the birds, (flashback)

[minakami shū]

Sky darker than a void but dotted by the vivid white lights, an albino haired shinobi held a cigarette against his lips while red eyes shifted to their edges to look over his shoulder without turning his head completely. Behind him the sound of wheels turned over the cold sand of Wind Country, a caravan of men and women flocking in exodus from the leaderless nation.

This was the end of the Etsuko in Sunagakure, and the flags of Iwagakure shown plainly for all to see its occupation of the village. Shu... or rather Shirō, as many knew him by was here to collect what was his - the many children, his wives, and close relatives and subordinates. He was supposed to be dead, that's what they said. Perhaps he had died. Perhaps he existed still as a spirit, brought back to life to ensure the safety of his brethren.

He wasn't dead.

"In the time I've been gone, I've traveled quite a bit." he spoke, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind him causing the statement, his head having returned to peer forward as he remained stationary, the wagons trailing beside him in a single line north. It was Ararik, that he knew already. "Don't worry as to where we're going, I promise you it will be a place of safety." his words were gentle, his eyes falling to soft lids as his lips pulled into a slight smile. All the while he did not turn to face his son, and his back remained facing him in the initiation of conversation.

He flicked his cigarette of ash, the stream of smoke visible flowing upwards.

[minakami ararik]

The Minakami clan had seen better days, that was for sure. A solemn atmosphere had settled in after the war as they left their home to find solace elsewhere. The wagons wheeled out to begin the journey, carrying what little items everyone had left and the few who could not be expected to walk. Ararik himself only brought along a few articles of clothing, the only things he managed to salvage from the family's now ruined home.

As the group of newly labeled refugees walked alongside the wagons, Ararik caught sight of his father standing motionless as others passed him by. Growing closer, he opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by Shu's own words. Ararik honestly wasn't sure if his father was addressing him or speaking to himself at first.

His father's words did little to quell these 'worries'. "Why can't you just tell me? Ararik stepped up to his father's side and looked up at him with a searching expression.

"We're not becoming nomads are we? Someone said that's your actual plan. No one said that. Ararik came up with that crazy notion all by himself.

[minakami shū]

He took a hit, red burning white before fingers removed the object from his lips. An exhale of smoke, head faltering to the left as he peered to the ever shifting sand blown tirelessly by the simple breezes the country of wind had to offer. "You never asked." it was true - had Ararik simply asked, he'd have been more than willing to tell him where they were headed.

If anyone had asked, he'd tell them. Perhaps it was the want of a surprise that many didn't - or maybe it was simply because no one truly cared, so long as they had their family with them.

"Who the hell said that?" finally, his head turned over his shoulder with eyes at their edges; his left eyebrow rose questioningly. Whoever was stirring rumors would get a boot up their rear end, that was for certain.

[minakami ararik]

A frustrated frown settled on Ararik's features at his father's cool reply. "Well I'm asking now, aren't I?" Maybe others were fine with the surprise of their new home, but Ararik never was a fan of surprises. He wanted to know exactly where they were headed, how long it would take to get there, and maybe how Shu was so sure it would be safe for them.

After voicing his own wild guess on what was really happening, Ararik shut his mouth tight-lipped as his father finally turned towards him. "Uh, um... n-no one? I mean I, I don't remember-- you know smoking's bad for you right?" Fantastic subject change, that was.

[minakami shū]

Fingers from his free hand dug against the side of his chin as he scratched thoughtfully. "You are." he would confirm, before he began to continue his walk alongside the caravan. At least the drivers of them seemed to know. With Ararik at his side (or at least rushing to catch up to his side), Shu would finally answer him in full. "We're going to the Rice country." he didn't truthfully expect Ararik to remember what country that was, but he figured that maybe he had paid some attention while a student in the academy.

"I don't smoke often. You're not allowed to smoke, either." he forbade, red snake eyes cutting to his son. They were stern, and would hopefully get the point across that he was serious with this.

[minakami ararik]

Nope, Ararik had zero idea where that was but he nodded anyway as if he understood. He'd have to look at a map later and figure it out then. "What's so great about Rice country?" he prodded further, following behind his father as the older albino started to trek along.

He paused in his steps as Shu turned to look at him once more, this time his eyes sharp and boring into his. Who knew smoking was such a serious subject for the older man. Ararik just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's not hypocritical at all," he mumbled beneath his breath. Not that he'd tell his old man that he already did smoke. If cancer didn't kill him, Shu surely would.

[minakami shū]

Oh, well he supposed Ararik did pay attention in class. Little did he know the nod was simply to save himself from embarrassment of not knowing absolutely nothing. "Nothing," he responded, "that's exactly why we're going there. Because practically no one remembers it exists." it was the perfect place for the peace desiring people of Sunagakure, and Shu himself was determined to give them a place of security and prosperity.

"That, and I control the country." he hadn't been doing nothing the whole time he was gone. He had traveled as mentioned before, saw many things and met many different woman. Where did Ararik think his wives came from? He always came home with a different woman before departing once more, leading up to his supposed 'death'. Otogakure was overlooked due to being considered insignificant, and Shu would play the role of insignificant until he was certain the world was ready to see his face once more.

[minakami ararik]

Nothing. He supposed his father was right about it being safe is no one remembered it but... "That sounds so boring." Ararik was expecting his family would be settling down in some boring little shack of a home with a bunch of boring villagers to live a boring life out in the boondocks of the world... up until Shu casually mentioned controlling the place.

"Wait, you what?" he exclaimed, nearly tripping over himself in disbelief. "When the hell did that happen?" How the hell did it happen? Ararik looked up at his father again, this time with widened eyes. And here he thought his dad had just been collecting a bunch of concubines. Boy, had he been wrong!

