Open Soothing Shadows (Req Shishiwakamaru)

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi steps out of the ramen shop, a hand over his stomach, feeling full and happy. He hadn't had a meal like that in quite some time, especially since he and Suniwa had been eating leftovers from the dishes that their neighbors had brought over after the funeral. He just needed to get out of the house for a little while, to get some fresh food and fresh air. Looking down the street, he sees the line for a dango cart is relatively short. Glancing up at the sky, he notices that it is still early afternoon. So he walks over and gets in line to order some dango for dessert. After a few minutes, he arrives at the front of the cart. "I'll take a tri-color dango, please. Also a bottle of water, please." Putting the yen down on the stall, Kiri takes the stick and bottle of water and wanders down the street a bit to a less crowded area and finds a bench to sit on while he enjoys his treat.

Kohara flies up off the boy's shoulder and lands on the dango, staring down at it. "Kiri... Can I have a little bite? Please? You know I go crazy for this stuff!" The Aburame chuckles to himself and nods, allowing the ant to take a small bite before flying back to his shoulder. He then proceeds to bite the first piece off the end of the stick, chasing it down with a swig of water. A memory of his father, Satsu, bringing him down here to get dango springs to mind and sours the taste in his mouth immediately. He turns and throws the stick into the trash, swishing some water in his mouth and spitting that into the trash as well. "Damnit Otosan... Why can't I get away from your memories? You're everywhere now. I can't get away from your ghost..."

MFT: 315

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

With no missions or classes to attend the young Nara known as Shishiwakamaru decided to take a nice afternoon stroll through town. The amber orb of light and heat was stationed high in the sky casting luminous rays of warm light to the earth below. Shi found himself walking the edge of beautiful park, benches spaced apart in an orderly fashion ordained sed park. About half way around the park, closer to the market district, Shishi would happen across a most curious scene. Just as he was walking past a young boy he heard something he did not believe. Did that insect just talk?!

Slowing his stride and staring from the corner of his eye he watched as this flying ant of sorts took a bite from a delicious looking dango. Blinking slowly he came to the sudden realization that this bug was sentient. I suppose it's not impossible, just highly improbable. Perhaps it was a contractual beast of sorts, or something else. His curiousity got the best of him in this situation and he just had to ask. But before he could the young boy exclaimed something profound; "Damnit Otosan... Why can't I get away from your memories? You're everywhere now. I can't get away from your ghost..." This statement struct Shi in the heart, having also lost his father himself, he could only imagine the internal agony this boy must be experiencing.

Stopping his steps he turned around and walked up to the boy and took a seat next to him, saying nothing. Shishiwakamaru started to put two and two together with the insect, could this boy be part of the legendary Aburame clan? His intellectual inquisitiveness strove to learn all he could about the various clans and their abilities. He wanted to learn all he could. So Shi would clear his throat and speak; "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice your bug here spoke. You wouldn't happen to be a part of the Aburame clan, would you?" Shi wanted to ask about the boy's father, but now was not yet the time. You can't just go up to someone you don't know and start asking super personal questions all of a sudden, it's just impudent. He would inquire about it in due time, for now it was ice breaker time.


[OOC - MFT - WC: 384]

 

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the boy sit next to him on the bench, or realize that Kohara had spoken aloud rather than into his mind. Normally this wouldn't bother him, but today was a rather bad day for Kiri. As he was starting to rise from the bench and make his way back home, Shi's comment stops him in his tracks. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice your bug here spoke. You wouldn't happen to be a part of the Aburame clan, would you?" Kiri turns and looks over his shoulder at the boy sitting on the bench beside where he was originally, casually giving him a once-over. He didn't appear to be a threat, and was genuinely asking him a question about himself.

I could either stay here and talk to this stranger, or I can go home and mope around the house and avoid Okasan some more. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk to him. Sighing, Kiriyomi settles back down onto the bench and turns to face Shishiwakamaru. Kohara flies up onto the boy's head and stares at the newcomer, head cocked to the side in curiosity. "You would be correct on both counts, though normally he speaks directly to me rather than aloud. He seems to have been slacking off lately and I was too careless to notice. My name is Aburame Kiriyomi. You might have heard of me, the boy whose father was recently killed guarding the village. I don't think I've seen you around before, though. May I ask what your name is?" Kiri decides to be somewhat polite and ask the boy's name, though he doesn't really care. This is simply passing the time until he felt ready to go home, and at that point he would likely forget whoever this person was anyway.

