A Song To Say Goodbye (Private))

[Kairyuu]

The moon still hung in the sky over them, the same lightless orb that saw them out of the village and into these wilds. Hoshikata's eyes were of use here, able to see in this nocturnal setting as if in full light. His staff made no sound as they headed away from the pass to the village and into the mountains proper. Behind him was the ragtag band, but only one concerned him for the nonce. While silence was a virtue in times like this, he knew Tatsuya was holding something inside. They had known each other too long, and while he might hide the tells, he could not hide the intuition that the seer held.

So he would fall back briefly, standing alongside his friend as the others went ahead. ”I take it you dislike our new companions.” As usual, there were no pretty words, for he knew Tatsuya would see through them. This was one person he could be honest with, not have to lie and twist sayings towards. And he expected the same in return.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Of course his anger was obvious. They had known each other too long.

There were still fragments of nothingness draped over Tatsuya's shoulders--jagged wings, not so much a smooth cloak. They were not the sheer black the void appeared to be solely, but full of nightmarish designs that flared briefly, only out of the corner of one's eye. This sort of thing had only begun to happen with his delving into his powers more recently, since he had started letting it out more and more.

"I dislike why they are with us." His expression was neutral, but the patterns danced more sharply for a second, harder on the eyes. "Your brother certainly does not come voluntarily. What of the other Mist nin? The Cloud man? They cannot be here voluntarily. Tell me, did you blackmail them? Threaten them?"

Hoshikata had an irritating habit of taking too many risks, it seemed, and folding so many into their midst who didn't want to be there was...well. That.

But also, the fact that the Mist girl had been calling him 'my lord' was very concerning.

What the hell hold do you have over her?

 

[Kairyuu]

He would look to those mentioned, taking note as he did of the reaction Tatsuya did not show on purpose. He'd learned over the years to gauge the other, much as Tatsuya knew how to gauge Hoshikata himself. He could easily guess he was concerned about a spy in their midst, which he knew Karu most likely was. Loyalty was in short supply amongst the Isaki clan, and he had little doubt his brother followed only due to self-preservation and not out of love for his clan or kin. Still, even with that being the case he was not something to be concerned with.

But he had voiced his true concern, Tatsuya was now aware that Hoshikata had, in some manner, convinced these people to come along. And not in a way they agreed with, to be sure. He sighs, looking to them, then back to Tatsuya again. His golden eyes were open for once, showing a gleam of hunger in them. Hunger for what, no one but Hoshikata himself knew. ”They will follow me unto death, worry not. I did not blackmail or threaten them. I made them loyal to me.”

He doubted Tatsuya would like that trick, the complete removal of free will that the Shoukyou seemed to be fond of. But for Hoshikata, things were quickly moving from gray to black and white. Either you sided with him, or you were a potential foe. He would take those on the fence and either dispose of them or turn them. There could be no middle ground anymore, the power of fate was coming to a head and he intended to show the world what it could do.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Tatsuya stared back, his own two-coloured eyes calculating, assessing. No trace of his usual posture or demeanor could be found, but it was not in defeat, or tiredness. He was in full on strategist mode, the same half-trance of perfect focus he used when forging a weapon and he could not afford to make a misstep.

"Then what, precisely, did you do to them?" It was clear now, from Hoshikata's own words, that it was not something desirable. "Something of your powers, perhaps? That girl was addressing you as though you were her commander...or her god."

The patterns dancing in his void wings shifted to reds and oranges, spiraled shapes, though his voice did not shift from even and calm. It was clear Hoshikata had done something unforgivable now.

Had he, to Akane? Was that the reason for her sudden shift from apathetic and annoyed to loyal?

"If you have done the same thing to my sister..." His fists clenched, the only human sign of anger on him. "Would you do it to me, as well? No, I know the answer to that. You already attempted to cast a Genjutsu on me."

Because he wasn't saying anything right out, was he? It was clearly information Tatsuya would dislike hearing.

If you are crossing lines like that...must I pull you back? Would you even listen?

 

[Kairyuu]

He knew it would be bad. Hoshikata turns, his mouth opening to explain exactly what was going on, when the words came from Tatsuya's mouth. ”If you have done the same thing to my sister...” The mouth closes, his golden eyes going hard and his knuckles tightening on the staff in his hand. His mouth became a thin line and for a brief moment a sound, a primal growl, would come from the depths of his being.

