Marching Home [Private]

[Saitou Rei]

"Tell me, doesn't it feel different out here than it does in the Village?"

Oddly enough, it was the words of Yin Amira that rang in Reicheru's mind as she and her two companions walked paths that she had only traversed once before. The difference was this time, the shinobi could go at their own pace. Though mindful of the fact that there was in fact still a war going on about them and watchful over the routes they took, the fact remained that they weren't rushing to the aid of a friend this time around. Until they got to Cloud, they could do as they saw fit. Yes, it did feel different - it felt like true living.

Still, the three Konoha refugees were not without at least one objective. The scrolls on Maikeru's person were a reminder of this fact, though the details had never been ironed out. It was a subject they'd all rather have avoided, but they couldn't afford to do so any longer. They had been generally making their way toward one of the larger cities toward Fire Country's center, the nearest with a train station. Soon they would come to a fork in the road and choose a direction. When they came across a small village at midday, they would stop for lunch and Reicheru would pull out a map she'd been using to plan out potential routes.

Spoiler: Map

"So we have options," Reicheru started as she spread the creased paper out on the table. "The most direct route is the orange line - taking the train directly from Fire, keep riding through the stop in Bear, before arriving in Lightning. We'd be to Cloud in no time. Another possibility was to take the track north into Marsh, in part because taking the second half of the journey by boat will be cheaper but also because it could be fun to see how a country with no known shinobi village functions. That has us doing a lot of foot traveling once we make it to Lightning though, which could be a pain. And finally…" as Reicheru spoke, she traced her finger along the routes she'd roughly sketched out. She'd made note of border crossings where they would need to have their passports ready, as well as which parts would provide either train or ferry transportation and which would require them to travel on foot. The line she moved to next had the largest amount of these notations. "…we can go east."

Her finger hovered over the circle on Fire Country's coast line. "Katsu was from Ine-cho, a fishing village on the shore line." She paused, gaging Maikeru and Danii's reactions. This was certainly the most out-of-the-way and round-about way of getting north by going south, but Katsu's final words weighed on Reicheru's heart. "We can take the train to this stop just north of Tea Country, and travel along the coast north to Ine-cho. My understanding is that it's a small village, but if we keep to the shore we shouldn't miss it. That should make it easy to locate his family though." For two years Reicheru had tried writing letters, not thinking it fair for any parent to be unaware of their child's death. She'd been met with silence; it made her wonder if Konoha authorities were scanning the contents of outgoing mail. They'd lost so many students and families already, they couldn't afford any more bad publicity, but at what cost?

"I know you have reservations about burying them in Fire, Maikeru. But I think you'll like the funeral traditions in this part of the country… it seems rather fitting to me." Ever the history fan, Reicheru had done some reading on the area surrounding the coastal villages, learning more about her brooding Kashima brother's background through books than he had shared in words; or at least about the culture of his home. "I know we can't afford to dawdle, and this is quite the back road. I still can't help but think we owe it to Katsu - to all of them. But as part of the group, I'll go with what you two think is best. So what are your thoughts?"

 

[Maikeru]

The travel thus far, while stressful due to the frost presence in the area, had been mostly uneventful. Between taking back roads and heavily forested areas, and the cloaks they wore to hide their shinobi gear, they were left to their own devices for the most part. He was thankful for this short rest, though, it giving them time to finally sit for a moment and rest their tired feet. Throwing back his traveler's cloak, he rest his elbows on the table in front of them, crossing his fingers and resting his chin on his thumbs as Reicheru laid out the map, and explained their options.

In honesty, Maikeru wanted to get out of this country as soon as possible. Between the frost, and whoever in the leaf was against the Hokage's wishes, he wasn't sure how long until one of them cornered them. Not to mention there were nunekin presumably in the area, possibly the one Maikeru had fought at Kenshin's dojo. Although Maikeru had scored a lucky, yet skillful, blow against him once he wasn't quite sure he could do it again. In all honest, the train sounded the nicest, and most luxurious. They would be able to rest their bodies and prepare for the coming talks that would certainly happen in the Hidden Cloud.

She had a point, though. Ryujou and Riku would be buried away from their parents, a decision they had made with them in order to keep the boys bodies from being disturbed, and giving their souls a peaceful resting place. Katsu, however, had the chance to be buried near his mother. He also liked the idea of having them near the coast, giving them an eternal view of the ocean. With a heavy sigh, he pointed to the location of Katsu's home village.

