Portals of Uncertainty

[ninjustupower]

The Battle Nexus: a place of honor, glory, and victory. But every place has its dark side for in the Battle Nexus, there was a great Daimyo and he had won so many victories that his name had been exalted as the Ultimate Daimyo.

But the word "ultimate" should be used sparingly, for the Daimyo had a son: Ve-Sama, who later wished for a title, the Ultimate Ninja.

The day Ve-Sama decided to make that choice was a day that the Nexus will never forget. It changed everything. It would never recover from that blow; betrayal at the hands of one of its own...

[OOC: Is this good? LOL BTW: I did not draw the pic, I simply manipulated it ]

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[lost frequencies]

His passion for the fighting arts had remained strong over the centuries though he had never expected that one day, a cosmic storm would claim the lives of budding warriors from all over the universe, forcing him to put the triennial tournaments to a halt.

He wasn’t sure as for how long it was going to last. These strange portals would vanish and reappear consistently throughout the galaxy, causing unsuspected travellers to be thrown into unfamiliar realms that might be detrimental to sensitive life forms.

There was suddenly a great amount of pressure weighing down on his shoulders.

The Daimyo’s face, unmasked, was tired and old. It was times like these when the Nexus was quiet, and lacking of life that he would feel a sense of loneliness creeping back in.

Still there was nothing much he could do until the storm had passed and the warriors could resume with their travelling again.

The Daimyo had been looking forward to the rowdy cheers of spectators in the arena, along with the clashing sounds of steels blades and heavy weapons of honourable warriors to help with keeping his world alive.

Or else, the Nexus would be nothing but a hollow shell and he, a prisoner in his own kingdom.
While looking over the majestic waterfalls within the castle’s premise, he wondered what his son was up to...

[ninjustupower]

Inside the palace, Ve was deep in thought. The recent troubles that had been occuring in the Nexus was strange...chaotic.

However, Ve knew from experience that beneath the chaos lay certain opportunity...

Ve, who was growing restless, then stood up from his sitting positon.

So much had happened over so little time, what should he do?

So many choices...

He could "explore" this whole ordeal or...like he had thought earlier, take advantage and seize power, which would truly accomplish his lifelong dream of becoming the Ultimate Ninja of the multiverse.

But--something else was plaguing his mind.

His father.

Though Ve mostly loathed him, he knew he had at least a drop of compassion left in his cold heart...but no, not this time.

This time, his father was going down. This time no one would stand in his way of achieving greatness.

Not even his only living family member...

[lost frequencies]

The samurai guards had been ordered by the Daimyo to ask Ve to come to the main court, where he stood waiting on the balcony.

Certainly there was much to discuss. He was concerned about leaving his guests, who have travelled far to witness this honourable event stranded and with nothing to do.

He would ask Ve to invite these guests to the pleasure quarters and be entertained by his servants. That was all he could afford at a time like this...

"Ve-sama," called one of the heavily-armoured guards. "Your father wishes to speak with you at the main court."

[ninjustupower]

The guard's inquiry made Ve curious and to some extent--fearful.

What was it his father wanted? Maybe he was going to ask him to be Daimyo?

The very thought sent ripples of excitement through Ve's body. He could just imagine it! Him being Daimyo, having the warstaff. Destroying his enemies. And especially, Leonardo!

"My Lord, we must go," The guard's voice snapped Ve out of his secluded thoughts.

Ve nodded without a word. He knew the conversation with his father wouldn't be easy. He would have to mask his true emotions, and watch his words carefully.

His heart began to thump even more with the oncoming anticipation.

Would his father suspect him of something?

As he came in through the heavy majestic doors of the main court and saw his father standing there, looking so frail like a piece of origami paper, Ve's heart somewhat skipped a beat.

Could he really force himself to carry out his plan after all?

[lost frequencies]

The guards in the main court bowed as the Daimyo's son passed.

