cry, (gin/p)

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

Kirigakure—the greatest village within the shinobi world and quite possibly the greatest one to ever exist. As I sat in my bed, looking out at the moon from my apartment window, I wondered was Kirigakure always destined to be like this or would it someday fall to something greater. I don’t know what made me think like this, but I couldn’t shake the idea from my head. It had been about three days since I had last met up with Chae and had drinks with him, and tonight, it was time to meet up with Gin in the market place.

I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to him, but I had known that he must’ve been feeling really displeased with the results of his punishment. If anything, that should have been me who lost an arm or was turned blind—then again, those were things that I could easily replace, with ease. But it wouldn’t have been the same for those two. I wondered if a part of my punishment was for me to be forced to live with the punishment that has been casted upon my comrades.

From my night with Chae, I knew that it was just the past now, and we all would cope with what had happened by continuing to live and move on. But, I will always be haunted by these thoughts now. I can’t even sleep anymore. Does this mean that from now on, when I take on a dangerous challenge, should I just do it alone? To not risk the lives or well-being of my comrades, right? Or does that mean I should just stop getting into trouble all together?

Whatever it is, it was something I wasn’t in control of. It was like, everything that caused some sort of mishap for me called out to me, causing my blood to boil if I don’t answer. Despite accepted it all, I couldn’t stop thinking about Akira and what he had done to them. My heart ached severely, no matter how much I had loved my brother and wanted to protect him, hatred was born in my heart for him. It was the most agonizing pain I had ever felt.

I didn’t want to hate my brother, but I couldn’t help the feeling of being betrayed. So what if Eiichiro was his friend. . . I was his brother. Or at least I thought I was. I couldn’t bring myself to see Akira again since that fateful day, and I hadn’t planned on doing so any time soon if I could help it in the least bit. Regardless of how I felt, and the pain in my heart wanting to drive me crazy, wanting to make me scream out in a bloody roar and eyes filled with tears. . . I held it all back.

This is what it meant to be a shinobi and what you had to do some times, despite how you felt. We are merely just tools of the world anyway. We shouldn’t have such feelings, should we? Whatever; it was time for me to go and meet up with Gin; hopefully he wouldn’t be the slightest bit late at all.

In a burst of speed, my body flickered away as I exited my apartment, and headed toward the market place within the tone tonight. I had worn all black; a black short-sleeved v-neck shirt, a black pair of shinobi pants with black tape connecting my pants and black shinobi sandals which were used as leg warmers. The only thing important that I had been missing was my Kirigakure headband. Though, no really missing, just hidden from sight within my pocket where I felt it was best hidden tonight.

I stood on top of a sushi restaurant I had planned on taking him to, but for now, I had to find him. My eyes scanned the crowds of people, looking for my favorite blind guy—Gin.

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[tigaevo]

‘I Guess today is the day.’ I thought to myself as I proceeded through the town of Kirigakure, I was dressed in all black as usual with my ANBU mask covering the bandages that had been tied around my head. Today I was schedule to meet up with my Sensei for the first time since our punishments were dealt, I wasn’t sure what exactly happened to him because the moment that everything happened was so brief. ‘I guess that’s what true power is.’ I would think as I entered the main marketplace in the village of Kirigakure, my sonar would be operating just fine as it wasn’t too many sharp loud noises around me. I wouldn’t do much sightseeing I would only be following Hattori’s scent through the crowd, because of course with the loss of my sight it wasn’t to separate one person from the next.

“I think he’s right up--.”

As I had arrived at the what seemed like an entrance to a building Hattori-Sans scent would be at it’s most potent, I would slightly tilt my head up towards the roof of the building looking towards were the scent was coming from. ‘Yeah that’s gotta be him.’ My hands would slide into my pockets before I would address him.

“Hattori-San, Long time no see.”

