Just a talk (private)(requesting Katsu)

[Chigokai Yuna]

It has been one day since Ziren has visited Asuka's class and has seen all the things that has come up. Whether they be good or bad, he let out a sigh.

Riku and Kira were a handful themselves, but now another kid is wanting to get involved with that group. And from his earlier entrance with a bloodied weapon, he will have to see what he can do with this Katsu kid. Hopefully he won't be a handful.

He gave a letter to his clone, which then ran off to find where the kid is to give him the note.

On the note, it says:

Spoiler

Dear Katsu,
It was clear me and you got off on the wrong foot yesterday. Upon seeing the blood on your blade made me think that you are a no good person. I would like to talk to you and hope if you can change my perspective on you. Either that or I help you open your eyes on how you see the world. You will find me walking around some streets inside the village.

With that, the clone bounded away in search for Katsu. When it finds him, it will give him the letter before poofing into smoke before dispersing into nothingness.

(Ooc: requesting Katsu)

 

[Imaya Kuza]

There was an alleyway, little off the main street but well hidden from public view. Katsu came out of that alley on crutches, his right foot bound in a cast. Upon that cast, blood. Not his blood-- well mostly not his blood. He had a few bruises, but mostly out of sight beneath his clothes. Breathing the fresh, pure air through the iron taste in his mouth, Katsu smiled. Today was a good day. Decent fight. He thought the crutches would be a detriment, but really they proved a boon and a valuable weapon when it came to. Useful for holding people down, and holding himself up.

As he wandered the main street with a satisfactory look on his face, he came face to face with Ziren. That is, the real Ziren, before any clone showed up to give him a letter of sorts. They made eye contact... Katsu about-faced and began to crutch-ran away from there, lifting his legs in the air and instead using his crutches as legs in of themselves. Not very quickly, but perhaps more than if he had attempted to use his feet.

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Ziren was walking when he noticed the kid, it was obvious that he didn't get the note, for he tried to hobble away from him. It was also evident that the kid has been through another fight. Blood covered him and his weapon. In his younger days, Ziren would probably have attacked the kid for back then he had no control over his blood line and the hunger for blood. But Ziren has grown older and learned to block out the sinister part of his blood line.

He merely walked up to the kid, for he was way faster than a kid on crutches, and in a split second, the kid found Ziren standing in front of him again.

"You are covered in blood again." Ziren noted. He listened to the kid's blood flow, he seemed alright, except for the obvious wounds that he has on him. "Let's heal those wounds of yours."

Ziren set to work on using his chakra to heal Katsu. First off, he used Skeletal fortification, to mend the bones, then Coagulation, to stop the bleeding, and finally Mystical Hand, to heal the wounds.

After he was done, he looked up at the kid. "Now, tell me, how did you get injured this time? And who's blood is on your crutches, because I know that only some of that blood is yours. The other droplets don't."

 

[Imaya Kuza]

Katsu was easily caught, and as Ziren attempted to heal him, he panicked. "Stop that!" Attempting to wrack Ziren's hands away with his crutches, Katsu immediately became defensive, like a cornered animal, teeth bared and eyes focused. "I- These wounds are from my battle, they're mine," he stuttered out, ending with a low growl in his tone, pure aggression and instinct in his behavior. It should be apparent now that, outside of battle, Katsu refused to get any regenerative healing from the mednin, insisting always to just patch him up and let the wounds mend on their own. They were... badges of honor, evidence of his actions, the pain reminding him that he was alive and the marks they left filling him with pride and a sense of fulfilment when he touched them and felt them ache on rainy days.

"Some guys were hanging out in the backends, making trouble for the regular folk. Not that I care 'bout that, really, but they were being cocky, so I went down an alley, they followed, and I came out, and they didn't," Katsu spat his explanation, seeing that he didn't have many options at the moment. "Not that they're dead. Maybe concussed, probably some fractured ribs and broken noses."

