Old Pals Reunited! (Private/Kouse)

The sun glistened high in the sky, warming all that it's rays fell upon. The breeze was light and gentle. A perfect setting for the most fulfilling training to take place. Hikari, with her familiar Kuro, were studying a book they had previously picked up from the Konoha Library. Instead of her usual Taijutsu books, she was catching up on Ninjutsu- more specifically Lightning style ninjutsu, as she realized she had none in her arsenal.

"Okay Kuro, so this jutsu, Lightning Javelin, gives my body increased speed and strength by ionizing all the neurons in my body. This will be helpful if my opponent is stronger or faster than I am normally!" She exclaimed energetically to the wolf familiar who sat by wagging his tail. He liked training with her and growing stronger together, making their bond closer through hard work.

Setting the book to the side, by her other things such as her Konohagakure Army Katana she obtained from her rank up mission, she rose and closed her eyes, trying to focus all her energy on the Lightning Javelin jutsu. She wasn't sure what would happend if she messed up and electrocuted herself, but she figured her medical ninjutsu would be able to save herself, or at least until she made it safely to the hospital to get real treatment.

The jutsu required no hand signs, so the only things Hikari needed were a focused mind and lightning chakra. Taking a deep breath in, she concentrated on her lightning chakra, willing it to flow through her body and ionize the neurons within to create a balanced nature and an increase in the neuro-transmission rate. As she exhailed and unleased the chakra, she felt a surge of electricity course through her veins and her body trembled at the intensity the lightning emitted.

Feeling exhausted and worn out, Hikari shakily sat down, breathing heavier than usual. Kuro ran to her side, worry flashing through his eyes. She gently patted his head as a silent word of reassurance. 

"Don't worry, Kuro. I'll be fine! It's already going away, I think it only lasts a minute or two. My body just isn't used to the feeling of lightning coursing through it." As she spoke, she got back on her feet, determination glowing in her snowy eyes. Even if it took all day of training, and even all night, she would work hard until she could master this new technique.

Hikari took another deep breath, focusing on her lightning chakra. She concentrated on the electricity flowing through her body, from her crown to her toes, willing it to ionize the neurons it passed on its path. Her body tingled from the lightning chakra; aching and fatigue plaguing her body once more. It was obvious the jutsu had failed yet again.

No matter how many times she failed, Hikari would try again with just as enthusiasm as the first time she attempted this jutsu. Flashing a thumbs up and a smile to comfort the distraught canine sitting a couple feet away. Kuro's body was ridged and stone hard, ready to point into action if she became fatally injuried in her training.

Shaking her body off to loosen up her tight muscles and bones, Hikari decided to make a third attempt at this jutsu, as it is said that "third times the charm". She closed her eyes and steadily inhaled, deep in concentration.

(WC: 567)

A nightmare made kouse wake up with a shout. Sweat poured down his brow,he took in deep breaths trying to calm himself. He'd been having the same nightmare frequently for the last two weeks. Of his father getting brutally murdered by a missing nin or bandit, no one knew. He had to relieve that experience over and over again. Seeing his father's body, riddled with several stab wounds, his sister's and mother crying their eyes out.
'Don't tell me you had another nightmare?'. Kouse would turn to look at Skipton beside him.
'Yeah, Skipton I did'.
Kouse heard a loud knock on his door which prompted him to come down from bed and open it.
Who he saw nearly made him scream. His father was at the door looking at him with a smile.
Kouse took a step back, mouth open in shock and his father took a step forward.
"Father, is that really you?". Kouse finally found his voice.
"Yes it's me son, I missed you" he would close the gap separating him and kouse and embrace him.

Kouse couldn't believe it, his father was back?...he was hugging him right now!..kouse felt most of the pain and sorrow that had been weighing him down begin to leave him. He hugged his father back, pulling him close, as tears of joy and relief slowly rolled down his eyes.
With his father back, everything would automatically fall into place, he could gain a new goal in life, change from seeking revenge to seeking justice. His life would surely make a turn for the better.

