Thicker Than Water

When she crossed the threshold for the second time, Aryll was not sure what she was trying to achieve. The last time she spoke to her brother, they did not part on good terms. Still, in light of recent events, this was pretty much the last place she could think to go. He was the only person who she could turn to, now. When last they had met, she had called him a disgrace to the Hyuuga. Now, all Aryll felt was guilt for the way she had treated her brother. For the first time, she understood his hatred for Xyxer. Indeed, even the thought of that creature’s name made Aryll see red. She did not know if she should confront him again outright. If she was being completely honest, Aryll did not believe herself strong enough to kill Xyxer. Yet. Until she gained the confidence to make her move, however, she had just one person that she could trust for guidance.

The guard sneered at Aryll when she entered. Her pale gaze fixated in the distance, oblivious to him as he searched her person. An unruly hand caressed her face, and began to trail down her neck. The hand suddenly jerked, followed by a sickening crack. Aryll clutched the man’s wrist in her hand, a clean break leaving the guard screaming in pain. His partner lifted his cudgel, prompting Aryll to release the man’s wrist, lifting her open hand to signify passivity. The second guard stared coldly at her for a few moments, then simply chuckled.
”He had it comin’. Go on in.” He told Aryll, opening the main gates.

Kazuha had not accompanied Aryll on this occasion, choosing to wait outside the compound. Considering she had emptied the contents of her stomach the last time she had visited Master Haru, it was probably for the best. She had stated it would be best for Aryll to keep a low profile anyways, but she knew that was a farce. Xyxer would know she visited Haru anyways, and she didn’t care. She would be as predictable as he liked, it made no difference to her. She was but a tool anyways, right?

Without Kazuha, the journey down to meet her brother was much less eventful. Besides the guard attempting to feel her up, the whole thing went off with relative ease. She snaked her way through the maze of hallways in Kirigakure’s prison system, the prisoners mostly silent, with the odd heckler who thought to insult the cripple who dared to wear a Kirigakure headband receiving swift retribution from a nearby guard. As a blood games victor, and a victor twice over during the Grand Tournament of Water and Fire, Aryll commanded a significant amount of respect from her fellow comrades. Reaching the final ramp for the second time, the dark hallways were much more silent during this visit than they had been previously. The guards occasionally stood at attention as Aryll passed, their blunt, bloodstained weapons resting on their shoulders, occasionally rattling against the bars of an unruly prisoner. Aryll paid them little mind as she single mindedly made her way through the tunnels, like a rat in a maze.

Finally, she reached the lift that would lead her to her brother. The guards allowed her to enter, following her in. The lift began to sink deeper into the earth, to where Haru’s cell was located. The lift brought her down slowly, giving Aryll time to think. What was she going to say to him? What was she even going to ask? Did she come here to beg for forgiveness, to grovel before her elder as she always had in the past? What did she ever hope to achieve with this visit?

”-Hey, lady, anyone home?” one of the guards said, jarring Aryll from her thoughts.
”Excuse me?”
”It’s feeding time for the prisoner. Do you want to bring it in?” The guard asked her. Aryll looked at him, confused.
”You trust me to do that?”
”You’re the last person who’d ever let him run free, and there’s not much you can do by feeding him his bread the wrong way.” He shrugged. Aryll nodded. He handed her the tray. A few slices of stale bread, some sort of beef stew, and a cup of water, scalding hot. She watched him draw it from the boiler. Just another measure to keep him uncomfortable, she supposed. So much the better for what she had planned.

The doors slid open, before slamming shut behind Aryll, locking the two of them in.
”Hello, brother.” Aryll said softly, a few threads spreading from her finger as she wheeled her chair forward, holding the tray in her hand. Haru said nothing, and did not stir from his perch. He looked horrible. Where before, he had been bearded and tired, he now looked completely aged from the horrible torture he endured. His face was lined and wrinkled, and covered in a robust beard. His hair was a mess, draping down to his back. His appearance reminded Aryll of Haru senior, albeit not nearly as well groomed.

