Walking in on a new surprise [Kushin's Residence]

[Junan]

His travel had been long and hard, he'd come close to death in the Land of Fire, he wondered how the man who gave him the cursed seals he'd requested had fared with escaping. Being a Dark Sage that he was chances were he could summon the dead to fight for him, that would give him a significant advantage when fleeing. Though he was sure that the overlord of the Senju clan had other plans. Still Kushin had escaped with his life and learned from the incident.

Now back at Cloud he'd been informed of his transformation and made his way to his house. The front door was unlocked and so he just entered and called out I'm home! He knew that it wouldn't be met with approval, but at the same time it at least gave whatever lover she'd chosen to be with during his time away the chance to get out of the house before Kushin found him.

Yet instead Karei came running around the corner, dressed like a normal house wife in her kimono and wrapped her arms around his neck for a full body embrace. Kushin stood there in shock as he felt her warmth against him, his hands hadn't even moved to hold her in return. His eyes looked around the room, his senses went out searching for an assassin nearby. Nothing. What was going on. She was never happy to see him.

I've missed you. She said, her voice muffled by his clothing, her face pressed into his chest as he dropped his satchel, still unsure of what to do.

What's happened in my absence? Kushin asked, his voice tentative and unsure, his ever disgruntled exterior wall having been broken down for a moment.

So much has happened! The Raikage forced a boy into our care, his name is Shin, it's apparently to do with your killing of a child at the gates. That and Hoshikata came to town, he didn't even visit before apparently leaving and taking two Cloud shinobi with him.

So that's what this is about. He realized, she needed him on side now. She didn't have friends anymore, she was an Isaki, and linked with someone who betrayed the villages trust. But his punishment was a boy being placed under his care? Unusual punishment, Kushin would need to see why he was able to be found guilty without placing up any argument.

Is the boy here? He asked, Karei nodded and guided Kushin to where Shin was.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

While Karei and Kushin conversed, Shin sneaked out of his room and into Kanyuu's, his teddy bear's ear clenched between his teeth as he crept like a wary ape. Despite despising his foster mother and not knowing his foster father, he had grown fond of his foster sibling, and took every opportunity such as this, when Karei was preoccupied, to bond with him.

"Hey little bro," he whispered as he stood up, hung over the edge of the crib and dropped the mangled and mangy teddy bear in with Kanyuu. "Remember, ya got to give it back before your mom sees."

 

[Junan]

They walked down the hallway towards the adopted boys room. Kushin following his wife as she guided him pretty much to where his son slept and then opened the door into the room opposite.

Shin. Kushin wants to see you. She said into the room, irritation clear on her voice. Kushin frowned at her and placing a hand on her shoulder guided her away from the door.

Inside the other room Kanyuu grabbed the teddy and with what could only be assumed was an acknowledging Da! to Shin's statement he smiled at his brother. The two had been getting along well and Kanyuu didn't seem to notice anything wrong with the boy.

There was no heartbeat in this room. As he focused elsewhere he could sense two behind him. He turned at reached for his Kanyuu's room and opened the door. Kanyuu was in his crib holding a rather mangled teddy bear and beside the crib was a child. As Kushin stood in the door Kanyuu grabbed the cribs side an almost panicked expression on his face as he stood himself up and threw the teddy over the edge, holding onto the arm before dropping it beside Shin.

Karei had poked her head around the corner and watched Kanyuu's hand let the teddy go and reacted exactly as Shin had likely feared.

I've told you before! Her scolding tone turned Kushin's attention to her Your teddy is disgusting, you're never to give it to Kanyuu. As she spoke she'd made her way past Kushin and raised her hand to smack Shin If I ever see it in there again I will destroy the damn thing! Her hand dropped quickly and stopped before reaching its target.

A low grunt of pain came from her and her veins could be seen popping from her forehead.

What is your name? Kushin asked the boy as he came around beside his wife, and kneeling down before the boy. A frown was still on his features, but there was no sign of it in the way he spoke. Upon hearing his voice Kanyuu started making a commotion DA! Dada! Dada!

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

If Karei was expecting him to cringe as she raised her hand to "punish" him, then she would have surely been disappointed, perhaps even shocked, to see a malicious grin cross his visage as he glared at her.

"You're on borrowed time, 'mother'. Sooner or later, it will run out."