His father whispered into his ear "I can't believe you actually think I'm alive" the voice was still the same, exactly how his father's voice had been when he was proud of kouse, making it more terrifying. "It's your fault I'm dead kouse, you were the only one in our family that is a ninja and you weren't there when I needed you, when your family needed you...where were you kouse?..when I was stabbed multiple times trying to prevent your sisters and mother from being violated, where were you kouse".
His father held him tight as kouse tried to pull away, the embrace had quickly turned into a prison for kouse.
"Now you desire to abandon and discard me?..like you did...like you still do. Even in my death you continue to abandon me".
"No father, i-i never di-d". Kouse stammered.
"Oh yes you did kouse, and you still do. And here is proof. Have you found the people who murdered me?..have you even gone looking for them?..have you done everything you could to stop missing ninjas and bandits from ever killing other people's loved ones?." His father laughed out loud, kouse was beginning to find it hard to breathe properly.
"My death couldn't even serve as a lesson to you, for all the love I showed you all through your life, you refuse to take down missing nins and bandits but continue to show mercy to them. Let me tell you something kouse, I rue the day you became my son. Conceiving you was a mistake, you not existing would be a blessing to me. You deserve no happiness but sorrow, until you cease to exist".

Kouse couldn't take it anymore, his lungs screamed for air but no matter what he did,he couldn't breathe,sweat poured down his face, some touched his eyes making them close involuntarily. 
All the guilt he had felt that he'd pushed back all came rushing forward and his pain was too much to bear.
"I know!...I failed to protect you father, when you were alive and even now in your death I still failed to honour you by seeking out the ones who killed you!..I'm nothing!..your right..I'm a disgrace and I don't deserve to be your son..you gave me everything and I gave you nothing. I'm so sorry".
Kouse broke down in tears, it would all be better if he just ceased to exist...life didn't feel all that exciting anymore.
To his surprise, his father began softly ruffling his hair. "Don't give up son, it's not the end...you can still set things right".
Kouse sniffed "How can i?".
"The annihilation of Missing ninjas and bandits, son...they are poison to our world, slowly making it sick and if no one does anything to stop them, it will die".
Kouse's eyes were wide. "But-".
"No buts son..it's your only option".

With that kouse finally woke up..it was midday, he'd overslept.

That was a month ago, and his last nightmare. He'd found something else to live for. It had all been made clear to him and he was grateful for the chance he was given.
He'd been working on the uchiha flame formation for some days now. God he missed his former eyes. It had made learning things so easy, he'd taking them for granted, now he truly knew their true value.
He arrived at the training grounds before anyone. His aim was to master the jutsu today once and for all...learning this technique had dragged on for too long. Besides he had another technique to work on...the summoning technique. But that was for another day.
He would take a deep breath..then slowly perform the three needed hand seals. Ox,horse and tiger. He would then place hand on the ground creating a cylindrical barrier. With a smile kouse would infuse more chakra Into the jutsu. Making it rise to 50m...then 100m. Kouse wanted it to go even higher and to make the barrier stronger still,so he forced it to do so..but for some reason he didn't know..it didn't go higher nor stronger but began to dispel. After a few moments of seeing the barrier disintegrate into nothing, kouse finally relaxed. He would take a few minutes to rest before trying again.

Kouse slowly performed the needed hand seals again and was about to touch the ground when he spotted a female training. She was too far away for him to see her face but he could make out the colour of her hair. It was white. and it reminded him of a certain kunoichi. But he shook the memory away. Focusing back on the jutsu he was working on. He performed the needed hand seals again. Infusing the needed amounts of chakra then tapping the floor. Immediately a cylindrical barrier made of fire rose up into the skies...reaching 150m this time. Kouse acknowledged that this was the best he had done since he started training this jutsu but he wasn't still satisfied...he wanted it to get to 200m...but when he forced it. It began to dispel again. 
Frustration at the jutsus difficulty took over kouse, by chance he looked up..towards the direction of the female with white hair. She must be training too kouse thought. 

An hour later kouse decided to go get something cold to drink and coincidentally he had to pass by where she was training to get to where he could get one.
He walked quickly..wanting to get the drink he desired and get back to training as soon as possible. With every step he took, he could see her more clearly. And suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks.
"What the -" the words were caught in his mouth when he recognised who the kunoichi was.
"Hikari?...is that really you?" He would ask..it had been almost a year he had seen her last. He didn't know where she went, or why she never tried to contact him even if she temporarily left konoha. But he was glad to see her.

