Gazing into ones reflection

The silence that issued the quiet of his home was unerving as yen silently stared into a mirror his eye patch  on the table beside  him as he gripped his hand. He healed the wounds from that annoying arena fight as what a hospital can heal. He cpuld easily heal without much a hitch. Besides unlike many he could walk off a few stabs and a lost finger. After all he lost an eye and merely continued teaching regardless of the pain.

How dissapointing to see my home fall like this.


His wife approached and placed a soft hand on his shoulder where risako stabbed it repeatedly. Speaking soft reassuring words yen listend and smiled softly as he held his two children, but they have gotten much older. Nearing on three as yens frail strength lacked the kick to even lift them.


Damn my strength... i was never strong enough to lift them. Now they will become much faster then I, much stronger then i am. And i hope better then i am. Much better.


Yen thought as twilight looked up at him with her sharp yellow eyes. Knowing her father was tough was what it was.

"Da papa!"

She squeaked as she nibbled on where his ring finger was cut off, but now fully healed and functional. Except occasional pains.

A bit of drool came down into his hair as his son pimp merely climbed up his back and then rolled onto his belly infront of yen. 

"Daddy!"

The high pitched voice of his son  made him smile as he chuckled tickling the twins noses and hearing their delighted giggles. For but a moment he felt that kirigure had not invaded as if it was a normal day. Then the dull pain in the ring finger would be a slight reminder to him. Plus the aching pain of  loosing salzem. He had kept to himself as  the days went by only really reporting to some meetings as the kirigure folks seemed either confused or lost? Yen could not tell as the pyro maniac mustve had a field day. Regardless his home was fine in the wooded area of the village. Although he helped where he could. But no thanks.

He was riddled by snears and whispers. Even outcries of "loser" which hurt. Still he kept to himself. Even after the disgraceful display. It took sheer willpower to take the beating as even his insects demanded him to retaliate at times. However they obeyed as he  endured. Only to let them free at home.

For it was foolish to simply fight back. He had his own family and it was his will that spoke through the clan. So as a pillar he endured and did not lash back. Plus yen did not see the value in fighting a person that rolled out of a hospital bed to fight him. Fully healed, no pain. Perhaps. Still his reasons remained a quiet  mystery to all except him. 

Yeah... i killed sal. I loved him as a brother, my only family besides what i have now. But ill rather survive then fall from an enemy. Besides... your in a better place now sal.


Yen thought as he held his children. With a small wave of his hand his children knew to sit back being raised properly by yen and hota.

Yen retreated towards his desk where there was a notebook of sorts. Yet within it were notes on genjutsu and the such. His specialty. He had  several thoughts in the back of his mind  as he quietly wrote in the notebook.

Being careful.


As he finished a few paragraphs. His thoughts still in an mess though with the events that befell in the nightmere of several weeks ago. And the slow healing that takes place.

Wc:632

with healing such a wound. It would take more then mere sorry's of forgiveness, but moving on. As time heals all wounds minus the ones that are left by a departed dear one. instinctively yen went to fetch his cloak to see if sal would go say sorry. However, mid way getting up from his chair he merely dropped the writing utensil as his hand which stabbed sal shook. the trauma of salzems words cursing him and all he stood for was like a replay. he could almost feel the warm blood of his friend on his hands. the intestines that  ruptured. yet his words merely a recording in his head still it was only reinforced by the touch of his wife on his shoulder as yens shoulders began to shake and tears  fell from his single eye.

the  man was mere dirt now as he hardly had the will to stop sobbing for a few minutes a mid writing. the ache of being not only a man that left his duty, but was the epicenter of a conflict that was not his own to begin with. He did not want to fight. that was why he did not defend himself as ris attacked him .in truth yen knew that it took all he had to not rise up from the beating and become defeated. even surrender. normally a hard pill to swallow. But like stabbing sal ot was a pill that he gladly would take for his home. hence he wrote the following.

the fire has to burn somehow. even if it is through hatred of a person, or actions done.. one must endure. one must keep the fire ablaze.. no matter the cost, save honor, or respect. these are nothing but privileges one must discard in times of war. As the battle feild a man would sooner be willing to take your life then spare it. A man would also become the enemies worst night mere while crimes are pardoned by his home. simply because  it is acceptable. still im not going to judge ill just wait.


yen put down the writing utensile as he turned towards his children and spoke up.