"Alright, alright." He said, tapping it again. "We'll take the train, then head towards Ine-cho. It's near tea country, and far away from the hidden leaf village, so it should be a safe place to stop and rest for a bit as well. After words we can double back, take the train the remainder of the way into lightning country, then trek to the Hidden cloud. It's a bit slower than just taking the train, but, the train should make up for the time we spent walking there on foot. Any objections?"

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Travel had been rough the past few days, but Danii seemed to be happier and more cheery than ever. It was like an unseen weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She missed her grandfather at times, but it was nice to be with friends on the journey, especially Maikeru since he had been so busy at the hospital the months before they left. She was reluctant to hide her gear, especially her father's sword, but Maikeru had convinced her that it would be best to keep a low profile for the time being.

Danii sat down and the table and lowered her hood. Her hand passed where the hilt of her sword would be and she frowned briefly. It felt weird for her to travel with Kingslayer in a scroll, but it had seemed like a good idea to not carry the longsword on her back for everyone to see. Would clearly ruin the civilian disguise. She leans over the table and examines the map of their potential route. She follows the yellow path leading to the fishing village. Then keeps following it by sea up to Moon country and eventually into the Lightning country.

“Why double back and take the train? I'm sure we could find a boat to get us there. I wouldn't mind checking out the sea anyways.”

Danii flags down a waitress and places a simple order of food and drinks for the three. Most these places served the same things, unlike the variety of the larger villages, ramen, soups, stews, and the like. Simple and quick for travellers. She pays and turns back to the table.

“It might take a little longer than train, but should still save us time on having to double back. Plus, it'll mean we are out of this land faster.”

She gives Rei a curious look at the mention of interesting funeral traditions. She had occasionally seen Rei doing a little bit of studying, but never joined her. Reading and studying had never really been her strong point in school and she had only done what was needed to pass, never more.

“What do know about the local traditions? I haven't really heard anything about his area of the fire country before? Is it interesting stuff?”

 

[Saitou Rei]

Tapping the butt of a pen on the corner of the map as her friends looked it over, Reicheru's eyes took in the geography again to make sure she hadn't missed any possibilities. Feeling confident, she leaned back as the food arrived and began partaking as Maikeru spoke and then Danii. Reicheru pressed her lips together as Maik mentioned the possibility of doubling back to take the train back to the heart of Fire Country and then back up into Lightning. It was a possibility for sure, just not one that had crossed her mind given their objective of getting out of dodge as quickly as possible. This plan would double the number of train rides, not only adding to time spent but also funds. Thankfully they'd had time to plan for this trip, and all of the money the Nanjirou had made from teaching had been put away for this.

Danii echoed Reicheru's thoughts in her words, but that part was not the decision that needed to be made right this moment. "So either way it sounds like we're all okay with heading to Ine-cho. How about we start making our way there then, we know our options and can decide on our next course of action after we take care of business there, yeah?" Nodding, she downed the last of the drink and food in front of her and waited for the others to do the same. When Danii asked about the village traditions, Reicheru's eye lit up and she gave her cousin a small smile. "We'll have time on the train, I can show you some of it then!"
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Though trees whizzed by and metal wheels churned against metal tracks, the inside of the train cabin was relatively quiet. Or, it would have been if not for the history lesson going on in the Konoha shinobi's car. "…so when there started be more free movement between Cloud and Leaf, port cities and other fishing communities on the coast like Ine-cho stood to gain a lot in business. People from the smaller island started moving to the mainland since they were too near to be a refueling port, and they brought a lot of their customs with them. One in particular has become a popular tradition all along the coast…" Reicheru finished her lecture by pointing in her book to an artist's rendering of a funeral ceremony unique to this part of the country.

Spoiler: Picture

"The islanders had always done burials at sea for their people. The burning of the ship was introduced when they brought the tradition here - they don't call it Fire Country for nothing after all, and more people here are versed in ninjutsu to make it more feasible. It's definitely an interesting case study on syncretism…" Finally realizing that she had probably gone into more detail than she needed to, Reicheru turned to Danii with an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of her head. "But more importantly, I think it suits the boys well. Bound to no country, no authority… free to wander the seas and skies as they please." Her smile turned bittersweet at the thought.

