True Responsibility Weighs on the Soul

The mask felt heavy in Dracoso's hand. He had sat in his room looking at it, wondering what he was going to say when he arrived. His teacher had suggested taking this mission to help understand the weight of the community which supported the ninja. Whether it was family and friends or neighbors and acquaintances which we made on our trips. The mask felt unreal to hold. He felt like if he wore it, he might lose himself eventually to another role which he didn't wish to play.

He had visited his teacher after dropping off the equipment he had borrowed for gathering cinnabar. The medical office staff member had thanked him and discussed how the mission had gone. The staff member was impressed at the little damage which had been caused through his use and was understanding as to why he had to soak it repeatedly when in the area of the springs. He had suggested that Dracoso consider getting some equipment of his own, especially with his interest in handling herbs and other medical materials. 

His mentor was relaxing against the wall out in the practice area of the academy. His class was out practicing using some of the more basic weapons, such as kunai and throwing stars. They perked up when Dracoso walked in, and they each waved to him. Dracoso quickly returned the wave before the teacher told them to stay focused as they were working with dangerous items. Dracoso took a spot beside him and shared with him on his most recent mission. His teacher nodded along, paying attention to both his story and the kids practicing.

"... the bird had a small container with it and a note saying I could pick up the Ryo later back at the mission center. I grabbed it up before heading over here," Dracoso wound down as he came to an end. The teacher nodded and glanced at Dracoso, "so what was the lesson you learned from this mission?" Dracoso thought for a moment and responded, "preparation and communication are key when handling a deadly situation." The teacher smiled and added, "and to help others where they need it too huh? Plenty of people offered their help and support and you passed it along to those in need." Dracoso smiled and gave a nod of his own.

"For your next mission. Do you have any thoughts?" The teacher asked as he turned back to his class. Dracoso shook his head softly as he replied, "I was considering helping a village a little way out who seems to be struggling with a bandit problem. I feel after the fighting on the mission protecting Jamil, I might be a bit more prepared. Plus, with Sutsui growing stronger by the day, I feel pretty good." The teacher looked over at him, "Sutsui? You kept mentioning her in your missions. Did you make a friend?" Dracoso realized that he had not introduced Sutsui to the teacher and stood up as he sent a wave softly down to the snake wrapped around his shoulders. The snake peeked its head up quietly and glanced at the man.

The teacher was surprised for a moment before looking at the snake with a raised eyebrow. "She chose you, did she? She has grown a bit since I last saw her in the adoption center. You two seem rather close. I take it she is training alongside you?" He asked. Dracoso nodded, "she seems to gather quite a bit of knowledge and strength from traveling with me on my missions. She is always close and, even if we separate, she always seems to find clever ways to deal with our problems." The teacher nodded and leaned back into his spot as Sutsui measured the man. After a few moments, she slid back into Dracoso's outfit and rested.

"Back to the matter at hand. You are undecided on your next mission. I might have a suggestion that you may find as a challenge," the teacher said. Dracoso looked to him curiously and asked, "and which mission would that be?" "We have a family in the community who is connected to one of our ANBU members. The family seems to be struggling with their desire to share how... proud they are of his accomplishments and, due to their extensive travels, seem to be almost as bit of talkers as Jamil," the teacher explained. "Ok. So where would I come into this situation?" Dracoso asked

"You would be delivering a message to the family about the importance of secrecy. Especially when it comes to dealing with the information their daughter is sharing with them out of confidence. Her leader agreed that it would be ok to fill them in on some of her missions as it helps to reduce their anxiety. She is one of our better members, so he made an exception in her case. The only problem is that just like her desire to share with her family, they also seem anxious to share it with others who might listen. We have managed to keep it quiet for now, but we need them to understand how important it is to not be spreading this information," he finished.

Dracoso thought for a few minutes before asking, "and why can't we send one of her ANBU team members to communicate this?" "We did. The family took it as a combination of either jealousy or simply being too serious about their work. He tried to warn them by suggesting that they may end up in danger, but they didn't take him all that seriously. We need someone to relay the message and for them to take it seriously for us to feel secure in letting this continue. Otherwise, we may just end up needing to restrict their movements or restrict what the ANBU member can share with them. Either way, it will end up poorly." His teacher glanced at Dracoso before watching his class.

