth mother didn’t keep you. She didn’t want you and just gave you away. She wanted nothing to do with you. And your father never knew you even existed. He still doesn’t yet part of him lurks within you, Nori. He always has and it is awakening inside you now. The darkness that has been manifesting you has been freed and it is just wonderful the voice said with a giggle that sounded both haunting and menacing.

Nori brought up her hands and covered her head as she crouched down on the floor. I don’t know what you’re saying. I...I... she uttered as she shut her eyes tight.

You were born to bring peace, but you were also born to bring destruction on the world, Nori. That is your purpose in life. Haven’t you always wondered in your heart what your purpose for being alive truly was? It was not meant to be as servant that serves others. Others are meant to serve you The voice told her. People have always underestimated you your whole life. Your teachers. Your friends. Your teammates. Your leaders. You were always the weak link. You were never good enough for anyone. Not even your own mother wanted you. Talk about rejection.

S-shut up! You...you don’t know what you’re saying. I was good enough. I was...I was... She said aloud.

You weren’t, but you will be, Nori. Oh yes. You will be. People will fear you. People will kneel at your feet. You will no longer be the weakling. I will help you, my dear. I will help you bring forth your true darkness, isn’t it wonderful?

Just go away! Nori screamed, but the voice only giggled once more.

Oh I will never go away, Nori darling. I will always be right here. It doesn’t matter how much you fight it. You will succumb just like your father did and now he is one of the most feared man this pathetic world has ever seen. What will you do? Will you deny what has been in your veins your whole life? Or will you embrace the gift you were given to create a world that is entirely your own? Will you bring peace or will you bring destruction to the world? Think about it carefully, my dear. However, just know that whatever path you decide, you will be alone. The voice replied in a low, sultry voice.

Just go away! Nori screamed and it did. She was met with silence in response. She opened her eyes and looked around frantically, but nothing. What was that? What was that? She gripped her head again. The voice’s words echoed in her mind. None of what it said could be true, right? None of it made sense. Yet...yet why was she feeling this way? Why did she feel her heart racing? Why did she feel herself trembling in fear? Or was it fear? What was this? All of it just made her more confused. Nori struggled to find her identity her whole life. It was true that she always felt different. She never understand why nobody liked her. Did people see things in here that she herself didn’t see? Was she really capable of doing terrible things? Was she...a monster? Like her father. Nori shook her head. She didn’t want to believe in anything this voice was telling her, but could she really not believe it? She didn’t have any answers, but how would she get those answers? It all started in Kirigakure. That’s what the voice said, right? Nori’s eyes opened and she slowly stood up to her feet. And her mother...she had to find her. Maybe she would know a way to stop whatever it was that was brewing inside her. There was only one way to find out.

Nori found her way out of the forest and yet still, everything was shrouded in black and the only light were the stars shining up in the sky. There was this feeling she had when she came out. There was no turning back. She closed her eyes. Faces flashed through her mind. A warm feeling came over her. She wanted to protect that feeling, but how could she? It made her question if everything in her life was really real. Had it all been an illusion she built up in her head? Did she really have a home to go back to? She brought up a hand and placed it against the side of her head as a sharp pain pierced through it. Everything was so confusing. She had to get answers. She knew she needed to for her own sanity’s sake. She didn’t want to let this darkness take hold of her and turn her into something or someone awful. Even if it did lurk within her, she was going to control it. However, little did the young Shinobi know just how little control she would have and would soon realize that no matter how much she tried to resist, she couldn’t run away from what her true destiny was.

That is where Nori’s new story would begin...

Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months, And now a year had passed. A hooded figured landed and perched upon a branch of a tree just outside the outskirts of the village Izalith. She stood tall. The breeze ruffled the torn and holy blood red cloak as it flapped behind her. A hand reached up and pushed back the hood from her head, causing strands of loose red hair to fall and frame the slender face. The gentle emerald green eyes were no longer there. Instead they held a firmness that hadn’t been there before a year ago. These were eyes now tainted with a depth and a darkness that would not have been recognized by those who would have once known them. Nori jumped down to the ground and landed strongly on the soles of her black boots before she stood up and when she did, she stood her ground. She was more firm in her stance. Stronger. In the time that Nori had made her way out of that forest in pursuit of answers, she had begun to re-train herself all over again starting at the fundamentals. She even started to meditate, which was something she found helpful when she had once trained with Rock Lee. She had to focus on herself. She had never been the smartest or the strongest of those from the past and that had to change. She was determined to be stronger than she had ever been and that started from the inside out.

It had taken her weeks to reach Kirigakure on foot and when she finally did, there was little to nothing left of the village that was once known to be of the strongest in the Nation. Somehow she knew she wouldn’t find her mother there and that she had most likely fled. But would there be somewhere there that had the answers she sought for her whereabouts. There were no people left except for a save few who had dared to go back to scramble what had been left of their lives. And when had begun to explore the ruins, she passed by what had looked to be an armory. There were all sorts of weapons scattered about, but a few swords had her eye. She picked them up from the ground and looked them over. They felt heavy yet light in her hands. Deciding to take them for safe keeping, she walked out of the village but remained close by to camp. She didn’t know what had come over her that day, but she soon began to just toy with the swords at first, but upon further discovering, she found she had been quite handy with a blade. If there was one thing that she had remembered learning in school was that Kirigakure had been infamous for having the best Kenjutsu users around. In fact, they were known for it. Somehow the feeling of holding a blade felt natural to her. Like they were meant to be in her hands. So as time steadily began to pass, Nori had become quite skilled and had even started to combine them with her Taijutsu based techniques. Even she had been surprised by how quick she was able to learn how to use blade, but there were these feelings that rushed over her every time she used one. Like she wanted to test them out on something...or someone. There were the urges that she got that she couldn’t explain sometimes and sometimes...sometimes that voice would come back to haunt her and taunt her into doing things she didn’t want to do. Nori tried to ignore them, but as time steadily went on, she found herself unable to resist. There were days as she traveled that she would wake up with blood on her hands and not know where it came from only to discover where it came from later. There was a sense of dread that washed over her. She never killed needlessly. It was always justified, but what...what had come over her? She knew there had to have been some justification for it...right? Was she protecting herself? She didn’t know. She couldn’t remember.

Nori felt herself changing. Changing in a way that she told herself that she was never going to do. The days where she would wake up with blood on her hands began to increase steadily and it scared her not knowing where it came from. Yet there were other days were she was conscious of her actions and did her best to stop them. She was going to control this. But some times things could sometimes be out of your control and that was what Nori had begun to understand and learn as time went on. The voice talking to her was telling her to do things. Bad things for the fun of it and while Nori sometimes won the battle, she didn’t always win the war. She had to strengthen her mind and she knew that she could. Steadily over time she did and somehow she felt a sense of empowerment over the voice in her head. It was a start. She had good days where she felt she was making progress in not just her inner training, but her physical training, too. She kept herself fit and even though she rarely ever used it, practiced her Ninjustu. She didn’t know where it came from, but she found herself becoming better at it. Her chakra that had once been weak was becoming stronger. It was exciting to Nori. How far could she go with it she wondered.

