Post by Sabaku on Sept 8, 2016 20:39:52 GMT -5
The morning was harder than he expected.
It had been several months since his last visit to the memorial. The early morning sun was blinding, but it wasn't hard to find the name he sought. Sakuya knelt before the stone, bowed his head, let the grief come - less would have been an insult to his memory. Some days it hurt more than others. Some days he woke up, and in the half-doze of lingering dreams, he thought he might be able to reach over and find him there - it was one of those days. Sakuya wasn't surprised.
"I guess I'm a sensei now, Ashi. I know, I know, I didn't see it coming, either. Life does that, doesn't it? Throws things at you that you'd never expect, then leaves you to figure it out. Wish I had you here to see it." He laughed softly, trace of a smile touching his lips. "Here I am, off to train kids, when I always thought I'd keep on fighting by your side. But...I'll try to make you proud."
A genin team. He wanted to laugh at that. In all his years as a shinobi, it was the last thing he ever saw himself doing. Ashi had been Anbu, and Sakuya always thought, without ever taking the time to question it, that sooner or later he'd follow. But then Ashi was gone, and time passed, and the suggestion came down. Become their sensei, take the time to teach them. You're still hurting. It'll be good for you. Somehow, it made sense.
And here he was. He pressed his hand into the ground, shoving himself back to his feet with a soft grunt. "Oh! And Shirio's doing well. He passed his exams! Inuzuka Shirio, a chuunin. Can you believe it? And that Hyuuga kid on his team, the one Shirio was always complaining about...he went blind during the test. They haven't figured out why. Somehow, your little brother's decided it's his responsibility to help him. I think he's a lot stronger than either of us have given him credit for. I won't deny it, the Hyuuga's an ass, but Shirio's stubborn. I think he's getting through to him. There might be hope for that team after all. I'll keep an eye on him for you, okay? But try not to worry about him, he's a good kid...a really good kid."
Ashi would have been proud. Sakuya was.
"Well...I guess I'll tell you how this goes later, okay? They're probably waiting for me. I should go meet them. And Ashi?" His voice caught unexpectedly, and he lingered on the thought, hesitating to say it. A breeze rustled the distant trees, moved his hair, and a cloud made the shadows play in the sharp lines of Ashi's name. "I miss you. Every day. I love you."
The cloud moved aside, the sun warmed him, and he stepped back, turning away from the memorial. The students would be there soon, and it wouldn't do for their sensei to keep them waiting.
An interesting group they'd given him. Nara Kaidou had distinguished herself in the Academy more than likely against her will, but her reputation for stubbornness and blunt demeanor tempered her natural skill. According to her former teacher, some of her classmates were intimidated by her, but she was good, and by all accounts a definite asset when it came down to it.
Then there was Sasakawa Ichirou. Bright and friendly, easy to get along with and eager to please, he sounded like the model student...but he was the Hokage's son. In theory, that wasn't supposed to matter; shinobi were shinobi and were to be treated on equal ground, with all of them assuming the same risks, but in practice, it was a very different story, one all the more complicated by Ichirou's unique set of circumstances. Not even his fellow teammates could know that he housed the Nibi, much less the volatile nature of the seal. It had come as quite the shock the night the Hokage had told him, seeming for once more man than commander, more father than figurehead.
Kagerou Sashi was the wildcard. As a Suna shinobi, he was impossible to gauge, from his attitude toward his transfer to his interactions with the others. His own academy had recommended him for the program for his demeanor and unique skillset, but words on paper were never enough to go by, and Sakuya hadn't so much as laid eyes on the boy yet.
Sakuya stretched his arms over his head, linking them behind his neck as he walked. Nara would probably be the most difficult, he mused as he descended into the village. She was stubborn and straightforward, traits that so often tended to get the younger shinobi into trouble. The thought amused him. He and Ashi had been guilty enough of that, hadn't they? But all in all they seemed like a good group of kids, and no amount of questioning was going to change them. Nothing for it but to see where things went and hope for the best, right?
