First and the Last. Ghost and Living. Who Knew?

"Koan come on I know you can do more than that, you're supposed to be protecting me and you can't even throw a punch? Brother my left foot," the voice echoed through and on the trees as the reverberation of punched and chuckles filled the nighttime sky of the forest. The two were out here since midday training to get ready for something known as a chunnin exam. Kazuhiro and his now transformed fox brother were busy shuffling around, practicing a little taijutsu to warm up and Koan was not too good at it. Though he was obviously older than the male, he still didn't excel in close ranged fighting. Koan lead with a right hook followed by a flurry of kicks which the young Hayate male saw coming, throwing up his guard and taking each punch upon his forearms with a smile. He was slowly becoming sturdy in the sense that fighting like this never really bothered him. He wrestled with the older foxes almost daily while up in the mountains until the point they threw him into pillows just to get him tired out- unfortunately the young boy was made of something weird. The next few minutes slowly calmed down as the two of them jumped on opposite stumps, the white and black haori slowly hanging off of the boys body as he smiled," I can tell you were trying your hardest, but I think the big brothers were the fighters and you were just the helper huh?," he was simply teasing his brother and yet the transformed fox took offense to it, throwing small balls of fire at the boy only for them to dissipate before reaching him. After all Koan wasn't trying to set the forest or Kazuhiro on fire.

Their laughter continued for a few moments more before the two sat on the stumps, the actual child staring at his fox companion who had decided to turn back into his original form. There had been so many things daunting on his mind that he needed answers. There was the whole question of who his father really was and why wasn't he here. Yes he knew he died protecting his village, but at what cost? Leaving his son an orphan and his home in shambles? Something about it...he didn't like it at all. He didn't resent his father and yet the fact that he knew so little about him bothered his mind greatly. In silence he sat wondering and thinking to some extent on how he could ask the question without exactly bothering Koan about it before it finally came from the fox himself," You're thinking about him again aren't you? Its not a day that goes by that I don't see you staring at the moon exactly like he did once upon a time. Its weird that you remind so many people that actually knew him of him...I miss your father as well so if you have any questions, please...just ask them. I don't mind talking about him if it helps you understand him better," the fox sort of stared at the male for a moment, as if he was anticipating the response of the child.

But as the child tried to open his mouth to speak they both felt it. The air around them chilling as a dense mist filled the forest. One would think that someone was playing a trick upon them, rolling in a mist as a form of genjutsu to trap the two and then kill them. Did he know what a genjutsu felt like? Probably not. Did this feel like it to him however? No it didn't. Something ominous was coming from this mist as the two stood and moved toward each other quickly, Kazuhiro summoning his shadow to form four tendrils of darkness which slowly moved around the boy as if they were extra arms. Koan transformed into his human form and summoned a blue fire in his hands, the two were ready for whatever came their way...and they were not going to go down without a fight. For one moment they heard multiple footsteps, something akin to paw prints and human feet. Then they shifted. Continually they changed from human to wolf, wolf to human before Kazuhiro finally had enough," COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF OR ARE YOU SCARED?!," the fox turned his head slightly to look at the boy who was smiling. Why was he smiling over this? Was it the threat or danger that this encounter possessed? Or was it something else entirely? It was almost like looking at a mirror image of Yaju when he got turned into a kid and yet...this was it. The foot steps continued to circle them and yet the two couldn't place their fingers on what it was. To Koan it should have been very familiar, he spent years with the entity making these to know what they were and who they belonged to. To the boy? A feeling he never felt came over him which made him growl almost instinctively before he saw three figures.


Two were on all fours while the one in the middle? Standing as tall as him if not taller. Even though it was misty he could see a trail of smoke leaving from the one in the middle. Koan had slowly turned around before he realized who it was...and he dropped to his knees. It had been two long years since he had smelled this scent. Two long years as those piercing eyes looked onward to him and he knew it to be true. The one who had died for his village and his child stood before the son and yet...Koan couldn't bring words to describe this moment. It was in a single moment that the mist slowly pulled back behind the male and two beside him, stopping just short of five meters behind him as a wolf like grin covered his face. The depths of death had spat out this man for one final time, the time he had waited for just to be at peace. The old Wolf of Kumo had finally been face to face with his child...and all he did was smile.

