Taronsnachos

[Jake]

Hurr.

[Guest TaronsNachos]

[EDIT] Final copy! w00t! May you laugh, may you cry, may your life be changed forever!

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Demon info:

Name: Kurasora

Animal: washi (eagle)

Tail #: seven

Bio: Kurasora is a great washi (eagle) demon with large, brown and bronze feathers. His eyes are all golden, with no sign of an iris or pupil. His long seven tails label him as being one of the nine legendary bijuu. Being a very proud demon, Kurasora views humans as being highly inferior to himself and would never use a disguise or size reduction in order to be less conspicuous. He is not very violent or sadistic by nature but will threaten, and sometimes kill, individuals or groups of people whose wealth, power, or beauty rival his own. When confronting said people, he'll swoop down from the blue, a loud shriek will always be heard before he is seen. Quick to conduct business, whether it be challenge or murder, Kurasora would take off again, back to the skies. He possesses the ability to teleport between long distances, making his long travels across the world, only take short periods of time. Where he makes his residence, no one is certain.

Slowly, Rindou, opened his eyes, revealing two large, soft, light brown irises to the aquatic world around him, only to hastily squint as the cool, dark water flooded in. Many spears of light, penetrating from above, the surface, caught his attention; amazing how such beautiful objects could come from a place so full of immaturity and arrogance. The boy lifted his waterlogged head, catching a loose strand of long brown hair on his face, before it was promptly released to again join the swirling cascade already in progress by its peers. Focusing his gaze on the shimmering surface above, slowly receding from his person, he quietly said his farewells within. The sun, high aloft, returned his steady look, revealing no hints as to it's own innermost desires. A few small bubbles escaped boyish lips as the Kusako allowed himself a small, sad smile at the notion, it was interesting, these thoughts racing through his mind, at such a time as this. This was his time, his moment, and it would no longer matter, none of it, not anymore. Blinking once, he again switched his gaze, this time sweeping it down to the dark, deep bottom, of which was not yet in view. The Solution. No more pain, no more suffering, no more anything. Closing his eyes one last time, Rindou pushed all thoughts from his mind as he let the cool, dark, unforgiving water drag him slowly down, further and further.

Hardly a moment passed before He awakened. A sense of panic sprouted at the center of Rindou, spreading quickly to fill in every nook and cranny, overwhelming him in every sense of the word. Bumps prickled his skin and shivers wrecked him savagely. This was the will of a greater being who was not ready to give up, whose pride was too great to allow everything to end in such a trivial way. The will of Him. Rindou fought for a moment, struggling with his emotions, but he was weakened, and losing all desire to complete the task at hand, the young Kusako desperately clawed his way to the surface, young limbs propelling him forward with all the strength they could muster. Closer and closer he came, until a single finger broke through, then the rest of the hand, the arm, and finally his head, thoroughly soaked hair hung down all around him, clinging to his face, neck, shirt, and any other patch of skin or particle of clothing it could come in contact with. When dry, his hair would lose the dark, damp color it currently boasted, and instead revert to a warm dark brown, with individual bronze hairs sifted in, granting a lusty sheen when the sun struck. The village elders insisted on him keeping his hair long, combed, and braided, unlike the other boys. When styled, Rindou's hair reached down to his waste, giving him a somewhat feminine look. He hated that, he knew the other boys laughed at him behind his back, and he hated the idea of being the outcast, he was different enough how it was. But, both the elders and priests insisted and he wasn't allowed to argue, he wasn't allowed to do anything.

As long as Rindou could remember, he had been the Kusako, the "Grass Child”. He had always been doted upon and chided, watched out for and protected. This was the way it was; he was a prince, he did not have to belittle himself by doing normal things, he was loved by all. The elders and the priests, the villagers and the teachers all told him thus, but Rindou knew the truth, he had seen the tattoo on his tongue, and he knew the truth that no one had ever told him. They did not love him. They loved what was inside of him. The priests told him he became the Kusako when he turned two, and Rindou knew that was when the seven tailed washi demon, Kurasora, was tracked down, caught, and sealed away, sealed inside of him. One of the elders died in the process, it was in all the up-to-date textbooks. The scripture described everything in detail, including a hazy reference on what the demon was sealed within, but everyone who was old enough to know better knew the facts.