She was used to seeing him this way by now, and though the sight, paired with the sickly smell of stagnant blood, made her eyes water, she did not waver. Setting the tray into her lap, she reached inside the inner pocket of her shirt, right where the guard had been about to reach when she dislocated his wrist. ”I know they haven’t been feeding you very well, so I snuck you what I could.” She said, drawing a bag of tea leaves, a few sweets, and lastly, a wad of sticky rice, paired with strips of beef and wrapped in a handkerchief. It wasn’t a lot, because if she’d brought any more, she might have been caught, but it was some small comfort she could offer him. ”It’s nothing glamorous, but it’ll have to do.” She told him, placing the tea leaves into the cup of hot water. The smell of mint began to waft from the cup as she prepared his meal, blowing on the hot water to cool it. While she waited for it to cool, she lifted the ball of rice to his lips. Slowly, Haru began to eat. Neither of them spoke a word as Aryll fed him, cleaning the blood and rice from his face as she lifted him the last offering, the homemade mint tea. He drank it all quickly, having not been allowed any water that wasn’t scalding hot for ages.

As Aryll put away the food that she had brought, setting the tray aside, Haru’s face did not waver. He kept a shameful gaze, glued to the floor.
”The invasion of Konohagakure was a resounding success.” She began, realizing that that was not the best way to start the conversation. ”I looked for your girlfriend, but I couldn’t find her. She must have escaped in the confusion.” She told Haru, hoping to reassure him. His breathing seemed to ease. ”We held a tournament with the remaining Konohagakure ninja. I won my bout against a Jounin, and was promoted as reward.” She continued, her tone very unsure. She was not sure where she was going with this. It was almost like she needed to provide her brother with all necessary context before she dropped the bomb. For his part, Haru did not react to any of this.

”I made a friend from Konoha, a Hyuuga, like us. Her name is Hikari. She’s very interesting. She actually won her bout as well, and requested to travel to Kirigakure as her reward.” She said. Nothing. Just the usual soft breathing and shameful aversion of eye contact. Well, here goes.

”...And, there’s something else.”

A moment of silence.

”Xyxer told me what happened to Nana and Grandpa. What really happened.” She said. Haru’s soft breathing came to a sharp halt. ”...And then I tried to kill him.” He choked.

”He placed a kunai to his heart, and held it in my hand. Told me that if I felt what he did was unjust, to take reparations. I did what I had to do. I was really gonna do it, too. I meant it. He put up a fight, that weird cloak thing from that horrible day came back, but it was stronger now. He wasn’t Xyxer anymore, he was something worse.”

And then, in the middle of the fight, he just… Stopped. And I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t kill him if his heart wasn’t in it. I don’t understand why.” She said. ”And now I’m not sure what to do, I don’t know how to face him, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. You’re the only person I have left to turn to, and I’m…” She stopped. Her head was in her hands now, a torrent of tears dripping down her face as she tried to collect herself.

”I’m so sorry, Aryll.” Came the ragged voice of her brother. Aryll looked up from her place at his feet. ”I tried to protect you from this. I made him swear to never harm a hair on your head. At first, I thought he only kept you so close to get to me, but I believe that he truly does care for you. I had hoped that in keeping you ignorant, it would keep you safe.”

”You just let me befriend that monster?” Aryll snapped. Haru flinched.
”You were a broken woman when gran and grandpa died. I knew that if I told you, you’d either crack, or…” He stopped.
”Or what?”
”...Or try to kill him.” Haru shrugged, chuckling under his pained breaths. ”We’re not so different, it seems. I’m proud of you, Aryll. But I beg you, don’t confront him. Don’t let your rage blind you, as it blinded me.” Haru advised his sister. Aryll shook her head.
”I saw the power he possesses. If I try to kill him, that beast will return. In terms of raw power, that cloak of his easily trumps me. It’d be suicide to attack him now.” She said, causing Haru to raise an eyebrow.
”That’s…. Remarkably measured of you.” He commented. Aryll shrugged.
”I’m not a stupid brute like you, brother.” Haru smiled at that.
”What will you do now?” He asked her.
”Continue to build. That’s all I really can do, now. I don’t think he’ll just order my death, but I’d like to be ready, all the same.” She said. Haru nodded.

The door unbolted behind Aryll, the heavy steel shrieking into place as the guard glanced inside.
”Visitation is over.” He said gruffly. Aryll nodded, turning one last time to Haru.
”For what it’s worth, brother, I forgive you.”

And with that, she turned her back on the Second Mizukage, whose long white bangs did well to hide the tears that were streaming down his face.


(WC: 1924)


+18 AP
+2442/4,875 toward Geist (25% discount)

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