The restaurant he had picked to meet them was a favorite of Shirio's, tucked away at the end of a shopping strip, half-concealed behind the drooping tree at its front. It was a small place, but anyone would be hard-pressed to find better dango in Konoha. Ducking under the low entrance sign, he sighed contentedly as the smell of food hit, waving to the chef behind the counter.
"Usual?"
"Of course. What is it today?"
"Yakiniku with miso."
"Sounds good. Two orders." The place changed its specials daily, and they never had disappointed yet. Only a few others sat around the restaurant this early, a couple of chuunin he recognized, an envoy in Iwa garb, another jounin he'd worked with a few times back from an extended mission - and there to one side, two genin, seated across from one another. Kaidou was the first he recognized, marking Ichirou as her companion when he moved, leaning into sight.
"You're both early." He offered them both a smile, dropping into the seat next to Ichirou. "Sashi, care to join us?"
A boy seated a few tables away jumped slightly, visibly startled by the sound of his name. He had taken a seat near the window, but he stood obediently, moving to sit opposite Sakuya. "Welcome to Konoha. Ah! That reminds me, I have something for you." Fishing in a pocket, he produced a headband, extending it across the table. "You're one of us now, so you'll have this one."
Sashi's fingers went immediately to the Suna band at his neck, bright and shining as the Konoha one. For an instant he hesitated, then with a single nod untied it, pushing it across the table before tying the new one in place. Only a few years ago it never would have been so easy, Sakuya thought as he took the old band away, dropping it back into the pocket. Times had changed. For the better, he hoped.
The chef appeared then, setting two large plates down in front of Sakuya and Sashi before returning to the counter. "Thought you might be hungry. So...I guess we're a team now, yeah? I guess I'll start - Oketsu Sakuya. I would've been there when the teams formed up, but I was on a mission and didn't get back until last night. Been a jounin for six years and a chuunin for four before that, but you guys are my first team. If you have questions, I'll answer them, but first, anything you want to say about yourselves?"
It had been several months since his last visit to the memorial. The early morning sun was blinding, but it wasn't hard to find the name he sought. Sakuya knelt before the stone, bowed his head, let the grief come - less would have been an insult to his memory. Some days it hurt more than others. Some days he woke up, and in the half-doze of lingering dreams, he thought he might be able to reach over and find him there - it was one of those days. Sakuya wasn't surprised.
"I guess I'm a sensei now, Ashi. I know, I know, I didn't see it coming, either. Life does that, doesn't it? Throws things at you that you'd never expect, then leaves you to figure it out. Wish I had you here to see it." He laughed softly, trace of a smile touching his lips. "Here I am, off to train kids, when I always thought I'd keep on fighting by your side. But...I'll try to make you proud."
A genin team. He wanted to laugh at that. In all his years as a shinobi, it was the last thing he ever saw himself doing. Ashi had been Anbu, and Sakuya always thought, without ever taking the time to question it, that sooner or later he'd follow. But then Ashi was gone, and time passed, and the suggestion came down. Become their sensei, take the time to teach them. You're still hurting. It'll be good for you. Somehow, it made sense.
And here he was. He pressed his hand into the ground, shoving himself back to his feet with a soft grunt. "Oh! And Shirio's doing well. He passed his exams! Inuzuka Shirio, a chuunin. Can you believe it? And that Hyuuga kid on his team, the one Shirio was always complaining about...he went blind during the test. They haven't figured out why. Somehow, your little brother's decided it's his responsibility to help him. I think he's a lot stronger than either of us have given him credit for. I won't deny it, the Hyuuga's an ass, but Shirio's stubborn. I think he's getting through to him. There might be hope for that team after all. I'll keep an eye on him for you, okay? But try not to worry about him, he's a good kid...a really good kid."
Ashi would have been proud. Sakuya was.
