The Little Things [Shuu/Shiori]

[Takahashi Aki]

The former Steward as per his weekly round came to the hospital to visit his dear adopted neice Shiori who was in a coma of sorts. Sousuke would usually come with him, but not today as his son was stuck on the surface. Depiste all the chaos going on Judori made good on his word to visit his dear niece. Strangely though the former Steward brought with him a series of books though. It wasn't reading for Shiori though, it was meant for another woman. One named Shuu. A foreigner who used to have residence at the Kazekage Tower ... that was until it was blown up earlier today.

Sousuke had gathered some reading for Shuu on some minor Suna history. It would be a shame if it wasn't given to her to be read.Thus the small bald headed man with the books. First to see Shuu, and then to see Shiori. The small man wondered though if things were going to be done in that order. It mattered little to him, but seeing his neice and seeing his son's intentions come to fruition were key. While the concern wasn't present on the former Steward's face he was concerned for his son's well being as he was on the surface, well not just his son but Okibi and Tama as well. The former Steward loved his 'fake' grand daughter had he had come to address Okibi as. Her boyfriend Tama? Well, Judori was still making up his mind on him, but from what Chiyoko had spoken of him he seemed to be an on the level ... a bit reckless but that's what young people were like.

 

[Michi]

"Has anyone seen Sou... I mean the Kazekage,"</B><i></i> Shiori inquired at the desk. She had not come across her cousin in some time and it was in her heart of hearts that he had come here in search of her. The janitor gave her an annoyed look, perhaps one of wonder as Shiori was likely one of the only conscious people in Sunagakure that did not know the actual extent of the riots. Sure, she was aware that some of the most dangerous faces in Suna history had recently broken out of the prison and she had even heard a verbal reference or two to the "Cabal" but she had not yet been given all of the pieces.

Shiori had an odd contraption in her hand, it was a discarded whirly motor she had found while traversing the village earlier in the day. She lacked a mechanical mind, but she thought it would if nothing else allow her an excuse to see her cousin. He was likely upset with her, he is never away for this long. He was not in his usual places, nor was he in the places he goes where he thinks he is actually alone. A restraining order would be a sensible option if he knew she was lurking at those times as well.

He was not here, she could not hear him but she could hear someone else.

<B>"Judori!" Shiori squealed like a tween as she made a running dash for the legendary Judori for a glomp.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

It would seem that the foreign Shuu was most elusive. Perhaps it would be best to merely hold onto the material until such a time as --- the former Steward was so caught up in thought he had blotted out Shiori's cry of his name. A moment later he found himself glomped by his favourite niece. A wide smile formed upon the little man's face. "Shiori!" He patted her on the shoulder before giving her a hug. "You're a site for sore eyes. Dear me. Have you grown an inch or two taller?" He would inquire of her. The former Steward released his hug, and give his niece a stern look. In many ways, Judori took it upon himself to try and act as a surrogate father for the girl as his sibling wasn't the best of parent towards the girl. At times it certainly was quite appalling that Shiori was not given enough attention. Still though she did grow into a mature young woman. Granted his son was more mature than her, but still Shiori was a girl of great intellect.

"Are your parents alright? More importantly are you alright?" Judori would say as he looked up and down his niece looking for any bruises or any form of injury. "I worry quite abit about you young lady... you did pull that stunt on your aunt and went to the surface without Kitchy. Granted now that Kitchy is now a flesh and bone canine instead of a puppet. How Sousuke had that happen, still hurts my head, or the fact that he brought that toy he made for Majin alive." The Steward's mind snapped back to the important things. Securing his family. "If your apartment has in any way been compromised in terms of security or safety, you know you can stay at my place. Sousuke's pets have done quite well ... in keeping us safe. That boy of mine and his lions... ooof. How he gets them to listen to him is beyond me."

 

[Michi]

Glomp successful, while far too weak to perform a bone crushinh embrace she still grabbed onto her beloved uncle tightly. She breathed him in, he smelled like a grown-up.Grown-ups have a different smell than babies and old people. Babies smelled like baby powder and poo, old people like ammonia and peppermint. Judori lacked the distinct scent of excrement. She hoped that he maintained his grown-up smell indefinitely.

"Shiori! You're a site for sore eyes. Dear me. Have you grown an inch or two taller?"

"Naw," she blushed as she relinquished her vice-like grip on her uncle. "I am wearing pointy shoes,"</B><i></i> she announced with pride as she pointed to a pair of stilettos, a recent discovery after the ballerina incident earlier that day. They made her taller but more importantly she seemed to have a better center of balance on her toes, se also enjoyed the click-clack they made as she walked down a corridor.

