The Retirement Blues

[Seijin]

Walking in the dark, Umashi glanced up at the crescent moon above that signified just as much the ending of a month as it did the symbolic end of an era. Recognizing that he no longer would need to have to feel the strong urge to protect and shelter those around him in the light of day, he appreciated the time that he'd now have to pursue other things that would strike his fancy. For him, the ability to now seek his own interest was one that greatly excited him, time alone with his family, time alone with his wife, and indeed time alone with himself. Walking to the rendezvous point through the dark expanse of the Greater Fire Country allowed him to truly reflect on all the adventures that he'd had up till now.

Stopping upon hearing the sound of a twig breaking, Umashi turned around, quickly grabbing a scalpel from his pocket and aiming it right around where the neck of his opponent should have been but he stopped short of striking the blow. Standing before him was a man who looked exactly like him minus the fact that his eyes were a piercing shade of gold. Kin Joka raised his arms in a manner speaking to not wanting to get assaulted as he chuckled and took a step back. "Chiiiiiil, Umashi! You gotta stop being so uptight! Besides, you wouldn't knowingly shank your doppelganger . . . would you?" Resting his scalpel, Umashi put it back in the pocket that it had come from. "You'll be surprised what I'm capable of, especially when it's as talkative as you are . . . Besides, you really need to stop doing that, it's unsettling." Mimicking Umashi once more, the Tsukumogami contract being morphed inti a more distinct looking personality but still remained looking like Umashi.

 

[Seijin]

Rolling his eye's, Umashi turned and continued walking as he headed onwards. "The thing about the Mokuton element is that it's great for protecting large swaths of people from immanent danger. However, it never served me as great a finesse as controlling the flames of the Phoenix. The battle with Takeshi taught me something, a lesson that I can finally perfectly imitate as so many have opted to do during their careers. When I first met Yomi I commanded the flame and it was all that I ever needed. The flames never asked much of me, and indeed they allowed me to take care of only what was extremely necessary to take care of, my immediate surroundings." Reaching the point that he'd finally find himself crossing over out of the Fire Country proper, he smiled as he turned back around and looked at the land that he'd protected nodded to himself.

"The Sun cannot be selfish, but the Moon can keep its light all to itself. In just a few short days there will be no light and new moon will be but you will not see it. Perhaps it's time that I became a bit more selfish, perhaps it's time that I keep my light to myself and my own." As far as Umashi saw it, Takeshi would be the bright star in the sky while he could go back to the darkness from which he'd come from. It wasn't that Umashi was totally abandoning Konoha, but only that he needed some time away to reflect on things and to seek rest after all of the work that he'd done. Snapping his fingers, he slightly strained but managed to create a dark flame, a shadow by most accounts and then he began to weave it into a web of darkness that threatened to overtake him. Managing to quickly get back familiar with the element, he reasoned that it was riding a bike, he'd been here before but with a little time he'd be right back to where he was in terms of efficiency.

His eye's growing wide, Kin Joka began to shake his head as he released a fine golden chakra like dust that quickly formed into another doppelganger of Umashi but one that had more silver colored eyes. Shrugging his shoulders, he closed his eye's and gave Umashi an about face. "Look, if we're in the business of switching things up before head out, I might as well introduce Gin Joka . . . who's me but not me . . ." As if to confirm his relative freedom, the silver eyed Gin Joka nodded and spoke. "Sup!" Shaking his head and turning back to his work, Umashi mixed equal parts fire and water chakra as he quickly took in in a large amount and then quickly released it, causing the shadows of the night to cover the three and take them from view. For most it would be quite a while before Umashi would be seen again within the Fire Country, but for him it was just the first long night of many more to follow.

OOC: Topic Left