"Sup kid....Koan you sure have grown a bit. Inari been feeding you better?"

The voice sounded disembodied but had a full form, the two wolves beside him trailed to the left and right respectively, watching the exchange that would forever shape this young boys future. Kazuhiro slowly looked at the male who had just been staring him down. How did he know both Inari and Koan? Why...Who? So many questions had filled the boys brain as he tried to take in his feature. The eyes of a male who shined as black as the night. A pale suit that had been ripped and torn which sat underneath destroyed cloth...Something about the cloth stood out to him however. The ghost idly watched the boy as he tried to figure out who he had been, his eyes ripe with amusement at the fact. "...So it is true she did see you didn't she?," those were the only words that left his mouth as the ghost held up a single finger to shush Koan- the boy needed to figure this out on his own. The haori in his hands was felt too many times to count as he put it up to his nose and took a large whiff of it...and then it hit him. Like a volcano of emotions, it hit him hard as he finally realized who had been in front of him.

The man he had been told about by Inari and all of the other foxes. The man who died before his time...the one who he had finally wanted to see and ask the question. His father had finally been in front of him. The ghost could only tell that the boy had finally figured it out as he walked over toward the boy, noticing the shadows as a small frown came upon his face," You got my looks but your mother's techniques...And here I was hoping for a Hyuuga. Eh can't be helped when it comes to genetics, but its good to see you made it here. The first time i saw you was when you were a little pup in your mother's stomach. Now I get to see my cub for the first time walking around. How old are you now kid?," the rough voice came out. Kid? Had he not known his own sons name? The first strike had been made as he looked at the man, who had now been standing in front of him. Eyes had met for the first time and one could see the emptiness in the father's, and the burning fire in the sons. 

"I'm not kid. My name is Kazuhiro...and i'm eleven now," though through his surprise Koan quickly added," Five actually. He was given medicine to age him to befit his...mental age," the boy simply looked at the fox. Being so formal with a man who left him behind...but what was the reason for this. The smoke slowly left the man's mouth as he stood there and mumbled something to himself, his eyes however running over Kazuhiro over and over before he knelt down and chuckled," My my...Smart and snarky. Reminds me of me so long ago. You're probably wondering why i'm here huh? Kid like you has never seen his father a day in his life and yet...you see me now," before he could finish, the boy punched him. He didn't care if his hand went through the specter or if it landed, something had welled up inside of him that caused him to do it.

To his surprise the ghost was knocked on his ass, a booming laughter leaving his lips as he stood up and cracked his knuckles," Oh yes. There's my boy. Questions with his fists and fights with his anger. Let's see how strong you really are huh? Koan? Stay out of this. I'd hate to send you back to Inari beaten and battered," for a moment the fox thought he was kidding before he saw the look on his face and stepped away. Kazuhiro didn't care. He wanted nothing more than to punch the dead to deaths adn get the answers he wanted from the wolf's mouth. Unfortunately for him that would be a near impossible task but what did he care? There had been silence for a moment before the two lunged at each other, the ghost being faster and landing the first and second hit of their first..and last bout. Two punches connected with the young boy sending him flying back near the stump he had been on, his eyes lighting up with a fire that he had never felt before. Pain was slowly creeping up on him and yet he did not care.

The boy quickly retaliated, throwing two punches back and yet it was like hitting a wall. The man stood there and chuckled for a moment as the boy stepped back and continued to attack," This is the extent of my sons power? Quite pitiful...I thought you would have been raised better than this, or is it because you simply....lack the will? Or is it because seeing me caused you to waver?," he didn't elaborate on why he was here. This was a test after all and Kazuhiro would be learning the reason why very soon. The boy stood there for a moment listening to the male speak, anger he had never felt before bustling to the surface as he yelled and ran at the male. His hands outstretched to make a single hand seal as the tendrils reappeared, his eyes glowing with mini rage as he proceeded to stab his own father. From the hand seal he held, his shadow would elongate and stretch to grab his fathers, even if he was dead the body he had still produce a shadow and allowed him to grab it. Soon after he began to swiftly try and cut into him as quickly as possible. The dead couldn't be killed again after all. 

