Ryota

The Business District was a great place to wander about. Amongst the busy tamer shops, selling off pets of all kinds, sizes, shapes and breeds, was always a crowd of teenagers from the nearby Academy. It was a great place for Yuudi to go hunting. All it took was a little dragon or two to attract the high school girls, and with them, the boys and as a whole, they attracted the attention of the ninja, the original inhabitants of the now melting-culture-pot of a town. They were therefore its guardians.

A noisy old tamer threw insults at his inexperienced grandson, around the same age as Yuudi, who was tending to some of the baby phoenix.

Girls here and there awed and giggled at all the cute creatures, along with them boys--either trying to flirt or looking at the more grotesque, scaly, odd ones.
That was the only way to classify the people here, by age and gender. There were no differences in this town. It was a very warm and friendly place for kids to grow up--as long as that's what the Kuningas wanted people to think. Yuudi smirked, eyeing a few sharp eyes in the trees, he knew better. That old man was always watching over these people, hoisting up a peaceful, normal façade of coexistence among the different people so that their children would grow up thinking it was normal for a ninja to hang out with a wizard, that it was normal for a monk to walk alongside a patron, that it was normal for a tamer to crack over the same music and jokes with a samurai. Not only were they mixed in class now, but in race. Here and there, people from Londa, from Raibaa, from Neroka, any place around the world, any skintone any color, hanging out amongst the slightly larger sea of local Asean kids. Not even the Bulae were seen as above but rather as equal, they were all equal peoples. Something Yuudi figured the Kuningas thought the way things should be.
But back to business. It didn't take much. A few exaggerated looks of confusion here and there, and the perfectly fabricated feign of awe was all it took before he noticed a small three-man-cell of ninja off to the right, in the corner of his eye. They were laughing and smiling…talking about the 'new kid' and how 'he seemed a little lost' and how they 'should go give him a little welcome' since 'he must be frightened.' It was easy. Being only 16 came in handy, he was a very tall young man, but his face betrayed his true age, making it easier to look clueless.
In no time, Yuudi heard a "Hey kid." From behind him and turned around. This time, his eyes widened from a little bit of real shock. He stared at the man's face.
"Name's Ryota." He said. The man who was smaller than him, but older had stitches on the left side of his mouth that was cut open wider than normal and he had really faded but ever-present scars of where his cheeks looked to be torn apart. Also…he had bandages wrapped over his head, over both eyes. He was blind, and Yuudi could probably guess that it wasn't naturally.

---
Kashikoi stood there, watching those idiots burst out laughing at the kid’s face. Anyone could pull off a clueless innocent face like that, they should know better. As their voices echo off the café walls and ring in the air-condition-chilled air he rolls his eyes. But he’d expect such a reaction from a normal kid, only this one, he’d seen kill.

His screwed up face right now however is a perfect mask, a faulty one, but perfect enough to lull the others into that stupidly sentimental state of mind where they act almost human. They were killers, not morons. Kashikoi thought.
“Your lips are turned sour-wise, Kashikoi-senpai…” Ryota said, turning his head at Kashikoi again, as if he could look at the man.
Kazukano Ryota He wasn’t always blind and grotesque looking; in fact he was a very handsome kid at one point of his life. Kashikoi could remember when he used to run around with his little friends at the selection facility, throwing shuriken and kunai at each other playfully, stupidly. He didn’t know when it happened, one day he was an annoying little kid who would make shouting noises while he played ‘ninja’ in training to become a real one; the next thing he knows is that he’s standing there, with the boy’s mother, watching the kid being taken home from his first mission on a stretcher. The form of his face was unspeakable. There were gash marks deep into his skin and flesh; he could even see cheekbone under some of that messy scrap collection. His optic nerves dangled out of his empty sockets-which looked like hollow pockets into his head, and rested on his bloodied cheek leftovers. The left side of his lip was slashed open, probably from a blade being inserted into his mouth and forcefully pulled out through the flesh. He had been tortured.
“Really now…” he smiled at the older ninja with what was left of that mouth of his. “You should learn to take life more optimistically.”
“Hrmph…” he grunted.
To Kashikoi it was funny how the kid could say something like that, after what happened. He’d seen many kids like Ryota go on their first mission and come back either dead or lightly hurt but alive. He had only been around for twenty-four years, and considered that maybe he hadn’t seen all the outcomes yet; but had never laid eyes on a kid who’d been supposedly dead but survived the torture of living a ninja life.

“I’ll take it easy when I’m dead.” Kashikoi replied.

