Donut let me go again!

[Hameru Ren]

4 years ago
Lights out.


2 years ago
A soft light bathed the room in a warm, white light. The low hum of measuring electronics filled the air, not quite loud enough to compete with the constant rhythm of a heavy rain beating on the windows, hidden behind thick curtains. Clean sheets covered his body and a pair of soft, fluffy pillows supported his back and neck. Natsu blinked, attempting to make sense of the surroundings, trying to form a coherent thought. Recall basic words and sentence structures. Like a writer searching for the correct thread to string along words in a story after a long dry spell, the Shinobi struggled to keep his eyes open. He failed, and a dark nothing swallowed him back into unconsciousness.


1.5 years ago
A woman stood over him, clutching a writing pad. Her lips moved, air waves vibrated against his eardrums. And while the sounds had a foreign familiarity to them, they remained significantly meaningless. If the man had any conscious control over his muscles, his face would’ve contorted into a confused look. Demanding an explanation. Begging for understanding. Yet Natsu could not, for try as he might, his body refused to move a finger or even wiggle an eyebrow. Flesh had become a prison, incapacity his jailor. Frustration and loneliness, desperation and fear, confusion and sadness his cellmates. Consciousness would be his key out, yet he knew not what the lock was. The only thing which escaped was a tear rolling along his cheek. Then the dark reclaimed him once more.


8 months ago
His breathing came ragged, struggling with the intrusions in his mouth and throat. RIP THEM OUT. Commanded a primal urge. Not even the desperation for oxygen could will his body to obey. Futile thrashing was all it accomplished. Do not. Nourishment. Important. Came another voice, calm yet firm. SHACKLED. NEED FREEDOM. Shouted the primal entity back. Natsu’s eyes shot back and forth, though they did not register any details. Dangerous. Stupid. Replied the other. Not us. His body froze, muscles locked. A moment passed, no longer than a heartbeat. The body fell limp once more. The dark welcomed back his familiar friend.


7 months ago
Masao. The word shot through the silence in his head. Name, informed the calm voice. What was a Masao? Who was a Masao? Sempai. Example. Important. Dear. The words trickled in, slow enough to allow a meaning for each to be found. Laugh. Enjoy. Respect. Adoration. Comrade. Fight. Danger. Injuries. Fall. The words now came, falling like bricks clattering together onto a pile, and were crushed by the final one: DEATH. Pain coursed through him. Worse than the tubes. Worse than the inability. He wanted to retreat into the darkness once more. Yet as it rushed to comfort him, a final word dropped into existence. Father.


5 Months ago
Haruka. The name rippled through, and Natsu shied back. Hesitant after the previous experience. Fall. Mock. Taunt. Slap. Glare. They slammed into his mind with a terrible force. All he could do was hope for the rain to stop or for the darkness to come save him. Laugh. Unshackled. Travel. Eyes. Affection. Lips. Want. Need. Now Natsu scrambled forward, eager to know their meaning, their relevance. Yet the darkness did not care, did not heed. YEARNING. It swooped in and took him away yet again. Love.


3.5 months ago
Words regained meaning. Regained power. Knowledge equals power. Power equals Power, which enables the gain of Knowledge. Darkness seeped back in, calling out like a siren for a sailor. It did not like these thoughts. Did not like coherence. Spymaster. Jonin. Kingslayer. Enishi. Shinobi. Sennin. Death. Murder. Raikage. Power. Weapon. END. AWAKE. LIVE. The Shinobi willed it, and so it happened. His index finger shook just a breath. His big toe wiggled ever so slightly. His lips moved, and tongue maneuvered. “Do Na Tsu”.


4 weeks ago
Natsu sat upright in the bed, his fingers weakly grasping at the cup of water in front of him. A nurse stood next to him, quickly scribbling notes, excitedly peering over him and muttering aloud once in a while. He had tried to call out for help, yet had fallen back into a state of unconsciousness three more times before he had managed. “Hos..pit-al?” He asked, voice cracking under exhaustion and parched lips. The nurse’s eyes widened even further, noting the action down furiously before excitedly squaking. “Correct! Please, go on!”

The Jonin confusedly thought about the words, their meaning lagging slightly behind the input. “Hel..p. Wa-t-er pl-ea..se.” He couldn’t grip the cup hard enough to manage drinking independently, but his mouth felt as dry as ash. The nurse hesitated for a moment, but decided to help the poor man in front of her. Assisting in lifting the cup to his lips, he took a careful sip. Relishing in the rediscovered sensation, Natsu hurriedly took another, before he almost chocked. “Careful! You’ve only just awoken!" The caretaker warned, lowering the cup back down. A nod was all she received in return. “W.. W-ant Shm, Sh-imm..a Haru-Har-Haruka. N-Nee..d.” The Shinobi croaked, before leaning back into the pillow. He felt the darkness rise once more as the comfortable pillows swallowed him up, and he could not resist. It also caused him to miss the worried look which had appeared on his caretaker’s face.


2.5 weeks ago
As he resurfaced into consciousness, Natsu found that a group stood aside his bed. “Greetings, mr. Do. I am Medical Chief Hinamotori Kazuto. Just Kazu will do however. How are you feeling?” The voice was warm and kind. Natsu nodded minimally in response. “O..kay. Tal..k hard. I-i-impro..ving.” “So I’ve heard, yes, mr Do. Truly remarkable! Especially after all these years.. This is an amazing recovery!” Natsu didn’t bother, didn’t care. “Shi ma. Haruk-a. Bring.. her. I, I, Inform Raikage. I.. I need see– them!” Nervous glances were exchanged. “We’ll do the necessary, mr. Do. Now, if you would, follow this little flashlight with your eyes please..”

