back home.

[marvolous.]

Knowing the arts of Hiraishin had it's perks.

For one, travel between villages (And even countries) was as simple as a thought entering my mind. From there, my body usually acted on it's own accord, sacrificing a small amount of my chakra to transport my form to any place where one of my seals remained. Thankfully, having been the Nidaime Kazekage for several years, my home - as well as my literal home - were littered with these seals.

Thus, with one thought I was brought back to the village from Kusagakure - bypassing the village gates, it's guards, as well as my own guards, without anyone noticing. From there, still completely oblivious to my current situation, I entered the home that I had build when I married Beppin.

Though I had only been gone for less than a day - again, to my knowledge - there were several things different about it. I didn't question the changes as Beppin was known for such things, but there was something in particular that caught my eye. Placed along the wall of the hallway were what appeared to be several pictures of me as a child, though I couldn't recall who they were taken by.

"What the hell is going on." I stood there for a moment, gazing at them. It was only after several more moments of staring that I realized that they were in fact not even of me. There was only one other person who this could be... "Hiraki?"

Again - what the hell was going on.

[Ichi]

It can't be. . .

I'd heard the voice from upstairs, and though it was muffled, I recognized who it was almost immediately. It'd been seven long years since I'd heard it, yet it sounded like only an hour had passed.

As I made my way out of Sora and I's bedroom, my heart was racing. I'd never moved toward something this slow in my entire life; it felt as if I was being frozen in time, until my body paused at the banister. I leaned over, casting a hesitant gaze down at the person in my house--

-- it was him.

"Sora?" I was baffled, but so overwhelmed with joy that I couldn't keep composure. "Sora!" I screamed, not bothering to run down the stairs -- with an effortless hop, I cleaned the banister and several scores of feet drop, sloppily landing at his feet. Instinctively, my arms wrapped around him, pulling my face into his chest.

The scent -- the feel. It was him. "Sora," I sobbed. "I've missed you terribly."

[marvolous.]

OOC: My bad, hadn't even noticed you posted.

"Sora!"

I turned at the sound of my name, catching the glimpse of Beppin's shadow as she leaped over the banister. Even though it was still relatively dark in the room, I could easily recognize her bounding through the air like that - sloppily as ever. "Beppin." I embraced her tightly as she held me, resting the tip of my chin upon the top of her crown.

"Love..." I began, separating her slightly from my chest. My hand instantly shot up to her face, whipping away the tears that seemed to flow so endlessly. "Why are you crying?" Only upon really looking at her face did I notice the slight changes to her features; though still beautiful, an understatement really, it was hard to ignore the maturation that seemed - to me - to have happened over night.

"I've only been gone for a night." I reassured her, holding her tightly in an embrace once more. "Please tell me why you're crying? Are you hurt?"

I had yet to come across a mirror, so I was still completely unaware of the many changes I myself had gone through.

[Ichi]

A night? My eyes blinked incredulously, almost unable to comprehend the words that had been spoken to me. Did he truly not remember? I mean, how could he have? Locked away in his own mind for seven, long years -- I just so thrilled that he was awake.

"My love," I sniveled, "you've been gone for far longer than one night. You-- you lost yourself. It's been seven years since you last spoke to me, my love."

"I wasn't sure if you were ever going to wake up, but I kept taking care of you; somehow I just knew that you'd come back to me." Again, tears flooded my eyes and I pressed my face into his strong chest - it felt good to be able to do that again; to just let go, and no longer hold up a facade; I was free. "Hiraki will be so happy to know that you've come back to us."

"You'll be so proud of him, Sora. You'll be so proud."

[marvolous.]

"What?" My voice and demeanor shifted instantly, confusion, uncertainty, and even slight anger - among other things - flushing my face with emotion. "What are you talking about? I can remember going to bed with you--" I cut myself off mid-sentence. I didn't want to believe it, but it made sense; Otaku and Ashura were both seven years old now - Hiraiki, too. Just how much had I missed?

... And why could I not remember the last seven years of my life?

"Our son is a shinobi now?" I finally spoke, my eyes having moved back to the pictures along the wall. I stared at them for a moment, taking in each one before moving passed Beppin and continuing down the hall. When there was no pictures left for me to look at, I pressed my back against the wall and slid to the ground. I didn't know what was worse: Having been absent from my conscious for seven years, or leaving Beppin alone to shoulder all this.

"I'm sorry Beppin." Sorry never used to be part of my vocabulary, but since meeting Beppin I keep finding myself using it over and over. "I'm sorry that I hurt you and Hiraki."