Private There is Something on Your Neck... [AiT Exam] [Part 1/2]

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The moon hung silvery bright in the sky, not yet full, but nonetheless, bright enough to spill a milky-white moonbeam across the boy's bedroom floor. There was little noise from the street, the majority of the village asleep right now, so when a low, rattling breath permeated the room to disturb the nightly silence, there was no mistaking it for anything other than an intruder. A sudden snarl rent the air as the room seemed to darken. The moonlight filtering in through the window was dimming, a strange kind of black smoke, almost like shadow given physical form was filling up the air, the strange substance simply phasing into existence of its own accord. It wasn't welcoming. Small objects around the room, Kino's possessions, little pieces of memorabilia, started to shudder, rising off their tables a little, dangling upside down, like the laws of physics were ceasing to make sense, bowing to the unspeakable entity that was pressing itself into the surface of reality.

Spoiler: Two eyes leered at the boy out of the dark, dull and yellow, unblinking.

View attachment 2988

As the wispy black smoke coalesced together, rather like a star pulling itself together from vapour in the span of only a few minutes, the thing's glare became more intense, more... personal. The sound of heavy breathing grew louder, almost deafeningly so, like a wild animal trying to contain its fury. A wolf about to devour a rabbit whole.

"Miserābiliter stolidō..."

"Pitifully stupid..."

The voice was raspy and hoarse, gravelly and coarse, speaking in a strange, very old language. The sound of it would resonate in Kino's brain, causing a strange tingling in the mark on his neck. He might even understand parts of it instinctively. The sound of it was alien, with long vowels and sibilant syllables, the language of demons and the cursed.

As it spoke, its form seemed to emerge from the darkness. A wolf? It certainly had a snout, ears, and sharp teeth, dripping with saliva like a starving animal. No earthly wolf had a face like that. It was twisted, the corners of its mouth turned up into a Cheshire cat's grin, its eyes glowing a dull scarlet. The thing seemed to hover above the ground, as though every shadow in the room constituted the thing's body, a wispy smoke-like substance emanating from every inch of its form. Its jaws moved again, slowly, deliberately.

"Maledictio. Hoc olfacies possum.... Nescis periculum in quo te et cetera...."

"The curse. I can smell it on you... You have no idea of the danger you have put upon yourself and others..."

The thing's glare intensified still more furiously, approaching the bed, no footsteps to be heard.

"Scio quid me celas, Kinī...."

"I know what you are concealing from me, Kino..."

The next words it spoke were in Fuego, the common language of Konoha, but there was an uncanniness to its accent. The language was familiar, but its cadence and accent were... unearthly.

"There is something on your neck, boy...."

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Kino shot up at the sound of the breath filling the room, his eyes adjusting to the night's air. As he saw the eyes peering at him in the night, his instinct was to believe it a nightmare, but no this was far too real for him to wave off. He scooted up preparing himself slowly, until the items in his room began to move and change around him. He couldn't make sense of what was happening and even if he had an inclination of what was at play here, it quickly fell apart around him as the words began to leave the entities mouth.

As it spoke he began to wonder if this was another manifestation of his curse, no it had asked about it so it couldn't have been his own. This had to be something else, something different and far more troubling. This thing,whatever it was, was all too corporeal and as it showed its face the horrible reality of the situation became too clear. "What do you want? Who.. What the hell are you?!" He snapped at the entity in his room, anger and confusion clearly shown on his face. He was preparing to defend himself against whatever it was that now was occupying the space in his room. While he had few belongings, he'd never just allow something like this to occupy his space uninvited.

"What's it to you anyway? if you're hear to just pile on to the woah is me crap, save it. I know my mistake, but looks like whoever you are.. You aren't one to be talking!" He stood up and prepared for whatever was to come.

[wc 275]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The entity let its tongue hang from its mouth. The thing was oddly serpentine, long and forked, and it punctuated the hiss its voice imparted upon the air. It drew closer, the darkness pressing in on Kino, almost suffocatingly so as it left a small circle of moonlight enveloping the boy, his only refuge. It was as though the entire universe had ceased to exist, save for the boy's little island of moonlight, and the haunting grimace of the entity above him.

"Repercussus tuum sum."

"I am your reflection."

The thing retracted its tongue back into its mouth.

"Ambo victimæ execrationis sumus."

"We are both victims of a curse."

Its face contorted back into a grin.

"EGO sum tu, in diē cerebrī tui maledictiō diffunditur."

"I am you, on the day the curse spreads to your brain.."

