Private A Refund on Love

[Nanjirou Soku]

Was this a good idea? Probably not.

Would Asuka come? Probably but to just seize at the chance to display how much of a grudge she could hold.

As far as Soku was concerned, they''d have to interact at some point, it was unavoidable unless they planned on barging in on the Kazekage with their own plan on mind which she knew Asuka wouldn't have minded in the slightest when it came to her but if they could clear the air first, it would help.

Whether that would happen here today was anyone's guess. The resturant she had picked for their little meet-up was not exactly the quietest little thing, crowds, people as she slid her cup across to the server signaling for a refill. As a habit, Soku did not drink but she didn't think she would ever get used to the blazing heat that this village seemed to boast. Thankfully, however it seemed Sunagakure wasn't all about burning your feet off as the cup was pushed back to her, a healthy does of some juice. No liquor for her, she needed a clear mind for this converstation especially.

At one point, a drunkard stumbled over to her asking for a dance among and Soku shot him a look that caused him to hastilit disengage. She had far other pressing concerns on her mind. It wasn't moreso about Asuka's behavior, that was perfectly understanable. After all, she wouldn't be too appreciative if she was thrown into a cell, discarded and threatened afterwards.

Way she saw it though, sometimes, the worst of the worst things were necessary for the village. That was the way Soku had been raised, that was what had been instilled her into the ANBU and it was a philsophy she carried over. The Will of Fire required sacrifice, contribution in ways people never dreamt possible.

In a way, Asuka had contributed much without even knowing it, allowing herself to be taken into custody but it was the lasting, longer impacts that had the taxing effect on them.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

She could say no. Or not even show up. What would the point be? It's all going to end the same way. With more pointless explanations about loyalty and pointless sacrifice. Things she had little patience for. That being said. It wouldn't be wrong to hear her out. In the end, the back of her mind.... Asuka.... held the tiniest sliver of hope. She didn't though. She knew how stubborn the people in this world were and there was always a price to pay. Nothing came out of the goodness of their heart. Takeshi being prime example.

Kicking the door of the restaurant open Asuka walked in, ignoring the looks she got. The air around begged someone to fuck around and find out. Looking around she clenched her teeth. The inn was be too much of a place to have a private conversation apparently. Looking around she spotted the uninviting form of Soku. She gave a slight smile. Pathetic sight. But some evils must be done for the good of the many. She couldn't wait until Asuka woke up, she would make her pay big time for this.

Walking over she took a sit next to Soku. Ordering a drink for herself with alcohol, like a normal adult. "A restaurant?" She started "Public places don't deter me from stabbing you in the back. As familiar as you are with the concept." As the drink was placed in front of her she took a sip. Asuka glanced at Soku as she drank, disgust and pain was written all over her face. "You know what I want to hear." She said not looking over at her. "There's no other topic of conversation." She looked serious about her words, basically having one foot outside the seat. Choosing her side. "Make it quick. I don't want to be here longer than I need to."

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The response was not the best. It also wasn't the worst and Soku knew any attempt to antagonize the former Hokage, well, that would end in a way that none of them liked to imagine. "And hello to you." Soku muttered with an raised eyebrow gesturing the bartender over for a refill. Clearly, theyw would make quite the odd duo verbally barraging each other that one had to really wonder if if sending them as diplomatic delegates had been advisable in the first place as she waited for a moment or two.

Asuka might want to rush things but Soku did not. No, they needed to hammer out all the finer details of things and whatnot and she'd prefer not having to hear Asuka's hogwash in front of the Kazekage but they could only rememdy that if they came to a mutual agreement.

"No, I don't actually as it seems the concept of communcation has flown right over your head which is how we wound up here in the first place but far be it from me to tell you your place, If someone can not be honest with themselves than there's no point."

Harsh wordss perhaps but something to reflect on as she veered the converstation to the task at hand.

"I'd invited you here orignally to discuss our game plan for meeting with the Kazekage tommorow but if you feel the urge to dive into things a little bit deeper without plotting behind my back, I'm all ears as unlikely as it seems to me." A pipe dream, perhaps. One thing or another, they certainly needed to have a discussion, that much was for certain but as to what route that took, well, that would be dictated by what happened here today if anything at all if it didn't end in an all out- brawl.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Oh.

That was all she could think when Soku started speaking. She had clearly given out how her position on the topic. Clearly given out her view on Asuka. Well, this was certainly not the outcome Asuka had hoped for but thankfully she wasn't here. This was her time. If there was no amount of trust to turn the tide around then there wouldn't be any need for her. In the end, whether they liked it or not, it all ended with her word. Oh, this was fun. So this was power. Giving a slight giggle she smiled.

"I don't flatter yourself." She spoke taking a big sip from her drink asking for a refill. "Imagining charges isn't something a "Sennin" has the luxury to do yet you did it anyway." She shook her head "Reason why you're only known as Takeshi's lap dog."

