how goes the day

It was raining.

As of late, the weather in Kusagakure had taken a turn for the worst. Usually a paradise for sun, I could remember as a child the endless weeks of rain that the village had to bear with. It wasn’t a problem as I now glided across the plains in search of none other than my cousin, of course. I walked, my latex-like clothing repelling the rain perfectly as I moved, the raindrops bounding off me like small projectiles. The place in which he lived in soon came in to view – a small shack of dubious craftsmanship. It did move me somewhat how .. basic he was living now, but given that my home was technically the compound, I figured that we were at both extremes of the spectrum. Soon the time would come where I’d need to buy some place to stay – and I’d have no doubts that the officials of Kusagakure would require it to be fortified. Almost like my own family home all those years ago. Having lived in an almost claustrophobic underground lab for as long as I can recall since stepping back on to this land, I couldn’t imagine living elsewhere, but it was pivotal now. ”………” as I closed in, I saw the wood that made the shape of the building itself, spiderwebs glistening with raindrops galore whilst their own tenants hid away between wood beams in some attempt to be shielded from the weather. He’d told me loosely what had happened to him, but from the brief that I’d been given, I wasn’t looking forwards to this. My pale hand rose, knocking on the door a total of three times before I then took ahold of the handle.

"Akatome, it's just me."

I pushed myself in to the small construct.

So.. dark. There was a light, of course- but it could barely be considered substantial enough. Having come in here during the daytime and in better weather when light poured in through the windows, making everything seem so much better. In the darkness how, shadows loomed over everything, barely being restricted by the soft candlelight that flickered elsewhere. I couldn't see him living like this. "You know - I can find you a better place to live." I offered as I gazed around at his surroundings, before going back to the familiar black-haired man. Anything had to be better than this. "..Winter will be here soon, and I'd hate to see you fall ill." I was, of course, concerned for his health. I could feel the chill of the outdoors and the dampness of the rain from inside - as winter would come around with its bitter chill, I couldn't imagine the state that this place would be then. As a practicioner of the medical arts and a constant presence in the village hospital, the last thing I wanted was for him to be subdued by illness. Offering him a home was the least that I could do, as a friend, a cousin and as Kusakage. Pushing my hair back, even in this dank light my form almost glowed with ethereal power, appearing more golden that before from the generous supply of chakra that seethed within me. Of course; he'd be none the wiser but even I had come to terms with the fact that I looked different - the same, but much more.. radiant. I pushed a few loose strand from my face, as I gazed up at his features, awaiting his response.

The sound of the rain hitting against the tattered roof was strange to say the least. I’d been so used to spending my days and nights within either places deep underground or buildings with enough bricks and cement to block out any similar sounds that it was an alien sound to me by now. It simply bolstered the sheer fragility of the building itself, and being relatively close to the person who lived within it, of course I was going to be concerned. ”Perhaps they are the least of yours but that doesn’t mean that they are, too, the least of mine.” I spoke, a clear If you become ill from this then don’t tell me I didn’t warn you vibe coming from my words. He had briefed me on what had happened almost erratically, and although I'd managed to pick up the details, he'd seemed somewhat.. panicked, upon finding out. As I looked at him now in full he seemed much more relaxed but it was debatable whether it was a front or not. Akatome had always been known for his cool head. He was perhaps on part with Ue's own temperam- My eyes flickered downwards for the slightest of moments as I remembered. I had told Akatome months ago that I'd find him, that I'd bring him back safe and that we could all be a family again. With painful truths having been revealed, I came to the realization that all of this time my efforts had been in vain. But.. I didn't know how to break the news to him. He had enough things to worry about at the moment.

"Tea?"

I smiled softly - or was that a smirk?

"..Tea.. is all that they give me in meetings."

"I expected you of all people to know that I still don't favor the drink."

My tone was playful, not condemning his words by any means but instead moreso turning the situation on its head and making fun of him for even offering it to him. But it was all in good nature. Regardless, I'd take the cup and allow the warmth that radiated from it to sink in to my hands, perfectly soothing the chill that had come over me from the uninsulated building we were currently sat in. Taking a sip, shortly thereafter I'd begin to speak. "I apologize to have to bring this up so soon; But, can you outline to me exactly what had happened in the few days before you made the discovery?" I questioned in a sympathetic tone, trying to find out if anything had happened to trigger it. I'd heard of cases only vaguely spoken in textbooks but personally, I hadn't seen anything like this in full. If he claimed it to be all that he said, then I was thinking the worst as despite being a medic - the chakra system within a human body was something that even we couldn't change to our liking. Looking over at him and taking another sip of the tea (Over time.. I hadn't grow to like it, but it was acceptable enough) I'd keep my gaze focused on him for any change in expression, any little movement or word from the lips. And I stood- basking in my own light as chakra seethed from each and every pore, satisfying my own health and mind, and allowing me to think rationally. Shifting my position, placing my free hand on my hip, I'd watch him, studying his reaction.