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"You would be correct on both counts, though normally he speaks directly to me rather than aloud. He seems to have been slacking off lately and I was too careless to notice. My name is Aburame Kiriyomi. You might have heard of me, the boy whose father was recently killed guarding the village. I don't think I've seen you around before, though. May I ask what your name is?" The insect caught his attention again, Shishiwakamaru cocked his head in curiosity as well. So it normally speaks directly to him, sorta like what Shusuke-kun does eh? And the bug was slacking off? "Oh I'm sorry, is the talking bug supposed to be a secret? I won't say anything, I promise" Truthfully Shishi had not heard of this boy or his father. He wondered if this was another attack like at the gates when his own father was murdered. He had to know for sure, but first introductions were in order.

"My name is Nara Shishiwakamaru, my adopted parents are Keiji and Sennin Nao, of the Sakurako clan. Though I wasn't always living with them. My own father was murdered during the attack of our gates a few years ago. I can only imagine what you're going through right now." That's it, tip-toe into that territory. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask. Was your father killed by a Sunagakurian Shinobi named Kaen by chance? That's who killed my father..." Alright, we have some similarities going, perhaps the boy would be receptive to it and not lock him out. He probably didn't want to talk about his father right now, but sometimes it helps to let it out a bit, venting in a way. Can't let it stay bottled up too long otherwise you'll explode and nearly make a horrible decision like Shi almost did.

 

[Kiriyomi]

"My name is Nara Shishiwakamaru, my adopted parents are Keiji and Sennin Nao, of the Sakurako clan. Though I wasn't always living with them. My own father was murdered during the attack of our gates a few years ago. I can only imagine what you're going through right now." Kiriyomi feels a temporary stab of sympathy for Shishiwakamaru before his anger washes through him again. How could this boy try to understand what he was going through? An attack on the gates is something very different from a random attack from someone trying to sneak over the walls! At least there was honor in defending the village gates, unlike being left dead in an alley like Satsu was. As he opens his mouth to retort, Shi asks another question.

"I'm sorry, but I need to ask. Was your father killed by a Sunagakurian Shinobi named Kaen by chance? That's who killed my father..." This gives Kiriyomi pause, because this poor boy actually knew who had killed his father. If he had that knowledge, Kiri wouldn't stop hunting them until they paid the price for destroying his family. Kohara, sensing the emotions washing through Kiri, flies down to land on his nose and taps him with a leg to try and distract him from these thoughts.

"I'm sorry that you lost your father as well... It must be hard growing up without him. But at least you know who took him from you. If I were you, I would hunt them to the ends of the earth until I got my revenge. Unfortunately, I don't know who did this to Otosan, but I will find them. One way or another. I have to."

Kohara droops in defeat and flies over to land on Shi's shoulder, looking up at the boy. "I'm sorry, but he's got his heart set on revenge. No matter what I do or say, he gets like this. There's a glimmer of emotion that shines through before his anger takes back over. I just don't know what to do to help him anymore." He speaks softly, so that Kiriyomi doesn't hear, whispering directly into Shi's ear. Kohara senses a kindred spirit in this boy, perhaps he could talk some sense into Kiri. Help him to set his anger aside and find a path forward that didn't involve devoting his life to revenge.

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"I'm sorry, but he's got his heart set on revenge. No matter what I do or say, he gets like this. There's a glimmer of emotion that shines through before his anger takes back over. I just don't know what to do to help him anymore." It was in this moment that Shishiwakamaru realized something, he had been making this all about him. Why? He couldn't tell you, perhaps it was just second nature to be selfish, a sinful and prideful race the humans were. Shi lamented internally over this fact, over how he made this event about himself rather than who it truly was about in this moment, Kiriyomi. We all have it, deep down inside. Empathy that is. It's just a matter of having the courage to show it, to demonstrate it, to give it. Taking a moment to reset his mind Shi would take a deep breath and clear his mind of anything that had to do with him and would focus entirely on the matter at hand, Kiriyomi and his loss.

