Sorry, I Left My Face In My Other Jacket. [Sousuke/Riyota]

[Kazumi]

"No one," Suzume quickly answered, having regained most of her composure from her prior explanation as Sousuke spoke. "They had told me not to tell anyone, but like... I mean, I had to tell you, you're," she paused for a moment, catching herself before she called him the Kazekage, "the Steward. I mean, you'd find out eventually anyway." She meant those words as an indirect compliment to his deductive and investigative capabilities, though it did not occur to her that they could be taken differently. "So... yeah, no one else. I don't know who to tell and who to not."

She shifted away from him, staring off towards no spot in particular as she silently thought to herself for a few moments. "Even if I did tell someone, they would either not believe me, think I was crazy or... I dunno. The Way of Jashin maniacs have given Lord Jashin a very bad reputation, and the unenlightened masses would probably just group the Chains with them without a second though." Again she paused before looking back up and over towards him. "What is it I should do?" She appeared genuinely looking to him for instruction, thinking someone as great as he would certainly hold all of the best answers for her.

Before he had a moment to reply, she quickly began once again, almost rambling, "what do I tell the clan? My parents? Will they believe me even? Should they? I mean, you seem to believe me, so certainly they would but... what do I say?" Her hands had come together at some point in her worried rambling, one holding the symbol of the Chains as the other traced its form for guidance and support. "I have been thinking about it since... I just haven't found any good answers. If I tell them the truth, will people get the wrong idea and want me kicked out of the village? I... I don't have anywhere else to go..." Her words quieted as she faded into silence, her lips pressed together as she shifted her attention from Sousuke down to the symbol, as if looking to it for some sort of answer.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Jashin wasn't a noble religion in Sungakure. It was the religion of their enemy. On the flip side, one could refer to the religion in Sungakure as the worship of Soul Eating monsters of antiquity. The difference was public perception. The case of the latter, the worshippers really did not know the truth of the matter. The former there was a case of misunderstood god. "Well, in addition to the present Kazekage, I would also hesitate to talk about it to Kuro."<i></i> Both men did not think well of Jashin, and both had experienced his presence first hand. The funny thing in all of this, is that it was Takahashi Sousuke, of all people, to be the one who knew the truth perhaps better than most people. The Steward could only assume that the Chains of Jashin did not know the truth about Mother Suna. Few people knew that truth, and Sousuke thought it to be for the better. "Honestly? I think it best to keep this a secret. Continue to work with the Chains doing what you can. Quietly. If you think it wise to tell them you've spoken to me of this? Then do so. I do not know how much trust they can have in me, but I like to think myself to be someone trustworthy."<i></i>

Sousuke's expression soured for a time. "At best, we can only hope that time is on the side of the Chains of Jashin. Assumedly there are far less of them then there are these pretenders. Immortality is something the two of these groupings have, and something I do not."<i></i> He paused for a moment. "You'll be around for a far longer time than I will ever be. I'll be dead and rotting in the ground while you are still present and fighting for the metaphorical soul for Jashinism. Do not lose sight of your final goal, but also be mindful of the present. This war with the Daimyo will hopefully offer an opportunity for the Chains and yourself to prove something to the world at large."<i></i> Sousuke tried to offer words of encouragement to Suzume. "I certainly wouldn't exile you from the village, and should the time come to defend you. I would do so."<i></i> With that the Steward would bid the young Sunan farewell. He would return to his meditations. Ever so slightly did the Steward gain enlightenment in his meditation and his wounds would begin to heal a little more quickly.

[WC 390 MFT]

 

[Kazumi]

Suzume looked away from Sousuke as he spoke, a faint flush overcoming her as he gave her those words of encouragement. She harbored no infatuation towards him, or no more than any other of the village girls of her age, but the confidence he seemed to have in her work struck a chord in her heart. She offered him a faint nod, her smile still embarrassed as she tried to make eye contact with him, and failing yet again. "I will do my very best, for both Lord Jashin and the village." Her words were quiet and shy, but held a firm determination within them.

As Sousuke bid her farewell, she offered him a deep bow a respect before she turned and began to make her way out as well. It was only a few steps before she came to a stop and slowly turned back towards him, thinking to herself as she wound on his chest. It was not freshly made, but the wound would take quite sometime to heal naturally on its own and likely was to leave yet another scar on the Steward's battle scarred skin. "B-before I go," she suddenly announced, turning back from the exit as she stepped back over towards him.