"hungry?"

he would say as they giggled happily. yen headed off towards the kitchen where he began cooking the cooking took his mind off of the events as pf right now. as he needed as much time to recollect himself. although he knew at best or worse. he would not be the same. that onvasion revealed more to him then he bargined for. the depths of the darkness he could reach into. Plus the weakness and lack of grit his own village lacked.

it's not right.


he thought as he completed the noodles and his wife placed a reassuring hand onh his then looked him dead in the eyes as she smiled sweetly.

"yenny. you only did what you could, but if too dark. you may end me too. but you are a stronger man then that. after all my dearest friends you trained. Even got up from your eye operation and came to my side at birth of our children."

he soft hands moved his hand over her heart and her blue eyes sparkled with pride and love confidence. he cupped her face softly and cried in her arms as she brushed his hair gently. he would not fall like that. he needed reassurance that he was still a good man as the mountains of weight slowly lifted from is shoulders. he slowly came to terms. deep in his heart as the soul recon sided  with it as one.

im sorry my home, my village. i have not stood up yet only was not there in body, but spirit. im sorry i gave myy faith to you and belife in you. but now you must rest your rules as punishment to your weakness. ill still fight on. no matter the cost.


wc: 656

A moment of silence as he listend to her bugs's and her heart beat. slowly soothing him andthen he turned back towards the stove quietly looking at his reflection in the bubbling water. perhaps he was not as strong nor nearly as fast as the other shinobi. it was that which reminded him that he was merely a low teir guy in the spectrum of things. he looked a mess with a single puffy eye and still soaked with deepest parts of sadness that he only confronted in the depths of his nightmares. many have come to him since the invasion.
 
my home and country... my children training with these people who would dare kill us unprovoked and with no mercy., the bandits have more respect... but it is as expected of such shinobi.. they do not learn from the actions of their own. instead they would rather go through violence. as if it is a proper language.. the dead do not speak, and the wounded only moan, the broken merely stare into the depths of darkness. I... feel bad for loosing.... i feel like i was hardly a factor. my jutsu were too slow. perhaps even completely ignored... which is unbearable at times. all i can do is sit here and wait. which ,akes no sense. all these eyes that glare at me from the depths of the walls here, they will try to find whatever weakness they can.
 
 

yen thought as he then began to stir and work the boiling water. the scauce was spicy as he could feel the hope to making a good meal for the family.

wc:271

The work of the small man amid the kitchen  was slow and long. He chopped the veggitables, while one clone was with the children, and the other one was with yen and hota in the kitchen working in tandum  to finish the aburame portion of food, both good for body and insects. As the veggitables were home grown and fresh under the observation of the aburame. Although to avoid worms the aburame due to their insect communication were able  to convey healthy deals with the worms and such as a means to eat only veggitables outside of their planting  grounds. While their insects were capeable of informing them to the slightest details to the state and cause of bad veggitation.

A skill that was commonly not fmrespected by other clans untill they ask one to offer a hand. Yen merely kept his tomatos a nice wonderful size with an inhumanely amazing taste due to his work an defense from invasive pests on his veggitation. 

The watet in pot boiled as yen cooked up a healtgy veggitable broth. For a fresh veggitable soup. While his one clone took to the salad with a small setting of good bits for the aburame insects. His insects hummed pleased as they knew by his control and work they would too eat great. As opposed to chakra.

The clone watching over the children was busy reading to both twilight and pimp as the clone would brush back their hair and offer a kiss to their foreheads.

"You two will love supper from father and mother."

The clone would state as the other clone with careful percision was cutting down the tomatos as it spoke up.

"The broth  smelling good boss. Keep it up."

It would say as he worked quietly.