With a soft sigh, Dracoso spoke, "this doesn't really sound like helping people. Would this really count as helping people who are in need?" His teacher thought for a moment before responding, "the ANBU member has helped many and being at your best mentally allows you to be more effective in the field. Her family may end up in a worse position if they continue. Above all else, it will allow her to remain safe as the information they might share will give away her tactics. You would be indirectly helping her and directly helping her family by preventing issues that may arise through their actions," he explained.

Dracoso felt a bit uneasy and shifted his weight. His teacher asked softly, "are you uncomfortable with a mission like this?" Dracoso resting his head against his hand, "It sounds like it is in the right intentions, but with the wrong method. Aren't families generally aware that they should not share information like this? Would sending them a personal messenger telling them to stop really seem like the most... cordial way to deal with this situation?" 

The teacher shook his head, "they have been asked by the ANBU captain, by willing neighbors, by their daughter, and by a team member. Each time, they simply disagreed or didn't take them seriously and continued on as they had been. If we could do this in a lighter method, we would. At this point, we need them to understand, or we will need to start cutting back on their ability to share this information. For the protection of them, their daughter, and her team." He turned to look at Dracoso, "So, can you take on this mission?"

The class had ended as Dracoso agreed with his teacher. The students were let out for lunch, so his teacher accompanied him over to the mission center. They filled him in on many of the same details before providing him with the mask and a cloak which rested over his outfit to provide anonymity. They told him to not give them his name or any identifying information beyond being a ninja from the village. He was to have them sign off on a document which outlined that if any word of their 'sharing' was received from this point forward, their options would be limited. As he read over the document, describing how the guards would monitor their traveling and ninja may be dispatched to make sure they had limited contact with others, he felt a pit forming in his stomach.

He sat back in his seat with the mask in his hands. He kept running the words through his head that he wanted to say, but so many of them sounded wrong. Telling them to just stop had not worked from several different people. Telling them that they would be in danger did not seem to faze them. He was not sure if the restrictions would work or not, but it felt like the family may simply ignore them or be offended by them. With a small sigh, he stood up and walked outside to where his father was working. He had not spent much time with his father since he became a shinobi, but he didn't know anyone better than his father for delivering firm information.

His father was sharpening a friend's blade on the large whetting stone he kept in the shed in the back. Dracoso leaned against the doorframe and watched as his father worked carefully at each inch of the blade. It took him a few minutes before he lifted up the metal to catch the light. Where small cracks had been a moment ago, a clean line stood out along the edge. His father nodded at it and noticed Dracoso in the doorway. He placed the sword down and pulled off his mask. "I take it you came to ask me for something," his father stated.

Dracoso nodded and explained the general gist of the mission, "I need to tell a family that they cannot keep sharing information about their child's missions. They seem proud of her, but do not seem to understand the weight of the danger they are creating. They had a few people try to tell them to stop, but the family does not take them seriously, even with warning them about endangering themselves. How would you approach it?"

"Hmm... you have not asked me for advice since you were young, you know? The first time you come to ask again, you want to know how to put a whole family in line. Heck, the last time you asked, it was about why boys and girls seem to like different things and how to think like a girl. I told you to talk to your mother and I never got another turn after that," His father chuckled as he reminisced. Dracoso blushed, thinking back on how his mother had tried to explain the necessity for differences which led into a discussion of looking for a girlfriend. Of course, the interest in that was driven by his mother. 

Dracoso simply nodded and said, "well. I went off to ask others for advice in different fields. I figured I would learn more from more people." His father chuckled again with a nod, "Right. That was about the time I started to hear from neighbors and professionals that you had taken a... 'healthy' interest in their work. Most asked me if I could find some way to limit you too. They were worried that you would chase them down in the street, if given the chance." Thoughts of the past and his own unrelenting nature came to mind. He softly asked, "so what did you do back then to deal with my passion?" 

