Taiko
Jōnin - 上忍
Posts: 20
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Reunion
Nov 18, 2008 15:58:16 GMT -5
Post by Taiko on Nov 18, 2008 15:58:16 GMT -5
Dashing from rooftop to rooftop Taiko's mind was racing. Ever since Kyoushi had safely returned to Tsukigakure and reclaimed her throne stories of her savior were told all over the village. Stories of a valiant man named Ryota Isu, the Tsuchikage himself. The village was practically in love with the guy. Well, everyone except for Taiko. He had his suspicions about the man, especially how strikingly similar his name was to the monk bastard -- Ryota Aeisu.
As he approached the doors of the Gesshoku's Mansion one of the ANBU that had been sent stopped him for a moment. He said that he'd signal for him if things were still getting out of hand. Begrudingly, Taiko would agree to the plan and simply crossed his arms as he waited outside of the mansion. He'd wait...for the moment.
"Fuck it," Taiko said after waiting only a few seconds. Busting open the mansion doors he walked behind the ANBU as he slipped into another room. That was when he heard it. His voice. It was slightly more aged than he remembered, but it was close enough for him. Channeling chakra to the seals in his palms he sent a powerful gust of wind towards them -- busting the doors from off their hinges.
"Where is he?" Taiko barked as he walked into the room. His eyes scanned over to Kyoushi then to the few ANBU in the room before finally locked onto Isu. "You...," his fists tightened and his teeth clentched as he looked at the Tsuchikage. For the moment he was silent. His growing rage silenced his tongue. The only thing he could find himself capable of doing was glare daggers at the man.
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Nov 18, 2008 16:09:14 GMT -5
Post by Isu on Nov 18, 2008 16:09:14 GMT -5
"Heh..." Isu sounded as he pursed his lips outward slightly. He was acting hella'immature right now. However, his demeanor soon changed as the door below suddenly came shooting through the frame. That in itself was weird. Doors shouldn't be that weak. Obviously Kyoshi learned nothing from his time as Tsuchikage. But that was beside the point. Isu shot toward the banister quickly. Despite his differences with Kyoshi, he wouldn't allow someone to hurt her... physically. But the intruder's words would strike him down. He wasn't here for Kyoshi. No... he wanted him...
Angered eyes shot toward the woman. He placed his feet onto the railing, standing upon it as he continued to look onto her. "This is your trash, I assume? Here for me? Your shinobi fail, woman." With that, he jumped off the railing down onto the floor below, his harsh eyes falling onto the incoming man. He stood rather slowly, crossing his arms pompously. Who was this clown?
"Who are you, and what do you want? State your business now, or I'll cut your head off and hand it to your mistress. This Tsuchikage doesn't make empty threats."
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Kyōshi-hime
Jōnin - 上忍
Lady Of Tsukigakure no Sato
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...
Posts: 26
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Reunion
Nov 18, 2008 16:30:54 GMT -5
Post by Kyōshi-hime on Nov 18, 2008 16:30:54 GMT -5
Wtf?
Before Isu could hand her the locket back with his and his kid's picture in it, Kyoshi looked down at the intruder, and only when the proverbial smoke cleared she realized it was Taiko. But why was he ripping her doors off the hinges?
"TAIKO!" Kyoshi exclaimed, grabbing her kimono and pulling it up as she pitter pattered down the steps. She ran up between Taiko and Isu and faced her Taiinmusha. "What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself!" Kyoshi had assumed he was jumping the gun, and entered before the signal. She knew Isu didn't need any protecting. She wasn't between them to protect the former Tsuchikage. She was there to make sure Isu didn't murder Taiko.
"This is the Tsuchikage!" She looked at him with a thoroughly confused expression on her face. Everyone knew that Isu was to be respected in this village.
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Taiko
Jōnin - 上忍
Posts: 20
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Reunion
Nov 18, 2008 16:50:03 GMT -5
Post by Taiko on Nov 18, 2008 16:50:03 GMT -5
"Who am I? Who am I!?
