A/N: alright, first things first!
this is a 'companion' of sorts to 'Who You Callin' Hyuuga?', yes that massive thing that i'm still playing with and enjoy examining... IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT YOU WILL HAVE NO IDEA WHO SOME OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE OR WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT ... if that doesn't bother you, please proceed, if that does please read a few chapter of 'Who You Callin' Hyuuga?' :3
i've gotten a few requests/pokes suggesting i make a drabble pile of 'other things' that go on in that same universe, as i do tend to write apparently interesting characters and various asides whenever i get stuck on a certain part for WYCH, most of these 'asides' end up being either 'non-canon' for WYCH, possible to use for later, or just have no real 'place' in the narrative of WYCH as that thing is already pretty huge... yes, that's the lean version, without all the extra crazy :3
so, in short, i maaaaaaaaay be potentially using this as a drabble pile, we'll see, and i'll note if its 'canon' or not, as some aren't canon but just interesting character examinations... and we all know i love my characters, right! :D
anywho, i felt if i were EVER going to do something like this i would HAVE to start off with something that's insanely poignant to WYCH, canon, and strangely integral to WYCH but can stand on its own... this is the third full draft of this i've written and i feel is the 'best' of what i'm trying to convey with this event and these characters...
without further adieu, i give you the WYCH Universe - CANON version of how the Fourth Raikage became the Fourth Raikage...
ENJOY!
A Day in Kumo…
There was a rumble outside, dark clouds hanging in the sky…
Grey eyes opened, facing the floor to ceiling windows of her lone room in her quarters on the far side of the village. For six years this room had been the closest thing she had to a home, it was sparse, small and barren, much like herself. The young woman sat in a perfectly still kneeling position, silencing her mind as her heightened senses told her there was a shift in the world around her…
A swift sound and a large teen went to one knee, fist on the ground as his sandy red head faced the ground, red eyes never daring to glance up at the woman that was his new master.
All was silent stillness for the longest moment before the red-eyed teen spoke one word.
"Confirmed."
A growl was the only response, mixing with the rumbling thunder outside. When the boy dared to tilt his head up enough to confirm his suspicions he found the small, sparse, barren room empty aside from him.
The white assassin was on the hunt.
"Naota what are you doing?" a cheery voice glided over and to the ears of the young chuunin, their dark blue eyes spying the young female teen that was their partner. She smiled that wide and warming smile that always brought a smile to their face.
As much as they tried to resist Naota couldn't, not in their partner's presence, "Shiyori-chan, you're out here late?"
Shiyori, the beautiful brown haired girl just a bit older then the dark blue haired chuunin just kept up that smile, adjusting the sleeves on her evening kimono as she moved to lean on the railing beside them. Without thinking or notice the brunette rubbed up along the glasses wearing chuunin's arm, causing them to blush, as she leaned comfortably to look at them, "I could say the same of you Naota," again without concern for personal space she reached a tan hand out and poked her pale partner on the nose, "Its late enough, with a storm on the way and you're out here brooding… again~"
A blush passed over pale cheeks as they tried to hide it among long dark blue bangs, "Y-you know I like this weather…"
"Hmm…" the tan young woman was leaning her chin on her propped hand, "Suppose you do," her voice sounded annoyed and miffed, "It's so heady and humid, you probably like the feel of all this moisture in the air, huh?"
Naota gave a nervous chuckle, "What can I say… I'm a water type of person?"
That bell-like giggle spread through the air and Naota couldn't help but smile, watching as Shiyori laughed…
Then suddenly there was silence.
The young dark blue haired chuunin blinked open their eyes, snapping to their partner as they noticed that look come over the tan brunette's face. Gone was the giggling warm effervescent smile; in its place was cold and merciless as those dark eyes seemed to peer through Naota.
-No… she's not looking at me…- without thinking the young chuunin turned around, tensing as their hands went straight for their blades as they came face to face with something they would never forget.
Before them was what appeared to be a woman, lilt and pale wearing only what appeared to be black and grey. Her hair was short and white with braids framing her sharp pale face and her eyes were a reflection of steel. She, too, was not facing Naota.
As the chuunin's hand gripped their blade something like a growl permeated the area and they were hard pressed to tell if it had anything to do with the dark rolling clouds or the woman invading their private moment…
A warm hand passed over Naota's hand, soothing to the touch, forcing them to let go of their weapon as Shiyori stepped before her partner, placing herself in the path of the white woman.
The two seemed to stare intensely for a moment, eyes set in that same look… and in an instant all Naota saw was the white woman gone, red spreading all over Shiyori's body as her body collapsed in slow motion.
There were no words… on instinct Naota dropped to their knees, reaching without thought to catch their partner as the young woman seemed to suddenly be bleeding from wounds… so many wounds… there was no way to stop the bleeding, it was too quick, all her major arteries and veins were slit open and dark blood was quickly pooling around them…
"Shi… Shi…" Naota's body was shaking, dark blue eyes wide as they couldn't comprehend what just happened, what was happening in front of them…
A red hand reached up; with the last of her strength Shiyori touched Naota's cheek and smiled at them…
Then the light faded from her eyes and the arm fell without warning.
There was a sudden shift, the sound of a blade flicking, blood dropping and Naota's frazzled mind homed in on it. The white woman, the white assassin was standing there, flicking her blade clean with her back facing the two.
For the longest moment Naota just stared, mind still unable to comprehend or understand what happened…
The woman stepped forward, and disappeared.
"Hehe, no… really?" a tan hand gripped the man's large bicep.
"Not even joking," he laughed as the woman shoved him in her disbelief, neither mentioning how she pressed her chest further around his arm as she nuzzled her way around his shoulder. He waved a hand nonchalant as he continued his ill-gotten tale, she laughed at his antics and the two of them stepped closer and closer on the open platform.
It was rare that Reki ever felt this happy, sure she loved her job, running whatever assistant she had ragged, and she loved her young children. Daiyo helped a lot with the kids, Jun and Mei seemed to like him, or at least Mei liked that she already had the man wrapped around her little finger and Jun was comfortable enough around the man to listen to him. The scruffy dark blonde would come over when he was free, give Mei all the piggy-back rides she wanted and always showed Jun a thing or two about using his kunai. He was a great step up from her last affair…
The black haired woman pushed the bad memories away by nuzzling further into the man's shoulder, forehead to that evening fabric he always wore. The sleeves were long and ridiculous but no matter what she said the man wouldn't let go of them, called them 'traditional' to his family, she called it silly. He was rambling on about some mission he had, his mark being a rich idiot that fell for some overly ridiculous plan that got him killed while looking like an accident. It was likely the desk clerk had heard it before but she didn't care… she just loved hearing his voice, being able to touch him like this and not have to worry about brats splitting them up or paperwork.