His father leaned back in his seat and recollected the past, "Well, I sat you down and asked you why you were so driven to learn all these things. You told me that you wanted to figure out how to use what you learned to help people. I helped you to see that by bothering someone too much, you end up causing trouble for them. I decided to also start training you a bit on using blades and armor to help burn off some of your excess energy. Otherwise, you seemed like a pretty able boy to accept how your actions impacted others. You seemed more worried about upsetting others and their feelings than how it affected your own reputation. until you realized how your reputation meant you could keep helping them." 

His father went on for a short time before Dracoso interjected, "so you just talked to me? I remember the exercise and training in the backyard, but I do not really remember all this talk about accepting the impact of my actions." His father gave another chuckle and responded, "Of course not! You were only eight. I bet you were so focused on how to make sense of what was said that you had already forgotten the words by the time I finished saying them. You were always good about taking meaning and shaping it. You just needed to slow down a bit to actually engage with it. I think becoming a shinobi has done you well in that regard." Dracoso nodded with a smile to the praise. It was rare his father gave him that much credit for his effort.

"To answer your question. If they do not care about bringing danger to themselves, maybe try mentioning that it will put their daughter in danger. It may end up causing her stress or anxiety to have her family in trouble. It seems like they are too proud of her and do not understand the weight of their own role. Let them know how much she is doing for them, and they may see it in a different light," his father advised. Dracoso nodded and said, "thanks Dad. I will keep that in mind." He gave his father a smile before heading back to his room. Once inside, he took the mask and the cloak and headed out for the residence.

He waited until he was a few blocks down before he put up his spine chill sense. When he knew that no one nearby was watching, he slipped into an alley way nearby and put on the mask. As he tossed the cloak around his shoulders, he felt Sutsui nestle in closer. The change in apparel made him feel like he was walking in someone else's shoes. He took careful steps as he came back out onto the street and headed towards the family's home. People passing by gave him glances and showed quick flashes of anxiety before going back to their business. He felt like he was eight again as people who recognized him would show concern as if he was going to ask them for information. He simply shook his head of the memories and made his way to the home.

The house looked like any other on the street. The front yard was empty, and a voice could be heard coming from the house, as if someone was celebrating. Dracoso crossed the yard and gave the front door a few knocks. The voice cut off suddenly and heavy footsteps came to the front of the building. The door opened and a rather tall man looked at Dracoso in his outfit. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yes? What do you need?" Dracoso lowered his voice and took on a husky accent, "I was sent to discuss a private matter with you and your family." The man looked at him for a moment before crossing his arms, "On whose authority? I don't let just anyone into my home."

Dracoso took out the document packet and held it out for the man to see with the ANBU seal clearly on the front. The man shook his head and said under his breath, "not another one." He gave a shrug and waved for Dracoso to follow him, saying over his shoulder, "we already heard the spiel from your other friends. Judging by the way you are dressed though I take it this is going to seem different?" Dracoso followed him silently through the home until they reached a sitting table in what appeared to be the dining room. Dracoso sat opposite a youthful mother and the man who had led him in. A possible grandfather sat off to one side enjoying some tea and a couple of children were peeking in through a cracked doorway behind the parents.

The same parents looked at him with small smiles on, as if predicting what was to come and felt no worry about it. "So, where would you like to begin?" the father asked. "Perhaps by telling us that what we are doing is wrong. That by sharing this information, we are putting ourselves and the village in danger. That by talking about the amazing things she has done; we are just being selfish?" There was a tinge of pride and defensiveness in his voice as he kept a somewhat forced smile. His wife patted his shoulder softly and followed up, "we are happy to hear what you say. Just understand that it probably won't be the first time, nor the last."

Dracoso looked from one to the other and considered how he wanted to start. He kept his voice at a deeper tone but dropped the accent as he wanted to be sincere. "I know that others have visited you before and that they have already told you of the dangers and the troubles that it may cause. I already know that you did not take them seriously and that you continued as you had before. Whether it was the head of the ANBU, your neighbors, or your daughter's teammates. I know that saying that your lives would be in danger does not carry much weight and that by trying to tell you that restrictions would be put up, it may not deter you in the slightest."