Closing the book, she pulled out the scroll she had pulled it from and resealed it before putting the whole thing in her bag. There had been too many books for her to bring without her bag becoming too cumbersome, so she'd had Maikeru seal them up for her. She really should have him teach her about that more in depth some time. Putting her bag back under her seat, the kunoichi turned to watch the trees blur past the cabin window. Sometimes they would become more sparse as the train traveled through plains and around mountains before growing into a thick forest once more. In those moments of variety, Reicheru marveled at even the minor geographical differences from those that had surrounded her for her entire life so far. What a journey this would be. To finally lay eyes on the sea…
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The train wouldn't take them all the way to the coast, as this line's ultimate destination was Tea Country. As so upon disembarking, the trio began their walk again. First, they headed for the coast. As they rounded a corner and conquered a hill, suddenly a brilliant teal and aqua consumed the once green landscape. The sun danced on the surface of the water that danced in a mesmerizing number, and the sound was unlike anything Reicheru had ever heard. 'Katsu… Katsu lived by this and never talked about it?' she wondered, amazed. She'd seen pictures and heard stories and thought they were enough, but she'd been so wrong. Realizing it had been a few moments since she took a breath, Reicheru sighed in wonder as she turned to her friends with tears in the corners of her eyes. There were no words though to convey what she felt, and so she asked with her eyes to be given another moment to adjust to the sight.

Finally, they walked on along that entrancing miracle of the natural world. Sometimes in silence, sometimes with laughter, sometimes pausing to rest. They had taken time to train early. And so the march into Katsu's hometown continued, slowed by their efforts to conserve their chakra should an emergency arrive (and occasionally by Reicheru's amazement at the colors of the sunset reflected on the ocean horizon). Ine-cho was a smaller port town in comparison to some, but large enough that it was clearly marked when they finally arrived late in the evening. "We made it," the exhausted girl would say with a grin.

Now was the part for which Reicheru had the least developed plan. Because her letters hadn't received a response, the truth was that she had no idea where Mrs. Naikiri lived. Actually, the full truth was that she was not even sure the woman still lived in Ine-cho, though she thought the trip still worthwhile even if that were the case. "It's getting late, shops are all probably closed up except for maybe some of the restaurants. We can try asking around, see if any of the owners know where we can look. It's a small town, after all…" Reicheru had never been on an intel recovery mission, so she only hoped her friends wouldn't make fun of the idea since she had few other plans except going door to door. Assuming Maikeru and Daenerisu went along with it, they would travel to the town's center before coming upon a sushi bar whose lights were still on.

"The Naikiri family? I don't know that I can say I know-- OH!" Just before the trio's hopes were dashed, the shop owner snapped his fingers in realization. "Way you said it I thought you were meaning… y'know, a family. There is that one woman though goes by the name Naikiri, keeps to herself lately. She lives down there by the main dock."

With the few more details and direction the gentleman could provide, they made their way to Mrs. Naikiri's home - Katsu's home. The first door they tried was a bust, and despite the fact that their knocking had woken a sleeping baby who now cried into the night, the tired mother pointed the group in the right direction. More certain at the next door. Taking a deep breath, Reicheru's hand hesitated before her knuckles came down on the wood. She'd written out her words already, but would she be able to verbalize them? What would she say? What could they…

But the door would open before she ever knocked. Both Reicheru and the party at the door jumped, surprised by each other. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry - we're looking for Mrs. Naikiri…?" The sullen looking woman at the door paused, before pulling herself straight and examining the young shinobi at her door. Her dark hair shrouded her tired face and dark eyes, but they didn't hide the knowing that the orbs held deep within.

"Saitou Reicheru. Uchiha Maikeru. Nanjirou Daenerisu."

The mixture of her certainty and the tiredness of her voice rocked Reicheru, and the confusion on her face must have been evident as Mrs. Naikiri continued. "I got your letters, all of them. I didn't think you'd actually come all this way. But since you're here… come in. I was just going out to get wood for a fire, but we have enough for the night. That, and the rest, can wait until morning."
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The night had passed uneventfully. Mrs. Naikiri had shown the three were they could stay and then left them alone, so in the morning Reicheru was entirely uncertain what they would find. When she entered the kitchen, the light streaming in from the window found its rest on the older woman who sat at a table with an untouched cup of tea. Though the brightness of the day helped to alleviate the eeriness, there was still a tiredness and a… standoffishness about the woman. "Sorry 'bout last night. You all caught me off guard. I got up early, been doing some thinking. If it's alright with you all, I'd like to do this as soon as possible. It's already been…" though she didn't make eye contact, Reicheru could tell her eyes had closed as her voice cracked, "…too long." The younger girl's heart broke for the mother in front of her who'd lost so much, and in that moment she would say yes to anything. "Of course. I'll get Maikeru up, he has… everything." The word bodies sounded too crude for the moment, and so with the Reicheru gave a small bow and excused herself to collect the others.

