Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Bleach. But I do own a whole bucket of funny…Well don't look at me like that, I didn't say the jokes would be good.

A/N: I decided to write the Origins chapter of Kyomu. (Sort of like how they did the Origins for Wolverine in X-men.) I hope it turns out well! Also, still no internet, but I think I might know where my flashdrive is.

xXx

Extenuating Circumstances Special: part One

Chapter24: Origins of the Oblivion Seal

"Mama, tell me the story again!" A small child pleaded, sitting on the lap of his mother.

She was a kindred soul, with a heart-shaped face and rosy cheeks. The woman smiled at her child, arms wrapped around him to hold him close to her heart. "You don't want to hear that story again, do you?" She asked him, lolling their bodies side to side on the porch steps. She rested her head atop his.

The boy laughed. "I do too!" He squirmed in her arms excitedly.

Sighing, the woman's shoulder fell. "Alright…which story would that be?" She asked her son as he looked up into her eyes. She ran her hand down the side of his face lovingly, admiring how pure his smile was.

He thought about it for a moment, the grin growing bigger as he thought of the story he wanted to hear. "Tell me the story of the Little Lost boy, Mama!"

The woman nodded. "Well, once there was a boy, about your age, who lived in a small village unknown to the world." She smirked at the familiarity of the story. "He belonged to a special family, a special shinobi family. They called themselves Illusionists, but firmly believed in keeping their special powers secret." The woman silently laughed at the sheer similarity of the story to their own life.

"One day, after his beautifulmother fixed him a steaming home-cooked meal, the boy went out to play with his friends. Him, his two brothers, and the other village boys, jumped and jumped until their little feet became sore. Before collapsing in the soft grass, laughing and smiling." She stroked her child's shoulder, letting him relax in her arms as he intently focused on her story. She started again, "The children were so tired from their playing that they drifted into a gentle sleep."

"When the boy finally woke he was all alone, his friends long gone for they were each off to eat supper with their families. He yawned and stretched his arms all the way to the sky," she mimicked the actions herself, "before standing and walking back towards the village. The boy was all alone, and he felt so sad and lonely that not even the prettiest butterfly could cheer him up. Soon he was lost in the grassy hilltops, and he feared he would never find his way home." She frowned and shook her head, her son doing the same thing. This part of the story always had the same effect on them.

Then, however, a big smile grew on the woman's face. "Luckily for the boy, there was a girl about the same age as him also in the forest. She was a very smart girl, way ahead of her friends. She looked at the sad little boy, and asked 'Areyoulost, littleboy?' The boy nodded his head, his eyes watering. The girl was more than just a girl, it seemed. She was also a part of the village and knowledgeable about the family. She held his hand and walked him back to the village, stopping right in front of his house. His loving mama, who had been worried sick about him ever since the other boys came home without him, ran up and scooped him up into her arms, never to let him go again. When she looked back to the girl, the girl was gone.

"Mama knew that girl was her son's guardian angel, she had never seen that girl in her life and knew of the legends about young maidens helping little lost boys find their way home. Because that girl chose to help her boy, mama knew her son was destined for great things." The woman smiled and tickled her son's stomach. He howled with laughter as he fought.

The laughter subsided; the boy crawled off her lap. "Can I go play with the neighbors?" He asked.

She nodded. As he walked off to meet the other children, she quickly called out, "Kyomu!" The boy swiveled around to face her, a pleasant smile on his face. "Don't get lost like the Little Lost Boy, you hear me?"

Young Kyomu of the Himitsu village giggled and nodded before trotting off. Little did his mother know that her young son repeatedly tried to become lost in the forest, hoping that one day he could meet the legendary spirit guide.

xXx

With the years gone by the same little boy who was eager to meet the object of an old wise tale grew into a hearty young man. He took mostly after his gentle mother in every way, which in certain cases was disheartening for his rough father. Kyomu was a naturally weak spirit, incapable of growing the same manly muscles his friends had, and unable to woo the village beauty, Kotone. Yet he had a kind spirit and a soft demeanor, unknowingly making him a far better man than his friends, or his controlling father.

Dressed in his practice uniform, sixteen-year old Kyomu stood in a defensive stance. Hands balled into fists and held at his front for protection, he bounced off the balls of his feet. Perspiration broke free on his skin as he looked towards his temporary enemy: his father. While Kyomu looked worn and beaten, his father, Yonju Yamada, hadn't even broken a sweat.

"You can do better than that, boy! Come at me!" He urged, motioning his son forward with his fists.

Kyomu wiped the trace amount of blood off his lip before roaring and coming at his father. He threw his fist forward, confident that this try would be the one. He would finally hit his father. Huffing and puffing, his fist flew through the air and towards his adversary's abdomen. Unfortunately, it was not to be. His father grabbed at his wrist easily and twisted it until his son fell to his knees at his feet.

