Requiem for a Dreamer

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

There was a somewhat solemn look on his face as he gazed down towards the boy. Having questions of why not sooner and pondering on the tragedy of losing a parent. While it was hard to see a child lose their parent it was a common occurrence here in the village. That was just how the role of a shinobi family would play out. "Even though there are times when the pack separates to take their own paths. In the advent of peril it is the pack that you can always rely on to have your back. Even if the timing isn't the greatest. We may have not been there for your father, but we can help nurture what was left behind." Bruinetto was attempting to put the child at ease and soothe him. It was much easier to reason with a child who was calm as opposed to crying hysterically. Somehow he didn't figure the latter would happen with this one so he didn't want to condescend the boy too much.

"The Fujikaru don't all have the same heritage. There is a lot of cultures and tales that have been told by different families. Although of different blood they stood together as a unit protect themselves and their way of life. It seems silly to think that people would judge and hate you for being so different. It's good to see there has been some progress in this world." He smiled at the idea of their civilization becoming more cultured, educated, and understanding. There were many harsh realities of this world that came off as old traditions and silly superstitions. The self destructive nature of the shinobi system was brutal and needed to change and evolve in order to bring about the next era of this world. One of his biggest fears were the shinobi system wiping it all out before the chance comes for that to happen.

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou looked slightly dismayed

so then, even though we can now be apart of a larger group my mother and I are still alone...

He did not mean that he did not accept the people in the Fujikaru because there were none directly related to him by blood but he was still very young and he just wanted that immediate connection he was sure that he would eventually look upon this group as his true family as well but it was not as comforting as it could have been.

Fujikaru, huh? well i suppose i should meet them eventually.... the rest of my fathers family that is

he said leaning back on the bench and looking up at the faux skyline that the underground city had implemented.

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

"You seem somewhat hesitant on the idea of the Fujikaru. To be honest though, I can understand." Heading over towards the bench that Indou was leaning against he would sit down on it. Bringing up his arms they rested on the top of the bench as he stared up towards the "sky". "A clan often emerges from a group of like minded individuals who have some kind of common goal. However, after that clan achieves their goal what is left of it? These clans become famous and get caught up in the status quo. Soon after awhile they become complacent and sometimes will stagnate as a result. It could result in a clan losing their power and status because they disband or worse, are eliminated by a stronger clan either disappearing completely or being ingested by the stronger group. I don't see this happening to the Fujikaru anytime soon but it's a pessimistic but possibly real thing that could happen. I'd rather not see that happen during my lifetime, even if I tend to be a loner.."

One thing that plagued a mind like his was he wasn't one to see things in the same light as other people. There are those with strong spiritual backgrounds which to him sounded like delusional mental cases who in their delusions could easily be swayed to a bad cause under the banner of their spirituality. On another side of the coin there are many social tropes that the world tends to follow out of the sake of tradition but even in the advent of new advanced in thinking these traditions stay. Why would society continue to stagnate and follow the same ideas instead of progressing further? Do they fear the change that comes with it? Perhaps it was good that this world had people like him who will question things that need to be questioned in this world. Hopefully it won't bring him to answers that he isn't willing to accept despite the overwhelming evidence provided. "Just know that in the end there are others like you. That they will take you in, help you, and challenge you for your sake. If there is something I cannot live without in this life, it would be a challenge."

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou looked at the older boy with his eyebrow slightly raised and laughed a little bit as he stood on his metaphorical soap box and talked about the ills and stagnation that infested people who grew too accustomed to one thing and would not change.

you weird

he said laughing again, it wasn't meant as an insult, especially not coming from him the boy with absolutely no personal knowledge under his belt he was more than sure that everything about him, from his disheveled hair, to his unnaturally eerie gauntness, to his lack of following social norms, no when he said that Bruinetto san was weird it was definitely a compliment.

And what would be required of me then? you tell me that you would bring us in but still to me you are a stranger and i read that the only people who will give you something for free are your mother and father and all others will require some form of repayment... so if I am to become a shinobi of the Fujikaru am i to pay dues when i go on a mission and you collect some of the money to help support and fund the groups personal interests? or will i be asked to carry out ops in the name of the Fujikaru or Jenosaido?

the boy asked not necessarily in an accusatory tone but in a more excited voice he liked the idea of being a super spy.

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

A chuckle managed to escape from his lips at the assertion that he was weird. It was most likely an astute observation considering that he is unlike many of the other people you will find living in this village buried beneath the sands. One thing that he did like was that he was following up with questions and wasn't just taking his words at face value. Many people will often just do as they are told and believe what is told to them. It's healthy to have a little bit of skepticism in your life. It helps evaluate critical bits of information you may encounter in your life.

