Starring:
Date: March 10 ,2013
Summary:
An encounter in the forest finds Fudo snarred in a rabbit trap made by Nori and advice from Satomi given. However, the chain of advice and questions lead to Fudo coming to certain realizations about why he is in Konoha amongst all of these people with family and clan history. Satomi's and Nori's insights on who they are and the legacy they carry make Fudo begin to realize his own.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Blood Shot Legacy"
Toshiba Forest
Nori is sitting on a branch out in the forest. The young Yamanaka's right hand is wrapped up in a bandage, but his other hand is holding onto a thin rope. Below the tree there is a pull-wire trap, most likely for some critter or another. And sure enough, a bunny is hopping over to sniff at the berries that have been placed in the middle of the trap. A little more is all Nori needs.
The last discussion he had with Shuuren and then Naru some time after had left Fudo with reason to think even deeper than usual. A man obviously using his power as a shinobi and his influence with money to do something he was not willing to say aloud, and a benefactor of Fudo's own who was tight lipped about his origins or what she knew about why he was in Konoha at least. It was as if there was some cosmic game of chess being played by two very bored puppet masters. Shaking his head a bit and slicking his hair back, he'd of taken a walk through the forest, trying to get some fresh air.
Satomi was spending her time in the nearby clearing; awakening from a lazy slumber she intended to follow through on till her training a couple hours later. She yawns and stretches, glancing north, starting to walk down the grass slowly. The Nara has spend her day before that fighting with someone of a Jounin level, and not the nice kind of fighting, the to the death varient. Her should is bandaged up pretty nicely, it was a shallow-wound, but it stinged regardless. She casually moves through the forest before noticing the Yamanaka; glancing at her little trap; chuckling to herself before getting down in the shades of a couple of bushes, remaining hidden.
Nori watches the rabbit as it hop hops forward and starts nibbling on the fruit. Nori pulls the cord and then waits. The cord moves down to a make-shift pulley that spins and moves over to pull-pin on a log that causes the log to swing and hit a ball on the forest floor, which rolls into a stick that falls over and causes a weight to start falling…and up goes the noose-style trap on the rabbit. Only, the rabbit has moved because Fudo came walking into the area. Nori blinks and immediately sends out his senses to detect if anyone is coming. The young Yamanaka boy is a little slow though, so he doesn't have enough time to run down the tree and stop Fudo before the kid steps into the trap in the rabbits place. And the noose wraps around Fudo's leg and starts to pull him upwards a bit. Nori calls out, "Care…ful. Whoops, sorry!" Whether or not Nori also catches sight of Satomi hiding there is another question, but his chakra senses are pushed out there now.
Fudo would suddenly be yanked from his feet in mid thought as apparently someone put traps down randomly in these woods. His eyes widened a bit as he would growl out in frustration and surprise from suddenly being inverted. Now, he was swinging lightly as he exhaled slowly, his eyes closed and his arms crossed. In this case, he was actually upset, though seemed to be reigning it in.
Satomi giggles quietly while getting up. Clapping her hands together "Bravo!" She says while looking at the situation, smiling warmly at the two Genin, sending a star whirling towards the rope holding Fudo up. Rushing over at a speed you wouldn't expect her to have, catching Fudo and putting him down on his feet. "You ought to watch where you go!" She explains, while leaning back against… nothing? A keen eye can see she's using her own shadow to brace her back. Man that looks comfy!
"He set up a nice trap there!" Satomi says, admiring the well working contraption. "You guys training?" She asks with a warm smile, glancing at the two curiously. Giggling to herself as she sees Fudo recuperate from the shock.
Nori drops down to his knees as he sees Fudo upside down and he bows, "Sorry." He looks up, about ready to figure out how to get Fudo down when Satomi shows up. He blinks. "Err, konnichiwa!" The boy scoots back before he realizes that Satomi is a friendly. Nori stands and states, "Yamanaka Nori. No…I wasn't training. I was trying to catch some food and I apparently caught this boy. I'm sorry, I've met you before, but I do not recall your name."