"And; how are you feeling?"

Being able to analyze people quite well, I naturally kept my gaze on him as I watched him respond to my questions and comments. The most curious of which was my words about tea and how it wasn't exactly my most favorite drink in the world. Where before in the past he'd have taken it as the joke that it was, he now seemed oddy.. serious about it. As if I'd just offended him. My eyebrows shifting slightly as I developed a slightly quizzical expression, I opened my mouth to speak; "I was kidding, Akatome. Tea is fine." A pause, and a soft, all-too forgiving smile. "Don't beat yourself up about it." I'd seen him flinch, I'd seen his eyes cast down to the floor for perhaps only the slightest of moments. It only led me to believe that this change in ability had effected him in ways more than the obvious physical restriction. He displayed an unsettling amount of.. apathy, for himself, above anything. It was a far cry from the Akatome I'd seen merely weeks ago, and to say the least, I was concerned about him. Whilst I was sure he'd be able to change his style of combat as a shinobi, I could plainly see the lack of confidence in the way that he spoke, and the smallest of twitches that his hand displayed whilst holding the delicate teacup. As tough a personality I'd developed over the years between the first shinobi war and now, even that couldn't help but make me wince slightly at his words. Family had always been my primary concern. Whilst the village ranked first as well, family came tied with it, and as I picked up so much fear in his voice, I sympathized with him, my eyes growing slightly droopy and much softer in gaze, before hardening once more as I prepared to ask him a few questions in regards to what he'd asked, placing the teacup down on a nearby surface as I rested my hands, stretching their digits somewhat.

"You say you feel fine, now?
Had you experienced any symptoms previously?"

The way he'd spoken led me to believe that there had to be some kind of pain at the start where his abilities had been siphoned away from him by some unknown cause. However - as I asked, my hands had already begun to weave seals for a high-class medical technique that I was hoping would be able to tell if there was anything wrong with him physically which could have perhaps added to it - a strange, intricate seal on his body which could have locoked away his abilities, or some kind of internal deformity that might have effected his use of chakra in some way temporarily. I was unsure, but all I could do was hope that it was something which I could spot. Regarding myself as one of the best medics in the shinobi world, if I couldn't pick up on it - I had little confidence that he'd be able to harness his chakra again. As I finished the long strand of seals, I then rose my hands and approached Akatome, pressing them softly against the area of his solar plexus for only a few seconds, as the small amount of medical chakra began to bounce back and forth in his body, attempting to pick up on any fine details which could explain the disappearance of his chakra-moulding ability. This would continue for a very short time, before I took my hands off as the information fed back to me, shaking my head in response to what I hadn't found within him.

"I'm sorry, Akatome." I paused.

"..I couldn't find anything.
No irregular physical change; nothing that could take it away like that."

I spoke these words with a tinge of sadness in them for what had happened. I spoke of my own lack of hope but I knew that there were other ways of working from this - he could easily go forwards to dedicate himself to taijutsu styles which didn't require any chakra drain to use, but - "..Akatome, I can tell that you're not alright - you're .. shaking." I spoke, my tone mused and almost whispered as I looked on at him and his hands which he attempted to still by holding them firmly together. "Whatever this is, don't let it get to you. I'm sure there are many people born in to this world who aren't able to use chakra - I truly believe that you can pass this hurdle." Another pause, as I brushed a strand from the irregularly bright mass of hair behind my ear, permitting me slightly more of a field of vision. "Just take it slow - don't rush in to things." I spoke. my words pouring from my mouth as sweet as honed, laced with extremely faint traces of excess chakra, my lungs along with the rest of my body heavy with pressure. Picking up the teacup once more, I took one more sip from the edge of the slightly cracked porcelain, before resting it in my hand as I looked down at him, still studying his potential response to my words.

"I'll always be here for you - you know that, right?
You'll be OK."

