Tidings of a Mad God are my Wind

[Ururu Kyuuei]

It seemed like a blind eternity had passed since she had fallen to her sensei and even longer since that... Thing... had grabbed her and taken her here.

On the principle of things, Ururu had to say that this mind numbing shock alone was one reason why you don't go abducting people, but then again. Whatever here was. It. Was. Unique.

Emerald eyes were greeted endless sky of white. White so bright it was positively black. Which really didn't make sense and yet it did since there was a looming phillic structure above her and she was lying on her back in the most uncomfortable position possible. Up against her adventerurer's pack and her weight on her duster and her lute-

Wait.

She felt around.

She could move.

That was plus.

Movement, an alien concept and yet familiar indeed. That meant she could right herself. Get to her feet. Stand. Look around. Get away. Explore. Exist beyond staring at this place and reliving her entire life in vague narrative that was her own inner monologue-

"Yeah I need to shut up now." Ururu chided herself as her fingers found smooth and yet not smooth floor beneath her. At the moment it was all she could get so that's what she would take. After all she had been begging for how many seconds/eons just for a change of pace and what Mad God had said made her want to claw her way out of her own skin at the moment and remember more pleasant things like the painful look of betrayal on her sensei's face and relive her own guilt about it.

With that thought as motivation to make something of her now and future life Ururu pushed herself to her feet rather slowly and unsteadily. She was still not used to being over a food shorter again and not having any breasts... or an ass of any proportionate size. Then again both those features had been lacking even as a fifteen year old. Now? She could pass anywhere for a nine year old and a eleven year old.

"Ah the great per-adolescent age where everything vague." She said with a note of derision. But that a least That she could change. That Mad God may have put her at the base of this phallac fountain but that didn't mean she wasn't Kyuuei Ururu the greatest genius and inventor of ninjutsu that shinobi world had neither seen nor heard of.

Focusing on her chakra, and she could certain feel it now coursing through her metaphysical anatomy playfully, Ururu began to mold it with handseals upon her fingers. Untold wealth of power began to bubble under her skin, taking form, shaping itself to her command, making the universe her bitch-

Nope

It was a proclamation of her soul. Something or someone was missing.

And that's when pain struck her like cold furious lightning, erupting from her right collarbone and spread outward. The black keyhole shaped tattoo blackened and filled in as the monk's script seals spread like circuit boards across her body. It was the missing piece of her body, her mind. The one she loved more than herself that was herself.

The Network opened up, ripped into her mind and filled that gaps of where techniques began and the companions who had given her meaning ended.

Hikaru, who was once Haruru, who had taken her own name when Ururu had finally realized that her Dolls had pieces of Soul wrought by her own hand. She had made them human.

Pain grew larger as the network spread out across the verse, across nothing, across everything. Her mind was creation and destruction, a microcosm. Her godhood, her immortality. everything who she had been was waking up and yet- and yet it was incomplete.

The universe here fought it. Balanced it. And then pissed on it.

Here omnilium is everything.

Chakra is nothing.

Seared into her soul a darker side of her was processing what the Mad God had told her.

"Dear Sage" Ururu moaned as tears dripped from her eyes as she realized she was on her knees. The one thing she had believed in would be no help here. In her own world there had been gods, and the God of Shinobi stood up to them and consumed them. But she was no longer on her world. And one thing her belief told her is that the Sage gave her people Ninjutsu so they could help themselves.

Even beyond his reach, he had still touched her, given her the means and power. Not just through chakra but through her mind.

She needed to understand this place.

Ururu stood again even more wobbly than before. She could hear their voices, muted, sleeping. Like sleep talking mixed with a bit of Saru's snoring. Her personas were still there. Alive. Her friends and companions.

She had everything she needed. But more than anything there was just one she needed the most. To help her live to help her think straight because right now, she could barely stand let alone begin to process this violation of her sanctity.

Still clutching her chakra. though it was tentantive, she began to mold it again with hand signs. Every time the universe was about to come down on her... she changed it, finding what it did accept, what it wanted and what it didn't. Adjustment. A two step dance only she wasn't the one in the lead... but that didn't mean she couldn't whisper her own suggestions.

Keep the chakra slow, even, catch the frequency of time? Of nothingness? Of everything?