I would say as a slight smile would appear across my face, it was a good feeling to reunite with my sensei. ‘Maybe he can help me out.’ I thought for a second while I waited for him to come down, I was starting to have feelings of regret about what I had actually been apart of. I wasn’t even sure if I played an intricate part in the entire thing, I hadn’t even got a cut of the money that was looted from the bank of Kumogakure. It was just something that I had chose not to speak on once we got back because I didn’t even have time to, Akira wouldn’t allow it before he smacked the shit out of us.

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

As I had waited for Gin, my mind continued to dive into the deep anger that I held inside of my being. It moved violently inside of me, and I felt as if I was ready to explode at any given moment. To be more accurate, it probably would be better to say that I was an active volcano, ready to erupt. But, I kept it all in, not a single emotion would escape from the inside in any shape or form. Luckily for me, these thoughts would be ceased as I heard the familiar voice calling out to me from below.

Immediately, my eyes would have been drawn to them, and I could see a shinobi, an ANBU operative to be more exact. Despite the mask covering their face, I knew who was beneath the mask, and it seems as if they had found me instead of the other way around. Such a surprise, it was. My lips curled into a smile, and within a mere instant, I would descend from the top of the building I once stood on, moving at an impressive speed before I would appear behind Gin just [3m] behind him.

The smile had still been held upon my face, I was glad to see that he didn’t ditch me or didn’t seem to be in some sort of really bad state. Surely, before I would even sneak, he would have known where I was, and could feel that I carried no hostility in me or anything like that. My aura had been warm and inviting, at least for my friends, that is. “I expected you to be here first, but I see it must be hard for a blind man to find his way.”

I said in a joking tone, if he couldn’t tell that it was a joke by just the words.

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[tigaevo]

“Yeah It’s a bit different than what I’m used to.”

I’d say as I turned back towards my comrade, his attempts to surprise me from behind wasn’t all that great. Because I actually could hear every step that he had taken even as his foot just hit the ground, under my mask I would be displaying a slight smile. My hearing hadn’t been the same sense the accident I wasn’t sure if anyone else had known that I could actually see to some degree, it just wasn’t in the traditional sense. My hands would slide into my pockets as I turned away from him towards the entrance of the restaurant, I wasn’t sure what kind of restaurant it was but it didn’t matter because I didn’t have much of a appetite anyway.

“I guess we should go ahead in there, right?”

I would say as I begin to walk towards the entrance, my hands would remain in my pockets as I fumbled around some spare change in my pocket, ‘this isn’t something I’ll enjoy.’ I thought for a second as I walked towards the entrance of the restaurant, as I arrived at the door I pulled it open before turning back to my Sensei hoping he had been following me.

“I hope this place got some good Rat stew.”

I would say with a slight laugh followed behind it, I wasn’t serious about the comment but if they really did have it I would gladly partake in a dish of rat stew. Hoping that my comrade followed just behind me I would look to the first lady behind the podium, I was sure that she was the one giving out seats in the restaurant. My hands would slide back into my pockets as I approached her, ‘I hope she isn’t scared of my mask.’ I thought for a slight second as I could ‘see’ her take a step back as I approached her.

“Table for two?”

The woman would nod her head as she grabbed a set of menu’s and proceeded to lead us through the restaurant , I would pay as much attention as I could to my surroundings to avoid tripping over anything and making a fool of myself in front of my sensei. As the woman placed our menu’s inside of what seemed like a booth, I would take my seat hoping that my sensei would sit across from me.

“Mind reading the menu out loud, I can’t exactly see what it says.”

I would say followed by a slight laugh.

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

The smile I had presented upon my face was gentle and warm, though he wouldn’t be able to feel it or see it; I had still treated him as if he could actually see my gestures. I carefully watched as he turned toward me to speak, it had seemed that he had become a bit accustomed to his blindness. Normally, someone wouldn’t have been able to move as composed as he was. Once he turned around to make his advancement toward the entrance of the restaurant, I had followed right behind him, though more so toward the side of him.

With his questioned asked, and despite knowing he couldn’t see me, I gestured my hand out in a sign of telling him to “proceed.” I hoped that tonight we would be able to enjoy ourselves and have some fun. Despite me being filled with a grudge so pure against the world, at times with my comrades, I was able to be happy and enjoy myself and their company that came with it. When he spoke about wishing that they had “Rat Stew,” a grotesque expression came across my face.

