Private A Quiet Moment. [Training]

[Kaji Hirohito]

Kaji started, suddenly awake. He could still hear the howls in his ears. Mournful tones of pain, fading away as the last vestiges of life drained from the body. It awakened an unwelcome memory within him, of a time where he had also caused such suffering, albeit unintentionally. Now awake, a new memory flashed across his mind, a memory of the boy who's blood stained his hands. A child, not much older than Kaji, had sadistically killed his dog. when Kaji confronted him about it, the boy and his friends beat on him ruthlessly. Be that as it may, he didn't deserve to die, let alone being burned to death. It was a feeling of guilt still fresh in his mind, no matter how far he tried to bury it.

There was nothing he could've done, Kaji never expected to just ignite him like that. He had felt hot, but believed it was just the anger bubbling up. Kaji could remember everything, the smell as the kids flesh charred and melted from his bones... He remembered the sight as the boy thrashed in pain, his jacket melting to his skin... He remembered the blood curdling wails of pain and agony... He remembered the taste of iron and burnt hair that hung sickeningly close in the air.

Sure Kaji had defeated and conquered his fear of wolves, but he was still too weak to confront his involvement in the child's murder. As much as he hated it, violence came naturally now. Just as his mother told him it would. But the thoughts just kept chasing him. It was long past time Kaji realized, to take some time to relax. Maybe even probe this particular weakness a bit, just to see what he can prune. For the road ahead he would need his full composure, and couldn't afford to break down in a fight.

So he decided to do something new with his day off, meditate. The koi pond and zen garden out back would provide all the relaxation and peace he needed to really take a thorough look at himself.

WC: 349

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

Kaji roused slowly from his bed, the grogginess draining steadily from his body as he stretched. His room was much colder than usual, and his many scars, new and old, ached in protest. With a shiver, he stood and closed the window by his dresser. As much as Kaji hated the cold, it felt good to be wide awake and alert, ready to start the day. He took a few more minutes to stretch, and gathered his toiletries. A warm bath would be nice and relaxing, as his night terrors usually left him sore and sweaty.
...
Stepping out of the bath, Kaji dressed himself in a silk Samue, a gift from his mother. Rubbing its silken red folds across his face, he inhaled the soft scent of soap and smiled. Everything was calm and quiet, almost serene. From the soft rap-tap of his wooden sandals, to the growing trickle that echoed down the hall as he walked, today was a good day for thinking.

As Kaji stepped through the sliding door and turned the corner, the zen garden came fully into view. It's babbling brook sloshing noisily across the rocks amidst the spirals of the smooth, soft sand at it's banks. With a sigh, Kaji sat and basked in the morning sun, it's loving rays warming the vibrant scarlet robes.
...
He sat for what felt like hours as the sun climbed into the early morning sky. Though Kaji knew it had been less. The air, now warm enough to permit the world to move, buzzed with life. Birds chirping, buggs buzzing, and the fish restlessly sloshing in their pool. Kaji realized that it must be feeding time, as his mom, Yua, always fed them before she left for work. Leaving his socks and sandals on his seat, Kaji kneaded the lukewarm sand between his toes as he walked to retrieve the small shaker and sack of food. Though small, the shake came with a small pouch, which he dutifully filled before replacing the bag.

The fish gobbled greedily at the shavings, each flake nourishing their sleek and slender forms. Kaji admired them for what they were; simple, graceful, elegant creatures without a care in the world. He would almost be jealous if it weren't for one thing. Not that they were koi per-se, but because they were kept, trapped, contained, and blissfully ignorant of the horrors that lie outside. If horrors they be, Kaji wanted to know them. To see them with his own eyes. To venture into the howling wind rather than remain fat and complacent in his house. And with that, Kaji stopped the feeding, and stowed his things.
...
As he straightened from the brush of the shrubs and flowers, Kaji's neck bristled as he heard the rustle come down the corridor. A moment later, his beautiful mother Yua glided across the floor without a whisper. Surprised and slightly disappointed at the patient gaze toward her foiled attempt at sneaking, his Mother teased, "My my, aren't you an early riser today, and here I thought I had you.". "Almost, but I was walking this way already, so I guess I still win, right?" , Kaji said with a smug, exaggerated grin. "Why you little!" , Yua playfully shouted as she bounded across the garden and tackled her son. "It's still five-hundred years too early for you to win against me little guy. Even if you are a ninja! Because deep down your still my favorite. Little. Special. Handsome. Baby boy.", Yua said in-between hugs and forehead kisses. Eventually they both relaxed, and stared out at the world in blissful silence.

W.C. 599

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

Sadly, that silence wouldn't last. As Kaji drifted to sleep in his mother's lap, the voices crept inside his mind. Like small, iron-clad talons that clawed at his consciousness. At the edge of sleep, Kaji felt the talons sink into him, the pain replaced by a bone-chilling numbness. Stones clattered around him as if he were being dragged. And the jagged rock ripped at his flesh and clothes, shredding him as they went. In a flash, they slammed him over the precipice and as Kaji fell, he awoke with a loud scream.

Ripped from her sleep by an elbow to the chest, Yua struggled to restrain her flailing child. Kaji thrashed in every direction like he was fighting some invisible thing. He was far stronger than she remembered, so it took every ounce of her patience not to knock him out. Regardless, he seemed intent on making it difficult to hold back. With the last of her patience waning Yua spoke with a calm but firm voice. Thankfully the words had granted his mind a foothold to steady itself. She could feel his heart racing as his chest heaved raspy and shallow breaths. Slowly but surely, Kaji began to relax until he found himself to be conscious once again.

His face gaunt with horror, all that Kaji could do was shiver as he tried to steady his breathing. After growing so complacent with his new mundane life, he had almost forgotten about the night terrors and ignorantly relaxed his guard. He hated to be seen in such a pathetic state, shaking and sniveling into his mother's arms like some revolting wretch. The insinuation that Kaji could be in any way repugnant to Yua however, could not have been further from the truth.
...
After spending the greater half of an hour explaining just what had happened, the severity of his night-terrors was for the first time revealed to Yua. Kaji still kept the matter of his visions a secret however, as he himself didn't quite believe or understand them yet. For Yua, it broke her heart to hear of the torment that afflicted her son. But Ms. Hirohito wasn't about to stand by and watch, as a woman of action, like it or not, she would get to the bottom of this.
...
Thankfully, Kaji did not resist when she told him of her plan to confront and destroy the nightmare. Though deep down, he was still afraid. What manner of foul things would await him when he closed his eyes? What would they do when he fought back? Questions with uncomfortable answers whirled about his mind, but this was his only shot, and Kaji knew it.
Before beginning, Kaji went over the plan again with his mom. Using traditional medication, Kaji would enter a deep trance. Allowing him to dive through his subconscious to confront the "inner demons" that afflicted him. Despite how strangely spiritual the solution seemed however, it was already a twice-proven solution. The process was very long and risky, but Yua had witnessed it's results first hand. Her mentor had once suffered from night terrors not unlike Kaji's and he had managed to cure himself through the very same method that she used now.

WC: 532

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

///WIP///

As he gingerly stood on the surface of the koi pond, Yua worked diligently to apply the markings and ritualistic symbols across his body. Traced in lines of cool, soothing chakra, Kaji mused at the masterful work from his reflection in the water. Once complete, Yua effortlessly strode over the water's surface to retrieve the herbal sedatives and hallucinogens required for the process.
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