Rope cut, body dropping, and caught by the one who freed him, Fudo seemed to make a very good damsel in distress today. He would side glance the young woman who had swept him already off his feet as a brow seemed to twitch in some form of displeasure at this entire ordeal. Exhaling very slowly, and quite loudly as he grit his teeth, Fudo would nod his head and say, "Thank you." before glancing towards Nori. "I was not aware that this was a game hunting forest amongst all of the other things that occur out here." Fudo would say almost accussingly as he brushed off some of the dirt and dust that has plummed up after him during his inverted ascent. He then would look back towards Satomi as he'd state, "Luckily the only casualty was my pride." With that, it seemed that perhaps he was reluctant to repeat his name, all things considered.
"Oh lighten up!" She says with a quiet grunt, messing up Fudo's hair while patting him on the head. "No casualties here today… and hey if worst comes to worst we'll have Nori-kun eat you… she did catch you!"
She giggles quietly while winking at the Yamanaka, clearly in a good mood herself while gripping her shoulder, clenching her teeth for a moment. "Hmm… name's Nara Satomi." She says with a smile, before reaching around her back for her pack, glancing at Fudo. "You Uchiha's and your pride… sit down and have some food.. both of you!" She says, whipping out a set of herb-wrapped rice-balls, passing them on should they be accepted.
"I made these myself.." She explains, squinting her eyes at the two… "And what's your name poor-victim?" She asks Fudo with a perked eyebrow, waiting for him to accept the food she's offering him, seated with her legs crossed, an attractive, warm smile branded on her face.
Nori nods his head, "Yes, there is quite a bit of hunting inside the forest. Usually I'm better about making sure that others aren't around when I set my traps…but I was getting tired having my senses stretched out there that I drew them back in. Sorry!" Nori frowns. "Pride can be restored. What were you doing walking in the woods anyway?" The Yamanaka boy looks at Satomi too, "And same goes for you. We are lucky you came along, but..eh, what were you doing out here too?" Nori grins, "Pleasure to meet you Nara Satomi-san." Nori quickly takes the rice-ball and munches down on it. "Mother's rice-balls are slightly better, but these are pretty good too." Honesty can be a weakness sometimes.
"I do not plan to be a meal for anyone or thing…" Fudo would state as he looked between the two briefly. He would have heard both of their names by now and he was fine with revealing his own before he was called an Uchiha. Fudo would gaze directly at Satomi, in to her eyes with an unwavering stare as he would say, "I am not an Uchiha. And my name is Fudo." he said it in such a way as to ensure that she would never make that mistake again. But it didn't seem he hated the Uchiha so much as the insenuation that Satomi "knew" him at all. He had no family, no past to look to, and one form of support and he wasn't even sure why she was supporting him. He did not enjoy the idea of someone labeling him as if he had things he never has.
Snatching up a rice ball however, he would let it go after his 'oh so threatening', brooding warning. "In all situations where hunting is to occur, especially in a forest many people tend to come through, you cannot cease making sure your trapping methods are safe for them. Even with the skills and abilities of the people here, it is your tool. Manage it. As far as why I was walking in the woods, it was simply for a breath of fresh air."
"I'm just here on a break, the deer in this forest and the Nara have an understanding." She explains, smiling at Fudo. "And sorry for using that name… I thought I saw you in the Uchiha village?" She continues: "I got some training to do in a couple of hours, so I spend the night here… getting my bearings." She explains, while smiling at Fudo.. "No harm done." Before fire arrises in her eyes after the Yamanaka his comment, glaring at him with a deadly gaze for a few moments, before sighing, dropping it.
"Well I'm sorry I'm not a master-chef." She says, a little insulted before munching away at her own rice. "People rarely go out for fresh air for the purpose of the air.. since you know, air is wherewhere." She explains quietly, glaring at Fudo. "What's on your mind?" She asks him quietly, a warm smile still on her face, though with a far more serious expression, a glare that seem to prod right through his skull.