The couple listened as he paused and the father spoke up, "so then why come here? We are not going to change our ways just because people keep coming here to tell us not to. She is our daughter, and we are proud of what she is accomplishing. We have a right to appreciate that in our own way and to share what we see fit." He ended on a heated note and his wife nodded in agreement. Dracoso spoke softly, knowing to not engage with too much emotion, "then why do you seek to make this so hard on her?"

The father paused and stared at Dracoso. Anger began to build as he responded, "we are making things hard on her? are you saying that just by showing how proud we are, we are causing her trouble?" Dracoso looked him in the eye through his mask, "do you know why she is allowed to share this information with you?" The father crossed his arms and responded defensively, "because she is one of the best! She has the right to share what she wants with how much she does." Dracoso thought through his words carefully, "she is one of the top ninja. She goes out and handles very sensitive missions and completes them effectively." He nodded before continuing, "but even the ANBU leader shares his information with his family." 

The father paused again, the anger somewhat deflating before he retorted, "well maybe he just does not trust his family! Our daughter is proud enough to share her stories with us because we know how to handle them." Dracoso kept his tone neutral as he could feel the emotion stirring to reflect the father, "she shares it because she knows how anxious you get when she says nothing and the worry it brings about the danger she is taking on." Her father stopped before he could respond. The words seemed to ring true as the mother's eyes widened slightly. She spoke up, "whether or not we worry about her, she was given the right to share her information with us so that we may appreciate her."

Dracoso looked to her softly before responding, "she shares that information with you so that you can be proud of her. You are right. She also shares it because of how much you mean to her. How much you give her strength and how far she has gone to give you that pride." Her father recovered from these words and nodded, "and we show our pride by showing others just how much she means to us. We cannot go out into the field like she does, so we do what we can here. Just because we share some of her stories, the world isn't going to end."

Dracoso looked down and felt a tug at his own heart as he said, "Maybe not our world, but hers may." The father seemed to tense up and slammed his fist onto the table as he stared Dracoso down. He looked like he was a step away from taking a swing at him. "What exactly do you mean by that? Are you saying she may not be allowed to be an ANBU?!" the man asked Dracoso through gritted teeth. Dracoso softly shook his head and carefully said, "it isn't that she wouldn't be allowed to be an ANBU. More so that others may not allow her to survive being an ANBU. Others who use stories like yours to know what she is capable of."

The father seemed somewhat frozen with his fist on the table. He chuckled softly, a small shake in his hand as he withdrew it. "Just because others hear of your stories, doesn't mean they can beat you. Heck, if that was true, every person who heard of my stories would know how to beat me at arm-wrestling." He said it almost as if trying to convince himself as much as Dracoso. Dracoso was gentle with his words, "knowing someone's strength and knowing someone's jutsu are very different things. Knowing how someone approaches a challenge, how they decide if and when to take action, can show flaws in their decisions. Have you ever told someone about a time you made a mistake? Did they judge you from then on, whether jokingly or seriously, based on that mistake?" 

The couple took in his words and a flash of realization came to their eyes. The mother was the first to respond as she calmed quickly, "well yes, but it never ended up with anything more than a change in relationship. It isn't like anyone ended up dead from it." Dracoso looked to her softly, "and how many of your daughter's stories end up with someone dead? or unconscious?" This seemed to shake the wife, to which the father responded, "well yes, she puts her life in dangerous situations, but she is skilled enough to handle it." Dracoso nodded slowly, responding softly, "yes, and how many of those situations has she started describing as having unknown factors? Not knowing how many enemies she was up against. Not knowing just how dangerous it was until she was in the middle of it?"

The father sat back, his mouth opening and closing softly as if figuring out what to say. The mother took a breath and spoke with a slight shake, "but she comes back every time. They wouldn't send her out on a mission that she couldn't handle" Dracoso shook his head softly, "she is one of the best. They have a lot of trust in her and give her missions many others couldn't handle. Because she is reaching the top of the ranks for some missions, they sometimes are just too difficult to give to others. Sometimes, this isn't because she is skilled enough, but because she has the best chance to complete it. Not that she has a full chance to complete it."