Wc: 295

the steam from the pots emitted after an hour of solid cooking and preparation as yen, hota and his clone hurriedly carried the warm food of salad and cooked vegetables to the table. The clone  caring for his children struggled lifting them to their high chairs and secured them before dispersing, while the clone that was in the kitchen took to writing in yens study. while ultimately providing a low key look out the clones continued often yens written reviewing and adding corrections to his theories as they merely had the same ideals as him. often time this  allowed yen to work even through the night due to the help of shadow clones.

after a moment of prayer yen and family proceeded to eat as the children were helped with eating. the insects came from the aburame's bodies one by one as they too would eat some of the salad. which was good. this showed simply the harmony in which  the aburame worked in symbiosis with their user's/ 

hunger and good food is shared with everyone


he made a extra plate of food for the guest that he missed being salzem. he was set for making ammends as his wife stared at it and yen concerned as she held his arm softly.

"i know you miss him."

she whispered as yen looked down at his plate a tear falling down his face as his insects hummed softly to sooth him. 

"i- i know hota.. just its the least i can do for my friend... i never treated him a meal... i was going to make him our children's godfather... i show so much respect for him.... yet even in duty i soiled the dirt with him... my hand has not stopped shaking ever since that day. i just wish he could take it back. i said my words. i made my peace. are the gods yet not pleased. i took beating upon beating, blood and eye, even lost a finger and threw it back on.for my home... i took the scorn and the hatred at the pleasure of these people. in the end it is like they only care for their own agendas. none of it makes sense.why lead to kneel? why kneel if you try to pride yourself for something. it is what it is hota. salzem is dead. and i set a plate for him that will be set because i owe him every meal he wouldve taken from that day onward"

yen stated amid sobs as his wife held him.

wc:423

moments of silence ensured around the table as the children giggled although they stopped and looked sadly at their father whom had now a single red eye from crying. yen wiped away the tear as now by habit he wiped away the teary one eye. For even the room felt smaller to yen it was as if sal died for a purpose that far exceeded himself. Only risako's words rang through his head for, but a moment yet he dismissed the words. As it was pointless to argue even internally to her points. He did not get to fight to any real risk or reward. nor did he intend to fight fully.

i always hold back... perhaps that is why I am always  neither truely fighting...perhaps i should become the warrior that I always feared and hated. Perhaps it is time to merely stop talking and just let loose. I did not want a time of peace to become a time of strifle and conflict. Well suna was the signs of conflict..i should've done preparations then and there. yet i was unable to see the picture. regardless. this will not be easy.


yen took a breath as he softly touched hotas cheeks. she blushed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"thank you hota for reminding me. thank you."

yen said as he smiled at his children whom out of hunger continued to play and gobble down their food. the adult matters well above them at the moment as yen and hota cutely fed each other food and whispered loving words to each other.

wc:264

the night passed as  yen poured over the notes for a long while as his wife and children rested. he nodded at the clone as he permitted it to continue on the note work. Thus yen headed outside to the garden as he took in the smokey remains of fires that were pulled out having gathered the situation from a couple insects that scampered towards him. He could distinctly feel the feeling that reality was merely a joke. that was until he looked towards the destruction that spanned from the maniac whom decided to torch the houses. Along with the mad man that decided it was wise to bring an army and take over the village.
 
this is infuriating. how could this truly has happen? like the mere fact that not only did the few that rose rose us.. but have the very foundations of existence chose us to fall? what of the other villages. first kumo, now kiri... perhaps they see it as it is time to take land. so to bite at the throat of a giant and leave the fangs in...  but seeing this. i can only assume that is to be expected. the spectrum has shifted to the darkness of the land. mistrust and the seeds of decit spread around like the flames. Now i stand here at the edge of my home and must watch now as the ideals we have embodied must be tainted by weakness... I am but one man though. No person but my wife and children and clan to back me in the darkness. All those whom i would hold expectations for have either fled or stabbed the ideals of their home in the back. it is unacceptable of any cause or way. still it is to be expected of the shark and it's prey.. despite all of the defenses a predator if it kills quick can strike a fast meal. if there is a fight back then there  will be a winner and a loser.I can only assume and confer that despite the case and issue. all there is to do right now is to observe the process at the moment. then act in the given time at the appropriate time. play  the role and study everyone. find the weakest links and break them. it is their plan. to convert and establish a sense of control and power. by letting despair and desperation  take some by the swagger of word play and victory speeches. while their own squalor on missions meant for us. how upsetting As it is by now i only expect nothing less of risako to  have nothing but her normal power still in place, and the two on their side to be acquainted some way for their needs and services. unlike that it will not be that easy to call for me to them and hence only get a minimal performance. Upsetting indeed.
 

