Retribution [C]

Comfortably situated on the road ahead of the fast-paced Kusakage, he showed no indication of stopping her gait.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. My dear, dear Blanche. What am I going to do with you?"

I’d had enough- enough of visiting foreign countries. Enough of speaking to people and enough of wasting my time. As I ran through the forestry, through the delicate light that seemed to pour on the ground soon came not a clearing- but a defined area where there lay a clear track in the road, no doubt a path to a smaller village within the country or towards some point of interest. However, it wasn’t the road itself that interested me but instead the feature that was on it. There; standing as if merely a fraction of my imagination stood the same Uchiha who had kidnapped me from my hearing merely.. a day or two ago had it been? Over course, I’d lost all sense of time. Coming to a stop at a distance of roughly six meters away, I stood, my blue eyes taking his appearance in- I was sure that I wasn’t hallucinating, I’d come a long way from that point – and even as he spoke I narrowed my eyes slightly, wondering if it had been merely a trick of the sunlight. However- much to my digress as I hoped to continue on my journey, it seemed that I’d now be stalled by the form before me. He’d had all the time in the world to appear at any other time- why now? Allowing him to speak, I took in his sarcastic, almost unfeeling words with little to no care. Over time I’d at several times expressed my distaste of being guarded and watched, and although I figured that Kouketsu had been doing less of the former and more of the latter, I felt unsure of how to react. Whilst I kept the same stance on the matter, at the same time I writhed in the wave of adrenaline that possessed me, causing the hair on my very skin to stand on end. It was thrilling, in its own way, and yet at the same time, disturbing, and I had intense difficulty differentiating the two of them.

Even in these early hours, it was so strange seeing his form in more clarity than I had back then. Most noticeable of which was the mask that be bore across his face, which protected two of his unique eyes- I’d seen both of them myself from others who had too bore similar traits, one bearing several circles and the other the more recognizable sharingan. How he’d managed to get the secondary eye I was unsure, had he had it transplanted? Or perhaps had he unlocked it at some point during the second shinobi war? Given that he proved to be a man of several surprises, I couldn’t be too sure of anything that he did or showed any more. Moving my hands and placing them on either hip after pushing an ample amount of blonde hair back from the side of my face, I’d keep a watch of him, preparing to reply to his sudden scolding.

You're much more valuable than you realize -- you can't simply run around accepting every challenge that's thrown your way like some street fighter.

..You were wrong to underestimate that man."



I smirked, the onslaught of a soft laugh coming to my pale cheeks.

”..You expected me to hand it over to him?..Ahaha!

Kouketsu, it sounds like you don’t know well enough of me to pass judgement.”

Even in the short space of time that I had gotten to know the Uchiha personally, I already knew what he’d reply with, gauging by our last meeting and his response to my words. He’d surely say that he knew more about myself than I did, that my actions were unjust and reckless, that if I was to die and risk my life over a sword that I’d never tower over the legacy that my brother had personally helped to forge in to the world itself. And with such a casual state of mind washing over me at this moment, I couldn’t care less as I admitted that I too had mused those remarks myself before the man had even made himself evident once more. I had to fight on- I couldn’t let myself fall back behind his name. Whilst I'd been in a daze back then which had added to my inclination to fight, I found myself in a lucid state, floating on top of.. nothing but my own elevated self confidence. And I happily lay upon it even now as I gazed at perhaps one of the most infamous men in the entire shinobi world with not a care in the world.

"My battles are my own to fight..

..And my own to choose."

The mentioning of my title as being a kage and that being ample reason not to throw myself in to fights was understandable, as depending on who I chose to brawl with, the repercussions could easily resonate to Kusagakure itself. However- at the end of my own with Akira, although I had distaste for the man for taking the blade, at the same time I didn’t take it too personally, and from how he’d reacted I figured he felt the same, if not a similar sentiment. Although deep down I admitted that I enjoyed working out differences by words, through speaking with actions did I get the buzz that I seeked. I could remember- even back then in the early moments of the fight itself, how riled up I’d become simply because of the concept of fighting, how excited I’d been as I deployed my chakra, and finally, even past the agonizing pain, how content I had been, even if only for a moment. And nothing, not even Uchiha, Kouketsu could take that away. Ingrained deep in me, it was a truth that I wasn’t as perhaps careful as my brother had been, or as collected. I’d never been. Whilst we shared a strikingly similar appearance and perhaps some other aspects, my fiery temper was a defining trait of mine which I had only rarely seen him display himself.