He used to have fiery red eyes, the color of a ruby stone; the fire of a true fighter that boldly contrasted against his jet black hair. Truthfully Kashikoi didn’t care much about him at first. But now as he looked back, he realized the kid really did have a fire in his eyes. Kashikoi also heard that the boy allowed himself to be captured so that his teammates, the two sitting with him now, could escape. Kashikoi was younger then, so he had to say that he was very surprised. But it’s getting more and more common, this… act… this… feeling…? The sacrifice the new ninja are willing make for their lesser comrades; doing things to save everyone around them who didn’t need to die. It’s strange; all that matters is the mission. Kashikoi knew that’s how he worked, and there’s no going back against his own morals. He had a few conversations with Ryota about the stupidity of his actions and how he could have stayed perfectly fine if he had left those two behind; they never ended pleasantly. He guessed that time just passed, and he had to say that he respected him now, this kid. He’s strong.

“You always say that…” he sighed, those words in that easygoing singsong voice he always used when he talked to the man, or anyone for that matter.

Komadori sighed heavily, sorrowfully. Why did everything become so complicated? When did everything become so complicated? He knew the answer, but he denied it again and again. So he opted for curling up like a ball in the snow and waiting to fall asleep and hopefully die. He couldn’t take it anymore. The loneliness was too much. His back was beginning to chill now; he could feel the snow melt through to his skin. He could just die like this, a frozen body. Winter could take him now.

“Bird-boy!” an annoyingly loud voice interrupted his sweet yearning for death.

Komadori only grunted. “Hrng?”

“Hey Bird-boy!” Onsei yelled, yanking the other to his feet, only to let him fall back onto his ass. “Koma…?”

“Hrng…” Komadori grunted again, letting his head rest against the frozen Shiruku bark.

“Koma…c’mon, don’t be like that…” Onsei sat on the frozen ground beside the other, not caring about his own wet behind. “Ya used be like that remember…? Before we were friends…”

“Hrng?” Komadori looked up. “Yer always alone…and you din’t wanna play with no one.” Onsei explained with a sad tone in his voice.

“Play.” Komadori chuckled at the awkward word.

“Not ‘play’, play—y-ya know what I mean!” Onsei yelled, turning red. “I mean, hang out! Jeez, Imma not used to speaking English dangit!”

“Well get used to it…” Komadori said, sitting up. “All the Asean here speak it. Nobody really speaks Asean around here anymore, international bullcrap you know…”
“Hey, hey! I dun’ think it’s so bad…” Onsei admitted. “I mean…if it weren’t for that, we wouldn’ta moved here and I wouldn’ta ever met you.”

“And I’d be dead.” Komadori said.

“Don’t talk like that!” Onsei yelled. “Say..haw’s bout we head over te’the stream righ’ here and try’ta catch us some fish? I hear th'salmon’s pretty good this time o’ year, and we’ll do it bare-handed to try an’ get hypothermia!”

“You really want to get sick that badly?” Komadori asked. “Are’ya scared?! I dare’ya!” Onsei yelled. “Hrng…not this time, Onsei.” Komadori said.

“Nghh…fine…” Onsei pouted. “Lezz’go and get Ichigo then. I 'ear Kashikoi-sensei’s getting’ mad at’er fer bringin’ a camera ta trainin’…again.” “Again.” Komadori repeated with a roll of his eyes.

Riipogakure had a curious climate, as it had seven seasons instead of four or two. Mid-January till March, it would be spring, and from April till Mid-June, the air would get hotter and the season would change into summer, from the second half of June till the end of July the temperature would suddenly spike and it would be called the dry season. At this time of year, there was hardly any rain. From August till September it would cool down to the extreme, and then they would enter the wet season, where every other day it would pour. For one week, they would call it another season altogether, as the rains would suddenly grow violent it would be the monsoon or typhoon season. After the rains stopped around October it would be autumn and then November till the rest of December till Mid-January it would be winter. The cycle would begin again.

People were excited at this time of year, Komadori noted. The winter was a strange time, the time for shopping and warm golden lights in the middle of the night. All around them people were shopping for new clothes and chocolates and dolls and it made him sick. Such happy faces…how could they be so happy. With his highly trained senses, Komadori could tell those who were foolishly enjoying this new change weren’t ninja, and those that were, were just like him. They passed by without so much as a glance at the cheerful scenes and warm lights. It was disgusting to them, what was this happiness? This illusion of joy? No matter. Not even the new Kuningas could keep this up. Afterall, he wasn’t a ninja. How much longer did he intend to deceive these people with the delusions of peace and love and joy? Komadori then stopped. What was Seshiru doing at a time like this? No doubt, she was running around in the snow, giggling and laughing with her friends and that…that man! Komadori’s next step cracked a frozen twig wide open.

“Bird-boy?” Onsei asked, looking at his friend who suddenly stopped. “What was that?”

“Nothing…”

“Koma-kuuuuuuuuuuuun!” Ichigo burst, her frustration getting the better of her patience and restraint. “Go Nataru shopping with meeeeeeee!”

