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Chapter 6: Separation: Rei's Heart
Manami lays in the snow barley conscious with several cuts and bruises as she pants heavily, looking up with one eye at Daichi.
Daichi “Get up Manami, we're not done yet.”
Manami doesn't have the energy to respond to her sensei. She scrounges up what little she does have left in her to try to pick herself up, but she falls before she can get to her feet.
Daichi “I said get up (makes dragon seal).”
After creating his seal Daichi holds his hand up and a large ball of ice begins to form above Manami.
Daichi “If you don't get up, this ball will crush you.”
Manami continues panting, trying to pick herself up but she can't. Kiyoshi, Saki, and Rei are some paces away from Daichi and Manami, kneeling and laying down in the snow, just as exhausted as Manami is. The ball of ice above Manami triples her size and hovers over top of her.
Rei “Saki-nee, Daichi-sensei wouldn't kill her would he?”
Kiyoshi “It doesn't matter, he's pushing her too hard. We have to help her.”
Saki “Don't be an idiot, just what do you suggest we do? We don't even measure a fraction of his skill. All we can do is stay safe and try to get out of here before he comes to us.”
Daichi looks over to the three siblings as they watch him prepare to crush Manami with the boulder of ice.
Daichi “I see...so this is how it's going to be.”
Daichi turns his attention away from the siblings and back to Manami. At that same moment Kiyoshi picks himself off the ground and stands, still panting from exhaustion.
Daichi “Manami, this is your punishment for being such a weak heiress. I hope your father and mother are still strong enough to produce another child. Hopefully their next won't be a disappointment.”
Daichi swings his hand down and the boulder of ice mirrors him. Just before the ice make impact, Kiyoshi appears right beside Manami and he pulls her from the boulder's path. The ice slams down and shatters as Daichi looks at Kiyoshi and Manami. Manami remains on her back and Kiyoshi on his hands and knees with his back facing Daichi.
Kiyoshi “(panting) Sensei...were you really going to kill her?”
Daichi “No Kiyoshi.”
Daichi walks toward Manami who, by this time, is unconscious. Daichi picks her up and turns his head to Kiyoshi with a smile.
Daichi “You did exactly what I hoped you would do”
Kiyoshi looks confused at Daichi as he walks towards Saki and Rei. He walks past the two girls but doesn't acknowledge them. Saki clinches her fist and grits her teeth in anger.
Saki “Sensei!”
Daichi stops when Saki yells to him but he doesn't turn around, keeping his back towards them.
Saki “Why?!”
Daichi “Be more specific.”
Saki “Why are you ignoring us?! Why do you always turn and smile at him but never to us?!”
Daichi “In this specific case Kiyoshi passed the lesson. He did what I had wanted all three of you to do.”
Saki “What?”
Daichi “You were going to let Manami die. If I had been an enemy on the battle field you would've let one of your comrades die. You would've let her act as your distraction while you ran for cover...that is something I can't look upon with a smile at all.”
Saki “That's not fair! You didn't say that we had to do anything like that. You just told us to come out here like always and began fighting! How were we supposed to~”
Daichi “You told me that you wanted to protect your sister. Had Rei been in that position you would've wasted not time to throw yourself out there right?”
Saki “That's different, Rei is my~”
Daichi “She's your family. We have adopted you into our clan, given you shelter, food, and have allowed you to study our ways of the shinobi. I wouldn't hesitate to throw my life away to protect you and neither would anybody else here. Do you understand why?”
Saki doesn't say anything in response; she just looks at Daichi angrily.
Daichi “Because you're our family now. If you don't see each and everyone of Yuki clan as they see you then you need to take a look at yourself and try to understand what it means to be part of a clan. This isn't supposed to be something you think about, it's supposed to be instinctive.”
Daichi leaves the scene with Manami and Saki clinches her fist even tighter in the snow. She looks at Kiyoshi with burning anger and Rei looks at Saki worry for her sister. Saki gets on her feet and grabs Rei's hand rather violently and the two begin walking away as well.