”I have done nothing to her, or you. I cast a genjutsu in an attempt to help you through a tough time in your travels. I value you as you are, not as a puppet. And your sister came to me looking to apologize for her behavior. She made the effort to seek me out and begin a true relationship. I had nothing to do with her making that decision.” His words were short, his eyes widening with each one and it took all he had not to swing that staff at his friend's head.

”It's a seal. Much like the cursed ones I have put on people to enhance their power. This one uses their own chakra coils to shift their thoughts. The girl I did it to as a test, to make sure it worked. The man I did because I need knowledge he possesses and it was the only way I could get a loyal shinobi of Cloud to give me that knowledge. I do not desire automatons, Tatsuya, who worship me and grovel at me. My ego is not so great that I would force someone to call me a god.”

In truth it most likely was, but he would not force them like this, no. He would force them through fear and reward.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Good.

Tatsuya's void wings rippled briefly with blue-green satisfaction. It wasn't like such a reaction from Hoshikata would scare him, after all, though it would be wise to back off just a touch.

"So you say," he said flatly. "I suppose I'll have to accept that, for now, since the twins seem to have run off on their own. It isn't as if I could easily check, anyway. But you have known her for a matter of months, and I have been her brother her whole life. So I'll thank you to not get angry at me for ensuring her safety."

It was, in fact, occurring to him that he ought to have done a more thorough evaluation of Hoshikata after his reckless whatever-it-was. Well, he hadn't, and it was now he was paying for it.

"Shift their thoughts?" The red and orange swirls were back, dark and only visible against the black nothingness. "Snare them. Trap them. Enslave them. Call it what it was. Damn it Hoshikata, there are other ways to get things out of people--are you sure you didn't just do it to spite Cloud for our reception? Or did the Raikage anger you in some way?"

His eyes narrowed briefly--not angry still, but intensely thoughtful. In response to the last he only snorted.

He tilted his head, as if to observe the lack of the moon. The dark of the moon was nearly his element, really. As near as could get without actually touching the void itself.

 

[Kairyuu]

It became obvious that the comment on not trusting him made him angrier, but the reaction to it was certaintly a new one. His grip loosens on the staff, the snarl he was almost making fading. His face seems to go to stone, an almost peaceful look on it. But his eyes were blazing with rage at the moment. In truth there were only two ways to anger him to any real degree. You could do as Hoshi had done and push him for months on end until he snapped, but that took a long time and a lot of effort. Or you could be close to him, and then call him a liar.

Sure, he was a liar. And sure, he'd lied to Tatsuya. But Tatsuya wasn't supposed to know that. And he wasn't supposed to question what was quickly become something real between his best friend and little sister. Instead of rising to that bait, however, he remains silent as the other goes on, his wings giving off his emotions and his spirit as well.

”The Raikage did nothing to anger me. The man is a simpleton, a mere child in the court of politics. And perhaps our welcome did have something to do with who it was I chose, but it did not make me do this. Much as we know Mizugo and my own clan tongue, Kumo has a language all their own. I intend to learn it. I intend to use it as needed in the future. Use it to protect not only myself, not only you and your sister, but our clans and new home. For while the current Raikage might be a fool who lives on thoughts of peace, that does not mean the next one will be so too.”

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Tatsuya gave his friend a careful look. It was true he was intending to incite anger, since that tended to loosen tongues, but...

"I see." Flatly. "Instead of choosing to break into wherever they keep the information on this tongue and copy or steal it, instead of bartering to learn it, you decided to snare someone's mind and effectively kidnap them. I can only imagine the sort of torment that man is going through. And why would you not release the Mist girl once you knew it worked, anyway? If that is truly your reason for having done it, as you claim."

Blind trust did not become him. Perhaps Hoshikata expected him to trail along, to follow, to go along because of friendship. And it was true, he'd done basically that for the most part. But that ought not to be mistaken for compliance with his every action, or capitulation to anything that went against Tatsuya's own ideals.

He turned away--not fully, and the void wings would cover him from physical attack. But he didn't expect one, though he was prepared.