"That's it,"

"It's over."

"How dare you even say that."

I could see the anger clearly on my face. Whilst I'd always been, and still am quite an aggressive person when I wanted to be, it was something that I'd seen Ue and Akatome both harness, but never embrace fully. It was times like those in our childhood where it scared me to see them in such an enraged state, as it was so rare. And even now, despite my title as Kusakage, I couldn't help but reflect on those days now and watch, not in full fear, but in slight concern of the transition that the man before me was taking part in, as he slowly took in all of the scrambled emotions he surely felt at the moment. As he stood, our connection which I'd past created was now broken, and coming in line with his own movements, I too rose to my true height, towering over him by a few inches. Instead of speak, I kept listening, allowing him to vent his frustrations, however, the very moment that I heard his voice rise, my right arm shifted its position. Moving it over so that it inexplicably held on to my left hip, I backed off only a single step, blue eyes wide open as I watched him writhe in emotional turmoil. His words directed to me in particular weren't effective as I dislocated myself from the situation. I knew the feeling of anger like the back of my hand, and blaming me was merely one kind of coping mechanism that sprung from it. He truly believed that there was nothing left for him in the shinobi world if he was unable to harness his chakra - and so, as I told him of a possibility otherwise, he childishly chose to pick on me for having what he now lacked. Of course, I forgave him. I'd always forgive him - and for this short period, I allowed him to satisfy his frustrations.

"I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'M YOUR FUCKING COUSIN, AKATOME !!


I roared fiercely, my voice radiating off the air for miles as I wildly looked at him.
It was almost scary.

However, was the gargantuan supply of chakra that was stored within me at the moment that noticeable? I'd have checked myself for it, but given that the only piece of skin viewable was my face and a small amount of my upper neck, I was unable to do so, but I took his words as truth. I exhaled shakily, my mind having been worked up so from shouting. I hadn't done it in quite a while and it felt so.. justifying to do it, urging me to push on and do it again, to remedy Akatome of the ignorance that was currently overpowering him - dare I challenge the black abyss that his mind frame was becoming? Dare he challenge me. My eyes lit with an unnatural, almost disturbing amount of fury for only a brief moment before quieting down as I took control over myself again.

"IT'S OVER!!!"

SMASH !!

"I think I was beginning to lose myself for a minute there..."

The chill swept in through the hole in the wall that he'd created only minutes ago, although it seemed that by now, my attempt to comfort him had worked as he drew away from my form seemingly much more clear-minded than he had been before - but it didn't make me forget his shouts. Had I really become that latched on to chakra? It was a strange thought, but it was entirety possible, and whilst fully aware of this, I couldn't bring myself to do anything about it. I held myself where I was for a minute or so as I contemplated such a notion, my arms now crossed tightly against my chest. Whatever anger that had taken over my cousin had been, thankfully, short lived. I was relieved for several different reasons, the most notable of which being the fact that past the cold countenance that I bore, I hated to see him as he'd been. It reminded me all too much of myself, and at most times Akatome being a completely different person, I didn't want him to replicate me. Even as I stood now with barriers over my mind to try and calm myself, they had broken so easily mere minutes ago where I'd shouted at him so relentlessly.

I had too many things to consider and change.



"We'll work it out."

I flashed him the same caring smile; Even I was surprised at how warm I was becoming towards not only Akatome, but towards everything in general. Or.. I wasn't that surprised with being much more soft towards my cousin - I'd always been a family-orientated person, but now .... With Ue gone, Kouketsu looming at my door and all too many things surfacing, I wasn't sure how to react. I ought to be happy, but I felt seeds of doubt get planted in my mind each and every passing day. But Ue - for only a moment I froze, my eyes directed towards a corner of his home. Perhaps it was a gift that someone alike myself could feel any sense of regret, but I wasn't sure what to do. The more I let it go on the more time he'd have to wait, living a lie believing that he was alive somewhere in the shinobi world, but at the same time, relaying the information to Akatome myself clarified that Ue was gone, and that he'd never come back. Moving my attention to my hands, I found myself contemplating that for only a moment or so, before willingly cutting through such thoughts. The gift which I'd searched wildly for all those years ago was becoming such a burden - Edo tensei. I had so many that I'd loved, and so many that I'd lost. Reviving them for my own selfish intents wasn't a sign of respect, or love, at that. I couldn't bring myself to do it to them.

But you want to see him again..

..Don't you?