Birds of a Dying Feather

Ty rolled out of bed like he would on any other day, but today he had something to do at least. He went through his typical morning routine of making his father's breakfast and taking a shower. Once he was all dressed in his usual hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants he would attach his mask and head out the door. Today he was going down to the Kozai National Archives, possibly the grandest library in the world. He hoped there would be some information on the Canopic clan there that might help him figure out what it is he's not able to understand. 

The story about his mother sweating out the virus for use in combat kept sticking in Ty's mind and he wanted to learn to do it himself. He walked with a good pace for the library and stopped outside the large doorway. The building was massive. Stepping inside he was met with tall book shelves filled to the brim with dusty tomes and new editions alike. It was pretty impressive. Typhon didn't even know where to start looking. 

He decided to just look around and try to get a feel for the library layout. He assumed he could find it under C, but didn't know what section to look in. As he blundered about he would run his hands on the wood and occasionally slide out a book and check the cover. He was a bit lost in thought.

(WC 241)

Takeda sat alone inside his empty apartment within the city square, humming quietly to himself as he finished reading one of his favorite novels. His eyes flicked casually over the final pages before setting it down with a sigh. He'd read it numerous times before, so much in fact that the pages were beginning to yellow and crinkle with age. It was a fun distraction, though it did little to ease the boredom of his living space. With no other distraction, Takeda peered around his mostly empty apartment. It was a tiny place, possessing only a small few amenities, most of which were the small number of things he managed to bring over from his old village, including a small futon in the corner of the room that barely fit the man, a small assortment of scented candles and a lighter respectively to freshen up the place, a wardrobe that he had gotten for a decent price in the village to house his clothes in, and the beaten up wicker chair that Takeda was sitting on. The man gave a deep sigh.

"God, I'm so lonely."

It was true. Takeda forced himself up from his wicker chair with book in hand, throwing the novel onto his futon with a soft thwump sound. He made his way over to the wardrobe where he picked out an outfit to go out with. Maybe he'd check out the National Archives? Anastasia told him that there was a civilian section that he could peruse through. Maybe he would be able to find another novel to enjoy, or maybe he'd take on the task of navigating another medical textbook. He wasn't sure, he just had to get out of this apartment for now.

He finished dressing himself into his normal attire. Black pants and shoes, fitted with a black jacket overtop and leather gloves. Yet there was one piece missing that Takeda held in his hands. He looked down at the gas mask in his mask with disdain and disgust. That was the cause of his loneliness, wasn't it? Takeda looked up and pulled one of the doors to the wardrobe aside to reveal a small mirror within to observe himself. He gazed into the glass, studying his face as he had done so many times before. Underneath a mass of dark black hair were two sickly yellow eyes, and what in Takeda's opinion was a rather attractive face beneath, although it was abnormally pale from a distinct lack of sunlight from the cover his hair and mask provided. He frowned.

"Maybe one day, some genius will finally come up with a cure to fix us..."

The man gave a sad smile and fitted the mask to his face, smelling the medicinal scent of the inside as it filtered his breath from the outside world. With that, he was free to leave his apartment.

A short walk later, and Takeda found himself inside the National Archives. He'd walked by them before, but he quickly realized that you just can't appreciate the sheer scope until you've been inside. Takeda wandered through the alphabetized sections, too engrossed in the sheer volume of tomes to select one. He wandered through for who knows how long, drifting from A, to B, to C. Yet it was in the C section that he stopped his wandering. It was by sheer coincidence that he happened to trip over his own feet. He could himself, but not before accidentally bumping into another individual in the same section.

"Oof! I'm so sorry about that! I just slipped!"

Yet as Takeda turned to face the individual, his eyes began to widen as he realized that they too were wearing a mask.

Word Count - 617

Ty was lost in thought, focusing on the task at hand. He didn't even notice that someone was approaching until the stranger tripped and felt into the young Canopic. Out of instinct Typhon would apologize and check to make sure he didn't have any exposed skin that the person could have bumped into. He was fully covered thankfully, but on a second glance he noticed something odd. The stranger was also wearing a mask.

"Hold on, you wouldn't happen to be sick like me would you?" He would ask excitedly.

It had been years since Ty ran into another Canopic other than his father. He was honestly starting to think that the clan was a dying breed at this point. It wasn't something that bothered him too much. If it meant future generations didn't have to deal with the discrimination and rules then it would be a good thing. At least that's what he thought he felt. But now with a clan mate standing in front of him he felt an odd glimmer of hope. Maybe this man could help him figure out the real history of their clan and bring their usefulness to the village's attention. Maybe the future didn't have to be all doom and gloom.

(WC 208)
(TWC 449)

Takeda blinked. Sick like him? He was wearing a gas mask as well. Did that mean that they shared the same clan? That they shared the same struggles? Takeda shook off his surprise and grinned under the mask.

"Yes! You're also a member of the Canopic?!"