Harsh wasn't something she was unfamiliar with. Besides... "Spare me the bullshit. You can't hurt us anymore than you already have. Get on with it."

Asuka laughed. Oh, so this was what she wanted to talk about. She felt a shiver down her spine... or to be more precise... she felt hope leaving her. Seemed like getting back to how things were just become harder... and she wasn't thinking about her relationship. "Game plan is simple." She said finishing her drink. "I talk, you listen. It is clear we don't trust one another and, unlike your pathetic self, my life is on the line. So." She gave a smile, clapping her hands together. "I would rather avoid that. So, let's do that and go back so I can live in peace. Away from you." She gave a happy sigh, her smile giving out dark undertones. "There's actually one thing I want to test out. Whether your loyalty extends to the village or just an individual." She spoke, her anger and sadness slipping through her voice. She knew she couldn't trust Soku with her own life so... she had to do this. To keep them both safe. "I've never been one to care much for those I didn't care for myself. So! I'll make you a deal. You speak ONE word... ONE." Screaming the last part to get the point across she stood up. "And you'll see how quickly relations turn into hostilities, turn into war. I know what's at stake, you and everyone who didn't listen have made it painfully clear." She giggled, letting her hands fall to her sides. "No matter how much one lost, no matter how much one suffers, no matter how different someone is. It only takes a little shove to have everyone you care about turn their backs. SO." She gave a deep sigh. "If you speak, I'll make sure to take every single one of the dogs like you with me. Those with no emotion, no love, no care but for some stupid ideology that only helps to backstab... if you as much as stutter I swear.... ONLY WARNING Soku. ONLY. ONE." Turning her back, she snapped her fingers as if she remembered something.

"Taking from your book so you understand." She cleared her throat. "I don't know what made Takeshi fall in love with you, I know of very few things that make him so happy. One of them being those who have blind loyalty to him, two-faced cowards who turn their backs on those they love based upon the mere idea of being in the wrong." She laughed "Nanjirou Soku, if you speak a WORD. If you betray the last, miniscule shred of hope I have for you... I will kill you myself." She slightly turned, glaring at the woman. Her Sharingan flaring. She had never given such a glare to someone, a tear falling from her cheek as she clinched her teeth in anger.

As she walked towards the exit she clinched her fist... in pain and anger. She knew this was a mistake. Why had she come? She had always known no one changed. No one cared anyway. It was always the many that blindly followed their own ideologies to their graves. Well... this may be it for her. Whatever happened the next couple of days would be deciding factor. If need be... she would become the monster they all thought she was.

I'm sorry Asuka.

[Topic left unless stopped]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

---

The clatter of footsteps as hurried patrons made to cleaar the resturance. Soku could almost feel the rage and the hurt radiating off Asuka as she took in the words. It wasn't even the words that hurt the Sennin but rather, it was the fact that even after all this, after everything that had transpired, it seemed to be a route that had closed forever or at least Asuka seemed to make it appear so. "There is no luxury in what we do, only sacrifice. I see you failed to comprehend that lesson as well." Soku said through gritted teeth.

Why was it so diffcult.. Why was so hard for Asuka to grasp the reality of the situation? As for Asuka's next words, she could have sworn it awakened something in her. Something so fierce, something fierce and then she had the audcaity to walk away from her? Soku's movements were quick and efficent a kunai came flashing out of her pouch to zip past Asuka to embed it self into the door and that was enough to send the bartender running for dear life.

"If you even dare to question my loyalty to the Hidden Leaf than I will encourage you to hand over that headband and find a new place. Bolds word for someone who was entrusted with the mantle of an Hokage and left an village swimming in it's own blood."

Soku took step, it was like she was thrumming with power with every syllable she spoke, the anger clear on her faces as she pointed a shaking finger at Asuka. "You have no fucking idea, not a single ounce of idea how much I put on the line for you, for the village and sure, I might not have been right every time and if you doubt that even for a second, if you even as dare to make the assumption that your sister, Nanjrou Soku whom you left to die for you when Kiko attaacked the village had any alterior motives than we were never family to begin with."

By now, Soku's anger had turned to something else, uncontrolled frustration and anger of her own crossing to block the door aas she all but unleashed on Asuka with a verbal barrage, her voice rising in volume and pitch until she was practically screaming.

"You have the audacity, the courage to tell me what to do? To make threats? To still say you were right? Where were you, Asuka?! Where were you when your shinobi were being killed?! When familes were being destroyed, one body at a time and one of them could have been me but you would like, that wouldn;t you?!?!"

Inner memories threatned to break through to her, Soku inhaled but even that would not help, her entire figurer shaking with something uncontrollable, something that dared to break out. "You want to talk about cowardice? Cowardice is abandoning your duties, abandoning your village. Just dropped off the map to find your daughter. I would have helped Asuka but you don't tell anyone a flipping thing! Your sister is here, talk to her! But no, the great powerful Lady Fifth Hokage can never be wrong, right?" She said.