Like entropy given physical form, the thing reached out a claw entirely composed of black miasma, invisible until it entered the boundary of moonlight and jabbed sharply at the boy's shoulder. Whatever it was, it was definitely physical. Something in the thing's eyes seemed to shift, as though chakra was emanating from them, and if Kino's eyes met the creature's, he would begin to see things. He would glimpse himself as a young boy, being ripped away from his mother and sister as they were forced to leave. The smell of whiskey and stale breath would fill his nostrils, agonised, raspy wheezing filling his ears as an older man, bearing a resemblance to a member of Kino's family, lay broken on the ground, still being beaten by a bar patron until his face no longer looked human. Finally, he would find himself in the body of his eleven-year-old self as he stood in front of the matron of the orphanage for the first time. The visions ended, and he was once again faced with the demon. Another claw jabbed at Kino's neck.

"The mark," said the demon, its voice dripping with pleasure, "doesn't it just BURN when you face me? When you stare into the eyes of your future..."

Some small object, perhaps it was a picture frame, shot from out of the darkness and struck Kino across the face, propelled by some unseen force. It didn't take a genius to tell the interdimensional asshole was trying to make him mad.

"Fear will keep you human. Hold onto fear..."

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Kino looked down as the picture shattered on his face, the glass cutting under his eye and his anger swelling. He hadn't much but what he had was this, a small picture of his mother, sister, and him. That one thing now laid at his feet, shattered and left like the memory of them. He stared at the floor as the demon spoke its words soaking into his mind, making their impact and feeding into Kino's anger. He was only a kid, and controlling raw emotion was not something that he had control over yet.

"You.. Are.. Not me.." He chewed this word as they left his mouth, his teeth damn near shattering as he spoke, "I will never lose control, I'll never be this!" He snapped back, while he was certainly scared of the creature, if what it said was true he knew he had already worked on fighting this. He could master it, the ant man had told him how or at least pointed him in the right direction. He wouldn't succumb to this disturbing display, he couldn't afford that again. He knew that if he let that sort of thing take control he'd be no better than he'd seen those men in the village of thieves be, weaker even.

"I refuse to be this.. this fu.." The smokey burning energy beginning to voil up his arms as he furiously waved them while speaking, until his eyes caught them. The realization of what was happening to his hands, to his body as the anger surged within him was almost too much for him. He was.. this.. thing.

The visions flooded his mind and his form would be enveloped in more of the sparking smoke. His eyes welling as the images of his baby sister and mother were pulled from him, and anger at the lack of ability to stop these emotions from pooling up. The image of his father laying broken was the last straw, the smoke covered his face and eyes until it became his full visage. He was lost.

Spoiler: His form screamed and thrashed

He screamed out losing the battle for his life, his mind, himself. "YOU BASTARD. ILL KILL YOU!!"

[Wc360]
[Twc 635]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

So, he finally broke...

The entity watched, glaring at him imperiously as he seemed to struggle with himself, voice faltering, spitting his words out like he had a catch in his throat. The boy was gritting his teeth, his anger swelling up in him, crashing over him like a wave as he was subjected to the Mental Infiltration jutsu. It was never easy to relive such painful memories, of course, but the most bitter medicine was usually the most effective. The demon seemed to take great pleasure in watching his fierce struggle, his refusal to become what destiny dictated he must become. But ultimately...

"YOU BASTARD. ILL KILL YOU!!"

The entity seemed to falter for a split second, caught by surprise as the sudden upsurge of power, but it was only brief. That twisted, hellish grin had returned, looking as though it had just been proven right in an argument.

"It's nice to meet you, at last," it said, folding its claws together like a therapist meeting a patient for the first time. As Kino's body enrobed itself in chakra, thrashing and roaring his distress, the darkness around Kino seemed to recede, until it was merely lining the corners of the room, as though the very absence of light was a solid substance, giving Kino more space to rampage, but effectively sealing off the room in a bubble.. A wave of gravity seemed to pass through Kino's body, as though his centre of gravity had shifted now, making him unsteady.

"Num solvet quaestiōnem tuam, si me occideris?! An signabit fāta tua?! PROBABIS ME RĒCTĒ, ET MONSTRUM FIES?!"

"Will killing me solve your problem?! Or will it seal your fate?! WILL YOU PROVE ME CORRECT, AND BECOME A MONSTER?!"

The entity roared it, pressing the message upon the beserker's mind, the Cursed speech would ring in the boy's ears, no matter how much adrenaline was coursing through his veins.

