Meeting Destiny [Free/Sousuke]

[Mikaboshi]

Katsuo knew this sword. Everyone knew this sword. This was Tatsumasa the King's Blade. Forged in ancient days by the first members of the Takahashi clan for the first Kazekage to replace the sword of Primus which was lost during the battle with Fuujin and Homura, Tatsumasa was the pinnacle of the description "well forged sword". Said to be sealed within it's sheath so that only a warrior with Sunahoshi blood and a righteous heart could draw the blade, Tatsumasa was a legend upon itself and Sousuke was offering to give it to him.

Approaching the crystal that the sword was suspended within, Katsuo blinked in wonder at it. It looked to him like any other sword. There was no gold in-laid to the scabbard like the legends said nor was the pommel capped with a ruby. He wondered just how the stories could get such a famous sword so wrong. Undoubtedly though, this was the sword of a king. As surely as he could feel his heart beat, he could feel the energy swirling behind the case of crystal that Tatsumasa was contained within. It called to him. Was this the reason he'd been drawn here? To Sunagakure? Had Tatsumasa sensed that it's heir was ready to carry it and pulled him here? It certainly felt that way as he stood before the sword. Every pump of his blood made him want to reach and take the sword a little bit more.

But could he?

He was Sunahoshi in name and lineage but lacked their special powers. Would the crystal yield to him? More importantly, would Tatsumasa yield to him? Pulling in a deep breath, Katsuo banished his doubts. He'd never questioned his abilities before this moment and was not going to start now. Lifting his right hand, Katsuo brushed his fingers against the smooth glass-like crystal that Tatsumasa was suspended within and for the first couple of seconds nothing happened. Did he need to attack it? But as soon as the question crossed Katsuo's mind, the crystal shook under his touch and rather than shatter or fragment it began to bubble away as if it were being boiled by concentrated heat.

Ah, Fire chakra. That is different. Your predecessors always had Earth chakra.

The projected voice in Katsuo's mind surprised him but did not cause him to withdrawn his hand and stop the process of freeing Tatsumasa from the crystal. The voice was quiet but friendly, like that of a friend which he hadn't seen in many years.

You do not fear easily. That is well. It is as it should be. It would not do for a king to be a coward.

Katsuo wanted to correct the voice in his head but he knew that Sousuke likely could not hear the words which were being projected at him and did not want the Steward to think oddly of him. The crystal boiled away rapidly and soon enough Katsuo found that he was able to reach through to take hold of Tatsumasa's sheath. Grasping it, suddenly his mind was full of images and thoughts. Introductions and vestiges of the past; fragments of souls left over from those that had wielded the sword before him.

This is Tatsumasa.

I know. Imparted Katsuo to the sword with an unsuppressable grin, now able to communicate back with the blade. I am Masashi Katsuo

I know. The sword responded, a smirk clear in the projected words.

Pulling Tatsumasa from the remains of the disintegrated crystal, Katsuo held it before him and examined it. It was heavy as a sword should be but not in the way that he expected. Physically, the blade was extremely light but it carried with it a sense of responsibility that Katsuo could not deny. Even holding it in his hand Katsuo knew that the sword would never allow itself to be wielded in a malevolent manner.

"Sousuke, I'm not sure what to say. Thank you doesn't really cover it, you know?" Katsuo said, lifting his eyes from the sword and looking to Sousuke.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke watched with keen interest as the crystal became no more. Interestingly the crystal bubbled away. Such was a sight that Sousuke would have deemed impossible if he had heard it from another. Katsuo would not rise to become Kazekage, but at the very least he did this for him. This one task. To set a Sunahoshi proper. Sousuke had not doubted Katsuo's claim, but this was something he had wanted to see for his own eyes. Sousuke felt his legs buckling beneath him. Was it is injuries catching up to him again? Or merely was it the sight? He himself now had to take a seat. "Heh."<i></i> He would take a moment to breath deeply. "I... my body seems to fail me at the moment. This is all pretty heavy. This is all metaphorical in value... or literal I'm not sure."<i></i> Sousuke explained. This was a certainly a sight to behold.

Seeing Katsuo wield the blade reminded him of the first time he drew the ebon blade. It wasn't as pretty a sight really. It was a difficult encounter, but one that the Steward had overcome. Still though. To be worthy of receiving such strength, one had to be tested naturally. That day Sousuke had proven himself, not as a Takahashi, not as a Steward, but as a man. Yet. Sousuke never saw him as besting Mikaboshi, merely showing him that he was not to be taken lightly as a human.