Suzume slipped her hand into her pocket, fishing out the small religious symbol that she had stashed away only moments before. "If you will allow me, a blessing from Lord Jashin as a gesture of appreciation. I am sure it would be his will to do so." If he showed no obvious sign of rejection, Suzume would place the symbol in her right hand which closed around it before pressing it against her hand. With her right hand free she knelt down in front of him and extended it outwards towards his exposed chest wound, holding her palm out.

Though her words were whispered and quiet, Sousuke could still barely hear her muttering what sounded to be a prayer as she tilted her head down, her chin resting upon her closed left hand on her chest as her right continued to extend out towards Sousuke. Her extended right hand began to glow black, as if absorbing some of the light straight from the air around it. Then, if he were looking at his chest, he could see the skin stretching out over the wound, sealing itself shut without a trace of scar or blemish. In addition, he could feel something strange, as if a small weight had been lifted from his mind, a small sliver of darkness breaking off from his essence. Be it a distant memory dwelt upon, a vice too often indulged, a regret or an obsession, it felt just the faintest bit lighter upon his mind.

Suzume winced, her right arm faltering for a moment as she gripped the symbol harder, her breath holding for a second before she finally finished the prayer. Then, with a deep breath she raised her head, opened her eyes and relaxed herself, still kneeling in front of him. She offered him a genuine smile, though below that he might notice a small difference, a tinge of blood seeping through the front of her own shirt in a similar location as to where his had just been. "It is small, but I hope that his blessing aids you in some matter, Lord Steward."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke showed no sign of rejection or anything. He opened one eye and looked at Suzume. He was hesitant to accept a blessing at first, but he decided to accept it. He would nod with his head to permit this blessing to occur. He watched as Suzume reached out to his wound and place her hand on it. The wound which was already closed was knitting itself together and vanishing entirely. It was something different to experience. Sousuke traced his land across the flesh. There was no scar tissue or anything of the sort. In addition to the wound there was something else. The Steward felt a burden being lifted from him. It was a particular regret that he had hang over for him for quite some time. He wasn't exactly sure what regret it was that plagued him. If given a long amount of time to reflect upon it, he would perhaps indeed be able to identify it.

He watched then as Suzume finished the blessing and took his own injury for herself. Normally one would have been happy to have been healed, and to have felt one less thing to bring them down. Sosuke frowned openly. "Cannot say I've ever been healed at the expense of another."<i></i> He admitted. He scratched the back of his head. Was this truly a form of healing? Moving one injury to another didn't really seem like healing. "I do appreciate your gesture and the blessing, but is it really considered a boon or a heal for you to take my suffering?"<i></i> He questioned her. The Steward of a man with beliefs that were considered old. He was deeply rooted in tradition, mainly because it was what he was raised so deeply in. "I would ask that this be a first and last time we do this. It is expected that I endure from this and continue on."<i></i> He hesitated for a moment. "Not most people can keep going but--"<i></i> It was in that moment he realized something. Suzume was doing as he did. He suffered in certain ways so that others could live better. In that moment he fell silent again and was simply left to nod to himself. "I mean to say thank-you really. First and foremost above all else."<i></i>

 

[Kazumi]

Suzume nodded, closing her eyes as he spoke. She had never done this before, but she knew that through her, Lord Jashin could bestow this gift. It was not the first time that such knowledge had come upon her unbidden. The knowledge and memories that swam through her mind were not entirely her own, but for reasons she could not place, that did not disturb her. Astute as he was, it likely that even the Steward noticed something peculiar from Suzume as she took another slow deep breath: Her eyes seemed to faintly dance underneath their lids as he expression softened and became elated. It would appear almost as if the pain, the blessing, or perhaps Sousuke's gratitude gave her significant physical pleasure.

The moment did not last long however, as she opened her eyes once more and bestowed him an amused and satisfied smile, something closer to the girl than the priestess, although her words continued with a practiced formality that carried knowledge beyond her years. "Don't worry about it at all. Twisted as though they are, those of the Way and Chain share the blessings of our lord. While those of the Way have embraced the twisted nature of humanity and seek to spread misery, we of the Chains bear it upon ourselves; such is our purpose."

