ChApTeR 19 – Over the mountain and into the fire
Disclaimer: No, no, no, I don't own, own, own.
"If trouble comes when you least expect it then maybe the thing to do is to always expect it."
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Years Ago
"Tell me a story" the little boy demanded and the girl who sat beside him, rolled her eyes. "What? I'm bored" he pouted as the girl with the brown pigtails just huffed.
"You're always bored" she said with a dismissive sniff. "My Aniki said that your mind is weak" she adds with a superior tone. The boy, who was no more than eight, frowned and kicked dirt at her feet. "Hey!" she shouted and the boy smugly smirked at her. Just as they were ready to launch themselves at each other, two fists slammed down on their heads.
"Enough, you two" their teacher said, closing the book in his hands so that he could stare at them. At his gaze, the two lowered their heads. "Would you like to tell me why you two were fighting AGAIN?" he asked, tucking the book under his arm. He pinched the bridge of his nose as the two shouted at each other "He/She started it!" That only earned them two more bops to the head.
"I only wanted to hear a story but SHE was being a poopy head" the boy said and the girl snarled at him.
"You're the Poopy head" she hissed and their teacher had to push their faces apart.
"You're both Poopy heads. There? Satisfied? Now you two can stop fighting" the Teacher said and the two whined at him while he laughed.
"Sensei, it's not me. She always starts the fights" the boy accused and the girl shook her head so hard, her pig tails slapped against her face.
"Nuh uh. You're lying" she said as she crossed her arms together. "Sensei, he's lying" she shouted at their teacher.
"You're both responsible" their teacher said and they stuck out their lower lip in defiance. "Well, since you're out here on punishment, I think I'll tell you that story" he said, squishing his way between the two. The boy clapped and even the girl's eyes brightened at the prospect of hearing a story.
"Which one will you tell, Sensei?" he asked and the man hummed before stroking his chin.
"I think I'll tell you two about our clan and our Gen'yōsha*" their teacher said and the boy could hardly stay still. "Do you remember the tale about the first shinobi?" he asked and they nodded.
"A daimyo had killed his master" the girl said and the teacher nodded. "He knew he couldn't challenge the daimyo face to face, so he set off to get someone who would teach him the ways of the 'Kage'*" she added.
"We all know this story, sensei. The man, Yamada Riku* became the first shinobi of Iga. He was one of the first to successfully kill a daimyo and get away with it" the boy said and the teacher smiled as he patted their heads.
"Yamada Riku-sama was the founder of the Gen'yōsha, a school he opened in order to pass down his teachings, seeing as he didn't have any children on his own" he said, watching as the boy leaned forward in anticipation. "He took in eleven students: Matsuoka Tadashi, Isshiki Reo, Ito Hiroaki, Minamoto Kazumi, Sato Itsuo, Nakamura Hinata, Yoshida Izumi, Mori Nishi, Goto Riichi, Kubo Saburo and Murata Mao*. These eleven students would go on to create their own clans, and pass down their own teachings" he told them and his lips quirked in a smile, as the girl recited the names with him, using her fingers to count. "However, when Oda Nobunaga laid siege to Iga*, the shinobi found themselves at an impasse. They had already lost most of their brothers and sisters in the battle against Oda's 40,000 warriors, so they had no other choice but to flee. In running away, the successors of Yamada-sama's students decided to join together once more. In doing so, they retook the name of Gen'yōsha. From that day, these eleven clans would become the strongest shinobi that many would fear" he finished.
"You forgot about the Soke-sama" the boy said, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "It was a position that only the strongest of the eleven would inherit, ne, ne?" the boy asked and the teacher nodded.
"Even after they created the Gen'yōsha, they knew that only one could truly rule and unite their families. So they created the 'Kinshi* Test' to weed out the weak from the strongest. Each clan would present a representative for the Test, and these eleven would fight to the death, in order to obtain the title of Soke" their teacher said, as the boy nodded in excitement.
"And our clan has held the title of Soke for more than a century now" the girl boasted with a haughty tone. Their teacher shook his head and patted her head again.
"That is true, little one" their teacher said standing up. "Do you two think you would be able to continue the tradition?" he teased and they jumped off the bench.
"Yes sir!" they shouted in tandem. He laughed and knelt down before them. He pulled them into a warm embrace and he knew they were shocked at his gesture.
