A Kind Soul (Open, Free)

[Kairyuu]

The destruction was definitely on a massive scale. Enzeru weaves between the pieces of the tower that litter the ground, his eyes searching around for anyone who perhaps needed a hand getting something out of their way even as his ears remained on alert for a voice calling for help. He had little doubt that if anyone were trapped in this mess they were already dead, the damage here appeared to be quite older than a few days, old enough that even Soon's Haven had heard of it and made it a point of gossip for their town. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't help. He was here to do just that and he would.

The fair skinned hunter simply finds someone doing their part, clearing rubble and opening old passageways, and joins in. He looked quite out of place, in a blue robe and his hair and eyes marking him as a foreigner to this land while the bow on his back marked him as an armed stranger, sitting there with those born and raised here helping them in their task of breaking down the larger pieces into smaller pieces to be carted off. He seemed to be doing the work of several of them, which only drew their eyes. He could only assume the shinobi of this village had more important work, like tracking down the people who did this, to join in; or perhaps this work detail was told they wouldn't be getting the help of a shinobi. Either way he was here and he was doing something.

His hope was that he would stick out enough that someone in charge would come and figure out what the hell he was doing here. The one who let him in didn't seem interested, but they likely could have mistaken him for someone else. Still, no better way to offer his services than showing them off. He wasn't normally performing manual labor, but if that's what he could do now....

 

[Uri]

After first seeing the ruins of the Kage's tower, he had promised to return later and help clear debris. While he had been given title and authority, he didn't feel like it fit, not yet it didn't, but it did little to prevent him from organizing efforts and keeping people safe. Since he had been there, five people had found pitfalls and nearly perished, two being sent to the hospital for broken bones. While the tower had been a grand piece of architecture, its crowning achievement was the network of catacombs beneath it that housed the centuries of records from Sunagakure's history. Cursory reports stated that many of the tunnels were collapsed and much of the stored info therein reduced to smoldering ash. Whoever had performed the attack had been thorough and talented.

A bare hand ran over one of the numerous rings explosively sliced from the tower's structure. Perfectly smooth, like a laser had cut it loose, but reports of those nearby and even of those caught within it said it was as violent and destructive as any bombing.

Mangled bodies were still being pulled out from the rubble and it was painful every time, but at least families would find closure in their discoveries. Kurisu was in a more casual attire, knowing that the work he would be performing didn't call for his usual dress. A dark grey muscle shirt lined his chest in detail, sturdy, but worn in leather boots carried him safely across the uneven terrain, and tied at his waist was the confiscated katana from a Fire Country's samurai warrior. A reminder that his freedom had come at great sacrifice on numerous fronts and he would cling to it until he felt like he had repented.

Numerous foreigners filled up the ranks of those helping to rebuild the village, and while he would be hesitant to say he was comfortable with it, he was glad to have their aid. Sunagakure was not in great shape and its forces were weak and needed the reinforcement. One such stranger was helping clear tower wreckage, and he bore a startling resemblance to two of the village's previous Medical Sennin, both of which had been visitors who ended up staying. A large stone piece was preventing entrance to one of the fallen office spaces and due to his atrophied form, he would require assistance in moving it. Waving over a few workers, they secure ropes to the boulder and set two pull lines.

"Anyone with a strong back, please, come help!"<i></i> Kurisu called out to those around him, being first to take up on the rope, waiting for more to gather and pull.

[mft]

 

[Kairyuu]

Enzeru simply smiles at the others as they continue to work, opening up entries was not glamorous work but it was necessary to the rebuilding of this place, and he was far from too proud to do it. Water was being passed around, people talking about their homes and the events that transpired here. Naturally there was a lot of rumors being tossed around about demons and terrorists and someone even suggested a dragon was dug up and released its rage upon the village. He was less inclined to believe that one. Still, even he was feeling the strain, giving this his all meant that more work was getting done but he was also tiring at a pace not far off from the rest of them.

And then a call goes up for help. Enzeru drops his pick and heads over to the one asking for help, his blue eyes taking in the man before him. Slightly taller than Enzeru himself, but looked about the same build. His white hair certainly stood out, though Enzeru wasn’t sure how much around here. He steps behind the other and grips the rope tight, looking at the boulder they were to pull loose. That was a big one.

”Ready on your signal. I’m not familiar with the land here, but would there be a downside to attempting to break it free from below?” He did have some ninjutsu that could help there, one in particular sprung to mind from his time working with the crystalline powers at his command. Still, that would be a horrid idea if it opened one of those sinkholes under it and simply made the boulder become a worse issue somewhere else.

 

[Uri]

Several men had lined up on the ropes and waited for the command. The notable stranger from earlier was directly behind Kurisu and posed an interesting question.