Without warning she reached up with her free hand and tugged down the front of her shirt far enough to reveal the top inch of the bleeding wound, which resembled his when it was first inflicted upon him. She took a slow deep breath and bowed her head faintly. Suzume brought her other hand, which still bore the symbol in its palm, close to her chest, forming a single-handed seal with that hand, her index and middle fingers pointed upwards as the others curled inward. A single ember of flame appeared at the tips of the outstretched fingers, though it was not a reddish fire that bore light and head but a dark flame that appeared to pull the light and heat from the air around it.

The flame danced and flickered faintly as she reached into her shirt and pressed the tip of the fire across the wound, which gave off a strange sound of which there was no comparable description. Her fingers and the black flame went across the wound, leaving the skin smooth and clean as the flame somehow undid the damage that Suzume had taken from the Steward. Meanwhile he could see there was a mixture of focus and bliss across her face as she finished sealing the wound, the flame winking out of existence the instant she brought it from her chest. The only sign of the injury persisting as a blood stain across part of her shirt.

Letting another deep breath of contentment and exhaustion, she reluctantly opened her eyes and grinned once more. "Nothing to worry about Sousuke. See?" She tugged the shirt down a little further so that he could inspect, though not far enough to give him too much to see. "Injuries of the flesh are nothing to the power of Lord Jashin. So don't worry about it, I am just happy to be able to help." her smile turned cheery once more as she pushed herself up to a stand, tugging the collar of her shirt to try and get it to sit correctly. "I am still learning, but I think the village could benefit greatly from these and other of his blessings."

She paused, taking a moment to glance away from him nervously before she continued, "I may sound like I know a lot, and I do, but there is still so much more I do not know. About Lord Jashin, the Chains, the Way... everything. It is... strange. Perhaps I shouldn't speak of it, but part of the rites that got me where I am today is the sacrifice of two other people. The Chains member whose place I took, whom I erm.... inherited the burden of, and..." she paused, visibly concerned of his reaction to her next admission. "The girl who used to have this body. I... I do not know the details, only that it was a willing sacrifice from them both." She did not know the full extent of the rites in truth, though she felt that knowledge rested just beyond her realm of understanding, deep in the void that existed outside of her own memories.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Such is our purpose."<i></i> Sousuke parroted the young heiress. In a way it is much like 'because it is expected of me'. The Steward had become the Kazekage for a time because for two reasons, he could only do so much as the Steward-Kazekage, secondly was the fact at the time he perceived Sunahoshi Katuso to be dead. It was not a great time being the Kazekage. It allowed him to push through things, not that he could before, but there was an absolute mental certainty about it. What the Steward wanted to do and what was expected to do were two very different things. Rather than live a life of what he wanted to do, he instead lived of a life of what was expected of him. The civil war of Jashinism was something that was all consuming. A coin with two sides. Two extremes. One causing suffering, and the other taking said suffering. He watched as Suzume healed herself ultimately. The teenager was resourceful. In a way Sousuke felt better about it. She told him not to worry about injuries of the flesh. As she said this he would look to his arm. "Could a member of the chains recover an arm if it was lost? I'm not going to pretend that I know the power of a deity or that of your Order."<i></i> It wasn't like Sousuke was going to make the request. He was content with his mechanical arm.

Suzume told him there was nothing to be worried about, but yet there was something. Power came at a cost. Sousuke learned this lesson on multiple fronts. It was a costly lesson, given what Mikaboshi had taught him. "Kuro once thought that giving out Cursed Seals, or Celestial Seals to children was a good thing."<i></i> Sousuke countered. "Cursed Seals while ... powerful have a cost and that cost does eventually become overwhelming."<i></i> He warned her. All the same Sousuke was of a bloodline of the First Men. While he was not a Sunahoshi and could control the skies and their might, he could indeed create things at will. Sousuke had made a number of weapons and armours, and there were very few things he could not weaponize. "Blessings and Curses are two sides of the same coin. Just always be aware of this. Some people were calling Cursed Seals a different name entirely. Some referred to them as Celestial Seals. Still the same thing, just a far less harsh name."<i></i>

The Steward listened to a narrative. Sacrifice was involved. For a moment, Sousuke had to stop and consider it. "What happened to your original body? Secondly. Have you gotten used to it yet? Being in a new body."<i></i> Rikudo Sennin had access to multiple bodies. This was not like that. It was something to think about. It made Sousuke wonder, how did people get used to it? Staring into the mirror and seeing someone else stare back? Was it unsettling? Was it frustrating? Frightening even?