Saki “*Every time...He always treats him better. He always teaches him more and praises him more*”
Rei stops and pulls Saki into her to hug her.
Rei “It's not your fault Nee-chan.”
Saki pulls away from Rei and shows a reassuring smile of gratitude to her sister. She grabs Rei's hand again, gentler then before and they continue on back to the village. As his sisters leave towards the village Kiyoshi picks himself off the ground and watches them with a smile. His smile is short lived and it eventually turns into a look of depression, realizing he was alone. The memories of the waterfall incident return to him and an ice-cold wind blows in the air, matching the feelings he has. Kiyoshi begins rubbing his shoulders from the cold and makes his way back to the village as well.
Night Falls
The sound of blades whistling through the air fills the area behind the main house of the Yuki clan. Saki stands with a determined look on her face in the backyard of the house. Throughout the yard, kunai and shuriken lay on targets spread around. Saki holds two kunai in her left hand and four shuriken in her right. Rei sits on the back patio watching her sister train diligently.Saki “*I'll show him!*”
Saki leaps up and throws her shuriken towards the targets followed by the kunai. The two kunai strike off of two of the shuriken, diverting the path of the projectiles and sending one of the kunai at an angle in front of Saki. All the projectiles land direct bulls-eyes on six targets ranging a 180 degree semi circle in front of Saki.
Saki “*I'll show sensei that I can be stronger.*”
At that moment Saki hears footsteps in the upper level of the house. She turns and notices Daichi making his way through the hallway.
Saki “*What's he doing here? Manami's room is on the other side of the house.*”
Saki runs past Rei and heads up towards Daichi. Rei follows closely behind her sister out of curiosity. As Saki makes it to the beginning of the hallway she see's Daichi hang a left at the end of the hall.
Saki “*That's towards...*”
Saki speeds down the hall and she gets to the end and looks at Daichi standing in front of Kiyoshi.
Kiyoshi “Sensei, what's the matter?”
Daichi “You always seem to amaze me Kiyoshi. You've come much further in nearly a year then Manami has in our two years of training in taijutsu.”
Kiyoshi “Manami is a very good~”
Daichi “Don't get me wrong, Manami is a great kunoichi, she's still far ahead of you in her training so don't get cocky.”
Kiyoshi “No sensei, but is that the only reason you've come to see me?”
Daichi pulls out a medium sized scroll and slings it over one of his arms. He places his hand in the center seal of the scroll and a katana emerges from a cloud of smoke. Daichi hands Kiyoshi the blade and the scroll as he smiles at the young boy.
Daichi “This may be a little advanced for you, but you've surprised me with more. I'm going to give you a week to grasp the basics, after that we're going to have our own training sessions. You're further then your sisters, so it would be unfair to either them or you if I used different levels to teach you. Relax a little first, I realize that I may have been a little rough on you guys today.”
Kiyoshi smiles back and bows at his sensei. Daichi heads back towards the main hallway and as he turns he faces Saki, who has her head towards the ground, hiding her expression.
Daichi “Saki-chan, is there anything I can do for you?”
Saki “I was just wondering (clinches her fist), when are Rei and I going to move past just taijutsu?”
Daichi “Not for a little while, you still have a few steps to go. I'm usually good at predictions, lets see...four months I predict you'll be able to move on.”
Saki grits her teeth as Daichi walks past her. Daichi's carefree expression leaves him as he walks past Saki, having already realized she had witnessed his gift to Kiyoshi, and her obvious discontent. Daichi jumps out the window into the front of the house and heads home. At that moment Saki punches the wall with great force, and anger behind it.
Saki “Damn it.”
Rei, who is standing at the back end of the hallway watches her sister in anger, and hurts for her as she holds her heart.