“You see, due to a highly aggressive tumor development on your parathyroid glands, your parathyrin levels skyrocketed." The doctor clicked off the flashlight, noting down some results. "I'm sure you of all people understand that a Kaguya does need a higher level of calcium for bone control and restructure, but for any normal Kaguya these levels were just far too high. Your thyroid went into an active state, parahyperthyroidism, eventually resulting in a thyroid storm and causing your coma. After several attempts, we’ve managed to remove the tumor. We believe it is gone completely but..” A careful pause. “You still produce a ridiculous amount of calcium. It’s not a consistent production however. Every now and again, it’ll likely act up, forcing you to get rid of it somehow, or risk falling into a coma yet again.”


Present time
It has been more than two week now! And still no news! Not even a message! In the time it took to find and alert two people, Natsu had managed to walk independently once more and found his voice much more stable than compared to his first attempts. He had managed to walk, independently, for the first time again last night. Each time the Medical Chief had come to congratulate him on his progress, praising his treatment and machinery as often, if not more, than Natsu. And each time the Shinobi has inquired about any feedback, which always ended up deflected with a vague promise and a request for time. However, from what Natsu had heard, four years had already passed and many things had changed. Time was not a luxury resource he could make use of.


Later that night, he snuck out. Not an easy feat for a weakened Shinobi, dressed in the ridiculous patient’s garments offered by the hospital. None of his regular clothing had been retained at the hospital. Yet somehow he managed to reach his old apartment with no more than one or two odd looks from a civilian out for a nightly walk. Natsu had hesitated whether coming here was a good idea or not. Who was to say the building had not been sold to another? However, no one would take him seriously with the hospital garments. And given the time span he had been out for, he could not risk being sent back without learning at least something. His agents and spies may have come and gone during his absence, but the mentality had not disappeared after all that time.

Luckily, the apartment’s spare key was still hidden under the same brick as where he remembered, and as he carefully unlocked the door, a sigh of relief escaped his lips. Aside from sheets of plastic covering the furniture to protect it from dust, it was still the very same as his memories made him believe. A wave of nostalgia washed over him, recalling several more memories and details. The donut store around the corner, his document-cluttered desk, the many books and reports he’d read sprawled out over the sofa.. A tear fought its way down his cheek, but the Jonin was far too content revisiting his memories to pay it any heed.


After several minutes of taking it all in, Natsu shook himself out of the reverie. Every moment he wasted was a moment the hospital staff could notice his escape. They no doubt would not appreciate a patient out and about, ruining the precious recovery he’d made. Especially given the nature of the patient. Thus, Natsu swiftly retrieved a suit from the closet. It did not cleanly fit the slimmed down frame, a result of close to four years being tube fed, but it’d have to do. It gave him some sense of his old self back, and with renewed confidence he set out towards the legation. Surely someone would recognize him there, after all his years of service, and provide him with some much needed information? Yet on his way out, his eye fell on a mysterious package containing a letter on the floor, just in front of the door.

His curiosity got the better of him, as he picked it up. In large, bold letters it informed the reader that it was strictly confidential. As well as Natsu could tell, the seal had not been undone yet. A single character had been marked at the bottom-right corner, indicating the provider. Signed with only an ‘H’ however, it was impossible to determine who exactly the mysterious sender was. The most obvious possibility was of course Haruka. Yet it did not seem to be her handwriting, if he could correctly recall. Opening the document, Natsu read through the contents. Immediately he wished he hadn’t. His hands shook uncontrollably, eyes staring in disbelief at the words on the document. A pained “No..” was all he could manage.

Stumbling to his feet, the Jonin shook his head several more times. This could not be. This was not allowed to be true! He refused! Surely this was some cruel prank, and no truth to be simply believed! The blonde slowly moved towards the door, paper still clutched in hand, and opened the door. As a lightning bolt he took off, rushing through the streets of the Seki District. As he finally found a passerby, he grabbed the man by the shoulders. “Shima Haruka! Where is she?!” At the mention of the name the man’s eyes went wide. His answer was a shrug of the shoulders. “In prison rotting. Or dead, as some rumors have you believe. For a while now laddie.. How come you’re no-..” Natsu had taken off again before the man had finished. Each person he passed responded similarly enough. The report had been correct. The one woman, the one anchor he’d had left in his life after Masao’s departure.. Gone.


His determination and spirit from earlier had all but disappeared. His shoulders slumped, head hanging down. Tears started rolling freely, mixing in with the rain which had once more picked up. Sobbing uncontrollably, his feet took him away for the eyes staring at him, though Raiden could know where to. The emotional blow had a serious impact on Natsu. His breathing came very irregular, as well as his heart beat going erratic. The inner darkness called out to him again, as his vision began to cloud. Head spinning, felt the rush the Medical Chief had warned him about. Force it down! Expend the calcium! Warned the words of the Medical Chief in his head. But the Kaguya couldn’t help wonder whether he should even bother..

He had lost his Sennin position; Most of his former intelligence contacts and friends he could presume had either died or moved on; Masao was dead; Shima Haruka now reportedly had died a traitor at the hands of Akira Saito; His body was failing him, presenting the risk of blasting out of control. This is too much. Too godrotting much! Natsu thought desperately, as he frantically pumped out the overflowing calcium threatening to tackle him once more. Spires of calcium fell from his hands, digging into the paved ground with a crunching noise, as a thin layer of bone stretched out and covered his limbs. He slumped against the wall of an apartment building, though he hadn’t even realized he'd made it to the Residential Area. Perhaps he should just give into the darkness once more..

.. Yet a name pulled Natsu's attention, away from the temptation of false serenity. 'Takaki' adorned the mailbox of the apartment. A hundred different explanations could be given for why it'd be there in front of him, yet the blonde grasped one and clutched onto it as if his life depended on it. What if it was his old sempai, the man who'd called him a son before he'd disappeared. What if he had not died from the fall thanks to same miraculous trick and instead had returned to the village to settle once more. Natsu stumbled up the stairways, looking for the door matching the mailbox number. Finally finding the correct one, he banged on it once. Then again, and again, over and over. He'd continue until Masao opened the door, inviting him in and chiding him for being late to dinner.