She couldn't even tell, her mind felt half filled with ravings of some lunatic trying to write a novel rather than thinking her out of this situation. But something her told her what her limit was. Go with simple. Back to the beginning.

So that was what Ururu did. The first real advancement of her Genesis techniques.Twin Sacrificial Rebirth. That the universe seemed to accept so she pressed on, sweat forming with her unknowing of that first sign of weakness. Her mind worked on visualizing, basic practices she hadn't used in years for doing a technique that she could and did on more than one occasion literally perform in her sleep.

Golden hair, lighter than her own, taller, and always a little bit older. Darker skins, more chocolate than olive. A face that was succulently kissable. Beautiful with curves she could squeeze and yet athletic enough that she could kick ass in a fight. And all the memories and emotions that went with it. She packaged them up into her chakra-

Nope-

"Fuck you!" Ururu screamed suddenly into the white sky as she fought the universe for this. Pain hammering suddenly into the network, into her body as something fought her to balance the scales.

It damn well took her from her the place of her power but she was powerful in her own regard, she had achieved immortality, found how to tap the vast and full potential of the innercoil system in ways no one had ever thought possible, let alone survivable. If not for her overly well crafted body and the surprise her sensei had caused she would have been able to mop the floor with all but the strongest Jounins.

But that didn't matter, she would have this. by the Sage's own grace would take from this universe this own comfort.

Pain pounded her as she fought and released the chakra into a semblance of a controlled manner and as she did she called upon the Persona of Hikaru. The reflection of herself that could have been yet never was. The girl who was her conscious. Wiser. Nobler. And yet just as stubborn.

Nope

Smoke erupted next to her and caught her just as Ururu fell towards the not-earth.

Fingers followed by arms clasped. The color was right but it seemed small. Maybe that was the nausia talking.

She would have thrown up if not for the fact her stomach was empty. Instead she only ended up with drool on her chin.

Blearily Ururu looked up at the face who greeted her and was supporting her body, and she could swear it was like looking in the mirror and seeing herself with far to much tan. It sparked familiarity, not with herself but something older, more carnal and yet completely surprising?

It was the face of Haruru, the girl Hikaru had been. Younger too. far younger. Almost her equal in the current situation. Scales it seemed would be balanced. But fuck that, it was enough. It was something she could take and it was something that was already hers. And she wanted it now.

Finding strength she hadn't thought was left in her Ururu pushed herself forward in a proper sloppy embrace which lasted far to short of a time before she was pushed away by concerned eyes.

A soft playful lilt assaulted her ears, "I don't think this is the place we should be doing that."

Feeling more than a little drugged by a number possibilties, Ururu only gave a stupid but understanding grin. No, not Haruru. That playfulness was definitely the person who had learned to truly trust these last few years. The evolution of true friendship rather than neccessity.

Nodding and still under her Doll's support... wait no, older body... This was a clone. Yes that. Under her clone's support Ururu finally focused on something that wasn't the sky or the face of one she loved.
?
"Where the hell are we anyway" Ururu finally said after more than a few seconds of obliviousness.

[Ururu Kyuuei]

It took Ururu some time to come to her senses. The world was just white and that in its own regard was a burning wrongness that her mind didn’t want to accept. Sure there was color here and there but it was odd. They weren’t imperfections as it seemed like nothing was imperfect about this place other than its occupants.

That more than anything was telling. Remnants of corpses littered the place but it was too clean when only the bits of bits remained. Ururu could see even a gib of intestine that seemed to be fused with the ground. Her careful eye could tell that even that wasn’t long for this world as a myriadly colored miasma burned from its edges.

Disturbing to say the least.

In the distance there were structures, of varying color and texture, tiny at this distance or maybe they were huge and further away? Gauging wasn’t easy either. What little Ururu could make from her sight from here told it was that it was distant but that was it. Anything else she could glean would have to come when they were moving. And it didn’t seem like this place had a normal horizon either. For all she knew the ground could actually be right angle flat unlike a curved world.

After all white-white was more impossible than that feat of geometry.

And moving was something they needed to do, though Hikaru hadn’t said anything, the unsaid thoughts were apparent to say the least.