Nori blinks and listens to Fudo criticize both Satomi and Nori for several things. He blushes and bows again, "Yes…yes, you are right. I'll make sure from now on to not let my guard down." He sweatdrops and then looks to Satomi before looking back to Fudo, "And in a forest where all sorts of things go on, one should be careful to watch their step." Nori then looks to Satomi, "Mmm, Mother is indeed a master-chef, so don't feel bad." He grins a bit and then walks over to the trap, apparently trying to see exactly what he can salvage from it. "Luckily it seems like I just need to add a new rope and wait some more for another rabbit." One might ask why the trap is so elaborate, but it is pretty clear that when one is bored, one does silly things like make elaborate traps.
"I live in the Uchiha village with Uchiha Narusegawa. I have only been in this village fora couple of weeks now. I have heard about the clans and the fact that this village is only about 8 years old after some wars having to do with peoples names ended. I still… have no idea why I am here." Fudo would state as he began to eat the rice ball, which seemed to change his rather neutral expression to one that was more… calm and relaxed at the very least. He just started to realize that women he spoke to for more than a couple of words tended to feed him rice balls. It must just be something everyone here makes. He also noticed it is something that they take great pride in themselves, and as Satomi is offended but keeps it cool, Fudo would pat her lower back and say, "I have you, in return.", saving her pride from that slippery slope it almost fell victim to. "It is, delicious." Fudo assured her.
"As to what is on my mind, largely what you had inadvertently brought up. I am in a place full of history and family, without much of either myself. And it seems in the end, I am not allowed to know why. All that is clear to me is abandonment, and I have come to accept that, but Naru seems to be indicating there may be more than that."
She smiles warmly, happy her pride stays intact, maybe she doesn't have to bash the poor genin's skull in after all. "Thank you Fudo.." She says while ignoring the pain in her shoulder which is burning up. Catching Fudo turns out to have been a mistake, as the two genin probably see a little blood seep from the freshly cleaned and stitched wound. It's not much, just enough to know Satomi needs to get that redone soon. She herself seems to ignore it however.
She sighs deeply, glancing at Fudo with genuine compassion. "I never knew my mother.." She says, swallowing away a bit of pain.. "I guess we all lost something during the war." She says, with a crack in her voice, though she maintains her composure. She looks around her, as if plucking words from the air. "Don't lose hope… you have people here who love you very much, we're all a family in Konoha, even though some clans might seem to disagree…" She explains, speaking like a true Nara. "In the end, I know I can count on you to cover my back, and I'll happily die to protect my comrades.." She says, smiling at Fudo.
"Answers will come in time, and you probably heard this a million times, I'm sorry I'm repeating it." She says, assuming she's spot on. "But the Uchiha are, even though bearing a hard shell… one of the most loyal families in the village. Just like you they're scarred by history, but look at them now, the proud face of the village." She smiles again, rubbing her left hand through Fudo's hair, again messing it up. "And in a couple of years, you'll proudly continue that legacy.."
.
Nori listens to Fudo recant a little of his history and he hmms, "It must be hard living with feelings of abandonment. I come from a large family, so I can't say I know what that feels like really. If Narusegawa-sama has taken you under her wing though, then you are very fortunate. The spirits have a way of setting things right though…so maybe your coming here is to help make up for the wrongs done to you in your past." Nori shrugs.
Compared to these two, Nori hasn't lost anything, but that is mostly due to the fact that A) his parents are farmers, and B) the Yamanaka have only recently joined Konohagakure. Nori grabs the rope and bows to the two here, "I'm sorry, but I have to go grab more rope to repair this. It was good to see you again Fudo-san…and it was a pleasure to meet you Nara-san." Nori grabs the rope and heads off into the forest. As he does so he calls back, "Thanks again for the rice-ball. I'd add more salt next time." And then he's off.
Fudo listened and observed closely, as he tended to do other than during the fiasco with the trap earlier. Right now his eyes could only see so much after all. And in this case, his eyes were able to see her wound bleeding through the bandages. His hair being ruffled was something he seemed to not protest, though he also didn't seem to welcome it, one of his eyes closing where the hair shifted about. After hearing everything that Satomi had to say, Fudo would first say, "You are bleeding through your bandages for being so reckless with me earlier." At this point he nodded to Nori as he would leave suddenly, keeping in mind his words as well, but it seems there was a misunderstanding from both of them. Though ironically it was an understandable misunderstanding on their part. "I have never known my parents. I have no siblings. My foster parents were maimed or killed while I was away for a time, and I was blamed for the occurance by my surviving foster mother. I have trouble believing in being loved very much by strangers, given the circumstances. And family, I barely understand the meaning." Fudo would confess as he would finish the rice ball with a long, savoring chew.
