Take a Chance

Kurotsuchi and his people managed to escape the outpost which his people occupied. He was satisfied that he and his siblings were all safe. The time had finally arrived for them to part ways. It was their destiny, something pre-determined ages past. The nine realms are currently in a state of disarray. Many remained oblivious to what was transpiring beyond the stars that their own eyes to perceive as mere dots in the skies. Then there are those who knew much better and had a vital part to play in all this. Many would argue that they’re the ones solely responsible for the state of things. Kurotsuchi was desperate to put this right but hadn’t fully grasp the truth of it all. At this moment in time the narrative has changed so many times, he was honestly struggling to keep up. Off they went, spaceships flying off the planet, leaving behind their creations. The creatures on the planet will be fine no doubt, it was the people he was concerned about. From what Kurotsuchi could tell, there was a war brewing, or better yet in full swing. His home world needed to be liberated and this is what he intended to do. The soon to be king didn’t yet have a plan for accomplishing this mission of his. Deep down he knew that he will go through all nine realms in order to find a way. He was gearing up to shoulder a great deal of responsibility. This burden of his weighed heavy on his shoulders. If he is to do what his people expects of him, then it was imperative that he was clued up. He will need to know the history; however harsh and unpleasant it may prove to be. This way, he can discern the truth behind the intentions of others. He wondered how Mithrandir and his other siblings might factor into this. Kurotsuchi was far from naïve, he knew all too well that he and his siblings are about to become rivals. Had it not been for the way they were raised in proximity; he and Mithrandir might have killed each other. This is what every fibre in their bodies yearned for, but their sheer-will fought against it. Kurotsuchi was happy that he found his people, but their current state annoyed him. All he saw was weakness and knew that he needed to change it. The ivory-haired prince had a hunch about a few things too. There are different levels to the warriors he came across. He would certainly rejoice if his people turned out to be far stronger than what’s been presented so far. Kurotsuchi while on his ship fell asleep, leaving others responsible for getting everyone to safety. There was clearly a plan and the man will allow them to see it through. Without realising it, he was soon taken to another dimension, one where they remained hidden from the prying eyes of would be hunters. They needed to get Kurotsuchi ready for the battles ahead.

Where he was taken was a place in between space and time, a pocket dimension and a strong hold for his people. They lived parallel to others without them even realising they were even there. He and his people were everywhere and at the same time nowhere. This was part of their ingenuity and prowess. Within this strong hold they could flourish. But this was not home and there is no place like home at all. Kurotsuchi awoke to the sounds of his people moving about. Life was carrying on as normal. The atmosphere took a few moments to get used to. But after a short while of adjusting, he was regained himself and was able to breathe and operate without hindrance. “Wow, that is just amazing. It took most of us a while to adjust to this place. We even had to wear certain specialized masks to help with our breathing. This place even had some adverse effects on our people. And yet you’ve taken to it without any worries whatsoever. Do you even know why this is?”. Kagura asked with a smile on his face and a look of genuine amazement. The man almost felt reassured that they were on the right track. “To be completely honest, it is only recently during my travels that I’ve even come to notice this. Depending on where I am, I may need time to adjust, but after some time, I’m able to adapt to the environment. I can then feel nature around me, see things visible and those invisible to most. Its kinda weird…don’t cha think?”.

“Weird? Not. One. Bit. In time you will come to understand why its so natural for you. You will then understand things a little more and that is when you will know you’re ready”.  

“Ready for what exactly?” The young man asked with a look of curiosity.
[color=lightblue“To lead our people and restore us, what else would there be my king?”.[/color] Kagura’s words made Kurotsuchi chuckle a little bit, albeit a nervous one. Can he say he was even ready to lead his people? He will no doubt need some time before he can be an effective leader. Some useful advisers will be needed. “Worry not, I will be here to help you see it through. It is true that you’re strong, even at your current level. I do hope you forgive me when I say this, but you’re still too weak to do what needs doing. Again, worry not, I will do my best to get you finely tuned, trained and ready physically. I will try to help mentally also, but ultimately, its down to you to decide how you want to rule. Truth be told, I think I know how this will turn out. Me like the rest of our people are quite hopeful, which is why there is so much happiness. Its all so sudden, it’s amazing really”. Kagura has a natural perm, which causes him no end of distress. His silvery-blue hair is in a perpetually messy state, which is sometimes exaggerated into a frizzy afro when he is injured. He has indeterminate blue and they are also "dead fish eyes" which are called such because they are nearly always half-lidded.