Tarry not for those who linger on the borders of life soon find their choice for one or another will be made for them. 3:2 Arts of the Sage

Something told her that it was truer in this case than in a lot of situations that Ururu had found herself in. And it was one thing she was always hesitant to test. Her clones were often a scapegoat from death but now at this moment she didn’t have that… and hell this place could very well be a death sentence due to how weak she was at the moment beyond the body she was stuck in.

Of all the times for her to be abducted…

“We should move,” Hikaru prompted softly after another moment and a nudge under Ururu’s armpit. The support was there, stronger than ever but it took everything for Ururu to simply process the majesty of it and nod in response.

With a carefully timed step followed consecutively by others they made their way towards what looked like the cleanest of the gateways.

Each step though over the seconds and minutes brought a quiet respite when they weren’t attacked and allowed Ururu to regain her stamina. Half of it because of the excess chakra that had been wasted was flowing back into her from HIkaru. But also it just felt like she was… coming more and more to life.

Or perhaps she was just adapting to this body’s youth.

Which was somewhat concerning if she was still that subject to the variances of biologies. One wrong clone and poof she could be a seething maniac with no humanity whatsoever. But for now like Hikaru’s body being less than womanly… She’d take what she could get.

“If you’re feeling that good you can walk on your own.” Hikaru intoned with a hint something not quite polite. But the support didn’t waver. Ururu still needed to walk.

“Just because you’re like me now doesn’t mean we won’t be able to have fun once we find some place safe and relatively private.” Ururu muttered half-heartedly.

It wasn’t the first time that she realized it was a coping mechanism of hers. Sex made things easier, good stress relief. Flirting helped pass the time, made for a byplay that brought her together. And from the looks of the gateways not getting much bigger as they moved forward; the obvious was they had a lot of time to pass.

Weakly grinning Ururu began to think of what she wanted to do first, leaving HIkaru to groan at the stream of unspoken and quietly growing wave of erotic thoughts-

A smack to the back of her head broke them.

“Oy I’m injured here!” Ururu said with mock outrage.

HIkaru snorted, “Injured? No you just wore yourself trying to do something insanely stupid.”

Ururu shrugged. Insanely stupid was not really quantifiable.

“Don’t you try and logic yourself out of this. We’re dealing with a system of physics that actively tries to counter any move. With sentience.” Hikari said with no small bit of exasperation.

“So?” Ururu grunted. Its not like she hadn’t picked it all up but… but without HIkaru what would be the point of this universe? Death-

Another smack to the back to head, this time with more than a little bit of force.

“Don’t even finish that thought,” Hikaru growled out.

“Its-“

Pain blossomed as HIkaru’s supporting fingers twisted the most sensitive bit of flesh on Ururu’s breast.

“OW! Okay okay! Sage take me okay!” Ururu nearly cried in relief as the pressure was released.

“Don’t fucking ever think that.”

Ururu stared and nearly tripped over her own feet. Even after Hikaru’s transformation to someone more human in personality… she rarely ever cussed even. She could only count one time in memory that she had ever said anything more than a minor blasphemy let alone a sexualized curse like fuck.

“Okay… I won’t. Just don’t ever leave.” Ururu said after a while.

That seemed to mollify Hikaru marginally though the sense of repressed feelings over the Network told Ururu that this conversation wouldn’t be finished for a long time.

No somehow it probably wouldn’t be ever finished for as long as there were stars in the sky… If this place even had stars… which made it seem even more alien.

A world without astronomy was like a world without- no not thinking. Not thinking it at all.

“Good.”

[Ururu Kyuuei]

The fire of chakra in her body seemed to finally be settling in a way that didn’t leave Ururu wanting to heaving up her guts. Which was probably good because she was starting to get hungry. Hungry meant recovery, and things like being normal and not as screwed up as it had been.

But more importantly it meant not relying on Hikaru to do her thinking for her. Well most of it anyways. That was one thing Ururu found comforting, even if in the back of her mind she knew that the Doll was a splinter of her true self seen through rose colored glasses. Ururu had gotten passed that. Accepted it and come to love the person Haruru had turned into.

They were two different people now, sure they shared the same space for all intents and purposes but they were unique. Enough to where she had grown to need her. Love her.

And well having a sounding board for the rest of eternity was quite appealing.

“Nice to know I could accommodate you.” Hikaru said derisively.