[/b]" Taiko barked as Isu dropped down from the banister. With each passing moment he could feel his anger rising. A strange sensation was taking over his body. Part of him wanted to rush right over to Isu and just deck the old bastard. However, another part of him just wanted to ask him the questions he never could. As Kyoushi ran between the two of them Taiko would pay her no mind. His full attention was locked onto the rat bastard before him. "Tsuchikage? I couldn't give a fuck if he was the Daimyō himself," he said to the woman without so much as looking at her. "Though, I guess I'd be crazy to think that spending four years with him would be enough to be remembered even a little. Then again, what else should I expect from that failure of a monk," Taiko spoke as he took a few steps towards Isu. "I don't suppose you'd remember the times we went fishing together or all the lessons you taught me. Nah, I doubt you even remember leaving me stranded in the forest that night. But I bet you do remember that little item I had. The one you stole...," he continued as he restrained himself from simply attacking the man now. "My magatama. Am I'm sparking any memories yet, Aeisu-san?" [/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]
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Nov 18, 2008 17:04:15 GMT -5
Post by Isu on Nov 18, 2008 17:04:15 GMT -5
He gulped. As the adolescent stepped forward, he would step back. Nah. This was some ol' bullshit. This day was all flipped out. Going to see Kyoshi and the rest of the fam' turned into his arguing with Kyoshi. And now... him meeting Iton. What would happen next? He'd just threatened to literally slaughter his child and hand his head off to the woman he loved... what the fuck was wrong with him?
'You're a pussy, mang. Don't let that little fucker push you around? Who's pops, bitch?'
'... Shut up. Look, Isu. You wrong, nga. You know that. Go say sorry and be out.'
'You're both idiots. Just... explain the situation to him.'
Isu nodded to himself. Casting aside himself, he took a step forward. His face has changed drastically in a matter of moments. His hard eyes returned to the soft look he had when he first game here. He raised his hand to Kyoshi. "Don... Don't get into this, Kyoshi-sama. I know who this is..." his voice trailed off as his eyes dropped past Iton.
"Iton... it's been... a long time." He was shamed. He couldn't find himself man enough to look this boy less than half his age in the eyes. "I apolo--I'm sorry for leaving you there. It was wrong of me... but... I couldn't risk bringing you to Iwa with me. You would have been in constant danger. That wasn't the same village I left behind. When I heard word that Iwa was on the brink of war within itself, I immediately thought how you, or all people, would take my return. I thought it best that you not know about it... and hopefully you wouldn't remember me. That was stupid of me, wasn't it?" he stepped closer. "I know it's probably not good enough to make you feel better about me... but I just couldn't risk my child at the time falling into dangerous hands. Perhaps I underestimated this child... apparently you've made a shinobi of yourself. I still couldn't risk you--or for that matter... my sanity."
His eyes rose up to Taiko's. As much as he would want to have yoked up his first child into a tight squeeze, he feared the boy's reaction. He could feel the anger simply cutting through the previous tension that filled the room. Laying hands on this child wouldn't be wise. But he remained standing just a foot off from the child, staring into his eyes like Isu did.
"You've grown, Iton."
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Kyōshi-hime
Jōnin - 上忍
Lady Of Tsukigakure no Sato
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...
Posts: 26
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Reunion
Nov 18, 2008 22:36:42 GMT -5
Post by Kyōshi-hime on Nov 18, 2008 22:36:42 GMT -5
Kyoshi's eyes narrowed on Taiko, jaw gaping, then they fell on Isu. She stepped back from between them to let them talk, but as she listened to Taiko, she grew more and more confused.
"Four years?"
Then, as she listened even closer to Isu, her eyes widened at the name Iton. This was Isu's son? The same Iton he'd left behind? The same one who's existence he revealed to her the same day he confessed his infidelity. Those were certainly some horrid reopened wounds.
She turned to walk away, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her head to the right, then the left, in an effort to crack her neck. Heh. This was just like Isu. Bringing a shitstorm where ever he went.
