A/N: Another one? Another one. I've got some documents to look over, make sure they're written well. Man, I hope I don't have to rewrite anything. Hope you all enjoy! :)


"You're starting to cost me a lot of money, y'know that?"

Kankuro clearly wasn't happy, though how could he be? One of his few days off where Gaara claimed he didn't need assistance, and naturally Jiyuu comes around without his replacement arm once again. The Hyuuga's Black Eye, two years into his missing-nin career, was quietly sat in a chair that had been shoved into the corner of Kankuro's small puppet shop, silently watching the jounin as he measured a fresh plank of wood. It wasn't like he had much else to do, so he figured he would sit and observe the Puppet Master as he performed his craft.

"What the hell did you do the break my work apart this time?"

"I hit someone."

Kankuro grit his teeth at the remark. "Quit being a smartass, will ya? What happened?"

A long, deep breath was taken by Jiyuu, and his eyes went to the ceiling. "It was a big guy...a really, really big guy. He had some friends with him and I didn't want to waste my time on him...so, I knocked him out, and I just so happened to hit him hard enough to the point where the forearm formed a split down the middle."

"I could've salvaged that if you brought it back, would've saved me a lot of time."

"Yeah, well, you forget that I said he had lackies with him. I may have beat a few of them down a little too hard, and when I tried to use the arm's blade on the last one, it just fell into pieces. But don't worry, I got him with a Violent Air Palm before he could get away."

"As if I was concerned about that detail." Kankuro began to sand down the piece of wood with a special type of tool, looking to give it a curved shape suitable for a forearm. "This isn't going to be done in an hour, y'know. You can go do other things."

"I'm fine. I haven't sat quietly like this in a while."


"The chakra is really dense, and it forms a crescent shape. The thing is strong enough to cut through boulders, I've seen it."

Three years of being a missing-nin, and Jiyuu had felt the need to learn some special ninjutsu that he never got to back home. Currently, he was in a private training chamber within the Kazekage's Mansion, and was trying his best to explain the concept of the Crescent Gale Slash to his tutor. "I've got no clue how to begin learning this..."

Temari was tapping her chin with a finger, eyes digging into the boy before her. Upon meeting with her brother during a monthly visit, the first thing he had told her was 'I need to show you something, and you musn't tell anybody, not even the Hokage, not even Shikamaru.' And now here she was, face-to-face with 'The Hyuuga's Black Eye' himself. He looked like he had just finished hitting puberty...still not as tall as she would have imagined, either. He was a young adult with long, unruly hair, but he was surprisingly well-spoken and listened when he had to. He was eager to learn whatever he could, and if Gaara said that this boy wasn't a danger like people made him out to be...well, whatever.

"It sounds simple enough," she explained before taking out a blank scroll. "Do you have a brush?"

"No."

"Then I'll grab one from Gaara's office, but the point is-"

"The Kazekage doesn't write scrolls anymore. He bought a laptop like the Hokage did. That's how he does his work now."

"...seriously?"

"..."

"...I can't be the only one who does things the old-fashioned way." She sighed a little and shook her head, putting a hand on her hip. "Whatever. Point is, the main thing you will need to worry about is how thick the concentration of chakra will be in a technique like this. On top of that, the shape is important as it makes the jutsu fly farther and cut deeper, so shape manipulation will also be required. I'll prepare this scroll here with all the notes you'll need for training to do this technique and others based around wind, but it's going to be your responsibility to practice them." Temari narrowed her eyes a little, and looked over the boy's mop of a head. "And cut your hair, you're not a savage. Such a young man should be well-groomed."

"I'm a missing-nin living in the middle of a desert. I doubt anybody's going to care...but I'll train, trust me."


"Yes! Keep it up, that's the way!"

Sand exploded all around as Kyofu avoided yet another attack from Jiyuu, five years into his career as a missing-nin. He was surprised to find the man at his door one day, although he used a transformation technique to disguise himself. He was asked to come out here for good training, but it seemed that Jiyuu just wanted to test himself against someone he considered 'capable,' his words exactly. Kyofu had no issue with this, it had been a long time since he got training as good as this.

He wasn't a fan of being pushed back so much, but he was enjoying himself regardless. Jiyuu, on the other hand, was looking to take his head off with a flying roundhouse kick. Kyofu barely put his armored arms up to block, and he could feel the Harmony Strike's chakra flow across the metallic surface of his gauntlets.

"COME ON, YOU'RE MAKING THIS TOO EASY!" Jiyuu threw out his other leg for a second midair kick, and this one was purely Strong Fist, nothing but raw physical strength. The impact knocked Kyofu away with his arms still up, and he landed on his feet with ease. His arms went down slowly, and he saw Jiyuu going through hand signs for the millionth time during this sparring match.

"I'm just testing the waters," Kyofu remarked with a small grin. "Kinetic Style: Medium Release!"


The tea was steaming hot, ready to be downed along with the small dish of cookies beside it. Jiyuu, six years as a missing-nin, could not have been less hungry. He gave it this thousand-yard stare, and he looked as if he could fall asleep at any moment. Though, it would have been rude of him to turn Jari down yet again for a small meet-up like this in her abode. The kunoichi lived alone in a small sandstone 'apartment' a few minutes down the road from where her parents lived, and the afternoon sunlight cascaded through the windows lining the far wall. It was quiet...so much so that the slightest motion Jiyuu made created a loud rustling noise. He and Jari were sat at a table in the middle of the place, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was eyeballing him whenever he wasn't paying attention...not that it mattered. Jiyuu was certain everybody else did the same if they saw him, considering the man almost never left his hideout anymore.

"Thanks again for helping me with that mission, Jiyuu. I needed an extra pair of hands and Kyofu's been very...well...busy lately."

"I heard what happened to his father...at least his parents can finally find each other." Jiyuu swallowed a little, and his gaze went to one of the windows. He could hear the desert winds howling outside, and stared off into the deep blue sky. "It's a shame the man passed away so far from home."

Jari only nodded, looking a little saddened herself. "He's only wanted to be alone for the past month, I'm worried about him."

"Things like this need time. He'll be alright."

"Hm..."

"..."

"Well...as I was saying, thanks for your help. I figured you wouldn't mind something hot to drink and sweet to nibble on."

"I also wouldn't have minded getting payment for an official shinobi mission. I can't believe I had to sneak around like that..."

"I'll give you 30%, don't worry."

"Only 30%?"

"Hey, it's not like I enjoy paying for rent, okay?"