Falling to the ground with a light thump, Hikari wiped the sweat that was collecting on her forehead. The sun above grew ever increasingly warmer as it reached its peak. "Once more, let's do this!" She pumped her fist in the air, a smile gracing her visage. Even the weather could not hinder her endurance and will. Kuro barked softly to show his encouragement to his best friend, he wanted her to master this jutsu as much as she wanted it herself.

With her legs screaming at her to rest, she took upon the stance to attempt the Lightning Javelin jutsu. The jutsu was not hurting her persay, just making her sore as her body was not used to lightning serging through it. She closed her eyes in concentration, focusing hard on her lightning chakra and the path she wanted it to travel to be the most effective, and to gain the stat boosts. Hikari shook from the lightning chakra, feeling it's power course through her entire body. She didn't feel any changes to her body, no increased strength or speed, but her legs no longer shook. She had grown used to the surges, growing stronger and more used to the jutsu. Although she didn't correctly perform the jutsu, she knew she was one step closer to perfecting it.

Taking a short break, she took a few sips from her water bottle, savoring the cold liquid as it quenched her dry throat. Before she could start her training again, a familiar voice called out to her.

Her hair blowing behind her, Hikari turned around to face the man before her. "Kouse! It's been a long time, hasn't it?" She smiled as she walked over to him, it being a year since they last saw one another.

(WC: 863)

Smiling at her kouse pulled her into a hug as she walked towards him. After a few moments he would step back.
"Yes it has hikari" his smile suddenly left his face. "What happened anyway..where have you been all this while?".

'So this is the hikari I've heard so much about huh?,she's good looking... Maybe that's why you think about her often?' Skipton communicated with kouse using telepathy whilst hiding in his hair.
'Well she is a dear friend...maybe a year ago when we were still somewhat ignorant on the cruelty of this world we could have been something more'. Kouse waited for her reply to his questions. 'But now, I've got new goals to achieve. Goals that would take a life time to achieve, and prevent one from settling down'.
  'Well I think she also has new goals too...let me leave you to focus more on your conversation with her, she's about to reply you'. 
With that Skipton would end the telepathy and transform back into her seed like state and fall asleep.

She happily welcomed the hug her dear friend gave her, wrapping her own arms around him to hug him back. She had missed him, and all of her other friends. He was the first one she had seen since her "disappearance". Hikari felt terrible for suddenly leaving everyone, but she had to continue her training, to become stronger and a more skilled shinobi. The person she was a year ago was weak, fragile, the stronger jutsu she knew was a single Gentle Fist technique. The person she is now has more useful jutsu in her arsenal, an array of Ninjutsu -both fire and lightning styles-, medical ninjutsu, and Taijutsu. No matter how I'll she felt about leaving, it was for her own good that she left. Her goal of being a strong kunoichi, one that doesn't just sit by on the sidelines while everyone else fights, had to be chased after. She wa snk where near being at her goal, but she was closer than she had ever been before.

Letting go of Kouse, her voice gentle, she spoke, "I have been away training. I didn't feel strong enough to wear my Konohagakure Headband, nor to bare the rank of Chuunin." Her eyes were warm as she spoke, sincereity flashing across them. "I'm sorry I left so suddenly, but I feared if I said goodbye it would be harder to stay away from everyone for such a long time...But I'm back now, and I finally feel like I've grown and can hold my own in a battle. I feel like a true Konoha Kunoichi."

As she finished speaking, she would wait for Kouse tk process what she just said, and to respond however he wanted. After he responded, she would wait to first see if he would ask anything more of her, before she asked her own question, "What have I missed while I was away?"

The explanation hikari gave for her strange disappearance made sense to kouse. It was what anyone would have done. He smiled again at her. It was good to see her again. A year had been so long that he began to think of her dead. Ninjas who suddenly went missing were most likely dead. And he had begun to think hikari also had fallen to that terrible fate.