"Cowardice is when my father killed my mother in cold blood! Cowardice is when I wasn't enough to avenge Yukio! Because you're right, Uchiha Asuka! Out of everything I've ever done for you, every single fucking thing, it's not enough. Maybe I did jump to asssumptions, maybe you're right but to have the audcacity to hold that against me when you know I don't know a damn thing about where you went or what you did is pretty unjust too! But do I know?"

She slid her sword out of her sheath, tears rolling down, tears of frustration and anger sliding it over to Asuka nearly chucking it at her. "You might as well get on with it then! You want to be rid of me so badly, right?! Well, you better get on with it because no, I'm not gonna stop speaking because I love you! I say the things I say and do the things I do because I love you, Asuka! Even if you don't return that love! You don't think it broke me to see you throwin in a cell?! Every time you fail, I'm scared for you! I don't want you to end up like my father, like my family! But you refuse to understand, to acknowledge. If you would just communciate, don't keep everything bottled up and then fault others then maybe we wouldn't be here but I guess you didn't trust me, right?"

Her eyes met Asuka's in a deadly silence. "Family looks out for each other but if you can't even entrust me with where you;re going and what's going on, I guess I am like you said just a lapdog."

"I am sorry, Asuka not for doing my duty and taking you to that cell. I will never apologizze for the village but I will apologize for my assumptions. I will even apologize to those families you deserted in their time of need, those shinobi who died for you. It seems you weren't ready for the title of Hokage and if that was the concern, instead of communciating that, you put us all at risk."

She spoke quietly now shaking her head. "My condolences about your daughter, that you don't see we're trying to help you.You were wrong Asuka, in the way you did things. It's not personal, you were wrong and you need to pay the consequences for that instead of refusing to come to terms with that. You sacrifice a little to grow, that is our Will of Fire."

She walked towards the door, her hand resting on the handle.

"You're right, I am sorry, Truly sorry for saying those words. I said them for those dead shinobi, for the village, for everyone scared when we were leaderless and I was frustrated.I will see you at the Kazekage's office tommrow, expect a summons. Or don't. After all, you seem to like barging on holding onto some fantasy that you're right. You didn't cause their deaths, after all. Keep telling yourself that, 'Hokage."

With that, she pushed open the door, a sob escaping her letting it slam shut behind.

[Stopped from Leaving]
[Topic Left Unless Stopped]

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Asuka stood there. Not flinching at the Junai, more so speechless as Soku spoke. There it was again. Over and over again, get the blame thrown someplace else. Given to anyone but themselves. Assumptions here, assumptions there. Question her loyalty... that was basically the whole problem here. The whole reason why she had lost hope. The whole problem with this situation is the assumption that Asuka didn't know what she had done. That she didn't understand the severity of her actions. THAT is the main thing that pissed her off. No one listened when she spoke, no one cared to understand. Then again, what could she expect? It was always the same. Grabbing Sokus sword she gave a frustrated sigh. As her sharingan turned to her mangekyou she clinched her teeth.

Teleporting right outside the restaurant she blocked Soku's path. Pointing the tip of her sword towards her direction. She was done. No more acting. As she cleaned her fake tears Asuka cleared her throat, her tone changing to a more serious, logical unfeeling voice. "I'm sick of you people." She said, letting her hair straighten out. "All this power over others. Power to wipe out centuries of history in a couple of seconds and you can only act like screaming teenagers. It's genuinely impressive."

"Let's break down point by point what you just told me." She slowly took a step, few moments and another step. "I didn't question your loyalty to the village. It's precisely that blind loyalty that has ME trying to keep us both alive." Asuka gave a slight giggle as she continued walking forward. "Again, making assumptions."

She finally had the sword tip pointed at Sokus chest, pushing it hard enough to make her take a step back rather than piercing. More so they didn't have this annoying display upon earshot of everyone. "And please. What you have done? In this line of work is practically in the job description to get punched, stabbed, drowned, electrocuted, buried alive, turned to mush, exploded. You have no sympathy from me. Especially because this idiot has died twice already. But hell, who is keeping count." Slowly pushing Soku back into the restaurant Asuna slammed the door behind her. "And no. She didn't leave you to die. I did." She smiled "Based upon our knowledge at the time, which was before your near death experience, our daughter took priority considering it was more our fault than anything. So I pushed her to rush. Yet you blame not only the wrong person, but something we didn't know about until we got out of jail. Isn't that funny!" She gave a laugh as she continued. Finally she didn't have to pretend. Finally she could be herself again. Nothing mattered anymore.