Rei “*Saki-nee*”
The Next Morning
Sunrise hasn't come yet, but still Kiyoshi trains on the grounds behind the village. He practices the basic forms and steps within the scroll Daichi gave to him several hours prior. With his sword in hand tries to wield the heavy blade and harmonize his movements. Out of nowhere, four shuriken rain down towards the back of Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi hears the sound of the projectiles and he leaps out of their path. A figure dressed in all black stands atop a tree looking at Kiyoshi. The look in their eyes is menacing and filled with the intent to kill. Kiyoshi looks without fear in his eyes, feeling the ice of his attacker's stare.Saki “*I'm not going to let you take another family away from us.*”
It's at that moment, Rei shoots up from her bed back at the house. The thoughts of her sister connected with her and she turns to notice that Saki was not in her bed.
Rei “Saki-nee!”
Rei puts on her clothes and runs out of the house in the direction of the training grounds. Meanwhile, Saki continues to throw projectiles at Kiyoshi. The blade weighs him down due to the unfamiliarity of wielding such a heavy weapon. He evades the projectiles but with great difficulty. Saki reaches into her back pouch and grabs a tag with a seal on it. She stares for a brief moment, thinking about her state of mind and then she places the tag on the end of the kunai. She throws two more shuriken and Kiyoshi leaps out of the way. He stumbles as he lands on his feet and Saki takes advantage and throws tagged kunai at him. Kiyoshi regains his balance only after the blade is half way to him. Kiyoshi lifts his blade and manages to deflect the kunai off of it. However, the tag on the end of the knife ignites into flames and causes a huge explosion. The explosion echos into the village, waking several of the villagers. As the smoke clears Saki looks to see Kiyoshi face down in the snow. His shirt was completely burned off and the left half of his torso, and left arm were charged. He panted heavily as he picked himself up, his left upper body sagging. Rei appears on the scene and looks at Saki and then Kiyoshi.
Rei “Oh no, I have to stop her.”
Rei takes one step but then she stops, frozen in her tracks. She looks at Kiyoshi lingering onto life by a small thread.
Rei “*But...I don't want to.*”
Saki leaps down from the tree and runs towards Kiyoshi with a knife in hand. Kiyoshi looks to his left and sees his sword several feet away from him.
Saki “*Nobody's going to stop this now.*”
Saki swings her kunai at Kiyoshi, but he ducks with a surprising amount of speed left in him. He grabs Saki's wrist and disarms her. He rises back up with is back towards her, kicks her right leg from under her and flips her his shoulder. Kiyoshi bends down to grab the kunai on the ground and just as Saki gets up she launches a punch towards Kiyoshi. Before her punch reaches him Kiyoshi cuts her on the left side and leaps away from her. Saki holds her side in pain but she still attempts to head for Kiyoshi. Suddenly her body goes numb and her head begins spinning. A mere moment after that sensation Saki drops to her knees, pulls off her mask and throws up.
Saki “*What's happening*”
Saki falls unconscious in the snow and just as she does Kiyoshi's eyes widen in overwhelming fear.
Kiyoshi “*Saki?!*”
Rei “Nee-chan!”
Kiyoshi turns as Rei runs right past him to Saki. Rei begins shaking her sister vigorously but there is no response. Shinobi from the village begin showing up, including Daichi and Yu. Kiyoshi's heart sinks realizing what whom he had injured. He attempts to step forward but he's stopped by Rei's glare of rage. Kiyoshi gets a dark sensation an even colder sensation in his body from the rage of his normally kind and gentle sister.
Rei “This is all your fault. You're the one who has hurt Saki! You're always the cause of her pain, no matter what!”
Daichi “*Rei...you too.*”
Rei “Ever since mom died Saki has never been the same, just the thought of you made her sick! Despite all of that she took care of you and protected you! She burdened herself with you and all you've ever done was hurt her by just being alive! And now...now that we've found a new family, a new home...You try to take that away! You always take sensei's attention, you always get him to neglect us and look at you! Now you've hurt her even more!”
Rei takes out a kunai from her back pouch and runs towards Kiyoshi.
Rei “I WON'T LET YOU ANYMORE!”