He only grumbled in response and leaned back in his chair, too tired to argue with her. He took the cup of tea and began to sip from it, knowing full and well he should take advantage of the free goodies he was being given.


Memories. Distant ones from each other, though all were important to him. They were bonds that remained even after he had forsaken himself and went rogue, a true testament to just how much they trusted Jiyuu. He would not be where he was today without any of them, it was a fact that he could never deny. Those seven years...they felt so long as they went on, but now? Now that he was on a boat and heading back home? It all just felt so surreal, like it had all been a bad dream. The cold air surrounding the islands that bordered the Hidden Mist pecked at his flesh, and not being able to feel it at all in his wooden arm reminded him that his life, his current situation, and his story, were all very real.

He finally cracked his eyes open after an hour of silent meditation, his back leaning against the mast of the boat. Mist was everywhere, too thick to see through without knowledge of the Hidden Mist's whereabouts, or the Byakugan. The village was on edge, it seemed...it feared an attack of some sort and was resorting back to it's dependency on hiding within it's namesake. Jiyuu knew that the sun would be a rare sight to see from here on out, and the sticky air around him was going to be something he'd have to get used to.

Tsuyo stood to his left, and Tanken to his right, both still clad in their hunter-nin attire and stiff as blocks of wood. They hadn't spoken ever since Jiyuu shut his eyes. It was clear the Hyuuga's Black Eye was not in the mood for chitchat...well, that was partially true. He would at least respond half-heatedly to Tanken, yet would never speak to Tsuyo. The bespectacled genin was frowning beneath his mask at the childish behavior, knowing that Jiyuu would have to respond to him sooner or later.

"Your parents will be thrilled to see you," he began once more in an attempt to break the ice. "They've been going nuts looking for you. Warai came out of retirement, the two of them have been hunting down any traces of you that they managed to come across, and have relentlessly pursued any missions involving 'The Family.'"

"..."

"...I'll admit, you've completely thrown me off. I can't understand this silence you're giving us. Are you nervous about returning home?" I know exactly why he won't answer, and he's only doing this to me, not 'us'. I just want to see if this will get some sort of reaction.

There was. It was a very subtle twitch of his fingers, but that was more than enough for Tsuyo to go off of. Yes, it would take him some time to adjust...and he figured he might as well get the whole process started now.

"Jiyuu, I need to ask you something."

"..."

"...are you...still mad at me after all these years?"

"No."

Tsuyo's eyes narrowed behind the mask as he scanned Jiyuu up and down. Liar...you won't even look to me when you say it. Unbelievable. If he thinks that things will go back to how they were by keeping this act up, he's in for a real kicker. Wait until he finds out just what's underway.

Whatever was 'underway' would have to wait for the meantime. Within ten minutes of sailing blindly through the mist, the boat slowed to a halt by the docks. Jiyuu took the quicker method of leaving the boat by simply jumping high into the air and landing on the wooden dock below, standing tall after he hit the ground and turning his head to take in his surroundings. Things...have not changed much. The very first thing he had noticed was that it still stunk of fish, and there were numerous fishing boats that still lined the dock. The most notable establishment here, the Hoshigaki Forge, looked like it hadn't been touched in ages, though the fact that a soft metallic banging could be heard inside and that smoke was rising from it's chimney meant that business was still good.

It filled the man with indifference.

Turning his attention down the other way, he could barely make out through the mist the barbecue shack he often went to, standing high and mighty...despite being currently closed. The streets were completely barren, nobody wanted to be outside while the air was so cold. It wasn't the best condition to go and have a fun night out on the town anyway...and besides, it had to be around three in the morning.

"We're going to the Mizukage Tower right away," Tsuyo stated as he and Tanken walked past Jiyuu. "I'm sure Lord Kazekage had already sent his message to Lord Mizukage about you, so the amount of explaining you'll need to do should be minimal."

He didn't speak back, but did watch as the two hunter-nin walked on ahead side-by-side. Jiyuu just sort of...stood still. It was still all so surreal to him. This was it, he was home. There was no mass amount of people ready to welcome him, no gathering of his ex-friends dying to know how he's been, no parents practically jumping onto him so they could find out how he was. No, just Jiyuu and the chilly misty air, and the sound of echoing footsteps that were made by Tsuyo and Tanken.

Perfect.

Without a word, Jiyuu began to follow, adding his own footsteps into the ambience of the night.


The massive walls connecting to the Mizukage stayed tall and strong over time, albeit an increase in the amount of moss that was spreading up along it's sides. On the very top walked the three shinobi, but for the first time in his life, Jiyuu did not waver or show any signs of fear about being so high up. Clearly he would have preferred to be on the ground, one could tell by the goosebumps that were raising on his bare arm, but being able to hide your fear was a good quality for any shinobi to have. Entering the building was interesting; any jounin who happened to be present at this time would stare at Jiyuu. Unlike the shinobi of the Hidden Sand who would stare at him during his departure with relatively disapproving looks, these people tended to seem more indifferent. Did word travel already? Was it known that Jiyuu had saved Netsu? Who knows...perhaps these people would have only cared if Mendona was brought back along with Buru...

...yeah, Buru. Jiyuu remembered that guy, the proctor for the final part of the Chuunin Exams. Wasn't a fan of him, really, but he seemed much more capable of not being captured than Mendona did at the time. Yet, he disappeared only a year later. That would be two jinchuuriki Jiyuu would be expected to bring back, as if he knew exactly where to go to find them.

Regardless, now wasn't the time to think about that. The three were approaching the door to Chojuro's office, now was the time for business.

The two hunter-nin waited by each side of the door, prompting Jiyuu to go in first. He stood right before the wooden barrier and looked to the doorknob in front of him. He thought for a moment...what if he didn't open this door? Would anything change if he didn't? Most likely not...but he felt that things were moving just a little too fast for him. Only a few days ago did he rescue Netsu and reach the 'turning point' of his life, though here he was, already about to literally take his next few steps into his cleaned-up life. He wasn't a criminal, yet he didn't feel as if he should be here.

It was the weirdest sensation...he had no clue what it was, but he figured it couldn't be helped. With a gentle hand, he twisted and pushed the doorknob, letting the wooden barrier swing open with a creak.