It was safe to say that during this year, Nori found this experience with being on one’s own to be quite...liberating. It was just herself and no one else. Could she get used to this? While continuing in her pursuit of answers, Nori began to delve deeper into perfecting her own techniques in the process. And she felt empowered. Moreso than ever before. She found herself wanting to become stronger and stronger. She was changing. In her heart, she knew this but she was finding herself unable and unwilling to stop it. One day she took the blade to herself, cutting her once long, flowing red hair and making it short. In a sense, it was a way of leaving the old Nori behind and creating life anew with what she knew. Change seemed to look good on her and it certainly did. Now she stood outside the outskirts of Izalith. She wore fitted black pants with a holster on her left thigh, exposing an assortment of Kunai encased within their straps. Her dark burgundy top with a mid-neck length collar was cut off at the middle of her ribcage, exposing her toned midriff. Around her hips were two black belts, each having a small pouch with an assortment of Shuriken attached to it that was secure on her hips. And lastly, there was a holster that held two Katana blades secured in scabbards on her back. Nori made her way towards the gates of the village and was stopped by the two guards that were posted there. She told them her name and that she posed no threat. She was passing through for food and shelter. The two guards weren’t hard to convince and she was granted entry upon clearing it with their head. Nori walked through the gates and made her way inside Izalith. A village that gave a sense of belonging and welcoming to those that entered, but to Nori, it could be a village where all her questions could be answered.

Sarada only remembered the battle that ensued between her and Kotatsu. Her last minute Cherry Blossom Impact did the trick. It caught him off guard and was enough to send so much chakra into him that it literally almost killed him. Her sharingan had retrcted and she fell backwards from exhaustion. She felt weak and a huge mental strain. Her previous side wound also began to bleed, as did her eyes. The exhaustion was so bad that she began to see nothing but a blurry greyish blue sky above her. She could hear the gasps from Kotatsu as he attempted to regain his breath and the blood likely coughing out of mouth right about now. With a weak smirk, she finally closed her eyes, knowing damn well she succeeded.

Unfortunately, her body naturally shut down, her mind trying to reestablish itself and heal. Her unconscious body was transported back to Konoha, however once the village was attacked and laid in ruins, she was unable to protect her mother, her family, everybody she served. However Sakura was able to successfully get her daughter's body to safety and transported her to the new established land.

Sakura did what she could to make an attempt to awaken her daughter, however only time would tell if she would wake up. Before they knew it, Lady Sarada remained in her coma for the past year, showing brain activity, but no physcial movements. Unfortunately her physcial body had taken its toll; with no physcial activity, her muscle mass began perish, her har longer and damaged. Their most respected Hime look greatly sick.

However Sarada was able to hear exactly everything around her. She was silently conscious but with no control to wake up. She tried her hardest for the past year to get her body to coooperate with her to no avail. During her entrapment within her body, she began training her mind in the arts of genjutsu even further. A strong mind means a strong opponent. She remembered hearing about her birthday, her mother coming by week by week in hopes she awaken. Her father stopped by rarely, but the thought is what mattered. The shocking appearance of Shiroma however, is what kept Sarada sane. Shiroma confessed feelings finally for the Hime before her. While flattered, Sarada simply couldn't tell her the same even though she deperately wanted to. Shiroma never left her side, but there were days where she didn't show up at all and Sarada only assumed it was the training that her former sqaudmate Tsubaki was conducting for her.

On this afternoon, Sarada felt weird. Her experience felt more weirder than usual. Something didn't feel quite right at all. Was she dying? Was she finally giving up the will to live? No. You can't. Don't give up. God damnit don't give up. There's too much going on for you to just throw in the towel. Get up! Get up god damnnit! she kept telling herself. With the weird feeling passing, her eyes began to flicker, her vision blurry still but eventually came clear after blinking for several minutes. Shiroma was in the room, sleeping holding her hand at her bed side in the newly build hospital. She was able to slowly regain feeling in her hands and gave the slightest movement and indication that she was awake to her special person in the room. Her hearing was still quiet and her body ever so weak to push herself further. Her eyes fianlly fixed on the sleeping Shiroma. I'm alive...

Word had eventually spread about Lady Sarada’s awakening and a mysterious short red haired girl entering Izalith. It wasn’t long before people started gossiping about the newcomer that was wielding katana blades.

Memories of that fateful battle had been at best hazy for Sakuya. She remembered most that overwhelming fear and desperation as even her best efforts did very little to slow Sigmund down. Knowing that succumbing to her opponent kept Sakuya on her feet and unknowingly activating her bloodline limit to push herself harder to keep the rogue chuunin busy, but even that proved futile in gaining any advantage in their fight. Things escalated further when Sigmund took the chance and managed to fell Lady Sarada from where she stood.

Sakuya felt everything slow down at that moment, seeing Nanami and Nori racing to stop Sigmund in their own way. The rogue shinobi then vanished from sight and before she realized what was happening the medical nin found herself lifted off her feet by her shirt. She struggled, physically exhausted from the fight to break free. Her bountiful reserves of chakra spent, Sakuya could not even muster enough chakra to form her water chains to stop Sigmund. She could only stare back in a mix of fear and resolve to hold out.

Kotatsu appeared next to Sigmund, increasing the sensation of unease in her gut. Was this as far as she could go?

"She isn't worth it. Let her go."

It was those words that helped snap her out from the overwhelming feeling that gripped her. Sakuya braced herself when Sigmund was about to stab her when she was suddenly flung to the ground. She looked up to realize what happened - Kotatsu had switched places with her, saving her life. Seeing what Sigmund decided to do instead brought an unknown sensation over her, chakra drew forth from her deepest reserves and she called on water chains to hold on to Sigmund with all her might. The others moved in as well to hold Sigmund down and finally incapacitating him for good.

It was at that moment of relief that Sakuya felt lightheaded and collapsed from exhaustion, requiring a full day of rest before fully getting back to her feet. The rest of the mission went uneventfully until they returned to find Konoha in ruins. Things were hard to come to grips with but Sakuya pulled herself together to do things she must do. She continued to train under Lady Sakura and also assisted in the care of the princess, and on her free time tried to catch up with Nanami and the others.

She also reached out to Kotatsu, first and foremost to thank him for saving her life. When they were settled back into Izalith it was more to catch up and somehow get a sense of normalcy from the time he has left them.

The hard part was communicating with Sigmund - just the sight of the latter would make Sakuya tense up out of fear. It was clearly impossible for her to communicate properly with Sigmund especially with how he threatened to kill her the year before.

Sakuya decided not to change her looks from how it was in their last mission, but choosing more practical version of her clothes to go about her duties as a medical nin and keeping up with her training in combat. She also kept in touch with Fujii-sensei, just to make sure he was faring well despite the loss of an arm.

Word of Lady Sarada finally waking up after so long was great news to Sakuya, who noted Sakura-shishou deep in thought about her daughter's condition.

It was turning out to be a long and bloody war, the battle weary nin had been on the losing end of things since before they were bunched together in that loose conglomerate of a new village. Nakano, and likely others, hadn't been entirely happy with the new branding as well as the seemingly dynastic nature of the whole thing, but if a bit begrudgingly at that, she had still done her duty against a common enemy. Not that there was any choice, as far as she knew, there was nowhere else to go, not to mention the seemingly unbeatable foes that hounded them beyond it's confines.

Yet, despite everyone's best efforts, Konoha had followed suit behind all the other hidden villages that went before it. The latest debacle had claimed many of the able hands capable of putting a fight, the escape from their homelands apparently only delaying their demise. But such was the life and death that, knowingly or not, had been thrust upon them the moment they became shinobi. As quickly as it came to be the new joint village had been snuffed...