Slowly, the demon held its arms out wide, and it seemed to swell, and fill half the room, baring its fangs. With one wave of its hand, it through the boy against the wall, by an unseen force.

"Metus ne dimittas. Metus te facit hominem!"

"Do not let go of fear. Fear makes you human!"

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Hesitation, that moment was what Kino's rage was looking for. He rushed toward the creature in those moments, until the words came out of its mouth. He froze in place, the rage seeming to falter in this moment of realization. Was this actually what Knio wanted or was was this just his rage's will? The question caused him to rush back slamming himself against the far wall, he gripped his head as the flame like chakra swelled and danced on his form.

"I...I'm not.."

He screamed out, sounding as if a thousand voices echoed with him, before one came through. However the voice was not Kino's, it settled on one far raspier and deeper than his own speaking voice. "Oh for god's.. " the voice trailed off as the chakra burst force for a moment. Settling on his frame, now a perpetual flame like energy made up his entire form. "So.. Seems we are actually overdue for a chat then. I'd offer you some tea or some sort of delicious delicacy, but frankly.." The entity sighed heavily, "well you've seen the state of living this kid has ya?" The entity sat on the bed and gestured to a chair.

"So tell me then, Ryakuji is it? What is your intentions for the poor little Kino that I now enhabit hm? Do you think he has potential or is this just some sort of, push it all down until it can't hurt you anymore... Sorta thing? I mean I have already claimed this one after all."

It crossed its leg over one another, its hands interweaving each other as it spoke. It was far too calm, and somehow it recognized the chakra signature of a demon it had known once before, Ryakuji. This thing had completely cut off Kino from whatever was going on, but it was not the rage that was seen before, no it was far more cold and calculated than that. It seemed to speak as if it was not originally with Kino and had simply hitched a ride with the poor boy. Was this a manifestation of the cursed seal?

No the reality of this was much more opportunistic in nature, it was much more than just the chakra pouring in from his cursed seal. This thing was more primitive, more primal in its nature and it was making it very clear by how calm it was in this situation where it seemingly had no control over is surroundings. It felt comfortable in the chaos of it all, and it wanted this demon to know that was the case, it was almost too excited to see what came next from the whole charade that was unfolding around it.

"Where are my manners, my mother would be oh so disappointed. I know you naturally, so allow me to well.. Introduce myself." It straightened its posture and extended a hand toward the canine entity, "I am Akumari"


[wc 484]
[Twc 1112]
[mft]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The moment the first flame danced into life upon Kino's body, rapidly spreading over his skin, the entity's eyes widened greatly. The boy's voice grew deeper and he adopted a much calmer demeanour, which was especially jarring considering how fired up he was only a moment ago. And in this context 'fired up' really was the only possible descriptor. He spoke as casually as you please, like he was doing nothing more than politely greeting dinner guests at the door.

The hell is going on here? What... who is this? This... this is no Curse Mark... this is...

The air became very tense when the strange, fiery entity spoke the word 'Ryakuji', and all warmth left the air. Something seemed to shift behind those intense, glowing red eyes.

"How... How can you possibly know his name?"

The voice was much more human, as though its owner had forgotten to speak in the hoarse, ethereal manner it had before like blind shock had knocked an actor out of its performance. The large, wolf-like entity seemed to falter back as the fiery entity held out a hand to shake. The darkness seemed to dissipate a little, just enough to show the form of a teenager, masked, and dressed in an ANBU uniform.

---

He was in darkness again. Traveling down the corridors of his mindscape, which resembled his family home before it had been destroyed. The place was a lot less mysterious these days; the thing that once pursued him in nightmares down these corridors, no longer ruled his dreams with supreme power. Now Keiyaku had some degree of influence. Doors and windows no longer vanished and corridors no longer shifted and changed. But that thing, the faceless, moaning, quivering presence that watched him from the end of the corridor... it still spoke to him.

"Come.... closerrrrrrr...." it wheezed.

"NO!" Keiyaku screamed indignantly, screwing up his face in anger as the thing closed in on him, growing in size, and preparing to wrap its large talons through his ethereal body, "just because he used your name, doesn't mean he's c-calling out to you! I won't let you take over!"

"Rēgulas nostras ne obliviscaris, mortale..."

---

In reality, Keiyaku, now semi-visible, seemed to have completely frozen. Dead silence hung in the air. His eyes closed. Darkness engulfed him once more. The demonic, wolf-like apparition was no longer just an image, no longer just a silly human child performing a transformation jutsu while channeling the real thing's surface chakra. Control had been rested from him. And, if Keiyaku, disguised as the demon was scary, the real thing itself was truly abominable.

