New Room for a Chained Man

[Kiri]

Kiri looked on with a grim look on his face, worried at the sudden change of events. But he couldn’t do anything. He felt guilty as he watched Junko accept the Homage’s offer to prove the former’s mettle through battle, and they both left. It didn’t change the fact that he had caused his adoptive father more trouble once more.

It was then that silence would pervade the room for a bit longer before finally he heard Hoshi’s voice. Indeed, the boy had grown, he could tell from the words he spoke, the mixture of anger and confusion, as well as desire to prove something. But he would not interrupt the other’s moment to express himself. It was the least that he could do– to listen to his words without looking away from the responsibility that he had to accept. Though a part of him wanted to correct the other about that certain incident in the forest– their first meeting being that it was Hoshi who jumped in and asked for it, when Kiri was more than interested to spar with Haji at that time– but he didn’t, settling his soul to calm down.

To be honest, though, he didn’t know how to respond to Hoshi. Apologies can only go a long way. And while he did owe him an explanation, he wondered if the other would accept it. “I don’t plan to be a walking disaster, but I don’t want to deny the existence of my brother either,” he said, looking back at Hoshi. Had this been that time with in the prison in Kumogakure, he would have looked up with defiant eyes at Hoshi, but this was not that time. It had been months since then, and he had promised Osuteno to change. “That’s why I’ll follow Junko in order to get better. But that is not an excuse and sorry can only go a long way. However, I did worry for you. But I couldn’t be there to see you. I had to leave.”

Then, he stood up from the bed and walked across the room, stopping just in front of Hoshi. Indeed, the boy has grown, no longer the shorty, though he was still taller than Hoshi. There was no tension in the air, nothing that seemed to want to spark a fight. His chakra was calm and he was thankful for it, in all honesty. Then, he raised a hand and placed it on Hoshi’s head.

“I’m glad that you’ve found your place,” said Kiri before letting down his hand once more. “That’s a rather dangerous bunch you’ve joined, but I think you’ll do fine.” Then he smiled and gave a short chuckle before adding. “Silly Hoshi. Why would I hate you? You’re the first person who didn’t cower at the sight of my beast. Even dared to fight it, though stupid as it was. And even now, after everything that has happened. Besides, as Junko’s son, you are now family I must keep.”

Turning around, Kiri would glance for a minute at Yuuto’s direction, considering the situation he was in, before moving back to settle on the bed. “As for the fight. It would seem I’m not allowed for a while. Unless someone is there to supervise. But I am quite interested at how you’ve grown. And I, too, must find my own path without the burden of the curse.”

 

[Enatsu]

While Yuuto listened to Kiri and Hoshi's heart to heart he gained more perspective of the boys. This was reminiscent of his "brothers". Yuuto was an only child, and lost his parents very early on. While he had his grandpa for a long time, he also lost him to assassins who he had wiped out over the years. During his time as a total orphan, Hachiashi Naoharu and Akame Karun were his comfort. His squad since Genin under the tutelage of Koumyou. The bind that held them together was something so formidable not even near death couldn't destroy it.

Yuuto tuned in, attentively observing Kiri while he responded to Junko. There were times where Yuuto wanted to wring Kiri's neck but other times he wanted to applaud him. This moment was the latter and while they discussed Yuuto secretly let the you-know-what start rolling. He did his as easily as blinking so no one would fake their feelings. He wanted a genuine and organic unaudited display of Kiri and Hoshi' interaction.

He caught when Kiri glanced at him before replying about the opportunity of a fight. Yuuto wouldn't mind it but it would have to not be inside Konoha. Or if it did it would be in the arena, but he knew both of them and if Kiri was like Hoshi in anyway it was the lust and drive for battle

"Well not entirely true Kiri. You never know, I'd personally love to see my pupil take on Junko's pupil. Hoshi has been nothing short of a joy to have around, and I promised I would make him powerful and he's definitely getting there. His reactions at his base form are surpassing the reactions of his Byakugan. Hoshi why don't you explain your training to Kiri while I see if I can work the logistics of getting you two a sparring session next week." Yuuto pulled out his agenda and began "planning" while his third eye stayed on Hoshi and Kiri.