The old wolf stood there with mild amusement before breaking free of the binds of the shadow and made his move.With each attempt he failed before the man was in front of him, punching him faster than he could anticipate and before long Kazuhiro fell to his knees coughing for the sweet embrace of air. Defeated. That is what had happened to him as he looked at his father through a single eye. The shadows slowly retreated back into the boys own shadow before the male leaned down in front of his son, his eyes lowering as he shook his head," You may have your mother's abilities but you will always have my faults...My rage. I thought finally appearing to you would be warming, but you are me after all. Only difference is i'm dead and you are still here," he paused for a moment to pick his son up and stand him straight. 

His right hand lifted slowly to place it onto the haori, moving it slowly to touch the fiber he made himself. " I remember what this stood for...a group that protected the weak from the strong, the Disciplinary Squad is what we called ourselves but we fell. You want to ask me why did I die instead of running away with your mother? Because of obligation. Because of that village I met my true family, your mother...rivals, power and things this world can only give you glimpses of. My son you are strong, but something you have a chance to do that I didn't was tame the monster in you. That rage can be both good and bad," a wolf like grin appeared on his face as he placed his hand into a fist and pressed it gently on the boys shoulder," You have a long life to lead on and in time you'll find your power, find a reason for being...and things I couldn't do. Sad thing is that I can't impart my techniques onto you, but you have some people that can," as he spoke the mist began to roll back onto him and the forest, engulfing the five that were there as his father sighed.

"Its time already? Geez I had more time in the mountains than this you know. Look Kazuhiro, that haori you're wearing was something I meant to give to you personally when you grew up...but I didn't count on death taking me so soon. Grow stronger, but above all else. Don't seek revenge for me. Trust me when I say you're better off making your own path. Next time we meet I hope its when you're old and grey with something good to tell me. I'll be watching over you though...Oh and tell Akihana her coffee is still better than that bitter black stuff I used to drink," the voice slowly trailed off as the mist soon vanished with the last thing he saw was his father smiling toward him and mouthing something that caused the boy to cry.

In a small span he met someone he thought impossible, the dead never told tales and yet he met them. Wiping the tears from his face he threw the cloth back onto his body as he looked at the fox and something had been different in his eyes. A look that showed that the boy finally understood what he needed to. Slowly Kazuhiro had walked over to the fox and motioned for him to follow, his destination being his room," Come on...We have something we have to do and i'll need you to help me. You know things about my father that I don't and now that i've met him....I know what i must do," the words of the boy lingered for a moment as Koan finally realized that he knew the reason for that fight. To open his eyes and to also show him that his life was his. One legacy ended as another began and to Kazuhiro he had to prepare for the start of his.

As the two left the opening of the forest the last thing they heard before heading to the village was the sound of three wolves. A consecutive howl that only lasted a few moments, but in those moments he felt the power in them and nodded as the cloak billowed in the wind behind him," I'll make sure to make you proud...and when we meet again i'm going to knock your dead ass out," the cocky smirk slowly forming on his face as he turned around and slowly began to walk toward the village of the stars, a new day beginning. With the forest slowly falling back into the distance behind him, a ghostly figured appeared with his hands forced into his pockets, something or rather someone had been behind him as he smiled and watched Kazuhiro finally accept his own fate," And so goes our son...Yeah I didn't expect him to look better than me either, but that's what happens huh? He'll take care of himself for sure and make me proud...All Hayate males do," the voice becoming a whisper upon the wind as one's tale began to slowly disappear into the night.

A lesson had been learned in these few hours he spent out here, sure he got his ass kicked by a dead person but in the end he met him. He had his question answered and through it a better clarity that would only push him to go higher, maybe even higher than his old wolf. The two slowly passed into the village only to stop at the water fountain, his eyes looking up at the full moon for just a moment before looking down to his shadow and smiling. He needed to become stronger somehow and above all...he needed to start making some new friends. Things were going to start happening and he was going to use his father's words to begin something that he started. The only question was what would he tell his caretakers about the bruises?

[Exit]

3026 words

Claiming 15 stats

Using 545 to get Shadow Imitation B rank, 2000 to get Shadow Imitation A rank

putting the rest (481) for Shadow Clutch

Approved.