The Lord of the Nexus sighed, his breath clouding the air as he looked out towards the horizon to watch the sun set. The evening had always been a time reserved for the warriors. It was when after rounds of fighting would they return to feasting and drinking until morn. He would celebrate with them but now, as the cosmos shifted and the portals ripped the celestial sky like flashes of lightning, there was nothing to look forward to.

He closed his eyes to the distant sound of thunder and breathed in the scent of impending rain rising softly from the earth.

The Daimyo exhaled deeply as he turned his head towards his son.

He couldn't believe how much time has passed since Ve was just a little boy. In fact, the Daimyo had always remembered him that way. Perhaps the gods had decided to speed things up a little, restoring Ve into his young adult self.

Innocence lost, regained, and forfeited.

Life in the palace was a never-ending cycle of sorrow and pain.

[ninjustupower]

Ve's green eyes met his father's brown eyes, which were soft yet full of pain, and Ve knew why, he was one of the main reasons.

Ve bowed as he neared his father, he felt so distant from his only living family member, he didn't feel as if they were family, just people who live side by side, because they have to, but with no real connections.

Looking at his father closely brought back memories...memories of when Ve was still a child, always trying to show off his newly-learned ninja skills to his father, leaping and kicking, his father praising him... but was it false praise? Were all those days just hollow? Empty? With no real meaning at all?

No, even if they were, those days were gone now, he was no longer a child, he was a grown man with his own will and ambitions...that is why he would show that he was no longer a child.

"Greetings, father, you wished to speak to me?"

[lost frequencies]

The Daimyo had his hands tucked behind him as he slowly walked out of the balcony towards his son, and then past him.

"Yes, Ve--it is about our esteemed guests who have come here to watch the tournaments," his voice echoed in the emptiness of the court. "They are left with nothing to do here since the Royal Counsel's decided to call it off."

Settling down on his throne, he took the goblet of red wine from a kneeling servant before continuing, "Perhaps you could keep our guests entertained until the storm passes. I'm sure they would enjoy having your youthful presence. Take my guests wherever you like, as long as they are happy."

The Daimyo had failed to mention that there are other warriors who were waiting. Most were spending their time away getting drunk at the bar whle still hoping they might have a chance to show their skills in the arena.

But the Lord of the Nexus was stubborn. He just thought that there weren't enough warriors to keep thousands of spectators entertained.

He was hoping to trust his son on this, despite what they had been through in the past. Perhaps he had changed. Perhaps Ve just needed something to feel important enough to be a part of his kingdom.

[ninjustupower]

Ve felt his green eyes narrow, perhaps this was a chance to show his father that he was worthy to be daimyo! To show that he wasn't just some callow son that needed watching over!

Ve straightened his shoulders and puffed out his muscular chest, so he looked more powerful, his father needed to know that his heir wasn't weak, he needed to know Ve was strong, and ready to combat anything that came against him.

"I would be most honored, father", Ve replied smoothly while secretly masking the lust for power that began to well up inside him, this could really be a big-step for him. A step to earn trust, as well as, make a good impression on the guests, so, that for future schemes, they would think well of him.

"Father, you look ill, I suggest you go rest, leave all to me", Ve told him gently in a coaxing tone, he tried his best to make himself look earnest enough, but...would his father agree? Ve knew his father didn't trust him...completely now was an oppurtunity to change that.

[lost frequencies]

The Daimyo groaned and turned his eyes away as he took a sip of wine from his goblet.

Despite how fragile-looking he was, the tengu lord willed himself to be strong. He simply couldn't accept the fact that he was aging like any mortal being.

No amount of witchcraft could keep him from death. The spells, the rituals, the sacrifices he had gone through for the sake of immortality and power had only made him miserable and lost.

"My memory is slipping," he sighed. "Feels like it was yesterday when you were just a young boy."

He shook his head, his thoughts drifting back to the times when he was younger, stronger, and capable of ruling his kingdom. Although stripped of his past glory, the Daimyo was still the over-protective and doting father Ve had always known.