-OOC: Using snapshot to capture Kiri during different points of the conversation.

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

There was a silence before the answer. And Kiri's response wasn't short of anything he expected. Kiri explained why he elected to follow Med Cheif Junko, subsequently Hoshi followed anbu sennin Yuuto. The young teen was also relieved that Kiri felt some sort of remorse for what happened.
But even then, Hoshi was unable to suppress the desire to fight again.

He felt a hand upon his head. His towering foster brother. His eyes opened wide, wiggling, was he, trying to comfort the boy? Hoshi's shoulders would have relaxed, almost slumping over in a relieving sigh. Kiri forbade a warning of the ranks, but he too felt Hoshi would fit in. This was followed by Kiri chuckling and he quickly jerked his head up to look at Him to see if he was just berating Hoshi's high hopes. Instead Kiri proclaimed to have seen Hoshi as family. Again he paused in awe, maybe because he felt the same way? Hoshi had sudden reminiscences of being healed by Kiri on multiple occasions due to overworking himself during training, or scrapping with fellow ninja and coming out battered and beaten.

Hoshi's eyes swelled up. He brought the back of his right hand to wipe the tears from the corner of his eyes. Kiri then plead unable to battle but before he could rebuttal, Yuuto gave an answer. He seemed to agree with Hoshi, hinting toward a big possibility to see it come to fruition, the talents of the two students. Hoshi would then explain would Yuuto requested.

"To make it short... I train without my doujutsu, and my hidden power. Chakra suppressing seals and weights. It makes you really understand your capabilities and it's surprising, what I was able to do. And after completing training, using our secret techniques would boost our already enhanced based form... TEN FOLD. I'm quite sure Kiri-Kun."

Hoshi chuckled behind the back of his hand closing his eyes. When he stopped laughing Hoshi opened one eye and used that same hand to give Kiri a thumbs up.

"I'll be the victor of the fight to come!"

 

[Kiri]

He didn’t expect that after what has happened, that Yuuto was keen to have him fighting again. But he supposed it meant that at least perception of him was getting better. He did want to test out Hoshi’s newfound strength, as well as his own without relying on the beast’s power. Besides, when looking at how emotional and upbeat Hoshi was about it, it’s hard to deny him the request. And he wondered if this was what they called the burden of the older brother. But that didn’t matter for he also thought of this as his way to pay back Hoshi after all that has happened.

Listening to the boy explain further about their special training, Kiri couldn’t help but smile. Somehow he could imagine the boy getting beat up but still persevere, not to mention that his training ideology was quite unparalleled, that it felt right at home with Hoshi. Of course, in his case, it was his deep bond wit his brother that he couldn’t so easily forego about the power that resides in him. Then again, sometimes he would also get the encouragement from his brother to try and be free from the curse, itself. Thus, he supposed that this opportunity would be just fine.

“Well then, if it’s allowed and settled, who am I to deny my lil bro’s request?” said Kiri as he sat on the bed and leaned back agains the headboard. Stifling a yawn, he tried his best to appear as attentive, but it was also showing that he hadn’t have much rest yet. But that didn’t mean he needed to be lacklustre. “But don’t get ahead of yourself. I may also surprise you with something even Junko doesn’t know of. During the time of separation, I had to quickly learn to get used to surviving on my again, remembering how I did so when I was younger and before I came to Kumogakure. Of course, I didn’t have to rely on my brother’s power all the time, and if that’s part of the rule, I’ll gladly show you what I remembered about myself.”

WC: 352
[MFT]

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Kiri gladly accepted but warned Hoshi, he scoffed at the comment. In their last bout Kiri had the clear advantage over Hoshi. Kiri had experience, wisdom, more abilities and was overall way stronger than Hoshi in the last fight. But the next to come was surely going to be one of renown. He grinned just thinking of the fight within the thoughts of his own mind. He also hoped to see another side of Kiri, a matured and controlled Kiri, as Hoshi would aspire to reveal the same about himself. He nodded at Kiri when he ended his statement and stepped away.