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

The reaction Katsu had when Ziren tried to heal him... It somehow reminded him of himself. There was his scar that ran deep into his skin on his right arm, an almost non-existent scar on his face, from when he was attacked by a bear, and... He grimaced for a second, holding on to where the part if the left arm that was cut off, and now replaced with a new metal arm. Stupid phantom pains... He looked at the kid. He was sure prideful about it, and has the stubbornness to back it up.

"I believe you kid. I've got to say, that sometimes, I'm just as hard headed as you, possibly even more when it comes to pride like that. Heck, my own left arm got cut off, and I refused to go to the hospital. Instead, I almost died from loss of blood. But after that, I gained a new power, along with getting back on my feet, and getting a new house, since my other one was burned down." He left it at that, since there were certain memories he would rather just forget.

He then listened as the kid spoke of why he had blood all over him. He let out a small sigh as he made some hand seals as the previous clone had already dissipated and three new ones popped up. They went off in search of the ones that tried to mess with Katsu.

"They will be sent to the hospital, and once they are in good health, they will get their own kind of punishment for making trouble and trying to gang up on a single person." He then turned back to Katsu. "I may seem like some egotistical kind of guy at times, but you've only caught me when I'm annoyed or mad. I can assure you, if you are on my good side that I am a good friend, and an invaluable asset."

He paused, remembering about the fight Katsu had with Asuka when he had to be with Riku and Kira.

"Honestly, I would have handled the situation a little bit differently with how you were suddenly thrown into a fight. The only bad thing I saw was you had a slight attitude and some blood on you, rather than the two boys who had blown up the school. Those of which, think deserved the punishment. I would have done less to you."

He looked out into the busy streets from the alleyway. "I don't know about you, but I am starving for some food. What do you say? Lunch is on me. Get to talk to each other more."

 

[Imaya Kuza]

Friend? Asset? Bah! Katsu wasn't about to be bribed by this big-shot-looki- did he say food? Katsu's stomach let out a low rumble, an appetite worked up over his fighting and healing. He looked about, checking if anybody he cared about knowing this was around, and seeing he was in the clear, Katsu glared Ziren right in the eye, hostility still there but also something less volatile. "Curry. There's a place I know down the street to the left, a bit into the alley. They get the best spices from Sand."

Katsu would lead Ziren to this place, his favorite restaurant in Leaf. At first, as he was trying out some foods here, he had never had food with so many spices, always used to the more mildly seasoned fish from his hometown. But when others laughed as he scrambled for water, he found challenge in it, and fought the curry like any other opponent. Eventually, he came to appreciate the hotness which stabbed the intense flavor into his tongue, the refreshing moment after when he had finished and felt the dish settle nicely in his belly. Curry was a fighter's food, he'd thought, fit only for those with the strength of will to persevere for the greater satisfaction in the end.

As they walked in, the tiny shop hidden in the alleyways, Katsu greeted the owner as a regular, placing his crutches against the wall. The owner, as always, didn't ask questions about the blood on Katsu, our of respect rather than apathy. "So? Talk."

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

As soon as Ziren brought up talking about food and getting something to eat, he had seen the kid ease up on his hostility. And he looked around to probably see if any of his friends were going to catch him talking to Ziren. He couldn't help but smile at this, Katsu sure was prideful of himself, that was sure.

As he followed the kid down to another alleyway, where a small restaurant was. It seemed that their theme was spice and curry. He decided to have the same thing as the kid, to see how he fares against the heat of this food. But unlike him, it only tasted mildly hot.

Then again, he was used to taking the heat of things, the latest of which was when he had a spar with Asuka, in which she blew him up with a dragon flame bomb, and then later used Amaterasu. Now those are intense heat.

When the kid had finally calmed down, he waited for Ziren to talk. He wiped his face, and then said, "So in order for us to get to know each other more, and probably be less hostile if we can be more understanding, let's ask each other some questions. So, tell me, what do you want to achieve to become a well known shinob?"