"Can I even trust you, Hoshikata?" he asked quietly, letting the silence around them amplify his words. "I...want to believe that you are being truthful, and I want to believe that you are doing this for the good of our families. But I cannot trust the way you are doing it. I cannot accept it. I cannot condone it. I feel as though it will cause more harm than good, in the long run. Stealing ninja from other villages is not the way to protect ourselves from them, it is the way to bring them down on us. You have given not only Cloud but also Mist cause to hate us, should they find out. And do not say they won't--you can't know that to be the case."

He didn't ask if the twins had left because they sensed danger. Any true danger to be sensed would be sensed by the two of them there, not a set of empaths--however remarkable they were at their gift.

 

[Kairyuu]

With a sudden, jerking movement he would shove the staff into the earth under their feet, burying it to where it could not fall. ”You saw how that village treated us. Every move we made was watched, have no doubt. Oh sure, we got away with removing that blot of humanity, but that was more a fluke of timing. Do you think they would have missed me going around trying to convince someone to teach me their tongue? Do you think they would not have realized my doing so constituted a danger to them? Do not mistake their leader being a fool for all of them doing so.” And while Shin had given him that impression, he knew Natsu would have known what was going on. That man had entirely too much skill at intrigue to be wasting it here in Cloud.

And then came a question that took the wind right out of his sails. Not because he was to be trusted, for in truth he was most likely to worst person to trust in this whole world unless the thing you trusted was his seeking out his goals. No, what became an issue was that Tatsuya was, in fact, supposed to follow out of friendship. But it seemed that, whatever eagerness he had to kill those cultists, he had some odd morals about this here. And that was causing him to question his friend, to doubt Hoshikata's leadership.

”If not me, who can you trust? I would do nothing to harm my own clan, you know this. And even if you doubt I would feel the same for your clan, for you, you should at this point know I would not purposely bring harm to the family of Akane.” He takes in a breath, slowly releasing it and letting the tensity flee from his body as he does. ”You are not a means justifying the ends person, Tatsuya. But sadly, if we're going to survive we have to use some means that are not wholly good. Between us, we hold the power over enough wealth to bankrupt nations. Do you think a greedy village like Leaf would ignore that for long? They would not. Even Cloud might be tempted to take what we have for their own.”

”I took one of their own, not to punish them but to learn from him. And yes, dammit, there was a bit of showing them what we can do. They would be fools to attack us right now and you know it. They would be aware that they know nothing of what we're capable, and that alone would stay them. And Mist is no concern. Karu and I are going there soon, and I will convince Masa that Hoshi went rogue. And Karu will either back that up....well, let's just say I will not tolerate someone betraying their own blood twice.”

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Tatsuya twitched slightly, then turned the movement into turning smoothly back around to face Hoshikata again.

"And yet there would likely be more idiots in that village, if there was one," he said coolly. "Trickery and deceit is perfectly fine. Outright theft even. You may have easily convinced people, perhaps using more subtle means than outright theft of a person that surely will be noticed. And tell me, why is it so important for us to know their tongue this way? Whether they know their man is kidnapped or think he came willing, surely they'll guess we would have him for that purpose. It will not take long for such paranoids as they showed themselves to be to come up with that."

Free will was important to him. It was almost as if Hoshikata could not understand why Tatsuya valued it so much. Well...it was likely no one could, actually. Willpower was all that held him together at night in his dreams and whenever he called on the void itself. He had to cherish it, because if he didn't he would be undone completely. That was a fate worse than death, he was certain--to have one's mind and body controlled not by oneself.

It done to another was still terrible. True, he felt his offense increased when it was someone near to him or his own personal boundaries, but no person deserved to have that will violated. Himself more than most, true, due to the inherent danger of losing it forever if he did for just a while, but there was a reason he did not use Genjutsu skills outside of battle and respected people's boundaries.

Loss of control of oneself...that was not to be borne.

"Myself, perhaps. My own guiding star." He plucked a fragment of nothing out of the air and studied it, as his wings had started shedding snowflake-like pieces of it. Anyone else would have been unable to touch them. "Perhaps this doesn't bother them as much as it does me. I do not know. And I know my family is certainly not lily white to begin with, and I have never bothered about that. But there is wrong, and there is wrong. There is what you should only ever do to an enemy, and there is what you should never do at all. Seizing other's wills...that falls into the latter, to me."