“Wow, you must be really becoming a snake now, huh, Gin? You couldn’t be serious about that, could you?” Whether he had answered or not wasn’t important, I could just feel he was being as honest as he possibly could be. He wasn’t ever known for lying, at least with me, but I couldn’t help but hope he was just this good at lying. I don’t think I would be able to sit before him and stomach it if I saw him devour a “Rat Stew,” but then again, this was my night to lighten Gin’s heart.

Entering into the restaurant with him, we would approach a woman behind a podium, and Gin would be the one to approach her. I could see a slight intimidation within her eyes, the mask he had been wearing must have freaked her out a bit. Why was he even wearing that silly mask at a time like now? I surely hoped he wouldn’t be so rude as to wear it while we dinned. With his request given to the lady, she had taken a pair of menus and walked us over to the booth we would be occupying for our feast tonight.

We both took our seats, sitting directly across from each other, taking the menu into my hands and opened it. With his comment about not being able to read the menu, I couldn’t help but join in on his laughter with him. “Surely if you can’t ‘read’ the menu, I am sure you can ‘smell’ it, right? If you’re like a snake, you should have a good sense of smell. So, try to smell out what they have, and if you can’t, I’ll tell you.”

I said with a big smile upon my face. I wanted to see how high his senses had climbed since he had lost his sight. It probably had grown to superhuman levels, but that was yet to be seen.

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[tigaevo]

As we both laughed for a moment my hand would make it’s way towards my face, I would grip the mask in it’s entirety with one hand pulling up and off of my head. As the mask was detached from my face my hair would drop down to the side of my ears and just above the bandages that covered my eyes, I wasn’t sure how Hattori would react to my bandages but it didn’t matter because he knew why I was wearing them. ‘Now lets see.’ I would think to my self as my tongue would slide out of my mouth for a brief second, I was becoming more in tune with the snake side of my blood since I lost my sight. I could taste I couple of different scents in the air, particularly the smell of raw fish. My face would cringe slightly at the thought of the raw fish, I wasn’t too much of a fan of raw fish.

“Ehh I could taste the fish, and it’s raw as fuck.”

I’d say as before I would laugh slightly, I wasn’t sure what kind of fish it was because I wasn’t too familiar with it in the first place. I would take my mask and drop it right beside me in the booth, now was the time to relax a little. This had actually been the first time I had shown my face while in Kiri since my punishment was dealt, I felt ashamed of myself for tarnishing our villages name once more. It wasn’t something that I did on purpose, it was more so something that I thought would bring pride to our great village. ‘But it’s life.’ I thought as I continued to smile on the outside,

“Well, how about this since I’m not to familiar with the raw fish department I’ll have what ever you’re having. Ya Know?”

I would say as I would cross my arms across my chest, I would begin to tap one of my fingers on my arm as I waited for him to order. ‘Oh drinks.’

“Oh and if they have Sake I’ll have a glass.”

I’d say with a smile on my face hoping that Hattori-San would approve me drinking even though I was slightly underage.

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

As we basked in the moment of shared laughter, it would all end as Gin proceeded to remove his mask away from his face, revealing his bandages he used to cover his eyes. I wondered was he really that shamed to show his face? It wasn’t like the entire world or whatever had known what we did, just those of Kirigakure. And, of course we couldn’t tarnish the village’s name with the people of the village itself, so perhaps he had been simply overreacting. Taking it all this far was simply too much, but maybe I was wrong.

Perhaps I didn’t understand how he felt about things in general; I had never gotten a chance to talk to him about it. Chae made me seem like I was just overly worrying about nothing, obviously Gin hadn’t the same character as him, and I needed to not think ill-ly of Gin for it. I didn’t want to ask right away, perhaps later on as the night grew and conversation became boring, that’s when the questions would arise. For now, I settled with the weird features of Gin, it seemed as if he truly was a snake at time, using his tongue to taste the scent of the many things that had been made tonight by the chiefs.