Ziren sat back and sipped his water as he waited for the kid to answer his question, and then, in turn, ask Ziren a question.

 

[Imaya Kuza]

"Don't want to achieve anything, really," Katsu replied as he ate, adding more spices as he went. "My mom sent me here, thought I could be discipline, but I'm not about to cave to anybody. I'm not weak." Another shake of spices topped his curry sauce, and seeing that he'd finished the rice and meat, the owner put out another bowl of both which Katsu poured onto his original plate, having enough left-over sauce to essentially remake the dish.

"Your turn." Another bite, rough and wild-like. "You say you wouldn't have handled the situation in the same way. How?" Katsu's eyed Ziren carefully, searching for any little bit of lie or hesitation. Katsu was good at that, telling lies from truth. It was a talent he could never explain, but it got him quite a number of scoldings when he hit liars with no explanation. But he never doubted his certainty in that feeling he got when a lie was told. Of course, it would also not matter if it were the truth if Ziren's answer was just as bad as what happened, an absurd situation where both sides seemed rather... extreme.

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Ziren frowned at the kid's response. He then let out a sigh. "Well, I hope that one day you find out what you want to do with your life. Of what you want to achieve. For that is the thing that pushes people to test their own limits. For the longest time, I've had struggles. One of which was my older brother who wanted me dead. He would do anything to make sure that he could hurt me, even hurt the ones I cared about most. That is what made me want to push myself. He is dead now. Been dead for a month or so."

Then the kid asked him a question. Of how Ziren would have handled the situation regarding Katsu and him getting the snot beaten out of him just for showing up with blood on his blade and having a small attitude.

"As said before, I would have done the same to Riku and Kira, for what they had done. They were a bit... Extreme. But for you, it is what we are doing right now. Talking. Me trying to figure you out, so I can make you the best you can be without anyone to drag you down with them. To be honest with you, I've seen my fair share of trouble too. For the longest time I couldn't control my blood line, and it didn't help matters when I was put under a Genjustu and developed a kind of split personality out of it, that thing. It had one thing in it's mind. And that was to kill anyone it came across and be bathed in blood." Ziren realized he was getting off topic.

"And from my many experiences of getting into trouble, a lot if them were just minor infractions adding up, until it became one big problem eventually. And what they did to me was just talk. So if it worked for me, I might as well try and talk to you and see if I can understand you more."

Now he thought of a question. His bloodified eyes studdied the kid, trying to figure him out. "So tell me, what do you like to do when you are not beating up random thugs?" Ziren tried to put light humor into the mix, but otherwise that was his question. The kid seemed so mad all the time, he wondered if Katsu has ever smiled at all.

 

[Imaya Kuza]

"Hm..." Katsu considered what Ziren was saying, though let no clue as to what he was thinking reach his face. One thing was for sure, this man was a little off his rocker with that split personality stuff. Given Nitish and now this, Katsu was beginning to think the Leaf was as crazy than the rumors the owner told him 'bout Sand.

"I fish and play cards. Feeds both body and mind." Katsu replied simply. Fishing just came naturally given his hometown, it taught him how to control his body for precision and to patiently wait for the right opportunity, and cards were a pasttime with the thrill of a fight, high stakes requiring mental coolness and posturing. Both, as it happens, were taught to Katsu by his dad. The boy looked down, smiling then cursing at the memory. They were pleasant, but a darker image loomed over it, an avoidable loss if fear hadn't shackled him. Overcome, Katsu thought, stilling a slight shiver with willpower, refusing to allow his muscles to reveal vulnerability.

"Lemme give you some advice real quick: You sound like you've had a screwy life, but no amount of veteranship will win out over trust. I can trust the crew to have my back when I need it, and to let me go wild when I don't." Katsu leaned back, lips red with heat from the spices. "I'm not claiming to be some wise sage, but even I can tell that the situation in Leaf has escalated beyond reasonability. Red-eye tossed me aside the moment she saw a smidge of "bad" behavior. Riku and the rest may've brought the trouble, but you drew the line." To be honest, he was trying to convince Kahora to stab Asuka, but that was beside the point.