“No.” Komadori grunted, forcefully yanking his arm away from her grip. “What?” Ichigo said in surprise. “Why nooooooooot?”

Komadori bitterly looked away and trudged on. “I hate winter…”

“Koma-honey!” Ichigo chased after him, latching onto him again. “I know, let’s have a snow-ball fight!”

“I hate winter, you idiot!” Komadori yelled, pushing her away. “I hate it!” “Bird-boy!” Onsei yelled, running over to the two.

Ichigo ran away crying.

Komadori, in a fit of rage kicked the bark of a nearby sakura tree; it’s bark splintered and creaked in protest under the blow. “Arrrrgh!” he yelled, his foot caught in the splinters of the bark as he fell backwards from lack of balance.

His antics were enough to alert their nearby Shihannin, and Kashikoi looked over boredly. In one swift fluid motion, he passed by and grabbed said boy by the waist, effectively removing him from the grip of the tree and carried him away despite his protests. He quickly dropped his load in a nearby ally and glared down at him heartlessly. Komadori struggled to his feet, slipping again and again due to the melting snow caused by hot exhaust from down the alley. Kashikoi was pitilessly silent.

“I’ll kill you!” Komadori screamed. “I swear I’ll kill you!”

“Keep that attitude up and one day you might be strong enough to.” Kashikoi said. “But right now, you need to learn to get up on your own feet.”

“Don’t make fun of me!’ Komadori yelled, finally getting the sense to use chakra on the soles of his feet to stay standing. “Good.” Kashikoi said. “Now, if only you had the sense to use that control of yours on yourself more often. We all know the reason Komadori…the reason you hate the snow…but for now…”

Komadori flinched as Kashikoi placed a finger on his forehead, but froze once the digit made contact. “What-don’t…-“ “Forget…forget for now…” Kashikoi said.

Black kanji reading 'neru' appeared all over the boy’s forehead, spreading across the skin like wildfire. Komadori grew silent, his rage leaving him. “Good.” Kashikoi nodded, removing his finger and letting the kanji follow suit. “Now, go home.”

Komadori merely nodded.

“Bird-booooy!” Onsei came running.

“Ah good.” Kashikoi said, “Onsei, take him home for me.”

“Ah-…yeah…sure thing…sensei…” Onsei stammered, taking note of his friend’s blank stare.

Komadori complied and allowed himself to be taken away.
Ryota sighed and inhaled deeply, the smell of the cold stung his nose along with other scents; the smell of ginger baking, the smell of chocolate, the scent of pine, everything was just so warm and fuzzy. He loved how the town was changing, even if he couldn't see it anymore, he could feel it in his bones. This wasn't the same heartless town he had grown up in, something was different. He smiled at the thought and began to wonder what the sky looked like as he had forgotten after so many years of being blind.

"C'mon Bird-boy…" Onsei said, placing a guiding hand on his buddy's back. "Let's go home, ne?"

Ryota craned his neck in the direction of the boy's voice, even though it was pointless to do so.

"Onsei-kun…" Onsei stopped his fretting over Komadori long enough to recognize the voice. "Ryota-san!"

Ryota exhaled the sweet smell of ginger and took on a more serious tone. He could sense the boy was not alone amongst the crowd of foreign folk. He sensed the darker aura of a Shitsuyou, knowing Onsei it was probably Komadori.

"Kashikoi-san, ne?" he stated more than asked; also knowing that man was usually at fault for anything that happened to the two.

"A-yeah…" Onsei nodded.

Kashikoi as if on cue, came over with his hands still stuffed away in his pockets. "I'm still here."

Ryota nodded for the two boys to leave. "So I hear."

Kashikoi almost laughed, the usual phrase would be 'so I see'. "I see you're as chipper as ever."

"And you…" Ryota said, tilts his head back as if trying to look at the stars he had forgotten what looked like. "You're having problems."

Kashikoi grunted. "And the Kuningas?" Ryota was silent for a while, allowing his senses to stretch and spread around them, checking for the RaSiSe, he sensed none.

"The Kuningas is planning to recruit those three girls and turn them into the ultimate weapons."

Kashikoi raised an eyebrow, irritated that it wasn't his own students that were chosen. "Why them?"

”I dunno…" Ryota said sarcastically. "Maybe it's because of their status? One's the Midoritama heir, the other is the only surviving Liang as far as we know, and the third has those eyes. Even for ninja, that's not common in a team all at once."

"Hrng…" Kashikoi had to admit it was true, but he would never say so, his ego wouldn't let him.

"He chose wisely." Ryota said, failing to sense the other's irritation. "They'll be a strong team."

The night was already coming in. That was the bad part about winter; you couldn't see the sky for very long--even then it was grey. Ryota sighed and Kashikoi looked at him. He could read the boy as easily as he could back then. He missed the sky.