World Tree MUSH

    It's not familiar territory for Athena, but she has no idea where Hephaestus is. What she does have is a drone she wants picked apart, and she figured on finding a place with someone technical to take a look while on her way to her eventual destination: San Fransokyo. The Vine leading from her world to the eventual destination of that one was in Japan, though. Somewhat convenient, given the reputation Japan had in her world for technology.

    What's weird is that she isn't in a city, but a more rural area. She'd heard on the darknet that someone could help her here, but she's starting to wonder. The sparser houses and the roads that look quaint next to the towering megacities are odd for the tech-raised goddess... and she looks even more out of place here, being a European woman travelling with a bulky sack over one shoulder.

    All that is just background for WHY she is here though. It doesn't explain why she's being tailed by several stealthy individuas. With her supernatural awareness, they keep tugging on the edge of the range of her senses, making her skittish but unable to really confirm they are here. Someone else likely can, though...

     Sasuke is, was, and always shall be an explorer. Thus does Sasuke explore the vine until he comes across this world of Japan. Though...this appears to be strange. As technology here far surpasses the world where the Uchiha is from. Nevertheless, dressed in his long dark cloak and hood with a headband keeping his long hair out of his eyes, with only one eye actually visible to anyone, the Konoha ninja simply walks a path. 

     Though upon walking his path, he takes notice of something. A woman who clearly isn't a normal person. And of course, there isn't really much in the way of 'normal' that binds people together. But perhaps it wasn't necessarily Athena that was the problem. Nay...it was what followed. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his right eye turning into the Sharingan, using such an advanced sight to help detect what pursued her. 

     Drawing his blade, sasuke moved stealthily through the shadows, approaching the darkness following Athena with lethal intent!

    As it turns out, the Atsuta Shrine is in this rough area. Or... 'an' Atsuta Shrine. Who knows if this was its original location. It could have been moved, duplicated, or any other number of possibilities. The important thing is, this is near Ryuunosuke Yamaguchi's home turf. And Ryuunosuke and his babysitter -- a black-haired Japanese man in a suit this time -- are out and about.

    'Rural', however, does not mean 'completely without refinement'. Ryuunosuke and his babysitter both have coffees from a nearby coffee shop. He's passing near, and notes this very strange sight. The man-serpent narrows his eyes at the glimpses of stealthy individuals he sees. "...Make yourself scarce, human," he instructs, his voice cold.

    "Excuse me?" the priest replies, looking at the serpent-like youth. "You know I can't just leave you unattended--"

    "There is about to be trouble. Go back to the Shrine, unless you wish to fight off what are likely assassins," Ryuunosuke interrupts. "Go get assistance, if you must."

    The priest's eyes widen when Ryuunosuke notes assassins. But then he shakes his head. "No way. If I go back, you're coming back with me," he states firmly.

    Ryuunosuke emits a long-suffering sigh. "Then -stay out of my way-," he hisses. He ducks behind a building to hide himself, shoving his coffee into the priest's hands. "Here, hold this." There's a sound of metal scraping softly, and Ryuunosuke pops one of the plates along his spine out. It unfolds on a long, thin, metal arm, telescoping out, before the small disk unfolds into a larger one. Then that disk pops off, engaging a near-silent hovering mode, and starts to gravitate slowly and quietly over to those stealthy individuals.

    Ryuunosuke's not just going to leave it at that, though. As his drone is away, he steps out from behind the building and heads in the direction of the European girl they're trailing. His expression is amiable -- well, as amiable as he can manage, considering he's kind of a snake, literally -- as he heads to greet her.

    Awkwardly, Ryuunosuke's approach is going to have the opposite effect that he might intend... but only because of Athena's own problems. The stealthy ninjas are still right outside the range of her ability to sense them, which is making her skin crawl... and now with the approach of the serpentine man, that skin-crawling feeling is getting worse. Much worse. Mostly because he has the sinuous approach despite being human, with features that remind her of a serpent, and ever since the Medusa incident came back into her memory, that's made Athena wary.