"Are your parents alright? More importantly are you alright?"

Shiori nodded, her skin was sallow still from her defeated liver, her fingernails short and brittle. Shiori was uninjured but far from a picture of health. "Mum and dad are OK... I think," she answered with a pause. She could not be entirely sure, she could not remember the last time she had seen either. Surely if there was a problem she would have been made aware, but many things have transpired as of late that Shiori had not been cognizant of. "I have been sick for a long time,"<i></i> she admitted taking a moment to pick her next words as to not concern her beloved uncle. "My liver got sick and I have been here for the last few weeks... but I am all-better now. They discharged me yesterday," she said with the lightest tone she could muster.

"I worry quite abit about you young lady... you did pull that stunt on your aunt and went to the surface without Kitchy. Granted now that Kitchy is now a flesh and bone canine instead of a puppet. How Sousuke had that happen, still hurts my head, or the fact that he brought that toy he made for Majin alive."

Oh Mother Suna, why is she in trouble now? Something about kitchenzilla and the surface. "Erm... Eh... A..." she stammered, attempting to construct a rebuttal. In truth she never made it to the surface, she had rather went in search of Sousuke. She had yet to feel the sun. An ambition she developed a few months ago in the dark temperate subterranean world she had always known. "I never made it to the surface," she muttered with her head cast downward. "I got sick before I had the chance-- wait... Kitchenzilla is a doggie?"<i></i> When did that happen. She did miss a lot these past few weeks...months... she was not even sure how long she was hospitalized for.

"If your apartment has in any way been compromised in terms of security or safety, you know you can stay at my place. Sousuke's pets have done quite well ... in keeping us safe. That boy of mine and his lions... ooof. How he gets them to listen to him is beyond me."

"Whadda you mean compromised?"<i></i> Shiori queried clearly concerned. She had made it to her apartment unharmed, her living space was in shambled but that was how it always was. It had the scent of death and decay, but that was only the smell of dirty laundry and some forgotten cheese left out on the counter under a pile of soda bottles. In fact, it might look and smell better than it normally does. "I-I-I think it is safe?" Shiori stammered questioningly. <B>"Maybe it is your place that is compromised. Do you and Auntie need to stay at my place?"<i></i> She offered her bio-hazard site of an apartment as a place of safety and respite -- perhaps it was among the safest places in Sunagakure, few would brave the trenches of refuse and disorder.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Shiori was in many ways the daughter Judori always wanted. She was certainly a chirper girl, and certainly showed emotion more than his son ever would. A little immature maybe, and certainly she needed assistance where she wouldn't ask, but Shiori was always welcomed. "You're wearing your pointy shoes, yes, yes indeed you are. My ... I'm certain you could truly hurt someone with those. If any nasty evil men come trying to harm you, give them a good swift kick won't you? I'm fairly certain you could pierce flesh with those shoes." Judori would state as he would look at the overly pointed shoes. Quite a threat they were truly.

Try and try hard as she might, Shiori could not stop the furrowing of Judori's thick pepper and salt eyebrows as he listened to her. He looked her up and down once more. Yes. Not quite the perfect picture, but certainly the site of her being well in ways was certainly better than the concept of not knowing his son's status on the surface. Well not only was there Sousuke to worry about, but there was Tama and Okibi too. Not to mention Number Seven. The former Steward's mind was full of woe and worry, but with Shiori here there was one less thing on his mind. "Mmm... you did get those get well card from Sousuke, Aunty Chiyoko, and I? I will be quite vexed with some staff members if you did not receive them." Judori spoke firmly. He watched his niece struggle through minor issues trying to find her footing. She revealed the fact she hadn't gotten to the surface, which Judori nodded his head at. "Is that so? Well you do have to be careful when exploring, now more than ever." Judori reached out and patted his niece on the arm. "Promise me you won't do anything ... exceptional or extreme. Not now, maybe later you can but certainly not while we're under siege." Judori managed a good belly chuckle when Shiori found out the transfiguration of Kitchy. "Yes. Kitchy makes quite a lovely husky. She's been going out on doggie dates with Number Seven, you know Okibi's dog? He used to be large and black, with glowing eyes? He was presumed dead, but he returned to us through ... well a reincarnation of sorts."

The conversation would take a turn to the grim as Shiori inquired what he meant by her apartment being compromised. "Like I said, ruffians rule our street, there are less than savoury individuals out there taking what is not theirs." She seemed to have her doubts about her place, and in turn questioned the safety of their own home. Quickly followed the offer of sanctuary in her apartment. Judori rubbed the back of his neck. Shiori was a messy individual yes... "I am certain my household is quite safe." What remained unsaid was the fact that the Takahashi household was in a more modest part of the city, and while they were probably under surveillance, it was still safer than anything in the other districts.

