~Chapter 6~
Kusama Family
Kinata struggled with the mountainous environment, trying to stay close behind her sensei. He had explained that their travels would become more challenged, but the small girl never imagined this. The peak of the current mountain went so far up in elevation that she had to squint her eyes just to see it. Her eyelashes felt frozen, her lips cracked, and her muscles were cramped. She pulled her cloak and bag closer while they maneuvered around a sharp cliff. Kinata slipped. Her hands were clumsy, numb from the cold. Master Yamamoto swiftly grabbed the back of her bag, catching her from falling. The young girl was breathing deep, nervous as she stared down at the eighty-something foot drop.
"Keep your groundings, Lady Kinata. We are almost there." His voice was hoarse. She nodded, readjusting her pack.
About a mile further, the two came up to a red shine, extremely vast in size and very traditional. Kinata walked to the right of her sensei, who paused just before the dozen of steps leading to the entrance. He was staring directly ahead at the structure.
"We have arrived." She frowned. This was in the middle of nowhere. This wind picked up on the top of the steps, between the entrance gates, quickly forming an icy tornado. Not but five seconds did it immediately disperse, a man was left standing there. Kinata tensed, until she realized he was not a threat, since her sensei gave the man a curt nod. The guy was at least 6'3 with a broad build. He was wearing ninja gear, but with black boots. His vest had fur lining, which wrapped all around the collar. The guy nodded back, his face impassive.
"Yamamoto-sama. You are late." They were a good 20 feet from him but his voice was as crisp and clear as the freezing air. Kinata shivered, wrapping her arms around herself to contain some warmth.
"My apologies, Daisukozo-sama. Adversities in our travels kept us." Her sensei began to walk towards the man. Kinata followed of course, curious now. This must be her next guardian.
Once they were directly in front of him, the male glanced down at her. She smiled. He frowned. Her smile dropped a little. Okay, so obviously he wasn't the friendly type. His face resembled a sculpture, unmoving and intimidating. He had dark blue eyes with black and grey hair.
"This is the Ryukotse girl?" Yamamoto sighed.
"She will take your last name, and an alias first name, but yes, this is the girl." He nodded shortly, turning swiftly around to walk to the shrine. Her sensei followed silently, ushering Kinata to come.
Inside, Kinata stared around in awe. The walls were silver and black. Each held dragons that were painted intricately within them. There were red pillars that went past a good thirty feet in height. Standing in the middle was a lady probably in her early thirties. She had her hands folding in front of her, and her head was bent down respectfully. Her hair was pure black and wrapped in a tight bun. She appeared very reserved. Kinata could only assume this, especially taking in the woman's attire. She wore only a dark blue kimono, with no decorations on it, tied in white. The vast room had no furniture besides green mats set at the end, surrounding a small, low sitting table. To the left and right were stairs, but Kinata could only see so far as the curve for both sets drifted from view.
"Yamamoto-sama, shall I bring you both some warm tea?" The woman asked. Her tone was modest at best. When she looked up her eyes were a strange, misty grey with no pupil. Her face had high cheekbones and defined eyebrows.
"I would appreciate that, thank you." He glanced at Kinata, who maneuvered from foot to foot in impatience. Introductions would be nice. Her sensei caught on.
"Kinata, these are you present guardians. They will look after you for a year. They are the Kusama family." The man named Daisukozo stared intensely at Kinata to observe her reations, but she was nodding at Yamamoto's information.
"You said earlier I would have to change my whole name again, right?" She didn't sound pleased at all. Yamamoto frowned, shaking his head in affirmation.
"Yes. We have arranged your name to be Kira Kusama." She glanced down, forcing her face to remain expressionless. She couldn't explain why it bothered her so much to go by a different name, but it did.
The men sat on their legs over the mats to discuss matters when the lady came back with tea. They had been discussing living arrangements. As soon as the woman had arrived with the drinks, she signaled for Kinata to follow her out. After a questioning look to her sensei, she went after her.
While walking down the hall after going up the left set of stairs, the lady began to introduce herself and delve into small facts of the Kusama family. Her name was Tazune, and they had a 19 year old son named Byakuko, who guarded the Cloud Village.
"You must miss him." Kinata had sadly mentioned. Tazune hadn't even spared her a glance.