He mentioned raw fish, but perhaps it was sushi? Various types, no? I myself wasn’t a big fan of it, nor have I had been a big fan of a lot of things, really. Especially sweets, I hated them with the utmost hate a human could have within the deepest and most vast part of their hearts. “Whatever I am having, eh? You sure about that, I could actually have some sort of weird craving from raw fish. But, I do find it hilarious that you think that is disgusting but you would love to have some ‘Rat Stew.’

Hm, I wonder what I will have though. . .” I would say as my eyes dove down the list of food and drinks upon the menu that was before me, and with his sudden outburst of asking for sake, my attention had been brought from the menu. “Sake. . . ? When did you develop a taste for drinks?” I said with a raised brow, could this had meant that my student could have possibly turned into a lush? Well, I couldn’t be one to talk anyway, though I wasn’t a heavy drinker like Chae, I had been a light drinker who could easily get drunk off of one or two cups.

It only took a quarter of one cup to get me buzzed. “Hm, well, I suppose we both can have some.” I said curtly, though deep down, despite my low tolerance for it, I had craved it along with the feeling it would give me deep within my soul. I then went back to the menu to find something delicious for me to devour tonight while I would enjoy Gin’s company, perhaps something that I think we both would like.

My eyes had come across a meal that I had instantly thought would be perfect for us, and I slammed the menu down before Gin, with a big grin upon my face. “Hah, I know what we are having tonight! We’re going to have Fried Chicken Curry! Hm, perhaps some rice and vegetables on the side, yes?” I asked Gin, wondering if he had liked what I liked.

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[tigaevo]

As the laughter met it’s end I would hold a slight smile upon my face, it was moment such as this one that made me appreciate having the few friends that I did. The sounds that filled the restaurant were starting to get a bit annoying, I would begin to readjust my hearing to the point it was focused around 5 meters around me. As Hattori-san began to speak asking me how I could crave Rat Stew but hate raw Fish, a simple smile would cross my face as I continued to tap my finger on my arm.

“Well’s it’s simple haha, Rat taste ten times better than raw Fish. My mom makes a mean Mouse Stew, she get’s the mice from the market downtown.”

I would say with a slight laugh behind, and weather he chose to believe me or not was up to him but the thought of that stew made my stomach growl slightly.

“Oh and the drinks, my dad gave me my first cup after the punishment was dealt.. He said it’d help ease the initial pain. Now it’s just something to do every so often.”

As he made our orders I would unfold my arms placing my hands in my lap, I haven’t had the dish he had ordered before it peaked my curiosity. ‘I bet he’s wandering about these bandages..’ I thought for a moment as I was allowed to think to myself for a moment, it was something most people wouldn’t understand because it wasn’t for them to understand. I would place my right on the table and begin to tap my finger for a second as I looked to Hattori-san, my facial expression wouldn’t be the most pleasant.

“Oh Hattori-San…. If you wandering about the bandages… They help me see. Plus the damage done by the Mizukage really did a number on that entire area of my face…. It still hasn’t healed fully.”

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

“Oh, is that so? Well, he pretty much did a number on all of us. But, no doubt you were dealt the worst hand. And, it’s my fault, Gin, so let me extend an apology for that to you. You probably had the least to gain out of all of us, and I still asked you to join, so forgive me.

I also haven’t gotten a chance to pay you your cut of the mission reward, so allow me to do so before the night is over.” After listening to everything else he said, as I would have ordered the food—he had finally gotten to what was on mind. Though, it was something that I had really wanted to talk about myself, so I am glad it was brought up. All I could do was look, wondering how much pain my comrade had went through for my own self desires.

Truly, if there had been anyway for me to help him, I would do my best to. If he needed some new eyes, I would get them, and at least one of them would be a doujutsu as a reward for going out of his own way to help me. I wanted to know what he would say, though. Would he reject the payment I wished to pay him for his participation? Hopefully he wouldn’t be so cruel as to deny me that opportunity.