"Then study hard, you two" he said pulling away. "And no fighting" he warned as he got up once more. They sent him a cheeky salute and he shook his head. "I expect great things from you both" he smiled and walked off, a little proud of himself.
He hadn't known then that would be the moment he spelled disaster for the Matsuoka clan.
"Soke-sama" a booming voice announced his arrival and when Hisao swept past the shoji* door, he was ready for war. The ten Elders stood up and deeply bowed as their Soke made his way to the head of the room. When he sat down, only did they take their seats.
"Hiroshi is on the move" Hisao said as he folded his legs. Kaito and Jin stood behind his back, the only two people Hisao allowed such an honor. The Head of the Ito family, a burly man of approximately forty years scoffed and when Hisao's gaze fell on him, he lowered his eyes. "Do you wish to speak, Ito-san?" he asked and the Head of the Isshiki family snickered.
"No, Soke-sama" Ito humbly said and it was Hisao's turn to scoff.
"If you have nothing to say, Ito-san, then I suggest that you keep a tighter seal over those loose lips of yours" Hisao sneered and Ito bowed his head.
"Soke-sama, permission to speak?" the Head of the Isshiki family piped up and Hisao glanced at the woman who smiled serenely at him. She was the cousin of the late Head, the one who swooped in to take over the clan once the Bloody Mari had died. When Hisao nodded, she leaned forward, her hands neatly folded on her lap. "Why has he shown up now?" she asked and he knew from the playful gaze, she was goading him.
"He's here for the race and because of Tsunayoshi" Hisao revealed and he could feel the myriad of emotions that swirled around the room.
"There has been rumors" the Isshiki family Head said, her round face solemn. She was not as beautiful as her cousin had been, but she certainly wasn't ugly. She was pretty for her twenty years of age, and she appeared to wield her appearance to her advantage. "That he has agents within our Gen'yōsha" she declared and the Ito family Head slammed his heavy fists on the mat.
"Watch your tongue, Isshiki or else I will cut it out straight from your mouth!" Ito screamed with a red face. Hisao used his cane to gently rapt at the mat and they bowed their heads in submission.
"As you bicker amongst yourselves, your sons and daughters are in danger" Hisao stated the obvious. "Hiroshi will make the entire forest bleed with his vengeance, just as WE taught him. So while you doubt your brothers and sisters, Hiroshi is well on his way to slaughtering your children" Hisao told them.
"Double the guards then" the head of the Sato family spoke up. Hisao looked at man, who was roughly his own age, though his head was entirely bald. He had a thick black mustache on his upper lip that resembled a hairy caterpillar.
"Seeing as he is your best student, Sato, do you really think they will be able to keep him out?" Hisao questioned and Sato responded with a huff.
"So what do you suggest that we do?" the head of the Minamoto family asked. She was waving her fan to and fro, her eyes skittishly roving all the gathered members.
"We prepare" Hisao said, gazing out to the forest that concealed the clan house. He hoped that Nao would be enough to stop Hiroshi from getting his hands on Tsunayoshi.
Only an hour had passed since they embarked on their trek to the mountain, but Tsuna was tired. The soles of Tsuna's feet were sore and aching, as rocks sharply dug into the rubber of his shoes as he tried but failed to avoid them. He wanted to complain, wanted to just plant himself on the wet ground but he knew he had to make to the clan house, so he carried on in silence.
The damp smell of Earth clung to the cold air, and it got headier as they climbed higher up the mountain. Calves cramping and out of breath, he grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling of sweat drying behind his neck. He swatted against the mosquitoes that nipped at his arms and he glanced at Nao who was quiet behind him. Nao was so busy looking over his shoulder, that he hadn't noticed Tsuna looking at him. Nao had decided to take over the role of protector again and so he positioned himself like a silent sentinel at the back of Tsuna. As they walked up the path lit by paper lanterns, the shadows slithering through the trees, Tsuna's nervousness increased. "Who was that man?" Tsuna asked for the first time. Nao finally looked at him and pursed his lips.
'Not here, not now' Nao wrote and Tsuna stopped.