"Severe instability. Let me put it plainly: we're lucky the whole village hasn't sunk into the depths of the planet."<i></i>

The whole underside of Wind Country was tunnels and thin wafer-like networks from the burrowing beasts residing in the dark recesses. Building a village underground was feasible in nearly every other country except Wind. Whatever had kept a Sandworm from charging head first into the cavern was beyond Kurisu. Fingers tightening his grip around the rope, knuckles turning white from the pressure, he shouted the command: "HEAVE!"<i></i> In one mighty pull, the boulder shifted. Again, Kurisu would give the command, "HEAVE!"<i></i>

It would go on like this for several more shouts until the rock would be far enough out to have left a sizable gap for personnel and work carts to make it in and out of the newly uncovered area. Taking a long swig from one of the water bottles being passed around, he offered it to the blue-haired individuals before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, the other reaching for a scroll container on his belt. Deftly unfurling it in one hand, he stretches it out and reveals the diagram of the Kazekage tower, the extensive catacombs beneath it, and the mapped out tunnels carved into the rock by the sandworms. Tenuous was a delicate way of putting it, but it was a miracle in itself that the blasts in the village hadn't already put them into an even bigger hole they couldn't climb out from.

"See how using anything beyond manual labor in this area is an unwise decision?"<i></i> Kurisu would gesture to the varying layers. "One mishap and this whole section of the village could fall for miles. The construction of this village was before my time, but I can't say I agree with some of the design choices."<i></i> The last half was a joke, and the smile on Kurisu's lips said as much, but his voice didn't have the normal joviality expected from someone attempting a joke; he was still adjusting to being around people once more.

 

[Kairyuu]

Enzeru's face goes grim as the other explains why his idea would not work. This village was built more insanely than Mist, and it was literally built inside of a massive volcano. The young man simply nods at the response and as the command to pull it given, grits his teeth and puts his all into pulling on the rope. As far as shinobi went he was far from the strongest, but a life of archery did in fact work the muscles more than many thought and so it only took them one time to shift the thing, and after some more to make enough room to open things up for the other workers.

At this point his mouth was dry from that burst of effort. Enzeru takes the offered bottle and takes a swig before handing it back. ”Thank you for that.” He looks down as a map unrolls, eyeing the blueprints before him. It looked interesting and quite dangerous. As the other explains what he was seeing, the hunter shakes his head. That was foolish indeed.

”It's certainly a miracle nothing has happened. This design seems perilous at best, your ancestors must have been hard pressed to be pushed into such a home.” He couldn't speak too badly, having spent the past few years willingly living in the tundra surrounding Kirigakure. Home was home, some people would die for this patch of soil they named such. ”It's even more hazardous than my old home, and that one was at risk of being blown into the clouds if the planet ever decided to wake up on us.”

Enzeru holds out a hand, his face suddenly split by a smile. ”Kagyaku Enzeru, formerly a shinobi of Mist.”

 

[Uri]

Grasping the proffered hand in a firm shake, Kurisu introduces himself, "Ametsuchi Kurisu, forty-year veteran shinobi of Sunagakure."<i></i>

In the ninjaing business it was rare to stumble across someone Kurisu's age as being a shinobi often lowered the average life expectancy considerably. Part luck, part faith, and part skill had kept him in one piece during his darkest times. Eying the Mist shinobi carefully, he takes noticed of the calluses on his hand, evidence of his bow-wielding ways. Any novice could carry a weapon, but to have the marks of the weapon on one's body spoke many more volumes.

"We've had a lot of shinobi and civilians arrive from Kirigakure. Reports from refugees said the whole area was encased in ice and made uninhabitable. If as much is true, I am truly sorry, but we are thankful for your arrival and your aid all the same."<i></i> Turning back to the surrounding wreckage, surveying it was hard on Kurisu, but he couldn't imagine what it would be like to never be able to go home. Escaping from Fire Country and arriving back to Sunagakure as a scorched hole-in-the-ground would have been crushing. Reality was not pleasant, but it could be far worse.

Kurisu neglected to mention that many of the Water Country refugees had been relocated to the tower for temporary housing when the attacks had occurred.

Winding up the scroll, he sticks it back into the cylinder on his belt and shrugs, "Oh, it wasn't my ancestors. My generation was responsible for burying the village to survive a storm made of diamond sands. It was an act of desperation that would eventually backfire. What you see before you."<i></i> Kurisu was obviously a skeptic on some of the decisions regarding Sunagakure's state or that they hadn't moved to go back above ground sooner, which put them into this position. "I'm sure you aren't here for the sight-seeing, Enzeru-san, so why Sunagakure?"<i></i>

 

[Kairyuu]

Rare indeed for one that old, and he didn't look it, but that could be the poor lighting. Enzeru hid his shock well, however, at finding this man was twice his age. As the other speaks of the refugees that came this way the hunter recalls a man before a great bonfire, promising to lead the poor souls to Sand and salvation. The former Mizukage, if he recalled, apparently was true to his word in that regard. If ever Enzeru distrusted a man it was that one, but he did nothing to harm Kirigakure and so Enzeru did nothing to harm him.