[Word Count: 2.2375]
[Marked for Training]
[OoC: I'm back!]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

The old legends say that after he'd defeated the Great Spirit of the Wind in battle, a bloodied and victorious Raiden found himself standing atop a new mountain that he's raised from the very Earth itself during his fight. The people of the land, now freed from the violent, arbitrary shadow of their former oppressor now looked to their new savior for guidance. Raiden, a reticent man not given to rallying cries or bluster, chose to speak of laws. He had realized during his ordeals that all chaos, even that caused by the Gods themselves, originated in the fickle hearts of men. Laws were thus the only way in which mankind would find salvation and not sink into violent Armageddon.

Raiden thus spoke and his words were deep graven on each heart and transmitted through the stones for all humanity: Thou shalt not murder without clarity. Thou shalt not covet without cause. Thou shalt keep what thou kill'st. And lastly, thou shalt not knock on people's god-damned doors at ass-o-clock in the morning!

Okay, so I made that last one up, but it should've been one of the Thirty-Two Precepts of Lightning...

At first, I simply jam the ends of my pillow against my ears and wish the sound away. More than likely, just some drunk teen who's got the wrong address. There's a small chance that it could be a friend on the other side of the door desperately trying to take refuge from the horrors of the night, but even if it were, then fuck'em is what I say. Having seen enough horror movies in theaters, I can almost hear the faint cry of "Don't open the door, you stupid bitch!" every time I stumble around in the dark trying to take a pee. Despite my best efforts to ignore said knocking, though, it just gets louder and louder. I can even hear someone whimpering on the other end. How shittily is this place constructed, anyway? Jesus Saito, can the neighbors hear it when I'm on the can?

When I can't stand it anymore, I finally, grudgingly slip on my ratty house slippers and pad my way to the door. I'm too disoriented to even throw on a house coat, so you can imagine a half-asleep woman with puffy eyes and messy hair weaving around the place wearing a tee-shirt and not much else (I prefer to free-ball it...or at least I would if I possessed balls.) When I get to the door I slam my foot into it in an effort to scare off whoever's outside.

"Fuck off! I'm not buying anything or joining your cult!"

The knocking gets even louder. I don't care who it is now, but he or she is gonna get punted where the sun don't shine. Finally, I pull the door open. Surprise, motherfucker!

The man who stumbles into me is disheveled mess of curly blonde hair in a musty suit from an era where all clothes were unfashionable. He's also someone I'd recognize in less than a godrotting heartbeat: his face, after all, haunts some of my dreams. He's screwed me both literally and metaphorically, and for that I'd love to have a little chit-chat with him. I'm talking about Natsu: governor of Roenesia.

I grab him by the lapels of his vinyl monstrosity and hurl him against one of the walls. The plaster cracks and he leaves a human-sized dent in the wall. There goes my security deposit. Before he can recover I slam my fist right into his jaw and knock him to the floor. Then, I straddle him and hit him again, right on the nose. Blood splatters and I grin with triumph.

"Hey, baby! I thought you were banned from the village, but thanks for dropping by for little old me. We never got to catch up after the last time. You know, when you wanted Yumers to cut my godrotting head off. I should just tear your throat out right now, but..."

Against all reasonable impulse, I lean my head down and mash my lips against his. When I'm nearly out of breath, I break off the kiss and wipe the blood from my face. I flutter my lashes at him.

"Hmm. I still want to kill you after all. Give me a reason?"

 

[Oishi Shichimenchou]

INPC Countess Bakunin

"Excuse me sir?" I said.

"Umm.." I walked up the stairs cautiously.

I had gone out to buy some milk when I saw a man running in the rain without an umbrella. At the sight of this my maternal instincts took over and I felt obliged to go over and offer to accompany him home. From his composure he did not appear to be a right state of mind. Was he a drunk trying to get home? Or was it that he was suffering from a case of madness? I could relate to both.

I stretched my hand out towards him whilst keeping a safe distance away. If he was drunk I had an obligation as a good Kumo-jin to get him home, but I also had a duty to myself not to get too close if he turned hostile. I had shinobi training, but even a drunkard's knife could harm me if I were not careful. I took my hand back almost immediately upon seeing the man knock, rather rigorously I thought, on a door. No one seemed to be inside.

"Umm mister are you okay? Are you trying to get home?"

It was then the door opened and, well. I took a step down as I watched the commotion. A bear-like creature came out and grabbed the drunk man and began throwing him around. My eyes widened. By Hayata Shin, Aion, and the rest of the Raikages - what was going on? I thought that the job of the ANBU was to make sure men bears did not go attacking us. Why else was I paying such high property taxes? The council would be getting an earful out of me during the next town meeting.

I was wearing my pajamas. A night cap covered most of my periwinkle blue hair. I had my umbrella sheathed and was carrying a bottle of milk in my left hand. At the sight of the man bear I wished I had a sword and explosive note instead of my umbrella and milk.

OOC: *shakes fist* Masao ninja-ed me when I was in the editor.

 

[Kouin]

Hair a disheveled mess, arms and legs sprawled out across the floor. The night before had been an eerie blur to the recently enacted sennin, but that didn't stop him from having a good time, or at least as far as he could remember. In the dark abyss of his sleeping mind he could hear the insistent pounding of someone knocking on the god forsaken door. Didn't have people have better things to do than pester drunken, hung over people at the wee hours of the morning? Especially after a rough session of Drunk Jenga, which playing that sober is enough of a challenge in it's own right.

Kouin's eyes fluttered open, painfully adjusting to the change of brightness, Oi! Did someone turn on the sun?. He looked over at his bare sleeve, and caught glimpse of some nondescript writing, probably just some drunken shenanigans. His ears perked at the patting of someone walking down the stairs, which was a que that the door would be opened, and the mystery guest unveiled. He could hear the soft sound of the hinges squeaking; sitting up, Kouin lazily stared at the direction of the door. In his sights was a Saeko that was bare, save for a t-shirt that covered enough, but the man on the other side of the door was a mystery. His eye strained to capture the visage of the man, eyes still not quite ready to cooperate.