 

[Maikeru]

For the trip there, Maikeru was mostly quiet. It wasn't that he had nothing to say, or that was partially it, but it was more that he was lost in his thoughts. This had been his first time in his life that he had stepped foot beyond those gates, and the culture shock was starting to set in. As a shinobi he had training for this sort of thing, but, it like combat was something you could only truly experience. Still, he was a shinobi. More than just a trained weapon, a veritable expert at blending in, wearing any mask that was needed. Sometimes literally.

So, for his friends, he played the part of the confident, assured leader. Though, in reality, he was a homesick seventeen year old boy who was far from home and from a family he would likely never see again. As he stared out the window of the moving train, vaguely listening to Reicheru and Danni as they talked back and forth about the cultures of the place, his hand moved to stroke the fur of Catsu, Katsu's once loyal pet. The animal had taken a liking to Maikeru, whether it was because of the genjutsu he used to calm him he didn't know, but, when the thing wasn't running around chasing whatever wild life the forest had small enough, it usually curled itself onto Maikeru's head to nap.

He looked to Reicheru and Danni as the train came to it's stop, throwing up a small smile. At least he still had them.


* * * *

Hours passed as they walked before they reached Katsu's home. It was nice, in fact it was beyond nice. Maikeru was expecting a run down fishing village, not the oasis in the forest that laid before them. Why would the Yamanaka have given all this up to become a shinobi? It brought up more questions than the young Uchiha liked, so he quickly quelled those thoughts.

Luckily for him, Reicheru was able to handle not only the investigation, but talking to the mother as well.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your home," Were the only words Maikeru spoke to her, giving her a small bow, before retiring to his chambers for the night.

Sleep was restless, and it didn't come easy, but it came. Still, his mind raced despite his best efforts to calm it. Eventually, he ended up climbing out through the window of the groups room, careful not to wake any of his friends up. He needed time to be alone, to be with his thoughts. Sitting on the roof, the moon bearing down on him, gave him that opportunity.

His hands moved along the smooth Uchiha crest he wore around his neck, thinking about the life he had left behind. There were a lot of memories that he had made in that village, both good and bad, and honestly he was starting to have second thoughts. Did he make the right decision? Was this really what was best for Reicheru and Danni. Those thoughts were pushed away by the three scrolls he had resting near his bed side.

With a sigh, he headed back into the room, hopeful to get whatever sleep the night would allow him.

* * * *

When the morning came, and Reicheru woke him, he groggily vocalized his being awake. He waited until Reicheru and Danni left, before changing clothes. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a few things. Suits jackets, ties, dress pants were among them. He took his time, slowly dressing the boys in the suits that Reicheru's uncle had given them all those years ago, before replacing them into the scrolls and dressing into his own.

He walked downstairs, still tightening his tie, the scrolls in the pocket of his suit jacket. He gave all of them a nod as he entered the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.

"Aye, we can start as soon as you'd like." He said, taking the scrolls out and placing them on the table. "The boys are inside of there, cleaned, prepared, and ready for their funeral. It was easier than carrying three bodies, and allowed my medical ninjutsu to preserve them much longer."

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Danii drifted in and out of the conversation with Reicheru on the train. Initially excited to learn about new traditions and the book with illustrated pictures, the girl quickly grew bored as Reicheru continued on with her lecture enthusiastically. Not one to interrupt, especially since her friend seemed to be enjoying the lesson, Danii snuck a look over at Maikeru who seemed to be looking at the two with a goofy smile. She stuck her tongue out at him and then pointed at Reicheru with her eyes and rolled them. She ended it with a big grin and looked back at the book. The picture of the burial at sea at sea caught her eye. There was something beautifully sad about it.

“You can be such a nerd sometimes. No wonder you decided to teach until we left the village.”

She gave her cousin a teasing smile and looked back at the picture.