 

[Kazumi]

Suzume paused to consider his question. It was not something she had ever performed before. Creating new flesh where there was none was vastly different than mending sealing two halves of wounded flesh or accelerating the natural regenerative capabilities humans possessed. "I... I do not think so. Don't know until I try though." Her words were not an offer, but rather a statement towards her willingness to venture into the unknown beyond.

As he continued, she listened curiously. She had heard of the terms Celestial and Cursed Seal, though she did not know exactly what such entailed. Before her conversion to the Chains she would have immediately thought of disdain towards the latter, but knowing what little she did now, she understood things were not always so simple.

Finally he posed two simple and yet difficult questions to answer. She averted her eyes from him as she thought, shifting somewhat uncomfortably at the thought. "Gone," she quietly stated with a blunt finality. "That was what happened to the ring you gave me." She reached into her pocket and fished out the darkened band of metal. "I had it on me during the ritual. I did not witness what happened, but there was a black flame that consumed by old body in the process." She held the ring up, once again showing him the irremovable darkness that scoured the surface. "This was the only thing that remained of where I was before it all started."

Suzume let off a long drawn out sigh, trying to put that old memory behind her, she still could remember whispering of the pain that had consumed her body back then. "It isn't so bad so far. In fact, in some ways it is very beneficial." She forced herself to look at him with a smile, but it was more hollow than she cared to admit. "I can correctly mold chakra now. My original body had some issue that prevented me from doing it, and now I can. The bad news..." She turned and walked a short distance away from him as she rolled the band of metal between her fingers.

"No one recognizes me. No one here, at least. I am unsure as to how my clan will react. Physically I no longer carry the blessing of Oushi-Ouja, and I do not know what will happen with I go back there." That was the crux of this entire issue and the reason she was so hesitant to leave the Steward's presence. The moment she stepped out from this tower she would have to descend back into the depths of the village to confront the head of her clan as well as her family. Her mind drifted back to the incident at Tea and her eyes began to quietly water, but her voice remained steady as she continued, keeping her back to him. "I hope they will understand."

Slowly coming to understand how she was simply putting off the inevitable, she wiped her eyes and turned back towards him, offering a deep and respectful bow. "I am sorry for taking up so much of your time. I am just glad that, if nothing else, at least someone here seems to believe me." She smiled over to him, the hollow void that resided in her last replaced by a well of tears that she was unable to force back. "Thank you, for everything you have done. For me and for the village." Again she forced herself into a deep bow, keeping low as she tried to press her eyes together hard enough to stem their unending tide.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke put two and two together now. The ring endured but Suzume's original body did not. It seemed morbid really. There was credit due to Suzume for taking this as best as she could. Then again Suzume was an heiress. She had been training for extreme conditions, to a certain extent, in her life. For a fleeting moment, Sousuke wondered if this black flame that destroyed her body was akin to that of what the Uchiha could do in the rarest of cases. If that was the case, then ... the darkening of the ring was something that could indeed happen. Suzume spoke of how this new body could do more for her, but like in all things, there was indeed a trade off. Very so slightly there were a few facial twitches in Sousuke's face. An emotional facial jerk of sorts. Indeed, he was perhaps the first one to take her word for what it was.

He watched her cry. He got up and approached her. "Hold."<i></i> He instructed and collected one simple tear. Crying. This was the pinnacle of emotion. Something he had not done in quite some time. Sousuke had not been pushed to this level of emotion but on ... truly rare occasions. "I am a firm believer in the law of averages."<i></i> He spoke as he looked at the tear on the tip of his mechanical finger. "The system will in fact balance out."<i></i> He stated. It was something he kept in mind for himself, as in terms of religious beliefs? The Steward was bankrupt, not because he lacked faith. It was because of the true nature and form of what he was supposed to have faith in. Due to Katuso's sacrifice, there was to be peace with Ancients. Yet there was that one irreconcilable fact. Mother Suna did not care for humans, or for the lineage of Primus. They were all cattle to her, and she in her very being was not a paragon. No. She was very far away from being that.

After bidding his farewell, the Steward would return to the Kazekage tower. He was feeling slightly better than he normally did. He would in fact again take up his old undertaking: to become but a superior version of himself.

[Topic Ended]