And, not long after my speech, the waitress came to deliver our drinks, telling us our food would be ready shortly. Two cups and a bottle had been placed upon the table, and I moved to capture my cup and the bottle, filling my cup up with the sake.

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[tigaevo]

As Hattor-san spoke I listened, his words were kind but I didn’t expect him to understand completely how much the punishment effected me. There was a lot of bad done because simple because of the physical damage that he had done to my face, but the worst part was the gross appearance of majority of my face. It wasn’t for anyone to see until it was properly healed which could be done at any moment, but I was sure if I had even tried to fix my eyes that Akira would have a problem with it. At times I wasn’t even sure how to feel about the man, especially with the way he handled our situation. It was a bit excessive at time but then I felt as though he had his reasons, I would continue to tap my finger on the table as Hattori-san spoke about how he felt bad for me. It was words like that made me feel sorry for my own self, as if I was some type of pity case..

But he would really catch my attention towards the end of his short speech, I wasn’t expecting him to offer anything to me. Though that was one of the things that really made me second guess my decision to even be apart of the whole thing, I hadn’t got anything other than humiliated for my part in the assignation of the Reikage. A smile would cross my face, as I pulled my hand off the table placing it into my lap.

“Well don’t feel so bad Hattori-San, as I said while we were face to face with Akira you two are like brothers to me. And I chose to be apart of your mission at my own leisure I could’ve easily walked away, but just as Chae did I believed in your cause… Kumogakure didn’t deserve a leader that couldn’t even defend his village against three Shinobi…. Also I did benefit from this more than you would ever think.”

And as I finished my statement the food arrived at the table, the smells were wonderful so wonderful that mouth began to water a bit..

“This smells a bit better than Rat Stew.”

I would say as I would laugh as I grabbed my cup of Sake taking a sip off of it, it was quite strong and burned my chest slightly. But I would present a faint smile as I looked too Hattori-san.

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

“You did benefit from it? How is that, Gin? I didn’t hear of you retrieving something from Kumogakure, or if Chae had given you something. . .” I did not try to hide my curiosity in the least bit. I wanted to know what he had gotten that was so beneficial to him, and how great that something could have been. Could it be something so common that pleased him, or was it something rare and exotic?

Regardless, hopefully he would tell me, so that I wouldn’t have to waste a great deal of my time wrecking my brain and trying to figure out just what that beneficial thing could have been. Not too long after, the food would arrive, and the scent of the fried chicken curry had consumed our booth with its heavenly aroma. The rice and vegetables that had came inside shortly after it had only complimented the scent. Gin’s comment about the food shared my sentiments exactly; it would have smelled way better than I would ever imagine how a ‘Rat Stew’ would smell like.

“Well, let’s not wait too long to enjoy this delicious meal, no?” I said, just before throwing back the cup of sake I had recently poured myself. The smooth texture of the drink slowly making its way down my throat into my body to start up its effects. My cheeks flourished a bright red, and the look in my eyes slowly dulled.

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[tigaevo]

Hattori-San eagerness was quite funny I hadn’t seen him so curious since the first time we met, I would take a deep breath and then exhale.

“Well it’s very complicated.. Every since the accident.. Well actually a couple day’s after it happened my hearing…. It got about 100x better, I wasn’t sure if I was just losing my mind at first but that wasn’t the case… After the injury began to heal and it wasn’t aching anymore I got these bandages tied around my eyes…. And Since then I’ve been able to see.. Not with my eyes though, It’s more of with my ears… It’s kind hard to explain but too keep it simple, I’ve adapted to using my eyes to see the world around me.”

As I finished I would grab my for and proceed to destroy my food, it had been quite some time since I ate a couple hours to be exact. I would attack my plate of food like some kind of wild animal making quick work of it, as I finished off the ball I would look towards Hattori-san once more while presenting a smile. I knew the bandages had to have little dots of food juice on’em but it didn’t matter, because the food was oh so good. I would turn away from him raising my hand once more to signal a waiter over to our table, as he made his approach I would turn back to Hattori-San.