Daichi begins running towards the trio, he looks at Kiyoshi and sees his legs begin to shift, however, Kiyoshi doesn't move. Daichi gets to Rei and Kiyoshi and manages to divert Rei's intended path for Kiyoshi's heart. The blade strikes on his left side, just before his kidney and Kiyoshi begins bleeding out. Daichi turns and sees the expression on Kiyoshi's face turn into pure depression. There was no ounce of light in Kiyoshi's eyes, but only a look of despair followed by a single tear down his face. Daichi takes the blade out of Kiyoshi and he falls into Daichi's arms. Daichi turns to Rei who was already back with Saki, holding her tightly. Daichi turns his attention to Kiyoshi and looks at him with worry and guilt.
Daichi “*Kiyoshi, why do you continue to devote your life to them? You could have stopped her but you didn't. Is your love for them...is it truly that strong?*”
Saki and Kiyoshi are taken to the village medical specialists, and they give their diagnosis to Daichi and Yu.
Yuki Medic “Kiyoshi's burns are his most serious problem, they're going to take time to heal, he's going to need to stay in bed for a while.”
Daichi “Well what about his cut?”
Yuki Medic “It's not his cut I'm so worried about but Saki's. Her cut was infected with a poison.”
Daichi “She laced her kunai in poison? But how would she~”
Yuki Medic 2 “Actually, the kunai itself wasn't laced with any poison. The poison came from another source.”
Daichi “But how can that be?”
Yu “Kuroidokueki (Black Venom).”
Daichi's eyes widen in shock after hearing the name.
Daichi “But that's~”
Yu “It's the kekkei genkai of the Kuroisasori clan (Black Scorpion).”
Daichi “But that would mean Kiyoshi~”
Yu “You told me that you overheard Saki mention her mother was raped. Seeing as Saki wasn't immune to the affects of poison, it must mean Kiyoshi's biological father must hail from that clan. It's very unfortunate that such a rare ability is beyond our level of teaching. Kiyoshi's kekkei genkai could have come in handy for us in the future.”
Daichi “Yu-sama, is that the only thing on your mind?”
Yu “Daichi, I left these children in your care. You're their teacher and guardian; it's your problem to deal with them. If they pose a threat to our clan's harmony then they'll have to go.”
Yu leaves the scene and heads back into the village. Daichi sighs and rubs his head as a troubled expression appears on his facial features.
Yuki Medic “Daichi-san?”
Daichi “Where you able to extract the poison?”
Yuki Medic “Yes we were, fortunately enough the poison was premature so the affects wouldn't have been deadly.”
Daichi “That's a relief.”
The medics leave the scene and Daichi heads into Saki's room and looks at Rei holding Saki's hand. Rei doesn't notice Daichi as he stares at her with a look of understanding and remorse. He leaves the room holding his head as worry plagues his mind.
Daichi “What am I going to do?”
Yuki Woman “Daichi-san...”
Daichi turns his head up and sees a woman standing with a gentle smile on her face.
Yuki Woman “I believe...I may have a solution.”
Night falls in the village and things go back to normal in the village. Rei wakes up in the middle of the night to find Saki isn't in bed. Rei searches frantically for her sister throughout the house and sees her sitting on the stoop in the front of the house.
Rei “Saki-nee you shouldn't be out here, you need to rest.”
Saki “We're nothing in their eyes.”
Rei “What are you talking about?”
Saki “They only care about Kiyoshi, no matter how hard we try to prove ourselves, they're always enticed by Kiyoshi. I couldn't stop him...I couldn't stop him from taking our family away from us again.”
Tears begin to fall down Saki's face and Rei goes over to her sister and hugs her.
Rei “I know, it hurts me a lot too.”
Yuki Woman “It doesn't have to hurt.”
Rei and Saki look up and they see a woman in front of them. She stands in front of a large horse bound carriage and a shinobi in his Yuki armor.
Saki “What do you mean?”