There the Mizukage was, typing away on his laptop just before lifting his gaze; he looked very exhausted, more so than Jiyuu recalled him ever looking. The two made eye contact for a short while, and immediately Chojuro closed his computer. "Please, come in." Jiyuu did as instructed, and behind him, Tsuyo and Tanken followed, shutting the door. He certainly changed, though that was obvious. Chojuro adjusted his goggles a little, and looked to Tsuyo with a stiff all-business demeanor; would it really kill him to at least crack a smile? "It looks like the mission went faster than anticipated, Tsuyo."

"Yes. No complications whatsoever, as I always prefer."

"Excellent."

And then, Chojuro turned his sights to Jiyuu. Yes, he had obviously received Gaara's message some time ago. He was well-aware of just who would be visiting him today, and was up-to-date on the situation. Impressive feat for someone without many allies, he would require a mission report of some sort to be written up in time. Jiyuu had grown up very well...but a few things did raise some questions in the Mizukage's head. The bandaged arm, it was clear by it's slightly irregular shape in comparison to his other side that the forearm was artificial. How badly did this affect his abilities as a shinobi? Another thing, all missing-nin that have existed in history have either kept their original forehead and slashed the symbol out, or abandoned the concept altogether. But here Jiyuu was, sporting a forehead protector worn by the brave men and women who gave their lives during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. 'Ally' was the term stamped into the metal plate...perhaps he was trying to tell people that he was not of any danger so long as they did not pose a threat to him? Why bother as a hidden-nin? His body was mostly covered by his outfit, yet the mesh shirt he wore beneath his open jacket revealed that his physique was far from the average shinobi's own; for a taijutsu-user, this was far more common, yet many barely ever reached a level like that. How hard had he trained all this time? But the most curious thing of all was just Jiyuu in general. As much as Chojuro hated to admit it...Jiyuu seemed more like a Hyuuga than anything else at this point. His cold and focused stare was intimidating, almost more than his just-as-cold exterior. Deep down, there was no doubt about Jiyuu's old and familiar warmth being present, considering the man had done quite the number of good deeds during his time away...but would he ever bring it out again?

Regardless of all that, his chakra still felt slightly similar to Chojuro, albeit colder. This was definitely Ketsui's son, all grown up and waiting to hear just what Chojuro had to say. The Mizukage's brow became flat, and he folded his arms on his lap. "Congratulations on saving Netsu Natsu. You probably already understand just how significant of a morale boost this was for the Five Great Nations."

"..."

It appears he's more of a listener than anything now...the strong and silent type. Of course. "Now Jiyuu, I know you may find this hard to believe, but I-"

"You always knew where I was, didn't you."

Now, it was the Mizukage's turn to be quiet. He could feel a questioning stare from Tsuyo and see a slight tilt of Tanken's head out of his peripheral vision, yet he remained focused on the Hyuuga's Black Eye.

Jiyuu didn't wait to be asked for an explanation. "It's standard for any missing-nin to be tracked if they are assumed a threat. I know from past experiences that Lord Kazekage is loyal to his fellow Kage, perhaps even to a fault." His brow furrowed some, though not enough to suggest anger. "Of course he would tell you that I was staying near the Hidden Sand Village, but I simply don't understand. Why keep my location a secret from everybody? Why let everybody believe that I truly was what people thought I was?"

A deep breath was taken by the man behind the desk, and he followed it up with a slight adjustment of his goggles. "That's quite the long and complicated situation you've brought up. One that might take a little time to truly understand, but a minute to explain." He could see Jiyuu was not going anywhere after hearing this, nor was he changing his mind. "Fine then. I remembered quite well just how fond you were or training, always striving to perfect yourself in as many ways as you possibly could. That sort of initiative tends to fade away in later years for most shinobi, as many of them are content with the level they had reached. As a result, many take on more basic roles as chuunin, perhaps some become teachers at the shinobi academy, others may delve into the brand new shinobi technology field, and some perhaps want to start working for the intel team. Those who go just a little further beyond end up reaching the rank of jounin, and as you can see by the two who have escorted you here, there are even further ranks to reach, and more depth to our system than just mere shinobi. Some people will happily stay right where they are and never complain...but not you. I know you, and how far you push yourself, not out of any desire to be the best there is, but to be as useful as you can to defend the peace that we've come to know as shinobi...a peace that is currently being tested due to an unseen enemy."

"..."

"I'm no fool. I know you left this village for many reasons, most of which I will not speak of to spare you the embarrassment. The main factor that put all of this into motion was certainly the Hyuuga though, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Naturally. To be honest, I was quite nervous when I found out what happened. I had no clue as to where you would go, but you certainly did. Your missions outside of the village were many, yet none were as impactful nor as meaningful as your first. Surely you would go to find the Kazekage, and sure enough, I had received a message not too long after you arrived from the man himself. This worked out fine, and I told him to allow your stay as long as need be. You would be alone, you would have the resources in the Hidden Sand Village to push yourself even further, and you would have nobody out that far in the desert looking to come harm you. You would have no restrictions on your training." Chojuro leaned back in his chair some, eyes shutting. "The Kazekage and I both knew for certain that your goal would be to become as strong as possible in a short time span. We also knew you would eventually begin to branch out on your own, looking to prove your innocence once word got around that people suspected you of killing Mendona, regardless of what the evidence may suggest. Naturally, this meant you would help us, all five nations, begin to solve the mystery behind our jinchuuriki crisis. It was clear you were mad at the world, yet you did not look to pass blame onto anybody...at least, not for what you had done. You would seek a way back to the days where you were free to walk the streets. We figured that you would probably have an issue with any Hyuuga you happened across on your journeys, and in the event that you began to kill them on sight...we agreed that you would need to be considered a threat, and eliminated."

"..."

"However, you and I both know that the ones you killed had gone rogue. Those do not count, of course, since they are the enemy of all shinobi. You had become a critical part of discovering the village's identity and goals, as well as eliminated many of it's members. Aside from you, the Hidden Mist Village has also been hard at work and improving. Tsuyo and Tanken had become qualified enough to be promoted to hunter-nin status, and the two regularly work together when tracking down other members of the Hidden Abyss. They had been successful every single time, and through them, we learned that the organization is not just made of Hyuuga, but all sorts of missing-nin with all different types of ties to other clans. Tenshi had actually been a large help, dealing with the more political side of things and hinting us towards any potentially corrupted individuals from other clans."

How interesting...it seemed that Jiyuu winced a little at the mention of her name.