"It seems rather cynical to think that people will only do things for another when it is in there interests or they will receive some kind of repayment. There are some people in this world who are very altruistic. They volunteer their time to help the poor and those who are in need. While many live lavishly at the top they will hold events of charity and allow their wealth to trickle down and benefit those who have none. In these cases there will be those who are truly altruistic and on the other side there will be those who use these acts of good as a front to overshadow the deeds that are done in the dark. That is why language is very important, because it is a powerful shinobi tool. Shinobi in their job generally practice deception as part of their nature. At the same time a shinobi should be capable of, "looking beneath the underneath". To see through this deception is invaluable. My insight is impeccable because I one day hope to use these tools as an interrogator. Probably the only venture in my career that isn't all that scientific. Saying that you may wonder if you could trust me or not. I will not vouch for either side. I want you to think, and I want you to come to your own conclusions."

It wasn't all that often that he was this long winded in a conversation. He tended to be short and dismissive in instances that did not interest him. However this young fledgling of shinobi was showing some interesting prowess at least from a mental stand point. "While the Fujikaru and even further up the Jenosaido will earn some of your wages but it will be at no detriment to you. Our rates are a little higher than normal but you pay for the quality and knowing that the job will get done. There will be times they will tell you to do things you won't agree with and nor will you always agree with them. Your voice however becomes a part of the clan, and there may be others who share your voice. All it takes is one voice of reason to bring about an idea. Ideas are contagious and will transmit like a virus until enough are infected and it will institute a reaction which can cause a change. It's happened in the history of the clan, and can happen again."

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou turned to Bruinetto looking him directly in the eye

those altruists that you speak of in this world are few and far between, to be kind to someone you either need to be powerful enough to stop them from in turn hurting you or far enough removed from the situation that you run no risk of endangering yourself, especially in OUR world such altruists are generally short lived people though i do not begrudge them their naivety nor wish them ill its plain common sense that you should not blindly accept a hand when you don't know what its holding, though do not misunderstand I do not think being kind a futile thing it is always good to do something for someone when you can but you can not call it kindness when a millionaire donates a few thousand to a charity and shakes a few hands, that few thousand dollars had little significance to him to begin with if you would call something true kindness it would be someone who as poor putting themselves out to help their fellow man who was in a worse situation and the mindset of the poor is rarely set on lending a hand and more so geared towards reaching out for one... but i understand the point in what you're saying... and as for my judgement of you... i think i will stick with weird for now

he laughed again then slowly became serious again

but... i will accept your terms... i am not a shinobi of renown or even worth at this point of my life and it is worth even selling myself into servitude if it means that my mother will be taken care of... she has already done so much for me i could not leave her to work herself into an early grave trying to keep up with the bills....

 

[Kumiko]

Today she received contact from her father, a rare occurrence. He had informed her of a man's passing. Since he and her mother were unable to attend due to clan business, and the fact he could not get a hold of Bruinetto, Kumiko was to go in their stead. Of course she was the last choice for them to resort too. Unfortunately her village duties ran a little longer than expected. Having quickly changed out of her ANBU uniform to simple black dress with black heels, Kumiko knew she'd be rather late. What she hadn't expected was to miss in entirely. ' Damn. Father will be displeased..'

Leaving the funeral home Kumiko turned the corner to return to her own home. Low and behold as she walked down the street there was Bruinetto talking to someone...which...was strange. "Oi! Bruinetto. There you are. Father had been trying to find you earlier. Where have you been?"

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

A sort of soft smile came over his face as he heard the boy speaking of how his mother works so hard for him. That earnest to pay her back somehow was admirable. "With your father passing, there are many young men who have to step up in their stead. As a shinobi you could use your earnings to help support your mother much like she has supported you. You can be that pillar of support for her so that she can live peacefully and easily. A father can be proud of his son knowing that he takes care of not only the one he left behind, but himself." While this was a heart warming moment it seemed that warming will pass as a woman of icy demeanor managed to enter the scenario and specifically pick him out. While they were born together there were times where is seemed they are literally stuck to one another like Siamese twins as opposed to fraternal ones.

"While I may not be in my usual place there is no need for alarm because I decided to venture outside." It could have been true that it may seem like something was wrong if he was not tinkering away in his recluse work shop though. Looking over his sister it seemed that she too was dressed formally and for a funeral. Most likely a later viewing for Indou's father. "Looking at my attire I am sure you can guess where I was. I ran across Indou-kun here not long ago. I figured I would offer support to a family member who lost a loved one."

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou listened to him speak about how commendable it was to want to take care of his mother and how his father would be proud if he could not only do that but take care of himself as well.