"That'swhat you call better?" He twisted harder until his son shook with pain. Defeated, he threw the injured wrist to the ground with his failure for a son. Kneeling down, Yonju whispered into his ear, "This was not what you were born for. Your ancestors would be ashamed."

Kyomu listened to his father's retreating footsteps, and the harsh closing of the screen door. His arm stung, bruises all over not only his wrist but the other limbs of his body, he curled up into a ball on the floor. Every week he went through the same procedure, and every week he could not live up to his name. He, the first and only son of the clan leader, was a failure; weak in every way. Kyomu fought back salty tears.

The screen door behind him opened yet again, and he flinched at the notion of his father coming in for another round. Instead of heavy footsteps, he heard the light steps of small feminine feet, and instantly relaxed. Kneeling in front of him, his mother cupped his face with his hands, lifting it so he would look her in the eye.

She was still a beautiful woman. Even after all the years of having to live with her husband's bad temper and the abuse of her only child, she still retained her sweet and kind face. Even with the wrinkles near the edges of her eyes, around her mouth and the graying of her hair, Kyomu still believed his mother to be the most elegant and refined beauty in the whole town. At the sight of her sympathy, Kyomu broke into tears.

She cradled her son, pulling him up to her lap like she did when he was a child. She rocked him side to side, caressing his bloodied face. "Shh, shh. It's all right. Everything is fine. Your father is gone, you can relax now."

Kyomu held onto his mother tightly for comfort. She always had a funny way of calming him down and made him, in spite of his father, feel important.

When the crying ebbed away the two simply sat on the floor, comforted by the other's embrace. They kept each other's company for hours while Yonju was out blowing off steam. Both worried that a violent walk through their fields wouldn't cool Yonju off completely. Nonetheless they stayed calm and silent, only to separate when the sun started to sneak away behind the mountains.

Kyomu escaped to the cool evening air, walking through town until he found some shelter. Although small, their unknown town had many places to relax, one of those places being the small well in the center of the village. He sat down at its edge, looking up to the stars of the night sky. He hated himself for crying, and he loathed his conviction. No matter how many times his mother denied his village status as a "failure", the words he heard every day from his father and uncles seemed to seep into his skin and burrow a way to his heart. Kyomu truly felt like a failure, and he began to believe it was true.

Ever since he became of age, the teen was always expected to be powerful and wise like his father (A man who had led their clan for over a decade.) Yet he never felt motivated to be a leader. Kyomu was far more interested in nature, and science. He wanted to experiment, not exterminate. Granted, he would have loved to be born big and strong, to win over his father and impress Kotone. That mask, however, of a strong man would have been forced. It wasn't Kyomu. Shaking his head dejectedly, Kyomu folded his hands in his lap. He could just imagine how disappointed his father had to be feeling. He was their only child, a disappointment of a miracle baby.

A slight ruffling of the grass turned Kyomu's attention to his right, where he gasped at the sight of her. Kotone was an elegant girl. Though she was his age, she held an air of maturity. She was classy. Kyomu and the other village boys dreamed to impress her slim self since the day they learned cooties weren't such a bad thing. Of course, Kyomu wouldn't have cared if she was fat or thin, shapeless or shapely. There was a welcoming essence to her that made her so attractive. She had always been kind to Kyomu, the village failure.

She strolled towards him, her hands behind her back, dressed in a very light-weight fabric dress and shawl. She smiled at him. "The stars are so pretty in the summer, don't you think?" She asked, taking a seat next to him on the well.

Her heart-shaped face had an overwhelming glow to it in the moonlight, and her hazel eyes felt even warmer than usual. Kyomu's intensive stare grazed over her feature, catching her attention. Their eyes connected and froze. Kyomu felt something warm rise up in his chest, before they both tore away and focused on the stars above.

"Yeah, they really are." He mumbled, once again drawn to her features with a second gaze. However Kotone must have been purposefully ignoring his intrusive gazes and continued to absorb the beautiful stars and the time passed and Kyomu still hadn't looked away. The stars were nothing to him when put in comparison to Kotone. Upon realizing he would not turn away, Kotone made eye-contact for a second time.

Now with the opportunity, he searched her eyes with the intention of reading her thoughts. It was a silly notion, but Kyomu had always felt they shared something deeper than a minute friendship. By being around her, the overall possibility of that expanded. He felt calm and collected with her, trusted even. He felt he could open up to her…yet he never had. There were always barriers stopping him from taking a chance with her, in spite of their many years as friends. One barrier, and perhaps the most prominent, was his nervousness. Even now just the thought of asking her on a date made his palms sweat and his heart race. His anxiety only escalated time passed where Kotone never looked away.

He felt vulnerable to her eyes. Beside from his mother, Kotone had such an easy time at reading his emotions. The girl always knew how to act around Kyomu, and at times he appreciated her intuitivism. Now, however, he felt that his heart was revealed to her and he couldn't help it. A part of him wanted her to see the warmth in his eye that he only ever gave to her.