He dusted his fingers of the void shard, which immediately ceased to be--if it had ever been.

"You have always been one to take risks, despite being cautioned against it." He frowned. "I still believe this is too much of one. You're going to inevitably bring them down on our heads. If not immediately, then certainly when they have had time to nurse their grudges so they outweigh sense, or when they think they are prepared."

...We're going to Mist?

There was a part of him that still called Mist home.

"And the other girl? Are you going to say that woman kidnapped her?" The patterns in his wings rippled to iridescent silver. Intrigue, curiosity, but of a disapproving kind. "What can you do if he calls for the ANBU whilst you are there? You may kill him, but that doesn't undo any damage he can do before you get the chance. And forgive me if I feel as though that is not a sufficient reason to return to a place we left voluntarily. You could do such a thing in a letter."

He didn't quite believe Hoshikata would make that trip just to cover his tracks, either.

 

[Kairyuu]

”It was too dangerous to try my usual tactics. Do you not think I would have if I believed there was any chance of success without us being crucified? There was not. On either count. And knowing their tongue gives us an edge if they send someone to spy on us. We'll be able to recognize it for what it is instead of assuming it to be gibberish should they send missives or telegraphs. As for taking him, I doubt they'll come to that conclusion. There are thousands of other reasons, better ones, for why we would have.”

He watches his friend play with the nothingness only he could, listening to him speak about his morals. Then he moved to Hoshikata himself. ”Tatsuya, whatever else we are, we were shinobi. There is no wrong. There is victory, and there is death. I desire to see us not become the latter. Yes, I have taken many risks in my life. And yes, you have cautioned me on them. And look where we stand from my doing so. I dare say my risks have led to greater things for us than if I had not taken them. You can't know what each path holds, but the man who never takes the dangerous path will never reap the rewards. I know when to use caution, but this was not one of those times.”

As he asked about Hanako, those golden eyes roll slightly. ”I can't release someone. The seal is not permanent, however. She'll be herself again before a year is out. And if he attempts such a thing, well, I have a member of Mist itself backing me up. And my voice still carries weight there. I spread enough goodwill to ensure that much, at the least.”

And then he said it, asked about the reasons for going to Mist. Hoshikata couldn't tell him the truth, never, not on that one. But he could tell him a truth. ”Your sister and brother have already fled for there. I intend to go and reign them in before they get in over their heads. I don't know what possessed them to leave us like that, but they have.”

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

"You doubt it," Tatsuya's voice was still soft but dangerously close to sing-song--chiding, almost. "Yet the man who underestimates his foe is dead, no? If you came to the conclusion to steal him for that, of course another could realize that was why. That man Natsu was quite sharp, for one. Probably he could divine it, if he tried."

The wings stilled briefly, and so did he. The silver flickered out, leaving only black, blacker than black, patterns barely visible tracing themselves out of the cut edges of void and pooling on his shoulders. His expression became a mask of sheer implacability, of certainty.

"No," he said simply. "We are not ninja first. We are people first, even if we may be more than human. And there are some things no person should ever do or be subjected to. There is a right and wrong, and I at least can see it, while I believe you cannot. Your risks...they have lead us away from our home and even our would-be home, to needling large and armed populations of shinobi. And there are risks worth taking, true, but I am not convinced these are they, or even that you can tell the difference. You cannot take on the whole world armed with only clever tricks and knowledge, Hoshikata."

There was curdling disappointment in him.

He knew the type of person who declared that there was no such thing as a wrong.

"And when she is released will she seek revenge, or have it sought for her?" he asked. "Or will you reapply it, because it is useful to drag along pets from each village. What next, are we to Leaf and Sand for more? A merry band full of heart-snatched slaves?"

He paused, considering. Yes, that probably was where the twins had gone. And if Hoshikata truly was enamoured of Akane in return--as seemed to be so--that might have been enough reason for him to follow along. Although he did not believe his friend possessed an ounce of the follower in him, love turned men to strange things.

"They are empaths, lest you forget, and might have sensed my anger," he said after a second. "All right, I suppose that part makes sense. I'll believe it, for now, although I'm curious to know how you know they are going there exactly, and not simply taken off on a merry adventure to Leaf or somewhere else."

