The Undeniable Questions >Private<

The cool of the night was steadily growing hotter as the sun peered over the horizon, the gentle red and pink light grazing the midnight blue and making the moon fade from sight. Though the woman walked parallel to the sunset, she barely noticed it. Her mind was busy running over the details of the ruin stone Vice had created. That was her mission before he awoke; to figure out how it worked and find a way around it. She could never beat him if she didn't have the secrets of the thing that had caused her to lose the fight. Every few yards she would stop and attempt a Kage Bushin, but it failed every time. It seemed like the range was well over what she originally thought, and that maybe he wasn't so crazy to think he could create a stone that would cover the area of the world with its seal. Sighing, she raised her dark gold eyes, the sun reflecting off of them to make them glow. Hopefully Vice would wait for her like her note instated; she had forgotten something and would be back shortly after sun rise for their departure. It was then that she noticed she didn'teven know where he planned on going.

Tsuki's face contorted in a half-sneer of aggitation and kept on walking as an oasis came into view. Was it the same one from the otehr day? Had she really walked that far back into Sunagakure? It didn't take her long to cross the short distance as she thought over the events of last night. He had told her the hate and anger that ran her life only made her weak and destroyed it. Could he be true? Could everything she worked for most of her life been a lie? A mirage created by the desert sun to keep her tired legs going? Without even realizing it, she had walked to the end of the water and was staring down at her reflection. Or could the man have been using it against her and feeding ehr lies to break her down? Though he seemed to insane to think of something like that, you couldnt underestimate people. You were killed that way. She whispered to herself idley, ang

"What do i do now?"

Tsu dropped to her knees at the water's edge, closing her eyes as she pulled her black headband off with her left hand, and dipped her other hand in the water. She ran this hand through her cropped black hair and sighed into the gentle breeze blowing into her face. As she let her hand slide back down her face to drop at her side, her nail nicked the cut above her eye. And she didn't even notice it until her vision stained red, crimson running over the right side of her face and dripped into the water. Disappearing into the blackish blue light beneath the surface. Tsu looked away and began unwinding the multiple bandages covering her body, saving the one wound around her side for last, as it was the deepest. She was surprised how slowy the stab wound was healing, it had been almost 3 days since she encountered Eve, and the shoulder wound was already mainly healed. She went to wash the scent of dried blood from her hands when she heard the rustle of brush on the bank near her, and sat still. Frozen by how easily she had been caught offguard.

Indeed it seemed the day was already going to be a hot one, much hotter than yesterday anyways. His solitude remained in constant motion with each passing day in the sweltering heat. He wasn’t sure what he planned to do the rest of his life as a quarter of it had not yet even passed. He smiled vaguely at the idea that he was giving people back their lives as his insisted on going nowhere soon. No complaints, complaining only made things worse and the need to complain only showed weakness. Haeichi’s days were always filled with the same routine of herb gathering and exploration, training at his level would only be needed when situations presented themselves. The man continued to pick a few special herbs by the bush out in the oasis; rare indeed were water based herbs in such a barren place. He had already noticed the woman’s presence by now but paid no mind to it, surely if she meant harm then she would have done something already.

Haeichi was in his typical clothes consisting of dark pants and a dark leather jacket that remained open revealing his muscular torso. However what was always unique to him was his eye wrap completely wrapped around his eyes and training down his back a little and in his right hand was a metal cane used for feeling his way around the crowded streets of suna. It was true, the man was blind. Again he could not complain about his birth traits instead he took the bad with the good/ Sure he could not see but his hearing as well as his other senses were well beyond anything any human could accomplish without being a member of the Kisai clan. It hadn’t taken long since he had become a medic and already People would talk of his miraculous healing methods though never lay eyes upon him and rumors would spread through the village talking of a strong and powerful warrior with a heart of gold and his mind on healing the sick and needy, nobody expected a blind man.

Haeichi looked up from the brush when he could spell a new odor that in his experience was unmistakable. Stepping out from the brush he walked toward the lady that was sitting by the small pond as a light breeze blew purposefully in the air. He stepped forward next to the woman unafraid hoping that she either knew who he was or at least knew he was not a threat. He began to analyze her wounds in a way only he could and frowned to himself. “Your hurt and it seemed whoever did such a terrible job at bandaging these wounds left you with a nasty infection on one of your cuts, though you may not be able to see it yet.” He said calmly as he stood next to the woman. Haeichi was a very unique character and whenever you would start to write off his eyes as making him crippled you were about to get enlightened.