The wolf-like entity swelled to such a size that it filled the entire room, pressed up against the walls. Tilting its head back, it let out a howl. It was an evil thing; guttural and unearthly, as though a wolf's howl and a lion's roar had joined in some kind of unholy union. Fully formed once again, the apparition snarled, beginning to speak in a much more baritone voice, gravelly enough that it might make a metal singer green with envy. In direct contrast to the cold, calculating entity possessing Kino, this thing seemed to be composed of raw, unbridled rage, and almost nothing else.

"Yesssss," it hissed, its sibilant sigh hanging on the air, "How can you possibly know my name?!"

As it roared its last sentence, the entire room descended into chaos, furniture propelled into the center of the room, drawing flying open, and possessions flung about, all with a sound like a canon exploding.

"Perhaps you should tell that to this mortal; the mortal child whose body imprisons me, who dares to wear my face as a cheap scare-trick to intimidate your host," the demon growled with revulsion, gazing down intently at the man-sized entity before him, eyes seeming to narrow as it introduced itself, "unlike yourself, I am no parasite; I have been reduced to a shadow of what I was, having been shackled in this flesh-box."

Ryakuji observed Akumari imperiously, seeming to be trying to gauge his intentions. Something kept faltering behind those red eyes, as though Keiyaku was in there, still fighting to seize back control as the seal loosened.

"How is it you know me, spirit? Who are you, to be wielding such knowledge? And why should I not condense your host's body into a singularity where you sit?"

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

The entity laughed, though it had no mouth its head did tip back in what could only be described as a gut wrenching sort of laugh. Catching its breath it let out a low sigh, "Alright, there you are.. I was wondering what I was talking to, it sounded.. off. But now, well now I know." It slaps its knees and stood back up looking at the form that was not exactly correct, "You fell into this beings clutches yet bark at me about who am I? Cute. I gave you my name, if you don't recall that isn't my issue. What is however is you're toying with my vessel, my new toy, and this one.. Has some anger to work out."

It paced, crossing its arms behind its back as it went back and forth around the room. It kept itself at a distance, unsure how much control over the other one's body it really had. "Unlike you, I was not reduced. Rather, I chose to enhabit this... well child for now, because I witnessed something marvelous. But I'm sure if you inhabit this one, who I saw in the hospital, it's safe to say you know what he did then? Oh.. That's rigghhhttt, he lied to your master.. Left out details, I wonder why that is.." It started to tap where its chin would be, "Though, Ryakuji.. I think you would have even picked with what I witnessed. The gore was simply," it mimicked a chef kissing their fingers before turning its face toward the demon, "devine."

it crossed its arms and held its own hand in front of itself, "Now, bring back you master that managed to leash you. I would much prefer to find out his plans as it seems you've become.. well a means to an end."

It was poking, knowing that no demon would allow him to speak like this, it needed to know, he needed to know, how much control Ryakuji had over him. If he was right, he'd bring Kino back in a moment after a few questions, if he was wrong well he'd do what he needed to get Kino to safety. After all, it'd be such a waste of the boys abilities given what he had seen in the woods that day. The boy was lost, broken, and it could not let him make that mistake, the same he made when he too was mortal. He watched as the boy tore his target asunder and then turned to his comrade. He watched with bated breath waiting for his moment, then dove into him as he was charging forth. Not only throwing him off course, but by breaking his own nature tying the pair together.

Now, he was just as stuck as Ryakuji, he'd never admit this but he was binded into a sort of pact. So long as this child carried that fighting spirit, he was trapped inside him holding it at bay. He hadn't the slightest how it came to be, but here he was trapped in a physical form once again. Now he needed to see what the limits of this binding might be, so he could better understand the situation he was in himself. Hopefully he was cocky enough that the lie stuck.

[wc 544]
[twc 1656]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The only part the demon seemed to hear was the initial taunting as the other entity began to act superior, pacing the room back and forth as the demon's eyes followed it. As soon as the word 'master' was mentioned, all other comprehension seemed to leave the building, and the thing's face darkened considerably more than it already had. But, even though the demon seemed too incensed to catch the rest of the thing's comments, there was a flicker of comprehension in those scarlet eyes. A flicker that said, however deep down he was, Keiyaku was listening with rapped attention.

"Master... You refer to this insolent mortal child as my MASTER?!"