-Just for a moment… let my eternity be like this…- she breathed in his scent, mixed with the heady air outside, as she tried to memorize every facet she could feel. The way he stood, the way he felt, the way he breathed… kami strike her down she was such a sap of a romantic when she was in love with some idiot.
"So, the authorities came and-"
He stopped.
Black eyes opened, he wasn't stiff like the coming of battle, in fact she didn't feel anything, but suddenly… stillness.
Stillness was bad.
Without any prompting Reki leaned back, separating herself enough from Daiyo to look him over, glance up at his face and sense the entire area. She was a veteran ANBU for kami's sake, the amount of information her mind processed in the time others took to measure a second was unfathomable.
The dark tan blonde man was still, his head turned to look over their shoulders as this look came about his eyes she had only ever seen on one other person…
-Satsuki…- without thinking the older woman turned around and something in her heart broke. Standing before them was a woman with pale skin, white hair and steel grey eyes. It had been years since she'd seen the girl, now woman this close. After what happened with her children's father, Reki had wanted to find Satsuki and reconcile… but every time she caught a glimpse of the woman it was at a distance and usually her back, as if the young girl she'd known was purposely ignoring she existed. The black haired Jounin had given up, severing their tie as it seemed to be what the woman wanted… a part of her always feeling guilty at her own cowardice.
Now this…
Daiyo turned around smooth as silk, releasing himself from Reki without the woman even noticing how or when he'd done it, taking a step forward and taking a stance she'd never seen him make in battle. He wasn't tense, almost calm as it seemed he was only standing before the white haired woman. Neither said a word, only held that intense gaze…
"Don't…" the word left Reki's lips before her mind had the time to register why. She had seen Satsuki in battle; brought the girl with the other R&D test subjects in as shocktroops during the Uzu War as a vanguard for her command… she knew what that girl could do when that look came over her face. –Don't Dai… don't do it… don't you dare leave me!-
A rumble from the coming thunder, both had blades in their hands…
An instant…
And the man was crumpling on the ground, blood quickly pooling around him.
Black eyes followed as the man fell to the ground, her expert eyes taking in the sudden wounds that formed on his body that began to seep blood.
They raised a fraction and caught those sharp steel colored ones.
For a moment the two women just stared. Something unreadable passed through the white woman's grey eyes while Reki's black ones scrunched in a manner that showed too much; hate, sorrow, love, fear, regret, joy, guilt, pain… all mixed into an empty cacophony as she stared at the woman the girl she knew had become.
"Sats-" and a futile reach was as far as she got before the woman was gone… again.
Reki fell to her knees, arms hung limply for a moment before her blank black eyes fell on the body in front of her, huddled in a mass surrounded in dark blood. Mechanically she reached out rolling him over; catching in a single glimpse the extent that woman had done to him. There were precision cuts in all his major arteries and veins; both jugular, carotid, the aorta just above the heart and vena cava just below and to the right, both arm pits, both femoral, two distinct stabs in his stomach where the hepatic vein and renal artery were along with the iliac around his hips… all the blood he had was literally pumped out of his body in seconds. There was no chance he could have survived.
Shaky hands reached out, pulled him by that stupid evening kimono into her lap as her arms numbly slid around his back and shoulders placing his head right above her heart as her own leaned on his…
And she cried.
"I deserve this… I deserve this…" the minute whisper and tears were all that could be heard on the platform.
In less than an hour all the external members of the clan were dead.
That left only the direct clan members.
The white haired assassin stepped through the gates off the sole bridge that lead to the lair of one of Kumo's greatest triumphs. The current Raikage had killed the leader of this branch of Assassins before his ascension, using them against his own father and mother to take the 'throne' of Kumo. His father had won the Raikage title by coup, so his son had done the same, just as every leader of the bandits before Kumo had all the way back to village's founding as a hideout. The current Raikage had been lucky; obtaining these elusive master killers, even more lucky when ten years ago more of them had shown up, offering up a child as payment for their refuge.
A child that was returning for the first time in that decade to what was once her clan.
Satsuki did not hate her clan, did not seek revenge for what they had done; sold her, thrown her away, making her a non-person to them, non-people. She told herself she felt nothing towards them, it was why they could function side-by-side normally.
But today was not a normal day.
They threatened the one thing that gave meaning to her life, the only thing that mattered to her.
They would not harm her Lord… and she would make sure of that.
As the doors to the inner sanctum of the Assassin clan opened, revealing the remaining 'true' clan members with the head standing right before her, all of them with weapons drawn, the only thing any of them saw was a flash of those unfamiliar steel colored eyes.
… Then the bloodbath began.
Panting and in severe pain, the white haired assassin fell to her knees on the blood flooded floor. All around her were the bodies… so many bodies… each with the same wounds, all of them drained of blood that flowed freely from arteries and veins strategically cut open.
She had held the technique for too long but it had been necessary… had she stopped, even for an instant, and not one of them was completely dead they would have killed her.
It was ironic, she realized, that with this final act, this final end to her clan, she had fully realized and achieved what they had all only dreamed of.
In a single blow, without thought or consideration of the outcome, she had killed them all.
"Ahghh…" her body seized, trembling as pain shot through every nerve she had…
She could feel their hearts still beating with nothing left as they began to die one by one. Each death, each life snuffed out, she felt it… all of it.
"C-curse me… all… you.. wan-AGHH!" she flipped over, the pain and spasms increasing as she had to clinch her jaw just to not bite off her own tongue. It took several long agonizing minutes for the feeling to subside, all the while she could feel their hearts futilely pump air… just a few more seconds and the muscle died, silencing them. A few more seconds to damn what she'd done.
"You were… you… haa… haa…" another wave of pain as her jaw clinched to the point she was almost positive her teeth cracked. What her words could not finish her mind did –You were going to kill him, I would never let that happen…-
Why was she trying to justify herself… to corpses…
For the longest time those cloudy eyes stared at the ceiling, blood dripping from the higher levels she had slain others on as the pain wracked her body.
Why did she care what they thought, they were dead…
Why did she still care what they thought, they were the ones that threw her away…
Somewhere in the back of her mind there had still been hope hadn't there? From when she was a child seeking the elders' approval… that childish desire to have the others see her like they saw the other 'Assassins'… to be one of those Assassins…
Now they were dead… by her own hand.
She was a true Assassin… and none of them were there to see it.
"It… doesn't… matter…" her voice was so low and high pitched as tears ran freely down the sides of her face as her grey eyes continued to stare openly at the ceiling, her body tense with pain, "it… doesn't… matter…"
They were dead… her Lord was alive, that's all that mattered.
… If only she could hear those words over the sound of empty hearts.
There was another low rumble from the heavy hanging clouds.
Grey eyes snapped open as an enormous presence suddenly came within range of her senses. There was only one man with chakra that wild, massive, and capable of moving that fast outside the village right now: The Raikage.