“But I think you are right. They would like it, especially the fire part. Only thing that would make it better would be to incorporate some explosives into it.”

***​

The sight of the sea took her breath away as she looked out over it. The smell of salt overwhelmed her. The sound of the waves lapping on the shore, birds flying overhead, and the occasional fish jumping out of the water was something she could never had imagined. The sea called to her, sort of like her sword did at times, but also in a different way. Even the crystal on her necklace seemed to hum and vibrate in tune with the tides. For a brief moment, that sense of anger and regret and fear that seemed to reside in the back of her head vanished.

***​

Danii helped in the search for info on Katsu's mom. She convinced the others to split up at the market place and cover more ground. While conversing with some shopkeeps at their stands, she managed to make two small purchases, a small bag she stowed away in her travel gear and a fish wrapped in some newspaper. The latter she bought for Catsu. He didn't seem to care for her as much as the other two, but she was determined to coax him to her side. As she arrived back at the meeting spot, she showed her friends the ourchased fish and gave it to Catsu.

“I didn't have much luck finding out where she might live, but I did meet alot of friendly people. Things seem a little more laid back here. It must be the sea, something about it seems to be calming.”

Daenerisu was glad to hear that Rei had better luck. She followed her friend to the house and allowed her to do most of the talking, Rei had been the one to write after all.

***

Danii woke up early and got herself ready. She snuck out to allow her friends a bit more rest, today was going to be lomg enough already. Meeting Mrs. Naikiri in the kitchen, Danii greeted her and thanked her for her kindness with a respectful bow.

“I'm sorry we intruded on you last night. Please allow me to help gather some firewood with you… no, it's not a problem at all, you've been so welcoming us so far… plus, I wanted to talk to you about something…”

***​

As Reicheru entered the kitchen, Danii returned with a hot tea kettle and extra cups for them. She refilled Mrs. Naikiri's cup and offered some to Reicheru before fixing her own. Knowing the seriousness of the day, Danii kept unusually silent, worried that she would say the wrong thing.

 

[Saitou Rei]

Though none of the three women in the kitchen talked much, there was still the clanging of tea cups and the scrapping of chairs on the wood floor that filled the air. All of this came to an almost eerie silence as Maikeru entered and places the boys' scrolls on the table. Mrs. Naikiri, who had been looking out the window while scratching Catsu's head after he had curled up in her lap, turned her eyes to the small cylinders that cast a large shadow over the room. "You're telling me, that's…" Though the shinobi arts weren't entirely foreign to this part of the country, the casualty with which the idea of a dead friend inside a scroll being carried on your person was treated caught the woman off guard. After a short silence, she broke her gaze and her eyes flitted between the three shinobi. "Which one?" With a sorrowful gaze, Reicheru pointed toward the green scroll that held her son. Swallowing hard, Mrs. Naikiri reached out with a trembling hand - the most emotion Reicheru had seen from her thus far - and after a long hesitation, picked up the scroll. Running it over in her hands, the mother gripped the paper tight as silent tears began to run down her cheeks. "I was a fool…" Reicheru's heart broke at the words, but though she wanted to rush in with countering words of comfort, her own loss had taught her that sometimes the grieving needed to simply be allowed to grieve. What Reicheru wanted to share with her could wait, so instead she placed a hand on the small woman's shoulder as she quietly wept.
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Once the four were dressed and ready, they headed for the shore. Apparently sometime either the night before or that morning, Mrs. Naikiri had contacted a few friends who waited for them with three small wooden boats. Traditionally the bodies would be carried from the home to the shore by the men of the family, but given the number of bodies and the number of people who would be seeing them off that wouldn't be an option. Instead, the three scrolls had been placed in a basket for Maikeru to carry - the closest thing to a male relative present. She had gone over it with him that morning, not wanting to place any additional burden on the weary mother. First, they would unseal them in the boats. Then, there would be an opportunity for people to place their gifts in the vessel next to the bodies. Someone then may sing a prayer chant while the boats were pushed out, and finally someone skilled in fire jutsu - in this case, Maikeru, if he were willing to do the honors - would send flames sailing over the water to catch the boats as they began drifting into the big open blue.