Much to his surprise, one of her delicate hands reached to his face, gently brushing from his temple to his chin. Though he didn't object, his breath caught. Her skin was smooth, touch gentle. Her hand stopped over a particularly nasty cut on his cheek as her forehead creased and jaw clenched.

"That looks like it hurt." She lightly commented, relaxing her suddenly hard features. It was times like this Kyomu wished he could read her mind. Unable to stop she put her free hand on the other side of his face. The sheer intimacy was unheard of, but not uncomfortable. Thinking that it might in fact be uncomfortable for Kyomu, Kotone quickly pulled away. Her head snapped the other direction. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have."

His eyes wide and unblinking, Kyomu stuttered a string of incoherent words before finally managing, "no, it's okay. That was…" His mind was in a flurry, what to say, and how to say I was suddenly alien to him. He was never this awkward around his friends! "That was nice…"

When she didn't look back to him, Kyomu sighed, his eyes downcast. Though his vision never made it to the grass, for it got caught on her right hand. He imagined her gently caressing his face again. With the urge to make her feel as she had him, he tentatively moved his left towards hers before gently placing it on top. He felt an electric flare go off and up his spine.

Quickly she pulled her hand away and to her lap with her other. Kotone risked a brief glance to Kyomu's face. "I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I…I can't." A long moment of silence passed before Kotone stiffened, and hastily turned her body to face him. She leaned towards him inquisitively. "But I really want to! I really do, Kyomu!" Her hazel eyes were pleading.

Kyomu's heart skipped a beat.

He grinned foolishly. "Really? Well why not, why can't you?" He looked deeply to her for answers, only to get rejection as her features hardened and she pulled back. It seemed clear to him then. "Oh, I get it. My father." Kyomu hissed as he pushed off of the well, prepared to stomp away.

A soft hand reached out and held him back by the arm as Kotone replied, "No, Kyomu. It's not your father!"

He refused to look at her, keeping his attention forward. "So it's me? You aren't allowed to like the village failure?" He croaked, roughly pulling his arm out of his grasp before briskly walking away.

Kotone followed suit, keeping up with his fast pace all the way into the border of the forest. "No! It's myfather, Kyomu. It's me!" At that, he turned to face her as she willingly put herself out there for judgment. Peeved, she explained, "You know my father, you know how traditional he is. I can't be with you because…because…" Kotone buried her face in her hands.

She finally exploded; she threw her hands up in the air and barked, "Because I'm engaged to Ryouta! They set it up three weeks ago, and there's nothing I can do to get out of it." Tears gathered in her eyes before running down both cheeks. Kyomu was aghast. "But I've triedto get out of it. Ryouta isn't the one I want to marry!"

When Kyomu responded with silence, she went on. "You've always been so caring and sweet, and modest. You welcomed me to play with you when we were just kids, despite how all the other boys insisted that you didn't. You feel things emotionally and you open your heart to the world in which you see so positively." By now she was sobbing. "And Ryouta is such a jerk, and my father won't listen, and my mother is just a spirit in the heavens. I have no say, I never have. But you. Youlisten to me, and you respect me! And don't deny that you love me too, I feel it."

Kyomu didn't want to hear any more, he wrapped himself around her, embracing her. Needless to say, it was a much-needed hug for both parties.

He cradled her gently, all the while whispering, "Don't worry. We'll find a way, we'll be together."

xXx

Many more years passed and things didn't change. Despite harboring their secret love for one another, both Kyomu and Kotone were forced to move on. The marriage was post-poned until adulthood for reasons unknown, though Kyomu had the inkling that Kotone had somehow managed to persuade her father into delaying the marriage. Still, the two spent years apart with only brief moments to be together. Most days Kotone was forced to spend and connect with Ryouta, while Kyomu faced the burning wrath of his father.

Things at the Yamada house became worse, and the beating was heavier. Broken limbs accompanied by spells sickness bounced between Kyomu and his mother. Both were dissatisfactory family members. Even after becoming a somewhat reasonable young adult, he had yet to develop his secret family jutsu. (A justsu so secret that, until he felt it awaken, he wasn't allowed to know what it was.) While he was powerless, his mother was unable to produce a more capable heir. Even worse to endure than her neglect was her imminent death; frequent alcohol-fueled beating weakened her body. A bad case of fever hit the town hard, and without medical shinobi or any connection to the modern world and their knowledge of the sciences the people were left defenseless.

The funeral took place on a large open field near the town's small shrine. It was a bright sunny day, which seemed ironic considered how dreary Kyomu felt. He stood by his mother's grave for hours afterwards, the light autumn wind picking up and tousling his hair like his mother used to. His only supporter lay beneath him, six feet under. It wrenched his heart.