-Jin!- her body snapped to action, rising to her feet, not caring about the lingering pain or the dried blood seeped into her clothes. She had to get to him before his Father, had to tell him it was safe… -Jin, you can kill him now…- she nearly stumbled on her way out, either from her worn body or a slip didn't matter as she caught herself on the door frame.
For a moment Satsuki paused, a sense of dread coming over her that had nothing to do with her Lord. It was that sense any killer got when they left a grave, that lingering feel of death right on their heels about to pounce and creep along with them… it was that feeling along the back of her neck that made her want to turn and face the corpses of the fallen… knowing she may break if she did so.
Shaking her head roughly the white haired assassin opened steely eyes, facing the heavy hanging clouds and building thunder. –Jin needs me…- her Lord needed her… that was all that mattered… all that would ever matter.
Solidifying her decision, 'Kemui' Satsuki left the Assassins' tomb and never looked back.
A week ago word was sent to Kumo of a mounting Konoha invasion along their southern border. With an army of ten thousand shinobi the Konoha-nin sought to invade the Land of Lighting, forming a stronghold on one of their border towns and proceeding to invade in multiple strikes from there.
The Raikage had merely grunted his displeasure, asking how the hell Konoha managed to get TEN THOUSAND shinobi strong in one army? "Either those pansy tree-huggers have those kinds of resources to waste or not a single one of these scrubs is worth my time…" the large Oni of a man's assistant had merely squeaked, running out of the way as he punched a hole in the wall and stared down, "Might as well find out…"and with that the Third Raikage, like many before him, jumped out into the open clouds of Kumo bent on seeking out this supposed en masse army of Konoha.
He made it to the outpost in two days, a leisurely pace for a man of his speed, only to find his men, some couple hundred left, at the outpost grossly outnumbered by what seemed to be a wave of conscripted shinobi. Most had that look of the 'pussy tree-huggers' but some looked to be from the minor nations in-between their countries and tossed a Konoha headband. Can't say the Raikage was all that surprised, Konoha liked taking a page from Iwa's book with shocktroops and overwhelming numbers from time to time… at least when it came to fighting Kumo.
"Hmp," the large Oni had shrugged, unimpressed. His men could handle an armada like this easy; the only thing holding them back was trying to hold the position and fatigue from fighting for days. The great Oni just spit on the ground, walking forward passed the stronghold, when his people tried to call him back he merely waved back at them, "Shut the hell up and get out of here," cracking his neck he looked down at the horde of ants in his way, "I'll handle this…"
The history books in every nation BUT the Village Hidden in the Clouds states the large Oni of a man, the Third Raikage faced off against that onslaught of Konoha elite ninja for three days and died from his wounds and exhaustion.
Any Kumo shinobi being told this would just stare at the storyteller like they're a moron and walk away. In Kumo the story is quite different. The Third Raikage did go to that stronghold and did fend off the Konoha invasion for three days straight, but neither did he 'die nobly from exhaustion' nor did he do so to 'save his people'. The man had been bored sitting around in his throne room so went trying to find a challenge. He hadn't killed ten thousand shinobi by himself yet, and the only reason he told his people to leave was so they weren't in his way. A Juggernaut could fight infinitely better not caring who they were smashing between their fingers… not that he would have paused at killing his own men, he just hated wasting the resources.
And for the record, from the man's own testimony they were NOT 'Highly trained Konoha elite ninja', just a massive horde of genin and chuunin fodder-nin, like normal, that he'd expected from Konoha. They didn't waste their good shinobi in these dumbass invasion schemes, and if they did, the bastards usually retreated long before he could get through all the chaff to get them… the pricks.
Now, three days later, when the sun rose over the low-lands the Third Raikage had simply breathed out an unhappy snort, crossing his arms and looking out upon his destruction…
… Utterly, completely fucking bored.
"Pansies…" with that muttered grunt the man had turned heel, breezing through his base, snagging a sandwich from one of his men and mumbled a guttural, "Clean this shit up," while making his way out the back… finishing his sandwich.
Whelp, that had been boring, got him to sweat decently but that was probably just from the hotter temperature down on the ground, it was a coin toss to the large Oni. So after this little sojourn the man made his brisk way back to Kumo, recuperating his strength and wondering what was going to happen now to alleviate his unfathomable boredom.
Sometimes being the strongest man in the world sucked…
He didn't even bother to look up or slow his pace as he passed the great 'entrance' to Kumo, the huge slab commissioned by his grandfather when he decided this would be a 'Shinobi' village and no longer a bandit hideout. He remembered seeing it as a kid with his mother and shouting 'daddy!' up at the big angry Oni riding the thunder cloud bent on terrorizing the villages below. His own son had said something similar, the little punk…
That reminded him…
"Hmm?" something about this 'home coming' seemed oddly quiet. Where was that bastard Assassin, whatshisname that always liked to talk his fucking ear off with inane bullshit whenever he was within spitting distance? And weren't those fuckers supposed to keep his son in line? He knew the little jerk was coming back from his own sabotage mission, where the fuck was he?! The large Oni growled as he paused on a large central platform open to the sky, a certain feeling running along his skin… an old feeling, one he almost had forgotten…
A wide fanged grin spread on the old Oni's face as he recognized that feeling, it was the same as the one he had when he faced off against his father, taking the title 'Raikage' from the old bastard… making him proud as he ripped out the man's fucking heart.
The clouds hanging heavy around the village seemed to rumble their approval and the great Oni could hardly argue.
From the main bridge leading to the Raikage's Tower from the wide platform two figures approached, both large by any other village standard, but to the big Oni of a Raikage they were still small whelps to him. The first was his son, Gouzin Jinrai, named after his mother that died giving birth to him, those piercing small black eyes, that pitiful beard he was trying to grow, and the stupid jacket he had hanging off his shoulders. Really, the kid had no fashion sense, probably what happened when he didn't have a mom to guide him.
"hmph," behind his unruly son was his bastard, the boy a bit smaller but otherwise looking practically the same aside from the tattoo on his face. If it had been up to the Raikage he would have completely ignored the kid existed, but he made a fantastic Jinchuuriki, able to contain and control the damn Ushi-Oni like none before him, R&D still hadn't given him any reason why that was… oh well, he may never know after today.
The burly older man simply crossed his arms, staring down his sons like nothing unusual was happening, "S'what's this boy… a welcome home party?"
"Sumthin' like that old man," Jin gave that thuggish scowl, tilting his head in obvious threat, like he was a damn threat, Ha! A dark tan hand reached out as the younger Oni pointed at his father, "Hand over the hat, your reign's done!"
It was quiet for a good long moment.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" then the Raikage just stared laughing loudly to the heavens. His sons bristled and the large Oni turned his odd-colored eyes on them, a wicked grin showing off his fangs on his face, "You think so, huh?" he cracked his neck threatening, "And just why the hell would I hand over anything?" the grin grew into a sneer, "You too much'a pussy to come and take it like a man?" the great Oni raised his hands, giving a 'come on' gesture to his sons.