The black smoke that seemed to comprise the demon's body swelled, filling the room even more. The entity possessing Kino would feel a sudden pressure around its body like there was a giant, invisible hand, holding it in place, squeezing tightly and seemingly inescapable. Gravity was taking on a mind of its own again. With the force of a gunshot, parts of Kino's bed, his dresser, and even pieces of the floor were ripped from their homes, their fragments fashioned, conveniently, into sharp, jagged pieces that revolved through the air, pointing singularly at Akumari from every direction, ready to skewer him and his mortal host at a moment's notice.

"Akumari.... I remember your sanctimonious voice in my ear... and I should have blown you away like the ember you are when we crossed paths,"[/glow] the demon spat with all the venom it could condense into the last few syllables, "I respect no master save for the laws of the univer-"

The demon was on the edge of waving its arm when it faltered, his sentence breaking off, eyes wide. Clenching its ethereal teeth and shutting its eyes, it seemed to shrink as if something were forcing it to contract.

"N-NO!"

A voice rang out from the demon's mouth, much softer and kinder than the demon's voice.

"YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE!!"

"F-FUCK.... Y-YOU...."

It sounded like the softer voice belonged to a man clawing his way up from out of a vast chasm. Every time their voices swapped over, the shards of furniture seemed to close in on Akumari, faltering when the demon's voice was silenced. But Ryakuji had other ideas.

The smoke was quickly dissipating, and Keiyaku, masked, shoulders hunched, exhausted, finally became visible as the shadow cloak faded into a mere outline, but that horrible, hoarse voice persisted.

"I can still do it, boy... I can still kill your stude-"

Keiyaku, a look in his eyes like he was supremely failing to give a fuck, slowly raised his razor-sharp claws to his own throat, pressing them against the skin until a bead of blood appeared. He was preparing to slash his own throat open. A few seconds passed in silence...

There was a loud clattering as every floating object suddenly fell to the floor. Keiyaku stood, panting, facing his possessed student. The threat of suicide seemed to be sufficient to give Keiyaku the upper hand.

"So.... It... w-wasn't the curse mark... after all... When I saw that guy... mulched... I knew that couldn't have been Kino's work..." The ANBU said, regaining his composure, and staring imperiously, eerily reminiscent of the demon, at Akumari, "Kino! I know you're in there. Just follow my voice, okay? You don't have to roll over like this!"

Obviously, he had no idea what sort of spell was sealing the entity inside Kino, so he had no idea to know what would work, and what wouldn't.

"Whatever you are... I care about that boy whose body you're hitching a ride in. And believe me, if he comes to harm, or if you make him do things he can't control, you will sorely regret it," he growled, something of the wolf in his voice. It was a curious thing, too, that he wasn't telling the entity to vacate the boy's body, merely to respect his autonomy. He knew what these creatures were like, "Not that it's your business, but I did not 'leash' it... I had no say in being... afflicted with this asshole hellspawn... so I know how sorely it costs us mere 'mortals' to act as jockeys to your ilk. Don't make that mistake with Kino."

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Akumari's eye like flames widened as they felt the burst around them. Panicking at the realization their bluff has been called. They watched in horror as the many sharp pieces of what was once furniture were floating, raising around them to turn Kino and himself into living pincushions. He had little time to react and what he did revealed more about his true nature. His body formed a great many appendages, stretching itself thin to the point there were visible tears in what would be considered it's flesh.

It groaned and screamed out in pain as it's many tendrils attempted to find purchase on the many shards, or at the very least as many as it could. It actively was chosing to hurt itself over its host, choosing rather to damage its own flesh to save Kino's. As this was happening the tension cut in the room allowing the majority to fall to the floor. It retracted quickly reforming most of its shape but leaving thin ripples where Kino's face and body could be seen. Inside of the being Kino's eyes remained closed blissfully unaware that in a moments notice he could have been tore to shreds. It returned it's laissez-faire posture and relaxed back leaning into what was left of the rooms bed. It needed a moment, that much was clear. But that would not last as it needed to pretend, to lie, to defend its existence now to Keiyaku.

The entity let out a bellowing laugh, even going so far as to slap its own knee for added affect. "Oh no you've got it all wrong my dear boy, that WAS Kino. I simply made sure he didn't do the same to his counterpart." It let out along sigh of relief, "See I knew that wasn't going to be the way this went.. alright so again I ask what it is you intend to do with my vessel? Let's go I don't exactly enjoy talking to you things..." the entity waited patiently for Keiyaku to respond. "I know well enough to know you care if he lives or dies, but what is your goal, your end game for him then? To be a weapon? A body in this game of war your kind play? I have to say this is not boding well for poor Kino, every time I see him interact with someone, they push him.. well closer to another option if you understand my meaning."