Tsuki was still frozen, her hand in mid reach of the water's surface. Out of the corner of her dark eyes, she studied his face. She knew this man from somewhere. But where? That was when it clicked into place as he started to speak. He was one of the people she had seen at the hospital on multiple occasions when she would get herself injured during training. He might even had treated her before, but she couldn't remember. Now that she thought about it, she saw him quite alot around Suna. But what was his name?

Noticing she had stopped breathing, she caught her breath and closed the gap between her hands and the water. It was Haeichi Kisai. From what she'd heard, he was blind, but lacked nothing. Actually, he was above most of the other jounin. Not from pity, but from his hard work. She opened her mouth to say something in reply to him, but closed it and looked away.

Taking her hands from the water, she leaned back on her heels and turned her head towards him, her damp hair covering the left side of her face. She wondered if he knew she had left, or if hadn't heard yet. After all, she had only left yesterday morning. It made her feel small with him standing above her, but she stayed low at the edge of the water. Maybe he wouldn't recognize her voice if the pattern was distorted from the wind and the angle he was standing at compared to her. She sighed before she spoke calmly, her voice neutral and hiding the already waning irritation she had at being caught off guard by him.

"I was never good at first aid, so it doesn't surprise me very much. Even though i've been trying to patch myself up for years."

Haeichi smiled lightly and sat down next to her and folded his legs in an Indian style pattern as he aced her to talk. However before he looked directly into her eyes he scanned the bandages along with the rest of her skin and shook his head slightly as he opened his mouth to speak “It does not pay to lie my dear. These eyes may not work to your standards but they see a lot more than they probably should. For example the skin cells on the bandages are not your own which tells me another person did the bandage work for you. That brings me t another question of why would you have to lie about such a thing? First however let me heal these nasty wounds.” Haeichi said as he moved his hand lightly across her cut and with a faint green chakra emitting the cut was completely healed. “Where else are you hurt my dear?” he asked as he smiled faintly a she rotated his body to face her now.

“You see my dear, there’s a reason why medic ninjas exist and that is to cure the injured. If every ninja were to try and patch up another it would only make things worse. So if you would my dear just lay down and I’ll quickly treat all of your wounds.” Haeichi said as he placed his cane into the sand and left the other end to be sticking straight up into the sky.

Her face scowled slightly in her new found aggitation. He chided her about her actions like she was a little girl, and he was the old man trying to help her. It touched her nerves slightly, but she smoothed her features over and turned her body towards him. She might as well let him treat her wounds before she went back to Vice. It would give her an alliby for being out so long after she said she'd be back. Maybe he would just leave without her and she could go on with her plans. She almomst didn't notice the tingling sensation and the glow of the green chakra, and she turned her golden eyes back to watch his work. Now that she thought back to what Vice had said, she noticed there was an arguement to be pulled forth about it. To block the use of chakra like the ruin stone did would mean the end of medical ninjutsu as well. And that meant more people would die, and humans would just find another weapon to kill eachother with instead of ninjutsu. She looked up at him as she gave him the reason.

"I didn't nessesarily lie; i just told you part of the truth. Most of these i did do myself. And i know quite well that you 'see' more than most people think you do. I don't downgrade people because of their differentialities, but rather i admire those who can use things that would naturally be a disadvantage and use it as an advantage. And here on my left side and above my right eye."

The last few words she indicated with her hand the wound that had been bothering her for the past few days and the one she had reopened a few minutes ago. The side wound was placed slightly above her hip, and it would have been more comfortable laying down for him to treat it. With a sigh, she started to stretch herself out on the sand with her feet just touching the edge of the water before he asked her to. Pulling her still slightly wet hair over her shoulder trying to keep as much sand out of it as possible. She stared up at the pinkish sky for a few seconds, then closed her eyes and spoke. This time her voice was quieter.

"But if there isn't a medical ninja on hand, you have no choice but to do it yourself. Besides, i've had worse before, and it doesnt bother me very much to do it myself."

“Touché.” Haeichi said smiling as he scooted on his knees next to her and moved to the gash above the woman’s eyes. He placed his right hand just above the gash and light green chakra began to emit from his hand again as the wound quickly sealed up. He then took a small cloth from his pouch and wiped away the small traces of blood that existed. He then lowered both of his hands and placed them lightly on the wound to her side and held his hand their lightly as again green chakra began to glow from his hands. The healing would feel lightly warmer on her skin as he healed her but he couldn’t help to look at her with and smile once he removed his hands. “I also give a mean massage.” He joked as he placed the cloth in the water to clean the blood off of it before putting it back into his pouch.