"He is carrying out his duties. That is all we can ask of him." She had replied curtly. Any other attempts at conversation were quickly smashed by the still stern and blunt woman. Kinata gave up after awhile, still holding on to some ounce of hope that perhaps later, after getting used to each other's company, that she might warm up to her. Then they might both be smiling afterwards, something they desperately needed to do.
A few hours passed. Master Yamamoto was already repacking his bags to leave. Kinata gave a sad smile.
"I guess I'll get to see you again in a year. Right?" He placed his hand on her head, gently smiling back.
"Yes. We will meet again soon. Train hard here. The Kusama family may seem strict and persistent with nothing but tedious work handed out, but it is an opportunity to discipline your physical and mental states. You will discover your worth concerning your powers. Take advantage of this." She gave a dramatic sigh.
"Uh-huh. I hope it won't be too boring." Her sensei smirked.
"Behave Kinata…Kisa. Take care until I return." He gave her guardians a respectful bow, which they returned, and he took off. Kinata couldn't help but feel disappointed again with him, having expected him to have stayed a few nights from the unpleasant and harsh travels up the icy mountain. She supposed he couldn't risk it though. As the two had passed the small village leading up to the mountain, her sensei had spotted two ninjas that were clearly suspicious. The men were looking for something…or more specifically, someone. When Master Yamamoto had intercepted one of the small scrolls they'd been handing out occasionally, the scriptures were of a warning to be on guard for a samurai accompanying a young girl of dangerous and hostile dragon blood. Her description was vague, but it was still too perilous.
The moment had really opened up her eyes. No matter how far they seemed to travel, tracker-ninjas would always follow. It had nearly broken her heart…but not her spirit.
Once her sensei left, Kinata felt a void grow within her. He was like her father in many ways, as she'd never really had one. Rin's father had always been on duty guarding the borders of the island. Now that even her sensei could not be with her, she couldn't ignore the loneliness that rose inside.
Kinata felt the sweat drip from her forehead. She was concentrating. Her hands began to shake. She closed her eyes in desperation. Daisukozo was standing at the far right wall in the training room, silently monitoring her efforts. She focused the chakra outwards from her clan's kekkei genkai hand sign. It was like trying to push a closed door without being able to see the handle. Many times she'd collapsed in exhaustion from just that stage, but that had been in the beginning.
The Kusama clan, over a couple of centuries ago, had aligned themselves with the Ryukotse clan. In fact, they had been one of the first clans. In return, the clan had been given the first of the nobility and riches of the Ryukotse clan before the Lands split drastically and turned against the dragon clan. Daisukozo had actually known and been a comrade to Kinata's biological father. After the girl had discovered this (from Tazune), she had immediately taken to the man, despite his cold demeanor.
They were nine months into training, and he had brought her to extreme fatigue on many accounts, to where she'd be passed out for several days. Yet, Kinata could feel herself getting better at handling the overwhelming chakra and to learn of a jutsu she'd never have figured out on her own.
Today was a detrimental day.
Today, he expected her to activate the kekkei genkai to its full extent. In front of her hung a dummy; it was full of manipulated chakra distributed from Daisukozo. That was part of his own powers – he could emit his chakra into another entity (alive or not) and cause it to settle completely like ice that would freeze over an object. It was extremely useful to Kinata, who needed a target with chakra to train with the jutsu.
After the first month of living with the couple, they had chosen a random night to converse seriously about Kinata's bloodline. They told her the legend of the samurai Akamaru and the Empress, coming into contact with the legendary beast, Ryukotse. Then they explained two main jutsus of her bloodline that were based entirely from the kekkei genkai infusing with her own chakra.
One was nearly impossible for them to train her on, as it was a summoning jutsu able to bring about the dragon itself. Daisukozo admitted he had absolutely no strength in controlling the beast and that Kinata was too young and weak as well to command Ryukotse. Kinata was left amazed that she even had the option to do that.
The second was what the Kusama family had high hopes of her mastering. It was called the Kongouseki, a power with great potential, but also great risks.
It was furthermore considered a forbidden jutsu.
"Kisa, this is important. Conquer the Kongouseki, and you shall not live in fear of your powers, but with confidence that you will have the ability to protect others." Tazune had agreed vocally (as she rarely spoke) and Daisukozo's words were calm and almost appraising. Kinata had given a restrained smile, bowing slightly in acknowledgement. She'd become accustomed to their conservative ways, yet had been a breath of fresh air to both of them with her lively and hopeful attitude. She could tell that the couple was becoming fond of her, slowly but surely. Kinata gave it her all to train so as to not waste their time – and they seen this.