 

[Michi]

"Swift kick... hmm... They could be useful for that...

Judori gave Shiori an update on all things Sand and Takahashi it would seem except for obviously the location of her cousin, but despite the chaos, he seemed unconcerned about the whereabouts of his kin. It was only Shiori that seemed to have this dire anticipation of something dreadful. Of course, the world she knew was in turmoil, the subterranean streets of Sunagakure were in ruin as ne'er-do-wells ran a-muck. The tower in ruins, she even searched the wreckage for Sousuke's remains. He could not be found, yet Judori said reassuring words and went on about 'get well cards' she never received and kitchy's love life. The world seemed to endlessly turn, Sunagakure's strife was irrelevant. At least they were safe.

She could feel a sickness grow in her stomach as Uncle Judori spoke. Everything was fine, in fact things were changing for the better for the Takahashi family it would seem. But how could things be alright? She always did play the part of the innocent youth, but now was not the time for childish things. The world was terrible all around them, even this bustling hospital which was not only grossly understaffed but also packed with the injured and unclean. Most of them would likely die. "Uncle..." Shiori started, having no desire to speak out of turn or to say something against a man she loved like a father. "Why are you here?" She voice was tired and somber as did her mood from the jovial niece that embraced her Uncle only moments earlier. "D-Don't get me wrong, Uncle... I am glad that you and Aunty are safe..."</B><i></i> She stated, pausing between phrases as she carefully chose her words. "B-but, Sunagakure is going to die with everyone in it... Sousuke is gone, there is a possibility that he is dead."<i></i> She took a deep breath after stating one of her greatest fears. "Stop lying to me, telling me that everything is alright," she had a painful expression on her face, Judori's words were a fleeting source of respite that she might have even needed, but what someone needs is not always what is necessary.

Her lower jaw quivered as she dropped a handful of sand onto the floor and started to back away. "Uncle... no matter what I say or do, please know that I love you and your son."<i></i> It was an ominous statement of times and deeds yet to be done. She would grow to hate herself for this one day if she lived that long.

WC: 428

<B>[Topic Left]​

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The former Steward was at a loss of sorts of what to say to his dear niece. When she asked why he was here, the former the small man looked to the books he was holding. He gripped the book, "I was going to drop this off for a medic named Shuu who has been helping out lately. I'm also here looking for your Aunt. She may not be the most skilled medic, but she was volunteering her time here." He spoke. The small man grew disappointed with his niece when she spoke of everyone dying. Judori could have been different about his outlook on the situation, but keeping a cool head was always key in situations like this. "Shiori. I have, in my youth, dealt with my fair share of problems like this. They require time to patch and fix up. They will require one's wits, and one to act rationally and intelligently." What he was saying though did not seem to pass through Shiori. Judori was not one to speak of his prior experiences in life. This was a man who had lost both of his eldest sisters, and his father in the Plague Wars, and took the mantle of Stewardship with great hesitancy at a young age. He was two years younger than Sousuke when he had become Steward, but there was no alternative at time.

Judori watched his niece back away from him and speak her farewell in a single cryptic message. When she finished her farewell, the small man's eyes would narrow. He had heard that line spoken to him a long time ago. It was more of a lifetime to be truthful. Judori's mind had locked away the incident to which that phrase belonged to. It was perhaps one of the more disturbing moments in his life, that he did not speak of to anyone, not even his beloved wife... "Love is vicious motivator. Be wary of what you do in the name of love. It is all for naught if you burn everything around you." He would simply say. He watched her continue to back away and fade into the hospital.

Judori could not stop Shiori, he could not shake Yume from her grief. The small man would reach into his breast pocket, and remove two scrolls. He would unseal the scrolls and summon twin female puppets. One cast in a lunar design, one cast in a star design. They appeared leonine in features, but they were certainly not human puppets. The Cabal were watching, but what were they to gain from watching Judori simply aid people? True it was that he was revealing his puppets, but Sol and Lun were not his most exceptional designs. No. They were support vessels. The small man would hold his hands out and conjure the chakra strings.

Lun and Sol would activate, and the Steward would commence his own volunteer work. Nobody would die at this moment. Not on his watch. With Sol and Lun he would do what he can, and aid those who needed it most. Sol would begin to glow gently and begin to aid those who needed healing. Lun would attend to the sickly. Keep moral up. Lend a helping hand. Most of all, they would see Judori for what he was. An enabler.