”What they say is true. We're not sure how, but the entirety of Kirigakure and most of the country of Water has been encased in ice. At the epicenter, Mist itself, things are....unnatural. Ghosts and demons roam, and things worse and more terrifying than even those. Life cannot survive there, not for long, and the denizens that now live there will destroy any outsiders they find.” Not even he dared enter the village unless he absolutely had to. He saw some travelers not long back, and was truly amazed when they made it out in one piece.

Kurisu speaks of the diamond sands outside, making Enzeru nod. He'd come through that storm alone, with a camel. The camel hadn't made it, and for that matter Enzeru himself barely did. If not for his odd gift for armoring himself he had little doubt he'd be a bloodstain on the sands right now. ”Seeing the storm, I believe it merely reinforces my belief that there wasn't much choice to the matter. It's a deadly thing to go through, much less live in.” And then crux of the conversation.

Blue eyes turn back to Kurisu as Enzeru sighs. ”I have spent the past years trying to survive in the tundra that was Water country. I've often had to made trips on the merchanting vessels that dared to pick me up in order to get supplies in Soon's Haven. Word has spread there of what happened here and on my last such trip I heard of it and realized I can be of more use to a living village than by guarding over a dead and damned one. So I've come to offer my services. And when I saw what was being done, I decided to help out.”

 

[Uri]

Demons and monsters that threatened to consume all living beings who even neared Water Country? That didn't natural on any level and could eventually threaten their wellness if the creatures learned to traverse the seas. Trade routes would bring them to Soon's and eventually the mainland. There would be a time when Sunagakure's forces would return the favor of Kiri's men and women. These were both people who had been in the worst environments possible and had survived. Not only that, they had become stronger for it. The trials they faced had allowed them to return to their homes and helped those in need. While Enzeru had not be able to save the village, he had seen people away safely.

While he didn't know this man well enough, his experience spoke towards someone whose life meant living multiple different ones. Not just because it suited him, but because his village had demanded it.

"That is commendable. Many people have been more selfish in their reasoning and in a time when we're hurting most, the selfless will help redeem this village."<i></i> Kurisu paused for a moment before speaking again. "I cannot speak for my village's leadership, but there may be room for you yet."<i></i> Kurisu didn't normally accept strangers into the fold so quickly, but an earnest attitude and hard work went a long way. Manipulators would find better ways to cozy up with less work involved, and if Enzeru was the type of man Kurisu thought he was, then it would suffice for the time being.

A Sunagakure official would patter up carrying a note of scrawled paper, his emblazoned armband marking him as one of the paperwork shinobi responsible for the tower's day-to-day activities.

"Lord Kurisu, there was an urgent message from the hospital on open broadcast. They're requesting aid for violent patient." He would hand over the note and step back. The 'Lord' title didn't fit Kurisu, but even Sousuke insisted on using it, and when the Kage did something, his followers often did too. Both hands would clap together, shaking away the accumulated dirt and dust that had gathered, nodding to the messenger.

"Don't bother sending word. The communications are mangled enough that I'll arrive before the message does."<i></i> Since the attack, all major radio relays had been destroyed. In fact, the dispatch office was a pile of rubble not too far from their current location. Now serious once more, he turns to Enzeru, a hand resting on the hilt to the shattered blade, "Would you endeavor to aid the village once again? A lot of bad people were set loose on the village. There's no telling what they're dealing with and every hand counts."<i></i>

Turning on his heel, he looks back at the Mist Shinobi, a small smile, "I assume you can keep up with this old-timer."<i></i>

In a burst of speed, he left behind a cloud of dust and nothing more, rapidly moving towards the nearest building and using the height of Sunagakure's underground as a highway to the hospital.

[Topic Left; Moving to: http://www.ninpocho.com/viewtopic.php?f=699&t=43270]

 

[Kairyuu]

He spoke of selflessness, but Enzeru doubted that many people were as selfless as this man believed. Enzeru found his own presence to be purely selfish, for instance. He was here to help in an hour of need, but even in his instance it was because he was fulfilling a wish to help those who needed helping. Was it selfless if it was in fact the result of some need he had; doing good because it made him feel right? This was a question that the brain could spend decades on answering and still not be right, there was no right.

A man arrives, speaking of aid for a patient, and Kurisu turns and asks him for his aid. Enzeru merely nods, his fingers flexing to restore some motion from the hours spent down here not using them properly. ”I shall indeed. Lead on, old man.” The last two words are spoken lightly, and the smile on his face shows them to be in jest and not an insult.

Kurisu proves agile, and Enzeru, thought he himself is fast, does push himself to keep up in this unfamiliar territory. Where they were going was a hospital, and he had no idea if this violent patient was a major threat or a minor one, but in either situation Enzeru felt himself capable of dealing with it.

It was what he did, after all.

(Topic left, following Kurisu)