"Ever since I was a little kid, I could tell whether or not someone was bad, like a sixth sense or something. I could feel their intentions almost. Do you know what I felt with him?" Tsuna asked and Nao studied his face before shaking his head. "I felt nothing. He wasn't human" Tsuna stated and waited. Nao sighed and decided to regale the tale:
Matsuoka Hiroshi was born when the moon had been hidden behind the clouds, on a night where not even the stars could be found in the sky. His mother was the sister to the Soke at that time and wife to the previous Soke, Matsuoka Hyousuke. The baby came screaming into the world, draining his mother of all her blood as he tore through her flesh like paper. Not even the mid wives could save her from her fate and that was the first life the boy took.
Keeping to his sister's wishes, the boy's Uncle welcomed him into his home, and took him as his own son.
Even at a young age, he was diligent and humble, always ahead of his peers in both skills as well as intelligence.
He would go on to be chosen as the representative for the Matsuoka clan and he would go on to defeat the other candidates to be named the heir of the Soke.
Everyone in the Gen'yōsha had such high hopes for Matsuoka Hiroshi, they even compared him to that of his Uncle, so when the time came for his very first assignment, no one else could have foreseen what would happen.
There had been rumors, but no one really knows what happened on that mission with his team, some years ago.
It had been a week, until they realized they were missing and another until they found him.
He was surrounded by the mangled remains of the others, shouting and screaming about 'Kenshukai'*
According to some, that was the demon who had severed his hand and devoured his mind'
Tsuna shivered as Nao finished the story and said "So they had to get another heir. That's why that old man chose me for this race". Nao nodded.
'Hiroshi-san was never the same. A month after his rescue, he stabbed the guards and ran away. He was never seen again, only until now' Nao told him. 'We will tell you everything, but for now, we must leave' Nao wrote and with a nod, they carried on.
Life is fickle and fragile.
Humans are soft and stupid, a fact that remains the same even before he mastered the art of manipulation.
They're loud, and weak and disgusting.
So so disgusting, both on the inside and on the outside.
They always want, want, want and always take, take, take.
So he has to be quick and faster than they are.
He has to be the one to crack them open and cleanse them.
Because only blood can wash away blood.
Blood. BlOod. BlOOd.
Kenshukai.
"Is there a reason why you must face this little kid?" someone asked from behind him. Hiroshi was staring down at the Hannya mask, his index finger lightly running along the leering mouth. "He's nothing. Without the little half breed, that kid would have never survived that long. So pray tell, why are you going out there?" she prodded and Hiroshi shrugged.
"He annoys me" he said and her eyes narrowed as he gently placed the mask back on his face. "And that old man would suffer greatly with his death" he added, before walking off.
As they continued to traverse the mountain for another hour, there were Hinoki* and Sugi*, as far as the eye could see. Tsuna used one of the trees to balance himself as he climbed up the slope, knowing very well that people were watching them. "CaNdIdAtEs" Nao threw at him, as they walked over one of the moss covered stones. He turned back and looked at the looming forest behind them. It was silent, the kind of silence that hinted at death, because there were not even the sounds of animals could be heard in the distance. "What do they called this forest? It's not listed" Tsuna asked as they continued up the uneven path.
"Shizuka"* Nao said and Tsuna closed his mouth with a snap. Nao was spooked and that was always a bad sign. "TrAp" he pointed and Tsuna looked down at the covered up hole.
"Is that meant for us?" Tsuna asked and Nao nodded as they side stepped it. "Why-…" Tsuna was saying, when he felt a tug at his left foot. Before Nao could warn him, he knew exactly what he had stepped on. He looked down and when the metal jaws clamped around his shin in a "SNAP!" his chest heaved. Pain like none he had never felt rocked his body as the metal scraped against the bone. Tsuna bit down onto the hand that Nao had clamped over his mouth. "Fuc…K..." Tsuna gasped. His entire left leg throbbed, the pain as sharp as the metal piercing his skin. "Get it out" Tsuna pleaded, tears running down his face as he whimpered. Nao knelt down and placed a steady hand on his forehead. Nao ran a soothing hand down his back as Tsuna threw up to the side, gagging on the bitter bile that rose in his throat.
"CalM" Nao whispered as he pressed his forehead against Tsuna, hushing his pitiful whining. Wiping away the tears on the boy's face, he muttered little assurances to the boy until he finally stopped crying.