The only thing Rindou had yet to figured out was why he, of all people, had been picked as a host, or why there even needed to be a host. Surely, this demon had created havoc, and it had to be put away, but it tore him apart, having this thing inside of him, and the village couldn't possibly be so cruel as to burden him with it without ample reason. This thing was a curse, after what it had taken from him, and Rindou knew deep down that no one should have to live with it, but if someone had to, why him? Had he somehow volunteered for the position? Maybe it wasn't the village's fault at all, maybe Kurasora himself had picked the host?

Him. He was the only reason why they even knew who Rindou was; the only reason why he had been taken from his parents, whoever they were, and put in the care of the conniving elders, the lying village; the only reason why his voice had been taken away. Rindou hated the elders, priests, villagers, teachers, and everyone else who had done this to him and then lied about it, every one of them was a coward and a liar, but his hatred for what was occupying him, what he had become, was even greater.

Looking up at the sky, feet slowly kicking and arms swaying from side to side to keep him afloat, Rindou reflected on his thoughts. He had wiped the drenched hair from his face and cleaned the water from his eyes, clearing his vision once again. He was frustrated now, frustrated at himself for not having the power to overcome the biju's will, frustrated at the village after all the thoughts that had reopened themselves in his mind, and even more frustrated at not being able to voice his frustration. The priests told him he was above all other in the fact that he did not need to communicate vocally; more lies. He knew that the seal on his tongue, the same seal holding Kurasora back, had stripped his ability to talk. He was a mute, and his disability made him feel like the lowest of the low; mix that with the large amounts of attention he is granted on a regular basis, his stupid long hair, and his soft and shy personality, and all Rindou hears is their mocking laughter.

Overhead, a lazy cloud slowly trekked its course across the sky, destination unknown. The boy in the water felt the same: slowly making his way through a life not his own, bending to the will of everyone else, the destination uncertain.

Rindou turned his attention back to earth, back to the here and the now. He would have to go back to the hidden village soon, as they were probably searching for him right now. Restriction was another problem with being the Kusako. He was not allowed to leave the village by himself, only with an armed escort. He needed time to be alone and think, he needed his space and privacy. Growing up without a voice had sometimes left him with a lack of attention when he needed it most, and Rindou had resorted to blinking in and out of existence, an ability he could perform at an early age. When sad, threatened, or if he just wanted to be alone, the young Kusako would disappear and then reappear a few feet away, usually behind a wall or closed doorway. He also practiced controlling his footfalls and breathing, using stealth to move from his new position to one of his many secret hideouts, located throughout the village. Only recently had he started venturing outside the village boundaries.

As he got a little older, Rindou developed a game for training where he would try and interrupt a task that someone was currently involved in, without them knowing it. Normally, this would consist of stealing a craftsman's tools while he was using them on a project, or pinching a baker's dough while he turned for more ingredients. It was fun for him to test himself, to see what he could and could not accomplish. He eventually moved on to testing people with a higher rate of alertness, such as the village ninjas. Although he always secretly returned what he took, he continually made the challenges tougher and tougher. Until he had become effectively advanced in his own little art. It gave him the freedom he needed, whenever he needed it.

Rindou stared absentmindedly down at the reflective water by his side, a young boy staring back with the same drought expression. Long dark hair, already starting to dry, seemed to mask the slightly chubby face. Sad brown eyes above a pointed nose glared back, while dull red lips added an exotic touch to the somewhat pale features. Dull red lips held the curse within. A well-placed finger in the center of the mural sent the image into a dance of ripples, scattering all remembrance of the silhouette. The young, wet boy closed his eyes once again and let out a heavy breath. It seemed everything he turned to reminded him of painful memories and evil thoughts. He didn't enjoy thinking ill of his fellow villagers, sure they cursed him, but wasn't it for the best? The demon would have slaughtered hundreds, thousands even, if it had not been for the people of his village. Maybe they didn't tell him the truth, but he never asked, so it wasn't as if they lied. And yes, he did not enjoy the special attention and the personal restriction, but everyone makes mistakes, and they didn't realize he disliked the care. He would just have to stand up for once and tell them how he felt. He was late for his ceremony, and when they found him (it was only a matter of time before they did), he would return and tell the elders and priests and villagers everything he felt. He will no longer keep his emotions pinned up inside of him, but he will finally express himself. He will change everything. After all, he was a Gennin now.