 

[Kairyuu]

”Yes, I doubted it. You know me well enough by now to know that I'm not going to over or underestimate people. I read people, just like you fool them into thinking you're some airhead. Natsu might, true, but I doubt he would tell anyone. There is something to him, the man reminds me quite a bit of someone. He would hold onto the information, and look for a way to use it to his advantage against me personally, but not through his village.”

And then the Shoukyou took the chance to go into his own serene rage. ”I don't intend to take on everyone, but I will do what I must to make sure these people don't come after us. And I know what is wrong, Tatsuya. But unlike you, I know also what is necessary and I will do that. I cannot let something like ethics be the downfall of my clan, do you understand? My risks led us away from Mist, true, but look at what we left! A village rotting away from the inside, a rotting corpse of what used to be a beautiful being. My risks brought us here, and regardless of what we took, we also left allies in that village. Powerful allies that desire to see our clans safe. They will alert me should any leaders of the village make a move against us.”

TITAN, the group he had joined with, would hopefully do that much at least. And if it did not, it would suffer with whoever tried to attack them. ”When she is released, then I will figure something out. But I doubt I'd reseal her.” In truth he would have no need for her at that point, and would be more likely to dispose of her than not.

”Where else would they go? They're not familiar with the rest of the world. They don't know how to get to Leaf, or anywhere else, but I'm sure they remember how to get back home. And did you not leave family there? I wouldn't doubt they have friends or kinsmen to visit with.” In truth he was guessing again here. But Hoshikata's gut, while fallible, rarely led him wrong.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

"So he is still a threat then--and if Cloud can breed one like him, they can breed more, who may not be so personally inclined as he." The risk was not the real reason here, which was why he was not pressing it. It was merely a path Tatsuya thought more likely to convince Hoshikata than personal morals. "Pray that you are infallible in this as in all things, then, o mighty one, if you still pray to anything at all."

His tone was dripping with sarcasm, the purple patterns in his wings now sharp and jagged in a different way than the ink itself. It would be dizzying to look at, if one were mortal.

"You do not cross some lines," he repeated. "I might not be a good person--no, I know I am not a good person. I have tortured or killed people for fun or because I personally thought they were unworthy to live. I have done it on orders. I have done it without any reason at all. But without ethics of some kind, without some part of an inviolate moral code, what am I? Certainly I am not worthy to wield the power I have been given. And I know that in some ways it is a lesser power than the one you wield, so oughtn't your morals to be stronger, not weaker?"

He tilted his head to the moonless night, the shimmering stars, looking at not the points of light but the space between.

"I am not saying we should have stood and fought in Mist. As you know, I am no storybook hero. But...do we need one?" He turned back to Hoshikata suddenly, a deadly serious look in his eyes. "I would suffice ill, it is true. But what are you dragging us all into? It is a selfish cause, not a just one. You are playing a long game, with many moves that unnecessarily hurt others, and I cannot think of a reason for any person who values goodness even slightly to do so."

His expression became briefly sour. He had expected that, in truth. He didn't need to hear what else would be done; it was doubtful Hoshikata would let one who knew he could do such a thing run free.

Which now included Tatsuya himself, mind.

"They are not overly given to wander, either." He shook his head. "Mist, then. Yes, we left a few spies nested, of course. As you did. So you have good enough reason for thinking that, at least..."

He blew out a breath. This was not an easy decision, but he was no stranger to hard decisions.

"I was already debating it, but this has confirmed it for me. I am not going with you to Mist."

 

[Kairyuu]

”Natsu is a rarity, worry not. One or two others might exist like him there, but none hold the political sway to know what has transpired or anything about us. How many people were there in Mist who could hold a candle to me in that regard? Just you, if you tried hard enough. I expect Cloud has about the same number, as would the other villages. You don't just fall into it, you're born into it and you train for it your whole life.” No comment to the sarcasm, for indeed he just wanted to backhand him for that one.