Kotone stayed with him afterwards without any suspicion. Over the years both she and Kyomu had become quite the crafty liars. Always sneaking around, they were never truly together. It was just another reminder of the failure Kyomu was.

She wrapped her arm around his, letting him lean his head on her shoulder. "She's in a better place now, you know. She's finally at peace." Kotone told Kyomu. "She was such a strong woman, I don't think grieving would do her justice."

Kyomu's empty eyes looked into hers. "I know. You're right. I know that she's free now, but it still hurts." Images of his father briefly flashed through his mind.

The duo took a stroll to the well, where they admitted their love all those years ago. Unlike their usual time together, something about Kotone felt different. Putting the passing of his mother aside, Kyomu witnessed quick changes in her features, as if she thought of saying something but never got to it.

Once they finally reached the well they took the same seats as before, this time their hands and fingers laced together without hesitation. The sky in the daytime felt darker to Kyomu, like it wasn't as bright without his mother in the world to fuel it. Everything felt colder, and Kyomu shivered at the thought.

Kotone's grip on his hand tightened, causing him to look over to her. She broke into a large smile. "I have some amazing news for you…I was so happy. I was going to tell you earlier, but then the people started to become infected. I just want you to know now." Just then the sudden difference in Kotone made sense, and Kyomu could trace it back to a few weeks ago. He could almost envision the news, she was practically glowing, whereas he was appalled. He ran through their secretive evenings together, alarmed that he'd missed very significant detail only weeks ago. Kyomu felt an invisible force knocked the wind out of him.

Angrily he retrieved his hand and stumbled off the well. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" His tone was accusatory. His initial reaction was anger, but in his heart he almost felt ecstatic. Ignoring their given situation as a secret couple, a child was almost welcomed.

His love's face fell rapidly. "And you're not happy? I thought you'd be happy!" Kotone quickly pushed off the well and went to Kyomu's side, reaching for his hands. Successfully she grabbed them and squeezed. Apparently, she felt strongly about her pregnancy.

He practically choked on his words they poured out of him so fast. "How could I be happy, Kotone? How?" He roughly shoved her own left hand in her face where she could see the glittering golden ring around her finger. "You're married. I can't raise a child with you, and most importantly you can't raise a child with me!" Kyomu pulled away again, feeling sick to his stomach. "I knew this was wrong, so wrong. You're married. You've beenmarried. That baby doesn't belong to me, and I don't deserve it!" The good morals his mother had once instilled all came rushing back as he poked peevishly at his temples. "I'm going to go to hell!"

Kotone dismissed his words by violently shaking his head. "No, no you're not. Ryouta means nothing to me, and he won't mean anything to this baby." She stroked her stomach lovingly, catching Kyomu's attention. Her eyes were soft and warm. In a hushed voice, she murmured, "You know, we could run away together. You, me, and the baby." Her voice grew stronger with every word she uttered.

The idea was tempting, as Kyomu would do anything to be with her. But he knew it was wrong.

Without word Kyomu stormed into the forest, shoving branches and vines out of his way with a furious vigor. Kotone was smart enough not to follow as he bulldozed his path into the eerie trees. His thoughts were swarming, and more than ever he hated himself. The way he saw it was he wasn't strong enough for anything, not to impress his father, save his mother, or even be with Kotone.

Yet her notion to run away seemed increasingly more appealing. There was nothing holding Kyomu to the tiny village. The only person who could have kept him there was a corpse in the dirt. The only other person, who would have been a reason to stay, wanted to go withhim. It made sense. He didn't care about his responsibility as the first and only son of Yonju Yamada. He never saw himself as a leader, anyways. This way they could be together, and he could finally investigate the sciences like he'd always hoped to.

His pace slowed as he thought more on the topic, and the environment around him stopped blurring together. Slowly, but surely, he was able to piece together his thoughts and make sense of things. Collapsing against a nearby tree, Kyomu laid his head on his knees, intent on making a choice.

Yes, there was always a chance his clan jutsu would develop late, thus giving him the power to rule the village and claim Kotone as his own without any hassle. Could they wait for that day to come? What if it never did? He and Kotone would both age, her stomach would get bigger, and soon she and Ryouta would establish a name and a family for themselves. What if, by the time his jutsu would supposedly come, Kotone had already moved on from the juvenile notion of running away?

The loose leaves on the ground rustled. Kyomu didn't bother to look; he merely shook the creature away with his hand. "Kotone, just go away. Leave me some time to think." He groaned exasperated, burying his face further in his knees.

A high-pitched, airy voice responded. "Kotone? Who is this 'Ko-tone'?"

Worriedly, his head shot up to see the intruder. Instinctively he looked up and away from him, when he should have been looking right in front of him. There, before him, was a spirit. Transparent and mysterious, it was just a young girl no older than eight or nine. She wore a silk kimono, and had her filmy hair tied up in a bun. Her arms were crossed together in her long sleeves over her front traditionally, and she looked to Kyomu with such curiosity it was astounding.