"Well then, it is settled. I will meet you at the final valley under supervision of my mentor, Masaru Yuuto. And you will come with your mentor, Medical Chief Tsuyoshi Junko. Under the eyes of legendary shinobi, we will create our own story. "

Hoshi turned around and began to pace with his hands crossed behind his back. He was nodding with his eyes closed, starting a rant, but it was words on his heart that he could no longer keep down. These words sounded as if it were poetry from his resonating resolve to inspire the others above and below him.

" Our story... Yours and my story. Will be history! They will tell tales of the shinobi who set flames to Konoha's will of fire, the shinobi who act as the village gates protecting its borders, I will follow my wind wherever it takes me. And I expect you to do the same... Big brother. Until then... We should focus. And don't underestimate me..."

He stopped in his tracks. His hands moving before his face, palms up. His eyes traveled the creases in his palms as he grinned heavily. They both clenched into fists as he grunted and looked up to the ceiling.

" I'll be coming at you with my full power!"

 

[Kiri]

It really was a strange scenario. Who would have thought that the two boys who had gotten into a fatal start, an unrelenting battle, would end up becoming brothers, are now here sharing the moment and both seemingly eager to show their newfound strength. Kiri would not have imagined it possible a few months back. The guilt was still there and it sometimes pained him in his dreams, haunting him, but with his newfound confidence and goal in life, he had slowly been growing towards becoming a capable individual who could protect someone like Hoshi. Oh, but the other boy was also dreaming of the strength to topple enemies and protect his own family.

“Strange how we can be similar yet different in ways,” commented Kiri before chuckling at Hoshi’s final attempt at taunting him. It wasn’t one of those malicious taunts, but more like a fun-loving, enthusiastic and brotherly one. So he smiled and nodded in acknowledging the other’s sentiments. “I, too, will show you, my true power.” The emphasis may not be apparent to the listener, but he was pretty much talking about his own individual strength for this was what growing older was about.

Just then, a thought came to mind and he looked back at Yuuto. “I’m sorry but you said that you’ll be confiscating my belongings. Will I be able to get them back? I mean, in particular, my swords. Nakigitsune means a lot to me, especially when Saito-san had strengthened it.” He remembers that time he stumbled in the former Raikage’s forge-slash-cabin house in the forest. It was also where he and Hoshi had a quick learning from Junko’s genjutsu. Nonetheless, it was a time when he thought he would lose his sword forever, with its blade weakening, but Saito Akira was actually able to strengthen it.

 

[Seijin]

Appearing in a swirling gust of leaves, Umashi made it back to the makeshift cell before Junko did. Having time to spare, Umashi quickly dashed into one of the break rooms and changed his clothes into medical scrubs a little more fresh then the ones that he had been in. Walking out of the changing room, he noted the fact that he'd have to shave soon as he prepared himself to release Kiri back into Junko's care. Umashi really hoped that this decision wouldn't come to bite him in the rear end but stranger things had happened concerning letting prisoners go. Yuuto probably wouldn't see eye to him on this one because he had history with the Cloud villagers that were in the village but Umashi was in the habit of trying to preserve global relationships now a days instead of quickly burning through them like a box of matches. On he waited, hoping that they hadn't been too long, but all in all, there shouldn't have been too much of a development if the bout and travel only lasted a few minutes. One of these days, they'd all hopefully look back on this and laugh as one big misunderstanding. Hopefully Kiri would be scared straight, enough to get back on the straight and narrow.

OOC: Topic re-entered.

 

[Enatsu]

Hold up wait a minute
Yall that I was finished?
... I am

Kiri was asking the Sennin about his belongings, but they were still waiting for Umashi and Junko to return. At this point his lack of answers were to not give Kiri any hopes to his release because that hinged on the Sensei.

Yuuto stood up and immediately threw a summoning scroll towards Umashi's direction. Then he began to run at full speed towards a window. Yuuto used his puppet strings to open the window and jump out of it. He would then cast Anti-Gravity to float away from the hospital window. The scroll that he threw said "Kiri's Stuff" on it. This officially wasn't his problem anymore.

[TOPIC LEFT]

 

[Tsuyoshi Junko]

All cleaned up, Junko Re-entered Kiri's room behind umashi. This had all been a long process. At least Junko got some fun out of it. Nevertheless though, it was time for things to be wrapped up and they make their leave.

Next stop, Sunagakure. There, Junko would have to examine the village and meet with an Akujin fellow.