"Well...I guess I'll tell you how this goes later, okay? They're probably waiting for me. I should go meet them. And Ashi?" His voice caught unexpectedly, and he lingered on the thought, hesitating to say it. A breeze rustled the distant trees, moved his hair, and a cloud made the shadows play in the sharp lines of Ashi's name. "I miss you. Every day. I love you."
The cloud moved aside, the sun warmed him, and he stepped back, turning away from the memorial. The students would be there soon, and it wouldn't do for their sensei to keep them waiting.
An interesting group they'd given him. Nara Kaidou had distinguished herself in the Academy more than likely against her will, but her reputation for stubbornness and blunt demeanor tempered her natural skill. According to her former teacher, some of her classmates were intimidated by her, but she was good, and by all accounts a definite asset when it came down to it.
Then there was Sasakawa Ichirou. Bright and friendly, easy to get along with and eager to please, he sounded like the model student...but he was the Hokage's son. In theory, that wasn't supposed to matter; shinobi were shinobi and were to be treated on equal ground, with all of them assuming the same risks, but in practice, it was a very different story, one all the more complicated by Ichirou's unique set of circumstances. Not even his fellow teammates could know that he housed the Nibi, much less the volatile nature of the seal. It had come as quite the shock the night the Hokage had told him, seeming for once more man than commander, more father than figurehead.
Kagerou Sashi was the wildcard. As a Suna shinobi, he was impossible to gauge, from his attitude toward his transfer to his interactions with the others. His own academy had recommended him for the program for his demeanor and unique skillset, but words on paper were never enough to go by, and Sakuya hadn't so much as laid eyes on the boy yet.
Sakuya stretched his arms over his head, linking them behind his neck as he walked. Nara would probably be the most difficult, he mused as he descended into the village. She was stubborn and straightforward, traits that so often tended to get the younger shinobi into trouble. The thought amused him. He and Ashi had been guilty enough of that, hadn't they? But all in all they seemed like a good group of kids, and no amount of questioning was going to change them. Nothing for it but to see where things went and hope for the best, right?
The restaurant he had picked to meet them was a favorite of Shirio's, tucked away at the end of a shopping strip, half-concealed behind the drooping tree at its front. It was a small place, but anyone would be hard-pressed to find better dango in Konoha. Ducking under the low entrance sign, he sighed contentedly as the smell of food hit, waving to the chef behind the counter.
"Usual?"
"Of course. What is it today?"
"Yakiniku with miso."
"Sounds good. Two orders." The place changed its specials daily, and they never had disappointed yet. Only a few others sat around the restaurant this early, a couple of chuunin he recognized, an envoy in Iwa garb, another jounin he'd worked with a few times back from an extended mission - and there to one side, two genin, seated across from one another. Kaidou was the first he recognized, marking Ichirou as her companion when he moved, leaning into sight.
"You're both early." He offered them both a smile, dropping into the seat next to Ichirou. "Sashi, care to join us?"
A boy seated a few tables away jumped slightly, visibly startled by the sound of his name. He had taken a seat near the window, but he stood obediently, moving to sit opposite Sakuya. "Welcome to Konoha. Ah! That reminds me, I have something for you." Fishing in a pocket, he produced a headband, extending it across the table. "You're one of us now, so you'll have this one."
Sashi's fingers went immediately to the Suna band at his neck, bright and shining as the Konoha one. For an instant he hesitated, then with a single nod untied it, pushing it across the table before tying the new one in place. Only a few years ago it never would have been so easy, Sakuya thought as he took the old band away, dropping it back into the pocket. Times had changed. For the better, he hoped.
The chef appeared then, setting two large plates down in front of Sakuya and Sashi before returning to the counter. "Thought you might be hungry. So...I guess we're a team now, yeah? I guess I'll start - Oketsu Sakuya. I would've been there when the teams formed up, but I was on a mission and didn't get back until last night. Been a jounin for six years and a chuunin for four before that, but you guys are my first team. If you have questions, I'll answer them, but first, anything you want to say about yourselves?"