“I’m gonna get seconds if that’s ok with you Sensei?”

[KEITH]

在那一刻，我想要的是哭.

The bitter tasting sake had made its way down the hatch as the young Gin would speak, revealing what he had acquired from losing his sight. Of course, I was curious but I didn't mind waiting a bit until after we ate and what not to finish talk about it. Regardless, I was interested now. I placed the sake cup down before me upon the table, looking at Gin with a smirk upon my face. I wondered for a brief moment, if what he had been talking about was related to Ototon.

I myself had dabbled into the arts a while ago, but decided that it didn't really fit me or at least my style of combat. Perhaps now it would be more of an asset with my new found abilities and changes. With my moment of thought being completed, I wanted to see if my thoughts had been correct. Based off of what he had been saying, it seemed as if it would have come to him naturally—then again, that boy is a snake after all.


“Is it one of your Kage-Hebi abilities or did you learn Ototon? I myself had once used the art myself.” I said, speaking in a calm and gentle tone. The sake had caused my body to start heating up; the feeling of inebriation had slowly been overcoming me. I started to think foolish things as my eyes would slowly become dull, though Gin wouldn't be able to see so. When he would wave to get the waiters attention, he asked me if he could have more, and with me being semi-slapped, and generally not giving a fuck, I nodded to him in approval.


“Sure, Gin. It's your day today; have as much as you would like, my friend.” Taking my cup back into my grasp, I hammered down another gulp, my speech had slowly begun to slur as I would continue to talk out loud.

[Bit]

“Well I would have to say it’s a mixture of the two, though I don’t actually prefer living like this. I plan to get myself right.”

The boy would say to himself as the waitress arrived to the table, Gin would smile as he would notice the change in his sensei’s demanor. Though he himself was feeling quite lovely, his cheeks would hold a light red tent to them as he giggled a little after his every action. ‘Man this is the life.’ He thought for one moment while he order another platter of the food he had before along with a another cup of Sake, though he wasn’t finished the one he had on the table just yet. Once the lady walked away Gin would reach out and grab his cup of Sake knocking it back like a drinking vet, as the sake passed through his body he felt himself get a bit hotter. 

“Ohh man, I love this stuff. I see why Chae loves to drink.”

He’d say with a slight giggle as he slide closer to the wall so he could use it as means of support for his body, the drinks were already beginning to get to the young Shinobi as he had hopped it would. ‘Yeah I can’t do this shit anymore.’ Gin thought to himself as sat across from his intoxicated sensei, he would allow himself to hide the feeling that he had on the inside showing a joyful smile to him. The boy was glad that he had actually been able to reconnect with his sensei, it had been such a long time since they had even done a thing together.

“Tha tha tha thank you… aaaaaagain.. Hattoooooootttiii-san.”

The boy would say as he begin to stumble over his own words, the waitress would arrive to the table shortly after the boy had finished speaking. As she placed the Sake on the table first the boy quickly grabbed before she could even place his food on the table, he would take sip from his cup before placing it back on the table. ’Yeah tonight.’ He thought for a moment as he placed his hands moved off of the wall grabbing his chopsticks once more. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna fix them.”

He’d say while he had food in his mouth.  

[KEITH]

Many hours had passed as the two sat at the restaurant and conversed about things in the village and the world in general. Food and drinks had been delivered to the two all night, and the good time had seemed like it would never end. But that wasn't the case with this night. Like all good things, everything comes to an end, and this night wouldn't be any different.


Intoxicated, but not as wasted as I use to get, I would be able to think and function somewhat properly. I would reach into the pockets of my clothing, retrieving a sheet of paper with some numbers upon it, and handed it over to Gin. “Gin, I know that you weren't paid for your assistance in Kumogakure, so allow me to pay you, please. Take this, I think it is the least I can do for you.” 

The paper had my account number on it, with my signature and a special chakra imprinted number of the amount that Gin could receive from my account. With that, it was time for me to go, I arose from my seat, and gave a few parting words before I was on my way.

+100,000 Ryo given to Bit.