"Kisa!" Kinata would never allow her fake names to replace her real one, afraid she might forget who she was and her past, but considered those "alias names" nicknames. She opened her eyes to look at a tense Daisukozo. He had stepped away from the wall and was looking at the dummy. He was smirking. That was a first.
Kinata quickly turned her eyes to the object. Her mouth fell open. Surrounding the dummy was a diamond-like structure, as her chakra glittered like gold around it. Kinata had always beckoned the chakra inside, but never had it taken visible form. Finally, she had done what seemed to be the impossible.
"Center the chakra. Visualize what I have told you." His voice was sharp, and it snapped Kinata out of her dazed state. She refocused, ignoring her protesting body, which felt as if little needles were beginning to pierce her hands and stomach. She was almost already at her limit.
She could feel her chakra transform carbon atoms of the object's given chakra and neutralizing them. She squinted her eyes as a bead of sweat fell again. The temptation to smooth it away made her hand twitch. Kinata pushed more chakra from her outer aura to enter into the structured-diamond surrounding the dummy, feeling as if energy were being sucked away from her slowly as she did. The process increased in velocity while her mind became scattered as she tried to concentrate on all of the variables and forces at work. In a fraction of a second later, the chakra of the dummy began to deprecate. Right after the first few seconds, her chakra swirled and encircled the path of the diamond, releasing inside a rainbow of colors.
Left behind was an empty dummy, with little parts even discernible. Kinata felt ready to drop.
"Kisa. Retract your chakra." He sounded collected though beyond grave – a skill of his.
She took a deep breath. It was the most important part about the Kongouseki. If she didn't fully complete the jutsu, it could destroy every being with chakra in a specific diameter of distance from her, coinciding with how much chakra she had released. This included her current sensei.
She retracted her chakra, ignoring the searing pain in her eyes as she did, and gaining a tiny burst of energy as it reentered her body, causing her to instantly collapse to her knees. She was breathing uncontrollably. She heard Daisukozo approach her. Looking up with tired eyes, she found his stern expression peering back at her. But what shone in his eyes astonished the young girl. He was…impressed. His hands were crossed when he lent out a hand to her. She cautiously took it. He helped her stand up.
"Well done. You are improving considerably. Go rest Kisa. Training is done for the day." He walked from the room silently after his parting words, leaving her to reflect on what he'd just said.
'You are improving considerably…' Kinata smiled. He had never complimented her on any level. Maybe she really was getting better. And maybe he was actually acknowledging that.
Kinata had just finished her dinner. It was a favorite of hers at the household – it was mushroom cream rice with chicken breasts and carrots. Tazune interrupted her moment of peace and bliss. Once a week the couple would ask Kinata to join, and for the other six days she was presumed to eat alone. That day had already passed, so the little girl was shocked to see the older woman standing politely in the doorway.
"We have a guest, Kisa." Kinata gave her a startled look, but before she could question, the woman had stepped out. Kinata slowly stood up to follow. Only one visitor would come, as far as Kinata had seen, and that was the supplies man. It was only once a month, which he'd already made his stop to the enormous shrine-like house two weeks ago.
Once Kinata entered the front part of the building, she gasped. Daisukozo was handing her sensei a scroll, his expression content. Master Yamamoto glanced up to spot the young girl, who appeared physically transformed. He grinned slightly.
"Kinata. I am pleased to hear you have acquired control over the Kongouseki." She gave him a toothy grin, sprinting over to envelope him in a very unprofessional hug. He chuckled at her still childish antics. It was refreshing to the samurai nonetheless.
"Master Yamamoto! You have come early!" She stood back to view his face. He nodded.
"And training?" He brought her back to the subject at hand. Her eyes sparkled with confidence, and she nodded back eagerly.
"Yes. Daisukozo-sama has taught me a lot! I can perform the Kongouseki, but I still need more practice. I have the basics down. I just need to focus more." He gave her a pat on the head, even more proud that she was able to admit both her accomplishments and faults. That was rare for most.
"Good. I could not ask for anything more or less. All is all that I could have hoped to hear. Not that you have ever disappointed me before." Her sensei stood up, to which Daisukozo followed suit.