... God bless that child that can hold his own

he said not truly remembering where he had heard the phrase before but he would not have very long to contemplate on the nuances of the muttered phrase because they were now joined by another and this time someone of the opposing gender who seemed to know Bruinetto san very well. She was also dressed in the attire which was fitting for a funeral but he did not remember her face at the main service and with what Bruinetto had said about supporting a family member he assumed that she was apart of the a fore mentioned Jenosaido and possibly even a member of the Fujikaru.

I just agreed to join your clan and you already call me family? that did not take you very much time

he said though not necessarily displeased more so cautious he was meeting a lot of people today and all of them were within a short amount of time

who is this lady?

he said addressing her warily

 

[Kumiko]

She couldn't help but ponder why her brother wore all black. Especially more formal clothing than he was used to wearing. Upon hearing the name of the boy who accompanied him it all came into realization. Indou...this must be the son of the man who passed away. The funeral which she was suppose to attend. The one her father originally wanted Bruinetto to attend instead of her. Well...it appeared he went instead without consulting their father. An action which would further score points with their father.

Instead of addressing Bruinetto she first turned to Indou. It was the proper and polite thing to do given the circumstances. " I'm sorry for your loss. I planned to attend your father's funeral however my village duties ran longer than expected. Please forgive me." She bowed her head then in respect. Kumiko then addressed them both.

" My name is Uchiha Kumiko. I am Bruinetto's twin sister. " She didn't smile at that comment, though she loved her brother something being his twin caused her problems. " Our father and mother also wished to attend, however clan business kept them away. I apologize on their behalf. "<i></i>

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou looked at the girl as she explained her absence from the proceedings something that Indou actually did not need, not that he did not appreciate the effort that was clearly being put forth by these Jenosaido clansmen but he did not know them and it was somewhat surprising to find out that his father did but then again how much can you ever truly learn about a man from your bedroom?

ah... yes, well I thank you for the condolences U... Uchiha?

he said lifting an eyebrow in Bruinetto's direction

I thought you said your clans name was Jenosaido... Or Fujikaru Bruinetto san why does your twin posses the family name of the Uchiha clan?

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

"That is kind of complicated but it isn't too hard to explain. You see, the Jenosaido is the name of the organization between two other clans. The clan that I mentioned to you, the Fujikaru, is one of those clans. It is said within the family origins that there use to be many clans that were known for having "special blood". Some of them were treated differently or even faced prejudice as a result of this special blood." All of these smaller clans banded under one banner to help better their lives. The Uchiha are but one family represented in that banner." While there were many different family names under the banner of the Fujikaru that didn't mean every member of that particular clan were a part of the Fujikaru. Those that were, were most likely descendents of some of the clan leaders who first banded together with the Uchiha to form the Fujikaru. Otherwise their ancestors most likely migrated to the Hidden Sand after the initial settlement with the First Men.

"I figured that our parents wouldn't be able to be here. That's why I took some initiative of my own to be a representatives. It is nice that you could be late to the party though." He smirked slightly with that as he was poking fun at his twin sister. "You can call me Jenosaido Bruinetto though Indou-kun. I prefer to go with the current name of the organization. In the past the Fujikaru and the Seishou use to be rival clans with a violent history. It was only through a mutual threat they came together for the betterment of the village."

 

[Kumiko]

Sometimes she wondered if her brother just liked hearing his own voice. He could seriously go on and on about the most mundane matters. Still she could understand Indou's confusion. It was a long history involving many clans, most of it having been ingrained within her as a child. Now hearing it repeated practically made her cringe. Not to mention she learnt of the Steward's moms connection with the Uchiha, the Masashi. Just how many clans were the Uchiha involved with anyway? " Yes, unfortunately our family connections are rather complex. Especially with how far back the Uchiha go in this country's history. " At least Bruinetto was willing to explain it all. " Where as Bruinetto prefers the name Jensaido, I would rather stick to my heritage. Seeing as our father is an Uchiha who married into the Fujikaru clan, it is only right I keep his last name. " That and it made it easier for the twins, well at least Kumiko, not having the same last name as her brother. It allowed them to be viewed as individuals, not twins.

Hearing her brothers quick jab at her Kumiko would have her own back. " Yes, well not everyone has the luxury of staying at home tinkering with toys all day. Some of us actually have responsibilities we must carry out. "

words: 224
[ Marked for training ]

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou stopped and then looked at the both of them slowly going from one set of eyes to the next

the.... then we aren't alone? there are more Uchiha in the village?

he said the information flooded into him and felt something akin to a man falling into a pool of ice cold water after having been stranded in the desert. a small smile would creep onto the slender boys face and he would look at both Bruinetto and Kumiko and even though he did not truly know them he launched himself at them crying all over again.

we aren't alone

he said sobbing

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

"Heh, of course we aren't alone. There are other Uchiha's here in the village. As a matter of fact the Steward-Kazekage Sousuke is also a member of the Uchiha clan and had blood ties connected with us more than likely. Think of it like that, the the leader of our village shares the same lineage with you. There are far more things that bind us all together than we even realize sometimes." There was some pride in his voice when mentioning the fact that the Steward-Kazekage shared their bloodline. In the end there was nothing wrong in having pride for your heritage and their accomplishments. It was that kind of pride that could keep a family together despite how different they may be.