“So Tsuki, I see you had into a fight recently. Routine mission?” he asked as he once again turned around to face her knowing full well what had made the wounds across her body. “Or just training a little too hard?” he asked again as he faced her and couldn’t help but laugh lightly at her comment about his disability. It was true, he had turned his disability and made it ultimately better than what he would have had, although in the process it had caused him years and years of pain and discomfort.

“Your right however, a ninja should be trained in the abilities to at least bandage and dress a wound properly until a professional can do so. I’ve been preaching it to the council for years yet it seems they would rather see death than have the hospital instruct ninjas on proper field dressing etiquette. It seems though you are learning remarkably quick since I last saw you in the hospital.”

Tsu had to squeeze her eyes shut tighter when he was fixing the cut there, the chakra's glow irritated them and dried them out. She could feel the tingling sensation leave, and a piece of fabric run accross her face. When she opened her eyes again to see he had moved his hands to the side wound, she blushed slightly but kept still. It sort of made her glad he couldnt see it. When the warm tingling stopped, she leaned forward and pulled herself up on her elbows and leaned her head back as she shook out her hair. When he spoke, she opened one dark gold eye and looked out at him from the black tassels hanging over her them. She laughed lightly and pulled herself back up and sat cross legged staring out over the water of the oasis. There was no reason to lie to him, he would see through it anyway. But she didn't have to tell him the whole truth either, because he wouldnt be able to tell if that was the end of it or not. Once again her voice was neutral as she looked down at the water, her black hair hanging straight down the sides of her face and hiding it from him. Every now and then, a light breeze blew it accross her neck and shoulders. She was surprised he remembered her name still.

"I guess you could call it a little bit of training, though it was unplanned, it was enlightening."

Enlightening in the fact that it made her think about what her life was really for, and that now she had a new goal to overcome before she could have her revenge. At least he had offered to train her, and all she had to do was kill him to move on with her plans. Though the things he said made her think hard; did her revenge and anger really hold her back like he said? If revenge wasn't the way, what was? There was no way she was going to be a pwn of the government; afterall, they were the ones who sent her team on that mission without telling them the full circumstances. Or how dangerous the man was. And that he had friends. Tsuki turned her head slightly as he spoke again, peering at him from behind the dark curtain of her thoughts. As she stopped speaking, she sighed and leaned her head back again to take in the growing light of the sun over the horizon.

"I try, but it's always like im standing still. It doesn't feel like i've learned anything for a long time."

Haeichi focused on the wind that blew over them and for those precious moments he could see her sitting there and he himself even blushed a bit in the awkward silence. He wasn’t exactly sure what to do from here, whether it would be to return the village now with the herbs or stay there and tries to piece together a conversation with the beautiful woman. He scratched the back of his neck for a second before he looked back to her. “Learning will only happen when the student has the desire to learn. As long as they are focused on what they want it will be achieved. My father said the same thing to me years ago when I was a genin and had not developed any method of knowing my surroundings. I was beaten to a pulp in the chuunin exams and if it wasn’t for my teammates I would have died. Count on the ones you know and love and focus on what you want in life. It sounds corny and overrated but it is true and will help out immensely when it comes to deciding your next path in life.”

“I got tired of hurting and killing people simply because I was ordered too, I took a complete 360 in life when I took on the role of being a medic and transforming the way we heal in the village. I only fight to protect these days and only look to learn new ways to heal people in this world. That’s my story anyways. I don’t have anyone to love or hold onto anymore and my goals have all been fulfilled. In ways I envy those who still have their meaning and purposes in life. With everyday I feel more and more washed up and abandoned, just like this oasis. It is why I visit here so often, I feel at peace.” Haeichi said as he stared down into the water at his own reflecting that was impossible to see

"Would you envy those whose only drive in life is to take revenge on a murderer? And the only things that keep you alive are the hate and anger that fester in the heart in years of distance and pain?"

She said, her voice growing colder as she spoke with her face still to the sky. Her eyes shut tight. Silently, she wondered why he had told her these things just now. What did he have to gain by telling her his life story? Did he want her to tell hers back? Tsu stayed silent, letting it drift in the air between then before she sucked in a deep breath. Holding it inside. He told her his, shouldnt she give something more back in return? Afterall, it wouldnt hurt to tell him. She let the breath go in a sigh and leaned her head forward again. Once more, she looked into the reflecting waters at her image. Her dark gold eyes burning with the memories that haunted her every living moment. Everything made her remember that day in the Moon country. A sparkle of light flashed on the water from the black stone crosses as they slipped from her shirt. One had a black tie, the other a white one. Her eyes held on the black stringed one as she spoke. Her tone monotonous and cold.