"Cowardice this, cowardice that. That little sob story would be quite the wonderful move only IF it held any sort of weight." Rayne smiled, stretching herself. As she placed the sword tip to the ground, blocking the door. "I was born due to Asuka being tortured by her father for a Jahinist ritual. Her mother committed suicide and I burned the village, including all of the inhabitants, to ash. Fitting punishment for those who would practice such acts wouldn't you say? But hey, to each their own origin story." Rayne shook her head, looking up at the ceiling as she took out two thick pieces of string. With accuracy throwing it towards the counter, bringing back to her hand a bottle of quite the fine Sake. Pulling the cork out with her mouth she spit it out. "Cheers." Taking a big swig of the bottle. "What about the time Asuka pulled you from that poison Cloud when she was 10? Or when you and her fought that pack of bandits. Or the fight with Mikasa, believe me, even with me screaming in her head she was more concerned about you than herself, ready to die just before Maki showed up and blew the three of us up. Or Or" She giggled, shaking her head with a smile. What times. "The time where she rescued you when you were kidnapped from your own house. Took you to the hospital and fought two doctors and three nurses because the term "visitation hours" didn't apply to her apparently. Remember that?"

Rayne gave a hard laugh as she talked about family looking out for each other, as if the mere idea was hilarious. Family, the hardest substance in the human mind. The easiest it breaks. Her next part just made her laugh harder. Taking another swig she coughed a couple of times. "The fucking brat was actually HAPPY you were taking her to her cell. She was thinking on drawing all these pictures when you came to visit. She understood Takeshi ordered it so you didn't have a choice. She rode on your shoulders for crying out loud. Another memory with her BIG SISTER she kept thinking. God damn dumbass." Another swig.

"The last part is the funniest. THAT last swing is what makes me the happiest because god damn I love being right." She smiled throwing the sword back at Soku. "You're not sorry her daughter is dead. No one is. Heck, an academy student was the first to try, and fail mind you, to console her." She laughed shaking her head. "Sorry getting ahead of myself... where was I..." She snapped her fingers. "Right. Communication. You know, going back to when she was at the academy... Asuka has been stabbed, burned, electrocuted, blown up, punched, mentally attacked, tortured, she has lost her first love, her students, her mentor, her teacher, her family. YET, she never prioritized herself. It was always keeping others safe and happy." She laughed "Not ONCE in her entire life. ONCE did anyone stop and ask her if she was all right. If she was ready. Giving her assurances that they were there for her. It was always because of titles... never just to see if Asuka was okay. You know why she never communicated? No one asked." Shaking her head Rayne sighed "The Will of Fire broke her. ACTUALLY NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, do you want to see your beloved sister? The so called criminal? Give me one moment I'll bring her out."

Rayne took out a seal to help her with the Chakra channeling. Pumbing chakra into it a clone of her appeared, that immediately sank into the ground and began to sob. Very heavily. Tears and mucus running down her face Screaming. The screech could vibrate any set of ears. Vibrated the vert building.