Jin nearly snarled, gripping his fists tightly knowing his old man was trying to goad him into a brash attack. He spat the bad taste out of his mouth before staring at his father seriously again, "I ain't gonna ask again old man."
"feh," the old Oni just crossed his arms, looking upon his sons as if they were insignificant, "We're Kumo boy, we don't ask anything…" that sinister grin spread showing those sharp canines as his odd colored eyes looked Jin right in his beady black ones, "We take it."
Large fists gripped tighter, behind Jin Bee took a step back, feeling his older brother's anger rise along with his chakra. Defiantly the young Oni glared at the old one.
The old Oni laughed again, "The hell got up your ass thinkin' you can take my throne, huh?" that cocky evil smirk, "That bitch finally put out?" he made a rather derogatory gesture with his tongue that had Jin growling, "You feelin' all high cause she finally got on your dick?"
Jin saw red, moving to lunge at the old bastard-!
"Whoa Bro, chill!" Bee held his brother around both shoulders, needing more strength then he realized to hold his brother back from a suicidal charge. Black goggles leveled with his brother's dark eyes as he brought the young Oni's attention to him, "Chill Bro, Sista' wouldn't want you rushin' in all half-cocked jus'ta get clocked!" his voice lowered as he leaned in closer, " 'Specially cause'a summin' 'bout her, yo," the younger brother glanced over his shoulder, eyeing the old man through his goggles, " 'n you know he just tryin' mess wit you…" he faced his brother again, noticing the man had calmed down some, "get you bustin' to his beat without a head on ya shoulda's…"
"You even more'a pussy boy?!" that old bastard's boisterous voice called out to the brothers, "Gettin' put down by that lil' bastard, tch," he spit, "not'ta mention hiding behind that little girl's skirt…"
Jin pushed forward with a growl but Bee pushed him back in place, forcing him to notice him, "Chill bro!"
The Raikage just smirked seeing the fire in his son, "What you got, huh?" he cocked his chin in a dismissive way, "That Jinchuuriki and that R&D reject? HA!" the large Oni's hands waved out wide, "I got a whole VILLAGE backin' me boy!"
Jin put a hand on Bee's shoulder, shoving the slightly smaller man out of the way just so he had a direct line of sight with his old man, "I only need them to support me old man, the village doesn't give a damn which murdering bastard sits under the hat," a slight smirk picked at the younger Oni's lips, "and at least I got the balls to go after my opponent myself!"
The smirk suddenly dropped from the old Raikage, an almost snarl taking its place, "The hell you talkin' about boy…"
Beady black eyes narrowed on the man, "Thought I wouldn't find out about your special order?" his shoulders rolled in an agitated way, "That you had those assassins lined up to take me out should I ever get ballsy enough to come after you?"
The Raikage didn't move, not a single muscle and that was all the confirmation anyone needed. Jin growled as the old bastard just shrugged after a long second, "So? They're my weapons; I can point them wherever I want…"
The younger blonde spit, "Not even gonna try are you…"
"Feh," the older Oni just shrugged, obviously not seeing the problem here, "Kept your punkass in its place this long, what changed?" that sinister fanged grin returned, "You wanna test their patience? Figured you'd know all about just how long they can wait…"
Jin gain a thuggish look, threatening but not attacking… then something familiar came over his senses and something white entered his peripheries. An unconscious grin spread on the young Oni's face, he could always count on her.
Odd colored eyes narrowed as again the smirk slipped from the older Raikage's face, "The fuck you smilin' 'bout boy?"
And smile he did, showing his own sharp canines, "Just the fact your one line of defense is gone…"
Those odd eyes narrowed… then the large Oni finally noticed the sudden white thing, now coated in red, "The fuck…?"
Satsuki was kneeling behind her Lord, slightly to the left as she erased any sign of weakness from her form, voice coming out in a smooth lilt, "All whom serve the Raikage are no more," the woman's white head rose just enough to stare daggers at the old Raikage, "You are free to act as you see fit my Lord."
That triumphant grin never left Jin's smug face, "Thank you Satsuki," he shrugged off his jacket, stepping forward while cracking his knuckles knowing the woman would dutifully catch the thing before even a corner touched the ground, "Now, old man, I believe we had some business to settle."
The Raikage's eyes went from his smug son cracking his neck to the small white woman behind him folding the idiot's jacket and calming standing by the Jinchuuriki. The snarl was audible as he turned his gaze to stare at his son, "What a fucking waste…"
Jin rolled his shoulders, taking a grappler's stance, "You said it yourself old man, they were just tools to you…"
The large man raised his fists, cracking his knuckles threatening, "Yea, my tools," for a moment his eyes caught the small white woman again and he had that sinister smirk as he turned back to his son, "Guess they had gotten blunt," the grin spread as he watched his son's face, "Suppose I'll just have send that sharp little blade of yours back to R&D and have them… resupply… the losses."
A wave of killing intent spread over the platform, though it was impossible to tell who it was from. The small white assassin was snarling at the old Raikage, held back only by the large Jinchuuriki next to her who was also frowning at the Raikage. But neither of their responses matched Jin's; the moment his brain registered what his father was saying chakra ran across his skin, sparking as lightning danced between his fingers and the urge to rip off his father's head increased.
The Raikage simply reveled in their responses, intoxicated by the feel of killing intent that actually registered to him. It had been so long. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" his hands went out forming light fists as his body reacted to the feel of being threatened, instantly hardening at the anticipation of a fight. He just gave a snarling grin to his son, one last thing he supposed, to send the brat over the edge, "And you know what…" unconsciously he licked his lips, "I think I'll help them," that grin spread, "Find out what she feels like on the inside," the looks that passed their faces were priceless as the man just laughed again, "HAHAHA, Maybe then I'll get a son that's not afraid to kill!"
There was a flash of lightning as a bolt ominously struck in the center of the platform, punching right through it…
It didn't matter, as Jin was seeing red, having charged at his father the moment the lightning struck. His natural chakra danced along his body, sending his muscles into overdrive and giving the large Oni a burst of speed even the lightning couldn't keep up with.
His fist connected with the side of his father's face, sending out a sonic boom that ripped through the platform…
The first blow had been struck.
… and the Raikage could only grin, "That all you got?" before sending his own chakra enhanced fist into Jin's stomach, threatening to punch a hole right through him.
The younger Oni simply growled, tightening the muscles in his abdomen to take the blow as he went after his old man with his other fist. The older Oni just raised his shoulder, catching the fist between his ear and shoulder, using the second of lost moment on his son's part to draw up his other arm and elbow him in the face, sending the fool off through several buildings…
The older Oni just grunted, chasing after his son… their fight was only just beginning.