"W-who are you?" Kyomu asked, pushing himself further against the tree to try and put some space between them.

The spirit's chubby child-face was oddly stoic. "My name is Yuri. I am the village spirit." She gestured her hands out to her sides in a fluid motion before returning them to her sleeves. "I believe your people know of me from the tale of the Little Lost Boy."

Kyomu nearly drowned in his own surprise. He doubted if what he was seeing was true, and if it was would have never imagined her to look quite like this. "I used to come out here looking for you." He mumbled to himself, slowly standing up.

There was a hint of a smile to her face, but like lightning it quickly went away. "I know, Yamada Kyomu. I only aid people who are lost and need assistance in finding their way."

He quirked a brow. "Right…so what you're saying is that I'mlost?"

"In many ways, Yamada Kyomu. You are lost and confused. You desire to be with your one true love, but are afraid of leaving the only familiar place and feeling the wrath of your father. You have always felt dismissed, and have classified yourself as a failure. While the only thing you fail at is realizing your true potential." The spirit took a few steps backwards, and floated to a sitting position on a rock another few feet away. "Would you like to hear more?"

He gulped and nodded.

"Every person born in this village has the potential for greatness; it is in your blood. Distanced from the rest of the world for the reason of safety, this village is well hidden with the shinobi art of genjutsu. You, Yamada Kyomu, are the heir to the village and have been denied your right to the jutsu by an outside force." Slowly, the spirit took one hand and placed it on her chest. "By me."

His form stiffened. "You? You're the reason I submitted to my father's torture since I was a child? You're the reason I'm weak?" He spat at the spirit vehemently.

"No, child." She responded calmly. "I am the reason you are strong."

Years of resentment and anger at his father burst forth all in one go. He bolted towards the spirit, hands out and ready to wrap around her thin little neck. Half-way he stopped, spirit or not she was still a young girl. Rather than attempt to hurt her, directed his hate to a tree nearby and swung a fist forward. It hit the wood, sending a hard vibration throughout his body. Kyomu allowed himself to fall to the ground, head down. "Why…what kind of sick joke is this?" He coughed, hands digging into the dirt.

"It is not a joke. But a blessing. Many from your village are too eager and rash, they waste their genjutsu abilities. Your mother saw this and prayed to me, the spirit, to bless you with a warm soul. I answered her prayers and buried your jutsu deep into your soul, only to be released when you are mature and ready." Yuri sank to the ground to be eye-level with Kyomu. "Now is the day. You are ready. You have witnessed death, deception, and darkness. You have seen the evils of the world, as well as the blessings. You are ready."

Yuri sighed and closed her eyes as she slowly placed both palms over his forehead. Kyomu could feel the spirit's touch, and it caught his attention. The touch alone spread a light, weightless feeling throughout his body. It spread from his forehead, to his chest, and all the way to his legs.

"All these years I have waited to unlock your gift, and it is the last of my strength I give to you in the hope that you use your gifts for good. I see brightness in you. Use it."

The moment Yuri's hand retreated from his forehead, Kyomu collapsed in a world of darkness.

xXx

"Kyomu…Kyomu, wakeup…"

The voice was such a sweet, soft voice. In a world of pure black, Kyomu's heart was comforted by the voice that floated through his thoughts. He unconsciously smiled at the voice, but did not wake up.

"…please, wakeup…"

Now the voice felt more familiar. He could almost picture his darling, pregnant Kotone near him. He could feel her hand around his, so close soft it was almost real. The more she spoke, the more her harmonic voice tugged on his mind. Slowly she pulled him out from his brief sleep. Color came back to his world of black as he opened his eyes. Everything was blurry, especially the form hovering above him. Was that Kotone? Or was he still imagining things.

He could just barely make out a face, a beautiful heart-shaped face; though he recognized her hazel eyes almost instantly. He grinned up at his love knelt over his form. Happiness overtook her with his recovery, evident in the way she smothered him in a tight hug. His shaky arms proceeded to wrap around her in response.

Tears dripped onto his sleeve. "I was so worried!" Kotone cried, now overwhelmed with emotion she hugged him tighter. "I thought you'd never come back to me!"

Kyomu stroked the back of her head lovingly, taking a deep breath in. He felt calm with her, and wanted to remember this moment forever. He took a moment to look around at the open field, dimming blue sky and the old well only inches behind them. Naturally, he was confused. Where were the trees, and Yuri?

Something stung at his head and he groaned, both hands automatically moving to the source of the pain; he clutched his forehead. "Ugh, what happened to me?" He asked through his teeth.

Kotone removed her wet face from his shoulder and smiled at him, placing her hands over his. "You collapsed. We started to fight about, well, running away together, and you tripped on your way to the forest. You fell backwards and hit your head on the well…" She meekly pointed to the light discoloration of the stone edge, most likely from his wound.