"Before we take our leave, I must gather special provisions. This will give Kinata some time before we depart." Her face went blank. He was talking to the other man, but paused to look back down to her. He hesitated with what next to say at the unease shadowing her expression. He sighed.
"Kinata, this will be routine. It pains me to hasten departure as I do, but it is nearly impossible to keep both our identities hidden without endangering those who are assisting in our hide-outs. Do you understand?" Kinata's arms dangled uselessly at her sides, trying to grasp his words. Of course she knew this. Yet it couldn't make the throbbing in her heart and the clogging in her throat vanish. She simply nodded.
"I'll go pack." She mumbled. Her sensei let her leave, eyeing the girl in his own hurtful way. She always had to go through so much, and he could do nothing to ease such soreness.
"She is a prodigy in her own league. On all level of states." Yamamoto gave him a displeasing raise of the eyebrow. He didn't need to hear the flattery of the last Ryukotse member to whom he consistently had to set obstacles for. Daisukozo ignored his steel look, continuing on.
"But what intrigues me the most is her emotional state. Despite the feelings she is faced with, she overcomes it with astounding courage. Fear only exists inside this girl if it concerns her own being hurting others. The last human I had met like this was her father," Daisukozo stared now at the set of stairs Kinata had went up, and Yamamoto followed his gaze. The man continued with finalizing words,
"It gives me hope."
Nearly an hour later the two were ready. Her sensei gave his own farewells, bowing his back flatly and then entering just outside the doors. He gave Kinata a moment of personal space, while she faced the couple. She stood frozen, uncertain of how to say goodbye.
"Kinata." She brought her attention to Daisukozo-sama. He had never once called her by her real name before. And the corner of his lips were barely lifted up, though to her it was the brightest smile she could ever imagine on his usually stoic face. Tazune was giving her a gentle smile as well. The girl stood paralyzed, completely taken off guard by their displays of emotions.
"Having you in our home has been an honor, as was the chance to train you." Tazune inclined her head from her husband's comment, giving her own approval.
"It truly has been a pleasant experience." The older woman's voice was quiet but sincere.
Kinata felt her eyes water. She had been depressed to leave the Higurashi family, however the Kusama family had gifted her with their wisdom, trust, and hard-earned respect. She couldn't help but feel honored in return…and here they both felt that way as well. The girl was torn. She instinctively, in the moment, went to embrace them both, surprising the couple. Yet they gave in awkwardly, patting her back.
"I will…miss you both, very much! You…you both taught me so…so much." She was crying now and sounding pitiful, though her words were heartfelt. Daisukozo-sama chuckled, another rarity and first for Kinata. Tazune was smiling fully now.
"The emotions you bare as a ninja will bring you great strength. It will change the world. We were simply preparing you to carry out this burden." She took a deep breath at the man's astute words.
"Th…thank you." She muttered, her nose beginning to run. Ugh! I'm about to go out into icy temperatures! I need to calm down. She took a deep breath, giving them a mature smile, and bowing low. Daisukozo-sama grasped her shoulder lightly when she straightened back up.
"I hope the best for you Kinata. Prove our hospitality will not be in vain. Show the world the difference you can make." She nodded strongly.
"I will. And maybe one day I can come to visit again, so I can tell you all about it." Tazune gave a soft stroke to her right cheek.
"You would be most welcome, child." Daisukozo-sama handed her a small rock.
"This is a stone that has represented the loyalty of the Kusama clan to the Ryukotse clan from the moment your bloodline came to be. Keep it safe. Keep it protected." His expression seemed proud. She gave a curious gaze to the object as it resonated in her palm, as if bonding with her chakra already. She gave a weak nod, overwhelmed by her feelings.
"Now go. Yamamoto-sama has been waiting patiently enough out in the cold for you." Kinata closed her fist over the stone, giving the couple one last bow, before walking passed the entrance into the bitter cold. Her sensei stood ahead, staring straight beyond the gates to the mountain side. She made it to his side, mirroring his gaze.
"Ready?" He asked, as if challenging her. She smirked.
"When have I not been?" He 'hmphed' watching as she took the first few steps, though smiling to himself at her words as he caught up to her small strides quickly. Before passing the gates to the last steps, Kinata came to a halt. She turned her head to see her now previous guardians standing still by the doorway, observing them as they departed. She gave them a slight wave, and spun around to catch up to her sensei.