Sifting through the Past: Six-Tails Research!

I had spent a total of two weeks in the Land of the Sandstorm, the first week in the ancient library and the second, recuperating from the journey and retaining the knowledge I had earned. I had finally gotten back to my village two nights after that two-week solo expedition and decided it was time to write down all the information I had gained regarding the Rokubi at the ancient library. This required that I rewind my brain to the start of my journey two and a half weeks ago, in the village.

1. Researching the Library

One day, nearly a month after my visit with Neo, I heard rumors and other talk around the village about an ancient library that appeared rather suddenly in the Ressa Desert in Sakyugakure about three weeks ago. When I had first heard this, I thought it was just a rumor and nothing more. Maybe the humidity was getting to their heads. I thought nothing more of it and went out into the village. Aside from that rumor, everything was as peaceful as always and everyone was in high spirits, which made me feel happy as ever. About an hour later, I decided to head to the training grounds to check on the other shinobi and their current training. Before I could reach it, however, a chuunin boy came to me, asking if I had heard the rumors about the library and I told the boy that it was most likely a rumor and nothing more. When I told him this, he nodded and ran off and back onto the grounds. This made me more curious, but again I shrugged it off and continued my peaceful stroll around the village.

It was about mid-day when an ANBU intercepted me. "Sir. I have news from the ANBU in Sakyugakure." I stopped immediately in my tracks and spoke sternly. "Well then? Speak quickly. What is the news?" The ANBU spoke without stuttering. "Sir. The rumors regarding some library in the Ressa Desert in Sakyugakure are in fact true. The ANBU from there were told by the Sabakukage to relay this message to you and that he wants you to go there immediately." My eyes genuinely widened for a split second and then I spoke. "Inform the village that I am taking a leave of absence. I may be gone longer this time, so take care of everyone with all of your strength. Go!" The ANBU nodded and then disappeared in a flash. As soon as he left, I myself began my journey back to Sakyugakure to find out about this library that Neo had association with.

When I had finally arrived at Sakyugakure, the village as always was very busy: villagers buying foods in the market, children running around playing, the women doing daily chores. While walking through the residential area, I heard an old man talking to his wife about a large tower in the middle of the Ressa Desert. When I heard the first few seconds of the conversation, I decided to walk over and ask about this tower and see if it had some relation to the library I had heard about earlier from the ANBU at home. "Excuse me. What is this about a tower?" The old man turned toward me with a look of seriousness on his face. "You look like you aren't from around here. I don't talk with people not from here when it comes to village-related things. Run along before I call a shinobi over here." I nodded my head and vanished from his line of sight. After that happened, I then decided to just go straight to the source: Neo. When I arrived at his palace, he was already there. I walked up to him and asked about this library. When he told me of the experience he had there, I had no choice but to accept the fact that this library was in fact real. I quickly thanked him for sharing the information with me and then ran off to see this place for myself. I will not let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers!

2. Journey to the Library

Just before leaving the village, I gathered supplies for the journey - specifically water - and then ran out of the village toward my destination: the ancient library at the heart of the Ressa Desert. I knew this journey would be difficult and this would be a personal trial in and of itself. This will be one hell of a journey. Worth it, though, that's for certain. I would use the technique I used in the race with Neo and run using the frontal areas of my feet to increase my general speed without expending much stamina. I would need all of it if I want to make this journey in one piece.

I was already a mile into the journey. The sun was scraping at my body and the general heat of the Ressa Desert made my body want to catch on fire and melt. The sky was clear, so there was no salvation from its intense gaze, but I had to continue running. My body in reality was still functioning perfectly, my muscles back in shape from the race between me and Neo, my speed finally back to being worthy of the rank of Kage. This journey was a test of willpower if nothing else and could already notice the signs that this journey would be a struggle for my sanity.