But that same sinister expression would morph into one of confusion as she stopped mid motion, grunting as she struggled to move. Kushin then stepped around his oh-so-lovely wife and knelt next to him, asking him for his name. Before he could answer, however, Kanyuu called out for his 'dada', causing a much warmer and compassionate smile to cross his features this time.

"Is this 'dada', lil' bro?" he asked Kanyuu as he picked up his stuffed animal and faced his foster father once more. "I'm Akatora Shin, and this is Okami-sama." he replied as he held up his bear.

 

[Junan]

The child had a strange look on his face as Karei went to smack him. Kushin had noticed, though that wasn't why he'd stopped it from occurring. An understandably confused expression replaced this as she stopped mid motion.

Giving Kanyuu a smile, a smile which Kushin only gave to his child, a private smile and one filled with love. Kanyuu was the only thing in this life which he truly loved. The smile disappeared once more as he looked to the boy who introduced himself as Akatora Shin, and his teddy as Okami. Kushin had been forced by the Raikage's order to take this boy on as an adopted son.

Silence sat in the air as Kushin thought about what he was meant to do.

Okami is in a state of disrepair. Would you like to come to town and see if we can find someone to repair him? He asked after a moment. He wasn't good at connecting with people, but in the end he had to try and re-wire himself to think of this boy as his son. Nothing that he could do would change that Kanyuu would always be more special to him, but in the end this boy was under his care now as well.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin held Okami-sama up in front of his face and examined him. The stuffed bear hung limp in his hands, lacking enough cotton filling to keep a firm form. The boy's crude patchwork was evident, as thick stitches and a variety of fabrics created a macabre mosaic. To say the least, it could definitely use a bath.

And yet, he had became accustomed to Okami-sama's grim appearance: after all, he had been with him ever since he was born, and he had been with him through all of his ordeals. Letting someone he didn't know or trust even touch him required his permission.

"Is that alright, Okami-sama?" Shin asked his friend, staring into its dull black eyes. After a brief silence, Shin nodded and turned to his foster father, letting the bear dangle from one hand at his side. "Alright, but on one condition."

"Once we get him good again, he wants to be allowed to play with Kanyuu."

 

[Junan]

Kushin nodded in agreement while his mind assessed the boy, his responses, how he acted, everything. The teddy represented an imaginary friend, someone he could trust in, clearly something he lacked elsewhere and Kushin's wife hadn't helped in that aspect. His thought about her reminded him of her groaning in pain, blood now dripping from her fingertips, out of her nose and ears. Perhaps he'd held the jutsu for too long, it did have its negative effects other than simply holding someone stationary.

Kanyuu will come with us to town. Perhaps we can do a bit of shopping while we're in town, have you got much in the way of new clothes? He asked as he moved to the crib, reached down and picked up his son. Kanyuu gripped onto his fathers back, his favorite position and Kushin reached a hand down, offering it to Shin to take or not take. In the end he wouldn't take offense if he didn't take it, they had only just met.

As they left the room he would release the jutsu on his wife, the gasping and retching sound of her recovering would reach all their ears, and the only one to show a sign of care would likely have been Kanyuu.

------------------

The walk to town would have been relatively short, Kushin lived in one of the nicer neighborhoods which was placed closer to the center of the village. The groups first stop was a nearby clothing store which also performed mending on different types of clothing. Kushin hoped that they would be able to help out with the teddy, and sure enough they were. At first they said to pick it up the following day, which Kushin asked how much it would cost to have it be a top priority. They gave a value and Kushin paid. The time dropped to twenty minutes.

Leaving the store Kushin would look down to Shin So clothes or would you prefer to do something different?

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin hesitated as his foster father offered him his hand to hold. Although they had just met a moment ago, the boy felt that he could trust him: after all, he had treated with more respect than his foster mother had so far, and had even stopped her from hitting him just then.

In the end, Shin took Kushin up on his offer and grabbed his hand with his own. As they left the room, however, the terrible noise of someone struggling for air made him look back: Kushin had released the jutsu which had held Karei in place.

Good . . . she deserves it.

Good . . . she deserves it. . . . Though what would stop him from using that on me?

He looked up at Kanyuu holding on to his father's back and saw that him looking back towards the horrid sound of his mother gasping with worried eyes. Although he hated that woman, Shin also hated seeing his little brother suffer because of the tension between Shin, Kushin, and Karei.

"She'll be alright, little bro," he assured him as they left the house.