Ururu smiled as her step continued to strengthen. No longer was she being supported physically by her clone, but instead emotionally. Their fingers were intertwined as they continued on the path to one of the gateways which was becoming more obvious in its construction. It was a reassure show of affection that she would grow to miss if they were ever apart but considering the nature of the relationship, that was very… very seldom.

Looking up from the face of her now eerily similar Hikaru, Ururu spotted the gate they had been tracking now for the better part of an hour.

As far as architecture was concerned, it was simplistic but well made. It harkened back to her days sneaking about pagodas yet… more angular. Lots a straight edge to make a curves upon the stone’s form. And that was about it. Nothing really to set it apart stylistically from any other arched gateway. No carvings. Nothing.

“That’s pretty unimaginative.” Ururu said finally.

It was one thing to build something functional but when it’s just standing out on its own with no support in this whiteness… well. It needs something. Years of being an architect through doton jutsu and more recently mokuton had told her that. But also a decade climbing and hiding in the stone and woodwork of the greatest buildings in the world gave her an appreciation for what the human mind had imagined.

Woe it would be if she ever forgot that.

The simple truth was rarely did anyone look up so Ururu always had plenty of time to admire what made construction amazing.

Details.

Without detail this was just an archway. A body without a personality, a soulless husk not fit for life. Functional and drab.

“Well,” Hikaru began a breath as if choosing her words carefully, “Not all gods can be amazing artists. If that Thing even made it.”

Ururu shook her head, “This whole realm is meant to impress us with his might. Showmanship. He made it.”

It would be impossible to know, well someone could know but beyond trying to find someone who did neither one could really make any effective guesses as to how much was here from the beginning and how much was added by a third party.

It didn’t change the fact that there was very even at this distance that could said for the ever so growing monument to archway styles. But it was concerning, she hadn’t seen anything recently that would hint there were other living people that occupied this world and her gut told her that was not generally the case.

Whatever the case it was possibly luck or something else that resulted in them being alone and unmolested by hordes of whatever. They always learned from the shadows, having to deal with an influx of something wanting to bite your face off or trying to turn you into a slave wasn’t much of an experience that contributed to you knowledge of how things worked.

Observation was key, and observe they would provided it didn’t take longer a day to get there.

“Come on, lets hurry our pace a bit.” Ururu said with a hint of urgency.

She had a bad feeling about this place.

[Ururu Kyuuei]

It was official, whatever realm this was called she hated it. It should be called monotinousverse or something. Who in their right mind makes a place that so totally plain and dull that the only points interest are sparsely decorated archways in a vast plane of white?

Unless the point was to drive them mad, in which case, they were doing an exceptional job.

However one distinct advantage she had now that she hadn’t last thought of how inane this place was… was that they were closer. And by closer Ururu would have to say significantly close. Enough ensure that here earlier assessment of the Gate’s plainness was not an over exaggeration. Really whoever made this needed some classes in exterior decoration-

Even at the distance they still were at, the pair had a clear view of exactly what was going on with the archway. Which was unusual because even an hour ago they had a good view if not as distinct. What was happening now was a change that was full of clues that could be exploited in some way.

Figures that looked to be hewn out of metal had just appeared from the whiteness of what had been beyond the now visible event horizon. That was abstract to say the least. But it certainly matched human expectations to some degree or another. After all the purpose of archways were the lead into a new location while supporting what was around it.

No more than two of these figures as far as Ururu could tell which made it likely either travelers or a scouting party. If it was a given that metal was in fashion and people naturally didn’t mind the weight then her thoughts would have been that these individuals were travelers… But in her experience metal rarely made a statement beyond ‘hey look at us, we are people who want to be protected from the horrors of war, please aim all your weapons at the shiny parts so we might survive!’

“Scouting party?”

Hikaru gave a grunt of agreement, like a cat raising its hackles. Her entire body suddenly much more ready to defend Ururu than before… However as with everything in this universe, it was set against.

Something gave Ururu the impression that her clone technique as it was… would not be enough beyond fighting off some drunk. Hikaru would only make a useful distraction or a shield. Not much else.

The figures suddenly froze apparently whatever animate conversation they were having was set aside as one pointed towards Ururu and Hikaru. The one who wasn’t pointing immediately had his hands falling to his side. It was a very Samurai thing to do even at this distance.

Don’t underestimate any potential opponent even at this distance. Underestimation means death.