Kouin blinked a few times and could see every so much more; the man had looked he had just gotten into a fight with a nasty mongoose, and did a number on his hair do. Though the his suit appeared to be of a well tailored fashion; he wore a magenta tie with a matching pocket-chief, and a dark green vest. The man looked like a mess, but he was the best dressed mess this side of the west. Kouin let a brief chuckle to himself escape his lips, as out of no where, the man was sent hurling in his direction, and crashed into him sending them both flying.

Kouin crash landed into a different wall than the perpetrator, and painfully rubbed the back of his head. Well.... That was unexpected.... He stared cautiously at the events unfold; it went from unexpected violence, to more senseless violence, to than deep heart-felt emotions.... What was this, a Sitcom? Kouin rubbed his face in confusion, and wondered what to do. On one hand, this wasn't any of his concern, and he should just watch for shits and giggles. Though on the other hand, his head hurt, and all this ruckus was making his hang over that much worse. Focusing the best he could, Kouin raised his hand to the air, attempting to bring forth gravitational manipulation to the surrounding area, and lifting the parties off of each other, If you two are gunna fight, could you keep it a little quieter? I have a raging headache, and somehow have a tattoo that says "Big Mama Saeko", and my socks were replaced with gelatin replicas. So I got some questions myself. He felt a sharp pain run its course through his head, and gripped his head in slight pain, But maybe some tea first.....

 

[Hameru Ren]

Umm mister are you okay? Are you trying to get home?" The voice shook Natsu out of his daze. Turning to where the voice had come from, and then down a bit, he found a small woman offering her aid. Her outfit was peculiar, to say the least. And just so her hair. The sheer peculiarity of her appearance made Natsu finally realize the oddity of his own actions. “No, I was-..” Whatever he was, the countess wouldn’t come to discover. The door was pulled open and Natsu stumbled forwards due to the suddenness of it. It was not the face of Takaki Masao which greeted him at the opened door, despite his false hopes. Instead it was decidedly feminine and her name was JOHN CENA Takaki Saeko. It took him a moment to recognize her, four years was quite a while after all, but she jumped to radically different conclusions than him in a far short span of time.

Sent coursing through the air, Natsu was oddly reminded of his meeting all those years ago with Zaku, Hikari and Kahako. It made him wonder what they were up to nowadays, and if he’d recognize them as easily as Saeko. Probably. He’d never been very close with the youngest Takaki spawn, yet identifying her hadn’t been hard. Or perhaps she had more in her of Masao than he realized.
The blonde's foot connected with something. Something rather soft, perhaps even squishy. Briefly he wondered what it was, before slammed into the wall. If he’d not been covered in calcium, that could’ve actually hurt. Now all the throw had achieved was to damage the wall. It could’ve used a fresh lick of paint anyway. His assailant clearly determined red would do nicely as a color, and Natsu felt a blow strike his unprotected cheek. A weight pinned him down before he could escape and a third attack hit him right on the nose. Not even two hours out of the hospital and already he’d be having to go back looking far worse for wear.

The words Saeko spat at Natsu made little sense to him. Had he suffered some sort of amnesia as a side effect from his coma perhaps? Banned from the Village? Ordering a beheading? Those seem significant enough to have at least some recollection o-.. Finishing thoughts and sentences was not a given today, as the Jonin was assaulted once more. With lips this time. Disregarding the warning bells going off in his head, Natsu leaned in. Perhaps it was the sharp contrast with the attacks from earlier. Perhaps it was the lack of physical contact for the past four years. Whichever the reason, it felt nice for the time it lasted. He’d even had the audacity to sneak a hand onto the woman’s leg. An action which told him she either was wearing very tiny underwear, or possibly none at all.

"Hmm. I still want to kill you after all. Give me a reason?" Natsu could scarcely keep up with the shifts in attitude. “A reason to kill me, or to spare me?” He asked, voice oddly nasal. The blonde sighed, and attempted to rest his head onto Saeko’s shoulder. Just then however, she was lifted off of him as if by magic. He himself got dragged back up to his feet, an odd sensation. He was too tired to process the ordeal however, and didn't bother searching for an explanation on how that had happened. While Kouin listed his own personal issues, Natsu wondered if perhaps THAT had been which he'd unwittingly kicked when he had been sent flying. Sorry dude. The blonde rubbed his sore cheek, and took whatever moment of rest he was given to try clean up his face somewhat. Fishing out a handkerchief, he wiped away some of the blood adorning his face.

“Damn it Saeko. It took me four godrotting years to get out of that hospital. What’s with the rush to get me back in there?" The Jonin managed a weak smile, though his expression revealed he still was in pain. He continued on, not really awaiting an answer. "Your dad always told me Jo must’ve had some ridiculous balls to date you. If this is how you treated him, I get why. However, I don't believe that-" Natsu pointed at Kouin. "-is Narashi Jo, is he? Unless my old Hand matured very differently than I'd imagined.” His voice got a bit softer, the forced joy in it all but gone. "Unless Jo is also dead by now? Like Haruka, as people would have me believe. Please tell me the answer to both of that is no?" It was a plea and made him seem pathetic and vulnerable. But if anyone would give him the cold, hard truth, it'd be Saeko.

[Word Count: 750]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

Natsu answers my question with the sort of eloquent brevity that I’d expect from a person whose entire life has been life-and-death battles fought in shadows. Words and glances are far more potent killers than knives and bullets, at least in the sort of circles that I know he’s occupied. Basically, when he tries to stroke my damned leg, I know instantly that I’ve got to end him right here and right now.

Before I can crush Natsu’s skull, I get manhandled yet again. Kouin of course doesn’t have the balls—or maybe he’s just savvier in general—to directly touch me, but he has few qualms about squirting his jutsu all over me without asking. I flail angrily against his gravitic field and flip him the bird. “What are you still doing here? I thought I told you to move out and get your own damned place already! Freeloader scum! I’m violating my lease like this!”