Nightfall had come rather quickly and I decided to sleep for a few hours to regain my strength, so that when I wake up, I can start running again in full force. I began thinking of my village and how much I longed to be home again. I fell asleep thinking about it and, interestingly enough, I had dreamt of it. I dreamt of my duties as the Tsurikage and what it meant to the people of the village and even my own parents. Everyone in the village seemed proud of me and proud to be a part of Morigakure as much as I. The dream was relieving and put my mind at ease from the earlier tension in running through the desert and its harsh weather.

I woke about three hours later and it was still dark outside, the moon bright and the stars shown so clearly in the night sky. The weather was perfect for the time being and so I decided it'd be a good idea to get a head start before the sun came up. I stood up, stretched my legs, back, arms, and neck and then began a full sprint toward my destination, where hopefully the tower would be. I took out the map and rolled it out to make sure I wasn't back-tracking, and as I knew that I was moving in the right direction, I got on the frontal areas of my feet again and shot toward my destination with freshness of mind.

The sun finally came up and I had made great time so far within the past day. I stopped for a moment to check the map. I had marked off the area where I had slept last night and also where the village was on the map. In relation to where I was then, I was about halfway to where the tower should be, as the old man had pointed out and had it marked on the map he gave me. I nodded and continued running, only to stop and jump down low to the sand minutes later. Maybe thirty yards away, there were sand wanderers settling themselves to rest for who knows how long. Scavengers, I thought to myself and then grinned. It's been a while since I've done some fighting. Maybe I'll use these guys as target practice. I then jumped back up to my feet and walked toward the group of scavengers, keeping a serious grin on my face.

As I got closer to them, they took notice of me and ran toward me angrily. "Hey! Piss off! Go back to where you came from, unless you're looking for a fight." I made my grin noticeable and answered their threat. "Excuse me. For one, I'm not going to stave from my path because of your groups' petty squabbles. Secondly, a fight is exactly what I'm looking for. I need some good target practice." The rest of the group came in front of me and got ready for the slaughter that was about to happen. "We don't know who you are, but if it's a fight you want, you can have it!" They all ran toward me and my muscles tensed. So weak, I thought but one of them got a hit on my upper chest and I moved back a foot. Maybe I should just get this over with. Better things to do. They all came at me again. To them, I probably looked like a mirage because of how fast I moved. I circled the group twice: eight men in total, no weapons in hand except three who have a kunai. So ill prepared. I'd say they're maybe chuunin at best. After circling them the second time, I pivoted and punched the first man in the throat, followed by a back-up palm strike to the second man's jaw knocking him to the ground. The six remaining men looked around, most likely wondering what's happening. I quickly slid to the other (left) side of the group, kicking in one of the men's knees and then finishing with a standard chop to the side of his neck, cracking it and then using the momentum of the slide, I pushed myself up into the air and kicked two more men in the temple with the very front end of my feet. Those two seemingly collapsed in slow motion and as they fell, I landed on my feet behind the last three men, knocking the back two mens' heads together, knocking them out cold. The last one turned around only to see my fist making contact with his forehead, knocking him out as well.

"Well, that's that. Sweet dreams." I then took out my map, skimmed it over quickly, and then began running toward the supposed location of the large tower while putting the map back in one of my Kage outfit pockets.

As the second day continued to draw on, I continued to run. The winds were beginning to get much more harsh and the sun felt like it was only getting more intense. Made sense considering it was getting closer to mid-day. However, within the next hour, the winds would hit danger level and the sands would begin to fly with the wind, making it nearly impossible to continue running in the right direction. Luckily, my eyes were keen enough to be able to see through the dense sand and see the map when I took it out of one of my Kage outfit pockets in the front. It seemed that I was facing the right way, but I wasn't sure that I would be so fortunate as to keep on the same path through the remainder of this storm. Knowing this, I punched straight down into the sand so that a hole the size of a human body in fetal position and I then jumped inside the whole and curled myself into such a size and allowed the moving sand to cover me. To keep me from suffocating, I used my Kage outfit as a shield to allow me to breathe safely without inhaling any sand that may suffocate and kill me. The sandstorm raged on for about four straight hours before it began to finally subside. In the fifth hour, I pushed out of my tiny, human-size hole and shook all of the dust off of my body. I need a shower when I get back to the village. The storm never completely settled and my body was suffering from a minor numbness and itchiness from all of the sand during the storm. "Well, at least now I can finally see the sky and sun. Now I can return to my task of finding the tower, or library."