It took a long pause befor continuing, "You pretend he is one of your litter yet where have you been then? leading him? no, that was left to those less disirable, the monsters pretending to be people, all alone. He sleeps here amungst the forgotten, eats the scraps you would not, and yet you pretend to care for the boy how rich." If Kino was there, he had checked out.

He paused for a moment, "you've shown excellent control, though I had my doubts for a moment there .. given the.. " it cleared its throat, "damage. So speak, this is your opportunity to tell me what it is you actually are to gain from him, and if I approve I will help this how I can"

[wc 534]
[twc 2190]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

Keiyaku felt his jaw tighten a little as he listened to the entity, knowing in his heart that he needed to be at least somewhat skeptical when dealing with these things, knowing all of them were completely self-interested. It was a little jarring to meet one so unlike the one inside of himself, who was full of unbridled rage and harbouring enough hate to choke the Uchiha clan twice over. This one was so much more collected and calculating. Tact and oratory skills weren't Keiyaku's forte, so he had to tread lightly.

"So," he said thoughtfully as Akumari delivered the news that he apparently hadn't made Kino kill anybody, but rather held him back, "I can see you're already exercising a fair amount of control over his autonomy after such a short time. It looks like I'll have plenty to teach him if that's the case. As you can see from what I just did, there are ways of getting you people to behave," he explained, bringing his claws up to his neck for a moment, mirroring his actions a few moments ago.

Keiyaku strode across the room, hands behind his back, looking down at the floor, and away from Akumari as he listened, deciding it would be the best strategy to mull his words over carefully and not let his emotions cloud his judgment. He had to be rational here as his student's soul was potentially on the line.

"Unlike yourself, sir," said the ANBU in a slightly oily voice, "my desires and Kino's are a fair bit more aligned. He wants to rise above his circumstances, leave this place, develop a career out of the remarkable skills he possesses, and earn himself a mark upon history. I'm sure you're more interested in self-preservation. What do I want? I want a protégé."

There was a strain in Keiyaku's voice like there was a use he had in mind for Kino that he wasn't being completely overt about.

"My duty, Akumari, is to this village. If Kino can be useful for the sake of her protection, then yes, he is useful to me. A far more respectable use than what you have in mind; the way you describe him as a 'toy' or a 'plaything'... Man, that's pretty skeevy."

The ANBU finally looked up at made eye contact with Akumari.

"I'm guessing you want... what? A physical form? So you can have a central nervous system that affords you a sense of touch and taste? Do you want to exist in a more stable, permanent form? You're all the same, you know. But not that I can blame you for that; I'd do the exact same thing in your position. Let me ask you one final question, then..."

Keiyaku cleared his throat, and it was evident he was smirking, thinking back to the question Akumari had asked him.

"Do you approve?"

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

The entity tapped its finger to its chin, waiting for him to finish. He couldn't pretend that it was anything but beneficial for the boy he was calling home for the time being to at the very least get stringer, and if Keiyaku was able to hold back something as powerful as Ryakuji then he'd be a useful teacher for the boy. He knew that the risk of him becoming more of a tool for the boy existed given Keiyaku's threat, but the reality was he had no issue with what was being suggested. He stood and look Keiyaku over once more before speaking, "So then you want to train him for this great village, whatever. The fact is a strong body is a useful one, so I think our goals align at least for now. Tell me then, what was the point of this exercise other than to create resentment. All the things you've shown him will sit heavy in his mind for some time you know?"

He waited for an answer, not truly caring what it offered but simply curious to know. Once that was provided, he'd turn to the window and let out a sigh of annoyance, "waking already, far too quickly. Seems you have but a moment before young master Kino returns to this reality, so.. think on what comes next, I look forward to seeing you soon friend." With that the smoke began to die down, Kino's still mostly unconscious form falling over out of the smoke. His eyes fluttering as he was attempting to regain his balance, he was rocking worse than a newborn calf at this rate. He was clumsy, fatigued, and confused as to what was going on, the visions shown to him flashing on repeat inside his mind. He was in a fight, or maybe he wasn't, it was all a blur to the poor boy. But, he was coming to now in front of Keiyaku. If he had any hope of keeping this separate from him, he'd need to act quickly before Kino found out.