"Shiiiiiiiit!" Bee grabbed Satsuki and jumped away to another building, cutting the bridge lines as the platform started collapsing to prevent the entire system from going with it. The Hachibi Jinchuuriki hopped several terraces, holding on as tight as he could as a cacophony of sonic booms shook the entire village.
And to make matters worse, the rain finally started.
"Bee!" the smaller white woman called from his arm.
"Sista'!" the big rapper-wannabe glanced down mid-scaling, thinking the woman was going to complain about the indignity of being carried under his arm, instead he saw her eyes focused in one solitary direction.
"Get closer, with nothing in the way!" a pale hand pointed in one direction, slightly to the right and through the building he was scaling… directly towards the vibrant sonic booms.
Small blonde brows quirked for a second over black goggles as the large man hoofed it faster to the top of the building. Once there Statsuki removed herself from his grasp, running to the far end of the roof that had a small fencing. The woman gripped the metal tight enough he could hear it start to bend as her grey eyes remained open, irises darting this way and that in a way he couldn't follow and not once did she blink.
"Sista'?" Bee came up by her side, just as she tensed, despite the rain he could hear her teeth clinch as well as the metal give a bit more, "You followin' bro?" the older woman always had some crazy abilities, and while no one could really keep up with his brother when he was going all out for some reason the idea that the small white woman next to him could follow his movements didn't surprise him as much as it probably should have.
"Mm," she nodded firmly, never looking his way or blinking despite the rain. A particularly large sonic boom hit not far from them and Bee could see her wince, "Yes, Bee… I can follow him…"
"Mmmm…" the large man crossed his arms, staring the way she was, trying to catch what she was seeing. He could follow the sonic booms and the destruction, but beyond that was only a blur, and the damn rain wasn't helping, "Tch, he better be doin' alright, else they gunna bust up the village for no damn reason…"
"He's leading the Raikage away," the white assassin could feel as the large Jinchuuriki turned her way, that surprised pout on his face with his small blonde brows twitching like he was blinking. A small, worried, smile picked up on the side of her lips, "He wouldn't be taking such a beating without a plan first…"
That pouting scowl passed Bee's face as he grumbled, "An' I thought the foo' was just goin' gung-ho caus'a yo…" the moment Bee's words made it to his brain his shoulders went to his ears as he realized he probably shouldn't have said that.
The next instant Satsuki gripped the fence… then vaulted over it and was literally sliding down the building, jumping to the next, next, and further on.
"Aw hell!" Bee called out, "Wait! Sista' I didn't- shit!" immediately the Jinchuuriki jumped over the building's small fence, landing on the side roof of one part and vaulting off chasing after her, quickly catching up.
"You're getting slow, they're almost to the edge of the village," the small woman sniped the moment he was next to her, causing the man to grumble as they hopped roofs, bridges and cables to follow the line of destruction the two battling Oni caused.
"Hmp!" Bee huffed, running alongside her. He could feel the direction the chakra was heading, as well as the various other chakra signatures 'waking up' in the village. If they didn't hurry ANBU might get involved and then their little Coup might end up a total failure. "SHIT!" immediately Bee's hands went together as the two ran and he started channeling the Hachibi's chakra, "Hachi, you up!" the dark skinned man grinned with those long canines as he effortlessly formed the chakra cloak of the eight tails Ushi-Oni. Horns of chakra grew out of the man's head along with five tentacle-like tails from the base of his spine. After a long series of hand seals the tails split off, forming chakra imbued clones of the Hachibi-container as the original once again grabbed the small woman by his side and kicked off at several times their previous speed.
Satsuki merely growled from her position, "Was that really necessary?" she never liked the feel of Bee's demon chakra… it just sent an uncomfortable tingly sensation under her skin and brought back bad memories she'd rather keep buried, but years around Jin's younger brother had lower the sensation from a need to 'kill' the man to mildly annoying.
Those elongated canines showed as the chakra cloaked man grinned widely, "You was complainin' we goin' too slow, Sista'~" his grin dropped when he faced forward, a somewhat serious look crossing his face, " 'sides, like this I don't need you guidin' me… I can see them already…"
The white woman simply nodded, "I take it your clones will handle anything else from the village?"
Again with that stupid grin, "Hell they'll be too distracted by the sudden demon chakra to care 'bout our boy doin' his thing~"
"Mm," a blank look came over the woman's face as she scanned the area; they'd left the city limits and were in the rocky training grounds. She could still feel the sonic booms of the two Oni fighting, just couldn't see anything and it was bothering her, "So… no rapping?" it was an idle observation, something to just end the silence.
"Hmp," she knew the man was pouting, he always did when she pointed out his tendency to try and rap everything, "Ain't really the time fo' a rhyme…"
"Internal," the stupid exchange caused a small smile to tug at her lips, which was immediately brought down into a sad frown as the weight of the situation sunk into the silence around them, "Bee, if your father wins…"
"He ain't…" was the Hachibi-container's quick response.
"If he does," she said with enough force to halt any protest, "I… I won't be able to deny any command he gives… I'll have to… he'll… he'll be my-" the woman bite her lower lip as an unconscious tremble went through her body.
"He ain't…" Bee adamantly said again, not liking feeling the strong woman in his arms tremble like that, it wasn't right, "Bro'll beat him…" he could only feel the woman give a firm nod.
Silence picked up around them again as they made it to a plateau that seemed close enough to the fight. Bee ran to the edge and spotted the two Oni charged up fully and duking it out in full force on a smaller plateau below that seemed to have been made by their fighting. Immediately he set the smaller woman down and lowered his Hachibi aura, not fully dissipating it as he couldn't follow the fight without the sensory enhancements.
"Bee," Satsuki said in a low voice as she crossed her arms, nervously running her hands over her upper arms, her eyes finding the fight and never looking away, "Kill me if he fails…"
Bee could only frown, having no words to say. Without thinking his hand reached out and gripped around the woman's smaller shoulder, she didn't tense but he could feel her tremble, worried for their future, worried about him, but mostly worried about his brother. His thumb ran along the upper part of her arm as he spoke in a low serious voice, "He won't fail…" –He's never failed me… and especially not you-
A pale hand raised enough to grab the larger man's hand, hoping he was right.
"Besides," a hopeful grin spread across the Jinchuuriki's face as he held his friend tight, "Old man may got'ta strongest spear and strongest shield, but bro's got the one thing that can always bust'em both!" gray eyes glanced at the man, both of them knowing he was just being hopeful in a situation all too real for either of them, but the way those grey eyes looked at him, the need for something to hold on to, pushed Bee forward, he had to say, had to give her a reason to think past this fight, "Cause bro's got the hammer, an' ain't nuthin' can stand up to his strike, sho'!" with his free hand Bee pumped his fist.