Now there was a new rebrand, one to which she felt even less attachment, lacking all of the few people she had come to know and have any appreciation for. It would be a lie to say that Kyoko hadn't considered the option of taking her chances on her own or downright defecting to the enemy. Above all, she considered herself a survivor and at this juncture, it was easy feel like she was on the losing side, going down with a strange ship, full of strange people, many of which she had come to despise just as much as their foe, was not surviving. Still, knowing little about the enemy and being of such meager means, she wasn't keen on taking such odds, not that her ilk were strangers to such things though...

Nakano and many other genin had fought and displayed bravery and loyalty far and above their calling and rank. Nobody could in good faith question them or their unwarranted dedication. If nothing else, Nakano stayed and fought for this new place just like she had done for the one before, necessity being as good a reason as any other to ensure loyalty at the time.

NANAMI NARA

Nanami had played support to the ship's crew, and kept all of the dark tide from washing over the ship. The clones were a challenge they took Nanami a while to deal with as for some reason they were superior to normal shadow clones. After her battles ended she kept fighting and protecting as much life as she could. Eventually she focused on healing once the tide stopped washing against the ship. Many of the crew were saved, and many more ninja. She looked on at the final battle. One which infuriated her. As she rushed in to stop Sigmund. Her bow leveled at him. Nanami's fingers twitched it was very hard for her to hold back from loosing that arrow. While she loved Sigmund like a brother. She hated him with an equal level of emotion. His selfishness, his self centeredness, how rude, not caring he was. She knew Sigmund as well as he knew himself. She hated and loved the person she was a finger move from killing. Then she watched Kotatsu suddenly intervene. Things went from bad to worse. Her dragons were roaring with anger in the back of her mind. Her anger, love, hatred filled them as well as it did herself. Yet Sakuya was important to her. Next to her teammates. Sakuya was one of the few people who acknowledged her. Even if she had fans and people who admired her.. Those type of people were not the type of people she needed at her side. Sakuya, Tsuna, Nori, Lady Sarada.. Even though Sasuke was a bit harsh on her. Nanami knew why..

Kotatsu.. Someone she could only hate. Saved someone that was precious to her. Watching Sigmund gain new eyes. She knew well this was bad. Nanami had studied everything she could about Sharingan, and even found out some things from other sources. The Eternal Sharingan. This was very bad. Then Nori rushed in, trying to change him from his path of darkness. When she kissed him. Everything went white. Appearing elsewhere. The following year would be one for not just her but many.


Time Skip..

Nanami needed space from everything. She would dress all in black and leave to train with Tsukiko for a while. Nanami was never the same after that day. Especially with the rumors she had heard. It angered her even further. There was no one around to help take the burden from her. She would shoulder her hate, love, anger. There was little Nanami liked anymore. She had those people she loved.. Not much else. Her family will always be here family. Tsukiko would note this emotional state. Yet no manner of mission or training eased it. Nothing eased it. It was apparent as her pure destructive side would lead to massacre's of bandit camps. Any word of the man in black. Nanami would follow those leads. Mostly ending with cult like people which again she had no issues killing.

The only thing that truly eased her was her singing. Nanami often performed at small villages. Seeing their smiles helped a bit. After six months she would smile for the first time in a long time. Her heart was still torn apart. All of the mixed emotions were causing her to be somewhat unstable. Which she had shown in the battle with Sigmund and Kotatsu. Three months later she would leave Tsukiko a letter saying she needed to find herself, or she might become a danger to everyone.

Nanami would wander to each of the smaller villages, ones not absorbed into the collective. The ones left to fend for themselves. Outside of her performances. Nanami had earned fame as a guardian of sorts. A majority of the bandit camps near the smaller villages were left in ruins. Though something odd started to happen. No bodies were found anymore. Nanami had her dragons incinerate the bodies. Then added the ashes to areas where the land was poor for farming. Increasing their yield in the coming spring by almost twenty percent. Nanami was still only putting bandaids on her emotions. Still only doing good for everyone else not herself. This still didn't diminish the feelings she felt. Nanami was bottling all of those negative emotions up. Not the best idea for a teenage girl who was emotionally scarred.

Hearing Izelith had been completed she would return home. Nanami's now had black flowing hair.. It moved like air itself. She had grown up a little more in that year. She also had a Ninja-to across her back. When she returned home. She was unsure of a great many things. though she was sure of is there was an event, and she was going to sing at it.Nanami found it hard to reach out to anyone, and she had no idea what would happen when her and Sigmund came face to face. There was still a lot of uncontrolled emotions there. So she would eventually reach out to everyone, and visit Lady Sarada hearing she had woken up. Hearing of a red haired woman wielding Katanas was an interesting bit of news. The descriptions made it sound like the woman was Nori. But until they meet again. There would be no way of knowing.

TENSHI AKIYAMA


While having to deal with his fair share of enemies. Even dealing with a clone of Kotatsu. The battle for him was keeping the medics, and others alive. Tenshi teleported all over the field. Marking anyone and everyone. Some many changes of position. He was a yellow flash. Mainly due to his blond hair. Tenshi intensity grew as more enemies swarmed and rose up. He took to other methods, as he found drowning these odd enemies was a guaranteed death. As they stayed down Tenshi moved on. The medics were amazed by how quickly he moved the injured into her personal space. The severely wounded were placed within this space, as well the medical experts who could save them. This left Tenshi with a sense of satisfaction at the lives he was saving. Not one around him fell. There was a continuous stream of movement from Tenshi. Now faced with a horde. Tenshi would smile. The boy shifted into his nin-taijutsu stance. He had saved everyone that was injured in the area he was sent to defend. Now it was time for a counter-offensive. He gathered up all the ninja he could. Applying his mark to all of them. Then as if a tidal wave of light washed over the dark encroachers. They way Tenshi switched position, and attacked. Using massive punches taking out whole squads. He had no issues leaving the Uchiha to the main force. As he and the other ninja kept the medical crews safe. By the time he looked over to see the kiss, and the white light. Whatever happened after that was a blur. All he knew is he did what he could to save lives..



Time Skip

The following year was a trying one for Tenshi. As his home was all but destroyed. Even though a new city for all nations to join was being built. He looked at the ashes of the place he called home. He spent many weeks sifting through the rubble of his fallen village. Tenshi was angry.. Like many others he was sure. Tenshi went about finding the fallen in the rubble. He would identify as many as he could, and bury them in a proper way. Keeping families together in the same plots. The hundreds he had to bury would take a toll on him mentally. Fighting and killing the enemy was one thing. Burying people he saw on a daily basis was another. He did find a few survivors that were trapped. Saving them gave him a little hope that there were others. This was still difficult telling those who survived that their families were dead. Tenshi's family luckily was already out of the village before the attacks. He had yet to find them though. One thing he would eventually rectify. For now he built sturdy fences, creating a large cemetery. A few more months of this and he and the others looking had found all the bodies, identified them, and buried them. Tenshi had a book in his hand. A list of the fallen. Now with this all done. Tenshi would resume his search for his family.

The next months were spent combing over the Land of Lightning for signs of life, and the other small villages. He would look as the smaller villages had been all but wiped out. He found a few children from these villages. They followed him on his journey. In total Tenshi had rescued twenty orphans from starvation and the winter months. His personal space was something of a marvel to the kids. A place that was paradise to them. Tenshi had set about making new clothes for the kids, and shoes. For the most part they stayed in his personal space jutsu. A place inaccessible to anyone. He would come across some balls and other toys. Giving them to the kids to keep them entertained.He found many books. Some of the kids were old enough to read them. At night he would hunt and feed the kids. Usually potatoes, rice, and some form of wild game. Quail was the easiest to find. So there was always food. The kids were happy. It made it easier for him to focus on finding his family..