As if things couldn’t get any worse, now I spy my landlord staring quizzically at me over the threshold. Ugh, Saeko, you’ve forgotten the first rule of murder: close the stupid door. “Jesus, Baku-chan! Er, Countess Bakunin-sama! What’re you doing up so late?” I chuckle nervously. “This isn’t what it looks like! The Sennin’s just staying here for a few nights until he signs a new lease! And-and-and this guy’s just visiting from overseas! If-if makes you feel any better, at least I haven’t seen my actual boyfriend for ages! I swear to Raiden I’m not running a cathouse here!”

Natsu starts to gibber again. I hold up a hand to shush him—either that or try to summon lightning and fry his ass, as my murderous Santaru blood demands—but instead I’m surprised to hear what he has to say. Something’s definitely not adding up. I blink and stare at him.

“Jo? How the hell do you know about Jo? How the hell do you know what happened to Haruka?” I grimace and take a step back. This is all too much. “Wait a godrotting moment. Who are you? You look like Tsutsukakushi Natsu but you’re acting like…like…like Do? Do Natsu’s in a coma!” My face flushes a second later. “And that moocher there’s most definitely not Jo! His name is Doofus Kouin, and he’s just a guest. I’m most definitely not breaking my lease.”

I give Bakunin a pleading, stinkeyed glance.

 

[Oishi Shichimenchou]

INPC Countess Bakunin

Water began to fall down my face as I watched the man bear continue to pummel the drunkard. Things only got worse after the drunkard touched the man bear. It was then that I had a shocking realization. The man bear was neither bear or man. It was a woman - if one wishes to be generous.

I have always thought myself a progressive Countess. I voted in favor of freeing the serfs and granting freedom of conscience to the populace the last time the Congress of Nobles were called forth. My maid insists that I am mis-remembering these things and that no such things as a Congress of Nobles exists, but I vividly remember voting on something. It might have been on whether we should have duck or chicken, but Raiden be damned I voted on something. At any rate, I think of myself as a progressive Countess, but even I have difficulty accepting what passes as feminine these days. Women weren't supposed to go around throwing men into walls or punching them. Women were supposed to be passive aggressive, with the occasional dramatic slap at a cocktail party.

I felt no better when I realized that the woman was one of my tenants. I hope I can be forgiven for not having recognized her earlier. When one gets to be as ol- as experienced as I, you tend to accumulate a large portfolio of real estate and it is to forget what you own. I have, for example, a castle in Jelly Bean Country and a strip mall in Marshmallow Country, both of which I only on occasion bother to collect rent from.

I nodded my head upon hearing my tenant trying to assure me that she was not breaking the lease by subleasing it to others. It was then that the gravity itself was shut down. Was the Takaki girl in such bad financial state that they could not afford to pay the utilities company to keep the gravity running? I would have to speak to her parents about teaching their daughter some basic lessons in personal finance.

It was then that I noticed another party (Kouin). No doubt he was from the utilities company and had come to collected.

I let out a sigh. I was getting too experienced for these shenanigans.

"I believe you Miss Takaki. I'm not so prunish that I mind your boyfriend coming over, but would you at least keep the chains and ball stuff inside?" I waved at my tenant disapprovingly as I made my way down the stairs and headed out.

I paused for a moment as I approached the gravity utilities man and, with my free hand, I took out a few silver coins and offered them to him.

"Please over look Miss Takaki's late gravity utilities bill for now. You know how college kids spend all their money on alcohol and Magic cards."

[Leaving Topic unless stopped, yada yada]

 

[Kouin]

Insistent yelling, constant screaming, everything was a ring in his ear. Nothing settled, even though in reality they weren't even talking that loud, he was just tired. It sounded like issues with leasing, and subleasing, but who could really stop a heavily trained shinobi who can spit fire from their mouths, and lightning from their fingertips? He shook his head sparingly, and clasped his hand shut getting rid of the Anti-Grav field, and placed his other hand at his temple and began to rub; Uggh. The migraine was slowly beginning to subside with due time. Kouin moved into the kitchen briefly to begin brewing a pot of tea.

He turned his attention to the newcomer who was pointing a accusatory finger, Woooooooah, woah. Woah. I'm definitely no Narashi Jo, at least I don't think I am. He let out a brief sigh of confusion, and crossed his arms. Now who are you exactly? It looks like you got into a fight with a weed wacker, or a mongoose. Probably a mongoose. After the man introduced himself, he'd offer him a meager handshake, one that only someone that was sufficiently hungover could offer, and introduced himself, Kouin, a pleasure make your acquaintance.

The shenanigans in this situation were beginning to seem like some cheesy sitcom that you'd catch on the tube around noon, and then you'd have no idea who the characters are, or what is even going on. Though it would appear that in this sitcom, Kouin was the utilities man, how had he fell into such a despairing role? This supposed dense neutron star harem main character? He was destined for so much greater. The woman with long, soft periwinkle hair approached him. A cliche scent of lavender filled the hair as she approached. The land lady dropped silver coins into his hand, and asked Kouin to forgive the gravity bill for the mean time; Kouin was positively confused. Kouin grasped Bakunin hands gently, Bakunin-san, I don't want your money. Kouin looked at the ground meagerly for but a moment, and brought his gaze back up to meet Bakunin, All I ever wanted was you He gave the coins reluctantly to Saeko, as she was letting him stay for the time being, Freaking tax workers... Always get your money some how. He shook his head in annoyance.

Kouin feigned backwards, and brought his hand to his heart in utter shook, A doofus! The nerve, he pointed a finger at Saeko, Who you calling a doofus you numbskull! He was more or less playing a touchy game in the insult department, but he was kidding anyways. He could hear the kettle begin to whistle loudly, piercing his mind; he shuffled on over to the kettle and pulled out a try. Kouin poured three cups of tea, and set them down at the table, So firstly, Saeko! Kouin pointed very dramatically at Saeko, than to his arm, What's the deal with this "Big Mama Saeko" tattoo, HMMMMMMMMMMM?!?!?!