Against her will, a smirk rose on the pale woman's lips as her grey eyes turned back to the fight, desperately hoping Bee was right…
Another thunder strike, another fist, another sonic boom, another explosion of sound, sense, and loss of all the above…
Jin's eyes spun as his father's knee hit him full in the face…
A second for the two battling Oni was a fraction of time in the 'real world', the one where the village existed, the one where his brother made those stupid rhymes, where-
This time it was an elbow drop on his shoulder, the pain barely registered as the jumping electricity along his skin kept his muscles flexed to their maximum, maintaining a shield of pure flesh that didn't bow even when his bones were little more than powder…
He reached out in a grapple and instinct as his mind was gone long ago, lost in the fight of flesh as hard as steel and lightning…
Hands like iron gripped muscles like steel as the young Oni roared, moving to snap his father's arm…
Another chakra imbued fist was hitting the back of his head, another roar as the blood pumping behind his eyes distorted his vision…
It didn't matter, he didn't need to see, his lightning showed him where to go, what to do, how to move… instinct was the most powerful weapon he had next pure brute strength…
An inch and his father's lightning quick hand would have pierced his heart; instead it scrapped the side of his chest, exposing ribs, flesh, blood and bone…
His fist came in an explosive force directly over the old man's heart, where that scar was, the old Oni's greatest shame and for a moment the hardened muscle underneath stopped…
Pure impact…
The younger Oni followed up with a devastating headbutt, fracturing both their already cracked skulls and setting both seeing stars from internal damage…
Jin pressed forward, moving on pure instinct and will, used to pushing his body far beyond what it should have been capable of, beyond what any human was capable of doing and surviving, his muscles were wound steel, his bones broken and reset so many times they were adamantium…
An entire electrified weapon designed to do nothing but inflict and survive pure impact…
His father's body had been hardened years ago, no blade could pierce it, no weapon could scrap it, not even the loose Hachibi could gore the old bastard… many saw the Third Raikage's body as the perfection of physical defense, a body incapable of being pierced, even by his own ultimate spear…
What people fail to realize…
No shield is a perfect defense… at some point it will always give, even to something as blunt as a rock with enough force…
Jin had spent his whole life studying his father's technique, his 'perfect' Juggernaut Armor and ultimate piercing strikes… he learned to be fast and to be strong, to hit with an overwhelming force that could crush anything, ANYTHING that got in his way. He was faster than his father, as the man never needed to chase, pursue, or dodge, so he could dodge and evade his piercing strikes, limiting the damage to a minimum. His body was used to pain, used to knowing he was hurt, unlike the old man that could barely feel anymore… as 'feeling' was for the weak…
As the young Oni bashed and bashed and bashed at the old man's chest, pushing the ultimate shield to its limit and bursting organs with pure impact damage, he knew his father was weak for giving up something so inherently instinctive…
Pain told when one was in danger, it allowed one to react and recognize what was around them, to fix what was broken…
The Old Oni's body was so hardened, so impervious it had forgotten was a scratch was, it had forgotten what internal bleeding felt like, it had long since missed the feel of anything 'wrong' within due to its pursuit of keeping everything out.
For a moment in real time, the Third Raikage stepped back and coughed up blood…
As the old man paused to touch the unfamiliar feeling on his lip, the warm black liquid he pulled back on his large fingers he realized at least one of his lungs had ruptured and his heart was barely pumping anymore…
Normally, when an animal is wounded it becomes terrified and lashes out in violence due to a slight madness brought on by the concept it is about to die…
Instead the Third Raikage grinned, snarling something wicked and cruel as his odd colored eyes took in the sorry state of his son, singed, burned, muscles about to burst with so many punctures on his sides as he stared back at the blood on his hand…
And laughed.
"That it?" a massive arm ran across the man's face, wiping away the rest of the blood as he stood tall, proud and smug even if he knew half his body had long since given up. He spat out a chunk of bone, probably a tooth, along with enough black blood to be obvious while still grinning at his son, "That all you got? Throw a tantrum and smash everything in sight?"
It was amazing anything of Jin's conscious mind was left in the young Oni as it growled and seethed, hands nothing but tight fists as lightning danced across his skin, over flexed muscle the only thing keeping him standing…
The old Oni reached a hand in his mouth and pulled out a scrap of tooth, tossing it over the edge as he could feel the unfamiliar rhythm in his chest, some cavity of his heart was ruptured and it wouldn't be all that long. He looked at the feral creature that was his son in full battle frenzy, partly proud, partly sad, "You got the balls to finish the job boy…?"
A reverberation that sounded like low thunder came from the young Oni…
Odd eyes glanced away, realizing how far from the village their brawl had taken them, only two witnesses apparently having followed them. Part of the old man smiled, of course it was those two, "I told you what I'd do if you didn't kill me…" he glanced back serious over his shoulder, intending every word.
The growl lessened as lightning covered fists shook, "Why…"
A brow cocked on the old Oni.
"WHY?!" Jin roared to the heavens.
"Why what?" the Raikage was oddly calm for a man about to die.
Jin ground his teeth as he snarled out, "Why does it have to BE this way?!" covered in blood, sweat and tears he stared at his father. During their fight, their brutal exchange of blows he had felt so many things, realized to much so fast his mind was still trying to find its place.
"Hmp," the Raikage dismissively snorted, "We're Kumo, that's why…"
"ARAGH!" Jin roared, "What does it matter? I kill you, same as you killed your father? Same as he killed his all the way back to the founding?!" the mighty Oni wanted nothing but to hit something, smash mountains into rubble and throw lightning into the sky.
"It's to prove you have the right!" for once the Raikage's voice was stern without the condescending sneer. Surprise passed Jin's face as he faced his father, those odd eyes finally looking at him for once as the man continued, "It's to prove you are better than the generation before you," with what strength the man had left he held out a fist, strong and proud, "To prove you have the strength to carry on until the next one…"
Teeth clinched, face furrowed, all that was running around in Jin's mind was finally starting to make sense, "It doesn't have to be this way!"
"OR WHAT?!" the old Oni roared, "You let me live, lock me away where my supporters can get me and I can retaliate, so I can come back and damage this village more!"
Small black eyes widen at his father's threat.
Another growl from the dying Oni, "Man up boy," grey blonde brows lower as the man looked upon his son completely serious, "Be the Raikage, take what is yours," again he held up his hand, tightening it into a fist, "and ensure nothing can take it from you until the day your son comes around and thinks he's got the balls to do what must be done to ensure his future!"
That was it.
It all finally made sense.
Jin stared at his father as he could finally see; finally understand the man in front of him. The reason, the true reason the line of Raikage had been in his family only, why his father had pushed him so hard and threatened his very existence from day one.
He had wanted him strong.
Kumo wasn't soft like Konoha, weak like Kiri, stagnant like Iwa, and dying like Suna. It was alive and breathing and fighting for its future, and would remain as such.