Just then, the front door that was leaning on it's hinges opened up and a man in a black suit and glasses walked in with a small boy's hand in his.
"Mommy!" the boy yelled, running over to Kyoshi and bowing to her. Kyoshi turned and squatted in front of him, then pulled him into her arms.
"Akihiko..."
The little boy looked up that the two men staring each other down. "Taiko-san? Who is this?"
The boy wouldn't know the older, tattered Isu. Only the picture from the locket.
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Taiko
Jōnin - 上忍
Posts: 20
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Reunion
Nov 18, 2008 23:40:50 GMT -5
Post by Taiko on Nov 18, 2008 23:40:50 GMT -5
"Tch."
That was Taiko's first response to Isu's reaction. He didn't mean to say it, but it just happened to slip. Not that he cared either way. So the failure monk remembered him after all. What a surprise.
As the man stepped towards him Taiko wouldn't budge. He wasn't about to back down to this man. Not now after all these years of abandonment. Nevertheless, he'd allow for the man to at least explain himself. Crossing his arms he stared coldly at Isu as he attempted to explain to him his reasonings for leaving him. How it was something he had to do. For his protection no less. Isu was being the hero in all of this. Though he listened to Isu's words they wouldn't qwell the anger that he was feeling at this moment. When the man finally finished and dared to look him in his eyes a silence fell over the room.
A silence that would be ruined by Taiko's abrupt laughter.
"Are you serious?" asked laughingly before cutting off his laughter just as abruptly as it came. "You left me behind, without a word, in order to protect me!?
[/b] How was leaving me in the woods by myself protecting me!? Left to fend for myself! At least when I was with you I had some kind of protection!" he erupted as he dropped his arms. "And you were worried about your sanity. What about mine? You know how fucked up I was after that? As if I didn't have enough issues with my parents being slaughtered and being shipped around from family to family...and when I finally think I can have a family again--!" he paused as he turned away from Isu. Feeling his eyes beginning to water up he held them back. "You up and abandon me. You even stole the last remnant I had of my actual parents...," he could feel his anger rising, but he tried his best to contain it. With Isu so close it'd be easy enough just to hit hit him now. There was nothing that he'd have liked better, but-- That's when he heard another voice call out for Kyoushi. His eyes widened for a moment as he looked around to see Akihiko running to his mother. As he looked at the boy things started piecing themselves together in his mind. They were brothers, well...step-brothers. He had always treated Akihiko as if he was a little brother, but...now it seemed that he really was his little brother. Upon hearing the question Taiko closed his eyes, and attempted to release all the anger he had built up. "Aw c'mon...you don't know this guy?" he asked teasingly as he pointed his thumb to Isu. "This is the guy that saved your mom back in the day. The one from all the stories," he said as he offered the kid a genuine smile. "That's your dad." As much as he hated Isu right now...Taiko wasn't about to ruin this monumentous moment. Nah, that's something he'd take up with the man later.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]
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Nov 19, 2008 15:23:15 GMT -5
Post by Isu on Nov 19, 2008 15:23:15 GMT -5
'You're definitely a pussy. You should have slapped that motherfucker just now. No son is supposed to laugh at his father. Especially when he saved his fucking life. ;['
Isu really had no choice but to accept Iton's laughter. He was sure, that should his father had left him and talked some retarded shit about protecting him in doing so... he'd not only laugh... he'd beat the shit out of him. He could stop his eyes from drooping downward. Words couldn't explain how stupid he felt. He knew that he had much reason in leaving Iton, but leaving the way he did... that was wrong. But this was no time to openly worry with that. Even Iton seemed to know that.
Isu's eyes slowly wandered up to the small frame that was Akihiko. He took in a deep breath, placing his hand onto his forehead in near disbelief. That couldn't be the same child from five years ago. The same child who would stop crying once he saw him. That child knew who Isu was. This one didn't. And the worst thing was that Isu couldn't blame anyone but himself for that matter. In the end--all the problems of his life were of his own making. Tears welled into his eyes which he quickly dashed away.