"Your parents also began taking on many missions to track down members of the Hidden Abyss Village...though, to be completely honest, they couldn't care less about what's going on in the world as of now. Their only goal was to find you. I didn't tell them where you were because I was unsure of just how ready you were to return; you needed time to grow and train, and you became a valuable asset to the shinobi world as a result. Too valuable, in fact, that we would simply have to tell the Hyuuga to refuse demanding custody over you if the matter was ever brought up again. Now, as a legal adult, you can decide if you wish to transfer over to a clan in a foreign village...nobody can twist your arm into doing so."

"..."

"Your 'mission' is finally over, Jiyuu Tamashi. Your 'extended training trip' has ended, and you even saved a jinchuuriki from capture." Chojuro adjusted his goggles once more, and a tiny curl formed on the edge of his mouth. "I must say, that's some fine work for a chuunin who never accepted their vest after the exams...so fine, in fact, that a promotion to jounin is in order. Congratulations on a successful solo S-rank mission...now, if you would please do your village leader a favor, and put on the correct headband plate."

The Mizukage reached for a drawer in his desk and pulled it open slowly before reaching inside. Out came a forehead protector plate which got placed on the desk before Jiyuu, and the ex-rogue shinobi wasted no time analyzing it. It was old, he could tell by it's worn finish. It's lost the shine that all new ones sported, and a few scratches could be seen here and there. No rust, no dust, it's clearly been looked after with some sort of care, yet nobody dared pretty it up; it sported an experienced look, no amateur would be running around wearing a plate that dinged up. The Hidden Mist symbol was displayed proudly in the center...and once Jiyuu laid eyes on it, a warm and sensational feeling flooded him. Without any sort of sign showing he was pleased to see his old headband had actually been kept around, he bowed and shut his eyes. "Thank you, sir..." Perhaps things wouldn't be as bad as he thought...but that was for the future to decide. With a wordless nod from Chojuro, Jiyuu pocketed the forehead protector that was on the desk, just before the door to the Mizukage's Office opened. Jiyuu never bothered looking back to see who it was, but the rest of the men in the room did.

A tall, blue-skinned woman stood in the doorway, the gills on her cheeks and small, razor-like teeth revealed in her small snarl indicating that yes, she was indeed a Hoshigaki. Her hair was a deep blue, cascading down her back in wild curls and waves that showed she really didn't care to keep it neat. Her attire consisted of the traditional Seven Swordsmen outfit; sleeveless black shirt that had been slightly ripped up top to reveal some cleavage, a move she no doubt made to take advantage of the...well...'sizable growths' she had gone through over time. She sported matching pants, a waist-guard of similar color, and a pair of arm and leg warmers stylized with the stripes that the Hidden Mist shinobi were known to sport often. Bandages were wrapped loosely around her neck, and she wore an eyepatch that was part of her forehead protector, also black. Oddly enough, the woman dressed as a member of the Seven Swordsmen, yet she carried no weapon of any sort on her, not even weapons pouches. Her face was more feminine than it ever had been in her childhood, even with the snarl; such a mean look was typical of her, yet the look that used to scrunch up her entire face was now smaller and more refined, somewhat adding to her elegance. She maintained a good physique throughout her years, and matured into a beautiful young woman...if one could get past the terrifying Hoshigaki features, that is. Her single yellow eye was sharp, narrow, glistening in the light as it locked onto the Mizukage. She was all grown up, yet still maintained all the terrifying traits of a Hoshigaki warrior, and always leaked with natural killing intent when she wasn't happy, though all her friends had grown used to such a feeling.

And naturally, she paid everybody else in the room no mind, walking right in and shoving the door closed behind her. She stomped up to the desk and folded her arms beneath her bosom, frowning at the village leader. Something hadn't gone her way.

The Mizukage had to admit, he was a little surprised that the kunoichi before him was blind to the guest in the room. "S-Sakana?"

"Hey Lord Mizukage," she replied, and it could be heard in her voice that she came to talk business. "The clan meeting was hell like you figured it would be, everything went fine...but damn, those bastards pissed me off so much! Idiots...they deserve everything they get, you know?! They tried throwing me under the bus so many times, it was unreal."

Chojuro, the poor man tried speaking once again to get the kunoichi's attention, but she continued to ramble on.

"This whole situation sucks, but at least it's finally going somewhere. I managed to get on the good side of..."

That was when it all came to a screeching halt. Out the corner of her only good eye, she managed to catch a glimpse of an unfamiliar face beside her. She turned to face the man, but when she saw that the mug was actually one she knew all too well, her eye widened considerably. Her anger completely faded like smoke in the air, and her moth became slightly agape. He looked just as surprised to see her, though he collected himself quicker...even pulling together a small glare, no less, but the kunoichi was blind to it. She was too busy taking in all his features: the chiseled jaw, the matured face, the steely onyx eyes, the longer and more wild hair that framed his face, his new clothing, the extremely athletic physique...the arm that shouldn't have been there. She lingered on that one for a little too long, and her vision quickly went back to his face. She found it hard to speak, even hard to breath, and for a short moment, she could swear that her dry eye began to form a tear...though, no such thing happened.

"...Jiyuu...is...is that...you...?"

Bitter feelings began to stir in the man, and although he remained calm outside to an extent, it was clear he didn't want to be here anymore. He turned to Chojuro, and his hands became fists. "I'm going to visit my parents."

"Well...uh, Jiyuu, they're out on a mission right now, but they should be back soon-"

"That's fine. I'll wait for them to come back. Excuse me." He didn't even bother bowing to the man who just cleared his name of any wrongdoing, far too focused on the Hoshigaki that had taken away his arm and forced him to go through rehabilitation just to stay a shinobi...and the fact that she was in the same room as him, acting like she just saw an old friend. She had some nerve being like that around him. He spun on a heel and made a very quick stride past the two hunter-nin and through the door, flinging it open and leaving everybody's line of sight as fast as he possibly could.

"Jiyuu? Wait!" Of course, Sakana chased right on after him, shutting the door behind her and leaving the three men alone in silence. Tsuyo noticed just how he acted around his old teammates and how different it had been from back in the day. Now, he understood his own situation quite well, though he couldn't care less; in his eyes, Jiyuu had stolen Tenshi first, so Tsuyo had just made it even...he won in the end, so he didn't care. But Sakana? Jiyuu was always kind to her, and he remembered him rushing to her aide after a crushing loss in the Chuunin Exams...and her not bothering to fight him away. She clearly grew close to him and would never speak of it...but why did Jiyuu look at her with such disdain?

Jiyuu...just what happened?