Without wasting time, Nao gently helped Tsuna to lay fully on his back and when wounded brown eyes looked up at him, he nodded. "SaVe YoU" Nao told him and Tsuna weakly squeezed his hand. Sitting down in front of the bear trap, Nao placed his hands on each of the springs. He looked up and saw Tsuna's looking at him. "BrEaThE" Nao instructed and when Tsuna took deep calming breaths, he placed his hands on each of the two springs. Without hesitation, he pressed down with all of his strength. As they compressed and lowered, he told Tsuna to slide his leg free. Tsuna held onto the injured leg and with a grunt, he pulled it free. Nao breathed out a sigh and moved toward Tsuna, who rocked to and fro in agony.
"Leave me" Tsuna dramatically told him when Nao looked down at him. He curled his bloody fingers around Nao's ankle and shook his head when the other boy tried to get him to get up. Tsuna's eyes widened as Nao bent down and awkwardly patted his forehead. "What was that?!" Tsuna asked with a weak smile and Nao shook his head.
"TeRuKo" Nao spelled out and Tsuna gritted his teeth as the older boy held out his hand for him to take. "Up" he urged him with his wriggling fingers and Tsuna
"You dirty bastard" Tsuna mumbled as he grabbed the offending hand. Nao pulled him up, while Tsuna avoided placing any of his weight on the damaged foot. As he leaned against Nao, he breathed in the mint that Nao always seemed to carry with him. "Thank you" he whispered and Nao replied with a reassuring squeeze to his hip.
Moving away from the trap, the blood and vomit they left near it, Tsuna allowed Nao to lead him near the little brook that ran through the forest. Looking out at the darkness, from the moon's light, he could see sheets of thin ice covering the water. Though a trickle could be heard in the distance.
Tsuna allowed Nao to navigate him back onto the floor, his body battling with the intense wave of nausea that threatened to pull him under. Black spots swam in front of him while his chest felt like it was moments away from collapsing into itself. He looked at Nao's hair, and when the boy jostled his leg, he winced as he felt the wound tear at the edges. He could feel how gentle Nao was trying to be, with careful touches and calculated movements. "ClEaN" Nao said, pointing to the swab in his hands. Tsuna nodded but grimaced as the gesture made him even more nauseous. He raised his shirt, shivering as the cool air caressed his stomach and bit down.
The rough fabric managed to anchor him and when he looked down at Nao, he readied himself.
When the swab touched his leg, the stinging sensation had him arching off of the snow peppered Earth.
He had to bite back another scream as Nao cleaned the wound. Tsuna's stomach clenched with each swipe and had to force himself not to squirm as the antiseptic seeped into his flesh.
He nearly passed out from the pain, when a light hum sliced through the haze. He recognized the song, one that his own mother often sung to him, and when pushed himself on his elbows, he realized that sound was coming from Nao. He, himself had often sung it to Teruko on the awful occasions when she managed to catch the flu. He slumped back down on the ground, the snow soaking into his skirt and covered his eyes with his palms.
"Akino yuuhini teru yama momiji"* his voice croaked and creaked because a young boy on the cusp of puberty didn't exactly have the perfect singing voice. He knew that Nao had stilled, guessing from the lack of the cleaning swab but Tsuna continued. The song reminded him of the days he spent cuddled up with Teruko, her snotty nose jammed in his neck because she didn't care that she was gross. She wanted comfort and the only person who could satisfy her would always be her older brother.
"koimo usuimo kazu aru nakani..." he whispered, the words slipping away from him once Nao started to clean the wound again.
Nao was finishing up with wrapping the gauze around Tsuna's leg when he finally looked up again. The boy was singing, the one song that Nao didn't think he would hear in a long time. It had been back when life didn't seem so cruel, when his world was narrowed down to white hair and watery eyes surrounded with crinkles.
"Oh my dear, Nao. When everything hurts, a song is a sure way to lift the pain away" the voice had said. Bony fingers would run themselves over the delicate bones of his bald scalp, because at that particular time, he had used the end of a kunai to chop off the cursed hair. Nao had curled up in a ball, holding his broken wrist tight against his chest as he stifled the wet sobs. He sniffled as the old woman hummed, her voice a beautiful pair to the warm afternoon sun that bathed them both. He signed at her but she shook her head, before pointing at his hearings aids. He pouted but turned them on.
"She won't like it if she knew you were here" Nao sniffed and she smiled down at him. His head was on her lap and when their eyes met, he felt like hiding away.