Kumo was willing to die for the future, to ensure it existed, the village continued, the next generation was stronger than the last…
The Raikage had to be willing to wipe out the previous generation to ensure that future…
The Raikage had to be willing to shoulder the pain, strong enough to keep fighting, and willing to die when the next came around strong enough…
For the first time in his entire life, Jin felt his father loved him.
The former Raikage grinned, seeing his son understand; "Now c'mon boy," he held out his fist, "Don't make me lose faith in you at the last second…"
With a tumultuous roar Jin released every bit of chakra he had, lightning jumped from the clouds surrounding him, invading his body as he gave over completely to the Oni's rage. With unseeing eyes, rage, raw power, lightning, and everything he had ever felt for the man throughout his entire light he disappeared…
… only to show back up with his fist through his father's chest.
The ultimate shield had been broken, the ultimate spear abandoned, as the last thing the Third Raikage did was smile at his son for finally beating him.
…
..
.
The following silence was deafening as the Oni finally let go of his power, his father's corpse falling from his arm, blood pulsing and running along his body, but all he could feel were the tears running down his cut cheeks…
Jin collapsed, mind completely blank, his body broken and bleeding from the struggle.
Almost instantly strong small hands were turning him over and his unseeing eyes caught only white. She was probably saying something as what felt cold was pressed to his cheek, ignoring the blood, ignoring the tears…
For a moment he just stared at her, something crossing her pale face he knew but couldn't understand, not now, not ever… it made his chest clinch and the pain of what just happened come flooding back…
"Never…"
The voice was so low and so broken Satsuki barely heard it, too preoccupied with taking assessment of her Lord's wounds… and the spreading excitement that he had actually won.
"… n-never…"
She noticed his chest hiccupped; he had several scraps on his sides where his father had attempted to pierce his heart but missed by the smallest of margin. It was this motion that caught her attention…
"N-nn…" his large hand moved with exceptionally more effort than it should have taken.
Grey eyes noticed the movement, glancing at his hand before returning to his face all banged up, bruised and bleeding. At first she had purposely ignored his face, some part of her recognizing the tears on his face and giving him the respect to not witness them, it was her duty to maintain her Lord's pride after all.
But the look on his face, the absolutely raw nature in his small black eyes…
"Never… again…"
White brows rose slightly concerned as she stared at him, never moving as his large hand took an exceptionally long time to rise and make its way to her cheek.
For a moment small black eyes just vacantly stared into concerned grey ones as his dark thumb rubbed across her pale face…
"My Lord?" her soft concerned voice, coupled with a small pale hand reached up to cup his own, brought some focus back to the downed Oni's eyes. His thumb ran under her eye again and Satsuki wasn't sure how to interpret the look on his face or the action…
Then his eyes seemed to gain enough sense to them and he finally spoke…
"I never want to have kids…"
The pale woman froze, eyes wide on her Lord.
Something pinched at the sides of Jin's eyes as they started to unfocus again, "Never…" his hand slipped from her pale face, "Never want to… put them through… that…"
She tried to grab his arm as the appendage slipped away in shock, "But my Lord-!"
"BUT WHAT?!" he yelled, hand forming into a fist as he pulled it from her concerned one, eyes still unfocused as the downed Oni quickly lost all fire, "But what…?" tears fell from his eyes as tiny black eyes stared at the cloudy grey sky above, "continue generations of patricide? Force my child to suffer this lingering hatred…" his teeth ground as his voice lowered to the point only Satsuki could hear, "… never allow them to truly understand that I love them…" his jaw clinched tighter along with his fists at his sides, "until the end…"
Silence was his only response as Satsuki tried to understand his words. They struck her, deep down in a way she couldn't understand or unravel at the moment and she tried to keep focus on her Lord… she needed to see him safe, see he was okay, see-
"The village…" his eyes were getting more unfocused, "the village will live on after me, its… its…" his hands went lax, his muscles finally giving to fatigue, "It's Kumo… it's strong…" and his eyes closed, finally succumbing to the fatigue of his injuries.
Satsuki trembled as she stared at the man unconscious in her lap, mind completely blank. Logically she knew his words shouldn't concern her, he was her Lord, her chosen master, the only thing that should matter to her was his life, not that of his lineage or legacy.
But something broke inside Satsuki as she watched him… something she didn't even know was there…
Was it truly so worthless? Everything she had done to protect him, all she would do to protect him?
Her shoulder was shaking as Bee placed his hand on it. Looking at the two of them was painful enough, now seeing his brother, watching his Sista' tremble, feeling it through his hand, it was almost unbearable.
"Bee," how flat her voice was made it significantly worse, "Watch him."
The large Jinchuuriki could only nod. She never, NEVER left the man unguarded… but now? There was nothing he could say, only nod as she disappeared.
It seemed with the conclusion of the fight the only sound left in the world was the rain.
The fighting had stopped immediately, both in the village and outside as the Hachibi clones had immediately dispersed allowing the ANBU forces to search out the Raikage's presence, some realizing the distinct lack of a certain Oni's raw chakra. Some citizens were left to pick up the pieces, a few short hours and a surprising amount of damage had befallen the Village Hidden in the Clouds, most at the hands of one person…
Despite the rain pattering endlessly on the deck, Reki noticed the sudden shift immediately, the absence of sound, of presence, just the sudden entrance. Black eyes hazily rose from her position, having huddled around the body of her dead lover the whole time, not registering a thing.
Until she saw the blank form of a woman she should hate.
Satsuki was standing several feet from her, just standing there as if staring… only her grey eyes were completely unfocused and nothing passed her face.
Something about the look sparked recognition in the torture expert, it was the look of someone broken…
That awoke something in the older woman as the moment the pale white woman's knees hit the ground Reki was in front of her, dead lover abandoned as she held the girl's shoulders trying to steady her, "H-hey Satsu-" the woman buckled under the dead weight, as if the girl had just shut down. Without thinking black eyes scanned her, looking for any wound, some bruise, a sign that somewhere she had been injured to explain the dead look on her face.
There was nothing…
Tan hands moved up to the younger woman's pale face, holding her dead gaze with concerned black eyes, "Satsuki!" a resounding slap across the girl's face didn't even garner a movement, it was as if she was completely dead.
Reki's hands went to the girl's throat, pressing her thumbs to her carotid artiries, a motion few would allow as it was the easiest way to strangle someone besides checking their pulse. It was still there, her heart was still moving but why wasn't she responsive? Black brows furrowed as Reki forced the last assassin to look her in the eyes, debating if she should use her eyes to snap the girl she once knew out of whatever was going on…
Then a pale hand moved, gripped the older woman's arm firmly as a spark returned, a flash of something in those dull grey eyes.
Reki had a moment to glance at the rough grip before returning to the woman's eyes, something cold and lifeless still there but it was anything but dead, "Satsu-?"
