[enters from Otogakure Outskirts]
Ryuga, more so his ten year old Henge easily infiltrated the fortress and made his way downstairs to the underground area. Once he was sure nobody else was there to see him, he dropped his transformation. He slowly walked down the dark hallway, puppet scrolls in hand in case he had to use them. High above on the ceiling, lanterns swayed back and forth hanging from thin chains. The corridor seemed to go on for miles. When Ryuga finally came out of the hall, he entered a large, brightly lit room.
In the center of this room was a giant puppet. It had six arms, four faces, a ring-shaped body, and weapons galore. Ryuga had hit the jackpot. There was virtually no limit to the puppets he could make with parts like these. As he went to reach for his storage scrolls, a loud voice echoed through his mind.
"Cease boy! Do not you know who it is that lies before you!?" "Huh!? Who's there!? Where are you!?" Ryuga opened up Gumo's scroll and began to make hand signs for his Jutsu. Suddenly, the voice came again. "I repeat; cease! Close your eyes boy, then we shall converse."
Ryuga closed the scroll and slowly shut his eyes. In the darkness that was his lack of vision, stood the giant puppet that was on the floor. "Who...who are you?" Ryuga asked, his voice slightly trembling. There was a long pause before the puppet replied. "I am called the Master Puppet. Created by the Shirogane Clan to be the ultimate Puppet Walker." "You're THAT Master Puppet!? I thought your soul was trapped in the Spirit Orbs!" "It was...for a time. But I was revived, then beaten by three shinobi from Konohagakure. My spirit still remained, but my body is unusable."
"So you must have been here for a while." "Roughly twenty-eight years now. But that is irrelivent. I too have heard things about you, Sabakuda, Ryuga." Ryuga was speechless. How a puppet stuck underground for twenty-eight years knew him was beyond his comprehention. He continued to listen as the Master Puppet spoke. "You are known by many as the Puppeteer Prodigy. After the death of your older brother Ameikiru, you swore to have revenge on the Kazekage." "I get it! You know a lot about me! Just get to the point!"
"Hmm...I see. Very well. I have a proposition for you Sabakuda, Ryuga." "What kind of proposition?" A dark laughter could be heard from the Master Puppet. "I can give you the power to more easily kill the Kazekage, if you so choose. You will gain powers never before obtained by any puppet master, as well as eternal life. So what do you say?"
The thought of Gaara begging for mercy ran through Ryuga's mind, and he was loving every second of it. But even he knew when things looked too suspitious. "Such powers can't come without a price...what's the rub?" "Smart child. I only ask that you carry my spirit in you body. You will gain my immortality, and I will be free of this wretched fortress." Ryuga was deep in thought. Was he willing to share a body with this puppet just so he could kill Gaara? The new powers and the eternal life appealed to him, and he was certain he could use both to accomplish his goal. After a long, thoughtful pause, Ryuga spoke.
"Allright, you've got yourself a deal." "Excelent..." said the Master Puppet. The fallen body on the ground glowed and a ghostly aura appeared from the remains. It flew into Ryuga and burrowed into his mind. Laughing maniacally, it stated its true intentions.
"Foolish human! You thought I would give you my powers? This body will remain my vessel, to control and conquer with for the rest of eternity! All the while your spirit will remain in this Hell in my place!" Ryuga simply smiled, which really seemed to annoy the Master Puppet. "What have you got to smile about!? Your existence is about to disappear!" "Think again..." Ryuga muttered as his eyes ran bloodshot.
The Master Puppet suddenly screamed in horror. "No!! W-what are you doing!?" "You're not the only one who can pull a fast one. I'll be taking MY new powers now." Mentally, Ryuga had sealed the Master Puppet's spirit inside a cage, much like Jinchuuriki have their Bijjus sealed. The second Ryuga sealed the puppet's soul inside his mind, an enormous Chakra aura appeared around him. It seeped into his body and he welched in pain.
When the aura finally subsided, Ryuga looked like a totally different person. His golden cat eyes were now tinted red, and his hair was more spiky, almost demonic in appearence. He could feel his body stop aging altogether. His puppet scrolls changed too, as each now had far more symbols on their surfaces than before. Ryuga smirked and from inside his mind, could hear the Master Puppet. "How dare you boy! Release me at once! Release me I say!!!" ".....shut up. You'll do what I say from now on, and if you don't, my mind won't be a nice place to be..." "You'll pay for this Sabakuda, Ryuga... You'll pay!"
Ryuga ignored the second voice in his mind. If listening to the Master Puppet from time to time was the only price he had to pay for his new powers, he'd gotten himself a real bargain. Slowly and quietly, he proceeded to leave the fortress and test his new-found strength.
[exits]
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