The parents seemed to recover as he started but deflated as he finished. They seemed to consider their words carefully as Dracoso sat in silence for a few minutes. As they were processing, he decided to speak up, closing his eyes as he remembered, "a few weeks ago, there was a shinobi who was very capable and dedicated to his work. He had gone out on a mission to escort merchants to and from the border. He was attacked by several ninja who seemed prepared for his arrival. It was my job to deliver the news to his family. I could see in their eyes that they never thought this news would come for them either." 

He opened his eyes to see both parents hanging onto his words, as if asking for more. He gave a slow sigh before stating, "you are right that you have the full right to do with this information as you wish. But it is not you alone who may deal with the repercussions. Your daughter may be amazing but sharing information like this only means it is more likely that others may analyze it and use it against her." The parents looked at him as if trying to peer into his mind, "how could they do that? I understand knowing the jutsu she has and all that, but how could someone really benefit from that?"

Dracoso sat back and held up his hand to count slowly, "discussing her jutsu shows what areas she specializes in. Getting someone with training in elements and specialties which counter her own puts her at a disadvantage. Discussing whether she approaches quickly versus carefully lets them know whether to set a trap against speed or an ambush against those who are cautious. You catch foxes and hares with traps while you silently take down a bear from afar." The parents seemed to flinch at these images. "For one last example, sharing where she has gone and what she has done lets other ninjas track where she has been. They can examine the area and analyze her steps to predict her actions in the future. This leaves her open to weakness where ninja can already know how to counter her actions and have her lose a lot of footing in combat. In many battles, one opening or mistake can lead to losing your life," he ended on a solemn note.

As he looked back to the parents, he realized that they seemed shellshocked. Both had their concepts of what to expect broken open. The father started softly, "you really don't pull your punches, do you?" Dracoso shook his head, "not when it comes to how serious the bond is when protecting family. The father seemed to regain some of his strength at this and nodded, still processing his thoughts. A few minutes passed before the mother spoke up, "how do we know she isn't already in danger?" Dracoso looked to her and said, "she is already in danger. That is her role. That is what she does as an ANBU. We cannot undo what has already been said or done. What we can do is to be cautious and considerate of her role going forward. To be considerate of all our roles going forward."

The father asked softly in response, "well what is our role then? If we can't be proud of what she is doing and show it through her stories, how do we show our appreciation?" Dracoso paused to think for a minute before responding, "prepare for her with the belief that she is always going to come home. Be her family and support her in her actions. Understand that much of what she does, she does for you to be happy. She is protecting the village with her own efforts so that you all can keep being proud. If you need a role to play, then be the father who boasts how great she is without sharing the details of what she is doing. If someone asks what makes her so great, just tell them that you are the only one who needs to know why." He then turned to the man's wife, "be the mother who supports her daughter in all her endeavors. Find ways to trust that she will come home and to help keep your family at ease while she is gone." 

The couple nodded silently and processed these words. In the middle of their processing, the grandfather in the corner piped up, "and stop being such damn fools. All these folks keep coming by because they worry about the damage it could cause. They aren't here to try and take your choices away. They want to protect you dang it!" Dracoso stifled a chuckle as the couple stared at the grandfather. They took a minute before they turned back to Dracoso. The mother began, "thank you for helping us to realize this. Many of the others who did come here tried to simply tell us to stop and trust them in what they knew. We did not listen because it seemed more like they were saying we could not handle ourselves." The father nodded and said, "we can handle our home and our family easily. It's just..." he paused as his wife picked up, "we can't handle everything that happens to our daughter. Especially with what is happening. We did not think that telling her stories might get back to her in such a... harmful way." 

The father recovered and continued, "we thought that since her stories were of past events, they were already over. Thinking on how people could use that to predict what she would do and catch her like...a hare-" the man shuddered as if imagining it as his daughter, "-really drives home how dangerous it is." His wife nodded agreement. Dracoso looked to them as he spoke, "then this is probably the best time to ask that you two sign the agreement I was tasked with to agree on the roles we need to play. It isn't sensitive to your situation as a family, I know, but sadly it is a part of my mission to help put people, your daughter included, a bit more at ease." The couple nodded as he slid the documents across the table to them. They each read the document over carefully before signing at the bottom. 