[wc 346]
[twc 2536]
[mft]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

Keiyaku was now painfully aware of what this creature was capable of, and the power it would forever hold over the young boy it inhabited. It was important to stay as vague as possible, and to keep the entity labouring under the belief that Keiyaku was simply going to teach it and Kino to bond. In fact, he wasn't going to do anything of the sort; he wanted to teach the boy to maintain full control at all times... even if that was maybe a bit of an overly ambitious plan. He would use the things he had shown to Kino to foster resentment against the creature inside him, redirecting his fury inward to avoid letting the thing take advantage of his good-natured disposition.

"That," said the ANBU bitingly, eyes narrowed as he looked at Akumari, "is a matter between my student and myself, sir."

And with that, he said no more. He could feel the entity's chakra beginning to wane as the host slowly rested back control, rising to the surface like a football filled with air.

"KINO!"

The ANBU leapt forward suddenly as the boy seemed to drop from a cocoon made of smoke, catching him before he could fall and slowly letting him steady himself. Carefully, he walked him back to the remains of his bed and sat him down on the matches, eyes scanning his body desperately fur any sign of burn or injury.

"How do you feel, pup?" He asked in a fatherly sort of way, but still sounding quite shell shocked. As he looked down at the boy, one thought occurred to him....

'Well, shit...'

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Kino's eyes flickered open as the words hit his ears, "who..who are you?"

His voice was weak and dazed, it was clear he still wasn't really sure as to what was going on. The last thing he had seen was this demonic figure threatening him, the images of his family torn from him, and now an Anbu agent was there. He wasn't sure if he had fought it, or if this man did, but the damage in the room was so significant he knew that at the minimum something had happened during his black out. He pulled out of the Anbu's arms and shakely moved to pick up the picture frame. Anything else in the room, there was not a single care for, but this there was a clear attempt to salvage. He picked it up and shook out the broken glass before sighing and turning back to look at the masked man, his body trembling and wobbling from fatigue.

"Did.. Did I do this?"

His words were shaky, as if once again the boy was a moment away from tears. The thought that he may have been responsible for this level of destruction terrified him to his core, and even more so at the gap in his memory. He was clearly scared, searching desperately for an answer as to what was happening and what could have occurred during his black out. He just wanted this to not be what was happening, especially the picture. He just wanted this one thing to be okay, but in all reality even from where the man was standing he could see it was not. the picture was torn and ripped, leaving only a baby and a younger kino intact. This was the thing that broke him, nothing else mattered in those moments that had past, it was the picture and his visions of what could have been but was stolen from him that broke the poor boy.

"You.. wha.. what's going on? Why are you here?" There was a pause in his voice and shift in his tone as he looked up to the masked man, "Did.. Did you do this?"

[wc 354/2883]
[mft]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

Keiyaku rather thought Kino would take the time to rest and gather himself together, but something seemed to be bothering the boy badly. The ANBU watched, a slight pang of regret in his stomach, as he salvaged the picture, frame smashed, from the ground. It was torn from the sharp glass... maybe that could be salvaged too.

"My name is Jackal," he said, gruffly, folding his arms as the boy continued to panic, questioning whether he'd been responsible for tearing the place up. Everything the kid did, everything he said, it all reminded Keiyaku painfully of himself... The instant impulse to contact his friends and loved ones after a full moon night to check everyone was unharmed was something he, himself, had to experience every month. The rush of panic... And now, surely, Kino was going to have to put himself through the same thing. Was it easier, given he didn't have any family? Would that make it harder to stay grounded and good?

"Calm yourself, kid," he said, watching the boy turn to him, mistrustful of the masked officer, throwing an accusation at him. Well, he could deny it and not technically be lying, only by the slimmest margin of the definition, "listen Kino! Remember your training from the academy. You wake up to disaster, and what do you do? Stay calm, take stock, process solution."

Keiyaku walked around the room, pretending to inspect the damage to give Kino the chance to get himself together as he gathered his belongings.

"Neither of us are responsible, but that does not mean we didn't do it. That's a lesson I want you to remember, kid. But that doesn't matter now."

The ANBU took a step closer to Kino, squatting down to look him in the eye, slitted pupils gazing into brown. A clawed hand rested on his shoulder to steady him.

"To the point. I know what you are, pup. I know what you've become. I know what you... what you agreed to let a certain someone do to you. Which means, I am going to have to teach you to make sure THIS," the man growled, tapping a clawed finger on the torn page, "never happens to someone you love, for real. You have no idea what the tear symbolises, pup. Let it be a warning to you, that this is all part of what you signed up for when you agreed to have that neck tattoo of yours branded on you."

The ANBU seemed to pause for a moment, and then slowly reached over to his own arm, undoing a knot. The Leaf headband that had been tied around it came loose and he offered it to the boy.

