strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 23, 2010 20:11:13 GMT -5
"Of course not, Ayaka-san. I would never want to not be your friend...you're the first one I've ever had." Sitting up again, he looked back across the tent to her....shoulders. That was sufficient, yes.
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 23, 2010 20:34:41 GMT -5
Ayaka nodded, took a deep breath to steel herself, and pulled a carefully wrapped parcel out of her backpack. A few extra shirts were removed to reveal a pair of framed pictures, though the glass in one bore a small crack from the stress of the journey. Ayaka sighed, then crossed the tent to sit down on Tsutomegi's cot. Slowly, she handed him the first picture: it was of a young woman - barely twenty years old, if that - with long black hair, what appeared to be a petite, rounded figure, and gray eyes holding a figure who was obviously a younger Ayaka, about five years old or so. Her gray eyes - identical to the older woman's - were visible then, though her red-orange hair was already quite long. They were both smiling very subdued smiles. "Look at this," she said softly. "We don't look anything alike, do we? Even now, I'm completely different."
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 23, 2010 20:55:29 GMT -5
Hold the frame gingerly in his hands, dull eyes scanned the image carefully. Utsuro studied the picture for a long moment, tilting his head this way and that. Finally, he shook his head. "That's not true. You have the same kind eyes...and....you are pretty..just like her...your mother, I assume?"
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 23, 2010 21:07:45 GMT -5
Ayaka blinked, recovered her mental facilities, grinned a little, and nodded gently. "That's my mom, Kimura Miwako. And this," she continued, "is the rest of the Kimura family." She held out the other frame: it was a group picture, and most of the people in it shared the same short build, gray eyes, and dark hair that Ayaka's mother did. Miwako was in the picture; Ayaka was not. "Pretty much all I got of that side of the family was my gray eyes." She parted the veil of hair just enough to uncover a single one of the mentioned eyes, then let it fall back in place again. "The rest... came from my Dad. "I.... don't know his name, or anything about him except he had hair the same color of mine, and he was a ninja from the Rain village. Fourteen years ago, he and some of his friends passed through my village. Everyone says they caused a lot of trouble, breaking things and harrassing people. "And one of them..." she trailed off, had to take a moment to steel herself yet again, and continued even more quietly than before. "He... well, he forced himself..." She sighed, unable to finish the sentence. "My mom was only sixteen when she had me. "That's why nobody wants me. Because I'm the daughter of the person who did that to my mom. Just looking at me reminds them of him and his friends, and what they did. And with hair this color, they couldn't even pretend I was anyone else."
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 23, 2010 21:25:37 GMT -5
Utsuro blink slowly, taking in the story, his eyes slowly widening as it unfolded. He shook his head a little at first, and then more briskly, and yet the action did not stop a single drop of salty water from hitting the glass of the picture frame. "That's...not right at all!!" He spoke quietly at first, his pitch slowly rising until it was just above a normal tone for a normal person. "How could they be so cruel? What the man who fathered you did....Those are his crimes, not yours, so why would they punish you?! You didn't deserve that, Ayaka-san..nobody does..it's not right.." "I am..so sorry..But..you are wrong on two things...I may not be family...but I want you here....and.....you are not that man's daughter, because he is not your father. A father is someone who protects and nurtures their children, who looks out for their best interests...but it seems like the Rain Village is a terrible place throughout.. "That's two lives they've negatively impacted."
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 24, 2010 3:04:02 GMT -5
Ayaka just stared at Tsutomegi as he became visibly upset, telling her how it wasn't right, how it wasn't her fault, how she wasn't the daughter of the man she had always thought was her father. And he told her he wanted her to stay. It was true that she'd been beginning to feel wanted, between Tsutomegi and Shichuumaru-san and Ryuurei-san and the Uchiha-kun boy, but to hear it spoken outright like that had a profound effect on her. But more than that... she hadn't missed the single drop on the glass pane of the picture frame. It wasn't something she had ever thought to see, much less actually expected. But it had. It was just one tear, but it had fallen for her. That alone was enough to make her own eyes start feeling damp, but having someone who knew her story and didn't hate her for it? It was the greatest gift anyone had ever given her. "Ah... yeah," she said in reply to Tsutomegi's last statement, rubbing at her eyes a little, unable to keep a smile from growing on her face despite what they were still talking about. "There's my mom... and they were mean to you, too? That makes two... "Me, I just got their name. My grandparents didn't want to give me the Kimura name, but no one knew my fa--" She remembered what Tsutomegi had told her, and changed what she was going to say. "Uhh, his name. So they named me after his village. 'Ame-no-Ayaka'. Get it?"
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 24, 2010 8:13:04 GMT -5
"Ah....that...does make sense....even if it is slightly cruel...to give you a name that is more of a label...trying to justify forcing the blame on you..." Utsuro shook his head. Why did he feel like he was aflame? Ichiyuumaihi was not close to breaking through...was he that angry at her 'family'? "I think....you should call yourself Kimura...if you want..It is your life...and you are your mother's daughter, if she was even half as nice as you..That is..not for your grandparents to decide." He added after a moment, handing the photo back to her after carefully removing the tear with his sleeve. "Or perhaps....find a new name for yourself....one you feel describes who you truly are....As for what the Rain Village did to me...They...were not so...'mean' in an emotional sense...but...they did hurt me...it is...not a pleasant story...I would not want to trouble you with it.."