He wasn't exactly trying to break out into a full sprint while leaving the Mizukage's Tower, but he also was walking faster than most people would. His focus was dead-set on the path that lead to his childhood home, and he refused to place it anywhere else. He felt a little safer after crossing the massive walls that defended the Mizukage's Tower, and as a result, slowed down his pace.

That happened much too fast for him. What the hell? Sakana? Damnit! Of all the people he had to find right away after coming back, why her?! A slight tingling sensation could be felt in his fake arm, phantom limb sensation, and he wriggled the fingers on the wooden device to remind himself of what she had done. He could still see that moment as clear as day in his memory. There she was after a long and caring hug that he was surprised she initiated, yet it was all a way to bring his guard down. The next second, she slashed for his neck and missed, grazing his cheek with a small cut. She had the nerve to apologize as she attacked, trying to take his head.

Yes...she tried killing him, didn't she? The bitch only got his arm...and she was so stunned that he had enough time to scramble away.

He could hear Sakana calling him from far behind right now, and he had to try his hardest to fight down a snarl. He succeeded, but the crease in his brow could not be undone. He stopped walking away and waited for her, wanting to look his assassin in the eye. He wasn't scared of her anymore, and quite frankly, he wanted to know if he should bother wasting his time killing her, himself.

"Jiyuu!" The Hoshigaki landed right beside him and stood up promptly, slightly out of breath but nothing too horrible. She seemed so worried, so concerned about him, but he knew better than the last time she was emotional around him. "Thank Kami...is it really you?!"

The Hyuuga's Black Eye slowly turned to her, hands at his sides and glare piercing enough to break through even the hardest defense. And yet, Sakana was unfazed, only smiling in response.

"Yeah, it's definitely you. I'd recognize that face of your's anywhere."

"..."

"...it's...well...been a long time, hasn't it?" She let out a slight chuckle, probably trying to put on a nervous act for him, but he wouldn't fall for it. She even reached behind her head and scratched, a light blush dusting her cheeks some while she did so.

"..."

"You're all about being quiet and listening now? That's different," she mused aloud before folding her arms under her chest...this, Jiyuu had to admit, proved to be a little distracting. "Plenty of things changed since you left, but I'm sure that's pretty obvious to you, huh?"

"..."

The silence was now beginning to make her uncomfortable, and her smile faded away. She became stoic, flat, clearly trying to match Jiyuu on the 'I don't care' scale, but he knew her...at least, he thought he did. He could see that she was in pain beneath the flesh, it hurt her to put on such a front, but it was all most likely an act. She was a skilled kunoichi, after all, capable of playing with the emotions of those around her. She probably didn't care, and wanted to finish what she had started.

However, on her end of the spectrum, things were different, far different. She could clearly tell he was holding a very bitter, powerful grudge against her, not that she could blame him. Kami, she just wanted to tell him everything right now, she couldn't bare to have him look at her that way. She wanted to explain everything to him: why she did it, what happened because of it, what she ended up doing afterwards...everything she felt back then, and even now. But...this wasn't the time for that. He had just gotten home after a very long 'retreat,' and Sakana doubted that he would want to hear all of that. She could see that Jiyuu was uncomfortable just being around her, and it reminded her of when the team had first come together...not pleasant. He had spent so much time alone and away from the people that hurt him, painful old memories were cutting deep into him.

The silence between them was awkward, but despite him not speaking with her at all, he also wasn't trying to run away. Perhaps he wanted to hear what she had to say? She doubted it...she would take advantage and tell him things she wanted him to hear, but she really did doubt it. Assuming he was the type of person she believed him to be as of now, he was only trying to figure her out. Sakana's brow softened up, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. "Where have you been all this time..."

"..."

"Your parents were very worried about you, y'know. I was too. We all were...including me."

This was the one thing Jiyuu did respond to, though it was only by frowning deeper. Sakana winced a little at that, it felt as if she had just been stabbed in the heart.

"Please, Jiyuu. Please say something, anything. I want to know you're okay."

Jiyuu gave her a light 'hmph' before he turned around and began to walk down the road, back to her. "Go home." His words were clear as day, and he didn't stutter. He didn't want her around him right now, he just wanted to go to his own home for the time being.

The Hoshigaki had no clue how to respond to that, and stood frozen as she watched the man she had been so concerned for over the years just walk away, not caring about how she felt. She knew she deserved it, she had many sins to atone for and this was one of them. Yes, he is definitely Jiyuu...but at the same time, he's someone else altogether. He's not just quiet because he's matured, he's become the silent type because he wants to remain closed up and indifferent. Towards her, she would understand completely, but it wouldn't surprise her if he was like that towards everybody now.

Sakana's eyelid drooped, and her gaze fell to the floor. Her whole face softened into something a little more sad, and she let out a sigh. Who am I kidding? He's only like that with me.

Doing as was requested of her, the kunoichi turned about-face and began to walk in the direction that her home was, and couldn't help but stare at the ground in cold defeat as she did so. It would definitely take her some time, but she hoped that she could rebuild the bridge between them, the very bridge she had torn down herself.


A quiet, lonesome walk home. Just what he wanted. It didn't take him too long, but it's not like he rushed back once the Hoshigaki left his presence. He would take in the scenery that the village's mist would allow him to see: street lights barely cutting through the fog, the usual brick walkway now covered with dirt and sprouting a few weeds here and there, the closed-up shops that looked a little worn down but still ready for business. Not much really changed...not until he finally stopped in front of where his home should have been.

...was that his home?

The grass out in front of the home was unkept, wild, certainly hasn't been cut in months, easily. The actual house itself which used to be clean and pristine on the outside was now a darker color, weather clearly having taken it's toll. It seemed to need a repair here and there, for some pieces of the roof appeared to be missing. The walkway leading up to the front door was also dirty, and a few cracks had formed in the pavement. Not the home he quite remembered living in, but it was certainly home. A cautious stride up to the front door came next for Jiyuu, and once he stopped at the locked door, his gaze fell down to the welcome mat that had never been there before. He already understood just why it was there. The man got on a knee and lifted the thing up; just as he had expected, a house key was laying right there. He swiped it and dropped the mat to the floor, standing and unlocking the path into his old abode.