---

After departing with Okami-sama, Kushin asked Shin about clothes. Looking down at the once-pristine white three-piece suit Karei had forced him to wear to keep her own reputation in tact, he noticed not only was his scuffed up and soiled from everyday wear and tear, but it was torn and burned in certain places where Tensai had electrocuted him in class.

"I guess I could use some clothes," he admitted. "Though I think something tougher would suit me better."

 

[Junan]

Very well, some tougher clothes it was.

Heading into the shopping area of Kumogakure Kushin sought out a shinobi gear shop. There were many of them, some sold stock for cheaper prices and there were upmarket ones which sold only the finest weapons and wargear. Kushin normally shopped for himself in the inbetween stores, he didn't require much for combat that he didn't bring with his chakra. Yet this boy was young and anything could be the difference between a win and a loss, so it was to the more expensive store they went to.

Racks of shinobi wargear, from prissy outfits to darker more shinobiesk could be found. Weapons could be found on the far wall and behind a glass counter sat pills, scrolls and explosives.

Take your pick, try things on, when you're happy with what you've found take them to the counter and point at me. If you want my opinion then come here and ask it.

Reaching up behind him he pulled Kanyuu off of his back and placed him before him. The little tyke was able to walk now, though Kushin could tell there was no chakra control going on, that would have been unreasonable to expect. Instead Kushin would place the boy into fighting stances which Kanyuu would either fall over from and laugh, or return to his previous position and or run around.

Kushin watched with a frown and summoned a small orca, only about the same size as Kanyuu was Go play with him, he's not interested in combat training today. With that Kushin would lean against the wall and watch. His eyes would watch Kanyuu and the orca, who moved through the air as though it were water, and would also switch to Shin as well, who could have anything he wanted.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin nodded as he went to investigate the various articles of clothing and weaponry littering the shop's walls. Naturally, he forgot about his original mission to find tougher clothes at first, instead semi-carefully examining and testing shuriken, ninja-to, and other items. After all, the only weapon he had ever used was the kunai he killed his parents with, and morbid curiosity tempted him to experiment with others.

After a minute or so, Shin sliced his thumb on the edge of a katana, causing him to drop the sword and scuff the blade as it hit the floor with a clang. Fearing the wrath of his foster father and the shopkeeper, Shin attempted to hide the imperfection in the blade by putting it back in its sheath before returning to finding clothes suitable for an aspiring shinobi.

It didn't take long for Shin to find an outfit he liked. It was all white just like his suit, but the fabric seemed more durable, resistant to both stretching and cutting. The balaclava fit snugly over his face, hiding all but his eyes. A black bandolier and belt was wrapped around the sleeveless gi, both boasting a plethora of pouches and pockets for various tools. Pants and tabi completed the ensemble nicely.

But Shin felt something else could be useful: something to hide his innate knack for blood jutsu. Meandering around the shop, he found a roll of high-quality medical bandages and wrapped his wrists and forearms with it before putting it back. At last he was ready to show Kushin what he had found.

"How about this?"

 

[Junan]

A small crash at the other end of the store had Kushin tilt his head and have his attention immediately on the boy. Exactly what had happened he didn't know, but there was a quickened pulse and the store keepers expression told Kushin that he was about to say something. Before he spoke however the sound of a needle slamming into a piece of wood near his ear distracted his attention from the boy. Looking in Kushin's direction he'd see the Medical Sennin sitting there. Almost looking like a doting father with his child and E-Rank summon playing around the area near him, the illusion was lost with the warning in his eyes as he stared at the shopkeeper.

A katana which got damaged by such a fall wasn't worth purchasing, and the shopkeeper knew of three key things that he needed to consider when dealing with Kushin. First, the man was wealthy, very wealthy. He lived in a comfortable home, below his income grade, there were several stores in Kumogakure which were owned by Kushin directly, several others were under his wifes name, and by all accords dozens more in Lightning Country. Second he was a Sennin, yes this came second for wealth meant more than position to this man. Having a Sennin shop at your store was somewhat of an honor, and so this was somewhat of an honor. Thirdly Kushin was that Sennin. The one with the reputation for having absolutely no care regarding the lives of those around him should he decide that they weren't worth his care. Going back to his business the man decided that it was for the best that he did nothing in this case.