"SSdtIFNvcnJ5T25vIFRvbWlvSSdtIFNvcnJ5TWFlZGFTYWRhb0knbSBTb3JyeUZ1bmFpIElzYW11SSdtIFNvcnJ5VG9taXRhIFlvcmlJJ20gU29ycnlTYWthZ3VjaGkgU2hpZ0knbSBTb3JyeVNvZ2EgU2FuZ29JJ20gU29ycnlTdXp1a2kgS3VuaW9JJ20gU29ycnlNaWtpIEtpbkknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1eWFtYSBNaWNoaUknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1bW90byBLYXp1a29JJ20gU29ycnlPa2kgRW1pa29JJ20gU29ycnlTYWl0byBNYXNheXVraUknbSBTb3JyeUFiZUhpc2Frb0knbSBTb3JyeU1hY2hpIE1hcmlrb0knbSBTb3JyeUthaXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5VXllaGFyYSBLeW9JJ20gU29ycnlUYWtlc2hpSSdtIFNvcnJ5RGF0ZSBTaG9JJ20gU29ycnlJJ20gU29ycnkgS2F3YWd1Y2hpIEF5YUknbSBTb3JyeUhpcm90YSBBeWFtZUknbSBTb3JyeUtvaXp1bWkgU2hpbnVJJ20gU29ycnlZdWtpSSdtIFNvcnJ5WXVraW9JJ20gU29ycnlTdWRhIEtpeW9zaGlJJ20gU29ycnlLaWRvIFRldHN1b0knbSBTb3JyeVNhdG8gSGlrYXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5S290b3JpSSdtIFNvcnJ5U3VnYXdhcmEgSGlyb3NoaUknbSBTb3JyeVRha2VuYWthIEVpa28=SSdtIFNvcnJ5T25vIFRvbWlvSSdtIFNvcnJ5TWFlZGFTYWRhb0knbSBTb3JyeUZ1bmFpIElzYW11SSdtIFNvcnJ5VG9taXRhIFlvcmlJJ20gU29ycnlTYWthZ3VjaGkgU2hpZ0knbSBTb3JyeVNvZ2EgU2FuZ29JJ20gU29ycnlTdXp1a2kgS3VuaW9JJ20gU29ycnlNaWtpIEtpbkknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1eWFtYSBNaWNoaUknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1bW90byBLYXp1a29JJ20gU29ycnlPa2kgRW1pa29JJ20gU29ycnlTYWl0byBNYXNheXVraUknbSBTb3JyeUFiZUhpc2Frb0knbSBTb3JyeU1hY2hpIE1hcmlrb0knbSBTb3JyeUthaXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5VXllaGFyYSBLeW9JJ20gU29ycnlUYWtlc2hpSSdtIFNvcnJ5RGF0ZSBTaG9JJ20gU29ycnlJJ20gU29ycnkgS2F3YWd1Y2hpIEF5YUknbSBTb3JyeUhpcm90YSBBeWFtZUknbSBTb3JyeUtvaXp1bWkgU2hpbnVJJ20gU29ycnlZdWtpSSdtIFNvcnJ5WXVraW9JJ20gU29ycnlTdWRhIEtpeW9zaGlJJ20gU29ycnlLaWRvIFRldHN1b0knbSBTb3JyeVNhdG8gSGlrYXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5S290b3JpSSdtIFNvcnJ5U3VnYXdhcmEgSGlyb3NoaUknbSBTb3JyeVRha2VuYWthIEVpa28=SSdtIFNvcnJ5T25vIFRvbWlvSSdtIFNvcnJ5TWFlZGFTYWRhb0knbSBTb3JyeUZ1bmFpIElzYW11SSdtIFNvcnJ5VG9taXRhIFlvcmlJJ20gU29ycnlTYWthZ3VjaGkgU2hpZ0knbSBTb3JyeVNvZ2EgU2FuZ29JJ20gU29ycnlTdXp1a2kgS3VuaW9JJ20gU29ycnlNaWtpIEtpbkknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1eWFtYSBNaWNoaUknbSBTb3JyeU1hdHN1bW90byBLYXp1a29JJ20gU29ycnlPa2kgRW1pa29JJ20gU29ycnlTYWl0byBNYXNheXVraUknbSBTb3JyeUFiZUhpc2Frb0knbSBTb3JyeU1hY2hpIE1hcmlrb0knbSBTb3JyeUthaXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5VXllaGFyYSBLeW9JJ20gU29ycnlUYWtlc2hpSSdtIFNvcnJ5RGF0ZSBTaG9JJ20gU29ycnlJJ20gU29ycnkgS2F3YWd1Y2hpIEF5YUknbSBTb3JyeUhpcm90YSBBeWFtZUknbSBTb3JyeUtvaXp1bWkgU2hpbnVJJ20gU29ycnlZdWtpSSdtIFNvcnJ5WXVraW9JJ20gU29ycnlTdWRhIEtpeW9zaGlJJ20gU29ycnlLaWRvIFRldHN1b0knbSBTb3JyeVNhdG8gSGlrYXJpSSdtIFNvcnJ5S290b3JpSSdtIFNvcnJ5U3VnYXdhcmEgSGlyb3NoaUknbSBTb3JyeVRha2VuYWthIEVpa28="

Rayne walked a couple of steps forward, seemingly unfazed. Screaming above the noise she pointed at the broken husk. "You know what she's screaming? The name of every dead Shinobi since that day. The name of those she abandoned. Simply because she followed hear heart for once." She snapped her fingers, the clone disappearing in a cloud of smoke. "Asuka sent her daughter... our daughter... on a high level mission by accident. Didn't notice her disappearance due to the paperwork. Once she realized... for once she thought about herself... and what did she get? The dead body of Kairi down a ravine. Funnily enough the fall didn't kill the kid, dehydration did a few hours before Asuka got there. If she hadn't been thinking about the village, she could've saved her." Rayne sighed, getting a little teary eyed. "That made her lose the will to live. I took control. Wandering around the country, trying to get her back to her feet... or as high as I could."

Rayne laughed, scratching the back of her head. As she looked up to the ceiling for a few moments. "In the end she came back, took back control. First thing she was worried about was the others in the village. Yuki, Takeshi, her students and, of course, you. I told her that she would be branded a traitor if she went back, killed as a deserter. She didn't care, wasn't expecting the Hokage title... or to be given a shinobi title at all... she just needed to know how to help one. last. time."

"Once she got to the village you know what was the first thing she did?" Rayne gave a slight smile. "Went to every household of every dead shinobi and got on her knees. Some sobbed, others screamed at her, she was punched, kicked... didn't even put her guard up. The fucking brat went to Takeshi's office expecting to die." Rayne shrugged "What did she get? People screaming her face. No one listening that she understood. That she wanted to make amends by any means. That she fucked. up... That she expected... wanted... to die for her actions..."