yen thought as he sat down and meditated quietly in the garden of flowers and bloom. yet they looked sickly due to the smoke in the surrounding areas. he quietly worked his chakra as it fluxed and worked its way through him and he quietly began to work on his work in discovery. Silence as he called out his insects one by one and had them work through jutsu with him. After some time with that he continued to work internally with his body as he had some techniques in mind he could work with.

wc:581

The sound of foot steps would catch the sharp ears of the aburame as he sat quietly in the  garden. Each insect he had a stromg connection to. As an aburame naturally to the insects would listen to the chain of command.  Yet a young boy would come into his presence as he had not guessed his age, but by steps they were light yet inexperienced.

Hm. So academy must be set. What brings one to come to me here?


Yen thought as the slightest brustle of the wind would reveal a single dark yellow eye as his left eye was long gone from events that have occured before this fellow joining the academy.yen made sute to calm the insects as he would not allow the boy to get harmed as it was telepathic orders. Yet his voice was freindly as the boy meant no harm.

"Good evening. Welcome and what might your name be?"

Yen asked as he revealed the single eye and eyepatch resting on his face. He studied the divice on the boy's ears. Seemed like some sound dampering device... that played sound that sounded of music.

Unusual fellow...


Yen thought as he remained knerled and gazed at the fellow. Although he remained calm his inner most emotions went silent. As duty called now. 

"You are new. Im yensung the head of the aburame. What is your clan or orgin?"

Allegro returned to his original stance after being acknowledged by the one eyed jounin. That was one cool eye patch. Allegro tussled with his red hair, trying to tie it into a bun. They looked like red snakes, struggling to escape his hands, but inevitably admitted defeat as he tied the final knot in his hair tie. The young boy noticed that he could no longer see any trace of the insects that were once swarming around in the garden. They had all retreated to some place unbeknownst to the young boy, still unfamiliar with the ways of the Aburame shinobi. Still with one earbud of his ear, Allegro pulled out his MP3 player to lower the volume with a fluid circular motion of his thumb once he saw that the man know known to him as Yensung Aburame was about to speak. 

"Hai! I am a transfer student at the Konoha Ninja Academy. My name is Uzumaki Allegro! Soon to be Konoha's grooviest ninja ♫"

After his introduction, Allegro digested the words that Yen had spoken to him. He guessed that the guy was somewhere between sixteen and twenty years of age, making him just a few years older than Allegro himself. And while he was in no way questioning his combat experience, (the battle scars and eye patch was proof enough for him) he had to wonder, was Yen really the leader of his entire clan? That would mean Allegro had stumbled along the path of quite the powerful shinobi!

"...Please teach me to become strong like you, Yensung sensei"

Allegro revealed a few scrolls from his pocket that he had borrowed from the academy to practice while he was at home. He would omit the fact that his teachers were not aware that he borrowed them. He took a seat next to Yensung and folded his legs. He unraveled the scrolls to reveal its contents, and saw the blueprints of several jutsu. The Storage Displacement Technique, False Surroundings Technique, and the Mist Servant Technique. Allegro did not know where to start, so he randomly picked a scroll. He would would practice the hand seals and show obvious signs of inexperience. The boy was smart, but that did not mean he could not use a little guidance. He would eventually look back up to Yensung seeking some helpful advice.

[TWC 987]