[minakami shū]

He would have assumed his son to be a bit shaken up after all of this. Their village was attacked by enemy forces, their home utilized by the other force and ransacked - but he seemed completely normal. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to their lifestyle - he was never one to truly take to the way of being a shinobi - but he was required to be ready to defend himself and his family at all costs along with his brothers.

"I didn't just sit on my ass on all my business trips, Ararik." he would respond to his sons seemingly startled, and completely surprised exclamation. It was to be expected that Shu had ensured they had a home away from home - and he was currently mapping on a place to go should this home fall or become incapable to control. He doubted it however, the reign of his family may have ceased in Sunagakure, but it would return even stronger under the might of the head of the family.

"Specifics aren't needed. We shall just say that I've been planning to move you all from Sunagakure for quite some time. This war was the perfect distraction for it to occur without hassle." he mused, speaking from a more strategic and tactful point. A strategist's.

[minakami ararik]

"Hey woah, I never said you did." Ararik raised his hands up in mock defense. "I just didn't expect you to take over an entire country while you were gone either."

He listened half-interested as his father blew off explaining the details, but his attention quickly snapped back towards the end. "Wait, so you chose to get us out of Sunagakure only after our home was destroyed?"

They could have left earlier and avoided losing all their worldly possessions? Ararik could have still had a full wardrobe and his childhood stuffed animal that he claimed meant nothing to him but still cried over when he found it shredded in the foyer? "How was that a good idea, exactly?"

[minakami shū]

"What do you mean you didn't expect me to take over a whole country? What, do you think our family ruling Sunagakure since it's conception was just for show? I feel as if you seriously underestimate the strength of your family name, boy." of course, Shu was probably misunderstanding a large part of his son's statements, but he was stressed and becoming a bit crabby due to how cold it was getting.

They continued their journey, Shu's eyes shifting in front of him as his eyes squinted a bit - the wind whipping sand about them. Left hand rose to shield his face as it passed, though it would blow out his cigarette. Not that he had much left, but he intended to finish it. Or had intended to, but it was absolutely wasted now. Tossing it on the ground he would step on it, muttering softly as it buried into the ground below, disappearing.

There was a slight confused look on his face at his son's jabber. "Oh, I'm sorry that I didn't want to put all of your lives in jeopardy by leaving the village at whim. For all my siblings know, I'm dead. They wouldn't take kindly to my family up and leaving." he paused, "How much exactly did you learn in the academy? You should know becoming a Nukenin is a crime punishable by death. Fact now is, there is no authority in Sunagakure to stop us, let alone a government to recognize us as traitors marked for death." it was sad that he had to explain all of this to a boy who had supposedly graduated from the academy with high marks. Apparently that was all family bias.

[minakami ararik]

"Well I..." He knew his family was powerful or whatever, but it didn't seem weird to anyone else for Shu to just come home and go 'k kids, pack up. I got us a new country to rule instead!'? Maybe Ararik just didn't understand politics. He did practically flunk out of the academy after all. That much was obvious with how utterly terrible he was at... well... everything.

He wrapped his jacket tighter around him as the winds picked up, eyes squinting as sand blew past and stung his face. His father's little rant only made him pout indignantly. "Tch, I knew that." He didn't.

Feeling a little stupid, he lowered his chin to stare down at his feet while they continued their trek and watched at his shoes kicked up sand with each step. How long were they going to have to walk for, he wondered. Would he be allowed to hitch a ride in one of the wagons? That probably wouldn't look good for him. Everyone knew riding in the wagons was only for small children and old people. Then again, traveling in the sun as an albino wasn't very healthy either, so perhaps he'd get a free pass once the sun was up.

Briefly glancing up at his father again, Ararik quickened his pace to once again be walking in step with the older man. "So how far are we traveling?"

[minakami shū]

"Of course you did." despite the fact Shu seemed relatively harsh on Ararik, it was mainly due to the fact he was incredibly... fond of his son. He was practically a mirror image, and though he was frail - he had a leaders spirit. That much was visible to all. He wasn't corrupt nor obsessed with wealth and power - he was a simple man, and simple men made the best King's. Unswayed by power and prestige, benevolent to all.

Not that Ararik would become a King, but he was quite set to be a loved Prince by all. "A few days, maybe." it couldn't be helped with all the wagons trailing beside them, and they'd have to make camp during the day to ensure that they didn't get ambushed by country patrol. Slipping along the border of Hi no Kuni should be pretty easy he figured, with so much forest serving as excellent camouflage from being scouted by enemies.

[minakami ararik]

Ararik supposed he would have to be satisfied with that answer and nodded. The next few minutes went by slowly and silently as Ararik kept pace with his father and looked about the dark scenery he could just barely make out in the distance. The winds whipped at his clothes and hair, sending a chill down his spine and he wished that the little caravan could stop for the night to sleep rather than walk around in the freezing cold darkened desert wastes that was Kaze no Kuni.

"So besides taking control of other countries, what else were you doing all this time?" he asked abruptly out of the blue, giving a side glance to Shu just to make sure the other heard him.

If they were going to be walking around for several days, his father could at least entertain him. It wasn't like they had gotten to talk much since Shu's return anyway, and three years was a long long time for a kid. His dad probably had a ton of stories.

[susumu]

The move from Sunagakure to who the hell knows, wasn’t a bother or concern to Akane. It was only a matter of timing, such as his pace that eventually caught up to Ararik and Shū. His arrival didn’t allow him to hear their conversation, only the question that Ararik proposed. Though Akane was generally silent, reserved (boring), he was quite interested too.

“I would like to know too.”