    NOT wary enough to draw her firearm and start shooting in the middle of town, no matter how rural. She's just mistrustful, not crazy. "What do you want?" Not a very friendly greeting, but she's probably thinking Ryuunosuke is what's making her on edge in the first place.

    Meanwhile, the ninjas stalking Athena now have a two for one bonus! They have no idea what they're up against, though. They are quite skilled, but two Reborn and unbeknownst to them, a more skilled ninja are their opponents. They do have an eerie coordination though... even Sasuke is likely to be impressed, though their actual skills don't match up with that level of coordination. The drone and Sasuke both will see the blowguns lifting, and a very, very faint wheeze from cybernetic lungs drawing in air.

     Hmmm...another player enters the fray. Sasuke notices Ryuunosuke before the snake man even decided to appear! Given, sasuke met Ryuunosuke in his own home world, though the conversation was brief, greetings and the like were helpfully exchange. But...focus on the strange european woman and Ryuunosuke later. For now...Sasuke had a bone to pick with the ninjas who are clearly intent on assassination or capture of the targets before them. 

     But...they weren't expecting Sasuke Uchiha. 

     In an instant, Sasuke finds and hones in on their position JUST as they breathe in on their blowdarts, tossing a kunai to block a dart, perhaps possibly even at such an angle that the dart flies backwards through the tube and striking the blowdarter! But..two more he needs to foil, so he simply uses his superior speed to appear directly behind Athena and in front of Ryuunosuke, blocking the darts that fly with his sword! 

 ironically enough, he also doesn't give any kind of vocal greetings to anyone.

    Yeah, he has no idea what Athena's issue is, really. But he does have a reason for approaching her. Ryuunosuke doesn't give the standoffish greeting any thought, he just bows politely to Athena. "I apologize for disturbing you -- you do seem as though you have someplace to be," he offers. His voice is very low, and it's easy for him to keep his voice quiet; it may rumble like low thunder, but actually picking up the words could be difficult. "But you appear to have attracted some unwanted attention," he warns.

    And it's about that moment that all hell seems to (near-silently) break loose. "Aha. You see?" Sasuke's ninja-ing is going to give Ryuunosuke the time he needs to get his own weaponry out, with any luck. The drone he'd sent into the air flies down from the air, and Ryuunosuke extends the metal arm from his back again, for it to reattach itself. The ninjas might expect that to be the end of the matter...

    ...But then six more of the same unfold from his back, disks expanding to form seven silvery plates. Each one seems to 'blip' briefly, and a green wireframe construct swiftly 'builds' itself from the flat surface. Until each of the seven plates emits a thick serpentine neck, with a snakelike head on each one, each made of what appears to be a green wireframe.

    "These people have made a miscalculation," he states, his voice quiet and dangerous-sounding.

    Athena narrows her eyes at what Ryuunosuke is saying... but he is proven right, just in the nick of time, as a strange and dark-haired man comes to Athena's defense! "What...?" Startled for just a moment, the goddess whips her attention around when the darts ricochet off the blade Sasuke carries. She has no idea who he is, but she's just then glad he's there!

    "Later," she resolves, given there's a fight then and there. She does roll to the side AWAY from Ryuunosuke though... the snake features turning into MOAR SNAKE just make her even less likely to want to stand with him. The situation is obviously with him as a tense ally though... her pistol is out and turning toward the ninjas, immediately shooting one even though he isn't visible yet, because several have moved in and thus within range of her senses.

    No thanks yet, sorry.

    The cyborg ninjas blur though... not true invisibility, but camoflage. It would be pretty effective against... just about anyone but who they are up against. A sharingen, a being that can see into the infrared, and Athena's own powers, which make her shots pretty unerring anyway. It's just the numbers swarming in a quick, deadly strike that make this a threat at all. They are superhumanly fast, being cyborgs, but they should have known better.