This was why he never wanted his son to take after his throne. He didn't want Ve to end up like the miserable ruler of the Nexus that he was.

One of the guards approached him and whispered something into the tengu lord's ear...

"Have I not ordered for the portals to be closed?!" he bellowed suddenly, startling the guards and servants in the court.

"How has he managed to enter our realm?!"

"The warrior is female, my lord," corrected the guard. "A kitsune."

The Daimyo then turned to his son.

"Ve, see to this...kitsune warrior in the dungeon at once. She might know of a safer travel route. We have no means to keep our guests here if there is a chance of returning."

[RenaRoo121]

Ninjara had already seen enough of this strange and confusing world to know that she did not like it or its play on her heritage. It almost felt as though manners of everyone involved had reverted to an almost Feudal chauvinism and disrespect.

On the plus side, this same code of conduct had seemingly kept her from being persecuted as a "strange" mutated mess as often was the case on her home world.

Still, all the events begged the question of where her close friends were.

"My name is Ninjara," she spoke back, as respectfully as she could muster. She figured that the speaking man was of some prominence simply based on how the others responded to him. Other than that, the fox truly fought within herself to keep from snapping. "I am a kitsune and I do not know how I ended up in your world. This is all a serious mistake. I only wish to return to New York City to find my friends and Master Splinter."

[ninjustupower]

His father's outburst somewhat startled Ve, clearly his father was weakening, and he needed someone to take over the Nexus, and Ve would be sure that HE was the one.

But this, kitsune warrior? What was she doing here? Who was she?

Ve's face threatened to give away uncertainty, but he couldn't allow that, he would go to the dungeon at once to see this warrior.

"I shall see to this intruder at once father". Ve bowed as he started to walk away quickly, but--before he could leave he needed to do something, Ve also took a sip of wine from the goblet, for he knew he would need it.

Ve only hoped that this warrior, would be cooperative with him, and that she could be used in his power scheme.

Smiling, Ve excited out of the main court, he didn't even bother to look back once at his father, for he didn't need to, all was in his control now.

"My Lord, would you like us to escort you to the dungeon?" One of the guards offered politely.

"No", Ve replied quickly, "I'm fine on my own".

Speeding up his walking pace, Ve descended down the stairs that led to the palace dungeon.

Before entering, Ve paused, if the tales that he had heard about this female were true, then she was some he should be catious of, all well as have full alert, but, he was the Ultimate Ninja, nothing scared him, and he wouldn't hesitate to fight.

Ve placed one hand on the dungeon door, it slowly opened, creaking the entire way, Ve slowly made his way in, looking around, the stale scent of the dungeon filling his nostrils, the cold air, whirling around him, bringing back memories of his past life...

"Kitsune warrior, I am the Daimyo's son, and I have been sent to deal with you".

[RenaRoo121]

Ninjara raised her brow curiously at this announcement. Surely this man wasn't serious. While heavily clad in a warrior's garb she sensed something about him that was not intimidating whether that was because of his demeanor or the fact that he introduced himself as daddy's little boy.

"To deal with me?" she said through her teeth. "Then I wish you luck. I have often been told I'm more trouble than I'm worth."

[ninjustupower]

Ve nearly let a cackle escape his lips, this "warrior" as she was called, was nothing other than a fox, an animal, which brought Ve amusement.

"May I ask, fox, how you came to be here and WHY you are here?" Ve tried asking causuallly, but a hiss nearly made its way out of his mouth, he could see her eyes looking at him with mockery, well, he'd show her, he was no joke, he was the Ultimate Ninja!

But seeing this warrior was definitely not on the friendly side, Ve knew that his scheme would be harder to carry out then he had expected.

[RenaRoo121]

She looked over him, her teeth bearing themselves slightly beneath her split black lips. She was not amused with his cockiness or lack of sincerity. If anything she was more despondent to it. He seemed more like a villain or a menace than a son to some sort of Lord to this land.

"I can answer neither," Ninjara responded. "I was hoping to have those questions answered myself."