 

[Takaki Saeko]

“Jesus Saito, Doofus. Where’d you get that?” I roll my eyes at Kouin. Having an awkward moocher of a roommate is certainly cutting into my melodrama coefficient. Long-lost Do Natsu has just shown up at my door in the middle of a dying village on the outskirts of a hostile world asking about my dead fiancé and instead of letting the tears flow I have to figure out why a goofy rogue nin’s got a prison-tat on his arm with my name on it. I sit on the couch, grab his arm, and sip at my tea.

“Looks amateurish, and probably illegal,” I say. “Like someone used a sewing needle dipped into the ink tube of a ballpoint pen. Also, there’s an infection starting to spread around the edges. Ew! You’d think the chucklefucks who put this on you would’ve heard of alcohol ripes.”

I look at him and blink. “I have no idea where you got this, dude. You should probably get it removed before your arm falls off. But…good job trying to pick up the Countess Bakunin, by the by. She’s a widow and if you marry her then you’ll be accepted here in no time. Anyway, I like cougars and you can too.”

I turn to the business at hand. “Donuts, take a seat. When was the last time I saw you? Shit…I must’ve been barely seventeen at the time. Sorry about earlier. I mistook you for someone else. Actually, you two could be twins, except if you open your mouths. He and I were… it’s complicated.” I wash the bitter taste of the Roenesian governeur out of my mouth with another swig of tea.

“Anyway, you asked about Jo. He’s been… gone for years. I almost married him, but then that demon sealed in his head drove him to death.” I don’t need to tell anyone about exactly how Jo met his end. That’s a secret I’ll take to my grave. “It took me a long time to get over him. It’ll take me longer to get over Haruka. You weren’t the only one who loved her. I’m sorry, Natsu. She’s dead. Saito executed her for treason. I… I don’t know what to say…”

 

[Hameru Ren]

“Jo? How the hell do you know about Jo? How the hell do you know what happened to Haruka?” That was about as close to a yes as Saeko could’ve gotten without actually saying the word. Natsu turned away from the commotion, pretending to be checking his injuries in the mirror hanging from the wall. He needed a moment to collect himself. Certainly, the fact that no one of the hospital staff had wanted to inform him regarding Haruka had been suspicious. But he’d presumed that to have been for a different reason. That his escape from the hospital would’ve lead to a happy reunion after all these years. Haruka scribbling away at reports in a dimly lit office, teetering on the edge of sleep. Natsu cracking open the door, taking in the sight, before taking a step inside. Both hesitating for just a moment, before flying into each other’s arms.

Instead, Natsu had to settle for.. this mess. Natsu wondered if he’d ever insulted Shinbatsu or perhaps had missed one too many a Festival of Lightning for Raiden to be content with him. That this was his punishment. A rampaging Saeko who struggled to retain her apartment, a stranger who was terrible at insults and more than a tad bit confusing and a blue-haired syndic to round it all off. The oddity of it all was sufficient to hold off any tears and depressions. At least until he was alone again. Natsu ran a hand through his hair and returned his attention to the group. The odd man had walked up to him, interrogating him about his identity. “Do Natsu.” He stated simply, shooting a pointed look at Saeko. “Kouin, a pleasure make your acquaintance.” A handshake was offered and accepted. “Perhaps under other circumstances I’d share the sentiment.”

The man was briefly pulled away from the conversation by the syndic however, before he trod off to the kitchen and she to.. wherever real estate owners went. Kouin returned from the kitchen with and started blubbering loudly again. He certainly was a.. colorful type. A bit more energetic than Natsu felt he could handle right about now. The tea was appreciated however, and he grasped one of the cups. As the other two inspected Kouin’s new tattoo, Natsu inspected the room. The dent he’d made looked rather ugly, and would certainly end up costing quite a bit to repair. Kouin’s crash had left a similar mark. Other than that, it was surprisingly well kept and clean. Only a few cans of beer were visible, likely from earlier that night.

“Donuts, take a seat.” The familiarity with which she spoke his name was nice. It had been four years after all. Sitting down next to Saeko, he listened intently. Her report of his doppleganger did not sit well with him. He recalled a mission report describing figure like that in one of the colonies. It’d be troublesome if he’d caused even more issues with Natsu’s face. Hearing about Jo’s fate, the blonde gently lay his hand atop of the Takaki girl’s. “I’m sorry.” She continued on, with words that stung even harder. Jo had become a friend for the short time they’d worked closely together. And Natsu had intended to see the man grow into his successor, like Masao had done with him. Yet Haruka.. She’d been the one he had lost his heart to. His grief was replaced by anger and disbelief when he heard she’d been put down for treason of all things. Natsu could hardly believe it. He stated as much: “I-.. I cannot believe it.” Told you so. “Her? Treason?” A shocking realization dawned on Natsu.

“Was it that Golden Seer from Mist? Hoshikata, did he have anything to do with it?!” That man had enjoyed Natsu’s greatest respect and fear, both at once, for he’d been an expert political player. And the Kumo-nin more than once suspected his interest for Haruka. “No, never mind. I’ll discuss it with Akira Saito himself. I must say his return is unexpected, but from what little I’ve heard so far, he’s the Raikage nowadays?” Natsu had met the hulking man once, when he’d retired to be a blacksmith. He’d read several reports after that mission on the man as well. He had not anticipated a return from the man to a political seat. If he had indeed taken the seat of Raikage, Natsu would have to meet with him regardless. After the response, Natsu rubbed the bridge of his nose in thought, before addressing Saeko once more and once again pointing to Kouin. “So, what’s with this guy then?”