"I actually need to apologize, I'm not being a very good listener. You don't need to hear about my problems or about my own father. I hope you can forgive me..." We all have our own individual prisms of reality, the difficult part, for some, is not objectively thrust your own experiences of reality onto another. We need to start with understanding life from another person's perspective. Despite all his Nara edge, the intelectual aspect of his bloodline, it all means nothing if you don't have your emotional abilities in hand, or if you don't have self awareness. He needed to manage his own distressing emotions before he could have an effective relationship with this Aburame. It all came down to one word, empathy. When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That's when you can get more creative in solving problems. But now was not the time for problem solving, not yet. Now was the time to listen.

"I'm really sorry you lost someone so near and dear to you. It must be really hard, scary even. To think you are missing a part of yourself now, unsure of what or even how to fill that empty space back up. I can't imagine what you must be thinking or feeling right now. Despite how it might feel, I can assure you that your feelings and wants of revenge are valid. It's only natural to want to avenge the death of your father. It must be so frustrating to not know who did it, or why." Shi wasn't entirely sure what else he could, or should say in this moment. He wanted to help dearly, but did Kiriyomi even want help in this moment? Perhaps he just needed to sit in his feelings and process it in his own way. But if he needed a friend to listen, or just hang out and distract, Shishiwakamaru would be there for him. It would be in this moment that he suddenly remembered something incredible that may actually help the situation. "Oh! I know someone that could help us." Yes, us. Shi was in this with him now, he would see this to the end for him, if Kiriyomi so desired. "I know this jounin who can talk to the dead. Maybe we could ask her to help you talk to your father and discover who did it. What do you think?"

 

[Kiriyomi]

"I actually need to apologize, I'm not being a very good listener. You don't need to hear about my problems or about my own father. I hope you can forgive me..." Kiriyomi looks up in surprise, for nobody had actually apologized to him in such a way since his father had died. Rather, it was everyone trying to tell him how to feel and what to do next. Listen to your mother, honor your father, be a good student and serve the village if you decide to continue on this path. But Shishiwakamaru was actually... listening to what he has to say? Perhaps this other boy wasn't someone to be discarded like Kiri first assumed, but could perhaps be a good outlet for some of his frustrations. Maybe they could actually talk through his feelings.

"I'm really sorry you lost someone so near and dear to you. It must be really hard, scary even. To think you are missing a part of yourself now, unsure of what or even how to fill that empty space back up. I can't imagine what you must be thinking or feeling right now. Despite how it might feel, I can assure you that your feelings and wants of revenge are valid. It's only natural to want to avenge the death of your father. It must be so frustrating to not know who did it, or why."

"I'm sorry... I judged you too quickly. I thought that you were going to be just like everyone else in the village, trying to tell me how to feel or what to do. But you're not; you actually understand me. I'm sorry that you lost your father as well, but at least you know who did it. All I have is a faceless shinobi, out there running free while Oto-san lies in the ground. It is scary, terrifying if I'm being honest, going on without him. He was my rock, always there to give me the best advice and help me out after a rough day. He always encouraged me to go out and meet people, that they would fill a void in my life that I didn't know that I had. But how do I fill the space that has been emptied now with him being gone? I just want to make whoever did this to him suffer, like I have. They deserve that and more." A myriad of emotions crosses the Aburame boy's face as he speaks, ranging from sadness to confusion before settling back on his newfound anger. That is what felt most comfortable right now, because if he was angry, he had a purpose. If he surrendered to these other emotions, what would become of him? Who would he be, without revenge to hang onto?

"I know this jounin who can talk to the dead. Maybe we could ask her to help you talk to your father and discover who did it. What do you think?"