The door crept inwards as it was gently pushed open, the old thing creaking like it belonged on the front of a haunted house. Jiyuu took a moment to look inside the dark, unlit home before he entered; a whiff of the inside hit his nostrils before he even took a step, and the familiarity was almost enough to make him emotional. Almost. He took a single step inside while kickingthe door closed, and it quickly became obvious just how little his parents actually stayed home. The whole house was covered in dust to a degree, a thick blanket of it coating the floor save for some footprints here and there which happened to be fading via a new layer of dust. In addition to the nostalgic scent of his mother's perfume and air freshener, the place now also stunk of age, like an elderly person's home. Narrowing his eyes a little, the man ventured even further into his simplistic home. The kitchen was still right by the entrance just to the left, as well as the small dining room table meant for six but with four chairs placed with it. Straight ahead, Jiyuu wandered into the living room; the furniture and television set also sported a good layer of dust, meaning nobody had any time to sit and relax once they came home. That, or perhaps they didn't want to.

They've barely been home, Jiyuu mused. And any time they do come home, they head right back out. They've barely been here, probably just to see if I've come back. I've been making them search this frantically for me? Jiyuu arched a brow and looked back, taking in every feature he could from what little moonlight filtered through the windows of the old, creaking place. I understand Pa coming to look for me, and I know he's capable of taking on risky missions to do it. But Ma? I know she had a bad leg, so bad that she went into retirement. For her to ignore that and get right back to work, even with the risks she could face?

...the more I think about it, the worse I feel. If only I had been the son they deserved in the first place. The smart and composed, normal kid they needed. This never would have happened if I wasn't such a failure. I know they'll lie through their teeth about it until the end of time, they'll always say that I was fine just the way I was if I ever bring up this point to them. That's what parents are supposed to do. I've gone and built myself up into, what others will say is, the perfect shinobi. And surely, the perfect shinobi could also be the perfect son, one who doesn't handle more than he can and doesn't cause distress. I'll never be a disappointment to them again. Never...

His eyes began to follow what looked to be the freshest pair of footprints, despite his own. They didn't really wander anywhere, but he did realize that they went to the door of his own room. Curious...that doorknob that lead to his part of the house seemed to be free of dust. He didn't bother pondering over why, he simply went ahead and opened the door to his room, letting it swing open much like he did with the front door.

Spotless. Not a smidgen of dust anywhere, and the musty smell that the rest of the place seemed to have clinging to it's walls was not present in here. Everything was clean...so much so that it made him feel like he was a child once more. Nothing was moved, save for whatever had been littering the floor before Jiyuu's departure, and a used duster sat in a bucket in the corner of the room. Everything was...just as it always had been. The walls still wore their plain shade of white paint well, and the wooden planks on the floor shined from a recent polish. His bed, which looked like it would be a little too small for him now, was still pushed into the far left corner of the room. The window still gave him a beautiful shot of the lake behind his home, and it remained just by the foot of his bed, a few inches higher than the piece of furniture could reach. Mist-filtered moonlight peered through the window and illuminated the room with a pale glow, highlighting the dresser that still sat in the far-right corner of his room, facing the bed and shut closed. And, of course, to the immediate left of the entrance to the room itself was his mirror. There still sat pictures on his windowsill, and he couldn't help but walk over and examine them; the windowsill was much lower than he was used to it being, now just a few inches above his waist when it used to be just level with his chin. The first image he grabbed was of his family, him as a child and smiling wide in between his mother and father. He ran a thumb along it's glass frame before putting it down, musing about just how long ago that had been taken. Not once did the boy in that photo think he would end up like he was today. The only other framed photo was of his genin team, and Jiyuu only glanced at it before taking the frame and laying it face-down. He didn't care, he didn't want to.

This room was like a time portal back to when life was so much simpler. Jiyuu cracked open the window, allowing the fresh scent of salted water into his room, hoping to engross himself even further in nostalgia, yet it still all felt so surreal to him. Is this real? Is he really home? Does he even deserve to be here? He didn't know anymore, he wasn't sure he should continue to ponder over such details. He was here, and that was final.

He turned and looked over his shoulder at the mirror, and then soon faced it head-on. He came a little closer, and began to really take in all his features; it had been the first time in a long time that he really got a good look at himself, usually only finding the opportunity to use a mirror during missions when he had more important things to do. He could easily picture his young home-schooled self on the day when he finally entered the academy just in time for his graduating year. He could see his younger self smiling back at hime all wide and gleeful, free of care and blissfully ignorant of just what he was, and what...fate...would have in store for him. A small blink, and he was staring right back at his normal self, his cold and unwelcoming presence being reflected back even throwing Jiyuu himself for a loop. He looked tired, but certainly not as bad as he used to be when times had been more rough, and yet, the man let out a low sigh.

"Things change with time," he muttered as he stepped back, plopping down on his bed. "I just happen to be one of those things...but, I'd like to be an optimist and say I changed for the better."

Feeling the weariness of being awake for so long finally hit him, Jiyuu laid out on the bed and tried his best to get comfortable; he certainly had outgrown the little thing, as he had his legs jutting out over the foot of the bed frame. However, the sensation of sleeping on an actual thick mattress was something he hadn't experienced ever since he left home, and after a short few adjustments, he was ready to doze off. The very last thing the Hyuuga's Black Eye did had been glance at the old alarm clock on his dresser, and shortly after, fell into a deep, comfortable sleep.


The sun just seemed so bright when it poured through the windows of his home, but he didn't care. Everything glowed with a heavenly light, and it just felt so warm and comfortable. There was no pain, no sorrow, no ill will. He was a child again, the lack of stress and Hyuuga-related thoughts no longer present. They simply did not affect him anymore, he had no reason to worry. He was stood before his parents, both of which were smiling and pleased to be with him. He couldn't help but smile back. He missed them...oh Kami, he missed them so much...except now, he was a good son. He was clearly what they wanted all along, the son they trained and raised him to be. They were finally happy, and that, in turn, made him happy.

And then, there was a loud slamming sound, and it woke Jiyuu up in an instant. He quickly and silently jumped off his bed and knelt down on the wooden floor of his childhood room, Mezame Byakugan activating automatically. The first thing his doujutsu picked up on as his range of vision was the clock he had looked to earlier; he had slept for ten minutes. Jiyuu grit his teeth, making sure to keep his chakra levels lower and harder to detect in the event that he would have to battle. But, as his vision expanded, he finally got to see just what caused the noise...or rather, who caused it.