"Ouch."

She outright laughed at his reaction, smothering his face with kisses. "I'm just so happy you're all right. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The two stayed together on the field for a long while, comfortable in the other's embrace. Eventually they separated to separate sitting positions and talked. Just talking with Kotone was enough for Kyomu, considering he couldn't formally be with her. Yet.

Changing the conversation from the upcoming season, Kyomu's eyes turned downward as he began, "You know, I've been thinking about our situation. Do you remember all those years ago, when in this very field I promised you we'd find a way to be together?" At that he turned to look into her eyes.

She tilted her head to the side, her hair delicately falling over her shoulder. "Yes, I do. The moment after when you held me, that was the greatest moment of my life…" She quickly blushed, Kyomu was never supposed to know that specific detail.

His hand reached out and grasped hers affectionately. He leaned forward, the other hand pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and said, "Well, I think I've found that way… I think… I think my clan jutsu has developed."

Kotone's jaw dropped. "What? Honey, that's so great!" She exclaimed, tightening her hand around his. "How did it happen?"

Smiling modestly, he continued, "It happened when I was out, after I hit my head. I guess I saw something, a spirit. She unlocked it and then disappeared… I can't explain it, but I feel different. I feel stronger, and confident. Like large, heavy weights have been lifted off my shoulders. Like I can breathe again for the first time." He glanced to their intertwined hands. "You know what this means, right?"

Kyomu didn't wait for an answer, and he exuberantly went on, "It means I can take over as the Village Head. We don't have to run away together, we just have to wait for my father to relinquish the position or die!" The notion of his father dying was completely called for, for Kotone knew about the horrors that happened behind closed doors in his household.

Excitedly, Kyomu placed a hand on her stomach. "As soon as I'm the leader, we can be together. You can divorce Ryouta with my help. We can be a family." He was so happy he felt like a child again, the same child who believed anything his mother said.

A delicate smile painted her face as she murmured, "A family? That sounds so nice…"

The duo gushed about the future for the entire afternoon in the privacy of the field, holding hands and smiling. The death of his mother didn't seem so bad when he had Kotone with him, her presence instantly made his fears and worries disappear…

At least until she left, and he would be alone once again.

xXx

With every plan came problems, or slight complications. Kyomu did his best to train with his newfound confidence, finally building up the muscle that supposedly came with his genetics. His father proved to be a strong old man, and in the nearly nine months that followed that pleasant day in the field the old geezer was still up and running. Kyomu didn't release the good news to his godforsaken father. Oh no, he wanted it to be a surprise. He wanted to see the look on Yonju Yamada's face when he challenged him to a duel and came out with steel muscles and a frighteningly strong, reality-altering genjutsu. Kyomu planned to use Yonju's special talents against him.

Things at the Yamada household were different. The physical abuse had stopped long ago when Kyomu became of age, but the mental and emotional abuse had remained. Now, however, it slowly died down. Something about Kyomu was different, and not only did his father notice, but the whole village as well. Kyomu was reborn into a new man, a stronger man, perhaps the son Yonju had always wanted. The intelligent man put on a mask of obedience and manners to his father. Only when the time was right would he revert back to the son Yonju hated, and then severely beat his father out of vengeance.

Or, at least the confrontation would go somethinglike that…

No matter how amazing things at the Head Household were going, they were not the same for Kotone. Her marriage was centered around obedience to her husband, who resembled Kyomu's father in the drinking aspect. Kyomu became increasingly worried about Kotone's life on the home front, hoping that the conflict wouldn't escalate to violence.

Kyomu was out working the rice fields when an old friend of Kotone's, Ami, ran up to him. Sweat stained her dress near the collarbone and under the arms, and her breathing was shallow yet Ami didn't pause. She came straight up to Kyomu, grabbed his sleeve and pulled him away from his work.

"Kotone…in labor…requested…you…" She huffed as she continued on. Kyomu's eyes opened wide and he sped up his pace, quickly overtaking Ami and leading heralong towards Ryouta's home.

When he arrived there he stopped briefly in front of Ryouta who was leaning nonchalantly up against a porch post. "Is she okay?" Kyomu babbled, getting an uncaring shrug from his former childhood friend. Kyomu's eyes narrowed as he burst forth into the house, eventually following the sound of Kotone's pained gasps and screams to the bedroom.

It was…horrific.

There laid Kotone, so sweaty her hair stuck right to the edges of her face. Both hands clutched her in-law's violently as she screamed. The sheets beneath her were bloody, and if Kyomu didn't know any better, that looked like a bad sign. His heart sunk.

She caught him in the doorway and instantly smiled. She used one hand to shakily gesture him towards her; Kyomu obeyed. He came to her side, replacing Ryouta's father. He held her hand, the free one stroking her face. She was comforted by the gesture, but it wasn't enough.