Brown eyes snapped open and limbs stopped churning water. Rindou took a deep breath and sunk down in the water so that only the top of his head was exposed, feet barely kicking, yet using enough force to keep him in the same discreet position. Eyes scanned the grassy lake edge and the tree line beyond while ears pricked up, ever alert. A moment passed before the faintest of sounds reached his ears. An underwater smile curved dull red lips as Rindou praised himself on his awareness and reaction, he was getting better. The Kusako closed his eyes and concentrated, forcing his thoughts into a single goal. A second later, he was gone, a host of ripples was all that was left to speak of his previous engagement with the water.

I will change everything...

Edited August 10, 2005 by TaronsNachos

[Guest TaronsNachos]

Part 2, baby!

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A twig snapped as the Chuunin took another step forward, kunai held before him at the ready. He had been roused from bed and sent out a few hours earlier, along with half of the village's off-duty shinobi, by the anxious village elders. They were worried about their beloved Kusako, or more important, their beloved Kurasora, and it were the shinobi's jobs to find him. Pulling a leafy branch aside, the Chuunin focused on the small lake. Ripples cascaded from the center and spread in all directions, betraying an unknown movement. He had a bad view point and had missed the source. Was it the Kusako, hostile persons, or some sort of biologic, the Nin had no way to tell. He checked his position once again, making sure he was safely concealed within the tree line. Patch shadows, caused by the forest canopy overhead, covered his body from head to hands, his legs concealed by his crouching stance. Deciding that he was secure, he turned his full attention back to the lake. Should he move forward and check? Textbook drills told him to keep his position and wait it out, but what if it was the Kusako and he was in trouble? What if he was drowning? He would have a hard time explaining to the village how he had sat by and watched as their prize met his death in a pool of water. Maybe he was just being paranoid, maybe it was just a fish? It was nothing. It had to be nothing. His hopeless self-comforts did little to staunch his growing worry. He made up his mind, he had to find out and give up his concealment, it was better to walk into an ambush than to return to the village in shame.

With the lift of a foot, the cautious Chuunin sealed his fate. Quickly glancing around to make sure that he wouldn't step on something too revealing such as a pile of dried leaves or a dead branch, he repositioned his foot in front of him, outside of the tree line. He leaned forward and broke through, fully revealing himself. Straightening his form, he slowly waked down to the water's edge, keeping his attention on the center of the lake where the ripples had already completely dispersed.

A few feet away, back behind the tree line, a small smile once again congratulated a job well done. It had been performed flawlessly, but playtime was over. Rindou deliberately stepped on a dead branch, announcing his presence as he emerged from the trees.

The Chuunin quickly rotated at the noise, kunai held at the ready, when he noticed the Kusako standing there, head down, soaking wet. He sheathed the weapon and briskly walked over to his superior, pulling a small, folded blanket from one of the many pouches on his belt. "Kusako-sama, where have you been?” He began while wrapping the blanket around the boy's cold shoulders, careful as to not further tangle the already matted hair. "We have been looking all over for you. What have you been doing out here all by yourself? You don't seem to be hurt, are you okay?” Undoubtedly, the kid had used his unique power, granted by Him. Rindou just kept his eyes on his feet as he gave a small shrug; he couldn't ever tell anyone about this fiasco of his, it would constrict his freedom even further. "Okay, well, we better hurry up and get you back to the village. They're worried about you, today is a big day, you know.” He reached back to his belt and revealed a small flare from a rather large pouch. Pulling the cord on the bottom, he sent the blue flame spiraling into the air, announcing the "all clear” signal. "Come on, let's hurry up and get going.”