"So, tell me, you had another personality? What happened to that?"

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

The kid was obviously thinking on a lot of stuff, as is. And when he had asked the kid about what his hobbies were, he was actually surprised when the kid said that he liked to fish and play cards.

"That is good for you." But then he heard the blood of Katsu tremble for a minute, before returning to normal. The point of this kid trying to give him advice on things, especially since Ziren has years of experience on him. The boy would feel his blood move at an even more irregular pace before returning back to normal.

"You say you can trust them, but all they do is get into trouble. Almost all of it is unnecessary. And let me tell you something here kid. When everything goes to hell, with the enemies right outside our walls, enemies who could be way more stronger than any of the shinobi we have here. You have to not just put your trust in your crew of kids who just want to start trouble for no reason, but also put it into other people, because you may never see a person's true side until they believe the end of the world is upon them. As soon will be seen among a lot of us in these upcot days.

Ziren calmed down, and looked towards the Gates. "I destroyed it from my mind. It's gonna sound crazy, but I fought it, inside my own mind, each wound we would cause to each other became physical injuries on my actual body. After that, well, I came to at least know who I wanted to be and strived to not give into the blood lust that my blood line is so infamous for."

He then paused, before saying. "You seem troubled, just a moment ago. When you talked about fishing and playing cards. I know that you have no reason to trust me, as you probably see me as a quote, bad guy, but I am willing to listen if you are willing to trust me."

 

[Imaya Kuza]

“Of course you did,” Katsu muttered as Ziren recounted how he combatted part of himself. The older shinobi didn’t even seem to acknowledge what he’d really admitted to, that mentality which Katsu had just accused revealing itself so blatantly in Ziren’s story. Perhaps it isn’t wise to ascribe symbolism to all things, yet this metaphor was never less clear. Ziren would kill a part of himself rather than live with it, acknowledge it, become one with it. Maybe Katsu didn’t have the full story, maybe it wasn’t possible to merge the personalities and one truly had to go, but such a core ideology, an experience from which Ziren would learn to deal with future issues, did not bode well for the crew, or Konoha as a whole. Katsu would never claim to be the greatest patriot, but even he felt a tinge of dread at the coming storm.

Katsu stood up after finishing his curry bowl. “Bad is a subjective term. I don’t think you’re bad.” I think you’re a threat, I think you can’t be trusted, and I think you’re prying. “Your treat.”

With that, Katsu would attempt to leave, picking up his sword from the umbrella stand where he left it and waving his partings to the owner. He could try to learn more about Ziren, but Katsu had a feeling it wouldn't matter.

[Attempt to leave]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Ziren sighed. Of course, the way he put it, he was vague about his split personality. And good reason too. That side of him was a monster. Something that both him and the Leaf could live without.

What the kid doesn't know about is that Ziren has sacrificed much for the Village. It may explain why he is sometimes harsh on people, but he was also always willing to listen. That isn't the case with Katsu. For he basically ignored what Ziren had said about trust, something he probably won't even take to mind. For that, Ziren will just have to wait and see what the future holds for the child.

The kid got up, ready to leave. He said that Ziren isn't bad. But he knows that Katsu, with just the small talk he had with him, must have still a bad point of view on Ziren. He dropped some of his own yen off, a generous amount, to the owner. "Keep the change."

He walked and caught up with Katsu. "I only ask of this from you and your crew. Try and stay out of trouble for right now. Everyone is tense as it is with the threat to the Village. And it will certainly help if we didn't have to worry about babysitting a couple of kids who just like to cause trouble for no reason. Believe me, the only enemy out there right now, are the Frost Ninja. We don't need conflict within the village as well."

With that said, Ziren walked off to another alleyway, going to the library to do some research.

(Topic left)