"Are you speaking of Hoshirei-sensei? She has already passed on a message from my father, I think, if that's even what she is truly capable of... I don't know that I fully believe that she saw him. For all I know, she was just speaking what she thought that I needed to hear. Do you mean to tell me that she really can speak to ghosts? That she actually saw Oto-san, and what she said came from him? If so... I have to apologize to Akio as soon as I can. I said so many harsh things to him, I can only imagine how hurt he must be. I am a horrible friend..." Kiriyomi hangs his head in embarrassment, feeling awful that he treated his friend so poorly. How could he ever expect Akio to forgive him for saying such awful things? That was just the anger talking, he hadn't actually meant what he said.

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"Are you speaking of Hoshirei-sensei? She has already passed on a message from my father, I think, if that's even what she is truly capable of... I don't know that I fully believe that she saw him. For all I know, she was just speaking what she thought that I needed to hear. Do you mean to tell me that she really can speak to ghosts? That she actually saw Oto-san, and what she said came from him? If so... I have to apologize to Akio as soon as I can. I said so many harsh things to him, I can only imagine how hurt he must be. I am a horrible friend..." Kiriyomi hung his head in shame, feeling something awful about how he treated his friend. Shi could understand and relate to this to some degree. Acting out, while not a good thing, when you're hurt is natural and expected. Shishiwakamaru would place a soft hand on Kiriyomi's shoulder and tried to reassure him;

"No you're not. You were in pain, hurt and experiencing grief and loss beyond measure. You weren't in your executive mindset then, and that's ok. I'm friends with Akio and I know he won't take it to heart. He has a lot of love for his friends, I'm certain he's not even thinking about what you might have said or did. In fact I'm sure he's just concerned for your wellbeing, probably unsure of what to do or say. This is a sensitive subject and he probably doesn't want to hurt you further. I believe that if you came to him and explained it just like you did me, he wouldn't give a second thought and would probably hug your guts out hahaha."As for Hoshirei; "I was skeptical too with Hoshirei, but she relayed information that only my father would have known and no-one else. That's when I believed. I was able to get all the information I needed to hunt down the bastard that killed him. Did you get any useful information from your father?"


[OOC - MFT]

 

[Kiriyomi]

"No you're not. You were in pain, hurt and experiencing grief and loss beyond measure. You weren't in your executive mindset then, and that's ok. I'm friends with Akio and I know he won't take it to heart. He has a lot of love for his friends, I'm certain he's not even thinking about what you might have said or did."

Kiri looks up in surprise, expecting Shishi to scold him and tell him that he was, in fact, a terrible person and friend. He might not have known what Kiri said to Akio, but it didn't matter. His body language probably spoke volumes about what that conversation, if it could be called one, had involved. "Do you really mean it? I know that Akio is a lot softer than some of the other students, and I didn't mean to hurt his feelings... I told him that it was all his fault that I wasn't here when Oto-san died. We were out exploring the forest and having a fun time, and I feel just awful for saying such things to him."

"I believe that if you came to him and explained it just like you did me, he wouldn't give a second thought and would probably hug your guts out hahaha." Kiri nods, telling himself that he was definitely going to apologize to Akio the next time that he saw him. Like his father had said, he needed to keep his friends close. They could help him through this grief, and perhaps... he could count Shishiwakamaru amongst his friends after this? That wouldn't be such a terrible thing.

"I was skeptical too with Hoshirei, but she relayed information that only my father would have known and no-one else. That's when I believed. I was able to get all the information I needed to hunt down the bastard that killed him. Did you get any useful information from your father?"

"Unfortunately no, I wasn't given very much information. He just said not to hate him or Seirei-san for what happened. That he tried to call for help, but his headset was damaged and he was left alone. By the time anyone would have arrived, I guess it was too late. He didn't give me any information about who killed him. Do you think that Hoshirei could help with that?"

[MFT: 385]

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

Shishiwakamaru would nod with a heart-felt smile when Kiriyomi asked if he meant it. Of course he did, Shi would never lie, it went against his morals. Even if it was to try to make someone feel better he still wouldn't lie. Lying is the easiest way to get on Shi's bad side, it was a cardinal sin in his book. Removing his hand from Kiriyomi's shoulder Shi would scratch his chin as he thought about the Aburame's question. In truth Shi had never seen a skillset like Hoshirei's, it was foreign territory for him. "Unfortunately I don't really know how her abilities work. I wish I could tell you she could help you more, but you would have to ask her yourself. I hope she can help you though, at least get a description of what they look like."