Heading up into the mountain he ran into hordes of bandits. Nothing he couldn't easily handle. Tenshi had become quite the fighter by this point. Even thirty bandits seemed easy to him. His moves were so fluid, and deadly. The likes of bandits were no match for him. He entered the forested area of the mountains. There he found a small village had been set up. His family was thankfully there. His father who was a massive mountain of a man had many bandages. Likely from the bandits looked worse for where but was still alive and kicking. All of his family was alive. This gave him great relief. There were also many orphans in that village as well. After they all entered his jutsu. He would walk back to their border, then snap his fingers, and him and an ANBU ninja he knew would switch places. The ninja would sink into the ground and eventually return to the new city.

Once he found an area they could place their clan. Tenshi would go to Sasuke, and make a formal request of him. Tenshi asked if his family could have some extra land to build an Orphanage, and his family would run it.. After the request was made he would return home and wait for his response.

YUREI INUZUKA

On one of the other fronts Yurei seemed to be in command of a small squad. Unsure at first how to handle. He quickly gained his stride. Quickly like any person thrust into a bad situation. they adapt or die. Yurei adapted to extremely fast. Quickly taking command of the ninja around him. Yurei and Sora his wolf. Would then lay siege in a way only an inuzuka could. Sora marked a massive area, as disgusting as it may seem. It made their task to easy. Using the water bowl technique to create water. Then using that to engulf the area in the Hidden Mist jutsu. Yurei and the other Inuzuka went to work. In the mist the scent Sora and the other canines created made it easy to find them in the mist. the dark soldiers were cut to ribbons. It wasn't a surprise to see someone as young as him adapting to war. Especially when he was in one of the more savage like clans. Lets not look past using wolf tactics. When the mist cleared nothing was standing. Yurei picked up a Katana and quickly went about decapitating them. He was nowhere near the front as he had been pushed back and away from it. The flash of light came and he along with everyone else vanished.

Time Skip

Yurei spent the remaining year training. He didn't have the emotions many of the others had. His clan survived for the most part so he was content. however in that war. He felt weak. So he spent the next year training in anything and everything he could. Setting about to master and increase the strength of his jutsu. As well as his Inuzuka techniques. Yurei would help with the construction of the new city the best he could. Yurei showed great aptitude for strategy. He was sent to a school to further his talents in that department.
This message was last edited by a game editor at 20:07, Fri 21 Aug 2020.

News had spread about Lady Sarada’s medical condition and rumors quickly spread about the newcomer with flame red hair walking through the new villages gates of Izalith. The weather blowing a cold breeze due to the island being surrounded by the ocean, people seemed to have resumed their lives even with the events of death and destruction looming over them freshly in their minds still. Most of everyone that people knew were either dead or injured and afraid of any impeding doom.

Lord Sasuke and Lady Sakura claimed their throne of ruling their newly established dynasty before them, ensuring the village safety and going to the extreme of monitoring exactly who left and docked on their island with full escorts. They couldn’t afford to have yet another destruction. The toll of the war was taking its toll on Lord Sasuke as it was obvious he was under immense stress mostly because years have passed and they weren’t even close to finding their Hokage Naruto yet. They didn’t have a clue and Hinata had remained in the background up until recently. She had been putting together search parties of elite Shinobi to track any dark camps that could contain any clues as to her husbands whereabouts. Her children had been forbidden to remain within the village to conceal any other threats they likely possessed to fuel Naruto’s absence.

An emergency council meeting had been called not to long ago making their next move in their war effort. All the while, Lady Sakura called upon all available genin to report to the newly established academy building in the middle of the village. The building was made of metal, never once been used yet even though the building had been opened for almost six months now. Young kings has been afraid to enroll into the academy afraid of dying or losing their families whole away but nonetheless, Lord Sasuke encouraged anybody who was willing to take a stand and fight for their freedom instead of fleeing and being afraid.

The building was almost like a metal castle, shiny and retaining the cold air around them. Because it was fall, dead leaves laid all across the grounds of the academy. Classrooms were filled with college like bleachers with white boards instead of chalk. Four stories high and not once used. Genin began to gather in the courtyard of dead leaves, familiar faces. Kotatsu and Sigmund has yet to show up; Sakuya, Nori, Nanami, and the others not to be found. The anxious genin knew exactly why they were summoned. It was time for squad assignments and new coming missions.

To say Tsukiko being surprised at surviving such a battle would be an understatement. It wasn't as though she hadn't fought as many foes before, but normally they were nowhere near the skill and lethality as the man they had fought so hard to take down, and even when she tried recalling the warzone, it seemed nothing more than a haze. Something she took solace in, given the recovery period the following days. She'd been in more pain than she realized, and she didn't have to question a hazy memory when adrenaline highs were involved. Especially since it wouldn't be for some time until she could get her hands on some good booze.

---

Returning home, or wherever the land of fire gathered nowadays, was a trial. Nursed to health yet forced to disarm, the uneasiness only grew the further they went inside the city. With Sarada unconscious and the Genin her only credible character witnesses, she didn't see much hope that she'd be given reign to rejoin the shinobi of the land of fire. Though she was more merc than loyal follower of the snow, she did still oppose them at the time, and she could feel unseen eyes on her, watching her, waiting to make their move if she was any sort of double agent.

Winning trust back would be difficult.

Or so she thought. When she was brought before the Hokage, Sasuke, she found his cold, blank gaze almost welcoming. No suspicion like the anbu shadows, or betrayal like the very few she recognized from her days as a genin learner, just calculated coldness as he bade her make her case. And she did. She started by detailing how she had nothing against the Leaf village, how her abandonment had started - Frustration that she couldn't fight alongside her brothers and sisters, culminating in an eventual flight from the Leaf Village. She explained that she never fought against the Leaf, instead telling of how the vague reports of a rogue anbu agent providing relief and protection from bandits and malcontents in unprotected towns and villages was actually her.

It felt like a lifetime ago, but trying to establish some goodwill never hurt.

When Sasuke didn't interrupt her, she continued further. Describing the war's eventual end and her fateful meeting with Tetsuya, an infamous Ronin who had been at large for quite some time. She described how he became like a mentor to her, and how they fell into mercenary work, only very occasionally coming at odds with the Land of Fire, given her desire to avoid fighting people from a home she still hoped to return to (A convenient lie, all told. She was a young girl ready to explore, not be in a place her family had stayed for generations.)

It was probably the first time she'd bent the truth, and with insightful shinobi presiding over this "interview", she eventually relented, following the admission with an insistence that she hadn't been aware the land of Snow was seeking to war with her village until it was too late. By then, she was in deep, her and her mentor, and there was no way out. Not cleanly. From there, she went on to speak of the inner workings of the Snow, how her and her mentor ended up as just a little more than mercenaries for the Snow. How much access they had freely, and how much she would eventually get a hold of not-so-freely.

She had just been telling a story, right up until Tetsuya's death came up. There was no time for tears since he'd died, just work and running, but as she described how it happened, they began to flow freely. Her voice wavered, but she never stopped - She described how she had met one of her kinsmen on a routine patrol. An ambush. How all of them fell, and how the patrol was decimated. How Tetsuya gave his life protecting her from a blow that would kill her, and how she had recognized her assailant. A revelation that had shaken her, very clearly, but not something she commented on.