A little while later the boy, Shin, came back dressed in a shinobi mission garb, one which would work well when in the mountains of Lightning Country for stealth, though Kushin thought that perhaps it was chosen more for style than for practical use. Kushin moved forward onto his knees and reached out, tugging on the fabric and making sure that it was of the quality that it should be for this store. It was.

Have you chosen this color because you prefer it, or are there also other colors you would like this in?

Once given the answer he would say:

Go get as many in your size that the store has in the colors you want and take them up to the counter. You're training to be a shinobi and wearing a single outfit every day will just ruin it.

Moving back down he waited for Shin to be finished. He decided not to tell the boy to put the medical bandages back. Instead he'd just make note to bring some home from the hospital next time to give the boy more for when he needed them.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin thought for a moment whether white really suited him in and out of battle and stealth. For a moment, he thought about taking every single outfit in his size, regardless of color. Then he remembered a jutsu he had learned at the academy, one that would help him outside of combat for stealth missions.

Going to a mirror, he quickly performed a short set of zodiac symbols with his hands and in a puff of chakra, transformed himself. Although the general form of everything remained the same, the color and texture of both his clothing and his skin changed to resemble snow-covered rocks. He continued using the Transformation jutsu over and over again, his grin growing after testing each camouflage pattern.

Finally, Shin released the jutsu and grabbed the only ten outfits they had in white and in his size. The boy took him to the counter and pointed towards his foster father, as he had been told to do so.

 

[Junan]

The shopkeeper who had been made aware of Kushin's presence earlier nodded and as he folded the new shinobi gear into boxes he wondered what Kushin was intending on doing. Taking without paying was theft, even as a Sennin they would only receive so much for free, and only if they themselves were receiving the goods as a form of advertising. Yet after he'd folded the eighth set Kushin was at the counter with Kanyuu back on his shoulder.

Kanyuu was looking at all the ninja gear and then gave Shin a big smile. Kushin on the other hand pulled out his wallet and asked What's the damage?

"It's twelve thousand yen per outfit, so one hundred and twenty thousand yen for these ten." The shopkeeper said.

Nodding Kushin started to take out yen from his wallet, thousands of dollars worth, till it was all paid.

I'm sure we'll see you again in a couple of years when he's grown out of this set and the one on my back is getting ready for his first set. The shopkeeper smiled and bowed his head as Kushin placed a scroll on the table and one after another sealed the boxes and their contents inside of it.

Once all the boxes were sorted into the scroll he passed the scroll to Shin.

These are yours, take care of them and they'll take care of you.

Leaving the shop they returned to where Okami was being repaired, picking up the teddy it looked almost as good as new. Some stitching was still obvious where what would normally be called irreparable damage had been done, but had been done in a way to make the teddy look like it had scars. Thanking the person at the desk they headed home, Karei was no-where to be heard, though in truth she was hiding in her bedroom with her face buried in the pillows.

Taking Kanyuu to his room, as he was getting tired, Kushin placed him into his bed and tucked him in An exciting day for a growing boy. He said quietly, pretty much to himself as his fingers gently caressed his sons forehead.

After which he led Shin to the lounge, patting the other end of the sofa to get the boy to sit down.

As you know you've been placed in my care by the Raikage, and it's not your fault that it's been done as a kind of "punishment". That is perhaps why Karei has treated you so badly, she sees it as a slight on herself, like you're a badge of dishonor kind of thing. You understand? He waited to see if the boy did or didn't.

I ask that you forgive her and the way she has treated you, and I ask that you forgive me for not being here until now. However from now on I am your father, and you are my son. I will do my best to treat you as I would Kanyuu. If you have any troubles at school, or there is anything that you need support with I want you to feel like you can come to me and I will help.

He'd let that sink into Shin's mind, though he knew that it would take more than one shopping trip and some words to gain the boys full trust. Still he needed the boy to trust a small amount in him so that in incremental steps he might let Kushin help, and in so doing build a proper father-son relationship. Kanyuu would likely help with that.

It was over to Shin as to whether he wanted to say anything now or simply go to his room and play, or perhaps head out the back and make use of the small training area Kushin had set up originally for Kanyuu's use but was likely getting use by the new family member.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin took the scroll and examined it, wondering what kind of ninjutsu allowed Kushin to seal his new clothes within it. After leaving the store and retrieving the doctored Okami-sama, the three of them returned to their home. The boy neither saw nor heard any sign of his foster mother as his foster father placed Kanyuu into his crib.