It became nightfall quickly. The sky was finally clear again, the moon full and the stars shining brightly across the sky. It was perfect timing, considering I had just made it to the tower. It was huge to say the least; it looked similar to the size of a tall watchtower. I also noticed what the old man had said, and I now understand why he said this place was...off. Perhaps it seemed this way because it was so incredibly ancient and had appeared so suddenly. Regardless, I ran the rest of the way toward the tower and judged quickly, as I was running, the chakra I needed to keep my footing steady on the tower's surface. I was five feet away from the tower when I jumped and firmly placed my chakra-infused feet on the surface and stood still to make sure that the surface was not made of a sand-like substance. Thank god it isn't made of sand. That would make this more difficult than it needs to be. Knowing that my safety was assured, I ran up the tower to the opening at the very top and stood on the ledge. "How convenient. A rope to carry me down without accidentally falling to my death." I then grabbed onto the rope and slowly but surely descended the tower.

3. The Owl and the Human - Dialogue

Yonoowari:

I finally reached the bottom of the rope and landed gently on my feet to find that I was in a huge palace-sized room filled with nothing but books. I was truly surprised and humbled by this sight as I walked forward toward a long bridge that stretched outward to the other side, which was also covered with bookcases of books that seemingly stretched on forever. Walking forward, I saw a huge owl-looking bird swoop down to the bridge I was facing and the creature seemingly floated toward me with its wings covering his body like a cloak.

Fukuro the Owl:

Fukuro had taken notice of yet another new face entering his library, it appeared that word of the ancient structure rising from the sands of ancient times spread fast. Based on my knowledge of apparel he was from the forest province to the east and smelled of scales. I would land before him and seemingly float close enough to speak. “Welcome seeker of knowledge, to my treasure trove of information. There are merely two things that you should know before going any further, first that I shall require a tribute of some form of new knowledge for my collection or else you will be escorted out. Refusal to leave should you not be able to contribute will result in me adding your head to my collection for study.” I would look off to the left to show a wall of all sorts of mounted heads, appearing to have everything but human so far. “Secondly, that I ask you to not delve into this free gift of knowledge with malice intent. Looking into my sacred library only to look for the destruction of others is unforgivable and thus I will not allow it. In addition to this rule you are not to destroy anything within these walls, doing so will result the same as you refusing to leave. So then, step forward and pay your tribute.”

Yonoowari:

I listened to the large owl speak to me of the rules of the library. They were simple and it was simple enough to abide by. I then took out of my outfit's back pocket a journal, with a cover made of finely carved wood and walked up to the owl with the journal in my hands. “I have brought to you a journal that has been passed down from generation to generation to the leaders of the Dovahkiin Clan. This journal is comprised of the priceless history of the original creation of the Dov in the first generation of humankind. I give this to you willingly as a sign of my faith in your wisdom and protection of knowledge.”

Fukuro the Owl:

A wooden book was rare in this day an age which seemed to signify its age, it also still had a distinct smell that reminded him of when humanity was young and the trees were still ancient and untouched. I would wave my wing over his hand and the book would disappear, no longer in our current presence but stored away deep in my personal collection to be viewed at my leisure. “This is acceptable, enjoy your stay and remember the rules. They might just save your life.” I would step onto the ledge as I had for the previous visitors and launch myself down gracefully to return to my chambers and continue my study.

Yonoowari:

His wing took the journal from my hands and he then flew down to the library's depths. Now to find information on the Rokubi, the six-tailed bijuu. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Where can I find it? What are its movement patterns? Is it willing to speak if I asked it to? What kind of person would she want to talk to in the first place? How would I go about getting its attention? Hopefully, I can get the answers I need here, in this grand and ancient library.