The last bit that was told to him however, Fudo would pause and remember something very important. The word 'legacy'. It was one of the first things Naru said to him when she found him in Fuuma Alley… when she offered him a place in Konoha and a new life. His own legacy. He stared at Satomi as if confused for a long moment before his eyes widened a little. "Continuing a legacy…" he would murmur aloud as his synapses would start firing off and making new connections with all of the information he had learn up to this point. "I am their legacy…!" Fudo would clench his fists for a moment. Even knowing this… what was he suppossed to do with a legacy of people who abandoned him to the world and left him with nothing? …or did they leave him with Naru for some reason? Holding his hand over his right eye he would wince a bit. The stress was causing him a to have quite the sudden headache.
She pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in with Fudo, swallowing deeply again. "Family is where your heart is…" She says, while padding him on the chest. "And I don't mean literaily.." She explains, ignoring his snarling; glancing at her wound. "I'll get it fixed later.." She explains, crossing her arms with sighing, letting it all sink in with her as well.
"But you're right… your parents aren't gone." She says softly, padding his chest again. "They're right here, with you all the time… everyone who loves you is." She says, a tears forming in her eyes before she just drags them away, coughing to get her composure back. "Trust me, it might not feel like much yet, but you'll learn that a lot of people care about you."
"Are you okay?" She asks while she sees him wince, reaching into her pack, taking out a bottle of water. "Here…" She says, while passing on the water. "Listen eh, I'm composing a squad… I don't need an answer right now." She explains, before glancing at him. "But if you want… you know we could be friends?" She says carefully… "You can talk to me, it'll stay between us." She says, squeezing his shoulder, regretting she did while clenching her own.
"Think about it, all the things Naru-san did for you." She says on a hunch, not actually knowing what she did for him. "You can consider yourself blessed… You have parents that love you very much…"
She pats his heart again, before nodding to the village. "And another person right there watching over you. People don't commit like that easy. I can see why you mean something to them…" She says, looking at the ground, sighing softly. "Are you sure you're okay? She asks again eventually.
Where the heart is? Where did Fudo's reside? That little fishing village on the southern coast of the Land of Rivers? Is that where? OR was it with people he'd never met that birthed him in to the world? Was it with Naru, yet another person who fished him out of the murky waters of life only a couple of weeks ago? His eyes shut tightly as he began to get overwhelmed with all the possibilities with no answers. He'd never even spent a moment considering where his "Heart" is.
Being patted on his chest and reassured that his parents, who ever the retina they even were, were with him. That they and everyone else who loved him were there to. Love? What love? Most of the people who knew him now barely know of his existence. His old life was destroyed by this not so hidden world of fire breathing, dog speaking, boulder tossing strangers or some other mixture there of as they trampled through territories that were not their own to win battles for causes the victoms of all of that had no stake in. It was madness. Love? What was that?
Taking the bottle with his free hand as it was offered, he would open it with one hand and drink it back heavily, some of it spilling from the corner of his lips as he hastily tried to combat the effects of his disorientation. He would hear about the squad, but for the time being, he would simply dink and gasp lightly for air after his gulps. Naru had done quite a few things for him, for no reason so far. It only made sense. She said she was doing a favor for someone else, but she would not tell him who and he hadn't pressed the issue yet. Could it be his parents?? "You… you don't know if… you don't know anything about my parents! No.. maybe you do… maybe you all know and I am the only one who is ignorant of them…" Fudo would begin to ramble.
"Don't be silly…" She says softly, smiling at him with that same warm smile. "Now take a deep breath and relax…" She takes the water from him, using the cap as a cup, having him hold it. "Here hold this…" She says, waiting for him to hold it. Waiting for him to calm down. "Right now you're here emotionally.." She moves her palm up to her forehead, as if saluting. "Bring it down here, just slowly breath, close your eyes… there you go." She says, waiting for the moment his shoulders drop, a good indication of relaxation.