Instead Tatsuya went on with morals again, making Hoshikata sigh in exasperation. ”You play by your rules then, my friend. And when someone who does not comes along and takes all you have, at that point you can explain to them about not crossing lines also. But I do not intend to let the more depraved man win simply because I will not act. I intend to make sure that not only do I act, everyone knows I will do so. I intend to make sure people do not even come against us in the first place out of fear, or respect or even a desire to be friends. And I was not given this power.” He turns to fully face Tatsuya, frowning once more.

”I found my god, dear Tatsuya. I found the Deep One. He burned me, tormented me, broke me. You remember the change I underwent. Have you not wondered why my parents did not join the exodus? My father attacked me when he found out my plans. And the spirit of Isaki Yoshiko, the spirit that lived in my staff, it drank his soul when I defended myself. My mother gave her life as well, that the clan could be free of that thing. Did you know what it was doing? It was stopping the souls of my clansmen from moving on! It was stopping them, and it was toying with them, turning their afterlife into hell because it could. You do not know the sacrifices I had to make to take it down. No....my powers were not given to me. I took them from the fist of a god itself.”

His mother hadn't been a willing sacrifice, but that was not being said. Indeed, she had no idea what was going on when Hoshikata put her to sleep with a genjutsu. She had awakened briefly during the sojourn, but a swift hit from the staff had sent her back into blissful slumber. Still, her death was not in vain, for it had free his clan from the eternal agony that the Deep One was inflicting on them all.

”And where will you go then? Stay here, where you believe you will be hunted down? Or will you go to Fire, where the members of Konoha would be so happy to see you that they'll skin you alive? Or perhaps to Wind. If you can find Sunagakure let me know, because last I heard it's more well hidden than any other shinobi village. But if you desire not to go with me, so be it. As I said, I do not wish automatons. But I am going after Akane. I shall let her know her brother thinks me a threat to her, and so chooses to hide away.”

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

"Or train to it alone, as foreign as it is to you." Tatsuya was frowning more strongly now. "Do you not believe that part of who people are is born to them...? At this point you should know better than that. Were I solely a product of my raising I would bring up no objections to what you have been doing."

If I...

"The only reason I reason with you is because we are friends. I would not spare that same kindness for anyone else." The patterns faded from the wings entirely, leaving sheer nothingness in its purest form. "Likewise, such a man would probably either attempt to use me--which I assure you would result in unpleasantness for everyone, him included--or kill me outright as a threat. Assuming he could, which you know is a dangerous assumption for anyone to make with me."

That was pure, simple fact. He might not have been the strongest or best ninja alive, but he was most certainly, most definitely, not one you wanted to cross paths of in battle. The sheer oddity of his powers guaranteed that.

But then, he had been gifted with his powers. On some level, he had known that Hoshikata had, perhaps accidentally, acquired them later on. It was of course more likely he had sought them out. And while he reserved his disbelief that any being should be called a god or worshipped, of course there were beings of power enough that some would do such anyway.

And that was what the Isaki clan had been beholden to before. A thing, whom their leader had stolen the powers of, to make himself less human. Well, he had heard of such a plan, in the ghosts of his memory. Or at least, the very basic sketches of one. It had been one of the reckless acts he had warned his friend against.

"So you seek to recreate its power?" He shook his head. "No...what you do with that is your will...certainly, I can't argue with what you did there. I cannot know any of it. I am inclined to believe you, since you are not given to over-fancifulness with your tales. I would never strike at my own father, but your father is not mine, and he would not strike at me either, certainly not over such a rescue. I cannot judge you for how you obtained that power, only in how you use it now, as that is what I see."

He held a hand in front of him, and let a pale blue glow--not enough to destroy night vision--highlight it.

"I have always held my powers," he said quietly. "Since I was an infant, they have had the fear scooped out of me. I still don't know what it is to be afraid, to react in desperation to fear. Every night I face the void, and only my will holds me together, and keeps my sanity from fragmenting. And still I don't fear it. It's a part of me. I am made, in part, of nothingness. I wonder if I even have a soul, sometimes. And yet I am, in truth, ill-adapted for the life I must lead. These affectations are only that. They do not come naturally to me. I wonder what else might have claimed me, were it not the void--or perhaps that something rejected me and gave way for it."

He held the glowing hand up, letting the light touch his face and make his grey eye seem more silver.