[OoC: I found it difficult figuring out the action sequence. Thanks for bailing me out!]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

Why is Natsu taking this all in stride? I just told him—as plainly as I could—that the love of his life’s been brutally murdered by the meathead in charge, and that everything’s gone straight to shit-covered Hell. Why the hell is he blithering on about Hoshikata? Why the hell does he want to “discuss” anything with Akira Saito?

Why won’t you bolt from your chair in a rage? Why aren’t you demanding I give you a weapon—any weapon will do—so you can go over to the Torre and blow the Kage’s head off? Why aren’t you attacking me? Why aren’t you shaking me and screaming in my face, demanding to know if I had something to do with her death? Why aren’t you calling me a cowardly bitch who hid behind a flimsy shield of neutrality instead of working against the Man? Why can’t you be angry at me, Donuts? Why, when you’ve lost everything, are you so infuriatingly civil?

I look down at my hands. Hands of a coward who wouldn’t stand up for right. If Donuts doesn’t leave my apartment without kicking the shit out of me then I’ve failed as a human being.

“They’re saying Haruka killed Hayata Shin and some other people. She and that yellow-eyed fuck Hoshikata. And perhaps she had even more help. This mednin Keiji went missing a few days after. Shinrya Kitsune’s been disgraced and stripped of her position. At least Hoshikata’s dead and his body chopped up into parts, because that bastard doesn’t deserve a burial. I don’t know where they’re pulling this from, because this is all part of Akira Saito’s inquest.” I look up at Donuts with a vengeful glare. “After Hayata died, we had an election. It was Hayata’s will. Haruka versus Saito versus Kitsune. We all chose freely, and we all chose Haruka. She was Raikage for a time. Some said she was barely active and didn’t post, but she was a good Kage and always treated the rest of us well! But then… then she just fucking vanished. They sent the ANBU after her and brought her back. Then, she spent months in the godrotting dungeons before they finally chopped her head off.”

At this point, I can’t see clearly. I don’t care.

“Guess who’s in power now? Anyway, we’re back to the way we were. A two-bit tyranny. And one that I work for because I like my shitty things. Donuts, I could’ve stopped this. I could’ve shot Sennin Noboyuki in the back when he brought her here. I could’ve freed her and told her to run again. But I couldn’t because I was a coward. We’re dying, in case you haven’t noticed. We’re all dying here.”

 

[Kouin]

Kouin furrowed his brows as Saeko responded, "For some reason I hardly believe you, this seems like something that you would do." Regardless of her response, a simple removal of a tattoo was nothing before the almighty wibbly wobbly, timey wimey, stuff. He placed his off hand over the shanty looking tattoo that looked like something you'd get in prison. His hand began to glow a soft pale white that washed over the desecration on his arm. Slowly the tattoo faded away; though the focus was quickly shifted back to the one known as Do Natsu.

The conversation steered quickly into one that Kouin had zero part of being in. The tides of the events that appeared to have transpired were ones of dire straits. Kouin had personally witnessed the execution of Haruka; it was over quickly, Saito wasting no time in striking her down. He hadn't known of Haruka, or what she did for the people in her short tenure as Raikage. So he couldn't help but feel no sympathy for her, but he had no intention of vocalizing that opinion.

The raw, unbridled emotions these two felt for Haruka were quite astounding; could someone who was loved this much truly be a treasonous murderer? He shook his head, he had heard the information with his own two ears from a primary witness, but was Hayata Shin's death even worth it? If Haruka was as benevolent of a person as these two make her out to be, couldn't she have resolved the situation through diplomacy rather than violence? He shrugged internally, what was in the past couldn't be changed, and no sense to be trapped in something that can't be changed; he knew that better than most people would be led to believe.

He blinked a couple times as a finger was point in his direction; "Me?" He leaned forward slightly, and took a sip of his tea and began to gather his thoughts. "Simply put, a series of minor altercations occurred involving myself, and various cloud shinobi." Taking in a breath, and another sip of tea he would continue, "I alluded, and alluded them multiple times; I was finally confronted in the library by Ayumu, Kahako, and Saito, which was so to speak a "Last Stand" of sorts. I asked what I would do if I were his position." He knew many didn't like his sudden rise in power, or even swearing on the name someone as holy as Shinbatsu, but Kouin had no other choice, he played the hand he was dealt. "During the span of all this, Previous Anbu Sennin was shot in his bedside, and Saito placed me in a prison so to speak. He mad me leader of the branch that I caused three inadvertent causalities; I was given a chance to have a chance to be forgiven."

 

[Hameru Ren]

Natsu's expression hardened as he heard Kouin's explanation. What in the godrotting hell had possessed Akira Saito, apprentice of Shinbatsu and apparant new Raikage, to pull a stunt like that? A foreign nin who had fought with Cloud Shinobi had been made Sennin, of all things? This was a secondary offense as per Kumogakur's official law system. No matter how vague-phrased of a 'punishment' the Kage had come up with, this did not sit well. How had this man, Kouin, managed to sway the grizzled old veteran to spare not only his life outside of a physical cell, but even promote him to the upper echelons of Cloud's leadership? This was a matter that required serious investigation, and preferably sooner rather than later. "Curious story. This will require more answers as well." Natsu responded. And answers I'll get. "Later, though."

Saeko then picked up, further elaborating on what happened to Haruka. Natsu's earlier suspicions were confirmed as she mentioned Hoshikata. His fist gripped into a tight fist, though he remained silent as she continued. An election? That did sound like his old Raikage's idea.The man had been an idealist, with a fondness of peace. This sort of election though.. Natsu could almost picture Hayata Shin explaining the idea while sipping his coffee. The brief, happy thought made way for a dread sense of panic. What had pushed Haruka to disappear like that after she'd been selected? And how had that devolved into her being accused of treason, ending in her death? Just what had transpired in those months? What had push Saito to cast judgement on the woman so harshly, yet spare Kouin so freely? Or had the latter been done as a form of atonement for the former?