His standard outfit consists of a white yukata with a blue swirl pattern on the bottom and ends of the sleeves, worn so that his arm only goes through the left sleeve, and the right half droops down over his obi. Over this, he wears a black belt buckled so that there is leftover dangling from the buckle, from which his weapon hangs. Underneath, he wears a black, red-lined shirt with a popped collar and black pants. He also wears knee-high black boots, buckled at the top and above his foot, which appear to add about half an inch to his height. It is shown that he has a closet full of duplicates of this outfit, so whenever it gets destroyed, he can appear in another encounter with someone else with a new one. All in all, his outfit suggests an air of laziness, and may be a reflection of Kagura's own personal sense of style, though it is revealed that his usual attire is actually the customary robes of his clan.

Kurotsuchi smirked at Kagura’s words to him. He pondered whether he’ll be able to live up to everyone’s expectations. Kagura, Kurotsuchi and four other elite guards moved throughout the city. They took the time to walk before taking off flying towards a magnificent temple. The architecture by the Vanir was something awe-inspiring. Kurotsuchi had only received a glimpse of what his people are capable of. Enough time passed and they arrived at their destination. The temple of the ancestors. It is a place where various ceremonies took place. “On our home world we have special temples like these. They’re part of our traditions and a lot of history is contained within. Though, the reason for us visiting is to complete your ascension to the throne as king. Our people have waited some time now and finally may have found someone truly worthy”. Kagura explained as they landed and made their way inside the temple. The thing was huge, the walls told stories of past times, those long ago and those recent. Inside were statues of some very important figures. His parents being some, not to mention other kings, queens and great soldiers. “Before I undergo all this, I was hoping you’d be able to tell me even a little more about our people”. Kagura paused for a moment and looked over at the soon to be king. They continued to take strides inside the temple. Until finally they came to a stop and so words flowed from Kagura once more.

“Our people, we’re known as the Vanir, the yin to the Aesir’s yang. Or one could flip it the other way around if they so choose. The truth is, we have our differences and similarities. Whichever the case, we’re their direct opposition, their challengers and its not something that they appreciate. As a people we’ve long since realized that the Aesir were never interested in sharing power. Knowing that they had great power also made them arrogant. At the same time, it made our people boil with anger. We hate to be underestimated; this fuelled our determination for them to accept us as their equals. I have no doubt that the Vanir are on par with the Aesir. They were the enforcers for a very long time. They often decided who lives and who dies, whether they should intervene or not. They often professed to maintaining the balance within the nine realms. They did a good job for the most part. But as a people, we also had our own ideologies too. We are creators, although some like yourself as more gifted than others. Our species and civilizations spanned the nine realms. Despite the narrative that we brought destruction. We also brought enlightenment, helping other species to advance themselves.

We gave many the ability to use chakra to better themselves. Some did and some sought to corrupt it. It then became our duty to eradicate those culpable. That is how our worries started with the Aesir. Our people are not just creators, we are one with nature and understand the universe very well. Some say we were created in order to oppose the Aesir. The thing is, we were never interested in any of that. The Vanir are more interested in deciding their own destiny. Long story short, we stepped on one too many toes, as such war broke out. The Aesir and Vanir went at it, this war came about when our people were ill-equipped to deal with it. Only a select few could properly challenge the Aesir. For the most part, our development stopped at the Byakugan and Sharingan. Very seldom did others advance to the Jougan, Tenseigan, Mangekyou and Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. The highest forms of our visual prowess ultimately became the Tenseigan, Rinnengan and Rinnesharingan. Our bodies are alike quite unique as you know. Our bones cane be used as weapons, we can bring life to things. Most common amongst this is our ability to bring forth trees or wood as some so affectionately call it. We have an array of different elemental combinations at our disposal. Some of which we shared with other species through mingling…in either case, we are far stronger than ever now. And we’re ready to stand our ground as a people. Your father was the strongest among us, stronger than his predecessors too. Its because of him why we’re able to open portals and various gateways to secluded dimensions. We’re always developing and discovering new ways of doing things. At present, we’re in a predicament whereby we have the Aesir to deal with and then those wretched titans. Lord Abraxus found a way to deal with the Aesir last time, it was truly tragic but was needed at the time. Our people have suffered great lost over time. The time has now come for us to regain what was taken so long ago. Something of importance to note too. There are many houses within the Vanir, but we work as a collective. Inside these various houses, certain abilities are more prevalent than others. The important thing is unity, we all have a part to play. And no one Vanir is more important than the other. It is now time for you to meet with the council and take up the mantle as king”.