     Sasuke's sharingan eye has already located and discovered the ninjas that await them in the bushes, his eyes seemingy locking directly onto his opponents. Hmmm...camouflage huh? He simply arcs his blade a certain way and he actually tosses it at one of the ninjas! But then, his left eye opens and it reveals the Rinnegan! Using time-space jutsu, he switches places with his sword, leaving his sword planted into the ground with Sasuke flying at high speed towards his opponent! 

     His hand igniting with electricity, Sasuke simply says "Chidori!" and that lightning-emblazoned hand EASILY penetrates through the chest of his chosen opponent, skewering him completely and killing him on impact. Meanwhile, his left eye closes, leaving only his sharingan active as he turns to look upon Ryuunosuke and Athena, approaching them and picking up his sword along the way to sheathe it, hiding the weapon effectively under his cloak. 

 "Pesky." Is all Sasuke says.

    There will be enough time later to assure Athena that he's not her enemy. At least not for now. She seems to be in the same boat he is, from the looks of things -- these ninjas surely wouldn't be after her if she wasn't special. Perhaps special in the same way he is. For now, though...? He needs to kick some ass. "This area is in need of an exceedingly violent fumigation... there are INSECTS swarming about," he decides. Okay... smack-talk, THEN kick some ass.

    Ryuunosuke can't exactly 'see' into the infrared spectrum. But he is just enough serpent to have serpent features. Like that membrane in a snake's nostrils that can sense heat. Besides that, he has an excellent sense of smell and touch. Even if they could mask their infrared signatures, they aren't masking their scents, nor the vibration of their speed-enhanced footsteps. Fortunately this is happening in a smaller rural area, where there isn't a boatload of people.

    But yes. Many ways for these ninjas to be detected by Ryuunosuke. He isn't super-fast like they are -- at least not his human body. But they're on the attack, so he just has to wait for them to come to him.

    Those who stray too close will realize several things. Firstly, that their camouflage isn't doing much to make it difficult for Ryuunosuke to see where they are. Secondly, that those heads, even though they look holographic, are very much solid enough to attack. Thirdly that those fangs are very real and capable of making wounds. And finally, that so is the venom they're packing... venom that infects flesh and machinery alike, so even their cybernetic components aren't safe from the stuff.

    Those seven heads strike fast as a viper, sink fangs in wherever they can find purchase, and release just enough of that venom to cause excruciating pain. But not to kill. Only because he needs to conserve it; there are more than a few of these ninjas!

    He does keep an eye on Athena and Sasuke, in case either of them need help. They do seem to have things in hand, but, better safe than splattered, right?

    Smack talking is a time-honored tradition of powerful warriors and mages and whotnot. That isn't shocking for Athena, and she does a few more quick shots of her own before the remaining ninjas... realize the better part of valor. Mostly because several are writhing in pain after snake fangs penetrate, howling in shock that is not a very ninja thing to do. Also, having a fist punched through them by a normal human without cybernetics, despite their own cyborg parts, is a shock.

    The electricity doesn't help, as it fries the one Sasuke just punched. With the camo of the ones Ryuunosuke bit going haywire, they swiftly figure out that they're outmatched. It can't be said they 'vanish' because there aren't even that many left.

    Athena doesn't bother to pursue though. "Cowards..." she huffs, turning her pistol toward the other two... then lowering it as she calms down. "I don't know what that was about, but probably nothing good. I guess we'd better find a place to hole up for a bit." We? She's not sure about that. "What's your story, you two? THAT one I don't even think is from here," she gestures to Sasuke, who doesn't seem to have any tech on him.

     With a sigh, Sasuke looks to Ryuunosuke and Athena. "Are you both unharmed?" He asked in the manner of simple emotionlessness, but underlying that was a care. A care for life and a care for both of their safety, though he doesn't quite know what they both did to deserve a practical assassination attempt, buuut....He can think up a few possibilities most likely. 

     As Athena speaks to him and about him, Sasuke nods. "Agreed. There's a cave nearby. Up the road and a sharp right. we camp there." still to Athena. "Because I'm not." he then turns heel to walk in that direction. "I'd rather not fight off any more assassins, so shall we move on and discuss there?" he asks then. 