And from there, she spoke of how she had him get word to the land of Fire...Firelink, now, that she wanted to defect. And then she began to summon scroll after scroll of intelligence, lining them up one by one. Of hidden Snow weapons caches, of patrol routes, of known associates, of spies and informants and detailed information on ranking generals - what specializations she was aware of and what was suspected. Her flight had been hasty but she had made sure to have something solid. Tangible.

And when she offered them all and finished her story, she sat and let the silence stretch, before finally adding that all she wanted was a chance to fight on the right side, or, barring that, safe haven from those she had just betrayed completely and utterly.

She was more surprised that she was allowed to live at all, let alone that the best possible outcome, that she remain free and join as a provisional Jonin, was the very one she was granted.

---

The year that followed was an....odd one. Having been a wanderer, it was odd that she'd been tasked with rallying the Fuma, and after a very...colorful...reunion with her mother that she refused straight out to talk about despite the event putting her in the hospital for a few days, she found herself coming to enjoy the peace of having a "Home" to return to. Even odder still, she found people looking to her. Continuing training with Nanami, it was a surprise to find their not-so-public display had inspired others to approach the red-haired woman, and though she managed to chase off most of them, she found a few honing their kenjutsu with her as well as doing her best to give the Genin that helped her back "Home" a proper outlet.

Their routine was something that Tsukiko enjoyed, and even though she could barely claim to know the girl well, the former-ronin made sure this one small thing remained a constant. She pushed her to improve, after all that was the point of them getting together, but she also spoke. About herself. How the previous day had went, how Tsubame was being a silly little thing and brought back a green rock as big as her fist once, how surprised at how grown her younger sister was, even, occasionally, how much she missed her friend and mentor. It was something small, and though she did gently prod the girl occasionally, she never pried. She wasn't going to force her to pour her heart out so someone who was just training her, but she knew that Tsukiko had an ear to lend, and support to give if needed.

She wasn't surprised when Nanami set out, though she did report the happenings along with a recommendation to have someone shadow her, if they could be spared. Not that Tsukiko wouldn't mind doing so herself, but she hadn't been about to destroy what little trust she had rebuilt with the leadership here.

By the time the year had passed, she'd found herself in one of the few good bars Izelith had, a drink of celebration. The rumors of Sarada's awakening had spread like wildfire, and any excuse to drink was always a good one. She'd visited the woman a couple of times, under armed guard. The first had been to apologize for the state that the woman was in, almost jokingly asking whatever powers that be if she could switch places - After all, Sarada was the dutiful heiress, whereas Tsukiko could barely be considered the head of any clan with how few they now were. The second had been to offer some barbecue and a drink when she got out, though she did stress it wasn't meant as a date, just an apology.

She'd managed to refill her gourd and finish what remained of the bottle when the rumors of some 'flame-haired' woman wielding katanas came around, and at first the former ronin became very, very offended. After all, she was neither mysterious nor did she carry two! What very nearly turned into a brawl became curiosity, and despite some of her drinking buddies sniggering at the idea of her having a long lost twin, she found herself setting out to quietly find and shadow this newcomer. After all, if people coming in and out of Izelith were monitored closely, how 'mysterious' could this girl truly be?

This had been the first time that Nori would be coming to Izalith since it was formed by Lord Sasuke and Lady Sakura. In that year she was gone, she had seen many different places and encountered many different people...for a short amount of time, but not once had come across this place. She had heard rumors of it, of course, and that the Hidden Valley of the Fire was no more after it was destroyed. Nori wouldn’t lie and say that she wasn’t curious about Izalith, wondering if anyone she had once known would be there, but where else could they have returned to? Nori supposed she could have gone back, but...she didn’t. She found that her life was leading her in another direction and that voice inside her head told her that she was destined for something more than being tied down to protecting one place. All the while, she knew her parents, or what she had found out to be her adopted parents, were back there but she knew that they were okay. They had to be. What mattered more to her was finding out the truth about her life. She had been kept in the dark so long...about everything. She had to find out for herself who she was and where she came from. Her mother was still alive as far as she knew and that was why she was here in Izalith. She hadn’t had any luck from where she had looked thus far, so she had to be here. She would find out her answers soon enough.

As she pursued her way through the village, she found the people of the village looking at her. Whispers amongst them fell upon her ears. She supposed she did look a lot different in comparison to how she looked before. Would anyone even recognize her anymore? Maybe that was a good thing. Somehow, though, the people’s perception of her felt like anything more than warm and welcoming from what she had once heard the people of this place to be. They seemed curious. Frightened. Suspicious. Did she really look like a threat? Maybe she did with these katana blades upon her back and her weaponry at her back and sides. She didn’t want to think she was anything out of the ordinary, but she supposed they were entitled to say what they wanted and to feel what they had felt. She did just come out of nowhere and these days, you could really trust no one that came in through the gates that you had never seen before. It was good that Lord Sasuke had put up that gate and place guards there. Although, how long would that kind of protection last? Would it do any good considering what the world had experienced a year ago?

A cold breeze ruffled the cloth of Nori’s tattered cloak as she made her way down the dirt streets of the village. Her eyes took in the children playing freely amongst each other. Some young in age. Others a little older than them. Such innocence. She smiled faintly as she stopped by a small marketplace full of fresh fruit and other produce. She snagged a few apples, handing a coin over to the elderly woman of the shop before she heard a few young Genin passing behind her speaking to one another about being summoned to the academy building in the middle of the village. They didn’t speak of other details. Just that Lady Sakura had summoned all available Genin to come there immediately. Nori turned her head and looked at the passerbyers before she looked over to the large, castle like fortress made of steel. Should she go, she wondered? Was it any of her business to? She was just passing through. Although, she wouldn’t lie and say curiousness was on her mind. Nori thanked the elder woman and stuffed one of the apples away into her pocket before she turned sharp on her heel, causing her cloak to flap in the wind as she walked down the dirt path in the direction of the academy and took a bite of her apple.

Lord Sasuke awaited the arrival for all available genin to arrive within the academy grounds. He skimmed over the large group of faces before him. Some he had know since the day they were born and others who he had personal relationships with. They had all come a long way and while the destruction before them should've broken their spirits, none had faultered. With the last arrival being his nephews, he began.

"I have gathered you here to announce your new team assignments. We have a lot of work to do still and in order for our new village to thrive, we must start working towards completely rebuilding. Izalith will be our new home for the Land of Fire has finally fallen to enemy hands. While one day the council lies hope on returning, I am confirming it will be long after our lifetime here that Izalith will migrate back to the the five nations," he harshly spoke the truth. Sasuke had never been known to sugarcoat anything in his life and his harsh words would surely strike some sort of fear amongst the grow, but it was only to motivate them to do their best and to work towards a better future them all and their future families.

"I have had enough with the loss and pain we are all going through. I am making it my mission to personally venture out to locate our lost Hokage because we all believe he is still out there alive and I will succeed in bringing us back to normal and we will win this war!" he shouted as he glanced over to his right, Fujii Sima standing close to him with anticipation. Fujii had retired his ways of leading squads will the recent injury that had taken him down. He was no Sasuke for he needed the use of both his hands whereas their fearsome leader was able to perform with one arm gracefully. Lord Sasuke dismissed himself and Sima took the lead.

"The following students will be grouped according to skill level. Squads will branch out from the traditional groups of three that you are use to. You are to report to the mission bulletin tomorrow for an assignment. Spend this last day with your families for most of you will be gone for months and will not be returning any time soon. Make this last day count. We have a war to win and every mission completed is a step towards victory," Sima encouraged as he started naming off groups starting from oldest to youngest.

[Check the squad roster thread for your assignments.]