On the walk back to the village they ran into a few Jounins, also on their way back, who agreed to set up a perimeter guard for the remaining trek. Being a rather small village, Kusa needed a way to effectively protect itself from threats and invasions. The road to the village is made up of many interweaving paths, a maze of paths that go through tall grass plains and thick wooded forests. Knowledge of which paths to take is a must if you have business with the village or it's inhabitants, for the road is treacherous. Traps line the way, meaning a wrong turn or a misjudgement of direction could result in death. Visitors or customers are often led through, only the very cunning are able to remember the multiple twists and turns, then kept under close tabs while they are in the village itself. Every year or so, something will be changed, whether it is just one turn, or a completely different path, preventing the wrong kind of person who knows the way to get back in (or telling others the way). The information will be passed out to the villagers alone. Children aren't allowed to leave the village boundaries by themselves until they have proven that they know the current way. It is a process which has kept the village safe for many generations, and hopefully for many more to come.

Both the Chuunin and Rindou knew the way, but the elder of the two led, and the Kusako followed, eyes still trained on the ground. He was contemplating about what to say to everyone, and how to say it. He had already decided to do it at the ceremony, it would be a courteous thing to do. His hair, now dry, hung over his shoulders in tangles and knots. They would be mad at him for that, he knew they would.

An hour passed before they made it all the way through the maze and arrived at the village gates where Kureinji, one of the village elders, was waiting to meet them. He gave Rindou a stern look of disapproval before thanking and dismissing the Chuunin. Then, grabbing the child by the hand, Kureinji hustled him towards the Village Hall, back to his private quarters.

Once there, the elder made sure to give Rindou a firm scolding. The lecture was long and drawn out covering: the fact that he left the village by himself, the fact that he left the village on this day, the fact that he was late for his ceremony because he wanted to go swimming, and concluded with the fact that his hair was now thoroughly mussed up and that this was not allowed (Rindou knew he would). All the while, the Kusako kept his head down, not out of shyness but out of shame, while his retainers combed, conditioned, shampooed, and finally rebraided his hair. They stripped him of his wet clothes and threw him into a tub of cold water, bathing him with sweet-smelling oils, dried him using soft scented towels, and then powdered his face in the traditional style of the wealthy. To wear, he was given a dark green kimono, decorated with a pattern of small brown cranes to compliment his eyes and hair. When he was finally ready, they ushered him back into the main hall, where the other kids of his graduation class were already waiting. They all looked up to see him come in, a few giggles escaped the crowd when they took notice of his powdered face and formal attire, every one of them was in casual clothing. Rindou's attention went back to the ground.

Now that he had arrived, they lined up single file facing the large entrance doors, he himself being ushered to the very back of the line. It was then that he noticed the leg holsters and item pouches that everyone else wore, they had a right to them now, they were ninjas. When he pointed them out to Kureinji, the elder merely shook his head and said that it wasn't fit for him to wear them at his own ceremony. Rindou bowed his head again and stared at his feet. He knew that there wasn't normally such a grand ceremony for the Gennins, and that the only reason there was one this year was because he was apart of the class. Which in fact was not entirely true. Sure he was officially apart of the class, but he had spent most time outside of the classroom and instead in his own private quarters where his many tutors taught him. It was only on special occasions that he visited the classroom with his fellow "classmates” and those times were mainly just for the sake of appearances.

The doors slowly started to creak open, revealing the path they were to take. The street was covered with flower petals and dead grass stalks, crowds had already gathered to line the streets. The procession was led through the doors by the Academy teachers and a cheer arose as the first Gennin emerged from the dark interior. They made their way slowly down the steps outside the Village Hall and finally onto the street, the crowd keeping it's tremendous vocal. Up ahead was the Kusa monument, a statue as old as village itself. On it were listed the names of shinobi who died in battle, fighting for the village and it's protection. That was where the Kage waited with the new headbands.

Boys and girls waved to the crowds, to their families and friends, while Rindou's arms were still. He kept his head up, eyes forward, still going over what he would do. He was trying not to get nervous, he knew he wouldn't have time for that while standing up there, it would make him look like a fool. He had made sure to tuck some paper and an ink brush inside an inner pocket of his kimono, it would make communicating less difficult.