"Just stop thinking about it for a moment.." She says, before having him open his eyes. "I'll fill your cup with some water now.." She explains, while slowly filling the cup up. However, she doesn't stop pouring, eventually spilling the water as the cup over-flows. Pretending she doesn't notice. She waits for him to several times tell her to stop. Waiting for him to inform the actual cup is full.
Once he does, if he does she says: "You're right!" She smiles, stopping her pouring, placing the bottle in the nearby grass. "You're the cup, if you don't empty it.. how do you expect anything new to be added?" She explains, poking at his forehead. "Clear your mind for a moment, blank slate…. allow new information to come in, right now, your memories and old thoughts are clouding your judgement…
Don't let those get the better of you." She explains softly, looking at him with her cloudy, hazy eyes, and a loving smile. She's genuinly compassionate, and kind of emotional herself. Clearing having to make an effort to not burst out crying.
Was this girl crazy? Fudo doesn't get emotional! He survived all this time because of his cool and collected head and appraoch to everything! He'd see the answers others miss and he would have the solutions other's hadn't begun to thought about all because he kept. his. CALM! Gripping his brow again with a grimace, he'd realize ok maybe she might possibly have some earthly idea about what she was talking about… maybe. Breathing harshly through his nostrils, he would turn his upper body away from Satomi as he breathed and said, "I am fine…" Turning himself back towards Satomi, his eyes slowly opened, and his face calmed, though it appeared to be very sharp as well, regarding things in a crisp way now.
"You are over flowing that cup." Fudo would say as she demonstrated, but he would only say it once, watching her after as she continued to waste what over flowed from it. Her explination was accepted with a brief nod as he would say, "I will be fine. Even with all of this, I will be fine. Thank you." He gazed at her with just a slight tightening of his brow expressing some vague emotion for a moment before he'd state, "Why does any of this matter to you?"
"Yea calm… right!" She says gingerly, clearly provoking a little. Dropping back on the glass, her shirt creeping up just a bit; her figure on nice display. "Why I care?" She asks, shrugging. "Why not? You're a comrade… I'm a Chuunin, you're in trouble… with yourself, but trouble regardless." She explains, sitting back up then, adjusting her headband. "I'm just taking care of family."
She smiles warmly, winking at him before grabbing another rice-ball, beginning to munch away at it. "You might think you're calm Fudo-kun…" She says, deliberatly using that suffix. "But anyone can see you're not.." She creeps up closer to him, so her face is inches away from his, before whispering: "And if I were your enemy, I'd exploit that to force a mistake out of you…" She then retreats again, sitting back with a quiet giggle, knowing that must have hit him somewhat. No nin likes to heart his flaws, especially when he thought of it as a strength.
"All of that internal conflict isn't healthy!" She says, while offering him another riceball. "You tend to walk into traps in the forest designed to catch a rabit." She smirks widely again, knowing exactly what she's doing. Hoping to get a reaction, and then realization out of him. Heck.. she's doing the kid a favour…
Naru pages: Just had some ideas and urges. It really isn't important.
"So, your heirarchy has room for the term "family" as well." Fudo would state as Satomi would being to explain that it was her duty as well as something she desired to do to help him. As She came closer, he would keep his eyes on her, and her whispering was met only with a slight smirk. "Just because you claim not to be my enemy, does not mean you are not. Just because you claim to be family, doesn't mean that you are. Reality and illusion are bed fellows that toss and turn, waking up on a different side every morning. The only thing that i could possibly do, is trust you and hope for the best." Fudo would take a step back, rubbing his eye insessantly now as the other remained on Satomi. He however did take the other rice ball and begin eatting it as she spoke of his fumbling around earlier. "No one is carefull all the time, and those that are see enemies and dangers that do not exist. I will be fine, like I said." His right eye would blink a few times, the crimson of them showing plainly as he would begin rubbing at his eye again. "I am going to go find some fresh water… it seems I have something in my eye." and with that, Fudo would make his way out of the area, carefully.