Yuki Woman “You can come with us, my husband and I are leaving to find a new home outside of this country.”
Rei “And you want us to come with you?”
Yuki Shinobi “Only if you wish.”
Saki “Why are you leaving? Why would you just leave your clan like this?”
Yuki Woman “This clan will always be a part of us, but it's so cold here. We're always at the mercy of this biting cold. It kept reminding me of my miscarriage.”
Rei “Miscarriage?”
Yuki Woman “About two years ago I lost my baby a few days before he was supposed to be born. When it occured, the coldest wind blew past me, freezing my tears. I was told that I could never have children shortly after. It broke my heart to hear those words, and this country only causes me pain every time the wind blows.”
Saki and Rei look at the woman's solemn smile as she speaks to them. At that moment a cold breeze rolls through the area and blows the long hair of the woman.
Yuki Woman “You two have lost your mother, and I have lost my child. I've always wanted children to love and care for, just as you've wanted a mother to love you and care for you. What we all lack individually we can make up together. From the moment you came into this village I could feel a connection between us.”
Saki and Rei both feel strange numbing sensations in their hearts. That sensation quickly turns into something warm as the woman smiles back at them, holding her hand with a smile. Despite the cold breeze the smile on the woman's face is genuine and filled with happiness and warmth.
Yuki Woman “I can heal your pain if you will open up to me. I promise I will be a good mother to you and heal your pain as well.”
Rei “But can we just leave like this?”
Daichi “Yes.”
Rei and Saki turn their heads and see Daichi leaning against a tree to their left.
Daichi “Saki, Rei...I'm sorry that I've made you feel like you were unwanted here. I admit that I was selfish but I do care about the two of you, which is why I want you to go with these two.”
Saki “Sensei.”
Daichi “You two are fine kunoichi and both very beautiful girls. You're pain is understandable, and I know that these people will take good care of you and will relieve you of all the pain that you've suffered over the years.”
Saki looks into Daichi's eyes and notices something off about him, but she can't determine what it is. She turns to the woman and the warmth of her smile returns to her heart, reminding her of her mother. Saki and Rei look at each other and grab each other's hand. They smile at each other and they go into the embrace of the woman.
Saki “Daichi-sensei, thank you.”
Rei “We don't blame you for anything.”
Daichi “Yeah...I know.”
Daichi walks into the house and heads to the top level as the two girls leave the clan with their new family. Daichi walks through the doorway leading to the stairs and stops at the first step.
Daichi “I didn't want to do it, but they deserved to be happy too. Besides, they wouldn't have brought you anything but more suffering.”
In the shadow of the doorway, Kiyoshi stands with a river of tears flowing down his face with obvious agony in his expression. Daichi doesn't turn and face Kiyoshi, to avoid the pain himself. He continues walking up the stairs, leaving Kiyoshi to wallow in his heartbreak. Kiyoshi crouches down and sits crying into his knees.
Kiyoshi “*I'm glad they'll be happy but...but...it still hurts*”
No more is Kiyoshi a burden to his sisters, but now Kiyoshi has lost the last ties of blood he had in the world. He cries for the pain of his sister's leaving, but deep down he knows they're better off, feels pleasure out of the happiness his sisters will feel without him.
~End of Part 1~
~Part 2: Age of Endless War~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Characters As of beginning of Part 2:
Kiyoshi: age 12
Saki: age 18
Rei: age 16
Manami: age 14
Daichi: 26
Aiko: 9
Iseiya: 18
(to clarrify the major characters' ages)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you, those who have read, and kept up with naruto kyuubi and my chapters for Blood. This officially ends the first part of the series and starting from chapter 7, we will begin Part 2, which is titled Age of Endless War. The name in itself gives you a preview of what to expect in the chapters within this part. In Part 2 begins 6 years after this current chapter.
I hope you all like this chapter, it is was my favorite to write and edit. Again I have to thank my sensei, ThatOneChick, for helping me edit, and I truely hope you will all appriciate this this chapter.
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