Even if the bit of intestine she saw back there wasn’t indication, Ururu could now definitively confirm to herself that this world had seen war. Enough where people carried weapons and sent patrols out. That meant the potential for combat at a level Ururu was currently ill suited to handle.

The figures began moving more frantically back into their conversation before all at once they stopped turned around and went back through the archway, their bodies consumed by whiteness.

Whatever these gateways were they were a reliable technology for transitioning people and things back and forth through them. Which either meant familiarity or understanding in how they worked. More to the point how likely was it that these people used them on daily basis? How many were there? And more importantly would Ururu be able to recreate them?

That required knowledge.

Far be it for Ururu to scoff at a little research though that’s what Hikaru did. She didn’t blame her. It could be as monotonous as this plane they had found themselves in, but they didn’t change the end result of gaining something others did not.

The more she understood the more power she could to making their dreams a reality. Being able to be protected from idiocy of others, to live life however they desired and answer to no one but themselves and the Sage of the Six Paths. Maybe even help others do the same. It was the kind of the thing that made Ururu feel. Pride, joy maybe even a little bit of ambition that was marked by her own sense of awe when things exceeded her understandings or expectation.

This place in all its… white, did both things even if it did want to drive her to tears of boredom. Next time she’d see about getting through here quick. Maybe a carriage? Recreating her chopper would take a good deal of time and metallurgy unless there was some equivalent technology here. She hoped she was. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in a time before the computer was created.

But even if that was the case she had time to recreate the engineering side things and more than few helpers to aid her in raising the cultural level of the world.

“Still think we should go through this thing?” Hikaru queried.

Ururu shrugged, to not do it would be denying themselves understanding even if it was a risk, “Worse comes to worse we send Saru first.”

That got a giggle from her companion… after all Saru was the epitome of curiosity killed the cat.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

[Ururu Kyuuei]

By the time the pair had reached the smooth stone gate that lacked any and all artistic imagination what so ever, there had been no sightings of any more of the possible Patrols that they had seen from afar.

Unfortunately the plainness of both the area and the gate didn’t really hint at all what was behind it and no within the last five minutes had appeared to act as her tour guide which was perhaps fortunate as that could just as easily turn bloody. Something which she had problems with unless it was more sportsman like.

Bloody combat for the entertainment of all? She could get into that. No different than sparring or training. It would be a good way to earn whatever currency that this place used. Though she’d keep herself well away any politically inspired combat or wars, or street beat downs.

That was just asking for trouble.

But back to the issue at hand, the giant three by three meter archway of possible doom that loomed a few feet ahead that didn’t appear to have any means of working beyond simply being there. She could just simply walk through it but that was too easy. What was on the other side? Couldn’t be too dangerous if two people already just walked through it, unless they then set up an ambush… Or it could lead to a nice metal wall for the uninitiated in which she could be thrown bodily at the speed of sound into and it would turn her into a lovely read and brown rorschach puzzle.

Yeah lovely…

Well nothing for it. Time to get Saru out.

“Watch my back” Ururu mumbled, but in the back of her head she could feel Hikaru’s nod of confirmation. That nod would always be there for that request.

Taking a deep breath she focused on her chakra, of the form it took for Saru who despite being a decidedly male personality was often reflected appearance wise closest to her. It’s minty like essence, cooling yet hot, filled with pride, like a warm hearth fire in winter drinking warm mead. Spiced.

With the first seal she brought to her fingers, she followed through on the next and more. Each one shaping her life’s energy into something great while her mind gave it greater purpose upon reflection. Her secret technique bore itself well.

As she finished the molding process, she breathed out and awakened Saru.

With a pop a boyish, black haired kid appeared slightly heavier and bright blue eyes. It was still like looking in a mirror darkly but it was different enough especially the way his face changed with a goofy yawn.


“So what was that all about?” He said with a snort?

Ururu blinked, “What was what?”

Saru pointed back the way they had come, “The whole omnilium is everything, wouldn’t that be something you might want to test out?”

He gave a shrug before turning around towards the gate and walking through it without any warning through the Network or verbally. The moment his face hit it though, there was a loud burst of color in all three of their minds and then the body of Saru hit the ground, one foot sticking out from rippling whiteness. Completely dislocated.