I wonder how badly she was hurt . . . he thought as he set the teddy in the crib with his younger sibling to curl up with.

As Kushin sat down on the sofa and beckoned him to sit next to him though, he remembered his own father doing the same when he was four.

Looks like it's time for a talk.

He accepted the Sennin's offer and sat next to him as he attempted to explain why Karei had treated him so badly; attempted to explain that he was his son now; attempted to explain that he could trust him. The boy stared at his feet for a moment as he recalled the meeting in the Raikage's office where he had met Karei and her son.

"Do you believe in redemption?" Shin asked.

 

[Junan]

Redemption... It was something Kushin hoped existed in many ways. For he knew what he did was seen by most as evil, but he hoped that the redeeming qualities, the things which the village benefited from by his performing those things redeemed him. Perhaps "hope" was the wrong word to describe how Kushin felt about "redemption" perhaps that he felt it existed whether or not others did or didn't. He also knew that the word had different meanings to different people, and different ways of being used.

Hayata Shin for example thought redemption meant that everything anyone did was forgivable. For surely in that forgiveness and trust they could redeem themselves. Kushin on the other hand found that those who proved that they were incapable of performing the duties which would be required to receive that redemption could instead attain it in death. If in life you lack the strength to save anothers life for example, then perhaps in death your limbs, organs, and blood might do so instead.

Yes. I believe in redemption. Was his answer for the boy.

What has happened in your short life for you to need to ask that question? He asked. There was only a kind curiosity in his voice, he was aware of the boys past as far as the village was concerned. It was part of the reason the boy had been placed in his care. To have Kushin's understanding of redemption expand to accept Hayata Shin's version. Yet it wouldn't. What Hayata Shin didn't understand was that Kushin felt that the Youth of the village were the villages strength. They would become the ones who would inherit the village and they would be the ones to guide it.

The boy he killed at the gates had attempted to flee the village, and when caught he'd attempted to flee, when he'd been caught again he'd attempted to flee once more. Instead of learning from his mistake and being given the opportunity to grow strong within the village and grow into a shinobi who could bare the villages will, his unconscious decision would always be to flee. A shinobi like that would only ever cause problems. That was why Kushin killed him.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin's head and shoulders sunk lower as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

At least this time, it is on my own terms.

"Ever since I was born, I had this affliction" he confided in Kushin as he pointed to the blood-red sclera in his eyes, his voice trembling ever so slightly. "We thought nothing of it until others from our city called me the spawn of evil. Those cruel words were a lot for my parents to take, and they fought constantly trying to do what they each thought was best for me. In end, I just wanted everyone to find their peace. And I figured since I was the spawn of evil, and I was my parent's child, that there was only one way to redeem myself."

He buried his face into his hands, the trembling in his voice growing stronger. "So I . . . I killed my parents. I ran . . . ran out into the streets, telling everyone I saw that I killed the evil that created me and was good because of it."

"But I was wrong." He was now choking back heavy sobs and tears cascaded between his fingers. "I was very wrong."

 

[Junan]

Kushin sat and listened, he didn't expect the boy to open up so quickly, he had clearly underestimated how much the boy starved for someone to listen to him, someone to trust. The red sclera in his eyes had seemingly caused mass hysteria, probably some small town person deciding on a story which would enable others to unite against a common threat. Perhaps that was all there was to it. Perhaps there was more, and Kushin didn't like to assume the best, he'd rather leave the option open for the worst.

The boy, no, his son buried his face in his hands as he continued. He'd killed his parents using a childs logic, the spawn of evil, of course that meant his parents must be evil for he was their "spawn" their child. Like Kushin he'd hoped that the redemption would come from creating good by removing an evil, Kushin could align with this way of thinking, but the boy knew now he had been incorrect. Kushin's hand gently rested on the boys back and rubbed it slowly.

So then there are many questions which I don't have the answer to in this. You can at any time say the name "Shinbatsu" and I will stop questioning, that will be the word we use when you don't feel comfortable saying anything more.

He would wait to see if the boy would let him ask questions. If he did he would continue until either the questions were all asked and answered, or until the boy said the word.

What does the mark in your eye mean to you?

Do you think there is evil in you?

If effectively a yes and the following questions aren't answered then:
Are you the evil or is it something else?
Do you know who or what put this evil inside you?