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 24, 2010 11:42:32 GMT -5
Ayaka just nodded that she understood if he didn't want to share the story as she took the picture frame back. As for the rest of it... "I... don't know if I can feel right calling myself that name," she said slowly. "I mean, it is my mom's name - and she was very, very kind," she added with a warm smile " - but it's also the name of the rest of my family back in the River country. They're my blood, and I don't want anything bad to happen to them... but I don't really want to share a name with them, y'know? And this name... it's... part of me now, I guess. But.... now you know why I don't like being called Ameno. "The name Ayaka, though..." She smiled, idly tracing a particular spot on the glass of the frame with her finger. "Even though it must have reminded her of... him... every day, my mom told me that my hair color reminded her of a flower. She named me 'Ayaka' because of that. So... I like being called by that name."
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 24, 2010 20:50:12 GMT -5
"It is a very nice name. It suits you." Utsuro commented, trying to picture a flower that could have such an amazing color to it. Moving from the cot slowly, he began to pick at the bundle of his belongings, shifting things gingerly this way and that, before removing a rather heavily-protected scroll case. Sitting back down on the cot next to Ayaka, the locks were undone and the case opened. With a gentle shake, a roll slid out into his palm, and was carefully unfurled, the material crackling quietly. It was a photograph, slightly yellowed and faded with age, one corner torn off, a good lower quarter of it burned away, cutting off a few of the legs of the people portrayed. In the photo stood a group of people, a man, woman, and three boys. The man was tall and muscular, with a broad chest and wide shoulders, a head of black hair tinted with gray, and gray eyes brimming with pride. The three boys, all sharing the man's hair and eyes save for the youngest (barely school-aged at best), who bore the willowy woman's blond hair in a tangled mess. His eyes were wide and full of wonder. The eldest boy was tall like his father, lean like his serenely-smiling mother, his own lips curled in a smirk, the kind only a self-important teenager could muster. And then, there was the middle child, not particularly tall nor exceptionally thick or lean for his age, perhaps six or seven. His black hair being tousled by his older brother, hands clinging tightly to his parents', this boy smiled a bit uncertainly, as if worried something might go wrong. "This...was my family."
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 24, 2010 21:03:51 GMT -5
Ayaka smiled warmly as she looked at the photograph. Seeing something like this was almost like being shown a piece of her friend's soul. As hard as it had been to show him her pictures and tell her story, she could imagine how hard it had been for him to pull this out and show her. "You all look so happy," she marveled, unable to pull her eyes away from the damaged picture. "I've never seen such a happy family picture before. You're really lucky, y'know that? You may not have had them for as long as you should have... but it looks like you all really cared about each other. That's something you should treasure."
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Jan 24, 2010 21:19:59 GMT -5
"We were..." Replying with a distant smile, he softly ran his fingertips over the photo. "Very happy. Otousan was a mason..if Tengakure had just been damaged, he would have had the village rebuilt in a week. Okaasan weaved..she made all of the clothes we were wearing in this picture.....and she never got mad at me, regardless of how many times I tripped, ripping something.." His hand moved to wipe his eyes. "Onii-san always teased me about my bad luck, but it was the good kind of teasing. He said my good luck would show up eventually, and it had its work cut out for it.....he liked to act...he'd make up fantastic stories...and then make masks to go with the characters...The one I gave you is one of his. "Nii-chan...everything was amazing for him..He was always running around, trying to find something new to do, or a new way to do something old. Tousan had to hold him on his lap while we ate dinner, because he wouldn't even stop moving for that." Utsuro laughed quietly, shaking his head. "But I will make them proud...somehow."
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Jan 24, 2010 22:13:22 GMT -5
Ayaka was stunned. He had really given her such a treasure!? That mask must have meant so much to him... and he had given it to her. To Ayaka. She couldn't even begin to think what would make him want to part with such a thing for her sake, but she would treasure it always. And she couldn't help but smile, listening to the stories. They seemed like such a good family. Happy, loving, looking out for one another... She would have loved to have been able to meet them, and see such a loving family for herself. It was no wonder poor Tsutomegi felt so alone without them. Upon hearing his declaration that he would make them proud, Ayaka offered him a warm smile and reached over to give his hand a gentle squeeze. "I think... you already have," she said gently.
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Feb 6, 2010 0:18:25 GMT -5
Blinking back a few stray tears, the awkward young man looked down to the more delicate hand holding his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze at that. Utsuro found himself squeezing back. It felt like the right thing to do. It was....comforting, for such a small gesture. But then, it hardly felt small to him. "But...how? My clan....they were great ninjas. We were not well know....more like....a well-guarded secret...for the most dire of jobs...Me...I just managed to survive."
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Tensei Kaori
Hokage
Konoha's #1 Henge Master
Taking over the world, one bishie at a time...
Posts: 7,888
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Post by Tensei Kaori on Feb 6, 2010 0:32:02 GMT -5
"Exactly," Ayaka said quietly. "I don't know how you did it, but... I think that if something like that had happened to my village and family, I probably would have followed them before very long whether I tried to keep going or not. I wouldn't know what to do or where to go or how to survive. So for them... seeing you survive for so long and make it here, and then be able to help other people... "I know they're proud of you."
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strangevisitor
ANBU Squad Leader
Only a man looking for a dream
Posts: 1,754
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Post by strangevisitor on Feb 6, 2010 1:56:17 GMT -5
"...I...never thought of it like that.." Utsuro admitted with a touch of wide-eyed wonder. In retrospect, he HAD come quite a distance from home...starting at a very young age. "But...Ichi-sama did most of the work...Every time something bad happened...he was there to save our hide.."
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