Categorize. Categorize what I know and do not know. What is rationalisable, what do I need to figure out further? Where do I require more input, what can I finalize by myself? What lies within my power to change and what is beyond my power? Natsu grasped back to the mental exercise he'd often applied during his political meetings in the past. It helped calm him down. It prevented the Jonin from bursting out in anger and forced his mind to occupy itself with tasks other than seek pointless revenge. It was what kept him from crashing down in a blubbering mess in front of Saeko and Kouin. And it allowed him to bear the emotions and be a tower of strength.

"If you had done so, Kumogakure would've lost another fine woman. Another Takaki." Natsu said, hoping to comfort her. "You couldn't have helped the Village if you'd been forced to run, or had died. And where would I have ended then, this night?" The Jonin shook his head, again clasping her hand. "You are not to blame for any of this. But believe me when I say, I will discover the truth. And I will do anything in my power to restore Haruka's name in good honor." It was the least he could do for the woman he'd once loved. Perhaps still did? It was confusing awaking like this after four years. "And Kumogakure too, while I'm at it." He even managed not to make it sound like the cliche it was. "Will you help me in this?"

[Word Count: 550]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

The last time I saw Do Natsu alive was at the memorial service held for my father. One of the old man's inscrutable--and perhaps unempathetic--directives to the village had been to forbid the expenditure of village funds on any sort of funeral gathering or wake. Perhaps he was in denial about the possibility of being killed in the line of duty. Or perhaps he did and wanted to spare the rest of us some pain. Of course, the survivors who'd come back from Tenouza immediately disregarded my father's posthumous command. They spent the rest of the remaining funds set aside for hunting Enishi on casks of liquor and drank for days. If there was something Father didn't understand, it was that we all love to mix regret and wine.

I stared Natsu from a distance for most of that depressing "party." Sometimes, he and Haruka would hold each other and gently rock in each others' arms. Sometimes, he'd retreat alone to the outside. Once, he pulled a bolter out and pressed it against his forehead before thinking better of it and tossing the weapon in the bushes. I remember simultaneously wanting him to pull that trigger and wanting to fuck his brains out. Grief and booze do weird things to a girl. They still do.

I tremble and wipe the slick from my eyes and cheeks. Natsu's lost everything, but he still has the gall to forgive me and tell me it's not my fault. I can't decide whether I want to slap him or kiss him. Grief and booze.

"Donuts," I say. "Please be careful. Saito will crush you like a bug the way you are right now. Even this Doofus here couldn't hope to fight him." I glance at Kouin. I hadn't planned on having an emotional breakdown in front of my stoner-comedy roommate, but then again, I hadn't planned on having Donuts show up at my door. "But if you need help, I'll try to see what I can do."

I give the old Spymaster a peck his cheek for luck. He'll need it. We'll all need it.

 

[Hameru Ren]

Crush me? Natsu wondered. Certainly, the man was strong. That had been made clear, all those years ago. But that man was also old, by now. Natsu had not yet reached his prime back then, though perhaps he had missed the window of opportunity now due to the coma. The Jonin was curious just how strong he could grow again, and where that would rank him. Right now, he'd probably have issues with a fresh Chunin. But once he'd be back in form.. No, he still wouldn't be able to tackle a Kage. But then, he didn't anticipate needing to do anything of the sort. Not in Cloud anyway. Masao had shown him where revenge led, and his loyalty had been drilled into him. No, his mind was not near such actions right now.

His hand brushed the place where her lips had graced his cheek. The other hand itched as if to remind him of the groping he'd done earlier. He suddenly became very aware of her very casual outfit indeed. Four years without any stimulation of the kind. And even before that he'd never been active in that field. Regardless of his feelings for Haruka, they'd barely professed their feelings a month before his.. incident. And for a nice boy as Natsu, every base took a month to reach at the very least! She'd mentioned Jo had passed away and that Kouin wasn't her boyfriend.. Raiden-be-damned, control yourself. It had only been a few moments since he'd heard the girl he'd loved had passed. And not even the many years out nor hormones were any excuse. Some booze might've rectified it perhaps. Maybe.

"Thank you, Saeko. I truly appreciate the offer. As well as not kicking me back to the hospital." Natsu said, the latter with a small grin on his face. Surely the medical personnel had noticed his absence by now, and would likely find him sometime soon. The blonde didn't exactly want to leave here, but at the same time he wasn't certain why'd she bother to keep him here. And he'd run out of topics to talk about. At least in front of Kouin. The man had been another unexpected factor of the evening. Though it was an interesting one, and Natsu would investigate it further. Searching for a topic, even if it was just to continue this fleeting moment of safety a bit longer. "Once I'm dismissed from the hospital, would you help me with my finances?" I used to be much better at this..

[Word Count: 375]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

I glance over at Kouin. He's fallen fast asleep mid-process of trying to smoke. The unlike cigarillo dangles from between his lips and his lighter's thankfully gone out. I shake my head at the sight, because homeboy could've burned all of us down! I'll have to give him a lecture on fire safety later on, especially since last I heard, the Sileo Tempestas was still lit by torches inside.

Donuts has come to the conclusion that it's time to depart. I guess it's fortunate that he still has his own place, and that I won't need to take in a second roommate. To hear it from my father, Natsu had apparently left a coating of sticky white goo everywhere he'd been. "Cream filling" and "glaze" from a "pastry addiction," none of which I'd want in my apartment on a regular basis. I can't help but feel sorry for him, though. He's lost everything--his position, probably most of his assets, and most of all, Haruka. I have to bite my lip at the mere thought of her name.

"Of course I'll help you, Donuts. You're one of the few people I know from a time when... when this village was something more than just murder for hire. You loved Haruka...as did I. That means something to me."

I get to my feet so I can show him the door. I must control myself in this instance, and not let grief and relief override my reason. I'm Tomo's lover now, and unless that changes, Donuts is merely a close friend. I open the door and he vanishes into the night, a drifting phoenix struggling in an uncertain sky.

[Topic end]