Kagura spoke with confidence and determination. Kurotsuchi listened intently before finally being greeted by the council members. The council consisted of ten members, made up of men and women of equal numbers. Some older, some younger, but the balance was there to be seen. Immediately upon meeting Kurotsuchi they all bowed before him. The leading matriarch among the council members stepped forward with a smile. She was a slender woman, long silver hair, quite a beauty to boot. She was garbed in blue and white clothing. Part of the ceremony involved Kurotsuchi meeting some important people. As part of the ceremony, Kurotsuchi was placed inside a circle with three tomoe shaped markings. Six of the council members surrounded him, taking up positions, where if one connected the dots, it would lead to a six-pointed star. The matriarch, Ersa pulled out a mask which she used to cover her face. The woman then strung together several seals and before long eight ethereal black chains shot forward and anchored themselves onto Kurotsuchi. It looked as if he was being pierced by the chains. The thing drew upon his Chakra, almost felt as if he was being drained and fast. He was falling unconscious, but before he could fall. Four of the council members which stood on the left and right side of the circle formed seals of their own. Pushing their hands forward, their Chakra projected outwards and formed a coffin around Kurotsuchi. Inside the man was locked away, before the final member of the six brought into existence a giant ethereal spear which was used to pierce the coffin. This was the death ceremony, elaborate but necessary. Kurotsuchi needed to die before being reborn. The young King was found himself standing in a temple like the one in which he was moments ago. He was ground level at the foot of the first step which lead to the trio of thrones. The steps led upwards thirty meters high. In each throne sat an individual whom remained strangers to him. On the left sat a man of dark hue and prominent features. On the right sat a woman with brown skin, horns, and long silver hair. She had a nose ring, dressed in black and white battle attire. In the middle sat a man whom looked not to dissimilar to Kurotsuchi himself. The man on the left was the first one to speak. ”Welcome to the hall of gods. Despite being deities in our own right, it always feels so strange saying those words. Feels like I’ve met you a few times now, and each time you return more and more impressive. I am King Shango, there in the middle next to me is King Abraxus and further on is the goddess herself, Izanagi no Izanami”. The woman vanished after being announced and appeared in front of Kurotsuchi. Her arms open wide as she embraced the poor confused soul. Kurotsuchi couldn’t tell when she’d even leave her perch, her movements remained a blur to her. “My Son!” she said while squeezing the new king of the Vanir. Abraxus, father of Kurotsuchi face-palmed while shaking his head. He along with Shango got up and made their way down the steps. In time they too embraced the youngster. “This is some crazy shit, hmm?”. Uttered Abraxus while staring at Kurotsuchi. In the meantime, Shango circled the young man while sizing him up. “Just what is going on here?” He stated while looking somewhat confused. This was far from what he expected and at the same time he was relieved. They acted like any normal person, a trait which Kurotsuchi found to be rather refreshing.

"He looks rather pitiful right now. I suppose he's an improvement on those before him but still up for debate". Said King Shango after sizing up the young ivory-haired warrior. Kurotsuchi raised his right eyebrow before scuffing at the man. "Oh let him be you imbecile. Besides, we all knew he wasn't ready. This is why he's here now so that we can prepare him. Kurotsuchi, my son. There is so much you don't know and so much I'm keen to teach you. There is no rush, we can take our time with this one. And when you return, you will return as Kurotsuchi of the Otsutsuki, just like your father before you. Only difference is, I'll make sure he can never hold a candle to you". The goddess stated with a wink in Abraxas' direction. "Jeez, will you stop hugging him so close? We're all here for his benefit. In any case, welcome to where we gather. This was done intentionally so that we can set certain events into motion. As am sure you're aware by now, there is a war taking place. One which caused some serious problems for our people. Part of which was my fault. In finding a way to deal with our Aesir brethren, I also unleashed something malevolent. My failure to even foresee this is now your burden to bear. I am truly sorry son. Our people lived in unity with the Aesir for a very long time. That all changed for numerous reasons. Just remember, there are two sides to every story. And re-telling history is only ever gratifying for the victors. Just know that whatever you do after we're done here. I'm sure I will be happy with your choices and the decisions that you make. Before focusing on outside sources, take heed of our people. Every Vanirian life is precious and must be treated as such. A king you are, but those beneath you are not peasants".  