Sousuke snapped back as Katsuo spoke to him, thanking him, and how he was somewhat speechless. It seemed that even Sousuke was speechless for a moment too. He opened his mouth to try and say something, but it didn't come out. He tried again this time, and again nothing worked. Sousuke was silent for a time. His social inability starting to showcase itself. Yet strangely it didn't feel so wrong being not capable of saying things. There was a familiarity with Katsuo. It was as if, to Sousuke, that he was used to this. In the same manner an old brother would be used to the mistakes of his younger brother. After several more attempts of wordlessness Sousuke finally managed to speak, but it wasn't topical to the present conversation. "It's strange. It feels like I've known you my entire life ... and it felt like this was some sort of belated home coming. You may have figured it out, but I'm an only child. I don't have any cousins on my father's side because they never had children."<i></i> Sousuke explained hesitantly, thinking that Katuso may think of this as utter foolishness. "I've only ever known my grandmother and my mother truly as Masashi. Granted I've had correspondents, but never a visit from--"<i></i> Sousuke coughed as a small fit overtook him. He was truly overwhelmed.

(MFT) - 460

 

[Mikaboshi]

Tightening his grip on Tatsumasa's leather-wrapped hilt, Katsuo drew the legendary blade in a single flourish. What he'd expected was a flawlessly forged blade. What he got was curls of flame as he drew the sword and it was all he could do not to light anything on fire as the sword's blade left it's scabbard. Stunned by the red-orange flourish of flame chakra that the sword expelled as he drew it, Katsuo fought the urge to replace the sword back into it's sheath in case it decided to belch an further flames. The legends never said anything about Tatsumasa and fire. The sword had always been one that aided it's wielder in the directing of the diamond sands. Happy to receive such a gift, truthfully Katsuo had not expected to be able to do much with it other than simply wield it was the well-made sword it was.

"All my life I've always felt like I didn't belong. I've never had much of a gift for anything other than hitting things with my hands, unlike the rest of our people." Katsuo explained, his eyes on the blade of Tatsumasa which even now reflected those same burning flames in the light that shined off of it's edge. "It's why I worked the hardest. Fought the longest. It's why I always had to struggle the most. Then everything made sense the day Mom explained who I was and what I was supposed to be but I knew I wasn't ready to come here. I ran from this moment for thirteen long years, Sousuke."

It was his greatest shame but true none the less. The time he spent in the desert was two-fold; while he trained his mind, body and spirit for the eventual battle against the men that had stolen his father from the living it allowed him a natural distraction from the urge to travel to Sunagakure and find his destiny. To find Tatsumasa, he'd just learned.

"But you know? Having met you I think I'm glad I came." He continued. "I feel like maybe I could have a home here some day once I've found the men that murdered my dad."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke's coughing fit did not cease. It would become quite clear that Sousuke was a sickly individual. His colouring was off as he continued to hack. During this time Katsuo would draw the blade and for a moment the flames would come out. In response it would seem that something would respond. What in reponse to the Steward's sickly nature, or was it the flame. A shadowy form would appear on the wall and would tower over the Steward. It seemed to be part of Sousuke, and it would seem that Sousuke wasn't aware of it. The shadowy being would merely placed his hands on Sousuke's shoulder as if to aid him in some manner, and then it seemed that the shadow was very much ready to shield Sousuke should the flames threaten to harm him. Yet Katuso got the flames under control quickly enough. The shadow's form seemed to lessen in a defensive position.

Sousuke cleared his throat and tried to speak, at first the words did not come, but then on the second try he did it. The Shade let go of Sousuke's shoulder. The shade acted very much like a father or a brother trying to give him a helping hand of sorts. This was all unbeknownst to Sousuke. "I'm defective Katsuo. My words do not stir the hearts of men and women. My appear is not befitting that of someone of my office. I've worked hard though to surpass my defects. Many times I've wished I could simply walk away from people and just deal with the numbers. I've had to play the social game with nobles and ladies who put on airs."<i></i> Sousuke reflected. "Better late than never. You may not want this job, but what condition have I kept the realm in? I'm surrounded by sycophantic yes-lords and yes-ladies. The same I've mentioned before. It is not perfect, but this is my home. I have never travelled far away from it to have any comparison. You've avoided the realm for thirteen years... I know you said that you would dwell here in time, but I feel as if I've fallen short in some respect or manner."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

Out of reflex, Katsuo stabbed Tatsumasa into the floor without thinking and moved to look after Sousuke as his coughing continued. Recoiling as the shadow reached out to touch Sousuke, Katsuo's right hand curled into a fist that for the briefest moment sparked to life with a bright white shimmer as if he were preparing to attack but seeing that the specter was not harming but rather protecting his cousin he let the centered spiritual power fade into the air around him. Sousuke finally got his speaking voice back and told Sousuke that he was defective. That he was not a good leader and that he'd brought the realm to ruin. And it broke Katsuo's heart to hear. In his selfishness, he'd fled the throne for years telling himself that Sunagakure was better off without a hot-head like him for a king. But even if were true that Sunagakure was better off, Sousuke clearly wasn't. Being the Steward was killing him both physically and mentally.