Not because of Akihiko. But because Iton just told a blatant lie. This man right here was no one's father. This man right here was nothing but a mere shadow the man that once stood tall and happily. This wasn't the father that once tended to Iton. He'd left that man in Ame no Kuni's forests. But he couldn't look back on Ryota Aeisu at this point. Isu was here... unfortunately.
He took in a final breath before spreading his lips into a wet smile. His hands moved to clear away the tears. He ran a palm over his unruly hair as he waved his other at his youngest child.
"...H--hey there, Akihiko-sama."
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Kyōshi-hime
Jōnin - 上忍
Lady Of Tsukigakure no Sato
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...
Posts: 26
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Reunion
Nov 19, 2008 16:46:18 GMT -5
Post by Kyōshi-hime on Nov 19, 2008 16:46:18 GMT -5
Kyoshi stood to her feet, lifting Akihiko in her arms. "This is your dad, Aki. He's come from his great adventure to see you..." Kyoshi had told the boy that his father couldn't be with them because he was Tsuchikage, and even after that he was going on adventures like the hermit monk Jiraiya of the Hidden Leaf.
The boy was clad in black pants of silk and a deep, flame red kimono-like top. His dark brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, his eyes Kyoshi's, and yet everything else...Isu's. The boy laid his head on his mother's shoulder, not quite sure what to do.
"Daddy?" the little boy asked, his face looking full of hope, as if he was afraid Isu was gonna deny his mother's words. Kyoshi looked at Taiko, then Isu. Maybe Akihiko could salvage this reunion.
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Taiko
Jōnin - 上忍
Posts: 20
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Reunion
Nov 20, 2008 1:08:21 GMT -5
Post by Taiko on Nov 20, 2008 1:08:21 GMT -5
As Taiko watched his little brother's reactions to seeing the man that was supposedly his father he'd be lying to say he wasn't envious. He'd have loved more than anything to have forgotten about that man. However, the past can't be changed, and all you can do is just learn to move on. Which Taiko apparently hadn't done as well as he had thought. Regardless, this was Akihiko's day. Taiko'd get his time soon enough.
From his peripheral vision Taiko caught a glimpse of Akihiko's tutor making exit from the scene. Him and the ANBU all knew that this was as good a time as any to dip out. Slowly taking a few steps towards the door Taiko glanced at each of his supposed family members respectively. "Well...," he started off as he took a few more steps towards the door. "I think I'm going to let you guys do some catching up. I have some...things to...think about...," he continued as he attempted to come up with a good enough reason to leave. "I'll see you around, little man."
With that, Taiko made his exit.
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Kyōshi-hime
Jōnin - 上忍
Lady Of Tsukigakure no Sato
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...
Posts: 26
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Reunion
Nov 20, 2008 1:31:40 GMT -5
Post by Kyōshi-hime on Nov 20, 2008 1:31:40 GMT -5
"Taiko--" Kyoshi called out as he headed to the door. She couldn't just let him walk out like that. Today was just as much his day now as it was Akihiko and Shingai's. Like it or not, he was a part of this dysfunctional family now. Iton was a reality that Kyoshi had accepted with Isu long ago, and she always knew that someday Isu's adopted son would probably resurface. She just never knew he'd be under her nose this whole time as one of her most trusted shinobi, and that he'd show up when Isu did.
What a twist.
"--you should come back tonight to dine with us. I'd like it very much if you'd oblige me that honor." Her eyes were locked on the back of his form, awaiting his answer.
Akihiko looked over at Taiko also, his face tuning up into a melodious smile. "Yeah, Taiko-kuuun! Come eat with us!"
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Taiko
Jōnin - 上忍
Posts: 20
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Reunion
Nov 20, 2008 1:49:45 GMT -5
Post by Taiko on Nov 20, 2008 1:49:45 GMT -5
Dammit..., Taiko cursed mentally as he heard the voice of his beloved leader calling out to him. He had hoped he'd be able to make a smooth get away. He was so close to achieving that. One more step and he would have shunshin'd as far away from that mansion as he could. However, the voice of Kyoushi stopped him dead in his tracks. His eyes widened when she invited him to join them for dinner later on in the night.