The first Gennin reached the steps and the crowd fell silent. He slowly made his way up to where the Kage was standing. A few words were spoken, but Rindou didn't hear what, and then the headband was handed over. The Gennin proudly tied it around his forehead and then walked over to the end of the monument, smiling the whole way, as the crowd let out another loud cheer. A blonde haired girl was next, she seemed almost hesitant as she almost crawled up the steps, hands clasped in front of her. More words were spoken by the Kage and another headband was handed over. Relief shown on her face as she quickly tied the headband on and then moved over to stand next to the boy, facing the crowd. The process continued until there were five kids on each side of the Kage, Rindou was the only one left at the bottom of the steps. He looked up at the Kage, a kind old man, always with a smile on his face. A leathery hand reached out and beckoned him forward.

Step by agonizing step, Rindou made his way up the monument, keeping his eyes on the Kage's. His green kimono blew gently with the wind, the crowd had fallen completely silent. All too soon, he stood in front of the leader of his village. "Hello, Rindou.” The Kage greeted. Unsure of what to do, he just bowed his head in a sign of humility. "Look at me,” Rindou glanced back up, "there we go. We'll have to get over this shyness one day, now won't we?” a dumb nod was all the answer he was given. "Okay. You have come a long way, you should be proud of yourself. The whole village, including myself, congratulates you on the strength you've acquired. I am told that you passed the final test with flying colors, yes?” Again a dumb nod. Of course he had passed, it wasn't hard at all. But then again, even if he didn't, they would of just let him slide, he knew that. He was the Kusako and they had high hopes for him. "Yes, yes, you've come a long way indeed. You have also matured greatly since you were younger. And I believe it is time that you hear the truth.” Rindou's eyes widened. Could he mean...? Yes, he had to! Rindou parted his lips and slowly slipped out the tip of his tongue, the black tattooed seal now revealed. "Yes, about that. So you already know a little, yes?” A more vigorous head shake this time. A few whispers came from the crowd, no one had expected this. The waiting Gennins looked at each other, shrugging shoulders, none of them knew what the Kage was explaining. They had always thought the Kusako to be a stuck-up fancy pants. What else could there be to him? "Well it is time to tell you the full truth.” The Kage continued, watching the boy's face in front of him, looking for what his facial expressions betrayed. How much had this kid figured out? "You have read about the seven tailed demon, Kurasora, yes?” Once again, a nod of the head was ample enough of an answer. "And you know where he is now, yes? You know where you get your ability from?” Rindou turned his eyes to the ground and again slowly shook his head, he knew all this. He was mute, not dumb. "I had no idea that you knew this. That saves me the hard part of explaining it to you, yes. Now you are probably wondering the ‘why' and the ‘how' of this, yes? For which, I have brought with me the official report on the matter.” Rindou's mouth hung open in astonishment as the Kage produced from his large sleeves an envelope which he held out in front of him. Small hands quivered as the white envelope was exchanged. Rindou stared at the envelope in his grasp, and then looked back up at the Kage who gave a small nod, encouraging him to go further. He lifted the flap, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, and removed the folded sheet of paper. Crease by crease he opened it, and this is what it read:

R.P.#35821

F. Transfer 04-562

REFERENCE: Kurasora, Rindou, Demon

O: 02S.

Successful trapping and sealing within selected subject. Failure rate: 0. Minor complications. Performed as planned, no interruptions. Scroll locked after use. Will keep vigil for while to come. Outcome still uncertain, yet predicted as success.

-A.P.