"But I hold impressions that I do not know where I got them. And...I cannot brook an intrusion on free will, so easily inflicted. It's simply adverse to my very being." He shook his head and extinguished the light. "I am not a good man, Hoshikata. But this is one thing in which I will not be moved. Maybe it is from foreign influence. Maybe not. I will decide for myself, and until I do I cannot stay."

He shrugged.

"I do not believe they can find me, alone," he said simply. "I will meet up with you again--in Mist, or in Moon, whichever it so happens to be. It depends on how long I must take. And I do not think we will fight. I don't wish to harm Akane, for one, and I do believe that you won't harm her either. And I still think of you as a friend, and one of the few people who ever has even a chance to understand me."

He gave a soft laugh.

"Both you and Akane know I am no coward," he said sweetly, with the sort of poisonous tone he normally reserved for negotiations. "I doubt you would convince her of that. And I do not run. I am simply away for a while. Truthfully, I was already going to separate myself to so better work on my powers without drawing harm to you all, as they otherwise would. You may tell her that much, if you wish."

 

[Kairyuu]

”You don't train by yourself on how to talk to people, how to read people, how to get them to do as you wish. It takes practice, it takes live exercises. But no matter, that is not the important here and we both know it.” He grips his staff, ripping it free of the earth that held it and shaking loose dirt from it. ”We are all more than just our raising, but it is a facet of us. If you were born to peasants, do you think you would be where you are now? Do you think you would have made Sennin? Or even gone through the Academy? Or would your powers have been considered a freak thing and you ripped apart by them from never learning to control them?”

”I do not seek to control you, nor to harm you or your family. But I am not going to let a power that could save my family in the future wane just because you think it a step too far. Perhaps he must simply agree to disagree here, but if it means the difference between life and death, I will choose life.” He would, every time. Hoshikata had given up more for less, so the choice here was obvious to him. For a brief second the idea of giving up Akane for power entered his mind. Would he? He put the thought off, better to not think on it now.

”I do not wish to recreate it, no. It did not hold this talent. I have surpassed what it could do with spirits. I am now merely testing the boundaries of my own power. Without knowing them I will never know what I am capable of in self defense, and I would be a bigger threat to my allies than enemies.”

Tatsuya went on at length, and Hoshikata remained silent as he did. The differences between their powers were great. Tatsuya was born with his, learned to master it through a lifetime of use. Hoshikata had been born with a facet of his own, and the waters of the dead had expanded it greatly. He had paid for that power with his body, however. And killing his god, taking its power as his own, had cost him his parents.

But he was still learning what he could do. ”Very well then, my friend. If you do not find us in Moon, seek us out in Mist.” He turns, saying no more to the man he was soon leaving behind. Tatsuya had made his decision.

(TOPIC LEFT)

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Tatsuya stood silently, since there was nothing more to say. They were parting ways for now, and all he knew was the surety that they would meet again.

"I do not think I understand you at all, or at least I pray I am mistaken in what I realize," he murmured. "And I do not think you understand me, either. Farewell for now, my friend. I will see you again later."

He didn't regret the parting--regardless of anything else, this would have had to come to pass. Nor could he yet regret the anger. Perhaps if his own morals shifted, he would in the future. But not for now.

Under the stars, what does it matter? None of it does, right? It's all just nothingness in the end. Even the stars go out, after all.

He had seen a star go out before, after all. That was when he had learned what the night sky actually was.

If I do have a soul...if anyone does. Who knows? Maybe everyone else does. I do know there is something lacking in me, and to fully unleash my powers I will have to unlock it. I will...have to uncover parts of myself I don't like to look at. I'll have to determine what lies at my core, and what values I don't mind trading up and away for safety or other gain. I have to know that, above all else, if I'm to go back to them.

He wasn't a coward. He lacked the criteria to be.

And this time I'll use my retreat productively. No. I will not let myself fall into despair or self-loathing again. I'll train my powers and I'll learn myself. That's what has to happen...

He turned and set off, not in the precise opposite direction Hoshikata had gone but certainly a different one, drawing the void over him as a shield.

And if people do find me then...then. I don't want to fight them and encourage their terrible perceptions, so I'll do what I usually do.

He grinned, although it wasn't a pleasant smile.

Yes. I think that will do nicely.

[Topic Left]