Taking a big swig... one... two... three seconds. "Once the order was given to throw her in a cell she didn't resist. Could've teleported out and escaped but she didn't. Everyone turned their back on her and she took it... because she still fucking had you." Another big swig "That dark cell. Even after threatening her she still held hope. 'Soku will be here!' she kept saying 'She'll come back and I can talk to her. She'll understand! She always does!'" Rayne acted, changing back to Asuka for those moments. "She still loved you. But... she slowly sank into despair when you didn't show up... and well... the husk is what I've had screaming in my head since then." Rayne took another sip giving a big sigh. "Where does that fall in that big Will of Fire of yours? After offering her hand in marriage for peace, after everything she has done for the village. Not one person simply let her speak. Let her say she wanted to make amends, even if it meant dying by your hands. She understood... but not one listened... like always."

"I don't trust you because of it. If it was that easy to break a bond for you then I want nothing from you. At the gates, you didn't trust me AND BEFORE YOU START I couldn't exactly tell a Sand Shinobi that the mighty Hokage couldn't fight. Every time I try a Jutsu a random effect happens. But you not trusting me just confirmed my suspicion, killed the last shiver of hope Asuka's influence had on me." Asuka took the last big swig from the bottle, throwing it to the ground and shattering. "Unlike Asuka, I'm not so trusting... so... my plan still stands. Apologize to the Kazekage and get the treaty back. But no. You don't get to interfere. Not here. I can't risk it. You've already done enough damage."

[Stopped from Leaving]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She had never thought she would see this long-extinct visitor. She established and recgonized the change in voice, the bluntness of the words. No, Asuka was lost, she was beyond repair and who replaced her, Rayne. Asuka's guardian, the gatekeepr of her mental kingdom as the tip of her own blade forced her back into this battlefield of emotions. Each word rattled her,, brought her back to a reality she did not want to visit as Soku stared directly into the eyes of someone lost, someone who had given up and she felt the eerie sensation of something swooping over, something deadly.

She had lost several people, endured much and by no means was she putting down Asuka's trial and tribulations as Rayne laid out a perfect picture to her. An undesirable yet perfect picture to say the least. "Do you even know what the Will of Fire is? What it means? What it stands for?." Her voice was shaky yet more composed now yet everyting was screaming at her. Never in a millon years would have Soku comprehened that things would have gotten so out of controll, so wild as she pointed a shaking finger at the woman in front of her.

"It is the philsophical belief that love is the key to peace. The village is a family and loves, fights, cherishes to protect it's own. It's not some stupid idealogy, not some village brainwashing thing and the fact that you don't understand that and held the mantle of the Hokage? Can you blame me, Asuka? Truly, can you? You're right, perhaps I did make assumptions. Perhaps I did go out on a whim and maybe you don't see it as a big deal but I do! The sight of your own blood being confined to the darkest cells that the village has to offer isn't exactly something that's done causally, you know! He threw you down to the ANBU for crying out loud! I was utterly terrifed beyond belief that you'd done soemethign horrendous and yes, I made that assumption, I admit it! I was scared for you! I didn't want it to be true, no! I was speaking out of fear when I made that threat, because what if it was true?! "

The Sennin certainly was not looking for any sort of sympathy, she had endured much and seen a lot, she was not here to be coddled nor anything of that nature. "However, I want to point out one thing."

Soku said quietly daring to look into the woman's eyes, an uneasy silence filling them as her hands lifted to her neck to withdraw the necklace she wore, a similiar one she had given to Asuka so many years before and the crystal in the center was glowing, cracks like never before spreading rapidly, the chakra within threatning to explode outwards as she tapped it gently. "You don't fucking get it. I understand the assumption I made. The bull-headed approach I took and I was wrong for it but I never asked? The answer was there all along."

Her finger trailed the loop of the necklace where it rested against her chest.

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have this. If I truly, truly wanted to throw this bond away, this necklace wouldn't even be here. This is a literal entrustment of our lives to each other and frankly, I don't think it can get quite more honest than that."

She raised a hand to pause any outburst, eyes slowly meeting the former Hokage's refusing to let her own boiling emotions in her overwhelm her as she continued on. "I am sorry, I am sorry for Kairi, I am sorry for everything but you don't get to make the judgement of Asuka's entrustment, Rayne. A bond, a personal bond, a message of love can only be rendered a verdict by the person, no one else."

She stood where she was inhaling a breath.

"No, Rayne, you will stand down. Let me speak to Asuka, she alone will make that choice ro what is to happen here, not you. She can speak for herself. Step aside. You think I didn't listen, didn't care, perhaps some of that is true, perhaps I was not perfect in my love but I try. I am not perfect but I try. I admit my wrongs, I know it possibly could not be enough but I'll be far from damned if I didn't try. You don't get to make those assumptions, Rayne, Asuka has a right to her own judgements, she'll make the call and I'll gladly honor it because I love her, not the vessel who thinks she knows her so well because you don't."