It seems like his sister would like to allude that a lot of his research was for naught and that he was simply playing around. "Sister, you do realize that not all of the research I do is for my own entertainment. Some of the things that I work on down there are contracted out to all three shinobi branches. I have developed more cost effective means of producing certain medical tools, I have developed special op tools for ANBU, and I have done several things for the main branch including a few lectures. I may not be the brawn and take the heat for the village like you do in your line of duty. However I am more part of the brain that helps further develop things in the village. It's people like me that develop the tools you use to be more effective shinobi." He said with a smirk and a wink to his sister.

 

[Kumiko]

Kumiko was never very good with gestures of affection. In fact she rarely showed those types of emotions at all. So having someone she only just met lock her in an inescapable grip of affection, not to mentioning sobbing on top of that, needless to say Kumiko was uncomfortable. Instantly she froze, her arms plastered down at her sides. " Ummmm.." She looked about, searching for any kind of escape but failed to find any. Instead she simply patted the boy on the back very awkwardly. " Of course we aren't alone. That statement makes little sense. Of course you aren't the sole Uchiha living in the entire world. Most people simply don't know an Uchiha when they see them these days. They are so incorporated into other clans most of our bloodline has been diluted. Even though the Steward is of Uchiha blood, he has no Uchiha traits. " She was rambling, mostly because she felt uncomfortable. Instead she turned to her brother and his smart ass remark. " Yes, well, that may be true but it's still different brother. You get to stay at home, in our comfort zone to work as you like. I'd say you have very little responsibility. " She huffed.

 

[Tenrai Indou]

Indou realized what he was doing and immediately pushed himself off of the girl and stared at the ground his face beet red in shame and embarassment for being so weak with someone so unfamiliar.

s...sorry we don't even know each other that well and i have shown you something so shameful..

he apologized sincerely and then thought about how there were possibly many of Uchiha descent within the village and then even further thought about how many pureblooded Uchiha were left outside of his family he had never met any that were though outside of his immediate family besides today he had not truly met anyone.

Can... you teach me? Our history I mean, mother and father kept it from me because they thought that I would be saddened by it because of my illness.

 

[Jenosaido Bruinetto]

With this boy showing a natural disposition for learning in his earnest asking of learning the history of their clan it brought a small smile to his face. "I am sure at some point I could go over some of the past of the clan with you. I have looked a fair amount into the history of the Uchiha clan in general along with the history they have here in the village. Some of this history can go off into a "legend" type category though. Old legends that have been carried through the years and have been considered truth, even if they may not be the one hundred percent truth."

There were a lot of stories and myths when it came to their clan and he did not believe in all of these myths. Especially ones where it details their clan as a cursed or evil clan. Those were just labels put onto the clans people who in earlier times were war mongers. Their clan hasn't always been so civilized, much like many other clans during their early history. Looking back over to his sister he could only shake his head. "It's nice that you place a lot of value in your job. I wouldn't go so far as to discredit my work and say there is a lack of responsibilities. After all despite all the research and contracts I fulfill with the village I still manage to teach classes too." Looking down towards his wrist he looked towards the watch that rested on it. Becoming aware of the time it seems that it had become much later than he realized. "Perhaps it would be best to return you home and continue this another day. Your mother may be worried about you Indou."

 

[Kumiko]

A wash of relief came over Kumiko once the physical contact was broken. That sort of thing just wasn't her style. Growing up she was never shown affection, or at least it wasn't shown in physical displays. Yet she couldn't blame Indou. His father only recently passed away. On top of that learning he had an entirely new family. It was more than enough to make him overly emotional. " That job sounds like it's Bruinetto's territory. He's the one teaching lectures and all that jazz. Don't get me wrong. I know the entire clan history like the back of my hand. He'd just be better at teaching you. " She didn't like to admit it in front of Bruinetto. " However, when it comes to learning the skills of the Uchiha I'm your best bet. "

The female Uchiha in the group was about to protest against her twins claim, but it was better said when the two of them were alone. Or at home. Indou didn't need to hear their bickering and debates. " Yes. I'm sure your mother is very worried, all things considered. " This woman had lost a husband and now she didn't know where her only child was. Indou was all she had left. If Kumiko were in her position she'd be worried sick.

EDIT- [ TOPIC LEFT DUE TO INACTIVITY ]