Things didn't get any better for Kotone. There was more blood, and even more pain for what felt like eternity as she pushed their child to life. With every push she grew weaker, and during the breaks in between pushing the village doctor would sigh. Kyomu glared at the man, determined to confirm that the labor was going smoothly. However, nothing in the doctor's expression gave him any hope. Especially when the doctor looked right at Kyomu and shook his head.

With a final push, the doctor pulled out a bloody, limp baby from beneath the sheets and handed it over to the grandmother. The baby wasn't responding, it merely hung limp in the grandmother's arms. Kyomu felt the color drain from his face. A weak tug on his arm from Kotone forced him to look back at her.

"Is he…beautiful?" Kotone whispered, referring to their son. Their stillborn son. Kyomu felt tears in his eyes as he looked at Kotone, her skin such a white sickly color. One child did this to her. One. Kyomu would live his life without any children if he could just have Kotone.

Kyomu gulped and nodded, "Yes, he's so beautiful," Kyomu lied.

For a brief, temporary moment Kotone's face brightened. " Good… I'm so…" Quickly her smile fell, her eyelid drooping. "I'm so…" Her grip on Kyomu's hands slackened, until finally her bony fingers fell away from his altogether.

He choked, quickly clutching her limp hand once more. "You're so what? So what, Kotone?" He gasped, lightly tapping the sides of her face. His whole body was shaking from the anxiety that thismoment would be their last. He didn't want that, he only wanted her. Forever.

With what was her last strength, Kotone mouthed words that nobody would ever come to hear, before her heart gave out and she stopped breathing completely.

"No…" Kyomu barked, "NO!" He repeated, rapidly shaking her by the shoulders. "This can't be happening! Kotone, hear me! Come back to me!" Salty tears rolled down his cheeks as he shook her some more, his weight so heavy that he collapsed by her bed side.

Rough hands dug into his shoulders and began pulling him away. His eyes locked on Kotone, Kyomu resisted. He fought madly, arms and legs flailing everywhere. The two men, who he suspected to be Ryouta and his father, were very persistent. Nothing, however, could separate him from Kotone at that moment. He escaped from their hold and scampered back to the floor by her bedside, by her corpse.

He burrowed his head into her limp arm, repeating the same words over again until eventually the family wrapped up the two corpses and carried them out the door.

He continued to wail, the past hour on rewind in his mind.

xXx

If he would have been asked only a year prior if he'd attend the funerals of the only two people he truly loved over the course of ten months, Kyomu would have outright laughed. Even the general idea of the tragedies he had faced was unlikely, improbably at best for the average person. As usual, fate had a different plan for Kyomu. He'd beaten the odds, he was that "lucky" two percent. How he despised logistics.

The funeral for Kotone was smaller than it was for his mother. Kotone was just a young woman; she hadn't made a name for herself in town yet. She was just starting out, figuring out how to be a wife, and a mother. There was no time in her schedule when it came to household duties and frolicking with Kyomu to build up her reputation; whereas the late Madam of the Head Family had years of meetings and connections to attract a much larger, hospitable crowd at her funeral. Nevertheless, the funeral hurt Kyomu in the same way. His chest felt tight, and this time there was no light on the other end. His light had died, taking his spirit with her.

All during the funeral, as an under-paid preacher did his best to act as if he personally knew Kotone, Kyomu glared at the other person he hated most. Surprisingly, it was not his father whom he loathed, it was Ryouta. On the day of her death, three weeks ago, Kyomu could distinctly remember how cold Ryouta had been. He merely shrugged when Kyomu had inquired to her health and the labor. Not only that, but Ryouta was a drunk, a liar, a cheat, and an abuser. Precisely like Kyomu's father. Sighing deeply, Kyomu controlled his anger with balled, white-knuckled fists and the same thought repeating in his mind: Whyareallthemeninthistownsuchbastards?

When the formal part to the funeral was over and those who did not wish to stay any longer left -which was an overwhelming majority, Kyomu approached her wooden cross, the only thing that the world had to remember her by. Next to Kyomu stood Ryouta, a toothpick between his teeth and a nonchalant stance.

Kyomu half-turned to Ryouta. "I'm sorry for your loss," he started, grinding his teeth together. The urge to hurt Ryouta was strong.

"Nah," Ryouta mused, shoving his hands in his pockets, "she was a whore." Slowly Ryouta looked both ways before coming close to Kyomu and shoving his finger at his chest. "I'm glad she and that baby died. They deserved it. Too bad you couldn't go with them."

Kyomu tensed, his eyes flickering every which and way to see just who was watching the close and hostile encounter. All Kyomu saw was his father, who was too far away to hear the words exchanged anyways. Disarming the threat, he set his sights back on Ryouta. The man made Kyomu sick.

"How?" Kyomu inquired.