"Alright alright, I understand... Every ninja has to find things out for themselves and in their own way".
Suddenly Feeling the need to sit down kouse would take hikaris hand and begin walking towards a nearby bench.
They would both sit down provided she followed him.
The question she asked made Kouse uncomfortable. She didn't know about salzem becoming a missing ninja and betraying the village. And it didn't seem quite right for that to be the first news she should get. But something kouse couldn't understand nor explain pushed him to say just that.
"Salzem left konoha and is now a wanted missing ninja and is now most likely being protected in sunagakure". Kouse spat out in frustration. Just talking about it made his temper rise. "I was out of the village when he left, so I couldn't do anything to stop him from leaving, but once I got back and heard what had happened. I rushed off to meet him in suna thinking I could talk some sense into him before he did something we'd both regret".
Kouse would pause here for a second before proceeding. "But he wasn't the sal we knew..we shared some hard words and finally got into a fight. He knocked me out and dumped me at the borders". Kouse looked straight into hikaris eyes..."He's changed, completely hikari.. I couldn't believe what I saw in suna"

A light breeze would sweep past the training ground lightly ruffling kouse's hair,with his right arm he'd push them away from his face. "The sal we knew doesn't exist anymore".

When Kouse flashed her a smile, Hikari sighed in relief. Some ninjas would have been angered that she had not stayed in touch, others might not have understood her reasoning. She was thankful Kouse understood her, he even seemed to relate to her feelings, as if he knew what it was like to feel the way she had.

Gently, with gratitude laced in her voice, she replied to Kouse, "Thank you, Kouse. It means a lot to me that you understand me." 

She allowed herself to be lead by him to the bench, a nostalgic feeling overcoming her. It was like old times, a year ago when they were almost something more than friends. He was the first person to ever show at interest in her, and her first time showing any interesting in a man. Hikari wondered briefly if he had gotten himself a girlfriend, or if he was focusing on gaining power and strength before he settled down.

Hikari had been prepared for most things Kouse could have said to her, but not this. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, shock ever present on her features. Thoughts raced through her mind; questions as to why he left. Were they not good enough for him to stay? Was it because she had disappeared? Did he despise them, and their friendship was only a rouse? She was too stunned to ask these words aloud, instead she sat in silence as Kouse kept talking. Her mind was in denial, not wanting to believe that the Salzem she knew would do something so tremendously risky, unless he had a well thought out reason.

When she finally found words to say, her voice was barely louder than a whisper, her eyes staring back at Kouse's, "Did he give you any reasons for why he left? Did something happen to him that we didn't know about?" Her mind raced with endless amounts of possibility, and one decision became clear to her. No matter what Kouse said to her, she couldn't believe it until she saw it for herself.

After a few moments more (when Kouse finished replying), determination swelled in her body, flashing in her eyes. She rose with new found confidence, and offered Kouse a hand to help him up as well. "I want to see him for myself, I still cannot believe he would be so callous. You can either stay here or come with me, I care not which. But I'm going to the Hokage's to request permission to hunt him down, wherever he may be. I'm not going to give up on Salzem."

(When should Ashi come into this thread? Or should we make a new thread for him and the meeting with the Hokage?)

The words that came out of hikari's mouth was what kouse had expected her to say. He would've been disappointed if she didn't desire to risk it all to save sal. But kouse wasn't too excited on going on another wild goose chase for sal. His last attempt had blown up in his face and he had no desire to experience that anymore. Sal was gone and won't be coming back. He knew that now. He'd chosen his own path and now kouse had accepted that. But hikari was exactly like he was a few months ago before he went to get sal back. And he knew what would happen if she did go to meet sal in suna. He'd reject her without so much as batting an eye.
"I don't think that would be a good idea hikari, with what I saw, he's too far gone to be brought back with just words. The only way sal is not going to be a missing ninja is if force is used". Kouse would look closely at hikari grabbing both her shoulders to show the importance of what he was saying.

"Traveling to suna to get sal could prove to be dangerous, especially if sal isn't interested in agreeing to come back with us". He would drop his arms from her shoulders and turn to look at a bird that suddenly tool flight from a tree to soar high into the skies. He wished he was that bird for a moment. To be free.
"But the relationship I have with you won't make me let you go to suna alone. So if you want to make the trip to suna I'll be with you. Every step of the way."
Turning away from hikari for a moment,Kouse would take out a piece of paper and begin writing some stuff. Things that he wanted to happen if by some chance he didn't make it alive back from suna.
He would fold it up and tie it with a rope then hand it over to hikari.
"We have to take into consideration that it's possible either one of us might not make it back from suna so we can write down our last wishes incase one of us doesn't make it back". Kouse would look at the scroll he handed to her. " That is mine and it will be with you and you can also write yours if you want to".

