New Friends (Salzem, Kasai, P, NK)

(Nah, its good. You can pack a punch; that's a good thing)

Kasai listened to Salzem's words, and seeing Salzem sheath his katana, Kasai relaxed. He wasn't sure whether to consider this fight a draw, stalemate, or even possibly a victory for Salzem. However, Kasai didn't care. The goal had not to hurt each other, and specifically to avoid fatality, and in that aspect, they had both won, and maintained friendship, while also pushing each other to their limits.

Then, however, Kasai listened to Salzem's response. Had he misunderstood Kasai? It was not meant to upset him, but to sympathize with him.

"No, no friend," Kasai said, coughing again. "You misunderstand. This," he said, waving a hand in front of his face, "is my mask, just as it is yours. A face says nothing about who lays underneath, but," Kasai said smiling, "there are times when it shines through. My face too causes me pain, though it is not life-threatening like yours, but I too was afraid of it. So afraid in fact, of what others would think, that I made this," Kasai said, resting a hand on the mask that rested on his chest. "And wore it, for almost ten years. Re-painting it each and every year so that I would not ever have to take it off in the presence of others.


"Of course, it never occurred to me that it is very possible and easy for a hospital to heal every single burn on my body, just as it likely is to fix your lungs. But when I did realize this, I no longer wore the mask. I had accepted my face for as it is, because I accepted myself," he said, hoping Salzem would understand.

"Under your mask," Kasai said, taking in a deep breath, and rubbing the bruises. "I do not see a troubled kid, but it is true that I also do not see a proud shinobi of the leaf. I see something more than both of those, for both of those are just titles. 
"No, when I look at you, I see a survivor. I see someone with great power, but the cation and carefulness to harness the responsibility that comes with that power. I see that we are similar in how we have suffered, and yet have both learned to live with the burden, and find ways to use it to our advantage and make us stronger. I see that we have both grown greatly from having started as such outcasts.
"I see someone who is cunning, and with massive chakra reserves, yet also knows their own limits, and exactly how far they can push themselves," Kasai said, hoping he was making sense. 

"But," he said, finishing. "Most importantly, I see a friend," he said, smiling in a hopeful way. He hoped Salzem understood him now. He had not meant to offend or make any assumptions.

(Man, you sure aren't making this becoming friends buisness easy, are you? I'll respond tomorrow. Got home a bit late tonight)

(hehe. Sorry. I have to play up my character. he's a bit... touchy on the subject of his lungs.)

(Sorry for the short post, was more busy than expected)

Kasai listened as the young man became more and more upset at the mention of his mask and lungs. 

"I had never said your mask is who you are, Salzem," Kasai said. "Nor did I say you accepted it. Only that I have accepted what lays beneath my mask, and have become stronger because of it. It may hold you back, yes, but if you let it become a burden to your mind, then any burden on your body is increased ten-fold. 
"It took me ten years to accept that, underneath my mask, I look like a sun-baked and rotten potato, but I finally did. With yours, it might take you longer, because I acknowledge that it is life threatening. But, Salzem, regardless of who did it, you should remember, but not let it hinder you. 


"If you must live with something all your life, then you must not let it hold you back. Find its limits, discover your boundaries with what it lets you do, but you cannot let it hold you back more than that, but instead, find a way to use it, and allow you to grow more. If you let it get into your mind, you will do more damage than you already have," Kasai said, standing up, and walking towards Salzem. "Please, do not let that happen.


"Hold your head high, even when others give you strange looks. Be proud of being unique, allow it to become a part of you. 
"When you save the village from those who would seek to destroy it, others will remember you, because you stood out, so stand strong, and be brave. Do not turn your body against yourself, but harness it, and remember it to be a part of you. Let it be a marker of strength," Kasai said, extending his hand to Salzem, offering to help him to his feet. "Because the sooner you can accept yourself for the way you are, the quicker you will find your true self, and to know yourself is a better foot hold in this world than most have. 


"When the greatest shinobi lose their weapon, they fall, they lose hold of the world. But if you can accept yourself, then you need no weapon. When the enemy thinks they have stripped you of everything, you will win, because you have yourself, in all of its entirety, not just an idea of who you are.


"So please, friend, do not let this destroy yourself. Let it make you stronger."

Salzem looked up at Kasai as he spoke. What he had to say had merit. It made sense, and yet, a reluctance to change had rooted itself in his mind.

“So please friend, don’t let it destroy yourself. Let it make you stronger.” Kasai said, holding his hand out to help the young genin to his feet. Salzem looked at the hand for a moment, contemplating weather or not to take it. Then, his arm stretched out and he pulled himself to his feet with the aid of Kasai.

“What you say is true…” Salzem began, calming himself. “And I am sorry for how I reacted. I…” He sighed. “Just have a few things to work out…” Salzem looked at the charred-faced chuunin and smiled with an almost forlorn look in his blood red eyes. “I’m sorry how I snapped at you, Kasai.” Salzem said. “I was at the end of my rope for a long time and for a long time coming.” Salzem felt a great pressure be lifted off his shoulders, but at the same time, a colossal exhaustion fell upon him.

“Kasai,” Salzem said. “I do not plan to let this be the end of me. I know what I am going to do. The hardest part is carrying it out.” Salzem started to walk out of the training area, tapping his scorched dark-blue pant leg to a tune he knew not the name of. Salzem looked back at the chuunin, smiling once again under his breathing mask, genuine warmth in his eyes.

“And Kasai,” Salzem called back to him. “’twas an honor to learn with you, as well to be your friend.”

 

(Exit unless disrupted)

(TWC: 3227)

+16 stat points

Learned: Lariate (3000/3000)

Kasai was glad that Salzem finally seemed to be, well, more happy than before. It hurt him to watch the young man suffer through the burden, because it reminded him of his own painful path that he had walked before.

With those thoughts, he too walked off.

[Exit. 3185 wc. Requesting 15 stats, and 3k words towards summoning Karyuko (0/5k currently)]