"She won't find out" the old lady reassured him but Nao wasn't convinced. "How about that song, huh? I used to sing it to my daughter all the time" she told him and he wiped his face. He closed his eyes as her voice swaddled him in love, the only kind anyone had offered him in a long while, as the words drifted all around them:
"Autumn colors on the mountain lit by the sunset,
Deep colors and pale ones,
A kimono skirt pattern of pine, maple and ivy trees
Decorating the mountain's base.
In the valley stream, scattered autumn leaves
Tremble on the waves alone and together,
Various shades of red and yellow
Forming a woven brocade on the water's surface"
"You were meant to be loved, Nao" she whispered when the song was finished. Nao's eyes had widened, but remained quiet as he turned away from her. "You are not a monster" she choked out, and the proceeded to give him his very first hug.
"You good?" Tsuna asked as he sat up, watching as Nao blinked his way back from the memory. Nao closed the little black bag that seemed to pop out from nowhere. "My voice was that bad huh?" He joked and Nao's own eyes softened as he looked at him.
"WoRsT" Nao said and avoided the weak punch Tsuna sent his way.
"You're an ass" Tsuna told him and Nao just shook his head. Tsuna had a feeling that Nao was smiling behind that mask of his and for the first time in the past few days, they both could finally breathe.
12/01/20**
Dear Diary,
Today I saw something I wasn't meant to see.
I was training near the temple when I saw HIM.
Hiroshi.
Hinami has a crush on him, she keeps saying how hot he is (blegh) but I don't see it. She tells me that I'm mad, says I'm too childish to understand a woman's feelings but I don't get it.
He doesn't attract me, he scares me.
He's empty.
A blank canvas that remains empty no matter how much he tries to pretend otherwise.
I saw him with Gekko's cat out in the back.
He killed it.
I saw him after lights out, burying the body near the stream.
He was muttering to himself, talking about Kenshukai, laughing when the dirt dug into his fingernails as he clawed a grave to hide the body.
I watched him, as he flung the carcass in the hole like a piece of garbage.
The face he made... When he covered up the hole...
It disgusted me... He disgusts me.
I want to tell Sensei, I want to tell my parents, to tell Gekko and Hinami, but no one will believe me.
And he knows it too because he turned to look at me.
With dirt on his face and blood on his hands, that fucker smiled at me.
He smiled!
I had no other choice.
I ran.
I ran to my room and I hid under my covers.
So if I'm dead, and you're reading this, then you know who the culprit is.
Matsuoka Hiroshi is a demon.
He's going to kill me and this clan..
- Matsuoka ***
Notes:
Gen'yōsha – Dark Ocean Society (this was a real organization in Japan. This bears no resemblance to the organization that I've written about thoooo…)
Kage – Shadow
Yamada Riku – This is just a name that I came up with for this story, it bears no resemblance to any real person.
*Oda Nobunaga really did attack Iga with 40,000 warriors. Ok so history time.
According to the research I've done, articles mentioned that the Iga ninja didn't really like Oda and the way he did things. In fact, when Oda had attempted to be Shogun, the Iga ninja conspired against him and so Oda retaliated. Oda launched an attack with his son against Iga, though this first attack had like around 10,000 of his warriors. The Iga rebelled along with their Koga allies.
Oda, seeing that he couldn't become Shogun without the interference of the Iga ninja, decided to invade them again, though this time he led the assault with 40,000 warriors. (And they had muskets too)
Google it and you'll see.
Kinshi – translates to Forbidden
Shoji- window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo.
Hinoki – is a type of cypress tree
Sugi – Japanese red cedar tree
Kenshukai – translates as blood.
Shizuka – translates as quiet
The song that Tsuna and the old lady sings is a popular children's (traditional) song called "Momiji" and has two meanings, Autumn Colors and Red Leaves.
A/N: wut, wutttt
So more light has been shed on the shinobi in this story, we got a lil backstory on Hiroshi (and why he's coo-coo for Cocoa puffs) and a little bonding between Nao and Tsuna.
To recap so far:
The entire shinobi organization is called the Gen'yōsha. This organization is made of the eleven individual clans whose ancestors were students of Yamada Riku. Because only one can rule amongst them, the Kinshi Test is used to determine the Soke and his/her heir.
The history of the eleven students, Yamada Riku himself and even the Gen'yōsha will be fleshed out in the later chapters.
Yuki: My lips are sealed like Ito's! Lmao, but good eye though. I can't really tell you what's going to happen until it does… Fingers crossed.
Thank you for the great review yet again : )