Otherwise jump to:
Do you feel a need to redeem yourself for killing your parents?
Do you have a goal in mind to attain as a shinobi?

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Shin calmed down a bit as Kushin comforted him, now able to listen to his questions.

"My eyes don't mean anything to me, they didn't mean anything to my birth parents, and they seem to not mean anything to the shinobi within this village. But I can't ignore that there were those who thought of it as a sign I was evil. In the end I don't know who is right . . . all I know is that I was wrong for killing my parents."

"I think everyone, even good people, have evil in them, or can at least do evil things. I guess if I was really evil though, I'd be doing evil for evil's sake."

"I . . . I don't know," he stumbled over this question. "I've never considered that the evil I've done may not be my own. . . . Is that even possible though?"

"I do now. Raikage-sama believed in me enough to not give up on me when even I had given up on myself. It'd be stupid of me to not try to redeem myself."

Then his last question, a slight determent from the questions about Shin's sordid past, made Shin scratch his head a bit.

"I never gave it much thought. . . . I guess I want to prove that I am capable of good things, or that at least I have good intentions when I am doing evil. What do you think I should go for?"

 

[Junan]

Kushin soaked in the thoughts from the boy and learned more and more about him, little by little. His last question had seemed to be the most intriguing to the boy, as though he'd not given thought to his future, thought to a goal. The boy then asked Kushin a question, but Kushin wasn't one to give a direct answer in this kind of situation. He wanted to explain things.

When I was younger my father didn't care about what I did. My older brother will be the leader of my clan in years to come for he is the first born, and I was the second born. In many ways I was meant to be a girl in my fathers eye, someone to marry off to gain power. I was used for this reason in the end whether I was male or female, and this is why part of the agreement was that I would take Karei's name as my own as well. There were also some clan customs where this was done anyway, but it had been part of the arrangement and Kushin had been a proud Chigokai... that was then stripped of him.

To usurp my brothers favor and to try and win my own renown I chose the path of the ANBU, he too was an ANBU. My trainer was a man named Akuhei and he is a high priest of Bishamon, the god of battle, or combat. Under his training I became strong, stronger in combat than my brother, but then my father could see what I was doing and ordered me out of the ANBU branch and placed me in the Medical branch.

Did all of this have a point? Kushin was getting to it.

I am now the Medical Sennin. I have surpassed my brother at all levels, I have also surpassed my father in all he managed to achieve as a shinobi as well, indeed most are wary that perhaps I have surpassed everyone. I have heard those rumors and I doubt them, but they are there, and they bring with them a fear to act against me, so I let them remain.

He let it sink in for a bit as he had a tendency to do.

My goal you see was to be better than my brother. That was my goal, and when I'd achieved it my father tried to bring me back to step one, to belittle me, to break my will. So I decided I would be better than my father had ever been. Now I am a Sennin, and none challenge me, there is nothing my father can do anymore, because he most of all is afraid of me.

When you give yourself a goal make it something you care about with your very core. Something that everything you do will be a step towards. That way when you achieve it, it is all the sweeter, and once this is done, then you will be all the stronger for it in your soul as well. But make it something tangible, something which you can measure yourself against. To do good to prove that you are capable of good things has already been proven. You are kind to my son, I see it in how you see him and how he see's you. Find a goal to aspire towards and ignore what others think of you, if you are good then people will come to think well of you.

Perhaps a touch of a lie in the last part, but Shin didn't seem to have the same issues Kushin did with people. Kushin's mind was not one which allowed him to understand the niceties of conversation and friendship. Keiji seemed to like him enough though, and occassionally he found others who put up with him, but he knew he was an outcast amongst the leaders of the village, and amongst the medical branch.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Silence lingered in the air as his father's words sank in and began to inspire him. After a few seconds, an ambitious grin crossed his lips as he jumped up from the sofa and stroke a dramatic pose.

"I am Akatora Shin!" he declared, careful not to wake Kanyuu in the other room. "Son of Isaki Kushin and Isaki Karei! Shinobi of Kumogakure! And I will honor my family and my village by defending it from any and all forces of evil!"

He spun around, his eager smile still plastered on his face as he hugged Kushin.

"Thank you." he whispered before letting go. "I'm gonna go outside and train for a bit: I have a feeling this goal isn't gonna be easy."

And as he left through the backdoor, he looked back and wondered about the good fortune he had been blessed with.

[Topic Left Unless Stopped]