[topic re-entered]

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Kiri expressed a paradox of similarities through differences, one of which Hoshi agreed and laughed about to himself. He chuckled lightly and nodded. He followed it by a smug smirk when Kiri flexed his own true power.

In the same breath Kiri turned and addressed and Yuuto about a totally different subject and Hoshi chuckled again. He supposed Kiri was always everywhere with his thoughts, before Yuuto even had a chance to answer the Hokage returned entering the room wearing scrubs. Yuuto walked off threw a scroll and hit full speed off and away. Shortly after Junko entered and Hoshi was just thrown off. His confused look would say so easily as he looked at Junko.

"Well, I guess I'll be away too. Thank you for having us, Hokage sir."

Shouyu would bow and exit walking casually away. He remembered the path the fame and just followed that thought all the way back. Once he exited the buioldimg he sighed and wiped his forehead.

[topic left]

 

[Kiri]

Soon enough, the room would be bustling. It was strange. It was just a moment ago that both Junko and the Hokage left. Then he and Hoshi were left to converse on their own by Yuuto, the latter simply observing from within the room. And just when he thought he could try and ask for his things back from Yuuto, the Homage had appeared, entering through the door almost as if nothing happened. But before Kiri could greet him, Yuuto ran off, leaving only the scroll that contained his things, apparently. And then Junko appeared.

Kiri had to raise a hand over to his head as he felt a bit dizzy by then. All this coming and going and coming… it was beginning to make him feel sick again. Ah, but Hoshi was bound to follow Yuuto, he thought as he glanced at his little brother and nodded a farewell as he watched the other leave. He simply hoped that Hoshi would no longer hate him for what he did. It would be difficult to protect a person who hater you, after all.

And when that was done, Kiri felt like sleeping. Rubbing his eyes and leaning against the headboard of the hospital bed he was sitting on, he glanced back to the Hokage and Junko. His throat was dry for some reason but he managed to speak, “I’m sorry for being a little… handful. But like what I said earlier, I’m willing to accept any judgment.” Despite his fatigue, Kiri would wait to hear out the full extent of his punishment.

 

[Haku Yuki]

The female Anbu had been standing listening for what she had considered long enough, she wasn’t actually sure what it was that made her stay for as long she had, maybe it was that she hadn’t found the right opportunity to slip out of the room or maybe she felt like it was her duty to stand watch. Whichever it was Yuki had grown tired of standing at the back of the room listening to people that she really didn’t know talking about things she wasn’t really interested in. Now that the main conversation had died down she used this as her chance to slip away. She edged towards the door opening it silently and ducked out of the room closing it as silently as she could behind her.

[Topic Left]

 

[Seijin]

Seeming to have spaced out for a moment, Umashi shook his head and waved the two Cloud shinobi off. "Please, the debt has been paid for now, just don't cause any more trouble. You're free to go." Making a nonchalant waving motion with his hand, Umashi folded his arms and leaned against a wall as if to further cement his uncaring attitude about what was to eventually happen concerning the Kumogakurian shinobi. It wasn't that Umashi refused to acknowledge them, he just simply thought that this particular exercise in humility had gone on far longer than he'd intended for it to. In order to maintain his own humility and to also keep the treaty of peace as live and viable, he'd simply let the two medics go on about their way and he'd get back to what he did best . . . filling out paperwork over things that were not likely to come to fruition. Sighing, Umashi would wait for the two to leave.

OOC: Topic left unless stopped.

 

[Tsuyoshi Junko]

"Please, the debt has been paid for now, just don't cause any more trouble. You're free to go."

"Thank you my good friend." Junko said with a nod before motioning Kiri to bring his ass. He'd allow the young one to get his belongings, say any last words, and the two would begin to make their leave. Next stop, suna.

[topic left]

 

[Kiri]

Kiri looked between the Hokage and his adoptive father. Whatever fight they had, it seemed that the result was favourable for both as they seemed happy, or content even. Kiri would nod as the punishment was seemingly settled for now. And with things returned, he would make good to tidy them up. He would then wear the backpack, place his sword to his side and then gave one final nod towards the Hokage before following suit to Junko.

[Topic Left with Junko]