Once the boys were laid each in their own final resting place, Mrs. Naikiri wandered up to the side of Katsu's boat and ran her hands through his mess of hair. The rest stayed back to allow the woman her privacy. Finally, when she retreated to the group, others came forward with their gifts. Katsu's sword, Riku's cards, Ryujou's hive. Each of the three Konoha nin would take one up to the respective boat. Reicheru held Riku's cards in hand, the deck having grown a few cards short since the white haired rogue once shuffled them without care. As she laid them down beside him, she looked at the smile permanently etched into his face and gave a quiet laugh. "Riku, you absolute fool…" the young girl said as tears clouded her vision. She knew he hadn't been her biggest fan, as she had come in to the group with less enthusiasm about his wild schemes and attempted to be the voice of reason. Still, she'd always had a soft spot for the lad. He'd colored her time in the academy and in the village from day one to the day she left. After a few moments she paid her time with Katsu and Ryujou as well, whispering her goodbyes to her Kashima brother in arms and her fearless genin exam leader. Though she'd had two years to settle the emotions that swirled within her, seeing their faces one last time brought it all back to the surface.

When all had given their gifts and whispered good-byes, most of the villagers spending the most time with Katsu but paying their respects to his fallen friends as well, they began to push the boats out to sea. Reicheru waited for the traditional chant, but it never came. Maybe it was the short notice, or maybe the Naikiri family didn't bend toward the religious. Still, the silence was almost deafening. Though the fireworks that would soon come would certainly be right up the boys' alley, Reicheru couldn't help but feel they needed something more. Remembering one of her fondest moments with Riku during her genin exam, she had an idea. Leaning over to Mrs. Naikiri, she whispered a request. After a short pause, Katsu's mother nodded. Just as Maikeru would set the vessels aflame and the fire licked at the water's edge, Reicheru began to sing.
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"Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Comes marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home

Those leaves did fall
From branches overgrown
Drifting slowly down
Resting all alone
Little soldier boy
Taken from a home
Forced to fight a war
That is not his own

Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home."

* * *​

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With little time to spare, the traveling trio had packed and set their face to a new horizon after the ceremony. At the front of the Naikiri home, the three paused to turn back to Katsu's mother who stood at the doorway. Reicheru had left a small monetary gift in the room, as was custom in many parts. Still, she desperately wanted to offer her something more. Hanging back a moment, Reicheru quietly said, "You did the right thing. He was becoming a fine young man. I am proud to call him my brother." Mrs. Naikiri nodded with a grateful smile. Still, a sadness remained that Reicheru couldn't fathom, nor did she ever hope to. "The last thing he said to us, to anyone actually, was to tell you that he loves you. He never forgot home, he never stopped loving you, he never blamed you. He loves you." At those words, tears welled once more in the older woman's eyes. "Thank you. Thank you all." Reicheru smiled. "No, thank you. It has been an honor. I wish there was something more we could give you…" As if on cue, a gentle 'meow' arose from beneath them. Catsu, who had been nestled in Maikeru's bag, had escaped and made his way back inside and was weaving in and out of Mrs. Naikiri's legs. The obviousness hit Reicheru hard, and selfishly she didn't want to let go of this one last connection to her friend. But a bond had been made, and with a melancholic smile the young girl shook her head as Mrs. Naikiri knelt down to pick the feline up to hand him back to the shinobi. "I think he's finally home here."

After the three had said their goodbyes, Reicheru gave one final wave before pulling the hood of her green cloak over her head once more. Now the time had finally come to do as Catsu had done and find their own place to call home in this cruel but beautiful world.

[Topic Left]

 

[Maikeru]

Maikeru had always thought himself a man who knew what to do in any given situation. He was the type who had an answer for everything, even if it may have been sarcastic at times. But, today, he was at a complete loss. It seemed not too long ago he was planning the heist in tea with them, or lecturing them on how their hijinks would get them hurt one day. Ironic, in a way, to be standing at their funeral so soon after one such lecture. He watched with silent tears as the friends and family of Katsu came up to his boat, giving their last good-byes, before paying the same respects to the Yamanaka's fallen friends. Riku and Ryujou may not be buried at home, but at least they would be buried near family it seemed.

Watching Riku's mother cry over his body broke his heart, remembering the same tears his own mother shed over Tsubaki's funeral. It wasn't right for Maikeru to lose so many younger siblings in so short of a life, but, he supposed this was the hand that fate had dealt him. When it was time, he carried Katsu's blade to his body, wrapping the boys hands around the cool wood of the sheath and handle.