”Had I handed it over to him, I’d doubt you’d have been happy with that, either.
So in hindsight; any option I’d chosen would have resulted in you lecturing me."



"..Just what will it take to impress you?”

Whilst I spoke truthfully of my deduction, my right hand dropped from my hip, and instead chose to twist before my miniscule waist and interlock with my left, still positioned on my side. I merely teasing to some degree with my last statement- but he spoke so much of my cooperation that I wondered to myself whether or not I was actually kidding. I’d pushed myself through the battle with Akira and I’d survived, although, even with the damage dealt to the man I was sure that if he wished he could have potentially killed me. However when I found myself in situations as those I found it so hard to even simply think as Kouketsu had requested me to do. But his words were understandable- and perhaps I’d take what he said on board. Even though I’d guessed his response and checked each box, it.. was true that all of my goals would be unreachable if I was rendered but a corpse on a bloody battlefield. But I’d escaped the clutches of death so many times in the past- and now, even just bordering on its confines or even the risk itself sent me wild. A grin again appearing, I'd face him with the same icy cool blue eyes that my brother had surely done countless of times in the past. ”I can't promise you that I'll stop, but I'll try to keep myself composed in the future.” I spoke. There was no telling if this attempt at pulling myself back from the involuntary actions I found myself doing would be a success or not. A familiar feeling of warmth on the top of my head from the sunlight which tipped down, it was soon joined by a similar warm sensation on my face- which soon revealed to be the Uchiha. I'd allow him to momentarily indulge in his thoughts as his thumb laced the hollow of my cheek, before my right hand broke contact with my left and rose, seeking to only gently swat his hand away. The mere feeling of it disturbed me slightly. "Our plans?" I'd inquire, my eyes narrowly fixated on the Uchiha, before widening again slowly. "I will always have a say in any matter that concerns me, Kouketsu." such words were wrought with steel, and each one was chosen carefully and spoken eloquently and in an articulate manner. My aim wasn't to voice any kind of disagreement to whatever he had in mind, but merely to remind him that if I was as much of his plans as he spoke, then I had my own right to an opinion.

"I'm not a direct continuation of Ue.
Whilst I'm interested in what you have to offer, I refuse to lose my voice."

After speaking, I'd then cross my arms across my chest, eyes still gazing at the masked man. From how he'd reacted to the things I'd said the first time we'd met, I doubted that he'd take my sense of self that well, but I was sure that if he was so adamant of including me, then he'd have grin and bear it. I wasn't asking for much - simply the knowledge that I wasn't going to be blinded and thrown in to situations beyond my desire. Whilst I wished for the bloodshed, the agony and the hate, I couldn't be sure of the future.

Such talk of survival rang through my ears. Just what was he planning? He spoke of such things so cryptically and given the fact that he had undoubtedly followed me from my first step in to the kage summit up until now, it simply made me wonder what he had planned. I could only hazard a guess that it was surely something to do with my brother that he so longingly spoke of. I could tell that he missed his presence, but I doubted it could compare to my own loss. But he’d already spoken of ways that he could personally revive him with- so why would my help be needed? A similar source of DNA perhaps? I was unsure, and at the same time, I didn’t want to make any forward assumptions, although I could only grin with satisfaction as he spoke of myself. Whilst it was still interesting that he was even here before me and still capable of so much if not more with the irregular eyes of his, at the same time I found it even more exhilarating that he seemed to be watching my every move. But however much I’d get involved with his plans, I had to take in to concern how it would effect my village. The last thing I wanted was for one of the other village leaders to assume the worst and launch an attack on it from those assumptions. However- given that he had been following me, I figured that if such a situation was to occur and if I was so valuable as he spoke, then I’d have enough leverage through his possible intervention. I wouldn’t let my village grow detrimental because of my own actions.

"..And as I've said, our plans demand your presence. Though it is somewhat embarrassing to admit this, I need you alive and healthy -- I need your help to bring all of this to fruition.."

"..I'm too stubborn to die, Kouketsu.
You shouldn't be concerned."

"You'll be happy to know that there aren't many threats in the village that I could get..."

And then- having moved roughly four meters away, I'd turn my body, gazing back at the man.
A question had come to my mind.



"..Will I be seeing you again soon?"

Given the spontaneous nature of the man and his choice of meetings with me, I wasn't sure when to expect him to be drawn out of the shadows again, and I'd have liked some kind of indication that he would reappear in the future. Heading back to the village however, I could only hope that he wouldn't make himself too obvious to the general public.