The white woman removed the older jounin's arm, rising to her feet and not even sparing a glance as she briskly walked away, mechanically as if nothing had occurred.
It would take Reki years to realize, but the girl she once knew, the one she had taken into her care and in some sense helped raise and abandoned… that girl was dead and she had just watched her die in her own arms. What had just gotten up and walked away from her as if nothing had happened wasn't human, just a pure killing machine in human form…
"Never… again…"
-Why…-
It was the only question running through Satsuki's mind and she had no idea why.
Her Lord had won, he was the Raikage, she would not be sent back to R&D, would not be used by his father, would not be looked down upon by the clan anymore…
They were gone… no one to stop her, to regulate her, to tell her what was what anymore except him, because he was her Lord.
But he did not need her either…
In some logical part of her mind she recognized her Lord would need to propagate for the future of his lineage, to continue the legacy of his blood and title. She had decided to be there to judge whomever he chose to be his mate, to ensure he would have a worthy successor and excellent opponent in the future… as well as someone capable of either killing her or being a worthy master after her Lord. If no worthy spouse could be chosen she had been willing to offer herself for her Lord's use, after all a man such as him needed a worthy successor and she would not disappoint him. She was the strongest of her clan, obviously…
"I never want to have kids…"
… but then he'd said that, and part of her did not understand.
He had won.
He beat his father, he was free to do as he wanted, pursue who and what he wanted, no one in the village could literally stop him, both physically and politically now.
Why would he say that?
Why would he give up a future…?
One they'd all fought so hard for… one she had fought so hard for… nearly killing herself to wipe out her clan, to stop them from killing him, from laying a hand on him, from doing him any harm! Didn't he know! Didn't he understand!
… no.
No.
… She was no one, they all were, always had been. They did not have desires, did not have ambitions, did not wish or dream of anything beyond what they were…
He did not need a judge, did not need a consort, did not need any of that… did not want it…
No.
He only needed someone to watch him, to ensure his life as long as he desired it.
He only needed someone to remove his enemies.
He only needed a blade.
He only needed an Assassin.
…
..
.
Then she would only be an Assassin.
Several days later, after the village was fixed and the news of the former Raikage's death and his son's ascension, Gouzin Jinrai, the Yondaime Raikage, opened his eyes.
He saw the familiar white ceiling of the Kumo General Hospital… and he couldn't move. A quick glance showed most of his body was wrapped in a cast, covered in healing seals, and if his nose wasn't wrong soaked in salves.
"Your injuries should be fully healed within the week, Lord Raikage," a stern, low, almost mechanical voice spoke next to him.
A glance and he saw mostly black, grey, and white, "Satsu-" the large man growled, it hurt to speak, his throat dry from obviously being incapacitated for however many days. It was a mild comfort knowing she was there looking over him. As the woman stepped forward, seeming to examine him, the large immobile Oni noticed there was something wrong with her eyes. They had always been sharp and hard, usually to anyone she was trying to intimidate, but there had always been something behind them that was open to him, something he didn't realize was there until this moment, now that they were so empty.
"Killer Bee and I have been handling the transition in the village," her voice was cold, clipped, barely anything about it recognizable from the woman that followed him into battle, "It seemed prudent to inform the village of the deaths and provide a supplemental reasoning for it…"
"W-why?" his voice was hoarse, rough and agitated, wondering why she had not offered him a drink.
Those sharp daggers of eyes shifted to his and there was nothing there he recognized, "They needed to understand the power you wield." Her words were cold and it took a moment for him to realize she meant the people she had killed to protect him, the extent of the clan she had wiped out in his name.
He swallowed hard, more for his dry throat then any kind of disturbance. It was important he establish power quickly now that he had killed his father, become the Raikage, it seemed his assassin had seen fit to do so in his absence. She and his brother were ensuring his life while he recovered, threatening anyone that would deny his claim and showing his power while he was incapacitated. Cruel, but effective.
With a mild cough to get something to go down his throat he stared at her sharper eyes, "Anything… else?"
"Yes," her voice was clipped as she seemed to just stare, "You will refer to me as solely 'Kemui' from now on," she abruptly turned to leave and he noticed her thin braids, all three of them, "You are the Raikage now, it would be inappropriate to refer to each other so informally…" her hand was on the door before he had a chance to respond.
"Satsuki?!" small blonde brows furrowed and everything ached as he tried to turn to her, desperate to move towards and grasp what she meant.
She didn't turn around, only said one word, "Kemui," before opening the door and exiting, her three braids trailing behind her.
As the door clicked closed, Jin lost all resistance, laying his head back on the pillows holding him up as the rest of his body succumbed to the numbing salves. –What just happened?- he barely remembered the end of the fight, just the pain he felt at his father… the bastard, showing his love at the moment of his death, what a jerk… he had hurt so much, all over, both physically and emotionally and probably said something to her. She had been there to make sure he was alive, like always, she had seemed normal, grateful… something happened right? Was it something he said?
The large Oni shook his head as best he could, figuring he should rest, leave the rest to those he trusted to do their jobs while he recovered. His comrade's strange behavior still bothered him, but it was probably just the stress… that had to be it right?
For a moment, even though he had won, gained everything he had worked so hard to achieve, Jin felt he had lost something important along the way…
Named OC List:
'Kemui' Satsuki - 'Smokey' May - The 'Last Assassin'
Seichi - Subtle - Kemui's subordinate
Naota - 'truth' - Genin
Shiyori - 'out of pride' - Naota's partner
Gakushin Reki - 'Learn by being Run Over' - desk clerk
Daiyo - substitution - Reki's second lover
People I'm Borrowing:
The Third Raikage - awesome bastard!
The Fourth Raikage - WYCH name 'Gouzin Jinrai' - Roaring Thunderclap - BADASS!
Killer Bee - Hachibi Container and supah Rapper
A/N: for those familiar with WYCH format, i usually translate (read: butcher) the names of the OCs or anyone new introduced, as this is a span off, there y'all go that didn't bother with reading the long one :3 Shiyori and Daiyo are the only ones 'introduced' here, along with the Third Raikage, everyone else is somewhere in WYCH...
i honestly don't have much else to say as this is just padding for anyone else that likes WYCH and curious about the 'other' things that run through my mind, if you're new, i hope you enjoy the story as well even if slightly confusing... woo, context! :D
to be honest i liked writing the Third as a total dick... it amused me more then it should, the hard part was writing 'Satsuki' instead of Kemui like i'm used to ._. that transition was rough, but hey its there! :D maybe this'll satisfy all you with questions about THOSE TWO... or drive you more insane like they do to me!
Comments, questions, opposing views? (send me a request in a review of any specific characters anyone wants an aside on, otherwise i'll just throw stuff in here at my leisure~)
Till next -salute-waves- Sayounara, Mina!
-Ikasury