"I've been watching you for a long time now, pup. I've seen what you can do. And you're wasted languishing about in school. Not to mention, we gotta keep a close eye on ya now. By my authority, your academy days are over."

[Offered promotion to Genin]

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Kino listened to the man's barking order to calm himself, and he did just that. Taking a deep breath as the man paced and spoke. He knew that was true, or at minimum he was hoping it was. He had no reason to continue to get worked up, and for once he was able to wrangle that in. As Jackal spoke, kino nodded in understanding, never interrupting but rather rationalizing internally about what the information was he was saying. He felt he knew what he meant, he was at least smart enough to put the context clues together. He reaches out and takes the headband with a nod.

"Alright. Then what do we do now?" He asked with a clarity of tone far beyond his years.

If it was time for Kino to in fact grow up and be something, then he would do it. He would do just that and prove himself able. So now, he'd listen and accept the role given to him ready and willing to do what was needed for himself. Jackal had ignited a fire in the boy, one that was more and more growing. That fire was his desire to be in control of his fate, his passion to the cause, and his wish to be better than he was. He just needed to work for it.

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The slit-pupiled eyes blinked behind the mask, as if in mild surprise. He'd expected Kino to be a little more excited or happy at having been granted his graduation on the spot, but then again, he'd just been through a bit of an ordeal tonight. He couldn't blame the guy for being a little emotionally drained. What surprised him even more though, was that he didn't seem to react to the attention being brought to his curse mark. Had it become so normal for him already?

"Take care of that headband for me, okay? It's been through a lot," he said, eyeing the garment a little wearily, like he was giving away a childhood teddybear. The thinking though, was that it'd be easier to find Kino if need be, if he was wearing something with his own scent on it.

"Now that you have it, I want you to tell me something," said the ANBU gruffly, the grip on the boy's shoulder tightening a little and staring imperiously into his eyes unblinkingly, "in this moment, a fork in the road lies before you, pup. You can go on, become a hotshot shinobi, gaining power and recognition... while that curse slowly eats away at your life, turning inward, driving you mad."

As the ANBU spoke, something of the wolf lingered about his eyes, as though the entity within peered curiously out at the boy.

"Or walk down a more secretive path... No fame and glory, but you'll be doing the work that actually keeps the village safe. If you prove... useful to us, I can teach you control. I can teach you all my little tricks of the trade to stop that curse eating away at your soul," he said, pointing again at the torn photo, "because, you and I, we're more alike than you might think. Much, much more alike."

The intensity in his eyes seemed to tighten.

"If you really want to be the master of your own destiny, I'd like to offer you a... hm... let's call it an interview."

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Kino nodded and looked to the headband, he had assumptions on who it was behind the mask in front of him but those didn't matter. What mattered is he was being given something of weight to the man in front of him, something he would not take lightly. He looked back up and nodded, "as if it was my life that depended on it you have my word."

Kino's words were true, he would take care of the thing, no matter what it costed. He knew in that moment there was more to this, which was only pushed further by the man's conversation as it continued. When the man pointed to the photo, Kino had a moment of clarity. The only time he was known was when he was being a problem, the rumors that made Sota so antagonistic that day they met, but it was never about a name for him. It had always been about being the best he could be and helping others, he didn't care for competition amongst his peers only himself. He cared that they succeeded and that the people around him prospered, and if that man's words meant that could happen, then he knew his answer.

"I.. I want to be of service to the village, not some hotshot. I want to make a real difference, and protect those around me." He gripped the headband tightly and locked eyes with Jackal, "I'm in, for whatever it is."

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The ANBU's eyes seemed to soften as the boy agreed, holding tightly onto the headband.

Yeah, he'll do nicely, I think.

"Your word, eh? I'll be sure to remember that," he said, his smile evident in his tone of voice, unable to keep his pride contained. The boy in whose eyes he saw so much of himself, was willing to take the road less travelled, more importantly, allowing Keiyaku to keep a much closer eye on him in case that pesky Akumari decided to make a reappearance.

"In that case, pup, we say goodbye for now," said the man, extracting a small scroll from his pocket, not unlike the one Kino had tried to give him back in the hospital. If the boy read it, it would seem to contain a series of lines and dashes, some kind of code, "you have until tomorrow night to decipher these instructions."

And with that, the man suddenly evaporated, melting into the shadows around them, all trace of him vanishing from sight.

[Topic Left]

 

[Chikamatsu Nashi]

Once the man was gone, Kino sat down on the remnants of his bed. This room was destroyed but his passion, his fire, only had just begun.

[topic left]