What was this? No more than ten minutes ago he practically alone in the world. And now...now he was getting invited to have dinner like he was just another part of the family? He didn't trust it. He really didn't trust it at all.
Turning around he looked at Kyoushi with a surprised expression. "Uh...," he started out, but was cut out by Akihiko's enthusiastic invitation. Damn that kid's charm. How could he say no to an invitation like that? "I'll...," Taiko said as he glanced over at Isu.
"Maybe. I'll try to come..."
And with that...Taiko turned his back to them, and disappeared in a gust of wind.
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Nov 20, 2008 18:06:46 GMT -5
Post by Isu on Nov 20, 2008 18:06:46 GMT -5
Isu frowned as Taiko left. Where the random gust of wind came from, he didn't know, but that was of no importance. There was so much he needed to talk about with Taiko. At the same time, he had Akihiko over there wondering if he really was his father. While Isu was being an unfamiliar prick to his own child, he was busy calling him daddy and stuff. Isu took a step toward Akihiko, cautious not to get so close to make Kyoshi take a step back.
"Yeah... I'm your pops." he said scratching the back of his head in a half smile. "Sorry for not coming to see you earlier, Akihiko."
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Kyōshi-hime
Jōnin - 上忍
Lady Of Tsukigakure no Sato
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...
Posts: 26
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Reunion
Nov 20, 2008 22:58:31 GMT -5
Post by Kyōshi-hime on Nov 20, 2008 22:58:31 GMT -5
Kyoshi did indeed want to take a step back, but it wasn't a good look in front of her son. She held Akihiko tighter, but she did not back away. Aki looked up at the man and tilted his head to the side, then reached out to touch his daddy's scruffy chin. "You gots hairs." He said, remembering the slightly cleaner image his had when he was Tsuchikage. The only image he had of Isu was from the locket gripped tightly in his father's hand.
"Daddy. That's mommy's necklace with the picture?" The boy said, pointing at his father's hand. His eyes met with his dad's, bright and expectant.
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Nov 22, 2008 23:06:35 GMT -5
Post by Isu on Nov 22, 2008 23:06:35 GMT -5
Isu smiled at the child as he touched his chin. He has soft hands, though they were slightly harder than he last felt. Five years had that toll on children. He ran his hand over his chin as well, feeling the hairs that sporadically grew in. "Yeah... daddies get hairs on their chins. It helps up scare away scary people who try to hurt their kids. You'll get these in time." he said as he gently pinched Akihiko's cheek.
As he was asked about the locket, he raised it up to properly see it. He nodded to Akihiko, opening it to see the image within it. The picture was pretty old now, but he remembered that day as if it happened just yesterday. The day Kyoshi went back to Tsuki. It was a somber day, but Isu made sure not to show any sadness as he waved goodbye to his family. Akihiko was cradled in his arm, as his other rested around Kyoshi's shoulders. Shingo stood between the two taller figures in an adorable smile. Isu's lips rested on a blushing Kyoshi's forehead. Akihiko's arms raised upward as if he were playing with the air. Happier days. His eyes crept up at Kyoshi's, before falling down once more.
He closed the locket and placed it into Akihiko's hand.
"Daddy has to go now. I haven't bathed in weeks." he chuckled. "I'll bring you, your sister and mommy some candy, alright?"
He placed his hands around Akihiko's face, feeling the warmth of his chunky face. He smiled at him, bringing his face closer to his child's forehead before laying his lips upon it.
"Daddy loves you, alright? Remember that. No matter what... daddy loves you."
He looked toward Kyoshi, trying but failing to smile at her. He couldn't bring himself to do so. She wouldn't return it, and he couldn't say that he was sincere in even doing so. But for the sake of their child, he smiled at her, placing his hand on her shoulder for mere moments.
He stepped back, smiling at Akihiko before vanished in a poof of smoke.
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