Saru for his part was gone from the body; she could feel him wandering around the plains of her imagination somewhere in the Network’s mindscape. He always had an odd innocent wisdom to him. But that was odd even for him.

“Well that tells us what happens when we’re separated by whatever this is.” Hikaru said as she swooped her fingers through it with no problem before reaching down and dragging Saru’s unoccupied body back on the planes of white more fully.

It was a husk. Life without consciousness. Souless.

Welp time to test out an aspect of her technique… Dismissal. Would it decay or something else?

Forming a seal she focused on its link to her chakra that had kept it alive even when separated from the Network… and yanked on it mentally. All at once the body started to turn silver then prismatic before evaporating in an outward growing wave.

Just like the piece of flesh she had encountered earlier.

Everything was Omnilium, Which had some seriously disturbing connotations.

“Were’ going to have to play with that a bit by ear aren’t we?” Ururu said hesitantly.

Hikaru chuckled as if that were obvious, “Would I be able to stop you?”

Of course not, Ururu thought. Something like that normally didn’t happen with her techniques. Maybe… maybe the balance was… no, is responsible? It definitely seemed sentient. Everything that was different was worth exploring, everything that was the same needed to be proven actually the same in the first place as a control. Somewhere in all that was a possible loophole. Loopholes meant advantages. Survival.

“Well no, but for now let’s just see what’s on the other side.” Ururu held out her hand to HIkaru and felt the comforting return of fingers and a welling of emotion that exemplified everything her companion had for her.

“On three” Hikaru began, her tone had a wariness-

Ururu didn’t wait, with her lover in hand ,literally, she pulled them both through into the unknown . An unknown horribly under decorated and utterly, totally plain.

[Ururu Kyuuei]

Many days later…

The compression of the Gate was discomforting as the Network seemed to squeeze around her. Writhing was more like it as she and Hikaru walked a bronze-yellow motorbike through. Her companion, slightly taller by some, gold hair, dark skin, more graceful features than Ururu’s own boyish looks, winced harshly as she left the edge of the gate as well. Arm in arm on one side, hands steadying the chopper and using it as a crutch with the other.

Both gave a sigh.

Though it had lasted seconds at most, it felt like a vice grip on her brain. She could barely feel Airu now. A distant quiet blip of knowledge, no real direction. Just there. She’d be there to meet Desco and Okor and inform them of where they could meet Ururu and Hikaru should they so desire it. If not, Airu could do some reconnaissance on the people and culture of Camelot. The dark haired girl would be at home there, especially given the circumstances of her creation. Creation that was as artificial as where they found themselves now.

Here they were greeted with the same clean white that dominated the entire Nexus and from everything they had read; Coruscant’s entrance stood dead opposite of it. And with their bike clear Ururu threw herself back on, waiting only for the warmth of Hikaru’s chest to be situated against her back and arms wrapping around her waist.

“Ready?” Ururu called back

Her chopper was four hundred fifty kilos of solid chakra reactive metal with a gold and black fuuinjutsu engraved shell. Anything that wasn’t bronzed, had been sealed under ebon caps of tungsten carbide that led to small bottled lightning capacitors.

“Ready!” Hikaru replied.

That was all the excuse Ururu needed. She lit up the engine with a smile in spite of the danger they were potentially heading into. Ururu revved its cycler to build a charge.

Each rumble brought the glow of lightning into stronger candescence and arcs of static where metal rode low to the ground. As the bursts of light burned, more chakra flowed forth though this was from the Star Reactor rather than the girl who was to pilot it. A vessel that produced a low quality chakra that igniteed specific trim lines of fuuinjutsu across the chopper’s hull.

Ururu could hear the sound of the shifting gears as it came to full charge.

There!

A grin and her will pushed the bike into full acceleration and projections of green monk’s script fell against her legs and the ground. The wheels squealing only for an instant before they caught traction, the same fuuinjutsu that glowed across the machine’s body ran straight down in the center of each nearly 30 centimeter wide tires of blackened tungsten.

The seals were there to reinforce the machine’s durability. Durability that was blessedly needed as the electric engine had during its first test had enough torque to rip then entire thing into two.

The world blurred behind them as the gate which had been only centimeters away was now maybe twenty meters at least and even that estimate lost accuracy fast. This time they would be to their destination in short order, rather than hours of walking.