     Of course, he doesn't mind if they say yes or no. 

     Though his attention does fall upon Ryuunosuke. "...good to see you again."

    Once the majority of the ninjas depart, Ryuunosuke stands over one of the defeated ninjas, a terrible smile on his face. One of his serpent heads reaches down, lifts the ninja, and brings said ninja closer to Ryuunosuke. He's... not about to try to KISS the ninja, is he?! But then as he starts to inhale, a thick, smoky mist begins to exit the ninja's mouth (or approximately the area thereof, it's hard to tell since the mask is still on) and to pass into Ryuunosuke's mouth. The ninja's eyes start to roll back, convulsions start happening...

    Suddenly a male voice calls out, "RYUUNOSUKE, DON'T YOU -DARE-!" This startles the youth sufficiently that the stream of mist is interrupted, and he drops the ninja. All eight of his heads turn to see the source of the voice. It's the priest that had been walking with him before.

    As he arrives on site, the man points to the ninja. "You put that back right now, or you get the ofuda." Ryuunosuke makes an annoyed clicking sound in the back of his throat, folding all his heads back in. The serpents disappear, the disks fold in, and then the arms fold back in, stowing the hardware. And then he begins to exhale slowly. The mist exits his mouth, flowing back to the ninja.

    After a moment, Ryuunosuke stops. But the older man taps his foot. "...-All- of it." Ryuunosuke rolls his eyes, but exhales the last little bit, just a puff, which also flows back to the ninja. Fortunately the ninja is still unconscious.

    It's then that Ryuunosuke regards Athena and Sasuke. "Apologies. This is my babysitter. As I apparently require one." He slides the other man a sidelong dirty look, and gets a 'behave, young man' look in return.

    As for Athena's assessment of Sasuke? "He is not. We have met." Figures that creepy snake-dude would know the dude with the creepy eye, wouldn't it? Sasuke's words get a nod. "He has a point. And it is good to see you again as well. A pity it could not have been under better circumstances." A look to the fellow following him. "The trip back to the Shrine would be too dangerous right now. We are following." And he walks in that direction. The man has no choice but to either follow or to leave. He chooses to follow.

    Athena nods, "A few bruises and scrapes, but I heal quickly..." She holsters her sidearm for now, and starts to move... but then what Ryuunosuke does makes her halt, her fascination with the offworlder torn away to the one sucking a soul out. And she can TELL that's what's happening. It gives her a look of disgust...

    Over the snake parts. The rest? Not so much. "You're like me, then," she mutters. "But not my pantheon. Japanese or at least Asian, I'm guessing." Apparently trying to suck out the ninja's soul didn't bother her, but neither is she saying anything about putting it BACK. "Probably why they were after us. I'll move on after we've had a chance to rest and make sure more aren't around."

    When Sasuke beings moving, she does too, making sure he is within earshot of her introduction. "Pallas Athena, Greek Pantheon. I don't know who you are, but thanks I guess." Ryuu still creeps her out, but she no longer looks ready to shoot him.

Sasuke leads Athena and Ryuunosuke to the cave, entering first and sitting near the entrance, his hand resting on his knee. Though, upon close inspection, Athena may be able to notice that Sasuke only has one arm. And he's THAT good of a fighter?? The Goddess of Wisdom should pay caution where it's needed. Though Sasuke eventually introduces himself. "Sasuke Uchiha." he says then, his sharingan returning to a normal eye, those brown eyes simply looking at the two. 

     "What did you do to get their attention? overthrow a government? assault a tribe? Steal from a tycoon?" he asks curiously, though he makes no judgements towards them, nor does he show any sign of hostility. 

     His eyes do shift to Ryuunosuke though..and apparently his babysitter. Does she follow him everywhere? He must be an important guy. Either way, Sasuke simply awaits for an answer.

    Oh, that's right. Introductions have to happen then, don't they? He bows to Athena once more. "I am called Ryuunosuke Yamaguchi," he offers, as he heads to the location with the others.