She barreled on unaware of perhaps the impact her words could have. "I don't deny perhaps the value you have for Asuka and your goals to preserve her, keep her whole but we're not invincible, Rayne. Sometimes, you have to let the bird fly free from it's nest, you haven't seen the situation from our perspective, you are there with Asuka everyday but not there. Behind the scenes, a blank canvas pulling the strings. I will speak to Asuka, right here right now and you will let her, she has the right to know, the right to have this converstation with me, not you Rayne. Refuse and you'll be speaking to the Kazekage over my dead body."

For the village.

For Asuka.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

The will of fire this, the will of fire that. It was all the same, over and over again. Same excuse given for their actions “It’s for the good of the village. Well, newsflash. Everything is still shit. Nothing gets fixed and it’s just one problem after the other. Not considering what others think or do because it’s a threat. Deaths and sacrifices being thrown Aside like they’re nothing. A name on a stone if you’re lucky. “It’s because I was Hokage that i understand it you idiot.” She shook her head “The only thing the Will of fire has done is cause me pain and regret. A bullshit ideology shoved down our throats to keep us from questioning anything because it’s ‘For the Good of The Village’. ‘The Sacrifice’ is just a way to have those lay down their lives for the ideologies of a man in a fancy coat. Whether they are the right thing or not. To give you an example, remember those kids? That had their own group and started causing trouble around the village? How they took over a radio tower and started spreading some message about Takeshi being evil and a madman. How they got branded as traitors and I got ordered to massacre them on a rooftop? Fucking remember that?“ This was clearly very painful to remember. Something that she had always regretted but never had the courage to let it out. "They were leaf academy students for gods sake.... just children.... and your fucking will of fire had them slaughtered." She sighed. "Not like it matters anymore."

Rayne simply listened. To her words, her bull headed approach, how she didn't get it. She? Rayne? The person who spent countless lifetimes just waiting in case she was needed. Watching tragedy after tragedy, painful memory after painful memory, backstab after backstab. Over and over again. She didn't get it. Now, that was funny. Seeing the necklace again made her stop. Not able to convey any words. She had kept that even after all these years. After everything. Her fingers clenched as she continued.

There it was, the sudden hit. Where she wasn't as important. She didn't matter. In the end it was Asuka's choice. She was simply a thief taking over someone else's body. As Soku finished Asuka waved her hand in a long arc, a sudden, strong gust of wind. "ENOUGH!" She screamed. As loudly as she could. As silence took them over a few moments she simply sighed. Scratching the back of her head.

Now it was her turn.

"You are blind Soku." She took a deep breath. "Let me make something PAINFULLY clear to your dumbass. There is no one. Absolutely NO ONE that knows Asuka better than me. Takeshi, Yuki, Hoshirei, you insufferable fuckers keep thinking of me as a split. An extra. The second mind. The other Asuka if you will. Well..." She gave a short fake laugh, as the idea itself was funny. "I'm not your common case of personality disorder. Asuka and I... WE... are one. We both hurt the same. Cry the same... love the same... you really think someone as gullible as our little brat would've survived without me? Without that helpful little voice in her mind pointing her to the right direction? You thought that was someone as pathetic as you?" She gave an expression, mixed between surprise and disgust. As if she was looking at someone who had lost all her respect. "Me. Rayne. I expected, I had planned, for Takeshi to do his dumb decisions. I had expected for him to overreact as always. I didn't expect YOU to be so blind."

"You were there for crying out loud. In the office. Listening to us screaming at each other. Takeshi sent us to the ANBU cell's so we could "calm down.". Do you hear how ludicrous that sounds? No crime, no evidence. Simply to calm us down. Sending us to the darkest jail cell leaf can offer to 'calm her down'. " She snickered. "And you're telling me. While you were there. While Takeshi gave you the order. You didn't question it? Didn't ask why? Because all I'm hearing is that you thought Asuka was capable of such a thing. Such a horrendous crime that she had to be locked up in the most hideous place... and you believed it. 'Calm her down' is the same as commiting genocide apparently." She gave a shaky laugh, couple of tears running down her face. The gloves were off. "And it's not that you followed the order. It was afterwards. No questions. No follow up. No visits.... You're a Sennin and it just took the two words from a crazy man to make you stand up straight and follow through 'calm down'. Even know, you stubbornly hold to that idea."

She shook her head, giving a short laugh. Turning into an outburst. "You haven't told me why I should trust you. That necklace lost any meaning the moment you gave us up to the ANBU." She held up a finger. Blocking off any type of response. "The Will of Fire is bullshit. The good of the many versus the good of the few.... yet... no village in danger.... village prospering.... and you turned your back on those you claim you love. Yukio vanished.... you were the only one left. "

She poked a finger to her chest. "And you want to see her? After what you've done?!" Poke. "See the one you turned your back to?! The one who was always there for you?!" More pokes, slow tears coming down her cheeks. "Takeshi, Yuki, Zrien, Hoshirei, Maki... all of them turned around the second it got difficult. I was. Not. Expecting. It. From. YOU" Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. "No. You all have done enough. Hurt US ENOUGH. Now it's the time I take the reins of my own destiny. " Cleaning the tears of her face her fist closed upon itself. "If you have any sort of individuality left.... any sort of love for us left.... you will let me do this. Alone. It's OUR choice. OUR fight. Not Takeshi's... not yours."