"Sousuke, I can't take the throne from you." Katsuo said, putting his hand on Sousuke's shoulder as both a show of solidarity and an effort to brace his cousin's posture to prevent him from falling over if the coughing continued. "But I also can't leave one of my brothers in need like this."

Giving Sousuke a pat on the shoulder once he was sure that the Steward wasn't going to fall over, Katsuo turned and realized that he'd impulsively stabbed the blade of his people's most holy sword into the floor of the room. Quickly drawing it, he could feel Tatsumasa's displeasure at being even partially sheathed in the stone of the floor but the sword projected nothing at him and he was thankful for that. He was still not entirely comfortable with the idea that the sword was potentially making camp in his consciousness but he had to admit that there was something familiarly truthworthy about the "voice" of the sword.

"What do you want from me, Sousuke?" He asked quietly. He had not come to Sunagakure with the intention of taking the throne but it was seeming more and more likely that he didn't have a choice in the matter. Faced with a man that shared his blood suffering because of his own selfishness Katsuo simply could not continue to choose his self interest. He wanted more than anything to bring the men that murdered his father to justice but he knew that neither of his parents would have wanted him to pursue what amounted to his revenge at the cost of his cousin.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke still hadn't fully come to grips with the concept of Katsuo not becoming Kazekage. He felt a pang of a sort of wrongness about this. He couldn't force Katsuo to take the throne. Katsuo could virtually do as he pleased, and he could even abdicate the throne. This would still leave Sousuke with the position of Steward-Kazekage. A position of power. Sousuke feared and feared greatly the prospect of overstepping his boundaries. It was always said that those with the most power had the least grace. Sousuke had always sought to have some form of grace in his reign of the realm.

When Katsuo asked him what he want, the Steward was hesitant. He had no real right to ask Katsuo of anything. He asked though, and had stated he couldn't leave him in need. The Steward's eyes shifted. Granted Katsuo would not have him kneel, or call him King, it didn't feel right. "I need you to be incorruptible."<i></i> He finally said. "In the event that I suffer from some ... crisis of faith, I need to believe in you. You are the closest thing to Primus, for you are of his house. Given of what I know of you now, I am inclined to think that you would do what is right. I would think that you are beyond moral insanity... that you would never fall victim to that state of the mind."<i></i> It was hard to describe. Perhaps what he was asking of Katsuo was too much. Perhaps taking the throne would be easier than becoming a sort of moral paragon. "I apologize. I have no right to ask that of you. It's just ... even for one such as I who roots myself so deeply in logic... I need something to believe in. When you're at the forefront of it all, just who or what does one turn to? Certainly there is Primus... but when what you believe in is tangible it brings even more meaning."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

"No man is incorruptible, Sousuke." Katsuo responded and he felt the approval of Tatsumasa flood up through his fingers which were wrapped around the exquisite cording used to make it's hilt. Ignoring the sword, Katsuo slowly slid it's shimmering blade back into the mystical sheath that prevented anyone but royal blood from drawing the sacred blade and turned his full attention back to Sousuke. "Our vices are as much a part of us as the virtues and even the strongest of us make mistakes."

The genuine grin of his re-appeared on his face, confidence showing behind his expression once more.

"But that's what makes us men and not demons. Wrong things like demons can't choose. They are the sum of their vices and their nature. Nothing more." Explained Katsuo, turning to look at the diamond throne as the odd wisdom flowed forth from him. Katsuo wasn't necessarily what one might call a smart man. He was a genius fighter and reveled in the chaos of that but when it came to the more delicate parts of life he usually found himself wanting. It was one of the reasons that he did not desire leadership of Sunagakure. He was a natural born warrior and these were times of peace. What need did Sunagakure have for a warrior-king in an era where it's enemies did not threaten it? "We have the power to choose between right and wrong. To rise above our nature and choose to be better."

He couldn't help but hate the Diamond Throne a little bit. It was a reminder to him of everything that he could never be. The stories that his mother had always told him about his father had painted him as a master fighter as well as a cunning diplomat which had been taken before his time due to a stroke of bad luck during battle. When he'd come to find out that his father had not fallen in battle but rather as a result of treachery his mother had sworn to him that even though she'd lied to him about the circumstances of his death his father had been every bit the man that he was in those stories.