The front door to the house had been swung open violently, and scrambling in immediately afterwards were two people, a man and a woman, both clearly shinobi. One of them...they had a leg with severe internal damage that looked to have healed poorly, and was clearly causing them pain. They seemed to be attempting to numb it with an abnormal amount of chakra, but it was clear by it's slight trembling that such a method was only so affective. The other person had intense levels of chakra coming from five points on his body, and two on his forehead, and each one was a different chakra nature. Only one man in the bingo book was rumored to have seals like this on his body, ones that would grant him the use of all chakra natures and an extensive armory of jutsu at his disposal. The one with the bad leg, she quickly stepped into the living room with the man behind her, and she was spinning around in a panicked frenzy, as if searching for something. "Jiyuu?! Sweetie?! Are you here?!"

Jiyuu's heart began to hurt. He knew the voice like he knew the basics of shinobi training, no, like he knew how to breath. It was something he could never stop forgetting even if he tried. He stood up and deactivated his eyes, trying to harden himself a little so that he would not become an emotional wreck, but such a feat was proving difficult. Taking a slow, long breath in a final effort to steel himself, he grabbed onto the knob of the door keeping him hidden from his parents, and gently pulled the the thing open before stepping into the doorframe. The moonlight from his window casted a shadow onto the body and made him appear as a silhouette, and the gentle salty breeze from outside made his jacket and hair sway just enough to give off a dramatic effect. He appeared almost radiant, otherworldly to the two older adults in the living room. He was like an angel of sorts that had come down to ease their troubled souls, and just looking at the man was enough to do just that. Both their jaws hit the ground upon seeing him, and the woman couldn't stop the fresh tears from rolling down her cheeks. She looked to have aged a little, but gracefully as it were. She now sported a lighter-armored variant of the standard jounin outfit for Hidden Mist shinobi, something more suitable for a taijutsu-expert. The man beside her also looked to have gotten older, and although he didn't age as gracefully as she had, he certainly did wear it well. His chinstrap beard had grown into a full-on beard, a short and scruffy one, and the stress lines that had always been on his face had grown thicker. Both seemed to be out of energy, barely standing on their two legs, but seeing their boy after so many years had given them a second wind like nothing else could. The man's look of shock shifted into something more relieved. Tears formed in his eyes, though none would be shed, and he grew a soft smile before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Well I'll be damned...look at you, kiddo..."

The woman didn't bother speaking. She burst into a hysterical crying fit as she charged her son, and Jiyuu caught her in his arms without question, wrapping her up and holding her tight. "Mama..."

"I missed you...I missed you...I missed you so much...oh sweetie, I missed you so much..."

Warai continued to repeat herself as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing uncontrollably as Jiyuu swayed from side-to-side with her, shushing her gently like she used to do for him. He closed his eyes as he did so, and had to swallow a lump in his throat to keep from getting emotional. It was clear to him that Warai was not faking her emotions, she truly did miss him being around. He had never doubted that she did, but there was always the lingering thought that perhaps she had gotten fed up with worrying. She was warm, soft, and still managed to bring about a sense of comfort from within the Hyuuga's Black Eye as if he were still just a child.

Ketsui did not dare interrupt, watching them both with a smile. He never once doubted his son would return, but it sure took a lot longer than he would have liked. Seven years...look at him now. That put him at the solid age of 21, didn't it? He was a full-fledged adult now, and nothing would stop him from living life the way he saw fit. Just look at the Allied Shinobi Forces plate he wore...even when the world pinned him for a criminal, he considered himself as their ally. There were many questions to ask, many words to be exchanged...and many apologies to be given. It was brief, but Ketsui had a minor flashback to when he last saw his son, and the cold things he said out of anger. It hurt him to remember. What if his son ended up dying while he was out of the village? He would never have forgiven himself if those words were to have been the last things he told his son, never. Warai had been furious with him for over a year, so much so that a divorce almost occurred, and if it had come to that...well...Ketsui wasn't sure what he would do with himself. In the end, they stuck together like they always had and continued to search. The last thing they expected was for their boy to come back on his own accord, or rather, it was the last thing Ketsui would have expected.

After a few more minutes of mother and child embracing, she broke away and patted him on the chest, smiling and still teary-eyed. "Look at you," she said through sniffles, "you haven't been eating well at all. You're just muscle and bone."

"N-well, I have been. It's just been my training regiment, is all."

"Oh really? I hope you haven't been pushing yourself too hard." Her eyelids lowered, and she let out a little laugh, still sniffling as she did so. "I bet you did though, just like your father. If I find out that you're a chip off the old block and came near-death a few times, I'll make you regret it, sweetie."

Despite years of witnessing and committing brutal acts of violence on the field and surviving multiple near-death experiences by a hair, Jiyuu had to admit, he found it odd that he was still scared to admit anything to the blonde woman before him. She would always have that effect on him, it seemed, regardless of how old he was. He did push himself near-insanity a few times, but he wouldn't dare say so.

"Just look at you." Warai began to poke him all over his upper body, her tears only beginning to subside as she tried to be more cheery. "You're a rock! You really did push yourself. I bet you're a real catch for all kinds of young ladies your age. Did you meet anybody yet?"

"No, Ma."

"Oh, it's alright. And look at these clothes, they're filthy! You haven't washed them in weeks, have you?" She was still his mother, regardless of how long it had been...but she wouldn't dare say that he was stinking up the place. Poor boy probably hadn't had access to soap and water in a very long time. She continued to look him over, running her hands all along him to see if it was real, if this was really her baby...and then, she got to his bandaged arm. Hesitantly, she ran her finger along his upper arm. So far, so good. It felt like flesh. And once she got to the lower arm...oh Kami...what was that? It felt like anything but flesh, like a shaped log was being used as a limb, and it was just so cold through the bandages. Her smile disappeared completely, and her hand slid down until it grabbed Jiyuu's own, examining the bandages that covered it and the slit in the palm.

"...who did this to you?"

The man could tell that Warai was trying to keep her emotions in check, but it was clear that fury was another ingredient thrown into the overflowing pot of raw emotion that Warai currently was. She trembled where she stood, and Jiyuu could feel the vibrations through his wooden arm. "It's okay, it's all taken care of," he told her. He wrapped up his fingers with her's, the wooden arm's touch being just as gentle as his normal hand's would have been. "It's still me, all of it."

His words were like magic. It seemed to have soothed Warai's nerves to a degree, and she brought her son in to give him a peck on the cheek. She held that very same cheek in an open palm, running her fingers along his face. "You're still such a sweet boy." So many things had happened to her baby while he was away, so many things that a mother could prevent if she was around. Even fixing the issues he came across, that too had been taken care of by Jiyuu alone. She felt like she had failed as a parent to a degree, and because of this small underlying pain, her words squirmed through a pained smile.