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

She stood there listeining. Soku had certainly struck a nerve, that much anyone plain as day could see but how Rayne would take it was up to her. Oh, Rayne took it but it was not what you would call the most forthcoming reaction. She listened and listened and listened some more. This version of Asuka had that right as she stood there truely marveling at the fact at everything that was pouring out of the woman in front of her. Perhaps it was the truth, perhaps Asuka had a point and her mind was whrring at such a fast pace it was impossible to comprehend anything. Every word, every syllable that was thrown around felt like a weapon in it's own regard.

Soku shook her head. "If you truly believe 'calm her down' was the real reason for Takeshi's orders than I have to seriously question who is the blind one. For crying out, you lived with the man, grew with him, made memories him and you seriously think he would throw you to the whims of such a dark organization without cause? I am not faulting you, Uchiha Asuka. You might have begged to those slain shinobi's families, you might have done all that you could but you still failed in some regard and in that moment, he was acting as the Hokage, not your friend, It might have been out of your control but it falls to him to hold people accountable. You fail to understand the true meaning behind that order."

She ignored the critical words. It was coming from a haven of emotion and she didn't need to anatgonize that. "The WIll of Fire isn't garbage, you just fail to understand it as many do unforunately. It's not about a person, it defines a way of living, a way to connect us all but I won't give you a lecture on all that."

No, Soku reckoned they'd had quite enough as she cut right to the center of the issue, her eyes hardening for a moment as she looked right back at Asuka. "You may have no love left, no hope left for me or Takeshi but you do not fault those who had nothing to do with this. That is, quite frankly, being a child. Ziren left because oppturnity suited him elsewhere, nothing in that. Yuki and Hoshirei have made their own contributions, stop reaching out for names. The only ones you should fault are me and Takeshi."

The words were less than polite but this converstation had veered off that angle a long time ago as Soku shook her head. "You want to take the lead on this mission? You want to be the one calling the shots, you want that to redeem yourself? Fine, I'll give you that because I honor that and still do care for you but on one conditon;." She let the silence linger for a moment as she pressented her ultimatum..

"You will communicate with me and I will do the same, none of this leaving anyone in the dark buisness. We will work as a team, all personal feelings left aside to repair the damage caused to Sunagakure by your hasty actions. If you can't even do that, if you can't even come to that conclusion or mutual agreement than you have no buisness negoiating or much less having a say in any diplomatic matters as far as I'm concerned."

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Asuka's eyes went wide. Listening to her words. Her first sentence made her smile. Well, this was unexpected. She at least thought her own memories would serve as a reminder of what actually happened. But apparently it got warped so much that the main conflict just escaped her mind. The human mind was genuinely impressive. Something to marvel at. How someone could warp their sense of self so much to accommodate ideology was impressive to say the least. She just couldn't believe it. The clear facts just escaping her. With a smile she cracked up. "Well... shit." She said as she laughed harder. "Not even I could suspect how blind you actually are." Shaking her head she took a deep, long sigh. "I am actually at a loss for words. I actually thought you simply thought there was a crime involved. But for you to simply forget.... oh that is gold. Actual, precious, gold. I'll applaud you for that Nanjirou. You have shown my a new level of stupidity I genuinely thought was impossible."

She snickered. "I know it defines a way of living. Yet you refuse to abide by it. That's what makes it bullshit. But hey. Who am I to refute the holy word of God?" She shrugged. "Oh no. For the past couple of months there was multiple chances for at least someone to show up yet no one did. The Will of Fire connects, yet it abandons those in need. A bit hypocritical. But hey, according to you I don't understand it so let's just try and forget this."

"You got a deal." Asuka sighed shaking her head. Walking towards the door. "All honesty this conversation got us nowhere so I'll at least take that. Just remember that you're playing with my life. This is not a joke and not something that should be fucked around with. It's funny that you think you care about me, but you just showed me you are unwilling to even try to understand my side of the story. That what I have to say matters nothing compared to the words of the great and powerful Hokage-sama. So you can drop the informal talk and stop pretending you're someone that loves me. The lies are genuinely annoying. She clapped her hands together In light of that, you are now no one. Nothing. Just another tool like everyone else and there's only one way to treat tools. With Logic, reason and emotionless. So, let me add my own condition in a way a tool like you will understand. If we fail, I die... Simple, right? Well, if that happens I'll take you down with me. No bullshit, no second chances. Whether I fuck up or you do. We both die. So. Let's how much your life is worth to you." Asuka gave an informal salute. "Todaloo!" And with that she vanished. Teleporting away.

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