"Believe in your own heart. Be true to what you find there and it will guide you and protect you." He said at last after a few moments of staring at his father's seat. "That's what mom used to say, anyway. It hasn't turned me wrong yet."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

It would seem Sousuke's request could not be met, it was turned down and for good reason which Katsuo provided. As usual Sousuke listened intently to his cousin speak of how while man was corruptible, they still had their virtues. Demons were strange entities. While Sousuke never actually came into contact with one, his cousin provided him with a very adept description of one. His mother Chiyoko was a demon hunter, and was usually mum about the matter. Katsuo on the other hand seemed to be ... more open about them. The words of the consort of the former Kazekage brought some comfort to the Steward. Sousuke brought up his hand and placed it against his chest. "Katsuo ... I ... I ... will try just that. I will believe in my heart. ... ... It's an abstract concept for me, it is though something entirely different, but a change of things can always be good."<i></i> Sousuke explained.

Katsuo was certainly an enigma. He was always smiling. Granted just now his smile did vanish for a moment, but here it was back in full form. "Ah..."<i></i> Sousuke was formulating in his mind how about to go about this topic. "I suspect you realize by now but expressing myself in terms of facial expressions comes difficult for me. You on the other hand ... it comes quite easy to you despite your losses, and the events that have played against you. It has to be more than natural for you... is it? I have always been of a more neutral disposition until I was ... shaken from it in a metaphorical sense. When I do express myself ... it feels slightly awkward. I suspect for you ... that things are constantly in a state of bliss?"<i></i> Sousuke inquired. He found it most exceptional that Katsuo could keep up such a thing. "Do you realize that you're smiling or is so natural that you don't realize it? I've always wondered. Eh ... as I said such things to me are slightly ... foreign and not so easy to grasp in terms of technicality."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

"People always talk about their losses and their mistakes like they're things that should hold us back or weigh us down." Katsuo mused in response to Sousuke's question. "But really, where's that get you? I've screwed up before. Made mistakes, gotten some people hurt."

A long career of demon hunting and vigilantism had made for Katsuo a long list of villains and enemies. Some of them supernatural but most of them very human in nature, enemies of the sort that Katsuo made were not the forgiving type and had in some cases careers of their own attempting to make him miserable. Not unlike a super-hero from a serial comic, Katsuo had his own legacy of stories and certainly his own share of skeletons in his closet from those days.

"But."

For others, that might have been a touchy subject. But for Katsuo, the memory of the people that he'd failed to save wasn't a noose around his neck in the same way that it was for so many others. Instead it was fuel for his fire. Every day brought the chance to move forward and seek a better future for everyone and he couldn't do that if he were too busy lamenting the past and his failures. Perhaps there might come a day when his failure was too great-- the cost too much -- for his heart to bear but for the time being the faces of those that he'd failed remained burned into his memory to remind him always of his reason for journeying across the sands of Wind Country.

"Nobody is served well by lingering on the negativity of our lives, least of all ourselves. One of my masters once said that the truest opponent lies within and I think there's some truth in that even if it's mostly philosophical flim-flam." Katsuo laughed a little bit at the memory of his former teacher that was dredged up by that old saying. "The past is the past. The only thing we control is the future. And if we accept that is true then we owe it to ourselves to make that future the best we can, don't we?"

 

[Takahashi Aki]

It took Sousuke a moment to intake what Katuso said. Usually he could easily grasp what people said and the relevancy of it. Perhaps it was the simple fact that somewhere in his mind he was reeling from the discovery that Katsuo was a Sunahoshi. Maybe it was the fact that Katsuo was a Masashi. Perhaps it was both, or perhaps it was something more. Something that Sousuke would come to grasp in time. "Yes." Sousuke would pause for a moment longer his eyes would shift upward as he would begin a scientific approach of sorts to this "Dwelling upon past failures does not allow for one to be served well. It prevents one from expanding forward and coming to grips with the expansive external conundrum of infinite progression. Some have a difficult time putting it behind them and are thus repressed but those who go on are capable of fulfilling one of the many multiple..."<i></i> He stopped and lowered her gaze. He was certain he had somewhere lost Katuso in all of this.

"I have heard the concept of your own self being your worst enemy."<i></i> The Steward spoke thinking back to the time Kitani stealing his family heirloom. Yes, she was an idealistic common criminal, but at the same time she was at war with herself for stealing from the Steward who was but a middle classed individual. "I wonder how many people realize this... I suspect not many."<i></i> The Steward would merely nod his head. "Speaking of the future... in the event I do not have an heir, the choice is yours should you wish to take things over or your children for that matter. I say this bearing in mind that I am younger than you, but the future is a variable. I have a ward yes, Okibi is her name, but... the Stewardship will not go to her due to the old concept of blood lineage."<i></i> Sousuke hesitated, "I bring this up not to haunt you, but in the event should the worst occur. I will amend my own will in accordance with what you advise me in the years to come, I'm assuming that you will be .... stick'in around or so they say. It is not every day I am graced with the presence of a kinsmen, we Takahashi are few in number, but the Masashi are ... well ... I would very much like to get to know you the better and the clan as a whole due to my grandmother's ... refusal to deal with the clan proper."<i></i>