Shango chuckled and patted Kurotsuchi on his back before managing to separate him from his mother. She was one clingy parent no doubt. The ivory-haired youngster released an exasperated sigh. All he's been hearing for the longest while now are stories. It made some sense to him, because the past is important to what happens in the future. "Boy. I will let your mother and father fill you in on the finer details. I will try to be as direct as possible and as truthful too. You need some serious training in order to break down those walls inside. I intend on tearing them down and send you on a journey of self discovery. Each of us here and some others played a part in your creation. Your mother and father over there did the dirty work....but we all had a hand in your nurture and care. You may not have seen it or felt like you experienced it, but its the truth. You have a heavy burden on your shoulders now indeed".

"That is certainly correct. Each one of us will impart our knowledge and wisdom unto you. I am Izanagi no Izanami, the elemental goddess of thunder, lightning and storms. You've already see that manifested within yourself too. Not only that, but our connection also means you have a very unique body, outside of what the Vanir normally allows. Over the course of the next few years with us, you will come to understand it even more. I like to think of it as your secret weapon. With it, you're capable of adapting to any environment and all that comes with it. You are one with nature whether pure or corrupted. It is primarily yours to command".
Abraxus soon stepped forward with a smile and shook his head. It was now time to get things started with his son. Over the next few years they will be spending time with each other. Not only that, Kurotsuchi will be given the opportunity to form a bond with the man. And whomever else decides to get involved. "This is a fuck ton to take in. I am a knowledge seeker, but what do you mean by the next few years?". The naive youngster asked of his father.

"Errr..well. Before coming here, you were taken through a certain ritual or ceremony if you will. At present you're on a different plane which is also linked to your timeline. What happens here will have an effect on your body not just here but away from here too. As you grow and learn new things, you will take these experiences back with you. We have certain things in place for situations like these. Sadly, after this is over with, it may well be some time before we can communicate like this again. So take as much away from this experience as you can. Now then listen up carefully. Among the Vanir, Chakra is our lifeline. This is why we went through the trouble of planting what were dubbed as god trees. The fruits from these trees grants great power to our people. If you're to stand a chance at keeping our people whole. You need to feed them. Our home is known as Vanaheim, and though it is mostly devoid of life. It is still our own and can once again rise from the ashes. I'm responsible for its destruction. As my son, I am tasking you with its resurrection. Your Byakugan is infantile compared to the different levels above it. One of which being the Tenseigan. With these eyes you can revive our home world. But to do it, you will need the power of the Juubi. Become its host and you will have the power to accomplish some great feats. The Juubi comes in many different forms but have the same things in common. It can be created using a combination of various Bijuu, all with tails numbering from one to nine. Its the general consensus that the more tails the more powerful they are. Please do not make the mistake in thinking that one is more special than the other. These creatures are all created by us and have some very unique traits. Eventually you will have dominion over each one. And can destroy and even re-create them again. Our ocular capabilities are truly astonishing and my son, you will have a taste of it all. I will school you in all the knowledge that we possess. In any case save whatever other strange questions you have for later. We got work to do, so lets get busy".  

And with that Kurotsuchi's time with his fellow gods began. Years passed and his training and preparation was completed. It was now time for him to return to his people and be the king that they so deserve. Inside the temple which housed Kurotsuchi the coffin, spear and chains disintegrated into nothing. It shattered after a loud bang could be heard. The particles returned to nothingness. There he stood covered in smoke that was slowly beginning to clear. His eyes glowed, his stature was that of now a man and not some young prince.

"My King, you're finally ready. And oh shit, you've filled out very well". Kagura stated while tossing a robe in Kurotsuchi's direction. The man was naked having outgrown his garments. It's been years, exactly how time passed he was unsure. He was back on the planes in which he belongs. Kurotsuchi was equipped with the knowledge, skill and abilities in order to carry out his mission.