Shi would contemplate the revenge that Kiriyomi was seeking. It was a difficult situation considering that he himself was seeking revenge for his own father's death. Truthfully living well and being unlike the person who did the injury is the best revenge. A wise man once said; 'Revenge is like a rolling stone, which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion.' So in his heart he knew he should not seek sed revenge, but he still felt the pull all the same. Suddenly Shi had an idea. He would stand up and offer a hand to Kiriyomi. "Come with me, if you want to live..." Shi would have a serious look on his face that quickly turned around into a closed eye smile. He was simply joking about the living part. "Ok, not really. But come on, man. Let's go for a walk."

Should Kiriyomi choose to accept the hand, and/or stand up and follow, Shi would lead him towards the marketplace. Whether they were on the way to the marketplace, or if Kiriyomi declined and they stayed where they were, Shi would still ask him a question; "So... tell me more about yourself. Likes, dislikes, even a bit about your bug companion if you so wish. I'm genuinely interested in knowing more about you." Sometimes it was healing to have a distraction, and that's just what Shishi aimed to do, for now. Get his new friend out of this emotional state and back into his executive state of mind. He wanted to help Kiriyomi regulate his emotions. Poor emotional regulation can lead to social issues, meltdowns, problems at home and school, negative behavior, anxiety, and later in life, even addictions and difficulty with relationships. But Shi would be patient and flexible, he didn't expect Kiriyomi to be miraculously healed in just one sitting with a stranger he's never met. But he would do his best to guide his new companion into the light rather than the dark.

 

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi stares at Shishi, wondering how this boy could be so happy even after his own father had been murdered. Especially knowing who had done it. Did he seek revenge as well? Maybe he should seek out Hoshirei again and see if she could possibly get him a description of whoever it was that took Satsu's life. Even the most basic of descriptions would be a better start than to have them be a faceless and nameless presence in his life. When Shishiwakamaru offers him a hand and says that they should go for a walk, Kiri hesitates then takes the offered hand and stands to walk alongside him.

"So... tell me more about yourself. Likes, dislikes, even a bit about your bug companion if you so wish. I'm genuinely interested in knowing more about you." Kiri suddenly brightens noticeably when asked about Kohara. He could speak for days about his interest in insects, and it seemed like Shishi was genuine in his questioning. He was definitely warming up to this new friendship.

"Well, I like being outdoors. There's something peaceful about it, being out in the woods away from the noise and rush of the village proper. Very few people take the time to sit and just watch nature, especially the insects. There's so many different types, just around the village itself. Most of my family specializes in beetles, but thankfully I manifested ants! They're actually carpenter ants, which actually come in different colors. Mine are mostly black. Did you know that they don't actually eat wood, they just tunnel and chew through it to build their nests? Some of the larger colonies hold up to 50,000 ants! Kohara is special though. He is a flying carpenter ant, and was actually the runt of his family. He was constantly being bullied, so he prefers to hang out outside of my body with me instead. Somehow he gained the ability to speak with me, and we've been best friends ever since! What about you? Do you have anything special about you? I'm very familiar with the various clans of the village! Many people thought that my insects were weird or gross, so I mostly kept to myself and studied when I wasn't researching insects. Did you know that the Hyuuga Clan can see almost 360 degrees when their Byakugan is activated? How cool is that?!"

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

Shishiwakamaru would listen as they walked towards the market district. Kiriyomi seemed like an interesting young fellow, his ants especially. He was impressed with his knowledge of ants, but it wasn't entirely suurprising considering his lineage. Kiri would then ask about Shi, causing him to have to think for a moment. Finally they would arrive at a vendor and would stand in line. As they waited Shi would regale Kiri with a little information about him. "Well, I'm not all that special, in terms of my own lineage. I'm a Nara, so I can bend shadows to my will. I have no idea how it works though, similarly to how I'm unsure how you control thousands of insects to fight for you. I live with Sennin Nao, though, so that's pretty neat. I reside at their clan estate too, the Sakuraku clan house. My adopted brother is Toshi, if you know him. My other father is Keiji, but we don't talk a whole lot considering how he's gone pretty often. And I also love this vendor, just a sec..." They would arrive at the front of the line finally.