"That is the last squad. Get acquainted and any questions or concerns come to me. Do not forget to pick up your new communicators. With new technology, we have eliminated the use of messenger birds and have come up radio transmitters or wireless radios. These are designed to be used without using vocal communication to execute more stealth approaches and better communication between teammates. Do not forget to pick up your starter travel packs as they contain several new items that we are barely releasing to our shinobi. Use them well and coordinate better," he explained. With all the down time on Izalith as they rebuilt, technology was finally discovered and evolved rapidly. No only were they able to design useful squad gadgets, televisions and modern electricity finally began to thrive which became revolutionary amongst the entire island.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:44, Sat 10 July 2021.

When Nori reached the outside of the tall steel doors that led into the academy, she stopped while other genin piled in. The thought of her needing to be here ran across her mind again. Could she really even call herself a genin of this new village without being here since its inception? It's been a year since she parted ways from her old squad to look for her long lost mother. That was her mission right now. To find her. She hadn't been able to find any piece of mind or any answers to the questions that she sought, so it occurred to her about why she should even be here at these doors. The thoughts of maybe seeing her old squad crossed her mind. Maybe even seeing... Sigmund flashed in her mind and she shook her head. She was no longer to let him sway her or consume her mind. She didn't know what happened to him after that last fight on the shore and she was blinded by the light that consumed her. Was he alive? Was he dead? She didn't know. Even before that fight, he was gone. He was no longer the person that she once knew. He just... wasn't there anymore. And the feelings she had for him... did those matter anymore? They probably didn't to him. It made Nori's heart ache a little just thinking about it. These feelings... she hadn't thought about them in a long time. Now wasn't the time to. Odds were that she wouldn't run into him here anyway, so what harm would it do to at least take a peek to hear Lord Sasuke had to say? Odds were he was the one that called this meeting. With a sweeping of the leaves across her feet, Nori stepped through the large doors and made her way inside.

Once everyone had gathered in the courtyard where Lord Sasuke was, indeed, waiting for the genin to arrive along with...was that Fuji-senpai? Wanting to avoid being seen up close, Nori stationed herself at the back of the crowd and put her hood over her head as she leaned against a nearby wall. She folded her arms across her chest and listened carefully to Lord Sasuke speak. It seemed he was here to announce new team assignments and to deliver the harsh reality of the world they were now living in. Yet at the same time, was trying to motivate them and encourage them that they would stand united and win this war. Lord Sasuke had always been a strong, fearless leaders, but Nori was sure that even in these unprecedented times that he, too, had felt some sense of fear of not knowing what laid ahead. After giving such a realistic yet encouraging speech, he stepped aside and Fuji-senpai came up to start announcing new team assignments. Maybe this was the ideal time to step out since she had no intention of participating. She pushed herself away from the wall and turned away to walk through the empty entry way, but suddenly stopped when she heard her name being announced as being apart of the Fire squad. How did they even know she was here? She hadn't exactly made herself known that she was back. And she heard Sigmund's name. Did that mean he was back? Nori shook her head. That didn't matter. Was this still really her fight? Should she be apart of it? She lifted her foot up, and then the other before her footsteps carried her through the empty hallway and led back out of the academy grounds.

Nanami had entered and then listened to Sasuke. It was still something she had difficulty with. She wasn't sure she could ever fully trust  Sigmund again. She enjoyed the time when they first met. But things just slid downhill. It never went back to the way it was. Even more so when Sigmund was corrupted. She was unsure if it was even safe to be near him. The pain he caused all of them was about as unforgivable as any other atrocity. Nanami had more respect for Kotatsu in the end then she did for Sigmund. They way he treated them even before he was corrupted was inexcusable. Even though Nori excused the behavior out of her blind love for Sigmund. She could understand that at least. Loving so much, believing in them so hard. It was one of those things that was passable in her mind. Part of her wondered why she came back. Was this the best thing for her to do? To fight again. More than anything she wanted to sing again. All she had done for the past six months was take out her anger on people who deserve it. Well mostly deserve it.

Nanami's eyes glance over to Sigmund, and the others. She still stood in a lone corner not knowing if she should approach them or even what she would say. There were many powerful emotions left on that battlefield. Ones that many are still riding even after a year to cool off. This left Nanami in a place wondering what to do next. The only way to find that out is to move forward. Not stand around and do nothing. She would approach Sigmund and simply say "Hey."

Sakuya listened intently to the words spoken by her sensei, the latter no longer assigned to active field due to his injuries. It raised her spirits in knowing that she will be working together with people she already knew... but her feelings sank in finding out that Sigmund was one of those people she would be working with. Had he truly recovered from his ways back then? She could only trust the decision made by her sensei and the others in having them form a team.

The young medical ninja stayed close behind Nanami and Kotatsu, two of the people she trusted the most, as they gathered together after some time during their return to Izalith. She waited for the others to start the conversation, being the youngest in the group she was unsure how to start a conversation in this somewhat tense atmosphere. It was Nanami that initiated a greeting towards Sigmund, and Sakuya could only wait anxiously for how Sigmund would reply to such a greeting.

   Sigmund remained silent for a bit as his name and several others he had worked with before were all group together again. It was a long awaited reunion; one he actually looked forward to. He had been an outcast for the last year; everyone had cut ties with him and hardly anyone trust him again. He was stripped of his title, his name, his identity, everything. He lost the love of his life. He lost his best friend. He lost all respect and everyone around him was on thin ice. The fact he was allowed to leave his sanctuary was surprisingly shocking.

   As the debriefing has been finished, he stood there silently as everyone eventually feathered out and prepared themselves for either the end of this own life or building for the future. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he felt everyone staring at him. H recognized some of the eyes that kept their eyes on him. It was a feeling he had hoped would pass, but he was doubting he'd ever ben trusted again within the village.

   As he got lost in his own self pity, he was approached by Nanami, a familiar face and former friend he has missed dearly. "Hey," he greeted back. "How are you? It's been awhile..." he uttered sadly. ""I've missed you. Truly I have," he started. While Sigmund wasn't the type to exchange many words, he knew Nanami deserved to hear what he had to say. He knew the tension between them wasn't good and he has had the past year to think about it. Like everyone else, Nanami had cut ties with him and focused on herself. Last he had heard about her was that she had taken to leaving the village as everyone around him had.

   "Nanami....I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I truly am. I don't deserve your forgiveness. Your friendship. Or anything for that matter," he paused for a moment as his eyes glanced at the ground for a moment before looking back at her. "I just wanted you to know that I am going to get better. I have been getting better," he sighed. "I hope one day things can go back to what they use to be. I've missed your friendship, Nanami," he uttered as he extended his hand out towards her, an offering of peace. "I also wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you. I've been hearing what you've been doing in the war effort. A lot more than I have been doing," he slightly joked. "I want you to know that I support you and I'm glad you're advocating for those in need and I look forward to seeing what else you have in store for yourself," he finished. He sighed again, feeling himself rambling on like an idiot.

   As he was getting reacquainted with his former friend and her comrades Sakuya and his brother, something caught his eye. A woman. A girl with kitanas. She had looked familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He slightly shook his head. Perhaps he was imaging things. Nori was the only one that resembled the strange girl in the background, but was too afraid to call out to her. He glanced back at Nanami. "Nanami, have you heard from Nori?" he curiously asked. If Nori talked to anyone it would've been Nanami at the very least. "Or Shiroma?" he added. Shiroma had been their newest addition to their trio. Shiroma had kept the peace and even out Sigmund in his place a time or two. Shiroma was probably the only friend that likely didn't hate him, more disappointed he assumed.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:17, Sat 03 July 2021.