    The priest accompanying Ryuunosuke also offers up amicably, "Yasu Nakajima, of the Atsuta Shrine."

    Now, Athena's mention of her 'pantheon', coupled with the mention of her name, gets a nod. "Ah, yes. We do share that in common, as I suspected. You are correct. I am from the Japanese pantheon. I was once known as Yamata-no-Orochi, the Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi. These days it is easier to go by the Boy's name. It raises fewer questions."

    Once they're settled -- of course, Yasu is going to settle closely to Ryuunosuke's side -- Sasuke seems to be ready to ask questions. And Ryuunosuke has answers. "We are... not like those others of our world. Our souls are those of gods and demons, of monsters and myths made real. It stands to reason there would be those seeking our power."

    Taking her own seat as the cave shields them, Athena nods, affirming what Ryuunosuke said. "It is a long and complex tale. We are not completely what we once were..." she looks at Ryuunosuke again, as he is definitely not the eight-headed serpent. "Yet we are closer than the human bodies we inhabit. He calls his by the body's name. I took the name of my goddess. The way we have been manifesting varies."

    Her explanation done, she pulls out her pistol again, but this is just to reload and make sure it wasn't damaged in the battle. "You seem more than human as well, but you move with the experience of a warrior, stranger." She also nods to her package. "I am just trying to find out what this is. The technology in it isn't native to the world I found it in, but it was interfering."

     Sasuke looks at Athena and Ryuunosuke. He doesn't look like he believes them. Or is it because he just looks so serious? Who knows! Either way, he speaks to Athena first as she explains more in depth, though Sasuke doesn't even seem wary when Athena brings out her pistol. He's seen weapons like that very briefly in his world, but they were extremely experimental and MUCH larger. Either way, Sasuke looks to Athena. "In a manner of speaking. I'm a reincarnation of the son of the Sage of the Six Paths." he lets that settle in. "Other than that, my strength came from training." 

     His eyes then shift to Ryuunosuke now, wnating to speak with him a bit. "Pantheons huh? Gods? Demons? Hmph." he's killed Gods before. Namely Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Rabbit Goddess. Either way, Sasuke seems to scan both of them in depth before he comes across Athena's box. 

     "Whatever is inside it must be important for ninjas that can camouflage without using Chakra to come to kill you."

    Ryuunosuke nods slowly to Athena's words of 'not being what they once were'. Though as to his choice of name? He smirks. "A human name is much easier to justify on official forms," he reasons. "Otherwise I would go by my old name of 'Orochi'." As for the means of manifesting? "The Boy's father sought to bring me into the world again, and offered his son's innocent soul to me as a final sacrifice."

    Yasu speaks up here, "One of the more experienced priestesses at the Shrine managed to stop it though. But Orochi was already there, so all she could do was seal it inside Ryuunosuke's body." Ryuunosuke nods at this.

    The younger of the two looks at the thing Athena's carrying with her, tilting his head at it. "Interesting. Interfering, you say? How was it interfering?"

    He also notes to Sasuke, "Both your bloodline and your training has most assuredly paid off well. You are quite formidable." As for what the 'scan' sees? Yeah, that is not a human's energy in Ryuunosuke. It's dark and malicious, though that aura around him probably tells that well enough without the scan.

    Athena isn't human either... not entirely. Much like Naruto with the Kyuubi inside him, she has quite a bit of power, though perhaps arranged differently than Ryuunosuke and not as massive as Naruto's. The reason likely being her manner of rebirth.

    "Mine was... simply waking up as Athena during a thunderstorm. It isn't always a dramatic moment I guess. Ares, one of the only others I've met, came to his in the middle of battle. Something with a theme I suppose?" She grimaces. "I've met others, too. Not all of them are working to make the world heal."

    She raps on the casing inside her bag. "I don't know if they were after this. I found it just before a village was attacked by a giant robot lizard. I think it had something to do with it. I was going to take it to a place where we could analyze it. But it's just as likely they just wanted to study a Reborn."