Ryouta smirked and pulled away, replying smugly, "Any man who cries like you did over his 'friend' obviously feels like more than that. Either that baby wasn't mine, or you're just one effed up stalker." Ryouta spat on the grave, the toothpick between his lips shot down and burrowed itself in the fresh soil.

Kyomu kept himself calm as he watched Ryouta disrespect the dead and walk away, though it was not an easy task. His heart raced with the anticipation of a fight, jaw clenching and unclenching with a violent rhythm.

The moment the coast was clear, Kyomu made a run for it. He went in a completely random direction, at a random speed. It was all instinct, and desire. He wanted to escape, get away from the prying eyes of his father, and the cruelty of Ryouta. He let his feet choose his destination, taking him wherever they saw fit. The wind whipped at his face, making his skin raw. As if scraping away the layers of skin that Kotone had touched with her soul. He bit back more tears, more sadness…more memories.

Kyomu stopped at the oh-so familiar clearing, slowing his pace to a brisk walk. He stumbled towards the well, collapsing and hanging himself over the edge. He was a limp ragdoll, at mercy of the low well waters.

"What if I just…fell in…" Kyomu babbled incoherently. Ever since Kotone's death, Kyomu had become more like his father in an alcoholic sense. His intoxication made the deep waters of the well seem gentle and welcoming, like Kotone. As if falling and drowning in the waters would be like her embracing him, accepting him… Kyomu dreamt of it, and he slowly inched his body forward, hoping with every push he'd fall. He closed his eyes and waited, waited for the embrace.

A stone from the well broke unexpectedly under his weight, forcing Kyomu's body forward. He kept his eyes tight and closed, mouth sewn shut. The initial catalyst was quicker than he anticipated, yet the fall seemed to be taking forever. He felt so light and weightless, as if he was hanging there. He waited for the impact of the water, but felt nothing. Nothing but air.

Kyomu opened one eye and peered into the depths, his face apparently close to the water's surface but not touching. He felt two hands holding his sides that he never felt before, and craned his neck around to see better.

A very frightening-looking man looked back at him. In physical build the man was nothing special, but it was his face that made Kyomu's gut lurch. A narrow, snake-like face painted like a performer's. The man had long black hair like a woman's, and he wore an odd black robe embroidered with red clouds. Had Kyomu's society ever been blessed with great classics like Batman or Star Wars, they would have known that a man with abstract makeup is never to be trusted. However, Kyomu had never been approached by a person such as this one, and thus assumed the man to be a good, honest gentleman merely helping another out.

The man pulled Kyomu's intoxicated form up and over, plopping him down limply on the grass against the well. "There ya go, buddy." The man said in a strangely friendly tone as he rubbed his hands together theatrically. "Don't wanna fall in now, do we?"

"HA! How would you know?" Kyomu drabbled on in a minutely drunken slur as he waved a hand in front of him. "You don't look like the hospitable type, so whatchu doin' helping me?"

The other man's face fell. "You're right. I'm not the hospitable type; I'm not here to help you out of the well." He sighed and loosened his grip, letting Kyomu scream and slide forward so that his nose tickled the surface of the water before stopping.

A confused and angry face on Kyomu's part beckoned the man to go on. "Now, I've been wandering through this town for a year now. I thought it might make a nice safe haven for me, I'm in a bit of trouble you see. My apprentice and I couldn't help but notice your little scene the other week, inside the dead woman's house." Roughly the man lifted Kyomu out of the well, dropping him on the grass.

The man knelt down in front of Kyomu, his tone taking a dark turn. "You were in love with her. I'm no fool. Right now you're a pitiful blob of a man, blaming yourself for her death. You think that if you were stronger, you could have saved her. Don't you?"

Angrily, Kyomu shoved the man aside. "I don't care what you think! She's gone now, that's all there is to it." He got up from the ground and began to stumble away. "Now if you'll excu-"

He was stopped when the man blocked his path by rushing in front of him, grabbing at his biceps. "Don't deny it! You desire strength, power. You want revenge on her husband and more, I can see it in your eyesss." Kyomu struggled but was held in check. "I know what power you search for, I know how you can get. Those people you hate, with this power, they will meet their maker. And I can give it to you! I can grant you the glorious strength!" The man was ecstatic on the topic, his chest heaving from his exaggerations. Still, Kyomu was listening; intently.

Relaxed now, Kyomu was released. He took a step back to put distance between the two of them before saying, "Say, what's your name?"

A sickening grin slithered onto his face. "Orochimaru."

xXx

A/N: BOOM.

I liked writing this. I think Kyomu is a great character.

I think that based on the title of the chapter and its association with Orochimaru we can assume how things are going to go. Initially this was all I was going to offer about Kyomu, but I've decided to explain about what he did as a young adult that led to the destruction of his village and the underground base. Also, you're probably confused about his jutsu. No worries, I've figured it out.

Kudos to the ever so wonderful, totally bitchin' Sendicard! XD

Anyways, I'm out.

Peace.

~ Dahlia