After everything that had taken place, Kotatsu had been returned to their former village only to discover it had been attacked. It no longer existed. However he wasn't conscious enough to truly remember much after that battle on the beach. He had not only been freed from the grasp of darkness, but the price he had to pay was his eye sight. Being blind wasn't fun. He could no longer see a face, a smile, a tree, the green, the sky. He went into rehab after his eye wounds and stomach wound healed him. With the wonderful Lady Sakura ensuring his survival, he was given another chance to redeem himself. While he had been behind many lives lost, places destroyed, his name had been cleared of wrong doing as many tests were administered.

It had been determined that whatever dark forces that float around the mysterious man, he was able to indoctrinate people with his mind, forcing them to lose themselves, do things they believed were right, but in reality it was wrong and nothing but death. With the past year, Kotatsu had become a test subject and study of the effects that this dark jutsu energy has on a person. Kotatsu remembered everything though. He had to live through every single wrong deed he had been forced to do and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

But he felt he had did the right thing back on the shore. Saving Sakuya, the only friend that had truly was nice to him years ago. He knew he had redeemed himself somehow. He smiled at the thought of the past year as he stood next to Sakuya and Nanami in the academy grounds.

He had been given an opportunity that most likely could've gotten him exiled or even killed. He couldn't be more blessed.

As his recovery from surgery for his wounds, he had been going through rehab to learn to use his hearing more as his eyes couldn't be of use anymore. While saddened that he could not longer use the Sharingan, he was rather glad to be rid of such a thing. It was something many wanted and envied and it had only caused destruction, not harmony. It was a burden that he was glad he was no longer carrying. He had to relearn jutsus, trust his hands to do the work for him and rely on sound to coordinate counterattacks and execute perfect jutsus. It was as though he had to start from the ground up, but he had been content with that.

His mother and step father helped trained him and his brother into the men they would become soon. He kept in touch with Sakuya as her presence always brought a smile to his face. He was proud of the shinobi she was becoming and he had been sorry for everything he put her through. But as always, she had forgiven him with  kindness he always cherished.

He had followed Nanami with Sakuya tagging along. They had been debriefed and been assigned new squads, all familiar faces including his brother. He knew Nanami hadn't spoke to Sigmund within the year. The awkward silence between all of them was a reunion that was long awaited as Nanami initiated the first word.

In reply to Uchiha Sigmund (msg # 16):

After filing out of the tall, steel doors of the academy, Nori had debated whether or not she should stay or go. Part of her felt like she was a foreigner to this new place called Izalith. Everything around her felt strange. Especially the people. There had been people from other distant villages and lands that now called this place their home that she didn't recognize. After everything that had happened a year ago, there was so much devastation that she seen for herself on her own journey and it didn't seem like there would ever be a place that people could call home again. And while it was home to them, to Nori it just...wasn't. Konoha had been the place where she grew up. Where she went to school. Where she began her journey as a ninja. And where she had met her friends. Her friends... her mind reflected the faces of Nanami, Shiroma, and...Sigmund. When she had heard his name being called out by Fuji-senpai, she had felt her heart fall into her stomach at the thought of seeing him again. He was here and somehow she couldn't believe it. In the journey she had separated from her old teammates, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to everyone. Especially him. What was going to happen between them now? Nori was conflicted about what she should really do in this situation. Things had changed for her in the past year. She was a different person and it honestly scared her that she was slowly losing what was once good about her. She wasn't weak or unfit to be a ninja anymore. She had grown and evolved into someone that had a darkness in her. She had been trying to fight it and not let it overshadow who she once was. She wanted to be good, but at the same time, also wanted to hold onto this new strength and power that she had obtained. Would the people around her even recognize her anymore?

Nori's footsteps came to a halt at the sight of seeing Nanami and Sigmund together. She felt her heart start to pound loudly in her chest. She knew that she could turn back now if she wanted to. She could leave it all behind and not be apart of any mission ever again. Yet when her eyes laid on Sigmund, she felt herself take a hesitant step forward but then take another step back. A part of her wanted to run up to the two of them and hug each of them, but the other part of her told her it wasn't a good idea. She couldn't risk losing either one of them in any way, shape, or form again. If she did, she wasn't sure if she would ever come back from it. Not only that, but she knew that once these missions were over, she wouldn't be coming back here to Izalith. She didn't belong here. Both her heart and her mind knew that. What reasons did she have to stay here? None. Maybe it was just better to leave now with the image of knowing that they were both alive and doing well. Nori curled her hands up into tight fists at her sides and she quickly turned away from the sight of Nanami and Sigmund and started to walk away. It was in doing so that the breeze picked up and blew off the hood of her cloak, revealing the head of burgundy hair that shone brightly in the sun and was carried off to the side by the gentle breeze.

When her eyes fluttered, she began a slight panic as she realized she was tubed. She could hear the beeping of the heart monitor and the tube that was down her throat. She began chocking, becoming panicked after realizing her surroundings. She twitched her fingers, but no other movement registered with herself. As her heart raced, nurses began to notice and rushed into the room, trying to calm their Hime down.

Lady Sarada's awake! Lady Sarada's awake! Chen, go notify Lady Sakura right away! one nurse shouted and another one running out of the room. The news had traveled fast that she had finally woken up. It wasn't long before the village started migrating towards the hospital where she resided in. Many worried she would never be the same, some didn't have hope she would wake up, and others were concerned for Lord Sasuke and Lady Sakura as Sarada was their only child.

Lady Sarada, please calm down. You need to stand still so we can take out your incubation tube a nurse cooed, her cold hand holding Sarada's face still while another nurse started removing her tube. As it finally came up, Sarada gave one last cough. She began to calm down as her eyes kept searching the room, coming to terms of what was going on.

---

One of nurses rushed their  way through the hospital and all the way to Lady Sakura's office, slamming the door open. Lady Sukara, Sarada's awake. she informed and they both rushed to Lady Sarada's room. A pleasant smile was plastered on Sakura's face as she walked up to the bed, stroking her daughter's face. "I knew you'd pull through." she stated as she took out a small flash light, shinning it in Sarada's eyes, looing for any dilation of Sarada's pupils. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

---

The sight of her mother would've normally brought a small to her face, but any movement was near impossible it seemed. Barely the corners of her mouth curved up, an indication she understood. She tried to swallow hard, signing she was thirst as she felt her throat so dry she could cough again. Her mother took notice of this and brought a straw to her lips. trying to quench her thirst.

---

She grabbed Sarada's chart and glanced at the heart monitor and blood pressure. "Your heart's doing good. Steady. Your blood pressure seems to be in the norm. And no signs of head trauma that we can foresee," she started jotting down. "You've been in a coma for almost a year. You pushed your body beyond exhaustion. We had to perform emergency surgery when you got back. You had very nasty stabbings and major bruising to your organs," she continued on. "Your body shut down on your and your mind forced itself to recover. You'll have to do some rehab, but your dad believes your Uchiha blood is some kind of miracle blood that'll help you recover much faster within your outstanding brain activity you had this past year," she explained as she bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead before she used the bedside remote to prop Sarada up.

"Don't push yourself too hard. Your dad expects you do be up and running within the week, but I am advising you to stay put for as long as possible. You need to recover before you can push yourself beyond your limits again. Please listen to me," she begged. "I don't want to lose you again," she uttered. She looked over at Shiroma, awake. "Your friend has been almost every day, as has the rest of your squad. They've been sending you flowers and keeping you company, although Shiroma seems to have taken a liking to you I see," she teased before placing Sarada's chart down. "I'll give you some space. Please rest,' she advised as she and the all nurses left the room.