Takeda couldn't really believe it. He imagined that there were probably more of the Canopic in Hoshigakure than his original village, though to find another of his ilk so soon after traveling here... His mind was brought back to his childhood in Maahi, the little town near Mountain Country. There he was isolated from his peers. Few understood his struggles, and those that did kept their distance from the child for fear of getting sick themselves. Not exactly something one could blame them for, but it still hurt nonetheless. Finally, there was someone else who understood though. Someone who wouldn't get sick if Takeda made a slight mistake with his wretched biohazard equipment.

"I'm so sorry, where are my manners! I'm Takeshi Takeda. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The man extended his gloved hand eagerly.

"I've just moved into Hoshigakure recently! I hadn't expected to meet someone like us so soon after moving in!"

Word Count - 201

Total Word Count - 818

Takeda Takeshi. It was a name Ty had heard recently. Someone that was supposed to be similar to himself. It turned out to be true apparently. It was obviously not Typhon's first instinct but it was always something that he wanted to do before. He decided to extend a hand to shake. This person wouldn't have to worry about infection after all.

"The names Typhon Sepsus. Canopic gunk flows right through my veins." He would say trying to crack a joke. "How has life been treating you lately? I'm sure its not so great anywhere for our kind. Fear of disease is human nature."

(WC 104)
(TWC 553)

Takeda looked to the man's ungloved hand. He shrugged. Not as if he could get sick from anything on his body. Takeda withdrew his hand for a moment, and with a dextrous movement removed the glove before extending his hand back and shaking vigorously.

"Life's been good! It's a lot better here than where I used to live. People are less spooked by the sight of someone in a gas mask."

Under the mask, Takeda was grinning ear to ear. Not only because he had finally met someone who he could hang around without worrying whether he killed him or not, but because he had someone who could tell him about the clan that he'd come from. He might finally be able to join a community that didn't fear him. The thought was incredibly powerful.

"How about you though? Are there any more of us?"

Word Count - 145

Total Word Count - 963

Ty watched as the man took off his glove. An action that he knew wasnt taken lightly. It was a powerful moment for the both of them. It sounded as if Takeda had lived a rough life. Ty hadn't really heard of any canopic that lived outside the city. He didn't even want to think about growing up like that.

"People are at least tolerant of us here. I only know of a few older folks left of our people, my father included. Most passed away in the civil war. Ever loyal to the royals who accepted us into the village."

It was a sore memory for the young man, but he was lucky enough to be alive as well as have a living father.

"I'm actually here looking for info on the ways our shinobi made use of the 'Gift' in combat. I'd rather not fight but if I must, I have to be prepared."

(WC 156)
(TWC 709)

Takeda's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of a Civil War. He was poorly versed in history, to an almost ridiculous degree, but he hadn't heard of any civil war in recent years. Takeda shrugged it off. He didn't want to appear so ignorant right out of the gate, so he let it slide. He'd pick up on it later.

Though the man called Typhon's interest in weaponizing their disease was admittedly intriguing. Takeda knew how deadly the disease could be, though he hadn't considered the implications of using it in his Ninjutsu.

"Shinobi uses of the 'gift' huh? I'm actually currently in training to become a shinobi myself. Maybe I can help you look for some examples if you'd like. After all, it could be good for future training!"

Takeda grinned under the mask. "Future training" was mostly just an excuse. In truth, he wanted to spend more time with this individual, learn more about what their clan was, interact with someone he didn't have to worry about getting ill all the time. If he picked up a couple of new tricks to help him in the academy along the way, so be it.

Word Count - 196

Total Word Count - 1159

Typhon was surprised that not only was there a new Canopic in town, but also that they were a shinobi in training. They would definitely become a useful training partner and ally if all went well. It'd be nice to go on a mission without having to worry too much about the mask or physical contact.

"Hoshi used to have quite a few canopic shinobi, my mother included, but I never got to see them in action." He would say as he kept rifling through the shelf in front of him. "Hard to know what we're capable of with no frame of reference so I figured I could find some things here."

The bookshelf was lined with information about clans of the village. All neatly organized and alphabetized, it wasn't too hard to find one of the books he was looking for. Just a basic history text on the clan but there might be good stuff in there. He still had to find mission logs or something of the sort involving his mother. With any luck he could learn about her style.

"I've got a couple things left to find. Wanna help me out?" Ty would ask to Takeda.

(WC 199)
(TWC 908)

Takeda nodded happily. It was a shame that there were so few of their kind remaining, but at least there were some young Canopic keeping the clan's future alive. Takeda wondered for a moment just how close they were to extinction, how they were likely only a few generations from dying out entirely. After all, if one who'd been in this village for as long as Typhon had only known members of their clan that were elderly, Takeda had to wonder just how many Canopic were left alive to "continue the bloodline."

"The last of a dying breed..."

Takeda wiped the thought from his mind. Existential realizations about the nature of his clan's mortality could wait for another, darker day. For now, he was here to have a good time with what could be a brand new friend.

"I'd love to help out! And hey, maybe afterwards you can come to my place for some grub! It's been a while since I've been able to enjoy a meal with someone else!"

Word Count - 171

Total Word Count - 1330