They thanked him again as they walked him to the door. Before opening it, the mother held up a hand and asked softly, "about the ninja who... did not come back from his mission. How did the family handle it?" Dracoso tried to avoid too many details, so he simply said, "the wife was distraught and broke down at the burial. The father was understanding, but he seemed unsure of the future. I don't know how the children responded to taking the news, but they seemed to have little energy during the event. Overall, it is never easy to handle when it feels like a hole has entered your life." He felt that knot in his stomach tense up slightly before loosening as he felt his own emotions released. The mother gave him a solemn, yet caring nod before raising a hand as if to pat his shoulder and comfort him. She stopped halfway and let her arm fall to her side, seeming to think against it at the last second.

He left their home in silence as they waved him goodbye. As the door closed behind him, he turned and headed down the street. Once he was sure that the coast was clear, he slipped into the alleyway. As he took off his mask, he felt wetness slide down his face. He sat hard on the ground as he cried softly. His own thoughts of what his family would go through if he ended up passing flooded his mind. He shook softly and Sutsui sent waves of comfort and care as she softly wrapped around his shoulders and neck. She gently wiped away his tears as he rested a hand on her and calmed down.

It took a bit of time before he recollected himself. Sitting in the alleyway, he let his mind empty and just sat listening to the sounds of the day. The weight of the world seemed to shift inside him as he realized his mission was done. He took the cloak off and stowed it in his bag along with his mask and headed off to the mission center. The world around him felt muted as he walked through town. It felt like he had shifted into a different role of his own by taking on this mission. Seeing how others deal with their lives and just how much impact information can have on individuals to change them left an impact of its own on Dracoso. He wondered just how much good it could do to be able to deliver information like this to others. He understood now why his teacher had put faith into him being a substitute. Understanding the weight of a life you carry in your hands lets you carefully consider how you may guide it or mold it.

He wanted to protect the lives of those around him with his own words and his own hands. Preparation was important with missions, but could it help with protecting others? Knowing the actions of others or predicting where danger could come from was important. Could he somehow learn to apply this when teaching others and help them find better ways to keep themselves safe as well? Maybe if he had known that sooner, he could have helped Fuku. Memories of the girl who had been taken came back to him. He had not spoken with his friends in some time and their lives had probably moved on as well. With a sigh, he walked into the mission center.

His teacher was leaning against a wall near the mission desk, watching the door when Dracoso walked in. He stood up and crossed the room to walk beside him. "So, how did it go?" his mentor asked. Dracoso gave a weak smile before responding, "they understand the need for caution now. They agreed to play the role of the caring mother and father and make sure to not cause their daughter too much trouble." His teacher nodded and looked Dracoso in the eye, watching him as he responded, "sometimes, that is all we need to do. When we realize the roles we need to play, we find more strength than we had before sometimes." Dracoso nodded in agreement as he handed the package to the mission desk assistant. They reviewed the documents and provided him with his pay and a soft thanks. Dracoso nodded as he turned back to his teacher.

His teacher gave him a sad smile and said, "let's get some food. I am pretty sure a meal and someone to talk to will help." Dracoso nodded softly and they headed out together. They took one step at a time. Just as he was with his learning. He was meeting so many people, he just needed to think on how he was really changing their lives.

{Exit}
C Rank mission: Family Visit
Reward: 4000 Ryo + 20 AP

Total WC: 5852 (rounded to 5850)
WC Given to Familiar Sutsui: 2750
Stats Claimed: +27 (10 vigor, 14 speed, 3 strength)

Jutsu Claimed:
A Rank - Mind's Eye of the Kagura - 2500
E Rank - Ventriloquism - 250

Claimed by Dracoso: 3100
Stats Maxed: WC to AP - +62 AP

learning element: Wind - 3100/4000 (not sure if this requires a separate post or if it can be done like this)

Approved