Cur. Elder Staff

Rindou read and reread the sheet. Some of it he didn't understand, and he looked back up at the Kage in question. "This report just basically says that the sealing was a success. It still does not explain the ‘why', and I guess that I must tell you myself, yes. As you know, our village is rather small and weak compared with the other great hidden villages. We have always had the fear of an evasion within the back of our minds, for even with our maze of defenses, we are not completely safe. Years ago, our village elders and priests decided that a way to enhance our protection would be to capture and harness the power of one of the nine legendary bijuu. After much debating, the seven tailed, Kurasora, seemed to be the easiest to capture and seal, and the elders created a sealing technique specifically for him. The only thing they had left was to find a suitable host for containing the bijuu, he had to be one of our village and he had to be born specifically for this role, it had to be his fate to hold this demon within. Then, you were born, and our priests took notice of the unique hair you had started growing. Kurasora's grand feathers, his most prized aspect, are very similar to your hair, you know, dark brown feathers with bronze mixed in, giving off a bright sheen when the sun hits just right. The priests believed that your hair, being very similar to Kurasora's feathers, was a message sent to us, they thought it to be your fate to carry this burden for us. Kurasora surely would accept such a host, whose features were so similar to his own. They convinced the elders who in turn convinced me and we all eventually decided that you were a perfect choice for the host and then concentrated our efforts on capturing Kurasora. It took about six months before we completed the trap, and it was set on your second birthday. When He came, we were ready, and the sealing was a success. Unfortunately, you were stripped of your voice by the seal, an outcome that wasn't anticipated. But we were proud of the fact that we had lost no lives besides that of the performer, one of our elders who had volunteered to perform the ritual, knowing that he would lose his life in the process. Overall, it was a success. You became the Kusako and was put in custody of the village elders, where you would be watched and protected. Because of you, our village will survive. You are our ambition, and our future lies within you.”

The Kage finished his speech and took a step forward, tying the headband around Rindou's sweaty brow, then took a step back. Slowly, the old man sunk to his knees and then bowed forward, touching his head to the ground by the boy's feet. People of the crowd, after seeing their leader suddenly give a humble bow, decided that it was proper for them to do the same. Bakers, craftsmen, shopkeepers, teachers, officials, and ninjas all bowed down; both rich and poor kneeled next to each other and bowed in silent gratuity. The Gennins on the monument were next, mirroring their superiors and bowing to a peer they had never known as a person. Everyone of every class bowed to a child they had always called, but now accepted in their hearts as their true Kusako.

Rindou was in shock. Everything he was going to ask was suddenly revealed to him and he hadn't seen it coming. All his history and past was suddenly thrown at him, he didn't know how to react. Thoughts rammed themselves back and forth within his skull, some dying out and then new ones rising from the ashes. What did it all mean? It had all been absorbed too quickly. Did this mean that the reason of his burden was simply because of his hair? A new emotion raised up in his mind and dominated over the others, Anger. All his pain and loneliness and suffering, caused by his hair color? How could they do this to him? Why would they do this to him? Rindou opened his mouth to shout, but the only sound that emerged was that of rasp breathing. He closed his eyes tight and shook his head, tears starting to streak down his cheeks. No voice would come, no voice would ever come. He was cursed and would forever be. All because of some insecure villagers and some stupid demon. It was their fault, it was all their fault.

Charging at the nearest Gennin, Rindou deftly removed from their leg holster a kunai, confusion written upon the face of the frightened kid. Chuunin and Jounin alike rushed forward to stop him, but it was too late. He yanked his long braid over his shoulder and brought the kunai down in a savage arc, severing it from the cling it had to his skull. He let the lock of hair and blade fall to the ground, then, closing his watery eyes, vanished.

Miles away from the village, a red sun set over a lake where a small boy sat, arms wrapped around the knees brought up against his chest, deep in thought.

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Hope you liked it! It's all finished now! w00t!

NOTE:

- I changed the stealth jutsus into a skill granted by the demon. I believe RN was the creator of this idea (with his Mongoose) and I have his permission.

- I do not know how the road leading to Kusa, the village itself, or it's Kage were RPed, so I sort of improvised. If it is incorrect (which it probably is), please just overlook it.

- I apologize for the extra long speech that the Kage gives Rindou. I realize that it is tuff on the eyes, but I could not remember the correct format for separating paragraphs while in dialogue, so I just left it as is.

- If you disliked the story or found errors within it (spelling, grammar, format) then you'll just have to put up with it. I'm done with the story and you'll have to accept it the way it is.

- When I start actually RPing the character, I will most likely make Rindou return to the village, accepting his role to the people as protector. I just thought this was a good ending.

That's about all I have to say right now.

Thanks for reading and putting up with me,

TaronsNachos ^^

Edited August 10, 2005 by TaronsNachos