"I'm sorry," He said, placing a light kiss on the boys forehead. "You were Kashima, we were suppose to live and die together, and I broke my promise. It's a small consolation, but, a swordsmen should always be buried with his blade. May you protect Riku and Ryujou in heaven like I couldn't. Watch over our boys for us, Katsu."

He watched as Danni and Reicheru placed their items on the bodies before moving over to Riku. He grabbed the deck of cards with shaky hands, searching through it until he found what he was looking for. He smiled as looked down at the Joker card, the only one in the whole deck. He held onto it for a moment, before slipping it into the jacket of his suit. It was probably wrong to take from the dead, but, he needed this.

With the good-byes sent, the boats were pushed into the water and Maikeru's final action as their older brother was to begin. His eyes lightened to a deep red, before the tomoe in his eyes spun, forming into his Mangekyo Sharingan. He took one final look at them, one final good-bye, before focusing large amounts of chakra to his eyes.

"Amaterasu."

The words left his mouth and large, black flames begun to engulf the boats. They would burn quickly and brightly, just like the boys did. As Reicheru began to sing, he moved to his girlfriend, placing a hand on the small of her back as he stood beside her. He never knew she could sing, but it was unsurprising to him. She was a talent at everything she did after all.

* * * *

They left soon after the funeral, but not before Maikeru stood in the kitchen of the Nakiri home, looking at the three women who had gathered, his packed bags in his hands.

"You know.." He began, trying to find the words that stuck in the back of his throat. "The most terrifying part of death is not that it kills you. It's that it makes those you loved want to stop living. So, for Katsu's sake, for Ryujou and Riku, I am going to keep living. I'm going to follow my dreams, and I'm going to be the type of person that they could be proud of."

He slung his bag over his shoulder, looking directly to Katsu's mom as he spoke again.

"That's what I'm going to do. I hope you'll do the same, Nakiri-san."

He gave her a small bow, before exiting their home. He had a new promise to keep.

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[Santaru Kaede]

Danii waited her turn and went last. She walks over to Ryujou’s boat. She places the empty hive and a small jar of honey from its previous tenants in the boat. The bees had long since been left with a member of Ryujou's Aburame family as none of these threw knew how to take care of them. She also placed a small package cloth sack in the boat. She paid her last respects to her other two friends and left a little bag in each of them. As the boats drifted out to sea, she aided Maikeru in lighting them with a fire jutsu of her own. While not her strongest style, Danii had enough skill in it for this task. Releasing the Dragon Fire flamethrower over the boats, the fire begins to spread before being engulfed in the hotter, black flames of Amaretsu. It was small, but it was her contribution to the funeral. Or, at least, part of her contribution. She watches as the fires burn and Reicheru sings a beautiful song. Danii reaches out and holds Maikeru's hand as she watches the black flames leap about the boats. As the song finishes and the fires begin to die down, it wouldn't be long before the boats sank. The final snapshot that she had taken from Katsu played quickly through her mind's eye. The sword on her back seemed to absorb and radiate the heat from even this far, while the cool gem seemed to be collecting condensation with a few drops falling on her. Or maybe those were just her imagination, but her mind was elsewhere.

Dropping Maikeru's hand, Danii took a small step forward and turned towards Mrs. Naikiri. The older lady gives a small nod and Danii turns back towards the boat. She had explained her plan to Katsu's mother this morning before anyone had awoke. She had explained the boys’ more rambunctious side, and her belief that they would enjoy a little something untraditional in their send off. Acknowledging the nod as the final permission, Danii made a hand seal and spoke.

“They may have died without a fight, their final rebellion in its own right, but they would never forgive us if we sent them off without a final bang.”

Danii releases the seal and activates the contraband explosive tags she had found in the treehouse shortly after the incident those years ago. With a loud bang, they rip open the bags and ignite the fireworks inside. Those had cost her almost half the money she had brought with her, even with the discount she got for them being leftover from a festival earlier in the year. She saved the funeral light show in her mind. She watched as the ships finally sank amidst the color filled sky before turning back towards the others with a big, stupid grin and tear filled eyes.

***​

“Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Naikiri. I'm sorry for interrupted the funeral traditions, but I think they would have liked to go out like that. They always liked drawing attention to themselves, especially Riku.”

She gave the lady a bow and headed off with the others.

[Snapshot saved of funeral. Second slot used]

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