"Two of your finest tri-colored dango, please. And two bottles of water, if you please" Shi would order them a snack to enjoy on the way back to the park where they met. "You got it, kid!" The vendor would hand him the items, where then Shi would hand a water and a dango stick to Kiriyomi. "Here ya go buddy, my treat." Shi would smile kindly before biting into the first dango on his own stick. He would then make his way back towards where they first met at the bench. "Man, those Hyuuga though. I almost wish I was born one, those eyes are simply legendary. I for one think they might even be better than the Uchiha, but that's just my personal opinion based on what I've read. I've never seen two of them fight before, man that'd be cool to watch, right?" They would finally arrive at the bench they were previously sitting at and Shi would sit down and finish off his second dango.

 

[Kiriyomi]

Kiriyomi listens intently as Shishi explains how he's form the Nara clan, saying he isn't that speciaI. Kiri would disagree, that controlling and commanding shadows was a really interesting skill! It was something that he always admired about the Nara's, that they could take something intangible and command it to become something useful. Whether it be paralysis or using them to spear their opponents, it was a really useful style. "I don't know what you're talking about! The Nara Clan is definitely one of the more unique clans of the village! We Aburame are just born with parasitic insects, but you learn how to control shadows! Can you imagine how useful that is, especially if the opponent isn't expecting it? They're not normally looking down for a shadow to start darting towards them to attack. Our insects can be stealthy, but they're still tangible and easier to notice. I don't believe that I know Toshi-sama or Nao-sama, but they both sound really nice! I've passed by the Sakurako clan house before, it is a lot bigger than where I live. What takes Keiji-sama away from home so often? Also what's it like to have two fathers now? That must be a lot of fun!"

Kiri doesn't realize that his anger is slowly leaching away as he talks to Shishiwakamaru, in it's place is just a general curiosity that used to consume his attention. He is making a new friend that is helping him to shelve his anger at the world. As they stop at a stall and get some dango, Kiri remembers the one that he threw away and thanks Shishi for getting him another. He takes a big bite of the first piece, saving some for Kohara, before heading back to the bench and sitting down. "I would LOVE to see a fight between an Uchiha and a Hyuuga, because they both have such strong eye techniques! I wonder who would actually win between the two of them..."

 

[Shishiwakamaru]

"Honestly it feels like I only have one father, I've only seen Keiji a handful of times. I have no idea what he's doing, probably off being a busy shinobi for the village. I hope I don't end up being that busy when I grow up." Shishiwakamaru had no clue that his other father was actually the Anbu Sennin, which would explain why he's gone and busy so often. "It's hard to say for sure, but I feel like a Hyuuga would win over an Uchiha. Sure they have their genjutsu and eyes that 'see all', but Hyuuga seem to be more focused in their skills while Uchiha seem to be spread too thin as far as what they are capable of. Like they can't make up their mind with what they want to do with themselves." But this was all speculation, Shishiwakamaru had never met anyone from either of the bloodlines and have only read about them in text books. Finishing off his dango he would toss the stick into a nearby garbage can, swishing it in a sense. Looking down at his watch he realized he was going to be late for his next mission. "Hey, I'm glad we got to meet and talk a little. But I'm supposed to be meeting Soku-sensei and Shusuke-kun for a mission, I'm probably going to be late. But it's ok, it was worth it." Shishi would rise from the bench and stick out his hand in order to shake Kiriyomi's. "For real, I'm glad I got to meet you today, Kiriyomi. Also, you got this. I believe in you. You will overcome the death of your father, it will just take a little time. And now you know where I live, come by anytime if you wanna hang out or just chat some more, ok?" And with that Shi would wave goodbye to his new friend and headed out towards the assigned meeting place for the mission with Soku and Shusuke. They were to be guarding a caravan, what could possibly go wrong?


[OOC - Leaving Topic]