"I've always followed the same path, waiting for the day when i could be strong enough to take revenge for them. For my mother and father. For my brother. And for my team mates and...."

Tsu refrained from saying Ritsukin's name knowing it would only catch in her throat. She was never able to say his name allowed since that day. Instead she looked up at him for a brief moment. Searching his face for any sign he was following it, or even listening. This would be the second time she ever told anyone what she planned to do. And all in a matter of a day, she'd done many firsts. The first time she considered if all of it had been for nothing. The first time she blushed since the fateful mission. And the first time she actually talked to someone from her village about something other than missions and errands. She looked away from him again. Her eyes narrowed at the eyes staring back at her.

"I've lost everything i had, and pushed others away from me because i was afraid. Afraid it would all be taken again like before. Your not abandoned; people look up to you because of how you've overcome your disability. You like an idol to them, Haeichi. I don't think you see it, but you do have a purpose. To save lives. My purpose is destroying them."

That was when she stood, grabbing up the black headband and looking down at him. She waited for him to call her stupid, like how everyone did when they heard of a life controlled by revenge. Vice had basically called her stupid fo believeing in it, and letting it consume her, so why shouldnt he?

“Envy no, but I can understand. Revenge is the ultimate motivator in anyone. It motivates you to train harder and to beat what has beaten you down in the past, physical and emotional. Everyone I knew growing up died on missions and I had wanted revenge on the ones that killed them. I did it in my own way of course I did it by become a medic and working my ass off at it. You may ask how that is revenge and in a way it is and isn’t. I used my fuel and passion for revenge to act a protector and a preventer to make sure nobody else I loved and care for died to those I can’t stand. “Haeichi said as he continued to listen to her story. He couldn’t help but frown as she went on and on.

“I know all about that mission.” Haeichi said “I am 3 years your elder and was already a Jounin when I heard of the escort mission to moon…I was the one who tried to save Ritsu’s life but it was already too late. Before he died he gave me the cross to bring to you while you were still asleep and so I did. After that I felt so bad I had demanded to the Kazekage myself to retrieve the bodies and I did. Once I was back told the staff to let you go to the funeral. So believe me when I say I can understand you wanting your revenge. It was that event that made me become the medic I am today, with the ability to recover any wound and even bring back the recent dead. I don’t ask for glory because I don’t want it and I don’t like being considered an idol just because they hear a name and don’t know the man. The only advice I can possibly give in a situation of revenge is that you always remember who you are and who you are revenging. Don’t forget them and keep them in your heart.” He said placing his hand lightly over her heart. “And always try to think about what they would have wanted.”

The sun began to finally clear the clods in the distance as the brightness and heat of the sun began to take control of the desert. Haeichi stood up as she did but continued to look out over the water instead of at her. He didn’t know how she was going to take the news, he half expected her to start breaking out in tears and half expected her to suck it up as something she had cried about too much. He didn’t know and he didn’t know why he cared so much.

Tsuki knew now that it did hurt to tell him, but it hurt even more hearing him say the things he did. She never found out who had brought them back, and she had both been angry an relieved at the same time. Angry that she had wanted to go back and see if the murderers had been killed by her sensei's last attempt to alow them to escape. And relieved that she didn't have to see them there. That was one less memory of their blood, but that hadn't stopped her from imagining it that day when she heard about the funeral. And she never asked who had done it either, or who brought the cross back to her. But she had alway silently thanked them in her heart.

While he was talking, she had stood still as if frozen in place. Even with the heat of the desert sinking into her skin. If she left the desert and the sun, would the ice overcome her? It was then she realized her hand had gone to her chest, the crosses wound in her fingers. The other hand dangled at her side with the headband loose in her hand. Her words were absently spoken as she stared into the distance, barely audible above the new wind blowing accross her face.

"Thank you...Haechi."

The woman's dark golden eyes closed. A line of silver trailing down the side of her face. Refracting the light from the sun almost like a diamond. She knew she shouldn't cry in front of people, but for some reason her resolve seemed to be withering away lately. Before she knew it she was on her knees, her headband dropped, forgotten, on the ground next to her as her hands clenched into fists in her lap. Her form of revenge must be doing what Vice said it would; make her weaker. She scolded herself for being such a fool. It didn't matter if it made her weaker, as long as she accomplished what she had trained to do. All the damn questions and unwanted answers were getting in her way. She had been staring blankly at the horizon since she dropped down, and now she looked down and closed her eyes again. Even so, she asked him something that bothered her now. Her voice was only slightly louder than before, but held enough of the pain that consumed her mind to make it hard to hear.

"Why did you do that? Why are you telling me this?"