Kouse would sit down quietly, looking at hikari, awaiting her response.


#contents of the paper#.
If my body is retrieved,I do not want to be cremated but buried. My mother will be given 50% of all the money I have saved. While the remaining 50% be shared equally among my 3 sisters. Kisuke Uchiha will be given my pair of eyes still with the hokage. No mass burial. Just close friends and family. All the valuable ninja items/weapons on my body will be given to hikari hyuuga.

If body is not recovered. Well I'll still want a burial anyway......

Letting what Kouse said sink in, she vaguely felt him grab her shoulders, trying to draw her attention to the severity of what could happen. She could not believe it, no matter what Kouse said, that Sal could not be saved by them. Hikari did not want to believe that he was too far gone that they couldn't save him, because  she knew that deep down within his heart, their memories together still laid. How could someone so important, and loved, ever forget their bonds together?

Kouse dropped his arms from her shoulders, his eyes cast over a bird taking flight, longing briefly glistened within his gentle eyes. She didn't speak at his comment, but her brain whirled with questions and doubt at what he was implying. She had not been there when Kouse confronted Salzem, but she didn't believe he would try to hurt her, or Kouse. Their bond had been too strong to be shattered so easily.

"Thank you, Kouse..." The words came out softly, her eyes trained on what he was doing. Writing a note? Why, at this moment? Her unasked questions were answered, however, as Kouse turned around and spoke once more. The words that came out of his mouth were devastating to Hikari. The idea that they create requests upon the chance of their deaths was absurd to her, she still doubted Salzem would fatally maim them. But nevertheless, she figured she might as well make a request in case there ever was a chance of her death, seeing as she had never thought to make a will until now.

As Kouse handed her his own will, tied nicely with ribbon, she questioned him," Kouse, wait...Aren't we going to go to the Hokage together? Why hand me this note then?" She would wait for his response, either to keep a hold of the note until they reach the Hokage's Chambers, or hand it back to him if he requested so.

"I..would also like to write my own, just in case." She would say, then when handed a pen and paper, she would begin to scribble down her requests. Once done, she would tie her note with ribbon as well, sealing the contents away until her death.

Hikari would then look at Kouse, asking simply, "Now what? To the Hokage's Chambers or...?"

#contents of the note#
If I, Hikari Hyuuga, am ever found dead, please bury my body with my fellow shinobi. All of my money, and belongings (such as ninja tools, weapons, valuables), shall be given into one of the following choices: a) divided equally between Kouse and Salzem, b)given to either Salzem or Kouse (whoever is still alive), or (if neither are still alive), c) given to the Konoha Hospital/Konoha Village.

Likewise, if my eyes are retrieved I would like you to destroy them, as per the Hyuuga clan wishes.

The look hikari had was one of doubt as to their possible deaths in the hand of salzem. Kouse knew sal wouldn't kill them but that didn't stop others from doing so. When he said they could die during their journey, he hadn't meant by sal's hands. They were going to leave the protection of the village and step into sunagakure. A foreign place. Anything was possible.
He knew what was going on in her thoughts so he spoke up to calm her little.

"I doubt sal would kill us though, when we fought he had lots of chances to kill me but he didn't. Maybe that's a line he's unwilling to cross. But when I said our deaths are a possibility, I meant the journey to suna is dangerous and so we've got to be prepared for the worst case scenario".

Her question caught him unawares. So she had made up her mind to take the trip to suna after all and now wanted to go to the hokage to get permission to leave.
"oh...I didn't know going to suna was a already decided". Kouse would take the note back.
He would watch as she wrote her own will, thoughts poured into his mind. 
How many ninjas actually get to live long?. Ninjas deaths were so common it was a norm in the world today. It was almost like Once one became a ninja, their life expectancy drops by half. Beating the odds and surviving was what every ninja hoped but all knew that was not possible. Deaths would occur...regularly.

Hikari's voice snapped him out of his thought.
"Yeah, I guess it's off to the hokage chambers".
He would stand up from the bench, wait for hikari to also stand up then head towards the hokage chambers.


Exit(twc-2565....1779 words towards uchiha flame formation...786 words towards summoning technique).