---

Sarada sighed as her mother finally left. It was a lot of information to process. While she was glad her father had faith in her, her mother also brought on a good point. She looked over at Shiroma, a faint smile on her face. "S.....Shiroma," she whispered. "H...h...have you...been...here the...whole time...?" she asked.

Amiko sat in her seat listening in awe as the legendary Susuke Uchiha entered the room and announced that teams were to be announced.  She hadn't expected that he would be making an appearance.  His Rinnegan eye seeming to mesmerize her for a few moments before she broke out of the distraction and paid closer attention.  At the mention of Susuke leaving to find the Hokage she couldn't help but feel disheartened, now was when they needed strong leadership the most.  How was sending one of their strongest members away going to aide their new village?

Her attention quickly turned to Fujii-sama as he began to announce the teams properly.  Alpha team wasn't very surprising, of course they'd want Sarada Uchiha to lead their first squad, especially with Sigmund on the roster.  Teaming them up with Nanami was only common sense with her Sharingan, with Nori acting as an backup given her high rating in taijutsu.  It was a solid team, a veteran team if she recalled as well.

Her team was the next one that Sima mentioned, Baker team.  She was quick to take down notes down on what she knew about her team mates.  Only to frown when she realized she only had two other team members, that was atypical in traditional genin squads.  A faint blush creeped onto her cheeks as she mentally put a face with the name Tenshi Akiyama.  She didn't know him personally but she had seen him while she and the other senior academy students had arrived here in the new capital.  He was attractive, and seemed like a nice enough guy.  The name Kyoko Nakano she was more familiar with, the girl was from the hidden stone, and much like herself Nakano-san seemed shy.  She knew she was a bloodline user by the last name, but sadly hadn't paid enough attention during class to really put the name with a bloodline itself.  Hopefully they'd find a third member to make a true genin cell.

She missed Gamma team's members as she was lost in her own thoughts on her team, but was drawn back to the real world when Delta team was being announced.  Another one of the veteran teams.  She didn't know as much about delta though, except that they had an Uchiha and Inuzaka on their team.  Without knowing more about the dynamics she couldn't really judge the team.

As the teams were dismissed Amiko made her way up grasping the communicator as she passed and looked around the room.  It seemed she wasn't the only one with an occupied mind as she noted several other genin lost in thought.  She reached into her pocket removing a small glass ball with a colored fluid.  She'd have to see if Kyoko stayed behind or rushed on to find her, but it did offer some time to practice atleast.

-------

Amiko moved to stand off to the side of the main entrance to the academy building.  Her hands wrapped around the baseball size glass orb as they glowed faintly blue.  Within the orb the fluid swirled in different directions at the whim of her chakra.  The deep green color within the orb slowly shifting into a dark blue and light yellow at the edges.  It was a chakra control exercise among the Araumi clan, the goal was to separate the two different dyes out of solution.  Using the resistance to chakra to identify each of the dyes, the end goal was to have 2 hemispheres of dye with no mixture occurring.  She'd yet to beat the exercise.  Its purpose was to both improve chakra control, and help simulate the slight differences in tissue and fluid types sensed, when using medical jutsu on the body.

The exercise was interrupted when she was the distress that Nori was in, the moment of distraction being all that was needed for the two fluids to once again mix together fully turning the orb dark green again.  "Damnit," She said before slipping the orb back into her pocket and approaching Nori from behind. "Are you alright, Yamada-san?" Amiko asked with concern as she lightly placed a hand upon the older girl's shoulder.

In reply to Araumi Amiko (msg # 20):

Upon hearing her name being said from behind, Nori stopped in her tracks and froze. She felt her heart start to pang in her chest. What was she so nervous about all of a sudden. It wasn't the voice of Sigmund. And it wasn't the voice of Nanami or Shiroma. But somehow the thought of someone knowing it was her...she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Not that she was trying to hide it...well, maybe a little. When she turned herself slightly to look back at the person talking to her, she spotted a face that was familiar. What was her name again? She went to the academy, didn't she? And she was younger than her, too. That much she knew. "Oh, um..." she began to say. She had red hair and eyes that were a softer hue... Wait. A something. A... Then it clicked. "It's...Amiko, right? Sorry I guess I didn't recognize you. It's been a long time."

In reply to Yamada Nori (msg # 21):

"yes and Its alright, Yamada-san, but my question still stands, are you alright?  Seeing your teammates seemed to unsettle you?" Amiko asked with a faint smile as she watched the older girl with concern.  She wasn't sure what the dynamic was within the team, that kind of information wasn't exactly available at the academy.  A few stories here and there of adventures.  Maybe a technique or two that a member of a team had perfected was known, but nothing about the team dynamics or anything that could be used against the team was ever spread to the uninitiated shinobi corp members.    If Nori had issues with her teammates, perhaps she should see a Yamanaka or someone with more specialized skills in the mind arts.

In reply to Araumi Amiko (msg # 22):

When she heard Araumi ask if she was alright, Nori wasn't exactly sure how she should answer that. There were a lot of things that she was feeling right now, but was alright one of them? "Am I...alright? I don't...really know," she replied as she turned herself slightly towards the girl that was behind her. "I mean, if I am being honest, there are a lot of things that I am feeling right now coming back here. I'm in a place that I should be calling home yet everything feels so foreign to me. It makes me feel a little uneasy." Nori turned her head and looked over in the direction of Nanami and Sigmund. Just seeing them and knowing they were so close...it made the young ninja's heart ache. How would they react to her being here after a year of being separated? She lowered her eyes softly at them. "I guess you could say that seeing them after a year makes me a little unsettled, but I'm happy they are doing alright. I'm just not entirely sure how they would feel about seeing me again. A lot has happened since we last saw each other," she replied honestly before she looked back at Araumi. "I'm thinking about leaving before they see me. I don't really have a right to be here. After all, I don't really consider this place being my home."

In reply to Yamada Nori (msg #23):

Nanami would listen. She sighed. Her disdain for Sigmund was at it's peak and was never forgotten. The way he treated everyone, especially Nori. It was not what she wanted. Nor was it one she would accept. However her colder side calmed her, and decided Sigmund had a single chance to prove himself. If he hadn't changed after the incident. She would request a transfer or request he be transferred. Nanami was leaning against the wall. She had already spotted Nori. She'd move in a fast fluid movement to appear near Nori.

"To late you have been spotted, and .."

She tackle hugs Nori. She had missed her friend. They had been through a lot. Or better yet. They had both been through hell, and survived. They both were very unique and opposites as far as abilities go. Having Nori on her team was the only saving grace she had. There was no way she wanted to deal with Sigmund alone.

"Glad you are back, and glad to be on your team again!"

   And as he expected, anything he said was ignored. He had figured as much as his previous actions was unforgivable, but nobody seemed to understand that part of everything that had happened, wasn’t his fault. He had watched Nanami walk off and dark eyes followed as she had approached who he believed was Nori. It looked like her, but he wasn’t sure. Overhearing the confirmation of Nanami’s excitement was enough for him. He hadn’t spoke to Nori in a long time. Feeling discouraged he didn’t bother with another apology.

  He gave a half smile to Sakuya. ”Good luck on your mission, Sakuya,” he said and turned around, waking out of the academy grounds and went home. Trailing behind him were his mother, Akasumi and his Master, the Wolf Sage.