“Thanks are not needed.” Haeichi said with a smile as he frowned and kneeled down with her and placed his arm around her back and held her closely to him. There were many things that bothered him and one of them was seeing a woman cry. He moved in front of her as to allow her to cry on his shoulder while he rubbed her back and her head lightly doing anything he could to comfort her and calm her down. “Honestly, I’m not too sure why I told you. Maybe I felt it was time you knew.” He said still unsure of himself why he told her..

“This might make you feel better or worse, I don’t know but….it may even motivate you. Your revenge is needed. I can see spirits and I had the unfortunate discovery of finding them all where they were killed when I got there. Their spirits are trapped here until you can free them and they can move on. Don’t let your revenge be about hate, let it be a revenge to save them from being trapped here.” He said trying to motivate her.

She tensed up under his touch, the way she did whenever anyone touched her, though she didnt pull away. Rather, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his shoulder. The idea of their spirits still trapped here while she wasted time in the village scared her. Making her anger blossom and burst from the dark edges of her mind. All those years of training in the village until she was ready, they've been stuck in the moon country. Their souls caught between the world of the living and dead. Her fingers clenched into fists behind his back. It had only made her more angry and disappointed in herself, she already had all the motivation she needed. Though she couldnt help but wonder one thing.

"You said those that were murdered in the Moon country you saw...did you see R-Ritsu there even though he didn't die in the Moon country?"

Tsuki turned her head towards his face, her breath bouncing back at her off of his neck. A part of her mind also couldnt help but notice the sweet scent on him. She wondered what it was. It wasn't feminine, but like some kind of candy. And another thing came to mind, she liked the warmth comign from him better than that of the sun. A flush of red broke out along her cheeks, she could feel the heat spreading accross her face as she hid her face again. Closing her dark gold eyes from the sun that she assumed was the root of her strange thoughts. She'd been under it to long.

“No I did not see him.” He said as he continued to hold her finding a way to enjoy the moment even though he still could feel her sadness. He could feel her growing warmer though around the face and it made him smile. He already knew by this point that she would leave the exact her revenge and he couldn’t find it in his heart to stop her. He continued to hold her leaving his hand on the back of her head and on her back. He picked her head up to his eye level to try and cheer her up.

“I will tell them to look over you and help protect you. If you ever need anything of me just say you would like to meet me softly when you’re alone and I will find you, for the sake of me believing in your goal I will not stop you, but please don’t make me regret ever letting you go by getting yourself killed.” Haeichi said with a warm smile as he stood up and helped her to her feet as well.

Tsuki sighed and let her head be pulled back slightly, her dark eyes looking to his face as he spoke. At least he hadn't seen Ritsukin, so maybe he had moved on even when the others hadn't been as lucky. Could it be his soul was actually in the desert though? She shook the thoughts from her head, though hung to the one that encouraged her that he hadnt stayed behind. When he stood, she looked up at him and took his hand as she was pulled to her feet. There was curiosity mixed in her expression. Did he know she was leaving? Or had he guessed that was what she planned on doing?

"Alright. And even if it's not needed by you; thank you, Haeichi."

She avoided his comment on disappointing him if she dies. It seemed almost inevitable that she would get severely injured, or even die, while she fought the people responsible. If it was who she thought it was that had done it, then death was something that would surely come at some point when working around them. Tsu looked at his face again, studying it and burning it into her memory. He was one of the few she wanted to remember since she changed. But she couldnt resist the thought that maybe she would get to close to him. Shaking the thought away, she smiled at him. It wasn't completely real, but not entirely fake either. Then she wondered how he would find her if she did what he said and the corner of her mouth twitched. That was kind of creepy, really, but kind of him. But she would need to depend on herself more than before.

"And Haeichi, will you do me another favor?"

Tsu looked to the ground behind him for a moment before she continued to speak. It was more personal, but she hoped he would understand why she asked him.

"If you hear of my brother, Heinoken, will you send word back to me? I...still believe he's alive somewhere. I want to bring him back when it's all over."

Haeichi couldn’t help but smile as her tears stopped and he wiped the water gently from her eyes brought his hands down by her sides and held them on her hips lightly. He wasn't exactly sure what to say or do in the situation but he couldn't help and think about all the times he had seen her in the hospital or out and about training. As he thought more and more over the passing seconds he still wondered why he told her what he had not too long ago, about him and his past. "Tsu...I was serious, if you ever need anyone or anything just let me know. I will always be the first one to help someone escpecially you. However before you leave I have an experiment I want you to see that I think will be the first in its kind and completely prevent somone from staying dead for too long." he said.

Voided.