Her remark did make Jiyuu smile, and it was a genuine one. That sounded like something she would say. However, it died when Ketsui approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. The Hyuuga's Black Eye and The Man of Five, together in the same room. Surely, a bounty hunter's wet dream somewhere in the world, but it was so much more than that. Father and son, finally reunited. Understandably, Jiyuu was a little stiff when the contact was made. This was the man who had trained him, protected him on missions, cared for him...and also chased him away during his last days at home.

It was awkward for Ketsui. He already knew what Jiyuu was thinking just by the look in his eye. It was analytical, and it threw him off. Had he really strained his relationship with Jiyuu that much? The smile that had been plastered onto his face twisted into one that seemed more defeated, and he gripped Jiyuu's shoulder a little tighter. "You got taller, kiddo."

"...yeah."

Ketsui wrapped Jiyuu up in a quick hug, a move that the younger person didn't see coming. Ketsui wasn't one for hugs, not often. For him to do this was rare, having ended around the time Jiyuu got home from his first mission. He returned it without thought, and he had to admit, it felt good to do so. He did miss his father, and it was clear his father missed him.

But was he still a disappointment? Was he not what they had wanted him to be? That was something for him to determine overtime.

"We heard about what happened from the Mizukage," said Ketsui as he pulled away from his son. "I can't believe you managed to save a jinchuuriki by yourself. It's mind-blowin'."

Warai seemed to become a little annoyed when his mission was brought up. "How could you have been so reckless?! You could've gotten killed doing this!"

"Warai, he's alright, he didn't die."

"...I know...but my baby could've..."

No. Apparently he hadn't become what they wanted. He was still that 'risk-taker' that they didn't like. His brow stiffened up and his eyelids lowered, the warm sensation covering him like a blanket only moments ago suddenly fading into the air. There was still much work to be done on his part.

From here on out, his parents could do nothing but ask question after question, and unlike with his previous encounters, Jiyuu had no qualms about giving answers, despite how simple his responses had been. Where had he been? How much did he train? What did he do most of the time? Had he dated anybody? Who else had he met up with upon coming home? They seemed to never end, and to cut it off at the neck, he asked his own question.

"I know it's rude of me, but, may I stay here for the time being? Only until I have my own home."

There was no delay in Ketsui's response. "This is your home, kiddo. It'll alway be your home, and I don't want you thinkin' otherwise."

"I made sure to always keep your room clean in case you came back," Warai added. "I know some of that stuff is probably too small for you now, but I always figured you would appreciate everything being left how it was."

"Yes, that's fine. How...how can you dust a room if you two were always out on missions?"

"Well, normally I would tend to it myself," she explained, "but when we're not home, we usually leave the task to one of your friends. You probably figured out that we have a key under the doormat if you managed to get inside. That's why it's there."

Suddenly, the concept of having his old room kept clean and ready seemed a lot less appealing. Someone had no doubt gone through his old stuff, how disturbing. It didn't really matter now, he was well beyond caring about anything in there; being a missing-nin will do that to you. Either way, he felt it was time to call it a night. Ten minutes of sleep simply wasn't enough.

"I'm going to head to bed, I'm exhausted."

He was wrapped up in a final hug by both his parents, both of them wishing him a goodnight. He returned it, though it lacked the heart that his previous embraces did. After pulling away, he went right back into the room he emerged from, and shut the door. He didn't bother giving the day any more thought, for the second his back hit the mattress of his bed, he was out cold.

Tomorrow was a new day, and it would be his first official day back as Jiyuu Tamashi, citizen and shinobi of the Hidden Mist Village. No...he'd be more than that. He'd be the Hyuuga's Black Eye of the Hidden Mist...free from the Hyuuga's grasp now that he was older and had power over where he resided. 'Clan-related business'. Hmph. He dared them to try and take him away now.

...his thoughts faded into blackness, and only soft snores were left.


The marble walls of the Kyofu Clan's compound stood tall and mighty, still as imposing as ever for those who passed it by. Deep inside, an apprentice to the clan's leader, a young kunoichi who sought to become the next head, was sat down in a frail wooden chair behind a simple wooden desk. There were numerous clan papers that she had been going through over the last five hours, and she was almost finished: only the stack she held in her hand remained, and she read them over page by page with a furrowed brow as her free hand's fingers drummed along the desk's surface, and she did so in beat with the ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

She was elegant, breath-taking in her beauty, and certainly capable of many different things. A regular paragon of what most kunoichi her age wished to be. Her orange hair was tied into a long ponytail that dropped down to where her thighs ended (if she had been standing, that is), and her signature bang had grown just long enough to end at her chin. She was dressed in something far too casual to wear outside, a mere bathrobe and nothing else underneath, but it didn't matter. This massive pagoda that she owned, it was her home. Her own personal little world that she was free to do whatever she wanted in. Her leg crossed over the other, and she let out a low hum as she put down one of her papers. She scratched at a freckled cheek, the engagement ring on a finger of the hand she used shimmered as candle light touched it. After a few minutes of silent sitting, the woman stood up and began to pace around the room, reading the papers over and over to make sure she wasn't missing any important details.

The rice-paper door leading into the room slid open and shut as a cloaked hunter-nin entered. She looked to him, and soon, a loving smile curled up on her lips. "Hello dear. I'm glad you've come back so soon. Simple mission, I assume?"

The man grunted in response, though it wasn't a rude and brutish one. She understood, it was more tired and agreeing than anything else. He pulled his mask off and undid his cloak, tossing the former onto her desk and letting the latter drop around him. The massive pair of wooden arms he has strapped to his back also came undone, and he let them collapse atop his cloak. He looked very stressed out, it was easy to see through his shimmering glasses. The woman stopped pacing as soon as she saw it, and hugged the stack of papers. "Tsuyo? What's wrong?"

"...Tenshi..."

"Yes, dear?"

The genjutsu-user held his tongue, unsure of how to break the news to her. He didn't want to let her know, in all honesty, but it was best that he told her now than letting her find out herself. He couldn't control things like this...it was best to embrace them.

"...Jiyuu's come home."

Her emerald-green eyes widened upon hearing those three words actually be put together in a single sentence, a sentence she never thought she would ever hear. And then, those very same eyes rolled up and shut. Tenshi fainted where she stood, collapsing to the ground and sending papers flying everywhere.